Chapter 69: The Princess of the Commoners

The next day at school is... hell.

My normal hell is fine. People fear me. They whisper. They stay away.

This is a new hell.

I am no longer Bloody Twilight.

I am... The Girl Who Dated The Prince.

I walk through the gates.

Everyone... BOWS.

They actually BOW. Like I'm a teacher. Or... royalty.

My stomach turns.

"Good morning, Isuzu-sama!" a girl from Class C squeaks. SAMA?!

I glare at her. My coldest Bloody Twilight glare. The one that makes bullies cry.

She... blushes and squeals.

"She looked at me!"

It didn't work. My powers are gone.

I stalk to my classroom. It's a parade. People are peeking around corners. Taking photos on their phones.

I get to class. My desk... is clean. Spotless. Someone polished it. There is a can of expensive tea on it.

Fuji's desk is still empty. It is now a shrine.

The Fuji Fan Club has covered it in flowers.

They see me. They stop.

I brace myself. For the attack. For the hate.

Their leader, Mika-chan, walks over. She looks me up and down.

I clench my fist.

She... bows. A deep, respectful bow.

"Isuzu-sama," she says, her voice shaking. "We... we did not realize. You were the one he chose. You must be... very special."

I stare at her.

"He looked so sad on TV," another girl whispers. "He looked trapped. Isuzu-sama... are you going to save him?"

They... are not mad at me.

They are... counting on me.

This is so much worse.

Even the teachers are weird.

My Math teacher, who hates me, smiles.

"Isuzu-san, is the room temperature acceptable today? Do you need a window opened?"

I just stare at him.

Lunchtime. I sit at my table. Rika and Toujo sit with me.

The cafeteria is silent. Everyone is watching me eat.

A bully from the soccer team, a third-year who thinks he owns the school, is walking by. He's not looking.

He bumps into my table. My soda spills.

The cafeteria gasps.

The bully freezes. He looks at the soda. He looks at me.

He pales. I've never seen anyone go so white.

I am about to stand up. I am about to launch him into the dish cart like I did to Toujo.

He drops to his knees.

He slams his head on the floor. A dogeza. A real one.

"MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES, ISUZU-SAMA!" he wails. "PLEASE! DO NOT HAVE ME SENT TO THE DUNGEON!"

The... dungeon?

I am speechless.

My reputation. My beautiful, terrifying reputation.

It's gone.

I am not Bloody Twilight.

I am some... Royal Consort. Some future princess.

I can't even fight anyone.

Toujo leans in.

"This is so cool," he whispers. "Ask him for his wallet."

I put my head in my hands.

This is hell. This is the worst hell imaginable.

I have to save him.

Not for him.

For ME.

I need my old life back. The one where people were afraid of me for the right reasons.