I MADE MY WAY to the aircraft hangar to ready myself for the race. I held my
helmet in my hands, conversing with Luxion, who had linked up with my bike.
"Are you absolutely certain your duke patron expects such extreme action
from you?" he asked. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were one of
Angelica's followers. I suppose the role suits an ordinary background character
like yourself, doesn't it?"
Thanks, you passive-aggressive little robo-jerk. The nerve, using my own words
against me.
In truth, I'd be better likened to a background prop. For one, I lacked the
outstanding good looks of Prince Julius and the other love interests. By
comparison, I had ordinary black hair, ordinary black eyes, and was an ordinary
boy. I didn't hate that about myself, though. Ordinary? Sounds perfect to me.
Being ordinary ruled.
"Frankly, I'd love to fade into the scenery a bit more. So, alas, villainess
minion is too big a role for me, and I must graciously decline. Anyway, how's it
look? Think you can do it?"
A long cord extended from Luxion's spherical body to the airbike, which
allowed him to reengineer my ride. Someone had clearly already messed with
it.
"Ten more minutes and it should be fine. Someone intended sabotage. They
tampered with the engine."
I sighed. "These guys really do hate me, don't they?"
Not that I could blame them; I'd earned the enmity of a healthy portion of the
student body with that one duel alone.
"Oh, yes, absolutely, the entire school despises you. You should treasure
those two girls who tolerate you so well. If you won't see them as potential
marriage partners, at least consider them friends."
"Friends, hm?"
"Outside of Daniel and Raymond, the only ones you have. You ought to take
better care of them."
I paused to reflect. Originally, the protagonist and the villainess should never
have bonded at all. For a number of basic, obvious reasons, I'd figured true
friendship impossible for them to reach, yet they'd grown strangely close.
"I just have to make sure none of us start catching feelings," I said. "Smooth
sailing, no waves, no wind, just drifting—that's what I want. Especially when it
comes to those two."
"Neither of them interests you? Not in the slightest?"
"I mean, you know, those two are—"
A third-year student interrupted our whispered conversation when he made
his way over to me—a tall guy, his hair cropped short, and top it all off,
completely ripped. Like, this guy definitely worked out. Thick, corded neck
muscles bulged when he looked me up and down. I recognized him as one of
the top contenders, i.e., the number one bet for the ultimate victor, in fact.
"So you're replacing Jilk, huh?" he asked. I didn't sense much hostility.
"Well, if it isn't the number one pick," I said. "Need something? I'm a bit busy,
so maybe we could talk later? Got some troubles with the engine."
I stepped in front of my bike, keeping Luxion hidden behind me. This guy was
a follower of Clarice, so I couldn't be too careful.
The guy seemed surprisingly relaxed. "You already know about me, then?
That saves me the trouble of having to warn you. Although, I never dreamed
the shovel dude would take Jilk's place. Kinda makes this whole thing more
difficult."
Shovel dude? I suppose I had, in fact, used a shovel in that duel with the
prince and the other high lords.
"Fancy nickname, thanks."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh and turned serious. "I wanted to apologize
ahead of time. I've got nothing against you, but I'm going to crush you during
the next race. I mean it."
What a refreshingly straightforward declaration of war! Although if he was
bothering to apologize, maybe he could just refrain from beating on me in the
first place? I didn't love pain.
"What, are you really feeling like a heel?" I asked. "Miss Clarice blackmailing
you or something?"
"No!" His indignation caught me off guard, and he quickly apologized. "My
bad, sorry, don't mean to yell…"
He cleared his throat, glanced both ways, and got close to explain himself.
"My family is court nobility, but we're at the low end of the table, so to speak. I
have no court ranking and I'm not the heir either."
In other words, this follower was part of the general class.
"Despite my position, the miss is kind to me. When she realized my talent for
airbike riding, she financed my training. Thanks to her, after I graduate, I'll be
able to ride for a living." He placed a hand on one of the nearby bikes, smiling,
but with a tinge of sadness. "She really is kind. We all looked up to her. So many
of the other girls are just awful. Hearing their followers complain about them,
we always felt lucky."
I kept quiet and listened as he continued.
"The miss has an airbike track at her house. I've never lacked for practice
because I could go there whenever I wanted. She even hired a coach and sent
airbikes to that ex of hers. She always smiled and cheered for him. Kind of hard
to watch, but I was happy for her. Then that bastard had the nerve to break off
their engagement. She tried to meet with him, persuade him to see sense, but
he refused to even see her."
Well, I couldn't blame either this guy or Clarice for taking issue with that. Jilk
deserved to have the crap kicked out of him. I wouldn't get in their way.
Have at it, even! Just leave me out of it.
"Then can't you let me go?" I asked.
"Sorry. I feel for you, but the miss's orders are absolute. And this one we
swore to carry out by whatever means necessary. Even if it cost us our lives."
Talk about insane determination. Clarice had inspired a profound level of
devotion.
"I heard what happened in the medical office," he said. "I'm sure it's asking
too much, but I hope you won't think too badly of her. She changed so much
over the summer. Started dragging around slaves and partying all night. She
wasn't like that before."
Slaves and partying? Enh. Tons of academy girls got deep into both of those,
my older sister chief among them. I was maybe too desensitized to be fazed.
Crap, it's terminal now. This cancerous otome game world has taken root in
my brain.
I got frustrated for a moment there, but my knee-jerk reaction to this man's
lament was still: Who cares? That's normal!
"So what, are you telling me this because you hope I'll go easy on you?" I
teased.
He laughed. "No such luck, huh? Well, I figured you wouldn't care much for
my circumstances. That's fine. Think of it as me talking to myself. You can forget
I said anything."
I watched as he left, then plopped myself down on the airbike seat. Slipping
the helmet over my head, I snapped the chinstrap in place.
"Modifications complete," Luxion announced.
"Great."
"Master, do you really intend to pursue the championship even after hearing
him out?"
"Of course. Sucks for them, but I bet a lot of money on my victory."
As for the fuss I'd kicked up by taking Jilk's place…? Well, suffice to say that
the moment the student body knew I'd been bequeathed an airbike by the
school, they were confident in my inevitable loss. What's more, compared to
the rest of the lineup, I underwhelmed as an athlete. In other words, I was,
once again, the underdog.
"Are you trying to tell me you need the money?" asked Luxion. "You don't, of
course, with me at your side. With me, you won't want for anything for the rest
of your life."
You idiot. You can't get me a fiancée, now, can you?! You really are a
worthless robot.
Also, honestly, I just wanted to win. I loved winning.
And one more thing…
"What can I say—I want to see their horrified faces when I cross the finish line
first. That is what I'm looking forward to. The bet is icing on the cake; it's not
my primary motive."
"Once again you prove yourself a superior specimen of the human species,
Master. Granted, it's unconscionably pathetic that you have to rely on my
power to win, but you have such thick skin that your helplessness doesn't
bother you in the least. Truly, I aspire to be more like you."
You little jerk. Do you have to be so hateful?
***
The moment before the race started, the bikes charged out to line up.
Hovering through the air on one of these machines felt—well, assuming you
didn't look down—refreshing. Pleasant, even.
The audience broke out into cheers as they watched from the stands. Their
excitement felt out of place to me, given that all the participants surrounding
me practically vibrated with open hostility.
"Heya, I was waiting for you to show up," one of them said. "I'm gonna pay
you back for what you did to me."
Sorry, who are you again?
The guy looked like a second-year, but I didn't remember his face at all. When
I ignored his challenge, he slammed his bike into mine.
"Don't you ignore me! You first-year half-pint!"
I snorted. "Like I bother keeping tabs on every single one of you numbnuts.
Go on, remind me who you are. I'll relay that info straight to the duke. Well?
Don't be a coward, say your name!"
Bringing up my cozy relationship with Duke Redgrave forced them to back
down. So if that made me a rabbit cowering behind a lion, who cared?! I
enjoyed it.
The guy clicked his tongue and swerved away from me.
All the participants lined up their bikes behind a ribbon of fabric stretched
across the starting line. Obstacles peppered the course spanning out in front of
us.
"The same smart mouth as ever, I see," Luxion said into my ear.
"I am such a serious and upstanding student. Why does trouble always have
to fall into my lap? Gimme a break."
"It's your own fault. Really, it's enough to make me suspect you secretly enjoy
the limelight. At any rate, pay attention. The race is about to begin."
As I peered ahead, the referee stepped out with a rifle in hand, aiming it at
the sky. He pulled the trigger. All the bikes shot forward.
To my chagrin, I failed to join the people at the front of the pack.
"They have you perfectly surrounded," Luxion observed.
"Scheisse!"
"Really? German? I thought you said you were Japanese in your previous life.
Why this?"
"For the hell of it!"
From the moment the race began, the other racers boxed me in to attack.
They slammed their bikes into mine and kicked me at every opportunity.
You rotten jerks!
"Eat this, lowlife!"
"It's your fault I'm in debt!"
"I'm gonna knock you off!"
Their resentment just fueled me. "Don't blame me for your mistakes, you
morons! I'm gonna knock you off!"
I kicked back at them, and Luxion sighed in exasperation.
"This is rather pathetic, isn't it? The feeble-minded fighting amongst
themselves…"
Attacks rained down on me from all sides, and I was forced to endure as my
assailants continued to block the path ahead.
"Ouch! Who threw that?! I hope you're prepared for payback!"
***
Students gathered in one of the luxury lounges overlooking the arena,
watching the race.
"Get him!"
"Yeah, that's it! Beat 'im until he's unrecognizable!"
"Come on, you guys are going too easy on the jerk!"
They all radiated glee as they cheered on the racers harassing Leon.
Angie massaged her temples, a headache coming on. "I understand we feared
stopping him would only stoke the other students' resentment. And I know we
agreed it would be best to let them vent some of their anger… But they're piling
on even worse than I expected."
Tears welled in Livia's eyes. "My heart hurts for him. He's not nearly as bad as
they…um, I mean…"
Trying to defend Leon inevitably left one coming up short, so Angie tried to
comfort her. "It's all right. We know he has his faults. Even if we're his only
supporters, let's keep cheering for him. Although it is a bit ironic that Clarice's
people can't even reach him…"
One might have thought Clarice's group had targeted Leon first, but
numerous other participants had seen the race as an opportunity to exercise
their own grudges and beaten them to the punch. They had Leon surrounded
and now attacked him relentlessly. Clarice's followers hovered nearby in
confusion, hesitant to throw themselves into the fray.
Thus far, Leon had managed to avoid any life-threatening injuries, but
watching the tussle strained Angie's nerves. She clenched her fingers in
frustration when the daughter of Earl Offrey—Leon's problem customer from a
few days prior—showed her face beside her and Livia. Although dark circles
showed under the Offrey girl's eyes, a smile graced her lips as she gazed
through the glass.
"Goodness, your little minion has so many enemies."
"He isn't my minion," said Angie stiffly.
"Like I care. He's one of your companions, is he not? Do you have any idea
how much trouble my house gave me for that stunt you pulled?"
A rebuke the Offrey girl had more than earned, given she'd directed her
servants to move on the queen. Angie noted that neither the girl nor her
followers seemed to have any servants on hand at all. Well, then.
Angie snorted. "If you want something to resent, consider your own
ignorance."
The girl's eyes narrowed, and she grabbed for Angie.
Livia cut between them. "Please keep your hands to yourself!"
"Livia…" Angie murmured, relieved by her friend's support.
The Offrey girl was less impressed, her eyes now fine slits. "How dare you
intervene, you dreadful little commoner."
Livia flinched. "Uh, but, I…"
Now it was Angie's turn to step protectively in front of Livia.
The Offrey girl smiled darkly. "You really have changed, Angelica. Have you
grown so weak since your followers turned on you? In the past, you never
would have glanced twice at a mealworm like her. Don't tell me your pride has
fallen so far you'd cling to this…creature now? What an odd one you've proven
—you never would have dreamed of speaking to such trash before. Or maybe
your house has fallen into such disfavor that no one but the peasants pays you
any mind, hm?"
"No!" Angie scowled at the Offrey girl but tore her eyes away. Livia mattered
more than her. And Angie needed to tell Livia that this vitriol, these claims—
they were all just a misunderstanding. But when she opened her mouth to say
as much, the words seemed to stick to her tongue. "Livia, this isn't… I…"
Angie couldn't get out what she wanted to say. The problem was that
everything the Offrey girl said about Angie's former self was frightfully true—
and it shamed her terribly. In the end, all she could do was avert her gaze from
the trembling Livia.
Livia, stiff and teary-eyed, turned on her heel and fled.
Angie stretched a hand out to stop her, but too late. She watched, frozen, as
Livia disappeared out the door.
"Ah…!" At first, Angie moved as if to chase Livia, but her feet wouldn't move.
She dropped her hand. Do I even have the right to go after her?
The daily life of a duke's daughter differed from the lives of even other nobles
like Leon. Angie had never set foot in a field, not until this summer. She had
never interacted with commoners, and never would have, had she not met Livia
and been invited to Leon's home. The Angie of the past had thought so little of
people she had not known.
"Aw, too bad, she ran off," the Offrey girl simpered mockingly. "Looks like the
only friend you had left abandoned you, too."
Angie glared daggers at the girl. "What would you know?"
"Excuse me?" the girl asked with a blithe smile.
Angie whipped her hand across the girl's face. The dry slap echoed through
the lounge.
The Offrey girl clutched her cheek. "Now…now you've done it!"
"Done what? I haven't the time to notice what comes of a nobody like you,"
Angie said.
The girl lunged, but Angie shoved her back. The sounds of panic rose in the
lounge, other students yelping and shrieking.
Angie didn't hear. The Offrey girl wouldn't back down. So Angie grabbed her
opponent's collar and slammed a fist into the girl's cheek.
"What do you know about me?!" Angie snarled. "I'll crush you. I'll pound you
into dust with these two fists!"
The Offrey girl clawed at Angie's hair. "You're finished, you wench! You think
you can win? Your house will lose this war! You're done!"
The lounge soon devolved into uproar.
***
As we entered the last leg of the race, the other participants finally started
darting away from me so they could land themselves a decent spot at the finish
line.
"That's good enough, I guess, right?" one called.
"After taking that beating, I'd like to see him finish, let alone put up a fight,"
said another.
"Yeah, see ya, loser!"
I watched the douchecanoes ride off, then gripped my handlebars tighter and
threw my throttle wide open. The vibration of my accelerating engine thrilled
me. I had a busted bike and a cracked helmet, but my heart was whole.
Too bad for you, jerknuggets! Shoulda finished me off if you wanted to win.
"We can do this, right, Luxion?"
"Ready when you are. However, I do find it odd that the referee ignored such
transparent foul play. Was that not what you humans consider assault?"
I shrugged. "My bad. I should've paid the referee to help me out."
"You really do come up with the most loathsome ideas. Although, I suppose
he was already bribed to ignore your plight, so he no doubt would have
demanded an even larger sum before agreeing to aid you."
"Like that would've been a problem. I have more money than I know what to
do with! At least now I won't feel bad about cheating."
As I increased my speed, I spotted the group that had boxed me in earlier.
Despite how well they'd coordinated against me, they were battling it out with
one another now.
My airbike drove smoothly thanks to Luxion's autopilot assistance. Even with
my meager skills, I had no trouble pulling ahead, and I slipped right past them.
"You bastard!" they shouted after me, dismayed.
I waved back at them. "Thanks for tripping each other up. Last place suits you.
Keep butting heads and eat my dust!"
I raced toward the leaders of the pack—Clarice's cronies. Unlike everyone
else, they had a strong sense of camaraderie, and they were willing to split the
win with each other, so no one prioritized himself over the rest.
"You're moving fast, as I anticipated," said Luxion.
"Can we catch them?"
"Don't make me laugh. It won't take more than a minute for us to pass them
completely."
The engine pushed itself to its limit, and the whole machine rattled as it
careened forward. I clung to the handlebars, able to do nothing but hang on for
dear life as I trusted Luxion to handle the actual driving.
"Master, the load transfer is causing mild drag. Allow me to be frank—you're
deadweight."
"You're the one who screwed with the system, and now it's shaking like crazy!
And don't call me deadweight! You'll make me cry." I shifted my body in the
effort to help the weight distribution, striving to match the bike's movements.
Soon enough, we had passed several of the top competitors.
The crowd broke into an uproar. Even the announcer's voice raised in octaves
of shock. "Unbelievable! Bartfort's battling it out at the front for the
championship. How is something like this even possible? Could he have illegally
enhanced his bike?!"
Did the thought of me winning bother them that much?
"I see how it is. In that case, now I have to win no matter what it takes," I said
through gritted teeth. I can't wait to see the tears in all your eyes.
As I passed the person in third place, the person in second blocked the way. "I
won't let you pass!"
I cackled. "Aw, buddy, I'm passing whether you like it or not!"
I moved with the bike as I spun past him into second place.
Now only one guy raced ahead of me—the third-year I'd spoken to in the
garage.
I shifted to the outside lane to try to pass him, and as I did so, he showed no
sign of engaging in any kind of dirty trick to slip me up. Instead, he seemed
content to duke it out fairly on the final stretch. I hadn't thought he looked like
the type to go sneaky, and apparently I was right.
"Sorry about this," I muttered.
At Luxion's command, flames spewed from my airbike's muffler. Even I was
terrified by the intensity of the speed that suddenly propelled us forward. In
that nightmarish moment, I swore I would never ride an airbike ever again.
Fortunately, we pulled out just far enough in front of our opponent to snag
the win.
I'm the victor! I thought gleefully as we sailed across the finish line.
I eased my bike to a stop before yanking off my helmet so I could grin and
wave at the stands. "I won, you guys! Sorry not sorry!"
The audience roared back at me.
"You again?!"
"Give me back my money!"
"You disaster! You harbinger!"
Urged on by their "support," I continued waving. The bitterness on their faces
was the greatest reward I could have asked for.
"Master?" Luxion cut in.
"Pipe down, I'm living the dream."
"As much as I would love to 'pipe down,' the engine is at its limit."
"Huh?" I glanced back to find white smoke billowing out of the bike.
"Nooo!" I shrieked, and I snatched up Luxion as I leaped off the bike. Well,
that explains why my back felt so hot.
Fortunately, the third-year who'd come in second caught me in his arms
before I fell through the sky to a deadly end.
I was so grateful I almost wanted to cry. "You saved me!"
He gave a strained smile. "It's nothing. Honestly…I can't say I regret how your
duel ended. Think of this as my thanks. Also, to tell you the truth, you made a
good bet."
Huh, guess he hated Jilk enough to bet on my win back then.
***
After that surprising show of gratitude from Clarice's follower, I made my way
—prize money in hand—back to the medical office where Jilk was laid up.
I was in the rarest of unbelievably good moods. Normally I only felt this
invigorated when I beat my sister in some way, usually an argument, so I had to
savor it.
"See? I won," I said, waving my winnings about with a grin. "I hope you
haven't forgotten your promise, Jilk, old buddy, old pal."
He sighed softly. "Yes, a promise is a promise. Order me as you like. As long as
it's within my capabilities, I will fulfill whatever task you ask of me."
The fact that he qualified his statement was proof of his fundamentally
conniving mind. Not going to promise me something that can't physically be
done? Come on, you slimeball! Show a little backbone, you garbage excuse for
romantic fantasy dude.
"Well? What do you want from him? Naked handstand?" Kyle asked, arms
folded behind his head—a little too familiar for my liking.
You know I'm a baron, right? Where's my due courtesy?!
"Are you a moron?" I scoffed. "What's a handstand going to do for me? Hold
on, wait a minute. Having him strip naked for girls might not be so bad. I could
cash in on that."
Marie thrust her finger toward me. "Are you that desperate for coin? You
money-grubber!"
"Look in the mirror! You're way worse than I am!"
"Whatever. Give me the prize money!"
She really is annoying as hell.
Sure, maybe it was thanks to Jilk that I'd had the opportunity to participate in
the final race in the first place, but it would have been far more fair to split the
prize. But, you know, a deal's a deal. "Fine. Take it."
She eyed me warily. "Y-you're being awfully accommodating."
"Accommodating is my middle name."
The moment I held out the bag of three hundred thousand dia, Marie flew
forward and snatched it up. But her eyes were soon drawn away from the bag
and to the platinum coin I danced between my fingers, like I was purposefully
showing it off.
"A platinum coin? Y-you're just carrying that around?" she asked.
"Why not? Earned enough of 'em gambling today. I bet a ton on myself, and
since I was the underdog, I raked in the cash."
As it dawned on her that I had no doubt won an amount that far exceeded
the measly three hundred thousand dia I'd just handed over, her entire body
trembled. Queen Money-Grubber over here was overcome with envy.
"Ch-cheater! That's totally unfair! I can't believe you bet on yourself!"
I shrugged. "Tell that to my new fortune. Ah, well, you lot can enjoy this
pittance."
For a few moments, we just glared at each other, Marie grinding her teeth in
frustration, stewing in rage as I leered. This girl really was too easy to read.
Suddenly, Jilk lurched out of bed.
Hey, wait, should he really be on his feet in his state?
"Very well," he croaked. "If a naked handstand is what it will take to satisfy
you, then I—"
"You nitwit," I snapped, tearing my gaze away from the useless brat in front
of me. "If I made you do something like that, Livia and Angie would never let me
hear the end of it. Obviously I'm going to give you an order that's more, you
know, whatever! Real! Wait, actually, I need a favor."
Jilk eyed me cautiously. "What 'favor'?"
What, you don't trust me?
***
An air of melancholy hung over the academy in the wake of the festival.
People disassembled the stalls in the courtyard and carried various tools and
instruments back to their homes. As the three-day event came to a close, it felt
like a better chapter in my life was finally drawing to an end.
In our café, I put away the chairs and tables we'd borrowed for the festival.
Jilk stood there as well, along with Clarice and her followers. Jilk still wore a
patient's gown, and bandages wound around his head and arms. He looked
rather pathetic as he stood in front of Clarice.
As for the favor…
"I am sorry for everything that happened."
I'd asked him to apologize to Clarice.
Incidentally, I also had him do the same to my older sister, Jenna, on our way
here, but I only did that because we happened to pass her. This was my true
objective.
Tears welled in Clarice's eyes. "After all this time, after all of that…you're a
little late! I waited for you! Did you really think you could undo everything we
had with one measly letter?"
She was livid, and understandably so. Jilk had a lot more reflecting to do.
"It would have been…inconsiderate of me to marry you when I was in love
with another woman," he said. "I don't like lying…or rather, I couldn't stand the
thought of lying to you. Clarice, I have feelings for someone else."
She took a step toward him and whipped her hand across his face. The slap
echoed pleasantly.
Again! Do it again, Miss Clarice!
Jilk did nothing to defend himself. He intended to accept whatever she threw
at him. I admired that resolution a bit, but I wished he'd put that quality to
better use.
"Lie? What are you even talking about?" Clarice snapped. "You let her seduce
you! You want her so bad you're willing to throw me away? Why her?! Just
explain why…why it couldn't be me."
"I'm not even sure myself. All I know is I fell for her, completely. That's why I
was hesitant to see you after."
It was a terrible excuse, yet his handsome looks made the words sound more
compelling and beautiful than they really were. From where I stood, it looked
like he hadn't wanted to meet her because he'd known he was in trouble.
With my face, if I tried the same excuse, people would sneer and say, What
the hell is wrong with you?
What kind of excuse would I use if I were in his place? Well, I wouldn't cheat,
to start. In this world, men who committed adultery were flayed alive—verbally
and mentally.
If a woman did the same thing, people's response was more like That's a nono!
(To put it in Olivia terms.) And that would be it.
This world really was ludicrous.
Clarice balled her hands. "You think you can play this off? Jilk, you're always
like this! You never tell me how you really feel. Never! Are you going to fake
your way through an apology this time, too? Just so you can run away?"
"This is honestly how I feel. I have no right to even look at you, and I knew I
would only hurt you when we met. I wanted you to get to keep your good
memories of me intact and let things go."
Jilk being a love interest didn't make him flawless. In the game, his biggest
problem was his inability to discuss his real thoughts and feelings. He always
smiled, never articulating his likes or dislikes—and when he faced something he
didn't like, he ran away from it. Real pain in the ass, let me tell you. He always
justified his behavior by saying he just did what he had to "for the prince." I
wondered if that came into play here, too.
Regardless, Clarice was your fiancée. You could at least apologize like you
mean it!
Clarice's followers looked ready to whip out their fists and pummel an invalid.
I worried I'd have to step in, but…
Clarice scoffed. "Whatever. Fine, then."
"My lady?" That one third-year guy glanced at her worriedly.
She brushed her tears away. "It's not worth getting my hands dirty anymore.
Not for you. I refuse to stay involved with a man like you. We're strangers now.
Don't come near me ever again."
Whoa, there. Pretty impressive ultimatum, considering she started this mess.
Jilk bowed his head low. "Again, I apologize. And also…thank you, Clarice."
Clarice grit her teeth. "Don't act like we're friends! I don't even want to see
your face anymore!"
Jilk obeyed her wishes and slunk out of the room.
Uhhh… Wha? Did I just get left behind with the angry chick?
Tension hung thick in the air.
"Sorry for the trouble," the third-year from before suddenly said to me.
"No, it's, uh, fine…"
Clarice settled into a chair her followers had brought for her and sobbed.
Get me outta here! I shifted toward the door. "You know what, I think I'm
going home. I can read the room."
"No. Wait a minute."
I was very suddenly surrounded by Clarice's male followers, their heads
looming over me. For a second there, I was sure they were going to beat the
crap out of me, but I'll take that fact with me to the grave.
"Wh-what's up, fellas?!" I stuttered.
"No matter how many times we asked Jilk to meet with her, he refused us.
You have our thanks, Baron Bartfort. And we apologize for the impertinence we
showed you before!"
"We're sorry!"
It was just like being back in Japan, surrounded by a gang of upperclassmen
from a sports club as they bowed their head in apology to me.
This was…mildly terrifying. Yep, I had no idea what was going on, and I was
definitely scared!
As I puzzled over this display, I noticed a group of demi-human servants
standing a short distance away, staring at me. They had no such loyalty to their
mistress—they were only bound to her by a contract.
"If you're still upset with us, I don't mind if you take your pound of flesh. Hit
me, or anything. I'll do whatever you need me to do if you just leave the miss
out of it," said the third-year.
"You really think that'd satisfy me?" I smirked.
He chuckled. "If not, I'd have to take umbrage. I'll put my life on the line one
way or another, if I must."
This man was willing to forfeit his life for Clarice? It seemed like he'd really do
it, too, which was what unnerved me the most. I might have been a bit envious
of the loyalty she inspired.
However, the moment Clarice heard the third-year say that, she sprang to her
feet. "Wait a moment! You think I'd let you do that? The fault for this incident
lies with me. You all only followed my orders. That's all there was to it."
"But my lady—"
While they quibbled over who should take responsibility for the mess, I
sighed. "Your little act does inspire sympathy, but can you cut the theatrics? I'm
not interested in blaming anyone. That sounds like too much of a hassle. I hate
hassle."
"Y-you… That's…" the third-year stammered. "Well, all right, then. So you'll
forgive us?"
Why would I chase a grudge with Clarice? Jilk was the real culprit here as far
as I was concerned. If he'd shown a little consideration for Clarice to begin with,
none of this would have happened. He really was a problem child.
"Miss Clarice," I said, "enough moping. There're way more fish in the sea."
Clarice dropped her gaze and smiled weakly. "There's a kind person beneath
that twisted personality."
Luxion evidently felt the need to interject in my earpiece. "She's completely
misunderstood you. You're not twisted…you're warped beyond recognition."
I ignored his drivel; the only secondary concern I had room for was those
demi-human servants staring coldly at me from the other side of the room.
"I can't claim to understand how you feel," I said to Clarice, "but you're
causing other people trouble, so I'd appreciate it if you stopped."
"I will. Although it's a bit late to regain my reputation. I've already dallied a bit
far." There was a sadness to her smile, and behind her, one of the slaves
grinned meaningfully—like he had to rub it in. What a creep.
"Don't worry. You're a good woman. No one worth it is going to care about
this summer fling." I glared at her servants. "Although, I think you should do
something about these guys."
Said guys immediately lost their composure. No doubt Clarice had been a
great mistress for them—convenient, one might even say. Bet they all hated the
thought of losing her.
"You certainly have a way with words," Clarice mused. "Is that how you won
over Angelica?"
"I'm just honest. I call it like I see it."
The third-year snorted. "Sure you do."
Clarice gave a small nod. "Yes, I'll give it my best. I'm tired of living like this. It
was like…I knew nothing I did would draw Jilk's attention the way I wanted, but
I did it anyway. How silly of me."
Damn, Jilk, really? You had this girl who obviously cared for you so much she
went this far and you threw her over for Marie? Jeez. Numbskull.
That chick was nothing but trouble. As if she didn't already infuriate me, her
reverse harem lust had turned a kind, upstanding student like Clarice to the
dark side of slave-owning hedonism. And all that for a man who'd abandoned
her. Augh—why couldn't I win over a woman like that?!
To make matters worse, here I was, cleaning up Jilk's mess for him. Ugh, I
couldn't stand those losers. Honestly, I'd have nothing to do with Jilk if I could
help it, but he was one of the love interests. If I left his mess as it was, it would
likely cause further problems down the line, and that was the last thing I
needed. I had to keep getting involved for my own sake.
Plus, it was as the prince had said. Clarice would only have suffered if she'd
kept on like she had. I cared way more about her future than Jilk's.
Around then, she began tearing up again, so I started to retreat, sensing my
part was over. Besides, I was the one who wanted to cry. All my efforts today
had gotten me no closer on my own marriage quest. All I'd managed to do
during the festival was earn enough to build a mansion.
Wait. Wasn't that pretty amazing on its own? I made a killing!
Clarice cut in just as I headed out the door. "Oh, Leon? I think you should go
see Angie. I believe something happened between her and that scholarship
student while you were out there on the track."
Oh, no, what now?
***
I found Livia hiding in a corner behind the school.
"You look depressed," I said.
She glanced up at me, tears in her eyes, her smile pained. "Leon, I don't know
what to do."
I plopped down beside her. I'd already been to Angie's room and seen the
scrapes and bruises on her face, but she'd told me she wanted me to go see
Livia instead. And she'd looked so forlorn as she said it.
"Well, I completely suck at comforting people, but if that's all right with you,
I'll give it a try," I offered.
Livia shook her head.
"If you're sure."
"Leon, do you think Angie and I were friends? Or could we have been?"
I struggled with how to respond. Honestly, I'd kind of been waiting for
something like this to happen. "Would you prefer a sweet lie or the bitter
truth?"
"The bitter truth, please."
I would have selected the sweet lie, but Livia was stronger than me. I'd expect
no less from the protagonist—uh, Livia, rather.
"Well, perfect timing. I brought some sweet, hot drinks for us. It'll go perfectly
with the bitterness of reality."
Her lips pulled taut in a strained smile. "You really are an odd one."
Well, regular me did reincarnate into a weird dating sim. It's only natural that
I seem odd.
I passed her the drink, and Livia took a sip as I delivered my answer.
"Honestly, I think it'd be difficult for you two to become real friends.
Incredibly difficult. You were raised in completely different worlds, and you
have almost nothing in common. Frankly, it's a miracle things have been going
so well between you. Too well, in fact. Picture a farmer who spends every day
out in his field with his hoe. Now imagine you asked him to take up a sword and
go off to the battlefield—tomorrow. Do you think it would go well for him? It's
kinda the same thing here."
On a list of differences between these two, upbringing was only the first.
There were always exceptions to a rule, but for most people in this situation, an
odd-couple friendship just couldn't last.
Livia sobbed. "I was so happy, though. I finally had a girl friend at the
academy. But I guess it really was too good to be true. I'll only cause Angie
trouble if I hang out with her. Earlier today, it was my fault that girl went after
her. And…and she said I wasn't even human to Angie!"
Okay, okay, oh boy, oh God, there's a girl crying beside me. Say something
thoughtful, Leon, come on!
I couldn't offer compassion. That just wasn't in my wheelhouse—that was
more Prince Julius and the other love interests' schtick. If only Marie hadn't
screwed everything up, one of them could be here comforting Livia. Instead
there was me, and I did my best, the only way I knew how.
"You know, I'm sure she did have some messed up thoughts about
commoners—maybe still does. After the mess I made with that duel, she lost
most of her followers and that had to hurt. Maybe you and I were just
convenient replacements. You're probably right. She didn't treat us like real
people, did she?" I chuckled.
"What are you saying?" Livia's brows creased in anger, and she glared at me.
"Angie's not like that!"
I grinned. "Exactly. So it's fine, right? You know what kind of person Angie
really is."
Livia gawked, then turned way. When she eventually glanced at my face
again, her cheeks were slightly red. "You really are mean, Leon."
"Sorry. I told you I suck at this. Besides, if I tried to act suave and comforting,
it'd come across as a lame gag."
Imagine me trying to imitate the prince or Jilk. I'd never move a girl like that—
she'd only laugh at me.
What is it that I'm lacking, I wonder? Sex appeal? No, it was my face, wasn't
it? Ah, being handsome was such a divine gift—one I hadn't been blessed with.
Livia's real smile tentatively returned. "I…I think I want to try to talk to her
one more time."
"Good. You should."
***
That evening, Livia was in her room when she heard a knock on her door. She
opened it and peeked outside to find Carla standing in the hallway.
"Y-yes?"
"Have a minute?" Carla smiled.
Livia hesitated before nodding. "Um, uh, sure."
"To be honest, I was hoping you would participate in the mission to dispatch
those pirates. You're in the higher class, right? You can at least help out, can't
you?"
"Uh, um, actually, about that. The way you deceived us to request help was
—"
Carla slammed an open hand on the doorframe. Livia jumped and clamped
her mouth shut.
The girl standing behind Carla snickered and stepped forward.
"You'll help us out, won't you, mealworm?" It was the earl's daughter from
before, the one who had ruined Leon's café and fought with Angie—Miss
Offrey. Her face was a mess of scratches and bruises. She grinned. "If you don't
help out, I'll make everyone around you miserable. That Bartfort scumbag,
snobby Angelica, your family, and everyone else, too."
Livia dropped her gaze and clenched her fists.
"I'll send Carla to fetch you tomorrow. Better make your preparations, halfwit."
Miss Offrey turned to Carla. "And you. You better do this right or your
family will be in peril as well."
Carla trembled in fear. "O-of course!"
Livia had never encountered a girl willing to go so far—a girl willing to use her
family's power as a weapon for abuse. Before Livia knew what she was doing,
the words fell out of her mouth: "Th-this isn't right."
"What?" Miss Offrey glared at her.
"Leon and Angie are both extremely strong. E-even if you threaten us, I'm
sure they'll—"
Miss Offrey burst out laughing, cradling her stomach. "What? Are you
serious? Are you still talking about them like they're your friends?"
"I-I…"
Miss Offrey grabbed Livia by the hair and forced her face-to-face. "Nobles
don't have friends. Angelica understands that better than anyone. You were a
pet she adopted when she needed something to soothe her broken heart. You
seriously don't get that?"
"You're wrong!"
"I'm not. The second a noble missteps, they lose all their allies. And even
allies—'friends'—betray each other all the time. That wench Angelica is a duke's
daughter. You can tell by looking at her, can't you? The reason she's so strongwilled
is because she knows this game, so she doesn't open her heart to
anyone. But you, you're not a noble, and in her eyes, you're not even a real
human. You're a pet. That's why she's nice to you."
"I'm not a pet. I'm a person! And those two, they're my—"
"You really don't get it," Miss Offrey cut her off. "What can you do for them?"
"Wh-what…?" Livia was losing her composure. Miss Offrey had given voice to
one of her greatest anxieties. Leon and Angie were always protecting her. What
could she possibly do for them?
"Bartfort qualifies as a noble, technically, and he's got a few achievements
under his belt. Meanwhile, Angelica is a true noble's daughter, born to wealth
and power. Can you really say you're on the same level? Friends are supposed
to be equals, aren't they?"
"W-well, I…" Livia's vision swam.
"Nothing to say for yourself? I knew it. Of course you aren't friends. No
matter how you try to pretend, everyone else sees you for what you really are
—their beloved pet."
Livia had never been forced to confront someone this vile by herself. When he
could, Leon shielded her from such things, but he wasn't here right now. Nor
was Angie.
"Oh, I know!" Miss Offrey clapped her hands. "You're actually kind of cute.
Bartfort's not popular with the girls. Maybe he was after you for your body.
What a sad excuse for a noble. How pathetic."
"No! Leon isn't that type of—"
"That's how men are. Try stripping and offering yourself to him. He'll fly into
your arms immediately." Miss Offrey sneered. "How shameless. You seem to
think sneaking into this academy makes you our equal. What an ego you have.
It seems to me like you need some strict discipline."
Miss Offrey shoved Livia and sent her sprawling. The girls who had been
standing behind her took the opportunity to enter Livia's room and began
trashing the place.
"No, stop! Please, stop!"
Miss Offrey cackled. "Your room is garbage, just like you. We're just making it
look more like the dump it is."
The commotion in Livia's room drew the attention of a teacher patrolling the
dorm's hallways.
"Professor, please help!" Livia begged when the teacher passed by. "These
girls are—"
Miss Offrey only grinned. The teacher immediately pretended she hadn't seen
anything and walked briskly away.
"What…?" Livia gasped.
"Now do you get it? You're not like us, commoner. You're not a person."
Livia was in shock. Even a teacher had abandoned her. She sank to the floor
and choked down sobs as the girls around her laughed.
"Look, she's crying."
"What useless lumps commoners are."
"She honestly thought she was our equal? Learn your place."
With Carla in tow, Miss Offrey swanned out of Livia's room. "Bye, for now."
The other girls snickered as they walked away.
Shaking, Livia shut her door and collapsed to the ground, head in her hands.
The tears came in an endless stream.
Being friends with Leon had, prior to this moment, granted her a measure of
protection from the worst bullying had to offer. However, she now realized this
had also robbed her of the opportunity to grow tough enough to handle her
own problems.
It was then that Livia decided she would indeed be taking part in the mission
to dispatch the pirates.