Chapter 51: His Friends’ Scheme
"Oh, right, Garth. After our eggs hatch, if Leah asks you to become her partner, would you agree?"
Garth looked surprised by the question.
Noella was a little confused by his reaction, though. He should have already expected someone to ask him about it.
After waiting several moments without getting an answer, Noella waved her hand. "Forget it. I’ll go back first."
Noella turned around and took one step before Garth suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Do you think I should become her partner?" Garth asked from behind her.
Noella slowly turned around and found Garth looking serious. ’Does my opinion really matter?’
Most pairs would remain partners for the rest of their baby beast slots, especially if they shared the same rank.
Yet there was no rule requiring them to do so. Having multiple partners was neither wrong nor uncommon. After all, these partnerships were strictly business.
Since Garth had asked, Noella decided to answer based on her logical judgment.
"You already have an A-Rank partner. Choosing another partner with a lower rank isn’t exactly a strategic decision..."
Without realizing it, Garth’s face brightened when he heard that.
But the corners of his lips, which had almost lifted into a smile, immediately fell when Noella calmly continued.
"However, even two A-Rank partners can have a B-Rank baby beast. An A-Rank and B-Rank pair can also have an A-Rank baby beast. That possibility still exists. So, there’s nothing wrong with you becoming Leah’s partner."
Garth’s gaze slowly dropped. That was when he noticed that his large, veined hand was still holding Noella’s small hand.
"Sorry." He immediately released her hand, flustered as his face turned red.
Garth’s mind was suddenly filled with the memory of Noella’s soft yet firm skin. He wanted to feel it again, to gently squeeze her hand.
The next second, the burly youth shook his head frantically to clear his thoughts.
’Good grief! What is wrong with me?! If I’m not careful, I could end up hurting her!’
Ever since he was a child, Garth had always been bigger than other children his age. His mother had always told him never to use his strength carelessly, especially around girls.
Because of that, despite being friends with almost every male student, he was extremely awkward around girls.
Noella watched Garth’s changing expression and increasingly red face, feeling that something was wrong with him today.
Click.
The strange atmosphere between them abruptly disappeared when the door opened.
Jeryon entered and looked at the two people as if he had just caught them doing something they shouldn’t be doing.
Well, only Garth looked flustered.
Despite often eating together, the two quiet people, Noella and Jeryon, merely exchanged a nod. Noella then said goodbye to Garth and left the training hall.
Outside, Garth’s friends pretended to be busy chatting. They greeted Noella as if they had no idea she was there.
Noella simply returned their greetings before leaving.
"Our plan is ruined. You said no one would come to the training hall," one of Garth’s friends blamed another.
"I thought everyone would be busy with their resonance session. How was I supposed to remember that one pair had already hatched their egg?"
"You should have remembered because he’s the prince."
"How was I supposed to know the prince’s schedule?"
For afternoons to come, in their minds, they would keep replaying the moment when the prince ruined their plan to match Noella and Garth.
...
Shani returned to her room while Kiran went back to class to continue his resonance.
Earlier that morning, Shani had spent her time reading textbooks, studying things she still didn’t fully understand and learning upcoming material so she wouldn’t fall behind when it was discussed in class.
That afternoon, after feeding Nyx, Shani wanted to make Red Worm Jelly herself. The ingredients she had ordered the previous day had arrived before lunch.
Shani went to the Concoction classroom because she didn’t have any cooking equipment in her room, of course, after getting permission from Iris.
Iris even came to the classroom and was amazed at how skillfully Shani could cook.
Cooking was not a skill that the children in Iris’s environment, or Grand Academy students in general, were particularly good at.
Iris herself had experienced many failures when she first started. It wasn’t because she used the wrong ingredients or didn’t understand the theory. She simply couldn’t cook.
"I’ll take half of it. I want to let Nyx try it and see which variant he likes. You can take the other half, Instructor," Shani said, already knowing exactly why Iris had come.
Iris’s eyes lit up. "Your jelly must taste better than the one I made. My baby will be so happy."
Shani smiled. Sometimes, she could see Nevie’s cheerful personality in Iris.
But whenever Iris demonstrated her expertise, her entire aura changed drastically, transforming her into an elegant and untouchable figure.
’Maybe this is what someone who graduated from Nova City is like,’ Shani thought.
Shani spent two hours making the liquid jelly before putting it into the refrigerator to set.
"How long does it need to set?" Iris asked as she walked out of the classroom with Shani.
"About six hours. That’s because the refrigerator here uses more advanced technology."
The refrigerator at the orphanage where Shani grew up was just an old refrigerator with outdated functions.
"Six hours? When I made it, I only left it for three hours," Iris replied honestly.
The recipe only said to leave it until it set, without giving a specific amount of time.
Shani looked at Iris, realizing that despite being the Concoction instructor, she was still lacking when it came to cooking.
"I’m sure yours will taste better," Iris continued, trying to cover the awkwardness.
Six hours later, just before the classrooms were locked for the night, the jelly was ready, and Iris immediately gave it to her baby beast.
Its reaction was even more over-the-top than when it ate the jelly Iris had made herself.
Iris felt jealous, but she was also proud of her student.
The next day, the second week of academy began.
As the only pair who had already completed resonance, Shani and Jeryon no longer had to deal with the egg during Resonance Class.
...