episode_0010

There was no point in talking more about Clara, so I changed the subject.

It’s best for family matters to be resolved within the family. But if the situation seemed to worsen to the extreme, I wouldn’t hesitate to intervene.

“Is there another reason you called for me? It can’t be just to say hello.”

It was true that Joden genuinely considered me his benefactor, but a greeting could wait until I started attending the academy a week later.

As the Student Council President, he must have known there was an exam today. Call me, who suffered through an exam, just for a greeting? Joden wouldn’t do that.

“Perhaps you’d be interested in joining the Student Council?”

“The Student Council?”

I couldn’t help but be surprised by his words. Not because I had never been in a student council before. I had joined the student council a few times back when I played Croaka.

Joining the student council in Croaka wasn’t difficult. If you scored above a certain point in the exam, you could join. But that was because the character I was playing was Lucas.

“But I’m a commoner?”

This was the real reason I was surprised. As far as I knew, all current members of the student council were nobles.

Not only currently, but historically, a commoner had never once joined the student council. This wasn’t exactly discrimination against commoners or nobles.

For all nobles, the student council was a dream-like place to build connections with high-ranking nobles, but for commoners, it was merely a bomb-like place swarming with high-ranking nobles.

“Being a commoner isn’t important. What’s important is ability and whether one can control other students.”

This was the second reason commoners didn’t join the student council.

No matter how much the academy championed equality, the moment you stepped outside, a noble was a noble, and a commoner was a commoner.

How many commoners could control such nobles?

And how many nobles would obey them?

“Other commoners might be afraid of nobles and unable to join the student council, but isn’t it different for a benefactor like you?”

This person knew well that I wasn’t afraid of nobles.

“Furthermore, joining the student council offers many benefits. No student would dare disrespect a benefactor as a commoner, either.”

As Joden said, joining the student council was an attractive option. It offered scholarships and allowed active involvement in academy affairs.

“It certainly sounds convenient, but I’ll have to decline!”

However, to achieve what I wanted, I couldn’t join the student council.

“Is that so? Then there’s nothing for it.”

Joden gave up faster than I expected. That made me a little disappointed, didn’t it?

“Aren’t you giving up too quickly? You could at least try to persuade me one more time. I’m disappointed!”

“If my benefactor has made up their mind, what I say won’t change anything. There must be a good reason for my benefactor not to join the student council.”

This person seemed accustomed to eccentrics, as they didn’t get caught up in my pace.

“Still, if you ever encounter difficulties, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. The Adelian Ducal Family never forgets a debt of gratitude.”

“Haha, that’s very reassuring. If a difficult situation arises, I’ll definitely impose on you.”

The name of the Adelian Ducal Family was by no means insignificant.

Joden’s words meant that if anything happened to me, the entire Adelian Ducal Family would come to my aid.

“Well then, I’ll be going. Next time we meet, please treat me more casually. After all, I’m your senior now, aren’t I?”

“I’ll think about it.”

With that, I left the student council room. Now, let’s really head to the inn.

It was mentioned in Croaka that the soup there was cheap and delicious, and I really wanted to try it once.

A melody filled the air.

“Hee-hee~ I’m the coolest clown in the world~~.”

I walked through the academy, singing a song. As I sang and walked, I could feel the students’ gazes drawing toward me. It couldn’t be helped that a handsome person who could also sing well would attract attention.

As I walked along, singing, I saw a very welcome sight.

“Johanna Senior~~~!”

Beautiful platinum blonde hair, slightly vacant blue eyes. My favorite, Johanna Freya.

I called out to her loudly and ran. When someone called her name, she turned towards me, the source of the sound.

“Johanna Senior, what were you doing here? Don’t tell me you were waiting for me?”

Of course, that couldn’t be true. She was probably out for some fresh air or on Disciplinary Committee duty. But her words shocked me.

“That’s right.”

“Huh? Really? You were waiting for me?”

Waiting for me? Why? I hadn’t done anything yet to get caught by the Disciplinary Committee.

“I watched the exam.”

I wasn’t particularly curious about how Johanna watched the exam. The game itself described club representatives watching the exams.

“I’m worried the monitor didn’t properly capture my handsome face.”

Could that be why?

“Ah! Don’t tell me you were waiting for me to get a proper look at my handsome face?”

“That’s not it.”

Johanna denied it with a rare, very serious expression. You didn’t have to be so serious!

“Then why were you waiting for me?”

If it wasn’t about my face, I had no idea.

“I saw you fight.”

“Hehe, I did fight well, didn’t I? How was it? Was I cool? Did you fall for me?”

I thought she would deny it again, but contrary to my expectations, she smiled ever so slightly and said:

“It was incredible.”

Of course, her lips immediately straightened, but this was the second time I’d seen her smile. My heart pounded at the fact that she, who had never smiled once in the game, had smiled because of me.

“…Ah! Senior, you smiled again this time!”

To hide my pounding heart, I deliberately raised my voice. She touched the corner of her mouth, as if she couldn’t believe she had smiled.

“I didn’t smile.”

“Your lips went straight back down, but I’m certain. I saw it clearly with my own two eyes.”

“I did?”

Johanna forced a smile, as if trying to remember how she had smiled. Even her forced smile was pretty, but her natural smile from before was many times prettier.

She seemed very confused. I took her hand, which was trying to force her lips upward.

“You can just smile slowly, what’s there to worry about? I’ll keep you smiling by your side.”

Johanna seemed greatly surprised by my words, and she stared at me with her characteristic vacant eyes.

“A special person.”

‘Being an odd person is fine, but I’d prefer to be remembered as a special person, if possible.’

I changed the subject, feeling embarrassed that Johanna hadn’t forgotten my words.

I felt relieved that I was wearing a mask. My blushing face wouldn’t be visible.

“Johanna Senior, I have something I’m curious about.”

I created an illusionary clone that looked exactly like me.

“Which one looks real?”

Johanna had said that the butterfly I created with my illusion was unnatural.

I thought even she wouldn’t be able to distinguish my clone. This was what I was most confident in.

“Hmm.”

With her blue eyes, she gazed intently at me and my clone. She absolutely couldn’t get this right.

Johanna stared intently at me and my clone for about a minute. Then she pointed a finger at one of us.

“You’re the real one.”

The one she pointed her finger at was the real me.

“Huh? Senior, how did you know?”

How did she know? I was so confident that she would never be able to tell. But her next words made all my thoughts vanish.

“This one looks more special.”

Where? To me, both looked identical. There was absolutely no part that looked more special.

While I was still confused, she suddenly asked:

“Want to join the Disciplinary Committee?”

The question was so sudden that I immediately blurted out what was on my mind.

“No.”

At my immediate reply, Johanna left as if fleeing.

Oh no, she’s sulking.

“Senior~! That’s not what I meant!”

After that, I explained 43 reasons why I couldn’t join the Disciplinary Committee.

. .

After barely managing to explain to Johanna why I couldn’t join, I was on my way to the inn.

Today had been eventful.

I played with a little kid, then met Johanna. I went to the academy with her, teamed up with the main characters I only saw in Croaka to defeat a golem. I had a conversation with Joden, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, and finally, I talked with Johanna again.

“Come to think of it, it started with talking to Senior, and it ended with talking to Senior.”

To start and end with Johanna—could anyone be as happy as me?

Moreover, to see Johanna smile twice—nothing that happened today could surprise me more than that.

That’s what I thought.

Until I was kidnapped, that is.

. . . .

I had been unconscious, but a voice made me snap awake. It was a voice that seemed to embed itself directly into my brain.

“I didn’t want to bring you here this way, but there might have been eyes watching.”

If Croaka 0 ever came out, this person would definitely be the protagonist.

A man who, despite being illegitimate, rose to the top of the empire through his own power.

The Emperor. He was looking down at me.

My hands trembled slightly, like prey before a predator.

Even with a poker face, this trembling wouldn’t stop.

“I’ll ask you directly. Where did you learn Shadow Walk?”