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Chapter 46. I'm Unpopular

"What do you want to talk about, Princess Elissa?"

"Your polite speech gives me goosebumps, so stop it."

Isn’t that harsh?

"There are three things I want to discuss."

"Okay... huh? Three things? I can only think of one..."

"Then let's start with that one."

Great, I feel like I just dug my own grave.

"Ivy Meraldas said you captured Prime Minister Albrecht. Tell me more about that."

"Do you really believe everything Ivy says? She's pretty shady, you know."

"True, she's mysterious and hard to trust, but I believe her more than someone who hides things all the time."

Have I really been hiding that much from Elissa? If anything, it’s just stuff about Grimoire and my past life...

"Well, about Prime Minister Albrecht, it was kind of accidental. I didn't mean for it to happen. I was just a bystander caught in the mess..."

"Enough, just be clear. Were you involved or not?"

"Yes, I was the one who knocked him out in the end."

No point denying it... but it was self-defense. He attacked me first, and I just handed him over to the Minister of Interior... I'm innocent. Anyone would do the same.

"So, it was you. I suspected as much when I heard he was captured here at the academy."

"Why was I the prime suspect?"

"I happened to visit your room when you hit him. I wondered why you were out despite the curfew..."

"Oh... wasn't the curfew for you too, Princess Elissa?"

"I had permission to move around with Commander Liester."

Damn... I lost that argument.

"Second thing."

"Huh?"

Aren’t you going to scold me? Why are we moving on so quickly?

"Don't misunderstand, I'm not here to reprimand you. I just wanted to talk."

"When a royal says that, it always sounds like a pretext for a scolding."

"It’s not."

But if you said that to any other student, they'd probably nod frantically in fear.

"Second, about your mysterious nature."

"Mysterious nature?"

"Yes... you keep insisting you're just an ordinary citizen, but objectively, you’re quite exceptional. You must understand that."

"No, I don’t."

"...You’re incredibly dense."

Ouch.

"You can use Grimoire, are connected with Duke Frisberg, Marquis Bifrans, Marquis Miesis, Baron Garndi, and the Kuria royal family. Frankly, you're not normal."

Funny, I only reached out to Marquis Bifrans and Baron Garndi. The rest approached me.

"Why do you insist on remaining inconspicuous?"

"Well..."

Explaining this is pointless. It’s just my Japanese sensibilities. In my previous life, standing out was risky. Blending in was the way to go.

Imagine if your friend suddenly said, "I have a past life, and the norms there don't fit here." You’d distance yourself, right? I would.

"If it’s really something you don't want to discuss, then I won’t ask."

"Really?"

"Yes, everyone has one or two secrets."

Wow, she's understanding. Most people would pry. Unlike Ivy, who sneaks into the royal palace... well, she's just bad.

"So, what’s the third thing?"

"The third thing is... a request... um... how should I say this..."

"Huh?"

What’s with the suspense? Just spit it out already.

She keeps taking deep breaths... is it really that serious? Should I bolt?

"Um... I want you to go out with me."

"Oh."

Shopping?

"I mean date me."

"......What?"

Date? Like, be her boyfriend?

"Absolutely not!"

"So you understood and rejected it!?"

Princess Elissa, confessing her love to me!? No way! She must want to use me to dodge some trouble! I’d rather have her mad at me than get involved in royal messes! If I accept, I might anger other nobles and royals too!

"Please! Just for a little while! I’ll even pay you!"

"Even worse! Offering money makes it sound like serious trouble! Ask Jeremiah or someone!"

"He’s a duke's son, so no!"

"Then one of your other male friends!"

"I don't have any decent male friends besides you!"

"Or female friends!"

Damn it! This is why dealing with princesses is a hassle. I want to escape, but refusing feels wrong now.

I look directly at Princess Elissa’s face.

Beautiful blonde hair, teary blue eyes... she’s pretty and rich.

"If it weren’t for the trouble, I’d date you..."

"Really!? A proper relationship would be fine! You’d need to get educated and become a Magic Knight, but I think we’d get along."

"Uh? I don’t think we would."

"......You’ve never been interested in a woman, have you?"

Stop calling me unpopular out of nowhere.