His face turned bright red. Shuel’s ears usually turn red whenever he’s embarrassed and his face would heat up like a tomato.
I tilted my head in response to his dramatic reaction.
Rejected?
Shuel was popular for his pretty looks, good family, and friendly personality. But he had always refused all of the student’s confessions.
I heard that he gave a clear but polite answer that he had no intention of going out with anyone.
At the same time, he had never confessed to anyone either. It was the same case for me.
He only said that he liked me jokingly, but never asked to be in a relationship. But…he got rejected?
“Really? By who?”
[pr/n: Oh…I can feel the burn off the screen.]
Before I realised it, my mouth had already voiced out my question but I truly was curious as to who it could be.
Who is this great young lady that rejected Shuel Sebrirua’s confession?
Who was it? He was taking classes with Julia these days. Or maybe it was Linda, a member from the same club?
Maybe it was one of my friends. Catherine?
Oh, it could also be a man. Gender doesn’t matter as I was just curious about the details.
At my words, Shuel and Rieta’s faces shifted subtly. Rieta appeared a little apologetic while Shuel seemed like he was about to cry.
“That……”
Tears welled up in Shuel’s reddened eyes.
[ tl/n: fighting shuel ㅋㅋㅋ ]
Before his face could crumple up like a dried dumpling, Shuel quickly ran away from the main hall.
And so I was left feeling slightly embarrassed.
You could have just said no if you didn’t want to say it. You didn’t have to cry……
“Sister…you’re really dense.”
Rieta shook her head and let out a blunt remark.
“…….”
I pulled on Rieta’s cheek fiercely. The child screamed in pain, but I had no mercy.
“Damn, it hurts.”
“Rieta. Language.”
“Ugh……”
Where in the world did she learn it from? There’s no one in the Duke’s mansion who would be that vulgar.
Come to think of it, I think the knights were a little bit like that. I sighed and held out my hand to Rieta.
“Let’s go. I’ll show you to the dorm.”
Like a child, Rieta smiled and grabbed my hand right away. The child’s hands were a lot rougher than mine.
“You must have practised a lot.”
“Huh? How did you know?”
At my words, Rieta widened her eyes in surprise.
I smiled casually, like an adult who knew everything.
“Your hands are rough. I’m sure you got a lot of blisters too. Didn’t it hurt?”
“It hurts! Ah, no…it didn’t hurt at all. Originally, everyone would say it hurts but it was bearable.”
Rieta bragged, would Shuel ever be able to do this? Then, she smiled triumphantly.
“Yes, good job. That’s great to hear.”
“Hehe.”
Rieta’s smiling face was still childlike but she truly has grown.
The kids are growing up fast. They really grew up like bean sprouts.
After chatting about random things, we quickly arrived in front of the dormitory.
It was the dorm where I had stayed a few days ago, and now Rieta will be staying here.
Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.
Rieta was originally supposed to use the single room that I had used, but she insisted on a triple room since she wanted to share a room with her friends.
Shuel and Rieta had left the main hall pretty late since they were bickering. We were walking leisurely so everyone should be out by now.
I won a swordsmanship tournament and I grilled fish in a treehouse with Tilda. I went up the stairs while listening to Rieta’s chatter.
The triple room was on the fourth floor of the building. Since the single room was only on the second floor, my legs began to hurt but Rieta climbed it quite easily. When she offered to carry me, I desperately refused.
Standing in front of Rieta’s dorm, voices leaked through the door.
In my head, I thought it must be the parents of another student but I couldn’t help but become very excited.
Knock knock. When the door opened after the small knock, a platinum haired man stood in the room, smiling broadly.
“Rwen!”
“You came.”
Even without trying, my lips had already widened. I approached them with a big smile.
“Marie, Derek.”
It was nice to call out their names after a long time.
While I smiled brightly, Derek opened his arms as if he was disappointed. It was the same with Marie, who stood next to him.
I plunged into their arms and the two large adults hugged me tightly.
My nerves loosened instantly, like a cat bathing in the sun.
“Hmm.”
I feel like crying. I’ve missed them. My guardians.
“Darling, how have you been? Did you eat well? Oh my god, look at your thin face. The academy’s diet is so unreliable.”
Derek, who brought me away from his arms, scanned my face with a regretful expression.
I shook my head at the hand that caressed my cheek like a cat.
“I didn’t lose weight. I got fat……”
“Impossible!”
Derek firmly said, “I’ll have to feed you well during this week’s stay. You and Shu are the same. Why did you two lose so much weight?”
I turned my head to Marius, who had been waiting for me to turn calmly, and she grabbed my face.
A hand similar to Rieta’s, but much rougher, meticulously checked my face.
She spoke with a blunt, but firm expression.
“You lost weight.”
“No, I really didn’t.”
I didn’t lose any weight. It didn’t change.
My weight was normal and I didn’t want to lose or gain any weight.
Nevertheless, Marius still seemed worried.
“Is there anyone you dislike?”
“Huh, well……”
Apart from Jeffrey, the rest of the kids were fine.
I couldn’t say that there was no one who held any malicious intent, but those cases were sufficiently resolved by the student council’s authority.
“Anyways, I got first place during the exam. I’m the top student.”
I looked up at Marius with sparkling eyes.
They said they would sponsor me without any conditions, but I still felt guilty.
Although studying was fun, I studied hard with the goal to not miss the first rank even if I died.
Fortunately, there was no kid as desperate as I was so I had always maintained the top rank.
At this rate, I might even graduate early. Since I needed to graduate exactly at the age of 18, should I fail the last exam?
While I was carefully contemplating, a large had raised my head upwards.
“You’ve worked hard. Well done.”
Marie stroked my hair until it was all messed up. I knew that was her favourite gesture.
Derek freaked out and gently tidied up my hair neatly. Suddenly, the door opened with a polite knock.
“Rieta, you really—”
Glancing at the source of the sound, my eyes instantly met Shuel’s.
In just three blinks, the door slammed shut right in front of me.
Shuel turned around but his head banged against the closed door. A noise as loud as the slammed door was heard instantly.
On the ground, Shuel shook his head and got up.
He moved as if he planned to head to the parlour attached to the room, but he didn’t open the door. So he once again banged his head on the door.
Another banged echoed and silence appeared in the room.
It was Marie who broke the silence.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Just leave him be.”
For some reason, Rieta looked at her brother sympathetically.
* * *
Since then, Shuel has been acting like an idiot for a while.
During meal time, he sliced the garnish instead of the steak. During class, he blanked out while leaving his pen on a piece of paper like a person who had forgotten he had ink on the quill.
Then he would blush by himself and turn pale again.
And the biggest change was that he would run away as soon as he saw my face.
I tried to talk to Shuel when I encountered him in the cafeteria, but Shuel stiffly left the cafeteria.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Marie said the exact thing a week ago.”
Sie, who was eating soup in front of me, frowned when she saw Shuel leaving the cafeteria as soon as he entered it.
I answered calmly, but I couldn’t help but sound glum.
It’s been a week since Kendrick and Marius left.
I felt upset that I haven’t been able to see Shuel’s face properly for two weeks now.
Fan translation by Dropped Inks.
If there was something that he didn’t like, at least tell me. Why was he avoiding me?
“Is it puberty……”
“Who cares.”
Sie frowned and cut off my gloomy murmurs.
My friend, who was in the same department and competed for the first rank with me, was smart and kind…but very cold hearted.
Alright, I guess. Thank you for your clear and indifferent answer……
I smiled dryly and turned my head. Silver hair stuck out and went into my eyes.
The long silver locks shook around and not long after, some of it fell into the soup.
Sie could not stand it and clicked her tongue.
“Elvin. Tie your hair up.”
“Huh? Oh, haha……”
Without saying a word, I reached out and tied up Elvin’s hair, who sat beside me.
Her hair that resembled a lion’s mane disappeared and her youthful face was revealed.
“Thank you, Rwen.”
Elvin smiled brightly. Her hair slipped out slowly as it shook along with her joyful face.
“Sigh, seriously. What’s the point of being the only wizard in the kingdom? You just turn your hair into soup.”
“That’s not……”
“What do you mean no? I told you to tie your hair up, but you never listen anyways.”
I smiled as I watched the two of them bicker at the same table.
Elsiana Alfredo and Elvin Schrider…
The two friends I made at the academy. I guess in short I would say……best friends.