The sound of someone's nose breaking reverberated in the entire cafeteria.

Everyone's mouths were left ajar, not sure if what they had witnessed was a figment of their imagination or not. In this era, women 'roughing' things up using their fists were not common, since most were used to them seeing lasses slapping and pulling each other's hair to their own heart's content.

So a girl, the daughter of a duke no less, the entire spectacle was conclusively out of the ordinary. 

"Well, that was satisfying," you commented within the silence of the place as you shook your hands and checked them afterward to see if you had injured yourself during the process of socking Clemenbitch's face. Small bits of blood had stained your knuckles, so you glanced at Clementine who was still in a shock, and after seeing blood continuously drip from her nose, it was safe for you to assume that it wasn't yours.

Takuma was... as still as a statue like those of the ones situated right at the gates of the imperial family's castle. In the entirety of his 18 years of experience as an investigator, he had witnessed some crazy things. And while this hadn't exactly been the most mind-blowing thing that he had seen, this was still a spectacle no less.

If anything, he had even thought this side of you was hot.

"I...I'll tell this to my father!" Idiot. Had all of the nutrients that were supposed to be received by her brain had been placed on her rear because all of the words she was spouting were shit.

"Go ahead. Do you think that I am afraid of your little tattle? If ever, you would even be at a disadvantage moreso than me." This wasn't a bluff.

"In fact, I encourage you to do it. Just imagining the defeated look on your face excites me," you finished with a mocking simper before heading towards the exit of this canteen. Your appetite had been long gone the instance that you saw her hideous face. Moreover, you'd probably be more tempted to just slam the tray on her face if she didn't bring an end to her shrewish behavior.

Just as you were about to continue walking, a hand had latched their grip on your arm obstructing you from moving any further. When you twisted your head a bit to catch a glimpse of who had been dunce enough to stop you, you recognized her as the 'Arisa' that Clementine had called out.

"Just you wait! Lady Clementine wouldn't ever lose to the likes of you!" Now that you had gotten a good look at her face, she did seem quite cute. Too bad that she was a follower of that wench. Had she dismantled her relationship with that witch long ago, you would've even perhaps have formed a good and friendly relationship with her.

Too bad that she was a doofus as well. Such a miserable, pathetic, little thing. You pitied her.

"My fists are still itching. You wouldn't mind it if it met your face, would you?"

Just the perfect comeback.

She had immediately let go of you, fearful that the thing that happened to her leader might happen to her as well if she had stood up to you any longer than she had.

"Smart choice, baby girl," and the complexion of the girl to whom you directed your words at had gone flush– the reasons were unknown to you yet you were disinterested enough to not give a damn as to why. You surmised that it was out of shame.

Takuma had willed himself to snap out of his trance-like state, "Ah, wait!" 

You had halted your steps to let him catch up to you. Once he did, the both of you had made your way to one of the shower rooms in the school. You had insisted that it'd be alright if he went to the shop first, but he was obstinate and stubbornly refused to heed your request. That was kind of nice of him to do that when he didn't have to, you guessed.

There was a cafe close to this academy, and you two still had plenty of time before classes resume so that was a good start for you to start lightening your mood. He was also the one who proposed that you two could still get a snack or two there before the bell rang, and seeing that there was nothing to lose, you accepted his invite. But first, you needed to rinse yourself off to get rid of the stickiness on your hair and your clothes. Takuma was gracious enough to even lend you his own blazer to replace your damp ones.

Right now, you were the same as you were if the time of the month for you had arrived, meaning that even the loud breathing or chewing of other people would be enough to set you off since you were a ticking time bomb as of the moment. Thanks to Clementine and her underlings, that is.

"That was new," Takuma had spurred a conversation with you. To be honest, when he had done his research on you, he concluded that you were not that much different from your usual run-of-the-mill noble. Meaning, you were simply a lady with a passable etiquette accompanied by the haughtiness that most people with the same kind of wealth as yours had. 

You wouldn't believe how surprised he was when you just suddenly asked the girl to slap you including the time in which you had returned the favor ten times as much. The wench did have it coming for her, though, for using such an underhanded tactic. And if he were to be honest, the revenge that you had beholden on that girl was so gratifying that it was just an indescribable feeling for him. 

"Is that a compliment? If so, thank you. If not, fuck you," you weren't kidding when you said that you were still in an irked mood beyond belief. Anyone would be if they were in your shoes. You surmised that ruining other people's moods was a talent of that certain girl.

He had slyly sneaked his hand over to yours and intertwined his fingers with your own ones, uncaring of the tackiness of your digits. Sneaky little fucker, was he. "So I'm opining that you're still annoyed? Don't worry, I'll pay for you as well this time." 

"Are you implying that I'm not rich enough to buy for myself?"
.
.

You two had just arrived at Cafe Selene after your little trip to the bathroom. Thank the stars that hair blowers were already invented and was available in your school or else you would have walked with soppy hair and that certainly wasn't a good sight.

For more information about Cafe Selene, it was a newly-opened shop around the neighborhood, and even with its profound freshness in the industry, it still had managed to become popular in just a few weeks or so. Add to the fact that this shop was built near to a school with affluent people, the owner was probably swimming in cash right now.

The shop is almost filled to the brim with people that it was only fortune that you had even managed to get a seat for two. Luck might not have been following you all the time like you had wished it to, but for you to be graced by it in times like this made you feel appreciative of it nonetheless.

"May I ask what is it that you two would like to order?" The waiter was a young man of notable attractiveness. He had black hair paired with green eyes that were enhanced with his tresses juxtaposing the hue that it had. You looked at the name tag right on his uniform's pockets. Ives.

"Just your cappuccino and strawberry sandwich," seeing him in a closer view, he really was so handsome. Guess that was where the customers were coming from. You'd like to say that it was also due to their great desserts as well, but it was your first time being here because the only cafe you frequented was the place where you and Jiryu would often meet. Looked like you'd just have to find out yourself. You weren't exactly a connoisseur, but you still did know how to differentiate shittiness from absolute goodness.

"Are you sure that you wouldn't want to order more?" Takuma asked you since he really was willing to spend his hard-earned money for you.

"It's fine, I don't really like being indebted to other people."

"Other people? We're dating, aren't we?"

Ah, you forgot about that. You had overlooked the fact that even outside of school, you two still had to act like you were legitimately in love to avoid further suspicion from the people in the academy that might pass the both of you. Your 'friends' might grow wary of him if rumors appeared and that would put a dent on the good reputation that he was trying to build around them.

Right now, solving the case of who was the slaughterer around the school was the most important thing to prevent any more casualties.

"It really is alright, love," you were slowly getting used to acting like this so you were now not revolting from distaste whenever you utter this form of endearment.

"Okay, okay. I'll just have your dark roast," Takuma had said to the worker.

"You're willing to spend money for me yet you're limiting yourself?" 

"Shush."

Ives, the waiter, just watched the scene in front of him with amusement. It was obvious from how you were acting that you weren't really in love with the man you were sitting across with. For what reason, he didn't know. But he did know that the same thing couldn't be said to the latter.

"Please wait for a few minutes for your orders. Well then, I shall excuse myself now," he bowed right in front of you two before going off on his merry way. So now, it was just you and your white-haired faux lover. 

Just before, your life wasn't this busy. Yes, you were calling the moments that you had with Yukio ago 'uneventful' because compared to now? Everything was in shambles. You would give up everything to have your life be as boring as possible. After all, what's the use of the gods giving you an exciting life if you didn't want it in the first place? You just wanted to have the life you were reincarnated in as simple as possible, away from the drama, fights, and turmoil plus conflicts. Looks like coveting for something really makes the world pull that very thing far far away from your grasps.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Takuma had grown curious as to what was in your mind. But in the short time that he was with you, he knew that...

"Your penny is flicked away and is now going down the sewer," you propped your elbow on the table and perched your face on top of it as you gazed disinterestedly at the scene outside the glass-paneled window of the cafe. 

He expected this. It was you we were talking about, after all.

After a few minutes of silence, aside from the chatters of the people that were occupying the other tables, your food has finally arrived. Like what Takuma had said, he had paid for the both of you, and knowing that he had remained true to his word has illumined your fairly grouchy mood from before. 

In just a few bites, the sandwich was no longer gone so you moved on to your beverage which was simply a cup of coffee to wash the sweetness away. "Are you feeling better now?" The red-eyed male, who was seated in front of you, queried. He did look like he was genuinely concerned for you which was a little bit heartwarming.

"Yes. Class is starting soon so we might as well go once we had finished drinking our coffee," you voiced with your eyes closed as you cherished the peace that you were given right now. Once you had returned to the establishment called Royal Brix, your life would be turned upside down once again.

"Alright. I'm just happy right now that you are no longer pissed off," he chuckled as he made eye contact with you. Since there was no one who could hear you two, none of which was from your school since they were seats away, you lowered your guard and had incliningly forgotten that you two were supposed to be in a relationship.

"You can cut off the act, lover boy."

In the book, he was quite the deceptive man. He used people's weaknesses and vulnerabilities in order to finish his job. His loyalty to his job was commendable, yes, but you'd hate yourself even more if you had let your strings be twisted around his fingers like a marionette being played by a puppeteer.

"But I really am worried for you," he had his eyebrows furrowed.

"Sure, sure." Agree to disagree.

Takuma sighed. He was well aware that this was a relationship formed out of convenience (mostly for his) and that he had no right to be frustrated with how unaffected you were with all of this. But even then...

He was berating himself endlessly due to his subconscious telling him that he wanted all of this to be real.

-

A/n: Hello! I'm alive aouhdahwio

Sorry for the long wait! I have been in a burnout with this book for the past couple of weeks that I haven't been able to write a chapter that is up to my standards even if I wanted to so I'm just glad that I had gotten over that block and is now able to write this book again for you guys once more! 

Anyways, that is all, and thank you for the support that you guys have given this book. I just couldn't stress that part out enough halduahwdhj Ily all!!