Chapter 5: Intervention

Emelly Stield.

The protagonist.

Since ‘Minorus Academy’ is also fundamentally a visual novel type game like a dating sim, dialogue choices appear intermittently as the story progresses.

And looking at the tone of the choices and thoughts, and as the story progresses, you realize she’s not just the seemingly gentle, kind, and frustratingly naive girl she appears to be.

She is certainly a polite girl who speaks courteously and behaves properly.

At least on the outside.

However, when faced alone with someone she dislikes, she casts off that mask and, as if she never pretended, freely unleashes the words and curses she wants to say.

Sometimes it feels almost insidious.

I quite liked her refreshing way of speaking and acting back then, but now I’m in the position of having to endure it from ‘Sayoreinne’s’ perspective.

Aside from that, she’s kind to those around her and even shows a slightly gullible side to people she likes; she’s a good person.

Although she’s an insidious girl full of pretense, ultimately, she only reveals that side to those who are hostile towards her.

Thinking about it now, I really think protagonists are best when they’re kind and gullible like in the old days.

I dread the future.

Still, one fortunate thing amidst the misfortune is the setting that ‘Sayoreinne’ only started acting like a truly rabid dog, biting everyone indiscriminately, from the 2nd semester onwards.

In other words, while it’s true everyone dislikes me, it’s still a stage where I can attempt to improve relationships with others, including Emelly.

Therefore, avoiding the bad ending typically met by the villainess in the game ‘Minorus Academy’ might not be as difficult as I thought.

Probably.

What happens from now on… depends on what I do, I suppose.

Morning classes at Minorus Academy consist of common subjects taken by all students.

These subjects are taught under the rationale that one never knows what disaster might occur if humans possessing the powerful force of mana have empty heads.

For knowledge, character, and refinement, they teach not only mathematics and philosophy but also things like music and art.

They teach them, but….

Most people just kill time and don’t pay much attention.

They’re busy strengthening themselves because after graduation, they’ll have to risk their lives facing magical beasts on the front lines; common subjects useless in battle inevitably take a backseat.

Therefore, I also wanted to faithfully use this boring class time for rest, but the ‘Sayoreinne’ within me doesn’t want to lose to other ‘inferiors’, even in exam scores.

I really hate studying useless things in a place with no college entrance exams, but if I don’t study, my mind and emotions become unstable, causing stress.

I can’t afford to erode my already strained mental state, which needs constant care and control, just because I don’t want to study, so I have no choice but to obediently follow Sayoreinne.

Regardless of Sayo’s inner feelings, the body influenced by Sayoreinne maintained an upright posture, its gaze fixed unwaveringly on the blackboard and professor at the front, with hands diligently taking notes.

Her outward appearance, at least, made her look like an excellent model student to anyone watching.

And in terms of studying, she actually was quite exemplary.

I graduated high school, finished the entrance exams.

I didn’t go to college, so I thought I’d never have to study like this again….
Sayo sighed inwardly, even as her hands and eyes worked diligently.

‘But certainly, Sayoreinne is much better than my original self.’

This body’s concentration, comprehension—no, just all its abilities were far superior to when ‘I’ was ‘Han Juseong’.

Indeed, it was certain that my ordinary, no, perhaps subpar self, couldn’t compare to Sayoreinne, who excelled in abilities befitting a ‘villain’.

“Lady Sayoreinne, you truly are amazing! To maintain such perfect composure throughout this long class!”

“Her concentration too, truly exemplary, just as expected of a daughter from a prestigious Marquis family.”

These two people struck up a conversation with the avoided Sayoreinne right next to them during break time.

The brown-haired girl who spoke first was Soine, the daughter of Baron Marti, and the platinum-blonde girl who spoke after was Miner, the daughter of Viscount Melpin.

They are the noble daughters who appear in the game as lackey 1 and 2, sticking close to Sayoreinne.

‘Daughters from lower noble families under the Marquisate.’

‘Humans like ‘bugs’ who cling closely, pretending to be friendly, hoping to get even some scraps from Sayoreinne.’

‘-That’s how Sayoreinne evaluates them.’
‘Since the game doesn’t detail the psychology or actions of these near-extra characters, I don’t know what they’re actually like.’

What Sayo remembered about them was that they were just extra characters who immediately cut ties and fled when Sayoreinne fell from grace in the ending, with no epilogue mention.

Briefly scanning ‘Sayoreinne’s’ memories, they were annoying but were simply noble daughters she kept around because they were convenient for running errands or exploiting.

Naturally, she didn’t consider them friends and perceived them as akin to maids.

‘Her personality is truly awful.’

As Sayo, not wanting to waste mental energy, simply ignored them moderately with a sullen expression, Soine and Miner exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and headed somewhere.

Where the two headed, there was a small girl with short blue hair, barely looking over 150cm tall.

The small girl, who had been reading a book, buried her head deep into it as if trying to disappear inside when the two approached.

“Hi. Long time no see? Nice to see you again. Nell.”

“Still looking… uh, gloomy as ever today, huh?”

“……”

The girl remained silent, her head buried.

And in front of her, the two mumbled something with awkward, stuttering speech, threatening(?) her.

‘……Why are they so awkward?’

What they were saying was slightly critical and mildly aggressive, but combined with their awkward tone, awkward expressions, and awkwardly threatening gestures, it just looked comical.

…Despite that, Nell seemed to be struggling, merely keeping her head buried firmly in her book.

‘Nell. That child is also a problem.’

A headache started to form.

Nell Soltren.

She is one of the capture target heroines.

A commoner girl who has been bullied by Sayoreinne’s clique since the 1st semester, and the only commoner heroine among both male and female targets.

Commoner.

When the dimensional gate first opened 150 years ago, the world was in the midst of a major conflict comparable to a world war, so they couldn’t respond adequately to the magical beasts pouring out of the gate, and humans instantly lost over 60% of the world to them.

Many nations fell, and many people died during this time.

At this point, all land and sea routes connecting East and West were severed by the magical beasts, completely isolating the two regions, a state that persists to this day.

Anyway, after suffering a major blow, the nations finally realized the severity of the situation, immediately stopped their wars, formed an alliance, and began to fight back against the magical beasts.

They attempted a counterattack against the beasts, and perhaps heroes emerge in crises?

With heroes appearing worldwide leading the charge, humanity managed to reclaim territory up to 50% of the map, and some stability returned to the front lines.

As time passed, the heroes aged, and in a world that had stabilized somewhat, academies were established to seriously nurture the next generation.

It was a critical situation where humanity had narrowly averted extinction.

There was no distinction between commoner and noble.

Anyone suspected of having mana sensitivity was crammed into the academies.

Nobles, unhappy about studying alongside commoners, caused trouble and bullied them.

Commoners, in turn, accumulated great resentment towards such nobles, and the atmosphere in the academies steadily deteriorated.

‘Within the academy, all are equal.’

This phrase was added to the first school rule because of that.

Starting with that, school rules were continuously added to leash the nobles.

Do not bow, do not give or receive orders; all sorts of trivial things were added to the school regulations.

Thus, the academy seemed to stabilize, at least for a while, and began to function, albeit creakily.

Even nobles weren’t foolish enough not to understand what was urgent.

However, this atmosphere was temporary.

While they couldn’t push back the magical beasts, the mood in countries around the world gradually stabilized.

Naturally, ulterior motives began to surface, right?

The front lines remained intense, but the rear areas were stable, and as life became more comfortable, nobles began to wield their power more assertively, and the school rules became largely nominal.

Besides, even if the rules were upheld during enrollment, the academy couldn’t protect students after graduation, so it was likely an inevitable outcome.

Nevertheless, rules are rules, and most nobles at least paid lip service to them, generally observing ‘the line’.

But ill-natured nobles, like ‘Sayoreinne’, bully weaker commoners.

In the case of the ‘protagonist’ Emelly, although a commoner, she was strong-willed, capable, sociable, and friendly even with nobles, so she wasn’t bullied.

In that respect, Nell, being timid, having ordinary abilities, and lacking friends, is an easy target for bored nobles.

And one member of that bullying clique is me, Sayoreinne.

“Soine, Miner. Stop it.”

Sayo approached the two, reached out her hands, and separated them from Nell.

“Huh? Y-You’re going to touch her directly?!”

“It’s just because it’s been a while, we were a bit awkward. There’s no need for you to dirty your own hands……”

The two glanced furtively at Nell, who kept her head down.

Soine looked anxious, while Miner seemed slightly uncomfortable.

‘Are they afraid of being scolded by me?’

‘Are they worried about Nell?’

‘I don’t know which, but that’s not it; I came to stop you two.’

Or so I wanted to say, but…

My head is throbbing.

Apparently, this action is displeasing to Sayoreinne.

My heart pounds, and emotions stir violently.

Sayo’s face contorted slightly as she opened her fan.

Focusing on the fan helps calm her turbulent mind somewhat.

Mother’s fan.

Although Soine and Miner were ‘asked’ to bully Nell, Sayoreinne didn’t care.

She is fundamentally indifferent.

That’s why she said nothing about the duo’s clumsy bullying attempts.

She wasn’t interested.

‘Sayoreinne….’

The reason she now rebels against Sayo’s actions is obvious.

It’s resistance against me for directly contradicting the ‘request’ she made.

And the question of why I’m bothering with such an inferior, contempt, and various other emotions are palpable.

After letting out a sigh, Sayo looked at Nell’s face.

Nell, who had lifted her previously buried head, wore the same expression as always.

Her lips and eyelids trembled slightly, but that was how it was.

Nell bit her lip hard, then slowly moved her facial muscles into a stiff smile, looking straight into Sayo’s eyes with her clear blue ones.

‘Haaah.’

She’s tougher than she looks.

A girl who didn’t give up and held onto hope even in a desperately poor family environment.

Outwardly very weak, but inwardly, she is not.

And that appearance further provokes Sayoreinne.

And that appearance further provokes Sayo.

Sayoreinne’s insides churn with rage.

Sayo envied Nell.

She raised her hand.