Male Lead, Don’t Push, Pull! - Chapter 20

 

Imagine his delight when he realized that he could now attend the Academy without worrying about money.

 

The Academy covered the students’ basic living expenses and tuition fees, but that was not unlimited. Students had to pay for their own experiments and research. You could apply for research support, but there were limits.

 

My heart was pounding as I wondered what the other person’s reaction would be. Wouldn’t my little bunny be jumping up and down with joy?

 

I went straight for Daniel.

 

“Daniel!”

 

Daniel was sitting on a bench in front of the library.

 

He had what I assumed was a letter in his hand.

 

Didn’t he hear me? He must have been concentrating on the letter.

 

No wonder.

 

I rushed over, giddy with excitement and quick on my feet, and shoved my face in front of him.

 

“Daniel!”

 

“Ugh, eek!”

 

“Whoa, that’s dangerous!”

 

Startled, Daniel jumped in his seat and stumbled backwards. Panicking, I quickly grabbed his arm.

 

Luckily, Daniel didn’t fall over the back of the chair and crack the back of his head.

 

“Phew.”

 

I wiped the sweat from my brow. I almost killed the hopes of every bald person in the world.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

 

“You’re not….”

 

Daniel replied in a small voice.

 

But he still looked very, very surprised, judging by the way his hand was running over his heart.

 

Aigo…. I’m not going to play that trick on Daniel again.

 

“More than that, Daniel, have you heard from home?”

 

Daniel’s eyes widened and he nodded quickly.

 

I giggled and said, “My dad told me… Daniel’s house and mine are going to be jointly developing a mine starting next spring!”

 

“Mmm.”

 

“He said it’s a mine with some really rare minerals, and they’re going to sell for a lot of money. That’s great, right?”

 

Daniel nodded once more. But his reaction was vaguely lukewarm. It was like lukewarm water that hadn’t reached the boiling point.

 

I was somewhat disappointed, expecting a more dramatic response.

 

In a slightly hesitant voice, I asked Daniel, “Are you uncomfortable with the idea of developing a mine alongside our house?”

 

“Oh, no.” Daniel jerked, clutching the letter in his hand. His grip was so tight that the paper was crumpling, but he didn’t seem to notice. “I like it! I really do, and my father was really pleased to be able to connect with the Marquis de Rosiere.”

 

“Really? I’m glad to hear it.”

 

“It’s the first time I’ve seen him so happy… no, the second time.”

 

“When was the first time?”

 

“When he found out I had a talent for magic.”

 

Aha. Daniel is definitely going to be a big wizard, and not just any wizard, but the kind that makes a lot of money and gives people hope.

 

At least he didn’t hate it.

 

As I was smiling wryly, Daniel asked me something out of the blue.

 

“Is Vivian an angel by any chance?”

 

“Huh?”

 

” I mean, back at the inn before…. Always helping me out. Dad says that now that the mine is developed, he can pay off his debts and rehire his butler and maid.”

 

My eyes were correct. Baron Raston was currently so strapped for cash that he couldn’t even afford a maid.

 

He was even in debt. This contract must have been like a drop of rain in a parched drought for Baron Raston.

 

“That’s great. Congratulations, Daniel!”

 

“And I heard that the Marquis de Rosiere also gave a precious medicine to my mom.”

 

“…A precious medicine?”

 

I tilted my head at the news. There was no mention of that in Dad’s letter to me.

 

What Daniel told me next was a bit of a shocker.

 

“My mom has been sick for a few years now. She has a heart condition, but she hadn’t been able to get treatment because we didn’t have the money.”

 

“Hmm, what about her, is it bad?”

 

“A little… She’s been sick since before I came to the academy. My late maternal grandfather had the same disease as my mom.”

 

Daniel’s face looked gloomy as he said that. This wasn’t just a one-day illness.

 

“But Dad says he thinks he can get the doctor in now, and the medicine the Marquis de Rosiere gave him worked. He said it must be very valuable.”

 

This is the first time I’ve heard of Daniel’s mother’s illness. Apparently, it was a minor detail that was never mentioned in the original story, so I must have missed it.

 

Dad must have found out while doing research for his contract with Baron Raston.

 

…Does this mean that Daniel’s intensive study of magical medicine was all because of his mother? To cure her mother’s illness?

 

In the original book, Daniel was the Baron Raston, and he had no living parents.

 

I think I’ve twisted the original again.

 

It was an unexpected result for me, who had only thought of building a friendship with Daniel but had no intention of intervening deeply.

 

Of course, if Baroness Raston’s health improves as a result of this, so much the better!

 

“Thank you so much, Vivian. Father asked me to be sure to thank you, too.”

 

“…No. I didn’t do anything.”

 

Daniel shook his head furiously as I spoke. Then he turned to me, his eyes wide.

 

“It all happened after I met Vivian. I mean, Vivian is an angel to me.”

 

“Hehe, that’s really no big deal.”

 

“There’s nothing I can do for Vivian right now, but….” Daniel paused for a moment, then said, as if making a decision, “Later, when I’m a grown-up – so when I finish school and follow in my father’s footsteps – I’ll make it up to Vivian, I swear.”

 

“Really, you promise?”

 

“Yes!”

 

~ Translation by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at rainofsnow.com ~

 

I could see the unbreakable will in his sparkling eyes. It was the kind of statement that made me want to pat him on the back.

 

It was worth it to take care of him!

 

The corners of my mouth lifted in a wide smile, and Daniel smiled back, his cheeks flushed.

 

“Let’s get together later with my family and yours and celebrate. We could even go to my family’s summer house!”

 

“Yeah, I’d love that.”

 

“Hehe, we should invite Kyle. That would be fun.”

 

“By the way, Vivian, can I ask you a question…?”

 

“Hmm? What is it?”

 

“Vivian, are you engaged to Prince Kyle?”

 

I narrowed my eyes. I hadn’t expected that question from Daniel.

 

Still, Daniel’s question felt a little late, considering everyone had been talking about the rumor for weeks already.

 

Maybe I’d been too busy looking the other way to ask.

 

I smiled wryly and answered, “No.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah. Kyle and I are friends. I told you before, he’s my best friend.”

 

“But he also told me to be careful because you’re important to him.”

 

“That’s because there’s no friend as close to Kyle as I am. Oh yeah. I’m done with all of my classes today, so I’m going to have dinner with Kyle, but would you like to come with me?”

 

“Me?”

 

To Daniel’s surprise, I nodded my head vigorously.

 

“Yeah, let’s go get something nice to eat. I’m thinking of going out instead of the school cafeteria.”

 

“But… he won’t like it.”

 

“Oh, no. Kyle may look fierce, but he’s actually really nice. You can tell by the way he talks to me. And I want Daniel to be friends with Kyle, too.”

 

I tried hard to persuade Daniel, who kept pulling away.

 

I wanted to build a bridge between Kyle and Daniel somehow.

 

Daniel, who was initially reluctant, finally nodded at my persistence.

 

“Alright then, let’s go!” I cheered.

 

We headed to the Swordsmanship Department building in search of Kyle.

 

Along with the School of Magic, the Swordsmanship Department was considered one of Arene’s greatest academic departments and occupied a large area of the academy, including the training grounds, riding stables, and arena.

 

As a new student, Kyle was expected to spend most of his time in the training grounds.

 

But as we approached the training grounds, the building was somehow very noisy.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

It’s almost dinner time, all classes should be over.

 

I wondered if there was something interesting going on, and indeed, a group of swordsmanship students had gathered to watch someone train on the training grounds.

 

“I’ll just pass by.”

 

I had to find Kyle anyway, so I pushed my way through the milling crowd. Daniel followed behind me, looking nervous.

 

Just then, the sound of two upperclassmen talking amongst themselves caught my ear.

 

“I don’t know if they’re trying to get him.”

 

“Yeah, but isn’t he a real a**hole, too? He’s going to do all that without rebelling once.”

 

“That’s the thing about rebellion, he’s doing it on purpose. He’s not going to be able to lift his arm tomorrow. No question about it.”