Chapter 105:
Melaine had been acting strange ever since their trip to Crimea. Her argument with Acrea must have been serious.
Melaine, who was always meticulous about her appearance, had puffy eyes every day, her wavy golden hair was a tangled mess, and most importantly, her eyes were different.
Her once bright golden eyes were gone, replaced by the fierce, predatory gaze of a beast, as if she was about to attack anyone who came near her.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, no one knew why.
She wouldn’t answer when asked, so the crowd around her gradually dwindled.
Even her most devoted followers started avoiding her, saying she wasn’t the Melaine they knew. Their loyalty was fickle.
It was incredibly uncomfortable, her constant negativity radiating outwards. Sue finally worked up the courage to ask her,
“Lady Melaine, did something happen with Master Acrea?”
Melaine immediately bared her teeth and spat out a curse,
“Shut up. What kind of bullshit is that?”
That was the end of it, but Sue was certain that the cause was their argument in Crimea.
‘It must be about the engagement.’
That was the only thing they could have argued about. And if it was about the engagement, there was nothing Sue could do about it. Just like with Enzhe.
She could only wait for time to heal the wounds.
So Sue temporarily erased Melaine from her mind.
Melaine didn’t even come to see Enzhe anymore, and Enzhe stopped seeking out the ill-tempered Melaine.
Enzhe, who had been tempted to slap Melaine, was now calmly observing the situation. As a result, Melaine became a non-entity to Sue.
It wasn’t until the day of the Athletics Festival team selection that she remembered the radiant golden girl again.
Sue, who had drawn a blue bead, went to the conference room with the Blue Shark emblem. And as fate would have it, her sparring partner, Melaine, had also drawn a blue bead.
Acrea, standing by the window in the conference room, was surrounded by girls, accepting their affection without a hint of sincerity.
Until then, Sue had been too preoccupied with Fritz and Halo to think about Acrea.
In the novel, there was, of course, an ‘Athletics Festival episode’ where Fritz and Halo fell in love.
But reality had already diverged from the novel in many ways. Halo hadn’t gone anywhere near the glass garden since their trip to Crimea. And she hadn’t approached Enzhe or Fritz either.
Enzhe and Halo would be on the same team for this Athletics Festival. But Enzhe, who should have been seeing Halo as a thorn in her side, was still playing the role of the kind and gentle noble lady.
It was proof that many things had changed.
‘Well, it’ll be fine.’
She was just thinking that, nodding to herself, when…
“We’re on the same team, I see.”
She heard the sound of a chair scraping next to her. While all the other girls in the Blue Shark team were avoiding her, he was the only one who had chosen to sit next to her.
“Hello, Master Acrea.”
Sue greeted him, her voice stiff, as he smiled gently.
She should have pretended to be more delighted, but she hadn’t expected him to sit next to her, so her tone was awkward.
“Let’s work together, Byron.”
The stares directed at them felt like sharp needles.
Acrea, oblivious to her tone and the surrounding gazes, replied perfunctorily. Sue was actually relieved by his consistent behavior.
Well, that’s just like him.
‘While the girl he fought with is living like she’s about to kill someone.’
She chuckled, feeling a sense of futility.
‘I wonder what team Noel is on.’
The blue-haired boy never showed up in the Blue Shark team conference room. As it got closer to the start of the meeting, Sue brushed aside her disappointment.
It’s okay, she could cheer for him even if he was on a different team.
Unlike last year, Sue didn’t participate in the meeting at all. Without Noel on the same team, and with Halo and Fritz no longer causing trouble, the Athletics Festival was of no interest to her.
She rested her chin on her hand, her mind wandering, ignoring the team representative’s words.
She would occasionally glance at Acrea, who was sitting next to her, rustling papers.
Acrea, as a member of the student council, was diligently taking notes on things she didn’t understand.
To think she could see Woo Acrea’s profile so close up. The real ‘Sue’ would have already been ignored, left alone to pick a fight with the team representative.
It made her realize how much things had changed.
She watched him for a while.
Being on the same team as him wasn’t such a bad thing.
Enzhe, Fritz, or Acrea. If she had to choose, anyone would choose Acrea, even if it was a bitter pill to swallow.
She didn’t have to appease him like Enzhe, and she didn’t have to be dragged around by him for practice like Fritz.
But what made her feel a pang of resentment was Melaine’s haggard face, flashing through her mind.
Unlike Melaine, Acrea was perfectly fine. It seemed like he had completely erased Melaine from his mind, just like Sue.
But she quickly dismissed her petty jealousy.
It wasn’t her business.
The Blue Shark team meeting ended without much enthusiasm. No one was particularly eager to participate, and in the end, the meeting concluded with the students who were members of the Knights being semi-forced to compete.
“Byron, you’re going back to the classroom, right?”
Acrea called out to her as she stood up, organizing her chair. He was leisurely putting away his documents.
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“Let’s go together. I have something to tell Shina.”
“It would be an honor.”
This time, unlike before, she was able to perfectly execute a flattering smile.
The sun was already setting as they stepped out into the hallway. Long shadows stretched across the floor through the arched windows.
The marble hallway, covered in a black carpet, was filled with a bustling noise, but a deep silence settled between Sue and Acrea.
“It’s already time for the Athletics Festival. Time flies.”
Acrea murmured, breaking the silence, his gaze fixed on the window.
“Right? After the Athletics Festival, it’s debutante season. I’m looking forward to the Imperial Ball.”
Sue chimed in readily. Acrea turned to her at her composed tone.
“Byron, you’re not competing in any events this year, are you?”
Sue nodded.
“No, you’re not either, Master Acrea, because of the student council.”
“Right. Shina’s probably signed up for a lot of events again this year… I’ll have to do his share.”
His emotionless smile was a sign of familiarity.
Taking care of Shina Fritz.
He was used to it.
Sue, feeling a pang of sympathy, touched her neck.
“Master Acrea, do you think Master Fritz’s team will win again this year?”
The thought had just crossed her mind.
She remembered Fritz at last year’s closing ceremony, his face filled with joy, holding the winner’s bouquet. Shina Fritz, who put his heart and soul into everything he did, was worthy of winning the Athletics Festival.
He always strived to win, and he had been at the top for years.
As expected, he didn’t contradict her. But then, Acrea suddenly said something unexpected,
“Do you think there will ever be a day when Shina loses?”
“…Master Acrea.”
Sue was shocked by his question, not even realizing what kind of answer she had expected. She didn’t know why he had said that, and why she was so shocked.
Ah, she should have just agreed with him.
But she couldn’t bring herself to flatter him. Acrea, seeing her frozen expression, added,
“Don’t worry, Shina’s team will win again this year.”
She had always felt it.
Acrea’s voice was always reassuring. It was a calm, gentle voice that made people feel at ease.
But the faint sense of absurdity she felt in his reassuring words wasn’t a mistake.
‘…He asked if there would ever be a day when Shina loses?’
The clicking of their shoes echoed in the silent hallway.