“I was really surprised when I heard you were in the hospital room.”

“It’s nothing serious.”

“Showing off like that is just like a boy your age…”

Pasmo Thier looked at Luca with a slight smile.

Just the fact that he was in the academy’s infirmary was proof enough that his condition wasn’t good.

Luca knew he was forcing himself, but still he spoke resolutely.

“Dancing with you will be nothing, so don’t worry.”

“… Hehe. I’m looking forward to it.”

Pasmo Thier’s smile grew slightly bittersweet.

Luca, seeing her face, spoke indifferently.

“It’s been rather noisy these past few days.”

“It really has. I was already busy because of the academic faction’s announcement, and that incident made it even crazier.”

Pasmo Thier complained.

Looking at her face, which had always been spotless, it now looked a bit darker, perhaps proof she had indeed been busy.

Luca watched her expression.

“So, you won’t be able to attend the Founding Festival?”

“… Yes.”

A simple question, a simple answer.

The reason was immediately obvious.

“Did your family call you back?”

“My father found out about the terrorist attack yesterday, through the academy administration’s announcement. So…”

Pasmo Thier trailed off.

“So first, they’re asking you to return home? To see how the situation unfolds.”

“… Yes.”

If she were a Hernan Empire citizen, it might be different, but Pasmo Thier was from the Ramata Empire.

She was also a young lady from the Tie duchy.

It was only natural to act with caution.

“That’s unfortunate. I was planning to avenge my humiliation from before.”

“…”

Trying to lighten the mood, Luca joked, but Pasmo Thier stayed silent.

It seemed the mood, if anything, had grown heavier.

“Tsk.”

Clicking his tongue, Luca glanced at the drawer beside the bed.

Then he spoke to Pasmo Thier.

“Pasmo Thier. Close your eyes.”

“Pardon?”

“Quickly.”

Pasmo Thier made a curious expression at Luca’s abrupt words, but then closed her eyes.

‘… What is he thinking?’

Pasmo Thier puckered her lips slightly in odd anticipation.

‘Could it be, in a situation like this…?’

For some reason, her heart thumped nervously.

After a brief wait, she felt Luca’s breath.

‘!’

Gulp.

Pasmo Thier swallowed unconsciously.

But what she felt wasn’t something on her lips, but on her neck.

“…?”

“You can open your eyes now.”

At Luca’s words, Pasmo Thier opened her eyes and looked at him.

He was still sitting on the bed.

The only difference was something touching her neck.

“This is…”

It was a beautiful necklace, set with a red jewel.

It was from a brand she liked a lot.

Luca averted his gaze, avoiding her eyes.

“I was originally going to give it to you at the Founding Festival, but there’s no helping it now.”

“This is unexpected. I didn’t think you’d give me a present like this.”

Pasmo Thier played with the necklace in fascination.

Luca spoke with his usual indifference.

“It’s my first time, giving a present like this.”

“Heh.”

She kept fingering the necklace.

Her expression was hard to read—she looked happy, but also perhaps something else.

‘… Maybe I was too hasty?’

As Luca sneaked glances at her face, he felt his lips drying.

He couldn’t read her expression.

“Thank you.”

“What…!”

Suddenly, Pasmo Thier closed the distance between them.

And kissed him on the cheek.

For a moment, Luca felt as if time had stopped.

A lovely scent, soft skin, warmth.

Sensations he’d never experienced before.

Luca held his breath unconsciously.

“… Next time, come pick me up again, so we can definitely dance together. Knight.”

Cheeks red as the jewel on the necklace she’d just received, Pasmo Thier gave him a bright smile, then quickly rushed out of the hospital room.

Bella, whose presence and sound had vanished to match the mood, quietly appeared again.

“Bella hasn’t felt this rush of youth in so long.”

“…”

Luca hung his head.

Bella glanced over to check his face and grinned slyly.

“Young master, are you feeling hot? Should I open the window for you?”

Her playful tone made Luca pout.

“Be quiet.”

His face, too, was bright red.

* * *

“Hmm~ hm~ hmm~”

Pasmo Thier hummed a tune as she exited the academy’s infirmary.

Meanwhile, three people were watching her secretly.

“Um, is it okay for us to go in now?”

Ottbo glanced at Isella.

“What does Luca do with people other than us? I mean, for Pasmo Thier to like him that much…”

Milia was also checking Isella’s reaction.

“….”

Isella stood motionless, her face expressionless.

For some reason, she seemed quite angry.

“….”

“….”

Ottbo and Milia exchanged nervous glances.

‘Uh, what do we do?’

‘No idea. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Isella this angry.’

‘Ugh… It’s awkward to go in since we have no idea what happened in the hospital room.’

They’d noticed how cheerful and slightly flushed Pasmo Thier looked.

Having seen her come out of Luca’s hospital room, going in themselves felt weirdly awkward.

“Miss, weren’t you here to see Luca Traverse for something?”

“Huh? Uh… that’s right.”

“Then shouldn’t we just go in?”

Isella’s words were firm and heavy.

Milia swallowed nervously and nudged Ottbo’s side.

“Uh? Wh-what?”

“You go in first.”

“Uuuh…”

After hesitating, Ottbo glanced at Isella’s face, then knocked on Luca’s door.

Knock knock.

“Lu… Luca?”

“… Come in.”

Luca’s voice sounded nonchalant.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Ottbo opened the door—then froze.

“…!”

Luca’s face was slightly flushed.

Bella was airing out the room by opening the window.

And Bella had a knowing, mischievous smile.

“Oh my, young master. Of all times, your friends are here now.”

“How did you come without even requesting visitation?”

“There was a request just now, but the mood didn’t seem right to mention it… Oops.”

“Bella, are you enjoying this?”

Luca pouted at her deliberately misleading words.

Then he glanced at his friends.

As expected, their faces were unreadable.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Seeing their silence, Luca answered bluntly.

“Whatever you’re imagining, Pasmo Thier only came to tell me she wouldn’t be attending the Founding Festival.”

“R-really?”

“Hmm~ So you were thinking of dancing with that lady at the festival?”

“Do I need your approval to choose who I dance with?”

“It’s not that, I just…”

Milia watched Isella carefully as she spoke.

Isella remained expressionless.

‘Honestly… Isella’s a handful sometimes.’

Milia sighed inwardly, and looked at Luca.

“So, no more plans?”

“Just to be clear, I plan to rest. I went through too much these past few days; I’m tired.”

“Seriously, you’re not an old man. This is your first festival at school; you should have fun!”

Luca held back from saying, ‘Technically, it’s not my first,’ thinking it would just complicate things.

‘Well, from Luca Traverse’s standpoint, she’s right.’

But Luca Traverse himself probably didn’t care much about that sort of thing.

“And since we won’t be seeing you for a month, we should spend time together before we leave!”

“Since when are you so sentimental?”

Luca scoffed, and Milia snorted and shrugged.

“You might never see us again. We’re headed back to the imperial capital for a month.”

“What?”

Ottbo was the most surprised.

He hadn’t known about this, and looked at Milia for an explanation.

“We can’t stay here for a whole month, can we? The professors are busy, and if we annoy them, our reputation will tank.”

“That’s all you were thinking?”

Milia paused for a moment at Luca’s words, then nodded.

“Yeah. I’m planning to observe the imperial princes.”

“Hmm.”

“There’s only so much information to be gained inside the Academy. It’s best to go out and gather it myself.”

Milia was the Fourth Princess, but she was receiving almost no support from the imperial capital.

Naturally, that was because of pressure from the other princes.

With the power struggle clearly between the First and Third Princes, there was little chance she could wedge herself in.

“If not for this, I would’ve already been sold off quietly to some other noble family.”

Milia spoke wryly and showed her Dimension Core.

Chosen by a divine artifact, she had become far too valuable.

So instead of taking her as an ally, the First and Third Princes had both opted to simply eliminate her.

It was the right choice.

With no power base, getting rid of her was much easier.

Had Milia been them, she’d have made the same choice.

“Anyway, I can’t just stand by and get killed, so I have to do something.”

“And ‘doing something’ means walking right into the tiger’s den?”

Luca was skeptical.

Now that it was revealed the Third Prince was connected with devils, heading to the capital seemed extremely dangerous.

“It’s fine. Isella will be with me, and I’ll be more careful. Besides, it’s only a month; what could happen?”

“I’ve only been at the Academy for two months, yet…”

“… Haha, right.”

Remembering everything that had happened to Luca in just two months, they couldn’t help but laugh.

“Doesn’t sound like a month will be simple after all?”

“… You’re not about to ask us to come with you, are you? If so, I’ve already made plans.”

Milia smiled brightly at Luca’s words.

“You think I’d be a heroine in a novel who can’t do anything without your help?”

“Looks like I’ve already helped plenty.”

“I’ve given just as much help in return, you know?”

She wasn’t going to lose an argument.

Luca sighed and flipped off the blanket.

“Fine. Alright. I’ll share my remaining time with you.”

“Listen to you, acting all hard to get.”

“I’m really not that cheap, you know.”

Saying so, Luca got out of bed and, reaching for the clothes on the hanger, glanced at them slyly.

“What are you waiting for? I’m changing, so out you go.”

“Aww, can’t we watch?”

“… Do you think so?”

After his friends left and he got dressed, Luca looked at Bella.

“Coming with me?”

“Hehe, as always I’ll keep my distance. I don’t want to get in the way of your time, young master.”

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re there or not… Alright.”

Bella vanished into the shadows, and Luca left the hospital room.

* * *

The four of them wandered the festival-crowded campus.

Naturally, they headed first to the most popular spot: the Magic Department.

“Wow, there are so many people.”

“… Horrifying.”

Luca already looked tired.

The crowds were a sea of humanity.

‘I can hardly breathe.’

Even on Earth, Luca never went to crowded festivals.

He’d almost gotten sick from the crowds on the night of the pre-festival, but today’s turnout was even greater, making him dizzy.

“Is this something to enjoy?”

“Hmm… Arcane Science Department wasn’t nearly this bad…”

Even Milia looked uneasy, obviously not expecting so many people.

Luca sighed.

“Then maybe let’s just head toward the Arcane Science Department—”

“E-excuse me!”

At that moment, someone called out to him.

Luca turned toward the voice with a puzzled look.

It was two girls he didn’t know at all.

“?”

“You’re Luca Traverse, right?”

But they clearly recognized him.

Luca tilted his head, puzzled.

“That’s right?”

“So… then…!”

The two girls held something out to him.

“Can I have your autograph and a photo, please?”

“?”

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

Isella is jealous…

And yes, I still ship Milia and Ottbo…

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep