The Fate of a Popular Person
The Fate of a Popular Person
"Irion!"
Just as I was about to head to the cafeteria after class ended, Helena came running from the other end of the hallway.
"Helena? What brings you to the Magic Faculty?"
"What do you mean? I came to see you. This building is so huge that finding someone is no small feat."
"Ah, I didn't think about that part."
If this were the modern world, it would have been solved with a single call.
In this place, where there are no proper means of communication, it's not easy to meet up once you're apart.
"I guess we should decide on a meeting place and time in advance from now on."
"Then I'll come to the Magic Faculty every lunch break from now on."
"Are you sure? I heard it's quite a distance."
"This distance is nothing. Besides, the Gongnyeo-nim is here, so I can't exactly tell you to come and go. It's easier for me, being alone, to move around."
Just as I was about to nod at her considerate words, Renoa, who had been listening from the side, suddenly cut into the conversation.
"A wise decision, Lady Weiss. If you had asked Irion to come find you, you might have met him around graduation."
"Ah, yes...."
Helena and I habitually let her words go in one ear and out the other.
Elody poked her head out from beside me.
"Um, Irion-nim. Who is this person?"
"This is Helena, a colleague from my days as a trainee knight. Helena, this is Elody, a female student from the same faculty."
"You were a knight! Ahem, I'm Elody. It's a pleasure to meet you, Helena-nim!"
Elody, with her characteristic social skills, smiled and reached out her hand first.
"Oh, yeah.... Nice to meet you too."
Helena seemed flustered by her unhesitating goodwill, hesitating for a moment before carefully taking her hand.
"She's an interesting kid."
"Elody has that side to her."
She's like a Shooting Star.
The kind that feels like it's popping in your mouth when you eat it.
She's a character with a unique charm.
"Ah, everyone is still here. I was worried you might have left without me, so I'm glad I'm not late."
Soon, Aether, who had finished another lecture, approached from the opposite end of the hallway.
At that moment, Helena's facial muscles froze solid.
"I-Irion. By any chance, is that person...?"
"Yeah. He's exactly who you think he is."
"Hmm? A friend I haven't seen before. An acquaintance?"
"This is Helena from the Baron Weiss family, a friend I spent my trainee knight days with. Helena, this is... well, you know without me saying, right?"
Helena, who had been stiff as a board, prostrated herself with a speed that left afterimages.
"Helena, the eldest daughter of the Weiss family, greets the H-Imperial Prince!"
"A spirited friend."
"She's energetic, so it's nice to have her around."
Helena lifted only her head while still prostrated.
She was so flustered that her pupils were visibly shaking.
"Ri-ri-ri-ri-Irion? Why are you talking so casually with the Imperial Prince?"
"We're friends. Right?"
"Hahaha. As soon as we leave the Academy, I'll have to have his head chopped off."
"Hahahaha."
Beside us, Renoa closed her eyes tightly and sighed, while Elody giggled. This girl just laughs a lot.
"Lady Weiss, you don't have to be so formal here."
"But......."
"I hate 'that' more than 'this'. Does that make sense?"
In this context, 'this' referred to my attitude, and 'that' meant being formal.
With that one sentence, Helena seemed to understand the situation instantly.
"......I understand. Then, at least within the Academy, I will treat you comfortably, Your Highness."
Of course, the words coming out of her mouth were still completely frozen.
Helena barely managed to straighten her trembling knees and stood up.
"Right. Since it seems everyone is gathered, let's go eat lunch. I'm hungry."
Aether smiled brightly and led the way.
Behind him, Renoa walked with a haughty stride, and Elody followed along, humming a tune.
Helena was still in a daze.
"What's wrong? Get it together."
"That's what I want to ask! Why is Irion with the Imperial Prince?"
"I don't know. That person came to me first."
"Th-that person?! You'll get in big trouble if you talk so recklessly!"
Unlike me, who was calm, Helena looked around like a criminal who had committed a crime.
"It's fine. He's a better person than you'd think."
"How does Irion know that?"
"Hmm, intuition?"
"I'm going crazy. I feel like my lifespan has been cut in half because of you."
It's not that I don't understand Helena's reaction.
He's not just any noble or prince; he's the Imperial Prince.
To a slave like me, he's a sun-like existence where even facing his countenance is an act of profanity.
If I didn't know about Aether, I would never have acted this way either.
But I know his true nature.
If Aether were someone obsessed with bloodlines, Elody's Empress route wouldn't even exist.
At least within this Academy, it's okay to treat him comfortably.
The surrounding gazes are a bit annoying, but having been through all sorts of hardships, I won't be shaken by something like that.
"You should try it too, Helena. When else will you get to be friends with royalty if not now?"
"...I'm good. I want to live a long life."
We joined up with Helena and moved to the cafeteria.
Up until the first day, Aether had been waiting in his seat for food to be brought to him.
But after realizing how awkward it was to sit alone in a crowded cafeteria, he started getting it himself.
"Who is that person next to the Prince? I've never seen them before."
"Who knows. Since we don't know them, they probably aren't from a high-ranking family. Besides, isn't that blue-haired one a commoner too?"
From around us, as we sat at a large square table, the whispering of students could be heard.
The Prince's actions are undoubtedly the top gossip at the Academy.
Naturally, those of us around him can't help but receive attention.
Today, the focus was on the newcomer, Helena.
"What do I do.... Everyone is staring."
Perhaps because of that, Helena couldn't eat in peace and was busy watching her surroundings.
"Do you guys always eat in this kind of environment?"
"It's the fate of a popular person. But you'll get used to it over time."
"You can get used to this?"
"Yeah. I got used to it after fighting sword matches in front of thousands of people."
"Ah...."
The look in Helena's eyes as she watched me changed to one of pity.
From my perspective, where gazes follow me everywhere, this level of interest was a daily occurrence.
"Even if you're like that, the others seem perfectly fine."
"Haha. It's a grateful thing that the citizens are showing interest."
"It's so amazing that so many people are looking at me!"
Aether and Elody answered in turn. Helena then shifted her gaze to Renoa.
"I'm not idle enough to care about the gazes of others."
Their answers were truly overflowing with their individual personalities.
"Will a day come when I can be that calm too?"
"Who knows."
It might be good not to get used to it. There needs to be at least one person with a raw reaction for the atmosphere to stay lively.
And so, we were enjoying a leisurely meal while sharing various stories.
"What's with that male student? He's wearing something like a slave collar around his neck."
Ah, dear me.
Is it about me again?
The life of a popular person.
"That's right. A slave. He's the slave knight of Edelheid."
"A slave? Ugh, how hideous. Why is a slave at the Academy?"
"I don't really know either. I heard he's not a slave but came as a familiar through a contract or something."
"Is that even allowed?"
"Who knows. They probably used the family's power. It's not like it's the first or second time the Ducal house has done something dirty."
However, the atmosphere was a bit different from what I usually heard. It was closer to backbiting.
They have some nerve, badmouthing someone when they're right behind them.
Renoa didn't seem to care much and continued her meal in silence.
Even at that moment, the slander continued.
"I heard that slave knight is incredibly strong. He even defeated the Knight Commander of Edelheid, and not long ago, he beat the Young Lord Rubelius too."
"Even so, low blood can't be hidden. How could they even think of bringing such a lowlife to the Academy? No wonder there's a strange smell."
"Tell me about it. Slaves are worse than beasts, yet their taste is certainly unique. Look at that dog collar on his neck. It really lowers the class of this place."
Hmm, it's been a while since I've heard such blatant insults. I don't think I've heard them since I became a knight.
"That's going too far."
"Exactly! Do you have any idea how amazing Irion-nim is!"
"I can't take it. I'm going to go over there and say something."
I stopped Helena, who was about to stand up.
"Forget it. It's true that I got in through a loophole. It's also true that this is an era where sitting with a slave is uncomfortable. It's something I have to endure."
"But...."
I'm immune to it, so it doesn't really affect me.
And I'd rather avoid any more conflict. It's not like a slave has any honor to protect anyway.
I'm satisfied just getting by without any trouble.
"But... did he really become a knight through skill?"
"What do you mean?"
"Look at his face. It's unnecessarily pretty; isn't he being used for other purposes at night?"
"Heavens! Are you saying he's a bed warmer?"
"Maybe. They say the more vulgar they are, the more they act like beasts in bed. A guardian knight by day, a collared pet by night. I can see exactly what's going on."
However, their malicious jokes crossed the line and grew worse.
Leaving this alone would be a nuisance to the people around me. With that thought, I was about to stand up when—
Deureureuk.
Renoa pushed her chair back and stood up. She picked up her plate and started walking.
I thought she had finished her meal early and was going to throw away the leftovers, but where she went was behind the female students who were gossiping.
"My Lady?"
Just as anxiety began to form in my mind, it didn't take long for it to become reality.
Hududuk.
Renoa poured the food scraps over the female student's head.
"Kyaaa! Wh-what is this?"
Flustered by the shower of food, the female student scrambled around before discovering Renoa behind her.
"E-Edelheid Gongnyeo? What do you think you're doing right now?!"
Renoa, looking down coldly at the female student who was protesting vehemently, said—
"......Ah."
She spat it out as if just tossing a word.
"I thought it was a trash can."