There were three effects of the advertising. First, they sold off a week’s worth of ink in three days. And as paper was a companion to ink, that too was soon sold out the day after.
The second effect was personal.
“I couldn’t study for the exams at all…”
In fact, Louise was thinking of continuing her study somewhere else. The student council room was supposed to be a perfect environment for study, however, as students came to buy ink and paper every five minutes, she couldn’t concentrate.
And the final effect was this.
“Are we really leaving, President?”
Louise stood behind a building and looked up at Ian with a gloomy expression.
“I didn’t expect you to be so reluctant.”
“That’s because it’s against the school rules to go out of the Academy on weekdays.”
“What else should we do? “
Ian clapped Louise on the shoulder with a proud face as if to encourage her.
“We as the student council solve the problems of the students. And nothing is more problematic than no extra ink. “
“You can request for delivery.”
“A delivery fee would be charged and the selling price will go up. I’m sure some of the students will complain. “
“Well, we can always wait until the weekend.”
“As I explained at the previous meeting, Louise Sweeney.”
Ian bent his waist slightly to look face-to-face at Louise.
“We have three more days until the weekend. If we don’t go to buy the ink now, a student could run out of ink today. They would drain my blood for three days and write in red letters.”
“Don’t use such a horrible analogy.”
“I’m glad you understand the situation. It’s so terrible to have not have ink in stock.”
Louise heaved a sigh. She had never won against his words. She understood why they had to stock up on ink and paper, but her cruel fate was difficult to accept.
Last week Ian had declared that he was not interested in Stella. Louise, confused, decided not to associate with him for the time being, but whenever she tried to stay away from him they always ended up together.
This was really bad.
“I never dreamed that I was so unlucky.”
The student council decided on a fair way to select the “two-man rule rule-breaking group” to go buy the ink.
A lottery.
“I accept it as the result of fair fate.”
“Fate and fair can’t be placed side by side.”
“Which country’s grammar is that?”
“Semantics doesn’t matter!”
Each man’s destiny was different, so nothing could ever be fair.
“But it’s important to think about it.”
Ian began to walk in the lead, with Louise following behind.
“When I travel Hesse will naturally stick to my side so I’ll be safe.”
“Is Sir Hesse here?”
Louise asked in surprise. Hesse was Ian’s bodyguard, but he wasn’t allowed inside of the Academy.
“Whenever I go outside he always follows me. I’ve even tried to escape him several times but I’ve never succeeded. “
Ian stopped at a wall about his height. In a smooth motion he easily climbed to the top of it with his hands and feet. Louise could have bet all of her money that it was not his first time to climb up the wall. Ian smiled down at Louise as he stood on the narrow ledging.
“You know how to climb up?”
“Not with the same dignity.”
“You don’t quite understand. Dignity naturally flows from the body.”
But there should be no dignity given to a little prince who climbs up walls. Ever.
Anyway, Louise followed him and began to scale the wall.
“By the way.”
Louise moved her hands and feet carefully as she posed him another question.
“I understand that it’s less risky for you to go out. But what about me?”
Unlike Ian, Louise didn’t have a knight to protect her.
“Well, I didn’t want to tell you this.”
Ian crouched on the wall and frowned a little.
“The truth is Hesse wants to see you.”
“What do you mean?”
“My ears hurt when I see him sometimes. He’s always making a fuss and asking about Louise of the Greenhouse.”
“Why?”
“That’s how he is. Hesse’s a manwhore that loves any girls so don’t give him a chance. You never now what he’s up to.”
No sooner had Ian’s warning ended than a playful voice came from behind him.
“Ouch, I never thought you’d stab me in the back.”
It was the voice of Hesse. Louise smiled happily and was about to call his name, but before she could do so he quickly lifted her up into his arms and carried her down the wall to the other side.
“Sir Hesse.”
Louise smiled in his arms.
“Long time no see, Louise of the Greenhouse.”
His sun-tanned face was etched with a variety of scars large and small, and she remembered that danger always followed Ian and Hesse. She thought the Academy was safe. Not always.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve waited everyday for Louise of the Greenhouse to come.”
He smiled wide enough to show all his white teeth. Hesse was the only one that called her Louise of the Greenhouse.
“Friendly knights call each other with nicknames.”
Hesse had said that once, and bestowed Louise a nickname. Of course Louise loved to be called that.
“Hesse.”
Ian, who was standing on the wall, jumped down to their side.
“You’re not supposed to come inside the Academy, even if it’s near the wall.”
“But I didn’t touch the ground?”
“…It’s also inappropriate to keep holding on to a precious young lady.”
“It’s alright. I’m a manwhore that likes any girls.”
Ian didn’t say anything to that and Louise wanted to applaud.
She couldn’t believe that he defeated the president, the person who always made fun of her! Sir Hesse could defeat an army with that mouth of his.
“I apologize. A knight still has to have polite manners.”
He carefully lowered Louise to the ground.
“I’ll say hello again. Louise Sweeney.”
Hesse bowed graciously to Louise. She looked at him with a startled expression.
“Y-you don’t have to bow to me! It’s strange to be polite to me when you’re going to be a future count.”
“What are you talking about?”
Ian held Louise back from trying to stop Hesse from bowing.
“You have this right.”
“Of course. Louise of the Greenhouse has made an admirable achievement.”
Achievement? Louise tried to remember the best thing she had ever done. Did he mean being admitted as the top student?
“I heard that you dumped His Highness as soon as you finished the entrance ceremony. Oh, I can’t believe he was finally dumped by a woman!”
Hesse howled and clutched his stomach like he was going to die of laughter. Of course to Louise it wasn’t funny at all, especially when Ian was standing behind Hesse like he was going to murder him. Louise would not be surprised if Hesse’s neck was hung on the walls of the capital city on charges of insulting the royal family. She was sure her neck would be hanging right next to it.
By the way, ink and paper. She wondered if she could survive today.
