Chapter 28: The Gathering(3)
Chapter 28: The Gathering(3)
First impressions tend to last a long time.
If a first impression is good, you’ll likely maintain a favorable view of that person until a specific incident proves otherwise. Conversely, if the first impression is poor, you’ll view even their good deeds with a jaundiced eye or deny that they happened at all.
It’s what people call looking through "tinted lenses," and it exerts a massive influence on human relationships—one that shouldn't be underestimated.
And since Jackson already held a grudge against me, he was the type of guy who would hate me no matter what I did.
"Do you know him?"
Nicole asked me amidst the suddenly awkward atmosphere. She was quick-witted, so she must have realized Jackson was uncomfortable with my presence.
Notably, her question used the term "acquaintance" rather than "friend." Since he was indeed an acquaintance, I nodded.
"Yeah. We’re in the same Literature Department."
"Ah, I see..."
"Don't you dare think of yourself as my equal. It’s beyond offensive."
Before Nicole could finish, Jackson’s verbal abuse pierced our ears. Nicole blinked, looking as if she wondered if she had misheard him.
Meanwhile, Jackson wore an expression of genuine disgust, as if to prove his outburst was sincere. I knew he was steeped in elitism, but I hadn't expected him to be so blatantly rude in public.
"This has completely ruined my mood. Hey, how much for this and that?"
"Pardon? Oh... that comes to a total of 27 gold and 59 silver..."
One gold is worth roughly 100,000 won in South Korean currency. Since one gold equals 100 silver, the total was approximately 2.76 million won.
Despite the exorbitant price, Jackson merely looked displeased, speaking as if the cost was beneath his concern.
"Tsk. The design is mediocre, yet it’s unnecessarily expensive. Rex, pay the man and follow me."
"Understood, sir."
Perhaps wanting to escape the heavy atmosphere as quickly as possible, Jackson tossed the clothes aside and barked an order at his servant, Rex. Rex scrambled to pick up the formal wear Jackson had carelessly thrown onto the floor.
Then, as ordered, the servant pulled a pouch from his pocket to pay. He counted the coins one by one and handed the gold to the clerk.
"Here is 28 gold. You may keep the change."
"Ah... Th-thank you."
"What are you doing?! Hurry up!"
The servant wasn't even being slow, yet Jackson let out a shout full of irritation. While the clerk flinched at the outburst, Rex didn't even blink, answering as if this were a daily occurrence.
"My apologies, Young Master."
"Move faster. And..."
After berating his servant, Jackson turned his gaze toward me. I met his fierce glare with steady eyes.
He glared at me for a long moment before glancing at Nicole standing beside me. Then, his lips curled into a sneer as he spoke sarcastically.
"Don't tell me you came to buy formal wear with your sister? Surely you aren't planning to attend the freshman gathering?"
"I am."
"... ..."
When dealing with sarcasm, a blunt, matter-of-fact response is always best. Jackson’s eyes twitched when I countered him so nonchalantly.
His composure broke for a second, but he quickly masked it with a look of pitying ridicule.
"...Fine. You’ll realize once you’re there. That a place like that isn't meant for someone of your lowly status."
"... ..."
"Let’s go, Rex."
"Yes, Young Master."
With those final words, Jackson turned and began to walk away. Before leaving, the servant named Rex turned his head back to look at me. His brilliant, sparkling green eyes were quite striking.
The servant then bowed his head deeply in apology, as if he felt sorry for his master's behavior. Unlike the master, the servant seemed to have a much better character.
"...What is wrong with that guy?"
Once Jackson and his servant were completely out of sight, Nicole asked in a voice thick with a mix of anger and disbelief. The fact that she used a curse word was a clear indicator of just how furious she was.
I looked at her face. To put it slightly hyperbolically, she looked ready to kill someone right then and there.
To be honest, I’d be just as furious if my sibling were being openly insulted by someone else.
I pondered how to explain Jackson in a way Nicole would understand, then told her what I knew.
"That’s Jackson. He hates me. I heard he’s from a count’s family famous for being incredibly wealthy."
"A wealthy count’s family... Kerison?"
"Huh? Yeah, that’s right. How did you know?"
"It would be weirder not to know. In terms of wealth, the Kerison family is easily in the top ten within the Empire."
It seemed the Kerison family was indeed famous.
"But why is he saying such weird things to you? Did something happen?"
"Well..."
I explained the situation so Nicole could understand, starting from how Jackson had been hitting on Cecile and Lina since the first class, and everything that followed.
However, I didn't mention Cecile and Lina by name, instead referring to them as "pretty female students." Since Nicole likely knew who they were, mentioning them directly would probably make her think I’d gotten myself into some seriously troublesome business.
The explanation was a bit long, but Nicole summarized it simply once she understood.
"...So he’s just throwing a fit all by himself?"
"Pretty much."
Just as Nicole said, Jackson was just suffering from an inferiority complex. It must have galled him that the girls he was interested in were friendly with me. Furthermore, those girls had absolutely zero interest in him.
Of course, he hadn't given up and tried to talk to them whenever he got the chance, but both Cecile and Lina treated him with cold professionalism. Especially after the recent seating incident, his standing with them had likely plummeted even further.
They say silence is golden, and that was exactly the advice I wanted to give Jackson.
"Isaac. If he starts bullying you directly, tell me. I’ll take care of it somehow. Got it?"
Nicole thought for a moment before placing a hand on my shoulder and giving me a firm warning. I turned to meet her gaze.
Her expression was filled with genuine worry.
"Uh..."
If Jackson started bullying me, Lina would probably act first. Or perhaps Mari, who was close to me, would handle it. Unlike Jackson, Mari lacked any sense of elitism, but she was the daughter of a Duke—someone who could make a mere Count look like a nobody. Of course, Nicole wouldn't know any of this unless I told her.
When I just rolled my eyes without answering, Nicole seemed to take it the wrong way and gently stroked my hair. Her angry expression had vanished, replaced by a tender smile.
"Are you not answering because you’re afraid I’ll get into trouble? If that’s the case, don't worry. I have some connections of my own."
"...Okay."
"Now, shall we buy some clothes? Excuse me!"
"Ah, yes! How can I help you?"
At Nicole’s call, the female clerk who had been waiting at a distance came rushing over. She had clear skin and a somewhat naive impression.
"I need some clothes for him. Do you have any red suits? Something as close to his hair color as possible."
"Hmm... a scarlet suit... Just a moment. I’ll take his measurements first."
Despite the minor incident, the plan to get my formal wear remained unchanged. When the clerk brought over a measuring tape, I stood in front of the full-length mirror and spread my arms wide.
The clerk flinched slightly, glanced at me tentatively, and then asked in a timid voice.
"Um... may I touch you?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"The previous customer told me not to touch his body..."
"... ..."
So that guy had been a nightmare customer even before we arrived. I let out a sigh and answered quietly.
"...It’s fine with me, so go ahead."
What a petty class-based society this was.
*
The weekend is a precious time for everyone. For some, it’s a chance to get some sweet rest; for others, it’s a time to soothe mental and physical fatigue through hobbies.
And Cecile, the Princess of Helium, usually spent her weekends chatting with Lina. Lina was the first human friend she had made since entering Halo Academy, and since they shared similar hobbies, there was no one Cecile felt more comfortable with.
Though they had briefly quarreled after Lina spoiled the contents of Xenon Chronicle Volume 8, the matter was settled after Lina apologized first. Cecile also didn't want to grow distant from Lina, so she had accepted the apology.
"Here. It’s yours."
Inside a cafe with a distinctly elegant atmosphere.
Lina placed a book on the round table and spoke to Cecile, who sat opposite her. The book she placed on the table was none other than the recently published Xenon Chronicle Volume 8.
Cecile stared intently at the book before carefully picking it up. She flipped through the pages, briefly checking the content.
After confirming that the book Lina had brought was indeed the real thing, Cecile closed it with a satisfied expression. Lina asked in a somewhat bewildered voice.
"Did you seriously check it because you didn't trust me?"
"Yes. You could have just swapped the cover. I heard that kind of scam is quite common these days."
"You know that’s actually hurtful, right? Have you forgotten who I am?"
"It’s a joke, obviously. There’s no way Lina would do something strange to me, right?"
It was a bit annoying, but Lina bit her tongue. The "sin" she had committed against Cecile was simply too great.
It varies from person to person, but generally, anyone would be furious if someone spoiled the ending of a gripping story. Even if it was an accident, the fact that it ruined the experience remained.
Yet Lina had told Cecile the identity of the person who had trapped Xenon. It was a disaster that happened because Lina assumed Cecile had already read Volume 8.
After that, Cecile had uncharacteristically lost her temper, and Lina had gotten upset as well, leading to an argument. Fortunately, they had calmed down and reconciled, but Cecile hadn't sat next to Lina since then.
"Whew... fine. And I’m warning you, don't you dare tell anyone I bought Volume 8 for you. Got it?"
"Of course. I’ll take this secret to my grave."
Lina chuckled at the sight of Cecile hugging Volume 8 with a blissful smile. By the time Cecile went to her grave, Lina’s own descendants would probably be joining her.
After that brief, silly thought, Lina shook it off. What mattered now wasn't the book, but asking about her friend's well-being.
"How is academy life? Is it manageable?"
"No problems so far. Especially with Lina helping me."
"Even I have my limits. Is there anything bothering you or anything you’re curious about?"
Cecile had lived for over a hundred years, but this was her first time living in human society. Fortunately, Demon culture shared many similarities with human culture, so she had been getting along without much trouble.
However, there were moments when she would startle people. The biggest example was her habit of using magic to fly through the air. Since magic was forbidden at Halo Academy except in specific areas, Lina couldn't help but be shocked.
"Nothing I’m curious about, but as for something on my mind... the gathering?"
At Lina’s question, Cecile tapped her cheek with her index finger as she answered.
Lina raised an eyebrow. Cecile had recently decided to follow Lina’s lead and attend the freshman gathering.
"The gathering? Why the gathering?"
"I’m curious about what kind of stories will be shared there. The freshman gathering isn't just for Literature students; Martial Studies students come too."
"True. But I’m sure Xenon Chronicle will be a major topic. I’m certain of it."
"You’re right. It wouldn't be a proper gathering without Xenon Chronicle."
As the center of attention, Xenon Chronicle was an unavoidable topic for any gathering. Especially since a new volume had just been released, there would be plenty to discuss.
"Speaking of which, Cecile, what are you going to wear to the gathering?"
"I have a dress I brought from Helium, so I’m planning to wear that."
"Can you tell me what it looks like?"
"Well, it looks like..."
Cecile set the book down at Lina’s question. Describing a dress was easy enough by drawing it on the table with her finger.
Lina began to visualize the dress as Cecile traced the lines on the table. As Cecile continued to draw, Lina’s expression shifted from surprise to a blank stare.
Eventually, her face was filled with clear embarrassment. Lina slowly looked up and paused halfway.
Her gaze stopped exactly at Cecile’s chest. Even in her casual clothes, she boasted an overwhelming presence.
Lina lifted her gaze a bit further to meet Cecile’s eyes. Having finished her explanation, Cecile looked perfectly composed.
"...Are you really planning to attend the gathering wearing something like that?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"No. There’s no problem, but..."
Lina didn't know how to explain it. The design of the dress Cecile had described was certainly simple. That much was true.
But perhaps it was too simple. Lina asked in a voice full of concern.
"...Won't it be too provocative?"
Cecile’s response was even more spectacular.
"I’ll be provocative no matter what I wear, won't I?"
"... ..."
Lina was left speechless by the blunt answer.
Just as she said, with a body like hers, any dress would feel provocative. But the dress Cecile intended to wear was so extreme it could be called scandalous.
"Still, don't you think it’s a bit... much? There’s so much exposure..."
"I know what you’re worried about, Lina. But you don't need to worry. I can handle this much. More importantly..."
Cecile trailed off for a moment, a characteristic mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"There’s someone whose reaction I’m really looking forward to seeing."