## Chapter 95 – Night of the Social Gathering (1)
“In the end… you didn’t come…”
At the end of her waiting, Carla, who ended up spending the last day alone in her dormitory bed, looked up at the ceiling with a forlorn expression and let out a small sigh.
Tomorrow, as Lucas had suggested, she would be leaving for the social gathering that would last for several days.
Not only her friends, but also people Lucas had invited, even those she didn’t know, might come, so it was an opportunity to build friendships and create new connections.
But the bed next to hers, the most important one, was still empty.
“I’ve already packed my luggage…”
Carla, alternating her gaze between the small trunk next to her bed and the empty bed beside it, slowly pulled the blanket over her face and sighed again.
“I wanted to go… together…”
The time of that day, which should have been filled with excitement, was simply passing by with a lukewarm feeling.
And four pairs of eyes were sparkling as they stared intently at her from beside her.
The spider, or rather, my gaze, which had been silently watching Carla’s restless appearance from the beginning, continued to observe her dejected figure, lost in thought.
‘Now that I think about it, what should I do about this…?’
To be honest, I have a lot of other things to worry about right now, so I don’t really need to care whether Carla goes to the social gathering or not.
But the reason she’s feeling down is because of me, and it wouldn’t hurt for me to know the situation in that neighborhood.
In reality, Saint Plancina Academy is practically 95% or more students from noble families.
‘From this point on, I’m indirectly involved with countless nobles…’
Just the women in my lair are the daughter of the Grenot Marquisate, the daughter of the Bertrand Baronetcy, and a woman from a prominent family in Chaoxing. And how many young ladies have I indirectly connected with by visiting the women’s restroom in the Magic Engineering Department?
What if I had information to identify people I should actively avoid or those who could be helpful?
Then I could definitely establish clearer standards of behavior and continue the development of my lair.
In that sense, the social gathering was quite an appealing place for me.
And, to be honest, without any fancy words, I also wanted to do some sightseeing.
Considering that the general age range of the students is adult, this social gathering was practically like a college MT (Membership Training) that lasted for several days.
I, who had never had any connection with such things in my past or present life, had come to realize the importance of new human relationships in this life…
I wanted to see the joys of youth that I hadn’t thought were related to me until now.
Fortunately, Carla didn’t seem to be planning to leave me behind this time.
‘But still, me going with her this time…
Isn’t it a bit much, I wonder…?’
Maybe it’s because she had a previous experience of making a fuss when my battery ran out and the spider went haywire, and she charged it with her own hands.
But it seems that her psychological dependence on me has increased a bit since Yui disappeared.
After that day, she practically never lets me out of her sight, so it might be true…?
Even when she goes to the library to do personal research on weekdays, when she goes for a walk and sits on a bench in the street to read a book, and even when she comes back to the dormitory and spends a lazy time like now.
Carla always carries me inside her, unconsciously stroking her slightly bulging belly where her womb is, as she goes about her daily life.
Looking at her gazing intently at me (the spider) just now, alternating her gaze with her lower abdomen, it seemed like she was planning to keep me inside her even when she went there.
‘Well, that’s good for me, but…
An unexpected accident might happen…
Wouldn’t it……?’
This is like an urban legend to me, but MTs are not only a time for young people to have fun, but also a place where accidents happen, albeit rarely.
‘Scandals, accidents that could lead to rumors…’
I didn’t really have any connection with such things in my past life, and I still feel a bit dazed and don’t know what to do, but if I had to choose, it would be better if no accidents happened in any situation.
So I hoped that she would leave me behind this time in case of an emergency, but it seemed difficult since Carla’s resolve had hardened in a strange direction.
‘Then I should just stay as quiet as possible when I get there…
If I play around and put Carla in a difficult situation, the chances of me getting caught will also increase…’
With that as my immediate course of action, a night filled with various kinds of excitement was passing by.
.
.
.
The Proden County.
Among the many nobles of the Groden Kingdom, it was not considered to have an exceptionally high status, but it was famous for producing talented individuals with considerable political power.
So much so that people from the Proden County could still work as diplomatic envoys even if they failed at everything else.
And, befitting the Proden County, the Proden family’s educational philosophy of holding social gatherings at the family’s mansion to provide early education for their children was, in a sense, revolutionary.
Social gatherings with alcohol, luxury, and sometimes beautiful love blooming were generally the domain of the elders who held the real power in the family.
Moreover, people from other families, who had different strengths and preferred to do personal research during this time, sometimes only allowed their heirs or those who could represent them to attend.
For the Proden family, where connections and politics were almost everything, this was also an investment for the future in a way.
Lucas de Proden, the second son of the Proden County, was considered a talented individual with social skills as excellent as his older brother, the eldest son.
And that ability was directly related to his relationships in the Alchemy Department of the Academy.
“Lucas!! I’m here!!”
“Jordan!! Welcome!! You’re here so soon?”
The cry of the fair-haired boy, who was smiling brightly at the voice of his friend getting out of the carriage in front of the mansion, echoed in the garden.
“I couldn’t miss out on such a fun event!!
I was so eager that I think I came too early.
Ah!! And Quincy said she’ll arrive in the afternoon?”
“You guys lived near each other, right?
Come to think of it, weren’t you planning to confess soon?”
“Uh… uh… well…”
“Life is all about timing. You have to do it at times like this.
Everyone’s living without freedom anyway, so you might as well express your feelings.”
“I guess… I should think about it…”
Lucas smiled brightly at Jordan, who was scratching the back of his head awkwardly, and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Since you came to visit like this,
I’ll give you a necklace that would be a good gift.
Try using it to make a move!!”
“Jeez… if you put it that way, I feel like I have to do it…
I’ll have to think about it.”
Only Jordan, who was feeling shy for no reason, and Lucas, who was smiling at him with a pleased look on his youthful face and putting his arm around him like a close friend, remained, and the two boys entered the mansion together.
As this was repeated, a new carriage stopped in front of the main gate where many carriages were visiting. Lucas, who had noticed it, opened the door of the mansion again and rushed out to greet the guest.
And Lucas, who was carefully watching the door of the carriage that was slowly opening, smiled brightly.
“You really came!! Welcome!!”
“Um… Yui had something urgent to do… so just me…”
“Thank you for visiting, Carla!!
We’ll unload the luggage later, so come in quickly!!”
Lucas, not caring about Carla’s voice, which was stammering awkwardly as if making excuses, greeted her with a bright expression as if expressing his welcome.
“Uh… wait a minute…!!”
Carla, who was being dragged inside as if half-pulled by him, who was holding her wrist, had an awkward expression on her face, which was flushed red, unlike her usual lively self.
“Everyone’s been waiting!!
Come on!! Quickly!!”
“Lu… Lucas…!!”
The slender yet strong grip of a boy that was holding her wrist.
And the warmth of his touch that was being transmitted from the hand holding her.
Lucas’s back as he led her somewhere.
Carla, who was chasing after him, had to stomp on the ground on purpose to make her footsteps as loud as possible.
Otherwise, the sound of her heart, which had grown so loud that it felt like it would burst, might be accidentally heard by him.
“Here it is!! If you wait a little, I’ll show you the room you’ll be staying in.
So, talk for now? Hey!! Carla’s here!!”
When she heard Lucas’s voice, who had been kindly explaining the upcoming schedule to her, turning his head and shouting somewhere, Carla suddenly turned her head in the same direction.
Then, cheers erupted from all directions, and familiar faces began to appear one by one.
“Carla!! Wow!! It’s Carla!!”
“You came, Carla!! This cake is so delicious!! You should try it!!”
“Uh… uh…? Ahaha…!!
Where!! Where’s the cake!!”
Perhaps it was because her friends from the same Alchemy Department had been there for a while, and they rushed out from somewhere to welcome Carla’s arrival.
Carla, who had been momentarily stunned by the appearance of her close friends, soon burst into a girlish laugh and naturally began to mingle among them.
And a certain pair of eyes, watching her from afar, shone sharply and soon disappeared into the darkness as if melting into the spot.
