After seeing the notice on the bulletin board, I immediately rushed to the Student Council President's office.

━Bang!

"President!"

"...Huh? Who is it?"

Bursting through the door, I found Anette seated at an elegant study desk, engrossed in her work.

When she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise, and she tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"It's Ken Feinstein."

"Ken? ...Really, are you Ken Feinstein?!"

It was no longer surprising that she didn't recognize my face, so I quickly introduced myself. Anette was startled and stood up abruptly.

"I heard your appearance changed, but..."

Her reaction was quite different from before. Not only did her face turn red, but she also seemed flustered and avoided making eye contact.

Previously, she had quite a confident and self-assured persona.

'...Well, she can't exactly be confident after putting up that kind of notice.'

I approached her decisively, as someone here to protest.

She might think it rude, but I've entrusted her with weapon repairs before. Even as the president, she'll probably overlook this much.

And so, I confidently stood in front of her.

"...Eek!"

"...Eek?"

"Ah, ahem, no, I was just startled because you got so close out of nowhere."

I had moved in to intimidate her slightly, but Anette seemed flustered, making a strange noise. She then cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure, and looked at me with an attempt at confidence.

"So, what brings you here?"

"What do you mean, what brings me here? What exactly is that notice about?"

"Oh, are you talking about that?"

Even with my words dripping with annoyance, Anette nodded confidently. It seemed she wasn't embarrassed about the notice at all.

But why is she so confident?

"Heh, isn't it a great idea? I was also surprised to see how much you've changed, promising to grant any wish. It will certainly motivate students to improve their grades."

"Exactly! Why proceed without consulting me?"

"Ugh, don't get so close. It's troubling because my heart keeps racing."

"Hmph, feeling guilty, are we?"

"...No, that's not what I'm saying."

Then what is it?

Anette, blushing, looked at me with an expression of disbelief.

"Ahem, anyways. Don't worry too much. Even though it's called a Wish Ticket, it's too risky to promise absolutely anything."

Anette suddenly smiled and patted my shoulder.

"Girls will only be allowed to request a date, so don't worry too much. You can manage that, right?"

"...Well, if it's just that."

What I was concerned about was the literal meaning of a Wish Ticket. A Wish Ticket implies you can demand anything. In the worst case, it could involve becoming a slave or handing over money.

'...If it's just a date, that's fine.'

The notices are already posted.

By now, even denying it would be pointless since the news of the first-place prize had already spread among the students.

It would be better for the Student Council to limit the Wish Ticket instead.

"This time, I'll let it slide."

"Hehe, you're as admirable as you are capable. You're a talent anyone would want."

Anette smiled gently as she looked up at me, amused by my sigh.

Then, tracing a circle on my chest with her index finger, she said softly, "So, if I come in first place, could you grant a different wish instead of just a date?"

"...A different wish? Is there something else you need fixed?"

"If you would join our Student Council..."

"No."

With my purpose accomplished, I turned and left the Student Council room without hesitation.

"Ah! No, please, just think about it once!"

I heard Anette's urgent voice calling out behind me, but I ignored it and closed the door.

I was relieved that the situation wasn't as serious as I had feared.

I had been worried because in the game, the Student Council President often caused big incidents recklessly, and I thought the Wish Ticket might be exactly as it sounded.

But if it's just a date, there's no reason to be overly concerned.

Being first isn't that easy anyway.

And it's just one person.

Rather than getting worked up and fighting to get it canceled, it's better for my mental health to stay calm.

Since things have come to this...

Perhaps I should aim for first place myself.

Of course, I don't think it will be easy.

But if I do come in first, the Wish Ticket becomes irrelevant.

And I'll have good grades too, which benefits me.

Of course, even if I don't get first place, focusing on studying will likely improve my grades.

With my mind set, I returned to the classroom.

‘Things have gotten out of hand….’

As Mary walked down the hallway, she could hear students murmuring around her. Most of the chatter was about Ken's Wish Ticket for topping the upcoming exam. Students had become more interested in Ken than Mary had anticipated.

‘I have to secure first place in this exam no matter what….’

Mary's heart grew restless alongside this thought. Suddenly, there were more competitors than she had ever considered.

"Ken!"

"Huh? Mary? What's going on?"

A time she wouldn't normally visit Ken.

But today, she had a reason to see him.

As she entered his classroom and called out his name from the front door, a group of female students gathered around him. And when his name was called, all eyes turned towards Mary.

‘...Ugh.’

For a moment, the changed atmosphere made her shrink back.

But she quickly composed herself and approached Ken.

"Ma-Mary?"

Then, taking the perplexed Ken by the hand, she swiftly left the classroom.

‘For some reason, I don't want to talk in that place.

Moreover, I don't really want to see Ken surrounded by those girls.’

"Sorry for pulling you out so suddenly."

"No, actually, thank you. I was getting a bit overwhelmed by all the people."

She thought she had caused him inconvenience, but instead, Ken was thankful. Seeing him like this relieved her, and Mary smiled softly.

‘Yes, Ken hasn't changed; it's just the reactions of the people around him that have.‘

"Um, Ken. The reason I called you out is... well..."

Seeing Ken unchanged gave her the courage to proceed. Saying aloud what she'd been pondering felt quite embarrassing.

But Mary opened her mouth, worrying that if she hesitated, she might lose her chance.

"Would you like to study together in the library after class today?"

Saying it made her face feel unnecessarily hot. The fear of being rejected worried her greatly.

However, contrasting Mary's worries, Ken smiled brightly.

"Oh! That's a great idea!"

His immediate positive response erased her anxiety, and Mary smiled gently with a small sense of joy.

"Ah, but I'll need to have dinner separately, though. Let's meet a little later, not right after class."

"Okay!"

She could easily wait that much longer.

After waving off Ken as he headed back to the classroom, Mary turned around and touched her own cheek.

‘Was my expression strange? ...And why is my face so hot again…’

She relaxed the tension she had been holding in front of Ken and swayed in embarrassment, imagining how awkward she must have appeared.

Mary, who usually maintains a cold demeanor with an expressionless face.

If her admirers saw her like this now, they might just faint from the change.

Mary, who was touching her cheek, placed her hand over her heart.

Thump, thump.

A heartbeat louder than usual.

'Thank goodness...'

She had thought she might be rejected.

The thought of being able to study together in the library made the anxiety and frustration she had been feeling moments ago swiftly disappear.

In its place, anticipation and excitement settled in.

Mary smiled shyly.

After class ended, Mary headed to the library first.

'I need to grab a spot early.'

Since the prize for placing first in the test was announced, many students had intensified their studying.

Perhaps because of this, the library was more crowded than usual, and therefore, there were fewer seats available.

The Academy's library was large enough to occupy an entire building, but students still filled it to overflowing.

'... Ken's influence is really something.'

Among them, there were quite a few male students. Of course, their intention wasn't to ask Ken out on a date. The reason they aimed for the top spot was due to a certain rumor.

There was a widespread rumor in the Lillias Kingdom that the renowned creator Adventurer was actually Ken. The male students planned to use the privilege gained from being first to request a production from him.

'More importantly, finding a seat...'

Mary arrived at the library, carrying the textbooks she planned to study with, and glanced around. The library was already filled with students who had claimed seats, making it difficult to find an empty spot.

Moreover, since Ken would be joining her, she needed two seats. After a brief search, Mary finally spotted a table with exactly two vacant seats.

'...It's Emily.'

And there, deep in concentration, was Emily, engrossed in her studies. Her intense focus on her textbooks, organizing her notes, demonstrated just how seriously she was taking this upcoming test.

"..."

Mary briefly considered looking for another spot. But curiosity got the better of her, and she approached Emily.

“Emily.”

“Huh?”

Hearing Mary's voice, Emily, who had been absorbed in her study, turned her head to see who was calling her.

"Oh! Mary?"

Emily was slightly startled by her sudden appearance, flinching a little. Encounters between them usually ended up being confrontational.

"May I sit next to you?"

However, Mary, unfazed, asked naturally with her usual expressionless face.

"…I don't mind."

Emily nodded cautiously, a bit wary of Mary's unusual demeanor.

Since most of their encounters involved glaring at each other, Mary's calm expression felt unfamiliar.

Once Emily gave her consent, Mary sat next to her and placed the textbooks she had brought on the desk.

"You're studying very hard."

"…"

Noticing Emily's textbooks next to her, she observed them for a moment.

Countless notes and writings filled the pages.

It was a blatant display of how dedicated Emily was to her studies.

'...She's serious.'

Emily was genuinely aiming for first place.

This whole competition for the top spot was initially started by Emily in the first place.

Asking to grant her a favor if she earned first place.

Mary recalled the expression Emily had shown when she made that request.

To Mary, it unmistakably seemed like the face of a girl with a crush.

"If you get first place, what do you plan to ask for?"

It was something she had been curious about for a while.

She had assumed, like herself, that Emily would ask for a date, but she felt like it wasn't the case.

And above all, there was one question.

‘Emily clearly liked Ken, but why had she troubled him?’

Emily, holding her pen, blushed and covered her mouth in response to Mary's question.

As she averted her gaze, she replied, "…I want to create an opportunity to apologize."

"Apologize… Really?"

"Yes, because I've done many things wrong to Ken."

Even though Emily's face was averted and only her profile was visible, the atmosphere surrounding her seemed sincere.

"Then why do you suddenly want to apologize?"

Mary recalled the girl in their class who had recently confessed her feelings for Ken.

"Is it because Ken's appearance has changed all of a sudden?"

"Wha-what?! No, it's not like that!"

When Mary casually asked, Emily got overly flustered and denied it.

"So it's not related to Ken's appearance?"

"Yes! Of course, Ken has gotten more handsome, but..."

Emily fidgeted for a moment, unable to answer, and glanced at Mary.

Those eyes looked at her expressionlessly.

Even though they often bickered whenever they met, Emily knew Mary's character.

She knew Mary was a kind person.

"Ha... Fine, since it's you, I'll be honest."

Finally, Emily sighed and let go of what she had been worrying about.

After she explained her reason briefly, "So, you tormented him because you liked him?"

"..."

Contrary to her expectations, Mary's response was one of disbelief.

Emily, expecting her kind friend to at least handle it with a neutral expression, lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Emily, you're not a child."

"I know, okay?! But I just couldn't understand my own feelings!"

Confusion was definitely her initial response.

The person she had liked at first sight suddenly changed appearance and became someone she disliked.

At first, overwhelmed by such confusion, she denied her feelings and teased him.

But as time passed, the sight of the person she disliked began to look cute.

No, perhaps that was her true feeling all along, and she just hadn't realized because she denied it.

"Anyway! ... So now I want to apologize. ... Whether he accepts it or not is another matter."

"I see."

Learning something she hadn't expected at all, Mary was bewildered.

However, after hearing Emily's explanation, everything began to make sense.

No wonder Emily seemed to cling to Ken so oddly whenever she teased him.

Honestly, Mary's frustration wasn't just about the teasing; Emily's constant pestering irritated her too.

"And more importantly, I can't stand the thought of all those shallow people, who only care about Ken's looks, ending up in first place."

Emily gripped her pen tightly.

"I mean, these people, who couldn't care less when he was chubby. He was clearly charming even back then..."

Emily's expression showed her anger clearly.

Mary found something familiar and endearing about Emily’s profile.

Probably because everything Emily said was exactly what Mary had been thinking.

"Ken was cute, wasn’t he?"

"That's what I mean! Oh, I even miss his pre-diet self at times now."

After sharing her true feelings, Emily found it easier to confide in Mary.

It was embarrassing, but she hadn't shared this with anyone before.

"He enjoyed his food with such happiness, it was nice to see."

"Right, right, didn't you just want to give him extra sometimes?"

Soon enough, they found themselves laughing and chatting together.

The topic of their conversation was Ken from the past.

Even though Mary and Emily hadn't really had a proper conversation before now, as they continued talking about Ken, a sense of camaraderie began to emerge between them. They began to feel like they truly understood each other.

‘…Huh? This feeling, somehow familiar…’

Mary felt a sensation similar to the dizziness she had experienced in the hallway some time ago. It was as if she had been through a moment like this before. It felt like déjà vu but more tangible.

‘Why is this happening?’

Emily was experiencing the same sensation.

After class, I hurried back to Raphne's Tower to have dinner with Raphne as usual.

‘I didn’t expect Mary to be the one to suggest it.’

Other female students had gathered around, suggesting studying together since it was exam season. Naturally, I was planning to decline, but then Mary appeared at that moment and unexpectedly took me out.

‘Still, with Mary, it should definitely be helpful, right?’

Studying together could certainly be effective for the upcoming exam. And it's best to study with someone you're comfortable with and can relate to easily.

Female students, with whom I hadn't really had a proper conversation, naturally felt a bit intimidating.

"I'm back. Raphne, did you wait for me?"

Ken organized his thoughts about the subjects he planned to study today and opened the door to the room at the top of the Tower.

As the door opened, a familiar scene greeted him.

Raphne stood by the window, her back turned to him.

‘...Did she receive something?’

When Raphne stood by the window, it was usually for one reason.

She was receiving items ordered by a familiar.

Moreover, she wasn't even reacting now that I've arrived. What could this be about?

Normally, Raphne would run to embrace me the moment I opened the door.

"Raphne… what are you doing?"

Curious, I approached her side.

I wanted to see what she was looking at.

As I walked closer, I saw a familiar shape over her shoulder, causing me to widen my eyes.

"...Ken."

As I neared, Raphne quietly called my name.

Her voice made my shoulders flinch slightly.

"...This Wish Ticket… what is it?"

She turned to face me.

Her empty eyes and the faint smile that surfaced greeted me.

In her hand was the same parchment found on the Academy bulletin board.

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