The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 90

“If that person isn’t the young master, I’m not particularly interested.”

There was no need or desire to hear a lengthy story about someone he didn’t care about.

“Geez. You should really fix that attitude of not caring about anyone but the young master. Won’t you graduate without building any connections at this rate? I’m giving you this advice for your future.”

“Don’t speak as if you’re doing me a favor about something that doesn’t concern you. It’s unpleasant.”

At this sharp retort, Alteo pouted.

“Aren’t you dismissing people’s goodwill too much? I’m really hurt. I’m still your senior. You might run into me often if you join the Royal Guard later. Who knows if I’ll become a royal physician or be assigned to the Royal Guard support unit?”

He keeps diverting the conversation outwards without getting to the point, while giving unsolicited advice as if he’s someone important. Luwen sighed openly at this irritating way of speaking.

“Do I have to keep listening to the president’s nonsense?”

“My advice sounds like nonsense to you? I’m saying this sincerely for your sake.”

“If this is your business, let me tell you again. It’s unnecessary meddling. I’ll be going now.”

Luwen turned his back on Alteo.

“There’s someone at the academy who looks like the young master.”

But the words he heard at that moment were enough to stop Luwen in his tracks.

“…What do you mean?”

“Someone named Norman. You’ve probably heard the rumors since he’s famous. Of course, I’m not saying those rumors are true. I’m on the side that doesn’t believe them.”

It was a name forcibly imprinted in his mind due to Drabis’s repeated mentions.

“Norman?”

“Yes. But I don’t think he had a rose scent. Anyway, it’s not the young master. His hair is black.”

“Then why did you think of that person when I asked about the young master?”

Despite there being no matching characteristics, Alteo immediately thought of one person. At this natural question, he rolled his eyes as if troubled, then carefully opened his mouth.

“Actually, students who saw you going out with the young master said that Norman and the young master look very similar. So I thought if Luwen had made a mistake, it could only be that guy.”

“What’s his build like?”

“He’s even thinner than me. About the same height.”

Unfortunately, it’s not Fei. If he’s about the same height as Alteo but thinner, he would be quite similar to Fei. In that case, it seemed possible to mistake them. Maybe he forced the connection because he’s always thinking about Fei. Didn’t he compare even Alteo to Fei when they met just now?

“Could you keep it a secret from the young master that I told you this? You know that even mentioning someone looks like him could be dangerous for me, right? That’s why I didn’t want to say anything…”

Alteo sighed deeply and looked up at Luwen.

“But you insisted on hearing it. You looked like you were going to ask other students too. So I thought it would be better if I, as the president, took responsibility and told you. You can promise me this much, right?”

“Where can I meet Norman?”

Luwen hadn’t heard rumors about someone at the academy who looked like Fei. Drabis, who was always interested in rumors, couldn’t have missed this.

‘He probably didn’t say anything because it’s a rumor related to the duke’s family honor.’

Given this situation, Luwen planned to meet this Norman person himself and say that he doesn’t look like the young master at all. That would put an end to this absurd rumor.

‘Norman must be a victim too. It would be right to find those who spread the rumor, but there must be more than just one or two people who passed it on by word of mouth.’

He couldn’t find them all, and even if he did, he couldn’t root out the source of the rumor. The surest solution was for him, who knew Fei Vinter better than anyone, to directly deny the resemblance.

“Promise first. Then I’ll tell you.”

It was an ineffective verbal promise. If Fei found out about this situation and asked, he would obviously tell the truth without omission, but he didn’t want to prolong the conversation.

“Fine.”

In the first place, Fei was too innocent and kind to harm others even if he heard such rumors. So there was no chance of the danger to one’s safety that this person was worried about.

‘If it had been another noble, it might have been more reassuring…’

He seemed like the type who would hide his wounds and smile, saying it’s okay, even if someone betrayed him. Isn’t that why he believed everything the Kans said and took Taran as his disciple? It’s fortunate that his words were true and he follows Fei well, but if they weren’t…

‘The problem is that he doesn’t know how to be suspicious.’

That’s why he had to protect him. He wanted to build a strong fence for him and only allow those who pass through strict inspections to enter. If his own status were higher, he would surely have done so.

‘…If I became an honorary duke.’

If he reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship like Cromwell and accumulated achievements for the empire, he might receive the title of honorary duke. Then his status would be higher than Fei’s.

For a moment, his heart reacted strongly.

‘…No. Then I’d have to be apart from the young master for a long time.’

He was tempted, but it wasn’t worth being separated from Fei for a long time. But he couldn’t take Fei to dangerous places either. That shouldn’t happen.

“Are you listening? I’m right here, you know?”

Luwen, who had been lost in thought with someone in front of him, gave a perfunctory answer.

“Yes.”

“Good. You promised, right? Then follow me. I’ll tell you my business as we go.”

Alteo got up from the bench, saying he would guide Luwen to where Norman was.

“About the upcoming practical exam, the swordsmanship department chooses the medical department for team assignments, right? This time…”

His business was, as Luwen expected, related to the practical exam.

The practical exam is conducted with the swordsmanship and medical departments paired together, and until now, the swordsmanship department had the right to choose their team. Alteo’s request was to change it so that the medical department could choose this time.

Luwen half-listened and half-ignored Alteo’s chatter, saying that it would be easier to persuade if he had Luwen’s agreement. The gist was that he wanted to leave a legacy as president and asked for cooperation.

Luwen moved on without giving a definitive answer to Alteo’s urging, and in the end, even after revisiting the library and heading to the dormitory, Alteo didn’t get the answer he wanted.

During this time, although Alteo might not have realized it, Luwen could see his composure breaking several times. Luwen thought it would be better if Fei were as greedy and had a worse personality like this person.

‘These days, I almost think the sharp young master from childhood would be better.’

Back then, the young master was like a thorny flower that no one could touch, but now he’s so soft and gentle that he’s like a child left unattended by the water. And that’s a defenseless child placed in a dangerous place teeming with predators.

‘I wish all this, exams and everything, would just be over quickly.’

Thinking of Fei made him miss him more. He couldn’t imagine now how he had endured the time without him.

‘And I’m thinking about achievements…’

Luwen laughed inwardly and quickened his pace. Alteo struggled to keep up, but that wasn’t his concern. He just wanted to put an end to the rumors related to Fei as soon as possible.

* * *

“Oh? Norman?”

As soon as the dormitory room door opened, little Norman came fluttering over. Nadian wasn’t visible, and Cadin was sitting at his desk studying. Perhaps because of this, little Norman’s voice was quieter than usual.

“Why are you back so early? Did something happen?”

“What do you mean? I just felt a bit tired.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Little Norman stared at me intently, as if he had changed his career to become a lie detector. Given the number of times these guys had tried to stop me before, it was understandable that they wouldn’t believe I came back without any reason, so I left him alone until he dropped his suspicion on his own.

As I took out my textbook and sat at the desk, little Norman lingered around, but when I started studying, he tiptoed away quietly.

‘Why did Luwen come to the medical department library…’

Depending on the reason, I might have to stop going to the library altogether. But there was no way to find out the reason right away, so I was pondering what to do next. Just then, Nadian opened the door and came in, expressing his doubt.

“Wow, amazing. Luwen- Huh? Why is Norman here at this hour?”

Luwen? Did he just say Luwen? Why am I hearing Luwen’s name so much today? I don’t think he heard about the library incident, but it was strangely bothering me.

“He said he came back because he was tired. Don’t you think it’s strange too? He didn’t even pretend to listen when we told him to take it easy.”

Little Norman answered instead of me. Nadian’s narrowed eyes were full of suspicion.

“Are you sick again?”

I was curious about why he mentioned Luwen, but it seemed the conversation was going to veer off in another direction. To naturally bring up the topic of Luwen, I smiled calmly.

“It’s not that, the library suddenly became noisy, so I came back because it was distracting.”

“Ah. Oh! Right. That was probably because of Luwen?”

I tilted my head for a moment, then responded as if I had just remembered.

“Ah! The famous one from the swordsmanship department? Why him?”

“I just heard the news, but it seems Luwen and Senior Alteo are dating.”

“…Huh?”