Chapter 105 – Whirlpool of Affection
I stared blankly at the ceiling.
There is no particular reason for the action. There wasn’t a single bug on the ceiling, and now that winter was approaching, even the ceiling pen had been turned off for a long time.
How many hours has it been already? Lying down so far away can be quite tiring. As my hands were shaking from boredom, a copy of the newspaper I had thrown away while reading yesterday caught on my fingertips. A lump of ink, a clichéd collection of dating rumors of familiar movie stars, decorates the front page.
“… I like it……..”
I slowly muttered that unfamiliar word. Even if you say it’s unfamiliar, an ambiguous aspect remains.
In fact, if we only heard it from words, Undine’s passionate courtship would have been much longer.
It is true that I break out in a cold sweat when discussing things like saying that I like her, that I love her, about children, about marriage, etc., But in any case, I know better than anyone else that there is no lie in her playful expressions. There was.
Undine’s emotional expression has a chick-like side to it. It’s been a while since she had her coming-of-age ceremony, but she can’t seem to let go of her childlike side. As I watch her emotions that are as pure and soft as a storybook, I find myself getting playful and teasing her back.
However, I never thought that was right. Her true feelings are that she should have expressed her opinion earlier, whether it was consent or rejection.
It’s been quite a few years now, but I’m aware that my lukewarm response is also a disservice to Undine.
At least the answer shouldn’t be overlooked like now.
If someone were to ask me whether I have ever been in love, it could be said to be a rather difficult question.
I don’t want to talk about abstraction or philosophy or anything like that.
A little more fundamental and intuitive advice.
I have no intention of limiting it to people.
Have I ever had affection for something?
I know very well that I am missing the most important part of what it means to passionately like and love someone.
“… I don’t know.”
Even if I think about it for a while, I can’t find an answer.
After shaking off the meaningless thoughts, I got out of bed, covering my face with the mask that had been rolling around in a corner of the room.
In my ears, the words Professor Aegis shyly spoke to me a while ago lingered in my ears.
***
“hehehe, dear leader. Are you here? This is my first time seeing you outside the round table. “I shouldn’t be excited like a child, but it feels really strange.”
“… Well, there’s nothing that can’t be done. Lovers exist everywhere in the world. “Of course, as long as you hide your identity well, Pedonandes.”
“Of course. In the name of Freya, such a thing will never happen.”
“If you understand, it’s okay.”
It is quite tiring to put weight into each voice.
A golden holiday afternoon.
Imagine what it would be like to be a grown man, wearing the mask of the leader of a club, standing on the roof of a liberal arts building where he would normally not go, looking down at the students who had finished their lecture.
Hmm, let alone feeling drained…… I am so miserable with myself. I sighed and muttered under my mask.
“I heard there was something urgent to report….”
“Yes, we are accelerating information collection ahead of this operation.”
“You’re so diligent even though it’s the weekend.”
This is something I said with a nonsensical thought in mind.
It seems that Fedonandez did not understand the true meaning.
“hahahaha! Thank you for the compliment. But it’s no big deal. “Diligence applies to everything.”
Even if his words are a bit flashy, he is actually a genius who puts in more effort than anyone else. I felt a little pitiful when I imagined that the genius the empire was proud of was digging into the identity of a blood relative that did not exist. There may be differences of opinion as to whether it is okay to dare call a person who fell for the dispenser’s coaxing a genius.
“There is no longer any trace of Moonlight Chaser in the Empire. “I’m looking for some information through the snow fields.”
Then doesn’t that mean that we went outside the snowy field?
He’s not that crazy.
“But no matter how hard I tried, I could not find a blood relative called Moonlight Chaser.”
“That’s a shame.”
“But I came up with a clever idea.”
“Mysterious eye… ?”
“Moonlight Chaser showed great interest in Freya’s necklace at the last Eunwol Festival. “Do you remember what I reported to you?”
Are you talking about Brisingamen? Fedonandez continued seriously.
“The necklace Freya was wearing… The blood relative probably wanted that necklace. That’s right! The ultimate accessory that wraps around Freya’s neck and carries a sacred scent! I’m sure you’re going to indulge in that smell! Freya’s touch. The smell of Freya’s flesh. Freya-sama, ah, the very accessory that was closest to watching those glorious times! Alone! He must be thinking of getting drunk!!! Ugh…… ! What a shame! How on earth are you going to have fun with that?! Sooooo… ! Ha! ……… I can assure you that I do not understand this vicious yet perverted hobby. He will return to the Academy to target Freya once again. Because Freya is there.”
“…… “You’re just a pervert.”
“No. Even though the behavior is perverted, the light of its value is not desired.”
No matter how hastily I create my identity, I am the Moonlight Chaser. For some reason, I felt nauseous, so I quickly changed the subject.
“… So, what you’re saying is, let’s use Freya as bait.”
“I know very well that this is a blasphemous act that harms Freya’s gaze. However, this method is guaranteed to be effective. He will approach Freya again when the time comes. As a member of the Freya Lovers, I understand the psychology of those people.”
It is a statement that penetrates my psychology, goes round and round, and is quite hurtful to me as a moonlight chaser. I answered, gathering my dizzy mind.
“… Okay, let’s say we follow your suggestion and lure the entire empire with an advertisement using Freya. Even if he happens to read Moonlight Chaser’s blatant inducement, there’s no guarantee that he will believe it and come to the academy.”
“hehehe! As expected, you are the leader. “He has a cool-headed intellect appropriate for his position.”
It seems like a compliment, but it feels strangely bad.
“However, I, Fedonandez, am a talented person who passed the 6th class official examination administered by the Empire, a genius that no one can surpass in my time, and most of all, as a member of the Freya Lover Club who holds an honorable executive position, I am a member of the Starlight. “We ended up having a brilliant idea together!”
“Okay. “You’ve been saying for a long time that you’ve been fooling around.”
“Chief, do you know? “The newly summoned hero of the 6th Holy Sword will visit the academy soon.”
“Okay. “I heard it too.”
From Noble mtl dot com
“This information is not confidential, so it is published publicly.”
“I know………… Ah, yes. Understood. So what you’re saying is that we are adding an implicit lie to the fact that the hero of the 6th Holy Sword is coming to the academy, that Freya is the target.”
“hahahaha! As expected of you, Danjeong, you understand my intention right away. You’re right. There was an incident at the Silver Moon Festival last time, and if it is to protect Freya at this Harvest Festival, then there is no such thing as a provocation. hehehe, man, I’m so scared of myself for coming up with such a perfect plan.”
“What… Let’s take care of that. However……… Harvest festival? What do you mean, protecting Freya? “Is there any event on campus?”
Pedonandes then asked me back in a rare surprised tone.
“Yes? Didn’t you know? hahahaha, the leader is also a person who is quite behind the trends. A clear and upright thought that only thinks of Freya! I, Fedonandez, will engrave this deeply in my heart.”
“… “Don’t play around and answer.”
“This academy holds a big banquet the week of the Harvest Festival.”
“Banquet… ?”
“Yes, it is a festival where you eat, drink, and dance. “Students as well as teachers are looking forward to it.”
“I see. Are you making a big deal out of it?”
“It may not be that great in terms of scale alone, but the highlight of the harvest festival is the dancing ball.”
“…… It’s a prom. Tsk! Also, they make students imitate nobles and drink strange water.”
“hehehe, don’t worry. It’s a much more rugged prom than you might think…. The reason people wait for prom isn’t because of the extravagant food or atmosphere. “It’s not even for socializing.”
“Ha. “Then what is the purpose?”
“There is a long-standing legend in the Academy. At the ball, men and women find each other and become dance partners, and those who confirm their feelings for each other at this ball form a lifelong relationship.”
“It’s cliché.”
“It’s so cliché that it’s so special.”
Whether it is cliché or not is none of my business.
“It is an extremely important event for lovers or close lovers. And above all, for those who are currently in unrequited love, it is nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“Unrequited love… ?”
“Yes.”
There were faces that momentarily passed by the word love.
Until just now, I was thinking pitifully, like I was watching a Buddhist temple across a river, thinking that the ball and all that had nothing to do with me, but when I took off my mask and thought about my relationship with Eugene and Neferna, I started to break into a cold sweat.
“I’m asking just in case, do most women wait for the prom?”
“Yes, I guess so. It’s the perfect event to take care of your pride aside from love. “Usually men ask women to be their dance partners.”
“…………….”
Even though I was sweating coldly with a serious expression on my face, Fedonandez didn’t pay any attention.
It would be correct to say that she had no interest whatsoever. You seem like a shameful person.
“hahahaha! Well then, I’ll just leave! Today I’m talking about Freya… Big, big! There is a mission in the 5-minute waiting period. Ha ha ha!”
I was left alone and swallowed dry saliva.
“What should I do…” ?”
Even if I don’t do anything………
Is this okay?