Chapter 19: 2.2

“Sapphiras!”

While I was peacefully enjoying my meal with Percival, a loud voice echoed in the cafeteria.

Hey, hey, that’s a loud voice for the son of a nobleman, isn’t it? I wrinkled my brow. I thought I wouldn’t have anything to do with him now that the engagement had been called off.

Of course I can’t hear it, and of course I have no intention of listening, so I ignore him.

“Sapphiras! I’m calling you, can’t you hear me!”

He must have been very annoyed that he was ignored. Gilliam’s voice became even more shrill. The cafeteria, which had been abuzz until a few minutes ago, became quiet as if it had been drowned. Gilliam, who did not read the atmosphere, approached us and violently hit the table with his palm. The dishes on the tray make a decent noise with the vibration.

I wish you’d stop. The eyes of the students in the cafeteria are looking at us. It’s not the same as before. I really hope you don’t do this to me, just when I’ve finally calmed down from the curious stares. I’m finally free of you, and I’m getting back to my normal, peaceful life. I look up at Gilliam silently, wondering why he doesn’t just leave me alone.

“Why aren’t you answering when I call out to you?”

Why? Of course it’s because I don’t want to answer. As expected of a wooden puppet1. Even so, I thought he had a pretty good face, but compared to Percival, he’s nothing.

“……Yes, Mr Anderson?”

I answered him reluctantly, and Gilliam stared down at me with a face like he was possessed by a demon. He must have felt something.

“I don’t approve of you breaking off the engagement. Listen, you must tell the Earl that you want to reconcile the engagement.”

Is this man an idiot? Why do I have to go back to that hell again? As if I would talk to a father who asks his child to give his body to his partner before marriage or treats his child like a male prostitute without magic powers. And before that, it’s no joke getting re-engaged with you.

“What? I’d absolutely hate that. I’ve finally been freed.”

“What the……? Try saying that again.”

“That’s why I’m saying, absolutely, positively, no, way. Did you hear me correctly this time?”

This time I made it clear, word for word, so he wouldn’t ask me to repeat again.

“Sapphiras! A person like you dares to go against me!”

He must have realised that he had been made a fool of. When Gilliam’s face turned reddish-black in exasperation, he raised his arm. So you’re going to hit me and make me do what you say. That’s short-sighted thinking. I unconsciously burst into laughter.

But you can’t hit me. On the contrary, you can’t even touch one finger on me.

I was looking up at Gilliam and remained motionless, when the man’s hand, which was about to swing down, was stopped by someone.

“Senior Anderson, are you trying to cause trouble at the academy again?”

Percival’s voice echoes through the cafeteria. He is not shouting like Gilliam, but he has the strength to make people obey. This is a difference in character. Gilliam, who makes no effort and has no substance, only has appearance, mistaking his parents’ family status for his own, and Percival, who makes an effort and tries to be a model aristocrat, with a splendid substance that accompanies his appearance. It is not even a contest at all.

“……It’s none of your business.”

Gilliam frowns and shakes off Percival’s hand.

“If it is a relation, there is one2so in Japanese, 関係の無い would translate to ‘none of your business’ or more literally, ‘it has no relation to you’3. ‘Sapphiras is my friend. My friend is about to be violated. It’s only right that I help him.’

“A friend……you say?”

“Yes, that’s right. Anyway, this is a place to eat, not to make a scene.”

It’s a good argument. Still, Percival is a big deal who can say this much against an upperclassman. People who have been trained in actual battles are different. Gilliam must have realised that Percival is a bad match.

“……Tch”

Gilliam, tongue-tied, glared at me and left the cafeteria. The academy is a microcosm of society, even though it is said that there is no speculation. I think he understands that he can’t disrespect Percival, the son of Margrave.

Even I, who was just an adventurer in my previous life, knew about the Vanderwall Army. Hence, it seems that the Belisario family has a far greater influence in the country than the Andersons.

For now, the trouble has passed, but it probably won’t be the end of it. That man is quite vindictive and will no doubt come after me when I’m alone, but he can’t play that trick on me now. What’s more problematic is that if he finds out that Gilliam wants to get re-engaged, that father will definitely move in that direction. That’s not a joke. It might be better to make a move on this at the earliest opportunity and make a plan to escape. If push comes to shove, I’ll beat Gilliam and his father with magic and run away. I don’t care what happens to that family.

“Sapphiras, are you alright?”

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“……Ah, un. Thank you for helping me.”

I could have defended myself without Percival intervening, but I was happy. Percival called me his friend. I will never forget this kindness. Kindness received is repaid in double, and revenge is repaid in triple. That is the spirit of an adventurer.

“No, don’t worry about it. But I never thought Sapphiras would make such a villainous face. Your cute face is ruined.”

When I reflexively turned to look at Percival, he looked at me with a wry smile on his face. Didn’t Percival just call me cute? And a villain?

“Huh? Cute? Villain?’

“When you were talking back to the son of Anderson, it was like Sapphiras had a villainous face. But that’s not bad.”

“Eh……”

Cute and villainous, but not bad, what am I supposed to charge into?

“……Why has Sapphiras been so obedient to the son of Anderson until now? If you had done that from the start, you wouldn’t have been disgracefully named.’

“Oh, Gilliam’s male concubine? Or is it the Perfectio’s shame?”

Gilliam left and the cafeteria was back to its usual relaxed, if slightly buzzy, atmosphere. Our conversation dissolved into the surrounding noise.

“……No, I’m sorry. I didn’t give you enough consideration.”

Percival gives an apologetic look. But Gilliam’s male concubine seems to be well-known in the neighbourhood, so there is no need for Percival to make such a face.

Because of my father’s desperation to hide my existence, the rumour of a son without magical powers has taken on a life of its own. In general, if the second son, who had been normal up until now, suddenly disappeared after the magic test, it was bound to be seen as suspicious. In order to erase the rumours that he was treating his second son coldly, he got him engaged to Gilliam, a member of the Marquess’ family. It was an appeal to the public that I am a partner of a higher ranking family and that he never despised his second son. Of course, there is a lot of speculation about my father and the Anderson family. Gilliam was of good family background, but on the inside, he is a good-for-nothing within a good-for-nothing. Naturally, the people around rightly understood that he offered his second son, who had no magic power, in order to make a connection with the Marquess, and that the Andersons got a partner for their son, who had a hard time finding a fiancée. The only ones who don’t know are themselves.

Sapphiras, who can’t disobey his father, has been quietly doing Gilliam’s bidding, but I would never allow that to happen and, of course, I’m not a tool of his father’s.

“……Actually, I’ve been quiet until now. I was born into a family of magicians, but they said I had no magic powers, so I had no position. But then I jumped off the second floor and woke up. I realised that you don’t have to accept things you don’t like without saying a word.”

I’ll keep quiet about the fact that I remembered my previous life. I don’t want people to think I went crazy after the fall.

“……Jumped off?”

“Yes, Gilliam attacked me. The door was locked and I had no choice but to escape through the window.”

“I heard it was an accident.”

“I guess the Marquess wanted it to be that way. I am 14 years old and I am not even married, he wanted to lock me up in the academy dormitory. If such an ugly story got out to the public, it would have put a damper on the eldest daughter’s engagement, not to mention Gilliam’s, who has a bad behaviour to begin with. But thanks to that, I was able to call off my engagement to Gilliam. It was worth the pain.”

Yes, there is a daughter in the Marquess’ family who is rightly descended from the Marquess and has been named as a potential fiancée of a certain person. That’s why they don’t want to cause a fuss.

I didn’t break any bones, but I still have bruises and abrasions all over my body. I couldn’t use magic until I remembered the memories of my previous life. Besides, even the greatest magician in the world was only unable to use healing magic.

“Is that so……”

Percival made a confused face again, but I honestly think that the pain was worth it.

“……If that’s the case, then you can feel free to get rid of that guy without hesitation from now on. If it’s him, I don’t think this is the end of it.”

“Un, that’s what I think too. But I’ll pay for the sparks myself. I won’t cause Percival any trouble.”

“If a friend is in trouble, it’s only right to give him a hand. You don’t need to be shy.”

The smiling Percival was so dazzling that I couldn’t help but close my eyes. After all, the beautiful boy’s refreshing waves are too strong.

Is it ok to recognise Percival as a friend already?

A friend for Perfectio’s disgraceful ‘me’ who is not taken seriously by anyone?

Ah, isn’t it fine, Percival is a friend. You’ve just had lunch together for a few days, that’s all it takes to become a friend. It doesn’t matter how it started. Don’t think so hard, Sapphiras.

I tell the perplexed ‘me’.

1

木偶の坊 (deku no bou): it is an insult, something like good for nothing, useless. Author actually used the wrong way of writing it (木偶の棒) so I’m not 100% sure if the meaning they intended is the same

 

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