Chapter 56
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Chapter 56
The Academy had many students. Even among classmates, most kept their distance from one another.
Relationships between upperclassmen and underclassmen were naturally far from close.
Take Anastasia herself—she and Namia were both Academy alumni, yet they maintained a purely professional relationship.
So hearing the affectionate term "senior" from Namia's lips was quite surprising!
"She's a kind and gentle person."
Kind? Gentle?
Crown Prince Kiaros's eyes narrowed involuntarily.
"The way you speak of her suggests you two are quite close."
I couldn't fathom Namia being close to anyone.
Hadn't she mentioned not having anyone to go to a restaurant with?
So I'd never imagined she'd have a close male acquaintance.
I always pictured her responding with listless eyes, just "Yeah, sure" over and over.
"I thought you didn't have any close male acquaintances, Minister."
"Yeah, sure."
"Don't people usually ask why that seems to be the case?"
At that, Namia stared at him intently.
Crown Prince Kiaros flinched and added hastily,
"...ma'am?"
Namia let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"I'm being lenient because you're a foreigner. Normally, you shouldn't speak to your superior that way. And having such casual personal conversations between us isn't part of Imperial culture either."
I hadn't been particularly casual. Actually, I was feeling quite uncomfortable right now.
That was when it happened.
"Namia!"
Another young man's voice echoed from outside the office.
Namia furrowed her brow and muttered, "Luca?"
"Namiaaaa!"
The door burst open, and a brown-haired young man appeared.
Judging by the doctor's coat he wore, he was a Health and Welfare Department employee.
"I'm here! Luca Class, someone very special to you, has arrived!"
His face was radiant with joy as he called out Namia's name enthusiastically.
That innocent, beaming face—I remembered it.
Wasn't he the Health and Welfare Department employee who had looked after Namia on the day of the assassination attempt against me?
'But... very special to her?'
Crown Prince Kiaros blinked in disbelief.
'Who is this guy?'
* * *
Twenty minutes past lunch hour.
'Finally.'
Just as I'd expected he would arrive around this time, Luca Class had come.
But before I could greet Luca Class myself.
"U-um, h-how did you come to be here?"
Luca Class encountered Anastasia Kayen before heading to the Minister's Office. As far as I knew, it was their first meeting.
"A-are you l-looking for the M-Minister?"
At Anastasia's words, Luca Class's mouth fell open.
"Good heavens. So Namia really did become a Minister."
Anastasia Kayen regarded Luca Class with a suspicious expression.
"A-a Health and Welfare Department employee and the M-Minister... what k-kind of relationship do you h-have? C-could you be... c-close Academy c-classmates?"
"We were Academy classmates, but it's not just a simple friendship."
Luca Class chuckled and tilted his chin upward.
His green eyes gleamed with pride.
"We're... something quite special. I'm the person who had a profound impact on Namia's life. We started as close classmates, but ultimately became the only one for each other."
Kibon suddenly lifted his head from the documents he'd been reviewing.
Meanwhile, Luca Class continued speaking.
"Others didn't recognize Namia's true worth. But I alone have understood her brilliance from long ago and approached her relentlessly."
I couldn't help but laugh softly at how passionately Luca Class was speaking.
"Relentlessly—truly relentlessly breaking through her indifference, I finally succeeded in making her open her heart to me alone in the Imperial Medical Ward."
The Imperial Medical Ward—that was the day I received an IV.
Well, it wasn't entirely false.
That day was the first time I gave him a proper response to his bouncing enthusiasm.
"In the end, I succeeded in opening that closed heart of hers and finally getting her to stand by my side! She even publicly declared that we share a special bond!"
In truth, I'd hastily sought out a "rival" to chase away the guards so I could meet with the Empress alone...
But from Luca Class's perspective, it probably seemed that way.
After having a conversation about living properly from that point forward, being called a "rival" through someone else's words, and then immediately becoming a Minister...
"Is that true?"
Kibon asked with wide eyes.
"Well, it's not a lie, exactly..."
Anastasia Kayen happened to answer with a serious expression at just that moment.
"S-so..."
Then she blinked and asked,
"W-would you l-like some c-coffee?"
"Coffee sounds great."
Luca Class answered cheerfully and continued the conversation.
"Make it very strong, no milk, with a rich aroma, please. But who are you...?"
"Good question. I'm Anastasia Kayen, Team Leader of the Management Team."
"What? The Team Leader is making c-coffee for me? N-no, is this really alright? I'm only in my fourth year..."
"You think that shouldn't happen either? Then just drink whatever you get."
I sighed and stepped out of the Minister's Office.
Kibon quickly followed behind me.
"Luca Class."
I scratched my cheek and offered a greeting.
"So that's how it is. But since this is official business, use my title. My position is a bit delicate."
"Come on, even in front of others, that's too much. How could I possibly... I'll call you Minister from now on."
Luca Class straightened his posture as he spoke.
He didn't look particularly solemn, but his tall, refined appearance was pleasant enough to observe.
He began speaking with an increasingly self-absorbed expression.
"Ah, truly... my discernment, my persuasive power. Aren't they remarkable? How did you awaken the moment I took a firm stance and spoke? Extraordinary, wouldn't you say?"
"Sure, I guess."
"After I told you to get your act together, you became a Minister immediately..."
"Sure, I guess."
"When I suggested we compete in promotion speed, you accepted right away? My goodness, to be outpaced so swiftly by me—it's just like the entrance exam days..."
It was while I was responding with obvious indifference.
"Hmm?"
After hearing the word "compete," Kibon's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening with displeasure.
Luca Class continued, lifting his chin.
"I was referred to as your rival by the Guard, and everyone in the entire Health and Welfare Department heard it."
At that, Kibon interjected hastily.
"...Rival? The two of you?"
Luca Class flinched, looking at Kibon.
His expression asked: what's with this one now?
"Oh, my apologies."
I finally stepped in.
"He's an Intern, still not fluent in the Imperial language. He probably doesn't know the word 'rival.'"
"An Intern? You don't mean that rude—"
I recalled mentioning to Luca Class before that the Intern had no manners.
I hastily cut off Luca Class's words and explained.
"Yes. He came back. We had some misunderstandings, but they've been cleared up."
"But... how dare he interrupt the conversation between the Minister and his rival like this? Speaking so casually?"
"He's a foreigner, so his culture differs from ours. I'll teach him properly going forward."
Kibon then spoke to me with an embarrassed expression, almost defensively.
"I apologize. I just... found it strange."
"Strange how?"
"All that talk about being special, opening your heart, standing by your side—I thought you two were in a romantic relationship."
At that moment, both Luca Class's and my faces darkened.
"Intern, your thoughts are rather impure," Luca Class said, furrowing his brow as if gravely insulted.
"How could you harbor such an imagination while witnessing such a beautiful rivalry of good intentions? Is there a law preventing men and women from becoming true rivals? Does 'standing by one's side' have no interpretation other than that? Do you spend your evenings reading third-rate romance novels?"
Anastasia Kayen flinched and quickly cleared a book titled "I Quit Being the Strongest Male Lead's Rival and Fell in Love" from her desk.
In any case, I regarded both Luca Class and Kibon with concern.
'He's not even my direct superior, yet he's being so harsh.'
"Why are you so desperate for someone who isn't even your direct boss?"
Kibon seemed to have quite a temper, so I wondered if he'd actually get angry.
But to my surprise, Kibon answered in an oddly cheerful manner.
"Oh, I just...."
For some reason, it looked like he was forcibly suppressing the corners of his mouth as they began to curl upward.
Kibon shrugged and continued vaguely.
"It's close to the Academy, and well, it seemed like that sort of thing...."
"Just because of that, you're pairing me with her? We're absolutely not that kind of people."
Luca Class suddenly recoiled in alarm and waved his hand dismissively.
Then, after a moment of contemplation, he spoke as if spitting out the words.
"...Unless it's Victor."
Kibon's pen dropped with a soft tap.
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