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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Can you introduce this young lady?
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"Can you introduce this young lady to me?"
Right after enrollment, a surprise event had popped up—
but thankfully, nothing else went wrong after that.
It was because of the crowd-parting performance I'd unintentionally put on—no one dared approach us.
In the now-deserted academy courtyard, peaceful as the Duke of Dominica's garden, we chatted as usual.
The topic was, naturally, what had just happened.
I got the full story from Laura.
"He suddenly started hitting on you."
"Yes... If Leonardo had been even a little late, who knows what might have happened..."
I'd suspected as much, but it really was like some enrollment event.
A thug harassing her, and the male lead stepping in to help.
Totally the king of clichés.
So textbook it was almost boring.
That certainty made me second-guess my judgment a bit.
'Maybe I didn't need to step in after all.'
As I'd thought before, the story marches on no matter what I do.
It's not like Laura would suddenly get dragged off and suffer some 'realistic' bad end just because I sat it out.
This incident, too—I'd intervened partly for my reputation,
but even if I hadn't, things probably wouldn't have changed much.
Rodwell Paella had the skills to handle it smoothly,
and my reputation was already in the gutter anyway.
Adding 'neglectful fiancé' to the mix wouldn't make a huge difference.
No, thinking ahead, piling on that image might even be better—
As I mulled it over, Laura spoke up in a somewhat downcast tone.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing all of a sudden?"
"I caused you unnecessary trouble. If only I'd been more careful..."
Hm, did my thoughts show on my face?
I'd grown up hearing I had an emotionless expression, so I'd let my guard down without thinking.
Reflecting on my slip, I shook my head.
"It's not your fault. These things don't just happen because you weren't careful."
"But if I'd been paying better attention—"
"Your looks draw eyes. Can't be helped."
"Draw eyes..."
Laura gazed at me with a faint smile at my subtle compliment.
Confirming her mood had lifted, I got to the point.
"To avoid stuff like this, you should get help from others."
"Others?"
"Yeah. Building ties with Rodwell Paella now wouldn't be a bad idea."
"Ah, that guy from earlier... Do you know him?"
"No. But he seems like someone who values honor."
"He did have that knightly vibe."
Laura's expression showed she somewhat agreed.
Good. This should patch up the first event I cut short nicely.
If they stick together, a similar chance will come eventually.
But Laura apparently felt that wasn't enough and clung to me.
"Getting close to him isn't bad, but wouldn't it be better if Leonardo stayed with me?"
"Of course. Aren't we together right now?"
"Not like this. If we're in the same department, we could be together even during classes..."
"That's—"
"Plus, that Rodwell seems to be in the knight department. You'd be apart from Leonardo, so you couldn't stay with him either."
"..."
I fell silent at Laura's rebuttal.
Her logic held up, but—
her voice felt off.
'It's trembling.'
This wasn't the first time she'd tried tempting me into the same department.
But back then, it was just a casual 'It'd be nice,' and she'd backed off cleanly when I refused.
This time felt different.
More desperate.
Like a scared child clutching at a sleeve, afraid to go alone.
And that realization shocked me.
'Afraid? Laura?'
How could that be?
I hadn't known her long, but I'd known of her long before that.
Laura Clarins. The protagonist of a romance fantasy novel.
I might not remember the exact plot,
but I knew what the role of 'protagonist' entailed.
Protagonists don't lose.
They don't break.
They don't despair.
Even if they do, it's just a setup for victory—they always rise.
Because that's what readers want.
And she's the villainess, no less.
A character who skips the early struggles and despair for growth, existing only to smash obstacles.
For such a Laura to tremble in fear and seek help—
'Ah.'
I looked at Laura sitting across from me.
She gazed back with fear, confusion, and faint hope.
A fragile expression far from the invincible protagonist.
And that's when I realized it.
The skipped opening of her story was right here, right now.
The time and trials with that unseen fiancé in the tale had forged her into the protagonist.
So what about now?
With that fiancé by her side, was she the story's protagonist?
I tried to answer that question, but couldn't.
A voice interrupted my thoughts just before I could.
"Le- on!"
A shout from afar.
Startled, Laura and I stopped talking and looked toward the sound—
and spotted a girl racing toward us at unbelievable speed, her drill curls and full skirt fluttering like flags.
"Miss! Please! Have some decorum!!!"
A maid chasing after her, practically sobbing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I have no friends.
Partly due to my family's karma,
and partly because the Iron-Blooded Duke, our patriarch, rarely let me out.
But even someone as isolated as me isn't completely without connections.
No matter that we're one of the empire's three grand duchies, we do interact with other families.
And the one barreling toward me, calling my name without a shred of propriety—
was from one of those rare families.
She'd whipped up a real windstorm rushing over like the breeze itself, then breezily excused herself to Laura—whose hair was now a mess from the gust—with a simple 'Oh, pardon me,' before grabbing my cheeks.
"Leon! If you're at the academy, you should've contacted me! Not a single letter? Huh? Didn't I teach you better than that?!"
She kneaded my cheeks roughly as she spoke.
Her grip was so forceful it actually hurt.
Hearing the stifled gasps around us, I spoke up.
"Kiara, let go and talk..."
"Huh? What?"
"...Sister, please let go."
"Good boy, my Leon! It's been so long—I'll let go after just a bit more!"
She really hasn't changed a bit.
I sighed as she continued manhandling me.
Her name is Kiara Mondial.
The pampered jewel of the Mondial Marquisate—
and my sort-of childhood friend.
Why 'sort-of'? Because from our very first meeting, she'd insisted on it.
"Alright, it's decided! Leon, from now on, call me big sis!"
This wasn't after we'd grown close over several meetings.
Kiara declared it after just a few words on our first encounter.
And we're the same age—my birthday's even earlier.
Not to mention counting my past life.
But she ignored that inconvenient truth and said:
"Doesn't matter! Leon, you're my little brother now!"
"...Why?"
"Because I want a little brother, not a big brother!"
She meant it, treating me like a real little brother ever after.
As if thinking, 'Heh heh, treat an older guy like a dongsaeng and he becomes one.'
Even now, it was absurd.
Reborn as a noble, only to get hit with sudden big-sis lighting...
I'd even glanced around like, 'What? Hidden camera?'
But despite her forceful claim, our relationship solidified that way.
I had few close people for various reasons, so her behavior wasn't unwelcome.
A kid nagging me to call her sis was kinda cute, too.
But now, with my fiancée right there as she mauled my cheeks, regret crept in.
'Should've shown some older-guy dignity back then.'
Who'd have thought she'd grow up with the exact same personality...
If I'd known, I'd have prepared some countermeasure.
Though whether it'd work is another story.
Finally satisfied after a good long knead, she let go. Seizing the moment, I rubbed my stinging cheeks and asked:
"So, why is Sister at the academy?"
"Why? Can't I be here?"
Of course not.
You're the eldest daughter.
Busy with heir lessons—why come to the academy?
To my puzzled look, Kiara replied innocently.
"Oh, that? I ditched it to check on my little brother."
"...Pardon?"
"Honestly, it was boring anyway. Couldn't stand thinking of my dear little brother having fun all alone... no, lonely academy life. You don't have friends, Leon."
No, dropping a 'I'll hang out since you have no friends' bomb here?
Stunned by the sneak insult I'd never imagined, she suddenly changed her expression.
"But my so-called little brother doesn't send a single letter, and when I come visit, he's playing with another girl?"
She turned to Laura as she said it.
Beaming, she asked me:
"Can you introduce this young lady to me, Leon?"