The Extra’s Academy Survival Guide - Chapter 255

There were many stories of people who managed to make a forbidden love work.

However, they were only possible in fairytales with happy endings, where love transcended all sense of status.

Yennekar Palerover had come to realize that long ago. Reality was more obvious than you might think. There were no plot twists, and life was just a repeated, boring cycle.

Occasionally, there were highlights, though they were only brief. In the grand scheme of one’s life, it was primarily filled with simple, obvious, and dull stories.

One’s love life was no different. It was also just a simple story with an obvious ending.

Unlike fairytales that ended an adventurous and fulfilling story with just one unreasonable line: ‘They lived happily ever after…’

Yennekar’s life would be filled with very few highlights and obvious endings.

She loved a man named Ed Rothstaylor.

She was still young, but she could tell. No matter how many years passed, she would never again think of someone so passionately.

The experience of loving someone so passionately would become a memory, nourishing her long life. It would help Yennekar become a more mature person.

Even if it was an unfruitful love, it would forever remain in her heart. She would always be able to remember the time she thought of another so passionately.

But was that enough?

Yennekar Palerover decided on her own that their love could never come to be. Though, she hadn’t realized it herself.

She had a feeling deep down that her days of living with him on the Rothstaylor Estate would eventually come to an end.

Fearing a broken heart, she decided the end her own love life before anything happened. The reason she felt as such was obvious. It was because she was well aware of Ed Rothstaylor’s situation.

She knew what Ed would have to sacrifice much to be with her. While she would be happy if Ed decided to give everything up to be with her, she couldn’t blame him for not doing so.

However, since she sincerely loved him, she could be stubborn.

The political situation of Ed Rothstaylor, the people around him, his power as a noble, or his busy schedule as a professor… She could ask him to put all of that aside.

She could tell him to make the sacrifices necessary to keep her by his side. To take care of her and hold her close forever. Ed Rothstaylor probably wouldn’t reject such an offer either.

However, she wasn’t born as that type of person.

She didn’t want to make Ed Rothstaylor sacrifice anything. Especially since she knew the kind of life he had lived and what kind of life he wanted in the future.

That was why the woman felt lost. She was unsure of where the love that she had treasured for such a long time should go.

Sometimes, she even disillusioned herself, just being satisfied by standing by his side.

I need to make up my mind…

After washing her face, Yennekar put on a gown as she tied it tightly from the front. She looked at herself in the mirror, drying her hair.

I was a bit flustered after realizing we would be sleeping in the same room together, but I can’t back down now… There’s a role I need to play…

Just because Ed Rothstaylor treated her like she was special, she couldn’t mistake that as her being a particularly valuable person to him.

However, after not having any place to spend the night, she ended up coming over and thanking Ed for letting her stay in the same room as him. Her heart was pounding with nervousness and excitement.

Based on how Ed was, he probably wouldn’t lay a hand on her. In fact, there was a high chance that Yennekar would be the one getting too nervous if they started flirting or the tension rose.

Yennekar bit her lips as she looked at her blushing cheeks.

It hadn’t been long since she graduated from Silvenia Academy, but she was now an adult. How much longer would she continue to act embarrassed and tremble over something like that?

It wasn’t like they decided they would sleep together or anything. He just let her sleep in an extra bed in the room.

It was embarrassing that a woman of her age would stutter and blush over something as miniscule as that. And it wasn’t like Ed would continue to be considerate and caring towards her forever.

That was why she steeled her heart as she washed her face once more.

“Yeah, okay…”

The heat on her face seemed to have subsided, and she was finally getting her composure back.

She looked in the mirror as she smiled like an adult. When she acted like that, she didn’t feel as if she was a mere child anymore. She acted as if she were an adult woman that could easily handle men.

Yennekar took advantage of that momentum as she quickly opened the bathroom door. She would be able to handle Ed without a problem.

“Did you finish washing up?”

Slam!

However, upon seeing Ed taking off his clothes and wearing only pants while sitting on her bed… Yennekar couldn’t help but go back into the bathroom and slam the door shut.

She had to hold the bridge of her nose tightly to stop the nosebleed. She then splashed cold water on her face for a while longer.

* * *

“I-I’m sorry… Ed… I didn’t realize you were changing clothes.”

Yennekar came back out to the bedroom. She was blushing so much that it almost seemed as if she had painted her face red.

But when Yennekar went to the bedroom, Ed still didn’t have his shirt on.

“Y-You haven’t changed yet…! I-I’m sorry! I’ll wait in the bathroom, so tell me when you’re done!”

“No, you don’t have to go. Come here and sit next to me.”

“Wh-What?”

She tried to say, ‘What did you say?’, but she swallowed her breath halfway through, making it hard to understand her.

Seeing Yennekar act as if her brain was fried, Ed felt as if he had to say something to explain the situation first.

“I wasn’t changing. I just took it off.”

Yennekar had completely stopped breathing. It wouldn’t have been strange if she passed out right there.

She nodded a couple of times with her face on fire. She slowly walked over, sitting down next to Ed.

“Are…you cold…?”

Her heartbeat was so loud that it completely filled her ears. For a moment, she couldn’t hear what Ed said at all.

“Wh-What? What did you say?!”

“Are you cold, Yennekar?”

“No! I’m fine! Rather, splashing cold water on my face earlier felt refreshing!”

Since she was acting nervous, the tension in the air was higher than usual. She wanted to act as if she wasn’t bothered but for her, that wasn’t possible.

“That’s good then. By the way, I have something I wanted to tell you, Yennekar.”

“Hm?! Say it! Whatever it is!”

Yennekar had already become a yes-man.

In an enclosed space, spending the night together… Ed had taken off his shirt and was sitting on Yennekar’s bed. Yennekar sat next to him wearing only her underwear and a robe over it. She held her breath, her face red.

In such a state, it was impossible for her to use her brain. Yennekar couldn’t help it.

“…It’s a bit serious. From your point of view, it might seem natural, or maybe it’s surprising, but… I wanted to make something clear.”

“What?”

Ed pulled on the ends of the bedsheet as he paused for a moment before speaking.

“I think I like you. As a lover.”

Yennekar Palerover stopped breathing.

Deceased. Yennekar Palerover, age twenty one.

Cause of death, heart attack after Ed Rothstaylor’s sudden confession.

* * *

“…Cough!”

It felt as if she had passed out for a moment before coming back. Was she out for three seconds? Maybe five?

Yennekar’s mind, which had fallen into a state of panic, was slowly coming back. It felt as if she had just returned from death.

“Wh-What…”

“I just said that I think I like you as a lover.”

“Th-That’s not it. I-I heard you, but… Wh-Why… Uhhh…”

Since she couldn’t close her mouth, saliva spilled out. Yennekar gasped as she cleaned herself up, quickly regaining her composure.

“You must have realized it to some extent, no? How many years have we been together already?”

“B-But… The difference in status between us… You’re a duke, and I’m just a mere vassal of yours. I was born to farmers and was barely given the title of baroness…”

“Yeah… I expected you to say that…”

Ed lowered his head for a moment before speaking.

“…You’re right. I guess that means I was rejected.”

“What? What are you talking about?! D-Don’t interpret my words strangely! I didn’t reject you! I didn’t! So don’t jump to conclusions so quickly. We need to talk about it! This is important, so we need to talk about it first! I didn’t reject you! I didn’t!”

“If you didn’t reject me, then…”

“Cough…!”

Yennekar struggled to catch her breath after saying all of that. She put her hands up to cover her face, wondering if she could bear the heat rising to her head.

“E-Ed… this isn’t good…”

“What? What is it?”

“The corners of my mouth, I can’t control them… I need a minute. I think I’m making a ridiculous expression that doesn’t match the mood right now…”

“…Take your time.”

Yennekar lowered her head, putting it between her pale thighs.

What was the feeling that was crawling up her back? It was a rather refreshing feeling, like a catharsis of sorts. But she didn’t know exactly how to explain it.

Happiness was too simple of an expression. It felt as if something was missing. She felt as if she was ascending to heaven. Her heart was fluttering out of control, and even breathing had become difficult.

“But there’s a problem.”

Suddenly, Ed spoke from behind Yennekar, who was busy with her head between her thighs, trying to figure out how to describe the feeling she felt.

She was embarrassed, shy, and didn’t think she could look at Ed… While she sat quietly like that, Ed struggled to say his next line.

“It might not just be you who I end up being in love with…”

The world came to a stop.

Yennekar, who was busy trying to manage her expression, turned to stone.

She then lifted her head, looking at Ed with wide eyes and a frozen expression.

“…H-Huh?”

“Hear… Me out… Yennekar… There’s this thing called a hero’s honor… I’m not saying I’m a hero, but I am a duke who has accomplished quite a bit.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“Don’t you think that the more incredible someone is, the more experiences they should have? Don’t you think that such incredible people deserve to embrace multiple different people…?”

Ed Rothstaylor was speaking much differently than he usually did. It was completely different from his normal way of speaking coldly and directly, not wording things into questions strangely.

He couldn’t help it. Ed Rothstaylor may have had experience with women before, but he never had to act so scummy and openly declare that he was going to cheat on them while confessing.

Ed turned his head to avoid looking at Yennekar as he spoke.

“S-So, what I-I’m saying is that I-I might end up loving other w-women as well…”

“Wh-What are you saying…?!”

“Since I’m a duke from House Rothstaylor, there are quite a few women who are trying to get close to me… Anyway, I don’t have a choice but to socialize with them, but one day we might end up eye to eye, and… Well, that’s just what happens among nobles. I’m just worried that you might be hurt when that happens. S-So, in a way, me telling you this now… is like I’m caring for you…”

It was sophistry.

Even though Ed Rothstaylor realized that he was talking in a way that was different from how he usually did and that he was spouting nonsense, he continued to speak.

“So… If something like that happens, I hope you can be understanding and forgive me… I just… wanted to tell you that…”

Ed Rothstaylor was prepared to get slapped by Yennekar.

He also thought she might end up swearing at him or crying. Whatever she did, Ed was ready to accept it.

“E-Ed…”

Yennekar raised her head… Surprisingly, her face was full of mixed emotions.

It had been nearly four years since they first met at the lake in the North Forest of Acken Island when they were second years.

After going through many hardships together, living with each other, and becoming his vassal… Yennekar had grown to have a deeper understanding of Ed, more so than anyone else.

One might have thought she would suddenly start throwing punches and shouting that “there are so many pieces of trash in this world,” but Yennekar Palerover had fully understood Ed’s real intentions when he told her those things.

Ed Rothstaylor wasn’t a greedy person. He was an incredible man, but he was not the type that was interested in having a plethora of women around him. He wasn’t the type of person who would say those words sincerely.

The real reason he said those things was none other than the fact that he himself had had a deep understanding of Yennekar Palerover.

The guilt that Yennekar would feel if he sacrificed something to have her by his side… Ed knew that fact well.

Yennekar already had a past where she was unable to bear that weight on her shoulders. He didn’t want her to experience it twice.

That was why Ed spoke as if he were a piece of trash.

Rather than Yennekar being burdened by the fact Ed had to sacrifice something to be together, he instead lowered himself and took on the blame, asking for forgiveness.

That way, Yennekar wouldn’t owe Ed anything. Rather, she would become a person who was understanding and forgiving of Ed’s immoral and perverse ways.

Ed realized how much weight he could take off her shoulders by doing so. He was willing to give up his social image. There were many nobles who had many commoner women around them like playthings. He was willing to put such rumors on himself.

But she knew that Ed, who was rather responsible, would never take on multiple women at once. That was because he was sincere in everything he did and treated those near him with kindness. There was no reason for such a virtuous man to commit such immoral acts.

At the very least, Yennekar was well aware of what type of man he was. He was the type to always focus on doing what he needed to do rather than on women.

As for if the other women around Ed would stand still, they would have to think about that later. Even if their situation changed in the future, they would have to think about that later. Even if things in the world didn’t go as expected, they would have to think about that later…

At that moment, Ed was simply being considerate towards Yennekar. It was enough to make her cry. There was a lot left to think about, but that could be put aside for later.

“Ed. Don’t try and take responsibility for my feelings by tearing yourself down.”

Ed was at a loss for words upon hearing Yennekar’s accurate words.

He thought that Yennekar might be suspicious of his sudden change in behavior.

Still, he had spoken so outrageously that he was expecting her to at least give him a look of contempt. However, Yennekar had a deeper understanding of Ed than he could have ever imagined.

He wasn’t the type to play with another’s hearts without reason.

Since that trust in him never wavered, she was sure that he was only saying those words to bring himself down.

But in the end, it was a fruitless attempt.

However… No one thought that such a fruitless attempt would in fact lead to an unexpected development. Not Yennekar, and certainly not Ed.

At the end of the day, their relationship was like a web of mutual respect and consideration toward each other that remained intertwined.

Ed was worried about Yennekar’s feelings. Yennekar was worried about Ed’s feelings, but if one of them acted in determination, their relationship would change entirely.

“Alright… I got it, Ed.”

In the end, Yennekar had read all of Ed’s hidden intentions. She swallowed her dry saliva as she shouted out, “If you are going to act like that, then be a piece of trash!”

Had Ed’s determination also affected Yennekar? She hardened her heart as she grabbed his arms, pulling him off the bed.

She breathed heavily. It felt as if she had used all her courage just to pull Ed closer.

By the time she came to her senses, she could feel Ed’s arm around the nape of her neck.

The front of her robe had become loose. Thinking of her chest and buttocks, which were now exposed, her head grew hot. It felt as if she was going to faint.

The cool night air that came in through the window brushed against Yennekar’s bare skin. Even the late summer night’s air felt as cold as ice because her body temperature had risen to the limit.