Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: That Time of the Month
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"...Ha."
My mood had already been pretty rotten since coming back from school yesterday.
It was bad enough already, but...
"Shit..."
And now it was truly foul from the morning.
The distinctive discomfort radiating from my lower abdomen.
The moment I opened my eyes, I grimaced because of that familiar unpleasant sensation that made curses spill from my mind unbidden.
"Of all days, why today... Ha."
I hadn't been tracking my cycle particularly closely, but I hadn't expected it to hit exactly today.
I knew it was coming soon, but...
"Lize... bring me some warm tea. Just one."
"You're skipping breakfast and drinking it right away... is that okay?"
"Period today. Don't feel like eating."
"Ah..."
"So... could you quickly heat up some milk in tea and bring it?"
On any normal day, I would have started my morning chatting away with Lize, but today that felt impossible.
The first time it happened was the same—this unique discomfort was just too loathsome.
Unlike usual, even simple words carried a hint of irritation and displeasure.
That simmering heat spreading faintly through my lower abdomen, constantly nagging at me...
"Ha."
As a woman living as a lady of the house, I tried my best to hold back on swearing.
But this damn period always put me in such a foul mood no matter what... and I ended up cursing inwardly without realizing.
"Tch..."
Part of me wanted to call in sick and skip the Academy for the day.
Just like the girls in my past life who ditched PE class using their periods as an excuse... or the ones who went home early from school altogether.
"Haa... so damn uncomfortable..."
I slowly dragged myself out of bed for now, but it really was miserable.
I'd have to change my underwear too.
And ever since getting up, my stomach had been churning nonstop... I felt like throwing up, but nothing seemed like it would come up.
"Young Lady, here..."
"Thanks."
Even in this state, the thought of skipping the Academy didn't cross my mind.
It was inconvenient in every way, and my mood had been off since yesterday... but it was just a regular period, nothing more.
I just... had to go.
It was better than rumors reaching Rozalin's ears about me missing school because I felt unwell.
I still had some time left before heading back to the mansion.
There was more time until finals, and I wasn't leaving right after they ended anyway.
But even so, Rozalin would undoubtedly worry if she heard I was feeling sick and stayed home.
She'd fret in letters, and she'd be overly concerned when I got back to the mansion—it was all too obvious, so I had no choice.
"Sigh..."
Still, it was better than making Rozalin worry needlessly.
Even as I sipped the tea now, my stomach felt queasy.
*
"How long are you going to lie there? It's break time now—are you really just going to keep lying down?"
"......"
It was the same as always.
Just like usual, zoning out through classes or napping at my desk in the classroom.
Exactly the kind of routine where Ella nagged at me for it.
"Next period is Mana Studies, right? Want me to grab a drink from the vending area?"
She'd sat next to me from the start, and we'd always passed the time in the classroom chatting like this...
It was nothing special.
"You even listening?"
"Haa..."
"W-Why the sudden sigh?"
"...It's nothing."
"...Huh?"
Answering felt like too much effort.
On top of that, sitting in the chair had been uncomfortable for a while now, my stomach hurt, and I just felt awful overall.
Without realizing, I wasn't responding properly to Ella right beside me.
I knew I shouldn't do that.
"...Go by yourself."
"Uh... okay?"
"I'm fine, so just go buy something and come back."
"Uh, sure...?"
"Yeah."
After saying that, Ella left the classroom alone.
Even after she headed to the vending area, the churning in my stomach persisted as wretchedly as ever.
"Ha... shit."
I'd have to apologize later.
Ella hadn't done anything wrong, but I'd treated her so differently from usual—it definitely felt bad.
I hadn't even snapped at Lize like this during morning preparations.
After Ella left, I stayed seated motionlessly.
Sitting was uncomfortable, but standing or walking around would probably feel even more unpleasant.
"Haa..."
Periods were truly fucking awful.
I hated them so much that I'd been pressing my fingernails into my arm to cope.
Without something like this to distract from the nagging lower abdominal discomfort since morning... I felt like I might scream.
It was the start of a truly rotten day.
And of all days, yesterday I'd been brooding over Grace and ended up dwelling on the past...
"Tch."
Originally, I'd planned to ask Grace why she kept avoiding me.
She was being so obvious about dodging me, and I didn't like how things were dragging on.
But in this state... I didn't want to.
I was already on edge, blurting out whatever popped into my head.
I worried I'd say something nasty mid-conversation.
Not just with Grace—with anyone else too, which was why I was staying as quiet as possible.
"...Haa."
*
...I'd planned to get through the day quietly, without any incidents.
Even during lunch with everyone, I intended to stay silent.
After regular classes ended, straight back to the dormitory—no club activities, just a day off.
Yeah, that was the plan.
"...What's up?"
As I left the classroom heading straight for the dormitory, Grace suddenly grabbed my wrist.
What the hell was this, out of nowhere.
She'd been avoiding me for days—no, the past week.
What was she thinking, grabbing me like this now?
"Ah, no... um..."
"......"
She held my wrist in the hallway.
But when I asked, she couldn't give a proper answer.
"Um... I just have something to say...?"
Still not her usual self.
Normally, she'd drag me along nagging in that sharp tone about having something to tell me.
She was showing the same hesitant reactions as last week.
What was she even trying to do... I barely held back a sigh and just looked at her for now.
"Let's... not here. Go somewhere to talk..."
I'd planned to head straight back to my dorm room, lie down, rub my stomach, and minimize this goddamn discomfort as much as possible.
But I ended up being led by Grace's hand into an empty classroom.
She kept holding my wrist the whole time, even until we entered and she closed the door.
It left a faint mark on my wrist.
"So. What is it."
"...You mad a lot?"
"...?"
An empty classroom.
Lights off, the only light filtering in through the windows.
That's where Grace said that.
Mad?
Me?
"...What are you talking about?"
"Aren't you mad...? You've been pissed off all day because of me, not talking much... not even to others..."
"Haa..."
"Y-You're really mad...?"
Grace was watching my reaction closely.
God... no matter how I looked at her, she was so different from usual it was almost comical.
"Haa..."
Another sigh escaped me.
My lower abdomen was killing me already, and now Grace was acting like this.
It was such an awkward situation.
My mind was racing with thoughts, and opening my mouth just a little would spill them all out.
But... my condition wasn't great for that.
"Um... it's hot, and if I said something, s-sorry..."
"........"
Ah, shit.
Was my brain messed up from this damn period dragging on since morning?
I knew I shouldn't, but even though Grace was sincerely apologizing and gauging my mood, I felt like teasing her.
Despite knowing better, my thoughts kept drifting that way unconsciously.
"I'll try not to do it again from now on..."
Grace kept peeking at me, repeating the same thing.
She was cuter than I'd expected.
She had a slightly sharper look than her older sister Karen... but right now, she seemed even cuter than Karen.
"...Why no answer."
"Ah."
Huh.
My head was full of thoughts, but I hadn't said a word to Grace herself.
"It's just the period. Not mad at you or anything. Just the period making me grumpy."
"...Huh?"
"I get them pretty bad... So I've been uncomfortable since morning. And just now, I was heading to the dorm because I'm exhausted."
".......Huh?"
A dumbstruck reaction.
Grace stared at me with wide eyes and a blank expression.
I suddenly wanted to poke her cheek—or grab both and mess with them.
"...Y-You should have said something sooner!"
"You didn't ask. And you were the one avoiding me first."
"That's!"
"Pfft..."
My stomach still hurt, and I felt queasy... but Grace's reaction was too funny.
The way she started trembling with anger in that utterly idiotic expression—it was hilarious.
Really...
"Puh..."
"You should have told me sooner!"
"Pfft..."
"D-Don't laugh...! Seriously, all morning... seriously... damn it..."
Grace had dragged me to this secluded, empty classroom.
But all she'd done here was huff and puff, venting a bit of frustration by herself.
Really... compared to my first impression, she seemed way cuter.
"Damn..."
And up until yesterday, I'd been wondering how to coax the sulky Grace.
That seemed to have resolved itself somehow—relief washed over me.
Various thoughts crossed my mind, but Grace's reactions and demeanor were just too adorable.
For now, I decided to empty my head of worries and chat a bit more.