Explanation That Isn't an Explanation
Explanation That Isn't an Explanation
A holiday with no lectures.
Two people suddenly barged in.
Golden and black hair. I looked at the two of them with nothing but a question mark hanging between my brows.
"Huh..."
Lanne, Alice.
The two girls were looking up at me as if waiting for my answer.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Alice, who had been hiding behind Lanne, peeked out.
"Viktor-nim, uh, that is..."
Her voice was as timid as ever.
Her hand, tightly gripping her sleeve, trembled slightly.
"Since, uh, that thing happened yesterday... I was just, um, wondering how things turned out, curious about the aftermath... Not that it means anything special or anything..."
"I'm also curious! Who would have thought Viktor-kyung was harboring feelings for Chief Investigator Javert-nim!"
"Fe-feelings..."
"I heard the news too! You confessed right in front of everyone in the lecture hall!"
"And then Professor Javert-nim said, g-good, and accepted, and then... I didn't know what happened after..."
"I'm disappointed! I had no idea! Who would have thought Viktor-kyung was carrying such passionate feelings in your heart..."
"Sniff... I'm sorry. I just wanted to know..."
Lanne expressed her disappointment, as if asking why I, as a friend, hadn't told her something like that in advance.
Alice mumbled something incomprehensible with her head deeply bowed.
Their reactions were utterly chaotic.
"But congratulations! Your love has been fulfilled!"
"Yes, ugh... Congratulations... I-I hope you're happy..."
It was only then I realized what I had overlooked.
'Now that I think about it, I caused that ruckus yesterday and just left.'
The situation ended with no explanation or clarification.
Afterwards, I dropped by Javert's lab and then shot straight to the dormitory to sleep.
From the perspective of the students who witnessed the situation directly, it must have been incredibly bewildering.
Suddenly, I barged into the lecture hall and launched a confession attack, and Javert immediately countered with a confession acceptance.
'They probably think Javert and I are dating.'
The prank I threw was met a little too well by Javert's side.
Who could have guessed she'd nod her head right there?
Honestly, even I, who executed the confession attack, hadn't anticipated that development.
I let out a short, dry laugh, then straightened my disheveled mask and pulled it back on properly.
'Did... I start this without thinking too much?'
It seemed like it would take ages to go around explaining this to everyone.
First, I'd explain the situation to these two right in front of me.
I ushered them into my room.
"Hmm... Shall we come inside and talk?"
Lanne and Alice hesitated but entered the room.
I seated the two and prepared a suitable tea to set down.
"Start up. Formal wear."
Shwa-ruruk-.
As I muttered softly, the threads of my glove unraveled.
Then, covering my whole body, clothes draped over my shoulders.
Casual shirt attire was overlaid with neat, formal wear.
'Kkumteuli.'
That's the nickname I gave this thing.
Personally, I liked it much better than its real name, "Black Mist." It felt much softer and cuter.
Having regained my usual neatness, I sat down on the sofa opposite them.
Lanne and Alice were looking around curiously.
"Mhm! Viktor-kyung's room is clean."
"Really... not... not a speck of dust."
"Hehe, not bad for a boy living alone, huh?"
Simple, exchanged words.
After tilting the teacup a few times, I opened my mouth.
"Let's see. Where would be a good place to start explaining..."
I explained the general situation.
The fact that it was all just a funny hidden camera prank, and the fact that I subsequently became Javert's direct-line assistant.
Of course, I embellished appropriately, adding parts where needed and cutting parts where necessary.
After the explanation, the two wore complicated expressions.
"O-oh, I see... So you're... not dating..."
Alice nodded as if realizing it late.
For some reason, her face was flushed, and the rims of her eyes were red as if she'd been crying.
However, her expression was much brighter than when she was standing at the front door earlier.
It was as if some anxiety had disappeared.
"...That's a relief."
A murmur so faint it was hard to hear.
Before I could even voice a question, Lanne suddenly stood up and interjected.
The girl's violet eyes were sparkling brightly.
"As expected of Viktor-kyung! Who would have thought you'd get scouted as Chief Investigator Javert-nim's direct-line assistant!"
"Scouted is a bit... It's more like the professor humored my stubbornness."
"But still! I heard that the Chief Investigator has never taken on a direct-line assistant even once since becoming a faculty member. That's how stubborn they are. No matter what promise was made during the mole investigation, if Viktor-kyung hadn't met the standard, the Investigator wouldn't have accepted you."
"I'm glad you rate me so highly."
"Viktor-kyung needs to rate yourself more highly!"
As expected! You're amazing!
Lanne kept adding such phrases to every sentence.
Sometimes I wondered what she saw me as.
"I need to work harder too! Even though I'm trying hard to keep up, Viktor-kyung just keeps getting further away...!"
"It's not really like that. Honestly."
Even now, without the bug, you'd be a one-second cut.
I swallowed those words and relayed a final request to the two.
"For now... please keep what you heard today to yourselves."
"Y-yes...?"
"Why is that?"
"We decided not to announce it yet. The news of me being appointed as Professor Javert's direct-line assistant will be announced later."
"Is it perhaps because of the conflict with the Class B Top Student?"
Lanne asked, as if she had some idea.
"It seems Viktor-kyung is determined to definitively end the conflict with Caitlin-yang."
"That's right. If the news that I've been appointed as a direct-line assistant spreads during this period, it will be difficult for the Class B Top Student to act rashly. No one would dare touch the direct-line assistant of the de facto second-in-command of Grandia Academy."
"So you're postponing the announcement of that news until after you've settled the conflict with Caitlin-yang... That's what you mean."
"Correct. That would be cleaner in every aspect. If the news that the E-class Top Student became a direct-line assistant came out first, many students wouldn't accept it. Usually, direct-line assistants mostly come from A-class."
"Definitely. The competition is incredibly fierce!"
"For an E-class Top Student to break through that competition and get appointed as a direct-line assistant is absurd. But, if that person also has the title of being a skilled individual who defeated the Class B Top Student..."
"Then they could be somewhat persuaded to accept it!"
"Exactly."
Merely obtaining the position isn't enough.
What's important is how much that position is recognized.
To wield authority, one must possess the appropriate qualifications.
'At the necessary moment... To make the authority work properly, I need a level of recognition that won't invite anyone's opposition.'
And.
The conflict with Class B will be the first step in laying that foundation.
"Um, excuse me..."
Alice, who had been quietly listening to the conversation.
The girl cautiously opened her mouth.
"But... couldn't the other side just let it go...? I mean, the Class B Top Student side might... not... clash..."
"She doesn't really seem like the type to do that, from what I can tell."
"That's right! From what I've heard, the atmosphere in Class B is strange too."
Lanne added an interesting comment.
I questioned her about that part.
"The atmosphere is strange?"
"Yes! After Viktor-kyung's speech, I heard they seem to be plotting something."
"For example, what parts?"
"Hmm... The Class B Top Student is contacting various assistant professors within the academy, or Class B students are spreading malicious rumors about Viktor-kyung. I don't know the details, but it seemed like they were preparing something."
"As I thought."
"Does Viktor-kyung have some idea about what it might be?"
"Well. If they're preparing something, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"
Contacting academy assistant professors while simultaneously waging a public opinion campaign among the students...
The event that follows this can only be 'that one.'
If my prediction is correct, it will become a perfectly splendid stage.
The action I need to take now is to stand by and let the other party do as they please.
'If they're going to prepare the stage all by themselves... I have no reason to refuse.'
I smiled faintly.
"Anyway, regarding this part, I plan to handle it well."
"Mhm! Is there anything I can do to help?"
"There is one thing. What happened yesterday must have spread quite a bit among the students. Things like rumors that Professor Javert and I started dating. I'd appreciate it if you could erase those rumors. It'd be good if you could correct them, saying they're completely untrue."
"Understood! In a situation where such rumors are spreading, it would indeed be difficult for the Class B Top Student to touch Viktor-kyung."
"A simple clarification that it was a minor incident is enough. Especially Lanne-yang, since you have wide connections in the upper classes, I'd appreciate it if you could lend your influence."
"Of course I should do at least this much for my life's savior! Just leave it to me!"
"I, I'll...! I'll help as much as I can too...!"
Alice, who had been quietly just listening to our conversation.
Perhaps feeling she had to do something too, she suddenly stepped forward.
Her wavering blue eyes, knowingly or unknowingly; I was caught in their gaze and tilted my head.
"Hmm."
Well.
It didn't seem like Alice would be much help with this kind of thing.
She's a character who struggles with mingling with people.
"Thank you. Both of you seem very reliable."
Still, her desire to help was admirable.
I patted the girl's head, full of fondness.
"Hehehe..."
Startled at first, then letting out a silly laugh, Alice.
It seemed like the conversation was about to wrap up.
Sensing the timing, I quietly opened my mouth.
'Is now the time?'
I'd been thinking about picking a day to talk about this sometime, and just then, the two had come to my dormitory.
Our trust had been built up enough, and I thought today I should broach one of the topics I'd been saving up.
I carefully set down the teacup hanging from my fingertips.
Clink-.
"Ahem... That aside, I had something to tell the two of you."
"What is it?"
"To... to me...?"
The two expressed their curiosity.
"There's been someone I've wanted to introduce to you for a while."