Confession Should Be Careful – Chapter 5
Four years passed like that, and before I knew it, I was eighteen—a second-year student at the Imperial Academy—and facing a very serious problem.
“Damn it….”
Muttering under my breath, I roughly grabbed the stack of old report cards spread across my desk. My name, written in black ink, and the numbers beside it—numbers that made my blood boil every time I saw them—crumpled unsightly in my grip. No matter how much I wrinkled the paper, a “2” would only ever look like a “3” at best—never a “1.” That only made it worse.
Since I’ve been accepted, I’ll proudly take first place.
That had been my ambition when I first entered the Academy, and the request of my patron as well. Yet, in spite of that determination, I had consistently ranked second ever since enrolling.
Some people might say that was impressive in itself…
Objectively speaking, it wasn’t a bad result—no, it was quite good. Among nobles who had received elite education since childhood, being second was hardly a poor achievement.
But the problem wasn’t my grades.
It was the person who pushed me into second place every single time.
Damn it, just thinking about him makes me mad again.
I ruffled my hair and frowned. How could merely thinking of him make my temper flare like this?
“…Ah, already?”
A glance at the clock told me it was time to leave. I hurriedly gathered my report cards, grabbed my books, and stepped out of the room.
My lazy roommate was still half-asleep, but that wasn’t my concern. He’d wake up eventually.
Maybe because I left later than usual, the corridor was more crowded than normal. Serves me right for wasting time sulking over my grades first thing in the morning.
Clicking my tongue, I quickened my pace. If I wanted a front seat in class, I couldn’t afford to dawdle.
I hurried out of the dormitory and reached the classroom—
—and immediately ran into the one person I absolutely didn’t want to see.
“……”
Beneath shimmering golden hair that swayed softly, vivid violet eyes stared straight at me. I had no idea where the breeze was coming from, but it seemed to exist just to make him look even more radiant.
His elegant golden hair and purple eyes were dazzlingly beautiful—but my brow furrowed without me realizing it.
Because the cause of all my frustration and gloom…
…was that guy.
I tightened my grip on my book, my expression faintly sour.
If I hadn’t left later than usual, I wouldn’t have run into him like this. For a brief moment of laziness born from my bad mood, the price was far too steep.
“Good morning, Raven.”
He greeted me warmly, flashing a bright smile. The students gathered around him to catch a glimpse seemed completely captivated by that smile.
Well, it wasn’t hard to understand.
No matter how much I disliked him, I still had eyes.
“We have our first class together today. If you don’t mind—”
He continued speaking with that same smile, but I maintained a blank expression and walked right past him.
Behind me, the other students—who had crowded around at the appearance of the famous “Prince of the Academy”—began whispering in low voices. I didn’t need to hear them to know what they were saying. That rude girl… How dare a lowly commoner ignore Lord Klein?
“Leon is too kind. There’s a limit to how much you can ignore someone—what was that just now, right in front of him?”
One of the girls clung to him, loudly criticizing me in a sycophantic tone.
He responded with an awkward smile, as if troubled—but even that sounded as beautiful as the resonance of a string instrument.
“Please don’t say that. I’m the one acting familiar on my own.”
Then stop, if you know that….
Grinding my teeth, I kept walking, but the girl didn’t give up.
“Even so, isn’t it ridiculous? She’s clearly just not as smart as you and always ends up second, yet she acts like it’s your fault. She should know her place. And yet she’s obsessed with grades.”
“……”
I chose a seat at the front, sat down, and took a deep breath before slowly exhaling.
I could feel the sharp gazes of several students on me, but I ignored them and calmly took out the books for today’s lesson.
If you don’t react, unwanted attention usually fades.
As I flipped through the pages, previewing the material, a gentle yet firm voice came from the classroom entrance.
“Marie, I appreciate you standing up for me, but it’s not right to say such things where the person can hear you.”
The girl who had been eagerly criticizing me instantly shrank, her voice trembling.
“I-I didn’t mean it like that….”
“I know. Just apologize to Raven, and don’t do it again.”
I couldn’t see him since I had my back turned, but I could easily picture it—him smiling kindly, like a saint forgiving a sinner, perhaps even taking her hand. Though I doubted that girl—Marie, was it?—would ever actually apologize to me.
Thinking about it, it’s almost laughable. What is he, some kind of priest? And it was obviously said with bad intentions—does he not have eyes or ears?
I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and adjusted my posture.
“As expected of Leon. He’s just too kind.”
“Even defending a rival who ignores him like that!”
What a bunch of nonsense.
As the classroom once again filled with praise for him, I rested my chin on my hand and let out a dry laugh.
“…Ha.”
The irritatingly handsome boy who had, with a single sentence, reformed the girl who insulted me—and was now being showered with admiration—was Leonard Klein.
There wasn’t a single person in the Empire, let alone the Academy, who didn’t recognize the surname Klein. It belonged to one of the two ducal houses of the Helaise Empire—the oldest and most prestigious among them. Vast and fertile lands, wealth enough to last generations, and a long, distinguished history—these were the words always used to describe the House of Klein.
It was also the very house my patron, Marquis Cerner, harbored a deep inferiority complex toward.
Leonard Klein was the son of that house—and its sole heir.
Coincidentally, he was also eighteen this year, the same age as me. We had tied for first place in the entrance exam, but ever since, he had taken first in every single test throughout our first year.
And that wasn’t all. He possessed a beauty that rivaled the statues in the temple, and a gentle personality often likened to that of a saint. It was only natural that everyone adored and admired someone so perfect.
Yes—him. That perfect, infuriatingly ideal human being.
“……”
I tightened my grip on the page I was turning, grinding my teeth. The stiff paper crumpled helplessly in my hand.
Leonard Klein—the pride of the Academy, beloved by all—
—was also the person I disliked with all my heart.
“That’s all for today’s lesson. Oh, and I’ll be announcing a group assignment next class, so form your groups in advance.”
Today was definitely cursed. It was bad enough I ran into Leonard before class just because I was a little late—but now a group assignment?
I’d rather take an exam covering an entire textbook than do a group project. It’s not that I don’t have friends. It’s just that being forced to collaborate with people I barely know on something as important as grades feels incredibly inefficient.
I hated group assignments, but since the professor had already left, there was nothing I could do but sit quietly. The classroom quickly grew noisy as students began forming groups.
If I really wanted to, it wouldn’t be hard for me to find teammates.
“If you team up with Raven, it’s super easy. She does everything herself.”
At that moment, I overheard a group whispering while glancing my way.
Resting my chin on my hand, I cast them an indifferent look.
It was true. There had been several times when, fed up with incompetent teamwork, I ended up doing the entire assignment myself. And since I was always second in rank, forming a group with me practically guaranteed good grades. Their reasoning made sense—but that didn’t mean I wasn’t annoyed by their obvious intention to take advantage of me.
Eventually, they approached my desk and cautiously asked,
“Um… Raven, do you want to team up with us?”
“…Sure.”
Nobles are always like that—two-faced. They’ll call a lowly commoner rude behind her back, yet won’t hesitate to benefit from her abilities.
No matter who I teamed up with, it would all be the same.
Suppressing a scoff, I nodded curtly.
To be honest, my reason for disliking Leonard wasn’t anything special. Sometimes, you just dislike someone for no particular reason.
…Alright, I’ll be honest.
I don’t like him because he’s annoying. Because he always beats me to first place. Because everything about him—his relationships, his grades—is flawless. Because unlike me, he’s of noble birth. Because when I look at him, I’m reminded of how insignificant I am.
I hate his dazzling blond hair. I hate his pale, pristine hands—hands that show no sign of hardship except for the calluses from holding a sword.
Yes—call it an inferiority complex if you want.
Once you start disliking someone, everything about them becomes irritating. There are probably even more reasons than the ones I just listed. Maybe it’s just my twisted personality.
Why? Is someone like me—a lowly commoner—not allowed to dislike a noble lord? Honestly, aside from social status, isn’t this a pretty cliché story? The perennial second place growing jealous of—and resentful toward—the one in first.
And the one I resent just happens to be Leonard Klein.
So isn’t it only natural that even facing him feels uncomfortable?
Just like right now.
Ever since class ended, Leonard had been following me. Of course, I had been ignoring him.
It was already stressful enough having him sit near me and stare at me throughout the lesson—why was he following me too?
“Raven, wait!”
When Leonard finally grabbed my shoulder, I let out a long sigh and stopped walking.
“…Let go.”
“You’re finally responding to me.”
As I shook off his hand in irritation, Leonard smiled brightly, as if genuinely pleased. His face, lightly flushed like rose petals, seemed to glow.
I stared at him with a weary expression.
Honestly, I might be strange—but from my perspective, he’s just as abnormal.
“Raven, if you don’t mind… would you like to be in the same group as me? I left a spot open on purpose.”
Leonard spoke unexpectedly, his gentle voice soft and warm. His fair face was tinged pink with anticipation.
