Meeting Right After Re-enrolling
These guys easily become friends with anyone, always surrounded by people. In short, they're the in-crowds.
It's really a shame that the old me wasn't one of those in-crowds.
From the fact that I got rejected after confessing and then enlisted, the scent of being an in-crowd wasn't strong at all.
Ah. Does the in-crowd not do such things at all? Yeah. I admit it.
Then what should I say. Ah, that would be good. I'll correct it to being a fool.
"None of the students who took a hiatus are here. They're all just attending classes normally."
According to senior Marcus, it seems all the classmates are still here.
So I thought I'd go around greeting people, but since there was something, I retreated for now.
Even walking around the academy, I couldn't tell if it was him or her, it was ambiguous.
I really don't know anything. I don't remember the names well, but the faces are so familiar.
My luck was really bad. Especially when the students were from families with little interaction, the young ladies and such.
Old me, when I was taking a hiatus, I should have made friends instead of that.
How is it possible that there are so few people I know... I'm really going crazy....
'Should I endure until the people from the interacting families come?'
If I endure for about a year and a half, the people I were close with might come.
But damn it. It's been a year and a half, but how am I supposed to endure that? I'm already at a loss.
During military service, we got close by bumping into each other.
At first, even the juniors who distanced themselves because I was noble started treating me casually.
In the end, the staff sergeant even gave me 'Are you just going to drive a stake?' or something.
But the academy... from what I remember, it's a pretty ambiguous place.
Because it's a plot, here and there it's just busy flirting or something.
Or if not, the academy is a continuous political stage.
No matter what, from my position as a military graduate re-enroller, it's incredibly uncomfortable.
Still, the reason I came to the academy... Honestly, it pisses me off.
Including this life, I've been to the military twice, and being a soldier was also unfair.
Being a noble who drives a stake in that military is hell.
I should drink some water from this academy after being reborn like this.
Even if I can't flirt, at least I should do that much.
With that resolve, I graduated and re-enrolled at the academy.
"Eh? Wait a minute. Are you Karl?"
A strange voice, and an even stranger face. But upon closer look, it seems like I've seen it before.
While I was rummaging through my memories, the male student who approached me let out a "Whoa!" exclamation.
"Really Karl? What? You're re-enrolling?!"
"...Y, um. Etbin?"
What? Etbin, you idiot! Etbin!
Ah. Yeah. Etbin. Sorry. Now that I see it, I remember.
At least, since we were from the same empire's eastern side, we were somewhat close.
"Even back then, without saying anything, you just dropped out of school. This time, you re-enrolled without making a fuss."
Why make a scene when there's nothing good about it. We're all just in a difficult situation.
"Difficult? Why?"
This guy is pretending not to know again. He probably knows everything.
"Selena. Not only me, but she must be really uncomfortable too. Even if it's a few years ago, no matter what, it's like that."
So why is that.
Ah, damn it. When I entered the academy, I went crazy and confessed to Selena! And got rejected! You were there at that time, right? Why are you acting like that?!
...Eh? Ah, no. I didn't hear that for the first time?
This is some bullshit. Why did I hear it for the first time. Damn it!
No... Back then, I had some business and went to the family for a few days and came back, and you were gone. Then hiatus. And now seeing you again. I really didn't know anything.
... .
Ah. You didn't know. You heard it for the first time. Damn it.
Then I end up spilling all my black history with my mouth.
"By the way, did you confess to Selena?"
Shut up.
"Then you were the first one. Selena rejected you."
Shut up. It's a memory I don't want to recall.
"But if you got rejected, why did you take a hiatus? After that, there were over ten guys who got rejected by Selena. But they all just attended classes normally and now they're graduating. Karl."
Please, stop. If I say that, it means I'm even more of a fool.
Getting rejected and then taking a hiatus and running to the military was crazy, and enlisting as a soldier.
Thanks to that, I remembered even this life! Kyaaak! There are two discharges!!
If you're still uncomfortable with the relationship, how about resolving it?
Resolve what? Just time will pass and it will disappear naturally.
But Selena is graduating after this semester. Graduating.
Yeah. Graduating. And then getting married right away.
My remembered story is roughly like that.
Couples who flirted hard at the academy get married right after graduation.
From the ending, it seemed like they were breaking up or something....
Marriage? What kind of talk is that?
Selena is talking about.
So why is she getting married. Did any matchmaking happen?
You're asking me that now? I was in the military until recently.
Who is next to Selena now.
None?
...None?
Yeah. None. I told you, over ten guys rejected her.
??
No, no. Wait a minute. No one next to Selena? Does that make sense?
From memory, around now, they should be setting the wedding date.
Schlippen.
That guy? Rejected. Early 2nd year.
Then Wilhelm.
Early 2nd year 2nd semester rejected.
Alexander?
He rejected before summer vacation of 3rd year.
...Joachim?
He's the last one. After starting 1st semester of 4th year, not long after.
What the hell is this. All of them rejected her?
Schlippen, Wilhelm, Alexander, and Joachim. All male leads?
At the end of the academy, none of them connected with Selena?
This content definitely didn't exist. Not even in side stories.
...Could there be another man next to Selena?
None. I've said it many times. They're all full.
Etbin's words deepen the confusion.
What? Why did things turn out like this? Where did it go wrong?
By the way, Karl. Why are you so serious?
Eh?
Selena rejecting others, so what? It just means you didn't like her as a woman.
... .
Yeah. Thinking about it, it wasn't anything I needed to worry about.
The world doesn't end just because the male lead and female lead don't connect.
If I don't follow the flow, it's not my death.
I don't need to care. Just live my life well.
Like the male lead's life is theirs and the female lead's is hers.
Hey. Karl. You...
What. Why.
You still can't give up on Selena?
Got hit with a stake on the head.
Don't treat the old me and the current me as the same person!
Shut up. Etbin.
No. You're asking about Selena repeatedly.
I'm just asking. Just. No reason.
I definitely said that. Really no reason, no ulterior motive.
Why would a guy who got rejected once still have lingering feelings.
*
'...Damn it.'
Yeah. I definitely said that.
Hoorok—
Why am I in a cafe at the academy.
And why is Selena sitting in front of me!
I heard you re-enrolled. Karl.
Yeah, right.
The old me would get embarrassed and twist my body if Selena talked to me.
And the current me, embarrassed by the old me, twists my body.
It's uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. Damn uncomfortable. I want to run away.
But if I did that, it would cause some trouble, so I couldn't.
What have you been doing?
...I did voluntary enlistment.
As an officer? You must have suffered.
I just nodded because saying 'soldier enlistment' again is annoying.
Honestly, enlisting as a soldier as a noble is much more foolish.
My brother also was an officer.
Yeah, right.
He participated in the war with Luzens recently too.
What? Why are all past tenses ominous. Don't tell me....
He's discharged now.
Ah, startled.
Did you participate in that war too?
Yeah.
As a soldier.
It must have been terrifying.
It was pretty terrifying.
My brother said it was really tragic. Many people died one after another.
... .
At first, people thought those who fought well were heroes, but it wasn't. They said the one who sends even one more person home is the hero.
My brother is right. From the upper class's perspective, fighting well is the best.
But for me, like other ordinary soldiers. From the perspective of rolling around like dogs below, the one who saves my life is the best.
My brother is right.
My brother was saved by someone too. I don't know who.
Hoorok—
Selena takes a sip of coffee and continues.
I hope we live as if nothing happened. That day is a memory that's a bit awkward for both of us.
It's quite a bit.
Yeah. So... um, as classmates, we can still get along?
She seems to think I was badly hurt. Actually, that's right.
After getting rejected right after confessing, I took a hiatus and disappeared, so anyone would think that.
But I think the wound has become a past thing.
Please do that. I want to die forgetting that day.
So why did you start with the confession first.