[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Chapter 13 - I'm the Top Student? (3)
Even after the freshman representative speech ended, the entrance ceremony continued for a bit longer.
There wasn’t anything particularly special.
Simple announcents, introductions of the faculty, a tour of the facilities—just the typical things schools cover on the first day.
The only noteworthy part was the information about dormitory assignnts.
The news that we could move in starting today was quite useful.
It ant there was no longer any need to stay at an inn; we could settle into the academy right away.
It really felt like the original story was truly beginning.
It was a mont that made everything feel real.
[This concludes Gallimard Academy’s entrance ceremony.]
[I wish you all the best of luck.]
With the Dean’s final encouragent, the ceremony ca to an end.
Students began to slowly file out of the auditorium.
I also joined the flow of people moving out.
As I was walking, a sudden voice made turn my head.
"Lord Snakes!"
"Over here!"
A pilot with pink hair and a fox with red hair.
They were Regia and Irene, respectively.
The two seed to have been waiting for , pacing around near the auditorium.
I waved with a big smile.
"You both waited for ? I’m so touched…!"
The unexpected title of top student.
I was a bit annoyed by the situation, but seeing these two washed that away.
I an, my favorite characters from the ga are welcoming .
Isn’t this what it ans to be a successful fan?
"What are you talking about? You’re the one who told us to wait."
"I had no idea you would care for so deeply! Are we perhaps all friends after all?"
"No, you just said earlier that—"
"Of course, Miss Irene! I’m truly grateful!"
"…Forget it."
There was a sowhat impure attempt to ruin the mood, but I decided to ignore it.
"Shall we head back now?"
Since the dorms had opened, I thought it would be a good ti to check out the room I’d been assigned. It was better to know in advance if there were any issues.
The academy itself was so large that it was practically the size of a small city, so it would be wise to familiarize ourselves with the route to the dorms.
The distance was such that it would be inconvenient without taking a carriage.
The three of us headed toward the nearby carriage stop.
Since it was their first ti eting today, Regia and Irene still seed a bit awkward with each other.
I tried to ease the tension with so small talk.
"So… What did you think of my speech?"
I casually tossed out the question.
I thought it was a decent speech, like sothing out of a coming-of-age drama, but I was curious about their thoughts.
"Huh, huh? Yes?"
"Why are you so flustered? I’m just asking without any hidden aning, so feel free to answer honestly."
"Ah, yes, yes. Um, your, your speech, Lord Snakes…"
Regia’s reaction was strange.
The mont I asked, she started stuttering like a broken machine, stumbling over her words.
What’s wrong? Is there an issue?
"Miss Regia? What’s the matter?"
"Uh, um… It, it was amazing! Your speech really, um, moved !"
"Haha~! I’m honored that you think so highly of it!"
They say complints make even a whale dance.
I don’t know about whales, but it seems they can make a snake do a little tap dance. I felt like I could break out into a dance right then and there.
As I humd a cheerful tune, Irene gave a tired look.
"You’re really sothing…"
"Yes? What’s wrong, Miss Irene?"
"…It’s nothing."
"Hmm?"
"Just keep your eyes ahead. What if you trip?"
"My, you’re worrying about ? Could it be that you’re finally opening your heart to ?"
"Absolutely not."
"How can you be so cold…!"
Our childish banter continued.
As we walked, exchanging trivial chatter, I suddenly felt soone’s gaze.
"…?"
Soone was standing in the middle of the path, blocking our way.
What’s this about? I looked up and saw a girl shining brilliantly.
I let out a dumbfounded sound.
"…Oh."
Her appearance was quite familiar.
Platinum blonde hair that reached her shoulders. Blue eyes that reflected the world with a transparent clarity.
"Hello."
She greeted us with a delicate wave.
Even her voice carried a mysterious aura. It was calm, like the quiet of dawn by the sea.
I knew who this girl was.
She was another protagonist from the original [The World Seen By the Little Prince] ga.
The character users voted as the best playable character, inspired by the Little Prince.
'Charlotte.'
The First Princess of the Empire, Charlotte von Little Stauffen.
In the original story, she entered the academy as the top student, but she was bumped to second place because of .
I imdiately knelt down.
"Greetings to the Star of the Empire."
"Mm, nice to et you."
Charlotte nodded.
Her tone was sowhat free-spirited. It highlighted her character as a whimsical girl.
I quietly began to think.
Charlotte isn’t usually interested in other people.
It’s rare for her to approach soone like this.
Did sothing go wrong? Could she be pressuring because I took the top spot from her?
'…That can’t be it.'
Charlotte doesn’t care about rankings.
More precisely, she doesn’t care about anything in the world, except for her precious "rose."
'Then what is this about?'
She’s so unpredictable that it’s hard to guess her reasons.
As I stood there frozen, she suddenly spoke.
"I just ca because I was curious."
Charlotte took the initiative.
She tapped the top of my head a few tis, then casually patted my hair like it was no big deal.
Her sudden action left everyone with question marks hovering over their heads.
"Your hair. It’s soft."
"Pardon?"
"Well, see you later. Let’s et again."
"…?"
And with that, she turned around as if she was done.
She had approached out of nowhere, greeted us, and then left just as suddenly. The conversation was so bizarre that it felt like my brain had stopped working.
What just happened…?
Did I just experience so sort of strange encounter, like a hit-and-run but with greetings instead?
It happened so quickly that I didn’t even have ti to feel bewildered. Was this what they call the Little Prince style of conversation?
I stood there stunned for a mont, but Charlotte was already walking far away.
"Is it just … or did I fail to follow the flow because I’m not smart enough?"
"Huh? Then, th-that must an I’m not smart enough either…"
The fox and the pilot seed just as flustered.
Still kneeling on the ground, I let out a small laugh.
It was supposed to be a historic mont of eting a new character, but she left before I could even feel moved.
"Well… that’s part of her charm, I suppose."
I brushed myself off and stood up.
I could feel the gazes of people around us, but I decided to ignore them.
"Shall we head out?"
I quietly started walking again.
The two, still lost in thought, soon followed.
'But seriously.'
What was Charlotte trying to say?
She ntioned being curious… but I didn’t really catch what she was curious about. I wish she had finished her thought.
I pondered the unsatisfied question as I walked.
***
We arrived at the dormitory building after taking the academy carriage.
What awaited us was a series of buildings comparable to—no, perhaps even larger than—a decent mansion.
The quality of the facilities was incomparable to that of ordinary schools.
Since it was everyone’s first ti at Gallimard, they couldn’t help but be amazed.
Regia was openly staring out the window in awe, and Irene, though trying to hide it, seed very interested in the scenery.
Well, it’s rare to see sothing like this anywhere else.
The academy is practically a small city that can accommodate up to 5,000 people.
'It’s awe-inspiring.'
Of course, I was no different.
I’d seen this setting countless tis in the ga, but seeing it in real life was on another level.
It was a naturally overwhelming experience.
Clatter, clatter—
After driving for a bit longer, we finally arrived at the dormitory we were assigned to.
Specifically, it was the space where Irene and I would be staying.
The building assigned to Regia was located a bit further away.
Because of that, we got off the carriage first. I gave her a light wave as a farewell.
"It was a pleasure today, Miss Regia."
"If it weren't for you, I think I would have been lonely at the entrance ceremony today, Lord Snakes. Thank you so much."
"Hehe… I look forward to seeing more of you."
I smoothly told a small lie.
"Let’s et again, my friend."
"Fr-Friend…?"
"Yes, friend."
After all, we’ve been close companions since the entrance exam, right?
As I whispered those words leisurely, the once-blank expression on Regia’s face gradually brightened.
The line was intended to build rapport, and fortunately, it seed to work.
Regia nodded, trying to hide the smile tugging at her lips.
"Yes! See you next ti…!"
Neigh—!
With the girl’s farewell, the carriage set off again.
I watched the retreating figure for a mont before feeling a nudge from beside .
"Why are you looking at like that, Miss Irene?"
"Nothing… It just looked like you were smiling in a really suspicious way. I wondered if you were up to sothing."
"What do you take for?"
"Soone untrustworthy."
"This is so unfair. My tears are welling up from the sorrow."
I pretended to wipe away tears, but of course, Irene wasn’t buying it.
"Anyway… What did you think?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I’m asking about Miss Regia. Isn’t she a really nice person?"
"She seems naive."
"Well, she’s still young. She hasn’t learned how to hide her true feelings, so her innocence shines through."
"You’re young too."
Irene casually threw out that comnt, to which I replied:
"Maybe so, but I don’t exactly co across as innocent, do I?"
A sly grin spread across my face.
Irene stared at briefly before she quietly turned away as if she had co to a conclusion.
"…Definitely not."
Ouch. That stung a bit.
I kind of expected that response, but it still hurt to hear it.
Is it really fair to judge soone by their looks?
This world is obsessed with appearances.
I’ll have to overturn it all soday.
As I brooded over this small sadness, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
"Sothing just occurred to ."
"What is it?"
"My assigned room is probably the largest in the academy."
Gallimard Academy uses a ranking-based distribution system.
The higher your rank, the more benefits you enjoy, and the better your living conditions.
The dormitory is no exception.
"As the top student’s room, it’s bound to be enormous. Which ans there’s a big advantage!"
"Advantage?"
"There’s going to be a lot to clean! You’ll have plenty of space to thoroughly, passionately handle it all by yourself, Miss Irene."
"…How is that supposed to be a good thing?"
"It doesn’t bother . I’m not the one doing the cleaning."
"…"
I shalessly teased her, and Irene’s expression soured. We continued to bicker as we walked.
***
After the bustling entrance ceremony, we were given a week of free ti.
All scheduled activities at the academy would begin after the class placent exam. In other words, we had a few days with no particular agenda.
It was the academy’s way of giving new students, who were still unfamiliar with the environnt, ti to adjust.
I welcod it with open arms.
I’d been itching to explore the academy anyway.
This was the place I had longed to experience over the past three years.
The thought of finally fulfilling that wish filled with excitent.
So, with the spirit of a field trip, I was wandering around the academy…
"Did you even hear what I said?!"
"…"
"I don’t know how soone like you beca the top student, but I'm telling you, don’t get arrogant!"
Who is this now?
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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