IDWF 5

chapter 5

Fortunately, Karsion didn’t say anything even as I approached him.

It was as if he had forgotten the “stay away” warning he had given me earlier.

After a long moment, I finally reached him and called out in a determined voice.

“Pink hair.”

“……”

“Pink hair?”

He had allowed me to come closer, but it seemed his anger hadn’t faded—he didn’t respond no matter how many times I called him.

But maybe it was because of his face— even when he was angry, he looked like a painting.

I had joined the club just because of that face, so even that expression was pleasing to me.

If anything…

I kind of wanted to see him get even angrier.

What is wrong with me? My personality must be terrible.

After finishing my calculations in my head, I suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

“Pink hair.”

At that, Karsion—who hadn’t even spared me a glance—snapped his head toward me and shouted,

“I told you not to touch—!”

Poke.

And then, his cheek was squished by my index finger, which I had already stuck out in advance.

His expression instantly went blank.

In the end, I couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

“Pfft. Hahaha! Pink hair, your face right now is seriously cute.”

At that moment, Karsion’s face flared red once again.

Several weeks had already passed since I joined his… whatever-you’d-call-it club.

And I was more satisfied with club life than I expected.

No, let me correct that.

Club life was absolutely the best.

Guaranteed grades without doing anything, plus visual eye candy.

There couldn’t possibly be a better club than this.

On top of that, I didn’t know where he got them, but Karsion had even brought in a sofa and blankets, so the clubroom was basically turning into my living space.

If there was one downside, it was that there were two cohabitants responsible for the “visual welfare.”

Still, being with them wasn’t bad.

Karsion was a bit prickly, but an innocent guy who was fun to tease, and Fior livened up the atmosphere with his naturally bright personality.

After entering the academy, I hadn’t been able to get close to anyone and had been lonely—so having people to talk to made me secretly happy.

But as expected, the situation I had worried about before joining the club finally happened.

It seemed like my peaceful academy life was over.

I had been sneaking into the clubroom every time just in case something like this happened, but…

How did they find out so quickly?

“Hey. Is it true that you joined the club with Karsion and Fior?”

I looked at the group of students glaring at me with intense eyes.

There were five of them—three girls and two boys—who had surrounded me in an instant.

I had only stepped out for a short walk after lunch to help digestion, but I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.

I glanced around.

Unfortunately, I had wandered into a secluded area, and there was no one to ask for help.

Still, I lifted my chin confidently.

“Yeah. It’s true.”

“Ha. Look at how she talks.”

“Don’t you understand the situation? Why are you acting so confident?”

The clearly angry students all looked like they had “I’m a noble” written across their faces.

From their wrinkle-free uniform shirts to their well-maintained skin and expensive-looking brooches—

Without realizing it, I looked down and compared their uniforms to mine.

Yeah… anyone could tell I was a commoner.

Of course, they could just be rich kids from wealthy families.

But the way they looked down on me so naturally was exactly like nobles drunk on authority.

Of all people to pick a fight with… nobles. Just my luck.

“You probably think that just by joining that club you can get close to them, but they don’t care about you at all. Am I wrong?”

“Climbing up just because you have a decent face—how disgusting.”

…They’re the ones who kept talking to me even when I tried not to give them attention.

Well, later on I did start talking first because teasing Karsion was fun.

But if I said that honestly…

It wouldn’t be words—those pretty hands of theirs would be flying toward my face.

“I didn’t join that club to get close to them.”

“Then why the hell did you join?!”

That was easy to answer.

“Because Karsion’s face is kind.”

“…What?”

They all looked stunned.

They probably didn’t expect that someone who claimed not to want to get close to them would openly admit she joined because of his looks.

I slowly tilted my head.

“Then what about you guys? If you had the chance to join that club, you wouldn’t? Even with Karsion and Fior there?”

They’re handsome, after all.

“O-of course, if they let us join, we would have—”

One of them started agreeing before snapping back to their senses and shaking their head.

“We wouldn’t monopolize them like you!”

Not “wouldn’t”—couldn’t.

And just being in the same club doesn’t count as monopolizing, does it?

“Do you really think you’re qualified to approach Karsion and Fior?”

“That kind Fior just treated you nicely, and now you’re getting full of yourself. In the end, nobles only end up with nobles.”

“Someone like you—a commoner—shouldn’t even dare look at them.”

I know.

Of course I do.

I’m someone who tries harder than anyone else to face reality.

I’m extremely realistic. I don’t dream pointless dreams.

When I was ten…

Back then, as my parents lay dying from an unknown illness, I desperately wished and prayed.

That they would recover. That they would live.

Even as I watched their bodies rot away.

The result… was obvious.

I held onto their lifeless hands and cried and cried.

And then I fell into despair.

That moment when hope turns into despair— it was something too overwhelming for a child to bear.

After the funeral, I couldn’t leave my room for over a year.

My mind deteriorated, and my heart shattered.

If I had just abandoned hope and accepted reality, maybe it would have hurt less.

When I finally accepted that I was alone in the world…

I made a promise.

I wouldn’t dream pointless dreams anymore.

I would never feel that way again.

Never.

“I didn’t even know they were nobles before I joined the club, and I’ve never once thought the way you’re imagining.”

Shaking off my thoughts, I denied their words and looked at each of them standing around me.

I admit it.

Outside the academy, the difference in status between them and me is huge.

But this is inside the academy, right?

So go ahead—try flaunting your status here.

“I know my place. But what about you? Are you even of a status high enough to match their families?”

“Are you stupid?”

“Ha, you think you’re on our level? I’m the daughter of the prestigious Count Christia family!”

“I’m from the Ieltz family, famous for its gold mines.”

“I’m—”

At my light provocation, they all started listing their family names one after another.

Looks like they wanted a commoner like me to be intimidated.

“I see. You’re all from families far above mine.”

“You’re just realizing that?”

“If you don’t want your whole family to be ruined because of you, you’d better crawl under us.”

Too bad—I have no intention of crawling.

I glanced over the name tags they were wearing and spoke.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt, but can I just confirm one thing?”

“…?”

“In the order you introduced yourselves—Stella, Bonita, Catherine, Harold, and lastly you’re Andrew, right?”

“What are you trying to pull?”

The five whose names I called sneered.

One of the boys tapped my shoulder unpleasantly with his finger.

“Why? Planning to cry and report us somewhere?”

“This is ridiculous. Did we hit you or anything? We were just talking.”

If threatening someone with status isn’t violence, then what is?

I spoke coldly.

“I asked if those are your names.”

“Yeah, they are! What, are you blind? It’s written on our name tags!”

Alright. That’s confirmation.

Good.

I smiled brightly at them.

And then—

“Hey! She’s running!”

“Catch her!”

“Ah! You were closest, you should’ve grabbed her!”

After tripping the boy who had pushed my shoulder, I ran with all my strength.

Straight to Professor Walter’s office.

The reason was simple.

He was in charge of disciplinary matters.

At Arena Academy, rules strictly prohibited mentioning one’s status.

Though after enrolling, I realized that rule was only half-enforced.

Still, openly stating your family name with your own mouth was clearly grounds for expulsion.

They probably never imagined I’d have a recording magic tool on me.

Especially not an expensive one—in the hands of a mere commoner.

Let this be a lesson.

Life is practical, kids.

If you want revenge later, go ahead and try.

This is Arena Academy—outsiders can’t enter or interfere.

Just wait about four years until I graduate.

Inside the office, there were several professors besides Professor Walter.

Luckily, it seemed I had arrived while they were in the middle of a discussion.

I put on a pitiful expression, played them the recording, and explained what had happened.

Of course, I didn’t forget to let a few tears fall as I said, “I was so scared.”

As expected, their reactions—

“Those insolent brats! Always flaunting their noble status—so they finally crossed the line!”

“The recording clearly includes them stating their names and families. There’s no way out of this.”

“We’ll have to make an example of them.”

“Everyone already knows without saying it—why did they have to be so blatant? Tsk.”

“You’ve been through a lot, Rien. You just joined, and this happened—sorry about that.”

“That’s right. You’ve done well. Professor Walter will handle the rest, so don’t worry.”

Listening to their warm words of comfort, I gave a faint smile.

“Thank you.”