“Seira, this year’s spring and autumn…”
“Not my mom, but my grandmother?”
“No matter how you look at it, she looks like a woman in her 30s, not a grandmother!”
“Hey, Grandma! Let go, would you!”
Aris wriggles free from her grandmother’s embrace.
Seeing this, Aris’ grandmother covers her mouth and laughs.
“Oh dear, Aris, you’re still so shy, aren’t you?”
“Ugh…”
Aris’s face turns bright red at her grandmother’s words.
She bites her lip and backs away.
“Anyway, I’m not a kid anymore!”
Just as she lets out a sigh internally, Aris’ grandmother catches my eye.
Aris’ grandmother smiles.
“Oh dear, so you’re Kim Deok-Sung? I’ve heard so much about you from my granddaughter. Hehe.”
Grab!
Aris’s grandmother grabs my hand as soon as we meet.
She brings one hand to her cheek and says,
“As expected, you really look quite dependable; my granddaughter only talks about you, I thought I’d get eardrums from it…”
“Grandma!”
I can hear Aris’s voice from behind.
She says this with a flushed face.
“When did I only talk about Kim Deok-Sung…”
Aris stammers, still looking down.
“Oh dear, didn’t you say only Kim-kun during every call since you came back from Kyoto? Don’t you remember?”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Come on… so shy… Hehe.”
Tap tap.
Her gaze, which had been on Aris’s shoulder, shifts to Seira.
She releases my hand.
“Oh dear, who is this little one?”
I really want to stop hearing that “oh dear” phrase.
Damn, sounds like a light novel cliché.
Swipe swipe.
Aris pats Seira’s head.
“You’re really cute. Could it be A-chan? Have you already…”
“What nonsense are you talking about! Grandma!”
Aris yells at her grandmother.
“Princess, you really have cute clothes too.”
Not bothering with anything else, Aris’s grandmother keeps patting Seira’s head.
“P-Princess…?”
Seira’s face turns red upon hearing that title.
A smile appears on her face.
“Ahem. I suppose I do seem a little like a princess.”
A 15-year-old beautiful girl exterior patting the head of a 30-something grandmother exterior; what on earth am I looking at?
My head is spinning.
“Grandma! No, Granny! That’s so rude to say! This lady is currently the principal of Shuo Hero Academy, the ‘White Empress’ Yoshizaki Seira!”
Just then, I hear Aris’s voice in my ear.
Aris, still blushing on her face, resets her tone and speaks with a forced composure.
Hearing Aris, her grandmother, surprised, pulls her hands away from her head.
“W-What? This little girl is the White Empress? Oh my! Even if I’m a countryside grandma clueless about the world, that’s too much of a prank.”
Tap, tap.
The grandmother chuckles, tapping Aris on the shoulder.
Seira’s lips twitch at being called a child.
She seems pleased to be treated like a little girl.
[Oh my, sister, what happened…]
The Black Prince trails off upon witnessing this.
“Uh… it’s true, Grandma.”
Aris speaks once more with a serious expression in a tiny voice.
Grandma tilts her head at those words.
“Really? My granddaughter isn’t the type to lie…”
As Grandma mutters to herself, her gaze shifts to Seira.
“Is it true? Are you really Yoshizaki Seira, the White Empress who holds the highest rank in the Five Crowns?”
Her eyes fixated on Seira.
It’s hard to forget that Seira is, after all, part of the five heroes who saved humanity during the great calamity, and the only surviving member of the Five Crowns.
No wonder the Association President Ichiro doesn’t dare mess with her.
Whoosh.
Seira elegantly opens her fan.
Swish.
She takes out a business card from her pocket and hands it over.
“Ahem. Yes, that’s me, Yoshizaki Seira. Though I’m lacking, I do hold the position of Principal at Shuo Hero Academy.”
Aris’ grandmother, startled, accepts the card with wide eyes, her face tinged with red.
Hugging Seira tightly, it’s quite a sight: a grandmother in her 30s embracing a girl who appears to be just 15.
Now everything is confusing.
“Ahh! Is it really you, Yoshizaki Seira? I’ve been a fan since you were with the Five Crowns 30 years ago!”
“Ahem. Yes, I am a bit impressive, aren’t I?”
Seira, blushing in the grandmother’s embrace, has a smug expression.
“Seira-sama.”
“Why do you call me?”
The grandmother’s eyes sparkle brightly.
“Can I call you ‘sister’?”
Upon hearing this, Seira’s face stiffens.
Cold sweat drips down Seira’s forehead.
“Uh, sister? What a ridiculous…”
Seira rarely stutters.
Her face appears tense.
“Aren’t you Aris’ grandmother?”
It seems she doesn’t want to be called sister.
Grandma Seira tilts her head, puzzled.
“Oh? Isn’t Seira-sama older than me? I clearly heard that this year Seira-sama is…”
“Stop!”
Seira blushes and puffs her cheeks.
She shakes her head.
“Isn’t it unnecessary to speak of age? A-and there are children too…”
Seira appears noticeably flustered.
Thanks to the setting book, I’m just rolling my eyes at her real age.
“But about your age…”
“Ah, please don’t say that.”
Seira desperately tries to prevent age leakage with a serious expression.
She lightly flutters her fan.
“Well. Fine. Though I am still quite young and a cute beautiful girl, I’ll take it as a compliment that I have the mature charm to be called sister.”
The tip of Seira’s fan quivers.
The tip of the fan trembles lightly.
Her cheeks flush a deep red.
[Hey, sis… if you keep making excuses like that, you really do look older…]
The Black Prince sighs in my head.
For once, he’s right.
Strong denial is a strong affirmation; that’s why she looks older.
“Feel free to call me ‘sister.’”
“Really?! Thank you, Yoshizaki Onee-chan!”
Hugging tightly.
Aris’s grandmother pulls Seira in for another embrace.
“Th-that’s not true! I’m not older than you!”
Seira desperately tries to hide her age until the end.
What a sight that draws a sigh from me.
Just then, in that moment of thought.
“Grandma.”
Aris speaks up.
“Yes?”
“…Is Mother doing well?”
At Aris’s question, her grandmother finally releases Seira from her grip.
Freed, Seira catches her breath, her face still flushed.
“Ah… yeah. She’s been cheering herself on since yesterday, waiting for our granddaughter. We should all head inside.”
Aris’s grandmother speaks in a slightly calmer voice than before.
After hearing her answer, Aris nods.
“Understood. Seira Onee-chan. Kim Deok-Sung, everyone, let’s go inside.”
Seira nods at Aris’s words.
What a sight to be called “onee-chan” by both granddaughter and grandmother at the same time.
I’ve never even seen this kind of scene in the original work.
Today, I’m witnessing numerous strangely precious sights.
And so, I finally stepped into Aris’s hometown.
*
At the same time.
Shuo Hero Academy.
Cooking Club Room.
The room, darkened like a secret meeting space plotting world domination, is drawn with blackout curtains covering the windows.
[Emergency Call for Participants in the 1st Harem Plan]
A banner scrawled in crooked crayon hangs on the wall.
Thud.
Olivia sits at the table, wearing a serious expression under the lights.
Next to her are Rin, Eri, Makoto, Kasumi, Beatrice, and Evangelin.
Above the table rests a mountain of snacks and drinks.
The first to break the heavy silence is Beatrice.
Fiddling with her eyepatch, she mutters in a dissatisfied voice.
“Why am I here when I’m not even a participant in the opening plan…?”
“Shh. Keep it quiet.”
Evangelin presses her finger against Beatrice’s lips.
Beatrice’s complaints are lightly suppressed by Evangelin.
Watching this, Olivia crosses her arms and speaks up.
“That fool ended up going off with the senpai in charge. We promised, so it can’t be helped, but… it’s still frustrating.”
Olivia pouts as she speaks.
“Still, it’s a relief that the Director went with them, right, Eri?”
In response to Olivia’s comment, Eri, who was trimming her nails, answers.
“The laundry board is right. If they’d gone alone without the Director… I don’t even want to imagine.”
Rin furrows her brows.
Everyone nods at Rin’s words.
Saionji Aris.
A powerful rival that emerged after the culture festival.
Thank goodness the Director came along; the thought of just the two of them going is terrifying to imagine.
Thud.
Olivia slaps the table.
“Enough of that! Worrying about what’s already happened is pointless!”
“Then why did you call us here?”
At Olivia’s remark, Rin raises a question.
Olivia is the one who called today’s meeting.
“I may have generously agreed to participate in your little plan, but that doesn’t mean I’m satisfied with you all. You’re still lacking. By my standards as your dedicated maid, you’re underwhelming!”
“I’m saying it’s below standard based on my criteria!”
Olivia states seriously.
“Below standard? What kind of standard is that, Your Highness?”
Eri raises her hand and asks in response to Olivia’s statement.
To Eri’s words, Olivia replies:
“It’s the Awakening of True Names.”
The words “Awakening of True Names” make everyone flinch.
The only one unfazed is Shinozaki Rin, who has already awakened her True Name.
Olivia continues:
“Kamiyama, Nishizawa, Hoshino-senpai… Everyone here except Shinozaki has not yet awakened their True Names. Even now, an unknown dark force is targeting that fool. So if we want to protect that fool, I believe at least awakening our True Names is essential.”
Everyone heavily nods in response to Olivia’s words.
There was no fault in her statement.
From the beginning of the first semester until now, Kim Deok-Sung has been entangled with an extraordinarily suspicious dark force, to the extent that he was blatantly targeted during the Seoul revival camp.
In such a situation, awakening True Names was essential for their protection.
“Princess Bonaparte! The girl has already awakened her True Name since last summer school!”
At that moment, Evangelin raises her hand excitedly.
“Oh really? Then let’s correct it to three, including Princess Stewart. Anyway, if you truly love him, you shouldn’t be an obstacle to him. It’s natural that a woman who can protect is more attractive than one who just gets protected!”
Bang!
Olivia slams her hand on the table, bursting with fervor.
She dramatically places her hand on her chest.
“Therefore, from now on, Shinozaki and I will start special training for all of you! I won’t accept any complaints or objections! Princess Stewart, you participate too!”
Clap, clap, clap!
The first to react to Olivia’s decision for special training is Eri.
She claps her hands and winks at Olivia.
“I will follow the princess’s decision! From now on, I will protect my Master!”
“I too, shall become the true sword of my lord!”
“Although the junior is a bad guy, he’s someone I need to protect! I will also follow Princess Bonaparte’s decision!”
Following Eri, Makoto and Kasumi also vow to join.
Watching this, Olivia crosses her arms.
“Hmph. Such an obvious answer! I’m completely unbothered.”
Olivia’s gaze falls on Beatrice, who is munching on snacks.
Twitch.
Olivia’s eyebrow twitches.
“Hey you!”
Pointing a finger at Evangelin and Beatrice, Olivia says, “Trixie Smith? You’ll join the special training too! You should be grateful that I’m allowing you to join. Got it?!”
Gulp.
Suddenly forced into the training, Beatrice gulps nervously.
“That contractor? Aren’t we excluded from this gathering?”
“Oh, come on, Trixie. This is all about enthusiasm. Hehe. Let’s ride this wave and join the gathering too!”
Evangelin giggles, covering her mouth.
As someone already infatuated with Kim Deok-Sung, she had no reason to refuse joining the harem plan.
Seeing Evangelin say that makes Beatrice’s body tremble.
“I absolutely do not want this!!”
“Refusing to join the training is not accepted!”
However, Beatrice’s objections had no effect, and thus the heroine special training began.
