On Catherine's face, her perfectly polite smile experienced an extremely subtle stiffness.
A hint of surprise flashed in the depths of her azure eyes.
Why would Vivian Kahn take the initiative to reject on Greg Sass's behalf?
This completely contradicted her calculations.
Despite the growing doubts in her mind, Catherine maintained a proper composure on the surface.
She showed no offense or displeasure, merely tilting her head slightly with just the right amount of perplexity and respect as she looked at Vivian, asking in a soft voice:
“Princess Vivian, if I may ask... what is your reason for declining on his behalf?”
Her tone remained polite and respectful, yet she threw the question right back to Vivian in a subtle probe—I would like to know on what authority you make this decision for him.
Vivian met Catherine's gaze calmly with her ice-blue eyes and replied:
“Because he is currently a Disciplinary Committee member of the Student Council. At this time, he needs to report to the Student Council and begin preparing for today's work. If you have other matters to discuss with him, you may make separate arrangements after his Student Council duties are complete.”
Her reasoning sounded thorough and legitimate.
It explained her stance for refusing on his behalf while providing a reasonable out of "making separate arrangements," leaving no room for fault on the surface.
Standing to the side, Greg listened as his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
“So she just doesn't want another capitalist taking away her workhorse to do labor during work hours...”
The unrealistic fantasy that had just bloomed in his mind vanished instantly, and he mocked himself internally.
Still, he breathed a sigh of relief at being able to temporarily escape Catherine's invitation.
Meanwhile, the surrounding students who had been pricking up their ears and closely watching the interaction among these three prominent figures fell into a collective silence upon hearing Vivian's words.
Afterward, an array of unbelievable, ridiculous, and even comical expressions washed over their faces like a spilled palette of paint.
“W-What?! What did I just hear? Greg Sass is... a Disciplinary Committee member?!”
“He's a Disciplinary Committee member? Am I still dreaming, or has the world gone mad?”
“Having Greg Sass—the guy who took the lead in breaking school rules—manage discipline?! Th-This is even more ridiculous than the Demon King Cult announcing tomorrow that they're converting to the Goddess of Light!”
“I'm a little worried about the academy's atmosphere from now on... He wouldn't abuse his authority to enact rules like 'girls' skirts must be shorter than twenty centimeters above the knee' or 'violators must be measured in person by the Disciplinary Committee member,' would he?”
“Hey! That last part is entirely your own fantasy! Although... it doesn't seem completely impossible?”
Whispers surged again like a tide, every face filled with shock and disbelief.
When Catherine heard the title "Disciplinary Committee member," her azure eyes narrowed slightly as a flicker of genuine shock swept across them.
This appointment was entirely absent from any of her prior intelligence.
This meant it was a decision suddenly made within the last day or two.
And those with the authority to make such an exceptional and ridiculous appointment at Glory Cael Academy could be counted on one hand.
Either it was Vivian Kahn herself, who possessed certain administrative power as Student Council President.
However, based on Catherine's understanding of Vivian, she would never actively recruit such a stain-filled figure into her ranks, especially into a sensitive department responsible for managing discipline.
Thus, the only remaining reasonable explanation was direct intervention or instructions from higher-ups in the academy.
This deduction caused Catherine's heart to sink slightly.
If a high-level figure in the academy truly stood behind Greg, then matters were far more complicated than she had anticipated.
This meant that the difficulty and cost required to reach an agreement with Greg in the future would likely rise exponentially.
He was no longer a fallen former noble who could be dealt with simply through benefits or threats, but someone brimming with secrets whom she had to carefully consider how to gamble with.
While Catherine rapidly weighed this sudden variable in her mind and re-evaluated her follow-up strategy, Vivian did not give her any more time to linger.
Having delivered her explanation, she no longer looked at Catherine, nor did she pay any further mind to the increasingly noisy chatter around them.
With a nearly indifferent air, she gave a light toss to the waterfall-like lake-blue hair behind her, its strands cutting a clean arc through the air. Then, she stepped straight forward, walking past Catherine without glancing aside.
Her steps were steady and her posture composed, as though all the preceding dialogue and surrounding clamor were merely insignificant background noise.
Greg froze for a moment, looking at Vivian's back as she left without hesitation, then glancing at Catherine standing on the spot and the crowds gathering around. He unhesitatingly chose to keep pace with his temporary superior.
Quickening his pace to reach Vivian's side, he hesitated briefly before speaking in a low voice audible only to the two of them:
“Um... thanks for earlier.”
He was referring to Vivian stepping in to shield him from Catherine's invitation.
Regardless of her reasoning, she had objectively helped get him out of a tight spot for the moment.
Vivian did not pause her steps, nor did she turn her head in the slightest, merely sweeping a cold glance toward Greg from the corner of her eye.
“There is no need to thank me.”
Vivian's voice was colder than her gaze, carrying a matter-of-fact detachment along with a barely perceptible trace of... irritation?
“However, please keep in mind, Greg Sass. You are now a Disciplinary Committee member of the Student Council. I do not wish to see your private disputes with other women affect the Student Council's routine operations and reputation.”
With that, as if wanting no further conversation with Greg, she noticeably quickened her pace. In just a few strides, she left Greg half a step behind, leaving him with only her straight, distant blue back.
Greg rubbed his chin, staring at Vivian's back—which seemed even colder and stiffer than before—lost in thought.
Her tone... why did it sound a bit unhappy?
When she rejected Catherine for me earlier, though her tone was cold, it was still calm.
So why did it feel like her mood had suddenly plummeted now?
“Could it really be because she's jealous?”
Greg recalled that absurd thought once more, only to immediately dismiss it.
No, impossible.
I must be overthinking it.
She probably just thinks I'm a pain and a potential troublemaker, so she's warning me in advance.
After all, Catherine isn't an easy person to handle either. Getting involved with me could indeed bring unpredictable trouble to the Student Council... Yeah, that must be it.
“Tsk, if I had known, I shouldn't have spent all my time in my past life just playing Galgames. I should've made time for a campus romance! At least then I wouldn't be completely unable to guess what this princess is thinking...”
In the end, Greg could only shake his head helplessly, sweeping those messy thoughts out of his mind. He quickened his stride and dutifully followed behind the princess up ahead.
Rate on N.U.
