Anything But Study - Chapter 61

1st – Melia Anderson

2nd – Hailon Alfred

3rd – Glon Citrale

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Hailon’s name was written right next to Melia’s.

Melia rubbed her eyes in disbelief. But no matter how many times she looked, it was the same.

‘Was the exam easy?’

No. Even if it had been easy, placing second instead of twentieth wasn’t that kind of issue.

And it wasn’t even a monthly exam. It was a regular exam.

How could something like this happen?

The result was impossible to believe.

Other students who came to check their scores also whispered among themselves, clearly finding Hailon’s name appearing suddenly near the top strange.

“Is that really second place?”

“I think he was outside the top hundred last time. What the hell.”

“Well, he is Alfred after all. Seems like there’s nothing he can’t do.”

Melia secretly listened to the conversation and somehow felt oddly persuaded.

Was it really possible because it was Hailon?

But even then, he’d been around 120th place in the previous monthly exam.

She wanted to run straight to Hailon and ask how this had happened, but there were still a few hours left before their tutoring session when she would see him.

Maybe he came to check his score?

She looked around nearby, but Hailon was nowhere in sight.

‘Still, it worked out well.’

He’d started tutoring in the first place because he wanted to improve his grades.

When she saw him later, she would ask if he stayed up all night studying or something.

It was a good thing that Hailon did well. Just thinking about congratulating him made her feel happy. A faint smile stayed on her lips throughout class.

Completely forgetting what she was supposed to do because of this result.

***

4 p.m.

After today’s classes ended, Melia started her work as a librarian.

But strangely, there wasn’t a single person around today.

‘That’s unusual.’

There had never been a day like this with absolutely no visitors, right?

After working in the library every day for almost three years, this was the first time she’d seen something like this.

Probably because the library had recently reopened and a lot of people came at first, and now their interest was starting to fade.

‘It’s quiet. I actually like it.’

The silence of being alone felt comfortable.

Since it would be a waste to do nothing in this peaceful moment, maybe she should take another look around the archaeology section.

She hadn’t been able to pay much attention to the newly added books recently because she’d been so busy.

It seemed like a lot of archaeology books she liked had come in.

Maybe there would be another hint about that relic.

At some point, the relic’s effect had disappeared, but even so, wouldn’t it be nice to at least learn what caused it?

Besides, the contraceptive effect she saw back then still bothered her a little….

Once she made up her mind, she moved quickly.

Melia reached the archaeology section in the far corner and began carefully scanning through several books.

‘Hmm, not this one either.’

But none of the books seemed to contain information about a relic that emitted a red light.

After nearly ten books.

Just when she was starting to conclude that even among the newly added books, it would be difficult to find what she was looking for.

“Huh?”

A particular line in the book she was skimming suddenly caught her eye.

“No way. Is this it?”

The words slipped out of her mouth without her realizing it.

[The duration of the red relic’s effect cannot be specified.

However, even if it no longer activates, the contraceptive effect known as its side effect has been confirmed to last for at least one year.]

Her eyes widened.

It meant that if someone mishandled the relic, they would be unable to have a child for a year no matter what.

When she first touched the relic, she actually thought that was a relief.

If she ended up carrying Hailon’s child, it would only make things difficult for both of them.

But now….

Why was it that she felt a little regret instead?

Several emotions overlapped inside her.

Perhaps without realizing it, she’d started imagining building a family with Hailon.

Even though she hadn’t even graduated from the academy yet.

In fact, even a year later, she would still be a fourth year. Still before graduating from the academy.

Even if she somehow ended up marrying Hailon, it would obviously be after that.

Even when she reminded herself of those objective facts, the complicated feelings didn’t fade.

…Had she secretly been thinking that maybe a child might come along without her realizing it?

Family.

Because she wanted to complete that beautiful word she longed for.

Maybe that was the reason.

And honestly, she was anxious.

Anastasia was gone now, but no matter what, Hailon was still the Young Duke of Alfred.

Even without a fiancée, the question of whether she was someone worthy of standing beside him always lingered somewhere in her heart.

It was impossible to completely burn away the uneasy feeling that this relationship might one day come to an end.

So if she had a child.

Maybe she could continue to stay with Hailon. It seemed she’d quietly nurtured that hope alone.

Lost in a long chain of thoughts, Melia kept staring at the passage in the book when she heard a familiar sound of footsteps beside her ear.

Step. Step.

‘…Huh?’

Melia immediately turned around. Just as she thought, the owner of those footsteps was—

“Hailon.”

It was Hailon, who was now her lover.

“What are you doing here?” he asked with a relaxed smile on his lips.

His gaze toward her was filled with affection, as if simply looking at her made her seem lovable.

‘…Right. The future is just the future.’

Melia pushed her complicated thoughts aside and slowly shook her head. “I was just looking at some books. I wondered if I might find out a little more about the relic’s secret.”

“Did you find anything?”

“Hmm, no. Nothing at all.”

Thump.

Melia closed the book she was reading and slid it back into its place. She’d found something, but it wasn’t information she needed to tell Hailon.

‘Let’s not think about it for now.’

What mattered more than a passage in some book was the time she spent with him right now.

The moment she faced his expression in front of her, Melia realized once again.

She really loves this man.

So.

For a while, she decided she would simply be happy without worrying too much.

“By the way, did you see the results from the exam?”

Hailon was the first to bring up the test.

“Of course!”

It was exactly what Melia had wanted to ask him more than anything.

“I was so surprised, Hailon. How did you do it? Do you have some kind of secret?”

Second place. Improving that much in such a short time was practically a miracle.

She wondered what method he used, or if he’d secretly been studying hard without telling her.

“There is. Of course.”

“What is it?”

But Hailon casually pushed the reason onto Melia, as if the answer were obvious.

“It’s thanks to you. Isn’t it because I have such a good teacher?”

“What? That’s not it.”

“Really. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten a score like this.”

There was conviction in Hailon’s voice when he answered.

“R-really?”

Melia grew embarrassed at his response filled with certainty. In truth, it was the result of his own effort more than anyone else’s, yet he was giving her the credit.

“Yeah. Of course. Now all that’s left is for you to keep your promise.”

“Huh?”

A promise?

Did they have something like that?

A subtle expectation lingered in his expression when he mentioned it.

‘Remember it, Melia.’

She felt like Hailon would be disappointed if she said she didn’t know.

Melia searched through her memory as hard as she could. Fortunately, the related memory surfaced.

“It wouldn’t be fun if I just told you. How about we make it a condition?”

“A condition?”

“If I place within the top five on the next exam, you’ll make it for me.”

‘Ah! Right.’

If he ranked within the top five, she promised to cook whatever dish he wanted. She really had made that promise.

Since it was originally a casual conversation and something she thought was impossible anyway, she must have forgotten it without realizing.

Oh, so that’s what it was.

Melia asked confidently, “Of course. Just say it. What do you want?”

What would he ask for? Melia felt enthusiastic.

He’d improved his grades this much. Even if it was a dish she had never heard of before, she wanted to study it and make it for him somehow.

She felt proud of him. Especially as the one who had been teaching him.

And one more thing.

‘It would be nice if the Duke liked it too. He wanted Hailon’s grades to improve so much.’

From what she heard, his relationship with his father, the Duke, didn’t seem particularly good. But if his grades improved like this, maybe things between them would improve a little as well.

With that small hope, she waited for his answer.

But then.

Step. Step.

Instead of answering, Hailon slowly stepped closer.

Of course, since they’d touched each other many times already, the distance itself wasn’t unfamiliar….

“You know. Right here.”

The answer he gave as if it were nothing made Melia briefly doubt whether she’d heard him correctly.