The Architect of Reputation

Senior Serman, who had disappeared for a moment, sat back down beside me and spoke.

“Hmm, I’m glad I decided to hold off on that after all.”

“Pardon?”

“Your habit of feeling sorry over small things—I think it’s better if we don’t fix that for now.”

“…….”

“Ah, Cecil.”

Serman’s finger gently tapped the corner of my mouth.

“Be careful.”

“Ah, yes.”

The once-quiet garden had long since become lively. I quickly lifted the corners of my lips.

“You did very well today, Cecil.”

After the meeting ended, I let out a long breath. Senior Serman complimented me after seeing off the last member to leave the garden.

“You’re a quick study. You really did well today.”

“No, it’s all thanks to you, Senior. Just like you advised, people actually started talking to me because I was smiling.”

“There’s no need to be that grateful. This is only possible because your reputation was so poor to begin with.”

“What?”

“You see, Cecil, people say that someone with prejudices is difficult to deal with, but I don’t agree with that.”

“Then you think…”

“Yes. I believe there is no one easier to handle than a person with a prejudice.”

I blinked. I thought of the people who had held prejudices against me based solely on rumors. No matter what I said, they would just persist in their views, making it feel like a dead end.

Just as I was about to say I couldn’t agree, Serman continued.

“The members said it earlier, didn’t they? ‘I thought he was blunt, but he actually smiles a lot and is easy to talk to.’”

“Yes.”

“No matter what prejudice someone has about you, you just need to make them think, ‘Oh? He has this side to him too?’ Then, they will come to like you as much as they once hated you.”

“……I see.”

“That is why I’m telling you to apologize to Lian, even now.”

My fists clenched involuntarily. I spoke with a trembling voice.

“……And you mean in a public place, right?”

“Yes. The more people around, the better. You’re good at apologizing anyway, Cecil.”

“……But Senior Serman, I can’t do that one thing.”

“No matter what Lian did, wasn’t it your fault for using violence? So just close your eyes and apologize for that part.”

I used to think so too—until I realized that using fists isn’t the only form of violence. Michael, Ronia, and even Zeno, who didn’t know the full story, empathized with my pain. (Though Zeno was a guy who hit on me despite having a fiancée, but regardless.)

“Cecil, didn’t you say you don’t want to cause trouble for the people precious to you?”

Serman gripped my shoulders, seemingly frustrated by my hesitation.

“Didn’t you promise to follow my words unconditionally? Why are you acting like this already?”

“But……”

“Don’t trail off. Tell me the exact reason.”

“…….”

I looked at Senior Serman. Was it okay to tell him? Senior Serman was tight-lipped enough to be trusted by everyone except Senior Fernando’s faction. I’d heard that many students went to him for career and personal advice rather than to the professors. And since he had decided to help me, he absolutely had to know this.

I opened my mouth with difficulty.

“Senior Serman, you know I don’t have any siblings, right?”

“Of course. But why bring that up?”

“The thing is… I won’t be able to inherit my family title.”

“What does that mean? You are the sole heir, yet you cannot inherit the title?”

“My parents passed away in an accident when I was nine.”

My parents in this life loved me dearly, but they died in a carriage accident. There are truly so many similarities between my past and present parents.

“I was too young then, so my uncle decided to manage the estate until I was old enough to handle family affairs. But when I actually reached that age, my uncle suddenly changed his tune.”

“How so?”

“He said he would only hand over the position if I ranked first in this Academy for all three years.”

“…….”

Serman stared at me with disbelief in his eyes.

“Why did you accept such an absurd condition?”

“My uncle created an atmosphere where I had no choice.”

Since I was young, I only knew how to study in my room; I couldn’t do anything else. Unlike my late father, my swordsmanship skills were mediocre. My uncle, however, looked remarkably like my father and was an excellent swordsman.

He used that to win over the people of the estate and mocked me for having no strengths. When I retorted that at least I was smart, he set that condition, claiming he wanted to see if I truly had a good head on my shoulders.

“But since I came in second in the first year……”

“The title has already been stolen by your uncle, then.”

“Yes. So now, I’m aiming for the top rank just so I can at least get a decent job later.”

“But what does that have to do with Lian?”

“……Lian knew. He knew the truth.”

I had been venting to Senior Natasha—who has since entered the Academy of Sciences but whom I met and befriended at a cafe—when Lian, who had come to return a borrowed book, accidentally overhead my story.

Lian acted sincerely sorry for me and comforted me late into the night. Since I already had a crush on him, I liked him even more after that day.

“Did Lian know you liked him?”

“Yes, because I made it so obvious.”

“And?”

“Lian used me as an assignment shuttle—no, a gopher. I did everything he asked, from start to finish. Then one day, I ended up in a group project with him. The professor said they would look at how hard the members discussed and cooperated rather than just the quality of the work. But……”

“Lian didn’t participate.”

“No.”

I nodded.

“Lian knew how much I liked him and how desperate I was, so he skipped every single meeting. He knew I’d do his share for him even if he didn’t show up. So, in the heat of the moment……”

I punched Lian. Senior Serman covered his mouth, looking pained.

“Oh dear. We live in a world where even if an aggressor torments someone a hundred times, the moment the victim hits back once, people say both sides are in the wrong.”

“I know. I know that too.”

I looked up at the sky and wiped a tear.

“But I just couldn’t take it anymore, Senior. The world really is rot—”

“If you knew that, why did you do it, Cecil?”

“Pardon?”

“If you had just endured a little longer, nothing would have happened.”

“But Senior, I really, at that time……”

“I know. I know you must have been truly angry. But my opinion doesn’t change.”

Serman whispered as he squeezed my shoulders.

“You should have endured it then. Even if you were angry, if you had held it in and calmly coaxed Lian, you would have finished your group project safely.”

“…….”

I, who secretly regretted not being able to hold back then, could say nothing. Serman continued.

“Apologize to Lian in a public place. For the sake of your precious lover and your friend.”

Serman gave a thin smile.

“You can do it, right, Cecil?”

I had no choice but to nod.

“Good decision.”

“But I doubt Lian will accept the apology. Right now, he’s pretending to be a one-sided victim and spreading bad rumors about me.”

“The person who needs to accept the apology isn’t Lian.”

“But you told me to apologize to Lian.”

“That’s right. But the person who accepts it is someone else.”

“Who is that?”

“You’ll know when the time comes.”

Who on earth was going to accept my apology? While I was deep in thought, Serman made a suggestion.

“Now, let’s stop the talk and head back ourselves.”

“It’s okay. Michael said he would come to pick me up.”

Serman tilted his head slightly.

“Ah, the childhood friend?”

“Yes.”

“You two are very close.”

I scratched my cheek sheepishly.

“Because we’re lovers.”

“……Right, lovers.”

Muttering those words, Serman stood up.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Yes, thank you so much for today.”

I stood up to see Senior Serman off. But after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

“Cecil, you said you wanted to have a good job after graduation, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then connections will be all the more important.”

“……I suppose.”

“There’s one more reason for you to follow my words more diligently. Let’s do our best, Cecil.”

Serman’s back was toward me, so I couldn’t see his expression, but his voice sounded bright, as if he were smiling.

I silently watched his retreating figure as he left the garden. Senior Serman seemed like the type who took great pleasure in having someone follow his lead. Senior Fernando was the same in that regard, but the method was different.

Senior Fernando was the type to state what he wanted directly, whereas Senior Serman was the type to gently coax people into moving exactly the way he wanted.

Putting it like that, it makes Senior Serman sound like a mastermind behind the scenes. I definitely shouldn’t get on his bad side. He would be the most troublesome person to have as an enemy. But when is Michael coming? He was supposed to be here when the meeting ended. While I sat on the chair eating the leftover chocolate cake, I heard Michael calling me.

“Cecil! I’m here!”

I quickly ran toward the garden entrance. Michael was panting, as if he had run all the way from the training grounds. Doesn’t it take quite a while to get from the training grounds to the garden? I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his sweat.

“Did you run?”

“Sorry. I got held up by the professor.”

“The professor? Why?!”

“A very promising freshman just joined, and he told us to spar.”

“How was it?”

“I won, but his skills were definitely impressive. It was a pleasant duel for once.”

“Then why do you look so grumpy?”

“……The professor took it upon himself to tell the freshman to ask me if he had any questions in the future.”

“……Shouldn’t he ask the professor if he doesn’t know something?”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m not happy.”

We held hands and headed toward the dormitories.