Avoiding Death in an Otome Game

Chapter 37: Chapter - 37: One, Two or Three?

Well even in the game it becomes blank after the player obtains the magic circle, but here it’s already blank even before Hina did anything.

Shocked by the fact, Hina hurriedly began flipping through the nearby pages once again as if hoping she had somehow made a mistake. Her movements gradually became more frantic the longer she searched.

Then she came back to the previous page and tried to chant the code, but it resulted in nothing as there was no reaction from the book.

”How can it be. Who cou...”

She suddenly stopped in her words like realizing something. Then she stood up and started walking..... Towards my desk!

Before she could notice anything unusual, I hurriedly canceled Horizon Eye and dispersed the elemental particles I had gathered throughout the library and continued pretending to be reading the book as I flipped the page naturally.

Acting exactly like I usually did during classes whenever I was pretending to pay attention.

She looked at me suspiciously and walked up to me.

*gulp*

”Lord Kai, sorry to disturb you.... Actually I thought maybe you wanted this book, I accidentally took it?”

She asked as she presented me the book ’Panaceasina’ that originally had the magic circle. She spoke politely, but I could clearly hear the probing intent hidden beneath her words

”Huh? No I think you have some misunderstanding, lady Hina. I wasn’t looking for that book. I wanted this one.”

I replied to her, showing the book I was just pretending to read.

”Oh, so have you already read this book?”

She asked, still insisting over the book, maybe she grows doubtful after seeing me in that area and thinks that I took the magic circle.

”Is that an interesting book? I am only interested in mysteries like this one. You know black sea is really an interesting place.”

Let’s keep the act going, I have already lost the magic circle. There’s no need to confront the heroine about the reincarnation and all.

She seems unconvinced as she keeps standing there for a few seconds and the atmosphere turned a little awkward. Even some nearby students glanced our way.

”Ahem!”

I heard an overly assertive voice and glanced to see a very familiar face standing not far, looking towards me and then Hina with doubtful expressions.

*gulp*(2x)

”Elena?”

”May I know what’s going on here, Lord Kai and Lady Hina?”

Elena asked in an unusually cold tone and even used honorific to address me. Something that I have already seen between my parents several times and the result has never been good, at least for my father.

It seems like she has completely misunderstood the situation.

”L-lady Elena. It’s nice to see you here. Actually it was just a misunderstanding on my part. I thought Lord Kai wanted this book.”

Hina started off nervously but put up a good reply and somehow took the topic back to the book.

”Lady Elena, have you read this book? It’s a masterpiece ’Panaceasina’. It’s just there seems to be a part missing on page 137.”

Hina said as she carefully looked at Elena’s face like she was trying to find something. But unfortunately for her Elena face just changed from doubtful to puzzle.

*Is she doubting Elena now?*

”I am not interested in that book. Now if you don’t mind lady Hina, I want to read what my fiance likes.”

*Elena really seems unusually possessive today*

I thought as I watched her passing by Hina and coming near me, taking the seat on my right.

”What are you reading Kai?”

Elena asked regaining her soft tone as she curiously looked at the book I was reading.... or more precisely pretending to read.

”It’s just a hypothetical documentary on black sea, nothing much your type. Let’s find something we can read together.”

I said as I stood up and quickly pulled a certain book from a nearby bookshelf.

Hina seeing that she is not going to get any information from standing here, left with that book in her hands.

*Phew...*

*But if neither she got the magic circle nor I took then where did it disappear to? Could it be.....*

The realization immediately sent a chill down my spine as a sudden possibility appeared in my mind.

Someone else had already obtained the magic circle. Someone had reached this location before both me and Hina and obtained the magic circle before us.

”Huh? What are you thinking about?”

Elena who realized that I got distracted from the book, asked me with a doubtful expression as she glanced at the way Hina left from.

”You are misunderstanding. I was just thinking about a certain magic that I couldn’t get a hand of.”

I said to Elena so she doesn’t get any weird misunderstanding.

Although still with a little doubtful expression, Elena said.

”I will believe you this time.”

Seeing her like this, now I am pretty sure that Elena has romantic feelings for me, but the problem is that I have zero experience in this field.

We are already engaged but I didn’t take this engagement seriously in the start but now I feel that I was an idiot. I should have considered that she might have feelings for me.

Honestly I am kind of feeling happy to know that there’s a girl who likes me and gets jealous when I talk to other girls.

”...Kai.”

My thoughts were interrupted when Elena quietly called my name.

”Yes?”

”....if you ever get tired of this engagement, please tell me first.”

She said something I didn’t expect, and her expression suggests that it was something she wasn’t willing to talk about herself either.

”Elena, don’t think like that. Do I look like some playboy to you?”

I said with a light chuckle to ease her worry and it seems to have worked as she soon returned to her usual smile.

*I don’t know if it’s even right to make such big talks when I am not sure about it myself but for now.... I don’t think I can care about anything aside from getting stronger. Not only to save my own life but also in order to protect Elena.*

....