Chapter 94
‘Alright. I can do this. I just have to trust the memory embedded in every cell of my body.’
I had a basket with a lunchbox in my hands, but it was fine.
After all, I had once received a delivery of tteokbokki behind my teacher’s back without spilling a drop, maintaining perfect composure.
So a basket without any soup? That’s nothing. A piece of cake—or rather, a bowl of cold porridge, lying down.
I clenched my fists tightly, lifted my head, and looked up at the academy’s surrounding wall.
“…….”
As I stared at the wall, a thought crossed my mind.
“……I don’t think I can do it.”
It seemed impossible.
The wall was much higher than I had imagined!
I had assumed it would be at most slightly taller than my height, maybe double at most—but it was far higher.
There was nothing nearby to step on, and even if there were, it was still too high to climb.
“Th-then again… my body isn’t the same as it was back then!”
Besides, this body wasn’t the slim, uniform-clad body from my previous life—it was a new body.
Being a completely different body, there was no way the memory embedded in the cells would still exist.
That didn’t mean this body was useless.
I thought I could still move fairly well, just not with the same finesse as before.
It was as if my body couldn’t even climb a wall lower than this one.
“What should I do…….”
At this point, I wished anyone—anyone at all—would come and help me.
I slumped again, lowering my gaze from the wall.
‘I know it’s a ridiculous hope, but I wish someone was asleep up there.’
And then, I hoped they would notice me and talk to me.
If that happened, I could at least ask them to call Estelle…
“Hey!”
Huh?
While I was stomping my feet and entertaining hopeless thoughts, suddenly a voice came from above.
‘Is this a hallucination brought on by my desperate wish?’
Ha. Me, denying reality so much that I’m hearing things.
‘Of course, it’d be great if it’s not a hallucination.’
But it sounded too much like a dream.
I shook my head and let out a deep sigh.
“Hey! You down there, just stomping your feet! Can’t you hear me? There’s no way you can’t.”
Huh? “Just stomping your feet”?
…That’s me.
‘Could it be real and not a hallucination?’
I lifted my head.
“Oh, finally looking up. I’ve called so many times……”
And then I saw a student.
A male student with reddish-brown hair, wearing the academy uniform.
“Thank goodness……”
I thought it was an impossible dream.
But there really was someone resting on top of the wall, just as I had wished, like magic.
I smiled broadly with relief.
Then I spoke to the reddish-brown-haired student.
“Could you call just one student for me?”
…Or so I said.
But something felt odd.
“…….”
“Um?”
“…….”
Why wasn’t he answering?
He had clearly called me. There was no one else around, and I was the only one stomping my feet.
Plus, his gaze was directed at me.
So why wasn’t he responding?
‘And why is his face so red? Hmm… could he be overheated?’
That could be possible.
It wasn’t summer, so the sun wasn’t as strong, but it was stronger than winter.
And he’d been sitting in the sun with no shade on top of the wall.
Getting overheated made sense…
‘No, that can’t be it. The breeze is so cool.’
I shook my head.
‘Or maybe he has a fever.’
Maybe he was sick and resting there instead of attending class.
If he’s unwell, he should be resting.
‘Then wouldn’t it be better to go to the infirmary? The beds are comfy, and the blankets are soft.’
Hmm. I’ll try calling one more time.
If he doesn’t respond again, I’ll have to think of another way.
Squinting at him, I spoke once more.
“Hey, reddish-brown-haired student up there!”
“……Uh, huh?”
Wow! He finally responded!
My heart sank for a moment when he flinched and wobbled, but I was relieved when he steadied himself.
I shouted again to him, looking up.
“Didn’t you call me?”
“Y-yeah… I did, but……”
He trailed off, biting his lips and rolling his eyes.
Then, avoiding my gaze, he asked,
“W-what did you say?”
“I wanted to ask if you could call just one student. I brought a lunchbox, but then realized there was no way to give it to them.”
I lifted the basket with the lunchbox to show him.
He muttered, “Lunchbox…….” and then asked again,
“W-who should I call?”
“A first-year student named Estelle.”
“Estelle?”
He tilted his head, repeating the name.
His face looked like he could vaguely remember it.
“Yes, Estelle. She has pink hair. Will that help?”
I lifted a bit of her hair to help him remember.
“Of course. Just wait a moment.”
As soon as he heard “pink hair,” his frown eased as if he remembered.
He snapped his fingers once and said to wait, then disappeared to the other side of the wall.
I wondered how long I had waited.
From afar, I saw the bright pink hair approaching me.
I grinned, eyes shaped like crescents.
“Reina!”
The voice calling me, the pink hair fluttering—
The person running toward me was my beloved Estelle.
Unable to enter the academy, I raised my hand high and waved.
“Estelle!”
Maybe it was just my imagination, but she seemed to be running faster when I called her.
In no time, the distance between Estelle and me closed.
As she got close enough to see her face, she slowed down and stopped in front of me.
And without looking out of breath, she asked calmly,
“Have you been waiting long?”
“No. Not long at all.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
Estelle smiled brightly.
Her smile, showing just a little of her front teeth, was so beautiful that I struggled to hold back my urge to hug her.
“Did I surprise you by coming suddenly?”
“I was surprised, but……”
Estelle trailed off, twisting her body nervously.
A sense of unease struck me.
Had I put her in a difficult situation by showing up?
What if the student I spoke to last time belonged to an aristocratic family?
Had I caused Estelle trouble as well?
My heart raced, and the back of my neck felt cold.
“I’m really, really glad you came!”
Then Estelle raised both arms and hugged me.
She pressed her cheeks against me as she snuggled closer.
For a moment, I wondered if I had unconsciously hugged her.
Had I given in to the desire to hug Estelle and convinced myself she had hugged me first?
But that thought lasted only briefly.
I quickly regained composure and hugged her back.
‘Ah. Thank goodness.’
The relief washed away all the anxiety inside me like melting snow.
At the same time, an indescribable joy surged through me.
Seeing her look up at me from my embrace, I knew for certain:
“I missed you.”
It was clear that Estelle truly liked me.
Trust Level: 274
I didn’t even need to check the trust level to feel it.
“Well, I saw her in the morning, and I’ll see her again at home, so whatever.”
I purposely spoke casually. Otherwise, outside, in front of the academy, I’d end up gushing over Estelle.
“But still!”
Estelle responded differently.
Her voice was filled with genuine emotion.
Seeing her unpretentious sincerity, I laughed heartily and hugged her tightly once again.
Satisfied with my Estelle “concentration,” I let her go.
Then I examined her from head to toe to make sure she was okay.
Fortunately, it seemed nothing had happened to Estelle.
No injuries, and her complexion looked good.
