In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 155

Chapter 155: Soaring Chocolat

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Around the same time Yuusei was cheerfully scattering beans at “Kinnikutama Land,” there was a young woman whose life plans had been thoroughly upended.

“Karen-sama, what would you like to drink?”

“Um, coffee, please.”

“We have espresso, allongé, noisette, crème, or café glacé. What would you prefer?”

“Iced—uh, café glacé, please. Wait—uh, um, Seiko? Why… why are we on a plane?”

Karen Kousaka was, to say the least, deeply and genuinely confused.

At one point, she had even considered applying to universities outside her current academy. Ultimately, though, it was her homeroom teacher’s strong recommendation that sealed the deal: by the end of the year, she had secured a recommendation-based acceptance to the internal Saint Catherine Academy University.

She had already completed the enrollment procedures and was steadily working through the preparatory assignments, referred to as “pre-admission coursework.” She had spent Christmas with Seiko, gone to a New Year’s shrine visit, and overall had been enjoying a calm and pleasant life.

Then, as soon as February began, she was suddenly summoned to the high school director’s office. After receiving some incomprehensible words of encouragement, she found herself swept along with barely more than the clothes on her back, boarding something called a private jet. Now she was 10,000 meters in the air. Naturally, she had questions.

“That’s because you, Karen-sama, were selected as a Special Support Exchange Student at the prestigious Saint Catherine Academy University.”

“Special Support Exchange Student? Isn’t that the program Tsuzuki-san in?”

“There are some differences between the university and high school systems, but it falls under the same general support program.”

If what Seiko meant was that the university version of the system that had selected Tsuzuki Kurara as the high school representative had now been applied to her, then that would explain it. Kurara had departed for the far-off city of Holy Mother City of Aparecida in Brazil.

“So, does that mean this plane is heading to South America?”

“No, not at all. We’re en route to Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport in southwestern France. Our final destination is the Academic City of Confiserie, located in the Aquitaine region.”

“There’s an exchange university there?”

“Yes. But first, you’ll be enrolling in a language school and attending an intensive course to prepare for university entrance. It’s to learn French culture and customs and obtain an official French language diploma.”

Hearing that, Karen felt a bit relieved. Being suddenly dropped into a country where she couldn’t speak the language and told to study would’ve made no sense. That concern, at least, had been addressed.

“Good, that makes sense. I only studied the basics of French at Saint Catherine, so there’s no way I could attend university classes yet.”

“The language school is affiliated with the university you’ll be entering, so you can attend without worry until you reach the required proficiency level. Also, you’ll be staying with my relatives, so we’ll make sure you’re well supported in daily life as well.”

“You have relatives in France, Seiko?”

“Yes. My grandmother is French.”

This surprised Karen. Thinking back, Karen realized that Seiko did look somewhat un-Japanese. Chestnut hair, hazel eyes. Her limbs were long and slender, yet she had a gracefully feminine figure with clear curves.

But she was from the Kougyoku family. Karen had always heard they were one of Japan’s most prestigious and historic families, so she hadn’t expected international marriages in that kind of family.

“So, you’re a quarter French?”

“To be precise, it’s a bit more complicated. The Kougyoku family has always valued free love since ancient times. So rather than being a quarter, there’s actually a lot of foreign blood mixed in.”

“Huh, that’s surprising… or maybe not. Now that you mention it, it kind of makes sense.”

Despite coming from such a high-status family, Seiko wasn’t conservative at all. She interacted with Karen, an ordinary girl, without any sense of hierarchy. Karen realized this was likely because her family had long embraced diverse cultures through international marriages.

“My full name is Seiko de La Fée Dragée Glaçage Kougyoku. ‘Glaçage’ is my grandmother’s family name, and ‘La Fée Dragée’ refers to the formal branch family.”

“A formal branch family… Well, that sounds like something you’d have.”

The name was ridiculously long, and Karen couldn’t help but wonder if they were descended from nobility. But since the Kougyoku family was already an elite class akin to nobility in Japan, she figured there was no need to ask.

“But why did I end up studying abroad in the first place?”

It didn’t make sense. Everything had happened too fast. Without knowing the reason why, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling inside her.

『Are you interested in studying abroad, Karen-sama?』

『Nope. I don’t think I could handle living in a dorm overseas.』

That was how she had answered when Seiko had asked her before. So of course, she had never submitted any kind of study abroad application.

“As a Special Support Exchange Student, your intent would’ve been confirmed during your recommendation interview.”

“Interview? …Wait, do you mean that question?”

Karen had been selected for the Special Privilege Recommendation—a kind of scholarship program. It was a preferential treatment granted to her because she had served as Student Council President and was known as Saint Catherine’s White Rose. The support was generous: full tuition waiver, free textbooks, free dormitory housing, and even a living stipend.

As the White Rose of Catherine, she was the only one in her grade who met the eligibility criteria for the program. She had her interview separately from the others, and remembered being very nervous in the 5-on-1 panel interview with the university president and others.

『You’re said to be quite popular among students, but you’re an internal applicant. In just three years, how well do you believe you’ve understood the teachings of Saint Catherine?』

『We’ve heard you didn’t nominate yourself for student council president, but were recommended by others. Have you ever been told you’re easily swayed by those around you?』

『You have a very attractive appearance, are well-liked by others, and have excellent grades. Wouldn’t you be able to reach your full potential more at an external university with broader options rather than at our conservative institution?』

The questions were harsh. Eventually, the interview turned to confirming the details of her application, and naturally touched on the study abroad section.

『Your application says “None” for study abroad intentions. Does that mean you have no desire to go overseas?』

She couldn’t possibly answer that honestly. She had neither the mental nor financial space to even think about studying abroad. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t curious about the world beyond Japan, but with everything she had on her plate, she just didn’t care at the time.

『Well, I don’t have any strong desire to right now, but if I ever became deeply interested in something that couldn’t be studied in Japan, I might consider it.』

『I see. Thank you for your answer.』

She had tried to indirectly say that she wasn’t that eager to go abroad. Her plan had been to make the most of her four years of college, work through her internal struggles, and try to figure out her own path in the world. But when she opened the lid—this was the reality, and now she wanted to bury her face in her hands in frustration.

“Since you were selected as a Special Support Exchange Student, even the preparatory coursework would’ve been designed with studying abroad in mind. Didn’t you notice?”

“Not at all. Now that you mention it, I did think there were an awful lot of French assignments.”

She had planned to take French as her second foreign language in college anyway, so she figured it was just preview or review work. She’d assumed the heavy workload was just because of the offset from the privileges of the recommendation track.

“Please rest assured. The Confiserie Academic City values individual dignity and a free spirit. I’ll be staying with you, so I’m sure your student life will be full of fun.”

“Living overseas is filling me with nothing but anxiety, but since things have come to this, I’ll do my best in my own way… But still,if I were alone, I might’ve cried. I’m really glad you’re here with me, Seiko. I think I’ll end up relying on you a lot if anything happens, but… Is it truly okay if I lean on you a little?”

“Of course. That goes both ways, you know. Let’s help each other out and get along together.”

Karen had been so caught up in the unexpected turn of events that she had completely forgotten. In order to become a special support exchange student, a recommendation from someone influential was required.

And, because she had been so deeply shaken, she hadn’t realized at all—not at this point—that all the necessary procedures for studying abroad had already been completed, without her having taken part in any of them: the passport application, the visa issuance process, enrollment in the local university and language school, and so on.

Naturally, it was Seiko who had meticulously arranged everything behind the scenes. At one point, she had intended to follow Karen anywhere if Karen wanted to take entrance exams for an outside school. However, for a certain reason, the future Seiko aimed for had changed.

She hadn’t told Karen on purpose, but the Confiserie Academic City was the polar opposite of the Holy Mother City of Aparecida. It was “a city by women, for women, where only women live.”

It was true that the city advocated respect for the individual and a free-spirited atmosphere, but more than that, it was renowned as a symbolic city of free love and the sexual revolution. And the family that ruled over that land was the Glaçage family.

《Master, what a lovely story this is》

Chirped the diary with its usual carefree tone, irritating Karen to no end.

What part of this is lovely? I’m being dragged off to a place where I can’t even speak the language.

《But it’s France! The country where chocolate is called chocolat. It’s practically a sacred land. Of course, we must greet the local deities, but don’t you think you will be able to gather more energy than in Japan?》

Seriously? Does that mean I might be able to turn back into a man?

《That, I can’t say for sure. After all, in France we’ll be rookie newcomers.》

Wait, what? Even though you’re the God of Chocolat? Why would you be treated as a newcomer in your own homeland?

《Well, our god is the God of Chocolat ‘made in Japan,’ after all.》

Why do you need to emphasize that part?! No, more importantly, the god who gave me their blessing was made in Japan?

《Yes. The god was born from the concept of chocolat as imagined by the Japanese. You weren’t aware of this?》

How could I be, when you never explained anything properly, you useless scrap of junk!

《I can’t wait for us to arrive in France!》

And so, Karen Kousaka left Japan and set off for a new land, accompanied by her still useless diary. Whether she would fall fully under the influence of Seiko Kougyoku or not—that was something only the gods might know… or maybe not?

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