Aaaaaaah. What kind of situation is this right nowwww!
“If I say it like this, that’s all I need to do, right? Easy.”
Hmph, Cesare burst into bright laughter. Cute Rye. Cute Rye. Puppy Rye.
He kept humming like it was a game and played with my hair, twirling it around his fingers. If I had my way, I’d shave my head bald and make it a toy plaything for his hands.
“But those glasses… don’t wear them.”
I must have looked like a total nerd. I’m returning the glasses right away. Without any rebuttal, I just nodded my head vigorously.
“Okay…”
“You listen well and you’re cute.”
Poof.
From that point on, I was completely spaced out and kept using his lap as a pillow until Old Man Chad came. I was so happy I couldn’t think or say anything.
Aah. Mini Cesare. Today must be the day I’ve used up all my lifetime’s luck.
* * *
Even though it was the weekend, Cedric was busily organizing documents in the inner room of the student council office. It had been somewhat busy days this year becoming a senior and even student council president with homecoming approaching, but for Cedric, being busy was actually just right.
“Sorry I’m late.”
At that moment, someone opened the door and handed Cedric another stack of documents. It was junior Jayden Fellox.
As an executive of the student council, he was one of the students who considered it an honor to assist Cedric, so it was strange since he rarely came late.
“It’s a bit unexpected for you to be late.”
“I apologize. Something happened with my younger sister… I was late because I had to console her a bit.”
“Younger sister? Ah. You mean Junior Jaina?”
“Yes. Something unfortunate happened.”
“What happened? Did her birthday party preparations fall through?”
Cedric chuckled as he flipped through the documents.
“It seems she worked up the courage to hand an invitation to a male student she’s had feelings for. This is why I told her not to come to the academy. Phew.”
The Imperial Academy had a low ratio of female students. That was because there weren’t many curricula for high-ranking young ladies.
Daughters from prominent families usually received homeschooling at home or went to salons hosted by ladies with influence in high society. If they were exceptionally smart, they’d go to Roswell Academy.
Yet the female students who went out of their way to come to the Imperial Academy mostly had just one reason.
‘Junior Jaina was also after romance.’
Cedric didn’t think that was vulgar. Rather, he thought it was better to meet various people and get opportunities, and it was surprisingly common for idle nobles to chase romance and romanticism.
“Doting on your sister too much is also unseemly, Jayden.”
“Rather than me doting on her, the guy who received that invitation tore it up in front of everyone.”
Only then did Cedric put down the documents in surprise.
“What?! Who on earth?”
Unless they were family enemies, there was no reason to act so antagonistically.
“Do you happen to know Lionel Mellans, Senior Cedric?”
“……!”
Cedric’s eyes widened at that name as he looked at Jayden.
“He’s one of Yanox’s gang, and he’s so rude normally—ah, I apologize. He’s a guy with no manners, so among classmates he’s known for being a bad quality person.”
“No manners?”
“Since he’s from the Mellans Trading Company, the only thing he believes in is money, and with Yanox as his backing, there’s no one who can dare touch him even though he’s a commoner. He hasn’t caused any major incidents so far, so Senior Cedric might not know, but he’s quite notorious among the juniors.”
“That can’t be…?”
Cedric frowned at the evaluation of Lionel that was completely opposite from what he’d seen.
‘So it was true that he’s friends with Astol….’
But no matter how much he thought about it, that cute and handsome appearance didn’t match at all with being so rude as to tear up an invitation.
“You must have gotten it wrong.”
“No. Multiple students definitely witnessed him tearing up the invitation in the library lobby. These are the related documents.”
Jayden handed the documents to Cedric with an angry face.
「Disciplinary Action Petition: Lionel Mellans」
Cedric traced his finger over the letters with Lionel’s name written on them. No matter when he looked at it, it was quite a nice name. Cute yet not frivolous.
“Disciplinary action?”
“My younger sister was insulted. Even if this is an academy, I can’t just let it pass when Fellox has been insulted. Please approve it.”
“You know it’s hard to punish this student unless there’s a school rule that says… you shouldn’t tear up invitations in the library lobby, right?”
Cedric subtly gauged his mood and tested the degree of his hatred.
“Actions that excessively lower dignity are subject to disciplinary action.”
How resolute. Cedric thought this as he received the documents.
‘Lionel Mellans. Who would’ve thought the Mellans Trading Company was sticking close to Yanox.’
He’d definitely been curious about how he could leisurely study at the academy in a situation where the imperial family was gradually tightening Yanox’s breathing room, but there was this kind of supporter.
The Mellans Trading Company was a large company mainly in the mining industry, with many affiliated businesses in that field like jewelry, fossil fuels, mountain resort construction, and so on, so the fact that he was together with Yanox was not a very good sign.
‘He must have attached himself to the Mellans Trading Company with some ulterior motive.’
Cedric recalled how last time in the student council office, Lionel had ostentatiously made his hunting dog greet him and praised him.
Even though he was clearly getting close for money, Lionel’s expression as he received Cesare’s petting looked truly happy as if he’d gained heaven and earth.
‘But he’ll be used like a tool by Yanox.’
“Like that person…”
“Yes?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll accept the disciplinary petition. The faculty and imperial officials will review it.”
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Cedric secretly took out a fountain pen from the drawer without Jayden noticing.
“Another person of interest has increased.”
“Anyway, Yanox’s gang. I don’t like them.”
‘I should pull him out before he gets more stained.’
Like that, Cedric caressed the fountain pen Lionel had left behind before for quite a while with a serious expression.
* * *
“Hey, there’s Trash Lionel.”
“After Hell Mouth, now it’s Trash.”
I knew this would happen.
The start of an energetic week. Students called me Trash. Personality Trash. Female students even glared at me openly as they passed by.
Male students didn’t care that much and even thought of me as a hero, so Cain and William’s gang told me not to worry too much, but….
‘What good does being treated as a hero by a villain gang do?! You crazy bastards!’
The world likes virtuous heroes. No one likes vicious villains. Sometimes there are guys who like villains saying they’re sexier, but that’s only when the villain has been given an unfortunate backstory. That doesn’t apply to me.
While I was grinning in my room over the weekend due to the aftereffects of Cesare, I’d become tremendous trash. According to rumors, I said “How dare something like Count Fellox’s family hit on me” while tearing up the invitation vigorously.
Or there were also rumors floating around that I said “You’re trying to get with me with that face?” or that I read the invitation aloud mockingly.
‘What kind of son of a bitch spread such distorted words! They must have an ugly face to match their ugly personality.’
If I saw them, I really wanted to land a hard uppercut, then give them financial therapy, then land another uppercut.
‘It’s a misunderstanding. Cesare’s the Trash! Cesare’s the culprit who brainwashed me into tearing it up!’
I desperately held back from climbing onto the classroom desk and shouting that at the top of my lungs.
“It’s okay, Rye. Enjoy it. Bask in it. That’s also popularity. Actually, you were too unpopular among us.”
While waiting for the next lecture to start, Cain teased.
“What do you mean enjoy and bask in it!”
“Oh, as expected, Trash.”
Annoyed at Cain’s words, I reached out my hand to tickle his side, then stopped. Then Cain looked at me puzzled.
“Why aren’t you tickling me?”
“I don’t want to get dragged to the student council again.”
“Aww. No way. Getting tickled by Rye was my only pleasure!”
Feeling upset, I huffed and lay face-down on the desk, when Cesare, who had attended another class and joined us at some point, patted my back.
“Cute Rye. I’m here. Get up. Are you going to sleep already?”
“……!”
“Huuuh.”
Startled by the title “Cute Rye,” I lifted my head brightly and saw Cesare with his usual indifferent expression.
“You’re here?! Sit here!”
Yes yes. Your cute Rye is right here! I pulled out his chair while stuffing that look into my eyes. Now when I heard Cesare’s voice, my body reacted first like a dog meeting its owner.
“Hey, hey…! Cesare!”
“What.”
“That’s mine!”
“What is.”
“‘Cute Rye’ is my signature! You don’t get to call him that!”
Cain, you bastard. Read the room! I like it! Cesare said he’ll call me that!
I intervened while pushing away the heated Cain’s mouth with my palm.
“What are you talking about, Cain. Did you patent that word? Did you register the copyright? You didn’t. Cesare should call me whatever he wants. Right, Cesare?”
Cesare didn’t answer but smirked and opened his textbook. At that moment, Professor Hugo, who teaches military tactics, came in and tapped the blackboard loudly, calling me.
“Private, Mellans, attention!”
“Yes! Private, Lionel Mellans, at attention!”
I jumped up and answered. Professor Hugo from a marquis family, a former general who’d received multiple medals, was incredibly tough and always called us privates while keeping strict discipline.
“Imperial officials summons. Get the hell out. The rest of you, open your books quickly. This class is the slowest in progress! Ugh, children of darkness. Open the windows too!”
Imperial officials?! Somehow an ominous premonition struck.
