That voice was like the first breeze blowing through the forest in the early morning, carrying a trace of coolness and the aroma of white tea, yet gentle to just the right degree.
Neither annoying nor ethereal.
Russell's drowsiness vanished for the most part.
He slowly raised his head. His face, still carrying a look of sleepiness, was reflected completely defenselessly in Mary's smiling, azure eyes that resembled the Aegean Sea.
Today, she was still wearing that fitting school uniform. Her long silver hair was simply tied up, appearing not too lazy.
A few strands of hair, like fine snow, accompanied the breeze blowing in from the window, gently brushing past her fair cheeks.
She sat quietly beside him, as if the invisible vacuum surrounding them, formed by awe and alienation, did not exist.
Or perhaps, Mary Morstan was enjoying this exclusivity.
"Morning..." Russell answered vaguely, habitually glancing around.
In an instant, those gazes that had been attached to him like magnets scattered like startled birds the moment he turned his head.
Replacing them was a more obscure prying, mixed with jealousy and confusion.
It was just a pity that no Malice Points were credited this time.
Receiving a response, the smile on the girl's face became even more obvious.
"Didn't sleep well again last night?" Mary placed her textbook on the desk and asked in a casual tone.
"Mm... so-so." Russell yawned, leaning lazily back against the chair, letting the warm sunlight fall on him, squinting comfortably.
"Is that so." Mary didn't press further; she just sat quietly, her fingertips turning the pages of the book in her hand.
She seemed to enjoy this atmosphere very much.
Enjoying this moment of peace, detaching herself from the surrounding gazes filled with utilitarianism and calculation, to stay only with this interesting soul beside her.
This feeling was like finding the only person not wearing a mask at a noisy masquerade ball.
Although this guy might just be too lazy to wear one.
The old professor came in at some point. He tapped on the blackboard and then began the lecture.
This made Russell even sleepier.
Just then, Mary's voice rang out again.
She deliberately lowered her volume, but controlled it just enough for Russell to hear.
"Speaking of which, Timmy Roy seems to have dropped out."
"Mm-hmm?" Russell raised an eyebrow. "If I were slapped in turns by female classmates in front of the whole class or even all the freshmen, I would drop out too.
"Rather, after such a thing, not committing suicide is already a sign of mental strength."
"Although that is true, in reality, he didn't drop out voluntarily," Mary whispered, her gaze drifting to the front row, the seat where Timmy Roy used to sit.
"After The Times came out the next day, the parents of the involved parties were all very angry.
"So they united to pressure the school. And it just so happened that Ethan Roy lost his prestige because of that dirt, so the school went with the flow and issued an expulsion notice to Mr. Timmy Roy."
Paused, Mary looked back at Russell and added with a pointed meaning:
"Actually, if there hadn't been the love letter incident, even with Ethan Roy's downfall, it wouldn't have had much impact on Timmy Roy.
"At least, he could have continued to study at Imperial College as a student.
"So—"
She dragged out the long vowel, as if waiting for Russell to complete the answer.
"So, you want to say that the reason that guy was expelled is ultimately because of me?"
Russell said.
"Correct." Mary smiled.
"So?" Russell yawned and spoke indifferently: "My fault?"
"I didn't say that." Mary shrugged, her azure eyes twinkling with teasing light in the sun.
"I just don't want to stay in the same classroom as a scumbag who likes to toy with a young girl's feelings.
"Russell surely isn't that kind of person, right?"
"That would require a young girl willing to invest feelings for me to toy with first." Russell yawned and said subconsciously.
[Your answer caused dissatisfaction in Mary Morstan, Malice Points +10]
Hmm?
Danger!
In an instant, Russell's eyes, originally still somewhat drowsy, suddenly became clear.
Crap, said the wrong thing!
He slowly, somewhat stiffly, turned his head to look at the girl beside him.
The sunlight was still warm, the tree shadows outside the window swayed gently, and the old professor's lecture was like the highest quality lullaby.
Everything appeared so quiet and peaceful.
Except for Mary Morstan.
The smile on the girl's face remained, but that gentle warmth had long since vanished.
Replacing it was a dead silence like the calm before a storm.
"Is that so..."
She spoke softly. Her voice was still gentle, but it sounded completely devoid of temperature.
"In other words, if you had a choice, you would also want to be a scumbag who toys with a young girl's feelings?"
"I didn't say that." Russell shook his head vigorously.
"Then what did that sentence just now mean?" Mary stared into Russell's eyes and asked.
"Uh... that was just a kind of... self-deprecation, yes, self-deprecation."
Russell hurriedly explained.
"Look, given my current situation, right? Others wish they could stay ten meters away from me when they see me.
"In this situation, let alone toying with others' feelings, I can't even communicate with others normally, right?
"Of course, I didn't mean that if I could communicate normally, I would go toy with others' feelings."
Hearing this explanation, the expression on Mary's face didn't change much.
However, that layer of invisible frost had melted, replaced by a faint smile carrying teasing and success.
Like a cat that had its prey playing in the palm of its hand.
"Don't be anxious, Russell," she said softly. "Just joking with you. You didn't think I was really angry, did you?"
I'd rather not say.
Russell answered in his heart, but his mouth was incomparably honest:
"This is just a necessary explanation to avoid you forming any erroneous negative impressions of me."
"Is that so." Mary was noncommittal, casting her gaze back to the podium, as if the little interlude just now hadn't happened.
We are safe... for the time being.
Can't continue like this.
Russell thought.
Gotta find some new topic to turn the page on all this.
Work, you dead brain, work! Find a topic!
Russell lay on the table, racking his brains thinking of anything that could be used as a topic.
Got it, Holly Davey's case!
His eyes lit up, and then he straightened up abruptly.
"Speaking of which, Mary—"
"Speaking of which, Russell—"
The two spoke almost simultaneously, then shut up simultaneously.
Mary and Russell looked at each other, seeming somewhat surprised by each other's initiative.
In the end, it was Russell who spoke again, throwing the right to speak to the other party.
"Ladies first."
He said.
Hearing this, Mary smiled, then glanced at the professor on the podium.
After confirming the other party wasn't looking this way, she spoke cautiously:
"I was actually just thinking, about Moriarty."
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