The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent

I almost let out a hesitant “Uh…” but quickly shut my mouth.

Even if my carefully constructed persona was crumbling and my true self was being laid bare, there were still some things I needed to protect. Even after losing my ability, I had been making an effort to maintain at least a minimal level of my established character.

One day, the entirety of my real self might be exposed. But I didn’t want that to happen all at once, in a single moment.

And starting a sentence with “Uh…” while addressing someone? That didn’t fit my character at all. Up until now, I had always spoken only after thinking things through.

“…May I ask how much you remember about me?”

I asked, holding onto a sliver of hope.

“…”

At my question, Mia’s gaze flickered toward the empty space in front of her. She seemed to be searching through her memories, silently sifting through them one by one.

Then, after a brief pause, she spoke—her voice slightly uncertain.

“At the very least, I think I remember almost everything I saw of you…”

She sounded unsure, leaving room for doubt.

But I knew the truth.

Mia had an excellent memory—good enough to recite complex magic incantations from memory. Her academic performance was always among the top. While I had to spend significantly more time studying just to maintain my grades, and Alice pushed herself through sheer effort, Mia was simply intelligent enough to keep up without struggling.

That wasn’t to say she didn’t put in any effort. But her approach to studying was fundamentally different from ours.

Alice studied because, as a princess, she had to set an example—even if it meant forcing herself to do things she didn’t enjoy. Mia, on the other hand, studied simply because she found it fun. She had even told me before that she was genuinely interested in magic.