Shivers Before the Inter-Year Clash
“Hoo, huu... I’m so nervous, Aren...”
As the day of the inter-year competition arrived, Lydia clutched Aren’s sleeve tightly and took several deep breaths. She’d been nervous at the entrance ceremony and during midterms, but this was on another level entirely.
“There are so many people... What am I gonna do...?”
There were way too many people. Parents and dignitaries from across the Empire had flooded in to watch, and most of the parents were nobles at that. The academy’s inter-year competition had long since become something like an annual Empire-wide event, so the vibe had shifted a bit. It was a chance for nobles to schmooze, show off their kids’ talents, and knock rivals down a peg.
It was supposed to be for the students, but somehow it had morphed into more of a spectacle for the parents—the nobles.
Tsk tsk. That’s no way to run things. Aren clicked his tongue inwardly, channeling his inner old fogey. Sure, he himself saw the event as little more than a stage to hype up Veronica, but that was beside the point...
I’m doing it for a ‘student’ named Veronica, so it’s fine, right?
Mm-hmm. At least more in line with the spirit than what the nobles were up to.
With his rationalization complete, Aren pulled the trembling Lydia—who was still gripping his sleeve—into his arms.
Whoosh—
“Eep...”
She let out a strange little moan, and he felt surrounding eyes turn their way. But once they saw it was just Aren hugging Lydia, the source of the noise, most reactions were along the lines of, Oh god, that nauseating couple’s at it again...
Aren savored those reactions in secret before speaking brightly. “Nervous?”
He whispered in her ear, and her body shivered. He hugged her even tighter, feeling her soft breasts press against his chest, her slender frame so temptingly fragile he could drag her to bed right then and there. She’d probably follow obediently if he grabbed her wrist and led her to the bedroom.
“Y-Yes...”
“Don’t worry, Lydia. Everything’ll be fine. We practiced hard, didn’t we?”
“R-Right... But I’m still worried...”
Lydia was under a lot of pressure. Sure, she’d gotten into the academy, but she was still a commoner. It was inevitable that standing out to the nobles would rattle her.
But.
“Trust me, Lydia. I’ll make sure it all goes perfectly, just like midterms. Or you can trust Veronica next to you.”
“......?”
Veronica, who’d been watching their eye-searing PDA with growing discomfort, looked puzzled at the mention of her name.
“We worked hard, so everything’ll go great and nothing bad’ll happen. Got it?”
“.........”
It sounded like he was talking to Lydia, but it was for Veronica too. Realizing that, she clenched her fist subtly, glancing toward where her father, Duke Adel Adler, must be somewhere in the crowd.
“Y-Yeah...”
“Tension easing up a bit?”
“Thanks to you, Aren!”
“Good.”
As he chatted amiably with the girls, the second-year team took the stage opposite them, followed by the third- and fourth-years, signaling the start of the inter-year competition opening ceremony.
The ceremony was nothing special. The dean, whom they hadn’t seen in ages, just gave a thirty-minute speech.
Doesn’t he ever get tired?
Monologuing solo like that for so long—didn’t his mouth hurt? And it looked like he was speaking off the cuff, no script...
Memorized it? Or just winging it?
Either way, it was insane. Memorizing a speech like that screamed obsessive paranoia; winging it meant he was just a massive old-school windbag.
Ugh.
He hated both.
Anyway. After the dean’s interminable address, the student council president from the entrance ceremony stepped up.
“Greetings, academy cadets.”
A face that resembled the crown prince but wasn’t quite the same.
“I am Agnes Erzenia, princess of the Empire and student council president of the academy.”
Agnes Erzenia. That was her name.
Aren, coming from the East, didn’t know much about her, but no one in the Empire could be ignorant of it. She’d introduced countless reforms, earning adoration from the commoners, and as a swordswoman in her own right, she was exceptional—pushing past expert upper ranks toward the next level.
Conventional wisdom held that if she’d been born male, the imperial succession would’ve been reshuffled long ago. Even now, just by existing, she threatened the crown prince’s position.
That’s why some nobles still backed her. The crown prince was brilliant enough to be called part of the Golden Generation, but aside from being male, he rarely outshone Agnes.
“It’s a great pleasure to stand before you cadets once more. Though I’ll be competing as the second-year representative, I look forward to a fair contest with you all.”
Aren nudged Veronica. “Agnes the princess is the second-year rep?”
“...You didn’t know?”
“Nope.”
No one had mentioned it. He’d just learned it now. It didn’t change much, but it was still a bolt from the blue.
As he listened to Princess Agnes’s speech (or whatever it was)—
Whoa, did our eyes just meet?
For some reason, it felt like their gazes locked. Along with the subtle curve of her eyes.
......?
What was that?
“——………That is all. Now, allow me to introduce our distinguished guests from outside.”
Meanwhile, Princess Agnes stepped aside slightly to introduce the VIPs.
Prestigious nobles from across the Empire, merchant lords who were basically modern tycoons—maybe even more powerful than nobles—high officials from public institutions, and even a few clergy.
What’s the big deal about a kids’ party that draws this huge a crowd?
Of course, Aren—who planned to stir up a storm at said kids’ party—had no room to talk...
Tsk tsk.
Aren sometimes forgot to stay objective about himself.
Anyway, the introductions continued. And the final guest was—
“Our last distinguished guest is Duke Adel Adler.”
“………!”
Veronica’s biological father.
Duke Adel Adler might be a wastrel, but he was still a grand magus and a duke. No student could fail to admire him, so cheers erupted instantly.
And.
“...Is that woman next to him the duchess?”
“...Yes.”
They’d spotted Veronica’s stepmother. Veronica’s expression had turned icy. Her fists were clenched so tight her knuckles were white.
Duke Adel Adler and the duchess didn’t spare Veronica a glance. You’d think they’d at least look at their own duke’s daughter once, but their eyes just skimmed past her. In stark contrast to how they locked eyes with her brother, Rudolph.
...It was clear they didn’t see her as family at all.
Crunch—
She bit her lip hard.
“.........”
She hated them. Despised them. She’d done nothing wrong—why treat her like she didn’t exist? Was being born her crime? Because her birth had killed the duke’s beloved first wife? Because it had bruised the duchess’s pride?
.........
As Veronica’s mind sank into dark depths, Aren reached out.
“.........?”
“Calm down, Veronica.”
He pried open her clenched fist and laced their fingers together. Then he gently stroked her soft skin with his fingertips.
She flinched at the unfamiliar sensation.
“Ignore those people.”
“...How?”
“They’ll be out of your life after this is over, so don’t waste energy on them now.”
She could vent her emotions after acing the inter-year competition. More precisely, after crushing her biological brother in his second year.
“Later, once it’s all done, you can sneer at them like they’re nothing.”
“...You think so?”
“Yes.”
That would do it. For now, she needed to bury the feelings, save them as fuel for later.
Confirming she’d calmed, Aren slyly moved his hand.
“...? You?”
“Stay still.”
She panicked. Why was this guy suddenly groping her butt?
“...People might see. Please, not here—”
“So later’s okay?”
“No—”
Was that the point right now? This was a public place—people could see!
Veronica glared at Aren. He finally chuckled and laced their fingers again.
“Better now? Back to normal?”
“...Were you trying to help?”
“Yes.”
“...Liar. You just wanted to cop a feel, and you know I know it.”
“Not a lie.”
“......”
So shameless. He’d done it purely to satisfy his urges, whenever he felt like it.
Why act like he was nobly helping her?
But...
“......Not grateful or anything.”
...Her words said one thing, but deep down, she was. For snapping her out of the negativity. For always being there.
And then.
“......Ah.”
A sudden exclamation escaped Aren. As she looked at him quizzically—
“...What’s wrong?”
“...Nothing.”
“......?”
He shook his head like it was no big deal.
What do I do? Aren thought.
Our eyes met.
I think she caught me stroking Veronica’s butt just now.
And not just anyone...
The princess. And the duke.
......Yeah.