The Male Lead isn't Following the Script! -
Chapter 192: Bullies
Chapter 192: Bullies
Adeline’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching her table. She looked up to see a girl with dark, wavy hair and warm brown eyes standing hesitantly in front of her.
"Um, hi," the girl said, offering a shy smile. "Is it okay if I sit here?"
Adeline nodded. "Sure, go ahead."
The girl placed her tray on the table and sat down across from Adeline. For a moment, neither of them spoke, but the girl’s nervous energy was palpable.
"I’m Maia," she said finally, breaking the silence. "I think we’re roommates."
Adeline blinked, surprised. "Oh, really? That’s great. I’m Adeline."
"I- I know." She replied nervously.
Adeline blinked and understood quickly. Her pink hair struck again. She chuckled to herself.
Adeline simply smiled and waited for her to continue, she wanted to know more about her roommate.
Sensing her gaze Maia felt shy but she continued, "I’m the one in the bottom bunk haha." She laughed nervously.
Adeline did not know how to comfort her. She hoped Maia would not be nervous. Was her reputation bad? She never behaved rudely, she was sure of it! Was she not known as a kind little girl? Adeline laugh-cried at this point.
To ease her nervousness she tried making a joke, "The messy one or the neat one?"
Maia’s eyes widened, and she stuttered before answering, "The neat one... I hope."
Adeline smiled, "I knew it." And let out a small chuckle.
Seeing her laugh, Maia seemed to relax a bit too.
"You’re very organised."
"Thanks. I like keeping things tidy. It helps me focus."
Their conversation flowed easily after that. Maia was an earth mage, she explained, and she had come to the academy from a small village on the outskirts of the Empire. She seemed genuinely kind, though a bit reserved.
She was from the defence faction. She talked about how she was worried about fitting in but quickly changed the subject. She said she didn’t want to dampen the mood.
The cafeteria began to empty as students finished their meals and headed back to their dorms. Adeline and Maia lingered for a while before deciding to head back.
"I’ll be right back!" Adeline went to grab something Victoria. Luckily there were packaged items, the cover was made from magic and once it was opened the cover would disintegrate into nothing.
When Adeline returned from grabbing a snack, she noticed Maia standing near the table they sat at. Her heart sank as she saw three girls surrounding her, their posture and smug expressions screaming trouble. It wasn’t hard to discern what was happening. One of the lackeys deliberately bumped into Maia, causing her to stumble slightly.
"Oops, sorry~" the lackey said, her tone dripping with mockery.
Adeline’s eyes narrowed. Her pace quickened, her boots clicking sharply against the polished floor. It was disgusting to see this kind of bullying still occurring in a place that prided itself on equality.
"Why apologise?" the head girl finally spoke, her voice laced with disdain. "What can she do about it anyway?"
The third lackey shifted nervously, clearly uneasy about the situation. At least one of them seemed to realise the implications of what they were doing. Here at the academy, being noble or commoner was meant to hold no significance, and yet, old habits clearly died hard.
Before Adeline could intervene, Maia straightened her back and defended herself. "In the academy, everyone is equal," she said firmly, her voice steady despite the tension in the room.
The head girl snorted, tossing her hair back arrogantly. "Hah! Are you planning to stay in the academy forever? In the real world, you are not our equal, so don’t think too highly of yourself. When I beat you in the coming exam, you won’t even be able to show your face here."
Adeline stopped in her tracks, her lips curling into a cold smile. A laugh escaped her before she could stop it, drawing the attention of everyone.
"Follow your own logic," she said, her voice clear and confident. "Hide your face until you beat her. Less talk, more action."
The bully’s face immediately turned a deep shade of red. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she struggled to contain her temper. She glared at Adeline and snapped, "And who are you?"
Adeline tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "Who do you think I am?" she replied, her tone carrying just enough amusement to infuriate the girl further. Was there anyone who didn’t recognise her by now?
One of the lackeys leaned closer to the head girl, whispering urgently, "Theresa, that’s Adeline Kendrick!"
The mention of her name visibly deflated Theresa’s bravado. The nervous lackey, who had clearly been reluctant to partake in the bullying from the beginning, now looked even more uncomfortable.
Theresa, trying to save face, muttered under her breath, "Found yourself a backer, did you?" Then, without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and left the room, her lackeys scrambling to follow her.
Adeline watched them go, her expression impassive until they disappeared from view. She turned to Maia, who was still standing tall, though her face was pale.
"Are you okay?" Adeline asked, her voice softening.
Maia nodded, brushing off imaginary dust from her sleeve. "I’m fine," she said, though her voice was quiet. "It’s nothing I haven’t heard before."
Adeline frowned. "Does this happen often?"
Maia hesitated, then shrugged. "Theresa always hated me for ranking above her. She can’t stand losing to a commoner. But it’s not a big deal. I’m used to it."
Adeline’s expression darkened. She knew the academy prided itself on meritocracy, but clearly, the prejudices of the outside world were hard to leave behind. Despite the academy’s efforts, there were always those who clung to outdated notions of superiority.
"Thanks..." Maia said in a low voice, breaking the silence.
Adeline smiled, the warmth returning to her features. "Oh, I didn’t do anything," she said lightly. "She gives so much importance to status, so I simply reminded her of hers."
Maia’s lips twitched into a small smile. "Still, I appreciate it."
Adeline shrugged, leaning against the nearest bed frame. "The academy can try all it wants to eliminate discrimination, but prejudice will always linger in people’s hearts. It’s just how things are. That doesn’t mean you have to take it lying down, though."
Maia nodded, her resolve returning. She seemed determined not to let the encounter bother her. "You’re right. I’ve worked too hard to let someone like Theresa get to me."
"That’s the spirit," Adeline said, her smile widening. "And for the record, if she gives you any more trouble, you can come to me."
Maia’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You’d do that?"
"Of course," Adeline replied without hesitation. "What’s the point of being in a place like this if we can’t look out for each other?"
Maia didn’t respond immediately, but the gratitude in her eyes was unmistakable. For the first time since Adeline had returned, she looked genuinely at ease.
The room fell into a comfortable silence, and Adeline decided to shift the topic. "So, the exams... Theresa seems pretty confident about beating you. How are you feeling about it?"
Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report