Chapter 24

The situation went well for us. Articles about Professor Bentley stalking students at Cloud Academy were widely distributed. Of course, the exclusive went to the Clean Newspaper.

In particular, Isabella Lonis’s case intensified the people’s criticism towards the Cloud Academy, which made a lot of students drop out.

Lycan was still punished due to crippling Professor Bentley; however, he wasn’t put into a bad light, and they clarified to the people that he had done it because he was protecting us.

I was more worried about Lariensa because of all the bad things that happened, particularly with her becoming the center of it all, but surprisingly, she was a strong child.

“I don’t need to hide from them. It’s those kids who misunderstood me who should be ashamed of themselves.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. I’m more worried about Marin. Because of me, you have to go through all of that when in fact, you didn’t have to.”

What Lara was really worried about was not herself but someone else.

“I feel like I’m always hurting Marin. That’s why I…”

“You…?”

“No, never mind.”

“Hmmm… so suspicious.”

Lara seemed to be feeling more guilty about getting her friends involved.

However…

None of us think she has endangered us at all.

“Lara, let’s say I was the one being stalked.”

“…Yes?”

“Will you not help me at all if I was in danger?”

“Of course, I’ll help you! Even if you don’t like it, I’ll protect you!”

“Even if you get hurt because of me?”

“You getting hurt is something that I hate even more than me getting hurt.”

Although I asked the question, I already knew what the answer would be.

“I also don’t want you to get hurt more than I do.”

“……”

“You have nothing to say against that, right?”

Lara puffed up her cheeks as if she was dissatisfied, but as I kept poking her cheeks, she eventually stopped feeling upset.

“Everyone, big news!”

I was resting in my dorm room with my friends when Natalie suddenly rushed in with a newspaper.

I’ve been through so much that I don’t think I’ll be shocked by anything anymore.

“Did they stitch back anything that was cut off from Bentley?”

“Such a miracle shouldn’t happen.”

There were already four people inside the room, so Natalie had to squeeze herself in to get inside.

Then I opened the newspaper in front of Emily’s face, who was currently lying down, taking a nap.

“Stalking Professor Bentley, transferred to a mental hospital?”

Reading the article, it said that he had suddenly developed abnormalities in his mind and body and was sent to the mental ward.

Black spots of unknown cause were spotted on his skin…

“He persistently cried out that he didn’t strangle ‘Ginger’…”

And it was said that he kept begging for his life, saying he had made a mistake while facing a wall.

Black spots…

Surely, it’s that guy!

Sibel was able to curse or hypnotize someone just by getting in contact with the other person physically. I also don’t know how he got that ability or how it works, but maybe the longer one is in contact with him, the easier it is to be cursed, or maybe he can curse someone whenever he wants regardless of time to any degree.

What’s certain is that if black spots can be seen on the skin, then it’s a curse of the highest intensity.

“As expected, God is fair.”

“But I don’t feel great about it.”

“Me too.”

I felt sorry for him even though I had to go through all of that because of him. In particular, I was not more comfortable knowing that it was Sibel who did this to Bentley.

Did he take my revenge in his own way?

“He deserves that. He must pay for all of his crimes. What we just need to do now is forget about him and enjoy the rest of the day.”

I heard someone talking, but none of the people that I can see opened their mouths. It was for a while that I realized that it was Emily who talked since she was lying down and her face was covered with the newspaper.

“Emily, can you still read the newspaper in that position?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t you want to get up?”

“It’s tiring.”

Right now, my friends are like cats lazily lying around in our room.

“Emily, Natalie, Violet. Why aren’t you going to class?”

Lariensa and I are the victims of the incident, so we can take a few days off.

I had a big bruise on my neck, and Lariensa had sprained her foot.

So why are they also resting with us, complaining of psychological shock and suffering?

I am grateful for all the help you’ve given us, but you guys are really making a fuss just for that!

“Why would I miss this opportunity when I’m not being disciplined for skipping class?”

“A psychological trauma is also a wound that needs to be treated. I’m greatly distressed because of what happened back then. Oh… I already feel dizzy thinking about it…”

“Don’t pass out, Natalie! Wake up?!”

Looking at Emily and Natalie’s shameless act, I turned towards Violet, who was currently reading a book called ‘The Secret in Getting Rich.’

“Hey, future top graduate?”

Violet pretended to concentrate on the book. However, she couldn’t manage her facial expressions perfectly.

“I can understand why Emily and Natalie are here, but you said your goal was to graduate at the top, right? So what are you doing here?”

Violet responded by raising her large new round pair of glasses.

“Why are you wearing glasses?”

“Don’t I look like a student good at studying?”

“Is there anyone in the academy who doesn’t know you can’t study?”

“…Fair enough. I’m amazed.”

I can see you’re speechless.

“I didn’t get a chance to fully talk about it because of that incident, but I changed my goal.”

“So you don’t want to graduate as the top student anymore?”

“It was for fame that I wanted to be the top graduate and work at the palace. I wanted to be envied and admired by people just by passing by me on the street!”

…V-violet? I can’t believe you’re that shameless!

“But I realized that fame could also be bought by money!”

“So?”

“Many people became rich even though they were not good at studying. So I don’t need the title of the top graduate anymore.”

Emily, who was lying still, threw her that indisputable fact.

“Didn’t you give up because you realized you couldn’t graduate as the top student?”

Violet glared at Emily.

She is now contemplating violence towards Emily and is anguished with all her heart and soul because of the fact that a few slaps won’t be enough to shut her trap.

Although she was angry and upset, she didn’t have the strength to deal with Emily.

‘Sigh… I don’t think they would be sleeping in their own rooms tonight.’

I should now conform to the fate of sharing a room with my friends like this.

“I’ll just go to the restroom.”

“Sure.”

I replied with a familiar smile to Lariensa, who still asked even though the restroom was just in the room.

Really… Lara’s like a real baby.

‘What should I do, Marin? Should I do this or no? I’ll just go there for a moment.’

Does this mean you want me to know everything that you do?

Of course, that doesn’t mean I hate it.

Hoho, you cute thing. Okay! You can do this and that, too! Kuku, I will know everything that you do!

Natalie spoke to me as I unintentionally smiled insidiously.

“How many days can we rest at least?”

Although we have experienced such an incident, there was still a limit to pretending to be sick. Instead of me, Violet brought a calendar and counted how many days they could pretend to be sick. Overall, it was about three days.

“Huh?”

Looking at the calendar, I realized something.

“Has it already been this long?”

Every day was so hectic that I didn’t realize that months had already passed since I entered the school.

“…birthday.”

“Huh? Birthday? Whose? Yours?”

“No, not mine!”

I looked at the calendar and counted.

Seven days from today…

“Lara’s birthday is coming.”

Violet’s eyes, which had always been calm, grew bigger. Emily, who was lying down like a cat, lifted herself up, and Natalie dropped the cookies she was eating.

“…We have to prepare for it.”

My friends nodded in unison at my determined voice.

Section 4. The Price for Changing the Original Story

When you say a surprise party, it’s all about blowing up balloons, preparing food, and giving gifts as everyone else does. The question is, what kind of gift should I prepare for her…?

“Brother Lycan!”

With his sister’s birthday just around the corner, surely this idiot of a brother won’t just stay still.

As soon as I found Lycan leaving the training ground wiping his sweat with a towel around his neck, I called him out in a loud voice.

“What are you doing here?”

Lycan came up to me, sweating.

I hate to admit it, but… he’s really handsome.

“Is your punishment not over yet?”

“Yeah, it’s still going on.”

“Do you just need to train?”

“No. This morning, I also cleaned the stables, then I also need to train the other students even after the training session.”

How diligent. He deserves to take a break after all of this.

In the original story, I remember reading that Lycan does not neglect his knight training to take responsibility for his family.

Of course, he has talent, but he wasn’t the kind of person who only believed in talent.

It’s kind of cool to see him work hard like this.

“Brother, you know that Lara’s birthday is coming up, right?”

“You think I don’t know when my sister’s birthday is?”

Yes, of course, you know.

“Have you got a present?”

“Of course.”

“…Already?”

“I haven’t prepared the others yet, though.”

“Don’t you usually just give one gift?”

“I shouldn’t be beaten when it comes to giving presents to my only sister, especially on her birthday.”

“That’s really amazing.”

The Cloud Academy does not spare any support for talented people. That’s why Lycan, although coming from an ordinary family, could even buy his sister some gifts without worrying about his tuition.

Although his scholarship was cut off because of the recent incident, Lycan must have saved quite a lot of money.

So I’m sure he’ll be able to afford to also buy her a present this time.

“How about you? Did you already prepare her present?”

“I’m just starting to find one now.”

“Tsk. How slow.”

“You’re just too advanced.”

Lycan turned his eyes away. He always does that whenever he has nothing to say.

“That’s why I’m here to ask for your help.”

“My help?”

“I’d like to go out and look for something to give to her. Maybe you can help me decide on something.”

Lycan, who seemed to be agonizing for a while, soon nodded.

“Okay, sure. Let’s go together.”

It’s just taking a walk outside the academy. Aren’t you talking as if you’re doing something great?

“Before that, I’ll just go get change.”

He was currently sweating, and the training suit must be heavy, so of course, he would want to change.

But after a while… After he changed his clothes, I was dumbfounded.

“Isn’t that a suit?”

“That’s right.”

“You don’t usually wear clothes like that, right? How come you’re wearing it right now?”

“I do wear it often.”

“No, you like comfortable clothes. I see you always wearing your training clothes.”

“I’m also comfortable wearing suits, though.”

Why are your ears getting red? Shoo shoo, get away! I don’t want to take your route!

I felt like I shouldn’t ask any more questions, so I decided to play dumb on that excessive outfit.

The academy already set a date when students can get out, but that doesn’t mean we are also banned from going out on other days. If you just give a plausible reason, you could go out of the academy.

“So what excuse did you give?”

“I said I had an interview with the Clean Newspaper.”

The homeroom professor was worried about us leaving Lariensa alone but eventually, he gave in and permitted us to go out. The Cloud Academy was still cautious due to that incident, but they were quite lenient on us, the victims.

In particular, because Professor Bentley lured Lariensa under the pretext of a homeroom professor calling her, that’s why the homeroom professor was excessively looking out for us now.

After all, it was not the professor’s fault, but I liked that I could rest and go out because of it.

“You can freely go out of the academy in about two years.”

“That still feels a long way off.”

We went out to the main street and looked around for cute objects.

I’ve been stuck with Lara all this while, but I still don’t know what she likes.

Someone Lara likes = me.

That’s true, but…

I can’t just give her myself, can’t I?