One afternoon, while our class was in the full swing of getting ready for the Genius Festival, Colette gave a tired sigh and said, “Now I see…so that’s why you volunteered to be the cook.”
“Exactly, Princess. And I was so looking forward to it…”
With the opening of our café approaching, we had discussed what we were going to do about the refreshments, which resulted in a bunch of randos from our class being chosen as cooks.
We were currently on our way back from visiting the school chef after taking our class cooks to get a crash course on how to make the bannocks I was planning on making. Our classmates had already dispersed from the cafeteria, and we were down to the usual trio plus one, heading to the garden to train.
What Colette was scoffing at just now was just how easy it was to bake bannocks. They were the sort of thing even a dummy could make as long as you didn’t mess up the ingredients. What’s more, they didn’t need to be served fresh out of the oven. Now that Colette knew I had been trying to get off easy, she cast a judgmental glare in my direction.
“Now, now, I think making clever use of manpower is a talent itself… I think it’s admirable, Miss Mylene.”
“Well, thanks…”
Personally, I thought it was a rather clever plan…but now that it was foiled, I’d settle for second best.
I’d assumed I was done with living a life of servitude, but it looked like I’d have to train the muscles in my brain a lot more if I expected to achieve my goals in life this time around.
“Argh…”
Anyway, there was no use in lamenting what was already done. To live life on my terms this time around, I would need to increase the size of my deck—that was the takeaway here.
We arrived at the garden and set our bags down on the mostly empty bench. I did a few light swings with my practice sword to limber up my mind and body. Albert and Colette were also doing their own personal warm-ups in preparation for their sparring match against me.
It was a familiar scene.
But there was a new addition lately.
“……”
It was Melissa, who was sitting on the bench. She sat her tiny bottom onto the bench beside my belongings and rested her hands politely atop her lap. Sitting in a way that wouldn’t let her retreat suddenly was proof that she didn’t feel the need to flee. She was there to observe. She looked like a relaxed cat now, sitting cross-legged with all signs of hypervigilance gone.
Though her gaze still seemed to be directed only at me—
“Whoa…!”
And sometimes she would moan in awe as I swung my sword. Her relaxed expression and voice were almost persuasive enough.
……It’s clear her match with Albert gave her a lot to think about. Either that or it’s made her indirectly interested in me, since I taught the boy who beat her—I’m really not sure.
The whole thing made me feel self-conscious, so I ignored her and asked my students, “Are you both ready?”
Melissa used to run away if she ever caught me looking back at her, so I always avoided her gaze. But now it was almost the opposite. I swung my blade, trying to ward off the thoughts that were cluttering my mind like tangled threads.
“Yes, Miss Mylene! I look forward to another great lesson!”
“Today’s the day I’m gonna beat you, Mylene!”
For Albert and Colette, it was a textbook-perfect normal training session.