Chapter 2: I’ve Arrived at the Academy of Magic!

As spring came to pass, I found myself finally attending classes at the Academy of Magic. As its name would suggest, the Academy of Magic was an institution where those with magical aptitude study to improve their skills.

Those who possessed such capabilities were required to attend classes at the academy once they turned fifteen years old. For two years, students from all walks of life would take classes there while living in the academy’s dormitories.

The academy was funded and run by the kingdom itself, and the dormitories were considered top-class. It was quite the large campus — with the school building itself, dormitories for both students and teachers, magical research facilities, and the like.

There was a good reason the powers that be constructed such a lavish campus. Those with magical abilities, and in turn, their magic spells, were huge assets to the kingdom. After all, there were few people with magical aptitude in the surrounding lands. There were some here and there, but they were more the exception than the norm.

Our kingdom, on the other hand, was almost abnormal when it came to how many of our citizens had the innate potential for magic. The magical powers of these individuals, in turn, were used for the kingdom’s expansion and progress.

This academy was the crystallization of the fortunes amassed by the kingdom’s magically capable population, so that the next generation would be guided well on the use of their talents. The kingdom, too, would stand to benefit from the discovery of magical talent. These factors were what ultimately led to the creation of the Academy of Magic.

At this academy, those with great magical power commanded much respect. In fact, the amount of influence they wielded was said to be second only to the king himself. These individuals were promised seats in the Magical Ministry — a powerful organization of mages.

And so, fifteen year old boys and girls from all over the kingdom would enroll in the academy this year. However, most of them were nobles; in fact, most of them came from families standing on the top of aristocratic society.

Perhaps this was the reason for a unique social norm: that the presence or absence of magical aptitude in a person usually determined their social standing. Some were even adopted as foster children by nobles on higher rungs of society simply because they possessed great magical power. Come to think of it, there were many nobles who found their status elevated after it was discovered that they possessed exceptional magical talent at the academy.

But of course, not all who were born with magical aptitude were nobles. While it was rare, this power would occasionally surface amongst the common folk. In such a case, even if the prospective student were of common birth, they would be allowed to enroll into the academy as long as they had latent magical powers.

From what I’d heard, the last time a student of common birth stepped through the academy’s gates was around a decade ago. This streak would end, however, with my incoming class. For the first time in ten-odd years, a commoner had been enrolled into the academy.

Maria Campbell. Although she was born a commoner, the nature of her magical powers was rare — she wielded Light Magic. Amongst the five magical elements, Light was the strongest in terms of power, and it was rare to find someone capable of wielding it. In fact, there were a mere handful of them in the kingdom, from what I’d been told.

Although she was of common birth, Maria was one of the few who were capable of “wielding the Light.” As expected, countless pairs of eyes were trained upon her in the academy’s intake ceremony. I, too, eventually ended up looking straight at her, following the gazes of those around me.

With her flowing, blonde hair and crystal-clear azure eyes, she was quite the pretty young lady. In fact, it was easy to fall for her beauty if one stared at her for just a little bit too long. A commoner, and yet a wielder of the Light. Maria Campbell was, without doubt, the most special girl in this academy — no, perhaps the entire kingdom.

Before my eyes was none other than the protagonist character of Fortune Lover. With the protagonist’s debut, the game would now finally begin. It would take one whole year from this point in time for the game to end. Hence begins the Grand Strategy of Katarina Claes — The War Against Catastrophic Bad Ends.

“Mere Catastrophic Bad Ends will never get the better of me...!” I said, breathing in deeply as I clenched my fists, preparing myself for the storm that was to come.

The academy’s dormitories were made up of quite a few buildings, each one meant for a certain rank of nobility. There was one for royalty, another for those born to dukes, marquesses, counts, viscounts, barons... and so on. Students of royal upbringing and those from families of dukes were considerably rare, and some school years had no students of that nature at all. This year, however, they showed up in force. I heard that students from lesser noble families were forced to take dormitory rooms one step lower than usual due to the lack of space.

Luckily my friends and I were, for the most part, somewhat higher on the nobility scale, and we had all ended up in the same dormitory building. There were gender-segregated areas in the dormitories — one wing for the boys, another for the girls. But there were shared areas too, such as the cafeteria or the student lounge, where students could mingle with their peers. And as long as the students in question had given their permission, it was possible for a student to visit a classmate of the opposite gender in their quarters.

Lastly, we were allowed to roam freely on the grounds of the academy as long as we returned to the dormitories by nightfall. Even so, this was hardly enforced unless we were out and about very late at night.

The reason for this was simple — the academy was a walled community of sorts, closely guarded and patrolled by security forces to ensure its students’ safety. As a result, I didn’t feel trapped by my new environment; in fact, I felt like I had a new sense of freedom. I could meet my friends any time I wanted, just like how things had been back at the manor.

A few days had passed since the inauguration ceremony, and today, Jeord had invited me to his room after dinner. “Ah, Katarina. I have procured some snacks and candies most rare and exquisite. Do visit me in my room after our meal,” he said.

However, Keith had gotten wind of this somehow, and showed up when I was preparing to leave, insisting that he come along as well on my little snack visit. There was a hint of desperation in the way he spoke. Maybe Keith can’t resist the allure of rare and exquisite snacks and candies either. I should make sure to ask him to come along next time.

So Keith and I made our way over to Jeord’s quarters, and as promised, rows of delicious-looking goodies were arranged on a table. The sheer variety of it was astounding — there were simply so many kinds of snacks! I wonder where I should start...

As I continued to moon over the food, I spotted Jeord and Keith from the corner of my eye, seemingly engaged in conversation.

“I had only extended an invitation to Katarina, if I do recall. Why are you here with her, Keith Claes?”

“Ah, Prince Jeord. I had informed Big Sister’s servants to inform me should any... developments, come to pass. You see, my sister does not quite have a good sense of danger, no matter how much I warn her. To think that something would happen so early into the school term... It was wise to have depended upon her maidservants.”

Oh! What rare candies! I’ve never even seen some of these before. They look so delicious! I want to bite into them now! Jeord and Keith, however, were up to their usual happy little talks, and still hadn’t taken their seats. Ugh! Quickly! When can I sink my teeth into them?!

“Would that not be overstepping your boundaries, Keith Claes? After all, you are but an adopted brother...”

“Prince Jeord! Prince Jeord! Can I... Can I eat this? Now?” Unable to hold myself back any longer, I interrupted their conversation.

“Ah, but of course. I prepared it all for you, after all. Eat as much as you like, Katarina,” Jeord said with a somewhat twitchy smile on his face. I gratefully accepted his offer, and promptly planted myself in the closest chair.

Keith, too, seemed to have a similarly twitchy smile. I suppose they’re thinking about how I only have food and eating on my mind! But... how can they blame me?! Look at all these delicious, scrumptious snacks laid out before me! No one in their right mind would be able to resist.

And so the three of us, finally, started having our snacks and after-dinner tea.

“Come to think of it, I just met that girl — the one with the Light Magic, prior to this little tea-party of ours,” Jeord said, suddenly changing the subject.

At that very moment, my cheeks had been stuffed full of snacks, and I was just about to wash it down with a hearty cup of tea... when Jeord said what he did. Reflexively, all the tea I had just drank immediately tried to come spurting back out. Fortunately, I was quick enough to seal my lips shut, and so averted a disaster. I was this close to coloring Prince Jeord and his tablecloth a nice shade of tea-brown.

That was close... Relieved, I sank into my seat.

However Keith, who was seated next to me, seemed to express interest in Jeord’s statement. “Ah, yes. Would she be the commoner who’s the center of attention right now?”

“Yes indeed. I encountered her by chance during a stroll of the grounds earlier today...”

A stroll? A stroll of the grounds and... ah!! An event! Jeord has encountered the protagonist!

In the original setting of Fortune Lover, the protagonist character, curious of her new surroundings, attempts to take a walk around the academy grounds. However, the academy is bigger than she’d thought, and she gets lost. To get herself out of her newfound predicament, the protagonist then climbs a tree while dressed in a skirt, claiming that, “If I climb up this tree, maybe I can find out where exactly I am...”

It is then that Jeord, the fairytale, blonde-haired and blue-eyed prince, appears. The protagonist then blushes, having been seen by the prince in such an embarrassing state. The prince would then become interested in this silly, tree-climbing tomboy of a protagonist — and in doing so, end up escorting her back to her dormitory.

...And here he was, telling me of the sequence of events, just like it had been in the game. I could only continue listening to Jeord in despair. This was exactly how it turned out in the Fortune Lover scenario... After this meeting, Jeord would start getting interested in the protagonist, and very soon, he would fall for her.

“Oh? So there are other women who would climb trees, other than Big Sister?”

“Yes... it was a first for me, as well. I have long since gotten used to Katarina’s antics, and hardly see it as anything strange... But the girl herself seemed embarrassed at having been witnessed in such a state.”

“...I agree, Prince Jeord. Under normal circumstances, any lady would be shocked if she were to be seen climbing a tree in a skirt... Most ladies would not simply say, ‘Oh, don’t worry about it! I’m a professional when it comes to tree-climbing!’ And especially not in that confident tone...”

“Well, I do say that Katarina is the exception, as opposed to the norm. Ah, but that is yet another one of Katarina’s charms... Hmm? Are you listening, Katarina?”

Ugh... Katarina Claes, Jeord’s fiancée of convenience to stave off other suitors... Once Jeord falls in love with the protagonist, he will see her as an obstruction... a hindrance...!

“Are you listening to me, Katarina? Ah... I suppose we have lost her, Keith. She does not appear to be taking in anything we are saying. She really does have a knack for spacing out, does she not?”

“...That is unfortunately the case, Prince Jeord.”

Ah... this is bad, this is terribly bad! It’s only been a few days since the start of this school term, and Jeord is already being charmed by the protagonist’s wiles! Isn’t she a little too charming? I can feel the Catastrophic Bad Ends creeping up behind me!

The more I thought about it, the more disturbed I became, sinking into my own world. Amidst all the panic, I forgot to check one very important thing — the progression of Jeord and the protagonist’s relationship...!

“Ah, now is a good time, Big Sister. We should return to our quarters,” Keith said as I continued to mumble, lost in my thoughts. It seemed like the two of them found my confused state amusing. “Big Sister... We are no longer back home at the manor. You really should not be picking up strange things and assuming that they are edible...”

“It is as he says, Katarina. You are already fifteen years of age. You should really stop picking up strange things off the ground, let alone consuming them on a regular basis.”

It appeared that both Keith and Jeord had gone with the assumption that I had eaten yet another unidentified mushroom or something, and so ended up feeling unwell. To their credit, such incidents had happened multiple times before...

I did have one issue with the way they described my activities, however... I never “pick up strange things off the ground!” I only “pick” fruits off trees and plants! That doesn’t count as “picking up and eating strange things!”

Also, in the dozen or so times that I had done anything like that, only two incidents had resulted in terribly disabling stomachaches... Keith and Jeord, however, seemed to have very rigid ideas about my dietary habits. Unable to clear up the misunderstanding, I sulked all the way back to my room.

“Actually, Big Sister, I too have met with that very same girl that Prince Jeord was talking about.” It had been only a few days since the shocking revelation from Jeord, and now even my brother Keith had such an experience to report.

Keith, who had come to meet me so we could go for classes together after breakfast, informed me of this development somewhat casually. Thankfully, there was no longer a risk of me launching projectile tea halfway across the room, and for that I was grateful. Even so...

“...WhaaaAAa?!” That was all I managed to muster — a strange half-shout of a sound.

“...Big Sister. What is wrong?” Keith said, approaching me with a somewhat shaken expression in response to my strange vocalization.

“Y-You... h-haven’t been picking up girls, have you?!”

In Fortune Lover, Keith and the protagonist’s encounter was triggered by a pick-up line from Keith himself. Because he was a terrible playboy in the original setting, he always had a smooth line for any woman he came across. Truly a dangerous man.

In the original scenario, he meets the rumored Light-wielding girl by chance, and out of sheer curiosity and interest, tries his hand at charming her as well.

“...Hmm? What is this... ‘picking up’ of girls, Big Sister...?”

“...Ah? You don’t know what picking up means? Um... How do I put it... Hmm. Ah... how about this? The seduction of girls with charms and wiles, prompting them to engage in morally depraved activities...”

“M-Morally d-de-depraved?! How... why would I do anything like that, Big Sister?!” Keith shouted, his face flushed red.

Hmm. I suppose Keith as he is now would never think of doing anything like that. While he was indeed a deplorable playboy in the original script of the game, Keith had long since become a different individual altogether, thanks to my extensive education and upbringing. Keith as he was now was a most gracious gentleman.... although he also unknowingly stole the heart of every woman around him.

I had to find out more. Approaching Keith, who was still shaking his head rapidly with his face flushed, I presented him with another question: “All right, then what happened?”

“She was walking ahead of me, Big Sister, and then she dropped her h-handkerchief... and I picked it up for her... that’s all...”

“...Handkerchief...” That’s right!

In Fortune Lover, Keith fails in his first attempt to seduce the protagonist, who turns him down. That, however, only makes him more interested in her — a woman who would refuse his advances.

After her refusal, she would turn and leave, only to accidentally drop her handkerchief as she walks away. Keith would then approach the protagonist again a few days later, once again attempting to charm her with his wiles. If memory served, he says... “Here, this is yours, right? If you want it back, come have some fun with me...”

“...So. What happened to that handkerchief...?” Fearfully, I posed my next question.

“...What do you mean, Big Sister? I just gave it back to her after she had dropped it...”

“I... see...” It would seem that Keith didn’t hold onto that handkerchief... which means that he had no intentions of approaching her with it later. But I had learned my lesson ever since the failure I had experienced during the Jeord Tea Time Incident. I had to be sure of this.

“...Well. So you met that Light-wielding girl, right...? How did you feel about her, Keith...?”

“How did I feel...? She was just a pleasant girl, Big Sister. She thanked me formally for returning her handkerchief to her...” Keith responded, seemingly confused by my incessant questions.

Argh! That isn’t it, Keith! That’s not what I am asking about at all!

You leave me no choice, little brother! A direct approach is needed!

“Urgh! That’s not what I wanted to know! Keith. How did you feel about meeting Maria? Did you hopelessly fall in love with her at first sight?! At the sight of Maria’s incredible beauty?!” I demanded, placing both my hands on Keith’s shoulders as I did so, holding him in place with a death grip. It was perhaps worth noting that Keith was a lot taller than me. At my words, his eyes opened tremendously wide.

“...?! F-Fall in l-love?? Whatever do you mean, Big Sister...?”

Ah, that’s the first time I’ve seen that in a while. I hadn’t seen Keith this surprised since he was first adopted into the Claes household. I’m right on the mark... there’s no mistaking it! Keith already has budding feelings for Maria Campbell, wielder of Light!

“I see. I see... so you already have feelings for Miss Campbell, yes?”

“Eh...? Big Sister...? I... I don’t... what are you talking about...?”

I further tightened my grip on Keith’s shoulders. “No. No... it is fine. You don’t have to hide it, Keith. Aren’t we adoptive brother and sister?! Siblings!! So... I’d just like to say one thing, Keith... that your Big Sister would never try to come between you and your love!”

In the original events of Fortune Lover, Katarina cannot accept the fact that Keith, who was adopted by a duke, would dare develop a relationship with the commoner Maria. As a result, she repeatedly and drastically gets in the way of their relationship. In the end, her behavior would cause Keith to... erase her. But of course, as I was now, I had no intention of getting between them at all!

“I for one support you, Keith! I approve of the budding love between you and Miss Campbell! Big Sister will always be on your side! She will never get in the way of your romance!” I declared profusely, all the while staring straight into Keith’s eyes.

For some reason, however, all traces of emotion faded from Keith’s face. Is it me, or does Keith look a lot worse off than he did earlier? “...Keith?”

Then, Anne’s voice rang out from behind me, shaking me out of my tirade. “Young Miss, please... if you say any more than that... I think Master Keith is at his limit...”

At his limit...? Ah! I see! It was only then that I realized I had been shaking Keith back and forth this entire time as I spoke, all the while trapping him in my death grip. As we had just had our breakfast a few minutes ago, he was probably feeling nauseous from being shaken so hard! Even if it was unintentional, you have done a terrible thing, Katarina Claes.

“Oh! I am so sorry, Keith! I shouldn’t have shaken you so hard immediately after your breakfast! Should I help you to the infirmary if you’re feeling sick? You shouldn’t attend classes in your current state!” I said, apologizing for my blunder.

Keith, still looking terribly out of sorts, reassured me that he was fine.

“But... you don’t look very good, Keith!”

“No, Big Sister... it is not that I am unwell... I am physically all right, but... it is more of a mental... mental problem... yes...” For some reason, Keith started muttering things I couldn’t quite make sense of, but firmly declined going to the infirmary, assuring me that he was not ill.

Unable to convince him, we instead met up with our usual group of friends before heading off to the academy’s school building. But Keith didn’t seem to recover on our way there. Ohh, I’ve gotten ahead of myself again, and ended up shaking my brother with such force, just after he had a full breakfast! I had truly done quite the terrible thing.

Lessons in the Academy of Magic followed a certain format — half of our classes were lectures, and the other half were practical application. The lectures featured familiar topics; history and other subjects taught by my previous academic tutors were on the list, as well as magical theory and general studies on spells. The practical side of the curriculum, however, involved us actually training in the ways of magecraft by casting real spells.

As far as schedules went, lectures typically happened during the morning, and practical sessions in the afternoon. In between was our break time. While there were dedicated classrooms for first-year students, there was no seating chart, and students were free to seat themselves as they pleased.

I, of course, was flanked by Mary and Sophia. Jeord, Keith, and Alan were seated in a row behind us. Although Keith had been seated in his usual spot for the whole morning, he didn’t seem to be able to concentrate at all. He was probably still nauseous from my shaking... But of course, I usually fell asleep during lecture times, so I didn’t really know if Keith focused much during these lessons.

With our lectures of the day over, it was time for lunch break — and almost as if on cue, Keith now seemed to be back to his usual self.

“All this started with me underestimating the enemy... her relative thickness and penchant for misunderstandings... all I have to do is simply... must press on... the attack from now on...” he murmured, holding my hands tight as his beautiful face came almost uncomfortably close to mine. What is he on about? In any case, he seemed a lot better now, so that was a good thing indeed.

Even so... to think that Keith, who’s already popular amongst the opposite sex, would go around holding girls’ hands and staring into their faces like this... what a terrifying child. I was the exception, of course, being his adoptive sister and all. If he goes on like this, even the purest of girls will be unable to resist him! They’ll all fly into a frenzy!

Although I can’t say much about his behavior today due to the fact that I caused him to become ill in the first place... Keith cannot go on doing these things so casually! As his big sister, I have to be constantly on the lookout!

All things considered and said, however... the charm of the protagonist, Maria, was undeniably strong. To think that she would be able to stoke the interest of Jeord and even charm Keith in a matter of days... She really was impressive — above all expectations, yes.

Since it had come to this, I feel that a fresh revision of my strategies was in order... And so it came to be that we had yet another strategy meeting in our dormitory room that night.

As such, we now officially commence yet another Catastrophic Bad End Avoidance Strategy Meeting. The agenda this time would be “On the impressive charm of the protagonist, Miss Maria Campbell,” if I may humbly suggest.

Meeting chairwoman: Katarina Claes.

Meeting representative: Katarina Claes.

Meeting secretary: Katarina Claes.

“Well then everyone, please let me hear your thoughts.”

“If I may.”

“Yes, of course. Go on, Miss Katarina Claes.”

“As it was stated in the agenda... the protagonist, Miss Maria Campbell’s charm is way too strong! It defies our wildest imagination! It seems that she has already piqued Jeord’s interest, and charmed poor Keith!”

“That would appear to be the case, yes. As expected of the protagonist...”

“However... would it not be fair to say that Jeord has yet to fall under her charms?”

“No, think about it! That Jeord, who hardly shows interest in anything, was interested in this girl’s behavior! It is only a matter of time before he’s charmed too!”

“Is that really the case? Perhaps the Jeord in the original Fortune Lover setting would feel that way. Jeord as he is now, however, often gives me advice about my fields and crops, and also brings me various types of candies and snacks... although he still does get bored with certain things.”

“Hmm.... I suppose you could be right. However, isn’t it a first for Jeord to be specifically interested in a certain person? Jeord is always all about Katarina! Have you even heard him say anything about anyone else in our presence?”

“That’s right! Maria is the first girl that Jeord has so openly displayed an interest in... perhaps it’s only a matter of time before he falls for her, too...”

“As expected... Maria’s capabilities are truly impressive.”

“At this rate, even Alan and Nicol will soon fall prey to her charms and wiles.”

“I’m afraid so...”

“Hmm. Is that really how it looks to you?”

“Eh?! Whatever do you mean?”

“While it’s true that Maria is academically and magically skilled in the setting of Fortune Lover, and is also incredibly beautiful... if those are the only factors, however, Mary and Sophia will both give her a run for her money!”

“?!”

“Both Alan and Nicol’s rival characters are similarly skilled in academics and magic, in addition to being extremely beautiful girls! Even Maria couldn’t easily gain an advantage over them!”

“Oh, I see! Given Mary and Sophia’s strengths, there’s no way they would lose the race so quickly!”

“Yes, those two would never fail so easily! If anyone were to fail in their love endeavors, it would be Katarina Claes, who is bad at both her studies and magic!”

“Exactly. The only one who would lose out when it came to love is Katarina... and that would be a good thing.”

“A good thing indeed.”

“...Hold on. Wait... wait. THAT’S NO GOOD! If Katarina loses that’s no good at all! Won’t she be headed straight for a Catastrophic Bad End?!”

“Oh no, that’s true isn’t it?! It would be no good at all if Katarina loses!”

“...It is as you say... we can’t exactly lose either... But everyone, calm down for a moment. Would a girl lacking in both academic and magical skill, as well as having the face of a villainess... ever be able to beat a pretty noble lady who was both well-read and magically-inclined?”

“...”

“...”

“...Let’s plant crops and till some fields! We could set up a farm! Just like what was recommended in ‘On Agricultural Considerations and Recommendations’! We were told that farming is all about accumulating experience! Even if we are exiled, that would all contribute to our life as a humble farmer! As I thought, we cannot possibly stop our fieldwork just because we’re enrolled in the academy!”

“That’s right! And if Jeord should ever come at us with his blade drawn, claiming that we are in the way of his love... then all we have to do is practice throwing the projectile snakes that he’s so fearful of! We have to keep up with snake-tossing practice!”

“Also, we should get permission from our teachers to continue our swordcraft training and practice! Even if we spook Jeord with a projectile snake, it will all end if we can’t dodge his blows!”

“Exactly! That too!”

“Well then... tomorrow, we’ll ask if the academy would allow us to set up a small field on the grounds, practice tossing projectile snakes, and continue our training in the ways of the sword. Does that cover everything?”

“Yes.”

With that, another Catastrophic Bad End Avoidance Strategy Meeting had come to an end. We did not, however, come to any new or astounding solutions...

“In any case... I suppose I could ask the teachers if I can have permission to till a small field in the academy grounds first thing in the morning...” And with those thoughts in mind, I slowly drifted off to sleep, in a bed much smaller than the one I was used to back home.

A few days later, I found myself in a relatively isolated corner of the academy grounds, hoe in hand. Raising it above my hand in a familiar fashion, I tilled the earth with well-practiced motions.

“Young miss... is this really a flower field?” Anne asked, suspicion plain in her tone of voice — and on her face.

“Yes, of course! A field of pretty flowers! Wasn’t I planting these because both you and Keith said that crops were definitely not allowed in these fields?”

It was exactly as I said. Although I was full of enthusiasm for a fresh field of crops in the academy, Keith and Anne were very much against it. “For a noble lady to be planting crops and tilling the earth... Doing so in her own manor was one thing. But doing the same on academy grounds? Definitely not!” they said — to which I replied... “Well then, how about a field of flowers?” For the record, that was what I wrote in my application to the academy’s administrative staff as well.

Oddly, gardening was apparently seen as a fitting hobby for nobles and the like, and I soon got approval from the powers that be to go ahead with my little agricultural project. That was why I was here working this field. Anne, however, didn’t seem very convinced.

“But... young miss. I really do not feel that those seedlings you just planted over there are flowers of any kind...”

“Don’t be silly, Anne. Whatever do you mean? They’re flowers! Look at them! Over here we have cucumber flowers, and over there we have eggplant flowers...”

“...Young miss. In other words, you are confirming what I have seen. These are seedlings for crops, are they not?”

“Hmm. Yes, I suppose they would end up as crops and veggies in the end, but before that, their flowers do bloom, like all flowers do!” I said, puffing out my chest with pride.

Anne could only stare at me, sighing deeply in response. “To think that you had agreed to it so quickly, young miss...”

“But I’ve already planted and transported the seedlings, see? It’s all right, isn’t it?” I asked, glancing up at Anne. Once again, Ann sighed, seemingly deeper than before.

“...I understand. However... you would do well to be careful. The other students and the academy cannot find out about the fact that this field is actually full of crops...”

“Thank you, Anne!” Yes! I’ve done it, and gained Anne’s approval! Now, all I had to do was convince Keith, and then there wouldn’t be any more complaints about my field.

“...On another note, young miss... that hoe and those overalls of yours... I cannot help but feel like I have seen them before somewhere...”

“Ah, this? But of course you would, Anne. These are the very same hoe and overalls that I was using back at the manor!”

A strange look crept into Anne’s expression as she heard those words.

“...It is as I thought... However if memory serves, I had specifically left that hoe and those overalls back at the Claes manor...”

“You sure did! And after I’d gone through all the trouble of hiding them in with my things... and then you removed them, Anne! You left me no choice, so I sent word back to the manor to Grandpa Tom! It was he who sent me these items in the post!”

“...An unexpected betrayal, Mister Tom...” Anne soon fell silent after muttering something I couldn’t quite hear. Raising the hoe over my head once more, I continued my work.

Compared to the fields back home, this one was much smaller, and considerably less tidy. As I had lectures every day, I couldn’t take much time to work these fields, and so I had to put in a good effort when I was here.

While there was quite some complaining and sighing from Keith, I managed to convince him as well. However, it didn’t take long for my friends to find out about the existence of this small field.

Upon seeing me with my gardening overalls and hoe, Alan started laughing so hard that he doubled over, hugging his stomach. “Wow, you’re still doing that? Here? Really??” Jeord, who was standing next to him, seemed to have his gaze transfixed to the ground as his shoulders shook. Mary, Sophia, and Nicol were initially surprised, but quickly offered me their help should I need it.

A year remained in this otome game scenario — and today, too, I was working hard in the fields, all for the sake of overcoming the many Catastrophic Bad Ends that awaited me.

As the weeks went by, I found myself slowly getting used to life at the Academy of Magic. The lectures weren’t too difficult compared to what I had learned from my personal tutors. Unfortunately, this meant that my habit of sleeping in class only got worse.

Specialist tutors were also brought in to teach our practical sessions. They all specialized in certain fields of magic, and their lessons were always interesting. My magical aptitude, however, remained relatively unchanged; I was only able to use my “Earth Raiser” spell, as usual.

While the other students hardly spoke to me on account of my high standing in noble society, everyone was polite and pleasant. The only students who seemed to take issue with me were noble ladies who couldn’t accept that I was engaged to Jeord. They would often whisper veiled threats and dismissals when they passed by, and glared at me during lessons.

Among them was one particular noble lady who specifically disliked me quite a lot. I was later told that she was originally the one widely expected to have been engaged to Jeord before my arrival. This girl in particular always had something to say to me when she passed, such as “You are hardly suited to stand by Prince Jeord’s side.” Even so, the grumblings and stares of a few noble ladies were harmless to me.

My days at the academy went on this way — until the time came for a series of evaluation tests, designed to gauge the academic and magical capabilities of each student. This was also something I had seen in the game’s original scenario. All I had to do for the academic and history tests was repeat what my tutors had taught me. As for the magic evaluation test, students were to cast their greatest, most powerful spell, under the supervision of magic lecturers and teachers.

The tests came to an uneventful end, and just as expected, Keith, Jeord, Alan, Mary, and Sophia were all ranked at the top. The test rankings were monopolized by my adopted brother and friends. Yes, yes. As expected of my brother and my wonderful friends. Most impressive indeed.

There was also one other person at the top of the rankings: Maria, the protagonist of Fortune Lover. Being of common birth, there was no way Maria had private tutors of any kind. In fact, I think she was studying at a public school near her home before all this. Even so, she performed much better than most other students who were of noble birth. As expected of the protagonist.

As for my rankings, they were... decidedly average. I was right in the middle of the class. Hooray for being average! I cheered internally, congratulating myself on my achievements. Come to think of it, the results of this test were exactly as they were in Fortune Lover. First was Jeord, and coming in second was Maria. Alan, who was in third place, originally couldn’t accept the fact that Maria had scored better than he did. Alan now, however...

“Ain’t a competition, is it? Some people are good at some things, and some people aren’t. Compatibility, right? I don’t get caught up in things like that,” he said, somewhat casually. It would seem that Alan didn’t have any feelings of hostility towards Maria at all.

Eventually, the discussion drifted away from talk of Maria.

“Yesterday, a teacher approached me at violin practice and asked if I would consider performing on the academy grounds. So... what do you think?”

“Hmm. I think that could be a good idea. After all, there are many who’ve been missing your performances since you went to the academy, Prince Alan.”

“...What about you? Do you want to listen too?”

“Eh? Ah. Yes. Of course. I would love to, Prince Alan.”

“I see. Well then. Guess I’ll hold a performance or two on the grounds...” And with that, Alan turned and left, a happy expression on his face. This was a far cry from how he would storm off in the game, upset at the test results.

These developments were becoming more common — while some aspects of the game’s original script remained, there were plenty of changes, too. One such change was the selection of the academy’s student council. The student council was, as its name suggested, “an organization which brings about positive change and enrichment to the academy via effective self-governance by students.” Quite a mouthful, isn’t it? It was apparently an ambitious society that was set up at the same time as the academy itself.

In reality, however, the activities of the council were somewhat predictable; helping teachers do their jobs, settling disputes and troubles amongst students... No matter how I looked at it, the student council existed to tend to a variety of odd jobs.

This student council, however, was quite different than the ones I had at the school I attended in my previous life — there were no votes or campaigning, or anything like that. Instead, the top students from the evaluation test were forcibly selected to be part of the council, and that was that.

I couldn’t help but feel that forcing students to participate in the council was somewhat off-putting... However, most students didn’t see it this way. It was apparently an honor to be selected for the council, as only the best made its ranks. As such, almost everyone at the top of the list happily accepted their assignment.

Those who were selected to be on the council were often admired by the student population. As such, Keith and my friends, having scored exceedingly well in this evaluation test, were all selected for the council — along with Maria, the protagonist.

So far, these developments were in line with the game’s script. There was a difference, however... namely, the insistence of my adopted brother and friends that I, too, should be included in the council. “Please do include Katarina as well,” they said. The teacher seemed quite flustered at this. I suppose my friends were concerned that I alone would be left out from their activities if they were all assigned to the council.

On another note, Anne was not with me while I was taking classes and the like, since it was her job to assist me with my life in the dormitories. Even so, she would often murmur in a concerned fashion when I was working the fields after classes. “Whatever would the young miss do if she were left to her own devices...?”

While I was happy that my friends and those around me cared deeply about my well-being, I was the sort of person who didn’t mind being on my own. Of course, I also very much enjoyed spending time together with my friends.

Although I tried to explain this point to those around me, before I knew it, I discovered that I had somehow gained the rights to enter the student council chambers — a place normally off-limits to those who were not officially in the council. In fact, I was strongly invited to visit them at their chambers. I almost felt like I didn’t have a choice.

Apparently, my adopted brother and friends had done something about the rules in question... but none of them would tell me exactly what had happened, despite my questions and inquiries, so the truth of the matter still remained in the dark.

And so, for one reason or another, I soon found myself visiting the student council chambers more often than I expected...

“Please, this way, Lady Katarina,” the student before me said, smiling as he offered me a cup of tea.

“A-Ah. Thank you very much.”

This individual was none other than the top student of our second school year, the student council president. With a shock of red hair and ash-grey eyes, he had a welcoming and pleasant aura about him — a youth that could not help but attract others to his side.

The vice-president was none other than Nicol Ascart, the Alluring Count. On paper, the student council’s members were selected for both their academic and magical capabilities. Looking at the people in this room, however, I couldn’t help but think that their looks were taken into account, too.

In addition, although there were seven newly-appointed student council members amongst the first-years, there were only two members from the second year — Nicol and the president himself. According to the president, there were originally seven members in their cohort as well. Unfortunately, all sorts of incidents started happening in the council, with Nicol at the epicenter. Eventually, all the other members resigned from their posts.

The president himself appeared to have some resistance to Nicol’s incredible allure, probably because he was so handsome himself. As expected of the Alluring Count... his charms were truly fearsome.

As such, the entrance of new first-year students into the ailing council was great news to the president, especially as the new members all came equipped with Nicol-resistance.

And so I, Katarina Claes, was welcomed into the student council chambers on my visits, even though I had nothing to do with the council itself, and was only friends with its new members. No one here seemed displeased with my sudden appearance — I was even served freshly-brewed tea.

Due to their warm welcome, I soon started to increase the frequency of my visits — and before long, it was almost like I was part of the council itself. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that my kind and caring friends had pulled me into the whole thing.

As a result of my entry into the council’s social circle, I gained opportunities to interact with other members too, namely...

“Please feel free to try some of these too, Lady Claes, if they are to your liking.”

My heart couldn’t help but skip a beat at the sight of the beautiful girl before me, offering up a tray of snacks as I sipped on the tea that the president had brewed for me.

“Th-Thank you, Miss Campbell.”

Maria Campbell smiled ever so slightly at my stuttered expression of gratitude.

Yes, I had met with the protagonist herself. On my many visits to the council chambers, I had ended up having quite a few interactions with Maria here and there. We were now more than familiar with each other, and she would welcome me, all smiles, along with a snack tray in her hands.

That was how I started getting to know Maria, whom I had only thought of as the game’s protagonist up until this point. And as I spent time with her, I began to see her for what she really was. Maria Campbell was... simply put, a kind and gentle soul. She was very capable and was greatly empathetic — she was, in my eyes, already an amazing noble lady.

Regardless of her capabilities, however, she was never arrogant. Instead, she was humble and gracious, a truly charming and wonderful girl.

Why would the original Katarina Claes develop such a strong feeling of animosity towards this gentle girl? I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. If I had to guess, it was probably due to Maria’s charm ensnaring all her potential romantic interests and friends.

As those thoughts passed through my mind, I idly placed a pastry into my mouth. Guh?! Impressive, most impressive indeed. This snack is a delicious morsel.

“These pastries are... quite delicious.” I said, turning to Maria as I did so.

“Yes, they are! These snacks were gifted to the council from the students of the academy.”

Ah, so that’s where they’re from. Due to the fact that the council was largely admired by the student body, a number of gifts would arrive for its members on a somewhat regular basis. And since there were a fair number of students who hailed from high-ranking noble families, the gifts were accordingly expensive and high-quality.

Ah, speaking of snacks and cookies... “Would you be interested in baking some snacks and bringing them here to share with us, Miss Campbell?”

In the original setting of Fortune Lover, Maria’s hobby was baking. In fact, her homemade snacks were often shared with the other members of the council. Although they tasted quite different from the high-class snacks that were often sent through the council chamber’s doors, the homemade nature of her pastries would seize both the stomach and heart of any potential love interest.

The game’s illustrations of Maria’s homemade snacks were impossibly lifelike. I could almost taste them — and with my appetite aroused, I had found myself in a convenience store in my past life, purchasing snacks that looked just like the ones in the game.

Now that I was on the other side of the screen, I could still picture the sight of Maria’s freshly baked snacks... but now! Now I could eat them all in person! Or at least, that was what I thought as I eagerly anticipated her answer...

“...Eh?” Instead, Maria Campbell stood, frozen on the spot.

Did she perhaps hear it as a sort of threat?! Something like... “Bake me snacks and present them to me!” Panicking, I acted quickly to resolve the misunderstanding. “Ah, no, um. You see. You don’t have to make them if you don’t want to, I wasn’t...”

“...Um. Lady Claes. How is it that you know about my baking...?”

Ah, is that what she’s confused about? It was as Maria said, however. Never once did she announce to anyone that she liked baking. Even the player themselves would only discover this fact after Maria borrows a small corner of the cafeteria kitchen to bake some snacks for herself.

The subject of snacks was a somewhat ubiquitous one across all potential routes — it was a subject that came up after the protagonist was suitably familiar with the love interest in question, who would then say, “Well then, maybe you could make some for me too,” or something along those lines.

Judging by Maria’s reaction, however, it seemed like she had yet to tell anyone about her hobby. Hmm. What should I say? I can’t just be like, “Oh, I saw you baking cookies in this one game I played.”

“Umm... Uh. Th-That was... because I heard about it from the chefs of the cafeteria, so...”

“...I see.”

Not exactly the best or most coherent of excuses, but Maria seemed convinced. I could relax... for now.

“...It is as you say, Lady Claes... although I did borrow a small space in the kitchens for personal use, I just made a small amount... Also, the snacks I make are hardly worthy of the palettes of those on the council, so...” Maria said, looking at the professionally-made snacks still seated on their tray. She seemed troubled.

Maria had a point, though. Given that professionally-made snacks from famous patisseries were lined up on the table before us, it would be daunting for an amateur or hobbyist to display their own work alongside them.

Also, cooking and baking were uncommon pursuits amongst noble ladies of the kingdom. More often than not, chefs and other hired kitchen staff were responsible for the preparation of meals.

It was perhaps worth noting that I, Katarina Claes, eldest daughter of Duke Claes, was also unable to make snacks of any kind. After all, I was a noble lady of well-established traditions and upbringing.

To begin with, the kitchens were off-limits to me even back at the Claes Manor. Back when my memories had first come back to me, I sneaked into the kitchen on several occasions — snacking on an ingredient here, licking some mystery spice there. I even attempted to cook some of the mystery mushrooms I had found in the gardens... But eventually, the head chef decided he was having none of it. “The kitchens are a dangerous place, young miss, with knives and fire and many other risks to your health! There is no way I can stand by and see you get hurt,” he said, and that was that.

Sheltered young ladies really do have it tough, huh... In any case, noble ladies didn’t make their own snacks, pastries, or puffs. And so, everything gifted to the council was made by the hands of professionals, who were all artisans in their craft. With all this in mind, it wasn’t hard to see why Maria would feel intimidated, given that she was an amateur when it came to baking snacks.

“While I am fond of artisan-crafted snacks, I also love homemade snacks and pastries!”

“Eh...? You have tried homemade snacks before, Lady Claes?” Maria asked, surprise written all over her face.

“Yes, of course. The previous head maid at my manor was quite interested in baking snacks, you see. She would often give me some to nibble on.”

While artisanally crafted snacks were undoubtedly as delicious as they looked, the simple, yet tasty snacks the head maid crafted were also wonderful. In fact, I found myself pining for them now that I was no longer at the manor. I truly mourned their loss.

“And so you see, Miss Campbell... I find myself longing for those homemade snacks, now that I am here at the academy! I’d love it if you could just give a tiny bit to me when you bake another batch... Of course, I would pay for all your ingredients, and labor expenses, too.”

Oh, please, Maria. You simply have to give me some of those incredibly delicious snacks... I thought as I tried my best to smile sincerely with my villainess’ face. But would Maria be convinced? Would she empathize with my desperate struggle?

“No, no! That would not do at all, Lady Claes! There will be no expenses incurred, and even the ingredients are provided free by the academy’s kitchens! It is merely a hobby of mine, and I have no way of knowing if it would suit your tastes... But I can definitely bring some for you in the near future...” Maria said, somewhat flustered.

“Really? Thank you very much!” I had succeeded in my ploy — and now I awaited some of Maria’s homemade snacks!

The next day, I found myself needing to change into my overalls for field work. After lessons for the day ended, I walked alone back towards the dormitory.

Keith and the rest were currently in the council chambers, busy with student council work. Today a special package had arrived for me — the specially-synthesized fertilizer Grandpa Tom made for me. So in my eagerness to fertilize the fields as soon as possible, I’d left the council chambers early.

This was why I was plodding step after step towards the dormitories, even though a familiar rumbling of protest emerged from my stomach. Of course, this was my own fault; I had forgotten to do some assignments for the lectures this morning, so I’d borrowed Keith’s notes, desperately copying them over breakfast. Naturally, I hardly ate much as I scribbled while listening to Keith’s light scolding.

I suppose I could have Anne prepare something for me before I go out to the fields. As that thought flitted through my mind, I was jolted back to reality by my sense of smell. I could confidently say that my nose rivaled that of a dog’s — and right now, a delicious aroma was floating through the air.

Before I knew it, I was stumbling towards the general direction of this sweet smell, and soon found myself in a forested area slightly off the main path. Unexpectedly, I found Maria there, surrounded by what appeared to be some students of the academy.

From the look of their vibrant and well-crafted dresses, I supposed they were all noble ladies of high social standing. Maria was hugging a basket to her chest — a handkerchief sat on top of it, obscuring its contents. The aroma that had called out to me was coming from that very basket.

So this means... No, it can’t be! Could it be the homemade snacks I asked for yesterday? To think that she made them by the very next day! What a kind and generous girl!

Overcome with gratitude and emotion, I slowly started approaching the group... and that was when it happened. A loud slapping sound echoed through the forest.

One of the noble ladies surrounding Maria raised her hand and brought it down roughly on Maria’s basket. The basket sailed for a short distance, before dropping onto the ground. Now lying on its side, several muffin-like objects rolled out from the fallen basket — Maria’s homemade snacks.

“So what if you have Light Magic? Don’t get full of yourself. Who do you think you are?! Look at this! Made by a commoner, made by the poor! Don’t you dare feed this to the student council! That would be too disgusting to endure!” the one who hit the basket said, before starting to...

Wait. Is she about to stomp on the snacks that Maria made?! SHE IS!

What are you doing?! Those are MY SNACKS!!

“CEASE THIS AT ONCE!” I shouted, roughly cutting in between Maria and the other students.

“L-Lady Katarina... Claes...” said the student who was just about to step on the snacks, stuttering slightly. I could see all of their pupils dilate in fear at my sudden appearance.

“You lot... WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

These are snacks that Maria worked hard to bake! For me! My snacks! I glared angrily at the noble ladies before me.

“...E-Eek!!” Almost immediately, the color faded from their faces. I did, after all, have the face of a villainess — it wasn’t just for show. With me now glaring at them, the effect was probably multiplied several times over in intensity.

Sinners who have attempted to ruin my snacks... you will be eternally damned! I widened my eyes threateningly, turning an even more hostile gaze at the students.

The noble ladies collectively felt my unbridled fury. “W-We’re very sorry... do excuse us...” they said, bowing their heads and pale faces, before running— no, dashing off in a fashion as elegant as possible for a noble lady.

...Hmph. I see that my villainess prowess is doing as well as ever today. Even so... I turned to the snacks that had fallen onto the ground. To be more precise, the snacks had rolled out onto the grass — thanks to the grass lawn present, they had not yet rolled onto the dirt.

Kneeling down, I picked up the fallen basket, before placing the snacks back into it. But as I did so, the smell of Maria’s baked goods, still as delicious as ever, assaulted my empty stomach. Unable to bear with it any longer, I reached out towards the snacks in the basket... and popped a few of them into my mouth at once.

“...Delicious.” It was indeed delicious. In fact, if I had to put it into words, Maria’s baked snacks ranked among the top of all the snacks, cakes, and cookies I had consumed up until now.

In fact, these are too tasty! What is this calm, gentle texture? And yet, they’re not too sweet, but they’re definitely fulfilling! The balance of sweetness is just right — they’re unbearably delicious.

The delectable taste of Maria’s snacks overwhelmed me, and I soon found myself lost in their tasty goodness. Before I knew it, I had somehow emptied the entire basket... there was not a single morsel left.

With a satisfied expression, I sighed, only to notice Maria staring at me with a mix of shock and disbelief on her face.

O-Oh no?! My bad habits have gotten ahead of me again... how could I have eaten all of Maria’s snacks?

Come to think of it, there were quite a few in her basket. Surely this was meant to be shared with the rest of the council...?

Actually... I ate them all thinking they were made for me, but... what if these snacks were meant for someone else? This is bad... bad!

“Um... Ah. I’m sorry... it’s a bad habit of mine, getting ahead of myself and eating everything up like that...” I apologized in a panic, bowing my head in Maria’s general direction.

Maria, however, responded in a somewhat shirking manner, as if she had just seen something truly terrifying. “Ah, no... I don’t mind, Lady Claes. It is just that... the snacks had fallen onto the ground...”

Oh. That’s what Maria’s concerned about. I felt impossibly grateful — I couldn’t imagine how it would have turned out if the snacks were meant for someone else.

“They only fell onto the grass, Miss Campbell. They were mostly dirt free. It’s no problem, really.” After all, I had picked them up right after and eaten them all... and there was also the five-second rule with these things. So I issued my statement with utter confidence.

“...I-Is that so...” Maria replied, her smile obviously somewhat strained. Even so...

“You really are amazing, Miss Campbell. They were so delicious!” Perhaps that was an understatement — the taste of Maria’s homemade snacks had exceeded my expectations several times over. They were truly delightful.

How it melts in one’s mouth... the delicate balance of sweetness... Her skill could probably even match that of professional patissiers.

In response to my impassioned praise...

“...Thank you very much...” Maria said, smiling shyly as she stood, her cheeks flushed. Just as I was about to lose myself in Maria’s lovable visage, I caught sight of Jeord, who was approaching us from the direction of the school buildings.

Jeord had apparently decided to search for Maria, worried about how she had failed to turn up despite there being a meeting at the council today. Upon seeing me kneeling down with an empty basket and a red-faced Maria, he immediately regarded me with suspicion and surprise.

Maria, however, was quick to offer an explanation “Ah, Prince Jeord... I had coincidentally run into Lady Katarina, who kindly spoke with me for a while...”

Thank you, Maria, for not saying something like, “Oh... Prince Jeord. Lady Claes ate all the snacks that I had prepared for the student council...”

If Jeord and Keith got wind of this, they would surely reprimand me, probably with something along the lines of “To think that you would even eat snacks meant for others... have you no shame as a noble lady?”

And so Jeord, having safely located Maria, whisked her away to the student council chambers. Of course, he tried to get me to come along too. But In the light of my impending field work and Grandpa Tom’s special fertilizer, I politely declined.

With my stomach nicely filled, I headed back to the dormitories, changed into my overalls, and started walking off in the direction of the fields.

Still... I can’t believe Maria would be bullied like that... This was the single prevalent thought that crossed my mind as I repeatedly buried my hoe into the ground.

Maria Campbell was a commoner, blessed with the rare ability to wield Light Magic. She did well in school, and had a sweet face and personality. On top of all that, she was also a member of the student council, an organization adored by the students of this academy.

If anything, Maria should be the envy of the academy. Perhaps that was why those noble ladies took issue with her, bullying her because of their jealousy and pride. That had to be why Maria was cornered by those students.

The antagonist of Fortune Lover was none other than Katarina herself — she was the one who picked on the protagonist on a regular basis. But this pre-designated antagonist was now missing from the overall picture.

Regardless there were prideful nobles in this academy — some of them holding court ranks. As a result, even if there was no Katarina-like antagonist to lead these nobles into bullying the protagonist, many more would appear over time — just with different names and faces.

No matter how I thought about it, those students seemed to be horrible in every way. How could they do such things to the snacks that Maria worked so hard to make? If I were a few seconds later, it would have been an indescribable disaster... the snacks would have been rendered inedible!

Ugh! What horrible people! They’re just like the Katarina in Fortune Lover! With their silly pride and noses up in the air, bullying others... hmm? Katarina in... Fortune Lover?

Hmm. Come to think of it... there was a scene like this in the game. Yes, one where Katarina bullies Maria, just like the incident I witnessed today... what exactly happened during that scene?

Let’s see... Maria baked snacks for everyone at the council, and was just headed that way when she was cornered by a group of sneering girls... who dashed her creations into the ground, before stomping savagely on them.

The one who comes to her aid is none other than Jeord, a potential love interest of the protagonist. Jeord would elegantly send all the bad nobles packing. He would then pick up one of the snacks on the ground, and eat it. “Most delicious, I must say,” he would declare, smiling gently at Maria.

In fact, I remembered getting quite excited at seeing Jeord’s smile on the screen. It wasn’t his stereotypical fake smile, but a truly gentle one.

I see... so today’s events were that particular scene from the game? I had hardly noticed the similarities, probably due to the fact that the ringleader of the bullies wasn’t Katarina Claes. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made — that was why Jeord had appeared immediately after the bullies had run off.

After all, that encounter was one of Jeord’s in-game events. Ah, right. I see. So it was one of Jeord’s events... Hmm? So... Wait. Does that mean that I snatched one of Jeord’s events away from him?!

Wait. Under normal circumstances, Jeord was supposed to be the one who saved Maria... but instead, I intervened. The bad nobles were sent packing not by Prince Jeord, but me, the villainess-faced Katarina Claes... And I ended up eating all the snacks before Jeord got here — and so he never showed that gentle smile to Maria.

Oh... oh no. I’m really sorry, Jeord... How could I have taken up a romantic event of one of my important friends...? At this rate, Maria and Jeord’s romance won’t progress! I, Katarina Claes, deeply apologize.

Hmm...? Actually, isn’t that a good thing? After all, if Maria and Jeord get along too well, Katarina will be treated as an obstacle in the way of their true love, and eventually meet a Catastrophic Bad End...

Hmm. Then haven’t I done well? Oh, yes I have! Good job, Katarina Claes! To think that I had coincidentally played a part in avoiding a Bad End for myself! A great job indeed.

All right! I shall return to my tasks with renewed vigor! Filled with resolve, I started scattering the special fertilizer Grandpa Tom had sent me, ensuring that it covered a good part of the field.

Unfortunately... I was a little too excited and scattered too much fertilizer. It was only with Anne’s assistance that I managed to retrieve the excess. I ended up working deep into the night and almost into the dawn as I listened to Anne’s reprimands.

A few weeks had passed since the incident where I accidentally replaced Jeord in one of his events. Ever since then, I found myself getting along much better with Maria, who has started baking snacks for me on a regular basis.

“Please help yourself, Lady Claes,” Maria would say, smiling as she offered me a tray of those irresistibly delicious snacks. As a result, I often found my feet gravitating towards the council chambers.

If the other students knew about this, they would surely be filled with jealousy and hurl curses at me behind my back. After all, I was truly living the luxurious life — with Maria’s delicious snacks and the student council president’s amazing tea.

While Maria’s snacks were in a class of their own, the president’s tea was formidable too — one would hardly think that he was the son of a noble, given how skilled he was at the craft. For some reason, his tea often had a gentle flavor to it.

On another note, the president and Nicol were apparently distant relatives of some kind, and the two had met several times during their childhoods. In other words, this was why the president was armed with Nicol resistance.

It would seem that the president himself, despite his puppy-like looks and lovable personality, was actually quite an accomplished person. Nicol, being Chancellor Ascart’s son, was capable in his own right, but the president went beyond even that. He was top of his year in both academics and magical capability — a young man of fearsome parameters, no matter how one looked at it.

The sight of him brewing tea with a faint smile on his face had a cute charm to it, even though he was a year older than me. A surprising observation, if I may say so.

And I couldn’t help but notice that he also seemed impossibly fast at his tasks and responsibilities. The president processed documents and forms on his desk at a seemingly impossible pace — all with his calm and gentle smile on his face. The dissonance between his work ethic and calming presence was stark indeed.

Given that the president was a capable and lovable individual, it was only natural that he was popular amongst the student populace — like Keith and the rest of my friends. He apparently had a fan club, too. If the rumors were to be believed, the number of students in that club rivalled that of Nicol’s fans.

With all that in mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if the students who were chosen for the council last year were truly only bewitched by Nicol.

In the original setting of Fortune Lover, the president only played a minor role, and hardly had much screen time. As he was now, however, it would make sense if he were a potential love interest of some sort.

To think that the very same president was now pouring tea for me, and constantly refilling my cup as soon as I asked... if the other students found out about this, I would truly be the subject of their curses. I suddenly felt very grateful for the fact the council chambers were off limits to all except council members.

I got along well with other student council members aside from my friends. However, I didn’t have much contact with them once I was outside the council chambers. The president was a year older, and hence took different classes. But Maria was in the same year as I was, and naturally took the same lessons as I did.

While I had assumed that we would get along even outside of the council, I couldn’t help but notice that Maria placed some distance between us once we were out of the council chambers.

I suppose it was due to the social standing of Keith, my friends, and me — we stood at the pinnacle of noble society. Maria aside, most other students avoided me too. Unless they were of considerable peerage, few would speak to me in a cordial manner.

In fact, even Maria herself faced a similar problem in the original setting of Fortune Lover — her potential love interests hardly interacted with her much outside of the student council chamber’s confines.

As the player progressed and scored points with the relevant love interest, they would become fond of Maria, and eventually spend time with her even outside of council activities.

At this point in time, however, it seemed like Maria didn’t have much in the way of potential love interests at all. Although everyone was friendly with her, no one appeared to be particularly smitten.

In fact, I had become a slave to the perfectly-balanced sweetness of Maria’s snacks. If there was anyone who would be smitten with Maria, it was none other than me.

With how things were, no one else in the council seemed interested in approaching Maria very much at all. In fact, Maria probably spent most of her time outside of the council alone — and it was during these times that she was bullied by Katarina in the game’s setting... and at present, other nobles with similar intentions.

I felt like I should do something about these incidents. With that in mind, I found myself approaching Keith, my wise adopted brother. Keith did have a simple but effective idea — that Maria should simply stay with us outside of council hours.

We were, after all, children at the pinnacle of this kingdom’s noble society. Keith reasoned that if Maria stayed close to us, even the most highly-ranked nobles in the academy wouldn’t be able to lay their hands on her.

When I found myself panicking, having forgotten to do some assignments for one lecture or another, it was Maria who lent me her easily understandable notes, and also Maria who patiently explained all the theories and concepts to me.

When I said, “Oh, please do make more!”, it was Maria who took the effort to bake her delicious snacks, and also Maria who served them to me on a tray, smiling all the while.

Before I knew it, I had become very fond of Maria Campbell — the protagonist who was originally the arch-enemy of the antagonist Katarina Claes. This was why I couldn’t continue to ignore the things that were happening to her. I could not simply avert my eyes and pretend she was not suffering.

All right! I no longer have to wait for a love interest to latch onto Maria, given how slow they’ve been this entire time!

I will do all I can to close the distance between Maria and I, so that we can be friends and have fun even outside of the council chamber’s walls!

It happened a few days after I had made up my mind and steeled my resolve. I found myself searching for Maria during a lunch break, thinking that this was the day when I would invite her to have lunch with me.

My friends and I often dined at the cafeteria during lunch break, but I had personally never seen Maria during these luncheons. I had read in the script of Fortune Lover that Maria felt intimidated by the sheer number of nobles in the cafeteria, and as a result returned to her dormitory during break time, preparing her meals there and then eating them somewhere else.

With that information in hand, I searched the grounds for a place where one could probably have a meal — and soon came across Maria, seated at a solitary bench on the fringes of the academy’s courtyard.

Maria, however, was far from alone. She was surrounded once more by the same noble ladies that had bullied her several weeks ago. While there was still some distance between us, I could hear the nobles somewhat clearly, their voices carried by the wind.

“You filthy commoner! Just because you have some Light Magic, you got selected for the council! Don’t get ahead of yourself!”

“You get special treatment because of that silly Light Magic of yours, don’t you? They had no choice but to put you on the council! Simply disgusting!”

“That’s right! You probably just got preferential treatment in your student evaluation tests! It has to be that!”

The noble ladies surrounding Maria pelted her with verbal abuse. Amidst all that, one of them raised her hand high — and from her palm, a red, flickering glow phased into existence.

That’s... Fire Magic!! She’s going to hurt Maria with it... there’s no mistaking it! My feet sprang to life. I had to close the distance between Maria and the fire-handed student.

Maria is in real danger! But... I’m still too far! There’s too much distance between us... if it’s come to this...

“COME FORTH! EARTH RAISER!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. At my command, an earthen wall about ten centimeters in height rose up between Maria and the fire-handed noble lady who had been relentlessly approaching her target.

And of course, she then spectacularly tripped, landing most inelegantly on her behind.

ALL RIGHT!! I thought, visualizing myself standing in place, in a flex-pose reminiscent of gym models. Behold, the power of my Earth Raiser, honed through long years of practice and training!

With their leader now fumbling around on the ground, the group of bullies now seemed confused and alarmed. Not letting this opportunity go to waste, I sprinted towards Maria and placed myself between her and the bullies.

Turning to the nobles, I glared at them with my villainess’ face. “YOU LOT!! What do you think you’re doing?! To say that she gets preferential treatment because of Light Magic... talk about baseless accusations! You listen here, this academy is a complete MERITOCRACY! There is no preferential treatment here!!”

After all, if there really was preferential treatment at the academy, the daughter of Duke Claes would hardly only have middling, average grades.

“You also got one thing wrong... Maria is hardworking! The reason why she scored well is because she worked hard! Because she gave her all!”

And that was exactly right. While I’d thought that Maria was some invincible genius when I played Fortune Lover, in reality, Maria was hardworking and earnest.

When I forgot to do my assignments or take notes, Maria showed me her textbook and taught me what I needed to know. From the detail of her annotations, it was plain to see that Maria worked hard on a daily basis. Maria was no genius — she simply worked hard, and did her absolute best.

“Also... those in the student council and myself? We don’t stand with her because she wields Light Magic! We do because she tries harder than anyone else, and gives her all at everything... and that’s why we’re with her! Because we LIKE her!” I declared, continuing to stare at the bullies with my villainess glare. I allowed a suitably evil smile to creep into the corner of my lips. “You lot... If you dare keep this up... I’ll see to it that you meet a... Bad End.”

Yes — a Catastrophic Bad End — just like the original Katarina Claes. And with that, the noble ladies, perhaps having experienced true fear upon seeing my ultimate villainess death glare, bolted off in unison, once more dashing in a fashion as ladylike as possible.

Hmph. What a spineless bunch. Small fries like that cannot possibly hope to stand up to the force of nature that is antagonist villainess extraordinare — Katarina Claes! BWA HA HA HA HA! I found myself mentally laughing in a most villainess-like fashion.

And so, I ended up using the villainess-like features of Katarina Claes with extreme prejudice. Having chased away the ill-intentioned nobles, I turned back to Maria, only to find...

What...?! Maria’s c-crying! Droplets of tears are flowing down her face?!

“M-Maria?!” Panicking, I approached Maria, placing a hand on her shivering back. She must have been afraid... to be surrounded like that, to have been threatened with fearsome magic. She must... have been scared.

I slowly rubbed Maria’s back, attempting to soothe her. For a while, we remained like that, with my hand moving in a now well-practiced motion. The silence was broken by Maria, somewhat stutteringly.

“Ah... Um... Lady Claes, my name...”

Hmm? Name? What’s she talking about? I gave the matter some thought before an answer flitted into my mind. Ah, come to think of it, I ended up calling her “Maria,” like how I usually refer to her in my thoughts. Up until now I had always called her “Miss Campbell”...

“Ah, yes... about that. I apologize, suddenly referring to you as if we’re the best of friends...”

Maria shook her head, as if to dismiss my panicked concerns. “No... I do not mind at all. In fact, there is no need to call me “Miss.” Please just refer to me as ‘Maria’...” she said earnestly.

Overwhelmed by just how lovable she was, I found myself calling her name without a second thought. “Thank you, Maria.” For some reason, I felt like we were now suddenly closer than ever.

Maria’s smile seemed to light up her blushing face. “Ah... Um. I-If... you would forgive my impudence for...” She seemed to be acting a little strangely. In fact, she was now staring intently at me. “Um... Could I please call you ‘Lady Katarina,’ just like everyone else on the student council...?” she asked, her words carrying as much weight as a confession of love.

Once again, I felt my heart involuntarily skip a beat. “Of course! Feel free to call me whatever you like, Maria. After all, are we not already friends?” I said with my best smile.

While Maria’s tears had almost all dried up mere moments ago, they were now streaming down her face once more. Again, I found myself desperately attempting to comfort her.

After quite some time, Maria finally calmed down, and as if on cue, Keith appeared from behind some trees. He had apparently been searching for me on account of my absence from the cafeteria.

The three of us ended up going there together, whereupon I wolfed down my lunch as quickly as I could in the company of my friends. Maria even shared a little of her homemade lunch with me — and it was truly delectable, just like her snacks were.

Maria and I were much closer ever since that day, and we were now spending time together even when outside of the council chambers.

But... someone like that showing up! Threatening another person with magic like that, unbelievable... That singular thought invaded my mind as I lay on my dormitory bed at the end of the day, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

If I hadn’t stopped that student there and then, and she had turned her flames on Maria... I’m sure she wouldn’t have walked away from that unscathed.

Threatening another person with magic like that is a crime. If she kept it up, she would definitely be exiled from the country or worse — just like Katarina Claes in Fortune Lover.

...Come to think of it, Katarina herself did similar things during my playthrough of the game. For some reason, something about those thoughts caused me to crawl out of bed. I reached for some papers that I hadn’t read in quite some time.

Said papers were the collection of documents that I had written upon realizing that this was the world of Fortune Lover. It contained memories of my past life, as well as information on the game. Yes, in my hands was none other than the “Archive of memories on the game I played in my past life..”

I was searching for a very specific thing — information on a certain event...

One afternoon, Katarina and her groupies surround Maria, as usual. After peppering Maria with a seemingly endless stream of verbal abuse, one of Katarina’s flunkies summons a ball of flame into her palm, motioning to hurt Maria with it.

Just as the flames are about to strike her, Maria feels her entire body lifted upwards — and finds herself in the embrace of an earthen golem. The golem is several times bigger than the average person, and it seems to be protecting her.

This particular sort of magic is that of Keith Claes, who just so happened to be nearby. Keith’s earthen golem carries Maria off to safety, eventually returning to where he’s waiting a short distance away.

There’s a reason why Keith himself didn’t intervene: the leader of the bullies was his adoptive sister, Katarina Claes. So he didn’t want to show his face, on account of an encounter with her being “troublesome.”

Upon being lowered to safety, Maria bursts into tears, terrified and traumatized by the earlier encounter. Keith, in turn, would gently comfort Maria as he held her in a somewhat awkward hug.

Given that he was usually a playboy, seeing Keith hug Maria in such a hesitant fashion was... cute. Very cute. At least, from the player’s perspective...

Hmm. So... I did it again?! I ended up stealing someone else’s event again! And to make things worse, it was one of Keith’s!

What have I done?! I even swore that I wouldn’t interfere with his affairs in love and courtship, but I, Katarina Claes, have accidentally stolen one of his events! Oh, my dear brother... I am so sorry.

With this... Maria and Keith’s romance may never develop in the first place. Ah, I am truly sorry, Keith... but. Hmm. Actually... isn’t this actually a good thing? After all, if Keith falls in love with Maria, Katarina would become an obstacle, and hence meet a Catastrophic Bad End...

Hmm. Actually, well done, Katarina! You’re great, Katarina!

I’ve coincidentally dodged yet another Bad End, just like the time with Jeord! Ah, this is wonderful. To think that I’m such a capable individual!

And so I continued showering myself with praise, and eventually fell asleep in the best of moods.

The one significant takeaway from this event was that I became a lot closer with the protagonist, Maria Campbell. This was a huge advantage — if only because I was now able to check in on Maria’s love interest situation.

But of course I could. After all, Maria and I were now close friends. After all, questions like “So... do you have someone you like? Who is it?” would hardly be out of place in a gathering of girls.

With this, determining the object of Maria’s affections would be far too easy...! Or so I thought.

Unfortunately, my grand plan didn’t quite work as well as I had intended it to. When I had casually asked Maria, “Hey, Maria... Do you have someone you like?”

“I... I really admire and... respect you, Lady Katarina...” Maria said, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red.

Well... that’s very kind of you to say, Maria, but that’s not quite what I meant...

On top of that, Maria’s response immediately drew similar declarations from my childhood friends — Mary and Sophia.

“Me too, me too! I admire Lady Katarina more than anyone... More than anyone!”

“You c-can’t have her all to yourselves... Lady Maria, Lady Mary! M-Me too... I admire you too, Lady Katarina...!”

They each chimed in like this. Ah, I really do have such lovable and amazing friends. But my dear friends... I wanted to speak of romantic love... not friendship...

After that, our little group stopped talking about love interests altogether, and the conversation instead deviated to some sort of Katarina-praising contest.

While I did feel honored to be spoken of like that, I couldn’t find out anything about Maria’s love interest in the end... and time slowly passed us by. But alas... few things go according to plan in life.

As I got closer to Maria, I realized that there was another layer to her charm. For instance... the delicious snacks that Maria baked almost seemed to be tailor-made to my tastes. And she’d also take very easy-to-understand, gently annotated lecture notes for me. And then there was how she would sometimes smile shyly when our eyes met, with that lovable, faint smile of hers.

If I were a man, I would already have been hopelessly smitten. I had only accidentally taken some events for myself, and yet, I already felt powerless in the face of Maria’s overwhelming charm and lovability. It was easy to understand why all the love interests in Fortune Lover easily fell for her.

In the light of my deepened friendship with her, I couldn’t help but feel an impending sense of danger, brought about by Maria’s impossibly powerful charms...

“So... How did that feel? Was that natural at all?” I asked, only for Anne to raise one of her eyebrows.

“...Do excuse me, young miss. But what exactly... what exactly is this?”

“What do you mean, Anne? Don’t you see? I’m practicing how to toss my projectile snake toy in the most natural fashion possible!”

Ah, you can be so silly sometimes, Anne. I already explained it several times before I began...

“...Yes, it is as you say, young miss. You did, in fact, inform me about this... practice of yours several times. However... I still do not quite understand what purpose this practice serves...”

“But I already told you all about it, Anne! In case it’s ever necessary, I need to be able to momentarily frighten my opponent... and create an opening for myself!”

“...Young miss. I... I am sorry, but I do not understand this ‘ever necessary’ moment that you are speaking of...”

“Oh, you know, when things come down to it! Quickly now, I’m going to toss it again, please tell me how natural it looks...” I returned the projectile snake toy to my pocket, before once again practicing the motion of my throw.

“To begin with... I hardly think that tossing a snake toy from one’s pocket is natural behavior of any order...” Anne seemed to be mumbling something under her breath — her words didn’t reach me, however, as I was engrossed in perfecting my snake toy toss.

And so I continued practicing and perfecting my projectile snake toy throwing, all for the sake of avoiding a Catastrophic Bad End at the hands of those who had fallen for Maria’s irresistible charms.

Meanwhile, I also managed to widen the fields a little — more crops on the horizon!

★★★★★★★★★

Maria Campbell... that is my name.

However, few people call me by that name. Everyone calls me this instead: “The special child, wielder of Light Magic.”

I was born and raised in a small town a short distance away from the kingdom’s capital... and I was only five when my Light Magic manifested.

A friend who had been playing with me tripped and fell, hurting their leg in the process. The open wound on their skin looked like it really, really hurt. If only I could help heal it, I thought. So I touched the wound ever so slightly.

And with that, a bright, dazzling light erupted from my hand. The wound that I was touching started to close before my eyes. Light Magic was the magic of healing, or curing illnesses and injuries. However, I knew little of such things at the time.

Had I been born to a noble family, I would have had some chances to study magic. But I was born to a common family. At the time, I hadn’t yet even started attending school — and so there was no way I could have known anything about magic.

The friend whom I had healed with my light was the same. All I did was stick my hand out — and then there was a bright light... and then the wound was gone.

She seemed frightened, surprised, afraid. My friend screamed, before pushing me away and fleeing. In my confusion, all I could do was sit in place. My mother eventually came looking for me.

Quite some time passed before I told my mother of the truth of the incident. As soon as I had done so, however, I was dragged to the town’s public office, where I was subjected to examinations. The results were clear — I was soon designated as “a potential wielder of Light Magic.”

Before my magical abilities manifested, I was a common child, the same as any other. My family wasn’t especially wealthy. My father was courageous and dependable, while my mother was gentle, and loved baking snacks as a hobby. I lived happily with my parents.

If there was ever anything special about me, it would be the beauty of my gentle and kind mother; she was said to be the most beautiful woman in the town. I mostly took after my mother, and was well-loved by my father, and all my fellow townsfolk.

However... that all changed when my “Light Magic” manifested. Most wielders of magic in the kingdom were of noble descent. Cases in which commoners had magical capabilities were exceedingly rare.

Rare as said cases may be, they were still possible — although most of such children were born of affairs, the child of a commoner with a single noble parent. As a result, when my magical capabilities came to light... my mother was suspected of being unfaithful. Perhaps it was because I took after my mother too much, and hardly had any of my father’s traits.

My mother’s beauty hardly helped... and soon the rumors began to swirl that she had had an affair with a nobleman somewhere. My mother did no such thing, but rumors spread quick in small towns like ours. Our familial bonds suffered immeasurably as a result.

Eventually, my father, who would always come home immediately after work to speak to my mother and I, stopped coming home at all. My gentle and kind mother, who had always smiled, now had an expressionless gaze on her face, her eyes permanently downcast. Although she had loved baking snacks and cookies and cakes before, that was now all but gone.

All because of my magic...

The changes didn’t end there, however... The townsfolk, who were all kind to me before, now kept me at arm’s length. The friends that I used to get along with so well no longer wanted to play with me.

People suspected me of being the illegitimate child of a noble somewhere, or a strange, abnormal child with magical capabilities. I was now a presence that could not easily be accepted by the people of this small town...

Everyone regarded me with awe. They never approached me, they were afraid of me, and they went to extreme lengths to avoid me — all because of my Light Magic.

Even so... I couldn’t simply give up, not even when faced with all these things that were out of my control. I wanted my father to come home. I wanted my mother to smile once more... To play with my friends once more.

And so I worked hard... I helped out with the chores as much as I could. I never said anything selfish or demanded anything for myself, and I desperately threw myself into my studies.

After all... if I tried really hard, if I was good and did the right things, I believed that one day, everything would go back to how it used to be — that I would have my happy life back.

Before I knew it, everyone started regarding me with a sort of silent, but distant awe. “Maria Campbell is a special child,” they would say. I had started going to a nearby school, and scored high grades in my studies there. The teachers praised me.

However... nothing changed. My father did not come home, and my mother’s gaze remained downcast. Although the other children didn’t exactly ignore me or bully me, no one wanted to play with me.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter how many people called me “special”... nothing changed.

Eventually, those around me started whispering... “Because she’s the illegitimate child of a noble, they let her cheat...” or “She’s just tricking them all with her magic...”.

What do I have to do... to get along with everyone? That was the thought that was always on my mind.

One day, a female classmate of mine brought some homemade snacks and treats to class. All my classmates happily ate them — they seemed to be having fun. If I made snacks for everyone like that girl did, would I get along with everyone better?

Before my magic manifested, I often made snacks with my mother. The snacks that I had baked with her were very, very delicious. After I returned home that day, I started to recall the steps that my mother had taught me, and for the first time in my life, started baking snacks and treats myself.

With quite some effort, I finally completed my endeavor. Although they didn’t taste as good as the ones I had made with my mother back then, they still had a very nostalgic taste. They filled my heart with warmth.

And so I kept practicing, again and again, until I was finally confident in how they tasted. Then I brought my snacks to school...

And just like my classmate had done before, I laid out my snacks on the lunchroom table that all of my classmates were seated at. However... not a single snack was eaten by any of my classmates. Not a single hand reached out to them.

At the end of our lunch break, everyone returned to their seats. I packed up the uneaten snacks, placing them into my bag. As class ended, all my classmates left and went home, leaving me alone in the classroom.

I took a single snack out of my bag, and put it into my mouth. Although I was usually cheered up when snacking on treats like this, now I was crying instead. I didn’t understand why the tears wouldn’t stop, as drop after drop fell from my cheeks.

I continued crying as I ate, snack after snack, treat after treat. Eventually, I finished them all, and once I got home, I immediately crawled into bed.

“Aren’t you going to have dinner?” my mother asked in a monotone voice from beyond the door to my room. It was as if taking care of me was only some sort of obligation.

“I am not hungry today,” I said.

My mother’s response was as monotonous as ever. “I see,” she said, and walked away.

The teachers in my school, my classmates, the people in town, and now my family... everyone calls me “special.” But that “special” meant that I was “abnormal.” No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I did, I would always be kept at arm’s length and regarded with fear.

I don’t want them to call me that anymore... I don’t want to be called a “special child who wields Light Magic” anymore!

I’m not some illegitimate child of a noble! I’ve never cheated with my magic...! All I’ve done is work hard so that everyone would accept me, would approve of me! I... I only did my best...

No one would look at me. Even my mother averted her eyes. Anyone... please. Anyone is fine... please, just... look at me! Look at Maria Campbell!

The law of the land stated that all those who had magical capability had to attend the Academy of Magic once they came of age... once they were fifteen.

The Academy of Magic... surely all the students there will have magic of some kind. Maybe I can just be a normal child there. If I enroll in the academy... maybe I’ll be able to make friends.

Those were the thoughts that filled my mind as I curled up on my bed, in my dark, lonely room. Slowly but surely, hope sprung from the depths of my heart.

If I enroll in the Academy of Magic...

And so, with the hope that I had nurtured in my heart all this time, I went to the academy... only for it to be all shattered even sooner than I expected.

The students of the academy were all children of nobility — their noble sons and daughters. The very existence of a commoner like me was an abnormality. To make things worse, the unusual nature of Light Magic was known even amongst the common folk, so I knew that I was a rarity even amongst those who did wield magic.

As a result, I only continued to stand out. More and more factors made me abnormal and strange, and I soon realized that I would not be making any friends. In fact, I was soon bullied for having Light Magic “despite being a commoner” — apparently, it was seen as a gesture of arrogance.

Little changed in the academy. Things were just how they were back when I lived in my hometown — it was difficult just to get through the day. However... I thought that if I tried my best, if I did the right things and was a good person... then surely things would change. So I continued working hard.

A few weeks after starting at the academy, a student academic and magical aptitude test took place. I suppose there was some value to all the hard work I had put in, as I achieved good grades for those tests. As a result, I ended up becoming part of the student council.

The other members of the council were of high social standing. These were people whom I would not ever speak with had I lived in that town all my life. Our second-year seniors were socially important people, too. Surrounded by such individuals, I couldn’t help but be reserved. But it didn’t take me long to realize that these people hardly thought about social station or position. They were all kind and friendly, never putting on airs.

In particular, there was one person who was particularly kind — a certain Lady Katarina Claes, the eldest daughter of Duke Claes. For some reason, she was very well-loved by most of the other council members, and an exception was made to allow her into the council chambers even though she was not a formal member. She treated everyone the same way, be they noble or commoner. Lady Katarina Claes was always gentle and warm.

The student council chambers soon became the only place in the academy where I could rest my heart and soul.

“Would you be interested in baking some snacks and bringing them here to share with us, Miss Campbell?”

One day after lessons, Lady Katarina asked such a question. It was all so sudden — I found myself freezing in place.

“...Um. Lady Claes. How is it that you know about my baking...?”

It was true, however, that I had continued baking ever since that incident. My mother’s recipe reminded me of the past. I always felt a little better after eating those baked snacks and treats. Even though I had faced hardship and difficulty ever since enrolling into the academy, I still continued baking, borrowing a small corner of the kitchens to do so.

However, I had done all of this in secret... and I had never spoken to anyone on the student council about it. So why did Lady Katarina know about this? I couldn’t help but look at her ponderingly.

“Umm... Uh. Th-That was... because I heard about it from the school chefs, so...” Lady Katarina replied.

While it was true that I had asked the chefs to keep it secret, it was possible that rumors of my activities had leaked out one way or another...

“...It is as you say, Lady Claes... although I did borrow a small space in the kitchens for personal use, I just made a small amount... Also, the snacks I make are hardly worthy of the palates of those on the council, so...”

I looked at the delicately crafted snacks laid out on the council chamber’s table. I had never seen such expensive-looking snacks in all my life. The council ate them on a regular basis — I could hardly present my cheap-looking, homemade snacks next to them. I withdrew into myself.

“While I am fond of artisan-crafted snacks, I also love homemade snacks and pastries!” Lady Katarina continued.

“Eh...? You have tried homemade snacks before, Lady Claes?” I was surprised. After all, the nobility of this kingdom hardly did any work in the kitchens. As a result, even the snacks they ate were crafted by artisans and professional chefs. I had assumed that nobles would never eat anything that was homemade by amateurs.

“Yes, of course. The previous head maid at my manor was quite interested in baking snacks, you see. She would often give me some to nibble on. And so you see, Miss Campbell... I find myself longing for those homemade snacks, now that I am here at the academy! I’d love it if you could just give a tiny bit to me when you bake another batch... Of course, I would pay for all your ingredients, and labor expenses, too,” Lady Katarina said, smiling charmingly as she did so.

“No, no! That would not do at all, Lady Claes! There will be no expenses incurred, and even the ingredients are provided free by the academy’s kitchens! It is merely a hobby of mine, and I have no way of knowing if it would suit your tastes... But I can definitely bring some for you in the near future...”

Even though I knew that my snacks were hardly worthy of being eaten by a noble like Lady Katarina, I found myself agreeing, having been pulled into the entire affair by her smile. And then, to someone like me...

“Is that so? Thank you very much!” Lady Katarina said, once again giving me that charming smile.

Perhaps Lady Katarina was being considerate to me. I was a commoner, and was always alone... baking snacks in a small corner of the kitchens. Maybe she had heard the rumors that I had eaten all those snacks by myself, and had asked to try some out of sympathy for my situation.

However... Lady Katarina was a very gentle and kind person. Even if this was about sympathy, pity, or just social formalities... It was the first time that... anyone had asked to taste the snacks that I made.

I found myself in a buoyant mood. Immediately after returning to the dormitories, I prepared my tools, and then went to the kitchens that very night to bake the snacks Lady Katarina had requested.

This was the first time I would be baking snacks and treats for anyone else — ever since the time I cried and ate alone.

The next day, I headed to the dormitory’s cafeteria before going to the student council chambers. I warmed up the snacks I had left in the kitchens ever so slightly — so that Lady Katarina could enjoy the snacks I had baked just a little bit more.

And so, with my basket full of warmed treats, I headed in the direction of the council chambers... and that was when it happened.

On my way to the school buildings from the dormitories, I was stopped by several female students. From the look of their expensive, vibrantly-colored dresses, I could tell that they were high-ranking noble ladies amongst the general peerage.

“We have... some matters to discuss.” With that, the group forcefully escorted me to a nearby forested area. Once we were away from the path, the noble ladies started yelling at me, hurling verbal abuse of all kinds. “You filthy commoner!” they said.

This had happened many times ever since I started at the academy. I kept my eyes downcast, staring at the ground, hoping that the noble ladies would eventually calm down and leave. However...

“And what is this?” one of the noble ladies said, pointing to the basket I was holding to my chest.

“...Ah... this... these are just some snacks I made, as a gift for the student council...” I found myself answering truthfully out of surprise at being abruptly questioned. I soon regretted my clumsiness in doing so, however...

Upon hearing my answer, the noble ladies’ expressions collectively changed. While their faces were flushed red with anger before, they now seemed even more... upset. They were furious.

Now I’ve done it... My careless words had agitated the noble ladies even further. And then — with a loud crack, the basket that I was holding was brutally slapped out of my hands, falling roughly onto the ground. The freshly warmed-snacks rolled out of the fallen basket and then came to a stop on the grassy ground.

“So what if you have Light Magic? Don’t get full of yourself. Who do you think you are?! Look at this! Made by a commoner, made by the poor! Don’t you dare feed this to the student council! That would be too disgusting to endure!” the noble lady screamed, before raising her foot in preparation to crush the fallen snacks.

I had never felt such anger directed at me before. Nothing I had felt in my life could compare to this. I could only stand, dumbstruck, as I stared at what was about to unfold before me. It was then that it happened.

“CEASE THIS AT ONCE!” A sudden voice, ringing out in the air. It was confident, dignified. A head full of beautiful brown hair. Azure eyes, staring straight ahead — her appearance was as dignified as her voice.

Why would she be here, of all places? Wasn’t she always at the council chambers after lessons...? This person placed herself between me and the noble ladies, as if to shield me from their anger.

“L-Lady Katarina... Claes...” the noble lady who was about to step on my snacks muttered, as if in shock. Although I was surprised and stunned at this turn of events, it seemed that the nobles who surrounded me were even more taken aback. Their eyes were open wide.

“You lot... WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

All the color drained from their faces at Lady Katarina’s harsh inquiry. But of course they would feel that way... Lady Katarina Claes was the eldest daughter of Duke Claes, and also the fiancée of the third crown prince of the kingdom, Prince Jeord. The student council, which was admired by the student populace, adored Lady Katarina. In fact, her bright and personable nature was secretly admired by many anonymous individuals in the academy itself.

If one were to upset Lady Katarina Claes, not only would they find it difficult to live on in the academy — they would also find themselves hard-pressed to remain in the kingdom at all.

And before I knew it, all those noble ladies who were so angry before were now impossibly meek and quiet...

“W-We’re very sorry... do excuse us...” Saying so, they bowed to Lady Katarina, and then, as if engaged in a fierce competition with one another, ran away as quickly as they could from where we stood.

All I could do was stare on quietly in the light of this sudden development... until I realized that I had to quickly make my way to the council chambers. I had to bring my baked snacks and treats to the council... and it was then that I remembered. My snacks were no longer in my arms. Instead... the snacks I had baked were now scattered on the ground.

Ah... I can’t possibly bring these snacks to the council chambers now. I felt an old memory flood my mind... of the time when no one would eat any of the snacks I had baked — of how they were left sitting on the cafeteria table... even though I had worked so hard to make them. No one would even reach for them.

Still rooted to the spot, I could only watch on as Lady Katarina knelt down, slowly picking up and returning the fallen snacks to the basket. I panicked at the sight of this. How could I let Lady Katarina pick up fallen objects from the ground? As I was about to raise an objection, Lady Katarina opened her mouth wide, and then promptly placed a snack into her mouth. And then —

“...Delicious,” she said, smiling gently.

Snacks that had fallen onto the ground... I had thought that I would have to eat them all by myself, just like I did back then — but there she was. Lady Katarina was eating the snacks I had baked... saying they were delicious, and smiling as she did so.

The sight was too much for me to bear. I could only stare at Lady Katarina with wide eyes. Before long, she had eaten all the snacks that I had baked. I met her gaze — her azure-blue eyes were staring deep into mine.

“Um... Ah. I’m sorry... it’s a bad habit of mine, getting ahead of myself and eating everything up like that...” Then she bowed, lowering her head. But... I couldn’t even begin to understand why she would apologize for eating my baked snacks.

“Ah, no... I don’t mind, Lady Claes. It is just that... the snacks had fallen onto the ground...”

Lady Katarina, however, had a confident look about her as she responded. “They only fell onto the grass, Miss Campbell. They were mostly dirt-free. It’s no problem, really.”

I no longer knew how to respond to what I had just heard. All I could do was muster a strange smile. “...I-Is that so...”

Lady Katarina then went on to earnestly, fervently praise the snacks I had made. I had never been praised like this before. I felt so happy, but yet so embarrassed, that I could feel my face heating up.

It was then that Prince Jeord came along from the direction of the student council chambers. He had apparently come to look for me, on account of my being late for the meeting we were supposed to have.

Prince Jeord, however, looked at Lady Katarina suspiciously — she was hugging the snack basket close to her chest, still kneeling down on the ground, and my face was a deep shade of red. I came up with the best explanation I could: “Ah, Prince Jeord... I had coincidentally run into Lady Katarina, who kindly spoke with me for a while...”

I didn’t want to tell the prince about the bullying. It would be unbecoming for the council to worry about me. As if understanding how I felt, Prince Jeord turned to Lady Katarina, and soon we were all talking together.

On our way to the council chambers, I could still feel my flushed cheeks. Prince Jeord turned to me with an indecipherable smile on his face. “You should be more careful, Miss Campbell. She is quite the charmer, you see.” I didn’t quite understand what he meant.

Ever since that day, I made snacks for the council on a daily basis. Lady Katarina, for her part, seemed very happy at this development.

It didn’t take me long to notice that the bullying and gossip seemed to decrease after the incident in which Lady Katarina shielded me — and hence, I let my guard down. It was then that it happened... on the lunch break of a certain day.

The cafeteria in the academy was a grand and respectable structure, and was regularly patronized by nobles of all kinds. With the academy itself having many students of noble birth, it goes without saying that many of them chose to have their meals there..

Just like how we were segregated into different dormitories by social status, seats in the cafeteria were also split up in such a way. Being a commoner myself, however, there didn’t seem to be a place for me. After all, there was only one eating area in the academy... and it was mostly filled with noble students of high social standing.

I was far from being able to use the cafeteria myself, being all too aware of my own status as a mere commoner. This was why I often prepared lunch boxes in my dormitory room, and then had my meal alone somewhere in the academy’s central courtyard.

That day was like any other — I sat down on a small bench in the courtyard, just like I always did, and was about to open up my lunch box. And then it happened. Before I knew it, I was once again surrounded by noble ladies I did not recall crossing paths with before.

“You filthy commoner! Just because you have some Light Magic, you got selected for the council! Don’t get ahead of yourself!”

“You get special treatment because of that silly Light Magic of yours, don’t you? They had no choice but to put you on the council! Simply disgusting!”

“That’s right! You probably just got preferential treatment in your student evaluation tests! It has to be that!”

The noble ladies surrounding me peppered me with verbal abuse. I kept quiet, just like how I always did, waiting for their fury to subside. Their words were the very same words that I had heard ever since I enrolled into the academy... no, these were the very same words that I had heard from the beginning of it all.

“Because you wield Light Magic.” Those were the words that had plagued me ever since my magic manifested itself. No matter how hard I worked, or how hard I tried... it would all be because I “wield Light Magic” — and that was all anyone would say.

If they wanted it so badly... if I could just give it away to someone. I would do it in a heartbeat... I don’t need this... I don’t need this at all! I just... I just! It happened when I was lost in my thoughts and an unending torrent of verbal abuse. One of the noble ladies raised her hand — and in her palm was a ball of flame, burning bright and red.

Up until now, I had been slapped in the face countless times, stomped on the foot more times than I could remember, and was regularly bullied in all sorts of ways. But... magic like this... was a first. I stared at the red-hot ball of fire. It didn’t feel real to me — all I could do was stare at it, as if it were some otherworldly object.

Just as the bully took a step forward, the flames in her hand raised high... I thought I heard a clear voice ring out. Then, without warning, the bully who had been approaching me menacingly all this while fell on her behind, right before my eyes. Before I could even react, a familiar, dignified silhouette entered my field of vision.

“YOU LOT!! What do you think you’re doing?! To say that she gets preferential treatment because of Light Magic... talk about baseless accusations! You listen here, this academy is a complete MERITOCRACY! There is no preferential treatment here!! You also got one thing wrong... Maria is hardworking! The reason why she scored well is because she worked hard! Because she gave her all!”

Shielding me from the bullies was once again... Lady Katarina Claes.

Yes. It was just as Lady Katarina said. I’ve always worked hard. I never cheated on my tests, either. All I did was work hard... I just did the best I could. And yet, no one noticed my efforts... or so I thought. In spite of everything, this person... she noticed. Lady Katarina Claes noticed. I opened my eyes wide and stared straight into Lady Katarina’s back.

As I continued staring, dumbstruck, she continued, “Also... those in the student council and myself? We don’t stand with her because she wields Light Magic! We do because she tries harder than anyone else, and gives her all at everything... and that’s why we’re with her! Because we LIKE her!”

At her words, I felt my eyes getting hot. Before long, tears were streaming down my cheeks. Ever since the day my magic had manifested, everyone had said I was special, but they had treated me like an abnormality. No matter how hard I worked or how much I tried, my efforts would simply be dismissed. All because I had this “special power,” or perhaps because I cheated. Everyone saw me as “the special child who wielded Light Magic.” No one would ever see me as Maria Campbell — just a human being, just a girl.

Even so... Lady Katarina... she noticed. She noticed that I tried hard. And she liked me not because I was some special child with Light Magic... but because I was Maria Campbell. And with that, I felt a wave of emotions well up within me and spill forth. It was as if a dam had burst open deep in my heart — the tears simply would not stop flowing.

Lady Katarina approached me as I continued crying, before placing a hand on my back. The gentle warmth of her hand caused the question in my heart to leave my lips before I even noticed it.

“Ah... Um... Lady Claes, my name...” Lady Katarina always referred to me as “Miss Campbell.” But just now, as she was reprimanding the bullies, she had called me by my first name — “Maria.”

“Ah, yes... about that. I apologize, suddenly referring to you as if we’re the best of friends...” Lady Katarina said, looking quite flustered.

I shook my head vigorously from side to side. “No... I do not mind at all. In fact, there is no need to call me ‘Miss.’ Please just refer to me as ‘Maria’...”

Lady Katarina simply smiled gently at my request. “Thank you, Maria.”

Upon hearing her distinguished voice call out my name, I mustered up all the courage in my being.

“Ah... Um. I-If... you would forgive my impudence for... Um... Could I please call you ‘Lady Katarina,’ just like everyone else on the student council...?” I said, desperately asking the question I had in my heart.

Lady Katarina seemed momentarily stunned, and then — “Of course! Feel free to call me whatever you like, Maria. After all, are we not already friends?” she said, with that same gentle smile on her face.

To think that she, a noble, would call a commoner like me, a friend... I found myself crying once more, just when I had finally calmed down.

Anyone... please. Anyone is fine... please, just... look at me! Look at Maria Campbell... That was what I had always wished for. If I worked harder... if I go to the Academy of Magic, then...

With each and every hope I had cradled in my heart cruelly dashed to pieces, I had thought that my wish would never come true — and yet...

Tears continued flowing down my cheeks as Lady Katarina’s warm hand gently moved across my back. I was... glad. That my dream all this time had finally been fulfilled... And for a while, we sat like that. I eventually calmed down, and Master Keith came by to pick Lady Katarina up. The three of us then headed to the cafeteria...

I found myself blushing as Lady Katarina held her hand out to me. Upon seeing this, Master Keith sighed, as if exasperated. “...Again?! Just how many people must you charm...?”

I wonder what Master Keith meant.

Ever since then, I became closer with Lady Katarina and her friends, even outside of our activities at the student council. We took classes together, and after our lessons, we all headed straight to the student council chambers.

When I took out the snacks that I had intended to gift to the council, Lady Katarina was overjoyed. I was glad, too, although I had to avert my eyes from Lady Katarina, feeling a little embarrassed by my grinning face.

I noticed that as I looked around, the other student council members were all smiling kindly at Lady Katarina too. Prince Jeord was of course, his usual smiling self, and the usually stoic Master Nicol had a faint smile about his lips.

I continued looking around the room... Hmm? Something feels... off. I moved my eyes to that person once more. As expected, he had his usual gentle and lovable smile.

...Was I just seeing things? For a moment there, I thought he had the coldest expression on his face... It was gone as soon as I had shifted my gaze back to him — as if he had the same gentle expression about him all this time.

That was why I had assumed it was just some sort of mistake on my part. After all... how could such a kind and gentle person ever have a look as cold as that... and to be glaring at Lady Katarina? It was all but impossible.

“Maria... these snacks are... delicious!” Lady Katarina said, a wide smile on her face, as I was lost in thought about what I had just seen.

I felt a wave of happiness wash over me once more, and soon enough, those thoughts were gone as quickly as they had appeared. I should put even more effort into my snack-making, so that I can see this smile tomorrow, too!

It had been ten years since my Light Magic manifested. I had worked hard all this time, hoping that my wish would one day be granted. And now, after all this time... it finally had.