Chapter 39

It feels like the academy has finally settled down after two weeks.

Look, when I walk down the hallway, hardly anyone bows to me anymore. It seems that the upperclassmen haven't gotten the message yet, so when they do, I return their greetings, chat for a bit, and patiently explain to each one, "There's no need for greetings or bows. Please just call me Shin, not 'Prince' or 'Your Highness.' " I also ask them to explain this to others.

Thanks to this, I don't have to engage in those pretentious noble exchanges every ten steps when I go to the bathroom. It's a relief.

"Ah, Prince-sama!"

There are still some who don't understand at all...

"Hello! How's the academy treating you!?"

You know, it's a bit strange for the heroine to ask me how the academy is treating me... Isn't that the other way around?

"Thanks to my repeated explanations, my classmates have finally stopped calling me 'Prince.' I appreciate that."

"It's a shame you can't be called 'Prince' after getting to know you."

"Considering we're classmates taking the same classes, I'd prefer it if you didn't call me 'Prince' and make me feel like I'm about to wet myself from all the bows every ten steps."

I wish you could understand that a bit more.

"Then, Shin-sama?"

"Drop the '-sama.'"

"Then, Shin-kun is okay?"

"Sure, but I can't agree that we're acquaintances. I don't even know who you are."

She's clearly exasperated.

"I'm Rinse. R-I-N-S-E! Rinse Blauber. When will you remember?"

"It's long and hard to pronounce. Maybe I need a memo."

"Where?"

The heroine stomps her feet in a huff. She's cute.

But trying to compete with Celia on that level of cuteness is futile.

It's a dog-like cuteness. I don't feel any romantic attraction. Jack, you're right.

The girls walking down the hallway are frowning or laughing. I wish they'd leave me alone.

"I don't care anymore!"

She turns her back on me and says...

"Wait a moment."

I realize why the girls were laughing or frowning.

There's a piece of paper pinned to her back.

"I am a former commoner."

What a situation. She's already being bullied.

It seems she's already earned the resentment of many girls, and this bullying has become a reality. The method is childish, though.

"Don't move."

I remove the pin and crumple the paper.

"What is it?"

"Nothing... "

"Wait a moment—!"

Suddenly, someone calls out.

"You! What did you do to her!"

I see a tall, muscular, handsome guy.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie! You touched her back just now!"

"I just removed some trash."

"...You won't get away with lying. Show me what you're hiding in your hand."

"I don't think you should."

"Show it."

"For her honor, I can't."

"You—!"

He suddenly grabs my collar, but I dodge.

"Stop it, Powell-sama!"

The heroine uses the honorific. I told her to stop that in the academy.

"But—!"

"This is Prince Shin! Prince Shin Midland! Don't you know?"

"Huh..."

Powell is shocked. He didn't know.

Ah, right, he's one of the targets. Celia said he's the "muscle head." He's Powell Hargan, the son of the Royal Guard Captain. He's already acquainted with the heroine.

"What's going on, so noisy... Oh, Rinse-kun, Shin-kun, and Powell-kun too."

Pikar Baljean, the son of the Earl, enters with a dancing step.

Don't come here... I wish you'd go away. He's also a target.

Pikar picks up the crumpled paper that fell from my hand during the commotion.

"Shin-kun, what's this about?"

He unfolds the crumpled paper and frowns.

"Pikar, this guy is the prince..."

"He is undoubtedly the first prince of this country and my lifelong rival, Shin Midland. He gave the welcoming speech as the representative of the new students. Were you sleeping during the opening ceremony?"

Stop making me your rival. I never agreed to that.

"I couldn't attend the opening ceremony due to some business! I'm sorry!"

Powell bows to me. What kind of business couldn't let him attend the opening ceremony? He was probably sleeping. Don't try to cover it up.

But more importantly, you should at least know the face of your country's prince. As a member of the Royal Guard, you should be more aware. Well, he's still a student, so it's okay for now.

"Powell-kun, since nothing serious happened, I'll let it slide this time. If you cause any violence in the academy again, you'll be punished according to the rules. Understand?"

"Yes!"

I don't know this violent guy. Just because he's the son of the Royal Guard Captain doesn't mean he's been invited to every party or tea party. This is ridiculous.

"So, what's this?"

Pikar shows me the unfolded paper. There's no point in hiding it now.

"...This was pinned to her back. I just removed it."

"Sad. Who could do such a thing?"

Pikar dramatically shakes his head and puts his hand on his forehead, like a tragic hero. He's like Hamlet.

"Is that true!"

Powell is furious.

"Did you notice anything flapping on your back?"

"No, I didn't notice at all..."

The heroine is surprised. Is she really that oblivious? Maybe she is, as Celia called her the "oblivious protagonist."

"Prince, you didn't just put this on her, right? You weren't trying to hide evidence, right?"

That's rude, Powell-kun. You're the type who wants to protect the peace and order of the academy.

"Powell-kun, in the academy, you're not allowed to call Shin-kun 'Prince.' He wants to be called by his name. We are equals. Remember that."

"Ah..."

I always say this, but it's annoying when Pikar says it. Oh well.

"In the academy, we forget our status and treat everyone equally. There's no way Shin-kun would do such a mean thing. Look, it's clearly written by a woman."

"How can you tell?"

"...Have you never received a letter from a lady? That's why..."

Pikar, stop there...

"But this... prince... Shin-sama tried to hide it!"

"I said it was for her honor. And stop using the honorific."

"I see, a gentlemanly act."

Pikar nods in agreement.

"It's fine... I'm a commoner. It's true that I'm a former commoner..."

The heroine starts to cry.

Tears streaming down her face.

Wiping them with her sleeve.

She looks like a crying child. This would trigger the protective instincts of men! When Celia did this to me, I was moved enough to decide to marry her. That was five years ago. We were both ten.

...But Celia was crying alone, unseen by anyone.

"Are you in the same class?"

"Unfortunately, I'm in a different class."

"Me too."

That's a shame.

"Let's not make a big deal out of this. If we stir things up, it will hurt her more and make more enemies. Class is starting. Hurry back."

"Okay."

"Shin-kun, it's wise. Pursuing the truth would only make the lady unhappy. Come, Rinse-kun."

Powell leads the way, and Pikar escorts the heroine to her classroom.

"Rinse-kun, be proud of being a former commoner. Many people here only got in because of their noble blood. You earned your place here through your own efforts. That's a much greater achievement. Hold your head high..."

...Good advice, Pikar.

Whether you should be giving it is debatable, though.

The heroine, protected by the two knights, walks back down the hallway.

In just two weeks, she's already charmed two guys from other classes.

Impressive, heroine. Amazing skills.

Even if I don't want to get involved, I end up getting involved...

Later, when I returned to the Colette family's annex, I asked Celia about this.

We flipped through our "homemade guidebook." It's not there.

"Hmm, I forgot about this. This is a random event."

"Really? What happens?"

"In the early stages of the game, a target character who hasn't met the heroine yet finds this and gets to know her. They comfort her after hearing her story and get a heartwarming moment."

"So, I took that opportunity away?"

"Maybe the flag for Shin-sama and the heroine meeting hasn't been set yet. It might have been Shin-sama's event."

"I don't even want to remember the heroine's name..."

"Well, in the early stages, you meet the target characters like this. It's impressive that you've made this much progress in just two weeks."

That's impressive.

"Can we figure out who the culprit is for this pinning incident?"

"I don't know. But if this was Shin-sama's event, you might think the villainess's handwriting is similar and suspect me."

"Then it's fine. Celia's handwriting is completely different. I wouldn't mistake it."

"...Thank you. I'm glad."

Celia is happy.

"When I'm impeached at the graduation ceremony, Shin-sama will hold up this paper and say, 'This is what you wrote!'"

"That's harsh of me."

"I'm sorry... When I was the heroine, I thought it was cool for the prince to present solid evidence."

"That prince is not cool at all. Breaking an engagement and exiling someone over a petty prank is ridiculous. And keeping the paper as evidence for years? Embarrassing..."

We laugh together.

"Well, the bullying has started, so we need to be careful. Bullying is something that needs to be eliminated from the academy."

"Right, I'll be careful too!"

Next: "39. Flora Academy Student Council"