I Start with a Bad Hand!

I would not interfere with the original course of the work, nor would I entangle myself in troublesome affairs. This was a rule I had set solely to protect my safety and to safely return to reality.

However, things were a bit different when it came to Dietrich.

Dietrich was the very person who had summoned me to this strange world. Somehow, it seemed necessary to find the strange clue to her death to locate her soul, which had escaped this world and disappeared without a trace.

I carefully opened the entrance to the clock tower. The door creaked as it opened.

About halfway up, I was growing weary of the clock tower’s mad staircase. As one of the tallest buildings in the academy, the stairs of the clock tower proved the point by continuing endlessly.

“Should I crawl… on all fours?”

Perhaps using both hands and feet might be even faster. After all, having multiple legs was naturally faster. Like how a dog is faster than a human and a centipede is faster than a dog… I was growing so tired that I was losing my reason, to the extent of abandoning any human dignity.

“Pant, pant.”

Climbing the endless stairs with uncomfortable legs made me even more breathless. Still, constantly comforting myself, I finally reached the top of the clock tower.

The roof of the clock tower, like a terrace, revealed a panoramic view of the academy. The landscape of Calros, the academy’s capital, was beautifully intertwined from such a height. A cool breeze cooled my sweaty forehead.

“Wow…”

For a moment, I forgot my original purpose and looked around like a tourist. Then, I suddenly looked down below the clock tower. The ground looked frighteningly far away, and my hands gripping the railing became damp with tension.

This was where Dietrich had fallen from such a height.

Even now, looking so endlessly far away, I can only imagine how much more invisible the ground must have been on the night Dietrich fell, like dropping into darkness. Looking at the ground with a heavy heart, I suddenly felt dizzy and staggered.

“…!”

“It seems better to be careful.”

I turned my head towards that gentle voice. Soon, brown eyes met mine.

“Or were you planning to jump on purpose?”

At last, he appeared before me.

I couldn’t mistake him. The soothing voice that reassured people, the calm brown eyes matching the tone of his brown hair. There was only one person described like this in the original work.

Hayden Saturn, one of the male protagonists in the original work, maintained a neat appearance that contradicted his licentious behavior, which was so egregious it could wear down bones. Whenever Hayden was described in the original novel, I was struck by how conservative I was, as he flaunted his sexual exploits day and night, regardless of time or place.

Even at the academy, it was no different. Whenever Roxanne encountered Hayden, there was always mention of him being too close for mere friendship with a new face from the academy.

Moreover, Hayden was one of the characters who strangely lingered around Roxanne in the original work.

‘Well, Dietrich lingered around Roxanne too, but.’

Unlike Dietrich, he was a character whose intentions were hard to discern. Nevertheless, one clear thing was his feelings towards Roxanne, which bordered on obsessive antipathy. It was unique how he took such an intense interest in Roxanne, whom he had barely met a few times.

I was still being held by the waist by Hayden. He seemed to think I had frozen up due to the sudden appearance of a stranger. His eyes narrowed into a smile.

“What brings you to the clock tower?”

“Not many students come up here.” Saying this, Hayden led me inside the clock tower while still holding my waist.

I stood blocked by Hayden in a secluded corner of the clock tower’s railing, effectively trapping me. It was uncomfortable having him block my way.

“Just… checking something.”

I said, glancing down at my shoes pointlessly. Getting entangled with this guy would be as troublesome as dealing with Cedric. I gave a vague answer, hoping to brush him off without continuing the conversation. But unexpectedly, Hayden casually dropped the clue I had been searching for.

“Did you come to check on the legend associated with the clock tower? It’s impressive that a freshman already knows about that story.”

He turned away from me, leaning on the railing and looking down. His tousled hair fluttered in the wind.

But a legend associated with the clock tower? This was news to me. And how did Hayden know I was a freshman already? Had he already completed a background check on anyone who had even slightly interacted with Roxanne? I had many questions, but I decided to ask about the most intriguing part.

“A legend associated with the clock tower…?”

It seemed he realized I was unaware of the clock tower’s lore.

“It seems I might have spoken out of turn.”

Hayden Saturn said this with a kind smile, as if he had unintentionally sparked useless curiosity in a freshman. He then extended his hand, changing the subject.

“Hayden Saturn. I’m a sophomore.”

I cautiously took Hayden’s hand, remembering the warm hand I had held with Klaus earlier. However, Hayden’s hand was cold. His slightly sweaty hand felt moist against mine and then detached.

I was more interested in hearing about the clock tower than introductions. But just as I was about to introduce myself, feeling that my introduction was overdue, ironically, Hayden brought up Dietrich’s name first.

“Dietrich Degoph. Second-ranked among this year’s freshmen.”

It seemed Dietrich’s personal details were already well known among those attending the academy. As I silently mourned the lack of privacy even within a novel, I listened to what else Hayden had to say.

I made sure to look innocently curious, as if wondering how he knew my name, to appear as harmless as possible to Hayden. He chuckled softly again and patted my shoulder. Despite his neat appearance, he was really touchy, I thought.

“I thought it was an interesting name the first time I heard it. That’s probably why it stuck with me.”

Hmm, how amusing.

Hayden was speaking sweet nothings. He likely remembered my name because of a few entanglements with Roxanne. The entrance ball, disturbances in the dining area, and every time these events involved Cedric Elexion, the young Duke of Elexion, which might explain Hayden’s particular interest in Dietrich.

In the original work, there were descriptions of him failing to remember the names of several people he had spoken with or kissed within and outside the academy, earning him slaps. Remembering Dietrich’s name indicated he had some ulterior motive.

A strong premonition of impending trouble washed over me. With that thought, I feigned a look of unsettled eyes as best as I could. I swallowed nervously. He watched me with his characteristic gentle gaze and with a promise to see each other again, he disappeared down the stairs.

The clock tower, the encounter with Hayden, and the unsettling legend of the clock tower he had mentioned. Until Hayden was out of sight, I mulled over all the pieces of information.

It seemed necessary to look into related information. I could ask Hayden, but I preferred not to get entangled with him, a main character from the original work.

From the railing, I could see Hayden’s brown hair as he walked away towards the academy. Now that he was far enough away, I hoped we wouldn’t meet again as I descended. Dusting myself off, I stood and gazed down the daunting stretch of stairs in the clock tower.

‘Damn, when will I ever come down again?’

It seemed like this time, I really might have to descend on all fours.

***

“Lately, life has been strangely smooth,” I mused, chewing on my pen as I reflected on my recent days.

Whether it was my studies or archery classes, I had reached a level of comfort and stability. The second prince occasionally bothered me, but even he had been scarce lately.

“Senior, this part seems a bit odd. Here, the list of ancient books to be placed in the old library.”

Irene and I had become much closer. It started when I suggested we finish the work together because it would be faster with two people, especially late at night when I would have to send Irene home.

Things were also going well concerning embezzlement. In the past, Irene would have to comb through all the accounting books overnight without knowing where the funds were leaking. Now that I knew the full story of the embezzlement, there was no need for such exhaustive searches. Although the volume of records from the past to the present was considerable, having a defined scope greatly reduced our workload, and working with Irene made it manageable. Occasionally, Klaus would visit to entertain us.

Watching Irene meticulously sift through documents, I gently hinted that it might be necessary for the student council to investigate this matter together.

“If possible, someone who thinks that the amount of money currently leaking is just spare change, so they wouldn’t need to embezzle…”

I hoped that this would lead to a closer relationship between Roxanne and the crown prince, as in the original work.

My efforts were not in vain.

It was a night when Irene and I were covered in dust from old accounting books, working late. The two of us returned with flushed faces.

“Just as you said, we found someone related to this matter in the old library. We’ll investigate a bit more. No need for additional personnel, ahem.”

The crown prince’s voice cracked oddly. I sipped my tea, watching him.

I hoped it was enjoyable…

Contrary to my worries, everything was resolving too smoothly.

“Maybe my existence isn’t as influential in this world as I thought.”