The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 111
EP.111 Invitation (1)
July was a time when students could relax in many ways.
And it felt like this world had an even more relaxed atmosphere compared to the place I came from.
The academy was modeled after the Japanese high school system, so the end-of-term exams took place at the end of July. However, the excitement about the upcoming break didn’t completely overshadow everything else.
This mood, however, spread more widely among the commoners than the nobles.
Nobles were creatures who lived on their pride.
Even if they thought that building good connections and forming relationships was more important than getting good grades, there were still many who considered dropping below a certain grade level to be an embarrassment. Many noble parents were sensitive to academic performance.
On the other hand, commoners felt that simply being admitted to this academy meant they were already set for life. Although there were twice as many commoners as nobles at the academy, it reflected the fact that there were far more commoners than nobles in the Empire. When looking at the number of applicants, commoners had a harder time securing a spot than the nobles.
Simply graduating from the academy opened up numerous opportunities for finding a way to make a living. Since it also served as a military academy, students could apply to become imperial officers. Of course, as long as they maintained a minimum level of grades to avoid being held back.
As for me… Although I had lost the way back to mid-June, it hadn’t been as devastating as I expected.
That was mainly because I had always been diligent in reviewing and previewing the material.
To be precise, I had used my ability to rewind time repeatedly after each class to ensure I fully understood the material before moving on. Even while studying on my own, I would rewind time and go over each problem to grasp the solution.
Even so, using time to solve exam problems and then rewinding to fix mistakes seemed a bit extreme by my standards. Rewinding months just to study before an exam was insane, so I focused on studying hard throughout the term.
After all, even an average person could become exceptional if they took the time to study carefully. The only thing I had in abundance was time, and I made sure to use it wisely, taking advantage of every opportunity that came my way.
Still, I wasn’t particularly excited about the summer break.
Going back to the “home” that was the imperial palace meant I’d inevitably face the Emperor.
Since the incident in June, the Emperor hadn’t said much, but I was certain that when I went back, I’d be dragged into a conversation I didn’t want to have.
*
But bad things didn’t always happen to people.
Even if it was just a matter of delaying something unpleasant, sometimes a pleasant surprise would come along.
“An invitation?”
About a week before the final exams began, Claire came to my room and handed me an elegant envelope containing a letter.
It was similar to the one Alice had handed to Charlotte, but at least the contents of this one weren’t meant to divert my attention elsewhere.
“Yes. It’s an invitation to our estate.”
The Grace estate, located within the Empire, wasn’t too far from here. It was a special kind of estate, different from the typical large noble estates.
The actual size of the estate was more akin to a large mansion than a true estate. If I were to compare it to something from the modern world, it would be like a slightly large school. There was one huge building and several average-sized buildings scattered around, with a bit of land between them, and a grassy area that could be considered a sports field…
Of course, owning land and buildings of that size in one’s personal name was impressive, but when compared to the estates of counts or dukes, it was still a reasonable size in terms of reality.
“My father and mother have heard about you, and they want to meet you in person.”
When I stared blankly at Claire after hearing that, she quickly shook her head.
“It’s fine. I only mentioned that you were the sister I was looking for. I didn’t say anything else…”
It seemed that only then did Claire realize that this was a fact that hadn’t been widely shared with others.
She looked at me with a slightly uneasy expression, and despite being almost the same height as me, she somehow appeared younger.
“Did I say something unnecessary?”
“No.”
I replied while opening the letter from the envelope.
“The Grace family is a loyal house. And… since you are there, this is something that was bound to come to light eventually.”
Claire blinked a couple of times at my words.
“More than that, I’m the one who brought you there. So there’s no reason to be upset about what you did.”
“Re-really…?”
As Claire spoke with what seemed like a little joy, I pulled the letter out of the envelope. The letter was written on luxurious paper, the kind only nobles would use. Even though they were barons, nobles were still nobles, I thought, as I unfolded the letter. The writing inside was so neat that it almost looked like it had been printed, raising doubts in my mind.
[To the glorious Princess Sylvia Fangriffon of the Empire,
The hot sun is scorching the land, and the breeze from the sea carries moisture in the air. While some may find the weather unpleasant, it is also a season that provides an excellent excuse to go out.
Although we cannot offer the refreshing breeze or pleasant air that may be found far from here, I believe our estate’s green lawns, which are highly regarded among the nobility, would be a wonderful sight. It is one of the few places where the eyes can rest amidst the dull city.
If you would grant us the honor of enjoying a cup of tea in the cool shade while appreciating this greenery, it would be a tremendous joy for the Grace family.
We pray that through our daughter, the princess’s positive response will arrive.
Tuesday. July 11th, 1901.
Baron Edward Grace.]
While the content of the letter was one thing, the handwriting exuded a strong “I’m being completely honest here” vibe. Well, among villains, there were many with fine handwriting, but perhaps I was just influenced by my preconceived notions about Baron Grace.
After reading the letter, I raised my eyes and looked at Claire. She didn’t seem entirely sure that I would give a positive response. She stood with her hands behind her back, fidgeting slightly, looking at me. Her head was slightly lowered as she glanced up at me, a pose I faintly remembered.
It was the same expression Claire used every time I gave her my portion of food at the orphanage. She must have lived a life where there was no need to watch her back, yet even after ten years, that habit hadn’t disappeared. It made me realize just how much those five years, when she had nothing, had shaped her life.
Perhaps that’s why I still remember it so clearly—because I was the first person to show her kindness in her life.
“I understand.”
I carefully folded the letter again and placed it back into the envelope.
“I will accept the invitation. Is there any date that would be preferable?”
“Ah, yes!”
Claire beamed with a bright smile in response to my answer.
I couldn’t help but wonder—what would it take for someone like her to become as twisted as in the original story?
Maybe the fact that she hadn’t broken was the real miracle. It meant that Claire was a strong person, after all.
Her personality was such that she would have sacrificed herself for her younger sibling, even if they hadn’t gotten along well in the past.
Still, thanks to this, I had a little more time before I had to face the Emperor, which lightened my mood.
And I genuinely wanted to visit the Grace family at least once. In the original story, I was supposed to go there, but just sitting idly until then seemed a little frustrating.
“Then after the exams, right after the summer break, I’ll visit. Will that be alright?”
“That works for me! I’ll tell my parents in advance!”
Parents, huh.
Now that I thought about it, I had always just been with Claire, but I had never actually heard much about how she had grown up. Her environment must have been far better than in the original story, and perhaps that’s why it hadn’t been necessary to mention it.
And besides, it was the protagonist’s family.
It might not be a bad idea to hear from the Grace family themselves how Leo and Claire had been raised.