The next day.

After completing his final full-body examination, Muen was swiftly kicked out of the infirmary.

That bald, middle-aged, single doctor seemed quite displeased that Muen had spent the previous day chatting with several beautiful girls. When it came time to discharge him, the man was practically itching to shove him out the door.

It was still early morning when Muen left. Anna had class, and there was no way Celicia would visit him two days in a row.

So no one came to meet him.

Muen simply made his way to the dormitory on his own.

At least his hands were empty. Walking alone was surprisingly relaxing.

The weather was still beautiful.

But the moment he stepped onto the forested path leading to the dorms, a girl he didn’t recognize suddenly blocked his way—seemingly waiting there on purpose.

“Muen Campbell.”

“Hm? And you are...?”

Muen looked at the unfamiliar girl. She wasn’t bad-looking—not on par with Senior Anna or Celicia, but easily a solid seven out of ten. Still, his heart skipped a beat.

She seemed aggressive.

Could it be... a consequence from the original Muen’s past? An ex-girlfriend here to settle the score?

His gaze swept around.

This little wooded path really would make a great place to stab a scumbag and dump the body...

But no matter how hard he searched his memory, he didn’t recognize this girl.

“Fanny. Third year,” the girl introduced herself.

“Oh, so you’re Senior Fanny.”

Muen let out a breath. If she introduced herself, then they definitely weren’t acquainted—and certainly not romantically.

“What can I do for you, Senior Fanny?”

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

Senior Fanny seemed like the straightforward type. She didn’t mince words, looking him directly in the eye as she asked:

“Muen Campbell, will you join our Magic Arts Club?”

“Magic Arts Club?”

Magic... Arts?

Muen blinked.

Then it hit him.

That fancy name was just the Academy’s way of referring to the art club—dressed up with a magical flair since, well, it was a magic academy.

In truth, it was probably just a normal art club. Given how many nobles attended this school, cultured clubs like that were to be expected.

In other words... this girl was inviting him to join a club?

“But why?”

Muen couldn’t help asking:

“My reputation... wouldn’t it hurt your club?”

After all, a club with a member whose reputation was too tainted might struggle to recruit anyone new.

That was why Muen was so surprised.

“Your reputation isn’t exactly great, true,” Fanny said seriously. “But after what happened recently, we believe there might’ve been some misunderstandings.”

Then she added frankly:

“With your good looks and great figure, it’d be a shame if you didn’t join our Magic Arts Club.”

Good looks and great figure...

Why did that sound less like club recruitment and more like scouting for a model?

Muen inwardly grumbled—

But he was a little happy.

If someone was inviting him to join a club, then just like Anna had said... maybe his image had changed.

At the very least...

Girls no longer avoided him like a plague.

That alone was a good start.

It made him feel a flutter of hope.

Still...

“I’m sorry, Senior Fanny. Someone else already invited me to their club.”

Muen declined politely.

“Oh?”

Fanny raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Someone beat me to it? Which club?”

“The Ancient Potion Society.”

He added, “It’s a pretty niche club.”

“The Ancient Potion Society... isn’t that the one run by Anna Kaplin?”

Fanny frowned slightly, as if recalling something.

“Muen Campbell, I know it’s not my place to interfere in your choices, but I should at least give you a heads-up. That Anna senior... she doesn’t exactly have the best reputation among upperclassmen.”

“Not the best...? What do you mean?”

Muen’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of coldness flashing beneath the surface.

“I’m not sure of the details. I just heard some upperclassmen in my club mention it.”

“I see.”

Muen gave a small smile.

“Thank you for the warning, Senior Fanny. But if there’s anyone who understands how unreliable ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) rumors can be, it’s me. So unless I see it with my own eyes, I usually don’t believe that kind of talk.”

“I see.”

Fanny didn’t press further. She simply nodded politely.

“Sorry for taking your time, Muen Campbell.”

“Not at all. I’m glad to have been invited.”

“Then, until next time.”

“See you.”

...

After Muen left—

A few heads suddenly popped out from behind the nearby bushes.

They were all first-year girls, faces still fresh with the innocence of newcomers.

“Well? Did he say yes, Senior Fanny?” one of them asked eagerly.

“No. It seems he’s already joined another club.”

“Ehh? Seriously?”

A freckled girl pouted.

“Weren’t we told the whole school hated him? How did someone beat us to it?”

“Exactly!”

Another girl with chubby cheeks huffed:

“Maybe Senior Fanny didn’t explain clearly. We’ve got tons of pretty girls in the Magic Arts Club!”

“I did leave that part out, but...”

Fanny recalled her earlier conversation and said thoughtfully:

“I don’t think someone who gets angry just from hearing a single bad word about a girl is the type to be easily swayed by other girls.”

“Wasn’t Muen Campbell supposed to be a total jerk?”

The last girl, a twin-tailed freshman, puffed up indignantly.

“Clearly it was just gossip. My family runs a publishing house, so I know not to trust newspapers. I knew from the moment I saw him in the cafeteria on day one—Muen’s a good guy.”

“Good guy, my butt,” the freckled girl muttered. “You’re just a face-fan who likes how he looks.”

“And his background!” the chubby girl added.

“Duchess sounds pretty good, you know...”

“But I heard Muen Campbell might be... into guys.”

“Even better! Ahh, my nose is bleeding—”

“It’s such a shame we couldn’t get him. If we had, we could’ve admired his body all day under the pretense of ‘drawing’... hehehe—oh no, my nose is bleeding too—”

“......”

Fanny watched the rowdy little group in front of her with helpless amusement.

These girls were probably the quirkiest ones in the entire club. Of all people to fangirl over, they just had to choose the Academy’s most scandal-ridden student, Muen Campbell.

Sure, that heroic rooftop leap of his had impressed a lot of people.

But still...

He had stripped naked in front of the entire school. And those earlier rumors weren’t exactly flattering. Who knew if he really was a pervert?

There had been a few whispers lately suggesting he might not be such a bad guy after all, but Fanny wasn’t ready to draw conclusions. She was still watching from a distance.

The only reason she’d come to invite him was, first, because these excitable juniors had begged her into submission—and second, because their Magic Arts Club was large enough to handle any chaos. Plenty of upperclassmen around to keep things under control, if necessary.

Still—

Fanny thought back on that short conversation and couldn’t help but agree, just a little:

“He really is different from what the rumors said.”