Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

157 – Found, My Person

Meanwhile, the

atmosphere at the Academy was particularly bustling today.

On any other day, kids would be

slumped at their desks, complaining

of exhaustion,

but instead, they were deliberately wandering the hallways, talking amongst themselves.

There wasn’t really any major reason

It wasn’t as if there was anything, truly.

It was simply because of a few

students, scurrying about

busily since this morning.

The other students, perhaps bored of remaining idle in that atmosphere,

gathered with friends

from their respective groups,

chatting in small clusters of twos and threes,

making the entire hallway naturally noisy.

“Ah, speaking of which, did everyone hear the news?”

“What news are you referring to?”

“Today, Duke Jennison’s son—”

That the boy’s

story emerged there was merely coincidence.

Perhaps someone,

having been told by their parents

to somehow forge a connection

with the boy,

had brought up the topic in order to

learn some information about him.

Or perhaps, truly by chance,

the boy’s name was suddenly mentioned.

But the ripple effect

caused by it

was far too immense to be

dismissed as mere coincidence.

“Ah, I heard it too, I think?”

“I heard it as well.”

“..So, um, by any chance,

how are we supposed to

treat him from now on?”

Everyone worried about

how they should treat him.

He was, after all, a legitimate Baron now.

Of course, it was the

lowest rank of the five noble tiers,

but the boy was no ordinary Baron.

His Majesty the Emperor

had personally bestowed the title upon him, no less.

They were, at best, just

Academy students, so…

It meant he wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

‘But… even so…’

‘I… I am a lady of a Count’s house, no less?!’

‘Anyone else, perhaps,

but not *him*. The thought of using honorifics…’

Even so, the reason the students

were agonizing like this

was because his rank was merely that of a Baron.

They, at the very least of Viscount lineage,

some even scions of a Marquis family,

to bow their heads to a Baron?

It was, by all the accumulated

common sense they possessed, utterly

incomprehensible.

And the person they were being forced to

acknowledge was, until recently,

that very Jennison they had so carelessly

tormented.

Naturally, even meeting his gaze was awkward.

But they couldn’t forever

avoid encountering him.

They were receiving instruction at the same academy, after all,

and their parents

wouldn’t stand for it.

“Hmm… what to do.”

“…He wouldn’t remember my face, would he?”

As the worries of several students

deepened,

the sound of approaching footsteps echoed.

*Click-clack, click-clack*–

A pair of shoes, as if crafted from ice,

gleaming beautifully with a blue hue,

began to dance

in the academy’s hallway.

“Excuse me, just a moment…”

“Huh? Who dares to…? Oh?”

One of the male students, already

stewing over the troubles

to come,

felt someone gently

tap, tap, at his shoulder…

He’d had one of those days, the kind where every little thing felt like a thorn in his side.

So, when he whirled around, a fire blazing in his eyes,

ready to chew out whoever dared to bother him,

he froze.

The face of the woman

clutching at his sleeve,

was achingly familiar.

No, to call it familiar

would be an understatement.

Anyone who attended this academy,

anyone who lived within

the borders of this empire,

couldn’t have possibly missed hearing the name of her house.

“Excuse me, I have a question.”

“Lady…Lady Ruenelle?!”

One of the four Great Houses,

the eldest daughter of the Duke Ruenelle.

The frost flower of the Academy cliffs.

All of those were titles

that pointed to her.

Isabella von Ruenelle,

she stood right before

his very eyes.

“I, uh…”

“Y-yes! What is it?”

It was widely known that

she didn’t exactly mingle

with just anyone.

A thousand thoughts suddenly

flooded his mind.

‘What…why is Lady Isabella speaking to me?’

‘Could it be…she likes me? This is going to be difficult…’

‘The difference in houses…no, status…!!’

‘Surely, it should be the man

who proposes, shouldn’t it?’

The weariness he’d inherited

from his parents seemed to

vanish in an instant, lighting up his face.

If only he could make a woman like her

his own,

he felt capable of anything.

“Might I ask just one thing?”

“Ah, yes. Please, ask me anything, my… young lady!”

“Then…”

What could she possibly be so curious about?

He’d answer anything.

In this moment, even if

she were to ask for information

about his family,

he felt he could tell her.

Was this the power

of a bewitching face?

He wanted nothing more than to

spend his entire life talking with her.

Just a moment ago, today had been utterly unpleasant,

but he felt it was about to be

overwritten by memories with her.

Until another boy’s name escaped her lips instead of his,

“…Pardon?”

“Ah, if you don’t know, I’ll take my leave.”

“…As you wish.”

“Where could he be…”

Let me correct myself.

Today was, without a doubt, the worst day of his life.

*

After hearing

Professor Oliver’s proposal,

I decided to take some time to think.

Of course, another

professor came in midway,

seemingly having business

with Professor Oliver,

and I was more or less forced to leave the faculty office,

but regardless, I did manage to buy myself some

time to think.

“Jennison, are you really not going to accept the professor’s offer?”

“Probably not.”

“What a waste…”

“What’s so precious about it?”

It’s just helping the juniors

with their training, isn’t it?

“Hey, get up.”

“C-Chief… no more, please…!”

“If you don’t get up,

you’ll just end up

dying somewhere later anyway.”

“….”

“Or you could be tortured as

assassins, brutal interrogation and all.”

“….”

“Getting up now and dying

at my hands will be easier

on the heart than dying after torture.”

“Ugh… uaaagh!!!”

It wasn’t that difficult when I taught them a few times before, was it?

Of course, the ones involved

said they thought they were going to die, though.

Anyway, I’ve never heard

news of those guys actually dying.

“What’s so precious about it, Lianna?”

“If you just do that,

Professor Oliver said he’d grant you

anything you wanted, right?”

“He did.”

“Someone like the Professor

could probably even get

you high-grade mana stones, no?!”

Well, he probably could.

Even if it’s other places,

Being a professor here at the Academy means

he has the skills to handle

and a solid backing.

If he sets his mind to it,

he could get anything

I asked him to get.

“I know.”

“But you’re not going to do it?”

“Nope.”

Whether she saw my resolute expression,

she broached no further words,

though I couldn’t deny

a certain lingering regret remained.

Well… I suppose, for her,

it was just wanting me to prosper,

but for me, right now,

there truly wasn’t time.

I had to make use of

this recommendation from the Charlotte family,

and now that I’d even received a spirit stone, I had to awaken the spirit within.

Though about spirits,

I knew precious little,

still, if I searched the academy library high and low,

surely there would be

a book or two on the matter.

Besides, I also wanted to know

the identity of this creature that called me Noir.

If possible, even where

it had tumbled into my life.

‘Isn’t there a way to awaken a spirit from a spirit stone quickly?’

“Jennison?”

“What?”

Lost in such

private contemplation,

Albert called out to me from behind.

“So, whom

do you intend to entrust with the position?”

“Honestly, are you really not going to do it?”

“I told you, right now

I’m busy enough helping my father’s work.”

Ah, now that I think of it, this fellow.

He said these days he was

working at the merchant guild, following his father’s lead.

Well, in some ways,

that too could be considered a family trade.

From now on, as heir…

Studying, even that,

isn’t so strange.

But the problem…

“Heir apparent studies already?”

“Pretty much.”

“..If I recall correctly,

you had a younger sibling.”

In my memory, there

definitely was a younger sibling.

A rather gifted prodigy

within the Academy, at that.

Of course, a woman becoming the head

of a house isn’t an easy feat, but

there’s the precedence of

the Duchess de Lunière, and

given what’s whispered

of Duke Iris’s character,

it was clear he’d pass

the succession to whichever child

was more accomplished.

To the talent that could better

lead his merchant guild and house.

“Yes, I have a younger sister.”

“Then shouldn’t you secure that position first?”

“Ah, you needn’t worry about that.”

“…?”

“That one has no intention of becoming the head.”

For a moment, I blanked out,

struck by his unexpected words,

but thinking about it, it was entirely plausible.

His younger sister

despised anything

even remotely tiresome.

Perhaps she imagined that becoming

the head would entail even more

trouble than she currently faced.

“So, I’ve been agonizing about it lately.”

“..Agonizing?”

“No matter how much I think,

“That one’s more suited

to take my place.”

“….”

“Father knows it, too, I reckon.”

“….”

“So, I’m in a bind.

Whether I ought to take this position.”

“..You’d do well.”

“Thank you for the sentiment.”

Whether he sensed the sincerity

I’d put into my words,

a faint, ghostly smile touched his lips,

and then, carefully observing

some spot in the distance,

he excused himself, saying something had come up,

and took his leave, promising to catch me later.

Likely, a communication spell had

summoned him away.

No need to delve too deep

into his affairs, so

I just quietly continued my walk.

“Hey… it’s Jenison.”

“What business brings him

to the faculty office at midday…?”

“Dunno, maybe he’s caused some trouble again…”

“Nah, back then, they say

he wasn’t the type…”

From all around, snippets of chatter,

various comments about me, reached my ears,

but I ignored them and strode onward.

After all, these were rumours

already spread far and wide,

and I didn’t want to cast a shadow

on the bright face of Lianna,

who was grinning from ear to ear

beside me.

‘Anyway… who should I foist this offer off on…?’

The Professor wants an answer,

at the very least, by today…

I needed to find someone, quickly, and put an end to this. Time pressed heavy.

But no matter how much I considered,

there wasn’t a suitable soul.

At least an A-Class student,

with decent skill, a knack for teaching,

the capacity to instruct someone,

and preferably someone whose standing wouldn’t be overshadowed

by a Marquis’ lineage.

But where could one readily find someo—

“Excuse me…”

“…?”

“It’s been a while…”

“Lady Isabella?”

“I… well… I have something to say…”

‘…Think I just did.’

Someone to foist my task upon.