Chapter 81
Chapter 82
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: The Rat Provoking the Tiger
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From that Compelling Force or whatever.
Somehow managing to return to normalcy during lunchtime.
I had my own homemade bento box right in front of me, and things were flowing smoothly without any disruptions for the first time in ages.
Luena smiled brightly as she popped some salad into her mouth.
Just when I thought this peaceful lunchtime would continue without a hitch.
"Hey, Celen—!"
"...Yeah."
"......"
Melissa, and Marian.
Until those unwelcome guests called my name.
The moment I looked up, our eyes met perfectly.
That light purple hair striding toward me from afar.
And beside her, those wheat-gold blonde locks approaching with sparkling eyes.
'...Damn it.'
These were faces I'd seen without fail every single day for the past fortnight.
Because we'd gotten tangled up at every conceivable moment—
They'd gone from familiar to downright tiresome.
'Didn't think they'd come all the way here.'
It had been ages since I'd had lunch with my childhood friend.
I'd hoped it'd just pass quietly like always, spending time with Luena.
But of course, life wasn't that straightforward.
My head started throbbing on its own.
Honestly, this was the last combination I wanted to run into right now.
I clicked my tongue at the sight of them.
Sure, I'd slipped away from the cafeteria like that earlier.
But I hadn't factored in that they'd chase me down this far.
Because... Melissa
had never once shown her face in front of Luena.
She hated Luena.
And, though I hated to admit it, her thinking was similar to mine.
Pretending to be an ally—
If she couldn't fool the enemy perfectly,
she preferred staying completely hidden,
observing their every move from the shadows to gather intel.
That was Melissa's way.
So there was even less reason for her to show up.
That's why we'd always communicated via telepathy,
and even when we had to meet, it was only in the dead of night when everyone was asleep.
'...I figured she'd just annoy me via telepathy this time too.'
What wind was blowing her here?
I'd thought she'd send just Marian if she needed to find me,
not come in person like this.
I casually glanced at Melissa, pretending to be nonchalant.
Anxious.
Excited.
Desperate.
And the urgency lurking behind it.
Not much different from how she'd looked in the cafeteria earlier.
That meant she was serious, too.
But I wasn't in a position to accommodate someone else's desperation.
I sent her a telepathic message with a bored expression.
'Why'd you come? Can't you see we're eating lunch?'
'You left like that, what choice did I have?'
'Talk later. I'm busy right now.'
'Really...?'
A somehow meaningful telepathic reply.
At the same time, one corner of Melissa's mouth curved up slyly.
'What the hell is she planning...?'
I frowned, staring at her intently.
Whether she sensed my mood or not,
Melissa waved as she approached and tossed out a casual greeting.
"Hey, Celen."
"......"
"Lunch looks good?"
"...Can't you tell by looking?"
I nodded toward the bento I'd made with my chin.
Luena was still cradling it protectively in her arms.
Melissa stared blankly at the bento and shrugged leisurely.
"What, a bento?"
"Yeah."
"Who made it? ...Wait, Celen, did you make it?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Figures. I knew it. You make killer desserts and snacks too."
Melissa said that and grinned broadly.
But—
The moment I heard it, chills ran down my spine.
Her.
This little devil of a girl.
'What the hell is she complimenting me for?'
My eyes narrowed.
There was no way she was praising me purely.
She was definitely hiding some scheme.
"Yeah. Looks delicious. Impressive. Really."
"...Cut the crap and leave. Don't interrupt my meal."
But—
Of course, neither of them showed the slightest intention of backing off.
I subtly glanced up at Luena.
As expected...
Her expression wasn't great.
Not the relaxed face of a childhood friend,
but the stiff, icy one of the Eliad heir.
Luena was still holding the bento.
She'd set down her fork,
her back straight as she stared directly at Melissa.
It was a dignified pressure that suited a monarch more than a student.
'In moments like this, she really does look like Kasian Eliad's daughter...'
It was intimidating.
Enough to bring Luena's father,
Kasian Eliad, to mind instantly.
She wasn't raising her voice,
nor spitting harsh words,
nor showing discomfort through actions.
Just looking at the other person.
But—
That gaze alone had the power to unnerve them inexplicably.
The Eliad heir.
It was a look that made you feel the weight of that name.
'I've dealt with that plenty when I'm bored...'
A wry smile escaped me involuntarily.
To be precise, not Luena,
but Kasian Eliad himself—the man who embodied the Eliad name.
In the past.
While spending time as Luena's childhood friend, how much pressure had I endured?
Directly.
Indirectly.
Countless times.
If I exaggerated a bit,
I might be the one who'd withstood the most of Kasian Eliad's pressure.
'And he's still grilling me whenever he feels like it.'
Now I was both her childhood friend and her retainer.
Last weekend—
Worried there might be some engagement talk for Luena I didn't know about,
I'd gotten a pass and visited the Eliad estate.
It was what I'd expected, but...
That day, Duke Kasian had grilled me relentlessly as usual.
In the Eliad estate's drawing room.
Warm, fragrant tea,
freshly baked cookies steaming invitingly.
In what appeared to be a peaceful atmosphere, casual questions were tossed my way.
"Is Luena doing well?"
"Any inconveniences living at the academy?"
"I heard your entrance exam scores were lower than expected due to various variables..."
A flat tone.
An indifferent gaze.
And—
Gestures like offering me cookies that seemed considerate.
But...
I could say with certainty it was anything but peaceful.
The pressure constricting me built up relentlessly.
A gaze that pretended to check on me but missed no minor flaw.
Beneath it, I couldn't let my guard down for a second.
'...It was bloodcurdling.'
That weekend,
I was like an animal caught in a noose.
One facing a predator that could kill me with a single swipe of its paw.
Just recalling it made goosebumps prickle across my skin.
My body shuddered involuntarily.
"...Shall we get going?"
Luena's voice, lower than usual, brushed past my ear.
I snapped back to reality.
While that memory flashed by—
The standoff between Luena and the two continued.
I glanced at Luena.
Sure enough—
The fierce expression from earlier was gone, replaced by the cold heir's.
An uninvited outsider.
A classmate from the same class, no less. A natural shift.
'She looks a bit more vicious than usual, though...'
But I had no mental bandwidth for that.
What mattered now—
was chasing off these lunch-ruining intruders.
While figuring out just what Melissa was thinking.
"Eek—?!"
"Hng..."
As Luena stared them down,
two different reactions burst from their mouths.
Marian looked utterly terrified for some reason,
and the fiercely glaring Melissa soon lifted the corner of her mouth in amusement.
"......"
Why was that?
Suddenly, the air around us felt several degrees colder.
Guess the changing season saying wasn't for nothing.
Until just now—
it had been as warm as spring should be.
But before I knew it, a chill had permeated the air.
"...Ah."
A swallowing breath and a short gasp.
Marian was beyond cowed—she was frozen solid,
and even the ever-relaxed Melissa's mouth and brows dipped ever so slightly.
'What the?'
A minor but sharp change.
I looked at Luena, wondering.
Luena turned to me at the same time, tilting her head with a soft smile.
The same expression as always.
And yet...
Her eyes asked if something happened, so I shrugged.
Then a snicker came from their side.
Melissa, as expected.
She observed us slowly, alternating her gaze, then spoke.
"Oh, are we interrupting? Sorry. Just had a quick thing with Celen."
"...Quick?"
Luena echoed.
Her usual airheaded tone was long gone.
It was the calm, precise Eliad voice.
And yet.
Her tone excluded emotions entirely.
But today, wariness and rejection toward the other shone through.
'Can't blame her.'
I felt the same as Luena.
This precious lunchtime, every minute and second counted.
I didn't want to waste a moment on these intruders.
Irritation built as time slipped away.
On the other hand—
These intruders.
Especially Melissa, seemed oddly intrigued.
One corner of her mouth lifted.
A look like she was sizing things up.
'What scheme is this?'
I frowned and messaged her telepathically.
'Leave for now. We'll talk later. I'll make time.'
'Yeah, yeah. That's that. This is this.'
'...What?'
'Just a sec. Need to check something. I'll leave right after.'
Melissa's gaze shifted to Luena.
Not overtly.
But not hidden either.
A calculated rudeness that subtly grated on the nerves.
Thus watching Luena, Melissa smiled brightly.
"That fried stuff looks tasty."
"...What? Fried?"
"Yeah. Mind if I snag one? The cafeteria line was too long, so I gave up. Just had a bun from the shop, and now I'm starving."
Melissa reached for the bento.
At that moment—
Luena stood and immediately extended her hand to block her.