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Chapter 14 - Class Placement Exam (1)

After the bustling entrance ceremony, we were given a week of free time.

All official academy activities would begin after the class placement exam. In other words, there were a few days without any specific schedule.

This was a considerate gesture by the academy, allowing new students who were still unfamiliar with the environment to have some time to adjust.

\'It’s nostalgic.\'

This part also existed in the original story.

It was the section where the player could explore various areas of the academy, building connections with other NPCs and gradually uncovering the basic settings.

In short, this was essentially the tutorial phase.

It also meant that the storyline of [The World Seen By the Little Prince] was finally getting into full swing.

Excitement filled my chest.

How long had I been waiting for this moment? The past three years since my transmigration had been unbearably dull.

I did all sorts of random things to pass the time.

\'Those days are finally over.\'

This was the place I had dreamed of.

During the one week granted by the academy, I eagerly explored the campus.

The grounds were so vast that I had to ride a carriage to get around all day.

Irene, who had been dragged along unwillingly, grumbled a lot, but she seemed secretly intrigued by everything as well.

This was, after all, the continent’s top educational institution.

Not only that, it was also a space that embodied the pinnacle of imperial architecture.

Whoosh—

The swaying trees danced in the gentle spring breeze.

Beside the path we walked along, a clear stream flowed. The water was so transparent that you could see all the way to the bottom, where a few baby swans swam gracefully.

It was a spectacle of unmatched beauty.

"This is really wonderful… I feel like I’ve been missing out on half of life."

"Hmph. It’s nice, I guess."

"Miss Irene, I’m sorry to point this out, but your tail is wagging a bit too enthusiastically while you’re trying to sound cool."

"…I said it’s nice, didn’t I?"

Irene turned her head away at my observation.

Still, she couldn’t hide her awe, as her tail continued to sway energetically.

I chuckled softly.

She had a prickly demeanor, yet there was a cute side to her as well. Truly, she was a character worth teasing.

We walked a bit further along the path.

As we continued our pleasant stroll, a voice suddenly called out from behind us.

"Hey, you there!"

Who could they be calling? Curious, I turned my head and saw a girl with blue hair standing there.

Was she calling me?

"…Did you call for me, Miss?"

"Yes, I did. Let’s talk for a moment."

Click-clack—

The confident sound of her heels echoed as she approached.

The girl stopped in front of me, crossing her arms with a refined stance.

Her movements exuded elegance.

"You’re the eldest son of the Snakes family, the one who entered as the top student this time, right?"

"That’s correct."

"Hah, that smirk of yours is irritating."

Throwing courtesy out the window right from the start.

Her tone was oddly familiar. I stared at the girl, piecing together who she was.

"To think someone like you is representing Gallimard Academy as the top student."

Her deep blue eyes resembled the sea.

Her long blue hair, styled into ringlet waves, reached down to her back.

She had the classic appearance of a villainous noblewoman.

I recognized her immediately.

\'…Emilia?\'

Emilia Vanity.

The eldest daughter of the Vanity Duke family and the student who ranked third in this cohort.

In the original story, she played the role of a high-ranking noble who bullied Regia, the commoner protagonist. She was a villainess who tormented the main characters until the middle of the story.

A sneer twisted her lips.

"I’m really disappointed in this academy’s standards."

The villainous noblewoman had made her sudden appearance.

***

Emilia was fundamentally a person overflowing with vanity.

She craved attention from others.

She felt intense inferiority toward anyone who outshined her.

Her character was inspired by the "vain people" from the fairy tale, so in a way, she stayed true to her concept.

- How could a mere commoner be so full of themselves… I can’t accept it.

The reason she harassed Regia in the original story was simple.

She was jealous of the protagonist’s talents, and she couldn’t stand that Regia received more love and attention than she did.

Even a minor inferiority complex can be the seed of conflict.

- Oh dear~ I’m so sorry! My foot just slipped by accident.

- I told you to stay out of sight.

- A commoner like you… Do you really think your attitude isn’t a challenge to the Vanity Duke family?

The bullying wasn’t particularly severe.

There was no direct violence, nor did she extort money. It was nothing more than petty pranks that could be passed off as minor annoyances.

But even that was extremely stressful for Regia.

- I-I’m sorry… Lady Vanity.

- I-I didn’t mean to, sn-sob… it’s not like that…

Given that Regia was already anxious around nobles.

It must have been agonizing to have one of the three most prestigious families in the empire antagonize her.

In the end, she even cried.

Anyway.

The person in front of me was that same character.

A villainous noblewoman who mentally shakes up the lovable protagonist—a stumbling block and a catalyst for growth.

"Did you even hear what I said?"

"…"

"I don’t know how someone like you became the top student, but I’m telling you, don’t get arrogant!"

Unfortunately, Emilia had no goodwill toward me.

Which was expected. She even harbored hostility toward our harmless protagonist, so how could she tolerate someone like me who looks ominous?

I had beaten her to the top spot in the entrance exam.

And during the freshman representative speech, I had made quite a show of it…

\'Looks like I’ve been marked.\'

It was something I had more or less anticipated.

Even I didn’t know why I was the top student, so it’s no wonder the other students were baffled.

\'I thought she might overlook it since we’re both nobles, but…\'

That was wishful thinking.

The moment Emilia saw me, she bared her fangs.

I had to swallow my pride and play along, nodding in agreement to avoid upsetting her.

It was truly a pitiful situation.

"Oh dear~ I apologize."

"What exactly are you apologizing for?"

"For being so exceptional that I ended up taking the top spot from you, Lady Vanity!"

"What did you say?!"

"I should have held back out of respect for your status, but I failed to consider that. Please, forgive me…"

I pretended to wipe away tears.

As I poured my heart into the performance, Emilia’s face flushed with anger.

"Are you mocking me? You’ve been acting like this since the start…!"

"Mocking you? Perish the thought! I’m simply expressing my regret that you were relegated to third place…"

"You insolent…!"

Now she was even making a whistling kettle sound.

I grinned brightly, savoring the moment.

I had poked her a few times just for fun, and her reactions were too entertaining to resist teasing her further.

"Sigh… It’s tragic to have talents that even provoke envy from my closest friends."

"I never envied you! And we’re not friends! When did that even happen?!"

"Good heavens! Are you saying that the 30 minutes we just spent together was nothing but a fleeting dream?"

"We haven’t even known each other for 30 minutes!!"

"Wow, you’re sharper than I expected."

"Did you really think I’d fall for that?!"

"Maybe just a little?"

This is dangerous—this level of amusement is addictive.

There’s a particularly thrilling sense of transgression when teasing a duke’s daughter like this, riding the edge of what’s acceptable.

My mischievous side was heating up.

"Three plus three."

"…What?"

"It adds up to three, meaning you’re in third place."

"You… aren’t you afraid of the Vanity family?"

"Of course, I am."

But I’m only chasing fun.

Because, honestly, there wasn’t much left for me other than that.

If things go south, I can always erase memories with my abilities. Not that I’m particularly fond of that approach.

"It’s fine, Lady Vanity. Being in third place is still an excellent achievement."

"I don’t need to hear that from someone as unworthy as you!"

"Being in third place is still an excellent achievement. Being in third place is still an excellent achievement. Being in third place is still an excellent achieve—"

"Stop repeating it three times!!"

Emilia must have been thoroughly annoyed.

She came here to give someone she disliked a hard time, only to end up being the one on the receiving end.

How many times in her life has she ever been teased?

Or maybe this is the first time it’s happened.

Even so, I was careful not to cross the line, making it hard for her to respond seriously.

After all, it was just playful banter between kids.

\'It’s not widely known, but Emilia’s position within the Vanity family is as shaky as a kite with a broken string.\'

And this also applied to her twin brother.

The twins were originally legitimate heirs of the Vanity family, but due to various complications, their standing had become precarious.

But let’s leave that aside.

It gets complicated if we go too deep. To summarize, Emilia doesn’t have the leverage to mess with me.

Sure, she could probably punish the son of a mere count, but only if there was justifiable cause.

"I don’t understand why you’re so upset, Lady Vanity. I’m sincerely offering my congratulations…"

"Stop making that pathetic face!!"

"This is really… hurtful."

"Arrgh! So infuriating!!"

In the end, Emilia’s frustration boiled over.

As I basked in the rare joy, her blue eyes shot daggers at me.

"Hmph! Let’s see how long you can keep up this insolence."

"It’s an honor to have your attention."

"There are already rumors circulating among the students. Everyone knows you’re just a phony top student!"

"Oh dear, I’ve already been found out."

"Enjoy your false sense of superiority while you can. It won’t last much longer."

The girl sneered wickedly.

"There’s a class placement exam coming up soon, right? I’ve heard it’s a duel format. From what I hear, your opponent is the First Princess."

"Wasn’t the opponent supposed to be revealed only on the day of the exam?"

"Would you like to know how I found out?"

"Oh my~ you’re scarier than I thought."

"As expected."

She scoffed disdainfully.

Her eyes radiated that familiar condescension. After holding her ground for a while, Emilia finally took a step back.

It seemed she had decided to leave.

"This was a waste of time."

"That’s a hurtful thing to say."

"There’s no way someone like you can stand up to the Princess. You’ll lose your position soon enough, so enjoy it while it lasts."

With those kind words of warning, the girl turned away.

Her blue hair, styled into neat ringlets, swayed as she walked away into the hazy distance.

I stood there for a moment, lost in thought.

As I pondered, Irene, who had been watching the situation, leaned into my view.

"Uh, um…"

The fox seemed uncharacteristically hesitant. Why was she acting like this all of a sudden?

"Miss Irene? What’s the matter?"

"…"

"Miss Irene?"

"…Are you going to kill her?"

"Excuse me?"

Out of nowhere, Irene asked a bizarre question.

It was a line that completely derailed the flow of the conversation. With a puzzled look, I asked back.

"What brought this on?"

"She insulted you, calling you a phony top student and all that."

"Well, that’s true, but why would I kill her over that?"

"Because you looked like you were about to. Your expression was like you were glaring at a crawling insect…"

"That’s just my normal face."

"Liar."

The fox growled warily.

She must have really been on edge, as her forehead was slick with cold sweat and her tail was stiff with tension.

I let out a sigh of disbelief and asked:

"What exactly do you think I am?"

"A monster."

"Your assessment seems to be getting harsher…"

I saved her, fed her, sheltered her, and even protected the kids.

I did all that, yet she still paints me as a villain. Is this what they mean by "an ungrateful fox"?

"You have the power to do it."

To kill that girl brutally and cover it up.

I don’t know how great the Vanity family is, but I can’t imagine you losing to her.

"That’s why it’s scary. The moment you decide to, you could become a calamity."

"It seems like you’re overestimating me."

"Are you saying you can’t?"

"Well, it depends on how you imagine it."

"See?"

"Hehe."

I brushed off the tricky question with a laugh, mixing in a bit of a lie.

"Don’t worry. Even I can’t take down a Duke’s family on my own."

"That’s reassuring…"

"Of course."

-Ding!

[The target’s emotions have changed.]

(From wary, suspicious -> mildly reassured)

[A small amount of Lie charge has been restored.]

[Current charge remaining: 76.4%]

A clear mechanical sound echoed in my ear.

That faint noise represented deception. Between lips that spewed falsehoods like breathing, only the flicking tongue of a snake remained.

I smiled slyly as I started walking again.

"Shall we head back now? We’ve seen enough for today."

"…Okay."

The fox hesitated for a moment but eventually walked alongside me.

Why did she even bother being on guard if she was just going to end up like this anyway? Feeling a bit spiteful, I suddenly grabbed her tail.

"Eek!"

A rather cute scream.

The soft, fluffy sensation was delightful under my fingertips.

As I continued to playfully stroke the plush fur, I heard the girl’s flustered protests.

"Wh-Why are you t-touching there?!"

"This is your punishment."

"Wh-What for?! Ah, w-wait, not there…!"

"This is really soft."

"P-Please just tell me why you’re doing this!!"

You don’t know?

You really need to be taught a lesson. I’ll instill some respect for your employer today.

The tail-petting session went on for quite some time.

"Nngh, ngh…"

"You sound so cute when you whimper."

"Y-You’re the worst!"

"Hehe."

I only intended to tease her briefly, but Irene’s reactions were too much fun.

I ended up playing with her tail far longer than planned.

I finally let go of her tail when…

"…You pervert."

…The fox’s eyes welled up with tears.

It took quite a while to soothe her fully after that.

***

The chaotic week flew by, and soon it was the day of the class placement exam.

I had thought a week was plenty of time.

But once I started exploring the academy, even that felt too short.

Still, I had no regrets.

Since I’ll be here for the next three years, I can take my time getting to know the place.

For now, I needed to focus on the task at hand. I lifted my head and surveyed my surroundings.

"Please take a seat here. You can check your opponent and wait for your turn."

Following the staff’s guidance, I sat down.

We were currently in the public arena located near the main building—a vast, circular stadium large enough to accommodate thousands.

As expected, the scale was impressive.

I was momentarily distracted by the grandeur but quickly snapped out of it.

As I looked at the match schedule I had received at the entrance, my name caught my eye.

[Match 7]

[Judas Snakes vs. Charlotte Little von Stauffen]

"Lady Vanity was right."

My opponent was Charlotte.

I wasn’t particularly surprised. If the staff wanted to test me, it made sense to pit me against the strongest opponent.

Our Little Prince would certainly be a fitting challenge.

"Hmm."

"L-Lord Snakes, are you alright?"

"Oh, Miss Regia."

At that moment, the girl with pink hair took a seat next to me.

Her transparent green eyes were tinged with worry. Pointing to the match schedule in my hand, she cautiously asked:

"Your opponent is the princess… What should we do? I’ve heard she’s incredibly strong."

She kept glancing at me nervously.

Was she concerned for my sake? A faintly unsettling smile crept onto my face.

"This is delightful news."

"Are you really okay?"

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"I-I might be overstepping here, but… the rumors say the princess is truly formidable."

"Hmm."

Come to think of it.

Regia had seen me take the entrance exam.

It seemed that memory had stuck with her, making her anxious about whether I could maintain my rank.

For someone like me to be the top student, she could easily be envious, yet she’s so kind-hearted.

I smiled warmly and reassured her.

"Don’t worry… This time will be different."

It wouldn’t be like the entrance exam.

Now that I had taken the top spot and drawn attention, pretending to be weak would only backfire.

I planned to show a bit more strength this time.

Not too little, not too much.

Just enough to stay within the top ranks at the academy.

"You can look forward to it."

I muttered cryptically with a grin.