Chapter 145: Layla
[space_man][space_man]Layla had finished her paperwork much earlier than expected, thanks to Marie and Moira helping her out, and was enjoying the tea that Marie had brewed. Marie took a sip and began,
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”By the way, Layla, are you ready to confess to Al?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Layla choked on her tea at those words. Moira, who was sitting next to her, gently patted her back.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Um, well, not yet……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Layla stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment. Marie sighed.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Seems like it’ll take a while longer.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’m…… sorry……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”How many years has it been since you started liking him?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Oh, it’s been that long?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moira inquired, nibbling on her usual sweets.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Let’s see. I think I was about four years old. My father ran a trading company, and I went with him to deliver goods to the royal family. I met him there. He would sometimes take me out to play.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Wow. That was longer than I thought.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moira’s eyes widened in surprise.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Please don’t tell Commander Alderic, or Eld-senpai, of course.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moira nodded.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That aside, what are you going to do?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Layla held her head in her hands. The reason she was so hesitant wasn’t because she lacked courage or was afraid of being rejected.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]After Layla entered the Central Academy, she immediately went to see Al. At that time, she only went to greet him. However, the timing was bad. Al was confessing to Marie at that moment. But Marie flatly ignored him and sat next to Eld, who was reading a book on a bench, and started reading as well.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Layla had forgotten something. Of course, Al, with his good looks and lineage, was popular with his female friends. However, because of his royal lineage, he wasn’t often seen as a romantic partner. That’s why Layla felt relieved. But she hadn’t considered the opposite. She had completely forgotten that Al might like someone too.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]That day, she didn’t speak to Al and shut herself in her dorm room. The next day, she went to see him again, and he introduced her to Eld and Marie. Since then, she has witnessed Al confessing to Marie many times, but the result was a crushing defeat. Honestly, she was impressed that he could keep it up.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]In the end, two years passed, and she couldn’t confess even on the day the three of them graduated. She spent the remaining year worrying about her future, quarreled with her parents about it, and ran away to this place. Hoping that someday, she could convey her feelings. However, she hesitated because she saw Al’s confession when she entered the academy. She couldn’t confess until now because she kept thinking about things like whether he was actually dating another female staff member.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……la? ……Layla? Layla!”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie shook Layla’s shoulder, and she looked up.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Are you okay? You suddenly spaced out.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Y-yes, I’m fine…… I’m sorry……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Despite her words, Layla sighed and sank back into the sea of her thoughts.