The Genius and Calamity of the Villainous Noble: A Brilliant Prodigy Unaware of Their Reincarnation as the Game's Antagonist Defies the Scenario and Dominates with Talent and Hard Work - Chapter 2.6

What do you think you’re doing, surrounding a girl like this?”

I stepped into the middle of the commotion, raising my voice.

“Huh?”

“…What?”

The men who had been closing in on the girl turned their suspicious gazes toward me.

At the center of the group was a slightly overweight boy, flanked by five others who seemed to be his followers.

Hmm. I didn’t recognize any of them.

Had I never met them before? The girl behind me was unfamiliar as well.

“Do you even realize who you’re standing in front of?”

“No, and I don’t care.”

I replied firmly, meeting the overweight boy’s glare without hesitation.

“Ah, um…”

The girl behind me hesitantly tried to speak, but I ignored her.

“W-What…!? Y-You…! I am the third son of the Rayeur Count family! A lowly noble like you has no right to speak to me!”

Rayeur Count family.

So, he was from that household… I had met the head of the family and his eldest son before, but I had no idea they had a third son.

“As long as we’re wearing the academy’s uniform, noble ranks don’t matter. We’re supposed to be equals, aren’t we?”

The academy had an official rule stating that all students were to be treated equally, regardless of their noble status.

“Hahaha! Ruke, this guy’s spouting nonsense! As if that rule actually means anything!”

“Exactly! Not at all! You do realize that if I say the word, my family could easily crush yours, right?”

The overweight boy leaned in toward me, his tone dripping with arrogance.

“Y-You… there’s no need to provoke him… I-I’m fine, really… The Rayeur family is ruthless… If you keep this up, they might actually destroy your family!”

The girl’s face had turned pale as she pleaded with me.

“That’s right! Your house could be wiped out in an instant! But, well… I am merciful. If you apologize right here and now, I might just let this slide!”

“See? Even she understands.”

Wait… When did she stop being on my side?

I knew she was just worried about me, but still.

“If you think you can crush my family, go ahead and try.”

I briefly glanced at the girl before turning back to the overweight boy, my tone unwavering.

“W-What!?”

“H-Huh?”

The girl looked at me in shock, while the boy, clearly not expecting such a response, blurted out something unintelligible.

“Reinhardt Ducal House.”

I removed the wig from my head and pulled a folding fan from my pocket—emblazoned with the Reinhardt family crest—before pressing it lightly against the boy’s throat.

“If your family had even an ounce of sense, you’d remember the face of the one who drove them into crippling debt… wouldn’t you, third son of the Rayeur Count family?”

“…What?”

“You just picked a fight with the head of a ducal house. You do understand what that means for you, don’t you?”

As the fan rested against his neck, the boy’s face drained of all color.