Leje, with a look of bewilderment, didn’t know what to say in response to Kaylee’s bombshell declaration.
Regardless, Kaylee took a sip from the teacup in front of her.
And then…
“What do you mean!? Why me!? No way!!”
“Who in the world can live doing only good deeds?”
Leje shouted as if ready to pounce on Kaylee, but Kaylee calmly replied.
To be fair, Leje’s reaction wasn’t exactly strange.
Jade Elizaveta Perun Prucel.
She was the kingdom’s first princess and the one most likely to become the next ruler.
Most people would consider being in charge of her protection an honor for their family, but…
For Leje, the story was a bit different.
As a noblewoman of the Duke’s House, who held an almost absolute status within the kingdom, why would she want to take the risk of guarding a princess?
“No! There are plenty of other people! Excluding the Student Council president, there are many others, so why us!?”
“Well, it’s because you two are the strongest in the Student Council.”
“That… that’s true, but…”
Kaylee shot a look at Leje as if to say, “What kind of obvious question is that?” and Leje flinched, trailing off her words.
The fact that the head of the Student Council became a leader due to administrative skills rather than combat abilities was beside the point.
No one else within the Student Council could surpass the two in terms of skill.
Even before her coming-of-age ceremony, Leje had the ability to take down two Ogres barehanded, and Rudell, unlike his role as an extra in the original story, had magic skills no other student could match.
Therefore, from Kaylee’s perspective, the only two fitting for guarding the princess were them.
Meanwhile…
‘She’s not budging.’
Watching the escalating argument between Leje and Kaylee, Rudell silently nodded.
He had felt it for a while, but Kaylee seemed quite skilled at handling Leje.
It was evident even now.
By subtly mentioning Leje’s strength, she lifted Leje’s spirits while also pinning down a reason she couldn’t refuse.
I need to learn that sort of thing too…
Just as Rudell was pondering this while sipping his coffee in silence…
“Say something too!”
“Uh? Me?”
When Leje asked for help amidst her squabble with Kaylee, Rudell widened his eyes in surprise.
And what could he possibly say there?
There was no evidence to refute Kaylee’s logic, and even if there were, as a mere Count, there was no reason for her to listen to him.
Above all, if the princess was indeed visiting the Academy for the Sabbath Festival, it would be far better for Rudell to keep her within his sights.
“Leje. Have you ever heard this saying?”
“What saying?”
Setting down his empty coffee cup, Rudell gazed at Leje with a faint smile.
At that moment, Leje seemed to sense something ominous from Rudell’s expression, narrowing her eyes.
“Giving up makes things easier.”
*
A while later, in Rudell’s room.
“What is happening right now!!”
“Hahaha…”
As the crimson sunset poured into the room, casting a red hue…
With a huffing sound, Leje irritably tossed cookies from a basket into her mouth.
Rudell, watching her, set down the cup containing coffee, chuckling softly.
“Whose side are you really on?! How can you say that?!”
In truth, Leje knew that even if Rudell said something, it wouldn’t change Kaylee’s decision.
She just needed a target to vent her frustrations on right now.
“What could I say? Besides, isn’t it up to you two to handle matters between the princesses?”
Rudell, well aware of this, smiled without any particular reaction.
“So annoying…”
In response to his answer, Leje grumbled while shoving more cookies into her mouth.
“By the way, the princess is coming in person… we’re going to be busy for quite a while after the exams.”
“Seems like it. I mean, it’s the princess, no less.”
With a short sigh, Leje slumped over the table as Rudell nodded in agreement.
As always, visits from high-ranking individuals were like disasters for ordinary people.
Once midterms ended, both the Academy and the Student Council, among other students, would surely be overwhelmed with busyness.
“Why are you so calm about this? Aren’t you surprised at all?”
“Huh? What’s there to be surprised about? It’s not unexpected.”
“You’d feel the same if you were in my shoes.”
For quite a lot of things, he wouldn’t even flinch.
With that thought, Rudell asked Leje again.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re either worry-free or just foolish.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“…So annoying for real.”
Leje shot him a narrow-eyed glare at his words, her voice grumbling.
Rudell, chuckling at her behavior, got up and headed to the bed…
“Once you’re done eating, hurry up and go. I’m tired.”
Afterward, he kicked off his shoes and plopped onto the bed.
The fatigue from last night hadn’t worn off yet.
After using almost all his magic against a Chimera and ending up getting poisoned at the last moment, it was no wonder.
For tomorrow’s sake, it was time to rest.
“…”
However…
Leje began to silently observe him.
“Leje?”
Simultaneously sensing an ominous feeling creeping up his spine, Rudell cautiously called out to her.
And at that moment…
“I’ve been having a thought every time I see you lately…”
“Um… excuse me…?”
Rising from the spot, Leje approached him, kicked off her shoes, and climbed onto the bed.
Rudell, taken aback by her actions, tried to get up.
However, Leje’s movement was a step ahead.
Pushing him back down onto the bed, she straddled Rudell’s upper body, giving him a seductive look.
“You’re too cocky.”
“Uh…?”
Rudell’s voice came out in a daze at her words.
His mind couldn’t keep up with the situation unfolding before his eyes.
What… what is going on here?
As he wondered and rolled his eyes, she suddenly said,
“Wanna make it clear who’s on top and who’s on bottom?”
It was as if some switch was flipped, and the atmosphere around her changed in an instant.
As she reached towards the bewildered Rudell, she lightly brushed her fingers against his nape and chin.
“Wait just a second! Leje! Just calm down…!”
Feeling her touch as if it had set him ablaze, Rudell hurriedly shouted.
“No way, I won’t stop until you say sorry from your mouth.”
With that, Leje grinned as if it was a joke.
At the same moment, the sweet scent emanating from her began to invade his senses…
“Sorry! I’m sorry! I was joking too much so…!”
Feeling dizzy, Rudell was about to declare surrender.
However, he couldn’t finish his words.
Leje slowly raised her finger and pressed it against his lips, silencing him.
“Sorry, but it’s too late now.”
“Ahhh…!!”
Beginning to emit bewildered groans, Rudell felt his heart racing uncontrollably, and his mind filled with countless thoughts.
“Maha Ban Yan Ba Ra Mil Da Sim Gyeong Gwan Ja Je Bo Sal Haeng Sim Ban Ya Ba Ra Mil Da Si…”
As he began to recite the ancient Buddhist scripture he learned in the military to withstand the situation, he felt that even that was nearing its limit.
Without realizing it, he tightly shut his eyes.
Then came the next moment.
–Smack!
“Ugh-!?”
With an intense shock to his forehead, Rudell screamed as stars danced before his eyes.
“Hahaha-!!”
“What the…?”
Rudell, stunned, looked at Leje, who burst into laughter.
What in the world is happening?
As he stood there dazed, Leje abruptly hopped off the bed.
“You were really funny just now! ‘Ugh-!?’ Seriously! Hahaha!!”
“…”
So… it was all an act?
“You, you…!!”
Rudell finally grasped the situation in a fluster, getting up with a red face, but Leje merely chuckled and headed straight for the window.
“So from now on, do well, okay?”
With a clack the window swung open, and perched on the windowsill, she winked.
Then, with swift movements, she jumped back to her room…
“…”
Gazing blankly at the scene, Rudell hurriedly closed the window with a gasp.
“Hah…”
Still shaken, he staggered back to the bed, letting out a short sigh.
What in the world is this…
Feeling dizzy, he lay back down on the bed.
Wiping off the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, Rudell stared blankly at the ceiling.
“That was close…”
Then, muttering to himself, he reflected on how he had endured until the very end.
And so, the day drew to a close.
