episode_0035

[Yes!] When I called her Yerika casually, she replied. In a way, she’s even more easygoing than me. “Ms. Yerika?” [……………….] “Yerika.” [Yes!] “Yerika-nim?” [……………….] “Yerika?” […Yes.] “Princess-nim.” [Seriously! Please stop teasing me!] As I continued to tease her, Yerika couldn’t hold back her anger. “Ahaha, I apologize. Yerika’s reactions are just too amusing.” [You can even speak informally to me comfortably, you know.] “My polite speech is a habit, so I can’t help it.” [Let’s put aside informal speech for now. What brings the Clown-nim to contact me first?] I wonder if the day will ever come when I speak informally to Yerika.

“It’s not like we only contact each other when something happens, is it?” If I said something like this to Clara or Sepia, they’d either be flustered or ignore me, one of the two. [Indeed, our relationship is special.] But Yerika’s reaction was different. Even when I said this, she wasn’t flustered and retorted. [What happened at the academy today?] “Nothing particularly special happened.” In truth, many special things had happened. The Scum had instantly become the guy who provoked the Crown Prince, and all the academy students knew about it. But I didn’t tell Yerika this.

[Hmm, really?] However, for some reason, Yerika spoke in a skeptical voice. “Huh?” [Actually, I heard from my older brother. What happened today. And I also heard why such a thing happened.] Her voice was mixed with worry and reproach. [The Prince of the Arshien Kingdom is bothering Clown-nim, so why didn’t you tell me yesterday?] “I didn’t because Yerika didn’t need to worry about it. And it’s something that will be resolved soon anyway.” These words were not a lie to reassure Yerika, but the truth. [Right now, he’s just another academy student, but he’s a prince of a kingdom. Who knows what he’ll do once Clown-nim graduates.] I’ve heard those words somewhere before. Where was it? [Clown-nim, would you like to become my bodyguard knight after graduating from the academy?] I remembered where I’d heard it. When I first met the Scum, Johanna had made a similar offer to me in the cafeteria. More importantly. Yerika’s bodyguard knight? “I’m a clown, though?” [Then would you like to be my bodyguard clown?] What, was she joking?

“Wow~ I know you said it as a joke, but just imagining being Yerika’s bodyguard knight feels good!” [I was serious, though.] She wasn’t joking, but serious? “But the position of Yerika’s bodyguard knight requires His Imperial Majesty’s permission…” [Father already gave his permission.] The Emperor also gave permission? No way. The Emperor, who cherishes Yerika so terribly, wouldn’t so simply grant permission for her bodyguard knight position.

[At first, when I said I wanted to choose my own bodyguard knight, he refused, but when I wanted Clown-nim as my bodyguard knight, he immediately gave permission.] “What?” [Do you know what imperial family members look for when choosing a bodyguard knight?] Yerika asked me, who was flustered. If it’s what they look for when choosing an imperial bodyguard knight. “Strength, wouldn’t it be?” [Of course, strength is important, but what’s crucial is trust. Whether one can entrust their life to this person and go about their day, that’s the most important thing.] “I’m not strong enough yet to be entrusted with Yerika’s life.” [Of course, you might not be that strong right now, but what about three years from now?] Three years from now is when I’ll be graduating from the academy. [Father said that by the time Clown-nim graduates from the academy, you’ll be one of the strongest in the Empire.] If that’s the case, there’s no way to avoid it anymore. [Just now, Clown-nim said it yourself. That just imagining being my bodyguard knight feels good? In three years, you can truly become a bodyguard knight, not just imagine it, so you must be happy.] Oh?

Today too, having finished my morning training, I was heading to the dormitory for a rest. It was still early, so only a handful of students were visible in the academy courtyard. As I walked through the academy courtyard, bracing against the cold wind, I recalled my conversation with Yerika yesterday. I had vaguely ended the call at the end, but Yerika didn’t seem like she would give up. In such cases, avoiding calls for a while is the best method, but. “I can’t do that either.” Today too, I was able to sleep without medicine. Yerika had truly inherited that trait from the Empress. Knowing that I could sleep without medicine, I couldn’t refuse Yerika’s calls nor could I avoid calling her. ‘Should I really become a bodyguard clown?’ If I still couldn’t sleep without medicine after graduation, becoming a bodyguard clown wouldn’t be bad. If I took on Yerika’s escort duty, I’d probably be able to sleep comfortably every day. ‘I’ll think about what happens later, later.’ Yerika’s matter is urgent, but what’s more urgent is getting rid of the Scum as quickly as possible.

Today too, we all charged at Professor Alicia and all got defeated. “There’s one hour left until lunchtime, so rest and then eat lunch.” Professor Alicia delivered the same line today and left the special class. ‘Where does Professor Alicia eat her meals?’ I’d seen other professors in the cafeteria sometimes, but I’d never seen Professor Alicia there. “Loki, should we eat lunch together again today?” Lucas approached me as I lay resting and spoke. “I’d love to. Shall we all go to eat lunch together today?” I asked the other special class students to come eat lunch together, and everyone except two accepted my suggestion. The ones who hadn’t agreed yet were Clara and Sepia.

“Ms. Sepia, won’t you eat lunch with us?” I approached Sepia first. Sepia looked at me, then primly turned her head away. “Why don’t you eat with Princess Freya again today?” It seemed she was sulking over the previous incident. I pondered how to soothe her, but it was resolved more easily than expected. “What, what is it?” It was because a spirit immediately said something to Sepia. “Why should I do that?” Although I didn’t hear what the spirit said to Sepia, after hearing the spirit’s words, Sepia agreed to eat lunch together. “Alright. We can just eat together!” Now only Clara remained.

“Ms. Clara.” “………” Clara didn’t take her eyes off the book she was reading, even after hearing my words. Anyone could see it was a rejection, but I had no intention of giving up. I whispered to Clara so that no one else could hear. “Clara Noona.” “You!” Clara looked at me with a scornful expression after hearing my words. “If we eat together today, I won’t call you that anymore.” “Hah, alright.” And so, for the first time, all the students of the special class headed to the cafeteria to eat lunch together.

“Look over there. It’s Clara-nim.” “Are those the kids from the newly formed special class?” As we walked towards the cafeteria, students murmured as they looked at us. Since the special class itself was formed for the first time this year, it was natural for students to stare. “I wonder if Lucas-nim is alright?” “What is that Ropri fellow doing?” Furthermore, a newspaper reporting that the Scum had splashed a drink on Lucas had been published yesterday, so all the students looking at us were murmuring. The murmuring didn’t show any sign of stopping even while we ate lunch. Even with all the students staring, the special class students ate their lunch comfortably, as if nothing was amiss. Trembling. No, now that I looked, it seemed like one person wasn’t alright. ‘Is it possible for a person to tremble this much?’ Frederic Nicholas, the sorcerer, was trembling violently, seemingly uncomfortable with people staring. Honestly, I knew people would stare, but if I hadn’t brought Frederic along… It was obvious Frederic would cry, thinking he was being ostracized, so I just brought him. While I was pondering how to take care of Frederic, the cafeteria suddenly became noisy.

“Your Imperial Highness.” The reason was immediately clear. It was because the Scum had approached Lucas. “I was truly sorry about yesterday!” The Scum immediately knelt before Lucas. In a way, it was the best move he could make right now, but. Even so, it was all within the palm of my hand. “I mistook someone yesterday and committed such a rudeness to His Imperial Highness!” Lucas glanced at me. I had asked Lucas for one favor before coming to the cafeteria. “Mistake, you say? Saying you mistook my appearance yesterday and did such a thing means you originally intended to do that to my friend?” “Th-that is…” When Lucas called me his friend, the Scum was visibly agitated. “If you apologize to my friend, I’ll specially forgive you for yesterday’s incident.” To be able to be forgiven for such a thing against the Empire’s Crown Prince with just one apology was a very big opportunity, but the Scum hesitated. It seemed he’d rather die than apologize to me.

I approached the Scum and said, “You don’t want to apologize to me, do you?” I don’t want to receive your apology either. Just thinking about receiving your apology makes me want to gag. “Mr. Lucas, if I forgive this person, will you also forgive him?” “If you forgive him, I will too.” In fact, I had discussed this with Lucas beforehand. Of course, I hadn’t told Lucas what would happen after this. “How about a simple bet with me? If I lose, I’ll forgive you.” “A bet, what kind of bet are you talking about?” I looked around. All the surrounding students were watching, and the head of the newspaper club even had a camera. “Let’s fight in three days.” Not only the Scum, but also the other students nearby were horrified to hear me say “fight.” The students who were already horrified were even more shocked when they heard my next words. “The loser gets expelled from the academy.” I absolutely cannot stand to see this Scum remaining in the academy. “Of course, if you’re scared, you don’t have to do it.” Of course, he couldn’t refuse at this moment with all the students watching.