“I wish he was a prince!”
The extras buzz like they’re in some academy manga.
Wait, a transfer student?
A transfer student coming to the protagonist’s class is a cliché episode in Japanese school stories.
It’s an event that occurred twice in the original source material.
The problem is, out of the two transfer students in the original, we’ve already met Makoto, and the exchange student, Evangelin, isn’t supposed to arrive yet.
Evangelin shows up during the culture festival in volume 7 of the original series, but right now we’re still before that event, so there’s no way she’s a transfer student.
Wait. Maybe?
Unlike the original, she could come from the first day of the second semester.
My head is spinning at the thought of a spice-infused British princess with national pride bombing in.
Thinking about the horrific future I expect starting on the first day of the second semester is dizzying.
While I was deeply engulfed in thoughts of this grim future…
“Alright, come in! Kurosawa Haru!”
Mayuzumi-sensei gestures toward the sliding door, calling out the transfer student’s name.
Wait, Kurosawa Haru?
Yuji’s younger sister?
What is she doing transferring here?
She’s not even in high school, but in middle school!
I remember her being transferred into the middle school in the original so why?
I was flustered by this unexpected transfer student appearance.
“Kurosawa Haru, the thief cat has crawled all the way here…”
“Eriling, I can’t forgive that little devil.”
“Ziiii…”
Familiar lines echoed in my ears.
At the same time, every student’s gaze directed towards the sliding door.
Tap, tap.
With the sound of footsteps, Haru appeared from beyond the sliding door.
A two-tone, red-eyed beautiful girl with red-tipped black hair swayed her side tail gracefully and strutted confidently to the front of the class, wearing a smile.
“Miss Kurosawa Haru! Please introduce yourself!”
Mayuzumi-sensei said.
“Hehe~. Hello, everyone☆ I’m the super adorable transfer student, Kurosawa Haru. Some of you might have figured it out since our last names are the same, but I’m Yuji’s little sister. Thanks to the President’s generosity, I’ve skipped a grade and transferred to the first year of Shuo Hero Academy!”
Haru laughed, narrowing her eyes.
“Wow, an incredible beauty…”
“She’s Kurosawa’s sister?”
“Skipped a grade? Maybe she’s a genius despite appearances?”
“Totally cute!”
Haru’s statement brought a flood of familiar light novel reactions.
Seeing this, Haru winked.
“I’m glad everyone is welcoming me. But…”
With a mischievous grin, Haru hopped down from the podium.
She walked through the classroom.
Huh, what’s up?
Why is she coming towards me?
Just as I was flustered…
Glued.
She hugged me and said, “Haru and Deok-Sung oppa are already somewhat fate-bound, you know? So, please hold back on the excessive attention. Hehe~. Because Haru belongs to Deok-Sung oppa, body and soul!”
What the hell?
This is insane.
Even in a light novel world, this is too much.
Honestly, having Evangelin as the transfer student would have been way better.
Right now, I miss the national pride and spicy stir-fried noodles.
“Partner, why are you so mad?”
Did you pop out?
At the same time.
Shuo Hero Academy.
Student Council President’s office.
It wasn’t as spacious as the President’s office, but it still was a large area. A beautiful girl sat in the impressively furnished room.
With her brilliant silver hair and shimmering silver eyes, she presented a striking aristocratic appearance.
The Student Council President, entrusted with immense power and responsibility representing all students of Shuo Academy.
It was Saionji Aris.
Scratch scratch.
She swiftly handled student council documents with a pen in hand.
The cultural festival season was just around the corner.
Since it was the student council’s responsibility to oversee the festival, Aris was busier than ever.
Just as a bead of sweat trickled down her beautiful forehead.
Click.
The heavy door opened, and someone appeared.
Aris lifted her head.
There stood a boy.
A striking young man with green hair and glasses, wearing the badge of the discipline committee chair.
“Maeda Shinji? What brings you here?”
It was Maeda Shinji.
With a dissatisfied expression, Maeda Shinji trudged toward Aris.
“President, the promotion of Kurosawa Haru is nothing short of favoritism and a violation of fairness.”
“I told you, I opposed Kurosawa Haru’s promotion too, but it was approved by the chairman after the final decision,” Aris replied, her expression unfaltering.
“If that’s what you came to say…”
“That’s not all. Kim Deok-Sung, the so-called Black Beast… You, President, are extending excessive favor to that lewd and vulgar commoner from some obscure nation in the Far East. You, who should be the fairest of all. There are even ridiculous rumors that you and that vulgar commoner are in some scandalous relationship…”
“Enough.”
Aris cut him off, clearly displeased. Her face flushed slightly.
“…That’s not favoritism, but a necessary and just reward for the accomplishments that Kim Deok-Sung has achieved. The chairman approved it, and there are no issues.”
Aris’s voice wavered slightly.
“Moreover, I have never… had such a scoundrel relationship with him. These rumors are just that—rumors, baseless nonsense. Discipline Chair.”
Her heart raced wildly.
‘Why…?’
It was just that he was speaking ill of him.
She was merely mentioning ridiculous rumors.
Her emotions were in turmoil beyond imagination.
Aris bit her lip, trying to suppress her pounding heart.
“If that’s your answer, I understand.”
Maeda Shinji said coldly, his expression hardening.
“Is that all you have to say? Discipline Chair.”
Aris glared at Shinji with an icy expression and frozen gaze.
Seeing her expression, Shinji flinched.
“Indeed. Have a good day.”
Clack.
With a businesslike response, Shinji closed the door to the Student Council President’s office and walked out.
He glanced around.
No one was in the hallway.
After confirming that fact, his face twisted in frustration.
‘Damn it, you rural bumpkin… How dare you, this commoner from the Far East, curry favor with me, Maeda Shinji?!’
Unacceptable.
The Black Beast Kim Deok-Sung and that rural bumpkin Aris who hangs out with him.
‘She should have been mine…’
A vision of Aris floated before Maeda Shinji.
He had once loved her.
She, Saionji Aris, with her noble and elegant demeanor and cultured speech, was the only student he deemed worthy of being his partner, not falling short even compared to him, the heir to the 2nd largest conglomerate in Japan, the Maeda Conglomerate.
When he heard the rumor that such a person had fallen for some unheard-of punk known as Black Beast, it felt like the world was crumbling.
So, he used the Maeda Conglomerate’s power to investigate.
Everything about the Black Beast.
In that process, Maeda Shinji confronted an uncomfortable truth he didn’t wish to know.
That Saionji Aris was not the noble young lady she appeared to be, but just a countryside outcast girl from Wakayama Prefecture.
The fact that she was a rural outcast girl.
“How dare you deceive me, Maeda Shinji, and to top it off, associate with that punk… Ugh.”
Filthy, vulgar, chaotic, and debauched.
“I just confirmed it through that conversation. Saionji Aris, a promiscuous woman like you is unworthy to be my bride.”
At this point, even if I had to exact revenge for being fooled.
To avenge the betrayal of choosing that punk over me.
I would make her my slave.
For that, Maeda Shinji was even willing to shake hands with the devil.
Thinking this, he gritted his teeth and picked up his phone.
[Do you want to get revenge on her and the Black Beast?]
A message from an unknown sender flashed on his phone.
Maeda Shinji typed a response with trembling fingers on the smartphone screen.
*
The moment Haru suddenly hugged me.
A brief silence enveloped the classroom.
“Ooooooh! Black Beast! What the heck!”
“Did you just add another member to your harem?”
“Hey now, are you already finished conquering…?”
“At this point, that’s amazing! I’m starting to respect you!”
“Unconsciously increasing the harem members! We should start calling you the Black Harem King instead.”
“The Black Harem King… Just how far are you planning to go? It’s terrifying…”
The extras’ reactions echoed in my ears.
My head hurt.
[Wow, partner. What a wild initiation!]
The cheerful voice of the Black Prince resonated in my head.
Damn it.
This was something Evangelin did in the original story.
Wait, if Evangelin comes as an exchange student, am I going to have to experience this again?
“Dukseong oppa. Introducing my super cute little sister Haru☆. Did you miss me, oppa? I mean, like, totally. Nishishishi.”
“Get off me. Just… move.”
I push Haru away.
“Sheeeesh…”
Makoto, sitting next to me, glares at Haru.
An onomatopoeic sound escapes from Makoto’s mouth.
Haru’s expression weirdly shifts seeing that.
Clink.
A sound rings from the metallic bracelet on Haru’s wrist.
She giggles, covering her painted fingers with multicolored nail polish.
“Nishishishi…”
Thump.
Haru slaps the desk with her palm using her other hand.
“Makopi, you’re still making that weird noise? Are you jealous of Haru? Afraid of becoming the losing heroine? So cute.”
A smile spreads across Haru’s face.
“L-losing heroine? W-wait, that…”
Makoto stutters, flustered.
Her face turns red.
Makoto’s eyes flicker.
Haru laughs.
“Don’t worry. I’m super generous, so even if I become the main wife, I won’t abandon the other sisters. Harem allowed, you see. Nishishishi.”
Tap tap.
She nudges my shoulder.
Haru whispers sweetly in my ear.
“So, how about it? Dukseong oppa? Aren’t you happy? Haru knows your lustful desires better than anyone. I’m your very own super☆main wife.”
Harem allowed, huh.
What the heck am I hearing right now?
My head is spinning.
“Stop talking nonsense and sit down. While I’m being nice about it.”
“Nishishishi. Dukseong oppa, actually this super cute little sister Haru is like, so good. You’re just not being honest. Silly ♡ tsundere ♥.”
With no sign of caring about what I said, Haru giggles as she returns to her seat.
[She’s a fierce opponent, partner.]
The Black Prince says in a serious tone in my head.
“That transfer student, isn’t her character a bit too unique?”
“Harem allowed…?”
“Her actions and words completely defy our common sense…”
Even the extras, who often discussed absurd ideas, were shocked.
What should I even do about her moving forward?
I’m losing my mind, for real.
As I was deep in thought.
“Now that the transfer student’s introduction is over, Mayuzumi-sensei will summarize today’s announcements!”
Clap.
Mayuzumi-sensei claps her hands.
With her clap, silence fell over the classroom.
All students’ gazes were fixed on Mayuzumi-sensei.
“The cultural festival period will start soon!”
The cultural festival at Shuo Hero Academy takes place in September.
“The cultural festival along with the sports festival is the only external opening event at the academy! Since many guests come from outside, thorough preparation is needed from all students!”
Teacher Mayuzumi smiles.
The cultural festival event at Shuo Hero Academy is pretty standard.
Each class and club prepares events like plays and daytime cafes to welcome outside guests, a typical trope of Japanese school stories.
However, since Shuo Hero Academy is one of the most famous schools in Japan, the cultural festival naturally attracts a large number of external visitors—it’s a massive event that goes beyond a regular school festival.
With so many external visitors, it’s inevitable that security gaps will appear, and taking advantage of this, the New World League prepares a terrorist attack with the help of a supporting insider, the student council president Maeda Shinji.
This outlines the basic story of the cultural festival episode in Volume 7.
Maeda Shinji.
The student council president and the academy’s prince, ranking second after Aris, is a formidable character who has reached the stage of True Name Liberation.
The main villain of Volume 7 is a character who’s in unrequited love with Saionji Aris.
However, the Aris he loved is, after all, the perfect, superhuman student council president.
Upon realizing Aris’s true identity, he becomes disappointed in her country girl persona and deteriorates into a villain, aiming to turn her from a lover into a possession, a slave, collaborating with villains to execute an academy terror.
Anyway, true to light novel characters, his way of thinking is far from normal.
If one knows the reality, they could potentially prevent the conspiracy by Maeda Shinji beforehand.
But is that really the best course of action?
As revealed at the end of Volume 7, the New World League had originally planned the attack on Shuo Hero Academy’s cultural festival regardless of whether Maeda Shinji was involved.
His assistance merely made their attack a bit easier; in other words, the cultural festival attack was bound to happen regardless of his presence.
His role was given as a disposable villain to contrast with the protagonist, who accepts Aris’s true self without prejudice.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Thus, the real main villain of Volume 7 from a physical standpoint lies elsewhere.
A member of the 13 Apostles, the S-rank villain Trickster.
He is the real main villain of the cultural festival episode.
Moreover, unlike the original work, nearly half of the 13 Apostles have already been handled differently.
With their plans significantly hindered compared to the original and Messiah, that crazy guy, having acquired information about an ideal through Golden Magic, it’s uncertain how aggressively he might act next.
However, there’s no benefit in poking at Maeda Shinji just to provoke the New World League.
Among the 13 Apostles, there are only four EX-rank villains.
Messiah’s closest associates, dubbed ‘the worst of the worst,’ have power comparable to Five Crowns, and a member of the villain group ‘Four Horsemen’ could make a direct appearance.
If even one of these high-ranking executive members from the Four Horsemen shows up at this point, it could genuinely destroy the entire academy.
So, any engagement needs to be cautious.
There’s no need for me to provoke even bigger disasters by touching Maeda Shinji.
Rational judgment leans this way, but emotionally it feels unpleasant.
Maeda Shinji.
He has an annoying look, resembling a certain club ace, and with his split personality and personality troubles, that piece of work was the top disliked character even in the original.
In a vote for least likable characters, it was a heart-pounding showdown for the title of the ultimate disliked character against Kim Deok-Sung.
Though both characters share a ‘disliked’ label, while Kim Deok-Sung, with his rogue impression, was a protagonist who thrived in NTR stories with cult popularity, Maeda Shinji, from his design alone, gives off that annoying club prince vibe, and his underground popularity is nonexistent.
“Just you wait and see.”
