Marilyn Likes Lariensa Too Much! - Chapter 2

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A few days later, I received an acceptance letter from the entrance exam. One of the students who passed the exam was caught cheating and their admission was canceled, so I was given an extra pass.

I went straight to Lariensa’s house with the letter of acceptance. She screamed on the spot when I entered, with a confident look on her face.

“Aaah!”

It didn’t sound like a cheer. It was a really loud scream that hurt my ears.

“Oh, my God, Marilyn! What’s up with this! Well, I guess we’re just destined not to fall apart.”

I knew she’d like the news.

“Look. I told you everything would work out. Didn’t I?”

“You don’t happen to know the address of the person who cheated, do you?”

“What about them?”

“It’s all thanks to them, I’d like to send them a present.”

“…Well, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

They might think she’s making fun of them.

“Brother! Brother!”

Lariensa didn’t listen to me and was so excited that she jumped down the stairs. Lycan, the brother of Lariensa, looked at me and back at Lariensa with a surprised face, while eating a snack.

He looked at me questionably. I waved the paper at Lycan. That seemed to be enough of an answer for him.

“Lariensa, you must be very happy to be enrolled with your friend.”

“I don’t have to break up with Marie.”

The original Marilyn and Lycan managed to get along well, but I didn’t get along with him very well. It was because Lycan knew I was going to dump a job on Lariensa, or tease her for something.

Lycan was like an ideal brother to many other younger siblings.

“Wait! I’ll go buy you something to eat.”

“Then I’ll go.”

“No, you’re already eating a snack.”

Ugh…… I don’t want to be left alone here with your brother!

“Then I’ll come with you, Lara.”

“No. You’ve been through a lot already, so sit here. I’ll be back.”

“What kind of trouble have I been through?”

“You must have been heartbroken! You almost broke up with me.” Lariensa replied.

Just say yes, I’m going to cry.

I nodded softly, as if I wasn’t worried at all. Then Larien brutally broke open the pig’s stomach(piggy bank), took out the allowance in it, and went outside.

She was going to buy food.

Thanks to Lariensa, who was being considerate, only Lycan and I were left in the house. It was an unnecessary act.

Lycan didn’t try to hide his dissatisfaction of being alone with me.

“I also got into the Academy, so why are you still accompanying Lariensa.”

“Would you rather have your third-year older brother accompany you, or a friend of the same grade as you?”

“I thought there would be another chance for Lariensa to make new friends, but I guess not.”

“If you’re unhappy, complain to the Academy.”

I shamelessly took the spoon Lycan had been using and took a bite out of the pudding he had been eating. It was my favorite strawberry pudding so how could I resist!

I’m sure he wouldn’t do anything to me. He was three years older.

“Did you hit your head too hard or are you just starting to show your true colors?” As expected, Lycan didn’t say anything about sharing spoons.

“Why does my sister like you? I don’t understand.”

“Because I’m good to her.”

“I know you lied about the cockroach in your house the other day and scared her.”

“Ahem, what happened was……”

Oh, so this is the problem. It was true that I lied to her a lot… But that was a little unfair, though.

Even though I told her I was lying, she was so scared that she cleaned the house all day long and gave me a report that there were no cockroaches! I was so guilty that I bought her some bread with my pocket money.

“When friends play with each other, they don’t cry, scream, or any other experiences like that.”

“It’s already enough having more than one of those experiences.”

Even though he was the pretty Lara’s brother, he hated me.

This serious brother, Lycan, was Marilyn’s first love. However, Marilyn is hurt when she overhears what he said to Lariensa next door.

‘Lariensa, when you enter the academy, keep your distance from Marilyn. She’s not up to par with you all the time.’

Of course Lariensa was furious, but Marilyn left without even hearing Lariensa’s outburst. Well, even if she did, would it change the outcome?

“Hey Lycan, it’s true that I tease Lariensa alot, but if you’re looking for someone to have a lot if fun with her, just hire a nanny.”

I felt Lycans’ sharp gaze on me, but I didn’t care. What is he even going to do to me?

“Lariensa’s not a child. If I really was going overboard, she wouldn’t even be with me. So, why don’t you stop glaring at me?”

“……”

“I don’t think a good brother glares at their sister’s friend like that.”

Lycan gave me a reluctant face.

“Don’t pretend to know me when you bump into me at the Academy.”

“Huh? I’m with Lariensa, how am I supposed to do that?”

“……”

“If I ignore you, she’ll ask why, and I’ll have to tell her the truth. Don’t pretend to know me at the Academy my ass…”

“Then only pretend to know me when Lariensa’s there!”

This conversation will come to an end soon.

I laughed and replied with a satisfied smile.

“If you want, I’ll pretend to know you specifically.”

Lycan furrowed his brows. In the meantime, I’ve eaten a lot more of his strawberry pudding.

“Brother! Marie! I’ve brought back snacks!”

Just in time, Lariensa came in carrying a heavy load of snacks in both hands. Lycan and I took up the luggage that had been in her hands.

I took an apple out of the bag and sliced it. Lariensa took the other food out and set it on the table. I sniffed the air. She had bought a lot of my favorite foods. That’s good.

When I patted her on the head, she stuck her head out, as if asking for another. I patted her on the head again as I sneered at Lycan.

You could almost see the veins popping out of his forehead….don’t tell me he’s going to hit me in front of his little sister?

“What did you two talk about while I was away? It’s not my fault is it?”

“Well, Lycan…”

Lycan looked into my eyes for a moment. He was afraid I’d really tell Lariensa. But I’m not that mean.

“I said that when we come across each other at the Academy, we should pretend not to know each other.”

Lycan was in his own world, so to him, I looked like a servant. He seemed to be nice, but in his heart, he regarded me as Lariensa’s maid of honor.

In that sense, I hated Lycan, but I didn’t want to ruin his relationship with Lariensa.

It wasn’t for Lycan. It was for Lariensa, who was nice and innocent unlike him.

“Did you say that?”

“Yeah? I asked him to pretend not to know me.”

“He’s my brother, but he actually cares a lot about you.”

At that moment, Lycan’s face hardened.

“Oh, really?”

“It seemed like he was paying special attention to you right after you fell down and woke up.”

Lycan spoke urgently.

“… Lariensa! The fruit isn’t fresh.”

“I picked it out myself. Are there any bruises on it?”

“I’ll go and pick out a better one.”

But I didn’t miss my chance and pried deeper.

“How did he care for me?”

Lycan almost broke into a cold sweat and tried to interfere with our conversation, but I completely crushed his efforts.

“He said ‘It’s different than before. My view of her is different than before.’”

“Isn’t that right, brother?”

“When did I say that…”

Even though Lycan’s efforts to maintain the situation didn’t work, Lariensa nudged me.

“Was that why I sensed someone’s presence beside me and heard someone talking to themselves while I was out?”

“……”

Lycan became similar to a small chick.

“……I’m going to go sword training.”

“You aren’t going to eat?”

Lycan went outside without answering Lariensa’s words.

I could see Lycan’s ears turning red outside.

What’s with that reaction…….

I was just trying to tease him, but that reaction is so weird. It’s weird that he was looking after me too! Why was he doing that?

“What’s wrong with you?”

Lariensa, who had exposed Lycan’s feelings, didn’t understand his reaction.

“……”

I was bothered by Lariensa‘s words & Lycan’s red ears, but I pretended to be oblivious.

“Let’s eat first.”

I’d decided not to eat the rice that day.

***

The news that I was also accepted into the academy was known throughout the whole village.

“You two have been together ever since you were kids, and now you’re going to the Academy together.

“Lariensa’s smart, so I wasn’t worried, but Marilyn got accepted too, you guys sure are close.”

“It’s an extra pass, unlike Lariensa, but I still congratulate you.”

Can’t you just say congratulations on getting accepted? Why emphasize that I’m an ‘extra’ person……

Those were some of the comparisons that made the og Marilyn feel bad.

“Marie.”

It felt weird that Lariensa was mentioned in every one of my congratulatory remarks, but I could still smile because of Lariensa.

“Look. When you knot the ribbon to your school uniform, tie it like this. Okay?”

Of course, dealing with Lara was not always easy. She didn’t let a lot of things slide.

She said, “Pair your pajamas with the same pink pajamas as mine and match your hairpin with mine. Now, make sure to tie the ribbon of your school uniform the same way as mine.”

“Ah, do I have to tie the ribbon like this? We both wear the same school uniform anyway.”

“That’s why we can’t. If everyone else wears the same uniform, then we can’t display our friendship.”

“……Do I have to tie my school uniform a certain way to display our friendship?”

Larienza nodded firmly.

“Oh, and we can ride in a carriage. The Academy says they’ll send a separate carriage for the honor students. My brother was selected as an honor student because of his good skills in swordsmanship. We can ride in the same carriage.”

“I should go and thank him, but did Lycan say I could ride in the carriage, too?”

“I asked him that earlier and he said that it would be hard to get into a carriage with you.”

“……”

“…Ack! My brother told me not to tell you that, what should I do?”

……You’ve already blown his cover?

“I won’t tell Lycan what you said.” Lariensa said it without meaning any harm.

“But these days, my brother’s been acting really weirdly.”

“How?”

“He’s caring about you a lot these days”

“You mentioned that last time.”

“Yes, but even after talking about it, it’s still really weird.”

Somehow I wanted to block my ears. I was wondering if Lycan was going to tell me something…like a premonition or something like that.

“If you go out, I wonder if you’ll have enough pocket money?”

“Brother gave me some a while ago.”

“I used to give you my pocket money, but if you say that you’re going out, just give me the money. In the first place, ask me every time you go out. I’ll go with you.”

“……I’m seriously worried that you hit your head too hard.”

“Is that so?”

Next to Lariensa, who had just worn her newly bought uniform, I recalled the first time I encountered Lycan after possessing this body.