Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Study Group Preparations
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"Lize, come to the club room after academy tomorrow."
"...Pardon?"
"Got something going on in the afternoon by any chance?"
"No, that's not it... It's just a bit sudden..."
"Ah."
It was definitely a bit sudden.
I'd sprung it on her while she was washing my body, and she'd already turned down coming to the club room with me once before.
Ever since then, I hadn't asked her to come or do anything there.
But things had changed lately—I was spending more time in the club room—and with Lize around, it felt like it would go a lot smoother, so I'd brought it up on purpose.
"So. You can make it, right? You know where the club room is."
"Yes, that should be fine. Straight after academy ends?"
"Yeah, perfect. And on your way, could you grab some teacups and tea leaves?"
"Understood. Any particular tea leaves?"
"Just whatever you like, Lize. I've never turned my nose up at any tea, have I?"
"Yes, understood."
Anyway, Lize answered and went back to washing me.
The bathroom wasn't as big as the one at the mansion, so there wasn't a huge tub, and no separate small one for washing during baths either... I was just sitting on the bathroom stool getting sponged down.
Before, I'd lounged in the tub with my arms and legs out for easy access... but this wasn't too uncomfortable.
Lize was so good at assisting with baths that it never really felt inconvenient anyway.
"By the way, Lize, I've got a question."
"What is it?"
"You know how I'm starting a study group with my friends?"
"Yes, you mentioned it, Young Lady."
I kept talking to her while she soaped up my arms.
We were going to study together with the club members... but I didn't know much about this sort of thing.
Regardless of how well I did in my studies or how much I knew, the vibe had turned into me basically teaching them...
"In a position where I'm teaching the others, how do I run it smoothly? We tried it once, but honestly, I'm not sure."
"Hmm..."
"And they're all pretty proud types, which makes it tricky."
Ella was fine, but Grace and Nordal were the issues.
They came from such great families, and they weren't people I could just boss around casually, right?
Though I was already treating Grace pretty casually as I pleased.
"In my opinion... just do it your usual way, Young Lady. Stick to your own style."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. You're already far ahead of the other students in skill. Doing it your way should be more than enough."
"Hmm..."
She was hyping me up a bit, but it wasn't entirely wrong.
Last time, I'd just solved some tough problems, and no one batted an eye. And I really did know way more than the other members.
"Well, if you're saying it, Lize, it must be right."
That was that.
One thing I'd learned living like this: Lize's advice was spot on in most situations.
She was surprisingly helpful with business stuff too.
*
"...What's all this?"
"Oh, Ella. You're here."
I'd arrived at the club room first to set things up, like I'd told them, so why was she surprised?
No idea.
"...This is what we're doing during class time?"
"Yep."
"...Why are you taking it so seriously?"
"Hmm... It's not every day, so half-assing it feels like a waste, and we don't do anything in class anyway, right?"
Academy classes were truly empty, and I was bored, so I'd prepared on purpose. Wasn't realizing it now the weird part?
I'd been scribbling away in blank notebooks by myself.
"Here's yours for starters, Ella."
"...These are all different?"
"Yep."
"...Why are you trying so hard? You feeling okay? Not dying or anything?"
"...Huh?"
"The you I know wouldn't do this...?"
Ella was suddenly treating me like some freak. Why was I getting this?
I'd prepared diligently for everyone's sake...
It hurt a little.
"Oh, it's been a while, Lize."
"Yes, Lady Ella."
Lize was working beside me, helping prepare for the session.
More accurately, it was for our study friends than my lesson.
"Lady Ella, what kind of tea would you like?"
"Hmm... What've you got?"
"I've prepared most varieties of leaves. Personally, I'd recommend the new Rose Family rose tea we brought in recently."
"Ooh... That sounds intriguing."
Anyway, Ella sat down while chatting.
I listened to them as I kept prepping the blackboard. Then...
"H-Hello...!"
"...What now."
"Oh, sis. You're here? Come on in, Miss Grace."
The Rosaki sisters entered the club room.
Grace had left right after academy ended—probably to pick up Karen.
"Hey, what's this now?"
"The notebooks? Or the blackboard?"
"Both. All of it, what is it?"
"Hmm... Stuff for today's study group session? Something like that."
"Miss Grace, take this first."
"...What's this?"
"Prepared it to teach you, Miss Grace."
Anyway, I handed her a notebook too. They were customized somewhat, but not hugely different.
It was tailored enough.
"...Camellia? What are you even doing...?"
"Oh, sis, you weren't here last time, so you wouldn't know. We've been studying together since yesterday."
"...Huh?"
Karen looked shocked, like she'd never heard. Guess she really hadn't come yesterday.
And Grace hadn't mentioned it either, apparently.
"Eh...?"
"Midterms are in a few weeks, right? So we're just prepping together."
"Oh... R-Right..."
"And sis, you always get top grades anyway, don't you?"
"Yeah...?"
I'd heard it from her plenty, and she was always buried in books in her room.
Of course she'd ace academy.
"Hmm... Guess I don't need to help then?"
"Y-Yeah...?"
"I could prep third-year stuff too, but sis, you'd probably nail it without help."
"...Yeah..."
"But Miss Grace..."
"What!"
Unlike Karen, Grace wasn't top-tier.
She wasn't bad by any means, but nowhere near Karen's academy-top-class level.
"...Oh, sis, if you want tea, just ask Lize. She brought a ton."
"Oh... Okay..."
"Miss Grace, have a seat. We'll start once the Nordal Lady arrives."
"I'd do it anyway, no need to tell me."
Karen sat with a slightly downcast look for some reason, but probably just... lonely from gym class again?
She always looked a bit depressed on those days.
That had to be it.
She had plenty of other reasons to skip gym alone claiming illness, too.
-Scrrch...
"Nordal Lady, you're here."
Finally, Ivana Nordal arrived, completing the group.
It'd been less than thirty minutes since academy let out. Should've just all come together?
"...?"
"How is it?"
"What's... this?"
"Prep for the lesson? Something like that."
"...Did you do this, Lady Camellia?"
"Yep."
"The notebooks too?"
"Yep."
Even she stared at me in surprise. It was ridiculous, really.
Why was everyone so shocked and amazed?
I'd just prepared thoroughly for their studies... No clue why they all reacted the same.
It was so unfair.
"Anyway, Nordal Lady, take a seat. Everyone's here, and the board's ready."
"...Okay."
"If you need tea or snacks, Lize here can handle it."
With that, we started the session.
I wasn't fussed about exams, but everyone else took academy tests seriously.
"Yesterday we focused on Basic Mana Studies, but today it's Imperial Literature and Arts. The notebooks have problems I made, and the board has the content."
I pointed to the board with a long stick. Literature had lots of passages, but midterms stuck to similar themes.
Nail the key concepts and highlights, and they'd breeze through my problems.
"...I wanna study together too..."
Karen muttered softly from her separate spot, too quiet to catch.
Probably memorizing words or formulas.
Third-year exams were soon, and she focused hard on them.
Definitely.