Nikami POV
I clenched my fists and was about to lecture them but someone unexpected spoke to them instead.
It was… Shukona.
Shukona put both of her hands on the table and stood up, pushing the chair behind her by the legs.
"How Inelegant, bumping a commoner like her even though you COULD have avoided her." Shukona looks at the two girls with a small scowl.
"A-amatarini-sama?" Yasachu was pleasantly surprised. She never thought Shukona, out of all people, would defend her.
"Oh?" Yuutsu's wolf ears twitched slightly, surprised at Shukona's move. Though she grinned right after.
"Shu…?" I was stunned as well, everyone at the table was startled… The two noble girls were more dumbfounded of course.
"Wh-what do you mean by that?!" The first noble girl pointed at her.
"Who cares if we bumped into her, she is the filthy peasant anyways! She should be grateful that I didn't punish her by bumping into me!" The second noble girl folded her arms and stared.
Shukona groans and puts her left hand on her hips, and her right hand pointing back at the two girls.
"I get that she is just a mere commoner, and she did apologize. BUT! Can you at least give her a slight of respect? After all, Rabenda-sama said that all of us are just the same. All of us are students, all of us are equal. And those are the words of the student council president herself, you wouldn't want to defy her now would you?" Shukona gazed at the two girls.
"Wh-wha?" The first noble girl had her mouth wide open.
"Tch…" The second noble girl clicked her tongue and was speechless.
"Oh?~" Yuutsu slightly whistled and stood up.
"I can agree with Amatarini-sama. After all, she only followed the president's rules, no harsh feelings okay ladies?~" Yuutsu bowed down to both of the girls, her tail swinging around happily.
"O-oh…" Yasachu let out a noise of surprise, her heart started beating faster by the second.
I then stood up to back up Shukona's words.
I pushed the chair behind me with my legs, folding my arms, and stared bitterly.
"So, apologize to Yasachu." I spat, anger echoed in my voice.
"Shi-shiromoru-sama…" Yasachu stared at my eyes, slightly scared, and was impressed.
Nikami was angry… Was it because of her? Haha, no way. That couldn't be it.
They were defending Yasachu…? Why? Yasachu didn't understand.
She felt flustered being protected like this, by nobles no less… But… It made her feel weak as well, she wanted to stand up to herself but just didn't have the guts to do so.
"U-uhm! They don't have to apologize… But I'd like to say one thing…" Yasachu nervously raised her hand, gulping in the process.
"Oh? And that is?" Yuutsu tilted her head, grinning curiously.
Yasachu didn't know why she did that, or what she was doing.
She took a deep breath and tried to think of an excuse, she had an idea but she doesn't know if she can say it out loud, but when she looked at Nikami staring at her… She felt confident.
"We-well uhm… I know that I'm just a mere peasant… And I-I understand well that I will never be as good as any of you! But, I worked so hard to be in the same school as all of you! And I will keep on working hard to at least slightly catch up to everyone! So please, don't trample on my hard work… I wanted to see all of you wonderful nobles, frankly, I idolize all of you! I'll try my best to be a fit student of Afosíosi Magic Academy, I may just be a peasant, but I am a peasant that got into Afosíosi Magic Academy! So… Don't you think I deserve some kind of prize…? I know I sound selfish… an-and I-I'm not saying that you should give me a prize! but… Please give me some respect… I won't let the Academy down! I promise you!" Yasachu places her hand at her chest and confidently stares at the two girls in the eyes, her large lock of hair standing in the middle of her hair swinging around cheerfully.
All of us were dumbfounded, even the others who were listening in to the conversation were stunned.
"We-well… At least I'll try to…" Yasachu scratched the back of her neck, smiling nervously at everyone.
The short pigtailed girl emitted a sweet and captivating aura as she smiled brightly. For a split second, they saw the notable similarities of Yasachu with a small dog.
Everyone in the room thought the same thing that I thought…
[H-how precious!!] I thought, staring at the shining sun in front of me.
"H-hah…? Fine then… But you better keep your word! Peasant!" The first noble girl flusteredly glared at her and walked off with her face very red.
"How adorable…" The second noble girl muttered then shook her head.
"I understand, I should treat you like an equal. Forgive me for my rudeness, I shall remember the words of the student council president." The second noble girl smiled at Yasachu and did a courtesy bow.
She waved goodbye and skips away, smiling like a love-struck maiden.
"O-oh… I never thought that would actually work…" Yasachu blinked multiple times in confusion, then she shook her head
"Thank you so much for defending me!" Yasachu bowed down to the three of us, giggling merrily.
Shukona stared at Yasachu for a while before going towards her and patting Yasachu's head, looking dazed.
"Am-amatarini-sama?!" Yasachu jerked right back up, confused at Shukona's sudden pat.
Yasachu… Is being patted by Shukona, again?! She thought this would never happen, but it did… She was extraordinarily joyful again.
Shukona then lightly shook her head to snap her out of her trance, she backed up, stopping her pats and pointed at Yasachu.
"Do-don't get the wrong idea! I only did that because I didn't like the way they were acting towards yo-I mean against the student council president's words." Shukona pouted and folded her arms then looked away pouting. She was clearly flustered by Yasachu's lovableness.
"You have a promising way of doing speeches! Even my heart skipped a beat, really amazing! Good going apprentice!" Yuutsu grins at Yasachu, and did a thumbs up.
"Seriously why apprentice?!" Yasachu exclaimed, still confused why Yuutsu calls her that.
"..." I stood there in silence, my eyes shot wide open… I was sweating bullets, a drop of sweat drops down to my glove staring at Yasachu.
My ears were entirely red, I sat down then put my shoulders on top of the table. I leaned in and covered my face with my hands.
[My… Heart… My… Face… What…? This… This isn't normal, no. No way. My heart is still beating so fast, no… This is wrong… I-I'm going to be the queen of the Adventurine Kingdom, I shouldn't feel these feelings… Moreover, I am engaged with Prince Raijin… This girl… What is this feeling…? Is… Is this what they call emotion…?] I thought as I peeked through my hands and stared at Yasachu, my heartbeat going quickly and rapidly. It might be so loud that someone might hear it.
[Huh? Wait… What…? I… I feel emotions, just… Not that often… Why did I… why did I think like I didn't know what emotions are?! Why did I address Rai as prince Raijin?! Damn it… Nikami is… Damn it! It's getting worse… I don't want to be the Real Nikami… I don't… Want to hate Haiki… The Main Character… She's terrifying… The world revolves around her after all… Of course, she's frightening] I thought, slowly calming down taking a handkerchief in my pocket and silently wiping off my sweat.