episode_0038

Lana, having recovered to the point where she could move, no longer needed to stay in my dorm. So, she went back to her own dorm.

But for some reason, the next day. And it was early in the morning, Lana came to the dorm carrying something.

“Kyle, good morning!”

Lana greeted me with a bright voice and a bright face. I, who was doing my morning training, stopped my movements and said.

“What’s going on from this early in the morning.”

“I came to see Kyle!”

“…….”

Speechless, I looked at her. I can roughly guess why she came without asking. But that doesn’t mean I have no complaints.

“Um… Lana. First of all, I won’t say anything about you coming to the dorm. But….”

“But?”

I explained calmly to her, who was asking back.

“You came too early. Do you know what time it is now?”

“Uh……”

Lana looked at her wristwatch and shouted.

“It’s 6 o’clock!”

“Yeah, it’s 6 o’clock. And at that time, other people are still asleep. Look at the summons too. Aren’t they all sleepy?”

Nene was curled up and sleeping on my head, and Rendo, the deer who brought us here, also looked sleepy.

“Ah….”

Lana looked blank, as if she hadn’t thought of that. And the problem wasn’t just that.

“What is that thing you’re carrying?”

“A lunch box for Kyle?”

“…What time did you wake up to prepare that?”

“5 o’clock.”

At that, I stared at Lana. It was too much to have made in just one hour.

Then, feeling a little guilty, Lana answered truthfully.

“Actually, 4 o’clock….”

“What time did you go to bed?”

“1 o’clock….”

“So, you only slept for 3 hours?”

Lana silently nodded her head slightly. No wonder her eyes were a little hollow. It must be because she was tired.

‘If I leave her like this, she’ll keep doing this.’

Lana is stubborn, even if it’s not expressed much.

“Lana.”

“Yes, Kyle.”

“I appreciate you doing this for me. It’s not easy to pack a lunch box almost every day, not just today.”

“Hehe, no. I’m doing it because I like to….”

Lana smiled broadly. She seemed happy with my words, but I had to say what I had to say.

“But don’t overdo it. There’s no need to cut back on sleep to prepare.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Yeah, I’m worried about you.”

Lana’s cheeks flushed for a moment. And then she mumbled with her face buried.

“Thank you….”

Instead of answering, I cast a fatigue recovery spell. Only then did her face become brighter.

“Hehe, Kyle is kind.”

“Rather than that, Ellaim is here, so go say hello.”

Just in time, Ellaim returned after finishing her run for physical training. Lana ran to her as soon as she saw Ellaim.

“Ellaim unnie~!”

“Lana. What brings you here this early in the morning?”

“I came to see unnie and Kyle!”

“At this hour?”

I left the two talking for a while and wiped off the sweat with magic. And while I was wondering where to eat the lunch box Lana brought.

“Huh?”

Someone was coming this way from afar. After confirming the face of that someone, I sighed deeply.

“Haa….”

Dark circles that had sunk deeply, eyes that didn’t feel lively, and even a dark complexion. Evan was almost on the verge of death.

“…What’s wrong with you again.”

“Yes? Hyung-nim told me to come….”

“No, what did you do that made your face look like that?”

“Ah, I was so nervous because I was learning magic from hyung-nim that I couldn’t sleep last night….”

“How many hours did you sleep?”

“Uh… I didn’t sleep at all.”

What should I do with this bastard? He should control himself when it’s an important day. I can’t just beat him to death because he’s the main character….

I cast a recovery spell on Evan, just like I did on Lana. His face quickly became lively.

“Oh! Thank you, hyung-nim!”

“Sigh….”

Even if he says that, I can only sigh. I’ll have to correct that rotten mindset later.

While I was thinking about that, Evan approached the two and greeted them.

“Lana sunbae! Nunim! Good morning!”

“Hello! Evan hubae!”

“Nice to meet you.”

Greetings were exchanged as well. Meanwhile, I led the three of them to a suitable seat.

“Evan hubae, you haven’t eaten breakfast either, right? Enjoy your meal.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

Evan must have been hungry, as he hurriedly took the lunch box and put it in his mouth.

“Kyle, try this. Unnie made it because she said Kyle likes it. If you eat it with this salad….”

“I understand. I’ll eat it one by one slowly.”

“No, it’s more delicious when you eat it together. Here, like this….”

Lana stepped forward and handed it over as if she were feeding me. I couldn’t bring myself to be fed, so I took the fork and put it in my mouth. Then, the reaction immediately exploded in my brain.

“It’s delicious….”

Words that came out unconsciously. At the same time, my body trembled with joy.

It’s said to be Kyle Arden’s favorite food. That seems to be true. The more I chewed, the more my whole body wanted it.

“Unnie! Kyle says it’s delicious!”

“Young master only looked for that when he was young. It won’t be any different now.”

Ignoring the conversation, I kept eating the food in my mouth. And Evan was staring at this scene from the side. Then, after swallowing the food in his mouth, he asked in a slightly serious voice.

“Lana sunbae.”

“Huh? Why?”

“What I’ve felt while watching you yesterday and today… Did you succeed?”

“No? Kyle rejected me.”

At Lana’s words, Evan slowly turned his head towards me. He frowned as if he were looking at a bug. And he opened his mouth.

“Hyung-nim. Are you perhaps impotent?”

“What, you little shit?”

“It doesn’t make sense logically. A person like Lana sunbae confessed first, but unless you’re a madman… Ack! Hyung-nim, ear, ear!!”

“Say it again. What did you say?”

“I was wrong! Ear! Hyung-nim, your ear is falling off, ear!!”

I pulled on Evan’s ear as if I were tearing it off. Evan was in agony from the pain.

But I had no intention of letting go easily. I pulled it for about 5 minutes and then let go as if throwing it away.

“Aheuk, my ear….”

Evan grabbed his red and swollen ear and crawled on the floor. I said one word to Evan.

“Evan. Let’s keep the line, even if it’s something else.”

“Still, hyung-nim…. Lana sunbae mustered up the courage, so you should accept her, right? Honestly, you like sunbae too, right?”

Haa, I don’t know why I’m having this conversation with this guy. Even in front of Lana and Ellaim.

“That’s a matter between Lana and me. Don’t worry about it and do your job well.”

“Hey, how can you do that? You’re my hyung-nim. And I’m giving you a piece of advice, you should accept these things quickly. Actually, in my hometown….”

I glared at Evan, who seemed like he was going to talk for a long time, and said.

“Let’s keep it moderate.”

“Keu, keuheum….”

Only then did Evan shut his mouth. Of course, Lana was smiling brightly next to me, and Ellaim was watching as if it were fun.

“Evan hubae is very kind. He also gave me advice and helped me during the internship.”

“It’s because I feel frustrated when I see the two of you. I can’t help but help when I see you?”

“You’re helping by staying still. Please shut up.”

It was obvious that if I continued like this, only this situation would unfold. So, I made a decision.

“Evan, let’s go when you’ve finished eating everything.”

“Yes? Where to?”

“The bookstore in the library. There’s something I need before I teach you magic.”

“Oh! Then let’s go right away.”

As soon as he heard my words, Evan got up from his seat.

“I want to go too!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to sleep for a while? You must be sleepy.”

“I’m all awake!”

“Then come along.”

“Okay!”

After that, we headed to the bookstore.

***

Tianis Academy students make tremendous efforts to improve their skills. You can immediately feel their passion just by looking around on the way to school or during lectures.

However, at a certain period, that passion fades and an atmosphere of overall weakness comes. That’s when the exam is just around the corner.

Even students with outstanding talents who can fly and run cannot escape the unique pressure that comes from the word exam. Because it’s the day when the results of the efforts made up to this point are determined.

Therefore, the phenomenon occurs in all grades, regardless of grade level.

Someone might ask this. 1st graders are nervous because it’s their first exam after entering school, but why do 2nd and 3rd graders have a reason to be?

Of course, there is a reason to do so.

Tianis’s exams are famous for being so difficult that rumors spread to other academies. Of course, it’s not so difficult that you can’t solve it at all, but it goes beyond the level of a general exam.

So, the 2nd and 3rd graders who know the fear are very nervous. Every day is nerve-wracking until the exam is over.

In addition, some professors identify the student’s strengths and weaknesses and give them problems tailored to them… You have to study to the death.

Therefore, the air in the library and bookstore, where students are crowded at this time, is so heavy that it is suffocating.

However, not all students are living without any spare time. The two next to me are typical examples of such students.

“Kyle. Isn’t this book better for basic magic?”

“That book is also good, of course, but the content is too twisted for Evan to learn.”

“Is that so?”

The bookstore that occupies one side of the first floor of the Tianis Library. There, Lana handed me various books with a face that wasn’t worried about the exam at all.

“Then how about this book?”

I quickly skimmed through the book Lana handed me. It was a pretty good book, so I threw it back. The thrown book landed in the exact location.

“Hye, hyung-nim…. Are you going to buy more here?”

“Don’t worry about money. I’ll pay for it.”

“That’s not the problem… You’ve already gone over 30 books? Won’t your head explode before you even read them all?”

“A person’s head doesn’t explode that easily.”

“Ah….”

Evan, who was letting out a sigh of lamentation. At the same time, he kept receiving the books I was throwing. And as you can feel from his attitude, Evan didn’t seem worried about the exam either.

That’s because the two of them have a natural personality, and they’re basically smart. Lana is the top student, so I’ve said it all. That’s why they have so much leeway.

Maybe that’s why, we, who have a particularly bright atmosphere, are getting a lot of attention. No, some people fill their energy by looking at Lana’s face, but their shoulders droop before long.

Even if you see something happy and joyful, the emotion quickly fades. It’s a common sight during the exam period. We’re just special.

“That’s it. Let’s go.”

“Haa… 40 books. I’m going crazy….”

Evan was looking at the pile of books in front of him with a dejected expression, but I didn’t care. It’s stranger to make a fuss with just this.

After finishing our business, we returned to the dorm. And when we were almost there, I belatedly remembered the supplies needed to teach magic.

“Go ahead first. I’ll be right back.”

“Can’t I go too?”

“It’ll take 10 minutes.”

“Hmm… Okay!”

“Then I’ll be waiting, hyung-nim.”

I was going to leave the two of them because I was really going to be back soon. So, there was no need for a large group to flock together. But Ellaim’s running speed is fast, so there’s no problem.

On the way back after buying the rest of the items. I looked at Ellaim who was following next to me.

The reason was that I was worried because I hadn’t taken care of her since Lana’s incident. Of course, it wasn’t that we had become awkward or that the frequency of our conversations had decreased.

“Can I ask you something?”

“I’ll answer unless it’s a difficult question.”

“Um….”

At the straightforward answer, I paused slightly and asked.

“Are you satisfied with your current state?”

“What state are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about living with Lana like this.”

“To answer that, I don’t think it’s much different from before.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

Ellaim stopped abruptly. And then she looked at my face.

“Are you perhaps worried that I’m jealous?”

“Well… a little?”

Human relationships are so subtle that if you only pay attention to one side, feelings of resentment that didn’t exist will arise. Of course, they got along well in the novel, but because I intervened, I don’t know how things might suddenly change.

“Doryeonim.”

“Yeah, tell me.”

Ellaim called me in a serious voice. I answered her.

“Lana is a good child.”

“I know that too.”

“And she’s even pure.”

“That’s true.”

Kind and pure. These are the representative words that refer to Lana.

“I like Lana like that. It’s like I have another younger sister.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, we get along well. In my opinion, there will be no fights between Lana and me.”

“Really? That’s good.”

Now that she said that, it didn’t seem like the worried things would happen. Her tone also has affection in it, just like when she faces me.

“Then please take good care of Lana.”

“I understand.”

We walked back to the dorm. Then Ellaim called me quietly.

“Still, Doryeonim.”

“Yeah?”

“Sometimes….”

Ellaim didn’t finish her words. It seemed like she was too shy to say it.

“I hope you pay attention to me too….”

A smile spread on my face at Ellaim’s words. Her flushed face was quite a sight to see today as well.

“Would I do that to my noona?”

And her face, which was buried at the word noona, was also fun to see.