CH 69

Ena, dressed in her pajamas and wrapped in a blanket like a cloak, opened her mouth.

"Let's start the meeting now."

"Woohoo!"

Riku cheered with an excited voice, clapping her hands.

And in front of her sat Luna, looking puzzled.

Luna stared blankly at Ena for a moment before speaking.

"Um... wasn't it supposed to be an all-night study session tonight?"

A few days ago.

Luna was certain that she had heard plans for an all-night study session.

So Luna borrowed many books from the library and stacked them in one corner of the room, waiting for Riku and Ena.

But the moment Riku and Ena showed up, they slipped into their pajamas and started fooling around.

Luna watched them blankly for a moment before regaining her senses.

She couldn't just let this happen!

For the sake of their grades, she had to stop them!

With that thought in mind, Luna nodded her head as if she made a resolution and spoke cautiously to Riku and Ena.

"Guys... we have less than two weeks until the midterms. We need to study."

At this, Ena held up her index finger and clucked her tongue.

"Tsk, tsk, Luna! Good rest leads to better studying! When it's time to play, we should play properly!"

"..."

Luna closed her mouth for a moment.

And then she made a decision.

"Okay! We're only playing today!"

Luna quickly surrendered.

Usually quiet, Ena's words easily persuaded Luna.

Also, they had never had a pajama party together, so Luna wanted to try it at least once.

And now.

"I've prepared something for you."

Ena gave a sly smile and nodded at Riku.

Then Riku picked up the sketchbook behind her and turned the page.

"Huh?"

When she turned the sketchbook, all that appeared was a blank white background.

"Riku, you've got it upside down!"

"Huh?"

She looked at the page she opened and seeing the blank white background, she made a puzzled face.

"Again!"

Upon Ena's command, Riku quickly flipped the sketchbook around and held it correctly.

"Riku, turn the page!"

"Okay!"

When she turned the page, there was a nicely decorated phrase.

"Love... Successful Love Committee?"

As Luna quietly recited the words, Ena tapped the sketchbook with her hand.

"That's right, Luna! You can't just stay like this! Do you know what's going on right now?"

"What... is going on?"

Luna looked at Ena with a confused face.

No matter how much she thought about it, there was nothing going on.

Was it just that she hadn't scored well because she had lost to Rie during the joint practical?

"Luna, let's be honest."

Ena stared at Luna.

"You like Rudy."

"…!"

Luna was taken aback and began to play dumb.

"Ru-Ru-Rudy? What... what are you talking about?"

But no matter how much Luna lied, she was in Ena's hands.

Although it was a lie that even an ordinary person could detect, Ena knew Luna's psychology even better.

"Recently, there's been a lot going on, and it seems like Rudy's been busy too, right? You've been feeling upset about it."

As Ena smoothly continued, suggesting she already knew everything, Luna's eyes widened.

"How did you know..."

Ena was an authority in Luna psychology, having the chance to study in close proximity for a good 7-8 months.

It only took her 3 seconds to read her.

"I've been just watching you two push and pull each other because it was fun, but you can't do that anymore!"

"What do you mean... I can't?"

At that, Ena nodded at Riku again.

As the page of the sketchbook turned, a drawing of an angry Rie appeared.

There were horns above Rie's head and the background was drawn with fire.

Although it was depicted as a devil, the cute drawing didn't make it look too bad.

"Did you draw Rie? Ena, you draw well."

Upon seeing the drawing, Luna smiled brightly and complimented her.

"No! That's not the issue!"

Ena tapped the sketchbook.

"We have a competitor now!"

"A...competitor?"

As the page of the sketchbook turned again, there was a picture of Rie and Rudy with their arms folded together, and Luna was drawn in a corner.

"Princess Rie is going to steal Rudy!"

"...Huh?"

Luna tilted her head at the sudden statement.

And then she burst into laughter.

"Hehehe, Ena, you read too many novels! Why would Rie suddenly show up!"

Ena stared blankly at Luna, who was laughing.

Seeing Ena like that, Luna stopped laughing, realizing something was off.

Luna hardened her expression.

"Is...is that true?"

Ena flapped the blanket on her back with a whoosh.

"I don't joke about my friend's love life! That's who I am!"

"Uh..."

Luna looked at Ena with a puzzled face upon hearing those words.

And then she stood up abruptly with a gloomy face.

"So, Rudy likes Rie?"

She felt a strong negative emotion.

A negative emotion that Luna had never felt before.

It was a mixed feeling of jealousy and something else.

Ena immediately shook her head and waved her hands at that sight.

"Luna! It's not like that! Rudy doesn't know anything! He's just a kid who only thinks about studying and magic, right?"

At Ena's words, Luna blushed and sat down.

And she bowed her head as if she were embarrassed.

"That's right, isn't it? Hahaha... Yeah, yeah..."

Although Luna bowed her head to hide her flushed face, her blush had already reached her neck, so she couldn't hide it.

"Anyway! The problem is not Rudy right now, but Rie!"

"Rie?"

Ena nodded and scrunched her eyebrows.

"As a 12-year veteran of romance novels, this is a certainty."

At Ena's stern voice, Luna nodded in confusion.

"If Ena says so..."

Then Ena pointed at Luna with her index finger.

"So, Luna! You have to win over Rudy before Rie does!”

"Win over!"

At that, Luna clenched her fists tightly.

Ena nodded with a satisfied smile.

"Did you hear about what Rie did to Rudy when she took that medicine?"

"Yeah..."

Luna's expression darkened for a moment at those words.

"A physical attack like that doesn't work on Rudy."

"What!?"

At that, Luna brightened again.

"But we can't say that a man can completely resist physical advances."

"…"

"Though Rudy... he's a little different."

Ena continued, stroking her chin.

With every word, Luna's expression fluctuated between despair and happiness.

Then Luna realized that Ena was teasing her and glared at her.

"So what am I supposed to do…!"

"Okay, okay. But it's clear that you're at a disadvantage right now."

"Is that so…"

"What have you done with Rudy?"

"Do...done what!?"

"Nothing?"

After a moment of thought, Luna quietly opened her mouth.

"Like having dinner together on his birthday?"

"But Rie and Astina were there too."

When Ena said that, Luna drooped like a puppy being scolded by its owner.

"Rie's already hugged him. And she's also a princess with a great position, and she's good at studying."

Upon hearing that, Luna's face turned pale.

And she quietly spat out the words.

"Can't, can't I win?"

Ena looked at Luna like that and smirked.

"But! We're here to overcome such a disadvantage!"

Ena confidently thumped her chest.

"Just trust me!"

"Ena...!"

At Ena's words, Luna was greatly moved.

"I..."

Then Riku quietly opened her mouth.

"When can I put down this sketchbook..."

Looking at Riku, she was holding the sketchbook the whole time, unable to join in on the conversation.

"Oh... sorry..."

"So, sorry! It was just us..."

"I want to join too..."

So Ena and Luna pacified a disheartened Riku and discussed Luna's future and her romance strategy.

---

"What's all this..."

I was watching the incredibly crowded carriages flowing into the academy.

"These are magical tools coming from the Fred family."

Rie was holding a sheet of paper, looking at the carriages.

I came out to help Rie.

It was originally something I didn't have to do, but...

-Hey, help me out a bit.

Rie suddenly came to me and asked for help, so I just came out, confused.

Well, I didn't have any complaints about helping Rie.

Since Astina's condition didn't look good right now, I wanted to help Rie, so that Rie could help Astina.

Helping seemed the right course of action, as Astina's collapse wouldn't benefit me or the academy in any way.

"But, why are so many magical tools coming in?"

When I asked, Rie sighed.

"With the principal away, his subordinate is playing king. He probably wants to invest in his favorite family."

I frowned at Rie's ominous words.

The principal is not here?

"Where did the principal go?"

"I don't know? I only know that he's not at the academy. He was busy after the holiday and went somewhere else?"

The principal isn't here...

"Well, let's get to work first."

Rie held the documents and approached the carriage.

And pointed her finger inside the carriage.

"Go in."

"......What?"

Then Rie showed me the documents.

"You need to check the quantity."

"......"

I was at a loss for words.

Rie had called me to help her with the loading and unloading.

"I can't go in and count, can I? I'm a princess."

I felt rebellious at that.

I'm the son of a duke, right?

Even if I was of lower rank compared to Rie, I had a position where I didn't have to do such things.

"......Why."

Rie seemed to realize this too as she hesitated for a moment.

I stretched my fist out to Rie.

"Ik......What."

As I held out my hand, Rie hunched her body a bit and spoke.

"Rock, paper, scissors."

"......What?"

"Let's do rock, paper, scissors for the carriages. However, I will do it if I lose once, and you will do it if you lose twice."

And then...

"Aaaargh!!!"

"Is that 3 magic lights?"

"This...... huh...... why is it so...... heavy......"

"Are you sure it's 3 lights?"

"Yes, yes!!"

I watched Rie struggle with the load, grumbling and groaning, and couldn't help but grin.