The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 25
EP.25 Interlude
“Whoo…”
Claire let out a deep breath, feeling relieved only after parting ways with the two princesses.
The students who had been surrounding them earlier briefly glanced at Claire and Leo once the princesses left, but they soon went on their way. Most had the look of someone who had just witnessed something entertaining, but Claire didn’t pay them any mind.
“Thank goodness…”
“What’s there to be thankful for!?”
As Claire put her hand on her chest and muttered, Leo screamed after hearing her muttering. Some passing students glanced at the two, but Leo was too preoccupied to care about their stares.
“They were princesses! One of them is the real princess! How could you just walk up to them and start talking like that? What if you made a bad impression!?”
Claire’s expression didn’t change at all despite Leo’s continuous screams.
“It’s fine. The princess… no, Alice said it herself. Here, we’re all just students. We just need to treat them the same.”
Claire began walking toward their classroom, and Leo followed behind her, tugging at his hair in frustration.
“That’s obviously just a formality! Think about the times we’ve been to banquets. When a duke or count told us to speak casually, did you really do it? What would’ve happened if you did?”
“School and banquets are different. Banquets are over in a day.”
“That’s exactly why you should be more cautious! The academy lasts four years!”
Even with Leo’s frantic words, Claire remained unfazed, muttering to herself instead.
“Did she cut her hair? Or is that length more comfortable for her? Maybe back then, she didn’t have a choice and couldn’t cut it…”
“Are you even listening?”
Leo waved his hand in front of Claire’s face, trying to get her attention.
“Hello? Little sister?”
That remark instantly made Claire frown, her previously smooth forehead wrinkling. Although it wasn’t a deep wrinkle like an adult’s, it was clear that Claire was quite annoyed.
“You’re calling me little sister when your birthday hasn’t even passed yet? I was born first, so I’m the older one.”
The two had been arguing about this for as long as they could remember.
Technically, Leo was born a few months later than Claire. However, from Leo’s perspective, Claire was the one who had “joined the family” later. When they were younger, Leo often took care of Claire, who knew nothing about noble life, since she had been adopted into the Grace household from an orphanage.
Because of that, Leo saw himself as Claire’s older brother, while Claire insisted she was the older one based on the birthday she remembered.
Their ongoing argument had led to several “duels,” which had resulted in three wins, three losses, and two ties each. Neither could claim a definitive victory, so there was no need to argue further about it.
The truth was, Claire’s birthday wasn’t even certain. The date she remembered was just one she’d held onto for as long as she could remember, even before she was taken into the orphanage in the Grace estate. Claire herself wasn’t sure why or how she started thinking of that day as her birthday.
“So, you’re finally coming back to your senses now?”
Leo said, breaking the silence.
“My mind is always clear and transparent.”
Claire replied confidently.
“A clear and transparent mind, huh? Then why did you suddenly rush up to two princesses?”
“Who rushed at them?”
“Of course, you, Claire Grace! The daughter of a baron!”
Leo shot back, pressing his fingers firmly against the bridge of his nose.
“…Fine, even though Her Highness—”
“Alice.”
“What?”
“She told us to call her Alice. You know, that ‘Her Highness’ you were talking about.”
“…”
Leo closed his eyes tightly, as if battling a headache, pressing harder against his nose. Claire couldn’t help but think that there would definitely be a mark left.
“Fine, even if Princess Alice said ‘everyone in this school is equal.’ You saw it too. No, you probably saw it better than anyone. The princess didn’t bow to the headmaster.”
“…”
Claire couldn’t argue with that. The saying “Once a soldier, always a soldier” was well-known in the empire. It wasn’t a famous quote exactly, and no one knew who first said it or when, but it was ingrained in the culture.
The saying meant that once someone pledged their loyalty as a soldier, they should uphold the dignity of that commitment even after they retired, ensuring they didn’t tarnish the honor of the one they had served. And when encountering someone they had once sworn loyalty to, they should always conduct themselves with the utmost respect.
The headmaster of the academy, Abraham Fitzgerald Winterfield, was a soldier. Anyone who had studied even a little bit about the Empire’s military history—essentially, anyone who attended this academy—would have certainly heard his name. He was a living legend. A pioneer in modern military tactics, trench warfare, the development of machine gun belts from older ammunition belts, and the design of turret tanks. He was a hero of the Empire, so much so that the Empire’s current main battle tank was named “Abraham” after him.
His legacy and reputation went far beyond being just the headmaster of the academy; he was quite literally “a walking modern history of war.” Yet Alice Fangriffon hadn’t bowed to him. Why? Because, retired or not, he was still loyal to the Empire, and if ever the need arose, he would surely be back on the front lines. He was, in essence, still a soldier loyal to the Imperial family.
“See? You have nothing to say, right?”
Leo sighed deeply, watching Claire’s silent reaction.
“Think about it. You’re speaking casually to her, but if the other noble kids start using honorifics… even if it’s something the princess said herself, wouldn’t the contrast look strange?”
“…Hmm.”
Claire seemed to briefly consider it, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.
“But Alice didn’t seem like that type of person to me. This is just my guess, but I think she’d actually be colder to the kids who use honorifics with her.”
“…”
Leo dragged his hand down his face, looking utterly defeated.
“…By the way.”
Leo spoke up after walking silently alongside Claire through the corridor for a while.
“What did you mean by ‘thank goodness’ earlier? Don’t tell me…”
“That’s right.”
Claire smiled brightly at Leo.
“Yeah, you guessed it, she said her name was Sylvia. My sister’s name.”
“…She said her name was Sylvia ‘Black,’ didn’t she?”
Leo corrected her, his eyes darting nervously around the hallway. Although some students glanced their way, it didn’t seem like anyone was eavesdropping. More likely, people were just noticing a boy and a girl walking together.
“But I’m Claire Grace too, right? And nobody has a problem with me introducing myself that way.”
Of course, the Grace family name would eventually be passed down to Leo. Claire wasn’t too concerned about that.
“That’s the problem.”
Leo scratched the back of his head.
“Even if that person is the ‘Sylvia’ you’re talking about.”
“No, she is.”
“…”
Leo pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. He had always thought the similarity in names was purely coincidental.
Living in the Grace family, he had heard plenty of rumors about the Imperial family. After all, the title of baron had been bestowed upon their family directly by the Emperor himself.
Rumors about the Emperor’s children were widespread, and Leo’s parents had shared some of these stories with him, knowing he would eventually inherit the family’s title. One of the most famous rumors was that the so-called ‘children of the Emperor’ didn’t actually share his blood. It was common knowledge, and while no one dared to investigate further, there was a general unease about their unclear origins.
The official stance of the Imperial family was that these children were the “descendants of a deceased lower noble family” or “children of a couple who died honorably in battle”. But few believed that explanation, except perhaps for some remote baron family in the countryside or poorly educated commoners.
Among the nobility, there were far more sinister whispers. Some claimed the Emperor was secretly training an assassination squad, and that these children were the survivors of brutal training regimens designed to create superhuman warriors.
Whether these rumors were true or not, one thing was certain: such extraordinary individuals couldn’t have been simple children who just happened to be lost in some alleyway.
The Sylvia that Claire remembered seemed almost superhuman in her memories, but how reliable could the memories of a child be? The most likely scenario was that Sylvia had simply gotten lost or separated on the way to the Grace household and was never seen again. That was the most realistic possibility.
Moreover, Claire had met several people who shared the name Sylvia. Some even had black hair and eyes. There was even someone who had introduced themselves as Sylvia Black. Initially, Claire had gotten her hopes up, trying to talk to these people, retrace her memories, but she had always ended up disappointed.
As this happened repeatedly, Claire’s anticipation and joy when meeting a new “Sylvia” gradually faded. For the past two years, she hadn’t even mentioned it.
Leo, who had witnessed this from close by, found Claire’s current certainty strange. What was the reason behind it?
…He decided to figure that out later. For now, Leo chose to say what needed to be said to Claire.
“Alright, let’s assume you’re right.”
Claire’s cheeks puffed up slightly at the words “let’s assume,” but Leo ignored it and continued.
“Do you really think it’s appropriate to dig up the past of someone in such a high position? Would they appreciate it? You should think about that first.”
“Oh…”
It seemed Claire hadn’t thought that far, caught up in the excitement of finally finding her lost sister.
Leo sighed dramatically and continued.
“And even if you remember her, she might not remember you. If you approach her without warning, you could end up giving off a strange impression.”
“…That’s true.”
Claire’s expression turned serious as she nodded.
Then, a bitter look crossed her face.
“…Don’t worry too much.”
Leo said, attempting to comfort her.
“If she really is the person you’re thinking of, she’ll remember you eventually. Even if she doesn’t recall immediately, she’ll surely remember soon enough. Someone with her kind of ability wouldn’t forget memories from childhood.”
“Got it.”
Claire clenched her fist as if to show her determination, and Leo shrugged.
Still, the idea that this Sylvia might have reappeared as a princess never crossed Leo’s mind. Even when they took the entrance exam, Claire had already seen her once but hadn’t reacted strongly. Maybe it was just because she had only seen her from a distance.
Moreover, the Sylvia Claire had spoken about in her childhood seemed much kinder and warmer than the princess they had encountered. Though they had only met her briefly, Leo couldn’t imagine Sylvia Fangriffon sitting down with a child and telling them old stories.
“By the way, we won’t be in the same class as those two, will we—”
“What, you didn’t know?”
Claire blinked at him, wide-eyed.
“The class assignments and seating arrangements are already done. Both of us are in the same class as Alice and Sylvia.”
“Ugh.”
Leo’s face, which had just returned to normal, turned pale again.
Author’s Note:
In the original story, Claire’s personality was best described as ‘endlessly pessimistic.’ She had a habit of viewing the world cynically and speaking in a sarcastic, mocking tone no matter the situation.
But in this novel, Claire grew up more positively. So now, she’s become the opposite, with an ‘endlessly optimistic’ outlook.