Chapter 19

*Tap, tap*—drops of rain began to fall gently.

The darkening sky was gradually consumed by heavy clouds, and soon enough, the rain began to pour in earnest. Small droplets traced patterns on the dry ground, and the wet spots spread, soaking the earth.

For a spring rain, it was fierce, signaling an impending downpour. People hurried to seek shelter from the unexpected storm, but amidst the falling rain, a lone girl wandered through the academy grounds.

"......"

Her uniform was in disarray, her pink hair wet and limp, and beneath it, her green eyes were unfocused. She staggered aimlessly, as if lost.

Where was she? Where was she headed? The jumble of these questions muddled her mind, only to be washed away by the rain as quickly as they appeared. All she could do was keep moving, just to avoid collapsing.

*Step, step*—her unstable footsteps echoed with an emptiness. As exhaustion caused her to stumble, a cold voice whispered in her ear.

"How pathetic."

The scene from just a few hours earlier flashed before her eyes. In the center of the arena stood a girl with blue hair, and on her knees, Regia looked up at her, helpless.

In the blue-haired girl’s eyes, there was a clear glint of disdain.

"To think someone with your pathetic skills was being praised as 'promising'... How laughable."

She had done nothing. She had failed miserably. The pressure had caused her to make constant mistakes. Her summoned creature refused to answer her call, and the simple magic spells she had cast were pitifully weak.

"You need to realize your place. This academy is for those who are worthy... not for some lowly commoner like you."

Regia had hung her head low. She had been frightened.

And as if her pitiful state had amused her opponent, the blue-haired girl had turned away, leaving her with one last, stinging remark.

"Leave, outsider."

Those words hurt deeply, like sharp thorns piercing her heart. Her sense of balance faltered, and she wobbled precariously.

"......"

Her vision blurred as a warm line of tears traced down her cold, wet cheeks.@@@@

"How foolish."

Regia muttered to herself as she wiped away her tears. She quickly tried to hide her weakness, biting her lip in an attempt to conceal her vulnerability.

‘Maybe...’

Maybe she had been too naïve.

She had thought that once she entered the academy, only good things would come. She had believed she could finally leave behind her life as a wandering nomad, make friends her own age, and enjoy a normal life.

But it seemed that even here, there was no place for her.

It was a familiar loneliness. Despite her efforts to stop, she couldn’t suppress the sobs that escaped her.

The rain, once gentle, became heavier. It turned into a full-fledged downpour.

*Swoosh!*

The rain fell harder, but Regia kept walking. Wiping the tears that mingled with the rain, she tasted the bitter sorrow welling up inside her.

"Hic... Ugh..."

She was a sight—a drowned rat. Her forlorn steps continued as she wandered aimlessly. Her legs grew tired, and the tears and rain stung her eyes. And then, suddenly, the rain stopped.

"......?"

No, it hadn’t actually stopped. The sound of rain still filled her ears, and the ground was still wet, with droplets splashing around her feet. But something was blocking the rain.

What was it? With that question in mind, she slowly lifted her head. Her blurry vision cleared, and she saw golden hair shining in the light. A boy with a soft smile and his characteristic narrow eyes stood in front of her, holding an umbrella in both hands.

"......Lord Snaikers?"

Regia muttered in a daze.

Her response was somewhat vacant, but the boy didn’t seem to mind.

"Here you are, Miss Regia."

"Why... Why are you here, Lord Snaikers?"

He only smiled softly as he replied.

"I came to find my friend."

*Drip, drip*—the gentle rain tapped the edge of the umbrella he tilted toward her.

Caught off guard by his sudden appearance and unexpected words, Regia stood frozen in place for a while.

"I came to find my friend."

He spoke with a faint smile, his narrow eyes meeting hers. After locking gazes for a moment, a sense of relief washed over him.

‘Finally, I found her.’

He had been worried due to the heavy rain, wondering if she was crying somewhere in a corner. Fortunately, she had been standing exactly where he remembered from the original story.

"Miss Regia."

"...Yes?"

"Let’s get out of the rain for now."

The girl responded weakly. Her slender shoulders were trembling as if she were cold, and the rain mixed with the tears on her cheeks only added to her pitiful appearance.

*Swish!*

For now, they needed to escape this miserable weather. He held the umbrella over her and began leading her toward the nearest shelter. Luckily, a carriage stop with a roof was nearby.

The desert was a desolate place. Endless stretches of sand, like an ocean of emptiness. It wasn’t a place for humans, and even if people did live there, they were few and far between. Compared to that, the bustling academy was...

"But Miss Regia."

Was it really?

"Even among people, loneliness can be just as

unbearable."

It didn’t matter how many people were around. What mattered was whether there was someone you could lean on. Most people couldn’t answer that question with confidence. We live surrounded by others, yet still feel an endless loneliness.

"Sometimes, being surrounded by people... can feel lonelier than the desert."

Regia didn’t deny it. Was she agreeing with him, or simply lost in thought? He couldn’t tell what lay behind her sad silence.

He didn’t like it.

Seeing the protagonist so downtrodden was heartbreaking. He wanted her to always shine brightly. After all, it was the reason he was still here, living in this world.

"So, I want to ask you something."

"...Yes?"

"As I said before... I truly want you to be my friend, Miss Regia."

"Me...?"

She blinked in confusion, still teary-eyed. Yuda gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"If you would be so kind as to let me."

He couldn’t offer her much, but—

"I’d like to help ease some of that loneliness."

Her slender shoulders trembled, her tear-choked voice thick with doubt.

"......Why?"

Regia asked.

"Why do you... why are you doing this for me?"

From their very first meeting, Yuda had been overwhelmingly kind. He had saved her from being bullied during the entrance exam, been the only one to celebrate her admission, and had stayed by her side so she wouldn’t feel bored in school. Today, he had comforted her after the awful class placement test, and now—

"Why does someone like you care about someone as insignificant as me?"

It was a sweet temptation, too sweet to resist. Despite the foreboding aura he gave off, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

"Why...?"

"Who knows?"

Yuda pressed his index finger to his lips and gave a mischievous smile.

"That’s a secret."

By now, the rain had stopped. As the storm clouds parted, sunlight peeked through. One last question remained.

"So, Miss Regia... will you let me stay by your side?"

Regia bit her lip. The sunlight caught on the tears still clinging to her lashes, making them sparkle. Slowly, she stopped crying.

Instead, she smiled brightly.

"Yes...!"

Her cheerful answer was like a breath of fresh air. It seemed she was starting to feel better. Regia’s smile suited her so well. Feeling content, Yuda rose to his feet.

"The rain has stopped. Shall we head back?"

"Yes, Lord Snaikers!"

"Haha, no need for 'Lord' anymore. We’re friends now, right?"

"Ah... well, it’s still a little hard for me..."

"What a shame."

They shared lighthearted banter as they walked along the wet path.

"You don’t need to worry about today’s test. You’ll be placed in the top class."

"Huh? But I failed the test so badly..."

"Someone has recognized your potential. I’m sure they’ll take care of it."

"That’s... such a relief... But how do you know all of this, Lord Snaikers?"

"That’s a secret too."

"......You’re so unfair."

In two days, the academy would officially begin its term. The story of *The World Seen by the Little Prince* would finally unfold. Yuda felt a thrill of anticipation. He could hardly wait to see Regia, Charlotte, Emilia, and the other characters all come together in the same classroom. As the top student, he would be in the same class as well.

‘The teacher for the top class should be someone named Kadel, right?’

With that thought in mind, he walked on. That’s how he remembered it...

And then—

"Nice to meet you all. I’m Selena Drunkard, your homeroom teacher for the top class this year."

Why the hell are YOU here? Damn it.