Chapter 50

“Ah, Senior Elena originally planned to treat Cedric senior and me to lunch as a thank-you for joining the club. But I couldn’t go because I was sick that day, so only the two of them ate together. That’s probably how the rumor about them dating started.”

Felix’s expression darkened even further.

“Why didn’t I hear about this?”

Elena shot him a sharp remark.

“That’s because you don’t care about other people’s business. Especially about mine.”

“……”

To lighten the mood, Elena clapped her hands.

“Alright, let’s stop talking about this. Let’s get back to discussing inventions. Where’s Thomas?”

“He said he left the blueprint behind and went to retrieve it.”

Speak of the devil—Thomas walked in just then.

“Ugh, it got mixed up with other stuff, so I’m a bit late.”

“It’s fine. I just got here too. Shall we get started?”

Elena, Oliver, and Thomas focused on making the doll. At one point, Elena felt someone’s gaze and looked up, only to find Felix staring intently at her.

At first, she thought he was looking at the doll, but his gaze was clearly directed at her.

“What? Do you have something to say?”

But as soon as she asked, Felix lowered his head and pretended to read his book again.

What’s with him? How anticlimactic.

***

– Last weekend, Senior Cedric and Senior Elena had lunch together.

Ever since hearing those words, Felix couldn’t concentrate on his book. His mind kept conjuring images of Elena and Cedric having a cozy meal together.

It irritated him to no end. 

Why should I care who Elena ate with?

Even now, seeing the two of them with their heads together, discussing the doll, made him feel like he was burning up inside. His throat felt dry, and he let out a sigh without realizing it.

His gaze kept drifting toward Elena. 

What was so funny that she was smiling like that again?

At that moment, Elena met his eyes. Felix, startled as if caught doing something wrong, quickly buried his face back in his book.

But no matter how hard he tried, the words wouldn’t register.

Felix tried to figure out why he was so annoyed.

– Ah, Senior Elena originally planned to treat Cedric senior and me to lunch as a thank-you for joining the club.

Ah, it must be that.

He had joined the club—something he’d never intended to do—because of her.

Felix had never told Elena, but the only reason he joined the invention club was because of her.

She had been worried that the club wouldn’t have enough members to officially form, which would make writing her thesis difficult. To solve her problem, Felix had joined the club.

He didn’t want that fool to fail to graduate because she couldn’t write her thesis.

Not that he was worried about her or anything. He could already picture his mother nagging him about why he hadn’t helped Elena if she couldn’t graduate.

So, it was all because of his mother. That’s why he had helped Elena.

Felix hadn’t done it to earn her gratitude, which is why he hadn’t told her the truth.

But now she was treating Cedric to lunch and pretending not to owe me anything?

Even when she had defeated Anguis during the club’s welcome party, all she had done was thank me. She hadn’t offered anything in return.

If she was going to buy someone a meal out of gratitude, shouldn’t it have been me instead of Cedric?

Felix closed his book with a loud snap. Then he walked over to Elena.

Elena looked up at the shadow looming over her.

“…What?”

“You’re not grateful that I caught Anguis for you, are you?”

Felix knew how he must look right now—petty and childish. But he didn’t care. He was determined to have lunch with Elena, no matter what.

After thinking for a moment, Elena exclaimed, “Ah!” and smiled softly.

That one expression melted Felix’s pent-up frustration in an instant. He cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

Then Elena spoke.

“Alright. I’ll treat you to lunch too. Is that what you want?”

“…Yeah.”

It felt like Elena had agreed reluctantly, but Felix didn’t mind. What mattered was that he would have lunch with her.

***

“This feels strange.”

Alice tilted her head at Elena’s muttered comment as she looked in the mirror.

“What feels strange? You look great.”

Elena quickly waved her hand.

“No, not the clothes…”

“Then what?”

“It’s just… something.”

Elena brushed it off and continued her thoughts.

‘It’s the first time Felix has ever made such a fuss.’

Felix had helped her out in many ways before. He had even saved her from Anguis during the Saint Esna’s Festival.

But he had never once made a big deal out of it. He always acted like it was only natural for someone as capable as him to help someone as lacking as her.

So she had thought he would feel the same way this time. But out of nowhere, he had demanded a meal in return. 

What had gotten into him?

Though she had been flustered at first, Elena had quickly agreed, knowing she owed Felix a lot.

After all, she had never properly thanked him for helping with the library or with Little One.

‘Wow, I’ve been so thoughtless.’

No matter how close they were as childhood friends, she had taken Felix for granted. Even someone like Felix would have every right to feel upset.

‘Ah, I’m going to be late.’

Elena hurriedly pulled a dress from her wardrobe. It was the one she had planned to wear for her lunch with Cedric, but Alice had vetoed it. It was her favorite.

As she hesitated, she glanced at Alice, worried she might protest again.

But Alice, sitting on Elena’s bed, simply watched her with a bored expression.

“I knew you’d pick that dress.”

“You’re not going to stop me this time?”

“Well, it’s Felix you’re meeting today. Honestly, it’s kind of dull.”

Muttering something incomprehensible, Alice flopped onto the bed. Elena quickly changed and tidied her hair.

“Alice, I’m heading out.”

“Okay. Eat lots of good food.”

“Should I bring back a snack?”

At that, Alice bolted upright.

“Yes! Get a cake from that place Penny mentioned last time!”

The place Penny had recommended was the dessert shop where Elena had been caught by Penny while with Cedric.

Penny had said the cream cake there was delicious. Indeed, the fruit-filled cake had been delightful.

“Alright, I’ll get it.”

Elena waved casually at Alice and headed to the clock tower in the bustling district, their meeting point. She thought she was early, but Felix was already there.

He raised his right hand slightly in greeting and grumbled.

“Why are you so late?”

She glanced at the clock tower behind him to check the time. It was exactly five minutes before their meeting time. She wasn’t late.

“I’m not late.”

“Whatever, let’s go.”

Felix started walking ahead.

“Where are we going?”

“To the place you wanted to go.”

How did he know where I wanted to go?

Curious but unable to ask, Elena followed as Felix led her straight to the restaurant she had been planning to visit. It was the one she had wanted to go to with Cedric but hadn’t. It was reasonably priced and served delicious food, making it one of her favorites.

“How did you know I wanted to come here?”

As she sat down, she asked, and Felix, sitting across from her, replied as if it were obvious.

“You always come here.”

“I go to other places too.”

“Do you?”

She couldn’t argue with that. Felix was right—she almost always came here when she visited the bustling district.

Still, she didn’t want to admit he was right, so she pouted.

“Well, sometimes I go elsewhere.”

“Sure, let’s go with that.”

“It’s not just ‘let’s go with that’…!”

Felix ignored her protest and raised his hand to call the waiter. Without consulting her, he began ordering.

“One Caesar salad, one Bolognese pasta, one Carbonara pasta. For drinks, one apple juice and one hot coffee, please.”

“Anything else?”

“Oh, and make sure the apple juice has lots of ice.”

Elena stared blankly as Felix ordered. Once the waiter left, she finally questioned him.

“Why didn’t you ask me before ordering?”

“Were you planning to order something other than Bolognese?”

When he raised his hand again, she quickly grabbed his arm.

“No, that’s what I was going to get.”

Felix shrugged smugly. She felt annoyed, but he knew her tastes too well for her to argue. He even remembered that she liked her apple juice with lots of ice.

While waiting for the food, they didn’t talk much. The contrast with her lunch with Cedric was stark.

Unlike Cedric, with whom she had little in common, she and Felix knew each other too well to need constant conversation.

And with Felix, silence was never awkward. With Cedric, she had felt compelled to fill the quiet with chatter.

Relaxing, Elena slumped into her chair.

Felix, resting his chin on his hand and gazing out the window, suddenly asked.

“How have you been?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing specific.”

Elena mimicked his pose and looked at him. She couldn’t understand his question.

As she gave him a puzzled look, Felix clarified.

“You were pretty shaken up during the freshman welcome party. Are you okay now?”