Chapter 106
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Surviving the Academy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
‘Something’s off.’
Academy day four, morning. I woke up in Dormitory B as usual and headed blankly to the bathroom, lost in thought.
‘At the very least, Big Sister System has never given me false information up to now.’
To be honest, there had been a few times when I couldn’t fully trust Big Sister System.
Especially since I had memories of my past life, but still couldn’t recall who I’d been—and that hadn’t changed.
But after running separate tests over the past two years, I’d confirmed that Big Sister System had never lied, not even once.
In that case, doubting her now would only hold me back, so I’d decided to just trust her completely.
‘But if that’s true, then I’ve already dodged death three times...’
And yet, the system message floating before my eyes was utterly unbelievable.
“Mm...”
“Why the long face?”
“...Eek!”
I was walking along with a deeply furrowed brow when a sudden voice came from beside me.
“Wh-who...”
“You haven’t forgotten me, have you?”
“Huh...?”
“Haha, I’m hurt. My friend!”
I whipped my head to the side in shock, only to see someone I’d never expected to meet here, grinning broadly at me.
“Crown Prince Alberion?”
“That’s right, me!”
“...Why are you here of all places?”
“Because I’m an academy student?”
The female students who’d been peeking at us started slinking away one by one, so it seemed he really was the Crown Prince Alberion I knew.
“I-I thought you were past graduation age...”
“Yep, yep. But I’ve repeated a few too many years.”
Still, there was something that didn’t add up, so I tilted my head and asked—only to gape at Crown Prince Alberion’s shameless response.
“And the academy has... lots of pretty girls.”
“......”
“Why graduate from paradise like this? I’m holding out right up to the expulsion line!”
Even after nearly two years apart, Crown Prince Alberion was exactly as I remembered.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“...Huh?”
“I heard you were bedridden for about two years after we last met.”
As that thought crossed my mind, I remembered he’d been ill until recently and asked with a touch of concern.
“Yeah, I nearly went mad wanting to hold a woman in my arms.”
“......”
“So... ahem!”
But hearing his response, it seemed I didn’t need to worry after all.
Well, two years bedridden sounded serious, but since he was up and about now, maybe it wasn’t...
“I’m on my way to the academy’s secret social club right now...”
As I mulled that over, Alberion glanced around nervously before leaning in to whisper.
“If you’d like, come with...”
“Nothing of the sort will happen, Your Highness.”
“...Eek!”
But before he could finish, a familiar voice rang out from behind.
“After rooting them out so thoroughly, it seems some unhealthy social clubs still linger in the academy.”
“Th-that’s... well...”
I turned at the voice and couldn’t help but smile brightly.
“Well then, shall we proceed?”
It was my second big sister, Yuriel, flashing her signature charming smile with half-lidded eyes.
“S-see you later!”
Crown Prince Alberion, who’d frozen stiff at the sight of her, hurriedly greeted me and bolted.
Was it trauma from having his soul stripped bare at that tea party two years ago?
He still seemed pretty scared of Big Sister Yuriel.
“Hehe, can’t exactly grab a royal and make him confess...”
Yeah, if I were him, that chilling mutter from behind would terrify me too.
“Ah, it’s been a while.”
“Big Sis!”
“Hehe, have you been well?”
But as the youngest son of the Belverk Ducal House, one perk was that not just Big Sister Yuriel, but my whole family—who were nightmares to the rest of the empire—treated me kindly.
“Lilien hasn’t been bullying you?”
“I’ve beaten her a few times now!”
“Oh my, how impressive.”
Meeting me after so long, Big Sister Yuriel reached out to stroke and pinch my cheeks as she spoke.
“You do seem stronger than two years ago.”
“Right!?”
“Though your height hasn’t changed...”
Wait, what did she just say?
“Kyaang!”
“Ufufu, you’ve even grown accustomed to the Belverk mindset.”
I lunged at Big Sister Yuriel for touching my reverse scale, forged over the past two years, but beating her after two years apart was apparently too much.
“You’re still nowhere close.”
“...Ugh.”
“At least train enough to brush my sleeve.”
She effortlessly dodged my attack, patted my sulking head, and suddenly changed her expression.
“Anyway, I have news for my cute and valiant little brother.”
And then came the new information from her lips.
“Today’s the academy’s physical examination day.”
“Huh?”
“They measure and record all sorts of body stats.”
I blinked blankly at the info, then my eyes went wide.
“And academy professors are responsible for supervising students.”
“Ah.”
“That includes you, of course?”
Wait, that made things a bit awkward...
“...Th-this is a pro-pro-problem.”
After a moment’s thought, I stammered urgently.
“The dormitory I’m in charge of, B Wing...”
“Is the girls’ dorm.”
“...Gulp.”
And sure enough, Big Sister Yuriel grinned slyly and stroked my head even faster.
“Hohohohoho...”
As I broke into a cold sweat, wondering if I should flee the academy right now...
“...Don’t worry. You’ll be handling special students.”
“Huh?”
Big Sister Yuriel, still chuckling, finally revealed the truth.
“Children of high imperial nobles, foreign royalty, and imperial family members.”
“Ah...”
“Of course, you’ll only handle the boys. I’ve got the girls.”
That was a relief. I’d thought I’d have to examine the girls’ bodies myself.
“...So why the sudden physical exams?”
“That’s...”
With the tension eased, I casually asked out of curiosity.
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
Her sudden icy expression in response set every nerve in my body on edge.
“The academy has detected...”
“...a Black Heart.”
About three hours later.
‘A Black Heart in the academy...’
At the makeshift exam site, as I checked the bodies of high-status students, I sighed, recalling Big Sister Yuriel’s words from earlier.
‘If that’s the case, then the system quest makes sense now...’
I finally understood why Big Sister System had sent that message.
“Next.”
At the female student’s call from outside, I sensed someone approaching the entrance.
“...Hey, what’s your name?”
“Please come inside.”
“C’mon, at least your contact—ow.”
At that pathetic line with the presence, I knew exactly who was next.
“Haha, prickly girls are the best.”
“...Sigh.”
“Ah, my friend! Good to see you?”
Sure enough, Crown Prince Alberion peeked through the door and waved.
“Hurry up and strip.”
“Got it! I’ll strip right away.”
I glared and sighed, and he energetically unbuttoned his shirt.
“......Huh?”
But right after, he froze, his hands trembling.
“So, uh...?”
“......?”
“If we’re friends...? It’s okay? Right...?”
Mumbling incoherently, he soon broke into a cold sweat, shaking violently.
“Hey, what’s wrong all of a sudden...”
Looking at him anxiously, wondering if his illness had flared up, I stood to approach—
-Plop...
His top shirt, last button undone by trembling hands, fell limply to the floor.
“......”
In the ensuing silence, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“......Huh?”
Anyone seeing the Crown Prince’s chest before me would have reacted the same.