CH 106

Chapter 106 of “Mastering Magic in an Otome Game Part 3 (Magic Academy)”

“You look like you’re having a lot of fun. Do you have a trick up your sleeve?”

Gabriella, dressed in her usual bright red dress, appeared with her cronies, smiling high and proud.

At Gabriella’s side were the aristocratic children led by Nicholas and Kirche, most of whom were grinning with triumphant faces.

Gabriella’s temples twitched when I didn’t reply to hot lowly words, but only plainly replied with a “Good day to you, Gabriella-sama.”

“You were talking quite enthusiastically, is that okay? Tomorrow’s exam…isn’t it going to be a struggle for you?”

“Hmm…? Something…I can hear something whining…Oh, it was Gabriella-sama’s voice! I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, but you have a very beautiful voice, just like a little bird chirping. It’s like a cute little bird.”

I pretended to be unable to hear. When I said that in a huff, the beast-children all burst out.

It seems that yesterday’s metaphorical explanation was spreading, and they now understood what I had just said.

Grinning inwardly, I looked at Gabriella and saw that she seemed to feel the whole ‘I don’t know what that means, but it pisses me off’ from my quick turnaround. Her mouth was twitching in anger.

“Hmm…It seems that the daughter of the Archelaus family can’t even talk to people properly. This could put the future of this country in jeopardy.”

Along with the sound of tapping and knocking coming down the outer corridor, a childishly pretentious beautiful voice could be heard.

“Aquilesta-sama!”

Gabriella let out a light scream. She pulled back her mean face from earlier and entwined herself in the prince’s arms with a smile on her cheeks.

“Gabriella, what is this all about?…Did Archelaus say something terrible to you?”

“Yes, it’s okay…I’m not going to let this person get to me!”

Oooh…It’s like a completely different world with the two of them.

It seems that they had gotten quite close while they’ve been left alone. Also, there’s nothing terrible about it, but you’re the one who poked and prodded me first.

As I was dumbfounded at the ridiculous travesty, the prince unusually turned to me.

“Archelaus. You can play with the Beastmen all you want, but don’t you have any pride in being a high-ranking aristocrat? It is unseemly to watch.”

“…I don’t understand what you mean, Your Highness.”

“I see. You’re not going to listen to my advice, are you…? You don’t want to fall that far just because no one will listen to you, do you?”

With that said, the prince who was ruining his sparkly princely aura with his dusky remarks was exchanging sympathetic looks with Gabriella and her cronies.

I, on the other hand, was at a loss. He was a member of the royal family, but was making such racist remarks in broad daylight. He was indeed too blind to see his own surroundings…In a way, I was turning a little pale.

While I was slightly distracted, not just the beast-children behind me, but also the human children started to make a buzz.

However, it would not be good to get into trouble here. I decided to take control of the conversation before anyone else went out of control.

“Your Highness. As an aristocrat of this country, I love and respect Your Highness, and by extension, His Majesty the Emperor…”

“Oh, I see.”

Huh, now you’re acting all proud? But in the next moment, the idiot prince, aka the uselessly handsome boy, gulped at the expression on my face.”

Hm? I didn’t mean to intimidate him…But with that, I continued to speak.

“But Your Highness. A true nobleman should have more leeway. I advise that you should not needlessly put others down for no good reason. It would be in the best interest of the Prince.”

“What the hell…!?”

He seemed to think that I was giving him a hard time, and his face instantly turned angry.

“I’m sorry if this comes out cocky…but if you punish me here and now, and if you set such a precedent, won’t there be no one who can express their opinions to His Highness face to face in the future? What was they say about a ruler who doesn’t accept advice and opinions from others?”

When I looked at him again with a blank and thoughtful face, I popped my hand and said the words loosely.

“Oh, yes…a tyrant, they say.”

I grinned and told him with a smile. The prince burst out in anger.

“Ah, I am by no means suggesting that Your Highness is that way, though? I just thought that there was such a definition.”

“You…”

Oh, come on, you’re not really the second-ranking daughter of a faction, are you? Well, I guess I’m the one who’s stirring things up.

I thought to myself, I would nail it in further.

“With all respect, Your Highness. Again, it would be better for you if you would refrain from making careless remarks in front of so many people…I think that is obvious from this scene.”

Then I reverently stepped back and showed him the children who were hiding behind me.

Then the prince looked a little frightened.

That was just as well. The beast-children, who were beastmen, were revealing quite a bit of disgust…but that wasn’t all.

This was because the human children who depended on me also had a distrustful look on their faces at the appearance of a foolish prince.

Even these children were also nobles. They had the ability to instinctively sense whether people were competent or incompetent, even if they were very young.

‘I wonder if it’s safe to follow this guy? Or if he won’t do something unreasonable?’—Even a first grader from my previous life would think of such an obvious thing.

“Hmph…! You have no right to tell us what to do. Keep your mouth shut, Archelaus.”

No, because I am a high-ranking aristocrat as well. I am in a position where I can advise you! You don’t know anything, do you?

As I sighed, almost slipping away, Nicholas, who was standing beside Gabriella, opened his mouth.

“Conversing with these lowlifes is only going to make us look like fools as well. Let’s go, Prince.”

…Nicholas, you’re really no good.

“Nicholas Duker.”

“Huh!?”

When I called his name, Nicholas shuddered, as if he hadn’t expected to be called out.

“Just who is a lowlife?…At least with the kids here, I don’t think they would lose to you in terms of class, common sense, and academic ability.”

“What the hell…!”

Nicholas began to lose his temper immediately after I stirred him up.

This time Gabriella looked miffed.

“Could you not talk to my aides!?…And what do you mean by academic ability? Don’t make fun of me. I’m sure the members of the Noble Rose Society can handle tomorrow’s exam!”

“Oh, is that so?”

Oh, the flames really burn well when you fan them. How delightful.

“Then let’s compete. The pre-winter break exams that begin tomorrow…Please accept that the person with a higher overall average score in the five major subjects between the Noble Rose Society and our Golden Dawn Gang is the better candidate.”

“Hmm…!!”

“Sounds good.”

“Aquilesta-sama!?”

Gabriella’s scream echoed, as if she hadn’t expected the prince to accept.

“Don’t bark at me, Archelaus. If you lose…well, as a vassal, I’ll have you kiss my shoes.”

“I understand. Then…when the prince loses, please spend the day with a sign hanging on your stomach and back that says, ‘I lost, I’m sorry.’”

“How dare you—”

Hahahahah. Don’t think you can beat an adult woman with your skills, kid.

I ended up competing unintentionally, but that’s okay.

Our group has been learning well, and they won’t lose to Gabriella’s group that was always playing around.

Hahahah, I can’t wait to see the idiot prince’s award appearance! When I turned around, I saw that Brother Will had turned so pale that he looked like he was about to fall over.

……sorry.

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T/N: Alice be like, “Want some gasoline for that fire?” ψ( ` ∇ ´ )ψ