I Became the Villain’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 41

Author: lipzoldyck

It was true.

However, the sight of Rian appearing in a red-faced manner was disgusting.

Rian confidently crossed his arms and asked me.

“So do you know what department I’m in?”

“Swordsmanship Department.”

“…”

Rian pursed his lips as if he had nothing to say in response to my answer.

Geez.

I shook my head and shook the box Mother had sent me.

“But what is this?”

“It’s a medicinal herb that’s good for your health. She told you to drink it every evening.”

Rian’s face was dark, as if it was quite tasteless.

At that time, the voices of female students were heard from afar. His face immediately became pale and he finished speaking hurriedly.

“I’ve delivered everything I needed to deliver, so I’m going first, yeah?”

… It looked like Julia was really scary.

I was just curious as to how she had followed him around and why that bastard Rian had come out like this.

I thought for a moment as I watched Rian’s back as he walked away.

For a moment, I thought that if it was revealed that the relationship between me, an illegitimate child, and Rian, a legitimate child, was better than expected, people’s views of me would change a little.

I also wondered what Julia’s expression would look like when she declared that we wouldn’t get along well.

But these were all nonsense thoughts. I wasn’t going to talk about this to Rian due to my pride.

I picked up the box he gave me and headed to the dormitory.

Julia was in the room. She was lying on the bed with a pack on, gave me a look, and her eyes widened when she saw the box I was holding.

Then she took off the pack and quickly got up from the bed.

“What is that? I’m sure Rian had it just now?”

“…Mother sent it to me.”

I lay down on the bed holding the box. Then Julia cried out in astonishment.

“You’re really crazy. Wash up before you lie down!”

“It’s not even your bed,what do you care about.”

“It’s because I feel uncomfortable watching it!”

Julia’s nagging went to one ear, I put the box I was holding next to me. She clicked her tongue as she looked at the box.

“The Duchess is also amazing. Is there anyone in the world who cares so much for someone who isn’t their biological child?”

“Of course.”

“Don’t just sit back and answer, get up now!”

Julia came up to me and forced me to stand up. I barely glanced at her once before reaching out and grabbing the box.

Julia also kept snooping next to me, curious about the contents.

I looked at Julia and narrowed my eyes. Then Julia got upset.

“What… What! When I look at it, does it look a little worn out somewhere?”

“…I didn’t say anything.”

“A-Anyway!”

I left Julia fuming alone and opened the box. Inside was a set of dazzlingly shining necklace and earrings.

To think that he said it was medicine, the gifts sent to Rian and me seemed to be different.

Fortunately, it wasn’t Madam Collin’s favorite red accessories. In fact, she was a little appalled when she saw the red box.

“I’m sure the Madam has sense.”

Julia nodded, mumbling next to me.

“I guess that’s why Rian has such a great sense of aesthetics.”

So she likes aesthetics. I’ve never seen anyone as blind as Rian, though.

“…What good is a guy who just swings a sword ignorantly?”

If she had seen Rian hunting even once, she would never have said that.

I left the box and got up.

Julia’s face immediately turned grim at the Rian slander.

“You’re really dead.”

“Try killing me sometime.”

When I stuck out my tongue to show her how I hate her to the fullest, Julia let out a scoff as if she was completely embarrassed. Then, she put mana into her fingertips and immediately began drawing a line in the room.

“If you come over here, I won’t leave you alone.”

“Do whatever you want.”

I stretched and sat down in front of the desk.

Even without looking, I could clearly see Julia shaking behind me.

“I’ll reduce the size further, you know?”

“The bathroom is on my side anyway.”

“Ha, fu…”

Julia couldn’t stand her anger and left the room.

In the now quiet room, I took out paper and pen, quickly writing a letter of gratitude to Lotte.

***

Before going to class, I decided to have a meal with Adele. We decided to meet in front of the fountain, so I waited for Adele in front of it.

After a while.

“Danae!”

From a distance, I saw Adele running, waving her hand. I waved mine too.

“Huft, huft…”

Adele, who was breathing quickly, wiped the sweat from her face with the back of her hand. I asked, handing Adele a handkerchief.

“Why did you run like this? You could walk slowly…”

She smiled brightly at my words and handed me the small envelope she was holding in her arms.

“What’s this?”

“Untie it.”

Adele plopped down next to me, fanning herself with her hands. When I carefully checked the inside of the bag as she said, there was a warm cookie inside.

“I ran quickly in case it got cold!”

Adele’s cheeks were red from running. I gave her a small smile as if I couldn’t help it and put the cookie in my mouth.

It was a cookie with a sweet vanilla scent.

“Did you make it yourself?”

“Yeah. As soon as I made it at the tea ceremony club, I ran like crazy to give it to you.”

Adele giggled as she put a cookie into her mouth.

“Thanks.”

“It was nothing.”

Adele lightly shrugged her shoulders at my words.

“Ah, are you close with Gloria?”

And her words that followed made me choke. Because of that, she was shocked.

“No matter how delicious it is, why would you eat it in such a hurry?”

I pounded my chest with my fist. I could barely open my mouth after swallowing the cookie.

“Why her suddenly…?”

“Ah, it’s nothing special, you know she’s a tea ceremony club member too, right?”

I nodded cautiously. She continued.

“I’ve never talked to her before, but she started talking to me last time.”

“…What is she saying?”

“She asked about you. What you like and don’t like.”

Adele frowned and put another cookie in her mouth.

“By the way… she greeted me. Some days she said no, she ignored me, and then other days she started talking to me a lot. Is that what her personality is like?”

“I… don’t know too?”

When I answered hesitantly, Adele tilted her head.

“You’re not close with her?”

“…I don’t know. Maybe we’re close, maybe we’re not.”

“Don’t get too close to her from now on. Her personality… seems a little strange.”

Adele shook her head. I drank water without any response to her words.

“Oh my, what are you doing sitting there?”

Just then, a sarcastic voice came to us sitting on the bench.

“Was it because of her that you ran out like that earlier?”

I frowned at Julia’s voice.

But unlike me, Adele’s eyes began to waver. She hesitated for a moment and spoke.

“Yeah, I was going to give Danae a cookie.”

“What a great friendship.”

Julia muttered, clicking her tongue.

I checked out the tea ceremony members standing around her. I could see Gloria standing there too.

As soon as Gloria saw me, her face lit up. Of course, she quickly hid her expression while watching the people around her.

“Adele, if you keep acting like this…”

Then Paige tried to approach us, yet Julia stopped her.

“Enough, Paige. Let’s just leave those idiots alone and go on our way.”

“…”

Paige replied by glaring at me and Adele.

As Julia walked on without saying anything, the tea club gang followed behind her.

“Hey, manage this!”

The sensitive Paige threw the luggage she was carrying at Gloria. She hurriedly picked up the luggage.

‘Bye!’

Then they gave me a small greeting and followed after them.

I looked at her blankly and then turned my gaze towards Adele.

“Gloria and you… are you both okay?”

When I asked carefully, Adele let out a small sigh.

“It’s okay because I’m not bullied like her.”

“…Still.”

“But Gloria, I’m not sure why she decided to join the tea ceremony club.”

Adele sighed and opened her mouth. I also agreed with what she said.

***

Unfortunately, I was in no position to worry about Gloria.

I was about to enter the classroom when I stopped when I heard voices coming from inside.

“Honestly, good for Danae. She’s already gotten an A.”

It was about me. I returned the doorknob I had turned to its original state.

“Looking at it, it doesn’t seem like she has anything to do. Senior did everything.”

“Honestly, shouldn’t that kind of kid get their points deducted…?”

“Why don’t you at least say something to the professor, Senior?”

And then I heard Charis’ next words.

“It’s fine. Danae worked hard too.”

“Is working hard the same thing as doing well? Senior is too kind. If it were me, I would have told the professor a long time ago. It’s a bit…”

I had the urge to immediately go into the classroom and overturn the desk.

It was unfair.

It was a fact that I clearly acknowledged that I was inferior to those two. But I think I did enough to do my part.

However, if I made a fuss here, it was obvious that I would hear people say that the guy who didn’t do anything was just talking loudly.

Of course, on the outside, I seemed to be inferior to those two, so it wasn’t completely incomprehensible that those words were being said. However, I didn’t do work that deserved to hear those comments.

I did what they called ‘effort’ just like they wanted.

And yet, it was absurd that Charis spoke as if she had done most of the work himself, even Gloria’s credit.

Hold on, Danae.

Just hold on for today.

I gathered my courage and entered the classroom.

I didn’t know, but Gloria was also in the classroom. She was lying face down in her seat, sleeping.

“Hello.”

And Charis was sitting next to her. When I offered him my greeting, Charis smiled kindly and accepted it.

“Did you prepare well for your presentation?”

“…Yes.”

“That’s good. You don’t care about grades so it’s fine by you, but me and Gloria need to get good grades.”

No matter how hard he tried to put on a warm voice, he couldn’t hide the thorns in his words.