For Your Failed Unrequited Love

“The reason why the walls of the Kingdom of Lausanne were only head-high!”

“Because all they have to do is stop the horsemen.”

“What are the four sacred places of the Adelaic religion?” 

“Adelon, Eshila, Munen, Rajgir.”

At Felix’s constant reply, Lucy closed the book. She stared at him with a look of astonishment and skepticism. Felix resolutely avoided her gaze. He was eager to be done with his studying, so he revealed his knowledge without a second thought.

“How strange… You were clearly out of focus,” Lucy murmured, puzzled, doubting the situation.

* * *

After leaving the classroom, Felix and Lucy headed to the cafeteria. Because the sun had already set completely, it was time for the cafeteria to close.

Lucy turned to Felix, looking sorry. “What should we do? I think Linda is already cleaning up. I must have been holding on to you for too long.”

The cafeteria manager, Linda, was working hard on her cleaning and giving directions to the other staff. Although it had not been long since she became the cafeteria manager, with her fierce and strict work skills, she had a firm grip on the students and the other staff members.

“It’s okay. We can just eat at the dorm,” Felix said as he looked at Linda giving instructions to the staff, a stern look on her face. The eatery attached to each dormitory was operated much later than the Academy cafeteria for students looking for a late-night snack.

Then Linda turned toward Felix. She squinted and stared at his face. Soon, she coolly approached him and opened the door of the cafeteria wide.

“Are you here to eat, student council president?” Linda asked with a kind smile, no trace of her stern expression. She beckoned at him to come quickly, sighing. “I feel bad for you! You must be busy studying for exams. You should at least eat well!”

As Felix and Lucy stood stunned at the unexpected welcome, Linda beckoned again. “Hurry up and come in!”

The two entered the restaurant, and she briskly walked toward the kitchen.

“Please sit there and wait for me!” she shouted, pointing to one of the tables, before disappearing into the kitchen,

When Linda’s figure had completely disappeared, Felix turned to Lucy and spoke quietly. “…Let’s just say I’m Adrian for now.”

At his words, Lucy quietly nodded. Of course, he could go back to the dormitory and have a light dinner, but Felix didn’t want to miss this dinner with Lucy. 

Not long after they sat down at the table and waited, Linda took out a plate full of food and set it in front of them.

“Thank you so much for suggesting replenishment of kitchen staff on our behalf, student council president,” said Linda, smiling broadly at Felix. “Thanks to you, I have time to catch my breath! Before, I was so busy and distracted!” 

The rest of the staff standing behind Linda nodded eagerly in agreement.

Linda and the staff returned to the kitchen after making an exceptional promise that they would make food whenever they came, regardless of the operating hours of the cafeteria in the future.

“So, this dinner is thanks to Adrian,” said Felix as he looked down at the food in front of him.

“I think Adrian is not only interested in the student council, but also the welfare of the academy staff,” Lucy said, “One time, when old man Fred fell off his horse and injured his ankle, he asked the academy if he could receive medical assistance.”

“Really?” It was the first time Felix had heard of this. Both the story of the kitchen staff and the story of Fred’s injury. He knew that Adrian was passionate about the student council work, but he didn’t know that he cared for and even helped the academy staff.

“Is this part of your education in the duchy?” Lucy asked, poking the sausage with a fork. Felix thought for a moment, then raised his head.

“I don’t know… Nobles should embrace their responsibility and take good care of their servants. Isn’t that right, ” A sarcastic reply came out of Felix’s mouth.

Have I ever stepped up for the servants at the duchy? 

He was lost in thought.

“Adrian-sunbae seems to be a person who always thinks about that.”

Felix kept his mouth shut. Suddenly, he felt like he was pathetic and thoughtless.

Well, it’s not wrong.

He poked the beans with his fork. However, his chest was pounding as if it was his own heart, not the beans, that was stabbed.

“Sunbae”

At Lucy’s call, Felix once again looked up, breaking away from his thoughts. “Oh, hmm.”

Lucy looked at him, worried. Felix was not eating and only poked at the beans. “Why aren’t you eating? You said you were hungry earlier.”

“No, I’m eating.” Felix avoided Lucy’s gaze and put the food in his mouth.

Lucy, who was staring at him, said cautiously. “Well… I’ll finish an hour earlier tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t know you’d be so tired. I should have taken it easy.”

“No!”

Felix waved his hands urgently. He pretended to be enthusiastic to keep his time with Lucy from dwindling. “Don’t cut the time. You need to be harsh. I’m last in class. I have a bad brain, so it’s not good to decrease the time.”

At his words, Lucy jumped. “What do you mean you’re not smart? After memorizing one book today,” she said, a little offended as if she had been told that her brain was bad. “If sunbae works a little harder, you’ll be able to achieve good grades. Sunbae is Adrian-sunbae’s twin. You must naturally be smart like Adrian-sunbae,” Lucy encouraged him, “because you are really the same.

“Really?” Felix suddenly turned serious. “Are we really that similar? But you can tell the difference.”

Lucy cast a puzzled look at Felix for repeating a question that all students at the Academy already knew the answer to. “Hmm… Yes. It’s the same.”

“Is there really nothing different?” Felix asked persistently. “Even though we are twins, there must be something different in one place or another. For example, there are spots in certain areas, or the shape of the ears is different.”

“What?” Lucy rolled her eyes in bewilderment. “To me, you both look so much alike that it’s hard to tell you apart.”

“No way.”

“Yeah? What?” 

Lucy’s reply confused Felix.

Is there really a halo behind Adrian in Lucy’s eyes?

But Felix never wanted to think that way. So, he asked Lucy again. “Look. There must be something different somewhere.”

“Uh…”

As Felix urged her so seriously, Lucy also became serious. She began to tear Felix’s face apart, frowning as she did when she was studying. Her round eyes moved eagerly. Felix’s forehead, eyebrows, ears, chin, lips…

Looking around Felix’s face, her gaze finally stopped on his blue eyes. Felix, who put his face close to her, took a deep breath without realizing it.

Lucy’s emerald eyes were deep and mysterious and were so close to him. Felix felt his whole body stiffen in tension with a tingling sensation.

“… But, sunbae, I can’t find anything different because I don’t have anything to compare it to right now,” Lucy said, looking into his eyes.

Felix hurriedly pulled his face back and lowered his gaze. “Oh, yes. That’s right.”

“I’ll check Adrian-senpai later when we’re together.”

“Oh, okay,” Felix mumbled and hurriedly shoved the food into his mouth, his heart pounding. 

* * *

Felix walked with a spring in his step as he returned to his room after dropping Lucy off at the female student dormitory and returning from the restaurant. He had such a pleasant time with Lucy that he forgot about his nightmare. The day turned into a very satisfying one just because he had dinner with her.

Adrian had returned first and was changing his school uniform when Felix arrived. He said, looking at Felix, “You’re just coming back now?”

Felix jumped into Adrian’s bed without saying a word. Adrian’s nagging started immediately, “Felix, I told you not to lie on my bed in your outdoor clothes.”

Felix just flopped like a fish on his bed with a smile.

Seeing this, Adrian shook his head. “Well… As long as you’re happy.”

Felix flailed on Adrian’s bed a few more times but stopped when he heard something fall from the bed to the floor. He checked the floor for the fallen object. A silver string-like thing fell next to the bed. Felix reached his arm out and picked it up.

After a while, he slowly got up from the bed and sat down. The smile slowly faded from his lips as he looked silently at the object in his hand.

The Holy Sword constellation was shining in the small crystals attached to the necklace.