Apparently, Her Highness Princess wants to keep her relationship with me a secret (what does she even mean by 'her relationship with me'?) - 3-10

3-10

The Client Who Was a Classmate

Using me, a baron’s son, as a meat shield, while launching long-range attacks from back—that’s the kind of cowardly tactic totally unwelcomed at Westminster. Of course, the more I endure, the more Harold’s stamina wears down, but even if she wins in this way, she’ll only be branded a villain.

Westminster, known for its strength.

As it is known for that especially, everyone here faces the art of battle with utmost sincerity.

“Now, all that’s left, —with all your might.”

“—Un, Orgott-kun, you’ve worked so hard to get me this far! Now take a rest, and leave the rest to me!”

From here on out, to avoid becoming a villain, she must fight alone, tirelessly, with all her heart.

Her magical quirk allows her to handle both long-range and close-range combat. This time, she relied on me as her shield while sniping from behind, however, till now, she somehow consistently earned decent results from her close combat.

If anything, she’s better at close range. Against Harold, as he is right now, she might stand a fair chance.

“…I–I’m so tired…”

I leapt down from the central battleground where the fight was ongoing, and collapsed onto the ground.

The rest was up to Harold to overpower Julianne. Julianne’s goal was to defeat Harold and secure a scholarship, but pushing Harold this far was already worthy of commendation. Even without victory, she would likely still receive a decent scholarship.

“—I’ll begin your treatment now, Itose Orgott. But let me tell you, you’ve already surpassed what a third hand is allowed to do!”

Several adults gathered around me as I stepped off the battlefield of combat arts. They were the finest healers, assembled to tend to injured students, people to whom I can entrust myself to. Their skills were top-notch.

But I had no other choice. This was the only way I could think of.

A warm numbness spread through me, as if I’d been given anesthesia.

I closed my eyes and entrusted my body to them. The cheers hadn’t subsided—the fight between Julianne and Harold still continued. That was fine. After all, the opponent is Harold. The longer the match dragged on, the better Julianne’s combat art would be judged.

Suddenly, I heard a voice. Also gentle warmth—someone must have held my hand.

“—Did you accept this request from that store as well? Such a dangerous job? Say, is it really worth all this? …Itose, is becoming the top student at Westminster really worth having your body hurt like this?”

A familiar voice. Even without opening my eyes, I know who it was. Someone I’d recently crossed paths with. My first client since made it to the top ten.

Apart from His Excellency, only Princess Emma knew about my dream.

Is it worth it—?

Isn’t it, a given ——.

In my hazy mind, my unforgettable past resurfaced.

Long ago, a terrible incident occurred in this very country, Roman.

At a party hosted by a great noble family—a family that had been a pillar of Roman since its founding—every participant family of that party was slaughtered. It seemed that the contents of the party was responsible for that. A secret party, gathered to strengthen ties and commit even greater crimes.

The nobles who conspired to sell out the country were purged. My family I was born into was also among them.

My parents had dared to dream too big for their stature.

“This way! Let’s hide here! Our bodies are small enough—if we stay here, they won’t find us! Come on, hold my hand!”

It was completely out of pure coincidence. The daughter of the host noble—the girl and I hid in an empty pantry as screams echoed with adults were killed.

She continued to hold my hand the whole time. A girl my age. I’d known of her—as being the daughter of the host, she was famous.

“It’s okay… It’s not scary at all. Just keep holding onto my hand…”

I knew no help would come for us.

We survived by sharing that small piece of candy from my pocket. Even with memories of my previous life, I trembled in fear. Yet she remained resolute. We whispered to each other, in order to distract ourselves from the terror. I lost count of how many nights had passed just like that.

“—My dream is… to become the top student at Westminster, just like my grandfather and father… But that’s probably impossible now… For everything’s lost now…”

Saying those last words, she collapsed right before my eyes. Her life flickered out of her eyes.

I don’t like to remember what happened after.

The pantry door opened, flooding the room with light. I thought I’d be killed—but instead, I was embraced.

“So there were survivors… I will save you, no matter the cost.”

“Your Excellency, we must retreat immediately… They’ve already noticed us!”

The man who saved me was Dan Westminster.

He arrived at the massacre with his men faster than anyone, found us, and then carried both me and her cold body together out of there.

I managed to survive. For a long time, I was an empty shell. His Excellency changed my name and entrusted me to the Orgott barony. The Orgott Barony was warm, giving me unconditional love despite my troubled past.

I would become the top student at Westminster, for the girl who let me live in her stead.

That was the only reason I lived for.

“Is this fate? I can’t believe the child from that time would be enrolled in Westminster. You, the little kid who was charred completely black at that time, who no longer have any trace of his past days. To be honest, I had no intention of teaching you as well, but it was all a proof of your own efforts. I’ll tell you that.”

On the day I passed the Westminster entrance exam, His Excellency—now the headmaster of Westminster—told me all that happened.

“That girl survived and is doing fine, Itose Orgott. Just like you, she lives without, without bearing any lasting scars. It was a miracle—her own unique magical quirk saved her. But, she’s the daughter of a traitor, the traitor who tried to sell his own country. I changed her name and history, just like yours. So even if she’s right in front of your eyes, you wouldn’t recognize her.”

To the point that I couldn’t move, it stunned me.

Then I started trembling, tears pouring down my face. I cried in front of His Excellency without shame or regret.

It was my first time feeling such raw emotion. I couldn’t put that into words. Just being able to stand in front of him, took all the strength I could muster.

“Itose Orgott… Born as the duke’s son, now will live as a baron’s heir. I really can’t comprehend it. The pride within you will be stained at Westminster. Still, why do you struggle and aim for the top here? It’s grueling—there’s no precedent. In the first place, no baron’s son has ever graduated from here successfully.”

“If the baron’s son becomes the top student… that would be enough for someone as intelligent as her to figure out.”

I was once arrogant, as I was born into a Ducal household.

No different than the others who would now sneer at me and Harold being an heir of the Barony. Given my past life memories, I must have been a painfully conceited brat from birth.

But after being saved by her. And later, being entrusted to The Orgott Barony, I—.

Thanks to the healers, the pain in my body slowly faded. Without answering Princess Emma’s question, I stood up. In the second arena, the fight between Julianne and Harold still continued—far better than expected.

The healers had gone, likely out of respect for Princess Emma’s presence.

And here, Princess Emma looks at me with concern sitting next to me. Really, for someone who claimed to want no association with me in public, and yet she kept approaching my place anyway.

Her actions and words just don’t align. She’s really such a hopeless person. Although she is brilliant in studies—maybe because of her sheltered upbringing, she is completely oblivious to how others perceive her every action.

“…Princess Emma, please forgive me. There’s something I had forgot to tell you.”

“W-What is it…?”

But, the fact that she was genuinely worried about me —from the bottom of her heart, made me honestly happy.

Although, that’s not the main reason behind it.

“Thank you for the bento… It was absolutely delicious.”

I’d just remembered, I had completely forgotten to say my thoughts about that.