I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

◍◍◍

No matter how hard I look at it, it seems that Carson was making excuses after knocking Fjord down.

But Fjord didn't seem to have any signs of trauma or beating in his body.

Crucially, Carson has always messed up the club room even if he grumbles and quarrelled with Fjord, but he was never actually hurt anywhere.

I glanced at Fjord, who was lying on the floor like a corpse, with a confused expression, then shifted my gaze to Carson and opened my mouth.

"Then let's quickly move him on the sofa or wake him up. He looks like a corpse laying on the floor like that."

"If you think so, of course, we should."

Carson approached Fjord, who was lying motionless and put his hand on his forehead, creating a magic circle.

I could hear the sound of a "whoosh" from the magic circle.

I told you to wake him up. Why are you casting a spell?

"Caon. What are you doing now?"

"Fjord seems to be tired, so I cast a spell to boost his energy."

Carson turned to me and explained why he suddenly cast the magic circle with a harmless face.

Yes, of course, Carson was not a man who could harm anyone.

"Cough!"

Soon after, Fjord jumped up, wrapping his hands around his neck.

"Did you sleep well, Fjord?"

"Carsion, you crazy…!"

"Hey, someone's listening. Don't curse as soon as you wake up. I only asked you if you had a good sleep, Fjord."

Fjord stiffened after hearing the soft voice of Carson and glanced at me standing in the distance in front of the door. 

"…as expected."

Then, he thought about making eye contact with Carson again and let out a deep sigh.

"Sigh…"

Fjord grabbed Carson's outstretched hand and stood up, staggered a few steps, and plopped down onto the sofa where he nestled.

Oh, I lost my seat.

"When did you arrive, Leen?"

He asked, messing up my hair. My conscience was pricked at Fjord's question, and I glanced at him for a moment before opening my mouth.

"Just now."

In my reply Fjord looks at Carson with a triumphant face. It was a face that asked me to say something.

On days when Fjord was late in a row, he was always one-sidedly scolded by Carson, so I don't think I could avoid it today.

"What's wrong with you lately, Leen?"

But instead of getting angry at me, Carson asked me in a worried voice.

At this, Fjord with a resigned face said, ‘Well, yes. What could I ask of you?' he muttered quietly.

Carson thinks I'll like it if he discriminates against Fjord like this, but that's a big mistake.

Oh right.

I shrugged lightly.

"It's nothing, I'm a little late because I was taking the test today. Sorry."

"Oh, the accounting test? It's so easy that I don't think you need to take that exam, but Leen's very meticulous."

"…"

The problems were easy?

Yes, Carson was a wizard.

If you could use that difficult teleport casually at a young age, you must be very talented, but your brain wasn't so smart.

For some reason, I felt resentful, so I bit my lips and stared at Fjord with a hopeful face.

Fjord said his major was swordsmanship, so he'll understand me…

"Yeah. I didn't quite understand why they wanted me to show the test paperfrom but come to think of it, someone as meticulous as Leen might be like that."

That's what I think.

Why am I the only one…?

I felt it. After entering the academy, I realized that I had neglected my studies.

It's an excuse, but now that I feel comfortable, I naturally let go of studying.

Life at the academy was a lot more fun than I thought.

I couldn't do this. I have to take special measures.

"Guys."

"Yes, Leen. I was passing through the hallway and saw a candy, so I bought it impulsively. Do you want some?"

Carson smiled brightly and talked nonsense with a beautifully wrapped lollipop.

Who the hell would sit in the Academy's hallway selling candy?

I opened my mouth, gently putting the candy he had offered me aside.

"I'm not going to attend the club for two weeks from today until the exam."

Tak.

It was the sound of the lollipop held by the Carson falling helplessly and hitting the floor.

◍◍◍

I could feel the burdensome gaze.

I took my eyes off the book I was reading and looked up. There was a familiar pink hair across in front of me.

He's been like this ever since I declared that I would be absent in the club. Like I'm the mother bird, he kept trying to follow me wherever I went.

I sighed a little.

"Carson."

He opened his mouth with a sullen expression on his face acting as if he was sad.

"Caon."

It's tricky. It's only a two-letter difference.

(N:카르시온-Carsion, and 카온-Caon, Leen meant that only the 르시 was removed from his name. I'm thinking of using Carson from now on.)

"Yes, Caon. Why are you here?"

"Well, I'm here to study."

Obviously, the place we are now was the library within the academy, and his answer was in line with the purpose of the library's existence.

Only in words. 

I pointed my finger at the book that Carsion was holding.

The book he was holding was turned upside down.

"Why don't you just talk to the book you're holding upside down."

Even while he was in the library, that book has never turned to the next page.

That's almost enough to memorize a page…?

Then Carson quietly checks the upside-down book and shrugs lightly.

"Sometimes I read it backward."

It was a shameless answer.

At least I thought you'd show signs of embarrassment.

"Don't lie— who would read a book backward?"

"I…"

He grinned and opened the book so I could see right from my side. Thanks to this, Carson was in the form of looking at the book upside down.

"Mana is the forces that are the source of all living things, and when it violates the laws of nature, and if the power were twisted, monsters are born. There are two major cases of deviating from the laws of nature…"

Perhaps it was not a lie that he sometimes reads backwards, he quickly read the book without hesitation.

"Shh, stop talking too loud, it's a nuisance."

I quickly covered his mouth with my hand and looked around.

In fact, the library of the Arena Academy allowed free discussion. But it was strangely quiet today, so I couldn't help but notice.

Fortunately, no one was looking at us, probably because there were no people around where we sat.

Ugh, come to think of it, something really wasn't right.

Why aren't there anyone glancing this way, when Carson's here?

Even if it wasn't for him, I don't think I could even feel the gaze people usually look at me with.

Everyone in the library had their noses stuck in a book.

When you take your eyes off the book, it feels like something bad was about to happen.

Everyone's studying hard enough that they don't have to care about us…!

I felt like I had to study fast so I wouldn't get caught up.

I jumped up from my seat, leaving Carson, who seemed to have stopped the accident due to the sudden touch.

It seemed like the right time to run away from him.

◍◍◍

"Caon."

"Yes, Leen."

I left Carson in the library and ran away, but before I knew it, he was walking next to me.

I stopped walking and stared at Carson. When he makes eye contact with me, he blinks and smiles.

"Could you stop chasing me now and go do your job?"

"…you don't need me?"

Carson opened his eyes wide and looked shocked.

Some people might think that I used him to my heart's content and threw him away.

"If there's a problem you don't know, I'll do my best to help you, Leen."

"…that's good."

But it wasn't good to walk around like this.

It only adds credibility to the rumor that Carson likes me.

Otherwise, it was a difficult situation because rumors spread more these days.

Obviously not to this extent until I told Carson about the rumors.

No, I don't think so…

For some reason, it felt like the rumors began to spread in earnest after confiding in him.

As if Carson had intended to spread the rumors.

Of course, it wouldn't really be like that. Apart from me, it's going to be a blow to Carson himself.

There's nothing good about rumors spreading like that.

Anyway, because of the rumors spreading around the academy, whenever I appeared anywhere, I was busy facing and talking to him.

Sometimes, some people asked if the rumors were true.

I answered it with a rotten look on my face.

Oh, this was tiring…

I don't know if the Duchess or Duke of Lisianthus would come to visit me after this.

Did you seduce the precious son of our family?

I don't want to be slapped. Should I put a glass of water in front of us when we meet?

Oh, of course, I don't want to get burned, so I'll use cold water.

It's understandable that when you see a glass full of water when you're angry, the desire to throw it at someone increases. Wouldn't it be hard to resist that temptation?

"Leen?"

The sound of Carson's questionable voice brought me back to my senses.

The thoughts were too long.

Why am I worrying about something that won't happen? I really have a lot of imagination.

I chuckled and patted him in the stomach lightly with my fist.

"You put on a cute expression. It's clever."

Then I began to go my way without caring regardless of whether Carson was chasing me or not.

After all, the place I'm going to now was the girl's dormitory, and he won't be able to pursue me since it's a forbidden area.

I thought … but come to think of it, Carson was already a former violator who had already broken into the forbidden territory.

This crazy guy.

I looked at Carson, who had followed me all the way to the dorm room with a puzzled face.

"You shouldn't have followed me all the way here. What kind of trouble would it be for my roommate, let alone me? I'm not the only one living in this space like I used to."

"Then…"

"I couldn't even use my own room."

Carson, who was about to say something, shut his mouth. Then he quietly looks at Jane who was in the dormitory.

"Excuse me?"

"No. It's okay."

Jane shook her head desperately and said it wasn't rude. I thought it was strange to shake it too much.

But to consider that statement to be a lie, it didn't suit Jane's personality, who dares to express her opinion without losing to anyone.

When I started to doubt that something I didn't know had passed between the two.

Carson smiled brightly as he turned his gaze from Jane to me.

"Excuse me."

…Excuse me.

I finally picked up the backpack I had put down.

Then, with a small sigh, I grabbed the tip of Carson's shirt.

It was a declaration of surrender to his direct advance.