Chapter 105: The First Gift from Ms. Drin |
< Chapter 105: The First Gift from Ms. Drin >
I approached Ms. Drin.
And then, I played the tragic, pitiful protagonist.
"Ms. Drin! How desperately I needed your help during the representative battle, where on earth were you to abandon me!"
"Ah."
With that single slice, the expression on our Ms. Drin was deliciously cooked.
"Mr. Ceylon- that is…"
Our Ms. Drin could not meet my gaze, fidgeting uneasily.
"First of all, I'm sorry…"
It's not because I was sulking.
It was because I found the utterly disheartened look on Ms. Drin so amusing that I felt like bursting into laughter without realizing it.
"Ah…"
Then came Ms. Drin's sigh.
"That's right… It's inevitable… It's natural for you to be disappointed in me."
Whether it's natural or not, I'm not sure.
Honestly, I don't care much.
About the absence of Ms. Drin during the representative battle, I mean.
If we were to talk about right or wrong, it's hardly Ms. Drin's fault for rushing off to another place as soon as the entrance ceremony ended.
‘Who would have known, right after the entrance ceremony, that someone would register for the representative battle?'
Is it Ms. Drin's fault for disappearing right after the entrance ceremony without knowing there would be a representative battle?
Then, it's also my fault for teasing Ms. Phibian into registering for the representative battle without knowing Ms. Drin was absent.
By the same logic, Ms. Phibian, who registered for the representative battle despite Ms. Drin's absence, would also be a coward.
Since the representative battle is at most a matter of pride, a friendly match, it's not worth fussing over such trivialities.
Above all-
‘Winning is all that matters.'
In the end, everything was resolved well.
That's all that matters.
But still.
"I trusted Ms. Drin…"
I continue with my act of a pitiful puppy abandoned by Ms. Drin.
I tease Ms. Drin with all my might using their absence in the representative battle as a justification.
Ever since realizing Ms. Drin was absent from the representative battle, that's all I could think about.
Right or wrong?
My feelings?
None of that mattered at all.
What mattered was that I had a reason to tease Ms. Drin!
"…"
Ms. Drin's face becomes soaked with guilt as they are at a loss for words.
"I waited for Ms. Drin…"
"…"
"And I waited for Ms. Drin until the very end, but in the end-…"
"Ugh-…"
Ms. Drin's posture lowers increasingly under the weight of guilt, almost collapsing.
I deliver the final blow.
"…Nothing happened, though. Ms. Drin did not come, but we won the representative battle without any problems… As if to mock my belief that Ms. Drin was absolutely necessary… Did I give too much meaning to the existence of Ms. Drin?"
"Argh…!"
As the guilt added to the embarrassment, they finally collapsed.
From Ms. Drin, lying face down on the floor, a dying gasp burst out.
"Krhp."
At that juicy response, laughter burst out of me as well.
"Oops!"
I hurriedly covered my mouth, but it was already too late.
"Huh…?"
Incapable of doing anything under the combined attack of guilt and embarrassment, Ms. Drin lying face down lifted their head to look at me.
"…"
The moment they saw my face, realizing I was teasing them, they quickly scrambled to their feet.
"Is this how you are…?"
They looked at me with a bewildered expression.
"Pfft!"
At that sight, I finally let out my laughter without resistance.
"…"
Ms. Drin silently stared at me, their expression of bewilderment intensifying in real time.
This is driving me crazy.
It's too funny.
"Ah, sorry! I apologize…! Pfft! Ms. Drin's reaction is just too funny, I couldn't help but-"
Just as I tried to stop laughing, Ms. Drin's bewildered face caught my eye again.
The effort of my muscles, filled with the will to suppress my laughter.
And the strong impulse to laugh that wouldn't lose to it.
These two had a fierce battle.
"Giggle-giggle-giggle-"
When I came to my senses, I found myself clutching my stomach, making a wheezing sound.
"Sigh… Are you having fun?"
"Kekeke- Yes. It's… so funny…"
"Well, that must be nice for you. To enjoy yourself like that. Go ahead and have your fun."
"Kekeke, no. That's not right. I can't commit such a discourtesy in front of Ms. Drin."
"After all you've done-"
"Sigh…"
I gathered my breath and posture, properly standing up to look at Ms. Drin.
Ms. Drin's face was a mix of bewilderment and resignation.
Seeing that, I once again forcefully suppressed the laughter that felt like it was about to burst out and said.
"Anyway, Ms. Drin. We meet here, of all places. I hadn't expected it. It's so hard to see your face, after all."
"…Is that also a dig at me for not participating in the representative battle?"
"Not entirely with that meaning."
"So, there is somewhat of that meaning in it."
"Sharp as ever, Ms. Drin…!"
Sigh.
Ms. Drin let out a deep sigh.
"Anyways. Mr. Ceylon. I'll take this opportunity to formally apologize. I'm sorry for not being able to support you during the representative battle."
"Haha, a formal apology, huh? It's fine. Really, it is. Rather than our swordsmanship team losing the representative battle because of Ms. Drin's absence, isn't it much better that we won despite it?"
"Definitely. That's true."
Ms. Drin's head, which had been moving gently up and down, tilts with a creaking sound of "Huh?"
"Is that perhaps- a roundabout way of saying you didn't need someone like me to win the representative battle from the start-"
"Oopsie~"
Drooong~
Ms. Drin pouted their lips and looked at me.
"…Sigh. What can I do? Go ahead, have your fun until you feel better."
"Ah! Really? Alright then. Though I'm not keen on it, if Ms. Drin says so-"
"If- you're not keen on it, then there's no need to force it-… no, forget it. It must be another attempt to tease me."
"Ha, as if it's another attempt to tease Ms. Drin! If someone saw us talking, they might think all I do is tease Ms. Drin."
"Isn't that the case?"
"Ah! The weather is really nice today, Ms. Drin. Can you see that sunset over there?"
"The sunset? Oh… indeed. It is beautiful."
Ms. Drin seriously responds again to the topic I brought up to change the subject.
"Kekekeke-"
"… Why are you laughing again?"
"No, it's nothing. Don't mind it."
Ah. What do I do? This is too fun. Too happy.
At this rate, I feel like I could tease Ms. Drin all night long, and I might actually do it. I summon superhuman patience to stop teasing Ms. Drin and bring up the main topic.
"By the way, Ms. Drin. Where were you rushing off to during the entrance ceremony? Ah! This time, I'm genuinely curious."
The last time I saw Ms. Drin's face was when they went up to the podium at the entrance ceremony.
I haven't seen them since the representative battle disappearance case.
What could have been so urgent that it's been hard to even see their face?
I've been curious all along.
"Hmm… Good timing. Mr. Ceylon, do you have time?"
"What a foolish question."
"Excuse me? Ah. Right. It is quite late, isn't it? The sun will be setting soon-"
"That's not what I mean. You're asking if I have time? If I can make time for Ms. Drin!? Of course, I can! That's disappointing. To ask such a question. Did you think I wouldn't be able to make time for Ms. Drin!? If Ms. Drin wishes, I'm willing to give up not just my sleeping time but also my fighting time- Ah, Ms. Drin? Ms. Drin!?"
Listening to my rant, Ms. Drin shakes their head in disgust, turns their back, and starts walking away somewhere.
I hurriedly followed after Ms. Drin.
* * *
"Where are we?"
The place Ms. Drin led me to was a store located in District 1.
A luxury clothing store?
Or perhaps a jewelry store?
The building's exterior was so fancy that I thought it was a luxury clothing or accessory store, but then I saw the store's name on the sign:
[The Song of Iron and Flowers]
"An armory?"
-Clang-
"Aren't you coming in?"
As I was examining the building, Ms. Drin called out to me after opening the door.
"No, Ms. Drin!!! I'm sorry! I should have gone ahead and opened the door for you!"
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
"No- kekeke."
"…?"
I burst into laughter at Ms. Drin's innocent acceptance of my jest as a genuine apology and entered the building.
"Wow~"
The building's exterior was already impressive, but the interior was even more so.
Could I have guessed this place was an armory if it weren't for the various decorative items on the walls shaped like swords, daggers, and other weapons?
"Huh?"
As I was looking around the store, I made eye contact with an employee at the counter.
A man with curly hair and a long, thin mustache was observing me closely.
My appearance must have done its job.
‘What's with this guy? What makes him think he can just walk into this store?'
The employee looked at me with a subtly questioning expression.
‘Huh? Oh. He's an academy student, despite his looks.'
But then, after scanning me up and down and recognizing the academy uniform, his expression changed, and he nodded to himself.
The academy uniform really does its job.
"…!"
Then, the employee spotted Ms. Drin standing at the door, startled, and immediately came out from behind the counter.
"Oh my~ Miss Lebringer. Have you arrived!"
He greeted Ms. Drin with a dramatically respectful attitude, a stark contrast to how he had looked at me moments before.
"I've come to pick up the item I ordered."
"Ah, yes! Just a moment, please wait a moment? Ah- would you like a seat or something to drink-"
"No, thank you. I'll stand."
"Ah! Understood! Oh, by any chance, is this gentleman with Miss Lebringer-"
"Ah, yes. He's accompanying me."
"Ah~ I thought so. There's something exceptional about him-"
The employee, who had respectfully bowed to Drin, approached me and bowed in the same manner.
"Please, feel free to look around."
The forced smile turned into a genuine one.
‘See how well they do their job.'
It seems this is what it takes to do business with nobles in District 1.
But why did Ms. Drin bring me to a place like this?
"Here, Miss Lebringer, this is the item you ordered."
After a while, the mustached man brought out something from inside the store and showed it to Ms. Drin.
It was a sword in a scabbard.
Ms. Drin's gaze shifted from the sword to me after inspecting it.
It was as elaborate as the swords hanging on the walls, but not ostentatious.
-Swish-
Ms. Drin drew the sword from its scabbard, inspecting every part of it meticulously.
Gulp.
A swallowing sound came from the employee, who was politely clasping his hands in front.
"How does it look…?"
After putting the sword back into its scabbard, Ms. Drin nodded their head.
"Th-Thank you!"
After completing the purchase, Ms. Drin and I left the store.
"How is it?"
Ms. Drin asked me, showing off the sword.
Did they bring me here just to show off their new purchase?
‘How cute.'
Discovering an unexpected side of Ms. Drin, I couldn't help but smile while admiring the sword that was elegantly presented to me.
"Hmm…"
The first thing that caught my eye was the pommel.
A lion, symbolizing the Lebringer family.
A lion made of silver adorned the pommel.
Moreover, the sword, undoubtedly made of steel, was enveloped in a pure luster akin to silver throughout.
Dignity.
That was the word that spontaneously came to mind.
It was a sword befitting Ms. Drin, whose dignity flowed effortlessly even in silence.
If I had to point out a flaw, it would be the lack of magical aura.
For instance, the fact that it wasn't an artifact.
For someone like Ms. Drin, at least a legendary artifact would seem appropriate.
‘Ms. Drin, wait. I'll find you a better sword than this one soon…!'
Hiding these thoughts, I voiced my admiration.
"Even to an outsider like me, it looks like a very fine sword."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. It seems like a splendid sword that suits someone as impressive as Ms. Drin."
"…Is that so?"
Hmm.
The response to my first comment was positive, but the second one seemed ambiguous.
Just when I thought they might have taken it as teasing.
"Not just me-"
"Yes?"
"How do you think it would suit Mr. Ceylon?"
Drin asked cautiously, their eyes slightly raised.