After lifting off one of my hearts’ burdens, I actually felt kind of relieved. I never knew that it could be this refreshing, to let off my emotion rather than burying them all.
My first confrontation…wait, counting the fight with Iris, this should be the second? Anyway, my confrontation with Erneste, the fake school prince, had gone smoothly and I guess my confidence was added because I did nothing wrong. He was the one who wronged me.
Anyway, since I was done with this matter, I had to come back to my friends right away. I bet they were waiting to hear what I had talked about with Erneste!
When I returned to my friends’ embrace—I mean, side—they looked at me with inquiring look. I didn’t plan on hiding anything at all, so I explained everything to them.
“This happened when I wanted to return Erneste’s student card. I actually saw him and followed him, but before I could even call out to him, I overheard something…that I would have never expected. In his conversation with his sidekicks, he said things such as wanting to hook up with me in order to expand his connection and for the social benefits, for my family holds higher social rank than him.”
I turned to look at Luca before continuing, “He also said things such as beating the real crown prince in snatching me or something like that. He must have said it because there were rumors about us and since we had been close since we were children.”
Then, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
“In conclusion, your suspicion that Erneste was just pretending to be a goodie-two-shoes is right. Erneste is actually a wolf in a sheep’s clothing…”
“I knew it, that jerk!” Clavis said angrily.
“See, Big Sis Lyra? I disliked him not for nothing!” Ein pouted.
I smiled helplessly as I looked at the trio: Briar, Valerie, and Dmitria. They were silent, probably trying to digest my whole story just now.
“I know this is hard to digest, but I’m telling the truth. I won’t accuse him for nothing, there is no benefit for me. Sorry to break your perfect image for the school prince.”
Perhaps my words managed to snap them out of it, Briar was the first one to react.
“I’ll go and confront him myself!” She got up and was about to leave when I called her back.
“Wait, Briar!”
“What, Aneki? If he’s really deceiving us, I won’t stay calm!” Briar said as she turned to look at me.
“What are you going to do to him?” I asked.
“Well…punish him if that’s true?” Briar said as she looked to be thinking. Then, she added, “Probably hit him? I’m famous of being a ‘gangster’ kind of a girl, so it’s fine.”
“Count me in!” Dmitria suddenly chimed in.
“Well well, though it’s kind of shocking, your words are true, Aneki. No gain for you to accuse him. So, I believe your words more. Time to kick him.”
Even the calm Valerie stood up to join Dmitria and Briar.
“I’m going to electrocute him, too!” Carbuncle mischievously smirked.
“No, no, wait, wait! I’ve already given him a lesson, there’s no need for you guys to go this far!” I said in panic.
“Eh?” Iris was the first one to voice her surprise at my words.
“Woo, as expected of Lyr! How was it? If I’m not satisfied with it, I’m gonna have a go!” Carbuncle said.
“Alright, listen. So, first of all…I slipped him by freezing the ground below him. He fell with a loud thud, perhaps his bottom was still sore…Anyway, that fall was crude. Then, I pulled his necktie and intimidated him by unleashing my dark magic aura. I heard that the aura could be used to pressure someone, so I tried it on him and it seemed to work. Oh, I also said a few words about how his family would be involved in the trouble too since my family’s rank is higher than him. With all that combined, he ran away as if a ghost was chasing after him.”
I narrated the whole confrontation to my friends. For some reason, I felt happy whenever I remembered that. I felt proud of myself for being able to pull off this ‘punishment’ to Erneste.
…Wait, I’m definitely not an ‘S’, though.
But it just feels good teaching someone who wronged you a lesson.
“So, anyway…Let’s just stop at it now. I don’t want to deal with him anymore. If he dares to do anything else, that’s when you guys can have a go at him,” I said, ending the whole matter.
“Heh, good job, using your dark magic like that,” Luca gave his seal of approval.
“Whoa, Lyra, you seem bolder after sleeping for two days,” Kiri said, amazed in my ‘change’.
“Well, my sleep kinda snapped me out of it? Like, telling me to have it together,” I said before I turned to Kiri again and added, “you suffered from the incident as well, Kiri. Looking forward for your change~”
“…Didn’t I seem bolder already when I tried to hold that crazy lady off?” Kiri said with a wronged look on his face.
“Yes, yes, you did well, Kiri,” I said as I patted his head as if he was a child.
“Hey!” Kiri protested as he dodged my head pat.
“Well, Lyra, next time something like this happens, you should tell me, too. I’m like the first filter in the family. Then comes Freyr and Freyja, then Mom, then Dad as the last stage,” Alt-nii said.
“Haha, okay. Then, you have to make me the first filter as well,” I joked back at him.
“That Erneste ain’t even a man, dude!” Harvey commented.
“Eh, come to think about it, Alt-nii, where’s Celeste?” I asked when I noticed she was not here at all. I saw her earlier, so I thought she was going to be here as well, but why was she no longer here with us?
“Ah, she’s off to the library, looking for study materials, she said,” Alt-nii answered.
“Whoa, how diligent…,” I commented right away.
“Well, she’s just transferred and afraid that she won’t make it. You seem relaxed though, Lyra. As expected,” Alt-nii commented again.
“Hee? Me? What’s going on…,” I felt like I forgot something…?
“…Lyra, don’t tell me you forgot about the final exams?” Luca asked with a look of disbelief.
“Final exa…FINAL EXAAAAMS?!” I raised my voice in surprise.
Indeed, a lot of things happened that I forget about it at all!
That’s right, what comes after the festival is…exams!!
And the coming-soon examination wasn’t something I could just sit leisurely.
My past memories and knowledge were more or less useful for all Basic Level lessons for I had learned them. It was like a refresh of the lessons with some updates, so it was easy.
But I had never lived through Intermediate Level at all.
That was why I studied more since I enrolled in Intermediate Level.
But to think I forgot about something so crucial…
“So, you forgot,” Luca said in an affirmative tone.
“Eh, isn’t it just final examination? It’s going to be fine,” Ein said in a relaxed tone.
…Yeah, easy for you to say, Ein. You have that cheat of an [Oracle1OracleSpecial power bestowed upon an individual. Some Oracles even run in the family! ].
I should have asked god to give me a similar cheat as Ein, really…
“Guys, let’s start studying together, shall we?” I hurriedly suggested.
“Oh, right…Gotta study…,” Valerie said as if she just remembered about it as well.
“Naww, it’s just an exam,” Dmitria said as she was about to dismiss the matter.
“Hey, we’re now with Aneki, so we can’t make her ashamed, right? Let’s study together as well!” Briar said.
“Eeeh, as long as we pass, wouldn’t that be good? And there’s remedial as well, right?” Dmitria lazily said.
“Yeah, well, but let’s try to pass all subject, then?” Briar said.
“Heee…Can we?” Dmitria asked before she suddenly turned to look at Valerie.
Briar noticed Dmitria’s gaze at Valerie and turned to look at her as well.
“…You mean, asking me to teach you two?” Valerie widened her eyes.
“Sensei, please teach us!” Briar clapped her hands and bowed at Valerie.
“Sister, you gotta teach me! Let’s ask Mother to buy us something if our results are good!” Dmitria also clapped her hands and bowed real deep at Valerie.
Valerie facepalmed.
…Guess now it’s apparent who has the highest grade among these three. As expected of Valerie who seemed to be the calmest of the bunch.
I am sure she joined her sister and good friend for fun.
“Well then, I guess we will have to break the big group into smaller ones to study for the upcoming exams,” Harvey said.
That’s right. Alt-nii will be studying with his friends as they are in Advanced Level.
The trio should be studying together.
The younger ones, namely Leticia, Freyr, and Freyja could study together under Leticia’s tutor.
Then, the rest of us—Intermediate Special Class Year 1—should be studying together as well…except for Carbuncle.
“Hehee, go and study, y’all,” Carbuncle smirked.
Yes, she was an exceptional case because she was only there to observe us, not really for studying and so on. She was only following us, so if we moved to another class, she would be there.
She sometimes took the exams for fun.
“Yeah, we better study from now on!” Iris supported me.
Luckily, each of us had our own specialty programs. Or our interests, combined together, would cover all lessons.
Luca excelled in geography, history, economy, and philosophy, as expected from the next king.
Iris excelled in home economics and science, as expected from the future alchemist.
Kiri liked mathematics.
I liked psychology and technology. Philosophy was also interesting, though Luca’s knowledge was stronger than mine.
As for Ein…he was jack of all trades, master of all with his cheat. We could just ask him whenever we stumble into problems. Then, he would just mention to us in which page of textbook the solution was, or just told us the answer. It was really handy having Ein, this walking encyclopedia around. Much time to find the answer would be saved~
For the practical combat exams, we really didn’t have any problem. So, we just need to focus on the other subject.
Lyra’s days of seriously studying for exams, coming! o(；△；)o
Author’s Note:
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