I Have a Stalker of Noble Status. And to Make Matters Worse, their Numbers are Increasing (BL) - Chapter 11

The next morning.

Because I had spent all night thinking about the mysterious floating figure I saw yesterday, I was running on severe sleep deprivation. The dark circles under my eyes were undeniable.

No, calling it a person might not be entirely accurate…

That was definitely something I wasn’t supposed to see, right?

I recalled the shocking sight—a strikingly handsome figure floating in midair. He had long golden hair tied back and wore clothing so regal that there was no doubt he belonged to the nobility.

In the end, the figure vanished just as suddenly as it appeared.

Between Ray’s situation, Max’s involvement, and now this, I had to wonder—was I cursed with high-ranking noble troubles instead of the usual romantic misfortunes?

Because that definitely looked like a noble.

If high-ranking noble misfortune was a real thing, then the royal capital was basically a death trap filled with endless flags waiting to trigger my downfall.

“Morning, Rick. …Did you not get much sleep? Those dark circles are awful.”

In his usual Maxwell mode, Max greeted me in the classroom with his usual composed tone, adding, “Make sure you take care of yourself.”

He then took the seat next to mine and leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

“Let me guess—you were up all night wondering what happened between me and Raymond?”

Max smirked as he whispered teasingly.

“Well… I was curious about that, but actually… I think I saw a ghost.”

I made sure to keep my voice low so that only Max could hear.

“What the hell!?”

He must have spoken louder than he intended because several classmates turned to look at us. Max immediately clamped his mouth shut.

“…Patrick doesn’t look well, so I’m taking him to the infirmary. Let the teacher know when they arrive.”

Without waiting for a response, Max grabbed my arm and marched me out of the classroom.

I could feel the sharp glares of the noble ladies piercing into my back.

Lately, even when it was just me and Max, they had been glaring at me like that. Why?

On top of that, some of the male students were staring daggers at me, seething with jealousy.

At the infirmary.

The school nurse had just left, apparently to deal with an injury on the training grounds, but since Max was highly trusted by the faculty, we were allowed inside without issue.

Reputation is important, huh?

“So? What happened after I left yesterday?”

I hesitated before replying.

“Well… Lady Violetta gave me a ride back to the dorm in her carriage, and—”

“Wait, hold up. You’re getting involved with the villainess now? Are you sure you’re just a background character?”

Ugh. He’s calling me a mob again.

That’s definitely not a compliment, right?

“But Violetta didn’t seem like a villainess at all. She was really kind.”

“Yeah… Honestly, I’m kind of thrown off too. She’s different from how I expected.”

Both of us tilted our heads in confusion.

“Anyway, after I got back to the dorm, I saw something floating outside my window.”

“…………”

Max sat down heavily on one of the infirmary beds, resting his chin on his clasped hands, deep in thought.

“What did it look like?”

“Let’s see… He had long blonde hair, and…”

I recalled the ghostly figure from last night as I described him.

“He had long blonde hair tied back and was wearing clothes that clearly marked him as a high-ranking noble. He was also ridiculously handsome—probably in his late teens or early twenties.”

After listening to my explanation, Max let out a long sigh, then covered his face with one hand and groaned.

“…Why can you see him?”

“Huh? Max, do you know something about this?!”

For the sake of my future peaceful nights, if he had any information, I desperately needed him to share it.

“It’s probably the third love interest.”

“A g-ghost is a love interest?!”

That’s way too ridiculous!!

Ange, I’m so sorry. This game is way too hard!

“Calm down, Rick. He’s still alive.”

“…What?!”

Alive?

The semi-transparent, floating person I saw… is alive??

“Actually, I just realized something.”

Max muttered this with a serious look.

Oh no. There’s more? This is already terrifying enough.

“You know how I said, ‘He’s still alive’? Doesn’t that sound like the opposite of ‘You’re already dead’? It’s kinda funny, right?”

“…Sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Really? It was a trend for a while.”

He started mumbling about how phrases like ‘Fake bravery is just a coward’s overcompensation’ and ‘The opposite of starvation is a gluttony spree’ had once been popular.

…I don’t really get it, but this world seems pretty peaceful.

“Anyway, like I said, he’s alive. He’s a love interest. Right now, he’s in a state of astral projection—basically, an out-of-body experience.”

“Astral projection?! Who is he?!”

“Well… In the game’s story, his identity isn’t revealed until much later, but—he’s the second prince, Chrisford. A few years ago, he was poisoned and has been in a coma ever since. That’s his spirit wandering around.”

WHAT?! THAT’S EVEN WORSE THAN I EXPECTED!!

“In the game, no one except the protagonist is supposed to be able to see him… Rick, do you have some kind of strong spiritual sensitivity?”

“Not at all!”

“Hmm… Then why do you keep getting dragged into all these in-game events?”

That’s what I want to know!!

Seriously, why do I keep getting caught up in this mess?

“Well, what’s done is done. We might as well make the best use of this situation.”

“Make use of it?! What do you mean?”

I asked, confused by Max’s sudden shift in attitude.

“Simple. We introduce him to Angelica right away.”

“Huh?! How is that useful?”

Max hopped off the infirmary bed, grinning mischievously.

“If we’re aiming for the Eternal True Ending, we don’t have time to waste. We need to fast-track as much of the scenario as possible!”

…Wait, Max is actually aiming for the Eternal True Ending?!