59. Rainbow

Sorry for the one week delay. Honkai Star Rail dropped its 2.2 patch and uh, I completely lost track of time. Whoops.

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TN: Toasty
ED: Toasty

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There are many horse-drawn carriages and people coming and going in the central square of the royal capital today. Autumn is already here, but in this stone-paved area, what makes you feel the season is the clothes people wear and the products lined up at the stalls.
That day, it was my day off, so I sat on the edge of the fountain in the central plaza and waited for Leo to come. It seems like I’m helping with the inspection, but since I’m just guiding Leo to the places he wants to go, I don’t really know if I’m being helpful. In the beginning, I was just playing around with the little guys. I still go to Nico’s house from time to time, so I don’t think much has changed.

If it’s a breather, that’s fine.

I don’t care if Leo is actually inspecting things. If Leo has a chance to laugh at his age, that’s enough. I don’t know what a prince does, but it seems difficult.
Now, even though he has the title of prince, I feel like because there’s someone other than Ojou that he can comfortably talk to, even if it’s not explicitly the downtown area, it’s fine. If that’s the case, maybe it’s really just an inspection that comes regularly.
While I was waiting, I thought about this absentmindedly and realized that I had been waiting for Leo for quite some time.
However, since he only promised an approximate time, it would be a long time before he arrived. Come to think of it, an old man who works as a carpenter in the neighborhood was telling me that he was planning to build a large clock in the central square. He thinks that if that big clock is built, it will be easier to meet people.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of something falling. When I heard the sound and looked there, I saw a man who appeared to be an aristocrat and a boy kneeling on the stone pavement in front of a stopped carriage. In front of the boy are scattered boxes that appear to be items he has purchased.
It was easy to see that the boy had fallen and dropped his luggage.

「What are you doing!?」

The man, who clearly had nothing of his own, tries to intimidate the boy for his failure. The boy first picks up his thick glasses that had apparently fallen with his luggage, puts them on, and apologizes. These are called bottle-bottom glasses, and when you wear them you can only see the boy’s eyes from the sides.

「I’m sorry, father…」

「Hmph, someone who can’t even carry his luggage shouldn’t call me father.」

The words are filled with contempt. I don’t know the circumstances, but that father and son seem to be a family that is only related by blood.

「Sorry.」

The apology is in a weak voice. Although his father couldn’t see it, I was standing next to him and could see the harshness in the boy’s eyes. There was anger at the man who said words that trampled on dignity.
Their conversation cannot be heard by the passing carriages, and the people on foot are all of a lower status than them. Even if they felt pity for the boy, the commoners would not interfere with the aristocrats. There are just a few people passing by without worrying about it.
The man seemed irritated by his son’s repeated apologies and stumbling steps as he rummaged through his belongings. His leather-gloved fists loosened slightly. I feel the presence of spirits gathering in his hand. I realized that he was about to use magic, so I looked closely at it to see if it had any attributes. At about the same time, the boy wearing bottle-bottom glasses looked at the man’s right hand and put his hand into his pants pocket.

「You’re really useless…」

「It’s dangerous to use fire.」

Just before activating the magic, my voice called out to him, and the man stopped as he tried to raise his right hand. Then, he turned towards me, who was calling out to me in a doubtful manner.

「…who are you?」

「If you use fire at this time of year when the air is starting to dry, the flames will spread faster than you think, so you can only threaten them.」

The man’s eyebrows rose, perhaps because I had guessed the attributes of the magic even though it hadn’t been activated, or perhaps because he realized that I had tried to threaten him.
It was a hunch that the man was trying to threaten his son. The fact that he can cast magic without chanting means that the man has a lot of magical power and is used to using it. Although he was trying to use magic on the boy as if it were normal, there were no noticeable burn marks on the boy. Therefore, I was able to determine that he was using magic in a threatening manner on a daily basis.
The man looks down at me with obvious displeasure.

「Are you trying to give me your opinion?」

「No, I just thought it would be a waste if the nobleman’s gloves got burnt. Also…」

「What.」

「My master asked me to pick up some glasses, but it’s my first time going to Main Street… so I was wondering if you could tell me where the glasses shop is.」

When I let out a pitiful laugh, the man’s interest in me waned, perhaps because he had lost his mind over some stupid reason. Unable to care about the common people any longer, he turned his gaze back to his son, and then raised the corners of his mouth at a whim that occurred to him.

「You can’t use it anyway, just help the servants with directions.」

「Eh……」

「I’ll go home first. You can do whatever you want and come later.」

With that, the man had the carriage driver load his luggage, and as he had promised, he rode off alone in the carriage. All that was left behind was the boy, who was so stunned that he forgot to stand up.
As expected, I was taken aback as well. However, I quickly regained my composure and held out my hand towards the boy.

「Are you okay?」

The hand I held out to help me stand up was immediately brushed aside. The wave of his hand was so strong that the glasses the boy was wearing fell onto the stone pavement again. And then, the same fierce eyes as before glared up at me. Although his eyes were small, his gaze seemed to pierce through a strong sense of pent-up emotion.

「Are you trying to help someone, you hypocrite!」

The boy was showing his anger and was refusing everything.

「You’re very twisted.」

「What!?」

It’s a miracle that he grew up so obediently under those parents, but it’s easy to understand that his personality is twisted. It’s hard to believe in the kindness of others.

「By the way, can you see spirits?」

Just as I sensed a presence, I remembered that the boy had been looking at the man’s right hand before the magic was activated, and when I asked him about it, the boy’s shoulders trembled and jumped.

「What……」

How did he know? His expression asked, confirming it.

「Wow, that’s amazing. I heard that even nobles can’t see spirits unless they’re conscious of it.」

Leo told me that even if I can’t see them, it’s rare for me to be able to sense the presence and activation of magic used on me. When using magic, spirits of that attribute are attracted by the user’s magical power, but normally no one other than the user is aware of it until after the magic has been activated and materialized.
It seems that the reason why Ojou can see them when offering sweets is because she is consciously looking. Apparently, she can’t see spirits unless she’s looking at them, just like I, a commoner. Certainly, if you could always see it, your field of vision would be busy and it might be difficult.
Leo said that because I can’t see spirits, I have a specialized sense for noticing signs of magic. I was surprised that some nobles could notice spirits even if they weren’t consciously aware of them.

「You’re wearing such thick glasses……」

「Ahhh!」

I pick up the boy’s fallen glasses and try them on. The boy impatiently reached out his hand to stop me, but at that time I was already wearing the glasses. I was curious about the power of thick glasses. So, I was surprised by his curious behavior.

「……wow! Is this a spirit!?」

Faint orange beads of light are scattered and floating on the stone pavement. When I moved my gaze towards the fountain, I saw a child with translucent light blue wings playing in the water. I saw a spirit for the first time in my life and was excited by the sight.

「Give it back!」

The boy takes my glasses back and my vision returns to normal. That was a little disappointing, but the momentary scenery moved me.

「Those glasses, are they a magic tool!? Even I could see spirits.」

「You’re annoying, this is just for me!」

When I asked, my eyes shining with excitement, the boy seemed annoyed and insisted that it was only for him. If that’s the case, it looks like he won’t be able to lend it to me. I just wanted to see the spirits one more time.
And suddenly a question arises. Why was the boy wearing glasses that allowed him to see spirits? It is a magic tool that is unnecessary for a nobleman with strong magical power. If he had been that wary of his own father, he should have been able to keep an eye on him in advance and prepare for his magic.
Even if it’s not possible, I wonder if this boy can’t see spirits even if he’s conscious of them like me.

「You…… do you not have any magical power?」

That was an extreme assumption. However, even when I consciously tried to read the signs of magic around the boy, I couldn’t sense any signs of spirits. Normally, I could vaguely feel the presence of spirits with the appropriate attribute. Therefore, it occurred to me that this boy may have extremely little magical power or no magical power at all.
The boy turned pale at my murmur.

「Well, it won’t be a problem even if you don’t have magical power.」

At the affirmative response, I laughed and patted him on the back.

「Ha?」

The boy stares at me with a quizzical look on his face, as if asking me: What are you talking about?’

「You’ll be in trouble without magic!」

「It’s not a problem. I can live without it.」

「See, you’re just looking down on me because you can use magic!」

「No, I never said anything like that.」

Pointing at me, the boy shuddered with anger. This feeling of not being approached reminds me of the wary and menacing stray cat I encountered in my previous life. Dogs and cats are not allowed to run wild on property in this country. It will either be kept in a shelter or kept in a mansion for guard purposes.
Magic usage doesn’t matter to me, as commoners rarely have strong magical powers, but apparently, as a boy from an aristocratic family, he has quite a complex about not having magical powers. When there are differences in values, it’s difficult to communicate.

「Isaac, is that a friend with you today?」

Leo, who had curly brown hair, called out to me while tilting his head. It seems that Leo came while I was having a question and answer session with the boy. As usual, the bodyguard Matteus-nii-chan is also behind me.

「Ah. Exactly at the right time. Leo, please give this guy a ride on your way home today.」

「I don’t mind if it’s on the way, but…… he’s a face I haven’t seen before.」

「It’s because we just met.」

「We don’t know each other!」

The boy denied that he was a stranger. Leo rolls his eyes at the boy who says the opposite of my opinion.

「Ah, I’m Isaac. Well, this is Leo. And this is his older brother, Matteus-nii-chan.」

「You saying your name isn’t the problem!」

When I take turns pointing at the boy and telling him our names, the boy gets angry when he says otherwise. I ask, ignoring the boy’s attitude.

「What’s your name?」

「There’s no way I’ll tell you.」

「Then, I’ll call you Mushroom Head.」

「Mush……!?」

I thought I saw a hairstyle somewhere that was cut in a beautiful curve, and then I remembered that it was called mushroom hair. It’s a hairstyle that musicians sometimes wear.

「It’s Tobias.」

After the boy was extremely conflicted, he gave his name as if he had to squeeze it out. Apparently he didn’t like being called a mushroom head over and over again.

「Okay, Tobi.」

「Why are you cutting it short!?」

「I’m sorry. Issac isn’t good at remembering long names.」

「It’s the same length as Isaac.」

Tobi protests that Leo following along is still strange. Certainly, Leo’s explanation alone is not enough. I’m not good at remembering names that are not only long, but also difficult to pronounce and unfamiliar to me.
Leo calms Tobi down with a smile, saying it’s fine, it’s fine.

「It’s better to treat the sprained leg first then the name problem.」

「Eh?」

I was surprised by Leo’s words, and when I looked down at Tobi’s feet, I saw that his center of gravity was closer to one leg. Apparently, the reason he couldn’t get up immediately after falling was because he had sprained his ankle.

「My bad. I didn’t notice.」

「It’s hard to tell unless you can see the swelling.」

When I was feeling apologetic, Leo followed up and said that he had no choice but to hide it with his socks.
From then on, Leo was quick. I asked Mateus-nii-chan to carry Tobi on his back to my house, and with my mother’s cooperation, we will treat him.
While Mom was treating Tobi’s sprain, I explained to Leo why I had asked him to accompany Tobi in the carriage. After my explanation, Mateus-niichan whispered something to Leo. I don’t know what he said, but Leo thinks a little.

「What is it, you guys?」

After receiving treatment, Tobi grumbles and puts his socks back on. Tobi is sitting on the bed in my room, thinking it would be best to rest until Leo gets home. After Mom finished treating her, she made some tea and she went downstairs.

「Now then, what do you think of the father who left Tobias behind?」

「That old man listens less than Tobi.」

When Leo asked him what he thought of Tobi’s father who came home in the carriage earlier, he answered exactly what he thought. His eyes looked down on ordinary people like his son, Tobi, and me, and he spoke in a way that was used to contempt. He seemed like a person who could no longer accept anything other than his own set of values. I can have a conversation with Tobi, but I don’t think I can have a conversation with that old man.

「That’s right. Marquis Brennais is a magic supremacist and has a strong sense of the chosen people.」

「Even though I only told you my name……!?」

Tobi is amazed when Leo speaks so easily about his father.

「I’m good at remembering people I greet, Tobias von Brennais.」

Leo smiled and took off the wig he was wearing. Tobi’s expression was filled with shock. Tobi was surprised that the other person was a prince, but I was surprised by what I just heard about Leo’s amazing memory.
This guy is a prince. That means he’ll be greeting quite a few people. How do you remember most of a person’s full name?
It’s probably a useful skill for a prince, but to me it’s terrible. I remember enough so I don’t get a headache.
Knowing Leo’s true identity, Tobi backed away on the bed in alarm. He stares at Leo with an investigative gaze.

「It seems that you are being treated poorly by the Brennais family, but why?」

「Huh? Isn’t it just that he’s not on good terms with his father?」

「The bruises under his clothes are left unattended. Not only the other family members, but even the servants are probably condoning this.」

Tobi gaped at the fact that was revealed, and I was speechless.
Is this what Matteus-nii-chan was whispering to Leo with a bitter expression on his face? I’m sure he noticed the bruise under his clothes while he was carrying it. In other words, Tobi was subjected to abuse or similar treatment from his family.
I thought it was strange that he would have his son carry his luggage even though he was a nobleman. But he was even violent. I understand that just blood ties don’t make them a family. Still, I can’t understand how someone would treat a human being like that, let alone a child.
I realize that Tobi’s father is someone he really cannot talk to. How could he be able to do something like that to someone who shares a blood connection with him?

「…Is it true that you don’t have any magical power?」

Leo said earlier that Tobi’s father is a believer in the supremacy of magical power. Oku-sama also told me before that generally speaking, having a large amount of magical power is the status of a noble. Does that mean Tobi’s father is the type who determines a person’s value in proportion to their amount of magical power? If he didn’t have magical powers, would he even think that his own son was worthless?
I clench my fist, feeling helpless about returning him to where his father is. Even when I think about what he can do, I can only come up with a temporary idea.
When I turned to see if Prince Leo would do something about it, I saw honey-colored eyes staring straight back at me.

「Isaac… what did you just say…?」

I tilt my head when I’m asked.

「Just because Tobi doesn’t have magical powers, it’s weird that he doesn’t think of him as family…」

「Is that true!?」

For some reason, Leo’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. He doesn’t have any wig on his head now, and it’s so dazzling when he shines so much. I agreed, building a wall with my hands.

「Maybe. He doesn’t have a spirit that seems to have an aptitude attribute, but he has magic glasses that can see spirits so that he can detect magic.」

「Isac, that’s just it!」

Suddenly, both of my shoulders were grabbed strongly. Why is Leo so excited? Also, it’s bright so please don’t come near me.
Tobi was at a loss for a reaction when he saw me trying to distance myself from Leo who was jubilant. This time, Leo took Tobi’s hand.

「I was looking for someone like you.」

「Ha……?」

Tobi’s expression was as if he didn’t understand, and he froze in front of Leo who grabbed his hand. Tobi, it’s okay. I don’t understand either.

「Since magical power is not hereditary, there must be some nobles with low magical power, but they keep it a secret. I want to borrow the power of such people.」

The theory that magic power is not inherited is a fact that was announced to the common people before we were even aware of it. However, the general perception that nobles have a large amount of magical power and commoners have little has not changed much.
From the common people’s point of view, they expect that if they have a large amount of magical power, they might be able to get a high-paying job, and they would only envy such people. On the other hand, nobles seem to feel ashamed if they don’t have magical power and hide it. Was that the reason why I didn’t hear rumors about nobles with little magical power?

「What’s more, you’ve even developed a magic tool to compensate for your lack of magical power. That’s an amazing talent.」

For the time being, it seems like Leo was looking for a noble who doesn’t have or has little magic power. He seems to be very happy when he discovered that Tobi, whom he met by chance, has no magical powers.
However, Tobi, who has probably never been needed or praised this much, is being pressed by Leo and his eyes are darting about.

「By the way, how did you make those glasses?」

「Eh…… uh…… I used an empty magic stone to make it look like I could use magic, and I used ink mixed with Nachtgrass to draw a magic circle with Oile’s quill…」

It seems that the lens, which I thought was glass, was the remains of a used magic stone. It seems that the magic stone is like the one used in the bear phone containing Elena’s magical power, so I guess it’s the other way around. If I remember correctly, Nachtgrass is a dark-attribute demonic plant, and Oile is also the name of a dark-attribute monster. Since he can’t imbue it with magical power himself, he must have used materials that have magical power.

「I can’t believe that you can create such a unique magic tool with only knowledge of magic……! I would like you to make use of it at the Ministry of Magic.」

Hey, Leo. Don’t just jump right in and recommend future employment. Not everyone can see things far into the future like you.

「I, who have no magical power, am going to be in the Ministry of Magic…?」

Leo smiles at Tobi who seems to be exasperated.

「What is needed to study magic is not magic power, but an interest in magic. Tobias, you have that in abundance.」

Hearing Leo’s words, Tobi was stunned. Tobi was born into a noble family but had no magical powers, so he desperately acquired knowledge about magic and was able to create magic tools. He never thought it would be evaluated in this way.

「I……」

Confused by the sudden conversation, Tobi tries to escape. At that moment, an object containing a transparent stone fell out of his pants pocket.

「Is this also a magic tool?」

「Ah!」

「Is that the one you were trying to use earlier?」

A transparent stone is fitted into a metal base, and when you look inside the transparent stone, you can see that some kind of magic circle is drawn inside the base. Leo picked up the magic tool, and I remembered him putting his hand in his pocket when Tobi’s father tried to use magic.
Tobi closed his mouth in an awkward manner, and then, as if thinking about it, he spoke up.

「…It’s a tool to steal magic power.」

Tobi’s confession had the same resignation as when a criminal is caught.

「There’s still a lot of it in my room. I thought I’d take away the important magic power from the people in my house who looked down on me because I didn’t have it.」

When I saw Tobi’s eyes burning with anger, I realized that Tobi had been through so much that he wanted revenge, which made me feel sad. This magic tool was a deadly weapon for Tobi.

「Are you still planning on inviting me to the Ministry of Magic, since I can only think of ways to use it like this, Your Highness?」

Saying that, Tobi laughs mockingly. He wasn’t laughing at Leo, he was laughing at himself.

「Yes. All things have their usages in the right way.」

Leo smiles determinedly. When Tobi confesses to the attempted crime, Leo’s unexpected reaction makes him wonder.

「I also have the dark attribute, but I realized that it’s surprisingly easy to use and useful. So, if you use it correctly, this magic tool can be a tool to help people.」

Prince Leo took the initiative to utilize dark attribute magic, which had a negative impression, and the impression of the dark attribute changed for the better. When he went to eat at Ingrid’s bar, people expressed their gratitude to Leo, saying that dark elemental adventurers no longer had to be looked down upon or look down on themselves. He’s a prince who can turn darkness into light.
Magic is just a tool. No matter what attributes it has, it can be misused or used for good depending on the mind of the person using it. People often forget that it’s just that.
Leo proved it with his actions. It’s truly amazing how many people can change their mindset.

「And Tobias hasn’t done anything yet. You’re going to do it.」

Tobi’s eyes, which had been stained with anger, changed color to hope for the future.
It actually takes a lot more time to change the mindset of someone as twisted as Tobi. I think it’s the work of Leo’s charisma that he was able to change that with just one word. At times like this, I realize that Leo is a prince.

「I-I’ll think about it.」

Tobi answered, uncomfortably looking away from Leo who was staring straight at him.
His answer is positive for someone so twisted. Magic power was the absolute standard of value due to my family’s influence, but I wouldn’t suddenly be able to accept that there was value without magic power.

「I’m hoping for a good answer.」

With a refreshing smile, Leo agreed to the withholding of his answer.
After confirming the situation, we discussed it, and instead of sending Tobi home, we decided to leave him in the care of an aristocrat affiliated with the Ministry of Magic through Leo’s introduction. When I was worried about whether it was okay to take such strong measures, Leo beamed and said that this was a common occurrence of tyrannical royals having others live in a detached house.
However, when I was worried that it would be difficult to say goodbye to my family even though I had been treated badly, Tobi said with a sarcastic smile that he was relieved. He told me that the look in his eyes that seemed to bear a little bit of pain didn’t mean he was completely relieved. Still, Tobi must have tied up his feelings so he could start walking on his own two feet.
He probably can’t be happy about everything. Still, I was relieved that Tobi wouldn’t have to face violence in the future.

「Thank you, Leo.」

After receiving my gratitude, Leo became stunned, and Tobi fixed his eyes on him.

「Why are you thanking me?」

「Because I can’t do anything.」

Tobi looks at me with eyes that see inexplicable things. Then, he furrowed his eyebrows at my answer. At the same time, Leo cleared his throat in a funny way.
I was curious about their reactions, and when I tilted my head, Leo laughed and spoke to Tobi.

「Huh? Isaac says he hasn’t achieved any success? Tobias, what do you think?」

Leo’s question is strange. There’s no need to ask Tobi when it’s obvious that I can’t do anything. All I could do was something makeshift. Leo was the one who saved Tobi. He gave Tobi a way forward that would lead to a proper solution, and persuaded Tobi himself.
Tobi frowned and glared at me.

「Because you revealed that you don’t have magical powers, I’ll have to live my life being looked at with white eyes by everyone around me.」 [T/N: This isn’t metaphorical, literally it is “white eyes” and there weren’t enough clues for an alternative.]

What Tobi says is true. I lower my gaze, thinking maybe I did something unnecessary.
No matter how much Prince Leo approves, the consciousness of all the nobles will not suddenly change. What Leo wants to do is shatter conventional stereotypes. The cooperation Leo seeks is for Tobi to jump into the thorns of prejudice and carve a path forward. There are people like Tobi’s father who won’t listen, and it must be very difficult.
I couldn’t see that, so I interrupted. I didn’t think about what happened after that. As Tobi said, it may have been a hypocritical ego.
As a result, if I forced Tobi to choose a difficult path, I would be irresponsible.

「Sorry……」

「You can live without magic, right?」

When I tried to apologize, Tobi said what I said earlier. When I instinctively looked up, Tobi gave me a defiant look and made a strong declaration.

「I’ll live as much as possible.」

「I see.」

Even though Tobi’s words were like he was telling me not to interfere, I felt happy and laughed.
Then Tobi pointed his index finger at me.

「I owe you one.」

「Heh?」

「I owe you, so come up with something.」

Tobi expresses his gratitude as if he is trying to pick a fight, which is really twisted.

「Then let me put those glasses on again.」

「Hmph, it doesn’t suit you very much, so I’ll give you a slightly better design.」

When I told him that I liked the glasses that allow him to see spirits, he gave me an irreverent answer. So, I kept quiet about the fact that the glasses didn’t suit Tobi either.
Leo narrowed his honey-colored eyes with satisfaction as he watched our exchange. You’re acting like a younger person watching in that way, Leo.

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In November, I was waiting for Ojou in the gazebo.
The pavilion located in the middle of the breezeway that leads to the western outbuilding of Ernst’s house and towards the pond is cold at this time of year and is not very popular. Once the sun goes down, you won’t be able to do without your winter clothes, and it will be pitch dark before 6pm.
I’m glad that Ojou’s birthday falls during this season. The days are getting shorter and the moon will rise in the evening, so we can meet up early. Until last year, I used to go earlier and get some time while the sun was setting.
This year, I explained the reason for meeting a little later and received permission from the Duke-sama and Oku-sama. After meeting Tobi, I once again realized that it is rare for dukes to listen and understand even when I am a commoner, even among nobles.
I don’t think Tobi’s family is normal, but I feel like there may be children in similar circumstances in aristocratic society. Leo seems to have made Tobi a candidate for his direct vassal, just like Remias and Bell. Leo said that if Tobi achieves results commensurate with his position, a path will open up for him in the future.
In that case, Tobi might be a hope for the nobles who don’t have much magical power. Tobi seems to be complaining about having such a huge hurdle set up for him.
I could easily imagine the scene and couldn’t help but laugh.

「Did something funny happen?」

「Oh. Ojou, sorry. I just remembered a friend.」

Ojou stepped into the gazebo and asked me a question curiously. Chairwoman was following behind her, holding a lantern.
I answered while holding back a laugh. I thought Tobi would complain if he found out that I treated him like a friend, but I couldn’t think of any other explanation.

「Zack seems to have a lot of friends.」

「Really? I feel Ojou has more.」

I tilt my head at Ojou’s impression.
Ojou is not only talking to girls, but also to Leo and Nico as equals. I have friends of both genders, and no matter how I look at it, most of them are Ojou’s. I was lucky enough to be friends with Nico, who is the same age as me.
When I heard about friends, Nico and one other person came to mind. What is Frank doing when he returns from the South Country? I hope I can meet him again someday.

「So how do you see a rainbow at night?」

Ojou tilted her head to the side, wondering if I would be able to give her the birthday present I promised. There was hope in her eyes, but she could clearly see that there were doubts in her eyes that she couldn’t imagine. I thought it would be faster to show her than to explain, so I looked at Chairwoman with a weak tone.

「I can’t do it if there’s light, but……」

「Okay, I’ll wait over there. I’ll come pick you up later, so if you need anything, please call me.

Chairwoman realized this before I could finish my sentence, bowed to Ojou instead of me, and disappeared into the entrance of the breezeway.
The light from the lantern went out, and for a moment I felt the illusion of total darkness. But after a while, my eyes got used to the darkness and I was able to make out the outline of my surroundings under the moonlight. The stars of the night sky are reflected on the surface of the pond, making it look like a planetarium.

「Ojou, would you please look up at the moon?」

When I pointed at the moon, Ojou nodded and looked up at the moon as I asked. I manipulate the water in the pond with magic and create a small cloud in front of Ojou’s line of sight. Then, I bent down next to where Ojou’s head was and looked up at the moon from the same gaze level.

「W-why are you bringing your face so close!?」

「Well, if Ojou can’t see it, there’s no point.」

The surprised Ojou turned her upper body upwards and tried to distance herself from me. I tell her to be patient and stay still, as I need to make some adjustments from the Ojou’s perspective so that she can see the rainbow.
After Ojou struggled with something for a while, she told me to finish it as soon as possible and returned to her original position.
Looking up at the moon from near the right shoulder of Ojou who was looking down and not moving, I began to adjust the position of the clouds. After making the cloud into a donut shape so that the moon can be seen through the hole, I fine-tune the thickness of the cloud while checking how the water particles reflect. However, the reason why Ojou is looking down is because she wants to see it after it is completed. That’s fine though.
After checking the reflection of the moonlight, I called out to Ojou.

「Okay, you can look up now.」

When I separate from her, Ojou let out a sigh of relief. Then, she quietly looked up at the moon through the hole in the clouds.

「Wah……!」

The moon’s light is reflected in the ring of clouds, and a rainbow ring surrounds the moon. I’m sure Ojou can see that. The moonlight is bright tonight, and the air is nice and clear. It’s a perfect day for a rainbow.
When did I first realize that it’s easier to see rainbows when the moon is covered with clouds?
There is such a thing as a moon rainbow, so maybe there really are rainbows that appear at night, but this is the only one that I know of at night. If the clouds are flowing naturally, they will be blown away by the wind after a while, and the moon will be hidden by thick clouds, or conversely, the clouds will not cover the moon at all, so you will only see a small rainbow, but if you make your own clouds, you can look at it as long as it has magical power.
When he saw Ojou let out a voice of admiration, I was relieved that she seemed to like it. It’s such a shabby magic, but if Ojou is happy with it, it feels like a high quality magic.

「Happy birthday, Ojou.」

When I gave her my words of congratulations, her pale blue eyes, which had been gazing into the rainbow, turned to me and narrowed in joy.

「Thank you, Zack! It’s really wonderful……!」

Illuminated by the moonlight, Ojou’s big smile is burned into my eyes. Her smile was soft and innocent, like a flower opening.
My heart starts to thud. I remember this feeling of surprise in my heart.

「I see……」

I laugh, realizing how simple it is.
The only person I’m surprised to see a smile from is Ojou. Even though it was special and important, it was obvious.
Of course. Ever since the first time Ojou called me Zack and laughed, I’ve always wanted to see her smile. I chose a future where I can see as many smiling faces as possible, and I am here now.
Because Ojou smiles at me, even that has become natural for me.
I like Ojou. 

「Za… ck……?」

Ojou’s cheeks are dyed like the petals of a flower. Ojou looks surprised for some reason, and even that expression is cute.

「Is something… wrong……?」

「As expected, I really like when Ojou smiles.」

That’s why I hope to see Ojou’s smile from now on.
Since I realized it, I decided not to give up on it. I promised that to Frank.
Immediately after, I witnessed Ojou’s face turn rosy-red before my very eyes.

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The way I screamed when I saw the sentence “I like Ojou”.

Honestly the first 80% of the chapter was pretty tame, I think it was just more “Zack putting all the pieces of the otome game in their place” (so I’m pretty sure another Elena chapter is due soon). But the last bit with Ojou was really worth the rest of it, hahaha.

Two more chapters until end of this volume, and then it’ll be time for the finale volume. I think we may actually be able to wrap it up this year if I stop getting delayed though that’s entirely my own fault lol

See you all next time!

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