HPDBC Chapter 328
Chapter 328
Chapter 328
Chirp— Chirp-.
The songs of unfamiliar insects filled the park.
“Sniff...”
Between their chirping, Rodelin’s quiet sniffles could still be heard.
Though she’d stopped crying a while ago, she kept her face buried in my chest.
It wasn’t because she had feelings for me.
‘She must be mortified.’
Breaking down in tears before a much younger junior, practically clinging to him—of course Rodelin would be embarrassed.
She was probably desperately trying to figure out how to regain her dignity as a senior and extract herself from my embrace.
‘Her face must be a complete mess too.’
For someone who always maintains an impeccable appearance and serves on the student council—someone responsible for correcting other students’ appearances—to be seen in such disarray?
‘Such an unseemly disgrace! Death would be more honorable than being seen like this!’
-She was probably thinking something ridiculous like that.
“...”
“...”
A heavy silence descended. I tried to shift slightly to break the stalemate, but...
Tremble!
‘What incredible strength!’
Rodelin clutched my clothes tightly, refusing to let go.
She’d apparently decided that staying like this forever was better than showing her tear-stained face.
This wouldn’t do. At this rate, I might end up as a petrified statue, remembered for generations to come.
I’d become an academy landmark titled ‘The End of the Playboy Who Made a Woman Cry’.
A bad ending where I turn into a stone statue? I refuse to meet such an absurd fate.
“Ahem...”
I cleared my throat and discreetly produced a handkerchief, offering it to her.
It was a gesture of compromise.
She seemed to understand my meaning—her hand snatched the handkerchief with lightning speed.
I felt a flurry of movement against my chest, and soon Rodelin, having composed herself, finally sat up.
“Ahem, thank you. Something got in my eye, it was quite troublesome.”
Rodelin tucked the handkerchief into her pocket. Clearly, she had no intention of returning it.
‘That’s a shame.’
I could have made a tidy profit auctioning it off as ‘Vice President Rodelin’s Tear-Stained Handkerchief!’
Huh? Who would buy that, you ask?
...More people than you’d think. There are plenty of perverts in this world.
‘Well, I’m definitely not one of them!’
Come to think of it, Rodelin’s tears had also soaked into my uniform.
While I was contemplating whether I should sell my uniform too,
“I showed you an unsightly side of myself.”
“Keke, nothing happened, did it?”
When I played innocent, Rodelin let out a small laugh.
“Thank you. For knowing how to help someone through pain. Perhaps... you’ve experienced a lot of this yourself.”
Sympathy shone in Rodelin’s eyes as she looked at me.
Well, she’s not wrong. Being deeply immersed in this cursed game.
That alone is worthy of pity.
“If you ever have troubles, tell me. I’ll listen anytime.”
“Keke, unfortunately, I don’t. Thanks to you, senior, I’m having a thoroughly enjoyable academy life.”
“There might be difficulties outside of academy life. For example... Demons haunting your dreams?”
That mention of Demons in dreams.
While it could mean simple nightmares, in this world, it carried a different connotation.
‘Don’t speak with Demons, even in your dreams.’
It was both a warning and a concern about yielding to demonic temptation.
Someone as sharp as Rodelin surely knew this meaning.
So why bring it up now?
Could it be...
“Keke, do you think I might be an enemy?”
“Uh, huh? Th-that’s not it. I-I would never think that!”
For someone claiming that, she was stuttering quite a bit.
I stared intently at Rodelin, gradually leaning closer.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“Hmm...”
“I-I told you I didn’t think that!”
“Hmm...”
“D-don’t come closer!”
“Hmmmmm!”
“Un-Unhealthy Relationship Repelling Punch!!”
“Well... what would you do if I made the proposal?”
“Huh?”
Is Rodelin actually suggesting we take over the academy together?
That Rodelin who single-handedly crushed all factions and declared peace in her first year?
‘If I take Rodelin’s hand here...’
The story wouldn’t just break—it would shatter completely.
So, I have to refuse. Didn’t I just resolve not to get involved with Rodelin?
But.
‘Why is she so cute?’
Honestly, this is unfair.
Setting a trap I can’t help but fall into. Those damn developers are truly brilliant.
“N-never mind! I misspoke. Forming a faction. That’s absurd.”
“Keke, wouldn’t it be alright to at least hear my answer?”
“N-no! Don’t say it! Close your mouth right now!”
Rodelin covered my mouth with her entire body.
Ah, I’m happy. To think I can continue being with such a cute Rodelin in the future?
Who cares if the story gets shattered?
I should tell her right now. I’ll be your slave... Oh, no. I’ll be your subordinate!
“Mmm!”
“Quiet! Be quiet!”
One trying to speak, the other trying to silence—
While we were locked in this fierce struggle,
“What? Are you flirting?”
A voice suddenly rang out.
Our gazes immediately turned toward the statue.
A woman stood atop the hero’s statue, bathed in moonlight.
Bobbed hair that looked like a slice of night sky, and icy blue eyes.
Cat-like eyes even fiercer than Luna’s.
A long sword strapped horizontally at her waist.
Even a white cloak bearing the Lucid family’s symbolic lion.
‘That woman is...!’
Though I was seeing her for the first time, I knew exactly who she was.
Rodelin seemed to share my recognition. Her mouth opened cautiously.
“Little Sister...?”
The third daughter of the Lucid family, known as the Mad Lion.
Lowell de Lucid.
That was the woman’s identity.
“So you haven’t forgotten my face. Should I be grateful for this?”
Lowell lightly jumped down from the statue and stood before us.
“...”
My neck bent downward. It was because Lowell was much shorter than me.
Not because I’m tall. Because Lowell is particularly short.
Even elementary school children these days would tower over her.
‘Was her official height... 147cm?’
She seemed even shorter than that.
Perhaps it was because I was just staring down at her.
Lowell’s sharp, cat-like eyes tilted upward even more.
“What? Are you looking down on me because I’m short?”
That voice snapped me back to reality.
I’d made a mistake. In my surprise, I’d done something you should never do in front of Lowell.
Since things had come to this, there was only one option. I had to use ‘that technique’.
Rip!
I spread my legs wide to the sides. So wide they felt like they would tear.
Only then could I finally meet Lowell’s gaze.
But it wasn’t enough. I spread them even wider.
My thighs burned as if they were being torn apart, but I gritted my teeth and endured.
And finally, I achieved the angle I wanted.
Lowell’s gaze was now above mine. Looking up slightly at her, I said,
“Keke, hello. My name is Zero. I’m a first-year.”
A greeting delivered while doing a split.
Only then did Lowell’s sky-high gaze return to normal.
“Hmm... You’re not much to look at, but you’re a polite guy.”
–TL Notes–
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