My High School Nerd Rival - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 68
Ivy stood motionless, facing Cyrus across the corridor.
What was she supposed to say?
They clearly knew each other already—introducing them felt absurd.
And mentioning that he’d transferred and hoping they’d get along going forward made even less sense. He knew perfectly well that things between her and Fabian weren’t good.
“Ivy, wait.”
While she hesitated, Cyrus grabbed her arm and pulled her forward until she stood directly in front of him.
“The girl doing library service was looking for you.”
“Emily?”
“Not sure what it’s about, but go check the Library.”
Right now wasn’t possible—she still had to show the dormitory to the new student. How to use the laundry room, dormitory rules, that sort of thing.
“I understand, but—”
Before she could finish, he jerked his chin toward Fabian.
“Come on.”
Cyrus headed back up the stairs, and Fabian followed with a crooked smile playing at his lips.
“Cyrus.”
Ivy called from below the landing, and Cyrus answered as though annoyed.
“I can handle the dormitory orientation myself. Go to the Library.”
They turned the corner of the landing and disappeared from sight.
Ivy tilted her head in confusion for a moment, but as he’d suggested, she made her way toward the Library.
Emily was organizing books. When Ivy approached, she smiled warmly in greeting.
“Ivy, did you come to study this morning? Still the same after the new semester.”
“…Huh?”
Emily was the one who’d been looking for her?
While Ivy was tilting her head, a message arrived from Cyrus.
[Orientation done.]
It sounded exactly like his way of saying she didn’t need to worry about Fabian anymore.
He’d remembered what she’d said in the broadcasting room.
With that realization, the dread she’d felt sitting alone began to blur and fade.
[Thanks.]
In response to her heartfelt message, he sent back only a checkmark, nothing more.
* * *
[My apologies. Mrs. Montrose filed a Privacy Protection request, so I was late in noticing.]
The day Fabian transferred.
Owen had sent her a message—an apology for failing to discover Fabian’s transfer in advance.
It wasn’t Fabian’s fault for not being active on social media; the school had also received a “Privacy Protection” request from his guardian, so it wasn’t unreasonable that Owen hadn’t found out.
These days, privacy protection trumped even royal orders.
[It’s fine. I was startled, though. How did you find out?]
[Mrs. Montrose sent a letter to the royal court. She asked that he be allowed to have a “normal” school life.]
Normal.
If that’s truly what he wanted, he’d have been better off staying at Berke High School. He didn’t need to come here, where he’d inevitably clash with her.
A hollow laugh escaped her.
[I don’t think Fabian has any intention of having a “normal” school life with me. He probably wants to see me run away from here.]
He resented hiding the name ‘Evelyn’ so much that he called it a “game.”
[I have no intention of making that wish come true.]
There was no chance Fabian would have a normal school life.
Ivy had concluded as much and remained vigilant around him ever since—which meant keeping her distance and avoiding encounters when possible.
Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult.
From his first day as a transfer student, Fabian had captured everyone’s hearts.
A crowd naturally gathered around him whenever he appeared, and all Ivy had to do was notice him and take a slightly wider path to avoid him.
Even in classes they shared, so many students wanted to sit near him that distance formed naturally without any effort on her part.
And Fabian himself never approached her first.
A week passed this way.
As the threat felt less intense than she’d expected, the distant dread and fear she’d experienced when first meeting him gradually eased.
That didn’t mean she’d let her guard down.
He had every justification to hate her, and such feelings wouldn’t dissolve easily.
* * *
The morning before the second Latin class.
Ivy was summoned by Hartley and headed straight to the Teachers’ Office. It was chaotic inside—the faculty meeting had just ended.
Was something wrong again?
The lingering bad memories from last semester made her uneasy as she walked toward Hartley’s desk.
“Hartley.”
But the moment she saw the teacher smiling warmly at her, that worry melted away.
“Underwood, you’re here.”
The teacher brought over a small folding chair and tapped it gently.
“Sit.”
Ivy hugged her backpack to her chest and took the offered seat.
“Surprised I called you in suddenly?”
“I’m used to it. I’m Dormitory Prefect, after all.”
“True enough—prefects get summoned without warning all the time.”
Hartley turned to face Ivy fully.
“I actually wanted to discuss the Group Project with you.”
Was she asking for input on converting it to an individual assignment?
That didn’t sound bad at all.
The workload was a bit much to handle alone, but at least she’d get credit for what she actually did.
‘Working with Cyrus isn’t so bad, though…’
The thought crossed her mind briefly, but she quickly pushed it aside.
‘What am I thinking? I should be focusing on getting a more competitive grade in at least one subject.’
“You see, originally the class enrollment was ‘even,’ so I assigned groups of two for the project.”
“Did someone drop the class?”
“No, thankfully not. The problem is that two more students have been added instead.”
That would make it even again, though.
So what was the problem?
Either way, she felt uneasy.
“A transfer student came to your dormitory, didn’t he? Montrose—you know about him?”
Her unease suddenly had a face.
“Yes, of course.”
“So here’s the thing, Ivy.”
The teacher’s tone became careful, as though treading lightly.
“How would you feel about doing the project with that student?”
She’d seen this coming.
Probably because Ivy was Dormitory Prefect, the teacher had thought of her first as a partner. It made sense.
After all, helping students was her role.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
Ivy refused immediately. It was the obvious choice.
“Wouldn’t it be better if the two new students did the project together?”
“I’d like that too, Underwood, but hear me out.”
The teacher’s expression remained troubled.
“Montrose completed his middle school education in the East, it seems. And he still isn’t used to how things work here at the school.”
“Then who’s Cyrus working with?”
“Mia, you know her?”
Of course she did—the beautiful former Angel who’d taken the Third Dormitory Queen’s spot after Tiffany vanished.
“Mia’s taking the Latin class?”
“Yes. But she’s not familiar with Latin, so she’ll struggle considerably with the translation assignment.”
“If it’s Mia, there are plenty of boys who’d volunteer besides Cyrus.”
The school was full of boys who idolized Mia these days, increasingly so.
“…Not to mention Montrose, of all people.”
Realizing she’d sounded a bit too sharp, Ivy quickly softened her tone.
“If he suddenly changes partners, both Cyrus and I would be confused too.”
She felt bad, but she had the right to refuse. After all, the teacher hadn’t chosen the partner on a whim—he’d assigned one deliberately.
Asking her to change it now seemed harsh.
“I’m not sure how to put this without you taking it the wrong way. I hope you’ll understand, Ivy.”
The teacher lowered his voice.
“Before I called you, I actually discussed this with Quinton as well.”
“…Pardon?”
That was unexpected.
“Cyrus said he’d be fine doing it with Mia.”
What?
The moment Ivy left the Teachers’ Office, she called Cyrus.
After several rings, he answered right away.
“Where are you?”
-Heading to the Latin Classroom.
“Cyrus, you said you’d do the project with someone else?”
Her words came out harsh.
She honestly hadn’t expected him to do this.
-Yeah.
“Why?”
When she pressed immediately, there was a rustling sound over the receiver.
Ivy changed direction toward the Latin Classroom while waiting for his answer.
-…Because you said you didn’t want to.
It was an odd answer. Frustrated, Ivy raised her voice slightly at the phone.
“What does that even—!”
But she didn’t finish.
A memory surfaced—something she’d emphasized to Cyrus.

He’d remembered those words, and he’d even said this in response.

And what she’d replied was.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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