Book 2: Chapter 9: Cats Paw Substitute (2/2)
Just, open, the window! Let me paw her cheeeeek!
As Nero was scratching the window roughly, two more people came into the reference room.
It was Monica's target for protection, the second prince, who was also the president of the student council. Following him was a silver-haired young man who was apparently his aide.
”Oh? what's going on?”
＊ ＊ ＊
The first thing Felix did when he entered the archive room was to check the keys.
It hasn't moved from its initial position…
With a natural demeanor, he checked the other cabinets, but they didn't seem to have been ransacked. The only thing that had been removed in its entirety was a cabinet for accounting records.
Felix picked up one of the documents that lined up at his feet and flipped through the contents.
That was the accounting records from twenty-four years ago and there was a piece of paper with the correct numbers tucked in where the corrections were made. The same went for the other documents.
Cyril, who had been checking the documents beside Felix, peeled his eyes back in disbelief.
”This is… impossible! She's not only reviewed five years of records, but she'd done it for the entire records! Why did she even bring out all these old records! Hey, little girl! Explain the situation!”
Despite Cyril's ranting, Monica was not responding. His white cheeks were twitching in anger. At this rate, he might even hit Monica.
It was then that Felix noticed something. Monica's right cheek was swollen.
”What happened to her cheek?”
”I have to teach the rude one a little discipline.”
Bridget replied with a sullen look and covered her mouth with her unfolded fan.
Apparently, Monica's attitude had angered her.
Felix stroked Monica's cheek with his gloved fingertips. As expected, Monica didn't even bat an eye.
”Just now, I've asked her to review five years' worth of accounting records.”
After explaining this to the members of the student council, Felix calculated the numbers on the page where the correction paper was tucked.
It was as Monica pointed out, there were some flaws.
But I can't believe she went through the trouble of reviewing all the past records.
Even Felix was surprised by it… It has been a long time since he has been so surprised by something.
Feeling a little impressed, Felix gently tapped Monica on the shoulder.
”Good work, Miss Norton. I think it's time for you to take a break.”
But Monica did not reply.
”Miss Norton.”
When Felix shook Monica's shoulder a little harder, Monica lifted her right arm, and… brushed Felix's arm away in annoyance.
The student council members started to become agitated. Cyril, in particular, became enraged and began to spread his ice mana.
”You! How dare you disrespect His Highness! You deserve to die!”
Cyril started chanting angrily, but Felix lifted one of his hands to stop him.
Then he looked at Monica as if he were looking at a strange creature.
Monica was now using all of her consciousness to do calculations. The girl who was so scared to look at Felix's face was now not even looking at him.
It was the same as when she praised his sequence number more than Felix's appearance.
That strangely tickled Felix's heart.
——I would rather have you look back at me than at my numbers sequence.
A faint smile appeared on Felix's lips, then put his fingers on top her cheek, then——
——drop a single kiss on it where the red swollen cheek was.
While the student council members were in a state of shock, Monica's movements stopped, but she kept her eyes on the documents.
”Wait a minute, Nero… I'm almost done…”
”Nero?”
When Felix tilted his head and asked, Monica's thin shoulders jerked up and the quill fell from her hand.
Eventually, her whole body began to shake, and her head slowly, slowly turned toward Felix.
”Y-Y-Y-Y-Your…”
”Hm. You did your job very well.”
In response to Monica's strange voice, Felix gave her a smile, causing her to tumble out of her chair then fall on the floor.
”P-P-Please pa-pardon me fo-for my disrespectful mann—.”
Apparently, she bit her tongue at the end.
Monica clutched her mouth and began to squeal.
Felix gently stroked Monica's head, feeling as if he was watching a toy that moved in a delightful way.
”Please raise your head. You've worked so hard to fulfill my request, so you have nothing to be blamed for.”
”Ye-Yesh…”
Monica nodded while sniffling, but Cyril interjected with one hand raised, ”With all due respect.”
”Your Highness, this little girl has gone too far. Your Highness, you were only ordered her to check the accounting records for the past five years… but she has gone all the way reviewed documents other than those ordered by you, so I think she should be punished.”
At Cyril's statement, Monica turned pale again and began to shake pitifully.
Felix didn't ask Cyril but asked Monica.
”What did you think when you saw those accounting records?”
”Um… That's…”
”I won't get angry at you. Just be honest and tell me what you think.”
When Felix urged her in a calm voice, Monica fidgeted with her fingers and said.
”I was surprised at how sloppy the management was, even though the amount of money moving around was incredibly large!”
”You!”
Cyril became enraged and yelled at her, while Monica cowered while saying, ”You said you wouldn't get angry…”
Felix looked around at the members of the student council with a faint smile.
”This is the reality of our previous student councils. All of the student council members were in a position where had no financial difficulties, which is why it has been poorly managed. Even I was unable to catch Aaron O'Brien's wrongdoing right away… So with that reminder, I hereby declare.”
Felix grabbed Monica's hand, who had shrunk back into a sobbing heap, then announced in a high-pitched voice.
”I hereby appoint Miss Monica Norton, a sophomore in high school, as Student Council Treasurer.”
In the next moment, Monica's eyes turned white then collapsed on the spot.
As for the black cat, he was meowed noisily outside the window.