NOVEL WEB Chapter 11: Helping(?)
And for a wager that big, Thalia asked for one simple thing:
"… in return, pick me up from class tomorrow afternoon."
That morning, as Kael was getting dressed, a dull throb echoed in the back of his head.
Thalia was undeniably a beautiful girl. And as someone who used to be a modern wage slave in his past life, being the Vyle heir—or getting a bit of the family fortune—could keep him well off.
But still…
Pick her up? From her classroom?
Thalia may not be in the same class as Gideon, but they shared the same floor.
There was a real chance they'd bump into each other. Which meant Kael had to be ready to throw hands at any moment.
A confrontation … in public?
Kael glanced over at Ellaria, who had just entered with a breakfast cart, humming as she pushed it along.
Should he take her along, just in case?
But that came with its own risks.
Ellaria had been seen around the third-years's floor quite a bit over the past month. If she suddenly showed up as his 'escort',it'd be easy to put the pieces together—and she might end up getting targeted if she ever went back there.
"So, what's your opinion on Greymore?" Kael asked as Ellaria lifted the dish cover.
She blinked in surprise—whether from the sudden mention of that name or the fact that she was being asked at all, Kael couldn't tell.
"Ah… I think… she seems nice?"
What kind of answer is that? "You see everyone as a saint, don't you." Kael clicked his tongue—not out of spite, just mildly annoyed.
"I mean, do you think I should really 'help' her?"
"Does… my opinion matter?"
"Huh?"
"Ah— I mean, um…" Ellaria scratched her neck, eyes glancing up as she searched for the right words. "It's just… she's been fighting for so long."
Kael frowned.
"You said it yourself, didn't you? Back then. That there's no point helping the weak if they've already given up. You kept saying that whenever you … um… 'disciplined' me. That the day you stopped hitting me would be the day I became strong enough to stand on my own.
"I guess the same thing's happened with Lady Greymore. But … Lord Halbrecht refuses to acknowledge her strength. She's already fought enough—and now she's searching for her own freedom."
Is that really how she saw the way the real Kael treated her? Kael clenched his jaw. "But what if the same thing had happened to you? What if the violence never stopped? What if I never stopped?"
Ellaria looked rattled by that. She paused for several minutes, biting her lip in regret before quietly responding,
"Then … I guess I'd face you head-on. And wake you up myself."
#
When the dismissal bell rang, Kael found himself heading up the stairs that led to the third-year floor.
Freedom, huh?
How arrogant of him—to think that Gideon was the only bastard in this story.
Not that he expected Ellaria to forgive him.
Not that everything was his fault, either.
But as he walked past the hallway windows and saw the reflection of the person who'd once messed up someone's life—not just anyone, but someone who shared the same pain—he couldn't help but feel sick.
Class 3-C.
Tucked away in the corner of the corridor.
Most classrooms were empty by now, including Gideon's.
That made the trip easier, though several upperclassmen still gave him odd stares as he passed by.
"… It was such a romantic opera! Max really loved it—and said I had amazing taste. All thanks to you, Thalia."
"Oh, it was nothing. Just a lucky recommendation. I guess our boyfriends have similar tastes."
"Speaking of which! I tried the outfit you suggested on our date—Alex called me cute and asked me to wear it every time we go out!"
A chorus of squeals and laughter erupted.
"I'm just glad it helped bring you two closer."
"But seriously, everything you suggest—your advice, your ideas—it all sets the bar for us girls in how to treat our partners."
"Of course! Lady Greymore always puts in 100% effort to keep Lord Halbrecht comfortable. It's proof of how pure and strong their love is!"
"So sweet~!"
"Ahem." Kael knocked on the door.
All five girls surrounding Thalia turned toward him—confused, annoyed, and completely baffled.
"What are you—"
"Ready to walk home?" Kael cut them off, looking straight at Thalia.
She blinked, lips twitching in what might have been a stifled laugh before smiling and nodding. "Let's go." She grabbed her bag and walked past her little fan club.
"L-Lady Greymore?" one of the girls called out, clearly stunned.
Thalia waved without looking back. "I'll see you tomorrow~!"
Once she was gone, the others just stared at each other in disbelief. "… did that really just happen?"
#
"A pure and strong love, huh?" Kael muttered as he walked ahead, scoffing.
"People just say what they think they see."
"But they're not wrong."
Thalia suddenly stopped, forcing Kael to turn back.
"What? You two do look like a perfect match. The school idol and the valiant future general."
Thalia sighed, shaking her head. "Do we really have to talk about this right now, Mikael?"
Mikael? "Who the hell are you calling that?"
Thalia shrugged with a smirk. "It just sounds prettier than Kael, doesn't it?"
"You do know the kingdom has laws against calling people by fake names—"
"Besides, it's kinda rude to bring up someone else on our date, don't you think?"
"Date?"
Thalia skipped ahead and flicked his nose lightly.
"What, did you not realize that's what I meant when I asked you to pick me up?" She giggled and jogged forward.
Kael rolled his eyes and sighed, quickening his pace to catch up.
They took the stairs that led to the academy's rooftop.
"This is what you call a date?"
"I've always wanted to eat lunch on the roof," Thalia said with a shrug.
"It's already late. And we didn't even bring—"
She pulled out a plastic bag from her tote. Inside were two neatly packed lunch boxes. She raised her eyebrows and held them up. "Don't tell me you already ate?"
Kael had eaten breakfast … but still.
"Anyway, this place is supp—"
Before he could finish, Thalia had already pulled out a key from her bag (or maybe from her keychain earlier), and—
Click!
The door swung open. A soft breeze washed over them.
"… I borrowed it from a friend on the Student Council," Thalia explained.
Figures.
"They said I could return it whenever, but if we're out too late, people might get suspicious. So let's go."
She grabbed Kael's arm—startling him a bit, as he wasn't used to physical contact—and pulled him out.
Not that the view was anything special.
The academy was located in the heart of the city, surrounded by smoke, factories, and faint traces of lingering magic pollution.
But Thalia inhaled deeply, as if she were standing at heaven's gate.
There was something strange about her today. Or maybe Kael was the strange one.
So, for once, he kept quiet as she led him to sit in a quiet corner, handed him one of the lunch boxes, and asked him to open it with her—her face glowing with excitement.
Three smoked salmon sandwiches, topped with tomato sauce and cheese.
Not something you'd normally find in the cafeteria. Which meant only one thing: "You made this yourself?"
Thalia nodded. "I always have time before the class start."
"Classes start at seven in the morning." Kael, who often skipped morning showers and masked it with cologne, grimaced.
"I wake up at four."
Yup. She's a psycho. "So you did this for Gideon every day—"
"Mikael!"
"My name is Kael."
Thalia huffed. "Didn't I say not to bring up other people on our date?"
Kael clicked his tongue. Then what the hell do you want me to talk about?
He wasn't exactly bad at talking to girls, but small talk wasn't his thing either.
So he took a bite of the sandwich instead. Not bad.
"So… did you write it, or was it your maid?"
"… what?"
"The post. In the Advocacy section."
Kael shrugged. "She wrote it. I just dictated the words."
"You? No way."
Thalia's eyes widened.
Was that so hard to believe?
"Is that some special Ashborn talent? Being sharp-tongued and conniving?"
Was that… an insult? "No. That's just my talent. And Ellaria's. And probably anyone who 'aligns' with me." Kael stared at her, then grinned. "You might develop it too… if you're serious about your promise."
Thalia blinked.
The five-second silence that followed was unbearable, so Kael quickly turned away. "Forget I said that."
"Oh, so that was flirting? Sorry, sorry—I wasn't ready yet."
"I said forget it."
Thalia kept teasing him until he shut up. She clearly enjoyed watching him squirm.
"… but seriously, is it really that bad… being an Ashborn?"