Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 134

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“Sera told you my old name, didn’t she?”
“Ah, that matter.”
Sunbird barely managed to compose himself, pleading for understanding given the gravity of the situation, and desperately defended Sera by insisting she wasn’t normally one to speak so carelessly.
“If there is blame to be assigned, I shall bear it. Please do not reproach the Third Princess.”
“Birds of a feather, I see.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. This was how an official couple should be.
“I won’t fault either of you. As you said, the situation warrants it. Besides, I have something to confess as well.”
If I were to work beside Cecilia, it was partly due to coercion from Mother, but also because Gerth weighed heavily on my mind. Should Sera and Sunbird discover a way to protect our mother and I still failed to act, it could invite misunderstanding—so it was right to tell Sunbird now.
“The lover you saw me with in Ilam—he is Gerth, the Serpent King.”
“What?!”
“Keep your voice down. Sera will hear.”
At my warning, Sunbird clapped a hand over his own mouth. When he asked who else knew, I answered that besides your Imperial family, Eugene, Reina, and Kanna all know—and Sunbird gasped anew.
“I said keep quiet.”
“My apologies. I was simply overwhelmed.”
Sunbird’s eyes darted about in shock, then suddenly stilled as he met my gaze directly. An idea had struck him.
“Perhaps you, Evan Laef, could become an extraordinary trump card.”
Why are your facial muscles twitching? Lower your hand—you’re smiling, aren’t you?
When I scolded him for making light of my misfortune, Sunbird whispered that wasn’t his intention at all. After our conversation ended, we were about to enter the East Wing together, but something suddenly occurred to me, so I asked for Seian to be called out. Sunbird went inside, and this time Seian emerged.
“Why do you keep swapping people like this? What are you scheming?”
“Seian. I need a favor.”
“Wh-what is it?”
I took Seian’s hand and led him into the adjacent room, then removed my school jacket. As I began unbuttoning my shirt one button at a time, Seian let out a shriek and tried to rush back outside.
“Pervert! You pervert! Don’t you dare lay a finger on me!”
“Apply the salve.”
I’d brought the ointment with me, after all. Whining to Cecilia about calling a healer was one thing, but it hurt right now—just apply this. I’d noticed before that it not only heals wounds but also has a numbing effect.
“Hey, this—”
“What you suspected yesterday was correct. It looks like it might worsen, so apply it.”
As I unwound the bandages and bared my back, Seian quietly squeezed out some ointment and spread it across my wounds. His hands trembled as if the injuries frightened him.
“You’re the only one I can ask.”
I meant for him to finish applying the salve despite his fear, but I heard a sniffle from behind. When I tried to turn around, Seian yelped and ordered me not to look back.
“Hey. Can’t you just quit school?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“You’re a mage. You don’t have to do this. You could live well without it.”
His voice came out nasally, and when I glanced back, I saw Seian looking far uglier than usual. His eyes were red from crying, and tears streaked his cheeks along with snot.
“Ugh, don’t look, I told you.”
“Don’t cry.”
“Run away. Even if it’s just you—just run away.”
Seian continued crying for quite some time. I found myself at a loss.
Should I force a laugh? No, that would only anger him. Come to think of it, this was my reward. I poked at Seian’s ribs repeatedly, tickling him mercilessly.
“Stop it—don’t be so serious, haha! Don’t, hic! Stop it!”
The sight of him laughing with tears and snot streaming down his face was absolutely ridiculous. Seian tumbled from his chair onto the floor thanks to my tickle assault, cursing me profusely while defending his ribs. It was an excellent reward indeed.
“Even when someone worries about you, hic, ugh.”
Seian sprawled across the floor, his long hair disheveled in disarray, his face flushed crimson as tears streamed from his puffy eyes.
I sensed something wicked stirring within me.
Actually, it had already stirred, but I was burning through a lifetime’s worth of restraint just to avoid becoming like Mitchell.
“Seian.”
“What.”
“You look incredibly alluring right now.”
“….”
Don’t stay silent—I’ll take that as consent, and if I start acting like Mitchell, what then?
I drew upon reserves of restraint I’d need in my next life and quickly produced fresh bandages, wrapping them around me. As I fastened my shirt buttons and threw on my jacket, Seian brushed the dust from himself, having exhausted both laughter and tears, and rose from the floor.
“I won’t run. I can at least manage my own affairs.”
I needed to respond to what Seian had said earlier about running away, so I spoke up. The atmosphere felt strange—perhaps I should head back to the East Wing. Since Sunbird and the others would need to gather to discuss countermeasures, I reached for the door handle, but this cunning Seian subtly caught my sleeve.
“Are you really… not going to do anything?”
Heh, I’d test the waters with a kiss first, and if he didn’t refuse, I’d continue.
I spun around and pulled Seian into an embrace. Excited at the thought of making history if I played this right, the door suddenly burst open and Reina’s voice rang out.
“Mommy!”
So that’s why that troublemaker hadn’t shown up. Reina saw us and squeezed her eyes shut, then launched into an excuse.
“Oh my, I had no idea you young people were having such a wonderful time! I came by because you weren’t showing up! Please, continue what you were doing!”
“Glacial Guidance.”
“Petite Ignition!”
No matter how restrained my Glacial Guidance was, that brat’s Petite Ignition canceled it out—infuriating. Now that I thought about it, she’d had a separate technique for small flames since the fire stage. To use it flexibly, it seemed that smaller techniques were automatically generated alongside larger ones. Given how mysteriously skills manifested based on intuition, perhaps this too followed her personality.
“I’m going home!”
Seian was clearly irritated by the interruption. Given his temperament, if Reina hadn’t ruined the moment, he would have been far more aggressive—no wonder he was furious.
“Once Sunbird decides on a course of action, I’ll contact you separately.”
“Just figure it out yourself!”
Seian left in a huff, slamming the door behind him. How could someone have such a beautiful back view? It was remarkable.
“You can’t just leave someone in the adjacent room and do that.”
“I felt like there wouldn’t be another opportunity.”
“Ugh, you’re a beast.”
“Heh.”
I could respond to Reina’s teasing with an easy laugh. After all, I’d never even properly held a man’s hand before, let alone locked lips—what would she know?
“You’re irritatingly sly, you know that?”
“You’re perceptive enough to notice.”
“Damn it! I’m going to meet a guy during break too!”
What man would ever like a gorilla like you? I almost said it, but decided to exercise magnanimity and keep my mouth shut instead. Calling a fool a fool only counts as an insult.
“Everyone’s been waiting. Let’s go.”
“Didn’t you just think some rather infuriating things about me?”
“You really do pick up on these things quickly.”
“Damn it.”
To rile Reina up further, I strolled back to the East Wing with exaggerated composure. When Sunbird asked about Seian Crown Prince’s whereabouts, Reina pouted her lips dramatically and spoke in an irritated tone.
“He ran off to fool around with Evan!”
What is this, elementary school? What does “fool around” even mean? I was about to point out Reina’s poor choice of words when Sunbird opened his eyes strangely and looked down at me with contempt. Come to think of it, during the Gerth incident, it was Sunbird who made the biggest fuss, not Seian Crown Prince. Sunbird had insisted on leaving, so Sera and Seian Crown Prince ended up being dragged along reluctantly.
“In any case, as I mentioned earlier, should any important matters arise, we shall not summon Evan Laef.”
Why does your tone suddenly have such an edge? I understand excluding me from important matters since information leaked to Cecilia, but you’ve been calling me Evan this whole time—why suddenly add Laef? It’s like you’re emphasizing the distance between us.
“And Evan Laef, please do your utmost to establish your position on Cecilia’s side.”
There it is again—Evan Laef. You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? But judging by the look in Sunbird’s eyes, I appear to be some sort of debauchee in his view, so I decided not to say anything. Sunbird is frightening. There’s something unnervingly terrifying about him. Now I understood why Sera couldn’t even lift a finger against him.
“Cecilia won’t expect information leaks either, but if I’m not helpful enough, won’t it be difficult to establish my position?”
“I shall provide the necessary information. And you must participate in the Dekarucha event without fail.”
So we’re really releasing that regular album. At this rate, we’ll be holding concerts too.
“We shall schedule the first concert during the break.”
Damn it, I shouldn’t have even thought about the concert’s key. More importantly, isn’t the schedule too tight? We still have two exams left—when are we supposed to practice? When Eugene, Reina, and I protested, Sunbird shrugged his shoulders, put on a shameless expression, and chattered away.
“I have plenty of time. I can help you with your studies.”
Sunbird is so annoying. We kept chanting that Sunbird was annoying because he was so annoying, but Sunbird either became immune to the word or experienced some sort of spiritual growth, as he didn’t care one bit and said something like Sera would say.
“It is a virtue for those who have to care for those who do not.”
Ugh, Sunbird is really so annoying. As a final gesture, I raised my middle finger at Sunbird and left the East Wing. The rest of them seemed to have something to discuss. I had only thought it was bothersome, but watching them do club activities without me, I felt a little left out.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————