The Despot Club (3)

Meanwhile, the vice principal was suffering from a headache due to the principal’s absence.

There was a joint dance party with the Academy tonight.

Although it was called a dance party, it was actually an event created to showcase the female students who would become the lovers of the Despot Club members.

Until now, the vice principal’s role had been to select suitable students from the graduating class and recommend them to Viscountess Borodin, the head of the Art Department.

She was a self-made woman from a commoner background, who had risen to the position of vice principal at Molniski Ladies’ Academy, one of the prestigious educational institutions in Hertsen. To the commoner students, she was an idol and a reliable figure.

Acting as a mentor, she got close to the students and identified those who were knowledgeable in their studies but ignorant in matters of relationships.

Viscountess Borodin selected the final candidates from the list she received from her and introduced them to the Despot Club members.

But now Viscountess Borodin had suddenly disappeared, sending only a vague letter saying she was recuperating, making the situation extremely difficult.

Moreover, the Despot Club members were unaware that the principal was unreachable.

‘What should I do about this? The dance party is today.’

Since she didn’t know where she was currently residing, there was no way to contact her, and she had been waiting for Viscountess Borodin’s instructions until the day of the party arrived.

It was obvious that the members who hadn’t heard anything in advance would be furious.

There might even be a threat to withdraw their sponsorship funds.

‘What on earth is the principal thinking.’

The vice principal, who had been as meek as a tongue in his mouth in front of Viscountess Borodin, immediately stuck his tongue out when there was no one around.

“Is she planning to dump all this on me? Expecting me to clean her mess?”

Although she had temporarily taken on the role of acting principal, she had no intention of becoming a scapegoat.

Why were the Boyanins acting like this?

They ordered all sorts of dirty deeds to be done by commoners and lower-class people while pretending to be clean and noble themselves.

When she was pressing her throbbing forehead due to a headache,

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door of the principal’s office.

The vice principal, who had been almost lying on the chair like it was her own world in the absence of the master, was startled and quickly pulled her feet off the desk and stood up straight.

“Come in.”

Hastily, she picked up any document from the desk and pretended to hand it over while turning around.

The door opened, revealing none other than one of the commoner students who had been in Katya’s class.

With good grades and a loud voice, she served as a leader among the commoner group and was on good terms with the principal.

“Oh my, what’s going on?”

“I came because I had something to ask.”

In fact, she was a student who had claimed to be a follower of the principal to the point of boasting to her friends that the principal was her role model.

The child who always greeted her politely and brightly when passing by today frowned, obviously upset.

“Really? Then sit there.”

The acting principal offered her a seat, so she sat on the sofa.

“Do you have something bothering you today? You don’t look good.”

“I came to raise an objection.”

“Objection? To me?”

“Yes. To you, Principal.”

How dare a student complain to a teacher, let alone an acting principal.

When the acting principal was a student, this was unthinkable.

A thin line of threads formed on her forehead, but she managed to keep her expression straight.

“Okay. Why are you upset about this? Tell me. I’ll listen to you.”

“The scholarship system has been strange lately.”

“Strange?”

“I heard that when I was admitted, if I maintained a certain grade, all tuition fees would be exempted. But why did it change this year to only support half of the tuition?”

“As you know, the school’s situation has worsened. That’s why teachers’ salaries have been reduced this year…”

She tried to cover up with sympathy and a smile, but the student, who knew her well because they had been close, had already anticipated it.

She had no intention of letting it go this time.

She heard that donations were pouring in every year, but scholarships for her classmates and juniors were reduced, especially this year they even reduced the number of commoner admission students.

“It seems the acting principal’s salary seems to have gone up?”

“…What?”

“Even if you add up all the teachers’ salaries, they can’t match the principal’s or acting principal’s salary. If there is a problem with the school’s finances, wouldn’t it be more reasonable to freeze or reduce the salaries of the principal and acting principal?”

“What is this child talking about? Of course, we will also contribute–.”

“I saw acting principal shopping at a luxury boutique and buying a lot of things after going out on the weekend. It doesn’t make sense if your salary has decreased. The clothes you are wearing now cost more than your monthly salary.”

Tsk. The acting principal clenched her tongue inwardly at the sharp remark.

That’s why kids with good instincts are annoying.

She quickly thought about it, hiding her surprise.

“One of your seniors got married through my arrangement, and her husband gave her this gift.”

“Arrangement? How can the acting principal arrange noble marriages…?”

“Maybe I don’t have as many connections in high society as the principal, but I have a good relationship with our students, don’t I? The bride was a commoner, like you.”

At those words, the student blinked with a surprised expression.

“Among the Boyanins, there are surprisingly reasonable and gentlemanly men who are not obsessed with status. These days, noble ladies don’t know much about the world, so they find it frustrating to talk to them. So, at a party before, I introduced our students to them. They became friends and fell in love, and they’re getting married now.”

“……”

“Even so, I thought you might have a hard time with tuition fees, so I was going to introduce you to some sponsors. If it’s okay with you, why don’t you meet them at the ball tonight?”

“Oh, tonight?”

“Yes. You might meet your life partner there, you know?”

The student’s face showed conflict.

In fact, she had come to confront the acting principal properly, but ended up being persuaded by her without realizing it.

She thought that rising in status through marriage with a noble was only possible in romance novels. It was a story that every commoner girl dreamed of at least once.

Meeting a man who loves her regardless of her status, overcoming opposition from her family, and various trials, and eventually becoming a lady of wealth and status.

Especially this student had an ambition to become a scholar. No matter how talented she was in academics, it was difficult for a commoner, especially a woman, to enter the academic world.

But if she married a noble, she could not only avoid being ignored all her life but also finish her studies.

The acting principal’s proposal was really sweet.

Even if she didn’t get married, it was an advantage just to have a noble sponsor.

How lucky would it be for a commoner to have nobles they know and interact with in their lifetime?

“But… I don’t have a dress.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve prepared it for you.”

“Really?”

“It’ll be awkward if you go alone, so bring your friends too. I’ve already prepared invitations and dresses for your friends.”

The acting principal narrowed her eyes.

In fact, the document she accidentally picked up earlier was a dress request form sent to Viscountess Borodin.

It seemed that she had pre-ordered dresses for the students who were going to the party today.

She was only putting spoons on the prepared table and was showing off his pride.¹implies that a person is only going through the motions or doing the bare minimum, without genuine engagement or enthusiasm.

“Teacher…”

The student was moved by the acting principal’s consideration and shed tears.

She had been envious of her noble classmates who had been talking about going to the ball all day. To her, the acting principal was no different than a savior.

“I didn’t even know that. I’m sorry, Teacher…!”

She apologized and thanked her repeatedly.

She hadn’t realized that the principal and vice principal were embezzling scholarship funds donated by a few honest nobles and merchants who were not members of the Despot Club.

The vice principal patted the student’s back and gave her a meaningful smile. She had a slim waist and was the top of her graduation class, making her the top product to sell to the lover market of the Despot Club.

‘Ah, this clumsy thing has rolled in like a weed.’

The student and her friends had been hesitant to be put on the list because they were too smart, fearing that things might get complicated. They thought that if the leader of the group fell, the other kids would naturally follow and trust their friends.

With this, they could hide the embezzlement, prevent objections, and solve the problem of the Despot Club, so it was a win-win situation.

She had hesitated to work alone without Viscountess Borodin, but as things went on like this, she felt like the gods were helping her. Until now, there had always been Viscountess Borodin in the middle, but maybe this time she could directly connect with the Despot Club.

‘Someday, I could be the principal here, right?’

* * *

Lunchtime.

Katya ate lunch with noble girls who surrounded her at the restaurant.

Because she showed tears while talking about love during class, the girls felt closer to their teacher.

Sometimes showing one’s weak side and shedding tears in front of others could make relationships between people stronger.

“Did I suddenly cry and surprise you? I’m sorry, girls. As an adult, I shouldn’t show such a bad side on the first day.”

“No, teacher! It’s okay.”

“Well, anyway. Don’t adults cry?”

“Did he trouble you, teacher?”

“Oh my, is that so? Bad guy.”

Nikolai, who was immature, received unfair curses from girls he didn’t even know, but Katya didn’t deny it.

In fact, it was natural to keep them thinking that way.

She didn’t really understand why she suddenly shed tears earlier.

Was it because of guilt for worrying about Nikolai all this time?

Or was it a tender feeling towards him?

Or was it finally finding joy in finding a lifelong love?”

Like the way her mother’s death had been. Was it the sorrow of adding one more family member who would someday bring the pain of loss? Or was it fear?

Perhaps it was a mixture of all these emotions.

Regardless, it was a complex bundle of feelings that couldn’t easily be defined by a single word.

Katya realized for the first time back then that loving someone too much could make your heart swell and yet feel constricted at the same time.

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  implies that a person is only going through the motions or doing the bare minimum, without genuine engagement or enthusiasm