episode_0013

For a week now, he’s been casually pressing down on my head with his hand.

What’s so amusing about doing this?

Even when I puff up my cheeks in discontent, there seems to be no sign of him stopping.

I feel like punching him in the ribs.

But then again, he’s a prince; I shouldn’t hit him.

This was truly a case of abuse based on social hierarchy.

Yet, despite seeming alright at first, he’s turned into a complete tyrant.

“…Please stop. If you keep shrinking me here, will you take responsibility?”

In the novel, the body is described as ‘petite.’ I understand being short,

but this isn’t just short; it’s more like the smallest possible.

“…Do you have any potential to grow taller?”

“…Wow.”

What is he seeing me as, exactly?

It’s really mean to tell a ten-year-old they won’t grow tall.

“…Seina.”

“Yes, yes?!”

“Good friends should get along well.”

How did I end up becoming friends with such a rough kid?

Looking back, it seemed messed up from the start.

Originally, I ran away because I didn’t want to attend the academy, failed at that, and since trying to keep my distance by giving a bad impression also failed.

As a last resort, I shifted from a ‘lover’ plan to a ‘friend’ plan,

but now thinking about it, wasn’t there a better way? I sighed, feeling Deon’s disbelief as he muttered.

“…Is that what you have to say?”

As Deon scolded me, Seina, who had been watching us intently, smiled faintly.

“You two seem quite close…?”

“Well, we’re friends.”

He shrugged.

It’s not the best outcome I wanted, but somehow we ended up as friends.

Oh, could it be…

“…By any chance, you don’t just see me as a friend, do you?”

Raising my head to look at Deon, he gazed down at me with a strange look, absentmindedly patting my head.

“…No, I’m asking for an answer. Not a pat.”

It’s not that it feels bad, but still,

just patting my head without a response makes me fear he only sees me as a friend.

“…Hmm, rather than a friend, what should I call you.”

After my grumbling, Deon mumbled briefly and then fell silent.

Wait, he doesn’t think of me as a lover, does he?

We’re just friends, right?

Suddenly feeling scared, I grabbed the hand patting my head and, forcing out a tear, looked desperately at Deon with shining eyes.

“…Rather than a friend, a pet?”

“…What.”

It’s quite hurtful not to even consider me a friend before dying, but at least he doesn’t see me as a lover.

“Grrr…!”

Of course, growling to show my displeasure is separate from feeling bad,

but if I really bit him, my neck might be on the line, so I held back.

“So, why were you acting like you couldn’t stand me?”

“…I wasn’t acting like I couldn’t stand you. I approached because you were sitting alone and looked pretty.”

“Huh.”

Anyone listening would think I was bothering him.

Naturally, after getting closer and becoming friends, I planned to gradually reveal things Deon likes in terms of personality or behavior and push their relationship forward.

If that happens, I can maintain a friendship with the prince,

earn the trust of the villainess, and possess connections as the future king and queen.

“…Hoho, you’ll be surprised when you hear my plan, won’t you?”

With a confident expression, I winked at Seina,

though his shy reaction seemed timid, it was still fine.

“Seina, are you uncomfortable around him?”

Despite shrinking at the prince’s reprimand, I asked Seina a question.

“…Seina, am I making you uncomfortable?”

“…A little?”

“What is this? You’re being oddly honest again.”

Feeling a bit awkward, I scratched my cheek.

Anyway, unlike what Deron suspected, I had no intention of tormenting Seina.

In the future, there might be a chance that Seina would attack me as per her role,

but isn’t it ambiguous to judge and reject people based on events that haven’t unfolded yet?

It’s like we’ve become friends rather than maintaining a prince and lover relationship.

There’s no reason why I can’t be sincere friends with the antagonist Yeongae instead of enemies.

I read novels, much like reading prophecies, but I know not everything unfolds as written in stories.

For instance, when I rescued the princess of the Star Child Kingdom.

If events had followed the novel, the princess should have died in some way.

But she didn’t.

I successfully rescued her.

That’s how it goes.

The novel is a prophecy but also serves as a reference book.

It’s good for guidance, but it doesn’t always provide the exact answers.

That’s why I don’t act recklessly just because I know the future,

and I don’t judge people based on events that haven’t occurred.

Oh, Deron is an exception.

No matter how unlikely, there’s always a possibility.

He tried to run away from the Academy because he disliked that possibility, but ended up like this.

Damn father.

Blaming my father for not understanding my feelings internally, I took a step closer to Seina and reached out to pat her head.

Deron patting me, me patting Seina.

It might have seemed quite comical to an observer,

but I was doing my best to ease Seina’s tension.

“Don’t feel too uncomfortable! I only like the pretty and cute Seina!”

As I reached out to pat her, Seina, who was visibly flustered, mustered a bashful smile.

“But is it okay for a commoner to casually touch a noble’s head like that?”

Seina, too, glanced at my actions, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

While keeping up the good atmosphere,

my body stiffened at Deron’s casual remark as if he didn’t know anything.

Ah.

“I have committed a grave sin!!!”

Technically, Fallen Nobles were equal to commoners in terms of class.

They were only treated well if they had contributed to the kingdom as nobles

or had a slim chance of regaining lost abilities.

I was on par with Shasha.

However, as Deron pointed out,

a commoner touching a noble’s head?

It was a clear mistake.

Deron usually let things slide even if I grumbled or in other cases, which made it more surprising.

Depending on the person, it could be seen as a great insult, but I inadvertently reached out without thinking.

It was meant to relax Seina, who seemed fragile, but in principle, it was a situation where Seina could have retaliated without it being unreasonable.

People around here are so relaxed about commoners and such.

Feeling too loose, I quickly banged my head on the floor and prostrated myself to apologize.

Dogecha.

Would they forgive me if I did dogeza?

“Oh, no, no… It’s, it’s fine!”

Seina, looking more surprised by my actions than I was, sat down beside me, unsure of what to do.

This was truly my mistake.

I had been too comfortable lately.

“I’m sorry!!”

“I-I’m really okay!”

As I apologized loudly once more,

Seina also raised her voice, and only then did I rise to look at Seina.

“Hehe… I’m really sorry. I guess I got too comfortable lately.”

In terms of class within this academy, I am among the weakest.

You need to be sharp like Shasha to survive long.

I hadn’t fully adapted to this world yet, so there were times when mistakes like this happened.

“…Please, it’s really okay, so please get up….”

As if responding to Shasha’s plea, after shaking and trembling, I rose completely as requested.

I glared at Deron.

“Why are you causing trouble for two girls with unnecessary words?”

“…Am I to blame for this?”

Ignoring Deron’s mocking laughter, I approached Seina closely.

Seina, who had breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing me rise, trembled as I approached, took a step back, and distanced herself.

This was not just a matter of being timid; what on earth could it be?

As I tilted my head in curiosity,

Seina, almost whispering to herself, spoke first.

“…Is something strange?”

Strange? What is?

As I tilted my head, she closed her eyes tightly as if mustering courage and muttered words that were even more incomprehensible.

“…Color…”

Color?

What about the color is strange?

“What color?”

“…Red.”

“Is it pretty?”

If one were to nitpick, it was the bizarre drill-like hairstyle that was odd. When focusing solely on the color, it was actually quite beautiful.

“…Disgusting, …unpleasant?”

As if denying my praise, instead of acknowledging it, she belittled herself while stroking her own hair,

It was not something to overlook.

“What kind of person said that?”

Saying such things means someone said those words to her.

There are things you can say and things you cannot say to a child.

Regardless of what was said, the person was definitely lacking in some way.

“Extremely beautiful, who said that? I will scold them!”

As if ready to scold whoever said those words, she removed the sleeve of her pajamas, revealing her white forearm.

She seemed devoid of self-esteem and appeared timid for a reason.

Clearly, she had been hurt by the words she heard.

“…Someone clearly envies the lady’s naturally beautiful color and is jealous!”

“…But, it’s the color of the devil, being close is scary and unpleasant… cursed…”

As Seina struggled to speak, forcing out the words that had become wounds to her, I hardened my expression.

Red is the color of the devil?

Scary and unpleasant?

I knew that all sorts of superstitions circulated in this era, but this was beyond belief.

“Miss.”

“…Yes, yes?”

“No matter what anyone says, don’t be swayed by strange words because it’s a beautiful color. I guarantee it, Lea does! It’s one of the most beautiful colors in the world, easily counted on two fingers!”

I looked at Deron, signaling with my eyes, and he, too, brushed his hair aside and acknowledged my words.

“Indeed, it’s a much more attractive color than ordinary blonde.”

Was that supposed to be a compliment?

Deron seemed unskilled in compliments, so he passed it off, then seemed to recall something and asked a question.

“…But, if one finger is red, what’s the other one besides blue?”

Upon that question, Seina also looked at me curiously, as if wondering why I was asking the obvious.

Pointing at myself confidently with both hands, I declared,

“Naturally, it’s sky blue!”

At my response, Deron sighed as if he had expected that,

While Seina covered her mouth, she let out a laugh.

Certainly, rather than appearing timid and cowering, a smiling face was much better.

“Haha….”

She crossed her arms, looking confident and triumphant.