My High School Nerd Rival - Chapter 95

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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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Chapter 95
The next morning.
As Ivy descended the Dormitory stairs, she smoothed down her hair for the nth time, using it to shield her face.
Even though the dreadful Princess Search craze was supposedly fading, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down just yet.
“Ivy.”
When she reached the ground-floor hall, she found Fabian waiting there.
“Where are you headed alone? Where’s Joy?”
“Joy’s still asleep.”
The aftereffects of talking until dawn yesterday.
“Right, so…….”
Fabian was in the middle of saying something when Ivy’s gaze drifted past his shoulder.
Dark hair. A bag slung across one shoulder. A profile bent over a book, leaning against the wall.
Cyrus was standing near the entrance of the hall.
According to the clock on the wall, it was only twenty minutes past the hour. Hadn’t they agreed to meet at half past?
‘He’s early again.’
Reliable as ever, that one.
“Ivy?”
At Fabian’s call, Ivy quickly turned her attention back to her cousin standing in front of her.
That same warm smile, always.
“Oh, sorry. What were you saying?”
“Let’s go together. To the Cafeteria.”
“Ah, I’m eating with Cyrus. Want to join us?”
Ivy gestured toward the distant figure of Cyrus. By now he’d set down his book and was looking in their direction.
Following her gesture, Fabian glanced back and quickly shook his head.
“Actually, I think I left something in my room. Enjoy your meal, Ivy.”
“Oh, okay. Next time, then.”
Ivy smiled and headed straight for the hall entrance. Her pace quickened of its own accord.
Cyrus held open the glass door of the Dormitory, and they stepped out together into the bright white sunlight.
The glass door closed again, trapping the warm outside air behind it.
Fabian remained standing in the same spot, watching Ivy and Cyrus depart.
Ivy says something.
Cyrus lowers his frame to listen to her carefully.
Ivy looks up, her lips curving into a smile, only to pout moments later and tap his arm teasingly.
Cyrus doesn’t seem to react.
But soon after, he wraps his hand around where she tapped and rubs it gently.
“Lately the class rep and top student are pretty much attached at the hip, aren’t they?”
It seemed Fabian wasn’t the only one watching.
Judging by the whispers circulating through the Dormitory hall, the gossip hub itself.
“They kind of make a good pair, don’t you think?”
Fabian’s gaze lingered beyond the glass door.
Though there was no one there anymore.
Fabian returned to his room.
White morning light slanted through the curtain gap.
He drew the curtains fully closed, plunging everything into darkness.
He sat at his desk and opened his Laptop. The blue screen sharpened his face.
Several tabs were already open in the browser.
The first tab.
The Private School’s administrative portal.
Obtaining admin access had been simple. The school’s security was lax for something so important.
Accessing archived records.
Search term: ‘Cyrus Quinton’.
Academic excellence awards, scholarship selections, science competition placements…….
Fabian scrolled through the glittering list slowly.
He switched screens.
The public school in this district. The one where snot-nosed kids attended until age eleven.
The search remained unchanged.
Cyrus Quinton.
[No results matching your criteria.]
“……Interesting.”
Fabian murmured softly, resting his chin on his hand.
He returned to the first tab. Within the Private School’s records, he found another useful name—not Quinton.
After taking the necessary steps, he began to wait.
It was something he knew well.
Still, his fingertips tapped persistently against the wooden desk. Tap, tap. The rhythm quickened.
A notification appeared in the corner of the Laptop screen.
[Follow request accepted.]
A smile returned to his rigid lips.
Period 12
It was late at night, yet the heat was already palpable. Even in the short distance between the Library and the Dormitory.
Whether it was truly the weather or whether Cyrus had grabbed her hand again, she couldn’t tell.
Would it kill him to give a little warning before taking her hand? At this rate, her startled heart won’t have any peace left.
In any case, it would be better to report this to Joy too.
If she found out later, she’d sulk.
And if Joy’s mood was right, it was time to put yesterday’s resolution into action.
That Ivy was actually Evelyn.
How would Joy react?
Imagining that reaction frightened her. Yet there was also a spark of anticipation.
Perhaps…….
“Joy. Just a moment ago…….”
She opened the door and immediately looked for Joy. She meant to tell her about Cyrus first.
But she didn’t finish the sentence.
The air in the room felt different. Joy, who had been sitting at the edge of the bed, turned toward Ivy with a delayed beat.
“Oh, Ivy. You’re back now?”
An unnatural smile.
“Joy.”
Ivy set down her bag immediately and sat beside her.
“What’s wrong?”
Joy gave a light shake of her head.
But under Ivy’s persistent gaze, she offered an honest answer.
“She passed away.”
A moment of hesitation followed.
“My grandmother.”
The air in the room grew heavier still.
Now Ivy understood why Joy had gone so rigid.
Her grandmother—that is, Mrs. Carter’s mother.
To the outside world, a close family relation to Joy.
But Ivy knew the truth: she was one of the callous adults who had known of, yet tolerated, Joy’s cruel past.
What could she say?
She couldn’t comfort her.
Because even Joy herself seemed unsure how to accept it.
“……When?”
So in the end, all she could do was ask for facts.
“This afternoon.”
Joy showed the Mobile Phone screen to Ivy.
A flight itinerary.
“I have to catch a flight at dawn. They said they’d come pick me up soon.”
Of course. Joy was the sole heir of the Carter Family. She would naturally have to attend the funeral.
Thud.
Joy set her Mobile Phone down carelessly on the bed.
Then she rested her head against Ivy’s shoulder and whispered quietly.
“……I’m supposed to be sad, right? That’s what I should be.”
Ivy paused in thought.
It probably should be that way.
Gossip didn’t confine itself to school. The whole world thirsted for it, and Joy was inevitably the choicest cut for their appetite.
The simple fact that the young lady of a distinguished family didn’t produce a single handkerchief at her grandmother’s funeral would give people plenty of material to spin stories about.
But there was no need to spell that out for Joy.
She would already know better than anyone.
Ivy gently stroked Joy’s soft hair.
“I’ll help you pack in a bit.”
For now, she wanted them both to rest without reaching any conclusions.
Joy nodded slowly.
That night.
Joy departed the Dormitory in a black sedan.
* * *
God had not died.
Ivy offered a prayer in full refutation of Nietzsche.
God had answered the prayer of a wayward girl who hadn’t prayed properly in months.
Through a notice announcing the “adjustment of Swimming Pool access hours”.
Summer rendered brutal by global warming.
The school had granted half of the requests regarding air conditioning operating hours and temperature adjustments.
And in place of accepting all demands, they had moved up the Swimming Pool opening date.
Students retrieved the swimwear they’d brought at the start of this semester, and the Anonymous Bulletin Board erupted with hormone-crazed students.
One post reading “I want to die buried in Logan’s muscles” had ninety-two comments alone.
Before this overwhelming dopamine rush, the trivial trend of “Princess Search” was instantly swept away.
Glory to Logan’s abs.
Amen.
Ivy returned to the Dormitory after her devout prayer.
Passing through the boisterous hall and into the corridor.
She noticed something odd.
A red Hair Tie hung on the doorknob of one room.
If it were just one, she’d think nothing of it, but walking further, she saw a blue Hair Tie on another door.
It wasn’t some religious ritual. What on earth was this? Ivy was about to knock on the door.
To let them know there was a Hair Tie hanging there.
Somehow everyone had started leaving Hair Ties here.
“Underwood, have you lost your mind?!”
But suddenly a girl grabbed Ivy’s arm and hurriedly pulled her away.
“There’s a Hair Tie on the door!”
Ivy nodded.
“Yeah, that’s why I was trying to let them know.”
Had she done something wrong?
As Ivy tilted her head in confusion, the girl’s expression turned incredulous.
“That can’t be right. What planet have you been living on?”
Not entirely wrong, actually.
But she couldn’t very well agree out loud, so she just laughed.
“It means she’s brought her boyfriend over. A signal to the roommate not to come in.”
Ivy stood in silence for a moment, digesting this. And she suppressed a question that nearly escaped her lips.
‘What exactly are they doing alone in the room?’
As she headed back to her room, Ivy glanced at the colorful Hair Ties hanging like decorations.
And of course, nothing was hanging on her door.
Joy wasn’t here right now anyway.
And even if she were, Joy wouldn’t bring a boy back. Not that Ivy would either.
Ivy tapped her own doorknob lightly with her fingertip and stepped inside.

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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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