Chapter 40

■ Chapter 39. Group Project (3) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

In group projects, there are various types of villains.

There's the completely clueless member who can't do anything. There's the stubborn one who always complains about the time and insists on finishing quickly. And there's the troublemaker who only has a strong will, ruins teamwork, and even causes serious conflicts.

As shown in the examples above, there are many types of villains in group projects, but the most representative one is the 'free rider.'

So, what does 'free rider' mean? Literally, it refers to a 'criminal act' of using public transportation without paying. In the context of group projects, it means someone who does nothing but hopes others will do everything for them, essentially selling their conscience.

However, if the proper price is paid, it's not a criminal act. In group projects, if there are legitimate reasons or a complete lack of knowledge in a particular area, there are cases where someone becomes the 'sponsor' and provides various conveniences.

For example, renting a study room in full, or buying delicious food every time there's a discussion. In such cases, it's like paying the fare and riding the bus comfortably.

Of course, using this in reverse, solving everything with money, is not good. At the very least, the situation should be explained, and the consent of the group members should be obtained.

"Please take care of me from now on. I've been watching you closely."

A delicate and elegant appearance, and a petite build that doesn't even reach 160cm.

The brown-haired girl, Aila, who exudes a doll-like cuteness, smiled and greeted me. At first glance, it seemed like a polite greeting from a noble's daughter.

But before she greeted me, I could clearly see her gaze sweeping over Benjamin and Leona. It was definitely not a look of equality.

Perhaps she doesn't openly despise like Jackson, but she seems to harbor a knife in her heart. I might be overreacting, but having often been the one to volunteer as the scapegoat in group projects, I can see through it.

Whether this person is enthusiastic about participating in the group project or is a free rider.

Initially, Aila's first impression leaned more towards the latter.

'But Viscount Matius... '

As everyone knows, a viscount is just below a marquis, and there are only three viscount families in the Minerva Empire. Among them, the Matius family is a border lord responsible for the empire's borders.

Additionally, the Matius family once included my father, and I know that Dave is currently training as an apprentice knight in the Navy Knights, which is affiliated with the Matius family. The Navy Knights are more of a special forces unit that specializes in special operations rather than regular warfare, which is why they are part of the military Matius family.

"...I'm Isaac Duker Martial. You are from the Matius family, I see. It's an honor to meet you."

I smiled warmly and formally greeted Aila, who was waiting for my response. While my first impression wasn't great, I thought I could observe her over time.

Aila's lips curled up even more as she looked at me, then turned to Benjamin. Benjamin flinched when he met her gaze and hurriedly greeted her.

"B-Benjamin Blank! P-Please take care of me!"

"I also hope you take care of me. And..."

Finally, Aila turned her gaze to Leona. Leona, upon meeting her eyes, spoke with her usual emotionless expression.

"I'm Leona Lyons."

Unlike Benjamin, who was making a fuss, Leona greeted her with a stone-cold expression and voice. A normal person might have thought, "She has a peculiar personality," and moved on.

But Aila didn't. When Leona greeted her coldly, her previously curled lips slightly drooped.

"...Is that it?"

She even asked in return, her tone lowering to a sarcastic level that anyone could recognize.

However, Leona, seemingly unaware of the implication, replied in a flat tone, tilting her head slightly.

"I greeted you, didn't I?"

"...No. I just thought you had a unique personality."

Fortunately, it seemed to pass. Aila's face showed a hint of displeasure, but I pretended not to notice. I sighed inwardly.

No matter how the world changes, my luck with group projects remains consistently bad. And with the first impression already ruined, it was hard to predict what would happen next. Of course, this wasn't Leona's fault but purely due to Aila's sense of authority.

As I mentioned before, the gap between nobles and commoners is immeasurable. A commoner must bow to a noble, no matter how low their rank.

I come from a democratic society, but unfortunately, this system is normal in this world. If I had been born here without my past life's memories, I might have lived with a sense of authority like Jackson or Aila.

"...Anyway, introductions are over. What should we do now?"

As the awkward atmosphere continued, Aila brought up the main topic. It seemed she found the situation uncomfortable as well.

I recalled the group project method Professor Virius explained earlier. There wasn't much difference from my past life's group projects; it was almost identical.

So, the most important part now is to decide:

Someone has to do it, but I don't want to, and I'd rather someone else did it.

"...Who will be the group leader?"

We need to decide who will lead the group.

As soon as I brought it up and looked around, the others started shifting their eyes. This confirmed that human nature doesn't change, no matter where you go.

However, our group is unique in this moment. Benjamin, a commoner, would hesitate to step forward with nobles like me and Aila present. Leona, maintaining her stoic demeanor, wouldn't be proactive.

Therefore, the only suitable candidates for group leader are me and Aila.

'I might as well do it.'

It's more comfortable for me. In my past life, I always took the lead rather than awkwardly waiting for others to step up.

Just as I was about to sigh and speak, Aila placed her hands on her hips and confidently declared she would be the group leader. I looked at her in surprise.

Where did this confidence come from? The group leader in a group project is the one with the most risk. If the group members do well, it's fine, but the moment a single villain appears, they bear all the stress.

Can Aila really handle the role of group leader? I genuinely worried and expressed my concern.

"Are you sure you're okay with it? It won't be easy."

"Don't worry. Leave it to me. You just do as I say. Got it?"

"..."

This style could be toxic. Historically, overly enthusiastic but incompetent people are the most dangerous. They can not only reduce efficiency but also put their team in danger.

However, if she becomes a 'sponsor,' things could be different. Aila doesn't know, but this task is easy enough for me to handle alone. If I can't write the Zyon biography, I should put down my pen.

In any case, I can only hope Aila is a leader, not a dictator. If she's a dictator, the future will be tough.

Moreover, if she's a free rider, she might just order others around without doing anything herself. The look in her eyes earlier suggested a high possibility.

"Is there anyone here who hasn't read the Zyon biography up to Volume 8? For reference, I've read all of it. I have the books in my room, so I can lend them if you want."

Did her mindset change after becoming the group leader? Aila was unexpectedly enthusiastic.

I wondered if she really was a free rider. I looked at her again and replied.

"I've read all of it."

"I've read all of it."

As I spoke, Leona said the same thing. We both looked at each other, surprised, but neither of us said who spoke first.

However, Leona, upon meeting my gaze, only twitched her eye and turned her head forward without saying anything. I felt a bit uneasy.

I, as a writer, can understand, but how did Leona acquire it? The Zyon biography, which even the daughter of the Rechilles Marquis, Marie, had trouble finding.

I tilted my head and looked at Aila. She raised one eyebrow, looking surprised.

"...I see. It must have been hard to get, but you managed to."

From her reaction, it seemed she assumed Leona and I couldn't get the Zyon biography. However, she also seemed disappointed.

The Zyon biography is so popular that it sells out immediately upon release, so it's actually fortunate. Reading more volumes would make the project smoother.

But she seemed unhappy about something. Perhaps the situation wasn't going as she expected.

"I, I haven't read all of it. I haven't even read Volume 6..."

"Is that so?"

As if to contradict my doubts, Benjamin cautiously spoke, and Aila's face lit up. It was natural to feel a creeping sense of unease.

Aila then touched her lips and said to Benjamin with a condescending tone.

"I can lend you the books. I have all up to Volume 8."

"Really? That would be great..."

"But there's a condition."

"Condition?"

Benjamin, surprised by Aila's interruption and the mention of a condition, widened his eyes. I was also taken aback.

I glanced at Leona, who maintained her inscrutable expression. I guessed she felt similar to me.

Meanwhile, Aila's lips curled up, and she revealed the condition to the flustered Benjamin.

"You have to do something for me..."

"I can lend you the books."

Before Aila could finish, Leona interjected. Her usual stiff tone contained a hint of discomfort.

Aila, taken aback by Leona's interruption, stopped mid-sentence. She then closed her mouth and looked at Leona coldly.

"...Did you learn that it's okay to interrupt someone while they're speaking?"

Aila's cold pressure continued. An atmosphere that didn't match her doll-like appearance and small stature seeped out.

But Leona wasn't easily intimidated. She looked up at Aila from her seat and replied stiffly.

"I didn't feel the need for you to lend the books. If you were offended, I apologize."

"An apology won't cut it. I'm in a bad mood now."

"..."

Aila's continued pressure left Leona silent. Her expression remained unchanged, but it seemed to convey, "Do I really have to?"

Aila clicked her tongue and warned Leona in a stern voice, deciding to let it go.

"This is a warning. If you do that again, I'll kick you out of the group. I'm the leader, so I have that authority. Got it?"

"Understood. I'll lend the books to Benjamin anyway."

"Do as you please."

"Thank you, Leona."

Benjamin, while thanking Leona, glanced at Aila. His submissive demeanor made him look a bit pitiful.

I watched the scene and muttered to myself.

'There's no need to cause division...'

It might have been better if Aila had lent the books to Benjamin and received something in return. Benjamin is a commoner, and Aila is a noble.

Leona's action just now clearly undermined the authority of a noble. I don't care about authority, but other nobles would definitely look at her unfavorably.

As I mentioned, a commoner must bow to a noble, even if they are not officially titled. This is a kind of 'common sense.'

"Hmph. Commoners... can't even get mad about this..."

"..."

"Why are you looking at me like that? Do you have something to say?"

"No."

I have a rough idea of Aila's type. While not certain, one thing is clear.

The moment she's offended, the group will fall apart.

I could faintly sense this when she said she had the authority to kick someone out. I'll have to keep observing, but she seems to dislike any damage to her authority.

'This is going to be tiring...'

I wondered if something worse than a free rider might emerge.

While I was thinking this, Aila looked at me with a serious expression and called my name.

"Isaac."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can you handle it?"

At first, it might sound like a question of trust, but Benjamin and Leona's expressions suggest they don't believe it.

It seems she trusted me, a noble who stands out in class, more than a commoner.

Moreover, she doesn't know that I'm the original author of the Zyon biography.

I can confidently say I can handle it, not just well, but perfectly.

"Don't worry."

"Hmm. Okay? Fine. I'll trust you once."

Is she already distinguishing between nobles and commoners? Aila patted my shoulder and encouraged me. She then looked at Benjamin and Leona with a calm gaze.

I watched her silently, maintaining a stoic expression while inwardly sighing.

'Please, just don't be stubborn.'

I can handle everything, so please don't cause trouble.

Although I don't know her capabilities, her sense of authority, as seen in her conflict with Leona, is clear. I want to avoid the group falling apart due to unnecessary stubbornness.

'I need to consider the worst-case scenario.'

Despite the initial friction, there haven't been any major issues yet.

At least, not yet. Most importantly...

'She looks like a celestial being again.'

I believe everyone knows who I'm thinking about.