Episode 2: How to Survive as a Con Artist (2)
Stepping out of the infirmary, the path ahead loomed dauntingly.
I couldn’t divulge the existence of this curse; my voice remained normal, yet to others, it was stifled.
Writing it down proved futile; attempts to jot it in my student notebook resulted in blurred words, as if silenced.
“This is something I can’t speak of.”
The curse’s origin remained shrouded in mystery, a new enigma for me to navigate.
But one thing became clear: its roots lay within the Crowler family. If true, then my father too must have been afflicted.
“There appears to be no escape from this predicament.”
In the midst of my thoughts, voices echoed from the corridor, often the case when notable students were present.
– Jenny Chainsilver.
– Isn’t she the first-year whom I humiliated?
– Sigh! She’s been in a foul mood lately. Best not to provoke her.
Approaching from the far end, a girl with blue hair tied into a side tail commanded the students’ attention.
“Jenny Chainsilver,” a Class A student, known for impressing professors and a playable character of Devil Lord Academy.
Destined to become one of protagonist Raimon Vegilius’s companions, her once vibrant persona now exuded coldness and distance, courtesy of Radon Crowler’s cruel deception.
Encountering her now would be perilous.
“It seems she hasn’t noticed me yet.”
I swiftly averted my gaze, contemplating escape.
“If I slip away quietly…”
“Are you attempting to flee?”
“!!”
Jenny, closing in, appeared suddenly before me, narrowing the distance with uncanny speed. Human or ghost, it was hard to discern.
A chilling sense of menace emanated from her.
“Radon Crowler, don’t you have something to say to me?”
“….”
Though guiltless, my body tensed reflexively, unable to meet her venomous gaze, feeling an icy shiver down my spine.
Having played Jenny as a game character myself, I deeply understood the intensity with which she lived.
During the first autonomous combat training, Radon couldn’t resist showing off, boasting about his family lineage descending from great swordsmen or something along those lines.
However, given the Crowler family’s known decline, the students saw through his facade, mocking his lies.
Jenny stood by Radon, viewing him as unfairly ostracized due to prejudice.
Critics among the students questioned the relevance of Class C to a lineage of great swordsmen, but Jenny remained steadfast. Then, classmates with feelings of inferiority made a shocking demand: they wanted Jenny to wager something valuable.
That something was her sapphire pendant, a cherished memento of her deceased mother.
As tensions escalated, the boys grew increasingly aggressive. Jenny faced the dilemma of becoming a laughingstock if she refused, so reluctantly agreed to the proposal.
Jenny’s desire to protect her heirloom and Radon’s reluctance to let her kindness go to waste led them to practice together after school for a week.
On the day of reckoning, Radon was scheduled to face off against a Class A student in front of everyone.
Anxiously waiting for Radon, Jenny’s hands grew sweaty, but he never appeared.
In the end, the heirloom was shattered by the Class A student, sparking a major incident.
Radon’s reputation took a nosedive, serving as the catalyst for him being branded a con artist.
“I’ll forgive you if you tell the truth now.”
“….”
“Why didn’t you show up then?”
Suddenly, students began gathering around, silently observing, unsure when or how the situation would escalate.
Everything hinged on Radon’s answer, yet truth was difficult to come by. He had been napping at the time. It was no laughing matter.
“I have to somehow make amends.”
His proficiency in the skill of ‘deception,’ one of his specialties, had been honed during this time, automatically activating.
“At that moment, I…”
“I was scared, so I ran away.”
“What?”
“I was so nervous. It felt like walking straight into a tiger’s den.”
Jenny’s expression betrayed shock at his revelation.
“Just because of that… you broke the promise?”
She trembled, biting her lip, as if on the verge of punching me in the face. But she couldn’t. Surrendering in this situation wouldn’t be dignified, at least in my opinion.
However, revealing that I was napping might invite a real punch. My ‘perception’ was telling me that.
“Sorry, but fear overcame that promise. Travell was there, known for his cruelty.”
“….”
“If you don’t like it, you can punch me. I’ll cover it up even if the professors notice.”
With that, I closed my eyes and confidently exposed my chest. Perhaps you wouldn’t think much of a punch from a delicate girl like her, but she was a combat-oriented student from Class A. It wouldn’t be strange for bones to break with one punch.
Of course, that didn’t happen. My ‘insight’ assured me of that.
“Cover it up? That’s funny. Do you think I’ll be fooled by your lies again?”
“….”
“Don’t ever catch my eye again. Next time, you’ll really regret it.”
Jenny brushed past me, grazing my shoulder with her chin. Even as she left, her anger seemed undiminished.
But nothing as extreme as a rooftop incident occurred.
“Phew… I thought I was done for.”
As the situation concluded, I felt a wave of relief.
Indeed, it was a known fact that sometimes lies had to be risked with one’s life.
* * * * *
My goals were twofold.
Maintain a stable school life and unravel this troublesome curse.
The origin of the curse remained completely unknown, a new enigma I had never encountered before.
However, one thing became clear: its roots lay within the Crowler family.
Returning immediately to the dormitory, I scoured every nook and cranny of my room. Since I lived alone, it didn’t matter if it got messy.
There, I found the only clue: a letter from my father. The envelope had already been torn open, as if read before.
Seeing it safely preserved indicated some measure of parental affection.
[“Dear Radon, my dear son. Are you doing well? Although I made a hasty decision to enroll you in the academy, there should be no threats to you within those walls. If your talent shines there, it will be a double benefit.”]
Threats… Ever since our family’s downfall, such adversaries were inevitable.
Up to this point, the letter exuded warm concern from my father.
But what ensued was a series of absurdities.
[“The assets siphoned off by our family just before its decline funded your tuition. Despite this, our remaining wealth vanished, yet our family did not succumb to ruin.”]
“Pfft!”
Became paupers, yet didn’t fall into ruin?
Was it akin to drinking alcohol but refraining from driving drunk? Such nuances almost provoked laughter as I read.
[“Merely the mansion, power, and minions vanished. Our Crowler lineage still possesses enough eminence to reclaim its former glory. Simply selling the Crowler name would compel your peers to bow before you.”]
What manner of powerless family is this?
Like a sports team bereft of its star player?
[“Remember this! Our Crowler must uphold such stature now!”]
“…Huh?”
There was an eerie potency in those words.
It seemed as though my father possessed either sorcerous abilities or had ensorcelled the letter. The more I read, the more ensnared I felt.
Rip! –
Before succumbing to that influence, I swiftly tore up the letter. It seemed this was his method of indoctrinating his children.
Apologies, Father, but I couldn’t yield. I am not Radon.
Thus, there was no reason for me to succumb to indoctrination.
– Radon Crowler. Radon Crowler, students are requested to report to the newspaper room.
At that moment, my student ID vibrated, displaying a message. The ID’s rear housed a mirror, serving as a conduit for student communications.
Upon reflection, Radon’s membership in the newspaper club became apparent. Their activity was slated for today.
“My apologies for the delay!”
Familiar with the academy’s layout, I navigated without arousing suspicion of being lost, arriving promptly at the newspaper club.
Upon entry, I bowed my head before the assembled members, expressing remorse for my tardiness.
“Haha, you’re here swiftly.”
Trisha Maralin, the club’s head, greeted me with a smile.
I humbly acknowledged, “Apologies. I was detained at the infirmary…”
“Forget about being late. Today, let’s… Wait!”
Trisha suddenly halted mid-sentence, her eyes widening in realization. A shocked expression swept across her face.
“Why… Why are you using honorifics?”
“What?”
“The guy who used to boast about being a great Crowler and spoke informally has suddenly become so humble?”
The other members echoed her astonishment, as if witnessing an inexplicable phenomenon.
Given Radon’s typical demeanor, their reaction was unsurprising. It wasn’t out of the ordinary at all.
“The guy who acted like royalty all of a sudden…?”
“…Hmm.”
“Anyway! There’s something we need to discuss about you today.”
Trisha slid the mirror on the back of her student ID forward. The mirror, which had been reflecting her image, transformed into a screen, projecting a document.
It was a publication by the newspaper club, with my name listed as the publisher.
“Your newspaper, which has recently gained traction in the school, contains some severely false testimonies.”
“Ah…”
I understood Radon’s actions without them needing to elaborate.
Fake news. Radon’s penchant for deceit, tinged with madness, began here.
It started subtly but escalated to outright falsehoods, potentially resulting in expulsion.
This would undoubtedly evoke strong reactions from the key players.
“Once it’s published, it can’t be retracted. By now, many students must be reading this newspaper and feeling incredulous.”
“I deeply apologize. There’s no excuse for my actions.”
“I hate to admit it, but if I had known you were such a liar, I wouldn’t have allowed you to join.”
Trisha felt the weight of regret, wishing she could turn back time.
When Radon applied for admission in his first year, she hadn’t simply accepted him with open arms. The scarcity of applicants for the newspaper club also played a role.
His confident demeanor and audacious attitude stood out starkly compared to other applicants. It seemed he didn’t rely on his grades like the others did.
Trisha begrudged herself for being captivated by that.
“It serves me right. I’m destined to bear the burden of Radon’s deceit.”
Trisha would shoulder the blame for this false reporting. In that moment, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her future.
“What is all this about?”
