Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Murphy's Law Strikes Again
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Murphy's Law never fails.
Just what the hell did I do to deserve this much suffering?
Even in that shithole of an orphanage, I never caused any trouble, and at school, I endured all the goddamn bullying without complaint.
All I did was, when the web novel I'd been diligently following alone completely botched its ending, leave a single comment: "I've been reading faithfully until now, but I'm disappointed."
And yet, not only did I get sucked into this novel's world—which was infuriating enough—but I've already been rolling around here for twenty years? Twenty-one? Something like that by the calendar.
'Well, yesterday was pretty blissful, at least...'
Of course, in reality, I'd never even have a chance to make eye contact with beauties like that. But I'm not possessing some golden protagonist with an affection cheat, am I?
'This is affection I've built up through my own efforts in this world. It's not nothing.'
So in the end, all this world has given me is an endless stream of frustrating bullshit multiplied by a hundred, plus a revolving door of assholes picking fights with me every other day.
"I'm asking why you're acting all chummy with Lord Jorba, Arthin Ludwig!"
As I was seriously pondering this, some bland noble lady—Carver? Harbor? I couldn't even keep her name straight—suddenly yelled at me.
No, more importantly, why the hell is acting chummy a problem?
"Why? Didn't you hear that Jorba and I are close?"
"Ha! That's just Lord Jorba stooping to hang out with a dimwit like you. Are you mistaking his pity for a lowly bastard child of a minor kingdom noble as actual friendship?"
Her words made me want to smash an electric knuckle right into this bitch's smug face.
What the hell does she know to spout this crap?
'Does she think acting like this will really fly because I was rude back then?'
Oh, wait—maybe she thinks Rexton got punched because he's a guy, but she won't since she's a woman?
Tough luck for her. My fists are unisex. Time to teach her about gender equality.
"Lady Ashley Harbor, may I have a moment?"
Just as I was about to drive my fist into this line-crossing bitch's smug mug, Jorba—who'd been holding his tongue until now—stepped between us.
"Oh? What is it, Lord Jorba? If you're here to thank me, I'm fine with that."
Her smug smile, like she'd done something noble as a matter of course, had me mentally listing a dozen ways to crush her.
'Just you wait. A headbutt won't cut it... I'll toss you to some decent villain and let you suffer like hell...'
Slap—!
Then, something neither of us could've imagined happened.
"I'll let your rudeness toward my friend and sworn brother slide this time. I don't like making a big fuss."
I couldn't believe it. Jorba, who goes weak for any woman, slapping one? In the middle of the street, no less??
"...W-what the hell was..."
Lady Harbor from the Harbor family—clearly the one who got slapped—stammered up at Jorba, either unable to process it or refusing to accept reality.
But just from the aura behind him, I could tell Jorba was furious.
"It'd be best if we never cross paths again, Lady Ashley Harbor. I doubt I can hold positive feelings toward you anymore."
"W-what are you saying, Lord Jorba! You're the one who told me you liked me before!"
"Let's go, Arthin. Shaomei's late today too, so we might as well chat."
"Huh? Oh... sure."
Ignoring the noble lady screaming at him, he flashed a refreshing grin and motioned for me to follow...
'Isn't this that cliché from romance novels aimed at women?'
No, don't get the wrong idea. Jorba's always been loyal like that, and he'd stand up for me against rude people. The slap was a bit unexpected, sure.
Especially since I'd heard he was suspicious of me. Even while doubting, he shows this kind of brotherhood. Men's friendships have a stickiness that love can't match.
...It felt a tad creepy, but there's no way the guy who likes that girl is gay—that'd be some bullshit twist. If so, Shaomei would've warned me.
"Thanks for the backup, Jorba. Without you, I probably would've decked her."
"Haha, figured as much. I even spread rumors so people wouldn't mess with you, and she still acts like that."
"Isn't my rep tanking because of those weird rumors?"
"If you didn't like the 'blood-soaked maniac' rumors, you shouldn't have beaten Rexton covered in blood during that duel."
Damn, no comeback to that piercing truth. I dropped the rumor topic.
"By the way, Arthin, haven't seen Shaomei since yesterday. Know where she went?"
I flinched at the dagger-like question stabbing right in.
Memories of last night with Shaomei flashed by like a panorama. "Last night" was really until dawn—we went at it hard—so it's crystal clear.
"Beats me. I got summoned by Princess Agnes yesterday, so no clue."
I played dumb with an alibi he'd likely know, since he suspects me.
Telling the truth would be embarrassing now, and while I might confess my regression to Jorba someday, better if fewer people know.
"Really? Seemed like she went looking for you and left."
Luckily, he bought it, just looking puzzled.
Or maybe he knows and is playing along—that'd be sneakier. Without Shaomei's heads-up, I'd be grilled by now.
"She'll show for morning roll call. If not, I'll help look."
"Good call. She's ridiculously strong, so no real worry, but she's still a girl, y'know, Arthin."
Watching Jorba fret seriously like that stirred some guilt over hiding my regression.
But I still don't know the conditions for regaining memories. Too soon to blab.
"Speaking of, she was gone until last night. You two talk that long with Princess Agnes?"
"Uh, yeah... Got lectured on the duel, grilled on how I got strong so fast, if I touched dangerous powers, y'know, that kinda stuff. Time flew."
Every topic is a potential landmine.
"Oh crap, roll call's starting soon! Run!"
"Huh? Plenty of time. We can take it slow."
"Nah, gotta tell Professor Senia something. Hurry!"
To avoid more risky topics, I bolted to the classroom, leaving Jorba calling after me.
Screech—! Thud!
"Whoa!"
Dodging Jorba, I flung open the door and dashed in—only to collide with someone and tumble.
"Oops, you okay, Arthin?"
The guy I hit didn't even stumble, standing there casually offering a hand.
"Yeah, fine. I can get up myse—lf...?"
"Good, no injuries."
"Seriously! Watch where you're going, you two!"
I waved off the hand to stand alone, then looked up at Kaiyen in disbelief.
'Wouldn't even look at me yesterday, bumps into me today?'
"Sorry, was focused on Claire's story."
"And I always tell you, Kaiyen zones out all the time—be careful!"
Kaiyen's apologizing playfully, but this cheat protagonist couldn't have missed me coming.
'What, playing hard to get now?'
Whatever. I need answers from him anyway.
"Kaiyen, was hoping to talk anyway. Free after roll call?"
"Huh? You know Kaiyen, Arthin—no, Ludwig?"
Claire sounded excited, glancing between us. Kaiyen casually slung an arm around my shoulder.
"Yeah, pretty close. Right, Arthin?"
"Uh? Oh... y-yeah. Close."
"Hee~ You two are buddies? No idea! Kaiyen never mentioned you!"
"Haha, circumstances."
Kaiyen smoothly deflected Claire, acting unusually chummy.
'Did he regain all his 4th round memories, boosting his inner affinity?'
That tracks. This stoic pain-in-the-ass wouldn't adapt to the mood otherwise.
"You guys look tight! First time seeing Kaiyen this relaxed!"
"Yeah, super close. Beyond friends—partners, even. Right, Kaiyen?"
I played along for now. Beating info out of him comes later; intel first.
"Haha, yeah. Partners... Hold on."
Kaiyen smiled softly at first, then went stone-faced, glaring at me.
Not blank—pissed? Hard to read his minimal expressions.
'What the hell's his deal?'
Sniff. Sniff.
He twitched his sharp nose, then fixed me with an icy stare.
"...Woman's scent. Two of them."
"?!?"
What? I showered! How?
'And how's he distinguishing scents—and counting?'
Never saw this in the original. First time in regressions too—total panic. Kaiyen gripped my shoulder hard, staring intensely.
"Arthin, did you sleep with women? Two of them?"
"Eek?!? Ludwig slept with women... shared a bed?!"
"What? Arthin rolled in the hay?!"
Kaiyen interrogated coldly. Claire shrieked loud enough to shake the room.
Then Jorba, approaching, overheard and yelled in shock.
Thud.
"A-Arthin? What's this mean?"
Turning at the sound, Professor Senia stared at me with trembling eyes, attendance book dropped behind Jorba.
'No... fuck...'
Why do landmines explode every time? Isn't this cliché stale yet???
I savored the world going dark from this shitty world's shitty tropes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Unbelievably rude! How could he slap a lady's cheek...? I never pegged that Pelkas guy for it...!"
Meanwhile, Ashley Harbor, left alone in front of the school, seethed with humiliation and rage over what just happened.
In her childhood, the Harbor count family—known for premium iron mines—successfully betrothed their only daughter to Rexton Wise, eldest son of the kingdom's top noble house, the Wise family.
The families were peers, but for Harbor, allying with mighty Wise was a huge boon. Young Ashley barely grasped the politics, but she happily accepted, smitten by fairy-tale-prince handsome Rexton.
But when Harbor's iron mines dried up years ago, Wise unilaterally broke the engagement. The family crumbled; paranoid Count Harbor obsessed over revival.
"Ashley, you must seduce that Wise brat Rexton. You two were close as kids—plenty of chance...!"
Ashley hadn't forgotten her father's pre-enrollment pleas. She brimmed with confidence in charming any boy her age.
Her sweet dream shattered on day one. Arthin Ludwig—that third son of some rural minor noble—hospitalized Rexton, blocking access. "Fiancée" status meant nothing in the restricted ward.
Worse, the punk publicly demolished Rexton. With her sole revival shot gone, Ashley switched to spite.
Publicly trash Arthin Ludwig nonstop to curry Wise favor. With their heir humiliated, they'd welcome any ally.
Plan worked decently. She lured a commoner girl as "friend," staged a bump to spread bad rumors—huge scandal. Only Princess Agnes's intervention saved him.
"Just wait. I'll crush you both...!"
Grinding her heel into the dirt, Ashley vowed revenge. Especially Jorba Pelkas—insufferable. She'd humored the federation merchant heir, and he dared strike her? Unforgivable.
"Demand Student Council punish Arthin Ludwig for threats and assault, Jorba Pelkas for assault and insult—tie them together, ruin Ludwig's already bad rep!"
She smirked, plotting leisurely.
Arrogant Ashley never noticed the figure approaching from behind.
"Still got that airhead innocence from childhood, Harbor brat."
"Huh? Who's there? How dare you insult me like that?"
She whirled at the mocking voice, already on edge.
Grip—!!
"Mmph! Mmph!"
"Seriously, you're not someone to mess with. Lord Arthin Ludwig is...?"
Confirming the one clamping her mouth and hoisting her, Ashley wanted to scream but couldn't.
"Listen up, brat. Mess around Lord Arthin Ludwig again, and I'll kill you. Go whore that pussy elsewhere. Got it?"
"Mmph! Mmph!... Mmph..."
Even muffled, she tried defying—until the rapier's glinting blade at her throat. She gulped, freezing.
"Asked if you get it, whore."
The woman's whisper dripped clear killing intent: refuse, and die.
Ashley lacked the guts. She nodded meekly.
"Good. Three seconds to scram. One, two."
Hand released with countdown; Ashley scrambled on all fours into the school, silent in terror.
Only then did the woman sheath her rapier contentedly, gazing up at the school.
"Hee hee, wait just a bit. My sole benefactor who reached out to this forsaken soul... I'll squeeze right into your side..."
The brown-haired woman murmured "Arthin Ludwig," rolling the sweet name on her tongue, shuddering in delight, lost in happy fantasy.