Interesting and rather long chapter, how weird they apparently skipped it entirely in the anime.
Monica is getting quite the harem here, lol.
Felix’s broche and its reflective capabilites got mentioned so many times, it’s clearly got a role to play in this story. Unfortunately, I’m too lazy check if it fits the description of the mystery object in the scene with the unnamed conspirator.
Interesting that Felix suspects Glen of being a student of some あの人 who might or might not be out for his blood. Can’t wait to find out if he (and we) guessed right and his suspect is really Louis or if there are some other 人 we might not have met yet.
Felix’ and Brigitte’s tea party was deliciously tense. I don’t feel like I’ve learned much more about Brigitte, but I guess that was the point. Clearly someone who doesn’t like to let other people see what her game is.
The magically progressive empire got mentioned again, too. Somehow I can’t keep myself from calling the empire Aldi, because they’re always mentioned as a contrast to Lidl.
Thought it was interesting that Lana mentioned that overregulation in the capital is stifling the local economy…and then one minute later Felix shows up and waives the school’s BBQ regulations. Foreshadowing that he’s the future king Lidl needs to get out of it’s bureaucratic slump? Or just further proof that he likes slumming?
Loved the illustration where Felix and Glen are all sparkly with their meat skewers and the rest is trying to gather their jaws off the floor. Shame they skipped this in the anime. I would have loved to see it animated.
After that last scene with Rin, I guess there’s no doubt that something dramatic is going to happen at the school festival. I wonder what the significance of Louis equipping his barrier spells with traps is going to be. Or, to be precise: Who’s the unlucky guy who’s going to expire in the trap and have we already met them?
Ha, I nearly got ahead of you this time, @Boodil - although not quite! Getting closer at least 
Huh. I wonder if they’re gonna use parts later? I remember the dragon fight from the LN prologue also happening much later in the anime as a flashback.
生徒会の仕事は良いのだろうか……とモニカが密かに気にしていると、フェリクスがシリルをちらりと見た。
Haha, yeah. Might as well move the office here, we already have nearly all of them visiting.
If the last one comes too, poor Lana will be without a job…
「君は私がここに行くと告げる前から、前倒しで生徒会の仕事を片付けていたね？ 私が来なくとも、最初から、ノートン嬢の練習を見に来るつもりだったんじゃないかい？」
Aw!
シリルはグレンを突き飛ばすと、ビクビクしているモニカを見下ろした。
この流れは、モニカがシリルと踊るということだろうか？
Felix is going to be jealous 
シリルの手に誘われるように、モニカは足を踏み出した。
ステップを気にするのに精一杯のモニカは、どうしても上半身の振り付けが雑になる。だが、モニカの背中や腕が曲がると、シリルの手が正しい姿勢になるように支えてくれた。
You know, thinking about it… it was probably not such a smart idea to have the two complete beginners practice with each other.
モニカは思わず呟いた。
「……アシュリー様が、いつものアシュリー様で、安心しました」
「そういうことだから、よろしく。ノートン嬢」
Predictably.
「驚くほどエスコートされる気を感じないね？」
フェリクスは笑顔だが、碧い目はちっとも笑っていない。
To be honest, if you’re hurt by that, you’re not understanding the first thing about Monica.
And I think he should understand her more at this point. He is really self-absorbed, but he also seemed pretty smart and perceptive so far. And a schemer, so he should be used to understanding people.
その幼い顔は、ほんのりと薔薇色に…
?!
…染まってはおらず、寧ろ卒倒寸前の青白さである。
Phew!
「私と楽しくお喋りをしながら、適当に歩いているだけでいい。君は少し、体が強張りすぎているから」
Yes. Just what Monica needs to calm down. A conversation with you.
モニカが夢中で反射結界の魔術式について考えている内に、曲が終わった。
Well. Her mind was certainly taken off the steps! Success?!
「モニカ、すごいじゃない！ 途中からちゃんとダンスになってたわよ！」
Success! Apparently. Somehow
I refuse to believe that Monica is somehow good at this when she’s not thinking about it, but I guess maybe not thinking made it possible for Felix to properly guide her?
「ノートン嬢は頭で考えすぎるせいで動きが硬くなって、テンポがずれる傾向にあったからね。楽しくお喋りをしていれば、余計なことを考えずに相手に身を任せられるだろう？」
Yes, exactly, that sure is what happened. Nod, nod. Well done, Felix, you and your enjoyable conversation idea.
(Side note: Turns out that magic was the key to dancing properly after all! Well, thinking about it, anyway.)
すぐに足をもつれさせていたモニカも、まだぎこちなさはあるが、きちんと正しいステップでエスコートされている。
I can’t believe that the solution really was “completely zone out and think about magic”, but then again, this is the witch that solved her spell casting speaking anxiety problems by inventing a completely impossible way of not having to speak while doing so.
Big props to Glenn too! Monica zoning out means that he really needs to lead her, and he apparently did so very well.
「彼女を見ていると、たまにこう思わないかい？ 『何でそんなこともできないんだ』……と」
ブリジットは肯定も否定もせず、フェリクスの真意を探るかのように黙っている。
そんな彼女に、フェリクスは親しげに笑いかけた。
「まるで、昔の私を見ているようだと思っただろう？」
Huh. I certainly didn’t expect that!
「強いって言うと……〈砲弾の魔術師〉とか、黒竜を撃退した〈沈黙の魔女〉とか？」
Poor Louis, not even in the top two options, while a certain witch is
確実に第二王子を護衛したいのなら、もっと適任がいるはずだ。
I mean… you’ve done a pretty good job so far?
ラナは流行り物に詳しいだけでなく、案外商魂たくましい少女である。
Yeah, I’m positively surprised too.
あの頃は、こうして裏庭でこっそり肉を焼いて、誰かと食べる日が来るなんて、想像もしなかった。
Never mind Minvera… would you have imagined that a few weeks ago? I’m glad Monica is forming friendships and found a group to fit in!
ドレスもコートも装飾の少ない質素なデザインだが、それがモニカにはありがたい。
「わぁっ！ ……あの、これ、本当に貰っていいんです……か？」
It’s actually well chosen? And she’s actually happy? Nice.
「はい、ルイス殿は『ヴィクター・ソーンリーを捕らえた褒美とでも言っておきなさい。飴と鞭の使い分けは大事ですからねぇ、はっはっは』と申しておりました」
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Louis absolutely deserves Rin.
Yeah. I wonder what its role is going to be.
I mean, from what I gather he’s just really bored and tries to amuse himself. So showing up there, teasing them and then participating himself is just his speed.
Thought so, too, but then again, I think part of Felix’s (and everyone else’s) startled reaction was partially due to how bluntly Monica put it. Then again, Felix should be used to that, too.
Tbf, she did actually level up her Smalltalk skill a bit. Those were nearly…one and a half sentences of coherent conversation about her new comb if I remember correctly.
Yeah, I wonder what that was about.
Yeah, I was really surprised by that!
