I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 82

 

I was heading to Professor George’s lab.

 

After my herbal class, he had called me aside.

 

This was not the first time this had happened, so I was quite familiar with his summons.

 

He’s probably asking me to come under him again or to ask me about herbs.

 

It was bothersome.

 

To be honest, it’s annoying, and if I’d refused him with such force, I might have given up by now.

 

Out of courtesy, I knocked on the door and entered the lab.

 

Professor George’s face didn’t show any displeasure when I opened the door without asking permission.

 

“You wanted to see me?”

 

He glared at me for a moment, coughed unnecessarily a few times, and looked away.

 

“Because I have something to give you.”

 

He didn’t say it, but somehow I felt like he was studying my expression. He walked over to a glass display case at one side of the lab and pulled something out.

 

“Take this.”

 

I stared sheepishly at what Professor George handed me.

 

It was a rare herb that I had once seen on his glass display and told him outright that I coveted.

 

I think he offered to give it to me if I promised to become his apprentice.

 

Of course, I immediately refused.

 

“Why would you take this…”

 

When I asked in a quivering voice, the professor set his glasses down on his desk.

“Does it make you feel better?”

 

“…What?”

 

“Maybe you’ll feel better after observing the herbs, but if your mind is so distracted, can you do your research properly?”

 

‘Aah.’

 

I lifted my hand slowly and touched the sides of my eyes. There was moisture on my hand. It was not a comforting touch.

 

But strangely, tears came to my eyes. It was as if my tear ducts were malfunctioning. I had to slap my cheeks to get the tears to come out.

 

Just from that one clumsy consolation.

 

“I just thought you were pestering me to graduate again and move under your watch, and it was annoying….”

 

“…Annoying, you mean, are you crying now?”

 

Through my blurred vision, I saw Professor George’s flustered face.

 

I sobbed out loud on the spot. I wailed like a child, bawling my eyes out. The tears never stopped flowing.

 

I don’t know what I said while I was crying. I think I was looking for Arcandus.

 

After the tears stopped, I felt a rush of embarrassment. I had never been so rude.

 

With my head bowed low, I apologized for my rudeness and hurried out of Professor George’s lab.

 

A few days later, he summoned me back to his lab.

 

“I’m sorry about last time.”

 

When I walked in, I lowered my head. Professor George clicked his tongue and waved his hand roughly.

 

“I didn’t call you here to scold you.”

 

He gestured for me to sit down with a slight gesture of his chin, and as I slid into the chair across from him, he continued.

 

“The truth is, Arcandus left the Academy shortly after his confrontation with Walter. And I lost contact with him.”

 

Not expecting him to mention Arcandus, my eyes widen a bit and I blink at him.

 

“We didn’t write to each other often, but I don’t recall any of my letters ever going unanswered…”

 

He looked a little bitter.

 

“But this time, I told him about you in a letter, and he replied right away, saying that he’s coming to the Academy right away.”

 

“Arcandus is coming here?”

 

The same guy who acted like the mere thought of being in the same room as Professor Walter was appalling.

 

That was when it happened.

 

Slam—!

 

The lab door slammed open and someone rushed in.

 

“Where is Leen now?”

 

Arcandus breathed heavily and turned to me urgently, his gaze locking on mine.

 

“…Leen.”

 

Rushing to me, he pulled me into his arms. His body was trembling slightly.

 

I blinked as I found myself in Arcandus’s arms, then slowly stroked his back. He looked like he’d fallen over.

 

…And I was about to be comforted.

 

“Calm down. I don’t know what Professor George wrote in his letter, but I’m sure it wasn’t the situation that concerned Arcandus.”

 

Taking Arcandus’s advice, I stayed as far away from Professor Walter as I could. Luckily, we had a different homeroom teacher this year.

 

Professor George, who had been watching us, stood up.

 

“You two talk to each other. I’ll leave you two alone.”

 

Only when we were alone did Arcandus speak.

 

“Professor George’s letter said you were going to die soon.”

 

My mouth dropped open in disbelief.

 

No, Professor George, he couldn’t have written that. I would have come running if I were you.

 

Arcandus tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear and examined my face.

 

“You look healthy, but…”

 

He trailed off. He must have read the sadness in my eyes.

 

Arcandus silently reached out and embraced me once more. A moment later, I felt a pat on my back.

 

He always did. Even when I was depressed after being scolded by my mother.

 

When I was upset with my mom. When my recipe failed.

 

Even when my parents died.

 

Arcandus always patted me on the back. It was so comforting.

 

Maybe it’s because I cried my eyes out in front of Professor George the other day, I didn’t feel teary-eyed.

 

But I felt so relieved and fulfilled.

 

It was as if he had confirmed that I still had someone to turn to.

 

After a while, Arcandus, who had separated himself, seemed to be pondering something and then seemed determined.

 

“Leen, why don’t you come with me?”

 

“With Arcandus?”

 

It was a suggestion I hadn’t even considered.

 

“I can’t promise you the luxury of life like the Count. I live as a hermit deep in the woods.”

 

With that, I blinked.

 

I had asked my aunt to find Arcandus to repay him, but I had failed to find him time and time again.

 

He lives in the woods, not in a village, so we couldn’t find him.

 

“But I can guarantee your safety.”

 

Safety. Both mental and physical. It was something I needed so badly right now.

 

“You like herbs, so maybe it’s not a bad thing that everything is green around you.”

 

Part of me winced. If I follow Arcandus, I won’t be betrayed and hurt by anyone.

 

Even Rex Begonia would have a hard time finding me hiding in the woods.

 

I would have access to all my favorite herbs, and I could study them.

 

But…

 

I refused to burden Arcandus with my life. Nor was I willing to put a safeguard in place at the Count’s estate.

 

If it hadn’t been for the Count’s weakness to Rex Begonia in the first place, I wouldn’t have fled to the Academy.

 

Rex Begonia must be taking things easy.

 

He knows that once I graduate from the Academy, I will have nowhere else to run.

 

And if I did run away, he would cut off everything that connected me to the Count, one by one.

 

Until I hear from the Count and come back again.

 

“I’m sorry, I appreciate the offer, but I’m afraid I can’t follow through.”

 

At that, Arcandus spoke up with a somewhat rambling story.

 

“Leen. You do realize my parents died young, right? I’ve cut off all my friends, and I live alone now.”

 

He hadn’t gotten along with anyone but me in the past, either.

 

Even I had taken quite a while to warm up to him.

 

“That means I have no one left to share my life with but you.”

 

He smiled mischievously and lowered his voice as if to tell me something secret.

 

“I say this in the absence of Professor George, but the truth is, he’s not all that important to me either.”

 

He said it jokingly, but I knew he meant it. I could tell by the way he’d cut off contact with George like a knife after meeting Walter.

 

“You used to be so sweet.”

 

He stroked my hair, and I couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad.

 

“After that day, I swore I’d never give my heart to anyone, and you made me break that vow…”

 

He was referring to the day he and Professor Walter fell out.

 

“Since you won’t follow me, let me give you a piece of advice. Think of it as a nag and listen to it.”

 

His face was a mixture of elation and sadness, but in the end, only sorrow came to mind.

 

‘Trust no one but yourself. Doubt, question, repeat.’

 

…I wish you had told me sooner.

 

Of course, it wouldn’t have made a difference. People don’t change easily.

 

Despite my negative thoughts, I nodded.

 

If I could reassure him, I’d do anything.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

🍃

 

Whoosh—

 

Something scraped against the window.

 

I sat up and opened the window in familiarity, and Dobby swooped in, flapping his wings as if he’d been waiting for me.

 

“Krrr!”

 

For a moment, Dobby’s weight overwhelmed me, and I staggered and nearly fell.

 

But I somehow managed to keep my balance and greeted him with a weak smile.

 

“Hey, Dobby!”

 

I’d been trying to train Dobby not to come to the dorm since he’d gotten so big.

 

But since Jane had moved to a different dorm, it felt so empty here, alone.

 

Her empty spot loomed so wide…

 

So when Dobby came to visit, I couldn’t resist letting him in.

 

As I was bringing out the food I had bought for Dobby’s treats, I noticed a pile of hyacinths in the corner.

 

In a few more days, there would be thirty of them.

 

It had been almost a month, and not a single flower had wilted. I thought that spring must have saved the hyacinths.

 

And I figured that if the hyacinths were gone, and I couldn’t save them, your apology would be over. Naturally, I’d be done with you.

 

But when I saw those unwilted flowers, I realized I was wrong.

 

Preservation magic.

 

He’s an accomplished wizard, so they should last a long time.

 

I was lost in thought as I stared at the flowers. A knock on the window jolted me out of my reverie.

 

Dobby was in my room. I walked slowly to the window, wondering what the hell was going on.

 

The little green spirit that found me chuckled and held out a letter.

 

Kun.

 

My mouth turned bitter as I realized it wasn’t Carson.

 

Brushing it off, I thanked the spirit. The spirit disappeared as soon as I took the letter, as if its mission was accomplished.

 

I wonder what happened to Kun, in the meantime.

 

He’s been making awkward expressions and avoiding me every time he sees me since the academic festival.

 

<Why don’t you come to my club tomorrow?

 

P.S. I’ve asked the members of the club for permission, and they’re happy to oblige.>

 

It wasn’t a normal letter. What kind of letter has a longer P.S. than the main body?

 

But I decided to accept his invitation. Skipping clubs and coming into the dorm repeatedly made my day feel too long.

 

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to visit him once. I was wondering what the club was about…”