“Ah, Teacher Tia. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Teacher!”
It was Teacher Tia who called out to them.
“Onii— Kent, you know Teacher Tia? I heard she only teaches first-year classes right now, didn’t you?”
Rachel, who had almost called out to Kent in her usual tone, corrected herself and asked him.
“Yeah. I’m in charge of the school festival executive committee now, so I see her during meetings.”
“I see,” Caro said understandingly after Kent’s explanation.
“Hmm. That’s not all, is it? Onii-chan was looking elsewhere earlier.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“You know what I mean, don’t you? Teacher Tia, her clothes and overall appearance are really unfashionable and drab, but she has a great figure, clear skin, and I can’t tell with her glasses on, but judging by your reaction, when she takes them off, she’s incredibly beautiful, right?”
“Well, I won’t deny she’s beautiful.”
Rachel said to Kent, so other people wouldn’t hear. She had previously encountered Tia being attacked in a back alley. Normally, Tia wore glasses like the bottom of a milk bottle, obscuring her true face, but Rachel had confirmed she was beautiful at that time.
“So, why is Teacher Tia here?”
“Actually, my glasses were acting up, and I was going to get them adjusted at Jastar Trading Company, but there was a sign saying they were temporarily closed. I didn’t know what to do, and then I saw you, Kent, and the others, so I couldn’t help but call out to you.”
“That’s too bad. We were actually heading there ourselves, but we saw the temporary closure sign and were just discussing what to do.”
“Oh, really? And your companions are Rachel and Caroline? I heard a rumor, is it true that you and Caroline are dating?”
Kent asked, and Tia replied.
“Are Kent and I that well-known?”
Caro asked Tia about the rumor.
“Indeed. It’s a well-known story among the faculty and staff. They say it’s a love that transcends the difference in status between commoners and aristocrats. Perhaps it’s unnecessary worry, but is it okay to walk around town so openly? If your family finds out, they might tear you apart.”
“Teacher, that’s alright. My family officially approves of our relationship.”
“Oh, I see. It’s good that they are understanding. I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines.”
“Thank you,”
Caro replied to the worried Tia.
“Teacher, thank you for your lessons. Your teaching methods are very clear, and you’re very popular among the students.”
“Oh, I’m happy to hear you say that. Thank you, Rachel.”
“B-but, your teaching methods…”
“Huh? What is it?”
After Rachel praised her, she said as if to confirm something, and Tia tensed up.
“Your teaching methods are similar to Onii— I mean, Kent’s, but I was wondering why that is.”
“Now that you mention it, I realize it. That’s true.”
Caro said understandingly after Rachel’s remark.
“That’s because Kent taught me some teaching tips.”
Tia answered without hiding anything.
(As expected of Onii-chan, he’s quick to get involved. Have they already…?)
(There’s no way!)
(Ouch! Don’t hit me out of nowhere.)
(Teacher Tia was in charge of the summer remedial classes. We hit it off then and that’s when I taught her.)
Kent and Rachel were talking in hushed tones, but Kent couldn’t help but retort and hit Rachel on the head.
“Kent, what’s wrong with suddenly hitting Rachel?”
Tia asked, surprised. Caro, having overheard their exchange, wasn’t particularly flustered as it was a common occurrence.
“Teacher Tia, it’s just our usual banter, so please don’t mind it.”
“I-is that so?”
Kent replied, and Tia responded with a look of disbelief.
“So, Teacher Tia, you said your glasses were out of adjustment. What are you going to do?”
“Well, this part here is a bit loose, and it’s uncomfortable to use. I was going to get it adjusted at Jastar Trading Company where I bought them, but now I’m in a predicament. They’re custom-made, so other shops won’t be able to handle them.”
“That’s troubling. May I take a look at your glasses?”
“Yes, of course. Here you go.”
Tia then took off her glasses and handed them to Kent.
“Wow, they’re even more beautiful than I imagined. It’s a shame you hide them with glasses.”
“Truly. You have a very refined face.”
Rachel and Caro exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Tia’s bare face.
“You two, I appreciate the compliment, but it’s embarrassing.”
Tia said, blushing.
“Teacher Tia, I think I can fix this.”
“Really? But I can’t possibly take up your valuable time…”
“The adjustment won’t take long, so it’s fine. But I’ll need a place to work…”
As Kent said this, Rachel chimed in with an offer.
“If you need a place to work, my shop isn’t too far. It’s probably closer than going back home?”
“That’s a good idea. Let’s do that. Teacher Tia, it’s a bit of a walk, but is that okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine, but are you sure it’s okay to take up your time?”
“Su—”
Just as Kent was about to answer, Rachel butted in from the side.
“That’s right. You’re taking time away from your date, and your free time is precious too. Especially since your companion is a noble daughter.”
“In that case, perhaps we could reschedule for another day at Jastar Trading Company…”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m dedicating time to help the teacher, so could she perhaps spare some of her time for us afterward?”
“Rachel, what do you mean by that?”
Tia asked, not understanding what Rachel was getting at.
“Once the adjustment is done, would you mind spending some time with us? We can treat you to tea or something?”
“As a teacher, I can’t possibly accept something like that from a student…”
“Don’t worry about it. We’re going to my shop anyway.”
Rachel pushed forward with the conversation, almost forcefully.
(She seems easily swayed by the teacher, so if I push a little, I can probably get her to do whatever I want.)
Rachel thought as she cornered Teacher Tia.
“I understand. I want to get my glasses fixed, and I have no choice. So, Kent, can you please handle it?”
“It’s my pleasure, Teacher.”
(Alright! I got her to agree.)
With the deal settled, Rachel gave a mental fist pump.
“This is my shop.”
“This place… isn’t this the famous Marie’s Bakery No. 2? I heard you handle merchandise for aristocrats, didn’t I…”
Tia said in surprise as Rachel guided her in.
“That’s right. This is Marie’s Bakery No. 2. As Rachel said, she’s in charge of this store’s manager, so please, come in without hesitation.”
“R-really? Excuse me.”
Guided by Kent, Tia timidly entered the store.
“Teacher Tia, today is our day off, so there are no customers. Please feel at ease.”
“O-okay.”
“Then, I’ll take your glasses, so please have a seat here and wait.”
Rachel led Tia to the dining space and sat her down at a table.
“Is anyone here?”
“Yes!”
When Rachel called out, a voice came from the back.
“Ah, Manager, welcome. It’s our day off today, is something the matter?”
Lola, who was effectively in charge of the store, emerged from the back.
“Sorry to bother you on your day off. Could you prepare some tea for our guest?”
“Understood. I’ll prepare it right away, so please wait a moment.”
Lola bowed and retreated to the back.
“Well then, I’ll take Onii— I mean, Kent, to the back. Caro, could you handle things here later?”
“Understood. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Rachel left Caro in charge and led Kent to a room in the back.
“Onii-chan, you can use this room.”
Rachel led him to a room behind the store.
“This store is surprisingly spacious beyond the sales floor. There are many empty rooms, so I made one into my workshop.”
With that, Rachel opened the door to a room in the back that had been left unattended.
“Rachel, when did you create this room?”
“Impressive, isn’t it? I made it by collecting materials that I ‘borrowed’ while saying I was going to deliver them as merchandise.”
“Are you sure you should say that so openly?”
“We’re siblings, aren’t we?”
Kent was dumbfounded by Rachel’s usual laid-back attitude. Now that the store was generating more sales than the first branch, Kent decided to overlook it as a necessary evil.
“Is this a sewing workshop?”
“Something like that.”
The room was crammed with completed costumes, all handmade by Rachel. There were fabrics, accessories, all the necessary sewing equipment, and even a sewing machine, indicating a surprisingly well-equipped facility that could rival a commercial establishment.
“There’s lighting, and you can use this workbench.”
“Understood. I’ll borrow it then.”
Kent borrowed the workbench, retrieved the necessary tools from his terminal, and began working. He disassembled the glasses entrusted to him by Tia, and using pliers and a metal file, he made minute adjustments, reassembled them, polished them to a shine, and finished the job.
“Alright, I think that’s good enough.”
“As expected, Onii-chan. You finished it in no time.”
“Yeah. I did something similar when I had a part-time job before.”
“Come to think of it, you used to repair clocks and make duplicate keys, didn’t you?”
In his previous life, Kent had worked at a home improvement store and handled some simple repairs within the store, so he possessed a certain level of repair skill. Therefore, repairing glasses, apart from the lenses, wasn’t particularly difficult.
“Teacher Tia, sorry for the wait. They’re fixed.”
“Kent, thank you for your trouble.”
After finishing the repair, Kent returned to the store and spoke to Tia. Tia seemed to be chatting with Caro while drinking tea.
“So, Teacher, do you remember our promise?”
“Yes, what would you like me to accompany you with?”
Rachel said this, and Tia seemed to brace herself.
