Chapter 13
“Asiel, I really don’t want to start nagging you on your very first day, but that’s not how you treat royalty.”
Even so, Allen felt he had to say something, so he gave her a stern warning.
“So what if he’s a prince? I’m a citizen of this kingdom. My dad pays his taxes on time, and they’re living off my family’s money.”
“Please, Asiel…”
Hearing her mutter under her breath, Allen squeezed his eyes shut before sighing in the tone of someone who had completely given up.
“Let’s just head inside. Bernard has been looking forward to seeing you.”
“Heh. I wonder how shocked he’ll be when he sees me… Wait.”
Asiel had been giggling to herself, imagining Bernard’s reaction, when her eyes suddenly widened.
“I have to go.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“No—I have to go to the Bokano classroom.”
“It’s Bukanu, not Bokano. At least remember the name of your patron god.”
[Exactly what I was about to say, Allen.]
Though there was no way Allen could hear him, the Demon King muttered mockingly.
[And you remembered that awfully quickly… I clearly told you your mission wasn’t to find the male lead. It’s to save Rite Rahar.]
“Want me to walk you there?”
“No, it’s okay. I already know the way.”
The day before, worried that Asiel might get lost around the academy, Allen had patiently—almost obsessively—explained how to reach the Bukanu classroom.
Fortunately, she’d actually remembered.
If she got confused, the voice in her head would probably tell her where to go.
[So now I’m your personal navigation system?]
Allen stared at her with his mouth hanging open.
“You… know how to get to the Bukanu classroom?”
“Yep.”
“…How?”
“Oh, Gale Oppa showed me.”
“You actually sat still and listened?”
“It was so touching that I listened while standing. Why?”
Despite her confident answer, Allen looked completely unconvinced.
But Asiel didn’t have time for this.
She had to hurry and prevent Rite Rahar’s death.
Just as she was about to turn and head toward the Bukanu classroom, she stopped.
“Oh, Allen. Can I ask you something?”
“You’re confused now that you’re actually going, aren’t you? I’ll take you there.”
“No, not that. You know someone named Rite Rahar, right? Have you ever met her? What’s she like?”
Allen tilted his head at the unexpected question.
There was probably no one in the Wensley Kingdom who didn’t know that name.
She was the kingdom’s greatest beauty and one of its most brilliant students.
Whenever nobles praised Asiel’s beauty—which was exceptional even among aristocrats—the conversation naturally turned to Rite.
There was no way Asiel wouldn’t have heard of her.
After word spread that Asiel, who had been slow to speak as a child, had received no divine blessing whatsoever, comparisons between her and Rite only became more common.
Even though there was a ten-year age gap between them.
Now that rumors claimed Asiel had entered the academy through special treatment, those comparisons would only grow louder.
“Um… don’t worry about it too much. Lady Rite Rahar is graduating soon anyway.”
[He’s telling you not to worry.]
The Demon King snorted.
Whether Asiel wanted to think about Rite or not, she had no choice.
Because…
That was the contract.
“I’m fine. Just tell me about her.”
“Well… she’s devoted to a different patron god, so I’ve never really talked with her. But everyone knows she’s beautiful, cool-headed, incredibly intelligent, and doesn’t open her heart to people easily.”
He paused.
“She’s basically your complete opposite.”
[That’s a very roundabout way of saying you’re simple-minded, impulsive, trust everyone, and act like an idiot.]
“You’re saying I’m simple-minded, impulsive, trust everyone, and act like an idiot, aren’t you?”
“How did you jump to that conclusion?”
Allen practically leaped in surprise.
…Though, admittedly, that was more or less what he’d been thinking.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Since when did Asiel become this perceptive?
“Anyway, I’m going straight to the… Butanu classroom.”
“Well, today’s classes are mostly divided by patron gods, so that’s fine. But there was someone I wanted to introduce you to…”
“I’ll meet Dexter Hugo tomorrow!”
Asiel waved cheerfully before running off.
Allen stood there blankly, staring after her.
Wait…
How does she know about Dexter, too?
Did Lord Gale tell her about him as well? Does he know that much about me?
Completely misunderstanding the situation, Allen grinned to himself as he headed in the opposite direction.
* * *
Meanwhile, Xenia, walking alongside Dimarion, suddenly stopped and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
“Haha… I swear, I’ve been trying not to laugh this whole time!”
“How uncivilized.”
Dimarion muttered coldly, looking irritated.
Xenia ignored him and kept laughing.
The pink-haired girl following behind Dimarion had behaved in such bizarre ways that not only Xenia, but also Gray, George, and Xenon had struggled to hold back their laughter.
The five of them had been chosen as Dimarion’s companions from birth.
Only children who had passed countless standards—divine blessings, academic excellence, noble lineage, and more—were allowed into his circle.
Although their friendship had begun because of the interests of the adults around them, the five had become genuinely close.
Even so, there was one thing none of them dared do.
Call Dimarion by his nickname.
Dimarion hated being called “Rion.”
Even his father, the king, never addressed him that way.
“Maybe it’s because her hair is light pink.”
Standing alone while his friends laughed, Dimarion muttered quietly.
“Her head seemed completely filled with flowers.”
It was an elegant way of saying she had air for brains.
“I wonder if she’ll adapt to academy life. Her name was Asiel Winzerberry, right?”
“The Winzerberry family? You mean Gale and Senior Quentin’s little sister?”
The moment Gale and Quentin came to mind, the others blushed.
Not only Allen but countless younger students admired them.
Gale was the very image of knightly virtue.
Quentin was freer in spirit, yet equally breathtaking.
And then there was…
Asiel.
She was certainly adorable and lovable.
But somehow, it was hard to imagine she was really their little sister.
“She was adopted.”
Dimarion spoke calmly.
At that, everyone’s confusion disappeared.
“Oh, right. My mother always says Lady Winzerberry is an incredible woman.”
“She raised someone who wasn’t even her own child.”
“The seniors are amazing too. If my mom suddenly brought another kid home, I’d hate it.”
“Same here… I don’t think I could ever treat them like a real sibling.”
“She is cute, though.”
“So? Is being cute enough?”
Dimarion simply listened without emotion as they casually discussed the Winzerberry family.
Only one other person remained silent.
Xenia Hartbird.
The very same girl who had laughed first when Asiel appeared.
“But does that really matter?”
“What?”
“That Lady Winzerberry adopted Asiel. Does that really matter?”
“Well…”
Faced with Xenia’s cheerful question, the others hesitated.
Since childhood, they’d all been taught that bloodline was everything.
As children of dukes and marquises, they had qualified to become Dimarion’s companions because of that lineage.
Xenia understood those values as well as anyone.
Which made her question all the more difficult to answer.
“They’re a family now.”
“Lady Winzerberry has stopped attending social gatherings because she doesn’t want to hear people talking like that.”
“Isn’t that because she’s protecting her family?”
“Or maybe she’s just uncomfortable facing everyone.”
Gray, who often clashed with Xenia, finally spoke up.
George and Xenon, who preferred keeping the peace, exchanged uneasy glances before silently looking toward Dimarion.
They wanted him to stop the argument.
Whether he noticed or not, Dimarion simply watched Xenia with unreadable eyes.
“I’m saying… who do you think creates that kind of atmosphere in the first place?”
“Nobles naturally value bloodlines. That’s just something people have to accept.”
“So they should just accept everyone gossiping behind their backs?”
Xenia smirked and mimed a mouth flapping with her hand.
Gray’s face turned red, then blue with anger.
As the bearer of Bald’s divine authority—the God of Justice—he took immense pride in his principles.
To him, Xenia had just accused him of talking behind people’s backs.
“Enough.”
At last, Dimarion intervened.
“Class is about to start.”
Despite his words, he continued walking at an unhurried pace.
Watching his back, George let out a sigh.
“Why’d you have to say all that, Xenia?”
“What? What did I do?”
“We’ve got sword training next.”
“You want to see that guy lose control again?”
“I said it for Dimarion’s sake.”
