CH 36

Unkind Words (6)

“Miss Pierre? I hope this doesn’t happen in the future, since I consider you a good student. Do you understand?”

“…….”

“Answer me.”

“……Yes, professor.”

After being scolded for nearly an hour, I was released from the professor’s office. That wasn’t all. The professor ordered me to write an essay about 50 reasons why I should not use magic. In addition, I was asked to come to school during weekdays for volunteer work. The price to pay for using magic to prevent the tension between Leto and his mother was too great.

I came out limping while looking at the paper in my hand. I sighed deeply at the thought of what to fill in this large blank space. Not to mention there’s a study session tonight, now a reflection essay……

‘I won’t be able to sleep.’

Completely exhausted as I headed back to the dormitory, I found a figure standing oddly in front of the dormitory. He looked at the floor blankly with his arms crossed, then raised his head at my presence.

I forgot. There was also someone else who had caught me using magic apart from the professor…it was Leto. My body stiffened up. My heart also sank. I wanted to escape this situation immediately.

“Oh, I think I left something behind? Haha.”

I smiled awkwardly and turned around. As I was about to return to the main building, I felt Leto approaching me. My heartbeat rose. I already had a hard time relieving the tense relationship with Leto today, so I didn’t want to be this awkward again.

After running away for a while, I would show up the moment Leto’s anger calms down.

“Briseis Pierre.”

He called out my full name. I didn’t realise the name I heard from the professor an hour ago would sound so terrifying. I gulped my saliva and plucked my courage to turn around. Leto’s face, which was smiling brightly, appeared.

A smile. The infamous Leto was smiling so brightly. I’d rather him be angry……

“Aren’t there a lot of flowers flowing today? The birds are noisy, too.”

“Yes, today especially.”

I was taken aback by Leto’s words. I was thinking about whether I should just run away at this point, but Leto quickly grabbed me by the wrist.

Oh, it’s too late to run away.

“Don’t run away.”

While I was contemplating what to do, Leto, who had a smile on his face, paused before speaking. It wasn’t an angry tone.

Instead, it was a more friendly and cheerful tone than usual. Puzzled, I dropped the paper in my hand without realising. The paper began to fall to the floor slowly, but I couldn’t reach my hand out. Before it fell to the floor, Leto grabbed the paper and held it out to me.

“Are you going to the main building?”

The red sun was setting down. The sounds of chirping sparrows, which was not inflicted by magic, were heard sharply. The shadows of Leto and I grew longer and farther away. His black eyes stared at me clearly. He seemed like he had a lot to say.

“……No.”

I finally answered. Then, Leto smiled slightly and dragged my wrist.

“Let’s go back to the dorm.”

Leto’s words made me sober. I had decided to run away just now, but suddenly I was following Leto back to the dormitory. As I passed through the front door, I could feel the students’ gaze. It must have felt unbelievable that the honourable and high-ranking Duchess of Arsene had visited in person.

Everyone once again recognised that Leto was the child of the Arsene family and looked at him with curious eyes.

“Oh my, has Madam Arsene left?”

It appears to be the same for the head warden. She suddenly approached us and fixed her glasses.

“Yes.”

“I had wanted to serve her some tea.”

“My mother won’t come again unless my grades drop.”

Leto smiled bitterly and walked passed the head warden. Leto and I went up to our dorm and opened the door. As soon as he entered the quiet dorm room, he sat down on the bed and seemed relieved.

I was the same. I headed back to my bed, a little afraid of what Leto had to say to me.

“I’m going to improve my grades. That means I won’t be able to hang out with you like I do now.”

That was all Leto said. I replayed his foolish words again.

“My mother reacts sensitively whenever my grades drop even in the slightest. I’m sure you know that. Since you saw it.”

“……I hope you don’t overdo it.”

When Leto didn’t respond when I said that, I thought he was getting angry. But soon after, Leto’s laughter crept through his lips. When I looked up, he had a comical face that was holding back his laughter.

“Is that why you used magic?”

“……Aren’t you angry?”

“What? Hahaha!”

When I asked carefully, Leto shook his head and laughed again. What was so funny? It was my first time seeing Leto laugh out loud like that. At first, I was frightened of Leto, who was laughing carefreely, but before I knew it, I began to laugh along with him. 

“I’ve never seen my mother so embarrassed. Swallowing the petals like that.”

“……Really?”

If Leto is laughing, that it was fine. Leto wiped his tears from laughing endlessly before taking a break. He smiled softly again and looked at me before whispering.

“But I still have to improve my grades. Otherwise, I will disappoint my mother.”

The smile on Leto’s face slowly faded.

“So I tried to get away from you.”

“…Oh, then what about this?”

Leto looked at me.

“What?”

“You should join the Lexley Study group with me.”

I thought it was a good idea. I bragged about Senior Jimbo, who never missed first place every time. I also mentioned that my grades had improved. I even emphasised several times that it was a miracle. The more I did, the more Leto’s expression didn’t look good for some reason.

“What’s the matter?”

When I asked worriedly, Leto pursed his lips slightly.

“I don’t like that senior.”

He said frankly. It was about Senior Jimbo.

“Why?”

“Just because.”

“He’s a good senior.”

“…I just don’t like him.”

He had pride, so he didn’t like to be taught by anyone. I tried persuading Leto several times but to no avail. He broke my persistence every time, saying that he was more comfortable studying alone. Tired of persuading Leto, I laid on the bed.

“Oh well. We’ve got some new people joining anyway.”

“……Wasn’t it just you and that Nimbo guy?”

“No, two more people joined.”

Leto showed interest in my words.

“Who?”

“Vivian and…”

Leto was startled.

“A girl named Bona.”

“……So Vivian and a girl? And on top of that, Nimbo.”

“It’s Jimbo.”

“……I’ll join.”

I was puzzled by Leto’s words. What did I just hear?

“Huh?”

“I’ll join. Who do I submit the application to?”

Leto’s expression doesn’t seem to be joking. He looked more serious and grim than before. What made him suddenly change his mind? Until now, when I persuaded him, he was as unmovable as a rock, so what changed his mind…

“Great. You won’t change your mind, right?”

Leto nodded before changing the subject. It was soon time for the study group anyway.

I invited Leto to the study group, and fortunately, he nodded.

＊  ＊  ＊

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Senior Jimbo stared at Leto with an annoyed expression. It was the same with Leto. What on earth had happened between those two before? They didn’t seem to get along very well.

Currently, the time was 8 o’clock at night. I went into the study room upstairs in the library and tried to introduce Leto to Senior Jimbo, who was sitting alone. At the time, I found Senior Jimbo lying down, asleep. He slowly woke up at the sound of my presence.

Then I made eye contact with Leto, and that was the situation right now. The atmosphere became cold.

“Who’s this?”

When Senior Jimbo opened his mouth first, Leto frowned more blatantly.

“This is my friend. You’ve heard of her, Leah Arsene…She wanted to join the study group.”

“Haaa.”

Senior scratched his head and sighed deeply.

The long sigh made Leto’s expression even harsher, and I stamped my feet unconsciously.

“Here.”

Senior held out a piece of paper to Leto.

“What’s this?”

“Of course an application form, what else?”

The two glared at each other. Leto snatched the paper and wrote his name on the blank space without hesitation. When a thumping sound was heard clearly, the door opened again.

Vivian and Bona came in together, probably because they met at the entrance.

“Huh?”

Among them, it was Vivian who recognised Leto. Bona also stared at Leto as if she was wary of the new stranger.

“You guys made up.”

Vivian came up to me and said cautiously.

When I nodded, he said ‘that’s great’ and sat down. In the meantime, Leto, who completed filling up the application form, handed the paper to Senior Jimbo. When I glanced at it, it felt rather cumbersome to fill out the application form, but his answer was short and was written in a nonchalant handwriting.

Fortunately, Senior Jimbo turned a blind eye to it.

“This is the maximum number of people. Don’t bring any more friends, because as a mentor, I will get tired and faint.”

Senior Jimbo said and looked at me silently.

“Now, briefly introduce yourself.”

When Senior Jimbo beckoned to Leto, Leto opened his mouth with a look as if he was forced to do such a thing.

“My name is Leah Arsene. Class E.”

“Arsene, as in the Duke of Arsene?”

It was none other than Bona who responded to Leto’s introduction. When she asked with a very surprised expression, Leto nodded his head.

“I only heard it as a rumour, but it’s actually true.”

“…….”

“Okay, let’s be friends, Leah.”

She smiled for the first time and reached out to Leto. It was completely different from what she had done to me and Vivian.

“No.”

But Leto refused.

“What?”

“Why do I have to be friends with you?”

“Wow, you have a bad temper, huh?”

……Leto has already made another enemy. Bona instantly glared at him, not only for getting rejected but also because she disliked Leto’s personality.

“I came here purely to study, so no one better disturb me.”

Leto added, as if he was pouring more fuel.

“What a jerk.”

“Right, I agree.”

Senior Jimbo responded to Bona’s words. Will we be alright in this study group?

I was very worried.