Chapter 21: Why Did You Let Him Go?

“What do you mean by that? Those two tried to use you, so you tried to use them back. But even that ended up with you being used in the end?”

That’s a very accurate summary.

Right now, I’m laying the groundwork to pin all the misdeeds this possessed body committed in the first semester on Tridric.

But I shouldn’t say that out loud.

“I shouldn’t have said that in front of you… I shouldn’t have brought it up. Just pretend you didn’t hear anything.”

No matter how much I try to paint it as Tridric coaxing me into doing bad things, it doesn’t change the fact that Karvald Austri bullied Reysir Daudabina, who was innocent.

So blatantly claiming, ‘The real villain is Tridric!’ would be foolish.

It would only look like I’m not reflecting on my own faults and am just shifting the blame onto someone else.

That’s why I let out a vague statement that hints at guilt while also implying, ‘It’s related to you,’ and tried to muddle through.

“How can I pretend I didn’t hear what I’ve already heard? And what do you mean by saying it’s not something to say in front of me?”

That’s something you have to think about and figure out from now on.

That way, you’ll think you figured it out on your own, even though I had no intention of telling you.

Concealing such calculations, I tried to show my stubbornness not to answer no matter how much he asked, and changed the subject.

“Anyway, why did you want to talk to me? What business do you have with me?”

“You really… I just can’t figure out what you’re thinking.”

“So, is your business that you want to know what I’m thinking?”

“Of course not!!”

I spouted some nonsense on purpose, and Reysir suddenly raised his voice.

‘Maybe acting like this annoying, hard-to-talk-to type isn’t a bad idea. That way, even if the thought of getting close to me pops into his head, it’ll quickly vanish.’

“Karvald Austri, you… you didn’t believe everything that professor said earlier, did you?”

Reysir stared at me for a moment, let out a deep sigh, and finally got to the point.

But the topic was quite unexpected.

“Did I look like I believed it?”

“No.”

“So you already know the answer. Then why are you holding onto me and asking?”

I furrowed my brow and crossed my arms.

Even though I pressed him with a slightly irritated tone on purpose, Reysir’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest.

‘Is it because he knows well the arrogant personality of this possessed body? Or does he just not care?’

“I was going to ask you something else at first. But then you started muttering about being used and all that, so I wondered if you’re the type who trusts others easily and gets swayed, but it just doesn’t show because of your way of speaking and attitude!”

“…I told you to just pretend you didn’t hear that.”

“I’m not obligated to follow everything you say, am I?”

True. That’s a very protagonist-like answer, clear in his own convictions.

I nodded absentmindedly, agreeing, and then met eyes with Reysir, who was making a subtle expression.

It’s probably too late now.

Still, I lifted my chin brazenly as if nothing had happened and spoke up.

“Enough with the small talk. Get to the point. What was it you originally wanted to ask?”

“Since we talked at the library last time, I’ve noticed something about your way of speaking. You end your sentences with ‘~nya’. Do you realize it sometimes comes off as oddly provocative?”

“That was your main point?”

“No, it just popped into my head.”

He says he doesn’t have to follow my words, but it seems he really just doesn’t want to.

Still, it was a helpful observation.

I’ll have to pay more attention to my sentence endings from now on. I should’ve asked, ‘What is it?’ instead of ‘What is it now?’ this time.

“We’re not close enough to be joking around, are we? I’d appreciate it if you got to the main point soon.”

“You could have gotten that professor dismissed. Right?”

It was only after I half-pleaded that Reysir finally brought up what seemed to be the main topic.

I felt like I’d lost somehow and didn’t want to acknowledge his words so easily.

“No matter how influential the Austri Ducal Family is, it’s impossible to arbitrarily dismiss a professor from the Imperial Academy.”

“So instead of threatening with your family’s power, you created a situation where you could sway public opinion?”

“…What exactly are you getting at? Did you think I’d be disappointing for not turning over a new leaf and living honestly after reflecting on last semester?”

“You’re being difficult again.”

Reysir once again said I was ‘being difficult’.

Does he think I’m some rebellious, antisocial teenager?

I did act that way on purpose, but actually being treated like that felt pretty unpleasant.

“Anyway, it’s not that I was disappointed in you, like you said. Actually, I was impressed. You’ve really changed. Before, you would’ve flaunted your family’s power and flown into a rage… No, you wouldn’t have even accepted the duel in the first place. I think it was a really wise response.”

“…So that’s what you wanted to say? I never asked for your praise, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk to me about things like this in the future.”

“I have something else I really want to say.”

“Then say it already.”

I kept my arms crossed and tapped my forearm with my index finger to show my irritation.

Reysir, on the other hand, looked at me with an intrigued expression.

“You do keep listening, though, don’t you?”

It seems he was deliberately dragging out the conversation to observe how I’d react.

“…If you have nothing else to say, I’ll be going now.”

“Alright, alright! I was about to say it anyway!”

As I turned to head toward the dormitory, Reysir hurriedly blocked my path.

If I tried to ignore him and walk past, he looked ready to grab my arm and hang on.

So I stopped in place and ran my fingers through my hair, making an annoyed face to show that if he had something to say, he should hurry up and say it.

“If you’d pushed a bit more, you could have gotten that professor dismissed. Why did you let it go, saying the misunderstanding was cleared up?”

“Is that such an important issue for you? Enough that you’d approach and talk to someone who bullied you, in front of other students?”

“Are you worried about me? That I might look pathetic in other people’s eyes?”

“Hardly. I just wondered if you and that professor were close or something.”

Of course I know that’s not the case.

I read the original novel.

I just made that excuse because I didn’t like looking like I was worried about Reysir.

“I’m not close with that professor at all. I just didn’t care about what others thought. And it’s not really that important…”

“Then what is it?”

“I was just curious about why you gave that professor another chance.”

“Didn’t you say earlier that you didn’t want to know what I was thinking?”

“Uh…?”

The protagonist of someone else’s novel blinked with a dumbfounded look.

I couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the sight, and Reysir gave an awkward smile.

Facing him, I stopped smiling and put on a serious face.

If we kept laughing together, I might actually grow attached to him, which would be a problem.

“To answer your question, I just thought it would be bad if the class got canceled.”

“Ooh~!”

“What kind of reaction is that? Is it even a reaction?”

“Did you change your tone just now because of my earlier comment? Puhahaha!”

“…Now that we’ve finished talking, I’ll be heading back.”

I’m the one trying to be the annoying type in conversations, but why am I the one getting annoyed?

Frowning deeply, I took a step to the side to pass the snickering Reysir.

But Reysir moved in the same direction, blocking me again.

Maybe he tried to step aside and made a mistake, so I sidestepped the other way, but the result was the same.

“What are you doing?”

“I still have one more thing I want to say.”

“…Then say it quickly.”

If he dragged out the conversation with another pointless topic, I was ready to get angry.

With that thought, I glared at Reysir.

Fortunately, Reysir didn’t seem to want to waste any more time either.

He cleared his throat and spoke with a serious expression.

“I said earlier that your response was wise, but accepting the duel with me in the first place wasn’t a good decision. You could have brought it up before the duel started, right? What if I held a grudge and beat you so badly you couldn’t even surrender?”

So he was worried about me after all.

Honestly, he’s almost too nice.

If this scene had appeared in the original novel, readers would have filled the comments with, ‘Is the protagonist a pushover or what?’

I let out a deep sigh and answered his question.

“I thought it would be more effective to show that I’m a beginner first, rather than bring it up before the duel. I figured you wouldn’t use one-sided violence against a defenseless opponent. I did think I might get hit once, but considering what I did last semester, that’s nothing…”

“You really seem different from last semester.”

“Just think of it as me maturing.”

“You’re much easier to talk to now.”

“That’s not something I welcome. I don’t want to be on friendly terms with you.”

“Why not?”

Reysir stared at my face with a gaze that felt almost persistent.

At the same time, he fiddled with the eyepatch covering his right eye.

He must be thinking, ‘If only I could read others’ thoughts with the Truth-Reading Eye…’

In the original, Reysir often showed such feelings.

But he never managed to awaken that ability.

At least, not in the parts I read.

So I could confidently tell a lie.

“Because I don’t like you.”

No one keeps reading a novel when they dislike the protagonist.

Of course, I’m just an ordinary person like that too.

I liked the character Reysir Daudabina.

He felt similar to me in many ways.

That’s why I wanted to see him overcome hardships, gain recognition, and reach a happy ending.

***

As the story progressed, that possibility dropped so low it hit rock bottom.

But I kept reading, half out of hope and half out of habit.

That wish for him to have a happy ending hasn’t changed even now.

But first, I have to survive if I’m going to see anything at all, right?

“So why?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“…….”

“Now move. And don’t talk to me again.”

I feel sorry for Reysir, having to hear he’s disliked right to his face for no reason, but I think it’s partly his own fault.

He shouldn’t have asked for a reason.

If he’d just stopped caring about what I was thinking, he wouldn’t have heard it.

I wanted to ask him myself: ‘Why do you care so much about someone like Karvald Austri?’

But I couldn’t ask.

I knew he’d give an answer so kind, I wouldn’t know how to respond.

That’s only natural.

Being able to open others’ hearts so easily is practically a passive ability all web novel protagonists are born with.