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

3-3

A Customer from School

Seeing an unexpected classmate left me momentarily stunned. Even though I should have chased after her given where I stand, but she was already out the door in an instant.

I was told that I was the only one available to handle that sudden request.

But having a classmate as a client… I couldn’t help but feel the Duke’s mischievous will at play.

“As I thought, there was no business to take care of!”

Just when I thought Julian stormed out of the room, he returned back almost immediately.

She slammed the door shut with a loud noise, took off the thick glasses she was probably using as a disguise, and sat back down on the chair once again.

Her red hair and ruby-like eyes stood out. The lively classmate, known for her cheerful personality, quickly regained her usual bright demeanor and looked up at me.

“I’d heard rumors that Orgot-kun was getting involved in shady business… So that’s what this was!”

Somehow Julian nodded to herself, seemingly convinced.

She was one of the few people who kept a certain distance from me, never holding any bad impressions. Moreover, honestly, she just always gave off the feeling that she seemed more focused on improving her own grades all in all.

“I’d appreciate it if you don’t spread this around.”

“It’s not like I will tell anyone regardless. Just the fact of being here makes me an accomplice as well. Come on, sit down already. Isn’t it hard to talk like this.”

‘Come on already’ Saying which she pointed at the chair across from her as she herself sat.

She is really quick in changing gears.Although, that kind of adaptability left a good impression of her in me — I’d rather not deal with someone who sat there brooding.

“Come on already! Sit!”

Still, the fact that Julian had even found her way to this shop meant she must have been deeply troubled.

“You know, this might be the first time we’ve ever talked like this, Orgot…kun. Sorry for calling you without honorifics earlier.”

“I don’t mind. So call me however you like.”

“Then I’ll take you up on that. Fuaaa~… that really took me by surprise. When I was told I’d be introduced to someone who could solve my problem, I never expected Orgot kun to walk through that door.”

How exactly did Julian come to know about this shop?

On the surface, this place — run by the Duke — looks like an ordinary café.

Located far from the main streets, it prided itself on its tranquility. A tall fence even blocked the view from the outside as well.

After entering beyond the open space, a long hallway stretched out, lined with several private rooms where people like me would meet clients.

“So that’s why I was told ‘I might be surprised’… Seeing suddenly how my classmate opened the door and came in. I thought my heart would bounce out of the body for real.”

In exchange for the silver coins, you can have special work carried out by the shop. Moreover, the shop’s services were held highly confidential — only those truly troubled would ever receive information about it.

I’d heard from Her Excellency that there were intermediaries who connected clients, who are really in need for help — to the shop. So, just like me, if there are people who resolves the problem of people with exemplary worries,there are also people who connects such people with this shop as well.

“Westminster’s tuition is way too high! Well, of course, no wonder even Orgot kun would try his hand in shady business as well.”

It was like chatting with a good friend at school, such was Julian’s tone.

And the very act of coming to this shop meant she was dealing with something serious.

Her earlier attempt to leave the room once she saw my face, and right now, the way she is behaving to get the awkwardness in the air out as much as possible.

It was strangely refreshing to talk to her as equals — something that would never happen at school, where she carried herself as a daughter of an Earl’s family.

“Ever since Dan Westminster became the principal, the already high tuition just keeps rising… I just wonder what is this principal even using all that money for? There are only all sorts of nasty rumors about him. Some even speak of how she’s dabbling in some really shady business.”

Certainly The Duke had mentioned that as well.

The first thing she did after becoming the new principal of Westminster, was to raise the tuition fees. There were other reasons as well, regardless, students despised her like a sworn enemy of their family.

“Say, Orgot-kun. Do you… make good money over here?”

Julian asked, her cheeks tinged with slight embarrassment.

“Somewhat well in comparison. But I wouldn’t recommend it. After all, there are jobs that would be hard to bear for someone born into nobility.”

“Like what, for example?”

Is she actually considering it?

“Fishing through sewers where dead bodies have been dumped… At least, all those kind of work that no noble born person could stomach.”

“Ugh, crazy…”

Julian’s face twitched in grimace.

Westminster, from a commoner’s perspective, requires a tuition fee that is completely out of reach.

So, why do they want you to pay such high rates for the tuition fees. It is because, just by graduating from the Westminster Academy gives you an edge and great influence in the world of nobles, that’s why. In Roman, The diploma from one of the Four Great Schools carries an immense influence, but a Westminster diploma stood above all others.

“Yeah, I could never do that. But Orgot kun managed to do it, it seems.”

Even students among the Count families will find the fees as a hard barrier to move forward with. Moreover, many count family students had already dropped out after the first year. And, just advancing to the second year required relentless effort, near impossible from an average person.

The high tuition fees were a form of gatekeeping, or so Her Highness would say to me.

“Oh, right. I’m supposed to use an alias here, aren’t I? That shady old man who showed me this place, also told me so.”

“It’s for your own protection that we enact this rule for.”

“I see… Rules, huh? Oh, and you don’t need to speak so formally with me as we are fellow classmates, okay?”

If that’s what the client wants, I had no reason to refuse.

“Julian… What should I call you from now on?”

She thought for a moment.

“Let’s see… How about ‘Thunder Priestess’? If it’s you, Orgot kun, you understand the reason behind it, don’t you?”

“Your magical quirk, is it.”

“To me, Thunder is something really special to me. Anyway, about the context of the request, may I ask right away?”

“Go ahead.”

Also, for me who viewed Julian as someone born privileged, her trouble was something I was really curious about.

Moreover, the fact that she found her way to this shop, already means that her problem is something of a huge deal for her.

“It’s regarding… the Academy we both attend.”

However, I don’t need to pry anything unnecessary. That’s what I’d been taught, even from the professionals in this field.

Now I see, then, as someone who goes to the same Academy as her, I was indeed the perfect candidate. Although with my lowly baron background, things I can achieve or do are quite limited.

If it was about managing her personal human-to-human relationships, then it would be close to impossible.

“Knowing you are a student of Westminster as well, so I guess you don’t need any detailed explanation regarding it. The thing is, in my next combat arts class, I am matched against Harold after all.”

“So in other words… you want me to make sure you win?”

“Exactly! I want to win against him no matter what hand I have to use for it. And, since Orgot kun you are friends with that beast, you’re the perfect man for the job!”

Looking at those eyes sparkling with anticipation. I couldn’t help but glance toward the ceiling.

“Please, Orgot-kun! If I lose against Harold, my scholarship will be revoked… but if I win, I’ll qualify for a much better one! I don’t care if you despise me—but there is no one else I can rely on at Westminster!”

It’s impossible for you.

I could say that with such certainty.

Knowing the gap between Harold and the Thunder Priestess being insurmountable.

“Rumor has it that the principal is planning to tighten the promotion requirements yet again. I was just barely able to make it to the second year… So I have no other options than to beat that beast in front of me as my only chance!”

However, I have no option but to accept it. The power to refuse the request is something not yet available to me right now. I am still in Rank 9, and in order to achieve my goal to graduate as a Valedictorian(with the highest place) in Westminster, I have no other option than to raise my rank as high as possible.

To graduate as the valedictorian of Westminster.

Whenever I bring this up, Her Highness would always laugh it out.

“Just how much longer do you still wish to cling to that past? There’s no guarantee she’s even alive.”

Even so, I would choose to graduate as a Valedictorian, in order to chase that dream.

If a baron’s son were to graduate as valedictorian at Westminster, his fame and name, even the news itself would shake the entire world.

“I have one condition.”

“A–a condition!? If it means beating that beast, I’ll do anything! E–even if that means… using seduction!”

As I leaned forward, the power of the Thunder Priestess grabbed my hand.

The Earl’s daughter who held the power of Thunder in her body, that extremely hot body felt as if it could even affect me.

But, as you can say… graduating from Westminster just had that much of a meaning. That even an Earl’s daughter, which is a person from the highest point available in the status ladder, would become serious about, go this far for.

“—-Thunder Priestess. Tell me everything about yourself.”

With the rank eighth within reach, I can’t afford to stumble in a place or reason like this.