Chapter 162: The Same Second Place...? The Same...? Saaaaame~?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: The Same Second Place...? The Same...? Saaaaame~?
Living in this world filled with contempt for men, I often heard stories that made me feel like I understood why they were looked down upon.
Listening to those stories, it felt like they brought it on themselves. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to truly curse them. If I could get paid the same as—or even more than—hardworking women just by lying around and doing nothing, I’d probably live the same way.
"I'll just do it myself because it's so frustrating, you idiots!" Is that a stance one can really maintain when faced with a legal right granted by society? It’s hard to say for sure; that’s just how people are.
"Our Yong-hwan works so hard at his studies and his training. You're truly wonderful."
Ophelia smiled tenderly as she stroked my hair. This big sister really had a knack for getting me worked up; I felt like I should punish her tonight by ravishing the Duchess.
"So, tell me more about that story you mentioned! The one where my sister fought the swordsmanship instructor!"
"Lady Iris has incredible talent for swordsmanship, even if she doesn't always look it. Her master must be someone amazing. I haven't heard the details, but... anyway, she said the method the instructor taught was inefficient and beat them in a duel to prove it."
Ophelia’s eyes sparkled as she watched my sister, who was up ahead buying the street food I had asked for.
For a long time, I couldn't quite place the emotion in her eyes. But that shimmering heart of hers clearly resembled admiration, and without realizing it, I squeezed Ophelia’s hand tightly.
"Hm? Should we hurry over to Lady Iris?"
"No, no. How have you been lately, Ophelia? I haven't been able to get in touch much because I've been falling asleep early from being so tired at night."
In reality, I was busy roughly applying some white grease to a certain pervert vampire sister's rusty hole to smooth it out, but since "doing the deed" in bed can be broadly categorized as "sleeping," I wasn't technically lying.
"Well... I'm preparing for early graduation. I think I told you about the military academy... After I graduate early, I plan to study at the academy for about a year and then get commissioned immediately."
"You're becoming a soldier right away?"
"Yes. If I go to a colony, I'll start as a Major from the home country. I think it'll be good to go for the experience. I'll definitely be back before our Yong-hwan grows up, so don't worry~!"
It seemed Ophelia wanted to have some fun with me after her colonial dispatch. The innocence of this noble lady, who couldn't even imagine that I might be NTR-ed by other females by then, made a surge of tension rise in my lower body.
"You'll visit often even if you go to the colony, right?"
"I'll come to see Yong-hwan every time I have leave, so don't worry. Even if it's colonial service, I'll only actually be there about half the time."
I nodded along as Ophelia talked about something like rotational duty. If I had been born into a Ducal Family, I could probably get promoted just by breathing, so I’d just find a cushy spot to slack off and enjoy myself. Her mindset was definitely different.
By the way, this sister seemed to blindly believe that I would marry or date her. Just imagining the look on her face if I were to get her mother-in-law pregnant made me feel like I might leak a little.
Perhaps because I had suffered so much at the hands of that trashy, perverted, premature ejaculator, garbage-tier bitch Alicia, my sexual preferences seemed to have become horribly warped. I really needed to restrain myself.
I just wanted to be a diligent, kind, and family-oriented man, but it was sad how the perverted, trashy, loser, garbage-tier bitches around me were pushing me further and further away from my ideal.
"So, are you still in second place, Ophelia?"
"Ugh... I-I've just been busy. If I had a little more time, first place would be mine."
The military academy, managing social circles, the student council, her minor, the company management Garnet forced on her for "experience," attending charity parties as a proxy, and so on. Ophelia poured out excuses to me.
But the excuses of a second-place finisher are always pathetic. It was almost laughable how much she had to say for someone who was constantly getting crushed by my sister.
Are you saying I'm the same for always losing to Im Su-yeon?
Hey, you crazy son of a bitch.
No, wait. I should apologize for speaking so unrefinedly before you hear my side of the story.
Iris is just a pathetic rabbit who, at best, received swordsmanship training from a "Commie Papakatsu Dragon" who claims to be a Life and Death Realm swordsman, and a "Sow Elf Mom."
But Im Su-yeon is a nutjob, a genius of malicious talent created by that Goddess bitch specifically to bring me down—a literal incarnation of the Goddess.
To give you an idea, she possesses such absurdly wicked talent that Camel personally started gathering information on her after seeing her only two or three times.
Even my mom's friends, who usually shake their asses in front of me begging for attention, would abandon me the moment they saw Im Su-yeon, drooling over her as a potential disciple. To say she was the Goddess's favorite wouldn't even begin to describe that damn brat.
Comparing Im Su-yeon to Iris—who has nothing going for her except talent similar to a son-dick-loving Sow Elf and being taught by a Papakatsu pervert dragon like Hindel—is simply nonsensical.
Therefore, putting me on the same level as a loser like Ophelia was an insult. The Ducal daughter acting all close to me was starting to look ridiculous.
"Even if you say that, you still can't beat Iris."
"T-That's because Lady Iris only focuses on studying and classes, so she has plenty of time..."
It was truly pathetic how this person couldn't even accept defeat. I’d probably have to scrap the "Duchess route" because she seemed like the type to whine and be a nuisance even if I just cheated a little.
"And Yong-hwan, you said you always lose to that girl named Im Su-yeon, too... We're both in second place."
"How could you say something so cruel... No, wait. How do you even know about Im Su-yeon, Ophelia?"
I was angry that she compared me—someone pushed aside by the genius of the century, Im Su-yeon—to herself, a loser who loses to my sister. But that wasn't the important part right now.
"Huh? She's the child the Director dotes on the most."
"No, Sister Camel... I mean, how do you know the Director dotes on her?"
Ophelia blinked her blue eyes as if she didn't understand the question.
"Ah, she's on the list of prospective students for the academy. Information is occasionally released to nobles who have invested heavily in the academy... This is, um... I was introduced! Yes, I was introduced to her!"
The perennial second-place Ducal daughter, who loses to my sister every time, was telling a blatant lie. If Im Su-yeon had left the city, there was no way I wouldn't have heard about it.
That nutjob barely went anywhere except school, home, and the academy. I heard two weeks ago that she started learning violin at a small local studio, probably out of some inferiority complex because I won a violin competition.
My information was accurate since I stayed on good terms with Su-yeon's mom.
Part of the reason I stayed close was to get revenge by ravishing her mother if I really couldn't beat Im Su-yeon, but the lady also looked after me, giving me this and that because she was grateful I played with Su-yeon. Our relationship was smooth, so I was certain.
So, my conclusion was...
"The Director sold Im Su-yeon's information to the House of La Croix, didn't she?"
Ophelia avoided my gaze.
Considering that both Duchess Garnet de La Croix and Ophelia de La Croix knew, and given Camel's nasty personality—having built her power and wealth through human trafficking—it was a logical deduction.
This is why all of my mom's friends are beyond saving. If I don't pay attention for even a moment, these garbage-tier bitches do things that get on my nerves without a shred of guilt.
A naked walk didn't seem like enough. I'd have to listen to various opinions on how to punish that damn cow bitch later, but for now, I had to focus on the reality at hand.
"What is Im Su-yeon's rank?"
"Uh... well... SSS-Rank...?"
SSS-Rank? What is she, some kind of kid? It was ridiculous to use such cheesy ranks.
It seemed that damn seed Im Su-yeon was already latching onto her future suckers.
It was disgusting how she was wagging her tail at the bitches I had already marked with my cum, just because she had a decent face, a good personality, was good at studying, and was good at everything else.
That brat must have left the phrase "fair play" behind in her mother's womb.
That's probably why she gets bullied in class even without me instigating it. If she just beat those kids up or snapped a few fingers, they wouldn't bother her, but seeing her take it like an idiot made me think the brat might be a hardcore masochist too.
"Don't bully our Yong-hwan, Ophelia."
"Technically, I'm the one being bullied here...?"
Ophelia protested weakly, but I quickly clung to Iris.
"Ophelia said I'm a second-place loser who always loses to Im Su-yeon!"
"Wait, wait, n-no... I didn't put it quite like that!"
"Ophelia is really mean. Yong-hwan, forget her and come play with me, your real sister~!"
Iris grabbed my hand and walked away quickly, while Ophelia followed behind us, whining as if she had been wronged.