My Past Life is Riddled With Many Sins - Chapter 35
Ah, he’s the guy who said something on the day of the entrance ceremony. It seems like he’s related to her past life, but it’s unclear whose reincarnation he is.
Friedrich and Skyler are definitely out of the question. That leaves Prince Iskanda, Lennon, Lexid…
“Hey, are you ignoring me?”
The guy, who sat across from her without permission, started to get agitated. Regina snapped out of her thoughts and faced him.
“Um, senior?”
At the Imperial Academy, the color of the cravat varies by grade level. First years wear black, second years wear white, third years wear blue, and fourth years wear red. It’s easy to tell someone’s grade at a glance.
The male student in front of her was wearing a white cravat, which meant he was a year senior to her.
“What.”
“Why are you sitting across from me?”
“Huh? Should I have asked for permission? ‘May I, a humble person, dare to sit opposite Your Majesty?'”
His sarcastic remark was filled with bitterness.
Regina quietly pushed the food into her mouth.
It seemed like he was certain she was the reincarnation of Yekarna. The problem was she didn’t know who he was in her past life.
The enemy knows her, but she doesn’t know the enemy. There’s no greater crisis than this. In a war, it’s a 99% chance of defeat. But losing composure means losing that 1% chance of winning as well.
Keeping a poker face, Regina tried her luck.
“It’s not that. I just thought we aren’t exactly in a position to have a meal facing each other, so I wondered what you wanted.”
“I happened to see you in the swordsmanship class. You’ve handled a sword before, haven’t you?”
The senior twirled his fork and then swung it through the air like a sword. It wasn’t a serious move but more of a playful gesture, yet it was clear at a glance.
He’s quite skilled. Not something one would expect from someone in their early twenties.
Regina became even more puzzled. Among the 7, only Skyler had such swordsmanship skills as good as her. But since Skyler’s reincarnation is another person, this man couldn’t possibly be Skyler. Technically, Skyler’s skills are much superior to this, but…
‘That reminds me, there’s one more candidate, isn’t there?’
She had never seen him handle a sword in their past life, but there was one individual whose expertise in swordsmanship wouldn’t have surprised her.
This was someone Yekarna herself couldn’t fully grasp the capabilities of. A man known among the people as ‘the favorite concubine’. However, he was unlikely to make such a straightforward approach.
He was more the type to suddenly appear by her bedside while she was asleep and initiate conversation with a simple ‘hello’. Not someone who would just show up like this. So, who could this senior be?
“So, what about it?”
“Huh?”
“My ability to handle a sword, what about it?”
Regina asked him, catching the unidentified senior off guard, who seemed unable to hide his bewilderment.
“Well, you were deliberately only practicing basic stances! Trying to hide your skills. And ignoring provocations from others just like that!”
“Yes, and?”
As Regina looked at him indifferently, the senior seemed more confused before he attempted a rebuttal.
“You’re intentionally hiding your identity because a commoner can’t possibly possess such skills without an explanation! Am I wrong?”
His deduction was accurate. However, Regina remained unfazed and denied it outright.
“I just wanted to avoid trouble. I learned swordsmanship from a mercenary in the same village and was told I had a knack for it. But is there a need to go around boasting about it? Especially when I already stick out as a commoner, being labeled a ‘peddler’ and all. What’s the benefit of drawing more attention here?”
She countered, then continued with her meal. But for some reason, the senior stayed unusually silent. Curious about his silence, she took a sip of her soup and looked up to find him. He had a peculiar expression.
“Are you, by any chance, a victim of bullying…?”
The senior mumbled something under his breath, looking pale as if shocked, then suddenly rubbed his face and stood up.
“Hey, listen. When I asked if you had friends, it was just a joke, okay? I didn’t mean it seriously. Understand? Don’t take it the wrong way. Let’s talk another time.”
Watching the senior hurry away, Regina chuckled to herself.
Was he worried she might have been hurt and was acting all fidgety like a guilty puppy?
Seems like the senior isn’t too bright but has a good heart. If he was unattractive, it would be a whole different story, but his decent looks made his behavior somewhat cute.
But really, who was he?
* * *
Upon spotting Fathom limping towards him, Darien shook his head in disbelief. He could guess the outcome without hearing it but asked out of courtesy anyway.
“How did it go?”
“Iskanda. She’s just a poor commoner girl who happened to learn swordsmanship from a mercenary living nearby. She has a natural talent, so she acquired remarkable skills and became the top student, making her the target of jealousy and bullying among her peers.”
It wasn’t just a defeat, it was a thorough one.
“Rupert, it’s Her Majesty.”
“How can you be so sure? Using your spouse-detection skill?”
Darien touched his forehead. Calling this friend Rupert seemed almost an insult to the Rupert of their past life.
“Just call yourself ‘just Fathom’ from now on. Drop the ‘Rupert reincarnation’ part.”
“Ah, what’s this guy on about?”
“Next time you see her, say this.”
Darien whispered softly as he tugged on Fathom’s ear.
“Do you really not recognize me, Your Majesty? I still feel the scars on my back ache on rainy days.”
Fathom froze for a moment, then jumped up, his face flushing red.
“Did, did you guys really do that kind of play?”
“Who knows?”
Leaving Fathom with that ambiguous answer, Darien was lost in memories of their past.