Protagonist Drift? (1)
"Wait, Iriel."
Zeke had to interrupt her.
He felt a strange sense of deja vu while listening to her story.
He was sure he'd seen this familiar story somewhere before.
Being chased by bandits at night.
And then someone suddenly appears and saves the day...
Suddenly, a thrilling shiver ran down his spine.
'The heroine being chased by bandits, and the Second Prince, who was stalking her, intervenes and takes care of them! That's the reason I got dragged into this romance fantasy!!!'
However, the title of this novel was [The Secret Girl of Ramielli Academy].
It was an old story, so it might not be related.
But Zeke felt the need to check.
"Iriel."
"Yes?"
"How many years ago was that?"
"Ten years ago."
"What was the name of the academy you entered at that time?"
"It was Ramielli Academy, the middle school division."
"!"
Zeke's eyes widened.
He had only just learned about the existence of the middle school division.
A possibility he hadn't even considered.
'Then, could it be that I possessed this body ten years after the original story?'
Selena, who was listening beside them, added, "Ramielli Academy's middle school division is different from the academy we attend now. It's a basic education institution only attended by high-ranking nobles."
More and more unknown facts were adding flesh to his absurd hypothesis.
But Zeke shook his head after pondering for a moment.
No.
He couldn't be sure that the man was the Second Prince yet.
Zeke asked Iriel, "Iriel, do you happen to remember the appearance of the man who saved you back then?"
"......You?"
"No, the man who intervened briefly before me."
Iriel looked at Zeke with a puzzled expression.
As if asking why he was asking such a thing.
"That person...? He was wearing a cloak."
"Anything else?"
"Hmm... I don't think he was that tall. But he ran away immediately, and I met you right after, so I don't remember well."
"Anything trivial will do. Tell me."
Zeke leaned closer to Iriel and asked.
Iriel looked flustered.
"Why, why is that important?"
"It is. It's important."
Zeke nodded seriously.
"You, you remember that scene? I, I forgot about it!?"
Iriel bit her lip.
That day was the most precious memory to her, yet this man had forgotten all about it and was only remembering some strange man.
'Ah, he wasn't that strange. He did save me too.'
Still, a glimmer of hope blossomed within Iriel.
At least Zeke seemed to have realized something from this conversation.
He hadn't completely forgotten about that day.
'Yes, even with amnesia, he couldn't have completely forgotten the memories of that time.'
She recalled the memories of that day and groaned, clutching her head.
"Hmm, first of all, he was incredibly skilled with the sword. Those bandits..."
"Yes, I heard that part."
"And... Hmm. Ah! He must have been a high-ranking noble!"
Iriel exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
"A high-ranking noble? Why do you think so?"
"Zeke! You know I'm good with clothes, right?"
"I don't."
"Oh, right. You lost your memories."
Zeke urged her to continue.
Iriel glared at him.
"Anyway, I have a good eye for clothes. I never forget a brand I've seen once. And that man's shoes... they had the 'Wings of Nike' emblem, a brand that only accepts marquis families and above as customers."
"Wings of Nike? That still exists after ten years?"
"Yes, it's still a thriving business. I heard only marquis, duke families, and royalty can use it. And it's extremely expensive."
Zeke stroked his chin.
Then he asked again, "Iriel, do you happen to be acquainted with the Second Prince?"
"Huh? The Second Prince, all of a sudden?"
"Yes."
"...We were the same age, so we went to the same middle school academy, but back then, the Second Prince mostly hung out with the boys."
The bandits chasing her.
A man suddenly intervenes and slaughters them all.
And that man was a high-ranking noble.
To top it off, he attended the same academy as the Second Prince.
There was definitely a scene in the novel where he stalks the heroine.
It wouldn't be strange if such a creepy guy couldn't bring himself to talk to her directly.
And it was ten years ago.
He could have been even more pathetic than he was now.
Zeke felt himself leaning more and more towards the 'Iriel as the female lead' theory.
'Hmm, so Soi's shares suddenly plummeting? And Iriel's unexpected surge? This is interesting...'
From every angle, our dirt-poor commoner's stock seemed to be on the rise.
And who would have thought that Iriel, who was on the verge of being delisted, would suddenly make a comeback like this?
He needed to confirm this with the Second Prince, Rosnante.
As he was organizing his thoughts, an important fact popped into Zeke's head.
'Wait, then doesn't that mean this romance fantasy ended ten years ago, and this is the epilogue world? Shit!'
Zeke asked Iriel urgently, "Iriel, did you have any men who liked you back then?"
"Zeke?"
"Instructor!?"
***
'He said I was the only one! That he wouldn't forget! That it was Iriel, not me!!'
Selena trembled with clenched fists.
Zeke wasn't even looking at her, completely engrossed in asking Iriel all sorts of questions.
'Why is he suddenly curious about the men who liked her in the past? I went to the same academy! I was more popular there! Seriously popular! Isn't he curious about that?'
But she couldn't interrupt and blurt that out.
Back then, she couldn't even talk to biological males because of her brother's threats.
And now, Zeke was in the process of recovering his memories.
So she had to understand why he was enjoying this conversation so much.
She had to understand.
She repeated it twice.
Yes, she understood.
That was three times now.
"But why are you so curious, Zeke?"
Iriel asked, her eyes sparkling with a hint of anticipation.
"Stop speaking informally. It's bothering me."
"You said it was okay outside the academy."
"Ah."
Iriel, pleased that Zeke was interested in her past, giggled and began to tell him all sorts of stories from the academy.
About how certain boys liked her and did this and that, how two sons from noble families dueled over her, how she received roses, chocolates, and even a crystal ball containing a song someone composed for her.
And then she'd say things like, "But bread is the best," with a completely straight face.
Selena, dumbfounded, watched Iriel with a look that screamed, 'Just you wait and see!'
'Oh, please! What a joke! As if! I know she never experienced any of that! I went to the same academy!'
However, Zeke listened intently to Iriel's stories, nodding his head as if he truly believed every word.
'Look, look at her smiling like a sly fox! Instructor! That's not true!'
"But, I didn't choose anyone. I was too young back then to choose someone and think about spending my life with them."
"Is that so...? A reverse harem with an open ending...? What a terrible author."
Zeke muttered something incomprehensible.
Grit.
Selena gritted her teeth.
"Um, Iriel."
"What is it, Zeke?"
Selena deeply regretted telling Iriel about Zeke's amnesia.
If only she hadn't known, if only there was no process of recovering his memories, Zeke would have continued to be cold to Iriel like before.
At that moment, Zeke spoke again.
"Are you going to stay here tonight?"
"Huh!?"
"!"
Selena's jealousy exploded at his words.
'Why! What! Are you two planning to whisper sweet nothings and reminisce all night!? This is my house!'
Selena glared at Zeke with burning eyes.
"W-Why are you asking me that, Zeke?"
Iriel stammered, flustered.
"Well, I have to visit each student and check their mana flow. It would be more convenient, time-wise and location-wise, if you stayed here tonight."
He looked puzzled, as if he didn't understand what the problem was.
'Is he serious right now?'
"B-But...! If you do that to a female student, there will be bad rumors! O-Of course, I wouldn't spread such rumors, but!!!"
"Ah, I see. Still, this is a necessary task, Selena."
If Zeke hadn't been the one to say those words, he would have been branded a pervert and arrested for insulting a noble.
"S-So, I have an idea..."
Iriel frowned as Selena suddenly jumped into the conversation.
"Hey, Flowerbed. What are you doing? Why are you interrupting? You and Zeke..."
"We'll do as I say."
Selena cut her off, her voice firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Why should I? What if I don't want to?"
"Then go back to Eustia right now."
"..."
'This, this petty bitch.'
She was taking advantage of the fact that Iriel had no choice but to stay here.
And Zeke seemed to agree with her suggestion.
"I see. Blindfolded... That's not bad. I hadn't thought of that."
"And, could I also observe?"
"Hmm?"
"W-Well, Instructor, you said I need to be able to sense mana, right? And you're the one who directly handles mana flow. If I observe you examining it from the side, maybe my senses will develop a bit..."
Zeke looked at Selena with slightly impressed eyes.
"Ah, I see. That's a good idea, Selena. It's commendable that you're so eager to learn."
"Hehehe. Of course, of course."
"Wait, so what's this mana flow thing, and how do you do it?"
Iriel interjected.
Selena looked at her as if she was pathetic.
"Were you sleeping during magic class? It's the pathway through which mana flows within a mage's body."
"...I-I know the basics! But what does that have to do with us? We're not mages."
Selena, who had also missed the explanation that day because she was too preoccupied with her misunderstanding, glanced at Zeke.
She would rather die than appear ignorant in front of Iriel.
"It's a necessary step in tailoring the right swordsmanship for each of you."
"B-But I'm not going to be a knight? So those lessons are, well, just..."
"You still need to develop the strength to at least protect yourself, don't you?"
"Ugh."
Iriel's mouth clamped shut like a clam.
'That's cheating. You can't use that line.'
It was what Zeke always said when she whined about not wanting to learn how to use a dagger.
Even with his memories gone, Zeke was still Zeke.
"F-Fine, I get it. But what do I have to do?"
"Well, you have to take off your clothes."
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