What right do you have to criticize him?

St. Kelan Academy, an institution ranking second within the Kingdom of Somlang.

Unlike the top-ranked Mudhorse Academy, which was nestled in serene seclusion, St. Kelan stood squarely within the heart of a bustling metropolis.

Common folk often gathered outside its grand gates, their eyes wide with envy as they took in the sights within.

The academy’s opulent decor was truly a spectacle to behold.

Red brick tiles, edged with gold, adorned the structures; the sheer size of the main teaching building alone was enough to dazzle the eyes.

Lush green forests encircled more than half of the campus.

Within its grounds, an artificial lake, spanning over twenty kilometers in diameter, even held its own small island at its center.

In other words, even from the main gate, the academy’s full grandeur stretched beyond the eye’s reach.

“St. Kelan was established with the full backing of the royal family, so it’s only natural for it to possess a certain opulence. Do you understand what I mean, Airi?”

At the academy’s entrance, Lance wagged his index finger, a smile playing on his lips as he addressed me, who was struggling to suppress an outburst.

‘Holy hell, the sheer extravagance here made every renowned institution in my original world pale in comparison.’

‘Such flagrant, opulent architecture—wouldn’t the city inspectors come to shut it down? If I stepped inside, would they mistake me for an accomplice and drag me away too?’

‘You’ve got it all wrong, Uncle Inspector! I’m merely a passerby. None of this has anything to do with me. This pervert right next to me, however, is highly suspect. Why not apprehend him instead?’

“Airi? Airi?”

Suddenly, Lance darted directly in front of me, waving a hand.

With a look of disgust, I swatted his hand away.

“What are you doing? How is it that the city inspectors haven’t hauled you away yet?”

“City inspectors? What city inspectors?”

Lance paused, looking bewildered.

‘Ugh, this perverted protagonist is so irritating!’

“Hmph, it’s nothing at all.”

I puffed out my chest, ignored Lance completely, and strode quickly into the academy.

I wondered if the academy was always this crowded, or if today was an exception.

As soon as I stepped inside, a constant stream of teachers and students in uniform flowed past me, with male students frequently casting surreptitious glances my way.

“Look, look, who is that girl? She’s so beautiful.”

“I don’t know. She’s not wearing the academy uniform, so she must be a transfer student, right?”

“Don’t try to snatch her from me! I’m going to ask for her contact information later.”

‘Snatch your sister? I’m a guy!’

Though I longed to shout my true gender upon hearing their whispers, I merely twitched my brows and endured, unwilling to draw any more attention to myself.

“Airi, wait for me!”

Just then, Lance jogged toward me, a wry smile on his face.

Immediately, the whispers around us shifted in tone.

“Isn’t that Paritch from Class A, the one with the peculiar constitution?”

“That’s right, it’s the masochistic Count.”

“How can someone like that be a Count? Is the royal family blind?”

“What the heck? Someone like that actually knows that girl? That’s just unfair!”

‘Huh? What’s going on? Is Lance’s reputation around the academy surprisingly poor?’

Many more comments of this nature followed.

I was certain Lance heard them all, yet he remained unfazed, jogging toward me with a cheerful smile.

“Airi, why are you running so fast?”

Lance spoke, catching his breath.

“Hey, everyone around us is talking about you.”

I said to him, my brows furrowed.

“Oh? Ah, I know,” Lance replied, still smiling as he pursed his lips at me.

“But I’m used to it.”

My expression, in that instant, turned utterly grim.

‘Look, look, it’s a shut-in.’

‘Ugh, how repulsive, a shut-in.’

‘Shut-in, don’t come near me.’

‘I was originally going to invite Airi to watch with me.’

‘Hurry up, or Miss Yani will be back soon.’

‘Didn’t you want to go see the magic festival performance?’

‘So that’s it. No wonder Airi found this guy so repulsive. He was actually planning to invite me to the Magic Festival, even going as far as to send Yani away just to do so.’

‘Lance, you… you’re actually just like me, aren’t you?’

‘Used to it? What kind of answer is that? Is that truly acceptable?’

‘Are you content with that? You can’t possibly be!’

‘Then why continue to endure?’

Suddenly, I took a sharp, deep breath, stepped forward, and glared at everyone with the fiercest gaze I could possibly muster.

“You bastards, listen up! This man, Lance, is the finest person I’ve ever met!

A Count? Can any of you even aspire to such a title? You’re nothing but jealous!

He possesses this masochistic constitution? So what? Was it his choice? Can you truly blame him for it? Do any of you actually know him?

If you ask me, all you scoundrels…”

“What right do you have to speak ill of him?!”

Panting heavily, my face flushed crimson, I finally unleashed every word I’d held back.

Everyone present, Lance included, stared at me in stunned silence.

‘Oh no, oh no, I blurted out everything in a rush of emotion. This time, I’ve completely disgraced myself.’

So, quickly lowering my head, I stepped in front of Lance, grabbed his hand, and bolted.

“Let’s go! What are you gawking at, you idiot?”

“Oh, oh.”

Under the collective gaze of the crowd, a bewildered Lance was swiftly pulled away from the scene by me.

It wasn’t until I dragged him into a deserted corner that he finally snapped out of his daze.

To my surprise, the moment Lance regained his composure, he immediately burst into boisterous laughter directed at me.

“Haha, Airi, you, haha…”

I glared at him, thoroughly displeased.

“Go on, laugh. Laugh yourself to death, for all I care.”

“No, no, not at all.”

Lance quickly waved his hands, struggling to suppress his laughter, then nodded as he said, “I just think this is a bit unlike Airi’s usual style.”

‘Ah, it’s not just unlike Airi’s style; it’s nothing like my own style either! I must have been possessed by some ancient demon god just now.’

I let out a huff, muttering, “Is that so? Didn’t I tell you earlier that I’m suffering from a bit of amnesia today…?”

“However…”

Suddenly, Lance’s tone shifted, and I looked up at him.

“Indeed! But Airi is still Airi, after all!”

“Eh?”

I froze, taken aback.

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Ah, that’s right, that’s right.”

Just as I was about to speak, Lance suddenly raised his hand, a smile playing on his lips, and said, “Airi, could you perhaps let go of my hand now?”

“Hm?”

I glanced down at my own hand.

“Oh, hell no! You pervert, don’t touch my hand!”

Slap!