episode_0046

After class, it was time for the club activities to resume.

Astel and I finished our club activities by memorizing a few simple words.

I entered the room first and waited for Shasha to come in.

Shasha’s expression when she entered the room was much brighter than yesterday.

＂…Was there any bullying today？” I asked.

Shasha nodded in response to my question.

“…The chief took care of it.”

Her face slightly flushed, it seemed like something had happened, so I sat down on Shasha’s bed and she looked at me, telling me about what had happened today.

In summary, it was like this.

Shasha was told that from now on, whenever she participates in club activities, she must stick close to Ashul. She mentioned that it was unpleasant to see a club member leaving due to bullying, so she was instructed to stay wherever her gaze could reach, as she would protect her if she was within sight.

“Well… the other members must be really jealous…”

Since most of the club members joined the reading club because they were interested in Ashul and wanted to look good.

The action taken against Shasha was something that other members would envy.

“So, is the bullying issue resolved?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Friends should help each other.”

There was no need to thank me.

If Shasha was safe, I was happy.

Outside of club hours, Deron and I were the ones protecting Shasha during club hours.

Unless she encountered a crazy person, Shasha was safer than me.

“I’ll buy you a lemon-flavored dessert later. You’ll love it.”

“Okay!”

Since he couldn’t eat anything except for school meals due to the demerits, I confirmed that he was starving for something sweet like a dessert, and I told Shasha some ways to capture Ashul’s heart based on that information.

“You seem to like sweet things, especially lemon-flavored desserts, and your dark circles seem really dark, indicating that you might have trouble sleeping, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Shasha was jotting down every word I said in a notebook.

Her obsession felt both sweet and slightly scary.

“Ask her tomorrow if she’s intentionally not sleeping, or if she just can’t sleep. If she’s intentionally not sleeping, offer her foods or medicine that can help her sleep, and if she can’t sleep, offer her foods or medicine that can help her sleep.”

“…Why?”

“If she’s intentionally not sleeping, you can help her by offering foods or medicine that can help her sleep, and if she can’t sleep, you can offer her foods or medicine that can help her sleep.”

“…Oh.”

It was a natural story.

Dark circles were the most direct sign of physical fatigue, and that level of fatigue was likely to be related to sleep.

Sleep problems.

It was a difficult issue to solve in reality, but in this world, sleep problems could be easily solved.

“It might be a bit expensive, but I’ll help you with that!”

I patted her chest, telling her to trust me, and as Shasha was moved by my actions, I whispered in her ear.

“Think about it, Shasha.”

As I whispered, Shasha swallowed nervously, and took it as a signal to continue speaking.

“Ashul can’t solve problems that can be easily solved with money.”

She had a whopping minimum of 600 demerits.

No matter how many achievements she made and exchanged them for demerits at the store, she wouldn’t be able to earn money until graduation due to the huge amount of demerits she had accumulated.

“I’ll strategize that part! Shasha will do what Ashul can’t do!”

“…I don’t have much money…”

“I’ll support you!”

After finishing today’s club activities and lounging around, someone came to the club room.

It was because of the Che Shan family’s business.

Since I had almost died during class last time and wanted to come to an agreement about it, I accepted without hesitation.

I almost died, but I didn’t actually get hurt.

Although it wasn’t in the billions, I was expecting to receive a substantial sum in the tens of millions as compensation.

In other words, I am rich.

So, I can afford to be generous to my friends.

Of course, there were things to be cautious about in this plan.

＂But if you do too much at once, or too often, even if we extend our kindness, the other party might start taking it for granted. Just focus on solving things that seem really necessary. Can you do that？”

“I’ll try!”

Shasha nodded vigorously with clenched fists, and I patted her head.

As she smiled happily and giggled, I returned the gesture by reaching out to pat her head as well.

Patting each other’s heads might seem silly to others, but since no one was watching, it didn’t really matter.

“But… is it okay for me to receive this much?”

“Isn’t it a bit late to ask now?”

She was so excited when I talked about my future plans earlier.

It was amusing to suddenly throw a fundamental question as if her rationality had returned.

I knew Shasha’s personality well enough to know that this was not like her.

Seeing how excited she was, I chuckled and said, “It’s okay, I’m always teaching you anyway.”

I give private lessons to academy students.

Normally, I would have to pay a hefty sum for this, but since I receive it almost every day, I think of it as tuition.

“Still…”

“Just think of it as a friend fee.”

It might be more comfortable to think of it as a friend fee rather than remembering the time she rejected my offer last time.

I joked around, changed the subject before any unnecessary nagging could start.

“…Oh, you shouldn’t get too close at first?”

“Yeah…”

She must have seen the words Ashul said to me today, but Ashul only wanted to focus on ‘reading’ in the book club.

If she wanted to get closer privately, it would be better to use a different time slot than the club hours.

For example, like lunchtime today.

“Lia seems… familiar.”

It might seem that way to younger kids.

I’ve never been in a relationship, but as an adult trying to help, I squeezed out the advice from my head.

If it felt that way, then I was glad.

“Remember, I said it’s rare to find someone who knows men like me!”

“…Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank friends!”

I playfully shouted as I leaned my face on Shasha’s shoulder.

There was no scent of roses like Seyna.

Rather, it smelled… musky.

“…Shasha, you smell musky.”

I wrinkled my nose at the slightly musky smell unique to the library but not unpleasant.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my forehead, and I collapsed.

Shasha’s hand was much stronger than I expected, and even though she didn’t say anything bad, it felt unfair to be hit by a close friend.

Feeling that injustice, I woke up to a new day.

After a quick wash, I headed out of the dorm.

As always, Deron was waiting in front of the dorm, waving his hands enthusiastically to greet me.

“Your Highness!”

“Did you sleep well?”

“…Not really!”

I complained about Shasha hitting my head, but Deron brushed it off, saying I probably deserved it.

“You’re mean.”

“You deserved it.”

Deron chuckled and messed up my hair, then held out his hand.

I was puzzled about his intentions, but eventually raised my hand obediently.

＂What is it？”

“It wasn’t ‘hand’?”

“Are you a dog…?”

It seems like I’m in the pet position after all.

As I tilted my head with an innocent expression, Deron awkwardly withdrew his hand for no reason.

Only then did it become clear what he wanted, and with a bright smile, he took out a lemon-flavored candy from his pocket and handed it to me.

“…Did you do it on purpose knowing?”

“Every time I offered, you said something that made me think you didn’t like it.”

So when I tried not to give it to you, this time, before I could even offer it, you reached out your hand asking for the candy.

Honestly, it was fascinating.

“Is it tasty?”

“…It’s not bad.”

If those words came out of Deron’s mouth, it was as good as saying it was delicious, so I smiled broadly.

As expected, lemon flavor.

Everyone says you get addicted once you try it, but it’s nice to have my favorite flavor acknowledged by others.

I snuggled up close to Deron and chirped out, “Is there a flavor that you particularly like, Your Highness?”

Come to think of it, I always made it obvious that I liked lemon, but I couldn’t quite figure out what Deron liked.

“…Ap.”

“Ap?”

“If I had to choose, it would be apple.”

It might seem like a word completely unrelated to ‘Ap,’ but I knew all too well that words could slip out unintentionally.

After all, I often did that!

Anyway, apple…

It’s not a flavor I dislike, but it’s not one I particularly like either.

But, since my friend likes it, I should make an effort to like it too.

“…I’ll try to like Your Highness’s flavor, so please like mine too.”

With a shy, soft voice, I spoke these words, and Deron raised his hand above my head.

And then he pressed it firmly down.