Protagonist Drift? (1)
“Hold on, Iriel.”
Zeke had no choice but to cut Iriel off mid-sentence.
It was because, while listening to her story, a strange sense of déjà vu had washed over him.
He’d definitely seen this familiar plot somewhere before.
Being chased by thieves at night. Then someone suddenly appearing to save her…
Suddenly, a chilling thrill raced up his spine.
The heroine chased by thieves, only for her stalking second prince to barge in and slaughter them! That’s what got me isekai’d into this romance novel!!!
But this novel’s title was [The Secret Girl of Lamieli Academy].
It was from a long time ago, so maybe there was no connection.
Still, Zeke felt the need to confirm.
“Iriel.”
“Yeah?”
“How many years ago was that?”
“Ten years ago.”
“By any chance, what was the name of the academy you were entering back then?”
“The junior Lamieli Academy, obviously.”
“!”
Zeke’s eyes widened.
He was learning for the first time that a junior division of the academy even existed.
An unexpected possibility he’d never considered.
Does that mean I got isekai’d into this romance novel ten years after the original story ended?
At that moment, Serena chimed in from the side.
“The junior Lamieli Academy is different from the one we attend now. It’s for basic education, and only high nobles go there.”
More and more unknown facts were fleshing out his wild hypothesis.
But after pondering deeply, Zeke shook his head.
No.
He still didn’t have solid proof that the man was the second prince.
Zeke turned back to Iriel.
“Iriel. Do you remember what that man who saved you looked like?”
“…You?”
“No, the guy who jumped in briefly before me.”
Iriel gave Zeke a puzzled look.
As if to say, Why are you asking about that?
“That guy…? He was wearing a cloak.”
“Anything else?”
“Hmm… He wasn’t that tall, I think. But he ran off right away, and then I met you, so I don’t remember well.”
“Even the smallest detail. Tell me.”
Zeke leaned in toward Iriel as he asked.
Iriel looked flustered.
“Wh-what? Why does it matter?”
“It does. It’s important.”
Zeke nodded with a serious expression.
“That scene’s in your memory, huh? But you forgot about me!?”
Iriel bit her lip hard.
That day was her most precious memory,
yet this man had forgotten it all and only remembered some random guy.
Ah, he’s not random, though. He did save me too.
Still, a sliver of hope sprouted in Iriel’s heart.
At least in this story, Zeke seemed to have noticed something.
He hadn’t completely forgotten that day after all.
Yeah, no matter how bad the amnesia is, he can’t have wiped out that memory completely.
She racked her brain, trying to revive the memory with a groan.
“Ugh, well, first off, his swordsmanship was supposed to be amazing. That’s what the thieves said.”
“Yeah, I heard that part.”
“And then… hmm. Ah! He must’ve been a high noble!”
Iriel clapped her hands together as she said it.
“A high noble? What makes you think that?”
“Zeke! You know I’m good at spotting clothes, right?”
“No clue.”
“Ah. Right, no memories.”
Zeke urged her to go on.
Iriel shot him a glare.
“Anyway, I’m great with clothes. I never forget a merchant guild’s logo once I’ve seen it. And that guy’s shoes had the Nike’s Wings logo—the one that only takes marquess-level guests or higher.”
“Nike’s Wings? That still around after ten years?”
“Yeah, it’s still super popular. Probably only marquesses, dukes, and the imperial family can shop there. And it’s crazy expensive.”
Zeke stroked his chin.
Then he asked again.
“Iriel, any connection to the second prince?”
“Huh? Second Prince out of nowhere?”
“Yeah.”
“…We were the same age and went to the same junior academy, but back then, he mostly hung out with the other boys.”
Thieves chasing her.
A man suddenly intervenes and slaughters them.
And he’s a high noble.
On top of that, from the same academy as the second prince.
The novel definitely had a scene where the heroine was stalked.
It wouldn’t be weird for a creepy bastard like that to not approach her directly.
And it was ten years ago.
He might’ve been even more of an idiot back then.
Zeke felt his suspicions tilting more toward the “Iriel as heroine” theory.
Tsk, does that mean Soy Spoon suddenly crashes out? And Iriel, who was on the verge of delisting, skyrockets out of nowhere?
Our dirt-spoon girl, who seemed like the perfect protagonist no matter how you sliced it, now had a big question mark over her stock price.
And who could’ve predicted Iriel, who’d been teetering on bankruptcy, would surge like this?
Anyway, he needed to confirm this with the second prince—Rosnante.
As he sorted his thoughts, one crucial fact bubbled up in Zeke’s mind.
Wait, if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean this romance novel already ended ten years ago, and I’m in the epilogue world after the finale? Fuck?
Zeke asked Iriel urgently.
“Iriel, back then, were there guys who liked you?”
“Zeke?”
“Instructor!?”
‘You said it was just me! You said you’d never forget! It’s me, not her!!’
Serena clenched her fists and trembled with rage.
Zeke wasn’t even glancing her way as he grilled Iriel with questions.
Why’s he suddenly curious about guys who liked her? I went to the same academy, and I was way more popular! Super popular! Isn’t he curious about that?
But she couldn’t butt in and say it.
Back then, she’d been under her brother’s strict orders not to even talk to boys.
And right now, Zeke was in the process of recovering his memories.
So she had to understand him chatting happily like that.
She had to understand.
She’d said it twice now.
Ah, she really did understand.
Make that three times.
“But why’re you asking about that, Zeke?”
Iriel asked with eyes brimming with faint expectation.
“It’s been bugging me, but drop the casual talk.”
“You said it’s fine outside the academy.”
“Oh.”
Iriel seemed pleased that Zeke was curious about her past,
chuckling as she launched into tales from her academy days.
Like how this guy liked her so much he did that, or how two noble sons dueled over her,
or the one who gave her roses, chocolates, and a crystal orb with a song he composed himself.
And the way she casually said bread was still the best? Totally shameless.
Serena watched with a baffled expression, wondering how far this would go.
Ha, whatever! Bullshit! What a joke. Does she think she’s some novel heroine?
Iriel’s stories were nothing but blatant lies.
She never had any of that happen. I know, because I was at the same academy!
But Zeke was listening intently, nodding as if he bought every word.
Look at that gross smile. Instructor! That’s not true!
“But I didn’t choose anyone. I was too young back then to think about spending my life with just one.”
“I see… Open-ended reverse harem ending… What a shit author.”
Zeke muttered something incomprehensible.
Crunch.
Serena’s teeth ground together.
“Um, Iriel.”
“Yeah, Zeke.”
Serena deeply regretted telling Iriel about Zeke’s amnesia.
If she’d kept it from her completely,
maybe Zeke would’ve stayed cold to Iriel like before, with no memory recovery process.
Then Zeke dropped another bomb.
“Are you staying here tonight?”
“Huh!?”
“!”
Serena’s jealousy exploded at his words.
Why!? What!? Planning to spend the night gossiping about old times just the two of you!? This is my house!
Serena glared at Zeke with blazing eyes.
“Wh-why are you asking that, Zeke?”
Iriel stammered, flustered.
“Hmm, I’ve got to check each student’s Mana Roads one by one anyway. If you stay here, I’d like to get yours done today.”
Mana Roads, no less!
Worse than just chatting!
Stripping the upper body bare, skin-to-skin contact, forcing something in—that lewd body talk!!!
Zeke’s eyes on that wench’s naked body?
Serena absolutely could not allow it.
She felt a crisis—she had to wedge herself into this somehow.
“Instructor!!!”
“Hm?”
Zeke turned at Serena’s shrill call.
“Y-you’re going to check Mana Roads on Iriel?”
Zeke nodded.
“Yeah. Staying here overnight makes it convenient time- and location-wise, right?”
He looked genuinely puzzled, like he saw no issue.
This guy’s serious.
“Th-that…! It could lead to bad rumors with a female student! N-not that I’d spread them!!!”
“Ah, I see. Still, it’s a necessary procedure, Serena.”
If anyone else had said that, she’d have called them a pervert and
had no regrets even if they got hauled off for insulting a noble.
“S-so, I have an idea…”
Iriel bristled as Serena suddenly barged into the conversation.
“Hey, flower girl. Why butt in? You and Zeke—”
“Just do as I say.”
Serena cut her off firmly, no room for compromise.
“Why should I? What if I don’t want to?”
“Then go back to Yustia right now.”
“…”
This sneaky bitch.
It was power abuse, exploiting her current situation where she had no choice but to stay.
And Zeke seemed to agree with the suggestion.
“I see. Doing it with eyes covered… Not bad. I hadn’t thought that far.”
“And, may I observe too?”
“Hm?”
“Y-you said I need to sense mana, Instructor. You handle the Mana Roads directly, right? Watching you up close might help me learn a bit…”
Zeke looked at Serena with faint admiration.
“Ha. Good thinking, Serena. That diligent attitude is excellent.”
“Heehee. Of course. Of course.”
“Wait, so what’s a Mana Road, and how do you even do it?”
Iriel asked.
Serena gave her a pitiful look.
“Did you sleep through magic theory? It’s the pathways in a mage’s body where mana flows in and out.”
“…I know the basics! But what’s that got to do with us!? We’re not mages!”
Serena had missed the explanation herself that day, too busy misunderstanding things, so she glanced at Zeke.
She’d die before admitting ignorance in front of Iriel.
“It’s necessary to teach you swordsmanship suited to your bodies.”
“I-I’m not becoming a knight? That class was just—”
“At least you should cultivate enough power to protect yourself.”
“Eut.”
Iriel’s mouth snapped shut like a clam.
Dirty trick. That’s cheating.
It was something Zeke used to say whenever she’d whined about not wanting to learn daggers.
Amnesia or not, Zeke was still Zeke.
“F-fine, got it. So what do I do?”
“Hmm. You have to take off your clothes.”