Ever since Canaria Riqum became aware of her surroundings, she already had a few memories of her past life. She was a person from another world, born and raised in a civilization far different from those of this world. A life exposed to so many stories thanks to “Science” that developed in that world instead of magic.
One of such stories is a love story where Coloflare Kingdom was the setting. It was something they called “Otome Game”
‘I couldn’t believe it when I was told that I will be engaged to Sir Keith. But every time a piece of information regarding the neighboring kingdom comes, my hazy memories become even more clearer, and having met you just now had confirmed it, sir.’
‘That this world is a game?’
It’s hard to believe her on the spot. After all, Coloflare Kingdom didn’t have a concept of past lives, (which largely has to do with religious circumstances.) Either way for someone who simply reincarnated into a world of a story, Canaria’s reaction looked terribly afraid. Was she supposed to die later on in that story?
‘By the way, what kind of role did Canaria have in this “game?”‘
‘I do not appear in the story. It was only written that Sir Keith will be married to a “princess of the neighboring kingdom.” Ah, but I was quite envious of her! After all, Sir Keith couldn’t be captured in the game, so I was left with no choice but to take Prince Leddorio’s route and wait for your scenes. I was truly envious of the lady for being able to marry sir Keith! But now that would be me, I’m soo happy!’
I couldn’t do anything but a nod to Canaria’s sudden talkativeness. Considering how she looked as if she was about to die earlier, this must mean that she truly liked those ‘games’ a lot. It appears that I was her favorite… but I feel conflicted because it did not refer to me of today.
‘Canaria, if this was really a ‘game’ world, wouldn’t that be fun to you? What were you so afraid of earlier?’
Interrupting her seemingly endless talks halfway, she suddenly stopped moving for a moment, then dropped her shoulders. I ended up making her remember unpleasant things, but her love talks were clearly leading to the derailment of the topic.
‘I’m sorry sir… I’m a complete bystander in that game. But the thing is, the suspicion of this world being that of a game started in the Corundum Kingdom.’
It appears that Canaria didn’t only play a single game in her past life. There was another story where the keywords ‘Corrundum Kingdom’, ‘Duke Riqum,’ and ‘Order of the Dragonknights’ in its plot which is a completely different story to the one with Coloflare Kingdom.
[The demonic hands of the empire that swallowed the country in its circumference has finally reached the Corrundum Kingdom. With the Princess who bore the blood of the Saintess, kidnapped by the empire, the main protagonist who got his home village destroyed, swore to avenge and rebuild his country. He shall lead the dragon knights, blessed by the dragon god, and save the kidnapped princess.]
Or so was the game’s story.
‘If this is truly the world of the game, then the Corundum Kingdom will be destroyed by the empire soon.
Of course, there were some disparities to the reality, sir. First and foremost of all was that our country doesn’t have a saintess. I’ve looked in our history books as well but there was not a single mention of a Saintess. The heroine was a princess named after an ancient saintess too so it makes me feel relieved that the game was different on that part.
But then… Coloflare Kingdom exists in this world at the same time. A young lady awakening as a Saintess and being wed to a prince of Coloflare Kigndom was also the setting of another game… was this a coincidence, sir?’
‘…In short, is this what you’re trying to say? A saintess will awaken in the Coloflare Kingdom, who will be wed to the prince, to Brother Leddorio, and their descendant will be wed to the Corrundum royal family? Which explains why the princess in the future was able to use Saintess’ powers?’
As I asked for her confirmation, Canaria nodded and told me her theory. The game’s Duke Riqum was serving the heroine princess. Fed up with his scoldings, the princess complains to the protagonist at one time;
‘The old man says that I have the same royal blood as him. He said that I’m like his grandchild so he couldn’t leave alone; even though that’s something of several decades ago.’
Then there’s the antagonist, the emperor who talked about the Saintesses in this manner;
‘I’ve waited for this all this day; the day where my empire obtains the descendant of the saintess who appeared a hundred years ago!’
A hundred years after a Saintess appeared in the Coloflare kingdom, the Corrundum kingdom will be destroyed. Canaria thinks that this is the future that those games suggest.
‘Mhm, but even so, it doesn’t make any sense. Why did the empire specifically desire a saintess from the Corundum royal family? After all, the one with legend and bloodline of the saintess is Coloflare’s royal family, right? Shouldn’t they just kidnap the saintess who appeared a century ago?’
‘I do not know the details but there should be a reason for that. Besides, the Coloflare kingdom had already fallen by then.’
But only in the game, sir— Canaria added with a sullen face. Although she talked about it in the past tense, even though nothing happened presently yet.
However, now I understand her anxiety. The game that she had only played in the past had turned into a probable future ruin. An aristocratic lady like her does not have any means to stop it either.
(Even then, that’s a hundred years in the future and most of us are already dead by then so there’s no use in worrying about it.)
Perhaps because my thoughts were reflected in my face, a self-deprecating smile surfaced on her face.
‘It’s quite hard to believe such a story, isn’t it?’
‘It’s not that… You don’t look like you were lying either.’
‘Even if I’m not, sir must’ve concluded that they were just delusions.’
‘No… well…’
As I flusteredly tried to cover up my inner thoughts, Canaria merely giggled. Her facial expression has a tinge of resignation in it, which made me bite my lips in regret.
‘It’s fine, sir. I already knew that talking about this to someone else would make them think that I’d lost my mind. After all, we’re talking about past lives, and this world is a game. Even I would be taken aback in the same situation.’
Canaria said with a smile but there were tears in her eyes. I was flustered; I ended up making a lady cry.
‘Don’t cry, Canaria… This world is not a game. There’s nothing to worry about.’
‘How can you say for sure, sir? Our lives would be over after a century! For what reason… was I reincarnated here? To such a world with a promised ruined? With all my memories intact? What should I do, sir?’
Now her tears were flowing. Ahh, I have really made her cry. These are the feelings that she had carried and kept to herself all this time but I ended up making them explode.
At a loss, I looked for any methods to stop a ladies’ tear within my memories. I suddenly recalled a single piece of advice about it, but I forgot where it came from.
‘Eek!’
‘Have you settled down?’
‘Y-Y-Y-Yes, sir! I ended up showing you something unsightly, sir.’
Canaria jolted up after having her eyelids kissed, nodding several times in apology; her face completely in the red. Regretfully remembering that the advice was supposed to be a joke, I licked my salty lips and gave the lady a handkerchief in self-shame.
‘Hey, Canaria, would you like to play a game with me?’
‘A…game, sir?’
‘That’s right. The time limit would be… hmm, I guess, next year, at Canaria’s birthday. Within that timeframe, I’ll prove to you that this world isn’t a game. How about that?’
As I proposed that, the strength in the lady’s hand, holding the handkerchief, has returned. She had just stopped crying and was still red, but the lady was seemingly regaining her composure. Probing my face with her upturned eyes, Canaria tried to make certain of my words.
‘A hundred years may have been impossible, but a single year, sir? How are you going to prove that?’
‘Well, I just have to convince you. If this is truly a world of a game, then the ruin of both countries is certain no matter what we do. However, if that’s not the case, then the future can be changed. Is that wrong?’
Canaria watched as I proudly asserted that. Her eyes were clouded in doubt, while I struggle with the impulse to hold her.
‘….Incidentally, if Sir Keith were to win…?’
At Canaria’s inquiry, I took her by the hand and whispered close to her ears.
‘Then… you’ll have to kiss me.’
Tapping my lips and smiling deviously, she let out a strange voice and sat down. I was pulled by her, still holding her hand. The face of the lady whose embers had finally let up was blushing yet again, gasping as she held her chest.
‘Are you alright, Canaria?’
‘Haa… Keith is such an angel…’
She responded with a strange groan, but, apparently, her legs seemed to have given away. As I held back from making her admit defeat early, we decided that the outcome will be determined on her next birthday. By doing that, Canaria would stop worrying about the two country’s ruins, because she will be thinking of me the whole time, for an entire year, at least.
Ever since Canaria Riqum became aware of her surroundings, she already had a few memories of her past life. She was a person from another world, born and raised in a civilization far different from those of this world. A life exposed to so many stories thanks to “Science” that developed in that world instead of magic.
One of such stories is a love story where Coloflare Kingdom was the setting. It was something they called “Otome Game”
‘I couldn’t believe it when I was told that I will be engaged to Sir Keith. But every time a piece of information regarding the neighboring kingdom comes, my hazy memories become even more clearer, and having met you just now had confirmed it, sir.’
‘That this world is a game?’
It’s hard to believe her on the spot. After all, Coloflare Kingdom didn’t have a concept of past lives, (which largely has to do with religious circumstances.) Either way for someone who simply reincarnated into a world of a story, Canaria’s reaction looked terribly afraid. Was she supposed to die later on in that story?
‘By the way, what kind of role did Canaria have in this “game?”‘
‘I do not appear in the story. It was only written that Sir Keith will be married to a “princess of the neighboring kingdom.” Ah, but I was quite envious of her! After all, Sir Keith couldn’t be captured in the game, so I was left with no choice but to take Prince Leddorio’s route and wait for your scenes. I was truly envious of the lady for being able to marry sir Keith! But now that would be me, I’m soo happy!’
I couldn’t do anything but a nod to Canaria’s sudden talkativeness. Considering how she looked as if she was about to die earlier, this must mean that she truly liked those ‘games’ a lot. It appears that I was her favorite… but I feel conflicted because it did not refer to me of today.
‘Canaria, if this was really a ‘game’ world, wouldn’t that be fun to you? What were you so afraid of earlier?’
Interrupting her seemingly endless talks halfway, she suddenly stopped moving for a moment, then dropped her shoulders. I ended up making her remember unpleasant things, but her love talks were clearly leading to the derailment of the topic.
‘I’m sorry sir… I’m a complete bystander in that game. But the thing is, the suspicion of this world being that of a game started in the Corundum Kingdom.’
It appears that Canaria didn’t only play a single game in her past life. There was another story where the keywords ‘Corrundum Kingdom’, ‘Duke Riqum,’ and ‘Order of the Dragonknights’ in its plot which is a completely different story to the one with Coloflare Kingdom.
[The demonic hands of the empire that swallowed the country in its circumference has finally reached the Corrundum Kingdom. With the Princess who bore the blood of the Saintess, kidnapped by the empire, the main protagonist who got his home village destroyed, swore to avenge and rebuild his country. He shall lead the dragon knights, blessed by the dragon god, and save the kidnapped princess.]
Or so was the game’s story.
‘If this is truly the world of the game, then the Corundum Kingdom will be destroyed by the empire soon.
Of course, there were some disparities to the reality, sir. First and foremost of all was that our country doesn’t have a saintess. I’ve looked in our history books as well but there was not a single mention of a Saintess. The heroine was a princess named after an ancient saintess too so it makes me feel relieved that the game was different on that part.
But then… Coloflare Kingdom exists in this world at the same time. A young lady awakening as a Saintess and being wed to a prince of Coloflare Kigndom was also the setting of another game… was this a coincidence, sir?’
‘…In short, is this what you’re trying to say? A saintess will awaken in the Coloflare Kingdom, who will be wed to the prince, to Brother Leddorio, and their descendant will be wed to the Corrundum royal family? Which explains why the princess in the future was able to use Saintess’ powers?’
As I asked for her confirmation, Canaria nodded and told me her theory. The game’s Duke Riqum was serving the heroine princess. Fed up with his scoldings, the princess complains to the protagonist at one time;
‘The old man says that I have the same royal blood as him. He said that I’m like his grandchild so he couldn’t leave alone; even though that’s something of several decades ago.’
Then there’s the antagonist, the emperor who talked about the Saintesses in this manner;
‘I’ve waited for this all this day; the day where my empire obtains the descendant of the saintess who appeared a hundred years ago!’
A hundred years after a Saintess appeared in the Coloflare kingdom, the Corrundum kingdom will be destroyed. Canaria thinks that this is the future that those games suggest.
‘Mhm, but even so, it doesn’t make any sense. Why did the empire specifically desire a saintess from the Corundum royal family? After all, the one with legend and bloodline of the saintess is Coloflare’s royal family, right? Shouldn’t they just kidnap the saintess who appeared a century ago?’
‘I do not know the details but there should be a reason for that. Besides, the Coloflare kingdom had already fallen by then.’
But only in the game, sir— Canaria added with a sullen face. Although she talked about it in the past tense, even though nothing happened presently yet.
However, now I understand her anxiety. The game that she had only played in the past had turned into a probable future ruin. An aristocratic lady like her does not have any means to stop it either.
(Even then, that’s a hundred years in the future and most of us are already dead by then so there’s no use in worrying about it.)
Perhaps because my thoughts were reflected in my face, a self-deprecating smile surfaced on her face.
‘It’s quite hard to believe such a story, isn’t it?’
‘It’s not that… You don’t look like you were lying either.’
‘Even if I’m not, sir must’ve concluded that they were just delusions.’
‘No… well…’
As I flusteredly tried to cover up my inner thoughts, Canaria merely giggled. Her facial expression has a tinge of resignation in it, which made me bite my lips in regret.
‘It’s fine, sir. I already knew that talking about this to someone else would make them think that I’d lost my mind. After all, we’re talking about past lives, and this world is a game. Even I would be taken aback in the same situation.’
Canaria said with a smile but there were tears in her eyes. I was flustered; I ended up making a lady cry.
‘Don’t cry, Canaria… This world is not a game. There’s nothing to worry about.’
‘How can you say for sure, sir? Our lives would be over after a century! For what reason… was I reincarnated here? To such a world with a promised ruined? With all my memories intact? What should I do, sir?’
Now her tears were flowing. Ahh, I have really made her cry. These are the feelings that she had carried and kept to herself all this time but I ended up making them explode.
At a loss, I looked for any methods to stop a ladies’ tear within my memories. I suddenly recalled a single piece of advice about it, but I forgot where it came from.
‘Eek!’
‘Have you settled down?’
‘Y-Y-Y-Yes, sir! I ended up showing you something unsightly, sir.’
Canaria jolted up after having her eyelids kissed, nodding several times in apology; her face completely in the red. Regretfully remembering that the advice was supposed to be a joke, I licked my salty lips and gave the lady a handkerchief in self-shame.
‘Hey, Canaria, would you like to play a game with me?’
‘A…game, sir?’
‘That’s right. The time limit would be… hmm, I guess, next year, at Canaria’s birthday. Within that timeframe, I’ll prove to you that this world isn’t a game. How about that?’
As I proposed that, the strength in the lady’s hand, holding the handkerchief, has returned. She had just stopped crying and was still red, but the lady was seemingly regaining her composure. Probing my face with her upturned eyes, Canaria tried to make certain of my words.
‘A hundred years may have been impossible, but a single year, sir? How are you going to prove that?’
‘Well, I just have to convince you. If this is truly a world of a game, then the ruin of both countries is certain no matter what we do. However, if that’s not the case, then the future can be changed. Is that wrong?’
Canaria watched as I proudly asserted that. Her eyes were clouded in doubt, while I struggle with the impulse to hold her.
‘….Incidentally, if Sir Keith were to win…?’
At Canaria’s inquiry, I took her by the hand and whispered close to her ears.
‘Then… you’ll have to kiss me.’
Tapping my lips and smiling deviously, she let out a strange voice and sat down. I was pulled by her, still holding her hand. The face of the lady whose embers had finally let up was blushing yet again, gasping as she held her chest.
‘Are you alright, Canaria?’
‘Haa… Keith is such an angel…’
She responded with a strange groan, but, apparently, her legs seemed to have given away. As I held back from making her admit defeat early, we decided that the outcome will be determined on her next birthday. By doing that, Canaria would stop worrying about the two country’s ruins, because she will be thinking of me the whole time, for an entire year, at least.
