Chapter 21: Helena Earnest – Questions Without Answers
I stepped back into the student council room, following Alysha, who seemed unusually calm. As she opened the door, I scanned the room. Imelda sat at her desk, per usual, her posture relaxed but focused. Violet was on the sofa, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked calmer than earlier, but I could sense a lingering shyness in her demeanor.
Taking a seat opposite Violet, I nodded to everyone in greeting. Alysha plopped down beside her, smiling.
"Mm~ Edina," I began, keeping my tone light, "I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I believe Alysha might have explained, but I wanted to apologize personally."
Violet's gaze dropped to her hands. "I... I also apologize for leaving so suddenly. It was inappropriate of me."
Her voice was soft, and though she spoke sincerely, I could see her cheeks turning slightly pink. Hoping to diffuse the awkward atmosphere, I turned to Imelda.
"Ehm. How about we start planning for the upcoming festival?" I suggested, aiming to shift focus.
"That's a good idea," Imelda replied, her professionalism kicking in. "We've got quite a bit to organize, and starting early is better."
The room's atmosphere lightened as the focus shifted to a more neutral topic.
"So, about the tournament participation," I began, steering the conversation. After I agreed to a duel with Vain Grayer, it made sense to finalize my role as the student council representative in the festival tournament.
Imelda perked up at this, her enthusiasm evident. "Oh? You still have a few days to decide. Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes," I replied. "I've decided to join."
Imelda's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, a pleased smile spreading across her face. "That's wonderful! I'm confident you'll represent us well. What made you decide?"
"There's a reason," I said cryptically, raising a corner of my mouth in a faint smirk. "But I'd rather not talk about it right now. Let's just call it a secret for now."
Imelda tilted her head slightly, curiosity flickering across her expression, but she didn't push. "Of course, if it's personal, I'll respect that," she said, nodding. "Good luck in your new role."
"Thanks," I replied. A sudden realization hit me. "Oh, I need to submit the form you gave me yesterday, yeah?"
Imelda nodded, her professional tone returning. "That form is quite important. If you forget it, we won't have a representative."
"Got it. I left it in my bag, I'll go grab it." I said, standing up. "I need to get something else, too."
As I turned to leave, Alysha grabbed my sleeve. "Brother, could you bring my lunch while you're at it? We're short on time if we wait much longer."
She had a point. Between the earlier misunderstanding and the discussion, we'd already burned through our break time.
"Sure," I said with a small sigh, heading out. The weather outside was warm, but a gentle breeze kept it bearable.
*
Entering the classroom, I found my bag quickly and retrieved the form. While at it, I grabbed Alysha's and my lunches from our desks. A few classmates noticed me rummaging and approached out of curiosity.
"What's up, Naozumi?" one asked, leaning casually on his desk.
"Just grabbing something for the student council," I answered briefly, tucking the form securely into my bag.
"Student council already, huh? Moving up in the world," another joked.
I chuckled softly, not lingering too long on their questions. With everything I needed in hand, I headed back to the student council room.
*
After I left the classroom, only three people remained.
"You're too nervous, Vio. What would you do around Brother if Sister Imelda and I weren't here?" Alysha asked, her tone both teasing and curious.
Seeing how flustered Violet was, Alysha couldn't help but point it out. Violet had been visibly tense when Naozumi was present, her hands fidgeting as she tried to maintain her composure.
"For some reason, I feel embarrassed when facing Senior Naozumi directly," Violet admitted, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. Despite preparing herself mentally to meet him, her nerves had completely unraveled when it happened.
Someone who had just expressed her feelings to another person and realized she loved someone, if she immediately met the person she loved, of course, she would feel very nervous.
Alysha chuckled, finding Violet's response endearing. "You're so cute..." she said with a teasing grin before pulling Violet into a hug. Laughing joyfully, Alysha seemed to enjoy how flustered Violet became.
Just as their lighthearted conversation continued, a knocking sound interrupted them.
"Come in!" Imelda called out, her voice calm and composed.
The door opened, and someone stepped into the room. A girl with short black hair, wearing a headband and a white blazer, casually walked in. Her confident demeanor contrasted with her seemingly laid-back posture. It was Helena Earnest, someone Naozumi had briefly encountered while helping Lulu in the infirmary before.
Helena walked closer to the sofa, her sharp gaze falling on Alysha with a curious intensity.
"Senior Helena?" Alysha asked, puzzled by Helena's sudden appearance and her unusually focused stare.
Realizing her behavior might have seemed too forward, Helena cleared her throat and straightened her posture, shifting her attention slightly. Her eyes landed on Violet, who appeared kinda familiar to her.
"Ah, let me introduce you," Imelda interjected, sensing the need to diffuse the tension. "This is Violet Edina, a first-year student who just joined the student council." Imelda gestured toward Violet. "And Violet, this is Helena Earnest, your senior and also a student council member."
The two girls looked at each other, their expressions shifting into one of mutual curiosity. There was something strange—an unexplainable sense of familiarity that neither could ignore.
After a moment of silent observation, they both spoke simultaneously. "Have we met before?"
Their identical question startled them both, leaving the room in a brief pause.
"I don't think so," Helena said first, frowning slightly as if searching her memory. "except that you are the
"I also... feel the same way," Violet responded, her tone equally puzzled. "It's strange, but I'm certain we've never met."
The atmosphere grew quiet, a shared confusion hanging between them. Neither could explain the sensation, and the moment of introspection lingered, leaving Imelda and Alysha watching the exchange with interest.
"Helena, what brings you here today? Our official meeting is tomorrow."
On the first and second days, they were free from duties to get accustomed to their school activities. Only after the third day would they gather and discuss their tasks and responsibilities as student council members.
Helena snapped out of her thoughts. "I know and remember it. I came to see Alysha."
"Me? So that's why Senior Helena was staring at me earlier?" Alysha asked, surprised. "What for?"
"It's about Lulu."
Helena looked quite serious about the topic she wanted to discuss. Hearing that, Alysha immediately knew what Helena wanted to talk about. Helena's gaze sharpened, waiting for an answer.
Lulu, illness, recovery, and finally Naozumi.
Although Alysha knew what Helena wanted to discuss, she tried to see Helena's actual intention and asked back.
"What about Lulu?" Alysha asked carefully.
Don't avoid my question. I know you understand what I'm talking about."
Helena seemed to urge Alysha to answer according to what she wanted.
"What do you want to ask, Senior Helena?"
Although facing Helena's enthusiasm, Alysha responded calmly.
"Where is your brother?"
"Brother is in class," Alysha stated calmly.
"You're lying. I went to your class and didn't find him," Helena retorted, her tone sharp with certainty.
Alysha sighed inwardly, maintaining her composure. Helena seemed set on challenging her statement.
"I asked your classmates, and they said he left with you," Helena pressed further, crossing her arms.
"But he did go to class," Alysha replied, her tone steady. She wasn't lying, but Helena wasn't convinced.
Helena scrutinized Alysha's expression, her gaze searching for any telltale sign of deceit. After a tense pause, Helena began to relent. Something in Alysha's unwavering demeanor made her reconsider her stance.
"But I went to the class and didn't find Naozumi. How can you speak contrary to the truth?" Helena asked, her confusion apparent.
"Maybe you didn't cross paths. Brother went back to class to get something. He might be back soon," Alysha explained simply.
Helena shifted her gaze to Imelda, silently seeking confirmation of Alysha's words.
"If Senior Helena wants to discuss what you need to, it's better to do it tomorrow. We don't have enough time now, and it will only burden everyone," Alysha added, her tone pragmatic.
Helena paused, considering Alysha's suggestion. After a moment of thought, she nodded slightly. It made sense—rushing the conversation would leave her unsatisfied.
"Sure, for now, I'll agree with your suggestion," Helena conceded with a small sigh.
Her gaze shifted to Violet, who sat quietly, looking a bit uneasy under Helena's attention. Realizing her focus on Alysha had made her oblivious to the others, Helena softened her tone.
"Sorry to disturb your time. I'll be leaving now," she said politely, offering a brief nod before turning and leaving the room.
As the door closed behind Helena, Alysha noticed Violet staring at it with a thoughtful expression.
"What's wrong, Vio?" Alysha asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Nothing. I just think it's a bit strange," Violet admitted, her voice tinged with hesitation.
"About Senior Helena?"
"Yes," Violet replied, still lost in thought. There was something about Helena that struck her as unusual.
Their brief interaction left Violet with a peculiar impression—a sense of familiarity she couldn't place. It wasn't as strong as what she felt toward Naozumi, but it lingered nonetheless, making her question if they'd somehow met before.
"Don't think too much about it. Senior Helena is like that," Imelda chimed in, her calm tone reassuring.
"Her curiosity is very high, and she tends to forget what's around her. When she ignored the two of us earlier, she was just focused on her question and Alysha's answer. So don't overthink it."
"Alright," Violet murmured, nodding slowly. Imelda's explanation made sense, but the odd feeling still lingered in the back of her mind.
"Come to think of it, isn't Senior Alysha quite similar to Senior Helena?" Violet asked, glancing at Alysha with mild amusement.
"Call me sister, okay?" Alysha reminded Violet, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
"Is it necessary for me to address you as Sister?" Violet asked, a hint of reluctance in her voice.
"Yes." Alysha's response was immediate and resolute.
Violet sighed but complied. "Then, isn't Sister Alysha quite similar to Senior Helena?"
Alysha only answered after hearing Violet address her properly. "I'm not sure if you can compare me to Senior Helena. I don't have such high curiosity," she said with a slight frown.
"Of course, when I focus, I'm quite in my own world, but Senior Helena is more about ignoring what she deems unimportant."
Their conversation dissolved into soft laughter, their earlier tension fading, until the sound of the door opening caught their attention.
After retrieving the form from the classroom, I returned to the student council room. Alysha, Imelda, and Violet watched me sit down, their gazes making me pause.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, puzzled.
"Nothing. It seems like you'll have a little problem tomorrow," Alysha said cryptically.
"Did something happen while I was gone?"
"For now, let it remain a mystery," Imelda added, smirking. Violet simply smiled and shook her head, clearly in on whatever they weren't telling me.
Imelda shifted the conversation. "Have you filled out the form? Give it to me." I handed it over and passed Alysha her lunch as well.
"Now you're officially registered as the student council representative," Imelda announced with a satisfied nod.
As we finished our lunches, Imelda noted the time. "I think we can wrap this up soon. The school bell will ring in a few minutes."
"What will you all do later? We're free because the actual student council activities haven't started."
"I don't have any plans, so I'll probably just go straight home."
Alysha didn't have anything to do after school and decided to go straight home. We had some free time, so I thought I could go to Lelore to respond to the letter Violet gave me last night.
"I'm going to Lelore."
"Lelore?"
Alysha was confused because I said I was going to Lelore.
"Yes, I got an invitation to go there."
"What invitation?"
"A meeting."
Ignoring Alysha's confusion, I continued eating my lunch.
"And you, Violet?" Imelda asked.
"I also need to go to Lelore."
"Hm? Are you going to follow Brother?"
Alysha teased a little. Even though the conversation about Violet's feelings had just ended, Alysha continued what she wanted to do. Violet, who wasn't used to Alysha's teasing, blushed a bit.
"N-no, I must retrieve my belongings that are still located in the old dormitory."
"In that case, I'll come along. Being at home alone is quite boring."
Finally, it was decided that we would go to Lelore together.
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