I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

Chapter 189

The next morning.

Luca arrived at the teahouse near the dormitory earlier than usual.

It was almost the time the place opened.

"Oh my, that student came even earlier than usual today, didn't he?"

"I know, right?"

The staff at the teahouse whispered to each other as they looked at Luca.

With looks that attracted attention wherever he went, it was no wonder the teahouse staff were interested in him.

"Huhut, is he waiting for her again today?"

"He's a little too early for that, though."

Luca always ordered just one cup of tea, drank it slowly, and waited for someone.

Still, many female students would come just to catch a glimpse of him, so the teahouse staff were happy to have him there.

"He looks handsome again today."

"I know, right? How is he so dazzling even in the morning?"

Of course, they had some personal interest as well.

Ding-ling~

At that moment, Luca rang the bell that summoned a staff member.

They argued over who would go, but in the end, the most senior staff member went out and took his order.

"Did you call?"

"I'd like a cup of this."

"Yes, sir!"

It was a short conversation, but the senior staff member felt her heart flutter as she took his order and went to the kitchen.

She quickly brewed the tea and brought it back to him.

"Here you are!"

"Thank you."

At Luca's thanks, the senior staff member felt her heart tremble.

She bowed deeply and returned to where the staff were.

"Ah, I'm so jealous! Next time, I want to go!"

"Hehe, sure. You can take his order tomorrow."

Since Luca only ordered one cup and waited for someone, they assumed his next order wouldn't be until tomorrow.

Ding-ling~

"?"

But then Luca rang the bell again.

"I'd like another cup of this, please."

"Yes, sir!"

Ding-ling~

"I'd like another cup of this, please."

"Ye-yes!"

Ding-ling~

"I'd like another cup of this, please."

"Ye... yes, sir!"

Unlike usual, Luca quickly finished his tea and kept ordering more as soon as each cup arrived.

The staff found themselves in confusion as they watched him.

"Wh-why is he doing that? Is there something wrong with the tea?"

"Se-Senior, you don't think someone put something weird in it, do you?"

"Am I crazy?! If you poison a noble, you won't get away with it that easily!"

"Then why...?"

"Oh. Is he ringing the bell again?"

Ding-ling~

Just as one staff member said that, Luca rang the bell again.

In the end, the senior staff member swallowed nervously and cautiously approached him.

"Excuse me, is there perhaps something wrong with the tea...?"

"... What do you mean?"

At her words, Luca made a puzzled expression, so she spoke even more cautiously.

"It's just... You're ordering so much more than usual, so..."

"... Am I?"

Luca made a rather bitter face.

The senior staff member was flustered by his response.

"Wh-what do you mean...?"

"... I was just thirsty, so I ordered a lot. Don't worry about it. The tea is good."

"O-oh, I see..."

As the senior staff member watched him warily, laughter sounded from behind her.

"Hehe, are you flirting with the teahouse staff now?"

"?!"

The sudden, inexplicable hostility startled the senior staff member so much she jumped.

Behind her was Pasmo, smiling softly. Luca's eyelids twitched for a moment, but he answered calmly.

"I was just ordering tea. I'll get yours, too, so have a seat."

"Hm~."

At Luca's words, Pasmo let out a nasal laugh, then smiled brightly.

"Hehe, just get me what I usually drink."

"I'll have the same."

"O-okay! I'll have it ready in a moment!"

The senior staff member hurried to the kitchen, and the other staff crowded around her.

"What happened?"

"Was there something wrong with the tea?"

Taking a deep breath, the senior staff member adopted a serious expression.

"It's a love triangle. The guy cheated."

"What?!"

It seemed quite the misunderstanding had formed.

* * *

"......."

"......."

Luca and Pasmo sat in silence, waiting for their tea.

Strictly speaking, Luca glanced over, watching for Pasmo's reactions, but she only smiled without saying a word.

'I'd know how to handle this if I'd ever been through anything like it myself...'

Luca had never experienced the ups and downs of romance before.

In fact, this was his first time ever in love.

For him, a situation like this felt unbearably heavy.

"The tea you ordered is ready!"

After a long silence, the tea finally arrived, and the two of them sipped quietly.

Only then did the mood lighten a bit.

"I read the letter."

"... I see."

At the mention of the letter, Luca drew a slow, deep breath.

The letter's contents were simple.

—I was going to ask you to be my Harvest Festival dance partner, but someone else asked me first. I'd like to refuse, but they're quite persistent. What should I do?

He had phrased it a bit more delicately, but that was the gist.

Pasmo took a sip of tea and said,

"You should do as you wish."

"... I want to dance with you at the Harvest Festival."

At his reply, Pasmo let out a soft laugh.

"Then shouldn't you just refuse?"

"If I refuse, she said she'll challenge you to a duel."

"...?"

Pasmo paused for a moment.

The composure masking her anger slipped away for an instant.

"What do you mean..."

"I know you're an excellent alchemist, Pasmo, but honestly, she is just too strong. Even you wouldn't..."

"No, what does a duel have to do with being a dance partner...?"

Watching him speak so seriously, Pasmo made a sour face.

Luca continued, still calm.

"At first, she challenged me to a duel for the right to dance with me. When I refused, she said she'd challenge you instead. So I thought it'd be better for me to duel than let you do it."

"...?"

"?"

Their words just didn't match up. Pasmo looked into Luca's eyes.

It didn't seem like he was joking.

Pasmo took a moment to collect her thoughts, then spoke.

"So... If she challenges me for the dance partner position, do I have to accept no matter what?"

"Well... uh... um..."

Luca trailed off, suddenly looking foolish.

"Well... You do have to accept a duel..."

"Is it by law in the Hernan Empire that if someone challenges you to a duel, you are required to accept?"

"... Not really..."

Mid-sentence, Luca realized it.

She wasn't obligated to accept a duel at all.

"I see. So you can just ignore it."

"... Kuk!"

Pasmo burst out laughing.

In fact, she'd been a tiny bit disappointed—not because Luca was solicited by another lady for the dance.

If the Luca she knew really didn't like someone's dance partner request, he'd just refuse outright, without seeking anyone's approval.

So the fact that he didn't refuse right away made her wonder if perhaps he also had some feelings for that lady, weighing her against Pasmo, and hesitating to turn her down if she wasn't completely undesirable.

So Pasmo had planned to tease him about it—and yet, it turned out she'd been wrong.

'So this is the kind of person Luca is.'

Despite his appearance, Luca was quite the macho man.

He'd even rushed to another empire just to bring her back, which showed how bold he could be.

'Hehe, as expected, Luca is Luca.'

With her heart suddenly at ease, Pasmo beamed.

"So is it true Luca never refuses when challenged to a duel?"

"Well... yeah, I guess."

"But you were going to refuse for my sake?"

"Well... hmm..."

Unable to continue, Luca dropped his head, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Seeing that, Pasmo's expression grew just a little excited.

"It's fine. Don't worry about me—just accept the duel!"

"... The opponent is really strong. Even I can't guarantee victory."

"Even if you lose, it's fine! Not being your partner won't change my feelings for you!"

At her words, Luca twisted his lips.

"But I wanted you to be my first partner at the Harvest Festival..."

"Hehe. It's fine. If the woman loves you so much, I can concede that much for her sake, too."

"...?"

Luca looked at her awkwardly.

"What do you mean by that...?"

"There must be so many women who love you, Luca. I don't dislike that fact. If there are many people who love you, the man I love, it just makes me feel proud!"

As Pasmo said this, her eyes sparkled with delight.

"If your dance partner at the Harvest Festival isn't me, the others who love you can hold out hope! The hope that Luca isn't already tied down to Pasmo Thier—that there's still a chance. They'll keep longing for you."

"P-Pasmo...?"

As Luca looked at her, he slowly remembered her nickname.

"If the beautiful gem whom everyone yearns for chooses me in the end, that's more romantic than anything!"

"..."

The Eccentric Pasmo Thier.

She really lived up to her nickname.

Pasmo shivered a little with excitement, then returned to her usual smile.

"That's why I don't mind if you date every lady in the Academy. Even if you lose the duel and end up dancing with someone else, don't worry about it."

"... It probably won't happen, but I understand your feelings."

With a sigh of relief, Luca downed his now-cold tea in one gulp and wiped his lips.

"If possible, I'll win and dance with you."

Before he knew it, he had agreed to a rematch against Isella.

* * *

"So you're going through with the duel, in the end?"

"Yes. I'm planning to match it as closely as possible to his physical abilities!"

"Heh... You two certainly aren't ordinary..."

Milia looked at Isella, who had ended up dueling Luca, with a wry expression.

Isella, burning with motivation, glanced at Milia.

"By the way... Have you decided on a dance partner, milady?"

"Me? Hmm... I suppose I must choose one, but..."

Milia pondered for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.

"I guess I'll have to dance with Ottbo whether I like it or not. If I don't, who else would be his partner? And since he's Luca's friend, I suppose I ought to help him save face."

"I... see..."

Isella made a complicated face.

Milia tilted her head at that.

"What's with that look? Is there a problem?"

"Well..."

Isella was rather knowledgeable about the goings-on at school.

Her role wasn't just to guard Milia, but also to gather information Milia might miss.

So she knew.

"Milady. This way."

"Hm?"

Rather than say it outright, Isella decided to show her directly.

The secluded garden at the Magic Department.

There, Milia and Isella were lying low, hiding.

"Why are we here?"

"Right about now..."

Isella, looking at something on a spirit stone panel, sensed someone approaching and motioned for silence.

Milia looked puzzled, but then her eyes went wide at the people entering the garden.

'Ottbo... and Oborea Kachl?'

Oborea Kachl.

A girl who had beaten Archiond to become first place among first-years in the alchemy department.

'Why are those two together...?'

While Milia looked on with a puzzled expression, Ottbo spoke up.

"So, why did you ask me to come here?"

"Well... um..."

Oborea Kachl twisted shyly, glanced down, then offered him something—a letter.

"Um, if you haven't chosen a Harvest Festival dance partner yet... could you choose me?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Milia is in denial, but she's already taken a liking to Ottbo...

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