CH 49

The morning of the second day of school, my footsteps are already heavy on the way to school. I feel as if my feet are sinking into the ground, even though other students have already stepped on the dew-soaked path to the school building. I’ve managed to deal with Mist, but I hope Claire doesn’t hold a grudge against me for yesterday’s entrance exam…..

When I arrived at the school building, I saw several students around me staying there and talking with each other. I wish I had friends too but I’ve only just started my school life. With that thought in mind, I headed straight for the classroom. I climbed up the stairs, which were longer than yesterday’s, and opened the door to a spacious classroom.

When I walked into the classroom, all the students in the room looked at me curiously, but in an instant, they all went back to their normal activities as if nothing had happened. I felt somewhat uncomfortable, so I sat straight down in my seat and waited for class to start.

After class, it was time for recess. Even though it was only the second day of class, there were still a few people in the classroom, talking happily.

Oh no! I’m going to be a loner!

I became impatient and tried to talk to a girl who was still not in a group, and seemed easy to talk to.

“Hi!”

“……Hi, there. Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom.”

The girl showed some concern for her surroundings and quickly ran away. I called out to some other people, but they all went to the bathroom. It’s pretty hurtful…….

I know the cause. It’s because of the incident with Mist and Claire. I’m sure they don’t want to be stared at by those two for getting involved with me, which may have caused them to resent me. But still, it’s so much worse than……

On the other hand, the two of them are surrounded by students. The first day was a bit of a mess, but after all, it was a chance to get close to a great aristocrat. It would be unnatural not to approach them.

Oh, no. My student life was just beginning!

As I was lying on my desk in dejection after my disastrous defeat, a beautiful and somewhat buoyant voice called out to me.

“Hello! Mr. Chris!”

I looked up to see a smiling Alice looking down at me.

“Her Royal Highness Princess Amelicia, how merciful of you to call out to someone like me. As much as I would love to talk to you like this, my stomach isn’t feeling well, so I’ll have to wait until another time. So long!”

“Hey!”

I spoke very quickly and ran off to the restroom, leaving a dumbfounded Alice behind. There are a lot of students who want to talk to the princess, and I can’t have them resent me.

Besides, the royal family would sooner or later be destroyed in a war. Even if I wanted to help Alice, my family was not strong enough to do so.

I went back to the classroom just as the bell rang to announce the start of class so that I wouldn’t have to talk to Alice. A few moments later, the door rattles open and the teacher walks in. The teacher looks at the students who are still not seated, lets out a little sigh of exasperation, and then says with a little anger.

“Take your seats quickly!”

The students zigzagged to take their seats. What? The boy in the seat next to me sat down in the seat in front of me? And the girl who would have been sitting in that seat came up to me shaking her two flabby things and sat down next to me.

“Miss Mist, what is the meaning of this?”

I asked in a whisper, keeping my eyes forward so that no one would hear.

“It’s easier to work in the back seat. Did you think it was because I wanted to be next to Chris? Oh no, you’re being too self-conscious.”

Mist answered in the same whisper as me.

I’m not sure what to say.

“……I see.”

“Yeah. That’s right. Just because you can finally talk to someone doesn’t mean you have to look so happy.”

“Because of someone, strangely enough, everyone gets a stomach ache when I try to talk to them. I wonder why?”

“It’s probably Claire’s fault.”

What are you so aloof about? It’s Claire’s fault, but it’s also your fault.

“Can’t someone help me with my problem? For example, you could talk to me in front of everyone and tell me that you don’t care about the entrance exam at all.”

“No, no, no. Talking to a boy all of a sudden like that is like I’m interested in you.”

Mist blushes and shows an embarrassed performance. It’s so annoying! And the fact that she’s acting so cute makes it even more annoying!

“Please!”

“I can’t help it, Chris. I’ll talk to you at lunchtime, so wait in your seat. You owe me one.”

You owe me…….

“……Whose fault is it?”

“What is it?”

“No…….”

I was silenced by Mist’s inscrutable gaze. After the conversation was over, I listened to the class seriously until it was over. Finally, lunch break. I should just wait in my seat, I guess. I wonder what she’s going to say? I’m starting to get nervous.

It’s been about ten minutes since the lunch break ended. Well, there’s always a time to talk. I looked at Mist, who was eating a very tasty looking lunch. How could she be so carefree?

Another ten minutes passed. It’s too late already! She’s already finished her lunch and is starting to doze off!

I glared at Mist, she smirked and got down on her desk.

You’re so annoying! Wake up!

I coughed and appealed to Mist. She looked at me and, satisfied with my panic, stood up and called out to me.

“Hey! Chris! You look tired, how are you?”

“Thanks to…….”

The air in the classroom was tense as the conversation between Mist and I drew the attention of my classmates.

“It’s been a bit of a blur with Americia-sama’s speech, but yesterday’s speech by the new student representative was great! Let’s get along as classmates from now on.”

“Thank you very much for your attention. Please do the same for me.”

The tense air returned to normal, as if relieved by the calm conversation between Mist and me. However, I soon heard a rattling sound and felt the air tense again. I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a beautiful woman walking somewhat awkwardly toward me with her beautiful black hair swinging wildly.

When she came right in front of me, she blushed a little and opened her mouth.

“Viscount Dreschord, I’d like to pay my compliments to you as well.”

“‘Ah, thank you, Lady Alcala.”

I panicked at the unexpected turn of events.

“Okay, bye.”

As soon as she said that, Claire went back to the group she was originally talking to. I’ve got a lot of grudges against Claire, and I’m insanely worried that there’s something behind this…….

Well, but my conversation with Claire had been calm, so the atmosphere in the classroom eased. Then Mist had gone back to her group as well. When I was alone, some of my classmates came over to me.

“Hello! Can I call you Chris?”

“Chris, you’re so smart! I liked your speech yesterday.”

“Would you like to teach me how to study sometime?”

Once they found out that I didn’t have any rivalry with Mist and Claire, they suddenly gathered around me! It’s not so bad…I’m honestly glad that I’ve become popular. And it’s not as if I couldn’t talk to them because of Mist and Claire, even though I wanted to be friends with them!

“Wait! I can’t answer that many questions at once!”

I answered with a big smile on my face. Then – with a bang – the door opened. The students who heard the sound instantly quieted down and turned towards the door. At the place where the door opened, there was a man of short stature with his arms crossed and his face as red as an overcooked octopus. He then crossed his arms, stood on his knees, looked around, glanced at me and opened his mouth.

“Chris Dreschord! Come to the back of the school building after school!”

With that, Alfred left. After Alfred left, there was a moment of silence, but the students around me broke the silence.

“Qu, Chris, that’s it.”

“Excuse me.”

“Oh, excuse me.”

The kids who had come around me scattered immediately. looked around as if to cling to them, but they all turned away, and when I looked at Mist, she was silently shaking her head in self-denial.

How did this happen!