Chapter 5: The Eldritch Goddess Wants to Fit In at School

I’m transferring into this academy as a second-year student.

Due to my poor health, I took a leave of absence last year and studied at home. Now, starting this term, I’ll finally be joining the same class I was originally meant to enter—sharing the halls of learning with the classmates I should have met from the beginning.

At least, that’s the official story. The cover story, you might say.

My assigned class is 2-A.

Class A is special—reserved for the absurdly wealthy and high-ranking nobles. Naturally, someone like me, an ultra-rich noble girl, belongs there.

…Or at least, that’s how it should be.

But I’m nervous.

Because deep down, I’m just an ordinary commoner at heart. And now I’m being thrown into a class full of kids who’ve lived their entire lives as the privileged elite… Ugh. Nothing but anxiety.

But there’s no turning back now.

Time to steel my resolve. I am the Eldritch Goddess, after all!

"Are you nervous, Miss Iris?"

The gentle voice belongs to my homeroom teacher—a dignified, silver-haired gentleman named Emil von Liebenfeld.

"I’ll be fine. Let’s go, Professor Emil."

"Very well."

I step into the classroom with him.

The moment I enter, I feel the atmosphere shift. Countless eyes turn toward me, and my heart pounds from the tension.

The classroom is structured like a university lecture hall, with tiered seating. The class itself isn’t large—maybe 10 to 15 students.

"Everyone, I’d like to introduce a new classmate joining us this term. This is Miss Iris zu Lauenstein."

Professor Emil gestures for me to introduce myself.

"Nice to meet you all. As you’ve heard, I’m Iris zu Lauenstein. I’ve been looking forward to attending this academy and learning alongside you. Please treat me kindly."

Smile, smile. Gotta keep smiling. A super-beautiful girl’s smile can solve anything in life. Probably.

"S-She’s… cute…""Like a doll…""Starting today, she’ll be with us…"

Heheh. First impressions seem to be going well, don’t they?

"Miss Iris, you may take any seat you like."

"Yes, sir."

Sitting in the back might make it easier to slack off, but it’s a double-edged sword—teachers might assume I’m not serious. Better stick to the middle.

Oh? There’s a girl in a decent middle seat who looks approachable. She’s a little shorter than me, with messy long black hair and round glasses. When she notices me looking, she gives me a soft, friendly smile.

Not too introverted, not too extroverted—just the right kind of potential friend.

"Excuse me."

"Go ahead!"

I sit beside her, and she welcomes me warmly. Then, I glance around the room.

That’s when I feel a sharp, piercing gaze.

"Eep."

The source is that blonde ponytail guy—Felix.

He’s glaring at me like I murdered his family. Wh-Why?! Scaryyy!

"Hey, hey. I’m Frieda. Frieda von Waldgrün. Nice to meet you, Iris!"

"Likewise. Please take care of me."

My instincts were right. The bespectacled girl next to me is friendly and chatty.

After a brief homeroom announcement from Professor Emil about academy life, break time arrives.

Now, while curious glances are still directed my way, it’s not like elementary school where transfer students get mobbed with questions immediately.

"Iris, want me to show you around the academy?"

"Yes, please!"

Since today is the start of the term, there aren’t any real classes—just turning in spring break assignments, which doesn’t apply to me.

With nothing else to do, I gladly accept Frieda’s offer.

"This is the First Building—where first through third years have homeroom, plus all the liberal arts classes. Literature, foreign languages, social studies—all here."

"It’s… huge."

Just the First Building alone is as big as my old high school from my past life.

"It’s an older building, so the layout’s kinda maze-like. Try not to get lost!"

"I’ll do my best to memorize it quickly."

Ugh. Big AND complicated? I might actually get lost for real.

After leaving the First Building and crossing a breezeway, we reach another structure.

"The Second Building is for STEM classes—math, physics, chemistry, biology. I’m terrible at those. How about you?"

"I, uh… am equally bad at both liberal arts and sciences…"

"Ahaha! Well, you were on leave for a year. Are you feeling better now?"

"I’m still forbidden from strenuous exercise."

If I change into gym clothes and my tentacles accidentally show, it’ll be a disaster. That’s the excuse my parents gave the academy, at least.

"You really do seem like a sheltered noble lady, Iris. Ah—not in a bad way! I mean it as a compliment. You carry yourself like a proper young lady, unlike a plain girl like me."

"Not at all. You’re lovely too, Frieda."

"Thanks, Iris!"

"You can just call me Iris, by the way."

"Then you can call me Frieda too!"

Making such a friendly friend on the first day? I must be blessed. This is the power of being a super-beautiful girl, huh? Wahaha!

"Oh! The student council’s also in the Second Building. Interested in joining, Iris?"

"The… student council?"

The student council.

Where the love interest, Klaus the student council president, resides. Depending on the protagonist’s route, they might even join it.

In other words—a danger zone.

"No, I… don’t think someone like me would fit in there."

I don’t have a hobby of tap-dancing through minefields, so I’ll stay far away from the student council, thanks.

"Besides, isn’t the council already full?"

"Well… the secretary left due to illness. Something about a mental breakdown? Oh, you might not know, but two days ago, a bunch of students took leave or dropped out for ‘health reasons.’"

"Huh? Two days ago?"

April 2nd.

The day I became Iris… and the day of that cult mass suicide…?

"Th-Th-That’s terrible!"

"Yeah. One of my friends went home because of ‘horrible nightmares’ or something…"

Frieda suddenly glances behind me.

"Is something wrong, Lord Felix?"

Huh? I turn around to see Felix approaching.

"Miss Iris."

"Yes?"

Stop glaring at me with those few words, please~! So scary~!

"Do you know anything about the students who went on leave?"

His tone isn’t questioning—it’s accusatory, like he’s already decided I’m involved.

"No. I only just heard about it."

Not a lie. I’m just omitting that I might know the cause.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. If I may ask… what are you suspecting me of?"

Smile, smile. A super-beautiful girl’s smile can solve anything.

But Felix doesn’t look convinced. He just keeps staring me down.

He’s, like, two heads taller than me—the intimidation is unreal~! Scary~!

"Can you use a typewriter?"

"Huh?"

The next question throws me off. A typewriter? What’s this about?

"Is your handwriting neat? How’s your memory?"

"Uh… yes, my handwriting is decent, and my memory’s okay…?"

"Good."

Felix crosses his arms, scrutinizing me like I’m a specimen.

Then he declares:

"Join the student council."

…………