Chapter 41: The Lobby Backtalk Event

“Celebrating your birthday—what does the length of time we’ve known each other have to do with that?”

“Exactly!”

Senior Blida was the first to speak, and Senior Elska agreed, chiming in.

That was when Yor, who had been wrapped around me, quietly slipped away.

The sudden popping of fireworks must have startled him enough for his heartbeat to calm down.

Sensing Yor’s presence fading, something came to mind.

“By the way, Senior Elska, you mentioned just now that you heard a rumor? Could that rumor be about what happened yesterday in the dormitory lobby…?”

“Oh, no! We just, well, heard that a familiar spirit was born, and then learned that yesterday was your birthday! Your familiar spirit became really famous in just one day! You know, the cat that uses a spoon to eat!!”

“Yeah, what Elska said! We research students and professors use separate buildings from the dorm, right? So… near the Research Wing! You know that, right? If not, remember it now? Anyway, anyway― we had no idea about anything happening in the regular student dormitory!”

The response to my tentative question was exactly what I expected.

Elska senior couldn’t control his trembling eyes and rambled while staring off into empty space.

Senior Blida, sweating nervously, forced an awkward smile and exaggerated her words.

When I glanced back, as I suspected, Professor Radvisin was facepalming and shaking his head.

‘No matter how you look at it, they probably heard about what happened in the lobby yesterday and decided to prepare a party.’

Whether the extra who got whipped in the original story and the one who kneeled yesterday are the same person is unknown.

Regardless, students badmouthing Karvald behind his back is an inevitable event.

And someday, I knew I would have to crash that scene and silence those who curse this possessed body.

So I had long since prepared myself mentally.

Moreover, the group of extras claimed to be nobles and kept their vulgar curses to a minimum to maintain their dignity.

Because of Karvald’s status, no one dared to insult his parents.

‘The ridiculous rumor about whipping the familiar spirit was so absurd that even witnessing a group of students criticize one person didn’t leave me any time to recall trauma!’

So I was genuinely okay.

Enough to name that incident the “Lobby Backtalk Event.”

But at this moment, only Yor and I knew the truth. The only others might be the readers of this narrative.

By the way, mentioning “readers” is just a ramble based on the fact that my life is being written as a novel, so you can ignore it.

Anyway, to conclude:

Professor Radvisin and the two research students didn’t know I was okay, so they prepared a birthday party to comfort me.

Their little protege or junior, who had to face the reality of being hated by many on their birthday, looked so pitiful and worrisome.

They wanted to send the message that not everyone hated me; there were those who rejoiced at my birth.

‘The school environment isn’t all bad.’

For the first time, that thought crossed my mind.

Just because there were people who cared enough to throw me a birthday party, I felt a surge of courage that I could navigate academy life well from now on.

“Anyway, thank you so much. I should’ve said this earlier, but I was too flustered to properly express my gratitude.”

I politely offered my thanks and apology.

Senior Blida replied that it was fine and helped me sit down.

Senior Elska did the same, carefully placing the cake he was holding on the desk, presumably to light the candles.

Watching the candles catch fire, I unconsciously counted them.

One longest candle, one medium-sized, and three short ones.

‘Of course. This possessed body is eighteen years old.’

If I considered my true age, there should be one more long candle.

But the number of candles didn’t matter; what mattered was the heart of those celebrating. So I didn’t dwell on it.

I couldn’t reveal my true identity anyway.

Elska brought the lit cake back in front of me.

Senior Blida clapped her hands and began singing a birthday song, and Yor shook a jade orb that chimed rhythmically along.

Professor Radvisin sat back in his chair, watching us with a proud smile.

The short song ended, and I blew out the candles just in time.

Once again, warm birthday wishes poured over me.

The atmosphere was so pleasant I almost wanted to pretend I didn’t notice.

Still, there was something that needed to be addressed.

“But isn’t there any discomfort? You must have heard the rumor that I made a classmate kneel in the dorm lobby.”

“Oh, come on. If we didn’t know you well, we might’ve misunderstood, but now we know you.”

“Right, right! That student must’ve done something wrong to our junior to have knelt! I heard they even insulted you by dragging the royal family into it…”

It was Senior Elska who first took the bait I subtly threw.

He put the cake back on the empty desk and cut it into pieces, answering casually as if it were no big deal.

Senior Blida nodded in agreement but then suddenly paused with a ‘wait’ expression.

Only then did Elska make a shocked sound, “Huh!”

“An interrogation, huh…!!”

“Hey, how can you say that?!”

“ofot…!”

“Elska, you idiot!!”

The two research students, neither gifted in acting nor deception, started bickering.

Their advisor was the one who calmed them and brought the situation back to order.

“Even if Miss Blida and Mr. Elska seem immature, they are adults who can think properly. Don’t misunderstand; they didn’t prepare this party out of hasty pity.”

“I understand. They just cared about me, and surely also wanted to celebrate my birthday sincerely.”

Although I always interpreted Reysir’s words with sarcasm, I wasn’t actually a twisted person.

Still, there was a reason I brought up the “Lobby Backtalk Event” again.

“I wasn’t trying to probe, just curious how the rumors spread. But there was really no one better to ask than you two, and I don’t want to show others that I’m anxiously worrying about rumors.”

Though I said this, there was some intention behind the question.

I wanted to see if the research seniors would show strong emotions or just brush it off.

But the reason wasn’t “I’m too proud to be pitied.”

‘I’m worried someone other than Reysir saw me hiding behind the pillar! According to what Reysir told me yesterday, my face went pale then. Considering the situation, that expression could be easily mistaken for being scared of being hated.’

‘If such a misunderstanding spread through rumors, how much would people belittle me?’

They would treat me kneeing someone as a coward’s desperate act.

They wouldn’t openly insult me but would snicker and laugh whenever passing by.

‘If I pointed that out, they’d just deny it, saying they were smiling because they were happy, so what’s the problem?’

‘Judging by the seniors’ reactions, it doesn’t seem like rumors about me being scared have spread. If that were the case, they would’ve pitied me more and expressed anger at that someone and the group of extras.’

I still can’t be sure if the research seniors truly care for me.

But the fact that they prepared a birthday party means they at least see me as a friendly acquaintance.

“Hoo…”

The experienced old professor sighed softly.

He probably guessed the gist of why I’m trying so hard not to be belittled.

In contrast, his students in their twenties still had some innocence left.

“Don’t want to look weak in front of friends? Yeah, yeah. That’s typical for late teens.”

“Then we should let you know~!”

Senior Blida nodded as if she understood, and Senior Elska handed out plates with cake slices, even showing enthusiasm.

I barely held back a bitter smile at their unexpectedly bright expressions.

These seniors must have been so busy studying that they never got involved in politics or social circles.

‘That’s a good thing. They’ve never been bullied, never belonged to a bullying group, and never stood by silently when bullying happened right in front of them!’

As expected, the rumors the research seniors told me were nothing special.

Someone had spoken recklessly and got scolded by me—that was the whole story.

Apparently, only Reysir saw me freeze with a shocked expression behind the pillar.

‘What a relief.’

***

After I put those worries aside, I formally introduced Yor to the professor and seniors.

Of course, I introduced the three to Yor as well.

For a while after that, the conversation naturally turned to Yor’s cuteness, cleverness, and the sky-blue Aether.

Before long, the topic of wanting to see the rainclouds during the next training session came up from the seniors…

“Oh, by the way, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

I suddenly spoke as if a thought just struck me.

But that was just acting.

To confess my conscience here, I’d been looking for an opportunity to bring this up for a while.

“Before the day after tomorrow’s training begins, I’d like to borrow the professor’s personal office in the lab for a moment. I want to have a quiet conversation alone with my fiancée, but there’s no suitable place.”

“Borrowing the room is fine, but aren’t there plenty of room cafes in the commercial district? I hear young people nowadays talk and study together in places like that.”

“I know about room cafes too. But if I suggest meeting somewhere isolated, my fiancée might get scared. Here, with the professor and seniors just beyond the door, she’ll feel safe.”

I explained to Professor Radvisin why I needed to meet Vigdis here.

Their expressions shifted awkwardly.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold, and I was clueless as to why until Senior Elska told me.

“Karvald junior…? What exactly did you do to your fiancée last semester to make you so sure she’d be scared to even meet at a room cafe?”

Honestly, I’m not sure myself.

I don’t know the details of how Karvald harassed Vigdis since the original work didn’t delve into it.

I only know that Karvald isolated Vigdis.

Even if I don’t know the process, it’s clear that she was the victim.

So it’s only natural to be cautious when deciding the meeting place.

That way, Vigdis can feel secure and open up to the conversation.

But I can’t say, “There’s no specific incident, but I think she’s scared of me.”

That would only make things awkward or worse.

So I could only answer sheepishly, “Well… you know, I’m a bit… obsessed… no, quite a lot…?”

“……”

“…….”

“……”

“Meowww….”

The three fell into silence.

Meanwhile, one dragon familiar facepalmed and shook his head.

Looks like he learned that move from Professor Radvisin earlier.