Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Period Pains and Final Exam Schemes
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"Sigh, I want to cut off my lower abdomen."
"...Young Lady."
"...I'm kidding, I'm kidding."
I was lying in bed, muttering stuff like that.
It was really just that uncomfortable.
I'd sort of patched things up with Grace for the time being... but that had nothing to do with my body recovering from the period misery.
Periods always hit my body pretty hard anyway.
And yesterday, for various reasons, it was even worse than usual, so there was nothing I could do about it.
"Are you alright...?"
"Of course not. I hate it every single time. Should I try casting a paralysis spell or something?"
"...Young Lady."
"Hehe, I'm kidding. Just keep rubbing my stomach."
"Understood...."
Anyway, after that conversation with Grace, I'd come back to the dormitory and was resting comfortably.
I'd told Grace I was taking the day off because of my period, skipped club activities, and just lounged like this....
More precisely, Lize was sitting demurely on the bed rubbing my stomach, and I was lying there quietly enjoying it.
"Hmm...."
Even so, getting this massage made it a little better.
Way better than just lying there soaking in the period discomfort.
Truth be told, Lize's rubbing wasn't enough to dramatically improve the period symptoms?
But it was still better than just sitting still, so that's how I was resting.
"Still, the final exams are coming up soon. Is it good that this happened before then...."
"Are you planning to study with the club members again before the exam this time too?"
"Yeah, right?"
"If that's the case... then it does feel fortunate."
"Yeah, definitely. Since it's not just me studying alone, but with the other members.... Better than getting sick right when we need to cram."
Truth be told, we hadn't officially decided to study together with the club members.
But we probably would.
No reason not to do what we did for midterms, and everyone benefited last time?
"But Lize, is my period pain unusually bad?"
"Uh...."
"See?"
I'd asked out of curiosity, but Lize hesitated a bit before answering.
Looks like my period pain is worse than other girls'.
"Sigh.... So I'll just have to suffer like this every time from now on."
"I'm sorry...."
"No, why are you apologizing? It's not like you made my body this way, or you're a doctor. Why say sorry to me?"
"Still...."
Man... Lize could be so frustrating in so many ways.
She hadn't done anything wrong at all, so why was she apologizing to me?
On the contrary, she was rubbing my aching stomach and helping as much as she could.
"Lize, just keep gently rubbing my stomach like you are now."
In the end, that was all I could say to her.
She paid close attention to my moods in many ways, but she listened well to things like this.
"It's already better because you're doing this."
.......
"No weird talk—just quietly rub my stomach, and that's enough."
I placed my hand over Lize's hand on my stomach and said that.
She really was helping, and I was grateful for it.
Sure, the lower abdomen discomfort soured my mood... but gratitude was gratitude.
"I'm sorry...."
"I said it's fine?"
"...Yes."
"Oh, what do you want for dinner tonight? Let's go out for... um...."
Since I wasn't spending time with academy friends today like usual.
Normally, after club, we'd all get dinner together and hang out... but today I came straight back to my dorm room after academy.
It'd been a while since it'd just be me and Lize for dinner.
She might feel a bit burdened... but Lize secretly liked going out with just us....
"Lize."
"...Yes? Is there something you need?"
"For dinner, how about we go out in casual clothes instead of uniforms?"
"...Young Lady."
...I'd asked that on purpose since it'd been ages since just the two of us went out.
But Lize rejected it with her serious face....
It was still a weekday, and she was on duty as my maid, blah blah... She could relax a little more.
Honestly, Lize in her maid outfit was super cute, but I personally wanted to see her in casual clothes because she looked so pretty....
A bit disappointing.
*
"Ella."
"What now? I'm absolutely not rubbing your stomach, so don't even ask."
"...Even after you've rejected me so many times already, you think I'd ask again?"
...My period pain was still lingering, but I went to the academy today anyway.
A few days had passed since the worst first day, so the pain was almost gone now.
Just a faint discomfort left.
I'd pestered my academy friends for stomach rubs in the meantime, whined about wanting to go home early, been a general nuisance.
But now, the period pain and nausea were really, truly almost gone.
"I'm not talking about my period. I was just going to ask if we're studying for finals together again."
"Ah."
"You've rejected me every time I asked so far anyway."
"Ahem...."
I'd asked thinking of Ella's grades.
But she shot me down coldly from the start, so I felt a little hurt... nah, not really.
Just that I'd been a bit annoying to Ella these past few days.
"Sigh.... This is why you shouldn't be nice to people."
Well, I'd pestered the Ella next to me a lot during my period?
During class, asking the seated Ella for a belly rub, whining nonstop, complaining about being thirsty... yeah.
I'd probably been pretty annoying.
But for me, the period had been extra rough these past few days.
It hurt a lot last time too, but this time was especially bad, making it even harder.
"So. What do you say? Wanna study for the exam together?"
"Well.... If you're helping, of course it's a win for me? There aren't many first-years who study as well as you?"
"Many?"
...It was nothing.
Really, truly nothing.
But Ella's words stung a little.
"Not many...?"
"Yeah? I mean... yeah?"
"...I'm number one in written exams."
"...?"
No.
No.
No.
No, I was seriously wronged.
How much did I help Ella during last midterm!
Not just her, but Ivana and Grace too.
I'd given massive help to Grace, who was middling-to-lower... so why?
Why was Ella's evaluation of my grades only this low?
"Why say 'not many' like I'm just that level?"
"Uh.... There are other good students in first-year too...?"
"You really think that...?"
No, it was ridiculous.
My head started heating up without me realizing.
Me, on the same level as some 13-year-old kids...?
For real?
"Ella. I could look at third-year academy problems right now and solve them on the spot."
"Really?"
"...Ha."
...She really had no idea.
Did she think I'd only done a bit of advance study for first-year material...?
Seeing how clueless she was, my heated head actually cooled down.
Instead....
"Sigh...."
I let out a sigh.
Well, showing insane skill at first-year level might be too much... it makes sense.
Yeah, it does....
"So. What do you say? We're doing it, right?"
"Yes, I was planning to study after school anyway. Doing it together again should be fine."
"Yeah... We'll ask Ivana and Grace in a bit, and that should do it."
I'd planned to teach like last time, normally....
But I decided to make some changes.
Last time, I'd focused on Grace with intense club room lessons. This time, for Ella who dismissed me.
Even if she didn't know better, it still hurt, so yeah.
"Hehe...."
"Looks like you actually enjoy teaching? Honestly, last time I thought you'd quit halfway because it was such a hassle."
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. Especially this time...."
"Probably because Grace's grades shot up so much. She might aim for top ranks this time... yeah?"
"Haha.... Yeah, maybe?"
Ella chattered on, oblivious to my inner thoughts.
Watching her show zero interest or awareness in what was brewing in my head, I smiled quietly.
Until the moment Ella had no choice but to admit I was super smart and had studied a ton.
"Pfft...."
I was already excited thinking about drilling Ella like crazy until then.
Way harder and more intense than with Grace last time.
Aiming straight for the top tiers... making Ella acknowledge me sounded pretty fun.
I hadn't teased her much lately with Grace and Karen around, but her reactions were always hilarious.
Making her cry from studying....
"Pffft...."
"What? Your laugh sounds dumb."
"It's nothing. Really."
"...?"
It was going to be so much fun.