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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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I’d always considered my life unpredictable, but lately, it was excessive. The Elixir of Growth turning out to be something else entirely, Hayden Parker, who should have been here, being nonexistent from the start. Was my flimsy plan for the future crumbling before my eyes?
“Um… is something wrong…?”
“Ah, don’t worry about it! It’s nothing!”
Amy looked at me with concern. My gloomy expression wouldn’t stop the demons from targeting the Academy. I’d fought the demon worshippers, the organization behind the attacks, during my time in the Royal Knights. I’d have to request an investigation from the guild. For now, I needed a plan assuming Hayden Parker didn’t exist.
Unless…?
A thought struck me. Parker surname, the only late student at the entrance ceremony, red hair, Amy Parker… Not Hayden, not male, but the closest match. Perhaps a separate individual, but… what if Amy was Hayden? Transformed into a girl due to some external factor?
Could that be possible…?
Considering I was reincarnated into this world, anything was possible. It was worth investigating.
“Are you free? I have a lot to discuss. Want to continue this at the cafe?”
“A-are you sure…?”
“We don’t have anything else to do.”
“Okay…!”
Students who entered through the exams had no other scheduled activities. Classes and the official start of the semester were tomorrow. Today was free time for socializing. Some students had already formed groups.
The Academy cafe resembled those in my previous life. No kiosks, but a blackboard menu with elegantly written items. Antique furniture, the rich aroma of roasted beans, a middle-aged barista brewing coffee—a perfect replica of a modern antique cafe.
I had no idea how this world achieved such technological parity, but it was based on a casually written web novel, so I’d learned to accept its inconsistencies. Even the real world didn’t always make sense.
“I… I’ve only lived in the countryside… This is my first time in a cafe.”
Amy’s eyes sparkled as she took in her surroundings. Parker’s territory was a small, rural village, unlikely to have a proper cafe. Watching her puzzled expression as she scanned the menu, I had an idea.
Would she share Hayden’s preferences?
Hayden’s taste in beverages was unusual for an Imperial noble. If they shared the same preferences, it would strengthen my theory.
“I… I’ll have…”
Amy seemed overwhelmed by the menu, about to point at the cheapest item, when I interrupted.
“One Pine Sparkling.”
The barista’s lips curled into a slight smile. This peculiar drink was an original concoction, a reflection of his personal taste, and rarely ordered. Pine Sparkling—carbonated water infused with extract from the buds of northern conifers. It tasted exactly like pine needle tea. The promotional tagline was something like “The refreshing coolness of the North!” but most people found the strong menthol flavor off-putting.
Why sell it if no one buys it?
Yet, Hayden Parker loved it.
“…And a glass of milk with a chocolate chip cookie.”
I felt the familiar sting of judgment at ordering milk. It wasn’t intentional. It was a habit I’d developed since my reincarnation.
We sat down with our drinks and cookie.
“The… money…”
“It’s on me.”
I stopped Amy from taking out her wallet. I initiated the cafe visit, so I should pay. The drinks weren’t cheap, but I had plenty of disposable income.
“I’ll… pay you back later…”
“I just bought them together. Don’t worry about it.”
I reassured her, taking a sip of warm milk and observing her discreetly. She lowered her head, then hesitantly took a sip of the Pine Sparkling.
Her eyes widened. This was a positive sign. At least she didn’t grimace.
Is it alright?
Her expression seemed positive.
“It’s a secret menu item. How is it?”
“It’s… a very unique taste… It feels refreshing.”
An accurate assessment. But “unique” wasn’t exactly a compliment. She took another sip.
“Is it good?”
“Yes, it’s good.”
I felt relieved. Amy, like Hayden, enjoyed Pine Sparkling. That was enough for now. The barista, polishing glasses at the counter, overheard our conversation and nodded in satisfaction. Why was he eavesdropping?
“I didn’t see you earlier. Did you enter through the exams?”
“Yes… My family has a territory, but we’re poor… I couldn’t get a recommendation.”
“Wow, to enter through the exams… that’s impressive. I just walked in with a recommendation.”
“Is… is that so? I thought everyone took the exam…”
“For exam entrants, you need an A or above to pass. With a recommendation, the exam is just for placement. You can still attend even if you skip it. And… you’re a scholarship student?”
“…Yes.”
“A scholarship means you got an A or above. That’s more impressive than a recommendation. Be more confident.”
“…Thank you.”
She blushed and lowered her head. We talked for a while longer. I shared some of my family history, embellishing it slightly. Amy, in turn, shared hers.
“I…”
A poor territory, entrance through exams… similar, yet different. In the original story, Hayden Parker was a noble whose family was killed by demons. He wandered alone until he met the Devil Slayer, who became his mentor. He entered the Academy upon learning that his enemy, a demon, was hiding within its walls.
Amy’s story was completely different.
“When I was young, demons attacked our territory…”
The attack was real, causing significant damage, but someone defeated the demons, saving her family. However, the damage was devastating. Most children Amy’s age were killed. She nearly died too, but someone intervened.
“Our territory was already small… and people started leaving, saying the land was cursed…”
As a result, she had to work the fields, far from a noble’s life. The young Amy, searching for a way to save her struggling territory, remembered a story about the Academy told by a traveling minstrel.
“If I graduate from the Academy… it would help our people…”
“I see… That’s admirable.”
Graduating from the Academy meant recognition as a valuable asset to the Empire, especially for those who entered through exams. It could open doors to high-ranking officials. To save her territory… such a noble goal.
We talked for a while longer before parting ways.
“Thank you for today…!”
“Sure… See you tomorrow.”
“Y-yes!!”
I was still uncertain. Was she truly the protagonist, or someone completely different? In her current state, she couldn’t handle the protagonist’s fate. But if the protagonist faltered, it would lead to a bad ending. I had to help her, somehow.
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Walking back to the dormitory, Amy felt a warmth spread through her chest.
Is this… a friend?
The blonde boy sitting alone in the garden, smaller than her, yet with a mature aura. They went to the cafe together, shared their sensitive family histories, and talked freely. It was the first time she’d had such a conversation with someone her age since… the incident.
Her social skills were rusty, but this definitely felt like friendship. Atlas Nemea, her first friend at the Academy.
She giggled.
She had been feeling quite overwhelmed. The incident before arriving, the embarrassment at the entrance ceremony, the opulent carriages, the Academy’s grandeur – it was all quite intimidating.
A scholarship is more impressive. Be more confident.
Atlas, entering with a recommendation letter, must have come from a prestigious family. To be praised by someone like him, despite her lack of accomplishments, filled her with a newfound confidence.
“He’s a good person, unlike what I expected.”
Amy’s monologue continued, though it sounded more like a dialogue.
“…Don’t let your guard down?”
She spoke as if conversing with someone, despite being alone.
“No… Thank you for helping me so far, but… I did what you said. I enrolled in the Academy… Atlas is a good person… I don’t want to be suspicious.”
The conversation with the unseen presence paused.
“He gave you a fake name?”
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