The Blazing Flames of Protest
Returning to the academy, I found the first-years staging a riot. They were waving signs back and forth that read: [Guarantee the human rights of first-years!], [Did our ancestors pay our tuition for us?!], and [We have the right to use the school store!]. Of course, it was only a small group—a minority you might glance at once while passing by. There were about five of them, and they were all female students.
They were protesting in front of the Lumeris Academy’s main building, known as the Lumeris Hall. The student council office was located on the third floor. They were staging their protest right in front of the main building to catch the eyes of the student council, which had banned first-years from entering the store. The fact that a fair number of people had gathered around them proved that their strategy wasn't half bad. After all, a protest only works if it attracts someone’s attention. Without any interest, it’s no longer a protest—it’s just a child throwing a tantrum.
Banning store access the day after the entrance ceremony was a bolt from the blue for the first-years, thanks to Yuren and Judith. In terms of the intent to garner sympathy from other students, the operation was sound. However, they were overlooking one person: the de facto authority who led the student council, even if she wasn't officially a member. The Third Imperial Princess, Nipia Solaris.
"Banning store access the day after the entrance ceremony is total bull! Lift the ban right now, you jerks!"
The girl, wearing her mask pulled down to her chin—a classic "chin-mask"—stepped forward. She had medium-length red hair, sharp, straight eyes, bright orange irises that looked like a sunset, and pointed shark-like teeth. Princess Nipia poked the shoulder of the girl in the center of the group from behind with a mischievous smile.
"What are you doing here?"
Perhaps they were sensitive because of the store ban? "Who is it!?" The girl spun around, shouting as if to vent her temper, to identify the person who had touched her.
"Hi?"
The moment she realized who it was, her expression began to crumble. The golden hair, fluttering and shimmering in the spring breeze, felt less neat and elegant and more opulent and sophisticated. The waves at the ends of her twin-tails weren't unnatural or excessive; they were just right. In fact, they suited her so well and were so beautiful that they radiated an aura of nobility. It was a hairstyle that clearly displayed Princess Nipia’s high self-esteem. Not just anyone could flaunt their presence in front of so many people as if they were the protagonist of the world. A beautiful appearance, high status, and an atmosphere that commanded the surroundings—it was only possible because it was Nipia, who satisfied all three conditions.
Her light blue pupils, which looked like a clear sky viewed through a telescope, reflected the red-haired girl, who had slumped to the ground, her legs losing strength at the unexpected identity of the intruder.
"I asked, what are you doing here?"
"Uh... I, I'm sorry..."
"Oh, it's fine. Close seniors and juniors can overlook that much, right?"
That repertoire again. Approaching someone she’s meeting for the first time and acting like they’re best friends. Anyone who knows Nipia’s status can’t help but feel immense pressure. Just like that girl.
"......F, frie...?"
She was so flustered she couldn't even speak properly. It was getting to the point where she looked pathetic.
"Yeah, we’re close, aren't we? Right?"
"W, what. That’s impossible... ma'am."
The red-haired girl didn't seem like the type to be weak-willed, either. Just looking at her, she had the kind of impression that would make you think she’d pick out one easy target in class and bully them until they dropped out. It wasn't that she lacked courage or guts, or that she was easily frightened. In fact, staging a protest in front of so many people deserved praise for her bravery. However, in the face of an overwhelming difference in status, everything becomes meaningless.
"You made the signs well~ Who made these? You?"
"N, nooooo! It wasn't meeeee!"
A girl with sky-blue hair and eyes as blue as the sea. She was a plain-looking girl who looked like she’d be scared of a fly. She had a strange resemblance to the shark-toothed red-haired girl. However, if the red-haired girl had the look of a fierce predator, this one had the look of a round, innocent prey. With eyes as bright as a newborn rabbit, skin as white as jade, and hair so calm and tidy there wasn't a single stray strand, her hair was also long enough to reach her waist.
"It was you. You look so quiet, it has to be you, right?"
"It wasn't me... It really wasn't meeeee..."
"Hehe, why are you so scared? I’m just asking because I wanted to compliment you. I’m not very good with my hands, so I can’t make things like this."
'Compliment, my foot.'
She’ll probably plant a trauma deep in their bones so they can never make a sign again. I could bet everything I have and be one hundred percent certain that Nipia’s words were a lie.
"Tell me quickly, or did you all make it together?"
Perhaps sensing the danger in Princess Nipia’s sunken tone, the black-haired girl on the far edge answered quickly, as if to shift the blame.
"No."
What Princess Nipia was looking for was the creator of the signs. Whoever was pointed out as the culprit among those five would inevitably face Princess Nipia’s pressure. For now, they were all holding back what they wanted to say because of some sense of loyalty or whatever, but the problem was that their seemingly tight-knit loyalty wouldn't last long.
"One gold coin for the first person to tell me."
Princess Nipia wouldn't just sit still if she was crazy. At the words "one gold coin," three out of the five people flinched. Only the shark-toothed girl and the timid girl didn't show even the slightest movement. Money is the representative asset of the "more is better" philosophy that calls out the truth. So, I stepped forward first.
"Two gold coins for everyone if you keep your loyalty."
I pushed through the donut-shaped crowd watching the culprit-hunting, tidying my clothes that had been dirtied in the process. Princess Nipia, who had turned around, smiled. Looking at me as if to say, "Who are you?"
Countless voices of nameless people flew at my attention-seeking act, and the representative epithets used to describe me echoed repeatedly in my ears. 'The Saintess's servant, huh.'
Compared to the previous timeline, I’m practically an angel.
I kept a certain distance from Princess Nipia and bowed my head in greeting.
"Heh, what did you just say? Two gold coins for all five of them?"
After counting to about three, I raised my head to see Princess Nipia snorting with laughter.
"Can you not do multiplication? There’s no way you don't know that 5 times 2 is 10... Or wait, since you're in Class C, maybe it's possible?"
It was a remark that disparaged every student in Class C, from first to fourth year, but no one dared to step forward bravely. Because the person who made the comment with the nuance of 'Class C is a group of morons who can't even multiply' was the Third Imperial Princess, Nipia Solaris.
"Do you even have ten gold coins? You’re not just bluffing without having them, are you?"
I pulled out the pouch containing a bundle of gold coins from inside my clothes. It had a slight weight to it, and when shaken, it made a clinking sound. As I pulled the ribbon-shaped knot just enough to loosen the pouch, a massive bundle of gold coins revealed itself. Princess Nipia stared at the gold coins, which shone even brighter as they reflected the sunlight, as if she found it interesting.
"Hmm~."
In this harsh world, it is never easy for as many as five people to join forces. That was why I wanted to protect the loyalty of these five, who were united by their solidarity, to the very end. Before one of these five, overflowing with greed, betrayed their friendship.
- I believe that if Mate were gone, my revolution would surely succeed. You’ve guessed what that means, right?
- Sia Stella, did she say that? You’ve always believed whatever she says from the start, haven't you?
- If you abandon me, I’ll tell them everything. The secrets of the Daylight Church that only I know.
It might just be me being a busybody, but I just wanted to do it.
* * *
About three minutes had passed since Mate left the office. The coldness of the silence, which there was no getting used to, was pricking at the four people’s skin. Shirai was still sitting on the floor, guarding the door, and Judith was looking at her with a look of pity. Sia was smiling with a strangely pleasant expression, but seeing Shirai’s miserable state on the floor, she couldn't bring herself to move and was just watching the situation.
"Alright."
Muse stood up from the sofa and clapped her hands to change the atmosphere. "I think it would be best to disperse at this point. I’m not as free as I used to be, either."
Muse sent glances alternately between Sia and Judith. She had judged that one of these three needed to comfort Shirai by her side. Muse was not the type of person to force empathy just to comfort or soothe others. In fact, she was very far from such things. Sia was the same. Since she remained silent in most situations, she was not the type to comfort anyone. She had almost no experience comforting anyone, either. There was no way Sia could provide normal comfort to Shirai, who was her romantic rival. Of course, if the person who needed comforting had been Mate and not Shirai, she would have rushed in without hesitation.
Looking back, whenever someone in the group was in a bad mood or it was awkward to face each other due to a trivial problem, Mate had always moved first to resolve it. He valued others more than himself, and perhaps that was why he knew how to pinpoint exactly why the person involved was angry and how to soothe their feelings in a way that fit the situation. Having been coldly rejected by a man with such a kind personality, it wasn't hard to understand why Shirai had been sitting there motionless for several minutes.
The empty space left by a man feels lonely. Especially in a situation like this.
Judith sighed deeply, stood up, and knelt beside Shirai at the door.
"Are you okay?"
As Judith spoke, she felt a strange sensation. To be in a situation where she had to comfort the woman who had stolen the man she liked. It would have been fine to just pretend not to know and run away, but she couldn't do that because of their friendship. So, she chose a different method rather than comfort.
"I have something to apologize to you for."
She decided to honestly confess the guilt she had been piling up in a corner of her heart. "Actually, I was with Yuren..."
"That person!"
That was her intention. Until Shirai barked back in a voice filled with resentment.
"It doesn't matter. Not anymore."
Judith had only seen Shirai get angry about five times in over a dozen years. That was why her hand, which she had been about to place on Shirai’s shoulder, stiffened for a moment. The anger of Shirai, the blind saintess who was kind and gentle to everyone. Her body instinctively recoiled first.
"If you’re really sorry to me, tell me just this one thing."
Shirai slowly rose like a zombie, grabbed both of Judith’s shoulders, and said, sending a murky gaze mixed with envy, awe, and jealousy.
"What do I have to do to be loved by Mate?"
For a moment, it felt as if time had stopped. It was only for a split second, but all the thoughts in her brain had halted, and she hadn't been able to perceive the flow of space-time.
'What do I have to do to be loved by him?'
She had just lived her life as Judith Moondust. She hadn't paid any special attention to it, nor had she changed her appearance or personality to fit his ideal type. Just as truth cannot become a lie, it was extremely natural for Mate Daylight to like Judith Moondust. She had always thought so, so the moment she received the question from Shirai, it felt like she had been struck in the back of the head.
"...I don't know either, I've never thought about it."
It wasn't a cheerful answer, but it was the truth, without a single lie. Shirai began to let out a scoff, as if she had lost her mind.