Splitting Hairs

Volume: 2

Title: Chapter 39: Splitting Hairs

“No—I’ve sweated for this academy, I’ve bled for Saint Maria! You can’t treat me like this! I demand to see the Headmaster! I demand to see Pink Bear!”

In the empty training grounds, Kellen let out a heart-wrenching roar.

“See the Headmaster? I’ll take you to him right now, but I’m afraid Pink Bear can barely protect himself at this point!”

Cade sneered, his powerful cultivation allowing him to forcefully pin Kellen to the ground.

Thick ropes twisted and flew in his hands, swiftly binding Kellen.

He tied him in a sturdy hogtie.

As an afterthought, he delivered several hard kicks to Kellen’s backside.

‘Damn you.’

‘I stood up for you, I backed you up just now, and it turns out you really are a mountain bandit?’

‘You played with my feelings!’

Cade felt himself transform into a ruthless machine, his next step being to tie Pink Bear and this scoundrel together and burn them alive!

“Wait—wait a minute, I have something else to say!”

Seeing Cade already pulling off his foul-smelling sock, preparing to stuff it into his mouth, Kellen shrieked in terror one last time: “Just let me say one last thing!”

“One last thing? Very well, let’s hear your dying words.” Cade sneered, temporarily releasing him.

“I…”

Kellen took a deep breath, then looked at the bristling Ewan, a tragic smile gracing his lips: “I’ve fallen this time, but it doesn’t matter, my beauty, I will definitely return to marry…”

*Crack.*

The cold intensified dramatically.

Brilliant ice crystals instantly formed, freezing Kellen, whose face still held that repulsive smile, into an ice sculpture.

Celicia cast a cold glance at him. “Truly an offense to the ears.”

“…” Standing not far away, Ewan silently retreated a step, shrinking his neck.

‘I have a feeling Celicia isn’t in a very good mood.’

“Since the truth has been revealed.”

Celicia’s clear, cold gaze swept over the ‘heroes’ in the arena below, who were now as silent as they had been active moments ago.

“And since no one seems to be raising any objections, then… Teacher Cade, I’ll leave the rest to you. I won’t disturb your class any further.”

“No, no, the trouble was mine, thank you for your help.” Cade offered a wry smile.

He usually loathed anyone interrupting his lessons, but at a time like this, what else could he say?

Besides, he was far more eager to settle scores with Pink Bear than to teach his class.

“Then I shall take my leave first.”

Celicia nodded politely, then fixed her gaze on Ewan: “Ewan Campbell, you come with me.”

“Oh, oh.”

Ewan nodded blankly.

Just as he was about to follow Celicia, Teacher Cade called out to him.

“Um, Student Ewan…”

Ewan turned back, only to see Cade, contrary to his usual stern and fierce demeanor, scratching his head with an awkward expression: “Just now… I misjudged you. Um… I apologize.”

“Hm?”

Ewan was momentarily stunned.

Teacher Cade… was apologizing to him?

After a moment of bewilderment, Ewan recovered his senses.

Though Teacher Cade had a bad temper, he was indeed a straightforward person.

Otherwise, his earlier reaction wouldn’t have been so intense.

“It’s alright, Teacher Cade.”

After some thought, Ewan chose to forgive him.

After all, Cade’s actions were merely due to his impatience, and he had never actually struck Ewan, which indicated he was indeed upholding his duty as a teacher.

Compared to him, the others…

Ewan glanced at the people in the audience seats, then followed Celicia away.

****

Outside the training grounds, looking at Celicia walking ahead, Ewan found himself at a loss for words. He could only ask dryly: “By the way, Celicia, why did you suddenly appear here?”

‘And such a coincidence, too. There’s no way it was just a chance encounter.’

“Why?”

Celicia stopped, then turned back, her slender eyebrows raised high, like sharp, piercing swords.

“So I wouldn’t appear and let you die of stupidity?”

“…” Ewan felt her words were as unfeeling as a sword, directly piercing his chest with a chilling blow.

Yet, he had no retort.

Because he had indeed done the stupidest thing at the time.

Whether it was investigating afterward or reporting to Professor Planck, there were countless easy ways to expose Kellen’s identity as a bandit. Instead, he chose the most foolish option: to act out in public. This not only put him in the eye of the storm but also threatened to undo the slight improvement to his reputation he had worked so hard for recently.

“However, that punch of yours wasn’t problematic at all.”

Celicia suddenly said, her tone carrying a hint of the relief a father might feel upon discovering his son was, in fact, normal: “If you hadn’t thrown that punch, I’m afraid Duke Campbell might have truly considered disowning you.”

“Can we please not bring that up again!” Ewan complained tearfully.

Birds suddenly landed on the ornamental trees lining the road. Celicia’s cold gaze sent them fluttering away in fright.

“Ariel called me here,” Celicia suddenly revealed.

“Hm?”

“She said you were confessed to by a gay man and told me to hurry over to watch the spectacle.”

“Damn it.”

The warmth that had just bloomed in Ewan’s heart was swiftly extinguished.

He had almost been touched that Ariel would help someone she disliked.

But it turned out that person still had designs on Celicia. So, she just wanted to drag her over to watch him make a fool of himself?

‘You’re something else, you protagonist of a phoenix-like rise! Are you planning to attack on two fronts and conquer both of us simultaneously?’

‘Though it feels like neither path holds much hope.’

“Thank you, Celicia. You’ve helped me again.”

Ewan thanked her sincerely.

Looking back, it seemed he was constantly being helped by Celicia.

‘Yet, I’m the one who should feel guilty and make amends.’

“If you feel sorry for me, cause less trouble in the future.”

As if discerning Ewan’s thoughts, Celicia said coolly.

“Heh heh…”

Ewan could only offer a bitter smile.

He didn’t want to cause trouble, but trouble always seemed to find him.

Including this time…

“You seem very unhappy.”

“Eh?”

“The matter is resolved, the misunderstanding cleared, and that perverted gay man who might have continued to harass you has been caught. Yet you seem quite displeased.”

Celicia tilted her head, scrutinizing him, then suddenly spoke.

“…Do I?”

“Your face is practically crumpled like an old woman’s.”

“Is that so.”

‘Unconsciously, have I lost control of my own expressions?’

“Actually, I’m not unhappy, I’m just…”

Ewan lowered his head, staring at the ground, and said softly: “I’m just a little disappointed.”

‘Despite changing so much.’

‘Despite even Senior Sister praising my efforts.’

‘Despite thinking many things had become different.’

‘But…’

‘At a time like this.’

‘There are still people unwilling to trust him.’

‘There are still people unwilling to give him a little more time.’

‘There are still people…’

‘Hiding behind the crowd, showing him malice.’

‘This…’

‘Makes one involuntarily wonder, what exactly have all my actions amounted to?’

“Ewan Campbell!”

Celicia suddenly raised her voice, interrupting Ewan’s thoughts.

He looked up, only to find Celicia’s eyes cold, as if she were looking at a pile of combustible trash.

“You seem… to be splitting hairs.”

“Hm?”

Ewan was a little confused.

“What do you mean?”

“You couldn’t possibly genuinely believe you can make everyone like you, could you?”

“No, I just don’t want others to hold malice towards me, or to be prejudiced against me anymore…”

“That’s utter nonsense.”

“Eh?”

Ewan was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected such a crude remark to come from Celicia’s mouth.

“What do you think of me?” Celicia suddenly asked.

“You…”

Ewan was about to answer, but suddenly grew wary.

A girl, suddenly in an empty place, asking you such a question…

‘I must answer carefully.’

“Your black stockings fit perfectly… Ugh!”

Celicia withdrew her knee strike, her eyes cold: “Answer again.”

“Perfect.”

Ewan, curled up like a shrimp and clutching his abdomen, trembled as he gave a thumbs-up.

“Absolutely perfect.”

“But even the ‘perfect’ me, as you call it—an imperial princess, student council president, adorned with countless halos, and with what I consider decent looks—still has many people who dislike me, even hate me.”

Celicia continued: “Just like Minggot, the president of the news club. He makes straw effigies of me daily, wishing I’d fall seriously ill and die on the spot, so he can sell his sensational tabloids.”

“You knew about this too?” Ewan was shocked.

“Heh, his most trusted confidant actually joined the student council long ago; he just doesn’t know it.” Celicia sneered.

“…” Ewan shivered.

‘How terrifying. This woman is terrifying.’

“Wanting to change your outward image, wanting to be liked, is perfectly understandable, especially for you, Ewan Campbell. But you shouldn’t add the prefix ‘everyone’.”

Celicia looked at Ewan and continued: “Being bitten by a few insignificant bugs, yet looking as dejected as a child whose candy was snatched away, Ewan Campbell, this appearance of yours makes me feel more disgusted than you were a few months ago.

At least a few months ago, if someone cursed at you, you would have pointed at their nose and retorted, ‘My father is a duke, who do you think you are?'”

“…” Ewan silently opened and closed his mouth, like a fish out of water.

“Moreover, not only those who dislike you, but your change itself can also become a source of malice.”

“Change itself?”

Celicia’s words left Ewan somewhat bewildered again.

‘If a good-for-nothing wastrel like me, who’s committed all sorts of bad deeds, suddenly turns good, shouldn’t that be a good thing for everyone?’

‘At least in this academy, it should be.’

“I truly don’t know if your personality has drastically changed, or if you’ve simply become a different person.”

Seeing Ewan’s confused expression, Celicia subtly sighed: “You and your past, Ewan Campbell, have been cut too cleanly.”

“Eh?”

Ewan was still utterly confused.

But Celicia seemed to have lost her patience, turning and continuing to walk forward.

After a few steps, she suddenly turned back and looked at Ewan behind her.

“Why are you still following me? Do I need you to escort me?”

“Then I…”

“Go do what you’re supposed to do. Don’t tell me you’re just going to slink away like that; I’ll curse you to death if you do.”

“Oh, oh.”

Ewan foolishly scratched his head, as if finally remembering what he should do, and turned to leave in the opposite direction.

But after only two steps, he suddenly turned back, looking at the silver-haired girl who was, as always, cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

“Celicia.”

“Something else?”

“You were so cool just now.”

“So?”

“I feel like I’m almost in love with you.”

“Almost?”

Celicia raised an eyebrow: “But didn’t you say before that you were already in love with me?”

“That was…”

Ewan gave an awkward smile.

“It’s a little different.”

“But I don’t love you.”

“Ah.”

“Now scram.”

“Oh.”

“Scram quickly.”

“Mhm, mhm.”

****

After Ewan left.

Wei’er, the student council secretary with her hair in buns, appeared out of nowhere and asked curiously: “President, aren’t you going to tell him about that matter?”

“Why should I tell him?”

“But, wasn’t the reason we came to find him to remind him about that matter?”

“Am I his mother? Do I have to remind him of everything?”

Though she said this, Celicia’s gaze remained fixed on the document in her hand.

—《Report on the Abnormal Behavior of Aemon Bianchi》

“I originally intended to remind him.”

Celicia sighed.

“But seeing how foolish he is, it’s better to let him suffer a little.”

“Eh? But what if he encounters danger…”

“If he dies, he dies. What’s it to me?”

Celicia casually tore the report to shreds and tossed it into the trash can.

She left without looking back.

‘But if it’s not your business, why are you angry?’

Watching Celicia’s retreating back, Wei’er stuck out her tongue, swallowing the latter half of her sentence that had almost escaped her lips.

‘I just have a feeling that if I said it… the President would suddenly become very terrifying.’