Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 67
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I found it all so unfair, so infuriating, so maddening that I wanted to unleash magic on both sides of me right then and there. Of course, I was a good person who understood propriety and the value of life, so I wouldn’t actually use magic. But surely a little freezing wouldn’t hurt?
“W-wait, Evan, are you okay? I-I mean, maybe it’s just that Reina being next to you is m-making you uncomfortable or something?”
“Did you just say I find you disgusting?”
“N-no, I just thought m-maybe Evan’s mood could be affected by, um, being near me, so—”
“You’ve been acting weird ever since you came back from visiting Evan’s house.”
“H-hehe. A-are you jealous?”
“Why you—!”
“Mages, be quiet!”
A piece of chalk flew through the air. Reina Letem dodged it, and Kanna caught it deftly with two fingers. The prodigy of that Assassination Family always gave me chills in moments like these. Where on earth did she learn to catch chalk with just two fingers?
“My apologies.”
“W-we’re sorry.”
I couldn’t focus on the lecture. Since we were still in the course adjustment period, this was merely a preview class, but if I couldn’t concentrate going forward, it would be a serious problem. All I could see was the back of Seian Crowell’s head. The seat next to him should have been mine. At the very least, I should have been sitting diagonally to catch a glimpse of his profile. That way, I could have also seen Seian’s expression when my gaze annoyed him. Such an expression from him was precious. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be displeased with me, but considering he was restraining himself during class, it was undoubtedly a rare sight.
It was like a limited-time event item. If I missed this moment, there was no telling when the next opportunity would come.
“…Limited-time?”
Wait, something just caught in my throat. What did limited-time events have to do with Seian Crowell?
“….”
I pondered for a moment, then remembered it was September. And though the author hadn’t revealed his exact profile, I recalled that Seian Crowell’s unfortunate birthday—one that went uncelebrated by anyone—fell somewhere around September.
“Oh! Limited-time! September!”
“Mages, get out!”
A piece of chalk embedded itself directly in the center of my forehead.
“You got us kicked out because of you!”
“That’s not entirely my fault.”
“W-well, we were making a fuss first, so…”
We were expelled from the Lecture Hall with nothing but the course syllabus handouts in hand. The weather was beautiful and we had time to spare, so we decided to grab a snack—waffles sounded perfect. When I returned with a jumbo-sized waffle piled high with whipped cream and fruit toppings, Reina Letem’s eyes went wide.
“You always bought the cheapest option before. Did your circumstances improve?”
“I robbed some bandits on the way to school.”
“Wow, you really struck gold.”
“I-I think Evan’s frugality is… actually pretty cool.”
True, I was rather thrifty. I nodded at Kanna’s comment, but Reina’s expression darkened as she turned to me accusingly.
“Hey, what was that last vacation about! Why did you only invite Kanna to your place!”
“I didn’t invite her.”
“Kanna, you crazy bastard—did you investigate her background!”
“N-no. We were originally… p-pen pals. I already knew her address.”
“She told you and not me!”
“Because I dislike you.”
“There’s no one around, so you don’t need to hold back!”
“No. I genuinely dislike you.”
I tore into my jumbo waffle, letting Reina Letem’s complaints go in one ear and out the other. Still, I was grateful that coming here meant I could celebrate Seian Crowell’s birthday. That author bastard never revealed any of the characters’ birthdays, so we couldn’t even hold celebration events. The only dates our Cafe members ever commemorated were the characters’ death anniversaries.
“Reina Letem.”
“What.”
“Do you know Seian Crowell’s birthday?”
“Huh?”
At my question, Reina Letem’s face went blank before she uttered something remarkably foolish.
“Does he even have a birthday?”
Seian Crowell is a person—of course he has a birthday, you lunatic. When I conveyed this with genuine sincerity, Reina Letem furrowed her brow in confusion.
“Hmm… I’ve never attended the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration. Or… was it never even held?”
Just how much was Seian Crowell being mistreated in the Imperial Palace? Even if his potential became apparent as he grew older, surely they’d at least celebrate his birthday in childhood? Though, come to think of it, when Seian Crowell was very young, Reina Letem was also very young, so it made sense she wouldn’t remember.
“Want to know? I could slip a bribe and check the student records.”
“What do you want?”
“Do one more show with me.”
“I’m going to Princess Sera.”
Rather than resort to that, I’d do the legwork myself. With no further business with Reina Letem, I stood up from the bench and headed toward the Club room.
“I’m going in.”
I made a polite sound to alert anyone who might be inside the club room before entering, and Sunbird greeted us warmly.
Since it was a club for leisure anyway, I’d invited Kanna to come along, but she declined midway, saying she wasn’t the top or second-ranked student, nor did she possess the influence of nobility, so Princess Sera would likely dislike her presence.
If Kanna revealed herself as the pride of the Assassination Family, Sera would become fascinated and attempt to recruit her. Kanna worried about such things.
Of course, Kanna being the pride of the Assassination Family wasn’t yet confirmed fact, but if she denied it, they’d be even more shocked.
“Evan, Reina. You both look well. I’m relieved.”
Princess Sera, who sipped the black tea Sunbird offered with elegance, wore glasses and was reading through documents stacked as high as she was tall. Normally she seemed wild as thunder, but with the glasses on, I could glimpse the intellectual bearing of a princess at work.
Seian would look good in glasses too. His mind wasn’t particularly sharp, but his face had the appearance of a scholar.
“Evan. I still don’t see the merit in constructing a train station in Ilram Village.”
“Tsk.”
Were all those documents I sent? I’d thought she’d skim through them carelessly and decide since she was still young, but the Princess was more meticulous than expected. At this point, I had no choice but to appeal to our academic connection.
“Princess Sera. Aren’t we close?”
“I absolutely despise that sort of thing.”
“Water too clear cannot sustain fish.”
“Sunbird lives in it.”
“Only Sunbird alone. Without people, great things cannot be accomplished.”
“I have no intention of accomplishing great things.”
“Those around you won’t allow it.”
“Others are others. I am myself.”
“An incorruptible royal, even dogs won’t bite.”
“Hahahaha!”
Sera, acknowledging the truth, clapped her hands and flung off her glasses. Sunbird caught them deftly—clearly this happened often.
“What did you do with the Lord of Dellan?”
“That’s a strange way to phrase it. The man was killed by a magical beast. It’s not something I disposed of or didn’t dispose of.”
“You’re going to answer like that?”
“How else could I have entertained you?”
If I could just go home comfortably, I could perform as a jester quite thoroughly. At that thought, I grinned widely, and Sera made a rare, displeased expression, tapping the table lightly.
“Evan. According to your territory development plan, this will certainly benefit the Empire in the future. If things proceed as you hope.”
“It’s impossible with hope alone. The Princess must lend her strength.”
“I’ll grant you a useful title. I’ll petition His Majesty to merge Ilram and Dellan into one district and promote it to the Unified Ilram Autonomous City. You, who were once Village Chief, shall become Mayor.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you planning to become independent and become a Lord?”
“I want to attract a train station.”
“What’s your real aim?”
“I want to attract a train station.”
“Stop. Let’s drop this topic.”
As I nodded, Reina, who had been stupidly alternating her gaze between Princess Sera and me, let out a startled cry.
“Wait, you just became Mayor?!”
“Not yet.”
“If the Third Princess petitions His Majesty, it’s guaranteed to happen! Damn it, how does this crazy bastard come back from vacation as a Mayor?!”
“Just live diligently. Though you’ll never understand why.”
“I’ve trained hard too, you know?!”
I could at least acknowledge that Reina Letem had trained diligently. Otherwise, there was no way she could have obtained a Super Rare-grade skill without cheats or enhancements, relying solely on her own body.
“What’s the secret to your training?”
“Secret? I just went to the Active Volcano and beat up monsters.”
“That’s so like you.”
“That’s an insult, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Reina Letem reached for my hair again, so I twisted my body to evade and swept her leg. She stumbled for a moment, then caught herself with her hands and executed a perfect cartwheel in mid-air, landing gracefully. In the process, a vase was sacrificed.
“Reina Letem. Five million crowns.”
“Yes!”
The Third Princess calmly stated the vase’s price, and Reina Letem pulled out a checkbook exclusive to House of Letem from her pocket. I’d thought it was just some common ceramic vase scattered about carelessly, but it turned out to be an expensive piece. I’d need to be more careful about breaking things in the club room from now on.
“Princess Sera. Actually, I came here to ask you something.”
“You have another matter?”
“Yes. I want to know Seian Crowell’s birthday.”
Princess Sera, who had been wearing the face of a brilliant and capable Third Princess just moments before, rapidly transformed into an idiot. She rolled her eyes while making nonsensical sounds, then fixed her gaze on Sunbird and blurted out Seian Crowell’s birthday while calling out to my Sunbird.
“That is… he doesn’t hold birthday celebrations, you see.”
“What kind of royal doesn’t hold a birthday celebration! No wonder he has no one around him!”
It’s because he has no money and no backing, Your Highness. That’s something you, who’ve lived comfortably your entire life, will never experience. When I said this, Princess Sera made the face of a political novice I’d seen in the dungeon last semester.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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