episode_0045

I realized too late that my current appearance was perfect for misunderstanding.

How long has the silence lasted？

In just 2 minutes, Shasha’s first words were chillingly cold.

＂By any chance, did you ask if there’s someone I like…?”

Seeing Shasha looking at me with a disappointed expression, I adjusted my clothes and casually whistled.

“Whi… Whi…”

“It’s not making any sound.”

Despite breaking out in a cold sweat at Shasha’s icy words, there was no escaping the situation.

“I was just feeling good about how well we were communicating, I’m not harboring any feelings like that!”

“Really?”

“Of course! I’m not interested in that kind of thing in the first place!”

In situations like this, it’s better to be bold than timid.

I raised my voice confidently.

I haven’t done anything wrong, after all.

Thinking about dating?

No way.

Even if I were to, there would be no one to date, and it’s strange to consider these young kids as dating partners in the first place.

I quickly explained myself, and Shasha, with a hint of doubt, let out a sigh.

If a close friend, even a roommate, sees me as someone who stole their crush, it would be a painful situation, no matter who I am.

I nudged Ashul’s thigh and suggested that she say something, and although she glared at me for a moment, she eventually supported me.

“Just, we were talking about liking lemons.”

“That’s right!”

Strangely, lemons weren’t very popular in this world.

It was the nobles who bought me lemon-flavored desserts.

They didn’t buy them because they liked lemon flavor, but because they knew I liked lemons.

Lemon flavor was a minor taste in this world.

So, I was slightly excited by Ashul’s story of liking lemon flavor.

As I vehemently denied any misunderstandings, Deron’s previously furrowed brow relaxed.

For some reason, at least one thing was clear – the misunderstanding was being resolved.

As a final means to end this petty misunderstanding, I grabbed Ashul’s arm and requested, “Please ban me from the library!”

“…That’s not within my authority, though?”

No, I didn’t really want her to do it, just saying it.

Seeing that she seemed unaware of the situation, I poked Ashul’s waist, and she glared at me as if she would kill me.

No matter how scary the guy I saw today, having to deal with the misunderstanding of a roommate and close friend throughout my academy life was much scarier.

“From today on, you’re banned from the library.”

I felt a slight suspicion that she might secretly enjoy matching my irritation, but I believed that no matter how bad her personality was, she wouldn’t go that far.

I received Ashul’s ban from the library order with a bright smile and looked at Shasha.

As I continued to explain, Shasha’s expression gradually softened, and she scratched her cheek.

I handed Shasha and Deron lemon candies.

The lemon bread was all gone, and Ashul had eaten the black lemon pie.

All that was left was lemon marmalade.

It was meant to be eaten with water, not raw.

The only thing left to eat right now was the lemon candy I had originally brought.

Giving out black lemon pie was a given, as it was a snack far inferior to lemon bread, so I kept an eye out.

Ashul, without a care, blurted out to me, ＂Give me some too.”

“…Stop eating so much.”

Just one black lemon pie would have fulfilled the daily calorie intake.

He claimed to like lemons, but there was no one else who would eat lemon candy after having eaten that.

“I’ll save some for you later, but not now.”

If he was a disciple of the Tower of Magic, he must have had abilities and money, so why was he so fixated on eating？

“Why are you so fixated on eating when you have money?”

Come to think of it, it was like that from the beginning.

As if there was something about us, even before we introduced ourselves, he knew our identities,

and to some extent, why we had come.

Just by looking at that, I thought he must be someone important.

But as soon as I took out the black lemon pie, his attitude changed, and he started acting like a fool who only knew how to eat.

“I don’t have money.”

“…But you have abilities, don’t you?”

The Academy provided tasks according to one’s abilities and compensated accordingly,

so it was a structure where one could earn money according to their abilities.

And such a structure would surely be a good environment for Ashul.

If he could join the Magic Research Department right after enrolling and defeat all grades, including the head, he could live comfortably with just one task a month.

To say he had no money.

It was an incomprehensible statement, so I, as well as Shasha, Deron, and Seina, all looked puzzled.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…Seriously?”

When I cautiously mentioned the possibility of not being able to earn money despite having abilities, Ashul shrugged as if it was nothing.

“I can’t earn money because I’ve accumulated a lot of demerits.”

“…How many points?”

“…Well, I haven’t checked since it passed 500 points, but by now, it’s probably around 600 points.”

“Is that something to be proud of?”

I raised my head at his cliché-like words, similar to what an old man who had lived for centuries might say.

“How many people have you hit?”

The head of the club could determine the direction of club activities.

However, it was certainly not okay to say that it was okay to hit people.

But according to Shasha, he would hit people with a bamboo stick for being a little noisy.

So he must have accumulated demerits.

“It’s surprising that you haven’t been expelled….”

I got up from my chair and took Seina’s hand, standing next to Shasha and Deron.

“Shasha, I don’t think he’s the one….”

I knew that demerits could happen accidentally.

But if it exceeded two digits and reached three digits easily, the story changed.

If you received demerits, you would know that you shouldn’t repeat that behavior.

If you ignored it and kept repeating it, demerits would continue to accumulate, leading to the current situation.

“Just to clarify, I didn’t just hit people indiscriminately.”

“…With over three digits of demerits, your argument lacks credibility, you know?”

“I recruited people who were willing to read, but only those who were interested in me gathered around, causing annoyance and leading to the use of violence.”

He was annoyed by those who were not interested in books and came to him to make themselves look good,

and he couldn’t bear it, so he used violence.

I lightly clicked my tongue at Ashul’s words.

He had a very childish personality.

…Of course, at 12 years old, he was a child, but still.

In a world full of old children like Deron, it was actually strange to see such a childish personality.

Having been chosen as a disciple of the Tower of Magic for his talent alone, he was no longer afraid of anything in the world.

Maybe that’s just my natural personality.

I’m not sure what to say, but it didn’t seem good.

Did she notice my gaze？

Ashul casually spoke as if it didn’t matter much.

＂I’m not asking you to see me in a good light. I know my personality isn’t great.”

“Well, at least you know that.”

I guess I should consider that lucky.

It’s a relief to know that my personality isn’t normal.

“Anyway, I haven’t been able to earn money because I’ve accumulated a lot of demerits, so it’s been over a year since I last had something sweet.”

Ashul looked at me directly, a faint mischievous smile on her face.

“It was nice to have something sweet after a long time.”

“…I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

It was embarrassing to be exposed as a childish and bad-tempered kid, but it’s not like Ashul didn’t help Shasha at all, so I sighed inwardly and bowed my head.

“Anyway, let me thank you once again for taking care of Shasha.”

“Shasha is the only one interested in ‘reading,’ so it’s only natural to take care of him.”

So that’s why she took care of him.

Since it seemed like a good thing, I nodded my head.

From what I heard, his personality was definitely a mess, but I felt like she would continue to look after Shasha in the future.

In that sense, meeting Ashul had achieved its purpose.

It’s heartbreaking that the person Shasha likes is such a childish guy, but there’s nothing I can do about it.

While I can discipline reckless behavior, I can’t control people’s feelings.

Personal emotions are something Shasha will have to figure out on his own.

“Well then, lunchtime is almost over, so I’ll be going now.”

I turned around, holding Seina’s hand, and as I did, a small voice reached my ears from behind.

“…I don’t think lemon flavor is that bad.”

“…What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Did I mishear something?

I shook my head, but since lunchtime was ending, I chose to walk away to continue with the class rather than ask further.