Mia and Finn arrived in front of the academy building, each sharing a different impression.
“Whoa, this is amazing, Sir Knight. The academy looks like a castle. So the nobles study in a place like this?”
To Mia, who grew up as a commoner, the kingdom’s academy resembled a castle. Everything seemed luxurious.
But Finn saw it differently.
“The nobles’ taste is over the top. Too many unnecessary decorations.”
He seemed to think they were spending money in the wrong places.
Mia was troubled.
“Sir Knight, you’re harsh.”
“Huh? No, I’m not trying to complain—well, it’s probably just the country’s style. The Empire has more modest buildings, so it’s a nice cultural contrast, right?”
Reassured by her knight’s quick follow‑up, Mia felt at ease.
“From today we’ll be studying here. I’m looking forward to it.”
Seeing Mia’s excitement, Finn smiled back.
“Glad to hear it. Now, before the entrance ceremony, let’s head to the classroom. This way is your classroom.”
Finn took Mia’s hand and led her away.
Mia looked around, eyes darting.
(Being able to attend a foreign academy—I'm so lucky.)
She let her expectations for school life swell.
◇
“You guys are really idiots, getting lost in the forest while looking for treasure,”
Even though preparations for the entrance ceremony kept everyone busy, I was grumbling in front of the four who had become my subordinates.
Typical of an annoying boss, but I have my own grievances too.
“Don’t get mad. Everyone’s safe, so that’s good, right?”
Jiruk’s smile showed no sign of guilt.
“You all need to reflect more!”
Brad, still fiddling with his hair because he couldn’t decide on a style, held a hand‑mirror.
“We made it in time for the new term. Not bad. By the way, what do you think of this hairstyle?”
“Don’t know, man!”
And there were two more troublemakers.
“How’s the new happi, huh?”
“Greg—where did you get that? I want one too.”
Greg and Chris tried to strip off their uniforms when I wasn’t looking.
They’d taken off their school jackets and were now wearing festival happi coats over them.
—What the heck are these guys!
And then the extra trouble…
“Barthofort, can I greet the freshmen? You should do it.”
“Why am I the one greeting the freshmen when you’re right there? I hate that kind of thing.”
“I’m not good at it either, you know?”
Watching the noisy five in the waiting room, I just wanted to see Erica in her uniform as soon as possible.
In a past life I never met my niece, but in this world I did.
Besides, I owe Erica a huge debt.
No uncle would abandon a niece who owes him that much.
“By the way, Barthofort—”
“What’s up?”
Julius asked about the exchange students.
“There are two exchange students from the Empire. We’re not directly involved, but if anything comes up, I’d like you to help them out.”
“—Well, I’ll keep an eye on it, but why bring it up now?”
I’d been curious about the Empire’s exchange students, too.
Normally only one would study abroad, but there were two.
One was definitely the protagonist; the other was a guy.
He wasn’t listed in the game, which made him all the more suspicious.
Julius, however, didn’t know about the whole “otome game” thing.
So what did he mean by “help them out”?
Julius gave a slightly troubled look and explained.
“Actually—this year, besides Erica, her brother is enrolling too.”
Julius’s half‑brother was supposed to be the male target from the third game’s route.
Marie called him an “outlaw,” right?
But what does an outlaw look like when it’s a woman? He didn’t seem like a true rogue.
Jiruk interrupted our conversation, adding to Julius’s story.
“Prince Jake, right? He’s a half‑brother to the crown prince, so he’s pretty close to the throne. He does have a bit of a personality problem, though.”
“How bad is it!?”
“—Why are you so surprised?”
“Well, you guys are the ones with personality problems, so saying he has one is… I guess he must be seriously bad‑tempered.”
Jiruk smirked at my teasing.
“Excuse me. Prince Jake is a bit rough—no, wild. I can’t imagine him doing anything to exchange students, but we should stay cautious.”
—Wild, huh.
If that wild Prince Jake ends up winning the protagonist’s heart and steering the story to a happy ending, that’d be fine. I could even cheer him on.
But if he goes after Erica—then he’s out of the picture forever.
“I’ll watch the exchange students too. Time’s running, let’s go. And you two festival idiots, put your uniforms back on!”
“What? Why, Barthofort!”
“This is our formal attire!”
—Why are you guys so disappointing?
I can’t keep messing around with idiots forever.
There’s something else bugging me.
The villainous princess turned out to be a kind niece.
The opposite—having the protagonist be the terrible one—is a pattern I refuse.
So I left the waiting room and headed for the ceremony hall.
I want to size up the protagonist early, but lately Luxion’s been acting weird.
He’s not just fussing over Erica; he’s in a sour mood.
It’s also odd that his probing of the protagonist hasn’t yielded anything yet.
“—Troublesome, huh.”
I muttered, stepping into the ceremony hall.
◇
The entrance ceremony.
Julius gave the speech on behalf of the current students.
Finn, sitting next to Mia, covered his mouth as he watched.
(It’s going okay so far—well, maybe not.)
We’d entered the kingdom and the ceremony had proceeded just like the game.
But Brave had a concerning report.
Through telepathy, he told Finn:
‘Partner, it looks like we’re being watched. This iron‑y smell has to be a relic of the Old Humans.’
(Old Humans?)
‘If they lost the survival competition, they should just quit already. It’s irritating.’
Feeling Brave’s irritation, Finn glanced at the nervous Mia beside him.
(Are they spying on us?)
‘I’m defending, but the target seems to be Mia. Maybe it’s that “reincarnated” thing the partners keep mentioning.’
(Maybe? Did they actually check?)
‘There’s a troublesome one over there too! The most suspicious is a hero named Leon.’
A name we hadn’t heard before—Leon, a kingdom hero whose name’s only just started showing up.
(Cheat items and rapid rise, that could be it.)
Finn grew more on guard.
(Kurosuke—could you beat them?)
‘I won’t lose to losers. But the opponent’s strength is unknown, so…’
He thought it over.
(If even Kurosuke can’t get info, this is bad.)
After Julius finished the current‑student speech, the freshman representative Jake took the stage.
He had short, spiky blond hair and sharp eyes, his blue eyes striking.
He looked like a strong‑willed prince, unlike the quiet older brother we’d just seen.
“I’m Jake.”
He launched into a greeting that felt more like a proclamation than a ceremony speech.
“The foolish brother just now was a loser stripped of his crown prince status. The one closest to the throne now is me. Think carefully about who’ll bear the Holfart Kingdom’s future.”
Mia gasped.
“Sir Knight, isn’t the speaker’s vibe different from before?”
Finn covered his face with his right hand.
(In the game he’d do a flashy intro; does he really pull that off in real life? He looks like a total pain.)
When teachers stopped Jake and he stepped back, Finn thought:
(That guy’s not someone to leave Mia with.)
“—Mia, watch out for that type of guy.”
“Y-yes?”
Mia, unsure what her knight meant, nodded, still looking puzzled.
Finn faced forward.
(Alright, let’s see what this guy’s like.)
He was still wary of Leon, a person he’d never met.
◇
‘—There’s something interfering with me. It’s an artifact of the New Humans.’
After the ceremony, Luxion reported to me in the waiting room.
“If there’s a chance, it could be the protagonist exchange student and their escort.”
‘The escort would be a guard knight, right?’
“Marie mentioned it. It was an Imperial system, I think?”
We’re trying to investigate the exchange students, but info’s scarce.
Turns out the “artifact of the New Humans” is actually a weapon.
Even Julius’s half‑brother being a pain was enough, but now the exchange students might be cheating—troublesome.
“Since you can’t gather intel because you’re being blocked, does that mean the opponent’s strong?”
‘What are you saying? I’ll never lose. I’m just being cautious because we can’t measure their strength. Why would you think they might be stronger than me? Is the Master wondering that? —That’s absurd.’
Luxion babbled on, and I was just scared of not knowing what they’d do next.
“Not knowing what they’re thinking is scary. At least I’d like to know their goal.”
‘Master, striking first wins. How about we say the exchange students never existed in the first place?’
“Rejected. Doing something cruel to exchange students is no different from the Alzel Republic. I’m a kind man; I won’t use that hand.”
‘How kind of you.’
‘—If we know the opponent’s goal, we’ll deal with them by any means.’
‘Master, I believed in you.’
If they become enemies, I’ll crush them without mercy.
That’s what I learned in the Alzel Republic.
I won’t pin hopes on reincarnated people any longer.
“Let’s talk to the exchange students once.”
If the trick fails, we’ll have to attack head‑on.
◇
It was the academy’s detention room.
Jake had been thrown in, and the place was a mess.
“Fools who don’t know my worth!”
Inside was Jake’s half‑brother, Oscar Fia Hogan—a tall, solid‑built red‑haired man with his hair tied back. He looked like a proper guard for Jake.
“Prince, didn’t you say you’d give a serious speech at the entrance ceremony?”
“I was serious. I made my position clear.”
Jake was an ambitious prince. His older brother had been stripped of the crown, and now Jake was eyeing the throne, getting a bit cocky.
“Since my weak brother can’t lead, I must guide Holfart Kingdom. Oscar, you understand that, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Jake sat on a bed in the detention room, crossing his legs.
“Oscar, summon Barthofort.”
“Your Highness?”
“In the palace we couldn’t meet, but here at the academy I can. Ask Barthofort which side he’ll follow.”
Because of his personality, Jake wasn’t allowed to meet Leon in the palace.
(Barthofort, if you’re a hero, don’t make the wrong call. If you do, I won’t be as lenient as Father or the Queen.)
Now Jake was trying to bring the kingdom’s ace, Leon, under his command.
“I’ll call him right away.”
“Do it, Oscar.”
Oscar left.
Jake smiled, thinking about becoming king.
“Barthofort, the day you kneel before me is coming.”
After a while, Oscar returned.
“Your Highness, I’ve brought him!”
But Jake’s face twisted.
“Oscar—who’s that?”
When Oscar presented the girl he’d brought, she stammered,
“H‑Hello, Your Highness! I’m Finley Fou Barthofort. I… I never expected to be summoned by you.”
—It was indeed Barthofort.
Oscar wore a satisfied expression.
“Your Highness, you even know the color now. I never thought you’d call for Miss Barthofort.”
Jake, trembling, clenched his fists and shouted,
“Oscaaaar! I called for my brother!”
“What!? No, you mean—”
“What do you mean! Did you hear what I said!? Instead of… where did you mess up and bring that girl here!?”
Seeing Oscar genuinely shocked, Jake thought,
(Why is my half‑brother this guy!? If it were my real brother, he’d have handled it better!)
Jake buried his head in his hands.
Oscar looked confused.
—Finley, having been brought in with high hopes, now felt oddly awkward because Jake kept insisting his brother was the one he wanted.