LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 16 - Tardy (2)
✦ Chapter 16 – Tardy (2) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝
“Everyone, sheathe your swords,” Johanna commanded in a low voice, and all the disciplinary committee members immediately obeyed.
All the disciplinary committee members immediately obeyed. As expected of a group that was more of a Johanna fan club than an actual disciplinary committee.
With their swords sheathed, they all glared at me. I ignored their hostile stares and hurried over to Johanna.
“Waaaah, Senior Johanna! I was so scared!” I said, pretending to cry and rubbing the eye part of my mask with both hands. Of course, my tone and pitch did not match that of someone who was crying.
“Lies.”
“Ouch! How could you say that? Look, can’t you see the cold sweat on my face from being so shocked?”
Johanna looked at my face with her characteristically blank eyes. Was I that handsome?
“I can’t see it because of the mask. Take off the mask.”
So it wasn’t about my handsome features — just the fact that the mask was obscuring the evidence of my ‘trauma.’
“Hmm. Unfortunately, the wind has already dried my sweat, so I can’t show you.”
As I continued talking with Johanna, the gazes from the Disciplinary Committee members grew even more intense. Well, since the Disciplinary Committee members were all girls, it was understandable that they would stare so intensely at someone as handsome as me.
I leaned closer to Johanna, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“They’re staring at me… Why do you think that is?”
Hearing my words, Johanna turned her head towards the committee members.
As soon as she turned, the members who had been glaring at me with sharp eyes started conversing with mild expressions, as if nothing had happened.
“What’s for lunch today?”
“The weather’s lovely, isn’t it?”
Though their conversation was awkward, Johanna didn’t seem to notice and blankly stared at me again.
“I don’t think they are.”
When Johanna turned her head back, the committee members’ gazes became even more intense. It was clear that they were signaling me not to tell Johanna.
“Eek! You’re right! I must have seen wrong!”
Feigning surprise, I moved behind Johanna and grabbed her shoulders, trembling.
The Disciplinary Committee members, who had previously tried to kill me with their glares, now seemed ready to actually draw their swords.
“Is something going on?” Johanna asked, completely oblivious to the escalating tension.
The fact that she hadn’t noticed the unsheathing swords suggested that they weren’t actually planning to attack me…were they?
‘Or were they?’
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that some members were restraining one of their comrades who was about to draw her sword.
Deciding to stop teasing them, I let go of Johanna’s shoulders and spoke to her.
“But Senior Johanna, do you usually conduct uniform inspections at the academy entrance?”
As far as I knew, Johanna had never done a uniform inspection. Typically, uniform inspections were conducted by the youngest members of the disciplinary committee.
It wasn’t an oppressive tradition; rather, while the youngest handled the relatively easy task of uniform inspections, the rest of the committee would patrol inside and around the academy.
But among the committee members gathered at the gate, I recognized a few faces that had even earned mentions in Chronicles of Croaka — not exactly rookies.
Of course, I understood why they were here. It was probably because Johanna was present. So why was Johanna here?
“I don’t usually do this.”
Even though my question was directed at Johanna, the committee members seemed more eager to hear the answer.
“I was waiting for you,” she said simply. “Again.”
When Johanna mentioned ‘again,’ the committee members started whispering to each other.
“Did he make her wait last time, too?”
“Judging by the conversation, it seems so.”
“How dare he keep Johanna waiting!”
The reason Johanna said ‘again’ was because she had waited for me on the entrance exam day.
The committee members seemed to have misunderstood, thinking I had scheduled a meeting and was late. I decided not to clear up the misunderstanding because it seemed amusing.
“Come to think of it, wasn’t Johanna a bit down after she came back briefly on the entrance ceremony day?”
“That’s right! Could it be… because of him?”
The reason Johanna had been down was probably because I had declined the offer to join the disciplinary committee without a second thought.
Oh, so it really was my fault.
Before the committee members could seriously think of killing me, I asked Johanna a question.
“You were waiting for me… Does this mean you have something to tell me?” I asked.
Could it be…?
“That’s not it.”
Johanna answered with a serious expression, just like last time. Hmph.
“I have something important to tell you.”
The committee members erupted in a flurry of excited whispers.
“Important? Oh my… could it be…?”
“Johanna, falling for someone like him…? But if it makes her happy…”
As much as I wanted to hear what Johanna had to say,
“Senior Johanna, I’m afraid I don’t have time right now. Perhaps we can talk later?”
If I delayed any longer, I’d be late for class. The Demon Instructor, who was also the professor for the special class, would be furious if I was late, and who knows what would happen then.
Johanna’s head drooped, her expression crestfallen.
The committee members turned their murderous glares on me.
“Since it’s difficult to talk now, would you like to have lunch together later?”
“Sure.”
Having lunch with Johanna not only meant I could hear what important thing she had to say, but it also fulfilled my 23rd wish of having a meal with her.
“Well, I’ll be going then.”
“Wait.”
I was about to head to class when Johanna called out, making me stop.
“Yes? Is something wrong?”
“You’re late. Take your demerit point and go.”
Damn it.
I thought I had managed to get away smoothly this time.
One of the Disciplinary Committee members approached me with a paper and pen, presumably to note my demerit.
“What’s your name?”
As I was about to say my name, I noticed the committee members listening intently. Could it be that they wanted to remember my name for some collective reprisal?
Nah, surely not.
“It’s Loki! And being late is worth one demerit point, right?”
“Yes, but it’s surprising. Considering you tried to sneak past the committee, I thought you’d try to use Johanna’s influence to avoid the demerit.”
“While I have the guts to sneak past the committee, I don’t have the shamelessness to exploit connections.”
The Disciplinary Committee member ignored me, scribbling my name onto the notepad.
I was about to make my escape when—
“Hold on! He’s wearing a mask! Doesn’t that violate the dress code?” one of the other members exclaimed.
Everyone, including myself, froze.
“You think so? Is a mask considered inappropriate attire?”
“Well… it’s not exactly standard, is it?”
“If masks are banned, shouldn’t necklaces and bracelets be banned too?”
“Is a mask even an accessory?”
They huddled together, debating the merits of my fashion choices. One of them broke away from the group and approached me.
“Are you wearing the proper uniform underneath?”
“Of course! See?”
I twirled around, showcasing my impeccable adherence to the academy’s dress code.
Satisfied, she returned to her fellow committee members.
“What do we do? His uniform is fine.”
It seemed they intended to end the matter by giving me a demerit for improper attire, assuming I wasn’t wearing the uniform correctly. Now they had to decide if the mask constituted a dress code violation.
“Let’s just let him go.”
As they debated, Johanna spoke up.
“I’ll take responsibility if there’s a problem.”
Hearing Johanna’s assurance, the committee members didn’t know what to do. They clearly didn’t want Johanna to be inconvenienced.
And in that moment, without thinking, I blurted out,
“Senior Johanna will take responsibility for me?”
The disciplinary committee members glared at me, their eyes promising a slow and painful death. Frightened by their stares, I quickly made my escape.
Of course, Johanna wouldn’t really have to take responsibility for my mask.
“See you at lunch then, Senior Johanna!”
“Okay.”
.
.
.
Johanna watched Loki’s retreating figure, his footsteps light and carefree.
She recalled the moment Loki spoke to the disciplinary committee members and passed by them naturally.
If he hadn’t greeted the committee members, thanking them for their hard work, none of them would have realized he had passed by.
And if Loki had used his unique magic to erase his presence, even she might not have noticed him.
The impressive part didn’t end there.
When the hand of a committee member was about to touch his shoulder, his reaction was astonishing.
‘He’s faster…much faster than last time.’
His speed, his agility—it was on a completely different level compared to the entrance exam.
How could he have trained so intensely to become that strong in such a short time? She added it to her list of questions to ask him during lunch.
As she turned to leave, her steps leading away from the disciplinary committee’s office, one of the members called out to her.
“Huh? Johanna, where are you going? That’s not the way to the committee office.”
Johanna replied briefly as she continued walking.
“To the Student Council office.”
She was heading to the student council room to create a rule that would recognize masks as accessories.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Loki, whom Johanna was worrying about, was…
“So, you’re telling me that you got a demerit point on your first day… for oversleeping?”
“Well, to put it simply, yes.”
…kneeling in front of Professor Elysia, raising his hands and being scolded.
— End of Chapter —
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