And so, a month had passed since the entrance ceremony.
The hectic days flew by quickly, but there were no noteworthy events for a mob like me. I was only just starting to get used to life at the academy.
If I were to frame it in game terms, this would be the period when the heroine was encountering one love interest after another.
The villainess would probably appear and say something like, "Know your place." Since I always used the skip function in the game, I didn't remember the specifics of those conversations.
Well, let's set aside the heroine and her circle. They had nothing to do with me.
I, on the other hand, was finally settling into life in the student dormitory, and my circle of friends was solidifying as well.
For me, that meant Daniel and Raymond.
The two of us were in similar situations, having grown up in comparable environments. As a result, we got along well.
On a bench in the courtyard within the academy.
The three of us sat down to discuss a matter: the tea party scheduled for early May.
"So, what are we doing about the tea party? We should probably be selective about who we invite, right?"
The extended holiday in May might mean rest for girls, but not for boys. The whole point was to invite girls to tea and close the distance between them.
The difference from simply hitting on someone was that you couldn't just invite anyone. On top of that, you had to host a tea party befitting the status of the person you invited.
It was essentially an unofficial academy event.
Daniel asked with a worried expression, and Raymond hung his head.
"I got some money sent from home, but I can't afford to host anything lavish. I'm fine with any girl who'd be willing to come."
The academy cost money. Especially for boys.
I had some savings, true, but it wasn't something I could spend like water. More importantly, I didn't want to.
Most of the wealth I'd had was already invested in my family's estate by my parents.
Still, if I skipped this tea party, rumors would spread through the girls' network. That I couldn't even host a tea party. Such rumors would hurt my chances in the marriage market.
Even if the other person had no interest in me, I still needed to host a proper tea party.
Just as we shared information among ourselves, girls did the same. Making enemies among the girls meant rumors spreading like wildfire — a nightmare scenario.
In this regard, boys were at a disadvantage.
And here was the problem: because I had secured my independence through merit after graduation, people around me saw me as relatively well-off. The expectations — or rather, the bar — were high.
"As for me, apparently I have to host some kind of high-class tea party. I really don't want to deal with that."
As the three of us sulked before the May tea party, we spotted
Beside him was his childhood friend and fellow member of the royal guard, the heir to a viscount family — his milk brother, in fact — **
His deep green hair looked natural, though I wanted to press him on whether it truly was. His green eyes had a gentle, droopy quality, a stark contrast to the Crown Prince's sharp gaze.
Though his family was merely a viscount house among the court nobility, as the Crown Prince's milk brother and close friend, it was obvious he'd be given important positions in the future.
Girls were approaching him with hearts practically floating in their eyes. Among the onlookers were heirs from comital and marquess families trying to act like they belonged in the Prince's inner circle.
"Your Highness, will you be hosting a tea party in May?"
"I'd love to attend as well!"
"Me too! Me too!"
Watching these girls wag their tails like eager dogs for an invitation to the Crown Prince's tea party forced us to face reality.
Raymond covered his face with both hands.
"...With the Crown Prince and all the highborn nobles hosting theirs, the bar is going to be impossibly high this year."
Daniel slumped his shoulders.
"We'll just get compared to them. Give me a break."
As we watched this envy-inducing scene, a single woman approached. She had an entourage trailing behind her, and there were quite a few of them.
She was a duke's daughter — **
Her fair skin was beautiful, but her red eyes held a forceful intensity.
Her sharp, penetrating gaze made it immediately clear she possessed something others did not.
If some people were born with a certain presence, she and the Crown Prince were prime examples.
Secretly, I thought the heroine must have possessed something equally extraordinary as well.
Perhaps it was cliché, but was it fair to say she simply had a different aura about her?
"That's the Crown Prince's fiancée," I muttered.
Before I'd even finished speaking, the girls who had been crowding around the Crown Prince and Jilk backed away. Apparently, no one was foolish enough to make a pass at someone in front of their fiancée.
I wanted to say they shouldn't have been approaching him in the first place.
Angelica's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Crown Prince, I'd like to discuss the May tea party briefly. Would you mind if I joined you?"
They said you weren't supposed to flaunt your status or your parents' influence within the academy, but some things in life simply couldn't be separated from who you were.
"Angelica, don't intimidate everyone. This is the academy."
"Oh, I'm well aware. It's just that... your Highness's surroundings have been rather noisy lately."
The girls averted their gazes from Angelica awkwardly.
"So this is the heroine's rival. She really gives off a strong, intimidating vibe."
As I murmured to myself, I noticed a girl standing apart from the crowd. I narrowed my eyes.
If Angelica was what you'd call a beauty, then this girl was what you'd call cute.
A golden-haired, blue-eyed young lady from a viscount family.
Her name was **
She was someone I just couldn't bring myself to like.
Looking at her set me on edge. Not from hatred exactly — just irritation.
Jilk noticed her looking over with those blue eyes and informed the Crown Prince.
"Your Highness."
"Hm? Oh, Marie. Perfect timing — I was looking for you. Could you come over here?"
The Crown Prince directed a smile at Marie.
Angelica's eyebrow twitched.
One of her entourage whispered something about Marie, making her frown even more.
Marie approached the tense scene with an expression that said she'd been called and had no choice.
Daniel was clutching his stomach.
"Think I could sneak out of here?"
A commotion was brewing near the bench where we sat, and standing up to flee now would only draw attention. Raymond shook his head.
"Don't. Stay put and don't move until it's over. Still, is she an acquaintance of the Crown Prince? I don't think she's one of the famous girls."
Marie addressed the Crown Prince in a sweet voice.
"What is it, Your Highness?"
"Actually, boys have to host tea parties in May. I don't want to make a big show of it, so I'm only inviting people I know."
Angelica objected immediately.
"Crown Prince, tea parties carry a certain status. To invite someone like this—"
The Crown Prince didn't stop.
And I realized I was remembering something.
Come to think of it, a forced event something like this had happened in the game. But back then, the person who'd been called was supposed to be the heroine.
I scanned the area, but there was no one who fit the bill.
Raymond looked at me.
"What are you doing?"
"There's someone I'm looking for... Is the special scholarship student here?"
Raymond looked around as well, then shook his head.
"She's not. Besides, would the special scholarship student even mix into a crowd like this? Look, just keep quiet and stay still. Endure this with the patience of someone waiting out a storm."
We couldn't escape.
Here and there, I caught glimpses of students who'd tried to enter the courtyard, only to do an about-face at the strange atmosphere and flee. I was thoroughly jealous.
The Crown Prince, arguing with Angelica, looked somewhat exasperated.
"Enough, Angelica. This is the academy, and I'm here as one student. You're my fiancée, but that doesn't give you the right to interfere this much."
At his words, Angelica backed down.
"...My apologies."
As she turned to leave, Angelica shot Marie one final sharp glare before departing.
Her entourage directed equally harsh looks at Marie as well.
"Sorry about that, Marie. I made you uncomfortable."
"N-No, it's fine. But... are you really sure it's okay for me to attend?"
Jilk shrugged.
"The Crown Prince dislikes anything too formal. He wants a more casual tea party. He'd really like you to come. Besides, it's rare for His Highness to personally invite someone like this."
Jilk snickered while the Crown Prince averted his gaze, looking embarrassed.
"J-Just come. And Jilk's coming too."
As the Crown Prince and Jilk began to move, their entourage followed.
Just as Daniel and Raymond were relaxing, relieved that the ordeal was over, I caught sight of Marie's profile.
Thinking no one was watching, she let her guard down — and she was smiling. Just barely, but unmistakably.
◇ A etiquette class for tea parties.
The instructor was a gentlemanly male teacher with a neatly groomed beard.
Actual tables had been set up in the classroom, complete with snacks and tea.
"Listen carefully. When you invite a woman to a tea party, assume you're being watched in everything. Your manners, your bearing — she'll judge what kind of upbringing you've had and what kind of person you are. Conversely, if you impress her here, you'll earn that much more respect."
The boys were all leaning forward, hanging on every word during the etiquette class.
My old man had apparently learned manners from a similarly bearded instructor, but claimed he forgot it all the moment he graduated. Sure, your everyday behavior might reveal something, but would anyone really look that closely?
"Hey, Mister
"Y-Yes, sir!"
When I snapped to attention and answered, quiet snickering erupted around me. The ones laughing were the sons of wealthy and court noble families.
"Country bumpkins, honestly."
"He's gotten a little cocky just because of one small accomplishment."
"Barbarians are better suited for adventuring. This setting doesn't suit them."
The male teacher straightened his posture and continued.
"The most important thing at a tea party is the overall atmosphere. Simply gathering the necessary items and securing an empty room is completely unacceptable! Every single detail must be considered. You're inviting her into a special, extraordinary space. Simply providing the venue puts you below third rate. Remember that."
Was there really any point to this trivial lecture? I'd never use any of it after graduation, I thought — and the teacher seemed to see right through me.
"Mister Leon... You don't seem to understand. Very well — let me demonstrate."
Before I knew it, I'd been called to the front and was being "hosted" as a guest.
It couldn't possibly be anything impressive.
I figured I'd play along on the surface while mocking it on the inside.
"Wow, this is wonderful!"
"Indeed, please enjoy yourself."
That's what I thought, anyway — but then— ◇ —After the class ended.
I caught the male teacher as he was leaving the classroom.
"Sir! I was moved!"
The teacher straightened his back, turned with a refined air, and stroked his prized beard.
"Mister Leon — I see you've finally understood."
"Yes! I'd been underestimating this whole tea ceremony thing. Now I realize how wrong I was. I want to host a perfect tea party, just like you, sir!"
The teacher nodded with a smile.
"Wonderful. But you're still mistaken."
"Huh?"
The teacher turned to face me fully and placed his right hand over his heart.
"What truly matters is the spirit of hospitality. And I myself am still only halfway there. To this day, I have yet to perform hospitality I can truly be satisfied with."
"W-Wait. Even you haven't achieved perfection?"
The teacher nodded.
"That's right. In every moment, I strive for the ultimate expression of hospitality, but I haven't reached that level yet. However, I can teach you the fundamentals. Mister Leon, won't you walk the path of tea with me?"
"Yes!"
As the teacher and I smiled at each other and talked, Daniel and Raymond's voices drifted over from behind.
"Hey, has he been hitting some kind of wild drug or something?"
"Who knows? Well, it can't hurt, right?"
◇ May arrived, and with it, the tea party.
I'd received a reply from the girl I'd invited, so I rented a room and began my preparations.
The academy had several rooms reserved specifically for tea parties, and students would rent them to host their events. That was the norm.
Ideally, I'd have rented somewhere more impressive, but during this season, everything was booked solid.
Tea sets, tea leaves, snacks.
I consulted with my instructor to pick everything out, then cleaned and arranged the room. Now I was in the final waiting stage.
*'My, how elaborate. You don't seem like the same Master who, just a few weeks ago, wanted to hire professionals and get it over with quickly.'* "Annoying, aren't you? If you notice something, just say so."
Doing a final check, I pulled out my pocket watch to confirm the time.
The girl I'd invited would arrive in ten minutes.
This time, the partner was the second daughter of a baron family.
I hated being a second daughter, frankly, but that was beside the point.
*'I simply don't understand this world. Wouldn't it make more sense to select an optimal partner based on genetic information?'* "Nobody can check those genes, so it's a no-go."
*'Then I have nothing to say.'* I finished talking with Luxion, and the girl arrived.
"Hi there~"
But her attitude was anything but warm — she'd clearly come reluctantly.
Still, I didn't panic.
Stay calm. My instructor had told me that the key was to wholeheartedly host anyone, no matter who they were.
But— "Welcome to — wait, what?"
Looking more carefully, I saw two more girls standing behind the invited one.
She was smirking.
"Oh, friends. I'm killing time until a bigger tea party. There's quite a grand one coming up, and we've got time before it starts."
The tea parties hosted by heirs to prestigious noble families were practically party-scale by this point. They needed to arrange carriages to get there, so they were apparently looking to kill time.
"I-I see. And when does that one start?"
"About thirty minutes. We were chatting about having time to kill, and I remembered I'd said yes to this tea party."
The other two had already pulled out chairs and seated themselves without permission.
They started eating the snacks on the table.
"Oh, tea too, please."
And just like that, the three of them surrounded the table, leaving no room for me to sit. They were chatting excitedly about the tea party they were heading to, while I bustled around like their personal servant, refilling their tea and replenishing their snacks.
When the time came, the three of them left without even a thank-you.
"Well, thanks for the snacks~ They were decent, but you'll need to buy nicer stuff if you want to impress girls."
Out they went.
I slumped.
"Do you have any idea how much a set like this costs? These were made fresh today at a proper bakery. And she wants something more expensive..."
I looked at the remaining snacks.
"...Sir, the path of tea still seems long and treacherous."
Fighting back tears of frustration, I was cleaning up when I heard voices from outside. Several female students were arguing.
"...You're completely out of his league!"
"B-But the invitation—"
"Have the sense to refuse it, commoner!"
Hurried footsteps sounded, and a group of girls hurried past, saying things like "Come on, the carriage is leaving." The word "commoner" caught my attention, and I stepped out of the room, half-expecting to find the heroine.
I'd imagined someone more impressive than the rival, Angelica — someone with more presence, more beauty. But sitting in the corridor was a single girl.
She had light brown hair cut in a mid-length bob. She had no presence to speak of, no aura whatsoever — just an ordinary girl.
Her eyes were brown and her features were gentle, but compared to Angelica, she was the complete opposite. An unremarkable girl.
She was pretty, but... ordinary.
Scattered on the floor was a torn invitation.
Luxion, who had been silently playing decoration until now, perched on my shoulder to observe.
*'...Is this bullying? I've heard she's a special scholarship student but not from the noble class. They probably can't stand the idea of a commoner attending this academy.'* "Yeah, seems like it. But somehow... she's just too ordinary."
Watching her sadly gather the pieces of the torn invitation, I glanced back into the room.
"I suppose I could invite one more person."
Looking at the remaining snacks and tea leaves, I figured I could host at least one person properly.
"Hey, you there! Want to come have tea?"
The girl who looked up — the heroine — stared at me with mild surprise.
◇ "Hmm, so you received an invitation from the heir to a marquis, did you?"
"Yes. He said it wouldn't be a bad idea to talk with a special scholarship student, but everyone else told me to decline because she wasn't suitable."
Inside the room, things had settled into a calm rhythm, quite different from before.
The girl's face lit up as she ate the snacks, and she studied the tea I'd prepared.
"Th-This is really expensive tea, isn't it?"
"Expensive, sure, but I was about to drink it all by myself anyway, so it worked out. Still, sounds rough."
I didn't intend to get deeply involved, but I was curious about who she was associating with. It couldn't hurt to know what the heroine would do going forward.
The marquis in question would be **
He was a narcissist with distinctive long purple hair, a territorial lord with vast holdings. A family of considerable scale.
My own family estate didn't even compare.
Brad himself was more of a strategist type — the kind who preferred to stay behind the scenes. A chief of staff, if you will. He was brilliant and excelled at commanding troops.
He wasn't particularly strong himself, but as a territorial lord, it was a sore spot for him.
In a word, he was a handful.
Then again, now that I thought about it, all the love interests were a handful.
The heroine, **
"Do you think... I shouldn't have come here? I'm trying so hard, but I can barely keep up with everyone around me... I don't even know why I was admitted in the first place."
Come to think of it, at this stage her stats were low and she was still struggling through the academy arc. The Crown Prince and the boys were supposed to help her out, but the current Olivia was basically on her own.
We had no reason to interact with her, and I'd assumed she was doing fine.
But from what she was saying, she'd been alone for nearly a month.
Her situation was even more miserable than mine.
Well, from the perspective of boys in her class, she wasn't marriage material. Her status was simply too low. For us boys who were desperately searching for wives, she was someone we didn't have the luxury of associating with.
When I thought about it that way, the fact that the love interests — who already had fiancées — had gotten involved with the heroine must have been because they had the leisure to do so.
I was jealous.
But something was off.
By May, she should have already met the love interest characters. There had been forced events, too. Remembering all this, I thought of Marie.
Her profile as she smiled had been oddly unsettling.
"H-Hey..."
My silence seemed to make Olivia anxious. She started worrying that she'd said something wrong.
I wished the other self-centered girls would take a leaf from her book.
"I was just thinking about something. Well, everything here is new, so there's bound to be some trial and error. For now, all we can do is what we can."
Olivia nodded at my advice, saying "You're right," but she wasn't entirely convinced. After all, how could I possibly give her an answer so profound that it would leave a lasting impression?
I might have a wealth of life experience, but when it came to women, I was a complete amateur.
"...Is it really okay for me to be here?"
I answered immediately.
"Of course it's okay."
After all, you're the protagonist of this whole world.
Who you end up with would affect my life to some degree... Actually, no. Not at all. Well, I'd at least want to know who she ended up with for gossip material.
"W-Why? I keep being told every day that I don't belong here."
It might seem obvious to me, but to Olivia, it probably felt like a mystery. I offered a convenient explanation.
"No, look — your enrollment was the decision of the academy and the royal palace! That means the student body has no say in the matter. Both the palace and the academy approved your admission! Even if someone complains, it's not your fault."
Olivia blinked.
"But — but everyone—"
"If it really becomes unbearable, you could just drop out. If someone tells you to leave, you can say, 'I'm sorry, but that's not possible since the royal palace and academy decided.' And you could add, 'But I'll be sure to pass along your complaint.' That should work."
Anyway, the heroine would surely be protected by the love interests.
So it would be fine.
Probably... maybe.
Things were different from the game now, but the way I'd ended up with Luxion was also quite different. There were definitely parts that diverged from the game.
That meant I'd need to keep paying attention going forward.
Olivia spoke in small, halting words.
"I... I want to study magic more. But I don't understand the academy's rules, the unspoken norms..."
Among the boys, there were unspoken rules too.
But the girls had their own difficulties.
"Unspoken norms... Oh, actually, I think I know someone who could help. I'm sure it'll work out."
"Really?"
I decided to call for the second daughter.
It was about time she earned her keep. The amount I'd spent on her sake was staggering... Time to have her repay some of that debt.
She was the kind of girl who'd move for money.
She'd probably teach Olivia, even if she did so grudgingly.
◇ I brewed tea for the second daughter.
I wanted to either half-ass it or slip her something, but the image of my instructor's face popped into my mind and I thought better of it. Such behavior at a tea party was unacceptable.
The second daughter sat there, looking thoroughly annoyed.
Behind her stood a muscular servant with cat ears, arms crossed.
"Calling for me like you own the place — you've gotten awfully full of yourself, little brother."
I snorted.
"I'll give you credit for having the sense to actually show up. Now, hurry up and teach her the rules for girls."
I told Olivia not to worry and took a seat.
The second daughter pressed a hand to her forehead.
"...I'll teach her, but what's in it for you? Sticking your neck out for a scholarship student?"
Nothing was in it for me.
But having her as a casual acquaintance wasn't a bad thing. If so, all sorts of information could flow to me through Olivia in the future.
She was someone I could do a favor without losing anything. And it was a small way to atone for the fact that she could have ended up with Luxion instead.
"You really are the worst — only motivated by profit. Why don't you try being a little kinder?"
Provoked, the second daughter clicked her tongue.
Thanks to me, she'd been able to buy that impressive slave — lover — of hers. She seemed to know it too, as she glanced at the muscular man behind her, then looked at Olivia.
"You — have you greeted the most important girl in your class yet? The one who runs everything?"
Olivia shook her head.
"I can't get close to her."
"You need to send a letter. The rule is to visit with a gift. If there's a big group, find someone to introduce you. Look for someone in a fairly important position within that group. Give her the letter, and while you're at it, give her a gift too. And make sure you actually research the recipient's preferences."
Listening to the second daughter's advice, I had a thought.
"Wait, isn't that just bribery?"
"Don't be so noisy. If the world works that way, there's no problem. And don't go handing over money or flashy items directly — that'll just offend them. Something from a popular bakery or a nice tea blend is safest. Get the balance wrong with this kind of thing and it becomes a headache."
Olivia, who had been taking notes, stopped writing.
"I-I don't have that kind of money—"
The second daughter looked at my face and tilted her chin upward.
"Let your brother here pay for it. Since you called me here, the least you can do is that much."
I was flustered at being suddenly roped in.
I'd been half-listening, thinking it had nothing to do with me — women really were exhausting.
"W-What..."
The second daughter continued.
"After that, either ask to meet in person, or if a return gift comes, that's the end of it. As long as you don't do anything to offend her, you'll make it to graduation in one piece."
Olivia looked at me with teary eyes.
"...I'll cover the cost."
"Thank you so much! I'll definitely pay you back!"
Watching Olivia thank me sincerely, I wished everyone else around me were at least a little bit this kind.
Looking at the second daughter, who was leaning back and munching on snacks, I shook my head. As I put on my most long-suffering expression, the second daughter signaled to her servant.
The muscleman reached for me, so I immediately fled the scene.
There was no way I could win a test of strength against a beastman.
◇ Some time later, Olivia received a summons from Angelica.
Watching the visibly nervous Olivia, Angelica sipped her tea with elegant composure. Both the cup she held and its contents were of a higher grade than what I'd provided.
Using such things as though it were the most natural thing in the world, Angelica set down her cup and fixed Olivia with a sharp gaze.
"I don't know whose idea this was, but I'll commend you for coming to pay your respects. Do your best to live within your means. This is not a place for someone like you. But if you understand that and behave quietly in your corner, I suppose I can overlook your presence."
The academy was a slightly peculiar place, isolated from the outside world.
Its own unique rules existed, as did conventions that wouldn't apply elsewhere.
Paying "respects" to Angelica was one of those things.
It wasn't strictly necessary, but it helped smooth out academy life.
Olivia had neither power nor backing.
Within the academy, she truly was in the weakest position.
"Um... does that mean I'm allowed to stay at the academy?"
As Olivia faltered, Angelica seemed to grow faintly exasperated.
There were several girls from Angelica's entourage in the room, but she had them step out, leaving just the two of them.
Then, in a tone noticeably gentler than before, she spoke.
"...You should have just nodded, drunk your tea, and left. That would have been the end of it. You made things complicated by asking questions."
"...Eh?"
Angelica let out a sigh.
She looked somewhat tired.
"I wasn't planning to drive you out — did you really think that? Honestly, I couldn't care less about the special scholarship student. I'm far too busy to waste my time worrying about you."
When Olivia looked troubled, Angelica muttered quietly.
"She's better than that woman who keeps trying to get close to the Crown Prince, at least."
"Um... I'm sorry, what was that?"
"It's nothing."
Angelica gave Olivia a small smile.
In that moment, she looked her actual age.
Olivia had always pictured Angelica as someone with overwhelming confidence and a volatile temper. And indeed, Angelica had been known to fly into a rage at the academy on more than one occasion.
"Who taught you to pay respects? Ah, don't misunderstand — I'm not saying I have ulterior motives. Everyone else keeps their distance from a special scholarship student, so I was curious about whoever helped you. This is purely personal interest."
Boys were too busy hunting for marriage prospects to have time for her, and the girls despised her. The person who had helped someone in such a position was someone Angelica was genuinely curious about.
Olivia hesitated briefly, then mentioned my name.
She said Leon had introduced her to his older sister.
"The third son of House Bartfort, hmm? That one's a bit eccentric. Well, I can't say I have a bad impression of him."
"You know him?"
Angelica chuckled.
"Don't you know? He's without question the most successful person in our generation. Going forward, who knows how many more will be able to strike out on their own like him... But if his character isn't bad, I could arrange an opportunity for him to speak with the Crown Prince."
Smiling gently, Angelica watched Olivia gaze at her with a slightly bewildered expression.