I Need the True Ending to Graduate - Chapter 47

Today, instead of the library, he had suggested they do something like a picnic outside, and they agreed to meet on time at the courtyard.

Lucia was sitting quietly on the well-kept grass lawn of the courtyard. A thick book was spread open across her long, outstretched legs.

It was probably the book on barrier magic she had managed to obtain with difficulty recently. Lucia was quite interested in that field.

“It’s fun to stack up magic circles too vast to take in with your eyes and control them precisely.”

That was what Lucia had said when asked why she liked barrier or security magic. Her face had looked genuinely happy.

A cool autumn breeze blew. The shade of the tree above her rippled like waves over her head. The soft sunlight shone on her face, then hid again, repeating.

It was just like the sun glimmering over the sea.

As the rustling of leaves in the wind pressed in like a quiet clamor, Ruad forgot to move closer to her and simply stood there blankly, staring into Lucia’s eyes.

For some reason, his chest stirred anew. It was nothing more than the extremely ordinary act of Lucia looking at him and calling his name.

Besides, this was nothing but a simple, temporary ‘friendship game.’ He had become Lucia’s closest friend and earned her trust.

The fact that she called his name meant he was fully prepared to seize her weakness.

So he should have been glad of having pierced her iron wall, should have felt elation and pride, and that should have been enough.

But what pounded at his chest was a feeling that couldn’t be called simple elation, pride, or joy. It was an utterly unfamiliar emotion, one he had never felt in his life.

After a moment, regaining his senses belatedly, Ruad fixed the smile he always wore like a mask on his lips, approached Lucia, and sat beside her.

“Hi, Lucy. Did you wait long?”

“I didn’t wait that long. I was reading, so I didn’t notice time passing.”

“Then that’s good. What book are you reading today?”

When Ruad asked, Lucia slipped a bookmark made of dried leaves between the pages, closed the book, and showed him the title.

“Ancient… Principles of Barrier Magic? Isn’t that the study you said you really wanted to read last time?”

“That’s right.”

Lucia’s eyes curved slightly as she smiled. Then she gently ran her long, pale hand, faintly stained with ink marks, over the cover as she spoke.

“I managed to get it by luck. I’m really glad. To think I’d actually get to read a book I thought I’d never be able to in my life.”

“…Yeah. That’s really great. You must have been lucky.”

“Yes. I was lucky.”

A faint blush rose on Lucia’s cheeks as she smiled softly.

‘She likes magic that much?’

Ruad thought without meaning to.

Her face, usually cold like stone, came alive whenever magic she liked was mentioned. The more he saw it, the stranger it seemed.

‘And she’s never once looked at me with that kind of face.’

Pushing aside the strange sense of disappointment, Ruad quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, that reminds me. I have something for you. It’s not really a picnic, but I thought it’d be nice to set the mood.”

He handed her a small box he had brought.

Lucia put her book aside for a moment and accepted the box.

“What is this?”

“A snack for us to eat together today.”

“What kind of dessert?”

“You’ll see when you open it.”

At Ruad’s answer, her eyes filled with curiosity as she opened the box.

Inside, various chocolates were neatly arranged, each small enough to eat in one bite.

Lucia’s already large eyes grew even wider.

“…I’ve never seen chocolates this pretty before. Where did you get them?”

“I had to go outside the academy for a bit, and I thought of you, so I bought them nearby. Do you like them?”

In truth, he hadn’t gone outside at all, nor had he bought them himself. He had simply given money to his underlings and told them to bring back something that looked decently tasty.

Of course, he made sure they weren’t duplicates of what he had already given her.

Even so, Ruad lied boldly as if it were natural, just as he always did.

Lucia, knowing nothing, answered with a softened expression. For some reason, his chest pricked faintly.

“Yes. I like them. They look really delicious.”

“….”

“Thank you for always preparing things like this for me. I didn’t bring anything… what should I do?”

“It’s fine. We can just share what I brought.”

“Thanks for saying that. Then let’s split them half and half.”

With that, Lucia began carefully choosing chocolates with a serious look on her face.

Watching her in silence, Ruad suddenly asked, “By the way, I’ve always been curious about something.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

“Why don’t you ever eat in the cafeteria?”

“….”

“You eat the snacks and desserts I bring just fine, but whenever I ask you to come eat at the cafeteria with me, you always refuse. Why is that?”

“….”

“Is it uncomfortable eating with me?”

Lucia, who had been silent until then, opened her mouth calmly.

“That’s not it.”

“Then what?”

When Ruad pressed, Lucia paused in choosing chocolates and fell into thought. Her lips, firmly closed in a straight line, parted hesitantly.

After a moment of contemplation, Lucia finally said, “…I just don’t like eating cafeteria food. And I don’t like crowded places either.”

“I see….”

“If you really want, I can go to the cafeteria once in a while. You must get hungry too, and it’d be selfish to make you skip meals just because of me.”

“Really?”

Caught off guard by her unexpected reply, Ruad responded in surprise.

Until now, he had consistently asked her to eat with him at the cafeteria, only to be turned down every time.

He hadn’t expected her to ever set foot there, so he had asked half-jokingly with no real hope. But hearing her agree so easily left him stunned.

And it didn’t seem like she was just saying it to placate him. Lucia nodded readily as she spoke.

“Really. I’d feel bad being the only one considered. You must be having a hard time skipping meals just to match me.”

“That’s true… but still, if you hate going to the cafeteria, you don’t have to force yourself. It’s not like I absolutely have to eat there with you. I was just curious why you avoid it.”

“…No. I think it’s better if I go at least once.”

Lucia looked like she was lost in thought for a moment, then shook her head with a strangely firm tone.

“Once we go to the cafeteria, you’ll probably understand naturally. Why I avoid eating there.”

“….”

“Even if eating at the cafeteria together isn’t the goal, you’ll at least get the answer to your question. Don’t you think so?”

Lucia lifted her head and met his gaze with a faint smile. At that smile, Ruad flinched without realizing it, and then something was suddenly pushed into his mouth.

“Ah.”

“…?!”

Caught off guard, he mimicked the shape of her mouth, and something round slipped into his own. As soon as he accepted it, the sweet taste of chocolate spread through his mouth.

“How is it? Is it good? I picked the one that looked the most delicious.”

The chocolate slowly began melting in his saliva, coating Ruad’s tongue thickly.

The sweetness that pricked at his tongue was, as always, perfectly suited to Lucia’s taste. Even so, Ruad couldn’t help savoring it carefully.

Whether it was because he was moved by the sweetness of the chocolate, or because Lucia’s gaze as she looked at him resembled the chocolate, he didn’t know.

Amidst the overwhelming sweetness that left his brain tingling, Ruad slowly answered. His crimson eyes remained fixed on Lucia.

“…It’s sweet.”

At his foolish reply, Lucia laughed softly.

“Of course chocolate’s sweet. You’re saying strange things today.”

“….”

“Or is it spoiled? Maybe I should check.”

Then she picked up a red heart-shaped chocolate, the same color as his eyes, and quickly popped it into her mouth.

“Mmm….”

Lucia chewed carefully, savoring the taste. As the sweetness spread gradually, her eyes filled with delight and joy. Her lips curved upward ever so slightly.

And when the last trace of chocolate melted away completely, she said, “This chocolate’s delicious. Doesn’t seem spoiled at all.”

“….”

“You don’t like it?”

“I never said I didn’t. I said it was sweet.”

“Chocolate is always sweet, Ruad.”

Lucia pointed out an obvious truth that everyone knew. As if telling him that wasn’t a proper answer.

Ruad knew that too. But it was hard to put into words the feeling he had just experienced.

“I know. Chocolate’s always sweet. But… this one just tasted especially sweeter today.”

“Really? Then you’re not going to eat more? We agreed to split them.”

“You can have them all. I’m fine.”

“No. I’ll leave half. If you want more later, eat them. And, Ruad.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for buying these chocolates. I’ll enjoy them.”

Lucia’s brown eyes melted as sweetly as chocolate when she said that.

At that moment, Ruad felt an intense sweetness as if the chocolate, already melted and gone without a trace, had been placed back on his tongue.

Without realizing it, he gulped down that unknown sweetness resting on his tongue.

And finally, the realization struck him.

That he had fallen for Lucia Even.