Chapter 49.1
Stage 2-18. Secrets
“Ve-Vellet-sama was chosen as a representative for the competition!? That’s amazing! Everyone! Hurry up and book the ferry to Lambdar Island! We can’t miss seeing Vellet-sama’s brilliance in action!!”
And so, as planned, the representative team for the Academy Magic Competition was announced.
I had expected at least some kind of harassment, but surprisingly, everything remained peaceful.
Perhaps the other students were too focused on their training for the competition to bother with us.
Since we were chosen as representatives, we were granted a special exception to use the practical training building along with the student council members and Alice. It seemed every room was full, with everyone working on their preparations daily.
“Um, Ouga-kun?”
“Hm? What is it?”
“You really don’t need to help with these tasks. I know I asked a lot of you.”
“Is that all? Don’t worry about it. I had nothing better to do anyway. It’s good to be useful with tasks like these.”
“But still…”
“The faster we finish, the more time I can spend with Reina, right?”
“…Alright. Please take care of it then.”
“It’s lunchtime, Reina!”
“Ouga-kun, please open the door quietly. What’s the matter?”
“Take a break. It’s lunchtime—literally time to rest.”
“Oh, I’m fine. I can skip meals, so please eat without me.”
“That’s a no-go. I made your portion too. Come outside—it’s not healthy to stay cooped up all the time.”
“Ah, wait, Ouga-kun!?”
“I just came up with a new dish to try. You’re going to help me taste it! Hahaha!”
“Reina! It’s after class! Let’s work on our teamwork for the Academy Magic Competition!”
“…I’ve started to understand now. If I don’t go, you’ll just drag me along, won’t you?”
“Heh, you catch on quick. That’s why I’ve been helping with the tasks too.”
“Thanks to that, all the paperwork is done for the day.”
Reina glanced at the pile of documents labeled “completed” and smiled softly.
It’s been a week since I joined the student council. I’ve taken over Reina’s tasks, working with Mashiro and Karen to get things done.
Thanks to our efforts, we’ve drastically reduced the time spent on tasks, giving us more time to train for the competition.
That old hag of a principal… “The second-years are supposed to take over.”, she said.
…But really, it was only Reina and Karen doing any real work. Karen had been caught up with the crown prince recently, leaving Reina to handle everything by herself. It’s impressive she didn’t break under the pressure.
I can’t help but see my past self in her, which makes me feel sorry for her.
It’s like…this paternal instinct kicks in, making me want to protect her.
“Thanks to you, Ouga-kun, the student council is finally running smoothly. Riche also picks things up quickly thanks to her sharp mind.”
“Of course. I only keep talented people by my side.”
“Hehe, that’s true… Now I feel reassured, even if I’m no longer here.”