The Retired Supporting Character Wants to Live Quietly

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 175 – Summer Vacation at the Duke’s Manor (6)

As Hindrasta and Lina lunged at me, even Knightley joined in, yanking at my clothes.

One by one, my cloak and shirt were stripped away and disappeared somewhere, while my shoes had been tossed aside, now drifting off in the water.

Then Lina went for my belt—hell no!

“Ahhh?!”

I flared my aura, sending up a massive splash that knocked Lina and the others onto their backs.

“That’s cheating!”

Knightley shouted.

“And the three of you stripping me isn’t? No way in hell!”

“How does it make sense to go swimming with your pants on?!”

This time, Hindrasta came charging in with newfound determination.

A dragon was still a dragon—Hindrasta, too, knew how to wield aura, even if only faintly.

As she cut through the water, the sheer force of her aura sent waves rippling outward.

And in the aftermath…

The strings of her bikini snapped.

“Kyaaaah! Your swimsuit came off!”

The moment her bra and bottoms slipped down, screams erupted from the lakeshore.

Yet, despite being completely naked, Hindrasta didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“Take your pants off! You should be dressed appropriately for the setting!”

Hindrasta tackled me, dragging me underwater with her.

You crazy—! Damn, she’s heavy!! Is she made of stone?!

Her ridiculously large chest pressed directly against mine, but she was so heavy, and I was so out of breath, that my brain just shut down.

“Get off me!”

“Eeeeek!”

I mustered all my strength and shoved her away—Hindrasta went flying, landing hard on the sandy shore.

…Still clutching my pants in one hand.

I looked down.

Somehow, at some point, my pants had come off.

Dragons were obsessive creatures.

But why, of all things, was she fixating on my pants right now?

“Ughh!”

Hindrasta groaned as she lifted herself up from the sand.

“Ow, ow… Professor bullying a student now, huh…?”

Yet, despite complaining, she held my pants up like a trophy.

“Oh my, I love this…”

Lina, seeing me standing there in nothing but my underwear, gazed at me with dazed, hazy eyes.

A little ways off, Felimia stroked her chin and nodded in approval.

Like some art critic admiring a museum exhibit.

“Ahem!”

Knightley, who had been gaping at me, suddenly snapped back to her senses, coughed awkwardly, and turned away.

“But, Professor… You have so many scars.”

Lina approached, lightly tracing a finger down my chest.

“Did you get them during the war?”

“Yeah… and can you back off a little?”

“But suddenly, I just feel so… grateful and emotional…! We only have peace today because you made those sacrifices!”

What kind of nonsense is this?!

Before I could react, Lina threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

Over by the sun loungers, Ismera shot to her feet, glaring daggers at her.

“Professor Lina!”

And then she actually shouted.

“I understand you respect the Head Professor, but maintain your dignity—there are students here!”

“Ah! S-Sorry…”

Lina let go of me with an awkward chuckle.

“And you, Miss Sophie! Put some clothes on this instant! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Ugh, fine, fine…”

Grumbling, Hindrasta carelessly threw her bikini back on right there for everyone to see.

Absolutely insane.

Seriously, even if that’s just a polymorphed body, how can she be this shameless?

“I didn’t do anything.”

At Ismera’s sharp reprimand, Felimia raised both hands in surrender and quietly backed away.

Ismera folded her arms, scanning the group with laser focus, as if searching for anything else to call out.

Finding nothing more, she finally turned her sights on me.

“Professor Dian! If you came here to swim, you should have worn proper swimwear!”

“Uh… yeah…”

“Return to the mansion immediately! What exactly do you intend to do, parading around in front of female professors and students dressed like that? This is a serious breach of decorum! As Vice-Principal, I cannot let this slide!”

“…Understood.”

I waded back to shore, gathering my soaked clothes.

I hadn’t come here to play anyway—just to cool off. Mission accomplished.

And she had a point. I couldn’t exactly hang around in my underwear among my colleagues and students.

“What?! After all that, you’re just leaving?”

Hindrasta, still adjusting her barely-contained chest, whined in protest.

“You’re already wet! Just stay and enjoy yourself!”

“Quiet, Miss Sophie! Show some respect to your professor!”

Ismera shut Hindrasta up with a glare.

“I have no desire to linger here any longer. I’m going back.”

With an irritated stomp, Ismera brushed past me and stormed off toward the mansion.

“Professor! The Vice-Principal’s gone now, so we can just have fun on our own!”

Lina called after me, but I had no intention of sticking around.

“I’ll see you all at dinner.”

As I turned to leave, I noticed Kirrin standing alone, hands clasped behind her back, absentmindedly kicking at the sand.

“Headmistress. What about you?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Are you coming back too?”

“…I suppose so.”

She hesitated a moment before trailing behind me.

After we had walked for a while, Kirrin suddenly spoke up from behind.

“…Dian, you’re really popular.”

I let out a dry laugh.

“Not sure that’s a good thing.”

She glanced down at my disheveled, soaking-wet figure—walking barefoot, holding a bundle of drenched clothes—and chuckled.

“Dian… There’s something I wanted to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“…Remember that note my siblings gave me?”

Ah, right.

Back during the competition, those Dark Elves from the Nemara Clan had handed Kirrin a small note, asking her to pass it on.

It was written in the Dark Elf language, so I had no idea what it said.

“What about it?”

“Well… I wanted to say something…”

“Go on.”

“Um…”

She hesitated, fidgeting. Then, finally, she shook her head.

“…Never mind. I’ll tell you later.”

I wonder what she was about to say.

And what does that note have to do with me?

# # # # #

Once we returned to the mansion, we each went to our respective rooms.

Kirrin said she’d stay in her room until dinner.

I stepped inside, tossing my wet clothes onto the floor—then I glanced at the bed and let out a small laugh.

Ismera was sitting there.

Still in her bikini.

“Welcome back.”

“…Weren’t you just lecturing me about dignity and propriety?”

“Well, I wasn’t wrong, was I? Everyone treats you far too casually.”

Ismera stood and walked over, looping her arms around my neck.

“You’re my precious Mister, after all.”

She led me toward the bed, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

“We still have some time before dinner. And everyone else is outside.”

“…Well, is that so?”

“You’ve been neglecting me lately.”

With a teasing smile, she tugged at the string of her bikini.

# # # # #

Kirrin stood frozen in front of Dian’s door, hand gripping the doorknob.

She had heard everything.

After we parted ways earlier, she had changed her mind.

She had hesitated about mentioning that note, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized—if she didn’t speak up now, she might never get another chance.

So she had come back.

But her sharp Dark Elf ears had caught every sound from inside.

She had never once heard Ismera speak in such a tender, affectionate voice before—let alone the sounds that followed.

So that’s how it is.

Dian already belongs to Ismera.

It wasn’t anything scandalous.

Dian wasn’t cheating. Their relationship wasn’t inappropriate.

They had simply grown close, working together, and their bond had naturally deepened.

And Kirrin… Kirrin had never been anything between them.

She wasn’t Dian’s lover. She wasn’t Ismera’s friend.

Well, there was nothing to be done.

She had hesitated, lingered too long in indecision, and now… this was the result.

Forcing her unwilling fingers to move, Kirrin released the doorknob and turned away.

“Oh? Headmistress? What are you doing here?”

Just as she was about to head back to her room, Hindrasta came striding over, her chest bouncing with each step.

Even inside the mansion, she was still wearing nothing but her bikini.

“Ah… Miss Sophie… It’s nothing. I was just on my way to my room.”

“Really? Is Professor Dian inside? You two came up together earlier.”

“…Yeah, he’s in there. But he seems… busy right now.”

“Busy? What could he possibly be busy with on vacation?”

Hindrasta walked right up to Dian’s door and pressed her ear against it.

“Hmmm… Oh yeah, he’s definitely busy. Too busy to even think straight.”

Kirrin’s face flushed red, and she lowered her head.

Hindrasta, seeing no point in lingering, finally pulled away from the door.

“I’ll just come back later.”

“Miss Sophie, do you also have business with Professor Dian?”

“Ah, it’s nothing serious. He helped me out in a big way before, so I was planning to demand some repayment.”

“He helped you? And you want repayment?”

“Yeah, something like that. But I see he’s also repaying a debt to Vice-Principal Ismera. And quite diligently at that.”

At those words, Kirrin suddenly swayed, reaching out to brace herself against the wall.

“Are you feeling lightheaded? You should get some rest.”

“…Yeah…”

Kirrin weakly turned and walked away.

“…I’ll just come back later, when no one’s around.”

But upon hearing Hindrasta’s muttered words, Kirrin couldn’t hold it in any longer.

A single tear rolled down her cheek.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]