Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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The dean had granted my request in full, and I had strategically steered our private conversation toward the hope that Luna would secure the first-place ranking. Luna and I had both tied for the top spot in the written examination without any question, but the practical portion was strictly scored by the chronological order in which students cleared the rooms, leaving no room for manual fudging. In the end, his elegant solution to fulfill our pact was to declare Luna and me as co-first place overall, effectively lowering my own practical scores just enough to match hers.
‘Damn, the guy is incredibly efficient at administrative manipulation. I actually like his style.’
The dean finished his concluding remarks to the student body, turned his back on the bustling auditorium, and offered a warm smile to those of us standing on the stage as awardees—myself and Luna included.
"It is just before dinner time. Does everyone here have a brief moment to spare?"
"Yes, sir," the third- and second-year representatives replied with polite smiles, while Luna and I could only stare at him in a state of mild bewilderment. The dean chuckled at our reaction and continued his proposal.
"I make it a tradition to always invite the top students of the term to a private dinner to wrap things up properly. Would the two of you be willing to join me for the evening?"
"Ah... yes! Of course, sir!"
"Sure, it would be an honor."
Luna and I nodded eagerly, following him toward the faculty wing.
1. Seong Suho
2. Louis Brandt Rup
3. Luna Staatfeldt
...
1. Luna Staatfeldt
2. Louis Brandt Rup
3. Seong Suho
...
"... "
Louis stood dazed amid the milling crowd, staring blankly at the massive ranking boards plastered inside the auditorium walls.
‘Hah... fuck... fuck... fuck... how is this even possible?’
When he had first enrolled at Schutra Magic School as the undeniable top of his class, he had been dead certain that his life was destined for smooth sailing from that point forward. Magic had always come naturally to him, and his peers had always looked up to him in a state of pure awe. But right now, he felt like just another face lost in the anonymous throng. The other students were too busy crying or cheering over their own mediocre scores to pay him any attention, ignoring his presence completely. Even the girls who had once trailed after him like devoted chicks had eyes only for their own rankings, spilling their emotions freely into the air.
Those who were satisfied or simply unsurprised by their results began shifting the conversation to other gossip. But the names on everyone's lips were the ones currently being honored on stage.
"Whoa... can you believe Luna Staatfeldt actually took first place in the written exams?"
"I managed to crack the top five in the written portion this time myself. Maybe I should finally gather the courage to ask her to study together next semester?"
A group of guys from the same lecture hall buzzed with excitement about Luna specifically. She gave off such a frosty and unapproachable vibe, but a few noble-titled students were still eyeing her hungrily as a potential conquest.
"Hey, did you see that? She was clearly holding hands with that Seong Suho guy earlier."
"Holding hands doesn't necessarily mean they're dating. It was probably just a celebratory co-first-place gesture."
"Come on, use your eyes. Doesn't it look like they're actually together?"
Louis nearly swung his fist at the student's face, his internal fury boiling over. But before he could act, the rest of the group erupted in disagreement.
"You've got to be kidding me. You think she'd be with some commoner whose nationality we don't even know, just because he managed to luck into first place for now?"
"That is beyond ridiculous."
"Still, they were stuck together like glue throughout the ceremony..."
They treated Louis as if he were just any other random student standing nearby, chatting freely about his failure right in front of him.
"I heard they're both members of the same research club. That tiny one... I can't even remember the specific name of it."
"Yeah, the name is a blur, but apparently they just happened to join at the same time and got close."
"Huh, I see."
Even the most hopeful students in the group began to nod along with that theory. Humans are fundamentally hopeful creatures; even with a perfect clue staring them in the face, if it didn't align with their desires, they would dodge the truth without a second look. Besides, Suho and Luna weren't the type to engage in long, public conversations in the classroom. From the guys' perspective, her friendliness likely boiled down to adjacent seating, a shared club, and him being surprisingly studious despite his background. It was nothing more than that—at least, they desperately hoped so.
"Sigh... I'm already committed to a major club, it would be too tough to bail on them now."
"Same here. I can't just drop out after they helped me so much with the exam reviews..."
As they continued to gripe about their social standing, someone raised a genuine and puzzled point.
"How on earth did Seong Suho manage to snag third place in the written exams, though?"
"And taking first place in the practicals after missing a month of school..."
The crowd immediately latched onto the topic, the auditorium buzzing with fresh speculation. Louis found himself unintentionally listening in.
"Maybe he just worked incredibly hard?"
"What, you think we all slacked off? A guy who was suspended for a month acing the most difficult tests in Schutra simply doesn't add up."
"That's a fair point..."
"Hey, what if..."
"...?"
All eyes in the immediate circle turned to the speaker; the kid stammered his theory out with a nervous look.
"...What if he actually managed to steal the exam questions from the faculty office beforehand?"
If he had just received decent scores, there would be no suspicion. But a month-suspended student taking the top spot was borderline unbelievable. Plus, everyone in his lecture had witnessed him being the very first to bolt from the exam hall every single day.
"How would he even manage that, though?"
"Leaking or stealing official tests means immediate expulsion at the very least."
"I'll have to ask my senior in the administration club if there's any precedent for this."
The auditorium hummed with dark speculation and growing resentment. All but one person stayed to listen. Louis had already slipped out of the room, his mind a chaotic mess of jealousy and shame.
The dean and the assembled awardees sat around a large, polished round table, awaiting the start of dinner. Even with the round seating, one specific spot seemed to draw all eyes like it was the head of the table. The dean smiled warmly, chatting lightly with the students about their experiences. One gaze, however, was wandering elsewhere. Mine.
‘Whoa... this place is basically a high-class haunted house, isn't it?’
Luna had looked a bit shocked as well upon entering the dean's private residence. But she had quickly composed herself, acting the part of the polite and poised noblewoman. As I continued to glance around at the various artifacts, the dean smiled softly at me.
"I apologize for inviting you to such a humble and lived-in place, Student Suho."
All eyes at the table snapped to me in an instant. I simply waved off his apology with a nonchalant gesture.
"No, not at all, sir. I find it quite charming."
"Then, tell me, what specifically were you thinking just now? I'd be interested to hear your take on my home."
Wait, you're supposed to be my secret ally—are you really trying to mess with me in public? Fortunately, I had a quick answer ready.
"I was actually quite impressed by the atmosphere."
"Oh? Impressed? In what way?"
"It is clear that you deeply cherish everything you take into your life, keeping it for as long as possible. They say you can often tell how someone treats people by how they handle their physical objects."
"Ho ho. That is quite an insightful observation."
The dean looked genuinely pleased and even a bit surprised by my response. Luna and the other awardees mirrored his expression.
‘Phew... I think I successfully dodged that bullet.’
The food arrived shortly after, and the dean deftly shifted the topics of conversation. The talk was mostly standard student matters: their backgrounds, minor school gripes, and potential suggestions for improvement. Eventually, his focus turned to Luna.
"Luna... Staatfeldt, is that correct?"
"Yes, sir."
He had been staring at her intently for several minutes. At first, I wondered if the old corpse actually fancied her—an idea I wasn't thrilled about. But after the incident with the TA, I sensed no weird or predatory vibes from him. He wasn't interested in her looks or her current standing. It was her family name that had caught his attention.
"Staatfeldt... originally from the Levin Kingdom, if I recall?"
"That is correct, sir," Luna replied, straightening her back with a hint of pride. The dean offered a somewhat wry smile as he continued.
"It has been absolute ages since I last spoke with a member of your house. Staatfeldt... Claudia Staatfeldt..."
He trailed off into a moment of reminiscence; I leaned in and whispered a question to Luna.
"Who is Claudia?"
"She was our founding matriarch, the Silver Eagle," Luna whispered back.
"Ah, I see..."
The dean continued, his eyes looking wistful.
"I haven't heard that name in what feels like forever. Claudia Staatfeldt... she was as stubborn as they come, truly."
"... "
Luna bristled slightly at the characterization of her ancestor. It seemed likely they had met during the great wars of the past. The dean didn't hold back his opinion.
"She was frustratingly rigid and possessed absolutely zero flexibility in her worldview. Throwing her life away for the sake of a country? She was an utter fool in that regard..."
"Dean, please..."
There was no way Luna would just brush that off, regardless of her current situation. Even if I barely cared for my own family, hearing someone trash-talk my bloodline would make me want to throw hands. I half-stood from my chair to intervene.
"When Claudia finally passed away... I found myself weeping buckets for the first time in my life."
"... "
"Thinking back on it now, that was actually the very last time I shed a tear. Some memories just stick with you forever."
Now I finally understood the depth of their bond. The specific details were unknown to me, but the emotional weight was clear. Luna softened her expression, understanding now that he was speaking out of affection. The dean then smiled warmly at her, a first for the evening.
"Speaking of which, it reminds me of that Jürgen Staatfeldt who visited me several years ago."
"Ah... you mean my father..."
"Yes. How is he doing these days?"
"He..."
Tears began to well up in Luna's eyes; a few drops hit her plate with a soft sound. The dean looked genuinely startled.
"Is there something wrong? Did I misspeak?"
"He... he passed away recently, sir."
"Oh no... I am so sorry..."
He stood up and bowed his head in a sincere, apologetic gesture.
"...Please forgive me. I'm afraid I have become far too detached from the current events of the world."
"N-no, it's perfectly fine, sir. I apologize for this sudden outburst."
I quickly passed her my handkerchief, offering a soothing pat on her arm.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, thanks. And Dean, please don't worry about it."
Luna managed to recover her composure remarkably fast, lightening the mood for the rest of the group; the dinner eventually ended on a very pleasant note.
"Are you sure you're actually okay?"
"Ugh... yeah, I'm doing just fine, Suho."
Luna was clinging tightly to my arm, staggering forward with every few steps. She would normally only sip one or two glasses of wine at formal events and never allowed herself to get sloppy. But tonight's deep conversation had led to more drinks than she intended; having ignored her natural limit, she could now barely stand on her own. I supported her swaying form as we made our way back toward the dorms. Midway through the walk, she tugged on my sleeve.
"Wait... let's stop and rest here for a bit."
"Wouldn't your dorm bed be a better place to rest?"
"I just... really want to feel the breeze for a minute."
"Got it. Let's go then."
I guided her drunken self toward the high terrace, which felt like the perfect spot for us tonight. I had almost forgotten about our old Cabinet Corner hideout. Her clingy behavior drew quite a few stares along the way, but since it was late night, there were few students around; the janitors and professors we passed just offered knowing, curious grins. The terrace was completely empty as I had expected—it was well past midnight and heading toward dawn.
"Let's sit down and... huh?"
As I tried to set her down in a chair, she suddenly yanked on my waist with surprising force, dragging me toward the dark corner of the terrace. It was that specific nook where we had first started closing the distance between us. She pulled me in after her into the shadows. Her boozy, warm breath panted against my neck as I held her close.
"It has been quite a while since we were here. The exams really killed the mood to come out and relax."
"...Hmph."
She let out a soft huff, nuzzling her face against my chest.
‘She is definitely drunk. She's acting way clingier than she ever does.’
Luna rarely acted this girly or vulnerable when sober; but with a bit of wine in her system, she melted into my arms like putty. I gently stroked her hair as she cooed.
"It's time to get you to bed, Luna. We'll see each other again tomorrow morning."
"...I honestly can't wait that long."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You mentioned last time that your 'switch' had flipped... well, tonight, I think mine did too."
She looked up at me, her face flushed deep red as she whispered against my lips.
"Can you please find a way to flip my switch back down for me now?"