Regarding Her Love -6-
Malik sat at his desk, reading the report with a faint smile.
Swordsmanship Department 3rd-year student Vienna confirmed to have committed theft on academy premises...
Based on testimony from convenience store employee 'Ricardo', Mihail and one other student searched Vienna's dormitory, uncovering evidence of research into 'Trafficking Black Magic', along with confirmation of three stolen items...
"Hmm..."
It hadn't even been a month since he'd taken the senior director position, and already trouble had erupted. Shouldering the responsibility, Malik nodded and checked the slip of paper attached below the report.
Handle this appropriately. If word gets out, it'll be rough on the academy—and on student Vienna. Appropriately, now.
Malik nodded with a sigh.
"Can't read this crap."
He didn't need to guess who had scribbled the note that made his head throb just looking at it.
'When did he drop this off?'
The contents were obvious without deciphering the mess.
"Wants me to wrap it up quietly, I bet."
A guy who hated drawing attention would've slipped in, left the note, and vanished. Malik had no idea why he'd bother leaving something illegible, though.
"Who knows with him."
What a weirdo. Armed with vast information like some future-seeing sage, wielding combat prowess too good for a mere evil lady's butler. Malik would've loved to keep him close, but he knew better than to think he could handle someone that headstrong. With a hollow chuckle, he nodded.
"Least I've got a solid business partner."
Thanks to that guy, life was fun. His little sister's issues. His own dreams. The business. In a world of endless revelry, Malik set down his empty teacup with a small laugh and looked up.
"So, what do you have to say for yourself, cadet Vienna?"
Malik eyed Vienna, seated on the sofa opposite him. Speak if you've got something to say.
Vienna, who'd only seen the densely packed report, flinched under Malik's cold gaze. It was her first time facing the senior director she'd dismissed as a figurehead.
"I... I..."
She'd thought he was just a tool to manage student morale, but he was terrifying. His emotionless tone. His calm stare. Those sharp eyes made it impossible to see him as a puppet; blood surged through her veins in reverse.
"This is a frame job...! Why would I ever use black magic!"
"That's not what I'm curious about."
"Huh? What do you... haha! So you know too, Director?"
Malik gave Vienna a faint smile.
"Mm... sure."
"See...!"
To Vienna's sly grin, Malik replied lightly, as if it were nothing.
"Seems like you don't know why you're here, cadet Vienna."
"..."
"Disciplinary action would've been in the student council room, right?"
"Then why am I...?"
"Because you tried to pin it on my business partner."
"Pardon...?"
"He didn't want to do it, but I forced him anyway."
"...Director?"
"What do you think, cadet Vienna? You figure I could face him after that?"
Malik smiled faintly at Vienna's wide, trembling eyes.
"Cadet Vienna."
Gulp.
"Words are scary things."
"Th-that..."
"And to a businessman, trust is even scarier."
Malik rose from the sofa and gently gripped Vienna's shoulder.
"Ricardo said it'd be nice if you handled it lightly. Keep it to house arrest, nothing that'd stir up weird rumors..."
Thud.
"What do you think of this disposition, cadet Vienna?"
Her shoulder trembled like an aspen leaf under his hand.
"I don't really want to end it here, so I'd like your opinion."
Hic...
"Don't cry, cadet Vienna. Power's only meaningful when you wield it, right?"
With a villainous smile, Malik whispered to her.
"Ever been locked in a drum barrel before?"
Vienna's face drained of color.
Malik chuckled softly and beckoned with a finger. Black-clad figures entered the director's office.
"Take her."
Nod.
"Director!! Director!!"
The intruders strode in purposefully, grabbing Vienna's shoulders roughly and dragging her toward the door.
"Spare me!!!"
"My ears are itching."
"Please! Please spare me!"
Malik refilled his empty teacup from the pot, smiling.
"He said not to kill her, so just scare her good enough."
Ricardo had told him not to blow it up too big, so settling it like this seemed clean. Of course, just enough to terrify her without actual death.
"Histania's honor ends with this generation, huh."
Malik was in a foul mood. They'd messed with his partner.
*
Today's academy was peaceful as ever. With the theft incident quietly wrapped up, calm returned to the convenience store. Malicious rumors lingered, but students had a rough idea of Vienna's disappearance, so things were dying down over time.
Today, as I stood at the convenience store counter, a familiar customer dropped by.
"Pongmin!"
"...What's with that weird pronunciation."
"I bit my tongue~."
"Too late to act all refined now."
"Hiiing."
Shuen, wallet empty as usual, pouted while tearing open a discarded lunchbox package. She'd become the type who couldn't live without them, spouting vulgar jokes about it.
Seated, Shuen glanced at the peeking students with a faint smile.
"Still, it's a relief, y'know~."
Relief about what? Wondering if it was the free lunches not stopping, Shuen beamed warmly at me.
"The store's getting more customers, so Pongmin's wallet'll fatten up too~."
I nodded at her kind words.
"Yeah, all thanks to you, Shuen."
"Nuh-uh~! The pleb was quick on the uptake and caught the perp~! Sure, student council hushed it up, but still~."
"That bum you out much?"
"Yep! I wanted to see that girl suffer big time~ And show everyone how upright plebs are... ."
"Not exactly upright. Truth is, that lunchbox you're eating? Not discarded—I snuck it out."
"...Theft?!"
Shuen's eyes widened in betrayed shock, like we'd just caught a new criminal after nabbing the last one.
I laughed heartily, teasing her.
"Makes you my accomplice, Shuen."
"Ugh... Fine, time for the perfect crime~!"
"Puhaha!!!"
Seeing her try to stuff the empty lunchbox container into her bag for the "perfect crime," I waved her off with a dizzying laugh.
Man.
"Ha... that was hilarious."
She's a riot.
-I'm serious~!
-Yeah, yeah~
-Don't laugh~!
We bantered forever about how to pull off an undiscovered perfect crime. Then Shuen got a bit serious and said,
"Plebs are amazing~."
"Outta nowhere?"
"Yep."
"Didn't show you anything special. Scared I won't give more lunchboxes?"
Flustered.
Pricked by conscience, Shuen flinched, then shook her head.
"Nuh-uh~! Just... you talk so calmly, and you even killed off half-eaten sausages without blinking..."
"Didn't kill 'em."
"She vanished from the academy, so isn't she dead~?"
"Nope."
"Hmmm~! Anyway, you're the most amazing pleb I've met~."
To her glowing praise, I grinned playfully and shot back,
"More than Mihail?"
"...Nuh-uh~! Who you comparing to~! See, you wanna skip Mihail-senpai and bear my love fruit! Pervert~!"
"Your delusions are over the top."
"Grrk...!"
Shuen pounded the table in frustration, stomping her feet. I couldn't figure out why these "evil lady" types were so cute.
I scanned the empty store and called to Shuen. Time for a sensitive topic.
"So, Shuen."
"Yep?!"
"You had something to ask me, right?"
She hesitated, glanced around, then nodded vigorously, pulling out a notebook and pen from her bag.
"Actually~."
"Yeah."
"Mihail-senpai asked me out~."
"..."
Not what I expected. I shut my mouth at her bombshell—I'd meant to teach her how to get stronger.
I nodded slightly, lips twitching.
"Is that so...?"
"Yep."
Dead serious, Shuen flipped open her notebook.
1. Flaunt healthy teeth.
2. Don't call him a pleb.
3. Subtly show off wealth.
4. Give candy, say I found it on the way.
.....
"Ah! Wrong page~!"
I'd glimpsed something odd, but decided not to pry into her pure intentions. I had my own notebook on waking the Young Lady in the mornings, after all.
Face flushed, Shuen hurriedly flipped pages to show a brief note.
Two days from now. Noon. Fountain-front restaurant—lunch with Mihail-senpai.
Eyes squeezed shut, Shuen thrust the notebook at me.
"This incident made it crystal clear~!"
"Clear how?"
"That plebs are awesome~! Figured a pleb could help with my love life~!"
"Ah..."
I tilted my head, listening quietly. No clue how she reached that conclusion, but praise felt nice.
"Thanks."
Shuen continued shakily. What did I think? Wasn't it time to confess? She stared at me with sparkling anticipation.
"Is Mihail-senpai signaling me~?"
"..."
"He said, 'Sorry for turning in the report on my own... Got time for lunch? My treat.'~!"
Her clumsy Mihail impression nearly cracked me up, but I held firm and shook my head.
"Doesn't sound like it."
Undeterred, Shuen pressed on. Wasn't she ready? Was this her once-in-a-lifetime shot? She shoved her face close, unsure whether to grab or let go.
I sighed deeply at her.
"Hey, Shuen."
"Yep!"
"By any chance..."
"Yep...!"
"You never dated before, have you."
Thud.
Shuen's world crumbled; she dropped her notebook.