The president chuckles lightly and says, “You’re finally gutsy enough to be somewhere without Sir Jennis.”

I furrow my brows in mock confusion. “Sorry, do I know you?”

Her gleeful smile drops immediately and she huffs. “How can you not know me? I’m Karen Storntrich, the leader of this group.”

As if enlightened, I smile, raise my brows, and say, “Ah, your name really suits you.”

“Of course it does.” She pauses and then turns to the redhead. “Wait, why did that sound like an insult?”

Selina replies without missing a beat. “You’re imagining it.”

I turn to her and cock my head. “It baffles me how you stayed underneath this girl for even a day, not to mention however long it has been. Weren’t you the one who claimed that the usage of social status is prohibited?”

“We aren’t using our social status-”

“It goes against my conscience to interrupt someone, but you’re really pushing me. Your president’s father is a marquess, while everyone else in this group no doubt comes from a household of lower status. You yourself come from a viscount’s family, thereby proving my point. What’s this about ‘the usage of status is prohibited?’”

“It doesn’t have to do with status. It’s because I am who I am that everyone gathered around me, idiot.” Karen sticks her nose up at me.

“You’ve just proved my point. Status used. If I report this to the principal—who, by the way, I just met—I wonder how much of a punishment you will receive. There’s no doubt that your studies are lacking because of your infatuation.” I look her up and down. “This school has no reason to keep a low quality student who breaks the rules.”

“You-you-you’re framing me!” Her voice is so shrill that I cover my ears.

“We are in the library right now. Please keep your voice down.”

Selina steps in before Karen can make another noise. “Karen, go back. I’ll deal with her.” She steps into the room and closes the door behind her, shutting out the rest of the girls.

“You know you are at a disadvantage alone against me,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her as she turns toward me.

“I’m not trying to go against you right now. I wish to propose a deal.” I stay silent. “If you stay away from Jennis, I can give you information.”

“What kind of information could you give?”

“Information on anything you wish to know in the school. I can be your eyes and ears.”

“You don’t have the qualifications.”

“Then what do you want?”

I sit down in a chair. If the walls were transparent, those girls would definitely be shocked. “Why do you stay with her? You know you are better than her, so why do you lower yourself?” When she stays silent, I state my assumptions. “You either love her enough, which doesn’t seem to be the case after analyzing your latest reaction with her, or you have a deal with someone else, or you’re being forced. Which one is it?” Her expression stays neutral. “Or you have some motive being by her side.” I notice her eyes flicker to the door. “That’s it. What’s your motive?”

“I have none. She’s my cousin.”

“If I were anyone else, you would have had me fooled.”

“What do you want?”

“Changing the subject won’t help you.” I cross my legs and place my chin on my hand. “Your motive is manipulation. You want to drive people away from Jennis, but you want to be absolved from the blame when certain people are bullied. You could lower yourself to apologize and blame Karen Storntrich’s fanatical obsession. Or maybe you just don’t want to see Jennis in a relationship. He rejected you in the past so you are doing this out of anger. Or…” I stop and wait.

After a few moments, her expression crumbles and her eyelids droop. “I just…” She bites her lip. “He’s not a good guy. Despite having earned a title for himself, he’s… I saw him at a party once, and he just stood in the corner by himself, observing the scene. When I went up to talk to him, he brushed me off despite knowing who I am, and it wasn’t just me. I can’t imagine he would approach anyone without some sort of motive.”

“So because you like him, you’re trying to get others to stay away from him even at the cost of tainting his reputation?”

She looks up at me, her eyes wide. “No! That’s not-” Her voice stops in her throat as tears fall down her cheeks. “I do like him, but that’s different from knowing he’s not a good person. I just don’t want him to hurt someone and suffer the consequences.”

“Look, if you want to get closer to him, how about you join me? It’s much more beneficial than driving other people away, and besides, your friend circle will be much better. As for the reason he got closer to me, I’m not one to be swayed by others’ opinions. I did something that caught his eyes, so of course he would be interested.”

“I…” She clenches her hands together. “Aren’t you uncomfortable asking me to join you? Especially since I was plotting against you?”

I stand up and go to wipe her tears with my fingers. “Of course, if you want to join me, there’s a price, but if you do well, I’m not against befriending you at all. In fact, I would be happy to know you.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

Selina stares at me for a while. It’s really a shame I’m not older, so she would look up at me instead. Finally, she takes a deep breath. “What do I have to do?”