Chapter 13
Even after the freshman representative's speech ended, the entrance ceremony continued a bit longer.
There wasn't anything particularly special.
Simple announcements, introduction of faculty, facility guidance... typical matters you're told on the first day of school.
If there was anything worth paying attention to, it might have been the part about dormitory assignments.
The news that we could move in starting today was quite useful.
It meant we could settle into the academy without needing to stay at an inn anymore.
It really feels like the original story is starting.
It was a moment that made it feel real.
[With this, we conclude the entrance ceremony of Galimar Academy.]
[We wish you all the best of luck.]
The event concludes with the dean's encouragement.
Students gradually leaving the auditorium.
I also entrust myself to their flow.
As I'm walking like that, my head suddenly turns at a voice I hear.
"Young Master Snakers!"
"Over here."
A pink-haired pilot and a fox with auburn hair.
They were Regia and Irene respectively.
The two seemed to have been waiting for me, as they were lingering around the auditorium.
I smiled brightly and waved my hand.
"You both waited for me. I'm so touched...!"
The suddenly dropped title of top student.
I was a bit annoyed at the unexpected situation, but seeing these two washes it all away.
To think that my favorite characters from the game are welcoming me.
Isn't this what a successful fan's life looks like?
"What are you talking about? You told us to wait."
"I didn't know you'd care for me so specially! Are we all friends after all?"
"No, you just said earlier..."
"Of course, Miss Irene! I'm so grateful."
"...Never mind."
There was a somewhat impure attempt to break the mood, but I ignored it and moved on.
"Shall we head back now?"
The dormitories should be open by now.
I was thinking of checking out the assigned room. If there were any issues, I should know in advance.
Since the academy itself was as large as a small city, it was good to familiarize myself with the path to the dormitory.
It was a distance that would be inconvenient without taking a carriage.
The three of us walked towards a nearby carriage stop.
Regia and Irene. Perhaps because they had just met today, there was still an awkward feeling flowing between them.
I try to ease the atmosphere with small talk.
"So... how was my speech?"
A lightly thrown question.
I thought it was a good speech that could appear in a youth drama, but I was curious about others' impressions.
"Eh, eh? Yes?"
"Why are you so surprised? I asked without any intention, so feel free to answer comfortably."
"Ah, yes, yes. Your, your speech, Young Master..."
Regia's reaction was somewhat strange.
As soon as she received the question, she started creaking like a broken person, even stumbling over her words.
What's this? Is there some problem?
"Miss Regia? What's wrong?"
"Uh, uh... It was, it was great! Your speech, completely, it, it touched my heart!"
"Haha~! I'm honored you evaluate it so highly!"
They say praise makes whales dance.
I don't know about whales, but it seems it can make a snake dance at least. I felt like I could break into a tap dance at any moment.
As I'm humming a happy tune, Irene looks at me with disgusted eyes.
"You really..."
"Hm? What's wrong, Miss Irene?"
"...It's nothing."
"Hmm?"
"Never mind, just watch where you're going. What if you fall?"
"My goodness, you're worried about me. Are you finally opening your heart to me?"
"Absolutely not."
"How cold...!"
Childishly continuing this back-and-forth.
As we're walking and chatting about such trivial things, I suddenly feel a gaze.
"...?"
Someone was standing blocking the path.
Suddenly, what's this? With that thought, I raise my gaze to see none other than a brilliantly shining girl.
I let out a dumbfounded noise.
"...Oh."
It was quite a familiar appearance.
Platinum blonde hair falling to the shoulders. Blue eyes transparently reflecting the world.
"Hello."
A greeting that falls like fluttering.
Even her voice carries a mysterious atmosphere. It's as calm as the dawn seaside.
I knew this girl.
Another protagonist of the original game 'The World as Seen by the Little Prince'.
The best playable character chosen by users, and a character modeled after the Little Prince.
'Charlotte.'
The First Imperial Princess of the Empire, Charlotte von Little Staufen.
Originally in the original work, she entered the academy as the top student, but because of me, she was pushed to second place.
I immediately kneel.
"I greet the star of the Empire."
"Mm, nice to meet you."
Charlotte nods.
A somewhat free-spirited way of speaking. It was a point where her characteristic as a four-dimensional girl stood out.
I quietly turn my thoughts.
Charlotte is a character who doesn't show much interest in others.
It was rare for her to approach and speak first like this.
Is something wrong? Could it be that she's trying to pressure me because I took the top spot?
'...That can't be.'
Charlotte doesn't particularly care about grades.
No, to be precise, I should say she doesn't care about anything in the world. Except for her precious 'rose'.
'Then why on earth.'
Because she's such an unpredictable person, it was difficult to guess her reasons.
As I was frozen like that.
"I just came. Out of curiosity."
Charlotte speaks first.
She taps my crown a few times, then casually strokes my head as if it's nothing.
Everyone puts a question mark at her sudden action.
"Hair. It's soft."
"Pardon?"
"Well then, goodbye. See you later."
"...?"
Right after, she turns her back as if her business is done.
A girl who suddenly approaches, just greets, and leaves again. My thoughts stop at this flow of conversation I've never experienced before.
What...?
What just happened to me? Not a bell run, but a human run?
Maybe because it happened so suddenly, there wasn't even time to feel bewildered. Is this what they call the Little Prince style of conversation?
I'm frozen for a moment in this dumbfounding situation, but Charlotte is already walking far away.
"Maybe... am I too dumb to follow the flow?"
"Eh? Th-then, I, I must be dumb too..."
It seems the fox and the pilot were also confused.
I, who had been kneeling quietly, soon burst into a hollow laugh.
It was supposed to be a historic moment of meeting a new character, but she left before I could even feel moved.
"Well... this is part of her charm, I suppose."
I dust myself off and stand up.
I could feel glances from around, but I decided to ignore them roughly.
"Shall we go now?"
I quietly take a step.
Then the two who had been lost in questions also come to their senses and follow.
'By the way.'
What was Charlotte trying to say?
She said she was curious about something... but I didn't hear it clearly so I'm not sure. She could have at least finished what she was saying.
I walked, chewing over this bland question.
***
The dormitory building we arrived at after riding the academy carriage.
What awaited us was an array of buildings comparable to... no, perhaps even larger than ordinary mansions.
Facilities of a quality incomparable to ordinary academies.
Everyone seemed unable to contain their admiration, perhaps because it was their first time at Galimar.
Regia was openly staring out the window in a daze, and even Irene, though trying not to show it, seemed very interested in the surrounding scenery.
Yeah, such a spectacular sight is hard to see anywhere else.
After all, it's a quasi-city-level academy that can accommodate up to 5,000 people.
'My heart swells with grandeur.'
Of course, I was no different.
Although I had seen this background many times in the game, seeing it in person was a whole different dimension of emotion.
It was an overwhelming feeling.
Clatter clatter-.
After riding for a bit more time like that, we were finally able to arrive at our assigned dormitory.
To be precise, it was the space where Irene and I would stay.
The building Regia was assigned to was in a somewhat distant location.
As a result, we got off the carriage first. I raise my hand lightly to say goodbye.
"I had fun today, Miss Regia."
"If it weren't for you, Young Master, I would have been lonely at the entrance ceremony. Thank you so much."
"Huhu... I look forward to our future together."
I lightly put a lie in my mouth.
"Let's meet again. My friend."
"Fr-friend...?"
"Yes. Friend."
We're irreplaceable friends who've been together since the entrance exam, aren't we?
As I whisper these words leisurely, Regia's expression, which was blank at first, gradually brightens.
It was a line to gain favor, and it seemed to have succeeded fortunately.
Regia nodded, hiding her rising corners of her mouth.
"Yes! See you next time...!"
Hee-hee-hing-!
With the girl's farewell, the carriage departs again.
As I watch the receding figure for a moment, I feel a gaze poking at me from the side.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Miss Irene."
"No... I just thought you were smiling particularly ominously. I wondered if you were plotting something."
"What on earth do you take me for?"
"An untrustworthy person."
"My, my. Tears cloud my vision from the sorrow."
I pretended to cry, wiping my eyes. Of course, it didn't work at all.
"By the way... how was it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean Miss Regia. Isn't she quite a nice person?"
"She seemed naive to me."
"That's because she's still young. Because she hasn't learned how to hide her true feelings, her innocent side shows transparently..."
"You're young too."
Irene throws out a brief comment. I answer to such a fox.
"I may be young... but I don't look innocent, do I?"
Only a lecherous smile sits on my twisted lips.
The girl looks at my face for a moment, then turns her head slightly as if understanding.
"...You certainly don't."
What's this? This is kind of hurtful.
Of course, I said it expecting such an answer, but it still hurt when the reply came.
How can you judge people by their looks?
This dirty looks-ist world.
I'll overturn it all someday.
As I'm chewing over such sadness for a moment, a sudden realization comes to me.
"I just remembered something."
"What is it?"
"The room I'm assigned to will probably be the largest in the academy."
Galimar Academy basically has a ranking-based distribution system.
The higher your rank, the more benefits you can enjoy, and the quality of life also improves.
The same goes for dormitories.
"As it's the top student's room, it must be incredibly spacious. So there's an advantage!"
"Advantage?"
"There will be a lot to clean from now on. It's a task that Miss Irene will have to handle all by herself, passionately, from now on."
"...How exactly is that a good thing?"
"It doesn't matter to me. I'm not the one cleaning, after all."
"......"
Teabagging without blinking an eye.
I can see Irene's expression souring. We walked for a while, bickering back and forth.
***
After the bustling entrance ceremony ended, we had a week of free time.
All academy schedules start after the class assignment test. In other words, there were no particular schedules for a few days.
For new students not yet familiar with the academy.
It was the academy's consideration to give a light period of adaptation.
I welcomed it with open arms.
I had been itching to look around the academy anyway.
The space I had longed for the most during the past 3 years.
Excitement rushes in at the thought of finally fulfilling my wish.
So, with the intention of going on a picnic, I was going around various places in the academy, but...
"You! Did you understand what I said?"
"......"
"I don't know how someone like you became the top student, but don't act arrogantly!"
What's with this one now?