Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Interference (1)
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The written exam consisted mostly of questions about the holy arts. About ninety percent of them, with the remaining ten percent on the church's doctrines.
But by this point, none of the saint or saintess candidates who had maintained their status for four years would get even a simple doctrinal question wrong.
That meant the focus had to be on the holy arts. Especially the theoretical aspects.
"...Tch."
I lightly spun the quill between my fingers and furrowed my brow. I was staring down at the textbook, but the words weren't registering at all.
It was because Evan Lane wasn't the type cut out for theoretical learning in the first place.
Truth be told, as long as a saint became the church's top fighter... there was no real need to master the theory, right? As long as he could actually use the holy arts.
That's how I'd lived my life so far. Saying it in front of Israfeel would get me a serious scolding, but whatever.
"...Could you focus a little? Evan."
The woman next to me wasn't Israfeel anyway.
Though she was just as annoyingly persistent.
I let out a deep sigh and closed the textbook. The apricot-skinned girl sitting right beside me, Lete, flinched and shot me a glare.
"Evan... We've only been studying for three hours. If you give up already, I can't guarantee your scores this time."
"...Haa."
I didn't respond to Lete, just pressed my fingers into my brow.
Hearing her call these agonizing three hours "only" made me realize just how fundamentally different we were.
I'd tried my best, but some things just didn't click. Forcing it only widened the gap.
I shoved the textbook to the far side of the desk and casually opened my mouth.
"Scores aside, can't we take a break? I'm getting hungry, aren't you?"
"You know the exam is only four days away, right?"
"...Ah, whatever. I'm done. Not doing it."
I plugged my ears like I wasn't listening at all.
Lete sighed in exasperation.
"Evan... Honestly, whether you bomb the written exam and get an unprecedented failing grade or not, it doesn't really matter to me."
"That's harsh..."
"You were the one who asked me to help you study in the first place."
Ignoring my feigned hurt expression, Lete spun her quill and poked my cheek with the tip.
I swatted away the irritating touch but couldn't refute her words.
I had asked her first.
Then pushing the book away like this... It wouldn't look good from her perspective.
I'd barely scraped by without failing the last written exam, which was why I'd asked for her help to prepare thoroughly.
It was embarrassing, but I still couldn't pick up the book again.
With a sigh, I pleaded with Lete.
"Just one real hour break, then back to it, Lete. Nothing's going in my head like this. Sticking with it won't help, right?"
"...You're impossible."
Maybe my genuinely desperate expression worked?
Lete frowned in disapproval but snapped her book shut.
"Fine, whatever. Let's go eat then. It's dinner time anyway..."
"Phew."
I stood up with a sigh of relief, like I'd been waiting for it. The desk was assigned, so leaving the books was fine.
I started thinking of menu items that would take the longest to eat—but.
"Just so you know."
Lete sidled up close, affectionately linking arms with me, and gave me a sharp look of warning.
"Dinner's going to be quick. Back in thirty minutes max. Hogging the library seats is rude."
"Ah."
"...What's with the 'ah'? I've told you a million times, we're in exam period."
I seriously considered bolting right then, but I couldn't after asking for her help first.
I didn't want to look pathetic, especially not in front of Lete.
"Please go easy on me... Really."
In the end, I chuckled and gave in.
"There we go."
Lete smiled brightly, satisfied with my agreement. Her clear blue eyes sparkled even more under the library lights.
...It wasn't even her problem, but she was helping me so sincerely. I couldn't complain more.
I smacked my lips, and Lete pouted playfully, pressing her body even closer to my arm.
Now I could clearly feel the soft give of her flesh.
A belated question popped into my head, and I gave her a weird look.
"So why are you so naturally linking arms? You."
"..."
Lete didn't answer right away.
She just stared straight ahead silently.
Curious, I followed her gaze, but it was just other saint and saintess candidates studying or librarians and church residents.
"Hey."
"What."
A sudden thought hit me, and I called her. She responded flatly.
I decided to ask directly without hesitation.
"You don't like me romantically or anything, do you—"
"...What the hell, dude?"
"Nothing."
Her murderous glare and response made me backpedal instantly.
I snapped my head forward, and Lete half-opened her mouth before closing it.
Imagining the curses that might've almost escaped those small lips, I realized Lete's language had definitely gotten rougher lately...
"Ahem."
Apparently, Evan Lane was a bad influence on her.
With that brazen thought, I cleared my throat a couple times—and.
"Tch..."
Lete clicked her tongue openly and glared at me irritably.
"I'm not clinging because I like you or anything. It's all calculated, so don't get the wrong idea."
"...Calculated?"
I tilted my head at her words. What was this about? I looked at her, but she just smirked mockingly.
"No obligation to explain to you. Just stay put and let me hold on."
"Huh."
What an unreasonable thing to say. I was about to snap back when a better idea hit, and I smirked mischievously.
Lete was stuck to me like sticky rice cake. The physical pressure felt profound... and sensual.
"Lete."
"Sigh, what now?"
"Your chest is touching."
"..."
"That okay?"
I whispered teasingly in her ear. Lete glanced down silently at her breast squished against my arm.
Compared to Israfeel or Eliya's, it was clearly two sizes smaller.
But the modest swell was real, and even through the fabric, the soft texture came through vividly.
I figured she'd blush furiously or shove me away in shock.
"After groping me bare-skinned all you wanted, now you act all coy?"
"...Huh?"
"What, signaling you want my body again? What is it."
Lete's response blew past my expectations. She replied cynically and calmly, making me flinch and stop in my tracks.
Pulling me forward... Lete Heresia twisted her lips like she was mocking me and lightly grabbed my butt.
"...!"
Totally unexpected skinship and counterattack. I smacked her hand away with a stunned expression.
"Aw, you're cute today, Evan."
Like she'd been waiting for it, Lete hit me with a triumphant smile and line.
I froze solid, and her eyes curved into crescents as she looked me over.
The emotion on her fresh face was satisfaction and glee. Lete sidled up again and looped her arm through mine firmly.
"You just got a little excited by me. Your face was priceless."
"...You little."
"Ha, what now. It'd be trouble if you fell for me for real..."
Lete Heresia put a hand to her forehead and shook her head. She grinned obnoxiously and glanced at me.
"Fair warning, even if you confess desperately, I won't accept for a hundred years."
"..."
"Well, maybe after a hundred or two hundred years of courtship, I'd consider it once..."
Thwack! Without thinking, I reached out and roughly grabbed her small head. She froze and looked flustered.
"Eh."
"Ah... So, wanna fight?"
I muttered with deep annoyance, and Lete pressed my shoulder, shaking her head side to side. With beads of cold sweat.
"J-Joking, joking. Let's stop here and go eat, yeah?"
"Eat sounds good. Tonight's menu is you. Wanna head to my room?"
"Hey...! No dirty talk. Hold it in alone during exam period!"
"Ah."
Lete flushed red and yelled, shoving my chest lightly before darting ahead.
Judging by the direction, probably the street vendors near the central plaza.
I brushed the ivory hair from my fingers and chuckled.
My steps following her slowly felt even lighter than before.
*****
As Lete said, we grabbed a quick meal, and on the way back to the library—half-dragged there to catch up on studying.
"Lady Heresia."
I finally understood why Lete had insisted on linking arms with me. That so-called "calculated behavior."
"I've admired you for so long. Grant me the honor of entering your bedroom tonight."
One of the saint candidates—kneeling on one knee, holding out a bouquet desperately.
Lete looked down at Kazan of the Kashimir family—a house treated as prestigious as the Heresia family—with a disgusted expression like she'd bitten a bug.