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"Quiet, everyone. Please, quiet down. How can I conduct the class like this?" Professor Claretta raised her index finger to her lips, and in an instant, the students fell silent, catching onto her gesture.
"Now that we have some semblance of a learning atmosphere, shall we begin?" Professor Claretta nodded in satisfaction and continued, looking around the room.
"The world has become a much better place these days, right? In the past, the idea of male and female students receiving education together in the same place was unimaginable. However, despite the changes, basic etiquette always remains. Today, we'll discuss such etiquette…"
Not long after starting her lecture, drowsiness crept in steadily. Her monotonous voice mingled with the tepid afternoon air, making it a potent sleep-inducing concoction.
I glanced around and saw that the students were not making any noise, except for the occasional swallowing of saliva. Their eyes were all fixed on the podium.
To be honest, I wondered if this was really something we needed to concentrate on.
As I was struggling to stay awake, something suddenly caught my ear in Claretta's lecture, which I had been listening to idly.
"…Proposing to meet outside of the academy, especially during holidays, can be seen as essentially the same as asking for a relationship. It is something that you can only do if you have feelings for the other person. Therefore, you should always be careful with such suggestions, and if someone who is not in a deep relationship approaches you in this way, you should firmly reject them…"
My head, which had been drooping from fatigue, began to work furiously again when I heard her words.
"…Although we live in an age where men and women can be friends, unnecessary physical contact can be seen as an act that must be absolutely avoided…"
"For example, sitting next to someone or touching their body parts."
* * * * *
When you need to say something that others shouldn't hear, it's better to write it down on a note than to whisper it…"
I realized why I was suddenly paying attention to the professor's words. These were all the things that Ellie had been doing. But she had said that she wasn't so careful these days.
I turned to look at Ellie. I couldn't see her expression, but her earlobes were as red as ripe apples.
"Even if you're close friends, it's the same," the professor continued. "If you're not careful, people will start to suspect that you're in a relationship. Especially meeting alone in the middle of the night is something you should definitely avoid."
Professor Claretta seamlessly continued her lecture, and once again, some irritating notion wormed its way into my ears. When I look to the other side, I see Eugenia with her head down and wriggling her fingers.
Professor Claretta's lecture passed by unusually fast, and before we knew it, it was time for student questions. The sight of almost ninety percent of the class raising their hands was a remarkable sight indeed. Although it may be inconvenient, a patient smile never leaves Professor Claretta's face. She continued to answer the questions of each student with sincerity.
"Oh… So, that was actually a date proposal last time…! What do I do…"
"Oh my… Then that time…"
The students experienced a range of emotions as they listened to the professor's answers. Occasionally, a mischievous question would pop up.
"Professor, are the unwritten rules of the academy really true? Even after we make our official debut, will everything that happened at the academy really be forgotten?"
"It's true that there is such a tendency, but there is also a limit. Otherwise, why would I have just talked about it?"
"Professor, is it true that Professor Cedric, the freshman professor, followed you around when you were at the academy?"
"It's true. It was really annoying at the time. I thought he had gotten better by now, but it seems his bad habits haven't changed. Oh, dear…"
As Professor Claretta made a gesture of putting her hand to her forehead, the classroom erupted into laughter. Although her answer was somewhat insincere, the rumor that she and Cedric were having secret meetings had already spread throughout the academy.
"Now, quiet down. I'll just make one important announcement today and wrap things up. It will be posted in the newsletter soon, but it won't hurt to know in advance."
After the laughter died down, Professor Claretta clapped her hands twice to change the mood.
"There will be a reorganization of the academic curriculum starting in the second semester. Demonology, which had been abolished, will be reinstated as a regular course, and the first semester will end early due to the need to create a curriculum for it. The second semester will be extended instead."
As Professor Claretta spoke, a commotion began to stir among the students. I could feel a few gazes glancing at me from time to time.
However, the words that followed were powerful enough to make us forget the slightly gloomy story that came before.
"Therefore, the end-of-term ball will also be moved up and held two weeks from now. There will be a special lecture on ball etiquette soon, so please find a suitable partner by then."
"Ba…ball…"
"Oh my…oh my…."
"Of course, it is not mandatory to attend, but if you want to really learn the etiquette, it is better to experience it in practice. It is perfectly fine to come with friends, but if you cannot find a partner, come to me. Then I will find a suitable partner…"
As soon as the ball was mentioned, the atmosphere in the classroom changed in an instant. A thick and sticky feeling began to fill the entire space.
As soon as Professor Claretta left the classroom, the students began to look around and search frantically. I glanced around and saw Eugene already talking to a few people.
Some people approached Eugenia next to her, but she just lowered her head with a red face.
The number of people approaching Ellie also seemed considerable. Do they think she is finally free from my clutches? But then again, Ellie had always been quite sociable. In fact, the number of female students was not much less than that of male students.
However, judging from the way she smiled lightly and shook her head, she seemed to be rejecting most of their invitations.
"Hey, Edwin. Do you have anyone in mind…? If not, why don't you…"
"Edwin. Do you know me? We met at the regular exchange meeting a few years ago…"
And it seems that I was no exception. A few of the female students who had sided with me earlier approached me and started talking.
As I struggled to answer all the questions at once, I suddenly felt a sharp gaze from afar. Ellie had already pushed everyone away and was just silently looking at me. Her eyes were filled with a coldness I had never seen before.
She, who had been quietly staring at me, silently opened the front door of the classroom and went out, desperately giving me a signal.
"Let's talk next time. Just wait a minute…"
I barely managed to get rid of the people and followed Ellie after a while. When I headed to the usual thorny garden, I saw her sitting on a swing chair there.
"Sorry, Ellie. Did you wait long? It took me a while to get rid of the people…"
"…I can't do it."
"Huh?"
"I said I can't do it…"
"What can't you do…?"
In response to my question, she waved her hand impatiently, "Ed. Can't you just sit next to me again?"
"Ellie. It hasn't even been a few hours since we talked about it…"
"But…"
"And it's a bit difficult to interact with others if you're only next to me... As I saw earlier, there seem to be quite a few people who want to be friends with you. I may be a bit of a faction, but you…"
"I just want to be with you..I'm getting mad again…of all the times…"
"Let's just wait a little longer. And Ellie, what are you going to do about the ball?"
"...What are you going to do, Ed…?" She asks me back instead of answering my question.
"Me? I was going to go with you. Of course, only if you want to go."
"But…aren't we supposed to keep it a secret…?"
"I have my glasses, you know. I'll just take them off for ID verification and wear them the rest of the time. Anyway, no one will know who's who in there, right?"
As Professor Claretta said, you don't have to bring a romantic partner. Many people go with friends, or go with same-sex friends and find a partner separately.
When she heard my words, she stopped for a moment and then suddenly started grabbing her hair, "Ah…ugh…really…!!"
"Ellie! Why are you doing that all of a sudden?"
When I grabbed her hand and pulled it down, she looked at me with eyes full of regret, "…I can't go to the ball…I have a family event that day…It was originally supposed to be my brother who went, but something came up and I have to go instead…I really hate my brother…"
She was not only saying words, but she was really pouring out hatred. Although I have never seen him, I feel sorry for her brother who was receiving her anger.
The only thing that came to my mind right now was Adele. Will our cute Adele also become like this and nag me when she gets older…? It was a very depressing thought just to think about it.
"Well, there's nothing you can do about it. Ellie. I thought you were free-spirited, but you're surprisingly good at that?"
"…I can't help it. I got in big trouble last time. I have to attend these things regularly.." She sighed deeply.
"…What are you going to do, Ed…? Are you going to go alone…? Or…maybe…someone else…"
"I guess so. I was going to go with you if you said you wanted to go. I'll just not go."
"What…?"
Ellie's face, which had been looking at me with anxious eyes the whole time, suddenly started to flush red. The end-of-term ball was an important event in its own way, but it was an event with a strong eventuality. That's why Professor Claretta said that.
Of course, almost all students attend because prominent figures from outside were also invited, and it's an opportunity to network, so almost all students attend, but missing it didn't come with any disadvantages.
I don't know if Ellie will go, but if she doesn't, there's no real need for me to go either. There's no one else I could go with. Eugenia would probably go with Eugene. In the original story, the other heroines went together with many people.
The rest were Estelle or Senior Efania, but it was a bit of a burden to ask them that.
Since it's my request, she will probably comply, but Estelle tends to avoid mingling with others, so she might not readily agree. And I'm not that close to Senior Efania yet.
"Well…if you're not going because of me…there's really no need…" She glances at me subtly, dragging out her words.
"It's okay. I'm not particularly fond of these events anyway. I was just considering going with you if you wanted to, but it's not a big deal…"
"I really wanted to go…sigh…my brother is such a pain…" Ellie muttered to herself in a tone full of regret, and then spouted out her hatred for her brother again.
"Anyway, it's held every semester, so we can go together next time. It's not like there will be family events every time, right?"
"Yeah! Of course! And if my brother tries to make me go again, I won't just sit idly by!"
As I watched Ellie hopping around in place, something suddenly occurred to me. According to Professor Claretta's words earlier, everything we've done together so far…..
"But Ellie, isn't what the professor said earlier a bit different from what you said before? Could we be misunderstanding something?"
"What? I'm sure I'm right, Ed. Professor Claretta is from an older generation. It's natural for them to be a bit behind! Ugh, what a world we live in nowadays."
Although I asked the question carefully, she answered me very firmly. Her confidence was so strong that it felt almost brazen.
"Isn't Professor Claretta young enough…? It's a bit of a stretch to call her an old person…"
"What do you mean young… She's only a few years older than us…"
"Professor Claretta isn't that old…? She's not that…"
"Is that so? Well, I guess such cultures change quite a bit even in a few years. But still…"
"Ed. Don't you believe me…? I told you not to worry…"
"I do. Of course I believe you, but maybe…"
"It's okay. You don't have to worry about that. I'll take care of it…" Ellie replied, patting her chest.
* * * * *
"Then… let's go together..!"
"Huh?"
In a clearing in the forest bathed in moonlight.
A girl with light green hair, her head bowed, called out to me with a strong force.
If you want to read the first 25 chapters for free and read up to the final chapter for a cheap price patreon.com/Makima02