The Perfect Gentleman
A man strolled through the Academy grounds. His hair and eyes were a piercing blue, and his strikingly handsome features drew admiration from anyone who laid eyes on him. Though he merely walked, the gazes of those around him naturally converged upon him.
“It’s Lord Sebastian……”
“As noble as ever……”
His name was Sebastian Ebenros. The legitimate heir of the Ebenros family, one of the Empire’s great noble houses, and the one already chosen to become the next head. From a young age, he had been exceptionally gifted, particularly in magic, and now his skill surpassed even the mages of the Magic Tower who were his peers. With an impeccable background, flawless appearance, and abilities that defied simple praise, he seemed the very image of perfection. One might expect such flawless conditions to come with some flaw, yet Sebastian possessed none. Even his character was perfect.
Born with blood more noble than most, save for the imperial family, he never flaunted it. He did not discriminate by status and treated everyone with fairness. He knew how to be grateful for small things and always acted with kindness. He was, in every sense, the perfect man drawn from a painting. That was who Sebastian Ebenros was.
It was only natural that such a man commanded everyone’s attention. In truth, it went beyond mere glances.
“Lord Sebastian! If it’s not too much trouble, would you consider attending our family’s exhibition this time—”
“Ah, Lord Euzel’s taste and collection are truly remarkable. I shall make sure to visit.”
“Lord Sebastian, if it wouldn’t be an imposition, would you attend the charity party—”
“Of course. I’ll have someone contact you later to coordinate the schedule.”
Sebastian was always surrounded by people. Even within the Academy, where only the elite gathered, it was no different. Being constantly encircled by such crowds every single day would have exhausted most, yet not a single crease of displeasure appeared on Sebastian’s face as he responded to them.
Eventually, after listening to every word directed at him, Sebastian made his way toward the dormitory. And when he finally stepped into his room—
“Lord Sebastian.”
A man waiting inside bowed his head toward him. He was Sebastian’s retainer, born into a family that served the Ebenros and raised from childhood to assist him. One of the few Sebastian trusted most, and the one who handled all his requests.
“So, how did it go?”
Sebastian asked with his usual composed expression.
“It appears to have failed.”
The man, Zis, replied with his head lowered. Sebastian tilted his head slightly.
“Victor lost?”
“…Yes.”
“That’s rather surprising. I thought Victor would dominate him.”
“…I thought the same.”
Zis shared Sebastian’s assessment. The gap between Kyle Berwen and Victor Dilot had been stark. It was a difference so vast that a fight shouldn’t even have been possible. Yet, defying all expectations, Kyle had defeated Victor. And not just barely—
“It wasn’t a simple victory. Kyle Berwen completely overwhelmed Victor Dilot.”
Overwhelmingly so.
“…Hmm.”
At those words, Sebastian’s eyes gleamed for a moment. But it didn’t last.
“And Victor’s condition?”
Victor Dilot was one of Sebastian’s subordinates—or at least, Victor considered himself as such, even if Sebastian didn’t think of him that way. Either way, there was some degree of acquaintance between them.
“No serious injuries.”
“That’s a relief.”
Sebastian nodded, looking reassured.
“Still… an unexpected outcome.”
This stage hadn’t been orchestrated by Sebastian. Victor had proposed it, and Sebastian had merely lent his support. So it wasn’t a direct blow to him, but it was certainly intriguing. After all, no one had foreseen this result. Anyone who knew both Kyle and Victor would have expected Victor to crush him. Instead, the opposite had occurred. It was something that shouldn’t have been possible.
“Either he was hiding his strength… or the shock of being disowned changed him……”
Those seemed the only two possibilities. Well—
“Either way, it doesn’t matter.”
Whichever was true, it made no difference to Sebastian.
“He’s someone I need to remove from my sight regardless.”
No matter the reason, Sebastian intended to drive Kyle out of the Academy. By nature, Sebastian was kind and courteous to others. But there was one exception: Kyle. Sebastian despised him—his actions, his character, his very existence. The way he had twisted after losing the position of heir, the way he behaved worse than common thugs despite his noble blood, the way he blamed others for his own shortcomings. All of it disgusted him.
Yet, despite that loathing, he had never been able to remove Kyle before. After all, Kyle was a direct descendant of the Berwen family. Even the Ebenros couldn’t eliminate a Berwen heir without a legitimate reason. So Sebastian had endured his hatred without acting. But now, an opportunity had arrived. Kyle had been disowned by the Berwens. The shield protecting him was gone. In other words, Sebastian could eliminate him whenever he wished.
Sebastian’s eyes gleamed coldly.
***
I dragged my creaking body out of the dormitory. My destination had already been decided, so there was no hesitation in my steps. The Academy grounds, vast as they were, contained numerous facilities. Naturally, there were buildings for classes, spaces for training, areas for research, and even places for leisure to ease the students’ boredom.
My destination was one of the livelier spots: the park near the center of the Academy. The park was appropriately large given the Academy’s scale, and my target was a secluded corner within it. Following my memories, I soon spotted a bench. A female student sat upon the wooden seat. Her black hair, tinged with purple, had grown long enough to partially obscure her eyes, giving it a somewhat messy appearance. Her small frame and delicate features lent her a fragile impression. She had a plain, unremarkable presence.
Perhaps sensing my approach, the girl soon looked up at me.
“……”
“……”
Our eyes met. How much time passed like that?
“H-Hic…!”
Shock washed over her face.
“K-K-Kyle Berwen…!!”
She seemed to recognize me. Well, it would be harder to find a student at the Academy who didn’t know me. Though, judging by her reaction, it wasn’t a positive impression.
“……”
I stared at her in silence. As time passed, she grew increasingly flustered.
“W-What brings you here…?!”
Eventually, she was the one to speak first. Her eyes trembled restlessly, betraying her tension, as she asked the question.
“I’m looking to take on some work.”
“W-Work…?”
My answer must have been unexpected, because her eyes widened.
“W-What kind of work…?”
She asked hesitantly. I knew this girl. Her name was Belka Anrirel. She ran a brokerage business within the Academy. The Academy was large, and with so many people, various jobs and demands arose. She collected and introduced those demands to those who could fulfill them. On the surface, it sounded somewhat suspicious, but surprisingly, it wasn’t. The Academy itself acknowledged her existence. In other words, they tacitly permitted her business, even if they didn’t officially endorse it. They recognized that her presence served as a lubricant for the Academy’s inner workings. After all, the Academy couldn’t handle every incident that occurred within its walls.
In short, she had considerable recognition, and as a result, quite a few—actually, a great many—people used her services. Not all Academy students were nobles, and quite a few were strapped for cash. Finding proper work as a student was difficult, so they earned money by taking on requests through her. For some reason, Belka also had wide connections outside the Academy and often brought in external jobs as well, making her an essential figure for students in need of funds.
In essence, her reputation was quite good. Even her current reaction showed as much. Though she seemed startled to see me, she still managed to respond properly.
…Well, anyway.
“Something that pays well would be nice.”
“Th-Then, how about these jobs…? Would any of them interest you?”
Belka held out a piece of paper with trembling hands. I took it and scanned the contents.
…Hmm. Not bad. The work seemed a bit tedious, but the pay wasn’t terrible. For a student in need of money, the amounts listed were quite tempting. However—
“This isn’t enough.”
I shook my head.
“B-But… these are the highest-paying jobs that have come in so far……”
Belka replied cautiously, her eyes darting nervously as if worried I might throw an unreasonable tantrum.
“Really?”
“Y-Yes……”
Even when I asked again, she didn’t change her answer. Her trembling figure was rather pitiful. If someone saw this, they might think I was bullying Belka one-sidedly. But—
I didn’t stop pressing her.
“That can’t be right.”
“I-It really is…!”
To her indignant cry, I asked calmly,
“Is that truly so, Belka Dustveil?”
At that—
“……”
Belka’s constantly trembling eyes froze in an instant, and all expression vanished from her face. The fragile, unremarkable impression she had worn disappeared without a trace. In its place was a chillingly cold, emotionless mask. With eyes that betrayed not a single feeling, she glared at me.