Episode 52: The Last Boss Young Lady Doesn’t “Capture”

More than a month had passed since the entrance ceremony, and the new students at Royal Lytisia Academy were getting used to their new lives.

“…Hm?”

Eleanore noticed that something had been placed on the desk she always used.

Tilting her head as she looked at it, she saw it was a letter written on unusually high-quality paper.

Written in elegant, refined handwriting was “To Lady Eleanore Anciness,” and when she opened the seal, she found a lengthy message written inside.

“Haah… again?”

“Oh, Eleanore-san. Could that be another letter?”

As Eleanore sighed in exasperation, Colette Holden peered at the letter’s contents.

“Yes. It’s filled with passionate feelings.”

Eleanore responded while skimming through it.

Although there had always been no shortage of people captivated by her beauty and talent, perhaps because the tension peculiar to right after enrollment had eased, lately these kinds of approaches had been increasing.

She had received more love letters and confessions than she could count on her fingers.

She hadn’t received marriage proposals as frequently as that one time before, but conversely, that meant she had been hit with declarations of love from people she didn’t even recognize about once or twice since then.

“Oh my, oh my. It must be hard being the academy’s madonna.”

“I have absolutely no recollection of becoming such a thing…”

Without hiding her fed-up emotions, Eleanore spoke with another sigh mixed in.

Receiving such affection also took energy.

There was probably nothing more exhausting than emotions from people she didn’t even remember exchanging words with.

As Eleanore thought this deeply, she folded up the letter in her hand and returned it to the envelope it came in.

“Who was it from this time?”

“Well, someone I don’t know.”

“…Even though you say that, last time it was from one of the most handsome guys in this year!”

Colette forcibly snatched the letter away and opened it with a flourish to look at the sender’s name.

“Look, this person is the second son of a duke’s family!”

“I’m aware of that. Either way, I have no acquaintance with him.”

“No, really… you could show a little more interest, you know.”

Colette showed a half-exasperated expression at Eleanore’s nonchalant attitude.

No matter how high-ranking someone was, no matter how talented they were, no matter what beauty they possessed, Eleanore showed no interest.

Confessions that an ordinary young lady would accept with an immediate yes, she rejected with an immediate no.

She had lost count of how many times they’d had this exchange, but for Colette, who was obsessed with connections, this was still an incomprehensible stance.

“Well, you completely ignored Hild, Jirujis, Demond, Torados… the people who approached you before. They’re all famous in social circles, but you didn’t give them any attention at all. I’m not surprised at this point though.”

“Did that happen?”

“It did, and you’ve already forgotten.”

As Colette counted on her fingers listing the names of men who had approached her so far, Eleanore couldn’t quite recall.

In fact, she was hearing their names for the first time, and didn’t remember the faces of those who had spoken to her very well.

While smiling wryly, Colette exhaled and looked up at the ceiling.

“I’m so jealous. I wish high-ranking men would just come to me on their own.”

“You really don’t hide your desires at all, do you?”

“Well, if I’m shown something like this, you know. If I were in your position, I would have enthusiastically ‘captured’ every single one of them.”

Colette smiled wickedly with a grin.

It was half-joking, half-serious.

Eleanore responded with a wry smile.

“It’s improper to make moves on so many people. It’s best to devote your affection to one person.”

“…Hehe. Now that you mention it, you are that kind of person, aren’t you? You already have someone in your heart, don’t you?”

Colette shifted her expression from a wicked smile to a teasing one.

“How are things going with that person lately?”

“W-With Arcs… you mean? …Well, of course—”

Eleanore’s cheeks reddened slightly as she expanded on the topic with a not-entirely-displeased expression.

Colette nodded along as she listened.

This was a scene that had become part of their daily routine over the past month.

Eleanore would talk about Arcs, and Colette would listen while occasionally chiming in.

They had repeated this almost every day.

(Good grief… this girl really doesn’t stop once she starts talking.)

Though she smiled wryly internally, she continued to listen to the story.

At first, Colette had felt like a cat floating in space, but lately she had been showing interest in their relationship.

(Arcs Leefort… I hope I can have a ‘chat’ with him someday.)

While confirming the name of her friend’s beloved, the merchant’s descendant listened to her story.

***

“Achoo!”

Halfway down the school building corridor, I sneezed loudly.

I wonder if it’s hay fever.

There shouldn’t be trees like cedar or cypress in this world… and even if there were, the pollen season should be almost over by now.

While grumbling about this, I passed by classrooms where other classes were in session.

Whether it was because I was a special scholarship student or valedictorian… I forget which reason, but I had a privilege that allowed me to be late or absent from classes.

They let me do as I pleased so I could research and utilize my noteworthy abilities, apparently.

At first I attended classes properly, but lately the opportunities to exercise that right had become not uncommon.

Well, it’s not like I’m skipping, and there are times when I’m tired from student council work, so it can’t be helped!

Though I wasn’t saying it to anyone, I set up that excuse in my mind.

While thinking about such trivial things, I arrived at my classroom.

“Excuse me.”

When I quietly opened the door, my classmates were noisily walking around.

They were gathering with friends and companions in a lively manner, and it didn’t feel like a class.

…Wait, has the class collapsed?

While thinking of that joke, I approached someone I knew.

“Ah, Arcs-kun! You’re late again today.”

“Emma. Yes, it’s the exercise of a legitimate right.”

Emma, who noticed first, spoke to me with her usual energy.

In response to her joking with a grin, I replied with a straight face.

Then Emma burst out laughing.

“…So, aren’t we having class right now?”

“Huh, Arcs-kun, you didn’t hear?”

When I asked while tilting my head, Emma looked puzzled.

“We’re deciding groups right now… or rather, deciding pairs. For practical exercises, summer camp… for joint classes with other classes and such.”

Emma answered, raising a finger.

Ah, that group decision… or rather, pair decision.

I suppose there was something like that. No wonder everyone’s so lively.

Knowing Kiril-sensei, she probably said something like “decide freely!”

While I was thinking this to myself, I suddenly realized something.

“…There’s a camp in the summer?”

“Hm? That’s right?”

Emma said it like it was obvious… but I had completely forgotten.

…No, it’s just my lack of confirmation…

…But wait, then what about student council work during summer vacation… and what about Eleanore… what should I do?