âRei, Iâve heard it? You caught Claire-samaâs eye immediately after enrollingâ
The one asking me in a mature husky voice is my roommate, Misha Yule.
With her composed atmosphere and adult beauty, Misha shook her long straight silver hair and sat down on her bed.
Weâre in Mishaâs and my room in the Royal Academy dormitory.
In a room the size of ten tatami mats thereâs a desk for each of us and a bunk bed, in addition simple furniture that doesnât take much space is arranged.
Although the atmosphere is considerably different from modern Japanese dormitories due to everything being an antique, the essence doesnât change.
ãRevolutionãis set in a prestigious school thatâs number one in the country, the Royal Academy, itâs a boarding school.
In reality there are various factors like social standing or financial assets, but officially all students are treated equally, with every student assigned a double room.
Misha is my, the heroineâs, roommate, the so-called best friend whoâs helpful one way or another.
âCaught her eye, rather, I had myself catch her eyeâ
â⦠What are you doing, youâ
Misha sighed looking at me with astonished eyes.
âYou shouldnât involve yourself much with François family. A commoner like you would really do anythingâ
Claireâs family, François house, is this countryâs foremost noble house.
For generations, theyâve worked at the top of Ministry of Finance, after the Kingâs and Prime Ministerâs houses, it can be considered the number three house of this country.
On the contrary, since many of them marry into the Royal Family, thereâs an evaluation that in reality they are on top.
With my origin as a commoner, Iâm as insignificant as dust.
As for why a commoner like me attends a school with such a high-class person, it has to do with national affairs of this country.
Although the world of ãRevolutionã resembles medieval Europe, the government of Bauer Kingdom, where the story is set, has been showing the signs of corruption.
In this country, the important posts were hereditary among the aristocracy and high ranking officials were hired through personal connections.
The gap between nobility and commoners has steadily increased, and the growing dissatisfaction of commoners with the government became impossible to ignore.
Therefore, the King set forth to adopt meritocracy.
He devised a policy where assignments are based on the ability, regardless of social standing or financial assets.
Scholarship system in the Royal Academy is a part of that policy.
If they have the ability, students who canât receive higher education due to financial problems are aided by the country with the enrollment into the Royal Academy.
And one of the students under that system is me, the heroine.
âBut look, Misha. I like Claire-sama very muchâ
âThat selfish lady? Rei has changed a lot. But, what do you plan to do about her antipathy? As far as nobles are concerned, we, the scholarship students, are intolerable upstartsâ
Although the scholarship system gained support of commoners, it was badly received by nobles.
Thereâs a pragmatic aspect of retaining vested interests, but more than anything, for nobles who sentimentally respect tradition and social status, itâs unpardonable for commoners to attend the prestigious school called the Royal Academy.
Incidentally, Misha is also a scholarship student.
Sheâs from a fallen noble house, the social standing of her house isnât that low even if they struggle with money now.
Due to experiencing downfall and its reality being visible to other nobles, she became very reliable.
Because she went to the same secondary school as the commoner me, she can evaluate me without bias.
âI donât mind being disliked. Rather, itâs what I wish for. Itâs much better than being avoidedâ
âI think thereâs something really wrong with youâ
âHey hey, whatâs the best course of action to take to spend even a little more time with Claire-sama?â
âThis child, I wonder if sheâs always been such a troublesome childâ¦â
Although Misha held her head as if having headache, she soon said.
âShouldnât you become someone who Claire-sama canât ignore?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âIsnât Claire-samaâs pride high? Sheâs the type unable to settle down if she isnât the number one. Thatâs why, if you polish yourself and demonstrate your ability, I donât think Claire-sama will be able to ignore itâ
âThatâs it!â
Itâs so simple.
If I behave like in game, Claire-sama wonât ignore me.
âMisha, thank you. As I thought, you are reliableâ
â⦠I wonder why. Youâre grateful for being taught how to be dislikedâ
Misha seems unable to hide her bewilderment, well, it makes sense.
The current course is decided.
Iâll do my best at the academic life and be bullied by Claire-sama.
No, rather, Iâll get myself bullied with vigor.
âBeing bullied by Claire-sama every day⦠What a blissâ
âReally, whatâs wrong with youâ¦â