Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Strange Pursuit and Sudden Challenge
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"Yawn..."
I woke up during break time.
I didn't know what period it was, but since Ella hadn't woken me up, it was probably before fourth period at the latest.
"Sigh... When does this end...?"
I was attending the Academy, but honestly, it was so boring.
The only fun part was wandering around campus with Ella and Karen after school, hanging out?
Yeah, if I took that away, there was really nothing else.
"Should I hit the canteen?"
There was still plenty of break time left, and my throat was parched from sleeping so much. I decided to head to the canteen.
My body felt stiff and uncomfortable from lying face-down for so long.
"Hmm... Sandwiches aren't great..."
A burger then?
No, lunch was coming up soon—eating a burger now didn't feel right.
How could I fill my stomach just enough without overdoing it?
"Hmm..."
What should I really get?
I hadn't reached the canteen yet; I was pondering as I walked slowly.
I wasn't starving, so maybe just grab a drink and call it a day?
Yeah, that didn't sound bad.
"......"
As I walked toward the canteen, I sensed something behind me.
I didn't know who, but it felt like someone was definitely following me.
"...Hmm."
I didn't turn around, but the feeling was unmistakable.
Someone was trailing me from behind, trying to muffle their footsteps... but I just knew.
I'd originally planned to go to the canteen, but I changed direction. Instead of going down the stairs, I started heading back up.
Who the heck was following me like this?
All I'd done at the Academy was lie face-down at my desk and rest.
"...Huh?"
As I climbed the stairs, I caught a glimpse of the person following me from below.
I could see them... but it threw me off a bit.
Down at the bottom of the stairs was a somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar head of hair—snow-white, trailing after me.
Why...?
"......"
Why was Nordal really following me?
If she'd been heading to the canteen too, she wouldn't need to climb the stairs like I was.
It made no sense.
"...What do you want?"
I'd reached the top of the stairs before Ivana Nordal below me. I looked down at her and asked.
She was taller than me and had that intimidating look, so I felt a little intimidated.
But I couldn't just let her keep following me.
Why...? Why was she tailing me?
"Camellia Leonhardt, right?"
"Yes. That's me."
Nordal stopped midway up the stairs without climbing all the way and spoke to me.
She was looking up at me from below, and her signature icy demeanor made her a bit scary.
"Why have you been following me?"
"Hmm..."
"You've been tailing me since earlier. Even muffling your footsteps."
She was wearing shoes with slightly higher heels than most students even now, but I hadn't heard a sound while she followed.
She wasn't some assassin, ninja, or thief... How had she made no noise in those shoes?
She definitely had some purpose in doing that.
"What's the reason?"
"...You."
"Yes."
"...Never mind."
"...Yes?"
...Huh?
"Wait... Suddenly what...? What do you mean you've been following me since I left the classroom?"
"Class is about to start, so you should head back now."
"...Yes?"
"See you in class."
"...Huh?"
With that, Ivana Nordal turned and went back down the stairs.
...What?
I really couldn't make sense of the situation. She'd suddenly followed me, then just as suddenly left—what was that about?
Why had Nordal done this to me all of a sudden...? I had no idea.
"...Is she a little weird?"
With Nordal gone and me alone, I couldn't help muttering to myself.
Why had she followed me in the first place, and why... why give an answer like that?
No reason, no understanding.
"...Should I report her?"
The eldest daughter of the Nordal Ducal Family acting like this toward me wasn't normal or ordinary at all.
I didn't remember doing anything, but still... it was a little scary.
Better to avoid stirring up more enmity with a ducal family and just live quietly at the Academy.
Of course... I was already living pretty quietly, just sleeping through it all.
*
Anyway... despite that incident, nothing happened when I got back to class and slept through the rest of the lessons.
It was so uneventfully nothing that it felt awkward, but better than something happening, right?
Nordal sitting in the front row was a bit intimidating, but since nothing was happening... it should be fine...?
"Sigh..."
"Why the sudden sigh? Is the desk uncomfortable or something?"
"Oh, no, it's not that. This thing's super comfy."
"...So. What's up? You don't sigh like that often."
"Um..."
Should I tell her?
I glanced at Nordal's back, sitting in the front row.
Yeah, better not.
"Just bored. Sleeping all the time is starting to get old. I wish something fun would happen."
"If you actually paid attention in class instead of sleeping, maybe you wouldn't be bored."
"That's true too."
"........"
Well, aside from Nordal, my life wasn't exactly exciting, but I couldn't argue with Ella.
Honestly, I was just sleeping away my time at the Academy, so of course it was boring.
But what could I do? The lessons were all stuff I already knew.
Father William had drilled so much advance learning into me since childhood that I couldn't help it.
"Ella, didn't they say tomorrow's magic class has magic sparring...? Something like that?"
"You actually remembered that?"
"You woke me up super diligently at the end of class. Of course I remember."
"...If only you remembered regular classes that well."
Normally, we'd just sit through theory lessons, but I'd definitely heard tomorrow's class would be different.
Not just PE, but sparring.
A total departure from the usual, so naturally, it piqued my interest.
For someone like me who'd been dozing through boring classes, how could it not?
"So, how does it work?"
"Probably nothing special. Just testing and checking the class's magic levels...?"
"Hmm..."
Is that it...
"Sounds kinda boring."
"...You can't sleep through that one anyway, so do it properly."
"Guess I should."
"You're really..."
"But how do they pick opponents?"
"They won't let students pick each other, I bet... Teacher probably pairs up suitable people."
"Ah."
Yeah, Ella was probably right—the Academy instructors would decide.
They wouldn't let students point fingers at each other, and the magic teacher wouldn't allow it.
The Academy always preached equality among students.
"Hmm... Well, at least it'll be more fun than theory class."
Anyway, I didn't know exactly how tomorrow's class would go, but it wouldn't be completely boring.
Honestly, I couldn't help feeling some anticipation and excitement.
"By the way, Ella, after Academy tomorrow, wanna hit a dessert cafe? Lize found a good spot."
"Sounds great! I can study in the evening. Replenish some sugar in the meantime—perfect!"
"Then maybe tell Older Sister Karen during the next break..."
"Hey!!!"
"...Yeah?"
In the middle of chatting with Ella, a girl suddenly called out to me from behind.
Turning around at the voice, there was a girl with her red hair in a ponytail.
...Who?
"...Who are you?"
"Y-you!!! Don't you know who I am...?"
"Um... Sorry. I was sleeping during self-introductions..."
I genuinely didn't know.
She seemed like a student from our class, first-year Class 3... but I didn't know who exactly, so I had to ask.
Pretending to know her and acting friendly would be weird too...
Of course, the red-haired girl glaring at me started scowling hard at my question.
"You...! How do you not know her...!"
"Huh? Why...? I wasn't listening to intros, so how would I?"
"It's Grace Rosaki, Older Sister Karen's blood sister...!"
"The one next to you has a good head on her shoulders!"
"Ah..."
Only after hearing Ella did I realize who she was.
She definitely... looked similar. The red hair and black eyes might be common, but there were clear resemblances.
Though her face was still sharper than Karen's...?
"Um... Lady Rosaki? What brings you to me?"
Why had she come to me so suddenly?
I'd only just learned today that Grace and I were in the same class.
"Y-you! Why do you keep hanging out with my sister!"
"...Pardon?"
"I'm Older Sister Karen's sister! Why are you the one always playing with her!"
"...Huh?"
What was this...
"Every time I ask her to hang out, she makes excuses about you and runs off!"
"That's not my fault..."
"You're the one seducing our innocent sister!? There's no way she'd hang out with someone like you otherwise!"
"Uh..."
"You're just pretty and cute, so you think our sister is some idiot, hermit loner, pushover, moron!?"
"Huh...?"
I couldn't keep up with Grace's pace.
The conversation flow, the situation—none of it made sense.
Why had Grace suddenly come to me with this?
"You! Spar with me in tomorrow's magic class!"
"...Pardon?"
What was really going on? My head was starting to hurt from the suddenness.
And now other students in the Academy were turning toward my spot in the corner, watching with interest—what was this...?