‘What should I do, it’s surprisingly hard to understand anything.’

The perfect score on the written exam was clearly thanks to Arpegio’s abilities as the top graduate of Horizon Academy.

It was difficult to fully understand the content with just one listen. Was it because it was an advanced course based on the 10-year academy curriculum? With only a month of cramming, it was hard to understand 100% of the lecture content.

This is bad. At this rate, failing is a certainty.

Maybe I’ll fall into the endless cycle of graduation like in the Horizon Academy horror stories, or end up dropping out because I can’t endure it.

‘No, that can’t happen.’

Givnen was covering the enormous tuition costs and generous allowance.

It was already awkward to just play around while relying on Givnen, so I couldn’t face the shame of failing and not graduating.

‘I should ask Arpegio if he can continue tutoring me.’

After the lecture ended, the hungry Riley moved alone to the shopping street.

Hila parted ways, saying she had something to do. She added that we should definitely eat together next time.

The shopping street, which only academy students could use, was lined with all kinds of restaurants and shops.

‘Wow.’

The rows of various stores were awe-inspiring.

There were not only restaurants but also shops selling various goods, and even convenience facilities.

Its scale rivaled that of any busy downtown area.

Among the many stores, Riley chose one that seemed particularly crowded. Though not fond of bustling atmospheres, a crowded place must mean the food is good, right?

Fortunately, Riley snagged the last empty table. She was assigned a table for two, but only realized she was the only one eating alone after receiving the menu. After ordering a steak menu and sitting down, a line started forming in front of the store.

The line grew uncomfortably long. Of course, up until then, she hadn’t thought much of it.

That is, until a couple approached the table.

They were very flashy. Their clothes were flashy, and they wore at least 3 accessories each. So colorful and flamboyant, it felt like looking at a pair of peacocks.

“Hey?”

“?”

“Can you move?”

Riley stared blankly at the couple, wondering if she had done something wrong.

The man sighed as if frustrated and tapped the table. Tap, tap.

“I said, can you move?”

“Why?”

“Stop hogging a table for two by yourself and go somewhere else.”

“Is there a law saying you can’t use a table for two alone? The owner didn’t kick me out, and there was no prior notice about this.”

“Don’t you think it’s unconscionable to take up a whole table by yourself when we could eat here if you just gave it up? There are plenty of restaurants for people eating alone, who even comes to a place like this alone in the first place?”

Riley was taken aback.

She wondered if eating alone was really such a problem when even the restaurant hadn’t refused her. If it was an issue, the restaurant wouldn’t have let her in in the first place. It was puzzling why this random person was taking out their frustrations on her.

Still, she hesitated to respond because there was no one else eating alone in the restaurant, and she briefly wondered if this was the usual custom here.

There may not be a school rule against eating alone, but if the atmosphere generally doesn’t allow one person to occupy a table for two, shouldn’t she yield?

Riley blinked blankly like an idiot, finding it hard to be certain that she had done nothing wrong.

“Looking at that stupid expression, you must be from outside.”

“No wonder. Is that why she’s so clueless?”

The couple laughed, agreeing with each other.

Riley quietly looked around. Everyone seemed to be avoiding getting involved, keeping their noses buried in their plates as they ate.

Flashy attire, confident demands, people avoiding eye contact. These weren’t ordinary people. Then, were they nobles from Blestige?

“Can’t you understand what I’m saying? Are you deaf? I said get out. Are you short on money? Ah, right. You do look like it. This place is quite expensive. Seems like you came here scraping money together, here.”

The man took out a wad of cash from his wallet and placed it on the table.

“I’ll give you double the meal cost, so move. Let’s do this nicely.”

Riley glared at the couple, dumbfounded.

To be honest, if they had asked politely, she would have been willing to give up her seat. But being offered money out of nowhere was offensive.

“I don’t want to.”

“What?”

“This is my seat. You have no right to chase me out. So wait in line like everyone else.”

“Well, well, you’re as stubborn as you look. I’m telling you nicely to leave while you can. Can’t you see you’re the only one eating alone here?”

Should I really leave? Just as her body was starting to twitch nervously, it happened.

“Did you wait long?”

Someone suddenly approached and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Riley looked up at the person embracing her.

The tall man with light silver hair tied up loosely had strikingly handsome features.

It was a face so beautiful that a short gasp of admiration nearly escaped. While not comparable to Givnen, she clearly felt something similar to the shock of first seeing Givnen.

‘Who is this?’

A stranger, and a handsome one at that.

In her life, such a handsome man didn’t exist except for Givnen, and even if they had crossed paths briefly, there’s no way she wouldn’t remember a face like this.

As Riley tilted her head in confusion, the man smiled at her.

“Sorry I’m late, honey.”

H-honey what?

At this bombshell statement, Riley’s mouth just opened and closed like a carp waiting for food. Seeing this, the man turned his head slightly towards the couple who had been confronting Riley and asked:

“Is there a problem with my girlfriend?”

The man who had been about to say something shut his mouth, intimidated.

With a fierce gaze and fierce features.

His face exuded a chilling aura. He looked wild, unlike his elegant attire. How strange. His face was clearly pretty, but his eyes were so fierce that the man slowly lowered his gaze and turned away.

“Wherever you go, there are always guys like that.”

After the couple disappeared, Riley stared up at the handsome man.

‘Who is he really?’

For Riley, if she had to name someone who could be called a boyfriend, it would be Givnen Leanster, her ‘fiancé’ by contract, rather than this handsome stranger whose name she didn’t even know.

Yet this handsome stranger boldly claimed to be her ‘boyfriend’ and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Just as she was about to ask “Who are you?”, the troublesome couple returned to where they had been with grumbling voices. From their stance of making a fuss about her ‘eating alone’, they no longer had grounds to complain, so it made sense for them to return to their original spot.

But the funny thing was that the mysterious man who claimed to be her ‘boyfriend’ naturally took a seat across from her.

“What are you looking at?”

The man who brazenly asked the question rested his chin on his hand and smirked.

“If I helped you out, you could at least buy me a meal, right?”

“…Ah.”

Right, it was quite a perplexing situation so her thought process had momentarily stopped, but thinking about it, this man had definitely saved Riley from a tight spot. He was the main player in getting rid of those annoying cockroaches.

He pretended to be my boyfriend! Finally understanding the situation, Riley smiled and nodded.

“Thank you.”

“You’re buying the meal. You’re not trying to get a free meal, are you?”

“Of course not, I’ll pay.”

“Good, you catch on quick. When you were just opening and closing your mouth earlier, I thought you were a stupid carp who couldn’t understand anything.”

“C-carp?”

“You know, with lips sticking out and looking dumb.”

“Ah, I see…”

He seemed to have as unpleasant a way of speaking as Arpegio.

One difference might be that he had a lower tension than Arpegio? While Arpegio always seemed angry, the man before her was truly cold and aloof. Like red flames and blue flames, similar yet different.

“Since you’re paying, I’ll order whatever I want.”

“Ah? Sure, as much as you like.”

No sooner had she finished answering than the man ordered additional menu items. Under the premise that ‘Riley’ was paying, he ordered 3 more dishes. Of course, Riley’s pockets were well-filled with the allowance Sack had provided, so there was no need to worry.

“If guys like that keep bothering you, don’t just stand there stupidly, report them.”

“Where do I report them?”

“The student council.”

“What happens then?”

“They’ll get demerits or something.”

“Is that bad?”

“If you accumulate 20 demerit points, you get expelled. No one wants to leave without getting their degree after working so hard to enter the academy.”

Ah, then I should have reported those guys who tried to take my seat earlier.

Riley made a mental note to report them if they tried to take her seat again next time.

“You get treated like that because you go around obviously looking like a newbie.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah. You look like a freshman even if I do a backflip and look at you.”

“Well, I am a freshman.”

“Try to act a bit smarter. Don’t go around advertising ‘I’m a sucker’.”

“Aren’t you a freshman?”

“Do I look like a freshman to you?”

“No, you look like an upperclassman. Are you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

The food the man ordered arrived. It filled the entire table. The man ate with very elegant posture that didn’t match his unpleasant way of speaking.

‘How refined.’

There are people who exude class no matter what they do.

The man before her had an unpleasant way of speaking, but his dining manners showed he was clearly well-trained.

Well, he must be a noble too. They said there were hardly any commoners here. Even those from outside were mostly nobles.

“What are you staring at?”

“Just that your eating style is cool.”

It was truly a comment made without any ulterior motive, simply stating what she felt, but the man frowned.

“Don’t try to hit on me.”

“I’m not hitting on you?”

“Then just eat, and stop staring at other people’s faces.”

“Okay.”

The nameless man and Riley quietly enjoyed their meal.

After finishing his food, the man stood up. He was about to turn and leave when he glanced back at Riley.

“Keep your wits about you, okay?”

“?”

“You’ll just get into ridiculous arguments if you keep acting so clueless.”

He clicked his tongue and left.

Riley, who had been blinking blankly, awkwardly smiled and rubbed her face.

‘Is it that obvious?’

“It’s very obvious. Why are you even asking?”

At Arpegio’s firm answer, Riley drooped her eyebrows dejectedly.

“How can I look smarter?”

“Well, you have a rather sad and stupid-looking face, so it might not be easy for you to look smart.”

“I see.”

Staring at the dejected Riley, Arpegio sighed and said:

“Why do you need to look smart in others’ eyes? You are smart.”

“You’re saying that because I’m not smart.”

“At least you know that. You’re too naive. You have a face that’s easy to scam anywhere.”

“Is it that bad? What should I do?”

Although it could be brushed off, Riley felt stung.

Getting into trouble twice on the first day made her worry that she was now easily targeted because of her naive and foolish impression.

However, there was also an unfair aspect.

Isn’t it natural for anyone to be nervous in an unfamiliar place? Riley just had a higher level of nervousness than others. Of course, she had hardly ever mixed with many people before.

Having never experienced academy life, group life at the institute was truly her first experience. She couldn’t help but be a novice.

But in a world where showing novice signs invites trouble from here and there? It was disheartening to think how many more people would pick unreasonable fights with her in the future.

“Why do you look like you’re about to die over that?”

“I just want to have a quiet and safe life at the academy. And… I want to make lots of friends.”

“From what I see, your face does look dim-witted and stupid, but that’s not the only problem.”

“So there are more problems? What should I fix?”

“It’s not about you fixing anything. The problem lies with those guys, not you.”

“?”

“The guys who picked unreasonable fights with you in the first place, do you think they’re right? It’s just that their level is only that high, which is why such unreasonable problems occurred, so why are you looking for the cause in yourself?”

“He said I’m easy to look down on, so they look down on me.”

“Who?”

“Some guy.”

“Hmm, I don’t know who it is, but he has good eye for detail. But even so, that’s not your fault. Is there a law saying it’s okay to be looked down upon just because you look easy to look down on? The one causing trouble is in the wrong.”

“I know that, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Arpegio wondered why he was counseling this snot-nosed kid here, but continued speaking.

“Magicians, you know, many of them are steeped in a sense of privilege. Add nobility to that? Add being from Blestige? That says it all. They’re guys with the idea that they’re of noble birth and special beings deeply ingrained in their bones. The only ones who can communicate with such guys are those of the same ilk.”

“…”

“Especially at Horizon Academy, there are many nobles from Blestige. Among them, the magicians in the magic department are particularly arrogant and haughty. This isn’t just happening to you, it’s always been like this. So either don’t associate with them at all, or completely ignore them if they bully you. It’s one or the other.”

“Then should I just keep ignoring them? What if they keep bullying me even when I ignore them? Or is it better to just endure it?”

“It would be good if you could endure it. But is that easy?”

Riley nodded.

While staying at her uncle’s mansion, she had become accustomed to being bullied, but being accustomed didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

“But why are you worrying about such unnecessary things? If it really doesn’t work out, you can use your husband.”

“?”

“You’re about to become the mistress of the Leanster family, why are you intimidated by such people?”

“We’re not married yet.”

“But you will be. Is there any reason to hide the fact of your marriage? Tell Givnen to officially announce the marriage. Then no one will touch you. You’ll receive tremendous attention in a different way, though.”

Riley shook her head at Arpegio’s words.

“I want to have as quiet an academy life as possible. I don’t think it’s my place to discuss the marriage issue, and I’m sure Givnen will handle it properly.”

“That’s why you’re just being used.”

“Used?”

Arpegio let out a long sigh, wondering what to do with this young chick. Then he put his hand on her head.

“You can use that guy as much as you want. If anyone can, it’s you. No, please, just use him.”

Right then.

“Teaching such nice things.”

A familiar voice was heard from behind.

Turning around, they saw Givnen waving with a smile. Then he asked sarcastically, seeming amused:

“What kind of profound conversation are you having alone with my wife?”