One week later, after waiting for Father to return, I asked to speak with him after dinner and went to his study.

“What is it, Chris? You said you had something to talk about.”

“There is something I wish to ask of you, Father.”

“What is it?”

“I will enroll in the academy, as you have instructed.”

“R-Really?! You’ll attend the academy?! Ah, thank goodness.”

Father jumped to his feet reflexively, then let out a relieved sigh and sat back down.

“In truth, His Majesty had strictly ordered me to ensure that you attend the academy no matter what. But for the past two years, you kept saying you didn’t want to go and wouldn’t attend, so I was honestly at my wit’s end.”

“I sincerely apologize for causing you so much worry.”

“But still, deciding so suddenly to attend—what brought this about?”

I feel terrible for Father’s smiling face, but now comes the sudden turn!!

“I will attend the academy. However! I have conditions.”

“C-Conditions?”

Father stiffened.

“When submitting my academy enrollment application, I want you to apply for me as a male student.”

“…What?”

“And please ensure that the fact I am female is kept absolutely secret from everyone except the headmaster. As I have said many times before, I want to live as a man. That is the one thing I will never bend on or compromise, no matter what happens. So please apply for me as a male student.”

“Haaaaaaaaa?!”

“I’ve already decided my name. Once I enter the academy, I will no longer be Christina. I will call myself Christopher!”

“That’s absurd! Such a thing would never be allowed! Prince Alex and the others will be enrolling as well!”

“It’s fine. As I am now, anyone would see me as nothing but a man. No one would ever think I’m a woman. Besides, since the debutante when I was seven, I haven’t appeared in society at all, so no one will remember me anyway. I’ll make Prince Alex promise in advance to keep my identity secret.”

“Wait, wait, wait—hold on, Christina!”

“This matter as well—please properly arrange things with the headmaster and His Majesty the King. My condition is just one thing: treat me as a man and enroll me as a man. That is all.”

“It’s impossible! The academy is fully residential! If you enroll as a man, you’ll be placed in the male dormitory! Sending you—a noble lady and an unmarried one at that—into a place full of men is—”

“There’s no problem. Each room has its own bath, so I won’t be seen naked and I simply won’t use the academy baths. For physical education or swordsmanship classes, I’ll wear my training clothes under my uniform in advance or change secretly in a toilet stall, so no one will see me changing.”

“That’s not the point! Well, that’s also a huge problem, but that’s not what I mean! Letting an unmarried noble daughter live under one roof with many men is unthinkable! As a father, there’s no way I can allow something so outrageously indecent! Think of the rumors!!”

“If I enroll and live as a man, there won’t be any such rumors.”

“I’m talking about if it’s discovered! And if something like that were to happen, what would I say to His Majesty or Prince Alex—”

“That’s why it’ll be fine once you arrange things properly with His Majesty and I’ll handle Prince Alex myself! So, Father, please take care of everything! ♡”

Declaring this with my brightest smile, I promptly left Father’s study.

From beyond the door, I could hear him shouting, “Wait!! Christiiinaaa!!” but I ignored it.

* * *

After that, Father and I discussed the matter countless times, but because I never once budged on my absolute condition for attending the academy, Father finally gave in.

Apparently, after that, His Majesty, the Queen, Prince Alex, the Chancellor, the headmaster and Father all met repeatedly to discuss the matter.

I’m truly sorry to trouble such busy people, but this is a life-or-death issue for me, so please forgive me.

In the end, my selfish request was officially accepted!!

The biggest reason this result was reached seems to be that Prince Alex strongly backed it, saying, “Not only within the dormitory but throughout the academy, I will remain by her side at all times and ensure her safety. She is my precious fiancée.”

Good job!! Prince Alex!!

Though it feels like I’ve incurred an enormous debt, which is terrifying for the future.

I am grateful—but even so, I will definitely have the engagement dissolved someday!!

On the academy enrollment application, my name was officially registered as the male Christopher Fitzering Rosenschwert, listed as the second son of House Rosenschwert.

Mother was furious and cried loudly about having prepared a female uniform, but once she saw me wearing the male uniform, she suddenly perked up and said, “Oh my, my daughter looks unbelievably cool! Aaaah!! How wonderful, Chris!!”

Since transformation magic cannot be used within the academy, I’ll attend with my original hair and eye color.

So after showing Mother myself in uniform in my true appearance, this was her reaction.

After all, when an unparalleled beauty cross-dresses, it naturally becomes an unparalleled handsome man.

Seeing her overwhelmingly handsome daughter, Mother seems to have opened some new door within herself.

Well, whatever. I’m just glad Mother is cheerful again.

With my parents’ and everyone’s approval secured, I head to the Adventurer Guild today as well, feeling refreshed.

At the guild, I still disguise myself as the mob male adventurer with dark brown hair, long bangs covering my eyes and brown eyes, so no one would ever think adventurer Fer and academy student Christopher are the same person.

My plan to flee the country as a mob male adventurer hasn’t completely vanished yet.

“Miss, I’d like to take this job.”

“Oh, Fer-kun, hello. You’re getting sturdier by the day.”

“Thank you, but I still have a long way to go.”

“Yes, request accepted. Take care out there!”

“I’m off.”

By living as a man at the academy, I will first break free from the role of the villainess who hates the protagonist.

On top of that, I will avoid interacting with the protagonist and capture targets as much as possible.

Prince Alex has become a sort of accomplice, so I can’t avoid him entirely, but if he starts getting along well with Elise, I’ll support them with all my might!!

And if things proceed according to the game, there should be an event at the academy where we travel abroad.

There’s no reason not to take advantage of that.

Yes—this is what I had completely forgotten and overlooked.

During this event, the academy issues each student a Special Overseas Travel Permit.

This is an event that always occurs in the second year—the so-called school trip.

Because it involves traveling abroad, the academy submits an application to the country to have the permit issued.

Furthermore, after this event, the protagonist becomes able to freely visit foreign dungeons.

A common game trope: even though the world map you obtain early on already shows every country, city, village and dungeon, you can’t actually go there until you obtain certain permissions or meet certain conditions, leaving you frustrated early on.

Using that Special Overseas Travel Permit, I’ll pretend to challenge a foreign dungeon—and then escape for real.

I’ll disappear during the school trip and flee disguised as a mob male adventurer.

Even if that fails, there should still be one more chance during my time at the academy.

Right before the condemnation event, there’s a graduation trip—an event that serves as the final intimacy boost opportunity with capture targets.

That trip also goes abroad.

As expected of an academy attended only by nobles—traveling abroad twice is an extravagant affair for someone who’s nothing more than a commoner at heart.

I will absolutely not give up! I will escape this country no matter what!!

Many adventurers don’t have proper family registries, which is why adventurer guild cards don’t even have a registry field.

On top of that, the Adventurer Guild is an independent organization not belonging to any country, so the card doesn’t even state where it was issued.

With just that, it can serve as identification anywhere.

As for the underage overseas travel restriction in the laws of the Kingdom of Dianadyl, there’s no mention anywhere on the guild card that I’m from Dianadyl, so it’s not a problem.

Escaping to a neighboring country wouldn’t be enough—I need to flee to a place so far away that all ties are completely severed.

A distant country where no one will come after me.

I’ll buy a house there and live quietly on my own.

* * *

Chris resumes her reckless charge once more (lol).

To survive and to grasp even a small happiness.