I Don't Want to Be Expelled Anymore

The Imperial Magic Academy. A prestigious institution where the empire's finest talents gathered—the undisputed pinnacle of magical education. The professor who stepped into the lecture hall froze, eyes widening in disbelief.

At the spot where chairs should have been neatly arranged, a senior student lay sprawled on the floor. Perched atop him with legs crossed was a petite first-year student.

What in the world…?

"You two… right now…"

"I-It's merely the result of a wager. Please pay it no mind, Professor."

The senior answered through gritted teeth, his face burning with shame. The professor decided to ignore the bizarre scene and proceed with the lecture, but he couldn't stop stealing glances at the first-year student throughout the class.

That's Mad Dog Yuri… The special admission student on a path of destruction…

Recently, he had become an object of terror among the noble students. The Imperial Magic Academy's official stance was equality. In reality, however, wealthy noble heirs held all the power and treated commoners like slaves.

The one who had begun smashing that system head-on the moment he enrolled was Mad Dog Yuri. Having his tuition fully sponsored by an anonymous benefactor, Yuri had no reason to grovel before nobles over money. Blessed with a genius intellect that scored perfect marks on every exam, he had no need to curry favor with seniors to obtain leaked test papers either.

The noble heirs had even resorted to the despicable tactic of approaching professors to falsify Yuri's grades, but—

I don't like that delinquent either, but there's nothing I can do.

Are you saying we'll give high marks to that ill-mannered brat who goes around beating up his seniors?

I told you, there's no choice! The dean gave direct orders! He said anyone caught falsifying Yuri's grades will be severely punished!

Even that avenue had been completely blocked. A strict warning not for commoners in general, but specifically regarding Yuri's grades alone? It seemed the backer sponsoring Yuri held quite a high position indeed.

True equality—the academy's founding principle—was being upheld by a single commoner student.

"…The bell has rung, so class is dismissed."

"Alright. Human chair. Time to move to the next lecture hall."

"W-What? Isn't it over now?"

"The bet was for the entire day, wasn't it? Are you going back on your word now? And you call yourself a noble?"

When Yuri ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spoke with a straight face, the senior's expression twisted in agony.

"Kuh… You merciless bastard…!"

"He's a real mad dog. How can he treat a senior like that…"

At the murmurs around him, Yuri let out a dry laugh. I wasn't the one who suggested the human chair bet. They challenged me, and they lost. Yet they kept calling me a mad dog or a beast. He truly couldn't understand it.

"It's a duel, commoner!"

"How many times do I have to tell you my name is Yuri…"

"Release my friend you've taken hostage! If I lose, I'll become your human desk for the day!"

"Like I said, I don't want that… Just stop coming at me already…"

Look at this. These idiots again.I didn't do anything. Five minutes until the next class… Let's finish this quickly.

Clenching his fists, Yuri stepped forward. At first, he had tried to ignore them completely, but they kept persistently clinging to him and making a racket. In the end, he had no choice but to accept every duel that came his way. It was better to turn them into human chairs or human desks and shut them up than to listen to their incessant yapping.

…Though honestly, he didn't like either option.

"The rules are—no mana allowed! How about it!"

"Whatever."

"That monstrous strength you showed last time. There's no way a frail body like yours could produce that kind of power. You were secretly channeling mana to reinforce your body, weren't you! We've figured it out! You amateur!"

"…"

What nonsense about mana. I wouldn't waste even a speck of mana on weaklings like you. Why would he use the mana he needed for his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠own solitary training on these pathetic fools?

Yuri stepped forward with an incredulous expression. Thud! A heavy vibration spread outward, making the limbs ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the surrounding students tingle. A crushing pressure enveloped their bodies in an instant.

"Want to come at me first? Or should I come to you?"

"H-Hyaaaah!"

"I-I am Yuri's human desk for the next twenty-four hours…"

One minute later. The match ended in an instant. Another piece of unwanted furniture had been added to Yuri's collection.

"Bring them before me. The human chair too."

"W-What? We're outdoors right now!"

"Did the human desk… just talk back…?"

"K-Kuh…!"

Whispers and murmurs filled the air. Watching a student sit in the middle of the park using seniors as furniture while enjoying tea time, the other students recoiled in horror. They had believed that showing such a humiliating sight would make them stop challenging him, but—

"Damn it! It's my turn next! Stop tormenting the seniors and let them go, commoner! If I lose, I'll become a human coat rack!"

"I'll release them after twenty-four hours…"

"Next is me! If that guy becomes furniture too, then I…"

"Aah! That's enough! Class is about to start!"

These idiots. Their sense of loyalty was unnecessarily strong. In the end, Yuri fled, running away from the human furniture candidates.

"Haa. The ones I wish would get tangled up never do, and the ones I don't want anything to do with keep clinging to me. Meanwhile, my sponsor doesn't even care about me…"

It was truly infuriating. He was dying to know who that person was—the one sponsoring him without asking for anything in return, and what kind of person they were. He had written countless heartfelt letters and sent them, yet not a single reply had come.

He had thought they were watching over him from afar. Perhaps they simply weren't interested after all…

Just as Yuri was about to grow sullen, he suddenly perked up.

"…!?"

Tap. Tap. A familiar set of footsteps echoed in his ears, amplified. What was that? Whose footsteps are those? He had definitely heard them before, but he had memorized so many different footsteps since starting school that he couldn't recall whose they were.

Who was it again? Unable to contain his curiosity, Yuri began running toward the source of the sound. Class would start soon, but his curiosity couldn't be helped. Yuri crept forward, muffling his own footsteps.

The library?

He entered the library, where silence had settled. In the back, within the shadows, a figure caught Yuri's eye. The moment he saw that back, Yuri felt his breath catch in his throat. An inexplicable sense of déjà vu. That person was definitely…!

"Aslan Belmont!?"

The man slowly turned around. Yuri trembled with rage. It was someone he had never seen before, yet strangely familiar. Aslan Belmont. It was because he had been grinding his teeth, thinking only of rescuing Charlotte and Julia from him.

Yuri stared at Aslan Belmont with clenched fists, then—

"Who are you."

"Ah, it's nothing… No, I'm sorry…"

At Aslan's single remark, Yuri immediately turned his head and suppressed his hostility. Not yet. Revenge can wait. If he caused a scene here, he might never get the chance to take revenge at all.

"…"

Aslan walked past Yuri without a care. You don't even know who I am, and you don't care either. Meanwhile, I'm incredibly interested in you.

Grind, grind, grind. Yuri gnashed his teeth viciously right beside him, but the target of his fury didn't even spare him a glance.

Damn it… How humiliating!

Aslan Belmont. I've memorized your face. The culprit who kidnapped Charlotte and Julia!

You'll probably forget all about me. But I'll remember. Until the day I rescue Charlotte and Julia, I'll never forget. Your face, your voice, even your footsteps—everything.

Imagining how Charlotte and Julia must be suffering at the hands of that villain, Yuri bit his lip and closed his eyes. Just imagining it felt like his brain was being damaged.

Just as Yuri was about to spit out a curse to relieve this feeling—

"You dog-like…!"

"Yuri, a letter has arrived for you. What would you like to do?"

"Give it to me right now. Ah! It's a reply from the Pitch-Black Mister…!"

Yuri's mood instantly brightened, his expression lighting up. A reply from the Pitch-Black Mister—the one he had been waiting for so long! He had filled the letter with only warm, friendly content at first, but when it seemed like he was being ignored, he packed it full of intense content instead. Finally, he had gotten a response.

Who are you? What kind of person are you? I'm dying to know…!

Yuri smiled with an "ehehe," unaware that he was even drooling, and unfolded the letter.

Mmm! This is it! This is exactly it! He would read the rest quietly, alone in the dormitory! Swish. Folding the letter and tucking it into his coat, Yuri's body trembled with excitement. It was a feeling similar to exhilaration or elation. It felt as though the filth in his heart from seeing that bastard Aslan Belmont was being purified.

Yuri wore an ecstatic smile—the kind a girl in love might make.