On the morning of the field trip, the cadets and the professors overseeing the trip first traveled to the Holy Empire through the Warp Gate. There, the professors divided the cadets into their respective classes and had them board a series of large magi-vehicles. Everyone wore bright, excited expressions. It wasn’t every day that a sudden field trip was added to the schedule.

Iris glanced at Dale across the aisle and grumbled in a sulky tone, “Ugh! I wanted to sit next to Dale.”

Camilla, who sat beside her, shook her head firmly. “I told you, that’s not possible. We’re in the Holy Empire. We don’t know who might be watching, so we must maintain proper conduct.”

“Who would even bother spying inside a magi-vehicle?” Iris replied.

“A guard’s duty is to prepare for every possibility, no matter how unlikely.”

Iris narrowed her eyes. “Hmm! Is that so?”

She gave Camilla a long, teasing look.

Camilla got flustered. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Iris bluntly said, “Oh, come on. You just didn’t want to sit with anyone else, right? You don’t really have friends besides me and Dale.”

Camilla’s cheeks flushed a deep red. “W-who says I don’t have any friends?”

“Oh yeah? Then name one.”

“That’s, uh...”

Camilla bit her lip and turned her head away, refusing to meet Iris’s eyes. It looked like Iris wasn’t entirely wrong. Camilla really didn’t seem to have any close friends other than us.

Iris smirked mischievously and poked Camilla in the side. “Still, you’re really cute when you get all flustered.”

“B-be quiet!”

The two of them whispered and bickered softly so that others couldn’t hear them.

***

I could see Iris and Camila bantering. Indeed, Iris was at her most playful when she was with Camilla. Just watching them made me smile faintly. It was the kind of warm, easy friendship that radiated naturally.

Anyway, because of this sitting arrangement, the one sitting next to me wasn’t who I wanted, Iris, but a person I was familiar with. It was Albert Hoover, a skinny young man with a freckled face and a timid air and who was the representative of Class C. Just one look at him and anyone would think that he was a fragile guy.

Albert awkwardly fidgeted, pulling a bag of snacks from his backpack. “Uh, D-Dale. I, um, brought some snacks. Do you want some?”

If Laneige were a shy schoolboy, she would probably look like this.

“Thanks. I’ll help myself,” I replied.

“Y-yeah. I brought plenty, so eat as much as you want.”

It was hard to believe that someone this timid, someone who looked like he couldn’t even harm a bug, was the same person who, when war broke out, was among the first to rally the cadets and head straight to the battlefield.

Was this also one of the changes in the new future? I wondered so. In my previous life, I had barely exchanged words with Albert, so I couldn’t tell if my presence had changed him or if he had always been this way deep down.

He smiled shyly. “I’m really excited for this trip. You too, right?”

I couldn’t help but return a small nod. “Yeah.”

It was nice forming new bonds that hadn’t existed in my past life.

Albert continued, “By the way, you and Iris seem really close. Is that okay?”

“Okay? What do you mean?”

“I mean, uh, you and Professor Baldwin are, you know... kind of... close?”

“Oh.”

He was probably referring to the time he accidentally saw me giving Professor Baldwin a massage. I had completely forgotten about that.

I explained, “That was just a misunderstanding—”

Before I could say anything further, Professor Kane’s booming voice filled the magi-vehicle. “Alright, everyone! Focus up! We’ll arrive at our destination, the Termal Region, in about two hours! Once we’re there, you’ll get your room assignments, followed by the grand banquet we’ve prepared!”

The cadets erupted in cheers. “Woooaaaah!”

Professor Kane continued, “And for your information, the banquet is sponsored by the Holy Empire itself, featuring their national specialties!”

The excitement instantly deflated.

“A-ah.”

“H-Holy Empire cuisine?”

Professor Kane laughed heartily, shoulders shaking, as he looked over the uneasy cadets. “I figured you’d react like that, so I made a special request! This time, they’ll be serving plenty of meat. No need to worry!”

The cadets got hyped up again.

“Yesss!”

“As expected, Professor Kane, you’re the best!”

Professor Kane shook his head in mock exasperation. “You brats are way too different from how you act in class.”

“Ahem!”

“Heh heh! Well, I understand.” Still smiling, he continued, microphone in hand, “As I’ve said before, this trip is a reward for your heroic defense during the beast legion’s attack. Think of it as a gift for your hard work.”

His voice then took on a heavier tone. “However, don’t forget who you are. Even if this is a trip, you’re still future heroes, guardians of humanity who will one day fight the servants of the Demon God.”

The solemn words echoed through the magi-vehicle, and he added dryly, “Anyone who causes trouble will find themselves buried at the bottom of the hot springs.”

The cadets immediately replied to him.

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood!”

Professor Kane clicked his tongue but was clearly amused. “Hmph. At least you all know how to answer properly.”

He probably thought that they were still kids at heart, no matter what fancy title they were given. Sure, everyone here was an adult, being over twenty years old, but turning twenty didn’t magically make one wise or mature overnight. People didn’t change that easily. And honestly, the word trip carried a special magic of its own. It stirred excitement in anyone, no matter the age. A perfect example of that was the supervising professor himself.

Professor Kane, well past his youth, seemed more excited than any of the cadets. “And so! For the next two hours until we arrive, we’ll be holding a Talent Show! Time to show off the singing skills you’ve been hiding all this time!”

Even the cadets were starting to feel pressured by his enthusiasm.

“S-singing?”

“Even if that’s the case, I don’t think singing is...”

“Isn’t the professor more excited than we are?”

Professor Kane raised the microphone in his hand and looked around the inside of the magi-vehicle. The cheerful chatter from earlier had vanished, leaving behind an awkward silence as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over everyone. Even with the excitement of the trip still buzzing in their heads, few possessed the courage to sing confidently in front of several dozen people.

“Hmm? No volunteers?”

Silence stretched on. Soon, the cadets’ gazes naturally drifted toward one person.

Albert turned pale as all eyes fixed on him. His head jerked from side to side in panic. “N-no way! N-no! Anything but singing! I-I can’t sing!”

The others tried to convince him.

“Oh, come on, you’re our Class C representative!”

“Now’s your chance to show off!”

“Albert! Albert! Albert!”

A chant of his name began echoing throughout the magi-vehicle.

“You’re the only one we can count on, Albert!”

“Show us what our class rep can do!”

Albert trembled as if on the verge of tears. “I-I said no!”

He shook his head violently as though this alone was absolutely unacceptable.

Professor Kane’s low voice cut through the growing commotion. “That’s enough.”

He clicked his tongue as he looked around at the cadets. “Didn’t you hear him say no? Honestly, you guys, always picking on Albert first for everything. What, do you think he’s the class punching bag or something?”

The cadets exchanged bewildered looks.

“Wait, what?” someone said, shocked.

If their thoughts could be put into words, it would’ve been something like: “You’re seriously saying that?”

“Well, if no one’s willing, then I suppose there’s no helping it.” Professor Kane sighed deeply, gripping the microphone tighter. “I’ll sing.”

I thought I had misheard him. Judging by the shocked looks around me, I wasn’t the only one.

With a sly grin, Professor Kane brought the mic close to his mouth. Then, a devastating voice surrounded us. “Your memorieeeeeees! Of lost loooooove!”

If nightmares had a soundtrack, this would be it. The glass windows shook from the sheer force of his voice. The notes were twisted beyond human comprehension, the rhythm shattered like a broken machine, and the pitch, dear gods, the pitch was an act of creative destruction. The result? A song so torturous it could’ve been used as an interrogation method.

Professor Kane continued to sing. “The pain! That pierces! My sooooooouuuuuul!”

The cadets screamed one after another.

“AAARGHHHHHHHH!”

“S-stop!”

“Please, someone, make it stop!”

Despite all that, accompanied by a soul-crushing requiem that felt like it could rip one’s very essence apart, our magi-vehicle continued its slow, merciless journey toward its destination.

***

The cadets stumbled out of the magi-vehicle, faces pale as ghosts.

“Huff! huff!”

“A-alive. We’re alive!”

Before them stood a massive hot spring inn, large enough to house a thousand people, and gathered outside were cadets from other classes, who had arrived earlier.

Yurina approached us as soon as we stepped off. “Ah, Dale!”

She tilted her head curiously at the sight of our drained, shell-shocked faces. “You all look terrible. What happened?”

I couldn’t bring myself to explain the auditory tragedy we had just endured. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

I then asked, “Anyway, why’s everyone still outside instead of heading in?”

“Oh, they said they’re doing room assignments first,” she answered.

Right, I remembered Professor Kane mentioning that earlier.

Professor Kane faced the cadets, and his voice rang out again. “Alright! Since everyone’s here, let’s start with the room assignments! Each room will house six people, assigned randomly. However, those who received commendation certificates during the last battle will enjoy a special privilege!”

Intrigued, the cadets murmured among themselves.

“A special privilege?”

“What kind?”

The professor explained, “Those with commendations will each be assigned to a deluxe suite in the annex, and they may choose one cadet to invite as their roommate.”

The cadets’ eyes immediately lit up. Their gazes turned eagerly toward the award recipients. Among them, the one who drew the most attention was, of course, the same guy who was always targeted.

Dozens of cadets swarmed toward Albert, the easiest target among the decorated group.

“Hey, Albert! We’re buddies, right?”

“Albert, I’ve actually liked you for a while now,” said a cadet.

“You’re a guy,” Albert replied to him.

“I’m actually gay.”

Albert was flabbergasted by that reply. “What?”

Meanwhile, no one dared approach Iris or Yurina to ask about sharing a room. But that was not surprising. Both of them carried an air of untouchable prestige, even among the academy’s elites. Most people probably wanted to room with them, but simply didn’t have the courage to ask.

Iris’s eyes sparkled as she stepped closer to me, clearly determined. “D-Dale! Why don’t we share a room?”

It was sweet of her to ask right away, but her wish was shattered prematurely.

Professor Kane casually added, “Oh, and one more thing, the invitation privilege can be used only on someone of the same gender.”

Iris’s face fell instantly. “Ugh, t-that’s so unfair!”

“Well, that’s just how it is,” Professor Kane replied with a shrug.

Even if all the cadets were adults who knew perfectly well how to behave, the academy couldn’t exactly allow male and female cadets to share rooms on an official field trip.

At that moment, Yurina approached me with a relaxed smile. “Well then, that settles it. Dale, you can room with me.”

Shocked, I asked, “Yuri—, uh, Yuren! What are you talking about?”

Yurina innocently replied, “What do you mean, what am I talking about? You heard the professor. The privilege can be used only on someone of the same gender.”

In his Yuren disguise, she slung an arm over my shoulder, grinning. “I’m a ‘man’ just like you, aren’t I? So there’s no problem sharing a room, right?”