Chapter 145

“Yes! Yes!”

The male student clenched his fist and shouted in triumph in front of everyone.

I understood why. It had been a long time since we had a winner.

His partner, a female student, blushed but seemed genuinely happy inside. She was expressing how truly delighted she was to have secured her acceptance as his partner with her whole body.

Soon, the two of them happily walked towards the seating area for the successful pairs to the sound of celebratory music.

But the warm atmosphere was short-lived.

“No, no! This can’t be happening!”

Someone else, filled with despair, clutched their head. They looked like they had lost their country.

“If you don’t come out quickly, student…”

“Ugh, I-I’m going! I’m going!”

Scurrying away in a hurry, he didn’t want to be dragged out like a roasted pig, so he snapped out of it and ran out of the exit as if his tail was on fire.

That was enough to avoid the worst-case scenario.

‘The success rate is about 40%, huh.’

It was a rough calculation, but probably accurate.

I remembered the game having roughly the same rate. Out of 10, only 4 could find happiness, and 6 had to leave crying.

Considering many girls would rather enjoy the ball to the end as long as their partner was at least decent, it was a sad statistic. It meant that many guys didn’t meet the girls’ standards.

‘These guys have it tough, too.’

I was chuckling when the atmosphere changed.

“That, that guy?”

“Leon Benesse!”

“Oh no, why is he coming out already? If he goes out now, anyone after him will look like a squid!”

“Look at that shameless guy. If he had any decency, he’d come out last!”

The male students were buzzing. It was Leon, the blatant heartbreaker who was unbelievably good-looking, highly skilled, and came from a good family. He was a complete disruption to the natural order of things.

It wouldn’t be a problem just for that, but since almost everyone understood that the guys coming out after Leon were going to be made to look like squids by comparison, there was an outcry of disapproval in the air.

Meanwhile, the girls…

“Le-Leon Benesse?”

“Oh, my, he’s a sculpture, a sculpture.”

“Check the mirror…”

“Ugh, I wasn’t ready yet, why is he coming out so early?”

The female students were getting excited. It was only natural since a perfect 10 guy was coming out first to ask for a dance.

‘Did he usually come out this early?’

I tilted my head, feeling it was earlier than usual compared to my past experiences.

‘Come to think of it, that guy might…’

First-year Leon Benesse. I remembered him asking the student council president, Regina Ernbert, for a dance at the ball.

He wanted to go for the strongest person, if he was going to do it.

At that time, Regina had already broken off her engagement, so there was no issue, but he eventually got rejected…Wait.

I squinted my eyes.

Was that his only intention? Regina wasn’t the only strong person in this academy.

‘This guy, is he a player?’

Women who have been heartbroken are emotionally vulnerable, and their defenses naturally drop. Approaching a woman in such a state is cheating, cheating.

Even though this wasn’t happening right now, my fiancé instincts made me wary.

Is this how a man with a fiancée feels?

‘Anyway.’

This time it wouldn’t happen. I had safely maintained my engagement with Regina.

…Or so I thought, but everyone seemed to think our relationship was on the verge of breaking.

Could it be her?

I was closely watching Leon’s movements.

His target was…

“Huh?”

My eyes widened in astonishment. It was someone I hadn’t expected at all.

The Blood Witch, Riviera.

It was her.

“Huh?”

Riviera, also looking confused, tilted her head.

“What, what’s this?”

“Is he asking *her*…?”

“Cute, but don’t they look mismatched?”

“Who was that again?”

“Oh, right. The frail girl from the Max Trio. She really shone in the last mock battle.”

“Oh yeah, she was in the newspaper.”

People were buzzing around, shocked by the unexpected pairing. It was a combination that didn’t seem to fit at all.

If Leon was a sleek racehorse, Riviera was a cute kitten.

No way they matched.

“Senior.”

But Leon didn’t care about the chatter around him and spoke up.

“Challenge?”

“Pfft!”

Seeing Riviera, who seemed to realize something, get ready for battle, made me burst out laughing.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Next to me, Allen was coughing violently.

“…Challenge?”

“Since you’re a junior, I’ll let you go first.”

“What…?”

Leon looked flustered.

…To make Leon flustered in front of a girl, how amazing is this girl?

No, I have to step in for smooth proceedings.

“Hey, hey, it’s a dance request, a dance request!”

I shouted from a distance.

Riviera blinked at me.

“What, is that it?”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

Though the situation was sorted, Leon seemed disappointed as if the mood had already been ruined. But he firmly returned to the main point.

“I would be honored if you would be my partner tonight, Senior Riera.”

“Hm, why me?”

Riviera suddenly asked, not accepting nor rejecting.

…Such a rare development.

“I thought it would be better to dance with someone strong.”

Oh, so that’s it? I realized then. Leon had been hit hard by Riviera’s magic during the mock battle. The strong impression from that moment remained with him. So he sought out Riviera as a strong dance partner.

…Ultimately, it was my influence that set this stage, wasn’t it?

“What, that’s your taste?”

Now completely understanding, Riviera nodded her head up and down. Then she bluntly replied.

“Declined.”

“…”

The ballroom fell silent for a moment. Everyone seemed to doubt what they had just heard.

Then the reactions burst out.

“De-Declined?!”

“Leon Benesse got rejected…?”

“…Wasn’t it too quick?”

“How high are her standards?”

“If even *he* gets rejected, it’s a total hell for the rest of us?”

The male students couldn’t just be happy about Leon’s failure. If the top guy failed, the lesser guys would naturally feel more intimidated.

“Oh, Leon…If only you’d come to me. How pitiful.”

“A strong person shouldn’t meet a strong person, he should meet some one like me. Why doesn’t he understand…”

“Is there a chance for a retry here?”

The female students, feeling sorry, even mentioned a chance for a redo.

That’s why being outstanding is tough.

“There isn’t. Come out quickly.”

The staff member’s firm response was trustworthy.

“…I understand, Senior. See you next time.”

Surprisingly, Leon calmly turned to leave. It seemed he had somewhat anticipated the possibility of rejection.

But you never know.

He might have thought, “You’re the first woman to reject me,” and received a strong impression.

“Okay.”

Riviera waved her hand as if shooing him away, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Even after Leon left, the atmosphere was still unsettled. Especially the male students, who seemed hesitant to follow directly after. Not wanting to face the comparison, whether they succeeded or failed.

At that moment.

“I’ll go, leader.”

Allen said resolutely and walked forward.

I wondered why he suddenly did so, but quickly realized he must have remembered that Leon was his junior.

Allen, always openly competed with his junior. It was a unique relationship that couldn’t just be described as mere competition.

Anyway, it was clear that Allen’s actions were driven by this cause.

“Hey, you can do it.”

I encouraged him as a friend and leader.

Allen clenched his fist silently. …Not cool at all, but I’ll let it pass.

“That guy?”

“Allen Benesse?”

“Is he taking the fall for everyone because he’s the older brother?”

“What, he’s actually being thoughtful.”

For once, Allen was receiving praise.

It must have been because he volunteered to play the sacrificial role to erase the comparison effect.

‘By the way, who’s his target?’

I watched with interest, curious to see who the growing extra’s target would be.

Allen paused in the middle as if to gather his resolve.

Then he sped up and headed straight towards someone.

“Huh?”

My eyes widened in astonishment again.

It was inevitable because his target was…

“Huh?”

Even Riviera, his target, blinked in confusion.

“…The same target twice in a row? And from brothers?”

“Do they have the same taste?”

“What is this, a love rivalry between brothers? It’s like a trashy novel.”

“Or is she just an irresistible girl?”

The reactions were explosive.

…This would definitely be a topic of gossip for days.

This was the kind of juicy, stimulating material that people loved to chew on.

I wondered what face the brother outside would make upon hearing this.

Allen, did you plan this?

“Is this a confession?”

Riviera flinched and took a step back.

Making Riviera retreat, impressive, Allen.

“N-No, it’s not like that…”

“Then what is it?”

“Honestly, I don’t know many girls…”

…Don’t start confessing your life story, Allen.

Can’t you feel everyone’s sympathetic stares?

“…There’s no other girl who makes me feel as comfortable as you. So if I were to ask anyone to be my partner, it would be you. That’s why…”

Still, Allen managed to express his feelings in the end.

The male students clapped and cheered for him.

The sight of them respecting a socially disadvantaged single was heartwarming… Was the academy still this kind?

…I have no idea what I’m saying anymore.

Anyway, his feelings were more like those towards a comfortable female friend rather than romantic interest.

Real love was still a long way off for him.

“Aha, that’s it?”

Riviera nodded as if she understood.

Allen waited tensely for her answer.

And then.

“Declined. Honestly, it’s not interesting. I’ll dance with Max Celtrine.”

Suddenly, my name was mentioned.

“What?”

“Max Celtrine?”

“That guy?”

All eyes were suddenly on me.

Hey… Are you serious?

I’m not a fan of being in the spotlight already.

“Is the reason she rejected Leon because of that guy?”

…Am I being treated like some kind of irresistible guy now?

“Both brothers got thoroughly rejected by one person?”

“This is a sworn enemy situation for the Benesse family. Something big is about to happen.”

Why are they creating a big issue out of this?

…And who decided we’re sworn enemies?

“Hooo… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry for being uninteresting… I’m sorry for not being like the leader…”

Meanwhile, Allen, whose mentality had crumbled to dust, was carried out like a roast pig.

…Do I have to step up again?

Still, I waved to him as a friend to bid him farewell.

But then.

“That heartless bastard…”

“He’s even mocking him, telling him to disappear forever.”

“See, his true colors as a jerk are showing.”

“Damn, he’s so smug because he’s got a partners lined up.”

They misunderstood again.

It’s not like I have a partners lined up, guys.

“Pfft.”

Riviera, meanwhile, looked at me with a smug face, as if to say she did well.

…Please stop, it’s too much pressure!

* * *

And so, I quickly became the sworn enemy(?) of the Benesse family and the guy with an irresistible(?) girl as a partner.

Time passed, and soon, only half of the male students were left.