SFMC 04

Chapter 4. Entrance Exam (3)

Reina wore an unreadable expression all the way until she left the examination room.

Then, looking at me approaching, she hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth.

“Thanks for helping me. But… I’d rather you didn’t do that next time.”

She smiled brightly at me, but somehow, that smile looked a little sorrowful.

I understood why she looked that way.

Reina had a goal, and to reach that goal, she wanted to grow strong on her own, without anyone else’s help.

But since she achieved more than she expected—because of someone else’s help—she felt uncomfortable about it.

Seeing that complicated smile of hers made me feel a little bad too, but I tried my best to ignore it.

It’s good to work hard toward a goal.

It’s admirable to want to achieve things through one’s own strength.

But.

Before all that, you need to stay alive.

Because the dead can’t move forward.

If I don’t intervene, Reina will eventually die. That’s why I’ll keep helping her, directly or indirectly, no matter what.

So from now on, what I have to do is console her whenever she realizes that she received help from someone else. Just this one time, taking direct action will be enough.

I smiled brightly and said,

“Still, you should be happy right now. You got top marks, after all.”

“Top marks?”

“When the examiner announces the results right there on the spot, it usually means you placed first. Didn’t you know?”

“I didn’t… Really?”

“Of course! Even among senior knights, no one’s managed to break the testing stone before.”

In the knight order, senior knight is the third rank—after apprentice and full knight.

Starting from that rank, they can lead small units and are recognized as part of the core military force.

“That’s how amazing it is?!”

“Told you.”

Those guys practice breaking testing stones.

And yet none have actually managed to break one.

Let’s keep that little truth to ourselves for now.

Reina looked confused again at my words, but the corners of her mouth gradually lifted.

“You worked hard, so we should celebrate with something good to eat. Let’s have a party! What do you want? Fried chicken? Pizza? It’s on me.”

I naturally reached into my pocket to open the delivery app on my phone—only to freeze.

Obviously, I didn’t have a phone right now, and the clothes I was wearing had an unfamiliar design, so I couldn’t even find the pocket easily.

No, wait. This world probably doesn’t even have the concept of chicken or pizza.

Realizing my blunder too late, I laughed awkwardly—and Reina laughed with me.

“What was that? That was so dumb. Are you really from the delinquent class?”

“D-Do you think I’m like that all the time? I’m usually more like this.”

Reina stared at my face and burst into laughter again.

It was a little embarrassing, but I was relieved to see her cheer up.

“You’re seriously weird.”

“Well, what do you expect from the Empire’s most infamous delinquent? Anyway, anything you want to eat?”

“Hmm… I’ll think about it later. Also, what did you call it again? Chik-n? Peesa? I’m curious about those too.”

“Fried chicken and pizza. I can’t say they’re super delicious, but if you want, I can make them.”

With ten years of household experience under my belt, I could at least whip up simple versions of chicken and pizza.

That made Reina laugh again.

“You know how to cook too?”

Ah, right. For someone from a noble house, knowing how to cook might seem unusual.

“I fell out of favor with the head of the family. I had no choice if I wanted to keep acting like a delinquent. It’s hard to do that on an empty stomach.”

“So you’re a delinquent who cooks his own food just to keep being a delinquent?”

Reina burst into laughter as if she hadn’t expected that at all.

“You’re so weird. But seriously, you were funny.”

“…Thanks, I guess.”

“Hmm… You don’t need to treat me to food. You’re probably out of the family’s favor anyway, so you don’t have much money, right? Let’s just have a meal together sometime. I got help from you—can’t really ask you to pay too.”

“Then let’s go with that.”

With that, Reina and I parted ways, promising to meet again. As I waved and watched her leave, I started reviewing my future plans.

I shouldn’t go out of my way to help so obviously anymore.

Reina, by character design, dislikes being helped so directly.

So just like in the game, I had to help her covertly, not openly.

Looks like I’ll be busy preparing things from now on.

And then, the biggest variable for me right now—the protagonist.

His exam slot is always the same. If I wait here a little longer, I’ll run into him.

As I mentally ran through simulations of how to build rapport with him, I spotted a girl wearing the Iris Academy uniform.

She was a bit shorter than me, her jet-black hair flowing straight down to her waist like the night sky.

She had jet-black pupils and a mischievous tone as she smiled and asked,

“Making a friend, are you? That’s new.”

…! I didn’t expect to run into her here.

Trying not to look surprised, I greeted her as naturally as possible.

“…Good day, sister.”

I quickly recalled her character profile in my head.

A cadet recognized by the Mage Tower for her overwhelming skill. The direct descendant of House Astrea. The older sister of the body I’m now possessing—Seren Astrea.

Like Ban (the character I’m possessing), she’s wild and unpredictable but somehow never crosses the line. She often shows a pure side, but also occasionally displays overwhelming charisma—an unreadable character.

I recognized her instantly for a simple reason: no matter which route you play in the game, she always helps the protagonist in the final battle.

So I knew her very well.

And that’s why I knew—

The once-reliable Seren from the game was now the most dangerous person to me.

She could be the first to discover that I’m a transmigrator—and if that happened, she would be the first to try to kill me.

Because Seren was a notorious brocon, known to all.

In the game, during save points, characters would casually chat.

They’d share backstories, things that happened during the journey, or parts of the worldbuilding that hadn’t been revealed.

But Seren? Even up to the final battle, she only talked about Ban. Constantly. Repeating the same stuff over and over.

It was annoying and pointless during gameplay, but now, it’s actually helpful.

Because I had to act like the Ban Astrea she knew, using every bit of trivia I’d heard from her.

While I was tense, Seren smiled brightly and said,

“Still calling me ‘sister’? You used to just call me noona, you know.”

You liar! I never once called you noona!

I almost reflexively objected, nervous that the tiniest mistake might get me killed. But I replied as naturally as I could.

“As nobles, we must maintain a certain level of decorum.”

“Tch. You ignore all the other rules, but you’re picky only about that.”

Seren puffed her cheeks, then suddenly tugged on my cheek.

“You were having so much fun talking with that girl earlier. Why are you so cold to your big sister? I might get jealous, you know?”

That word jealous gave me a strange, ominous chill. Was there a hidden meaning behind it…?

“Haha…”

I couldn’t tell her the truth, so I just gave a weak, awkward laugh.

She once said:

“You always laugh awkwardly when you don’t want to answer something. You don’t even try to hide it. That’s why I feel like I don’t really know you—even though we’re siblings.”

She then stared into space and added:

“I wonder… was I ever a good sister to Ban…?”

Even I, who wasn’t very fond of Seren, felt a bit sorry for her at times like that.

“But that grumpy side of you is seriously cute!”

Though she always ruined the moment by ending it with an open display of brocon behavior.

As I gave another awkward laugh, Seren sighed.

“Fine. Keep hiding everything from your sister. But if you keep that up, I’ll cry.”

“I’ll… try my best.”

“You always say that.”

Though she pouted, she didn’t press further. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice anything strange in our conversation.

Before she gets suspicious, I need to ask why she’s here and leave.

“By the way, what brings you here today?”

“Me? Obviously, I came to see my little brother.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“I searched the whole building until I found you.”

Her sunny smile carried a terrifying undertone of madness.

You insane brocon! Do you know how big this place is?!

“—Just kidding. I actually came to deliver something to the professor overseeing the exams. I arrived early and just happened to spot you.”

“I see.”

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

“But fancy running into you here! It must be fate!”

“Well, since we have the same parents, I suppose that’s just sibling fate.”

“Tch. You used to say you wanted to marry your sister when you were little.”

Just as I was wondering how long this nonsense would last, the professor overseeing the exam noticed Seren.

“Seren Astrea. What’s a third-year doing here?”

Seren dropped her playful act and answered with a composed demeanor.

“I have something to deliver.”

She handed over a sealed envelope from her inner pocket. The professor glanced at the label and tucked it away.

“Doesn’t seem urgent. I’ll look at it later. By the way…”

He turned to me as if he remembered something.

Before he could say anything, Seren beamed and said,

“This is my little brother, Ban!”

“…Ah, right. Ban Astrea. It’s about time for you to enroll at Iris Academy. I’m Hajan Lauzer. Nice to meet you.”

Though his voice was calm, I could sense contempt in Hajan’s gaze.

He was a firm believer in meritocracy. Naturally, he wouldn’t think much of someone like me, known as a weak troublemaker.

Still, I bowed politely. Then, out of nowhere, Seren boldly declared:

“This year, Ban will enter as the top student!”

Hajan chuckled dryly.

“Unfortunate for you, but the top spot’s pretty much taken. Someone already shattered the test stone—barely, but still.”

He sounded skeptical, but there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes as he looked at me.

“If Seren says that, then maybe you’re more capable than the rumors suggest, even if you don’t place first.”

“No, he will place first! Ban! Smash the test stone into pieces!”

What am I, a Pokémon?! Like I can just shatter it on command!

As Seren growled, Hajan smiled slightly.

“Looks like it’s almost your turn. We’ll find out soon enough.”

The way both of them stared at me felt incredibly burdensome.

“Haha…”

I forced a smile, but inside I sighed so deeply it could crack the ground.

What did I do to deserve this hell just for having the wrong sister…?