What Happened When I Gave Everything to the Girl Who Sold Herself as a Prostitute After Losing It All - Chapter 6.1

Chapter 6.1

We were walking along the stone path toward the academy’s main building.

On both sides were neatly kept gardens, white columns, and fountains sparkling in the morning sun.

The Imperial Academy is a place where noble kids and high-ranking officials’ children gather, so it’s pointlessly grand, pointlessly huge, and pointlessly formal.

In short, it’s a pain in the neck.

“So, where’s the first class?”

“Period one, Basic Magic Theory.”

“How do you even know that?”

“I checked Your Highness’s schedule last night.”

“On your own?”

“For efficiency.”

“My personal life is getting chipped away bit by bit…”

But, well.

Having someone who knows exactly where the classroom is does help.

I’m not usually that serious about academy classes.

I can handle them if I go, and I don’t get in trouble if I skip.

That’s the sloppy way I’ve made it this far.

Now all of a sudden someone’s managing everything for me.

It feels pretty fresh.

It’s also kind of suffocating, though.

“Your Highness.”

Fine spoke quietly while we walked.

“Ahead, three o’clock direction.”

“Hm?”

“Probably someone Your Highness knows.”

I looked over.

Oh, I see.

I do recognize the face.

Actually, I’d remember it even if I didn’t want to.

Standing in front of the stairs to the main building was Klaus Eberhardt, one of the guys close to my brother’s faction.

Second son of a count family.

He seems friendly on the surface, but he’s always calculating profit and loss inside.

Grades are above average, sword skills are decent, and his smile is top-notch.

He acts strangely humble in front of me, but in reality he’s always picking up information and spreading it around.

He smells like nothing but trouble.

“Good morning, Your Highness Leonhardt.”

Sure enough, he came over with a big smile.

“You’re full of energy this early.”

“Not as much as Your Highness. …And this must be the new transfer student.”

“Yeah, this is Fine.”

“Lady Fine.”

He added the “Lady” right away.

Fast.

His information processing is quick.

Which means his judgment of value is quick too.

“I’m Klaus Eberhardt. If you have any trouble with academy life, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you.”

“Not at all. Since you stand beside His Highness, it’s only natural we’d go out of our way for you.”

He was all smiles.

So smiley I felt like I might spit out sugar.

Fine quietly looked back at him.

“Then, just one thing.”

“Yes?”

“Instead of going out of your way for me, please don’t bring unnecessary talk to His Highness.”

“…Huh?”

His smile froze in place.

I almost burst out laughing.

“His Highness loses even more motivation for class if he gets dragged into trouble first thing in the morning.”

“Hey, ‘even more’?”

“So if you truly care about His Highness, only bring matters that are really necessary.”

“…”

“If you can’t do that, I’ll be the one to judge first from now on.”

Whoa.

She said all that in such a soft voice.

Klaus’s smile twitched for real this time.

“That’s… quite…”

“Reasonable, I believe.”

“No, but I am loyal to His Highness—”

“Loyalty is plenty already.”

Fine smiled.

“His Highness already has enough.”

She didn’t say what “enough” meant.

But the message came through loud and clear.

I cleared my throat and stepped in.

“Yeah, that’s how it is.”

“Your Highness…”

“If you have business, say it to me directly. No need to go through Fine.”

“But—”

“However.”

I gave a small smile.

“Stop coming first thing in the morning just to chat with empty pleasantries. I’m still sleepy.”

Klaus stayed silent for a few seconds, then bowed his head in form only.

“…Understood.”

“Good.”

“Well then, until next time.”

I watched his back as he walked away and muttered under my breath.

“He’s definitely coming again.”

“He will.”

“Don’t say it like it’s certain.”

“He looks like he gives up easily, but his cutoff for cutting losses is actually slow.”

“You even noticed that much?”

“I can tell from the temperature of his voice.”

“That observation skill is way too convenient.”

Fine stayed perfectly calm.

Like the whole exchange had just been a bit of cleaning.

“…Hey.”

“Yes?”

“You really fit in at the academy, don’t you?”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“You’re aware of it.”

“Very clearly.”

Scary.

＊＊＊

The first-period classroom looked strangely different when I entered it as an actual student instead of just a visitor.

It was almost circular.

Tiered seating.

A big desk for the teacher in the center and a blackboard for casting formulas.

Morning light streamed in from the high windows, turning the polished floor white.

And every single student’s eyes turned toward us standing at the door.

Yeah.

I knew it.

I knew this would happen.

“His Highness is actually attending…”

“Is she really sitting next to him?”

“No way, front row?”

“Is the teacher not saying anything?”

In the middle of the buzzing, the teacher in charge, Bartolomeus, was openly pressing his fingers to his forehead.

Mid-fifties.

An authority on theoretical magic.

Sharp mind, but the kind of face that gets stomachaches easily.

“…Your Highness Leonhardt.”

“What?”

“You’re unusually early today.”

“Praise me.”

“I feel like billing you for stomach medicine.”

“Honest, aren’t you?”

Then the teacher’s gaze shifted to Fine.

“And the transfer student, Miss Fine.”

“Yes.”

“Your seat is…”

“Next to His Highness, if that’s all right?”

I couldn’t help but butt in.

“You’re the one saying it?”

“It’s the most efficient option.”

The teacher looked at me.

The whole class looked at me.

The pressure from all those eyes was brutal.

“Well… I guess it’s fine.”

“…If Your Highness says so.”

The teacher answered my words while looking like his stomach hurt.

I nodded at that.

“All right, settled.”

“It got decided by force, though.”

Fine sat down in the front row, right next to me, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Right then, I heard several people suck in their breath from behind.

What?

Is the seat next to me really that valuable?

…Yeah, I guess it is.

What a pain.

“Then let’s begin.”

The teacher cleared his throat and started the lecture.

“Today we’ll review basic magic theory and cover this term’s deployment formulas—”

He started writing on the board.

Attribute circulation, stabilization of magic pathways, prerequisite conditions for shortening chants.

Same old stuff.

Honestly, it’s way too easy for me.

Doesn’t matter if I listen or not.

Or so I thought.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“The third line of the formula is missing one part.”

“Huh?”

She whispered it, so I looked at the board.

…She’s right.

One auxiliary symbol was left out.

It was such a small error that even I, who had heard the class many times, almost missed it.

“You noticed?”

“Yes.”

“On your first day?”

“It was visible.”

“Scary.”

A little later, the teacher kept explaining.

“In this case, we normally fix the second node—”

“Teacher.”

A hand went up smoothly.

From right next to me.

The classroom went dead quiet.

“…Yes, Miss Fine?”

“The auxiliary symbol on the third line of the board is missing. As it is, it won’t match the explanation of the third node.”

“…”

The teacher looked at the board.

Silence.

Then his eyes opened just a tiny bit wider.

“…You’re correct.”

“Thank you.”

“You noticed it at first glance?”

“Yes.”

“…”

The back of the room started buzzing.

Of course they did.

A transfer student on her very first day had just pointed out a mistake in the theoretical magic teacher’s writing.

I rested my elbow on the desk, propped my cheek on my hand, and glanced at the girl beside me.

“Hey, you.”

“Yes?”

“Ease up a little.”

“Why?”

“Don’t catch the teacher’s typo on day one.”

“It’s better to correct mistakes, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“Then…”

“Don’t hit people with perfect logic.”

Fine tilted her head slightly.

She really looked like she didn’t understand.

Or maybe she did understand and was doing it anyway.

Either way, it was trouble.

The lecture went on.

But the air in the room had already changed.

At first they had been looking at the special transfer student who just followed His Highness around.

Now they were looking at someone who might actually do something.

Yeah.

This is bad.

But also kind of fun.

“Then finally, a short practice question.”

The teacher handed out parchment.

A simple application problem.

Something you could solve in five minutes to check understanding.

I finished writing fast and glanced at the girl next to me.

…Fast.

She was faster than me.

“Done.”

“You just started a minute ago.”

“Yes.”

“Check it again.”

“I already did.”

“No charm at all.”

After collecting the papers, the teacher skimmed a few sheets and suddenly stopped.

“…”

“Teacher?”

“Nothing.”

He glanced at Fine for just a second, then stacked the papers like nothing had happened.

But I knew.

It was a hit.

A really good hit.

The bell for the end of class rang.

At the same time, the room filled with buzzing as everyone started moving.

“Hey, did you see that?”

“The board thing?”

“She was the fastest on the problem too.”

“Is she really a commoner…?”

“But His Highness personally arranged her teachers.”

“Yeah, even so…”

Noisy.

But well, it was within expectations.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“Before we move to second period, one thing.”

“What now?”

“I seem to be standing out more than I thought.”

“Only now realizing?”

“Yes. My understanding was a bit too optimistic.”

“Rare for you.”

“I’ll correct it.”

“Correct what?”

“The threat level assessment.”

Don’t just casually say something scary like that.

As I stood up, a girl blocked the aisle.

Navy-blue hair tied up neatly—Seraphina, a duke’s daughter.

Top grades.

Perfect manners.

And one of the people who looks at me with a mix of obvious goodwill and rivalry, though she tries to hide it.

Ah.

I see.

So that’s how it’s going to be.

“Your Highness Leonhardt.”

“Morning.”

“Good morning.”

She bowed to me, then looked at Fine.

“Congratulations on your transfer.”

“Thank you.”

“But may I say one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

She was smiling.

Smiling, but it was the kind of smile that felt like the tip of a sword.

“The seat next to His Highness should really be taken by someone who understands harmony with those around them.”

“Hmm.”

“The academy has its own order. The more special the case, the more caution is needed, don’t you think?”

She said it.

Very noble-like.

Not a direct stab, but enough to draw blood.

The room went completely silent.

Before I could open my mouth, Fine stepped forward.

“Thank you for the advice.”

“Not at all.”

“Just to confirm.”

“What is it?”

“Does the academy’s order mean prioritizing seat customs over actual ability?”

“…”

“If that’s the case, then my understanding was lacking. I’ll correct it from now on.”

“!”

Whoa, nice.

She was arguing head-on, yet she still kept her politeness.

But it still hurt the person on the receiving end.

Seraphina’s expression stiffened just a little.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I meant consideration fitting for His Highness’s position.”

“His Highness said it was fine.”

“That is His Highness’s kindness.”

“I see.”

Fine gave a small nod.

“Then from now on, I’ll prove with results that I’m worthy of His Highness’s kindness.”

“…Results?”

“Yes. Whether I have the right to sit there.”

The air in the classroom shifted.

This wasn’t just an argument.

It was a declaration.

“Specifically?”

“Grades, etiquette, practical skills, conversation ability… things like that.”

“…”

“If I’m lacking, please point it out. I’ll improve.”

“…You seem quite confident.”

“It’s not confidence.”

Fine smiled.

“It’s the shortest path.”

Whoa, there it is.

The usual line.

Seraphina stayed quiet for a few seconds, then gave a beautiful bow.

“…Understood. Then I’ll be watching.”

“Yes, please do.”

She walked away.

The buzzing around us came back all at once.

“Did you see?”

“Straight to the duke’s daughter…”

“That girl is done.”

“No, isn’t it just starting?”

Yeah.

It’s completely started.

I held my head.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Already this much before second period?”

“I thought it was efficient.”

“Efficient for what?”

“Updating the hierarchy recognition.”

“Don’t talk about the academy like it’s a conquest target.”

But Fine didn’t look scared at all.

If anything, she looked quietly fired up.

Looking at her eyes, I half-believed it.

This girl really intends to do everything.

Not just talk.

Grades, etiquette, position, conversation.

She’ll pile it all up and come straight for the seat next to me.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“Second period.”

“You switch fast.”

“Time is limited.”

“Being around you always makes life feel like it’s leaning forward.”