episode_0096

Twinkle-

Twinkle-

A notification came into my long-distance communication paper without me even noticing.

While I was developing it, I should have set up an alarm-turning function as well.

Why didn’t I think of that?

Luke pretended not to see the shiny letter and began to tell his story.

“Princess. This is something that happened with Tristin when I went to do a barrier training in my third year… .”

“Check it out.”

“… … Yes?”

“Long distance communication paper. Notifications are coming.”

A voice that has settled down coldly.

Is it because of the overflowing mana?

The corners of the bed were frozen.

As expected, he doesn’t fall asleep easily.

“You can check it later―”

“Check it out?”

“Yes.”

I quickly took out the letter.

If he continued like this, it seemed like Luke would freeze to death.

Besides, didn’t you just say something a little harsh to Lanian?

No matter how crazy the story was, it seems like it was too much to just swear at him for no reason.

I unfolded the telecommunications paper with slightly trembling hands.

Surprisingly, Lanian wasn’t angry.

Rather, he continued to send messages, seemingly very aggrieved.

After apologizing a few more times, Ranian got back to the main point.

Lanian is twenty-two years old.

He’s the same age as Luke.

From an aristocratic perspective, this is an age where you should have been married a long time ago.

But didn’t you feel pressured to get married even before you graduated?

I relieved the pressure by graduating early.

The dampened appearance of the Lanian can be seen in the text.

Lanian ended the story on his own.

No letters have come since then.

You’re even being watched.

It seems like there’s some kind of control going on in the family.

“Are you going?”

A eerie voice pierced my ears.

“… Can I go?”

“Why are you asking me?”

I know.

Actually, it’s not something you should ask Ellen.

Come to think of it, why are you watching Elin’s expression?

Luke was confused by the too natural situation.

“I’ll be back.”

There is no one at the Academy who I am as close to as Ranian.

That’s because I’m a little bit… no, a lot crazy about magic.

He is the person who helped me adapt to the world.

Shouldn’t you at least listen to what I have to say?

“I want to go too.”

“Why are you following me, Princess?”

“Because the teacher is leaving.”

“Hmm.”

There’s no logic at all.

But I soon understood.

It was because Elin’s foolish hair was counting down the days as if it was going to attack at any moment.

It’s closer to fists than the original law.

It’s closer to a fool’s hair than a fist.

anyway.

Because Lanian also called Luke without permission.

Wouldn’t it be okay for Luke to take Elin away as he pleases?

Luke nodded, convinced by himself.

“Then I have to go to bed early, so I’ll have some Camel tea… .”

“No.”

Kuk.

Ellen grabbed Luke’s arm.

“I promised to let you sleep.”

“That’s right.”

“Teacher, you should sleep here too.”

“Isn’t it true that you don’t like sleeping together anymore?”

“… … Go to sleep.”

Ellin just keeps repeating the same words and closes her eyes tightly.

I’m going through puberty and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve slept next to someone.

I wonder if there was a change of heart.

It seems difficult to persuade rationally today.

I hope Lanian will explain things clearly tomorrow.

“Tell me what you were going to say earlier.”

“Yes. It happened during the barrier training with Tristin… .”

“Have you ever been with a guy?”

“Yes?”

“… It’s nothing.”

bean.

Ellen buried her forehead in Luke’s forearm.

Elin, who had been thumping a few more times, soon fell asleep.

“Hoo… .”

Just thinking about how to overthrow Bertain gives me a headache.

I never thought I’d receive a strange proposal.

It was quite a confusing day.

* * * * *

The day is bright.

I arrived at the cafe where I met Lanian one day.

Here we diagnosed Elin’s curse.

however.

“Where is Lanian?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Lanian was nowhere to be seen.

Come to think of it, I never mentioned a time, only a place.

I can’t just sit here and die.

While I was wondering if I should contact Lanian.

Knock knock.

Someone poked Luke in the shoulder.

“!”

A hidden presence that Luke didn’t notice.

Woof-!

I tried to reflexively compress and aim my mana.

“Hey, hey, hey!? It’s me, it’s me!”

The assailant behind Luke jumped.

Now that I look at him, he’s a small guy for a villain.

“Are you my senior?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Lanian took off his hat, sunglasses, and mask at the same time.

Only then did Lanian’s signature panda-like dark circles appear.

“Where have you been?”

“It was in the corner over there.”

“If you keep it so secret, there’s no way for me to find out.”

“But why are you suddenly like that? ”

Ranian, who was about to raise his voice, looked around.

Then he put on his mask, hat and sunglasses again.

“Is anyone watching?”

“Maybe?”

“?”

I was just saying that.

Is there really someone following you?

Luke deployed a soundproof barrier.

“But why aren’t you using soundproofing magic?”

“What I’m using is just a very ordinary soundproofing spell. It penetrates everything.”

Lanian is a theory wizard who is crazy about research.

Even the combat magic using elements is at a decent level (I’ve never missed a magic sparring match).

Certainly, this kind of practical magic had its weaknesses.

“Is what the teacher writes different?”

Elin, who had been holding hands silently, asked.

“Scatter the sound by overlapping multiple dimensions.”

For convenience, it is called a soundproof barrier.

In fact, it was closer to mixing sounds from different dimensions.

So it didn’t matter even if the barrier was broken.

Because you’ll probably hear a sound from some unknown dimension anyway.

“As soon as I got here, you made me put up a soundproof barrier.”

It feels like blood is going to come out at any moment.

Mana’s heart is already weak.

It was because I cast the magic in a hurry.

“Sorry, I bought you coffee instead.”

“Is it ice?”

“Of course.”

“I’ll forgive you this once.”

Wouldn’t it be okay to just cough up some blood?

Luke, who had become more compassionate, accepted the iced Americano that Lanian offered.

“Here, Princess, it’s Cocoa.”

“Did I tell you I was coming?”

“No? But I thought you would come, of course… .”

“… Thank you.”

Elin accepted the cocoa with a subtle expression.

I feel like I’ve been read by Ranian.

It’s because I still feel like I’m being treated like a child.

“You can give me coffee too.”

“Oh. Really? Then from next time… .”

“Why do you keep eating something that isn’t even good for your health?”

Then Luke takes a sip of coffee.

“… … ”

“… … ”

“What I mean is, it’s better not to start at all.”

I quickly made an excuse as the two people’s eyes were focused on me.

In the end, I ended up like an old fart who says, “You guys shouldn’t drink this kind of stuff.”

“Please explain what’s going on, Senior.”

Luke turned his arrows on Lanian.

“Ugh… First of all, I’m sorry if you felt bad. I sent it because I was in a hurry.”

“What’s past is past. What do you mean you can’t stand it anymore? What do you mean you’re being watched? ”

Elin also seemed curious about that, her hair standing on end.

“Haa… As you know, you’re already past the age for marriage, right?”

It is a custom among the nobles to get married as soon as they become adults.

From that perspective, it could be seen as having passed.

“I’m doing research in graduate school, and I keep getting calls asking when I’m getting married.”

I’m already busy with research.

Lanian pouted her lips.

“I blocked all contact… Then he came and dragged me away.”

“You were kidnapped by the family.”

“Yeah… There’s still a lot of research left to do… .”

Lanian’s eyes welled up with tears, like a mother who had lost her child.

I’ve seen people get kidnapped to graduate school and do research.

I’ve never seen anyone get kidnapped by a family in graduate school.

Since you graduated early from the academy, are you taking a different route?

“But why me?”

“… … That’s it.”

Lanian couldn’t meet his eyes and kept his mouth shut.

“I was so in love with magic that I didn’t know any men around me?”

“… No way.”

“They kept pestering me, saying that I didn’t know a single man in the family. So I got upset and told them my name. Suddenly, everyone said that Berklin was really good… .”

Hehehe… Ranian scratches his cheek.

“… This is how it happened.”

“What does it mean?”

widely.

Luke put his hand on his forehead.

This wasn’t a light matter that could be passed over with an awkward laugh.

“… Real Mi―”

“If you apologize one more time, I’ll spill my coffee.”

“Huh.”

Lanian covered his mouth with both hands.

I didn’t want to hear a meaningless apology right now.

The action has already taken place.

Then shouldn’t we find a way to fix it?

When you have a sticky head wrapped around your head.

Elin shook her stupid hair.

“Then, you don’t like the teacher, Rani?”

“Yes?”

“You asked me to marry you because of pressure from your family.”

“That, right?”

I wonder if you like Lanian’s answer.

A comfortable, swaying fool’s tail.

“Of course, if I had to get married, I thought Luke would be better… .”

Peek!

It immediately shot up sharply.

I was feeling safe.

What are you saying now?

“Of course! Not now! I still have a lot of research to do. Where would I have time to get married? I just thought that if there was a husband who could help me with my research, it would be Luke… .”

“Don’t look for a husband like that.”

Luke sighed and poured the rest of his coffee into his mouth.

“Do I just need to clearly indicate my intention to refuse?”

“… I guess so?”

“Then I will politely decline. I will also write a letter saying that I have no intention of getting married yet.”

At that, Elin and Lanian’s faces brightened at the same time.

…Why Elin?

“Wait a minute, you don’t have to write a letter.”

Lanian took an envelope with the Rochefort seal from his bosom.

I felt a strange sense of unease.

“Actually, your parents told me to bring you here at least once.”

“… Why?”

“Because I wanted to see you in person and talk seriously… .”

Why bad feelings are never wrong.

“… If it’s okay, could you please persuade my parents yourself?”

Luke, who received an invitation from the Rochefort family, was dumbfounded.