LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 40
“Is it really okay to spend this much?”
“Hehe, don’t worry about it. I enjoyed a nice show too.”
My hands were loaded with shopping bags full of clothes.
It seemed like I had just bought three years’ worth of clothing all at once, regardless of the season.
“Besides, isn’t half of that just given to you by the shop owner?”
That was true, I guess.
– “It’s a waste for someone like you not to wear such clothes!”
With those words, she handed me an array of colorful clothing.
Of course, I tried them on.
I wondered if this was how the protagonist of an old dress-up flash game felt.
“I thought it would take about ten minutes.”
By the time I came to my senses, two hours had already flown by.
“That was exhausting…”
“Surprising, isn’t it? Don’t guys usually enjoy looking at clothes?”
Reina tilted her head.
“Well, I think as long as it’s not too flashy, I’m fine.”
“Interesting.”
What a world where it’s unusual for a guy not to like shopping for clothes.
I still couldn’t adapt to this world.
“Now that I think about it, you feel different from the typical guys.”
“Really?”
“How should I put this… You seem more feminine?”
“…Is that a compliment?”
“Hmm, that depends on how you take it. But…”
Reina chuckled, lightly tossing her hair.
In a cozy restaurant.
With gentle classical music and the sweet scent of wine.
She raised her glass and said,
“I don’t dislike that personality either.”
“……”
No, seriously.
Why is this person acting like this around me?
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“Do as you wish.”
As we exchanged casual chatter, our ordered food arrived.
Two medium-sized steaks, accompanied by bread and soup.
“Wow.”
The sizzling sound was quite appetizing.
“Dig in.”
“Well, then I won’t hold back…!”
I licked my lips and picked up the knife.
*
After investigating Ran so far.
He was more unusual than I expected.
“A guy but not very manly.”
In his speech and actions, I couldn’t see the typically delicate and timid traits of guys.
In some moments, I even felt he seemed more feminine than me.
“Interesting.”
Reina thought as she took a bite of her meat.
“Clearly, he’s a heavenly man with outstanding beauty.”
Being around him wasn’t uncomfortable; rather, it felt soothing.
Isn’t that what men are like?
The kind that sulks at the drop of a hat, taking half a day to get over it, filled with jealousy, exhausting to have around.
“Just like flowers with poison and thorns.”
Beautiful at first glance.
But to possess them, once you reach out, it becomes a torment to handle the poisonous flowers.
That was the reason why Reina wasn’t fond of men.
With younger siblings to care for and a goal to revive her family, she had no time or interest to spare on just one boy.
But Ran was different.
He wanted to give consideration rather than receive it, choosing to ease burdens instead of adding to them.
“More than a man…”
I felt like I had found a friend with whom I could connect emotionally.
Should I call it a friendship that transcends gender?
Having a man beside me without feeling tired was something new to me today.
“Hehe.”
Though it was a gathering arranged at the request of Count Karen,
I felt like I could become friends comfortably with someone like him.
“Eat up. The meat is perfectly cooked.”
Reina roughly speared her meat with a fork and brought it to her mouth.
In truth, in Northern culture, you normally tear off pieces stuck to the bone, but even she knew that wasn’t something you’d do in a restaurant.
“Yes, then…”
Ran picked up the outermost fork and knife.
“Thank you for the meal.”
He grabbed the meat with his fork, cutting pieces and putting them in his mouth.
“Mm!”
A happy smile spread across his face.
He tore the bread into small pieces, dipped it into the soup, trying to make as little noise as possible while chewing and swallowing.
“Wow…”
Reina watched him with curiosity.
“His table manners are perfect.”
He perfectly executed the table manners that only highborn children should know.
Most people, like her, understood but neglected to follow those rules for being troublesome.
“It’s delicious. Really.”
Ran was diligently adhering to the rules.
It seemed to be a habit ingrained in him.
“How?”
Ran wasn’t from a highborn family.
Nor was he a newly rich or local noble.
So how could he naturally exhibit such table manners?
“Suspicious…”
Just as a tiny suspicion was beginning to sprout.
“…Don’t just watch, Professor; you should eat too.”
Ran sulkily looked at me.
That was when I realized.
I had been staring at Ran this whole time.
“Sorry about that. I was zoning out for a bit.”
“Are you perhaps tipsy from the wine?”
“Ha, in the North, this level of alcohol is just like water.”
Reina awkwardly turned her gaze and took a sip of wine.
“I’ve been acting unlike myself.”
Without realizing it, I had been continuously watching Ran eat.
“But still…”
It wasn’t entirely baseless behavior.
How should I put it?
“The one who continued acting feminine…”
In reality, the way he ate was undeniably ‘manly’.
An inexplicable emotion surged within me.
The so-called ‘reverse charm’.
“Mm~! The heat control here is artistry!”
“I hear the chef here is from a volcanic region. Those folks are expert with fire.”
“No wonder. It’s the level I’d want to learn myself.”
“…You cook?”
“I’m not that great, though.”
Cooking.
Reina envisioned the scene of Ran cooking.
– “Thanks for your hard work today! It’s your favorite fried dish.”
The warm welcome she received when coming home, still in her apron…
“What the…!”
Thud!
Reina knocked her head on the table.
“P-P-Professor…?”
“Don’t mind me… It’s just a bug that landed and got squished.”
“Why would you do that with your head?”
She shook off the sneaky thoughts creeping into her mind.
‘What was I just thinking!?’
He was someone Count Karen was keeping an eye on and my student.
Furthermore, just earlier, I had thought of him as a good friend.
‘I still have a long way to go in mental training!’
Think about your family.
The name of Winter that burned that day!
The fate of your family, buried in the cold snowy field!
‘For the glory I’ll achieve again someday…’
Spending time on just a boy was irrational…
“Whoa, looks like there really was a bug.”
Ran brought a napkin after noticing a tiny blood spot on Reina’s forehead.
“Next time, just catch it with your hand. The table might break.”
His small hand gently touched her forehead.
As his upper body drew closer, their faces almost touched.
His black hair and eyes were like obsidian.
A pale complexion with slightly long eyelashes.
The sweet scent of (wine) wafted softly around.
Thump!
“Ah… ugh…”
For some reason, I felt blood rushing to my face.
Since earlier, it felt like my body was losing strength…
Thud!
She took Ran’s hand and snatched the napkin away.
“It’s fine. I can clean it…”
No matter how much she rubbed her forehead,
the warmth wouldn’t fade away.
*
After filling up at the restaurant.
At Reina’s suggestion, I ended up having a simple dessert.
“A cake?”
“It’s not very feminine, but I quite like it. You get to intake sugar and calories at once.”
“That’s quite a barren reason.”
We both took bites of chocolate cake and cream cake.
Amidst that, she suddenly asked,
“By the way, I saw you on the ‘Star Festival’ list. Along with Elma.”
Star Festival.
It’s one of the grand festivals held at the beginning of the semester.
The three words that symbolize Polaris.
Inheritance.
Development.
Awakening.
An event that can be said to symbolize ‘inheritance.’
“Elma-senpai seemed to have taken a liking to me and suggested that we partner up first.”
This festival has participation conditions.
The top five students from the third and fourth years must pair with one freshman each.
Thus, there are a total of ten teams.
In other words, 20 people who participate directly in the festival, while the rest are spectators.
“Elma is talented. She’s the student best suited for the top seat academically.”
Moreover, she’s the Vice Student Council President.
If Fernia weren’t the likely candidate for the next Emperor, Elma would probably be the one in charge of the council by now.
“Getting noticed by someone like her is impressive.”
“That’s all thanks to you, Professor.”
“Ahem…”
It was Reina who had requested me to pay her mind.
Thanks to her, I easily got to participate in the festival.
After finishing our dessert, I was finally able to part ways with Reina.
“Phew.”
Though the schedule took longer than expected, it wasn’t bad at all.
I got new clothes, ate good food.
Above all,
Hoo-whoo-whoo!
I had charged up with quite a bit of cool energy.
‘There are many places to use the property attributes of (qi).’
While being with Reina, I slowly began to gather energy.
“Very fulfilling.”
I couldn’t pinpoint an exact date.
But I felt it in my gut.
‘Soon.’
The upcoming inevitable event, ‘Twist.’
To win the rewards of the ‘Star Festival.’
“I feel like I’ve been used. Sorry, Professor.”
I can’t spend a single day meaninglessly.
Kekek.
I chuckled softly and gathered the snow and ice that had blossomed on my hand.