CH 35

By Antoinette Vanessa March 27, 2022

—18 days remaining.

During a rainy day—

“—Lelouche Elcage! I’m here to propose to you again—”

—17 days remaining.

Even on a day where the wind was strong.

“—Lelouche Elcage, at the very least, listen to my explanation—”

—16 days remaining.

Of course, even during a sunny day filled with beautiful autumn leaves.

“Lady Lelouche Elcage, this humble man beseeches you to listen to his story!”

—15 days remaining.

“—Don’t abandon me!!!”

That day, too, I passed by His Highness Sazanjill and went with Lumiere to the classroom.

“Elcage, I want to talk to you for a moment, is that okay?”

“What is it?”

The teacher in charge called out to me. After glancing at Lumiere, I left for the staff room. Then, I was shown something.

“Lelouche, did you really receive a bad score?”

“…Yes, on two subjects, as well. I was surprised.”

During lunch break, I had a conversation with His Highness Zafield when I was about to ask for sword practice. As soon as we were alone in the corner of the usual academy grounds, His Highness leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

“Well, rather than that, please train me today as well. Last time, it was about how to anticipate a blow to the abdomen, right?”

“No, no, we can’t have that. You have to study.”

“It’s not necessary.”

I answered immediately while swinging my sword.

Whether it was a bad score or failure, it wouldn’t matter. I’d die in a dozen days. My parents would be surprised, of course. But after the loss of their daughter, I didn’t think my bad grades would matter. To delay the teacher from reporting that to my parents, I shall bribe her for the next dozen or so days.

Practicing swordsmanship was much more important than any of that. It was physical preparation. Although to be honest, I still didn’t have much insight about the assassination of His Highness Sazanjill.

“By the way, Your Highness Zafield, are you planning to assassinate His Highness Sazanjill?’

“What? Why would you casually ask me that?”

“Well, will you seriously answer?”

I tilted my head, and His Highness Zafield smiled in response.

“I don’t see any reason to kill such a miserable brother. He is already doing it to himself, every morning.”

“Miserable… it is?”

“In that regard, I’m very grateful to Lelouche. I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning.”

“Well, as long as I can help.”

Truly, for the time being, it seemed unconceivable that His Highness Sazanjill would be targeted by an assassin.

If such was the case, then I didn’t have to master swordsmanship anymore.

“—Still, it’s unpleasant to quit in the middle of something you’ve started. Therefore, please continue!”

“No, I told you to study!?”

Oh dear, I almost forgotten the original topic.

His Highness Zafield was also stubborn, wasn’t he?

Then, with a tone as if admonishing a child, His Highness asked me;

“…So? Why did you end up with such a low score? I know you were in bed due to a cold just recently, but you seem to be unexpectedly fine?”

“Although my score is considered below average, the standard in our class is over 80%. While the exam questions are the same, it’s quite unfortunate that the standard score of each class is different.”

“That’s right—no, I won’t be fooled! It’s unheard of for an ‘Un’ class person to have such a bad mark!?”

…Eeh.

Certainly, I always tried to stay on top. It might seem natural, but that was also the result of studying hard while no one else was looking? The etiquette and history I learned from the queen’s education were different from the academics taught by the academy, such as arithmetic and business administration. As such, I also had to put in effort to cover the latter.

However, for the last 100 days, I had put my efforts elsewhere. Not to mention, I was absent for a week. Even though I went to class, it was difficult to say that I was concentrating. I also hadn’t done any self-studying—

—it is what it is…

Although I had invested a proper amount of time into my studies, the regular test was held immediately upon my return. On that same day, His Highness Sazanjill had also started proposing to me.

…Did he do well in his exam?

“How were His Highness Sazanjill’s scores?”

“…Who knows? But since it’s my older brother, I don’t think he will be lackluster about it. ‘If my scores are bad, I won’t be able to face Lelouche!’ That kind of scream kept echoing around midnight.”

I felt sorry to everyone who worked in the mansion. It must had been terrible.

Well, it couldn’t be helped that I didn’t pass. I didn’t have any choice but to do what I should do!

“Then, let’s start training with confidence!”

“No, as I keep saying, Lelouche should study!?”

…I felt very reluctant. That day’s lunch break ended after I was told to study.

“That, is it true that Lady Lelouche has to try again?”

After school that day, as soon as I went to the empty classroom to educate Lumiere, she asked me that.

It seemed that the rumors, ‘The villainess, Lelouche Elcage, who has His Highness begging on his knees, received bad scores?!’ were well known to Lumiere’s ‘Trois’ class.

…Oh, my, since whenever did I become a villainess?

When I heard that, I couldn’t help but feel curious. After all, it was quite a transition from the merciful fiancée. However, Lumiere didn’t concern herself with that.

“Mayhap… you spent too much time on me, forsaking your own studies—”

“Oh, my. Lumiere, are you calling me stupid?”

“No, of course not!?”

She rushed to deny it.

But, like I said, I was stupid.

For the first time in my life, I had to a supplementary lecture for the additional exam. Moreover, it seemed that I’d have to skip the make-up class. Somehow, recently, my duty as an aristocrat felt irrelevant. Was that because I had only a little bit of time left?

Anyway, it wasn’t Lumiere’s fault. I did everything myself.

When I was thinking of a way to convey it to Lumiere who was half-crying.

“It’s my time to shine!”

“Goodbye, because no one has called you.”

I would have liked for the person who had burst through the open door to leave immediately. But unfortunately, that person was His Highness Sazanjill. There was no reason for a prince to unconditionally comply to a request of a duke’s daughter.

“I refuse! It’s time for a senior like me, who has maintained top grades for majority of his three years in school, to be useful?!”

“…Is that so? Rather, isn’t your perfect track record useless against bad grades and additional exams?”

“I won’t be turned down! I’ve already readied my equipment!”

His Highness presented a lot of notes with both his hands. But while responding appropriately, I turned to Lumiere, “Did you call him?” She nodded.

How utterly unnecessary…

What was more, she also didn’t listen to me.

“For the time being, don’t concern yourself with my problems. Please make up your score quickly.”

“You aren’t planning on skipping, are you?”

“No way. I was able to reach the top of my class on my own this time as well. Next year, I will be in the same class as Lady Lelouche!”

Promotions of class were reviewed with consideration to the results and performance of the past year. The contents of the exams were the same for all classes. Not only did Lumiere managed to become the top of the ‘Trois’ class, her scores seemed to have exceeded that of ‘Deux’ and the average score of ‘Un’, as well. In other words, she had scored better than me.

Even though until recently, she was at the bottom of the ‘Trois’ class. While I had a cold, she must had been doing her best.

“I want to be Lady Lelouche’s friend!”

I smiled bitterly at the former thief cat who bashfully said that.

“Aren’t we, already?”

“Eh?”

It couldn’t be helped. I bowed to His Highness.

“Please tutor me.”

As my student went so far to say that much, I couldn’t avoid showing her a disgraceful sight at the end.

Also, even though I only said one sentence, she was already making such a fuss. As I thought, she still had a long way to go before she could become a proper lady. I had to help her improve as much as possible. At the same time, there were still many things I wanted to teach her.

In the end, we’d naturally end up getting to know each other, right?

***T/N: …Lol, now I can feel the sincerity of Lumiere. Which makes it feel even sadder.