Chapter 48

“Snow is still shut up in her room, huh…”

A handsome blond young man mutters wistfully.

The room is luxurious. It’s a parlor in the mansion where those born as nobles in this world spend their time.

They are knights in training, serving a marquis family in the frontier. They pass the night in this warm room.

Yet, Snow is nowhere to be seen in the room, which is usually a place for their meetings and relaxation.

“Ah, Aki-kun… Yeah, she hasn’t come back yet.”

“Snow-chan looks like she’s deep in thought, locked up in her room…”

The beautiful twin boy and girl, known among their peers as the top of the “elite” crowd that Taketo Kasuya called the popular clique.

A heavy atmosphere hangs in the air.

School is a microcosm of society. Even though it has its own world, it undeniably has its own hierarchy.

Appearance, family background, academic skills, athletic ability, communication skills—every possible invisible parameter naturally ranks individuals.

And they were those who stood at the very top of this hierarchy. Of course, there were other prominent individuals besides the members here.

Yet, among those prominent individuals, they were born with extraordinary looks, backgrounds, and talents.

Everyone admired them.

“…Snow’s been acting strange lately… I need to support her more.”

A classic blond young man who looks like he stepped out of Hollywood.

“Aki-kun, you’re already doing your best.”

Natsuki Ayukawa, a slightly delicate-looking black-haired young man, offers support. Despite his baby face, he is one of those who have been working as a model and a talent even while being a student.

“Yeah… Maybe you should try having a proper talk with Snow-chan. She has a sense of responsibility that’s, well, a bit different from ours.”

The girl with an orange ponytail is Harusaki Ayukawa.

In the entertainment world, she’s already considered a top idol that no one could possibly not know.

Possessing the key quality for the upper echelon—good looks—they were blessed even in this world.

Yet, there is a sense of unease between them. The reason is simple: the person who serves as the core of their group is behaving strangely.

Snow.

This group naturally formed around her, making it a unique entity.

Her attendant, Aki von Schwarz; her friends, Harusaki Ayukawa and Natsuki Ayukawa.

A knight, a model, and an idol.

All of them were born as individuals who didn’t need to group together. And yet, they were bound together by her, Snow.

Like the sun guiding the stars through its gravity.

But now—

“…There was a time when Snow was like this before. It was back when she was still in that country, in middle school.”

“That was… before you two came to Japan?”

Harusaki asks Aki, who is sitting on the sofa.

Harusaki Ayukawa—super high school idol and the center of her group.

She, too, was originally someone who didn’t need to group up outside of work.

Her orange ponytail, usually cheerful and charming, now lacks its usual brightness.

“Yeah. It was when her family banned her hobby. She shut herself in her room and wouldn’t respond to anyone calling out to her.”

“Hobby?”

“Video games. They decided it wasn’t suitable for a noble’s education, I guess. From the day they took the game away from her, Snow… became a little darker.”

Aki, unusually, talks about Snow.

Harusaki and Natsuki quietly listen to his words.

“As her knight, I couldn’t do anything. That’s when Snow became more… noble-like. Her parents and the rest of the family were pleased with her change, but… to me, it felt dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“…Snow often talks about the responsibilities of a noble… and that’s good, it’s admirable. But, in this situation, I think she’s taking on too much.”

“Should we go check on her in her room?”

“…No, let’s not. She’s stubborn like that. If we go, she’ll just force that fake smile even more… Even though I’m her knight, I’m powerless…”

“Aki-kun, do you… like Snow-chan?”

“Like…? Of course I do. Snow is my family. I want to protect her from any curse in this world… even if she ends up hating me…”

They may be powerful, but at their core, they are just ordinary, vulnerable young people. Even with all their strength, they are still students who need protection.

“Hmm, I see, I see. Aki-kun, would you be okay with any method as long as it helps Snow-chan feel better?”

Suddenly, Harusaki Ayukawa speaks to Aki, while a crackle sounds from the wood burning in the fireplace.

“Harusaki, what do you mean by that?”

“Well, it’s just a hunch, you know… but Snow-chan has been acting a bit suspicious lately. It’s like she’s been thinking about something… like there’s something she wants to do but can’t quite figure out how to achieve it… and because she doesn’t want to trouble us, she’s been trying to figure it out alone.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said it yourself, Aki-kun. Snow-chan has lived as a noble, both in her original world and this one. But maybe what she thinks is noble-like and what she really wants to do are always conflicting with each other.”

“So… what she really wants to do now is something that she thinks isn’t fitting for a noble?”

“Bingo. Snow-chan usually worries more about others than herself, right? So, her current worries are probably about us… That’s why, as a friend, I’d like to give her a little push.”

“…Harusaki, you… could you actually be… a good person?”

Aki looks at her in surprise, while Harusaki grins mischievously.

“Nope, I’m just cute, talented, smart, and a genius. My personality is awful, though.”

Harusaki Ayukawa, with an arrogant tone, states with ease.

Even as a young and talented girl, she has been polished and optimized by the competitive world of show business.

Recognizing herself and others accurately, she acts as needed.

“Even if there are people I dislike, they’ll remain that way. And I don’t care about most others. But Aki-kun and Snow-chan aren’t ‘most others.’ They’re important friends.”

“You…”

“Even if we’re reborn in another world, I’m still me. I just want the people close to me to be happy. I like Snow-chan, after all. Hey, Natsu, don’t just stand there, start getting ready.”

“Huh? Haru, what are you suddenly talking about??”

Startled, the boy with a face similar to Harusaki’s flinches.

“We’re going to see Snow-chan. She might have some kind of spirit magic barrier around her room. You’ll need to neutralize it with your summoning magic.”

“Harusaki… thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. I just want to do it myself… Though, I do have a bad feeling about this.”

“A bad feeling…?”

“Yeah, it’s possible that Snow’s worries might be… related to Taketo Kasuya.”

The name spilled from Ayukawa’s lips.

A loner, an outcast, a misfit. A person who, back in Japan, would never have been involved with them—a name from a completely different world.

Aki’s expression hardened.

“…Snow is that kind of person. This time, she only went to the trial because a classmate was caught up in a crisis—nothing more, nothing less.”

“Hmm… yeah, I’d like to think that too, but… Taketo Kasuya is troublesome. Honestly, he scares me.”

“…Huh? Is there actually something Haru-nee is afraid of—eek!”

Natsu, Ayukawa’s twin brother, fell silent. He realized from his sister’s wordless smile that it was best not to speak further.

“…What do you mean? Wasn’t he the kind of person who never stood out at school? An outsider who didn’t belong to any group.”

“Well, that’s how I saw Taketo Kasuya before coming to this world too… but even so, there’s something off about him since we came here. I mean, would a normal student, suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar world, really survive for years in what’s essentially a homeless situation?”

“…Wasn’t Snow helping him out?”

“It wasn’t enough. Sure, Snow is the daughter of a margrave family, but she couldn’t completely change his status as homeless. Yet he’s managed to live in this world just fine. Think about it—if we were in his position, completely clueless about this world, without family, home, or anyone to guide or help us, could we survive?”

“……”

Aki and Haru fell silent. It was almost an answer in itself.

“Plus, about that trial… it’s unbelievable, but he somehow intervened with a being said to be a god in this world. He wasn’t supposed to have any magic education or hero training. And the most decisive thing is his connections. The leader of an S-rank adventurer party from the Imperial Capital’s guild, and one of the Seven Sages of the Magic Academy—such important people appeared to plead for his life. No matter how you look at it, Taketo Kasuya is suspicious.”

Harusaki Ayukawa’s face, deep in thought, was far from that of a typical high schooler.

“Yeah, really. It made me realize how young and inexperienced I still am. I unconsciously thought that someone who didn’t stand out was harmless—or worse, I looked down on him. I need to reflect on that… Things you don’t understand are truly scary.”

“…And what does that have to do with Snow?”

“Huh? You don’t get it? Snow obviously likes Taketo Kasuya.”

“…What?”

Aki and Haru froze again.

“I mean, even at school, Snow sometimes talked to him. Did you know? It’s actually really rare for Snow to initiate conversations with others. It was particularly noticeable during our school trip. But… Kasuya himself probably hasn’t realized it, and Snow most likely isn’t aware of it either. And the reason Kasuya was isolated in class might have something to do with that.”

“E-eh? Snow…?”

“Kasuya being isolated was because he didn’t interact with anyone, wasn’t it? He was always on his phone or sleeping… and after school, he’d just disappear.”

“Well, yeah, that’s one of those peculiar dynamics of student relationships. Remember how, back then, there was that group of popular kids, even if we’re a bit distant from them now? Like the group with Nanazaki-kun and all those pretty faces.”

“Oh… the Nanazaki group… yeah, I remember.”

“At one point, they intentionally treated Kasuya as an outsider, didn’t they? Did you know that the reason behind that was because Snow started talking to Kasuya?”

“Wait, really?”

“Yep. Natsu, you’re surprisingly oblivious to others for someone with such a sharp-looking face. You can only get away with that lack of awareness about relationships for so long.”

“Sorry… but, Haru, why would just Snow talking to Kasuya cause that?”

“Jealousy. There’s no other explanation. To that popular group, Snow was even more prominent than they were—so out of reach that they envied her. And in their way of thinking, those at the top of the social hierarchy tend to draw in other high-status people. Again, I’m not saying Nanazaki-kun’s group are bad guys; it’s just human nature. They tried to befriend Snow within their own rules and boundaries. And then, suddenly, this outlier, Taketo Kasuya, appeared.”

With a snap, Harusaki Ayukawa held up a delicate finger.

“They found it inherently irritating. They cared about things like appearance, public image, their status, and who they associated with. And suddenly, this guy, who didn’t share those values, seemed to be getting close to someone like Snow, who they saw as a trophy. So, instinctively, they tried to push Kasuya away… and that’s how things ended up as they did.”

“Your sister is seriously scary, don’t you think?”

“…She’s been through a lot in the entertainment world…”

“Alright, you two, listen up.”

“Yes!”

“We’re going to see Snow. I think there’s something she wants to tell us.”

“S-something to tell us?”

Aki questioned the petite beauty standing before him. In Harusaki Ayukawa, he saw a hint of a seasoned and cunning aristocratic lady, skilled in navigating intrigues.

The genius honed by Japan’s entertainment industry gave a sly smile.

“I think it’s a request to bring Taketo Kasuya into our group.”

“…Why???”

Both boys tilted their heads in unison.