I’m Not Doing This With A Friend – Chapter 94

Author: Nikss

His fellow swordsmen surrounded even Fjord. Soon enough, it seemed like he’d enlisted his non-subject friends.

…The core of the monster was the key to the battle, and with the sword club’s participation, we lost before we even started.

Not that I had any intention of winning, so it doesn’t matter.

Just when I thought Fjord was being even more childish today.

A very familiar male voice came from the direction of Leli-club.

“Concession? That’s a word you use when you have the upper hand.”

Turning, I found Carson and Kun standing there at the Leli-club.

Why are you guys so serious?

Realizing that things had gotten out of hand, I looked around and realized that all the students’ eyes were on them.

By the twinkle in their eyes, they were having fun. A bet was already being made.

“It’s too late to fix this.”

With a weak laugh, I gave up trying to think.

🍃

Eventually, the match between Fjolo-club and Leli-club was finalized and became the bet of the entire student body.

After winning, I left everything behind and went out to catch a monster…

Somehow, we had time to spare. Jane and Hans were affectionately building a snowman.

They looked like a sweet couple.

Carson got us to a suitable space, cast a spell to keep the creature out, and left. He told us to play in peace, that he would fill the monster’s core himself.

The Leli-club was so determined to win that they were willing to destroy the monster’s seed.

Not to be outdone, Fjord sheathed his sword and left.

“If this is what you’re going to do, why did you even pick a team?”

I shook my head and looked at the only combat major who hadn’t left.

“Kun, you’re not leaving?”

The way I said it, it sounded like I was implying that I didn’t care about Leli-club winning.

Luckily, Kun didn’t seem to think much of it and only smiled wryly.

“If we go that far, that leaves us with only non-combatants.”

“Carson had us spellbound, and even without magic, I’m more than capable of taking on a low-level monster on my own.”

Kun tilted his head slightly and asked, “You mean the poisoned needles?”

“Yes.”

“… Well, if it can take down a monster like Carson, it must be a force to be reckoned with.”

I rolled my eyes at his rambling words.

“Dude, it’s against the rules to bring that up in here…!”

My face heated up because it was a piece of dark history I didn’t want to bring up.

Kun chuckled and brushed the snow away, but his eyes widened when he saw my face. He stopped moving abruptly.

Narrowing my brow, I waved my hand in front of his eyes.

“Kun. What’s wrong?”

“…Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Did I get something on my face?”

“…”

He pursed and closed his mouth, but eventually, he moved his lips to speak.

“Would you hate me if I told you that Leen’s cheeks were flushed, and I thought it looked cute?”

I stiffened in surprise. I hadn’t expected Kun, not Carson, to say such a thing.

Puck—!

A snowball flew at Kun from out of nowhere, landing squarely on his shoulder.

I thought Carson was back, but it was Jane who threw the snowball. Kun glanced at her as if to ask what the hell she was doing, but she just shrugged.

“I’m bored, let’s have a snowball fight.”

Kun exchanged glances with Jane for a moment, then broke off and patted me on the shoulder.

“…Sounds good to me.”

Those were the words that signaled the beginning of the war.

Right, left. Snowballs flew in a steady stream.

I sipped the hot cocoa Carson had left behind and watched the battle unfold before me.

Luckily, there was a suitable tree stump nearby, so I settled in.

“What a first-class view.”

If only there was popcorn.

“Ouch, Kun, why are you so fast at making snowballs when you’re all alone?”

“Jane. I just saw Hans splash water on a snowball! Isn’t that almost a rock?”

“You’re a sneaky little sprite, I can’t keep my eyes open in this blizzard!”

Leisurely, I slurped the last of my cocoa.

Funny. I honestly thought Jane was going to get pushed around… But she had Hans on her side, so she was holding her own.

Oops…

Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure Hans was right next to her.

Where did he go?

With a quick sweep of my eyes, I looked for Hans. He wasn’t far from Jane.

The problem was…

I realized too late that Hans was aiming a snowball at me.

“You coward…!”

I scrambled to dodge, only to be hit squarely in the face with the snowball.

Puck—

Right in the face. My vision was blocked by the snowball, but I could hear Hans’s panicked voice clearly.

“Oops! Uh, I didn’t mean to throw it in your face…!”

I grinned at Hans as I roughly brushed the snow from my eyes.

“You’re a dirtbag, you little punk.”

I swept the snow into the sack I’d brought to dig up any herbs I saw. Then I ran straight to Hans and poured it out.

“Ow! The snow got into my clothes!”

Hans shuddered and shook the snow off his face. He opened his eyes and immediately locked eyes with me.

Hans’s gaze silently traveled to the sack I was holding.

As he brushed the snow off his face, I eagerly stuffed it back into the sack.

“I surrender!”

Quickly sensing the threat, Hans raised his hands in surrender.

But there was something Hans had overlooked…

I was pouring snow on top of him.

“Unfortunately, there is no mercy for the one who brought forth the first piece of bread.”

“Argh!”

It was a mess after that. Before I knew it, I was throwing snow at Kun and Jane, and that meant the other kids, too.

We don’t know how long that lasted.

“I can’t do this anymore. If you want to attack, do it. Do whatever you want.”

I flopped backwards, exhausted, and Jane and Hans did the same.

“Me too.”

I glanced around and saw that the once-white snowfield was in ruins.

For a moment, the field spat out its breath. A shadow loomed overhead, and a hand reached out.

“The floor is wet, Leen.”

“What, Jane and Hans are…”

Just lying down, I said. They were already up, affectionately brushing the snow off each other’s bodies.

Well, solo life would be lonely.

This time I didn’t say anything, but took his hand and got up. I brushed myself off and started to sit down on my private stump, but Kun stopped me out of nowhere.

“Wait a moment.”

Kun pulled off his fluffy shawl and laid it on the stump.

“There you go.”

“…I’m supposed to be the one putting it on.”

“Why does Leen have to lay it down?”

Kun narrowed his brow, as if he had no idea. I don’t know if he realizes that he’s a prince of the Abascanthus Empire.

Well, I won’t be able to do this when I graduate.

When am I going to be able to casually accept a prince laying out the linens for me? I should enjoy it while I have the pleasure.

Deciding to think positively, I sat down, hoping he’d change his mind. My butt would have been cold sitting there anyway, but I’ll take it.

“Kun. You know, the days of me being able to talk back to you are numbered.”

Kun stared at me, smiling slightly, then slowly hardened at the words.

“I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t want you to change the way you talk to me, or the way you treat me.”

“Then spend the rest of your life at the academy.”

“Leen is my benefactor, so I don’t care if you keep speaking informally.”

“You may not care, but others will.”

It was the way it was in a hierarchy. The particularities of the Academy had only temporarily created this situation.

Kun was speechless. He seemed to be thinking about something.

He glanced at Jane and Hans, who were lost in their own world, and asked.

“Leen, do you mind if I ask you a question?”

I nodded, puzzled by his uncharacteristic seriousness.

“If a family member was a murderer, a heinous kind of murderer, would Leen stand by them?”

The question was somewhat offhanded, and it was hard to tell what he meant.

“Is that your story?”

“I’m just curious. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

His expression was too stern for someone who was just curious. I gave up trying to figure out the intent of the question and decided to tell him what I thought.

“It depends on what you’ve done, but I care more about the people I know than the people I don’t know. I think I’ll let some things slide.”

It’s natural for human beings to bend their arms upwards. I was just a little stronger than most.

“Just look at Carson and Fjord, you may have condemned their bad deeds, but you didn’t cut ties with them because you were disappointed in them, did you?”

If Hans came to me one day claiming to have killed someone, I would gladly hide him.

‘If that was the case of a friend, why not a family member?’ Kun thought inwardly.

“Well, something like that.”

I shrugged lightly, and Kun gave just an indecipherable look before speaking again.

“…Can I ask you one more question?”

“What is it?”

“Does Leen envy the life of a noble?”

I glanced over at Kun. His composure seemed overly calm. As if the slightest ripple would cause a great wave.

It wasn’t a difficult question to answer, but I couldn’t help but wonder.

“What is it about me that makes you ask that question, Kun?”

“…”

Kun’s mouth fell open. I didn’t expect an answer, either.