CH 6.1

[Tsk, aren’t you in good shape.]

When I looked back, I could not see the owner of the voice.

[Sheryl-kun, should I silence him?]

[Calm down.]

I hurriedly told Welmina to wait.

Does Welmina have any clue as to who said it?

But I can understand his feelings very well.

[If a guy is surrounded by three cute ladies, a jealous man wouldn’t be able to stop himself from being sarcastic.]

[Geez, you’re calling me cute on purpose.]

[Because it’s the truth. If I see Big Brother being surrounded by beauties, even I would want to spit out sarcasm.]

[I see, so you’re jealous. That your brother might be taken away by beautiful ladies, that is.]

[Please go back.]

My jealousy is not towards the ladies but to my brother.

Since I see Welmina’s thoughts starting to fly away, I’ll stop from correcting her.

[By the way, what did they mean when they said they’d be scolded if they carelessly approach the S class?]

[As you have known, His Highness is there so they have to keep their guards up.]

[Are you talking about the Royal family’s guards?]

I guess being involved with the prince will be troublesome.

When I convincingly nodded, I heard a laughter above me.

[Aah, no, that’s not it. The guards are organized by volunteers among the students. It’s not even official, and it seems His Highness is unaware of it.]

[A fan club?]

[It’s probably closer to that. However, their members consist of only children from noble families and they don’t want to associate with commoners like me.]

[It looks like there are a lot of factions.]

[Yeah, there are. If you have anything you don’t understand, please ask and I’ll tell you as much as I can.]

[Thank you for your help.]

[Leave it to me!]

Even if she calls herself a commoner, for Welmina to know so much about the nobles more than normal is amazing.

This so-called commoner’s family of course has stores all over the Ron’Ares Kingdom and the Bedford Family is known to be amongst the top 5 most influential business firm in the country.

Still, I knew that he’s enrolled on the same grade as me, but to think I’ll be in the same class as the prince.

I don’t think we’ll get involved with each other, but I still feel nervous as expected.

Or rather, I can feel his frighteningly massive presence through the Mana detection from the very beginning.

The people in S class generally have above average Mana, but there’s only one who’s way off the chart.

Apparently, he’s seated at the very back of the class.

[Sheryl-kun, we’re almost at the door. You don’t have to worry since I’ll be right next to you.]

When I entered the classroom with Welmina and did our greetings, we headed to the front row with vacant seats.

In the classroom, desks and chairs made of the same dark wood as the floor were lined up, and they were made impressively. Only Welmina’s chair that’s sitting next to me has been replaced with a single seat.

Since it seems that there is still time until homeroom teacher comes, I decided to take out the baggage from the storage part of the wheelchair and arrange the writing utensils.

It’s been bothering me, though, that the classroom has become weirdly quiet since we entered the classroom.

Since this is my first time at school, should I have introduced myself first?

[Perhaps they’re just observing the situation so you don’t have to mind them. And there will be an introduction part when the teacher arrives later.]

[Okay…]

If you weren’t here, my heart would’ve already broken, so thank you for being here, Welmina.

It’s not like I hate silence, but the silence and attention being directed at me doesn’t make me feel good.

As soon as I’m becoming a bit gloomy, the class started making a slight rockus.

Eh, wai, scary!

The presence which has enormous Mana is getting closer to me. I’ve never felt like this even towards Bellom-sensei.

Just from realising who that presence belongs to makes me unable to run even if I want to.

I secretly glanced at Welmina……She’s turned rock solid with her face looking down.

It doesn’t matter even if it looks weird. Okay, let’s pretend we saw nothing.

When I got over it, I decided to wait for the presence to pass by.

[Were you called Sheryl Bashral? Aah, you may remain seated.]

I got spoken to!!!!!

Now way. Because of the wheelchair, I find it hard to move…! F, for the mean time, greetings…!!!

[My apologies for being late. I am indeed Sheryl Bashral, Your Highness.]

[It’s my bad for calling out to you without an introduction. It’s because I’ve heard about you from Bellom-sensei, so I just had to.]

[You don’t have to.]

It’s Bellom-sensei’s fault?! Let me know about it, too!

Stay calm…. stay calm…. Let’s just cut the Mana detection this time. It’s not good for my mental health.

[Can you raise up your head? We’ll be studying together from now on so if possible, please treat me as one of your classmates.]

Don’t say something impossible.

But since I can’t really keep my head down, I decided to raise it.

When I looked up, the scene I saw made me almost stop breathing.

[….I am not used to interacting with others for a period of time. I would appreciate if you forgive my actions.]

Does being mesmerized feel like this?

I can’t take my eyes off him.

I seemed to be staring unconsciously at him but I managed to squeeze out my voice and regain myself.

He has skin as white as porcelain fringed with golden hair shining like waves being hit by light.

His glossy purple eyes combined with pale pink lips blows my mind away.

He’s like a beauty everyone dreams to become.

I think that Mother who has cited him was the real fool.

Since I can’t lower my face anymore, I will just lightly turn my eyes down.

[I see, you are…… First of all, please allow me to apologize.]

[Your Highness?!]

The classroom turned even noisier after His Highness’s words.

He’s come to my side before I noticed ……According to my information from before, even the guys from the Blow Family and Dudovan Family are both shocked.

[I never knew about you until I’ve heard from Bellom-sensei.]

[That’s… quite obvious, isn’t it?]

[Even though I know about the Dreaming Illness? I’ve known about the Dreaming Illness through documents and informations but I’ve never known a person fighting one. About you almost dying or sharing your knowledge for the sake of other patients, everything……Even your transfer to the middle school, I’ve heard all of them from Bellom-sensei. Even though anyone could acquire the incurable disease, I’ve never been interested on the Dreaming Illness……I’m sorry.]

As if the noise from before was a lie, the sounds from the room disappeared.

But immediately after the words of His Highness, voices of approval rose.

[That’s the same for me too, Yor Highness!]

[Me, too!]

[Even us, as well!]

At the same time the voices arose one after another, my head regained its calmness.

Whew, it seems that cutting the Mana detection was the right decision. I can’t also feel that oppressive feeling anymore.

I look up to His Highness again.

His expression is saying he’s serious. But…. I feel like his asking for “forgiveness” means something different.

When I was troubled on what to do, I smiled and looked at His Highness’s eyes.

[….Ugh.]

In a moment, His Highness is also staring at me.

There’s no mistake that my expression looks stiff, but let’s think for the mean time. How should I answer him?

Moreover, I also mostly have no idea about His Highness. It is impossible for humans to know everything.

Especially about the illness, it will be hard to understand other than the patients themselves and the ones involved.

Even so, His Highness humbly apologized.

[My deepest apologies. For me… I don’t see any reason as to why Your Highness has to apologise. That’s why, I don’t see any reason to “forgive” you……However, if I may say just one thing.]

[What might it be?]

In order to convey my feeling as much as possible, I thought that I should make my face look gentle as I narrow my eyes.

[Thank you very much. I’d like to answer to Highness’s feelings of remorse for not knowing about the Dreaming Illness…… Well then, should we go out?]

[….Ah, no…]

With His Highness’s slow response, I thought that I have failed.

It’s somehow gotten quiet around us again. Where have the jeerings gone to?

Do your work!

I wonder if it’s fine for me to cry.

Isn’t this first trial a bit harsh for someone who has always been a shut-in? For the first opponent to be the last boss, what’s the meaning of this?

When I was about to cry due to the lack of response, a sharp sound cut through the silence.

[Hee~ey, didn’t you hear the first bell ring? Everyone get to your seats! ….Hmm? What’s wrong? Is Rafael already bullying Sheryl?]

[I’m not bullying him!!!]

[I can’t see it any other way around, though. As you can see, Sheryl is weak so don’t put too much pressure on him.]

I look at our homeroom teacher’s frankness with sparkling eyes.

Although I’ve met her once when I went for a greeting before I enrolled, she seems to have the same attitude towards the prince.

[What is it, Sheryl? If you keep looking at me with those big eyes, they might fall off you know.]

[I’ll be carefull.]

[You will? ……Will you be able to? I’m kind of scared of what might be done to you.]

Eimis-sensei struck the teacher’s desk to change the air and turn to the whole class around.

Evie Eimis, a beautiful person with a copper red hair tied at the back with a brass cloth .

I can tell that she’s a woman from the back because of her plump body shape, but her domineering way of talking makes her stand out.

However, just by being assigned as the S Class’s homeroom teacher, her abilities must be great.

Thanks to my teacher, I am relieved from the sense of tension, and when I breathe out a sigh relief I put my back on the backrest of the wheelchair.

I decided to apologize to the shrunken Welmina for being unable to protect her but she said not to be bothered by it so I decided to switch my gears for the morning.

*********

[That scared me! That really scared me!!!]

[Eeh?! That’s nice~! I’m so jealous~!!!]

[His Highness, huh……I wonder if a day will come where I’ll be able to meet him or real……]

When we talked about the storm that I experienced with Welmina during lunch, we were aimed with envious complaints.

If you guys were the ones to experience that, would you still be able to say those things?!

It’s not a pressure you can face on a one on one situation.

[I wanted to watch it at a slightly far position if I could, too …]

[As the involved party, what are you saying? Don’t you think that the combo after that was foul play? I’ve always thought of it as a foul, though.]

[What is?]

[I mean those upturned eyes and gentle smile. At the end, His Highness was troubled by it.]

[Eh, was it that bad?]

I thought I did my best, but it was a fruitless effort?

Did you see me from the side as a weird kid?!

Isn’t the world too harsh to a hikikomori like me?!

Aah….. I want to get in bed and curl myself into a ball.

If I were back at home, I would be having my afternoon nap about this time, but I can’t do it here after all.

Relatively, our lunch break long so I can do it if I want.

For now, I’ll eat the lunch that Nicole prepared for me and renew my spirit.

There’re lessons at the afternoon after the class ceremony.

It’s not that the school does not pay attention to discipline.

It’s a fine day where I’m looking up the clear sky with the three’s voices sounding like a BGM. (Probably background music)

The terrace seats in the courtyard are warm and sunny.

[Sheryl discovered!]

[Big Brother?]

I was lifted up before I turned around to the familiar voice.

Why does both my father and brother want to pick people up without notice?!

[Big Brother?!]

[What’s this, aren’t you being surrounded by girls pretty quickly, Sheryl?]

The courtyard has turned lively at my brother’s appearance. He’s a famous person, after all!

Welmina’s eyes have turned into heart marks when I looked at them. More than that, help me!

When my eyes met with my older brother, I got a smile like a sunflower in full bloom.

[Sorry but I’ll borrow this guy for now.]

[Go ahead, go ahead.]

[Wa! Welmina!]

[I’ll bring your wheelchair back to the classroom so don’t worry about it!]

Enough of those thoughts and just please stop my brother!

The surrounding eyes hurt.

I wonder if he’ll stop carrying my like a princess and put me in his shoulder instead.

There’s also that from before but, unable to even utter a word of resistance, I got abducted by my brother just like that.

[Big Brother, where are we going?]

[Hm? Sheryl has never gone to the salon before, right?]

Apparently, he’s taking me to the salon Welmina talked about before.

I have no intentions of going near it, though.

Same as back at home, Big Brother is carrying me while he’s climbing the stairs.

I also want strength like that.