Ch. 167 One More Thing (1)
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Hello, Professor Wayne Hill.”
Louise bowed as she entered the greenhouse.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Ah, Miss Sweeney.”
Professor Hill was found squatting in the corner mixing dirt, and he slowly stood up. It was the first time the two of them had met since the incident. Louise had been busy with exams, while Professor Hill was on probation. She didn’t ask him how well he was doing, but the brightness of his expression was answer enough.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Are you here to check the winter roses for the graduation ceremony tomorrow?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes, that’s right. I was worried because it snowed a lot.”
The snow and ice often threatened the leafy residents of the greenhouse.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It was hard work, but they’re safe.”
Professor Hill straightened his shoulders and smiled proudly.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You cleared all the snow around here?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“I should havee to help. I’m sorry.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Don’t worry. Another good student came by and helped me.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Oh, you mean Simon?”
Louise naturally assumed it was him. Simon had been to this greenhouse many times, and he was good at physicalbor.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“No, it wasn’t Lord Hird.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“If it wasn’t Simon, then...?”
Louise looked at Professor Hill questioningly, and he nervously scratched his cheek.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Anyway, you don’t have toe here to do hardbor. It will interfere with your own work.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Well, you can call me anytime whenever you need help.”
The professor gave a smile.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Then you can count on me whenever the Sweeney greenhouse needs a hand too.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You’lle?”
Louise held her hands together as if it were a wishe true, and Professor Hill nodded.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“If you would be so kind as to invite me.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Of course I would invite you. I’m sure my parents will be happy too. My father really admires you.”
Professor Hill scratched his cheek again, and he looked bashfully at the red roses. Although they were standing in the greenhouse, even winter could make its icy grip felt inside. However, the roses won the fight to bloom even in these circumstances.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“...Beautiful.”
He murmured to himself in a small voice.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“What?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“A-ah, nothing, Miss Sweeney. You cane and pick up the roses any time tomorrow. And please say congrattions to President Audmonial and Lord Hird.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You won’t speak to them at the graduation ceremony?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“I...I don’t know if I’ll be there.”
Louise remembered that Professor Hill was on shaky ground and she didn’t pursue the topic further.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“I’ll convey your message to them. Don’t worry.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Thank you.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“And can Ie backter to give their replies?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Of course. This greenhouse wees all living things, and Miss Sweeney—”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Is a good creature!”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes, so feel free to visit.”
After giving a brief bow, Louise immediately returned to the student council room. With the graduation ceremony just one day away, everyone was up to their necks in busywork.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“How are the roses?”
Ian asked her in a businesslike manner.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“No problem. They’ll look great tomorrow.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Thank goodness.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“What are you looking at?”
Louise leaned over to see the papers Ian had been studying intently. On it were the names of the graduates along with times.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s when the graduates check out of the dorm.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Everyone has different time?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Tomorrow, everyone will spend as much time as they can to finish their Academy life here.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“But...why is the President managing that timetable?”
Ian tapped Louise lightly on the forehead with his pen.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“I’m worried about next year’s student council because they’re so useless.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Ugh.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Listen carefully. You will be doing this job next year.”
Louise straightened her fringe and nodded quickly.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Watching all students return home safely is thest sacred task of the student council presidents.”
Ah, she understood. The student council president cared for the students up until thest moment.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“That’s kind of romantic. But why would I be doing that? You said it was the job of the student council president.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes, it is.”
Ian patted Louise on the shoulder encouragingly.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Me?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“If my prediction is correct, yes.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You’re wrong! It can’t be me!”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not as much work than you think.”
That was a lie. Anyone could see that Ian was obviously suffering from fatigue.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You’re lying about not being busy. Right, ire?”
Louise summoned a witness who had seen Ian work for the past two years.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Huh, what?”
ire looked up from her work, looking startled as if she hadn’t heard their conversation.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“What happened?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Oh...I interrupted ire’s work. Sorry.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“No, it’s fine.”
ire swept away her long hair and held her pen again. She looked like she was immersed in writing a document. Louise turned back to Ian and whispered to him.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“President, what is she doing?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“She’s revising the president’s congrattory address.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Revising the congrattory message? Why?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Well—”
Before Ian could exin, ire handed over a sheet of paper next to her.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“This is what the original speech looks like.”
The address written by the dean was titled, “The Past, Present and Future of the Academy.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s an entire lecture!”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s not a lecture. It’s business.”
Her fingers were red as sheid down the pen. She must have been working on rewriting the address for some time.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Business?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes. With two famous people at the graduation ceremony, there will be many esteemed guests in attendance.”
When ire said “famous people,” she gave a pointed look towards Ian.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“As the dean, he wouldn’t want to miss this great business opportunity.”
There was nothing more unfortunate than suffering through the dean’s long, winding speeches at events. The Academy’s student council, which fought injustice against students and opposed terrible menus, secretly decided to make corrections to the dean’s speech.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“But is it okay if you touch someone else’s manuscript like this?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s fine. The dean will read off of it.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“What if he’s angry about the changes?”
This time Ian answered.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It won’t be a problem. He won’t find out about the changes until the graduation ceremony.”
There he wouldn’t be able to vent his anger in front of all the guests. It would be bad for business.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“And of course, he can’t get angry after the graduation either.”
Ian will wear his identity as Crown Prince again.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Wow...he’s going to be so frustrated.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Don’t worry about it. It’s a virtue for the student council president to care for the students until thest minute. Anyway, how are the corrections going?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“I just found out that he repeated <i>‘Lastly, there’s one more thing I want to ask the graduates’</i> for the sixth time.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s a small numberpared to the fifteen <i>‘Dear guests’</i>.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“That’s a very strange speech.”
Dean Crissis, who had been lying with his head down next to ire, woke up.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“He addressed the graduates six times and the guests fifteen.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Surely once each is enough.”
Dean gave a mumble of agreement and dropped his head back down to the table again. He must have been tired after staying up all night making paper flower ornaments.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Why don’t you go back to your room and sleep? Or at least go to the couch over there.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Don’t wanna...”
There was a note of stubbornness in his sleepy voice. Louise smiled to herself as she looked alternately between the workaholic ire and nearly asleep Dean. They seem to still get along very well.
Luckily, irepleted her revisions before dinner. Ian read the manuscript in the dean’s voice, and timed it for exactly four minutes and thirty six seconds. It was still quite long, but the original manuscript had been much longer. After dinner, they all went to the auditorium to hang the paper flower decorations, then returned to the student council room to put back the glue and scissors.
After all that work, they all finally made their way back to the dormitories. ire took Louise’s arm as she spoke in a somber tone.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“The day went by so quickly.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes. How are you feeling? It’s yourst night in the dorm.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Very strange.”
She shook her head gently, frowning.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“For some reason, I feel like I’ll still be talking to you same time tomorrow.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s the same with me.”
Louise squeezed ire’s arm tightly.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, I feel like you’ll still be here with me.”
Such a future felt so natural. It was strange that in reality this was ire’sst night.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It feels like life these past two years...”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“—wouldst forever, right?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes, I feel that way. I wonder why? I knew it wouldn’t be permanent, but it feels so short.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yeah, I wonder why too.”
The pair walked side by side with the unanswered question hanging between them. The path was familiar to ire now, and so she walked with her eyes closed.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“...Maybe because it was so much fun.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Maybe.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Even more after Louise came. Do you remember our summer vacation?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes! It was fun then. We yed all night.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Yes. And we ate all day.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“The sd we made from the potatoes the caretaker gave us were delicious too.”
They smiled as they reminisced together. Before they knew it, Ian and Dean appeared behind them too, smiling all the way.
<figure ss="wp-block-image sizerge"></figure><figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“It’s not ourst time together. Tomorrow you’ll be at the student council room again to do more work for the President.”
Ian made an important addendum to ire’s story.
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You’ll have to work hard too, ire Iris.”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“Really! Right until thest day?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“I’ll have you work until the veryst second. Isn’t that frugal?”
<figure ss="wp-block-media-text__media"></figure>
“You’re so awful and mean...”
However, ire was smiling brightly.