"Hmm."
At last, the additional effects are unlocked.
Of course, saying 'at last' might be a bit of an exaggeration.
It was unlocked much faster compared to any other route.
─Kiiing, huh?
Little Fist, who was comfortably nestled in my arms and snoring softly, tilted his head and gazed up at me.
It's said that a divine beast, whether in temperament or appearance, resembles its master in some way... and the more I looked, the more he seemed to resemble me.
'Well, it would be strange if he didn't.'
After all, Little Fist and I are bound by the threads of our souls.
To foster his growth, I fed him his favorite foods and took him for walks...
Seems like Neike and I approach things differently.
Unsurprisingly, Little Fist seems happiest when close to a woman.
"…Theo, what kind of life were you living?"
At this rate, I wonder if Little Fist resembles Theo or if it takes after me.
'It must be Theo.'
Before I became Theo, I didn't lead a life particularly involved with women.
I never felt the need.
...But what would Little Fist say?
At this point, he should understand how a father feels.
"Little Fist, can you give your father the privilege of hearing your first words?"
I continued to pet him gently.
After about 5 minutes, he still didn't want to leave my embrace.
Of course, it's nice that he doesn't reject my touch... but it's a bit suffocating.
"Try saying something, Little Fist."
That's when it happened.
─Strange, woman, scent, like.
Little Fist spoke.
Its words were disjointed, but he definitely spoke.
"…Sigh."
Well, that figures.
The reason Little Fist clung to me more than usual was probably because it was enjoying the scent of Seria on me.
'But that's not the important part.'
What's shocking is that Little Fist's voice was eerily similar to mine.
It resembled a younger version of... Theo's voice?
Of course, I've never heard Theo's childhood voice, but Little Fist's voice would definitely match a younger Theo.
Not just the looks, but even Theo's voice was designed to be likable to most people.
'I'm in trouble.'
A sense of unease enveloped me.
Undoubtedly, both Amy and Aisha, especially Amy, would remember Theo's childhood voice.
'I have to leave Little Fist with Aisha tomorrow.'
I'll be entrusting Little Fist to Aisha for almost two days, and I can't predict what this cheeky creature might say in my absence.
It’s unsettling.
“Whew…”
...I can't come up with a proper solution.
Casting [Silence] from [Magic Cartridge] on Little Fist isn't an option either.
"Sigh..."
From the start, it never affected him.
Even though Little Fist now looks like nothing more than a fist-sized white furball, he's a divine beast by nature.
In his current state, he's automatically immune to any debuff magic below the 5th Circle.
'There's nothing I can do.'
I don't have any other ways to deal with the situation right now.
Without hesitation, I cast a spell that enveloped the entire room.
[Soundproof].
A noise-cancellation spell.
A magic that prevents any sound within a certain area from leaking outside.
I'm a bit worried that, with the way he's been growing, he might utter a few more words throughout the night, even if the chances are slim.
With that spell widely spread inside the room, I took a shower and was able to lie down comfortably on my bed.
─ Kiiing, kiing, kiing?
Now resembling a talking puppy, Little Fist tilted his head, snuggled up close to me, and fell asleep.
The next day, Saturday morning dawned.
I woke up feeling warmth in my chest.
Still in the same position as when we had cuddled up the night before, Little Fist was asleep in my arms.
─Pew, pew, pewww.
He seemed utterly oblivious to the world around him.
"Phew."
I realized it was the first time Little Fist and I shared a bed.
Having been close to him all night, most of my fatigue had vanished.
I'm in peak condition.
Just two days ago, I felt like I was on the brink of death...
But now, I feel invigorated.
"Good morning, Little Fist."
I gently caressed the still sleeping Little Fist.
······Finally, today is the day of the much-anticipated Association's academic seminar.
The seminar not only draws reporters, guild & national representatives, and current heroes, but occasionally legendary heroes with legendary accomplishments.
Of course, these legendary heroes tend to be so elusive that the chances of not seeing them are higher.
However, many people still attend, hoping to have a conversation with one of them.
'If they're attending the seminar, they'd surely know about the incidents at Elinia Academy.'
This is my chance to showcase myself.
Reporters, guild & national representatives probably carry at least one emergency communication crystal, so news must have spread far and wide by now.
Furthermore, Mari is the youngest professor in Elinia Academy's history and garners a lot of attention.
'With the stage set like this, I'd be foolish not to seize the opportunity.'
I wonder how many renowned figures will be at the association today?
And how many significant yet unknown characters might be there?
Naturally, I’ve memorized the details of well-known characters, but the most crucial information is about those that are yet to be revealed.
Be it Noctar, or the quirky Taylor...
This world seems to be teeming with significant figures not mentioned in any main storyline.
I'll make as many connections as possibles.
"Heheh, hmm-hmm."
The [Soundproof] magic cast in the room was still active.
I hummed a tune aloud as I wrapped up my morning routine and got dressed.
Holding Little Fist, I met up with Amy, who was waiting by the door.
"We're heading straight to the Hero Department. Leave Little Fist with Aisha."
"Understood, young master."
Amy, dressed not in her usual maid uniform but a fitted black suit, bowed her head.
Although she looked quite young, she genuinely resembled a reliable modern-day secretary.
"You really do look good in a suit."
"Thank you, young master. If you prefer the maid uniform, I can change immediately."
Amy briefly glanced at a large clothes bag and a leather document bag by the door.
I too, cast my gaze in that direction.
The document bag surely contained proposal documents from reporters, guild & national representatives, as well as various personal information forms from yesterday—
'That clothing bag seems quite packed.'
It looked large enough to contain at least ten sets of clothing.
...Isn't that too much for just one day away?
"You don't need to prepare that much, Amy. A pair of pajamas and an extra suit should suffice."
"Most of them are clothes that you, young master, might want to change into."
"Clothes for me to change into?"
"Yes, young master. You often change your outfit when you go out. I've packed at least 7 sets. Should I pack more?"
"...Huh."
You packed 7 outfits? At least?
What's he thinking? Does he do a runway show every time he goes out?
"No, just the pajamas and one extra academy uniform will be enough for me. The rest will be cumbersome to carry, so let's leave them behind."
"Understood, young master."
Amy began to unpack the clothes from the bag.
As she did, she stole a glance at me and spoke softly.
"You seem to have changed a lot, young master."
"Should I take that in a good way?"
"Of course, young master."
Amy smiled faintly.
It was still a bit awkward, but it suited her.
I arrived at the Hero Department.
Since I had arrived 20 minutes earlier than the agreed time, Mari was not yet in sight at the designated meeting spot, the bus stop.
I immediately instructed Amy to leave Little Fist with Aisha.
10 minutes later, Amy returned.
"I'm back, young master."
"Good. Anything out of the ordinary?"
"Well... it seems Little Fist has a preference for other girls over me. He didn't seem fond of Siena, though. They glared at each other for over 30 minutes yesterday. Other than that, Aisha appeared to be training in her living room. She was drenched in sweat. Also..."
"Go on."
"She had bandages wrapped around her hand and was gripping a training longsword. I always thought Aisha's weapon of choice was a bow."
"Hmm, I see."
I nodded calmly.
‘She's really putting in the effort.’
I smiled, making sure Amy couldn't see.
I'd have expected her to laze around on weekends.
But now, she's training on her own initiative.
It's refreshing to see.
It's praiseworthy when someone doesn't just talk but also acts on their words.
While Amy and I were focused on our conversation—
"Student Theo~"
Someone called out to me from within the Hero Department.
It was Mari.
She wore a shirt that accentuated her curvaceous figure, paired with a short skirt, and eye-catching coffee-colored stockings.
The flashy outfit she wore when she was in charge of events.
"You're already here, I'll be right there~"
Mari quickly walked towards me.
"..."
However, there was another woman beside Mari.
