episode_0031

In the main game, not every aspect of the characters’ daily lives is shown in detail.

Of course, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a daily life part in the game. Characters attend classes, go to the library to study, interact with other students around the school, and even receive tasks from teachers.

During this process, depending on how a character interacts with others, relationship points are accumulated, and at certain points based on these points, specific events with that character can occur. This could involve going on a date, coincidentally meeting somewhere, and even ending with a kiss.

Initially, due to the setting of “limited time,” it is impossible to interact with everyone in the first round. However, in the second round, there are no such restrictions, and eventually, by the end, players can freely choose to interact with any of the heroines or male characters.

Choosing a male character does not lead to a BL route or anything like that… It ends more like a friendship ending. Of course, there are players who diligently pursue specific routes.

In reality, since the story’s ending is predetermined, the events leading up to becoming lovers or close friends with someone are described at a level where they are not that significant. It can be seen as a game service that provides an opportunity to date the heroine of one’s choice.

In the sequel, by linking the data from the previous game, the story continues with the assumption that the player was dating the heroine from the previous game, and if there is no save file, it asks who the player was involved with at the start. Since the game’s story is not heavily focused on romance, choosing different characters will lead to a similar progression of the story. Romance may be forgotten amidst the story’s progression, allowing players to switch to another character by the end.

However… making romance in the story so easily forgettable is ultimately just a game mechanic, and things are different here. It’s not like you can smoothly transition from being in a relationship to just being friends. It would be strange for female characters to have no friction between them.

Moreover, due to the relationships between the characters, everything has changed drastically.

… Will this go as smoothly as the original? Is this already deviating from the original? I wonder if knowing the original content will actually be helpful.

“Sylvia.”

Lost in thought while preparing for class, I was interrupted by Alice from the next seat.

“Yes?”

“What are we going to do about the student council?”

Alice didn’t wait for my response and immediately asked.

… Right.

There was a student council as well.

In the original work, Alice was also part of the student council.

The student council president is chosen solely by the recommendation of the current president. Purely voting for the position is only for the president. Naturally, the president usually has good popularity or a wide network of connections, often both.

In a sense, it’s not much different from the political scene in this country. Most commoners don’t have time to vote as they are busy working. They don’t even know who’s who. The emperor’s administration is mostly composed of nobles, and most of the appointed ministers are nobles. Those who run for office and campaign have the funds and time, which are mostly nobles. Although the number of nobles is overwhelmingly higher than commoners, the voter turnout is overwhelmingly in favor of nobles. This political landscape was effective even in the academy where those kids studied.

Even if commoner students try to elect a commoner as the student council president… those commoners likely have some connection to nobles if they are from a household high enough to attend here. They might have been filtered in twice, once before the exam and once after.

Anyway, as it was a student council that operated in that manner, it was customary for the student council president to recommend high-ranking students as student council executives when they enrolled. However, it wasn’t just a formality to recommend based on tradition. If they agreed to do it, they would actually do it. They wouldn’t force someone who didn’t want to do it.

Alice would be recommended not only in the original work but also here.

“I haven’t thought about it yet,” I replied as I took out the textbook for the first period from my bag.

In the original work, one could either join or not join the student council. However, if one joined, there were additional benefits for Alice’s relationship gauge, unique events or items in the student council, and most importantly, one had to join to create character cards.

Furthermore, joining the student council itself was treated as a kind of hidden quest, and to earn a silver medal for clearing all quests, joining the student council was mandatory. Additionally, there were slight benefits in raising Alice’s favorability, and in the first round, actions to raise favorability with other characters were also added. The quest rewards in the first round were somewhat helpful.

In other words, joining the student council added small events to the daily life part and allowed access to the student council room, so in the second round, one simply didn’t join. In the second round with unlimited actions, it was possible to fill Alice’s relationship gauge to the end with just the relationship events interspersed between main events.

And up to this point, I had no reason to earn a platinum medal. Because reality wasn’t a game.

“Really? Then should I put your name in for now?”

“….”

But it seemed that Alice didn’t think so.

When I stopped moving and turned my head to look at Alice, she looked at me with a questioning gaze and said, “What, you don’t want to?”

Alice looked at me strangely and asked.

Hmm…

Actually, I didn’t really want to.

To explain, the student council of this academy existed to show how powerful the aristocratic society was, both in-game and out of the game.

Even Leo, when he joined, often faced various events of being ignored due to being a viscount. Of course, Alice had driven away the kids for daring to question the noble title directly granted by the emperor.

Of course, as a princess, I wouldn’t be ignored. Sometimes in fantasy novels, there are things like “the marquis family older than the royal family,” but based on this game, the founding of the empire was essentially a mythological era, no different from the age of creation. At least in this world, there was no name older than the Pegasus.

But still… it’s not a place I really want to go.

Although it was expressed as a simple quest, there was actually a lot to do there.

And inside, there were only high-ranking noble children, so it seemed difficult to act natural.

“…Don’t want to?”

As I just stared blankly, Alice looked at me with a slightly pitiful gaze and asked.

In the original work, Alice was included in the student council at some point, but well, even in the original work, there must have been a moment when Alice joined the student council.

And Alice didn’t have any close noble friends.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just turn back time, right?

“Okay. Shall we go together after school?”

“Yeah, that’s how it should be. Anyway, you’ll get an invitation, won’t you?”

That’s right. The invitation will come. Maybe it’s already there. In front of my dorm room.

“Sylvia!”

And before I could tell Alice about my thoughts, there was someone who interjected between us.

“Hello?”

Of course, it was Claire.

“……”

What should I say in response?

To be honest, I’ve always been quite reserved when it comes to greetings. The only people I usually greet are emperors, and even then, it’s with formal and impersonal greetings like “Have you been well, Your Majesty?” or “I greet His Imperial Highness.”

It was all part of my character concept, and in reality, there were many situations where I didn’t feel the need to greet anyone.

If Jayden or Lucas were causing a commotion right next to me, I would just ignore them. The Emperor’s children, including Alice, would often initiate conversations with me without the need for a morning greeting.

Come to think of it, even for my first greeting, I preferred to introduce myself rather than use a formal greeting.

So now, trying to greet someone felt incredibly awkward. It would have been easier if there was no one next to me. It’s hard to pretend when Alice, who has been observing my behavior, is right beside me.

“Uh, hello…?”

Although Claire, who made it clear she wouldn’t use the term ‘unnie,’ seemed a bit unusual, she still kept her word.

“It’s no use greeting like that multiple times.”

Alice, who was sitting next to me, rested her chin on her hand and chuckled as if finding it amusing.

“Sylvia doesn’t respond well to greetings. She doesn’t really initiate them herself.”

Nice one, Alice.

Yes, the character I maintain is a cool… beauty character. Well, I don’t really do the ‘dere’ thing, so cool beauty suits me better than cool dere.

Receiving greetings with a smile is something that comes after valuing friends.

Although I already felt a certain level of familiarity before meeting, and I did value them in my own way, the other party was unaware of this. So, maintaining this character was important for now.

Perhaps one day, there might come a time when those who approach me after the final battle ask, “I don’t know how to express my emotions in this situation.”

Someone who could be easily identified even without hearing their voice, just by their tone, was Charlotte.

With her beautiful platinum blonde hair slightly fluttering, Charlotte sat down next to Alice, making her movements seem like they were drawn in a painting.

Placing a student bag, commonly seen in Japanese subculture, next to the desk, Charlotte spoke.

“If you are of noble status, it is better to have a bright personality when greeting. Even if you are meeting someone of lower rank, they are still worthy of respect.”

“Hello, Charlotte.”

“Are you well, Alice?”

Alice lightly greeted Charlotte, who in turn returned the greeting.

It was a truly pleasant sight. In the first… well, not exactly the first part, but up until the middle of the first part of the series set in the Azernian Empire, Alice always had a tense expression.

It seems that my efforts to boost my confidence had been quite helpful.

… It’s impressive that Charlotte, who shows the same attitude towards me as she does towards her own father, who is a bit arrogant and rude.

“Oh, and, right, Sylvia.”

After greeting Charlotte, Alice turned her head back towards me and said, “There are times when even fathers greet first, especially when meeting former royal nobles.”

Still, I don’t bow my head, you know.

Furthermore, all those nobles are listed on the blacklist. It’s been hundreds of years since those kingdoms became part of the empire, but the people in that region still have a strong regional identity. They even hold strong regional sentiments towards the islanders or the northerners.

“…I always try to behave politely.”

“No, using honorifics doesn’t mean you’re being polite…”

Alice sighed deeply at my response.