Ch.364364. The Intent Behind Early Graduation (9)

“I told you to show off a special charm, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be cuteness. Just like how one spell formula can produce multiple answers.”

Charlotte’s response was perfectly logical. Since the special charm mentioned in the Heartbeat Encyclopedia wasn’t limited to just one type, and since people have various personalities, there could be different answers for different individuals.

Moreover, if one were to ask whether the answer from the Heartbeat Encyclopedia really corresponded to appealing through cuteness, I thought it might not be the case.

When I tried feeding him food while subtly linking arms, and making aegyo-filled nasal sounds asking to be fed in return, he seemed quite stiff and even broke out in a cold sweat.

Another piece of evidence that confirmed this was the wrong approach was my frequent experience of being called cute. The Heartbeat Encyclopedia said that if you keep showing the same charm repeatedly, it actually amplifies boredom!

With these rational reasons coming to mind one by one, Renias immediately agreed, and listened carefully as Charlotte mentioned there was someone perfect for this field whom she should go see.

“So Charlotte… told me to find you for that reason…?”

Nod, nod!

“Charlotte junior told me everything. Senior Aris brilliantly led her disciples to victory during the faction battle!”

With pink hair flowing, she specifically pointed to Aris of the Lotus, who had helped lead Sirah, the weakest faction, to victory by brilliantly executing strategies with the students she had taught.

But Aris herself was puzzled. She still didn’t understand why Renias had come to see her.

Thinking it would be best to clear up what seemed to be a misunderstanding first, Aris decided to finish the story about the faction battle.

“Well… Renias? There are some complicated reasons behind that.”

“Hmm? Complicated reasons?”

“Yeah. The analysis of the last faction battle showed that unity was the most important factor, right? So with just my power alone…”

“That’s exactly where your role shined, Senior Aris!”

Renias’s eyes sparkled as she charged forward once more.

“They said that no matter how excellent a single trainee’s power might be, it’s difficult to turn things around, so how well the battlefield commander communicates determines whether practiced tactics can be executed in real combat! While everyone else was panicking, only Senior Aris’s team moved without any hesitation!”

Action without hesitation. That confidence that shines even amid urgency and anxiety. The mature and reliable demeanor that makes others follow with just a few words!

That was exactly what Renias wanted.

“Senior. Please. Help me…”

“Ugh…”

Looking at Renias’s sparkling eyes, Aris felt compelled to give some kind of answer.

‘But what kind of advice could I possibly give when she asks like that!’

A confident and dignified appearance? That’s just because of her personality.

Though it might be dressed up as a fiery personality, if one were to be honest, it’s closer to meaning reckless and foolish—acting without thinking of consequences.

‘Besides, I don’t even know why those kids followed me so well…!’

It’s true that she grew attached to them while teaching them directly, but she doesn’t know why they followed her so well. In the team battle, it was because Junon’s strategy worked properly from the beginning, and because the key figure, Demian, had completely retired.

The only comment she got was from Michelle, who had been watching as a supervisor…

-‘Well. Maybe it’s because of your clumsy side?’

It’s obviously unreasonable to push clumsiness as a charm, especially against someone like Junon. What could she possibly do?

Indeed, Aris currently had no advice to give Renias!

She never thought she’d have to spin her brain so quickly on something like this, having always detested studying. But even with all that effort, no plausible answer emerged.

There’s no choice. Just be honest. Just answer honestly.

There might be some aftermath, but… there’s really no other way.

“Um… Renias?”

“Yes!”

“Well… there seems to be a misunderstanding, actually I don’t really…”

“*Sniff*”

Thick dewdrops formed in the eyes that had been desperately emitting sparkling rays just moments ago. Along with a sniffling sound!

She was about to utter words of rejection, but if she were to complete that sentence… a huge incident might occur.

Moreover, the target was Renias, Junon’s lover!

Absolutely, absolutely no tears must fall from those eyes…!

“I-I haven’t heard your story yet!”

“Huh…?”

“Unlike Charlotte, I don’t know what situation you’re in right now, right? Ha, haha…! So I just had a misunderstanding…!”

I’d like to hear your situation first, so please come inside. That way I can give you proper advice!

Aris added that, glossing over the rejection she was about to give.

And so, a little while later…

After hearing the whole story, Aris grabbed her throbbing forehead and gulped down cold water.

‘Charloooootte…! How could you do this to your big sister!!’

Charlotte, who probably hears she’s cute at least twice her age in compliments every day, claiming she doesn’t understand why people say that? That’s a blatant lie, isn’t it?

She’s even admitted to using her childlike appearance to raise prices when dealing with corrupt bosses, and to lulling vain noble ladies into a false sense of security before delivering a heavy blow to the back of their heads as a warning.

The same goes for when clients are young. She maximizes friendliness by exploiting the sense of kinship or similar circumstances due to age, leading to reasonable deals.

It was all lies? Fine. That would have been acceptable.

If it had ended there, it wouldn’t have created a situation where she herself would be in trouble, but unfortunately, Charlotte escalated the matter by suggesting to look at other charms.

She twisted the topic by advising to try appealing with extroverted charm rather than just introverted charm—a contrasting appeal—and then vaguely passed it on, saying that Aris would give more definite advice.

While there’s plenty to say about how the youngest had escalated the situation and passed it on, the immediate priority is to prevent a catastrophe from unfolding right in front of her.

‘What should I do…? I need to give some kind of answer, but if I say this isn’t really charm but just stupidity…’

Those eyes full of expectation that this time she’ll finally get a definite answer. With dewdrops forming.

-*Sniff*

Along with that sound she heard earlier, with a tearful expression, she might fill this house with a waterfall. Just imagining it sends chills down her spine.

There isn’t much time. But no matter how much she racks her brain, no answer comes out! Then there’s only one solution…

“Ahem. Listen carefully, Renias.”

“Yes!”

“Well, confidence alone doesn’t solve anything. Even if someone confesses, they might get rejected… you know?”

“Y-yes…”

At the mention of rejection, the silver rabbit’s emotional signal droops.

Dewdrops are about to form in her eyes.

Feeling considerable crisis, Aris hurriedly grabbed Renias’s hand and said:

“But I think I know what you’re lacking?! The problem is that since my grades are bad… my eloquence isn’t that great. Instead, I know someone who has a definite solution in this field!”

“A definite solution…!”

At that, the liquid that had formed in Renias’s eyes disappeared with a pop.

***

Splutter.

The tea that Michelle had been drinking streamed back out of her mouth and into the teacup.

This was a rare sight for someone who usually maintains the decorum of a count’s daughter, but after hearing what was said, it was more than understandable.

“W-what are you saying…? Could you tell me again? Why did you come looking for me?”

Whether it’s because she heard something so preposterous or because she’s slow to realize what kind of appearance she just showed, that’s not the immediate priority. The priority was to ask again, wondering if she had misheard.

“I heard that Senior Michelle was the most popular among the boys at Tembris parties, that such rumors were circulating!”

If someone is popular, charm naturally follows.

Aris said that cuteness and confidence are also included among popular people—they’re popular because they’re cute, and people gather around them because they project confidence.

But there was an ultimate expert in this field. If rumors were openly and widely spread, isn’t that perfect evidence?

If she was the most popular among male students, then her feminine charm must have been quite prominent, making Michelle the perfect person to fill what Renias was lacking.

Of course, the problem was that there had been no consultation with the person in question!

‘Ha, haha… I didn’t mishear…?’

Tremble, tremble.

Michelle’s hand holding the teacup began to shake.

She didn’t know who spread such nonsense, but a rumor is a rumor. Michelle tried to compose herself a bit late and was about to clearly tell Renias that this wasn’t right.

But…

“Don’t tell me… Senior Michelle too…?”

“…!”

Something doesn’t seem right. Renias’s teary eyes looked like that dam could burst at any moment.

“Renias! Would you like to tell me what’s going on? I’m not perfect either, honestly, ahahaha…!”

The same words are repeated again.

“*Cough, cough!* What, what?”

The bomb is naturally passed on to Senia, the last one remaining.

The more Senia heard about Renias’s situation, the more her expression twisted, and eventually she called out each of the culprits who had passed the bomb to the department.

“Renias said she might get rejected by Junon… so I just passed it on to you. I have no dating experience at all…”

Michelle.

“No… I’m actually clumsy, far from being confident or dignified, right? I thought the most popular person among us might be able to solve this problem…”

Aris.

“Our company can’t handle such questions…! Besides, I don’t even understand why Renias senior would say she’s not cute! So I had no choice but to…”

Charlotte too.

Gathering them one by one, Senia smiled ferociously and spoke gently to the three.

“Girls, how could you pass it on to someone else like a hot potato? Do you see what’s happening because of that?”

“”…””

Looking in the direction Senia pointed, they saw the silver rabbit in the lounge, on the verge of tears. The depth of anxiety had grown even deeper than her inflated expectations.

Yes, this wasn’t a question but a scolding.

“You should have all gathered together for a consultation from the beginning. You fools, right? With only uncertain information, you’ve strayed completely from the topic, and it’s come back to me all distorted! How can a solution emerge like this?”

Crack, crack.

As her two fists clenched, there was a cracking sound of bones, and Senia, with fire in her eyes, blew on her fists with a “ha-.”

The three were terrified by the threatening sound.

“B-but Senior Senia…! None of us three have any dating experience…!”

“Th-that’s right! What can we do when we’re not in a position to give such advice…?”

“When I found out it was about those two’s love life, I had nothing to advise… I had no choice…!”

And soon after,

“You too, Charlotte, making excuses that you couldn’t solve it and suddenly passing it on to someone else!”

“Ouch!”

“You too, Aris, adding strange false hopes and burdening the next person!”

“Ack!”

“And you too, Michelle, plainly relaying only what you heard and passing it on to me!”

“Ugh!”

“You’re all the same, all three of you! Geez, really!”

Small bumps were rising on the heads of the three. Having instantly become criminals, the three had no choice but to take the beating from the thoroughly angered Senia.

Although she was quite angry at the three members’ absurd handling, what’s done is done and needs to be resolved. Senia decided to listen to what the problem was by synthesizing the stories of the three.

“Hah. So to summarize, Renias came looking for a new charm to appeal to Junon, and that’s why she came to you?”

“”That’s right…””

“Crazy. I suspected as much.”

A cross-shaped vein popped on Senia’s forehead.

“Hey! In what way does Renias lack charm? If she just deliberately presents that monstrosity at night, Junon would—mmph!”

“Se-Senia! That’s too early to say…!”

Night, monstrosity, presents. As soon as these shocking words rang out, Michelle hurriedly covered Senia’s mouth. Considering the implied meaning rather than the literal one, Michelle’s judgment to cover her mouth was correct.

As Charlotte tilted her head wondering what that meant, Aris gently covered her ears in case Senia’s voice might pierce through Michelle’s hand.

“Ch-Charlotte? Should I cover your ears for a moment?”

“Huh…? Why suddenly…”

“Yeah. Senia is saying bad words right now. You shouldn’t hear them, okay?”

“Mmph!! Mmmmph!! Puha, just pounce on him and it’s done… mmmmph!!”

“Senia! Ca-calm down. Renias might hear you!”

The department was truly a chaotic party. The collaborative work of the three had come back to bite them bitterly.

As the struggle continued, the only male member of Tembris entered the department with his girlfriend.

“Oh…? What are you all doing gathered here…?”

“Yes, what’s going on? Senior Renias is outside too. Has something big happened?”

For the two who had come to share specialties grown directly by the Sirens, it was a puzzling sight.