Lord of Perverted Ladies

The rest of the afternoon passed more quietly than the morning.

The initial rush of visitors had settled into a steady stream. Families wandered through the academy at a more relaxed pace, students from other clubs finally had time to visit exhibitions they had missed, and teachers walked from room to room, checking on each club before the event came to a close.

Inside the Mystery Research Club, the atmosphere had changed as well.

We were still welcoming visitors with the same enthusiasm, but everyone seemed more relaxed now that the busiest hours were behind us.

Ryan had somehow convinced three children that they were ”official junior detectives.”

Marcus refused to acknowledge the title.

”They’re visitors.”

”They’re detectives,” Ryan corrected confidently.

”They solved the mystery.”

”They’re eight.”

”They’re talented.”

Daniel leaned closer to me and whispered, ”He’s adopting them.”

”I heard that,” Ryan replied without turning around.

”I wasn’t trying to hide it.”

The children laughed before rushing toward the evidence board, determined to prove Ryan right.

I watched them for a moment before looking around the room.

The walls we’d spent days decorating no longer looked temporary. The evidence board was covered with fingerprints from countless curious hands. Several clue cards had tiny folds along their edges from being picked up and returned hundreds of times. The cardboard victim still leaned against the floor, although someone—almost certainly Ryan—had quietly placed the detective hat on its chest.

It was strange.

Only a few days ago this room had been empty.

Now it carried memories.

Noah noticed me looking around.

”Tired?”

”A little.”

”You’ve been on your feet all day.”

”So have you.”

He smiled.

”Fair enough.”

A loud chime echoed across the academy, followed by a familiar announcement through the outdoor speakers.

”Attention, visitors. The Inter-Club Exhibition will conclude in thirty minutes. We thank everyone for joining us over the past two days.”

Ryan looked at the nearest clock.

”...Already?”

Daniel nodded.

”It went by fast.”

”It really did.”

Marcus picked up another stack of visitor notebooks.

”Let’s finish strong.”

Everyone nodded.

The final half hour passed surprisingly quickly.

Several visitors who had been waiting in line finally entered, determined to solve the mystery before the exhibition ended. One elderly man insisted on explaining every deduction aloud to his wife, who patiently corrected him each time he overlooked an important clue.

Ryan watched them leave.

”...Relationship goals.”

Marcus blinked.

”What?”

”They’re solving crimes together.”

”They’re solving our fake crime.”

”Still counts.”

The final visitors thanked us before leaving the room.

For the first time in two days, silence settled over the Mystery Research Club.

No voices drifted in from the hallway.

No footsteps approached the door.

Only the distant sounds of other clubs cleaning up remained.

Ryan looked around dramatically.

”...It’s over.”

Daniel let out a long breath.

”I wasn’t expecting to feel sad.”

”I know what you mean,” Ethan admitted.

Noah closed the attendance ledger and looked at each of us.

”We did well.”

Nobody argued.

Ryan suddenly raised one hand.

”I have a proposal.”

Marcus looked suspicious.

”I’m already against it.”

”We should take a group photo.”

”...That’s actually a good idea,” Daniel said.

Marcus looked mildly surprised.

”I wasn’t expecting that.”

Ryan pointed triumphantly.

”See?”

”I occasionally produce quality ideas.”

Noah smiled.

”I think we should.”

After spending a few minutes tidying the room, Ryan convinced a passing student from the Photography Club to help.

The six of us gathered in front of the evidence board.

Ryan immediately reached for the detective hat.

Marcus caught his wrist.

”...One normal picture.”

Ryan sighed.

”Fine.”

The photographer counted down.

”Three...”

”Two...”

”One...”

The shutter clicked.

”Now one however you like.”

Ryan moved so quickly it was almost impressive.

The detective hat appeared on his head.

Daniel burst into laughter.

Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose.

Ethan shook his head while smiling.

Noah couldn’t quite suppress a laugh.

The second picture captured everyone exactly as they were.

Ryan grinning shamelessly.

Daniel laughing.

Marcus pretending not to enjoy himself.

Ethan smiling quietly.

Noah looking genuinely happy.

And me...

For the first time since arriving in this world...

Smiling without forcing it.

The photographer lowered the camera.

”These came out great.”

Ryan nodded proudly.

”I know.”

”You haven’t even seen them.”

”I have faith.”

”You have confidence,” Marcus corrected.

”There’s a difference.”

”There is.”

The room gradually returned to business.

Decorations were carefully removed.

Evidence cards went back into storage boxes.

The red strings came down from the board one by one.

Ryan looked almost offended while removing them.

”...We worked so hard.”

Daniel folded one of the cloth banners.

”We can use them next year.”

Ryan brightened immediately.

”Oh.”

”That’s much better.”

Within forty minutes the club room looked almost exactly as it had before the exhibition.

Only faint tape marks on the floor hinted that anything unusual had happened there.

Noah placed the final folder inside the cabinet and locked it.

”I’ll submit the attendance records tomorrow.”

Marcus picked up the remaining cardboard box.

”Everything else is ready.”

Ryan stretched until several joints cracked.

”So...”

”The principal?”

Noah glanced at the invitation card.

”The meeting starts in fifteen minutes.”

”We’ve got time.”

The six of us left the club room together.

This time, when Noah turned the key in the lock, the sound felt strangely final.

The hallway outside was crowded with students carrying banners, folded tables, and boxes of equipment back toward storage rooms.

Everyone looked exhausted.

But they also looked satisfied.

The exhibition had been a success.

As we walked through the old building, several students recognized us.

”Hey!”

”The mystery club!”

”You guys were awesome!”

”My little brother wouldn’t stop talking about your detective game.”

Ryan placed a hand over his heart.

”I have fans.”

Marcus continued walking.

”You have people who enjoyed the exhibition.”

”I choose to interpret that differently.”

Another student hurried over.

”President Walker.”

Noah stopped.

”Yes?”

”Our club wanted to say thanks.”

”The escape room idea was inspired by your exhibition.”

Noah blinked in surprise.

”I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

The student smiled.

”We did.”

After they left, Ryan nudged Noah with his elbow.

”Look at that.”

”We’re trendsetters.”

”I think that’s stretching it,” Noah replied.

”Maybe a little.”

The academy grounds were noticeably quieter now.

Maintenance crews had already begun dismantling temporary stages. Food stalls were packing away their supplies, and volunteers collected signs that had directed visitors throughout the campus.

The festival atmosphere was fading.

In its place came the comfortable exhaustion that followed a successful event.

We crossed the central courtyard together.

As we passed the fountain, I instinctively glanced toward the oak tree where I’d seen the elderly man earlier.

It was empty.

Only fallen leaves shifted gently in the evening breeze.

For a brief moment, I wondered if I’d imagined the entire encounter.

Then my fingers brushed against the envelope inside my blazer.

No.

Lucien was real.

The old man was real.

Whatever connected them...

That was real too.

Noah stopped in front of the administration building.

”The principal’s office is upstairs.”

Ryan looked at the building as though he were entering a courtroom.

”...Last chance to run.”

Marcus answered without missing a beat.

”You can.”

”I appreciate your support.”

Daniel laughed.

”I think we’ll survive.”

Inside, the building felt completely different from the lively academy outside.

The corridors were quiet.

Soft yellow lights illuminated polished wooden floors.

Portraits of former principals lined the walls, each accompanied by a small brass plaque bearing their names and years of service.

Ryan slowed his pace.

”...This place is intimidating.”

”It looks normal,” Ethan said.

”It smells expensive.”

Marcus blinked.

”How does a hallway smell expensive?”

”I don’t know.”

”It just does.”

Noah eventually stopped outside a large wooden door.

A polished brass plaque beside it read:

Principal’s Office

He looked back at us.

”Ready?”

Ryan straightened his blazer.

”As I’ll ever be.”

Noah raised his hand and knocked.

A calm voice answered from inside.

”Come in.”

Noah opened the door.

The office was larger than I had expected. Tall bookshelves covered one wall from floor to ceiling, filled with neatly arranged books and old academy records. Sunlight from the western windows cast long golden beams across a large wooden desk, while several comfortable chairs had already been arranged as though our arrival had been anticipated.

An elderly man with neatly combed silver hair stood from behind the desk.

His smile was warm.

His posture relaxed.

”Welcome.”

”I’ve been looking forward to meeting all of you.”

We stepped inside one after another.

As the door quietly closed behind us, a familiar blue notification appeared only in my vision.

______

[Main Story Update]

A key narrative intersection has begun.

Current Evaluation:

Observe carefully.

______

I kept my expression unchanged as the notification faded.

The principal’s smile never faltered.

But for reasons I couldn’t explain...

The System’s wording lingered in my mind far longer than the message itself.

A key narrative intersection.

Somehow...

I didn’t think this meeting was only about congratulating our club.