“Hey, listen! Viloti’s little lapdog went to bother her again!”
“Ugh, gross.”
In the student council room, several girls in school uniforms gathered together, chatting idly.
White stockings and glimpses of skin beneath their skirts radiated the allure of youth.
“Senior, don’t you think he’s gone too far?”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the center of the room, where the student council president, Adelina Claude, was seated.
Her waist-length rose-tea-colored hair swayed gently with her movements, and her cool gray-blue eyes lifted with a calm, gentle air.
She sat gracefully in her chair, the white hem of her uniform skirt cascading elegantly.
“You mean Miss Viloti from St. Andros Academy? I’m not too familiar with what happens outside our school.”
Sunlight poured through the window, casting a dreamy glow over her delicate features.
She took a sip of her black tea, her soft pink lips lightly touching the rim of the cup.
“But,” she continued, setting the cup down with a serene smile, “everyone has their own circumstances, don’t they?”
“As expected of Lady Adelina. She’s kind even to someone like that.”
“We should just have him chase after Lady Adelina instead. She’s way out of Viloti’s league.”
“Don’t say something so outrageous! Lady Adelina can’t be sullied by that kind of person!”
The room filled with laughter once again.
As the bell rang, the girls began to take their leave one by one.
Adelina tidied everything on the desk, locked the office door, took her bag in both hands, and walked through the school building.
At the corner of the corridor, a familiar figure came into view—a tall man stood by a poster, doing something unclear.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“Not at all. No matter how long I wait, I’m happy, because I’m waiting for you, Miss Adelina.”
Felyn Sorester flashed his perfectly rehearsed smile.
That smile was the result of more than a thousand practice sessions in front of the mirror.
It wasn’t greasy or fake—just right.
“What were you looking at?”
Adelina stepped closer, glancing at the wall beside him.
A poster, apparently put up by someone, listed the “Light of Seiwa’s School Beauties Ranking.”
At the top were the two most well-known names from St. Andros and Lanche Academy respectively.
“First place... it’s me and... Viloti?”
More accurately, you’re second. Viloti’s got one more vote than you.
Of course, Felyn didn’t say that out loud.
“I’m one vote behind Viloti? Behind her???”
Her voice was still soft and gentle, but Felyn could swear the air temperature dropped sharply.
Adelina turned around gracefully, still wearing that perfect smile but Felyn noticed her hand clutching the hem of her skirt tightly, her knuckles pale.
“Felyn, do you think this ranking is fair?”
“Well... it’s just some casual student poll...”
“You didn’t just vote for her, did you?”
Felyn was confused.
Why did he feel a chill crawl up his spine, even though the sweet, gentle girl before him was speaking in a soft, almost whiny tone?
“Of course not! I voted for you, Miss Adelina! Not just me—I dragged my whole family into voting for you too!”
“Isn’t your whole family just you these days?”
“...Good point.”
Adelina Claude.
Student council president. Model student. Ranked number one as the most desired girlfriend at Lanche Academy.
If anyone could embody kindness and perfection, it would be her.
She made tea for everyone after club activities, organized tutoring sessions during exam season for her juniors, and being born into a prestigious family, she had received elite education since childhood.
She had absolute confidence in herself.
Whatever she participated in—she was always number one.
People hired Felyn for all sorts of odd reasons.
But no client was more boring than Adelina.
At six years old, she failed to win re-election as kindergarten class president.
Her first, and to date only, failure.
She still remembered the scene vividly: a new transfer student with pink hair had quickly become popular.
The two of them tied in votes, and the last deciding vote went to the pink-haired girl.
She lost.
Adelina, who had never known defeat, still couldn’t let it go even after more than ten years.
So she hired Felyn to act out a scenario.
She had him play the role of that final voter—constantly whispering in her ear how he regretted it and had fallen for her now.
To prove that her life’s one stain was due to his blindness—not her failure.
What a mess.
Another “regret” role. And for such a ridiculous reason.
All Felyn remembered from kindergarten was poking girls’ cheeks. Being class president didn’t help with that—so what was the point?
“It’s not that I care about the rankings. I just can’t accept being ranked below Viloti.”
Felyn looked at the girl before him, wondering—was she angry?
This was his first time seeing someone actually pout when angry.
“You think so too, don’t you?”
“Of course not! You’re number one in my heart, Lady Adelina.”
“So why did you vote for Viloti back then?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Adelina. I was blind. I didn’t realize the most amazing person in the world was right beside me. I regret it deeply now.”
Felyn bowed his head, biting his lip, his eyes shimmering with tears—his expression flustered.
The tears were fake, but the panic was real.
Three days ago, Adelina had let something slip while drunk—the pink-haired girl who stole her class president seat was none other than Viloti.
Why? Why, in all of Seiwa, do they have to have a grudge?
If he had known their social circles overlapped, he’d never have taken the job.
He felt like a secret agent on a double mission, caught holding a pot of chicken soup at someone’s front door.
Thankfully, Viloti’s contract had ended smoothly, with no drama.
If Adelina found out, she’d definitely think he used her money to chase after Viloti.
Felyn’s lashes trembled. Even just imagining the consequences sent chills down his spine.
Adelina looked at Felyn’s face—overlaying it with the image of the boy in her memories.
That annoying last-voter who picked Viloti... was Felyn.
Even though they weren’t close—had never spoken—Adelina would never forget how her heart shattered.
She would definitely make Felyn pay.
“Do you really regret it?”
“Absolutely. I regret that moment every second of every day.”
“Liar.”
Adelina said quietly.
She realized Felyn didn’t remember anything from their childhood. It was like this whole “revenge” thing only mattered to her.
Which, well... It kind of did.
Adelina turned away, her rose-tea hair trailing behind in a graceful arc.
Bam!
Felyn noticed the disappointment in her eyes.
Who knew what she might make him do if she got into a worse mood?
He stepped forward and dropped to one knee, looking up at her.
“Adelina, I no longer like Viloti. I finally understand—it’s always been you in my heart.”
No hesitation. He went straight into a powerful, frame-zero confession.
“Wh-what...?”
Adelina often had Felyn perform these dramatic love scenes. But this was the first time he’d said Viloti’s name right in front of her.
That rush of satisfaction—it was addictive.
Like walking through summer in a down coat, then suddenly stumbling into a shower room and unlimited ice cream.
“Please, give me another chance,” Felyn said softly, kissing the back of her hand. “Just let me stay by your side—that’s all I ask.”
Adelina shivered.
The hairs on her arm stood on end, her heartbeat thundered as if trying to break out of her chest.
She bit her lip silently, trying to keep her expression calm.
At least don’t lose composure in front of him, she told herself.
Unaware that her ears had already turned bright red.
She huffed, yanked her hand away, and strode quickly off campus.
Felyn followed, pulling a rolled-up poster from his jacket.
“What is it now?”
The poster had Adelina’s name circled in thick red.
Next to it, in big letters: “World’s Number One Beauty.”
“In my eyes, you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.” Felyn said it completely straight-faced, staring into her eyes.
“Wh—”
So that’s what he was doing earlier by the poster.
Adelina’s cheeks flushed. She snatched the poster from him and folded it up without even looking.
“Childish!”
Idiot.
If only this wasn’t a paid act...
Adelina thought wistfully.
That boy had once overlooked her, choosing someone else. But now that he’d grown and realized how incredible she was, he regretted it deeply and came crawling back.
Heh. What a satisfying story.
She skipped two steps ahead with a little hop, then quickly patted her cheeks to calm herself down.
No way something like that would happen.
There’s no chance the broke noble Felyn could have any connection to someone like Viloti—right?
(End of Chapter)