Ch.85Heart-Pounding Confession Operation (3)

“After failing at a confession once, I had nothing to lose.

Once Rahilt became the target of my confession, I didn’t expect it to be resolved with just one try. So my confession plan was established recklessly without needing to fully engage my brain.

I decided to give up on both Narin’s help and the Second Prince’s assistance. My conscience was too guilty to involve them in something with no guaranteed outcome.

Thus, I resolved to approach Rahilt alone.

Confession is a lonely thing.

The process of conveying one’s feelings is a test of courage that doesn’t fear getting hurt.

So I rushed to Rahilt as soon as he finished class and emerged into the Academy hallway.

“Riaaaaan!”

“…Serin?”

“I have something important to tell you…”

Rahilt stared at me with a bewildered expression.

Just as I was about to invite him directly.

“Professor! This part is difficult to understand!”

“Could you teach us a little more?”

“Today was so interesting too! Your face, and your face… Oh, Your Highness…”

Somehow, women who had specially transformed into idiots today began to hold Rahilt back. If it were truly pure academic desire, I’d have little to say, but these girls were staring intently at Rahilt’s handsome face instead of their esteemed textbooks.

Still, I couldn’t object.

I wasn’t Rahilt’s lover yet, and nominally, their clinginess was quite justified.

Of course, it would be difficult for the diligent professor Rahilt to refuse their requests.

If I were to scold them here, I would be nothing more than a power-abuser oppressing innocent students.

“…I apologize, Student Seriniel. Would it be alright if I hear your business later?”

Grind, gnash, crunch.

“Of… course…!”

Crunch, grind, crack!

I ground my teeth like a teething puppy. Feeling my teeth wearing down, my second confession attempt ended in vain.

But no way I’d give up.

I immediately launched into my third attempt.

This time, it was a public confession.

Since the Academy’s main clientele are nobles, places as splendid as any mansion’s grounds are common. For instance, the Academy’s garden was modeled after the imperial palace, attracting numerous students.

A garden with spring flowers in full bloom.

There, ignoring the itchiness as if flower pollen was poking my nostrils, I filled my lungs with air.

My target was the second floor of the annex. The spot where the second-year high school class was located. Where Rahilt would soon take the podium.

“Haaah…”

I deployed my superhuman eyesight inherited from my father. Then I watched intently, hoping for Rahilt to enter the second-year high school classroom.

Three minutes passed. A little more, ten minutes. Much more invested, thirty minutes.

By the time I sensed something was wrong, it was far too late—when the second-year high school class was preparing for their next lecture.

“Rian didn’t… come in?!”

What’s this? Rahilt, the most diligent person in the empire, skipping class? This was truly earth-shattering news.

…I later heard there had been a schedule change. Thanks to that, the second-year high school class had a one-hour gap that became a self-study period.

The humor was that these noble children were diligently studying like K-high schoolers. I never knew the Academy had so many people with such academic fervor.

Because of this, I kept standing by, believing Rahilt would eventually enter.

“Achoo! Hack.”

Oh geez, really inhaling that pollen. I chose this spot because it was perfect for spying on the second-year class and had a nice atmosphere, but at this rate my lungs would rot first.

“Huff… huff… it’s fine. Actually, it’s better this way. How embarrassed would Rian be to receive a confession during lecture time.”

Yes, let’s consider it divine providence. Perhaps Rahilt, caught in an awkward situation, might have rejected my confession.

Treating it as a stroke of luck actually makes me more motivated. In that case, I’ll go for the third try.

“Phew… huff…”

As time passed and passed, eventually well past lunchtime.

Surprisingly, I had already failed my seventh confession attempt. The lucky seventh confession.

Still, remembering the saying that what matters is an unbroken spirit, I calmly watched for the next opportunity.

“Ah…!”

Just then, as I was wandering outside, I saw Rahilt entering his professor’s office. It seems this time was a gap in Rahilt’s lecture schedule. How could he sit with such a straight back even during precious break time? Rahilt must surely be loved by the fairy of spines.

For reference, I had a class next but skipped it due to my troubled mind. It’s customary for K-university students to skip out once or twice. Of course, a princess who stands out everywhere couldn’t skip out, but still.

In a word, unauthorized absence. This was my determination.

“Phew… huuuff…”

The boring lecture time was abandoned, and the time to convey my feelings approached. And so, as I once again pushed air into my lungs, the world says:

No, it says.

“Riaaaaaaaan!!!”

Rumble… boom!

Unfortunately, the moment I shouted, the sky raged. The dark clouds that had gathered suddenly repaid my misbehavior by beating their bodies.

Boom… rumble rumble rumble…!!!

“Riaaaaan!!!”

What crazy thunder.

How does it know exactly when I’m about to shout and strike like a ghost?

Well, fine.

Once is nothing, twice is necessary. Sure.

Surely there won’t be a third time.

As I desperately prayed and tried to take another breath.

Drip, drip.

Cold water droplets fell from the sky. And the lightly falling droplets quickly increased in density and poured down.

The sound of sudden downpour, like a squall, easily overcomes human power. Sometimes in fiction, there are scenes of communicating through heavy rain, but fiction is fiction.

In real downpour, you truly can’t hear anything.

“Riaaaaaaaan!!!”

I was experiencing this firsthand. Because at that time, I had no idea.

“Riaan…… huff, huff… this is crazy…”

Boom…!

“What the hell kind of boom is this…”

Later, I would learn much later that this rain was directly caused by Rahilt.

[Ah, you mean that time. The gardener said the Academy had been dry lately, so I made it rain.]

[…What if someone had been outside?]

[That’s impossible. I believe there are no delinquent boys or girls wandering around the Academy during lecture hours.]

[Ah… I see…]

[Even if there were, it would be an appropriate punishment for breaking the rules. Of course, Serin would never do such a thing.]

[Of… course… that’s… right…]

Grind, gnash, crunch!

The world seems to hate me.

It feels like it’s forcibly blocking my path to happiness, even trying to crush me now that I’m trying to face everything head-on.

I’m starting to wonder what more I need to do here to make a confession possible.

It’s chilling.

The chill running down my spine pierces me like a dagger.

“Ugh… sheesh…”

Come to think of it, of course it’s chilling. Being this soaking wet, dripping water onto the floor…

Afterward, I had to wander the Academy like a ghost until I rejoined Narin and the Second Prince, wringing water from my uniform.

◇

Whoooosh!

The Second Prince’s wind magic envelops my entire body. The swirling warm breeze dries my body, soon restoring a fluffy texture.

Meanwhile, I, overcome with exhaustion, sat down on the lounge sofa and sighed softly.

“Haah… haah… phew…”

My breath, filled with deep resentment, settled on the floor. Narin slightly lifted her feet as if frost had formed where my breath landed. In that awkward silence, I spoke first.

“Huff… huff… there’s no way confession should be this shitty…”

“Oh no… Serin has finally gone mad.”

“After missing eight times, it’s no wonder…”

The two gasped at the profanity I finally uttered. The courtesy I had maintained, at least on the surface, was peeling away layer by layer.

“This, this doesn’t make sense… If I approach directly, other ladies interfere, and when I finally try to confess one-sidedly outside, his class gets canceled, and then thunder and downpour overlap…”

I feel like my mind is already being pushed to its limits by these excessive coincidences.

“From the beginning, no one was standing in the female lead’s position… neither Narin nor me…”

“Hmm…? Suddenly me too…?”

“It’s too hard to endure this world’s oppression, so from now on I’ll take the position of the defeated heroine…”

“No no, that’s not it, Serin…!!!”

“Rian is for those who cannot live without clinging to him…”

“That’s you!”

Hehe. Really, I’m going crazy.

No, perhaps I’ve already gone crazy.

Now is not the time to worry about events or whatever. It would be a miracle just to normally convey that I like him.

But how on earth.

How do I resist my fate where not only do our paths cross when I make up my mind, but natural disasters occur too?

If I send a letter, it will get lost, and if I send someone, they might get struck by lightning on the way. Somehow I had that certainty.

“What… am I fighting against?”

It’s harder than the great incident of the Carnar Kingdom.

At least, that’s how I sincerely evaluated it.