Ch.20The Vain One (1)

Two days after the intense class placement exam, the final rankings were announced and class assignments were completed.

I was assigned to Class A—an elite class that only accepts the top 20 students among a thousand peers. Having claimed first place by defeating the princess, who was known as the continent’s greatest genius, it wasn’t surprising that I ended up here. It would have been stranger if I’d been placed elsewhere.

“M-Master…” stammered Lezia beside me.

“Hmm? What is it, Miss Lezia?”

“D-do I really deserve to be in a place like this…?”

“My goodness,” I chuckled.

The pink-haired girl next to me was trembling nervously, hunching her shoulders in tension. It was Lezia, who had also been assigned to the same class.

It made sense that she would be worried. Having performed terribly on the placement exam, she probably feared being relegated to the failing class or even expelled.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry,” I reassured her.

“But…”

Lezia mumbled, fidgeting with her lips. Our protagonist seemed uncomfortable with this unexpected outcome.

“There are so many more talented people… I’m not sure if someone like me belongs here.”

“Well,” I replied thoughtfully.

“Yes?”

“I don’t think there are many students with talent superior to yours, Miss Lezia.”

And that was true—she was this world’s protagonist. As time passed, she would experience rapid growth, eventually becoming powerful enough to surpass Sharlotte.

“You’re more than qualified, Miss Lezia.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. They wouldn’t assign classes without reason, would they? As I said before, someone recognized your potential.”

That someone was Gaston Gallimar, the academy’s headmaster. Though to be precise, he didn’t “recognize” her potential—he already “knew” it from the beginning.

“You should have more confidence in yourself.”

“Th-thank you…”

“Don’t mention it.”

As we exchanged a few words, the previously empty classroom gradually filled with students. Being Class A, the central focus of the game, familiar faces appeared everywhere.

Sharlotte staring blankly out the window.

Ameila chatting with her followers in the back.

And finally, a blue-haired boy sitting alone in the corner, fiddling with his sword.

All were characters from the original story.

While I was carefully observing the students around us, Lezia suddenly whispered a question.

“I wonder what kind of person our homeroom professor will be?”

“Are you curious?”

“Y-yes… I’m a bit intimidated by older people…”

“Hehe, is there anyone you’re not intimidated by, Miss Lezia?”

“Ugh… d-don’t tease me…”

She looked dejected at having her weakness pointed out. Though I wanted to tease her more, I stopped because she looked like she might actually cry. Instead, I gave her the answer she wanted.

“You’ll probably be fine. A young professor is scheduled to come.”

And not just young—a handsome male professor was supposed to arrive. He would be an ally to the protagonist’s group for the next three years. A bit rude, but a decent person. His name was Cadel, if I remembered correctly.

Just then, the classroom door swung open with a loud creak. All twenty students were already present, so this must be our homeroom professor.

Everyone’s attention turned to the front. Mine did too.

The sharp sound of heels clicked across the floor.

Following that sound appeared a woman with long, disheveled purple hair…

“…Huh?”

Blood-red eyes that seemed slightly unfocused.

A bottle of alcohol in her hand.

A violently curvaceous figure.

I couldn’t help but question what I was seeing.

While I was still dumbfounded, the woman at the front of the classroom spoke indifferently:

“Nice to meet you all. From today, I will be the homeroom professor for the top class for one year. I am Head Professor Selena Drunkard.”

What the hell?

Why are YOU here?

***

Two days earlier, after Judas and Sharlotte’s exam, Selena heard the following from the headmaster:

“I thought you might answer that way… Is there anything you want?”

“What do you mean by ‘want’…?”

“I’ll grant whatever I can within my authority.”

“Hmm.”

Selena fell into thought for a moment. Though she wasn’t particularly greedy by nature, she wasn’t the type to pass up such an opportunity either.

As the scent of alcohol brushed her nose, she reflected on her thoughts.

“Actually, there’s no need to think about it.”

She already had something in mind—what she would ask for in the unlikely event that the boy defeated the princess.

With a faint smile, Selena spoke:

“Then I’ll tell you. Please let me be Judas Snakus’s homeroom professor for this year.”

“Oh?”

The headmaster’s face showed surprise. It was an unexpected request.

“You want to be this year’s top student’s homeroom professor… meaning you want to be in charge of the top class?”

“That’s right.”

“Well.”

Selena had never shown much interest in students before. After her beloved younger sister died from an incurable disease, her daily life had been filled only with alcohol bottles.

When it came time to assign professors, she would either refuse to take a class or end up with whatever was left.

Yet now…

“This is surprising.”

“Is it?”

“It’s been a very long time since you showed interest in someone.”

“It’s just a whim.”

“Is that so?”

The headmaster smiled meaningfully. He flipped through some documents in his hand, then crossed out a section.

“I’ll grant your wish.”

The white-haired old man glanced around, seeking opinions from the other professors. Naturally, no one dared oppose humanity’s strongest being.

The faculty members all deliberately avoided eye contact—except for one person.

“Headmaster, what are you saying…!”

A young man with black hair stepped forward. He was the one who had been scheduled to be in charge of the top class for this year.

“Professor Cadel.”

“You’re suddenly changing the homeroom assignment! This is unfair!”

“Unfair, you say.”

Cadel Evans had been the one most aggressively opposing Selena in recent days, actively spreading rumors about her being an “inflated head professor” in an attempt to bring her down.

The headmaster quietly cut off his protest.

“I won’t accept any objections.”

“But…!”

“And if we’re talking about fairness, shouldn’t you also be held accountable?”

“What?”

“You were the first to raise objections about Selena’s work. Thanks to you, she almost lost her position as head professor… How do you plan to take responsibility for that?”

“…”

“If you have nothing to say, it would be better to remain quiet.”

The voice was gentle but concealed a sharp edge. Under the strange pressure, cold sweat formed on Cadel’s brow.

In the end, he had no choice but to retreat in silence.

While an ominous atmosphere lingered in the waiting room, Selena remained lost in thought.

“Judas Snakus.”

She silently repeated the name to herself.

Enchanting blonde hair, narrowed eyes, and skills impressive enough to overwhelm the princess—he was a mysterious boy.

What first caught her attention was curiosity, but now it was interest. When the boy revealed his power during the placement exam, Selena saw some kind of “possibility” in him.

“If I’m right… I need to make that child mine by any means necessary.”

Perhaps this was a meeting she had been waiting for a long time. The woman calmed her pounding heart and brought the alcohol bottle to her lips.

***

Selena Drunkard.

She was a fairly prominent character in the original story. With her drunkard concept, decadent charm, and sensual figure, she was quite popular as the “mature woman” character.

Originally, she was a character you couldn’t meet in the early stages, regardless of which route you took. In the game, she would only appear after at least half a year had passed.

It had been that way in all 1,943 attempts, so I thought this time would be no different.

Yet here she was, boldly appearing before the protagonist’s group and even becoming our homeroom teacher.

How could I not be surprised?

The original homeroom teacher was supposed to be a handsome young man.

“The original storyline has been altered.”

Of course, that wasn’t what surprised me. After all the trouble I’d caused, I expected some backlash.

What made me uneasy was:

“…She’s absolutely not the type to take on this role.”

The Selena I remembered was an indifferent person. It would make sense if she refused to take charge of any class because it was bothersome, but she wasn’t the type to enter the top class with the most demanding schedule.

There must be some purpose driving her actions.

“I have some ideas, but I’m not certain.”

My concerns continued for a while.

As I walked lost in thought, Lezia spoke up beside me.

“M-Master?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“I-I was just wondering if you’re okay… you’ve been spacing out for a while…”

“Ah.”

She seemed worried about me. Perhaps I had been too quiet.

The pink-haired girl cautiously watched me, and touched by her concern, I instinctively reached out to pat her head.

“I’m fine. I just had some things on my mind.”

“Eep…”

“It’s nice to have a friend who worries about me.”

“F-friend… hehe.”

Could the word “friend” really bring such joy? Our protagonist was completely disarmed by that casual remark.

How does she plan to make friends with other children?

“Miss Lezia, are you interested in fox beastfolk?”

“By fox beastfolk, do you mean that person we met before? The one with the fierce look and scarlet hair…?”

“That’s right. Miss Irene.”

“I am interested!”

“Hehe… I’ll help you become friends with her.”

As our conversation continued, Lezia and I walked toward the carriage station to return to our respective dormitories.

Though it was early, the place was already crowded with students, perhaps because everyone finished early on the first day.

We stood waiting for a carriage.

Then:

“What a fitting pair.”

A voice came from somewhere. A chilling tone whispered in our ears, and Lezia’s expression instantly hardened.

When I turned around, a girl with blue hair styled in buns stood there.

“One is a bubble-top student… and the other is a foreigner who doesn’t know her place.”

“Lady Venatti.”

Ameila Venatti.

The villainous noble who had cornered our protagonist a few days ago had appeared.

The girl smiled mockingly.

“I didn’t expect you’d still be shamelessly remaining at the academy.”

Her eyes contained nothing but open hostility.

Reminded of what happened during the placement exam, Lezia’s body began to tremble slightly.

A villainous noble bullying the protagonist—this part seemed to be following the original story.

But I had no intention of letting her have her way. After all, the protagonist now had a reliable(?) helper by her side.

I hid the trembling Lezia behind me.

“M-Master…?”

“Shh.”

It’s okay. I’ll protect you this time.

With a sly smile on my face, I stood proudly before Ameila.

“Good day, Lady.”

I was already grinning at the thought of destroying this duchess’s daughter.