Chapter 31

※ Everyone, this is the beloved Dennis-kun episode.

※ Please be cautious as there is a possibility of content that may cause discomfort.

"Damn it...!"

Dennis raised his voice in frustration.

"Why again! Does that woman also have the memories!?"

It was the end-of-term exam for the first semester of Dennis Colelden's first year at the Royal Academy. The most detestable event in Dennis's life had repeated itself. Once again, he had lost the top position in the year to Angelina.

He had repeated time, knew the exam content, and had studied. This time, he was going to take the top spot and stand above that woman. That was the way it should have been, the correct scene. Yet, the accursed history had repeated itself.

(I remembered everything, even the exam content! It should have been the same content!)

Yet, one point. Just one question. For some reason, it was missing, leading to that result. In his room, Dennis faced this worst-case scenario.

"Did that woman also repeat time? That's why... a perfect score!"

Even if Dennis had made a mistake, if Angelina's score had remained the same as last time, Dennis would have won. However, Angelina had achieved a higher score than Dennis remembered.

Indeed, the first end-of-term exam of the first semester was not particularly advanced. It was possible to get a perfect score. But of all people, Angelina, at that timing.

"Damn it!"

Dennis had intended to become a close aide to Leonhardt from the second semester. Alternatively, joining the student council earlier would be good. Since Merk was supposed to become a provisional member of the student council from the second semester of his first year. That's how he had planned it.

"This can't end like this."

In Dennis's memory, Angelina's grades declined after this. The top positions were taken by Merk and Dennis. However, a nagging doubt remained. It was that Angelina was not yet engaged to Leonhardt in this timeline. Originally, Angelina had been a thorn in Dennis's side in the previous timeline.

"Even if Dennis becomes the top, the truly wise one is Lady Angelina. That's because her current grades are due to her receiving princess education and not having enough time to prepare."

...Such rumors spread, tarnishing Dennis's reputation.

In other words, the same situation would apply to this timeline. Could it be that Dennis would lose to Angelina again in the next end-of-term exam?

"Damn it! That can't be!"

With the knowledge gained from repeating time, Dennis had the confidence to reclaim his glory, but he couldn't hide his frustration and anxiety at the results.

"Besides, what is the prince doing, acting on his own! He should just quietly get engaged to that woman!"

Thinking that he should have pushed for the annulment of the engagement again and tarnished her reputation as a lady, Dennis kicked the furniture in his room. His plans had gone awry from the beginning.

The summer break for first-year students ended, and the second semester began. It was time to "reunite" with Merk. They had already met, and it had become a bitter memory for Dennis.

When Dennis met Merk in this timeline, he already knew what was going to happen, so he didn't experience the same shock as last time.

Of course, Dennis already knew that Merk was a delicate girl. Her bright smile was a source of healing for him, but at that moment, it wasn't something he needed.

The issues with her family and her thoughts were already resolved in Dennis's mind. Being brought up on these matters by her, who he had just met, was only troublesome.

"Um..."

"What?"

"Ah, never mind..."

"Huh?"

(Why does she have that frightened look on her face?)

Merk was a girl who smiled even on their first meeting. Dennis was drawn to her cute appearance, but...

In this timeline, Merk, who was treated casually by Dennis, seemed to be wary and frightened.

Her expression made her look like Dennis was the "villain" who had hurt her. Dennis couldn't hide his frustration at Merk's attitude.

"What's with that face?"

"Ah... No! Nothing! Goodbye!"

"Hey!?"

Merk quickly left.

"Damn it, what's wrong with her. Merk... should just smile."

Merk was smart but... also a fool. She maintained a high ranking in her academic performance, and while she had a fair amount of knowledge, she sometimes seemed out of place.

In any case, to Dennis, Merk was smart enough to have good conversations with, yet foolish compared to him. She was beautiful and a source of healing. But now, with that attitude... Dennis could only sigh.

"...Sigh"

Recalling their meeting in the first semester of this timeline, he felt reluctant. He didn't want to waste time on the student council or in academics, where he couldn't afford to be inferior to Angelina.

"...Well, it's fine this time."

Dennis decided not to go to the place where he was supposed to meet Merk again. He had many other things to think about.

(...Not just that woman. Merk, the prince, Fried the fool, Carlos... even Mr. Drought.)

Everyone was acting differently from the "previous timeline." Because the actions of the royal family and high-ranking nobles were different, it was becoming harder to find common points with the previous timeline. This also caused Dennis stress. Initially, Dennis had planned to use the memories from the "previous timeline" to navigate this one.

For example, he would take credit for successful "business" or "trades" that someone had come up with and succeeded in. Or the development of "new magic" or highly praised policy proposals. He would use the memories of these "previous successes" to claim them as his own achievements.

If he did that, his career as a future prime minister would be even more illustrious...

That's what he had thought. But when it came to it, all of Dennis's schemes ended in failure.

Proposals he made to his father, the prime minister, with good intentions backfired. Or the information and premises were insufficient, making his proposals meaningless.

Worse still, the people he had tried to steal credit from achieved their goals in different ways, making it seem like Dennis was the only one spinning his wheels.

"Damn it... Why isn't anything going right...! I'm repeating time! I should be able to do better!"

Using future knowledge to steal the achievements of others from the previous timeline and make his own achievements more illustrious. It was supposed to be a brilliant idea that no one could fault.

After all, these were events from the "previous timeline." So, if Dennis took credit for them in the "current timeline," no one would notice or blame him.

Especially... Angelina.

In the previous timeline, she could voice her opinions as the prince's fiancée at the royal palace. She could even influence policies to some extent, and these were highly regarded by his father, the prime minister, and the king.

However, in this timeline, Angelina was not in that position. So, Dennis tried to steal her achievements. Fortunately, these proposals could be made by anyone. It was just that Angelina was in a place where her voice reached the king and the prime minister first. So, Dennis's proposals, made at the right time, should have been fine. He carefully chose the moment to suggest them to his father.

"...It's a good proposal."

"Isn't it? Father. I mean, Prime Minister."

Of course, this was the expected reaction. After all, in the previous timeline, these were Angelina's achievements.

"That proposal has already been made by the Duke of Rodeck's daughter. The king has already approved it."

"......What?"

"You seem to be well-versed in state affairs and aware of the current situation. I'll praise you for that. This time, you were a step too late, but keep working hard."

With that, his father, the prime minister, left Dennis behind.

"......"

Then, the end-of-term exam for the second semester of the first year. The feared event for Dennis occurred.

The name listed as the top of the year was... Angelina Steizen. Second was Merk Schreigen. Third was Sandika Rodeck.

Dennis was... fourth.

"Why..."

Was the exam content that different from last time? It didn't seem so. It should have been the same as what he remembered.

...By this point, Dennis was driven more by anxiety than frustration, and he was beginning to feel exhausted. Everything had been going wrong for months. The future he had envisioned after reversing time had not come to fruition. Instead, his reputation was continuously declining.

"Mr. Drought"

"...What is it, Dennis?"

After seeing the results of the second semester end-of-term exam, Dennis visited the teacher, Neil.

"...Was there any cheating in the exam?"

"There's no way. What kind of cheating?"

"...That woman"

"......"

"Angelina being the top is wrong. It's not right...!"

Why. When he, who was repeating time, couldn't get things right, why was Angelina's performance improving?

"There was no cheating. Not just the princesses, but Schreigen as well, and you, Dennis."

"...What?"

"You wanted the exams to be strictly monitored, right? So, we made the teachers more vigilant. Of course, that included you, Dennis Colelden. You didn't cheat and entered the top four in the year by your own merit. You should be proud. You did well."

"Wha—"

Dennis was momentarily speechless.

"...Well, thanks to the strict monitoring, we even caught a student who tried to cheat. That's your achievement from when you advised me. Since we caught it in time, the students' grades reflect their true abilities. Both you and Princess Steizen."

"I would never cheat...!"

Dennis, blushing and showing his anger, finally protested.

"...No one would cheat, not just you, but Princess Steizen as well. We monitored the exams properly. No one tampered with the grades, so you can rest assured. Whether it's a prince, a duke's daughter, or the prime minister's son, everyone was on the same terms."

"Ugh...!"

"Dennis. It's just your own merit. You're in the top ranks, and you should be proud. At the same time, there are always people above you. ...The only thing I can tell you is that we never allowed any cheating. At least the top thirty students earned their grades fairly."

"I've had enough...!"

Dennis, unable to hide his frustration, shame, and anger, tried to leave. He had intended to expose Angelina's cheating, but he never expected to be suspected of cheating himself. The realization hit him like a cold shower, stirring up indescribable emotions.

"Dennis. Don't go astray. Calm down... Look at the present. Why are you only suspecting Princess Steizen? Did you want Schreigen to be first? Or did you want to be the top? When you accused me of cheating, what did you really want? ...Did you not question your own actions? In this ranking, even if the princess wasn't at the top, you wouldn't be first."

"That's...!"

He was right. Suspecting Angelina was just a way to vent his frustration at everything going wrong.

"...Excuse me!"

Dennis left the room as if fleeing.

(Damn it, damn it, damn it...!)

Time continued to pass. In the third semester end-of-term exam, Angelina again took the top spot.

Unlike the "previous timeline," Dennis, who never became the top in his first year, was not compared to Angelina.

...Dennis didn't even become a target of jealousy among the students. Because Angelina continued to shine.

"......"

When he entered his second year, events that were clearly different from the "previous timeline" began to unfold. Several young ladies, not Angelina, were to receive princess education.

Among them was Merk Schreigen. Her excellence suggested she might become Leonhardt's fiancée in the future. Or Carlos's fiancée...? Dennis's name was not on the list.

"...Merk"

In this timeline, he had hardly interacted with her. They avoided each other, and it seemed Dennis would not be connected to Merk this time.

"......"

Dennis wandered aimlessly through the school. He then saw "that woman" at the training ground.

"Ah"

He saw her expression, her gaze, her "passion."

"Why is it like this...?"

He couldn't accept it. It felt like his remaining pride was being hurt. He was filled with turbulent emotions. But he could do nothing, just...

"That woman... in the Milanetta territory? The festival..."

He heard the conversation. The school was heavily guarded, and the training ground had knights. But in the crowded festival... Dennis thought.

"...I"

He wished to reclaim what should be his, to put things where they should be. Because that was...

"Right, where it should be."

That's what Dennis muttered to himself.

The readers' hate for the heroes is on a gradient.