Regarding Her Love -5-
In front of the chaotic corridor, Shuen gripped the head of the half-eaten sausage—Bienna—breathing heavily as she fumed.
"Let gooo!"
"Shuen!!"
"I said let gooo! In the name of the nobility, I'll purge this woman whose head is stuffed with nothing but udon noodles!"
How dare a half-eaten sausage insult someone like that. Even as a noble, she had to be careful not to lose her meal ticket, but the suggestion to fabricate evidence and frame someone as a criminal snapped Shuen's rationality like a twig.
"What the hell are you doing! Let go. I said let go."
"Go beg your grandma to let you gooo! I'm not letting go."
"You fucking bitch!"
"Noble arts ultimate technique! Calf sweep yot!"
Declaring a technique she'd never learned, Shuen hooked her leg around Bienna's calf. But Shuen's scrawny leg was no match for toppling the center of gravity of someone from the swordsmanship department.
"Gahk! I thought your head was just stuffed with udon noodles, but you shoved some in your body too, huh yot! As expected from those brainless sword department idiots! Thick skulls in body and mind alike yot!"
"You crazy bitch!!"
Shuen didn't dodge Bienna's brutish swiping hands—she fought back head-on. Using magic would blow things way out of proportion. Clutching her reason with all her might, Shuen overpowered Bienna's hands and bared her teeth.
"Noble arts ultimate... Peasant bite!"
"Aaaahhh!!!"
"No teeth? Then gums it is yot! Die, peasant!"
"Ow, let go already!!!"
Shuen bit down on Bienna and wouldn't let go.
"Apologize yot! Peasant!"
"For what!"
"'Cause you're ugly yot!"
This continued until Ricardo, hearing the commotion from the second floor, came up.
"Haa... What the hell are you all doing."
Ricardo pressed his throbbing brow and sighed.
"Snnniif... Snnniif..."
"..."
"Snnniiifff!"
From student to thug to pressure cooker—Shuen, whose career aspirations had evolved thusly, still wasn't over it. She gripped her fork reverse-style, glaring at Bienna, who was getting comforted outside the convenience store.
Sob... I just thought everyone believed that...
It's fine, senpai...? Shuen's always been a weirdo like that. Please understand.
No... It's my fault... Waaah...
"That fucking bitch!"
"Whoa whoa... Calm down, Shuen."
"Let gooo! I'll turn her into a good little peasant yot!"
I held back Shuen as she frothed at the mouth and lunged, flashing a smile. I had no idea how the fight started, but her anger was kinda cute. Not as much as the Young Lady, of course, but enough to make me chuckle.
"Snnniif... Snnniif..."
Having shown every disgrace a noble could muster, Shuen spat out her ragged breaths, venting her rage.
"If my finisher had landed, that bitch wouldn't even be standing yot! I went too easy on her yot."
"Pfft!"
"Why are you laughing yot!!!"
"Just... this whole situation is hilarious."
"Huh?"
"Bienna majors in swordsmanship, right? What mage in the world picks a fistfight with a swordsman...? Pff."
"You're pissing me off yot!"
"Hahaha! So, wanna tell me why you fought?"
I could guess, but I figured Shuen scrapped because Bienna tried to switch lab partners. It was in the novel, and knowing Bienna's usual antics, it fit.
But Shuen's answer was way off my prediction.
"'Cause that woman said we should frame you as the culprit! So we fought!"
"?"
"She didn't do shit but dared to...! Insult my meal buddy, the noble! That's worth dying for yot!"
I stared blankly at Shuen, who declared her reason so boldly.
"Huh?"
"What yot?!"
"No, what did you just say? You fought because of me...?"
"Yup yot."
"Because of me?"
"Has the peasant finally gone deaf yot...!"
I shook my head with a hollow laugh. Then, seeing Shuen's utterly sincere expression, my eyes widened.
"For real?"
"Yup!"
"But why?"
"You're my meal buddy!"
"Not because she wanted to switch partners?"
Shuen shook her head.
"That was fine yot. Just don't switch if she asks."
"Then..."
"You're pissing me off. Saying to frame an innocent person!"
Stunned by Shuen's blunt words, I paused and looked at her face. On her flushed, fuming cheek, I spotted a small scratch.
She's hurt.
I shoved my chair back with a scrape and gently touched Shuen's cheek.
"Eek! It hurts yot!"
"...You're hurt."
"Huh?"
"Scratched right here."
"Oh... It's fine yot. Saliva'll fix it yot."
Her bright smile left me speechless. For a noble... no, any woman, a facial scar wasn't something to brush off.
As if affirming my thoughts, Shuen endlessly prodded the wound, her gestures laced with worry—would it scar deep? Leave a mark?
Squeeze... Even Shuen doesn't enjoy fights like the Young Lady.
Eeeek!!! You bastard! Let gooo!
Young Lady, endure it.
Eeeeeeeek!
Hit her more and she'll die. The 'villainess' title doesn't fit someone with such a soft heart.
I gave Shuen a wry smile and bowed my head to her.
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
"For getting dragged into this mess because of me..."
"Saying it like that makes me shy yot."
A strange displeasure stirred at Shuen's sheepish head-scratch and grin. Directed at the woman who'd hurt her.
"Heehee...! Now I've escaped my 100 losses streak yot! Finally got my first win, peasant."
"Congrats, Shuen."
I quietly fetched a white box from behind the counter and sat before her. I pulled out some ointment and applied it to her cheek.
"It'll sting."
"Ukuku...!"
"Ukuku?"
"The noble sound for when it stings yot. Family secret technique to boost charm yot."
"..."
I shook my head at her absurd excuse and focused on disinfecting.
"No more fighting from now on."
"...No way yot."
"You'll ruin your pretty face."
"I know it's pretty yot."
"Yeah, obviously. I have high standards."
"...You definitely like me yot."
"Want me to dump the whole bottle on you?"
"Ukuku... Sorry yot."
How long did I treat her wound? About ten minutes passed when the bell above the convenience store door jingled.
-Ding.
I shut my mouth at the sight of the unwelcome intruder entering. I'd hoped they'd pass quietly, but it bugged me.
-Step...
-Step...
I gripped the cotton swab tight, watching the woman stride in boldly.
"Sniff... Sniff..."
Bienna was crying. She glanced at me once. At Mihail twice. Head down, managing her expression.
I don't like this.
I closed the first-aid kit and spoke flatly from my seat, not hiding my displeasure.
"Sorry, but we're closed for the day."
"..."
"I'd appreciate it if you left."
Ignoring me, Bienna walked toward Shuen. In that split-second glimpse, her eyes weren't sad—they were venomous, laced with cold calculation.
Playing it that way? Lame.
I shot a glance at the steadfastly approaching Bienna, then turned to Mihail beside her.
"Guess you didn't hear me."
"...Sorry."
"No need. You think I'm a thief too, like her."
"That's not—!"
"I thought I was being considerate, but I guess not enough."
Mihail met my eyes, her face sad, and fell silent. With the sniffling Bienna beside her, she turned a heavy expression to Shuen and spoke.
"Shuen."
"What yot."
"Can you apologize to Bienna?"
"Am I a dog yot?"
Not even looking at Bienna, Shuen snapped curtly at Mihail's words.
"No way yot. Even if the half-eaten sausage's mom begged, I wouldn't."
"...Come on."
"Does that bitch have no mouth yot?!"
Shuen cut off Mihail without listening, addressing Bienna directly. If you have a mouth, speak for yourself. What good is a lame shield? That's what Shuen said.
"Until the udon-headed bitch apologizes to this peasant, I absolutely won't yot."
"Shuen."
"Even if Mihail-senpai asks, no dice yot. This is noble pride yot."
Shuen shook her head firmly. And then.
"Fine..."
Bienna's deflated voice took on a pitiful tone.
"It's my fault. Don't be too hard on me, Shuen."
"Bienna..."
"I... sob. I still wanna talk it out with you... Be friends like before, but if you hate it..."
Shuen eyed Bienna and gripped her fork reverse-style again. Muttering it was time for "Noble arts ultimate: Peasant purge."
I snatched the fork from Shuen's twitching hand and set it on the table. And then.
-Click.
I leaned in and whispered softly into Bienna's ear.
"How's the black magic coming along?"
Bienna's body went rigid at my gently ringing voice. Her trembling eyes screamed how do you know as her lips quivered.
I smiled faintly and murmured low into her ear.
"Why so surprised? Thought I wouldn't know?"
"..."
"Seems you've bought some pricey magic tomes with the academy funds you've stolen so far..."
"How did you—!"
"Shh. Voice too loud. What if Mihail hears?"
I chuckled dryly and shook my head.
"But you'd better master that spell."
"..."
"Botch it, and the caster gets badly hurt. Like our Young Lady."
"What are you getting at."
I stroked Bienna's shoulder lightly, smiling.
"Just funny, this situation."
"..."
"Right, Mihail?"
Mihail, who'd heard everything, stared at me with trembling eyes.
"Why? Think I did it again?"
"..."
"Hilarious."
I grinned at them.
"Better hunt for good evidence."
"..."
"If you wanna pin it on me."
The next evening.
"Commoner!!!"
Shuen gazed at me with eyes full of admiration.