NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62
Facing Sharin, the situation felt tense.
Isabel’s eyes were fixed on us, brimming with an inscrutable fierceness.
What should I do, looking at this?
“…I didn’t really do anything.”
That was a pathetic excuse.
Right now, I had a remnant of a dragon in my right eye.
Sharin was my only hope for help, so I made the request to her. But it was best for as few people as possible to know about the dragon remnants.
So, when I tried to play innocent, Isabel’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
“I’ve been feeling this since last time…”
Isabel looked at us with a strange gaze.
“What exactly are you two to each other?”
Since teaming up with Sharin for the group project, Isabel had always been curious about our relationship.
Isabel was close friends with Sharin.
I was rivals with Isabel.
The fact that Sharin and I were getting along had always puzzled Isabel.
Upon hearing her question, Sharin and I exchanged glances.
If she asked what Sharin and I were to each other…
“We’re promised to each other!”
Before I could respond, Sharin jumped in first.
After all, I had planned to reveal my true identity after the academy business was done.
So, yes, we had indeed promised a future together.
But saying it like that…
“Wha, what?!”
See? Isabel was utterly flustered.
Isabel stared at the two of us blankly. Sharin looked rather proud, like she’d done a magnificent job explaining.
What’s she so proud about?
I really felt like giving her a light slap on the head.
“But, but you said you were dating Hania…”
Isabel had heard the rumors too.
Here I was, supposed to be dating Hania while promising a future with Sharin.
There’s no bigger playboy than this.
Isabel’s face looked oddly deflated.
Sharin, too, regarded Isabel with a curious gaze.
Then Sharin glanced back at me.
“Hanon, are you really dating Hania?”
Hearing her next question, Isabel’s shoulders twitched.
“Really dating???”
“Isn’t that right? Hanon doesn’t seem like the type to seriously date anyone.”
Why would she treat me like I don’t understand love?
Of course, I suspected that the bandage of the veil had likely made me lose those feelings.
It’s just a vague assumption, but considering I felt nothing even surrounded by beautiful women, it seemed plausible.
‘I must be emotionally dead.’
Bitter, but I could fix it later, right?
I didn’t care much about it.
And it seemed Sharin wasn’t unaware of this aspect of me.
They say women are more sensitive to a man’s gaze than one might think.
She had probably noticed that I didn’t look at women with romantic feelings.
“Yeah, we’re dating.”
Isabel’s shoulders twitched again.
Her eyes were shaking violently.
The reaction was bigger than I expected.
Sharin’s brows furrowed slightly.
Then she tilted her head slightly.
It was a reaction she herself wasn’t aware of.
“…Then, what does it mean that you promised a future with Rin?”
At that moment, Isabel pointed out what I just said.
For some reason, she looked at me with a cold expression.
“Isabel, I think there’s a misunderstanding here.”
“Misunderstanding? What’s misunderstood! Where’s the misunderstanding?!”
Isabel shouted, her eyes filled with deep disappointment.
It was as if she thought I was at least the kind who understood basic decency.
I absently rubbed my chin.
Speaking of which, I’ve been a bit neglectful of Isabel lately while I focused on Nikita’s issues.
Nikita’s situation is more or less wrapped up.
She safely exited the scenario, so I didn’t have to worry about her for now.
‘As long as it’s before Act 4 starts.’
I should focus a bit more on Isabel.
“Right.”
I decided to boost her competitive spirit as a rival.
“Think what you will.”
With Hania, it was one thing, but now that it involved her friend Sharin.
Isabel dashed forward and grabbed Sharin’s wrist.
There was contempt in her eyes.
“Don’t throw bad ideas at my friend without her consent.”
“But she said it herself, what’s wrong with a bad idea?”
“Rin is innocent!”
Is Sharin innocent?
I turned to look at Sharin, who Isabel was pulling away.
She seemed to be getting drowsy again, yawning casually.
I couldn’t agree with the claim that Sharin was innocent at all.
“You, I’m seriously disappointed.”
“It surprises me that there’s still room left for disappointment.”
“…You’re just like Card.”
Oh no, this is insane.
I’d rather deny that than admit it, but Isabel took Sharin and stormed off.
Sharin waved her hand, saying she’d see me later.
How carefree of her—truly fitting for her.
‘…Am I really just like Card?’
And I couldn’t shake off the shock I felt.
Sure, walking like this, holding hands with two girls, was akin to being some kind of playboy.
But being compared to Card shattered my psyche.
“ I heard the maids talking about something strange, so I came to check on you. What’s going on?”
Just then, Hania walked out.
It seemed she had overheard the maids talking while preparing for school.
As expected of the maids—gossip spreads quickly.
She approached me and glanced back.
“I saw Isabel and Sharin Sazarith running away. Did Hanon confess and scare them?”
“…If I get scared, that’s some serious business.”
Suddenly, I was filled with anger.
I’d have to kick Card’s ass when I saw him.
“More importantly, Iris will be coming out soon, so wait up front.”
“Wait? Why?”
She looked at me as if asking what I meant.
“Couples should go to school together, right?”
Since I was pretending, I might as well go all in.
That’s typically Hania for you.
＊＊＊
On the way to school.
I was walking while hearing whispers more than ever.
In front of me stood two people.
On the far left was Iris, who looked weak as usual this morning.
And at the center, Hania had her arm wrapped around Iris.
Finally, on the far right, I was holding Hania’s hand.
Had I ever walked hand-in-hand with a girl in my life?
I don’t recall doing so.
It felt strange.
Although Hania was holding my hand, she didn’t spare me a glance.
Her full attention was on Iris’s side, her arm wrapped around her.
Her right hand seemed devoid of energy.
Even if she was holding onto a tree root, it would have more life than this.
But this was something that other students didn’t know.
So to their eyes, we two must have looked completely like a couple.
“…Did they catch you on some weakness or something?”
“Why is Hania dating someone like him?”
“It’s such a waste that Hania is with a punk like him.”
The children mostly felt sympathy for Hania but directed contempt toward me.
It seemed they had more resistance to someone as popular as Hania dating someone like me.
After the long walk to school, we entered the martial arts class, and the gazes of the students instantly focused on us.
The martial arts students were all looking at us with shocked faces.
It was a natural reaction, considering their doubts had turned into reality.
Among them, one person’s reaction stood out dramatically.
Seron, who was sitting in his usual spot, stared at me in disbelief.
His mouth gaped open, eyes wide as if he couldn’t believe it.
For some reason, his gaze irritated me.
As I approached Seron, acting as if it were familiar, Hania pulled my hand gently.
“Where are you going?”
“I was heading to my seat.”
“What are you talking about? Have you ever seen a couple sit apart?”
“That’s…”
I don’t know since I’ve never been in a relationship before.
But Hania’s eyes were serious.
“I insist you sit next to us from now on.”
Hania didn’t seem to have any intention of bending her opinion.
Was she planning to make Barcob fail me for sure this time?
In the end, I had no choice but to follow Hania.
Iris, meanwhile, appeared to have shaken off her sleepiness and looked refined.
Before the students, she always carried herself with grace and dignity.
Sitting with each of us in our respective places while we had Iris on the inside.
In the meantime, Seron was still staring at us with a shocked face.
But aside from that, his eyes shimmered with confusion.
In martial arts, Seron wasn’t a part of any group.
So now that I had become a couple with Hania, I had essentially cut off his only social connection.
This meant that Seron, from now on, would have to be alone.
“O, oh…”
Like a lost puppy without its owner.
Seron didn’t know what to do.
I briefly watched him, then leaned over to Hania.
“Hania, can I call Seron over?”
“Seron?”
Hania looked over to him.
She sighed as if she had discerned the situation.
“Sure. After all, we wouldn’t want to ruin our relationships in the midst of this.”
Thankfully, Hania was magnanimous.
“But while we’re dating, let’s not show too much affection for each other in public.”
“What kind of crazy talk is that?”
“Weren’t you dating him? You’re practically together all the time.”
Not at all.
I would prefer they refrain from twisting my words.
“Seron.”
I called Seron, feeling a slight headache coming on.
As I did, Seron’s eyes widened with surprise, and he ran over joyously.
He looked like a little puppy rushing to its owner.
“Don’t sit far away, come sit next to me.”
“R, really?”
“Yeah.”
Seron’s face lit up.
Then he happily sat beside me, pulling out textbooks from his bag.
He started humming a little tune, looking cheerful.
“…Can he still do that?”
Hania whispered but I ignored her.
A moment later, Professor Veganon, looking as hungover as usual, walked over.
She glanced around at us all before speaking.
“By now, you all probably know about the incident from the summer at Magung Palace.”
The summer incident at Magung Palace.
The vice president, Nikita Cynthia, directly attacked the 3rd Princess.
This incident had completely upended the internal affairs of the Empire.
The 3rd Princess faction was pressing for the accountability of the Cynthia family.
However, the 1st Prince faction wasn’t about to let the Cynthia family fall without a fight.
In fact, they were using this incident to accuse the 3rd Princess faction of orchestrating an assassination against Nia Cynthia.
Mentioning that Nikita targeted the 3rd Princess directly was part of their assault.
Consequently, the 1st and 3rd Princess factions were fiercely battling it out.
‘Thanks to that, the academy won’t be in the spotlight for a while.’
I figured there had been a lot of talk surrounding Iris too.
After all, it seemed like Iris was using the aftermath of the Magung Palace incident to ignore them all.
Being in the middle of this situation could easily lead to a war with the 1st Princess faction.
Knowing this, she likely decided to keep quiet.
“3rd Year, Nikita Cynthia has been stripped of her vice president position, leaving it vacant.”
And then the story began to unfold as I’d known it to.
“After this summer break, a new vice president will be elected to fill the vacancy. Participation is open to 2nd Years as well, so those who wish to run can submit their applications.”
A vacant vice president position.
With that, the students’ eyes began to change.
In Jerion Academy, where talented individuals gathered, the roles of student council president and vice president were highly regarded.
For noble families that valued prestige, it was an opportunity to elevate their family’s name.
It seemed that no one could hide their interest.
“It wouldn’t hurt for the future president Iris to step in early as vice president.”
At that moment, Hania suggested Iris to run.
Iris didn’t seem to object.
After all, she must have already heard the same suggestion from the Duke of Robliju.
To be appointed as the new vice president.
‘As expected, things are moving along as it should.’
Iris, following the Duke of Robliju’s command, was likely ready to shake up the entire student council.
She would replace existing members and fill it with her supporters.
‘Is Act 4 coming up?’
Following the summer vacation interlude, the earnest start of Act 4 was about to commence.
The conflict between the 1st Prince faction and the 3rd Princess faction would soon make its way into the academy.
‘And then.’
The mad wizard, Vinesha.
This was also the chapter where she would carry out a major act of terror against Jerion Academy.
“Vice president, huh?”
At that moment, Seron slowly rubbed his chin.
Watching him, I felt compelled to interject.
“It’s better to give up on things that can’t be done quickly.”
“…Who said that?”
Seron’s face, filled with expectant joy, had now turned into disappointment.
This is the way, I suppose.
The vice presidency requires both student votes and faculty recommendations.
It wouldn’t be considered at an average level.
“More importantly, Hanon.”
At that moment, Hania suddenly called out for me.
“You know you’re supposed to be with us during the summer break, right?”
What? I wasn’t aware of that.