【Alicia's Perspective】
Alicia's group consisted of seven girls in total. Naturally, Alicia was the center of the group.
She wasn't confined to just her own faction, but was also popular in other factions and classes. Nurtured during her time with the Hero, her caring nature and the goodness of her personality, which even accepted Absolute Ark, allowed her to reign supreme in the young lady caste system. Even without the Hero's fiancée brand, her position would have remained unshaken.
While Absolute and the others were struggling for survival, Alicia's girl group was enjoying the field training exercise to the fullest.
In the original story, the Hero and Princess Leone would have joined, leading to a turbulent exercise, but those two troublemakers weren't in their group. Right now, they were all sitting around a bonfire, chatting and enjoying a relaxed time.
"Alicia, what do you think of the Hero now? Do you feel lonely since you've separated?"
"Really, you have no tact, do you?"
Everyone had been careful not to bring up the topic of her broken engagement with the Hero. The atmosphere became a little tense when it was brought up.
"Ahaha, it's okay. Well, since it was an engagement arranged by our families, I didn't have any of those feelings. He didn't seem to see me that way either, and I haven't been particularly lonely since we separated."
Alicia answered with a wry smile, trying to dispel the bad atmosphere. In fact, she had been living peaceful days since separating from the Hero. So peaceful that she felt restless.
"I see—he didn't seem to understand women's hearts. The Hero is an adventurer now, right?"
"Yes, according to the report from the Royal Family, he managed to rise to B-rank all at once solo, but it seems that it's difficult for him to go any higher with his current abilities… Honestly, does he even realize that he'll be stuck in mediocrity forever if he stays like this? That's why I told him so many times to take his training seriously… He just relies on his skills and slacks off. Really, Alto…"
Once she started thinking about the Hero, who wasn't even here, she couldn't stop. An adventurer's rank is determined by the Adventurers Guild's test and evaluation. Rising to B-rank in a short period is considered quite excellent, but it's a different story when it's the Hero.
Even though he was still a student, as the Hero, he should be at least A-rank.
"The other day, I got a call from his watchman saying he was starving because he had no money, so I sent him some food? Even though I'm practically a stranger to him now… But I can't just abandon him, and he's really hopeless. Sigh…"
Alicia held her head and grumbled, as the members of her group watched with wry smiles.
This strange caring nature of hers was probably why she was so well-liked.
One of the group members spoke, changing the subject.
"Well, let's put the Hero aside. Who's your type in our class, everyone?"
Hearing those words, the other members grinned. This kind of talk was a staple for girls, and it was a topic that everyone jumped on.
"I'm definitely on Prince Michael's side! He's handsome and has a good personality—isn't that perfect!"
"No, no, Tristan isn't losing either. That feeling of him not being interested in anything other than the sword is stoic and wonderful."
"Ehh, but I heard Tristan can't stand up to his fiancée who is two years older. Isn't that different from the image?"
"For me, it's Student Council President Velvet. She's always dignified, and I admire her."
Each of them raised the names of boys they liked. Meanwhile, Alicia was silent.
"Alicia, who's yours?"
"…Eh?"
Alicia was surprised to suddenly be asked. But she quickly regained her composure.
"W-well, I…"
Alicia swallowed the name that had come to her lips in an instant. They weren't meant to be together, and she was the one who had rejected it.
"…Anyone other than Alto, perhaps?"
She forced a smile, but no one mentioned it because this seemed to be a deeply sensitive topic.
After some time, a teacher appeared before Alicia and the others, and they were informed that the exercise was canceled.
She was a little sad, but it was a very good memory for her.
◇
【Lady Cruel's Perspective】
Several days after the turbulent field training exercise, the day of returning to school arrived.
On the morning of the school day, Lady Cruel first combed her mother's blue long hair and styled her hair as part of her preparations. In the case of ordinary nobles, they often leave this to their maids unless their lives are particularly difficult.
However, in Lady Cruel's case, she wanted her beloved to always see her in her best light, so she tried to groom herself until she was satisfied. It took less time to do it herself than to leave it to the maid, and she knew best how to shine.
As usual, she sat in front of the large mirror to set her hair and looked at herself in the mirror. Her face in the mirror looked more gloomy than usual.
She knew the cause. During the field training exercise, she had fainted and caused a great deal of trouble to her companions and her beloved, Absolute. She didn't remember what happened before she fainted, but the blunder this time could have resulted in deaths if she had made one wrong step.
It was unforgivable.
And yet, her companions worried about her after she fainted, and Absolute simply told her not to worry about it. She would have felt better if they had blamed her, but her companions wouldn't allow it.
(If this is my punishment, then I have no choice. Oh, what have I done...? To even cause trouble for Absolute. All the goodwill I've built up will be wasted.)
Lady Cruel sighed heavily and looked at herself in front of the mirror.
Cherry-colored lips, white skin, fine and silky blue hair, a more outstanding appearance than the young ladies of the same age... Her appearance, which should have been the same as usual, looked a little darker to her. It could be said that she had a melancholic air, but she felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere that was different from her usual self.
(I have a terrible face. I understand now why my mother told me not to get caught up in men. I'm so happy and sad about Absolute… What am I really doing?)
"Haa… No, this is bad. If I stay like this, I'll fail again. I have to pull myself together."
She muttered to herself in front of the mirror, as if telling herself.
She hesitated to meet Absolute in this state. She didn't want to show him her ugly self now.
Even so, she couldn't suppress the feeling that she wanted to see him, so she spent more time than usual setting her hair and applying makeup before leaving the room.
◆
Lady Cruel entered Class A's classroom after arriving at school. Due to the incident during the field training exercise, there were many empty seats in the classroom. The Church group, including the Saint, was absent. Princess Leone was also absent.
(Huh? Absolute isn't here either... What's wrong? He's usually here by now, this is unusual.)
"Good morning, Oriana... and Mist too. Absolute doesn't seem to be here. Do you know anything?"
She exchanged light greetings with the two and asked about Absolute.
"I haven't seen him yet today. Isn't he just late?"
Mist replied, and Oriana also shook her head.
Lady Cruel's expression darkened at Absolute's absence. She didn't say it out loud, but her heart was in turmoil due to inner stress.
"There's no way Absolute would be late! Your idea is too cliché. That's why you'll always be just Mist…"
Lady Cruel cursed in her heart.
"No, you said it out loud. And stop using people's names like they're insults."
"Mist lol"
"Hey, Oriana. What's 'lol'? It's not funny at all."
While they were having that exchange, the time came and their homeroom teacher, Teach, entered the classroom. Even though it had only been a few days, it felt somehow nostalgic.
"Yo, you guys. I heard the field training exercise was turbulent. It's unfortunate that there were casualties, but I'm still glad to see you guys again."
Teach looked at everyone in the class and said with a sad face. The casualties in this field training exercise were the Holy Knights of the Rainana Church who belonged to Class A. Some of the class members had faces of regret.
"In addition, I have some unfortunate news. Princess Leone will be returning to her country due to urgent matters. I don't know if she will be returning to this academy. She also regretted not being able to say goodbye to you."
The class stirred at the sudden news.
(That's sudden... I knew that the Suiloku Kingdom was in a dangerous state, but to call back the princess they had evacuated means either the problem has been solved, or...)
Lady Cruel suddenly looked at Mist. He was the one who had been closest to Princess Leone at the end of the exercise. Absolute had told him to watch over her, so maybe they had become quite close.
Mist looked like his usual flippant self, but to Lady Cruel, who had known him for a long time, he looked a little lonely.
"And there's one more unfortunate piece of news."
Anxiety spread among the students, wondering if there could be anything more.
"Absolute Ark has been given an indefinite suspension from school."
"“Eh?”"
The whole class was shocked.
Lady Cruel's head was in confusion at the sudden news.
"Absolute… Why… Could it be…"
A certain possibility flashed through Lady Cruel's mind, and her face turned pale at the thought.
"Is it… my fault…"
"I honestlydon'tagreewiththispunishment.The reasonisfrom"
Her heart was pounding and her heartbeat was accelerating, and her breathing was also disturbed. Lady Cruel couldn't hear what Teach was saying, and her vision gradually blurred and distorted, and she lost consciousness.
