Chapter 3: Plans, Purification, and Princesses
“Looks like I’ll need to revise a good chunk of my plan.”
After Sofia left, I grabbed my notebook and made several changes to my written plan.
In just one day, I caught the attention of two of the three heroines I targeted.
It wasn’t exactly what I intended, but it means I can move forward with their help.
“The fact that they’re dreaming about things they never experienced and thinking it involves me is a bit unsettling…”
Oh well, what can I do?
If I can get help from such high-status powerhouses, I should be bowing in gratitude.
Scribble scribble
I crossed out parts of my original plan and wrote new revisions.
Then I turned off the room’s light and lay in bed.
I’ve made rough changes for now—tomorrow, I’ll deal with the rest.
The academy’s first classes start tomorrow, so I should sleep soon…
Bang bang bang
“Oh, f*ck.”
Just as I was drifting off, someone pounded on my door.
Bang bang bang
“I’m coming…”
I stumbled out of bed and shuffled toward the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s the saintess of the Holy Kingdom! I sensed an ominous sign and came urgently!”
A knight’s booming voice came from the other side.
The saintess?
Artoria, the one I met earlier?
Why at this hour?
Bang bang bang
“There’s no time! Open the door quickly!”
I opened it immediately.
What choice did I have? It’s the saintess.
No one would dare impersonate her in the middle of the academy.
Creak
As I unlocked and opened the door, there stood Artoria, flanked by holy knights.
“Good to see you again.”
She gave me a bright smile.
“Wait here,” she told her knights.
“Yes, ma’am!”
Artoria, leaving her loyal knights behind, stepped into my room.
“Sorry for coming so suddenly this late. But I felt something very, very ominous here.”
Something ominous?
“To be precise, something dreadful enough to threaten my lord husband’s safety. So I came right away, even if it’s rude. I’m sorry.”
Something dreadful?
In that moment, a thought flashed through my mind.
Sofia!
Is she talking about Sofia?
“It feels like some shameless vixen dared to flirt with my lord husband. Tell me, my lord, has anything happened?”
She’s supposed to be a gentle, benevolent saintess… but the aura she gave off was anything but.
I shook my head instinctively.
Artoria stepped closer.
Why is she coming closer?
I backed away without thinking.
One of the three most beautiful women in this world, the saintess of salvation, was approaching me.
Yet I could only retreat.
Her smiling demeanor felt downright menacing.
Sniff sniff sniff
“This smell.”
Artoria suddenly raised her nose and started sniffing.
Wait a second.
Sofia was here just a moment ago.
Women are good at picking up scents, could she tell Sofia was here?
I’m not in any special relationship with Sofia or Artoria, but I had a gut feeling that if Artoria found out Sofia was here, half-naked and hugging me, it’d be a disaster.
“Strange.”
Her eyes narrowed as she sniffed me.
Sniff sniff sniff… “Ha.”
She looked satisfied.
What?
“I’ll stop here for today!”
What’s that supposed to mean? She just sniffed me like crazy.
“Ha, I can’t even think straight when I smell my lord husband’s wonderful scent!”
Huh?
“Anyway, I’ll head out now!”
I was too stunned to respond properly, and Artoria was already turning toward the door.
“I believe someday my lord husband will return to me. Someday, you’ll tell me everything without holding back. For now, I’ll go.”
Creak
“Oh, Saintess.”
“Are you done?”
“Yes. The purification of the negative energy is complete. This building and its grounds are now blessed by the holy Deus.”
The innkeeper, who appeared out of nowhere, was bowing to Artoria.
Wait, she lied about some impure presence just to barge into my room with holy knights at this hour?
Artoria winked at me and closed the door.
It felt like a tsunami had just swept through.
…Can I even wake up early for academy classes tomorrow?
Rubbing my bleary eyes, I packed my things and left my room in the morning.
Sure, I formed connections with two heroines in one day, but it’s just the beginning.
Like any novel, this academy faces a crisis of destruction.
And that crisis? It’s a massive wave only the protagonist and their party can overcome.
To survive that wave, I need to hustle.
Even if it means stealing the protagonist’s opportunities and events.
Yawn
I checked the classroom and sat in the back, yawning.
Thankfully, arriving early meant I could snag a back seat since no one was around.
There was no special reason for coming to the classroom early and claiming a back seat.
I just wanted a spot where I wouldn’t attract attention.
I only need relationships with three people to achieve my goals.
Anything beyond that is unnecessary.
Two of them, unexpectedly, I connected with yesterday.
The third isn’t at the academy yet.
If I get caught up in the nobles’ power struggles, it could derail my goals.
Plus, there’s that faction scheming within the academy.
Better to stay quiet and unnoticed in the classroom.
My overarching goal is to live a low-profile academy life while growing stronger.
That’s why I came to school early today.
Buzz buzz
Students started trickling into the classroom.
They glanced at me, scribbling in my notebook, then gathered in their own groups to sit.
They introduced their statuses, talking about territories, society, and nations.
Noble chatter, completely irrelevant to my survival.
Not like a barely-passed baron’s son could join in anyway.
I’ll just keep my head down.
Stay quiet, unnoticed…
Why did it suddenly get so silent?
“Oh! Bisus!”
Scrape
Someone pulled out the chair next to me and sat down.
Calling my name?
What’s going on?
I looked up and saw Sofia, beaming at me.
Huh?
Glancing around, every student in the classroom was staring at us.
Of course!
The daughter of the republic’s leader, a prodigy swordmaster.
Sofia is bound to be the center of every noble’s conversation.
It’s only natural that her entrance would draw all eyes.
And she’s sitting next to me?
Some nobody from an obscure barony?
“Did you get back okay yesterday?”
Sofia’s cheeks flushed slightly as she looked at me.
“…Pardon?”
“Yesterday… you know. The two of us… it was intense…”
What?!
“You got back okay?”
“Intense?”
“Our Sofia, intense?”
“How dare he…”
I could feel the male students glaring daggers at me.
“Our Sofia”? What, is there a fan club?
…Now that I think about it, the three heroines do have fan clubs.
Why is she blushing and saying stuff like that!
In a crowded place like this!
There’s room for misunderstanding!
“At night…”
“W-W-W-Wait a second!”
I instinctively covered her mouth with my hand.
I couldn’t let her say any more.
“At night?”
“Covering her mouth? That close?”
“They must be really close.”
Close? I just met her yesterday!
Looks like my plan needs another revision.
In a bedroom prepared for the empire’s noblest bloodline, the Iron-Blooded Princess opened her eyes.
Dazed, she assessed her condition and surroundings.
“I’ve returned?”
No assassins aiming to kill her.
No rebels plotting to topple the empire.
No sycophants whispering sweet lies, driving the empire to ruin.
The empire of the past.
The empire before she met him.
Then she hasn’t cast him aside yet.
She’s returned to a time before she foolishly discarded the one who sustained the empire.
“Attend me.”
To a time when she could make everything right.
“Prepare for my departure to Lichten Academy.”