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Chapter 37
It felt as if everything I had done until now was being denied.
As my mind scrambled in confusion, Aiden placed a hand on my head.
“Well, I’m not saying you should stop looking for a potential brother-in-law right now. I just want you to think about it.”
“Could it be that what I’m doing isn’t actually for my sister?”
“Well, you won’t know until you truly know what Emma wants.”
“Truly… what she wants…”
Having my overlooked assumptions pointed out left me completely at a loss.
“Since you acted for her sake, I can’t say everything you did was wrong. If you want, I’ll continue helping you. Just let me know anytime.”
Once again, Aiden was trying to help me.
I was grateful, but right now I needed time to mull over what he had said.
“I’ll think it over and let you know.”
“Don’t overthink it too much. Life gets complicated if you think too hard.”
Classic Aiden advice.
I forced a smile and stood up first.
“See you later, Senior Aiden.”
“Yeah, take care going home.”
I headed back to the clubroom to get my bag.
Liam and Emma were still there, apparently not having left yet.
“You haven’t left yet?”
“Something came up. Today, it looks like you’ll have to go home alone, Kongkong.”
It wasn’t unusual for them to have work even after school.
By now, I was used to walking home alone and simply nodded without complaint.
“You’re heading to the principal’s office?”
“Yeah.”
They packed their things and left the clubroom first.
Principal’s office?
Since they weren’t troublemakers, they probably had something special to discuss with the principal.
Being the top two students in the year, it made sense the principal would favor them, though I couldn’t quite guess the reason.
As I packed up and stepped out of the clubroom, the school intercom suddenly broadcasted an announcement.
—Ah, ahem. Aiden Carter and Lucas Benjamin, please report to the principal’s office immediately.
Aiden and Lucas too?
They had gathered all the important students, the top of each grade.
And everyone called was also part of this club, except me.
Since Lucas joined the club at the principal’s instruction, perhaps the others had been brought in for the same reason.
Until now, I had thought the five of us joining the club was just the author’s way to make us meet easily. But if the principal was involved, there might be another reason.
“Ah, maybe it’s about scholarships.”
I had heard the academy had a scholarship system.
The top students would naturally receive scholarships and attend the academy for free.
While the male leads came from wealthy families, my sister didn’t.
If the principal gave scholarships purely based on merit, it made sense to summon them.
Having come to this conclusion, I walked home slowly.
I was curious, but it wasn’t important enough to obsess over.
Instead, another thought dominated my mind.
“Is that really Emma’s happiness?”
Aiden’s question lingered in my head the entire way home.
Had I been forcing my sister to be happy for my own sake?
But then again, in romance manga, could there even be an ending where the heroine doesn’t end up with the male lead?
Such an ending would obviously be a bad ending, and if it happened, the author wouldn’t be able to release another comic under the same pen name.
Everyone reading the comic would have their hopes destroyed.
“But she’s Emma.”
After all, this world was inside the romance manga <Academy Love♡ ~Who is the Male Lead?>.
It’s a manga where readers wonder who the male lead is. There’s no way the heroine wouldn’t end up with the male lead.
So naturally, it made sense for me to try to pair my sister with the male lead.
“But Emma… is Emma.”
After seventeen years in this world, Emma had become the most precious person to me.
Not simply because she was the heroine, but because I truly wanted her to be happy, which was why I seriously looked for a brother-in-law for her.
Sure, I had my personal feelings too, but at least my intentions started out purely.
I stopped in my tracks and stared at the setting sun.
“It’s hot.”
The weather was getting warmer.
I just stood there, gazing at the sun, unable to continue walking.
“Sorry, I don’t think I can go with you today either.”
“Today too?”
In recent days, both Liam and Emma had continuously been summoned by the principal.
I wondered what it was, but guessed it was scholarship-related, nodded, and went on my way.
I thought I was used to walking home alone, but suddenly it felt strangely lonely.
“Hurry up, Lucas.”
As I exited the clubroom, I bumped into Aiden, rushing somewhere, along with Lucas.
“Hey, long time no see.”
The exam period was approaching, and our Introduction to Magic class with Lucas had been suspended.
Moreover, Lucas hadn’t participated in club activities since that day, so we hadn’t met.
“Yeah, long time no see.”
“How have you been, Olivia?”
Aiden also hadn’t participated in club activities.
Being busy with exams and student council duties, no one suspected anything—neither Liam nor my sister.
“I’m doing well, Senior.”
“Well, we’re busy, so let’s leave it at that. We’ll talk again next time.”
“Bye.”
Aiden and Lucas quickly greeted me and hurried off.
Judging from the previous announcement, they were heading to the principal’s office too.
Could a scholarship discussion really take this long?
I didn’t know the details, but it felt like I was excluded from their world.
“No, wait. That’s how it should be.”
They were the protagonists of the romance manga, and I was just an extra.
I had tried to force a brother-in-law onto my sister, but perhaps the story was progressing on its own without me.
Perhaps my sister’s happiness would arrive naturally, like destiny.
In that case, I had no real role.
Hmm… it felt strangely empty.
“No, now isn’t the time to worry about a brother-in-law.”
Why had studying with Lucas and advanced learning with Noa been suspended?
Because midterms were approaching!
A serious problem was looming, and I didn’t have time to worry about anything else.
“I should go home and study.”
Especially since there was no teacher to help with the lacking Introduction to Magic. Now it was time to pick up my books and struggle on my own.
I quickly forgot about my sister and the male leads, reasoning that it was necessary for exam study. I even fueled myself with ice cream before heading home.
“Come on in.”
The principal’s office of the Royal Saint Louis Academy was filled with mysterious objects.
Among the densely packed books, enchanted items floated on their own.
When guests arrived, a kettle would immerse itself in hot coals, tea leaves would automatically fall in, and it would brew a perfect cup of tea.
Once the tea reached the right temperature, the kettle would float the teacup to the guest and serve it elegantly.
“Thank you.”
Emma received a teacup and bowed to the principal.
Everything moving in the room contained the principal’s magic.
Others in the room also received their drinks and thanked him.
“So, any progress?”
A chair that had been facing the window turned toward the students, revealing the principal.
“Not yet, Teacher Saint.”
Aiden reported on behalf of the group.
The person seated in the principal’s chair was Teacher Saint, who usually guarded the main gate.
In front of the students, the principal appearing on the podium was actually just the vice-principal.
Teacher Saint wanted to observe students closely, so he personally taught classes and monitored the gates.
Few people knew that Teacher Saint was the actual principal.
“A disappointing answer.”
“We’re doing our best, but gathering information secretly from the students isn’t easy.”
Liam stepped forward to defend them.
However, Teacher Saint frowned and pointed at Lucas with a riding crop.
“This involves first-years, so shouldn’t you, as a first-year, investigate better?”
Lucas looked unfairly treated.
“Do I really have to know everything just because I’m a first-year?”
“Such a fine brain you have.”
“This has nothing to do with brains.”
“Exactly. You were chosen for your excellent grades and formed the ‘Wildflower Lovers’ club, yet your results are stagnant.”
“We’ll try harder.”
Emma answered calmly.
Teacher Saint lowered the crop, tapped it on his palm a few times, then suddenly spoke as if remembering something.
“Alright, if it’s difficult with just you, why not get help from your younger sibling who recently joined this club? That child is a first-year too, isn’t he?”
