Chapter 3- A Comrade!?

The first class of the day and it’s Language class. At least it’s just introduction day. I was sitting in the back, near the windows. Lady Rium is sitting next to me. We had the chance to choose our seats, unlike my previous life where we had to sit in alphabetical order based on our last names. Language class is pretty much the same as the English class in high school.

I let out a yawn as I rubbed my eyes. The classes started at seven in the morning and ended at six-thirty in the evening. The school day of this academy lasts way longer than high school’s, actually, it was longer than any other school time I know of. We even have to wear uniforms like those of a private high school. This red blazer and black shirt were probably more expensive than any clothing I owned back at home. I should make sure not to get it dirty.

After an hour of language, we went to our next class. Since Lady Rium and I didn’t have the same second period, we had to split up. My next class was on the first floor, so I had to walk down the stairs. As I walked down the halls, people whispered behind my back. They said how ugly I was. How I don’t fit here. Which is ultimately true. In the novel, the only commoner to attend this school was Alexandra, which is why I find it strange. This character… Am I really just a side character?

Entering my Etiquette class, I was met with a crowd of people. It was very noisy. What is going on? I slowly made my way to the center of the class to see two girls. One was, of course, Alexandra who was on the ground kneeling, and the other girl standing mighty tall with long black hair that ended with drills like any villainess character I’ve seen in anime or manga. Her sharp blue eyes looked down on anyone who was below her. Yes, one of the main characters, or better yet, one of the rivals of the protagonist in Fight for Love and Acceptance. She was Claudia Arcemet, daughter of Marquess Carlos Arcement.

“Do you really think someone like you can really be called my classmate?” Lady Claudia laughed. “You are nothing but a commoner!”

Ah, the scene where Alexandra first meets Lady Claudia. To think I’m actually experiencing it. This has to be the best day of my life. Should I intervene?

“You shouldn’t get so full of yourself, Alexandra. You don’t even belong here!”

“How can you be so mean…?”

“Sorry? What was that?” Lady Claudia glared at the heroine.

“N-Nothing…” Alexandra squeaked out.

I really want to intervene. I mean, my favorite character is literally standing before me. Yes, Lady Claudia is my favorite character in the novel. I have no interest in all those other male characters that fall for the heroine. Lady Claudia had a domineering personality that was full of pride and selfishness. While she’s mean and likes to threaten others, it’s actually her way to conceal her loving tender heart that could easily be overrun with jealousy. She’s the kind of maiden that won’t show her true feelings and would act like a brute. In other words, Lady Claudia is a tsundere. I’m a sucker for tsunderes.

Unable to contain myself anymore, I walked forward and stood next to the heroine.

“Oh? What is this? Another dirty rat decided to grovel before me? Quite the ugly one aren’t you,” Lady Claudia said.

The noble in front of me was tall. She looked like she was four inches taller than me, but… Glancing down at her feet to see the heeled shoes… Maybe she’s only about three inches taller in actual height without the heels. I’m only 5’2” in this world. So cruel. In my previous body, I was at least 5’6” when I was fifteen.

“Reiré?”

I looked down at Alexandra to see eyes of confusion. Strange, I would have thought she'd be tearing up. “Don’t worry” I whispered. Turning to face the lovely Lady Claudia, I greeted, “Hello, Lady Claudia. My name is Reiré Norman. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I did a courtesy bow to show my manners.

Everyone seemed to be shocked by this. After all, commoners are rude and unmannerly.

“My, to think a commoner has manners. I’ll applaud you for that.”

“Thank you, Lady Claudia. I was personally taught by Lady Rium Bazanine.” I hope Lady Rium doesn’t mind me using her name.

“Bazanine?”

I gave Lady Claudia a sweet smile. “Yes. Lady Rium and I are childhood friends.” Letting her know of my connections to the daughter of a duke should help settle things.

Lady Claudia frowned as she stared at me. I met her gaze and kept the smile on my face. It seemed like I had won as she clicked her tongue and sat down at one of the desks in the front row.

Everyone else began to sit down as well. I looked down at Alexandra and offered my hand. “Are you alright, Alexandra?”

“Um, yes. Thank you very much,” she said as she took my hand.

“It was nothing. Let us take our seats.”

Alexandra walked to the back of the class. I would have followed her, but… I glanced over at the desk next to Lady Claudia, which was still open. I could feel my chest pounding as excitement shivered down my spine. I’ll most likely get into trouble, but…

“Wha-!?”

I sat down at the desk next to Lady Claudia and gave her a smile. “I hope we get along.”

She had a look of disbelief in her eyes as she stared at me. She probably thought I’d want nothing to do with her, but she thought wrong. I wanted to have everything to do with her. I hope I have more classes with her. This will be a fun day. No, I’m sure I’ll be having fun every day now.

The third class came along and I was in the ballroom with other students. Yes, I am currently attending Dance class, it’s a required course for all students. And what’s great was that Lady Claudia was also in my Dance class. Alexandra was nowhere to be seen, it seems like she was in a different class. I kinda wanted to speak with her, but I’ll see if we have any other classes together. Since we are both freshmen, there’s a high chance I have another class with Alexandra.

“I wonder if someone as ugly as you can even dance so elegantly?” Lady Claudia laughed, followed by everyone else.

I ignored everyone else and only smiled at her.

Lady Claudia doesn’t seem to like my smile much as she began to glare at me. “Do you even know how to dance?”

“No,” I answered.

“Oh dear, then no one would want to partner up with someone as unskillful as you. You truly are a lowborn commoner, aren’t you?”

Oh? I quickly raised my hand and cheerfully spoke, “Teacher, Lady Claudia is trying to say she wants to partner up with me!”

Lady Claudia gasped, “Excuse me!?”

“Oh perfect. We have an even amount of students but we have too many girls. Since Lady Claudia is so kind as to partner up with another girl, this works perfectly.”

I remember some of these classes that Alexandra took in the novel, but I was a little worried about it, so I asked Lord Raphael to give me a rundown. Apparently, in Dance class, you will be paired up with a partner and that partner will stay with you throughout the school year. Exactly like how it was in the novel. I’m pretty sure Alexandra got paired up with Prince Clovis during her first class of Dance.

“Once everyone else is paired up, you will have these partners for the rest of the school year,” said the teacher. “So please choose carefully.”

“What!?” Lady Claudia screeched.

I let out a giggle. “I hope we can get along, Lady Claudia.”

“I refuse to be your partner!”

Ah, her face is totally red. “How cute…”

“Don’t mock me!”

Oops. Did I say that out loud? Ah, this is so much fun. As expected of my favorite character.

After our Dance class, Lady Claudia quickly made her escape with a couple of other girls following. A bit disappointing that we didn’t actually get to dance today. Classes today will most likely just be introductions and discussions on the course criteria. School will always be school no matter which world you end up in.

My stomach growled as I made my way toward the dining hall. God, I’m hungry. I need lunch.

“Kya!”

Huh? Up ahead I could see Alexandra on the floor. Everyone snickered and laughed as they walked over her. I’m pretty sure Alexandra doesn't have any more important scenes until after the lunch period. So these bullying are just mindless filler until the next introduction of the love interest.

Walking up to Alexandra, I noticed a notebook on the floor. Picking it up, I noticed something I never thought to see in this world.

“Eh?”

Alexandra stood up and took the notebook from my hands. “Thanks. Nobles are some really mean people.”

“Alexandra…” I could feel my blood going cold, yet I could feel my heart beating for a comrade. “You know Fight for Love and Acceptance?”

“Eh?” She gave me the most shocked and confused face ever. “W-What do you mean?”

“That notebook… The title…”

“Oh! This? It’s just a hobby of mine!” She waved her hands around in panic as she avoided my eyes. “I um… love writing stories…”

She was clearly lying. What if... “Could you perhaps also be…” I leaned in and whispered, “isekai’d?” I chose the most otaku word that any anime fan would know. It’s kind of dumb because what if she was also like me, but not an anime fan? She might not know that phrase. I’m gonna be labeled as strange if Alexandra doesn’t get this.

“Eh!? You too!?”

“You mean…” I could feel my eyes watering. “You are!?”

Alexandra’s face broke out into a large smile as she grabbed my hands and jumped up and down. “I am!”

“We are!” I also smiled and jumped up and down with her.

We both cried as we hugged each other. To think that I had someone I can actually relate to. Today is most definitely the best day ever. So what I heard yesterday morning from Alexandra wasn’t a mistake after all.

“Wait, so you know about the routes too?” she asked as she let me go.

“Routes?”

“Yeah, the capture targets. Which one are you going for?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

She gave me a questioning look. “You’re not going for the capture targets? Even though you’d also been reincarnated into the game?”

“Eh? Game? What game?” What is this girl talking about?

“Fight for Love and Acceptance of course.” She held up her notebook and opened it to the page of all the important male characters. “I’m personally going for Leo. He’s my favorite character in the game. Really easy to win over, but I’m a sucker for these cool prince types!”

“Wait, hold on!” I quickly stopped her so I could process her words. Game? Isn’t this a light novel? “I’m sorry, but we are talking about the same Fight for Love and Acceptance, right?”

“What other Fight for Love and Acceptance could there be?”

“So you know the characters Prince Leonhardt, Prince Clovis, Lord Raphael, and Lord Philip?”

Alexandra nodded. “Of course, I’d know the capture targets. They’re the biggest thing in the game.”

“You keep saying game, but isn’t this world based on a light novel?”

“Huh? Fight for Love and Acceptance is an otome game!”

“But the Fight for Love and Acceptance I know is a light novel!” I countered.

Alexandra denied, “But that can’t be!!”

“Then let’s question each other and see who is right!!” I challenged her.

“Fine by me! I know everything about Fight for Love and Acceptance!”

But before we could start our interrogation, both our stomachs growled.

“I’m hungry,” I announced.

“S-Same here,” Alexandra voiced.

We both mutually agreed to get lunch. It was hard since I kept getting stared at in the dining hall. Both of us seemed to be self-conscious so we decided to eat outside in the courtyard. We sat on a wooden bench that was in the shade being produced by a large tree.

“Is it alright if I called you Alex? Alexandra is a pretty long name.”

“I don’t mind,” said Alex as she shoved a piece of fried chicken into her mouth.

“I’m really shocked to meet someone who’s also from another world.”

“You and me both.” Alex began to talk with more confidence than the timid Alexandra from the novel.

“Did you always have memories from your previous life?” I asked.

“No, I just remembered last year. What about you?”

So it was the year when she stopped visiting my family’s bakery. “I remembered my previous life when I was six.”

“Wow, so you lived with those memories for way longer than me. Don’t you feel sad that you aren’t able to watch anime, read manga, and play games?”

“My fellow comrade!” I cried out. Finally! Finally, someone who understands my pain! “You have no idea how bored I have been feeling. Even the books in this world can’t compare to the world I previously lived in!”

Alex also cried with me. “Yes, yes. A year without your favorite anime or manga is quite painful. I can’t even imagine having to live like that for so many years.”

“It’s fine. I’ve been entertained by Lady Rium and Lord Raphael at least.”

“Oh yeah! You mentioned that Rium taught you etiquette. To think that you have connections with the rival of Lord Raphael’s route.”

“I don’t know if I would call her a rival. She’s Lord Raphael’s childhood friend.”

Alex pouted, “Well, of course, I know that. She’s my favorite out of all the rivals. I’ve played Raphael’s route so many times just to see her!”

For some reason, the fact that Alex wasn’t using courtesy titles bothered me. Well, it’s probably because she wasn't used to this world of nobility yet. She hasn’t had her previous memories as long as me and she was also a commoner all her life with no connections to any nobles around her age.

“By the way, you said you know the game version of this world, but I know the light novel…”

Alex hummed in thought. “It’s really strange because I never heard of a light novel version. How does that even work? Does the protagonist end up in a harem in the novel or something?”

“No, the protagonist ends up with Prince Leonhardt. The other male leads fell in love with her, but the protagonist ultimately loves the first Prince,” I answered.

“We both have different knowledge of Fight for Love and Acceptance, but it’s undeniable that the setting and the characters are all the same.”

“Yes, and since now I know there is another version of Fight for Love and Acceptance, does the character Reiré Norman ever show up in the game?”

“No, actually, I was gonna ask you about that. Alexandra is supposed to be the only commoner in Roseward Academy, but there’s you,” she pointed out.

“Yeah. I was really confused when I was suddenly allowed to attend this academy. I have white hair and red eyes, If anything, I stand out a lot compared to you and the others in this school. If I didn’t know Alexandra was already the protagonist, I could have mistaken myself as the protagonist.”

Alex agreed with my thinking. “Many main characters do tend to have extreme hair and eye coloring. You definitely seem like the main character.”

“Right? So Reiré Norman is definitely not just some average side character, but she was never mentioned in the novel.”

“Or the game,” Alex voiced.

“This is very strange.”

“How were you able to attend this school? Alexandra was able to attend because of her unannounced relationship with Viscount Straut.”

“Ah, I was able to attend thanks to Lady Rium. Her family is pretty much paying for my tuition.”

“Wow, you must have a good relationship with the Bazanine family if they’re paying for your education.”

I hesitantly chuckled, “Right?”

Alex narrowed her eyes. “Could you actually be a rival character as well?”

“Eh? How so?”

“Like the rival character of the hidden character route. Usually, the only way to unlock the hidden character in the game is by completing all the routes,” explained Alex.

“Did you actually beat all the routes?” I questioned.

Alex frowned as tears formed in her eyes. “Sadly, no. I have yet to finish Philip’s route.”

Ah, Lord Philip. The one main character I have yet to meet in this academy yet. “You played Lord Raphael’s route, but you have yet to finish Lord Philip’s route?”

“I can’t help it!” Alex whined. “His route is too boring!”

I’m not sure if it’s different in the game, but in the novel, Lord Philip falls in love with Alexandra and starts neglecting his childhood friend and his studies as a knight. Ultimately, he would get into trouble with his father a lot and even challenge the first prince for Alexandra’s love, but in the end, he lost and ended up losing his place as a knight. I thought the history was pretty interesting. In my opinion, I think Lord Raphael’s story was boring. Again, not sure if it’s different from the game, but in the novel, Lord Raphael’s story was like any typical high school boy crush story. He falls in love with Alexandra, protects her from bullies, and even fights with Lady Rium to be with Alexandra. Yeah, a very average plot for him. The writer must have gotten lazy when creating Lord Raphael’s character.

“Now, I can never complete Philip’s route or discover if there’s actually a hidden character or not,” Alex wept.

“Reiré!”

“Huh?” Turning towards the familiar mature voice that called out to me, I saw Lady Rium and Lord Raphael walking toward me. “Lady Rium, Lord Raphael.”

“We were looking for you. To think that you were eating out here,” Lady Rium said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d want a commoner eating lunch with you.”

Lady Rium denied, “Nonsense! We welcome you with open arms, right, Lord Raphael?”

“Exactly what Rium said.”

I gave them a kind smile. “Thank you.”

“I’m so jelly,” Alex mumbled.

Right, I almost forgot about her. “Lady Rium, Lord Raphael. Let me introduce my new friend. This is Alexandra Bailey.”

“A-Ah!” Alex panicked and quickly stood up. “I-It’s a pleasure to meet you both!” she hastily did a bow as her face flushed red.

“The pleasure is ours. Thank you for becoming friends with Reiré,” Lord Raphael said.

“Oh no! N-No need to thank me! Reiré has helped me out a lot.”

I see Alex is back to the timid act of the main protagonist. Usually, Lady Rium and Lord Raphael would never meet Alex out here in the courtyard. That would usually be Prince Leonhardt’s encounters, but thanks to me, that changed. I wonder if I should really be messing with the story like this. Oh well, what’s done is done. I’ve already changed the story by attending this academy anyways.