Lazing About in a Dating Sim

The day after the duel, things seemed to just go back to how they were prior to Ameil’s transfer to Kastle High. 

As neither Lucia nor I had been approached by Ameil ever since the duel ended. 

Which was a little surprising, knowing that guy, I half expected to be challenged to a rematch the moment he recovered. But no such request was ever made.

Guess that tree knocked some sense into him.

Anyways, right now I was just lounging around in the library and explaining to Lucia how I had won the duel.

I wasn’t able to completely finish my thought though as she interrupted me halfway through my spiel.

“So...basically what you’re telling me is that you held yourself hostage to beat Ameil in a duel?”

“That is certainly one way to look at it, yes.”

I said nonchalantly, before leaning back in my seat.

In response, she mulled over what I had just said for a few seconds before saying in a bit of an exasperated tone.

“You can be such an idiot sometimes, you know?”

“Well I have been spending more of my days being around you lately so…”

“The hell’s that supposed to mean!”

She said, a little ticked off.

“Exactly what you think it means.”

I replied, with a deadpan expression on my face.

In turn, Lucia just sighed. 

“Anyway, have you found any interesting novels recently?”

I said casually.

“Well the one I’m reading right now is pretty good.”

She responded before gesturing to the novel that was currently in her hands. 

The novel was titled Poisons and Potions and appeared to be a spin off of Metal and Maelstroms.

“Are you just saying that because the love interest you’re rooting for is actually winning for once?”

“What! No, of course not.”

She said, while trying her best to keep a straight face.

“Uh huh sure, whatever you say Lucia.”

I replied with an unconvinced look on my face.

“Shut it, it’s not like the characters that you root for tend to win either!”

“Oi that’s not true.”

“Really? Name one time when the love interest you liked, ended up with the lead.”

In response I just completely dodged her question.

“Well, at least the characters I root for are actually worth rooting for.”

“As if, you only ever root for the childhood friends of the leads!”

“What’s wrong with liking childhood friends?”

“Why the fuck would anyone ever want to date someone they’ve known since middle school?”

“Strong historical, cultural and economic ties between the two parties.”

I said without any hesitation in my voice.

“We’re talking about romantic relationships right now, not political alliances Otto!”

Lucia retorted.

“My point still stands.”

If these parameters are good enough for governments, they're good enough for couples.

Our somewhat coherent conversation that probably could’ve gone on for at least another hour, was abruptly cut short.

As the wooden door to the library just slammed open suddenly and crushed one of the candles that were situated near it.

Someone had been leaning on it for a bit too long.

They had blonde hair, purple eyes and circular rimmed glasses.

I didn’t recognize this particular individual, from what gathered though it seemed as if Lucia wasn’t really that fond of them. 

Then again, you could probably say the same thing about most people who have come in contact with Lucia.

“The hell are you doing here Marie?”

“Uh ..I was going to check out a novel-“

She responded, in a panicked voice.

“You hate reading Marie.”

Lucia interjected, before closing the distance between her and Marie.

“No um... I mean I was here to pick up some articles for the project-“

“That's funny I don’t remember there being a project that needed citations or references due soon.”

“Well uh-“

“Quit making excuses Marie.”

“Okay fine …I was spying on you...”

She said, in a meek voice.

“And why exactly, would you even think of doing that?”

Lucia remarked.

“Promise you won’t get mad Lucia?”

Marie said, sheepishly.

“The longer you make me wait for an answer the madder I’ll get.”

“I was curious…you’re always slinking away from class the moment it ends and nobody in class really knows what you do afterwards.”

She said before pressing the tips of her fingers together.

“Is that seriously the reason why you were eavesdropping?”

She replied angrily, before reaching for the wand that was at her side.

Lucia really likes to escalate things doesn’t she…reminds me of someone else.

In response, I intervened and grabbed onto the hand that Lucia was using to reach for her wand.

“Hey Otto, do you mind letting go of me for a second? I need this hand right now.”

“Nah, I think I’m good. Still really don’t want to be tried as an accessory to murder.”

Marie squirmed in place a little when the word murder came out of my mouth.

“I’m not gonna kill her… just gonna mess her up a bit.”

She said while having basically the same amount of bloodlust in her crimson eyes as before.

“As if you’re the type of person who can hold back Lucia.”

A few seconds after I had said that, Lucia begrudgingly gave in.

Which was a little unexpected, considering that Lucia could’ve easily just wrestled my hand away from hers, due to my horrendously low combat power.

“Tch. Fine Otto. I guess she can leave with all of her organs intact.”

“Really?”

Marie said, doubtfully.

“Just get the hell out of here before I change my mind Marie.”

The moment Lucia finished that statement, Marie did not waste any time at all and ran out of the library. 

After Marie had left, I released Lucia’s hand from my grasp and Lucia just sank back into her chair and groaned.

“I knew I should’ve transferred out of that damn class at the beginning of the year!”

“No use whining about that now, it’s not like it’d change anything.”

I retorted before starting to clean up what was left of the candle that had been brutalized by the door a few moments ago. 

“Come on Otto just let me fuckin vent for a few minutes alright?”

“I never said that you couldn’t. All I said was that it’d be useless to do so.”

“...You’ve really got to get better at using your words.”

Lucia said with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

“This coming from the girl who swears in every other sentence.”

After that exchange, I just listened to Lucia complain about her Abjuration class for about 35 minutes.

Then the school’s bells chimed and signaled that classes were starting.