Chapter 95
Stamina: 210
Intelligence: 225
Elegance: 142
Morality: 110
Fame: 102
Trust: 274
Attack Power: 83
Defense: 79
Mana: 87
Magic Resistance: 80
Charm: 78
Etiquette: 46
Art: 30
Speech: 29
Sensitivity: 54
Faith: 90
Holy Power: 103
Farming Skill: 39
Stress: 49
On top of that, my stats were excellent.
Granted, the stress I had managed to lower into the twenties after visiting the exhibition had gone up quite a bit again—probably because of the temporary professor….
Still, thanks to attending academy classes consistently, all of my overall stats had increased.
“But why did you come today? Did you just come to see me?”
“I wanted to give you something, Estelle, so I tried making a lunchbox. That’s why I came—to give it to you.”
I lifted the basket I was holding and showed it to Estelle.
Ta-da—complete with a sound effect made by my mouth.
Estelle’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit when she saw the basket.
“Thank you! I’m really happy!”
She smiled softly and accepted the basket, hugging it tightly to her chest.
“But… for something with a lunchbox inside, the basket feels really big.”
“Well, it’s not just your food in there.”
“Pardon?”
Estelle tilted her head in confusion.
At the same time, she blinked repeatedly, clearly wondering what I meant by saying it wasn’t only hers.
Seeing her like that, I puffed out my chest.
Then, in a proud and satisfied voice, I explained,
“Your friends are going to the cafeteria, but if you stayed behind to eat alone, it’d feel lonely, right? So I made lunch for your friends too!”
“…Ah. I see.”
I opened the basket Estelle was holding.
Inside were neatly wrapped sandwiches, filling the basket.
I pointed to each one.
“This one’s for Sial, this one’s for Aris, and this one’s for Haboni. I labeled them.”
“……”
“And the biggest one here is yours, Estelle. It’s kind of huge, right? I didn’t mean to, but… haha!”
When I pointed out Estelle’s sandwich, I felt a little embarrassed.
Without realizing it, I’d piled in too many ingredients, and it had grown out of control.
I scratched my cheek with an awkward laugh.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
“Yeah. I hope the others like it too.”
“You made it, Reina. Of course it’ll be delicious. Don’t worry.”
Oh my.
How can our Estelle speak so beautifully?
She answered so kindly, just to make sure I wouldn’t feel awkward.
She really is the best.
I should love and cherish her for the rest of my life.
I made that vow deep in my heart as I looked at Estelle.
‘Huh? Wait—what’s that?’
I was gazing fondly at Estelle, who was holding the basket in both arms.
I’d been so captivated by her lovely smile and words that I hadn’t noticed it earlier.
But now I saw that something was smeared all over the sleeve of her shirt, around her upper arm.
“Hold on, Estelle. Can you turn around for a moment?”
“Huh? Why?”
“There’s something all over your arm. This is….”
The stains on her shirt were all different colors.
Yellow, red, black.
I placed my finger on the yellow stain.
It was mostly dry, but still slightly damp.
When I moved my finger side to side, the color smeared along with it.
“Paint?”
“Um… well….”
I muttered as I narrowed my eyes.
At that, Estelle let out an awkward little sound and spoke.
“The Founding Festival is coming up soon.”
The Founding Festival?
Why was she suddenly bringing that up?
I tilted my head, waiting for her to continue.
“I want to participate in the competition then.”
“A competition?”
I blinked.
If it was a competition that used paint, there was only the art competition.
They accepted paintings as well as poetry and prose.
‘But wasn’t Estelle pretty far removed from art?’
What kind of change of heart had she had?
She seemed to enjoy the exhibition, but it didn’t look like she’d been that interested.
‘Come to think of it, there was something odd when I checked my status earlier.’
I opened my status window.
Art: 30
Speech: 29
‘Just as I thought.’
Her Art and Speech stats had gone up.
The increase was small compared to her other stats, but still—
They’d risen enough to change the first digit.
I was curious what kind of resolve Estelle had made to cause that.
“Reina?”
I heard Estelle call me in a small voice.
I took my eyes off the status window and looked back at her.
“I’m sorry I got my clothes dirty.”
The moment our eyes met, Estelle apologized.
Since I hadn’t said anything, she must have mistaken my silence for anger.
I opened my mouth to deny it—
But Estelle, with her eyebrows drooping downward, continued before I could speak.
“You said that you can put memories into a painting. So I wanted to put my memories with you into one too, Reina. I kept painting, and I guess that’s when it got on my clothes.”
…Wait. Estelle.
Don’t tell me she remembered everything I said?
Even the things I’d just said casually, without much thought?
“Estelle!”
I pulled her into a tight hug.
I couldn’t stop myself.
‘How could I?’
After hearing something like that!
I couldn’t even clearly remember what I’d said back then.
She really is the best.
So, so, so adorable.
“Reina, I can’t breathe.”
“Just a little longer.”
I hugged Estelle and swayed from side to side.
She made a small “mmh” sound and swayed along with me.
“I wanted it to be a secret… but I forgot to wipe off the paint, so you found out.”
“Why would you keep that a secret? I’m so touched. You have to show it to me when you’re done, okay?”
“If it turns out well, I’ll give it to you as a gift.”
“Even if it doesn’t, I don’t care. You still have to give it to me. Got it?”
I stared at her intently, clearly waiting for an answer.
Reluctantly, Estelle nodded.
Once I got my answer, I faced her and smiled brightly.
As brightly as I possibly could.
“There, I should get going now. I need to eat lunch and get ready for the next class.”
“Yes…”
Estelle trailed off.
She looked full of regret, like she didn’t want us to part.
Honestly, I felt the same way.
But I’m an adult!
If there’s something that needs to be done, I have to be able to do it, even if I don’t like it.
I ignored Estelle’s wistful expression and shed tears of blood inwardly.
“Oh, and this.”
“What is it?”
I rummaged through my pocket and pulled out a handful of candies.
They were ones I usually gave to Estelle and the kids at the village school.
But Estelle had already received her candy for today.
That was probably why she tilted her head, looking confused about why I was giving her more.
“The friend who told you I was here—was it a boy with reddish-brown hair?”
“Yes.”
Estelle nodded in response to my question.
“He offered to help when I was wondering how to give you the lunchbox. I should’ve given him something back, but I only thought of it after he left.”
I scratched my cheek.
The reddish-brown-haired student was a little strange, but he was a good kid.
He could’ve ignored me, but he offered to help first—and even carried out my request perfectly.
‘If I meet him again, I’d like to thank him properly… but that’ll probably be difficult.’
He was an academy student, just like Estelle.
Unless I entered the academy grounds, I’d never have another chance to meet him.
“If you happen to see him again, could you give this to him? Along with a thank-you.”
Since I couldn’t thank him in person, asking Estelle—who at least had a chance of meeting him—was the only option.
I poured a generous pile of candies into Estelle’s hands.
“Okay. I’ll give them to him.”
“Thanks, Estelle.”
See? Our Estelle really is kind.
She even does favors like this so willingly.
I grinned foolishly and patted her on the head.
“Then I’ll see you at home. Have a good class!”
I turned Estelle around and gently pushed her back.
She staggered a couple of steps, then caught her balance and started walking forward.
I waved at her as she grew farther away.
Then I turned around and headed home myself.
‘Ah. My blood Estelle levels are at maximum.’
This—this is my dopamine.
With a happy smile lingering on my lips.
