Hey guys happy new ye—WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S MARCH AND JUST ABOUT APRIL.

Yeah, sorry about that. Everything has been uh, topsy-turvy. Last time I complained about shakeups and stuff at work, and to be honest it’s only gotten worse. In June last year I was just chilling and moving along, and now I’m jettisoning all over the place and regularly having meetings and sometimes dinner with associate vice presidents of my company and in the past month I’ve now been assigned to help out managing an entire geographical region. On the plus side yeah my career advancement is going very well. It’s uh, a whirl, and my free time has diminished greatly. I am way over my target goal though, since I was trying to push this either by Christmas or in January. Dammit.

I’m actually also posting this about an hour before I have to leave the house to get on a plane, so apologies in advance if this isn’t edited as well as usual but I finally caught enough time to work on it and try to proofread it. If there’s any egregious errors I will try to fix them at the airport or when I’m on my layover or when I’ve touched down.

Either way, THIS CHAPTER. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE LATTER HALF OF THIS CHAPTER. I sincerely hope it’s finally worth it.

---

It was quiet.
It was decided that Witting would take on the Light attribute, and an assignment was given for her to get better overall grades than Ojou in the first semester. She must have worked hard to get a higher ranking, even if it was small, as her attribute was not yet determined and it was difficult to get evaluation points through practical skills.
I think it’s really amazing because there was no way Ojou would cut corners. On the bulletin board where the top fifty students were posted, Witting was happy to be with Ojou’s friends.
On the day the results were announced, Ojou and Leo went through the formalities to cancel their engagement. It was a simple matter of signing the documents that were prepared.
The engagement was ended quietly in the student council room, neither secretly nor publicly announced. The reason I was there was to give Ojou an excuse to leave first.
The ex-fiances smile and say goodbye. That’s what I thought as I looked at the two of them.
Although I thought it was cool to see Ojou smiling dignifiedly as she told me to go home, I thought in the back of my mind that there was nothing I could do about it.

---

After the final exams, there was a competition.
We would have sparring matches with the Knight Training School attached to the Magic Academy grounds. It’s like a sports festival for students who are tired from studying to relieve stress.
The guys at the knight training school are excited about this as a good opportunity to show off their abilities, and some of the students at the magic academy are also motivated because they can brag about the strength of their magic. There are women among the knight trainees, like Chairman, but only men can participate in the tournament. Pome taught me it’s easier for girls to do things if their abilities aren’t known.

「Hey, do I really have to participate?」

「It would be outrageous for the Ernst family to run away without a fight.」

「That’s right! If you’re Heinz-san’s disciple, show your mettle and aim for the championship!」

No, I’m certainly a servant of the Ernst family, but I’m just an apprentice gardener.
I feel the pressure placed on by Pochi and Chairman as the lady’s escort is unreasonable. Both of them are switched onto a sports team rooting mode. After all, it seems that most of the knight trainees are athletic.
Heinz-san, the butler, my master who taught me Taijutsu, is one of the all-time champions and there’s even a legend that he won the championship without any injuries. That’s why they already admired my master, and when they found out I was being trained, they became unreasonably jealous.
From Pochi’s point of view, it’s probably a good opportunity to prove that he’s streonger. But from my point of view, I knew from the beginning that Pochi was stronger, so it’s too late now.
If Pochi’s strange rivalry with me goe away after this, then there might be a point in participating.

「Geh.」

I thought I’d try my best to avoid getting injured, but when I saw my opponent in the first match in the tournament style format, I thought it might not be possible.
The stadium was made of mortar and cylinder shaped, and to me, who had memories from my previous life, it looked like an amphitheater from a movie set in the Roman Empire. The reason it doesn’t have a dome-shaped roof may be because it gets in the way depending on the power of magic.
A teacher in charge of refereeing is standing in the center of the circular stadium. The referee announced the start of the first match and called out the names of the opponents. My name is called on one side.
I get up on the match stand and face my opponent. The reason why the students in the spectator seats were cheering was probably due to my opponent in front of me. After all, he is the favorite to win this year.

「I never thought I would be blessed with an opportunity like this.」

His eyes that are the same as a clear blue sky are shining with joyful light. He seems happy.

「I’m rather serious, please take it easy on me.」

「Don’t worry, I’m good at stopping.」

The judge orders us to stand ready, and Remias draws his sword and wraps it in blue flame. Even if it stops, I won’t get burned.
I never thought that I would be facing Remias, who I refused when challenged many years ago. I also never thought the day would come when I would use this, I thought, as I placed the knuckles, which I always keep in my pants pockets, on both hands.
Nico had given it to me, so I kept it as a talisman. Whenever the size no longer fits, he gives them to me as a birthday present, so it still fits perfectly on my fingers. If you used your bare hands, you might hurt your hands when you hit them with your fists, he said, so the knuckles are for protection.
Remias holds his sword with full enthusiasm, while I take a readied stance.
The moment the referee gave the signal, a blue flash appeared where my neck was.

「I guess you would avoid it.」

「No, you, my neck……」

If someone aimed at your neck at the same speed as iaijutsu, anyone would avoid it. Remias laughs with amusement at me being able to dodge, but I don’t find it funny at all.
Even while we were exchanging words, he attacked me with thrusts, blows, and slashes, and I was forced to do my best to dodge and dodge, leaving me unable to speak. What’s with this fighting game attack that flows like a combo? This is what I experienced when it comes to attacks that leave no gaps.
Because Remias’ flame blade is hot, it’s not easier to dodge than a normal sword. The amount of water magic I can use with my magical power gets wiped out by Remias’ blue flame. It’s definitely a disadvantage.
It seems difficult to lose without getting hurt against Remias. For someone like Remias who has a large amount of magical power, even if he is a candidate for knighthood, his seat will mainly be at the Magic Academy. The amount of classes is adjusted so that he has time to train at the knight training school, so the curriculum is similar to a physical education course.
There’s no way a student who just studies can beat someone like that who trains on a regular basis.
Since I’m taller, my attacks are often aimed from above. Taking this to my advantage, I lowered myself the moment Remias made a thrust and aimed a kick from below at his wrist holding the sword. I want him to drop the sword and at least shorten the reach.

「How promising!」

Realizing what I was aiming for, Remias was unable to suddenly change his stance, instead he turned the sword around with just his wrist and counterbalanced the attack by hitting the sole of my shoe with the hilt.
The reaction from that impact caused me to lose my balance, and Remias’ arm lifted up into a position where he could swing the sword down. By swinging my legs back as he was pushed back, I gained momentum and shifted my body position, somehow managing to dodge the sword attack.
Seeing me dodge and immediately distance myself, Remias readjusted his sword and laughed happily.

「It really is a taijutsu focused on escape.」

「That’s what I said.」

Instead of a mocking, condescending tone, the comment had a sound of admiration, to which I replied with a weary voice.
I’ll attack if necessary to create an opening to escape, but that’s my last resort. Fighting Remias, who is very strong and leaves no openings which means I have to attack him, is incredibly tiring.
For Remias, who aims to be a knight, this competition where we’re not actually trying to kill each other is probably like a sport, but for me, it’s just a fight where we both get hurt so it’s not fun.
I agree with exercising and relieving stress after exams, but the content doesn’t suit me. If it were a sports festival with something like cavalry battles like in my previous life, I would have participated more actively. I wonder if baseball or something similar will become popular here? There’s enough space for it.
While regaining my distance, I tried to regulate my ragged breathing as much as possible. Against Remias, even a little fatigue would become an opening and lead to defeat. Considering that Remias has more matches after this, it would be better for my stamina to keep running away and not waste time.
I understand that. I understand, but…

Ojou would be worried.

It’s impossible to lose to Remias without getting hurt. But I kept trying to do just that, which made the fight drag on unnecessarily.
As I was debating whether to attack again to create an opening, Remias’s upward slash from below came at me. I dodged it with just my upper body, but then he tried to sweep my legs from below. Before he could, I lifted my feet, planted my hands on the ground, and used them as a pivot to deliver a sweeping side kick.
However, Remias blocked my leg with the arm that wasn’t holding his sword. Immediately, a merciless sword thrust came at me.
There was no way I could dodge in my current position.

「……I told you to relax, didn’t I?」

「Haaah, you really are good. Stopping just in time.」

In the blink of an eye, the flames that had enveloped the blade disappeared, and the tip of the sword stopped precisely a few centimeters from my throat. A few seconds of silence fell over the arena, and the moment the referee declared the winner, a roar of cheers erupted. It was a whirlwind of praise for Remias.
Remias, the victor, sheathed his sword and offered his hand to me, the loser.

「Sorry for making you go through that. But, it was fun.」

「Yeah, right.」

That was a good match, he said, as I accepted Remias’s outstretched hand and got back on my feet. Remias had noticed I was about to lose, and probably launched those relentless, close-call attacks to push me to my limits, just to get a little more practice in.  I realized he hadn’t given up on winning after all.
But, well, thanks to Remias’s strength, the match ended without either of us getting hurt, which was good. In the end, maybe it was a good thing my opponent was Remias.
The Remias I first met, the one who was simply a sore loser, wouldn’t have tolerated someone fighting like me and wouldn’t have held back or shown any mercy. The way he smiled so refreshingly after that match, saying it was a good fight—just like Connie said, Remias has grown too.
With those thoughts in mind, I left the arena and headed towards the spectator seats. Ojou had reserved a seat for me along with her friends. I had a general idea of ​​the location, so I found it pretty quickly.

「……what is this?」

What I saw when I reached the spectator seats was Ojou standing tall, Pochi holding a pocket watch, and about five knight trainees bowing their heads and prostrating themselves before them. What kind of scene is this?

「Six minutes.」

「Ha?」

Pochi pointed to the position of the minute hand of the pocket watch, indicator the time that had passed as I tried to understand what was going on.

「Couldn’t you last at least ten minutes?」

「No, Remias’ attacks are too powerful. I didn’t have that kind of leeway.」

I was being criticized for losing too quickly, but I was doing my best just to dodge, and from my perspective, I lasted quite a while.

「Um…… the money……」

「I’ll give it to you as your tuition. Learn from your mistakes.」

「「「「「Yes, ma’am!」」」」」

Ojou refused the coins one of the knight trainees hesitantly offered, and so they straightened their posture and replied in unison. Then, they scurried away as if fleeing. Was Ojou extorting money from them? No, it seems like she had given them money instead. Why?
While I was still confused, a soft piece of cloth was placed around my neck.

「Zack was being used as the subject for a bet.」

「A bet?」

Nico, who had lent me the cloth to wipe my sweat, explained.
The towel-like cloth was something that had started to become popular among the nobility a few years ago. Nico, who disliked the heat and wasn’t participating in the competition, had probably prepared it specifically for me. I gratefully borrowed it and wiped my sweat.

「Whether or not he could last five minutes against that blue-haired guy.」

Apparently, the knight trainees had been amusedly betting on how long I, a commoner with a known limited amount of magic power, would last against Remias, the son of the Knight Commander. Since they probably spent their days training, I understood their desire to add some entertainment by betting on something trivial. In my previous life, I also used to bet with my friends for small amounts of money or on things like ice cream and juice.
Unlike me, whose reputation as a “mad dog” was just a rumor, they had all witnessed Remias’s abilities during training, so they all bet that I wouldn’t last five minutes, laughing amongst themselves that it wasn’t even a real bet. They didn’t even know Ojou was sitting behind them.
That’s why Ojou got angry, asked them about the betting limit, and the result was what I had just witnessed.

「What was the limit?」

「Ten thousand.」

「Ten thousand!?」

The knight trainees had apparently been betting the minimum of one thousand, so that’s ten times that amount. Even a thousand is a lot for a commoner like me, but Ojou gave them ten thousand?

「Ojou, I’m sorry. I’ll pay it back.」

「I won, didn’t I? I don’t need it.」

「But……」

「I’m not so poor that I have to extort money from them. Besides, the way Zack fought was worthy of my victory, so you should be proud.」

I laughed because Ojou looked so cool. I lost, but yet I was praised. Ojou is kind, not laughing at me for trying not to get hurt rather than winning. I’m happy yet embarrassed, so my smile might look a little strange.

「So, you aren’t hurt?」

「Yeah. Just a bit hot, but I’m fine.」

「Then, that’s good.」

After confirming, I nodded and Ojou sat back in her seat. I smile, thinking that it wasn’t nice that she’s next to Augusto’s daughter. The other girl she’s close with seems to have a fiance, and Witting is probably with Leo because of their alignment. Ojou probably gets along with the other two, but I feel she’s closest to Augusto’s daughter, perhaps because she was her first friend. They’re probably best friends. [T/N: Honestly this paragraph confused the hell out of me. The last time we had anyone named “Augusto” mentioned was back in Chapter 55. Tried to do what I could.]
Nico sat next to Ojou, leaving one seat free, so naturally I ended up sitting next to her. After making sure I had returned, Pochi left his seat for the first round. With some words of encouragement from Ojou, Pochi was in high spirits, sure to return with a win. He seemed motivated enough to even place high.
Just as I was about to see Pochi off and watch the match, someone called out to me.

「Isaac.」

「Bell, you were participating as well?」

Seeing Bell in the same practical uniform as me, I was a little surprised. The Magic Academy has a separate uniform for magic practice that’s durable and can get dirty. It’s called a tracksuit. Therefore, you can tell whether the Magic Academy students are participating in the tournament by whether they’re wearing that tracksuit or their regular uniform.

「Yes.」

Bell nodded, but he looked nervous. That made me feel uneasy.
I know Bell loves watching and practicing magic so much that it’s not an exaggeration to call him a magic fanatic. So, it’s not so strange that he’d want to participate in a tournament that allows him to do both, even though it includes combat. But if that were the case, Bell’s expression would surely be shining with more interest.

「Oh, so you already lost, and you can’t try out your signature spell?」

「No… I won the first round.」

「Then, what happened?」

Nico questioned him, teasingly. Bell shook his head gently. When I asked why he had called out to me, he hesitated.

「……if I win next time, I’ll have a match with Remias. Isaac, whether I win or lose, would you join me afterwards?」

Bell spoke as if it was only natural that Remias would advance, and I realized he was challenging the match knowing the strength of his opponent, someone he’d known for a long time. With the determination in his eyes and the fact that he was asking me for help, I somehow understood why Bell had participated in the tournament.

「Understood.」

「Then, wait for me at the exit.」

「Yeah.」

With just that promise, Bell turned on his heels. I’m sure he can’t afford any leeway right now. Nico just shrugged his shoulders as Bell left, and Ojou looked worried but didn’t ask anything.
Bell’s second round match was decided within minutes. Immediately after starting, he covered the opponent’s head with a water ball, depriving them of their vision and breathing, and suppressing their chanting. I realized that Bell was seriously trying to fight Remias by conserving his magic power as much as possible and defeating him efficiently.
Remias being Remias, he challenged his opponent with all his might and won in an instant. I was impressed by how calm he was, as he immediately sheathed his sword as soon as his opponent admitted defeat.
Then came the third round. Since it was a competition between those with the most magical power in fire and water, Remias and Bell faced each other, attracting the attention of all the students.
As the students watched with bated breath, the signal to start was given, and in an instant, multiple magic circles appeared all over the match table. Without thinking about it, Remias stepped forward and a column of water spouted out at his feet and in front of him like a geyser. It was a trap-type magic circle that activated in response to the opponent’s movements.
Remias avoided the one at his feet, and the water column in the direction of his movement slashed open his field of vision with a flash of flame blade.
Bell appeared with an ice shield and blocked the sword fight that was approaching even though his momentum was being lost. Although the shield collapsed due to Remias’ blow, it fulfilled its role of defense.
Once there was some distance between them and he readied his sword, Remias’ expression looked like he was having a lot of fun. Until now, I don’t think he has ever seriously competed.
Bell uses magic and ingenuity to compensate for his inability to use physical techniques, and he activates his magic as if he were breathing, but this is due to the high precision of his ice shield, which is a combination of water and wind magic, and is due to his high level of magic skill. There are probably not many people who can deploy multiple complex magic circles that activate automatically at the same time.
Remias, on the other hand, has an amazing amount of magical power and precision in cutting down water magic, which is supposed to be disadvantageous, while keeping the blue flame always wrapped around his sword, and his physical ability to instantly avoid the approaching water column with considerable water pressure is outstanding. I don’t think there would be anyone who would look at this fight and make such an unfavorable assessment of him because he was the son of the knight commander. It was a battle where everyone realized that Remias is strong because he is.
When Bell tries to block his movement with a water ball, Remias evaporates it, and when Remias tries to close the distance with a flash of water, Bell fights back by manipulating an ice spear in the air.
The fight continued for so long that I almost forgot to breathe, and the match table was flooded with water and became slippery. It can be seen from a distance that the footing is getting worse, and the students in the audience begin to worry that Remias might lose.
It was at that moment that Remias smiled fearlessly.

「If your footing is bad, just let it dry!」

The moment the declaration was made, the venue was enveloped in a white mist tinged with hot air. Suddenly, my vision turned completely white, and I heard scream-like voices coming from everywhere.

「Ugh, that’s annoying!」

Nico, who was annoyed by the steam Remias had evaporated, used wind magic to blow it away from the venue. Nico hates humidity so much. Magical intervention by a third party during the match is strictly prohibited, but since no one could understand the situation, it was probably safe. The battle had already arrived.
On the field, with clear visibility, Remias’ sword stood still, just one step away from hitting Bell’s throat.
After a hush of silence, the referee announces the winner and a roar of cheers erupts. The noise was incomparable to previous matches.
Perhaps because he had used up most of his magical power, or because he had run out of energy, Bell sank down on the spot. Remias, who had sheathed his sword, held out his hand to Bell.

「How serious you were, I definitely felt it.」

「……but I lost.」

Bell, who stood up with Remias’ help, muttered in frustration. Although it seemed to be drowned out by the voices around him, Remias declared in a voice that could even penetrate the cheers.

「Your determination is genuine. Therefore, in the name of Jeremias von Staden, I will fulfill my promise!」

As he declared this, his line of sight spotted Connie in the audience seats.
Shortly after, Connie rushed to where the two of them were standing at the exit gate.

「Remias, Bell-kun, are you two hurt? Why did you do that……」

「Bell is unharmed. I only got a scratch, but it’ll heal if I lick it.」

「You can’t lick a scar on your face.」

Connie said in a slightly disappointed voice as she used a handkerchief to cover the faint red lines on Remias’ cheeks. When Connie said that she had to disinfect it afterwards, Remias responded with a childish complaint that she didn’t want it because it would sting.

「So, why did you do something so reckless, Bell?」

Connie asked with suspicion, as this was something Bell wouldn’t normally do.

「I offered Remias a bet.」

Connie tilts her head further as Bell smiles bitterly, saying that he lost. Connie can’t think of a reason for these two to make a bet.

「If I won, he would honestly tell me how he feels about Connie.」

Connie is shocked when she hears the details of the bet. It must have been so unexpected.

「Wh, why would you do that, it was so obvious……」

「Because Connie doesn’t understand.」

Bell smiled weakly and directly denied Connie’s opinion.

「During the fight just now, I could see how serious Bell was, so I decided to accept the condition regardless of whether I won or lost.」

「Eh. Hey, wait a minute……」

Connie, who is unprepared for Remias’ lackadaisical response, gets upset. However, in order to fulfill the man’s promise, Remias mercilessly told Connie.

「I’ve never doubted my future with Connie.」

「………eh?」

Connie froze, as if her thoughts had stopped.

「Did you think I was going to be with Connie just because she was the fiance chosen by my parents?」

「But…」

「I’m not playing with Connie. Besides, Connie will teach me things I don’t understand. Even if Bell abandons me.」

「That’s that.」

「I didn’t say anything because it was natural for me to have Connie by my side, but Bell scolded me for making Connie anxious.」

Remias bent his body at right angles and bowed his head, saying he was sorry, and Connie looked at Bell as if she wanted to ask him a question.

「Bell-kun.」

「I’ve been watching you for a long time, so I understand. Come on, let’s realize this. Connie is the only one who can deal with such an idiot.」

Connie understands what was said, a confused expression, and lowers her eyebrows. It’s like I don’t know how to take it. Connie must have always believed that they were just a formal fiancée, as she had said.

「But…… but, I’m, I’m not a social person, and I’m a fujoshi, and my appearance… I don’t think Remias would think I’m a woman either……」

「If I craved you physically, is it no good?」

Geez, Bell said, and without a moment of hesitation, he put his fist into the side of REmias’ head.

「Choose your words carefully, you idiot!」

Bell lectures Remias about his lack of vocabulary, saying there must have been other things he was conscious of when talking to a girl. Even though we were having a serious conversation, the atmosphere seemed to be broken. From Remias’ point of view, he must be very serious, so it’s unnecessary.

「Why, Connie has had a woman’s body for a long time!」

「Then why can you only express yourself in such an animalistic way!! That’s why you’re such a muscle-head! Even if you’re attracted to Connie, you won’t even know it!」

「Is Connie going to back down with just this much?」

「You, do you realize that self-confidence is unpleasant!?」

「……fufu.」

Connie, who couldn’t help but laugh at the usual exchange, started laughing. The two of them, who were supposed to have been in a serious battle just a while ago, were now in front of Connie with familiar faces, so perhaps they let their guard down.

「Yes, this is very Remias-like.」

She won’t back down, Connie said with a girlish smile.

「Bell. You probably used too much magic, so the doctor asked you to come to the infirmary just to be safe.」

「Oh, I see.」

I was waiting at the corner of the hallway leading to the exit, and after removing the shadowy membrane that was obscuring my presence, I called out to Bell. He nodded and left Remias and Connie.

「Bell-kun, I’m sorry I worried you. Thank you.」

「We’ve been friends for a long time.」

Connie thanked him as he left, and Bell chuckled. It also seemed like she was enduring some pain.
As we turned the corner, Bell stumbled a little, so I grabbed his upper arm to support him.

「The timing, was it fine?」

「Yeah. It was good.」

Bell’s expression turned into a grimace, as if thinking he couldn’t stay there any longer. I’d only said it as an excuse to call out to him, but it seemed serious and his magical energy was draining rapidly, making his steps unsteady. I offered him my shoulder and we started walking, heading to the infirmary as planned.
Tears began to spill from Bell’s eyes as he seemingly lost all willpower. There was no one left who he would be embarrassed to be seen by now.

「…he has good eyesight, so he always finds Connie before me. Always, without fail.」

「Yeah.」

Remias spotted Connie immediately in the large, crowded venue. Even when he’d accompanied Leo as his bodyguard at tea parties and royal birthday parties, he’d always been the first to spot her and only had to confirm her location.’

「He didn’t realize he was looking for Connie first. He’s really stupid.」

「That’s true.」

「Connie’s really indifferent to people she’s not interested in. But somehow she always takes care of Remias. And yet she never even looks at him…」

It was odd that even he had been looking for her, Bell thought, sneering. It was a frustrating sight, though he tried to disguise it as a sneer.

「Remias is an idiot, so I don’t care, but Connie has to be happy. So, this is fine.」

Bell said this was the outcome he wanted and was happy with. I don’t doubt that.

「But…… it hurts. It hurts so much.」

「You loved her, didn’t you?」

「Yeah.」

Nodding, Bell let tears flow again.
I didn’t think it was pathetic that Bell was shedding tears in proportion to the pain in his heart. Bell’s determination to accept that pain and compete was incredible. I respected him for that.
The final match of the tournament, held over several days, was a heated battle between two big names: Wolf, the second prince with a lightning attribute, and Remias, the son of the Knight Commander with a fire attribute. In the end, Remias was crowned the winner that year.
I’ll never forget Bell applauding Remias as he was awarded the prize, his eyes dazzling.

---

On the last day of school, someone called out to me.

「Zack-san.」

「Connie.」

It was Connie who called out to me. She wanted to let me know that Bell was feeling better and to thank me for taking him to the infirmary. After his battle with Remias, Bell fell into a deep sleep in his bed in the infirmary, exhausted from all the magic and crying. The school doctor told me to leave the rest to him, so I dropped him off and didn’t know what happened after that.
It seems Bell slept until noon the next day, but he still had an appetite and came to school today in high spirits. I was glad he wasn’t the type to miss a meal because of a broken heart.

「Thank you for telling me.」

「It’s not a problem.」

Seeing Connie’s soft smile, I widened my eyes a little. Noticing, Connie tilted her head.

「What’s wrong?」

「I told you, your expressions are softer than before.」

I lightly poked her cheek and Connie touched hers with one hand to confirm.

Connie touched her face and thought for a moment, then seemed to realize the reason and laughed in amazement at herself.

「Before…… I’d pretty much given up.」

「On what?」

「On being anything more than a mob character.」

That she was just a mob character in a game, with no more value. She’d assumed, unaware, that Ramius only saw her as someone he could easily break off their engagement with. That’s what Connie said.

「Connie is Connie, after all.」

「yes, I only realized that recently.」

Learning that Remias had always thought of her as Connie, she apparently realized that her knowledge of her past life had kept her trapped in her role as a mob character.

「Come to think of it, Elena was struggling with something similar.」

I remember Elena, feeling helpless despite being a support character, desperately trying to use her memories from her past life. I remember telling her at the time to stop being such an idiotic little sister and start thinking about herself a little.

「You too, Zack.」

「Huh? I’m not even a mob character, you know?」

「That’s it.」

Connie returned to her familiar, flat expression and pointed a finger at me.

「Zack, you tend to underestimate yourself because you’re perceived as an outsider. I know I shouldn’t judge others, but you’re probably overlooking something.」

「Really……?」

「Yes. Take it from me, or so they say.」

She nodded solemnly, and I considered what she’d just said. I’d often thought about it assuming she wasn’t a mob character, so even though I thought it wasn’t relevant, maybe my thoughts had been poisoned by otome games to some extent.

「I’ll think about it for a bit.」

Satisfied with my answer, Connie wished me a good summer vacation and left.
Summer vacation began with these challenges in mind. I returned home and spent my days helping out with the Ernst family’s gardening for the first time in a while.
A letter had already arrived at my house, as if knowing I’d read it when I returned. I replied by asking the priest at Merkel Church to pass on the message.
A few days later, on a day off, I was visiting the Marquis Vito household. The letter was from Daniel, who wanted to have dinner with me before returning home for the off-season. We had met regularly before enrolling, so I let him know the earliest holiday I could so our plans wouldn’t be out of sync.

「It’s been a while, Isaac. You’ve grown so much.」

「It’s been a while. And you’ve said that before, Daniel-sama.」

「I think I did.」

「You did. But you really have grown up to look like your father.」

「It’s a little frustrating that I haven’t outgrown my father.」

「You’ve grown too much.」

Caught up in Annika’s laughter, both Daniel and Annika feel comforted when they see them laughing.
I wonder how many times I’ve had dinner at the Vito family table, wearing the clothes Annika prepared for me. The food they’d buy us on the way back from the orphanage was delicious, but once you get used to it, dining with proper etiquette is also enjoyable. Perhaps it’s because the two of them were laughing more and more with each meal, which made it even more enjoyable.
As tea was being served after the meal, Daniel-sama confided in me.

「We’ve been thinking about the future, too. We’re thinking about handing over the family estate to our younger brother and moving back to our territory.」

Daniel’s younger brother and his wife have a son who could succeed the Vito family. After losing Elias, Daniel and his family chose not to adopt a child, but they knew they would have to make a decision someday.

「I see… it’ll be lonely.」

Moving from the royal capital would mean we’d no longer have these opportunities to see each other. Even if it wasn’t for the time being, I was genuinely sad that we wouldn’t be able to see each other so easily.
Seeing my sadness, Daniel narrowed his eyes slightly.

「So, I wanted to repay my friend for his kindness.」

I tilted my head, not understanding what Daniel meant as he smiled gently.

「Isaac, would you like to be our adopted son?」

「Eh?」

This proposal, unlike anything I’d expected from two people who knew the pain of losing a child, left me speechless. I didn’t understand why they’d said that.

「Of course, Isaac is a dear friend to us. I’m not proposing this with the intention of becoming family.」

「Then why……」

「That way you’ll be on equal footing. I want to give you the right to confess your feelings.」

Annika’s words made me freeze. Then, avoiding my teacup, I placed both arms on the table and buried my face in it, knowing it was bad manners.

「……was it that obvious?」

「Well, yes.」

「You only talk about Lydia-chan.」

Uwah. I’d been found out. How embarrassing.

Annika said it matter-of-factly, amused at Daniel’s kind attempt to avoid the obvious. Perhaps because I’d let my guard down with the two of them, I’d unconsciously talked too much about Ojou. It’s not like I was hiding anything in particular. But, when she told me it was so obvious, it was pretty embarrassing. Was I really that obvious?
I didn’t want them to see my blushing face, but I knew the conversation wouldn’t progress if I kept my face buried, so I held back and looked up.

「I appreciate the sentiment, but you don’t owe me anything in return, and I don’t think becoming a noble is something you can just accept so easily.」

「The days we spent together were truly wonderful to us. Even if you don’t think so, they’re a debt we want to repay.」

「Besides, Isaac, I wouldn’t have proposed adopting a child your age unless you had the appropriate qualifications.」

「Eh, but……」

「Your handwriting is beautiful, and I heard you studied hard and ranked 30th in your grade. The etiquette you learned to dine with us, and the education you received as a servant at the Ernst household… everything you’ve learned will be useful even if you become a noble.」

I never thought that something I learned out of curiosity or on the spur of the moment would have such value. I can’t hide my confusion at the sudden arrival of the qualifications to become a noble.
I’m faced with a new set of options that I’ve never had before, and I’m simply overwhelmed. What should I do? It’s all I can think about, and I can’t organize my thoughts properly.

「I want to be a gardener……」

That’s right. I want to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a gardener. I want to make Ojou smile in the garden I built. But if Ojou marries someone else, I won’t be able to see that anymore…
The more I think about it, the harder it is to put into words.

「Isaac, your tea is getting cold.」

He reminded me of my tea. Prompted by Daniel, I took a sip and let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was because I’d taken a breather, but the nausea that had been building up in my throat had eased considerably.
Right now, I told them the one thing I could say.

「I don’t want to talk advantage of you two.」

「No, you should use us.」

「That’s right. We’re giving you the go-ahead.」

Even with his gentle smile, Daniel understood that he was a nobleman and a marquis. He implied that accepting their proposal would require a certain level of resolve.

「That said, you don’t have to make a decision right away. We can wait until Isaac graduates, so think it through carefully.」

「You need to talk to your parents about it, too. They’re your family, after all.」

「Yes.」

I was told I had just under three years left, and I couldn’t decide whether that was a long or short period. Annika-sama urged me to tell my parents too since it was a matter of the future, and I firmly nodded.
But when I got home, I didn’t know how to tell them, so I ended up not telling them that day.

Two days later, I still hadn’t been able to tell them.
I was idly thinking as I watered the red mountain flowers, which bloom like stardust, and tiny white flowers bloom among brightly colored bracts. The flowers are so vibrant that they seem to sharpen your consciousness and they become even more vibrant when wet. And yet, my thoughts were somehow wandering.
At eighteen, I no longer knew what I wanted to be.
The fact that I couldn’t turn down Daniel and Annika’s proposal right away meant that somewhere deep down I wanted to confess my feelings to Ojou. But it’s also true that I love gardening, and I never doubted that this was the job I would do forever.
I’d put aside the fact that I wasn’t confident I could become a noble, and with Daniel and Annika’s assurances, I’d assume that I could. If I started worrying too much, there’d be no end to it.
What was I like in my previous life, as Taichi? That’s right. I rebelled against my stubborn father, went to university, and tried to get a job at a decent company. Looking back, even working at a tofu shop is a respectable job. All I had in mind was rebelling against my father, and I didn’t have any specific dreams or goals.
I can’t help but smile wryly, thinking about how lucky I was to get a job offer.
Unlike in my previous life, I don’t try to compare whether being a gardener or a noble is more impressive. Both are difficult jobs, and they each come with their own responsibilities.
If I were to choose a career I’d like to pursue, I’d say being a gardener, but will I really not regret it?

I wonder what Ojou will do.

After breaking off her engagement with Leo, people at school sympathize with her, as they’re likely heartbroken. They had a reputation for being very close, so everyone seemed to think Ojou had been heartbroken. However, once that dust settles, I’m sure some guy will start courting her.
It was natural for Ojou to be engaged to Leo, so I can’t really imagine anyone other than Leo being by her side.

But I guess he didn’t really like her romantically.

I’d heard directly from Ojou that Leo wasn’t a romantic interest for her, but that was when we were little, so I didn’t know what it was like when she got older. Once I got older, I realized that, so I was simply too scared to ask. Bringing up a love story I’d never had a part in and hearing it directly from Ojou was too much of a stretch.

But, if she can’t fall for a guy like that, perfect in both face and personality, then what kind of guy is Ojou’s type?

The Duke is dazzlingly handsome, so I thought she’d prefer guys with good looks, but maybe that’s not the case. I don’t really understand Ojou.
We’ve never talked about romantic relationships, so Ojou has always been comfortable smiling around me. If she were to start thinking of us as a man and a woman, I’m sure she’d find out my ulterior motives and run away from me. No, since I realized it, Ojou has only gotten cuter and cuter, and she’s grown in so many ways, which has been tough for me.

「Zack.」

Yes, when she comes wearing a white dress like this, the lines of her shoulders and shins are visible in the summer sun, and it’s really bad for my heart. It’s the same level as when a girl’s summer shirt becomes see-through and you get a shock. You can’t see everything, and even if it’s just a little bit, like her shoulders, you can see parts of her that you can’t see in regular clothes, and that’s really bad for a boy of that age.

「Ojou……」

I wanted to think it was a summer mirage, but now that I realized it was the real Ojou, my heart was already a little tired. It even showed in my voice. Why would she choose a dress like that? It’s because it’s hot, I know this.

「What’s wrong?」

I let out a tired voice, and Ojou tilted the parasol she had been holding up in concern, peering into my face.

「I just disliked the summer sun a little.」

「Was it hard to pull out weeds?」

「That’s it.」

I was scared of Ojou’s innocence, as she was satisfied with my casual answer. I couldn’t help but feel guilty about having an ulterior motive.
She invited me to go to the study garden as soon as I finished watering the plants, and I nodded. We were almost done, and had originally planned to take a break. Dad was working on the topiary at the front, and Yan was probably watering the stone paving leading to the front entrance. I’m sure they’ll take a break at their own convenience. Since I’ve been given more tasks to do alone, we’ve been dividing up the gardening work like this lately.
We walked together among the familiar trees. I hummed a little ahead, and Ojou following behind me occasionally hummed along, drawn in by my tunes. In the thick shade of the trees, the sunlight filtering through the trees was dazzling. The occasional breeze, accompanied by the sound of leaves rustling, provided a brief moment of coolness.
When we went under the hedge, a familiar, yet slightly nostalgic, scene unfolded before us.
It’s a small square with only a patch of grass and a small fountain with a stone owl statue sitting on it. After I enrolled, I allowed Yan to use it for self-study, regardless of the season. So I never imagined it would end up like this.

「It’s so small, this place.」

「We’ve grown up.」

I muttered with deep emotion, and Ojou gave a small laugh.

After a few steps, I realized the fountain was still small. It felt much larger when my father gave this place to me.

「But I find the fountain adorable, too.」

Now I can gaze into the stone statue’s eyes, which is just a little below Ojou’s line of sight. Back in the day, Ojou and I would look up at this owl.
At first, it was just Ojou and I’s secret garden, but before I knew it, I’d come here with all sorts of people. Ojou’s sister, Flora, often played here, and I even had fights with Nico. I showed the garden I’d built to Ojou’s guards. Eventually, it wasn’t just me; Yan started gardening here too.
A lot had happened here, and I realized how much had changed.

「It hasn’t changed, but it also has.」

「That’s true.」

It was somehow strange, and a little funny. A smile crossed my face.
A strong wind suddenly blew, blowing into the parasol Ojou was holding. The parasol was about to be blown away, and Ojou’s hand, holding the handle, was pulled, causing her to lose her balance. To stop her from falling over, I quickly grabbed the parasol handle along with her hand, supporting her torso with the other.

「There you are.」

「That surprised me a little. Thank you, Zack.」

Perhaps because she was embarrassed about almost falling, or because of the heat, Ojou blushed a little, and she blushed.
Because I was supporting her, I saw her from so close, and it felt like my heart was being grabbed. Still shaken, I carefully tried not to tense my arms and helped Ojou onto to her feet, and I was relieved to see that she was now a step away from me.

「……it’s going to be tough for the guy who will become Ojou’s husband.」

I wonder how he’ll cope with having such a cute Ojou by his side all the time.

「Eh……?」

「Ah.」

I realized from Ojou’s reaction that I’d blurted it out, and I panicked. The way I said it now sounded like I’d spoken ill of Ojou.

「Well, um, since Ojou is popular, I thought there would be some guys proposing marriage soon…… and to become her husband in that situation would be…..」

Captivated by the trickling drops of water, I couldn’t continue.
Realizing that Ojou was crying, my thoughts stopped.

「……like that.」

Ojou, quietly shedding tears, muttered to herself.

「Why is Zack like that!?」

「Huh?」

My eyes widen as she finally spits out a scolding.
Ojou raises her eyes and glares at me. Then, in a voice deeper with anger, she asks.

「Zack…… you said you’d hit anyone who made me cry, right?」

「Ah, yeah.」

Confirming a promise we made ages ago, but one I’ll never forget, I nod obediently.
Ojou lifts her hand that wasn’t holding her parasol, and the next moment, a light, crisp smack fills the small, sunny garden. A sharp pain stings my cheek.

「That’s fine! I’ll hit you myself!」

Leaving aside the fact that it was more of a slap than a punch, I’m shocked to be confronted with the fact that I’d made Ojou cry. Why is Ojou crying and angry now?

「I hate how Zack always prioritizes me and ignores me……!」

This might be the first time she’s ever said she hates me. Has Ojou finally come to dislike me?

「Why are you talking about someone right in front of me as if he doesn’t exist!?」

Ojou’s pale blue eyes reflect a man with brown hair and eyes and a goofy expression.

「Even if you are Zack, I won’t allow you to belittle the person I love!」 [T/N: FINALLY.]

I am what Ojou sees in her eyes.
Ojou tells me not to leave me out of the conversation. But I’m just a commoner with little magical power and no good looks, so there’s no way I could ever be in her eyes.
I take another look at the man reflected in her pale blue eyes.

But, after all, he’s not even a mob character in an otome game… ah.

I finally realize the oversight Connie pointed out to me. I’d been making the same mistake as Connie. No matter how much I loved Ojou, I thought I wasn’t in her world.
I’d always been in Ojou’s world.
Finally realizing how stupid I’d been, I instinctively crouched down. I clasped my hands together and pressed the base of my thumbs to my forehead, holding back my head from hanging down.
But, Ojou, didn’t you just say you liked me?

「……really?」

「I’m serious.」

Seriously? Even after I confirm it, I was shocked.

「Ojou, you were so defenseless. My heart’s still hurting right now.」

「That is what I should have been saying! It’s Zack who has been giving me a hard time, every time!」

When I finally complained, I got even more criticism. No, I was only saying normal things. It’s normal for Ojou to be cute, and everyone calls her a duke. What on earth was there that made her notice me?
It’s a mystery, but if Ojou says it, it must be true. Ojou wouldn’t tell a lie like that, even as a joke.

「Um…… I know there are a lot of things I need to think about, but right now, there’s just one thing.」

I looked up and there was a girl.
The most beautiful girl in my world.

「I love you too, Ojou. I’m so happy.」 [T/N: LET’S GO.]

My smile probably looked sloppy. I knew it, but I couldn’t help but smile.
Ojou’s face was bright red. Knowing the reason made her even cuter.

---

That evening, when I got home, dinner was my favorite stew.
When something good happens, dinner usually becomes my favorite dish. I think Dad is probably the same, and is surprised when his favorite dish is brought out even though he didn’t ask. Mom is pretty amazing.
Right after dinner ended, I started to talk.

「I have something to tell you two.」

「What is it?」

Dad was about to stand up, but instead silently sat back down. Mom simply dipped her dishes in water and returned to her seat.
As they waited for me to start talking, I wondered where to start. After talking it over with Ojou, we decided that I really needed to tell Dad and the others. I promised Ojou that I would tell her the outcome after we’d discussed it and returned after the off-season.

「Um…… you might already know this, but I like Ojou. And she said she likes me, too.」

「Really? That’s great.」

Mom looked so happy, I was about to just say thank you and leave it at that, but then I remembered the main point and held back.

「That’s true, but…… I happened to know someone from Marquis Vito’s family, and we became close. They asked me if I’d like to be adopted, and…… I’m worried.」

I’m not good at explaining things. I didn’t know how much to say about how I met Daniel and the others, so I ended up skipping parts, which ended up skipping a lot of the plot. It’s probably better than explaining too much and making things complicated.

「Are the Vito family nice people?」

「Oh, yes. They’re very nice.」

「Then it’s up to Zack.」

My explanation seemed to get through to Mom, because she said that with full understanding. I think she should be more surprised, but sometimes she’s too generous.

「……what are you worried about?」

My shoulders jumped when my dad asked me. I was afraid to tell him. I couldn’t help but worry that he’d expel me, saying that I was unfit to be a gardener just for being worried.
My throat went dry with nervousness.

「Because I want to be a gardener……」

My heart pounded uncomfortably, anticipating the next word of rejection. To me, aspiring to become a gardener, my dad was both a goal and a wall. Right now, if that wall were to collapse, I could easily be crushed.

「Why do you want to be a gardener?」

My dad didn’t dismiss my request, but instead asked another question. I answered, my eyes widening.

「Because I love gardening.」

Hearing my answer, my dad closed his eyelids for a moment. Then, slowly, he opened them.

「A gardener normally creates gardens according to the wishes of his employer. It’s rare for us to be able to do as we please like the Ernst family.」

I understood that, so I nodded.

「You don’t have to be a gardener to create a garden.」

I wonder why. I’m not happy when my father tells me I can continue gardening even after becoming a noble. Even though he’s permitting me. He’s supporting me, telling me that even if I do something that would mean cutting ties with the family, even if it’s just for show, so I can be with the girl I love.
His words of affirmation are much more painful than his denial.
I felt so bitter, tears began to flow.

「I, I wanted to follow in dad’s footsteps……!」

Unlike in my previous life, I can honestly say that I aspire to my father’s job, and I could even take over, so why can’t I choose to do so?

「But I love Ojou…… I don’t just want to build a garden, I want to make her smile……」

I know that this is a selfish and greedy wish. I’m a bad person, not willing to give up either one or the other.

「Zack.」

I’d been looking down, caught up by the tears streaming down my face, but when I heard my name being called, I lifted my head.

「What do you want to do?」

My father asked without any accusation. He simply told me to give a simple answer.
Why am I so obsessed with following in my father’s footsteps? Is it because I couldn’t do it in my past life? Is it because I’m still attached to Taichi? It was Taichi who wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps.
But for me, as Isaac, what I want to do is……

「I want her to smile in the garden I build.」

「How can you achieve that?」

「By becoming Daniel-sama’s adopted son.」

My tears had subsided. After making sure I’d answered, my dad roughly patted my head. It’d been a long time since I’d gotten a head pat since I’d grown up.

「You’re my son, a gardener.」

It was probably the sweetest thing I’d ever heard. My dad acknowledge me. I was so happy I couldn’t contain my blush.

「I’m glad to be your son.」

No matter where I go, I’ll always be Isaac, Dennis Baumgartner’s son.

---

FI. NA. LY. Both in that I got this out and that we made it to the confession. My goodness, it certainly took them a while, haha, but I like how things played out and how everything ended up coming together for their confession.

Fingers crossed next chapter doesn’t take as long for me to push out but who knows what my next job role is gonna be, geh.

Hello and sorry for the… oh shit, three months? Yeah, sorry about that. You know how I said I was traveling for work before? Those domestic trips turned into “fly across the Atlantic” one week, then “Okay but now across the Pacific for two weeks” another. I think the actual amount of time I have gotten to spend in my own house is like, two weeks (not continuous). 

But hey, we made it somehow. And I got to travel to Japan for two weeks, albeit on business. Didn’t get to do much exploring because of work, but it was fun to drop in. Thanks for putting up with my delays. 

---

During the greeting, I stood there, stunned.
In the throne room, my father, the king, sat on the throne, welcoming visitors. Next to the throne, Roy-nii-sama and I stood in the background, watching him. Wanting to spend as much as time as possible with Roy-nii-sama, who was home for spring break from school, and interested in hearing about things outside the country, I agreed to attend the audience with the guests from a neighboring country.
But I regretted my choice.

Because I was so unprepared.

Why was he dressed like this!?

I was confused and couldn’t comprehend it. He was wearing a white shirt with a tight collar and white pants. The simple top and bottom would have been strange if they had been suspected of being pajamas, but the pure white fabric was of high quality, proving that he was in no position to get his clothes dirty. He was also wearing a long-sleeved ivory-colored jacket, and underneath it, he was probably wearing a sleeveless top. I knew that.
His sandal-like shoes and the brightly colored loincloth he was wearing were lavishly adorned with gold ornaments that clanged with his movements. With my own memories of being Japanese, I was reminded of traditional Indian clothing.

「I am Constantine Frank von Dea, the fifth prince. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the Kingdom of Sternensee, Your Majesty Traugott.」

The boy’s shy smile puts people at ease. I remember this dog-like smile well. After all, he was the heroine’s best friend. He was one of the targets of the otome game I played in my previous life, known as Kimiboshi. But now, as Princess Philine Elena von Rosenhayn, he’s someone I never expected to meet. At least, not until I reach the happy ending on his route.
Yes, this is a rare sight you can only see on his route, and only in the happy ending. After all, Frank had been hiding his true identity as a prince of a tropical country all this time.
And yet, before the game even began, here he was, before my very eyes, as a prince, accompanied by a dark-skinned, middle-aged attendant.
After being introduced by Father and receiving a greeting from Roy-nii-sama, it was my turn. His orange eyes were fixed on me, and I reflexively straightened my back. It was the manners I’d been trained to possess as a princess, ingrained in me.

「I am called Philine. It is an honor to meet you, Prince Constantine.」

I greeted him with a princess-like smile, and he smiled back.

「I’m even more honored to be able to see the treasures of Abendroth. You are as beautiful as the rumors say, in fact, even more so. It’s no wonder His Majesty treasures you so dearly.」

「That……」

It was meant to be flattery, but his blushing, shy smile made me realize he meant it. I was so happy to be praised that I couldn’t help but blush. However, in the back of my mind, I thought maybe my magical powers were a problem and made me easy to hide, and that Father’s cherishing me was just for appearances.

「The peshtamar Philly uses was obtained through diplomatic relations with Sternensee.」

「Eh?」

Roy-nii-sama was telling me about the towel I’ve been using recently. Peshtamar is a highly absorbent, towel-like fabric that’s extremely useful for my long, waist-length hair. I had no idea it was imported from a tropical country.

「Thank you so much. Thanks to it, my hair dries quickly, so it’s very useful.」

「I’m so happy that our country’s weaves are helping Her Highness maintain her beautiful hair.」

Frank blushed, looking genuinely happy. His expression made it clear that he loved his country.
But he was good at complimenting women. In Kimiboshi, Frank was good at encouraging the heroine as her best friend, but I didn’t know he was such a good flatterer. I don’t think any woman would be offended by talking to him.

「I’ll be studying abroad at the Royal Magic Academy starting this spring, and I’m looking forward to learning about Abendroth’s culture.」

Roy-nii-sama remarked that Frank must be a brilliant student because of his strong earth-element magical powers. Hearing this, my sense of unease grew even stronger.
In Kimiboshi, Frank was living in this country, hiding his identity, until his brother in a tropical country used him to enroll in the academy as a spy. At the time, he was taking his tests wearing a magical device that suppressed his magical powers to conceal his true identity, so he should have enrolled with a score slightly above the passing mark.
The tactics RPG mini-game in Roy’s route was a border defense battle, with the attacking forces being the tropical Sternensee. On Frank’s route, whether the border attack plan can be prevented before it begins determines whether the story ends happily or sadly.
When the border defense battle begins, Frank is captured as a spy for the southern country. If Frank reveals his true identity as the prince of Sternensee and prevents the attack, diplomatic relations are restored through Lord Roy, and the heroine travels to the southern country with Frank.
However, having diplomatic relations with the southern country already established and Frank entering the academy as a prince from the start is very different from the game. Just as Roy-nii-sama solved his problems himself, it seems he too has solved his own problems.

Is that what princes are like??

As I watched Frank chatting happily with Roy-nii-sama, I couldn’t help but tilt my head in confusion.

Meanwhile, I heard that when Roy-nii-sama and his friends’ spring break is over, Frank will enroll as a first-year student. Lydia-nee-sama, a rival lady from Kimiboshi, has also enrolled. Incidentally, it seems Isaac also repeated his entrance exam but was still able to enroll.
To be honest, I’m sad that I won’t be able to see my older brothers Roy-nii-sama and Klaus-nii-sama anymore. Besides, Isaac is so sneaky, being in the same year as nee-sama and spending three years together. I wish I could have skipped the admission process for school too.
No, I’m probably pretty good at studying, and my magical power is probably on a whole different level, but as a princess, I couldn’t abuse my authority like that. Even if I had said something, Father would probably have dismissed it as selfish. Father doesn’t give me special treatment unless there’s a very good reason.
I was able to practice with Onee-sama, so I worked hard. Even the one lesson we did together, piano practice, I couldn’t concentrate on. My fingers, which had been following the music sheet, suddenly stopped moving.
With a sigh, my maid Therese quietly admonished me.

「Philine-sama, your hands stopped moving.」

「I know that.」

「It’s rude to only get excited when Lydia-sama is here, as she’s always working hard.」

「That’s true, but……」

I know I have to work hard regardless of whether nee-sama is there or not. But I can’t help but feel depressed because I can barely see the close friends I used to see. At times like these, it’s frustrating for a princess who can’t easily make friends her own age.
There are a few young ladies my age who I invite to tea parties and interact with at least a little. To be precise, there are few people I can show my true self to. It’s because Roy-nii-sama knew this that he made the bear phone so I could contact Isaac.
Of the two white and black keys, my index finger pressed one of the white keys. A single note rang out, as lonely as my current one.
Every day, I fulfill my responsibilities as a princess, and even now, even though the start of Kimiboshi‘s game has passed, I haven’t been able to do anything.
No, there are so many things I need to do. For example, when I accompanied Roy-nii-sama to an audience, I realized that I was unaware of current domestic and international affairs. Even though I’ve been learning about history in chronological order, if I’m going to interact with the southern country in the future, I’m sure I’ll have more opportunities to socialize. I need to learn about the current situation both domestically and internationally and be able to keep up with conversations.
So, I have an idea of the tasks I need to accomplish as a princess, but I don’t know what to do when it comes to Kimiboshi. Kimiboshi is an otome game. The protagonists’ lives change when they fall in love with the characters they’re trying to capture. Now that I’ve actually become a part of that world, I’ve realized how difficult it is to intentionally interfere with other people’s lives.
Philine is a supporting character in Roy-sama’s route. She may have been able to interfere a little with her family, her brothers Roy and Klaus, but to the other characters, she’s just a third-party princess who’s only ever said hello.
Even if I, a person of unnecessarily high social standing, were to suddenly try and interfere with things with a know-it-all attitude, there’s no way they’d open up to me. They’d just put up a wall and that would be the end of it.

「Roy-nii-sama, are you okay……」

While I was still useless, Roy-nii-sama had apparently confessed his feelings to the heroine, or rather, to a first-year student named Stephanie. I confirmed this with Isaac via bear phone.
Roy-nii-sama also wrote me a letter explaining the situation. He apologized for having found a woman he liked, and for planning to break off the engagement to Lydia-nee-sama because I adored her. He also told me that the deadline for her response to Roy-nii-sama was this month, in May.
But isn’t that deadline too early? In Kimiboshi, your route was determined at the end of the first semester. You spend the summer vacation and second semester increasing your affinity, and the third semester is the time to decide whether you’ll get a happy ending or a bad ending. Even the game had a proper period for developing feelings, so why does Roy-nii-sama only have two months to determine his route?
Apparently the decision was made mainly at the Ministry of Magic, but the country’s inflexibility is unsettling. Even if Roy-nii-sama is okay with it, I can’t accept it.
I want to do something for Roy-nii-sama.

「Therese. Don’t you think I have the right to confirm who my future sister-in-law might be?」

I took my eyes off the keyboard and looked at Therese, who narrowed her eyes as if she realized I was planning to go to school. If I did that, the wrinkles around her eyes would deepen.

「Philine-sama.」

「Because after all, I want Roy-nii-sama to be happy.」

Before Therese could criticize me, I asserted my own opinion.
In my previous life, I would have refused to meddle in my sibling’s love life, even if he asked me to. In fact, he tried to keep it a secret from me, so even if I noticed, I wouldn’t say anything. But this time the situation is special, and Roy-nii-sama is an important family member to me, and a benefactor.
When I lost control of my ability to hear my inner voice, it was none other than Roy-nii-sama who helped me. Without him, I might have developed a social phobia. He’s a really important person to me.
When the happiness of someone so important to me was at stake, I couldn’t just wait around.

「I can convey how great Roy-nii-sama is……」

I clenched my fist tightly against my chest and wrapped it around my other hand. The strength in both hands grew in proportion to my excitement.

「I want to give Roy-nii-sama even the slightest advantage. He has to be happy!」

He’s a man determined to live for the people, for others. Even if that’s what he himself desires, I want him to find his own happiness. I want to do something to make that happen. I can’t help it.
Seeing me ramble on, Therese let out a sigh.

「……I think His Majesty would agree if you requested a tour before enrolling.」

「Ehhhh……」

「Since Philine-sama has barely seen or heard anything outside the royal castle, you must be very anxious about spending three years at an academy you don’t know anything about.」

I didn’t immediately understand what Therese was saying, and was left dumbfounded for a moment. I never thought Therese, who I’d always thought would stop me, would actually side with me.

「……yes, that’s right!」

I guess my wholehearted agreement, expressing my anxiety, was pretty unconvincing. Therese chuckled softly. If I was going to jump on the bandwagon, I should have at least acted a little anxious, but I’ll do my best to do that in front of Father, so for now I just want him to be happy.
As I was getting ready to persuade Father, Therese spoke from behind me.

「Prince Roy is more than happy with Philine-sama.」

Having seen me get depressed when I couldn’t do anything, Therese confidently denied it.
Encouraged and feeling bolder, I laughed fearlessly.

「He can be more happy, you know. Roy-nii-sama needs to be happier!」

That’s quite arrogant, Therese said, to which I jokingly replied that was typical of a princess.

A week later, thanks to Therese’s good word and Mother’s aid, I was able to persuade Father to let me visit the Royal Magic Academy.
I had bodyguards and was restricted in my movements, but Roy-nii-sama was going to show me around the academy, so I might even meet Stephanie. On the surface, I behaved gracefully like a princess, but deep down, I was filled with excitement as I stepped through the school’s main entrance.
Roy-nii-sama was already waiting at the front entrance to greet me.
I’d scheduled the day of my tour to coincide with Roy-nii-sama’s second period, and since I arrived at the academy before it started, I was able to be shown around at my own pace. It was my first time traveling so far from the royal castle, a journey that took several hours by carriage, so naturally, I was feeling excited.
I’d been able to visit the academy on Roy-sama’s route in Kimiboshi, but it wasn’t as exciting. If everything had gone according to plan, Philine, who possesses light attributes, was planning to visit Roy-sama, who was troubled and unstable after discovering that his dark attribute was also strong, in order to observe his condition and return him to light. [T/N: I differentiate this from “Roy-nii-sama” as she is discussing the Roy of the game route rather than her brother as in the raw, this is only ロイ様 vs ロイ兄様]
It’s a bit strange that she was able to tell the heroine all about Roy-sama’s situation after just a few visits, even as a support character. But now that I’m actually Philine, I understand. She must have been using her power to hear his inner voice. I’m glad that the situation didn’t make Roy-nii-sama so worried that she had to use her unwanted powers.
Roy-nii-sama gave me a tour of the school until the bell rang to end the second period, and then it was time for lunch. I was so happy to be outside the royal castle that I ended up enjoying the tour more than I did the open campus. What good was I doing to seriously tour the school?

「Roy-nii-sama, at school we eat in the cafeteria where there are a lot of people, right?」

「That’s right. Philly might not be able to imagine that.」

「Yes. That’s why I want to eat in the cafeteria as well, so I won’t be surprised when I enroll.」

I actually know and have experienced it from my memories of my past life, but I pretend to be naive and ask Roy-nii-sama for help. No, it’s precisely because I remember it from my past life that I’m longing for cafeteria food. But I can’t forget my original purpose.
Roy-nii-sama agreed to my request with a slightly amused chuckle.

「I understand. Is it okay if Miss Lydia and the others join us?」

「Of course.」

In fact, that’s what I was hoping for. Thinking this in my heart, I got excited within the bounds of how much a princess should.
Roy-nii-sama went to pick up Onee-sama and the others from the first-year classroom, so I followed him. It was recess, so all the students were staring. We were a royal sibling pair, and we were both good-looking, so it was inevitable that we’d stand out. I knew that, with my dazzling resemblance to Roy-nii-sama, I’d be quite the sight to see next to him.

「Onee-sama.」

「Philly, it has been a while.」

When I spotted Onee-sama in the first-year classroom, I ran over and grabbed her hand with both of my hands. I really wanted to hug her, but I refrained from doing so in public.
The tall man standing behind Onee-sama had a clearly annoyed look on his face. I feel the same way, but I’m not showing it, so you should hide it too. It’d be rude to say this, considering it’s been a few years since we last met in person, so I try my best to ignore him and focus on Onee-sama.
Onee-sama smiled, happy to see me. She had soft, pale gold hair and pale blue eyes. I really like Onee-sama’s gentle coloring, which is similar to my blonde, blue-eyed self, yet different.
Suddenly, my eyes were drawn to the color next to Onee-sama, and when I shifted my gaze, I met her verdigris-blue eyes.

「……it’s the color of a sunset.」

The color of her hair, which had caught my eye, made me gasp.
The color, which looked like pink or pale orange, faded to a deeper orange as it reached the ends. It was just like the color of a rosy sunset. I wondered if it was really this beautiful when I saw it in person.
There was a girl I didn’t yet recognize. Her hair was longer than I’d expected, reaching down to her shoulder blades. Her eyes were slightly droopy and round, like those of a small animal. Unlike her older sister, she didn’t have a high nose, making her look adorable. While her Onee-samar was beautiful, she was clearly cute.
Realizing that I’d been rude enough to point out her hair color, I hurriedly apologized.

「My apologies, it’s such a beautiful color, so I just……」

「No, I’m happy to receive such a compliment.」

When I included my honest thoughts in my apology, she became embarrassed. Her embarrassed smile was already adorable. It’s no wonder that Roy-nii-sama fell in love at first sight.

「I am called Philine Elena von Rosenhain. And you are…?」

「I am called Stephanie von Witting, Your Highness.」

She bowed unabashedly to me, a princess, like a noble. It’s amazing, she must have worked so hard.
I’d heard she was adopted into a noble family at a young age, but as a commoner in my previous life and now a princess, I could imagine her efforts and couldn’t help but be impressed. Unlike me, who started from scratch, it must have been difficult to adapt to such a new environment.
I headed to the dining room with Roy-nii-sama and the others. I wish the whispered voice behind me, asking my Onee-sama if she had to go, would be quiet for a moment. Onee-sama quietly scolded him and he reluctantly followed her, but if he didn’t like the brightness so much,sheI should have just eaten alone. I’m sure he finds my blond hair, so well-groomed and lustrous by the maids, a pain in the eyes.
When we arrived in the dining room, I sat across from Stephanie, and Onee-sama sat next to her. Roy-nii-sama and the other companion listened to our requests and went to get our food. Since each person could only carry two trays at a time, Roy-nii-sama handed over his and my portions, while the other person handed over the two women’s portions first, and then told them it was okay for them to eat first before going to get their own.

「It’s nice that the seats aren’t too far apart.」

「That’s only at tea parties, I suppose.」

「Are the seats really that far apart at the castle?」

「It is. The tables are so wide that I have to raise my voice so my father, who is seated at the head of the table, can hear me.」

「Philly, isn’t that an exaggeration?」

Roy-nii-sama laughed, saying I was exaggerating. When I insisted that wasn’t true, not only Onee-sama but also Stephanie laughed amusedly. Then they said, “You two get along well, don’t you?” and when I nodded, they gave me a warm look. Yes, he’s a good person.
I was so happy to be sitting around the table with our faces so close, my expression relaxed. I felt like a student again. When I enroll next year, I’ll really try to make friends. I want to eat with friends like I do now, not just alone.
I was reminded of my open campus, and I came to my senses. I had to fulfill my original purpose. With Stephanie right in front of me, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

「Stephanie-sama, um, about Roy……」

「Thank you for the blessing. Let’s eat.」

The last person returned after finishing their portion and declared their pre-meal remarks. With that, the conversation came to a temporary halt, and everyone began to say a few words before eating. Everyone had good manners, so it was mostly quiet around us during the meal.
I knew we could talk once we finished eating. But I’m not a very fast eater, so I chewed and chewed my food as hard as I could while maintaining good manners. So how did it come about that Isaac, who had probably eaten the most, finished almost at the same time as Roy-nii-sama?
Secretly, I felt annoyed that he had finished eating first, but I concentrated solely on eating. Halfway through, Roy-nii-sama told me there was no need to rush, as there was plenty of time.
In the end, I was the last to finish eating.
Just as I finished, Onee-sama’s maid prepared tea for everyone. Isaac returned all the trays to them. Roy-nii-sama tried to put them away, but was told that he should spend more time here since I was his sister, so he backed off. It felt strange that he was being considerate to me now, after having interrupted me earlier.
As we chat about how delicious the meal was, I think about how I should present Roy-nii-sama in the time I have left. If I wanted to talk about how great Roy-nii-sama is, I could go on and on. With so much love and memories, no amount of time would be enough. What I have now is the skill to introduce myself in an interview in under three minutes.

「It must be wonderful for His Highness Roy to have such an adorable little sister like Princess Philine.」

「Yes. I don’t think you’ll find a sister as adorable anywhere in the world.」

「I got a stepbrother a few years ago, but he wasn’t as cute.」

「Come to think of it, Count Witting used to work in the department that audited placements for children with strong magical abilities. I heard he once adopted a child who other families deemed unsuitable for adoption.」

「That’s right. He was from an orphanage, and at first he was very rebellious and lived alone.」

「But isn’t he cute?」

「Yes.」

「Little brothers are cute, aren’t they?」

「Though, Prince Klaus is already big.」

「No matter how old they get, they’ll always be my younger brother and sister.」

I thought Klaus-nii-sama would probably be upset if he heard this, but Stephanie-san, with a funny look on her face, warned me that it would be best not to tell him. Roy-nii-sama wondered why, and Stephanie-san laughed even more, while Onee-sama let out a reluctant smile.
They seem to get along well, but they still seem a bit distant. Also, before I could present Roy-nii-sama, he presented me. Roy-nii-sama is the best in the world.

「What’s wrong, Philly?」

He poked my bulging cheek with his finger and asked if I was unhappy.

「……I thought you were being a little too distant.」

He ended up sounding a bit sulky. It wasn’t so much that he was unhappy, but rather that he just didn’t understand.
Even though they’re close, the way they address each other clearly reflects their different social status. Back in Kimiboshi, she called him “Roy-sama.” Now that Stephanie is a noble, it feels like a line is drawn between them, which is sad.

「Um, well……」

「Why don’t you just call him senpai?」

Stephanie, who was feeling down after seeing me looking down, was muttered to by Isaac, who was sipping tea and looking off in the opposite direction.
He was probably looking out because Roy-nii-sama and I were facing each other. Actually, he should stop drinking tea from the same teacup. Memories of my past life are ingrained in me in strange ways.
Stephanie agreed, since she was his junior.

「……then, can I call you Roy-senpai from now on?」

「Yes.」

I felt good when Roy-nii-san agreed with a smile.

「They, Roy-nii-sama also……」

When I suggested it, he smiled quietly. His dismissive tone confused me.

「Whether you’re called by your first name or a nickname, it’s fine if it’s coming from someone you like, isn’t it?」

Roy-nii-san had decided that he would call her equally unless she wanted him to. Come to think of it, Roy-nii-san has never called his fiancée, Onee-sama, by her nickname either. He sincerely draws a line between her and Stephanie-san.
Roy-nii-san’s sincerity is so frustrating to me.
If Stephanie-san refused when the deadline came, she could easily return to her daily life without having to deal with you. Roy-nii-sama, you’re definitely good at interacting with others in a way that makes them feel at ease. That’s what makes me so frustrated.
I hate seeing Roy-nii-sama pretending to be fine.
I was about to bite my lower lip in frustration, but realized I had to stop. Thinking I had to defuse the situation, I looked up and saw Stephanie’s eyes slightly wide. She didn’t look sad, but her expression wasn’t exactly happy, and it gave me hope.
She seemed to have forgotten to respond, probably because what Roy-nii-sama said had taken hold of her.
Thinking that he’d just troubled her, Roy-nii-sama smiled and dropped the topic of the nickname.
Soon after, it was time for the next class, and the after-dinner tea party came to an end. As Stephanie and the others returned to the classroom, I thanked them for accompanying me and said my farewells. At the end, I approached Stephanie and shook her hand.

「…..Stephanie-sama, didn’t you feel that you missed something earlier?」

「Eh?」

I asked quietly so only we could hear, and she choked up.

「Please, think about it. How would you feel if Roy-nii-sama called you by a nickname? Or how would you feel if Roy-nii-sama called another woman by a nickname? Even if it’s a small thing, I think that’s the most important thing.」

I know it’s a decision that will affect her life, and it requires resolve. But I think it’s important to consider whether you’ll fall in love with your spouse or not. Marriage changes your life, to a greater or lesser extent. So, in the end, isn’t love what matters?
I lowered my voice and spoke with the utmost seriousness.

「And, as you know, Roy-nii-sama is incredibly handsome.」

Stephanie’s eyes widened at the truth I told her. Then, blushing, she nodded.

「Yes, I’m aware.」

Seemingly a little amused, she answered my words.
I was satisfied with her answer. I was sure she’d make a choice she wouldn’t regret. And she understood Roy-nii-sama’s charm.
I eagerly awaited her answer, knowing she knew what was so good about Roy-nii-sama.

---

Since Roy-nii-sama had his next class, we parted ways in the cafeteria.
He offered to walk me to the main entrance of the school, but I declined, saying I’d take a stroll in the courtyard near the cafeteria first. I told him that the guards already had the return trip in mind, so I’d be fine on my own, and he seemed convinced.
I told the guards I’d just take a walk around the courtyard, and had them wait at the entrance. The courtyard was deserted, and I was wearing a magical bracelet that acted as a security alarm, so the guards agreed.
At first glance, the bracelet looks like just a piece of jewelry, but if something happens, I can channel a little magical power into it, and the cuffs on the guards will react, alerting them to the danger. The magical tool requires a ritual to untie the binding, so even if the bracelet comes off, the alert will still be sent. The school’s security measures are thorough, and it’s unlikely that any suspicious people would enter, so the guards agreed to wait.
It had been a long time since I had been outside the royal castle, so it would be a shame to go back so soon.
Because we were now in early summer, the space was more peaceful, with lots of greenery rather than just overflowing with flowers. The shade cast by the sunlight was still thin, so it might just be perfect for a short break after dinner.
Among the many young leaves in the green, I spotted a pale, soft yellow mokara. Thinking that it was Roy-nii-sama’s color, I gazed upon it for a while.
When hydrangeas are dyed with light, they turn pale yellow. When Roy-nii-sama grows hydrangeas, the ones in good sunlight bloom pale yellow, while the ones that are more prone to shade bloom a slightly deeper purple than the dark-element wisteria. The contrast between the two colors is very beautiful, and I love it.
I know that even if I grow them myself, half will be the same color. Maybe it’s because of my knowledge of Kimiboshi, but I think the color in front of me is Roy-nii-sama’s color. Roy-nii-sama is so handsome that he dazzles, but if the moment he smiles at me gently were to be painted into a color, it would surely be this gentle hue.
I let out a soft sigh of relief.

I’m relieved……

Her being attractive wasn’t just to describe her physical appearance.
Stephanie was someone who looked after Roy-nii-sama. Thanks to this, I only had seen her outward appearance, and I felt uneasy about her becoming my sister in law. With that being the case, there’s no way to make a presentation. It wouldn’t be assisting, it would be the exact opposite.
I couldn’t make the presentation as planned, but I hope she can have an opportunity to think seriously.
The heroine is a nobleman, not a commoner, and Frank also enrolls as a royal family, not a commoner. Tobias, who was supposed to appear on the routes of Remias and Bell, did not enroll and was an apprentice researcher at the Ministry of Magic. So much has changed from Kimiboshi, so I don’t know what will happen next.
If it were Kimiboshi proper, Tobias, who had no magical power, would take away the magical power of the whole family and enroll. The family continues to compare her to Remias and Bell-kun as always, saying that he has the same marquis family, and he is hostile to them, and then his target changes depending on which route the heroine chooses. Being close to the heroine will attract more attention, and he will use the same magical tools he uses on his family to steal magic.
By temporarily losing magical power, the target will experience failure and face himself, and grow even further. By the time the magical power of the target is taken away, the heroine’s attributes will be the same as the target, so you will be able to help them regain their magical power.
If you can break the magical tools and regain their magical power, you will have a happy ending, and if you can’t regain it, you’re not worthy of it, so the capture target will retreat and end up with a bad ending. The general flow is the same for both of them.
However, there is no one to do so, and neither of these will happen again.
Later, it was horrifying to learn that Tobias had been abused.
The game did not list detailed backgrounds of rival characters. I only thought of him as an unsolicited guy who was unilaterally jealous, and I disregarded his existence even though he had the potential to hurt others. Without doubt, there might be something to do.
I almost disliked myself, who had been feeling like I had learned about him through the incomplete information. How relieved it felt to learn that Roy-nii-sama had saved him. That day, I cried out and showered Roy-nii-sama with gratitude.
I can’t do anything at all times. Instead, Roy-nii-sama helps them, where I could only overlook. Roy-nii-sama wouldn’t know that every time I didn’t hate myself and that I was saved.

But if my support is too weak…

Roy-nii-sama has lifted the curse, solved the successor problem, prevented crime, and done a lot of amazing things, but isn’t it too bad that all I can do for Roy-nii-sama is support?
I would like to think I was just a little helpful. It’s possible that it worked out without me trying to inspire Stephanie, but it’s better than doing nothing.
If it really was that I wasn’t helpful to my beloved big brother, I think I’d end up crying. So I try my best to encourage myself that it’s not like that.
I physically raised my head to avoid any further lowering my feelings, and saw shade and sunlight scattered over my head.
While following the banksia roses, it seemed that I had reached the side of a large tree. With each wind blowing, the sun sways through the trees and washes down my cheeks, making it a little ticklish.
In rainy trees, thick trunks branch out from the left and right from down low, making it easy to climb trees. After feeling that impression, I remember that even in my previous life, I had never tried to climb trees. When I was a little girl in my past life, I was still following my older brother Taichi, and tried to imitate him and failed, but failed, and he was punished for that one mistake. The hard bark made my palm hurt and there was nothing fun.
As the princess now, even with memories of my past life, I can’t even be interested. However, I wonder if the reason I thought of such a thing is because I have a sense of someone who seems to have climbed trees more than I did in the past life.
I suddenly felt a sense of reminiscence as if I was a normal student. If Isaac saw me now, he would be shocked to see how I was alone and selfishly worried.

「Don’t become anything you don’t want to become, you know?」

He would speak his open-minded thoughts and shake off any factors that made him feel depressed.
At an instant, something suddenly started falling. What’s more, just a few centimeters away.
It was a very large shadow, and my heart was shocked and stiffened. While I was frozen, the shadow rose from its feet and looked down at me with glaring eyes.

「Don’t stand around like a fool!」

He scolded me with a low, slurred voice. The person who was yelling at me was so shocking that I stopped thinking.

「……Ah?」

Staring at my stiff self, his gaze slowly softened.

「Oh no, you’re the princess, aren’t you? If I hurt you, I don’t know what I would say to Leo.」

He grabs my chin and turns it so he can see, then turns me left and right, then checks my face from the front. Once he could confirm I was not injured, the hand that had been easily holding me came off

「I’m sorry. I’m not great right after waking up, you know?」 [T/N: This is more “I’m not good at waking up”, but to avoid confusion I added a bit of clarification.]

His soft, pale purple hair sways softly, making his smile have a shiny look to it. I can’t help but think that the angry voice I just heard was an illusion.

「On the tree……?」

Has he been sleeping? Nico-san wasn’t supposed to be that kind of character.
I don’t know what to be surprised about anymore. I had heard from Isaac that he had become an effeminate character, but since I had only ever said hello before, this is my first time seeing him. Or rather, it was just for a moment, but it was natural. He’s been covering it up, but his true tone is rough.

「Isn’t it dangerous?」

I wanted to ask a lot of questions, but that was what caught my eye. It’s like a manga, but taking a nap on a tree is pretty dangerous, so isn’t it quite difficult?

「It’s fine. I use wind magic.」

He quickly told me that he had used magic to prevent himself from falling. Certainly, with Nico-nee-sama’s magical power, there shouldn’t be any problems even if he used freestanding wind magic. But the purpose has changed. First of all, on Kimiboshi, he wasn’t the type of person with enough stamina to climb trees. Considering his natural tone of voice, I wonder when he had become such a wild character.
For now, I’ll just accept that he’s safe.
Suddenly, I remembered the presence of my guards and looked in their direction. The kokatama briars blocked my view like a hedge, so I couldn’t see the guards from where I was. That meant the other person must have felt the same way. In that case, Nico-nee-sama won’t be blamed for his behavior right after waking up.
I sighed in relief. I’m still a princess, even after all. I’m a troublesome person to deal with, and even Nico-nee-sama’s effeminate personality can’t completely fool those around me. He must have known that, which is why he’d only ever said hello to me up until now.

「You were worried about Leo, right? You’re such a big brother enthusiast, aren’t you?」

Seeing through my reason for visiting the school, Nico-nee-sama smiled with a smile that could be interpreted as either exasperated or amused. It seems it’s no secret that I like Roy-nii-sama.
Up until now, the only time I’d ever appeared in public was at my and my brothers’ birthday parties. I was only able to attend parties that ended in the evening before my debutante. If I’d been clinging to my brothers at every one of those few parties, it would’ve been obvious.
His hair was tied high, his uniform was custom-made to her liking but with ease of movement in mind, and his movements were graceful, but his hands were clearly those of a man.
He was completely different from Nico-nee-sama in Kimiboshi. In Kimiboshi, he had the same loosely braided hair that hung down to his shoulders, and his uniform was custom-made to give him a feminine silhouette. He also had long nails, and despite being a man, his hands were described as being well-groomed and beautiful.

「Um, Nicholas-sama is……」

「It’s Nico-chan, you know.」

「Huh?」

「Ni・co・ch・an.」 [T/N: In the raw this is ニ・コ・ちゃ・ん lol]

「Nico-chan… sama?」

Succumbing to this incomprehensible pressure, I changed what I called him to what he asked, and he smiled and said it was fine. It was supposed to be a cute abbreviation, but using it on him solidified his powerful presence, and somehow I felt like I couldn’t compete with him.
I was almost overwhelmed by Nico-chan’s character, but there was something I had to ask.

「Um…… Nico-chan-sama, are you okay?」

「Huh?」

It’s something I’d been worried about for a while, but I’m sure Nico-chan wouldn’t understand my sudden, mysterious question. Isn’t a woman who suddenly asks a worried question a bit suspicious?
I resolved to give him a satisfactory explanation so I wouldn’t be mistaken for a suspicious person.

「Sorry for this sudden question. Um, this might sound creepy, but due to my magical powers, I can hear inner voices and I can see past events, so… I know a little about Nico-chan’s situation……」

What should I do? If I say it, I sound like a woman recruiting for a cult. 「I know you」 is not something you’d say on a first meeting.

「What are the circumstances you saw?」

「Well, I know that your sister, Heroise-sama, was cursed in the past, and that your brother is a teacher at this school, and so on…」

「I see.」

Nico-chan surprisingly readily believed my explanation, thinking, “The dual elements of light and wind can do extraordinary things.” Because light itself is rare, there’s no record of the synergistic effects it creates when combined with other elements. Both Roy-nii-sama and I rely on trial and error for all our combined magic.
Anyway, I’m glad that my explanation sounds more credible than just saying I know from the memory of a game from my past life.

「I knew, but I couldn’t do anything…… I’m sorry.」

I’ve always wanted to apologize. If Roy-nii-sama hadn’t lifted Heloise’s curse, there was nothing I could have done, and I would have had no choice but to give up and leave it alone, thinking it was just the way the game was. Even if I had noticed it through my telepathic-like abilities and clairvoyance, the royal family cannot side with any particular noble. Father has strictly commanded me not to empathize or act solely out of sympathy, even if I learned something through these abilities.
In the bad ending, Professor Hagen, a hidden character available for playthrough, falls into darkness and his half-brother, Nico-nee, is cursed. Obsessed with his deceased mother, he tries to treat his half-brother fairly as a teacher, but is conflicted by his hatred for him. It’s only after playing through the game twice that I learned this truth. [T/N: She uses “Nico-nee” to refer to the game character, while “Nico-chan” is used for the actual person]
I believe he transfers Heloise’s curse to Nico-nee, the heir, as revenge against Count Rudolstadt, who abandoned his mother. Unless the heroine can persuade him and free him from his mother’s obsession, Nico-nee, who loves her sister, will be persuaded by Professor Hagen’s sweet words and accept the curse in order to awaken her sister. Whether you choose Nico-nee’s route or Professor Hagen’s, the Rudolstadt family’s bad ending is too tragic.
As for Professor Hagen, it was something that happened before I was born and there was nothing I could do about it. Since it was someone else’s family situation, I couldn’t investigate it on my own, and I’m worried that he’s the only one living his life according to the game.

Hmm? Or rather, didn’t Nico-nee never know that Professor Hagen was her half-brother??

Unless it was Professor Hagen’s happy ending, Nico-nee would never have known about the existence of his half-brother. Now I realize that I’ve revealed a truth that Nico-nee-sama didn’t know, and I’m stunned.

Huh? What should I do? What should I do? Is this a crisis? This is a crisis, right!? I’m such an idiot!

「It’s a family matter, so there’s no need to apologize. In fact, you kept a secret about our family scandal. Thank you.」

「Hoehhh?」

Nico-nee smiled and thanked me, and I was flustered, not understanding the situation. Why was he thanking me?

「I don’t call that guy…… brother, but I do sympathize with him for all the trouble he’s been through with his damn dad.」

「You know…… are you close……?」

「We’re just teacher and student.」

Unbeknownst to me, Nico knew the truth. Moreover, it seems the matter has already been discussed within the Rudolstadt household. Is Professor Hagen going to go dark yet?

「Are you really okay? Nico-chan-sama, you aren’t sad? Are you happy?」

My bewildered eyes open wide, revealing my flustered state.

「I’m fine. I was just taking a nap, you know.」

His purple eyes narrowed and all of my worries vanished, along with my reflection.
Thank goodness. Relief and joy filled my heart. My cheeks were hot with joy, and tears welled up in my eyes. But I wouldn’t cry, because the guards would worry when I returned.
As I shook with happiness, Nico-chan burst out in laughter.

「Fufu, you’re so cute. I’m glad you don’t look like Leo.」

Nico’s words as he laughed shocked me.
This was the first time someone had complimented me on not looking like him.
Usually, they compliment me on looking like him. They’ve told me I don’t look like him before, but that wasn’t a compliment. They were just making a distinction.

「Don’t you find it creepy……?」

「Why?」

「I can hear your thoughts……」

I thought the only people who would call me cute after knowing about my ability were my family. Wouldn’t they normally find it creepy and distance themselves? Yet, even after learning of her ability, Nico-chan doesn’t take a step back or distance himself.

「I can read other people’s minds, too.」

「Eh!?」

I’m surprised when he replies that he can do the same.

「There are tons of people in the noble world who have honed the skill of reading facial expressions. It’s not much different from being able to hear what others are thinking. It’s necessary for self-protection, so it’s a good thing I have it.」

It’s possible that he was exposed to negative emotions to the point where he needed to acquire the skill, but Nico-chan is cool for claiming that this ability is an initial skill acquired out of a self-preservation instinct. This is the first time I’ve ever thought of it as a necessary skill, the only difference being whether I acquired it later or earlier. I used to hate this ability, but from now on, I think I’ll accept it as natural.
This person is amazing. Today I learned about Nikolaus von Rudolstadt.

「Pffft, you’re showing too much on your face.」

“No wonder His Majesty hides you,” he points out, pinching my cheek with amusement. Come to think of it, Roy-nii-sama and the others often knew what I was thinking before I even said it. Until I learn how to use my facial muscles, I’ll stay away from negotiations.
I’d like to continue talking like this…
By chance, there’s no one around, so he’s talking casually. But if I leave this place, the next time we meet, we’ll surely go back to just exchanging greetings. I’ll keep thinking about how to create a future together.

「……Nico-chan-sama, you’re popular with women, so why don’t you have a fiance?」

「What’s this all of a sudden?」

「Why?」

I stared up at him, and Nico seemed to sense my seriousness, as he answered.

「Because you’re not as beautiful as me.」

That was a very difficult answer.

「Do you like beautiful women?」

「I hate women who belittle themselves. Beauty and ugliness are important to women, right? I inherited my beauty from my mother, so if we were together, she’d be constantly comparing us. She’d have to try to surpass me, even if it meant wearing makeup, otherwise it’d be painful for her.」

Women who approach him are surely drawn to his good looks. That’s why they have a strong sense of beauty. When such a woman gets older, she might be more than just depressed if her husband turns out to be prettier than she is.
The woman who was dumped would surely be devastated, and wouldn’t believe those words were meant for her. It seems only a few people know the kindness of his sharp, pointed words.

「So, what about me?」

「Hah?」

「I’m not the same type, but I think I’m a beautiful girl who can rival Nico-chan. Plus, I’m naturally pretty. And my maids keep polishing me, so I’ll have a perfect beauty regimen for the future. Maybe being royalty sounds a bit much, but……」

Clenching my fists, I declared it.

「I’m confident that when Nico-chan-sama grows up to be a beautiful grandfather, I’ll be a really cute grandmother!」

My instincts told me not to let this chance slip away, so I desperately presented myself.
My movements are limited, so if I miss this opportunity, there’s no guarantee there’ll be another one. After talking today, I had a hunch. Maybe, if I’m by this person’s side, I’ll be able to love myself.

「You’re so confident……」

Nico-chan burst out laughing. It looked incredibly funny.
Well, I mean, it’s true. Just as Nico-chan knows he’s beautiful, I, too, am calmly aware of how good-looking I am thanks to my memories of my past life. Unless something extraordinary happens, neither Nico-chan nor I will lose our beauty. Even now, Nico-chan is beautiful, even when she’s laughing out loud.

「What a weird person.」

The voice he muttered, trying to stifle his laughter as it began to die down, wasn’t an effeminate one. He could tell it was a serious confession.

「Well, I can’t say anything about other people either. I’ll think about it.」

「R, Really!?」

「What, did you want me to reject you?」

I shook my head vigorously to deny it, and he laughed again, seemingly amused.
Come to think of it, I’d made more noise than I’d intended, but the guards hadn’t noticed. I was wondering why, when Nico-chan muttered that he’d forgotten and removed the soundproofing barrier he’d placed around the tree. Apparently he’d put it up so he could sleep quietly.
Since he’d lifted the barrier, did that mean I should go back? Even though he’d been slowly circling the courtyard, the guards would surely be worried if I didn’t return soon.

「Um, I’ll make an opportunity, so can we talk again?」

「Yes. I’ll wait, but I won’t get my hopes up.」

I wish he’d lied and said he still had hope. But it’s his relentlessness that makes me want to do it.

「I’ll definitely make an opportunity!」

As I insisted and left, Nico-chan waved goodbye.
Fufufu, Nico-chan is acting so confident because she doesn’t know the power of my combined magic. I’ll get Roy’s help and surprise Nico-chan. I wonder if Nico-chan likes bears? Or maybe rabbits or cats would be better.
After reuniting with my guards, I excitedly planned my next steps on the way home. First, I had to tell Roy.
I’d found someone who could care about my happiness.

---

This chapter was infuriating to proofread because Philly uses Nico-nee, Nico-chan, and Nico-chan-sama, all with different contexts, so having to comb back through the raw text and figure out which sentence I’m looking at drove me up a creek. Basically Nico-nee when referring to the game character, Nico-chan for thinking of Nico the actual person, and Nico-chan-sama when speaking to him. I… think I got all of them right, but it’s not impossible that some slipped by me.

Also I see Philly is developing her reverse harem.

Again, sorry for the delay. I’m just glad to be able to have time to sit down and do this. But I heard whispers I might be asked to relocate for another project for a bit so I am uh, S C R E A M I N G. Better get to these next chapters before that solidifies lol

We’re so close to the end, so fingers crossed I can actually finish this off by the end of the year. See you all next chapter!

---

Hello from the airport. Guess who got told the day after I got back from a long weekend to book a flight so I could touch down with the client at 6pm today? lmao if you guessed this guy, yeah.

Sorry for the major delays, but I’m sure ya’ll have heard about all the layoffs and everything. Fortunately I squeaked by, but it does mean I now have to do the work that uh, others used to do, and now I also fly out Sundays fly back in Thursday at midnight or Friday morning. Sundays used to be my usual translating time, but uh, as you can imagine, work has significantly impacted that.

“It’s been back to back business trips all of a sudden, and frankly I don’t know how some people do it as I have some coworkers that fly out Sunday evenings and fly back in Fridays.”
— someone who was tempting fate last chapter lol

Anyways, thanks for hanging on. Trying to figure out a new “travel translating” set up so we can finish this thing this year, at least.

---

It was an act of spontaneity.
There was no one in the classroom after school, and Petra, her maid, was waiting at the entrance, so there was no need to worry about someone accidentally walking in. Bathed in the spring sunlight, the classroom felt like a space all to herself.
Standing in front of her desk, she turned around to look at the seat that was two spaces diagonally behind her own. There was the seat of a young man in her class, who was an apprentice gardener at her house. Being quite tall, he had no choice but to sit at the very back.
She wondered what the view would be like from his seat.
Carrying only the book she was planning to read, she stepped to the very back seat, with her school bag still hanging next to her. Then, knowing that no one was there, Lydia checked her surroundings just to be sure, and quietly sat down in that seat.
Even though the desks and chairs were exactly the same, Lydia felt nervous about sitting in a seat other than her assigned one, as if she was doing something wrong. But even as her heart beat faster from the tension, she also felt a sense of accomplishment for having managed to do it.
Looking at the classroom from his seat, she can see the whole picture. The classroom is used for morning and closing assemblies and for required subjects. She can’t take all of her classes with him, but she’s lucky to be able to take some classes in the same classroom. He was supposed to be a senior, after all.
From his seat, she looks over at her own seat. He’s probably a little taller, but the fact that she’s in his line of sight on a daily basis seems strange to Lydia. Before she enrolled, Lydia had more opportunities to stare at his back than anything else.
During class, she would occasionally glance at the window to see how he was doing, and her eyes would soften with joy. The schoolyard that other students would get used to seeing after a few days would probably never get old for him. He takes his classes seriously, but at those moments she realizes just how much of a garden fanatic he is.
Even now, he’s not here; he’s helping the school gardeners.
Lydia smiles at him as usual and opens her book. There was a bookmark tucked into the book she was reading. A pressed four-leaf clover bookmark.
It must have been made from hard paper, but it was already very worn out. The green of the four-leaf clover had also decayed considerably. That’s understandable, since it was made ten years ago.
Lydia lowered her eyes to the four-leaf clover that had been created with his own steps.
Since then, has she been walking down the right path in life? Could she be someone worthy of her family, friends, and those who supported her? The question suddenly arose in her mind, and she immediately nodded inwardly.
Looking at her, he would laugh, saying she looked cool.
That was the answer.
The highest compliment from him, even if she couldn’t be happy about it, was a sure guarantee. If she was a coward, he would surely notice before anyone else. So, it would be okay.
Although she didn’t appreciate the compliment, those proud, copper-red eyes and smiling face were one thing Lydia didn’t want to lose. So she was determined to keep trying her best.
Without realizing it, Lydia found herself smiling naturally.
Her eyes followed the words and she turned the pages.
Savoring the quiet, peaceful time, Lydia began to become immersed in the world of the book. Enthralled by the story, Lydia didn’t notice that the warmth of the sunlight was gradually inviting her to a drowsy sleep.

---

At first, she thought it was the warmth of the sunlight.
But then, as she felt a hand slowly sliding over her hair and caressing her head, Lydia noticed. Half asleep, the comfort made her consider dozing off again. She didn’t even know when she’d fallen asleep, or how long she’d been asleep for. So it would be better if she slept a little longer.
Lydia knew these palms. Unlike before, it felt good to be caressed by those large hands that wrapped around her head. Even though they are rough, they stroked her gently and carefully, as if they were touching something fragile, so it tickles a little.
When she flinches just a little from the tickle, the sensation of his palm disappears. She cannot shake the feeling of loss. If he left her because she flinched, she regrets that she should have just endured the sensation.
Just as she was thinking this, Lydia realizes that she has fallen asleep without realizing it. Unable to open her eyelids, she tries to remember what she did just before she fell asleep. Where was she, and what was she doing?
She remembers that she was reading in class, and wonders whether the sensation she felt earlier was a dream or reality. If it was a dream, Lydia felt ashamed, thinking that it might mean that she had some indecent desire.
Since she didn’t feel the palm of his hand again, she confirmed that it was a dream, and Lydia slowly lifted her eyes with a sense of embarrassment.

「……Dia.」

Her heart leapt in shock.
She was trying to check the time to see how long she had been asleep, but instead she buried her face in her arms. The voice of someone she thought hadn’t returned yet sounded impossible. What on earth was this?
Was she still in a dream? No, if it was a dream, it was beyond her imagination.
Because he didn’t call her by her nickname.
It was the first time she’d heard such a gentle, yet slightly heated voice.
She was very curious about the expression he used when he said it, but she was equally afraid to see it. If she saw it, would her heart be able to endure it? She was terribly unsure.
Just hearing his voice made her cheeks flush and my ears hot.
Having completely missed the chance to wake up, Lydia was in the midst of confusion. She tried to calm down, but her heart was racing. She didn’t want him to see her face, which was probably bright red.
After struggling with her own pulse for some time, she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

「Ojou, it’s time to go home.」

It was the same voice as always. It was so clear that she thought she was hallucinating.

「……what… is it…?」

Pretending to rub her eyes, she got up so that he wouldn’t see her face. The voice she managed to squeeze out was almost stammering, but he seemed to think it was because she had just woken up.
Without mentioning that she was in his seat, he collected her school bag and urged Lydia to head home. It was dusk and it was getting late, so he offered to take her to the girls’ dormitory, but she declined his offer, saying that she would use the carriage. Even so, despite Petra, her bodyguard and maid, following her, he escorted her to the carriage stand. Lydia wasn’t sure what they talked about on the way there. She took advantage of his height and kept her head down so that he wouldn’t see her face.
Even after arriving at the girls’ dormitory, she heads to her own room, still without any sense of reality. When she gets to the front of the room, Petra opens the door and invites her in. When she follows her lead and steps into her room, she hears the sound of the door slamming shut behind her.
The sound of her being cut off from the outside world snaps Lydia’s tension. Her feet relax, her center of gravity shifts backwards, and her shoulders collide with the door. Then, she collapses and sits on the carpeted floor. She covers her hot face with both hands and writhes in agony with the urge to silently scream.

「Lydia-sama, what’s wrong!?」

Noticing the strange behavior of her master, Emilia, the maid who had been waiting in the room earlier, rushes over. Confirming that her master looks unusual, Emilia glares at her colleague Petra.

「Petra, what happened while you were there.」

「Thiiiis, it’s fiiiiine, you know?」

While getting angry at her colleague, Emilia helps her master up and leads her to the bed. When Emilia tries to question her about the situation, Petra calms her down and tells her to leave Lydia’s room, saying she will explain in the waiting room. Although she is not convinced, Emilia tells Petra to call her if she needs anything and leaves with her.
Lydia, who cannot bear to have the previous conversation rehashed in front of her, is secretly grateful for Petra’s arrangement.
She wanted to be alone, so she was saved. She must be wearing a face that she cannot show to anyone.
It’s like her heart is no longer her own. It’s beating too quickly and her body is hot.
She had just been thankful for the miracle of being able to spend every day with him. The engagement has not yet been broken off, so it is enough for her to savor her modest happiness.
So why…

「Why are you doing more than I can dream of……」

She hated him for easily surpassing the hopes hidden in her dreams. She couldn’t help but want to complain to him about how he was bad for her heart. What kind of face should she have when she sees him tomorrow?
Lydia buried her face in her pillow and writhed in agony, spending the night in fear of tomorrow.

---

In the end, the next day came.
She was very nervous when she went to school, but she was surprised to see him as usual. It was only natural since he didn’t know she could hear him, but Lydia was not satisfied.
Before the morning assembly started, her friend Nicholas had come to talk to him, so Lydia was chatting with her same-sex friends, including Stephanie.
Nicholas, who was supposed to be in the grade class as him, would frequently visit him during breaks. Nicholas had been visiting the Duke Ernst family since he was a child, and there was a rumor that he was able to go to the house of the Prince’s fiance because he was treated as a person of the same sex. There was also a rumor that he was there for another reason. Rumors quickly spread throughout the school that he was the other reason. [T/N: So it’s a little ambiguous even in the raw text, but from what I understand, the rumors are that Nicholas can visit Lydia (even if she’s the prince’s fiance) as he’s essentially treated as a woman. Of course, there are other rumors that Nicholas is actually targeting Isaac, who is not explicitly named, but they refer to a “he”.]
Although Lydia warned them that a misunderstanding had arisen between them, Nicholas told her to be grateful because he was his repellent, and he said that he wouldn’t mind if Isaac hadn’t misunderstood. He prioritized spending time with his friends over clearing up the misunderstandings of the others. Since she had no intention of taking away his friends from him, Lydia couldn’t say anything more. This was especially true because he seemed to enjoy talking to Nicholas.
However, it was shocking for a young man of his generation to be able to remain calm while being hugged by Nicholas, who is more beautiful than most women, or have his arm around his shoulder. Since they are both tall, I wonder how much he realizes that people are paying attention to them from afar when they are together.

「What a pity……」

Looking in the direction of the sudden mutter, a young woman from her class who was reading at her desk had taken her eyes off her book and was looking at them. Her expression behind her glasses was flat and she didn’t look like she was regretting anything.

「Cornelia-sama, what’s wrong?」

「No, I just thought it would be a great situation in a story.」

「Is that so……」

Cornelia answered Lydia’s question without hesitation as she adjusted her glasses. However, Lydia didn’t understand her intentions and could only nod vaguely.
Hagen, the teacher, came into the classroom for morning assembly, so they couldn’t continue the conversation any further.
As far as Lydia could remember, Cornelia only attended tea parties to a minimum extent, so there were few opportunities to talk. This time there was no point of conversation, but now that they were in the same class, she thought it would be an opportunity to get to know her better.
After that, Nicholas came to visit and there was almost no opportunity to talk to him until the lunch break. While she felt lucky as she wasn’t mentally prepared, she also felt resentful of Nicholas who spoke to him so casually.

「Miss Lydia, Miss Stephanie, sorry to keep you waiting.」

「Roy-sama.」

「No, it’s fine.」

Roy, the first prince of this country, came to pick up Lydia and the others. He’s here to have lunch with them. Until Stephanie, who has no attribute, decides which attribute she will have, they will be eating lunch together on days when there are classes, so that they can get to know each other.

「And you too, Isaac.」

「I understand.」

Seeing that dazzling smile, Isaac also called out. He replied simply, but it seemed to those around him that he was reluctant, but it was only because he was enduring the brightness of Roy and he didn’t like using honorifics with Roy. Only Lydia and Roy knew about it.
Since Lydia and Roy’s engagement is still ongoing, for the sake of appearances, it is necessary to have not only Stephanie but also Isaac, who is a boy, present, and it is a mixed-gender event. At first, she suggested that Tordelise and Zaskia also attend, but they refused, saying that they would be nervous around Roy.

「It’s more comfortable to eat with Nico.」

「Don’t say that. It’s for Miss Lydia’s sake.」

When Roy urged him to be patient with a forced smile, Isaac grumbled, saying he knew.
Because there was a risk of magical interference with Stephanie that was not of the light attribute, Roy did not bring Jeremias and Bernhard, and Isaac could not invite Nicholas.

“You don’t like eating with me?”

“Leo is just a pain, but I’m happy to be with you, Ojou.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t invite Nico-chan, because of my troublesome constitution.”

“No, that’s why Leo is the troublesome one, and you don’t have to worry about Vitting.”

They head to the dining hall while exchanging such casual words. Prince Roy is there, keeping his distance, and he keeps his voice down, so there’s no need to worry about being heard by the people around.
After arriving at the dining hall and securing a seat, Isaac and Roy confirm what Lydia and the other women want to eat, then go to order. In the dining hall, it’s a format where you go to get your own food. Most nobles who have servants send their servants to get their food, but Roy goes to get his own food himself, happily saying that he can only do this when he’s a student. So, although Stephanie was embarrassed at first, she got used to it.
Lydia and Stephanie chat until the boys return.

「Um, Dia-sama.」

「What is it?」

「I’ve always wanted to ask you, but is Isaac that same Isaac?」

Lydia was shaken and at a loss for words when she heard Stephanie’s question. It was a clear affirmation.
At the entrance ceremony, Stephanie was overwhelmed by what had happened to her, but later she realized that Isaac’s name sounded familiar. As they interacted, she learned that he was an apprentice gardener at the Ernst family home, and remembered that it was the name of the man Lydia loved.

「I’m glad we were in the same class.」

「But, the classes are optional, so we can’t be together forever… and Nicholas-sama is here too.」

「But you were so disappointed when Isaac might have to stay at the mansion, weren’t you?」

「That’s…」

Until Lydia was informed that Isaac had missed the magical power test, she was sad that she could only be by his side until he enrolled. Stephanie remembers well how happy she was when she found out she could enter the school with him as her classmate.
Even now, the way she was shy and stammering was so cute. Stephanie couldn’t help but smile.

「For Dia-sama’s sake, I think I should accept His Highness’ offer.」

「You can’t do that.」

Though it was said half-jokingly, Stephanie was surprised when Lydia strongly disagreed. Lydia took her hand and looked straight into her eyes.

「You shouldn’t decide this matter for someone else. You should make the decision for Fanny. I support Roy, but I won’t forgive anyone who ignores Fanny’s wishes.」

「Dia-sama……」

Stephanie opened her eyes wide when Lydia told her that she wanted him to take care of her future.
She never knew it would be so nice to have a friend wish her happiness. Stephanie blushed with joy.

「Thank you so much. I really like you, Dia-sama.」

「Me as well.」

As Lydia smiled back, Roy and the others returned with trays of food in both hands.

「Miss Lydia, you’re cunning in trying to woo her first.」

「Oh my, the early bad catches the worm.」

「My biggest rival in love is Miss Lydia, isn’t it?」

Lydia smiled fearlessly, while Roy smiled awkwardly.
Stephanie was embarrassed to be the object of their fight over each other’s fiancées, and Isaac was astonished at how strange the fiancées really were.
With her consent, it had been announced to the students of the school that Stephanie possesses magical powers without any attributes. It was also a well-known fact that she needed to interact with Roy in order to lean towards the light attribute, as per the country’s wishes. For that reason, she was rumored to be the Colorless Girl, and was the center of attention.
From the outside, the situation of a fiancé becoming close to someone of the opposite sex seems like a scene of chaos. But what was the reality? Rather, the fiancées were fighting over the intruder. Isaac realized that there was a considerable gap between the perceptions of the students watching from afar and Isaac, who knew the real situation.
Roy sat in front of Lydia, and Isaac sat in front of Stephanie. It was a position that would maintain the dignity of his fiancé while making Isaac look as unattractive as possible.

「Geez, even Roy-sama treats me like a rival.」

「Huh? There was someone else?」

「Ah, I’m sorry about that time.」

Seeing Isaac immediately apologise, Roy realised the other person. Seeing his fiancée smile and say that he had only made himself look skinny on purpose and that he had already received the apology, Roy felt that they were having fun. Although he had had the opportunity to meet each of them, there were few opportunities to talk together. Since entering the school, it was good to know what Lydia was like when she spoke to him.

「So, how can I win over Miss Stephanie?」 [T/N: Raw is ambiguous, but Roy is asking this to Stephanie.]

「Hae!? That’s, well, um…」

「I think I’m fairly good looking, but do you find me attractive?」

He asked cheerfully, and Stefanie was shaken. She didn’t know what to do when someone with such dazzling looks approached her. How many times had she thought the first confession was a lie?

「……I’ll tell you by myself.」

「It seems that status and fame aren’t attractive to her. All I have left to sell is this.」

It was true that he was incredibly good looking, but Isaac couldn’t help but half-close his eyes when he saw someone who could make such a bold statement. It was the first time he’d heard such humility as saying that all he had left was his face.

「How, I wonder?」

「Yes…… I think you look very lovely……!」

「Is that to your taste?」

「~~yhesh.」 [T/N: Raw is “hyai”, stammering/slurring of “hai” for yes.]

After getting Stephanie’s word, Roy was delighted with a bright smile.
Seeing the two of them interacting like that, Lydia felt that her friend was being pressured and bullied while her fiancee was merely smiling, and she realized that Isaac had a violent side to him as a handsome man. Lydia and the others couldn’t help but sympathize with Stephanie.

「Roy-sama, please go easy on her.」

「I’m also desperate. I’m sorry, Miss Stephanie.」

「No, it’s fine…」

Seeing Roy apologizing with a dazzling smile, Lydia felt that he was telling the truth.
It doesn’t seem like it, but he must be really desperate. They’re in different grades, so there aren’t many opportunities to meet. As the student council president, he would have more opportunities to meet if he appointed her as a student council officer, but he respects her wishes and doesn’t do that. If he wants her to look at him in the limited time he has, he probably doesn’t have the time.
Lydia began to feel that maybe it would be okay to turn a blind eye to the fact that he was a little out of control.
After the meal, when everyone was calming down after drinking tea, Roy asked a question.

「I’d like to hear your opinion. What do you think we should do to increase the measurement rate of commoners?」

It’s become easier to find people with a certain amount of magical power at the hydrangea competition, but that doesn’t mean we can identify all those who have enough magical power to enter the academy.
There are some people who give up on their own abilities and don’t take the magical power test. No matter how many methods there are to measure pure magical power that doesn’t depend on attributes, it’s meaningless if people don’t take it. Roy felt that this was a future issue.
Currently in the room were Lydia, a noble, Stephanie, a commoner who became a noble, and Isaac, a commoner. He asked the question in the hope of hearing opinions from various angles.

「Yeah. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have taken it either.」

Isaac was drinking his tea with a slurping sound, accepting the current situation. Roy could see that the women were shaken by his remark, which likely had no ulterior motives. Lydia blushed and was speechless, while Stephanie placed her hands on her flushed cheeks and looked back and forth between the two of them. Roy realized that they had probably omitted various details and summarized them, but he didn’t think their interpretation was entirely off the mark, so he stopped commenting.

「What do you think, Miss Lydia?」

「Yes, that’s right… imposing penalties on those who didn’t take the test would provoke resentment among the people, so it would be better for them to voluntarily participate in the test. I wish we had some kind of idea…」

Lydia was shaken, but when Roy asked for her opinion, she began to seriously worry.
Roy thought that she was a suitable person to be his fiancee because she didn’t just go along with him and was able to express her own opinion when asked for it. Even after the engagement was broken off, it would be a relief to have someone like her among his subjects.

「It’s simple, isn’t it?」

「That’s right.」

Lydia was worried, but Isaac and Stephanie told her there was no need to think about it. Roy was surprised by the way they said it, and his eyes widened. Is there such a revolutionary method that they can be so sure that it will be easy?
When Roy asked what they should do, the two of them answered at the same time, without any prior agreement.

「「Sweets.」」

「Sweets?」

Roy asked back at the unexpected word, and Lydia looked confused.

「If you take a magic test, you can get high-quality sweets from nobles, so everyone will go to the church.」

「That’s right. I wanted to give the sweets I ate after becoming a noble to my friends in the neighborhood.」

「Nobles donate to the church in the first place, so why not use some of that money for sweets?」

「Candy and chocolate melt depending on the season, so baked sweets might be better.」

Roy was surprised to hear the two’s opinions, which seemed like a method that could be put into practice right away.

「Is that sort of thing fine……?」

「Commoners also have self interest, so it’s easier to understand if they’re given something in kind.」

「Besides, nobles and commoners are both weak to limited edition items.」

As Roy was stunned by the two who nodded with confidence, Lydia remembered how Isaac had once wanted to participate in a hydrangea contest, lured by a year’s supply of bread, and somehow found herself convinced. To a commoner, the idea of ​​being able to eat high-quality sweets, which is a rare opportunity, must be quite appealing.
When Isaac pointed out that he was overthinking it, Roy burst into laughter.

「Haha, I see.」

The subjects of the measurement were basically teenage boys and girls, so it was a blind spot to think that their senses should be the standard. If he was racking his brains over how to convince his adult subordinates to implement the policy, he wouldn’t get the results he was looking for.
During a tour of the downtown area, he saw that a restaurant that limited the number of orders due to the ingredients and the effort required attracted customers, and a sandwich stand that was only available during lunch hours was thriving. If that were to happen, not only boys and girls but also people who had not been tested before would be able to take the test, and more accurate information would be collected.
Roy was glad that he had asked for opinions here. When he thinks only on his own, his perspective tends to be narrow. Talking to people from various positions allows him to examine things carefully, and new ideas can sometimes be born, as in this case.

「You’re so serious, talking about politics even at mealtimes.」

「His Highness seems to have a really hard time.」

Isaac found it strange that Roy seemed amused by such a topic, and Stephanie looked at him with a mixture of respect and sympathy.
Seeing their reactions, Roy made a remark that was more like an impression.

「You probably find what I do troublesome.」

Isaac nodded honestly, and Stephanie awkwardly looked away, shrugging her shoulders. Roy smiled after seeing that.

「From that, it seems that you’re reluctant to become a queen, Miss Stephanie.」

Unable to say no, Stephanie looked away and remained silent. During the sleepover with Lydia and the others, she said that she didn’t want to be a princess, so it was very awkward. Lydia, who knows her opinion, also didn’t know what to do.
If Stephanie chose to become Light attribute, a future as a queen awaited her. She didn’t find that position appealing. She couldn’t tell a lie to Roy, who was sincerely waiting for her answer, so she foolishly and honestly answered yes in silence.

「What do you two think is troublesome about being a member of the royal family?」

「What you do seems like a pain. Being the student council president is like a chore, and being a king is like playing politics because you have to constantly listen to the complaints of a lot of people, so I don’t understand why it seems so fun.」

「…Well, I’m really scared that so many people’s lives can change with my every move. I’m happy to be of help to someone, but I feel like that’s not enough.」

「Yeah. There’s probably no man who’s more troublesome to marry than me.」

Agreeing with the two’s opinion, Roy easily declared himself a bad prospect. Lydia couldn’t help but admonish him for exaggerating.

「Roy-sama, that’s going too far……」

「Miss Lydia must also feel what they’re talking about as the first prince’s fiancée, right?」

「On the other hand, you shouldn’t treat this so lightly.」

「Haha, that’s true.」

Lydia answered seriously, so Roy laughed again. Her sincerity and strong sense of responsibility make her a good friend.

「I want to have people with a sense of responsibility like you around me. That’s why I’m so blessed.」

「Ha?」

「Eh?」

Isaac and Stephanie, who only complain, tilt their heads at the misguided evaluation. They both acknowledge that Lydia is considered responsible, but there was nothing that would make them that way.

「You two have an opinion because you understand the responsibility of having power. Those who only see the glamor on the surface don’t feel fear in having power, and can’t point out the errand-working side of the people. People like you are the ones who are worthy of trust.」

Roy said that being able to correctly recognize and feel the weight of the disadvantages, rather than only seeing the advantages, is proof of a sense of responsibility. Isaac was surprised that he had rephrased it in such a positive way, and Stephanie was genuinely impressed that there was such a way of thinking.

「So, you wouldn’t be able to deal with such a heavy man without love.」

「Heh.」

「I’m relieved you like my face, at least.」

「Fueh!?」

Stephanie was confused as to when this conversation had come up. However, his features were so good that she thought he was an angel, so when he smiled directly at her, her cheeks naturally became hot. Meanwhile, Roy seemed happy that she was likely to like him again and recognize her good qualities.

「I… I’ll consider it.」

That’s all Stephanie managed to say.
Roy was smiling brightly and Stephanie was blushing and weak. Looking at the two of them, Isaac thought that Lydia had just asked him to go easy on her, and wondered if she was unaware that she was not hiding her feelings.
Lydia decided that her friend Stephanie’s worries would continue, so she decided to have her maid Katherine send her some soothing tea leaves.

---

A few days later, in the afternoon, Lydia and Roy were having tea together as engaged couples in one of the gazebos scattered around the school grounds of the Royal Magic Academy, located far from the school building and on the opposite side of the dorms.
The maid Emilia was there to prepare the tea and act as guardian, but she didn’t interfere in the conversation, so it was like they were alone. They would occasionally have a place like this to discuss things with each other when they didn’t have any elective classes.

「When do you expect this?」

「If possible, by the end of May. If they can extend it, maybe until the end of the first semester.」

「That’s… so you were desperate.」

「Nicholas is graduating this year. It wouldn’t be fair to extend the probationary period too long.」

When she checked when Stephanie’s response was scheduled to arrive, it was earlier than Lydia expected. It was hard to understand his desperation, but even he would be anxious if there was less than a month until the scheduled response deadline. Despite this, he was a little forceful, but he didn’t seem to be rushing Stephanie, which was impressive.
Roy said he could postpone it until the end of the first semester, but the country wouldn’t wait that long. It was just the maximum time Roy could negotiate for an extension. If the attribute was manifested, Stephanie would be a powerful magician, regardless of the attribute. If the rare light attribute wasn’t possible, he would have to give up early and secure a period of time with others where he could fully interfere with the attribute.
The deadline for the response in May would probably not change unless Stephanie wanted it.

「I feel this is cruel towards the two of you…」

「Really? If I don’t get enough favor from her to be prepared, then I’m just a man.」

Lydia didn’t know how to respond to Roy, who smiled without any pessimistic expression.
In the romance novels Lydia had read, there were also stories of love that was slowly cultivated over time. However, Roy, who is promised to be the future king, has no time for that. From Stephanie’s point of view, there is a good chance that the trial period for giving an answer will end before she even knows whether she likes someone she just met. Because she understands both sides, Lydia was unable to find the right words.

「I think that Roy’s sincerity has reached Fanny-sama.」

In the end, she could only express her personal opinion.

「It was deplorable, wasn’t it?」

「No, it is very sincere to reveal even the disadvantages without hiding them.」

Lydia knows very well the horror of showing her weaknesses. How many times has she been scared that she will be hated if she reveals her honest feelings, and her legs freeze up? Every time that happened, she was supported by Isaac and her family.
She was sure Roy is also a little worried about how Stephanie will feel. She may not be able to do as the people who supported her did, but she wanted to ease her friend Roy’s anxiety, even if only a little. The reason he chose to encourage her was to express his honest opinion because he felt that words of encouragement without evidence would not get through to her.

「Thank you.」

Lydia looked at him with a serious look, saying that it’s not something that just anyone can do, and Roy’s expression softened. Lydia was relieved that her message had been conveyed.

「How is it for Miss Lydia?」

「…I’ve already scolded him a few times since he enrolled.」

Seeing Lydia’s frown as if the tea she had just drunk had a bitter taste, Roy chuckled.
She felt it wasn’t endearing towards herself, but to those who knew that she was pointing it out for his own good, it was a point of merit. Roy hadn’t witnessed her scolding Isaac, but he could easily imagine that he would be smiling happily at the end.

「No progress, hm. You didn’t seem to talk much with Isaac, so I thought something had happened.」

Muttering this, Roy picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea. Lydia, who had just put her mouth to the teacup, choked on the tea she had just finished. I had no idea he had noticed that she had tried to avoid speaking to Isaac directly during lunch.
Clearing her throat, Lydia lowered her gaze.

「That’s, um…… I’m just making things awkward for myself…..」

「Miss Lydia is really good-natured. Neither of us can really go that far until we break off our engagement.」

As Lydia seemed reluctant to say anything, Roy brought up another issue, saying that one of the drawbacks was the constraints of her engagement to him. Lydia was somewhat relieved that he wouldn’t pursue the matter. She had no confidence in being able to explain the upset she felt at dusk to others.

「At times like this, it can be a bit of a hassle…」

「However, in our case, it would be even more of a hassle if we weren’t engaged.」

They both sighed at the same time.
Even though their respective loved ones knew the situation, the two of them were prone to attracting attention. Therefore, they had to maintain their relationship as fiancées to some extent for appearances. Unlike Roy, who keeps his distance and attacks through conversations where people can’t hear him, Lydia isn’t as adept at maneuvering around.
It’s true that being engaged restricts their actions, but since Roy, the first prince, and Lydia, the daughter of a duke, are both perfect in terms of status and appearance, it’s highly likely that they would have their hands full dealing with the people who flirt with them if they weren’t engaged. They probably wouldn’t have had the time to worry about love so leisurely.

「..Come to think of it, it’s strange that we’re asking for love advice.」

「Haha, that’s a bit late now. We’ve always been strange.」

「That’s true, too.」

Lydia found it strange that they, nobles and royalty, were fighting against a political marriage and trying to stick to their love, but Roy laughed, saying that it was strange that they had maintained a friendship while engaged.
After a round of laughs, Roy asked.

「Are you ready?」

When she told him she had found someone she loved, she said she wasn’t ready to involve him. Several years have passed since then, but is Lydia ready?

「……I’m tired of worrying. So, I’ll ask and prepare myself.」

Lydia answered decisively.
Lydia was tired of worrying alone before even listening to the other person’s opinion, and realized that it was because she was trying to decide everything on her own. So she decided to ask the other person’s opinion. She decided to talk it through with the other person and make a decision, and accept whatever the outcome.
Roy’s honey-colored eyes widened once, and he smiled proudly.

「Miss Lydia won’t lose her head in all of this, hm?」

「I want to walk with my own feet on the ground.」

That’s good, Roy said, laughing. How dignified she was as she carried all her past experiences.

「Rather, please worry about yourself for now.」

「Oh, I can’t worry for a friend?」

「Roy-sama.」

Lydia advised Roy to worry about himself, whose deadline was approaching, rather than about herself, who still had time. Roy tried to make fun of him, so Lydia glared at him, and he apologized.

「I’m not that anxious.」

「But if Fanny-sama doesn’t like him, then Roy-sama…」

「You don’t have to be the same as me, Miss Lydia.」

Lydia tilted her head at Roy, who smiled without any sense of anxiety, despite saying he was desperate.

「I may have already blossomed, but she hasn’t even budded yet. It’s unreasonable to try to make her bloom right now.」

There’s no way she can return the same amount of love to someone she just met. Just a little is enough. The time is short, so it’s fine if enough feelings sprout for Stephanie to be prepared.

「Just a bud is enough. She’s smart, so I’m sure she’ll be able to make up her mind then.」

All that’s left is to nurture it. He’ll only have until she graduates. That’s enough.
Lydia thought she would have to return the same amount of love to him, but Roy’s words made her realize the depth of his feelings. He fell in love at first sight, but he didn’t force her to do it.

「I believe she’ll tell me when the buds in her heart sprout.」

Roy smiled lovingly at the potted plant before it sprouted, and quietly lowered his gaze to the water in the teacup.
Seeing Roy like that, Lydia wished. May the seed of Roy’s love blossom in Stephanie’s heart.
She only wishes happiness for her two friends.

---

There we go! A somewhat long chapter, if you ask me. I kinda zoned out in the midpoint of the chapter, but the start and the end were pretty cute.

4 more chapters to go, which includes the epilogue. Looks like Chapter 68 and 70 aren’t too long (maybe around this chapter’s length), but Chapter 69 looks beastly. Fingers crossed that I can get this travel set up working, because it looks like I’m going to be spending a lot more of my life on a plane.

Sorry if editing was scuffed on this one, I managed to scrounge up enough time to finish it with the Memorial Day weekend and was too exhausted to really edit it, so I did it from the airport while trying to catch my morning flight.

See you guys next time!

---

How the time flies. Sorry for the delay (again). Without getting into a lot of detail there’s a lot of shakeups, some of which involve my clients in my day job that easily keeps this hobby going without me having to ask for donations to keep the lights on for this website and stuff. 

“[…] provided I don’t get bodied by work again. Unfortunately, being promoted does mean I also have more stuff to do hahahaha.“
– one very dumb boi during the translator notes last chapter

It’s been back to back business trips all of a sudden, and frankly I don’t know how some people do it as I have some coworkers that fly out Sunday evenings and fly back in Fridays. I’ve really only had time at my home desktop with all my translation tools installed on it on weekends and uh, I’ve got other things to do first haha. Shit’s exhausting as hell but I guess I’ve made it far enough in the company that it’s on my duties now. I even had to go to Reno? I didn’t even know my company had an office in Reno lol. 

Either way being crammed in airplanes didn’t help as I also got KO’d for like a week and a half by a particularly nasty cold and cough. And I’m talking the kind of cough where you wake up at 2:30am because your throat is full of flem and you gotta hack it all out for like 10 minutes. My sleep data looks absolutely wild since I track that kind of thing.

But I’m back! We got kind of a longer-ish chapter.

---

As spring drew to a close and I was getting used to the class schedule, I visited the school’s landscaping office.
The school grounds were large, so the gardeners’ accommodation and the warehouse for storing their tools were attached to the office. The accommodation was built like a tenement house and was like a company dormitory. The office was in the one room closest to the warehouse.

「Excuse me. Is anyone here?」

I knocked on the office door, but there was no response. It seemed like they had gone out to work. I thought about what to do and turned around to come back after class.
But an older gardener, who had just returned, was pushing a cart.

「What does a student want in a place like this?」

It seemed unusual for students to come, so the old man tilted his head quizzically.

「Um, my name is Isaac Baumgartner. Can I help you out a little bit from now on?」

「Help…? Ah, you’re the boy the guild was talking about.」

I’m relieved that my request went through.
When I was officially accepted, I asked the gardener’s guild if I could do some gardening at the magic academy. However, I didn’t know how much the classes would be like until I took them, so I was only told in advance to go for an interview once I got used to the classes.

「I’m Jacob. I know studying is hard, but you’re a curious person.」

「I want to avoid my body becoming rusty.」

I smiled and told them my priorities.
If a commoner were to study at the academy, they would have to study classical languages ​​to memorize the spells used to activate magic, and the number of required subjects would increase. However, since I didn’t need to chant, I was able to use that time to study basics other than my aptitude attributes. I was originally taught how to read and write by Ojou, and my master, Heinz, the butler, taught me a lot of things before I enrolled, so I don’t need to take language subjects.
I’m grateful to Ojou for putting up with my curiosity-based studies. Thanks to her, I can attend lectures on other attributes that I want to take.

「So, how much do you think you’ll be able to work?」

「I’d like to ask for a few hours three times a week…」

I’m aware that I’m only asking for things that are convenient for me, so my request gradually tapers off. I’d be happy if I could do even just odd jobs, but Old Jacob and the others have a set schedule. Half-hearted help would only get in the way of their work. [T/N: Ehhhh I didn’t really like using “Old Jacob” but it beats “Grandfather/Grandpa Jacob”.]
Old Jacob strokes his beard with his gloved hands, looking up from my feet and finally looking up at my face.

「I don’t mind.」

「Really?」

「Yeah. It was hard working at high places because we were all old.」

「I’ll do it as much as I can!」

My face lit up when I got permission to work part-time.
Besides, Benno’s grandson could be useful, said Old Jacob, narrowing his eyes. It seems he knows my grandfather. I feel like the evaluation hurdle is high because of the Baumgartner surname, but for now I’ll be happy that I can work in the garden while I’m at the school.

「But changing into work clothes could be a bit of a hassle for you.」

I can’t work in my uniform, so if I borrow an office or something to change in, I can’t go directly to the work site. Some work locations are far from the office, so it’s inefficient to stop by the office every time.
Old Jacob’s worries were unfounded.

「Oh, that’s fine. I’ll just put this on over the top.」

I took out a long-sleeved top that was connected from the bag I had on my shoulder.
The servants of the Ernst household always get a day off on their birthdays and receive a bonus in their birthday month. When I decided that I would be late in entering school, I asked the Duke to give me the bonus in kind and had him make me a jumpsuit. Unlike in Japan, it doesn’t have a zipper yet, it’s a button-up type, but the buttons are large, so it’s convenient because you can put it on and take it off even while wearing gloves.
When I tried it on, Old Jacob laughed and said it was good.
After confirming the work area on the days I could work, I parted ways with Old Jacob. Apparently, I would be introduced to the other gardeners as I worked.
When I asked the school’s gardeners why there were only older people, they said that young people often couldn’t last in a place where there were noble boys and girls. Also, in some cases, their wives would accompany them, but since they would basically be working alone on the school grounds, few people were willing to take the job. Just to be on the safe side, it seems it’s best to be at an age where mistakes aren’t likely to happen.
As I was heading towards the school building, thinking about all the various reasons, I heard voices. Drawn by the voices, I turned towards them and saw three young ladies in uniforms talking. I could tell they were all first-year students by the colour of their ribbons or handkerchiefs.
Third-year students wear navy blue ties, ribbons or handkerchiefs, second-year students dark green, and first-year students crimson. There is no set colour for each grade, and students keep the colour they wear when they enroll until they graduate. So next year’s new students will wear navy blue. It’s easy to tell by the rotation.
I’m tired of tying ties, so I fold them up and put them in my breast pocket like a handkerchief. This is enough to tell what grade I’m in.

「Isn’t she a little too brazen?」

「Even if you say she’s the Colorless Lady, she’s of commoner descent.」

「She’s taking advantage of being a friend of Lydia-sama to get close to the prince…」

As soon as Ojou’s name was mentioned, I listened to their conversation. There was something unsettling about the atmosphere. I feel like I’ve heard of Colorless Lady before. What was it, I’m sure it was the white hydrangea girl.
I wonder if what they don’t like is that the hydrangea girl is having lunch with them. I’m being dragged along because it’s not good for two engaged couples to have just one woman. It seems that they didn’t even notice me because I’m just big. Even though I put up with being next to that dazzling Leo. He stands out just by being there, so if that makes my presence overshadowed, then I guess that’s fine.

「Even though she has a lot of magical power, her attributes haven’t been manifested, so she can’t use magic.」

「In that case, there’s something we can do.」

「We need to make her realize her place in the world…」

Just as the young ladies were giggling, they heard a thud and reflexively turned towards the sound. It was the sound of me dropping my bag at my feet.

「Who’s there…!?」

Without answering the girl asking who I was, I picked a dandelion that was blooming at the base of a nearby tree. Holding the dandelion, I walked up to the young ladies and held it out in front of one of them who seemed to be the leader.

「What do you think of this flower?」

「Eh… I-it’s cute.」

The young lady, flustered by the sudden question, let out her honest opinion. Satisfied with her answer, I smiled.

「In that case, you’d be better off admiring flowers than trampling on them.」

「Huh?」

The young lady reflexively took the dandelion that was offered to her.

「Besides, your hands aren’t for plucking flowers, but for turning the sounds from the piano into music, right?」

「What…?」

The young lady was astonished at her hobby being correctly identified.

「It would be wonderful to combine it with your violin.」

「What…」

I shifted my gaze to the other young lady, who took a step back.

「The young lady of my house told me that your embroidery is very delicate.」

「No way, you’re…」

The third young lady, frightened, leaned closer to the young lady with the dandelion and hesitated. It seemed she was hesitant to mention the family name in this situation.

「I’m glad you admire Ojou. However, Ojou would be happier if you improved yourself.」

I tried to smile, but it seemed to sound like a warning to the young ladies, and they awkwardly stammered and left. I sighed as I watched them leave.

「You’re really popular with the girls.」

The hardworking Ojou is popular with the girls, so she seems to have formed a fanbase, or rather a bodyguard. Prince Leo is also popular, so there’s probably some jealousy, but it seemed like they were trying to support the Ojou they admired in a twisted way. The way they supported her would surely not please Ojou.
If her friends get hurt, Ojou will have no choice but to blame them, even if it was because they were cheering for her. Ideally, she should be cheered on in a way that makes Ojou happy and makes them like her. Even if it’s just a wildflower, it’s even better if you can look at it and find it cute.
However, my master told me to at least remember the names of the sons and daughters of nobles in my year, so I was glad. With a little effort, I could look at their faces and remember their names, titles, and hobbies. Thanks to this, I was able to show that I knew their names.
I don’t intend to tell Ojou, but if the other person knows my name, I’m sure they won’t try to do anything shady.
After accepting the Duke’s conditions and deciding that my enrollment would be delayed, my master resumed the servant course, saying that there was a mountain of things to learn before enrollment.
We learned about the origins of the royal family and the main nobles, and about the Ernst family, including not only history but also the territory, so it even covered geography.
Since I was only studying social studies, which I’m not good at, and there was a lot of memorization involved, it was still quite difficult even with a few years’ lead time. In my previous life, I couldn’t even remember the names of the prime ministers of Japan or the Tokugawa shoguns, so memorizing the names of the nobles who were in the same year as Ojou was my just desserts. Even though I passed the exam, I felt like I was studying for the exam. At that time, I wished I had a vocabulary book. I also wished that more paper would be used by the common people.

「That’s an unexpected way to shut someone up, Mad Dog.」

A voice suddenly came from behind me, and I jumped in shock. I didn’t think there was anyone else there.
I turned around timidly, and a young lady wearing glasses was sitting there, hidden by the bushes, with a book in her hand. She was leaning back against the tree trunk, and was clearly in reading mode.

「I think the theory is you threaten them with your fists.」

「No… I’m not trying to scare the girls or anything…」

「I suppose so.」

I was just trying to say the standard thing, the glasses-wearing lady said in a flat voice, agreeing with my opinion. She knew the rumors, but she doesn’t seem to be the type to judge people based on that alone.

「Sorry if I interrupted your reading. Um…」

「I’m Cornelia von Kuhn, Baumgartner-san.」

Before I could remember the name of my classmate, she introduced herself. She went out of her way to stand up and even curtseyed while still holding a book in one hand. So I instinctively bowed my head and greeted her. I’m sure the Kuhn family was a marquis, and she was in the same class as me.

「I’m sorry for being so abrupt, but can I ask you something?」

「Eh, what?」

「If it’s not true, you can just think of me as a weird woman who talks nonsense.」

With that preface, she pushed up her glasses with her fingers.

「Were you Japanese in your past life?」

「Yes.」

It’s nothing to hide, so I answered yes, and there was a beat of silence.

「…So you have memories of your past life?」

「I remember roughly. Do you remember, too?」

「Yes. Do you know that this is the world of a game?」

「I seem to.」

「So is it your intention that my situation is different from Kimiboshi‘s?」

In the game, someone like me wasn’t close to the rival lady, so she asked it with suspicious.

「No? I don’t know much about Kimiboshi unless I hear it from Elena.」

「Does the third princess, Her Highness Philine Elena von Rosenhein, also have memories of her past life?」

From the way the support character muttered about being a reincarnated person, it seems that she, like Elena, played Kimiboshi in her previous life. As she muttered thoughtfully, she noticed my gaze and apologized and introduced herself again.

「Excuse me. I am the Marquis’ daughter Cornelia, the formal fiancée of Remias, whose name only appears in the story. I’m a mob character in Kimiboshi.」

「What, he had a fiancée!?」

「You react to that?!」

When I was stunned, she muttered a little in surprise.
But the blue-haired Remias, who seems calm when he’s quiet, is actually just a muscle-brained guy. I’d never heard of a hot-blooded man who only cares about getting stronger having a fiancée before, so it was a shock. Oh. Come to think of it, Remias was also a nobleman and the son of a marquis.

「The Marquis of Kuhn and the Marquis of Staden have been friends for a long time, and their fathers are friends. So, for now, I’m just engaged, and my relationship with Remias is just childhood friends.」

「Is… is that so?」

It was so unexpected that I could only nod. Since Remias is also a nobleman, it shouldn’t be  weird for him to have a fiancée, but him having a female presence around him seems strange.

「I haven’t been to Kimiboshi so I don’t know, but do you hate your fiancé being a character you can capture?」

It’s fine with Elena because she’s a sibling, but if things go as planned in the game, I worry that it would be complicated for her fiancé to fall in love with another girl.

「No, not at all.」

However, she replied in a flat tone and clearly denied it. I was taken aback by how easily she said it.

「Is it complicated…?」

「What’s complicated is that I’m engaged to someone in my favorite couple.」

「Favorite couple…?」

「Oh, you don’t know the term. I’ve been a fujoshi since my previous life. If I say that I’m the type of person who likes BL, do you understand?」

She even carefully explained the term to me, who had only heard of the word fujoshi. I’d seen them in manga and anime, but I’d never actually encountered a fujoshi in my previous life. I feel like the fujoshi in manga are more excited, but the girl in front of me was calm and her emotions were hard to read.

「You like BL, but you play otome games?」

「There’s only one heroine. In other words, there’s only one capture target who can be with the heroine. In that case, if the characters who didn’t end up with the heroine paired up, everything would be solved.」

When I asked her a simple question, she gave me a very serious and outrageous theory. I feel like that theory is actually creating more problems. Even if it’s a flat tone, if she has this kind of thinking, she’s definitely a fujoshi.

「There are quite a few otome games that appeal to fujoshi. In Kimiboshi, fans of the blue and red characters make them the standard shipping pair, and the others are…」 [T/N: She uses the term CP, which when converted to EN, is our equivalent of calling it a “ship” or a romantic pairing of characters.]

「Sorry. I probably wouldn’t get it even if I asked.」

「My apologies. It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to talk about this, so I just…」

She apologized for getting heated, but she seemed calm to me. She started to speak a little quickly, so maybe she was just excited.

「I’ve gotten sidetracked. I’m a fujoshi, so I have mixed feelings about it.」

「Is that so?」

「Yeah. Raw food is out of the question.」 [T/N: No, this is not… literal, per se, but she uses the term for raw food/perishables. The next line explains that it’s “technical jargon” so I assume this is some kind of codeword that I don’t know the meaning of.]

She explained that they only accept up to 2.5D, but there was too much technical jargon and it was all incomprehensible to me. She seemed to sense that I wasn’t keeping up, and pondered what to say.

「For example, wouldn’t you hate it if people thought you were in a romantic relationship with someone of the same sex?」

「Regardless of gender, I like someone, so I’d be troubled if people misunderstood my relationship with someone else.」

「…Baumgartner-san is a nice person.」

「Huh? Thank you?」

For some reason, she opened her eyes wide and told me that impression. I don’t know why, but it seemed like a compliment, so I thanked her.

「That’s what I mean. I don’t want to distort the sexual preferences of people who actually are living. It’s because the characters don’t exist in reality that I can explore all kinds of possibilities. This is the pride of a fujoshi.」

She seems to have some restrictions because she is aware that she is misinterpreting the work. She has values ​​that I don’t understand, but I felt that she was a good person when she called me a good person.

「So, now that I’ve actually met Remias and Bell, I’m a little disappointed that I’ve lost the food for my fantasies…」

Phew, she sighs. I’m sorry. I can’t sympathize with that disappointment.

「Now that I think about it, why did you think I had memories of my past life?」

「The fact that the person who didn’t know was close to the main characters of the Kimiboshi meant that there was a strong possibility that he was an irregular with memories, but the main reason was…」

「What was the reason?」

「Remias got better at dealing with women.」

「Huh??」

My thoughts stopped as the evaluation was so unbecoming of Remias. I couldn’t imagine that Remias, who was always scolded by Ojou for being insensitive, was good at dealing with women.

「It’s all just little things. He started to ease up on the strength he uses his hands with, he started to match my pace instead of running ahead of me, he used to only talk about himself, but now he listens to my opinion a little.」

She’s a childhood friend and has known Remias since they were little, so it seems that being pushed around by him was a normal part of her daily life.
He’s bad at controlling his strength and he acts selfishly without adjusting to the other person, so even though she and Bell are indoor types, he often drags her out.

「I had no plans to improve until I met the heroine, and even if the heroine appeared, there was no guarantee that we would go down the Remias route, so I had pretty much given up, but… he started to improve a few years ago.」

Suddenly, she stares at me. Not understanding the reason, I tilted my head.

「It was right around the time he started running errands for Prince Roy.」

「Come to think of it, at first he was breaking flowers with all his might.」

「So you were involved, too.」

Even though the other party was a high-ranking duke, Remias was too opinionated to be corrected just by being scolded by a woman, she asserted, even as a childhood friend. But she didn’t know that when Ojou got really angry, she could be quite frightening. The Remias who made Ojou get seriously angry was still the same Remias. [T/N: This one is a little tricky to maintain the original grammar as much as possible, but the next sentence clears it up.]
She seems to think that I did something to Remias, but when I think back, I don’t remember doing anything. Remias was always the same as he always was.

「I was just checking to see if the flowers were okay, you know?」

「Baumgartner-san seems to be unaware of this.」

「What’s that about?」

「I guess that’s what good people are like.」

I tilted my head and asked, and instead of answering, she expressed her opinion.

「Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve spoken to a former Japanese person other than Elena. You’re easy to talk to.」

「I think that’s because you’re not treating me like a lady compared to the people before.」

「Oh, sorry.」

「No, that would help me too.」

I ended up talking to her as if she were a classmate from my past life. When I apologized for that, she said it was easier and forgave me.

「My name was Tanaka Taichi in my past life.」

「I’m…」

When I told her my name in my past life, she hesitated as she tried to reply in the same way, so I tilted my head.

「What’s wrong?」

「…I’m still plain, but in my previous life I was even plainer.」

「Huh?」

For some reason, she reported her appearance to me. Her dark brown hair, which she curls because of her strong personality, doesn’t reach her shoulders, and her single-edged eyelids aren’t big, so you could say she isn’t particularly pretty nor particularly cute. But she’s normal. What’s wrong with a plain face?

「I guess you could say I don’t deserve my name…」

「My appearance and name have always been average.」

Since my previous life, I’ve had a common name and no outstanding appearance, so I don’t care if people say I don’t deserve my name. If it’s a name that’s unlikely to be shared with others, then I’m jealous.
She widens her eyes in surprise at what I say. Then her flat expression suddenly relaxes.

「Now that I think about it, you weren’t my target.」

I realize that she can laugh when she laughs in a relaxed manner. Apparently she’s just the type who doesn’t show her emotions on her face.

「My name was Tsukioka Anju.」

「It’s better to have a name that was carefully chosen than mine, which was just given to me because I was the eldest son.」

「Maybe.」

She softened her eyes as she reminisced, wondering if her parents had told her the origin of her name, or if she just didn’t remember it.
When I was in the lower grades of elementary school in my previous life, we were given homework to ask about the origin of our names, but I wonder if Tsukioka was different. Since there was no obvious origin, I fought with my dad, telling him to think more about the name. It was a good opportunity to talk with my parents, but it could also lead to arguments like mine, so it might not have become a standard.

「It’s easier to call you Tanaka than your current surname, but other people won’t understand it.」

「Then you can use the nickname Zack. I also find it easier to call you Tsukioka.」

Perhaps because she has Japanese memories, she also feels that her previous life’s name is more familiar to her. I gave her an alternative because she had no choice but to agree with my long last name.

「Then I…」

「Connie, were you here?」

「Bell-kun.」

A shadow was coming from the forest road, at the end of the road. Bell, with his red hair, called out to us, and she turned around.

「The book Connie was interested in was available at the library, so I borrowed it.」

「Thank you, Bell-kun. Anyways, obviously I’m Connie.」

「Understood.」

She quickly took the book Bell handed her, but the latter half of the sentence was for me. Bell’s gaze turned from Connie to me because of the words spoken to someone other than herself. It seemed that he couldn’t see me because of the trees, and he looked surprised.

「Isaac? Why are you two together…?」

「We’re in the same class, so we can at least talk, can’t we?」

Since she asked for my agreement, I nodded.

「I have to go back to the classroom for my next practical class.」

Carrying the two books with care, Connie announced that she was heading to the classroom to put them down. My next class is a lecture, so I don’t have to hurry as much as Connie.

「See you later, Zack.」

「Yep.」

After thanking Bell for the book again, Connie quickly left.
I was also heading to the school building, so I walked with Bell, following the path Connie had left. After walking for a while, Bell muttered.

「This is the first time I’ve seen Connie talking to anyone other than us.」

Bell’s surprised muttering made sense to me, as I remembered the time we met. Reading in the sun on the edge of a deserted forest road is something someone who enjoys spending time alone would do.
I feel like she often reads in her seat in the classroom. I’ve never seen her talking to anyone. This was the first time I had a proper conversation with Connie since I enrolled.

「What were you talking about?」

「Hmm, we just happened to have something in common, so we were just talking.」

It would be a pain to explain that we were from the same place in our previous lives, so I kept it vague. Even if I told her, he probably wouldn’t believe me, and even if he did, he would be interested and ask me detailed questions, which might lead to me skipping the next class.

「And so, Connie started calling you by your nickname…」

「She was surprisingly easy to talk to.」

I hadn’t spoken to her before, so I thought she was a quiet type like my dad, but she was someone who could have a proper conversation if given the opportunity.
She rephrased things so that I could understand, and she searched for words to be able to talk to me, and she never forced his opinion on me. Rather, it felt like she was drawing clear boundaries when speaking with me.

「I… I see.」

Bell nodded in confusion, then muttered “I see” again, dejectedly.
I told him what I thought based on what I saw.

「Do you like Connie, Bell?」

「Wh-w-w-what…!?」

Bell was shocked, wondering how I knew, but his face was as red as his hair and he only responded affirmatively.
It was pretty obvious. He was probably slow to notice me because Connie was the only one in his field of vision, and he didn’t welcome Connie having a male friend, and was actually depressed. The reason he borrowed the book in the first place was because Connie was his priority.

「It’s because you weren’t happy.」

When I told him the reason why I was so sure, Bell groaned but somehow accepted the fact that he’d been found out. Is it really that embarrassing?

「But Remias doesn’t notice…」

「That’s because he’s Remias.」

He’s the kind of guy who gets excited when he can produce blue flames and works hard at muscle training every day. He’s an extreme guy, so he doesn’t understand things he’s not interested in. He’s probably the epitome of not being interested in love.

「…it’s pointless.」

Bell laughed softly, as if mocking himself.
Falling in love with someone who has a fiancé means that a future marriage with someone other than you awaits. To some people, knowing that and still not giving up might seem ridiculous.

「So? I also understand it.」

I don’t have the guts to forcefully take away the person I’ve fallen in love with, using the excuse that it can’t be helped, but on the other hand, if I could just throw it away so easily, I wouldn’t have fallen in love in the first place.
I might feel better if I confessed, but that would just put the burden on the other person instead of me, and it would feel like an escape.
I’m scared of being rejected. I’m scared of our current relationship falling apart. I wish it was just that simple fear, but when I think about the other person, I think about a lot of things.
If I were a commoner, my love and affection would be just a matter between the two of us, but that’s not the case with a noble. If the other person is a noble, I can’t act just because I like them. There are so many things I can’t ignore. Bell, a nobleman by trade, would understand that all too well. That’s why I don’t think of him as a coward.
Bell’s eyes widen, as if he hadn’t thought of me being in a similar position.
After lowering his eyelids in thought for a moment, a flash of understanding dawns upon him. He seems to have remembered the person I love.

「Is that so?」

「Are you going to do something about Bell?」

「…I don’t know what to do.」

「Yeah, that’s fair.」

「It would be better if there was a problem with his fiancé.」

「He’s not a bad guy, huh?」

When I smiled, Bell also smiled as if it couldn’t be helped.
In reality, it’s rare for the boyfriend or fiancé of the person you fall in love with to have a personality problem. It’s not like it’s convenient like in manga.
The person you fall in love with is attractive enough that you can’t leave them alone, and the person they fall in love with is usually attractive enough as well. The same goes for aristocratic engagements, where the mutual interests of the family are the standard. If there are problems with the other person’s personality, there’s no way the engagement will go ahead.
I wasn’t sure if I should support him, so I’ll just tell him what I heard.

「She said it was just a formality.」

「That’s typical of Connie.」

She doesn’t care about herself, Bell said, softening his expression. Looking into his eyes, I knew how deep his feelings were.
I’m sure I can’t say anything about other people either. His feelings for her are like a dandelion that takes deep roots anywhere, even in the asphalt, and blooms robustly. It’s much tougher than it looks, so it won’t disappear easily. So I decided to go along with it.

「…Isaac, can I talk to you again?」

Aside from magic, Bell asked hesitantly as we were leaving. But we didn’t really talk that much. We only spoke a few words. He had been hiding it from everyone around him, so he must not be used to asking for love advice.

「Yeah. I might complain about my side too.」

Seeing Bell’s lack of confidence, I laughed and agreed.
Bell then smiled with relief. He seemed a little amused, saying that it was not something to declare so openly.
That night, as if I had remembered, I let wind magic flow into the white bear’s eyes.
For the purpose of communication, those below the rank of baron are randomly assigned double rooms in the dormitory. Those above the rank of earl are likely to be accompanied by servants, so they are assigned single rooms with space for them. It is only roughly based on the rank, and the assignment is more based on whether or not they have servants and how many of them they have. But I was left out and I’m alone. Maybe it was because I’m too big and it would be too cramped, or because I’m older and my classmates might feel intimidated, but I don’t know why.
Thanks to that, even if I leave the bear phone in my room, no one teases me.
In response to the magic I sent, a soundproof barrier is created. Of course, the magic used for the barrier is not mine, but the person on the other end of the bear phone.

『You finally contacted me! You’re late!』

「You may have free time because you don’t have to study for the exams, but I’m going to have a hard time getting used to everything after I enroll.」

『I’m enrolling next year too! I don’t have free time!』

When I argued against Elena’s protest, she got even more angry. I don’t really think Elena has free time either. After all, she is a princess. As royalty, there must be some studies and duties to be done.
I just wanted to let her know that I didn’t have that much free time either, so I ignored her complaints over the bear phone.

「I met someone who knows Kimiboshi just like you.」

『What? Are you kidding me? They have memories from their past life?』

「Yeah.」

『Who, who?』

「Connie, she’s a mob character.」

『Connie? Is there such a character?』

「Remias’ fiance.」

『The daughter of the Marquis Kuhn!』

Elena didn’t even know Connie’s nickname. Connie said that her name was just mentioned, so it seems that she was really a fiance in Kimiboshi.

「I told her about Elena, so tell her about it when you meet next year.」

『…Isaac, you’re trying to avoid talking about Kimiboshi.』

Elena, who seemed to have noticed right away, pointed it out. The voice on the other end of the bear phone sounded like she had her eyes half-closed.

「You’d be better off talking to someone who understands better than me, right?」

『Yeah, but…』

I only helped out a little, so no matter what, I can’t become a comrade who likes otome games. Just like when I read pirate stories with Nico and the others and talk about which battle was the hottest, it would be more fun for Elena to talk to someone who likes the same things.

『What kind of girl is she?』

「Um, she said she was a fujoshi.」

『Huh?! We might not get along…』

The word fujoshi is so useful. It seems that just with that, Elena understood Connie’s tastes. After learning that Kimiboshi has a different way of enjoying things, Elena seemed worried about whether she could talk to her.

「It’s probably okay. It’s not like manga where everything is BL to her.」

『Well, if she talks to me normally, I guess it’ll be okay…』

After groaning a little as if conflicted, Elena muttered something like that. Why are you preparing yourself as if you’re facing an enemy with such high attack power? Is Connie so strong that you can’t talk to her unless she goes easy on you?

『I mean, didn’t Isaac back off?』

「Why would I? She’s just a normal girl.」

She asked me in surprise, but what was so surprising about it? For some reason, Elena seemed to think that it was natural for me to back off.

『I guess you’re less outgoing than when you were Taichi…?』

I thought outgoing was the opposite of introverted. Introverts are people who don’t like to go out, so if it was the opposite, it would be someone who basically goes out. I’m definitely outside more than anything. After all, my workplace is outside.

「There are no game consoles in this world.」

『No, that’s not the issue… Ah, you’re already wanting to play games.』

Elena complained that I wanted to play games because I talked about game consoles. I’d like to play games if there were any. In my previous life, I would buy new titles of my favorite series whenever they came out.

「Now that I think of it, we never had the same games.」

『We were lucky because we had such different tastes. It was easy to trade.』

Both of us siblings played a certain game that was popular all over the world. Two titles were always released at the same time, and while the plot was basically the same, there were slight differences in content. Some of the monsters that appeared were different, so I guess the purpose was to let them interact by trading them.
The conversation about that game led to a lively discussion about fighting games we played against each other and console games we watched each other play. Even though it was a memory from our previous life, the fun things were engraved in our hearts, so it was fun to talk about our memories of only having silly exchanges.

『Um, you know. What kind of girl is Stephanie?』

Elena suddenly asked in a mutter. It was the kind of question that could be ignored if you missed it.

『Are you listening?』

「Yes.」

More than a month has passed since the entrance ceremony. Leo’s confession to Ojou’s friend must have reached Elena’s ears. I know that the circumstances are what they are, but looking at the situation alone, it’s really puzzling that he confessed to his friend in front of his fiance. It wasn’t a hellish scene at all.
It’s more honest to confess openly than to confess in secret, but in Leo’s case, I think he wanted to get it over with in one go because it was too much trouble to explain the situation to everyone there. Leo can be a bit of a hassle sometimes.
In Kimiboshi, she was probably prepared for her brother to fall in love with someone, but even if she’s not as bad as Wolf, Elena might feel complicated about her brother.

『I… I only know her appearance, but I don’t know anything about the heroine. So I wonder what kind of girl Roy-nii-sama fell in love with…’』

I played the game using my own name, so I don’t even know her name. She must be a completely unknown person.
If I know what she looks like, I wonder what I can explain to her.

「She’s not a bad girl. She’s just a friend of Ojou.」

『Yeah.』

Elena seems to agree that being a friend of Ojou means you’re highly esteemed.

『Do you think she’ll like Roy-nii-sama? He’s the coolest guy in the world, so it’s fine, right!?』

「How could I know? Well, she thought Leo was an angel, so she probably doesn’t think badly of him.」

『Angel…?』

Elena seemed shocked and frozen when she found out about the misunderstanding that Leo had. There was a pause for a few beats.

『Roy-nii-sama’s transcendent beauty is in the realm of the gods, so it’s understandable that people would misunderstand him like that, but to really think he’s an angel of God… that’s a bit strange.』

「Well, your brother’s foolish behavior is pretty strange, too.」

Why does the words “can’t be helped” come to mind here? From my perspective, both Elena and Ojou’s friends are strange in some way.

『Hey, why are you not put off by fujoshi but put off by me!?』

Elena, who seemed to have sensed that I was a little put off by the tone of her voice over the bear phone, complained.

「You’re praising Leo too much.」

『I’m not praising him. It’s a fact!』

I won’t deny that Leo is good-looking, but I think it’s an exaggeration to say that he’s in the realm of a god. If she insists that it’s just a fact, I can’t help but be frightened by the limitlessness of Elena’s brother-complex.

『That’s right! If Stephanie can appreciate Roy-nii-sama’s charm that much, then she can definitely get him!!』

She insisted so forcefully that it seemed like she was clenching her fists, and I got tired of it so I just nodded along. You’re too unwavering, Elena. Is she growing up?
As Elena was burning with conviction, I thought to myself that I wanted to go to bed soon, and the night went on.

---

On my first day of work, I remembered to bring the bag containing my overalls.
After the day’s lessons were over, I was a little worried about leaving everything else in the classroom except for the bag. The school bag provided by the school was made of leather. It might be better to leave it there in case it rains while I’m working. I do my assignments and review in the library during my free time, so I don’t need to take it home. I try to finish my studies during the day as much as possible because it’s a commoner’s nature to not waste lamp oil.

「Zack, aren’t you going home?」

「Oh. I’m working part-time.」

After getting ready to go home, Ojou was surprised that I wasn’t about to go home, so I told her that I had a part-time job. Come to think of it, I was so excited about getting the part-time job that I didn’t tell her.

「A part time job?」

「I’ve been allowed to help with the school’s garden.」

When I told her that I would be working part-time three times a week from now on, Ojou’s expression turned dumbfounded.

「You’re too crazy about gardening…」

I must have looked really happy because Ojou’s reaction was mixed with a sigh.

「What about your bag?」

「I was thinking of leaving it on my seat…」

「I’ll keep an eye on it then.」

「Huh?」

I answered her question about what to do with my school bag, and she made an unexpected suggestion.

「Well, I thought it would be okay to just leave it there.」

「You have to take it home. You have to take care of your own things.」

「But…」

Even though everyone is a student at the school, regardless of rank, it would be a shame to make the daughter of a duke watch over my luggage. I never expected that she would even suggest something like that.

「Because of me, you’re putting up with the stigma of being a mad dog. I can’t let anything happen.」

It seems Ojou is worried about the bad reputation I’ve been getting. She only got involved at the beginning, and now she’s just keeping her distance. Considering how Pome had been laying the groundwork for the rumors, I don’t think there’s anyone else who’s willing to go to the trouble of picking a fight with the Ernst family just to harass me.
Still, Ojou seemed worried, and when she glared up at me, I finally gave in.

「Well… then, please do so.」

「There’s a book I’d like to read.」

A quieter classroom is better for reading, Ojou said, taking out a book from her bag.
Unlike in Japan, there are no cleaning duties or club activities, and perhaps because classes are already electives, students rarely hang out in the classroom. If nobles want to hang out, they do so in the salon or in the gazebos scattered around the schoolyard, while commoners stop by the cafeteria for a snack or study in the library or reading room.
It doesn’t really matter, but the school is so big that I often wonder if it’s okay to call it a schoolyard. There are dormitories for teachers, cleaners, and other types of employees, and there are also areas lined with shops that provide food, clothing, and shelter, so the standard of living is at a village level. Except for the off-season in summer and the winter when students go home for the New Year holidays, they live on the school grounds, so maybe this is the only time they need it.
Anyway, when it comes to a quiet place to spend time in the school building, my classroom is a hidden gem in this school. While we were talking, the other classmates left the classroom. Ojou’s opinion was very apt.
Ojou smiled and said that she would be watching over the bags while she was reading so that I wouldn’t feel too nervous, so I laughed and headed off to work with just my bag in hand.
When I arrived at the designated work site, I greeted the gardeners other than Old Jacob and was told what I would be doing today.
The topsoil for the grass and the planting of the spring flower beds had been finished before us first-years started school, and today we were working on preventing pests and diseases in the wooded areas. We had to carefully observe the ground for insect droppings, which was a lot of strain on the eyes. It was tiring for the older people, so I was asked to check.
Pests are the name given to insects when there are too many of them, and as long as the ecosystem is stable, they’re just insects. As the weather gets warmer from spring to summer, insects inevitably multiply, so measures against pests and diseases are necessary.
Old Jacob and the others did the actual work, so I was just checking and carrying the medicine bags. It wasn’t too taxing physically, but my eyes were tired by the time the sunset turned a deep orange. I was worried if I was helping properly, but they said it was a relief that I was quick to find them.
After the work was finished, they told me about their future plans. Old Jacob laughed and said that once the pest control period was over, I’d like them to help prune the overgrown plants. Many of the trees in the school garden are very tall, so there are apparently several areas where they need to work at high altitudes. I’d be more than happy to be of help, I replied with a smile.
I took off my overalls, put them back in my bag, and returned to the school building. As I approached the corridor where the first-year classrooms were located, I saw a girl dressed as a maid standing in front of my class. She was wearing something a size larger than her own size, so the sleeves were hanging loose and I couldn’t see her hands. It was Pome, one of Ojou’s guards.

「Pome?」

When I tried to ask her why she was waiting outside the classroom, she turned towards me and quietly brought her hand, which was hidden by her long sleeves, to her mouth, holding up an index finger.
She wanted me to be quiet.
Following Pome’s instructions, I kept my mouth shut and went to the entrance of the classroom, where I tilted my head and asked Pome, who was standing there, what was going on.
Then Pome quietly opened the classroom door, and after making sure there was a gap large enough to peek in, she urged me to look inside.
I looked inside as instructed, and in the orange-tinted classroom, there was a soft, pale gold glow. It was on a desk at the very back, by the window. A little surprised by the unusual sight, I made a hand gesture to ask if I could go inside, and Pome nodded and gave me permission.
I approached my seat, careful not to make too much noise with my footsteps. Then, I turned around and sat in the chair in front of my seat.
In my seat, Ojou was asleep.
She was dozing on top of an open book, her arms as a pillow. It was a rare sight. But in a deserted classroom bathed in warm sunlight, even Ojou might get sleepy just from reading the words.
I know that if I don’t wake her up before the sun goes down, she’ll get cold, but she’s sleeping with such a listless expression on her face, I can’t bear to wake her up.
I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve seen Ojou’s sleeping face…
It’s been since that rainy day, when Ojou first taught me how to read. She was sleeping so soundly then, I couldn’t wake her right away.
She’s a really beautiful girl. Looking at her, I realized it once again.
Her pale gold hair was thin and soft, and it shone with a warm color in the setting sun. I was curious to see if it was actually warm, so I reached out my hand. The hair I touched wasn’t as hot as I’d expected, but it was still faintly warm.
The feel of her hair was pleasant, so I stroked it carefully so as not to mess up her hairstyle. Perhaps it was ticklish or perhaps it felt good, but the Ojou shifted slightly and gave a small smile.
Her sighing smile made me feel like I shouldn’t touch her carelessly, so I let go of my hand.
I folded my arms over the back of the chair and looked at the sleeping Ojou once again. It was so strange that I could spend my school life in the same classroom as Ojou. The current situation seemed like the culmination of many miracles.
If things continued like this, Ojou would break off her engagement with Leo. It seemed like they had decided that together, regardless of whether Leo’s love would bear fruit.
But even if that time came, I wouldn’t be in a position to confess my feelings to Ojou.
Even though we were so close, close enough to touch, the distance between us was still far. Now, I’m happy just to have her by my side, but I don’t know what I should do when that future comes. Or rather, I can’t decide what I want to do.
I wonder if it’s okay for me to want Ojou.
Looking at the sleeping Ojou, a feeling of love wells up inside me. I know that this is the most beautiful thing in my world.
I know the words to refer to the one I love from my past life.

「…Dia.」

The nickname I was told not to use at first.
I can’t call her that when she’s awake, so I say it now. Even though it’s forbidden, I’m surprised at myself for having such a desire, because I really like her.
I wonder if the day will come when I can call her by that name that overflows with love.
I sighed at the unrealistic outlook and wondered if it was because it was twilight, and at my own excited thoughts. And so, I made up my mind to wake Ojou before the heat of the setting sun cooled down.

---

Very cute at the end. Honestly when I (finally) got around to translating this chapter, I thought a lot of it was filler. I guess it ended up building towards the final few paragraphs but it wasn’t as put together as some of the earlier chapters.

Again, sorry for the delay in getting this to you guys. But, work comes first, and this was always a hobby/practice so you’ll unfortunately have to put up with it. We have 5 chapters including the epilogue, so hopefully I can square this away by the end of the year. They are all roughly the same length (pagewise, at least according to the scroll bar when I go to the raws), so we got quite a lot to go.

Seeya next time!

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lmao guess who forgot their laptop charger like a dumbasssssss even though I swore I packed it like 3 times over and couldn’t work on this over the holiday. If you guessed this guy, you’re totally right, ugh.

That and all of the crazy snow during January has bodied me once I even got back. Lost power in my neighborhood a few times which definitely did not make this any easier. But we’re back! This chapter is fairly short but is a lot of exposition.

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After making sure the door to the student council room had closed and the sound of footsteps quieted down, Lydia looked at her fiance.

「Just what is going on, Roy-sama?」

She looked at him with a slightly reproachful look, thinking of her friend, Stephanie, who had just left the room. She was very confused by the sudden news. Lydia was the same, as she had never heard anything about it before, but she knew Roy, so she was tolerant.
She had assumed that Stephanie would have some magical power since she was adopted by a noble family. However, she had no idea that she possessed such a large amount of magical power without any specific attributes. She had also noticed that her fiance, Roy, seemed to have a premonition that the person he was waiting for would appear, but she had not thought that the person was her friend.

「That’s right! What is happening, aniki?!」 [T/N: Wasn’t sure if I wanted to translate this to brother, since I believe Claus is the only one who calls Roy this.]

In contrast to Lydia’s quiet questioning, Roy’s younger brother Claus stood from the sofa and loudly questioned him.
His mouth still had tea on it from being so nervous earlier, but he immediately accepted the napkin offered by the maid and wiped it off. In contrast to Roy’s smooth golden hair and gentle features, Claus’ silvery hair curled outwards and his narrow eyes gave him a rough impression, but he would still unconsciously register to others as also being a prince.

「I heard about the colorless girl earlier, but how could you fall in love while you have Miss Lydia!?」

「It was love at first sight. It didn’t take a lot of time.」

「Aniki, you fell in love at first sight……!?」

「I’m tired of standing.」

「Nico, that’s why I told you to sit down.」

「We’re in the middle of a conversation!? Stay quiet over there.」

Claus was stunned by his brother’s nonchalant response.
Nicholas, who was not interested in the current topic, seemed to have grown tired of standing around. He was leaning on Isaac next to him and complaining, but Lydia warned him not to interrupt.
Nicolaus pointed to the sofa where Claus had been drinking tea alone until a while ago. Nicholas said he didn’t want to sit without Isaac, but Isaac was reluctant to join them, out of consideration for Jeremias and Bernard who were standing. Lydia told them to all four sit down, but Jeremias was adamant that he wasn’t that soft, even though his master Roy had given him permission. However, before Lydia could scold him to consider the situation, his maid Emilia placed baked goods on the rest table, and Jeremias was the first to sit down.
After this exchange, Lydia sighed wearily, and Roy smiled cheerfully.
Claus moved to the sofa opposite Roy and Lydia, and prepared to listen.

「……is this okay, Miss Lydia?」

Although they said they were not in a romantic relationship, Claus saw that they were getting along well. Also, Roy’s current fiance is Lydia. Claus was worried that she might be hurt to see her fiance confess her love to another woman in front of her. Also, if she was going to blame Roy, it should be her, not him.
When Claus asked, Lydia answered.

「It is not fine.」

Then she glared at Roy.

「Telling Fanny-sama to surpass me was like a sentencing.」

「Her magical power is greater than mine. Also, she is a person who can turn her efforts into results, so it’s not impossible if she makes up her mind.」

She herself is proof of that now, and Lydia could only agree and choked on her words.
Stephanie had acquired the education befitting a count’s daughter, and there were almost no people around who criticized her for being of commoner origin. On the contrary, her attitude of not belittling her former commoner status has made her an object of admiration for those who were adopted into nobility due to their magical power or blood ties, and she has become their support.
Lydia has seen how she has become this way through her own efforts. And she knows very well how much pressure there is when becoming the fiancee of a prince. That is why she cannot remain silent about the alternative future that Roy is trying to impose on her.

「Fanny-sama has made a lot of efforts. So, it is unfair to place such a burden on her.」

「You really don’t care about my brother……」

Claus is taken aback by the complaint being based on a friend. He asked if she was okay, but she didn’t seem to care at all. Even if you ignore favoritism, it’s surprising since most women of a similar age would fall in love with his brother, but she, who is the closest to him, is the exception. This is probably the first time he had ever seen his brother seem so unpopular.

「Oh, Roy-sama is an important friend.」

「That’s why her opinion is so harsh.」

Roy said he was mentioning it because Lydia is not someone he can just ignore, and while he gave a bitter smile, he seemed pleased by her sincere attitude as a friend.
If they were not worried and had already settled the matter, Claus did not need to pursue the matter any further. And even if he questioned the future choices of those who were not here at this point, it would not lead to anything, so that was not what Claus was concerned about.

「Well, that’s fine, but how did you figure her out and when did you start doing this?」

The reason Claus was here was because he had been told that they needed help with a special case of magical power and the matter would be explained to him. Shortly before Claus enrolled in the academy, rumors had spread in the castle that someone with magical power without attributes had been confirmed, and since it was impossible to identify them, they were called the Colorless Lord. The others were probably called to the student council room for the same reason.
The group was told that the person who was deemed the Colorless Lord was Stephanie shortly before she arrived. It was at this time that they also heard the country’s purpose for her that Roy had told her.
Only Roy knew everything.

「May I also ask now?」

Lydia also urged Roy to reveal what he knew.
When she heard about the engagement, Roy spoke as if he had someone he was in love with. And when the conditions for breaking off the engagement that they had agreed upon were met, he had already made some preparations. At that time, she was not told the details, but it was probably safe to assume that the time had come to reveal them.

「Ahhh, yes.」

Roy smiled, thinking that this is why he called Lydia here.
After taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat, Roy spoke.

「I am aiming to be king. Just because I fell in love at first sight, I have no intention of abandoning my responsibilities and dreams. So the choice is either to give up or to make her come before me.」

So he chose the latter, Roy concluded succinctly. The method of first telling the outline is easy for the listener to understand, but the difficulty was in details despite how he said it so easily. Lydia and Claus felt that it was only because it was Roy that he was able to achieve it.

「The information I got when I first met her was that she had strong magical powers, and that hydrangeas near people with strong magical powers reflect the attributes of those people.」

At that stage, it was unclear how much magical power she had or what range they needed to be within for the hydrangeas to react. However, if there were other hydrangeas that bloomed the same color for years, it was certain that there was a possibility that there was a person with strong magical powers nearby.

「First, I had them investigate hydrangeas that bloomed the same color for more than three years without changing. Then, I measured the magical power of those living near hydrangeas that were confirmed to have bloomed the same color.」

Roy set the guideline at three years because he judged that this was the time Stephanie would realize it. If it was only two years, she would consider it to be last year, but if it was three years in a row, she would consider it to be every year. Even if he calculates that children become aware of things around the age of three, it makes sense.

「As a result, we found several people with strong magical power, but all of them except her were adults.」

The confirmed ones had given up on themselves from the beginning because they thought they had little magical power and had not been measured. As commoners with few opportunities to use magic, they did not have any accidents, but their temperament was dragged down by their aptitude attribute, and their excess magical power ate away at their bodies, leading them to live their lives mistaking this for being sickly. They were notified of their magical power through the church, and the Ministry of Magic placed them on probation.

「Next, I did an experiment myself and proved that the color changes depending on the attribute. Just when I wanted to check, I was able to get some out of season. That’s when I realized I had two attributes.」

When he tried growing them myself, pale yellow and purple hydrangeas bloomed.
He had heard from Isaac that some nobles use magic stones to change the color of hydrangeas in their gardens, so he guessed that the Ministry of Magic was doing similar research at least a little. In fact, an experiment was being conducted in one of the Ministry’s laboratories to quantify the amount of magical energy required to react to magic stones.
The Ministry’s experiments had revealed that fire is red, wind is yellow-green, and lightning is bright yellow, so Roy grew hydrangeas himself to confirm the rare light-element color. He never expected that he would be able to confirm the dark-element color as well, which would lead him to realize that Stephanie may have no element.

「Is that the one Philly was so happy to display?」

Claus had seen the hydrangeas that Roy had grown as a child.
At that time, he was not close to his brother, so it was in his sister’s room. Claus remembers well how excited his sister was when she was a child because she would say something like she received official merchandise. He thought about growing hydrangeas if it would make his sister happy, but when the time came for the hydrangeas to bloom, he had forgotten about it.

「Since we were able to confirm the colors of all the attributes, we asked the Ministry of Magic to investigate the amount of magical power and distance of humans that would change the color of hydrangeas, and I brought a proposal based on the results of that investigation to the three ministers.」

「To my father……?」

Lydia saw Roy approach her father, Duke Ernst. Wasn’t that when she was still a potential fiance?
Now that she thought about it, when she found out that Isaac and Roy knew each other, she heard that they met when Roy got lost in the downtown area. So Lydia wonders if that’s when he met Stephanie, or during a later inspection.

「What did you propose to Father back then?」

「It was to lay the groundwork for an environment where commoners with high magical powers could study.」

「The groundwork, you say……」

「Establishing a system to detect those with high magical powers early on, and building an environment to accept them. Along with that, establishing an auditing agency.」

「So, more families are adopting commoners?」

「Indeed, I’ve heard that since Fanny-sama, several children have been adopted each year.」

Claus and Lydia both felt the need for an adoptive environment, so they immediately thought of it.
Many of the people who sided with the second prince, Claus, were obsessed with status, such as magicalists, and it was easier to hear about those with low magical powers or those of commoner origin. Lydia could be seen at tea parties, and in the case of young ladies, her friends Stephanie and Zaskia would take the initiative to talk to them, so there were many opportunities for them to get to know each other.

「I was originally wondering. Since magical power is not hereditary, there should be commoners with strong magical power and nobles with weak magical power. If that’s the case, we need to create an environment in which people can receive magical education in the future according to their magical power, not their status. And vice versa.」

Education in magical control can be received according to the amount of magical power. This would be the ultimate ideal, but currently literacy and literacy skills are disparate in proportion to social status, and because paper and books are not widely available, they are not at the stage where they can immediately create educational institutions for commoners and those without magical power.
However, children with high magical power are in demand among noble families who have not been blessed with children or who have not had children with high magical power. If there was an institution that could conduct a preliminary investigation of the family environment of the adopting family and observe their progress, adoption would not be as difficult.

「Even so, how can we detect it early……?」

Not everyone grows hydrangeas as conveniently as Stephanie. Even if you plant hydrangeas in a residential area, it takes time to identify those who are affecting them. Lydia did not know how those who were adopted after her friend were discovered.
Roy smiled at Lydia’s question.

「If they get familiar with the national flower from an early age, it will foster a sense of patriotism.」

「Oh, so that’s why they started holding contests.」

「Zack, do you know anything?」

Isaac was out of the loop because he couldn’t keep up with the conversation, but he recognized the lines Roy had just spoken.
When Lydia asked Isaac , who was facing the rest area, Isaac told her about an event he was familiar with.

「For quite some time now, churches have been handing out hydrangea seedlings to children at the flower festival in May, and the following June they hold a hydrangea contest.」

Isaac muttered that he had always thought it was just a diversion for children who find it difficult to go outside during the rainy season.
At the fertility festival at the end of spring, children aged five to seven are given hydrangea seedlings, and the winner is decided at the contest the following month. The hydrangeas are collected at that time unless the person wishes to continue. It has now taken root in every region as an event that motivates children to win prizes.
The reason why Roy’s words sounded familiar is because the church distributes hydrangeas with the same phrase.
The name of the country of Abendroth means sunset. The only part of the country that faces the sea is the west, so neighboring countries call it the country where the sun sets. The hydrangea is usually either light blue or orange, and the way it changes color every year is similar to the changing of the sky, so it is considered to be the flower that symbolizes Abendroth.

「I wanted to participate too, but by the time it started I was out of the target age range.」

「You really wanted to participate that much?」

Lydia asked that to Isaac, thinking that he was interested in participating as a gardener, seeing his disappointed look.

「It’s because if you win, you get a year’s supply of bread.」

「Zack……」

Lydia was astonished by his eager answer. Even if he could participate, wouldn’t it be an abuse of power if an apprentice gardener won? Roy gulped in amusement at the great effect of the prize.

「If they self-report it, it will be easier to tally up the results.」

It would certainly be easier to gather information if the hydrangea contest was hosted by the church, which is responsible for measuring magical power. If the commoners were able to get livelihood assistance, they would be more likely to participate like Isaac.
In any case, everyone was convinced of the method to find those with high magical power.

「Ah, so this is what they mean when they say you can avoid explaining things.」

「Mmm. They say that nobles are not familiar with commoner events.」

Isaac didn’t understand why he was asked to be here, but he realized that it was his role to explain the situation on the commoner’s side. Isaac was the only commoner in the student council room right now. Since this event started after she was adopted by the Earl family, Stephanie, who had already left the room, didn’t know about the competition.

「Well, that’s how it was. I just created an environment that would create the possibility of her becoming an engagement target for the royal family. The rest was up to her will, and becoming close to Miss Lydia was just an unexpected coincidence.」

It was all a gamble, Roy said.
Whether Stephanie would accept the adoption offer was also up to her choice.
It was fortunate for Roy that she had become close to Lydia, and that she had improved her education so that she could be on par with her friends, and that she was not affected by Lydia’s magical power. And since Lydia’s friends, including her, had been reluctant to meet him in person, today was the day for their reunion. It was funny that they hadn’t seen each other so often up until now, so it was more funny than unfortunate.

「I can’t believe my brother would go to such lengths for a woman……」

Claus muttered that, unable to believe the situation, but Roy smiled and laughed.

「She brought things forward, so I did it sooner than I’d wanted to.」

Separate the values ​​of social status and magical power, remind the nobles of their true responsibilities, and allow them to receive education regardless of social status. This was something he had planned to do after he came of age or became king.
The necessary materials were conveniently gathered around the time he met her, so he moved earlier than expected. After that, he was able to meet Tobias, a nobleman with no magical powers, and was able to start separating the values ​​of social status and magical power that are deeply rooted in the nobles.
Although he is still only half-hearted in his ambition, he is progressing smoothly and faster than planned, which makes Roy very happy.

「……Roy-sama, do you really love Fanny-sama?」

They say love is blind, but to Lydia, Roy seems very calm. As a friend, she wanted to support Roy, but as a friend of Stephanie, she felt that she had to find out if he was really in love with her.
Roy accepted Lydia’s questioning gaze as a matter of fact and smiled.

「I said it was love at first sight, but I think I fell in love with Stephanie again because she came to this school after living her own life.」

Her sunset-like hair, which turned from a pale orange similar to peach to a dark orange at the tips, had grown long enough to reach her shoulder blades. Her large, round eyes now had a more focused gaze than before, but her rich expressions seemed unchanged.
When he first met her, she was a small, cute girl.
It’s this girl.
He intuitively felt it without even exchanging a word, and he was mesmerized.
If that intuition he felt when we first met was love at first sight, it could also be said to have been a blind judgment, as he knew almost nothing but her appearance.
He wanted to meet her again and talk to her. He knew where she lived, so it would have been easy to find out her identity and pretend to be a commoner. But what Roy wanted was to meet her as himself and exchange words.
Therefore, the difficult reunion took a long time. But the moment his eyes met hers, he was captivated again and realized it was her, so he had no choice but to turn his intuition into certainty. It was quite a shock that she didn’t even recognize him as a human. Well, today he met her as he was, officially a prince, so it won’t be a problem if he is recognized as a human from now on.
He is very happy that there will be a future with her.

「Today, I feel glad that I fell in love with her.」

Roy, smiling with joy, was just a 16-year-old boy.

「Roy-sama……」

Seeing that expression, Lydia had no choice but to support the two of them. Claus was slightly surprised at his brother’s appearance, which was appropriate for his age.

「……for Leo as the prince, just confessing to the girl he likes is really troublesome.」

「I already knew it, but you were a mean brat, weren’t you?」

Ugh, Isaac and Nicholas said with the indescribable expressions on their faces as they each expressed their thoughts. Lydia, who was deeply moved by the lack of appreciation for the hardships of her old acquaintance, became annoyed.

「You two, if you’re friends of Roy-sama, why don’t you at least support him?」

「Leo would do it on his own.」

「If she falls for him because of such persistent and cruel methods, Fanny-sama has bad taste in men.」 [T/N: lmao Nico throwing haymakers out here like nobody’s business]

「That’s not true!」

The two of them were hesitant when Lydia insisted that he was devoted and wonderful.
Roy’s eyes widened as he watched his friends defending him and exchanging honest opinions. Before he knew it, Lydia had begun to lecture them about why they couldn’t just support their friends.
He had good friends. That was the reality of the scene he was seeing now.
When he was young, he thought that if he wanted to become king, he would have to give up on love and friends on an equal footing. But since he hadn’t given up, he now had both.
It was kind of funny, and Roy laughed out loud.
Surprised by Roy laughing out loud, Lydia and the others stopped moving and turned to face him.

「Well, I guess I should try being selfish too.」

This is the result of being selfish when she was young. It’s not bad to follow your feelings as you get older.

「Thank you for being there for me, Miss Lydia. I’ll consult you when I’m in trouble.」

「I’ll help however I can. Even if we’re no longer engaged!」

Roy’s eyes soften when Lydia says she’ll stay friends with him even after the engagement is broken. What a reliable fiancée.
Only Lydia is willing to support him, and Isaac and Nicholas, who she has asked for help from, look grim, and Claus looks very unwilling, saying he doesn’t want to get involved in his brother’s love affairs. Jeremias doesn’t even understand, and is still stuffing his face with baked goods. Bernard is interested in the rare magical power of no attribute, but he is wondering to himself whether he should talk to his master’s beloved.
Looking at each of them in turn, Roy found the three different expressions interesting.
First of all, he began to say, drawing everyone’s attention to himself.

「I’ll try my best.」

Roy said that, brightly smiling.

---

Man, I love Nico being a little shit lmao

Anyways yeah again, sorry for the massive delay on this one. Even though it was relatively short, too much crap happened all at once. We should be on track to finish sometime this year, provided I don’t get bodied by work again. Unfortunately, being promoted does mean I also have more stuff to do hahahaha.

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Geez, sorry for the huge delay on this one. Back to back to back business trips seriously sucks, and I thought I’d be done before Thanksgiving but then nope, one last “Hey actually can you fly out for the client” flight. Fortunately I should be done with them for the rest of the year and Chapter 65 won’t take so long.

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TN: Toasty
ED: Toasty

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Stephanie was a commoner.
That was until a nobleman came to visit her when she was a child.
One afternoon when she was five years old, there was a knock on the front door, and when she opened it, a man stood there wearing the finest clothes she had ever seen. Even the young Stephanie knew he was a nobleman.
Because of the height difference between a five-year-old girl and an adult man, Stephanie was inevitably looked down upon by the nobleman, and she trembled. Noticing this, the man knelt down on one knee to match Stephanie’s eye level.

「Hello. Are you Stephanie?」

When their eyes met, the nobleman smiled.
Looking at his face from the same perspective, he seemed a kind gentleman, and did not look like the type to resort to intimidation or violence. His gentle smile made Stephanie breathe a sigh of relief and relax.

But that didn’t change the fact that he was a stranger. Although Stephanie was wary, she nodded in affirmation.

「I’m Herman. I’ve come to talk to you and your mother. Is your mother here?」

「My mother is at work right now.」

「I see. You’re amazing, being able to stay home alone.」

Stephanie was dumbfounded to be praised by a nobleman whom she had never met before.
He didn’t say it must be hard.
Stephanie’s family is a single-parent household. Her father died early, so her mother Nadia works to make a living. That’s why the people in the neighborhood take care of her and help her out.
But there was one thing Stephanie couldn’t accept. The more people take care of her, the more they pity her, saying she’s having a hard time and that it’s pitiful, as if she’s unfortunate.
It was natural for Stephanie to stay home alone and prioritize helping out around the house over playing, because she wanted to help her mother. Although her life may not be easy, she spends her days with her mother, with smiles never ceasing. Even though she knew that the words were spoken out of kindness, she found it hard to accept being told as if she was pitiful, and at that moment she swallowed her rebuttal.
But the gentleman, Herman, in front of her did not look at her with sympathy. He must know her situation, since he had come to see her and her mother.
Herman, not knowing why Stephanie was surprised, lowered his eyebrows without losing his smile, wondering if she was still wary. Stephanie felt that his weak smile made him look unreliable.

「When will your mother come home?」

「In the evening…」

「I see.」

Herman was worried about what to do. He could wait here, but if a stranger suddenly appeared in a house where his daughter was waiting alone, she would not be able to listen to what he had to say. After a few seconds of deliberation, Herman made a decision.

「Is there a place nearby where I can have a meal or tea?」

「Huh?」

「I missed lunch. I’m hungry.」

He complained of his hunger, and Stephanie thought of a place where he could eat. Her mother had taught her that food was important. She didn’t realize that this was a way for Stephanie to eat without feeling shy, even though they were poor.

「Well, the sandwiches at the food stall are already sold out… but Ingrid’s Tavern has delicious food!」

「Even though it’s a tavern, is it open for lunch?」

Stephanie nodded and gave Herman simple directions, and Herman stood up with a gentle smile.

「Thank you for letting me know. I’ll come again when your mother comes home. See you later.」

「S-see you later.」

He raised his hand and greeted her, and Stephanie reflexively returned the same greeting.
As she closed the door, she sent him off quietly. Two men were waiting a little further ahead, but it was unclear whether they were servants or guards. It seemed that Herman had not come alone. Seeing his back as he joined them and left, Stephanie thought that he might have come alone so that she would not be afraid.
When dusk came and her mother Nadia returned, Stephanie reported what had happened.

「A nobleman came.」

「A nobleman?」

「He said he had something to tell my mother and me.」

「Something to tell us…? I don’t know any nobles, so I wonder what it could be.」

Not being able to think of a reason, Nadia tilted her head repeatedly.

「I don’t think Herman is a bad person.」

They only talked a little. Still, he didn’t seem like a bad person at all. Remembering his unreliable smile, Stephanie told Nadia what she had thought.
Nadia was surprised and her eyes widened at the unusual impression she had of a nobleman she was meeting for the first time.

「You call him Herman?」

「Yeah. He said he’ll come back later.」

「Okay. Well, I guess I’ll just have a listen.」

Almost at the same time Nadia muttered this, there was a knock at the front door.
When she answered and opened the front door, there was a man dressed in fine clothing, sure enough, a nobleman. In the twilight, he was carrying a basket that didn’t match his attire. The strange sight lessened Nadia’s guard somewhat.

「Good evening. I’m Herman von Witting. Are you Nadia Abott?」

「Yes.」

「Have you had dinner yet?」

「Hm? No.」

「Perfect! Your daughter told me about a great place to eat, so I brought some of the food as a thank you.」

When Herman realized that the Abotts hadn’t eaten yet, he said cheerfully and handed her the basket he was holding.
He lifted the cloth covering the basket and the fragrant aroma of herb-roasted chicken wafted out. There was also coleslaw made of salted and shredded cabbage, and rye bread. It looked like it was well-balanced. Judging from the heat coming from the basket, it was freshly made and still warm.
Feeling someone’s gaze, Nadia looked down to see Stephanie standing right next to her, her eyes shining as she looked up longingly. The smell of chicken seemed to have stimulated her hunger. Nadia thought that if she waited any longer, she might have to swallow the saliva that was about to overflow, and gave a forced smile at her daughter’s state.

「Well, I’ll take you up on that offer. To be honest, it’s a relief that I was able to avoid the trouble of preparing.」

Nadia welcomed him inside, saying that she could only provide a cheap cup of tea, and Herman smiled with relief, and said, “Excuse me,” and stepped into the Abott house.
While the mother and daughter of the Abott family were eating, Herman smiled as he slowly drank the tea that was brewed.
Stephanie, who couldn’t wait for the chicken to be cut up and jumped up and down on her chair, was scolded by Nadia for saying that the chair was meant to be sat on, and she sat down again and waited nervously. Her eyes lit up as she ate the chicken on her plate, and her cheeks flushed with joy as she took a bite of coleslaw with a spoon. Her daughter happily declared that it was delicious, and Nadia agreed, smiling. Seeing the mother and daughter like that, Herman was filled with a warm feeling.
Halfway through, Stephanie, who had been engrossed in eating, realized something that had only just come to mind. Even though lunch had been delayed, Herman hadn’t had dinner yet. When she asked him about it, he replied that the chef at the mansion was preparing dinner, so it was fine. “I see,” Stephanie said, relieved, and resumed eating.
By the time Herman had his second cup of tea, Abott and her mother had also had their after-meal tea, and they had a breather.

「Now, I have something to tell you two.」

Nadia straightened up when he started talking. Stephanie took a sip of tea, looking confused.

「First, I’d like to ask Stephanie if she would like to be adopted by me. Second, if that goes along with it, would you like to marry me, Nadia?」

「Okay?」

Not understanding what he meant, Stephanie tilted her head. Realizing the magnitude of the request that was casually stated, Nadia had to ask something first.

「Why would you adopt Fanny as a nobleman?」

Her own needs were secondary. The daughter she had with her late husband was really just an ordinary child. She doesn’t understand why a nobleman would want to adopt her.

「Because there is a possibility that her magical powers are strong.」

「I can’t use magic, you know?」

「That’s right. Fanny doesn’t have any attributes.」

Herman says something different. Although Stephanie is five years old and it’s about time for her attributes to be manifested, she doesn’t seem to be able to activate any magic of any attribute. Therefore, Nadia and those around her concluded that Stephanie’s magic was extremely weak.

「It’s the hydrangea.」

「Eh?」

「Stephanie’s hydrangea seems to be white.」

「Yes. But it’s just that variety, isn’t it?」

「It’s a very common variety.」

Herman said that, like other hydrangeas, they should be light blue with water properties or orange with earth properties.
The hydrangea that Stephanie takes care of was bought for her by her husband when she was three years old and was sad that she couldn’t go outside during the rainy season, so that she could cheer up a little. Nadia thought for sure that he had just bought a variety that had no pigment.

「White does not correspond to any attribute. This is a hypothesis of the Ministry of Potions where I work, but she is undifferentiated—her magical powers are too strong to become any attribute.」

「If that’s the case, then she can’t use any magic of any attribute, so it’s the same as having no magical power. There’s no reason for a noble to want her.」

Even though it was the first time she’d heard this theory, Nadia understood it and immediately refuted it, which left Herman astonished. In Nadia’s strong gaze, he felt the will of a mother to protect her daughter. He felt the strength of her feelings and smiled softly.

「That’s right. If things continue like this, Stephanie will grow up without knowing how to use magic, and if at some point she has an attribute, there is a risk that her magic will go out of control.」

When that happens, it is unknown at this stage what will happen to her and how much of an impact it will have on those around her.

「Also, this is still in the research stage, so please don’t mention it, but… the Ministry of Magic is researching a method to measure magical power regardless of attributes, and even if we start using it nationwide, it will be in operation by the time she takes the test.」

「… Even if I refuse now, Fanny will be taken by the academy when she turns fifteen.」

Herman gave a wry smile at Nadia’s motherly interpretation.
If it becomes possible to measure pure magical power instead of attributes, the strength of Stephanie’s magical power without attributes will become clear. Whether she likes it or not, the daughter will attract the attention of nobles, and in some cases, she may be proposed to for her magical power.

「The advantage of this proposal from the country’s perspective is that we can observe Stephanie’s progress and that she will learn to control her magical power, which is a safety factor. And the main benefit is that we can increase the opportunities for contact with people with strong magical powers to promote the manifestation of her attributes, and after the manifestation, we can hire her as an excellent magician.」

It is said that the determination of suitable attributes is more influenced by acquired environmental factors than innate talent.
Although there are rare cases where people are born with strong magical powers, generally, a combination of factors such as the people around them, the region, and the individual’s personality causes the magical properties to be biased towards one attribute as they grow up. This is why the aptitude for an attribute is not checked immediately after birth, but around the age of five, when the individual’s sense of self is roughly established.

「Currently, there is no environment in which commoners can be taught magic. Even if it were possible, it would be a long time from now.」

In order to create a place of learning where all citizens can receive an equal education, it is first necessary to narrow the literacy gap. Printing technology must be developed and books must become more widely available. Once each of these steps become commonplace, they can finally provide equal education in the specialized field of magic.

「Is it okay to call you Herman?」

「Yes, that’s fine.」

Nadia wonders whether she should add “sama” as a title, but she asks Herman for permission to address him as an equal.

「What’s in it for you, Herman?」

Nobles would not adopt a commoner child, even if they have strong magical powers, if there was no benefit to it. Nadia thinks that the idea that nobles are subjects of royalty and dedicated to their country is just a nice-sounding lie. Humans cannot live on nice-sounding things alone.
When asked about the benefits, Herman lowers his eyebrows in a weak manner and smiles.

「I don’t want to remarry.」

「Huh?」

Nadia, who was proposed to, even though it was only after her daughter, was surprised at the sudden contradiction.

「It’s important for aristocrats to carry on the family name, or rather, it’s natural. But I love my late wife, so I refuse to take a new wife and have children for the sake of the family. Naturally, my family is pushing me to remarry, so it’s difficult to refuse…」

「…you’re still young.」

「Yes.」

「You’re lonely being single, aren’t you?」

「That’s what they say.」

「If you keep mourning, the deceased won’t rest in peace, or something like that.」

「Yes, yes.」

「I understand! They say the same about my husband!」 [T/N: This one was really weird, and originally I had it as “I won’t tell you about my husband” at first but with the flow of the conversation that did not seem right.]

「That’s really it. I’m just unable to love anyone other than my wife, so I’m hurt that I’m treated like an unfortunate person.」

As the two of them nodded in agreement, Stephanie drank her tea. The conversation turned complicated midway through, and as she continued, her mother’s tone became harsher, so she worried they might get into an argument, but instead they seemed to open up to each other.
Hearing the conversation between the two, she learned that her mother had the same complaints as her. “I see, no one wants to be pitied”, Stephanie agreed. She felt relieved inside, knowing that her complaints had been confirmed.

「Well, that’s why I’m so grateful to you two for coming, so if you can help me, I’ll do everything I can.」

After a period of mutual sympathy, Herman smiled gently. He seemed unreliable, but he was a nobleman. He seemed surprisingly determined, Nadia thought, lifting the corners of her mouth.

「That’s much better than being told that it’s unbearable to separate Fanny from her mother.」

「I won’t say that I don’t have any qualms, but… it’s true that I’m troubled.」

It was typical of an aristocrat to propose for the sake of profit, but conversely, it could be said that it was un-aristocratic that the profit he seeks is to remain true to his love.

「Where are we going?」

Stephanie, who had finished her tea while listening to the story, asked back, picking up only the parts she understood. Herman answered the question with a smile, getting to the point.

「I came to invite you and Stephanie to live with me.」

「Herman’s house?」

「Yes. You probably won’t be able to see your friends and neighbors, and you’ll have to study a lot, so I think it will be very difficult. So I want you to think it over carefully and make a decision.」

「What’s the benefit to me?」

Stephanie had been listening to the exchange about what the benefit was, and asked him in the same way, so Herman narrowed his eyes in amusement.

「Hmm, what’s the benefit? I wonder. I guess it’s a benefit to wear a pretty dress, never have to worry about food, and be able to eat sweets.」

「That’s a benefit.」

“I see”, Herman laughs at the cheerful reply. He had talked about what kind of child he and his late wife would have had if they had a child, but he couldn’t imagine a girl as lively as her. Children are so lively and expressive. If that’s the case, he and his wife would have had a hard time if they had a child.
Looking at Stephanie, Herman thought that they both wanted to get into trouble.

「Well, I’ll be off now, Stephanie…」

「You can call me Fanny. Everyone calls me that.」

Herman opened his eyes wide when she replied that he could call her by her abbreviation. He was happy that she had given him permission to call him by his abbreviation, even though he had only just met her today, and he expressed his gratitude with a soft expression.

「Thank you. Fanny, you’ll have to talk it over with your mother and decide.」

「Okay.」

She promised, and Stephanie held out her little pinky, so Herman knelt down and intertwined his own pinky with hers.
Herman and Nadia decided to meet regularly, thinking that there would be some questions later.
A month later, Stephanie and her mother had a discussion and decided to accept Herman’s proposal. And so Stephanie Abott became Stephanie von Witting.

---

As she walked along the cherry blossom-lined street, Stephanie recalled the time when she became a noble.
If she hadn’t accepted Herman’s offer back then, how would she have felt walking along the cherry blossom-lined street?
She put on her uniform and walked along the cherry blossom-lined street leading to the Royal Magic Academy for the first time. Today was the entrance ceremony. If she had remained a commoner, she might have been more nervous.
Stephanie would have been happy even if she had remained a commoner. However, when she saw her mother’s expression as she spoke with Herman, a comrade, she realized that it was easier for her mother to breathe with him. If it was just a matter of changing the type of hardship, it would be better if it was easier for her mother.

That’s what she thought at first, but she think it’s cunning that her mother, Nadia, works energetically as a maid while only doing her duties as a countess half-heartedly. Soon after coming to the Witting household, Nadia complained to Herman that it was hard for her not to be able to work. Herman laughed at her and allowed her to work as a maid in the mansion, but only in the house.
At the time, she was busy acquiring the skills necessary to be a count’s daughter, so she found it unfair that only her mother was able to retain her commoner ways. Stephanie never expected that the day would come when her mother seemed to be having more fun and would complain. Living with Herman turned out to be more worrisome than she had expected, so Stephanie became firm in her belief that she should not be reserved.
Stephanie had always imagined that aristocratic ladies were more pure and elegant, but now that she was a count’s daughter, she couldn’t help but feel that she had become more robust than she had been as a commoner.
But she didn’t dislike the person she was now.
She could no longer casually meet with her friends from her days as a commoner, but instead she had made friends who were aristocratic ladies. She had worked hard to be on par with these beautiful, lovely girls who had the core of a young lady.
Hoping to be in the same class as them, she walked through the rows of cherry blossom trees and headed to the bulletin board where the class allocations were posted. Since last year, the criteria for class allocations were no longer based on attributes, so there was a chance that she could be in the same class as her friends.
The bulletin board next to the school map was probably usually used to announce events and such, but today it was occupied by a large piece of paper with a list of names for each class.
There was already a crowd in front of the class allocations. Some people, like her, had come to see in person, while others were waiting leisurely on the benches nearby, perhaps having their attendants check them for them. Either way, it was difficult for Stephanie, who was the average height for a woman, to see from behind.
Although she didn’t jump, she tried to see if she could somehow see for herself by standing on her tiptoes, but she could only see the top part. They seemed to be arranged alphabetically by surname, so Witting must be at the bottom.
Just as she was about to groan, a voice suddenly rang out.

「Should I look for you?」

「Oh, thanks for the help…」

She turned around to hear the voice, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. She looked up because it was a man’s voice.
She raised my eyes from around the man’s tie and finally met his bronze-red eyes. With his height, he should have been able to see it easily from behind.

「What should I look for?」

「Um… Witting.」

The young man nodded and looked, clearly older than Stephanie. Why would a senior student come to look at the notice of the first-year class placements?

「…There it is. We’re in the same class.」

「Huh?」

Stephanie tilted her head at the young man’s comment. Perhaps sensing Stephanie’s puzzled gaze as she thanked him for letting her know which class she was in, the young man gave a bitter smile.

「I was so distracted by work that I missed the test and enrolled late.」

So he says that even though he’s older, he’s in the same year. Stephanie nodded, thinking that that’s possible. The age at which a commoner is required to take a magic test is when they’re an apprentice or a servant. She didn’t know that they could take the test even later.
It was unusual for someone to be older than her, despite being tall and in the same year, so Stephanie couldn’t help but stare at him. She felt like she’d seen him before, but it might have been because of his common hair and eye color. After a while, she noticed that he was also staring at her.

「Um… what is it?」

「…could you be the girl with the white hydrangea?」

The young man muttered after saying that there was no way he could remember. But Stephanie did remember. No, to be precise, she just remembered.

「The big brother who brought along the angel!」

「Huh?」

The young man froze, unable to understand the meaning of the words. While the young man was pondering how to interpret this, Stephanie looked around him.

「Is your guardian angel gone today? Maybe you can’t see him anymore because I’ve grown up.」

If that’s the case, it would be a shame, Stephanie thought dejectedly.
She can still remember that day vividly. She was at home as usual when she saw something sparkling on the windowsill. Intrigued, she opened the door. There was a boy with a beautiful angel looking at the hydrangeas she had grown.
The angel with him had the most sparkling blonde hair she’d ever seen and eyes like melted honey. His skin was clear and his hands were smooth. It didn’t seem like they were the same person.
The other day, when she went to church, she had just heard a sermon about guardian angels watching over those who do good deeds, so Stephanie concluded that it was the boy’s guardian angel.
It was amazing that a boy who was protected by such a beautiful guardian angel could praise the hydrangea. That evening, she of course reported it to her mother who had just returned home. Nadia, her mother, said that she should take good care of the hydrangea, and Stephanie nodded vigorously.

「Or maybe the hydrangea you praised has withered and I can’t see him…」

「Ah… no.」

She had taken good care of it, but after a few years it died of its lifespan. Seeing Stephanie dejected, wondering if that was the cause, the young man covered the upper half of his face with one hand and groaned, wondering what to do. A huge misunderstanding had occurred.

「Hello, Isaac. It’s rare to see you alone.」

A voice was heard from behind the young man, and the crowd all moved away at once. Thanks to this, even Stephanie could see the class distribution notice. Stephanie looked around, wondering what had happened to the area around her that had suddenly become distant. While looking around, she saw a class chart and confirmed that she was in the same class as her friend, the Duke’s daughter, Lydia.

「I thought I’d check your class first, too. Leo, this is perfect timing.」

「What’s the matter?」

「You weren’t thought of as a human.」

「Huh?」

The young man was tall, and his shoulders and physique were solid, so Stephanie couldn’t see the person behind him and could only hear his voice.
To see who the voice was, Stephanie leaned her body to the side to avoid the young man.
When she finally saw the owner of the voice, Stephanie was stunned.

「Angel?」

「See?」

Stephanie cried out in shock, and the young man urged the angel to understand, but the angel froze, unable to keep up.
After a few seconds, the angel let out words of anguish.

「……How did it come to this?」

「It’s hard being a good-looking guy.」

The young man spoke his honest opinion as the surrounding students were out of earshot. He was genuinely surprised that even the most beautiful person can be perceived as inhuman.

「I regret that I wasn’t able to have a proper conversation with her then.」

「Huh? Why is an angel wearing a school uniform…?」

「This guy is not an angel, he’s a prince.」

「Huh?」

「And I’m a second-time first year.」

「What!?」

She never thought the blonde boy she thought was an angel was actually human. And the prince of this country. That means he must be her friend Lydia’s fiance. Until now, even though they were in the same space at tea parties, she had only seen him from afar, so she only knew he was dazzling and couldn’t see his face properly.
Not knowing how to save face and behaving suspiciously, Stephanie frantically smiled at him, and Abendroth’s first prince, Roy, smiled at her with such love that she could be mistaken for an angel.

「Countess Witting, you may have heard the name before, but I am Roy. I am the prince of this country. I would be happy if you recognized me as a human being.」[T/N: It’s a little rough here, but Roy literally calls her “Daughter of Count Witting” but that is very clunky. It’s not quite on the level of “Miss” like he calls Lydia, so I had to compromise.]

That smile made Stephanie’s conscience wrack her with such pangs that she wanted to kneel on the ground and apologize. However, as she was a young lady, she couldn’t do that. She curtseyed, greeted him, and apologized.

「Oh, my name is Stephanie von Witting. I’m very sorry for the rude misunderstanding…」

「I was surprised, but I don’t mind it because it’s a compliment. So, Countess Witting.」

「Yes?」

「Do you have time after the entrance ceremony? I have something to talk to you about.」

She knew she’d get scolded.
Yes, Stephanie thought. It’s rude to become a nobleman and not even remember the face of your own country’s prince. And it’s not good to think he’s not human. “I’m definitely going to get a scolding”, Stephanie thought, as she deeply regretted her own mistake.

「Isaac, please accompany Miss Lydia later. That way I can avoid explaining things to her.」

「I don’t know what you have planned, but I get it.」

Stephanie was in the middle of a deep reflection and hadn’t heard their conversation, so she didn’t realize that it was definitely different from what she had assumed. Afterwards, Stephanie saw Roy standing on the stage to give his speech as the student council president, and endured the awkward entrance ceremony alone.
After the ceremony ended and she was given various explanations in the classroom, such as how to select classes, Stephanie was guided by her homeroom teacher to the student council room.
She knew that the prince she had met this morning, Roy, was the student council president during the entrance ceremony speech. She understood that she was being guided to the student council room. She had just enrolled and was not familiar with the layout of the school building, so she was grateful that her homeroom teacher was showing her around, but Stephanie, who thought she would be scolded, felt that she could not escape.
When the homeroom teacher knocked on the door, a voice from inside allowed her to enter, and the homeroom teacher opened the door and guided her inside.

「Excuse me…」

Stephanie stepped nervously into the student council room, and an unexpected sight met her eyes.

「Nicholas-sama! Please get away from Zack already.」

「No way, it’s tiring to stand all the time.」

「Then why don’t you just sit down!?」

「Because Zack is standing.」

「Well, Bell and the others are standing, so I’m not going to sit down…」

「…Dia-sama, Nico-chan-sama?」[T/N: Why yes indeed, she chains these suffixes together.]

Stephanie’s eyes widened at the person she didn’t expect to be there. Lydia is Roy’s fiance, so it’s not strange or weird for them to be together, but she didn’t expect Nicholas, who sometimes joins them at tea parties, to be there. And for some reason, he’s leaning on the young man Stephanie met this morning. What on earth is going on?
Looking more closely, there were more people there than she expected besides Lydia and the others. Behind Roy, who was sitting at a desk that seemed to be for the student council president, were two boys with blue and red hair, and when she shifted her gaze, a silver-haired student was drinking tea on a sofa that seemed to be for a short break.

「Hey, thank you for coming.」

「Fanny-sama, welcome.」

When Roy stood up to greet Stephanie, Lydia, who had noticed her arrival and had turned around while still sitting on the sofa, felt embarrassed and straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
Lydia urged her to sit on the opposite sofa, and as she did so the maid placed the tea on the table in front of her and stepped back. The girl with the dignified eyes was definitely one of Lydia’s maids. Roy sat down next to Lydia, and tea was similarly prepared for him.
There were currently ten people in the student council room, including the homeroom teacher and maid who had shown them around, but more than half were standing. Stephanie felt a little uncomfortable and wondered if it was okay for her to be sitting. The fact that it didn’t feel cramped even with so many people there must mean that it was spacious. In addition to the desks for each position, there was also a rest area that was currently occupied by a silver-haired male student alone, separate from the conference sofa where Stephanie and the others were sitting. It could be said that this was the kind of design you would expect from an academy with a large number of aristocrats among its students.

「Now, about the matter I called you out for…」

「Y-Yes.」

「It’s about your magical power.」

「Huh?」

Stephanie was prepared to be scolded in front of such a large group of people, but was taken aback by the unexpected content.
Roy tilted his head at Stephanie’s reaction, but continued speaking.

「What color is the star flower now?」

「It’s white.」

The star flower is a new type of hydrangea given to Stephanie by the Ministry of Pharmacy. It has been bred to be a perennial plant that blooms all year round, and he received it through his adoptive father Herman so that he would be able to tell when Stephanie’s attributes were manifested. She is currently taking care of it in her room at the dormitory. Apparently it’s called a star flower because the petals resemble stars.
She checked it this morning before leaving the room, but it was still white.

「In other words, your magic is so strong that it is not affected by Miss Lydia, who has strong magic even among the nobles.」

「Is that so…?」

「Yes, according to the results of the magic tests, there are only a few people who have more magic than you.」

When she was told that her magic is strong, Stephanie didn’t get it. She hadn’t mastered any of the attributes, so no matter how much she practiced, she couldn’t use magic. Even so, when she was told that she had magic, she had no idea.
So, to be honest, she couldn’t believe it when she was told that she had more magic than her close friends.

「If it’s not possible with Miss Lydia, then if you’re around someone with stronger magic than you, then you should be able to manifest your magic, that’s the theory the Ministry of Magic and the Ministry of Potions came up with.」

「Ah.」

She was just getting along with her friends, but she didn’t know that she was being monitored. Stephanie nodded vaguely after hearing the story that was based on the premise that she had magical powers that she was unaware of.

「So, the people here have stronger magical powers than you.」

「Huh?」

「For fire, it’s Jeremias. For water, it’s Bernard. For wind, it’s Nicholas. For light, it’s me. For dark attributes, Professor Reiss is stronger than me. For earth attributes, it’s… Prince Sternensee, who is studying abroad, but I can’t let him go to another country.」

「Um… does that mean I can choose which attribute I’ll be?」

「In a way.」

「In a way?」

When asked if there was a choice, Roy replied ambiguously yes, even though he was introduced to someone who seemed to have a higher magical power than me. Stephanie tilted her head, implying that there was no choice.

「As a country, it’s better to have even one more person with a valuable light attribute. I’d like you to act with me as much as possible.」

「But that’s…」

Hearing the country’s intentions, Stephanie hesitated. Stephanie understands the desire for the rare light attribute. However, the way to achieve that is to be with Roy. That’s bad in many ways.
Stephanie looks at the person who is her biggest problem and a worry. Noticing her gaze, the other person tilts her head slightly and looks back at her friend.
Confirming where Stephanie is looking, Roy smiles.

「You know that Miss Lydia and I are not in a romantic relationship, right?」

Stephanie is astonished by the question, or rather the assertion. She knows. In fact, she knows that Lydia has someone else in her heart.
She hesitates about whether it’s okay to reveal this in front of so many people, but seeing Lydia calmly sipping tea, she nods yes.

「My engagement with Miss Lydia was made possible because of her strong magical powers and the fact that her family rank is comparable. You have acquired a higher education than her family rank, so if you become a light attribute, you can offer her more benefits than her. If that happens, it will be easy to break off my engagement with Miss Lydia.」

「Roy-sama, it’s not that easy…」

「I’ve already settled things with my father, His Majesty, the King, so it’s fine. The rest is up to her.」

When Lydia tried to point out that it wouldn’t be that easy, Roy simply replied that he had already done the groundwork. Lydia was stunned by the fact that he was fully prepared for the negotiations. What had he read, to what extent, and when had he started preparing?
Stephanie was also confused and couldn’t keep up with the situation. She felt like she had been given an outrageous proposal.

「… Wait a minute. Even if His Highness and Dia-sama break off their engagement, become light attribute, and become comfortable with being by His Highness’s side, that doesn’t that mean I’ll get engaged next?」

「If you have the light attribute, it will be easier to protect you if you become a member of the royal family, so that’s what will happen.」

「What will His Highness want!?」

Isn’t Roy being too naive? She’s worried that he’s neglecting himself too much by breaking off his engagement so easily for the sake of the country and getting engaged to someone else right away. Even though she understands that it’s rare for members of the royal family to marry for love, there are some parts that Stephanie can’t fully accept as a former commoner.
She worries about him before herself, and Roy opens his honey-colored eyes. Then he bursts out laughing. His eyes were not crazy after all.

「Hahaha, it’s okay. It’s my will.」

「Eh, but…」

「I like you, so it’s fine.」

Stephanie freezes at the declaration made with a big smile. Behind her, his younger brother Klaus spat out his tea and choked. Everyone else could only be silent.
Ignoring the turmoil around him, Roy presented his plan with a smile.

「What I want from you is, first, for you to come to like me. And second, for you to prove that you are worthy of being engaged to me. If you can’t meet those expectations, you can choose someone else without worrying about the national interest. I don’t have much time, but please think carefully and give me an answer.」

Stephanie was taken aback by the last words. It was similar to what Herman had told her when she was a child. He had told her to think carefully then. It was because he wanted to respect Stephanie’s own will.

「I understand.」

I’ll think about it, Stephanie thought as she nodded.
She was still confused, but she had to give a proper answer. Stephanie clenched her fists and prepared herself.

—

Hey, what do you know, I think I called it all the way back when they first met that we had stumbled onto the heroine in Chapter 9 (incidentally I had to comb through like 15 chapters to remember which one they met). Definitely explains why Leo might have been stunned all that time ago hahaha. End of the chapter definitely caught me off guard, but it seems everything is starting to come together.

Again, sorry for the huge delay on this, but unfortunately this is ultimately a side thing I do, my actual job comes first because it means I can pay the bills and have the time to actually do this when I do, haha. Fingers crossed there’s no December surprises that suddenly offline me.

Until next time!

---

Finally back from vacation and uh, then it took me a while to get this translated. It was uh, a little rough to get back into the groove. Might be a bit sloppier than usual wahaha

---

TN: Toasty
ED: Toasty

---

Four years ago, in the winter when I was thirteen, Duke-sama asked me to go back to square one and not take the magic test. My mind went blank.
I had memories of my past life, so I tried out various types of magic and became interested in them. So when I realized that Ojou was a rival in an otome game, I wanted to go to a magic academy. That’s why I was happy that the test results were within the passing range, even if it was just barely.
If I didn’t have memories of my past life, I probably wouldn’t have been so shocked. I’m sure I would have given up on my own magical power from the start and never taken the test.
I was prepared to take on everything, but I wasn’t prepared to give up on anything.
To me, both becoming a gardener and loving Ojou were important, so I intended to go through with both. So I reported it to my employer, Duke-sama. Even if I was fired from the Ernst family, I could aim to be a gardener if I went to the gardeners’ guild, and my feelings wouldn’t disappear.
But Duke-sama’s conditions were neither of those. I didn’t know what to do when I was told to throw away something I had no relation to.
Duke-sama smiled, ignoring my shock.

「If Isaac enrolls like this, I won’t make it in time.」

「Huh?」

It took me a while to realize that Duke-sama was explaining why he wanted to scrap my magical ability test. But I didn’t understand what he meant, and all I could do was ask a questioning voice.

「Isaac, you want to learn all of the attributes, right?」

「Yes.」

I confirmed and he nodded. Even if I couldn’t do practical training, I wanted to at least study in the classroom.

「With the current curriculum, you can only learn the element you have aptitude for. I won’t be fast enough.」

「Um……」

「It was revealed that His Highness the Prince has two attributes, and the son of the Minister of Magic is also interested in magic other than the ones he has an aptitude for. By the time they enroll, we plan to change the curriculum so that they can choose their classes.」

Currently, classes are divided according to aptitude attributes, and classes are focused on specializing in each field. However, Duke-sama told me that he plans to change the class structure to a credit system common in universities, since Leo has two attributes, light and dark, and uses both equally, and Bell strongly wishes to learn other attributes as well.
When I asked Duke-sama what he did as a student, even though he also has two attributes, water and wind, he said he majored in water and learned the other wind attribute from a friend in the same year. He seems to have learned ice magic, a composite magic, almost entirely on his own, referring to past documents.

「It would be strange for a commoner who enrolled at the same time as His Highness and his friends to know something that begins to be used at the same time as them. That’s why I want Isaac to delay his enrollment by two years.」

I don’t know how difficult it is to change the way classes are taught, but it’s a big change, so I understand that it would take several years to prepare. Even if I, a commoner, wanted to learn all attributes, I don’t think the schedule would be accelerated. The educational institution took action due to the requests of Prince Leo and the Marquis’ son, Bell.
If I enrolled a year later, I would stand out a little more, and if a commoner like me knew about the multiple choice classes for attributes that had just started, I would be suspected of leaking information about the Ernst family, which would cause trouble for Duke-sama and Ojou. In that case, if I pretended that I had forgotten to take the test and enrolled after Leo and the others, my request for multiple attribute classes would not seem strange.

「……Is that too convenient for me?」

I can understand. I can understand the reason, but Duke-sama’s conditions are far too convenient for me. After all, if the enrollment is delayed by two years, I’ll end up in the same year as Ojou. I’m grateful that I can take classes on all attributes, so is that really okay?

「If those who are motivated to learn cannot be given the necessary environment, there is no point in an educational institution.」

Saying this, Duke-sama winks mischievously. It’s amazing how a handsome man with dazzling blonde hair can make such a gesture.

「Besides, it’s convenient for me, too.」

I tilt my head at Duke-sama’s words as he smiles brightly. Why is it convenient for Duke-sama if my enrollment is delayed?

「The school only provides the minimum number of guards, so it would be helpful if there was someone to protect Dia.」

The Magic Academy is a place where people of all ranks can study without distinction, so even nobles can only have one guard or servant in the school. The school’s security is also tight, as they would really prefer students to come without a servant, but it’s a compromise, as some nobles are unable to take care of minor personal matters on their own.
The other guards will be guarding Ojou while attending the knight training school, which is located on the same grounds as the magic academy. They will be able to take her to and from the academy, and provide guarding and personal care within the dorms. They will no doubt take turns accompanying the Ojou within the academy.
The Duke still seems worried about the Ojou. I can’t help but think that this is an abuse of authority due to his overprotection, but I can’t point it out because it allows me to study what I want to study. I feel like the butler, Heinz, also known as Master, is glaring at Duke-sama with a sigh, but I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.

「Dia is a from a ducal family, but she is also His Highness’ fiancée. She may be at a disadvantage in school because of her youth, or because people who are jealous or people who will try to use her by flattering her. In a place like that, we need someone who will never betray her.」

「Um, I don’t think I’m that useful.」

「As long as Isaac stays Isaac, he’ll be fine.」

I felt like he had high expectations, so I told him, but Duke-sama said I only needed to go to school. I didn’t really understand what Duke-sama meant by prioritizing studying. It’s true that even if he told me to protect her, the guards are more qualified to do it, and I’m not capable of doing it, so it’s a relief.

「No matter what, you end up acting for the sake of someone important to you.」

「Is that so……?」

He said I would naturally help Ojou without being told to do so, which made me suspicious.

「Yes. That’s the weakness of beign in love.」

Duke-sama laughed with conviction.
I tilted my head, wondering if it would go that well, and could only nod vaguely. I’m not very smart, so I’m worried I’ll overload myself with studying and hold Ojou back.
For now, I’ll just try to study hard, I thought.

---

And so, I’m sitting upright in seiza.
I’m being lectured by Ojou behind the building of the school where I managed to get in, even though I’m two years late. Even when Ojou asks me what’s going on, I don’t know why I’m in this situation.

「I can’t blame you without hearing the details. First of all, what was the cause of the fountain incident with Count Dores’ son?」

「Is it someone with the same lightning element as Ojou? He was trying to use a pretty powerful lightning bolt, but I stopped him because I didn’t want the fountain to break.」

I don’t remember who it was, but I think he said something about how I was a commoner who had retaken the exam but wanted to take all the elements, so he was going to teach me a lesson.
He raised his hands to the sky and the presence of lightning elemental spirits began to gather, so I closed the distance before he could activate it and stood in front of the son of Count Dores. He was surprised by the sudden closeness and leaned back, falling into the fountain behind him.
I offered my hand to help him up, and when I confirmed he took it, I said 「Here you are」.
He tilted his head, so I added if he cast the spell now, he would suffer the same fate as the fountain, and asked if that was fine. He turned pale and finally understood damaging property was not good.
As I explained, Ojou put her fingers to her temples as it to press them.

「……this isn’t the first time, is it?」

「Is this the son of the water-attribute marquis? There was the time with the soil here that has poor drainage and it looked like he was going to produce a lot of water.」

「And so?」

「I asked him to stop.」

He seemed to believe in the supremacy of magic, and insisted that since I had little magic, he should be able to use it to instruct me. He didn’t seem to listen when I told him that the school wasn’t that kind of place, so I just warned him not to use water magic in deserted places like behind the school building.
The trees in places where not many people come are planted to be of a variety that can grow well with natural rain without watering, and the soil is designed so that the lower layers of the soil can easily absorb a little water. If a large amount of water was used in such a place, the roots of the trees would rot.
So before he used it, I stopped a letter opener about five centimeters away from his eyeball, surprising him. Although it was actually a distance away, the tip of the knife came straight at the person it was pointed at, so it was quite a threat to the person it was pointed at.
I told him that even a letter opener without a blade that can only be used to open a seal could be dangerous if used in a certain way, and that too much water was poisonous to the trees in this place. The marquis’ son only used water magic during practical lessons after that, so I was glad he understood. [T/N: Geez, Isaac, that’s hardcore!]

「It’s a little different from what I heard from Marquis Edelstein’s son, but… well, it’s alright. How do you explain the case of Count Wittmann’s son?」

「It would be a shame to let the cherry blossoms fall in the wind…」

Before he could use it, I swept him off his feet, sprained his ankle, and threw him into his carriage. He called out to me on my way back to the dorms, but he barely greeted me before trying to use the spell, so I prioritized the cherry blossoms.
Perhaps because it’s the world of an otome game, it seems that cherry blossom trees are a standard feature at schools. Maybe it’s because I have Japanese memories, but I like cherry blossom trees at schools. That’s why I wanted to look at this scene for a little longer. I wanted to watch them slowly fall, swaying in the natural wind.
As for the wind-element son, I was being selfish and did something bad. It’s not like he was trying to do anything harmful to the garden, it just made them fall a little earlier. Just like I’m reluctant to see them fall, there are also people who feel refreshed if they fall quickly.
As I was reflecting on the fact that I should apologize, I heard a long sigh from above. I looked up and Ojou looked down at me in amazement.

「You have a bit of a garden craze.」

「I’m sorry.」

「You prevented all the magic from being activated, so the scenery wasn’t ruined, but because of that, people misunderstood that Zack was threatening them unilaterally.」

「They say Ojou has a mad dog.」

「Somehow, Ojou seems strong.」

「Pay more attention to the person who is being called a mad dog!」

I was scolded when I commented on the information from Pome who was following the Ojou. Since I had enrolled late because I forgot to take the magic test, people would have suspected that I was clumsy, so it’s not a problem if I was thought to be badly behaved. If anything, I think it’s good that the uniform is easy to wear.

「Yeah…… I’d be in trouble if people thought poorly of Ojou because of me.」

It’s a well-known fact that I’m a servant of the Ernst family, so if I’m bothering Ojou, I should have just stayed quiet and accepted the attack. The noble boys should have called me to a place other than the school building or the garden. No, I might have stopped them in the end because I couldn’t pay for damages even inside the school building.

「So think of yourself first, not me! I can’t forgive Zack for not receiving a fair evaluation!」

「Ojou……」

You’re so kind to get angry at someone like me. I’m glad that you got so angry, but at the same time, I feel sorry. Maybe next time, I should just listen to your complaints and accept the magic to the extent that the other person is satisfied.

「Ojou, if you tell him to be quiet, Isaac will accept the attacks and abuse.」

Pome whispered to Ojou. I was speechless when she pointed out what I was thinking. Ojou took it as confirmation and got angry again.

「I won’t allow that!」

「So, if Isaac doesn’t do anything, it will be my lady who takes action. So if anything happens in the future, he should resist without holding back.」

「Okay……」

I’ll protect myself properly, since I’d be in trouble if Ojou does something reckless. After Pome put me on edge, I vowed to myself to never forget to protect myself.

「Also, the rumors are being spread on purpose.」

「What do you mean?」

With a Fufufu, Pome happily reports that after the fact, with Ojou asking disbelievingly.

「If the information is really to my lady’s disadvantage, I won’t let it go.」

That means she’s deliberately letting rumors spread.
I think about it. Unlike Chairwoman and Pochi, Pome is the type of bodyguard who protects Ojou through information warfare. In other words, she specializes in putting an end to conflicts by squashing the seeds of trouble before they occur.
What does Pome gain from the rumors of me being a delinquent? I’m a repeat student, so I’m older than Ojou even though we’re in the same grade, and I’m probably quite tall compared to the other students. So that intimidates most. If Ojou is the only one who can get me to obey, then I can expect some kind of deterrent effect.
I see. Pome is using the rumors about me to protect Ojou. 

「Incidentally, those who messed with Isaac-san, you can rest assured that it won’t happen again.」

What on earth did Pome do to the sons who were only unsuccessful? I wonder if she must have found a significant weakness to prevent those hotheaded young men from ever making a move on me again. I couldn’t help but feel that Pome was also included in the mad dog that the young men who were the source of the rumors about me referred to.

「Please consult with me beforehand about such things.」

「Okaaaay, I’m sorrrry.」

Ojou knew she wouldn’t give any details even if she pressed, so she only warned Pome.

「Thank you, Pome.」

I thanked Pome for protecting me. Even though it was part of protecting Ojou, she arranged things so that I wouldn’t get involved and manipulated the information so that I wouldn’t cause her any trouble. That’s a great help to me.
Pome’s eyes, which are usually smiling, widened slightly, and then she laughed with great enjoyment.

「You’re weeeelcome.」

「Thank you too, Ojou.」

「I was just trying to warn you.」

「Yes, that’s why. I’m glad you got angry.」

Ojou often gets angry on my behalf. She always told me that I should get angry about things I don’t care about since I’m so careless.
I guess I can’t live up to Duke-sama’s expectations after all. Instead of protecting her, Ojou protects me.
When I thanked her, Ojou blushed and turned away.

「In the first place, think of not making me angry!」

「I’ll be careful.」

I could only nod at her reasonable words. But how should I be careful? I decided to live honestly because of the regrets in my past life, and I should be doing what I want, but sometimes Ojou scolds me and tells me to take care of myself.
Perhaps she realized I was weak and didn’t know what to do, because she pointed her index finger at me and told me.

「If a stranger calls out to you, don’t follow them alone! Do you understand?」

I never thought that at the age of seventeen, I would be told the precautions from my first errand.
Duke-sama, maybe I’m not much use after all. 

---

On the way back to the classroom with Ojou and the others, a crowd had formed in the classroom next door.
As I passed by, I checked to see what it was. Thanks to my father’s resemblance, I’m over 180cm tall, so I can see the situation from above even when there’s a crowd. It seems that all eyes are on two boys chatting in the next class.
I see bright blonde hair and short light brown hair, and the brightness of it makes me feel like I’ve seen it before, and I think about pretending I didn’t see it. Before I can look away, my eyes meet with honey-colored eyes.

「Is that Miss Lydia?」

He turns to us and smiles, so the crowd parts, and his eyes land on Ojou. He definitely guessed Ojou was there. Ojou may be tall for a girl, but there’s no way she’d be visible in this crowd.

「Roy-sama? Why are you in the first year classroom?」

Seeing Leo, Ojou’s eyes widen a little. Following the path the people had split up into, Ojou headed towards Leo. Following the flow of the situation, I followed her along with Pome.
Perhaps because Ojou, the prince’s fiance, was added to the group, or maybe because I, rumored to be a delinquent, was there, the distance between Leo and the other onlookers increased a little.

「I would like to say I came to see Miss Lydia, but today I came to hear about Sternensee from him.」

「The south?」

From Ojou’s reaction, I learned that Sternensee is the name of a country located south of Abendroth. The common people only call it the southern country, so I didn’t know the country’s official name.
After Leo’s introduction, a man with light brown hair greeted Ojou.

「It’s nice to meet you, daughter of Duke Ernest. I am the fifth prince of the country of Sternensee, Constantine Frank von Deer. I was surprised to see you are just as beautiful as Prince Roy told me.」

I recognized that shy smile. Unlike Leo, he doesn’t look flashy, and at first glance he doesn’t look like royalty. His mannerisms and behavior are of the noble class, but his friendly smile makes him seem approachable. There’s probably no one who would be wary of him.

「I’m honored to receive your praise, Prince Constantine.」

「His Highness is studying abroad as part of an exchange program.」

「You two, please stop calling me Your Highness. Even though I’m the fifth princess, if you call me by such a stiff name, it will be difficult for the students to follow the school’s policy.」

「That’s true. Is this fine, Constantine?」

「You can call me Stan, Roy-senpai. Um, is it okay to call you Lydia-san?」

「Yes, Constantine-sama.」

「Lydia-san is a serious type, isn’t she?」

The prince of the South laughed without any nastiness, taking into account Ojou’s compromise, and lightened the mood of the room, including the onlookers. Because Ojou is polite, she doesn’t call people by their abbreviations like I do. Nico can’t make Ojou call him Nico-chan. It seems that calling him by his correct name is a sign of Ojou’s sincerity, so she won’t give in. The only people Ojou calls by their abbreviations are her close female friends.
Then, I suddenly felt something was off, but before I could find out the reason, the orange eyes of the prince of the southern country turned towards me.

「And they are?」

「He’s from my family. He is an apprentice gardener, and due to a slight mistake, he was late in entering school, so we are in the same class.」

「I aaaaaam just an attendant, so don’t worrrrrrry.」

「I’m…… I am Isaac.」 [T/N: It’s hard to convey, but he uses “da” (shorthand/casual), then switches to “desu” which is more polite.]

「There’s no need to be polite. It’s nice to meet you.」

I was about to talk normally, and wondered if I should be polite after all, when the prince of the southern country held out his hand while laughing. Realizing that it was for a handshake, I shook his hand back.

「It’s nice to meet you.」

「A gardener would be perfect. I’m interested in the gardens of this country. Could you show me around the school next time you have time?」

「I’m free during second period on Thursday, but……」

「Then, on Thursday.」

That’s the time when I’m not taking classes, the prince of the South says with a smile. I agree, and the promise is made, and we let go of each other’s hand.
After that, the break is over, and Roy says goodbye as he leaves, which causes the crowd to retreat, and Ojou and I return to our classrooms.
On Thursday, as promised, the prince of the South came over with a friendly smile after the first period, so I showed him around the school gardens as far as I know. The fountain square with benches is perfect for lunch on sunny days, the flower beds at this time of year with butterflies fluttering among the colorful flowers, and the pleasant weather in the forest makes it a great place to enjoy a peaceful walk.

「……about landscaping.」

「Eh? You’re really asking about it?」

He mentioned it while we were walking through the forest, and my eyes widened. I thought he had no interest.

「You idiot, if that wasn’t the case, why would you go out of your way to hang out with a guy in your free time?」

「Oh, it was Frank after all.」

「I knew you’d recognize me if I revealed myself.」

「No, it’s Con…… something like that, I remember you saying.」

「You hardly remember anything, do you?」

Frank rolled his eyes in exasperation. But it was long and had some difficult pronunciation mixed in, so it was hard to remember Frank’s full name.
I thought that was probably the case because he didn’t say 「nice to meet you」, but Frank’s sales mode, or prince mode, was so perfect that I couldn’t tell if it was the right choice. He’s become even better at pretending to be someone he isn’t than when he was working at Ingrid’s Tavern.

「You’re a prince, huh?」

「It’s not like the princes of your country, I’m a lower rank. My father loves women. My mother is the fourth and there are plenty of people who are just called princes.」

The king in the south seems to be a typical polygamous king. If they like a woman, they’ll take her as a wife regardless of her status. Frank’s mother was also a traveling dancer. He has older brothers and sisters, and if you include half-siblings, the number of siblings is in the double digits. I’d heard he had a lot of siblings, but he really does.

「But you’re a prince.」

「Well, if I want to take my father’s place, I’ll have to get serious.」

When I pointed out he was acting like a prince despite being one in name only, Frank said something pretty amazing in a scary way.

「……Frank, do you want to be king?」

He had a strange look on his face when I said he was suitable to be a king, not knowing he was a prince.

「You said you wanted to succeed your father.」

「You said you wanted to succeed your father.」

Frank raised the corners of his mouth and laughed fearlessly. I didn’t know that Frank’s father was king.
But I think it might happen. Frank is the type to do what he says. I’m sure that’s why he’s studying abroad in Abendroth. For some reason, I can’t help but laugh at the possibility that Frank really could become the king of his country.

「Well, I’ll need to save up enough money to go on a trip, then.」

「Zaaaack, I missed yooou!」

Just as I was looking forward to the future, I received a big impact from behind. As I was trying to hold myself from falling over, I was pulled upwards by the arms around my neck.

「Nico!? What about class?」

「It’s a practical clas, so it was over instantly. I’m bored, so I left.」

It was Nico who came and hugged me with the force of a charge. I thought Nico had a lot of magical power, but it seems he’s the top of the wind attribute class. Nico’s third year classes were still in the aptitude attribute classification class type, so the difference was even more clear.

「So, what’s with this guy?」

With his arms around my neck, Nico looked down at Frank. Nico’s height is over 180cm, so he naturally looks taller than Frank, who is in the 170cm range. But I felt a pressure as if he was intentionally looking down on him.
Perhaps sensing this, Frank narrowed his orange eyes.

「Huh? What’s up with you? You’re trying to cut me off.」

Normally, Frank would have put on a calm face, but he glared at Nico. He was clearly getting in the way.

「What do you want with Zack? You’re shady.」

Nico, on the other hand, stopped acting like an onee-san and glared back at Frank. For some reason, he seemed to recognize Frank as an enemy. He didn’t let go of me and was on maximum alert, so maybe he was worried about me.

「If I didn’t have anything to do with him, I wouldn’t call out to a useless guy like him.」

「Haaaa? What did you just say, idiot?」

「I’ll tell you what. I can’t understand why people would side with a guy who’s just got a big body.」

「Do you want your brains smashed?」

「Go ahead and try if you can.」

I wonder if I should say anything. It’s scary.
why are these two more foul-mouthed than me, a commoner? And why did they suddenly start giving me dirty looks? Nico, don’t crack your fists while holding me. And don’t provoke Frank, either. Things are getting out of hand.
First, I lightly tap Nico’s arm to clear up the misunderstanding.

「Nico, Frank is a prince, so it would be bad if he got hurt.」

「Then I’ll only hit the torso.」

「That’s not it! I know this is a bad thing to say, but when Frank said I’m useless, it means someone can work with me without having to worry about ulterior motives……」

「Hey, what’s with that disgusting interpretation!!」

「But we started hanging out after you said that.」

「No! That was Timo!」

「That’s right. Is Timo-onii-chan here?」

「I left him in his hometown, obviously! If he was here, business wouldn’t be good.」

It’s a shame Timo-onii-chan didn’t come with Frank to study abroad. Their comedy-like exchanges were so funny. Timo-onii-chan must have been disappointed too, since he adored Frank so much.
But Timo-onii-chan looks like a real yankee, so he’s bound to stand out at school. He’s not the kind of guy who can pretend like Frank, and it’s true that he might not be suited to accompany the prince.
After thinking about it and agreeing with Frank’s reasoning, Frank put his hand on his forehead, looked down, and let out a long sigh.

「Talking to Isaac really tires me out.」

「I’m… sorry?」

I apologized for what I’d done wrong, and Frank sighed again.
Nico, who had been watching the exchange between Frank and I finally let go of my arm around my neck.

「Is he really Zack’s acquaintance?」

「Yeah, he’s my friend.」

「……I don’t even feel like fighting anymore.」

While looking at Frank, who was exhausted and exhausted, with a puzzled look, Nico seemed to have understood for the time being.
When I asked if he wanted to continue showing me around the garden, Frank refused, saying it was too stuffy. When I met up with Nico, he seemed to have lost interest in going for a walk.
There’s still some time until the next class, so I’m thinking about how to kill time. If I get these two talking, it could escalate into another fight. And they’ll get into trouble if they don’t talk as much as possible.

「Oh, shall we go to the library?」

The magic school has a large grounds, and there is a library, not a reading room. The one inside the school building is a reading room. Since it’s a building, it has quite a large collection of books.

「I heard this library has all the volumes of ‘The Sea of ​​Meer’.」

「Wow, they have the latest volume too.」

Nico said he hadn’t bought it yet, and showed interest.
The Sea of Meer is a pirate heroic tale that I used to read at Nico’s house. It’s about Meer, who starts out as a low-ranking pirate, growing up to become a pirate leader and protecting the port town that he uses as his base as a righteous thief. The part where the previous leader dies during a naval battle and is replaced is pretty exciting.

「That’s ours.」

「Eh?」

「What?」

Nico and I tilt our heads at Frank’s sudden words.

「That story is based on our royal family. They were royals who started out as pirates.」

Frank told me that ‘The Sea of Meer’ series is a humorous adaptation of the story of the ancestors of a southern royal family. So that means that in the end, Meer will establish a country based in a port town and become king.

「Don’t give away spoilers, you idiot!」

「What?! It’s your fault for not knowing. It’s normal in our tropical country, you idiot!」

Nico seemed to be humiliated that his favorite book was from Frank’s country. Frank immediately retorted to Nico, who was angry.

「Ah, so with that…」

So he looked like a yakuza, I realized. Even after I found out he was royalty, I couldn’t shake the impression that Frank looked like a young gang member. I felt relieved when I found out the reason.

「By the way, why were you both so natural from the beginning?」

I asked them both to clear up my doubts. Neither of them would suddenly show their true selves to someone they met for the first time. It was strange because it’s not something they usually do.
They thought about my question for a moment, and looked at each other’s faces. Then they pointed at each other and answered.

「Because I was annoyed.」

「Because he looked angry.」

They both seemed to intuitively sense that they couldn’t get along.

「You seem like you’d get along well.」

「 「 Ha?!」 」

They both said the same thing in harmony while looking displeased at the same time. In a way, they hit it off.
In the end, the three of us went to the library and decided to read ‘The Sea of Meer’ series. There were other students doing research in the library, so Nico turned into an onee-san and Frank put on a pretend role, but we casually turned our bodies in opposite directions to read our books.
I thought it was a rare sight, and continued reading until the bell rang to end the second period.
That’s how my school life started.

---

Haaaa, it’s good to be back, but man if this wasn’t a long chapter to translate. Sorry for taking so long and ghosting ya’ll, but vacation was hard to come back from, heh.

---

Possibly the shortest chapter we’ve had. This really shouldn’t have taken me three weeks, but I am busy preparing for an anime convention where I’ll be hosting two panels, so uh, as you can imagine I have been quite busy.

---

TN: Toasty
ED: Toasty

---

「Sit there.」

「Okay.」

I was told to do so with a condescending attitude, so I obediently followed her orders.
Since I was sitting now, she was also physically  looking down at me. So, Ojou, looking at me with her arms folded, was clearly angry.
She was naturally beautiful with her slanted eyes, so her glare was impressive. Her angry aura combined with her standing imposingly had a considerable pressure. Just looking at her like this, she looked like a rival girl.
Ojou, the duke’s daughter Lydia von Ernest, is apparently the rival girl in the otome game Kimiboshi. Kimiboshi is an abbreviation, but the real name is so long that I can’t remember it well. In fact, she is engaged to the first prince, who is the capture target of the game. Also, her ample breasts are at the point they are now resting on her folded arms, and she looks a little strained. So, her appearance is also just like in the game.
I remember it well, even considering how I only helped conquer the minigames when helping my sister from my past life. Well, since she was the rival of my sister’s favorite character, I guess she was in my field of vision. I played a lot, and console games share the display and cabinet, so I had to wait until she finished playing.
Unable to bear the silence of looking down upon, I dug up my memories from my past life of fighting with my sister about who would get to play first.

「What is going on?」

「No, even if you ask me……」

Even though she demanded I explain the situation, I didn’t really understand.
We were behind the building of the Royal Magic Academy. I was brought to a deserted place, but I’m not being punished. Right now, I’m being lectured by Ojou.

「What are you doing so soon after enrolling?!」

「No, it’s…」

「Be silent!」

She scolded me and said she wouldn’t tolerate any excuses, so I was quiet again. It wasn’t my intention, but it seems like I’d made a fuss that reached Ojou’s ears.
Ojou put her hand to her forehead as if she had a headache and sighed.

「You really should be aware that you stand out.」

「There are beautiful girls like you and dazzling guys like Leo, I’m just tall.」

「It’s not a matter of appearance!」

I tried to argue that it was obvious that I was overshadowed by appearances, but Ojou pointed out that wasn’t it.

「Someone who forgot to take the magic measurement test twice will only stand out in a bad way.」

Yes, I was a drifter. Since the age at which you enroll is like high school, it’s a little sad to think of someone who has repeated high school. [T/N: Zack uses “ronin” which is a term for high school graduates who failed an entrance exam and are studying for the next]
Just as Ojou said, I forgot to take the magical measurement test. That’s why I stand out in a bad way even though I’m not even a mob character in an otome game.

「Seriously, Zack……」

As I listened to Ojou’s lecture, I remember the promise I made with the Duke four years ago.

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Like I said, super short chapter that even caught me off guard with how short it was. But between the July 4th holiday and preparing two panels for a convention, I’m glad this chapter was as short as it was.

It seems like we’ve got another time skip to start this volume off as well as a mystery on what the Duke asked Zack to do all that time ago. Pretty sure it’s going to involve the magical measurement tests, and yes, Zack does explicitly use the term “forgot” rather than imply he’s dodging them. Zack’s position is a little ambiguous as he uses the term “ronin” which in colloquial speak is someone who failed entrance exams for university and is studying for next year, but it can also mean someone who is out of work. I didn’t commit too hard in either direction since we don’t know what happened to him, so I settled for “drifter”.

Anyways, I’m going to be on vacation for a while especially with these panels, so don’t expect an update until like mid-to-late August. Sorry for the delay there but even I need a break sometimes hahaha.

Have a good summer, everyone!

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