I’m Just an Ordinary Clown at the Academy

10 – Emperor 3

Since there would be no change even if I talked more about Clara, I turned the topic to the emperor.

Family matters are best dealt with within the family. But if things seem to be going downhill, I won’t hesitate to step in.

“Is there any other reason you called for me? It’s not just for a greeting.”

Joden may truly consider me a benefactor, but a greeting could wait until I start attending the academy in a week.

“If you don’t mind me asking, would you consider joining the student council?”

“Me, join the student council?”

His words caught me off guard. It’s not because I’ve never joined the student council before. Back when I played Croaca, I joined a few times.

Joining the student council in Croaca wasn’t difficult. If you scored above a certain threshold in the exam, you could join. But that was because the character I played was Lucas.

“I am a commoner, though.”

That’s the real reason I was surprised. As far as I know, all current members of the student council are nobles.

Not only now, but historically, there has never been a commoner in the student council. This is not about discrimination between commoners and nobles.

To all nobles, the student council is like a dream place to make connections with high-ranking nobles, but to commoners, it’s just a place where high-ranking nobles swarm like bombs.

“Being a commoner is not important. What matters is the ability to control others and other students. Right?”

That’s the second reason commoners don’t join the student council.

No matter how much the academy promotes equality, once outside, nobles are nobles, and commoners are commoners.

But how many commoners can control such nobles?

And how many nobles would follow such commoners?

“Other commoners may be too afraid to join the student council, but if you’re a benefactor, it’s different, isn’t it?”

This person knows well that I’m not afraid of nobles.

“And besides, joining the student council brings many benefits. No student would dare to disrespect a benefactor as a commoner.”

Going into the student council, as Joden suggested, seems like an appealing choice. It offers scholarships and a chance to actively participate in what goes on at the academy.

“It might seem comfortable, but I’ll decline!”

Yet, joining the student council isn’t the way for me to achieve what I desire.

“If that’s how you feel. I suppose there’s no helping it.”

Joden gave up surprisingly quickly. Is it a bit disappointing this way?

“Aren’t you giving up too easily? At least try to persuade me once more. I’m feeling disappointed!”

“Even if I tried, would it change anything once you’ve made up your mind? There must be a reason why you won’t join the student council.”

Perhaps accustomed to eccentricities, this person didn’t yield to my pace.

“Still, if you encounter difficulties, don’t hesitate to ask for help. The House of Adelian never forgets a favor.”

“hahahaha, that’s reassuring. If I face difficulties, I’ll be in your debt.”

The name of the House of Adelian is never to be taken lightly.

Joden’s words implied that if something happens to me, the entire House of Adelian would lend a hand.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Treat me more casually next time. After all, I’m your senior now?”

“I’ll consider it.”

I exited the student council room like that. Now, let’s really head to the inn.

There’s soup there that’s said to be cheap and delicious, recommended in Croaca. I really wanted to try it at least once.

♪♪♬♬♬♪♪♪♪

“Hmm~ I’m the coolest jester in the world~.”

Singing, I strolled through the academy. Walking and singing seemed to draw the students’ attention. It’s inevitable when a handsome person sings well.

While singing and walking, I could spot the figure of someone I was very pleased to see.

“Yohanna, senior~~~!”

Beautiful platinum blonde hair and slightly fierce blue eyes. My favorite Yohanna Freya.

I called out to her loudly and ran towards her. When she heard someone calling her, she turned towards me, the owner of the voice.

“Yohanna, senior, what were you doing here? Were you waiting for me, by any chance?”

Of course, that couldn’t be the case. She probably came out for a brief walk or for a club activity. But her words shocked me.

“Yeah.”

“Huh? Really? You were waiting for me?”

Waiting for me? Why? I haven’t done anything that would make me deserve her waiting for me.

“Took a test.”

I wasn’t particularly curious about how Yohanna took the test. Even in the game, it was described that club representatives were watching the test.

“I’m worried that the monitor didn’t properly capture my handsome face.”

Could it be because of that?

“Oh! Did you wait just to see my handsome face properly?”

“Not really.”

Yohanna denied it with an unusually serious expression. There was no need for that!

“Then why did you wait for me?”

If it wasn’t because of my face, I couldn’t guess the reason.

“Saw you fighting.”

“hehehe, I fought well, didn’t I? How was it? Was it cool? Did you fall for me?”

I thought she would deny it again this time, but contrary to my expectations, she smiled slightly and said.

“It was amazing.”

Of course, her mouth went down right away, but this was the second time I saw her smiling. She never smiled in the game, so my heart raced at the fact that she smiled because of me.

“· · · Ah! Senpai, you smiled again this time!”

To hide my pounding heart, I deliberately raised my voice. She touched the corners of her mouth as if she couldn’t believe she had smiled.

“I didn’t smile.”

“Your mouth went down, but I’m sure. I saw it with my own two eyes.”

“Me?”

Yohanna seemed to be trying to remember how she smiled, forcibly smiling. Even her forced smile was beautiful, but her natural smile from earlier was several times more beautiful.

She looked very confused. I held her hand as she tried to lift the corners of her mouth forcibly.

“Just smile slowly, what’s there to worry about? I’ll keep making you smile by your side.”

Yohanna seemed greatly surprised by my words, and she looked at me with her unique blank eyes.

“A special person.”

‘It’s fine to be a unique person, but please remember me as a special person.’

I felt embarrassed that Yohanna didn’t forget my words, so I changed the subject.

I was glad I was wearing a mask. My blushing face wouldn’t be visible.

“Yohanna, senpai, I have something I’m curious about.”

I created a doppelgänger of myself as a welcome.

“”What seems real to you?””

Yohanna said that my fantasy-made doppelgänger seemed unnatural.

Even with her, I thought she wouldn’t recognize the doppelgänger. This is what I’m most confident in.

“Hmm.”

She looked at me and my doppelganger with her blue eyes. This is absolutely impossible.

Yohanna stared at me and my doppelganger for a minute. She pointed with her finger.

“It’s you.”

What she pointed at was the real me.

“Huh? Senior, how did you know?”

How did she know? I was confident that she would never figure it out. But her following words made all my thoughts disappear.

“This side looks more special.”

Where? To me, both looked the same. There was absolutely nothing more special about either of them.

While I was confused, she suddenly asked.

“Do you want to join the leadership team?”

It was such a sudden question that I blurted out what was in my head.

“No, I don’t want to.”

With my immediate response, Yohanna left as if fleeing.

Oops, she’s upset.

“Senior! That’s not it!”

After that, I explained the 43 reasons why I couldn’t join the leadership team.

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I barely managed to explain the reasons why I couldn’t join the leadership team and headed back to the inn.

Today was a day filled with so much happening.

I met Yohanna while playing with a little child. We went to the academy together and, combining our powers with the idols we only saw in Croaka, we defeated the golem. I had a conversation with Joden, whom I haven’t seen in a long time, and finally talked with Yohanna again.

“By the way, it started with a conversation with my senior and ended with a conversation with my senior.”

To start and end with Yohanna, could there be anyone else as happy as me?

And to top it off, seeing Yohanna laugh twice, no matter what happens today, nothing will surprise me more than this.

That’s what I thought.

Until I was kidnapped, that is.

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.

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I was in a daze, but the voice that reached me snapped me back to my senses. It was like a voice directly piercing my brain.

“I didn’t want to bring you here like this, but there might be eyes watching.”

If Croaka 0 were to come out, the protagonist will surely be this person.

A man who has risen to the top of the Empire through his own strength, only a step away from being an emperor.

He, the emperor, was looking down at me.

My hands trembled like prey in front of a predator.

Even with a poker face, the trembling didn’t stop.

“I’ll ask you directly. Where did you learn the Shadow Steps?”