“I, I greet Your Highness,”

Claire greeted me with the exact same gesture she had used for Alice earlier.

It was an unbearably awkward moment, though not to the point where I’d actually lose my mind. It was just one of those moments.

Yes, I knew Claire. Of course, I knew the younger version of her, but the Claire I was truly familiar with was not this one. It was the Claire who had become a villain under the Emperor’s command.

As I’ve mentioned several times before, Claire in the game was never this pure. No matter what she said, she would never back down, and if something upset her, she would openly show her displeasure. She never stuttered or fumbled with words.

The only time Claire showed vulnerability or anger was when someone mentioned the sister who had once doted on her.

A sister who, by the time the main story began, was already dead.

...Of course, that sister was still alive at this point. I had no idea how that happened, but it’s likely that my existence had a significant impact. After all, the only real change in this world was me.

Had the Emperor become more cautious?

At this point, it wasn’t important. The sister was just a background character in the original, someone who had owned the sword Claire used. I’d worry about it when that plot became relevant. After all, I had the power to turn back time if necessary.

Standing beside Claire, Leo Grace also bowed his head to us stiffly.

Leo Grace, the protagonist of the original game.

As befits a protagonist in such a game, he was handsome, and his abilities were decent enough. Story-wise, he was a cheerful, expressive character, combining aspects of a typical shonen manga hero with traits of a harem protagonist.

In terms of gameplay, he was notoriously weak early on but became exceptionally powerful later in the game—a classic “late bloomer” character. His stats weren’t particularly high, but his utility skills were broken. His support skill, Morale Boost, didn't heal, but it temporarily boosted his allies' abilities, increasing stats by up to 70% depending on the setup, and it was an area-of-effect skill.

Moreover, the skill centered on him, and he could even buff himself. If you kept using it, you could wipe out enemies even at the highest difficulty. Of course, your other characters needed to be properly geared as well.

But his personal stats weren’t bad either. By the final battle, his stats placed him among the top tier of characters.

Because of this, Leo had a reputation as a character that required grueling effort to level up, but was ultimately worth it. The essential support skills only unlocked halfway through the game, making the early stages a grind.

Because of that, I was curious about how Leo would survive in this world.

The Morale Boost skill worked as an attack buff because it was a game mechanic. In real life, even if someone cheered you on, it wouldn’t let you exceed your physical limits.

In the game, that mechanic expressed the power of words, but in reality, it was just a gameplay concession.

Similarly, characters in the game known as "the strongest wizard in the world" or "the most dangerous mercenary" often had subpar performance in battle, due to gameplay balancing. How would they be portrayed here? Would they follow the mechanics or the lore?

Well, the game was turn-based, and there wasn't any open-world freedom like in a Western RPG, so things could play out quite differently.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sylvia Pangryphon.”

“Sylv…!”

At my words, Claire lifted her head sharply, but when her eyes met Alice’s, she quickly bowed again.

This is the complete opposite of the original.

No, in fact, it’s even more extreme than the original. In the game, Claire was better than Alice in almost every way, but that didn’t mean Alice bowed to her. It was more like Claire treated Alice as a little sister in a kind of bad-blood sibling relationship.

Though saying “bad blood” feels like an understatement.

“Both of you.”

Alice, who had been silently watching the two with their heads bowed, finally spoke.

“Is there something you wish to say?”

“Ah, um, well…!”

Claire bravely lifted her head again at Alice’s words.

And she looked straight at me.

I was a bit taken aback by the intensity in her gaze. Despite the pressure of the situation, Claire’s eyes never wavered as she stared directly at me. It was similar to the look Claire had in the game—resolute and unyielding.

Sure, she was stammering a bit, but so what?

Claire had grown up wonderfully, without having to endure the horrors she faced in the original timeline.

“Sylvia… Sir!”

“….”

It seemed like she was about to call me something else, but the fact that she didn’t call me “Sister!” was a relief.

The way she had rushed over here reminded me of how close she must have been with Leo, almost like siblings. Maybe even closer than with Leo, in some ways. After all, Leo was born a noble, but Claire wasn’t.

“Yes. What is it?”

I replied to Claire, slightly after a pause.

“Could you…?”

Claire seemed to be on the verge of asking me something when she suddenly gasped.

Everyone’s eyes were on her.

Only now did she realize what might happen if she asked the “princess” whether or not I was from an orphanage.

Hmm.

Claire still needed to work on her caution. In the original story, Claire was portrayed as arrogant but also incredibly perceptive. Now that I think about it, she had to be sharp to survive her circumstances.

The Baron and Baroness Grace were known for their justice and kindness. They likely never treated Claire any differently from Leo, despite her being adopted.

Claire had grown up as a beloved child.

She wouldn’t become a character who secretly resented Alice for having a biological father.

“Could you…?”

I echoed her unfinished question, and Claire, her face now pale, stammered again.

“C-Could you please accept my greeting!?”

“….”

Once again, the atmosphere grew awkward.

Alice’s expression shifted from stiff to outright confused. Initially, she probably thought Claire was approaching with some ulterior motive when she ignored me earlier, but now, Claire’s words seemed utterly incomprehensible.

“I have already accepted your greeting.”

Claire’s face flushed red.

As Claire turned red, Leo’s complexion grew paler. Any paler, and his skin would match his blue hair.

“Rather than that, why don’t you introduce yourself first?”

At my question, Claire’s face turned even redder.

“I am… Claire Grace, the daughter of Baron Grace.”

Despite bowing her head and maintaining her formal greeting, her voice no longer stammered.

“I see.”

“The Grace barony is not far from the capital, right?” Alice said, as if she were searching her memory.

Then she looked around meaningfully.

Though we were still surrounded by students, the expressions on the faces of those closest to us were far from welcoming. To be more precise, they seemed reluctant to retreat due to the crowd behind them.

“...Take note. As long as we are attending this academy, we are all students like you. The title of princess only applies outside the academy. Here, we are all just people who have come to learn, whether noble or commoner.”

That’s right.

This wasn’t just about the students’ positions. It also applied to the relationship between teachers and students.

Though the headmaster was a duke, there were teachers of baron and count lineage, and even commoners. If the academy enforced the hierarchy system, it would lead to the bizarre sight of teachers bowing respectfully and speaking formally to students.

To avoid such absurdities, the academy’s rule was simple: "No hierarchical ranks exist within the academy."

It might seem like a meaningless rule, but it occasionally had its purpose. Commoners and nobles did befriend each other here, and some were even recognized for their talents after graduation. It also helped break down social prejudices.

“So, there’s no need for you to be so formal with me here. Of course, you don’t have to follow my lead. But if you treat me with such formality, then I will only treat you as a princess would treat a subordinate. If that’s what you want, then go ahead.”

“...”

There was no immediate response.

But in the distance, I could hear the faint murmur of voices.

It wasn’t just first-year students here. The corridor we were standing in led to the classrooms for first-year students, but second through fourth-years were likely passing by as well.

And Alice’s words applied to all of them.

After glancing around once more, Alice focused her gaze back on Claire and Leo.

“So, what will you do?”

Hmm.

The fact that Alice hadn’t bowed her head to the headmaster likely stemmed from her belief that it was a "battle she couldn’t afford to lose." Even if the rules dictated otherwise, as the Emperor’s daughter, she thought it shouldn’t apply to her.

But beyond that, she seemed willing to apply the rules generously.

It made sense why Alice had been so firm with Claire earlier. Claire had treated Alice like a princess, so Alice responded by treating Claire as a subordinate.

“Ah…”

Claire blinked in momentary confusion before flashing a bright smile.

Straightening her slightly bowed posture, Claire boldly stepped forward toward Alice.

Then, extending her hand, she said,

“I’m Claire. Claire Grace.”

I could hear someone swallow nervously from the surrounding crowd. Perhaps Leo had made the same sound from where he stood behind us.

Alice looked at Claire, who had extended her hand boldly, and after a brief pause, reached out to shake it. Her face wasn’t exactly warm, but it wasn’t entirely cold either.

Unlike the original Alice, she was calm, composed…

…Wait, is she copying my expression?

“I’m Alice. Alice Pangryphon.”

“Alice.”

Claire flashed a brilliant smile at Alice’s neutral face and lightly shook her hand. Alice, without hesitation, let go of Claire’s hand.

Then, Claire turned toward me.

Whatever awkwardness she had felt earlier was now gone. Claire was smiling brightly again.

It was the same kind of smile Claire had worn in the original, right before she sacrificed herself for Alice.

This, I thought, was Claire’s true nature—her cheerful, confident self, the one who had been twisted in the original timeline.

“And I’m Claire,” she repeated, extending her hand to me again.

Her introduction this time was confident and direct.

“Claire Grace.”

She announced her name with pride.

“…”

I looked down at Claire’s outstretched hand. It was slightly calloused—likely from her diligent sword practice.

I reached out and gently took her hand.

“Sylvia Pangryphon,” I said, maintaining my usual serious expression.

Claire’s eyes wavered slightly.

But then, with a soft smile, she lightly shook my hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you as well.”

Claire’s hand was warm.

I wondered… Was it the same warmth as in the original story?