episode_0031

The troublemaker was called to the professor’s office, and there was no sign of his return.

Deron, who was making a serious expression in the suddenly interrupted class, was approached.

＂Wow, that was a close call.”

It was my attempt to lighten the heavy atmosphere with my own consideration.

If I had taken that rock head-on, it wouldn’t have been just an injury, but I might have died.

I couldn’t react properly because I was too careless.

It was my fault.

I knew someone would get hurt, and I was anticipating some kind of accident to happen.

However, I never thought that I would be the victim of that incident, so it was a mistake that I didn’t remember that if the protagonist got hurt, I would too.

“Thank you.”

I expressed my gratitude calmly to Deron.

If Deron hadn’t intervened, I would have been in a terrible situation.

“By the way, should I call you a prince？ You really did a great job blocking it so easily!”

Honestly, it was cool.

Blocking a huge rock and brushing it off as if it was nothing was enough to remind me of a scene from a comic I had seen in the past.

“It was really awesome!”

Continuing to tease me from the side.

Deron blushed unexpectedly and chuckled, then looked down at me.

“…Why are you so carefree?”

“What do you mean?”

“…You almost died just now, do you know that?”

“I know.”

Of course, I knew.

That terrifying rock was so big that it could easily swallow someone like me,

Even though there was a distance, the intense heat was clearly felt.

Even if it just grazed me, I would have at least gotten a burn, and if it hit me directly, there would have been no need to handle the body separately, as it would have been cremated immediately.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“I am scared.”

I shivered.

It’s not that I wasn’t afraid of pain or death.

But my reaction was weak considering that I almost died and survived.

Perhaps it was because I had experienced all sorts of things in reality.

“Are you really okay?”

Am I okay?

It was a strange question.

Not understanding the intention of the question, I tilted my head, then answered honestly.

“Of course, I’m fine! I’m not injured, and I didn’t die.”

There was no reason for me not to be fine, and there was no reason for me not to be okay.

“…What do you think about the noble who attacked you?”

“It was a mistake, right?”

“No, not like that, are you angry, scared…?”

I didn’t understand why he kept asking me this, but I didn’t have any of those emotions towards the noble who created the rock.

When the rock was flying towards me, I looked at the noble’s face.

It was a look of confusion.

It was definitely not intentional.

He just wanted to show off in front of everyone, but made a mistake.

“Not really…?”

Maybe I felt a moment of fear for the harmless mistake made by a child, but I didn’t feel any anger or fear towards the noble.

At most, a little annoyance?

Shrugging my shoulders as if it was nothing, Deron glanced at me for a moment, then chuckled shortly.

“You’re a strange one.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. But what will happen to that noble?”

“It was a mistake that almost led to murder. It won’t be easily overlooked.”

“Hmm…”

Certainly, nothing happened in the end, but it must have been a big deal.

As I was wondering what punishment the noble who was called to the professor’s office would receive, Deron suddenly blurted out a random remark.

＂You can’t just watch because I ask you to watch…”

“…What are you talking about？”

Watch?

Who?

“Not me?”

“I almost died, you know? I may not have much of a conscience, but I still have to face the consequences!”

Receiving punishment is separate from not having any intention.

Just because there was no intent doesn’t mean there was no guilt.

Especially when it’s not a minor crime, but attempted murder.

The crime was serious, and that’s why… curiosity arose.

“Besides, I’m curious.”

“…Curious…”

I nodded my head at Deron’s disappointed words and my eyes sparkled.

If I made a mistake within the expected range, I could guess what kind of punishment I would receive, but this incident was beyond my predictions.

I may be trash, but I was genuinely curious.

Deron looked at me strangely and casually said, “You’ll receive a penalty of 100 points, and if you don’t accept a separate reward, you’ll receive the worst case scenario of reflection room or expulsion.”

“…If it’s a penalty of 100 points and a reward, it’s a complete disaster, isn’t it…?”

“It means the crime is that serious.”

There are significant penalties for penalties.

The main problem is that it affects your ability to earn money.

For every penalty point, 1% is deducted.

When you receive a task from the academy and complete it to receive compensation, the penalty points are deducted from the payment.

So, if the penalty points are 100, it means you won’t receive any money no matter what task you do.

And if you also have to pay a reward…

It’s like starting a life of slavery from the beginning of the academy, so even the most bored students expressed their discontent.

“Uh, it’s scary.”

The reward itself can be provided by the family, but what about the penalty points?

You have to cover the penalty points with your own earnings.

While there are plenty of opportunities to receive penalty points, opportunities to receive rewards are very limited, so it wouldn’t be easy.

“Prince.”

“What?”

“Not being able to earn money even if you work is sad.”

I knew this well from the few times I had experienced it before.

There are few things in the world more heartbreaking than working and not getting paid for it.

Perhaps, right now, I’m already looking like a jaded adult in society.

Hah… Don’t grow up like me later…

“…It’s a displeasing look.”

“No, it’s not that bad… When you saved me, you were really cool, but now you’re like this again.”

The sight of the prince extinguishing a huge fire in an instant made my heart race, no matter how much I denied it.

If you keep talking like that, you won’t have any friends other than us.

“Please bring back the cool prince.”

“…Don’t say things like that…”

“…What?”

Don’t say things like that.

I brought my finger to my lips, wondering if I had made a mistake, but I didn’t seem to have made any major mistakes.

Even if I tried to think of something to say…

“…I only said the prince is cool, right?”

“That’s what I meant.”

“…Really?”

Deron’s face turned slightly red as he subtly avoided my gaze.

You, really.

You’re weak to compliments.

“No, if you’re a prince, you must have heard a lot of compliments and grown up, right?”

Getting red in the face just from one word ‘cool’?

“You have no friends, you’re weak to compliments…”

What’s wrong with this guy?

He’s nothing like the image of a prince I vaguely imagined.

Could it be that he’s not actually a prince?

“Don’t talk nonsense…”

“…Eeek…”

Did he realize I was having inappropriate thoughts?

Deron reached out and grabbed my cheek, pulling it gently.

His grip was strong, and my body leaned in the direction he pulled.

But really, being weak to compliments.

I thought princes would be used to receiving compliments since they were young.

But apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“Prince, prince.”

“What?”

“Just a moment, please listen.”

I whispered softly as if I had something important to convey, and in response, Deron let out a sigh and slightly bent his knees, bringing his ear closer to my mouth.

＂…Your Highness, you were so cool… I almost fell for you, honestly…？”

Deron was taken aback and stumbled back.

His face was already as red as it could possibly get, making him look quite comical.

“…I told you not to do that.”

It was strange to see him show such a goofy side after rescuing me so gallantly, but it was oddly satisfying to tease him.

I chuckled softly, and as I did, Deron approached me again and stretched my cheeks to the sides.

I winced slightly in pain and glanced towards my friends for help, but instead of responding, Shasha and Seyna exchanged subtle looks and quietly moved away.

Feeling a sense of betrayal, I looked around and finally realized that all eyes were on us.

“Your Highness, everyone is staring at us…?”

I urgently nudged Deron’s arm and gestured for him to look around, and finally, he glanced around like I did and bit his lip.

The bubbling sound seemed unnecessarily loud.

Feeling a strange sense of embarrassment, Deron and I both blushed and lowered our heads without needing to say who should do it first.

“…It’s because of you, Your Highness.”

“…Don’t blame me for your mistakes….”

We continued to bicker up close, but it was a pointless argument with no clear winner.