For the next three days, I lived an ideal life.
The perfect solo life—!
A villainous noble with an already atrocious reputation had hurled a torrent of abuse at the welcome party. My status as a dangerous individual was now firmly established, and not a single soul was eccentric enough to approach me.
It was wonderful.
Accumulating any more hate than this would be risky, so I decided to spend the rest of my days in peace.
I dedicated the freedom I had gained to the library.
Enormous bookshelves stretched all the way to the ceiling. Between the countless volumes, the students reading in silence, and the scent of old paper and ink—it was a true treasure trove of knowledge.
The children of the nobility who would one day lead the kingdom studied here. I would expect nothing less.
However, I was only interested in one specific book—the Ancient Magic Book that had been misplaced among the stacks. The problem was that I didn’t know the title.
In the game, searching the right spot simply triggered a message like: "You found an Ancient Magic Book! You learned Ancient Magic!" It never specified a name.
I had been able to identify the Heavenly Emperor’s Book back at the mansion because it was hidden in a special location, a secret room. But this was a vast library.
With this many books to sort through...
...A brute-force search is my only option.
Fortunately, judging by the pattern of the Heavenly Emperor’s Book, there was a high probability the title was related to the sealed magic. I decided to prioritize my search based on that theory.
It would be a grueling task, but that was fine. I had all the time in the world.
Besides, even if I picked the wrong book, the knowledge within would still be mine. Nothing was ever truly a waste. It would all serve as the foundation for the great talent known as Albert.
One day, while I was rummaging through the shelves as usual—
"Albert-san, what are you doing in a place like this?"
A familiar voice called out from behind me.
Just hearing it made my spine turn to ice.
I turned around slowly, fearfully, to find Princess Eliana standing there. She wore an elegant smile, one perfectly befitting royalty.
—Why was Eliana here?
No, more importantly, why was she talking to me?
Her impression of me should be the absolute worst.
"Is it a crime for a student to study?"
Since we were fellow students at the same academy, I figured I didn't need to use formal honorifics. It wasn't as if I wanted to become friends, anyway.
I immediately broke eye contact and looked back down at the book I had pulled from the shelf. My attitude signaled that I had no interest in her whatsoever.
But the inquisitive princess did not flinch; instead, she closed the distance between us.
"Indeed. I have heard that you have been quite the bookworm for the past five years."
Five years ago—
That was true, but how did she know about that?
"Who knows?"
"There is no point in hiding it. Not just your studies, but your very attitude. It is as if you became a different person entirely. Am I wrong?"
"—!"
Perhaps pleased that I had looked up, she gave me a composed, knowing smile.
How did she know so much?
...Well, it wasn't as if I had explicitly hidden it; I just hadn't gone around telling people. It was information anyone could find if they intentionally looked for it, but—
"...It’s true that I reformed my behavior. Why do you care?"
"I make it my business to be well-informed about people who interest me."
...What a suggestive way to put it.
I see. Come to think of it, even in the game, Princess Eliana was inexplicably well-informed about Hero Leon. People assumed it was because he was the Hero, but she knew the most trivial things—like his taste in women or which part of his body he washed first in the bath.
...Could it be that I was next?
How terrifying!
No, more than that, her statement was problematic. A person of interest? Me?
Wait, wait, wait. My whole goal was to be hated.
"It pains me to see a hard worker like you being misunderstood by everyone."
"...What is that supposed to mean?"
"Even though you are no longer the Albert of old, the other students still cling to that image. Perhaps it would help if I, the Princess, put in a good word for you?"
Albert-kun has turned over a new leaf and is actually a sparkling, wonderful person! Everyone, let's be friends with him!
It felt like the prologue to some saccharine youth drama was about to start.
"...Why go that far?"
"As a token of gratitude. On the day of the welcome party, you hurled insults at everyone, but it is a fact that those words saved me. I was quite tired of being crowded myself."
Eliana giggled like a child who had just been caught playing a prank.
"Your words were far too sharp, but they captured a side of the truth. I simply felt it wasn't right for someone like you to have your reputation tarnished."
It was an offer so gracious I could have cried—but I immediately shook my head.
"I don't need it. Don't say anything of the sort."
"And why not?"
"I’m fine exactly as I am. Don't do anything unnecessary. I want to be hated. I have my own goals to pursue."
I shoved the book I was holding back into the shelf.
Any further contact was undesirable. I wanted to erase my existence from her mind entirely. I gathered the books I had selected.
"Don't worry about me. I have no interest in you, Princess. See ya."
I forcibly cut the conversation short and walked away.
"I understand, Albert. If that is what you wish, I shall do nothing."
I heard her voice trailing after me.
—Good grief.
I let out a long, heavy sigh. I had managed to escape, but it was clear Eliana was interested in me. This was a massive oversight.
Where did I go wrong...?
While continuing my search for Ancient Magic, I was going to have to revise the script I had written for my life.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
Eliana watched Albert’s retreating back with a daring smile on her lips.
—Interesting.
Truly interesting. Since the social party a year ago, she had taken an interest in Albert and had conducted a continuous investigation into his activities.
The results had far exceeded her imagination.
Over the last five years, Albert had changed completely.
His reputation in the Kronstadt Territory was excellent. The maids were unanimous in their praise, claiming, "The young master is so kind." She had heard the local citizens were equally grateful for Albert’s compassionate leadership.
Up until five years ago, he had been violent and selfish—the very embodiment of a noble's worst traits.
It was as if he had literally become a different person.
He had also devoted himself intensely to his magical studies, acquiring a level of skill that even the famous tutor Claude recognized.
Claude had even been quoted saying: "Oh, the bliss of receiving the young master's surging magical power within this body!" To force such words from a master of his stature was no small feat.
Over the past year, every new piece of information Eliana uncovered about Albert brought a fresh wave of excitement. The more she investigated, the more the man named Albert was shrouded in mystery.
The most shocking revelation had occurred just before his enrollment at the Academy.
Eight Wyverns that had ambushed the Knights Order had been annihilated by a simultaneous strike of eight lightning bolts.
The knights and the commoners had been overjoyed, attributing it to divine protection or a miracle.
But Eliana could not accept such a simplistic hypothesis.
It made far more sense to believe that an individual had used some sort of power to achieve it.
For instance, that Albert had been the one to do it—even if that felt like a leap of logic.
(No, it isn't a leap at all.)
Albert possessed immense magical talent. This had been clear for over five years, proven by his heterochromatic eyes.
Until five years ago, he had lacked the effort to use that talent.
But what about the Albert who had been working tirelessly for the last five years?
(It feels... right.)
If it were that genius, it wouldn't be out of place.
Yet even so, a mystery remained. At the very least, Eliana knew of no spell capable of producing lightning that could slaughter eight Wyverns simultaneously.
...It would have been ideal if she could have coaxed the truth out of him, but that seemed impossible.
His absolute secrecy and rejection of others...
Unconsciously, Eliana licked her lips. Being an inquisitive soul, she was the type who found a certain pleasure in digging up the secrets others tried so hard to hide.
(I will find out what you're hiding, I promise.)
Eliana was far more interested in Albert than in Hero Leon.
In fact, that interest was the reason she had been caught by those boring nobles at the welcome party. She had hesitated between following Hero Leon or approaching Albert. That split second of indecision had cost her the opportunity.
(The Demon King’s Awakening is near. Your power might just be a vital key, wouldn't you say?)
Eliana softly placed the "Albert" piece onto the game board in her mind.