Chapter 1: My First Day at the Academy Approaches!

My name is Katarina Claes, eldest daughter of Duke Claes and the Claes family heir.

When I was eight years old I hit my head hard on a rock, and in doing so caused all the memories of my previous life to flood into my mind. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had been reborn into a familiar world — one of Fortune Lover, an otome game I was playing before my untimely death.

In fact I, Katarina Claes, am one of the main antagonists of the game. Katarina is supposed to be a villainous noble lady who often gets in the protagonist’s way and bullies her.

Katarina’s fate in Fortune Lover is naturally most unfortunate: She is either exiled from the kingdom, or meets a gruesome end at the hands of the protagonist’s love interest. Talk about catastrophically Bad Ends!

Of course, I definitely don’t want to die! Although the possibility of death is high even if I just get exiled from the kingdom. That’s terrible! I don’t deserve that!

Due to my early death in my previous life, I want to live a long and ripe life this time, preferably with a cat on my lap as I quietly bask in the sun! Ah, such is the elegant retirement that would be! I don’t want to be involved in these social politics of love and intrigue, much less get killed by them! I will definitely overcome all these Catastrophic Bad Ends, and live a full life!

And so, I became determined to come up with countermeasures against these unfortunate endings. Firstly, there was the matter of the one who may bring such a Catastrophic Bad End upon Katarina Claes’ head — to be precise, her fiancé Jeord, the third crown prince.

In the events of Fortune Lover, Katarina, who had been bullying the protagonist all this time, would either be exiled by him or die by his blade in retaliation for pointing her own at the protagonist.

I’ve planned some countermeasures against Jeord, of course; if I were exiled from the kingdom, I would use my magical abilities to earn a living. From what I recall, magical aptitude is rare in the surrounding kingdoms.

Should Jeord come at me with a blade, I would utilize my highly realistic projectile snake to strike fear into his heart. Jeord really hates snakes, you see. So in that moment, I would gracefully dodge his attacks.

To this end, I’ve tried my best to improve my magical capabilities, in addition to constantly refining the appearance of my highly realistic projectile snakes with the assistance of the head gardener, Grandpa Tom. I’ve also been taking my swordplay training seriously — all so that I could dodge when the circumstances called for it.

Another individual of concern is Katarina’s adopted brother, Keith Claes. He too could potentially bring a Catastrophic Bad End upon my head. Katarina, as usual, bullies the protagonist terribly, and Keith responds in kind. To be precise, he either exiles his own sister, or ends her life with his own powerful magic. To be fair, Katarina does leave a deep scar upon the protagonist in that scenario.

Of course, I had my countermeasures when it came to Keith... to ensure that he was never lonely, I kept him company, inviting him out to play day after day. In the setting of Fortune Lover Keith lives a constantly isolated and alienated life until he is healed by the protagonist’s gentle nature; of course, he then falls in love with her.

All I have to do is ensure that Keith is never lonely — that much is simple! He would never fall for the protagonist then. With those thoughts in mind, I took him with me everywhere I went within the manor, and eventually outside its walls too.

And so, I put in a lot of work in these last seven years. All this had to be done before I enrolled in the Academy of Magic!

Indeed, it has all paid off. On my fifteenth birthday, I was praised for my skill at the sword, and my highly-realistic projectile snakes were indistinguishable from the real thing. Keith, too, has been raised lovingly by my hand, and is no longer lonely or sad.

Truly a commendable effort, if I do say so myself! There is, unfortunately, just one thing that didn’t work out — namely, my magical capabilities. Although my original plan was to bury my head in magical studies and strengthen my hand at magic so that I would have a means of earning a living if I were exiled from the kingdom, reality was not quite so kind. No matter how hard I tried or how much I practiced, my magical powers did not increase — and other than “Earth Raiser,” the one spell I was capable of casting, I was seemingly unable to learn any other type of magic.

In the light of this, it seems impossible for me to earn a living with my magical capabilities — or lack thereof. I had to alter my plans due to this unfortunate development. As of now, it is my intention to till the fields as a hardworking farmer if I ever get exiled from the kingdom.

With all this in place due to my hard work over the past seven years, the countermeasures to all these Catastrophic Bad Ends are now complete, and it will soon be time to enroll in the Academy of Magic.

Slowly but surely, the white breath of winter was drawing to an end. The gardens of the Claes manor, already mostly enveloped in the warm embrace of spring, were also filled by a sizable amount of fields — my work over the past seven years, of course.

It would soon be time for me to start my boarding school life at the Academy of Magic’s dormitories, so I would have to say goodbye to these fields for quite some time. I felt a slight hint of loneliness creep into my heart as I looked out at the familiar fields.

“We will enroll into the Academy of Magic soon. Very soon indeed, fufufu. I do look forward to it,” Mary Hunt said, her usual lovable smile flitting across her beautiful features. In the setting of Fortune Lover, Mary was a rival character just like Katarina.

“Y-Yes... I suppose...” To me, setting foot into an academy where I could very well meet my doom was no laughing matter — but of course, I couldn’t say something like that to the gently smiling Mary. And then...

“I am really... looking forward to it, too...” Sophia Ascart said, smiling in a way that suggested a sincere happiness from the depths of her heart. She, too, was yet another rival character in the original setting of Fortune Lover.

“Y-Yes... Of course.” Surrounded by their eager smiles, I found myself enveloped in a blanket of silence.

To begin with, these two individuals never had any points of contact with Katarina Claes in the events of Fortune Lover. If anything, they would have disliked her for her villainous ways. However, Mary and Sophia were now my close friends, having visited me in my manor regularly for the past seven odd years.

“And what exactly is it that you’re all so enraptured by?” A familiar voice, and an equally familiar suspicious smile — the voice belonged to none other than Jeord Stuart, third crown prince of the kingdom, and my fiancé.

Originally, Jeord was relatively uninterested in Katarina and hardly had any interactions with her. But for some reason he had started visiting me at my manor for days at a time, and now was an important friend of mine as well.

“Ah, Prince Jeord. We were just talking of the anticipation we felt towards our enrollment in the academy.”

“Ah, I see. But of course, yes. It is worth looking forward to indeed,” Jeord responded, a seemingly genuine smile on his face.

Hmm. It would seem that even Jeord is looking forward to this... As for me, however, this entire academy affair wasn’t so enjoyable.

There was the issue of me recalling how things went in Fortune Lover, which made me feel depressed — after all, I would be willfully setting foot into a place where many Catastrophic Bad Ends seemed to be waiting for me! Even setting that aside, it was an academy for magical studies, so I would have to work diligently there. I really couldn’t see academy life as anything to look forward to. Why exactly was everyone so fired up about this whole thing?

“Um... why is it that all of you seem to be so eager about this whole academy thing...?” I asked my friends, unable to understand their seemingly overflowing levels of happiness.

“But of course, so that I can spend all that time together with Lady Katarina...!” Mary said. She was visibly excited, her cheeks a healthy shade of crimson.

“Yes...! Exactly! We’ll be able to spend all that time together... with Lady Katarina, once we go!” Sophia declared, her expression strangely similar to Mary’s.

Now that they mention it, I suppose they do have a point. Due to the fact that I had been preoccupied by thoughts of Fortune Lover all this time, I had all but forgotten all about the warm days that I would spend at the academy with my dear friends.

Upon realizing this, I couldn’t help but feel that sadness that had blanketed my being mere moments ago slowly lifting.

“I am sure that we will be in the same dormitory as well, Katarina. Do feel free to visit me in my room. For you, Katarina, I will prepare the most special snacks and treats,” Jeord said with a strangely charming smile.

But, yes... Ah... The most special snacks and treats! Prepared by a prince! Intriguing. Most intriguing indeed.

“Yes. I would love to—”

“But you mustn’t, Big Sister! Living spaces in the dormitories are segregated by gender! You must never do such a thing...!” Keith said, suddenly coming between Jeord and me with a flustered look about him.

Although Keith hated Katarina in the original setting of Fortune Lover and did his best to avoid her, he had long since grown attached to me — perhaps due to all those times I had dragged him around. Now, Keith was the very image of a considerate younger brother, always on the lookout for his big sister.

“Ah, Keith. You are correct to a certain degree — while it is true that living spaces are segregated by gender, visiting another individual’s room is hardly an issue as long as permission is given.”

“That is if it is given! Relatives would be one thing, but having Big Sister enter the room of a stranger? A man, at that? Surely that is all but unforgivable.”

“What is all this talk of strangers about? I am engaged to Katarina, if you recall — hardly a stranger, wouldn’t you say? What about you, Keith Claes? Are you not merely her adopted brother?”

“At the moment you are nothing more than her fiancé, Prince Jeord. Should the engagement ever be cancelled, Big Sister and you would very well be nothing but strangers.”

“Ah, but do you think I would simply cancel the engagement?”

And there they went again — Keith and Jeord having their own merry conversation, with faces full of smiles. Considering that these two hardly had any points of contact in the original game, I was surprised at how they were now the most steadfast of friends. In fact, they often left me out of their little conversations... oh, what fun they seemed to be having!

Given how well my adopted brother got along with Jeord, it would be a true tragedy if they both ended up falling for the protagonist at the academy... Ah, what a sad thought. It would really be tragic if one girl divided such a pair of friends! I hope they’ll find some other wonderful girls in their lives — just hopefully not the protagonist, of course.

“...But yes... there would be such dangers in a dormitory setting... we have to think of some sort of countermeasure as well...”

“Hmm? What is it, Mary?” I asked, noticing her murmuring. While my attention had been sidetracked by Jeord’s and Keith’s intense discussion, Mary’s features had turned considerably dark. She seemed to be thinking of very severe matters.

“Ah, it is nothing, Lady Katarina... just some things on my mind... but yes! But of course! Master Nicol, would you happen to know the general floor plan of the academy’s dormitory?”

The one Mary had called out to was Sophia’s brother, Nicol Ascart. Under normal circumstances, we should never have crossed paths at all. He was a potential romance interest who never had a single word with Katarina Claes.

Nicol, however, had ended up becoming one of my good friends as well. Due to the fact that he was a year older than the rest of us, he had already been at the academy for a year, and was visiting the Claes manor because it was currently spring break.

Mary’s sudden question hardly flustered him — Nicol simply delivered a cool, collected answer, all the while maintaining his usual stoic expression. “To a certain extent.”

“Master Nicol, I hardly mind if it is a rough image — may I trouble you to enlighten me on the matter? We have to take the necessary precautions so that the enemy doesn’t do anything untoward during our stay...!” Mary said.

“...I understand.”

“Lady Mary, Big Brother, do allow me to assist as well!”

Mary, Nicol, and Sophia called for the servants to bring them pens and paper, before setting it all down on a table set up on the side of the fields. They all then promptly sat down and engaged in some sort of serious discussion.

“Hmm...? What are Mary and the rest doing all the way over there...?” I turned to the only person left next to me — he had been left standing on the spot, much like myself.

“You’re asking me, now? I’ve got no idea at all,” Alan Stuart said, shrugging. He was Jeord’s twin, and the fourth crown prince of the kingdom.

Originally, I shouldn’t have had anything to do with Alan, but for one reason or another, he had also become one of my good friends.

As for Alan’s response... I could only say that I had expected as much. “I know, right...?” I said, gazing at Alan warmly.

Alan was always kind of pure and childish in his own way, and he could be particularly thick when it came to developments around him. In fact, he was this way in the original setting of Fortune Lover too, never noticing the feelings he had towards the protagonist. Alan the childish prince. If I can’t figure something out, there’s no way Alan could.

“What’s with those eyes of yours?” Alan said, looking surprised. Did he pick up on the fact that I was ridiculing him in secret?

“Ah, it’s nothing, Prince Alan. It’s just... you’re fifteen years of age now... Wouldn’t it be best to act a little more like an adult...?” If Alan remained childish and block-headed forever, he would never be able to capture Mary’s heart. That was why I offered him my advice.

“...Look who’s talking. I’d throw those words right back at your face.” Such was his terribly rude response. This is why people think you’re childish, Alan!

I, however, graciously responded to him. “Ah, how silly of you, Prince Alan. Whatever do you mean? I am quite the noble lady, don’t you know?”

He started mumbling something like “Eh? But no matter how I think about it you’re more...” But being the adult I am, I elegantly let it slip by. Amidst all this, Jeord and Keith’s intense conversation continued, while Mary and the Ascarts remained immersed in their serious discussion.

While I did still feel somewhat uneasy about starting life in this Catastrophic Bad End Academy, the fact that I would be able to spend time with all my friends was a relief — and the slightest hint of anticipation began to bloom in my heart.

If at all possible, I want to overcome the otome game hell that may unfurl before me, and then spend my days peacefully with my dear friends.

★★★★★★★★★

My name is Atsuko Sasaki. As of this year, I am thirteen years old. I just started at the local middle school a few days ago... and ended up in the last seat at the back of the classroom. Since then, I’ve spent my days alone, never truly settling into the new environment.

I’m surrounded by girls who came from other grade schools, and they’ve all formed new cliques and groups. I want to have a nice group of friends to spend time with too... but it seems that I’m not very good at that sort of thing. I... don’t know how to speak to them. I don’t quite know how to try to be friends with them. I don’t understand things like that.

It was the same thing in grade school — I was always troubled by it, and before I knew it, I was alone, excluded from everything and everyone. The other girls saw me as an oddity and often ignored me. Sometimes they would bully me, or even hide my things... As this went on, I eventually realized that I had become afraid of people. Before long I had started keeping to myself, never speaking to anyone around me.

And so... even though middle school is a new place and a new beginning, I can’t bring myself to speak to anyone... or even say hello. And so, I shifted my gaze from the classmates around me who all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Instead, I read books that I brought from home.

These were my favorite books — manga and light novels. Books I loved reading. If I imagined myself slipping into these stories as I read them, I could forget all about my loneliness... about how I had no one to talk to. I imagined myself as the protagonist of the stories I read. Even I, who was lonely, shy and unhappy, could become a popular girl who was well-loved by everyone in these stories.

This was why I opened my book today, and set it down on the table before me, as I always did. All to escape the cruel loneliness of reality...

And so the days went on, and a few weeks had passed since I had enrolled into middle school. After the last homeroom period of the day ended, I walked towards the library, intent on borrowing books to take home with me. This had been my daily routine for the past few weeks.

After changing out of my indoor shoes, I cleaned up the belongings in my locker and walked out into the schoolyard. I shot a sideways glance at the athletics club, whose members were currently engaged in some sort of practice.

I... did not join any clubs. Honestly, I may have made a friend or two if I had joined a club of some sort... but I didn’t have the courage to simply show up, all by myself, at someone else’s club room.

How nice it must be... what fun they seem to be having, I thought, looking at the girls doing their athletics practice, some chatting and laughing as they did so. It was then that... it happened.

“Aaaaahhhhh!!!”

I heard a strange sound from above me. It was strange... so strange, that I had to look up and see what it was. All I heard, however, was a thud — and I felt a severe impact reverberating through my body.

Soon, I felt my consciousness quickly slipping away.

“Uuuuugghh! I’m really, really sorry....!”

Someone was... crying. I could hear someone crying. Slowly, I opened my eyes... only to see the face of a young girl before me, snot and tears running trails down her face. It seemed like this... was the crying girl I had heard.

“AH! She’s awake! Teacher! She’s awake!!” The girl that I was looking at yelled before dashing away, leaving some white curtains fluttering in her wake.

I... don’t understand. Was I... asleep? Slowly, I turned my gaze towards my surroundings. A white ceiling, still-swaying white curtains... and in the middle of it was me, lying down on an equally white bed.

While I didn’t know where I was, this ceiling was familiar to me — it looked exactly like the one in my classroom. If I had to guess, I was still somewhere within the school grounds...

Eh...? But I thought I was heading to the school gates by cutting through the schoolyard... As I was still confused by my thoughts, I saw a woman dressed in white enter my field of vision.

“How do you feel? Do you feel dizzy in the head? Are there any pains in your body?” the white-robed woman inquired.

I slowly gave myself a once-over. It didn’t really hurt very much anywhere, and my head felt... fine. “I... I think I’m okay...”

Upon hearing my answer, the woman in white smiled. It was a calming smile. “I see. That’s great news. However, I still feel like it would be best for you to get checked up at a hospital in the event of any complications... I contacted your relatives a few moments ago.”

“...Eh? Hospital? Check-up...?” I couldn’t figure out what was happening around me. I stared at the woman in a daze. The woman seemed equally troubled, judging by the changes in her expression.

“Yes... I suppose this is all very sudden for you. This is the infirmary — you were brought here after you lost consciousness.”

“I... lost? Consciousness?”

Is this the infirmary? This is the first time I’ve actually been inside... that’s why I didn’t know where I was. Then... that woman in white is probably the school nurse.

Even so... why am I here? I don’t have any illnesses, and I don’t recall feeling bad today... Then why did I pass out...? The ever-increasing train of questions started to cloud my mind.

As if noticing this, the school nurse smiled at me, although her smile was strained. “Your memory loss has little to do with any physical illnesses. After all, the reason for you being here in the first place is right there.”

Saying so, the nurse pointed casually at the girl from before, who was now standing by her side. Tears and snot streaked her face, just like they had before.

“I’m sorry...” the girl said, bowing deeply in my direction. “I couldn’t resist, you see, the charm of that tree in the schoolyard... I was climbing well at first, then I got ahead of myself and one of my feet slipped... and that’s why I fell on top of you. I’m... really sorry...”

Come to think of it, there was a strange sound... a voice, perhaps? It came from above me, right before the impact... I see. So that impact... was this girl falling down on me.

Even so... maybe grade schoolers climbed trees... but a middle schooler climbing trees? And one in the schoolyard, too...? I didn’t understand what the girl was talking about — especially the part where she mentioned “the charm of that tree.”

I took a closer look at the girl — she was still hanging her head as she continued to apologize profusely. She was wearing our school’s uniform. Her skirt, however, was caked with dirt and wrinkled. She had most likely dirtied her skirt when she fell from the tree... but wouldn’t that mean that she was climbing a tree in her skirt? A tree in the schoolyard...? It would seem that the girl before me was somewhat... strange.

“Um... it’s all right, really...” I couldn’t mentally process this girl repeatedly apologizing and bowing to me... It was all a little too much.

“...But!!” The girl seemed troubled.

Maybe I should repeat myself once more. “It... really is okay. Please don’t worry about it.”

This was the very same girl who had landed on top of me, falling from above without warning. Honestly speaking, perhaps it would make more sense for me to be unhappy with her... but yet here she was, apologizing rapidly before me. She seemed remorseful.

For some reason, I felt like I couldn’t dislike this girl — she had a strange aura about her, with her flustered face and furrowed brows.

“It was an accident... please, it’s all right. More importantly... are you injured? After such a fall...?”

At those words, the girl smiled widely. “I’m fine! Thank you, Sasaki-san. You’re a kind person.” The girl, who had been crying up until now, was now grinning.

But... “...Why do you know my name?” Yes. Why does this girl know my name? Did she look at the name tags on my belongings, maybe?

“What do you mean? Of course I know your name. Aren’t you in my class?”

“?!” I stared intently at the girl’s surprised expression. Come to think of it... it really does seem like I’ve seen her somewhere before.

Oh, yes... we’re classmates. I had been reading books on my own for all these past weeks since starting middle school — I hardly knew my classmate’s faces, let alone their names.

“I... don’t really know. The faces or names of those in our class... sorry.” I felt apologetic. This girl recognized me, and even knew my name. I, however... didn’t know who she was at all. What would I do if she got upset at me? Am I being rude?

As if sensing my unease, the girl smiled gently in response. “Is that so? Well then, I guess I should introduce myself again! I’m a first year, in class three. My name is——.”

The girl introduced herself, and then stuck out her hand. Before I knew it, I was shaking her hand. The girl beamed widely at this.

“I hope we can be friends!” The girl had a firm grip. Her hands were... warm.

From that day on, my lonely life took a sharp, unexpected turn.

It was as she said — we did end up being friendly with each other from that point on. The very next day, this strange tree-climbing girl approached me, and before I even realized it, she had become my very first friend.

And then...

“Acchan! Help me!” She would say, in a somewhat pathetic voice, as she hugged me from behind.

“...What is it now?” I responded as calmly as I could.

“So there was that English assignment today... and I was supposed to do it, but I forgot all about it... I forgot the last one too! And then I got a warning... ‘If you forget to do your work again, I’ll have you sweeping the halls next!’ That’s what the teacher said!”

I stared at the face of my friend, who seemed close to tears, and sighed in exasperation. “You forget very... often.” Even so, I reached into my bag and pulled out notes on my English classes. As soon as I handed it to her, a familiar smile returned to her face. “Make sure you return it before English class...”

“Ohhh! Acchan-sama! Thank you so very very much!” And with that, she was off, dashing back to her table and writing in her notebook as fast as she could.

“Seems like you’ve gotten used to taking care of that wild monkey, Sasaki-san,” said a classmate of mine upon observing our previous interaction.

“...Wild monkey?”

“Yes, wild monkey. It’s her nickname from her grade school days. I was in the same grade school as she was, you see?” the girl said, her smile bearing a hint of exasperation. “She would climb the trees in the schoolyard at break time — she climbed trees a lot, even those at the nearby hill! In fact, her rampant climbing was responsible for rumors of a gigantic monkey living in those hills, way back then...”

“That’s... something else.”

What the girl said made sense — if my newfound friend behaved like that in grade school, climbing trees in a skirt in middle school would hardly be an issue for her.

“She would also forget her homework and notes, just like that! The teachers always got mad at her, but the very next day she’d forget all about it... and also forget to do her homework again!”

“That’s... really impressive...”

It was as my classmate said. Although my friend seemed repentant right after being reprimanded by a teacher for forgetting something, she would immediately recover the very next day. She seemed to be a carefree person — able to forget all her troubles no matter how angry anyone got at her. Her ability to forget was indeed an enviable ability...

However, even if my friend herself didn’t mind, those habits caused a lot of trouble for others. “I guess the people around her have their hands full...” I said. The classmate who was speaking to me, however, suddenly adopted a more serious expression upon hearing those words.

“That’s true. But you know... being with her is fun, isn’t it?” she said, before starting to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Before long, I was laughing too.

After that, I enjoyed hearing many tales of my friend’s strange and wondrous escapades.

And so, before I knew it, I made many other friends — friends of the wild monkey herself, and even other classmates. The wild monkey, who had been swinging around in the hills all this time, was eventually influenced by my interests and hobbies. She became interested in manga and anime too.

Perhaps it was because of this that the wild monkey stopped visiting the hills so often. In response, her parents thanked me — although the conversation was all a little awkward. “Thank you for returning the monkey to a more human state,” they said, sounding oddly grateful.

Now, with a newfound friend who shared my interests, I found myself even more immersed in my hobby. Eventually, both of us became full-blown otaku, and the so-called wild monkey had become my closest friend.

Time passed, and our otaku friendship bloomed. Before long it was the third year of middle school, and we had started talking about attending a nearby high school together.

“Acchan... I c-can’t... can’t go on. I leave the rest... to you...” With that, my best friend slammed her textbook shut, before dramatically planting her forehead down onto the stack of notes I had printed.

“Wh-What are you even saying...? It hasn’t even been ten minutes since we started! If you keep this up, you’ll drop out of the school system for an entire year!”

“...Nghh... b-but... reading these endless lines in this thick reference book only makes me sleepy... there’s no avoiding it. There has to be some sort of curse in this terrible reference book...”

Saying so, my friend sighed deeply. And with that, the high school entrance exam study session ended, all in less than ten minutes. Although she was physically capable and did well in sports, she was apparently hopeless in her studies. It wasn’t like she was bad at studying — she simply had no interest in it, and was the sort of person who didn’t care about matters that bored her.

While I simply highlighted sections for her to study in school tests and the like, high school entrance exams were not quite as forgiving. What should I do...? At this rate, there’s no way we’ll end up in the same high school together. She may even be held back a grade and have to study at a private tutoring center for a year. Is there some way for me to encourage this silly girl...?

“All right! When this test ends, I’ll let you play all the otome games I’ve been collecting up until this point! All of them!”

“O... Otome game? What are those?”

“Otome games” were my new favorite form of entertainment. In fact, I had been purchasing many such games with the New Year’s money I’d saved up. Originally, I had intended to recommend these games to her in hopes that we would be able to discuss them in our free time.

However... In the light of my close friend’s feckless attitude, her parents claimed that she would become even more lazy and carefree if she were given any money to use. So she only got the bare minimum in terms of allowance, and even her New Year’s money was forcibly transferred into her bank account.

She was unable to buy any expensive items on her own, so naturally, she wouldn’t have any otome games or the game consoles needed to play them. On the other hand, I was hardly well-off enough to buy two consoles, and hence could not gift my friend with one. I could only feel sad for her as she stared on, envious of my games.

“...But... Acchan. You know I don’t have any game consoles...” she said, visibly deflated and discouraged.

But I smiled as encouragingly as I could at my friend. “I... I’ll lend you mine! If you pass this test, I’ll let you borrow them for a while! Then you can play!”

“...Oh... Acchan-sama...!!” she said, her eyes sparkling as she abruptly stood up, staring straight into my eyes “Thank you Acchan! I will definitely pass this high school entrance exam! For the otome games!!” she declared passionately.

And so, she and I both passed our exams — although her motivations were somewhat questionable. We both worked hard, and ended up in the same high school.

There was yet another piece of good news at the end of all this — to reward her unprecedented efforts at her studies, my friend’s parents bought her a console in celebration, and for quite a while, we were both happily lost in the world of otome games.

Upon enrolling into high school, the number of otaku friends I had drastically increased. To buy our favorite games, she and I started working part time jobs. Some things didn’t change, though — I would still cover for her when she forgot her assignments, and those peaceful days uneventfully passed us by.

The loneliness that I felt during grade school, my isolation and inability to speak to people suddenly all seemed like a lie, a bad dream. Although she was quite the troublemaker, I was content with spending my peaceful days with her — I simply could not resent her, despite all her antics.

Back then, I believed that these days would go on forever, just like they always had.

It was a coincidence that day that I had left my phone at home. During our second year at high school, my friend and I had ended up in different classes — that was why I didn’t know of her absence.

Come to think of it... she’s not here to play today, huh... That was all I thought of it at the time.

And then. Just like that, I received a notification after school. That I would never see her again.

Those peaceful days that seemed to go on endlessly suddenly ended — right there and then.

The funeral... the wake. I was there, but I didn’t shed a single tear.

I couldn’t believe that I would never see my friend again for as long as I lived. That I would never see her again... ever.

This is the wild monkey we were talking about! She’ll come back somehow, she’ll get out of it somehow, like she always has... right? Maybe she’ll just...

After the funeral passed, the days went on as if nothing had ever happened. However, no matter how long I waited, my best friend never showed up again.

A few days later, I realized that I had an unread message on my phone — I had forgotten all about it before. I was informed of the wake via mutual friends, and so I had hardly paid attention to my phone all this time.

When was it sent? I opened the message — and right there, on the screen, was the name of my best friend. I looked at the timestamp. It was the day of the accident — in the early hours of the morning.

“Acchan! I can’t clear the route of the black-hearted sadist prince!!” The words were accompanied by her usual emoji — a troubled face. If I had to guess, she was referring to a scenario in one of the otome games we played.

Her last message was... this. Up until her final moments... she really was... just like she’d always been.

I laughed in spite of myself. It was funny... and so I laughed. I laughed, and laughed, and laughed... until tears started flowing down my cheeks.

Before I knew it, more and more tears flowed down my face... they wouldn’t stop. It was like my eyes were melting from the sorrow — the tears only kept flowing.

Although she was gone from this world, I was no longer alone... because she had opened the door to a new world for me.

I held my smartphone tight to my chest. On its screen was the last message she had sent me. That girl... that silly girl. She’ll never come back, ever again.

The days that I would live in from now on... would be days without her. I’ll live. I’ll live on... in this new world that she so kindly gifted me with.

So... if life is like... the stories I read. Yes, like those stories I read... if one day, my life were to end, and if I were to be reincarnated...

Then... please. I’d like to be with that girl... to be her friend. Just one more time.

And live those peaceful days, together with her... Just one more time.

★★★★★★★★★

“...Lady Sophia? Lady Sophia...”

Someone was calling out to me. Slowly, I opened my eyes — it was one of my family’s maidservants, staring into my face with an expression of worry. She was the voice... calling out to me.

“...Yes? What is it?” I asked, still feeling a bit out of sorts.

“...Well, you seemed to be calling out in your sleep... are you quite all right, my lady?”

“...calling out? In my... sleep?” It was only after my confused response to the maidservant that I noticed — my cheeks were wet.

Ah... was I crying? It somehow feels like... I know the reason why. “...I had... a very sad dream. I suppose that was why I... was speaking in my sleep.”

“A dream, Lady Sophia?”

“Yes... it was a really, really sad dream... but I seem to have forgotten all about it... upon waking up.”

Yes. Although I couldn’t remember the details, the sadness in my heart was unmistakable. It was a most... sorrowful dream.

“It was probably... me remembering. Remembering the past...”

“...I see. The past...” The maidservant’s expression seemed to freeze up in response to my mumbling. Her response, too, was unnaturally vague.

Up until only a few years ago, I was seen as strange... perhaps even abnormal. I was gossiped about and discriminated against, and in response, shut myself up in my room. The maidservant probably assumed I was thinking of that.

“...Um. It was not about me being a shut-in... the dream, I mean. It was... further in the past. A dream from a long, long time ago...”

The maidservant’s expression changed into one of puzzlement. But I suppose that would be natural... I was still merely a child. How could I have memories from a time long gone...?

Honestly, even I couldn’t remember... all I knew was how sad it was. A sad, sorrowful dream I couldn’t remember...

But yet, it felt like I knew, somehow... that it happened a long time ago. Yes, a long, long time ago... Although I couldn’t remember the details of my dream, I felt a profound sense of sorrow and pain gnawing away at my heart.

As if sensing my depression, my maidservant attempted to cheer me up, speaking in a more upbeat tone than she had before.

“Lady Sophia, you’re due to visit the Claes manor today!”

Upon hearing those words, the sadness in my chest loosened its grip upon me — if only just a little.

That’s right. I’m going to visit Katarina today. I selected some great books to recommend to her. I wonder if she’ll like them? I could feel the rest of my sorrow slowly fading away as I continued thinking of Katarina.

I soon dressed up and had my breakfast, performing all the necessary preparations. I then headed over to the Claes manor as usual, with my brother Nicol in tow.

Upon reaching the Claes manor, I saw Katarina in the gardens — as she usually was. She was with her her adopted brother, Keith.

“Keith! This is definitely an edible mushroom, I can tell!”

“No, Big Sister. We don’t have detailed knowledge of mushrooms that sprout from these trees. These mystery mushrooms are definitely not edible...”

“No, no! What are you talking about? They’re definitely edible. After all, they smell just like shiitake mushrooms do! This is definitely some variant of shiitake. I just know it!”

“Wh-What is this ‘shiitake’... Big Sister? In any case, please put that mystery mushroom down. You must absolutely not eat it! It could cause a terrible stomachache!”

“Ah, no no. You see Keith, you don’t know that until you’ve actually eaten it! Ah... Sophia!”

It would seem that Katarina and Keith were engaged in an enthusiastic conversation. There was a large smile on Katarina’s face as she turned to face me.

I could feel the last vestiges of sadness peel away from my aching heart. It was really fortunate that I attended that royal tea party, all those years ago... and that I met with Katarina Claes on that very day.

“Lady Katarina... I-I’ve brought some new recommendations with me... they are most interesting books...”

“REALLY?! Thank you so much, Sophia!” Katarina was jumping for joy as I held out the books I had been carrying.

The days I spent with Katarina are full of vibrant joy. I feel really fortunate to have made friends with her.

Before I knew it... there were no longer any traces of the sadness that I had felt just moments ago. It was all gone... just like that.