“I want you to smile. If possible, I don’t want you to cry. I’ll do anything to prevent that. …I probably thought that the moment I saw you crying that night.”

According to David’s friends, that commoner transfer student couldn’t read the mood. He was a nuisance who suddenly interfered with the decade-long love story of a prince and a fairy princess.

“…What nuisance? Isn’t he just the hero?”

The day after the wind magic exam, the infamous Geo Wales stood in front of David’s classroom. Together with Lithia Album, the one who was touted by the male students as the prince’s Fairy Princess.

She was probably thanking him for helping her with her wind magic practice. However, when asked if there was anything she could do in return for him, such was his reply.

To David, that scene was reminiscent of a romance between a princess and a hero, a hero who was neither a prince nor a noble.

But so what?

Just because he didn’t have status, he didn’t deserve love?

Didn’t Prince Andrew and his entourage deride women who only cared about status?

“Ugh, just how dull-witted is that commoner?”

“What is he saying when he ruined the magic practice she was supposed to do with His Highness? He wants her to smile, he said. If he truly means that, he wouldn’t be intervening with their romance.”

However, the impressions of his friends, who witnessed the exact same scene, were the polar opposite of David’s.

To them, Geo had ruined the meticulous preparations of Prince Andrew who intended to practice magic with Lithia. That transfer student meddled even though he could only use light magic.

Such was the opinion of his male friend.

Even if David refuted it, he only tilted his head in return. “As if the commoner can triumph over the prince.”

All David could do was prevent his friend from giving a piece of his mind to Geo right then and there.

There was nothing he could do beyond that. He didn’t have the precise words to convince everyone, nor the courage to openly defy the prince of a kingdom.

Since when did I make such a mistake…?

“…Hair so white it resembles an old woman’s; eyes so yellow they’re reminiscent of vain nouveau riche gold. I’ve never seen anyone so sickening!”

David suddenly recalled the words Andrew threw at Lithia at the tea party 10 years ago.

David was also at that tea party. Even though he made eye contact with Lithia, who was terrified, he immediately averted his gaze, afraid of inciting the prince’s wrath.

Perhaps, to erase the guilt of not helping her then, he later convinced himself that she was on the way of reciprocating the prince’s love.

Ever since then, his mistake started.

“Don’t lose, Geo Wales…”

He knew he had no right to say that.

Sprawled on his own bed in the dormitory, David groaned.

　◆◆◆

The winter dance party—one of the annual events of the Forrent Magical Academy.

A stalemate broke out at the start of the party, and no one could say a word for a while, leading to the venue being filled with awkward silence.

As the stilted music flowed, David could hear the steps of those two from the other side of the balcony.

“…He truly can’t read the mood, that guy.”

Surely, it was obvious even from there that everyone else was still processing it. The music played by the band resounded without any interruptions, but there was no human voice to be heard.

Contrary to his words, David was relieved by the echoes of their footsteps.

“Aah, they’re so different from us.”

“That’s right, Harrison.”

This time, David tapped his friend’s shoulder to console him. He simply reached the truth somewhat earlier. Afterwards, he didn’t do anything of worth. He was no different from everyone who bullied the girl.

The result of going with the flow and reading the atmosphere, that was what happened.

“…I’m glad he, who’s so different from us, came.”

I’m glad he can’t read the atmosphere.

I’m glad he can’t lie.

I’m glad that her smile matters to him above all else.

—Even if he isn’t a prince, he’s the one who saved her.

The footsteps from the balcony suddenly vanished. At the same time, he could somewhat hear the voices of the two.

However, he wasn’t worried. After all, when lovers happy with each other’s company became silent, it was because of one thing.

David averted his gaze from the window where their shadows were slightly reflected, thinking that it’d be uncouth to look further.

---

***T/N: WOOOOOWWW THEY KISSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

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