Free Web Novel"What does it matter how long we've known each other when we're celebrating the day you were born?"
"Exactly!"
Senior Blida spoke first, and Senior Elska chimed in, agreeing with her.
It was then that Yor, who had been clinging to my body, quietly pulled herself away. She must have calmed down after being startled by the firecrackers.
Feeling Yor move reminded me of something.
"By the way, Senior Elska, you mentioned hearing a rumor earlier, right? Could that rumor possibly have come from what happened in the dormitory lobby yesterday...?"
"N-no, it didn't?! We just, uh, what ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ was it... Um, we heard that your familiar was born and realized yesterday was your birthday! Your familiar became super famous in just one day! As, uh... that cat who eats with a spoon!!"
"Y-yeah, just like junior Elska said! The research students and professors use a separate dormitory building, right?? So... near the research building! You know, right? Right? If you didn't, now you do?? Anyway─. So we don't know anything about what happens in the general student dormitories at all!!"
The question I casually threw out just in case got exactly the reaction I expected.
Senior Elska couldn't control his darting eyes and rambled out excuses while staring at some random spot in the air.
Senior Blida, drenched in cold sweat, forced a smile and spoke with exaggerated enthusiasm.
When I subtly glanced back, sure enough, Professor Radvisin was slapping his forehead and shaking his head in disbelief.
'No matter how I look at this... it really seems like they prepared this party after hearing about what happened in the lobby yesterday, doesn't it?'
I don't know whether the extra who got whipped in the original story and the nobody who knelt yesterday are the same person.
But either way, the students badmouthing Karvaldr behind his back was an event bound to happen.
And I knew that one day I would have to step into that scene and shut the mouths of those insulting the body I possessed.
So I had already prepared myself for it.
Besides, for all their noble pretenses, that group of extras didn't use vulgar curses in order to maintain their dignity.
And considering Karvaldr's social status, they couldn't even insult his parents.
'Because they were spouting such absurd nonsense about using my familiar as a whip, it was so ridiculous that I didn't even have time to recall my trauma despite witnessing a situation where a group of students were criticizing one person.'
So I was really fine.
To the point that I could call the incident the 'Lobby Backbiting Event.'
But at this point, only Yor and I know that. The only others would be the readers reading this description.
For reference, the mention of readers is just a superfluous comment based on the premise that my life is being written as a novel, so please just move on.
Anyway, to conclude...
Since Professor Radvisin and the two research students don't know that I'm okay, it means they prepared this birthday party to comfort me.
Because they felt sorry for and worried about their young student, or junior, who had to face the reality of being hated by so many people on his birthday.
'Not everyone hates you. There are people here who are happy you were born.'
They must have wanted to convey something like that.
'Maybe a place called school isn't so bad after all...?'
That thought came to me for the first time.
Simply because there were people willing to throw me a birthday party out of concern for me.
Courage welled up inside me, making me feel like I could get through academy life just fine from now on.
"Anyway, thank you so much. I should have said this sooner, but I was so flustered that my thanks came late."
I politely offered both my thanks and apology.
At that, Senior Blida said it was okay and sat me down in a chair.
Senior Elska reacted the same way and carefully placed the cake he was holding on the desk. It seemed he was about to light the candles.
Watching the candles on the cake being lit, I unconsciously counted them.
There was one long candle, one medium one, and three of the shortest kind.
'Well, of course there would be. This body is eighteen years old, after all.'
If I counted my real age, there should have been one more long candle there.
But what mattered was the hearts of the people celebrating, not the number of candles, so I decided not to dwell on it. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
It's not like I can reveal my identity anyway.
Senior Elska picked the lit cake back up and brought it in front of me.
Senior Blida clapped her hands and sang the birthday song, while Yor shook the Yeouiju that made a bell-like sound in rhythm.
Professor Radvisin sat in his chair and watched us with a fond gaze.
After the short song ended, I blew out the candles right on cue.
Once again, words of "happy birthday" poured down on me.
A warm, ticklish feeling rose inside me.
I wanted to pretend not to notice and simply go along with this pleasant atmosphere.
Still, there was something that needed to be addressed.
"But do you really feel no resistance? You heard the rumor that I made a classmate kneel in the dormitory lobby, didn't you?"
"Hey~, that's old news. If we didn't know you well, we might've misunderstood, but now we know you, junior!"
"That's right, that's right! That student must've done something wrong to our junior, so he knelt! I heard he even brought up the Imperial Family and insulted our junior..."
The first one to take the bait I casually threw out was Senior Elska.
He placed the cake back on the empty desk, cut it into pieces, and answered in a nonchalant tone.
Then Senior Blida nodded in agreement before suddenly pausing with a look of realization.
Only then did Senior Elska, who also seemed to realize something, let out a "Hah!"
"You're trying to trick us...!!"
"Hey, what are you doing saying it like that?!"
"Oops...!"
"Elska, you idiot!!"
The two research students, who had absolutely no talent for acting or hiding things, started bickering.
Their advisor professor stopped them and sorted out the situation.
"Even if Miss Blida and Mr. Elska may seem immature, they are adults who know how to think properly. They did not prepare this party out of rash sympathy, so please do not misunderstand."
"I know. You were merely concerned for me, were you not? And you must also have sincerely wanted to celebrate my birthday."
Although I always interpreted Reisir's words with a twist, I am not actually a twisted person myself.
Nevertheless, there was a reason I deliberately brought up the 'Lobby Backbiting Event' again.
"I was not trying to test you seniors. I was merely curious about how the rumor had spread. But there is no one else I can ask who would give me a straightforward answer, and I do not wish to show others that I am worried or anxious about the rumors..."
I said that, but it wasn't as though I had no intention of testing them at all.
I wanted to see whether the senior research students would show any intense emotions or simply react moderately and move on.
But the reason for that wasn't something like 'my pride was hurt because I was pitied.'
'I'm worried someone besides Reisir saw me hiding behind the pillar.'
According to what Reisir told me yesterday, my face had been pale at the time.
Given the situation, my appearance could easily have been interpreted as me being afraid of being hated by others.
If that misunderstanding spread through rumors, how much would people look down on me?
They would even treat the act of making a nobody kneel as the desperate struggle of a coward.
They wouldn't dare say anything insulting outright, but it was obvious they would snicker and laugh every time they passed by me.
And if I called them out on it, they would just feign innocence and say they were only laughing because they were in a good mood, so what was the problem?
'Judging by the seniors' reactions, it doesn't seem like any story about me being scared has spread.'
If it had, I think they would have pitied me much more and shown anger toward the nobody and his group of extras.
I still can't be sure whether the senior research students truly care about me.
But preparing a birthday party means they consider me fairly close.
"Hah..."
The old professor, full of worldly wisdom, let out a small sigh.
I think he must have guessed why I was trying so hard not to be looked down on.
On the other hand, his students in their twenties still had a naive side to them.
"You don't want to look weak in front of your peers, do you? Right, right. That's exactly the age where people feel that way."
"In that case, we have to tell you~!"
Senior Blida nodded with an understanding expression, and Senior Elska enthusiastically handed out plates of cake.
I barely managed to hold back the wry smile that was about to spread across my face at their bright demeanor.
These seniors have been so busy studying that they've never attended a social gathering, let alone engaged in political maneuvering.
'That's a good thing. It means they've never been bullied. And of course, they've never been part of a group that bullies others, nor have they ever stood by while bullying happened right in front of them.'
As expected, the rumors the senior research students told me were nothing special.
The story could be summed up in a single sentence. A nobody ran his mouth and got scolded by me.
Reisir was the only one who saw me standing frozen behind the pillar with a shocked expression.
'What a relief.'
Only after putting that worry to rest did I introduce Yor to the professor and the seniors.
Of course, I introduced the three of them to Yor as well.
After that, the conversation continued for a while about Yor's cuteness and intelligence, as well as the Sky Blue Ether.
Naturally, the topic of wanting to see the rain cloud during the next training session came up from the seniors.
"Ah, come to think of it, there is something I would like to ask."
I spoke as though I had just remembered something.
But that was merely an act.
I had been waiting for an opportunity to make a confession of conscience and had been looking for a chance to bring it up for quite a while.
"Before we begin training the day after tomorrow, I would like to borrow your private room in the research lab. I want to speak with my fiancée alone, but there is no suitable place."
"I don't mind lending you the room, but aren't there plenty of room cafes in the commercial district? I hear young people these days talk and study together in places like that."
"I am aware of room cafes. However, if I asked her to meet me in a place cut off from the outside, I fear my fiancée would be frightened. But here, the professor and seniors would be right outside the door, so she would feel at ease."
In response to Professor Radvisin's question, I explained why I needed to meet Vigdís here.
At that, the expressions of the professor and research students turned awkward.
Senior Elska explained the reason as I wondered why the atmosphere had suddenly grown chilly.
"Junior Karvaldr...? Just what did you do to your fiancée last semester that you're certain she'd be scared even if you asked her to a room cafe?"
Actually, I'm not sure myself.
I don't even know specifically how Karvaldr bullied Vigdís. The original novel never went into detail.
I only know the result: Karvaldr isolated Vigdís.
Even if I don't know the process, it's obvious that she is the victim.
Therefore, it is only natural to be cautious from the very beginning, even when choosing a meeting place.
Wouldn't that allow Vigdís to feel at ease and speak with me comfortably?
But I can't exactly say, 'I don't remember any specific incident, but I think she'll be scared of me anyway.'
If I did, the atmosphere wouldn't merely turn chilly. I might actually be treated like trash.
So I had no choice but to answer with an awkward expression.
"Well, just... as you all know, I was a little obsessed... no, quite a lot..."
"......"
"......"
"......"
"Myaaah..."
The three people besides me remained silent.
One dragon familiar slapped her forehead with her palm and shook her head.
It seemed she had learned that gesture from watching Professor Radvisin earlier.
