Project Necro is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Just before the afternoon class began, Ekaterina slipped into the classroom and hurried to prepare for the class, smiling at the girl beside her.

“I’m much obliged for earlier. Thanks to you, my brother was very pleased.”
“Thank goodness. I’m happy I could help.”

Flora smiled back—but then, voices drifted from behind them.

“Lowborn people really know no shame, do they?”
“Yes, yes.”

(*Oh, you’re describing yourselves, huh?*)

Irritated, I almost turned to glare at them—but then I noticed something.
Flora was looking down. Normally, she would brush off the Yes-Yes Trio’s nasty remarks with graceful indifference.
That’s strange, I thought—and then I saw it: Flora’s uniform was slightly dirty, as if smeared with soil.

My head went up in flames.
Those girls actually laid hands on her!

…It was probably for the best that the teacher arrived at that moment. Otherwise, I would’ve picked a fight with the Yes-Yes Trio and started a full-on catfight.
Damn it, how should I deal with this…

.

“Lady Flora, may I have a word?”

After the class she could hardly focus on, Ekaterina leaned toward Flora.

“Y-yes?”

Flora blinked in surprise. But why…ah—Ekaterina realized she had just called her by her name.
Fine, let’s just move forward.

“Would it be improper of me to call you by your name?”
“N-not at all! Please do.”
“Thank goodness, I’m delighted you find me quite close. Then please call me Ekaterina as well.”
“But… that’s…”
“Do you dislike it? Hearing about your mother made me feel quite close to you. I’d be so happy if we could be friends.”
“Dislike it? Of course not!”

Her soft pink hair swayed as she shook her head.

“It’s just… our ranks are so different, I’d feel unworthy.”
“I won’t insist on it. Just know that it would make me very happy if you’d address me as your friend..”
“O-okay. Um… I’m happy too, that you’d say that.”

Flora’s pale cheeks flushed faintly red as she smiled. Like her name, a flower spirit coming to life.

Now that I thought about it, Flora’s name sounded rather exotic in this world, where most first names were vaguely Russian in tone. I hadn’t noticed it in my past life, but it was kind of like a Japanese girl named “Maria.” Not exactly a *Kira-Kira* name, but unusual enough.¹

“Lady Flora, would you mind showing me your notes? You always take such neat ones.”
“Of course, go ahead.”
“How kind of you. This is how I usually take mine.”
“Oh! You’ve put real thought into it.”

Yeah, it’s literally the same note-taking method I learned in ‘Business Skills for New Employees’ training.

That said, without markers or colored pens in this world, it was a bit lackluster. Writing tools here were all quills—beautiful to look at, but with annoyingly thin shafts, tiny ink capacity that required dipping after every line, and nibs that blunted easily and had to be re-sharpened with a knife. …Seriously, somebody should go and invent a better pen already.

Flora’s notes were written in a tidy, easy-to-read script, and even the teacher’s spoken explanations were summarized neatly.

“You take such clear, organized notes, it’s very helpful. I missed this part; may I copy it?”
“Of course.”

Then came the voices again.

“She actually believes that flattery, how pathetic.”
“Yes, yes.”

…
Ekaterina pressed a finger to one ear, tilted her head, and smiled.

“Perhaps because it’s getting warmer lately, there seem to be more little buzzing insects about. Sometimes their droning gets rather unpleasant, doesn’t it?”

Flora widened her eyes, then giggled softly.

“If they become too noisy, perhaps I should have them exterminated. …Oh, forgive me, I was speaking to myself.”

Flora simply shook her head.
See? That’s grace. She doesn’t pile on and say, ‘Yes, please exterminate them!’—unlike some people I could mention.

Well, at least now the Yes-Yes Trio knew that Lady Ekaterina of House Jurnova was firmly on Flora’s side. I have no intention of fraternizing with you three. And if you ever lay a finger on her again, I won’t let it slide.

“Lady Flora, would you teach me cooking again tomorrow?”
“If someone like me is good enough, of course.”

I plan to stick closely to Flora for the time being, to make sure she wouldn’t be bullied again—at least until the events with the prince begin and Flora gains his protection.
To that end, I’d spend more time together; cooking, studying, building up their closeness.

…Wait, hold on. Isn’t this basically raising affection points for a capture target?
The villainess trying to romance the heroine—what kind of joke route is this? That kind of yuri route definitely wasn’t in the game.
I mean, it’s not like I played every route in the game, so I wouldn’t know…
But there wasn’t, right? Right?