Chapter 3 – Rule 2: The Leader Does Not Become a Freeloader (1)

 

I enjoyed the morning air that seeped into my lungs, arriving at school faster than anyone else, unlike anyone else.

 

*Squeak.*

 

As soon as I entered the vintage-style Disciplinary Committee Leader’s office, a mix of subtle tension and comfort washed over me. These two feelings seemed incompatible, yet they surprisingly blended well together.

 

‘As expected, I’m the first to arrive.’

 

Cozy. Quiet.

 

I turned on the lights, made myself a warm cup of coffee, and sat at my desk.

 

Steam rose gently from the coffee cup, and the subtle aroma of coffee beans spread throughout the room. Holding the cup, I looked out the window and felt a certain charm in the scene.

 

As I have come to realize this year, I truly enjoyed this time of day. So, in the morning, I tried to savor this quiet and serene leisure.

 

I took a sip of my coffee.

 

*Sizzle!*

 

“Ah, damn! So hot…!”

 

I almost burned my mouth. I even spilled some coffee.

 

“Phew.”

 

I almost dropped the cup. That would have been disastrous.

 

‘Did anyone see that…?’

 

I quickly looked around. Thankfully, no one was there.

 

My earlier display was certainly unbecoming of the Disciplinary Committee Leader. I couldn’t allow myself to show such a clumsy side to others.

 

I immediately wiped up the spilled coffee with a tissue, erasing all evidence. I had nearly shown an undignified side of myself.

 

I sat back in my chair and resumed my leisurely morning as if nothing had happened.

 

“Phew.”

 

The aroma of the coffee was truly delightful.

 

“Good morning, Leader. Did you have breakfast?”

 

“Gah…!”

 

I almost choked on my coffee.

 

*Gulp…*

 

Fortunately, I managed to swallow it.

 

I turned my head toward the source of the voice by the door. A graceful female student with a sword at her waist entered the room with a gentle smile.

 

It was Oh Baek-seo, the vice-leader of the Disciplinary Committee.

 

“Vice-leader, you’re here early. Good morning.”

 

“Good morning.”

 

“This is my breakfast. Just a cup of coffee is enough.”

 

“Isn’t that too little? Even if it’s not a hearty meal, you should at least have some proper nutrients.”

 

What is her timing? I didn’t hear any footsteps in the hallway.

 

‘It’s as if she was hiding by the door and then appeared…’

 

Though the thought was eerie, I quickly shook my head. Our gentle and innocent vice-leader couldn’t possibly do that.

 

‘It must be my imagination.’

 

I concluded that I just hadn’t been paying attention.

 

Baek-seo sat gracefully on the sofa and placed a wrapped sandwich on the table.

 

“Is that your breakfast?”

 

“Yes, an egg mayo sandwich. Mmm.”

 

Baek-seo took a bite of the sandwich and chewed it slowly.

 

Am I just hungry? It looked like a convenience store sandwich, but it seemed strangely appetizing.

 

“…Do you want some?”

 

Baek-seo looked at me with big eyes and asked. The timing was so perfect that it was as if she had read my mind.

 

As if she had anticipated I might think this way.

 

“It’s fine. I’m not eating.”

 

But no matter how appetizing it looked, I had no intention of asking for a bite.

 

‘Being a “one-bite person” is beneath my dignity. As the Disciplinary Committee Leader, I must strictly avoid such behavior.’

 

It would certainly gnaw away at my dignity like a rat.

 

Moreover, since Baek-seo was the vice-leader and the best talent in the Disciplinary Committee, akin to my right-hand person, I couldn’t show an undignified side to her.

 

“You seemed like you wanted some. I can give you a bite if you eat the side I bit into.”

 

“I said I don’t want any… And stop making weird jokes.”

 

“Hehe.”

 

Baek-seo laughed playfully. She must have suggested a shared bite knowing I’d refuse.

 

In the game, Baek-seo was a minor character with little screen time. So I wasn’t sure of her personality, but now I knew her quite well.

 

“Anyway, as I said, I’m fine. This is enough for me.”

 

I showed her my steaming coffee cup.

 

Right now, I wanted to display the ‘Disciplinary Committee Leader, who exudes dignity even in moments of leisure.’

 

I’ll just buy a sandwich later when no one’s around.

 

“Really? Okay. Yum.”

 

Baek-seo deliberately made a sound effect as she took another bite of her sandwich.

 

I had planned to spend my morning leisurely. I didn’t expect Baek-seo to have breakfast here, which created an awkward atmosphere, so I started reading through the matters that needed review.

 

And then it hit me.

 

‘Wait a minute. This smell….’

 

I had been so focused on savoring the aroma of my coffee that I missed it.

 

An unidentified, ferocious smell had filled the room.

 

Baek-seo had brought an egg mayo sandwich made with boiled eggs and mayonnaise. However, this smell was not something that could come from a simple egg mayo sandwich.

 

What was this violently appetizing smell?

 

Soon, I realized.

 

‘Grilled bacon…!’

 

It was the smell of bacon.

 

There was grilled bacon in the egg mayo sandwich?

 

My mouth watered, and my appetite started clamoring.

 

‘Damn, I want to eat it…!’

 

I wanted to ask for just one bite. I wanted to savor the fantastic synergy of finely chopped boiled eggs, creamy mayonnaise, and grilled bacon on my tongue…!

 

A longing rose in my chest, and my eyes drifted to the clock.

 

‘It’s still a while before the snack shop opens.’

 

I couldn’t just run to the school snack shop. Who knew that being exemplary and arriving early would lead to such a mishap?

 

In the end, the only way was to ask Baek-seo for a bite.

 

‘But… no.’

 

No matter what, asking for “just one bite” would damage the image I had painstakingly built.

 

Baek-seo would surely let me have a bite. But as the Disciplinary Committee Leader, I couldn’t let myself be looked down upon, even slightly.

 

Some might call me old-fashioned. Some might question what the big deal was.

 

But I was the Disciplinary Committee Leader, ranked number one in martial prowess, leading a force of about 400 members organized into ten platoons.

 

My role was to lead the committee in capturing villains, and for that, I needed to be someone the members could believe in and follow. I had to be a person who, if not perfect, was as dignified and nearly perfect as possible at this school.

 

Therefore, I had to be strict with myself. I could not allow even a hint of carelessness.

 

That was respect for those who followed me. It was the responsibility required of a leader of a group. It was my duty.

 

Therefore,

 

‘I won’t ask for a bite…!’

 

I wouldn’t scrounge for a bite of the bacon egg mayo sandwich. I would get through this situation without batting an eye.

 

I would wait until Baek-seo finished the sandwich.

 

Just then, I heard a thud.

 

Something was placed on my desk. I realized that I had been squeezing my eyes shut without even knowing it.

 

“?”

 

Pretending that I was just rubbing my eyes from fatigue, I cautiously opened them.

 

A lunchbox was on my desk. Beyond it, Baek-seo was smiling at me.

 

“Are you tired, Leader?”

 

“I haven’t been sleeping well because of recent work. But what’s this? Did you recover a lost explosive or something?”

 

“It’s a lunchbox, as you can see.”

 

A lunchbox? Suddenly? Why?

 

“Open it.”

 

When I opened the lid, I saw two neatly made egg mayo sandwiches and a fresh salad drizzled with dressing.

 

The lunchbox was so aesthetically pleasing that I immediately thought it looked pretty.

 

But I couldn’t understand why she was giving this to me. I gave her a questioning look, and Baek-seo began to explain.

 

“I made it for lunch, but… I’m kind of tired of it. Would you eat it for me? Otherwise, I’ll have to throw it away.”

 

My goodness.

 

“Because of the sandwich you just ate?”

 

Baek-seo nodded nonchalantly.

 

“You might change your mind by lunchtime.”

 

“No, I just thought of something else I want to eat.”

 

“Hmm, okay… In that case, it can’t be helped. Throwing away perfectly good food is inappropriate.”

 

That’s right. Borrowing a bite from someone else’s food isn’t good for my image, but in this case, it should be fine.

 

Reflexively, my mouth watered. The sandwich Baek-seo had eaten from the convenience store paled in comparison to this one.

 

Even the grilled bacon sticking out looked incredibly tempting, clearly made with care.

 

“Thanks. I’ll enjoy this.”

 

I picked up one of the sandwiches and took a bite.

 

‘Wow…!’

 

The soft texture of the bread.

 

Followed by the gentle chew of boiled egg pieces and the rich taste of the mayonnaise creating a fantastic flavor. Meanwhile, the grilled bacon added a chewy texture and a subtle saltiness, creating an amazing synergy.

 

“!”

 

And then, a surprise appearance of sweet chili sauce enhanced the umami flavor.

 

Combined with the bitterness of the coffee, a delightful harmony filled my mouth.

 

I devoured the sandwich so quickly that it disappeared in an instant.

 

“Leader, is it good?”

 

Before I knew it, Baek-seo was standing close to me, leaning on the desk.

 

Undoubtedly, it tasted incredible.

 

Without showing any excitement, I calmly gave the highest praise.

 

“Could you share the recipe? I’d like to make it myself next time.”

 

It was so delicious that I wanted to eat it again later. Hence, I asked for the recipe.

 

However, Baek-seo shook her head.

 

“I can’t do that. I won’t tell you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“If you want, I’ll make it for you again next time.”

 

Really?

 

“Isn’t that troublesome? There’s no need for that.”

 

That would make me feel guilty.

 

Baek-seo waved her hand dismissively with a smiling face, indicating not to worry.

 

“I like cooking. It’s good for me if you give me an excuse to cook.”

 

Ah.

 

If that’s the case…

 

“When you put it that way… thank you.”

 

Baek-seo smiled contentedly.

 

“Enjoy your meal.”

 

Baek-seo got off the desk and headed toward the door.

 

“Going to class?”

 

“Yes, we have classroom lessons for first period.”

 

“Take care.”

 

Baek-seo waved lightly as she left the Disciplinary Committee office.

 

“Wow….”

 

Left alone in the room, I finally let out the exclamation I had been holding back.

 

This sandwich was incredibly delicious.

 

I was almost tempted to consider Baek-seo as a potential bride candidate.

 

…It would be rude to have such thoughts without considering the other person’s feelings.

 

I suddenly remembered the peony flower talisman in my pocket, feeling a pang in my chest. But I brushed it off as it was an emotion akin to a burnt-out ember.

 

Anyway.

 

‘Why is this so delicious? Is there something different about the ingredients?’

 

I wanted to examine the ingredients closely, so I lifted the bread. The ingredients looked ordinary at first glance.

 

“Hmm?”

 

As I was about to close the sandwich, I noticed something strange.

 

Chilli sauce was smeared on the inside of the bread. Given the light color of the egg mayo sandwich, the chilli sauce stood out.

 

However, the shape of the smear was peculiar.

 

‘A heart?’

 

For some reason, the chilli sauce was shaped like a heart. It was too precise to be a coincidence.

 

It would have been nice to compare it with the other sandwich, but that one was already chewed up and in my stomach, making it impossible to verify.

 

“…….”

 

A strange thought crossed my mind, but I quickly shook it off.

 

Baek-seo had said she brought it for herself. There’s no way she made it specifically for me. That would be an over-interpretation.

 

Besides, if I had just eaten the sandwich, I wouldn’t have noticed the heart shape.

 

‘She probably just likes heart shapes and did it for fun.’

 

It’s common for girls to like hearts.

 

I almost misunderstood something.

 

Anyway.

 

I finished the remaining sandwich and salad, leaning back in my chair, savoring the lingering taste.

 

‘That was delicious….’

 

That day, perhaps because I had breakfast, I felt great. From tomorrow on, I won’t skip breakfast.