3.2

“It’s exciting, isn’t it? It’s rare for the first and second-ranked students to be in the same group.”  

But Kartan Roxen wasn’t the type to care even if he noticed.  

And there was something about his relaxed tone that was subtly infuriating. Especially the way he carried himself so confidently, knowing he was the top-ranked student.  

Delia found herself deep in thought. 

How could I put an end to this conversation?  

‘Should I just stop eating and leave?’  

She hadn’t taken more than a few bites, and she wasn’t particularly hungry anyway.  

‘I should’ve just skipped lunch.’  

Why had I insisted on sitting down to eat in the first place?  

Delia glanced at Viola, signaling with her eyes that she wanted to leave.  

Viola met her gaze and nodded as if she understood. Thankfully, it seemed Viola was willing to accommodate her.  

She decided to grab the fruit milk that came with dessert and get up.  

Just as Delia made up her mind and pressed her feet against the floor to stand, it happened.  

“Kartan.”  

Huh? 

Her resolve faltered, and her strength left her legs.  

‘Wait, Viola. Why are you calling out to Kartan?’  

Delia couldn’t hide her bewilderment as she stared at Viola.  

“Yes?”  

Kartan turned to Viola with a wide smile on his face.  

There was an odd sense of amusement in his expression, and Delia found it even harder to keep her composure.  

“Why don’t you join us at our table?”  

But what came next was even more shocking. Viola had just made an unbelievable suggestion.  

‘Wait, Viola?!’  

She had to stop this. 

What had Viola misunderstood from my earlier signal to make such a suggestion?  

Delia had thought Viola understood her feelings, but it was all a misunderstanding on her part. Panicking, Delia opened her mouth to object.  

“That’s not what I—”  

“Sure. Why not?”  

Unfortunately, Kartan spoke first. And louder.  

How could his voice, coming from the next table, be louder than her own?  

“Wait, Viola. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”  

But Delia wasn’t ready to give up. She had planned to leave, but now she was stuck sharing a table with Kartan Roxen!  

It was like trying to avoid a tiger only to run into a dragon.  

Delia desperately tried to stop the situation from escalating, but Viola, oblivious to her distress, seemed pleased with herself.  

Her expression practically said, ‘I’ve got this all figured out for you, Delia.’  

“It’s definitely easier to talk this way. Thanks, Viola.”  

And before Delia realized it, Kartan was sitting next to her.  

There had been an empty seat next to Viola, but of course, he had to sit next to Delia.  

The meal turned into a nightmare. There was only one solution left.  

‘I’ll just eat quickly and leave.’  

Delia immediately opened the fruit milk she had planned to take with her. She decided to eat just enough to be polite and then make her exit.  

Gulp—gulp—  

Delia drank the milk without pausing.  

“Oh my, Delia. You must’ve been really thirsty.”  

“Yeah. I was feeling a bit stuffy.”  

Viola seemed surprised by Delia’s sudden behavior but continued eating as if nothing was out of the ordinary.  

Delia decided it was time. She shifted her weight slightly, preparing to stand.  

‘I’ll just say I’m leaving first.’  

She could tell Viola to take her time finishing her meal. With her plan set, Delia pushed herself to stand.  

Clink—  

“Huh?”  

A new bottle of fruit milk was placed on her tray.  

The large, firm hand that had once grabbed her chest so boldly now rested on the milk bottle before pulling away.  

“Want mine too?”  

Delia instinctively turned toward the voice.  

As expected, he was looking at her with his signature relaxed smile.  

“No, I don’t need—”  

“Then I’ll be going first.”  

Kartan stood with his tray and bid farewell to Viola and Delia. 

“Oh, Kartan, you’re leaving already? See you in class later.”  

Of course, it was only Viola who responded.  

‘What the hell was that?’

As she watched him disappear, Delia’s mind grew restless once again.  

Before he had left his seat, the words he had whispered to her in secret lingered in her ears.  

“I didn’t know you liked milk. Drink plenty, and I’ll see you later.”  

Why did he say such a thing? 

Delia couldn’t fathom Kartan Roxen’s intentions.  

‘Why is he doing this to me?’  

A deal that demanded her body.  

An absurd and outrageous proposal that led him to covet her.  

Why he insisted on going to such lengths—Delia couldn’t figure it out.  

If she were to confide in someone, they might suggest that Kartan simply liked her and was trying to get closer to her in any way possible.  

But that wasn’t the answer.  

Having experienced his touch, Delia instinctively knew.  

‘Kartan Roxen doesn’t like me.’  

He didn’t want her body because he liked her.  

As the person involved, she couldn’t not know. And that made her all the more curious.  

‘Why did he impose such conditions on me?’  

If it wasn’t just a whim or a source of amusement, it didn’t make sense.  

The way he treated her, like a toy— it was like just boredom that drove him to play with her. 

Unlike her, who was always buried in her studies, genius Kartan Roxen hprobably had too much free time and resorted to such pranks.  

‘What a vile person.’  

He was truly someone she wished to avoid at all costs.  

***

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Kartan leaving first allowed Delia to eat a little more.  

Of course, her appetite had already vanished, so she only managed a few more bites.  

Naturally, she didn’t touch the milk he had given her and threw it away.  

And now, Delia, Kartan, and the rest of the second-year students were gathered in the lecture hall for their Classics class.  

“All right, has everyone taken their seats with their assigned group members?”  

“Yes,” came the scattered replies from around the room.  

Professor Ines nodded in acknowledgment and began explaining the group project for the first semester’s comprehensive evaluation.  

“The group assignments for this project are a bit unusual, aren’t they?”  

Since everyone had been wondering about it, they all nodded.  

“But don’t worry. While you’ll start as a group, the evaluation will ultimately be individual.”  

The murmurs in the classroom grew louder at Professor Ines’ explanation.  

“Oh, come on! With Kartan and Delia in the same group, I thought this Classics project would automatically get the highest score!”  

Delia’s roommate, Aisha, who was also in the same group, couldn’t help but complain.  

Though the others didn’t voice it, their expressions revealed similar disappointment.  

“I knew something was off when they said you two were in the same group.”  

“Yeah, no way Professor Ines would make it that easy.”  

As the murmurs of confusion subsided, Professor Ines added further clarification.  

“Now, let me explain the group evaluation. For this project, I want you to select the classic text that will serve as the subject of your presentation. Over the past ten years…”  

The professor’s explanation continued.  

The conclusion was this:  

They were to choose a classic text that hadn’t been used in the Classics department’s projects over the past ten years and submit it as the subject for their presentation this semester.  

They also needed to provide a reason for their selection.  

“I’ll collect the results from each group by the next class, and the group with the best selection will have their text chosen as the main subject. That group will receive bonus points. After that, the presentations will be individually evaluated. Sound simple?”  

In the end, the group project only offered bonus points.  

“Ugh, this group setup is just unfair.”  

“No matter how hard we work, it feels pointless.”  

Sighs could be heard from various corners of the room.  

Naturally, all eyes turned to the group that included Kartan and Delia.  

Those two, together.  

It seemed like Professor Ines just wanted to see what kind of results they would produce as a team. Complaints arose from several students.  

The only ones smiling were the group members fortunate enough to be paired with them.  

“Even though it’s an individual evaluation, it’s reassuring to have them in our group.”  

Aisha, who had just been grumbling, now eagerly participated in the group discussion.  

Apparently, the guaranteed bonus points were enough to put her in high spirits.  

“So, how should we divide the roles?”  

Aisha asked the group enthusiastically.  

For the project to succeed, the eight members had to handle tasks like research, compilation, and report writing.  

Even with the top-ranked students in their group, no one planned to freeload.  

But then.  

“Excuse me.”  

It was Kartan who spoke.  

Everyone’s attention shifted to him.  

They assumed he was about to suggest how to divide the roles.  

However, his next words were completely unexpected.  

“If it’s all right with everyone, how about Delia and I handle this on our own?”  

No one had anticipated this.  

‘What? What is he talking about?’  

Naturally, Delia was dumbfounded.  

‘Handle it on our own? And why didn’t he ask for my permission before suggesting that?’  

There was a limit to how much someone could act on their own.  

This was something she couldn’t agree to.  

“Wait, Kartan, I think—”  

Delia was about to voice her objection.  

…That is, until her eyes met Kartan’s.  

He seemed to convey with his gaze that she should stay quiet.  

That he held the leash of the top rank and she should do as he said.  

‘What is he planning? What’s his deal?’  

Delia bit her lower lip. Frustrated as she was, she couldn’t bring herself to oppose him.  

In this deal, she was the one in the weaker position.  

“Well, that makes sense! Too many people might complicate things and make it harder to decide on a topic.”  

‘You bastard.’  

Changing her stance, Delia reluctantly agreed with Kartan, though she felt like crying inside.  

From there, everything moved quickly.  

With the top-ranked and second-ranked students volunteering to handle the project, no one dared object.