"……!!"
Yugo’s eyes widened slightly as he processed Setsuna's answer.
Setsuna wore a satisfied smile, clearly pleased by how quickly he had grasped her meaning. However, Claire spoke up with a hesitant question.
"U-Um, what did you mean by giving Yugo-sama 'standing' in the academy? I’m afraid I don’t understand any of this..."
"Sigh... I hate to answer a question with another question, but why exactly should I have to satisfy your curiosity?"
"Eh...?"
Claire blinked in surprise at Setsuna’s biting response.
Exhaling a second sigh, Setsuna continued without even bothering to meet her eyes.
"I despise inefficiency. The only reason I explained my intentions to Melt Epee earlier was because her strength and accomplishments make her a more than worthy rival for Yugo's affections. But you, Claire Rouge? You are different. Why should I bother answering the questions of someone who isn’t even a member of Yugo’s Party?"
"Se-Setsuna-chan, that’s going too far! You don’t have to say it like that...!"
"……No, Lady Kogarashi is correct. This was supposed to be a discussion between Yugo-sama and her from the start. It was improper of me to interject at all."
Raiha tried to soften Setsuna’s bluntness, but Claire held her back, stopping her from following up.
As Claire lowered her head with a dejected expression, Melt—unable to sit by and watch—finally spoke up.
"Hey, what are you talking about? If I’m your rival, you’ll answer my question, won't you? Then explain it. What do you mean by giving Yugo 'standing'?"
"……Phew. Well, I suppose it can't be helped. If my future friend and rival insists, I have no choice but to explain. You should be grateful for your kind friend, Claire Rouge."
"……"
Only then did Setsuna finally deign to look at Claire, her voice dripping with a subtle sarcasm.
She sat on the edge of Yugo's bed and began to speak, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the room.
"The Academy's Number One Scum—you all know that’s how the majority of this school views Yugo, right? Because he’s 'trash' who inconvenienced so many people, he’s still being bashed and detested today. But don't you find that strange?"
"Of course it's strange! Yugo isn't scum at all!"
"Exactly. That’s my point. From what I’ve seen, Yugo has excellent social skills and never acts in a way that harms those around him. He built a solid rapport with the exchange student Ryuga Renjou in a short time, and he treats his younger brother with genuine affection. On top of that, he has a track record of contributing to the resolution of major incidents. And yet, he’s still called scum and treated like a pariah. Why is that?"
"Isn't it... because everyone is still angry about his past misdeeds?"
"Normally, one would think so. But let me ask you something. Marcos Borg—in your memory, who was targeted more by the students: the old Yugo, or the current one?"
"……The current one. Without a doubt, the current Yugo faces far more verbal abuse from the masses."
Marcos, the only person present who knew what life was like for Yugo before his memory loss, answered firmly.
Hearing his confirmation, Setsuna gave a satisfied huff and continued with a faint, knowing smile.
"Now, what does that tell us? The current Yugo is a virtuous man—reformed, one might say—and his behavior is incomparable to his past self. Yet he is bashed more now than when he was actually committing those crimes. He’s a better person and he’s stronger than before. So why is he still detested by so many? The answer is simple—"
The smile vanished from Setsuna's face as she turned her gaze directly toward Yugo.
Looking him straight in the eyes with a piercing intensity, she stated the cold hard truth.
"—It’s because you lost your status as the eldest son of a Prestigious Noble House."
At those words, the more perceptive members of the group finally understood her point.
Marcos and Anhel picked up where she left off.
"Before, Yugo had the weight of the House of Clay behind him. Because he had that status on top of his skill, no one dared to defy him. But after losing the duel to Zenon, being disowned, and losing the Sacred Sword that symbolized his strength, he lost that protection..."
"With no one to back him up, people feel they can say whatever they want without fear of consequence. Combined with his past reputation, he’s become the perfect target—the 'Academy's Number One Scum' who got kicked out of his family. That’s why they feel so comfortable trashing him."
"Yes. And there's more—"
"Because Egos and those other 'Hero Candidates' hate Yugo's guts, it’s created a trend where bashing him is encouraged. Everyone is just following the lead of people with the status of 'promising heroes,' right?"
"Thank you for the perfect explanation. You really are a sharp group."
Setsuna applauded lightly, offering words of praise.
She stood up and continued her analysis.
"I took the liberty of looking into Yugo's behavior since his memory loss. He’s performed countless good deeds. However, only a tiny fraction of the students have actually re-evaluated him. It isn't easy to overcome a bad reputation when the 'Hero Candidates' are constantly inciting prejudice. You thought that enduring that hatred was a form of atonement and were resigned to it... but you started to have second thoughts once Fee-kun got hurt, didn't you?"
"Haha... You really do see through everything. It’s a bit scary..."
Yugo let out a self-deprecating laugh. She had seen right through the thoughts that had been plaguing him before she arrived.
Ever since he had decided to live as Hugo Clay, he had been prepared to accept his past sins and the weight of the world's hatred. But the incident a week ago had shaken him to his core.
"Your precious younger brother was seriously injured because of you. As long as you’re branded as scum, there’s every chance something like this will happen again. Next time, it might not just be your brother; your friends might be targeted. And it might be worse than just an injury. You feel that everything that happens to them will be your fault. That’s why you’re desperate to fix your reputation—not for your own sake, but because you’re terrified the people you love will be hurt. Am I right?"
"……I give up. You’re exactly right. Am I really that transparent?"
"Yes. For better or worse, you’re a straightforward, kind-hearted man. It’s exactly why I became interested in you. It’s why I believe you are a man worthy of being my husband. I know this might be seen as taking advantage of the situation, and it certainly isn't a traditional approach... but to win you over, I intend to use every bit of status I possess."
Setsuna walked up to Yugo and reached out, gently taking his hand.
She cupped his hand between her own, squeezing firmly as she looked him in the eyes.
"Become my fiance, Yugo. If you do, the name of the House of Kogarashi—one of the most prestigious houses in Yamato—will be yours. Your standing as the Groom Candidate for the family's heiress will serve as a shield, protecting both you and everyone you care about."