"We... we actually made it before ten o'clock...."
Impressive, right?
Lily mumbled in amazement, and I held back the urge to say something snarky.
Leo, true to his protagonist-like, honest, and diligent nature, kept his promises well. This wasn’t just about showing up on time—he’d go to great lengths to keep his word, even in life-threatening situations or nearly impossible challenges. Finishing a task on schedule was second nature to him.
Of course, for those caught up in his pace, it wasn’t always a laughable experience.
In the game, for the player’s convenience, characters never seemed to tire from walking, running, or fighting since stamina was never an issue. Here, though, everyone around me looked exhausted.
Even Lily, who had gasped in awe earlier, was now worn out.
Mia Crowfield, who had the weakest stamina, looked practically half-dead.
We had set out in the early morning cold and returned when the sun was high and hot, experiencing the drastic temperature shift throughout. It would be strange not to feel tired.
"Do you always move this early?" Lily asked.
"Not ‘always,’" Alice replied firmly, giving Lily a look that said she’d barely believe it.
"It’s usually only these two who keep this kind of schedule," Charlotte chimed in, pointing to Leo and Claire, who both looked mildly puzzled.
With Leo, it made sense. But as for Claire—how had she gone from being like this to her much calmer, more serious personality in the main storyline?
I knew my arrival in this world had altered the original course of events, but even so, it was still ironic.
"Are you okay with this? Didn’t you have plans with your friends?" Leo asked Lily.
For a moment, Lily seemed dazed that this handsome noble boy was speaking to her, but she quickly came back to reality, looking crestfallen.
She’d woken up at dawn, worked hard all morning, and now had to join her friends for more activities, barely getting a moment’s rest. And unlike this group of near-superhuman allies, her friends were commoners who would have to handle everything themselves, without magic or enhanced physical abilities.
Their work would likely stretch until around five in the evening, and if they took breaks to avoid the midday sun, it could go even later.
...
I suppose I couldn’t blame the commoner students for spreading unfavorable rumors about our class.
Still, Lily’s dismay didn’t last long.
Suddenly, she looked as if she remembered something and glanced at me, then at Roti.
Following her gaze, the others did the same—looking at me, then back at Roti.
"Oh..."
With a look of understanding, Lily glanced back at me, and the others turned their attention to me once again.
Well, she was supposed to be quite smart in the original story. Although Alice held the top spot academically, and the other high-ranking positions were mostly taken by Charlotte and other noble students, Lily’s name was always somewhere on that list.
Considering her commoner background and lack of foundational knowledge compared to the nobles, it was impressive. Even in the original story, this was acknowledged, though Lily herself didn’t particularly like being reminded of it.
"I see," Lily murmured, as if she’d grasped something.
I couldn’t fully follow her thoughts since her perspective differed from mine. But at the very least, she probably understood that we didn’t look down on Roti because she was a commoner.
"Thank you all very much. This has been a valuable experience," Lily said, bowing to us.
"Huh? We just invited you along since we had some extra time. You don’t need to think too much about it," Leo said, causing Lily to smile wryly.
"Were you satisfied?" I asked.
"Yes, much more than I initially expected," Lily replied with a broad smile.
"Then let’s meet again. Don’t pretend not to know me if we run into each other in the halls."
"I doubt there’s a commoner in the academy who’d ignore a noble if they saw one," Lily replied with a laugh at Claire’s comment.
Well, that’s that.
Not only had I left a good impression on Lily, one of the main characters, but I’d also laid the groundwork to nudge the story in the direction I had in mind.
A win-win, so to speak.
*
After going to my room to freshen up, I finished lunch and took a seat at a lounge table, spacing out a little, when Jake plopped down across from me without asking.
"Sylvia."
His voice sounded unusually cheerful, brighter than usual.
Or rather, it was a different *type* of brightness. Normally, his tone had an exaggerated, performative quality, but now it sounded as natural as if he were greeting a friend.
I supposed there was no longer any need for him to keep up the act around me.
Perhaps I’d gained his trust, or maybe the events of today had improved his impression of me.
"Have you thought about why I’m sitting here alone?" I asked.
"And why’s that?"
Jake replied with a mischievous grin. Honestly, it was hard to believe that someone who looked like him could be such a straight-laced guy. If you looked solely at his appearance and behavior, he seemed like the delinquent character who’d flirt with a heroine who already liked someone else.
It was no wonder that kind of fan fiction was popular.
In any case, the way Jake’s character was portrayed in the original wasn’t entirely his fault. The developers designed him that way.
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"Most of the people around me know that if I’m sitting alone, it’s because I’m ‘sorting through my thoughts.’ Alice, Claire, and even Rena rarely interrupt me when I’m like this."
"They’re all people you call by name, huh?"
"...I address most people around me by their names."
"But not Mia."
That’s because I’m not close with her.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be friends, but our pasts made it difficult to get close. If I suddenly acted friendly, it’d come off as suspicious, maybe even psychopathic.
"Even though you try to hide your expressions and tone, anyone watching you closely can tell you distinguish between close friends and others. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. You’re probably just being considerate," Jake observed.
"And what exactly led you to this conclusion?"
"Are you really asking that after today’s stunt?"
"...."
"You never waste a single bullet, yet today you ‘misfired’? I saw you checking your gun before the battle. You’re not careless enough to mix up the rounds or mistake the Marmaros bullets."
Too bad he hadn’t heard the noise I made when the lion’s paw landed on me.
Not that I wouldn’t have rewound time if he had.
"So, why don’t we just lay everything out on the table?"
Jake leaned back in his chair, stretching his spine, and continued.
"You’re trying to elevate Roti, aren’t you?"
"...."
He wasn’t wrong.
"I just can’t figure out why. Even if you’re trying to help me and Roti get married, it’s hard to believe you’d suddenly go out of your way for us without some hidden motive."
But that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.
Why?
Honestly, while Roti’s mixed tsundere/cool demeanor was amusing to watch, the obstacles in the way of their relationship were frustrating. It felt like eating a dry potato without water.
"So," I replied, keeping a neutral expression as I spoke.
"Are you accusing me of trying to use her?"
"Well... I can’t say for sure what role Roti plays in your plans, but—"
Jake shrugged.
"It’s better to have someone who values her skills rather than treats her as mere decoration."
But he wasn’t done.
"Still, if Roti’s life ends up at risk, I won’t just sit by."
Of course, I wouldn’t let that happen.
Both Roti and you—
You’re all part of the people I’m determined to protect.
At least until this grand story reaches its end.
"I’ll keep that in mind," I replied sincerely, letting him see that my words were genuine.