When Monica returned to the attic of the girls' dormitory with Lynn's super-fast flying magic, Nero was wedged in the small gap between the wall and the closet. With his butt facing Monica.
"…U-Um, Nero?"
Instead of answering, his black tail tapped the floor with a plop. Oh, he was sulking.
"Geez, Nero, you really are…"
Monica muttered in a troubled tone, and Nero said, still tapping the floor with his tail.
"You left me behind to play all night, moreover you're staying over until morning?"
"W-Well…"
Monica was at a loss hearing his response, but the woman who'd brought her here, Lynn, in her usual maid outfit opened her mouth.
"Certainly, Miss [Silent Witch]'s had a feast accompanied by handsome young men, after which, continued with having carnal lust with a handsome man in the brothel…"
"Lyyyynnnn!?"
As Monica peeled her eyes open, Nero coming out of the gap, tapping Monica's foot with his paw.
"You've disappointed me, Monica! You're hussy!"
"Hussy!?"
"How heartless of you! You should learn from Abram!"
"Who's Abram, anyway?!" shouted Monica, at which Nero snorted before pulling out a book. It was Nero's favorite adventure novel with Dustin Günther as its author.
Nero often mentioned how great Dustin Günther's book was. Dexterously turning up the page, he tapped the scene introducing the characters with his paw.
"Abram's a friend of the main protagonist Bartholomew, and he's a very good and loyal guy. Even when he's tempted by a beautiful woman, he says, "For me, friendship is more valuable than love," and keeps his friendship with Bartholomew alive. It's so cool."
"Abram… Bartholomew…"
Monica had never read the novel, but she had a feeling of having heard its name somewhere. It was also rather recent.
—You know, I'm currently writing a scene in my new novel about a foolish man who falls in love with a stage actress. And Abram, a friend of the main protagonist Bartholomew, who's in love with the stage actress Catherine says: "Oh, I'd like to see her play again with my own eyes." …and your expression was exactly like that.
"…ah!?
Monica's mouth gaped open as she cried out.
Now that he mentioned it, didn't Felix say that Porter's an antiquarian bookstore owner and novelist?
While Nero went on at length about how righteous and compassionate Abram is to the stunned Monica. The kind-hearted Monica decided to keep quiet about the development of Abram, who lives for friendship and is reduced to the stage actress adorer.
＊ ＊ ＊
After getting herself ready, Monica decided to leave the girls' dormitory early with a little more time to spare.
Having been informed by Linn that the assassin who had infiltrated the chess tournament had escaped from the prison, she wanted to think of a countermeasure.
Assuming that the man who had disguised himself as Minerva's teacher Eugene Pittman was also capable of impersonating another individual… which would be very troubling.
Nero can help her to sense any unusual mana activity. Lynn also can help her to eavesdrop on any suspicious conversations. But these things can be performed because very few people were present at the chess tournament.
On the other hand, a lot of people would come and go on the day of the school festival, so asking Lynn to pick up only suspicious conversations among them was almost an impossible task. In addition, some groups will be held magic presentations at the event, so it's doubtful that Nero will be able to detect any unusual mana activity.
He might be able to notice it immediately if it was mana from [Conch Flame] or like the time when Cyril's mana gone out of control, but it's unlikely he can detect magic that runs on a small scale.
If I keep staying by His Highness on the day of the school festival, he might think of me as a suspicious person.
In any case, the most reliable way is to give Felix a magic tool that has a defensive barrier function.
It was a move that'd been used once by Louis Miller—though the said magic tool was destroyed within three days after its creation.
…Now that I think about it, that's also the reason I came undercover…
Remembering the conversation at that time, Monica laughed helplessly and shoved her hands in her pockets. In her pocket was the magic tool that she had improvised this morning. It was a cheap brooch she bought in the entertainment district and applied a protective barrier to it after Lynn informed her of the assassin's escape.
She actually wanted to make it usable as many times as possible, not just a one-time disposable item. Including a function that would allow her to know when the barrier was activated, even if she was far away.
However, in order to incorporate multiple functions, it would require her to take a long time to produce and a better gemstone, which was considered by its size and its purity.
But with only a cheap brooch within her options, all she could do was applying a simple formula to it.
…but I've increased the strength of the barrier, so that should be enough to protect him when the worst-case scenario happens…
The question is, how would she give this brooch to Felix?
She wished he could keep it with him all the time, preferably unnoticed.
The magic tool that Monica made was a brooch made of amber on a poorly plated base. The size of the brooch is such that it can be held in Monica's hand and hidden.
If she put it in the pocket, he would notice it when he put his hands in. Even if she put it on the coat, he would notice it as well when he take his coat off. In any case, all of the students would change their uniform to that of noble's formal attire when the closing party's coming up.
If that's the case… should I hide it in his u-underwear? I suppose that's too far even for his safety… Hmm… Is there any other way… Uuuu… I can't think of any method…
Monica wracked her brains as she walked.
The whole reason she left the dormitory a little early was to figure out how to make Felix keep this brooch, but at this rate, she would end up arriving at the school with no idea what to do with it.
Having all these thoughts in her mind had left her to forget her footing and overlook the slight budge in the ground. As expected, after her foot caught on it, she lost her balance and fell flat on the ground.
"Fugyaaaa!!"
In the nick of time, she managed to bring her palms to hold the ground, avoiding falling on her face, but her palms still hurt.
"…my palm hurts…" Monica stood snifflingly and continued with her way to the school totteringly without even noticed that the brooch was dropped when she's falling over.
To tell the truth, things that Monica overlooked were not only the dropped brooch. In fact, there was a female student walking a little behind Monica. The girl witnessed the whole thing until Monica fell down and dropped the brooch.
It was the Student Council Secretary Bridget Graham, a girl known as one of the three most beautiful ladies in the school. Having witnessed Monica dropped the amber brooch, she picked it up and lifted it to her eye level to stare at it.
By all appearances, it was a poorly made, cheap brooch. But if you look through it in the light, you can see a thin layer of magic formula floating in the amber stone.
"…………"
Bridget took out a handkerchief, wrapped the brooch, then put it in her pocket, then proceeded to walk away as if nothing had happened.
＊ ＊ ＊
Unable to think of a good way to have Felix wear the brooch, Monica arrived at the student council room to find that Felix and Cyril had already arrived there.
"Morning, Monica." Unlike the time when he greets her as Eig, Felix greeted her with a gentle and kind prince's smile.
Monica politely replied to Felix and Cyril as she bowed, while glancing at Felix's clothes. For some reason, Monica couldn't think of a way to sneak the brooch onto his perfectly dressed white uniform.
Maybe I should just give it directly and ask him to put it on… But how should I ask him… What's the best line for asking so that His Highness will definitely be inclined to wear the brooch… Should I tell him, "I want you, the exceptional fashionable person, to put this on"… like that? But this brooch is too dull for an exceptional fashionable person… and it's designed for women in the first place…
Drawing on all the wisdom she had accumulated ever since leaving the cabin to this day, Monica devised a way to make a request that would make Felix want to wear the brooch.
Then, an idea crossed her mind. Right, the entertainment district had hinted her the way. This is it, this is the only way. This should be worked.
…"If you wear this brooch, it could bring you some fortunes"… alright, let's go with that.
But it ended with a disappointing conclusion, which came from how Doris' trick to make men swoon over. It had a similar concept as to how uncle street vendor presenting their goods. Nevertheless, Monica was determined to get the brooch out of her pocket, as if this was a good idea…
…Huh?
No matter how hard she rummaged through her pockets, she could not find the brooch. Even when checking the other pocket just to be sure, she still found no brooch.
D-D-Don't tell me… it dropped at that time!?
Monica flapped her jacket and skirt as she stomped her feet to check if the brooch was caught in the hem of her jacket or skirt. But the brooch still didn't come out.
"…Treasurer Norton, what are you doing?"
Cyril stared at Monica's odd behavior, to which Monica replied with cold sweats running down, her eyes darting around.
"W-Well… you see… I… right, I'm practicing ballroom dance for the upcoming ball… I-I'm looking forward to the ball…"
In response to her words, Cyril's eyes slightly widened. But, he immediately wrinkled his brow and grunted.
"…You're not going to tell me that those bizarre steps are a dance, are you? What were those training days for?"
"I-I… O-O-Of course I remember… Look, one-two-three, one-two-three…"
Monica smiled tensely, as she did some ballroom dancing steps on the spot. And the way Cyril earnestly looking at her was so scary.
Just then, the door opened with Bridget coming into the room. She greeted everyone at the entrance with a "good day to you" and gave a cold look to Monica, who was doing her dance steps.
She did not say anything more. As a matter of fact, Bridget didn't even try to talk to Monica, perhaps thinking it was not worth it.
A while later, Neil and Elliot arrived, bringing all the student council members together, and Felix opened his mouth.
"Okay, I guess everyone's here. In tomorrow school festival starts tomorrow, let's make sure we have everything in place and do our best to make it a great day for everyone."
What should I do? I can't give His Highness the best possible protection without that barrier magic tool…
Monica inwardly clutched her head in anguish. Bridget was looking at her with a probing look, but of course, Monica didn't notice.
And so, with a great deal of uncertainty, the Serendia Academy Festival was about to begin.
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