ROBERT

Well, well...the Viscount of Valenfields, huh? No wonder he looked like someone who just popped out of a cheesy romance novel - attractiveness was definitely in his genes; to this day, the Count himself still charmed ladies of all ages even though the creases on his cheeks gets more and more apparent each year - I recalled my mother saying that he’s like “A fine bottle of wine that just gets better with age.” I don’t understand how teenage girls with fathers as old as him still gushed at him, but I guess it’s all the same with his wife; among us boys, Countess of Valenfields is a smokin’ hot mama. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Smith kept going on and on about the new kid in front of the whole class. “…And so, Lord Valenfields was given the title Adulescens Salvator when he was four years old, for he had sacrificed himself and saved Her Majesty from a terrible fate...”

When I thought about it, the name did seem to ring a bell. I remembered back when I was still living in London, there was a time when TVs and newspapers were putting up stories about The Queen of Anglova being rescued by a young Viscount during a life-threatening incident during a royal event in the palace. Although the details weren’t told to the public, Her Majesty thought that he deserved to be honored - and thus, she granted him an honorary title. But I was only a preschooler back then, so I didn’t remember all the details. I did remembered watching the news with my mother, and she mentioned that the Viscount was about the same age as me.

Was it really him?

On the other hand, things weren’t really that great in class - Mr. Smith wouldn’t shut up about all the greatness of the Bellrose family, while the new kid himself shifted uncomfortably like a worm on a hot frying pan. I can’t believe I’m getting secondhand embarrassment on my first day of tenth grade! Put your political inclinations aside, Mr. Smith - you’re going to embarrass the whole school at this rate!

“And yes, he is, in fact, the youngest person in Anglova to earn an honorary title from Her Majesty - the great Adulescens Salvator-”

“I think that’s enough, Mr. Smith.”

Everybody’s attention shifted towards the new kid immediately. “I beg your pardon, Lord Valenfields?” Mr. Smith asked, one of his eyebrows raised. Oh my. Nothing could piss of our vice headmaster better than interruptions during his long and glorious speeches, even if it came from Her Majesty herself.

“I apologize for interrupting you, sir. But the favor that I have done to Her Majesty during my childhood was nothing to be bragged of sorts, and the title that I have earned during that time has been replaced by a new one since two years ago since Her Majesty thought it was no longer befitting of me. And, I really appreciate that you’ve taken the liberty to introduce me to my new classmates, but, to tell you the truth, I am still readapting with my social status in this country as I haven’t been living in Anglova for quite a long time, so if I may have to speak honestly, I am not very comfortable with this kind of treatment.” he said, clearing his throat before he continued on. “And I would appreciate it if you guys are willing to drop the formalities - no need to refer me as the Viscount of Valenfields, or Lord Valenfields, or, uh...just ‘Bellrose’ or ‘Kay’ would be fine.”

Mr. Smith abruptly dropped his irked expression, his cheeks flushed. Well, if he and Mr. Harrell still have some sense of humiliation, they’d just awkwardly drop the whole bloody introductory session and leave the room. But of course, the two old men just gave the most disgusting friendly smile I have ever seen and tapped the new kid’s shoulders lightly. “Oh my, aren’t you such a humble lad?” Mr. Harrell said, and the two let out an awkwardly loud laugh.

Meanwhile, everybody started to bring their palms to their faces; too humiliated to admit that these two bloody intolerant old farts were really our headmasters.

“Oh Mr. Harrell, Mr. Smith, don’t you think it’s time for you to go back to your office?”

The cheery-toned voice coming from Ms. Ferino’s lips felt like a chilly breeze on a blazing hot day – oh praise the lord! Our homeroom teacher finally did something!

“I beg your pardon, Ms. Ferino?” Mr. Smith asked, one of his eyebrows raised.

“We~ll, I think Lord Valenfields- I mean, Mr. Bellrose here can introduce himself to the whole class without your help – he’s not a little child anymore! Right, Mr. Bellrose?”

Ms. Ferino gave a wink to the new kid, who quickly obliged with an awkward nod.

“Oh, and I still haven’t finished with the homeroom session myself! I haven’t gave out the starter packs, explaining the updated school rules…” she trailed on, counting her fingers as she listed the number of the obligatory First-Monday-of-September things she haven’t done yet – I almost forgot about them myself!

“But-“

“I’ll see you both at the headmaster’s office after I’m done with homeroom, mmkay?”

“Yes, ma’am!” the two old men replied in unison, their eyes reflecting so brightly with dirty enthusiasms. Ugh, nasty old farts. Get the bloody hell out of here, please!

Meanwhile, the whole class sighed in relief – yes! Nancy Ferino just saved the day again!

“Alright, class. Mr. Smith and I would be taking our leave now, but always remember; even though that Mr. Bellrose here is a Viscount...”

Faint sounds of groans and under-breath mutters echoed inside the whole classroom. Yeah, yeah…thanks for being captain obvious, Mr. Harrell! Now can you both please just get the hell outta here?

“...there will be no special treatments for him,”

My blood boiled. I gnawed my fingernails at the edge of the table, trying so hard not to storm up front and choked the headmasters.

“…and always remember our school motto; we are all equal souls in Sterling, no matter where we came from.”

Ugh, these bloody hypocrites!

“…Are we clear?”

“Yes, siiiiiiiirrrrr…..” the whole class replied in a long, tedious unison from the last strengths we have gathered after our first day of school energies were successfully sucked away by these two headmasters.

It was only after they were gone that we could finally breathe easier.

Although the torture session was done for the rest of the class, it’s far from finished for the new kid. To think that Ms. Ferino would really continue the homeroom session like whatever she had planned in her teaching notebook was just too naïve – the sly smile on her face said so.

“All right, now that those two old greasy men are away…I guess we can really start the introductions, hmm?” she said alluringly, brushing the new kid's chin with the tip of her pointy finger. Hoo boy, this is getting interesting!

The new kid gulped, his body stiffened. But Ms. Ferino didn’t even drop her smile for a second. She propped herself to the teacher’s desk and lifted her ass to sit on top of the wooden desk, then crossed her legs as she turned towards the new kid again with a seductive smile.

“So, uh, how do you pronounce your first name again? Kee-ay-shay-roe?”

“Kay-ee-she-row,” he pronounced his name again, slowly.

“Kay-ee-she-row?” Ms. Ferino repeated, her eyes still glued towards him as she enunciated each syllable carefully.

“Yes, like that," he said, curving his lips into a little smile. I’m pretty sure it's just him being polite, but it's more than enough to make Ms. Ferino blushing like a giddy school girl going on her first date. Dog bollocks! First day of school and you’ve already made the hottest teacher in Sterling to fall for you with an obligatory smile? Not bad, Kay-ee-she-row. Not bad at all!

“Anyway, you mentioned that you’ve just moved back to Anglova recently. How long did you stay in Japan?”

“Ten years, ma’am. I moved to Japan right before I started first grade.”

“Oh? Well, why didn’t you just finish your education in Japan?”

“That was my plan, but…family obligations, ma’am.”

There, he did it again – every time his family was mentioned, his expression would dim and his speech would be strained. Perhaps there really was a problem within his family that made him being sent to Japan? Well, I don’t know. It’s not like I’m interested with his personal family drama anyway - I’ve already had enough family drama on my own, why should I bother digging someone else’s problems?

See, this is why I don’t understand the joy of gossiping.