Episode 44
Translator: RaidenTL
Episode 44
“I’ve heard that a considerable amount of Crea and Voluet is being distributed within Minerva. Since most of the drug offenders are of high status, they get off with a single warning even when caught red-handed. And even when they’re questioned based on witness testimony, they often evade punishment by simply denying everything.”
“Yes, the professors in the Art Department, in particular, are having a hard time with it.”
“If we could just drill it into their heads—er, I mean, make them realize—that they can’t just deny everything, wouldn’t that help establish some discipline? If we crack down on them with physical evidence they can’t deny, aren’t you excited to see the results?”
Elysia smiled brightly, her expression so gentle that had Adrian seen it, he would have freaked out, yelling, “Sis, what’s with that nauseating look on your face? Just act normal, act normal!” She continued speaking.
“Professor, please grant me permission for the experiment.”
“You’ve barely finished the introductory text and you want to conduct an experiment?”
“You’re worried about me doing it, not about the hypothesis itself, right?”
The professor nodded. He seemed anxious, not knowing what kind of trouble might occur if he let a student who hadn't even mastered the basics conduct an experiment alone. Elysia smiled even more brightly than before, tilted her head slightly, and continued.
“You don’t have to worry about that. Senior Campbellton gladly said he would help with the experiment.”
She could almost hear Adrian’s bewildered voice in her head saying, ‘Huh? When did I ever say that?’ but she ignored it. That guy was simple enough that he’d definitely do it if she coaxed and soothed him a little. And if he refused to the very end… Elysia, imagining this possibility, nonchalantly shook her head.
Whatever. I’ll think about that when the time comes.
She had always been a simple person.
“It seems Adrian is taking good care of his junior.”
The professor, his expression showing he was relieved of a great worry, scribbled his signature at the bottom of the experiment proposal she had submitted.
♥ SYSTEM: You have gained access to the ‘Laboratory’! The ‘Laboratory’ has been added to your ‘Map’! ♪( ´▽｀) ♥
Yes! Nailed it!
It felt like she was taking things one step at a time to figure out exactly what was happening in this world. Elysia, who had been grinning from ear to ear, saw the professor begin to stack books neatly on his desk, and her face immediately soured.
Ah, what’s this.
“It would be good to read all of these as a reference for your experiment. Your assignment for the next class is to read these books and summarize them.”
Fucking hell… Good things and bad things really do come together. She swallowed the curse rising in her throat and hugged the pile of books.
As Elysia, burdened with a stack of books so high it blocked her vision and a single sheet of paper, walked out of the classroom, someone tapped her on the shoulder as if they had been waiting for her. Elysia turned her head to see who it was and let out a deep sigh as if she were fed up.
“Are you really… that free?”
“Of course. I’m all done preparing for the exhibition.”
“Then go home and get some sleep.”
Siene, lightly ignoring her prickly words, furrowed her brow. Elysia thought she looked just like a pouting cat. Siene hesitated before asking.
“Are you really not coming?”
“I really don’t know the first thing about that stuff, you know? Even that painting by Lucian you were so impressed with, I didn’t really feel— Ow! Are you crazy?”
SYSTEM: HP -10 (3,590 / 3,600)
The moment Lucian’s name came up, Siene’s face turned beet red and she pinched Elysia’s arm hard. Stunned, Elysia shrieked.
“Ah, why the hell are you pinching me! You’re so scrawny, but you’re damn strong!”
As if she’d already gotten used to the rough cursing, Siene kept pestering Elysia without a change in her expression.
“Why on earth won’t you come? Don’t you know what an amazing opportunity this is?”
“I’m busy. And I don’t know much about that stuff, so I probably wouldn’t feel much even if I saw it.”
“I’m confident.”
Elysia, who burst out laughing at Siene’s words, pinned down the experiment permit that was about to flutter away from the force of her snort with her chin.
Half of her laughter was from the absurdity of Siene being so persistent about something she considered trivial, and the other half was mocking Siene for being so audacious it seemed childish.
She stubbornly gripped Elysia’s sleeve and said.
“It’s all thanks to you that I was able to submit my work to the Art Festival. I want to show it to you as a way of saying thank you!”
“No, I mean, if you want to repay me, why don’t you do it with something else? What’s the point of seeing that crap? It’s a waste of time for me.”
Finally looking offended by Elysia’s words, she snapped.
“You’re unbelievable…! Fine!!! Do whatever you want, come or don’t!”
“Yeah, that was the plan.”
A message box popped up over Siene’s crestfallen face.
♥ SYSTEM: ‘Siene Reve’ is hurt by your words ･᷄ ︵･᷅ ♥
“You’ll regret it if you don’t come. You will. I guarantee it.”
With those parting words, Siene spun around and muttered something. And thanks to her hearing, which was more sensitive than others', Elysia perfectly understood her mumbling and slightly regretted the way she had spoken.
“I worked up the courage to come, but this is too much, really…”
Ah, this definitely felt… a little bad. Elysia lifted her head and read the small banner in the corner of her vision.
♥ SYSTEM: ‘Art Festival’ Event D-2 ♥
There were two days left until the first event in <You'll Fall in Love>.
*
Adrian stared blankly at the woman who, while she certainly didn't act like a junior, was a junior nonetheless, and who had suddenly brought him an approved experiment permit. Elysia glanced at Adrian, who could only move his lips without forming any words, and said in a cynical tone.
“Don’t make that face. You look dumb.”
“You planned this experiment, Sis, and even got it approved? You, who doesn’t even know the basics? How on earth…?”
“Well… it just happened.”
“Aaaargh! ‘It just happened’ isn’t a real answer!!!”
Elysia placed a few heavy books in front of Adrian, who was thumping his chest in frustration.
“You’re in charge of the experiment—”
“Wait, says who?”
“It’d be a waste of breath to say it twice. My call, obviously.”
“And I’m obviously refusing. I’m not doing it.”
Adrian firmly rejected the proposal, then, noticing that Elysia’s expression was far more nonchalant than he’d expected, he asked cautiously.
“…Aren’t you desperate?”
“Nope. I’m very, extremely desperate.”
“Then why… do you look so pleased? When I just said I wouldn’t do it…?”
“Well, the answer to the experiment is more or less set in stone, so… I could just do it myself—”
“El, no.”
At that moment, a gentle yet stern voice came from behind her. Elysia turned around with an awkward smile and her eyes met a man’s smiling ones. Evan strode over, meticulously read the experiment permit on the desk, and continued.
“So many accidents happen in laboratories.”
“So what?”
“What do you mean, ‘so what’? It’s dangerous, so you must participate with someone experienced.”
This guy was such a worrywart. It was certainly appreciated, but sometimes, it was also a little annoying.
Elysia stared intently at the side of his face as he read the permit with a displeased look, and then, without thinking, she blurted out.
“You’ll just heal me anyway, won’t you, Senior?”
The man froze, turning to look at her with a blank expression. Elysia was taken aback by his unexpectedly stiff face.
Ah, was that too shameless?
She was flustered by the unexpected question from Evan, who remained frozen as if he’d been hit by a sudden attack.
“Do you trust me that much?”
“…Huh?”
“Am I… a given to you?”
…To be honest, yeah, a little. For some reason, whenever I was in a crisis, it felt like this man would come running to help me on his own. And he actually had.
But if I said that out loud, I’d sound like an ungrateful son of a bitch who takes others’ kindness for granted.
Elysia tried to read Evan’s expression. His flushed face looked a little tense, and also at a loss, but at the same time, it seemed like he was smiling awkwardly, which, on the contrary…
…is fucking terrifying.
In her experience, the truly scary people weren’t the ones who yelled, but the ones who got angry after never having shown anger before. She desperately hoped for the intermittent choice options to appear, but the damn system absolutely refused to work the way she wanted.
Ah, dammit, this game needs to have a little less freedom.
“Uh… well…”
As she stammered, unable to give a proper answer, he gave a bitter smile.
♥ SYSTEM: Evan Sylvester’s Favorability -10 | Current Favorability 170 | Route change is [email protected]#$%? @!#$? ♥
♥ loading…… ♥
♥ SYSTEM: Evan Sylvester’s Favorability +10 | Current Favorability 180 | There are no changes to the route ♥
As Elysia frowned at the favorability window that had suddenly crashed and then returned to normal, Evan murmured with his usual smile.
“…I don’t know what I’m saying. I’ll be going now. Adrian, she’s still your junior, so help her out if you can.”
What the? Let’s say the error was temporary, but what’s with the sudden drop in favorability? It recovered right away, but it still felt weird. Did I say something to upset him?
He avoided Elysia’s wavering, confused eyes, turned, and left the Prefect Office. She was startled by Adrian bursting out with a “Ha!” and whipped her head around, still staring blankly at Evan’s back.
“…What? Why are you laughing?”
“Am I not allowed to laugh? It’s my mouth, I’ll laugh if I want to.”
Adrian’s attitude was strangely crooked, but Elysia’s mind was half-occupied with Evan, so she wasn’t in a state to get angry about it. Therefore, instead of starting with her usual “Are you crazy?”, she asked with a dazed expression.
“What were you laughing about?”
“Just watching the two of you makes me laugh!”
“You’re lying.”
“Nope! It’s true! Watching you two these days is so much fun!”
Elysia rested her chin on her right hand, cupping her cheek, and flicked an eyebrow up and down. Adrian, who had been acting all pissy, immediately became docile. He placed the hand that had been pointing at her neatly on his lap and bowed his head.
“I’m sorry.”
Elysia, who had been about to snap in anger at his non-answer, was left speechless by Adrian’s sudden display of courtesy.
Ah, this guy is weirdly good at knowing where the line is…
Elysia crossed her arms and asked.
“No, so, what is it? Why is that senior acting like that?”
“So… ah, how should I explain this…”
“Just the main point.”
“The senior, and I really don’t get it, nor can I understand or sympathize with it, but…”
Sensing a long-winded explanation coming, Elysia cut him off sharply with a flick of her dark eyebrows.
“You’re rambling.”
“…I think the senior is in love with you, Sis.”