I’m the Slit-Eyed Character at the Academy, but I’m not the Mastermind

Chirp— Chirp-.

The songs of unfamiliar insects filled the park.

“Sniff…”

Between their chirping, Rodelin’s quiet sniffles could still be heard.

Though she’d stopped crying a while ago, she kept her face buried in my chest.

It wasn’t because she had feelings for me.

‘She must be mortified.’

Breaking down in tears before a much younger junior, practically clinging to him—of course Rodelin would be embarrassed.

She was probably desperately trying to figure out how to regain her dignity as a senior and extract herself from my embrace.

For someone who always maintains an impeccable appearance and serves on the student council—someone responsible for correcting other students’ appearances—to be seen in such disarray?

‘Such an unseemly disgrace! Death would be more honorable than being seen like this!’

-She was probably thinking something ridiculous like that.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence descended. I tried to shift slightly to break the stalemate, but…

Tremble!

‘What incredible strength!’

Rodelin clutched my clothes tightly, refusing to let go.

She’d apparently decided that staying like this forever was better than showing her tear-stained face.

This wouldn’t do. At this rate, I might end up as a petrified statue, remembered for generations to come.

I’d become an academy landmark titled ‘The End of the Playboy Who Made a Woman Cry’.

A bad ending where I turn into a stone statue? I refuse to meet such an absurd fate.

“Ahem…”

I cleared my throat and discreetly produced a handkerchief, offering it to her.

It was a gesture of compromise.

She seemed to understand my meaning—her hand snatched the handkerchief with lightning speed.

I felt a flurry of movement against my chest, and soon Rodelin, having composed herself, finally sat up.

“Ahem, thank you. Something got in my eye, it was quite troublesome.”

Rodelin tucked the handkerchief into her pocket. Clearly, she had no intention of returning it.

‘That’s a shame.’

I could have made a tidy profit auctioning it off as ‘Vice President Rodelin’s Tear-Stained Handkerchief!’

Huh? Who would buy that, you ask?

…More people than you’d think. There are plenty of perverts in this world.

‘Well, I’m definitely not one of them!’

Come to think of it, Rodelin’s tears had also soaked into my uniform.

While I was contemplating whether I should sell my uniform too,

“I showed you an unsightly side of myself.”

“Keke, nothing happened, did it?”

When I played innocent, Rodelin let out a small laugh.

“Thank you. For knowing how to help someone through pain. Perhaps… you’ve experienced a lot of this yourself.”

Sympathy shone in Rodelin’s eyes as she looked at me.

Well, she’s not wrong. Being deeply immersed in this cursed game.

That alone is worthy of pity.

“If you ever have troubles, tell me. I’ll listen anytime.”

“Keke, unfortunately, I don’t. Thanks to you, senior, I’m having a thoroughly enjoyable academy life.”

“There might be difficulties outside of academy life. For example… Demons haunting your dreams?”

That mention of Demons in dreams.

While it could mean simple nightmares, in this world, it carried a different connotation.

‘Don’t speak with Demons, even in your dreams.’

It was both a warning and a concern about yielding to demonic temptation.

Someone as sharp as Rodelin surely knew this meaning.

So why bring it up now?

Could it be…

“Keke, do you think I might be an enemy?”

“Uh, huh? Th-that’s not it. I-I would never think that!”

For someone claiming that, she was stuttering quite a bit.

I stared intently at Rodelin, gradually leaning closer.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Hmm…”

“I-I told you I didn’t think that!”

“Hmm…”

“D-don’t come closer!”

“Hmmmmm!”

“Un-Unhealthy Relationship Repelling Punch!!”

Perhaps having my handsome face drawing ever closer was too much for her.

Rodelin suddenly threw a punch.

Given our proximity, it was more like she pressed her fist against my forehead than an actual punch, but it was enough to stop my advance.

Our gazes met in mid-air.

Finally, Rodelin looked away. She had admitted defeat.

“Sigh… Yes. I thought Zero might be an enemy.”

“Why?”

“You spoke amicably with a Demon. And that’s not all. You even took their side for a while and turned against us.”

“Keke, but I didn’t betray you.”

“That’s why my suspicion ended there.”

“You still think that way even after seeing my kind face?”

“…It’s a typical traitor’s face.”

That stings. Even if my eyes are narrow!

Rodelin pressed her fist against my forehead and pushed my face back.

Then she continued with a more serious expression.

“I trust you, Zero. But I can’t help worrying. Zero… you’ve endured a lot of pain.”

No, the only pain I’ve experienced is being bitten by Luna.

Oh, and Caron too.

If I add that damn rabbit, weasel, and marten to the list… I guess I have suffered some pain?

“That much increases the likelihood of succumbing to demonic temptation. It’s especially troublesome because Demons pretend to be friendly.”

True, demonic kids are tormenting me, but I wouldn’t fall for a Demon’s temptation.

Well, if a busty succubus showed up, I might consider it a little…?

“So tell me what you’re hiding. So I can trust and help you, Zero.”

What I’m hiding. She means the ‘Demon’s Curse’.

Currently, Rodelin believes I’m under a Demon’s Curse.

Yes, I could confess the truth to Rodelin here and ask for help.

Knowing her personality, I would receive considerable support.

But.

“There’s no such thing.”

I can’t do that.

Rodelin is a member of the 1st party, a character destined to progress through the story with Alex.

If the story derails because she’s helping me, it could lead to irreversible consequences.

‘Just like with Alex, I’ll minimize my interference with Rodelin.’

The future where she discovers her family’s secret.

The future where she faces rejection twice from the Lucid family.

The future where a slave’s brand marks her back.

I won’t change any of it.

Altering the main story means losing my greatest advantage.

“…I see. I haven’t earned your trust yet. How frustrating.”

Rodelin clenched her fists, genuinely frustrated.

Of course, her anger wasn’t directed at me, but at herself.

The fact that her junior didn’t trust her seemed to deeply trouble Rodelin.

“I must build more trust. I’ll wait. Until the day Zero trusts me.”

“Keke, do you think that’s possible?”

“Of course. The Duke always said: If you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

The Duke. She means Duke Luke, Rodelin’s father.

Did just thinking of him inspire such respect? Rodelin’s eyes sparkled.

‘If you put your mind to it, you can do anything…’

That’s such a Duke Luke way of thinking.

Probably why he managed to abandon Rodelin twice.

“I’ve made up my mind this time. I’ll become stronger. And I’ll protect everyone. Just like the Duke and Big Sister did!”

To protect everyone. What a foolish notion.

Someone who can’t even protect herself. Someone who dedicates her entire being to her family, not to everyone.

‘Rodelin, protect yourself first!’

But I kept those words to myself.

I have no intention or reason to change Rodelin’s future.

“Mm! I’ve set my heart. Today has been more fulfilling than any other.”

Had she engraved her burning pledge in her heart? Rodelin turned to me.

“Come to think of it, I heard you made an enemy of Teron. Are you alright?”

“Keke, not at all. I’d appreciate your help.”

“I see what you mean. To refuse a proposal from someone as influential as Teron… As expected, you’ve got guts.”

No, it’s not guts—it’s because I want to live that I made that choice.

“Keke, I refused because it wasn’t what I expected. I hope someone more suitable comes along.”

Soon, I couldn’t help but notice something curious.

Because Rodelin had suddenly started twirling her hair around her finger.

“Well… what would you do if I made the proposal?”

“Huh?”

Is Rodelin actually suggesting we take over the academy together?

That Rodelin who single-handedly crushed all factions and declared peace in her first year?

‘If I take Rodelin’s hand here…’

The story wouldn’t just break—it would shatter completely.

So, I have to refuse. Didn’t I just resolve not to get involved with Rodelin?

But.

‘Why is she so cute?’

Honestly, this is unfair.

Setting a trap I can’t help but fall into. Those damn developers are truly brilliant.

“N-never mind! I misspoke. Forming a faction. That’s absurd.”

“Keke, wouldn’t it be alright to at least hear my answer?”

“N-no! Don’t say it! Close your mouth right now!”

Rodelin covered my mouth with her entire body.

Ah, I’m happy. To think I can continue being with such a cute Rodelin in the future?

Who cares if the story gets shattered?

I should tell her right now. I’ll be your slave… Oh, no. I’ll be your subordinate!

“Mmm!”

“Quiet! Be quiet!”

One trying to speak, the other trying to silence—

While we were locked in this fierce struggle,

“What? Are you flirting?”

A voice suddenly rang out.

Our gazes immediately turned toward the statue.

A woman stood atop the hero’s statue, bathed in moonlight.

Bobbed hair that looked like a slice of night sky, and icy blue eyes.

Cat-like eyes even fiercer than Luna’s.

A long sword strapped horizontally at her waist.

Even a white cloak bearing the Lucid family’s symbolic lion.

‘That woman is…!’

Though I was seeing her for the first time, I knew exactly who she was.

Rodelin seemed to share my recognition. Her mouth opened cautiously.

“Little Sister…?”

The third daughter of the Lucid family, known as the Mad Lion.

Lowell de Lucid.

That was the woman’s identity.

“So you haven’t forgotten my face. Should I be grateful for this?”

Lowell lightly jumped down from the statue and stood before us.

“…”

My neck bent downward. It was because Lowell was much shorter than me.

Not because I’m tall. Because Lowell is particularly short.

Even elementary school children these days would tower over her.

‘Was her official height… 147cm?’

She seemed even shorter than that.

Perhaps it was because I was just staring down at her.

Lowell’s sharp, cat-like eyes tilted upward even more.

“What? Are you looking down on me because I’m short?”

That voice snapped me back to reality.

I’d made a mistake. In my surprise, I’d done something you should never do in front of Lowell.

Since things had come to this, there was only one option. I had to use ‘that technique’.

Rip!

I spread my legs wide to the sides. So wide they felt like they would tear.

Only then could I finally meet Lowell’s gaze.

But it wasn’t enough. I spread them even wider.

My thighs burned as if they were being torn apart, but I gritted my teeth and endured.

And finally, I achieved the angle I wanted.

Lowell’s gaze was now above mine. Looking up slightly at her, I said,

“Keke, hello. My name is Zero. I’m a first-year.”

A greeting delivered while doing a split.

Only then did Lowell’s sky-high gaze return to normal.

“Hmm… You’re not much to look at, but you’re a polite guy.”

–TL Notes–

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