The Lupin Scholarship
Was the Lupin Scholarship Foundation always this cute? The thought popped into my head, startling me so much that I shook it off vigorously. I must be losing it. Me, thinking Rachel of all people was cute?
Anyway, I couldn't pass up this golden opportunity, so I jumped right in. "Alright. So what's bothering you?"
"...Forget it. I'm not telling you."
What the hell is this? She says no, then yes, then no again—flipping back and forth like that. I had no clue how to react. After a moment's hesitation, I tested the waters just in case. "Fine. Then don't tell me."
I said it flatly and started to stand up. Rachel visibly panicked. "H-Hey, where are you going?"
"To Yulia's."
"...What are you gonna do there?"
More reaction than expected. Could she really be conscious of Yulia? Whatever her deal was, I had no idea, but for now, I'd use it to my advantage. "Why? Something wrong?"
"Class is about to start. Just sit down. Don't wander around annoying people."
"I'll sit when the teacher comes. And if I'm annoying you, wouldn't it be better if I went over there? Sitting here, there's nothing to do anyway."
She had no comeback for that. Anyone could see she was just being stubborn. I didn't storm off harshly, though—I moved leisurely, giving her an out.
Finally, after hesitating, Rachel mumbled in a tiny voice. "...Nothing."
"Huh? What was that?"
Hook, line, and sinker. I sat back down and leaned in close. Her face flushed red with embarrassment as she repeated it. "I said... no living expenses..."
"Oh, living expenses..."
"You told me to spill my worries. Happy now?"
I knew things were tight for her, but I hadn't realized it was this bad—worrying about basic living costs on top of losing her job. Rachel let out a deep sigh, fully resigned now, and explained in detail.
"My sister just got a decent job recently, and I found a tolerable evening gig, so I thought we'd be okay. But then yesterday, we both got let go out of nowhere... The boss is moving to another region entirely. No way to fight that..."
Not just Rachel—her sister had lost her maid job too. They weren't just canceling plans; they were liquidating the mansion and everything. Those Drakan guys were way more serious about prepping for the finale than I'd thought.
No wonder living expenses were an immediate crisis. Especially in this era, unlike modern times, workers' rights weren't protected, so no severance pay or anything.
Realizing she'd overshared, she hurriedly added, "I-I'm just saying how it is, so don't get the wrong idea...! I'm not asking for help or anything!"
She was still hung up on me buying her dinner the other night. Probably didn't want me thinking she was mooching now that she knew I had money, so she denied it extra fiercely.
Of course, I had no intention of forcing cash into her hands either. There's an old saying across all cultures: never lend or borrow money between friends. Even blood relatives fall out over it sometimes. I didn't want to burden someone who didn't want it.
"Perfect timing, then."
I casually pulled a card from my pocket and handed it to her. "What's this?"
"Read it."
"Lupin Foundation...??"
This was my prepared solution. Sponsorship not from her friend Kro, but from Lupin, director of the foundation. I'd made the reasoning airtight, of course. Handing out money with no explanation would just raise suspicions.
"They're setting up scholarships for academy students."
"Pfft, as if. My grades are trash. How would I qualify?"
"It's mainly for students in tough financial spots, not grades. You'll be fine."
Instead of joy, she frowned, unimpressed. Makes sense—she had strong pride and probably hated accepting help. Still, she'd take it. Just like she'd eventually accepted Veronica's offer, this would be hard to refuse.
As expected, she pocketed the card. "How'd you even know about this place?"
"Uh... stumbled across it by chance?"
I brushed it off vaguely, and she narrowed her eyes. "You didn't go looking for it just for me, did you?"
"Come on, how could I prepare something like this ahead of time? I didn't know your situation."
"...Yeah, true."
Now all that was left was waiting for her to check the card and visit the foundation. But as I worried she might take it and ghost, Rachel hesitated, then whispered so softly it was barely audible. "...Th-Thanks."
"No big deal. What are friends for?"
Compared to when we met, this was huge progress. Who'd have thought I'd hear thanks from her? She blushed beet red, embarrassed by her own words.
After that, an awkward vibe lingered. The teacher arrived, class started, and things normalized somewhat, but Rachel's flushed face didn't fade for a long time.
"Waaah! It's all my fault...!"
"Stop crying already. Geez."
Rachel sighed inwardly, grumbling to herself. Who was the older sister here? Her sister had been like this all day since last night—didn't expect it to continue after school.
"The young miss must hate me... *sniff*."
"I heard the whole story. She's moving to a whole different region. What could you do?"
The Scarlet sisters had become unemployed overnight. Their employer, Veronica, was leaving London for a distant area, selling the house and wrapping up all business. Their fragile escape from poverty had plummeted back to rock bottom. Even this month's living expenses were a stretch. No wonder her soft-hearted sister was lamenting like this.
Rachel herself had felt the same despair that morning. But then, an unexpected lifeline appeared.
She carefully fingered the card in her pocket, lost in thought. This was pretty much their only option.
"Sis. If I play my cards right, I might get a scholarship."
"...Huh? Sch, scholarship?"
Leah stopped sniffling and stared at her sister. Then a huge smile spread across her face as she beamed with genuine joy. "My little sister getting a scholarship... Now I can die without regrets!"
"It's not confirmed yet, so calm down."
According to Kro, they screened applicants thoroughly for eligibility. Too early to celebrate.
After a brief pause, Rachel nodded. "Guess I should go right now."
"Huh? Where to at this hour?"
"The sooner the better. Stay home and wait quietly!"
The girl dashed out, following the address on the card. 'Around here...?'
The scenery felt oddly familiar. Soon, she realized it was near Kro's house. Coincidence? Or maybe that's how he knew about the foundation—proximity.
Convinced by her own logic, she scanned for the office. 'There it is.'
But... it was smaller than expected. She'd imagined something grand for a scholarship foundation, but it was a tiny rented room in the corner of a modest building. Sudden unease swelled. Would they really pay out? Scam?
Doubts swirled, but recalling the boy who'd suggested it for her sake steadied her nerves. 'Whatever. Worst case, I lose nothing—I’ve got nothing left to lose.'
She squeezed her eyes shut and knocked. Bang bang!
"Anyone there!?"
"It's open."
A relaxed, deep middle-aged voice. Too smooth—made her more suspicious. Real scammer vibes?
Inside, the office felt empty. Just a table and chairs, nothing else. "You do business here?"
"We're a nonprofit foundation."
"Huh?"
"We don't make money. That's what I mean."
Why beat around the bush? First impressions weren't great, but she had nowhere else to turn.
Rachel eyed the middle-aged gentleman seated there. His mustache bugged her personally, but otherwise, he was undeniably handsome and dashing.
"This the Lupin Foundation, right...?"
"The Lupin Foundation. A nonprofit pursuing charity, scholarships, medical aid, and more."
He removed his hat with a courteous bow. "And I am Arsene Lupin, director of the Lupin Foundation. Please, call me Lupin."