CHAPTER 119

“Great tea has subtle notes that linger pleasantly in the air.” Ban Hee-Yeol set down his teacup and smiled charmingly. “Great people are the same. My dear, I aim to be someone who stands out through temperament alone.”

“Yeah? Is that the reason for your backlog of work?”

“Hmm... Do I have to explain it again from the beginning?”

“No!” The secretary snapped. “Stop talking nonsense. You want to stand out through temperament alone? Who would believe it when you ride around in a damn palanquin every day!” The secretary’s voice grew louder when she scanned Ban Hee-Yeol up and down.

Ban Hee-Yeol wore a bright, lime-green robe over his school uniform and had his hair in a topknot. There wasn’t a single part of him that didn’t stand out.

“My explanation must’ve entered one ear and left the other. Also, a gentle reminder, you shouldn’t raise your voice. People with loud voices are easily misunderstood as trying to cover up their mistakes or shortcomings.” Ban Hee-Yeol had an expression of pity on his face as he talked. “You should strive to be a serene person like me.”

“Kuek! Urgh!”

The female secretary clenched her fists and glared fiercely at Ban Hee-Yeol. For the first time in her life, she prayed to God.

Someone, please hit him. I don’t ask for much. Just once.Please!

Of course, it was a prayer that couldn’t be fulfilled. The Ban family was the most prestigious family in South Korea for having produced four S-class players in a row. It was foremost among the families with the title of count, and there were even rumors circulating that it would be promoted to a ducal family to replace the Kang family.

How could Ban Hee-Yeol, the heir of such a great family, become the target of violence?

It was almost unthinkable; both professors and students gave Ban Hee-Yeol special treatment.

Life is truly unfair. The female secretary had realized this again and again through Ban Hee-Yeol.

Innate status was simply many times more important than acquired effort. Ban Hee-Yeol was a person who stood at the top from the moment he was born. His reason for joining the Student Council was just to add a line to his resume that read: Former Student Council president of Lion’s Castle.

To him, the work of the Student Council was nothing more than a game play. He didn’t have to take it seriously or work hard.

Ban Hee-Yeol asked, “How long are you going to stand there? I heard there is quite a backlog of work.”

“My work piles up every day because of a certain someone,” The female secretary retorted before turning her back on Ban Hee-Yeol.

Knock knock.

There was a steady knock at the door of the vice president’s office, and Ban Hee-Yeol’s social-status senses tingled. “Oh! It must be a person of dignity.”

He removed his neck pillow, blew off the dust on the documents on his desk, and sat upright in his chair.

The female secretary sighed and called out, “Come in.”

Click.

The door opened.

“Ah.”

The person who entered was a boy with black hair and black eyes, broad shoulders, and a well-proportioned face. He was also tall with long, slender arms. Overall, he had a model-like figure, just like Ban Hee-Yeol.

However, the impression he gave off was completely different. While Ban Hee-Yeol’s features had a hint of slyness and playfulness, the boy’s face appeared pure and upright.

Ahh. I want to take him to a remote mountain village so we can live alone together for the rest of our lives, the secretary thought. It was really a waste to show him to others. The fire in her heart continued to spread, and before she knew it, she was already calculating how many children she should have with this person.

“Wake up.”

Ban Hee-Yeol’s cold voice brought the female secretary back to reality.

“That guy is far from your ideal type.”

Ah? How can you be so sure?What do you know? Before the secretary could ask this, she stepped back in surprise.

The boy in front of her...

The secretary tensed, gulping nervously.

His neat black hair, fair skin, and faint smile had given him an innocent air at first, but now his expression had changed—No, nothing changed. I was just mistaken from the start. She had glimpsed an abyss in the boy’s dark eyes.

The boy bowed to her before he turned and asked Ban Hee-Yeol, “Ban Hee-Yeol, have your old memories faded?”

“Old memories? I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Then, I will remind you.”

Baaaam!

Seeing the boy stride up and kick Ban Hee-Yeol, the secretary stared dumbly for a moment and then trembled.

He... He was a beautiful messenger of God!

Heaven had answered her prayer!

***

“Kuooh!”

Ban Hee-Yeol was embarrassed.

Was it because he hadn’t expected the kick? No, Ban Hee-Yeol had a history of being kicked by Kang Jae-Hyeok, which went back ten years. It wasn’t something he could forget. He’d predicted this situation and thought he was sufficiently prepared.

What embarrassed him was his failure to respond.

Jae-Hyeok’s kicks were much faster and more powerful than he had expected.

“Oh, You didn’t faint this time?” Jae-Hyeok was impressed. He hadn’t expected Ban Hee-Yeol to endure his kick. Of course, I controlled my strength, but even still... This person was different from the students he’d seen so far.

Well, it makes sense.

That the Ban family was one of the most prestigious families was a fact that even Jae-Hyeok had to acknowledge. Ban Hee-Yeol’s personality had been a complete mess when he was young, but even back then, his talent was clear.

Jae-Hyeok just hadn’t expected him to be this remarkable. He wondered, “You’re quite strong. Did you take any elixirs?”

“Gasp... Shouldn’t... I be asking you that? You’ve grown quite a lot.”

Ban Hee-Yeol finally caught his breath and clenched his stomach tightly, waiting for the pain to go away.

This damn guy. He’s a year younger, yet already hit me twice? Ten years ago, Ban Hee-Yeol had to consider the difference in status between a duke’s son and a count’s son. But now the Kang family had collapsed, and he was the senior. “Jae-Hyeok, you’ve always been unruly. You rely too much on your strength to do whatever you want. I worry about your future. Therefore, I will educate you as your senior and fellow aristocrat.”

Ban Hee-Yeol opened his fan and purple waves of mana radiated off him.

Jae-Hyeok told him, “Education is something you should receive. Even though you call yourself an aristocrat, you always cause trouble for your juniors.”

“...Cause trouble?” Ban Hee-Yeol tilted his head in confusion. Jae-Hyeok leaned forward and put a hand on his sword hilt. He explained, “Isn’t it the job of the Student Council to provide a guidebook to newly created teams? But our team didn’t get such a guidebook. Thanks to you, I suffered for nothing.”

“A guidebook?”

Ban Hee-Yeol’s gaze shifted to the secretary.

“Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Yes? How could you handle things that way... ”

“Why are you blaming me? It’s the vice president’s job.”

“...My job?”

Ban Hee-Yeol was a first-year student until just a few months ago. This was his first semester as a second-year student and as the vice president of the Student Council. Likewise, it was still the first semester for the first-year students; very few of them formed teams, so the work related to them was unfamiliar to Ban Hee-Yeol.

Of course, he would’ve known about the guidebook had he studied diligently.

The female secretary smiled brightly. “In the end, you reap what you sow.”

“Don’t make me laugh!” Ban Hee-Yeol was angry. “Why is it my role to hand out guidebooks? Do you think it makes sense for me, a second-year student in the Student Council, to take on such miscellaneous work?”

“Why are you asking me this? The vice president’s responsibilities were decided long before I got here.”

“Then there must’ve been some idiots among the seniors!”

As a true aristocrat, Ban Hee-Yeol believed everything in the world had a hierarchy, from people to professions to culture. Aristocrats should do noble work. Yet he was made to hand out guidebooks? Even if that was the rule, it was something he couldn’t accept.

“What a nasty rule. I’ll change it right away, starting now.”

“What’s your basis for changing it?” Jae-Hyeok questioned. “And do you really think that providing guidebooks is beneath your role?”

“How dare you speak like you know anything about the Student Council—”

“Students count on you. Your role is to guide students, and guidebooks are one of the ways to help them.”

Ban Hee-Yeol shut his mouth, somewhat stunned. Was that what it meant to be vice president?

“Didn’t I tell you ten years ago? Don’t keep thinking you will be treated well while doing nothing.” Gripping his hilt, Jae-Hyeok’s knuckles turned white. He was genuinely angry at Ban Hee-Yeol. What if it had been Lee Jin-Seong’s team that had been challenged by four second-year teams consecutively?

They would’ve suffered a huge defeat, and the blow wouldn’t have been just physical but mental, too. It wouldn’t be surprising if their hard-earned self-esteem collapsed and they fell into a slump.

“If you want to enjoy your status, prove yourself. Work hard and be diligent.”

That was the duty of those who stood at the top—because the actions of those at the top determined the fate of countless others.

Jae-Hyeok drew his sword while Ban Hee-Yeol put down his fan.

Ban Hee-Yeol took the incoming reverse-blade strike head-on.

Shatter!

Unable to withstand it, Ban Hee-Yeol crashed through the window and was flung outside the building. His face twisted with pain. It wasn’t physical pain, but mental pain.

How embarrassing.

A true aristocrat.

Ban Hee-Yeol had great pride in himself, so it was grating to hear Kang Jae-Hyeok lecturing him. But the impact of his words couldn’t be ignored. He reflected on his mistakes.

“......!”

Then, he caught sight of Kang Jae-Hyeok’s annoying face—before he knew it, Kang Jae-Hyeok appeared by the window frame and extended a hand.

What? Does he want me to grab his hand?

Ban Hee-Yeol snorted and crossed his arms arrogantly mid-air. Hmph, why would I grab your hand?

He regretted his choice a moment later when he noticed both Kang Jae-Hyeok and the window frame were shrinking in his vision. Only then did Ban Hee-Yeol realize he was falling.

The next moment, his ears rang and he felt pain everywhere.

Ugh... Am I dead?

What floor was the vice president’s office on? He was lying there in a daze when someone pulled him up by the ear.

“Ack! Aaaaack!” Ban Hee-Yeol completely lost his composure and screamed.

Jae-Hyeok showed no sympathy. “You should put in as much effort in your work as you do in the messes you make.”

Jae-Hyeok’s gait was unsteady as he dragged Ban Hee-Yeol along. He’d sprained his ankle while trying to protect Ban Hee-Yeol from landing on the landscape rock.

“Ack! Aack! Let go of me first!”

Perhaps that was why Jae-Hyeok’s grip on Ban Hee-Yeol’s ear kept getting tighter.

Jae-Hyeok suddenly suggested, “Let’s do a hair inspection for the students. This much should be possible using the Student Council’s authority, right?”

“Hair inspection? Do you mean to interfere with the students’ hairstyles? We aren’t the Communist Party. What is this... ”

“I just want to find the people wearing wigs.” If the beastman had disguised himself as a student, there was a high possibility he would be wearing a wig. Baldness was too noticeable in young students.

“...Are you seriously trying to expose bald people? What have they ever done to you?” Ban Hee-Yeol, who’d yet to hear the details, was still appalled. “Communist Leader Kang, you are a lost cause. The lowest of the low.”