"...So, now you're the one moping?"
"I am not moping. I am simply reflecting on whether there was a more effective way to express myself."
"Yeah, that's called moping."
A short while later, Marcos met up with his fellow members of the Close-knit Dense Brothers—Yugo and Ryuga.
The two had extracted the details of the situation from him, as he had worn a grim expression since morning. They exchanged a brief look before addressing their friend.
"I’m sure Elena gets it, though," Yugo said. "It’s not like you’re scolding her out of spite or anything."
"True enough," Marcos replied. "She is guileless, not selfish, and she has the sincerity to take advice to heart. I don't believe for a second she's incapable of understanding. But that purity is exactly what makes her so difficult to manage. Forcing her to cast it aside feels wrong in its own way."
I could more or less see where Marcos was coming from.
The situations might have been different, but a naive country girl moving to the big city only to have her heart corrupted by the wrong crowd was a scenario that would weigh on anyone's conscience. To prevent that, there was likely no choice but to use a firm tone, but that was a heavy burden for the one doing the scolding. Yet, if he didn't do it, it wouldn't be for Elena's sake. It was a classic catch-22.
"I have a thought," Ryuga interjected. "Can't you just challenge everyone who approaches Elena to a duel and crush them one by one, like you did with those Yamato heirs the other day? If the numbers get too high, Yugo and I can back you up."
"Ah... about that," Yugo said, scratching his head. "Formal duels are actually banned right now. We have the Hero Candidates to thank for that."
"They caused so much trouble wagering materials and even more precious things on matches that the school stepped in," Marcos explained. "Our fight against the Yamato heirs and the House of Clay was only allowed as an extreme exception because they were high-ranking VIPs from outside the academy."
"Even without a duel, you should be able to settle things by force to some extent," Ryuga continued. "I don't think you would lose to the Hero Candidates now. Besides, their reputations have plummeted. Everyone would surely take your side, wouldn't they?"
Marcos fell silent for a moment. "...Perhaps. But I refuse to do it. Inciting the masses to bend the world to one's will... that is no different from the methods those Hero Candidates used to persecute Yugo. I have committed similar blunders in the past. That is precisely why I will not lower myself to the level of the men who made my friend suffer."
If he utilized his current status, he could undoubtedly turn the student body against the Hero Candidates to keep them away from Elena. However, doing so would make him just like the men he loathed. Even if it was for Elena's protection, his pride as a noble wouldn't allow it. More importantly, he felt that protecting her through such means would be hollow.
"You've got a point," Yugo agreed. "Even if it's for Elena's sake, using underhanded tactics isn't the right way to go. It really comes down to changing Elena's own mindset. You need to sit down and talk with her properly so she'll stay on her guard."
As Yugo stated his thoughts, it became clear that Marcos had already reached that conclusion; he was simply struggling with the execution.
"I am aware of that," Marcos groaned. "That is why I have been agonizing over what I should say to her."
"...This is tedious," Ryuga remarked with a sigh. "If you care for her that much, just confess your feelings and be done with it. Make her your girlfriend."
"Don't be absurd! My feelings for Elena aren't like that!" Marcos barked, his face flushing. "It is more of a parental concern—a duty to protect her in Lord Carlos's stead! Besides, I am a noble! Do you have any idea the uproar it would cause at home if I just started dating someone?"
Yugo watched his friend's explosive reaction and chuckled, sensing exactly what was going on beneath the surface.
"Man... now that’s what I call the fire of youth! Alright! Talking in circles between the three of us isn't going to solve anything. Let's enlist the help of a friend who actually understands the female heart!"
"Youth Switch, On!"—it was the kind of youthful tribulation only a friend could help with. Deciding that they had reached the limit of their own advice, Marcos accepted the proposal, and the trio set off to consult the ladies.