Bewildered by the question, Mel stared straight into the young girl's eyes. Which one of his identities had Kristin actually figured out?
"You really are the one who took first place in the entrance exams and entered the academy with those ten commoners by your side!"
Letting out a deep breath, Mel started to smile. The girl was talking about his public face, the one everyone knew.
"Yes, that is me, but the people inside the house aren't just 'those by my side'—they are my friends!"
Even if he denied it, from an outsider's perspective, he had already assumed the leadership of those ten. Dragging them out of the dump and setting them up in his own house was more than enough to say he had taken them under his wing.
"Mel, I've got a place set up for your friend!"
Nalt shouted to the robust youth the second he burst out of the house. Catching Kristin's eye at the exact same moment, Nalt didn't miss a beat and immediately introduced himself.
"Hello, I am Nalt!"
