“Yo. Heading to school together again today?”
“Ah, Bobby. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Bobby!”
“Good morning. Bobby. Just so you know, I’m here too.”
As they entered the classroom, Bobby greeted Kent as usual.
“That’s right. Sorry about that, Patty. Good morning.”
Bobby had noticed Patty was there, but his intention was to tease Kent, so he deliberately addressed them as a pair.
“Still, Kent, you’re lucky. I’m so envious you get to go to school with such a beautiful woman every morning.”
“B-beautiful? If you say that, I’ll get embarrassed!”
Whether Bobby’s words were sincere or not, Josette blushed at being called beautiful and looked embarrassed.
“But Bobby, you have a cute girlfriend too, right? How are things between you two lately? Are you doing well?”
“W-well, yeah. Kent helped us get together, so we’re doing okay.”
Kent retorted, teasingly, but Bobby’s reply was hesitant.
“Kent, the preliminary bell is about to ring.”
“I left the shop a bit late today. Is it that time already? Well then, Josette, I’ll see you later.”
“Yes! I wonder if I can hold out until the next break. Just kidding!”
“Hmph, ignoring me, are you?”
Leaving Bobby to himself, Kent and his companions took their seats.
“Are Bobby and Prim not getting along well?”
“Huh? I don’t think so, why do you say that?”
When Kent sat down, Patty, who was in the seat next to him, spoke to him. Kent hadn’t paid much attention, but Bobby’s hesitance seemed to bother Patty.
“I can’t quite explain it, but I just got that feeling from him.”
“Really? If you say so, Patty, I’ll keep an eye out too.”
Kent and Patty had this conversation in the short time before homeroom began. Then, as the main bell rang, their homeroom teacher, Tia, entered the classroom, and morning homeroom started.
“Lunch break. Kent and the others are eating behind the school building, right? I have plans, so I’m going ahead.”
“Have a good time. Please give my regards to Gordon.”
“Understood. I’m off then.”
Somehow, it was already lunchtime, and Patty left the classroom because she had plans with Gordon.
“Keeeeeent~”
“Whoa!”
A soft sensation suddenly pressed against Kent’s back.
“Josette, what’s with the sudden hug?”
“You were talking so happily with Patty today, and I felt like I was being left out, so I was lonely!”
“Hmm, it wasn’t a fun conversation, but I’m sorry. There, there, I’ll comfort you.”
“Everyone is watching! This is embarrassing!”
Josette said to Kent with a slightly sulky expression. Finding it cute, Kent unconsciously reached out and stroked Josette’s head.
“No one is watching.”
“Everyone is being too considerate of us.”
Kent glanced around, but not a single person in the classroom was looking at Kent and Josette. Their classmates were deliberately averting their gaze. Knowing this, Josette flushed with embarrassment.
“It’s lunchtime, so will you go directly? Or will you meet up with Sophie?”
“Let’s see. I haven’t told Sophie yet, and even though it’s behind the school building, this academy is large, and she might not be able to find it. Should we go check on her in the third-year classroom just in case?”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
Kent and Josette decided to check on Sophie before heading to the back of the school building, and they left the classroom, holding hands.
“Josette, be careful on the stairs.”
“Thank you.”
Kent held Josette’s hand as they climbed the stairs.
“Oh? Sophie is talking to someone.”
“Ah, those people are…”
As Kent and Josette went upstairs, they heard voices coming from behind the staircase. Looking in the direction of the voices, they saw Sophie surrounded by several female students.
“How did you win over the Prince?”
“That’s right. You’ve been ignoring us this whole time, who do you think you are?”
“…Um, well.”
The girls surrounding Sophie were the same ones who had cornered her a few days prior and spewed abusive words.
“What are you doing?”
“Gah, it’s that commoner again.”
“But the Prince isn’t here today, and in a place like this where no one can see, no one will find out. Shall we make her do a prostration again?”
“Good idea. If you want this girl released, do a prostration again.”
“Hahaha!”
Having confirmed Gordon’s absence, the female students once again demanded Kent perform a prostration.
“Sophie, are you alright?”
“…Y-yes. Thank you.”
“Alright, I’ll go do the prostration quickly.”
Kent was about to do as they said in front of the female students.
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Huh?”
With that, Josette stepped in front of Kent.
“Seniors, pressuring one person with so many of you is not admirable. And you want me to prostrate myself before my fiancé? Very well. I will prostrate myself instead. I am truly sorry.”
Having said that, Josette bowed deeply. Her long hair spread out on the floor as her head touched it.
“Are you satisfied now?”
After finishing her prostration, Josette stood up and glared at the female students. Her gaze was so sharp it seemed as if she could kill someone.
“W-wait, this person is from the Duke’s family!”
“Huh? We made someone from the Duke’s family prostrate themselves?”
“W-what do we do? Our families would be easily crushed by the Duke’s family.”
“We are terribly sorry!”
“We will never do this again, so please, please forgive us.”
The female students, realizing Josette was from the Duke’s family, hastily prostrated themselves before her.
“We have business with Sophie. Seniors, please leave.”
“We respectfully depart!”
As Josette said with displeasure, the female students ran away from the scene.
“Sophie, it seems you’ve been through a difficult time, are you alright?”
“…Y-yes. Josette, I mean, Josette-sama, so you’re from the Duke’s family? I didn’t know, and I even made you prostrate yourself, I’m s-so sorry.”
“It’s not something you need to worry about, Sophie. If my one prostration can save a friend, it’s a small price to pay. Now, we’re running out of time for lunch. Let’s head to the back of the school building. And you don’t need to use ‘sama’.”
Sophie was surprised to learn Josette was from the Duke’s family. She regretted causing such a person to prostrate herself for her sake. However, Josette didn’t seem bothered by it at all. The three of them then began to move towards the back of the school building.
