I Think My Fiancé Has Regressed

Chapter 23: When I’m dyed with your color

The sun had completely set, and only darkness was creeping in from outside the window.

I was so used to Kael’s prompting me to come home that I often stayed up late alone in the student council room on days when he didn’t attend the student council meeting.

Skipping dinner was routine, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to stay until just before the school closed.

If it weren’t for the no-servants rule, Dale would have dragged me away two hours ago.

He’d probably still be waiting for me at the gate right now, but it was unavoidable.

There’s never enough time in the day, and now I’m the only one doing what should have been done by five people.

I couldn’t keep Sierra and her clique in the student council just because my workload was increasing.

Even so, it was already late at night, so I prepared to get out of bed so I wouldn’t keep Dale waiting.

I heard the door to the student center open.

It was probably the security guard on duty, asking me to go home.

I muttered a quick apology and stood up.

“I was just about to leave. Sorry to bother you.”

“What Kael said was really true. You kicked out all the other student council members and stayed up late alone every day because of work.”

“…Ariana?”

At the unexpected welcome in her voice, my hands stopped gathering my things and my head snapped around.

“How, here….”

“Can’t I come to the student council room? I’m also a student at the academy.”

“Not really, it’s just that it’s so late.”

“It’s not even that late compared to the times when I had night study sessions.”

She mumbled something I couldn’t make out, and before I knew it, she was at my side.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

“Is it urgent?”

“Not really, it’s late, and I thought about telling you tomorrow, but in the end I couldn’t resist and went back to the academy.”

“Because it’s so important?”

“It’s important, especially to Alex.”

Ariana met my gaze, her eyes as sincere as ever, and she looked a little pleased.

“I’ve figured out how and why Ms. Sierra brainwashed Alex.”

“…Is that true?”

“It’s still in the hypothesis stage, and I don’t have any proof, but I think I can tell you at least this much with certainty.”

“…….”

“What Alex has done to me over the past two years, there was no fault in it.”

When Ariana said that, her face was filled with a joyful smile.

“…I see.”

“So you don’t have to feel guilty in the future. I just wanted to tell you this as soon as possible.”

It’s a shameful story, but Ariana’s words made me feel relieved.

What a sweet whisper that it wasn’t my will that betrayed her.

There could be no better excuse to cast off all guilt toward Arianna and shamelessly play the fiancé by her side.

To forget, once again, that it was an unearned favor from Arianna.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“…What?”

“I can’t rely on your goodwill to make me get away with something I didn’t do, and I’ve been close to doing that once before.”

“So it’s not exactly Alex’s fault.”

“That depends.”

Not only do her people still not like me, but I still haven’t gotten over what I did to her.

Being given the chance to return to the past and make amends was a life I would never be given again if it weren’t for her blind sacrifice.

“Regardless of what you think of me, Arianna, I will always live in penance for what I have done to you.”

“…….”

“To never let you feel betrayed again. I promise to listen to anything you want, and to live for you forever.”

She sounded happy, sad. The emotions on her face were complicated.

“…I can’t help it, Alex said he would, and it’s not like I can control your mind.”

“I’m sorry, Ariana.”

“It’s okay, because if that’s what Alex says, then I’m going to do what I want to Alex.”

“Huh?”

She smiled faintly, and it wasn’t until the next afternoon that I realized what she meant.

* * *

It was the day of a luncheon with the leading nobles attending the Academy, which meant that the meal would be a long one.

As a result, it was a little later in the afternoon than usual before I finally made my way to the student council chambers.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Still, today I had to finish the unfinished business from yesterday, so I quickly organized myself and got to work.

“What’s the first thing I need to take care of today?”

“Review the last quarter’s activity statements from the 48 clubs that were submitted by the deadline, and adjust next year’s budgets accordingly, either upward or to the status quo.”

“Forty-eight? That’s fewer than I thought. Did the other clubs want to keep their activity fees the same, so they didn’t bother to submit a budget adjustment?”

“Oh, I’ve already reviewed and adjusted the budgets for the 15 liberal arts clubs. It’s my specialty, and it’ll be easier for Kael to get started if it’s done in advance.”

“…I see. Thank you, Ariana. I know I can trust Ariana to get the job done.”

I breathed a silent sigh of relief, knowing that nearly a quarter of my most urgent tasks had already been taken care of.

The fact that she had taken care of the most urgent tasks first, especially the ones I didn’t know much about, showed her concern for me.

I wonder how this student council would have worked without her….

……Ah.

“Ariana, why are you here?”

“What? I’m not supposed to be here?”

“…Not really, but there’s no reason for you to be here.”

“Why is there no reason?”

Ariana stepped in front of me with a stack of papers that had been vetted.

“I told you I’d do as I please, didn’t I?”

“Is that what you meant?”

“I’m going to help out with the student council from now on, and I don’t need a title, I’m doing it because I want to.

Just know that if you stay late because you didn’t get your work done like yesterday, you’ll be leaving your beloved fiancé at the Academy late at night.”

“…Okay, okay.”

From now on, staying in the student council chambers to the point of skipping meals would be a behavior he would have to refrain from, if only for Ariana’s sake.

And at that time, she did not yet anticipate that this action of hers would be nothing more than a prelude.

* * *

A week after Ariana started showing up at the Student Council, unbeknownst to me, the Student Council had gained one more person.

While it was good news to have more people, the problem was that the new person was very hostile to me.

“Why don’t you take care of the paperwork I just handed you before anything else? Don’t you realize that if we don’t get the damn prince’s permission to inspect it, everything else we need to do will fall behind?”

Miss Charlotte, who was sitting next to Ariana, working on her paperwork, still sounded as if she didn’t like me, and insisted that I finish my work.

“…Yes.”

The words to ask her why the hell she’s here rose to the top of my throat, but I concentrated on reading the papers in front of me, afraid of the judgment that might follow.

As if she had read my mind, Ms. Charlotte explained the reason in a terse tone.

“First of all, let me tell you, Ariana’s been getting home late a lot lately, so I’m doing this out of necessity for her sake. I’m not here to do you any favors, so please don’t mind me, okay?”

“…Okay, thank you.”

“Tsk.”

I could hear the click of her tongue, as if she was still uncomfortable talking to me.

I’m going to have to get this done on time somehow, or I’m going to be accused of bullying Ariana again.

Her eyes, always on the lookout for my flaws, made me focus on my student council work.

* * *

That day, I had to go to the student council office a little later than usual due to an earlier event, and I happened to run into Eamon in the hallway.

“Hey, big brother!”

“What’s up, Eamon?”

“You’re on your way to the student council room, right? Let me come with you.”

As I stared at his face, wondering what he meant, he explained his purpose.

“I heard that Charlotte has been coming in and out of the student council room lately, helping out?”

“Yes, she has, though I think she’s been spying on me half the time.”

“I’m going to start spending time with Charlotte in the Student Council office, and maybe help you with some of your work.”

“Didn’t you say you were too busy to do that last year when we were forming the cabinet?”

“Of course I meant I was too busy because I wanted to spend time with Charlotte. I’m not the kind of man to leave my fiancée alone.”

“…….”

“Can I come? I’ll stick around even if you say no. It’s not fair that you get to spend every day with Ms. Ariana and I don’t get to be with Charlotte.”

“…Have it your way.”

As soon as I walked into the student council chambers with a sullen Eamon, I was met with a barrage of criticism from the direction I expected.

“Come earlier, you tardy prince. There’s a mountain of paperwork today that won’t move forward if you don’t get to it….”

“Morning, Charlotte.”

“Eamon?!”

I watched her expression change from one of nonchalance to one of astonishment as she realized Eamon was there.

“I always knew you could be a bit of a mouthful when I’m not around, and it’s true.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I was just feeling a little worse than usual today!”

“Well, that’s okay. I’m just as happy to see Charlotte in a different mood than usual.”

“Oh, I’m not! Don’t get any ideas, Eamon!”

The papers Charlotte handed me that day were accompanied by a note that read, “I’m going to kill you, I swear.”

The dreary student council room, with only me and Kael in it, was filled with new people, starting with Ariana.

The five of us had different feelings for each other, but it was clear that all of them were competent and trustworthy.

For the first time, I feel comfortable in the student council, and I feel like I’ve realized a truth I’ve long forgotten.

That the world around me shines brightest when it’s tinted with her colors.