After that, I quickly returned to the student council room.
Rebecca-senpai had also said she would go home soon, but that was probably a lie. She was likely still working.
When I opened the door to the student council room, just as I expected, there was Rebecca-senpai, wearing glasses and focused on reading documents.
“Ray-san? Why did you come back…?”
When she looked up, she had a somewhat awkward expression on her face.
“I’m worried about you, senpai.”
“Ahaha… no, I just thought I would do a little work first.”
“Then I will help too.”
“Eh… no, but I’ll finish up soon.”
“As for this matter, I don’t trust you, Rebecca-senpai.”
“Gah! That’s an unexpected truth!”
“So, I’ll excuse myself then.”
Rebecca-senpai seemed to be trying to brush it off with some playfulness, but when I approached her, I saw a stack of documents that she was supposed to handle tomorrow.
She was probably planning to do all of this alone after I and Dina-senpai left.
“Ah…”
Senpai let out a sound, but without hesitation, I took the stack of documents and started to go through them as usual to check for any mistakes.
“You just need to stamp them, senpai.”
“Understood…”
Maybe my serious tone got through to her, as Rebecca-senpai obediently complied. Normally, I wouldn’t be this forceful.
However, I understood that she had been asked by Dina-senpai and that something seemed off about her lately.
It felt as if she were being cornered by something.
It was as if she was immersing herself in work to escape from something… that was the impression I had.
This was just my subjective feeling, but I sensed that Dina-senpai felt the same way.
That’s why I had to be careful not to misjudge the distance between us.
I knew she was carrying something, so I mustn’t force her to talk about it.
All I could do was support her so that she wouldn’t overdo it.
As the sun completely set and the outside scenery turned pitch black… we finally finished the work we had to do.
“Phew…”
“Thank you for your hard work, Ray-san.”
Unbeknownst to me, Rebecca-senpai had prepared some tea. She gently placed the cup in front of me, smiled, and returned to her seat.
“……”
I stared intently at the liquid in the cup.
My face was faintly reflected in its gentle ripples. It seemed I had pushed myself a little today. I could feel fatigue building up in my body. But I couldn’t let that show.
I took a sip of the tea with the familiar motions I usually had.
“Yeah. It’s delicious. As expected, the tea made by Rebecca-senpai is the best.”
“Ahaha, thank you. The tea leaves themselves aren’t that high quality, though.”
“That’s surely because you made it.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. I believe that just having someone make it for you makes it instantly taste better.”
“Hehe. As expected, Ray-san, you are quite dazzling.”
“Dazzling, you say?”
When I glanced at senpai, she seemed to carry a somewhat lonely atmosphere.
“I wish I could be like Ray-san—no, I said something pointless. Please forget it.”
“……”
I didn’t comment on her words.
For now, we were just soaking in the faint afterglow together in the student council room. After a while, we began to prepare to go home.
“Well then, Ray-san. I’ll take care of locking up, so you can head home first if you want.”
“No, that won’t do. I will help too.”
“……You’re being quite forceful today, Ray-san.”
“Did you dislike it? If you felt that way, I apologize.”
“No, not at all. I just thought it was a bit reassuring.”
After turning off the lights in the student council room and locking the door, we made our way home.
However, Rebecca-senpai does not head towards the girls’ dormitory but instead continues straight to the academy gate.
“I will be going back to my family home today. Well then, I will take my leave here.”
“I’ll walk you.”
“…I thought you might say that. Hehe, I knew it.”
“I thought it would be dangerous for you to go back alone in this darkness.”
“That’s true. Well then, I will take you up on your offer.”
“Yes.”
The two of us walk down the street lit by streetlights.
If we head through the central district and go a little south from there, we will arrive at Rebecca-senpai’s home. Since it is nighttime now, the horse-drawn carriages are no longer running, so we walk.
That said, it won’t take us an hour to get there, so it’s not a long distance.
“Ray-san.”
“Yes?”
“Are you enjoying the preparations for the cultural festival?”
“Well, it’s my first time, so I’m a bit bewildered… but it’s fun. Besides, our class is running a maid café, so I’m already excited.”
“Oh my, oh my. What do you mean by that? Are you perhaps looking forward to seeing cute girls? Are you interested in that sort of thing too, Ray-san? Hehe.”
With a mischievous smile, senpai leans in to look at my face.
Of course, I have no fancy words to say, and I simply convey my feelings genuinely.
“Well, yes. There are many cute girls in my class, so I think the maid outfits will look great. I’m looking forward to it.”
“…I see. I feel like I understand you a bit better now, Ray-san.”
“？ What do you mean by that?”
“When you say it with such pure eyes, I can’t tease you anymore.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. By the way, you really suggested the maid café.”
“It was originally Amelia’s idea.”
“Eh… is that so?”
“Yes.”
Rebecca-senpai shows a blank expression. I had never seen her look like that before, so it felt fresh.
But well… I think it’s understandable.
When I first met Amelia, I thought she was a noble of the three great noble families, a dignified aristocrat. Not that I’m saying she isn’t dignified now… but her passion for cute things is somewhat out of the ordinary.
Especially towards Clarice and Elisa, she often engages in borderline sexual harassment.
I think the expression Amelia had back then should not be shown too openly.
“It seems Amelia likes cute appearances on girls. She even designed the maid outfits herself.”
“So that design that came up was created by Amelia-san?”
“Yes.”
“I see. The very first design was rejected because the skirt was too short… but after that, she pushed the limits, so I approved it.”
“Amelia’s passion is quite something.”
“It’s surprising… but somehow, it makes sense.”
“Is that so?”
“Because those around Ray-san are very dazzling. Everyone around you ends up smiling. I think Amelia-san acts that way because you’re by her side.”
“Is that… really the case?”
“Yes. Since I’m saying it, there’s no mistake. Ehehe!”
As she puffs out her chest proudly and says this exaggeratedly, Rebecca-senpai looks somewhat childish.
Then, just before we arrive at Rebecca-senpai’s home, we unexpectedly run into someone.
“Rebecca. Are you on your way home?”
“Ah… yes. Evan-sama…”
Suddenly, Rebecca-senpai’s expression darkens. It gives the impression that she dislikes the other person… or perhaps is even afraid of them.
“Did you perhaps walk her home?”
“Yes. My name is Ray White. I’m a first-year student at Arnold Magic Academy and a junior to Rebecca-senpai.”
“I see. I’m Evan Bernstein. I’m her fiancé.”
Mr. Bernstein, who looks like a nice person, offers his hand for a handshake.
He is of medium height and build. His brown hair is generally short, styled neatly to stay in place. His appearance gives off the impression of a capable man.
The impression is certainly not bad. If it weren’t for that expression on Rebecca-senpai’s face.
“Well then, White-kun. This is where your escort ends. I actually had business with the Bradley family.”
“Yes. Then I will take my leave.”
After bowing my head, I turn to head back the way I came.
At that moment, I glanced back for just a moment.
The two of them move forward, closely together, with Rebecca-senpai seemingly being pulled in. From the side, they look like a loving couple. But somehow, Rebecca-senpai seems to be shrinking, appearing smaller.
Could it be that he is the cause of this?
Is it Evan Bernstein, who has been the reason for Rebecca-senpai’s unusual behavior lately?
As I think this, the words of Dina-senpai flash through my mind.
“I think there’s something about Evan Bernstein.”
There is something. That phrase keeps replaying in my mind.
From here on, it’s my unnecessary meddling. But unless I dispel that concern, I won’t be able to move forward.
And so, instead of heading back to my dorm, I change my course and head straight to my mentor.
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