Chapter 146
The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide
Episode 139: Entrance Ceremony
The moment I realized something was off about this world was during my sixth life.
When I woke up from being poisoned by Miria, I found myself in my bedroom, just as I had in previous cycles.
I despaired over the reality of not being dead yet again, and to make matters worse, Miria’s betrayal after all those years left me deeply distrustful of people.
But I found support in my parents, who helped me get back to a somewhat normal life.
Truth be told, I didn’t want to attend the academy, but rather than losing consciousness again like during my fourth life, I felt it was better to go myself, so I reluctantly decided to go to the academy.
After that, I lived a quiet school life like in my third cycle, and just when I was about to graduate, for some reason, I was summoned by Iris.
At that moment, it was as if fate had decided for us, and I was still engaged to her, unable to break off the engagement due to my past fears.
I headed to the meeting place with a faint hope that maybe she would allow me to end our engagement, but it turned out to be a secluded part of the forest used for practical training within the academy, where the sun was beginning to set, leaving it deserted.
I felt uneasy about what might happen, but the thought of possibly being freed from the engagement weighed heavier on my mind as I cautiously advanced through the woods.
The place I arrived at was slightly cleared, and there stood Iris, gazing at the sunset.
As I was about to call out to her, I was suddenly pinned down from behind by someone and fell forcefully to the ground.
Looking down at me, Iris wore a grotesque grin and began to explain my current situation to me, still in confusion.
According to her, it seemed that my existence was a hindrance to her relationship with the hero she adored, and she thought that if she killed me, she could be with him.
It appeared she had called me out today specifically for this purpose and even went through the trouble of hiring an assassin.
(What nonsense is this?)
Honestly, from the perspective of someone about to be killed, it was hard to believe that that absolute justice-loving hero would date a murderer, but I questioned whether she understood this at all.
(Huh? What was that just now?)
As Iris finished her explanation and smiled while holding a dagger in her right hand, I caught a glimpse of her eyes illuminated by the sunset, not the usual blue, but a murky, dark color.
(As if someone….)
“Well then, goodbye, Louis.”
As I pondered the strange feeling, Iris brought the dagger down hard, stabbing me right in the back.
However, due to her weak female body and the angle of the strike coming from behind, I didn’t die immediately, and it wasn’t until I was stabbed about eight times that I finally bled out and perished.
“Louis, it’s morning.”
“Hmm… I want to sleep a little longer…”
“I’m sorry, but please wake up. Today is the entrance ceremony.”
“Oh right, that’s today…”
I got out of bed, still feeling sluggish, washed my face with the water Miria had brought, and asked her to step out while I changed.
“I feel like I had a nostalgic dream.”
I had forgotten what the dream was about, but if it was something I could forget, it probably wasn’t that important. After changing, I left the room.
“Louis, you look great.”
“Thanks.”
“Your lady would have loved to see this; what a shame.”
“It can’t be helped. We can’t be away from our territory forever.”
Today was the day we would enroll in the Suzette Imperial Academy, and I was currently donning the uniform that had arrived just days prior.
The academy uniform was predominantly black, with red lines and embroidery around the collar and sleeves.
Underneath the jacket, there was a white shirt, and a red tie completed the look.
My father and mother had returned to the Valentine Duchy right after we received our acceptance letters. They felt they couldn’t leave the territory for too long without causing trouble for others, and my mother returned with tears barely held back.
“The carriage is ready. Fiera and the others are waiting outside.”
“Got it.”
I took Miria outside, where Fiera was checking her reflection multiple times, not yet accustomed to her new outfit, while Shuvina was showing off to Dōna.
“Oh, El! Good morning!”
“Good morning, Louis! How do I look? Does it suit me?”
“Louis! Good morning!!”
Upon noticing me, Fiera hurried over, while Shuvina twirled in place, wanting me to see her new outfit, and Dōna bounced over, cheerfully hugging my arm.
“Good morning!”
“Hey. How’s it? Not too weird, right?”
“I think it suits you well.”
Fiera’s and the others’ uniforms were also predominantly black, featuring red lines and embroidery on the sleeves and hems, with shorter ties at the neck.
“I’m happy, but this skirt is short and hard to move in.”
“F-Fiera! You can’t lift the hem of your skirt like that!”
“Why not?”
“It’ll show!!”
“Hmm? If it’s El, it’s fine. Wanna take a look?”
“Not in a million years.”
“What a shame.”
I couldn’t tell how serious Fiera was, but seeing her usually expressionless face slightly blush told me she was embarrassed by her own words.
“Everyone, we should get going soon. We’ll be late on the first day at this rate.”
Miria, who had been watching our silly banter, urged us slightly, so we boarded the carriage.
As we did, all the servants left behind in the mansion saw us off, and we thanked them for their care as we headed to the academy for the entrance ceremony.
“There were a lot during the entrance exam, but there are plenty today too.”
“Well, there are upperclassmen around. Still, it should be fewer than during the entrance exam.”
When we arrived at the academy, it seemed that most of the new students were already there, and the plaza was filled with people making their way to the auditorium for the entrance ceremony.
“Do we really have to line up for this?”
“We’ll just use magic to get through like last time.”
Fiera and the others seemed quite averse to waiting in line, giving me a silent pressure to do something.
“No need for that.”
“Why not?”
“We’re in Class S now. The ones in line are the lower classes. Seating goes S class first, then A to D class afterward.”
“So…”
“We’ll just march right through.”
With that, I passed by the students in line, quickly arriving at the entrance of the auditorium, completed the reception, and took my seat designated for Class S.
“Class S is really something, huh?”
Details regarding our class came with the notification for making the uniforms, and as expected, we were placed in Class S.
“Class S perks aren’t limited to this. You can use them in various other situations, so remember that. Privileges are only worthwhile if utilized.”
“That sounds like something a villain would say.”
(A villain, huh? That’s not entirely wrong.)
Reflecting on any of my past lives, I always played the villain while the hero was the protagonist.
“I don’t mind being a villain or anything. Rather, if it means my wishes come true, I’d gladly embrace being a villain.”
“Very cool.”
“I felt a little flutter there.”
Fiera and Shuvina were whispering to each other about something, but I ignored them and spread my magic power throughout the auditorium.
(So the protagonist has enrolled as well. Iris and Sonia seem to be in Class S too.)
I began reading the magic power of the students in the auditorium, checking for characters I should be wary of and confirming that no unfamiliar faces from the past were around.
“El. It’s starting.”
“Hmm? Got it.”
After a while, everyone seemed to have entered the auditorium, and the air inside grew slightly heavy.
“Now, let’s begin the entrance ceremony. First, a greeting from the headmaster. Headmaster, please.”
As the teacher in charge of progression on stage said this, the sound of footsteps began to echo, and a mesmerizing woman in a black dress with deep slits appeared from the side of the stage.
“Congratulations on entering, everyone. I am the headmaster of the Suzette Imperial Academy, Mejina Marcuri.”
As Mejina began to speak, the surrounding men looked mesmerized, as if captivated by her charm.
(No matter how many times I see it, she’s incredibly powerful.)
Mejina Marcuri, the headmaster of the Suzette Imperial Academy and a disciple of the founder Suzette, has an appearance so youthful that none know her true age.
Her magical prowess is regarded as the strongest even within the empire, and there isn’t a person in other nations who isn’t familiar with her name—she exists on a level so high I can’t imagine ever defeating her.
As I listened attentively to this super famous figure, our eyes met, and she winked lightly at me.
(Fufu. It seems she’s taken an interest in me.)
During the entrance exam, I had casually played around with the numbers regarding magical power and strength, and that seemed to have successfully caught her attention as intended.
“El. Did you do something to her?”
“A little.”
“Hmm.”
Fiera said this and turned to face the front again, saying nothing further.
The entrance ceremony concluded with Iris giving a speech as the representative of the new students, along with a greeting from the princess representing the current students, finishing up within about an hour.