After sending off Cherry, I returned to the history hall. Since I had given her a map, I planned to wait while reading a book.
“Hey, are you really Xenon?”
Of course, it was natural for Elena to question whether I’m Xenon. It would be strange not to ask after Cherry had called me Xenon in front of her.
As soon as I heard her question, I hesitated before pulling a book from the shelf. When I looked at Elena, I could see a curious expression on her face.
“Do you also think so, Professor?”
“No? I just asked out of curiosity. I can’t understand why that girl suddenly called you Xenon.”
Elena replied, pushing up her glasses. Upon hearing her words, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
I didn’t know what Cherry had in mind, but her hasty actions put my secret at risk. First, I needed to question her, but it was also important to understand what she was thinking.
“If I really am Xenon, what will you do, Professor?”
“I would ask if you are a prophet or someone from the future. Or perhaps, I would request to work together on research. Even I didn’t know about forbidden magic until now, but you may know more about history.”
“Is that all?”
“Hey, I’m just an ordinary scholar, not a noble ruling a territory or a soldier protecting the country. Isn’t uncovering knowledge that people don’t know about a delightful task?”
It’s certainly the mindset of a born scholar. Thanks to that inquisitive nature, I can freely come and go to Alvenheim’s Sanctuary. Plus, the unique characteristics of the elves play a role as well. As mentioned before, elves spend their entire lives dedicated to their chosen profession and don’t show much interest in anything else.
So, I don’t think it will be a big problem to reveal to Elena that I am Xenon. She’ll probably be pleased that she got an assistant, not a high-level slave.
From what I’ve seen of Elena so far, she’s at least a born scholar and not a cunning manipulator.
“So, are you really Xenon?”
“No, it’s not.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean I plan to reveal the secret. We haven’t built enough trust for me to disclose it just yet.
“That’s a shame. How are you going to explain it to her then?”
“Um…”
I heard her question and sat down on the couch, pondering. Cherry will arrive around 5 o’clock at the latest, since usually the orientation ends early.
Moreover, Cherry saw me completely as Xenon. It’s also complicated to talk about it in the lab because Elena is there as well.
Well, judging from our recent conversation, I don’t suspect that she’ll do anything drastic upon learning my secret. Even if she does, she’s likely to stop at the Arwen line.
“Well, I think it’s best to start by clearing up any misunderstandings. And we can apologize for dragging you into this mess as well.”
“When she arrives, go to a cafe to talk. I’d prefer not to discuss personal matters in the lab if possible.”
“So, the lab is strictly for research purposes, is that right?”
“Yes, exactly.”
She really does have the mindset of a true scholar. In fact, I nodded silently because I had similar plans in mind. It was when I opened the book I had chosen in advance to wait for Cherry.
Knock knock knock
Someone quietly knocked on the lab door. Since there was still plenty of time before Cherry arrived, it seemed like someone else.
“Yes, come in.”
I closed the book I had opened and swung the door wide open.
“Who…?”
“… …”
The first thing I saw as I opened the door was pink hair that seemed to smell like cherry blossoms. If there was pink hair, there was only one person it could be.
“…Student Cherry?”
“Oh, hello…”
Cherry Blossom Roseberry, it was her. She greeted me with her peculiar expression and her characteristic lifeless voice.
I wondered if I had misread the time, so I looked at the clock in the lab. It was exactly 3 o’clock. It was time for the orientation since it was the first day.
I couldn’t help but wonder if she had skipped class and come here. I looked at Cherry with disbelief. She had a face that was devoid of energy, unlike before.
“Did you skip class?”
“…Yes.”
“No… Even so…”
As I was about to mutter in disbelief, I noticed that she was holding something preciously. Although they looked like ordinary pieces of paper on the surface, they were severely torn and glued back together as if they had been shredded and then pieced together with adhesive.
Despite that, seeing her holding onto it made me guess that it was something valuable to Cherry.
“What is that?”
“Ah, this, um…”
When I pointed at the paper and asked, Cherry trembled noticeably. Her trembling resembled a frightened squirrel.
I decided to change the subject, thinking that I might just waste time if I continued like this.
“…Let’s go to the café for now. Professor?”
“Yes. Since there are no classes today, go to the café and take a break.”
“Thank you. Cherry, could you come with me for a moment?”
“Yes…”
After receiving permission from Elena, Cherry and I took steps together, just like ducks.
Grab
“…Red.”
“… …”
But why has this one been holding onto my hair since earlier? According to Marie and Cecily, they said that they like my hair better than theirs and want to keep touching it, but maybe that’s the reason.
Normally, I’d say, “What are you doing?” and want to scold them, because it’s impolite to touch someone else’s hair. But since Cherry’s mental state was far from normal, I thought about saying it in the cafe.
In the end, Cherry followed me while holding onto my tied-up hair, and I let out a sigh as we moved to the cafe I favored.
Even though passersby were giving us strange looks, I ignored them neatly. I’ve received those kinds of looks often enough that it doesn’t bother me anymore.
Moreover, with bright red and pink hair, people were bound to look. So, I just went past it.
“Welcome.”
“Please give me a private room.”
“Of course.”
After arriving at the cafe, I ordered coffee and went into a private room. Cherry hesitated outside the cafe for a moment, then quickly followed inside.
Finally, in a situation where only the two of us were left, I continued to gaze at Cherry, who was holding a piece of paper to her chest. Even though she had just taken the plunge, she seemed to lack the courage to move one step further, hesitating and wavering. Occasionally lifting her head that had dropped down, I would meet her eyes briefly, but that was the extent of it.
“The drinks you ordered are ready.”
“Thank you.”
Without saying a word to each other, we sat in silence, and before we knew it, the coffee we had ordered arrived. I took a sip of the sweet cappuccino and smiled faintly as I glanced at Cherry.
She alternated her gaze between the coffee in front of her and me. When I finally extended her hand as if to say it was okay to drink, she did so slowly. Even as she reached out her hand, she held the paper tightly in her grasp.
“Is it good?”
“…Yes.”
Cherry nodded slightly in response to my question. It was fortunate that it tasted good, but we still hadn’t entered into a proper conversation.
I briefly smiled, took another sip of my cappuccino, and carefully placed the coffee cup back down. The clinking sound echoed loudly in the otherwise silent private room.
Following that, I supported my chin with both hands, trying to ease Cherry’s tension, and asked her the question.
“So, what is it you want to say to me? Are you going to show me that piece of paper?”
“…Are you Xenon, the writer?”
Setting aside the preamble, Cherry raised her head, and with curiosity in her eyes, she asked me.
The unique dead eyes were eerie, but her appearance itself was so glamorous that I barely managed to answer her question. It’s unreasonable to completely trust someone on the first meeting.
“Well, if I were Xenon, what would you do? Are you planning to inform the Cherry Student’s family?”
“Family…”
As soon as the keyword ‘family’ was mentioned, Cherry’s gaze darkened even more. To top it off, she slowly lowered her head like a severed puppet.
I realized one thing as I watched her. The word ‘family’ was like a minefield to Cherry. Many nobles dislike their own families to some extent, but it’s not an easy thing to exhibit such an extreme reaction as Cherry did.
I quickly noticed that there were family-related issues with her and hastened to change the subject.
“Well, it’s just a possibility, so don’t take it too seriously. So, if I really were Xenon, what would you do?”
“…Is it really true?”
Fortunately, Cherry, who had somewhat recovered, slowly raised her lowered head and asked. Evidence had appeared in various places, but she seemed unable to convince herself completely.
I sighed deeply inside and thought about what to do. Regardless of the backstory, Cherry intensely disliked her own family. I could easily deduce that from her reaction just now.
So, even if I reveal that I’m Xenon, there’s very little chance she’ll inform her family. Given her current mental state, it doesn’t seem like she’ll blurt it out recklessly either. But I can’t openly admit it either. First, I need to ascertain whether she’s someone I can trust.
“Cherry, you mentioned that red hair was mentioned in the letter, right? And that the handwriting in the letter matches mine.”
“…Yes.”
“Even though that alone could serve as evidence, it’s still not enough.”
“You’re not denying it…”
To Cherry’s quiet yet sharp observation, I could only muster a smile. I only meant for her to make her own judgment. Even if I’m partially exposed, I have reliable allies by my side. I’m engaged to Marie, the daughter of the Requilis family, and I even have a friendly relationship with Rina.
Cherry might not blurt things out recklessly, but her family could pressure her to do so. By observing her condition, I can roughly guess what kind of place the Roseberry family is.
“That’s just Cherry’s judgment, isn’t it? I haven’t said anything, have I?”
“Th-then…”
In response to my evasive answer, Cherry frantically rummaged through her belongings. She briefly fidgeted with the paper in her hands, then discreetly extended it towards me with a polite gesture.
The traces torn here and there were bad enough, but there were even footprints on it, quite literally like a mop. I stared at the crumpled bundle of paper that Cherry cautiously handed to me, as if asking, “What is this?” However, her head was bowed deeply, and her expression was unreadable.
Unable to do otherwise, I accepted the paper. It was not just any paper but a manuscript paper, heavily damaged. On the manuscript paper were writings, done in Cherry’s distinctive warm handwriting.
[Red Sunset Once Again.]
What is this? Such an emotional title. Although the writing was a bit damaged due to being glued together like a puzzle, the title was clear enough for me to see.
I blinked my eyes and stared at the title for a moment, then turned my gaze to Cherry across from me. She still had her head bowed and her hands were clasped between her thighs.
“Could it be that Cherry wrote this?”
She nodded slowly in response to my question. For a moment, I couldn’t help but make a surprised expression, then I shifted my gaze towards the manuscript paper.
It was torn and crudely patched up, making it a bit difficult to read, but not impossible. However, by looking at the clear shoeprints on the first page, I could guess the circumstances of how this came to be. It was undoubtedly a matter deeply related to her family.
The act of trampling on the manuscript of an aspiring novelist was not only an assault on their self-esteem but also a potential destruction of their dreams. Cherry’s spirit could certainly collapse under such pressure.
‘She comes from a philosophical family…’
Why did the Roseberry family press Cherry so hard, to the point of pushing her to the brink? With a heavy heart, I slowly read through the novel.
At first, it began with sentences filled with warm emotions, just as the title suggested. As I had seen in her letters, Cherry’s distinctive, sweet, and warm writing style left a strong impression.
However, there was one standout element above all else…
‘…What? A time travel story?’
Cherry’s work, “Red Sunset,” surprisingly turned out to be a time-travel story. Despite being a cliché in my past life, there was no such genre in this world. The very concept alone showcased Cherry’s uniqueness.
Furthermore, with a writing style that suited romance well, she made the female protagonist more multidimensional. Especially, the psychological descriptions were exceptionally well-crafted, drawing one in completely.
But that’s not all. Being from a philosophical family, she included various such elements. The thought-provoking themes were clearly defined, making the characters’ personalities even stronger.
Lastly, the highlight of the romance novel was the introduction and meeting of the male protagonist. Although the development was a bit rushed, there was one thing that was certain.
“Um… Cherry?”
“Yes, yes?”
Cherry’s work, Red Sunset Once Again.
“Is there no next volume?”
It was never a work that could be trampled on by anyone.
“… …”
Cherry momentarily had a bewildered expression upon hearing my words. She seemed unable to discern whether what she had heard was true or false. In an effort to give her assurance, I pointed at the manuscript paper and sincerely said,.
“This is really interesting? Are you sure Cherry wrote it?”
“… …”
“Um…”
“Eheuk…”
Just as I was about to call her name again, tears flowed down Cherry’s pink eyes like a faucet, without a single blink, making me feel a bit uneasy.
“Sniff… Sniff…”
“… …”
I remained momentarily perplexed, waiting silently until Cherry’s tears stopped.
“I’m relieved… it’s…”
“… …”
“It wasn’t trampled on… it wasn’t trampled.”
Although her face was a mess from shedding tears, Cherry’s expression was much better than before.
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