Chapter 34 - Appearance
"Young Master Frey! Are you alright?"
"Anywhere hurt?"
"Shall I carry your books?"
With the weekend over and a new weekday arrived, as I headed to the classroom for lessons, the noble students began crowding around me. Normally, I'd plaster on a smile and humor them, but right now, I had zero patience for these idiots.
"...Sorry, I'm a bit tired right now."
So when I muttered in a low voice with clear irritation etched on my face, they started slinking away one by one, gauging my mood. As expected from people who survived on social savvy alone—their instincts were sharp.
"Young Master Frey... You seem in a bad mood today?"
Then someone sidled up beside me and whispered softly in my ear. Damn, even among nobles, there's always that one clueless type.
"What the hell? You?"
"Oh, have you already forgotten me?"
I turned to look, and a vaguely familiar face came into view.
"...I told you not to cling to me."
"Oh dear, how scary."
After a moment's recollection, I remembered her: Isabel, the marquis's daughter who'd insulted Kania last time.
'She should be under investigation by now, right?'
I'd reported the marquis family's corruption to Father, so why was she still wandering around freely? Then it hit me—Father had collapsed. I pressed a hand to my forehead.
'Because Father fell, the report never reached the imperial family?'
My carefully laid plan had failed, and Father's collapse felt like my fault. My mind grew increasingly troubled, but oblivious to it all, Isabel flashed a sly smile and kept prodding.
"You still remember my face, then?"
"Yeah."
"So why do you keep brushing me off?"
"...What?"
As I scowled and asked, she pouted sulkily.
"Your servant kept turning me away. If you remembered me, there'd be no reason for that, right?"
Her words made my stomach churn. I finally stopped walking and spoke up.
"Isabel, I heard you're preparing to get engaged to the first prince."
"Yes, that's right."
"Then why keep doing this?"
I glowered, but she looked at me like it was the most obvious thing.
"He's ugly."
"What?"
"Giving my first time to a gross pig like that... as a woman, wouldn't that just be too heartbreaking?"
Her wide-eyed innocence as she said it made me burst into derisive laughter.
"Haha, ha... Impressive."
"Thank you."
"Anyway, I'm not feeling great lately. I'll humor you some other time."
"...Sigh."
I had no desire to deal with her anymore. Reaching for the brooch on my chest to slip away, she suddenly sighed and spoke up.
"You really like that lowly bitch that much?"
"......"
"Well, tastes differ... Anyway, I have a proposal."
"...Proposal?"
"How about dancing with me at the upcoming ball?"
I snorted at that.
"...What about the prince?"
"Hm... He's dumb and fat, so if you dance with me once, he'll huff and puff and let me go? He did last time."
"Not scared of imperial blasphemy charges?"
"...It's just you and me here right now."
Her cheeky grin made me laugh in disbelief. She smirked back and sauntered out into the hallway.
Tap tap
I tapped the brooch twice to end the recording and tossed a question her way.
"...But why me, of all people?"
She stared blankly for a moment, then replied matter-of-factly.
"Because you're hot."
With that, she vanished down the hall.
"...Nothing's changed since last time."
Something felt off about Isabel—a suspicious vibe. I used Information Search, but nothing unusual showed up.
Then what was this nagging feeling?
"...Young Master."
"Whoa!"
Lost in thought, frowning, Kania's voice suddenly came from beside me.
"W-What... Kania? Since when were you there?"
"...I've been by your side the whole time."
"What?"
A black aura emanated from her body as she spoke.
"Kania, that spell takes a toll..."
"It's a basic black magic that seeps into the shadow of one's master. Minimal black mana consumption."
"Still, the risk of detection..."
"This spell has been used for stealth since ancient times. No one at the academy can detect it except Saintess Perloché, and she's on our side now."
".........."
Stunned as she methodically countered every point, she suddenly frowned and muttered.
"...Strange. Black mana is still present in her body."
"Huh?"
"Ah, nothing. Anyway... what will you do about her proposal?"
"Dunno... not sure."
"Decline it."
As she melted back into my shadow, she added.
"Something about it just... feels off."
I stood in the hallway for a moment after hearing that, then curiously poked my shadow a few times before heading to class.
"...Right, outdoor lesson today."
Seeing the empty classroom, I sighed in relief, smacked my head, and turned toward the grounds.
Lately, my mind's been getting weirder and weirder.
......
"...Look at that. You lot can't even handle the basics."
Isolet's outdoor session was a team battle. But it was more like a slaughter.
She'd divided teams by commoners vs. nobles.
Predictably, nobles strutted around, taunting or coaxing the commoners to go easy. But the moment her undetectable identification magic activated, screams and groans of pain erupted.
Some nobles had skill—Clana especially shone—but it wasn't enough. Overwhelming commoner talents picked off the number-filling nobles one by one. Clana held out till the end with a few others but fell to a single shot.
She could've used Solar Mana for different results, but it was lethal, so she held back.
In the end, all us nobles—including me—knelt before Isolet, enduring her icy lecture.
"The capital isn't safe anymore. You all know some monsters breached the capital guard and defenses recently."
As she said, the capital's defenses had gaps. It'd lead to the monster invasion event... but since I'd slain the final boss, who knew what would happen.
"Yet you strut around with entitlement and sloppy minds... The empire's future looks bright. Doesn't it?"
"...Yawn."
"Frey, this is for you. So open your ears wide."
She snapped at me because I was at the center of the taunting nobles earlier. I hated being the villain in what I despised most, but the points made it worthwhile.
"Every three days, team battles. Get beaten, broken, and realize your incompetence."
With that, she dismissed us quietly and headed to the main building, ending class.
"Ow... my back..."
Pain lanced through my back, beaten by divine power. As I rose, I spotted Clana shuffling off, shoulders slumped, face dark.
A bit worried, I trailed her discreetly. She headed to the academy's rear garden.
"Kania, can you cast stealth?"
"...Following her?"
"Yeah, she looks really down."
Kania, now beside me, cloaked us. Trailing her, familiar faces appeared.
"First prince, first and second princesses... All the empire's 'suns' gathered? Blinding."
"...If that's the empire's sun, we'll have eternal night."
Kania snarked, but she wasn't wrong. The imperial family was trash except Clana.
The emperor was incompetent—not cruel, but indecisive, watching the empire crumble.
The empress was the villainess. She'd stolen the emperor's heart from Clana's mother, schemed her out, and took the seat. Real power lay with her, pushing late-born Clana to the succession bottom.
In Sunrise Empire, the emperor's word was law, but his weakness allowed it.
The first prince and princesses exploited it, bullying Clana. That explained her expression.
"...Clana, heard you've been up to fun lately?"
"Cheeky bitch... Think you're somebody?"
"Eek..."
Sure enough, the princesses prodded her chest coldly.
"You keep showing off... embarrassing the imperial family."
"I'm sorry."
"Whatever. Find a partner at the upcoming ball and reflect for a while."
".........."
She bit her lip. In past loops, she'd secured allies before the engagement and flipped the court. But with the ball accelerated, she hadn't yet.
Skipping key events for the auction must've enraged the empress.
"...Tch."
After tormenting her, the princesses left. The silent first prince finally spoke.
"...Useless bitch."
He followed them out.
".........."
Clana stood dazed in the garden, then wandered off forlornly.
"...Meow."
From a crack in the building she reached, kittens peeked out, spotted her, and rubbed against her feet. She stroked them sadly.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, I sighed softly.
"...Gotta help the princess a bit."
"Pardon?"
Kania frowned, but I continued calmly.
"I've got you... She's got nothing but cats."
"...You've been close with Perloché lately."
"Can't be openly friendly given our positions."
"You were pretty open..."
"Anyway, she needs help."
I stated firmly. Kania sighed and asked.
"...How do you plan to help?"
"Got it covered. Don't worry."
"...Of course."
She muttered unintentionally, then panicked.
"Sorry, Young Master. I misspoke..."
"Pfft..."
Her slip-up cracked me up. Suddenly, something burst out in front of us.
"......!"
We froze, but it was a kitten staring with big eyes. We sighed in relief.
"...Oh my, why'd you run over there so suddenly?"
Clana's voice from right ahead froze us again. Stealth hid presence somewhat, but up close? Busted.
Fine for me alone, but Kania was...
"Eek!"
Suddenly, Kania hugged me tight, clamped my hand over her mouth, and rolled into the grass.
Confused, covered in grass and dirt rolling with her, Clana parted the bushes, picked up the kitten—and spotted us. Horror dawned on her face.
"Y-You two!! What are you doing here?!"
"Mmph! Mmmph!!"
Kania whimpered muffled sobs. Clana pieced it together, face icing over. Solar Mana gathered on her finger, aimed at me.
"Frey Raon Starlight, get off her now."
"...Tch."
Fearing a headshot of Solar Mana, I shoved Kania away and grumbled.
"...Acting all princessy, giving orders."
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing, 'Princess'."
Sassing her fiery glare, I glanced at prone Kania.
"...You always come so obediently—why fight it?"
"...Ugh."
She turned away ashamed. Golden aura flared around Clana.
"...You'd better think carefully. Touching me, acting head of Starlight, when your position's shaky?"
"Fine, just go already."
Unyielding to my jabs, she advanced, aura blazing. One hit from her, and I'd never wake up. I bolted from the garden.
"Oh, right—I got a ball invite. Picking a fiancé there?"
Safety secured, I stopped and faced her golden aura.
"So, who're you picking?"
"None of your business."
"From what I hear... all candidates are empire-famous trash. Whoever you pick... rough road ahead."
"...Shut up."
"Better me than those losers, no?"
"Frey Raon Starlight, no fear of blasphemy?"
She hit her rage limit. I smirked and dropped the parting shot.
"See you at the ball, 'Third' Princess."
Ignoring the scorching Solar Mana behind me, I hurried to the main building, then halted at the floating window.
Villainy Points +300pt acquired! (Foreshadowing)
I tilted my head at the mystery.
"...Who writes these messages next to the acquisition log?"
Probably unsolvable. Shaking my head, I hurried on.
Looks like Serena would kill me soon—or at least smack my back raw.
......
"...Caw."
"Ah, you're here."
Meanwhile, in an unknown space. A girl lounged bored on an ornate throne high up. An emerald-eyed crow flew in through an open window; she glared.
"Caw! Caaaw!"
"...Speak human. I understand, but it's grating."
"Understood, Demon King."
The girl dubbed 'Demon King' chuckled wryly.
"Not awakened yet—what Demon King? Call me successor."
"...But you are the demons' last hope. We believe you'll bring the destruction we've awaited..."
"...Enough, you're so wordy. Are all demons like you?"
The crow shut up at her rebuke, gauged her mood, then spoke.
"...A report."
"Speak."
"About the recent Succubus Queen and Yukarius deaths..."
"Enough. Drop it."
As she grimaced impatiently, the crow grew urgent.
"But... this is important..."
"I said drop it."
"........."
Desperate to continue, it bowed hastily as she flared menacing aura.
"...One question."
"Ask away."
She eyed it pitifully, lifted her chin intrigued.
"If there's a Demon King, there must be a hero, right?"
"That's..."
As it hesitated, she waved it off with a sly smile.
"Never mind. I think I know the answer."
A translucent window visible only to her floated before her eyes.