I am really lucky this time!
At least that's how I felt when Arthur gave me the task to clean up the storage room. Since it means that I really didn't get special treatment due to my identity and it's something that even I can't mess up.
Since in the game Lucy and Arthur already knew each other by this point and that Lucy's academic performance was better than mine, it makes sense that she would receive different assignments than me.
I was worried about a lot of aspects of joining the student council and one of them was that I felt unqualified for such a big responsibility.
But with such uncomplicated tasks, I feel like I can also contribute after all. Although physical work is a bit tiresome, I can just push through it.
So I was really confused when Seraphina suddenly showed up with a scary look on her face and dragged me away. If I saw such a scene in the game, I would have thought that she grabbed Lucy to bully her.
But she just brought me to her room, looked me over and then took my hands to check my palms. She kept asking about if I was okay and if it was too much for me to stay in the student council after all.
I don't really get it, but I guess she was worried about me? So I just reassured her that everything was okay and that I was excited to keep working like this with the student council.
Though when I said that I thought I saw a murderous gaze in Seraphina's eyes, but it wasn't there a moment later so it must have been my imagination?
…Anyway, it's already been a week since I joined the student council alongside Seraphina and so far it's been quite similar to my first day experience.
It really seems like my luck has improved, since I usually get assigned physical jobs so I don't really need to deal with the other students.
But for some reason Seraphina keeps showing up at the start, quickly taking care of about half of the work and then going straight back to the student council office. When I asked about it she just said that it was also part of her job and didn't elaborate further.
Though what surprised me even more is just how capable she is no matter what she does. As a daughter of duke she probably never had to do lowly jobs like cleaning and yet even on the first day she outpaced me by a lot and the difference has only been getting wider between us.
I wouldn't really call myself a pro at housework but I must have a lot more experience than her. Even though technically I'm also the daughter of a duke, Lucy was never treated like a noble so I even have her memories where she had to do everything for herself and then there are also my own memories of my past life, which was quite similar in that aspect as well.
"Phew."
I let out a short sigh as I finish up today's task of cleaning the gym equipment room. Actually, would this usually be the responsibility of the student council? I sort of understand cleaning up the student council's storage room, but this feels a bit off. But I'm not sure, I never did any extracurricular activities at school in my original world so I don't know how they work.
Hm, but there's something else that is strange right now. Even after putting away all the cleaning equipment and closing up, Seraphina still isn't here. Usually she shows up right away after I finish.
Well, there's no point in standing around here, I should try looking for her instead. She's probably in the student council office, right?
"...excuse me…"
I carefully open the door, but thankfully it seems like most of the other members have already left. I only see one person laying on the desk in front of her, her fiery red hair making her instantly recognisable.
It's a good thing I entered quietly.
I silently walk up to her just in case, while hearing her faint rhythmic breathing, but yeah she seems to be asleep.
"..."
Seeing her sleeping so serenely with such a defenseless expression is quite a powerful contrast between her usual self.
She really is an otome game character too, huh.
I've already been in this world for a while so I got kind of used to seeing beautiful people all around, yet I still can't help but admire her for a while…
"...!"
But I quickly get back to my senses, I shouldn't stare at someone while they're sleeping. Ah, actually now that I think about it, she has been looking a bit tired lately. I didn't think much of it at the time, but this extra student council work must be exhausting for her.
I glance at the pile of papers next to her.
Hm, it seems she finished all her work already. But then what's that still in front of her?
I lean a bit closer.
Schedule for Lucy:
Monday - work
Tuesday - student council
Wednesday - work
Thursday - student council
Friday - student council
Saturday - study session
Sunday - free day, no matter what Lucy says.
"…!"
The content of the book in front of her is a bit shocking for me.
W-why is it about me…?
I quickly move my eyes and read the rest of the visible text. But it just seems to be notes about this week's lessons, highlighting important parts and listing potential test questions.
Wait. She writes all these guides herself? She usually gave me similar ones alongside her books during our study sessions before, but she just said it was from a study book she had.
They are really easy to understand and it helped me to catch up quickly on a lot of subjects. So I just believed her and since Seraphina's handwriting is so elegant and uniform, I couldn't tell the difference between the official handwriting usually used to write books and hers.
Ah, but. Doesn't that mean that I'm the reason she's been tired lately?
Actually it makes sense. Even before we joined the student council, she already spent a lot of her time with me. Now with everything else as well, it must take a lot out of her.
…But why would she care about someone like me this much?
She'd probably tell me that it's because she wants a fair fight for the next monthly exam, but even so. I don't deserve it, especially if it's detrimental for her.
But I doubt I could talk her down from it, at least from what I've seen of her so far, she can be quite stubborn. Then maybe I could do something for her as well?
Hm, there isn't much I can think of on my own, but since we're already in the student council, perhaps I can take inspiration from the game too?
Ah right, there is one event near the start of the game I could use.
While waiting for Seraphina to wake up I gather my thoughts and put together a plan for tomorrow.
It's a bit risky but it could work.
I glance at Seraphina still sleeping, though she seems like she's beginning to stir awake so I gather my courage, determined to see my newly formed plan through.
***
"U-Um! Excuse me, your Highness…" I call out while unsuccessfully trying to keep my voice steady.
"Hm? What is it?"
Ugh, facing a capture target is still quite a hurdle. Not just the knowledge that I'm in front of an important character from a game that I wanted to avoid at all costs, but also the invisible pressure of having the attention of an almost eerily handsome man. It's kind of hard to even look at him, like he radiates a blinding light, not meant for the eyes of someone like me.
"Are you okay…?"
"Ah sorry." I quickly lower my hands shielding my eyes and return to my senses.
"I just wanted to ask- I mean I heard there are reports of students from our school causing trouble in the Academy City."
"What?! Where did you hear that?"
"...!"
Ugh, such a fierce look isn't much better for my heart either. Isn't that too big of a mood shift? Well, I guess he's really serious about keeping up the school's reputation. But still, wasn't he supposed to be a more easygoing type of character?
"I j-just overheard some people talking about it in the city?"
"Tch. I will look into it later."
"Ah! About that, w-would it be possible to let me handle it? I want to be useful to the student council too, and since I was the one who heard about it, I can start right away on the investigation as well."
"You? Well, I guess you have done an adequate job so far with all that cleaning on your own…"
"Huh? On my own? But Seraphina…"
"...? You're the only one assigned to cleaning duties. Seraphina mostly handles paperwork. Though she has been disappearing somewhere lately, but she always gets her job done so it's not really a problem."
Ah, so she was just helping me out with that too after all. Now I feel even more determined about my plan.
"Anyway. What was that about her?"
"...! Right, would it be okay if Lady Seraphina accompanied me as well? With two people we could cover more ground and look out for each other."
"Hm okay, that's not a bad idea. With her also going along I can rest assured that she'll take care of it. Then you don't need to come to the student council office, you can go straight to the Academy City when it's time. And inform Seraphina about it as well, you can do that much right?"
"Yes! Thank you very much!"
"Then if there's nothing else, you can go."
"Hm! Goodbye, your Highness."
Once the conversation is over, I don't hesitate and let my feet carry me away.
Phew, it's finally over. That was way too stressful for me, I'm really not built to deal with important people like him. But at least my plan actually worked.
It seems like even without my involvement events are still taking place as in the game. Arthur so easily accepting my mention of troublemakers from the academy probably means that like in the game, he already received reports of similar activity, he just hasn't investigated it yet.
Though I guess this isn't a good thing for all events, since some of them needed Lucy to push the capture targets forward so they could have their moments of character development. And now if I, as Lucy, am not involved in them, I wonder how those events would play out.
Ugh. Probably not well, huh?
Whatever, I'll cross that bridge when I get there. For now I should focus on my plan.
Originally this event had Arthur and Lucy investigate the rumor, but it was basically just a leisurely date and the troublemakers turned out to be just a misunderstanding as well.
So by doing this with Seraphina I can just let her rest a bit and call it official student council business, since I feel like she's someone who wouldn't normally agree to just relax for a while.
But now she can't refuse and with this the hard part is already over as well. Now I'll just have to accompany her and let her kick back a bit. Though my already thin wallet might not like the idea too much…