CH 2

I have been having strange dreams since I was young.

Hanna's dream about her dog dyi...

Scenes of being packed into an iron box and taken somewhere. Showcases that glittered and shone. I found myself running around frantically, trying to keep up with unreasonable demands.

A single book gave me a ray of comfort in such daily life.

I realized that they were memories from my past life as soon as I entered the academy.

–

“Take a look. That person is the rumored Flora Hermeia.”

At the Royal Academy’s entrance party, a certain young lady whispered to “her”, and that was the beginning of everything.

“Despite being an orphan, the Baron family took her in because she had magical abilities. Oh dear…  You can’t help smelling her commoner smell.”

The young lady shook her head with disgust. And that was when “Margaery” saw her—Flora—for the first time.

Certainly, she looked shabby overall. The material wasn’t bad, but her hairstyle was far from fashionable, and even her uniform didn’t fit properly for some reason.

Perhaps she had never been to a party before. She didn’t touch the food or drink and was huddled in a corner of the hall, looking troubled.

——At that moment, a passage from a story suddenly fell into her head like a revelation.

‘Flora was lonely. As a commoner suddenly thrown into the world of nobles, she had no friends who would smile kindly at her. Despite the glamorous setting, her heart was filled with gloomy thoughts.’

(…Huh? …Hmmm?)

Why did she remember that book? As she thought about that, Margaery became even more flustered. What was ‘that book’? Where did she see the cover that briefly came to mind?

Blinking her eyes, Margaery looked around. This was the Royal Academy, where the children of nobles attended. And it was the setting of ‘that book’. With that thought, Margaery’s head began to spin rapidly.

Flora Hermeia. She was the protagonist of ‘Cinderella Suddenly’, a romance novel that Margaery was obsessed with in her past life.

Past life. The idea was so sudden that it made her feel dizzy. However, it was clear that it was not a dream or delusion. Flora was the protagonist, and her partner was Prince Serge, who was in the same grade. The name of the hated villainess who interfered with the two was…

“Oh? Margaery-sama, what’s wrong?

“Your face is pale?”

“O-ohoho. I’m just a little tired.”

Margaery vaguely responded to the concerned young ladies while her eyes wandered.

Margaery Du Noel. She was a daughter of the Noel Marquis family and the beloved daughter of Jordan Du Noel, who served as the Prime Minister of this country. As the most suitable lady to be engaged to Prince Serge, she was a rival who stood in the way of Flora.

(Wait, wait!? The Marquis family, the Prime Minister’s daughter, it all matches up!?)

The knowledge from her past life and the memories of the 15 years she had lived as Margaery fit together like a puzzle. It was a situation that was not at all funny.

If the novel was correct, Margaery would take various measures to expel Flora from the academy. However, in the final scene of the first part, at the graduation party, she would be exposed for her misdeeds in front of everyone and ‘expelled’.

After various twists and turns, Margaery ultimately met a self-inflicted and unavoidable tragic end.

Margaery stumbled, but in the next moment, she regained her composure and stood up straight.

(~~~It’s unbelievable, but it’s fortunate that I can remember my past life now. There’s only one thing to do. I can’t be careless!)

Aim for the escape route from the destruction route. Aim for an escape from the villainy role.

In the next moment, Margaery leaped in front of Flora!

“Well, well, Flora-sama. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Margaery of the Noel family. Let’s get to know each other from now on. Have you already eaten the food? Let’s toast as a sign of getting closer.”

“U-um, nice to meet you…!”

“By the way, your uniform seems a bit big… If you like, I can give you mine. Don’t worry. I made too many of them and was in trouble.”

“Eh? U-um…”

“By the way, what are your plans for the weekend? There’s a salon I go to. There’s a trendy hairstyle that would suit you perfectly, Flora-sama.”

“R-Really!?”

“And also.”

Margaery leaned in close to Flora’s ear, whose eyes widened in surprise, and whispered softly.

“Please be careful. Flora-sama seems to have attracted a bit of attention.”

When she glanced at the group that had been speaking ill of her, Flora’s face was clouded with anxiety. To reassure her, Margaery lightly placed her hand on her chest.

“It’s okay. If I’m by your side, no one can easily lay a hand on you. So, Flora-sama, let’s become friends. I guarantee a comfortable school life for you, okay?”

It sounded like a scam, but she was serious. After all, her future was at stake.

Securing the position of the protagonist’s best friend was Margaery’s strategy, which she established in an instant.

The first premise was not to bully Flora.

However, it was not enough to simply refrain from interfering.

From the status of being the “Noel family’s daughter” and the “Prime Minister’s daughter,” rumors of Margaery’s engagement with Serge had been circulating even before they entered school.

If Flora were to be bullied by someone, Margaery would be the first to be suspected. Therefore, the only way was to become friends with Flora to the extent that she would not be suspected as the culprit.

“Y-Yes, I’d be happy to…?”

Flora was confused but extended her hand shyly. When Margaery shook her hand, a bell rang in her mind.

From then on, Margaery fought for three years.

She actively interacted with Flora, became her best friend, sometimes defeated the second and third villainous daughters and drove them away, and even acted as a cupid for Serge and Flora’s relationship.

And so, in the autumn of their third year, Margaery finally succeeded in getting Serge and Flora together. Of course, she made sure to remind them of who the biggest contributor was.

In other words, the scene that surprised the students at the party tonight was the result of Margaery’s three years of hard work!