Although the title of the position was Disciplinary Committee member, which sounded like it only involved maintaining basic academy discipline and order, the actual scope of affairs that needed to be handled was far broader and more complex than the title suggested.
It ranged from investigating the theft or unauthorized use of magic conduits to handling disputes over saved seats in the library or even arguments triggered by people cutting in line at the cafeteria...
As long as it involved student conduct or friction that could affect the academy's normal operation, it could, in theory, fall onto the shoulders of a Disciplinary Committee member at some point.
Just listening to Yelena's quiet introduction of this massive and trivial list of tasks while she led the way made Greg's scalp tingle. He wanted nothing more than to turn around immediately and crawl back into the dungeon to continue his simple life of killing monsters and figuring out how to survive.
However, at the thought of Headmistress Olivia's face with that malicious smile, Greg had to suppress all his urges to go on strike.
He knew very well that since that troublesome and willful woman could even mobilize Vivian to keep an eye on him, she definitely had a way to pluck him out of the dungeon and make it so he could never return to his happy home again.
He didn't want to take that risk.
So, he could only brace himself, wearing an expression of utter weariness as he followed Yelena—who had suddenly become exceptionally energized—to their first task location.
They were headed to an open-air rest area in the academy's central courtyard to handle a student dispute.
As the two approached the area surrounded by meticulously trimmed shrubs and white benches, the sounds of an argument were already clearly audible.
After seeing the figures involved in the dispute, Greg's eyebrows twitched slightly.
It really was... a familiar combination.
"What do you mean, 'this is your glove'? I clearly just picked this up off the ground! According to the rules, finders keepers for ownerless items, so this is mine now! Got it?"
A crisp female voice rang out, laced with obvious impatience and self-righteousness.
It was Victoria.
Her long gray hair looked a bit frizzy under the sunlight. She had one hand on her hip while the other held something high in the air.
It was a high-quality white lady's glove, skillfully inlaid with several small but perfectly cut light-blue gems on the back of the fingers and the wrist, reflecting fragmented light in the sun.
"I—I'm going crazy! You stupid, ignorant, boorish commoner! How many times do I have to tell you?! My throwing this glove at you was—was—was—"
Standing opposite Victoria was a noble girl wearing a second-year uniform, her brown hair tied in a complex bun and her face twisted in obvious rage. Her chest heaved as she pointed at Victoria, her voice sharp with agitation:
"This is a challenge to a Duel of Honor! It's the formal etiquette for resolving disputes between nobles! It's not trash I threw on the ground for you to pick up! You tactless, backwater, gray-haired raccoon!"
Sandwiched between these two aggressive girls, the pink-haired Silvia stood helplessly, her beautiful little face full of anxiety and frustration. she looked at Victoria, then at the noble girl, opening her mouth as if to mediate, but unsure of how to intervene in an argument where both parties were on completely different wavelengths.
Seeing this scene, Greg's memories as a player were instantly activated.
He immediately remembered that this was indeed a landmark event in the early stages of Act Two.
When players moved around the academy, there was a certain probability of triggering a conflict with this arrogant upperclassman noble student, who would throw a glove at the player to initiate a duel.
At this point, the game would give the player several options:
Accept the duel (defeat the opponent head-on to gain reputation and experience).
Refuse the duel and mock the opponent (decreases reputation, potentially causing future trouble).
Pick up the glove and say, "Thanks, I just happened to need a pair of gloves" (significantly decreases reputation, but rewards the item 'Noble's Gemmed Glove,' which can later be sold for a considerable amount of Gold Coins).
Clearly, this gray-haired brat had chosen option three without hesitation, treating the duel invitation as trash collection and righteously claiming the glove for herself.
Classic Victoria.
Greg had chosen this option himself in his past life, enjoying the fun of infuriating a noble lady while making some extra cash on the side.
But he remembered that in the original game, choosing this option usually ended with the player walking away with the glove while the noble girl stamped her feet in rage; there was no follow-up plot involving the Disciplinary Committee intervening.
"Looks like another butterfly effect."
However, since he was the one who had come, Greg didn't mind giving Victoria a little help within the rules.
After all, that gem-inlaid glove looked like it was worth a lot. Once the matter was settled, he could squeeze some benefits out of this gray-haired brat in the name of a commission; she likely wouldn't refuse.
To make this plan go smoothly, the first thing he had to do was pretend they weren't acquainted.
Greg quickly assessed the situation.
In the minds of most people in the academy, his relationship with Victoria was still stuck at the stage of having a grudge from the entrance exam and disliking each other.
As for the incident where he saved Silvia, the academy news had used 'a freshman' to refer to him to protect the victim. Aside from the Headmistress, the outside world didn't know exactly who had been saved, so naturally, they wouldn't know that he and Silvia had already had many private interactions.
Greg's gaze quickly swept over the scene.
He noticed that Victoria seemed to have sensed someone approaching, as her peripheral vision flickered toward him and Yelena.
Greg inconspicuously raised his left hand and made an extremely subtle gesture toward Victoria.
A flash of confusion crossed Victoria's eyes, but just a second later, her gaze cleared as she realized what was happening.
She gave an almost imperceptible nod to show she understood, then immediately refocused her attention on the noble girl as if she hadn't noticed the Disciplinary Committee's arrival at all.
As they drew closer, Silvia also saw Greg.
The pink-haired girl's eyes instantly lit up, a look of unshielded surprise appearing on her face. She instinctively moved to walk over and greet him, her small lips already parting—
"Silvia!"
Victoria was quick, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling her back to her side.
Silvia stumbled from the pull and turned her head, her round pink eyes filled with even greater confusion. Like a pink rabbit suddenly caught by its ears, she looked at Victoria, then at Greg, completely unable to grasp the situation.
Greg felt like laughing, but he had to maintain a serious expression.
He could only endure it, pretending he didn't see Silvia's adorable, questioning gaze at all.
"W-we are the Disciplinary Committee! M-may I ask what's going on here?"
Yelena took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and spoke first in the sternest voice she could manage to intervene in the dispute.
She tried her best to stand her petite frame straight to add a sense of authority.
"You're too slow!"
The brown-haired noble girl, who was full of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent, immediately turned her target upon hearing the inquiry. She complained with a tone full of dissatisfaction, pointing her finger at Victoria again.
"Listen to me, it's this person—huh?!"
Halfway through her sentence, her gaze swept past Yelena and landed on the blonde figure behind her, and her voice abruptly cut off.
Clearly, she recognized Greg but hadn't yet received the latest news that this former Duke's son had become a Disciplinary Committee member.
If it had been a few months ago, facing Greg Sass when he was still the son of Duke Sass, this noble girl—whose background wasn't top-tier—would certainly be putting on a smile by now.
But today was different. The news of Greg being publicly expelled by his family and becoming a laughingstock had long since spread throughout the academy.
In her eyes, a piece of trash who had lost his backing was nothing to fear.
After a brief moment of shock, it was replaced by a mixture of superiority and contempt.
She looked Greg up and down, especially at the armband on his sleeve that represented the Disciplinary Committee. Her lips curled as she spoke in an unmasked, mocking tone:
"Heh... Disciplinary Committee? Since when does someone... who was kicked out by his family and has a rotten reputation have the right to wear that armband? Is the Student Council so short on people? Or has the standard dropped that low?"
The mockery and targeting in her words were merciless.
Heh, even a minor villain who probably didn't even have a name in the original work dares to step on me now.
Greg rolled his eyes internally.
However, he wasn't particularly angry.
He'd be able to pay her back with interest in a moment anyway.
For now, he'd let this clown dance a little longer.
However—
"P-please watch your language!"
Rate on N.U.
