Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Finals Over, Heading Home
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The final exams themselves ended without much difficulty, and I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
In particular, Ella, whom I'd been intensively tutoring, managed to place a remarkable 3rd in written exams in our class.
Even though it was 3rd in the class, if you looked at the entire first-year cohort at the Academy, it was undoubtedly a very high ranking.
"Lize, it's fine to just leave the uniform and such here, right?"
"Yes, that should be okay. Even though it's vacation, the Academy custodians won't enter the dormitory rooms during that time."
"Then I'll just leave the clothes in the wardrobe appropriately.... and pack only the documents."
"Should I put all the documents in the bag?"
"Yeah, do that."
Anyway, now that finals were over, we were starting to prepare to head home.
Because it was vacation now, right?
Of course, it wasn't absolutely necessary to go home, but I had to go back.
If I didn't return to the mansion during vacation... Rozalin would definitely...
"Hmm."
I decided not to think about it.
It was better to obediently go back and spend time together than to unnecessarily worry and get a headache.
"The first semester ended faster than I thought."
It felt like it had dragged on sometimes, but it really had ended quicker than expected.
Maybe because it was practically my first time living with peers my age?
It felt like it ended even earlier than it actually did.
"I hope we can switch to a better dormitory next semester."
"I'm fine with this one as it is."
"Well, B-rank isn't bad. But after seeing Older Sister Karen's room, that one's really nice."
"Is it...?"
"Yeah, seriously."
I did get really good grades on the finals too.
But moving from C to B required less than going from B to A, which demands even higher scores.
It was regrettable, but what could be done?
"Next exam, I think I can get an A-rank dormitory."
"Already?"
"Yeah. I've been getting such great scores."
Consecutive overwhelming results on midterms and finals?
I was pretty lax on the practicals, but at the first-year Academy level, it was still inevitably top-tier.
Probably better than Ivana's?
"Well, thanks to that, I'm still on scholarship. Total win, right?"
"Madam will be pleased."
"That's definitely good."
"When you return to the mansion this time, if you tell Madam about the club too... she'll surely love it."
"Pfft.... Yeah, that's true."
There were definitely a lot of stories piled up that Rozalin would like.
If I told her after getting back to the mansion, she'd probably be thrilled for real.
She'd always recommended I hang out with kids my age and hoped I'd get along well.
"Heh.... I wanna go back soon."
I wanted to spend time with Rozalin after so long.
It had been quite a while since I'd seen her... yeah.
Now I was really starting to miss her.
A few months had passed, so wasn't this natural?
*
"So Older Sister Karen, you're taking family lessons during this vacation too?"
"Yeah...."
"That must be exhausting. You're already stressed with graduation coming up soon."
"Yeah...."
Before the Academy semester fully ended, we gathered in the club room, all relaxing casually.
Because there was nothing else to do?
Everyone had handled their own preparations, and classes ended earlier than usual, so we just met up like this.
"But you didn't take those lessons before, right?"
"Ah...."
"Usually, it was Grace who took those instead of you.... Is something up?"
"It's not like that...."
"Grace just got a bit brighter lately than before. Father suggested she try the lessons, that's all."
"Oh?"
"G-Ggrace...!"
Oh....
The Rosaki Count did seem to adore his daughter a lot.
Even when Karen visited where Rozalin and I were staying before... he showed up out of nowhere, which surprised us.
And his daughter, the eldest at that, had been holed up in her room for so long, yet he hadn't said much.
If I were a parent, I absolutely, really couldn't have let a kid continue a hikikomori lifestyle like that.
"So what about Grace? Nothing like that for you?"
"I don't have any."
"Really? I thought you might since Karen's doing it."
"I've already taken those lessons before."
"Oh."
Yeah, that makes sense.
While Karen skipped lessons and lived like a hikikomori as a kid, Grace had stepped up in her place.
Even in those little social gatherings kids held, Grace went first instead of Karen.
"So you won't have a moment to be bored this vacation, sis."
"Yeah...."
"Heh...."
"But Camellia...? How long are we gonna...."
"Don't like it?"
"It's not that...."
For the record, Karen was currently lying with her head on my thigh.
The bed was a bit narrow for fully stretching out comfortably, and there were no pillows.
To let her relax properly, this was the only way.
"Don't like it?"
"No, I don't dislike it...."
"Then it's fine to stay like this longer."
"Y-Yeah...."
I was gently stroking Karen's hair, and she was just taking it quietly.
She probably didn't hate being like this, which is why she was okay with it?
Probably?
Well, even if she said no, she'd already said it was fine.
Too late now.
"Ah, Ivana, what are you doing over vacation? You're heading up north to rest after so long, right?"
"For now, lots to do for Family Head succession."
"Oh...."
"Family Head?"
"Yeah. More preparations than I thought."
"Wow...."
"Impressive."
"Y-Yeah...."
Most reacted with amazement to Ivana's words.
They were still first-years at the Academy, after all.
Even though Ivana was famous and mature for a 13-year-old... she was still really young.
Everyone couldn't help but find Family Head talk fascinating.
"Summer isn't hunting season, so no issues there."
"You said the north hunts monsters every winter? How many come?"
I was honestly curious.
I'd heard the north slays hordes of monsters in winter, but to what extent?
Not just dozens, surely.
"Hmm.... Last winter, we got about 700."
"700?"
"Yeah, early winter we cleared some ahead, so fewer, and they didn't swarm all at once."
"700...."
Way more than I thought.
Yeah... so that's why the north is always buzzing with monster talk.
I'd been clueless due to lack of info on the north.
"Then the mana stones from those must be huge, and you make bank on other stuff too."
"Naturally. That's how we import produce from elsewhere."
Yeah.
Farming's tough in the north in winter.
No, even outside winter.
Using winter monster hauls as collateral for imports from other regions... basically one of the north's businesses.
"But I hate this heat more than winter monster hunts."
"Pfft.... Yeah, you really can't handle the heat, Ivana."
"Yes."
Anyway, we were just chatting like that to pass the time.
Everyone sitting, lying down casually... fully relaxing.
Karen, Grace, and I were straight-up comfy on the bed.
Even for our laid-back club, we rarely chilled this much.
It was because exams were done and the semester was wrapping up.
"...Why isn't anyone asking me anything?"
"Hm?"
While I was stroking Karen's soft hair, Ella suddenly spoke up from her chair.
What?
I didn't quite get it.
"Why would we ask you that, Ella?"
"Because you didn't ask me...? You asked everyone else."
"Hmm... No need to ask you in the first place."
"...Pardon?"
No.
Really.
There was zero need to ask Ella these questions.
Because Ella...
"You're coming south with me anyway, and we'll basically share the carriage too, right?"
"Oh."
"The route south is the same until we split, and we'll meet often after. No big need to ask tons, yeah?"
"That's true, but...."
Really no need.
Literally, Leonhardt Mansion and Niesista Territory were practically neighbors.
An hour by carriage, and you'd arrive.
"Jealous 'cause we asked others but skipped you?"
I grinned and teased Ella.
Her question was kinda ridiculous, and I just felt like messing around.
"...It's not that."
"Pfft, sure?"
"...Yes."
So cute.
Ella probably didn't realize it herself, but what I said was spot on—yet she pretended otherwise, which was adorable.
Her slightly puffed cheeks as she glared... definitely cute.
She probably had no idea about that side of herself.