Chapter 68

“What Happened at the Adelle Hall?”

“Nothing much, really. Everyone’s just attending their classes as usual,” Erucel said while eating grilled oysters in butter.

“Is that so? So, they’re all doing well.”

The playable characters from Adelle Hall didn’t have any significant storylines for a while, so there wasn’t much to worry about. As I silently felt relieved, I suddenly realized a fact that had slipped my mind due to its natural progression.

‘…I’m rather surprised.’

This fool is really in Adelle Hall? It was quite shocking to me, who had thought he’d end up in the Buerger Hall at best. Although it’s hard to believe, seeing him use this dining hall made it undeniable.

“I never thought you’d end up in Adelle Hall.”

“Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?”

I stared at Erucel blankly. Come to think of it, he wasn’t originally supposed to enroll here either. Since he was another variable like me, I needed to pay more attention to him.

“Erucel, how is your life at the academy?”

When I asked seriously, he suddenly choked as if something had caught in his throat and clutched his neck, coughing violently.

“Here, have some water.”

He gulped down the glass of water I handed him, shuddering as his eyes widened in horror.

“B-Brother… why are you suddenly so scary?”

I replied calmly, making up a plausible excuse.

“Well, you’re my brother. It’s not so strange for an older brother to take an interest in his younger sibling.”

“Ugh. That’s making me feel sick, so stop it.”

“Even when I try to be nice, you respond like that, you rude brat.”

“Hah, that’s better.”

Seeing him relieved, I considered taking away the plate in front of him.

“But the food here is never boring. There’s such a variety of dishes.”

“The dishes are made by servants from all over the empire. There are many dishes different from what you had at the mansion.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Ho, this spicy flavor isn’t something you find in the north or east.”

We continued to talk about trivial matters, devouring the luxurious dishes and even finishing the dessert.

“I’ve eaten well. I’ll be going now.”

“Ah, Big Brother.”

“What is it?”

“Next time you come, call me along.”

I stopped looking at him like a beggar and left the dining hall. The last dessert had left a dry feeling in my mouth, so I thought of having a cup of tea to cleanse my palate. ℟�

Now that I think about it, I heard recently that Selly was assigned to work at the café here. Since I’m here, I might as well check it out. I also have some tasks for her.

***

Snowflakes fell off her boots with every step. The carpets, enchanted to remain clean despite any dirt or debris, maintained their pristine condition. Leana, walking through the lobby of Adelle Hall, seemed satisfied with her new armor. Occasionally, she blinked in response to the gazes of men.

The woman walking with her, her hair flowing to her shoulders, turned to Leana.

“Why? Are you bothered by the men staring at you?”

“Well, yes…”

It was similar to when she first enrolled here. Men would look at her, but when she approached, they quickly averted their gaze and acted as if they hadn’t been staring.

‘It’s been quiet for a while, so why now? Are they interested in the armor?’

She wondered internally, and the woman chuckled.

“It’s probably because of your recent injury.”

Leana’s shoulders drooped slightly at her words.

“Hey, Scylla…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think I don’t fit in here?”

Scylla quickly shook her head as if embarrassed.

“No, no, that’s not it. I mean, you were hard to approach before, but seeing you get hurt might have triggered their protective instincts.”

“Protective?”

“Men are like that, you know? When they see a woman they want to protect, they get easily drawn in.”

Leana tilted her head in confusion. Scylla looked at her with a somewhat drained expression.

“I’ve always thought this, but you don’t have any male friends, do you?”

Leana denied it immediately.

“Of course not. I had my father and the butler.”

“Ugh, the butler’s probably old, right? And?”

“…Other than those two, no one.”

Swinging a wooden sword in a secluded area meant there were no points of contact. Even if there were, it was only the kind of attention where they looked but didn’t speak to her.

Suddenly, Leana’s eyes widened with a realization.

“Scylla, do you think I lack charm as a woman?”

Scylla scrutinized Leana’s face before twitching an eyebrow.

“No, that’s not it. It’s just that your face is always the same as if you’re wearing an iron mask.”

“A mask?”

“Yeah, you always look so stern. Sometimes even I find it a bit scary.”

Scylla imitated Leana’s usual expression before glancing at a group of men talking nearby.

“Oh, wait here for a moment? I see someone I know. I’ll just say hi.”

“…Sure.”

Scylla sneaked up behind one of the men and surprised him. The man turned around in shock.

“Oh, it’s you, Scylla.”

“Hmph, I came, and you didn’t even say hi. It’s been a while.”

The man next to him asked,

“Oh, is she a freshman? You know her?”

“She’s just a relative.”

“She looks pretty cute.”

Scylla greeted politely.

“Hello, senior.”

“Don’t be fooled. She has a nasty personality.”

Scylla stomped on the foot of the man she had called a relative.

“Aagh!”

“Don’t get cocky just because you’re a senior, you idiot.”

Leana watched Scylla return with small steps, deep in thought. Thinking back, Scylla got along well with both men and women among her classmates. She seemed more knowledgeable about human relationships and men than Leana.

‘…Maybe I should consult her.’

“Did I keep you waiting? That was my cousin who enrolled a year before us.”

“You weren’t gone long. But, Scylla, you seem to know a lot about men.”

Scylla gave her a suspicious look.

“Are you still talking about men? Hmm, what’s up with you today…?”

She leaned in closer to scrutinize Leana’s face.

“Your expression seems a bit more lively today.”

“…Does it?”

“What’s going on? Did you meet someone who caught your interest?”

When Leana shook her head, Scylla laughed and said,

“Let’s see… If there’s a man you might have some connection with, hmm.”

“There isn’t anyone.”

“Sure there is. Hersel.”

Leana’s eyes instantly turned fierce, causing Scylla to take a step back.

“…No need to glare like that.”

“Sorry, but I do have something I want to discuss about him.”

Even if he doesn’t remember, maybe this woman knows why he initiated the engagement without her consent…

“Really? Go ahead, tell me.”

Leana hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. She explained how he had arranged the engagement without her consent and how she couldn’t get an answer from him for some reason. Scylla responded nonchalantly,

“Well, isn’t it because he’s into you?”

“…Into me? We’d only met once, and we barely talked.”

“People can fall in love at first sight, you know.”

Leana suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, ‘Ah.’

Some knight’s autobiographies included tales of love at first sight. Though most of them didn’t end well…

“I don’t think that’s it. Since coming here, we’ve barely even acknowledged each other.”

“Really? That’s a shame.”

“A shame? What do you mean?”

“He’s good-looking. And compared to before, he’s much more subdued.”

Stories of Hersel’s antics still circulated in Adelle Hall. Beating up his classmate, Rendal, extorting money from Schlaphe Hall seniors, and even trying to push a man named Bidon off the wall.

Compared to his past actions, he had become much calmer.

“Normally, he’d gather those fools from Lete or whatever and cause trouble every day.”

“Indeed…”

Contrary to concerns that there would be daily victims, the frequency of incidents had significantly decreased. There were also no rumors of him harassing women.

“Anyway, he says he doesn’t remember? I think he’s just too embarrassed to admit it.”

Leana pondered deeply, muttering that she didn’t think so. Scylla glanced back at the path they had come from. The men quickly turned their heads, but their faces were all dazed.

‘It must be intimidating to approach her.’

Her attitude was as impenetrable as the armor she always wore, and rumors about her engagement to that guy must have spread. Scylla stopped walking and they found themselves at the café.

“I’ll pay for today’s coffee to celebrate your discharge.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“It’s fine. You spent a lot on armor recently. If you feel bad, you can pay next time.”

As they entered the café, Leana suddenly stopped. Scylla, bumping her head against Leana’s waist, asked tearfully,

“What’s wrong? Why did you stop suddenly?”

“That person over there…”

Scylla looked in the direction Leana pointed and chuckled. It was the blond-headed man chatting with the small maid who had recently started working there.

Leana walked toward where Hersel was sitting. If Scylla’s guess was right, she could ask him directly. Perhaps reminding him of his feelings would jog his memory. Plus, she was curious about why he had blocked her path in such a way.

“It seems they’re filling in for the people who left. They’re being quite generous with the compliments.”

“Oh, really? That makes sense. The servants must have left with the graduates.”

As they approached, Selly nodded in surprise.

“Ah, hello, Lady Leana.”

Hersel looked up with a sullen expression. Selly, sensing the tension, quickly grabbed her tray and stepped back.

“Oh, my goodness. I should get back to work.”

Leana looked down at Hersel and asked for his permission.

“May I sit here?”

“What if I say no?”

“Then I’ll stand and talk.”

“Just sit.”

When he reluctantly allowed it, Leana sat down and stared at him.

“Do you have feelings for me?”

Hersel, looking dazed, responded weakly.

“Feelings?”

Leana wracked her brain for a description, desperately trying to find the words.

“Does your heart race when you see me, or do you want to be with me… something like that.”

Saying such things in front of this man was humiliating, but she managed to get it out. Hersel, however, remained expressionless and calmly replied,

“Are you asking if I’m in love with you?”

When she nodded, he blinked slowly.

“Another one of those pointless questions.”

His eyes were serious as he looked at her closely. Hersel leaned in slightly, making Leana instinctively lean back.

“You must be out of your mind.”

His voice, tinged with pity, made her head spin, but she clung to her sanity.

“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that to you? Besides, I can’t think of any other reason why you’d arrange our engagement.”

Hersel shook his head slightly.

“Neglecting treatment, you seem to have a terminal case of princess syndrome.”

“Stop saying nonsense and answer properly.”

“Fine, I’ll be honest. I admire your spirit to become a knight. People with goals shine brightly. But this is a café. You’re the only one wearing armor here.”

He took a sip of tea and looked her over from head to toe.

“And you spend all day holding a sword. You never dress up. It’s training, training, and more training. While some might like that, I don’t.”

Hersel, with a detached yet sincere look, said plainly,

“Sorry, but you’re not attractive to me as a woman.”

What?

“Given how quickly I forgot about it, the engagement must have been for a trivial reason. You’re wasting time on something that doesn’t matter. I’d appreciate it if you stopped bothering me.”

Leana’s eye twitched. Hersel, ignoring her reaction, got up.

“I’ll be going now.”

Leana stared blankly at his empty seat.

…The deep-seated feeling of humiliation welled up inside her. There had been moments when she doubted her appeal as a woman. But hearing it directly, especially from someone she hated, was a first.

‘Ah, I could want to kill someone even more.’

As the unbearable anger surged, Scylla rushed over.

“Leana, are you okay?”

She frowned at Hersel’s departing figure.

“That jerk. There are things you just don’t say to a woman. His personality hasn’t changed.”

She patted Leana on the back in encouragement, but Leana just looked down at her armor.

“Scylla, is it really strange for a woman to wear armor here?”

Scylla met Leana’s gaze but said nothing.

***

Leaving the café, I sighed. This was the third time she had asked the same question. Like a ditzy girl, she casually asked such things. Tired of it, I decided to raise my response level. If I could teach her that talking to me would only upset her, I wouldn’t have to deal with it again.

As I left the Adelle Hall lobby, I thought about my schedule for the next few days. In a few days, the Monsterology class would begin. It was primarily about the ecosystem and habits of monsters, but it also included live demonstrations by professors handling real monsters.

Then, a month later, the field training in the labyrinth would start.

“Hmm.”

And tomorrow, the extracurricular activities would begin after classes. While the main characters would enjoy a peaceful life for a while, I, with so much to learn, couldn’t afford to waste any time.

I must stay sharp.