"Lilia. Are you calm?"
At Sakura's voice, Lilia lifted her head. How long had she been sitting here? The class should have started by now. They needed to hurry if they were going to make it, but Lilia just lightly touched her eyes and sighed.
"I'm calm. But you can't go to class."
"That's a problem, a big problem. I'm sorry to hear that, especially from the prince."
"Shut up, I know."
Lilia stood up, brushing the dirt from her clothes with ease. She peeked through the door, scanning the hallway. She could hear faint voices, but no one seemed to be nearby. It would be easy to sneak back to her dorm now, but that might worry Alisa.
"It's a waste of time, and don't you study in the library?"
"Right... Let's do that."
Silently, Lilia exited the classroom and began her cautious journey. She knew no one would scold her for bringing Sakura back, but she didn't want anyone to see her in this state. She still hadn't figured out who would eventually confront her over this situation.
She reached the upstairs library without encountering anyone, likely because most students were in class. She quietly opened the door and slipped inside, quickly closing it behind her and letting out a sigh of relief.
The library at this school was large, with numerous bookshelves. If you stayed in the back, you could avoid being seen. Especially during class hours, it was rare for students to be in the library. There was usually a teacher, but at this hour, they were likely busy organizing the shelves. The more commonly used books were in the front, and those in the back were often overlooked.
Lilia walked deeper into the library, reaching the back and pausing to catch her breath. The shelves around her were filled with books on the history of the country. This was a quiet corner, and no one would disturb her here.
"Well, no paper, no pen... but I'm studying! I don't even know what to say."
When Sakura helped Lilia with studying, her voice was full of energy. It sounded like she was having a lot of fun, even though her approach was strict at times. Despite the difficulty, Lilia found herself motivated to keep going, simply because she enjoyed hearing Sakura's cheerful tone. It made her feel good, especially when she answered a difficult question correctly.
Lilia was still thinking happily about that when she suddenly stopped herself.
"Sakura, I need to ask you something."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"From now on… how should I approach Tina?"
Sakura fell silent for a moment, clearly thinking. Lilia would likely reflect on it too, but she wasn't sure how to approach this conversation or what expression to wear.
The prince liked Tina, that much was clear. And Tina didn't seem to hate the prince either. Lilia had never heard Tina say she liked him, but there was no harm in assuming so. After all, if she didn't, she'd lose her own standing in this situation.
Lilia had completely distanced herself from the prince. She had pushed him away, and it seemed impossible for them to reconcile at this point. Tina, who had become friends with Lilia, now stood between them. That fact made Lilia feel a sense of regret.
"Are you worried about Tina?"
Lilia let out a quiet laugh at Sakura's question.
"It has nothing to do with her. I just don't want to be caught in the middle of any sparks."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
"What do you mean?"
"Haha. Well, for what it's worth, I don't think you need to worry so much. Maybe Tina will be concerned to make sure the two of them don't collide, but that's probably the extent of it. The prince will likely avoid bringing up Lilia's name, and I don't think you need to worry unless he tries to stir things up."
"Is that what it is?" Lilia thought, confused, since she still didn't know who Tina was.
"I think Tina would be extra concerned if we kept our distance. I guess I should just do what I normally do," I said, trying to sound casual.
"That's the hard part," Lilia replied.
"Yeah. Hang in there!" I offered, trying to encourage her.
"Think of it like other HR matters..." I added with a small chuckle.
I laughed bitterly, but I couldn't argue. Lilia was at a loss for an answer.
"Well, now it's time to study!" Sakura suddenly shouted, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Just as Sakura said that, a voice echoed through the room.
"Is that…? Is anybody there?"
I froze. Slowly, I turned around.
"…Huh?"
A boy stood there, someone I didn't recognize. He was short, with silver hair, and his school uniform marked him as a student, though he seemed out of place here. Few people in this school knew anything about Lilia, so I assumed he must be new.
"Uh, seniors? Are you looking for a class?" the boy asked, his voice uncertain.
He didn't seem to know Lilia at all. And as for me, I couldn't quite tell who he was either.
"Sakura, do you know this boy?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, I don't. He doesn't seem like a bad kid, though…" Sakura answered, her voice trailing off.
"Yeah..." Lilia muttered, still unsure.
After a brief pause, Lilia decided to take the initiative and forced a smile.
"I'm just here to do some research. What about you?" she asked, trying to sound friendly.
The boy's eyes lit up. "Awesome cat outfit! It's Lilia the Cat!" he exclaimed.
"Shut up," Lilia muttered, clearly embarrassed by Sakura's teasing.
I sighed internally, but I kept my focus on the boy. He seemed a bit flustered.
"I… I'm just studying here. I'm not familiar with the class... But luckily, my exam scores aren't bad, so I can miss some classes without a problem."
"Is that so?" Lilia replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, if you perform well on exams, you can skip class. If not, you'll be stuck for two weeks."
"Oh, I see. Got it," Lilia said, nodding, though she was still thinking it over.
Lilia knew she could study on her own, but efficiency was a concern. Even if she wasn't used to the class, it seemed like she should just attend. She turned her gaze back to the boy, who was smiling awkwardly.
"I don't know," he muttered, as if unsure of how to proceed.
"So, what are you going to do?" Lilia asked, still unsure of the boy's intentions.
"I wasn't asked to help, so let's just ignore it," he answered quickly.
It seemed like he was just another student passing through, and there was no real need for Lilia to get involved. She wasn't in the mood to help someone else, especially when she had her own challenges to deal with. Mentally and emotionally, she was drained.
"I won't pry any further," Lilia said, turning away. "Good luck with your studies."