Ch.118118. Pandemonium

# Battlefield

The original meaning might be different, but it’s a word that has been corrupted to mainly signify a love triangle or romantic conflict.

Some works even blatantly advertise themselves with titles like “Complete Battlefield” to signal “there will be multiple women and chaos ahead~” – so the word carries significant weight.

It was a term I thought would have absolutely nothing to do with me.

But now I’m not sure if this situation is a “battlefield” or just plain chaos.

“Even if I don’t date Ludion, what’s the problem? Such formalities aren’t important at all. What matters is the heart.”

“My point is, if your heart is so important, why aren’t you dating? It’s strange.”

“You really don’t understand! Alkine! Was anything I said wrong? Answer me!”

“Well, not exactly wrong, but…”

“Hey… girls? If you’re going to fight over something pointless, could you do it outside? It’s getting noisy.”

Celia and Lilith were arguing, with Alkine awkwardly caught in the middle.

And Professor Reina was looking at me with an expression that said she couldn’t believe this situation.

“Haha. What a mess.”

“Ludion. Don’t pretend you’re not involved. Isn’t this all because of you?”

This all happened within five minutes of entering Professor Reina’s lab.

But Professor? I really can’t do anything about this. It wasn’t even my intention to begin with.

To explain how this happened… honestly, I’m not entirely sure myself.

It started after we finished writing our report and disbanded. While walking with Celia, I received a message from Professor Reina.

She asked me to come to her lab, and since she had mentioned having something for me to do over the weekend, I headed to her lab without thinking much of it.

Just before reaching the lab, Alkine appeared looking confused like something wasn’t right, and Lilith showed up with angry eyes.

“You two aren’t dating?”

Lilith suddenly asked this question while standing firmly in front of Celia and me. Before I could even understand the question, let alone answer it, she continued.

“Why aren’t you dating? What’s the problem? Hey, Ludion. What’s lacking about Celia?”

“Wait a minute. What are you talking about?”

“What is it about Celia that you’re dissatisfied with, that you won’t date her and now you’re dragging the student council president around too?”

Hmm… how should I answer this?

I mean, I do have two women beside me, and they’re both quite high-status individuals, but that was never my intention.

But since I was the one who maintained these relationships, I couldn’t really say anything in my defense.

“Excuse me, Miss Lilith.”

At that moment, Celia stepped forward.

“I don’t know what Alkine told you to make you act like this suddenly, but I understand what you’re trying to say. I get it. From an outsider’s perspective, it doesn’t look good that Ludion is showing interest in Alkine while having me around.”

While pretending to defend me, Celia subtly agreed with Lilith’s opinion, then looked at me, Alkine, and Lilith in turn before asking with genuine puzzlement:

“But even so, what does that have to do with you, Miss Lilith?”

“That’s…!”

“Whether I date Ludion, marry him, or have three sons and six daughters with him – how is that any of your business?”

“But you’re not even dating…”

“Similarly, not dating him is also none of your business.”

Faced with this heavy truth, Lilith couldn’t respond and just opened and closed her mouth in confusion.

Wait, what did she say? Three sons and how many daughters? Celia… your family planning is quite ambitious.

Perhaps because of Celia’s unexpectedly revealed family plans – though probably not – there was a moment of silence.

At that moment, the window next to us opened, and Professor Reina’s face appeared.

It seemed the noise from outside had reached inside.

“What are you kids doing out there?”

But she apparently hadn’t heard the content of our conversation, as she looked puzzled at seeing us gathered together.

“I don’t know why you’re all gathered, but don’t just stand outside. Come in.”

The intervention of an uninvolved third party was perfect for clearing the atmosphere, and following her words, we all entered the lab together.

And after that… well, you can see how it turned out.

“Sigh… I shouldn’t have invited you all in.”

“For someone saying that, you seem to be enjoying this quite a bit.”

“Well, honestly, it’s a rare sight. The princess and the saint fighting so childishly. You can’t pay to see something like this.”

Thanks to that, I almost charged Professor Reina an admission fee but decided against it.

Come to think of it, since she’s the source of my funds, I should let her watch for free.

By the way, to summarize their current conversation:

– Lilith presents her theory on proper dating relationships.

– Celia asks if she’s ever actually dated anyone.

– Lilith gets angry and argues that if they’re not dating, then Celia is in the same position.

– Celia is greatly shocked.

It was impressive how Lilith managed to land a blow on Celia in the midst of all this.

Seeing how she suddenly dragged Alkine into it, she must have been quite flustered after being hit at her weak point.

If I left this 2-on-1 situation as it was, Lilith would surely collapse with a stress-induced illness. I know from experience what it’s like to argue 2-on-1.

Though I pretended otherwise, I knew I was the cause of this dispute, so I felt I should step in before things got more heated.

So I slipped in between them… but Celia very naturally clung to my side and wrapped her arm around mine.

Seeing this, Lilith got extremely excited and started pointing fingers while arguing.

“Yes! This! This is what I’m talking about! How can you say you’re just friends when you act like this!”

“Miss Lilith. Pointing fingers at others is not a good habit.”

“Don’t change the subject!”

I clearly stepped in to stop the argument, but I couldn’t get a word in and instead became more fuel for the fire.

When I glanced back, Professor Reina was laughing as if she found it all very amusing.

Don’t just laugh, help me out here.

“Alright, kids? If it’s not urgent, can we talk about this another time? Celia and Ludion, I’d like everyone else to leave now.”

As if reading my expression, Professor Reina issued a clean dismissal order, bringing the situation to a quick end.

Alkine looked back several times with an abandoned puppy expression, as if wondering why she had to leave too, but it couldn’t be helped. Please go home for now, Madam President.

“Phew. Finally some peace and quiet.”

Perhaps because of how noisy it had been until just now, the silence felt comfortable.

“Now, about what you’ll be doing this weekend…”

“No, let’s talk about that later. Celia, what was all that about just now?”

I tried to discuss the purpose of our visit, but unfortunately, the conversation had already drifted elsewhere, and it would take time to bring it back.

In response to Professor Reina’s question, Celia explained various things with a nonchalant expression.

Starting from how Alkine developed feelings for me to the recent dating incident.

Listening to it directly from the side made me want to run away from embarrassment, but I couldn’t because Celia was holding me tightly.

After hearing the whole story, Professor Reina had an incredulous expression.

“I thought something was strange from what I’d been hearing… Celia, are you aware that you’re a princess?”

Nod.

Celia clearly affirmed it, but that seemed to make it even more absurd to Professor Reina.

“Then what were you thinking, setting him up with a concubine? Hmm?”

“Professor, what do you mean by concubine? It’s nothing like that.”

“Rumors are already spreading about how inseparable they are. What do you mean it’s nothing like that?”

I quickly denied the sudden talk of concubines, but it seemed that picture was already complete in her mind, as she refuted with a confident voice.

So those rumors have already reached the professor’s ears. Gossip really does travel fast.

Perhaps because I jumped in to deny it, the sparks that had been directed at Celia started flying toward me.

“Yes, Ludion. You’re also a problem. I know your abilities are exceptional, but there should be limits. If you’ve won over the princess, shouldn’t you at least be devoted to her alone?”

“I didn’t intend for this to happen…”

“I’d like you to realize that makes it even worse.”

“…I admit it.”

Just because something wasn’t intended doesn’t make it excusable.

Was my ready admission of guilt unexpected? Professor Reina didn’t continue and turned her gaze back to Celia.

As if she had been waiting for that gaze, Celia began to respond to what Professor Reina had said earlier.

“I’d like to correct one thing. Saying I ‘set him up with a concubine’ is wrong. I didn’t give Ludion away to someone else. I just thought he needed more people who could help him.”

However, from Professor Reina’s perspective, that statement seemed somewhat strange.

“He needs help?”

She probably firmly believes that whatever she thinks of me, I’m not someone who needs anyone’s help.

But Celia continued as if it were obvious.

“Because he’s more foolish than he appears.”

“Foolish? You say that right in front of him?”

“Ludion doesn’t mind such things. That’s why I like him.”

“My goodness… now she’s saying it outright…”

Professor Reina glanced at me as she said this, but being called foolish really didn’t bother me. It was rather cute, actually.

As long as it’s not “you’re terrible at games,” men can laugh off all kinds of insults. When a beautiful woman calls you foolish… with affection in her voice, not only can you laugh it off, but it actually makes you smile.

“Why is he suddenly smiling?”

“It’s proof he’s falling for my charm.”

“Hmm… I’m starting to think you two are strangely similar in all the wrong ways… but whatever.”

The discussion about whether I needed help or not lost direction with talk of foolishness and ended inconclusively.

“Anyway.”

But there was one thing Celia didn’t want to leave unresolved, as she drove home her final point.

“Ludion is mine. I wouldn’t give him to anyone else.”

Though it was absurd that she was claiming ownership of me… I didn’t feel like resisting due to her forceful attitude.

“…Fine. Do as you please. You’re just like your mother.”

Professor Reina seemed to feel the same way, as she sighed and simply ended the conversation.

///

Weekend. It would normally have been a day off, but today was different.

I had agreed to help Professor Reina with her work.

I didn’t mind. Missing a weekend rest was painful, but living penniless would have been more painful.

What complaint could I possibly have about helping the professor, who is the source of my funds?

However, while I had no complaints, I did have questions.

“Um… Professor? There seem to be a lot of people here?”

“It just turned out this way. Isn’t it good? More people means less work for each of us.”

In front of the carriage we had previously used when preparing for the midterm exams with Professor Reina, there were now four people standing.

First, Professor Reina, who was central to this work. She obviously needed to be there.

Then Celia and Alkine. At this point, it wasn’t surprising that these two would follow along for something like this.

The last person was the problem.

“Lilith. Why are you here?”

“I didn’t want to come either.”

“Then why did you?”

“…I don’t know. It’s annoying.”

What’s with that? Coming here on your own and then getting irritated.

Yesterday you were making strange accusations, and now this. I really can’t figure you out.