I Married the Beautiful Female Protagonist In Order To Survive

44. Turning Sour (New Year’s Eve Arrives)

The Royal Academy in the esteemed Great Ying Empire’s capital has been nothing short of a powder keg as of late, erupting with one earth-shattering event after another.

The triumphant return of “Henry III’s” younger sister – Henri IV’s abrupt enrollment was already monumental news. After all, rumors about Henry’s sister were rife, yet she rarely made an appearance. This sudden emergence proved she possessed her brother’s prodigious strength and talent.

The second bombshell detonated on Henri IV’s very first day: this beautiful maiden, whose status and standing placed her at the apex of the Great Ying Empire, declared, without preamble, that she had come to marry Zerola, as per her brother’s wishes!

Zerola? Which Zerola? There was only one Zerola in the entire academy – the troublemaker, Zerola. Surely, there wasn’t some noble scion with the same name?

Just as everyone was beginning to cautiously dismiss it all as “one of Henri IV’s little jests,” an even *greater* earth-shattering event occurred. The day after Zerola, attempting a pathetic display of bootlicking, received a thorough dressing down from Henri IV…

Her Majesty the Queen’s cousin, quite possibly the most outstanding “heaven-blessed” talent among the Great Ying Empire’s younger generation – the absolute “swan” – Filora, strolled into the academy with Zerola’s arm linked firmly in hers.

Some had their vision automatically filter out this impossible spectacle; others assumed it was some new prank, a twisted game. Still others covered their eyes, but… when they realized that Filora’s every action betrayed no hint of jesting and even the Great Ying Empire royal maids accompanying her accepted the situation as perfectly normal, acknowledging it as a “royally sanctioned couple,” well…

Everyone was dumbstruck.

H-how could this be!? Zerola was just a bootlicker, a low-grade lackey who tried to act cool but failed spectacularly! This… he actually succeeded in sucking up!?

One disgruntled academy student blurted this out, only to have his hands instantly pinned behind his back by a maid, who lectured him on “insulting a member of the royal family.” At that, any lingering doubt evaporated.

“I knew something like this would happen. I’ll keep reiterating the matter these next few days anyway. Now that it’s a done deal, I don’t really care about any rumors. Just act normal, and don’t get all twisted up about it…”

While her royal upbringing allowed Filora to calmly endure being the object of attention, being scrutinized because of “being Zerola’s girlfriend” made the young woman feel somewhat uneasy.

The relationship declaration had been Filora’s initiative, made after everything that transpired in the classroom that day. Her reasoning was simple: Zerola was reluctant to ‘take advantage’ of the situation, but she couldn’t stand by and let him continue to play the ‘fool’.

The reasoning was also simple: the disdain others displayed towards Zerola made her feel… *uncomfortable*. That was enough.

However… why was Zerola even *more* nervous than she was?

“I… I’m just embarrassed.”

Embarrassed, my foot! Shouldn’t you be jumping for joy right now!?

“You better get used to it! This is only the beginning, or you’ll *really* be embarrassed later!”

After voicing her complaint, Filora lowered her voice, “Come to the student council room at noon.”

Having spoken, Filora departed, and as for the bolder students who dared to follow, pressing for answers, Filora already had her responses prepared. With her royal sister’s blessing secured, she was free to speak her mind, to freely express her thoughts. After all, this was her most powerful weapon – and the only one she could wield: granting a man of humble birth, yet exceptional talent, in an instant, a ‘status’ befitting his abilities and future.

And so…

Zerola entered the classroom as something of a “hero.” The explosive news that “the troublemaker had actually won over the swan” had spread like wildfire across the entire academy.

When asked “what stroke of dumb luck” had allowed him to pull it off, Zerola responded with considerable swagger.

“What do you mean, luck? Did you not see my perseverance, my unwavering dedication?”

Such a statement, usually dismissed as the babbling of a clown and immediately mocked, suddenly carried a different weight coming from Zerola’s lips. Because, no matter how improbable it seemed, Zerola *had* actually won her over! Judging by Filora’s attitude that morning, this was no “joke” or “prank.”

“Heh heh, if you persevere, you’ll surely win over your ‘goddess,’ too.”

Many students seemed genuinely moved. However… just as they were about to press the now-“successful in love” Zerola for more “tips,” the appearance of a certain figure sent the gossip-hungry boys and girls scurrying for cover.

It was Henri IV. Had she simply appeared, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but the expression on her face – an expression that suggested she was seething with unspent fury – immediately alerted everyone that “something was wrong.” This, coupled with their recollections of Henri IV directly “calling out Zerola” on her first day of enrollment…

This melon… tempting, but perhaps best left untouched. Getting too close, in any sense, inevitably involves the British Crown. Naturally, that made Zerola’s reaction when Henriette IV finally cornered him all the more interesting.

The tall figure, radiating displeasure, loomed before Zerola, blocking his view.

Her opening salvo was blunt, as the morning’s events had undoubtedly raced through the Academy.

“Zerola, what is the meaning of this?”

The unfriendly tone dripped with threat. Zerola didn’t need to look up to know who was being so “unruly.”

Without raising his head, he countered, “What meaning? And kindly keep your distance, Henriette IV. Fiora might misunderstand~”

A single sentence flipped the script. Who was provoking whom was suddenly unclear. The onlookers scattered further, the situation now far beyond the usual “melon-eating” gossip. No one dared utter a word.

“I said it, didn’t I? My brother sent me to find you, and then you develop *this* kind of relationship with Fiora!? While I’m still here in the Academy!?”

“You won before, I admit, but I told you, didn’t I? I have no interest in you, not from the start. After all… Lady Henriette, are you looking for a husband, or a lapdog?”

Leaning back in his chair, Zerola grinned, now utterly fearless, shocking everyone watching.

“Forgive me, I enjoy being a simp, but not *your* simp~ I have no interest in simping for you~”

Zerola was flying high! Utterly arrogant!

This was the collective thought in that instant.

Quickly followed by another, equally strong:

Is this what a harem protagonist looks like?

Today is New Year’s Eve! I’ll post a colored illustration tonight. I hope everyone eats well and enjoys themselves, and remember to cast your monthly tickets~

The new background image might have to wait until after the holiday, probably around the 20th. I’ll post it when I can.