Got 'In Heat' the Vulgar Way (1)
“I'm Rebekite Lu Asbestos of the Asbestos family~! Nice to meet you, Rian Ludwig.”
Osaaak—!
The moment I heard her family name, goosebumps prickled across my entire body.
In truth, I'd had my suspicions ever since Rebekite had ousted the Imperial Academy President as easily as devouring a slice of cake...
But still, I'd desperately hoped it wasn't true.
Asbestos—one of the empire's five great noble houses, standing shoulder to shoulder with Necroport and Glacia.
'Hoo... calm down and sort out the situation.'
Then, in my mind, 'Angel Rian' and 'Devil Rian' appeared, each bearing one piece of good news and one piece of bad.
—First, the good news! You didn't sign the confession!
At 'Angel Rian''s words, I glanced at the confession document.
'...Good thing I didn't sign it.'
It really was a relief.
Rebekite's appearance cleared up all the mysteries.
Like why Boldhead had been so jittery, or why the Academy President had personally handled the interrogation of a mere count's youngest son.
—I clearly told them to treat you 'courteously'... Did the President think my words were a joke?
...If I hadn't stalled and had signed right away? Just imagining it sent chills down my spine.
—Ohh~, the bad news! You've caught Rebekite's attention!
This time it was 'Devil Rian''s turn. '...Hah.'
All great houses are dangerous. But some are far more dangerous than others.
Necroport and Asbestos were prime examples.
If Necroport was an emotionless machine relentlessly pursuing maximum profit and rationality...
Asbestos was the polar opposite.
No matter how irrational, if something caught their eye, they crushed it utterly. 'The really scary part is they don't even hide it...'
Why? Because they always slapped on just enough justification to make it look legitimate.
The house itself was utterly mad, but among them, Rebekite Lu Asbestos was infamous for being even madder.
The Asbestos family at least paid lip service to minimal justification and face...
Rebekite didn't even bother with that.
In one word? The quintessential villainess lady.
No wonder she ranked in my mental top 5 of people I never wanted to meet!
But...
“...”
Swipe—despite all that, Rebekite was extending the back of her hand to me. A gesture demanding a kiss.
Smack—
Ignoring it here would be suicidal, so I dropped to one knee and pressed my lips to it.
“It's an honor to meet the lady of House Asbestos.”
“Oh ho hot! An honor, even? Down on one knee~! For a count's son, you know your etiquette surprisingly well~?”
Chwaak—!
Rebekite, who had scanned me appraisingly, withdrew her hand and snapped open her fan.
“You can stand now~!”
“Thank you.”
Clack—clack—
Rebekite strode to the Academy President's seat as if it were hers all along, crossed her legs, and sat.
“So, what should we talk about first~?”
“Just the chance to converse with Lady Rebekite is a joy in itself. Any topic would be delightful.”
“Hee hee hee~ That's not bad to hear~? Oh, before that, one thing I need to confirm~?”
Swipe—
She veiled her mouth with her fan and asked.
“By any chance, Rian Ludwig... did you intercept the letter I sent to author Nakadashi?”
Rebekite's piercing gaze.
“No, ma'am. How could a mere count's youngest son dare such a thing?”
I answered immediately.
I had no intention of hesitating and inviting suspicion.
“Oh ho hot~! Just as I thought~? No one with any sense would do that~.”
Rebekite twirled a lock of her roll-bun hair around her finger as she spoke.
“But here's the thing~? I actually sent a fan letter to author Nakadashi too~? And got no reply~? Kinda 'disappointing,' you know~?”
“...”
Impressive. Nakadashi. Go ahead and bring ruin upon Rian Ludwig with your own hands!
'Nakadashi, you mad bastard...'
Not content with aggro from Necroport, he'd pulled it from Asbestos too!
Grip—!
I clenched my fist.
Honestly, with the flood of fan letters, I couldn't even guess which one.
At the very least, one from 'Asbestos' would've stuck in my memory.
'Since I don't remember, probably not.'
Chwaruruk—!
I tried imagining what fan letter Rebekite might've sent, but nothing definitive came to mind.
“Haa... I even thanked Nakadashi for connecting me with His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, but no reply...”
“...!!”
That line jogged my memory instantly.
Thank you so much!! Thanks to you, I got together with His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince!!
'A woman's greatest weapon lies between her legs.' I'll make that our family motto!!
'...That insane letter was from Rebekite?'
I'm human too.
Just like how I'd naturally remember the nicknames of fun commenters from my past life...
Fan letters stick if they hit that dopamine sweet spot!
However...
Memorable doesn't mean believable!
Who in their right mind would take seriously a claim of hooking up with the Crown Prince thanks to erotica!!
'Haa... this is maddening.'
As I pondered how to resolve this absurd frame job,
Clack—clack—
“Hmm~? That's suspicious~?”
“...”
Rebekite approached, her fan brushing my throat.
“You said~ you'd never seen it~? So why react like you know the fan letter I sent?”
Her eyes narrowed at me.
'...Ha.'
A hollow chuckle escaped inwardly.
I'd bitten hard on Rebekite's bait.
A natural-born tyrant, indeed. You can't learn this—you're born with it.
My expression had slipped for just a split second, and she'd pounced without missing a beat.
“Ho ho ho! Better not think of lying~? You couldn't fool me anyway, and I'll verify separately~?”
Press—!
The fan lightly pressed my Adam's apple.
“Now, one more time~? Rian Ludwig. How do you know the fan letter I sent to author Nakadashi~?”
“...If I may. I said I never intercepted any letters... but I never said I hadn't seen it.”
Rebekite's brow furrowed.
“Playing word games with me~?”
“No, ma'am. It simply means there was no need to intercept it.”
Suuup—!
I took a deep breath and continued.
“...Because I'm Nakadashi.”
“...?”
“...”
“...”
For the first time, bewilderment flickered across Rebekite's face, followed by a few seconds of silence.
And then—
Chwaaak!!
Rebekite flung her fan wide and cried out.
“Ho ho hot!! Oh my~! Lord Rian is Master Nakadashi himself!! Aaah, how did I not realize?! It all fits now!! No wonder~! I liked you from the first glance~!!”
Clack—! Clack—! Clack—!
“Lord Rian, no~ Master Nakadashi~? Since we're fated like this, wanna be 'secret friends'~?”
“...Secret friends, ma'am?”
“Yess~! Chatting like this, the thrill, experiences no one else has~! Oh ho hot~!”
Tat—! Tat—!
Rebekite tapped my shoulder with her fan, laughing.
World's full of wonders.
A count's youngest son, of all people, becoming 'secret friends' with the Asbestos heir.
“It would be my honor. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Rebekite.”
“Ho ho hot...! Perfect~! By the way, Master Nakadashi~? Your speech feels kinda stiff~? Are you tense because of me~?”
“...No, ma'am. Of course not.”
Of course I was tense.
Her name was Rebekite Lu Asbestos.
Even smiling like this, she could flip in an instant: 'Ahaha~ That was fun. Secret friends over.'
“Oh ho hot! No need to lie~? I know what they call me~? 'Blue-Haired Mad Dog,' 'Heaven-Born Tyrant'... and other nicknames~. None of them flattering, right?”
Rebekite's voice dipped slightly as she finished.
“No denying it~. Considering what I've done, it's deserved~?”
“...?”
Cognitive dissonance hit at her admitting fault.
The Heaven-Born Tyrant owning up to mistakes? Not some innate psychopath oblivious to right and wrong?
“Before, it was like... something boiled inside me no matter what, and I couldn't vent it~.”
“...”
“But weirdly, hating someone... tormenting them... made it better~. So I thought that was the answer~. Guess when I realized it was wrong~?”
Swipe—she turned to gaze at me, licking her lips.
“After reading Master Nakadashi's Childhood Friend Rape~!”
Tat—!
Rebekite snapped her fan shut, looked up at the ceiling, and shivered.
“What to say... it was... vulgar, but... hee hee... the first time I saw that 'childhood friend rape,' I straight-up got in heat.”