Interlude 2: Another Protagonist…?

Another day passed, two days after successfully repelling the Four Heavenly Kings’ Gate Link.

Chloe Rosemist, a girl with a toned figure and a striking black ponytail, stood alongside Arianna, whose voluminous flaxen hair flowed gracefully. They were at the Royal Academy, listening to an explanation about enrollment procedures. As the teacher wrapped up, Chloe seized the moment to ask something that had been on her mind.

“May I ask a question?”

“Of course, anything’s fine.”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a super strong, cool guy with gray hair among the students here. Any idea who that might be?”

“Uh, well…” The teacher furrowed their brow, clearly troubled by the question. They turned to another teacher nearby, whispering, “Do we have any students with gray hair?”

“Hmm, not that I recall… Wait, didn’t that Renford kid, the one who took a leave right after enrolling, have gray hair?”

“Oh, right! Chloe-sama, could it be Klaus Renford?”

“…Klaus?” Chloe tilted her head, puzzled. (Klaus? That name sounds familiar… Oh, right! Two days ago, Sophia and Eleanor mentioned him!) She was on the verge of connecting the dots, but then shook her head. (Sure, they said he’s strong, but there’s no way he’s that guy. Gotta be someone else!)

Convinced her benefactor and Klaus were different people, Chloe dismissed the correct answer in an instant. In Altena Fantasia, Chloe is a revenge-driven character, fueled by hatred for the noble who killed Arianna. This makes her intense and impulsive nature less obvious early on, but without Arianna’s death, that side of her shone through. With clear, unclouded eyes, she looked at the teachers. “Nope, not that Klaus guy.”

“I see. In that case, I can’t think of anyone else…” The teacher looked stumped.

Chloe decided to shift tactics. “Alright, one more thing—not a question, but a request. Could we take a look around the academy?”

“Of course! Allow us to show you the facilities we take pride in.”

If asking didn’t work, she’d find him herself. That was Chloe’s plan.

While being guided through the academy, Arianna spoke up. “Chloe, aren’t you rushing things? You don’t have to find him today…”

“What’re you talking about, Anna? This is a golden opportunity! Plus, the sooner I thank him, the better, right?”

“I guess, but…”

As they chatted, they arrived at the training grounds, where students honed their swordsmanship and magic daily. Three female students were currently practicing diligently. Chloe’s eyes sparkled. “…This place is nice.”

Chloe had forged herself through real combat, but this environment offered new training possibilities. Though her tour was meant to find her benefactor, this unexpected discovery pleased her. But then—

“Hey, you lot! Clear out!” a grating, loud voice echoed through the grounds.

“Hm?” Chloe turned to see a red-haired man with a group of lackeys. Their gazes were fixed on the female students she’d been watching fondly. One of the girls spoke up, distressed.

“B-But, we reserved this time slot…”

“What was that? You dare defy me, a high-ranking noble?”

“N-No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Then get lost. And learn your place from now on.”

Chloe clicked her tongue in irritation. “Ugh, selfish nobles are everywhere…”

“C-Chloe-sama, let’s move on to the next facility!” the teacher urged.

“Sorry, give me a sec.” Ignoring the teacher, Chloe marched straight toward the red-haired man and declared boldly, “Hey, you! That’s enough!”

The redhead noticed her, his face twisting in suspicion. “Who’re you? Wait, a black-hair!? Stay back, you ominous thing!”

“Hmph, so the capital’s got bigots too, huh?”

“What’d you say!?”

“I said my black hair’s way more refined and lovely than your loud red mop!”

“You little…!”

The two glared at each other. Arianna clutched her head, muttering, “Oh no…” while the teachers paled. The redhead pointed dramatically at Chloe. “You! Do you know who I am? I’m Axe Vagadar!”

“Axe… Vagabond? Sounds about right for you.”

“Twice now! To not know me—are you even a noble at this academy!?”

“Not a student yet, and definitely not a noble. Got a problem with that?”

“What!? A commoner…!? A black-haired commoner daring to defy me? Unforgivable!”

Axe drew his sword, and Chloe, regaining her cool, glanced at the anxious trio of girls, solidifying her resolve. She whipped out her bow. “Fine, let’s duel. If I win, you leave quietly.”

“Deal! But if I win, you’ll be my slave for life!”

Thus began the duel between Chloe and Axe.

◇◆◇

Five minutes into the duel—

“[Accelerated Arrow]! [Spiral Arrow]! [Wind-Clad Mighty Bow]!”

“What!? No way I lose to a mere commoner!?”

Chloe’s arrows hit their mark, and Axe collapsed to the ground. The duel ended with Chloe’s victory. “Well, that’s that,” she said, satisfied.

In truth, Chloe and Axe had similar raw abilities, but her experience hunting and fighting the enhanced Braze two days prior gave her a significant edge in combat skill. Axe, however, wasn’t satisfied. “No way I accept this!”

Chloe sighed. “What now? Got a complaint?”

“Of course! A commoner beating me? Unacceptable! Hey, you lot!”

At Axe’s command, his lackeys readied their weapons, clearly planning a group attack. “Tch, what a pain,” Chloe muttered, raising her bow again. But then—

“What’s all this commotion!?”

A commanding voice rang through the training grounds. Turning, Chloe saw a girl with blue, shoulder-length hair—Eleanor. Spotting Chloe, Eleanor’s eyes widened. “Chloe-kun? And Arianna too?”

“Hey, Eleanor,” Chloe replied.

“Hello,” Arianna added.

It was their first reunion since fighting together and bonding at the Healing Bathhouse two days ago. Seeing them chat like old friends, Axe and his group paled. “E-Eleanor Cobaltleaf, here…? And she’s chummy with them!?”

Despite being a first-year, Eleanor was renowned for her exceptional skill, and with her powerful family, no one dared cross her. Taking advantage of the distraction, Axe and his lackeys slunk away. After hearing the situation, Eleanor nodded. “I see. I’ll report their behavior to the student council.”

“Thanks, Eleanor,” Chloe said.

“No, I should thank you for resolving trouble at the academy.”

As they spoke, Chloe glanced at the three female students. “…She’s so close with Eleanor-sama…” “…A commoner, yet so strong…” “…So cool…”

The trio whispered among themselves, likely celebrating their freedom from Axe’s intimidation. Chloe approached them. “You three okay? If they bother you again, talk to Eleanor. I won’t be here for a few months.”

Satisfied she’d done all she could, Chloe nodded. But then, something unexpected happened. The three girls stared at her with sparkling eyes and said in unison:

“““Thank you, Chloe Onee-sama!”””

“…Huh?”

The bizarre gratitude froze Chloe’s mind for a moment. After a few seconds, she processed it. “W-Wait, what’s this ‘Onee-sama’ stuff!?”

“Your conduct in battle, your exceptional bow and magic skills… You’re the ideal we aspire to—our Onee-sama!”

“What does that even mean!? If it’s about strength, Eleanor’s way stronger than me!”

“Of course, it’s not just that! You’re a commoner who stood up to a high-ranking noble and spoke so warmly with Eleanor-sama. We admire your very existence!”

“I-I get it… Wait, why am I nodding along!? And you’re all academy students, so you’re older than me, right? Calling me Onee-sama makes no sense!”

“No! Onee-sama is a matter of the soul! Age is trivial!”

The trio rattled off reasons why Chloe was their Onee-sama. With this energy, they could’ve driven off Axe themselves, Chloe thought. Their praise didn’t stop.

“““Onee-sama! Onee-sama! Onee-sama!”””

They chanted in unison, and Chloe clutched her head, screaming internally:

(Why did it turn out like this!?!)

From then on, the trio spread word of Chloe’s nobility among the lower-ranking nobles. In Altena Fantasia, Chloe enrolled to seek revenge against nobles, but in this world, before even starting at the academy, she gained such popularity that the Chloe Onee-sama Fan Club was formed.