episode_0018

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The long hair fluttering in the wind is annoying.

Since obtaining this body, I’ve thought a lot about whether to tie it up or cut it short. But Beatrice looks best right now. Her flowing black hair suits her well. It matches the original image of Beatrice.

But is my current behavior suitable for the original Beatrice?

I don’t know.

I haven’t even read the original to the latest update, so I don’t know what happened to Beatrice. Is it really good to act like the original?

I still don’t know.

It’s troubling. The impulse in my heart urged me to draw the sword. Even if it deviates slightly from the original, it should be okay. Instead of perfectly imitating Beatrice, I want to live as I desire. Even if revenge is a common point, I am myself.

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“What, what are you doing?!”

Lugo Union students were astonished. The frontmost female student sharply questioned with her voice. I ignored her words and lowered the sword slightly.

A tiny spark flew off the sword.

Shah-

A bit of the side hair of the female student who screamed loudly was cut. The sharply cut hair slowly fell to the ground through the air.

“Eek!”

She sat down in fear.

“Wa, wait, Dahlia Yeongae! We’re sorry if we upset you!”

“It was a joke! We lived without manners in our homeland… right? Leticia…?!”

Other students of the Union raised their hands and spoke. They seemed to have no intention to confront. The world in the novel is similar to where I lived. Everyone tramples on others joyfully, but when an arrow is aimed at them, they become infinitely pathetic.

Leticia looked at me and them with rabbit-like eyes.

This is originally your job, Leticia….

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“She’s our second class. If you want to insult and ridicule her, you’ll have to risk your life.”

I felt that the warning had been sufficient, so I put the sword back in its sheath. The students of Lugo nodded silently, not even making a sound.

“Hey, you!!”

From a distance, a beautiful soprano voice could be heard. Students walking along the street suddenly noticed the commotion and began to gather from afar. Among them, someone shouted.

The owner of the voice walked briskly in this direction. It was a rather fast pace, and she seemed extremely angry.

“On your first day at school, you’re already tormenting those weaker than you. Where did you pick up such a habit?”

“…”

It seemed like this woman had only been observing me since I drew my sword. She appeared to be unilaterally tormenting those of lower status.

“Oh? Letizia? And who are you?!”

“Danella, ma’am…”

When the students from the Lugo Alliance saw her, their expressions changed from contemplation to relief. Letizia also recognized her.

“D-Danella, ma’am! Primula’s Dalila Yeongae suddenly swung her sword!”

“Argh! Danella, ma’am, please look at my hair…”

They threw me at Danella as if reporting a friend’s mistake to a teacher. Well, they weren’t wrong. Several things were omitted, but still.

“Dalila Yeongae, Beatrice, huh.”

“Do Lugo Alliance people investigate their classmates’ backgrounds? Everyone seems to know about me.”

A beauty with neatly arranged bobbed blonde hair looked at me and spoke. Our eye levels were almost the same.

[Danella Del Rio]

Daughter of the magistrate of the Lugo Alliance.

One of the main heroines.

First-class student in the Department of Magic.

Looking at her face, I recalled the original setting. A leader-like figure guiding foreign students of the Lugo Alliance. A sociable personality striving to form connections with talented students at the academy for the talent-thirsty Alliance. The closest friend of the protagonist, Carl Meiner, and the first heroine to have a flag raised for her.

Her expression gradually turned into disdain.

“You, apologize right now.”

“Me?”

“Yes, I thought you were a dignified person because you’re a noble’s daughter, but what kind of upbringing did you receive!”

“…”

I wanted to explain it was a misunderstanding, but it seemed like it would require too much effort to make her understand the situation.

“Yelling at the director, and does everyone in the world look up to you?”

“….”

“Answer me!”

Ugh… she’s so irritating.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Beatrice, do you become cowardly and weak in front of someone stronger than you? If you are an honorable noble, no! As a student of the Imperial Academy, you should be ashamed.”

I gazed at the golden epaulet hanging on her uniform jacket. It was a badge that only first-class students could wear. In other words, she is one of the strongest new students in the academy.

She knows she is strong too…

Looking around, I noticed many students watching. It seemed like there was no further for my image to fall.

A noble lady who yelled at the director from the entrance ceremony.

The villainess who tramples lower-class students with violence.

The typical strong-weak-strong heroine.

That was me.

First impressions last till the end.

To everyone, my first impression would be the worst.

It seems irreversible. If I’m going to be treated like a crazy woman, I might as well become untouchably crazy.

“Excuse me, Miss Daniella… it’s a misunderstanding. Beatrice is because of me-”

“Don’t pretend. You’re the successor of a crude mixed-blood nation.”

I interrupted Leticia, who was trying to defend me, and spoke to Daniella.

“What did you just say?”

“Just a mixed-blood nation that accepts anyone to survive. Are you trying to teach me?”

….

Deep disgust and anger flashed across her contemptuous face.

“Poking around and making allies of the Allied Nations by doing all that… Is that the mission your father, the Prime Minister, gave you?”

“Beatrice!”

Vroom-

Mana gathered in Daniella’s right hand. Deep blue mana.

The mana changed to emit light and could be released at any time.

Magic missile.

It’s a simple attack spell, but if she casts it, it would be quite impressive.

“Dahlia’s only successor, raised as an outsider, it seems.”

“Only one…?”

“Yes, as you said, I know all about the new students! That’s our way. It’s necessary for the United Nations constantly threatened by monsters!!”

Swoosh-

Her right hand was pointed at me. It felt like a magic missile would burst forth any moment.

“Apologize now. Grown up in peaceful Primera Kingdom without any lack or deficiency, you will never understand!”

“No lack…?”

“Our United Nations has always been deprived. Always suffering! Always sacrificing! Yet, you treated us as mere tourist attractions seeking pleasure for a while!”

Daniella’s rage now surpassed me and extended to the entire continent. She poured out a lifetime of pent-up emotions. The sorrowful feelings nurtured as the successor of the United Nations.

“You don’t even know what you should protect. You have everything! You monopolized everything alone!”

“….”

I… wasn’t alone. There were things I had to protect.

I just couldn’t protect them.

Theo…

My only brother remained unknown to the world.

Prince Theodore Green, also known as Theodore de Dalia of the Viscount. They both became non-existent in the world. It was still the sad reality of the nobility that hadn’t reclaimed the empire.

Me, who couldn’t, who was weak… my brother whom I couldn’t protect. My pitiful brother, not even leaving a record of his existence in the world.

Me, not knowing…? The sense of loss? The pain..!? The despair of being deprived!!

No, you’re wrong! Daniella. It’s you who doesn’t know.

The anger I harbor…

You’ll never understand.

*

“Shoot.”

“…!!”

Swish-

I raised my sword again.

I decided not to use the power of the nobility. I didn’t want to involve noble power in kids’ fights. Even without the power, as a knight trained with Blair, my strength would be no less than that of Daniella, a first-class magician.

She concentrated mana into her sword, preparing to disrupt Daniella’s magic. She intended to admonish, not kill, so she regulated the amount of mana.

“You’ll regret this. First class.”

A tense situation.

The Rugo Alliance gang members had already fled far away. Even among the onlookers, tension was rising.

“No! Daniella, Beatrice! Both of you, calm down!”

Leticia stood between us with her arms outstretched.

“Step aside, Leticia.”

“This is a misunderstanding caused by me!! Daniella, Beatrice is my friend. Please, give me a chance to explain.”

“Fine… then stay still. If you don’t want to get hurt!”

Daniella swung her arm and fired a magic missile.

“Eek!”

Leticia closed her eyes in surprise.

Pshoo!

The pouring magic missile deviated from its trajectory, narrowly missing Leticia, and then rained down towards me behind Leticia.

“She’s precise? Her control ability is top-notch!”

I marveled at Daniella’s skill as I wielded my sword.

The magic-infused sword nullified the approaching magic missiles. It would have been easier to deflect them, but it would have caused trouble for the onlooking students, so I chose a more difficult method.

Thud! Thwack!

Beyond Leticia, who was blocking my view, far more magic missiles flew than the initial attack. They curved like arrows, once again targeting only me, avoiding Leticia. I could feel Daniella’s effort to prevent Leticia from getting hurt. Still, she wasn’t fundamentally a bad person, like a typical main character, was she?

Once again, using my legs as the pivot point, I deflected all the projectiles.

With this level of consecutive attacks, there should be a delay. Now is the time to counterattack!

If Leticia hadn’t been in the way, I would have charged straight ahead, but that was impossible now. It was somewhat risky, but I leaped high, using mana to swiftly rise from the ground, rotating in mid-air, and landed in front of Daniella after jumping over Leticia.

I stood up with a low landing in front of Daniella and our eyes met. She seemed surprised.

“Ugh!”

She startled, unfolding her shield and stepping back. I reached out the arm opposite the one holding the sword to catch her. I was just about to grab her by the collar.

Clang!

A spear imbued with mana flew between Daniella and me and stuck into the ground. It was thrown with the intention of separating us. I reluctantly raised my arm and stepped back, then looked at where the spear had come from.

“That’s enough. Unauthorized duels are prohibited.”

“It seems like the newcomers don’t know the rules~? Academy Rule 31: If you want to fight, you must request a duel and fight in the designated location!”

A sharp-looking man with glasses and a woman with red hair appeared. Both were wearing golden badges, but the armband on their arms indicated that they were not ordinary first-class individuals.

“The student council president… Who’s next to him?”

The man with glasses was the student council president who often appeared in the original work. He was a well-known figure at the academy and had appeared several times. I didn’t know much about the other girl beside him, as Karl Mayner had no connection to the student council, so the student council members except for the president did not appear often.

“Sir David…”

Daniella recognized the man with glasses. She suppressed her excitement from our recent fight and politely bowed.

“Daniella, I didn’t expect such a commotion on your first day at school.”

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

“Move to the dining hall. And make sure those following you come along.”

“Yes…”

She called the Alliance thugs who were hiding among the crowd and moved towards the dining hall.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“… ”

The man with glasses turned, adjusting his glasses and asked me. His gaze fell on my uniformed shoulders.

“I heard there’s a lunatic who wrecked the measurement area, so I naturally thought he’d be first class. Surprisingly.”

“Hehe~ You’re a pretty little freshman! You’ve made quite an impression since the entrance ceremony, haven’t you?”

A red-haired woman leaned against me. She had a charming look and a well-kept appearance.

“Beatrice de Dalia. Second class,” she said.

“Oh, you speak freely. I’m the student council president, David de Leon.”

“No need for formalities now.”

“I’m Scarlet Rogers! The vice president~”

Scarlet, as she introduced herself, waved with a twinkle in her eye.

“Well, alright. We need spirited freshmen. After the new student schedule, will you come to the student council room? I want to hear about today’s events.”

“Oh! A scouting offer?! I agree! I like pretty underclassmen.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Scarlet. I’m just curious. You’re from the second class that pushed Daniella.”

David took out a portable map device from his pocket and handed it to me.

“It’s a map to the student council room. Additionally, it contains a map of the entire academy. Consider it a token of appreciation for showing interesting sights.”

I activated the map device without saying a word. A holographic map appeared, a useful tool that allowed selection from flat to three-dimensional views.

“I’ll take it gratefully.”

You shouldn’t decline things like this; you should accept them.

“I hope to see you again at the student council room. Well, if you don’t come, there’s nothing we can do.”

“….”

“Well then, we’ll go first~? Pretty underclassman!”

David turned and walked back the way he came. Scarlet followed him, waving to me.

“Phew… the student council…”

I fiddled with the map device, cooling off the heat of battle. Unconsciously, the black sword had returned to my waist. Why did it stand out so much on the first day of school? The student council…

!!!!

Suddenly, a memory brushed through my mind.

“Oh right! Beatrice was in the student council, wasn’t she?”

The original progressed from Karl Mayner’s perspective, so I didn’t know much about the student council. Come to think of it, Beatrice was part of the student council in the original. I remembered a scene where she was busy with student council activities.

Ah.

I thought I was making choices on my own. I was worried that it might be gradually different from the original…

Somehow, it feels like every action I take is following in the footsteps of Beatrice from the novel.

It’s as if it were destiny.