52: The Villainess is Moved by Friendship Between Men
The Magic Analysis Club was a fairly relaxed club.
We only met a few times a week. Moreover, only about half of the members participated, and even when we did gathered, everyone just read whatever material they wanted, and we only occasionally held discussions among ourselves. It was basically a group that gathered in a warehouse with more geeky, specialized books than a library.
Even in the midst of all this, Cecily was always listening to the stories around her with great interest. By taking advantage of the fact that she had no real body, she peeked at other people’s materials and papers. She looked like a girl taking delight at seeing small items at the general store in town…
Truthfully, I had some doubts about recommending this path to her.
When I opened the club room to say ‘hello,’ I found that there weren’t many people today either… Actually, only one person was there.
“Hello, Lady Travasta.”
The boy who modestly returned the greeting and then looked down at his materials was Mark from the other class. At a glance, Eivind’s sole friend had a good amount of magical power. His face was obstructed by his long bangs, but it seemed like his robust magic was still alive and well.
Naturally, I spoke to Cecily’s fiancé candidate.
“There aren’t many people yet. Weren’t we having a special meeting today?”
“We’ll just deciding on a theme for the school festival. Well, everyone will just announce what they like on the bulletin board anyway.”
“Hmm… Mark, what are you planning to announce?”
“How about asking before you look?”
When I instinctively leaned over, he hid the book he was holding.
However, I wasn’t a Great Sage for nothing. I could make a rough guess based on the words I glimpsed.
“The Dispelling Method for Pattern Spellcraft… Is it Eivind’s?”
I asked without thinking.
Mark, who was always polite yet uninterested in his surroundings, glared at me from behind his bangs.
“Do you recognize it?”
“It’s about the researcher’s curse, isn’t it?”
That’s right.
That was what the director of the magic research institute tried to show me.
To put it simply, everyone who worked as a researcher was required to sign a contract demanding absolute obedience to the king’s orders. The effect was probably activated by carving that contract pattern into the body. If the contractor violated the rules, the pattern would be triggered, ending his life.
I inadvertently blinked.
M-Mark…
I’ve always thought that you had a dazzling amount of magical power… but you’re really a good guy.
Doing research to save your friend… I’m a softie when it comes to things like that…
Therefore, I’d like to offer my heartfelt compliments.
“That’s amazing. Did you join this club to save your friend? You really are an amazing guy! Hey, would you be interested in being Cecily Travasta’s husband? I can guarantee your happiness, okay? A good guy like you doesn’t come often.”
[…Nora, that’s too excessive!!]
Cecily blushed inwardly, which was quite lovely of her.
I wanted to show him that side of Cecily, and as I was thinking about switching places with Cecily, Mark lowered his gaze.
“…Eivind isn’t really my friend. We just spend a lot of time together.”
W-what was that? But you’re Eivind’s only male friend? You don’t care about him?
“Won’t Eivind cry if you say that?”
“Who is he to you?”
“A friend?”
“Isn’t that what Eivind is going to cry about?”
I don’t think so?
He confessed his love to me several times, but he was always joking about it.
Do you honestly think a person will fall in love with someone from 800 years ago?
From my perspective, the fact that we were friends with each other might be a nuisance to him, much less lovers. The same went for Anita and Cecily.
Because I have less than half a year left—
At that moment, the door suddenly opened. It seemed like more club members had arrived. Judging by how exhausted the second-year manager seemed, I guessed he had been working hard to recruit members. The junior manager’s eyes moistened when he saw us.
“As expected of the seniors… Thank you for showing up! I can’t thank you enough!”
Right… Let’s just attend the meeting.
Best of luck to the manager who manages the wayward members of our club.
“—However, the presentation at the school festival will be the same as usual, right? Everyone will individually present their favorite personal research on straw paper.”
The meeting is so casual, but it’s still a club…
As long it was recognized as a club by the school, the operating expenses, also known as club fees, would be paid. The operating costs were used to collect rare and valuable books and articles little by little every year.
However, the school only recognized proper research results and activity reports as club activity. Without those, it would be no different from a pointless meet up. That wouldn’t be an educational activity for students.
So, it seemed that the school had requested us to do something that would pass as a club activity, even if it was just for the customary occasion of the school festival.
Thus, we borrowed a classroom that didn’t seem like many would visit and posted our research there. During the school festival, we would take turns explaining. Everything was for the sake of protecting the following year’s budget so that those not involved in conventional clubs or lived bright student lives wouldn’t lose their place.
…Well, that’s just how students are.
As an old lady who was over 800 years, such was my opinion. However, when it came to actually doing it, I had an objection.
So, when the conversation started to move forward, “Alright, why don’t we confirm the title of each person’s presentation?” I suddenly raised my hand.
I was starting to get addicted to seeing people stare at each other and wonder, ‘What’s with this person?’
So, despite how Cecily was having a sense of foreboding within me, I made a bold declaration.
“Let’s all set off fireworks at the school festival!”
“…Huh?”
Yep, I love how the young people keep staring at me in amazement today too.
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***T/N: Such a gae title
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