Chapter 76

〈Chapter 76〉 Conclusion (4)

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#10

"Are you free today? No plans, right? Right?"

"Senior, I... I already told you before that such actions make me uncomfortable..."

"Oh, so you do have plans?"

"No... I don't have any plans."

"Then it's settled! Let's go eat together!"

"......"

I couldn't come up with any other excuse to run away.

Senior Raylin, as usual, grabbed my arm and led me towards the cafeteria. I thought she would back off if I just gave her a tired expression, but that was a vain hope.

Whether others noticed or not, I ended up being dragged along and eventually found myself sitting at a table by the window in the dormitory cafeteria.

"Eating with a junior is so difficult. Getting close is also hard. Didn't your professor, Tyler, cancel the faculty-student get-together? Was it Professor Tyler?"

"Um, yeah..."

"I don't understand his thinking. This school is already small. Seniors like me need to get to know you and help you out, like buying you meals. Oh, I mean eating out, not just the cafeteria. Sometimes the menu here gets boring, you know."

"Ah, I see..."

"You know, Tyler Lebeguin. He was a famous professor when I was a freshman and sophomore."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They called him a lazy genius. Every time he developed a potion through alchemy, it was almost revolutionary. I bet Professor Tyler was the first to create a potion that was closest to the legendary Elixir, right?"

"...The Elixir?"

As Raylin said this while absentmindedly piling food onto her plate, I couldn't help but be slightly surprised.

The Elixir. A magical drink that can reattach severed limbs just by taking a sip.

"Yeah. If a dead person drinks it, they come back to life with a 'Wow!'"

"You mean he made it?"

"Of course, it was a weaker version. It couldn't bring back the dead, but drinking a whole bottle gave an effect similar to the blessing that only the highest-ranking priests can perform once a year."

That's quite something. Even a severed head could be reattached, assuming it was freshly cut. Of course, it would become ineffective after a certain time.

"However, the ingredients required were so rare that he couldn't make it again after the first time. But the recipe from when he made it must still exist, right? People were offering bank guarantees worth the treasury of a minor duchy just to get it... Anyway, he's a remarkable person. Though, I'm not sure if being a professor suits him. Hehe."

I recalled Tyler's usual appearance, always walking hunched over with a pale, sickly look. What is alchemy, anyway? What could it be that turns such a genius into someone who looks like a drug addict...

"Anyway, I'm really disappointed that I can't see the faces of the juniors properly. The new students are all beautiful, handsome, and cute... Just looking at you, Edgio, I can tell. How can you look so good? It's like a god-given body, right?"

While Raylin chattered away like a sparrow, I nodded mindlessly and piled food onto my plate. Before I knew it, Raylin and I were sitting across from each other at a table by the window on the first floor of the cafeteria. I was so out of it that I didn't even know if the food was going into my mouth or my nose.

"Eat more, a lot more. You need to eat a lot to maintain that body, right? And you must do a lot of exercise."

Then she placed two large, juicy steaks on my plate.

I'm sorry, but I can't eat that much. It's not that I don't eat a lot; I do need to replenish what I consume. But today, I don't think I need to eat this much...

"I'll just eat one. One."

"Eh, is that enough?"

"I'll definitely leave the other one. And I don't think I can eat much today."

"...Huh? Why? Are you not feeling well?"

Raylin blinked and asked me.

She finally noticed my expression and said, "Oh... Your complexion isn't good. Are you in pain...?"

"I'm not in pain, just a bit tired. I had a group project meeting this morning."

"Oh, I see... I'm sorry. I was so excited to finally have a meal with a junior I like..."

Raylin's face fell. The quick movements of her knife slicing the meat suddenly slowed down. She pursed her lips and picked up her fork with a frown.

She picked up a piece of the well-cut steak and slowly put it into her small mouth. The sauce dripped onto the plate. I watched her and said,

"You'll get it on your clothes."

"Huh?"

"The sauce will get on your cardigan. Take off your outerwear before eating."

"Oh..."

A pink cardigan with a wide enough sleeve to cover her entire hand when she extended her arm. I tapped her wrist and she nodded, folding the sleeves of her cardigan a few times. Her surprisingly thin and pale wrist was revealed. It looked so delicate that it could break if I made a ring with my index and thumb and squeezed it hard.

"You already got it on your clothes."

"Really?"

"Yes. Here's a tissue."

I saw a bit of sauce on the bottom of the cardigan before she folded it. It was an accident caused by the sauce on the plate.

By the way, Raylin must have been raised as a noble lady. She probably wasn't taught to spill food. She might have been too excited, as I mentioned earlier.

"Ah, ahaha. I'm so embarrassed. Getting such a comment from a junior... I don't have any authority as a senior, do I?"

"You can spill food, you know."

"R-Really...? Thanks for the tissue, anyway."

Raylin wiped the stained area. Of course, the stain didn't come off completely. If she knew any laundry-related magic, it would be easy to fix. Raylin, who had been rubbing the stain with the tissue, suddenly frowned.

"It's a favorite of mine... Hiiii..."

She even mumbled. I asked,

"A favorite of yours?"

"Yeah. I made it myself..."

"Really? You made it?"

What? It's handmade?

"Yeah... I made it during the last winter break. ...Why, is it strange? I thought I did a good job... Maybe it doesn't look good to you. Yeah. Don't look at it too closely, okay?"

At first glance, the wool fabric, sewing, cutting, and finishing were all of a quality that surpassed high-end products sold in stores. I thought it was an expensive piece. But to find out it was handmade was quite surprising, and I genuinely admired it.

"Senior, that's impressive."

"Really?"

"Very impressive. I didn't know until you told me. It's not a formal noble outfit, but it doesn't look any less luxurious. It's a masterpiece. If it's handmade, it's even more valuable than a commercial masterpiece."

"Masterpiece? That's ridiculous. It's just..."

Raylin waved her hands in embarrassment.

I, on the other hand, slowly nodded.

"Of course, I'm not an expert on clothes, but if it looks like a masterpiece to me, a regular person, it must be quite something. I can't see any flaws, which is impressive."

"..."

"Fashion Club president, huh? You really deserve the title. Your design and production skills are great, and you seem very passionate... I wonder why new members ran away. They must have been interested to apply, but to leave after seeing such a talented senior... It's quite surprising."

"..."

"Ah, that doesn't mean I'm joining the Fashion Club. That's a different story, right?"

"Yeah... I know, but junior..."

Raylin's eyes were red.

"Junior... I'm going to cry..."

"No, I didn't mean for you to cry. I just genuinely admire you. I have a tendency to respect the endless efforts and talents of others."

"Yeah... Yeah... I understand, our junior is a good person."

Raylin wiped her eyes with her fingertips.

Was she moved by my sudden praise? But I really meant it.

Considering the crisis the club was in, as Raylin mentioned earlier, and the small size of the school, having only three members, including Raylin, seemed a bit concerning. She didn't seem like a bad senior, and I hoped things would work out for her.

"Actually, you're the only one who has ever praised my clothes, but you're the only one who made me cry with such praise. I'm incredibly happy. There's a lot of story behind making this, and it feels like you understand me. This is really the first time..."

No, to that extent?

How sincere must the praise have been to make her react like this?

"Junior, I'm really serious."

"Yes."

"Would you consider joining the Fashion Club? I'm sure now. I need you. No, maybe you don't have to join the club. Even without the club, with you, I feel like I can achieve my dreams. I have a feeling. I want to be closer to you. Is that okay?"

Her eyes were filled with a desperate longing, a strong desire that was clearly conveyed. It was a somewhat burdensome expression from my perspective.

Raylin leaned forward and grabbed my hand, which was on the table. No, we're in a public place, a cafeteria. Excuse me? Everyone can see. There's Gabriel over there, too. Oh, he's really there.

"Are you just suggesting we become friends?"

I gently pulled my hand away from Raylin's. She looked disappointed and soon nodded slightly.

"If you're okay with it, we can hang out sometimes. We can eat together. I'm not sure if we can become close friends, but we can play with the club members in the club room. You can try on the clothes I make. You don't have to do anything. I'll take care of everything."

"Senior, it's not that I don't like it."

"Yeah, yeah..."

"I can't spend that much time together. I'm quite busy. I can't make time outside of studying and training. That's why I couldn't really be interested in the club activities, not just your club..."

"You're really diligent, aren't you...?"

"Anyway, that's my stance. I'm really sorry, but I can't join the club... If you can help me with school life, I would appreciate it."

"Except for studying."

"Yes, except for studying."

You must have really tried hard...

"To be honest, we haven't seen each other many times. We'll see each other more often, so we'll become friends. Let's be comfortable with each other. I'm not sure if it's appropriate to say this to a senior, but I think you'll be more comfortable with this."

"Yeah, I think so too. I like you more and more, junior. If it's okay, would you like to date me?"

"Really?"

"Just kidding. I saw your serious face. Hehe."

What a serious joke.

Raylin nodded with a smile.

Then, she fumbled in her uniform pocket and handed me something.

"Then, take this, junior."

"What is this?"

"The key card for our club room."

"Really?"

Why are you giving it to me?

"There's a club room in the student council building. You can go in whenever you want, rest, eat anything from the fridge, or even sleep. Just think of it as your home. You don't have to join the club, so just take it. I'll tell the members. Don't worry, everyone has their own key card."

"No, it's okay..."

"Take it, junior. You don't have to come. I prepared it thinking I would have one new member this year, but it seems like you're the only one. I don't see any other suitable new members. If you don't take it, it will just be thrown away, so it's better to take it. Here, put it in your pocket. Put it in."

"Ah, ah..."

Raylin forcefully put the key card in my uniform pocket and sighed in relief, smiling.

"Junior, I usually go in there when I have nothing to do, mostly after dinner at night."

"Really?"

"Just, that's it."

She smiled with her chin resting on her hand.

I decided to just accept it. In other words, I decided not to think about it.

"Junior, are we friends now?"

"Um, I guess?"

Should I call a close senior a friend?

No, we're not really that close yet.

"Hey, guys!"

Raylin, taking the initiative, suddenly called out to a group of girls passing by our table. One of them, with short hair, turned her head.

"What, you traitor who abandoned us?"

"Sorry, guys! But I just made a new friend! A new freshman! A really cool junior!"

"Really?"

"I know her. Isn't she the one who... this year..."

"Are you eating now? Come over, she's really nice and cool. Let's eat together. I'll introduce you to Edgio. Of course, you can't be closer to her than me."

No.

Why are you doing this to me?

I thought about just getting up, but before I could, three senior girls sat down at our table. The short-haired senior then spoke to me.

"Hi, junior. What's your name?"

"Edgio Kranil."

"Shut up, you. I know, too."

"Hi, seniors..."

"Hey, Raylin. Your friend looks uncomfortable. Is this okay? Introduce us quickly. If you mess up our ages like last time, I'll really kill you."

"Your hair is natural? That's rare. It's so soft."

Ah.

I feel uncomfortable...

I'm not used to such situations...

Looking around, hoping someone would save me, I saw Gabriel smiling at me from a short distance away, eating with Aldrie. I turned my head. Just now, he was holding his fork upside down, I think.

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