274 – About Her Love -6-

Seated at his desk, Malik read the report with a faint smile.

– It has been confirmed that Vienna, a third-year student of the Swordsmanship Department, committed theft within the school premises…

– According to the testimony of the convenience store worker ‘Ricardo’, Mikhail and another student searched Vienna’s dormitory and found evidence recognizing ‘The Art of Trafficking Black Magic’, along with three additional stolen items…

“Hmm…”

Malik, who had been appointed as a senior director less than a month ago, nodded as he read the report, not expecting trouble so soon. He sighed as he checked the note beneath the report.

– Please handle it appropriately.

If this incident becomes known, it will be tough for both the academy and the student Vienna. Just appropriately.

Malik nodded and sighed again.

“I can’t read this.”

The identity of the person who wrote the headache-inducing note was easy to guess without much thought.

‘When did they leave it here.’

The content was obvious without needing interpretation.

“They must be asking me to wrap it up nicely.”

He thought the person who disliked standing out must have quietly left the note and disappeared. Why they would leave something unreadable was beyond him.

“I can’t figure it out.”

What a strange fellow.

Like a sage who knows the future, he possessed vast knowledge, and a martial prowess too precious to be merely the butler of a villainess. Malik chuckled wryly and nodded, knowing all too well that he couldn’t handle such a willful being, though he wished to keep him by his side.

“One does seem to have chosen a partner well.”

Life was enjoyable because of that guy.

His brother’s matters.

His own dreams.

And his business ventures.

In a life never devoid of entertainment, Malik smiled faintly, placing the empty teacup on the table and lifting his head.

“So, do you have something to say, Cadet Vienna?”

Malik asked, looking at Vienna seated on the opposite sofa, inviting her to speak.

Vienna, having read the densely written report, flinched under Malik’s icy gaze. It was her first time facing the senior director she had thought of as a mere scarecrow.

“I… I am.”

The director, created merely to capture the students’ hearts, had been terrifying.

The tone devoid of emotion.

The calm gaze upon her.

Vienna felt her blood run cold under the sharp eyes that seemed too keen for a mere figurehead.

“This is slander…! Why would I use black magic!”

“I’m not curious about that.”

“What? What do you mean… Haha! You know about it too, don’t you, Director?”

Malik said with a faint smile towards Vienna.

“Um… Yes.”

“Of course…!”

Malik spoke to the bitterly smiling Vienna in a light tone, as if it were truly nothing.

“It seems Cadet Vienna is unaware of why she’s here.”

“…”

“If it were a matter of discipline, it would have been done in the student council room, wouldn’t it?”

“Then why am I…”

“Well, wasn’t it to frame someone? My business partner.”

“What…?”

“That friend said he didn’t want to do it, but I insisted on it, despite his reluctance.”

“…Director?”

“What does the Vienna student think? Do you believe I can see that friend’s face?”

Malik smiled faintly while looking at Vienna, who was opening her trembling eyes.

“Vienna cadet.”

“Gulp…”

“Words are truly frightening things.”

“That..that is…”

“For a businessman, trust is even more terrifying.”

Malik rose from the sofa and gently grasped Vienna’s shoulder.

“Ricardo mentioned he would prefer if things were handled moderately. He said he hoped it would end with just a warning, without any strange rumors spreading…”

-Thump.

“What does the Vienna cadet think of this decision?”

Vienna’s shoulder, touched by Malik’s hand, began to tremble like a poplar tree.

“I have no desire to end things at this level; I want to hear the student’s opinion.”

“Hiccup…”

“Don’t cry, Vienna cadet. Power should be wielded while one has it, shouldn’t it?”

Malik whispered quietly to Vienna, smiling faintly like a villainous antagonist.

“Have you ever been trapped inside a drum?”

Vienna’s complexion turned pale.

Malik chuckled softly, flicking his finger. Then, people dressed in black walked into the office.

“Take her away.”

-Nod.

“Director!! Director!!”

The thugs, walking with a measured tread, roughly grabbed Vienna’s shoulders and began to drag her out the door.

“Please save me!!!”

“My ears are tingling.”

“Please! Please save me!”

Malik filled an empty teacup from the pot, smiling.

“I told them not to kill you, so a little scare should suffice.”

Ricardo said not to make a big deal out of it, so I thought it would be cleanest to resolve it at this level.

Of course, while thinking that a scare that wouldn’t kill would be enough.

“It seems the honor of Histania ends with this generation.”

Malik was in a foul mood.

After all, he had crossed his business partner.

*

Another peaceful day at the Academy.

With the Academy theft case wrapped up quietly, peace had returned to the convenience store.

Malicious rumors persisted, but students had roughly guessed the whereabouts of the vanished Vienna, and things were quieting down over time.

Today, too, a familiar customer visited me at the convenience store counter.

“Pyungmin!”

“…What’s that? That strange pronunciation.”

“I bit my tongue.”

“Trying to act refined now is futile.”

“Heeing.”

Today, again, Shuen came with an empty wallet, tearing into the packaging of a discarded lunch box with a petulant expression. Spouting lewd jokes about how he couldn’t live without these discarded lunches anymore.

Seated on a chair, Shuen glanced at the students peeking into the convenience store and smiled faintly.

“It’s still a relief.”

What’s he relieved about? I wondered if he meant it was good that the free lunches hadn’t stopped, to which Shuen replied with a warm smile.

“With more customers at the convenience store, Pyungmin’s wallet will get thicker too.”

I nodded in response to Shuen’s well-wishing smile.

“That’s true. It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Shuen.”

“Not at all! It’s because Pyungmin is quick-witted that we could catch the culprit! Well, the student council did hush it up, but still.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“Yes, I wanted to see that woman suffer. And I wanted to show that Pyungmin is incorruptible…”

“Incorruptible? Actually, the lunch box you’re eating isn’t discarded. I secretly took it.”

“…Is this theft!”

Shuen looked at me with wide eyes and a reproachful gaze, as if to say, ‘We just caught a criminal, and now here’s another.’

I chuckled and teased Shuen.

“Now you’re an accomplice, Mr. Shuen.”

“Ugh… Now that it’s come to this, I might as well commit a perfect crime!”

“Phahaha!!!”

As Shuen tried to stash the empty lunchbox into her bag, claiming it was a perfect crime, I couldn’t help but wave my hand with a dizzying laugh.

Really.

“Ah… that was a good laugh.”

She seems like a fun person.

-I’m serious!

-Yes, yes~

-Don’t laugh!

How long did we discuss how to commit the perfect crime without getting caught?

With a somewhat serious expression, Shuen said to me,

“The commoner is quite remarkable.”

“All of a sudden?”

“Yes.”

“You haven’t shown anything yet, are you flattering me in case I don’t give you the lunchbox?”

-Flustered.

Struck by conscience, Shuen twitched her shoulder and then shook her head at me,

“No! It’s just… you speak so calmly and even managed to ‘kill’ a sausage mid-bite…”

“I didn’t kill it.”

“It disappeared from the academy, so isn’t it dead?”

“Not at all.”

“Hmmm…! Anyway, you seem like the most remarkable commoner I’ve ever seen.”

At Shuen’s lavish praise, I asked her with a playful smile,

“More than Mikhail?”

“…No! Who are you comparing me with! You must be planning to surpass Senior Mikhail and bear the fruit of love with me! Pervert!”

“Your delusions are too excessive.”

“Ugh…!”

Shuen stomped her feet in frustration, pounding the table as if aggrieved. People called her a villainess, but to me, she was sometimes unknowably cute.

I took a good look around the empty convenience store and called out to Shuen. It was time to move on to a slightly sensitive topic.

“So, Miss Shuen.”

“Yes?!”

“Don’t you have something to ask me?”

Hesitating for a moment, Shuen glanced around in a circle. Then, with a big nod, she pulled out a notebook and pen from her bag.

“Actually, you see.”

“Yes?”

“I got asked out on a date by senior Mikhail.”

“…”

I hadn’t intended to ask about this, but at Shuen’s unexpected words, I closed my lips. I had wanted to teach her how to become stronger, but the conversation had turned serious.

I nodded slightly and twitched my lips.

“Is that so…?”

“Yes.”

With a gravely serious expression, Shuen opened her notebook.

-Mikhail Senior’s Conquest Operation.

1. Show off healthy teeth.

2. Don’t call it commoner.

3. Subtly flaunt wealth.

4. Give candy while saying it was found along the way.

.

.

.

“Oops! Not this page!”

I felt like I saw something strange, but I decided not to pry into her innocent heart and kept my lips sealed. After all, I had a notebook with methods to wake up a lady in the morning.

With a flushed face, Shuen hurriedly flipped through the notebook and showed me a briefly written page.

-Two days later. 12 PM.

Lunch appointment with senior Mikhail at the restaurant in front of the fountain.

Shuen clenched her eyes shut and held out the notebook to me.

“I’m certain of it now!”

“What are you certain of?”

“That commoners are outstanding! I thought a commoner could help with my love life!”

“Ah…”

I tilted my head and listened silently to Shuen’s words. I didn’t know how she came to that conclusion, but it felt good to be praised.

“Thank you.”

Shuen continued with a trembling voice.

“What do you think about this?”

She was practically bouncing with excitement, her eyes brimming with anticipation as she looked at me.

“Is this a signal from Senior Mikhail to me?”

“…”

“Senior Mikhail said to me, ‘Sorry for submitting the report on my own… If you have time, would you like to have lunch? I’ll treat you!'”

I almost laughed at Shuen’s poor imitation of Mikhail’s voice, but I firmly held back and shook my head at her words.

“I don’t think that’s it.”

Shuen spoke resolutely.

“Am I not ready yet? Is this the opportunity? It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I can’t decide whether to seize it or let it go,” she said, leaning in closer.

I sighed deeply towards Shuen and said,

“Excuse me, Miss Shuen.”

“Yes!”

“Perhaps…”

“Yes…!”

“You’ve never been in a relationship before, have you?”

-Thud.

Shuen dropped the notebook she was holding, her face crumpling as if the world had collapsed.