NOVEL NEXT Chapter 70
On the way back to Jerion Academy in a carriage.
Iris tilted her head as she looked at me.
Her long black hair flowed with the movement.
“Hanon, you look even more tired than before your vacation.”
“Is that so?”
There was something that happened with Isabel last night, and this morning involved Hanon’s matters.
Perhaps that’s why I seemed to be piling up fatigue without realizing it.
“Here, lie down.”
Iris offered me her lap by tapping on her knee.
I’ve felt it again since the last time, but Iris completely treated me like a younger sibling.
“Well…”
Iris was the youngest in the imperial family.
It seemed she unconsciously wished she had a younger sibling.
“It’s like she’s doing everything she wanted to do for her younger sibling with me.”
From this standpoint, Iris was undoubtedly a 17-year-old girl.
The problem was that even if I wanted to fulfill her wishes…
“What are you doing? Iris said to lie down, right?”
Hania’s fierce gaze from the side was intimidating.
But ignoring Iris’s words wasn’t an option either.
In the end, I rested my head on Iris’s thigh.
The softness of her thigh felt pleasant against my head.
I couldn’t help but wonder if it was really acceptable, but Iris gently stroked my head.
“Feeling good, so…”
I decided to stay like that.
And fell asleep.
I wondered if Iris’s thighs contained immense magical power.
If her thighs were distributed nationwide, insomnia would vanish for good.
With that thought, I opened the dormitory door, and it felt like I had just returned from a long journey.
Once inside the dorm, I stretched out.
“Well then.”
I dropped my bag and turned around.
There were about eight days left in the summer vacation.
I planned to prepare for Act 4 during these eight days.
The first thing I had to do was…
“Just once, get the club president to agree to anything.”
Achieving the event condition.
Finding out the secrets the president wanted to keep hidden.
Let’s begin.
* * *
During the summer vacation.
Vacation, as usual, passes in the blink of an eye.
Students who finished their vacation returned, all looking drained.
Thinking about having to undergo another long academy life made them all look tired already.
Among them was one person who looked particularly exhausted.
“Hehe, this is the end of me.”
He had brown skin and blonde hair.
With his large physique, he exuded masculinity.
His name was Card Velik.
A famous lady-killer from Jerion Academy.
Most of the renowned girls in school had probably tried to flirt with him at least once.
Card’s infamous reputation spread fervently throughout Jerion Academy.
Still, he often received confessions from women, making him a born troublemaker.
Yet, the reality was different.
He belonged to the Shadow Knight Order of the neighboring Panius Kingdom.
In fact, his true identity was that of a spy who disguised himself as an imperial citizen to enroll in Jerion Academy.
He had two assigned missions.
One was to observe and relay information on promising talents who would become key figures in the Haishirion Empire.
The other was to scout for talents to bring back to the Panius Kingdom.
“Why would people living in a superior empire have any reason to want to be scouted by a kingdom?”
Still, being a spy, he diligently fulfilled his duties.
Among those, Card chose to seduce the daughters of major bureaucrats in the empire.
The plethora of information that their fathers or mothers might have let slip inadvertently.
The girls, not yet discerning, often fell for Card’s charms and spilled various secrets.
Thus, Card went around charming this girl and that girl, gleaning empire information from them.
Yet, he never ended up dating any one of them, which left the angry girls badmouthing him.
However, Card understood human psychology well.
While others might not, there was a mysterious psychology that led women to believe they wouldn’t act the same way toward him.
Because of that expectation, even those women who initially ignored him occasionally crumbled.
Above all, Card had a knack for picking out only those kinds of women.
He possessed a natural talent for reading people.
The challenge was that while engaging in spy activities, he also had to maintain decent grades at Jerion Academy.
So, Card was in deep trouble.
This time, he hadn’t rested at all during summer vacation.
He had kept watch over imperial movements and even made a trip to the Panius Kingdom.
Consequently, Card’s stamina had completely taken a hit.
“Just kill me already. Kill me.”
Card thought to himself as he looked up and spotted a group of kids chatting in the dormitory hallway.
They excitedly boasted about what they had done during their vacations.
Seeing them so carefree, Card couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Some were living joyfully, enjoying their vacation at their age.
Here he was, unable to go home during his break, stuck doing work.
What a profoundly unequal life.
“That girl he liked so much…”
Card felt a flicker of envy for a moment.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
He wouldn’t touch anyone who was already taken.
Otherwise, he’d end up with a knife in his back at the academy.
“Did you hear? They say there’s a ghost in the dormitory.”
“Come on, that’s just a rumor.”
“I’m serious! It supposedly appeared in the pool at night.”
Listening to the kids’ idle chatter, Card passed by them.
Creak—
Card opened the door to his dorm room.
He figured he should take a little rest before tomorrow came.
Just as he thought that,
There was a guest who had arrived before him in the room.
Hanon Irey.
The only boy Card couldn’t read well, no matter how well he could gauge others’ thoughts.
The problem was, right now—
Hanon was stretched out on the floor, his shadow reaching the ground.
Moreover, he was covered in dust as if he had been through something rigorous.
“Wang Non?”
“Oh, Card.”
Hanon casually tossed his dusty clothes aside and pulled out something new.
Around his neck dangled a pendant Card had never seen before.
A small, sword-shaped pendant that looked quite expensive.
In Card’s eyes, Hanon was a tireless worker.
What on earth could he be so busy with?
Even at the academy, he was always running around, and after finishing classes, he’d rush back only to study late into the night.
Hanon had a schedule that Card would consider insane.
Yet right now…
Hanon showed no signs of having rested during the vacation either.
“Wang Non, what on earth have you been up to during the break that you look like that?”
Hanon turned to face Card, having heard the question.
Hanon’s gaze felt like it pierced deeply into Card.
Ironically, while Card was the one talented at reading people, whenever Hanon’s eyes probed him, Card felt an odd sensation.
“Just… busy, you know. You seem the same, though.”
Could this guy also be a spy somewhere?
Card thought briefly and smirked.
“Guess so. Seems like we’re both in the same boat, huh?”
“Right?”
Hanon wasn’t one to pry into people’s business.
Perhaps that was why it seemed easier not to come up with excuses for what he had been doing during the vacation.
“Tomorrow we’ll be back at the academy, so I think I’m gonna rest a bit today.”
“Same here.”
Card agreed with Hanon’s sentiment, dropped his bags, and flopped onto the bed.
He felt grateful to be sharing the room with Hanon.
* * *
Second-year, second semester.
At the start of Act 4, Scene 1.
As usual, I finished my morning training with Aisha.
“Senpai, it seems you’ve kept up your training even while I was away.”
“Of course. Now, it feels unbearable if I don’t train.”
My training partner, Aisha, beamed at my words.
“Truly, you are amazing, Senpai. I feel so proud to have you as my training mate.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Aisha.”
Both Aisha and I shared a proud friendship as training partners.
“Speaking of which, what did you do during the break, Aisha?”
“I visited my family back home.”
Aisha’s family was the count family of Vizbel, known as the battle tribe from the north.
She had gone to visit Vizbel.
“I met my big sister and brothers after a long time and trained. I’m much stronger now.”
Aisha had become even more formidable.
“You’ll be coming with us to the next Magical Academy, right, Senpai?”
During the previous summer’s Magical Academy event, I had informed my team that due to prior engagements, I wouldn’t be participating with them this time.
It seemed Aisha wanted to go with me to the next Magical Academy.
A smile formed on my lips.
“Yeah, we’ll go together next time.”
This fall’s Magical Academy event would prepare us for the winter event.
I also intended to be active there.
After finishing training with Aisha, I returned to the dorm, cleaned up, and changed into my uniform before setting off.
For now, I needed to maintain the act of being in a relationship with Hania.
It was a bit of a hassle, but for a while, it was best to stay close to Iris.
It wasn’t entirely unpleasant for me either.
“Besides, it’s about time those students with resentment towards the student council start to make their move.”
In Act 4, Scene 1, there was a student council boycott incident.
While those instigators began stirring, Iris would play her part behind the scenes.
Having received orders from the Duke of Robliju to take control of the student council, she would surely carry that out.
Arriving at the girls’ dormitory, I saw students busily preparing for the second semester.
A few students glanced my way, but I paid them no mind.
“You’re early today.”
After a while of waiting, Hania finally came out.
“I always have morning training. What about you, Iris?”
“She’ll be out soon.”
As Hania said this, she let out a brief sigh.
Soon after, Iris walked out.
Unlike her usual self, struggling to wake up in the mornings, today she looked wide awake.
“She must’ve stayed up all night.”
Iris only ever stayed completely awake when she was carrying out orders from the Duke of Robliju.
It’s clear she was instructed to take control of the student council in line with the semester’s start.
“Good morning, Iris.”
As I greeted her, Iris looked my way.
Her black hair fluttered as she suddenly reached out towards me with both hands.
Seeing this, I flinched and instinctively took two steps back.
Iris blinked her eyes, continuing to extend her hands.
Then she realized what she was about to do and unclenched her hands.
During our vacation, Iris would often call on me to help her sleep.
Because of this, she had developed a habit of wanting to embrace me upon seeing me.
Especially since today she hadn’t slept at all.
It seemed she craved sleep and wanted to clutch her beloved plushy she would hug while sleeping.
“Iris, at the academy, I’m your boyfriend.”
Hania smiled brightly, grabbing my hand.
Realizing her mistake, Iris slowly withdrew her hands.
Yet she looked at me with an expression of deep wishes and regret.
Her eyes resembled that of a puppy who had lost its favorite toy.
No means no.
Even so, if I were to hold Iris in front of the students, it would be a point of no return.
“Good morning, everyone.”
At that moment, a familiar voice echoed.
I hadn’t expected to hear it right in front of the dormitory.
When I turned to look, Isabel was there.
She beamed at me, flanked by a drowsy Sharine.
“You too, good morning.”
“Oh, right.”
Taken off guard by Isabel greeting me, I replied dumbly.
She then tilted her head, observing the three of us standing there.
“If we stay here too long, we’ll be late for the academy. Aren’t you coming?”
Hania blinked in surprise and tilted her head.
“Isabel, should we go together?”
“Yep! Is that okay?”
“Well, it’s not like it’s a problem…”
Hania shot a glance my way.
It was famous that Isabel and I had a contentious relationship.
Seeing that despite that, Hania wanted to go to school together was surprising.
“Oh, it’s okay. I heard the circumstances before.”
Hania raised her eyebrows.
As she glared at me, I shrugged, as if to say I couldn’t help it.
“Just don’t worry about it.”
Hania alternated her gaze between Isabel and me.
“Not worrying about it isn’t the issue…”
Hania wore a face full of words she wanted to say, but…
As Isabel said, if we lingered longer, we would be late.
“Alright, yes, let’s go then.”
With that, we began our walk toward the academy.
Iris, Hania, Isabel, Sharine.
And me.
The problem was that all except Sharine were looking at me with peculiar expressions.
…What kind of combination is this?