Ch.16You Too (5)

Dozens of days pass.

Life at the Academy was uneventful.

Asena was busy, so we couldn’t meet often.

I secretly considered this time fortunate.

It gave me space to calm my heart.

Though it still hurt, I felt I could hide my wounds in front of her.

It was also thanks to Kirsy.

I healed the wounds Asena gave me through Kirsy.

We were so close that our faces might wear out from looking at each other.

When she validated me, I could still feel useful.

After all, my reason for wanting to become a knight was because of these twins.

On this path I chose to become their support, I needed someone to need me.

But recently, I’ve noticed the atmosphere around me changing.

Strange… glances.

At first, I thought it was because I was from the Praester Family.

I thought nobles who didn’t know I was adopted into the Praester Family were looking at me with curiosity after learning the truth.

It was stressful, but I could endure it.

I had decided to endure, so I could bear it.

Grandmother Riana and I had worried about this too.

I thought it was just a passing wind.

As time passed, and more gazes fell on me, I realized that wasn’t it.

Sometimes it seemed like whispering.

Sometimes like mockery.

It was an unsettling feeling.

Even though I tried to think it was just paranoia from my lowered self-esteem after Asena’s shocking words, that wasn’t possible.

It accelerated, becoming more and more blatant.

Whispers turned into gossip, gossip into confrontation, confrontation into harassment.

These people were cunning, always staying just at the level where getting angry would only make me look strange.

For example, incidents of “accidentally” bumping shoulders increased.

I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not.

But the frequency definitely increased.

The sounds of people snickering at me grew louder.

Sometimes I could even hear what they were saying.

The strange thing about gossip is that words seem to linger in the air, so you know what’s being said even without hearing it directly from the people involved.

Fragments of malicious talk that made no sense at first gathered to form a whole.

Talk of being dirty,

Talk of being lowly,

Talk of being incompetent,

It was too severe for someone from a ducal family.

I was perplexed.

Weren’t they afraid of the Praester Family?

It was more surprising than offensive.

I may be adopted.

But a Praester is a Praester.

The family crest on my shoulder isn’t something to be taken lightly.

Yet they still provoked me.

The situation wasn’t simple…

I could feel it more and more.

This situation feels familiar.

Maybe because I read about this place in a novel.

In this world, the power of words is very strong.

That’s why the Department of Political Science, which ultimately overpowers opponents with words and writing, is famous.

When witch hunts that kill innocent people with words alone exist, no further explanation is needed.

I sensed that the arrows aimed at me weren’t just for amusement.

There seemed to be a focal point.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so bold.

This was an attack from another family.

Before touching Asena and Kirsy, they were attacking me first, whose political standing was weak.

I knew it.

Because I had read the novel.

So I also knew how to stop this.

In the end, I needed to find the person responsible and confront them.

I had to act before my reputation fell to a point of no return.

****

After finishing dinner, I parted ways with Kirsy.

After giving her a goodnight kiss on the forehead as she smiled, I returned to the dormitory.

-Creeak.

“Eric, I’m ba……”

Opening the door, I couldn’t finish my words at the sight before me.

The once sophisticated and tidy room was now in complete disarray.

Eric rose from the pile of garbage he was cleaning up and scratched the back of his head.

“….A mess, isn’t it?”

His nonchalant attitude made me puzzled.

“Did you do this, Eric?”

He shook his head.

“Of course not. Sigh… where do I even begin to explain?”

Eric put down the cleaning tools he was holding weakly, looking apologetic.

“….I’m sorry. Since I’m a powerless noble… I actually get bullied quite a bit. I didn’t expect them to be so direct… You’re suffering because of me.”

“They did this to bully you?”

“….I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up quickly.”

I snorted.

“No, Eric… you’re mistaken about something. If they were only targeting you, they wouldn’t have made such a mess of this room. They must know I live here too.”

“….What?”

I put down my things and headed to my room.

Without hesitation, I twisted the doorknob and opened the door.

“…Huh.”

Eric took a sharp breath.

My personal room was also destroyed.

“….They’re bullying both you and me.”

“…..”

The attacks were coming fast.

Who could be behind this, acting so boldly?

Without considerable confidence that they could attack without consequences, they wouldn’t dare do this to me.

I had tried to stay out of political fights between families.

But given the situation, there was no other choice.

“Eric. I have one favor to ask. It’s good for you too.”

“……Tell me.”

“In your class, there should be a kid named ‘Kyle Vensrak’.”

“….There is. How did you know that? He’s a quiet guy.”

“Can you arrange a meeting with him? Actually, can we meet him now? Do you know his room by any chance?”

“…….I’ll check if anyone knows. Please wait a moment.”

Eric dusted himself off and left the dormitory.

No one knows this, but in the novel <Provincial Noble Academy>, there’s a peculiar character.

A character created by the author to explain insufficient information.

You could call him an ‘exposition dump’ or a ‘Speedwagon’ position, with a setting of being extremely curious. This character knew all the rumors circulating in the Academy.

When reading the novel, he seemed like a character lacking plausibility, but now he’s incredibly useful to me.

The person who attacked me probably didn’t know.

That there exists this oddball named ‘Kyle Vensrak’.

I needed to find out quickly and hand this over to Asena or Kirsy.

Eric returned and gestured to me.

“I found him.”

****

There was no one else in his dormitory when we visited.

His roommate seemed not to have returned yet.

Things were going well.

Eric, myself, and Kyle Vensrak faced each other.

“….What do you want?”

Kyle asked cautiously. A small, cute-faced boy. He seemed to be shrinking in fear.

“….Kyle. I know about you.”

I spoke threateningly. I was planning to use the fact that Kyle was known to be timid.

“…What?”

“Kyle, do as he says. He’s from the Praester Family.”

Eric started to support me from the side. As expected of a protagonist, he’s quick-witted.

“….”

But Kyle would have already known. That I was Caden Praester. This gossip-loving friend couldn’t not know.

“I know you know a lot.”

“….”

Kyle only rolled his eyes nervously, examining me.

“…I’m not trying to hurt you. Just tell us a few things we’re curious about. Then you can go without any problems.”

“….Are you threatening me?”

“I’m giving you an opportunity. Honestly, I don’t particularly like you.”

That wasn’t a lie.

In the novel, Kyle is one of the characters who greatly helps Eric.

Which means he makes various efforts to dig into the Praester Family’s background.

For that, he followed the twins around tremendously.

Later, he gets caught and crushed by Asena and Kirsy, but…

To me, now a member of the Praester Family, he just looked like a stalker sticking to my siblings.

…Of course, it’s still within acceptable limits.

He probably hasn’t started following the twins in earnest yet.

He probably hasn’t dug into all the families in detail yet.

So I thought I should just extract the necessary information from him now and warn him to leave my siblings alone.

“…..If you use your family’s power to force me like this, there will be strong resistance.”

He spoke as if struggling. I narrowed the distance until he was uncomfortable.

“…..Family power?”

I chuckled and said.

“Do you think I have such a thing?”

Knowing the inside story from reading the novel was convenient in this way.

“…..You. You sneak into the Student Council room.”

His expression hardened at my words. Eric also looked at me in surprise.

“Don’t try to deny it. This is a warning.”

Once more, I injected fear. I knew he wouldn’t say anything to the end unless approached this way, so it couldn’t be helped.

I felt guilty, but… well. Asena is in the Student Council, and I don’t like the idea of someone entering that room at will.

“If this fact comes to light, you’ll surely be expelled. Breaking into the Student Council room…. Your family would be very worried about their successor.”

“…..What do you want.”

Kyle became compliant. There was no need to pressure him further.

After widening the distance again, I asked casually.

“Eric and I. We’ve 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, what you just mentioned never happened.”

“I promise. Eric?”

I looked at Eric.

He nodded too.

“I’ll follow what he said.”

Kyle pulled over a small wooden chair and sat down weakly.

Then he glared at me.

“You’re curious about what happened in the room today, right?”

“You know about that too?”

Eric was amazed.

Kyle ignored him and continued.

“What happened today was simple bullying. Just for fun. There’s no one behind it.”

I couldn’t believe his deflating words.

“…..Don’t try to be clever, Kyle. I want the truth. Recently, gossip about me has increased, my reputation has been falling, and someone has been messing with me. These are facts.”

“That’s true.”

“But you’re saying this is simple bullying? Who would touch a Praester so lightly?”

“Who touched a Praester?”

Chilling words began to flow from Kyle’s mouth.

At first, I thought he had forgotten I was a Praester.

“…I was touch-“

“They touched Caden, not a Praester.”

I frowned.

“What nonsense is that.”

“Look. You don’t need to act in front of me. It’s clear that you’re disliked in your family, isn’t it? Who would fear someone thrown away by their family?”

“…….What?”

Kyle watched my reaction carefully, but spoke in a way that grated on my nerves as much as possible.

“Ah…right. If I had to say there’s someone behind everything happening to Caden…”

He shrugged and said.

“It would be Kirsy.”

-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 wasn’t a saint who could stay calm after hearing slander against my family.

“You dare provoke the Praester Family? You know everything but don’t know our family motto?”

“I…I know it..guk!”

Kyle struggled as he answered.

“Knowing that, you mention Kirsy in front of me?!”

“Be…! Because it’s true..!”

Seeming to have difficulty breathing, Kyle spoke while gasping.

Then his flailing fingers pointed at Eric.

“A…ask Eric!”

“What?”

“Eric probably saw it too! Kirsy badmouthing you..!”

I looked at Eric without loosening my grip.

He was already wearing an uncomfortable expression.

At that expression, my grip weakened.

Kyle fell to the ground, grabbing his throat and coughing.

“….Eric. Tell me it’s not true.”

“……”

“….Kirsy has been badmouthing me? Kirsy?”

I couldn’t believe it.

My whole body felt drained of strength.

The hole in my chest was growing.

It felt like my consciousness was sinking into a deep underground.

Kyle, crawling on the floor, spoke.

“Kugh…I’m sorry to say this…but…rumors are spreading that both twins hate you, so everyone is ignoring you..! Many people have directly heard Kirsy badmouthing you…! Otherwise, who would dare mess up your room?”

The attacks directed at me were no longer important to me.

Kirsy.

Whether Kirsy really did that was more important.

Just today, she had been clinging to me all day.

Being cute, hugging me, feeding each other food.

She even gave me a kiss on the forehead when we parted.

But behind my back, she was badmouthing me?

“Eric. Tell me quickly.”

“…..Yes. I heard it.”

“…Haha..”

His words felt like they were branding my chest.

They say when people are too shocked, they laugh first.

That was my case.

After Asena, now Kirsy too..

Even Kirsy..

“….What did she say.”

“…I don’t know that much, really. I only saw from a distance, and I left because I felt uncomfortable knowing you. Really.”

“…”

“Really. That’s why I only just realized things had gotten this bad.”

“Kyle.”

I asked Kyle, who was now fixing his clothes.

“…What did Kirsy say.”

“….Do you really want to hear?…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 exactly either. Just roughly. She seems to have said many things. That you snore a lot, that you’re full of pretense, that you have no manners, that you smell…”

Was she bothered that I snore a lot?

It was Kirsy who came to my room.

Full of pretense?

I’ve never once tried to elevate myself.

As for manners, that’s subjective so I can’t say anything.

And smelling…

I only hugged her out of love.

“…That you’re always trying to teach her annoyingly, that you’re obsessed with women,”

The continuing words hurt.

I taught her because I cared for her.

Why create the lie about being obsessed with women?

I’ve only ever looked at them.

Had Kirsy been hiding all this inside all along?

“…And that you’re incompetent. That you can’t be relied upon. That’s what she said.”

My legs weakened with despair.

I collapsed into a nearby chair.

What had I been working so hard for all this time?

Eric rushed over and grabbed my shoulder.

“…Incompetent.”

That word hurt the most.

Because it seemed to align with Asena’s assessment, who wanted to expel me from the family.

Among all the mockery I heard behind my back, that word “incompetent” bothered me the most.

Because it was somewhat true.

As a commoner, it was difficult for me to be of help to the family.

That’s why I had struggled so hard to join the Knight Department.

That’s why I had endured the pain of blisters, bruises, and muscle aches.

But the source of that word “incompetent” was from the mouth of Kirsy, whom I loved so much.

If it had come from someone else’s mouth, I could have endured it.

But coming from the mouths of those who were the reason for my efforts, it was too painful.

My despair must have been so clear to Eric and Kyle that no one dared make a sound.

Even Kyle, with whom I had just had conflict, was watching me cautiously.

Then he approached carefully and even tried to comfort me.

“….I’m sorry. But I didn’t lie.”

“No..”

A sudden thought made me glare at him.

“No. It’s a lie. If Kirsy disliked me so much, why would she keep seeking me out? People who heard the gossip must have found it hard to understand too?”

I thought I had caught him off guard, but Kyle’s expression didn’t change.

“…They say she’s just taking care of you because you’re a family member.”

Another laugh escaped me.

“…….Ha…this is really ridiculous..hehe.”

Annoyingly, it was a plausible reason.

In the novel too, they prioritized family above all else.

“…..Just…keep quiet. I hear you’ll be expelled from the family in two years anyway.”

“…..Brother?”

Eric looks up at me, hearing this fact for the first time.

I didn’t answer.

Kyle continued to speak.

“…The twins have abandoned you. So be careful.”