I Have a Stalker of Noble Status. And to Make Matters Worse, their Numbers are Increasing (BL) - Chapter 4

Somehow, for reasons beyond my comprehension, Lord Maxwell had flipped a strange switch, launching into an impassioned monologue about games, strategies, and scenarios.

What am I supposed to do? At this rate, class is going to start!

Before coming to the capital, I had been praised as a prodigy, a genius—but here? This place is a den of excellence.

Finding out that I didn’t even rank within the top ten on the entrance exams had already crushed my confidence, but I refuse to give up now.

I’m still the pride of my hometown, after all.

“L-Lord Maxwell! Class! It’s about to start!”

I yelled in desperation, expecting little, but to my surprise, my words had quite the impact.

“! …You’re right. Maxwell is a model student, highly trusted by the teachers. I can’t afford to be late—it would go against my character’s established image.”

Muttering something to himself at rapid speed, Lord Maxwell eventually began walking toward the designated classroom.

Relieved, I quickly followed him.

Lord Maxwell, I beg you—please switch off whatever mode you’re in before class ends…

◇◇◇

“Patrick, let’s head home together!”

“Young Baron Humming, let’s continue our conversation from earlier.”

“…”

After school.

The moment class ended, I tried to sneak out through the back door, only to find Lord Raymond blocking my escape. Meanwhile, Lord Maxwell stood guard at the rear.

A textbook case of being trapped—by the duke’s son who rewinds time in the front and the marquis’ son who reincarnated in the back.

Neither option was preferable.

“It’s been a while, Maxwell. Sorry, but Patrick has been commuting to and from school with me lately. Would you mind stepping aside?”

“Good to see you, Lord Raymond. I’m well aware of your recent arrangement. That’s exactly why I’d like you to yield Patrick to me today.”

For some reason, these two high-ranking nobles were clashing above my head.

Could they not?!

My stomach is in knots.

“What exactly are you getting at, Maxwell?”

“If Patrick spends all his mornings, afternoons, and evenings with you, he won’t have the opportunity to bond with his classmates. As the class representative, I find this unacceptable.”

The classroom erupted in a chorus of gasps—”Mornings, afternoons, and evenings?!”

Excuse me?! Could you please not phrase it like that?!

The stress is making my stomach churn.

Had I heard Lord Maxwell’s argument even a day earlier, I would have found it deeply reassuring.

I might have even shed a tear of gratitude.

But now? Lord Maxwell is no different from Lord Raymond.

In the end, the verbal sparring match between these two high-ranking nobles concluded with Lord Maxwell’s victory.

Well, technically, his reasoning made sense.

By the way, my opinion was never consulted.

I am the person in question, you know…

As I slipped past Lord Raymond, who looked at me like a dejected puppy, I exited the school building—only to be ushered into the marquis’ carriage this time.

Compared to the duke’s fabulously extravagant, overly ornate carriage, the marquis’ vehicle was far more refined, with minimal decoration and a smooth, polished wood finish that exuded quiet elegance.

Yeah… both of them are ridiculously expensive.

Inside the gently swaying carriage, I cautiously broke the silence.

“Um… about the conversation you wanted to continue?”

“I never got the chance to ask about your true intentions during lunch. Now, speak.”

“Intentions? I don’t have any. I’m really just the eldest son of a countryside baron’s family. I’m not a reincarnator, nor am I deliberately clinging to Lord Raymond.”

…Though, if anyone’s clinging, it’s definitely him.

“Even if that’s true, why is Raymond so fixated on you?”

“That’s exactly what I’d like to know…”

For now, I decided to withhold the whole “returning from death” and “changing the future to save Lady Violetta” part of the story.

It wasn’t my place to reveal Lord Raymond’s circumstances, and more importantly, I had no desire to get any more involved.

“…Are you absolutely certain you’re not a reincarnator?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re not trying to disrupt the scenario?”

“Correct. I don’t even know what this ‘scenario’ is supposed to be.”

Lord Maxwell let out a long sigh, then ruffled his hair in frustration before slouching back into his seat.

“…Seriously? I was so sure you were a reincarnator. A random extra moving of their own free will and getting involved with a main love interest? That’s completely unrealistic!”

…Wow. Just, wow.

I mean, given the conversation so far, it’s obvious that extra he’s talking about is me, right?

Excuse me, but I am alive, and living people do, in fact, move around on their own.

“…I’m not going to fully believe your claims just yet. I’ll be keeping an eye on you to make sure you don’t break the scenario.”

Another unexpected accident-by-association?!

At this point, I’ve been dragged into a multi-car pileup!

“U-Um. Could you at least explain what’s going on? None of this makes sense to me. That whole otome game thing, the love interests, the scenario—I don’t understand any of it.”

“…It’s going to be a long explanation.”

“That’s fine.”

If I was going to be caught up in this mess regardless, I at least wanted to know what I was dealing with.

More importantly, I needed to figure out how to avoid getting involved any further.

And to do that, I needed information.

“Alright. First things first… This world is from an otome game I played in my past life—’Academy Prince Labyrinth! Love is Capricious, Mystery♡’**”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I said—’Academy Prince Labyrinth! Love is Capricious, Mystery’!”

…

……

………What an absolutely cringe-worthy title?!