Ch.41Group Project (5)

“No matter how angry you get, there are things you should never touch. Family is the prime example of that.

Even the most magnanimous person gets angry when someone messes with their family. If they still hold back? That person isn’t magnanimous—they’re just a pushover.

On top of that, I have strong trauma regarding family. In my previous life, my parents died in an accident, and I suddenly found myself alone. I had no siblings, so all family connections were completely severed.

Of course, Aira wouldn’t know I’m a reincarnator, but what difference does that make? Anyone with basic decency wouldn’t say such things. Especially someone who claims to be the daughter of a military family.

“…W-what? What did you just say…?”

Aira stammered at the sharp curse that burst from my mouth. Her eyes widened like lanterns and her mouth fell open—clearly shocked.

So what? I stared coldly at Aira as she retreated step by step. As everyone knows, I rarely curse.

But Aira made a vulgar curse fly out of my mouth. When Jackson heard me curse during our gathering, it was out of disbelief and bewilderment, but this time it came from pure anger.

I stared directly at Aira, who was too shocked to speak, and said what I wanted to say.

“What? Didn’t hear me? Want me to call you a bitch again?”

“Y-you…! How dare you…! Do I look easy to you because I’ve been nice?!”

Aira pointed her finger at me in rage. Judging by how her face was turning red and blue in real time, she was truly furious.

However, I’m the one who should be angrier. Aira touched something that should never be touched.

I barely suppressed my anger, which was bubbling up like an active volcano, and opened my mouth. I tried to stay as calm as possible, but I couldn’t prevent my voice from dropping to a low growl.

“Nice to me? That’s bullshit. What you’re doing is nothing but throwing a tantrum. Forcing someone who doesn’t want to go along with you, and when that doesn’t work, bringing up family? And a soldier working at the border who could die at any moment?”

“B-barely saying that deserves such harsh language! Besides, knights and soldiers who aren’t commanders are just guard dogs! Why would anyone choose to be a soldier, throwing away their lives when they could have comfortable jobs? That’s what I don’t understand!”

“Wow… seriously…”

Fuck. I can’t help but marvel. I’m hearing the same things in this life that I heard in Korea.

I don’t know what kind of home education she received, but for such words to come from the mouth of a daughter from a military family, it must be seriously problematic. Or maybe her family is fine, but her personality is so warped that she interpreted things strangely.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply while looking at the fuming Aira. My chest felt tight, like I’d eaten a sweet potato.

“Are you really the daughter of Marquis Matius? The daughter of a border count responsible for the frontier?”

“Why would I lie? Don’t you know impersonating nobility is a crime? How stupid…”

“The stupid one is you who insulted soldiers, and it would be quite interesting if news spread that the daughter of a military family insulted soldiers, wouldn’t it?”

In terms of my previous life, it’s like the daughter of a four-star general insulting all soldiers. Naturally, if that story reached the ears of soldiers, trust would be shattered beyond repair.

“So what? They’re all beneath me anyway, aren’t they?”

“Didn’t your parents or siblings teach you to care for those under your command?”

“I was only taught that to be a good leader, one must control those below well. Is there a problem with that?”

“Hah…”

No wonder her perception is so messed up. I shook my head after hearing what she said, realizing there was no point in arguing. Aira’s current mindset was extremely problematic.

Born into a marquis family, she naturally developed a sense of superiority, and as she said, her understanding of being a “good leader.” These two elements created a perfect, terrible synergy.

Add to that her age of 17. The reason she took on the role of team leader was probably because she firmly believed she could control everything well.

“…Let me give you some advice. If you keep this up, you’ll eventually face something much worse.”

“You expect me to believe that? Who are you to say that?”

Even when I gave her sincere advice, Aira’s expression was distrustful. However, “killing one’s superior” is a historical fact that hasn’t changed throughout history.

Moreover, in dangerous places like frontlines or borders, superior officers are frequently killed. Most cases involve commanders sending their subordinates to their deaths to save themselves, only to have their throats cut by those same subordinates in return.

I wonder if Aira knows this fact. She can say such thoughtless things because she’s never been in a life-or-death situation.

I considered how to teach this clueless kid a lesson but gave up on using words. No matter what I said, Aira would never listen.

“You don’t have to believe me if you don’t want to. Out of curiosity, you’re not planning to become a military commander later, are you?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I am the daughter of Marquis Matius. After completing military studies at the academy, I’ll be commissioned as a commander.”

“Really? Congratulations. By then, you’ll face something several times worse than the cursing I’m giving you now.”

I wanted to sneer that she would face something even worse than that. But that would be crossing a line, so I restrained myself.

Although she had touched on family, I didn’t want to give her any more ammunition. Above all, I wanted to get out of this situation as quickly as possible.

“You really…! I don’t know what makes you so confident, but you’re finished! I’m going to tell my father about this right now! Got it?!”

Aira shouted loudly, apparently provoked by my direct words. I responded nonchalantly.

“Tell him or don’t. Anyway, you’re not going to participate in the assignment, right?”

“Who would work with someone like you?! Do you think you’re so great because professors pay attention to you?”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing? Who are you to tell us what to do? And daughter of a marquis? I know people much higher than you.”

I didn’t specifically mention who. Even if I’m friends with them, I don’t want to use them.

“Eek…!”

When I hit Aira with facts, she gritted her teeth and trembled. Her face turned noticeably red with anger.

Then, having nothing more to say, she burst out shouting. It wasn’t threatening at all.

“Fine! I can do well on my own, I don’t need any of you! How hard can it be to predict the development of the Biography of Xenon…!”

“What about the team leader? Surely you’re not planning to be the leader by yourself?”

“You can do it, or those two commoners can do it! I’m so annoyed I could die!”

Aira ranted to herself, then turned her back and strode away. Judging by her tightly clenched tiny fists, she was thoroughly angry.

Just as I thought the situation was over and sighed heavily, Aira stopped in place and turned back to me. Then she shouted once more in a voice filled with malice.

“You know you’re in big trouble, right?! Do you even know who my father is?! ‘Iron Blood,’ they call him!”

“I don’t know, so just go already. It’s so noisy I could die.”

“Argh…! You bastard…!”

When I waved my hand dismissively, Aira disappeared as if fleeing. I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling like a storm had just passed through.

Honestly, while I hadn’t expected her to bring up family, the situation was somewhat foreseeable. I just had an outburst.

‘How should I explain this to the professor…’

I can only hope Professor Virus is flexible. This wasn’t just a simple discord—it was a situation that erupted because Aira crossed a line.

‘Surely other nobles don’t think like Aira, right?’

Soldiers should never be looked down upon. They are heroes who willingly sacrifice their own freedom for the freedom of their country.

Even in South Korea from my previous life, while the status of soldiers might be low, anyone who openly insulted them like Aira would face social backlash. In America, where soldiers are treated as heroes, such behavior would result in complete ostracism.

Moreover, the Empire of Minerva has such vast territory that the mortality rate of soldiers is higher than in other countries. I understood that the status of soldiers was correspondingly high, so I couldn’t understand why she would say such things.

‘Could it be that she takes war lightly?’

She might be saying these things because she doesn’t know what soldiers face on the frontlines. She’s never experienced it herself, so she speaks this way.

This is actually a phenomenon that occurs frequently. During World War I, young men who enlisted dreaming of “romance” experienced the living hell of trench warfare. If that was the case in the 1900s, there’s no need to explain how it was in medieval times.

Moreover, even our father, renowned as the “Red Lion,” once couldn’t sleep without drinking alcohol. Nicole told me about this recently.

‘War…’

There’s also a war section in the Biography of Xenon. It was originally intended to showcase Xenon’s heroic activities, but after seeing Aira, I became somewhat concerned.

Would people take war lightly because of my descriptions? This vague thought occurred to me.

Besides, the main enemies in the Biography of Xenon are demons, not humans. There will be wars against demons, but not between humans.

‘…I must definitely portray this in my next work.’

Although plans changed when the Biography of Xenon unexpectedly became a hit, I had already conceptualized my next work.

If writing fantasy in a fantasy world is just a normal novel, wouldn’t writing modern fiction in a fantasy world be fantasy? That was the idea behind the work.

I plan to start writing it stealthily just before the Biography of Xenon concludes. Probably starting about a year from now.

“So what are we going to do now? Just work among ourselves?”

While I was momentarily lost in thought, Leona spoke in a blunt tone. I snapped back to reality and looked at her.

She had her arms crossed and wore an indifferent expression. Feeling awkward, I rubbed the back of my neck and answered.

“We have no choice. Honestly, aren’t you happy about it?”

“I am happy, but it’ll be hard to get a good score. We’ll have to make a great presentation to make up for that. Are you confident?”

In response to Leona’s concerned question, I smiled confidently and said:

“Of course.”

I’m a writer, after all.

Leona looked surprised at my straightforward answer, then shrugged.

She seemed to know that there was no point in overthinking this.

“You’re confident, huh? I’ll be watching.”

“Are you trying to ride on my coattails too?”

“I don’t sell my conscience like that jerk. Oh, by the way…”

She spoke glibly, then stared at me intently. As I tilted my head at her observing gaze, Leona’s tightly closed lips finally opened.

“…You said your surname is Ducar Mayshall, right?”

“Yes.”

“Is your father’s nickname the ‘Red Lion’?”

My father seems quite famous. Even Leona, a beastkin, knows about him.

I nodded without much thought to her question. Leona’s expression became somewhat strange, and she muttered just barely audibly:

“A penguin born under a lion… They say the son of a tiger learns to roar, but the world is truly unpredictable.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. By the way, when is Benjamin coming back?”

“I’m here!”

Speak of the devil—as soon as Leona mentioned him, Benjamin returned. Waving his arms and running breathlessly, he looked just like a puppy.

Then, despite having just returned from the bathroom, Benjamin noticed that it was still just us and asked with an anxious expression:

“Um, Lady Aira hasn’t come yet?”

“She came, but she left again. She won’t be working with us anymore.”

“What?! W-what do you mean? What happened?”

“Something happened. But don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

After that, the group assignment proceeded smoothly.

“…and that’s why only the three of us are participating in the discussion. No matter what, I couldn’t tolerate her bringing up soldiers, especially a brother serving at the border.”

“Hmm… I understand. Normally, I should deduct points from everyone equally, but since this is a special case, I’ll only deduct points from student Aira.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

The following Monday, I visited Professor Virus separately and served Aira a huge dose of payback.