Chapter 38 of the Academy's Weapon Replicator

Chapter 10: The Empress's Eye (4)

Lunchtime.

Quinie de Viate was heading to the cafeteria, listening to her friend Anne's story.

"Quinie, you heard, right? The Third Princess transferred here."

"Don't be rude, calling her the Third Princess. What if she hears you?"

"Pfft, who cares about status inside Constel."

That's true, but...

Quinie thought Anne's words were quite reasonable, yet she was also realizing in real-time that human relationships don't work that way.

Aten Terst.

As soon as the news of her transfer spread, the surrounding students were in an uproar.

How to approach her, what gift to give, whether to invite her to dinner after school, and so on.

The third-year students, who should set an example for Constel, added to the chaos.

'Well, I understand their feelings, but...'

In fact, Quinie herself was trying to figure out a natural way to approach Aten Terst.

As a merchant, she understands the value of connections better than anyone.

Even if it doesn't work out, it's worth a try to connect with the royal family.

As she chatted with Anne, they arrived at the cafeteria.

"......Huh?"

"Huh?"

The two stared blankly at the scene in the cafeteria.

In front of them was a very unusual sight.

Or rather, it was a scene they had never seen before.

Anne asked in a flustered tone.

"Is, is that Frontier?"

"......Yeah?"

At one table, Frontier was sitting.

There was no one around her.

Well, that's not surprising given her poor reputation.

......But.

Right next to her, one person was sitting.

"Hey, Quinie."

"Yeah."

"I've only heard about her, but I've never seen her in person. Quinie."

"Yeah."

"Didn't you say Aten is completely white from head to toe? Her hair, eyebrows, eyes, and skin."

"......Yeah."

The two looked again at the woman sitting next to Frontier.

"......So, that's Aten?"

* * *

I'm tired.

It's been a long time since I felt this exhausted, even though I'm not in battle.

I was eating while feeling the gazes of everyone around me.

......I can't even taste the food.

I glanced at the person next to me.

"......"

"......"

"......"

Aten is sitting next to me.

In the classroom, Aten remained in her seat next to me even after lunchtime.

When I stood up, she stood up too, and when I walked, she followed.

Now, she's even sitting next to me in the cafeteria.

With her back straight and perfect posture, as if she were a painting.

It must be one of the etiquette lessons she learned thoroughly in the royal palace.

......But.

"Aten."

"Yes."

"Aren't you going to eat?"

In that posture, it's impossible to eat.

Aten remained silent for a moment, then seemed to snap out of a daze and opened her eyes.

"That's right. I need to consume food."

"......No, you don't have to, but you did bring food on your plate with your own hands."

Aten finally started eating after hearing my words.

It feels like I input a command for her to eat.

She's like a robot.

Just looking at her face, she's the embodiment of the 'Snow Maiden.'

Cold and merciless, yet flawlessly beautiful.

A cold beauty who seems to emit her beauty by not allowing anyone to approach her.

'If only I knew why she's doing this to me, I'd feel a bit better.'

Did Filia send her to extract information about the Dragon Heart from me?

If so, wouldn't she try to subtly ask me questions by being friendly?

She's not talking to me, nor does she seem to have any specific purpose.

She just keeps following me.

It feels like she's watching me.

What is this, is she trying to torment me?

Is this some new tactic from the Actober guys?

"Hey......? Frontier?"

At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.

I looked up to see Sybel standing there, looking flustered.

Sybel, you came!

A savior has descended!

"Huh? Lady Aten Terst? Huh? When did you and Frontier......"

"It's not like I did anything."

I don't know why either.

Aten remained focused on her meal throughout our conversation.

Seeing this, Sybel tilted her head slightly and greeted her.

"Um, Lady Aten Terst? Hello."

Sybel's gestures and expressions, which can win over anyone regardless of age or gender.

Aten put down her utensils and wiped her mouth with a napkin after receiving the greeting.

Aten spoke in a voice as cold as ice.

"My name is Aten Terst, but you seem to have a misconception."

Oh, she definitely sounds like a Snow Maiden.

The image I had of her from the game is still intact.

Can I really see a scene where she silences Sybel with her high-pressure royal tone and cold attitude?

"Misconception?"

"I am just a first-year who has just transferred here, so the honorific 'Lady' is quite inappropriate."

"......Oh, right?"

"Just call me by my name. I heard that Constel doesn't distinguish based on status."

Aten's words left Sybel speechless.

But I was also speechless.

Soon, Sybel smiled widely and got closer to Aten.

"Wow, Aten is so nice! I was worried you might be cold!"

"Um, is that so?"

Sybel instantly reached the highest level of friendliness.

Aten, who seemed to accept this comfortably, left me feeling even more bewildered.

What is this?

Is this the Aten Terst I know?

Where is the cold Aten I saw when playing as Aster?

"Then, Aten, did you come straight here after transferring? Where are you sleeping?"

"Yesterday, I arranged a mansion nearby."

"Then, you don't know much about this place, do you?"

"Yes, I have heard a brief explanation from my personal secretary."

"Then, how about shopping with me after school? I'll show you around!"

......The conversation is connected, but it feels like a dialogue between a rich person and a commoner.

I understand the content, but the scale is hard to grasp.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think shopping will be possible."

Of course, she wouldn't go shopping with a girl she just met.

But as she said this, Aten was looking at me.

......What are you looking at?

"Because I will be accompanying Mr. Frontier after school."

"......What?"

I couldn't help but repeat her words, finding them absurd.

Sybel stared at me with her mouth open.

"Frontier, you're amazing?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Whatever you mean, you're wrong.

'But this isn't the time to argue with her.'

I snapped out of my thoughts and spoke to Aten.

"Wait, what do you mean, Lady Aten? Surely you're not planning to follow me after school?"

Aten sighed and put the napkin back on the table.

"Mr. Frontier, that's not what I meant."

Ah, I see?

She's not planning to follow me after school?

As if to meet my expectations, Aten spoke gently.

"Just as I said, I am just a first-year at Constel, so there's no need to use the honorific 'Lady.'"

"Hey!"

"But it's a bit much to suddenly call me by my name."

Why can't we communicate?!

* * *

-Aster, be careful of Frontier de Roach.

Aster was lost in thought.

The words of Baldur, whom he met in the Holy Temple.

'What does he mean?'

Aster doesn't get swept up by rumors and reputations.

He trusts his own eyes and ears more.

His judgment has never been wrong.

The same goes for Frontier.

Despite the rumors about him being a 'human sloth,' after a few conversations and dungeon explorations, Aster understood his true character.

Frontier is a proper human being.

At least, he doesn't deserve the humiliating nickname of 'human sloth.'

'I've seen many more lazy people who pretend to be diligent, and incompetent people who act superior.'

Aster is one of the people who evaluates Frontier the highest in Constel.

That's why Baldur's words were hard to understand.

But he couldn't easily dismiss the words of Baldur, the wielder of divine power.

'Telling me to be careful of Frontier means he's my enemy, right?'

But Aster has only received help from Frontier.

From the fake Mistletoe incident to the dungeon exploration.

The dungeon exploration was actually a favor he offered to repay the Mistletoe incident, but it ended up making Frontier work harder.

And during that time, he even saved Sybel.

'If Frontier is my enemy, why?'

On purpose?

To deceive me?

Or should I not trust the gods?

Aster bit his lower lip.

Aster is a strong character even without Baldur's divine power.

But he knows very well how great a blessing it is to receive Baldur's power.

In a world where gods exist.

How heavy it is to not believe the words of a god, Aster is fully aware.

"Aster, Aster."

Aster snapped out of his thoughts at the calling voice.

In front of him, his classmate Lunia Presel was holding out an ice cream.

"Chocolate?"

"......Yeah, sure."

Aster, who didn't care which flavor, took the ice cream absentmindedly.

Lunia, eating a strawberry ice cream, asked.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?"

"Um, Lunia, what do you think of Frontier?"

"Ugh, Frontier again. You keep talking about him. Don't you remember why we're here because of him?"

That's right.

It all started when Sybel Forte obtained a ticket to the lower dungeon.

At the time, Sybel named Aster, and Aster named Frontier.

"If you hadn't, I could have gone to the dungeon with you!"

"That's why I came shopping with you as an apology. And the dungeon rewards weren't much anyway."

The only meaningful reward was the Holy Temple, but only those with divine power could benefit from it.

Lunia, who lacks divine power, is an exception.

But Lunia seemed unhappy, frowning while eating her ice cream.

"Ugh! You're an idiot! It's not about the rewards! You're so clueless."

"......Really?"

'So, she's disappointed that she didn't get to experience the battles and traps in the dungeon?'

That's what Aster thought.

It's definitely a protagonist-like thought.

"So, what do you think of Frontier?"

"......You're really something."

Lunia looked at Aster in disbelief and sighed.

Lunia, who seemed to be thinking, raised one eyebrow and said.

"Well, I've never met him in person, so I can't say much. If he's as bad as his reputation, it's disappointing, and if he's not, it's just average. Somewhere between a zero and a perfect score?"

"Pretty harsh."

"They say he's lazy and incompetent. And he's from a noble family, so he acts that way because he believes in his status."

Lunia is Aster's childhood friend.

A character with a very high probability of becoming the heroine.

Thus, she is also the character who has the most conversations with Aster.

Lunia has heard a lot about Frontier from Aster.

He's different from his reputation.

A man with a sense of responsibility and consideration, who doesn't leave anyone behind.

'Even though I've heard about him, I should only believe half of what Aster says.'

Lunia knows Aster well.

Aster is too kind.

He prides himself on his ability to judge people, but he hasn't met a real villain yet.

'So, Aster really needs me by his side.'

Just as Lunia thought this.

She stopped in her tracks, staring at the scene in front of her.

Her thoughts also came to a halt.

It was a very strange sight.

"......Aster, I've only heard about him, but."

"Yeah?"

"Is that white person Lady Aten Terst?"

"......What?"

Only then did Aster look ahead.

Across the street, Aten was walking, completely white.

And next to her,

"......Frontier?"

"Huh? Him?!"

Lunia, surprised by Aster's muttering, repeated the question.

The man walking next to Aten is Frontier?

That sleepy-looking face?

Just as the rumors say!

'And Lady Aten is following him like a puppy.'

What is this situation?

"......?"

At that moment, Frontier looked over.

He raised his hand upon seeing Aster.

"Hey, Aster."

Lunia was a bit taken aback by his casual attitude.

I didn't know they were this close just from hearing about it.

"Frontier. Who's next to you, or rather, behind you?"

"Oh, you'll see."

Just as Frontier was about to introduce Aten, he stopped.

Because of Aten's cold expression.

"......Aten?"

Frontier called out to her, but Aten didn't respond.

Her cold gaze was directed at Aster.

At that moment, Frontier recalled.

A fact he already knew.

Nothing had changed.

It was just his 'perspective' that was wrong.

──When playing as Aster and meeting Aten for the first time.

You always face her cold, stern eyes.