Too Many Questions
Slap Girl looked flustered at Ceryll’s sudden appearance.
True to her third-rate villainess nature, though, she didn’t back down. She just shouted even louder.
“That girl—she’s a commoner, and she talked back to a noble like me?”
“Once you’ve enrolled in the Academy, status doesn’t matter. You already knew that.”
Ceryll said it with a smile, but Slap Girl only dug her heels in harder.
“Status does matter! Commoners should act like commoners. They shouldn’t try to stand on equal footing with nobles!”
“Haa…”
In the end Ceryll let out a sigh, then leaned in close to Slap Girl’s ear.
Until now I’d only seen the back of her head. Half of Ceryll’s face finally came into view.
Holy shit.
The novel had described her as breathtakingly beautiful, but I never imagined it would be this bad.
Perfectly maintained golden hair and clear blue eyes. The exact picture of aristocratic beauty that left me stunned.
I was grateful my thoughts didn’t spill out of my mouth. If they had, I would’ve made a complete fool of myself with some over-the-top squealing.
Ceryll’s lips moved as she whispered something.
The scene itself looked like a painting…
But the content was basically a threat, wasn’t it?
I had no idea what she actually said. She spoke so quietly that even with my ears straining I couldn’t catch a word.
Still, I’d read the novel. I knew Ceryll had delivered an out-of-character threat for the original protagonist’s sake.
I’m not the protagonist, so maybe it was just a warning…
Or maybe she simply told her to knock it off. After all, I wasn’t the hero of this story.
And yet—
“Ugh…”
When Slap Girl’s face went beyond pale and straight into pure terror, I couldn’t help but be shocked.
What the hell did she just hear?
Curiosity surged, and I wanted to ask, but I never got the chance.
“Of course I was joking. We’re classmates, so from now on let’s get along regardless of status.”
Ceryll ended the conversation by lightly patting Slap Girl’s shoulder with a smile.
“I-I’m so sorry.”
Slap Girl blurted the words and bolted straight into the room.
I’ll ask later if I get the chance.
I was curious, but there was something even more puzzling—and only Ceryll could answer it.
“Why did you help me?”
I hesitated, then asked anyway. This was important.
“You looked like you were in trouble. Weren’t you?”
Ceryll tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
I had been in trouble.
But…
“There’s no benefit to helping me.”
In the original, Ceryll saved the protagonist because he had once helped her in the past. That made sense.
Helping Reina, though? That was strange. Reina and Ceryll had never even crossed paths.
“I believe in always repaying a debt of gratitude.”
Her words only deepened my confusion.
The protagonist, sure—but had she ever owed Reina anything? The original never mentioned it.
“Looks like you really don’t remember.”
“?”
“Never mind. Forget I said anything.”
Ceryll smiled and held out her hand for a handshake.
“I’m Ceryll. Let’s get along from now on.”
That bright, open smile—I doubted anyone in the world could dislike it.
What happens the day after the entrance ceremony?
Obviously, school.
“In the original, Reina used to wait outside the boys’ dorm until the protagonist came out…”
They were childhood friends, so the distance between them had always been different. Reina liked him, so of course she wanted to stick close; the protagonist had simply gotten used to it.
“…Of course I’m not doing any of that.”
I wasn’t Reina.
And I didn’t like the protagonist either.
So I planned to walk to class alone.
Getting there early would just mean sitting around with nothing to do and inviting more trouble, so I decided to time it so I arrived right at the last second.
Skipping entirely was an option, but given fallen-noble Reina’s future, it didn’t seem smart.
Whether this was reality or a novel, climbing the social ladder was hard. And money mattered.
Commoners almost never got their hands on real wealth. They spent their whole lives scraping by in poverty.
The one path a commoner had to rise was graduating from this Academy.
Now that I’d decided to live as Reina, preparing a decent future was important.
…As long as I don’t get too close to the protagonist, everything should be fine.
The world would be saved by the hero. All I had to do was quietly graduate and enjoy a sweet, easy life.
With that thought, I stood up.
It was about time to leave for class.
Creak.
The moment I opened my door, the one next to mine opened too.
I thought I was the only one cutting it this close.
Who the hell is coming out at this hour?
I glanced sideways—and nearly jumped out of my skin.
“You’re heading to class now?”
“Ceryll?”
Why was she here?
More importantly—her room was next door?
Come to think of it, the original did have Reina casually mention once, “Lady Ceryll’s room is right next to mine.”
It hadn’t seemed important, so I’d completely forgotten!
“You remembered my name? That makes me happy.”
Ceryll grinned.
Ugh, that smile is blinding.
Afraid of going blind, I averted my eyes and asked the important question.
“…Why are you leaving this late?”
As far as I knew, Ceryll always arrived early.
“I overslept.”
“You? Ceryll?”
Unbelievable. The girl who always went to bed early and woke up early… overslept?
Yesterday she helped Reina out of nowhere. Today she overslept. What was going on?
“It’s because of you, Reina.”
“What are you talking about?”
Had I snored or something?
No, this was a top-tier Academy. The soundproofing should be excellent.
“Yesterday you refused my handshake.”
“Ah…”
Yesterday Ceryll had held out her hand, saying she hoped we’d get along.
I hadn’t taken it. I’d ignored her and gone inside.
The reason was simple.
Ceryll was one of this novel’s heroines.
And not just any heroine—she was one of the most important ones.
That meant she constantly stuck by the protagonist and got dragged into every dangerous incident.
Getting close to her would bring nothing good.
In the original, Ceryll, the protagonist, and Reina always ended up together and got caught in life-threatening situations…
Not just any danger—events where people genuinely could die.
I absolutely refused to live that kind of life.
A stable, peaceful existence was my goal!
…Even if Ceryll and the protagonist’s first meeting had fallen apart yesterday, that would somehow sort itself out.
“I started wondering if you hated me, and I ended up tossing and turning all night.”
Ceryll said it with a smile.
Hate her…
In the original, Reina had hated Ceryll intensely—because she was afraid of losing the protagonist to her.
I didn’t like the protagonist.
So I had no reason to hate Ceryll either.
“I don’t hate you.”
That didn’t mean I planned on getting close, though.
“I know. After all, you called me ‘Ceryll.’”
What did that mean?
“Unless someone is really close to me, almost everyone calls me ‘Lady Ceryll.’”
The Academy was supposed to be a place of equality. That was the rule. But people who’d spent their entire lives under a class system found it hard to drop the habit overnight.
At least in the early days, most still attached “Lady” or “Lord” to anyone of higher rank.
Original Reina had kept calling her “Lady Ceryll” right up until the ending.
“…I-I’m a commoner, so I just didn’t know.”
I scrambled for an excuse—
“You used to be a noble, though, didn’t you?”
She already knew I was a fallen noble?
And now that I thought about it, she knew my name too. I’d never introduced myself.
“…I’ve been living as a commoner long enough that the habit stuck.”
“Mm. It’s fine. Keep calling me Ceryll from now on.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Why?”
“We’re not that close.”
And I had no intention of getting that close.
“Then we’ll just get closer starting now.”
Ceryll smiled.
No, that would be a problem.
Getting close to you means a future full of thorns is waiting for me!
“I’d recommend getting close to someone else instead.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because that person is your fated partner.”
This time there wouldn’t even be a Reina to get in the way of her relationship with the protagonist. It would go smoothly.
Lucky you, Ceryll.
“What are you talking about?”
Explaining would be a pain, so I just decided to leave.
“I don’t want to be late, so I’m heading out.”
“Huh? Let’s go together, Reina.”
As I strode off, Ceryll fell into step beside me.
Walking to class together?
That was something close friends did.
Absolutely not.
I sped up. Ceryll casually matched me.
So I slowed down instead.
She slowed down too.
…Did she really want to walk with me that badly?
“Reina, if you walk that slowly you’re going to be late.”
I sighed at her words.
If you hate being late so much, just leave me behind and go first.
Of course, Ceryll matched my pace all the way to the end.