"...Perhaps seeking advice from Ophelia-sensei was a mistake."

"What?!"

I thought I had given her some really good advice!

Her completely unexpected reaction left me shocked. A mistake? Could it be that the advice I gave was entirely useless? Was I like one of those annoying old-timers who rant about things only they care about, clinging to students and forcing them to listen? The thought was terrifying, and I shuddered.

"W-was it not helpful...? I’m sorry if it wasn’t of any use. I just thought I’d quietly..."

"...What are you talking about? Your advice was definitely helpful. It pointed out a blind spot I hadn’t considered. It’s just..."

"Just?"

I wasn’t sure if she was going to tell me what she was thinking. I looked at Stella, urging her to continue with my gaze. What could she mean? If my advice was helpful, why would she say seeking my counsel was a mistake? I couldn’t quite grasp what she was getting at.

"...Ophelia-sensei, you’re not someone who secretly wants to conquer the world, are you?"

"What?!"

"It was a bit unnerving. I felt like I was being hypnotized."

Stella let out a deep sigh and slumped back on the sofa.

She looked around the counseling room as if she was truly tense, then grabbed a drink and gulped it down.

"Do you realize that what you said could get you executed for treason if things go wrong?"

"Huh? Yes, I know."

"And you still said it so calmly..."

"...?"

"No, never mind. If you didn’t realize, it’s fine. Just understand that I was a bit taken aback."

...I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Anyway, thank you. Your advice was much more helpful than I expected. It felt like I was grasping at straws, but it turned out to be a sturdy ladder."

"S-straws..."

"Building a faction within the Academy using its students... Not a bad idea."

"Right?"

No matter how many students you gather at the Academy, they can’t stand against the royal family.

But that’s only if you measure their abilities directly against each other. The situation is very different right now.

First, the students are still young, which means they have plenty of room to grow. Fortunately, the Academy has all the facilities and teachers needed to educate them.

The royal family is also in a rather chaotic state.

Although the war ended about ten years ago, you could also say it’s only been ten years.

Their military power likely hasn’t fully recovered yet.

On top of that, the internal political issues have twisted the royal family quite severely.

Rather than rebuilding, they’ve been eating away at themselves, leaving them weaker than before.

How can I be sure of this?

Because that’s how it was when I played the game.

Of course, that alone isn’t the reason I believe the royal family is weakened.

Stella, being a princess, must be well aware of the internal situation.

She wouldn’t have reacted the way she did if she didn’t see some possibility. It’s clear that the royal family has weakened.

"But... How can I expand my influence within the Academy?"

"It’s not that difficult. You just need to make a lot of friends."

"...Friends?"

"Yes, friends."

"Are you saying that’s enough?"

Stella looked at me with a doubtful expression.

She seemed to be asking if just making friends could really grow her influence to that extent.

"It doesn’t matter if you don’t see them as your faction, Stella. Others will naturally see them that way."

"What do you mean?"

"To be honest, Stella, your personality is... a bit arrogant."

"...You dare say that to my face."

"So what? You’re not the type to hold a grudge over something like that."

Her arrogance was well-known.

The rumor had already spread in the Academy that she doesn’t treat people she doesn’t like as human.

Given how quickly this reputation spread in the Academy, where she’s only been for a short time, imagine how it must have been in the royal family, where she’s lived her entire life.

Everyone knows that her only real friend is her childhood companion, Charlotte.

"If someone like you, Stella, suddenly starts making a lot of friends, what do you think the royal family will assume?"

"They might think they’re not friends but subordinates."

"Exactly."

Even though it’s just a network of friends, it wouldn’t be seen much differently.

When the inevitable conflict between Stella and her blood relatives erupts, especially if it happens within the Academy, who will the students side with?

People are more likely to help someone they know, even just a little, rather than someone whose name and face they barely recognize.

However, to ensure the students are willing to help, there needs to be some degree of possibility.

"So, I’m going to give you a homework assignment."

"W-what?! Homework? Isn’t chess practice enough?!"

"Well, that’s homework for growth. This is homework for survival. It’s different."

"..."

Stella’s main story has begun.

So, what should I do?

The answer is simple.

"Even if I tell you to make friends, you probably don’t know how to do that, given that you don’t have many friends, Stella."

"I-I do have friends!"

"Let’s not count the friends assigned to you by the royal family. Do you have any friends you’ve naturally become close with?"

"..."

"You don’t, do you? So, I’ll set a goal for you."

While setting the goal of making friends, I would subtly insert my own objective.

"Make friends with Orca."

"...What? That delinquent?"

"Hey now, calling her a delinquent isn’t fair. She may be a bit rough, but she’s a kind and sweet student."

"Ophelia-sensei, your constant defense of that delinquent is...”

Well, I won’t deny that I care more about Orca than the other characters because I enjoyed her the most in the game.

But that doesn’t mean I’m without reason.

Even though I might be a bit biased, there’s a rational reason I want them to become friends.

Stella would understand soon enough.

"Orca doesn’t have any friends."

"Of course not. I’d be surprised if she did."

...Though I’m the one who said it, hearing her confirm it so decisively made me feel a bit odd.

But it was fine. Stella would become Orca’s friend.

"Think about it, Stella. Do you think you could make friends right away if you tried?"

"..."

"It would be difficult."

It wasn’t about her personality or anything like that.

In fact, it was quite the opposite. Personality had nothing to do with it.

"Even though you’ve been cut off from the royal family, no one knows the internal details, right?"

"...Yes. Publicly, I’m still a princess."

"Most of the students at the Academy are commoners. It’s going to be tough for them to even approach you, let alone have a conversation."

Even if she wanted to make friends, her background would prevent anyone from approaching her.

The gap between a commoner and a princess is immense, even in an Academy that preaches equality.

Although the Academy’s education is equal, that doesn’t mean relationships between people are equal.

The Academy may have a rule that everyone is equal, but...

Not all rules are strictly followed.

The rules were created to protect commoner students, but they aren’t the ones who adhere to them.

Even if students are protected within the Academy, that protection doesn’t extend outside of it.

Students admitted to the Academy are recognized as geniuses in their regions. They fully understand the risks involved.

While the Academy may preach equality, in reality, it’s not so equal.

Students don’t approach Stella because they don’t want to risk getting on the wrong side of a princess.

...Although there were a few students who approached her, willing to take that risk.

Like those students who tried to get close to her during the friendly competition.

But even those students are now gone. Stella didn’t like people who didn’t meet her standards.

"But Stella, imagine what people would think if they heard that you and Orca had become friends."

"They’d think it’s impossible for someone like me to befriend someone like her."

"Exactly. Something impossible would have happened."

Among commoners, demon-possessed individuals like Orca are often scorned and ostracized.

But if someone like that became friends with Stella, what would the students think?

"Whether it was by chance or intention... Such details don’t matter to the students. What matters is that you and Orca became friends."

"...So, they’ll think, ‘If even she can do it, maybe I can too’?"

"Exactly."

Orca’s reputation is so low it’s practically in the depths of hell.

But if someone like that becomes close with the princess?

Naturally, others will wonder if they can too, and they’ll start to approach you.

Of course, having too many students flock to you might be annoying.

But right now, you need to build connections and create your own circle. This is a small issue that you can overlook.

"So, what will you do?"

This wasn’t really a question.

If she refused, I’d have to hypnotize her.

I really wanted to see them become friends.

Fortunately, Stella nodded in agreement.