This Time, I Am A Mob's Potions Teacher Who Has Become Engaged To The Mastermind Of The Otome Game - 4

“Oh, I need to harvest the herbs we’ll use in class. Now that it’s getting warmer, I should also start sowing seeds.”

Regular classes begin tomorrow.

I want the students to learn from actual specimens, so I try to grow and prepare as many herbs as I can.

Since I’ll be working, I should change into something I don’t mind getting dirty. Time for the potato tracksuit to make its debut. It was a hassle to make, but I’m really glad I did.

After quickly changing clothes, I headed to the greenhouse.

◇

As I worked in the greenhouse, the weather gradually started to turn.

It had been clear and pleasant in the morning, but now dark storm clouds were beginning to cover the sky.

“Hmph, this is bad. Master is losing his composure.”

Jill, who had been napping on a desk in the greenhouse, suddenly sprang up.

It seemed the familiars had sensed some kind of emotional disturbance in Noel.
Micah was also restless and fidgeting uneasily.

“We must inform him that the young lady is here.”

“But it appears our voices aren’t reaching him.”

Both of them looked unusually serious.

Noel… losing his composure? Could that really be happening?

He’s supposed to be good at hiding his emotions and thoughts.
That applies both to the Noel from the game and the Noel in this world.

“Something must have happened to him… Hey, don’t worry about me. You two should go to him.”

“No, leaving you alone would be far more dangerous.”

“Exactly. One bolt of lightning and this whole place could be scorched earth.”

Did he just say “lightning turning everything into a scorched wasteland”?

I cautiously glanced out the window and saw flashes of lightning breaking through the clouds.

This wild, chaotic weather… I’ve seen it once before.

“Hey, this weather—could it be because of Noel?”

“Exactly. Thanks to a certain little girl, Master’s power is going haywire.”

“A certain little girl?”

“The airheaded one in weird clothes playing in the dirt.”

“Sounds like quite the eccentric.”

“I’m talking about you, you useless girl!”

“Why me?!”

Okay, I’ll admit it. To people in a world where potato tracksuits aren’t a thing, my outfit might look bizarre. I can accept that much.

But still—!

“Noel is losing control because of me? What do you mean?”

“Remember that punk who was harassing you earlier? We told Master about it, and now he’s worried.”

“But isn’t summoning a thunderstorm kind of… overreacting?”

It’s not like I got hurt or anything.
Would he really get that upset over something so minor?

…I mean, yes, Noel is a bit of a worrywart, but still.

“You left your old clothes in the prep room, right?”

“That’s right.”

“You left them scattered around, though.”

“Excuse me, I folded them properly.”

“Nope, that doesn’t count as folding.”

Ugh, he’s acting like a nagging mother-in-law or something.

As I glared at him, Micah stepped in to calm things down.

“Well, um… Master was worried that Miss Leticia might have been attacked by that student.”

“Isn’t that jumping to conclusions a bit?”

“Yes, well… Master cares a great deal about you, Miss Leticia.”

“I’m not entirely sure how it came to this, but it seems I’ve ended up falsely accusing Mr. Doruille.”

For someone who went as far as placing spies on me, Noel sure seems genuinely worried.
Does this mean his affection level has gone up somehow?

Or maybe… Orson really is that dangerous?

In the game, Noel manipulated him with clever words, but maybe he was actually just putting on a calm front while desperately trying not to get swept up in Orson’s pace.

“Oh! Master got the message!”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

Looks like the storm’s over and everything’s resolved.

Just as I thought that and picked up my shovel to get back to work, the greenhouse door burst open—
and in came Noel, wearing a frantic expression.

“Leticia! Thank goodness you’re okay!”

“N-Noel?!”

Okay, isn’t that a little too fast?!

Jill just told him where I was like… what, three seconds ago?

As I stood there half-dumbfounded, our eyes met—and Noel’s expression instantly softened.

Whoa, was he really that worried?

“Who exactly did you think got attacked? Did you think I was running around naked or something?”

I said it half as a joke, just to tease him a little—
but in response, he gave me the gentlest smile, clearly truly relieved.

“With clothes scattered like that, anyone would jump to conclusions.”

…Excuse me?

Hearing that with such an innocent smile hits way harder than it should.

“See, girl! Just like I said!”
“Shut up already!”

The two of them (well, one and one familiar?) echoing the exact same thing—
No surprise they’re master and familiar.

“I’m just glad it was a misunderstanding.”

Noel murmured that like he was speaking to himself—then pulled me into a tight embrace.

“…What now? You can’t calm down unless you’re hugging me or something?”

“Yeah.”

Saying it so honestly like that—
There’s no way I can argue against it.

“Thanks for worrying about me. Even if it was a bit over the top.”

“You’re always giving me reasons to worry.
Maybe I should just extract your soul and keep it safe in some secure location.”

…That’s basically saying you’ll kill me, isn’t it?

Suddenly, he drops this totally villain-coded line about extracting my soul,
like a true final boss or something.

The peaceful mood we had just a moment ago? Gone.
Now the clouds are rolling in again.

He’s pushing my anxiety levels even higher than Orson did.

“Yeah, please don’t.”

That was all I could manage to say.