Chapter 9

Starting from the third period, I attended classes, but the teachers here are of a high caliber.

At Hanakoyama Town Junior High School, there were no teachers as proper as these. Many of them wore tracksuits and sandals, and their speech was casual.

To such teachers, I seemed to be a difficult student to handle. Part of the reason was that I often took days off from school because Lady Mari's guidance took precedence over school, and partly because I couldn't fit in with my classmates.

After all, I didn't understand the jokes or celebrities everyone talked about. I thought I should at least listen to recent songs on the radio to catch up. That's where I discovered EDM. I was really shocked. The music was interesting and amazing! And last night, I finally watched videos of Alan Walker and Marshmello on my smartphone! It was incredible! They were so cool!

I guess I'm more of a fangirl than I thought.

In the end, I graduated without being able to connect with my junior high school classmates, but I began to understand the feelings of those who swoon over idols.

When Lady Mari's dementia progressed and I learned that Fuki was being abused, I stopped going to school almost entirely to take care of Lady Mari.

Even without attending junior high school, I could study sufficiently with textbooks. I also had the textbooks and reference books left by the uncle who gave me the radio cassette player, so I wasn't particularly disadvantaged. However, the reference books on geography were completely outdated. The Soviet Union and East Germany no longer exist, and Leningrad is now St. Petersburg.

By the way, it seems that Lady Mari was friends with someone from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in Leningrad, and she often talked about it. That's why the name Leningrad feels familiar to me.

Even though I could study, I was different from everyone else. I couldn't even attend school regularly. I lived in the countryside, hidden away, without experiencing the things that ordinary people do. While I wasn't really hiding, the townspeople were aware of my existence but rarely interacted with me. I lived a life like a transparent person in that town.

Kazuo, the KGB comrade who really lives in the mountains, leads a guerrilla-like life. I can only imagine, as I've never seen a guerrilla soldier. He is truly my comrade and senior. He is much older than me and teaches me many things. The only people I can socialize with are the landlord and Comrade Kazuo. Occasionally, I also meet Mr. Tanaka from Mossad.

I, who am below average and extremely poor, feel that attending this academy is beyond my station. The current environment is so precious and appropriate that it makes me very anxious.

That's why being treated as a poor antagonist reduces my anxiety. It's a relief to have a flaw.

Just as I was feeling this way, Sakurada Yuria-sama, who gave me a sense of security and introduced me to Sara-sama, entered our classroom at lunchtime and took away the heroine, Yuki Miharu. The external students followed.

I am also an external student, but I am completely excluded. Am I being recognized as the antagonist by everyone because of Sakurada Yuria-sama? I can't help but admire her efforts to protect the academy and important people from the antagonist. Her actions are so proactive that I even want to support her.

As I stared at their backs in amazement, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Rei-chan, let's go eat in the salon."

"Um, I'll pass on that, thank you."

I'm afraid of places with expensive furnishings, so please spare me.

"Huh? Then, how about the cafeteria?"

"That place is crowded, and I'm not good with it."

"Don't worry about me, please eat in the salon. I'll eat in the classroom."

Sara-sama and the others looked at each other.

"Basically, eating and drinking in the classroom is not allowed in this academy."

"Well, they might turn a blind eye to drinks."

What a surprise! No eating or drinking in the classroom!

"Sara-chan, you always eat in the salon's café, right? Please go there without worrying about me. I'll eat in the cafeteria. Can I use a bento box there?"

"Of course."

"Then, I'll join you! Right, Sugi?"

"Sara, didn't you just say you're not good with the cafeteria?"

"..."

We headed to the cafeteria. I was bracing myself for a packed place, but it was surprisingly empty.

"You look like you're thinking it's not crowded at all."

Sugi-sama read my mind again. Maybe she's a Satori.

"Did you think I was a Satori?"

"Are you really a Satori!?"

"Of course not."

Sugi-sama laughed, holding her stomach. Sara-sama watched the exchange with a sigh.

"Rei-chan, what's wrong?"

"I was thinking about the cost of the air conditioning here. This is such a luxurious space! I'm savoring this luxurious air with my whole body."

"I don't quite understand."

After a while, Sugi-sama returned to the table with two trays.

"Sara, sorry to keep you waiting."

"Thank you, Sugi."

They exchanged trays with perfect timing. Unlike yesterday's café, today's lunch was more down-to-earth. Omelet rice, soup, and salad. Still, it was out of my price range.

I took out a bento box with rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves, simmered bamboo shoots, and pickles. I had prepared extra bamboo shoots.

Today, they were looking at my rice balls again. Today's lunch wasn't something they could trade. Maybe they really like rice balls? I'm glad I made four today. If there are any left, I'll stop by the park on the way home and have them as a snack. Speaking of which, my childhood snack was usually dried sardines.

"Would you like a rice ball?"

I offered them a rice ball. They took it happily and ate it.

"Mm, they're delicious! How can they be so delicious?"

"How do you cook the rice?"

"I cook it normally with gas. In a very ordinary pot. Did you think I cooked it in a hearth or something?"

No matter how poor I am, I still live a cultural life. I don't cook with firewood. But Comrade Kazuo has a hearth, so I can cook rice with it. It's much tastier than gas.

I ate a rice ball too. It was just as usual, neither good nor bad.

"Would you like some simmered bamboo shoots? I dug these up a few days ago."

They ate the simmered bamboo shoots.

"The seasoning is so refined."

"Fuki taught me. She taught me everything about housework."

Ah, thinking about it makes me want to cry again.

Just as I was trying to hold back my tears, Sakurada Yuria's target, Katsuragi-sama, came to our table. The self-proclaimed prince and Mr. Ichijo had mentioned him.

"Sorry about yesterday. My maid gave me your uniform with a key inside. Is this a charm or something?"

It's the key to my house. The term 'ward key' sounds nice, but it's an old key from the Showa era. Functionally, it's just a charm.

Since that's correct, I didn't deny it and just thanked him.

"Can I sit here too?"

Before we could answer, Katsuragi-sama sat next to me. This is what a self-proclaimed prince is like. Sugi-sama, who was supposed to be a decoy, looked annoyed.

"Katsuragi, I'm sorry, but when you're near Rei-chan, Sakurada Yuria might do something strange again. This morning, she called Rei-chan an antagonist."

"I wanted to talk about that. Oh, can I call you Rei-chan too, Rei-chan?"

He called me Rei-chan before I could agree. He's a real self-proclaimed prince. Sara-sama, who was being used as a decoy, looked very unhappy. It must be annoying to be used as a decoy for someone you don't even like.

"Katsuragi-sama, please don't call Rei-chan by her first name without permission. It's a privilege only for her friends."

"Hey, I'll be friends too. Is that okay?"

"What! How can you say that without Rei-chan's permission? I can't believe it!"

I watched them argue, trying to think of a solution, but my lack of social skills left me at a loss. Sugi-sama was ignoring them and looking at the rice ball in front of me.

"Would you like another rice ball? I got some cookies in the infirmary, so I'm not that hungry."

"Really? Great! Thank you!"

I had received three of the most delicious cookies in the infirmary.

As I was about to hand over the rice ball wrapped in bamboo leaves, Katsuragi-sama snatched it from the side.

"Wrapping it in bamboo leaves is so thoughtful."

Katsuragi-sama ate the rice ball. Sugi-sama froze, and Sara-sama exclaimed in disbelief. I was stunned by his unexpected behavior.

"It's really delicious! Did your cook make it?"

"Hey, that was supposed to be mine! What are you doing?"

Sugi-sama was angry. Very angry.

"Sorry, it was just so unusual. It felt like a story from old Japan. I'll treat you next time. You always eat in the café, right?"

"Katsuragi, there's no substitute for Rei-chan's rice ball. Besides, don't you think you're causing trouble for Rei-chan? She got hurt because of Sakurada Yuria, and it's because you talk to her."

"Ah, about that, I heard from Hoshizumi. That's Mr. Ichijo. He lives near my house and is like an older brother to me. Hoshizumi took the situation seriously and told Yuria's parents. I think you'll hear from them today."

Katsuragi-sama's one-sided talk reminded me of Lady Mari. A self-proclaimed prince is just like Lady Mari. A self-proclaimed prince and a prince, how terrifying. I can't imagine what would happen if such a person had power.

As I was thinking this, another person who reminded me of Lady Mari, Sakurada Yuria, and her friends appeared in front of me.