"You. You're the one who spread the nasty rumors about my friends and me, right!?" said the curly brown-haired girl as she pointed her index finger towards me.
The class immediately has their attention focuses on the curly brown-haired girl and me.
Just like in the old ages. When a royalty got branded bad by a nasty rumor regardless it's because of something they did do or not, the countermeasure they'll use in the end is one.
Finding a scapegoat.
Making someone be the scapegoat and be blamed for the mistakes and faults of others.
Truly something that a human, especially a noble or royalty will do.
(Whoa... What a nasty thing for a human to do...)
(Should we take her soul, master?)
(Humans are terrifying indeed...)
(They're more evil than us, don't you think...?)
(Command us and we'll devour her soul, master~)
The yokai inside the academy seem to be observing and listening to what happens.
(Leave her be) (Ray)
"Oi! I know you just got a nasty rumor about you and your friends, but why the hell are you blaming him for this so suddenly!?" Hiroto stands as he covers for me.
But even though Hiroto is quite popular himself as he's the ace of the soccer club, there is still a difference of level between him and Takabana.
"Why are you protecting him, Hiroto-Kun. Don't tell me, are you friends with this loser?" Asked Takabana towards Hiroto.
What a great trap.
Everyone in the academy knows about the rumors going on about me, and...
Since the princess knew about my case, it's normal for her close friends to know about that too since we all go to the same junior high school.
They could spread the thing about my case again, and because of Takabana's behavior towards me, people will once again talk about me and my case while Hiroto will get involved inside it.
His friends will absolutely avoid him if he said I am his friend.
"I-" (Hiroto)
"The proof is?" I cut Hiroto's words as I asked Takabana.
"I know you're the one who saw us getting inside that abandoned mansion, right!? Don't lie! I know it! The others also saw you! Right, guys!?" Takabana asked her friends for backup.
The princess only shows a wry smile, but for the others...
"I did!" said the volley guy Utaru.
"Me too! Well, that loner's dark aura emitted out of him made it impossible for us to not notice him, after all," said the basket guy Arazuka.
Takabana Ruri.
She has good grades but she pales in comparison with her friends. The only talent she has is her wicked mind that could excel greatly in negotiations, blackmails, and information gathering since her parents are the owner of one of the biggest media companies.
Karazaki Utaru and Karasuma Arazuka.
Both of them excel in sports and have won several sports competitions since junior high school. Well, of course, both of them also had big-shot parents backing them up.
Judging from her expressions and from my memories, I believe that none of them noticed us since Ao and I covered our presence as well. So even though it's true, she's lying about the fact that she saw us.
(Is it really fine, master? We could plunge them to the deepest hole of despair if you want, you know?)
(They're the shit of society, let us handle them, master)
(True! True! They're shits of society! Trash)
(It's fine. Leave them be, lads) (Ray)
Shits of society, huh...
You're wrong.
The society is the shit, the garbage itself...
"Let's not get too hasty, shall we, Takabana-san?" A gentle voice appeared.
It's the owner of the voice that I didn't want to hear the most.
"Calm down, calm down," Continue him.
He slowly approaches us.
The man with blonde hair and blue eyes.
The reincarnation of the hero, Reon Yingxiong.
"R-Reon-Kun..." (Takabana)
It could be said that he's the actually one sitting at the top social hierarchy.
His grades are one of the top, his athletic body and talent in every sport, his pretty face, and his great skills in communication.
But well, just like the princess, he didn't have any memories of his past life.
"Even if you saw him there, you have no proof that he spread the rumors, right? And he didn't even have any benefit to get from spreading the rumor, in the first place," said him with his annoying handsome smile.
But Takabana couldn't let the chance of making me the scapegoat slip. She'll definitely bring on about the case in junior high school.
"He doesn't need any benefit! He just found it fun! He even-" (Takabana)
But before Takabana could mention my case, Hiroto cut her words.
"Hear him out, Takabana! Reon's words are true!" (Hiroto)
*Sigh!*
I know you're trying to defend me, Hiroto. And I'm grateful for what you did. But well, there is only one best and quick solution for this.
For me to accept the position as the scapegoat.
"I am,"
"Eh?" Reon and Hiroto exclaimed in surprise.
"I'm surprised you knew. I did saw you and I'm the one who spread the rumor. And it's normal for me to think like that, right? You're going inside that abandoned mansion in pairs, after all,"
I'm not doing this for them.
I'm doing this for the princess, but not for her alone.
It's also for Hiroto.
And it's also for my yokai subordinates who guard this academy.
The malice and disdain the students aimed at me will increase for several folds because I am the target, and it will feed the yokai inside here and made them stronger. I could also call the other yokai to come here and feed the dark energy that could be harvested from here.
It's hitting several birds with one stone, right?
"Whoa... What a bastard..."
"A pervert..."
"Does he has no shame?"
"To make a rumor about Tachibana-san... How lowly..."
"As expected of him, I guess?"
The other classmates started to have their focus on me. They mock me and aim their disdain towards me.
(Master... How could we eat it... It's the same as eating your spilled blood...)
(Yes, master... We don't need to consume this... We don't aspire for more powerful strength since we have a contract with you anyway...)
(Yes, master! Eating these bastards will be more delicious, master!)
(I said leave it. The reason why I make a contract with all of you is to protect these bastards, after all) (Ray)
(*Sigh* I wonder why you love these mongrels so much, master...)
Well, I wonder why indeed...
Humans, in basis, are worst than yokai anyway.
It's not a surprising thing.
Most yokai only haunt bastards who love to bully the weak. Strong yokai will defend their weak ones, while strong humans will bully their weak ones.
"Well, I'm just saying what I thought. And it turns out that it got spread into the whole academy, what can I do?" I said with a shrug.
"Well, since I'm the one who shared the rumors, I'm sorry," I apologized towards Takabana.
I know, even though Takabana is the one who wanted to make me the scapegoat, inside this class, she, Hiroto, Ao, and Reon are the only ones who know I'm lying.
"You... You're even worst than I imagined..." said the princess as tears gathered at the corner of her eyes when she left the class in hurry.
"W-What are you..." (Takabana)
The other classmates stare at me with much more disdain when after looking at the princess running with tears at the corner of her eyes. If I stay here and finish the break here, the class will be filled with a dense amount of malice and the yokai inside here won't be able to completely consume it in time and it will invite trouble.
So I need to go out.
"Sorry, Hiroto," I apologized to Hiroto with a small voice that only he could hear when I walk past him, while I ignore Reon the former hero.
"Tsk! What the hell with that, you idiot four-eyes? Even if you saw them, who will you share that rumor with anyway!? You're a freakin' loner, aren't you!?" I could hear Hiroto's mumbles because of my sharp ears.
Well, that's it, Hiroto. You should avoid talking to me for several months, it's said that rumors will completely vanish after 3 months, after all.
Getting into high school truly benefits me indeed. Since nature mana could only be gathered from a place that hasn't got defiled by the modernization, it's been hard for my yokai subordinates to refill their energy, let alone making themselves stronger.
With the existence of the academy, they will be able to gather malice and dark energy easier than being at other places. I've got permission from the 'protectors' of this academy, after all.
But well, if the rumor about the princess goes on, there will be another man who will be sadder about it.
"You better be thankful towards me, old man,"