Chapter 25 — The Red-Haired Warden [1]
"Ha-a-a-am."
The day after I had strengthened my weapon.
I entered Class 1-A with a yawn.
'I thought I'd oversleep since I went to bed late yesterday, but that was a needless worry.'
On the contrary, I wasn't even late—I was actually the first to arrive.
After glancing around the empty classroom, I walked over to my seat and sat down.
'I really did transmigrate into quite the diligent body.'
For some reason, my eyes had shot open at six in the morning.
It would take a few more days to be sure, but it seemed this body's daily rhythm was simply very disciplined.
Thanks to that, I had been the first to arrive at the dining hall and could eat breakfast earlier than anyone else.
"Should I do some training in the morning or something?"
Classes at the Academy started at 8:30.
But even after finishing breakfast, I'd arrived at the classroom by 7:30.
With an entire hour to spare, I figured I should think about how to spend that time.
'Now that I think about it, Cedric trains swordsmanship in the mornings. Should I ask to join him?'
Thanks to my skills, my swordsmanship's baseline was at a decent level.
But if I wanted to reach the peak, I'd have to put in more effort.
Training with Cedric would definitely help.
'Unlike Sara, Cedric seemed rather friendly toward me… and given his personality, I think he'd get along with me well.'
Even among players, Cedric was considered a likable character.
In the game's lore—and in his in-game portrayal—Cedric Falkren had always been depicted as genuinely good.
'And just like Layla, he's not the kind of person who cares much about social status.'
Whether noble, commoner, or slave—Cedric Falkren treated everyone equally.
But there was one big difference between him and Layla.
Layla, having been raised in luxury, had only ever seen the beautiful side of the world.
That's why she believed everyone could get along purely and innocently.
'Cedric, on the other hand, isn't some fool who tries to befriend everyone. In short—he's a meritocrat.'
He didn't care about someone's origin or status. As long as they had ability, he'd acknowledge and befriend them.
That was Cedric's motto.
So, as long as I could prove I had ability, getting close to Cedric wouldn't be difficult.
'There's nothing bad about befriending him, either. When it comes to gathering information, the Falkren Family is top-tier.'
The Falkren family had produced countless talented informants and spies.
Becoming close to him would surely be beneficial...
"Oh my, Alex. You're here early?"
"…Your Highness?"
I was lost in thought when a blonde girl suddenly entered the classroom.
The moment she appeared, I immediately stood up and bowed.
"Your Highness, it's an honor to—"
"Alex, I told you, there's no need for such formalities at the Academy."
"But still…"
"Then, Alex. Let's make it an order."
"…Pardon?"
"An order—from me, as the Princess."
Layla said with a bright, innocent smile.
"From now on, just call me Layla. At least while we're at the Academy, there's no need for such stiff manners."
"If it's an order… I suppose I have no choice, Your Highness—no, Lady Layla."
"Right? You have no choice."
Layla sat down beside me.
"By the way, you're really early. I thought I'd be the first to arrive."
"I tend to wake up early."
"Oh, same here! I got into the habit of waking up early since I was little."
"Is that so?"
I looked at Layla with a faint smile.
At a glance, she looked like any other ordinary girl.
But to think that such a girl held one of the greatest powers in the Empire… it was still hard to believe.
"By the way, Lady Layla, did you come alone?"
"Yes, I did. Why?"
"Don't you usually go around with Lady Sara and Sir Cedric?"
"Oh, Cedric went off to train."
"Swordsmanship training?"
"Yes. Cedric trains every morning. And as for Sara…"
Layla smiled mischievously.
"Don't tell anyone about this, Alex."
"What do you mean?"
"Sara's really not a morning person. She sleeps in a lot."
"So right now, Lady Sara is… still asleep?"
"Yes, probably fast asleep, even skipping breakfast."
Layla giggled softly.
"When I wake her up, she gets all pouty—it's really cute. I hope you get to see that side of her someday, Alex."
"…I'm not sure I'll survive if I do. I think I'd lose my head."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you. But still, wouldn't you like to see it? The usually sharp-tongued Sara acting all cuddly because she wants to sleep more?"
"To be honest, yes, I would. But it seems impossible to witness."
"Couldn't we sneak into her dorm room early in the morning?"
"…Entering the dorms without permission is grounds for expulsion, as far as I know."
"Hehe, is that so? What a shame."
Layla genuinely looked disappointed.
I couldn't help but smile faintly at her expression.
'She's exactly the same as the Layla I saw in the game.'
A pure and idealistic princess.
But also playful, with a childlike innocence.
I wanted to protect that purity of hers—but considering what was bound to happen later, that might not be possible.
'The side stories could be avoided one way or another, but no matter what I did, the main story couldn't be stopped.'
At least, that was how it was in the game.
But this wasn't a game anymore—it was reality. Things might turn out differently.
Maybe, just maybe, I could prevent Layla's future kidnapping.
'If nothing else… stopping the war would be the best outcome.'
[To be Continue]