Lafne walked down the hallway humming a tune.
On the day she received Ken's proposal for a duel, she imdiately stord into the academy's faculty office, calling for the second-year professor to explain her situation.
“Excuse ? M-Miss Martinez, you want a duel as a bet…?”
The drafting of a contract using magical interference at the academy can only be executed with the professor’s approval.
Partiel, the second-year professor, initially refused Lafne’s request.
The content was far too improper.
“Professor, do you wish to only attend the academy until this year?”
“…Eek!”
However, faced with the bright yet dark gaze of his student threatening him, Partiel reluctantly agreed to witness the contract and duel.
Thus, the process of Lafne’s challenge against Ken proceeded smoothly under her leadership.
“Hmm~, hmm-hmm~.”
Lafne felt good.
For the past few days, her head had been in a whirl, and her chest felt tight, causing her to beco irritable.
Suddenly, her mind felt clear.
“Ken will always… heehee, always be by my side… uhihih.”
She couldn’t help but giggle as she hid her face, bursting with laughter.
Just one more day, and his ownership would co to her.
Lafne didn’t think for even a mont that she would lose.
After all, she was the strongest in the academy.
While others might say she was the top of the second year, in her judgnt, there was no one in the academy who could overpower her.
Therefore, now that the bet had been established, Ken was essentially already hers.
She just had to wait a little longer until the contract was drafted.
Lafne sat at her desk in the dormitory, contemplating what she would do once Ken was hers.
“Hmm… first, I’ll need a house, right? The dorms separate boys and girls…”
Gone were the days when Lafne told herself she wouldn’t care about Ken or ignore him, calling him insignificant.
Now, her mind was filled solely with thoughts of Ken, driven by the desire that welled up inside her.
With a fluttering heart, Lafne spent the night in her dormitory.
And the next day.
Waking up earlier than usual, Lafne hurriedly began to prepare, her heart racing with anticipation.
Even though going to the academy early wouldn’t an the duel would start sooner, she wanted the duel to begin as soon as possible, so she left the dorm earlier than usual.
As a result, the area in front of the girls' dormitory was quiet, devoid of people.
Except for one.
There was soone leaning against the quiet front door of the dormitory, arms crossed.
“Ah, you’re out early. Hello, Lafne.”
It was Ken Feinstein.
He greeted her as if he had been waiting for her.
“…K-Ken.”
Lafne, who had just been smiling brightly at the thought of owning him, suddenly felt flustered at the unexpected encounter.
‘Did he wait for …?’
Joyful feelings surged deep within her heart.
The thought that the person she wanted to see had co looking for her almost made her feelings burst forth.
But Lafne steadied her heart.
Rather than calming herself, she forcibly suppressed those emotions.
After all, this was before her duel with him.
While her instincts were wagging their tails vigorously, her rational judgnt ordered her to treat him coldly.
“Hmph, what’s going on so early? You’re not here to back out of the duel, are you?”
She crossed her arms and looked at him sideways, pretending to be nonchalant.
“Of course not. That bet is important to too.”
However, as he approached her with a smile, the cold expression she had maintained lted away.
“Then, what is it?”
“I have sothing I want to give you.”
Ken rummaged through his pocket and pulled sothing out.
“...A spear?”
What he held was a spear that glimred with a golden light.
However, it was so short that it was hard to call it a spear.
Still, Lafne could tell it was indeed a spear.
She didn’t know why, but it felt strangely familiar.
As Lafne stared blankly at the spear, Ken extended it toward her.
“Here, it’s for you.”
In a daze, she accepted the spear he offered.
“Why are you giving this to ?”
The golden spear in her hand glead.
The magical stone embedded at the tip of the spear suggested that she could alter its shape as she wished by channeling magic into it.
Thus, Lafne was puzzled.
“Do you want to use this in the duel?”
“Sure, if you want to. If you don’t like it, that’s fine too.”
“Then why give it to ?”
It was okay to use it, and it was okay not to.
So she was curious as to why he was giving her such a gift.
For a mont, Ken stared at Lafne silently.
Then he smiled and opened his mouth.
“Because I like you, Lafne.”
“…Huh?”
The words he said were clearly audible.
Yet, at that mont, Lafne stared at him in disbelief, unable to process what she had just heard.
And as she began to fully comprehend his words.
“Y-You like …?!”
She stuttered involuntarily, her face turning red.
Caught off guard by his sudden confession, Lafne’s mind spun as if it had malfunctioned.
“Then I’ll be going ahead. See you later.”
Ignoring her reaction, Ken waved and started to leave.
Lafne, now malfunctioning, stood frozen in front of the dormitory, holding the spear.
He likes .
Even after arriving at the academy, his words kept echoing in her mind.
‘…He likes ? …?’
With her face flushed, Lafne buried her head in her arms on the desk, lost in confusion over his words.
‘But why all of a sudden…?’
The timing felt strange.
Just yesterday, he had been so provocative and challenged her to a duel.
Yet, this morning, he had smiled gently and confessed.
And overlapping mories ca to her mind.
It was the day Lafne had gone to the boys' dormitory with Ken.
“I have soone I like.”
That day, he had also made a sudden declaration.
Right in front of her.
‘So, the person he liked back then….’
As Lafne's thoughts reached that point, her face turned bright red again.
Up until this morning, her mind had been filled with thoughts of Ken’s ownership.
Now, she couldn’t calm down because of his bewildering confession.
‘What, then, the reason for proposing the duel….’
Ken, who said he liked her, had co to challenge her for her ownership.
He was willing to let her have ownership over him.
Then, ultimately, wouldn’t that an he was purposely provoking her to propose the duel?
If he lost, he would give Lafne his ownership.
If he won…
“I want you to grant a wish….”
She recalled the conditions of the bet he had set.
It felt like the puzzle pieces were finally coming together.
Until now, everything had been a jumbled ss due to thoughts of Ken’s ownership.
But now, with Ken’s confession, everything seed to align perfectly.
‘Then, that wish….’
No matter how much she thought about it, there was only one thing that ca to mind.
‘Be my girlfriend, Lafne.’
Lafne let out a silent scream, kicking her legs in frustration.
She felt like screaming loudly, but since they were in class, she buried her face in her arms and tried to calm her pounding heart.
Lafne made a firm judgnt.
The reason Ken had challenged her to a duel was as a pretext for asking her out.
He had confessed that he liked her, and then he hoped that if he won the duel, she would beco his girlfriend.
As that thought crossed her mind, a sudden idea flashed.
‘Is it alright to lose…?!’
If it ant Ken wanted to ask her out, perhaps it would be acceptable to lose.
“Please… surrender, Lafne.”
His voice, filled with longing, whispered in her ear.
It was as if he truly wanted her to concede.
Hearing Ken’s voice wishing to win made Lafne montarily lose her words.
‘Co to think of it, the reason he challenged to a duel was….’
All day, Lafne had been contemplating his confession.
The reason Ken had challenged her to a duel.
It was undoubtedly to ask her out.
After confessing his feelings, he wished to win the duel to beco her boyfriend.
When she reached that conclusion, a fleeting thought crossed her mind: ‘Maybe it’s okay to lose.’
But still, it was hard for Lafne to give up her ownership.
She genuinely charged at Ken.
But now she was caught and unable to move.
Even when she tried to break free with her strength, for so reason, Ken's grip had beco too strong to shake off.
‘…If it were Ken….’
If he wanted to ask her out, then…
“Please… surrender, Lafne.”
She sensed Ken’s kindness as he held her firmly yet gently.
Feeling her face heat up, Lafne grabbed her own arm tightly.
Her heart was pounding.
With her body temperature rising, heat surged to her face.
Now, if she answered that she would agree to his proposal, their relationship would begin.
After a brief pause, Ken finally spoke up, expressing his wish.
“As a price for tornting , Lafne, you will be locked away in the tower.”
At that unexpected response, Lafne stared at Ken blankly.
“…Huh?”
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