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After class ended, we headed to the club room.
Primella went a different way, but Eru was with me until the middle. While we were walking in the hall, I remembered the time when we first met.
Come to think of it, have Eru and I been alone together before. There were times when Primella was separated from us a little, but it felt like we’ve never been completely alone together before.
“This feels pretty new~”
“Eh?”
“I mean, being together, just the two of us like this. It’s been so long that it kind of feels weird”
Eru scratched her cheeks after saying that. It was a little embarrassing that we were thinking the same thing.
To be honest, the start of our friendship wasn’t particularly wonderful. Since we re-conciliated, we haven’t fought or quarreled, but our beginning was catastrophic.
Come to think of it, she said a lot of rash remarks… It felt like in our relationship, the depths of our pockets and our flexibility were very important.
“Honestly, I never thought we would be friends… Our first impressions of each other were bad.”
“Actually, you had a good first impression.”
“No way!? I don’t know what I said, but I had a horrible attitude.”
So she was self-aware… Ah, well, it was true it wasn’t pleasant.
The time we met would never fade from my mind, it was a vivid and precious memory. If it weren’t for that day, if we hadn’t talked, we wouldn’t be like how we were now and my heart would have deteriorated a little more.
“I’m used to people being on their guard… and I’ve been attacked more directly.”
My face was, like this, but my outlook on the world was also very negative. In those days, I had less things to mull over, but there were a lot of problems. I can’t do anything about the face I was born with, but it was my fault that I wasn’t friendly.
“So, when you were being cautious of me, I thought it was natural and didn’t think much of it. What I liked was… How much you treasured Primella.”
Being vigilant towards me wasn’t enough to make me dislike you. I believe it is your own freedom to do so. Of course, if you hated me baselessly, I’d be troubled, but as long as you didn’t attack me, do as you like.
What was important to me was their relationship. Eru and Primella treasured each other, that’s why when we passed each other, I thought that they were similar, yet different, from Keito and I.
Maybe it was because they were childhood friends of the same gender… Although, I feel like Keito and I have a unique relationship.
It wasn’t the best method, but we did think of each other as childhood friends and acted as such. We could empathize with each other.
“I might’ve been the one that was more surprised. I didn’t plan on it, but I ended up seeming like someone who wanted to fight… You really forgave a lot.” (Maria)
“Aah…  I did think, ‘wow, this person says a lot of amazing things.’” (Eru)
Yeah, I’m really sorry about that.
Afterwards, Eru and I became a gossip topic. Apparently, I wanted to stand out, so I caused a grand show in front of many people.
There were a lot of rumors about me being a bad person, which was actually a blessing in disguise. Even without an objective point of view, it was the way I spoke that was the problem. The people who were around, were probably judging me.
When rumors like “Mariabell Tempest discriminates against commoners” circulated, no one pointed out that the contents of our talk were different from the rumors.
My childhood friend was even mentioned among the rumors, but he said, “don’t worry about it. Monotonous things aren’t remembered.”
While the rumors were still circulating, we were getting along so, before we knew it, people forgot about the rumors. However, people remembered that I had a fierce personality. That was probably why I still haven’t made friends with my classmates.
“In the beginning I was irritated, and I thought you were full of shit. I thought we would definitely be incompatible…”
Eru broke into a smile as she remembered that time.
Really, I understood that it irritated her, but I haven’t the slightest idea how it was resolved after one day.
“After talking to Primella, I calmed down and thought about a bunch of things… I wondered if Maria was thinking the same things.”
“The same…?”
“That you also had a precious person, that you were prepared for their sake.”
For Eru, that was Primella, and for me, it was Keito.
The three of us really were similar. Two normal high school students, and the odd-ball me. What a strange mix.
We shared the feelings of having someone precious that we wouldn’t give up.
“Maria and I, we have different ways of thinking but… If we have someone precious to us, we think it’s fine to believe in them.”
An impression based on appearances, and then acting out on the impression. Now, I feel embarrassed that I acted that way, but I think that was the correct thing to do at the time.
To Eru, nobles like Mariabell were an enemy that could hurt Primella.
However, even those nobles have people that are precious to them, I think they want to protect themselves.
It was funny how my initial negative impression had increased so much. It was like I was a delinquent that gathered stray dogs, was my first impression that bad?    [When you see a delinquent be nice to a stray animal, your opinion of him goes up]
“I never thought our wavelengths would match so well… Even though our personality and interests are different.” (Eru)
“The three of us are very different… But, when the three of us are together, it’s fun and I like it.” (Maria)
“Yeah, I feel the same. My prejudice against you has been smashed into pieces.” (Eru)
“… I won’t ask for the details.” (Maria)
I’m… curious what kind of preconceptions she had, but it’s definitely not something to talk about!
Seriously, is there anything I can do about my face? I love my father, but that’s different from this situation. If I had looked a little bit more like my mother, I wouldn’t have been forced into his contest. My mother is cute, but her looks aren’t flashy enough to be in a contest.
“Ah, I’m going this way.” (Eru)
Eru split off once we reached the club building. The waiting room was close to the club building, but it was in a completely different building.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Yea, see you.”
We waved goodbye and then headed our separate ways.
As I moved away from the from the hustle and bustle of the club building, the number of people around gradually decreased. It’s natural since not many people were using the waiting room but… Little by little, I began to feel uncomfortable.
Since there weren’t many people around, you wouldn’t expect for there to be people gathered ahead.
“We’re supposed to meet in the waiting room right…”
Eh, did I mishear something?
Like the time or meeting location. I was probably fine timewise since I came as soon as class ended, but maybe I got the place wrong… Eh, if we need to check clothes, then this should be right. However, I wasn’t certain enough to say for sure. It felt like if I looked hard enough I could find an ex-convict.
Eventually, I saw the waiting room while I was thinking in circles. It looked like a beautiful building that people could reside in, it made me think about the cost whenever I saw it. As a commoner that was reborn as a noble, this was the thing that bothered me the most.
“Ah…”
As I drew closer, I saw that the door was slightly open. Although the clothes and accessories in the building were not of upmost importance, leaving the door opened was too careless.
Which meant that I hadn’t misheard.
“Excuse me.”
Since I felt reassured that I hadn’t been mistaken about the meeting location, I knocked on the partially open door and then opened it. I thought that there would be people inside so I properly said my greetings.
In the end, those weren’t needed though.
“What is this…”
If it had been an unrelated person, they would have immediately gone to call for someone. They wouldn’t touch anything and wouldn’t enter the scene. Maybe they would even scream.
Unfortunately, I was directly involved and my mind went blank when I saw the room. Dumbfounded, I just stood there in shock.
It was right in front of the door, you would see it as soon as you entered.
Fluttering around was something white, maybe some sort of thread. Perhaps, it was cloth that had been torn to shreds.
My gaze fell on the mangled dress in front of me.
Someone, please explain what is happening to me, seriously.
Before my eyes was a beautiful light blue dress… At least, it had been. Honestly, I don’t know if it was a prototype, but judging by the cloth and the fact that it was in this room, it was someone’s garment.
“Eh… What is this…”
I couldn’t say anything except “what is this” but seriously what’s happening. It was as if I was denying the reality displayed before my eyes from the bottom of my heart.
I didn’t care that no one was around… Well, if people were here, there’s no way the scene would be like this.
For now, I’ll move forward step by step to survey the damage. Somehow, all the dresses were in tatters except for one… Only my clothes were in one piece. Even my accessory shelf seemed to be untouched. Double checking my surroundings didn’t change anything either.
I didn’t know whose dress this was but… this definitely wasn’t what it was supposed to look like. People are free to like whatever they please, but I don’t think anyone would show up in these ruins for a contest.
I gathered the pieces that had fallen by my feet. The cloth showed no irregular signs of tear. It looked like it was cut by a sharp knife of some kind.
“This is…”
From what I saw, I could guess what had happened and why.
The skirt that was originally airy and flowy, was unfortunately crushed into pieces. Other garments and what support they had were completely disfigured.
—Only mine were unharmed. Then, what did I come here to do—
“This is bad…”
Once I realized it, I became pale.
I thought, “at any rate, I should get away from this place.” So, I went to open the door.
My hand that had reached out to grab the doorknob… Grasped air instead.
“Ah, Mariabell-sama, you got here first…!?”
With the worst possible timing, Sara appeared.
She saw the expression on my face first and then when she saw the scene behind me, she stiffened. I could see that she wasn’t digesting the situation very well. Her eyes were darting between me and the dresses.
“Um, Sara-sama… Actually-“
“What are you doing, just standing in front of the entrance?”
As soon as I tried to explain the situation, another person appeared with the worst timing. Christine-sama came in. It was reasonable for a contestant to come since it was a meeting for the contestants, but at least give me some time to explain what just happened.
“No one was entering so… Eh.”
And, afterwards, the situation developed just as I thought it would. Among the people who were unable to understand the current situation, only I was calm. I calmed down since the amount of impatience had reached the ceiling of the room abruptly.
As the number of people entering increased, Christine-sama, who had understood the situation, turned to me with a grim look in her eyes.
“Can you explain what happened here…?”
Aaah, I knew it, I never should’ve taken part in this contest.