Chapter 40: Last fortress……or not

Warm sunshine, fragrant flowers, refreshing wind.
Innocent boys and girls dressed in brand new uniforms.
Usually one would be smiling and thinking the start of youth to be a joyous occasion, but I carried a dark cloud over me unlike the rest.

Mariabell Tempest, 12 years old.
I am now a first year of Avantor Academy starting from today.

「Maria, we should leave soon」

「Three more minutes……」

「This is the seventh time already, homeroom will be starting soon」

Keito’s uniform is noticeably wrinkled as I clenched it with both my hands. Approximately 30 minutes have passed and I was blocking Keito’s way.
It looked like a scene in front of the dorm where a girlfriend was fretting about separating from her lover. What should I do this behavior is objectively troublesome even in my point of view. Of course, this is actually not a farewell scene of two love-sick idiotic couples.

Keito will be starting off as a second year transfer student and will be heading directly to his classroom, and as a new student I will be attending the ceremony.
I am afraid of going to the entrance ceremony alone, that is somewhat a reason…….but more than anything, I am uneasy about Keito heading off to class.
If he were to end up in the classroom of the second prince or in the classroom of that overly dark yandere, when I think about that…….!

「Maria too, being late to the entrance ceremony is a bad way to start」

「Un……..」

I was unable to counter after that just argument.
What is with this? Recently it feels like Keito has been treating me like a child, to begin with he was always more composed and realistic, and he did always play the role of the straight-man.
In the end after giving my head a pat, Keito then headed off towards his classroom.

I was left alone…….I then headed towards the hall where the entrance ceremony will be held with heavy footsteps.

×　×　×　×

「Eーtto, Class C is……」

While I looked restlessly around the lavishly decorated hall, I try to find my seat while looking through the student handbook I received from the reception desk.

For the entrance ceremony of Avantor Academy, students have to look for their own seats by themselves. Students aren’t provided with information regarding their own class beforehand. One is to find their own seat in time and then wait for the ceremony to start. The student handbook I received at the reception desk before entering the hall had a list of all the names in the class, so today is my first time knowing my own class.

Because Avantor Academy is where the rich gather, such countermeasures are placed to prevent parent’s from scheming beforehand……or so I’ve heard.

Is something like that really true…….perhaps, reality can sometimes be stranger than fiction. I have been living in this otome world as a villainess for the past twelve years after all.

「Ah, there」

Down the stairs, the third row from the front. The words Class C were written underneath like in a movie theater. I sat down in the assigned seat based on the attendance number.
There are quite a few people who have already arrived earlier but it seems the person I am looking for still isn’t here yet. Since the entrance ceremony is about to start it’ll likely be soon.
I probably don’t even have to mention who I am looking for.

「Good morning! Oh, you are in the same class, nice to meet youー!」

I heard a bright voice and then several other voices respond back.
They might’ve been friends from the start. Those who share the joy of being in the same class, this is the beginning of youth. The atmosphere surrounding them looks rather heartwarming as they smiled about.

The only person whose entire body was frozen stiff as if they were someone frantically awaiting their love is probably only me.

「Sasha, where was the class?」

A new group of male students appeared, and the one they are talking to in the center.

Sasha.

That is the nickname of the person I was looking for since a while ago. 『I have been wanting to meet you』is not what I was thinking instead『I want to avoid if it’s possible』is more closer to what I am thinking.

Sasha, or Sashia Dorothy.
A refreshingly handsome male with red hair along with red eyes tinged with orange.

And the last capture target which I haven’t encountered yet.