episode_0032

“Student council?”

“Yes, I received an invitation as well.”

Charlotte pulled out an envelope from her bag that looked like a formal invitation and spoke.

“I don’t really know much about the atmosphere or traditions of the academy… Is this sent in order of academic ranking?”

“It’s not sent based on academic ranking.”

Alice shook her head in response to Charlotte’s question.

“It’s more about whether you come from a noble family or not.”

“I see.”

Charlotte nodded slightly in response to Alice’s explanation.

“I must have received this invitation because I am of royal descent.”

“Most likely. Do you happen to know who the student council president is?”

At Alice’s question, Charlotte slowly shook her head.

“I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t know much about the nobility of the empire. I have some acquaintances from my home country, but…”

“That’s probably the case.”

In reality, Alice wasn’t very close with the nobility of her own country either. If even someone who had received a title from a noble family that had been directly bestowed by the imperial family didn’t recognize Alice’s face, it could be said that Alice completely disregarded any ties with the nobility.

Although it was a country with strong imperial power, it didn’t matter much.

“So, did Sylvia also receive one?”

Claire leaned on my desk, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“No, she hasn’t received it yet.”

“Maybe we left too early?”

Even though Alice disregarded ties with the nobility, she had a strong desire to be recognized by the emperor. She even studied hard in the morning.

And unintentionally, I ended up studying with her.

But it wasn’t a big problem since I could sleep deeply in a comfortable bed every night. There weren’t any games worth staying up for in this world.

In a way, I was living much more comfortably in this world than in the original world. Was it natural since I was the emperor’s daughter and not a working adult?

“If Charlotte received an invitation, I think there might already be a letter in front of our dorm room.”

Alice’s words made Claire’s eyes shine brightly.

Honestly, it was so bright that it seemed almost optical.

It was quite burdensome.

“Is Sylvia planning to join the student council?”

“…”

I glanced at Alice and replied.

“If the princess is going to join, then I will too.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Alice smiled confidently.

“I plan to become the student council president later. It’s good to experience being at the top of something before thinking about ascending to my father’s position, right?”

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to build connections with the children of influential noble families who would likely be running the country in the future. Even Alice, who had entered the academy alone, had joined the student council with that in mind.

Charlotte… didn’t seem very interested. Judging from the setting, Charlotte probably received a letter as well.

But then again, Charlotte was like a princess drawn in a painting, so she probably didn’t care much about a student council filled with injustice. After all, she was only here at the academy because the King of Belburg sent her.

“Should I also visit the student council then?”

But if it was this world’s Charlotte, the story would be different. Charlotte, who had started building a friendship with Alice much later, no longer felt inferior under the title of ‘perfect princess’. The reason for feeling inferior in the first place had disappeared.

This change probably happened because I was here.

It was a pleasant change.

“Oh, are you interested?”

Alice turned her gaze towards Charlotte and spoke, Charlotte lowered her head.

“I’m not really that interested, but well.”

Charlotte smiled lightly.

The sound of people around them swallowing their breath could be heard as they glanced in their direction, especially the boys.

Even if the races were not vastly different, as long as there was a perception of being from a different country, to the eyes of those looking at Charlotte, she could only appear as a “foreign beauty princess.” Moreover, her accent carried the softness typical of the French language.

Beautiful people from other countries have always been popular. However, it was just a fantasy that people had, as Charlotte was well aware.

But is Charlotte an exception? Her mysterious aura from her hair color to her atmosphere makes her stand out.

“If I’m with my friends, I think I could consider going.”

“Is that so?”

“I, I want to go too!”

Looking at Alice smiling at Charlotte’s words, Claire quickly chimed in.

“Can I come along too?”

“You too?”

Alice was a bit surprised this time. Asking to go to the student council room without an invitation could be seen as either being rejected or being accepted.

In the original work, Leo, who became involved with Alice, entered the student council room for the first time following Alice’s lead… However, Leo did not approach Alice because he wanted to go to the student council room. In terms of the game’s timeline, this event would happen a month later. It would be the beginning of the main story quests.

Therefore, it might seem a bit unusual for a noblewoman like Claire to express her desire to go along. Although Alice herself said they were just students within the school, she was quite aware that they were not exactly the same type of students.

“Huh? Is that not allowed?”

Claire, who was looking at Alice, turned to me with a pitiful look on her face.

No, even if you ask me…

…No, maybe it’s actually a good opportunity.

Although the student council was filled with authoritative figures, being authoritative also meant that they themselves might be afraid of that authority.

So, since it turned out this way, it might be fun to take Claire along.

Oh, who is that woman? Why is a noblewoman like Claire chatting so comfortably between a princess and a queen? Why are they conversing so casually? We’re all meeting for the first time—

—Wouldn’t it be interesting if a twist like this happened? It might be refreshing like a soda twist.

Hmm, maybe not. I don’t really want to see Claire being ignored…

…I’ve been waiting for this game every year for seven years. Not only the world view, but I also have a certain affection for all the characters in the game series. There are some characters I really dislike, but since they haven’t properly appeared yet, I’ll let it slide.

So, I really didn’t want to see my favorite characters in frustrating situations.

If I see the student council members ignoring Claire or Leo, I might not be able to hold back.

“…”

So that’s what I’m worried about.

“…Yes?”

And looking at me like that, Alice, who was sitting next to me, made a questioning sound. Oh, did I show my emotions too much? I hope not.

“Let’s go with that decision.”

At the moment of my worry, Charlotte answered in a light voice.

“Is there any reason not to?”

“Well, there isn’t really a reason, is there?”

Seeing Alice turn her head at Charlotte’s words, I felt a little relieved. No, breaking a concept that had been maintained for 10 years in just two days would be quite a shock.

“It’s a bit strange that only those who received an invitation can enter the student council, but…”

Charlotte said as she looked down at the letter envelope still in her hand.

“Still, students of this academy are equal within the academy, right? I wonder if anyone would say anything if we bring Claire along.”

There was a look of amusement on her face.

“……Hmm.”

And perhaps noticing that look, Alice sighed. Well, after observing my expressionless face for the past 10 years, she should be able to pick up on subtle changes in Charlotte’s expression.

It was a look of amusement, but at the same time, it was a determined one.

Not following the rules she set for herself. Charlotte despised people like that.

That’s why she disliked the so-called ‘equal’ student council of the academy.

“……”

While Alice’s self-esteem had improved significantly compared to before, it didn’t mean her pride had diminished. Alice still had the pride of being the princess of the empire.

And she also had the pride of being the top student of the empire, and even the world, academy. Sure, I ended up here by mistake, but Alice always seemed to consider me as an ‘exception’ and move accordingly, so losing to me wouldn’t have dealt a huge blow to her pride.

That’s why she was conflicted.

Would it be more humiliating to bring Claire along and expose the truth about the student council?

Or would it be more humiliating to somehow twist the situation and leave Claire behind?

But I was certain.

If Alice, who had strong self-esteem as well as pride, would not choose either of those options.

“Alright, let’s go together.”

At Alice’s words, Claire’s expression brightened.

Yes, probably, if it were Alice.

I was convinced she would choose to change everything instead.

*

In the original work, at first, she was only strong in pride, a timid character, but Alice, who I had diligently instilled with the words ‘you are the one to succeed the emperor,’ was not like that.

If there was a part she didn’t like, or a part she was embarrassed to show others, she would just tear it apart and fix it.

It’s not like Alice didn’t have that power.

In fact, it wasn’t me, but Leo, who unknowingly helped boost Alice’s confidence during their interactions, and by the end of the first part, she was openly challenging the emperor.

The current Alice had already challenged him once, but she didn’t speak in a submissive tone to the emperor.

“……”

Leo, who had awakened Alice like that in the original work, was now sitting trembling, sipping his tea.

But the siblings, Claire, on the other hand, was too carefree, almost similar to Alice and Charlotte.

And the current student council members, shrouded in silence, were sending suspicious glances from a distance.

It wasn’t strange for me to come with Alice. For the past few days since starting at the academy, I had always been with Alice.

It also wasn’t strange for Charlotte to come with us. Being a princess of another country, it made more sense to have connections with the imperial family rather than the nobles of the empire.

But what about those two earls?

Of course, being an earl doesn’t necessarily mean they are inferior.

If they were earls who directly managed territories granted by the imperial family, they might have more power than nobles from the capital. Even those who served as the empire’s sword in wars and earned great merits, like the Greys, were highly respected in society.

However, the members of the Academy Student Council are even more formidable than the nobles. No matter how high-ranking a viscount may be within the system, they are not as prestigious as the duke who shares the bloodline of the royal family, or the children of the marquis right next to the system. That’s why they didn’t receive an invitation.

Nevertheless, it is only natural to think that there is something behind the two princesses and the princess entering here together.

And the key point is that those kids don’t know the reason itself.

Because they don’t know the reason, that’s why it’s significant that Alice accepted Charlotte’s teasing of the Student Council and caused the situation without knowing it at all.

“….”

However, it seemed that no one was thinking about how to navigate the awkward situation that had arisen.