CH 109

Chapter 109 – Senior and Junior

“Well done, Springfield! Now everyone has passed the first round!”

I heard Ryan’s excited voice as I returned to the waiting room.

“To see you two, who I have trained with for all of this time, fight so hard like that! I couldn’t be any happier! A brilliant fight. I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you…!”

My eyes shone at the great praise.

“You are too close to Noelle. Please step away.”

Luke said as he moved between us.

He really did try to protect me at all times.

And while he could be a little too protective, I couldn’t say that I disliked it either.

It warmed my heart to see how much he cared about me.

However, in the next instant, my mind was filled with other thoughts, as another person stepped into view.

The person whose approval I wanted more than anyone else in the world.

The person I aspired to be like, Ms. Leticia!

“Ms. Leticia, I won! I won the battle!”

I rushed to her and reported the news.

As she was usually so busy, it was rare for me to have a good reason to talk to her like this.

And so I had to make the most of it.

“It was a very good match. You did well.”

She was so dashing.

And beautiful.

I bet that everyone wanted to talk to Ms. Leticia as well.

However, I would not step back now.

This was my chance to get to know her better…!

“Ah! Do you have any suggestions for the next match? I want to hear your advice for strategies, Ms. Leticia.”

“You do? Well, if that is what you want, Ms. Noelle.”

“Yes, please! Let us go over there and discuss it!”

So saying, I pulled Ms. Leticia away from the others.

Hehe. now I would be able to talk to her alone.

It was a perfect plan, created by the brain of a genius.

In fact, I was quite sure that Luke and Ryan were both feeling rather dumbfounded, ‘We’ve been had…! I wanted to talk to her too…!’

Ah, the scent of a mature woman.

I thought as I took in the sweet smell of citrus and led her away by the hand.

◇　　◇　　◇

“Oh? So she is already thinking about the next match. I suppose I should expect nothing less from Springfield. She takes all of this so seriously.”

Ryan Archbullet sounded very impressed.

(No, her intentions are not nearly so commendable.)

Luke thought.

After all, he had seen the smug expression she had given him for a brief moment.

‘I won…! I’ll have her all to myself now!’ That was what she would be thinking.

He really didn’t understand why she always acted in such strange ways.

Well, he didn’t mind, because she appeared to be having fun.

If anything, he could just watch her like this forever.

“Hey, Waldstein. Why don’t we also sit down and have a chat about our ambitions?”

“No thank you.”

“Now, don’t be so modest, my good friend. I want to know all about these burning passions within your chest.”

“I don’t have anything like that.”

“Don’t worry. I understand. Captain Gawain had told me everything. And as your friend, I accept all of it. Even if you chose someone as your buddy, just because you had feelings for them since your student days…”

“I’m going to punch him when I get back.”

Luke decided firmly.

◇　　◇　　◇

‘Yes, please! Let us go over there and discuss it!’

Leticia looked at Noelle with a little surprise as she was pulled away by the hand.

Noelle had taken to her to a puzzling degree ever since she joined the order.

Noelle would approach her, confide and rely on her.

Leticia was not very used to this kind of thing.

‘I’m sorry, I know you are very busy. From now on, I will try to not be a burden.’

Leticia had always had abilities that were far above the average. And so many did not find her approachable at all.

Indeed, she was well-liked and had more respect and admiration than she could hope for.

However, there was also a gap between her and others. An invisible wall.

It was sometimes lonely, for your ability to cause others to be so modest and formal around you.

That was what it was like.

That being said, Leticia was no child. And it was not the kind of problem that she would agonize over, or give much thought.

She could not control the way that others perceived her. And she would only tire herself if she dwelt on it.

Life didn’t always go as you hoped it would, and surely everyone else also lived their days while feeling degrees of loneliness.

I am just not the kind of person that people become close friends with.

That is what she thought.

‘Ms. Leticia! There were some delicious-looking crepes being sold outside, so I got some!’

The cute newcomer kept approaching her to an odd degree.

(I almost feel a little bad for him.)

Leticia chuckled when she remembered the expression on Luke’s face as they left.

(However, this is not bad, either.)