What Happened When I Gave Everything to the Girl Who Sold Herself as a Prostitute After Losing It All - Chapter 5.2

Chapter 5.2

It was a tough one.

If you shot something straight, it would bounce off the barrier.

If you tried to go around, you wouldn’t make it in time.

And you couldn’t break the barrier.

Most people would hesitate.

At least ten seconds.

But Fine moved in two seconds.

A faint light gathered at her fingertip.

It wasn’t heat.

It wasn’t wind.

It was thinner, almost transparent magic.

She ran it along the edge of the barrier, made a tiny flow, and gently disturbed only the air on the other side.

The next instant.

The candle flame went out with a soft puff.

The barrier stayed completely unharmed.

No sound. No flash.

Yet everyone in the test area froze.

“…What did you just do?”

The headmaster asked in a low voice.

“I did not touch the barrier itself.”

Fine answered quietly.

“I only used the disturbed flow at the edge to create a pressure difference on the inside.”

“…Only.”

“Yes.”

“And you did that on first sight?”

“I could see the shape.”

She could see the shape.

For her, the flow of spells and barriers probably looked like that.

Like reading letters.

Elwina pressed her forehead.

“Headmaster.”

“…Yes?”

“I told you. Leaving her alone is dangerous.”

“I understand what you meant now.”

I leaned back in my chair, unable to stop grinning.

Amazing.

Just plain amazing.

And I felt a little proud.

I found her.

I picked her up.

I felt that much.

Then Fine looked over at me.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“You looked a little happy just now.”

“Not just a little.”

“I’m glad.”

That one line sank straight into my chest.

＊＊＊

The results came out the same day.

“We approve the special transfer.”

The headmaster announced it heavily.

“Transfer into the upper course, first year. In addition, permission to join the advanced classes for magic theory, basic governance assistance, and tactical calculation.”

“Advanced classes, huh.”

Even I was a bit surprised.

This wasn’t normal transfer treatment.

It was almost the highest possible treatment.

Fine gave a small bow.

“Thank you very much.”

“No need for thanks. It is the natural response to the results.”

“Then I will return results.”

“…”

The headmaster went quiet for a moment.

He had probably understood one more thing from that short exchange.

This girl wasn’t finished once she got in.

Getting in was only the beginning.

“Also.”

This time the headmaster’s eyes turned to me.

“Third Imperial Prince.”

“What?”

“From now on, could you show your face at the academy a little more often?”

“What a nasty flow.”

Fine opened her mouth smoothly beside me.

“Since a seat right next to you is finally being filled.”

“You’re saying it too?”

Fine turned her gaze to the headmaster.

“Please rest assured, Headmaster.”

Before the headmaster could answer, I spoke first.

“About what?”

“I will take responsibility for managing Your Highness’s attendance.”

“Wait.”

“I will make sure of it.”

“No one asked you to.”

“But it is necessary.”

“The pressure of ‘necessary’ is strong.”

The headmaster smiled just a little for the first time.

The teachers also relaxed their shoulders.

Yeah, it was over.

They were completely enjoying this.

“Then we will start attending from tomorrow.”

Fine said it like it was obvious.

“Wait, wait, wait.”

“What is it?”

“Decided today and start tomorrow?”

“It is the shortest path.”

“Your life is always the shortest path.”

“I thought going to Your Highness’s side didn’t need any detours.”

“Don’t say that so boldly.”

But in the end.

The next day I ended up heading to the academy at a proper time for the first time in a while.

＊＊＊

The next morning.

The path to the academy was hell.

More precisely, the stares were.

“Hey, isn’t that His Highness?”

“The real one?”

“Who’s the person next to him?”

“The rumored…?”

“No way, the special transfer student?”

So noisy.

Really noisy.

The moment we got off the carriage, the students around us started buzzing.

Noble daughters, bureaucrats’ kids, eldest sons of local lords, commoner scholarship students.

All kinds of eyes turned toward us at once.

And the center of it all was, of course, not me—almost entirely Fine.

Special transfer.

Accompanied by the Third Imperial Prince.

Almost unknown background.

Plus the examiners had made a big fuss yesterday.

It would have been harder not to stand out.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“May I confirm today’s goals?”

“In this situation?”

“Yes.”

“…Fine, tell me.”

“First, Your Highness must attend until the second period without fail.”

“Heavy.”

“Next, even if you receive meaningless provocations, smile and let them pass.”

“What do you think I am?”

“The type who probably takes the bait.”

“Your trust in me is low!”

“And finally.”

“There’s more?”

“I will sit next to Your Highness.”

“Is that already decided from the start?”

“Of course.”

“Who decided that?”

“I did.”

“Strong.”

That was when it happened.

“Leonhardt-dono.”

A familiar, but not very welcome voice.

When I turned, there was Wilhelm.

The eldest son of the marquis family who had been lightly brushed off by Fine at the court before.

He was also a top student at the academy with lots of followers.

“Good morning.”

Wilhelm greeted us.

“You must be busy from the morning.”

I returned it with sarcasm.

But my sarcasm was ignored.

Wilhelm’s gaze moved to Fine.

“So this is the rumored transfer student.”

“Yeah.”

“It has been about a week, hasn’t it, Fine-dono.”

Fine bowed her head to Wilhelm.

“Yes, it has been a while.”

“This is your first time at the academy. If there is anything you don’t understand, I can show you around.”

“Not necessary.”

Instant answer.

The surroundings went quiet again.

Wilhelm’s smile stiffened just a little.

“…Not necessary?”

“Yes. Because His Highness is here.”

“But His Highness must be very busy.”

“Even so, it is not necessary.”

“You could rely on people inside the academy a little.”

“Being next to His Highness is my top priority.”

Heavy.

What she said was perfectly reasonable, but the pressure was heavy.

I pressed my forehead beside her.

But to Wilhelm it must have looked like something else.

“Is His Highness also troubled?”

“No, not really.”

“However—”

“The only time I’m troubled is when you show up with annoying stuff in the morning.”

“…”

Wilhelm stayed silent for a few seconds.

Then he stared hard at Fine.

“I see. That’s why His Highness likes you.”

“Yes.”

Fine smiled quietly.

“Because I am being treasured.”

“…”

Whoa.

I don’t want to make an enemy of that smile.

Wilhelm looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end he just gave a formal bow and left.

After seeing him off, I looked at Fine.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t create sparks from the first day.”

“I did not create any.”

“But it’s already burning?”

“Maybe there are a lot of flammable things around.”

“Don’t blame other people.”

But Fine stayed completely calm.

If anything, her eyes observing the surroundings had grown a little sharper.

“Your Highness.”

“What now?”

“This academy seems more interesting than I thought.”

“Oh?”

“There are many people who dislike me standing next to Your Highness.”

“Well, yeah.”

“In that case.”

Fine said softly.

“It will be even easier to win.”

A shiver ran down my spine.

Ah.

It’s here, I thought.

I had known it since the day I picked her up at the slave market.

She was strong.

Her head worked fast.

And she was heavy.

But now I finally felt it for real.

The place called the academy was probably perfect for Fine.

A place where ability, status, and stares all lined up openly.

That was exactly why she would climb without holding back.

To my side.

For real.

By the shortest path.

“…I feel a little sorry.”

“For who?”

“For the whole academy.”

“It’s a bit late for that.”

Fine said that and, as if it were natural, stepped up right beside me.

Not half a step behind.

Right beside.

“Let’s go, Your Highness.”

“You’re acting bold from day one.”

“Because I am aiming to be equal.”

“You’re still in the aiming stage, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then why is the completion level already so high?”

“Because I am working hard.”

“Scary.”

But I smiled just a little.

It won’t be boring.

Probably never again.

The academy’s big clock rang.

The morning bell.

Inside the sound echoing through the white school buildings, we started walking side by side.

The Third Imperial Prince and

the special transfer girl.

From this day on, the Imperial Academy would slowly grow noisier.

And I still didn’t know.

That the girl walking next to me would, from her very first day, throw ripples one after another into the upperclassmen, the teachers, the noble factions, the ranking system—everything—

and in the end completely repaint the atmosphere of the academy itself.

The only thing I understood at that moment was one thing.

She would definitely come.

To my side.

Much faster than I could imagine.