Ch.365365. The Intent Behind Early Graduation (10)

“…Is there really no solution?”

Renias, who had been nervously peeking through the window of the club room, muttered with a dejected expression.

Every member of Tembris had gone into that club room. They had visited one by one, as if on a touring performance, saying there were conflicts in their opinions and the answer had become complicated, but they would coordinate and finally give advice closer to the correct answer this time.

However, it had already been 30 minutes. The Silver Rabbit’s anxiety was gradually amplifying as the women inside appeared to be making some major decision through their meeting.

Just then.

“Senior Renias?”

“Hmm…?”

The questioning voices of a young man and woman, as if wondering why she was there, made the Silver Rabbit’s ears perk up.

Worried that they might have seen her earlier, Renias laughed awkwardly, “Ahaha.”

“Senior? We’re the same age and in the same grade.”

“We may be the same age, but we’re in different years.”

“Huh? Different years?”

“Yes. Lumia got a chance to re-enroll this time, and because she missed so many days before, she was held back a year. So I’m currently a second-year student.”

Nodding in understanding, Renias noticed that Lumia, who was watching from the side, also greeted her respectfully using formal speech.

Come to think of it, the Academy doesn’t organize grades according to age. With early graduation and early admission being considered, plus the merciless implementation of grade retention, using academic year for determining seniority relationships makes the most sense.

“Still, I don’t want to be so strict about seniority among people the same age.”

“Well… that’s not the only reason, Senior.”

“Yes. As Lumia says, Senior Renias is, after all, my brother’s… Ah!”

“Cain.”

“Ahem. I was being tactless. I apologize.”

When Lumia pinched his side as if to warn him, Cain realized his slip of the tongue and cleared his throat.

Their interaction was so natural that Renias couldn’t help but smile. She was about to apologize for being rude when—

‘Wait a minute.’

Suddenly, she realized something.

She had thought they seemed good together, but there was no awkwardness in their behavior.

It was just a simple scene of her pinching his side to caution him about his mistake, but this unembellished moment drew attention to the fresh, youthful image of a young couple.

That’s right. One male, one female.

She hadn’t been paying attention to it until now, but these two people…!

Thump.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Senior?”

A current couple. Perhaps the two people who could understand her troubles better than anyone else.

With the appearance of Cain and Lumia, Renias felt like she had found the perfect allies!

Immediately grasping both their hands, the Silver Rabbit pleaded:

“Please help me-!”

***

Senia’s rampage trying to somehow make Renias charge at Junon, Michelle struggling to prevent such outbursts from influencing the still-underage Charlotte, Aris covering Charlotte’s ears thinking it was equally dangerous, and Charlotte still tilting her head wondering what was said to cause such a reaction.

The noisy club room gradually quieted down with the arrival of Lumia and Cain.

“Hmm… So that’s how it turned out. I thought it was strange that Senior Renias was asking for help.”

“This is clearly different from what we heard directly from the person involved. Well, I did think it sounded like a ridiculous story.”

Cain and Lumia nodded at each other twice, feeling that things were finally making sense.

“But no matter how I think about it, it must be Senior Renias’s misunderstanding.”

“Really?!”

“Didn’t you all feel it when you first met Brother Junon, and continuously afterward? That question of whether anyone could ever open that person’s heart.”

“Ah…”

A collective sigh spread among the members.

“I guess that’s true… Senior Junon was extremely closed off.”

“Always trying to shoulder all burdens alone… and on top of that, trying not to cause us any trouble…”

“Going through all kinds of hardships without saying a word to us.”

Junon’s heart, from the past through regression and beyond, was buried in a deep abyss. Endlessly lonely, he had struggled alone in endless darkness, trying to move forward into the future.

Even to the point of closing off all his feelings toward others.

“But in the end, Senior Junon’s closed heart was opened by one person. Considering that person is Senior Renias, there’s no way he would look at another woman.”

“I think so too.”

Not that it was unlikely, but that it was impossible. Lumia’s certainty was backed by Cain.

Then Senia jumped in as if to drive the point home.

“Besides, those two aren’t just in an ordinary relationship. They’re connected in a very special way.”

“Connected?”

“Well… Brother Junon is a Calix, just like Senior Senia.”

At the mention of Calix, everyone listened intently. Along with Senia’s comment about them being specially connected, and the link between Calix and summoners, it led to a thought of “could it be?”

“There was no rune, but Professor Dalia said there were traces of a Calix summoning circle in the attic of the Lantana house. Since she said so, there’s no room for doubt.”

Moreover, it wasn’t just speculation but truth. Clear truth with definitive evidence.

Alcaide and Calix. A summoner and the only being who opened his heart and became his reason for living.

Junon and Renias weren’t just connected as a man and woman, but were tightly bound to each other through numerous factors.

“Then, shouldn’t we just tell her this?”

“That’s right! I can’t believe there was such clear evidence. Just reminding her of this should be enough to reassure her.”

“I agree.”

Charlotte, Aris, and Michelle’s expressions immediately brightened.

The three argued that there couldn’t be a better solution and that they should implement it right away.

But Senia narrowed her eyes, folded her arms, and slowly shook her head.

“No, no. We could easily convey this kind of information, couldn’t we?”

“Senia?”

“What do you mean, no?”

“What are you saying?”

For some reason, there was a fishy smell in the air, a feeling like gears meshing perfectly together.

Senia, who had been pondering something for a while, finally reached a realization and sighed deeply.

‘So this was the intention?’

Situation assessment complete.

If that was the case, rather than handling the matter easily, it would be better to follow their intentions.

“We can convey anything through words. But that won’t resolve Renias’s anxiety. We can’t forcibly change Junon’s cluelessness about romance.”

“Now that you mention it…”

“Ugh. This is difficult. What should we do then?”

“In the end, Junon needs to fall for Renias’s charm…”

Back to square one. While it’s nonsensical to suggest that Junon would look at another woman instead of Renias, given that Renias has misunderstood the situation, the only solution is to produce a definitive result that will prevent her from feeling anxious.

“Hey, the method isn’t difficult! Even a blockhead like Junon would fall for Renias if she used her figure.”

“S-Senia!”

“Why are you saying this in front of Charlotte? Get a grip…!”

“Huh? That’s not what I meant. Earlier, I said that in the heat of the moment because you all riled me up.”

Aris and Michelle were alarmed, thinking Senia might go on another rampage as she raised one finger to explain, but surprisingly, this time she had a normal meaning in mind.

“He may be dense, but that guy Junon is quite the gentleman.”

“Gentleman?”

While everyone else was puzzled by the word “gentleman,” Lumia, who seemed to vaguely understand the reason, covered her mouth and smiled, and Cain, who had experienced it himself, scratched his cheek as he recalled his past self.

“That’s a really good idea. I’ll talk about that part myself.”

“Thanks, Lumia. We have a lot to ask other people anyway.”

Afterward, Lumia left, waving her hand. She said to leave Senior Renias to her and suggested they go find the instigators of this major disturbance.

“Ahem. Then I’ll go ahead and help Lumia, as I need to assist her.”

As Cain perceptively found his task and departed, Senia coolly nodded and let him go.

Now, everyone was dying of curiosity.

“What on earth are you talking about? You always do this, Senia! Stop wrapping everything up like in academic papers and just tell us!”

“This time I agree with Aris. Right now, we feel like we’ve eaten sweet potatoes.”

“Senior Senia, hurry up!”

Senia smiled and answered.

“It’s been a while since we had a meeting with the professors, hasn’t it?”

“Uh, yeah…”

“Um… y-yes.”

“…”

There was a smile on her face, but the other members knew from frequent exposure. That smile was a chilling one, as if she was about to crush something with a “crack!”

***

The reception room door opened with a click.

“Phew. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Hmm? Oh, no… I didn’t wait that long, so it’s fine. But…”

“You’re wondering why I brought this, right?”

Nod, nod.

Lumia, who had gone into the club room and come back out, had asked Renias to wait in the reception room. Thinking this time might be different, Renias had been sipping a drink while waiting.

The time really wasn’t that long. It was clearly shorter than the chaotic party that had unfolded in the club room.

However, the biggest question in Renias’s mind right now was why she had brought those clothes.

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? That a woman has her greatest weapon when dealing with a man.”

“I remember that… but are you saying this dress is that weapon?”

“Of course!”

Renias’s gaze, which had been fixed on the brightly smiling Lumia, shifted to the pink dress, then back to Lumia again.

‘Can I really express special charm with this dress?’

It was hard to understand. Clothes were just clothes, so how could they show special charm to a lover?

Such doubts arose, but on the other hand, her heart leaned toward the idea that listening to Lumia, who had been in a beautiful relationship for several years, was a hundred times right.

A long-skirted dress. Although it wasn’t her preferred type of clothing, with its thin shoulder straps and exposed armpits and arms, Renias nevertheless resolved to endure and try it on, heading to the changing room.