66. Dandelion

How the time flies. Sorry for the delay (again). Without getting into a lot of detail there’s a lot of shakeups, some of which involve my clients in my day job that easily keeps this hobby going without me having to ask for donations to keep the lights on for this website and stuff. 

“[…] provided I don’t get bodied by work again. Unfortunately, being promoted does mean I also have more stuff to do hahahaha.“
– one very dumb boi during the translator notes last chapter

It’s been back to back business trips all of a sudden, and frankly I don’t know how some people do it as I have some coworkers that fly out Sunday evenings and fly back in Fridays. I’ve really only had time at my home desktop with all my translation tools installed on it on weekends and uh, I’ve got other things to do first haha. Shit’s exhausting as hell but I guess I’ve made it far enough in the company that it’s on my duties now. I even had to go to Reno? I didn’t even know my company had an office in Reno lol. 

Either way being crammed in airplanes didn’t help as I also got KO’d for like a week and a half by a particularly nasty cold and cough. And I’m talking the kind of cough where you wake up at 2:30am because your throat is full of flem and you gotta hack it all out for like 10 minutes. My sleep data looks absolutely wild since I track that kind of thing.

But I’m back! We got kind of a longer-ish chapter.

---

As spring drew to a close and I was getting used to the class schedule, I visited the school’s landscaping office.
The school grounds were large, so the gardeners’ accommodation and the warehouse for storing their tools were attached to the office. The accommodation was built like a tenement house and was like a company dormitory. The office was in the one room closest to the warehouse.

「Excuse me. Is anyone here?」

I knocked on the office door, but there was no response. It seemed like they had gone out to work. I thought about what to do and turned around to come back after class.
But an older gardener, who had just returned, was pushing a cart.

「What does a student want in a place like this?」

It seemed unusual for students to come, so the old man tilted his head quizzically.

「Um, my name is Isaac Baumgartner. Can I help you out a little bit from now on?」

「Help…? Ah, you’re the boy the guild was talking about.」

I’m relieved that my request went through.
When I was officially accepted, I asked the gardener’s guild if I could do some gardening at the magic academy. However, I didn’t know how much the classes would be like until I took them, so I was only told in advance to go for an interview once I got used to the classes.

「I’m Jacob. I know studying is hard, but you’re a curious person.」

「I want to avoid my body becoming rusty.」

I smiled and told them my priorities.
If a commoner were to study at the academy, they would have to study classical languages ​​to memorize the spells used to activate magic, and the number of required subjects would increase. However, since I didn’t need to chant, I was able to use that time to study basics other than my aptitude attributes. I was originally taught how to read and write by Ojou, and my master, Heinz, the butler, taught me a lot of things before I enrolled, so I don’t need to take language subjects.
I’m grateful to Ojou for putting up with my curiosity-based studies. Thanks to her, I can attend lectures on other attributes that I want to take.

「So, how much do you think you’ll be able to work?」

「I’d like to ask for a few hours three times a week…」

I’m aware that I’m only asking for things that are convenient for me, so my request gradually tapers off. I’d be happy if I could do even just odd jobs, but Old Jacob and the others have a set schedule. Half-hearted help would only get in the way of their work. [T/N: Ehhhh I didn’t really like using “Old Jacob” but it beats “Grandfather/Grandpa Jacob”.]
Old Jacob strokes his beard with his gloved hands, looking up from my feet and finally looking up at my face.

「I don’t mind.」

「Really?」

「Yeah. It was hard working at high places because we were all old.」

「I’ll do it as much as I can!」

My face lit up when I got permission to work part-time.
Besides, Benno’s grandson could be useful, said Old Jacob, narrowing his eyes. It seems he knows my grandfather. I feel like the evaluation hurdle is high because of the Baumgartner surname, but for now I’ll be happy that I can work in the garden while I’m at the school.

「But changing into work clothes could be a bit of a hassle for you.」

I can’t work in my uniform, so if I borrow an office or something to change in, I can’t go directly to the work site. Some work locations are far from the office, so it’s inefficient to stop by the office every time.
Old Jacob’s worries were unfounded.

「Oh, that’s fine. I’ll just put this on over the top.」

I took out a long-sleeved top that was connected from the bag I had on my shoulder.
The servants of the Ernst household always get a day off on their birthdays and receive a bonus in their birthday month. When I decided that I would be late in entering school, I asked the Duke to give me the bonus in kind and had him make me a jumpsuit. Unlike in Japan, it doesn’t have a zipper yet, it’s a button-up type, but the buttons are large, so it’s convenient because you can put it on and take it off even while wearing gloves.
When I tried it on, Old Jacob laughed and said it was good.
After confirming the work area on the days I could work, I parted ways with Old Jacob. Apparently, I would be introduced to the other gardeners as I worked.
When I asked the school’s gardeners why there were only older people, they said that young people often couldn’t last in a place where there were noble boys and girls. Also, in some cases, their wives would accompany them, but since they would basically be working alone on the school grounds, few people were willing to take the job. Just to be on the safe side, it seems it’s best to be at an age where mistakes aren’t likely to happen.
As I was heading towards the school building, thinking about all the various reasons, I heard voices. Drawn by the voices, I turned towards them and saw three young ladies in uniforms talking. I could tell they were all first-year students by the colour of their ribbons or handkerchiefs.
Third-year students wear navy blue ties, ribbons or handkerchiefs, second-year students dark green, and first-year students crimson. There is no set colour for each grade, and students keep the colour they wear when they enroll until they graduate. So next year’s new students will wear navy blue. It’s easy to tell by the rotation.
I’m tired of tying ties, so I fold them up and put them in my breast pocket like a handkerchief. This is enough to tell what grade I’m in.

「Isn’t she a little too brazen?」

「Even if you say she’s the Colorless Lady, she’s of commoner descent.」

「She’s taking advantage of being a friend of Lydia-sama to get close to the prince…」

As soon as Ojou’s name was mentioned, I listened to their conversation. There was something unsettling about the atmosphere. I feel like I’ve heard of Colorless Lady before. What was it, I’m sure it was the white hydrangea girl.
I wonder if what they don’t like is that the hydrangea girl is having lunch with them. I’m being dragged along because it’s not good for two engaged couples to have just one woman. It seems that they didn’t even notice me because I’m just big. Even though I put up with being next to that dazzling Leo. He stands out just by being there, so if that makes my presence overshadowed, then I guess that’s fine.

「Even though she has a lot of magical power, her attributes haven’t been manifested, so she can’t use magic.」

「In that case, there’s something we can do.」

「We need to make her realize her place in the world…」

Just as the young ladies were giggling, they heard a thud and reflexively turned towards the sound. It was the sound of me dropping my bag at my feet.

「Who’s there…!?」

Without answering the girl asking who I was, I picked a dandelion that was blooming at the base of a nearby tree. Holding the dandelion, I walked up to the young ladies and held it out in front of one of them who seemed to be the leader.

「What do you think of this flower?」

「Eh… I-it’s cute.」

The young lady, flustered by the sudden question, let out her honest opinion. Satisfied with her answer, I smiled.

「In that case, you’d be better off admiring flowers than trampling on them.」

「Huh?」

The young lady reflexively took the dandelion that was offered to her.

「Besides, your hands aren’t for plucking flowers, but for turning the sounds from the piano into music, right?」

「What…?」

The young lady was astonished at her hobby being correctly identified.

「It would be wonderful to combine it with your violin.」

「What…」

I shifted my gaze to the other young lady, who took a step back.

「The young lady of my house told me that your embroidery is very delicate.」

「No way, you’re…」

The third young lady, frightened, leaned closer to the young lady with the dandelion and hesitated. It seemed she was hesitant to mention the family name in this situation.

「I’m glad you admire Ojou. However, Ojou would be happier if you improved yourself.」

I tried to smile, but it seemed to sound like a warning to the young ladies, and they awkwardly stammered and left. I sighed as I watched them leave.

「You’re really popular with the girls.」

The hardworking Ojou is popular with the girls, so she seems to have formed a fanbase, or rather a bodyguard. Prince Leo is also popular, so there’s probably some jealousy, but it seemed like they were trying to support the Ojou they admired in a twisted way. The way they supported her would surely not please Ojou.
If her friends get hurt, Ojou will have no choice but to blame them, even if it was because they were cheering for her. Ideally, she should be cheered on in a way that makes Ojou happy and makes them like her. Even if it’s just a wildflower, it’s even better if you can look at it and find it cute.
However, my master told me to at least remember the names of the sons and daughters of nobles in my year, so I was glad. With a little effort, I could look at their faces and remember their names, titles, and hobbies. Thanks to this, I was able to show that I knew their names.
I don’t intend to tell Ojou, but if the other person knows my name, I’m sure they won’t try to do anything shady.
After accepting the Duke’s conditions and deciding that my enrollment would be delayed, my master resumed the servant course, saying that there was a mountain of things to learn before enrollment.
We learned about the origins of the royal family and the main nobles, and about the Ernst family, including not only history but also the territory, so it even covered geography.
Since I was only studying social studies, which I’m not good at, and there was a lot of memorization involved, it was still quite difficult even with a few years’ lead time. In my previous life, I couldn’t even remember the names of the prime ministers of Japan or the Tokugawa shoguns, so memorizing the names of the nobles who were in the same year as Ojou was my just desserts. Even though I passed the exam, I felt like I was studying for the exam. At that time, I wished I had a vocabulary book. I also wished that more paper would be used by the common people.

「That’s an unexpected way to shut someone up, Mad Dog.」

A voice suddenly came from behind me, and I jumped in shock. I didn’t think there was anyone else there.
I turned around timidly, and a young lady wearing glasses was sitting there, hidden by the bushes, with a book in her hand. She was leaning back against the tree trunk, and was clearly in reading mode.

「I think the theory is you threaten them with your fists.」

「No… I’m not trying to scare the girls or anything…」

「I suppose so.」

I was just trying to say the standard thing, the glasses-wearing lady said in a flat voice, agreeing with my opinion. She knew the rumors, but she doesn’t seem to be the type to judge people based on that alone.

「Sorry if I interrupted your reading. Um…」

「I’m Cornelia von Kuhn, Baumgartner-san.」

Before I could remember the name of my classmate, she introduced herself. She went out of her way to stand up and even curtseyed while still holding a book in one hand. So I instinctively bowed my head and greeted her. I’m sure the Kuhn family was a marquis, and she was in the same class as me.

「I’m sorry for being so abrupt, but can I ask you something?」

「Eh, what?」

「If it’s not true, you can just think of me as a weird woman who talks nonsense.」

With that preface, she pushed up her glasses with her fingers.

「Were you Japanese in your past life?」

「Yes.」

It’s nothing to hide, so I answered yes, and there was a beat of silence.

「…So you have memories of your past life?」

「I remember roughly. Do you remember, too?」

「Yes. Do you know that this is the world of a game?」

「I seem to.」

「So is it your intention that my situation is different from Kimiboshi‘s?」

In the game, someone like me wasn’t close to the rival lady, so she asked it with suspicious.

「No? I don’t know much about Kimiboshi unless I hear it from Elena.」

「Does the third princess, Her Highness Philine Elena von Rosenhein, also have memories of her past life?」

From the way the support character muttered about being a reincarnated person, it seems that she, like Elena, played Kimiboshi in her previous life. As she muttered thoughtfully, she noticed my gaze and apologized and introduced herself again.

「Excuse me. I am the Marquis’ daughter Cornelia, the formal fiancée of Remias, whose name only appears in the story. I’m a mob character in Kimiboshi.」

「What, he had a fiancée!?」

「You react to that?!」

When I was stunned, she muttered a little in surprise.
But the blue-haired Remias, who seems calm when he’s quiet, is actually just a muscle-brained guy. I’d never heard of a hot-blooded man who only cares about getting stronger having a fiancée before, so it was a shock. Oh. Come to think of it, Remias was also a nobleman and the son of a marquis.

「The Marquis of Kuhn and the Marquis of Staden have been friends for a long time, and their fathers are friends. So, for now, I’m just engaged, and my relationship with Remias is just childhood friends.」

「Is… is that so?」

It was so unexpected that I could only nod. Since Remias is also a nobleman, it shouldn’t be  weird for him to have a fiancée, but him having a female presence around him seems strange.

「I haven’t been to Kimiboshi so I don’t know, but do you hate your fiancé being a character you can capture?」

It’s fine with Elena because she’s a sibling, but if things go as planned in the game, I worry that it would be complicated for her fiancé to fall in love with another girl.

「No, not at all.」

However, she replied in a flat tone and clearly denied it. I was taken aback by how easily she said it.

「Is it complicated…?」

「What’s complicated is that I’m engaged to someone in my favorite couple.」

「Favorite couple…?」

「Oh, you don’t know the term. I’ve been a fujoshi since my previous life. If I say that I’m the type of person who likes BL, do you understand?」

She even carefully explained the term to me, who had only heard of the word fujoshi. I’d seen them in manga and anime, but I’d never actually encountered a fujoshi in my previous life. I feel like the fujoshi in manga are more excited, but the girl in front of me was calm and her emotions were hard to read.

「You like BL, but you play otome games?」

「There’s only one heroine. In other words, there’s only one capture target who can be with the heroine. In that case, if the characters who didn’t end up with the heroine paired up, everything would be solved.」

When I asked her a simple question, she gave me a very serious and outrageous theory. I feel like that theory is actually creating more problems. Even if it’s a flat tone, if she has this kind of thinking, she’s definitely a fujoshi.

「There are quite a few otome games that appeal to fujoshi. In Kimiboshi, fans of the blue and red characters make them the standard shipping pair, and the others are…」 [T/N: She uses the term CP, which when converted to EN, is our equivalent of calling it a “ship” or a romantic pairing of characters.]

「Sorry. I probably wouldn’t get it even if I asked.」

「My apologies. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to talk about this, so I just…」

She apologized for getting heated, but she seemed calm to me. She started to speak a little quickly, so maybe she was just excited.

「I’ve gotten sidetracked. I’m a fujoshi, so I have mixed feelings about it.」

「Is that so?」

「Yeah. Raw food is out of the question.」 [T/N: No, this is not… literal, per se, but she uses the term for raw food/perishables. The next line explains that it’s “technical jargon” so I assume this is some kind of codeword that I don’t know the meaning of.]

She explained that they only accept up to 2.5D, but there was too much technical jargon and it was all incomprehensible to me. She seemed to sense that I wasn’t keeping up, and pondered what to say.

「For example, wouldn’t you hate it if people thought you were in a romantic relationship with someone of the same sex?」

「Regardless of gender, I like someone, so I’d be troubled if people misunderstood my relationship with someone else.」

「…Baumgartner-san is a nice person.」

「Huh? Thank you?」

For some reason, she opened her eyes wide and told me that impression. I don’t know why, but it seemed like a compliment, so I thanked her.

「That’s what I mean. I don’t want to distort the sexual preferences of people who actually are living. It’s because the characters don’t exist in reality that I can explore all kinds of possibilities. This is the pride of a fujoshi.」

She seems to have some restrictions because she is aware that she is misinterpreting the work. She has values ​​that I don’t understand, but I felt that she was a good person when she called me a good person.

「So, now that I’ve actually met Remias and Bell, I’m a little disappointed that I’ve lost the food for my fantasies…」

Phew, she sighs. I’m sorry. I can’t sympathize with that disappointment.

「Now that I think about it, why did you think I had memories of my past life?」

「The fact that the person who didn’t know was close to the main characters of the Kimiboshi meant that there was a strong possibility that he was an irregular with memories, but the main reason was…」

「What was the reason?」

「Remias got better at dealing with women.」

「Huh??」

My thoughts stopped as the evaluation was so unbecoming of Remias. I couldn’t imagine that Remias, who was always scolded by Ojou for being insensitive, was good at dealing with women.

「It’s all just little things. He started to ease up on the strength he uses his hands with, he started to match my pace instead of running ahead of me, he used to only talk about himself, but now he listens to my opinion a little.」

She’s a childhood friend and has known Remias since they were little, so it seems that being pushed around by him was a normal part of her daily life.
He’s bad at controlling his strength and he acts selfishly without adjusting to the other person, so even though she and Bell are indoor types, he often drags her out.

「I had no plans to improve until I met the heroine, and even if the heroine appeared, there was no guarantee that we would go down the Remias route, so I had pretty much given up, but… he started to improve a few years ago.」

Suddenly, she stares at me. Not understanding the reason, I tilted my head.

「It was right around the time he started running errands for Prince Roy.」

「Come to think of it, at first he was breaking flowers with all his might.」

「So you were involved, too.」

Even though the other party was a high-ranking duke, Remias was too opinionated to be corrected just by being scolded by a woman, she asserted, even as a childhood friend. But she didn’t know that when Ojou got really angry, she could be quite frightening. The Remias who made Ojou get seriously angry was still the same Remias. [T/N: This one is a little tricky to maintain the original grammar as much as possible, but the next sentence clears it up.]
She seems to think that I did something to Remias, but when I think back, I don’t remember doing anything. Remias was always the same as he always was.

「I was just checking to see if the flowers were okay, you know?」

「Baumgartner-san seems to be unaware of this.」

「What’s that about?」

「I guess that’s what good people are like.」

I tilted my head and asked, and instead of answering, she expressed her opinion.

「Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve spoken to a former Japanese person other than Elena. You’re easy to talk to.」

「I think that’s because you’re not treating me like a lady compared to the people before.」

「Oh, sorry.」

「No, that would help me too.」

I ended up talking to her as if she were a classmate from my past life. When I apologized for that, she said it was easier and forgave me.

「My name was Tanaka Taichi in my past life.」

「I’m…」

When I told her my name in my past life, she hesitated as she tried to reply in the same way, so I tilted my head.

「What’s wrong?」

「…I’m still plain, but in my previous life I was even plainer.」

「Huh?」

For some reason, she reported her appearance to me. Her dark brown hair, which she curls because of her strong personality, doesn’t reach her shoulders, and her single-edged eyelids aren’t big, so you could say she isn’t particularly pretty nor particularly cute. But she’s normal. What’s wrong with a plain face?

「I guess you could say I don’t deserve my name…」

「My appearance and name have always been average.」

Since my previous life, I’ve had a common name and no outstanding appearance, so I don’t care if people say I don’t deserve my name. If it’s a name that’s unlikely to be shared with others, then I’m jealous.
She widens her eyes in surprise at what I say. Then her flat expression suddenly relaxes.

「Now that I think about it, you weren’t my target.」

I realize that she can laugh when she laughs in a relaxed manner. Apparently she’s just the type who doesn’t show her emotions on her face.

「My name was Tsukioka Anju.」

「It’s better to have a name that was carefully chosen than mine, which was just given to me because I was the eldest son.」

「Maybe.」

She softened her eyes as she reminisced, wondering if her parents had told her the origin of her name, or if she just didn’t remember it.
When I was in the lower grades of elementary school in my previous life, we were given homework to ask about the origin of our names, but I wonder if Tsukioka was different. Since there was no obvious origin, I fought with my dad, telling him to think more about the name. It was a good opportunity to talk with my parents, but it could also lead to arguments like mine, so it might not have become a standard.

「It’s easier to call you Tanaka than your current surname, but other people won’t understand it.」

「Then you can use the nickname Zack. I also find it easier to call you Tsukioka.」

Perhaps because she has Japanese memories, she also feels that her previous life’s name is more familiar to her. I gave her an alternative because she had no choice but to agree with my long last name.

「Then I…」

「Connie, were you here?」

「Bell-kun.」

A shadow was coming from the forest road, at the end of the road. Bell, with his red hair, called out to us, and she turned around.

「The book Connie was interested in was available at the library, so I borrowed it.」

「Thank you, Bell-kun. Anyways, obviously I’m Connie.」

「Understood.」

She quickly took the book Bell handed her, but the latter half of the sentence was for me. Bell’s gaze turned from Connie to me because of the words spoken to someone other than herself. It seemed that he couldn’t see me because of the trees, and he looked surprised.

「Isaac? Why are you two together…?」

「We’re in the same class, so we can at least talk, can’t we?」

Since she asked for my agreement, I nodded.

「I have to go back to the classroom for my next practical class.」

Carrying the two books with care, Connie announced that she was heading to the classroom to put them down. My next class is a lecture, so I don’t have to hurry as much as Connie.

「See you later, Zack.」

「Yep.」

After thanking Bell for the book again, Connie quickly left.
I was also heading to the school building, so I walked with Bell, following the path Connie had left. After walking for a while, Bell muttered.

「This is the first time I’ve seen Connie talking to anyone other than us.」

Bell’s surprised muttering made sense to me, as I remembered the time we met. Reading in the sun on the edge of a deserted forest road is something someone who enjoys spending time alone would do.
I feel like she often reads in her seat in the classroom. I’ve never seen her talking to anyone. This was the first time I had a proper conversation with Connie since I enrolled.

「What were you talking about?」

「Hmm, we just happened to have something in common, so we were just talking.」

It would be a pain to explain that we were from the same place in our previous lives, so I kept it vague. Even if I told her, he probably wouldn’t believe me, and even if he did, he would be interested and ask me detailed questions, which might lead to me skipping the next class.

「And so, Connie started calling you by your nickname…」

「She was surprisingly easy to talk to.」

I hadn’t spoken to her before, so I thought she was a quiet type like my dad, but she was someone who could have a proper conversation if given the opportunity.
She rephrased things so that I could understand, and she searched for words to be able to talk to me, and she never forced his opinion on me. Rather, it felt like she was drawing clear boundaries when speaking with me.

「I… I see.」

Bell nodded in confusion, then muttered “I see” again, dejectedly.
I told him what I thought based on what I saw.

「Do you like Connie, Bell?」

「Wh-w-w-what…!?」

Bell was shocked, wondering how I knew, but his face was as red as his hair and he only responded affirmatively.
It was pretty obvious. He was probably slow to notice me because Connie was the only one in his field of vision, and he didn’t welcome Connie having a male friend, and was actually depressed. The reason he borrowed the book in the first place was because Connie was his priority.

「It’s because you weren’t happy.」

When I told him the reason why I was so sure, Bell groaned but somehow accepted the fact that he’d been found out. Is it really that embarrassing?

「But Remias doesn’t notice…」

「That’s because he’s Remias.」

He’s the kind of guy who gets excited when he can produce blue flames and works hard at muscle training every day. He’s an extreme guy, so he doesn’t understand things he’s not interested in. He’s probably the epitome of not being interested in love.

「…it’s pointless.」

Bell laughed softly, as if mocking himself.
Falling in love with someone who has a fiancé means that a future marriage with someone other than you awaits. To some people, knowing that and still not giving up might seem ridiculous.

「So? I also understand it.」

I don’t have the guts to forcefully take away the person I’ve fallen in love with, using the excuse that it can’t be helped, but on the other hand, if I could just throw it away so easily, I wouldn’t have fallen in love in the first place.
I might feel better if I confessed, but that would just put the burden on the other person instead of me, and it would feel like an escape.
I’m scared of being rejected. I’m scared of our current relationship falling apart. I wish it was just that simple fear, but when I think about the other person, I think about a lot of things.
If I were a commoner, my love and affection would be just a matter between the two of us, but that’s not the case with a noble. If the other person is a noble, I can’t act just because I like them. There are so many things I can’t ignore. Bell, a nobleman by trade, would understand that all too well. That’s why I don’t think of him as a coward.
Bell’s eyes widen, as if he hadn’t thought of me being in a similar position.
After lowering his eyelids in thought for a moment, a flash of understanding dawns upon him. He seems to have remembered the person I love.

「Is that so?」

「Are you going to do something about Bell?」

「…I don’t know what to do.」

「Yeah, that’s fair.」

「It would be better if there was a problem with his fiancé.」

「He’s not a bad guy, huh?」

When I smiled, Bell also smiled as if it couldn’t be helped.
In reality, it’s rare for the boyfriend or fiancé of the person you fall in love with to have a personality problem. It’s not like it’s convenient like in manga.
The person you fall in love with is attractive enough that you can’t leave them alone, and the person they fall in love with is usually attractive enough as well. The same goes for aristocratic engagements, where the mutual interests of the family are the standard. If there are problems with the other person’s personality, there’s no way the engagement will go ahead.
I wasn’t sure if I should support him, so I’ll just tell him what I heard.

「She said it was just a formality.」

「That’s typical of Connie.」

She doesn’t care about herself, Bell said, softening his expression. Looking into his eyes, I knew how deep his feelings were.
I’m sure I can’t say anything about other people either. His feelings for her are like a dandelion that takes deep roots anywhere, even in the asphalt, and blooms robustly. It’s much tougher than it looks, so it won’t disappear easily. So I decided to go along with it.

「…Isaac, can I talk to you again?」

Aside from magic, Bell asked hesitantly as we were leaving. But we didn’t really talk that much. We only spoke a few words. He had been hiding it from everyone around him, so he must not be used to asking for love advice.

「Yeah. I might complain about my side too.」

Seeing Bell’s lack of confidence, I laughed and agreed.
Bell then smiled with relief. He seemed a little amused, saying that it was not something to declare so openly.
That night, as if I had remembered, I let wind magic flow into the white bear’s eyes.
For the purpose of communication, those below the rank of baron are randomly assigned double rooms in the dormitory. Those above the rank of earl are likely to be accompanied by servants, so they are assigned single rooms with space for them. It is only roughly based on the rank, and the assignment is more based on whether or not they have servants and how many of them they have. But I was left out and I’m alone. Maybe it was because I’m too big and it would be too cramped, or because I’m older and my classmates might feel intimidated, but I don’t know why.
Thanks to that, even if I leave the bear phone in my room, no one teases me.
In response to the magic I sent, a soundproof barrier is created. Of course, the magic used for the barrier is not mine, but the person on the other end of the bear phone.

『You finally contacted me! You’re late!』

「You may have free time because you don’t have to study for the exams, but I’m going to have a hard time getting used to everything after I enroll.」

『I’m enrolling next year too! I don’t have free time!』

When I argued against Elena’s protest, she got even more angry. I don’t really think Elena has free time either. After all, she is a princess. As royalty, there must be some studies and duties to be done.
I just wanted to let her know that I didn’t have that much free time either, so I ignored her complaints over the bear phone.

「I met someone who knows Kimiboshi just like you.」

『What? Are you kidding me? They have memories from their past life?』

「Yeah.」

『Who, who?』

「Connie, she’s a mob character.」

『Connie? Is there such a character?』

「Remias’ fiance.」

『The daughter of the Marquis Kuhn!』

Elena didn’t even know Connie’s nickname. Connie said that her name was just mentioned, so it seems that she was really a fiance in Kimiboshi.

「I told her about Elena, so tell her about it when you meet next year.」

『…Isaac, you’re trying to avoid talking about Kimiboshi.』

Elena, who seemed to have noticed right away, pointed it out. The voice on the other end of the bear phone sounded like she had her eyes half-closed.

「You’d be better off talking to someone who understands better than me, right?」

『Yeah, but…』

I only helped out a little, so no matter what, I can’t become a comrade who likes otome games. Just like when I read pirate stories with Nico and the others and talk about which battle was the hottest, it would be more fun for Elena to talk to someone who likes the same things.

『What kind of girl is she?』

「Um, she said she was a fujoshi.」

『Huh?! We might not get along…』

The word fujoshi is so useful. It seems that just with that, Elena understood Connie’s tastes. After learning that Kimiboshi has a different way of enjoying things, Elena seemed worried about whether she could talk to her.

「It’s probably okay. It’s not like manga where everything is BL to her.」

『Well, if she talks to me normally, I guess it’ll be okay…』

After groaning a little as if conflicted, Elena muttered something like that. Why are you preparing yourself as if you’re facing an enemy with such high attack power? Is Connie so strong that you can’t talk to her unless she goes easy on you?

『I mean, didn’t Isaac back off?』

「Why would I? She’s just a normal girl.」

She asked me in surprise, but what was so surprising about it? For some reason, Elena seemed to think that it was natural for me to back off.

『I guess you’re less outgoing than when you were Taichi…?』

I thought outgoing was the opposite of introverted. Introverts are people who don’t like to go out, so if it was the opposite, it would be someone who basically goes out. I’m definitely outside more than anything. After all, my workplace is outside.

「There are no game consoles in this world.」

『No, that’s not the issue… Ah, you’re already wanting to play games.』

Elena complained that I wanted to play games because I talked about game consoles. I’d like to play games if there were any. In my previous life, I would buy new titles of my favorite series whenever they came out.

「Now that I think of it, we never had the same games.」

『We were lucky because we had such different tastes. It was easy to trade.』

Both of us siblings played a certain game that was popular all over the world. Two titles were always released at the same time, and while the plot was basically the same, there were slight differences in content. Some of the monsters that appeared were different, so I guess the purpose was to let them interact by trading them.
The conversation about that game led to a lively discussion about fighting games we played against each other and console games we watched each other play. Even though it was a memory from our previous life, the fun things were engraved in our hearts, so it was fun to talk about our memories of only having silly exchanges.

『Um, you know. What kind of girl is Stephanie?』

Elena suddenly asked in a mutter. It was the kind of question that could be ignored if you missed it.

『Are you listening?』

「Yes.」

More than a month has passed since the entrance ceremony. Leo’s confession to Ojou’s friend must have reached Elena’s ears. I know that the circumstances are what they are, but looking at the situation alone, it’s really puzzling that he confessed to his friend in front of his fiance. It wasn’t a hellish scene at all.
It’s more honest to confess openly than to confess in secret, but in Leo’s case, I think he wanted to get it over with in one go because it was too much trouble to explain the situation to everyone there. Leo can be a bit of a hassle sometimes.
In Kimiboshi, she was probably prepared for her brother to fall in love with someone, but even if she’s not as bad as Wolf, Elena might feel complicated about her brother.

『I… I only know her appearance, but I don’t know anything about the heroine. So I wonder what kind of girl Roy-nii-sama fell in love with…’』

I played the game using my own name, so I don’t even know her name. She must be a completely unknown person.
If I know what she looks like, I wonder what I can explain to her.

「She’s not a bad girl. She’s just a friend of Ojou.」

『Yeah.』

Elena seems to agree that being a friend of Ojou means you’re highly esteemed.

『Do you think she’ll like Roy-nii-sama? He’s the coolest guy in the world, so it’s fine, right!?』

「How could I know? Well, she thought Leo was an angel, so she probably doesn’t think badly of him.」

『Angel…?』

Elena seemed shocked and frozen when she found out about the misunderstanding that Leo had. There was a pause for a few beats.

『Roy-nii-sama’s transcendent beauty is in the realm of the gods, so it’s understandable that people would misunderstand him like that, but to really think he’s an angel of God… that’s a bit strange.』

「Well, your brother’s foolish behavior is pretty strange, too.」

Why does the words “can’t be helped” come to mind here? From my perspective, both Elena and Ojou’s friends are strange in some way.

『Hey, why are you not put off by fujoshi but put off by me!?』

Elena, who seemed to have sensed that I was a little put off by the tone of her voice over the bear phone, complained.

「You’re praising Leo too much.」

『I’m not praising him. It’s a fact!』

I won’t deny that Leo is good-looking, but I think it’s an exaggeration to say that he’s in the realm of a god. If she insists that it’s just a fact, I can’t help but be frightened by the limitlessness of Elena’s brother-complex.

『That’s right! If Stephanie can appreciate Roy-nii-sama’s charm that much, then she can definitely get him!!』

She insisted so forcefully that it seemed like she was clenching her fists, and I got tired of it so I just nodded along. You’re too unwavering, Elena. Is she growing up?
As Elena was burning with conviction, I thought to myself that I wanted to go to bed soon, and the night went on.

---

On my first day of work, I remembered to bring the bag containing my overalls.
After the day’s lessons were over, I was a little worried about leaving everything else in the classroom except for the bag. The school bag provided by the school was made of leather. It might be better to leave it there in case it rains while I’m working. I do my assignments and review in the library during my free time, so I don’t need to take it home. I try to finish my studies during the day as much as possible because it’s a commoner’s nature to not waste lamp oil.

「Zack, aren’t you going home?」

「Oh. I’m working part-time.」

After getting ready to go home, Ojou was surprised that I wasn’t about to go home, so I told her that I had a part-time job. Come to think of it, I was so excited about getting the part-time job that I didn’t tell her.

「A part time job?」

「I’ve been allowed to help with the school’s garden.」

When I told her that I would be working part-time three times a week from now on, Ojou’s expression turned dumbfounded.

「You’re too crazy about gardening…」

I must have looked really happy because Ojou’s reaction was mixed with a sigh.

「What about your bag?」

「I was thinking of leaving it on my seat…」

「I’ll keep an eye on it then.」

「Huh?」

I answered her question about what to do with my school bag, and she made an unexpected suggestion.

「Well, I thought it would be okay to just leave it there.」

「You have to take it home. You have to take care of your own things.」

「But…」

Even though everyone is a student at the school, regardless of rank, it would be a shame to make the daughter of a duke watch over my luggage. I never expected that she would even suggest something like that.

「Because of me, you’re putting up with the stigma of being a mad dog. I can’t let anything happen.」

It seems Ojou is worried about the bad reputation I’ve been getting. She only got involved at the beginning, and now she’s just keeping her distance. Considering how Pome had been laying the groundwork for the rumors, I don’t think there’s anyone else who’s willing to go to the trouble of picking a fight with the Ernst family just to harass me.
Still, Ojou seemed worried, and when she glared up at me, I finally gave in.

「Well… then, please do so.」

「There’s a book I’d like to read.」

A quieter classroom is better for reading, Ojou said, taking out a book from her bag.
Unlike in Japan, there are no cleaning duties or club activities, and perhaps because classes are already electives, students rarely hang out in the classroom. If nobles want to hang out, they do so in the salon or in the gazebos scattered around the schoolyard, while commoners stop by the cafeteria for a snack or study in the library or reading room.
It doesn’t really matter, but the school is so big that I often wonder if it’s okay to call it a schoolyard. There are dormitories for teachers, cleaners, and other types of employees, and there are also areas lined with shops that provide food, clothing, and shelter, so the standard of living is at a village level. Except for the off-season in summer and the winter when students go home for the New Year holidays, they live on the school grounds, so maybe this is the only time they need it.
Anyway, when it comes to a quiet place to spend time in the school building, my classroom is a hidden gem in this school. While we were talking, the other classmates left the classroom. Ojou’s opinion was very apt.
Ojou smiled and said that she would be watching over the bags while she was reading so that I wouldn’t feel too nervous, so I laughed and headed off to work with just my bag in hand.
When I arrived at the designated work site, I greeted the gardeners other than Old Jacob and was told what I would be doing today.
The topsoil for the grass and the planting of the spring flower beds had been finished before us first-years started school, and today we were working on preventing pests and diseases in the wooded areas. We had to carefully observe the ground for insect droppings, which was a lot of strain on the eyes. It was tiring for the older people, so I was asked to check.
Pests are the name given to insects when there are too many of them, and as long as the ecosystem is stable, they’re just insects. As the weather gets warmer from spring to summer, insects inevitably multiply, so measures against pests and diseases are necessary.
Old Jacob and the others did the actual work, so I was just checking and carrying the medicine bags. It wasn’t too taxing physically, but my eyes were tired by the time the sunset turned a deep orange. I was worried if I was helping properly, but they said it was a relief that I was quick to find them.
After the work was finished, they told me about their future plans. Old Jacob laughed and said that once the pest control period was over, I’d like them to help prune the overgrown plants. Many of the trees in the school garden are very tall, so there are apparently several areas where they need to work at high altitudes. I’d be more than happy to be of help, I replied with a smile.
I took off my overalls, put them back in my bag, and returned to the school building. As I approached the corridor where the first-year classrooms were located, I saw a girl dressed as a maid standing in front of my class. She was wearing something a size larger than her own size, so the sleeves were hanging loose and I couldn’t see her hands. It was Pome, one of Ojou’s guards.

「Pome?」

When I tried to ask her why she was waiting outside the classroom, she turned towards me and quietly brought her hand, which was hidden by her long sleeves, to her mouth, holding up an index finger.
She wanted me to be quiet.
Following Pome’s instructions, I kept my mouth shut and went to the entrance of the classroom, where I tilted my head and asked Pome, who was standing there, what was going on.
Then Pome quietly opened the classroom door, and after making sure there was a gap large enough to peek in, she urged me to look inside.
I looked inside as instructed, and in the orange-tinted classroom, there was a soft, pale gold glow. It was on a desk at the very back, by the window. A little surprised by the unusual sight, I made a hand gesture to ask if I could go inside, and Pome nodded and gave me permission.
I approached my seat, careful not to make too much noise with my footsteps. Then, I turned around and sat in the chair in front of my seat.
In my seat, Ojou was asleep.
She was dozing on top of an open book, her arms as a pillow. It was a rare sight. But in a deserted classroom bathed in warm sunlight, even Ojou might get sleepy just from reading the words.
I know that if I don’t wake her up before the sun goes down, she’ll get cold, but she’s sleeping with such a listless expression on her face, I can’t bear to wake her up.
I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve seen Ojou’s sleeping face…
It’s been since that rainy day, when Ojou first taught me how to read. She was sleeping so soundly then, I couldn’t wake her right away.
She’s a really beautiful girl. Looking at her, I realized it once again.
Her pale gold hair was thin and soft, and it shone with a warm color in the setting sun. I was curious to see if it was actually warm, so I reached out my hand. The hair I touched wasn’t as hot as I’d expected, but it was still faintly warm.
The feel of her hair was pleasant, so I stroked it carefully so as not to mess up her hairstyle. Perhaps it was ticklish or perhaps it felt good, but the Ojou shifted slightly and gave a small smile.
Her sighing smile made me feel like I shouldn’t touch her carelessly, so I let go of my hand.
I folded my arms over the back of the chair and looked at the sleeping Ojou once again. It was so strange that I could spend my school life in the same classroom as Ojou. The current situation seemed like the culmination of many miracles.
If things continued like this, Ojou would break off her engagement with Leo. It seemed like they had decided that together, regardless of whether Leo’s love would bear fruit.
But even if that time came, I wouldn’t be in a position to confess my feelings to Ojou.
Even though we were so close, close enough to touch, the distance between us was still far. Now, I’m happy just to have her by my side, but I don’t know what I should do when that future comes. Or rather, I can’t decide what I want to do.
I wonder if it’s okay for me to want Ojou.
Looking at the sleeping Ojou, a feeling of love wells up inside me. I know that this is the most beautiful thing in my world.
I know the words to refer to the one I love from my past life.

「…Dia.」

The nickname I was told not to use at first.
I can’t call her that when she’s awake, so I say it now. Even though it’s forbidden, I’m surprised at myself for having such a desire, because I really like her.
I wonder if the day will come when I can call her by that name that overflows with love.
I sighed at the unrealistic outlook and wondered if it was because it was twilight, and at my own excited thoughts. And so, I made up my mind to wake Ojou before the heat of the setting sun cooled down.

---

Very cute at the end. Honestly when I (finally) got around to translating this chapter, I thought a lot of it was filler. I guess it ended up building towards the final few paragraphs but it wasn’t as put together as some of the earlier chapters.

Again, sorry for the delay in getting this to you guys. But, work comes first, and this was always a hobby/practice so you’ll unfortunately have to put up with it. We have 5 chapters including the epilogue, so hopefully I can square this away by the end of the year. They are all roughly the same length (pagewise, at least according to the scroll bar when I go to the raws), so we got quite a lot to go.

Seeya next time!

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