episode_0084

Wait wait.

How is the situation unfolding right now?

I was definitely one of the spectators watching Princess Tiara Altarion and her dazzling connections pass by.

Then I happened to make eye contact with her, and she showed me a smile.

I thought it was just a misunderstanding, nothing more than a coincidence, but why is she suddenly approaching me?

Could it be that she was actually looking in my direction?

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” The Princess, with bright blonde hair and deep blue eyes, greeted me. Her voice was as clear as her eyes, and her attitude was so kind it was almost awkward for me.

“Ah, hello. It’s nice to meet you too.” Being quite surprised, I ended up replying in a very stiff and rigid posture. Seeing me like that, she covered her mouth with her hand and smiled, as if amused by something.

“I see, well… Are you one of the new students at the Academy this year?” “Yes…yes! That’s right. Is there something wrong with me…?”

“Hehe, it’s nothing like that. I just wanted to get along well in the future. Would it be okay to ask for your name, if it’s not an imposition?”

It wasn’t just me who was flustered by her words and reaction. Including the Princess’s dazzling connections who had been guarding her side like a personal guard just moments ago, other students who were looking up to them began to murmur.

“What’s with that guy, who is he to dare speak with the Princess?” “But the Princess approached him first…? Could it be that he’s not famous but is a significant figure in his own right?” “…Even so, I’ve never seen or heard of someone who looks like that gigolo-like fellow.” “Exactly, if he’s a noble I don’t know, he must be from a far-off frontier.”

…Sounds that made my ears sting with such content were heard from around me. Perhaps the Princess also noticed this, as she briefly cast a cold gaze around. Surprisingly, with just one action from her, the murmuring students instantly fell silent.

“…I apologize, it was a bit noisy around here.” “Ah…no! You said you were curious about my name, right? I am Ropel Teufel.” “Thank you, Ropel, my name is Tiara Altarion, and I just entered the Academy this year as well. Please take care of me in the future.” “Yes…yes! Please take care of me too.”

After finishing the greeting, she went on her way with her companions. It was truly a first encounter like a storm.

And as soon as the Princess disappeared from sight, eyes filled with jealousy and doubt concentrated on me again. Naturally, I had no leisure to sit quietly and enjoy lunch. Packing up a simple packed meal or something similar from the store, I hastily left the spot. Even while rushing out as if escaping, I heard many sounds that made my ears itch.

The fortunate thing was that the other famous figures around her did not get particularly involved. Does that mean they are different from the riffraff whispering around? Of course, even they glanced in my direction now and then.

Anyway, what should I do about lunch? Actually, since I hadn’t made friends within the class, I had hoped that I might be able to become friends with someone while eating together during this lunch break. As the situation turned out like this, various plans turned into bubbles.

…Ah! Come to think of it, there was one friend I became close with during the entrance ceremony. It’s not weird to eat alone, but if possible, it’s better to eat with someone. They said they were in the Alchemy department… Would it be too late to ask them to eat together now?

. . .

“Ugh~ Somehow, I got through today well.” At the time all classes ended, I was stretching and getting ready to return to the dorm. I was worried that some strange rumors might be spreading about me due to the small incident during lunchtime a while ago, but thankfully, nothing like that happened. There were people who looked at me with strange eyes, but that was all; they didn’t cause any particular disturbance. Furthermore, the murmuring of the students who had been following me gradually died down. Since I am from an unremarkable frontier noble family in the first place, it might not be strange for interest to cool down so quickly. In that sense, it is truly fortunate. There is no situation more troublesome than monopolizing attention when you have no power.

Well, anyway, it was fortunate that I could meet Elisio Gremlina during lunchtime that day. Having a strange premonition, I moved my steps towards the corner of a secluded building far from the Alchemy department. Surprisingly, the real Isabella was there, and we could have lunch together. Since then until now, Elisio and I have been spending time together during every lunch break. Spending lunchtime with her was truly enjoyable.

This is because I couldn’t feel this way when I lived back home, as I had no friends of the same age. Perhaps that’s why… I might uniquely long for and desire the aspect of ‘friendship’ more than others. Even before that, time spent with others itself feels incredibly precious. Whether this is due to my nature or not, it has been this way since I was born.

Anyway, while heading back like that, I could spot a truly welcome sight. Short black hair and green eyes, it was Meiru, the acquaintance I coincidentally met that dawn. Since then, we have become acquaintances who meet and chat in passing whenever classes at the Academy are about to begin or end. Although I still don’t know her family name or family affairs well, I can still say we are reasonably close. Considering the current time, she must be heading back after finishing classes now, but she was sitting blankly on a bench. Just like when I first met her, she seemed strangely not in a good mood even now. From what I can tell, she hasn’t noticed me yet.

“Meiru? You’re Meiru, right? What are you doing here?” “Eek!?” Hmm? I didn’t mean to startle her. Hearing her name, she was startled and turned around.

“Ah…ah… it was you, Ropel. Well… you’re the only one who would call my name.” “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” “It’s okay, I wasn’t in a bad mood.”

Looking closer, her voice was dark and lacked energy, and her complexion wasn’t good either. Indeed, it seems true that she looked like something was bothering her.

“…Hmm… Did something happen today by any chance?” “…Huh? Why… why that?” “Just… you look like you’re not in a good mood somehow. If it’s a problem you’re uncomfortable talking about, you don’t have to say.”

“It’s not like that, just… *sigh*… I had a bit of a problem with my family.” “Family?” I didn’t expect the word family to come out of Meiru’s mouth.

This is because she would deliberately change the subject whenever topics related to family or accompanying words came up, even though she talked well about other things. So I, too, was considerate of her and was careful not to let the topic reach that side if possible. But a problem with family while at the Academy, did she meet them directly? Ah, come to think of it, communication by letter is possible, so maybe it was that.

“Should I say family… There’s someone who raised me instead of my deceased parents since I was little. For some reason, I met that person at the Academy today, and it seems there was a little conflict.

“Actually, should I call it a conflict, or is it more accurate to say that I’m unilaterally having a hard time? It’s not that I’m not grateful to that person who took me in when I had nowhere to go… but sometimes I feel a little uncomfortable, like they treat me like an object. From a certain point, they became endlessly cold and don’t show the kind side they used to.

…Is thinking this way itself my problem?”

I wondered why she didn’t tell me her family name, and indeed, it seems she has a somewhat complicated family background. It was good that I didn’t ask back then. If I had, I might have made the first meeting awkward. Anticipating that the story might be long, I gently sat down next to her.

“…Treating you like an object?”

“It’s just… instead of communicating with me emotionally, they seem to just want me to act this way sometimes and that way other times depending on their needs. If I don’t follow that, they scold me terribly and get angry. And every time I follow those words… I feel like I’m losing confidence in my own existence more and more. Among the actions I’ve taken recently, were there any actions I truly did of my own will? I wonder. And yet, I unintentionally repeat to myself that I shouldn’t think such things, that I must follow that person.”

Meiru had her hands on her knees and was fidgeting restlessly. Seeing her anxious state, I couldn’t help but reach out and warmly held her hand with mine. At such an action, she was surprised, but perhaps not disliking it, she didn’t push my hand away.

“Meiru, I… don’t know anything about the person you mentioned, nor can I guess what kind of person they are… but at least from listening to the story you told, that behavior is absolutely not right. Just as you follow that person like a parent, shouldn’t that person at least treat you like a child? And at least, the act of manipulating a child like a puppet is absolutely not treating them like a child.”

“…Indeed… I guess so…”

“Well, if you want me to, I feel like I could run right up to that person and argue with them! Meiru, the time we’ve spent together isn’t that long, but still, I know that you are a very upright and good person. And I really don’t like that person who makes you obey without emotion.

…I usually don’t get deeply involved in other people’s family affairs, but could I ask you for one favor?” “A favor?”

“If you ever suffer again from the same problem… tell me right away. I won’t ask you to tell me every detail. Just… I’d like you to let me know that you are having a hard time. So that I can approach you and spend time with you. I don’t have the ability to solve your problem, nor do I fully understand it, but at least I can sit next to you and lighten your pain. So if you’re having a hard time, come to me anytime. No matter what happens, I can accept you, Meiru.”

“I see… Thank you so much… for saying that…” Listening to my story, she had by now clasped my hand that was holding hers. Leaning her head on my shoulder was a bonus. And her face also seemed a little more flushed than usual. Since it’s also the changing season, I should tell her to be careful not to catch a cold.