Chapter 36

36. The Consolation of First Place is Hypocrisy to Second Place (1)

“Cut the formalities. Act like an Academy member.”

Karla didn’t particularly like this Ivan – actually, it wasn’t that she didn’t like Ivan, it was just that encountering him in this situation wasn’t making her feel particularly good.

“T, that should be fine…right?”

“Since I said it’s fine, don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Then…alright. Karla, what brings you here?”

Karla sighed in response to Ivan’s question instead of answering. Though escaping the mansion had felt good up to that point, she couldn’t really explain it as it was. Besides, there was no real excuse to say…no, no. There was no need to tell him the truth anyway, was there?

“You don’t need to know. Something happened, that’s all. And by the way, give me a glass of water.”

“Ah, okay. Come this way first.”

Karla followed behind Ivan and relocated.

When Regina greeted Karla with an awkward smile and a nod, Karla merely gave a small nod in return, then took the cup of water Ivan handed her and emptied it in one gulp.

“Hmph, that hit the spot. I’ll sit for a bit.”

“Yeah, take all the time you need.”

It just so happened that where Karla sat was right between Ivan and Regina. Although they weren’t sitting side by side due to the round table, sitting between the two who had been facing each other created a similar impression.

Just as Karla turned her gaze, she noticed Ivan looking at her. His eyes were as innocent as ever, whenever she saw them.

“Karla, it’s dangerous for someone as weak-armed as you to be wandering around alone at this hour.”

“I’m fine. I can take care of myself.”

As she said this with bravado, Karla couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

“Take care of myself? Lucas, you were beaten by some thug and fell over trying to throw a punch—ridiculous.”

“Still, can you at least tell us what’s going on? If it’s something we can help with…”

“It’s something you can’t help with. Just back off. Excessive curiosity just annoys me.”

“But we’re friends, Karla. How can we just ignore seeing you in such a state?”

“Yeah, that’s right… Ivan, we’re worried because we’re friends.”

Regina joining in this way irritated Karla. She drank another full cup of water and let out another long sigh.

“You two, worrying is unnecessary. I…”

Suddenly, Ivan’s gaze bothered her.

Worry? Why should you worry about me?

Do you think you’re so great that you’re concerned about me?

“…Even though I might look like this, I can manage on my own, okay.”

“That’s not what I meant, Karla. Why are you acting so out of character…”

“Out of character? Ha, Ivan.”

This wasn’t it.

But Ivan’s gaze, his overly innocent expression, and even the tone of his voice that revealed his overly good-natured character…

They all irritated Karla.

“You also talk nonsense. What’s so normal about me? You, too, are different from your usual self, do you even realize? Why are you worrying about me? You don’t need to, do you? Are you just trying to act superior?”

As Karla rebutted, she didn’t understand her own words. It felt like her emotions weren’t being regulated. It was as if instinct had taken precedence over rationality.

“That’s not what I meant, Karla…”

“Enough. You’ve always been like this. You’ve always been better than me at everything, always ahead of me, pretending to be unaware, pretending to be innocent, pretending to be overly kind! All while looking down on me!”

Suddenly letting loose with this tirade, everyone in the restaurant turned their eyes toward Karla.

Flushed red in the face, Karla ironically stood out all the more beautifully, making the situation even more stark.

“Whatever I do, you’re always better, aren’t you. That’s the reason you’re worried, isn’t it? You want me, someone like me who comes in second, to support you from below, and you’re worried because I don’t?”

“Karla!”

Regina jumped up and tried to stop Karla.

“No, Karla. That’s your misinterpretation. I’ve never thought of you as being below me.”

“You can say whatever you want, but your attitude says everything! You’ve always pitied me, looked down on me… I hate that, I hate that the most!”

“Karla, calm down. I know better than anyone how strong you are. I know your efforts better than anyone else.”

Efforts, huh.

Karla had never before questioned the concept of effort like this.

What exactly did she get in return for all her efforts? She had done everything to at least graze the fingertips of a place she couldn’t reach through effort alone.

If this was her current situation, wasn’t the saying that ‘effort never betrays you’ a lie?

“That comment just makes me more miserable. Strong? I’m strong?! Yeah, sure. You’d think that. But you’d probably add ‘but I’m still stronger’ afterward, right?”

With an irrational rage, Karla burned.

Unable to say another word, Ivan stared at Karla’s anger face-to-face.

So that’s what Karla had been thinking.

That’s why she had been pushing him away all this time.

As he realized it now, he felt both understanding and sadness.

Because he was too blunt by nature, he hadn’t realized that Karla, his friend, had been enduring so much.

“…That’s not true. Karla, I’ve always thought of you as a friend. Whether someone is better or worse, stronger or weaker, I’ve always thought of you simply as a friend.”

Despite his sincerity, had he done something wrong? Had Karla not understood his sincerity? Was it all just that?

That was why Ivan could only quietly look at her without saying a word. And meeting his gaze, Karla trembled with anger and embarrassment.

“…You monster.”

Leaving those words behind, Karla fled the restaurant.

“Karla!”

Karla stormed out, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Soon after, the door slammed shut again, leaving the restaurant enveloped in an awkward silence.

“Ivan, don’t go.”

To Ivan, who looked like he might chase after Karla at any moment, Regina spoke up, restraining him.

“Karla should be alone right now. Chasing after her won’t make her listen to you. It’s better to leave her be.”

Ivan quietly looked at Regina.

But with the lingering image of Karla yelling and her somehow precarious expression lingering in his mind, Ivan shook his head.

“No. I can’t just leave it like this. Karla seems unstable right now. Besides…”

Her dress torn in places exposing bare skin.

Her face a mess, and moreover, unable to properly use magic…

“Karla is in danger.”

“Ivan, Karla is very angry right now… And, and…”

Regina grasped the sleeve of Ivan’s clothing and hesitated. Her trembling lips reflected her hesitation, but then closed resolutely, making a decision.

“…Just for today, can’t you stay with me?”

Ivan hesitated.

Even if momentarily, he certainly hesitated.

It seemed like Regina saw a flicker of hope in it.

It was like a confession made with great courage from her.

But after taking a deep breath, Ivan—

“I’ll be back soon, just wait a little longer, Regina.”

Did not respond to her expectations.

“Ah… Ivan, Ivan!”

Regina called out to Ivan as he moved away, reaching out with her hand. Even though she knew it wouldn’t be caught, she reached out anyway.

Her weakly extended hand soon retreated.

Even after Ivan’s retreating back disappeared from view, Regina continued to gaze in the direction he disappeared in.

The hands clasped in front of her chest trembled softly.

Finding Karla’s location was not a very difficult task for Ivan.

His magical power allowed him to locate her quickly, and thanks to that, he found Karla near the fountain in the middle of the market.

“…Karla.”

“Why did you come?”

A cold reply came back.

Ivan was unsure of what to reply.

Should I say I came because I was worried you might make a mistake?

Should I say I was worried leaving you alone?

Whatever I say, it still equates to worrying.

“Are you coming to see if I’ll mess up again? So you’ll have another chance to ‘save’ me? Should I have my other arm chopped off too?”

Faced with Karla’s sarcasm, Ivan couldn’t say anything. It wouldn’t help if he told her his intention wasn’t that—Karla wouldn’t believe him.

Still, Ivan’s intention was genuinely out of worry.

“Just leave me alone already. Why do you keep making me feel so miserable…”

Sitting on the bench, head bowed, Karla spoke. Her voice quivered, her words soaking.

“Ivan, I just wanted to beat you. I wanted to be number one and beat you. That’s all… So why… why is it like this.”

Ivan didn’t say anything in reply.

Under the moonlight, her shoulders were visibly trembling.

“…You wouldn’t know how hard it was having you always in front of me. No matter how much I tried, no matter how much I struggled, you were just nonchalantly in front of me.”

“…I’ve never thought of you as being behind me. Actually, I envied how brilliantly you shone.”

“Don’t joke around, Ivan.”

“I mean it. Let me sit, alright?”

Ivan carefully tried to sit next to Karla—more accurately, he intended to sit. However, Ivan noticed her trembling shoulder.

Her left sleeve fluttered in the night breeze.

Her dress, with gloves on, looked cold.

Ivan quietly took off his school uniform top.

Even though it was nearing early summer, the evening breeze was still a little chilly.

“…What are you doing?”

“Because you look cold.”

Karla glared at Ivan after his uniform was draped over her shoulder.

Annoying guy.

That annoying guy who always outperformed her.

But, this kind of thing—it wasn’t so easy to hate a guy who did things like this.

“You’re a bad guy doing this.”

“You can call it kindness.”

“You’re a genuinely bad guy.”

“Even if you call me a bad guy, it’s fine. We’re friends after all, so saying things like this is fine too.”

.

Karla sniffled.

“I know you put in the effort too. Anyone can see it from your skills. I understand it well. I’ve never thought of you as anything less. I really haven’t.”

“Stop joking around.”

“Really. If I had thought of you as less, would I have stuck around to greet and talk to you? I genuinely wanted to get along well with you.”

Karla closed her mouth in response to those words.

…Well, he did do that.

“What happened, I won’t ask. You don’t seem like you want to talk about it. What I’m worried about is whether you’re truly safe. I don’t think Mr. Cascata is the type, but if you somehow, by any chance, are… you know, you’re not being forced into marriage…?”

“If I was being forced, what could you possibly do about it?”

“There isn’t anything I could do…”

Ivan quickly lost his spirit.

Seeing this, Karla couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer absurdity—it was so ridiculous it was funny.

“Hey, you’re laughing, Karla.”

“You shouldn’t be laughing, damn you. It’s because of you that I… Ah-choo!”

A loud sneeze erupted.

Ivan offered her a handkerchief, and Karla took it.

“You’re going to get a cold. Shouldn’t you return to the mansion?”

“…No.”

“Then what will you do?”

Karla wiped her nose with Ivan’s handkerchief, then stood up, holding tightly to his school uniform draped over her.

“…I need to head back to the Academy. There should be an empty room, and it would be better to stay there.”