How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

“Young Master Eric came back during this year’s long break and mentioned it to me. He said his opponent in practical combat was you, and that your strength crushed him across the board. You won easily.” Bern stared closely at Vinny.

“He said if you had wanted to take a top-five spot, you would have acted long ago, but you don’t seem to be aiming for that, and you don’t care about it.”

“So you came looking for me to challenge me to a duel?”

“No, of course not. I still know where I stand. I know exactly how wide the gap between Young Master Eric and me is. It’s just like the gap between you and Young Master Eric.” Then Bern continued, “No matter what, you really are strong. It seems I misjudged you back then. You truly are a buried genius. For that, I want to apologize to you.”

Vinny said nothing.

The other party was praising him so much that he was starting to feel embarrassed. One had to know that this Bern had once found him unpleasant in every possible way.

“There’s no need to apologize. Are you in this class?” Vinny asked. “Is this your class having combat class?”

“I’m not someone who likes joining crowds for excitement,” Bern said.

He did not answer directly, but those words had already made his meaning very clear.

“Oh.” Vinny nodded. It looked like he was in the same class as Margaret. What a coincidence.

“There is actually something I have always wondered,” Bern said. “I don’t know whether it would be convenient for you to answer.”

“What is it?”

“Do you have any living relatives? For example, a younger sister or the like.”

“Is that what you wanted to ask?” Vinny glanced at Margaret and understood the implication behind that question. “I’m very sure I don’t.”

“I see. I understand.” After hearing that, Bern hesitated and looked at Vinny, then looked at the pink-haired girl on the training field who had won and was receiving everyone’s congratulations.

“Have you met her?” Bern did not continue asking about the relationship between the two of them.

“I have,” Vinny answered casually.

“Do you have a conflict with her?”

“A conflict? Why would you say that?” Vinny asked, somewhat amused. “Do I have to have a conflict with her?”

“That was narrow-minded of me.” Bern seemed a little surprised by Vinny’s reaction. “Are you planning to participate in the upcoming Chosen One Granted by God Tournament?”

“Definitely. Do I have any reason not to?” Vinny said with certainty. “If you had the opportunity to participate, would you choose to stand aside and watch?”

“Of course not.” As Bern spoke, a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes. “Who would miss an opportunity that comes once in a thousand years? This was one of my biggest goals in enrolling at Carillian Academy to begin with.”

At this point, Vinny suddenly remembered that if not for him as an unexpected factor, Bern should currently have been a second-year, just in time for the Carillian Chosen Tournament.

“Well, who told me to run into you in the elimination round? I’m not discouraged, and I don’t hold any resentment. However, I’m still looking forward to the chance for a second clash,” Bern said.

“Then I’ll wait for you.” Vinny smiled. “Did you come looking for me for anything else?”

“Mm.” Bern swept his gaze over the students gathered in piles around them. The meaning went without saying.

There were too many people here. It was not convenient to speak.

“Let’s go.” Vinny made an inviting gesture. He was also very curious what Bern had come to him for.

The two arrived at a deserted corner.

“In truth, it’s about Caron,” Bern said only after making sure there was no one around.

“Caron?” When Vinny heard that name, his brows squeezed together. “If it’s about Caron, asking me might not be too appropriate. After all, I can’t say I was on good terms with him.”

He was familiar with Caron, but their relationship was not good. Everyone knew that.

“On the surface, everyone says Caron was a victim of the Kamov Mountain incident. But in truth, everyone in the Camella Kingdom’s noble circle knows.” Bern paused. “Caron’s death was very disgraceful.”

“It’s the kind of thing everyone understands, but tacitly avoids mentioning. After all, family shame should not be made public.”

“You didn’t come looking for me just to confirm this, did you?” Vinny’s expression did not change. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you. You know too—I’ve always been on the edge of the noble circle. Plenty of nobles don’t even treat me like a noble. How would I know about that kind of confidential matter?”

When Bern heard this, he fell silent for a moment, then sighed.

“Is that so? Then I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

The dismissal bell also rang at that very timely moment.

“Looks like class is over. I need to go back to our class’s training field. Otherwise, if the teacher takes attendance later and can’t find me, I might even be marked absent.”

After saying that, Vinny greeted Bern and left on his own.

That afternoon, after finishing his elective class, Vinny walked out of the classroom.

Shicodale and the others had not chosen this elective, so there were basically no acquaintances of his in class.

At dusk, Vinny walked out of the classroom and remembered that there was still club activity tonight. He had also told Shicodale that he would eat outside tonight, so Shicodale should eat alone and not wait for him.

Vinny slowly and methodically finished packing his book bag, then discovered that almost everyone in the classroom had left. He was nearly the only one remaining.

Once school was over, every single one of them ran fast.

However, Vinny also knew that they were probably not in such a hurry because they had been in class all afternoon and were starving, nor because they were rushing home. They were rushing to finish their homework so they could go to the training field.

The Academy had also taken the Chosen Tournament into consideration. These days, it had intentionally reduced homework across every year. Sometimes, there was even only previewing as homework, all to leave the students more time to prepare for battle.

The pressure of the Chosen Tournament had fallen on all students in all years except first-year.

Of course, there were always exceptions to everything. There were always those few people who did not eat pressure and could completely ignore the atmosphere, playing cards when it was time to play cards.

For example, those card players around him.

Although he had not seen them yesterday, Vinny felt that given that group’s character, pressure definitely did not exist for them.

Just as Vinny walked out of the Teaching Hall, he suddenly noticed an obvious gaze watching him from the landscaping strips on both sides of the hall.

“?”

Vinny did not alert the snake in the grass. However, after the person in the grass caught sight of him and saw that he was alone, they gently parted the shrubs and walked out.

“???”

Vinny looked the person in front of him up and down. Their head was covered with a large hat that hid their face tightly. Question marks were written all over Vinny’s face.

“No, buddy? Who are you? Which one?”

“Upperclassman Vinny, it’s me.”

The figure’s voice sounded familiar. Then, the large hat that resembled a peaked cap was taken off, and cherry-pink hair bloomed freely.

“Good day, Upperclassman Vinny.”

“Hm?”

When Vinny saw the newcomer, the graceful young girl before him was Margaret, whom he had only seen at noon.

“What are you doing here?” Vinny knew, but still pretended not to know as he asked.

“Upperclassman Vinny, have you forgotten?” Margaret blinked her beautiful big eyes. “Didn’t we say today would be the day I report in after joining the club?”

“Oh, I think that was the case. But what’s with that outfit?” Vinny’s expression turned strange. “On the way here, nobody stopped you as a suspicious person?”

“Well, there was no helping [N O V E L I G H T] it.” Margaret lightly stroked her forehead. “If I didn’t dress like this, I would definitely attract a lot of attention.”

“Fine.” Vinny remembered the scene at noon. It had been like a celebrity concert.

The line of Dawn Saintesses had been broken for three generations already. One could not really blame everyone for being filled with curiosity and longing toward the Dawn Saintess.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to report in.”

“Mm. Sorry to trouble you, Upperclassman Vinny.”

“Now that I think about it, being a big star really is hard work, huh?” As the two walked together, the corners of Vinny’s mouth rose. His tone made it hard to tell whether he was praising or mocking.

“A star?” Margaret did not seem to understand.

“Being a big celebrity. Being popular and all that. It’s hard work, right?” Vinny glanced at Margaret beside him.

“Mm. Everyone’s enthusiasm—I can feel that it is extremely fervent.” Margaret walked properly at Vinny’s side, as if thinking it over.

Come on. That was just what she was saying. In her heart, she was probably so happy her mouth was twisting from smiling, right?

Vinny could not help thinking that.

“Upperclassman Vinny, now that you mention it, are the people in the card-player-soul club easy to get along with? Are there any taboos? Is there anything I need to pay attention to?” As they walked, Margaret asked very carefully.

“Anything you need to pay attention to?” Vinny fell silent for a moment. “When you’re playing cards and see that you’re about to lose, don’t use excuses like ‘I want to go to the bathroom’ or ‘I suddenly remembered I still have homework for one subject.’ Those excuses were already used to death in first year. They aren’t allowed anymore.”

“Huh?” Margaret was stunned by this.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just feel that the upperclassmen all seem very interesting.”

“If you call that interesting, then I guess they’re interesting.” While they chatted, Vinny suddenly remembered something.

“Right. Do those friends of yours know you joined the card-player-soul club?”

“Well, I did tell them I already had a club I liked, and that since I had agreed with someone, I had to keep my word and join.”

Hearing this, Vinny could not help glancing at Margaret.

Who was that rigorous? This was not something that required rigor, was it?

So this was the persona she had deliberately crafted for herself?

Soon, the two arrived in front of the card-player-soul club.

Margaret was still curiously examining this remote club activity center before her, while Vinny silently pinched a leaf in his hand, poured a little mana into it, and sent it flying toward the grass.

SWISH, SWISH!

The leaf was like a blade, easily cutting several leaves and sending them flying up.

“Eh?” Margaret did not understand. “Upperclassman Vinny, is your hobby playing darts?”

“Darts? Right, this young master loves playing darts. But compared to darts, this young master loves hide-and-seek even more.” Vinny stared at the grass and suddenly gave a laugh. “And I’m always the ghost. I’m great at it.”

“??”

When Margaret heard this, she also noticed that something was off. Then she saw the patch of grass the leaf had passed through move, and a figure walked out of it in embarrassment.

“Mason??”

Looking at the boy who had failed to follow them and been discovered, and could only awkwardly walk out of the grass, Margaret recognized his identity.

“Why are you here??”

“Lady Margaret, the club you said you joined—could it possibly be this?” The boy with hair shaped like a hedgehog still had the embarrassment of having his lurking discovered on his face, but more than that, he was staring at Vinny with difficulty, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

“Yes. I made an agreement with Upperclassman Vinny, and I am very interested in Upperclassman Vinny’s club.” As Margaret spoke, a reproachful look appeared on her face. “Mason, were you following us?”

“Well.” The boy named Mason was full of embarrassment. “I was afraid you might be in danger, Lady Margaret, so I—”

“I don’t understand, Mason. What danger could I possibly be in while I’m at the Academy?” Margaret clearly found his explanation unreasonable. “Why are all of you always like this? Do you not believe in me, or do you not believe in the classmates attending the same Academy as you, or do you not believe in the Academy’s security?”

“I—I don’t mean that.” The moment Margaret’s attitude became stern, Mason panicked and hurriedly denied it.

“Then what do you mean?”

“I—I...”

“Hey, Margaret, don’t blame this little brother.” At this moment, Vinny, who had been watching the show from the side, spoke in a gleeful tone, looking at Mason with a mocking expression. “I can tell. This little brother here actually didn’t mean to follow us. His meaning couldn’t be clearer. He, just like you, is super interested in our card-player-soul club and wants to join.”

“??” Confusion appeared on Mason’s face.

“Is that so?” Margaret certainly knew that was not the case, but since Vinny had said so, it was not very convenient for her to say anything else.

“Ah, ah, well.” Mason stuttered for a long while. After Vinny put it that way, it seemed he had no way to say no anymore.

At this moment, countless chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind.

What was this fake trying to do?? Was he trying to drag him and Her Eminence the Saintess into this club, then arrange a hundred axemen to ambush them from behind??

Or poison the drinks??

Were the people in this club actually all his subordinates? If they went in, would they be unable to come back out?

In short, there was no way he had good intentions in tricking Her Eminence the Saintess into this bizarre club!

“All right, all right, what are you hesitating for? Don’t be shy. Come on. The more people join our club, the better. Once you’re here, you’re a brother.” Without waiting for the other party to answer, Vinny pushed open the card-player-soul club’s door.

“Yo, Brother Vinny, you finally came?” When Ferdi saw the door open and Vinny standing outside, he put down the card game in his hands and walked over. “Where’s the new member you promised today? Did you bring them over?”

“Of course I brought them over.” Vinny moved aside with a grin, allowing the card players to see the two people behind him.

“Everyone, these two are our new members from now on. Let’s welcome them with applause!”