I Became the Villain’s Childhood Friend Chapter 34

 

Her traces remained intact wherever she passed. Small puddles of water were forming toward the bathroom.

 

As soon as Gloria was out of my sight, I sped past her.

 

I opened my locker and quickly took out a towel and gym clothes. Then, I followed the traces she left behind and went into the bathroom.

 

Finding Gloria was easy. For the sound of sobbing came from the last compartment.

 

I draped the gym clothes and towel over the partition where Gloria entered and knocked on the door.

 

Then Gloria opened the door and I hurried out of the bathroom.

 

***

 

When I entered the room, I saw Julia removing her makeup, humming to herself without even knowing who the other person was. I approached her with a frown on her face.

 

Julia, sensing a presence, glanced at me for a moment, then turned her gaze back to the vanity mirror.

 

I let out a small sigh and tapped her shoulder.

 

“…Talk to me for a moment.”

 

“What.”

 

Julia didn’t even pretend to listen to me and just scrubbed her face with a cotton pad.

 

“How long are you going to be childish with Gloria?”

 

Only then did Julia’s hand, which was removing her makeup, stop. She turned to look at me with her fiercest eyes.

 

“What does it matter to you?”

 

I gave her a small nod and answered obediently.

 

“It doesn’t matter. How funny would the country be if the only princess of the Empire was expelled from the Academy for something unsavory?”

 

“Are you really worried about the Empire’s reputation in front of me, the Princess? Don’t you think it’s presumptuous?”

 

“What should I do if I’m a patriot?”

 

Julia smiled bitterly, yet she quickly erased her smile and opened her mouth.

 

“Never mind.”

 

…This girl really doesn’t understand words.

 

Julia nervously threw the cotton pad she was holding onto the dresser and said,

 

“I was planning on stopping even if you didn’t say anything.”

 

Oh, she makes sense, right?

 

“Good idea.”

 

At my words, Julia opened her eyes and glared at me. I sighed in relief and took off my school uniform.

 

“My brother will be back from work soon.”

 

But Julia’s next words made me pause for a moment. She opened her mouth in a boastful voice.

 

“You’ve never seen my brother, have you?”

 

“Yeah. but I know he looks a lot like you.”

 

A smile spread across Julia’s face, as if my words made her feel quite happy.

 

“You’re familiar with the topic, considering you’re illegitimate.”

 

After hearing so much about the illegitimate child from Julia, it didn’t really hit me much. Have I developed some tenacity?

 

She was just curious about the look on Julia’s face when she found out about her crush,  Rian’s birth. Because Rian was still known as the only legitimate son of the Duke of Lerdonia.

 

Ah. Is this a bit cruel?

 

I lightly shrugged my shoulders.

 

“I’d like to cancel me saying His Highness resembling you.”

 

“…What?”

 

“No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think there’s anything that can compare to a rude person like you. You rude bastard.”

 

Julia pursed her lips in astonishment.

 

She looked like she was about to swear at any moment, yet she suppressed her swearing. Instead, Julia smoothed her angry eyes with her fingers.

 

Julia pursed her lips for a moment, then she opened her mouth.

 

“…Do you know why criminals are stigmatized?”

 

“Suddenly?”

 

“Shut up and listen to me.”

 

Julia let out a small sigh.

 

“They’re warning innocent people. This person has committed a crime, so they should avoid them.”

 

“Say it so I can understand.”

 

That aristocratic way of speaking that I couldn’t understand at all was too difficult for me.

 

Julia looked at me with her cold eyes.

 

“I won’t bother her anymore, but people have already seen her get bullied by the tea ceremony club, so who’s going to take care of her?”

 

“You’re so childish to the end…!”

 

“So, you should behave yourself well.”

 

That’s how Julia went into the bathroom.

 

***

 

Yesterday, I couldn’t sleep well because I was arguing with Julia all night long.

 

I was sleeping face down on my desk and raised my head when I heard a commotion coming from the hallway. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I patted Adele, whose face was strangely flushed.

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“Today is the day Charis comes home!”

 

…It seems that what Julia said last night wasn’t a lie.

 

Charis was the name of the Crown Prince. Julia’s older brother, the last of the four male lead candidates.

 

I blinked my dazed eyes for a moment.

 

Am I finally seeing the last male lead? However, I didn’t have much expectations because I didn’t like all the male leads I actually met.

 

“But should I tell you something that’s even more amazing?”

 

“What is it…?”

 

“In addition to the physical education class, there is one more class that overlaps between the Magic Department and the Magic Engineering Department.”

 

I frowned at Adele’s words.

 

Is she talking about ‘that’ class whose start was postponed due to the professor’s circumstances?

 

The name is also very strange.

 

‘The Relative Relationship and Theory of Magic and Engineering’.

 

“I’m glad that Senior Charis’s return day coincides with the first day of school. I can see his face from the first day of class!”

 

Ah, is this why it was so noisy in the morning?

 

I wiped the tears from my eyes as I yawned.

 

“Let’s go quickly and get a seat!”

 

Adele, filled with excitement, forced me to get up from my seat. Then, as if I had almost no will to run, she led me to the lecture room in a hurry.

 

I couldn’t even wake up, so I blinked and moved with Adele.

 

“We have to become closer to Senior somehow, Danae.”

 

She spoke to me as she sat down and looked around.

 

“It will be a great help to us after we graduate!”

 

Adele really had a clear purpose for coming to the Academy.

 

Seeing Adele’s appearance that seemed to never change, I involuntarily burst out laughing and opened my mouth.

 

“Wake me up when class starts.”

 

“Got it.”

 

It was true that I was curious about the last male lead’s face, but after seeing the silver head in the dorm room yesterday, I didn’t want to see him that much.

 

Since he and Julia are siblings, I had a feeling that he might not have a very good personality either.

 

…I think he had a pretty good personality in the original story. However, I couldn’t believe it because it was a novel written entirely from the female lead’s point of view.

 

I fell asleep quickly.

 

And the reason I woke up again was because of Adele urgently shaking me awake.

 

“Danae? Student Danae?”

 

When I woke up and asked why she felt anxious, it seemed like it was time to introduce myself.

 

“How did I wake you up, you know.”

 

Adele glanced at me.

 

I pretended like nothing was wrong, gently wiped the saliva from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand, and got up from my seat.

 

“My name is Danae, a first-year student in the Magic Engineering Department. Please take care of me in the future.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Student Danae.”

 

I sat down as soon as the professor finished speaking. Perhaps because I had trouble sleeping, my whole body still felt dizzy.

 

“What time does class end?”

 

“…”

 

“Adele?”

 

When I turned my head towards Adele, who had no answer, I saw that Adele had the eyes of a girl who had already fallen in love. I wondered who she looked at, like that.

 

But eventually, I was able to understand Adele a little bit by the voice I heard.

 

“I’m Charis, a second-year student in the Magic Department.”

 

Charis was right behind me.

 

‘Oh…’

 

He’s definitely handsome. About how much, to the extent does it make my sleepy eyes widen, maybe?

 

And if I were to be concerned about my taste, Charis’ appearance was my favorite when I saw it in person.

 

Charis looks similar to Julia, but he has a slightly different texture.

 

Isn’t that what it feels like when an angel comes down from the sky? When I look at those purple eyes soaked in rainwater, it feels like I could give both my liver and gallbladder to him.

 

…I can’t believe that that person really appeared in this damn impoverished novel.

 

It was amazing to see it in person.

 

Through this, I met all the male leads from the original story. All four of them look different and have different personalities.

 

It seems that Charis and Rian already have a connection with Gloria… Sylvester will become involved in earnest sometime next year, and Reynold has also met Gloria. It’s because he doesn’t realize it.

 

I glanced at Charis and tilted my head.

 

“Let’s go greet him after class.”

 

Adele whispered in my ear.

 

I honestly wanted to refuse, but it wasn’t easy to refuse her words with her eyes shining so brightly.

 

I eventually nodded cautiously.

 

After that, Adele didn’t listen to the class and wondered how she could convey to Charis the pure feelings of a junior who seemed to have no ulterior motives.

 

And as soon as class was over, Adele got up from her seat.

 

But she wasn’t the only one who felt the same way. To add a little bit of exaggeration, it seemed like all the students sitting in the classroom were coming to say hello to Charis.

 

I really didn’t mind not saying hello to Charis. Anyway, I have no intention of getting involved or becoming friends.

 

But Adele said she couldn’t be the only one enjoying this great opportunity, and she squeezed my wrist so I wouldn’t miss her in the crowd.

 

And after a lot of fuss, Adele and I were able to get close to Charis.

 

“Hello, Senior. My name is Adele and I’m from the Magic Engineering Department!”

 

Adele’s greeting, which she had been thinking about throughout class, became very monotonous.

 

“Mmhm, hi.”

 

Charis smiled prettily at Adele’s greeting.

 

Wow, he looks more handsome when he smiles.

 

I once again admired his charismatic face, and while I was doing so, Adele tapped my side to wake me up.

 

Only then did I hesitantly say hello to him. Now that I think about it, Charis’ eyes were on me from earlier.

 

“He… llo, Senior.”

 

His gaze felt oddly burdensome. Is it because he’s handsome? It seemed like that.

 

“Nice to meet you.”

 

Charis smiled at me too.

 

I really think he could save the world with just a smile.

 

“You’re Adele and…”

 

Charis, who was slowly reading Adele’s nametag, passed her and turned to me.

 

“…Danae.”

 

As if the fog had cleared, his voice was heard clearly in my ears.

 

“Please take care of me in the future.”

 

“No, please take care of me.”

 

Adele seemed to be encouraged by the warm appearance of Charis. I pulled her to stop now, yet she didn’t budge.

 

In the end, I left Adele and left the classroom.

 

Standing outside the classroom was Gloria, who looked strangely unhappy.

 

Since we weren’t even close friends, it was strange to even talk to her. I pretended not to notice and passed by her.