episode_0004

Zigshi……

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“That’s why you are all members of the Rihiten Academy……”

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Zigshi……

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As the lecture start time arrived, the professor for the class entered the classroom and began the orientation, but the gaze of the other students was fixed on me and Sophia.

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“Hmm?”

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If she is said to be the most attention-grabbing student in the academy right now, it must be this young lady sitting next to me, not paying attention to the class and instead staring at my face.

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“Heh.”

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A young examiner with exceptional talent, who has reached the level of a sword expert at a young age and may even become the youngest sword master, as well as the rising star of the continent, the illegitimate daughter of the Republic’s president.

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Click

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This young lady poking my cheek with her finger…

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Honestly, it’s absurd for the only daughter of one of the great powers, the head of state of a powerful nation that shapes the continent’s landscape, to come to the academy.

Sending a daughter who could be endangered due to competition with the empire to the academy just like that?

Even if it’s the neutral position of the Rihiten Academy, it still seems implausible.

This novel, [Eclipse], resolved that implausibility with Sophia’s overwhelming power.

I never thought a first-year academy student would defeat an academy professor in a duel.

Even if it’s a regression, it’s a story of having enough physical ability to enter and leave my room last night.

Of course, it’s not a real regression, just a dream.

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More importantly, it’s fortunate to be sitting in the back.

Even now, sitting at the very back, if I had sat in the front, I might have been under constant surveillance by all the students, twisting their heads to watch me and Sophia.

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It’s not just about rising to the interest of the nobles.

It means that those forces lurking within the academy will also take an interest in me….

If I had strengthened a little more, I would have been able to handle it even if those forces had recognized me, but this situation is a bit awkward.

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“Phew……”

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“Oh, you startled me!”

Suddenly, Sophia leaned in close to my ear and exhaled.

I almost let out a loud gasp of surprise, but managed to swallow it down.

“W-What are you doing, Sophia?”

“Hehe… Are you so concerned about the gaze of other students?”

But she just smiled at me, grinning from ear to ear.

“I’m not concerned at all. The only one who can make Sophia feel self-conscious is you, Verceus.”

This woman… had this kind of personality?

At this point, she seemed more cold and aloof, didn’t she?

“Sophia.”

“Yes?”

“Call me Sophia. You are the only one who can address me by name. …Right. At this point, was my father still alive? I could introduce you to him.”

Then, she blushed unexpectedly.

…I just can’t believe it.

Am I hallucinating?

The Sophia who never once blushed until the end of the novel’s conclusion is blushing so easily!

What kind of dream am I having?

“S-Sophia….”

“If you omit the honorifics, it would be better. You and I are on such terms.”

“…That’s…”

“Quickly.”

“Okay.”

“Good.”

When I spoke softly, she smiled brightly as if satisfied.

In the novel “Eclipse,” even when her own episode ended, she didn’t smile, did she?

Is this the same Sophia I know?

“By the way, I heard that the saint visited your room last night.”

Despite the professor continuing to explain something in front, she talked to me without paying any attention.

…But how does she know that?

The saint clearly came suddenly after Sophia left and some time had passed, right?

“What happened?”

Her warm voice, which had been coming through continuously, suddenly felt cold.

Was it a delusion…?

“Late at night. Did the saint have a reason to visit your room?”

“She sensed something… negative.”

“Negative?”

Perhaps the reason the saint visited my room was because of Sophia’s visit.

However, it seemed that I couldn’t answer for that reason.

If I answered like that, it felt like I wouldn’t be able to face the sun tomorrow.

“Yes. I heard that something negative was detected in that room. So, I heard you came to purify it in the middle of the night.”

Although not the complete truth, I answered based on the truth.

“Hmm…”

Sophia touched her chin with a doubtful expression.

As if trying to gauge whether this frivolous talk was the truth.

“You have a habit of looking slightly upward whenever you lie.”

Gasp.

Wait, do I have such a habit?

How did you know that?

“…It was somewhat ambiguous to call it a lie. I’m not sure. I thought I knew everything about you.”

Sophia chuckled.

“But you wouldn’t lie about something like this. I remember. The sight of you swearing to protect only me. You wouldn’t cheat on me with another woman.”

Phew…

How did she smoothly transition to that?

But wait, technically I didn’t do anything, right?

In the first place, it’s not even cheating! We don’t have any relationship!

“However, if you deceive me and end up cheating.”

Crunch

The desk crumpled like paper under Sophia’s hand gesture.

“Then I’ll have to train a new pet by feeding it peanuts.”

For some reason, her words didn’t sound like a joke at all.

—

Richton Academy Principal’s Office

“Why is that!”

“As I mentioned, all of the academy’s class schedules are arranged before the start of the semester. This is also why all course registrations are done in advance. Therefore, after the semester starts, there are hardly any changes in the courses taken by students.”

Standing in front of someone’s desk, Saint Artoria was arguing.

The person she was arguing with was none other than the headmaster of Richton Academy, Sage Beatrice.

She may only have the appearance of a 10-year-old girl, but she was the most brilliant genius from the academy who had ascended to the 8th circle through overwhelming magical abilities.

“But I heard that in unavoidable circumstances, you can change your enrolled classes until orientation week!”

“Of course.”

“Then, is it possible for me to change my classes as well?”

“That’s… ”

Beatrice felt her head throb.

Just when the daughter of the Holy Maiden of the Holy Kingdom and the President of the Republic was entering the academy this year, it seemed like it wouldn’t be easy.

Even though it’s an academy where all the nobles attend, it’s still surprising that two people of such high status are enrolling.

She had been thinking of retiring after just this year…

One of them, the Holy Maiden, suddenly comes and wants to change the classes she’s taking.

And she wants to take them with that student named Sigrun Grankeil.

“As I mentioned, it’s only in ‘unavoidable’ circumstances. It means if there’s a problem with the professor of that class or if there’s a dispute among students. It’s not about simply wanting to become friends with someone and changing classes to be with them!”

Requests to change classes in order to study with someone they like have been made countless times.

They are vigorous youngsters and students of high status.

It’s only natural, but if all these requests were granted, the order of the academy would be disrupted.

That’s why the academy has ignored all such requests until now.

You should have registered for the classes earlier. If you don’t like it, do you want to leave the academy?

Fortunately, the students who made such requests until now were students who held positions that could crush the academy’s power.

Nobles of such high status wouldn’t ask to change their classes for anyone’s sake, even for the sake of their dignity.

But why the Holy Maiden! Why does it have to be the Holy Maiden!

“T-That’s not it!”

No, it’s exactly what it is. She has the face of a girl in love, from head to toe.

“I, Your Highness, am already your destined partner chosen by the deus. We are already acquainted…”

The saint blushed and twisted her body.

Oh my. This is ridiculous.

“Unless there’s an unavoidable reason…”

“Oh, it really can’t be!”

I don’t know.

What will you do if you’re a saint?

He roughly pushed the saint out of the principal’s office.

Sigh.

First, let’s take a break for a bit…

Bang

“Principal! Something terrible has happened!”

The secretary opened the door and hurried in.

“Something terrible? Can’t you see I’m resting right now? Who just comes in without knocking!”

Do I have to discipline these lower ranks again? Ugh, geez.

Why am I so stressed these days, seriously.

“T-That is…”

“What? What now?”

“T-That is the empire’s princess…!”

“The princess? So what?”

Why is she here?

Come to think of it, there were rumors that she would attend the academy next year.

“The princess is at the academy’s main gate right now!”

…Oh my deus.

I really should smack this principal.