Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: 17. Roommate
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"My butt's going numb..."
"No way, the headmaster talked for over two hours..."
The crowd inside the auditorium had flowed out like the tide after the entrance ceremony ended.
Because there had been so many people, we were also stuck in the middle, unable to escape easily.
"Ugh! These guys are sticking together like glue, Master."
"Be quiet and follow me."
"Ah. B-Brother..."
"...Lin. You come too."
We had come this far together, so I couldn't just irresponsibly leave her in this crowd.
[Whoo. Flowers in both hands, my lord? I'm dying of envy here.]
"I told you to shut your trap, Tundra."
I walked slowly, keeping Imir and Celine at my sides to avoid getting swept away by the crowd.
I kind of regretted not waiting until everyone had left, but... I couldn't bring myself to do that.
No way. It was just my overactive imagination, I thought.
But during the ceremony, Iris kept glancing my way until it ended.
"Master. I'm getting hungry. When do we eat?"
"After we unpack at the dorms. Hang in there a bit."
"...We've barely eaten anything since breakfast?"
"You think I haven't noticed I've skipped a meal too, Imir?"
I let Imir's grumbling go in one ear and out the other as I headed toward the bulletin board with the dorm assignments.
Unlike other classes, S-Class students used a dedicated dorm.
So we had to go somewhere else from the regular students.
'I already know where the dorms are anyway.'
I still needed to confirm my room number.
"D-Don't push!"
"Out of the way, you commoner scum!"
We barely made it out of the auditorium, but the bulletin board was already chaos with students checking their room numbers.
Sweat and irritated voices mixed in the center, making it a madhouse.
"Master. We can't see anything like this."
"Yeah."
"Should I just shove my way in?"
"Don't. It'll just get noisy again."
A mere maid shoving nobles—not that commoners were an issue—could spark who-knows-what gossip.
Better if I went and checked.
"Move."
"Huh? Which arrogant bastard dares to— to the son of a count like me..."
I grabbed the collar of the guy bulldozing through and said it. He turned back with an annoyed face.
The moment the scowling guy saw who grabbed him.
His eyes started shaking wildly.
"E-Evan?"
Like he'd seen a ghost.
His face paled as he hurriedly stepped aside.
"G-Go ahead. I mean, please go through."
"Thanks."
For a fellow count's son—from some backwater family, a bastard no less—to be this polite to me.
Pretty courteous for a noble, I thought.
Thanks to that, I reached the board easily.
"S-Class is..."
Ah, there it is.
I scanned down the S-Class assignments at the very top.
'Evan Dreadnote... Room 301.'
301. Third floor—not a bad view.
Wonder who the roommate is.
If the info I knew hadn't changed, S-Class dorms were basically two per room.
A-Class was three, and after that, I barely remembered.
D-Class was like six or eight, right?
'Hard to imagine Evan sharing with anyone anyway.'
The guy's personality was utter trash.
He'd cause trouble with anyone.
The original story never specified who Evan roomed with.
So I didn't know either.
Probably some background extra.
Or...
'...Not a single room, is it?'
Given Evan's reputation, maybe no one wanted to room with him.
Or he kicked someone out.
'Whatever.'
I shook my head and looked next to my name for the roommate.
'Room 301. Evan Dreadnote. And next to that...'
[Kaien von Raven]
Ah.
"...Hah."
A sigh escaped me unwittingly.
'Why him of all people.'
With S-Class being small, I'd half-expected it.
Excluding me, everyone but the protagonist was heroines and side characters.
Still, there were others. Plenty of guys.
Male side characters too, even in a yuri game.
Some nicer ones, right?
Like the barbarian? Yeah?
"Haa..."
Of all people, him.
In the original, Kaien was famous for his strong pride and pickiness.
Thinking of him made worries inevitable.
'Top seat with that level of skill? Hah... Ridiculous.'
'How can a wench like you be stronger than me? Answer me, Iris!'
'Don't pity me. I'll crush that wench and become the strongest!'
He clashed with the protagonist at the academy where the game started.
The type who didn't see weaklings as people.
'Go on. You're number one, Iris.'
But later he acknowledged her and became a reliable ally—that gap was his charm.
Whatever. I had zero desire to room with him.
Plus, the guy was obsessively clean—didn't even seem like a dude.
"Haa..."
'This is gonna be a hassle.'
But what could I do? It was set.
Couldn't request a switch.
I checked Celine's room too, sighed, and stepped back from the board.
"B-Brother. Did you check?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
I nodded to Imir and Celine waiting.
Then we headed to the S-Class dorm.
+ + +
"Master. This the king's place down south?"
"Don't talk nonsense. It's just the dorm."
"...Still looks like a palace."
This time, I agreed with Imir.
It was ridiculously huge.
"Definitely different."
The S-Class dorm was in the innermost part of the academy grounds, by a quiet lake.
As expected of top-class lodging.
Worlds apart from regular dorms.
The building rivaled a mansion—ornate, antique exterior, vast garden.
And private baths per room, from a glance.
Elite treatment for sure.
'No wonder everyone claws to get into S-Class.'
"Let's go in."
I felt a bit intimidated but strode forward with resolve.
A middle-aged woman, probably the dorm supervisor, greeted us in the lobby.
"S-Class freshmen. Welcome."
She checked the list and handed over keys.
"Young Master Evan Dreadnote, Room 301. Lady Celine Dreadnote, Room 302. And the attendant..."
She trailed off, looking at Imir.
"Ah, she'll stay in my room."
Couldn't leave her alone.
Who knows what trouble she'd cause even a step away.
"Pardon? But regulations say no opposite sex..."
"Exclusive maid. Plus, spare rooms exist, right?"
Two per room, but spacious inside.
I recalled spares too.
"Hmm..."
She seemed flustered by my confidence but nodded eventually.
"...Understood. But if any opposite-sex issues arise in the dorm, you're responsible."
"No problem."
I didn't expect issues anyway.
Imir's strength meant she wouldn't lose easily now.
And Kaien didn't seem the type to care about girls.
Thud. Thud.
"..."
On the way up the stairs with the key, I glanced at Celine.
"..."
"What?"
She'd been giving me a complicated look since getting the key.
"Brother. You sure this is okay?"
"...About what?"
"That woman... I mean, living with Imir. Rumors won't be good."
Ah, that.
I chuckled at her worried tone.
Living in a student dorm with an opposite-sex maid—yeah, trouble.
Gossip inevitable.
"When has my reputation ever been good?"
She shut her mouth at my self-deprecating words. Undeniable fact.
Before I possessed him, Evan had already piled up trash incidents.
I had to endure it.
"Don't worry. I can handle myself."
At my room door, I passed her and opened 301.
"This our room? Bigger than before."
"Yeah. Unpack."
"Ugh. Annoying, Master. Later okay?"
"Do it now."
"...Jerk."
I sighed, about to close the door, but met eyes with Celine still in the hall.
"Rest up."
Click.
Short farewell, door shut.
Heard her sigh beyond it but ignored.
The room was even nicer inside—spacious, comfy.
Separate bedroom and living room, private bath.
Best: the academy view from the window.
'Beats the Dreadnote estate.'
Admiring while looking around, my gaze fixed on one spot.
A figure stood rigidly there.
Black hair, sharp eyes.
Neat uniform, arms crossed, staring out window. He slowly turned.
"..."
"..."
Kaien von Raven.
So androgynously beautiful it was hard to believe he was male. Our eyes met.
The room felt degrees colder.
Like facing a honed famous sword—chilling.
His black eyes pierced me without a flicker.
'Intense vibe.'
I ignored the silent stare, feigning calm.
Roommate—greetings at least.
"...Evan Dreadnote."
Short intro. No reply.
Lips pressed tight.
Just a dry gaze.
"..."
This guy's making it awkward.
Mute as a clam?
As I cringed to add something, he spoke.
"Not pleased."
What the?
"...What?"
"Stuck rooming with trash like you. The school's handling is deplorable."
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Contempt.']
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Disgust.']
[Absorbing negative emotion 'Fear.']
No intent to hide hostility—his voice dripped blatant displeasure.
'This punk.'
I stared in disbelief.
"Saw your skill at Noblesse Hall."
He approached, arms still crossed.
"You endured that pressure to the end. Better than rumors."
He remembered that.
Only four stood till end—hard to forget.
"I'll take it as praise."
"Don't flatter yourself."
He scoffed, like telling me not to get cocky.
"Not acknowledging you. Just confirming you're not the total incompetent trash from rumors."
Step.
He stopped before me, warning with cold eyes.
"Don't get smug over one test. I don't recognize scum like you."
Growled words.
Clear provocation.
A mere wastrel having equal skill bruised his pride.
Those burning eyes.
Proof he saw me as a rival.
'Kinda cute.'
His sore loser side showed—I smirked unwittingly.
"Don't worry. No desire to tangle needlessly. Ignore each other—easiest."
"..."
My relaxed response furrowed his brow slightly.
Apparently irked by the calm reply.
Expected me to flinch?
"Talk a good game."
His venomous gaze scanned me top to bottom, then turned away like bored.
"Unpack. I'm heading out."
As he passed and reached for the door, Imir poked her head from the other bedroom, unpacking.
"Master. Where this go?"
"...Huh?"
He froze.
Like hearing the impossible.
Slowly—very slowly—he turned to Imir.
"What the hell's this pretty boy? What you staring at?"
Maid outfit, but zero maid vibe.
Straining clothes, healthy thighs under short skirt.
Kaien's eyes widened in disbelief.
"...A maid?"
"Exclusive. Living together."
His face flashed shock.
No—beyond, flushing red live.
Watching his expressions shift, he seemed more fun than expected.
"I-In-sane! B-Bringing opposite sex into dorms? Same room!?"
Uh. Normal reaction. Expected.
"Got supervisor approval. No issue."
...Huh?
"N-No issue? Y-You have no shame!? Sacred hall of learning. I-In a men's room, that... that...!"
Couldn't finish, face red.
But overkill for anger.
Like seeing nudity—flustered, eyes darting.
"T-Tell her cover up! Vulgar— what a sight!"
He whipped his head away, yelling.
'This intense?'
Way overreacting.
Like his body exposed—embarrassed.
"..."
Test something.
"Imir. Come here."
"Busy, why Mas—?"
Grab.
Pulled her puzzled self into my arms.
"Jealous?"
"W-What...? Pervert! Don't say filthy things!"
Ears red, eyes squeezed shut. Kinda fun to tease.
"...Wasn't in my plans."
Muttering to himself, face crimson, Kaien.
"Can't tolerate that woman in my room! G-Get her out now!"
"Nah. My maid, my charge. You got no say."
"Y-You shameless cur!"
Hand reached like drawing sword—but trembling faintly on sheath.
"I know your skill level. But this is different. Don't kick her out and..."
"And?"
I sat on bed, holding her, chin up at him.
"Duel? Roommates swordfighting day one. Spectacular."
He flinched at my sarcasm.
Bit lip, glaring between Imir and me.
"...We'll see how long you keep that brazen face."
BAM!
Door slammed so hard I worried it'd break.
"Fun to tease."
Late worry hit, but whatever— it'd work out.
A mildly annoying roommate keeps tension up, good.
But his reaction stronger than thought. Embarrassed?
Not about cleanliness.
Suddenly.
A quiet rumor among hardcore The Glory fans surfaced.
Kaien von Raven actually a crossdressing girl.
Too pretty for male.
Voice too soft for guy.
...No way real?
Explains the overreaction though.
'Nah, probably not.'