A Blind Rascal Must Watch His Tongue

"Hey, this is seriously fun, you know?"

"It's not even fantasy, it's a RoFan (Romance Fantasy) novel."

It was a web novel game titled Lumenhart Academy, which my older sister was obsessed with. "It's a bit packed with the clichés you hate, but..."

I didn't need to hear any more. Just seeing the word 'romance' makes my skin crawl. "Why do the protagonists always have to get tangled up with crown princes and villainesses?"

"What's unique about this one is the female lead's setting—"

Back then, I half-listened to my sister. "...So, a commoner pretends to be a noble lady and gets married like that?"

I regret it. I genuinely regret it. If only I had binged that game back then.

When I came to, I couldn't see anything. I even had the fleeting thought, 'Am I still keeping my eyes closed?' At that moment, a voice echoed in my head.

What is this? The space in front of me remained pitch black. There didn't seem to be any other options. "...Activate."

As soon as it did, the thick fog covering my vision lifted. I got out of bed and headed straight for the mirror. A strange, unfamiliar face stared back at me.

"Crazy."

Is this me? I had black hair and my eyes were roughly covered with bandages. If they're covered by bandages, how can I see? Suddenly, the voice that had flowed into my head surfaced. Rift Eyes. This must be its ability. I grasped the situation quickly. A cane, bandages, and utensils with grooves for the visually impaired. I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠possessed the body of a blind man.

"Young Master Kyle, is something the matter?"

Just as I was exploring the room, an elderly voice came from outside the door. I answered reflexively.

"No, it's nothing."

"Today is the day you return to school... would you like to rest?"

I didn't know where I was, but I decided to go to school to gather information. "I'm coming out now."

I planned to keep the bandages on. It would be even weirder if I suddenly claimed I could see.

"Did you have a comfortable night?"

When I opened the door, an elderly man with white hair, dressed in a butler's uniform, was bowing. Even though he knew I couldn't see, he remained bowed, waiting for an answer. What am I supposed to say in a situation like this?

"Yeah, thanks to you."

The butler's face contorted instantly. I wondered if it was anger. It wasn't. It was deep emotion.

"'Thanks to me'...?"

Huh? Why is he crying? Is he going through menopause?

The man quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the tears that had spilled out. "I have served as your eyes for 17 years, Young Master, but I, Sebastian, have never had a moment as moving as this one!"

What kind of reaction is that? You're making it even harder for me to know how to respond.

"Right, you've worked hard for 17 years...?"

"*Sniff!* Young Master, have you finally turned over a new leaf?"

I don't know what happened, but the original owner of this body must have been a total piece of trash—a rascal, as they say.

"Calm down and let's just go."

"Yes! Let us depart immediately."

There's a saying. Heroes are always kind. They save citizens and defeat evil. If such a hero does one bad thing, their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reputation is overturned in an instant. They get called traitors and all sorts of things. Conversely, what if an evil person does one good deed? People say, "That guy, has he changed?"

But there was no such merciful judgment for Kyle Barque.

"Sorry. Are you okay?"

I was trying to act like a blind person, using a cane I'd never held in my life, and I ended up tripping a student walking next to me. I apologized naturally and reached out a hand.

"Kyaaaah!"

She suddenly let out a scream with a look of pure horror. "Don't come near me, you pervert!"

Her palm flew through the air in a perfect arc. It was unnecessarily accurate. Slap! I lost my balance and hit my shoulder against the hallway wall.

"Why, all of a sudden..."

"Young Master, what have you done this time?!"

This time? Again? It was beyond my imagination. No matter what I did, it was already linked to being a rascal. If I greeted someone, they'd look around and run away; if I picked up something for them, they'd immediately throw it on the ground.

"Shit."

Kyle, was it? What kind of life has this guy lived? Well, thanks to that, I could confirm my reputation quite clearly.

"Young Master, you can attend your class here today."

"Right, you go get some rest too."

"Then I shall return when it is finished."

A sigh escaped my throat. The only saving grace was that I could see. Even though it was covered by bandages, I could see through the Rift Eyes just as clearly as with my own eyes. As I sat in the corner of the back row, everyone's gaze focused on me.

"Look at that, it's the blind rascal."

"Don't look. You'll get 'rascal' on you."

"He should just drop out. He's got pride, of all things."

Evaluations of me poured down like rain. But it didn't bother me. Where I came from, being constantly berated and cursed at was a daily routine. Those refined insults didn't even sound like swearing to me.

When the surroundings quieted down, a dull impact hit the back of my head.

"Are you Kyle Barque?"

"Yeah, so?"

"A pathetic-looking bastard like you did that?"

"Yes, Boss."

The largest of the three men grabbed me, forced me to my feet, and dragged me away. The surrounding students didn't even look like they intended to stop him. Instead, they avoided eye contact as if they were used to it.

We arrived at the back garden of the academy, a place with few people.

"How dare you lay a hand on the Young Lady?"

"I think there's a misunderstanding."

Misunderstanding, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my foot. Given Kyle's track record, he definitely laid a hand on some noble lady I don't even know. I could see in real-time that the guy's expression was turning into pure rage at my shamelessness.

"You'll remember once you get hit."

"If I apologize, you won't let it slide, right?"

With the answer that he'd "think about it," a fist flew toward my abdomen. It was a slow punch, considering I was 'blind.' I stepped back instinctively to dodge it, and he couldn't hide his bewilderment.

"How did you dodge that?"

"You clearly can't see in front of you?"

Oh, right. I shouldn't have dodged. The problem starts now. I dodged the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠last punch reflexively, but if I dodge again, it'll invite unnecessary suspicion. Since this body is at fault anyway, I'll just take one hit and be done with it. Just as I was about to squeeze my eyes shut, a strange window popped up in front of me.

I held it in. I tried to hold it in.

"Pfft."

I failed.

"What's so funny?"

"No, sorry."

I had to pretend I couldn't see. But I couldn't help it at that.

"Stop it!"

A girl with pink hair suddenly stepped between us, pushing us apart with her arms.

"Lady Elena, but..."

"I was truly fine, so please go back."

Elena. The moment I heard that name, something in my head creaked. Pink hair. Noble lady. Elena. I've heard that somewhere.

"...Huh?"

A dumbfounded sound escaped my lips. Elena Rosenfeld. Lumenhart Academy. No way. It can't be. That's impossible. It's not like I fell into a fantasy world. It's not like I fell into an academy with swords and magic.

"Kyle Barque?"

Elena called my name cautiously. The moment I heard her voice, I was certain. This wasn't just any fantasy world. It was that damn RoFan novel. The one my sister told me to watch so badly. The one I stubbornly refused to watch until the end.

"Are you not hurt?"

Every sense I have is telling me to get out of here right now.

"I'm fine."

If this is really the RoFan I know, I shouldn't get involved with this woman. People like that are always followed by crown princes, dukes, sword masters, and villainesses. And I was just a rascal extra perfectly suited to be beaten to death by those guys.

"Are you really okay? Your face is pale..."

"I said I'm fine."

She knows who I am, yet she worries about me first. A gentle-looking face. The wariness hidden deep inside. A voice that makes me feel guilty for no reason. That's right. She's a cliché RoFan female lead. A very toxic one. Even in this situation, she worries about others first.

"Then, I'll be going."

"Wait a moment."

But the world is never on my side. Elena called me back.

"About that day..."

"Forget it."

I intentionally cut her off. I didn't want to hear it. The more I knew about what the original Kyle did, the worse it would be for my mental health.

"I didn't see anything."

"That bastard is being rude!"

I realized it after I said it. Ah. I'm blind. Her face stiffened.

"You... didn't see anything?"

I'm screwed. This sounded weird no matter who heard it. I hurriedly gripped my cane tighter.

"It's just a figure of speech. It means I don't know anything."

"..."

"So you don't worry about me, either. I won't worry about you."

This was enough. Drawing a line. Keeping distance. A declaration of indifference. It was the perfect syllogism to avoid getting involved with a RoFan female lead. But Elena had a strange expression on her face. A look that was relieved, yet fearful at the same time.

"I understand."

What. What do you understand?

"If that is what you say, Kyle... I will not ask any further."

No. I'm grateful you're not asking, but why is my statement being interpreted like the dialogue of someone who's covering something up?

The window in front of me popped up, being unnecessarily helpful. Get lost. Please.