Chapter 26 (2/2)

“……K, Katarina Claes-sama……”

The girl that was about to stomp on the sweets mumbled with a blank look on her face

I was very surprised, but the girls surroundingwhile frozen stiff

“What exactly do you all think you’re doing!?”

And so, when Katarina-sama raised a stern voice at them, they immediately turned pale

Well, that’s to be expected Katarina-sahter of Duke Claes, is not only the fiancee of the third prince of this country, Prince Jared, she’s also a person that’s very, very treasured by the members of the student council, and she also has many secret admirers due to her cheerful personality

Due to that, if you displease Katarina-sama, it’s not just the school, it’s not unthinkable that there ht not even be a place left for you in the entire country

And so, al atmosphere just earlier became obedient and –

“We’re very sorry!!”

They all lowered their heads to Katarina-saet first place, they ran aith so momentum

Since the events happened too suddenly for me, I stood there blankly while stunned for a while, but…… Come to think of it, I just remembered that I was on my way to the student council room

I had pro my sweets to the student council…… Then, I just realized that I no longer had any

All the sweets that I hadthese to the student council now……

I reain nobody ate the sweets I made, all my handmade sweets were left on their desks in such a lonely fashi+on…… It was useless no matter how hard I worked or hoell I made them…… nobody will eat them……

While I was standing still, Katarina-sa them into the basket for me

And then, I panicked when I realized as happening Katarina-sa them up to put them back in the basket for me…… And, when I tried to speak up……

Katarina-saround into her mouth Then –

“……Delicious”

As she said so, she was s

Sweets that had been on the ground……

I was thinking that, just like that day, I would have to take care of them by myself, but –

Katarina-sa it tasted delicious

……It was too much of a shock for me, so I opened my eyes wide and just stared at Katarina-sama

And so, after finishi+ng all the sweets, Katarina-saht blue eyes met mine Then –

“Uh, uhh, I got really carried away and ate all of them…… I’m really sorry!”

She suddenly lowered her head towards ” all of them

“Ah, it’s okay I don’t round……”

To the confused ely proud face

“Since they fell on the grass, it’s no probleot any dirt on them”

She said so with such conviction, that I couldn’t find anything to say back and just returned a troubled smile to her

“……Is, is that so”

And so, even though I’ve never dreamed it could happen, Katarina-sama praised my sweets It’s the first time that I’ve ever been praised like this, I was really happy and embarrassed, and my face became hot

And then, from the direction of the school campus, Prince Jared, a member of the student council, arrived Since I still hadn’t co for me

Katarina-saround, and I was standing still with red cheeks, and to Prince Jared as looking at us dubiously I told him “by coincidence, I met Katarina-sama here, and we had a little chat” as an explanation

I don’t want unnecessary worrying aboutattention to reed with my story

Even while returning with Prince Jared to the student council room, the heat from my face still wouldn’t subside –

“That’s, you better be careful since there’s a dreadful harem”

Prince Jared smiled profoundly as he said so…… I don’t really understand what he’s talking about

Fro handmade sweets to the student council on almost a daily basis, and Katarina-sama was always overjoyed every time

Since Katarina-sa had let down quite a bit as well, then it happened when I had couard down

It happened during lunch break on a certain day

Since a lot of nobles use it every day, the school cafeteria is a very large and grand structure And so, many of the school’s students, all nobles, would eat their lunch here

The school dorms were separated by social status, so the class separation carried over to the school cafeteria While I’m a commoner, I’m still allowed to use the cafeteria norh-ranking nobles with great power used it as well

Because of that, I would be embarrassed to use it as a commoner, so I couldn’t use it at all, and I would always make my own lunchbox in the dorarden

And so, on the day, just like usual, on a sarden, I was about to open up my lunchbox

At that irls I’d never met before

“Even though you’re just a no-good coot chosen to be on the student council, aren’t you getting too carried away!?”

“Just because you have light et all this special treatment, and it’s really sad that the student council has no way but to put up with you!”

“That’s right! It’s probably that you got favorable treatic is special!

As they surroundedtorrent of verbal abuse on er to subside

Their words…… Since co here…… No, it’s what I’ve heard all my life……

“Because you have light ic”

Ever since that day I activated ic powers, those words had always, always been with me

No matter how hard Iis because “I have light ic……”

If it’s possible to wish for, if it’s possible for me to have a romance with someone, even I want to be held happily by someone too……

Even though I don’t need such a thing…… I just……

While I was being shouted at by everyone and thinking of those things, that’s when it happened

Slowly, one of the girls was raising her hands There was a red fla on her hands

Up to now, I’ve been slapped on the face countlessly, and even been bullied by people stepping on ic like this on me……

As if the bright red flame wasn’t real, I just stared at it blankly like I was in another world altogether

And so, when that girl with the fla me, that’s when it happened

I think I heard that dignified voice once again, and the girl as approaching ht before me

And so, before I realized it, that dignified back was once again standing before me

“Exactly what are you all doing!! In the first place, saying that there was favoritisic, don’t accuse people without evidence! This school is a meritocracy with no place for favoritis! Her test scores are the result of hard work!”

Katarina-sama said so as she stood in front of me just like before as if to protect me

That’s right, just as Katarina-sa hard I’ve never done so like cheat on a test…… I just desperately worked as hard as I could……

But, nobody’s ever noticed this before…… I thought nobody ever would…… Even so…… This person, Katarina-sama noticed it……

I stared at Katarina-sanified back with my eyes opened wide And so, while I was still in a daze, Katarina-sama continued

“What’s more, everyone in the student council, as well as ether with Maria-chan just because she has light ic! Because she’s a hard worker, because she tries her best at everything, because we like her, that’s e’re together!”

At those words, the corners ofdown my cheeks……

Ever since that day when I used lightme special, and I was treated differently from everyone else

No matter how hard I worked, the result was always the same, it’s an obvious result because of your special power, or you must have cheated, is what people always said……

Everyone saw ic……” nobody saw me as a person called Maria Campbell……

Yet…… Katarina-sairl with lightthat she likes Maria Ca that she wants to be with me……

It was almost as if a dam had broken insideup flowed out from me

Katarina-sa uncontrollably, and rubbed entle hand co doubts I had

“……Uh, Claes-sama…… My name……”

Katarina-sama had always calledme by my first name, “Maria-chan”

“Uh, uhh, I’ that you’re not used to so suddenly……”

At the way Katarina-saorously

“No, I don’t mind at all In fact, you don’t need to add ‘-chan’ either Please just call me Maria”

As I requested, the gentle Katarina-sama called me so with a smile

“Thank you, Maria”

At hearing nified voice, I sue

“Uh, well…… If, if it’s alright with you…… Uh, would it be alright if I called you ‘Katarina-sama’ just like everyone else in the student council does?”

When I gave it everything I had and confessed my wish to her, Katarina-sama had a blank look for a moment, and then –

“Of course, it’s fine to call me whatever you want After all, we’re already friends, aren’t we?”

and was sently as she said so

She’s saying that she’ll be friends with h our social statuses are so far apart…… My tears that had just begun settling down started to flood out again

Anyone is fine…… Anyone is fine, so, someone…… Look at me…… Only look at Maria Campbell…… That’s always been my wish……

I worked even harder…… I entered -held dreaht not come true anymore……

While Katarina-sa I was so happy at having -awaited dream come true –

After a while, when ain, Keith-sama came to pick up Katarina-saether

I held outhow my face turned red involuntarily, Keith-saain, exactly howto himself under his breath in stupefaction I wonder what on earth he’s talking about

Froot a lot closer to Katarina-sama and her friends Today as well, we received our ho for the student council room

And so, Katarina-sama was very pleased at the sweets I had made for the student council I was so happy as well that involuntarily, I diverted my eyes a little in embarrassment

However, when I looked around me, all the otherat Katarina-sa happily as well

Of course this included Prince Jared, and even Nico who usually didn’t change his expression at all

And so, I checked out all the members of the student council…… Huh? ……

Soain

Then, that person smiled softly just like usual

……Was it just ination……

For a moment, I felt like that person had a very cold look when I looked at them……

But, when I looked at that person again, they had a very gentle expression like usual once again

So, I decided that I must have made a mistake

I mean, that person is always so kind, for that person to have such a cold expression…… To be glaring at Katarina-sama…… It’s impossible……

“Maria, these sweets are so delicious!”

While I ondering why I had been thinking such strange things, Katarina-sa smile on her face

Once again, I becahts disappeared from my mind

In order to see this s to improve my skills and make even better sweets!

Ten years after I got the power of lighthard – I was finally able to realizemy days happily