I Became a Veteran Heroine in a Harem Story

“D-did the Year Director really say he would give permission for leave?”

“It’s just been suggested, nothing has been decided. So don’t get too excited with expectations. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.”

“But it’s still amazing. Reward leave for all outstanding squad members…”

A large, luxurious bathhouse with air made humid by hot steam. The excellence and cleanliness of the facility, filled with white marble and exceptional sculptures engraved with various incantations, was remarkable enough to impress and please even students from noble families.

This place, directly attached to the classroom building, was a kind of welfare and right given for students to wash immediately after grueling training.

Even students who found training burdensome tended to enjoy the time spent washing here. It was especially popular among female students who were restricted in many ways during a time when they wanted to be beautiful.

No matter how much sweat they shed or dust they rolled in, by grooming themselves with the expensive soap and perfumes basically provided here, they could feel fragrant and refreshed all day long.

“Look at this skin. How is it so clean?”

“Not a single callus on her hands. How is that possible?”

Meanwhile, in one corner of the large bath, there was a group of female students who were the noisiest.

They were none other than the Spear Arts Department’s female students gathered around Year Representative Kiina.

This group, naturally formed by people approaching the always going-her-own-way Kiina one by one, was of course composed of those who had various kinds of fondness for her.

The inner feelings could be pure friendship like Lunara, who had been close from the beginning, or there could be some ulterior motives like those who approached after she became the Year Representative.

Especially for the latter, weekday bath time was a kind of opportunity. They thought that if they could please Kiina here where they could naturally approach her without wearing anything, they could become true confidants.

So it was a natural flow for them to touch and praise her excellent appearance as if handling a precious jewel, or to flatter her.

‘Are all girls like this? They seem to be touching too much.’

As for Kiina herself, she didn’t think much about whatever they said to her. Rather, she felt more burdened by the naked female bodies gathered all around her.

Her indifferent reaction to natural skinship was solely due to her ignorance of women’s culture.

However, such a reaction was perfect for those around her to misunderstand that she enjoyed this.

Because with her personality, it was certain that if she really disliked it, she would have coldly told them to get lost.

* * *

“The Spear Arts Department seems to have finished early.”

“You’ve probably informed all the squad leaders of the Archery Department, right?”

“…Can’t we talk about work later?”

Since the entire first year used the large bathhouse, female students from other departments also started entering one by one. Deina, who came in with the Archery Department students, tried to acknowledge Kiina who was with other female students, but sighed after hearing the response.

“Let’s go to another bath.”

Deina glanced at those gathered around Kiina and headed elsewhere with her friends.

Deina was also a woman, and before that, a royal and politician who had studied imperial studies. No one would know better than Deina what would happen around Kiina who had gained “power.”

“Surely Kiina won’t be swayed by such girls? The Spear Arts kids secured the closest seats because they’re the closest, but it’ll be the same with other departments. And it won’t matter whether they’re boys or girls.”

“I’m confident that the Year Representative is not someone who would be swayed by such flimsy flattery.”

Deina looked back at the sound of laughter echoing behind her as her friend spoke worriedly.

‘Why doesn’t she stop them? Given her personality, I thought she would drive them away with a shout.’

However, it was unexpected that Kiina didn’t openly reject those trying to get on her good side. After all, the Kiina she had judged was a person who was an immovable iron stake.

“Even if there’s no problem with the Year Representative, the atmosphere is the problem. With them surrounding her like that, who could easily approach?”

Deina, who believed that the most important thing for a person in power was to listen, untied her hair ribbon and poured hot water over her head with complicated feelings.

She had learned that for people to listen, the most important thing was an environment where they could speak comfortably. That was also why the royal family had created a Commoner Council a generation ago and elected representatives from various classes.

Moreover, her concern wasn’t unfounded.

“Let’s talk tomorrow. We can see each other tomorrow as well.”

“But what if those girls are beside her tomorrow too?”

Sophia and Isabel, members of Kiina’s squad, couldn’t approach Kiina and were circling from afar.

This was because they fell behind in terms of family, wealth, and status compared to the students currently beside Kiina.

Although the school rules stated that everyone was just a student, in a place where people lived, that didn’t exert absolute power.

“Does everyone have nothing to do? I need to go to the Year Council room now, so everyone do what you need to do.”

“Eh…”

“If you want to get leave permission, don’t neglect your training. Without skill, acquisition is impossible.”

During the free time after the schedule, in the slight gap before dinner, I decided to go to the Year Council room rather than the dormitory.

Therefore, I sent back all the kids who had followed me up to here. Only Lunara, who was also a member of the Year Council, could remain by my side.

They dispersed with regretful faces. Some went to the dormitory, others to the lounge.

“Still, it’s fortunate. Now there are more people who like Kiina than those who fear her.”

“That would be nice if it were true. But that’s a naive thought.”

Just like someone who had come to tell me to develop my social skills, I patted Lunara’s head as she rejoiced with an innocent face.

Liking me, that’s not wrong. However, they don’t like me, they like something they can get from me.

Even just now while bathing, I saw many clumsy masks that flinched under my gaze or tried to hide their fear.

“No way… would the kids really approach with such bad intentions?”

“I don’t think that’s bad. It’s human nature to survive. Of course, I don’t think that’s all there is to it.”

I didn’t feel repulsed by humans becoming ugly to survive. After all, I was once like that too. Rather, I thought that humans who survive even by such means are truly strong.

‘As long as it’s not too excessive.’

Anyway, my criterion for judging people was ultimately just one: how strong they were.

This space called the Royal Academy didn’t go against that value system either.

This place, which had a rather gloomy worldview compared to the academy harem genre, was a place where one could only survive by being strong, so strength was justice.

Only then, I believed, could even one more person survive.

“Hey, I have something to say. About the atmosphere in our year.”

That’s when Deina came looking for me first. It was clearly written on her face that she was going to have a serious conversation.

“That’s heartfelt advice.”

“W-what?”

“I understand what you’re saying.”

The problem Deina pointed out was similar to what I had been thinking about just before.

It was an accurate prediction and situation assessment that due to the minnows gathering around me, a kind of barrier was created, making it difficult to communicate with peers. She pointed this out and advised me to distance myself from them.

“I don’t plan to worry about it.”

“W-why? If you leave those kids unchecked, they’ll create disharmony within the year. You know too, they’re not real friends!”

“If their hearts are so weak that they can’t overcome such a barrier created by just a few peers, how do they plan to go to the battlefield and fight?”

“…!”

However, when I calmly expressed my refusal, Deina’s eyes widened. She probably didn’t expect me to say such a thing.

“If we were attending school normally, your words would be right, but don’t forget. This place where we are is training those who were mandatorily drafted to become Magic Knights. Almost no one wanted to come here voluntarily, and they are weak in both body and mind. If those weak ones live as if they’re attending school normally, they’ll have a hard time surviving.”

“I, I hadn’t thought that far… I was just…”

“Embracing the weak doesn’t suit this Academy. What the weak need here is discipline.”

Deina stammered in confusion. I took this opportunity to let her know how I would act from now on.

Thorough preferential treatment for the strong, an iron-fisted rule. That was the first principle by which I would lead this class as the Year Representative.

“As you said, there are many weak ones. But if you whip them too harshly, they’re more likely to drop out than to gain strength. A good nat… no, superior needs softness and carrots as well.”

“As I said before, you can do that. The Year Council, the squad leaders, can embrace and lead those who are hurt, and as a result, they will support the Year Council, gain strength, and develop themselves.”

“Us…?”

“According to my logic, I highly evaluate and trust you, the strongest in the year. If I and you perform our roles properly, our class can become the strongest class in Royal Academy history.”

I smiled faintly as I looked at her muttering with a blank face.

Having read the work and having those faint memories, I was aware of the human story created by the protagonist and heroines.

Their outstanding talents, empathy, social skills, and leadership would be incomparable to me, who only knew how to fight.

‘They’re excellent, verified talents, so I can’t not use them.’

Of course, it was also true that it was to reduce my efforts as someone who had taken the position of representative, which didn’t suit my nature, for the goal of advancement.