Apparently, Her Highness Princess wants to keep her relationship with me a secret (what does she even mean by 'her relationship with me'?) - 3-6

3-6

A Classmate Customer

[I’m changing the spelling for Julian to Julianne.]

“Ehh~! I got rejected by Itose-kun again~~! Mou, you’re so hard to get!”

“Jina sama, please stop teasing me already…”

Of course, I turned her down. Jina sama always messes with me, but if I were to walk around town alone with her, who knows what would happen. Yet, she invites me out as casually as if she’s calling a familiar friend—even though I’m a baron’s son.

A strange, captivating eccentric—not quite the heavy-pressured noble attitude – one would expect from a duke’s household.

“If you change out of your school uniform outside Westminster, barons and dukes don’t matter anymore! Itose-kun, you’re such a cheapskate!”

“You’re the only one who thinks that way, Jina sama…”

“Oh? Itose-kun, so you are now talking back to me?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Fufu, just joking.”

Jina sama is the only daughter of the Yusei Ducal House, one of the pillars of the country.

The Yusei family, which holds more influence than the royal family at times. Going on a date alone with the beloved daughter of such a family would be spine-chilling. Do you know how many bodyguards would follow her just to protect her?

This person, she doesn’t seem to understand her own position well.

Nope… maybe she understands everything and still acts like this anyway? If that’s the case, she’s terrifying.

“Well, whatever~. Ah, Will. See how that desk dented now. Fix it with your own money.”

“Jina… you little brat… just you remember.”

“What? You want to go against me? A social climber like your Zazariss household, challenging Yusei? Even among dukes, there’s a hierarchy, you know?”

“……Fuun.”

Even Will, who likes to play the class leader, can’t stand up to Jina sama. Even though they hold the same ducal position, between the Yusei Ducal House and the Zazariss Ducal House, there is a heaven-to-earth power gap.

“…….”

The real problem lies over here though. Sitting right here—Princess Emma —pouting with puffed cheeks.

“……..”

Even her displeased aura was clearly visible.

Just what is it with her? Why is she angry?

Am I imagining things? No, definitely not. Princess Emma is very easy to read. Yesterday during class, she kept glancing at me every few minutes, but now she won’t even look my way for a moment.

Sigh.

Even though I brought her lunchbox with me to return, and here, now I completely missed the timing to do so.

“Itose. What do you want while I’m focusing on tomorrow’s combat arts class?”

He sounds a little drunk. An empty bottle of cheap liquor rolls on the desk. His room is as messy as ever. Clean up once in a while, will you?

“Harold. For someone like you, these opponents must all be boring, right?”

“Still, that’s six matches in a row! Why do I have so many matches stacked up against me.”

“That’s what you get for winning too much.”

“Heh, fair enough.”

Harold’s country accent slips out when he’s drunk. His hometown, the Hardy Territory, has an accent similar to Kansai dialect. We have a habit of meeting in one of our rooms after school about half the week, just to vent our frustrations.

He reaches for the bottle on the desk with his hands, and takes another swig.

“Oh yeah, Itose! I heard Jina sama asked you out on a date!”

“I turned her down, as usual. To her, I’m probably just a pet like a dog or cat. It’s nothing just a whim for her.”

“Ahh~! I wish I had the kind of face that could reject Jina sama! It’s Jina sama you know?!”

“Well, the way she can even speak so casually with Princess Emma, is pretty amazing as well. I got a little surprised to see how she treats everyone the same, be it Princess Emma, or even Baron’s son like us.”

“That’s what makes her so great! She’s the only one here in Westminster who treats us equally. Jina sama’s a Goddess, I tell ya!”

The annoying thing is… this idiot is head over heels for Jina sama, without regard for their difference in status.

“Hey, Harold. How’s your combat training record?”

“394 wins. Ah Itose, now that I think, how many do you have up your belt?”

“…272 wins, 1 loss.”

“Haaah… I thought I’d be the first one to beat the White GrimReaper, you know.”

Every student has to face all their classmates at least once during their time at Westminster. However, for top students like us sometimes we even get matched against upperclassmen.

And strangely so, I’ve never fought Harold yet, even though we both come from a baron family line.

“With tomorrow’s 6 matches, I’ll finally hit my 400th win mark. My hands are itching for it.”

“Harold, about your combat arts class tomorrow… I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

With his curly blond hair and massive frame, add to that how he wants to become a scholar instead — such a good joke.

Considering his powerhouse  like magical quirk—he would be better capable in the military than anyone else. His father, Baron Hardy, must be pulling his hair out over this for sure.

The Hardy family possesses a hereditary magical ability that enhances their physical strength.

Harold’s magic quirk is Doubling Gambit—Moreover, even in the long history of the Harold family line, a talent who can manifest the full potential of that magic quirk, as exceptional as Harold, are really few. I’ve seen him fight countless times. And my honest opinion is, It’s a power too wasted for a scholar.

“For your sixth match… I am planning to be a third hand.”

“Third hand? I didn’t apply for that.”

“Nope, but your opponent did.”

“…”

Harold freezes.

Combat arts classes are strictly one-on-one. Outside interference is forbidden.

“You’re kidding, right…?”

Even so, there exists magical quirks which really needs another magic quirk as a help for it to even function properly. Thus, those uninvolved students who join a match as a support – are called as ‘third hand,’ basically, an extra pair of hands.

However, for a student who doesn’t need any assistance, yet requesting for a third hand; the act is considered utterly disgraceful at Westminster.

“Itose… does this have something to do with that shady side job of yours?”

“Sharp as ever, as one can expect from a scholar wannabe. Just use that insight on your next test.”

“I see. I never thought I’d face you like this… The sixth match — So you’re working for that lightning girl, right? I never imagined a baron’s son was bought off by an earl’s daughter… But, are you sure about going through with this, Itose?”

“About what?”

Harold lets out a heavy sigh.

And continues,

“Relying on a student, that too from a baron family… That girl’s academy life is over.”

“She says she’s aware of the consequences.”

It’s a conclusion we reached after discussing everything with Juliannene beforehand.

She’ll submit the request today, and name me as her third hand. By tomorrow morning, the whole Academy will know of the fact that how an earl’s daughter had to rely on a baron’s son.

“You didn’t have to tell me about this.”

“If I suddenly showed up as a third hand, it’d throw you off, right?”

“…You’re annoyingly honest, Itose, fine have it your way.”

Well, it’s not like it’ll stay a secret past tomorrow.

Plus, in case he goes easy on me after knowing that I joined the match as a third hand, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Well, not that this guy ever holds back though.”

“The way she thinks that borrowing the White GrimReaper’s power will give her a chance against me just pisses me off. Tomorrow sixth match—, I’ll crush her completely, —— beyond repair.”

Saying that, Harold crushed the bottle in his grip with a loud sound.