I'm the Top Student? (3)
Even after the freshman representative's speech ended, the entrance ceremony continued for a while longer.
There was nothing particularly special.
Simple announcements, introductions to the faculty, facility guidance... It was the typical information given on the first day of school.
Perhaps the only part worth listening to was the part about dormitory assignments.
The news that we could move in from today was quite useful.
It meant that we could settle down in the academy without having to stay at the inn any longer.
'This is where the original story begins.'
It was a moment of realization.
[This concludes the entrance ceremony of Galimar Academy.]
[I wish you all the best.]
The ceremony concluded with the Headmaster's words of encouragement.
Students gradually began to leave the auditorium.
I, too, went with the flow.
As I walked, a sudden voice made me turn my head.
"Young Master Snakus!"
"Over here."
A pilot with pink hair, and a fox with crimson hair.
Regia and Irene, respectively.
They must have been waiting for me, as they were seen wandering around the auditorium.
I smiled brightly and waved my hand.
"You both waited for me. How touching...!"
The sudden top student title.
I was a little annoyed by the unexpected situation, but seeing the two of them washed away my irritation.
My favorite characters in the game were welcoming me.
This is what it means to be a successful fan.
"What are you talking about? You told us to wait."
"I had no idea you cherished me so much! Are we all friends after all?"
"No, you were the one who just..."
"Of course, Miss Irene! Thank you so much."
"......Forget it."
There was a somewhat impure attempt to break the mood, but I decided to ignore it.
"Shall we go back then?"
The dormitory should be open by now.
I was thinking of taking a look around the assigned room. It's better to know in advance if there's anything wrong.
Since the academy itself was as large as a small city, it would be good to know the way to the dormitory.
It was a distance that would be inconvenient without a carriage.
The three of us walked towards the nearby carriage stop.
Regia and Irene. Perhaps because it was the first time they met today, there was still an awkward atmosphere between them.
I tried to lighten the mood with small talk.
"So... what did you all think of my speech?"
A lighthearted question.
I thought it was a good speech, like something out of a youth drama, and I was curious about other people's impressions.
"Huh? Uh, me?"
"Why are you so flustered? I'm just asking out of curiosity, so feel free to answer."
"Ah, yes, yes. That, Young Master's, sp-speech, you mean..."
Regia's reaction was strange.
She stiffened like a startled person as soon as she was asked the question, and even stuttered her words.
'What's wrong? Is there a problem?'
"Miss Regia? What's wrong?"
"Oh, uh... It was, it was amazing! Your speech, Young Master, it completely, to-touched my heart!"
"Haha~! I'm honored to hear you say that!"
They say that praise makes a whale dance.
Well, I don't know about whales, but it seems like it can make a little snake dance. I felt like I could tap dance right now.
As I was humming a happy tune, Irene looked at me with a exasperated expression.
"You really..."
"Yes? What is it, Miss Irene?"
"...It's nothing."
"Hmm?"
"Just look ahead and walk. What if you trip?"
"My, you're worried about me. Are you finally opening up to me?"
"Absolutely not."
"How can you be so cruel...!"
Childishly continuing our banter.
As we were walking and exchanging such meaningless chatter, I suddenly felt a gaze.
"...?"
Someone was standing in the way, blocking the path.
'What's going on?' With that thought, I looked up and saw a dazzlingly shining girl.
I let out a dumbfounded sound.
"...Oh."
It was a rather familiar appearance.
Platinum blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. Her blue eyes stared clearly at the world.
"Hello."
Her greeting fell like a whisper.
Even her voice had a mystical air. As calm as the sea at dawn.
I knew this girl.
Another protagonist of the original 'The World as Seen by the Little Prince' game.
The most popular playable character chosen by users, and a character inspired by the Little Prince.
'Charlotte.'
The First Princess of the Empire, Charlotte von Little Staufen.
She was the girl who would have originally entered the academy as the top student, but was pushed to second place because of me.
I immediately dropped to my knees.
"Greetings, Star of the Empire."
"Yes, nice to meet you."
Charlotte nodded her head.
A rather free-spirited way of speaking. This was a point where her characteristic as a 4D girl stood out.
I bowed my head quietly.
Charlotte was a character who didn't have much interest in others.
It was rare for her to initiate a conversation like this.
'Did something go wrong? Is she trying to pressure me because I took her place as the top student?'
'...That can't be it.'
Charlotte didn't care much about grades.
No, to be precise, she didn't care about anything in the world. Except for her precious 'rose'.
'Then why?'
It was difficult to guess her reason, as she was a person who was hard to predict.
As I was frozen in place,
"I just came because I was curious."
Charlotte was the first to speak.
She patted my head a few times, and then stroked it as if it was nothing.
Everyone, including myself, was taken aback by her sudden action.
"Your hair. It's soft."
"Yes?"
"Well then, goodbye. See you later."
"......?"
With that, she turned around as if she was done with her business.
The girl who suddenly approached, only to greet me and leave again. The unfamiliar flow of the conversation made my thoughts come to a halt.
'What was that...?'
What did I just experience?
It happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to feel embarrassed. Is this what they call the Little Prince's way of speaking?
I was stunned by the absurd situation for a moment, but Charlotte was already walking away.
"Maybe... I couldn't follow the flow of the conversation because I'm stupid?"
"Huh? Th-then, am I stupid too...?"
It seems that the fox and the pilot were also bewildered.
I, who had been kneeling quietly, soon burst into laughter.
It was a historic moment of meeting a new character, but she left before I could even feel touched.
"Well... I guess that's what's charming about her."
I dusted myself off and stood up.
I could feel the glances from the people around me, but I decided to ignore them.
"Shall we go?"
I quietly started walking.
The two, who had been lost in thought, came to their senses and followed me.
'That being said.'
What was Charlotte trying to say?
She said she was curious about something... but I'm not sure because I didn't hear her properly. She could have just told me.
I walked, pondering over the strange question.
***
The dormitory building we arrived at after taking the academy carriage.
What awaited us was a row of buildings comparable to... no, perhaps even larger than a mansion.
Facilities of incomparable quality to ordinary academies.
Everyone was amazed, as it was their first time at Galimar.
Regia was staring blankly out the window, and even Irene seemed interested in the surrounding scenery despite pretending not to be.
Yes, such a spectacle is hard to find anywhere else.
It's a quasi-city-scale academy that can accommodate up to 5,000 people.
'My heart swells with pride.'
Of course, I was no different.
Even though I had seen the background countless times in the game, the feeling of seeing it in reality was different.
I was overwhelmed by it.
Clatter, clatter-.
After a while of riding, we finally arrived at our assigned dormitory.
To be precise, it was the space where Irene and I would be staying.
The building Regia was assigned to was a little further away.
So, we got off the carriage first. I raised my hand in a light greeting.
"It was a pleasure today, Miss Regia."
"I think I would have been lonely at the entrance ceremony if it weren't for you, Young Master. Thank you very much."
"Haha... I look forward to your continued support."
I casually lied.
"Let's meet again. My friend."
"Fr-friend...?"
"Yes. Friend."
Aren't we the closest of friends who have been together since the entrance exam?
As I leisurely whispered those words, Regia's initially blank expression gradually brightened.
It was a line meant to build rapport, and fortunately, it seemed to have succeeded.
Regia nodded her head, hiding her rising lips.
"Yes! See you next time...!"
Neigh!
As soon as she finished her greeting, the carriage started moving again.
As I watched her retreating figure for a moment, I felt a poking gaze from beside me.
"Why are you looking at me like that, Miss Irene?"
"No... I just thought you were smiling wickedly for some reason. Like you were up to something."
"What do you take me for?"
"Someone I can't trust."
"Oh dear. You wound me so."
I pretended to cry, wiping at the corners of my eyes. Of course, it didn't work at all.
"Anyway... what did you think?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Miss Regia. Isn't she a nice person?"
"She seems naive."
"She's young, that's all. She hasn't learned how to hide her true feelings, so her innocence shines through..."
"You're immature too."
Irene muttered. I replied to the fox,
"Immature, maybe... but I don't seem naive, do I?"
A wicked smile spread across my twisted lips.
The girl looked at my face for a moment, then slowly turned her head away as if she agreed.
"...You certainly don't."
'Geez, that hurts a little.'
Of course, I expected that kind of answer, but it still stung when I actually heard it.
How can you judge a person by their looks?
This dirty world obsessed with appearances.
One day, I'll turn it all upside down.
As I was wallowing in my sorrow for a moment, a fact suddenly came to mind.
"I just remembered something."
"What is it?"
"The room I'm assigned to will probably be the largest in the academy."
Galimar Academy basically had a ranking-based allocation system.
The higher your rank, the wider the benefits you could enjoy, and the better your quality of life.
The same went for the dormitories.
"As the top student's room, it'll be huge. And that's a good thing!"
"A good thing?"
"It means there's a lot to clean. And from now on, Miss Irene, you'll be in charge of handling it all, by yourself, with passion."
"...And how is that a good thing?"
"It doesn't matter to me. It's not like I'm the one cleaning."
"..."
I teased her without batting an eye.
I could see Irene's face sour. We bickered for a while as we walked.
***
After the bustling entrance ceremony, we had a week of free time.
All academy schedules would begin after the class placement exam. In other words, we had no particular schedule for a few days.
It was the academy's way of giving the new students, who were not yet used to the environment, some time to adjust.
I welcomed it with open arms.
I was itching to look around the academy, so this was perfect.
The space I had longed for most for the past three years.
Excitement surged through me at the thought of finally fulfilling my wish.
And so, with a heart as light as if I were on a picnic, I was wandering around the academy...
"Are you even listening to me?!"
"..."
"I don't know how someone like you could be the top student, but don't get cocky!"
'Who is this again?'
Join our discord server for latest release updates and novel discussions.
Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Bonus chapters on reaching milestones.
Happy reading!
Thank for the chapter 👍🏻
ReplyDelete