Is Eavesdropping Against Academy Rules!?

“Did you notice how everyone instantly had the same assumption?”

Suzuki boastfully asked the other girl.

“Absolutely! They know just as well how loaded Akira’s family ought to be.”

Instinctively, I hid around the corner with my back to the wall. My heart raced so fast that I could hear each beat.

Why does it feel like I’m the one breaking academy rules now!? Am I eavesdropping? Well... yeah... but that’s not against the rules! Surely...

“How much gold do you think they had to ‘donate?’”

“I bet it was hundreds!”

Hah! Hundreds? Close... but I only spent ten for each one of them.

“Either that, or the rumors are true...”

“You mean the ones about Akira being a princess?”

Akira, a princess? Hmpf. Princess of war, maybe.

“Mmmm. And that she’s secretly Gideon’s fiance.”

“He has been eyeing her up from what I’ve heard.”

Wh-what are they talking about...? Suddenly, I felt light-headed.

“Hihihi. Didn’t his last fiancee break it off? Hihi. Exactly because she found out his peculiar tastes?”

“Poor Akira... she better enjoy every second she can... Since once he’s done with her...”

“I know, I know! I would feel bad... But she’s just a lowly demi-human!”

My mind froze entirely, while my body reacted harshly, making me feel utterly disgusted and sick to my stomach.

“That makes total sense! Otherwise Sir Hildebrand would have burned her at the stake already. Hahaha.”

“Maybe he’s even a part of it!”

“Serves her right! At least she’ll be ‘wanted.’ Hahaha!”

Laughing and giggling out loud, they walked out of the corridor onto the main hall.

Luckily for me, they didn’t notice me and continued on down the hallway.

“Let’s get as much out of her as we can before Gideon acts out his twisted fantasies!”

“You’re right, Suzuki!”

Listening to them, their voices started to distort, sounding like sinister devils celebrating something absolutely vile.

Is that really how they feel and think about Akira? I knew that beastkin and demi-humans weren’t well liked... but to this extent?

I must have misunderstood them! It’s also all just based off of rumors. Never blindly believe rumors, Kurenai! You know better!

I pumped myself up.

Exactly! I know better than anyone else why Akira is here and how wrong those rumors are!

Walking down the hallway, I continued making my rounds, trying to shake off that tightening feeling in my chest.

Poking my head inside one after another room, I didn’t notice anything standing out that would be against the rules.

Are rule breakers even that common? Considering this is a Royal Academy, as Olar prides himself on. Like, what’s the worst thing they’d do...?

That’s when the memory of Asako’s and my bullying came back to me.

Oh. Yeah... But! There’s no way that that’s common, nobles have way too much on the line to risk losing everything over petty stuff like that.

Internally I nodded to myself.

Kyaaa! Thud.

One of the academy’s maids fell off a ladder, further down the hallway, while dusting off cobwebs.

The sudden noise pulled my drifting mind right back to the present.

“Did you get hurt?”

A tall, blond-haired guy got to her before I could, reaching a helping hand out to her.

The maid just shook her head and accepted his help.

See! There are absolutely good-willed people here. Just because some aren’t... doesn’t mean all of them aren’t!

“I’m glad, it’d be such a waste if you had gotten hurt.”

Helping her up, he quickly pulled her close... really close.

Ehm... Maybe he just pulled her up too quick and she lost her balance! Yes!

Her face contorted as he leaned in closer and whispered something into her ear.

Averting her eyes, she tried to gently push him away, but he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back in.

What is he doing!? Is he really not going to let her go?

A couple of students passed by, glancing over at them, yet just continued down the hallway giggling and whispering to each other.

Really!? I’m giving him one more chance! Please... Don’t disappoint me.

“M-master... I still have more work to do...”

The maid told him, trying to escape his grasp once more.

I clenched my fist out of anger, still hoping he’ll take this chance and let her go.

Except for his face, it became twisted, as if he liked her distressed state.

That’s when he suddenly pinned her against the wall, leaning in closer to her.

“Hey! What do you think you are doing!?”

“Hee?”

Annoyed, he looked at me with the most deadpan expression imaginable.

“Yes, I’m talking to you.”

Strutting closer, I puffed out my chest and propped my hands on my hips.

“Who even are you?”

“Kurenai! A member of the student council, and I am currently carrying out my disciplinary duties.”

Pointing to my armband, my grin grew wider.

How weird... I kind of like how this feels. Being able to approach them like that. Hehe. Having so much power! Muhahahaha!

“Sooo... I should care. Why?”

Eh?

“...”

That response was so unexpected that I didn’t even know how to react.

“I’m busy right now, so just await your turn.”

With that dry response, he tried to shoo me away and focus back on the maid.

Did I fall asleep earlier, and I’m just dreaming right now? Surely, there’s no way he just brushed a student council member off like that... right!?

My chest tightened even stronger, and my heart rate rose.

“I’m not done talking to you!”

I grabbed his wrist and pulled him off of the maid, turning his attention back to me.

“Did you not hear what I just said? Be a good girl and patiently await your turn. I’ll take care of you once I’m done with her.”

“You think this is a joke? You just harassed this poor maid right in front of my eyes.”

“Harassed? I’m just brightening up her mundane day.”

“Is that so?”

Turning to her, I tried to get confirmation from her directly.

“...”

She just shook her head with the most uncomfortable look I’ve ever seen on someone. Even worse than that one time when Alaric harassed Asako.

“Perfect, with that it’s undeniably clear that you broke the academy rules and harassed this poor maid.”

I glared back up at him, awaiting his next excuse.

“And what are you going to do about it? Report me to the scholars? I’m sooo scared now.”

He clearly didn’t show any shred of remorse.

Just writing him up would be too much of a slap on the wrist. Maybe I should just restrain him and bring him in front of the council? Renji did tell me to approach him if I ever need anything.

“For now you’re coming with me to the council, and there you will find out about your punishment.”

“Hah! What if I don’t? You can’t force me.”

Oh-ho?

“I can’t? Unfortunately for you, I absolutely can and will!”

“Go right ahead then, but let me tell you this... if you even dare to touch me, you’d be lucky if you end up only facing expulsion.”

My eyes jumped between my hand and his wrist.

Aren’t I already touching him, though?

“For doing my duties-”

“Though... I would really love to see that wolf girl’s expression when she’s forced to watch you leave.”

Interrupting me, he whispered into my ear.

“...”

My face darkened.

“What was her name again... Akira? I can’t wait to show her a good time.”

“Hey, Gideon! At it again today, are you?”

A random passerby shouted.

Gideon? As in the Gideon from those vile rumors?

“You are Gideon?”

I said with a low voice.

“Oh? Now that you know my name, you suddenly act so differently?”

“...”

In reality, all I could think of currently was what they said earlier: ‘Poor Akira... she better enjoy every second she can... Since once he’s done with her’.

With every repetition, my blood boiled hotter and hotter.

He tried to free his wrist, but I instinctively tightened my grip.

“Hey! You better let me go now!”

Using his other hand, he tried to pry my hand off, but to no avail.

“...”

‘But she’s just a demi-human! Serves her right! But she’s just a demi-human! Serves her right! But she’s just a demi-human! Serves her right!’

Their distorted voices just kept echoing through my mind.

“Oh, Legendary Fire Spirit Ifrit, lend me thy strength and blast away the enemy in front of me! Fire Lance!”

Backed into a corner, he decided to use magic, creating a roaring lance of fire in his hand.

With explosive momentum, he swung his arm and aimed right for my head.

“Noooooo!”

At the same time, the maid lunged forward and hugged me tight, trying to shield me with her body.