Chapter 286: Easy to Read

After leaving the arena grounds as Feyt, I was led straight back to the prep room to return my borrowed gear. The volunteer student immediately hurried over, offering a polite, practiced smile as he helped unbuckle my shoulder guards and greaves.

"That was an incredible match, Feyt," he said, keeping a professional smile. "The way you moved in the final round? It was truly impressive. I wish I could do that."

"Thanks," I replied with a light chuckle, stretching my shoulders as the armor came off. "Honestly, I just got lucky. If I hadn’t picked up her style by the third round, I’d be here on a stretcher."

I kept my tone mostly casual and light, intending to dispel his earlier nervousness about my weird status. But despite my attempt to keep things relaxed, I couldn’t quite ignore how he seemed to remain strangely tense.

Though he kept his smile rock-solidly natural, his heart was telling a different story. He was still nervous.

Was he really that intimidated by my connection with Carine? I couldn’t quite tell, and I couldn’t really push it either.

"Since you won the first match..." the student began, carefully setting the gear onto the rack, "...that means you'll be competing again tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded, wiping a bit of sweat from my forehead. "If I want to make it to the third day, I’ve got to clear tomorrow's bracket first. Hopefully they aren’t as tough as Marina, haha!" I let out a natural laugh.

"I see..." He offered another polite smile. "Well then... good luck tomorrow."

The moment he said those words, his heart rate rose again. It clashed against the calm, professional expression he kept up.

There was no reason for him to get more nervous just hearing that I’d be fighting tomorrow. It wasn't a surprise; anyone who wins a first-round match moves on to day two. So why did he get so nervous just from knowing that?

More importantly, how did he keep such a calm, in-control demeanor despite everything inside him yelling at me that he was everything but that?

Maybe I’m just overthinking things again.

Still, I couldn’t completely ignore it. Something about tomorrow had him nervous, and whatever it was, it somehow involved Feyt.

—

After leaving the prep room as Feyt, I made my way out through the arena's lower inner halls toward the entrance area.

As I rounded the corner leading out, I nearly bumped into Lionne, who was carefully holding two cups of fruit juices in her hands. She left Carine’s side moments ago while Feyt was being de-equipped in the prep room to buy both her and Carine a drink.

Her eyes widened in surprise the moment she saw me.

“Sir Feyt!” she gasped, flashing a wide grin. “Congratulations on winning your first match! You made fighting Marina look easy!”

In what way did I make that look easy?

“T-Thanks, but it wasn’t exactly easy,” I replied with a light chuckle.

She looked around the hallway to make sure no one was paying attention to us. Then, stepping a bit closer, she leaned in and lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Hey, you didn’t hear this from me, and you probably couldn’t tell when you were focused on the fight,” she murmured, a sly smirk spreading across her face. “But Lady Carine was worried sick about you up there!”

I blinked, tilting my head slightly.

“W-What do you mean?”

“She hid her face behind her fan and shut her eyes for the entire fight! She couldn’t bear to watch you get hurt! And the second you won, she almost fainted in relief! I’ve never seen her like that!”

Both of my bodies froze.

Oh.

Oh, damn.

It does look that way, doesn’t it?

“Anyways, remember! You didn’t hear it from me!”

She was about to turn on her heels and head up the stairs before I stepped forward, my eyes wide with desperation.

“W-Wait, Lionne, hold on!” I stammered, my hands coming up in a frantic plea for her to stop. “T-That’s probably not what happened at all! L-Lady Carine must’ve been only—”

“—Sleepy?” Lionne cut in. “She tried using that one on me, but trust me, Sir Feyt. I’ve known her long enough to know how she really looks when she’s sleepy, and that… wasn’t it!”

I'm not that easy to read!

...Am I?!

Lionne giggled before she turned halfway towards the stairs. “Anyway, I better get these juices up there before the second match starts! If you want, you can come sit with us in the front row. I’m sure Lady Carine would love it!”

“A-Absolutely not! I mean—no, thank you!” I squeaked out, waving my hands frantically in front. “I wanted to… relax. E-Enjoy the stalls, you know?”

“Hm, sure. Suit yourself! Though if you change your mind, Lady Carine was eyeing the meat kebabs earlier. You should totally buy one for her!”

Meat kebabs?

Oh god.

I really am that easy to read.

Before I could try and make my case against her, she offered a polite bow and trotted up the stairs, leaving me standing there, defeated.

When Lionne eventually made it up the stands and sat beside Carine, her grin was gone, replaced by her usual warm smile.

She extended one cup toward me. “Here you are, Lady Carine! They didn’t have any drinks with ice in them since the academy cafeteria wouldn’t supply them, but my friends told me this is the freshest drink in the lineup.”

She was acting like nothing happened at all.

Damn it.

If I brought up Feyt to try and clear things up now, I would just look like a girl too shy about her feelings.

I took the cup as Carine, letting out a long, silent sigh of defeat. "Thank you, Lionne. It's much appreciated."

I stepped out of the arena entrance, into the cobblestone road lined with vendor stalls stretching all the way towards the gate.

At the very least, I could drown out my frustration with some good food and drinks. And yeah, I had to admit, Lionne was right. I really was eyeing that meat kebab, so I planned on heading straight to that stall first thing.

Before I could even take two steps forward, a voice called out from behind me.

“Hey.”

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. Standing right in front of me was Marina, fresh out of the arena’s entrance. She had already shed her heavy armor, now wearing just her academy uniform. Seeing her without her slab of certain death felt wrong somehow.

"Heading straight for the food stalls after winning?" she asked, tilting her head slightly with a faint smirk. "You really know how to celebrate, huh?"

She took a step closer, resting a hand on her hip.

"Mind if I join?"