After Ellie left, Skaha stood blankly for a moment, then suddenly formed a “V” with her fingers and held it up beside her face.
‘This… I think this is how you do it.’
But then she caught her own reflection in the mirror on the wall, and a wave of unbearable shame washed over her.
After seeing the Headmistress and Melrit and returning to the room, Stella, who was sitting at her desk studying, suddenly asked me,
“So, what are you planning to do?”
“About what?”
“Don’t play dumb. You’re thinking of getting rid of Professor Vermi, aren’t you?”
“Getting rid of her? If anyone hears that, they’ll think I’m planning to kill her.
“…Of course, you’d assume that.”
“What do you take me for?”
‘Maybe she acts this way because she’s never actually seen me do anything. Things you only hear about tend to get exaggerated in your mind.’
“I don’t kill people unless it’s necessary. If it’s necessary, I’ll kill them.”
“…Even that statement doesn’t sound particularly normal.”
“Doesn’t it? But it’s true, isn’t it?”
After being reborn into this world, I killed Doloria, and then I killed Marquis Ripete and his subordinates, who tried to kill me to cover up their black business.
I don’t feel any guilt, unease, or discomfort about it.
Of course, it’s not a pleasant memory, but it doesn’t haunt me in my dreams.
If it did, I’d just kill them again in my dreams.
“…You’re right. That’s how it should be.”
Though she said that, there was a slight shadow in Stella’s voice.
But it wasn’t directed at me—it was directed at herself.
‘She must have some family issues.’
I know that the Blaze royal family used to rule the world and that the current imperial family took their place.
But I don’t know anything about Stella’s situation.
What her parents are like, what her hometown is like, whether the people in the castle are warm or cold, whether she has siblings.
What she wants to do after graduating from the academy.
‘…That’s true.’
I’ve never asked that last question to any of my four friends, not just Stella.
Perhaps the most precious thing in understanding someone is hearing about their dreams.
But there’s no helping it.
‘If I asked, they’d ask me the same question, and I wouldn’t be able to answer honestly.’
‘I could lie if I wanted to. But I’d rather not lie to my friends if possible.’
“I won’t kill Rachel. I’ll just drive her away.”
“Then how do you plan to do that?”
“You’re not opposed to it?”
“I’ve seen how Vermi treats you, so I get it.”
“Well… as for the method.”
To get her dismissed, Rachel would have to commit a crime like murder or embezzlement, so waiting for her to self-destruct is the only option.
But that’s too passive, so I’ll rule it out for now.
‘The fastest way would be to just fight her directly.’
The next time Rachel tries to mess with me, I could challenge her to a duel and crush her.
She’d be so ashamed she’d run away.
That would be satisfying, but this time I wanted to try a different method.
It’s a chance to gain new experience.
“Stella.”
“…Seeing that smile of yours makes me uneasy for no reason. I’m prepared, so go ahead. What’s the plan?”
I laughed and said, “Have you heard of a student strike?”
“Ah… you?”
“Simply put, it’s when students refuse to attend classes because they’re dissatisfied with the teaching.”
“!!”
Stella’s mouth hung open for a moment, then she leaned toward me.
“But do the other students have a reason to go that far?”
I gestured for her to come closer and sit on the bed.
“Right now, they don’t. That’s why we need to persuade them.”
Our shared magic language class has 17 students besides me and Stella.
If I can’t even unite that small number, I don’t deserve to aim for the throne.
Besides, it’s not like I’m forcing them in a direction they don’t want to go.
Everyone already has grievances against Rachel, so I just need to persuade them to choose my method.
“Actually, we don’t need to persuade all 17.”
“What do you mean?”
Stella climbed onto my bed and asked.
“How many friend groups do you think are in that class? Besides us.”
“Fr-friend groups? Uh….”
Stella rolled her eyes upward, the way people do when they’re trying to remember something.
“…?”
“The answer is five. It’s a bit more complicated in reality, though.”
I lightly drew 19 circles with mana.
“After three classes—on the first Thursday, the following Monday, and the next Thursday—everyone naturally had their ‘own seats.'”
“The kids in the front row and this one. They’re one group.”
“Uh, uh-huh.”
“And these two girls and two boys. They were originally in different groups, but they’ve been getting closer lately. I think they’ll end up as two couples in the long run.”
Stella’s eyes widened.
I found her expression amusing and laughed.
“Then there are the four kids sitting in the middle, the three boys in the back, and the three girls in the back. That makes five groups in total.”
As I grouped the circles, Stella nodded, still wide-eyed.
“So, to persuade them, here’s what we do.”
I pointed to each group as I spoke.
“Do you remember who was sitting in the middle of this group?”
“…The one who was humiliated the most in today’s class.”
“Right.”
It was the boy with the lowest test scores.
“That’s why if I suggest it, he’ll join right away, and his friend will do the same. And for these groups, since their leaders are clear, I just need to persuade them. As for these guys—”
I pointed to the ones who would eventually become two couples.
“I just need to win their favor first, then ask for their help.”
“Uh, how exactly do you win their favor?”
Stella, too absorbed in my words, had reverted to her usual speech pattern.
I didn’t point it out.
“Ask the girls what flowers they like, then tell the boys. Along with a word of encouragement.” Simple, right.
“…Huh? Wh-what does that mean… Ah!?”
Stella’s face turned red as she understood.
“If I show them that kind of favor, they’ll feel obliged to help me. Now, there’s just this group left.”
I tapped the last circle in the corner.
“This one’s a bit complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
“Their leader will say no at first if I ask, then try to negotiate. They think that’s what being mature is.”
“H-how do you know that?”
“You can tell if you look.”
Stella blinked.
I didn’t have a better way to explain, so I moved on.
“Honestly, I could play along with their negotiation game, but that would take too long. So, I’ll use someone higher up to pressure them.”
“…Huh? But didn’t you say this kid is the leader?”
“Their friend group got split because of the class division. The top one is separate.”
And then.
“I have a connection with them, so getting them to do me a favor or two is nothing.”
“…Who is it?”
I smiled and answered.
“Dein Edwick.”
***
Two days later, Saturday.
Dein was sitting politely in front of Ellie, who had come to his dorm room without hesitation.
“Uh, sorry I don’t have any tea or anything. Ahem, sorry, okay?”
“It’s fine. I didn’t expect it anyway.”
The academy’s dorms were divided into male and female buildings, but during the day, students of the opposite gender weren’t barred from entering.
However, just because it wasn’t prohibited didn’t mean it was easy for teenage boys and girls.
‘What if someone came in? If they didn’t end up making a fool of themselves, it was a miracle.’
But Ellie walked into the male dorm with confidence, grabbed some kid’s shoulder, and asked, “Hey, do you know where Dein Edwick’s room is?” before barging in.
It would’ve been nice if he had a roommate, but Dein, being the heir to a ducal family, had a single room on the second floor.
It was awkward, and honestly, nerve-wracking.
If he had known this would happen, he would’ve prepared some drinks.
‘Am I an idiot or something?’
Moreover, Ellie didn’t get straight to the point after entering Dein’s room.
She wandered around.
“Oh, this kid’s got a nice chair. Is this a reference book? Oh, I didn’t know they had this,” she said, tossing out comments.
‘Is this how girls usually act with their friends?’
‘Isn’t this a bit weird?’
She was even more casual than most guys.
It felt like all sense of distance or boundaries had completely shattered.
‘We’re not even friends, are we?’
Of course, that wasn’t meant in a “How dare a commoner be friends with a noble!” kind of way. More like, “Who even are you?” Some idiot who needed to get punched by Ellie to snap out of it.
It was just a regretful thought.
‘Why was I so stupid back then?’
Naturally, my head drooped.
‘I’m such an idiot.’
“Hey, Dein.”
Dein, who had been lost in self-loathing, looked up at Ellie’s call and nearly fainted.
Even though she was still growing, her chest was already quite voluminous, and it was right at his eye level.
“Help me with something.”
“Okay.”
The boy answered immediately without even hearing the details.
***
…And later, after the excitement had died down, he thought to himself.
If Ellie had asked him back then, he would’ve sold his own duchy without a second thought.