Chapter 18: Lucky or Unlucky, Which Is It?
“Rouge, it’s fine to be shocked, but shouldn’t you finish your dormitory application first?”
“Y-Yeah! I’m going to do that now!”
With that, Rouge dashed over to the teacher handling the dormitory procedures. I was about to follow her when I felt a hand grip my shoulder from behind. It was Lily.
“Hey, are you really planning to live in the same room as her?”
“Lily, I don’t know who Rouge really is or that she’s actually a girl, and I have no intention of finding out. So, it shouldn’t be strange for a boy from a baronial house to share a room with a boy from a viscount house.”
“…Well, either way, since she’s a viscount’s daughter, sharing a room is unavoidable. In that sense, it might actually be better for her to be with you, who for some reason has won her affection…”
Lily pulled on my shoulder, turning me to face her. Her sharp, elongated eyes were fixed on me with a serious expression as she offered her warning.
“Listen carefully. You must not make any mistakes. If you let a moment of confusion lead you to do something foolish, it will bring misfortune upon you, your family, and her. That is something you must absolutely avoid. Understand?”
“I get it without you telling me. Besides, why would I do something like that with another guy?”
“…I’ll take your word for it, Hugh.”
I intended to treat Rouge purely as a friend. Perhaps sensing my resolve, Lily released her grip on my shoulder.
It seemed I had somehow caught the attention of a significant figure. The person Lily referred to as “her” must hold a position of considerable status, especially for a marquis’s daughter to be so concerned…
…Alright, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.
“By the way, you’re going to handle your dormitory application too, right? Lily will have a single room, and Lecty will be in a room with four people.”
“Oh, right. I guess that’s how it’ll be…”
Lecty looked down, her expression filled with anxiety. Even though she would be sharing a room with commoners, she came from the slums. If she ended up in a room with someone from a wealthy family, it would be unavoidable for her to feel out of place.
“Don’t worry, Lecty. You’ll be sharing a room with me.”
“Eh!?”
“Wasn’t it the case that the marquis’s family has single rooms?”
“The room assignments can be adjusted using the marquis’s political influence. I’m not saying we should upgrade the room. If it doesn’t work out, we can just add another bed to a single room. Of course, sharing one bed is also an option, you know?”
“W-What!?”
Lily casually stroked Lecty’s cheek, causing her to blush and hide behind me.
“Fuhihih… Just kidding, Lecty. Don’t take it seriously and get embarrassed, okay?”
Her laughter didn’t sound like a joke at all.
Perhaps sensing the underlying tension, Lecty peeked out from behind me and asked Lily, “B-But, won’t I be a bother to you, Lily-chan…? Living together with someone like me, a commoner… Wouldn’t it be better if I had a single room…?”
“It would be lonely to live alone when you have the chance for dorm life. The essence of dormitory living is in the shared experience, right? …And besides, I don’t think you should belittle yourself so much. I, of all people, am saying that I want you there, Lecty.”
“L-Lily-chan…!”
It seemed Lecty was deeply moved by Lily’s words. She stepped out from behind me and bowed her head in front of Lily.
“I may not be much, but I look forward to your guidance…!”
“Of course. I swear to God that I will make you happier than anyone else.”
…It really looked more like a proposal than anything else.
As Lily was about to head off with Lecty to complete their dormitory applications, I grabbed her shoulder to stop her.
“Just make sure you don’t do anything funny, okay?”
“I can’t promise that.”
This girl…!
While I was worried about Lecty, it was also true that sharing a room with Lily was probably the best situation for her. It would be strange for me to interfere… Sorry, Lecty. You’ll have to protect yourself.
After successfully completing our dormitory applications, we followed the guidance to enter the classroom, where we received explanations about the rules within the dormitory, various facilities in the academy, and the schedule for tomorrow’s entrance ceremony before we were dismissed.
I quickly headed to the boys’ dormitory with Rouge and entered the room assigned to us.
“Wow! This is our room!”
“It’s bigger than I expected!”
The room was surprisingly spacious, enough to make me feel a rush of excitement.
The furniture was built-in, with beds and study desks arranged symmetrically on either side. There were also wardrobes and shelves, and in the center of the room, there was a low table surrounded by a U-shaped sofa.
Despite all the furniture, the room didn’t feel cramped at all. Moreover, it was equipped with a shower room and a flushing toilet.
This is the Royal Academy for you. And it’s a room prepared for nobility. If this is what a viscount’s or baron’s room looks like, I can only imagine how luxurious the rooms for earls and above must be.
“I heard there were ‘various’ things regarding the room’s furniture and decor.”
“Please don’t tell me the details; it’ll ruin the fun…”
This school really has too many “various” things going on.
Well, whatever the case, I could finally relax. As I sank into the sofa, Rouge began preparing her towel and change of clothes.
“Hugh, I’m going to take a shower first.”
“Yeah, take your time.”
I replied casually as I watched Rouge enter the shower room. After a while, I could hear the sound of her clothes rustling, the water from the shower, and her pleasant humming mixed with soft sighs of contentment.
…This is quite a powerful combination.
Even without Lily’s warning, I had no intention of doing anything, but I suppose it reinforced my resolve.
Living with a girl is this nerve-wracking…? No, I still haven’t confirmed that Rouge is definitely a girl. As long as there’s even a 1% chance that she might be a boy, I should think of her as a boy, yes.
Still, is the wall in this room surprisingly thin…?
“No, that’s not it. I completely forgot I was still using the «Ninja» Skill.”
I took out a hand mirror and switched my skill to «Ignition». Tomorrow is the entrance ceremony, but there’s no telling when someone might check our skills unexpectedly.
After that, I sat on the sofa, zoning out for a while. I must have been more tired than I realized, as I might have dozed off for a bit.
I was brought back to reality by the sound of the shower room door opening. When I turned my gaze, I saw Rouge approaching with a towel wrapped around her head.
“Ahh, that was a nice shower. Hugh, it’s your turn now.”
“O-Okay…”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
Rouge tilted her head, puzzled by my reaction.
What’s wrong? That’s my line.
The sight of Rouge after her bath was unexpectedly alluring, and I could even catch a pleasant scent wafting over from a distance. But more than that, I was simply dumbfounded.
Rouge was wearing an adorable white nightgown adorned with floral patterns. From any angle, it was clearly a girl’s pajamas.
She’s not even trying to hide her gender anymore…!