noveltune Chapter 77
Chapter 77
As expected, there was definitely something different about a rich girl.
I never thought there would come a day when I’d ride a limousine to school...
I felt a bit pressured, and since there was a portal right near Astra’s mansion, I was thinking of saying I would just walk, but Sylvia asked, “You don’t want to go to school with me?” So I ended up getting in without a fuss.
How could I refuse when she asked with such a pitiful expression...?
For that reason, as Sylvia and I entered the classroom, all the kids’ gazes suddenly focused on us.
Flustered by the onslaught of attention, I froze for a moment until Mei quickly approached and asked.
“Scarlet! I heard you were sick all day. So sick you couldn’t even contact the school; are you okay now?”
“Ah, um... I’m fine now.”
I immediately realized the reason and answered.
After being kidnapped and rescued, when I came to my senses, my phone was overflowing with missed calls and texts from the school and Mei.
They were asking why I hadn’t shown up and if something had happened to me, so I had to cover by saying I was sick.
I really couldn’t say that I was a created experiment related to a witch and that I had been temporarily kidnapped because of that.
Anyway, it seemed I had worried them for quite some time.
“Waaah... Scarlet, did you suffer a lot? Is it... is it from the aftereffects of the prosthetic arm surgery?”
Jessie, who had followed Mei, clung to me with a teary face.
“It’s not that, so don’t worry. I just suddenly felt a bit unwell, that’s all.”
“Well, that’s a relief, but... either way, don’t overdo it for a while. I’m worried you might faint suddenly...”
As I patted her head to calm her down, she seemed to relax a bit, but maybe because I had been late before, my image had turned into that of a fragile child.
Thinking about it, being terminally ill might fit with being weak, huh?
... It’s not like I’m a heroine from a tear-jerking story, so what’s the meaning of having terminally ill traits as someone like me?
Anyway, in agreement with Jessie’s words, other kids looking our way shouted similar things.
“Yeah, don’t get sick, okay? Everyone is worried about you!”
“Um, if there’s anything tough, just say it, we’ll help you.”
Daniel and André’s voices stood out particularly loudly.
As I became shy from all these concerned words, I waved my hand a bit and sat down. Yoon Si-woo, who had been looking at me from his spot, casually greeted me.
“... Did you have a good weekend?”
“Yeah, it was alright.”
As I answered casually, Sylvia, who followed me and took her seat, shot a sideways glance at Yoon Si-woo.
As Sylvia glared at Yoon Si-woo, she leaned closer to his seat and seemed to quietly whisper something to him.
Oh... Honestly, I thought there hadn’t been much progress between them, but it looks like they had gotten quite closer without me realizing.
Isn’t it a kind of privilege to be able to watch the original protagonist and heroine from a good spot?
In my mind, I imagined munching on popcorn, eagerly waiting for a situation where they would both blush, and soon enough, I saw Sylvia beginning to turn red.
However, it felt a bit different from what I had expected.
No matter how I looked at her, she seemed angry...
Still, usually, the protagonist and heroine argue and bicker a bit before they get closer, so I decided to stay quiet.
*
“... Yoon Si-woo, now that you’ve done that, you’ll take responsibility, right?”
Yoon Si-woo, who had greeted Scarlet in class, suddenly came over and answered Sylvia, who was asking in a small voice.
“Responsibility? What are you talking about?”
“The thing that happened with Scarlet yesterday. I have a rough idea, so don’t pretend and answer clearly.”
With a stiff expression, he tried to remain calm while recalling what Scarlet had said before they parted yesterday.
“The fact that I asked you for that favor is a secret from others, especially Sylvia. If she finds out that I asked you such a thing, she will surely get sad. Got it?”
But Yoon Si-woo had no choice but to feign ignorance in response to Sylvia’s probing.@@@@
“... I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“Ugh...! Are you going to pretend you don’t know after doing such a thing?”
“Eek.”
Like a personal trainer, Eve insisted on “one more round” and conjured an illusion of 18 monsters in front of me.
After that, I was thrown into a chaotic fight against 18 monsters.
18.
*
Though we had quite a bit of rest before lunch after training, my body felt completely drained, and my head felt foggy.
It was like I just finished a march...
It didn’t seem like I was the only one rolling about today; most of the kids eating looked exhausted.
Sylvia, who was pretending to be fine, was trembling as she held her spoon.
Maybe because of the fatigue, she probably craved something sweet.
When I subtly offered her a macaron, Sylvia flinched and looked at it, asking.
“... Um, Scarlet, you mentioned that you give macarons to friends, right? But if you don’t consider me a friend, what’s the reason for giving me this now?”
She touched on a sensitive area...
If I were to put it simply, the relationship between Sylvia and me was extremely close to that of friends, but since I had turned her down, it had created a complex situation.
If I said I wanted to be her friend, she would definitely say yes at any time.
Yet, because of the accumulated guilt and anxiety about the future, I hesitated.
Still, I thought, maybe in time, it would be alright to be friends with her, and I wanted to cherish our relationship.
And so, I whispered,
“Because I like you, Sylvia...”
“... Huh? W-What?”
Sylvia let out a strange sound and her face turned bright red.
Seeing that, I stood there dazed for a moment before I snapped back to reality.
... Oh my, what did I just say?
It seemed I had muttered what I was thinking without realizing it.
To like someone only meant that I liked the kindness they showed me.
It wasn’t a lie.
Still, there is a certain nuance to it, right?
Watching Sylvia’s face turn red from what I said made me feel shy, and I quickly finished my meal and got up.
I had business with someone else anyway.
I approached the one who seemed to be eating as if unaffected by the training.
Yoon Si-woo, looking at me like, “Why are you here?” while chewing, slightly blushed when I presented him with a macaron.
“... Is this for me?”
“Yeah, it’s a thank you for saving me and for fulfilling my request.”
“... You made it for me, right?”
When Yoon Si-woo asked again, I nodded.
It felt wrong to ask for something for free, and this macaron was one I had made together with those for Sylvia.
Seeing me nod, Yoon Si-woo picked up the macaron with a somewhat moved expression and said,
“... Thank you.”
I didn’t expect him to be so happy for a simple cookie; did he really like macarons that much?
“... Well, I might occasionally make you some.”
Seeing his overly cheerful reaction made me a bit awkward, and Yoon Si-woo smiled widely and nodded.
Don’t smile like that, or you’ll make me fond of you.
And when I turned around, for some reason, Sylvia was glaring at Yoon Si-woo with an unpleasant look.
Was she feeling possessive, thinking I was giving my macarons to someone else?
I began to ponder whether I should make a few more to give to Sylvia starting tomorrow.