Chapter 147

Silence.

A stillness hung in the air.

Everyone seemed to wish the situation that had just unfolded wasn’t real.

As if opening their mouths to react would solidify it as reality.

I stood there awkwardly.

My mind felt like it was floating.

A scene I had never imagined.

Hiresia, one of the most popular heroines and infamous for being unapproachable, had mentioned my name, even pointing me out at the ball.

It was clear to everyone that she saw me as special.

Of course, I felt good.

That’s natural for any human.

But I couldn’t help but be taken aback.

It wouldn’t matter if I could walk the path of a single-minded, pure-hearted man, but I was destined to be a polyamorous man.

There was still a long, long way to go.

If I were to be officially recognized as having a special relationship with Hiresia in this situation, it would only cause problems.

“Still, it’s not confirmed yet…”

Hiresia had revealed a part of her heart, but it could be interpreted differently depending on how you looked at it.

And I hadn’t expressed my feelings yet.

Of course, it would be easy to respond to her actions here.

But it would be cruel to her, and I shouldn’t make easy choices driven by emotions here.

I need to make the most difficult choice.

Considering every aspect, which choice is the best and which one would make the cleanup easier.

I calmed my floating mind.

Just then, Wayne’s voice echoed, breaking the silence.

“…I understand. I got it.”

Wayne walked out slowly, his eyes trembling with complex emotions.

He glanced at me.

Wayne, even in that state of mind, slightly raised his thumb as if to say, “You won.”

Instead of jealous and resentful eyes, he cleanly acknowledged his defeat.

He was truly a man worthy of being the next chairman.

I bowed my head slightly, showing respect for my opponent.

As soon as Wayne left the exit and completely disappeared, the explosive reaction I had been waiting for erupted.

“No, no! This can’t be!”

“That’s right! My goddess wouldn’t have her heart set on that kind of guy!”

“…Are we all having a terrible nightmare? Not one, not two, but three… That kind of person shouldn’t exist in this world…?”

“He’s a demon! A demon reborn as a man’s enemy!”

Hey, hey, your eyes are rolling back.

Relax, relax.

“Yeah, that guy is a man’s enemy!”

“I can’t accept it!”

“No, we can’t let him live!”

“Right! Let’s grab our spears!”

…They’re treating me like a monster threatening humanity!

It feels like I’ve been dropped into the middle of a group of insane fanatics.

In this situation…

The best thing to do is to run.

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

***

“…What do you think?”

Camian’s voice also seemed to waver.

He had expected it to some extent, but he never imagined that Max’s name would be mentioned by the beauties one after another, as if they had planned it.

“Ugh… Three… Three is…”

Alfred’s face was distorted.

His voice trembled as he spoke.

Even the great Alfred seemed to be deeply shocked this time.

There were many beautiful women in the academy, but Hiresia was a special being.

A legendary High Elf, as rare as a dragon.

It was as if a being from an ancient story had suddenly popped out into reality.

That’s why, even though she clearly existed within the same academy, she felt like a being from a fantasy world.

That mysterious distance.

Perhaps that strange attraction was one of the reasons why male students rushed to confess their feelings.

But at the same time, everyone had a sense of it in the back of their minds.

That being couldn’t be with a human.

It wasn’t just a vague thought, it was close to a certainty that instinct taught them.

Alfred, the bystander, had the same thought.

But today, that instinctive certainty he had believed in was shattered.

And by a human who shouldn’t even exist.

It was natural for everyone to be shocked as if the world had been turned upside down.

“Three?”

“…Damn it. Okay, I admit it. I was really surprised this time. I never thought it was possible.”

Alfred finally admitted it.

He knew that if he tried to twist the words, he would only make himself look bad.

“So my words are right…”

“No, not yet.”

Alfred shook his head.

“I admit the quality of each one is amazing, but isn’t the number insufficient?”

“I think three girls are enough to make you a popular guy?”

Camian said dryly.

It was clear that three girls were a level that many ordinary guys could only dream of.

Especially if each one was a top-tier beauty like this.

“Not by my standards.”

“It seems like the great Duke’s tongue is getting longer and longer.”

Camian sneered.

“No matter what you say, what’s lacking is lacking.”

This time, Alfred didn’t seem to want to back down.

“Then?”

“If that reckless senior shows me something that surprises me even more, then I’ll admit it cleanly. That I was wrong and you were right.”

“Hmm.”

Camian seemed to be thinking for a moment.

Then he opened his mouth again.

“Well, okay. Let’s do that.”

When Camian readily agreed, Alfred’s eyes wavered slightly.

“What kind of confidence is that?”

He didn’t think Max had anything else that could shock him as much as Hiresia.

So, does he mean he can fill the number?

No, that would be difficult too.

Alfred, who had been doing a quick calculation, soon erased his thoughts.

After all, he had to accept it since he was the one who brought it up.

“Okay.”

Alfred nodded.

***

“Heh heh, it’s turning out to be interesting.”

Oscar, the princess, was quite pleased with this first ball.

It wasn’t a ball with boring, pretentious conversations.

Where else could you find a ball as raw and honest as this?

They clash directly, and they accept or reject directly.

Joy, sorrow, anger, and love are all separated instantly.

The winner enjoys happiness on the stage, and the loser is immediately kicked off the stage miserably.

It’s fun.

The person who first thought of this ball must have been a genius.

“Still.”

There was someone who made this ball, which was simply fun, even more exciting.

Max Celtrine.

And Riviera.

“I never thought she would mention his name so casually. As expected, that senior is no ordinary person.”

A smile appeared on Oscar’s lips.

Since she started it first, others seemed to catch fire, and a Max-mentioning relay began.

“Everyone is so passionate. I feel like I’m going to catch fire too.”

It wasn’t a lie.

My heart had been pounding since earlier.

I wanted to do something that would shock everyone.

But.

“No, no. It’s time to keep my true nature suppressed.”

Oscar stroked her fingers, calming her emotions.

Finally, her pounding heart calmed down a bit.

“Anyway, I’m dying to know who will be the final winner of this ball.”

Everyone was an excellent woman, beyond measure.

But only one could be chosen.

She was so curious to know who it would be.

“Oh, come to think of it, this is a complete reversal of the male and female roles.”

In this ball, it was originally the men who waited anxiously for an answer.

But now, it was the women who were waiting to be chosen.

“Amazing, amazing. As expected, he’s a man worthy of my interest as a brain.”

Oscar chuckled.

“Well, since it’s a good opportunity, should I participate too?”

If I were to be chosen, I would get the brain, and even if I wasn’t, it was fun to participate in this competition.

“Oh, there he is.”

A handsome man with a tall stature and a neat face.

I don’t remember his name.

He’s not someone worth remembering.

“Wow, he’s full of flaws. I could kill him in 0.3 seconds.”

(TLN: .-.)

Oscar moved her finger slightly, but she managed to hold back.

“If I stabbed his heart, he would fall down.”

The princess kept twitching her fingers.

Suppressing the urge that came at any time was not easy, even for her.

“Your Highness.”

The handsome man knelt on one knee politely and bowed his head.

“May I speak to you?”

“If you have a mouth, just speak.”

It was common for the princess to say things that were different from what she thought.

“May I have the honor of accompanying Your Highness to the ball?”

‘I really don’t want to.’

She was about to answer immediately without thinking, but the princess paused for a moment.

She remembered that she was going to use this opportunity to participate in the competition.

“I’m sorry. I actually have someone in mind.”

As soon as those words flowed out, the surroundings buzzed.

She could feel the still air shaking.

“Her, her Highness, what did she just say…?”

“I, I don’t know…”

“It seems like you said you have someone in mind?”

“Someone in mind? Did her Highness have someone in mind?”

“No, I’ve never heard of it.”

“There weren’t any rumors about it either.”

“Damn it, then is it a secret relationship? Who the hell is that lucky bastard?”

“Be careful with your words. He might be the person who will become Your Highness’s husband.”

“Ugh, it’s the same student status here anyway.”

My spine tingled.

Everyone was looking at me.

And about who I mentioned.

“Heh heh, it feels good. Should I go a little further?”

Oscar, with a faint smile, lightly tapped the floor.

Tap.

A light step, almost weightless.

But her body flew away in an instant.

An extraordinary technique.

Everyone’s surprised eyes widened.

Using a technique at the ball…?

What the hell is going on?

This would be the first time in the history of the ball.

People were stunned, speechless.

Tap.

The princess, regardless of what anyone thought, flew up in her dress.

Just three steps.

With just three steps, the princess reached her destination precisely.

The place where Max Celtrine stood.

“…”

Even the great Max seemed to have lost his words, standing there as if he had lost his wits.

“senior Max.”

Oscar smiled with sparkling eyes.

“…What is it?”

“I’ll wait for your choice.”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough!”

Max bent over at the waist and coughed violently.

A noble being who could never be a subordinate, even if she was a superior.

Such a being spoke as if she were waiting to be chosen, so such a reaction was inevitable.

It was happening in reality, but it was a scene that even a passing dog wouldn’t believe.

“Max, you… Now, even the princess…?”

“Ugh… Please, just stop!”

“That, that bastard! Isn’t he playing the field?”

“Is, is it possible… With the princess there…?”

“He’s crazy, isn’t he? Is he normal?”

“Shut up and bring the spear, the spear NOW!”

…The ball was in chaos again.