Chapter 4
Leave Me Alone! But No One Listened (4)
“……”
It seemed to be an unexpected request. The dean’s smile twisted slightly.
Instead of answering immediately, he picked up the cup in front of him and took a sip.
It took quite a while until the clinking sound was heard as he set the teacup back down on its saucer.
Eventually, the dean asked casually.
“…Aren’t you currently in the same team as Young Lord Behemoth and the second son of Count Gardwin?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Was that student Ian from the Gardwin family?
The Gardwin Count family was renowned for their brilliant swordsmanship. If Ian was the second son of Count Gardwin, he must surely have good skills too.
It was a bit regrettable that he died in the subjugation exercise, unable to develop those skills further.
‘Not that I’m planning to preserve his life or anything.’
The dean tapped the table with his long fingers.
“It’s a good team.”
“I know. It’s more than I deserve.”
“To be more specific, the team you’re currently in was formed with the intention of putting all the top students at the forefront to reduce the burden on other teams.”
“I thought so.”
“Then why are you asking to change teams?”
The dean stared intently into my eyes with a sharp gaze.
His gaze was persistent, as if trying to find something strange somewhere.
So, if I had been properly brainwashed,
I would have blurted out, ‘I want to move to the rear to investigate a strange curse. But it’s troublesome to be with the conspicuous Young Lord Behemoth.’
However, unfortunately for the dean, I’m pretty good at lying.
I calmly folded my hands and began carefully.
“Have you heard that there are students who say it’s favoritism that Young Lord Behemoth and I are on the same team?”
“Ah. Of course I’ve heard. But, isn’t Miss Crowell a student who doesn’t yield to such views?”
The dean tilted his teacup, muttering,
“Was I mistaken about Miss Crowell?”
No, you understand correctly.
‘But I have a good reason for this.’
I quickly continued.
“Of course that’s true. If this were just a simple group project, I wouldn’t have asked to change teams like this.”
“Then?”
“This is a task where multiple teams need to work together for the subjugation.”
“Hmm.”
“I’m worried that some students might disobey orders and desert just because I’m included in the lead team.”
“I see.”
That actually happened.
This was one of the factors that led to the annihilation of the subjugation force, but even if this were improved, ‘that thing’ can’t be defeated by students at the current level anyway.
So, the academy’s subjugation exercise team will be almost wholly annihilated as scheduled.
“…Hmm. But working with a skilled knight is an essential experience for a young mage.”
I responded diplomatically to the regretful dean.
“I’d like to request that for next time.”
Though there won’t be a next time.
“Hmm…”
The dean still seemed a bit regretful.
But seeing me, who usually never made any requests, speak so earnestly, he shook his head as if he couldn’t win against it.
“Alright. If Miss Crowell’s will is this firm, there’s no point in me trying to persuade you.”
The dean closed the cookie jar.
It meant the interview was over.
I could feel the brainwashing magic I had been suppressing under my tongue gradually dissipating.
The dean asked lightly.
“Then, is there any particular team you’d like to join?”
“No. But if there’s a team that’s struggling due to a lack of students… I’d like to request that one.”
That way, it would be easier to investigate the curse away from other students’ eyes.
I’m not interested in ‘that thing’ we won’t be able to subjugate anyway.
“In that case, …the student from the Therion family is currently alone in the rear support team, so it might be good to form a team with them.”
The dean flipped through the stack of papers on his desk and uttered an unfamiliar family name.
‘The Therion family?’
It’s not a family I know. Then it must be unremarkable, which means they probably died in this exercise.
Moreover, a two-person team would be perfect. It would be easy to isolate…
Without further consideration, I quickly nodded.
“Yes.”
“Good. Then you may go now.”
“Thank you, Dean.”
“It was a pleasant time. Ah.”
The dean was about to send me off but then paused.
For a moment, my heart pounded in surprise.
Could he have discovered ‘that’?
The dean smiled gently. Then he raised his hand and pointed to his own cheek.
“I forgot to ask about the wound on your cheek. I heard there was a commotion yesterday…”
Ah, the wound.
As I raised my hand to touch my cheek, I felt the rough scab. It seemed to have formed overnight, likely because the cut was shallow.
“…It’s fine. I wasn’t badly hurt…”
“It’s not fine. Always trying to brush things off is a bad habit, Miss Crowell. Make sure to treat it properly.”
The dean searched his drawer with a worried expression, then handed me some magical ointment and a bandage.
If I had known the wound would catch his attention, I should have cast a healing spell before coming. I can’t believe I forgot.
“……”
As he handed me the ointment and bandage, his gaze lingered briefly on my palm, which was also wounded from gripping the blade. But he quickly looked away.
Then he smiled, patted my shoulder, and gently pushed me towards the door.
“You should treat your palm as well.”
“…Yes.”
‘…He definitely noticed.’
I gave a quick bow to the dean’s kind smile, then promptly closed the door of his office as I left.
A few butter cookies rustled in my pocket.
‘If he realized, why didn’t he take them back?’
I had visited the dean’s office with this purpose from the start.
Firstly, I needed to move the subjugation practice group to a less conspicuous rear position. Secondly, I needed these cookies.
In this academy, the dean’s cookies were the only magical item that functioned almost like a truth serum without side effects.
Infusing food with magic is something that would take me considerable time at my current level.
The cookies will be useful. Since I don’t have any reliable allies to provide information right now, I have to resort to methods like this.
Although the dean’s apparent willingness to let me take them was uncomfortable, in the end, he didn’t stop me…
This means he either trusts me to some extent or thinks there’s no way I could know about the spell on the cookies.
In any case, getting caught in the dean’s eye wasn’t part of the plan.
‘Is the wound really that much of an issue?’
It would be suspicious if the wound suddenly disappeared, but how long would it take to heal naturally…
As I absentmindedly rubbed my scabbed cheek, someone grabbed my wrist and pulled it down.
“Edith Crowell.”
It was Ethan Behemoth, looking quite displeased. He got straight to the point without hesitation.
“I have something to ask you.”
“…What?”
Why are you grabbing my wrist if you just want to ask something?
I slightly furrowed my brow as I looked at him, and he said something incomprehensible.
“Is it because of what happened to Chester?”
What are you talking about all of a sudden?
“Chester… you mean?”
I tilted my head with an expression that said I didn’t understand why he had grabbed me. Ethan ran his hand through his hair and turned his head to the side.
He seemed to have difficulty making eye contact.
Upon closer inspection, even his grip on my wrist was gentle.
‘Why is he acting like this?’
…This was still a time before anything had happened between us.
He had confessed his feelings for me during one of the hundreds of time loops, on a day when I was particularly struggling to bear life and had gone mad.
There were no memories between us at this young age.
Yet he’s acting as if something is bothering him. Why?
After a long silence, he slowly began to speak.
“…The knight who pointed his sword at you yesterday. I mean Chester Hert.”
“Ah.”
I remembered. The guy who had thrust his sword at me yesterday and ended up with a big ‘nose’ injury, quite literally.
That fellow had strongly suggested I withdraw from the subjugation practice.
So I refused just as forcefully.
But why bring this up suddenly?
“I wasn’t particularly bothered by that incident.”
“You… I saw you coming out of the dean’s office. Are you really withdrawing from the subjugation practice?”
“No. I have no intention of doing so.”
“…Then.”
Why would I give up on the subjugation practice?
Of course, if I abandoned the practice, I could guarantee my survival, but what I desire is not a meaningless life, but a perfect death.
“I visited the dean’s office for other reasons. I will participate in the subjugation practice as planned.”
Upon hearing my confirmation of participation, Ethan’s face immediately brightened.
‘Hmm.’
I quietly tilted my head.
Looking at him like this, his still youthful face seemed quite cute.
🥀
Thank you for reading! ♡
