"W-wait a second! What’s all this about? You can't just pick a fight out of nowhere and expect me to know what’s going on!"
Hugo shouted back, refuse to be cowed by the intimidating student, and demanded an explanation.
The boy’s anger flared even higher at Hugo's reaction. He clicked his tongue and hurled a torrent of insults fueled by his resentment.
"Hugo Clay! How does it feel to trick an innocent transfer student into being your plaything? You lost Lady Claire to Zenon and immediately moved on to the next girl? You irredeemable piece of scum!"
"Deceived her? Hold on, you’ve got it all wrong. I didn't—"
"Shut up! I won't listen to a word you say! Knowing a treacherous villain like you, you probably intended to trick the pure Melt and take advantage of her, didn't you!? I, Rush Winhelm, won't allow it!"
The youth with the sharp, handsome features was screaming at the top of his lungs, his face flushed bright red.
Stepping in to help Hugo, who was being pressured by Rush’s demonic intensity, Melt interjected between the two.
"Calm down, Winhelm! Hugo hasn't deceived me. I was the one who asked him to take on requests with me in the first place. You’ve got the wrong idea entirely!"
"Don't say a word, Melt. You don't know the truth. This man is a depraved monster. He used the Sacred Sword Galandil and the prestige of the House of Clay to humiliate countless students, laughing while he did it. A pure, wonderful girl like you shouldn't be anywhere near someone like him."
"Wait a minute. I'll admit I did some terrible things to you all in the past, and I’m sorry for that. But I have no intention of tricking Melt or using her. This is all just your own baseless speculation."
"As if I could trust a word you say! There's no reason to listen to a piece of scum abandoned by his own parents! Everyone else agrees, don't they!?"
In response to Rush's call, his lackeys shouted their agreement in unison.
With the voices of his followers at his back, Rush’s conviction that he was in the right grew even stronger, and he pressed forward once again.
"I'll say it one more time, Hugo Clay! Release Melt this instant and never go near her again! Scum like you has no right to be with her!"
"I might be scum, but why are you sticking your nose into Melt's social life? Who are you to her, anyway?"
"Exactly! I'm the one who decides who my friends are!" Melt added. "Just because we're classmates in the same dorm doesn't give you the right to do this when we've only just met!"
"Melt, you just don't know! You might think I'm meddling now, but the day will come when you realize I was right!"
Rush winced for a moment, a bitter expression crossing his face as he was struck by their logical arguments in quick succession, but he immediately blurted out a vague rebuttal.
Hugo was about to tell him that such behavior was the very definition of meddling, but before he could speak, Rush grabbed him by the collar and shoved him back.
"Whoa!?"
"Big brother! You guys, what are you doing!? That was dangerous!"
"Hm? Big brother...? You, are you this scum's younger brother?"
"My brother isn't scum! He might be a little rough around the edges, but I'm proud of him! You’re the ones ganging up on a single person—if anyone here is scum, it's you!"
"What was that...!?"
A vein popped on Rush's forehead at Fee's words, and his clenched fists trembled uncontrollably with rage.
Fee, his eyes welling with tears, continued to shout, pouring out all his feelings.
"My brother is amazing! He's cool! He won a duel the other day, and he even defeated a Magic Armor Beast and saved lots of people! He’s not like you guys, who can't do anything alone! My brother isn't the kind of person who deserves to be called scum by the likes of you!"
"You little...! What does a brat like you know!? Don't talk like you know anything! You're just the brother of a piece of scum!"
Irritated by Fee’s defense of Hugo—a defense that ignored the humiliation Rush had suffered—Rush raised his clenched fist.
He prepared to vent his anger ruthlessly on Fee, a child years younger than himself, but his arm was suddenly jerked to a halt mid-swing.
"Wh-!?"
A hand clamped down on his wrist. Startled by the sudden, immovable weight, Rush looked to the side to find Hugo gripping his arm.
Hugo stood there, head bowed, his body as still as a statue. As Rush stared at him in astonishment, Hugo spoke quietly.
"...Maybe his words went a bit too far. As his older brother, I apologize for his rudeness. But as his brother, I have something else to say to you."
"Guh, ah...!?"
Hugo's grip tightened. The bones in Rush’s arm began to creak and scream.
Hugo brought his face close to Rush, who was groaning in agony. Hugo growled in a low voice, his expression full of cold fury.
"Say whatever you want about me. I'll take it. Call me scum all you like. But... Fee is a different story. I will never forgive anyone who lays a hand on my brother or makes him cry. Don't you forget it."
"Guuuh...!"
Overwhelmed by Hugo’s killing intent and the pain that felt as if his arm might snap, Rush was rendered speechless.
Hugo released his grip, and Rush stumbled backward before falling onto his backside.
Surrounded and supported by his worried companions, Rush took a few ragged breaths before glaring at Hugo with sharp, piercing eyes.
Seeing Hugo standing there protectively over his younger brother, looking down at him, Rush's anger reignited. He sprang up and screamed.
"A duel...! I won't let this humiliation stand! Fight me, Hugo Clay!"
"...Fine. I accept. But if I win, you stop this. No more harassment. Not toward me, not toward Fee, and not toward Melt. Is that clear?"
Their gazes clashed, sparks flying as Hugo accepted the challenge.
While the surrounding students broke into an uproar, Rush continued to glare with pure hatred at the boy who had remained so eerily calm.