Chapter 102
After completing my first exercise with long-distance travel, camping, and various other challenges, I finally returned to the girls' dormitory.
Lack of sleep, an injury on my hand, and getting scolded by Colonel Nick have pushed my exhaustion to the limit, making my steps quite unsteady.
Realizing I urgently need rest, I walk through the quiet dormitory where no one has returned yet, throw my belongings down as soon as I enter my room, and collapse onto the bed.
"......I'm exhausted."
For a moment, thoughts of changing clothes or taking a bath cross my mind, but I can't fight the drowsiness, so I relax my body, thinking it's fine to deal with it after waking up.
Exercises and expeditions are tough until you get used to them, and you can't understand that hardship without experiencing it yourself, just as my brothers said......
"I hadn't heard that the first exercise would be this intense."
On the desk visible from my bed, there's a sandwich with ham and vegetables and a large pot filled with a drink, probably prepared by Reatta, who anticipated that I'd be too exhausted to move.
"Ham sandwich, tea. I'm hungry, but......I can't move."
While feeling grateful for Reatta's kindness, I close my eyes, deciding to eat after I wake up.
——Grr, grrr......
"......"
Awakened by the sound of my own stomach, I lift my still-tired body.
The outside of the window, which was still bright before I slept, is now dark. Rubbing my eyes, I check the time and realize it's already dinnertime. My stomach is empty, so it's perfect timing. I bite into the sandwich and drink the now-lukewarm tea before leaving my room. Perhaps because I slept on my stomach, my neck aches as I rotate it while descending the stairs.
"Celes!"
Were they heading to the cafeteria? Ellie, Luna, and Lilin are gathered in the first-floor hall. Ellie, who notices me first, calls my name with a smile, then stops waving her hand and freezes.
"......Ellie?"
Surprised by Ellie stopping her movements like a broken toy, I call out to her, but she doesn't even twitch, just staring at me.
"Ellie? Is something wrong?"
I cautiously glance behind me, but there's nothing there. There's nothing to my left or right either. Confused, I descend the stairs and stand in front of the three of them. For some reason, not just Ellie, but Luna and Lilin are also staring at me intently without moving.
"Uh, Luna, Lilin? What's wrong with all three of you?"
When I snap my fingers in front of their faces, Ellie blinks and starts trembling.
"What's wrong is with you, Celes!"
She shouted.
"Your hair......! Celes's hair!"
"Ah, this is..."
"Your hair is gone! Your long, beautiful silver hair is gone!? Why, how? It was there just yesterday morning!"
Ellie raises her voice as if screaming, then starts speaking rapidly with tears in her eyes.
"What happened to my Celes!? Who, who cut your hair!? Was it Billy? Or one of his lackeys!?"
"No, they..."
"Those damn jerks......! I knew they'd do something outrageous someday! They've been acting all quiet and gentlemanly lately, but they finally did it, didn't they......!"
"E-Ellie. It's not them..."
"I'm going to shave their heads completely bald!"
Once Ellie gets like this, I can't stop her. Hoping to get help calming her down, I turn my gaze to Luna and Lilin, but when our eyes meet, Lilin scrunches up her face and starts shedding tears from her large eyes......
"Lilin!?"
"Celes's hair......sniff, your hair, sob..."
"Ah, my hair, huh......"
Since what happened during the exercise is confidential, I can't explain anything about my hair.
I had assumed it wasn't too unsightly since it was cut with a sharp knife, but apparently, it's in such a terrible state that it's making them cry.
"Lilin, calm down. Hair grows back."
Compared to my long hair that reached my waist, my current hair, which barely reaches below my shoulders, might feel short. But it's still long enough to tie with a string, and as I told Lilin, hair grows back. In fact, doesn't it make washing my head quicker and easier......? As that thought crosses my mind, Luna silently grabs my arm.
"You were just thinking something outrageous, weren't you......?"
"Eh, no......"
"Something like, 'It's nice that my head feels lighter,' or 'It's easier to wash my hair now,' right?"
"......"
"No way, I hit the mark!?"
"Well, that's..."
"Unbelievable! Are you really a noble young lady!? Ugh, honestly! Lilin, go tell Reatta that we'll be late for dinner."
"Ah, got it!"
"Ellie, I'm borrowing your room."
"I'll go ahead and get things ready! Lilin, borrow a broom and dustpan too!"
"Okay!"
Stunned, I watch Lilin run toward the cafeteria and Ellie dash up the stairs. Still held by Luna's grip on my arm, I'm dragged back the way I came.
"What about dinner......?"
"Don't give me that puppy-dog face. Your hair takes priority."
Glared at sharply by Luna, all I can do is nod repeatedly and obediently let myself be taken to Ellie's room.
"Is everything ready?"
"I think so, but......is it okay to just fix Celes's hair like this? Isn't that something a personal maid usually does?"
"There's no one here to do it now, so it can't be helped, right?"
"True, but......"
As soon as I enter Ellie's room, I'm made to sit on a chair, and a towel is wrapped around my neck.
On the side table, there are scissors, a comb, a towel, and a paper bag, and I can guess what's about to happen.
"We can't let you go around with your hair like this, can we? Celes, I'll fix your hair."
"Ah, please do."
"Eh, are you sure? It's Luna, you know?"
"Hey, Ellie! I've been cutting your and Lilin's hair, haven't I!?"
"But if you mess up......that person might show up."
"......Ah."
Seeing the two of them turn pale, I wonder who 'that person' could be. As I ponder this, Luna suddenly looks up and grabs the scissors, saying, "It's all Billy's fault."
"Since it's his fault, he'll take responsibility."
"Right...... Probably, surely, definitely, if that person sees this hair, they'll be furious, but Billy should handle it, right?"
"So, how much do we cut?"
"Just enough to tidy it up, I think."
"In that case......why did it end up so uneven when it was cut?"
"Billy deserves the worst for this."
For some reason, Billy is being blamed as the culprit who cut my hair.
Feeling a bit sad wondering if his usual behavior is that bad or if he's just that unpopular, I sympathize with Billy, who is probably having dinner at the dormitory right now.