“Did you do well on this exam?”
“I did okay, but why are you suddenly asking that?”
“I heard you were the top student in the first year last semester. If you top the class again this semester, you’ll be giving a speech as the first-year representative at the Graduation Ceremony, right?”
“That’s probably true…?”
Even I thought it was rather odd to be asked about exam results at this exact moment.
Because of that, Hailga looked somewhat displeased, but the important thing was that I had gotten an answer.
Now, since I had to talk with Reysir, I averted my gaze from Hailga and met eyes with her childhood friend.
“I heard your friend is scheduled to give a speech as the first-year representative at the Graduation Ceremony. How do you feel about that?”
“Of course, I’m proud.”
“In that case, how do you think the other students will take it?”
“Most of them probably won’t care much.”
“And?”
“And..? Well… I suppose some will admire and look up to her, while others might be envious or jealous.”
Even though Reysir is the protagonist, it seems like it’s difficult for him to guess the answer from just this hint.
Well, he’s an absolute good guy and still fairly untainted by the world.
That makes sense since Reysir is just a youth who’s only just stepped into the small society that is the Academy.
In this world, when someone you considered beneath you suddenly displays outstanding talent, there are those who feel not jealousy or admiration but shame and anger.
They don’t try to improve themselves but instead find satisfaction in tearing others down and ruining them.
That ugly mindset, stained with arrogance and lowly pride.
It’s not something easy to recall.
But that doesn’t mean Reysir is completely unaware of people’s malice.
As a web novel protagonist, he’s not simply naive.
So if I give a bit more of a hint, he’ll catch on to what I’m trying to say in no time.
“Hailga’s family is part of the baronial rank, the lowest among the five noble titles: duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron. Moreover, there are still many who believe women don’t need education. Now, if Hailga, who is merely a baron’s daughter, steps forward to speak as the first-year representative…”
“Someone’s bound to try and cause trouble.”
Sure enough, Reysir responded immediately.
He looked seriously at Hailga, who was sitting beside him.
If he had said something like, ‘Can’t you just not be the top student?’ right then and there, the two would have gotten into a serious fight.
Of course, I was planning to intervene before it came to that, but fortunately, there was no need.
Hailga was a very precious and special friend to Reysir.
She was the one who supported him when he lost everything to the demon realm and suffered greatly—a new family to him.
Knowing full well that she had worked hard to become the top student, how could he easily say she should give up?
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Reysir was speechless, and eventually, it was Hailga who spoke.
“You know perfectly well what I’m asking. Aren’t you trying to explain why you can’t casually use a nickname for Reysir or even speak informally to him?”
“That has nothing to do with being the first-year representative—”
“It does. It’s very closely related. You put on a kind and sociable persona to gather allies and get recognized as a ‘model noble’s daughter’ by others. That’s precisely to avoid the kind of trouble Reysir just mentioned.”
“……!”
“You don’t want to associate with those who would stoop so low, but since you have to stay on good terms with them, you have a hard time keeping the right distance.”
I said this with a smug expression, curling one corner of my mouth into a sneer.
Even without looking in a mirror, I could tell I was making a very unpleasant face.
Yet, I moved my facial muscles that way because…
‘If I had a serious expression right now, they’d think I understood Hailga’s hardship and was offering encouragement and comfort.’
That’s right. I was also struggling to keep the proper distance—though in the opposite way from Hailga, who had to maintain a fake friendship.
My effort wasn’t in vain, as I saw a flash of anger flare up on her face.
“Wh-Why does Gong have to blurt all that out?!”
“When I said I’d add something, you didn’t refuse, did you? You even answered my question earnestly afterward. Weren’t you having trouble explaining it yourself, so you left it to me?”
“No…! I never thought Gong would figure it out, so I just let it be…!!”
That’s what I expected.
If she had trusted me to explain, she’d have made a pleading face.
But Hailga looked like she was daring me to say whatever I wanted.
Still, I couldn’t admit that.
“Same here. I never thought you’d underestimate me that much. So I just said what I wanted to say.”
“Is that really a matter of underestimation?!”
“It was. Even if I hadn’t added my words, Reysir would have realized it soon enough.”
Reysir gave a bitter look and muttered, ‘I don’t think that’s quite right…’ but I ignored him.
I was certain my words were correct.
After all, Reysir is the protagonist.
If I hadn’t intervened, they would have had a big fight and stayed cold toward each other for days.
Anyway, Reysir must have eventually figured out Hailga’s situation.
I only shortened the time it took for them to reconcile.
“Does Gong always meddle this much in other people’s business?”
“No way. Since you care enough about the way I address you and Vigrdis to want to call Reysir a nickname, but can’t because of me, I just thought I should take responsibility.”
“Do you really think it’s because of Gong? Not because I, just a baron’s daughter, dared to aim for the top student spot?”
“Your ambition came from the fact that your family couldn’t protect Reysir, so you decided you needed to rise to a high government post to gain power, didn’t it?”
“Wow… You really know everything. And you say it all without hesitation?”
Hailga sneered, clearly exasperated.
Now that her act was completely exposed, perhaps she thought there was no need to hide her true nature anymore.
‘Or maybe she was just too angry to keep up the pretense.’
‘I hoped for a peaceful day out of respect for Yor… but maybe this is for the best!’
Reysir had been indebted to Hailga’s family for a full ten years, even longer if you counted how long they had known each other.
Their fathers were the closest of friends, so their families often interacted.
That was how deep and long Reysir and Hailga’s bond was.
In contrast, my bond with Reysir was shallow and brief.
In fact, it started as a bad connection because of the evil karma my possessed body accumulated.
‘If I end up in a huge fight with Hailga and completely burn bridges, Reysir will naturally side with her and abandon me.’
Before any more affection could build, I thought ending things like this wouldn’t be a bad conclusion.
But then…
“You didn’t know this, though, did you? When Gong said it’d be better to be honest with me, I yelled that I didn’t want to hear that from you! You’re the cause of it all, and I was annoyed because you said that! But it pissed me off even more because you said it like a sermon, which is the opposite of honesty!!”
‘What do you say to that?’ Hailga’s words poured out fiercely.
“When talk of closeness or friendship comes up, you desperately insist we’re just ‘people who eat meals together’! You deny ever caring for me! You don’t even acknowledge feeling happiness! You act like you have some tragic story behind your insomnia but never actually explain it! You expose everyone’s stories and innermost feelings!!”
That last part about the insomnia was especially unfair.
‘How could there be a story related to something that doesn’t even exist?’
“You shy little thing! Pretentious! Nosy! Tsundere Gong!”
“Don’t give me weird nicknames.”
“If you want others to be honest, you should be honest yourself first!”
“……!”
“Then what!!”
“……”
“Ah, come on!! Say it already!!!”
She’d gotten too honest, and it was honestly quite awkward.
I knew Hailga had a strong personality, but in the original story, there was never an incident that made her lose her temper like this.
It was just repeatedly described how she had to suppress her temper and pretend to be delicate.
So I never imagined her personality could be this intense.
I even unconsciously scanned the table.
Even though I knew no one had ordered alcohol, I wondered if maybe Hailga had drunk and gotten drunk.
“First… calm down.”
“Can you calm down if you were in my shoes?! Huh?!”
“Reysir, calm your friend down.”
“Why are you looking for Reysir in the middle of talking to me?! Why!!”
“Is the act over now…?”
“Ah, what’s the point? You’ll just reveal everything anyway!!”
“S-Sorry. I won’t do it again, so please calm down.”
Her fierce momentum was overwhelming, so my apology came out naturally.
Only then did Hailga stop raising her voice in irritation.
But she didn’t go back to pretending to be delicate.
Pouting her lower lip, she blew out a breath that made her bangs flutter—a truly delinquent gesture.
Her glare was sharp and intense.
I almost shrank my shoulders in fear at her fierce look.
For the record, Liolikin had been cowering and curling up for quite some time.
“You’ve done well to suppress that personality until now.”
“You think so?”
“…Shouldn’t we start talking with your childhood friend now?”
“Trying to change the subject…”
Hailga showed some dissatisfaction but seemed to agree with my suggestion.
So she relaxed the fierce glare she had been giving me and looked at Reysir with a softer gaze.
Watching her, I quietly slid my hand under the table to pet Yor’s tail.
Instinctively seeking some Yor therapy to ease my embarrassment and awkwardness.
The rich, soft fur tickled my palm, and I felt my stiff heart gradually relax.
“Rey… I mean… um…”
“Sorry, Hail. I never even tried to understand why you hid yourself and got along with so many people, or why you studied so hard. Instead, I was just busy complaining about my own feelings, which must have been really hurtful.”
“No! You didn’t know because I never said anything! And yet you got upset when I said you didn’t recognize my efforts. That’s such a contradiction! Rey, you’re not at fault!!”
The conflict that had driven a wedge between the two childhood friends was also resolved.
Too easily and quickly, almost to the point of being trivial.
It was really something that could have been solved with just a few words.
“But Karvald figured out your situation immediately…”
“That’s because he’s exceptional.”
“True. Come to think of it, Karvald saw through everything about Professor Skadi’s circumstances and who she was with just a few clues. His insight is remarkable.”
“Maybe because he’s not honest with himself, he’s keenly aware of other people’s dishonesty and its causes.”
Neither of those is correct.
I just happen to have read a lot of the stories the world is based on.
So please, as soon as they reconcile, stop turning the conversation toward me.
This novels’ quite frustrating tbh