Chapter 85: Chapter 85

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Confrontations

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The night of the Founding Festival.

A boy who had escaped the boycott sighed.

More accurately, it was a girl.

"What a hassle this has turned out to be."

She, in Hanon's guise, was Hania Rapidia.

She was the daughter of the Imperial Knight Commander.

After learning that Isabel was pursuing Hanon,

she had joined the boycott, thinking it could turn into a troublesome situation.

As she was in Hanon's form, no one questioned her presence.

Having unexpectedly subdued and captured several boycott members, she sighed once more.

Hanon, having already clashed with Isabel's group, had quickly made his escape.

'He could have at least given me a heads-up.'

She had gotten involved for nothing but trouble.

She felt like going back and washing up immediately.

"Hania."

Just as she was trudging along,

she flinched at the voice and looked up.

Because the owner of that voice was none other than Iris.

Her jet-black hair, as dark as pitch, fluttered in the breeze.

Beyond her long, flowing eyelashes, ruby-red eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

"What is with that appearance?"

Iris saw right through Hania's disguise at a glance.

Iris, who should have been waiting in the dormitory, had appeared here.

Thus, a flustered Hania couldn't answer immediately, her lips merely parting.

This fact only solidified Iris's suspicions.

Iris gazed at Hania with narrowed eyes.

Her gaze was alluringly sweet to Hania, yet it held a chilling undertone.

"Hania isn't the kind of child who lies to me, is she?"

Iris's warning continued in a low voice.

Hania was her loyal subordinate.

Lying to Iris was akin to a capital offense.

Hania lowered her head.

"No, of course not."

She had agreed to keep it a secret with Hanon, but.

This was an unavoidable situation; there was no other way.

Hania confessed everything that had happened to Iris.

She started by revealing that Hanon was the ringleader of this boycott.

Still, feeling bad about breaking her promise, she even tried to cover for him, saying that this whole affair must have been prepared for Iris's sake.

Iris mulled over the story, then remained silent.

Worried by Iris's reaction, Hania fidgeted nervously.

"...I see."

Iris said no more and turned around.

"Ah, Lady Iris, let's go together!"

Hania, shedding her wig and contact lenses, hurried after Iris.

For some reason, a heavy sigh escaped Iris.

Every Founding Festival, her chest felt chillingly empty, but today, for some unknown reason, a warmth resided within it.

* * *

Due to the untimely boycott, Jerion Academy was thrown into chaos.

Although the professors and assistant instructors managing the Founding Festival eventually arrived late to clean up the mess, it was Isabel and her friends who played the biggest role in resolving it.

They had mediated and subdued a conflict that could have easily escalated between the boycott members and the student council.

Thanks to this, Isabel's prestige rose significantly.

Most of the boycott members were caught and dragged away by professors and assistant instructors.

This was for questioning.

Furthermore, corruption cases that had occurred within Jerion Academy also came to light.

Not only the student council but also the Jerion Academy's educational department would not escape criticism.

In addition, several students were suspended due to this incident.

Rosamine, the president who had been the core of the boycott, calmly accepted her suspension.

In the original scenario, he would have cried out that it was unfair.

But this time, he wore an expression of complete enlightenment.

Even as he was being led to the dormitory after his suspension, he called out to the children gathered in the commotion.

"Make a clean getaway."

It was unclear who he was speaking to,

but he left those words behind and was finally escorted away by the assistant instructors.

Furthermore, President Sylvester Draffen, who had shown great disgrace in this incident, also found himself in a difficult position.

Although it was before he became president,

the students questioned him for condoning the student council's rampant corruption that had been ongoing since before his tenure.

Sylvester already had a reputation for incompetence.

On this occasion, he was torn apart from all sides.

Outside Jerion Academy, the Draffen ducal family was fiercely attacked, led by the faction of the Third Princess.

Sylvester ultimately gained the infamy of having brought down the student council.

He himself resigned from the presidency.

After all, due to this incident, he could no longer remain in the student council.

Other student council members tried to dissuade him, saying he didn't have to, but Sylvester shook his head.

"If I stay, it will only create more problems. I'm sorry. For appearing to run away."

He smiled bitterly.

"Perhaps I've been running away all along, ever since the beginning."

Sylvester returned to being an ordinary student, leaving behind a lonely figure.

Due to the successive vacancies of the president and vice-president, the student council was in an emergency.

However, due to this incident, the student council office was temporarily off-limits.

This was because inspectors dispatched from the Empire had thoroughly investigated Jerion Academy.

In this process, not only assistant and associate professors but even full professors could not escape scrutiny.

As a result, Jerion Academy was filled with an unsettling atmosphere.

Though there was news that new professors, associate professors, and assistant instructors would soon arrive, this would also take some more time.

A wind of change had swept through Jerion Academy.

In a way, the boycott's objective itself had been achieved.

Given how chaotic it had been, Jerion Academy decided to implement self-study for three days.

Students were originally diligent in their self-training.

Three days without professors would not be a problem.

Thus, a period of change.

In the classroom, where I had arrived for self-study.

As soon as I arrived, I was forcibly dragged outside and found myself in a very awkward situation.

"Lightning Sweet Potato."

"Hanon."

"You."

Seron Parmia.

Iris Heisyrion.

Isabel Luna.

The three of them stood tall before me simultaneously.

Seeing the three, who had appeared with their own distinct intentions, I pondered for a moment.

Should I make a run for it?

"Don't even think about running away."

Seron, who had caught onto my pattern, snapped at me.

To block my escape route too.

They're repaying good with evil.

'More than that, even if it's Seron and Isabel,'

I looked at Iris with a puzzled expression.

Was there any particular reason for Iris to wait for me like this?

As I looked at Iris, my eyes met Hania's, who was quietly standing behind her.

She flinched her shoulders, then quietly lowered her head.

'...I've been found out.'

Realizing the situation, I swallowed a sigh inwardly.

Indeed, it was probably inevitable that I would be found out eventually.

'The problem is…'

They say it's better to get the worst over with quickly.

I couldn't tell whose beating I should take first.

The three of them glanced at each other.

Since all three had risen from their spots as soon as I arrived, it seemed they hadn't anticipated this situation.

Surely, the one who backs down first here is the most mature.

Then, Iris readily opened her mouth.

As expected, Your Highness the Third Princess.

What great boldness.

"Hanon, come to my room after classes today."

The Third Princess didn't show boldness; she fired a cannon.

Iris spoke in a very familiar tone and turned away.

Naturally, her room referred to the girls' dormitory.

This alone was problematic enough, but the implication of having frequented the Third Princess's room was clear.

Because of her bombshell statement, Isabel and Seron simultaneously gaped.

Both stared at me with eyes full of shock.

"S-s-sweet potato, you, you crazy bastard."

Among them, Seron, who had seen my true identity, mouthed words.

If it were Hanon, he could at least use the excuse of being the Princess's cousin, but I am Bikkamen.

Entering the Princess's chambers while concealing my identity was tantamount to a death sentence.

"You…!"

I raised my hand and immediately clamped it over Seron's mouth.

Seron struggled, her mouth covered.

What she saw was Hanon, so she was about to explode in anger, but then she remembered I was Bikkamen, and her face flushed crimson.

Still, such a maidenly preference.

*Clank—*

At that moment, my wrist was grabbed by someone.

The one who grabbed my wrist was Isabel.

She gazed at me with tranquil eyes.

"What have you been doing with Lady Iris every night?"

*Sleeping, of course.*

*But if I say that, I'll be instantly buried, won't I?*

"...I had some business."

"Oh, really? Business in the girls' dormitory, you say."

Isabel smiled brightly.

"...Yet you left in the middle of it with me."

*I did leave during a battle.*

"W-w-what!?"

Seron stared at me with wide eyes.

Why are they making the situation even more awkward?

Is it on purpose?

Isabel snorted, and with that, she turned and left.

Only Seron remained in the end.

Seron, whose mouth I had released, slowly raised her head.

I quickly averted my gaze from Seron.

"Well then, I'll be going too."

"Where are you going?"

As I tried to naturally slip away, Seron firmly grabbed my collar.

I couldn't take more than a few steps before stopping and turning back to Seron.

"Seron, about what happened yesterday—"

"Enough. Just tell me honestly."

It seems there's no escape route here.

"Lightning Sweet Potato, are you Senior Bikkamen or Hanon?"

In the end, I surrendered completely.

Anyway, once I had revealed my identity to Seron, there was no way out.

"I'm Bikkamen. I returned to Jerion Academy in this form for a certain reason."

Upon hearing my answer, Seron mumbled to herself.

She seemed to have a lot to say but was carefully choosing her words.

"...Did you return because of Senior Nikita?"

Was that what she was worried about?

As Seron waited for an answer, looking crestfallen, I sighed.

"I can't say it's entirely unrelated, but it's not the only reason."

Nikita is important, but I have an even more important reason.

I came here to prevent this world from ending in a bad ending.

However, I couldn't tell her the truth.

"...But you liked Senior Nikita, didn't you?"

"That was a long time ago."

And that was the old Bikkamen, not me.

More importantly, due to the Veil of Bandages, I have a high probability of having lost the emotion of love.

"The current me doesn't like anyone."

Upon hearing my answer, Seron fell silent.

Then, abruptly, Seron grabbed my collar tightly and pulled.

Seron was also a martial arts student.

In that instant, pulled by her sudden strength, Seron's face and mine rapidly drew closer.

She gently bumped her forehead against mine, then curled the corners of her lips upwards.

A very mischievous smile played on her face.

"Then I don't have to give up yet, do I?"

My face instantly froze in a dumbfounded expression.

"You know I was Hanon."

"That doesn't matter."

Seron abruptly let go of me, a relieved look on her face.

"Because you're still the prince I liked."

"You used to call me Sweet Potato."

"And even when you were a sweet potato, I never disliked you. I just like you even more now."

Seron said that, smiling brightly.

...This girl, did she awaken something from this incident? She's spouting such embarrassing words without a care.

"Prince Sweet Potato."

Seron declared, hands firmly on her hips.

"Be prepared. Whatever else happens, I have no intention of losing this match."

Her vigorous smile was so charming that even I was momentarily swayed.

What exactly should I be prepared for?

This match… it might turn out to be a very difficult one.