Even You (5)
Several dozen days passed. Life at the Academy was uneventful. Asena seemed busy, so we rarely met. I secretly considered that a relief. It gave me time to calm my heart. I was still hurting, but I believed I could hide the fact that she had wounded me if I stood before her. It was thanks to Kirsi as well. I healed the scars Asena left through Kirsi. We stayed so close that her face felt like it would bore a hole through me from staring. When she affirmed me, I could believe I still had worth. After all, the reason I wanted to become a knight was because of these twins. I had chosen this path to become their support, so I needed someone to need me in order to find strength.
But lately, I had begun to sense a shift in the atmosphere surrounding me. Strange… gazes. At first, I thought it was because I was a member of the Freister family. Nobles who hadn’t known I was an adopted child of the Freister house would hear the truth and stare at me with curiosity. It was stressful, but I could endure it. Since I had decided to endure, I could bear it. It was something Liana grandmother and I had already worried about. I simply thought it was a passing wind.
Yet as time went on, and more and more eyes turned my way, I realized it wasn’t that simple. Sometimes it felt like they were whispering. Sometimes it felt like they were mocking me. The feeling wouldn’t settle. Even though I tried to tell myself it was just paranoia born from my lowered self-esteem after Asena’s shocking words, it didn’t work. The momentum only accelerated, growing more blatant. The whispers turned into backbiting, the backbiting into provocation, and the provocation into outright harassment.
These people were cunning. They stayed at a level where if I got angry, I would be the one who looked strange. For example, there were suddenly many “accidental” shoulder bumps. I wasn’t entirely sure if they were intentional, but the frequency had definitely increased. The mocking laughter directed at me grew louder. Sometimes I could even make out what they were saying.
Backbiting is strange like that. The words seem to float in the air; even without hearing them directly from the people involved, you somehow learn what’s being said. The fragments of slander I couldn’t understand at first gathered and coalesced into a single mass. That I was dirty. That I was lowly. That I was incompetent. The level was far too high to be directed at a member of a ducal house. It was puzzling. Were they not afraid of the Freister family? It was more astonishing than unpleasant.
Even though I was adopted, a Freister was still a Freister. The family crest on my shoulder was no light thing. And yet they still provoked me. I was gradually beginning to feel in my bones that the situation was not simple. There was a sense of déjà vu. Perhaps it was because I had read about this place in the novel. In truth, words held immense power in this world. That was why the Political Science Department, which ultimately used the power of speech and writing to crush opponents, was so famous. When witch hunts could kill innocent people with nothing but words, no further explanation was needed.
I could feel that the arrows aimed at me were not merely for passing the time. There seemed to be a focal point. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have dared act so boldly. This was an attack from another house. Before touching Asena and Kirsi, they were striking first at me, whose political standing was weak. I understood. Of course I did—I had read the novel. Therefore, I also knew how to stop it. In the end, I had to find the person responsible and settle things directly. I needed to act before my reputation fell to a point where it could no longer be salvaged.
After finishing dinner, I parted ways with Kirsi. I kissed her smiling forehead and told her to sleep well, then returned to the dormitory.
Creak.
“Eric, I’m ba……”
When I opened the door, the sight that unfolded before me left me speechless. The refined and orderly room was gone, replaced by complete chaos. Eric was cleaning the ruined room. He rose from the pile of trash and scratched the back of his head.
“…It’s a mess, isn’t it?”
His far too casual attitude left me puzzled.
“Did you do this, Eric?”
He shook his head.
“Of course not. Ha… Where should I even begin explaining this?”
Eric made an apologetic face and weakly set down the cleaning tool he had been holding.
“…I’m sorry. Because I’m a powerless noble… the harassment has gotten a bit severe lately. I didn’t expect them to come at us so openly… I’m afraid you’re suffering because of me, brother.”
“They did this while harassing you?”
“…I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up quickly.”
I snorted.
“No, Eric… You’re misunderstanding something. If they were only targeting you, they wouldn’t have trashed the room like this. They couldn’t possibly not know that I live here too.”
“…Huh?”
I set my things down and walked toward my own room. Without hesitation, I twisted the doorknob and opened it.
“…Hah.”
Eric swallowed a gasp. My private room was also completely destroyed.
“…They’re harassing both you and me.”
“……”
The speed of the attacks was fast. Who was behind this that they could come at me so aggressively? Without considerable confidence that it was safe to attack me, they wouldn’t dare. I had tried to stay out of the political fights between houses. But now that it had come to this, there was no other choice.
“Eric. I have one favor to ask. It’ll be good for you too.”
“……Please speak.”
“In your class, there should be a guy named ‘Kyle Bensrack.’”
“…There is. How did you know that, brother? He’s a quiet friend.”
“Arrange a meeting with that friend for me. Or can we meet him right now? Do you happen to know which room is his?”
“……I’ll check if any of my friends know. Please wait a moment.”
Eric brushed the dust off his clothes and left the dormitory. No one knew it, but in the novel Frontier Noble Academy, there was one peculiar character. He was a character the author had created to explain insufficient information. He could be seen as an ‘exposition dump’ or ‘Speedwagon’ type character, with the setting that his curiosity was extraordinary. This character knew every rumor circulating in the Academy. When I read the novel, he had felt like a character lacking plausibility, but to me now, he was an incredibly useful person.
The one who had attacked me probably didn’t know that a freak like ‘Kyle Bensrack’ existed. I would find out quickly and then hand it over to Asena or Kirsi.
Eric soon returned and gestured to me.
“Brother, I found him.”
There was no one else in the dormitory room we visited. It seemed his roommate had not yet returned. The situation was unfolding smoothly. Eric, myself, and Kyle Bensrack now faced one another.
“…What is this about?” Kyle asked cautiously. A small, cute-looking boy. He was hunched over as if frightened.
“…Kyle. I know about you.” I spoke threateningly. I intended to take advantage of the fact that Kyle had a timid personality.
“…Yes?”
“Kyle, do as this person says. He is from the Freister family.” Eric began to back me up from the side. As expected of the protagonist, he was quick-witted.
“……”
But Kyle probably already knew. That I was Caiden Freister. There was no way a rumor-loving friend like him wouldn’t know.
“I know you know a lot of things.”
“……”
Kyle anxiously rolled his eyes, scanning me.
“…I’m not trying to hurt you. Just tell us a few things we’re curious about. Then we can pass without any trouble.”
“…Are you threatening me?”
“I’m giving you a chance. To be honest, I don’t like you very much.”
It wasn’t a lie. In the novel, Kyle was one of the characters who greatly helped Eric. In other words, it meant he had made many efforts to dig up information on the Freister family. To do that, he had followed the twins around relentlessly. Later, when he was caught, he was trampled by Asena and Kirsi and his family was destroyed… But to me, who had now become a member of the Freister family, he only looked like a stalker clinging to my younger sisters.
…Of course, it was still within the permissible range. He probably hadn’t started following the twins in earnest yet. He likely hadn’t dug deeply into every family yet. So for now, I would just extract the information I needed from him and warn him to leave my sisters alone.
“…..If you suppress me like this by borrowing the power of your house, there will be strong backlash.” He spoke as if struggling desperately.
I closed the distance until it was uncomfortable for him.
“…..The power of the house?” I gave a small laugh and said, “Do I have something like that?”
Knowing the inside story from reading the novel made things convenient in moments like this.
“…..You. You sneak into the student council room, don’t you?”
His expression hardened at my words. Eric also looked at me in surprise.
“Don’t even think about denying it. This is a warning.”
Once again, I instilled fear. I had no choice, because I knew he wouldn’t say a word if I didn’t approach him this way. I did feel a twinge of guilt… but whatever. Since Asena was in the student council, I didn’t like that he was entering that room as he pleased either.
“If this fact comes to light, you will definitely be expelled. Breaking into the student council room… Your family will have a lot to worry about regarding the successor.”
“…..What do you want?”
Kyle became obedient. There was no need to pressure him further. After widening the distance again, I asked lightly.
“Eric and I have been targeted by someone lately. Tell me who it is.”
“…Is that all?”
“You know?”
“Roughly. But you have to promise me. If I answer, the thing you just mentioned never happened.”
“I promise. Eric?”
I looked at Eric. He nodded as well.
“I’ll follow what my brother says.”
Kyle dragged over a small wooden chair and sat down weakly. Then he glared at me.
“You’re curious about what happened in your room today, right?”
“You know about that too?” Eric asked, amazed.
Kyle ignored him and continued.
“What happened today was simple harassment. Just something to kill time. There’s no one behind it.”
I couldn’t believe the utterly deflating words.
“…..Don’t play games with me, Kyle. I want the truth. It’s true that the slander about me has increased lately, that my reputation is dropping, and that someone is messing with me.”
“That part is true.”
“But you’re saying this is simple harassment? Who would touch the Freister family with such a light heart?”
“Who touched the Freister family?”
A chilling remark began to flow from Kyle’s mouth. At first, I wondered if he had forgotten that I was a Freister.
“…Touching m—”
“They touched Caiden-nim, not the Freister family.”
I frowned.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Look, you don’t have to act in front of me. It’s an obvious fact that your family hates you, isn’t it? Who would fear someone the family has thrown away?”
“…….What?”
While watching my reaction, Kyle scratched at my nerves as much as he could within safe limits and continued.
“Ah… Right. If I absolutely had to say there is someone behind all these things happening to Caiden-nim…”
He shrugged.
“It would be Kirsi-nim.”
Bang!
In an instant, I closed the distance and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up. His clothes began to tear with a ripping sound, but I was no saint who would stay still after hearing slander against the Freister family.
“You dare provoke the Freister family? You know everything and yet you don’t know our family’s taboo?”
“I-I know… ugh!” Kyle answered while struggling.
“You know and yet you dare touch Kirsi in front of me!?”
“I-It’s the truth…!”
Perhaps it was hard to breathe, because Kyle made choking sounds as he spoke. Then his hand, flailing in the air, pointed at Eric.
“A-Ask Eric!”
“What?”
“Eric probably saw it too! Kirsi-nim badmouthing you…!”
Without loosening my grip, I looked at Eric. He had an uncomfortable expression on his face. At that look, slowly… the strength left my hand. Kyle fell to the floor, clutching his throat and coughing violently.
“…. Eric. Tell me it’s not true.”
“……”
“…. Kirsi has been badmouthing me? Kirsi?”
I couldn’t believe it. It felt like all the strength had drained from my body. A hole was growing in my chest. It was as if my consciousness was being swallowed into a deep underground abyss. Kyle, still crawling on the floor, spoke.
“Ugh… I’m sorry to say this… but the rumor that both twins hate you is spreading, so everyone is ignoring you…! There are many people who directly heard Kirsi-nim badmouthing you…! Otherwise, who would dare mess up your room like that?”
The attacks directed at me were no longer important. What mattered more was whether Kirsi had truly done it. Even today, she had clung to me all day long. She had acted cute, hugged me, fed me food, and even kissed my forehead when we parted. And yet she had been badmouthing me behind my back?
“Eric. Speak quickly.”
“…..Yes. I heard it.”
“…Haha…”
His words felt like a brand being seared into my chest. They say that when a person is too shocked, laughter comes first. That was exactly my case. After Asena, even Kirsi… even that Kirsi…
“….What did she say?”
“…Brother, I don’t know the details. Really. I only saw it from afar, and once I realized it was you, I felt uncomfortable and left the area.”
“…”
“It’s true. That’s why I only now realized things had grown this big.”
“Kyle.”
I asked Kyle, who was now straightening his clothes.
“…What did Kirsi say?”
“….Do you really want to hear it?… I’m asking this from a humanitarian perspective.”
“…..”
Under my gaze, he sighed as if he had no choice and spoke.
“…I don’t know the exact words. I only know roughly. She said a lot of things. That you snore a lot, that you have a lot of bravado, that you have no manners, that your body smells…”
She hated that I snored a lot. It was Kirsi who came to my room. Bravado? I had never once tried to show off in front of them. As for manners, that depended on the person receiving them, so there was nothing to say. That my body smelled… I had only hugged her because I loved her.
“…That I keep annoyingly trying to teach her, that I’m crazy about women,”
The continuing words hurt. I had tried to teach her because I cared about her. Why would she make up the lie that I was crazy about women? My life had only ever looked at them. Had Kirsi been hiding all of this inside her all this time?
“…And that I’m incompetent. That she can’t rely on me. She said things like that.”
The sense of futility drained the strength from my legs. I collapsed into the chair beside me. What on earth had I been working so hard for all this time? Eric rushed over and grabbed my shoulder.
“…Incompetent.”
That word hurt the most. It seemed to align with Asena’s evaluation that she wanted to expel me from the family. Among the mocking laughter I had heard behind my back, the most grating words had also been that I was incompetent. Because to some extent, it was true. A commoner like me had a hard time being of help to the family. That was why I had desperately come to the Knight Department. I had endured bursting blisters, bruises, and muscle pain. And yet the source of that “incompetent” remark had been the mouth of Kirsi, whom I loved so dearly.
If it had come from someone else’s mouth, I might have been able to endure it. But hearing it from their mouths—the very reason I worked so hard—was unbearably painful. My despair must have been painfully obvious to Eric and Kyle, because neither of them made a sound. Even Kyle, with whom I had briefly clashed, watched me carefully. He even cautiously approached and offered me comfort.
“….I’m sorry. But I didn’t lie.”
“No…”
A thought suddenly occurred to me and I glared at him.
“No. It’s a lie. If Kirsi hated me that much, why does she keep coming to find me? The people who heard the backbiting wouldn’t have been able to accept it either, right?”
I thought I had struck a vital point, but Kyle’s expression didn’t change.
“…They say she’s taking care of you because you’re a member of the family.”
Once again, laughter burst out.
“…….Ha… This is really ridiculous… Heh heh.”
Annoyingly enough, it was a reason I could accept. In the novel, they had always placed the family as their top priority.
“…..Just… live quietly. From what I hear, you’ll be expelled from the family in two years.”
“…..Brother?”
Eric looked up at me, hearing this for the first time. I didn’t answer. Kyle continued speaking.
“…The twins have abandoned you. So please be careful.”