Book 5: Chapter 5: Suspicious Eye (1/2)

That night after the tea party lesson in the courtyard ended, Monica was working on her report in her attic room.

Getting point deduction was a matter of fact after serving coffee at the tea party. Since Lana and Casey negotiated a lot with the teacher, the teacher didn't deduct all her points, instead, they made her write a report.

Beside Monica, who was writing her report, was Nero licking a cup of coffee with plenty of milk poured in. In his cat form, Nero dexterously clutching a small cup with his paws, sticking his face into the cup.

”Phew, this thing is not bad. So this is what a grown man tastes like.”

Grown men won't pour so much sugar and milk into their drinks.

Exasperated at his comment, she finished her report then put back her quill pen at its place, then let out a deep sigh.

Recalling her tea leaves that had thrown into the trash can, Monica was certain it was an intentional act to harass her.

These things will keep occurring from now on, won't they?

Their hatred toward Monica will keep increasing day by day for sure.

But, what Claudia did hurts her head even more.

”Nero…”

”Oh, what's up?”

”I just wondering… maybe someone knew my true identity as the Silent Witch…”

Raising his head from the cup, Nero with his whiskers smeared in milk, said.

”Wanna do night escape?”

”Why did you always make such a decision?”

”Well, if your identity discovered, Lululu Lunpa will kill you, won't he?”

”…It's Louis. Please remember it, will you?”

While Nero was licking his cup, Monica pondered.

If her identity discovered, she will be forced to end this undercover mission.

Louis might give her a smile of indignation, but she will back to her quiet daily days, hiding back herself in the cabin, reading and calculating formula as she pleased. Without worrying about her social life.

…Even so, why she can't honestly happy about that?

”Um… My identity hadn't been discovered for certain… So I guess I will keep an eye just to make sure.”

Feeling Monica's unwillingness, Nero narrowed his golden eyes, then said, ”Oh, really~” in a teasing manner.

”If this you a while ago, you would have cried out, ‘I had enough~ I can't~ I wanna go home~'”

”Ugh… W-Well… you might be right… but…”

While Monica fidgeting with her finger, Nero leaped onto Monica's lap, tapping at Monica's thigh. His gesture was like that of humans who consoles their acquaintance.

”Why but? If you've got a little bit of an attachment to this place, I don't think that's a bad thing.”

”…is that… alright? …yeah, you right…”

Nero was right. For Monica, this school was no longer a place filled with only bad memories.

Although not many, she has friends, who would lend her a hand when she's in trouble. That was something new for Monica, who had previously shut herself off from socializing.

But, that timid and clumsy ‘Monica Norton' was only her temporary identity.

Eventually, when her mission is over, Monica will leave the school and return to her life in the cabin.

When that happened, she would never see the people she had met at this school as ”Monica Norton” again.

…and Monica will return back to be Monica Everett of the Seven Sages, Silent Witch.

＊ ＊ ＊

One week after the tea party.

Monica was completely at loss.

As soon as lunch break came, Monica hurriedly left the classroom. Even though she was the first one to leave the classroom, she still couldn't let her guard down.

After looking around restlessly, Monica took a large stride to leave the school building.

This should be fine… right?

Thought Monica while raising her gaze, but then she saw a figure with black hair stood in the shade of a water fountain, only to make her let a little gasp.

It was Claudia. When she standing near the water fountain, her figure was like a figurine, but when she noticed Monica, she only turned her gaze, staring intensely at her.

She's been like that all this week.

Claudia would appear wherever Monica went, only to stare at her from a distance.

She never came close or talked to her. All she did was looking at her, which was made her behavior would only look creepier.

When Monica hurriedly trying to head to the back of the school building… *bam* she bumped into someone and fell on her butt.

”I-I'm sorry…”