Chapter 1 - Q of Hearts
A small blue bird stopped at the window of my room.
I stood up, and timidly approached it… The truth is, this blue bird is not just a simple bird.
It’s a type of magic communication spell.
――――What it’s communicating are the “Exam Results”.
I reach out with my hand, when the bird stops on the back of my right hand and turns into a piece of paper with the exam results written on it.
“It sure is scary to look.”
If I failed…
Once I started thinking this, I couldn’t bring myself to check what was on the paper.
“Oh? Camille-sama.”
Aimée who was in the middle of giving maids cleaning instructions showed up at my room.
Aimée reigns over the maids of the Rhodolite house as the strongest attendant.
“Oh? Oh oh? This is…”
Aimée snatched the paper away from me at a speed that seemed impossible with her body, and held it out with both hands.
“My! My my! Camille-sama!”
Eh, did I fail?
My chief maid was showing me a worrying reaction.
“It seems we’ll be celebrating tonight! I must inform Marquis-sama!”
After returning me the paper, Aimée left the room, her hips fluttering about.
After she was gone, I timidly took a look at the paper, and found…
That the four letters, “PASS” were written there.
“I passed!”
What do I do…? I’m so happy… Much more than when it was my high school entrance exam.
I wonder if Royce-sama and Achille passed…?
Achille is probably okay, but Royce-sama…? No, he should be better at general education that I am.
…Royce-sama, you didn’t fail, right?
I want to ask, but when I consider the possibility that he failed, it’s too scary so I can’t send the communication magic.
“It’s so hard to ask…”
Achille has probably passed, so it’s fine even if I tell Achille my results, right?
In the end, after a lot of worrying about it, I sent a message spell to Achille only.
After a little while, a reply came from Achille.
It mentioned that Royce-sama passed as well.
…Royce-sama, to think that you only told Achille… You were thinking the same thing as me, weren’t you? I passed as well, you know?
※
The day of the entrance ceremony arrived.
The time between the announcement of the results, and the entrance ceremony, felt quicker than expected.
I heard that after the entrance ceremony there would be a chance to mingle with fellow students to deepen friendships.
Normally I’d be glad without a care about the event and all, but because it was an event held by this school, I felt a little nervousness.
Along with that incident where the magic power measurement item broke, I’ve been getting an incredibly bad feeling about this, after all~…
When you say a person of this world who has enough magic power to destroy a measuring item, no matter how you think about it, it’s her, right?
“But that’s weirddd…”
The Heroine was supposed to enrol starting in the second year.
“For her to take the exam like a normal person…”
Is there an irregular here as well?
Just like how because of Camille’s influence, Royce and Achille changed.
Just like how before even the entrance ceremony, Raiger already got engaged.
Unlike in the game, the heroine’s influence shouldn’t change Camille’s fate. It shouldn’t, but…
There’s not a thing, thing~, to worry about.
“She might even be a reaally good girl!”
But, my mood has gotten a little depressed.
“If the heroine chooses Royce-sama… What am I going to do?”
I might get in the way like in the game, and after all, I actually have been doing that to the other noble daughters.
“…! No way!”
I only just realised it after all this time.
I, who’ve been repeatedly getting in the way of the noble daughters who tried to get near Royce-sama… Isn’t that exactly Camille?
“Like this, I’ll meet a Social Obliteration End!”
“The heckk are you mumbling about?”
“Achille…”
“We’re still in the middle of the entrance ceremony, you know? If you get too noisy, you’ll draw attention.”
Oh, right. I was in the middle of a solemn ceremony.
The principal is speaking in front of us. I’m a bit concerned about the fact that it completely feels like the lazily speaking principal is just getting it over with… In the game it felt like he took things more seriously, though…
Mr. Principal… Is this really okay?
While the principal was giving his address, I turned my head here and there, observing the students, but I didn’t find any female student that seemed to be the heroine.
That’s weird… Could it be that she failed the exam?
In her place, there are slightly weird characters popping up here and there…
The Q of Diamonds has turned into a beautiful crossdresser for example, and the Q of Clovers is absent… The K of Diamonds is missing too, huh… It goes without saying that the J of Spades is as well, though.
Since K, Q and J are completely gathered here, doesn’t that mean that we of the Hearts faction have the strongest influence now?
“It’s definitely weird!”
“Camille, if you kick up such a fuss… I’ll seal your mouth, you know?”
“…!”
I don’t really get it, but I sensed danger to my body, so I shut up in a panic.
Achille’s behaviour has only been escalating since that day.
We’re engaged, so that kind of contact isn’t anything weird, but I don’t think he has a need to go this far just for the spirit of friendship.
※
After the entrance ceremony ended, the socialising event began.
Because I have the stuff from before as well, Achille was tightly holding my hand. So that I wouldn’t lose concentration, he said…
Gosh, to treat a sixteen year old like a lost child that you can’t let go of!
Speaking of being sixteen, that’s an adult in this world.
It’s an age where I can even drink alcohol, you know?
The event is being held in the form of a stand-up buffet, and on top of the table are light foods and dessert.
Meeting my expectations, on a nearby table are various coloured alcoholic drinks in small cocktail glasses.
Even though the academy is an educational grounds, for them to serve alcohol… Parallel worlds sure are mysterious.
“Achille, I want to drink that.”
“Camille… Do you know what that is?”
“Alcohol, right?”
“Mmn. That’s right, but… make sure you don’t drink too much, alright?”
I’m not going to start gulping them down, you know? Achille is kinda… He’s like an overly worried mother, isn’t he?
“Here you go.”
What he handed me was a cocktail with the same raspberry colour as my eyes.
“Thanks…”
Finding something incredibly interesting about this, Achille is staring at me as I drink.
The drink he gave me was sweet and tasty, so I want a little more now.
“Ah, Camille!”
“Just a little more.”
Shaking free of Achille’s warnings, I drink a second, and then a third cocktail, when Achille starts to openly frown.
“Mmn. It really is delicious.”
“Are you really alright, drinking that much?”
“Mn, I’m completely fine, you know? At home, I’ve been stopped by Aimée, so even though I’ve come of age I’ve never drunk before you know? It turns out that I might actually be a heavy drinker, huh?”
Saying that, I turn to face Achille, but my foot got tangled and I was about to fall forward. I braced myself, but I didn’t have enough strength, so my body wouldn’t move the way I wanted.
“Huh…? Uwahh!”
At this rate, I’m guaranteed to faceplant!
“Watch out-”
Achille supported me with his arm as I was about to tumble. …We’ve ended up kind of embracing each other.
“S-, Sorry…”
I flusteredly tried to get away, but I tripped again. My sense of balance has disappeared.
Achille is looking at me, dumbfounded.
“…Even though I told you this would happen.”
“I’m not drunk or anything, you know? I’m totally fine.”
“That’s what all drunks say… Come on, hold on.”
Almost hanging off Achille, I moved a little distance away from the event place, and walked to a place with chairs. Achille has been kindly supporting me without complaints.
There are no other students near the chairs. I bet nobody else will leave the venue or anything.
…As long as they don’t become like me, that is.
“Achille, sorry about this… Thanks.”
Achille averted his eyes. Did I anger him? His ears are kind of red, after all.
Guilt starts to well up in me.
“I’ll go get you some water, so sit here quietly, okay?”
“…Much obliged, sir.”
Even though he’s angry at me, he’s even going to get me water. Achille is really such a good guy.
Since Achille went to bring me some water, I’m by myself now. I can’t get up from the seat, so I have nothing to do. I’m not cut out for the job of sitting around quietly.
Even my head feels kinda fluffy. Achille, hurry up and come back… This is kinda bad. My head is swimming.
While I was in such a state, a single female student approached.
She was heading towards me, making a beeline. There’s probably no mistake that she wants something from me.
That student looks kind of familiar. Someone I’ve seen on screen, again and again in the past…
Wavy, cinnamon coloured medium length hair, and olive coloured eyes…
My eyes widened.
―――She’s, that game’s “heroine”―――
…So she really did pass the exam?
The Heroine is glaring at me.
In her profile, it was written that she had an “ordinary appearance”, but isn’t she just a normal bishoujo!?
She looks gallant and neat, and makes you want to protect her.
However, this neat and tidy bishoujo accosted me in a harsh tone unthinkable from her outward appearance.
“You’re a “bodyswap”, right? You’re not Camille Rhodolite, right?”
“Eh…”
Suddenly being asked this, I fell into turmoil.
“I wonder if Royce and Achille are just like they were in the game. Do you know what I mean by “bodyswapping”?”
I don’t recall doing anything so bad to her, but I can feel extreme hostility from her. Why? I haven’t bullied the heroine yet, though?
Or more like, why am I being cornered by her? Like me, is she a different person from the real heroine?
…No good. Because I’m drunk, my head won’t function better than usuall.
…Ahh, my stomach feels kind of bad. This is a bad sign.
“How about saying something? It’s pointless to try and hide it!”
The Heroine spoke in an even harsher tone, and pressed me for an answer. …Even though that’s out of the question right now… Even though I’m currently feeling worse and worse.
“Uu… I can’t…”
Something hot gradually rose from the depths of my throat.
“What ‘can’t’ you…? You’d best quit playing dumb! …Huh? KYAAAAAAAAAA!”
The Heroine let out a terrible shriek.
I’d magnificently thrown up the contents of my stomach, in the direction of the Heroine.
…Apologies.
