My Stepmom is Too Pretty, and It’s Troubling Me – Chapter 112

“Yawn…”

I woke up during break.

I don’t know what class it is, but since Ella didn’t wake me up, it must be before the fourth period at the latest.

“Haah… When is this going to end…”

I might be attending the academy, but to be honest, it’s been really boring.

The only fun thing is hanging out with Ella and Karen around campus after school, playing a bit?

Without that, I feel like there’s nothing.

“Should I go to the snack shop?”

There’s still plenty of time left in the break, and I’ve been sleeping so much that I’m thirsty. So, I decided to head to the snack shop.

Since I had been lying down for a while, my body felt stiff and uncomfortable.

“Hmm… the sandwiches don’t seem appealing…”

Definitely a hamburger?

No, I have to have lunch soon, so eating a hamburger here doesn’t feel right.

How can I fill my stomach without overdoing it?

“Hmm…”

What should I really eat?

I hadn’t arrived at the snack shop yet, but I was thinking slowly.

I’m not starving, so maybe just grabbing a drink would be enough?

Yeah, that doesn’t sound bad.

“…….”

While walking toward the snack shop, I felt something behind me.

I couldn’t tell who it was, but I really had the strong feeling that someone was following me.

“…Hmm.”

I didn’t look back, but I definitely felt it.

Someone was following me from behind, trying to hide their footsteps… but I could just sense it.

I was originally planning to go to the snack shop, but I decided to change direction. Instead of going down the stairs, I started going back up.

By the way, who on earth is following me like this?

I feel like all I did at the academy was lie down on my desk and rest.

“…Huh?”

As I climbed the stairs, I could catch a glimpse of the person behind me at the bottom of the stairs.

I could see them, but… I was a bit startled.

At the bottom of the stairs was someone with very familiar yet unfamiliar white hair following me.

What the heck…?

“…….”

Why in the world is Nordal following me?

If she was headed to the snack shop, there wouldn’t be any need for her to come up the stairs like this.

I really didn’t understand.

“…What do you want?”

Having reached the top of the stairs before Ivana Nordal, I looked down at her and said that.

She was taller than me and looked quite intimidating, so I felt a bit uneasy.

But I couldn’t just let her keep following me like this.

Really, why…? Why was she following me?

“You’re Camelia Leonhardt, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Nordal stopped short at the stairs and spoke to me without coming all the way up.

She was looking up at me from below, but her usual cold demeanor made me feel a bit scared.

“Why have you been following me?”

“Hmm…”

“You’ve been tailing me since earlier, even quieting your footsteps.”

Even now, Nordal was wearing shoes with a slightly higher heel than other students, but there was absolutely no noise as she followed me.

What is she, an assassin or a ninja? I have no idea how she managed to make no sound in those shoes.

But it was clear that she had some purpose.

“For what reason?”

“…You.”

“Yeah.”

“…Never mind.”

“…Huh?”

…Huh?

“Wait a minute… what do you mean, suddenly following me after coming out of the classroom?”

“It’s about time for class to start, so you should head back.”

“…Huh?”

“See you in class.”

“…Eh?”

After that response, Ivana Nordal turned and went back down the stairs.

…What?

I seriously didn’t understand what was happening. Why did she suddenly follow me and then just decide to turn back?

I genuinely had no clue why Nordal did that to me…

“…Is she a bit strange?”

After Nordal disappeared, I could only mutter to myself in confusion.

What on earth made her follow me, and why… why did she just give that response?

I had no idea and couldn’t comprehend it.

“…Should I be careful?”

It’s definitely not normal for the daughter of the Nordal Duke family to suddenly act this way toward me.

I don’t remember doing anything to provoke this, but still, it might be best to live my academy life as quietly as possible.

Of course… I already seem to be living quietly, just sleeping all the time.

*

Anyway… Even though that happened, when I returned to the classroom and continued dozing off for the remaining classes, nothing unusual happened.

It felt a little strange to have absolutely no incidents, but it was a relief, right?

I did feel a bit scared because Nordal was sitting in front of me, but since nothing was happening, maybe I’d be okay…?

“Huuh…”

“Why the sudden sigh again? Is your pillow uncomfortable or what?”

“Oh, it’s not that. It’s super comfy.”

“…So, why are you sighing? You don’t usually do that.”

“Uhmm…”

Should I say it?

I caught sight of Nordal’s back, who was sitting at the front.

Nah, I don’t think I’d better say anything.

“I’m just bored. Sleeping all the time is getting a bit old. I just want something interesting to happen.”

“If you keep sleeping during class, it’s only natural you’d be bored.”

“That’s got a point.”

“……..”

Well, to be honest, even without Nordal, my life hasn’t exactly been exciting, but I couldn’t argue with Ella’s point.

Honestly, I’ve been killing time at the academy just sleeping, so naturally, I couldn’t help but be bored.

But what am I supposed to do when I’m learning things I already know in class?

Thanks to William’s relentless overlearning since childhood, there was really nothing I could do about it.

“Ella, did you mention something about a magic duel in magic class tomorrow…?”

“Wow, you remembered that?”

“You really woke me up hard at the end of class. Of course, I remember.”

“…I wish you’d recall the regular lessons that easily, too.”

I normally just sat in class listening to theory lessons, but I definitely heard we were doing a different kind of lesson tomorrow.

Not just some physical education class, but a duel.

It was a format entirely different from the usual lessons, so naturally, it piqued my interest.

Given that I’ve been dozing off through dull classes, how could I not be intrigued?

“So, how’s that going to work?”

“I doubt it’d be anything special. Just testing and confirming the magic levels of the students, I guess…?”

“Hmm…”

Is that so…

“I have a feeling it might not be that exciting.”

“…Since you won’t be able to sleep through that class, do put in some effort.”

“Should I?”

“You really…”

“But how do they decide duel opponents?”

“I don’t think they’ll let students just choose each other… Probably the teacher will sort it out with suitable matchups?”

“Ah-ha.”

It was indeed more likely, as Ella said, that the academy instructor would make that call.

At least it didn’t seem likely that students would randomly pick their opponents or that the teacher in charge of the magic course would create such a situation.

The academy had been fervently promoting equality among its students for some time.

“Hmm… At the very least, it sounds more entertaining than theory class.”

Anyway, I don’t know exactly how the class will go tomorrow, but it probably won’t be completely boring.

Honestly, I can’t help but feel expectant and curious.

“By the way, Ella, how about we go to the Dessert Cafe together after academy today? Rize found a great spot.”

“That sounds good! Studying can wait till dinner. It’s a perfect chance to recharge in between!”

“Then I think it would be good to talk to Karen about it during the next break…”

“Hey!!!”

“…Huh?”

Just then, as I was chatting with Ella, a girl from behind suddenly spoke to me.

I turned around at the voice to see a girl with red hair tied up in a ponytail.

…Who is she?

“…Who are you?”

“N-No!!!! You don’t know who I am?!”

“Uhmm… Sorry, I was sleeping during introduction time…”

I truly had no idea who she was.

I figured she must be a student from our class, Class 1-3, but I had no idea who exactly, so I asked.

It didn’t seem right to greet someone I didn’t know with familiarity…

Though the red-haired girl glared at me in disbelief.

“You…! How can you not know who I am?!”

“Huh? Why…? I didn’t hear the introductions, how do I know?”

“Don’t you know Lady Grace Roseaki, Karen’s younger sister…?!”

“Seems like you have your head on straight!”

“Ah-ha…”

Only after Ella’s words did I realize who she was.

Sure enough… There were definitely some strong resemblances. Red hair and black eyes… they might be somewhat common, but there were clear similarities.

Although she appeared a bit sharper than Karen…

“Umm… Lady Roseaki? What brings you to me?”

Why did she suddenly come to me like this?

To be honest, I had just discovered that Grace and I were in the same class today.

“You! Why are you always hanging out with my sister?!”

“…Huh?”

“Whenever I ask my sister to hang out, she keeps saying she has to play with you instead!”

“…Eh?”

What the…?

“Every time I ask my sister to play, you make excuses and run away with her!”

“That’s your fault…”

“You charmed my innocent sister, didn’t you!? I can’t believe she’d want to play with someone like you!”

“Uh…”

I couldn’t follow Grace’s train of thought.

The flow of conversation, the situation, everything; I was completely lost and had no clue what was happening.

Why did Grace come up to me and say this all of a sudden?

“You! Duel me in magic class tomorrow!”

“…Huh?”

What on earth? This sudden turn of events was giving me a headache.

On top of that, other students in the academy started turning their heads to gaze at my corner, all interested in this situation… What the heck is going on…?