—8 days remaining.

I had to let go of my uniform and buy a new one. I tried to save money, but… it didn’t work very well.

However, I couldn’t afford to fail until the retest. There were only 3 days to go.

My studies were also on their last spurt. That morning, I was enthusiastic to receive tutoring from His Highness Sazanjill.

But, His Highness…

“If Lelouche isn’t feeling well, why don’t we take a break from school and spend the rest of our time until the exam in the mansion?”

“I’m sorry, but I will have to refuse.”

He was trying to isolate me so that I wouldn’t be bullied.

Still, His Highness refused to relent.

“But yesterday, Lelouche was bullied, too—”

“Don’t disturb my enjoyment.”

“Enjoy, ment…”

“I’m looking forward to it!”

I mean, look.

His Highness Zafield was sighing, “As I thought.” He seemed to understand me.

I thought that it was important in cases of unavoidable circumstances, but… why should the victim have to evict? Shouldn’t it be the perpetrators who give up the place?

—While heading to the classroom, such was my preaching to His Highness Zafield.

Upon entering, beautiful flowers were displayed on my seat in the classroom. There were a lot of white flowers with small petals. Ah, were they the ones called ‘Shiragiku’ from the East? The flowers with the meaning of the end of life…?

As I admired those flowers, I heard gigglings.

His Highness Zafield frowned.

“Lelouche, what is this?”

“It’s a gift from a kind person?”

I took a flower from the vase and put it in my hair.

“Am I pretty?”

His Highness Zafield, who narrowed his eyes, didn’t compliment me.

When I looked at my faint reflection in the window, the flower shone against my jet-black hair.

Unfortunately, my desk was too small. During class, I had to vacate the vase.

After having my classes as usual, it was finally time for sword practice. Unusually, His Highness Zafield invited me! Although, I didn’t spend much time holding the sword. Instead, I was taught passive techniques and what to do when being tackled. The solution was to pierce either the groin or the face.

After having a good time, I returned to the classroom again.

Well, the next lesson was—and when I put my hands inside my bag.

“Kyaaa.”

“Lelouche?!”

There was a tactile sensation of crawling on my hand. On it was a brown creature the size of a thumb nail. How dull? It had many thin limbs. They couldn’t be counted because it kept moving around.

His Highness Zafield, who was about to sit down, came to check the situation with a grim expression. Thus, I held out my hand.

“Your Highness, what’s this?”

“Gy, gyaaaaaaaaahhh—!?”

Oh dear! His Highness’ scream surprised me!

The insect also fell from my hand and scurried across the floor.

Despite his shock, His Highness was still concerned about me.

“Le, Lelouche, that’s…”

“I don’t know what kind of insect that is… Oh, I still have more in my bag.”

When I turned my bag over, His Highness Zafield’s scream rang throughout the classroom. Apparently, they were earthworms! For them to have procured so much, it was evidence of good soil—or so Baron Aljerk said. There were others as well, such as spiders. I was impressed at how they managed to collect so many spiders.

When I was observing them, someone grabbed my sleeve.

“Le, Lelouche…”

His fingertips were trembling while his beautiful eyes were moist. I wanted to tell him to just run.

But, most of my classmates had fled from the classroom. Wouldn’t it be impossible to start class without someone cleaning up?

“Due to the farm work, I’m used to all manners of insects! Leave it to me!”

“Lelouche!?”

Fufu. Even so, who would’ve thought?

His Highness Zafield apparently wasn’t good with insects. As long as one was alive, there were many interesting discoveries to be made every day. I was happy about that… and also a bit lonely, which was my only regret.

“—If you aren’t good with insects, there’s no need to force yourself to help me.”

“I, I can’t do that.”

By the time I was able to finish playing tag with the insects that had spread across the classroom and safely released them behind the school building, the bell rang. Unfortunately, the afternoon classes were canceled because the classroom needed a thorough cleaning. I was also offered a plan to have my classmates serve as cleaners to do away with the insects, but I seemed unable to respond to such good intentions from my classmates.

After all, if I had free time, I’d prefer to continue my sword practice. However, I couldn’t request His Highness Zafield, who was still pale, for training. As expected, I had to take a break in the cafeteria. Most of my classmates appeared to have go out to play together.

“Lelouche, please do your best to study for the follow-up exam!”

For them to support me, how kind …really.

For the time being, I needed a break. I sipped some cold Darjeeling tea I had brought with me. I stared at His Highness who sat across of me. He was about to drink a Café au Lait. However, he seemed to have noticed my line of sight.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, I was wondering if I shouldn’t drink this.”

“Why?”

“I feel like the taste is odd.”

I felt like the tea, which should have a hint of white grape, had another miscellaneous taste.

When I muttered that, His Highness took the glass from me.

“…Lend it to me.”

He put a small amount in his mouth, tasted it as if chewing something, and then spit it out on a napkin.

“It’s a mild numbing poison. I don’t think you will be harmed from swallowing a bit, but are you alright?”

“I’m alright for now. What about Your Highness?”

“I’m fine. I’m used to poison.”

That remark frightened me for a moment, but then I remembered…

…His Highness Sazanjill also said something similar a long time ago. When he was little, he had a habit of being poisoned. His Highness Zafield also didn’t know when his life was going to be targeted. He must have habitually ingested light poison to build up resistance. Therefore, he was inevitably familiar with poison.

Such a sad fate—still, I laughed.

“My, you sound like royalty.”

“Unfortunately, I still am part of the royal family.”

For the time being, His Highness Zafield laughed on purpose.

However, he immediately changed his expression and suppressed his voice.

“What do we do? Should we call all the employees and interrogate them?”

“No, it’s fine. It would also be troublesome if someone were to use that as blackmail material against you later.”

“As a prince, I have a lot of manpower. Therefore, do you believe I have need for moles?”

“—and here I thought you were more disciplined. After all, you did used to deliver a particular someone handwritten letters.”

When I voiced my concern, His Highness Zafield smiled bitterly. After sipping his café au lait, he offered me the drink. “This one’s alright.”

“…Such petty tricks. Maybe they just want to be taken care of.”

“Eh?”

Instead of thanking him, I raised a question. His Highness rested his chin upon the table. As he fiddled with his collar, I had nowhere else to look.

“Even if I were to be relied on or cursed by the person I like, if it could get me out of a mere in-law relationship, that might be good.”

“…”

I couldn’t say anything, so I drank the café au lait I received. Perhaps because it didn’t contain any syrup, its bitterness was stronger than I expected.

As if he had noticed, His Highness fetched some syrup and poured it in the café au lait.

“So, how are you going to resolve this situation? Are you thinking of a way?”

“Are you trying to make your father file a formal protest?”

“I usually talk to my father every night in a joking manner.”

What is he saying?

He seemed to be off tune. Please rest assured for I’ll live up to your expectations?

“Oh, that’s right, how about arranging the usual reward?”

“I’m preparing it, but… I think it’ll be ready the day after tomorrow at the earliest?”

“The day of the follow-up exam?”

“You’ll be feeling refreshed after the exam, won’t you?”

I see.

In other words, my father mustn’t move until then.

I smiled and said, “I’m looking forward to it.”

---

***T/N: Yep, she’s defly planning something. I also love how she’s surprised not by the insect but by Zafield’s scream. But… poison?!?!?! Eek, are things getting serious??!

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