The Gloomy and Timid Princess Heads to the Academy

---

“…So that girl is truly an extraordinary woman, huh?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

While eating lunch, I asked him about Stephanie, and as expected of the protagonist, he informed me of various details.

There were rumors that she’d throw people into the water by mobilizing her connections and money if things went awry, and that at night she was the queen of the night.

Her magic skills already surpassed the Tower Master’s, and there were mentions of her being connected to demons—there weren’t any good rumors at all.

“…You’ll see for yourself, but that gentle appearance is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“Hmm.”

I didn’t feel much danger. It wasn’t like I was going to confront her publicly, and I had far superior money and connections.

Knowing that demons are gods, could her ties with them truly run deeper than mine?

I wasn’t scared at all.

I wasn’t underestimating her because I was nervous from our first meeting.

I mean, that… spirit, perhaps? She exuded a kind of aura that overwhelmed people.

Compared to my father and mother, whom I assume I shouldn’t offend, it was ironic how that girl made them momentarily come to mind.

But honestly, there wasn’t that much to worry about. I freaked out for no reason.

“Then… are you thinking of going to the banquet that girl is hosting?”

“Of course. It’s not so much an invitation as a threat to come.”

So I figured I’d be going.

Since Dokan decided he would go, I suddenly lost any reason not to attend.

Secretly, I hoped we could just have our own fun somewhere else on the day of the party, but this was fine too.

I was honestly very curious about what a party would be like.

Of course, I intended to tag along to prevent Dokan from flirting with other girls.

“Then I’m going too.”

“Ah, you can ignore it with someone like you, Ho-yeon…”

“Why do you keep babbling if I said I’ll go?”

Judging by the look on Dokan’s face, he clearly intended to charm some other girl.

Honestly, if there wasn’t a friend like me to keep him in check, he might end up flirting with so many girls that he’d be found dead in a river somewhere.

As the protagonist of a harem story, that probably won’t happen, but… who knows? This isn’t a novel; it might be different.

“Yes. By the way, do you have any clothes?”

“…Clothes?”

“Yes. You’re not planning to wear your school uniform to the party, right…?”

“Well, about that…”

Dokan slapped his face with enough force to make a sound.

When I said I would wear what I wanted, why was he making such a fuss?

“…Do you know what dress code or dress regulations mean?”

“Of course. You wear your school uniform at school, and black clothes at a funeral. What’s not to understand?”

Does he think I’m an idiot?

“…Yes, you know that well. Just like you shouldn’t wear fancy clothes to a funeral, and you must wear your academy uniform at the academy, you should wear a dress or formal wear to a party, Ho-yeon…”

…Seriously?

It’s like a party hosted by a student. Do I really need to dress up for it?

It’s not that I’m worried about money… I just couldn’t picture myself in a dress.

I wore inconvenient clothes for official events back home, but they weren’t as revealing as a dress, and those were genuine formal occasions, so I didn’t mind that much.

But this is just a kids’ party. Do I really have to dress up like that for such an occasion?

“…So, you have clothes, right?”

Um…

“…No.”

“Seriously… sigh. No, first let’s go buy clothes.”

This irritating guy, I had just about expected that.

But I really didn’t have any clothes, and Dokan was looking at me so pitifully that I couldn’t muster a comeback.

People can sometimes have a lack of clothes, can’t they? But when he looked at me like I was some pitiful creature, it made me a little emotional.

Even my mother never looked down on the people like that.

“…Anyway, let’s go. Looks like we’re done eating. And before buying clothes, let’s stop by your room and Anastasia’s room.”

Without responding, Dokan headed toward the exit.

The reason for visiting Dokan and Anya’s rooms was simple. To check their wardrobes.

Dokan was popular, so he might have some fancy clothes, but there was no way Anya, who was clearly unremarkable, would have a dress for making a good impression on others.

I just wanted to confirm that I wasn’t the only one with a sparse wardrobe.

– – – –

“…This can’t be… Anya… why…?”

“Ho-yeon…? Why… are you like this?”

Ho-yeon opened Anya’s wardrobe and looked at her in disbelief.

It wasn’t just Anya. She opened my wardrobe too. Previously she just went “hm,” and when she went to Anya’s room, I didn’t know what it meant, but now it seemed clear.

She was probably comparing her wardrobe with someone else’s.

Considering that her only friends were Anya and me, it seemed she was comparing her closet to that of her close friends.

I didn’t know what expectations she was harboring, but… it seemed like they were entirely off the mark.

“Um… Dokan? Why is Ho-yeon suddenly acting like this…?”

“This can’t be… this doesn’t make sense…”

“I’m not sure, but it looks like she’s comparing her wardrobe to others. You received the invitation from Stephanie, right?”

“Ah, yes. I’m planning to go, but you’re not saying you’re going as well, are you?”

“Yeah. If I have to go who invited me, I must go. But it seems Ho-yeon had the same thought.”

Then I recounted what had just happened. That Ho-yeon seriously thought of going to the party in a school uniform and that she said she had no dress, so she was going to buy one.

“…I mean, it’s definitely Dokan’s fault, but… Ho-yeon!”

“…Anya… weren’t you supposed to have no friends…? Why… no dress…”

“What’s important right now isn’t that!”

In her dazed state, Ho-yeon accidentally poked at one of Anya’s few sore spots, but Anya let it slide, barely annoyed.

“…Anyways Ho-yeon, do you really not have a single dress or anything like that?”

With a blank expression of disbelief, Ho-yeon nodded.

“…Then what do you have in your wardrobe? You must have some clothes to wear outside on the weekends or after the academy…?”

“…Three school uniforms. One casual outfit I brought from my hometown.”

“What?”

“…Huh?”

Did I hear her right? Did she just say she has only four pieces of clothing in her wardrobe?

Anya’s closet may be on the smaller side for a girl’s wardrobe, but Ho-yeon seemed to have a severe lack of clothing fit for a person to wear.

“…Ho-yeon, I must have misheard. How can a person have only four pieces of clothing…?”

I thought that Ho-yeon was just joking with us.

Even disregarding undergarments, this was way too little. No one could possibly live with such few clothes.

But the words that came out of Ho-yeon’s mouth still left us in shock.

“I don’t go outside… I don’t meet people… that’s fine…”

We… I had underestimated her too much.

“…This can’t be.”

No matter how friendless she was, it couldn’t be that she was someone who didn’t go outside.

Of course, I wasn’t completely unaware of such people. But even they had at least over ten outfits.

The state of Ho-yeon’s wardrobe was that severe.

“…This won’t do. Dokan, you said you were going to buy clothes for Ho-yeon, right? I’ll go with you. Even if my opinions may be lacking, it would be better to have another pair of eyes. Don’t you think?”

Uncharacteristically, Anya seemed full of motivation. Was it that she, who usually analyzed things coolly, couldn’t find her calm with this matter?

“…That’s right. Let’s go together. I was a bit worried since I wasn’t knowledgeable about women’s clothing, but I feel reassured if you help me.”

Above all, she was also a heroine, so there was no reason to refuse.

I actually knew quite a bit about women’s clothing, but I wasn’t familiar with outfits from this world, so it shouldn’t hurt to have her around.

“…Ah…”

Like a marionette with its strings cut, I reached down to Ho-yeon’s side and lifted her by her armpit.

Normally, I would have thought it was inappropriate, but seeing her pitiful state, I didn’t feel like doing anything differently.

“…Huh…?”

“Get it together. We have to go buy clothes. You aren’t thinking of living with just four pieces, right?”

“Four pieces… Yeah, I should… but can you let go now? It’s a bit tickling…”

“Oh.”

I had momentarily forgotten I was still holding her by the armpit. I must have found her so pathetic that I overlooked it.

“Then let’s go!”

Somehow, Anya’s face seemed a little flushed, but I couldn’t figure out why.

Still holding Ho-yeon’s hand, which still looked a bit dazed, I followed Anya outside the academy.

“Ho-yeon, have you thought about any style or something?”

“Not really…”

It was clear she was still dazed. While her words sounded royal, what was inside her was not royal.

“Well then, Dokan. What do you think would suit Ho-yeon?”

Seeing Ho-yeon like that, Anya seemed to realize that there was no point in asking her, so she turned to me.

But I wasn’t too knowledgeable about dresses either, so I could only give a vague answer.

“Well, I can’t really tell just by looking at her. I think I’ll need to see in person to really know.”

“Is that so… We need samples then… It seems there’s only one place left then… Ugh. I’m not too thrilled about it…”

Anya mumbled something, as though carefully selecting a place.

Since most of her clothes were likely custom-made, perhaps she didn’t like that there were only samples available.

But no matter how I looked at it, Ho-yeon showed no interest in fashion, which is perhaps why Anya pitied her.