Chapter 49
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: My Aide
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Fortunately, it seemed to match the girl's inner thoughts.
No sign of targeting Ruena anywhere, at least for now.
Even after all the events had concluded,
up until Ruena rose from her seat behind the platform and began moving.
【We will now begin the first event: the written exam. All incoming students, please proceed to your assigned classrooms.】
The formal proceedings ended, and the announcement echoed through the hall.
The students filling the auditorium began filing out at a rapid pace.
It was a chaotic procession.
But—
Slipping out leisurely from a place like this was one of House Noir's specialties.
Without drawing attention,
yet quickly.
I wove through the crowd as if gliding, making my way outside.
Heading straight for the target I'd been eyeing all along.
'Found you.'
A somewhat familiar hair color.
But more than that, it was the guy's unique behavior that drew my attention.
Unlike the freshmen busily looking around the academy,
this one strode forward alone without the slightest hesitation.
The more I watched, the stranger and more peculiar he seemed.
'Made him easy to spot, though.'
I pulled my secret weapon from my subspace pouch.
Cookies slathered in fairy honey, boasting an ultra-premium price—
looking as appetizing as possible,
with a sweet aroma that wafted just from brushing past them.
Slowly.
Without him noticing.
I passed by my target leisurely.
Crunch—
The crisp sound rang out loudly.
It went against decorum, but
of course it did—I'd deliberately bitten into the cookie with a big crunch.
'Did it work?'
Just as expected.
The target's gaze snapped toward me.
Completely entranced by the crunching sound and the sweet honey scent.
A moment later—
A victory fanfare boomed triumphantly.
Grrrrumble—
It cut clearly through the noisy chatter of the students.
But I couldn't let my guard down yet.
Pretending I hadn't expected it at all, I widened my eyes slightly and halted my steps.
"Huh?"
"Ah, ahhh..."
I tilted my head and looked at the target.
The blonde girl...
was at a complete loss, her face red as a ripe tomato.
Wearing my iron mask, I feigned slight surprise before chuckling and offering the cookie.
"Want some?"
"Uh, th-that..."
"It's fine. Tastes good."
The girl hesitated, groaning.
Her orange eyes darted back and forth between the cookie in my hand and my face.
The more she did, the more her hesitation showed.
Of course it did.
She was targeting Ruena,
and I was Ruena's closest aide—at least for now, until I ditched the role.
'She probably thinks I have no idea she's after Ruena.'
That would make her even more flustered.
I was an obvious enemy, but she couldn't show hostility yet.
Not for at least a month.
So, for that month—
I had to pile on the payback using every means at my disposal.
I offered the cookie to the girl again.
A bit closer.
As if my arm ached from holding it so long, I slowly shook the cookie up and down.
To stir her guilt,
and amplify the sweet fairy honey scent at the same time.
The girl's gaze naturally followed the cookie's movement.
Her lips parted slightly before pressing shut tight.
Like a final act of resistance.
But moments later—
Grrrrrrumble—
An even louder sound struck my ears.
"......"
"......"
Our eyes met.
I was laughing inside, but I couldn't let it show.
Keeping as calm as possible, with just a hint of concern in my voice, I said,
"You're hungry."
Th-that's...!"
Her ears turned red in an instant.
She shook her head vigorously,
but her hand was slowly inching toward the cookie.
I chuckled and pushed the cookie toward her.
"Eat it."
"U, uuugh..."
After groaning and hesitating, the girl finally took the cookie.
Then, with trembling hands,
the moment she brought the cookie—nearly as big as her hand—to her mouth—
"...Whoooaa!"
With a short cheer, the massive cookie vanished from sight at top speed.
Like a slime sucking in nearby objects,
the cookie was inhaled into her mouth in an instant.
'She eats... well...'
Sweet treats were a powerful weapon, as expected.
The tension melted from her face.
Half-lidded eyes.
An ecstatic expression brimming with bliss.
Her cheeks were still red, but now from pure satisfaction, not embarrassment.
"Tasty?"
"Y-yeah! So good...!"
Had she forgotten I was the enemy?
She shoved her face right up to mine, eyes sparkling.
Thanks to that, her mouth came into clear view.
'Oh, crumbs.'
Crumbs scattered around her lips.
Even this small act of kindness was valuable payback for House Noir.
'Thanks to this, I've racked up points with Ruena too.'
Even as she got older, Ruena still had the habit of getting crumbs on her mouth.
Thinking of Ruena, I brushed the crumbs from the corner of her mouth with my thumb.
"You've got some."
"Ahh—!"
In that instant, the girl froze again.
At the same time, an inexplicable chill crept over me.
'What?'
Was it because it was early spring?
I thought I'd grab the blanket Ruena used from the carriage later.
The moment I finished that thought, her orange eyes caught my attention.
More precisely—
She'd been staring at me intently since I'd zoned out.
As if with some purpose.
'She's probing me too, just like I am her.'
Yeah.
I'd expected as much.
If I'd gained something, she'd gained something too.
But I was from House Noir.
A member of the family most skilled at hiding intentions.
The goal of this conversation was to minimize her gains
and maximize mine.
To give nothing away, I readjusted my iron mask, smiled brightly, and asked,
"What's up?"
"Um, hey."
"Yeah?"
"C-can I have just one more cookie—?!"
My mind had been racing with worst-case scenarios.
But she came back with an offer that was pure profit for me.
No way I'd refuse.
I pulled out two more cookies from my pocket and handed them over.
"Here, eat up. Glad you like them."
"Waaah—! Thanks—!"
The girl snatched the cookies eagerly.
A starving person couldn't resist fairy honey, after all.
She beamed brightly, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, um! What's your name?"
"I'm Celen. Celen Noir."
"...Oh?"
The girl's expression shifted subtly.
Having fed her expensive cookies, I quickly read her inner thoughts.
「Celen Noir... Never heard the name no matter how much I think. A new variable in this cycle? Or an extra I don't know? Guess I should ask Sis.」
This cycle?
What the hell was that?
As I mulled over the nonsense, the girl spoke up again.
With a somehow resolute expression.
"Got it. Celen. My name's Marian."
"Ah, uh."
"I'm a hero—er, no, a swordswoman! I never betray a favor. So, I'll definitely save you... help you!"
Help me?
Was there some ulterior motive?
Chuckling, I scanned her inner thoughts.
Fortunately, she seemed sincere.
Her mind was full of praise, lumping me under 'good guy.'
Of course...
the abuse aimed at Ruena came with it.
'Annoying.'
It wasn't me getting insulted,
but it wasn't pleasant hearing my longtime childhood friend and liege badmouthed.
I couldn't let on that I'd overheard, though.
Suppressing my displeasure, I readjusted my iron mask and eyed the girl.
She'd devoured the cookies even faster this time.
Maybe that's why...
crumbs were even messier around her mouth.
'Is it okay for a grown girl to be this sloppy...?'
Still, it was an opportunity for me.
I reached out to brush off the crumbs again.
Or I tried to.
Until someone grabbed my hand before it reached her.
A familiar hand.
I knew without looking.
It was Ruena.
"Ruena?"
"......"
Were there eyes watching?
She had that cooler-than-usual Eliad glare.
Enough to make the girl in front of us shrink back completely.
"Celen."
"Yeah?"
"Let's go."
"Ah, uh."
With my hand held by Ruena, we headed to the exam room.
The blonde girl.
Her enigmatic inner thoughts.
All of it nagged at me, but there was something more pressing right now.
Lots of eyes around.
I matched my stride carefully so as not to seem odd, glancing at Ruena.
Quick steps.
Lips pressed tight.
Hand clenched white.
She looked calm on the surface, but having watched her so long, I knew.
'She's mad?'
I wanted to ask,
but with all the eyes, I couldn't.
Instead, I squeezed her hand back.
Her pace slowed a bit.
Her forward gaze turned to me.
Ruena, who'd stopped for a moment to look at me, slowly spoke.
"Don't forget, Celen Noir."
"......"
"You're my aide."
A lower voice than usual.
Ruena spoke coldly and sternly, like a reprimand.
The proud gaze and tone befitting Eliad's heir.
But...
I knew what lay beneath.
Her longtime habit
showed my childhood friend was sulking.
Suppressing a laugh, I replied politely.
"Yes. I'll keep that in mind."
"......"
We moved on, hands still clasped.
Our pace much slower than before.
To those who didn't know her...
they'd think it was because the exam room was close.
But I knew.
She'd slowed because her sulk was easing.
'So straightforward.'
At the end of a now less crowded hallway.
I chuckled and drew closer to Ruena.
"Ruena."
"...Yeah."
"Good luck on the exam."
"You too, Celen."
As she said it, Ruena stared straight at me.
Sparkling eyes.
I knew without her saying.
It was that habit from before enrollment.
Let's be in the same class for sure.
I waved in reply.
Unfortunately, I couldn't grant my childhood friend's wish.
'As if.'
Even if she aced the written exam, she'd score minimum on magic.
And all the other stuff...
No matter how well I did, Class B was my ceiling.
'In that case...'
I curled my lip upward, watching the blonde girl enter the exam room behind us.