The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

21.
"Ooh, they're fighting."
The 7th Prince's eyes sparkled at the scene outside the train window.

A magician and knights were brawling. It certainly wasn’t something you saw every day.
"Aaagh!"
"The magician threw the first punch!"

"Get out of the way! You bastards!"
"This is wild!"
"Knights, and they're this weak?"

"Fierce! They're going at it real fierce!"
"Pow!"
"A woman just got punched in the face!"
Watching the fight unfold right from the train, the 7th Prince looked genuinely delighted.

"Do magicians and knights usually fight that well?"
"It's a rare sight, Your Highness."
"Really?"

Riding on Ransell’s shoulders, he kept clenching his fists in excitement.
Only Laura, who was stamping her feet anxiously beside them, bit her nails in nervous unrest.
Maybe it was because the fight looked like it was escalating.

"Should we stop them soon?"
"Hmm, it was getting fun though."
"But we do need to depart."

"Then I guess there's no choice. But how are we going to stop them?"
"Like this."
With the sullen 7th Prince still sitting on his shoulders, Ransell boarded the train.

Shouts and loud crashes burst constantly. In the cramped space, people were bumping into each other nonstop. Items were getting knocked over, cluttering the floor and getting kicked around.
"Your Highness, once we're inside, can you repeat what I say?"
"That's easy enough. What are you going to say?"

"You'll hear it."
Ransell kicked the door open with all his strength.
KA-BANG!
"Everyone, heads down."

"Ahaha! Everyone, heads down!"
The 7th Prince repeated Ransell’s words with a bright laugh. The chaotic train car went completely still.
"Didn’t you hear him? Please repeat it, Your Highness."

"Everyone, heads down! Ahahahaha!"
.
.
.
"And to think you're all academy students, brawling like this. Where the hell did your knightly honor go, and what happened to a magician’s pride?"

Ransell strode through the space where groans of pain still echoed.
Behind him, the 7th Prince followed with a cheerful smile.
Inside this train, there were no more nobles or commoners. If the prince told you to lower your head, there weren’t many who’d dare resist. Maybe a royal or two at best.

And even that royal—Aldehar himself—had been made to quietly stand in a corner and face the wall, courtesy of Ransell.
"Mary."
"Y-yes, Professor… hiiiiek!"

Ransell plopped down and sat right on Merry’s lower back, while she was bent over with her head down.
"Uuughhhhh!"
Her legs trembled as a groan of pain escaped her mouth.

"Who started it? Be honest."
"Th-the k-knights did firs— nnnnngh…"
"Don’t talk nonsense! When did we ever—!"

"Sit on that one too, Your Highness."
"Can I?"
"Heop!"
Right or wrong didn’t matter anymore.

Ransell had no other purpose but to sit on Marigold’s back and watch the struggling academy students suffer.
"Ugh!"
As Marigold tried to push herself off the floor, Ransell pressed her back down with his hand.

Then, sitting silently on her spine, Ransell opened his mouth.
"You can hold out like this until we arrive, right?"
A wave of despair spread through the train.

As he played with Marigold’s double-braided hair, Ransell enjoyed a peaceful moment with the 7th Prince.
"Nice weather, isn’t it, Your Highness?"
"It really is."

Only groans of pain continued to echo.
"Ah, killer weather."
"Is it that good?"

22.
Swoooosh—!
Rain poured down on the forest in sheets. Just stepping outside for a moment left you drenched to the bone.

Where the hell did the nice °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° weather go?
"Looks like night training’s out the window."
It wasn’t like this during the day.

Earlier, under clear sunny skies, the knight and magic departments had held a "hunting competition."
Dozens of rabbits with red collars had been released, and the department that caught the most would get points.
A medieval-style game, you could call it.

For the record: Magic Department – 330 rabbits. Knight Department – 150 rabbits. That explained the grim faces on the knights.
Apparently, when it came to hunting, magic was far more efficient than running around trying to catch things by hand.
Swoooooosh—!

Then came this disaster while they were resting back in the tents. Like monsoon season, the sky was pouring endlessly.
All the academy students huddled inside their pre-set tents, hiding from the rain.
"Honestly, this might be for the best."

Laura said while watching the relentless downpour.
"They said bandits were spotted in the area."
"Bandits?"

"Yes. The guards who were patrolling earlier reported seeing suspicious individuals. With so many nobles wandering around, they might’ve come to target us."
"Wow, those bastards have guts."
Trying to kidnap noble-born students for ransom, perhaps.

Ordinarily, they wouldn’t have stood a chance, but now things were different. A bit of bad luck and one or two could’ve actually been snatched.
It had been a mistake to bring so many students on this training trip.
'Whose idea was it to bring the entire academy cohort?'

Managing this many people with just Ransell and Laura was a nightmare.
That was why Laura had said it was fortunate the rain came. Huddling inside tents like this was the safest option.
'My camping trip is ruined.'

Of course, he didn’t say it out loud.
After all, the 7th Prince, who had called all these students here in the first place, was now sleeping soundly in his lap.
"Then Sir Ransell, please watch over His Highness until the rain stops. I’ll take my leave."

"Are you running away?"
"Who knows? Fufu."
As Laura stepped outside the tent, only the sound of rain remained.

Swoooosh—!
And then—
Soon after, a familiar shadow appeared outside the tent.

"Professor Ransell. May I come in?"
"What is it?"
"This."

The shadow held out a rectangular object.
"Sandwiches. I thought you hadn’t eaten anything today…"
"…Come in."

"Yes."
With a cheerful reply, a rain-soaked Marigold stepped into the tent.
She glanced around at the spacious prince-only tent with a fireplace and chimney.

"I didn’t know you were using such a nice place—ah!"
She spotted the sleeping 7th Prince and quickly lowered her voice.
"It’s fine. Once he falls asleep, he doesn’t wake up easily, apparently."

"I-I see."
Marigold quietly sat down next to Ransell. Her rain-wet hair sparkled in the firelight.
"Here."

She pulled out the sandwiches she’d carefully kept close to her chest. Twelve pieces in a wooden box, clearly prepared with care.
"You made these for me?"
"…"

Marigold hesitated, her lips moving slightly, then gave a small nod.
"Because, last time… it seemed like you liked them…"
Now he felt bad about punishing her this morning.

The red mark from the train discipline was still vivid on her forehead.
"…Thanks. I’ll eat well."
Ransell picked up one sandwich from the box she offered. Vegetables and meat were layered neatly between the bread. She must’ve gotten up at dawn to make them.

"Ransell-nim."
"Professor."
"Ah, Professor Ransell."

"What is it?"
With a sandwich in his mouth, Ransell responded.
For some reason, Marigold fiddled with her hands, clearly struggling to say something.

"What is it?"
"Well, I… that is… about Lord Aldehar…"
"…?"

Aldehar.
Successor to the Kingdom of Lukia.
His name had just come out of Marigold’s mouth.

Ransell couldn’t believe what he heard next.
"After the training ends… he invited me to dinner at his mansion."
"…!"

Suddenly?
'Aldehar?'
The most notoriously difficult capture target, the heir to a foreign kingdom, had invited her to dinner?

What the hell happened?
"Did you know him well before?"
"No, not really. We just took a few classes together in the same group, did some magic research together now and then, sometimes he’d walk me to the girls’ dorm—just that much. Nothing more… really."

That’s not “just that much.”
That was a lot.
In game terms, that basically meant the route was complete.

If Marigold wanted, she could probably marry him right now. For Aldehar to invite her to dinner himself—
'Turns out he was easier than I thought. Or maybe Marigold just hit the jackpot by accident?'
Ransell stared blankly, stroking his chin.

"…I turned him down."
Marigold tilted her head slightly, glaring at Ransell with just her eyes.
"I said I wouldn’t go."

Maybe it was the warmth of the crackling fireplace, but her cheeks were flushed as she sat beside him.
"…"