Hehe, I Don't Know Anything

B-Big Brother...?

Everyone in Athens, Matthew included, had their mouths hanging open.

They blinked at Vincent, then turned away and exchanged glances.

All of them had expressions that seemed to ask, 'Is this a dream?'

Vincent lowered his flushed head.

A few attendants who didn't understand the situation tilted their heads with sociable smiles.

Only Han Jihye wore a pleased smile.

"Big Brother Vincent?"

"Huh...?"

"You have to hold my hand too."

Then Vincent's face fell completely. He hesitated, directing a resentful gaze at me.

At that sight, Grant's lips curled upward.

"Haha...! How amusing."

"Lord Grant?"

"I never thought I'd see such a sight in my lifetime. ......Vincent. It's admirable of you to willingly grant your cute little sister's request."

"......You're too kind."

Grant stared at us for a while.

Though he'd put it that way, his eyes suggested he assumed there must be some weakness involved.

But I hadn't even told Ribi directly about what happened with Iroha, so I didn't bother mentioning the contents of the bet either.

Who knew what bizarre method they might use to get leverage over me? They were 'born nobles,' after all.

"Hmm... Matthew."

"Yes, Father."

"A child who was only just adopted is working so hard for harmony within Douglas Kim. Isn't that admirable?"

"It is...?"

Grant grinned, while Matthew's eyes grew oddly uneasy.

From their exchange, I could tell what command was coming.

"You go first and hold his hand. As his older brother, you should set an example."

"......! F-Father!"

"Hurry."

Dismay filled Matthew's face.

April and Ribi giggled to one another, enjoying the awkward situation.

Unable to withstand Grant's pressure, Matthew rose awkwardly and whispered something to an attendant.

The instructed attendant held a smartphone camera out in front and crouched slightly.

‘A hidden camera?’

"No, I..."

"......"

Neither man noticed the scheme. They didn't even seem to have the presence of mind to.

Matthew approached slowly, one step at a time, while Vincent stood frozen, his gaze fixed on him.

Both men lowered their heads like prisoners awaiting execution.

"Hurry up."

"Ha... Raebi, I really..."

'Sorry. But there's no backing out now.'

I felt a little sorry for him, but I couldn't let him off. How many opportunities like this would I get?

Even though we lived on the same island, we rarely crossed paths, and a chance to make Vincent dance to my tune like this wouldn't come often.

"May I say something?"

Han Jihye raised her hand as the standoff continued.

'Huh?'

It was unusual. Attendants only inserted themselves into nobles' conversations in emergencies, and even then, they were supposed to whisper only to their master.

......And yet it was none other than 'Han Jihye.'

Grant replied, 'Permission granted.' Han Jihye crossed her arms once, straightened her posture, and said,

"This is Athens. I believe a proper noble should respect the wishes of Lord Grant, Baron of Athens."

"......!"

A flicker of agitation crossed Vincent's face.

He clenched his fist as if he'd made up his mind, then approached Matthew.

Smack! Vincent snatched Matthew's hand.

"Big Brother...!"

"Wh-what?"

He spoke with eyes blazing like flames.

"I respect you, Big Brother Matthew."

Ribi and April burst out laughing.

***

The dinner at Athens was over. As we left through the entrance, I grabbed Vincent's sleeve.

"B-Big Brother. You're not angry, are you?"

Vincent simply looked down at me. He tapped the crown of my head with his palm and said,

"Of course-! I'm not angry. But..."

Squeeze-

My head began to feel compressed.

"You'd better look forward to the next bet."

"I don't plan on making another bet."

"Really?"

"Yep."

Vincent left after merely saying he understood.

Though his meaningful smile and the words 'I'll send you a gift since you've been such a good girl' left me a little uneasy, I was satisfied that he hadn't gotten angry and continued on my way.

On the way back, I asked Han Jihye,

"I didn't do something pointless, did I?"

"It wasn't useful, if you look at things from a broad perspective."

"......Urgh."

"But it will greatly help preserve 'Douglas Kim.' Personally, I'm glad."

"......"

I didn't ask why.

The way she spoke vaguely made it seem she had no intention of explaining in detail.

Since I'd achieved my initial objective anyway, it didn't seem wise to push things any further, so I changed the subject.

While we talked, we arrived at the Thebes annex. I was a little mentally exhausted and wanted to get inside quickly and take a bath.

But then I saw someone standing in front of the entrance.

"Oh? It's been a while, Lady Raebi. Are you returning from a meal in Athens?"

'......Wang Gangdu.'

"That's right. But how did you know...?"

"Ah, don't misunderstand. An attendant said they saw you leaving with Vincent and Lady Ribi. ......It must have been nice, with all your close friends gathered together."

I held off on answering for a moment and put on a smile.

Perhaps because I knew how unfathomably dark his intentions were, I felt as if anything I said would be dangerous.

Han Jihye stepped slightly forward.

"......Forgive me for interrupting, Mr. Gangdu. Lady Raebi has been keeping an overly demanding schedule and needs to rest. We'll escort her inside now."

"Hmm...? Is it proper for an attendant to intervene?"

"……My apologies."

"Haha! I'm joking! I suppose I interrupted your rest for no reason. Go inside and rest well, Lady Raebi."

'He really leaves me feeling uneasy.'

I gave him a slight bow and passed him.

"Ah, one more thing!"

"Yes?"

"......My invitations keep being declined one after another. I know you're busy, but please set aside some time for us here sometime. All right?"

"Yes, I understand. Then, goodbye."

I returned to my room with his burdensome gaze following me.

While having tea as the bathwater filled, I suddenly remembered what Wang Gangdu had said.

"Ms. Jihye."

"Yes, Lady Raebi."

"......How many invitations have I rejected? Including the other Thebes nobles, not just Wang Gangdu."

"......Twenty-seven in total."

"Ha..."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Invitations from high-ranking nobles weren't normally something one could reject so casually.

They were only staying quiet because I was close to the mainstream faction and also favored by the family head.

For Han Jihye, who had to reject them, it must have been one difficult situation after another.

"I've been rather ignorant all this time. Once I finish my theory classes, I'll accept the invitations."

"Understood."

Starting the next day, I threw myself into my classes.

They were all subjects I was confident in, such as Monster Behavior Studies and Item Crafting, but I decided to postpone each test by about three days anyway.

I wanted to get perfect scores if possible, and I also wanted to gauge the atmosphere in advance to see whether there might be any troublesome incidents like the one with Li Qin.

......But the situation unfolded in the exact opposite way I'd expected.

"Lady Iroha?"

"I heard about Gate Materials Science. There's a lot I want to learn about Monster Behavior Studies too... If it's all right, may I sit next to you and get some help?"

"Ah...! Of course!"

Starting with Iroha, the students began paying attention to me.

The student-verification incident had already spread so widely that there wasn't anyone who hadn't heard of it, and thanks to that, no one suspected me.

Perhaps because I was so young, they also seemed to view me less as a competitor and more as a 'fascinating child.'

Contrary to Li Qin's intentions, it had turned into flashy publicity for the entire academy.

From then on, I was 'Douglas Kim's genius little girl.'

......Hehe.

I quite liked the sound of that.

"You shouldn't rashly retrieve an injured person when dealing with goblin-type monsters. They deliberately abduct one person from the group and injure them to call their comrades over."

"Aha...!"

I began giving each of them tips suited to their rank.

Upper-tier Awakened of A rank or higher in particular knew little about low-rank magical beasts, but while that knowledge might not be essential in actual combat, it was indispensable for the exam.

"Student Raebi! A perfect score! Learning speed S-, the fastest student to pass this semester. Congratulations! Everyone, give her a round of applause!"

Even so, I didn't neglect my own exams.

I continued attending classes for a while even after completing the required attendance days, partly to raise the scores of the other Korean students.

The more I did so, the more intrigued the students became, and Angela, the Monster Behavior Studies teacher, watched with interest as well.

One day.

While I was giving Iroha tips on analyzing magical beast behavior, Angela came over and asked,

"Hmm? This hasn't been clearly established yet... And you haven't even been to a Gate, so how do you know this, Student Raebi?"

"Ahh-! I... just thought it seemed likely?"

"......Pardon?"

"A-Actually, I asked my family members about it!"

"Hmm, I see."

.....I really need to fix this flighty personality of mine.

It was understandable, though. Who in the world would analyze a siren's 'song'?

Since hearing it damages the mind, most people simply focus on killing it quickly or blocking their hearing.

I had gotten carried away by the praise and ended up saying far too much that I shouldn't have.

Sure enough, after that, Angela began sending me blatantly suspicious looks.

Her gaze grew more dubious with each passing day. There was a limit to how long I could pretend not to notice.

In the end, I subtly pressured the Korean students who weren't passing their exams and even wielded authority I probably shouldn't have, urging them to pass quickly.

-Haa... I'm at the age when I should be running around and playing, yet I have to go to class. Even the family head feels sorry for me, everyone.

The boys and girls all passed their exams within two weeks. The overall average in previous years was 67, while this year's Korean average was 78.

Only then could I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Lady Raebi, an invitation."

"Huh...? I was hoping to get some rest... My social schedule is packed too."

I showed my reluctance. But Han Jihye still held something out with her fixed smile.

A white letter decorated with elaborate gold patterns, with a red flower showing off its beautiful form in the center.

I immediately sensed that it wasn't from an ordinary noble.

"......I'll read it."

[Invitation to the 5th Gate Academic Conference]

-------------------------------------

To. Raebi Na Tiernected Douglas Kim.

We wish you continued growth and peace.

Under the recommendation of 'Enrico Meitner'

and the endorsement of 'Aiden Cavendish,' you are hereby

invited to our society's...

.

.

.

…We look forward to a joyous meeting.

From. Chairperson of the Royal Nobles' Society

Jaden Gettyford

-------------------------------------

'......'

What on earth did you bring me, Ms. Jihye?