"Heck, if it's something I can do, don't hesitate to ask! Friends are supposed to help each other out!"
"Thank you. I'm indebted to you for everything..."
Hex bowed his head to Yugo, who had readily agreed to help before even hearing the details of the request.
After a moment, he looked up and began to explain exactly what he needed.
"Actually, I took on a job to earn funds for my magic item enhancements. I was supposed to be hauling luggage at a ranch in the suburbs starting tomorrow. But since things turned out like this, there’s no way I can make it. I’d feel terrible just leaving them in a lurch, so I was looking for someone to take the job in my place, but..."
"Is that all? No problem, consider it done! I'll take that job for you."
"That really helps... I thought about asking the people around me, but with the academy in the state I mentioned earlier, I was afraid they'd use the favor as leverage to demand something from me. I'm lucky I ran into someone like you where I don't have to worry about that. I won't forget this, Yugo. I'll pay you back however I can."
"Don't worry about it! Whether we're ri—... I mean, as fellow students, we should help each other! And even more so if we're pals!"
Yugo gave a thumbs-up as he accepted the task, which sounded far easier than he had expected.
As Hex bowed his head again, Anhel, who had been listening to the conversation, chimed in.
"Well then, that means you don't have any particular plans to use the Blaster tomorrow. In that case, why don't you leave it with me? I can get a decent amount of the modifications done while you're out working."
"Seriously? That’d be a huge help! Alright then... I’m counting on you, Ann!"
"Sure thing. For now, I'll start by reviewing the overall magic power circulation and working on the limb shape transformation."
"I'll help too," Fee offered. "I'm the one who's been adjusting Brother's Blaster until now, so I'm sure I can be of use."
"Oh, that would be wonderful. Since your noisy older brother won't be around, why don't the two of us have some fun together, just you and your big sister?"
"Hey, wait a minute! You're acting suspicious, Ann! Melt, sorry, but please stay with Fee. It's dangerous to leave him alone with her!"
"Ahahaha, I've got it! Though I really don't think there's much to worry about!" Melt laughed.
"You get worked up so easily when it comes to Fee. Aren't you being a bit overprotective, Yugo?"
Triggered by Anhel’s teasing, Yugo and the others erupted into a chaotic, noisy row.
Watching the group's lighthearted banter, a small smile escaped Hex's lips.
"It's nice... Maybe it's because we're away from the academy and the dorms, but the air doesn't feel tense here at all. We were all supposed to be like this until just a while ago... I wonder why everything changed so much?"
"Well, I'm in the Industrial Department, and Fee is an Elementary Division student. Yugo is... well, you can see for yourself, and Melt lives a life far removed from that kind of drama. It certainly makes for an atmosphere that’s the opposite of 'tense,'" Anhel noted.
"Magic Armor Beasts broke into the academy, so it's only natural everyone is on high alert," Yugo added. "If it ever gets too tough to handle, just come by and visit. You're always welcome."
"Thanks. For now, I'll focus on healing my injuries. I'll come back later to give you the details about the ranch job. Sorry for the trouble, but I'm counting on you."
Yugo waved goodbye as he watched Hex depart, his mind briefly turning to the mental state of the students living in the dorms.
He suspected the incident with Rush was still casting a long shadow over them. Just as he was beginning to worry about their struggles, Anhel called out to him, sounding like she had just remembered something.
"Oh, right. I suppose this is in exchange for taking the Blaster off your hands—could you take this with you?"
"Huh? What's 'this'—!?"
Yugo turned his gaze toward Anhel, but his words cut off and his eyes widened in shock.
Anhel had unzipped the front of her coveralls, thrust her hand deep into her cleavage, and was currently pulling something out. As she calmly held the object out to him, Yugo finally found his voice to scream a retort.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait!! Where did you pull that from!?"
"Where? From between my breasts, obviously."
"Don't say it so nonchalantly! Keep it in a pocket like a normal human being!"
"It's just easier this way. Here, take it already."
Blushing furiously, Yugo took the item from Anhel. It had been held firmly between her breasts, and he felt a wave of flustered embarrassment as he realized it was still warm from her body heat.
It was a thin, circular object that resembled a makeup compact. As Yugo stood there dazed by the sensation, Anhel began her explanation.
"That's a prototype communication-type magic item. If you pop it open, you can have a conversation with another terminal, complete with video. Since this is a good opportunity, take it with you as a field test and try calling me from the ranch."
"Heh... so magic items like this exist, too? I just pop it open to call, right? Let's see..."
Yugo stared at the device with genuine interest, as it reminded him of the mobile phones from his previous world—ignoring its questionable storage location for a moment.
Following her instructions, he opened the compact to give it a test run.
"Mmm...!"
"!? !? !? !?"
A loud Vvvvvvvvv...! vibration sound echoed through the room, accompanied by a sudden, melting moan from Anhel. Everyone stared at her in stunned silence.
With the group watching, she once again reached into her cleavage, pulled out a second communication terminal, and smiled mischievously.
"Was the vibration a bit too strong? If I make a sound like that when I'm caught off guard, people might get the wrong idea... I guess that's one point for improvement."
"Awa... awawawawa...!" Fee stammered, his face turning bright red.
"Hmm... I guess I can't blame Yugo for being worried," Melt said with a wry smile. "This definitely doesn't seem good for Fee's education."
"Ann...! You... you absolute...!!"
Yugo’s fists trembled as he looked at the problematic engineer. There were a dozen things he wanted to complain about, but for now, he settled for shouting the most important one.
"Instead of adjusting the vibration strength... think about where you're putting the damn thing!!"
"Eh? These coveralls have way too many pockets; I always lose track of what's where. If I put it here, I know exactly where it is instantly. Isn't that better?"
"At the very least, don't carelessly shove your hand into your chest in front of Fee! Do you understand!?"
"Yes, yes, message received. Honestly, I can't tell if you're easygoing or just a massive nitpicker..."
Anhel shook her head with a sigh, as if Yugo was the one being difficult.
While Yugo appreciated the lack of tension in the air, he couldn't help but feel this was a different kind of problem. He prayed from the bottom of his heart that Anhel's presence wouldn't have a permanent, negative impact on his younger brother's growth.