His eyes lingered on the three scholarship students, facing the sneering bully with silent endurance.
They're like me…
If I didn't have the system, that would've been me standing there, cornered, powerless.
The thought tightened in his chest.
He clenched his jaw, weighing the risk, until finally—he stepped forward.
Claude walked casually toward the group, his footsteps steady, his expression neutral as if he hadn't seen a thing.
He stopped just close enough, tilted his head, and spoke in a calm, unbothered tone.
"Hey. What's all this noise about? You're disturbing the atmosphere."
The bully froze for a split second.
Recognition flickered in his eyes—the mysterious Claude Julien Riviere, the one everyone whispered about.
The three scholarship students blinked in surprise, their tense shoulders loosening ever so slightly.
Claude kept his face composed, his voice carrying that noble-like temperament.
"If you want to talk, keep it down. Some of us value peace."
He adjusted his bag strap and gave the faintest, dismissive glance—one that spoke volumes.
Not confrontation, but superiority!
The bully's throat bobbed, his arrogance faltering as he clicked his tongue and muttered, "Tch… whatever."
He turned sharply, walking away.
Only then did Claude allow his eyes to flicker toward the three, subtle and brief, before he started moving again as if nothing had happened.
Inside, however, his heart pounded.
That should do it…
Claude had barely walked a few steps away when the familiar light flickered in front of him.
|╣TASK COMPLETE╠|
Claude stopped dead in his tracks, his calm mask threatening to crack.
What… already?! he screamed in his mind.
|╣Host has successfully established his first connections.╠|
Claude's expression stiffened as his thoughts spiraled.
Wait, wait, wait—connections?
With them?!
No, no, no!
That's not what I planned!
I was going to build ties with heirs, the powerful ones, not the…
He risked a glance over his shoulder at the three scholarship students, who were still staring at his retreating back with gratitude in their eyes.
The system pulsed again, unfazed by his panic.
|╣Connections are not measured by wealth alone. True alliances are forged in trust. Host has taken the correct first step.╠|
Claude nearly stumbled.
"You've got to be kidding me…" he muttered under his breath, forcing himself to keep walking toward the dorms.
Inside, he buried his face in his hand.
I'm doomed.
Absolutely doomed.
Instead of gaining favor with heirs, I've tied myself to the outcasts.
Just what kind of connection-building is this?!
And yet, even as he despaired, a part of him couldn't shake the faint warmth in his chest when he remembered the relieved look on the three students' faces.
Claude froze in his steps as the golden light of the system appeared once more.
|╣TASK REWARD ISSUED╠|
|╣Reward: Luxury Villa — Edelbourg Hills District╠|
His jaw almost dropped.
He had to cover his mouth to stop himself from shouting in the middle of the street.
A… a villa?!
His thoughts spun wildly.
Not just a house… but a villa?!
In Edelbourg Hills, of all places?!
That's the most expensive district in the capital!
The system's calm voice rang again.
|╣Correct. Market value of reward: 120,000,000 CP.╠|
Claude staggered, almost losing his balance. He gripped his bag tightly, staring at the notification window as if it were a hallucination.
This… this is insane.
All he did was stop some bullying! And now he suddenly own a villa worth more than he could even imagine…
The system responded with its usual composure.
|╣Host must understand: wealth is attracted to action. The more host embodies the role, the greater the rewards.╠|
Claude let out a shaky laugh, part disbelief, part hysteria.
"If this is what you call connections, then maybe… maybe I should stop doubting you after all."
Inside, however, his heart raced with both excitement and terror.
A villa... But still… this is the first time I truly feel like… maybe I can become rich.
Claude walked briskly, the corners of his lips twitching upward as he opened his system window once more.
|╣SYSTEM STATUS╠|
[BASIC INFO]
Name: Claude Julien Riviere
Age: 18
Height: 181 cm (5'11")
Weight: 78 kg (172 lbs)
Blood Type: AB-
[ASSETS]
Funds: 210 CP
Properties:
– Royal Celestial Edition Watch (3,200,000 CP)
– Luxury Villa, Edelbourg Hills District (120,000,000 CP)
Claude's chest swelled with joy. Just seeing those words felt surreal, like he was holding the world in his hands.
Unbelievable… I really own these now.
A villa in Edelbourg Hills…
If I tell anyone, they'd call me insane.
Just as he was about to turn the corner and disappear, a hesitant voice called out.
"Um… excuse me!"
Claude stopped, blinking in surprise as he turned around.
The three scholarship students were standing there, looking nervous yet determined.
One of them bowed slightly.
"Thank you… for earlier. If you hadn't stepped in, we… we don't know what would've happened."
The second scratched the back of his head, clearly embarrassed.
"We've been through this kind of thing before, but today… you really helped us out. We owe you."
The third gave a faint smile, his voice soft but sincere.
"Really… thank you."
Claude paused, his neutral mask slipping for just a second as warmth flickered in his chest.
He quickly composed himself, giving a faint nod.
"It was nothing. Don't mention it."
Inside, though, he thought,
Connections… huh? I guess this is what you meant, system.
Claude stood there, the three of them waiting anxiously for his response.
For a moment, he considered just brushing them off—keeping his distance like he had planned.
But then, the system's words echoed in his head.
|╣Connections are forged in trust.╠|
He let out a small breath, his expression still calm, almost indifferent. Yet his words carried something different this time.
"You know," he said evenly, "we're not so different. Each of us has circumstances others don't understand. So… maybe it's not a bad idea to look out for each other."
The three looked at him in surprise, then their faces slowly brightened.
"You mean… become friends?" one asked carefully.
Claude tilted his head slightly, his neutral demeanor unwavering. "Call it what you want. Just don't expect me to repeat myself."
They exchanged glances, smiling among themselves, while Claude turned to continue walking, hiding the faint embarrassment that crept up inside.
Friends, huh? I didn't exactly say it, but… yeah. That's what I meant. Damn, this feels weird…
Behind him, the three called out together, voices filled with genuine relief.
"Thank you, Claude!"
Claude kept his stride steady, cold and unbothered on the outside, but inside his chest felt a little lighter.
As Claude continued his walk, the familiar shimmer appeared again.
|╣Host's method of establishing friendship detected.╠|
Claude's eyebrow twitched. "Don't start…" he muttered under his breath.
|╣Truly impressive. One day in class and host has already gathered allies.╠|
Claude clenched his jaw, feeling the system's tone dripping with amusement.
Tch… you make it sound like I'm some desperate guy throwing myself at anyone who looks my way.
|╣Correction: Host simply hid his embarrassment behind a cold demeanor.╠|
Claude froze mid-step, his face heating up despite his best efforts to maintain composure.
"S-shut up…" he whispered harshly.
|╣Noted.╠|
Claude sighed deeply, pressing his hand against his forehead.
Great… now even the system's teasing me.
At this rate, I'll die of shame before I even get rich.
Yet, despite his complaints, he couldn't stop the faint smile tugging at his lips.
Claude pushed the dorm door open and stepped inside, closing it behind him with a quiet thud.
The silence wrapped around him, finally giving him space to breathe.
He tossed his bag on the desk, slumped onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling.
Slowly, his calm expression softened as his thoughts spilled out.
I didn't step in because of some noble act… or because the system told me to make connections.
He exhaled, almost in defeat.
The truth is… I saw myself in them.
The way they stood there, being looked down on, ignored, treated like they didn't belong…
He turned his head to the side, staring at the faint reflection in the window.
His eyes carried a heaviness, yet also a trace of warmth.
I've been there. Poor, overlooked, underestimated.
That's why I couldn't just walk away.
Maybe it was pity… maybe empathy… maybe both.
I just know I didn't want to see them crushed the way I've been.
For the first time that day, his neutral mask slipped away completely.
Leaving only the honest thoughts of an eighteen-year-old boy who had carried too much on his shoulders.
He closed his eyes, murmuring softly, "I guess… that's the real reason."
And for a moment, the dorm room felt a little less lonely.