NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 10 - The Emperor (3)
✦ Chapter 10 – The Emperor (3) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝
There was no point in talking further about Clara, as it wouldn’t change anything, so I switched topics. Family matters were best resolved within the family. However, if the situation appeared to be heading towards the worst, I wouldn’t hesitate to step in.
“Is there another reason you summoned me? I doubt it was just for a casual greeting.”
Although Jorden genuinely considered me his benefactor, exchanging pleasantries could wait until the semester began in a week.
He was the Student Council President. He knew about today’s exam. Would he really summon me, after all I’d been through, just for a casual greeting? Jorden wasn’t that thoughtless.
“Would you be interested in joining the Student Council?”
“The Student Council?”
His words surprised me. It wasn’t because I’d never been part of a student council before. I’d joined it several times while playing “Croaka.”
Joining the Student Council in “Croaka” wasn’t difficult. Achieving a certain score on the exam granted eligibility. But that was because my character was Lucas.
“I’m a commoner, though?”
This was the real reason for my surprise. As far as I knew, the current Student Council consisted entirely of nobles. Historically, no commoner had ever been part of the Student Council. This wasn’t due to any outright discrimination against commoners.
For nobles, the Student Council was a dream, a chance to build connections with high-ranking nobles. For commoners, it was a minefield, fraught with danger and teeming with haughty nobles.
“Your social standing is irrelevant. What matters is your competence and your ability to manage other students.”
This was the second reason commoners didn’t join the Student Council.
Despite the academy’s principle of equality, the moment you stepped outside, you were either a noble or a commoner. How many commoners could manage nobles, and how many nobles would willingly submit to a commoner’s authority?
“Other commoners might hesitate to join due to their fear of the nobility, but wouldn’t it be different for you, Benefactor?”
He knew I didn’t fear nobles.
“Moreover, joining the Student Council comes with many benefits. No student will dare look down on you as a commoner.”
Jorden was right; joining the Student Council was an attractive prospect. It came with a scholarship and the opportunity to actively participate in academy affairs.
“It certainly sounds convenient, but I’ll have to decline!”
However, joining the Student Council would interfere with achieving my larger goals.
“Is that so? If that’s your decision, then there’s nothing more to be done.”
Jorden gave up surprisingly easily. Come on, at least pretend to be disappointed.
“Aren’t you giving up too quickly? You should at least try to persuade me again. I’m hurt!”
“Your decision is final, Benefactor. I wouldn’t dare to question your judgment. I’m sure you have your reasons for declining.”
Perhaps thanks to his familiarity with eccentrics, he didn’t fall for my antics.
“But if you ever encounter any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to seek our help. House Adellian never forgets a debt.”
“Haha, those are reassuring words. I’ll definitely count on you if I run into trouble.”
The name of House Adellian carried significant weight. Jorden’s words were a promise of support from the entire Ducal house.
“Now, I’ll take my leave. When we meet next, feel free to treat me casually. After all, you’re my senior now, right?”
“I’ll consider it.”
With that, I left the Student Council room.
Now, to head to the inn for real this time.
According to Croa Academy’s guide, they served cheap and delicious soup that I was eager to try.
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“Hmm~ I’m the most dashing clown in the world”
I strolled through the academy, singing a cheerful tune. I was aware of the students’ gazes. It was inevitable — a handsome man with a lovely voice was bound to attract attention.
While singing and walking, I spotted a very welcome sight.
“Senior Johanna~!”
With her beautiful platinum blonde hair and slightly innocent blue eyes, there stood my favorite, Johanna Freya.
I called out to her and ran towards her. Upon hearing someone call her name, she turned towards me.
“Senior Johanna, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you were waiting for me?”
Of course, that was unlikely. She was probably taking a break or on patrol duty as a member of the Disciplinary Committee. But her answer stunned me.
“I was.”
“What? Really? You were waiting for me?”
She was waiting for me? Why? I hadn’t done anything to warrant being confronted by the disciplinary committee yet.
“I saw your exam.”
I wasn’t particularly curious about how she watched the exam. The game mentioned that club representatives observed the exams.
“I’m worried my handsome face might not have been captured properly by the monitor.”
Was that why she was waiting?
“Oh! So you were waiting to see my handsome face up close?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Johanna, with an uncharacteristically serious expression, denied my assumption. No need to be that dismissive!
“Then, what was the reason you were waiting for me?”
If it wasn’t because of my face, I had no idea.
“I saw you fight.”
“Hehe, I did fight well, didn’t I? What did you think? Did I look cool? Did you fall for me?”
I expected her to deny it again, but to my surprise, she smiled ever so slightly.
“You were amazing.”
Her smile vanished as quickly as it appeared, but this was only the second time I’d seen her smile. In the game, she never smiled, not even once. The fact that she had smiled because of me made my heart race.
“Ah! You smiled again, Senior!”
To hide my pounding heart, I deliberately raised my voice. Johanna touched her lips, as if she couldn’t believe she had smiled.
“I didn’t.”
“The corners of your mouth went down quickly, but I’m sure of it. I saw it clearly with my own two eyes.”
“I did?”
As if trying to remember how she had smiled, she forced a smile. While her forced smile was still pretty, her natural one was far more beautiful. She looked quite confused. I gently grabbed her hand that was trying to force her lips into a smile.
“You don’t need to rush it. I’ll be by your side, making you smile.”
Johanna looked at me with her characteristic innocent eyes, shocked by my words.
“A special person.”
[Being unusual is fine, but I’d prefer to be remembered as special.]
Feeling embarrassed that she remembered what I said, I changed the subject. I was glad I was wearing a mask, hiding my flushed face.
“Senior Johanna, I have something I’m curious about.”
I created an illusion of myself, an identical copy.
“Which one of us do you think is real?”
Johanna had once said that the butterflies I conjured through illusion looked unnatural. Given that, I was confident she wouldn’t be able to distinguish between my real self and my illusion clone. It was my specialty, after all.
“Hmm.”
She studied me and my illusion clone with her blue eyes; there was no way she could tell the difference.
After a minute of careful observation, she finally pointed with her finger.
“You’re the real one.”
Her finger pointed at the real me.
“Whoa! Senior, how did you know?”
How did she figure it out? I was confident she wouldn’t be able to tell. But her next words made all my thoughts vanish.
“You seem more special.”
How? From my perspective, both were identical. There was no way one looked more special than the other.
As I stood there, confused, she asked a sudden question, “Would you like to join the Disciplinary Committee?”
The question was so abrupt that I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“No.”
Johanna left quickly, almost as if fleeing, after my straightforward rejection.
Uh oh, she’s upset.
“Senior~! That’s not what I meant!”
Afterward, I spent the next few minutes explaining the 43 reasons why I couldn’t join the Disciplinary Committee, hoping to placate her.
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Having finally managed to explain myself to Johanna, I was on my way to the inn; today had been overwhelmingly eventful.
I had started the day playing with a little child and then bumped into Johanna. Together, we walked to the academy, where I joined forces with main characters from Croa Academy to defeat the golems.
I had a conversation with Jorden, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, and finally, I talked to Johanna again.
“Come to think of it, I started my day talking with Senior Johanna and ended it talking with Senior Johanna.”
Could anyone be happier than me, with a day bookended by encounters with Johanna?
Moreover, I’d witnessed her smile twice. Nothing could top that, no matter what else happened today.
That’s what I thought…
Until I was kidnapped.
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Although unconscious, the sound of a voice pierced through my slumber, jolting me awake. It felt as if the words were driven directly into my brain.
“I didn’t want to bring you here like this, but it couldn’t be helped. There were eyes everywhere.”
If “Croaka 0” ever came out, this man would undoubtedly be the protagonist.
A man who, despite being born illegitimate, had ascended to the pinnacle of power through his own efforts.
The Emperor. He looked down at me.
My hands trembled like a prey facing a predator.
Even with a poker face, I couldn’t stop the shaking.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Where did you learn the [Shadow Step]?”
— End of Chapter —
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