Chapter 11: Ebnis Rothschild de Repelheit
This game's title heroine has more titles than you'd expect. The most prominent one is Repelheit Sub-Marquess, of course. There's also Knight of Radiance, which she'll earn in her third year by sweeping away an entire region with her Holy Sword. And then there are those society-only ones like Jewel of the West.
Once you step outside the game, she racks up even more: Proper Wife, Tsundere Rothschild de Repelheit, Undefeated Golden-Hair.... Oh, and one more. Gorilla with 20 Strength. Divine Might, Monstrous Strength. Source: me.
"I thought you'd died somewhere, but here you are, alive with that shameless face and cockroach-like tenacity."
"I'm doing well, you foolish sister of mine. Thanks to you."
Hmm. I hadn't meant to lace my greeting with malice, but thanks to Bloodline Dignity, it came out sharp as a blade.
Ebnis ground her teeth at my sudden aggro pull.
"Call me that one more time, and I'll draw my sword and throw down my gauntlet before the witnesses even arrive—then sever that neck of yours."
Ha ha. At least she's treating me like a person, while I'm getting bug treatment over there.
"Do you have something to say?"
"I was looking for you. You."
This doesn't feel good. Ebnis is the main character with the biggest role in the original game. And the fact that the game's title heroine is here is a problem in itself. This isn't heroine-like behavior. If you're a heroine, stay near the protagonist Erhan like one—why are you wandering around alone like this?
"You must have time to spare."
"......"
The same golden locks, the same blue eyes. A fitting height difference. We look like the ideal siblings from any angle, but like all siblings, our relationship is predictably rotten. No, considering Adrian's past fuck-ups, it's only natural.
Ebnis clenched her fists tightly, hesitating for a long moment before finally looking at me with an expression like she'd made some resolve.
"Listen......"
"Don't tell me you're here to thank me for the opening ceremony thing."
Yeah, that's a thing. When you've seen the same character hundreds of times, you reach a point where you can guess what they're about to say just by looking into their eyes.
"Then forget it. That was just advice for a fool like you."
"......"
I quietly turned my head and nodded toward the corner of the building. The smart girl would catch on right away.
If the Empire has journalists, the academy has the newspaper club. Those kids are dying for a real scoop, and the current heir to the marquisate having a secret talk in a dorm back alley with the disowned eldest son? They wouldn't hold back. I could practically hear the newspaper club president's eyes spinning from here. And along with that, the sound of my plans going awry.
Ebnis stood there looking a bit deflated compared to before.
Hm...... I felt kinda bad for no reason. And she's not a bad kid at heart—just a bit rigid.
"I heard you kept your winning streak in the freshman duel. Keep growing like that, and you might just become a marquis."
Ebnis's shoulders twitched.
"Spare me the flattery. It makes me uncomfortable."
This 20-Strength gorilla for real......
"And acting like you know everything again."
Ebnis narrowed her eyes and glared at me.
"You ran away from the family alone! And now you're saying I might become marquis?"
Something's off with her words. I pondered for a moment before opening my mouth.
"I didn't run away."
Her eyes went wide at my words.
"I'm saying I haven't given up on the marquisate yet."
"Ha, even if you haven't given up, it's impossible. I'm already the sub-marquess, and you're treated as nonexistent by the Repelheit family."
"Impossible."
"It's impossible. Logically......"
"You think something like that can block my path?"
Hey. If I was gonna give up there, I wouldn't have started. Who're you underestimating, calling me a veteran?
Besides, if I don't become marquis, I die.
"A disgraced wastrel at rock bottom claws his way up alone to reclaim the family headship. Where else are you gonna find a story this good?"
"Cut the nonsense. So you're preparing for that......?"
"It's progressed further than you think. And hide your expression."
"Ahem...... hm."
Ebnis pinched the corners of her mouth, which had been creeping up, and forced them down.
"Is this a joke?"
"......One more word, and I'll really draw my sword."
Despite her words, she's soft-hearted and has never killed anyone.
"Even back at the family, I never beat you in a war of words. Fine...... I'll be expecting great things."
Ebnis turned away with a much lighter expression. After a few steps, she spun around, thrust her arm straight out, and pointed at me.
"This time, I'll crush you so thoroughly you never rise again—then show you me becoming the perfect marquis."
With that, she walked off lightly. I leaned against the building wall, watching her go, and smirked.
"As if that'll happen."
Crushed by her? Fat chance. The moment I lose to her, I'm dead. Sorry, but I have no desire to die. I'll thrash around however I can to survive.
The next day.
"......"
Central district communal cafeteria. Amid students glancing our way at the combo of fallen noble and fiancée, Reina and I had ordered lunch and sat at a table.
"If you were going to meet Ebnis, you could've at least given me a heads-up."
"......How did you know that, Reina?"
"You don't need to know that, Adrian."
The Reina across from me had puffed out her cheeks in a full-on pout.
But arguing further would just make things annoying.
"......Ugh, ahem. B-but, I have the confidence to walk beside you no matter what path you take."
See? I called it.
"Reina, this might be a misunderstanding, but aren't you around me too much these days?"
"......"
"From lectures to even overlapping routes. Two days ago, you found my usual clearing spot."
I had a rough idea why she was doing this.
"......I get that Count Wolfgang wants to know my every move. But I doubt even he wants reports this detailed."
Reina was my fiancée and my watcher. No doubt about it. She'd been ordered by Count Wolfgang to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. Being a western noble, I could guess his angle. I didn't know what she'd gain from it, but she needed to ease up.
"This conversation will go to the count too, I assume. Was meeting me today to interrogate me?"
"N-no, not that......"
Reina's voice trailed off weakly.
"Today, I really came looking for you for something else......"
"Then what is it?"
"I have info. On the fourth-years' internship spots you asked about yesterday. Excluding the top two, they've all been decided perfectly today."
What, already? Separate from Reina's info network, I felt anew how fast time was flying. Act 1 was almost here. Only two days left until next week.
The fourth-year second-semester internship spots were set. Meaning Act 1, Chapter 1 started in two days.
"Heard anything?"
"Yeah, our family took ten knight department students and five magic department ones."
"The Wolfgang family would pick the top talents."
"Hehe...... of course. They're the ones I selected. But I found something odd while investigating."
Reina lightly pulled two sheets from the stack of books and file folders she'd brought.
"......This is."
"The info on the magic department's top two fourth-years you asked for. Top student Melwood Elion, son of a knight from some nameless eastern village. Second place, Alberto von Repensiv, heir to the central noble Repensiv Duke house."
A commoner at first and a noble at second. According to Reina, the little duke wasn't thrilled about it.
"The Repensiv Duke house put no small effort into grooming their heir. They even brought in a top Salenium magic grad as a tutor, and now a talented commoner is firmly above him. Naturally, he's not pleased."
"But Melwood Elion isn't just talented."
"A hardworking genius, yeah. I know. That's why their relationship is bad. And......"
Reina laid the two sheets side by side in front of me.
"Both chose the Imperial Magic Corps for their internships."
At those words, lightning flashed in my mind.
The Imperial Magic Corps took only one from the magic department. Normally, it went to the department's number one without fail.
"Then top student Melwood Elion...... ah."
Act 1's boss. Proving it, Reina quietly scanned the documents, pointing out each detail.
"......Commoner-born but overflowing talent. Never lost first place in four years at Salenium Academy. A dazzling career."
Reina's eyes sparkled as she peered at the papers.
"But that's exactly why it's poison. The Imperial Magic Corps, full of egoistic nobles, won't scout someone who might surpass them......"
This was her true value. Reina von Wolfgang, the magic department heroine, lacked Ebnis's martial prowess but had incredible political instincts.
"The academy treats all statuses equally per Principal Gandelph's will, but society is different. Even if he joins the corps, they'll undermine, slander, and ostracize Melwood Elion—the talented one without bloodline. No one takes protecting their rice bowl more seriously."
This was why she was a top-tier character. She could deal damage as a mage while sharply boosting her party's combat AI as a strategist.
"You already knew all this, didn't you, Adrian?"
"......"
I didn't answer.
"You asked me before."
Why Melwood Elion became the boss.
"No commoner has ever been top or second in magic department history."
Melwood Elion couldn't enter the Imperial Magic Corps.
"Results tomorrow. Can't wait to see...... whether the commoner creates an upset, or rotten tradition wins out......"
Reina rested her chin on her hand, gazing at me with a faint smile.
But I couldn't smile.
Melwood Elion. A diligent soul with talent and a sense of duty, only to exit in Act 1 due to an unfortunate incident, his whereabouts unknown after.
—Now in my final year here too, I just want to wrap it up without incident and move on.
With eyes shining at the joy of discovering new magic applications.
That satisfied gleam as he reflected on the past year.
But I already knew the outcome. I knew the fate chosen by the system.
I sighed and reached a conclusion.
"Tch."
A pain, but I'd have to think of a way to stop it.