I Became a Gallery Manager in Another World

“Wa-wait!! You… I don’t understand! You said our contract only lasts until this semester… what does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it says. The contract ends this semester.”

“Ugh!! No, that’s not it!! Don’t you remember when we made the contract? We still have… a whole semester left! There’s still at least a month left…”

“You must have misunderstood. When I said a semester, I meant until the end of this semester.”

I was a man who knew how to maintain boundaries.

As proof of that, even when the notorious troublemaker Poporing was unconscious and defenseless, I only groped her chest a few times and didn’t touch her below.

‘…I only sniffed below.’

Therefore, to avoid crossing the line again, I had to let go of Helen.

Unlike other women I had met so far, my relationship with Helen was wrong from the beginning.

In the midst of a complicated situation due to Estelle, I got angry and acted out on Helen with emotions.

Of course, starting a relationship with Laplace after raping her by mistake wasn’t exactly right either…

Laplace couldn’t be left alone because she would succumb to her destructive desires and destroy herself without me.

…But Helen was different.

The successor of Redrose.

She had a bright future ahead of her, even without me.

“Sniff!… Really… that’s all… Is that all you have to say?… Ha… is that all… our relationship meant?”

“…That was the contract.”

I wasn’t happy about letting go of Helen either.

In fact, it made me incredibly sad.

…So I had to end it even more firmly.

Before my feelings for Helen grew any stronger.

Continuing a relationship that was wrong from the start would only hurt both of us.

“Ah!… Ugh!… Sniff!… Fine!!… Ha… Ha… Hmph! Stupid man! I didn’t want to be with someone like you for even one more second! Don’t ever show up in front of me again!”

As she said that, Helen tried to leave, but I grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“…Helen.”

“What are you doing! Let go! Let go of me! We’re nothing to each other now!”

I held onto Helen’s wrists tightly as she struggled and called her name again.

“Helen. Calm down.”

“Shut up!! I don’t want to hear it!! I said let go!! Sniff!… Whatever you thought of me!! Ha… Fine! I’ll end this silly game too!!”

“Helen, I said calm down.”

“I’m completely calm!! Now let go! Let go! We’re nothing anymore, and you think a commoner like you can touch me? If you don’t let go right now, I’ll scream!!”

“Scream, I still won’t let you go.”

Snap─

“Are you playing with me!! Why won’t you let me go? Why? Did you think I would cry and beg if you acted like this? …Ha! Don’t make me laugh! I’m Helen Redrose! Even if I die, I won’t do that!!”

“I never thought that.”

“Then what is it!!! What do you want!! Why are you holding onto something that should end so easily!!”

Swish─

I pointed at the calendar hanging next to the clock.

“Today is May 20th.”

“So what! What’s the calendar got to do with anything!! If you have something to say, just say it!!”

“It’s still the middle of the semester.”

“So what!? What does that…?”

As she was speaking, Helen seemed to realize something and opened her eyes wide.

“…You, you, you, you’re not…? No matter how trashy you are… you wouldn’t… you’re not that much of a trash, right…?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I booked a room.”

“Wh-what, what kind of trashy man… are you kidding me? Isn’t this the wrong atmosphere for that?”

Of course, everything I said to Helen was on the assumption that she wouldn’t join my harem…

‘As long as she consents willingly.’

If Helen formally joined the harem, everyone could have a ‘happy’ ending.

“Even if we’re parting, isn’t it fine to have sex once more? Hmm?”

“This insane… I’ll kill you…”

“Enough. Follow me.”

Thud─

So, today I would conquer Helen.

---

“….”

“….”

On the way to the inn, Helen followed silently, her steps heavy with resignation.

Yeah, I admit I might have rushed things a bit.

But I had my reasons.

“Hey~ Ian~ Sun~bae!”

A few days ago, as I was walking through the academy hallway, a familiar voice called from behind.

Swish─

As I turned my head, Elfrida, with her eyebrows raised in an ^^ shape, ambushed me.

Wadadadak! Warak-!

“…Elfri…da?”

“Hehehe… It’s been a while, sunbae.”

“Yeah, it has. Sorry, I haven’t been in touch much lately.”

“Hehehe… It’s okay, I know you’ve been busy. I understand. There’s no way you were avoiding me on purpose, right? No way. After all, you’re not the kind of person who’d steal my first kiss and then only come around when you need something, right?”

“….”

Beeeeep─

The way Elfrida stared at me without blinking sent chills down my spine.

“Y-yeah, I wasn’t avoiding you.”

I swear to Elise, I wasn’t avoiding Elfrida on purpose.

I have been really busy lately.

Lunch with Evelyn, after-school with Estelle, nights with Yuris, and occasionally managing relationships with Laplace and Helen while dealing with Poporing rampaging in the gallery.

Even if I had two bodies, it would be hard to manage.

“I was really busy and didn’t have time to visit you.”

“Hehehe… I figured as much. So it’s okay, I totally understand. Because I’m a kind-hearted, super-genius, beautiful high elf… But…”

Fwoosh─!! Splash─!! Boom─!! Whirl─!!

At that moment, the advanced spirits of fire, water, earth, and wind materialized around me.

“The spirits seem to be not so okay… They feel like they might go on a rampage unless someone takes them to ‘Universal Land’… But of course, ‘I’ am really okay.”

“…Elfrida?”

“Yes! Senior Ian. Why are you calling me?”

“…Elfrida, do you want to go to ‘Universal Land’? I happened to get some tickets…”

“Oh my! Senior Ian! How did you know I like amusement parks? Sure, let’s go. Just the two of us.”

“…Just happened to get them. I’m glad you like it.”

“Oh, sunbae, you’re making me blush. Do you like me that much?”

“Then, can you let go of me…?”

Grasp─

“But when are we going? When will we go?”

Elfrida’s face showed she wouldn’t let go until I gave a definite time, so I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Well, during the vacation…”

Bang-!!

At that moment, the ground next to me suddenly exploded.

“Oh? Sunbae? The spirits seem about to rampage… Did they say ‘can’t wait until vacation, grrr’? No, you shouldn’t rush him if he’s busy.”

“Of course, we’ll go before the vacation.”

“Oh my! Oh my! You weren’t that busy, after all?”

“I’m busy, but… I’ll go for you, Elfrida. Even if I have to skip classes.”

“Hehehe… You don’t have to go that far. But I won’t refuse your kindness.”

“…Okay, then can you let go of me? I’ll let you know the exact date soon.”

“Yes~★”

Elfrida finally released me, looking satisfied.

“Oh! By the way, Senior Ian.”

“Yes, Elfrida.”

As I straightened my clothes, Elfrida added a remark with the gaze of a hungry predator.

“…You must keep this promise this time…?”

“….”

It felt like receiving a warning from a serial killer, sending chills down my spine.

‘…I’m screwed.’

After making a promise with Elfrida, my vacation schedule was already packed.

1. Plan Estelle’s treatment.

2. Go to the amusement park with Elfrida.

3. Plan a trip with Evelyn.

4. Schedule the royal invitation period with Laplace.

5. Find a date spot with Yuris.

6. Collect items from Poporing.

“….”

If I added Helen to my vacation schedule, it would be truly impossible to handle.

Click─

“…Ha, we really came to the inn.”

Upon entering the Cream Pie Inn, Helen, who had been silent all this time, let out a hollow laugh as if she couldn’t believe it.

“…Fine. Do whatever you want… I don’t care anymore. Play with me as you please.”

Helen, with empty eyes, spoke to me as if she had given up.

I understood.

If Evelyn had said this to me, I would have reacted the same way Helen did.

But…

“Yes, I will do as I please.”

“….”

Swish─

As if she didn’t even want to talk, Helen, who had her eyes closed, lay still like a doll. I gently lifted her and laid her on the bed.

“….”

Even lying on the bed, Helen kept her eyes tightly closed and said nothing.

I gently stroked her cheek and called her name.

“Helen.”

“….”

“Helen.”

“…….”

“Helen.”

“………”

“Helen.”

“…Ah! What is it! I told you to do whatever you want! Stick it in! Bite and suck! Do whatever you want!!”

With tears brimming in her eyes, Helen looked up at me angrily, and I said,

“I like you.”

“Ha…?”

“I like you.”

“…Ha…ha…? Wh-what? All of a sudden? You’ve never said anything like that before…”

“I never had the chance to say it. Now that there’s not much time left, I want to be honest.”

“Even so, you say something like that in this situation?”

“What situation is this?”

Swish─

I said as I slid my hand between Helen’s thighs.

“Hiccup!…This situation! Y-you’re trying to force yourself on me…”

“But do you like me, Helen?”

“What, what is that? How can you ask that all of a sudden? Of course, I don’t like you! I’m curious why I would even like you in the first place?”

“I see… I like you a lot, but you don’t like me.”

“Ugh!…Wh-what is it! I didn’t say I hated you!!”

Helen bit her lip hard and turned her head sharply, continuing.

“That’s right! I don’t hate you! But that doesn’t mean I like you, so don’t misunderstand!! I just don’t hate you, that’s all!!”

“Okay, I understand.”

“Ugh… Why do you accept it so easily… Ha… Forget it. Anyway, were you serious about what you said earlier?”

“What do you mean?”

“What else would I mean! Th-that you… l-l-l-l-like me!!”

“Yes, I like you. Helen. I like you a lot.”

“…Ugh!…Sniff…! Hm…! Hm…! Then tell me. What do you like about me?… Although it would be harder to find things not to like…”

I immediately answered Helen’s question.

“Your face. And your pussy.”