An Unwelcome Summons
My optimistic thought that I could relax for a few days was cruelly shattered in an instant.
“Freshman Luna Adel, please report to the dorm supervisor’s office by 09:00.”
The announcement echoed through the dormitory just as Neria and I finished breakfast in the adjacent cafeteria and returned to our room to unpack. “Luna Adel” was the alias I used here. Why were they suddenly looking for me?
Neria glanced at me with an anxious expression, clearly worried I might have done something wrong.
“I’ll be right back.”
“O-okay.”
Neria gave a small wave as I changed into suitable outdoor clothes and stepped out.
The dormitory was divided by year. The third floor housed first-years, the second floor second-years, and the first floor third-years. The third floor felt safe to wander, but with each descending level my body grew tense on its own.
Third-year seniors in training uniforms lingered in the first-floor hallway. They stared at me as though I were some curious animal. While I carefully made my way toward the supervisor’s office, three seniors with mischievous grins whistled at me.
“Whew. Aren’t you a pretty one, little sister?”
“Want to grab some cocoa with us over there?”
“Wahaha, fanfare!”
…What on earth was wrong with these lunatics? Even with a man’s mind, I found them intimidating. If Ruwina—the sheltered princess—had been in my place, she probably would have frozen in fear.
Just as I was about to explain that the broadcast had called for me, one of the seniors suddenly collapsed, clutching her head.
“Ack!”
The other two recoiled in shock at the sight of the newcomer.
“Damn it, who— Chairwoman?”
“Milena. Instead of setting a good example for the freshman, what kind of disgraceful behavior is this?”
The woman who stepped between us was a slender beauty wearing glasses. She looked vaguely familiar; I must have seen her in the original novel. Unlike the others in training gear, she wore a neat uniform. Folding her arms, she pushed her glasses up.
“Apologize to this junior at once.”
Milena scratched the back of her head awkwardly and muttered, “Sorry for the joke. No ill intent.”
“I-it’s fine.”
Once I accepted the apology, Milena relaxed and grinned. “Don’t take it too personally. It’s just something we do to every eye-catching freshman.”
“That’s called a bad habit. We should have ended it in our year, but certain people refuse to cooperate.”
At the chairwoman’s sharp glare, Milena and her friends flinched and quietly slipped away. The chairwoman turned to me with a haughty “Hmph,” looking effortlessly cool.
“Were you planning to go out this early, junior? The exit is the other way.”
A first-year who should have stayed quietly on the third floor wandering the first floor in proper attire must have looked suspicious. The supervisor’s office was a little distance from the entrance, so my route had drawn attention.
“The dorm supervisor called for me over the broadcast just now.”
“Ah! So you’re the rumored Miss Luna. Do you know where the office is?”
Rumored? What rumors were going around? A bead of cold sweat ran down my back, and I pretended not to hear.
“Yes, I know the way.”
Yesterday, while carrying Neria in a princess carry, the dorm supervisor had caught us at the entrance. I had been dragged to the office, forced to explain, and personally assigned a room. The other freshmen had apparently received their room assignments right at the entrance.
The chairwoman nodded and stepped back. “Don’t be late. I’ll be looking forward to your future performance.”
“Thank you.”
I had no idea what she expected from me. I was just a brand-new freshman who had arrived yesterday. The mention of rumors and the way she spoke as if she already knew my name left me uneasy. I really hoped nothing troublesome would come of it.
*
Besides the young dorm supervisor I had met yesterday, several other faculty members were gathered in the office. Among them was a face I recognized from the original novel—the teacher who frequently scolded the arrogant yet popular protagonist, Rendel. He was probably in charge of student guidance.
The moment I saw the faculty, my mind raced. Had I done something wrong without realizing it? Getting caught carrying Neria had ended with just a scolding from the supervisor, hadn’t it? Or had they discovered my true identity? But that matter had already been discussed with someone high up in the academy…
Just as dizziness threatened to overwhelm me, the guidance teacher spoke.
“Luna Adel, correct?”
“Yes? Ah, yes.”
My awkwardly bowed back straightened automatically into attention.
The teacher scanned the documents in his hand and recited “Luna’s” personal information.
“From Shutor. No military family members. Parents currently abroad on business. Excellent grades. Well, that much is expected.”
He set the papers on the desk and fixed me with a penetrating gaze.
“The instructors say you’re the most soldier-like freshman in years. Were you always interested in the military?”
Of course I was. Even if I had been dragged there against my will, I had spent over a year in the army. I couldn’t exactly say “I’m a discharged female high-school soldier,” so I gave a vague reply.
“Would I have come to a military academy otherwise?”
“Hmph. These days kids come even without interest, as long as they’re ordered to.”
After grumbling to himself, he flipped through the documents once more and made an offer.
“Would you like to serve as the freshman representative, at least until the entrance ceremony?”
“Excuse me? Representative…?”
I had stepped forward out of frustration, but I had no desire to stand out. I needed to focus entirely on returning the protagonist to his original path and preparing for the future. When I hesitated, the dorm supervisor spoke up.
“It’s a meaningful and honorable position. You could even become the year representative, which would practically guarantee a fast track to success before graduation.”
The offer held no appeal for Ruwina, a foreign royal who would never join Alitus’s military. My expression must have shown my reluctance, because another teacher tried to persuade me.
“If being year representative feels like too much, we could recommend you for the student council. The name of the Aindium Military Academy Student Council carries weight. It would also help you build connections within the military.”
Connections and success meant nothing to me. Line had strictly warned me not to reveal my identity, so I couldn’t explain. I needed an excuse to refuse.
Then I remembered Line’s advice: if anything troublesome happened—especially anything related to my true identity—I should go to the principal. If I let the teachers push this and the principal had to intervene later, it would only cause problems. Since they were trying to be considerate and ignorance wasn’t a crime in this case, it would be better to have them ask the principal directly.
I approached the guidance teacher, who seemed to hold the highest rank, and whispered, “Does the principal know about this matter?”
“W-what? The principal?”
He looked slightly flustered. This was a military academy, after all; even the teachers held ranks. The man before me and the principal both had military ranks on top of their authority as educators. The principal’s influence here was immense.
I decided to borrow a little of that authority to make this go away.
“I believe he’ll have something to say about it.”
A bead of sweat rolled down the guidance teacher’s partially balding head. Was the room too warm? Out of habit from Ruwina’s gentle nature, I reflexively pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead before smiling.
“Thank you for the offer, but it feels like too much of a burden for me. I’m sure there are students better suited for it.”
I bowed to the thoughtful guidance teacher, then curtsied to the other faculty members, instinctively lifting the hem of my skirt.
“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
*
The door clicked shut, and the office fell into a brief silence. The freshman who had seemed like a model soldier now felt like an unknown entity. She had casually rejected an offer that bordered on special treatment, calmly attempted to intimidate the intimidating guidance teacher, and even hinted at a personal connection to the monstrous principal. Everyone present vaguely realized that the ordinary student listed in the documents was nothing more than a smokescreen.
Lieutenant Colonel Bernard, in charge of student guidance, shot to his feet and left the room. The female dorm supervisor, once his student, saw both trembling and fear in her former teacher’s eyes.
“Sir? Where are you going?”
“The principal’s office.”
His reply carried the solemn weight of a soldier heading into battle. None of the other faculty dared follow.
An hour later, Bernard returned to the office with unfocused eyes and wildly disheveled hair. He collapsed onto the sofa with a weary expression.
“W-well? How did it go?”
“Haa… From now on, don’t ask or request anything from Luna Adel.”
“Excuse me? Does that mean we should treat her as an exception altogether?”
“No!”
Bernard’s sudden outburst startled even himself. He cleared his throat.
“Teach her to the best of your ability and support her within reasonable limits if she wants anything. I won’t go so far as to say treat her differently from the other students outright, but never neglect her.”
The faculty members present understood that Luna Adel was someone special—someone who belonged not on a blacklist, but on a VIP list.