Chapter 1
Chapter 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Academy Refusal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Academy?"
"I figured our Lady wouldn't be interested."
At those words, the Duke's Lady twisted her face into a grimace. If only they knew how many men fretted just to catch a glimpse of that expression...
Anyway, after scowling, she explained why she had no interest in the academy.
"Do you even know what you're talking about? It's a place where self-important frogs from their little wells tear into each other, indulging in orgies and drunken revelry."
"What? The academy's like that?"
"And you didn't even know that, but still tried to send your lady there?"
She stared at Enri in disbelief. He shrugged lightly, as if he had nothing to say.
"I didn't know. I thought since it's where nobles gather, it'd be more... refined? Something like that."
"Refined, my ass. People are the same everywhere. Just a bunch of bald bastards lucky enough to be born noble, making it even uglier."
Finishing her words, she glared at Enri and jerked her chin lightly.
"Go weed the garden. I saw some useless weeds sprouting up."
"Eh, why me...?"
"Go."
Grumbling, Enri left the room, sighing as he grabbed a sickle and headed to the garden. Along the way, he lamented his failed plan.
'No matter how I think about it, this has to be a romance fantasy.'
And their Lady was either the heroine or at least a major supporting character.
The reason he thought so was simple.
Vibrant hair colors that couldn't occur naturally, architectural styles and tech mashed from medieval, Renaissance, and modern eras, magic exclusive to nobles, and an academy just for those mages.
It was a worldview you couldn't imagine without it being an academy-setting romance fantasy.
And.
"Doesn't our Lady just scream villainess? Don't you think?"
Silence fell.
Enri shrugged lightly and stared into the empty air, waiting for a response. Then, the vacant space rippled, spitting out several figures in black robes.
The revealed assassins lowered their voices in disbelief.
"...How did you know?"
"How? I could tell just by looking."
"Impressive. The Black Rose's Mad Dog lives up to his name—nose like a mutt."
The assassins sneered. But Enri's eyes lit up in surprise as he shot back.
"What!? Am I famous? Like, a celebrity?"
"...You don't even know your own nickname?"
"No, that's weird. If I'm really that famous."
And then—
Enri's body vanished without a sound.
The flustered assassins scanned around. Moments later, they realized he stood behind them.
—Holding a severed assassin head by the hair, sickle still embedded.
"No way these flies would show up."
"...Kill him!"
"What a hassle."
Enri sighed, flicking blood off his sickle. He hadn't realized the Lady meant this when she told him to cut weeds, or he'd have brought his sword.
Whatever. For dealing with these assassin small fries, sword or sickle made no difference.
Moments later.
"Jeez."
Left alone, Enri scratched his head amid the scattered blood and bodies. The hassle of cleanup hit him first.
"...Eh, the gardeners will handle it."
Scratching his head, Enri headed back inside the mansion.
Without a thought that he'd get an earful from the Lady tomorrow for the sloppy aftermath.
One day, Enri fell into this world as a child.
No time to figure out how or where.
The world was cruel; back alleys weren't kind to parentless kids.
Over a week without real food, beaten bloody by alley thugs for wandering their turf, Enri was dying.
On death's door, lured by delicious smells to the main street, he nearly got run over by a carriage. Luck—whether his talent or a gift from isekai—saved him.
Glared at by the one who hit him, a girl stepped out from the carriage, nobility personified. He thought she'd compensate. The world wasn't that kind.
"Sturdy little mutt, huh? Perfect, I needed a punching bag."
Become my slave.
Unbelievable from his near-murderer, but a starving orphan had no choices.
Accepting,
"No name? Fine... Enri. Yeah, Enri."
He got a name.
"Picked up a stray, figured basic training... but this..."
His talent recognized.
"Knight Enri. Do you swear eternal loyalty to House Claudia?"
"I swear."
Even a title.
Overnight, homeless orphan to knight.
Unimaginable perks followed. Enri lived worry-free, eating and lounging.
His only gripe—
"W-Why is the Duke's hunting dog here?!"
—too much work.
Enri, leaving after beheading a noble, met terrified stares laced with fear, dread, anxiety.
Ignoring them, back at Claudia Duke's mansion, he headed straight to the Duke's Lady's office, blood caking him.
Eve Claudia frowned deeply at the bloody Enri.
"Wash up first."
"Wanted to finish quick and rest. Mission complete."
"Good. Go rest."
No chit-chat. No questions if the noble really sent assassins or was worth killing. Enri was just a blade that cut on command.
As the blood-scented Enri left, Eve grimaced slightly and waved her hand. Magic swept out the stench, bringing fresh air.
Cooling her head with fresh air, Eve sipped her tea.
'Most rivals taken care of now.'
She mentally struck a name from her list—the trash who'd sell her to enemies soon.
Like this, since regressing over a decade ago, she erased future foes one by one. From her secure heir position with foreknowledge, none resisted.
"Academy, huh..."
A name heavy with bitter memories. Musing, Eve recalled the previous loop. Sudden tramp arrival, princes smitten.
Even her fiancé, the 1st Prince, groveled to that tramp with money and title.
Hating the wench who stole her fiancé, she'd tormented her viciously...
In the end, the victorious 3rd Prince in the heroine wars and throne grab executed her on grounds of bullying the girl. But Eve knew the truth: mere pretext. The illegitimate 3rd Prince erased the crown prince's traces, curbed noble power, made her an example.
'Like hell I'd go back there.'
They called the academy an extension of social season, prime networking for nobles. But she knew it was lies.
Academy connections meant nothing. Those "friends" betrayed her the moment 3rd Prince seized power. Power-chasers. They followed because Duke's Lady, not true friendship.
Unlike that damned tramp who seduced prince, knight captain's son, archmage disciple with mere charm...
'It'll happen the same this life anyway.'
But she focused on what she could do, not impossible feats.
What she could: prepare.
Prepare to survive the civil war when 3rd Prince claims the tramp. Fortunately, cards stacked high.
'Who'd have thought I'd pick up something like that.'
Best preparation post-regression? Probably...
Eve naturally thought of her green-haired slave-turned-idle knight.
Her most trusted blade.
"...If only he caused just the right amount of trouble, he'd be perfect."
But also one who gave her the worst headaches.