Love (3)

Nearly two weeks had passed since Marie and I began our sweet, lovey-dovey relationship. In that time, many things had changed, but the most notable change was how the students looked at us.

If they had been uncertain before, now they looked at us with absolute certainty: Isaac and Marie were dating. It was no longer even an open secret; it had effectively become official.

Many people looked at us enviously, but some viewed us with discomfort. In particular, those looks were directed more at Marie than at me. After all, Marie was from the ducal House of Rakallis, while I was merely the son of a baron.

Of course, I didn't particularly care. No matter what they said, Marie and I were crazy about each other, and I had nothing to feel inferior about. If anything, Marie was proud that I was the author of The Chronicle of Xenon.

That didn't mean there were no side effects at all. Sometimes female students would go to Marie and ask her about me, and that's where the problem arose.

"It's driving me crazy! They're asking things like, 'What do you even see in him?' and 'Does he have something on you?' We're dating because he's handsome and cute, that's all!"

"Huh? Marie?"

At that last remark, I stopped eating and stared at Marie with an incredulous expression. I had no problem with anything else, but for some reason, that last part bothered me.

Marie, who had been complaining with food in her mouth, realized her mistake when she heard me call her and gave me a sheepish smile. It was less the innocent smile of a girl and more a sly one.

"Oops. Sorry. My true feelings slipped out before I knew it. Hehe."...