## Chapter 42: First Day of Enrollment (3)
Cecilia was in a good mood.
Seeing her beloved Rab being selected as the top student and delivering a proud speech in front of everyone made her feel that he shone brilliantly and looked incredibly cool.
Of course, in reality, his speech was more of a provocation aimed at the academy students, but to Cecilia, even this act seemed like an assertion of manliness and an attempt to court her.
“Of course, my fiancé!”
The voices around her, belittling and doubting his first-place enrollment, irritated her immensely. But since causing a scene might negatively affect Rab, Ria tried to suppress the boiling frustration inside her.
After the orientation session at the Department of Medicine where she was enrolled ended, Cecilia was deep in thought about potential places to spend time with Rab within the confines of the Academy, when a young man approached her.
“Are you Cecilia Boich… the Young Lady?”
Lifting her head to meet the gaze of the rather tall man, Cecilia found herself looking at a handsome man with a warm and kindly disposition.
Though her heart skipped a beat at his strikingly handsome features—features that were bound to have sent many a girl into fits of admiration—her heart remained steadfast because it already belonged to Rab. She judged him as someone who seemed more like a wandering womanizer.
‘Judging by the calloused hands and numerous scars, he appears to be a swordsman… but he doesn’t seem to hail from a noble family.’
Although the Academy did not discriminate based on noble or commoner status, certain nobility was undeniable in their bearing and behavior—something he lacked. Despite his posture suggesting he’d been practicing the sword for a long time, he didn’t have the unique aura of a noble.
“Yes. I am the Young Lady. May I ask what this is regarding?”
Unwilling to show her true self to any man other than Rab, Cecilia deliberately gave him a cold reception.
She had anticipated such situations since her resolve to enter the Academy, but being approached by another man—any man other than Rab—felt far more unpleasant than she’d imagined.
“That’s correct, fortunately. I am Arthur, sent by the Duke and Duchess as both a sponsor and your personal escort.”
“Arthur… Is that so?”
Cecilia had been aware that her family was covertly trading information with the guild known as Black Blade. She visited the guild regularly as part of her spiritual power training and also to gather information. Several months ago, she learned that her parents were sponsoring a commoner child.
‘I’ve only heard stories about this person until now, but finally getting to meet him face-to-face. He’s not bad-looking, and his swordsmanship is reputed to be decent. Is this their plan to groom him as a guard dog for the family…?’
A powerful knight increases the prestige of a family.
Just like a successful celebrity elevates the reputation of their management agency in the modern world, a house boasting an exceptional knight automatically enhances its status.
‘Considering the marriage between me and the Young Master, they’ve likely secured the necessary funds. Perhaps now they want to train a proper knight to be the face of the family. And since he’s an orphan with no family, there’s no worry about him running off, either.’
Cecilia remembered that the last time she met the Duke and Duchess, their investments had failed, leading to their indulgence driving the family into financial ruin. As a result, they could no longer maintain a knight order, and most knights had already left.
Recalling the guild intelligence, Cecilia realized that the Duke and Duchess planned to bring in talented orphans and train them as knights, reestablishing a new knight order with them as the foundation.
As this thought struck her, a memory surfaced from a conversation she overheard between her parents at a banquet a year ago:
“At some point, when you enter the Academy, we’ll send someone from our side. Just gather the necessary information and pass it on to our person when required.”
‘So, this must be the person they were referring to then. They’re using this individual as a channel to pass on messages and information under the guise of personal check-ins…’
Cecilia sighed inwardly at the endless greed of her parents.
Indeed, she thought, how could people who treated their own daughter as a mere object suddenly behave rationally after tasting the allure of wealth?
‘By the way, could this man possibly be the so-called “male protagonist” Rab mentioned?’
Cecilia could hear Rab’s inner thoughts.
Not all his thoughts were accessible, but those related to her always resonated deeply within her, directly transmitting his intentions.
On occasion, she had caught Rab’s thoughts about some “male protagonist” who was destined to be a romantic partner in her future. Yet now, upon meeting this Arthur in person, she realized that the future Rab envisioned must have already been shattered long ago.
Objectively speaking, Arthur was undeniably handsome, but that was all there was to it. He was no great figure capable of stirring strong emotions within her.
“I understand the situation, but your services are unnecessary. I already have someone far stronger protecting me at all times. Please just inform my parents and focus on your own Academy life.”
There were too many eyes watching, and if she accepted his protection, rumors and complications would inevitably arise.
Deciding to turn around and head toward the Department of Combat, where Rab was likely to be, Cecilia tried to leave.
But Arthur, clearly not anticipating such a response, instinctively grabbed her wrist.
“Excuse me! This is inappropriate! I have a fiance!”
“Lady, the Duke and Duchess are deeply concerned for your safety! Please give me the chance to repay their kindness!”
Cecilia was utterly exasperated upon hearing his words.
That they were worried about her? Obviously, they had lied shamelessly, manipulating him like a good boy following their orders. They must have painted her as a pitiful young lady forced into an engagement with a reckless man simply by threatening her family.
This overly righteous and overzealous knight, blinded by their manipulations, must have come here under the illusion that it was his sacred duty to protect her from “Rab,” the supposed villain.
The idea that this clueless man had once been close to her in her past life made Cecilia’s teeth grind in frustration as she tried to break free from Arthur’s grip.
“That’s enough! Is it proper for someone walking the path of the knight to mistreat a woman who already has a partner?!”
“Lady, you are being deceived by that man! Please reconsider!”
“Don’t… don’t do this!”
“Please! That man is dangerous—!”
SMACK!
CRUNCH!
“AHHHH!!”
“What the hell is this guy doing?”
As the pressure on her wrist subsided, a familiar voice sounded in front of her.
Before anyone’s eyes, a man appeared with a face full of irritation, grabbing and twisting Arthur’s wrist.
It was Rab Netoire, her fiance.
—
Later
‘Unbelievable. How cliched… and utterly irritating.’
The blonde handsome man in pain before me, clutching his wrist tightly, was a familiar face.
‘This is literally the main male protagonist’s standard appearance… and his name is Arthur, right?’
Without any tweaks, the default “male protagonist” of the story was kneeling before me in agony.
The moment I realized Cecilia was being harassed by a strange man, my body reacted instinctively, swiftly subduing the supposed “villain.”
I didn’t even have time to confirm his face before my body moved on autopilot and subdued him.
In the past, I would have quickly apologized for the misunderstanding, let him go, and walked away, giving the male protagonist and the female lead some time together.
But lately, my heart had been feeling increasingly restless due to the subtle changes in my relationship with Ria. And when I caught a glimpse of her reddened wrist in the corner of my eye, irritation surged anew.
“Who the hell are you, kid? What business do you have bothering my fiancée? Huh? Do you want to die?”
“G… Guh…!”
As my anger rose, I tightened my grip, and Arthur could no longer even grunt in pain.
“I am a knight tasked with protecting the Young Lady by order of the Duke and Duchess!”
“And who the hell do you think you are to offer protection?! You’re obviously some commoner being sponsored, taking advantage of the Duke’s backing. Knights rely on their hands—let me see if I can’t break an arm or two for you.”
“That’s enough, Young Master.”
The cool touch of Ria’s hand gently enveloping my wrist brought a refreshing sensation to my boiling body, calming my anger almost immediately.
I quickly released the grip on Arthur’s wrist and checked on Ria’s condition.
Thankfully, there was only a slight handprint left on her wrist, with no apparent damage to the bones or vessels.
Given his bewildered actions, it seemed Arthur had no malicious intent when he grabbed her.
“Still, you should see a healer just in case.”
“Yes, Young Master. Oh, and you.”
Just as we were about to leave, Ria called out softly to Arthur.
Hearing her summons, Arthur’s face brightened with anticipation—but only momentarily.
“There’s a message I’d like to deliver to my parents later, so we’ll meet then. But otherwise… please do not approach me. I don’t need your protection.”
Without looking back, she walked away, leaving Arthur struck by her rejection.
Perhaps from his perspective, he was trying to fulfill his chivalrous duty by protecting the Young Lady from the wicked me, but approaching without warning and handling a woman’s wrist so carelessly had been his own fault.
Though it was slightly pitiful to see him used as a pawn by the Duke and Duchess, I felt no obligation to pity him. Leaving the dejected Arthur behind, I left the building with Cecilia.
