CULBE 08

Chapter 8

Why did something this embarrassing have to happen?

To hide her burning face, Tislin lowered her head and answered,

“It’s not about you.”

“I see. Then who is it about?”

“…I didn’t say I was going on one. No… never mind.”

Damian frowned slightly but didn’t press the matter. Tislin was grateful for that, though she wondered whether he had ever truly been curious in the first place.

“Returning books?”

“Yeah.”

In just a few steps, Damian crossed the hallway, deposited the stack of books at the return counter, and came right back.

There was no way not to notice the subtle gazes clinging to his back.

Students from the Liberal Arts Department, the Magic Department, the Fine Arts Department…

Wait, even the Medical Department? What do they have to do with this?

There was one advantage to liking someone who stood out so much. Everyone looked at him the same way, so your own feelings didn’t attract much attention.

But becoming engaged to that person…

…turned that advantage completely into a disadvantage.

Tislin discreetly retreated into a corner.

Even so, Damian found her without difficulty.

The stares she had barely escaped followed him like iron filings drawn to a magnet.

Fortunately, everyone was busy with assignments, and before long their attention returned to their own work. Still, she couldn’t stop people from whispering.

At least we have the assignment as an excuse.

Not that she intended to explain herself to every pair of eyes staring at them.

There was no point staying in the library any longer, so she headed outside.

Damian followed a couple of steps behind.

Every nerve in her back stood on end.

Am I walking normally? I’m not waddling, am I?

Her hand gripping the hem of her skirt grew damp with sweat.

The heavy footsteps of his military boots sounded almost like the pounding of her own heart.

When they reached a quiet, shaded area, Tislin turned around.

The afternoon sunlight was dazzling.

Standing with the sun behind him, Damian stopped about two steps away.

That had been the exact same distance Arkin had kept when speaking with her.

Yet somehow, when Damian stood there, it felt as though he were right in front of her, close enough that their faces nearly touched. It stole her breath.

“What brings you to the library?”

Avoiding his gaze, she asked the question.

Damian chuckled softly.

“Why? Am I not allowed to come?”

“I know the Knight Department students hardly ever do.”

“…Sometimes we do.”

His answer sounded almost like an excuse.

After that, he fell silent, as if he didn’t want to continue the subject.

Come to think of it, she’d occasionally seen Damian reading at the Grand Duke of Luxen’s estate.

Usually, however, the moment Tislin spotted him, Adelinde would pounce on him and drag him away before he could finish even a page.

“Tis, are you working on the assignment?”

“Yeah.”

Silence settled between them.

Tislin knew what that silence meant.

Damian was waiting for her to continue.

She idly tapped the pavement with the toe of her shoe before speaking again.

“You know we’re partners for the assignment, right?”

“Arkin told me.”

“We have to work on it together… Um… are you busy?”

“Even if I am, we still have to do it.”

His tone was completely matter-of-fact.

Tislin sighed.

I’m the only one bothered by this situation.

That realization sharpened her voice.

“If you’re busy, then forget it. Knight Order duties mean you’re constantly running around. You’re hardly even at school.”

Damian quietly looked down at the top of her head.

Then he leaned forward until their eyes met.

He knew perfectly well she couldn’t avoid him.

She felt heat slowly rise from beneath her eyes.

Arkin had said everyone back in Luxen knew about her feelings.

Because her face simply couldn’t hide them.

If that was true…

…then Damian had known too.

Embarrassment surged through her.

Just as she instinctively stepped back, a large hand gently caught her by the shoulder.

“Stop avoiding me.”

His voice was low, almost coaxing.

Her heart skipped.

“I know you’re uncomfortable, Tis. But we’re not so distant that we can’t even work on one assignment together.”

Somehow…

He sounded slightly hurt.

Without thinking, Tislin softened.

“…There’s a lot to do.”

“Then you definitely shouldn’t do it alone. If you’re free, shall we start now?”

She jerked back in alarm, shaking her head furiously.

“No! Tomorrow… no, the day after tomorrow!”

“All right.”

The instant he turned away, regret hit her.

By the time she wandered back to her dormitory, she collapsed onto the floor and grabbed at her hair.

I completely forgot to ask why he wanted to get engaged to me.

I let him steer the whole conversation!

* * *

Since things had come to this…

She might as well finish the assignment as quickly as possible and settle the engagement issue on the same day.

I’ll ask him everything.

Why did he insist on getting engaged to me?

What would it take for him to agree to break it off?

Just as an engagement couldn’t happen unilaterally, neither could its dissolution.

Damian’s consent was absolutely necessary.

That meant she had only two options:

Either persuade Damian to call off the engagement…

…or pressure him until he had no choice but to agree.

She sincerely hoped it would be the first.

As the first step of her plan…

Tislin decided to bribe Professor Karon’s teaching assistant, Clayton Hayer.

Immediately after parting with Damian, she headed to the shopping district and bought a box of the most popular chocolates among Royal Academy students.

Let’s just say she had to wait in line for quite a while.

He’s rich, and he still accepts bribes…

The second son of House Hayer—one of Viera’s three wealthiest noble families—was willing to bend for a single box of chocolates.

What would Marquis Hayer think if he saw his son like this?

“So this is the direction we’re thinking of taking. We’ll handle the details ourselves, of course. What do you think?”

After sampling the limited-edition cinnamon-filled chocolates, Clayton Hayer made a crooked face as he looked over the outline Tislin had prepared.

There weren’t many details.

It was merely a framework:

• Parfanan’s highly centralized political system

• Its family-centered culture

• Its prosperous economy and extravagant arts

• Its history of conquering neighboring nations through superior military power

• And a brief summary of its wars of conquest over the past century

“Would this fit Professor Karon’s grading standards?”

“As long as the length is right, it should.”

It was a lazy answer.

But it was enough.

Professor Karon had never explained exactly what should be included in the assignment.

Still, he undoubtedly had certain expectations.

A sort of hidden grading rubric.

And since even the professor couldn’t possibly grade every assignment himself, more than half would inevitably be marked by the teaching assistants.

Which meant Clayton Hayer naturally knew Professor Karon’s standards fairly well.

Clayton wasn’t the type to casually reveal the professor’s grading criteria.

But after accepting a gift like this, he also wasn’t heartless enough to let Tislin unknowingly pursue the wrong direction.

Besides, he’s already secured first place anyway.

No matter how ruthless aspiring bureaucrats could be, someone who had effectively already earned Professor Karon’s recommendation letter wasn’t going to take a bribe and then deliberately lie.

If that had been his intention, he would’ve simply refused the chocolates.

“But why are you trying this hard? Couldn’t you just do an average job?”

If she’d been working alone…

She probably would have.

She would’ve done a respectable amount of research without resorting to bribing the teaching assistant for hints about the grading criteria.

“I heard you’re paired with Lord Khasanov. He actually fought in Parfanan, didn’t he? Feeling pressured?”

“Something like that.”

Though not for the reason Clayton imagined.

…Or so she thought.

“You like him too?”

“Huh?”

Tislin practically jumped like a child startled by a spark.

Caught completely off guard, Clayton’s eyes widened.

“Seriously?”

“No! I just… I mean… everyone likes him, don’t they?”

“Well, I suppose not everyone does. Fine. I get it.”

Get what?!

Her cheeks burned so hot she didn’t even need a mirror to know exactly what expression he had just seen.

“I didn’t realize you admired him that much. Then again, my little sister’s the same.”

…Oh.

He meant admiration.

Tislin relaxed in relief.

Even among the Viera nobility—many of whom had never even seen Damian Khasanov—there were countless boys and girls who idolized him.

Naturally, the Royal Academy, where students could occasionally see him in person, had even more.

That was simply how war heroes were.

Especially young, handsome war heroes.

There was no way Clayton Hayer knew about the history between her and Damian.

She had only frightened herself.

Smiling awkwardly, Tislin gathered up her assignment.

“If there’s nothing else to add, then I’m done.”

“Yeah.”

Clayton picked up the chocolate box as well.

Then he hesitated before speaking again.

“By the way… are you planning to work on the assignment over at the Knight Department?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“It’s probably nothing, but… they say that place is haunted.”

Tislin blinked in surprise.

Of all people…

She had never expected to hear something like that from Clayton Hayer.

He was usually the one frowning like the only adult in the room whenever students spread ridiculous rumors.

Yet now he looked completely serious.

“Did you eat something weird? There’s nothing haunted over there.”

“I’m just telling you what I heard. I overheard the Knight Department professors talking with Professor Karon.”

If even the professors were discussing it…

…then perhaps the ghost rumors had become a rather serious matter.

For a moment she considered asking Damian about it.

But she quickly shook her head.

She wasn’t meeting him to make idle conversation.

If I get curious later, I can always drag Arkin Rudera over and interrogate him.

Though honestly…

She wasn’t that curious.

…If there’s really a ghost haunting the Knight Department…

Could it be the ghost of a knight who died in the war?