I’m Not Doing This With A Friend Chapter 93

 

Arena Academy’s graduation trip was a complete disaster, right down to the accommodations.

 

We were housed in huts that looked like they were about to crumble, two per class. Only boys and girls were assigned to them.

 

The first thing Jane said when we walked into the hut was.

 

“It’s cramped and there are a lot of people, so it should be less cold…”

 

I patted her on the back and told her to get through the day. Team selection took place right after we unpacked our bags.

 

Due to the large number of people, there were several drawing boxes set up.

 

Jane and I walked to a random one, got in line, and pulled out our slips of paper.

 

“Jane, what’s your number?”

 

“I got team 4.”

 

“Well, that’s different.”

 

Well, it was the whole grade, so I didn’t expect to be on the same team as Jane.

 

I sighed softly. The thought of teaming up with a bunch of strangers already made me anxious.

 

Technically, this was just a group task.

 

Jane smiled at me and relaxed, “Don’t worry. Whatever your number is, we’re not going to lose.”

 

“You’re going to hunt near me?”

 

Jane shrugged, evading the question.

 

“How about you, Leen?”

 

Jane said, her voice louder than usual.

 

I answered somewhat similarly loudly, assuming it was because of the noise from the surrounding kids.

 

“It’s team 26.”

 

As soon as I said the number, someone’s paper fluttered in the wind next to me.

 

“Oh, my paper!”

 

It had flown so far away, it seemed impossible to retrieve.

 

And that was the beginning of a chorus of shouts here and there.

 

“What the hell! Where’s my paper!”

 

“Oops, was it originally this number…?”

 

Tsk, tsk… What’s so hard about holding a piece of paper?

 

As I watched them and clicked my tongue, Jane muttered to herself.

 

“It’s starting.”

 

As I was about to ask what was starting, I saw Kun stomping toward us.

 

“What number did you pull, Leen? I’m number 26.”

 

“Uh, really? I’m number 26 too.”

 

“Well, I guess we’re lucky.”

 

Kun grinned sweetly, his eyes twinkling.

 

What the hell, what’s with all the bravado?

 

He seemed nonchalant, like he knew we were going to be on the same team.

 

“Are you sure it’s 26?”

 

Instead of opening his mouth to answer my question, he showed me the paper.

 

It was exactly 26. He wasn’t a wizard like Carson, so it couldn’t be an illusion.

 

“…Strange.”

 

When I touched Kun’s paper, Jane shook her head, looking like she had a lot to say.

 

Why does she look like that again?

 

“Well, Jane, Kun and I are going to go back to our seats. See you later.”

 

We’d been assigned a meeting place by number to make it easier for us to meet our teammates.

 

But Jane grabbed me, “I’m coming with you.”

 

“Yeah, but you’re in number 4, so you’re completely out of the loop.”

 

“It’s okay, let’s go. There’s a way to meet the rest of the team.”

 

Jane pushed my back, and I started walking, thinking, ‘Maybe this will work out.’

 

When I got there, no one was present. I’m guessing 25 and 27 are already on their way.

 

“I’m late.”

 

As I looked around to see if anyone was coming. I narrowed my eyes at Jane’s casual remark.

 

“Well, I guess they’re late because they’re trying to get everyone together instead of just one.”

 

“What?”

 

I snapped my head around to glance at Kun.

 

“Kun, do you think…”

 

Kun gave me a clueless look and smiled.

 

“Yes. Go ahead, Leen.”

 

“What was the first number you pulled?”

 

“Umm. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Didn’t I just show you that it was number 26?”

 

“When you get caught cheating, I’ll give you a good beating.”

 

“It was 42.”

 

At that, I licked my lips in disappointment.

 

“…I’ll hold out a little longer.”

 

“But my reputation is precious.”

 

Having accepted Kun’s confession, I turned to Jane with a newfound sense of wonder.

 

“Did you know this was going to happen all along?”

 

“I knew it was going to be like this when they said six. It’s the perfect number, and soon Carson and the others will be here.”

 

The monsters would come if I told them. Carson grabbed Hans by the scruff of the neck and dragged him toward us, huffing. Fjord was beside him.

 

Carson’s face twisted when he saw Kun.

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“Because I’m teaming up with Leen.”

 

“Oh, somehow that last one sounds dirty….”

 

Carson looked irritated at Kun, then locked eyes with me, and quickly grinned.

 

“Oh, and Leen, by any chance, your number is 26?”

 

He grinned as he held out a piece of paper with the exact number 26 on it. 

 

And not just one, but four.

 

I could tell he had stolen someone’s paper. The fact that he managed to find all 26 of them was pretty impressive.

 

“But Caon.”

 

“Yes, Leen.”

 

“Why isn’t there just one piece of paper in your hand?”

 

“…”

 

He silently tucked the paper into his pocket and tried to draw a smile on his face again.

 

“Phew. I was worried about you because you’re an introvert, but I’m glad we’re teaming with you, Leen.”

 

Fjord nodded in agreement, confirming Carson’s statement.

 

“That’s right. People avoid you.”

 

“Ahh. If you ask me.”

 

The others nodded in agreement with Fjord’s interpretation. Carson quietly clumped the snow on the floor into a snowball.

 

“Haha, what are you talking about?”

 

Carson throws the snowball at Fjord, wearing a carefree expression.

 

Luckily, Fjord, who was expecting it to be thrown at him, dodged it by thwacking his body.

 

“See, that’s the reflexes of an elite swordsman.”

 

Fjord’s eyes widened as he saw the remnants of the deflected snowball. The snowball had snapped in half and contained a rock.

 

“You crazy bastard!”

 

Fjord went berserk, thinking this was attempted murder. He began to gather the snowballs together in revenge.

 

Carson nonchalantly exchanged papers with Jane, whether Fjord sharpened his vengeance weapon or not.

 

Then, without a second thought, he tossed Jane’s paper to the ground.

 

…Wow, such tenacity.

 

For a moment, my admiration for his unbreakable character was interrupted by a twinge of worry.

 

I’m comfortable with a group of close friends, but I wonder if it’s okay to manipulate them like this.

 

As if sensing my thoughts, Jane nudged me and pointed to someone else.

 

“There’s that one.”

 

Looking over to where she pointed, I saw Hans holding a stack of papers and making a swap sale.

 

“Hans, how the hell does he have so many pieces of paper when he can only pull one out?”

 

“I saw him pick up the one that fell to the ground earlier.”

 

“We’re lucky he didn’t forge it…”

 

Hans looked around and saw that everyone else was eagerly exchanging numbers to become teammates with their friends.

 

“I was an idiot to worry.”

 

I was laughing hysterically, trying to relax.

 

Fjord had made a bunch of snowballs and was ready to throw them at Carson.

 

As if on cue, Carson used fire magic to melt Fjord’s snowballs.

 

“Oops, it’s cold, so I made a fire, but it melted all the snow.”

 

“Ack, you cruel bastard. My precious snowballs…!”

 

“Good game.”

 

Watching in fascination at the amount of work they were doing. After a while, I heard the sound of shouting and fighting coming from somewhere.

 

When I looked over to see what was going on, I realized it wasn’t a fight between individuals, but two groups of people had split into two sides.

 

The one in the forefront was a boy I recognized from somewhere and a girl.

 

…Wait Blabber Girl?

 

I felt my mind snap back to reality.

 

Why are you there?

 

Puzzled, I took a closer look and realized that the kids standing behind Blabber Girl were also familiar faces.

 

The members of Leli-club.

 

What about the other side? I quickly tried to figure out who the boy was who was confronting Blabber Girl.

 

“Ah…!”

 

I recognized him from somewhere, the head of Fjolo-club.

 

He’d been bullied in the past, but thanks to Fjord’s consistent encouragement, he was able to survive.

 

Later, when I heard it from Fjord separately, I remembered the push and pull.

 

‘Oh, him? I heard that his family had a huge trade surplus at the time or he must have said something.’

 

Well, whatever Fjord’s intentions, good or bad, I hope his actions were his salvation.

 

Ending my brief musings, I focused on the conversation, trying to figure out what had caused them to fight.

 

The head of Fjolo-club pounded his chest and shouted enthusiastically.

 

“Shouldn’t Fjord have gotten the prize?”

 

“What are you talking about? The award was meant for Leen in the first place!”

 

It took me a few seconds to figure out the cause of the fight and raised my eyebrows.

 

If it was Fjolo and Leli fighting, why was I the one who had to suffer the embarrassment?

 

“Ha? If our academy elected a student council president, it would have been Fjord, so what are you talking about?”

 

“With what, the same stupid popularity contest that wins Miss Arena every academic year?”

 

The head of Fjolo-club’s department sneered, one corner of his mouth lifting.

 

“Oh my, you’re jealous of that because you’re not popular.”

 

“Did you just say that? Who’s unpopular? Leen isn’t as popular as Fjord, it’s just that many people don’t know her worth!”

 

“…Fjord? How can you say that about a good-natured guy!”

 

Blabber Girl only snorted.

 

“Forget it, our Leli-Club was founded a long time later than Fjolo-club, so if you think about it, we’re actually better, right?”

 

Blabber girl was right, as the years went by, Leli-club grew in numbers to rival Fjolo-club.

 

Of course, there were still more Fjolo-club, but it was nothing to sneeze at. Carlo-club, being Carson’s nature, didn’t have many members in the first place.

 

Kunlo-club also existed, but the number of people in it was still small.

 

No, before that, why the hell are you fighting over that? I don’t even want to receive it.

 

The head of Fjolo-club lifted his chin arrogantly.

 

“If you’re so sure of yourself, why don’t you prove it with results instead of just running your mouth?”

 

“You’re being ridiculous. You’re just bragging because you have a few more people, but you do realize that brains alone don’t win, right?”

 

“That’s what we’re saying. What if the score is so far off that your precious Leen can’t even show her face?”

 

Yeah, I don’t think I could show my face right now.

 

“Shut up, the results will tell.”

 

With that, I blinked, surprised by her rather harsh tone. Her eyes were burning, like she was truly furious.

 

“I think you’re getting a little too heated for your own good, don’t you, Fjord.”

 

Strangely enough, I didn’t hear a response. I eventually found Fjord in the Fjolo-club camp.

 

…? 

 

Why are you there?

 

As looked at him in disbelief, he said with a stern face.

 

“This is non-negotiable, Leen, even if we’re on the same team.”

 

I slapped my forehead at his words, I must be losing my mind.