NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 41: After the Tests and Begging for a Reward
After the Tests and Begging for a Reward
Time flew by, and after two days, the midterm exams came to an end.
The moment I heard the announcement of the end of the tests from the teacher, the tension in my shoulders, which had been stiff, eased away.
As I stretched my arms to relieve stiffness, Sakura and Lilith came over.
“Good job on the test, Isaya-kun. How do you feel about it?” Sakura asked.
“Well, I gave it my all. Not sure if I’ll beat Sakura and take the top spot, though.”
“Hehe, somehow I’m really looking forward to the ranking announcement.”
“Agreed.”
I nodded in agreement with her gracefully smiling words.
If it were the tests from before, I would have been filled with anxiety about whether I could retain my scholarship status.
But now that I had become the ojou-sama’s servant, I could approach them with relatively more ease.
In fact, I was quite eager to know the outcome of my competition with Sakura, so much that I wanted her to tell me the rankings soon.
“How about you, Lilith?”
“Thanks to Ikkun~, I got the highest score~! Thank you~” Lilith exclaimed.
“That’s great. It was worth teaching you.”
It seemed that Lilith also felt quite confident about her results this time.
Maybe she had even made it into the top fifty.
As we continued our pleasant conversation, a few boys approached us together.
The boy at the front opened his mouth with a cheerful smile directed at Sakura and Lilith.
“Hizuki-san! Sakiba-san! If you’re interested, would you like to join us for a post-test celebration?”
“I have a part-time job, so I’ll have to decline.”
“Same here~ Lili’s got work too~ Sorry~”
“Oh, is that so…?”
“Yeah…”
Even though they proposed to deepen their friendship, they were promptly declined by the girls.
The leading boy, who had his head hanging low, let out a strained smile and shot me a brief, disapproving glare without saying a word.
It’s a bit much to hold a grudge over this.
Even if they were telling the truth about the mansion’s work, glaring at me wouldn’t change the fact that I was going to work.
In any case, just as I was about to leave with the two of them to head back to the mansion…
“Tsujizono Isaya! Today, after the tests, I challenge you to a duel—”
“I have a part-time job now. Don’t bother me.”
“Th-That’s so intimidating…!”
Today, like any other day, I shoot a disdainful glance at this hero-wannabe who can’t seem to read the atmosphere. I had expected him to show up after the tests.
During the test week, I had taken time off from my mansion duties, so now I have to make up for that lost time.
Despite being freed from poverty, I still want to save money for the future.
If I have time to deal with this guy, I’d rather work and earn as much money as possible, even a single yen.
“Oh, you want money? If you win in our duel, you can name any amount you want—”
“Huh? Are you seriously thinking of betting money? You’re saying that if you win, you’ll give me money? Besides, that money belongs to the Viscount, not you, right? A spoiled brat who doesn’t know the difficulty of earning money has no right to say that easily.”
“Uh, well… I’m sorry.”
I silenced him before he could utter such an unbelievable statement. Even though I rarely lose my temper, I couldn’t tolerate gambling with money as the stakes.
My father, who knows where he is now, has squandered funds multiple times on lotteries and horse racing in an attempt to get money for paying off debts.
He even spent money meant for our daily meals.
That’s why I have no intention of ever engaging in gambling. I don’t want to hear about deals like giving away money if you win, just like earlier.
I have no interest in receiving money as a result of a private fight, unlike tournament prize money.
“Shall we go home, both of you?”
“Uh, y-yes…”
“Yeah…”
As Yuto reluctantly stepped aside, I headed home with Sakura and Lilith.
“…I heard that Ikkun has had a hard time with money, so he’s strict about financial transactions~.”
“Even when Lady Elina offered to pay him more, he refused unless it was the market rate.”
“That’s not something a slave should say, though…”
While the two were talking behind me, my mind was filled with thoughts of today’s tasks.
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“Isaya-kun.”
After returning to the mansion and finishing the tasks, I was about to leave the kitchen and head back to my room when Sakura called out to me.
I didn’t ask what she wanted. Since three days had passed since the last time, I could guess the reason why she called me.
Whether she was nervous or embarrassed, Sakura blushed and nodded as I smiled reassuringly.
“Understood. Shall we go to one of the vacant rooms?”
“Um, well… You see…Today…”
“Sakura?”
However, for some reason, she hesitated and lowered her face.
When I asked if something was wrong, Sakura took a few steps closer and tugged at the hem of my tailcoat.
She took small, repeated breaths, and met my eyes with her crimson ones.
Lost in the same mesmerizing sparkle as always, I found Sakura’s words flowing slowly.
“I-Isaya-kun, in your room… could you let me drink your blood?”
“Huh?”
I couldn’t help but let out a bewildered voice at the unexpected request.
Wait, wait, wait… does that mean she wants to go into Isaya-kun’s room, which is basically my room?
No, no, wait, hold on…
I couldn’t grasp the meaning of it all at once, and I found myself smoothing out the wrinkles that had formed on my forehead with my fingers.
I let out a long sigh, trying to calm my slightly shaken self.
I hadn’t fully digested the situation yet, but I managed to compose myself enough to ask.
“Are you serious? I mean, a girl wanting to enter a guy’s room is a bit…you know.”
“I-It’s not like I have any improper intentions. As I mentioned earlier, it’s for the sake of blood-sucking.”
“I understand that. I get it, but… it’s more like a warning for you to be cautious about whether I’ll end up doing something inappropriate because of this bloodsucking as an excuse.”
“There is no need to be cautious. I’ve placed my trust in Isaya-kun as a gentleman, given that I haven’t experienced anything untoward during our previous blood-sucking sessions.”
“Uh…”
Being told that makes me feel defenseless.
Moreover, coming from Sakura, who is usually wary of humans, saying she trusts me, left me with no room for rebuttal.
But still, even so…
The fact that a girl is coming to my room is just so embarrassing!
Even if I understand there’s no intention behind it, you can’t help but be conscious of it, right?
Just like on the first day of our study session, Sakura’s sense of distance is quite off. It’s heartwarming that she’s opened up to me, but there’s a sort of innocence in her that makes it seem like it’s my fault for being flustered.
“Also, in Isaya-kun’s room, you can rest immediately after blood consumption, can’t you? Even if you’re trying to act tough, because I’m not very skilled at blood consumption, I end up burdening you every time.”
“You don’t need to worry about it…”
“I do worry. I can’t stand the thought that Isaya-kun might not have energy because of me.”
“Well, um…”
You see?
Unlike me, who’s awkwardly conscious of it, Sakura is considering my well-being.
I should appreciate her kindness, but I still can’t shake the feeling that having a girl in my room is embarrassing.
As I hesitated to easily agree, Sakura leaned in and softly brought her face close to my ear.
The fleeting sensation of a minty scent triggered my heart to race, but it didn’t last long.
“…Actually, when I self-checked my tests, I think I might have gotten a perfect score in all subjects.”
“Huh? That’s… congratulations?”
“Thank you. So… I thought of it as a reward for getting a perfect score, and I wanted Isaya-kun to pamper me a lot… Is that okay?”
“~~~~”
Her sweet-sounding voice, tinged with a hint of seeking comfort, sent shivers down my spine.
Being told that to this extent, there’s only one choice left for me to make.
Scratching my head vigorously, I placed my hand on Sakura’s shoulder and gave my answer.
“Alright! If that’s the case, then you can come into my room.”
“! Thank you so much!”
Upon realizing her request was granted, Sakura beamed with a bright smile.
Whether she’s happy because she knows she’ll be pampered or because she’s allowed into my room, it’s probably the former.
With my heart still pounding and restless, I walked with Sakura to my room…
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