40. The consolation of first place is hypocrisy to the second place. (5)
No matter how defiant a woman may be, once she marries, things are bound to change.
Lucas knew this well.
That’s why he dreams of marrying Karla — not to mention her beauty as well.
A beauty that makes any man turn his head at least once or twice, and the elegance of her bosom, which embodies femininity, leaves no room for further words.
To have all that within his grasp — moreover, with this being a practically confirmed future — Lucas could easily wait a couple of months.
“Hey, commoner. Your antics pretending to be childhood friends end here. I’ll soon be Karla’s husband.”
Lucas knew this well.
Therefore, he dreams of marrying Karla, with her beauty adding to the allure.
Lucas’s attempt to cuff Ivan on the shoulder more accurately reflected his intention to strike. However, it was thwarted when Ivan’s rigid face tightened further as he grabbed Lucas’s wrist with an unyielding grip.
“It’s not happening yet, and such a thing will not occur.”
Ivan wasn’t fully aware of the details.
But he was certain Karla wouldn’t wish for such a future.
“You don’t understand what you’re scheming, do you? This is the arranged marriage between the two great pillars of this empire — Cascata and Shaiskeil.”
“There’s a condition attached, and it hasn’t been fulfilled yet.”
“That condition is meaningless. In reality, it is bound to happen anyway.”
“That, you cannot know.”
Lucas tried to free his wrist from Ivan’s grip, but it was as if trapped in the claws of a hawk. The grip only grew stronger and now began to hurt.
“Let go, will you?”
“You can pull away, can’t you?”
Ivan’s voice caught Karla’s attention; gradually, her gaze shifted toward him.
The voice—this was not the playful tone of Ivan she knew from this morning but an intensely cold one.
“Commoner. I won’t overlook further rudeness. Move aside. I have something to discuss with Karla.”
“I can’t let you do that. This is the Academy; here, whether you’re nobility or not makes no difference. You have no authority to order me around.”
Karla was no longer paying Lucas any heed.
She found herself instead more focused on Ivan’s profile.
“Ivan, move aside.”
Karla uttered these words in a suppressed and stifled tone. It took considerable courage to address Ivan, but she managed to speak.
Ivan turned to look at her.
Though his gaze remained unchanged, Karla finally exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Lucas.”
Karla fixated her gaze not on Ivan but Lucas.
Stepping forward, she spoke directly to Lucas rather than Ivan.
“Even though I did stumble, I can’t say the same for the unsightly way you ended up, considering even Kiara saw it.”
Under the sharp look from Karla, Kiara turned away to avoid their eyes.
“There is no chance I’ll marry you, Lucas. Dreaming is one thing, but it won’t come true. And such an event will absolutely never happen.”
This was a tone Karla would never have used before – quieter and calmer. Though this was largely due to Ivan’s intimidating presence.
Lucas wore a face full of discontent.
His expression looked like that of a child upset because things weren’t going according to plan. Seeing this, an idea to deliver a monumental blow — an irreversible one, a mark that cannot be washed away — against not only Lucas but also Enrico came to Karla’s mind.
“Furthermore, the commoner you’re belittling, Lucas, listen carefully.”
Karla smiled.
Yes, this.
This one phrase, and there’s no doubt Lucas will be driven mad.
Karla approached Lucas.
And with a grin plastered on her face, she whispered into his ear, softly enough for only him to hear—
“That commoner is the first man I’ve spent the night with.”
“Wha—You… What did you just say?!”
As Karla strode past him, Lucas reached out to grab her shoulder, his mind in a turmoil.
“Now, now, let’s stop this.”
And just as his hand was about to seize her shoulder, a huge hand intercepted it, gripping Lucas’s wrist instead.
“Messing around like this in the morning is going to stir up a lot of dust, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be better to eat first and work up some energy before throwing punches? Of course, assuming I’m the opponent, of course.”
When Karla turned around, Liam stood there.
Liam, his rugged face more furrowed than ever, glared at Lucas with an ominous energy.
“So you know, Karla’s temperamental, but she’s my classmate. If you want to mess with her, I’ll take your place. Sound good?”
Lucas glared at Liam.
Liam… Liam Fucco.
“…Karla’s actions will not be overlooked by Lord Cascata.”
“Ah, I heard that, and it’s delightful news. Please ensure he absolutely does not overlook this. Let’s go, Ivan. Liam, you too.”
Only then did Karla finally allow herself to smile in satisfaction.
Leading the way, Karla entered the dining hall.
As Liam followed her in, he suddenly remembered something and turned back to call out to Lucas.
“Hey—what’s your name again?”
“What?!?”
Liam grinned mischievously as Lucas snapped and shouted at him.
“Don’t be so defiant. Keep that up, and you’ll break limbs without realizing it. Got that?”
“You… You damn—”
Clutching his teeth, Lucas glared at Liam but swallowed his anger and turned away.
“Hey, commoner.”
And there stood Ivan.
Ivan gazed at Lucas with cold eyes.
“…Playing pranks should be done to a reasonable extent, mongrel.”
At Ivan’s words, Lucas was dumbfounded. He’d never been insulted in such a way—called a mongrel.
“You… How dare a commoner like you—?!”
Gradually, Ivan’s hand moved closer.
Without hesitation, it clamped onto Lucas’s collar and yanked him close, until their noses almost touched.
In his icy blue gaze, a chilling frost seemed to emanate that enveloped Lucas.
“In my eyes, you’re all mere mongrels. I’ll let it slide this time for Karla’s sake, but there won’t be a second chance. Understand?”
Ivan smirked, revealing his sharp canine teeth, which sent cold sweat streaming down Lucas’s face as he snapped his mouth shut.
But the defiance lingered briefly—Lucas mustered what remained of his pride to conjure a sneer.
“Just because you’re at the Academy, you think you can say whatever you want, commoner. Your position will never change. Don’t think this is the end.”
Yet his voice trembled as he spoke.
Perceiving this, Ivan smirked, his teeth again flashing with that eerie grin.
“Best of luck, mongrel.”
And tapping Lucas on the shoulder, Ivan followed Karla into the dining hall.
The scoffing smile on his face gradually faded, transforming into a tender look unique to Ivan.
*
“Pretty much confirmed.”
At the back of the dining hall, a man dressed in tattered cleaning clothes crouched down, muttering something under his breath.
A few steps away, a woman with black hair and fiery red eyes leaned against the wall.
“Is the girl the reason raising resonance levels?”
“Exactly.”
“Mercury, even if that’s true, resonance levels rising because of one girl?”
“As Lord Cascata mentioned, she might hold the key to the resonance levels.”
“Hmm… So when her emotions escalate, that’s when her true nature emerges?”
“Exactly.”
“Shouldn’t we report this to Lord Cascata?”
At the woman’s words, Mercurio scratched his head, looking troubled.
The single eye he had hidden under his hair revealed a grotesque, bulging bloodshot orb.
“You know when reporting an issue, you also have to suggest a solution, right, Venere? We need to plan how to boost the resonance levels—specifically, how to best position this girl.”
“Hum…”
Venere stroked her chin, deep in thought. Truth be told, she couldn’t come up with any particularly good ideas either, but…
“Ah. Anyway, just agitating her emotions should work, right?”
“Exactly.”
“So, what causes emotional intensity between a man and a woman?”
“Perhaps.”
“Come on, nothing stirs emotions between a man and a woman more than this.”
Mercurio turned to look at Venere.
Venere traced a circle with her thumb and forefinger, before slipping another finger through the hole.
“Like this, this.”
At the sight, Mercurio frowned.
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
“Hey, I’m serious. This causes the strongest emotions. You wouldn’t understand since you’ve never been in love.”
“You sure do talk like someone who has.”
Venere abruptly closed her mouth.
