BJ Villainess - Chapter 69

A male student with impressive freckles looked at the overwhelming size of the painting. The place where he was standing was none other than the lobby where the Clyde Exhibition was being held. The male student seriously appreciated the lovely rough but bold paintings, unsophisticated, but felt the affection intact. There was life on his cheeks.

“Isn’t noble a class that can enjoy art leisurely?”

“What are you talking about? Were you going to grow up?”

Delve, the freckled boy, shook his head.

“It means that it’s nice to see such elaborate paintings at school.”

Jude, an old friend of Delve’s, reacted grimly. “It seems like you’re really into the student council president’s painting… Anyway, let’s forget about it and go to the library quickly. It’s been quite difficult to find a seat there lately.”

Delve followed Jude with a dark expression as if the momentary leisure and happiness were lies.

“Argh! The seats are already full!” Jude’s hair was roughly disheveled as he shouted. “Ha. I’m going crazy. I will be in trouble if my grades fall this time. My second older brother passed the imperial wizard test, so I have to make it too.”

It was the same with Delve, who would be in trouble if his grade fell. However, he had no desire to study at all. Because magic wasn’t fun.

Delve’s magic talent was mediocre, but thanks to his parents pouring money and attaching all kinds of teachers since childhood, he could barely enter Valhalla. But that was all. He didn’t have much more ability than that.

“…Do you really need to become a wizard just because you go to magic school?”

Jude, already nervous because it was the exam period, felt that Delve’s weak sound cut his patience. “Then you shouldn’t have applied to this school in the first place. You need to pass the admission system to enter here, right? Do you think someone who was so eager to get into Valhalla would feel good hearing those kinds of words?”

Delve hates studying magic, but he likes art instead. He was good at making something, earning the admiration of those around him. But he was a noble, wizard, and heir to the family. Art was the work of commoners or those without a family to inherit.

Delve, who always seemed to be dreaming in vain, was somewhat frustrating to Jude, but Jude had been making an effort to understand Delve as a friend. However, this time, Jude couldn’t hold back his irritation.

“Do you realize that we’re in fourth grade now? When you graduate next year, you will marry your fiancée. Are you aware of the fact that you have to take the family heir class in earnest?”

“…”

“Now, please look at the reality. How long will you avoid your duties and responsibilities?”

Jude sighed deeply as if he were sick of it and turned around. “Let’s study separately today. I get stressed when I see you.”

“Jude…”

Despite Delve’s hesitant call, Jude left his seat coldly.

“Am I weird?”

It was like he wore clothes that didn’t fit him. Neither nobles nor wizard-like things were suitable for him. Other people naturally did it, but it was very difficult for him.

“Maybe the world that fits me well exists somewhere else.”

There was nothing he could do well in this world. Nothing at all.

“Delve?”

As he stood there like he had been abandoned by the world, someone called his name in a deep bass voice that was kind and affectionate. It was to the point he got teary. Delve turned around with slightly red eyes.

It was Damian, his classmate who lived in a world different from him, who was an idiot who couldn’t believe he was a commoner because he had excellent looks, personality, and abilities.

“Ah, Damian.”

“Are you on your way from the library?”

Delve said awkwardly. “Yes, but the seats were full.”

“The competition for seats is so fierce these days. I’m on my way here after failing, too.”

Damian casually announced his failure and smiled as if he had discovered something interesting in common. He had an easy-going and relaxed attitude. Surprisingly, it was quite comforting.

Even Damian has been making these suggestions. “But there will be no one at the end of the library on the second floor. Professor Felix told me. Do you want to come with me?”

Delve nodded as if bewitched and followed him to the second-floor professor-only library. Walking side by side, he realized the difference between himself and Damian to the point of misery. Damian was more like a noble than a real noble.

If Damian had been the eldest son of my family, not me, my parents would be very happy. Delve suddenly became curious.

“Damian, do you like magic?” It was a silly question. Of course, he would like it. This man is a genius who had never missed second place in the grade. However, the answer that came back was unexpected.

“I don’t know. I think I don’t really like it.”

Delve was taken aback and unknowingly spat out another question. “Then what do you like?”

“Um… work out? I like cooking too. I also like making toys.”

That was really unexpected.

“Making toys?”

“Why? Are you interested too?”

“I love making things too! I like paintings, and I like sculptures!” Delve was unusually excited and then closed his mouth with a red face, perhaps ashamed.

Damian smiled and took out a half-palm-sized toy soldier through his pocket. “I made this.”

“Wow…! You made it so well. It can be sold right away.” He meant his words, not just empty praise.

“Haha! If I don’t get a job after graduating, like you said, making and selling toys would be fun, right? I can become a toymaker.”

“That’s cool… I don’t know what I should do.” Delve lowered his gaze to the floor. “I don’t know how to do anything. I’m good at art and like art, but that is not something a noble would do as a job.”

But he wanted to. He loved the art that could create light green skies, blue leaves, and angels he had never seen before. Other than that, he wasn’t interested. The reality was only making it hard for him. Therefore, he wishes reality would disappear completely.

Delve’s eyes shone shadily for a moment. As he immersed himself in his black and sticky thoughts, Damian’s voice brought him to reality.

“I’m not a noble, so it might be rude to say this, but isn’t it yourself more important than anything?”

“Myself…?”

“People talk about life as if there is a right answer. But if there was really a right answer, it would have already been proven in countless history books, and we would all have lived the same life. But it’s not, right?”

“That’s right… I think so too.”

“I sometimes think I’m like a cog in a clock tower. A little cog that moves to show the time someone wants.”

Delve was appallingly sympathetic. A cog wheel to move the family. He was that cogwheel.

“Damian, I didn’t know you’d feel that way either…”

“Haha. I’m a commoner. It’s a daily routine to be forced to live the life that the noble want. But I don’t want to live like that.”

At that moment, Damian’s smile felt different from usual. Even though he felt a chilling tension somewhere, he was dazzlingly determined.

“I will live the life I want. Even if it destroys me.”

“…!”

“Delve. The only person who has the right to destroy you is yourself. If you think like that, you’ll be more free from the reality that binds you.”

He understood for the first time. For the first time, he felt sympathy that he wasn’t weird, and maybe this world wasn’t weird.

His heart was full. His heart was pounding like it was going to explode, so he wanted to grab a carving knife or a brush and pour out this feeling. It felt like a ray of light of salvation had been poured into me in the darkness of reality.

“Oh no. I should have been to the lab, but I forgot. Delve, I’m sorry, but let’s study together next time.”

“Ah, yes.”

Damien smiled embarrassedly when Delve was disappointed and handed over the toy soldier in his hand. “It’s embarrassing to call it a substitute, but this is a gift to cheer you up.”

“…Yes! Thank you, Damian.”

“See you later, then.”

Delve nodded with a very excited look. He held a precious toy tightly in both hands.

Flash! The toy soldier’s eyes flashed red in an instant, then turned black again.

* * *

“No way, I can’t believe it!!”

The ballroom dancing professor repeatedly praised and was astonished at my dance moves.

“I’ve never seen such a perfect and beautiful dance line in my professional career, as if the god of dance has blessed me with my teaching career! How long have you been practicing, Student Theresa?!”

“It will be more than you imagine, Professor.”

I didn’t practice anything more than I imagined.

“Aah… It’s not something you can just practice. Only natural talent can create such a dance. I can’t believe I was teaching a genius…!”

“It’s all thanks to the Professor’s teaching. I have done nothing.”

“How can you be so humble? I can’t believe such a talented person has been stuck in a magic school while hiding her skills. It won’t be enough even if you sweep the society!”

I spoke with a humble attitude, but I was embarrassed enough to die and wanted to run away quickly.

The professor gave me grades with a very satisfied look.

<Social Dance>: A+

The result was good from the first test.