The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 78
EP.78 Mirror Therapy (1)
If someone were watching or controlling this world, I wished they would stop playing such pranks.
I mean, I didn’t really care if the girl in front of me was from outside the original story. When you enter a world from a game or a novel, it’s almost a cliché to become friends with characters who have amazing abilities or skills but never appeared before.
I didn’t know what abilities this Lena Meyer possessed. She had just mentioned that she was the daughter of the commander of the Autonomous State of Rickland.
Autonomous State of Rickland was one of the places that was likely to be visited in the sequel, so it wasn’t strange to meet someone like her. Perhaps she wasn’t merely an external character but one who would be added in the upcoming installment.
Even though the story featured battles against the Emperor to thwart conspiracies, some heroines and major characters had died in the process. Despite that, the world had not reached a conclusion, suggesting that there would be other issues to deal with in the sequel besides the Emperor.
I still didn’t know what those issues were, though.
Anyway, the fact that the commander of the Autonomous State of Rickland had sent his daughter all the way here implied that I had been deemed a person of interest in Rickland as well. Considering the chaos I had caused, it made sense for them to view me that way.
…It made sense, but…
“The noble Class A is already full.”
In the sequel, some heroines had died, leading to vacancies in the class, making it understandable for transfer students to join. In the original story, it was mentioned that one of the nobles had to leave the academy due to family matters during Claire’s transfer process.
However, as of now, no one had left the academy yet. So, if Lena Meyer joined, it would exceed the class capacity.
“Thanks to the grace of the Governor and the Emperor’s generosity, I was able to transfer to the Imperial Runedarium Academy.”
“…I see.”
Her precise answers suggested she didn’t harbor any ill feelings towards me. I didn’t know what her father or the Governor was thinking, but at least she didn’t seem to have any negative sentiments towards me.
What was served for our meal was a beef steak. Lena Meyer ate it with remarkable poise. The sound of her knife cutting through the meat hardly made a noise as it met the plate. Judging by her table manners, it wouldn’t be surprising if she were truly a noble, showcasing how strictly she had been raised.
“Do you have any particular complaints about attending the academy?”
“No, I don’t.”
Her hand stopped abruptly at my question.
When she looked up at me, her face didn’t show much emotion, but—
“The Imperial Runedarium Academy is not only the best in the Empire but also the best in the world. No one would dislike the fact that they could attend such a place.”
If it weren’t for the subtle pressure in her tone, I would have thought she was reciting a memorized line. Even if her expression didn’t show emotion, her attitude spoke volumes.
I could sense that the kid’s attitude was full of anticipation.
“……”
Could it be that Alice was able to discern my attitude like this?
…If the pressure Alice felt whenever I told her she could become the next emperor was of this kind, then it wouldn’t be strange if Alice alone could read my expressions. And with time, the others might learn to read them too.
“And…”
And?
Seeing this expressionless girl hesitate slightly, I waited quietly.
“And, I also consider it an honor to meet you, Your Highness. Your heroic deeds in battlefield are legendary. There are very few like you in this world. Especially in our autonomous region, you’re considered a savior to our people.”
“……”
For a moment, my hand almost slipped, and I nearly dropped my utensils.
What was this?
Why did I keep getting a sense of déjà vu while talking to her?
It felt as though I’d spoken in that same manner quite a few times before.
……
That’s right. Alice’s face kept popping into my mind.
“Surely, it’s because the blood of the Fangriffon flows within you that you were able to accomplish such great feats. To study alongside someone like you is the greatest of honors.”
Not even a drop of that blood flows in me. In fact, if it weren’t for Lucas, we’d be complete strangers.
But of course, I couldn’t just come out and say that.
The two noble students who had been sitting with slightly bored expressions were now glancing in our direction.
“I’ll go have a word with them.”
Noticing my gaze, Lena started to rise.
“It’s fine.”
I quickly intervened. Thankfully, it didn’t come off as too abrupt.
Lena, who had been tensing her legs to rise from her seat, paused and stared at me.
Her tone and demeanor clearly conveyed emotion, but her face remained expressionless, making the whole situation feel incredibly awkward. Her youthful expression, mature tone, and ingrained manners made her seem grown-up, but her actual speech was still immature, which was kind of cute.
It was cute, but the problem was that if I got caught up in such cute behavior, it would be incredibly embarrassing for me.
Feeling cold sweat forming on my back, I tried my best to calm Lena Meyer.
“There’s no need to react to every single word or action. The school you’ll be attending is the Imperial Runedarium Academy. It’s a place where many noble students attend, and there are many who pay attention to others’ actions and words. If you react to every situation, your school life will become very exhausting.”
Lena Meyer nodded at my advice.
“Thank you for your advice.”
“……”
Is this some kind of act?
I seriously began to wonder.
No matter how much I thought about it, her expression and demeanor felt completely out of sync.
……
Wait a second, am I giving off the same vibes? Are the others aware of this and just pretending not to notice?
That thought sent a shiver down my spine.
“Then, will you be traveling with us today?”
“Yes.”
Lena Meyer replied with a firm voice.
“My luggage has already been packed and sent to the train station.”
“……”
Uh… okay.
“Just to confirm once more.”
Feeling a little tense, I asked Lena Meyer,
“Which class will you be studying in?”
“The Noble Class A.”
“……”
Ah…
I see.
Hmm.
Yeah.
…I don’t know what to say.
*
“Whoa!”
A young girl, entering the room, raised her arms and let out a cheer.
Then she quickly covered her mouth and looked around. Of course, the room she would be staying in for the next few hours was a private one, and there was no one else around. Given the thickness of the door, it was unlikely anyone outside would have heard her either.
Still, just to be safe, she slightly opened the door and peeked out.
No one was there.
Carefully closing the door again, the girl exclaimed,
“Awesome!”
Lena Meyer had spent her childhood near military bases, following her soldier father.
While there were kids her age nearby, she wasn’t able to play freely. Her father was one of the commanders of the military of the Autonomous State of Rickland and a close confidant of the governor. Because of this, people around her treated Lena with caution, and her father was strict. Lena’s daily routine was almost like a military schedule.
So, she usually wore a mask and pretended to be a rigid soldier. People praised her for it, saying she was a strong, capable heir to the commander’s family. And indeed, she had talent.
But that didn’t mean Lena was a soldier at heart.
Lena jumped onto the bed and flailed around.
Though her father was stern, her mother had always been there to indulge her whims. Up until her mother’s passing three years ago, Lena had been just like any carefree child in her mother’s presence. Since then, she had been letting loose only when she was alone.
That didn’t mean Lena had any resentment towards the military profession. On the contrary, she admired it. Having been influenced by it since her youth, she thought it was a noble profession.
And today, Lena Meyer met a hero.
Her father had told her about Princess Sylvia Fangriffon, a woman of extraordinary abilities.
The testimonies from the few autonomous soldiers who fought alongside the Imperial Army and surviving mercenaries also mentioned the princess numerous times.
Charging through trenches on her own and securing victory by collapsing enemy defenses from within—wasn’t this the epitome of what a soldier should be?
And after meeting her today, even after just a brief conversation, the princess possessed the grace of royalty and seemed like a perfect superhuman.
“……”
To think she would be attending classes with her.
“Kyaaa!”
Lena buried her face in her pillow, letting out muffled sounds as she kicked her legs wildly.
On her desk, a stuffed puppy silently watched her. It was a plushie of a dog from a quite famous comic known for its excellent digging skills.