I Have a Stalker of Noble Status. And to Make Matters Worse, their Numbers are Increasing (BL) - Chapter 27

It was break time.

Since my seat was at the very back of the classroom, I had a clear view of Max and the transfer student sitting near the front.

Max, having been asked by the teachers to keep an eye on the new student, was speaking to him.

But for some reason, the transfer student kept glancing toward the back of the room, as if more interested in whatever was behind him than in Max’s words.

Hmm.

Hey, at least pay attention when someone’s talking to you, transfer student!

As I continued watching them, feeling inexplicably annoyed, Angela suddenly peeked over from the side.

“Oh my, Lord Patrick… could it be that you’re jealous~?”

She teased in a whisper, quiet enough that no other classmates could hear.

Ever since she revealed she was a past-life holder, Angela had developed a new habit—teasing me like this at every opportunity.

Honestly, I could have done without that particular evolution.

“It’s not like that! I just think he should at least listen properly when someone is talking to him!”

“Ahh, well, that transfer student has been sneaking glances over here for a while now.”

…Wait, here?

“Lord Patrick, you seriously didn’t notice? He was even looking this way during class! I mean, I know I’m adorable, but still, a little self-restraint would be nice!”

“…Yeah, you’re on fire today, Angela.”

…

If he had been looking at Angela, well, as long as she didn’t mind, that was his business.

But just as I turned my gaze back to the front, I locked eyes with the transfer student for a brief second.

I stiffened.

And then—

He immediately got up and started walking straight toward me.

WHAT!?

We just made eye contact—why is he coming over here!?

The transfer student stopped right in front of me, leaned forward slightly, and spoke without hesitation.

“Hey, can you tell me your name?”

“Huh? Oh, uh… Patrick Humming…”

As soon as he heard my name, his face twisted slightly, as if he had just swallowed something bitter.

Then, without warning, he turned toward Angela.

“What about her?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yeah.”

“…It’s Angelica.”

Even Angela, who was usually friendly and composed, responded rather curtly.

But instead of reacting normally, the transfer student suddenly let out an exaggerated exclamation.

“No way—seriously!?”

…Was he, um… okay?

The entire class was starting to feel very uncomfortable.

“And the class rep is Maxwell, right? Then this is definitely it!”

…Wait.

Oh no—!

Max realized it a split second before I did and rushed over.

“Ahh, I see. So you guys are the ‘clueless protagonist’ type?”

Before the transfer student could continue his rambling, Max grabbed his shoulder and yanked him backward.

“Let’s talk outside. This isn’t the kind of conversation we should be having here.”

Max’s voice was so cold it felt like the temperature in the room had dropped.

For the first time, the transfer student fell completely silent.

I watched in stunned silence as Max led him out of the classroom.

Beside me, Angela muttered, “What was that…?”

That was, without a doubt…

That transfer student… knew.

He knew about—

Academy Prince⭐️Labyrinth! Love is Unpredictable, Mystery & Romance!

…

No.

That title just killed the mood completely.

…Wait, this isn’t the time to be thinking about such ridiculous things! I need to catch up with Max!

I rushed out into the hallway, scanning for any sign of him.

Fortunately, this academy was an elite institution filled with high-ranking nobles. Running in the halls was practically unheard of.

I managed to spot Max and the transfer student just as they turned the corner.

That way!!

Abandoning proper etiquette, I sprinted after them.

Yeah… I was definitely going to owe a reflection essay for this.

As I rounded the corner and ran a little farther, I spotted them inside an unused classroom.

Max had the transfer student pinned by the collar.

…Wait.

Isn’t this basically a shakedown!?

If anyone saw this, a reflection essay wouldn’t be enough to cover for Max!

I rushed into the room, about to intervene, when Max’s voice, cold and sharp, cut through the air.

“Listen. To you, this might be just a game world, but to the people living here, this is undeniable reality.”

…Oh.

Hearing Max say that, I suddenly remembered something.

There had been a moment before when his words had left me feeling unsettled.

It was when he warned Chrisford and Angela not to say too much about certain things.

“So yeah, that’s how the Chrisford route works—a bittersweet, heart-wrenching romance scenario. Imagine if someone just blurted out a huge spoiler like, ‘Hey, surprise! You were actually poisoned and put into a coma, Second Prince! You’re totally alive!’ That would ruin the whole emotional buildup, right?”

At the time, the way he casually tossed around words like “spoilers” and “immersion-breaking” had made me feel… uneasy.

It was as if he didn’t fully see this world as real.

“Look, I’ll make time after school so we can talk properly. Until then, don’t even think about bringing this up again. Got it?”

The transfer student quickly nodded, and Max finally released his grip.

Just then, the student noticed me standing at the entrance. His eyes widened in panic, and he bolted out of the room without another word.

“Max…”

When I called his name, he looked away, almost awkwardly.

“Max, I’m coming too. After school. I need to talk to the transfer student properly.”

Because earlier—

If I hadn’t misheard, the transfer student had said something strange.

“Ahh, I see. So you guys are the ‘clueless protagonist’ type?”

…What exactly did he mean by that?