Chapter 144

Dong, dong, dong.

The clock chimed, signaling 10 pm.

It was the start of the official ball.

The music played by the band, which had been light and relaxing until now, changed.

To a suspenseful melody that stirred the heart.

As if announcing that the fateful moment we’d all been waiting for had finally arrived.

It was a rather mischievous performance, but it was also a tradition of the Changsung Ball.

The seating arrangement changed, too.

Male students on one side, female students on the other.

And there were empty tables in between.

After being paired up, you would be entitled to sit at those tables, receiving envious stares.

Of course, those tables were completely empty, as this was just the beginning.

“L-Leader, it’s finally starting.”

Allen said in a tense voice.

Riviera’s move must have worked, as he seemed to have forgotten that part of the night, and his mental state seemed alright.

(TLN: Riviera got his back)

“Have you made your choice?”

“I… well, I have.”

Oh.

It seemed he had done his best to pull himself together after waking up.

“Good. Then, I’ll just give you one piece of advice.”

“Advice?”

“Yeah, don’t go out first.”

“I don’t think I’d be able to anyway… but why?”

“It’s good if it goes well, but if it doesn’t, you’ll be the first to get kicked out. That’s so humiliating, right?”

“Ugh… y-yeah.”

Allen shuddered at the thought.

My advice was something everyone else was aware of.

Everyone was watching cautiously, hesitating to step forward.

“Why isn’t anyone going out there?”

“Someone needs to go out. The girls are giving us disappointed looks.”

“Don’t just hurry and talk. Go out there first, why don’t you?”

They were all engaged in a fierce battle of subtle glances, waiting for someone to step forward and be the first one to be humiliated.

But no one stepped forward easily.

The named characters were observing the situation leisurely, and the ordinary guys were also engaging in a subtle battle of glances to avoid being the first to make a move.

Then, suddenly.

“…Leader, are you the highlight of the night?”

Someone whispered in my ear.

It was Camian.

I turned towards him immediately.

“Oh, look who it is. It’s been a while. You should have come earlier and shown your face.”

“I was too overwhelmed because it was my first time.”

“Well, that’s understandable. But, the highlight?”

“As the word suggests. you are very popular with the girls. you got skills.”

He must have seen me in a difficult situation, surrounded by six beauties.

…It probably looked like a friendly chat.

“Second place, life is a comedy from afar but a tragedy from up close. It might look good, but it’s all just hardship.”

“I don’t think that applies to your love life, leader.”

“Sigh, never mind if you don’t get it.”

I shook my head.

Camian spoke again.

“Anyway, in my opinion, you’re the highlight. I’ve looked around, and you’re the only one with six girls around you.”

It seems Allen is invisible beside me.

Allen, your presence is…

“So?”

“I’m just saying you’re awesome. Soak up all the attention. I don’t have that kind of charisma like you, so I’ll get started.”

“Huh?”

“Then.”

After that, Camian strode forward boldly.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Camian.

He was the first brave soul.

The best kind of attention Camian could get.

Only then did I fully understand what he meant.

Camian wanted to follow me, in a way.

He was clearly motivated in the same way.

So, he wanted to show his confidence by being the first one out there.

‘That guy…’

I chuckled.

Not bad.

That kind of confidence will definitely help him grow in the future.

“Oh.”

“Finally.”

“I don’t recognize him. Who is he? Is he a first-year?”

Camian, who was the second place when he entered, wasn’t that well-known because he hadn’t done much since then.

That being said, Camian chose the perfect time to make his move.

He definitely has a good sense.

That’s right, Camian, use this opportunity to raise your profile.

“First-year Royal Class student Camian Croycher. Quite the promising talent.”

I, in my role as an information-giver, chimed in.

You’re welcome, man.

“First-year Camian Croycher. He seems to have some guts.”

“Camian, huh? Another good-looking guy. Annoying, but…”

“He’s tall and looks good. Is he going to succeed from the start?”

“Hey, the first ones to make a move usually have a 90% failure rate. Will he be that 10% that succeeds now?”

People around were whispering, watching the situation unfold.

This was probably the first time in Camian’s life he was getting this much attention.

It must have been nerve-wracking, but Camian walked forward with a straight back, unfazed.

He knows how to control the flow by pausing in front of the girls.

He’s a true protagonist.

“He’s going to go for someone lower, right?”

“Of course. The first time is always about playing it safe.”

“Even so, he seems like he could get a girl with a rating of 8.”

The male students were making predictions as they watched Camian pause.

Of course, their minds had already categorized women.

From 1 to 10.

10 is the highest, and 1 is the lowest.

Women also rate men, so there’s no need to feel resentful.

It was a kind of indicator of their competitiveness in the dating market.

Usually, men prefer women who are at their level or slightly lower.

That’s why there’s a saying that women with a rating of 7 are the most popular.

Men are attracted to women who are good enough, but not too demanding, rather than women like 10, who are almost unattainable, or 9, who are still too much of a challenge, even though they’re lower.

However, that’s just a general tendency, not an absolute fact.

After all, just look at Hiresia, who’s a 10 and has the highest number of confessions among third-year female students.

Even so, in such a risky situation, they’re more likely to follow the general trend.

So their predictions made sense.

What would Camian choose?

Thud, thud.

Camian moved again and stopped in front of a female student.

It was Annette.

‘As expected.’

I nodded with a smile.

Camian chose his childhood friend.

It was ambiguous whether it was love or friendship.

It was probably more friendship-based.

Given that Camian didn’t seem to have a specific girl he liked yet, he only had one option.

On the other hand.

Annette’s face was flushed with embarrassment.

It was clearly love, on her part.

“Would you spare some time with me, Annette?”

Camian said softly.

“Oh, yes…sure.”

She immediately accepted.

It was expected given their relationship, but those who didn’t know were surprised.

“What, what? It already worked out from the start?”

“Wow… 10% succeeded.”

“And she’s a pretty girl, right? I think she’s a 9…”

“Yeah, she’s a high-level girl.”

“Ugh, it’s so cheesy from the start. Some of us are stuck with two years of rejection.”

Camian, receiving envious stares, walked with Annette towards an empty table off to the side.

The band’s music had changed to celebratory music.

Only after Camian and Annette sat down together did the music return to its suspenseful theme.

Now they were able to enjoy the privilege of sitting comfortably and watching what unfolds.

“Whatever, I’m going!”

“Wait, I’m first!”

Suddenly, the mood heated up.

It was because the first attempt had been a success.

It subconsciously gave everyone else the sense that they could do it too.

Following the flow, someone jumped in quickly.

He was a typical male student, ranking 5 out of 10.

He was so ordinary, you’d encounter someone who looked just like him every five minutes on the street.

“Who is that?”

“Isn’t he in our class?”

“No, he’s in our class.”

“Huh? Yeah, our class.”

…Even the students were confused.

That guy would be perfect for a spy.

With those thoughts, I watched the situation with interest.

The ordinary guy went straight for a female student.

She seemed to be average too, but she had a few attractive points.

She had a slender face, and her slightly drooping eyes with a hint of double eyelids gave her a sweet and kind look.

“A 6, isn’t she?”

“The first time, he was going for the same year, but now he’s going up a level? What’s with his early momentum?”

“Why are everyone being so bold from the start? Don’t they have any plans?”

The atmosphere heated up.

It was probably because Camian had started off strong, and the ordinary guy was right there going for a higher-level girl without holding back.

The ordinary guy bowed slightly and asked politely.

“…Senior Jane, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

He sounded nervous, but his voice didn’t tremble that much.

He must have prepared well.

But the answer was all that mattered.

Jane, as she was called, lowered her gaze and thought for a moment.

Then, as if she had made a decision, she bit her lip and spoke.

“Sorry, I’ll take your offer but not the dance.”

A short but clear rejection.

“Y-Yes, you…?”

A look of shock washed over the ordinary guy’s face.

He must have had some hope.

His face turned white in an instant.

His legs gave out, and he collapsed limply.

“Oh, my, the first casualty has appeared.”

“Tsk, it’s clear he thought his level was higher than it actually was.”

“This is reality, not a fantasy.”

“Why are you looking upwards? Look straight…no, look down.”

The male students seemed to be enjoying it.

It’s not without reason that the saying, “One person’s misfortune is another person’s happiness,” exists.

After all, every time someone gets paired up, its one less girl to have a chance with.

Kugugung!

The music changed, sounding like the sky was collapsing.

It was the background music, amplifying the shock 1.5 times.

That’s why the Changsung Ball is so fun.

“Please leave, the student who was rejected. It’s disrupting the flow. We’ll move you forcefully if necessary.”

The staff member assisting with the event said to the mentally broken ordinary guy, as if delivering an educational program (?) on the harshness of society.

“Ugh…”

The ordinary guy only groaned in pain, unable to answer properly.

“It seems he can’t manage it alone. We’ll take him out forcefully.”

As soon as he finished speaking, four strong-looking staff members ran over.

“Ready, one, two, three!”

“Hoist!”

They each grabbed an arm or leg and easily lifted the ordinary guy.

The ordinary guy, who had been turned into a roast pig on a skewer, was dragged towards the exit.

It was humiliating enough to be embarrassed.

Everyone would have seen that and thought.

If you get rejected, you need to walk out on your own, no matter what.

But life isn’t that easy.

“I’m going!”

Another male student stepped forward, as if he wouldn’t even consider going for anything higher.

But men should never misjudge.

They see a woman who seems to be lower-level, thinking she’s easy?

That’s nonsense.

It’s just that the probability is higher, not that they’ll say yes to any guy.

They have their own standards, which are just as tough.

As if to prove this, the third male student was definitively rejected.

“…I don’t feel like it with you.”

It was even more decisive.

It seemed he had overestimated his own level.

“Grr…?!”

The guy, experiencing another mental breakdown, moaned on the floor, like a grub.

He was forcefully taken out in the end.

“Come on, come on, let’s go.”

…Two guys being taken out like roast pigs.

Gulp.

Someone swallowed nervously.

Everyone’s eyes were filled with tension.

They were finally realizing the harsh reality of the Changsung Ball.

But…

‘Man, I’m actually having a great time experiencing this in real life. It’s a lot more fun than the survival dating programs!’

I was genuinely enjoying myself.

The confidence of a man who has the power to choose.

Of course, it’s a headache, but I’ll worry about that later.

‘The protagonist usually comes out later.’

the main character even called me the highlight tonight, so I might be the main character of this ball.

I smiled.

I watched the situation unfold, waiting for the right time.