CH 161

[Andrei’s Trouble]

After we finished our patrol, we went to the rooftop garden to take a break.

“Sorry, Barrett.”

“Don’t mind it.”

For the time being, we decided to sit down on the bench first.

“It’s a beautiful garden.”

“I know right.”

It was the fruit of Tayte’s and the Horticulture Committee’s efforts.

The garden seemed to have slightly calmed Andrei.

“Tayte, huh… you’ve come a long way with her, haven’t you?”

“W-well, yeah.”

Up until last year, our relationship had been cold.

I would have a hard time answering if we got too deep into it, so I’d better change the topic.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“Well… it’s about Jarvis.”

Just as I had thought.

I mean, he had been blatantly avoiding her after the tournament was over.

“For the longest time… I thought Jarvis and I were friends.”

I didn’t think Andrei’s idea was off the mark.

Aside from the members of the Knights of the Academy, Jarvis often talked to Andrei. I was sure that Jarvis considered him to be her friend too.

Looking at his gloomy expression, perhaps what was on his mind was–

‘Why didn’t Jarvis talk to me about her secret?’

Or something along the line.

Even though there were circumstances, the person he thought was his friend had been keeping an important secret from him—it must have come as a shock to the strongly emotional Andrei.

I had to carefully console him.

Jarvis surely had found it painful to hide the fact that she was actually a girl from Andrei.

Tayte and I had found out the truth through a small incident, so we offered to help her… but I had no doubt that Andrei would do the same if he was in the same position.

“You see…”

After gathering his thoughts, Andrei told me the truth.

“I’m at a loss as to how to interact with her…”

“Andrei, I understand how you feel, but Jarvis couldn’t tell the truth either—huh?”

Hmm?

His reaction was kind of different from what I expected…

“W-what do you mean?”

“I-I…” Andrei narrowed his eyes sharply and seemed to gather his resolve before continuing, “I have a special feeling for her…”

“Huh? A s-special feeling?”

“I think I’m… in love with her!”

“Andrei…”

“I love–!”

At that time.

Shatter.

The sound of something falling and breaking echoed.

““Huh?””

When we turned around, we found Cornell with a pale face and trembling.

“Ah, um, err.”

It seemed like she was terribly shaken—no, don’t tell me!

“You’ve got it wrong, Cornell! This isn’t like what you imagined!”

“T-that’s right! I was just pouring out my uncontrollable passionate feelings to Barrett!”

“Could you please be quiet for a moment?!”

“I-ish o-okay. M-my l-lips a-are s-s-sealed.”

“I’m telling you you’ve got it wrong?!”

It seemed that Cornell’s brain was suffering from severe damage.

In the end, though it took some time, we managed to clear her misunderstanding, and as for Andrei’s trouble, we decided to discuss it again at a later date.