CH 85

A Ruckus from the Ladies

Fourth to sixth-grade students were lined up in an orderly manner in the training hall.

The royal seats in front were still vacant even though the event was about to begin. Since the Imperial Match was scheduled after lunch, it seemed that their attendance would coincide with that.

On the right were the seats for the honored guests and the VIPs, and on the left were the seats for the underclassmen and teachers. All the teachers were present today, and Sheila could even see Jornwerner’s face, who rarely showed up except for classes and supplementary lessons.

The dean, who had little presence, finished his opening speech. Sheila and the other contestants then dispersed to their respective tents set up in the training hall.

“Oh, you’re tying your hair today.”

It was Toldrid who approached her.

“I got it tied up because it would get in the way. And I wanted to be extra fancy today!”

Sheila smiled and clenched her fist, and he laughed too.

“It’s a good mindset. ――We’re gonna win for sure.”

He patted her shoulder lightly and walked away towards Hyderion. As Sheila watched his back, someone stopped her again from behind.

Turning around to see who it was this time, she saw a very grumpy-looking Leidyrune there.

“Eh? Leidyrune-senpai?”

He seemed to be in a bad mood. He grabbed Sheila’s arm and pulled her toward a deserted area.

“Um, what’s the matter?”

Sheila tilted her head and wondered why he had chosen this place in the first place. Was it to make a declaration that they were going to go head-to-head today? If so, speaking openly in front of everyone would have been fine.

Leidyrune’s violet eyes were filled with a desperate glint. His voice was hushed as if he didn’t want others to hear.

“Why are you so defenseless! You shouldn’t let those clingy men touch you too much!”

“…. Eh?”

Unable to understand what was happening, Sheila tilted her head a beat later. Why did he say that with such a serious expression on his face?

“Well, it’s impossible not to touch anyone at a competition. Pole toppling is a competition in which competitors collide with each other.”

“But still! I’m so worried that I can’t rest!”

“I’m sorry….?”

“Don’t put question marks at the end!”

‘Ah. I remember someone once got angry at me in the same way.’

Sheila immediately thought of the face of the senior who was so angry and hot-tempered at her in spite of his cute appearance. Come to think of it, it would be very bad if Regress saw this scene right now.

When she unintentionally looked back at the tents, she saw the VIP seats were buzzing. Did something happen?

“Don’t worry about it. It happens all the time.”

“All the time?”

“You don’t need to know. By the way―”

Leidyrune cut off his words at one point, and carefully looked at Sheila.

“…. It’s rare to see you with your hair tied up.”

Cody and Zechs evaluated that she looked more masculine than when she had it down.

Why were they patting their chests, thinking that this would reduce the number of strange insects? Zechs rephrased that it wasn’t “strange insects” but “poor deceived insects,” but Sheila didn’t understand what he meant. In the first place, Sheila figured that they had forgotten that she couldn’t tie it herself, so she had to leave it untied.

“I’m not very dexterous with my hands, so I couldn’t tie it myself at this length. I was really annoyed with the way it hung around my neck that I asked Seiryuu-senpai to tie it for me just for today.”

Sheila was about to tell him that her motivation had increased by 30% because of this, when Leidyrune’s hand suddenly moved as he was listening in silence. He moved so quickly and unexpectedly that it wasn’t until her hair fell down her cheek that she realized he had taken her hair tie.

“…. Ah!?”

In contrast to Sheila, who raised her voice in astonishment, Leidyrune remained nonchalant.

“I’m sorry. My hand slipped.”

“Eh, but you’re not being sincere at all!?”

His movements were so quick that Sheila scolded herself for her carelessness and tightened her mind. When she suspected that he had untied her hair to discourage her, he made a surprising offer.

“As an apology, I’ll tie it for you.”

“Eh…? Is that okay?”

If Leidyrune was willing to tie it again, it must really have just slipped out of his hands. Apparently, she had been too suspicious.

Sheila accepted the offer and turned her back to him.

The moment Leidyrune touched her hair, a high-pitched scream rang out, and Sheila moved her face unintentionally. She was surprised and hurriedly returned to her posture, but she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in the VIP seat.

Leidyrune tied her hair up awkwardly. She was worried that he might not be able to tie it, being that he was usually in a position where people would give him a hand, but he secured the hair tie surprisingly easily. He was much more dexterous than Sheila.

Leidyrune, who had become less talkative, whispered.

“… You seem to be more lively than usual today. I’m a little surprised because you usually didn’t look so energetic unless you were in battle.”

“Um, can you stop talking about me like I’m usually dead?”

Sheila herself was always full of energy. She would appreciate it if he would stop making ridiculous accusations.

‘I just figure it’s more fun to fight.’

She moved her gaze to look around the training hall. Guests gathered under the clear sky. The boys in each camp were all hot-blooded. The underclassmen, their eyes shining with anticipation and excitement.

That feeling of exhilaration just before the competition started made her whole body tingle. This numbing sensation as the atmosphere in the place heated up and everyone became united. Sheila desperately tried to hold it in, but she felt like she might scream out.

“Because it’s fun. I love the feeling of everyone working together to achieve something!”

Leidyrune’s fingers left her hair as he finished tying it up. Sheila turned around and smiled, her yellow-light eyes twinkling.

“So, I won’t ever let you down!”

“….”

Sheila’s smile was so bright under the autumn sky that Leidyrune was at a loss for words.

Her red cheeks and lustrous lips were pale from excitement. The urge to touch them was overwhelming, but Leidyrune pushed it away and smiled, trying not to let her realize it.

“――That’s our line.”

The moment Leidyrune smiled softly, an explosive scream rang out through the training hall.

It was then that Sheila finally realized what was going on. Every time the ladies screamed, she wondered what was going on, but the answer was simple. In short, it was the same as Leidyrune’s club in the academy.

‘Rather than being a guest of honor, they’re more like appreciating the handsome men here….?’

The son of the duke was extremely popular, and his every move attracted a great deal of attention. In addition to his position, he had a good personality and looks, so it was only natural.

Sheila glanced up at Leidyrune.

His eyes were slanted and his nose was straight. His beautiful voice spun from his thin lips was pleasantly low-pitched. He was tall and impeccably beautiful, with a well-proportioned body and just the right amount of muscles. His sharp eyes, which looked somewhat strict, softened when he smiled, which also tickled the hearts of the young ladies.

“What’s wrong?”

“No…. I have a feeling that if we stay together like this, things are going to get more and more troublesome.”

There was no hostility in the gazes from the young ladies, but it was a heat that was hard to ignore. It was only a matter of time before they would turn into criticism if she stayed with Leidyrune forever, and it wasn’t her intention to draw attention to herself either.

Sheila hastily ended the conversation and fled back to her own tent.

◇　◆　◇

“What is that man, who is he!?”

“I can’t believe that Leidyrune-sama was that distraught!”

“Was he in the lower grades seat last year!?”

Dressed in gorgeous dresses, the ladies were all young and beautiful. Their high-pitched, busy chirping was like that of a little bird.

One of the talented attendants, who had been sent to gather information, returned.

“We have identified the boy over there, My Lady. He is Sheila Danau, a fourth-year student. He was admitted to the school this spring as a special student.”

“So, he must be a commoner.”

When she was squinting with her opera glasses in hand, trying to get a good look at his face, the boy suddenly turned around.

Sheila Danau was a small boy, still slender in build. He had striking rose-colored hair and large, yellow-colored eyes. He was good-looking, but he looked like a girl.

“Sheila Danau….”

As the ladies watched, Leidyrune untied Sheila’s hair. But then he soothed the indignant boy and tied it back up himself.

The girls watched with bated breath as the two beautiful people flirted with each other.

Eventually, when Leidyrune finished tying his hair, they begin to exchange pleasant words.

When Leidyrune showed a charming smile, there was a brief uproar. It was the first time the ladies had ever seen the defenseless figure of the man who always strictly regulated himself.

“Ah, Leidyrune-sama smiled….!”

“I can’t believe it! What is it with that boy Sheila Danau!”

The girls had been fans of Leidyrune for some time. But were they aiming to marry him? Not really.

Only the student’s parents or fiancée were allowed to enter. It was considered immodest for a young lady before her engagement to be out and about outside of evening parties and tea ceremonies, so it was difficult for women to come to support, even if they were the student’s relatives.

So, all of them had their own wonderful fiancés.

However, the ladies, who considered that admiring beautiful things was different, observed the beautiful gentlemen as if they were enjoying themselves in an opera.

“W-What is this! This burning feeling in my heart!”

“Be careful! You all must be careful!”

“Sheila Danau, you are a wonderful gem!”

In the end, Sheila’s premonition was right, and as expected, she attracted a lot of attention.

But little did she know that their eager gazes weren’t mingled with the hostility she had imagined.