Chapter 150 - A Premonition Hits the Mark (2)

In fact, if one were to think about it, the current situation should not have been uncomfortable for Pleta Templeton at all.

No, it would have been a situation to be welcomed with open arms.

It was a situation filled with girls who hit right in the middle of Pleta's preferences, as she had a weakness for cute-looking boys and girls.

However, Pleta couldn't enjoy the current situation as much as she had expected, and that was due to the subtle current flowing between them.

‘Uhm, ugh…….’

It wasn't that there was an uncomfortable war of nerves going on between them, or that they didn't seem to get along.

All of them seemed to have a friendly relationship, and it didn't seem to be an expression of the social skills unique to children of the upper class.

It was a judgment that combined Pleta's long-accumulated observation skills and intuition, so it could be said to be almost certain.

‘The problem is rather…….’

Pleta had such thoughts and sipped her wine once, then slowly shifted her gaze to one cadet.

To the only male cadet here, Rain Enlight.

Yes, the subtle current in this place all originated from that boy.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't a current flowing from the boy, but in terms of him being the cause, wasn't it the same thing?

“…….”

Pleta, who was watching the girls conversing in a rather cheerful atmosphere and the boy standing one step away from behind, took another sip of wine and turned her gaze.

And there was the first girl she had met, Yuna.

‘Her feelings for him…… seem almost certain.’

Although they had only been together for about an hour, Pleta was sure of Yuna's feelings.

Although it was a short time, she had talked about various things with Yuna, and as she had mentioned before, it was because Rain Enlight was never absent from the content of those stories.

‘Even without that, it's embarrassingly obvious.’

Next, Pleta's gaze turned elsewhere. To the girl with sky-blue hair and eyes, the undisputed next Magic Tower Master, Arien Ortega.

There was no need to speak at length about the girl. Especially if one considered to whom the girl, who was clearly seen to be consistent with expressionlessness and one-word answers even from a distance, had suddenly changed her attitude.

‘And from what I hear, it even sounds like she was the one who asked him to dance first.’

That unprecedented proactiveness. Perhaps she was the one whose feelings were most strongly revealed among them. That was Pleta's assessment.

And finally, the place where her gaze landed was where the last girl to appear was… Serene El Stellia.

The influential heir of the 'House of Salvation', the head of the Three Founding Families, the most powerful in the Empire.

A talented woman who, despite her young age, was known to possess overwhelming military power befitting her position, and was even evaluated as being able to support the future of the Empire alone.

That was what Pleta knew about Serene El Stellia, and until now, she had had no contact with the girl.

At most, she had only seen her from a distance at events. The impression she got each time was that she was remarkably composed for a girl of her age.

When one thought about what kind of life young cadets should enjoy, it was a matter that was hard to simply think of as admirable.

‘She's really pretty though…….’

The impression she got when she saw her up close for the first time was a bit different… anyway.

When Serene first appeared, that was all Pleta felt. In the first place, Pleta was not such a fantasist as to feel baseless anxiety just from her appearance.

However, Pleta had felt it.

When Serene looked at Rain as she appeared. The comfort in her eyes.

“…….”

Intuition.

There was no other way to describe it, but Pleta could feel it.

The heir of the Stellia family, who had looked so composed from a distance, at that moment, it was as if…….

Drip.

A cold sweat ran down Pleta's cheek. It was because she had realized that all the members here shared a common characteristic.

“Ugh…….”

At the same time, Pleta unconsciously let out a groan.

It was because she couldn't erase the feeling that her head was starting to ache more and more.

‘What on earth does he do at the academy, this junior of mine…….’

She had heard various bad rumors about him from time to time, and one of them was the rumor that 'Rain Enlight is a playboy'.

Was that rumor truly smoke without fire?

Pleta tried hard to suppress the thought that had inevitably bloomed…….

Regardless of Pleta's complicated feelings, the conversation was progressing smoothly anyway.

Although there was a 'common but incompatible' characteristic among the girls, there was no discord due to it.

The fact that Rain Enlight, who was the cause of it all, had stepped back from the center of the conversation and was paying more attention to the hall might have been one of the reasons.

But accidents always come unexpectedly.

“Ah, Ms. Serene. By the way, I have something to thank you for.”

“Thank me?”

It was a story that started with Rain breaking the ice.

Thank her at a time like this, for what? A question arose in Pleta's mind, who had taken a step back.

“I danced with Ms. Arien in the hall earlier, and fortunately, I was able to finish the choreography without any mistakes. I think it’s thanks to Ms. Serene’s teaching.”

“Ah…….”

“Cough…….”

Hearing that, Pleta barely managed to stop herself from spitting out the wine she had just taken into her mouth.

So let's see. Isn't he saying this right now?

-Thanks to you teaching me how to dance, I was able to finish my dance with another girl perfectly. Thank you.

Yes. Normally, it might be an unproblematic remark, but the person receiving the thanks…….

“……I’m glad I could be of help. It wasn't anything major, though.”

Pleta could clearly feel it. That there was a subtle pause before that answer came out.

And, that the girl had made a slightly bitter face.

“…….”

Pleta looked at Rain with a slightly fed-up expression.

And, she thought.

‘Is he not a playboy but just…… naturally dense?’

Should she call him naturally dense, or hopelessly clueless in this area?

It was to the point where she was curious about how he got to be like that.

***

The music flowing from the hall repeated its beginning and end. Accordingly, the dancing in the hall was also repeated.

In the meantime, I enjoyed a moment of leisure, talking with the guys gathered here, and was melting away time quite pleasantly.

Considering until recently when I was in a state of heightened tension every day, it was no exaggeration to say that my heart was being healed, I was that at ease.

Yes, fine, I'll admit it. I was quite enjoying this trivial time spent with the people around me.

Of course, that didn't mean I was letting time pass by without any plan.

While conversing on the second-floor balcony where we were located, I occasionally checked the hall.

‘It’s about time for it to happen.’

Yes, the story was that I was waiting for someone to appear in the hall.

Someone who would signal the beginning of the incident that would ruin the Exchange Meeting.

Should I call it fortunate, or unfortunate? The wait did not last long.

It was because the fully ripened Exchange Meeting hall began to buzz again.

-Oh, this time it’s the Prince and the young lady of the Enlight family.

-Ahem, wouldn't it be better to call her the future Crown Princess?

-It would be fine to call them the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Hoho!

Appearing amidst such talk was a man with white hair and silver eyes, resembling that evil princess.

And, a woman with a gentle impression… with platinum blonde hair and crimson eyes.

‘Claudio, and Robelia.’

Seeing the two appear in the hall, I unconsciously frowned.

Of course, my animosity towards the two was part of the reason, but the main cause was the tension that the incident was imminent.

‘The incident occurs when their dance reaches its finale.’

I slowly replayed the Exchange Meeting incident from the original Arche in my head.

In the original work, 『Ad Astra』 carries out a terrorist attack on the Exchange Meeting as a declaration of war against the knight society.

And it is carried out in the form of activating a summoning circle for powerful monsters prepared in the basement of the Exchange Meeting hall, and the hall becomes a scene of utter chaos.

Although the hall was filled with high-ranking knights and promising cadets, it was a sudden attack, and most of the people were not allowed to bring in weapons.

Weapons were only allowed for a few guards, and high-ranking nobles led by the Protector of the Nation and the Prince.

Of course, since they were the main culprits who planned the incident, they didn't actively try to stop it, so it was as clear as day that the Exchange Meeting would become a mess.

And, I had to stop it.

Normally, it would be effective to enter the basement first and stop the guy who activates the summoning circle, but…….

‘The path to the basement was guarded by security.’

If I were to forcibly break through the guards and enter first, even if I succeeded in stopping it, it would be a perfect opportunity for Claudio's side to catch me.

It would be troublesome if they were to question how I knew that the terror attack would happen, and in the worst case, I could be framed for the terror attack.

‘That’s why I have to go in when the guards are gone.’

But in the game, when it was time to enter, the guards had disappeared. That meant that the enemy had neutralized the guards using some means, and that was the perfect time.

And the measure to gauge that approximate time was the dance of Robelia and Claudio.

‘The summoning circle is completed and the terror is executed at the end. So if I leave around the time the dance starts, it should be just right.’

Yes. I had been waiting for those two with such calculations.

And those two had now appeared in the hall, and would soon begin to dance.

“…….”

I looked down at the two walking out into the hall with a rather stiff expression.

Claudio, who would become my main enemy in the future, and Robelia, who seemed to have had a significant relationship with the previous Rain.

I couldn't help but be wary of either of them.

As I was thinking that and looking down at the hall, something unexpected happened.

Ssk.

Robelia, who was walking forward, slowly raised her head and fixed her gaze upwards.

The crowd watching them was bewildered, and Claudio also seemed to be wondering about her intention… but I was able to figure out the intention of that act right away.

That was because, at that moment, my eyes met exactly with Robelia's.

And.

Grin.

Because I saw the smile she made, looking right at me.

“……Ha.”

I let out the breath I had been holding, and at the same time, I felt a chill run down my spine.

It was truly a rejection, or fear, engraved into my body.

A smile aimed directly at me. What meaning did it hold? I knew without having to be told.

Something so twisted that it could no longer be called affection.

“Tsk…….”

I clicked my tongue with a stiff expression. That was the best way I could express the displeasure I was feeling right now.

If I hadn't adapted even a little from our previous encounter, I might have collapsed on the spot.

‘To face something like this right before I get seriously involved in the incident.’

Needless to say, it didn't feel like a good omen.