Chapter 57: The Day of the Entrance Ceremony
At last, the day had come for Rest to enroll in the Royal Academy. He sat in the carriage alongside Viola and Primula, making their way to the academy. Rest occupied one side of the seat while the two sisters faced him, all three dressed in the academy’s designated blazers, presenting a refreshing sight that was different from their usual appearances.
“It feels like a dream to be attending the same school as Rest starting today!” Viola exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement.
“It’s not that unusual, you know. We live in the same house, after all,” Rest replied with a wry smile.
Despite sharing the same mansion and spending nearly every waking moment together, Viola’s enthusiasm seemed a bit excessive.
“It’s all about the mood, Rest-sama,” Primula chimed in, echoing her sister’s excitement. While not as overt as Viola, Primula also seemed to radiate a certain joy.
“Is that so? I’m not quite sure I understand…” Rest mused.
“Men are just like that; it’s a bit troublesome,” Viola remarked.
“Just as my sister said. By the way, Rest-san, don’t you have something to say to us?” Primula asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Surely you have something to say, Rest?” Viola added, spreading her arms slightly as if to showcase their appearance.
Both sisters wore crisp white shirts beneath their blazers, adorned with ribbons at their necks. Rest let out a small sigh before delivering the words they sought.
“You both look wonderful. You’re both adorable.”
“Yay, well done!” Viola cheered.
“I’m so happy! Rest-san looks great too!” Primula added with a bright smile.
“Didn’t I already say that when you tried them on? How many times are we going to have this exchange?” Rest questioned, bemused.
It wasn’t the first time he had seen them in their uniforms. They had tried them on several times before, each time eagerly seeking his opinion.
“It’s still about the mood. Don’t you want to be praised by someone you like, no matter how many times?” Viola insisted.
“My sister is right. No matter how many times we hear it, we never get tired of it!” Primula agreed.
“Is that really how it is…?”
““That’s exactly how it is!”” the sisters declared in unison.
Though Rest had no experience dating girls in his previous life, it seemed to be the case.
Regardless, it was no exaggeration to say that the sight of the two in their uniforms was genuinely charming. The blazers seemed almost tailor-made for them, enhancing their cuteness.
(Seeing girls in uniforms… it wasn’t rare in my previous life, though…)
Perhaps it was due to the long time spent together, or perhaps because they were now his fiancées in both name and reality. Their uniformed appearance felt fresh and, to put it dramatically, left a lasting impression on him.
(Compared to that, my own uniform looks…)
Rest chuckled to himself as he glanced down at his attire. The boys’ uniform, with a tie replacing the ribbon and trousers instead of a skirt, had a similar design, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being overshadowed by the uniform.
Perhaps it was because of his humble origins; wearing such fine clothes felt oddly out of place.
(I’ve spent so long living as a commoner… I still can’t get used to wearing expensive clothes.)
“What’s wrong, Rest?” Viola asked, noticing his distraction.
“Nothing… it’s nothing at all,” he replied quickly.
“Hmm? By the way, Rest, you’ve grown quite a bit, haven’t you?” Viola remarked, seemingly recalling something.
Upon hearing her sister, Primula joined in, clasping her hands together.
“Oh, I thought so too! You’ve grown at least ten centimeters since you came to the mansion, right?”
“Is that so? I hadn’t noticed…” Rest pondered.
Now that she mentioned it, he had indeed had to replace several pairs of trousers that no longer fit. Perhaps it was due to the lack of proper meals at the Evern Honorary Viscount House… since coming to the Rosemary Marquis House, Rest had grown significantly over the past year.
He had grown taller, and his once-skinny frame had developed a solid musculature. The height difference between him and the sisters had also increased.
“Perhaps you’ll grow even more. It’s a little frustrating,” Viola said, a hint of envy in her voice.
“Older sister, it’s just right for a man to be a little taller than the woman he escorts. It can be troublesome if we’re taller when wearing heels,” Primula pointed out.
“Oh, I see! Now that you mention it, that would be embarrassing if we ended up taller than you while wearing heels!” Viola exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with realization.
The sisters were getting carried away with their conversation. It felt somewhat awkward for Rest to join in, so he casually turned his gaze out the window.
“……Huh?”
As he looked outside the carriage, a peculiar sight caught his attention. A girl in a uniform identical to the sisters’ was sprinting alongside the carriage, with a knight in armor chasing after her.
The girl was familiar, and she dashed past the knight, leaving him behind as she raced through the streets of the Royal Capital.
“……What’s going on?”
“Is something the matter, Rest-sama?” Primula asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
“No… it’s nothing,” he replied, though it seemed that “she” had also passed the entrance exam.
Rest gazed up at the clear sky, a sense of foreboding settling in as he anticipated that his life at the academy was about to become quite lively.