After I, a Penniless Noble, Entered a Fake Engagement with the Most Elegant Duke’s Daughter at the Academy, For Some Reason She Started Showering Me with Love - Chapter 07.1: The Girl Who Wouldn’t Touch Me and the Fake Love Letter from the Dorm Matron

Chapter 07.1: The Girl Who Wouldn’t Touch Me and the Fake Love Letter from the Dorm Matron

Something felt off about Yuri that day.

Usually, she would link arms with me without hesitation. But today, she didn’t even try to touch me.

That tiny difference bugged me more than I expected.

“Did something happen?”

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

Just like she declared last night, Yuri came to pick me up at the boys’ dorm.

Same as before, the dorm exploded into chaos the moment she showed up, like someone kicked a hornet’s nest.

But by now, I’d built up some resistance from spending so much time around her.

So I stayed relatively calm.

…You could also call it giving up.

Thanks to that, I had the mental space to pay more attention to Yuri.

And that’s probably why I noticed even the slightest change.

“I’m the same as always. Or is it that I look even prettier in your eyes today, dear husband?”

“…That confident—yet somehow accurate—self-evaluation is exactly the same as usual.”

Her usual gentle smile was still there.

She looked the same, acted the same… everything seemed normal.

“Guess I’m just imagining things. I just thought maybe something happened after we said goodbye last night, since you’re not holding my hand or clinging to my arm like you usually do.”

If it really was just in my head, then no problem.

I shrugged it off and gave a little wave, trying to brush it aside.

But when I glanced to my side—

Yuri wasn’t there.

I turned to look behind me—

And saw her completely frozen, standing perfectly still.

“…Yuri?”

“…”

She didn’t respond even when I called out to her.

…What’s going on?

I turned back to check on her, but she didn’t move an inch.

I leaned in, trying to get a better look at her face.

Still—nothing.

“What’s wrong?”

“Kyah!?”

Just as I thought she might be spacing out, she let out a surprisingly cute squeal—

Then whack! Our foreheads smacked together.

Even though it was broad daylight, I swear I saw stars.

“W-What are you doing!?”

“Oww… Hey, that’s my line!”

Sure, I was the one who leaned in without thinking—

But still.

We both rubbed our foreheads, teary-eyed, staring at each other.

“You suddenly stopped, and didn’t respond when I called out. Did you feel sick or something?”

“N-No… I’m fine. I’m totally normal, yep.”

“…You’re saying that, but it sounds really suspicious.”

“What part of that sounded suspicious!?”

…That part right there.

She wasn’t calm. She seemed flustered—like something was throwing her off.

It was clear something was different today.

I couldn’t quite put it into words, so I just kept quietly watching her.

Then she suddenly pressed her lips together in a tight line and lowered her gaze.

“…Don’t stare at me like that.”

“Ah—sorry.”

Her reaction was unexpectedly timid.

It caught me off guard.

I scratched the back of my head.

Now I was starting to feel thrown off too.

“…Shall we go, dear husband?”

“Yeah.”

She prompted me, and I nodded.

We started walking side by side again—

But the conversation dried up even more than before.

A hint of awkwardness hung between us… along with something else I couldn’t quite name.

Whatever it was, I kept my mouth shut.

◆◆◆

After classes ended, I usually stopped by the rose garden.

But because of how awkward things felt that morning, I went straight back to the boys’ dorm instead.

I did let Yuri know, of course.

All she said was, “I see.”

Just that—short and flat.

Her mind clearly wasn’t in the conversation.

Was something really bothering her?

While I was still mulling that over—

A sudden poke to the forehead snapped me out of it.

“Ow.”

Rubbing my forehead, I looked up.

The dorm matron was standing there, frowning softly as she scolded me with her eyes.

“…Uh, I’m back?”

“Yes, welcome home.”

Okay…?

I greeted her like usual, but she didn’t step aside.

She wasn’t like Yuri—she didn’t mess around or tease people for fun.

So why was she blocking my way?

I narrowed my eyes in confusion—

And she let out a long, tired sigh.

“I called your name and even spoke to you… but judging by your reaction, you didn’t notice at all, did you?”

“…I’m very sorry.”

So that happened.

I really hadn’t heard a thing.

I lowered my head apologetically.

Now I knew exactly how Yuri felt this morning.

I had no right to make fun of her.

“You seemed completely lost in thought. Did something happen?”

“It’s not me… it’s Yuri who—”

“Yuri?”

“It’s nothing.”

It wasn’t like telling the dorm matron would fix anything.

I waved my hand lightly to let her know it was nothing serious.

She tilted her head in a curious little motion.

She had the appearance of a graceful older woman,

But when she made innocent gestures like that, she suddenly looked surprisingly cute.

“If you say so. But if anything’s bothering you, feel free to come talk to me. As your dorm matron, I’ll do everything I can to help.”

“Like what, exactly?”

“Let’s see…”

She looked up, golden eyes thoughtful.

After a brief pause, she turned back to me with a little smile and held up a single finger.

“I could scold a misbehaving prince, for starters.”

“…That’s not even a funny joke, you know.”

If anything, it sent a chill down my spine.

Especially when she added, dead serious,

“That wasn’t a joke.”

Yeah, no.

She couldn’t actually mean that… right?

“…Well, if anything comes up, I’ll talk to you.”

“Please don’t hesitate to reach out.”

She smiled faintly, just slightly softening her usual calm demeanor.

That subtle, almost formal air of hers made me chuckle awkwardly.

She wasn’t especially warm or expressive, but she was graceful, and more than anything—

She genuinely cared about the students.

Because of that, a few brave idiots had ended up falling for her.

Those guys usually got “spoken to” by the other dorm residents soon after.

I didn’t know the details,

But apparently, there was some kind of unspoken rule to prevent people from getting ahead of the rest.

Not that it had anything to do with me.

Still, for young guys, a beautiful woman like her living so close by was a dream… and a dangerous one at that.

“…Also, please take this.”

Just as I was thinking that, the dorm matron handed me a letter.

A plain white envelope—no decoration.

“…A love letter?”

“Yes.”

I joked, but she nodded seriously—wait, what!?

No, no, no.

There’s no way that’s actually true!

Besides, the wax seal on the envelope clearly had the Ryule family crest.

Which meant it was a letter from my home.

Definitely not a love letter from the dorm matron.

“Did that amuse you?”

“…My heart nearly stopped.”

Seriously, not funny at all.

Especially with how a bunch of dorm residents were standing behind her, all smiling like they were ready to start something.

“I think I already have something I need to talk to you about. Can we go over it now?”

“Of course. Shall we head to my room, then?”

—Ah. I’m dead.

That one line from the dorm matron was enough to make me picture my own funeral.

Behind her, the other guys were muttering things like “dagger,” “axe,” “nail-puller,” and “guillotine.”

Lovely.

At this rate, I wasn’t sure I’d live to see tomorrow’s sunrise.

Unlike me, drowning in despair, the dorm matron looked over the murderous crowd like a mother watching over her children.

“You all seem to be enjoying yourselves.”

“Please stop them!”

“…Hm? And why would I do that?”

Maybe the most dangerous person here… was actually the dorm matron herself—

Because she had no idea how attractive she really was.

With all the dorm guys glaring at me with jealousy and murder in their eyes,

I practically ran after the dorm matron as she calmly led the way.

The consultation I mentioned had really just been a joke—asking her to stop the guys from losing it.

But it seemed she took it completely seriously.

A misunderstanding, sure.

But it worked out in a way.

As a man, I couldn’t exactly pick up on subtle emotional shifts,

But maybe another girl—like her—might notice something off about Yuri.

“I’m quite confident when it comes to giving advice. Just leave it to me.”

“Really?”

“Yes. One of my friends once praised me, saying, ‘You’re the type who’d show up to a birthday party in pajamas.’ Of course, I’d never actually do something so inappropriate—But I believe what she meant was that I think in ways other people don’t.”

…Wasn’t that just a roundabout way of calling her socially clueless?

Felt like I’d just stepped onto a ship made of mud.

And it was already starting to sink.

Not exactly reassuring.