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Was it a penalty for breaking the promise I’d made to Lather? For some reason, I couldn’t sleep even though my eyes were closed. I definitely felt like I’d fall asleep as soon as I closed my eyes. Could this be Lather’s curse?

In the end, I couldn’t fall asleep until the others arrived.

“So you were here first, Lady Louise and Erich.”

Ainter, who came in first, looked a bit surprised to see only Louise and Erich, then noticed me tucked in the corner and spoke with a relaxed expression. He probably thought that not much had happened since three people were inside.

Unfortunately for Ainter, there was a time when only the two of them were here since I was away. However, nothing happened even when it was just the two of them. It was truly astonishing.

‘I wonder if a decision will be made before they graduate.’

The competition for Louise’s heart had to finish before these guys graduated. They should return to their respective countries after accepting their defeat. If the competition kept going on after they graduated, things could get bothersome. Just thinking about that was fun. Too fun, if you ask me.

Still, I probably won’t need to monitor these guys personally if it continues. Or at least that’s what I hope.

“Ah, there’s only the three of you? If I knew this, I would’ve skipped class and come earlier.”

I turned my eyes to the floor after hearing Rutis’s words as he boldly mentioned how he would skip classes. I don’t know if this series had a sequel or not, but even if it did, I prefer to end things at part 1, in the Academy.

I had to do it for my mental health.

* * *

Last night, I heard that Carl was summoned to the capital.

Although my father disliked Carl for refusing the marriage proposal, he was also fond of him in some ways, and so he still thought of him as a future son-in-law. That’s why he corrects himself whenever he says something rude about Carl and I asked him to correct it. My father really isn’t someone honest with himself.

Anyway, Carl had been unexpectedly called to the capital. Fortunately, he came back in the afternoon, but I was worried after hearing that the Mage Duchess herself had called him. After all… She’s someone who worries me. That’s why I headed to the pastry club room as soon as the morning came.

‘It can’t be.’

My mind wandered to the Mage Duchess’s appearance, then to her age, and finally to the fact that she had elven blood running through her veins. In just a few seconds, lots of thoughts crossed my mind. If what I was thinking was right…

‘What if she’s also after Carl?’

I bit my lips at the unexpected variable. I thought that it was only me. I thought that I, Marghetta Valenti, was the only one with the right to stand beside Carl. But what if the Mage Duchess interferes?

‘No. There’s no way.’

I shook my head and shrugged off the anxious thoughts. She’d lived alone for over a hundred years. She can’t change her mind all of a sudden. It must have been a meeting due to official business. That must be the case. It has to be.

That’s right. Right now, I’m just going to see Carl, whom I haven’t seen for a while. I just happened to hear some news last night. I’m not visiting because I’m feeling uneasy. After all, if I neglect Carl too much, he might feel sad. Right? Yes, that’s it.

After calming myself down a few times, I arrived in front of the clubroom, straightened my clothes, and knocked cautiously on the door.

“Carl, are you here?”

However, there was no response. Strange. He should be here at this hour.

‘Don’t tell me… again?’

Had the Mage Duchess called him for two days in a row? That’s impossible. Who would use their power like that? It was petty. I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to.

Suppressing the bitterness rising from deep within, I opened the door. If Carl wasn’t here, I would wait. Even if he’s absent, he’ll eventually return to the club room. Carl would probably feel sorry after realizing that I was waiting here.

“Carl…?”

An unexpected sight greeted me when I entered the clubroom. Carl was there. The only difference was that he was lying face down on the desk, asleep.

So he didn’t answer because he was sleeping.

Intrigued by a sight I hadn’t seen before, I quietly approached him. This was my first time seeing Carl asleep, and I never thought I’d see him like this until after we became a couple and lived under the same roof.

‘He’s really handsome.’

I nodded in satisfaction while looking at Carl’s face. How beautiful would the child born between me and Carl be? Will they have black hair and green eyes? Or red hair and black eyes? Maybe we’d have a daughter who looked exactly like him or a son who looked like me.

Either way, it doesn’t matter. Black and red go well together. So anything would be beautiful. Fufu, fufufu…

‘What about white…?’

I bit my lips at the sudden thought. Black and white? What kind of combination was that? It didn’t match at all.

I felt a bit peeved after seeing Carl sleeping comfortably. I hadn’t slept properly since last night because of anxiety, and yet someone was sleeping comfortably. Even if it was Carl, at this moment, I hated him.

Even if Carl was mine, I could wait for him to be fully mine, but I couldn’t help but feel anxious when he was wandering around.

‘Mine?’

My gaze drifted toward Carl’s mouth. Mine. Although he was currently wandering around.

Then… doesn’t he need his owner’s mark?

As if mesmerized by something, I moved closer to Carl’s face, then came to my senses and hastily pulled back. No. I couldn’t waste our first time like this.

What was the point if Carl wasn’t going to remember it?

Feeling embarrassed, I turned around and cooled my face with a fan. Even if I was feeling anxious… feeling anxious? Pft. Even if I had been neglecting Carl, I feel like I almost hurried things too much.

“Mar? When did you get here?”

And soon enough, I heard his voice.

T-that was close…

* * *

Unlike yesterday, I fell asleep as soon as I arrived at the clubroom. When I opened my eyes again, I saw Marghetta, who seemed flustered.

‘A disaster might have happened if I opened my eyes just a little bit earlier.’

In fact, I had woken up a while ago. I was still sleepy when I heard the sound of the door opening, but when Marghetta came close, I woke up due to her presence. I tried to get up and greet her despite being tired, but my instincts stopped me.

Marghetta came so close that I could feel her breath. Since my eyes were closed, I didn’t know what was happening, but there was something I was certain about. If I opened my eyes now, an awkward situation that would keep us from meeting for a while would unfold.

That’s why I opened my eyes and got up as soon as I felt her move away. Thankfully, my instincts had successfully helped me stop an awkward situation.

“Ah, Carl. Did you wake up?”

Marghetta greeted me nonchalantly, pretending to be calm. However, her face was so red that it was hard to tell the difference between it and her hair. I tried to do my best to ignore it, but what could I do if the person in question remained like that?

“I’m sorry for greeting you with a sleepy face, Mar.”

“That’s okay. After all, I came without notice.”

She was smiling while covering her mouth with a fan. As I tried to change the subject, I could feel her desperately trying to go along. It was rather pitiful. If I had woken up sooner, I might have seen Marghetta crying and running away in distress.

Even though I couldn’t see what Mar was trying to do, I could guess. No, I would be dumb if I hadn’t realized it. I wasn’t Erich.

“Thank you for saying that. I’m really grateful.”

“Fufu, don’t worry.”

I smiled bitterly after seeing Marghetta’s smile. I felt like I had no right to call Erich a fool. In a way, I was worse than him.

“Ah, sorry for keeping you standing. Please have a seat. Would you like some tea?”

Not only that, but I hadn’t even offered Marghetta a seat since the both of us were distracted in many ways. She politely declined my belated invitation by shaking her head slightly.

“I’m fine. I’m more worried about Carl. You seem tired.”

“I’m not. My body just feels a bit heavy.”

“That’s what most people call being tired.”

Marghetta looked around the clubroom and opened her mouth again.

“If you’re tired, come to my office. There’s a place to lie down in there.”

I knew that because I’d visited that office numerous times while preparing for the club fair. The sofa there was big enough for one person to lie down.

“It’s okay. I don’t want to bother you, Mar.”

“Really? But I don’t think you’re bothering me, so feel free to come.”

The way she said it with a big smile on her face seemed to say that she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Although I could change the situation by saying, ‘But Mar, what were you trying to do while I was asleep?’

‘It’s a bit uncomfortable.’

At best, the clubroom only had enough space to sleep on the desk. If I slept here to relieve fatigue, I would end up even feeling more tired. In the first place, it would’ve been weird if there was a place to sleep in the pastry’s club room.

However, lying in the dormitory would make me feel like a wage thief. Not only that, but the distance I would need to travel if something happened in the Academy while I was in the dormitory was even more troublesome.

“Then, could you do me that favor?”

“Yes, of course.”

I felt like I had become a freeloader, but oh well.

If my body felt heavy while sleeping in the clubroom, my mind felt heavy while staying in the Vice President’s office.

“Ah, Carl. You can sleep a bit more.”

“It’s okay. I had enough sleep.”

I laid down because she told me to, but Marghetta started working. An adult sleeping while someone younger than him was working next to him? I couldn’t do that.

I tried to get up, but Marghetta silently pressured me to lie down again. Thanks to her, I actually slept. The fatigue disappeared, but my heart hurt. What kind of expression would the Iron-blooded Duke make if he heard this news?

“Feel free to come here anytime when you feel tired. It’s okay with me.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t okay with me.