The Genius Tamer of the Academy

Chapter 17

Creek trembled as he looked up at me. Like the parting of the Red Sea, the students around me moved aside.

They must be telling me to take him away already.

All eyes were on me, and even I had to admit, it was quite the spectacle.

Especially for those who knew the terms of the bet.

“Did Han Siha win?”

“No way.”

“Creek’s done for.”

There was no way for Creek to avoid the bet, especially since he was the one who set the conditions himself.

With pale lips, Creek began shouting.

“What are you looking at?”

“I said, what are you looking at?!”

“What… are you looking at….”

His voice got quieter and quieter.

We’re looking at you, you arrogant bastard.

Do you have any idea how many arrows I shot at Odopteon to bring him down? How many times have I got beaten up by Adela?

I went through all that just for this moment!

Smiling, I finally spoke.

“Do you know what one plus one equals, commoner?”

Creek trembled, unable to say a word, grinding his teeth in frustration.

“Two… isn’t it?”

“It’s eleven, got it? You’re 32nd place.”

I twisted the knife deeper.

“The only reason I’m not doing well is that I don’t study. If I did, I’d be better than you, you idiot.”

Unbelievable value for my effort.

Creek’s face turned beet red, almost ready to explode. Laughter echoed from behind him.

Honestly, it was an entertaining scene no matter who won or lost.

Most of the students here were probably hoping I’d lose.

But in the end, I was the winner of the bet.

Now, it was time to decide his fate.

Creek hung his head in defeat, his expression one of despair.

Seeing him so dejected made me feel a little sorry for him.

Honestly, I didn’t like him. From Han Siha’s perspective, he probably hated him enough to want to kill him.

But I wasn’t Han Siha, and all Creek had done was pick a fight with me.

He never bullied me to the point where I wanted to kill him. If you really want to see someone bark like a dog, aren’t you just a bit of a pervert?

So, I decided to make him another offer.

‘Han Siha, your mana is completely unrefined. It feels like it’s spilling out uncontrollably.’

Adela had pointed out that while I had plenty of mana, the quality was lacking.

But I already knew the solution to that problem. Around this time, I remembered seeing something useful being auctioned off at the marketplace.

There was a potion that could enhance the quality of mana.

It was currently dismissed as quackery, and no one used it, but under certain conditions, it could permanently enhance the quality of mana.

The problem was that it was quite expensive.

If I got kicked out of the dormitory, I wouldn’t even have money for food, let alone that potion.

I couldn’t buy it without help from my family, but recently, a good idea had come to mind.

For it to work, though, I needed the help of Creek, who, despite his rotten personality, had a lot of connections.

There were some other things I needed to ask him as well.

“Hey.”

Of course, I had to scare him a little first.

Make sure he never tries to cross me again.

“If you’re ready, then go ahead.”

The gathered students murmured at my words.

Laughter gradually mixed in among them. While a few frowned, most of them seemed to see this as nothing more than entertainment.

“Come on, do it.”

“This is going to be fun, it’s killer.”

“It’ll be worth watching no matter who wins.”

Fabian, with his smug face, pressured Creek.

Even Creek’s close friends had turned their backs on him, silently observing the scene. This wouldn’t have happened if Creek had a slightly more noble background.

Creek trembled, glancing at me nervously. His pride seemed already shattered, but there was a strange determination in his eyes.

Someone whispered from somewhere.

“Just do it, Creek.”

They egged him on, enjoying the show without a shred of guilt.

If he said he absolutely couldn’t do it, he could’ve avoided it.

But the pressure got to him.

Creek had no choice but to speak.

He was really about to do it.

Wham.

I smacked the back of Creek’s head.

“Don’t cross the line.”

“Huh…?”

Creek rolled his eyes, not understanding what had just happened.

I sighed and chided him.

“Dogs are cute. You don’t look anything like one, you jerk.”

“What…?”

“What you were about to do just now was an insult to dogs.”

“S-So you’re saying I shouldn’t do it?”

It was for the best. I shot a glare at the dimwitted noble who looked just as lost as Creek and got up from my seat.

I didn’t like that guy either. I’ll deal with him later.

I coldly addressed Creek.

“Unless you want to keep barking, follow me. I have something I need you to do.”

His eyes filled with uncertainty as he considered whether following me was the right choice.

But only for a moment.

Creek trembled as he hesitantly stood up.

* * *

An isolated club room at Ardel Academy.

The room, located in a semi-basement, let in only a faint stream of light through the window.

Creek nervously swallowed as he took a seat in one of the empty chairs. It must have been abandoned for some time, as a thick layer of dust settled on the desk.

Creek glanced at Basilus, who was glaring at me with a murderous look.

“W-Why did you bring me here?” he stammered.

If he had been dragged all the way here, he figured it was to avoid prying eyes and deal with him seriously.

Creek gritted his teeth and asked Han Siha, trying to piece together his assumptions.

Han Siha responded, sounding annoyed.

“I was being considerate.”

“What?”

“Did you really want to bark like that in the classroom? Do you enjoy that sort of thing?”

As Creek stood there in shock, Han Siha pressed him further.

“Should we go back?”

Creek frantically shook his head. Not surprising, considering how sinister Han Siha’s expression looked at the moment.

One wrong word, and it felt like he’d be dragged right back into that mess.

Under Han Siha’s cold gaze, Creek hesitated before speaking.

“Then… Why exactly did you bring me here?”

Groveling to Han Siha was something Creek had never imagined he would have to do.

There were rumors that Han Siha would be expelled, and Creek had witnessed some events that made it seem likely.

With that momentum, people who disliked Han Siha began to band together, and Creek was among them.

But if Han Siha hadn’t really been disowned by his family…

Creek realized he might have made a fatal mistake.

Han Siha’s next words made his heart drop.

“The rumor that I was disowned by my family—did you start that?”

“I just overheard it…”

“Oh, really?”

“I-I swear it’s true.”

So, this was his plan all along, dragging me out here?

Creek nervously tried to read Han Siha’s mood as he answered.

Han Siha then changed the subject.

“You know where my family’s estate is, right?”

“It’s in the C-Castica territory…”

Why was he asking this?

There was only one possible answer.

Creek’s body began to tremble so violently that it looked pitiful.

The fact that Han Siha was asking him these questions just to confirm his own status meant only one thing…

Creek, on the verge of tears, lowered his head.

It was clear Han Siha intended to bury him in the Castica estate.

“And you know who my father is?”

“O-Of course…”

Count Han Taesu.

One of the founding heroes of the Ardel Empire and the “Bloody Count” who annihilated the black magicians during the Dark War.

There was no way Creek wouldn’t know. His face turned so pale it was nearly ghostly.

Creek had seen Han Taesu at last year’s entrance ceremony.

As a sponsor of Ardel Academy, the count had visited the campus.

Even from a distance, Han Taesu seemed like a cold-blooded man, unlike his pathetic and gloomy youngest son. He looked like someone who wouldn’t even bleed if you stabbed him.

If Han Siha reported what had happened at the academy, Creek knew he could disappear without a trace, and no one would even care.

His mouth went dry with fear.

He regretted everything.

He had underestimated the nobility.

The arrogance that had led to this was now collapsing around him, and Creek slumped to the ground in despair.

“I-I was wrong!”

“I’m just asking.”

“Please, just give me one more chance… I’m begging you!”

“So, who is my father?”

Han Siha’s seemingly innocent questions felt like they were squeezing the life out of Creek.

Trembling, he whispered.

“C-Count Han Taesu…”

Han Siha seemed to realize something and murmured softly to himself.

“Ah, that guy. Where was his land again? Pretty big, isn’t it?”

Big enough to bury someone without a trace.

“I’ll do whatever you say! Just please, spare me….”

Han Siha looked down at the sniveling Creek with an expression of amusement.

He had a pretty good idea of what Creek was thinking.

‘It’s just a question, really.’

But Creek looked like he might pass out any second, so it was hard to ask him much more.

“Hmm.”

Instead, Han Siha’s eyes gleamed at Creek’s desperate offer.

“You said you’ll do whatever I say, right? You’ve got a lot of connections. How about spreading a rumor?”

There were certain people in Ardel Academy who would hear even the smallest rumor.

Han Siha wanted to make sure these people heard something favorable about him.

And Creek, with his loose lips, seemed like the perfect candidate for the job.

“What… What kind of rumor?”

Creek cautiously lifted his head.

Whatever it was, as long as he did what Han Siha wanted, he probably wouldn’t end up buried in the sunny lands of Castica.

As long as it wasn’t something too outrageous.

Creek was determined to do whatever was asked.

“Alright, repeat after me.”

Han Siha smiled slyly and beckoned him closer.

“Uh-huh.”

That gesture felt like the hand of a devil to Creek. He bit down on his lower lip and leaned in closer.

Then, Han Siha whispered to him.

“…”

When Creek heard what Han Siha wanted him to spread, his face went cold.

“You want me to go around telling everyone that?”

Is this guy insane?