Chapter 24: The Game Begins, Part 1
IT was the first day of a new school year at Chrysanthème Academy, which officially marked the start of HanaKoro’s plot. With no knowledge of who her biological father was, Camille was adopted by a baron and sent to enroll at Chrysanthème, just like in the game. The academy was founded on the pretext of giving shelter to Floraison royal subjects with especially high mana, most of whom were noble by birth. As a result, the student body was entirely high-born; no commoners ever attended.
The students were each given their own private room so that even the most spoiled of rich kids could learn some semblance of self-reliance. Chrysanthème was also where potential Holy Maiden candidates were gathered, educated, and ultimately subjected to a formal test. She who passed this test would be deemed worthy.
A Holy Maiden’s term started from age eighteen and lasted approximately ten years, though this was subject to change depending on various factors. While one viable Holy Maiden candidate was chosen per year, there was no guarantee that they would be appointed to the role. For that reason, the kingdom currently found itself without a replacement on standby.
Of course, the mere act of being named as a potential candidate was in itself a status symbol. Candidates were guaranteed a future career as a mage, and many married into families with higher social standing. Indeed, Prince Bleuet’s fiancée was one such former candidate.
This year, there were two candidates, just like in the game; after the recent soilpox outbreak wiped out many of the daughters of the aristocracy, the pickings were slim. Worse still, the current Holy Maiden had used up much of her mana trying to keep the outbreak contained, so a replacement was urgently needed.
Unfortunately, this year’s favored candidate had died of soilpox. Thus, they reluctantly opened the candidacy to a commoner girl: Camille, the game’s protagonist. Now everyone was gossiping about the candidate who hailed from a barony.
Likewise, Iris was also nominated as a Holy Maiden candidate. In the game, it was an open secret that Iris had survived soilpox, but as the fiancée of the second prince, she had forced her way in, just as her father had taught her. She was probably hoping that the role of Holy Maiden would counteract the stigma of being a soilpox survivor.
In the real Iris’s case, however, she didn’t force her way in at all… Everyone at the Temple of Magic knew about her fairy blessings and her work on the vaccine, so that was what led to her nomination instead. Another example of game rebalancing.
Having accepted her fate, Iris trudged through the school gates with Nigel at her side. What she saw there perfectly matched the game’s opening cinematic: white lilac petals raining down from the clear blue sky as students in uniform talked and laughed. Honestly, she half-expected the title logo to flash up.
On impulse, Iris pressed her hands together in prayer: Please don’t let me die here!!!
“What’s wrong, Iris?” Nigel asked dubiously. In this world, they didn’t really do the whole “clasp hands in prayer” thing.
“Oh, I just thought I felt someone’s gaze all of a sudden,” she answered vaguely.
In the opening cinematic, it would pan to each character in turn: first Camille, then Nigel, then Reseda, then Cytisus, then back to Camille. Honestly, why would Cytisus even be here? Then, with a gasp of realization, Iris looked over her shoulder.
OH GOD, HE IS!
She clutched at her head in confusion. “Why…?!”
“Why what?” Nigel asked, puzzled.
Iris pointed at Cytisus. “Why would a royal mage be here at the academy?!”
“Oh, I heard the Temple sent him to guard the Holy Maiden candidates.”
“Nobody told me about this!”
Iris had gone to the Temple of Magic often for studying purposes, yet she hadn’t heard a word about it. Did they avoid telling me because I was a candidate?
Just then, the murmur of hushed voices rose up behind Iris at the gates. Camille had arrived, her blue hair engulfed in a cascade of petals. As protagonist and target of everyone’s envy and longing, this future Holy Maiden gracefully walked onto school grounds. Fairies flew over to her as soon as they spotted her; she blinked at them in surprise, then smiled slightly.
It was such a stunning sight, Iris could hardly stand upright. “Look at all the little fairies gathered around her! Totes adorbs!”
At this, the fairies in Iris’s ringlets all popped out to look at her, little scowls on their faces. Some used her hair as a slide, while others bounced on it like a trampoline.
“Iris has more of us!”
“Iris is more adorbs!”
“Yes, yes, I hear you. Now, could you please stop tugging on my hair? Anyone who can’t see fairies is going to think it has a mind of its own,” Iris explained with a stiff smile. Apparently, fairies could be quite competitive.
To those who couldn’t see fairies, Iris’s hair appeared to sparkle. But she was completely unaware of just how eye-catching her sparkly mint-green hair was when showered with lilac petals. Surrounded by cute little fairies, Iris felt like she was walking on clouds…but then, she overheard some particularly loud voices.
“Oh dear, that’s her?”
“The girl everyone’s been talking about—the daughter of the baron!”
“Adopted daughter, I think you mean.”
“Good heavens. Don’t tell me she’s low-born!”
“A commoner at our academy?”
Unable to see the fairies, the other students were all gossiping about Camille—and loudly, too, as if they wanted her to hear it. Nigel frowned, and the conflict-averse fairies all disappeared. Not wanting any part of it, Iris turned away from the group and started walking.
Just then, she sensed someone approaching from behind at high speed and whirled around. Iris felt a hand on her shoulder; startled, she shook it off. Her blue-haired assailant stumbled forward. Iris grabbed her arm and twisted it up.
“Sister?!”
It was Camille. The blood drained from Iris’s face as she hastily relinquished her grip. Why must I have such violent spinal reflexes?! Nothing says “villainess” quite like the high-born candidate practically assaulting the low-born candidate!
Then, at the worst possible time, Reseda and Cytisus showed up, possibly in response to the commotion or just to get a good look at Camille for themselves. It felt like the game had conspired to gather all the love interests at the same time… Iris started to tremble.
“It’s really you, isn’t it, dear sister? Oh, how I’ve longed to see you again…!” Camille choked—not because of any pain Iris inflicted, but from her own emotional response. But Iris pushed her away.
“Whatever do you mean? I haven’t the slightest idea who you are.”
Iris hadn’t told Nigel about Camille, and furthermore, they’d only ever spoken that one time at the church. Of course, Iris had gone back to Camille’s family’s store several times to ask about her and buy more camellia oil, but only while she was away; Iris was very careful to avoid her. But more importantly, Iris only ever went into town in disguise.
So how in the world did she recognize me?