Chapter 18- Scammers and Deceitful Students (5)

The school newspaper now presents fellow students with today’s headlines. The life of Arthur Riognan and Clayo Asser!

Clayo carefully read the newspaper and began to worry. The article bothered him in two aspects—

1. He didn’t want to be notorious, nor he has the slightest desire to be infamous. He just wanted to be inconspicuous.
2. Who is this man Arthur Riognan?

“The Prince of the Kingdom of Albion,” is a narrative story that fashioned all events to interconnect with the main character. Thus, even the unimportant person or trivial occasions had a role linked with him, for he deemed leading and the first character of the storyline.

But now that he had taken over Clayo’s role, Clayo preferred to hold himself aloof from the story to the point he was trying for obscurity.

However, Arthur Riognan, the main character, surprisingly, doesn’t resemble a cool nobleman or even a young God-like man with extraordinary beauty! This leading character turns out to be nothing but a homeless tramp!

He knows the story has modified, but he didn’t expect Arthur’s role to become like that.

Though I didn’t recognize him at first, now it was clear to me. He was the one who displayed a rare skill in handling the dagger back in the forest. And eventually, his skill with a dagger made his sword shone.

At that thought, Jeongjin’s heartfelt anguished by such an unexpected turn of events. And a suspicion has formed in his mind that there was something afoot here. He presumed there was an agenda behind this. Faintly, a conjecture crystalized on the edge of his mind.

Was it possible that the author was trying to influence the story by linking me to the main character?

D*mn! I was too naive! Of course, the author is going to rework his story to make it more interesting. After all, thwarting me from knowing the story progression only makes the story more engaging.

Now, he is in great trouble.

However, he hasn’t given time to completely digest the thought as Behemoth suddenly acted up after reading the newspaper. The cat restlessly moved all over Clayo’s bedroom in frustration.

“How dare you, Clayo?! How could you go around drinking like that without sharing some drinks with me?” The cat angrily talked to Clayo.

“Oh… man… is that a problem for you?” Clayo retorted, feeling quite hurt that his worth is lower than some drinks. But, Behemoth was merciless as he began to list out his demand.

“Of course, that’s exactly it! Don’t you dare ever sacrifice a Budigalasan Wine to me! I want something better now! I’m sure there is a wine from 1875 in the professor’s liquor store!”

“Oh, you’re an expert cat.”

“Yes, liquor is my expertise. So, when you got the key, you should have told me first!” Behemoth seriously said, looking exceptionally adorable as it did so.

“Even without the key, you can still go inside. You’re a cat, after all.” Clayo asserted unconsciously, believing that there shouldn’t be a problem for Behemoth to do that.

“No, the professor’s liquor store has some enhancement on it. And one of them is temperature preservation detection. It’s simply impossible for a noble cat to enter without a trace, ahhhhh.”

Amidst their heated debate, someone came in. It was Nebo who had opened the door with a sullen expression due to a headache, for he could hardly remember the words of the dean.

“Hey, Dean Jebedi, you’re a long man. Can we have our dialogue now.”

“Okay…”

“Commendable, you’re a real snitch. You had a fun week, huh?”

I didn’t mean to, and I’m afraid I could be kicked out soon for lots of absences, Nebo thought.

***

Therefore, Clayo went to the dean’s office, feeling quite unwilling. Soon, he arrived in the hallway where it located and saw another student standing in front of the door to the office, seemingly ready for interrogation. Thus, he presumed the other guy called for the same purpose as him.

And, from the look of it, this boy was quite sensitive to people’s presence. Because, as soon as Clayo neared the office, he was aware of someone approaching. So, he looked around. This boy was tall with a straight shoulder and a well-groomed blonde hair that shines, reflecting the light of sunset that illuminated the hallway this late afternoon. His eyes were bright and ferocious at the same time. And Clayo knew this guy.

The Memory of Promise allowed him to recall every phrase he had read before. As such, he is privileged to review the story deliberately and clearly whenever he wants. And he had read about this guy.

“Have you been called too? Well, I’ll be kind and tell you this. When Dean Jebedi gives his sermon, usually, it lasts around 20 minutes. So, what will you do?” The other boy asked.

‘… the way you talk is the same.’

The boy was familiar with Jeongjin. Jeongjin surmised that if the person in his mind should wash and cut his hair, along with wearing the appropriate school uniform, perhaps Leo, who was on his mind, would look the same as this boy? Therefore, with all the facts lined up, Jeongjin finally could assuredly say that he is the guy!

Arthur “Leonard” Riognan. 

He is the main character of The Prince of the Albion and the third prince of the kingdom who will one day become king.

‘How could I find out it was him if he’s acting like a homeless man catching birds?’

Jeongjin thought, practically bursting in anger.

“You said your name was Leo!” Clayo protested, indignant. Alas, the other party’s response, however, was belligerent as if nothing was wrong.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m Leo.”

“Ha, Mr…”

“Clayo Asser. You once told me that your name was Ray.”

“You don’t have to know my name at all,” Clayo responded.

“How could I forget what I already know?”

“Then forget it now. It was unpleasant for me to see you. Let’s never see each other again.”

“But we still underwent a week of a drinking spree together. Why are you so mean to me?” Arthur whined to him.

At this moment, Jeongjin has stuck in a rock and hard place. After all, as Clayo, he could hardly turn a blind eye to a boy who’s standing in the hallway outside the dean’s office alone. But, talking with him was also a problem for him.