Chapter 77

Chapter 77

If the designated place for those with combat talents was the training grounds, then for those with magical talents, it was undoubtedly the magic research lab. While individual rooms could be equipped with a research bench, the facilities in the lab were naturally more robust and extensive.

In Class A, there were only two individuals with magic talents, so essentially, they were the only ones using it.

Since no one else used the lab, it was cluttered with what appeared to be the two girls’ personal belongings, which were strewn all over the place.

Since no one knew which items were important and which were not, the cleaning staff could not clean the place unless they were specifically asked to do so.

Hence, the lab was a complete mess.

"You’re really enjoying the personal space here, I see."

Aplie of plates filled with leftover food was piled up on one side, and for some reason, there were clothes scattered about, which I couldn't understand. I cleared a space on the sofa next to the cluttered side table and sat down.

Adelia hesitantly sat on the other side, her face blushing red.

"Hey, why don’t you just ask someone to clean this all up?” I asked. “It's not like you're the one who has to do the cleaning.”

"O... Okay...” Adelia responded, her voice as faint as a mosquito's. Her head dropped, and her expression resembled that of a child being scolded.

The lab was full of research equipment and things I didn't recognize, and the mess was ridiculous.

"By the way, do you know if Harriet decided to take a leave of absence?"

"It seems like she has...” Adelia muttered in a gloomy voice.

Harriet and Adelia shared the same major, so they were close. Harriet had a tendency to look down on the Class B students and had a strong sense of privilege, often despising those of a common background. However, although Adelia was a commoner, even Harriet couldn't stand being lonely, and made Adelia an exception.

"What will you do if she really leaves school?"

"I don't know... I really hope she doesn't, but that’s just my opinion.”

Adelia did not appreciate the idea of Harriet taking a leave of absence as well. Her hands and feet fidgeted continuously, as if my presence made her nervous.

I did conceive of her as a character with an extremely timid nature, but actually seeing it with my own eyes made me genuinely uncomfortable. It was as if I was bullying her or something.

Anyway, Adelia didn't want Harriet to leave the Temple.

"Then why don't you try to convince her to stay here instead?" I suggested.

It would be great if she could handle this task for me.

At my words, Adelia lifted her head to look at me, her eyes filled with horror.

"H-how can I... Harriet is of such high... high nobility... How could I possibly make such a request...?”

Adelia was still not used to the Temple’s dynamics, so despite being close to Harriet, she was still intimidated by her. Given the immense gap in their social standing, Adelia struggled with thoughts about whether it was appropriate for her to speak in a certain way to someone like her, or to be friends with her.

"Hey, it’s okay. If you want to do something, just go for it. Why overthink it so much?"

In principle, within the Temple, students were supposed to treat each other as equals, and it was forbidden to exploit one’s social rank. Of course, there were those like me who took this principle at face value, and then there were those like Mayaton who exploited it. But there were also those who couldn't accept it at all.

This was true for nobles and royals, but also for commoners, like Adelia, who was in front of me.

At my words, Adelia's eyes darted about frantically, betraying her nervousness.

"Th-that might be easy for you... but... for me, it's scary.”

She seemed unable to comprehend how I dealt with everyone so nonchalantly.

"How could I say something that would go against what the Duke of Saint-Ouen has decided...?”

It seemed that, in her mind, making such a comment was not only being rude to Harriet, but it was also an affront to Harriet's father, the Duke of Saint-Ouen.

Wow. She really was the epitome of pessimism. Some brats in Class A had such excessive pride and self-esteem that it made them unbearable to look at, but dealing with someone with such rock-bottom self-esteem was also a headache, in a different sort of way.

"Wow... You sure are going to live a pretty tough life with that kind of mindset.”

"W-why are you being mean to me...”

Adelia, who had reached the pinnacle of social awkwardness, whined softly in response to my sarcastic remark, and then quickly clamped her mouth shut in sudden shock. She seemed to think that I was angry because she had talked back to me.

If Harriet had a thick skull, Adelia was a coward.

She was timid to the max, but in a cute and charming way.

She felt intimidated by Harriet because she was a noble, and she was scared of me because, despite being a commoner, I came off as a thug. I guess I’d found a friend who got scared easily.

"D-do you.... dislike the idea of Harriet taking a leave of absence as well?" Adelia asked in a small voice, her eyes darting about again.

"Yeah, I don't."

My straightforward answer seemed to surprise her, and her eyes widened. Her gaze carried a myriad of implications.

‘I thought you two didn’t get along?’ The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

‘I thought you would be happy if Harriet took a leave?’

"Are you planning on taking a leave of absence?"

"... So what if I am? It’s good news for me, since it means I don't have to see a disgusting beggar for a year,” Harriet said with a false air of nonchalance, as though she preferred it, and that it was a blessing that she wouldn't have to see me for a while.

"Don't."

"... What?"

"Don't take a leave of absence."

The straightforwardness of my statement, spoken almost like a command, caused Harriet's face to distort bizarrely.

Furthermore, her face was gradually turning redder. In an attempt to cool herself down, she even started fanning her face with her hand.

She had the expression of someone who had just been on the receiving end of a romantic confession.

"Pffft! Hah! Ha Ha! Wh-what... What the! Ha! Ha! This is... wh-what...? Pfft!"

‘Could you at least pretend you’re not blushing?’

After fanning herself for some time, she finally folded her arms and glared at me as though flabbergasted.

"Why should I listen to anything a lowlife like you says?"

‘Whoa it’s not like I asked you to go on a date with me, okay? Why are you looking at me with such anticipation?’

She seemed ready to revel in the satisfaction of thinking, “Ha! How dare a commoner confess their love to me!”

She was prepared to bask in her feelings of superiority and pride.

"Um... I'm not exactly sure what you're thinking, but if you take a leave, you’re going to come back next year as a first-year again, right?"

“...”

Her expression stiffened, as though she was getting an inkling of what I was about to say. I flashed her a sly smile.

"That means you'd be a year below me and I’d be your senior, right? Is that okay with you?"

"That’s ridiculous! I’m just redoing a grade! That doesn’t change the fact that we’re still the same age!"

Clearly, this was something she had been seriously worrying about. Despite my teasing her by calling her Thick-Skull, she was certainly no idiot.

She must have painted a picture in her head about what the situation would look like if she was held back a year because of her leave of absence.

She had certainly been living in fear, anticipating what Reinhart—who she knew enjoyed tormenting her—might do when he became her senior.

"Next year, I'll be the one educating the juniors. Think you can handle that?"

"No way! You said you hated that tradition! You said it was terrible!"

She was almost bouncing off the walls in anger as if she couldn’t believe what I was suggesting, especially after I had even fought a duel over it.

"Maybe I dislike being on the receiving end of it, but who says I wouldn't enjoy being the one dishing it out?"

I played the devil's advocate with a wicked smile, and Harriet's mouth fell open.

"You're the worst! You really are insane!"

"Yep, I’ll be expecting a hundred push-ups and fifty laps around the training grounds next year. Good luck!"

"Aaaah!"

Harriet's face grew even redder, and she began to tremble violently.

Ah... It was just so entertaining to speak with her, seeing her offer these lively, no-filter reactions after being subjected repeatedly to Ellen's utterly non-responsive demeanor.

"So, think about it. If you don't want me to be your senior next year, taking a leave of absence might not be your best option, right?"

"Y-you! You little! You are... You’re such a... Ugh!"

In the end, Harriet started to quiver, and then burst into tears.

‘Wait, is she seriously going to start crying over this? No way, tell me this is a dream!’

"Waaaaaah! You rotten... you rotten jerk! You trashbag...!" she sobbed. Tears began to flow freely down her face.

"I don't want to take a leave of absence either! I really, really don't want to...” she said, her words punctuated by more crying. “I'd rather die than have a lowlife like you be my senior! Forget it! I’m not going to attend classes at the Temple anymore!"

The thought of what an insane classmate like me could do to her as a senior was enough to make Harriet consider dropping out of the Temple altogether.

However, one thing became clear to me.

Harriet de Saint-Ouen had no intention of taking a leave of absence from the Temple.

Adelia was right.

It had to be her parents—the Duke de Saint-Ouen in particular—who were pushing for her to take this leave.