As always, Rotsard cleaned his plate with a piece of bread and wiped his hands with a handkerchief, before standing up and moving past Justin and the people crowding around the wounded boy… without being stopped by any of the many teachers who arrived at the scene.
"Follow."
"..."
In the door, Rotsard stopped and looked over his shoulder at the angry Justin, and tapped his hand against his leg as if giving a command to a dog, and the future hero started moving…
"!!!"
…half-step in realizing how it looked from an outsider's perspective and turning bright red from shame, but then continuing anyway, while clenching his fists in fury.
If Rotsard had no other choice but to haughtily head to the place where he would suffer humiliation, he sure as hell was going to make it as embarrassing and shameful for Justin.
He already had more or less figured out what was a real sore spot for the future hero, so now the only thing left was to use it.
"Just look at that. It seems that someone likes being submissive, little pervert~"
"!!!"
As Rotsard snickered over his shoulder, the face that Justin made almost made him forget about what's to come.
Almost.
"Originally, in case I win our inevitable next wager, I was going to make you forgo the silly notion of dropping out of the Academy and instead change it to making you my servant. I even caught myself wondering what kind of collar and leash would suit you best… But then I realized that it would only make you lose on purpose just for a chance to pant at my feet."
"..."
The bleached-blond-haired boy chuckled nastily, looking forward without checking the future hero's reaction.
"...tsk…"
…his expression immediately darkened at the glimpse of the gathering of students swarming around the announcement board while teachers were putting up the lists with results for each year.
"A shame, really. The sight of your pathetic face on the brink of tears is almost bearable. But the quite likely possibility of you humping my leg made me drop the idea. Tough luck, little pervert~"
Rotsard stopped completely and turned to Justin, blocking the view on the announcement board while mocking him.
"...sh-shut up…"
"...?"
But then the future hero's reaction to the provocation was a lot more tame and pitiful than Rotsard expected, as the sight of Justin, with his fists clenched on the bottom of his shirt, looking away with his face and ears crimson red, coupled with a small voice of embarrassment, made the bleached-blond-haired boy raise his brow.
…did he… misunderstood what Justin's weakness was…?
"...it's him…!"
"...what a loser…"
"He's only good at talking big."
"I don't know about that… have you not seen the teachers hurrying to the cafeteria?! He beat someone up!"
"Brute."
"..."
Unfortunately for Rotsard, Justin wasn't the only person with interest in his results, and the condescending whispers and even some comments spoken in raised voices reached him without any obstruction.
"..."
"...!"
Rotsard's beastly eyes turned away from Justin, and the bleached-blond-haired boy stared into the distance while his expression twisted with disdain and disgust, which in turn caused the future hero to sneak a glance at him…
Only to tense up and stare sheepishly.
Mesmerized.
"Let's see the results."
"...okay…"
Rotsard turned back and grumbled, not noticing the timidness of Justin's confirmation.
Maybe because the bleached-blond-haired boy wasn't picking a fight or insulting him, the future hero tailed him while other students made way for the two of them while sneering and scoffing at Rotsard.
One look was enough to confirm things for the bleached-blond-haired boy.
He was dead-last in every single subject, no surprise there.
Even the physical evaluation, but considering that he didn't even remember what his time was for the sprint, nor which place he had, on top of skipping every other part, that was the sad reality.
…
Wait…
Actually… What time DID he get from that? Was it enough to motivate Justin to push himself harder and harder?
"...?"
"Hmm?"
As a sudden thought occurred in Rotsard's mind, he looked over his shoulder, and his eyes wandered towards the future hero… who seemed perplexed about something, as his eyes darted from list to list.
The bleached-blond-haired boy tilted his head and furrowed his brows before leaning to the side to follow the peasant's line of sight.
Justin was checking out only the first ten names on each list over and over again.
He couldn't be looking for himself. He was the only student without a surname, so it was laughably easy to locate his placement at a glance.
He placed mostly in first and second place, earning fifth place in a year, even in his worst subject.
"Well, well, well. Would you look at this~!"
No matter what the perfect scenario should be, Rotsard's pride couldn't just shut up and give Justin the win, so he snickered, turning around and resting his back against the wall under the notice board.
"...I… I don't see your name anywhere… did… did you perform so well that you received a special placement…?"
"...haa…?"
But just as Rotsard was opening his mouth to continue, Justin clenched his fists and asked with a grim expression, causing the bleached-blond-haired boy to let out a snort of disbelief.
Justin…
He… was serious…!
Dear heavens! He seriously believed that Rotsard did so well that teachers made a list especially for him!
Other students began to murmur in disbelief over the foolishness. How could anyone have such high expectations from well-known trash?!
Justin was definitely far too kind-hearted. He was straight-up naive!
"Eh?"
The future hero let out a confused gasp and looked to the sides, unable to comprehend the crowd's sudden change. But he didn't have to wait long for the explanation.
"Hey, don't think I'm not benevolent enough to admit my mistake, little pervert."
Rotsard chuckled, before leaning back and slowly raising his right hand.
"Don't call me a perv…!"
Justin retorted angrily, but the word got stuck in his throat as even more confusion sprouted in his brain.
"You are capable of owning up to your mistakes…?"
He asked in pure disbelief.
"Of course. I admit, I underestimated you a bit too much."
"What do you…?"
*pomf*
The bleached-blond-haired boy shrugged his shoulders with a laugh, and while the future hero was in the middle of questioning the statement, he lightly tapped the very bottom of the list, where his own name was boldly typed in the very last spot.
Rotsard then moved his hand and slid it under a few more lists, highlighting his placement in every one of them.