My name is John Brian, the eldest son of Brian Baron House which belongs to the 2nd prince faction. This year, I enrolled in the same year as Lady Chloe Sereknight, the fiancée of the first prince. The job class assigned to me by the adventurer’s guild is thief, and right now I’m considering joining the newspaper club—or so is my position right now.
Changing places with John at times, I infiltrate the royal academy to directly check whether the scenario is following the game. The reason why John was assigned the thief class was likely the reflection of his personal history in stowing with a pirate ship. Besides, his current tenure involves information gathering.
The reason why I had him join the newspaper club was so that I would not be under suspicion even if I move around with a magic tool, as well as to get a closer look at the heroine through the helper character, ‘Chaco Brown.’
From John’s reports and my personal inspection, the heroine identified herself as Momo Palette. She is a saintess candidate from Palette Village, the same village that Count Glinda adopted his son from. She was a petite girl with fluffy pink hair and a dazzling pair of eyes like that of an adorable small animal. While I initially found how she was able to attract my brother surprising, it was not so much anymore seeing as though she was Lady Chloe’s total opposite.
As of the moment, she is equally close to each one of the capture targets but, she doesn’t treat any of them especially. She even paired with the teacher in her orientation after all, but that’s probably how it is in the beginning.
On that particular day when I changed places with John, the results of the exams were put up. The names of the top twenty students were listed in a row and the surrounding students crowded it. Lady Chloe was top 8th, while Lady Momo was top 15th. She’s working quite hard for a new enrollee. John was below top 20th but that can’t be helped because he was a foreigner a few years ago.
‘Darck was the top, huh? Mhm. Well, he’s a pathetic mistress’ child, so I guess he should at least do well in his studies, right?’
I thought I heard a displeased voice but it was Vlad. What the hell is he doing?
‘Look Chloe, your earnest brother took the top spot, minister-to-the-right must be proud, isn’t he? You, on the other hand, are in 8th place huh? Nothing special, I guess.’
‘….Why don’t you mind your own business before worrying about others, Vlad? I heard that you were on the red this term too. You’ll end up making your father cry.’
‘Don’t be so angsty. You’ll be wed to the first prince so you don’t need to study that hard, right? But not him, the guy has to inherit the dukedom. Having such an embarrassing lineage on one’s back sure is quite pitiful, wouldn’t you think so?’
I already knew he was terrible from our first meeting but Vlad is just too stupid. This guy will be the next head of House Moonlight? No way, he’d make me too anxious. I heard that the duke is renovating the religious institution that he donates to and is in a cordial relationship with, just in case Chloe gets exiled but, this guy needs to be put in there for correction more than the lady.
Dark clenches his fists in silence while Chloe is staring daggers like she’s about to kill a person. As the situation is nearing its critical point, I couldn’t bear it any longer and shot the whole scene with my magic camera.
‘Wha, what are you doing!?’
‘Sir Moonlight, come here for a minute.’
‘Oi, what the heck!? Unhand me, you impertinent brat!’
While everyone was flinching from the camera flash, I took Vlad by the arms towards the building’s shade. The sudden intrusion has shaved the two Sereknight siblings of their anger and replaced them with bewilderment.
‘What are you doing, damn it!? Who do you think I am? A mere lower noble like you…’
‘It’s you who should realize who you’re speaking to.’
‘Wha!? Sir… ouch!!’
After taking off my glasses and glaring at him, Vlad’s lunging resentful appearance had turned ghost pale. He almost blurted out my identity so I stomped on his foot to keep him silent.
‘Don’t clamor too much. Hasn’t your father told you that as well?’
‘Why are you here, sir…?’
‘I came here to observe the young lords of the 2nd prince faction. With their parents behind them at gatherings, I wouldn’t be able to see their real sentiments… I had House Brian cooperate with me for that.’
Putting my glasses back on, I glossed it over with an arbitrary excuse. Now that he knows that we change places often, he likely won’t do anything to John either.
‘However, for the 2nd prince himself to do it personally…. Ah, if you would like, I am willing to lend assistance.’
‘Your house is ‘still’ with the first prince faction, right?’
‘No no, sir. From what I can see, his highness Leddorio is too unstable. Well, the cause is principally Lady Chloe though. Their relationship has gone so worse that I wouldn’t find strange if he’d gladly throw his succession rights just to cut his ties with her.’
‘Just don’t do anything unnecessary, please.’
No matter how you look at it, it’s not so simple that you can pin all the blames on Lady Chloe alone. But it is true that my older brother is feeling cornered psychologically. That was the game’s settings as well as the pressure of the intensifying succession conflict due to my retainers sensing that I’m aiming for the crown prince’s seat. I already knew that this would happen when I chose this path.
Switching with John, I returned to the castle where Canaria’s letter was waiting for me. Locke has safely met the Corundum Kingdom’s guardian, or rather, it seems that it was quite infatuated with him. The House Glinda obtained its blessing and whether it’s the result of that or not, the Countess managed to conceive a child.
That being the case, if the born child were to be a man, Locke would be relieved from the succession. But one could say that it would give him more freedom. After all, Count Glinda was an adventurer who always save the heroine in pinch within the game.
[Incidentally, the heroine is about to participate in her first Advent Festival, isn’t she? Looks like I will be able to take some time off for that but would sir Keith like to stroll around with me? Although, I am aware that intruding with such a frivolous motive is not an excellent thing to do…]
Canaria’s last request was as good as granted, considering that we seldom meet anyway. Although we cannot readily meet due to each of our own country’s circumstances, once I become the crown prince, it would be important for her to get a feel of the Coloflare Kingdom’s affairs directly. (Although one can also say that I just want to take her out on a date.)
When I headed to my brother to tell him about my fiancée’s visit, Lady Chloe was just about to invite him as well.
‘Sir Benny, I will be dancing the Saintess’ dance this year too. Would you like to tour around with me in my free time?’
‘Sorry but I’ll be preoccupied with my council duties on the day of the Advent Festival. I will be busy until the dance party at noon so I cannot go with you. Now that I think about it, Keith’s fiancée will be visiting too. Chloe, you should guide her around instead.’
‘Whaaaaaaat!?’
An impromptu nomination and I couldn’t help but raise my voice in protest. Lady Chloe was dreadfully staring daggers at me, but we’re just both dissatisfied, just so you know.
‘B-But, I couldn’t possibly intrude on their seldom moments together…’
‘Intrude? Since when have you had such a considerate character? I’m saying that you need to deepen your relationship as future sisters-in-law.’
‘I… hng, very well.’
…This brother of mine, just used Canaria as a pretext to get rid of Chloe. I see, if that’s how you want to play, I won’t hold back too. If you hate your fiancee that much, then feel free to do as you wish then.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
‘…that’s how it is. Sister will be with us for a while, is that okay?’
‘Hohohoho. It’s Sir Benny’s personal request of me after all, but I will have to excuse myself during the ceremony. If you feel like I’m intruding too much, feel free to tell me about it.’
‘A,hahahaha… please treat me well.’
With this, we ended up going around the stalls with Lady Chloe in tow. Currently, Lady Chloe was in her school uniform, while Canaria was clad in a nimble one-piece dress. By the way, it was ruled that the non-student royalty who visits must be greeted in school uniform so that they will be easily recognizable. Lady Chloe was reluctantly made the guide but she was unexpectedly very helpful in introducing us to shops and commodities in an easily understandable manner.
‘This area is frequented by commoners but do the stall commodities suit Lady Chloe’s taste?’
‘The foods in these kinds of stalls are enjoyed by the ambiance and not by taste and quality. To be perfectly honest, they are not good at all, but by showing up and getting acquainted with people, you’ll be able to make use of them in other circumstances, right? You can just ignore the stalls that are no good anyway.’
….or so she says but, Lady Chloe steadily goes beneath the stalls. Which means all the stalls around here are no good.
‘Ah, that hot dog looks delicious.’
‘A hot dog? Wouldn’t you be able to eat those any time you want? You’ve gone so far as to visit, if you eat non-domestic specialties, you’ll be full before you know it, you know?’
‘Then, what about those frozen fruit salad…’
‘Please wait, that stall was put up by the sacred church. They do not use common magic so the ice that they use is natural. You’ll get a stomach upset if you’re not used to them.’
‘Then, the skewer….’
‘A student’s stall is it. The meat is burnt, and the sauce will make your hand too sticky, let’s pass on that one.’
She keeps on finding faults with every single thing. Nearly losing my patience, I whispered close to her ear.
‘Sister, do you wish for me to report to brother that you properly guided us?’
‘Of course, fear not, I already checked all the recommended shops.’
Hohoho, or so she laughs, pointing at the corner where there was a growing queue line.
‘That was the shop put up by a popular crepe shop near the castle. You can freely pick from deserts to accompaniments, and they have an especially delightful juice and ice cream which is recommended for…couples.’
Finding her explanation slowly becoming inarticulate, I turned my glance to where the lady’s eyes are fixed at. There, I saw the figures of my brother handing over the crepe he got from the shopkeeper to Lady Momo. Uwaaaa!
Sendinga signal to Canaria, we both took Lady Chloe, who was petrified, from both of her arms and hurriedly dragged her out of the place. What the hell is he doing in front of his fiancee!? Well, he might’ve not noticed her but didn’t he just say that he was busy?
‘Uhm, Sir Keith, I’ll explain it just in case but, that was the scene where his highness Leddorio helps Lady Momo who got separated from Chaco. It’s in the general route too so it does not mean that she had chosen his highness…’
‘And being seen by sister like that is accordingly to the game?’
‘Ah, yes. The two of them will separate from one another after that, then Lady Chloe will give her a piece of her mind afterward.’
Uwaa… Huh? Now that we separated her from them, wouldn’t that go against the plot? Well, this should be fine. Lady Chloe who recovered from her paralysis expressionlessly borrowed the bow and arrow from the target shop and shoots them at the target without so much a word, but because she was not blessed with the House Sereknights talent in archery, her arrows just fly out to all sorts of directions.
The two of us just ate the dried fruits we bought nearby, not being able to call out to her in that state.
‘Sorry, Canaria… Just when you finally visited, I ended up having you experience such a suffocating feeling.’
‘Not at all, sir. Walking around the stalls together with Sir Keith, guided by the Villainess herself. Those are experiences far more precious than the happening with Miss Momo.’
‘Canaria sure is optimistic… while I’m here anxious, thinking that sister could possibly call out to the darkness at any moment.’
‘Fufu, but I do understand how Lady Chloe feels.’
Huh? When I turned towards her, Lady Chloe was breathing roughly, preparing the bow while glaring at the target. Scary…. Just who is she fighting with? Canaria on the other hand watched over her with such a complex expression on her face.
‘I have stood next to Prince Leddorio as Momo Palette once. Keith being my stan aside, “Momo” was treated by his highness kindly and as time went by, grew attracted to one another. That was a very pleasant experience.
However, seeing the two of them objectively right next to Lady Chloe… the thought that such a scene could unfold with Sir Keith instead… feels quite painful.’
As Canaria casts her eyes downwards, I held her hand tightly. I am sure that I would never love any woman other than her. If it was me, I would definitely not make my fiancee feel anxious.
However, I’m aware that my brother would just reject that kind of thinking. I cannot respect my brother the same way I do before. My brother is a human too, he’s frail and there are parts of that fall behind in comparison to mine. I have come to accept that as a reality, and not just as knowledge brought by the game.
That was when Shin came to inform her that she has to go, so that’s where we separated ways with Lady Chloe.
‘The castle will have a dance party soon so feel free to wander around by yourselves until then…. Also, please tell Sir Benny that’
‘Of course, I will tell him that we were able to enjoy ourselves thanks to Lady Chloe.’
‘Fufu, it’s good that you understand.’
Lady Chloe was elatedly about to take out her folding fan but upon realizing that she dropped it at that moment, her facial expression returned to a stern one. After saying ‘Good day to you both.’ in a cold tone, she left with Shin in tow.
‘Saintess’ Dance huh, Lady Chloe will be dancing for her 2nd year, Lady Momo will be picked to do it by a third. I don’t think I can watch it next year, should I watch now?’
Canaria seemingly shows interest as she watched Lady Chloe’s retreating back. Unfortunately for her, I won’t miss the chance for us to be alone.
‘Canaria, there’s a place I want to take you too though.’
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
‘Whoa, so this is how it is inside the Sacred Church. It made me excited during the capture target’s events!’
Lady Canaria raised her voice out of sheer excited but when I beckoned her to keep it down, she hastily halted her mouth and nodded twice. The two of us are currently invading the church’s premises wearing wimple and habit dresses. Everyone else is too busy with the advent festival so there was no one to stop our bold entry.
‘It suits sir Keith too well. I can’t even compare.’
‘That’s not true at all. It fits Canaria well too.’
I’m a man and Canaria’s eye color does not match with her hair. We need to do everything for us to not stand out. If we wear convent clothes and wimple over our hair, it would likely be hard to recognize us as the 2nd prince and his fiancee. But well I put on light make-up just to be sure.
‘This is what I wanted to show you.’
‘Wow, isn’t this the archives that the heroine escapes to when she’s being tormented?’
According to the data that Canaria sent, the heroine who has gotten along with each capture target to a certain degree will get entangled with troubles due to the envy of the other female students. They’ll press on her saying that she’s getting too overfamiliar with the gentlemen and the only place she escapes to is this archive room. This is where she’ll read the forbidden records and come to realize the truth regarding the Saintess.
‘I heard the details roughly from you but, I still wanted to confirm things personally. I tried to stealthily go here and read them when I switched places with John but, I can’t understand them at all. Only the priests can understand the ancient language and the classes that teach them only accept female students.’
‘So these are the forbidden books. I only knew it as something that the heroine will read out loud in the game but… oh my,’
Canaria’s head inclined as she turned over the pages. I thought that she saw something interesting within but I couldn’t read anything at all.
‘What’s the matter, Canaria?’
‘Sir Keith, I can read this. It’s Japanese. It’s a language used in my previous life’s world.’
‘What!?’
The ancient language is a language in the otherworld!? Is that coincidence? Or was the ancestor of our kingdom an otherworlder too? Are we actually truly in a game world? The mystery grows deeper even more, but it appears that this is not the time to be speculative.
The archive’s door made a creaking sound as it opened and we both froze in shock. Someone is coming. It was impossible to completely hide behind the bookshelves with such small books. We need to do something to destruct him.
‘Sir Keith? What are… ngu-‘
‘Is anyone here? Hell—kyaa!?’
The intruder spots us inside and I could hear her catching her breath in shock. Well anybody would be surprised to see such passionate kissing in an archive room that nobody approaches. Which reminds me, both of us are currently in nun clothing; that just makes it twice the trouble.
‘I-I’m sorry for disturbing you!’
The girl hastily left the room in a hasty pitter-patter. Right after the sound of a closing door, I feel like I heard someone whisper ‘Whose fanservice is that!?1 After letting the lips of stiffened Canaria go, she gasped for a breath and protested with teary eyes.
‘Wha, w-w-w-w-w-what do you think you’re doing so suddenly, sir!? We’re in the sacred church, you know?’
‘Don’t worry, she just us as saw two girls fooling around.’
‘That’s not the problem here, sir! Jeez, sir Keith is too mischievous!’
Canaria kept on poking at me with her finger completely in the red. She’s cute but… it hurts. By the time that she regained her composure, her gaze went towards the door.
‘That was, Miss Momo, just now… wasn’t she? I saw her pinkish hair for a moment.’
It’s not as though pink-colored hair is rare within the Coloflare Kingdom, but in the game, the only ones with pink hair other than the heroine are her mother and the first saintess. (That was also the first time I knew her hair color.) At any rate, that voice I heard was certainly that of the Momo Palette I know.
‘Looks like she didn’t focus on anyone this year. Is it because this is the season to raise her status, just like in the game as Canaria said?’
‘Uhm, I didn’t pay attention due to confusion earlier but, did she say “fanservice”2 earlier, sir?’
She took off her wimple and fanned her flushed face, looking up. Canaria was hesitating to continue for a moment, but when I urged her, she dropped an explosive revelation.
‘It’s possible the Miss Momo, is a reincarnator just like me.’
My name is John Brian, the eldest son of Brian Baron House which belongs to the 2nd prince faction. This year, I enrolled in the same year as Lady Chloe Sereknight, the fiancée of the first prince. The job class assigned to me by the adventurer’s guild is thief, and right now I’m considering joining the newspaper club—or so is my position right now.
Changing places with John at times, I infiltrate the royal academy to directly check whether the scenario is following the game. The reason why John was assigned the thief class was likely the reflection of his personal history in stowing with a pirate ship. Besides, his current tenure involves information gathering.
The reason why I had him join the newspaper club was so that I would not be under suspicion even if I move around with a magic tool, as well as to get a closer look at the heroine through the helper character, ‘Chaco Brown.’
From John’s reports and my personal inspection, the heroine identified herself as Momo Palette. She is a saintess candidate from Palette Village, the same village that Count Glinda adopted his son from. She was a petite girl with fluffy pink hair and a dazzling pair of eyes like that of an adorable small animal. While I initially found how she was able to attract my brother surprising, it was not so much anymore seeing as though she was Lady Chloe’s total opposite.
As of the moment, she is equally close to each one of the capture targets but, she doesn’t treat any of them especially. She even paired with the teacher in her orientation after all, but that’s probably how it is in the beginning.
On that particular day when I changed places with John, the results of the exams were put up. The names of the top twenty students were listed in a row and the surrounding students crowded it. Lady Chloe was top 8th, while Lady Momo was top 15th. She’s working quite hard for a new enrollee. John was below top 20th but that can’t be helped because he was a foreigner a few years ago.
‘Darck was the top, huh? Mhm. Well, he’s a pathetic mistress’ child, so I guess he should at least do well in his studies, right?’
I thought I heard a displeased voice but it was Vlad. What the hell is he doing?
‘Look Chloe, your earnest brother took the top spot, minister-to-the-right must be proud, isn’t he? You, on the other hand, are in 8th place huh? Nothing special, I guess.’
‘….Why don’t you mind your own business before worrying about others, Vlad? I heard that you were on the red this term too. You’ll end up making your father cry.’
‘Don’t be so angsty. You’ll be wed to the first prince so you don’t need to study that hard, right? But not him, the guy has to inherit the dukedom. Having such an embarrassing lineage on one’s back sure is quite pitiful, wouldn’t you think so?’
I already knew he was terrible from our first meeting but Vlad is just too stupid. This guy will be the next head of House Moonlight? No way, he’d make me too anxious. I heard that the duke is renovating the religious institution that he donates to and is in a cordial relationship with, just in case Chloe gets exiled but, this guy needs to be put in there for correction more than the lady.
Dark clenches his fists in silence while Chloe is staring daggers like she’s about to kill a person. As the situation is nearing its critical point, I couldn’t bear it any longer and shot the whole scene with my magic camera.
‘Wha, what are you doing!?’
‘Sir Moonlight, come here for a minute.’
‘Oi, what the heck!? Unhand me, you impertinent brat!’
While everyone was flinching from the camera flash, I took Vlad by the arms towards the building’s shade. The sudden intrusion has shaved the two Sereknight siblings of their anger and replaced them with bewilderment.
‘What are you doing, damn it!? Who do you think I am? A mere lower noble like you…’
‘It’s you who should realize who you’re speaking to.’
‘Wha!? Sir… ouch!!’
After taking off my glasses and glaring at him, Vlad’s lunging resentful appearance had turned ghost pale. He almost blurted out my identity so I stomped on his foot to keep him silent.
‘Don’t clamor too much. Hasn’t your father told you that as well?’
‘Why are you here, sir…?’
‘I came here to observe the young lords of the 2nd prince faction. With their parents behind them at gatherings, I wouldn’t be able to see their real sentiments… I had House Brian cooperate with me for that.’
Putting my glasses back on, I glossed it over with an arbitrary excuse. Now that he knows that we change places often, he likely won’t do anything to John either.
‘However, for the 2nd prince himself to do it personally…. Ah, if you would like, I am willing to lend assistance.’
‘Your house is ‘still’ with the first prince faction, right?’
‘No no, sir. From what I can see, his highness Leddorio is too unstable. Well, the cause is principally Lady Chloe though. Their relationship has gone so worse that I wouldn’t find strange if he’d gladly throw his succession rights just to cut his ties with her.’
‘Just don’t do anything unnecessary, please.’
No matter how you look at it, it’s not so simple that you can pin all the blames on Lady Chloe alone. But it is true that my older brother is feeling cornered psychologically. That was the game’s settings as well as the pressure of the intensifying succession conflict due to my retainers sensing that I’m aiming for the crown prince’s seat. I already knew that this would happen when I chose this path.
Switching with John, I returned to the castle where Canaria’s letter was waiting for me. Locke has safely met the Corundum Kingdom’s guardian, or rather, it seems that it was quite infatuated with him. The House Glinda obtained its blessing and whether it’s the result of that or not, the Countess managed to conceive a child.
That being the case, if the born child were to be a man, Locke would be relieved from the succession. But one could say that it would give him more freedom. After all, Count Glinda was an adventurer who always save the heroine in pinch within the game.
[Incidentally, the heroine is about to participate in her first Advent Festival, isn’t she? Looks like I will be able to take some time off for that but would sir Keith like to stroll around with me? Although, I am aware that intruding with such a frivolous motive is not an excellent thing to do…]
Canaria’s last request was as good as granted, considering that we seldom meet anyway. Although we cannot readily meet due to each of our own country’s circumstances, once I become the crown prince, it would be important for her to get a feel of the Coloflare Kingdom’s affairs directly. (Although one can also say that I just want to take her out on a date.)
When I headed to my brother to tell him about my fiancée’s visit, Lady Chloe was just about to invite him as well.
‘Sir Benny, I will be dancing the Saintess’ dance this year too. Would you like to tour around with me in my free time?’
‘Sorry but I’ll be preoccupied with my council duties on the day of the Advent Festival. I will be busy until the dance party at noon so I cannot go with you. Now that I think about it, Keith’s fiancée will be visiting too. Chloe, you should guide her around instead.’
‘Whaaaaaaat!?’
An impromptu nomination and I couldn’t help but raise my voice in protest. Lady Chloe was dreadfully staring daggers at me, but we’re just both dissatisfied, just so you know.
‘B-But, I couldn’t possibly intrude on their seldom moments together…’
‘Intrude? Since when have you had such a considerate character? I’m saying that you need to deepen your relationship as future sisters-in-law.’
‘I… hng, very well.’
…This brother of mine, just used Canaria as a pretext to get rid of Chloe. I see, if that’s how you want to play, I won’t hold back too. If you hate your fiancee that much, then feel free to do as you wish then.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
‘…that’s how it is. Sister will be with us for a while, is that okay?’
‘Hohohoho. It’s Sir Benny’s personal request of me after all, but I will have to excuse myself during the ceremony. If you feel like I’m intruding too much, feel free to tell me about it.’
‘A,hahahaha… please treat me well.’
With this, we ended up going around the stalls with Lady Chloe in tow. Currently, Lady Chloe was in her school uniform, while Canaria was clad in a nimble one-piece dress. By the way, it was ruled that the non-student royalty who visits must be greeted in school uniform so that they will be easily recognizable. Lady Chloe was reluctantly made the guide but she was unexpectedly very helpful in introducing us to shops and commodities in an easily understandable manner.
‘This area is frequented by commoners but do the stall commodities suit Lady Chloe’s taste?’
‘The foods in these kinds of stalls are enjoyed by the ambiance and not by taste and quality. To be perfectly honest, they are not good at all, but by showing up and getting acquainted with people, you’ll be able to make use of them in other circumstances, right? You can just ignore the stalls that are no good anyway.’
….or so she says but, Lady Chloe steadily goes beneath the stalls. Which means all the stalls around here are no good.
‘Ah, that hot dog looks delicious.’
‘A hot dog? Wouldn’t you be able to eat those any time you want? You’ve gone so far as to visit, if you eat non-domestic specialties, you’ll be full before you know it, you know?’
‘Then, what about those frozen fruit salad…’
‘Please wait, that stall was put up by the sacred church. They do not use common magic so the ice that they use is natural. You’ll get a stomach upset if you’re not used to them.’
‘Then, the skewer….’
‘A student’s stall is it. The meat is burnt, and the sauce will make your hand too sticky, let’s pass on that one.’
She keeps on finding faults with every single thing. Nearly losing my patience, I whispered close to her ear.
‘Sister, do you wish for me to report to brother that you properly guided us?’
‘Of course, fear not, I already checked all the recommended shops.’
Hohoho, or so she laughs, pointing at the corner where there was a growing queue line.
‘That was the shop put up by a popular crepe shop near the castle. You can freely pick from deserts to accompaniments, and they have an especially delightful juice and ice cream which is recommended for…couples.’
Finding her explanation slowly becoming inarticulate, I turned my glance to where the lady’s eyes are fixed at. There, I saw the figures of my brother handing over the crepe he got from the shopkeeper to Lady Momo. Uwaaaa!
Sendinga signal to Canaria, we both took Lady Chloe, who was petrified, from both of her arms and hurriedly dragged her out of the place. What the hell is he doing in front of his fiancee!? Well, he might’ve not noticed her but didn’t he just say that he was busy?
‘Uhm, Sir Keith, I’ll explain it just in case but, that was the scene where his highness Leddorio helps Lady Momo who got separated from Chaco. It’s in the general route too so it does not mean that she had chosen his highness…’
‘And being seen by sister like that is accordingly to the game?’
‘Ah, yes. The two of them will separate from one another after that, then Lady Chloe will give her a piece of her mind afterward.’
Uwaa… Huh? Now that we separated her from them, wouldn’t that go against the plot? Well, this should be fine. Lady Chloe who recovered from her paralysis expressionlessly borrowed the bow and arrow from the target shop and shoots them at the target without so much a word, but because she was not blessed with the House Sereknights talent in archery, her arrows just fly out to all sorts of directions.
The two of us just ate the dried fruits we bought nearby, not being able to call out to her in that state.
‘Sorry, Canaria… Just when you finally visited, I ended up having you experience such a suffocating feeling.’
‘Not at all, sir. Walking around the stalls together with Sir Keith, guided by the Villainess herself. Those are experiences far more precious than the happening with Miss Momo.’
‘Canaria sure is optimistic… while I’m here anxious, thinking that sister could possibly call out to the darkness at any moment.’
‘Fufu, but I do understand how Lady Chloe feels.’
Huh? When I turned towards her, Lady Chloe was breathing roughly, preparing the bow while glaring at the target. Scary…. Just who is she fighting with? Canaria on the other hand watched over her with such a complex expression on her face.
‘I have stood next to Prince Leddorio as Momo Palette once. Keith being my stan aside, “Momo” was treated by his highness kindly and as time went by, grew attracted to one another. That was a very pleasant experience.
However, seeing the two of them objectively right next to Lady Chloe… the thought that such a scene could unfold with Sir Keith instead… feels quite painful.’
As Canaria casts her eyes downwards, I held her hand tightly. I am sure that I would never love any woman other than her. If it was me, I would definitely not make my fiancee feel anxious.
However, I’m aware that my brother would just reject that kind of thinking. I cannot respect my brother the same way I do before. My brother is a human too, he’s frail and there are parts of that fall behind in comparison to mine. I have come to accept that as a reality, and not just as knowledge brought by the game.
That was when Shin came to inform her that she has to go, so that’s where we separated ways with Lady Chloe.
‘The castle will have a dance party soon so feel free to wander around by yourselves until then…. Also, please tell Sir Benny that’
‘Of course, I will tell him that we were able to enjoy ourselves thanks to Lady Chloe.’
‘Fufu, it’s good that you understand.’
Lady Chloe was elatedly about to take out her folding fan but upon realizing that she dropped it at that moment, her facial expression returned to a stern one. After saying ‘Good day to you both.’ in a cold tone, she left with Shin in tow.
‘Saintess’ Dance huh, Lady Chloe will be dancing for her 2nd year, Lady Momo will be picked to do it by a third. I don’t think I can watch it next year, should I watch now?’
Canaria seemingly shows interest as she watched Lady Chloe’s retreating back. Unfortunately for her, I won’t miss the chance for us to be alone.
‘Canaria, there’s a place I want to take you too though.’
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
‘Whoa, so this is how it is inside the Sacred Church. It made me excited during the capture target’s events!’
Lady Canaria raised her voice out of sheer excited but when I beckoned her to keep it down, she hastily halted her mouth and nodded twice. The two of us are currently invading the church’s premises wearing wimple and habit dresses. Everyone else is too busy with the advent festival so there was no one to stop our bold entry.
‘It suits sir Keith too well. I can’t even compare.’
‘That’s not true at all. It fits Canaria well too.’
I’m a man and Canaria’s eye color does not match with her hair. We need to do everything for us to not stand out. If we wear convent clothes and wimple over our hair, it would likely be hard to recognize us as the 2nd prince and his fiancee. But well I put on light make-up just to be sure.
‘This is what I wanted to show you.’
‘Wow, isn’t this the archives that the heroine escapes to when she’s being tormented?’
According to the data that Canaria sent, the heroine who has gotten along with each capture target to a certain degree will get entangled with troubles due to the envy of the other female students. They’ll press on her saying that she’s getting too overfamiliar with the gentlemen and the only place she escapes to is this archive room. This is where she’ll read the forbidden records and come to realize the truth regarding the Saintess.
‘I heard the details roughly from you but, I still wanted to confirm things personally. I tried to stealthily go here and read them when I switched places with John but, I can’t understand them at all. Only the priests can understand the ancient language and the classes that teach them only accept female students.’
‘So these are the forbidden books. I only knew it as something that the heroine will read out loud in the game but… oh my,’
Canaria’s head inclined as she turned over the pages. I thought that she saw something interesting within but I couldn’t read anything at all.
‘What’s the matter, Canaria?’
‘Sir Keith, I can read this. It’s Japanese. It’s a language used in my previous life’s world.’
‘What!?’
The ancient language is a language in the otherworld!? Is that coincidence? Or was the ancestor of our kingdom an otherworlder too? Are we actually truly in a game world? The mystery grows deeper even more, but it appears that this is not the time to be speculative.
The archive’s door made a creaking sound as it opened and we both froze in shock. Someone is coming. It was impossible to completely hide behind the bookshelves with such small books. We need to do something to destruct him.
‘Sir Keith? What are… ngu-‘
‘Is anyone here? Hell—kyaa!?’
The intruder spots us inside and I could hear her catching her breath in shock. Well anybody would be surprised to see such passionate kissing in an archive room that nobody approaches. Which reminds me, both of us are currently in nun clothing; that just makes it twice the trouble.
‘I-I’m sorry for disturbing you!’
The girl hastily left the room in a hasty pitter-patter. Right after the sound of a closing door, I feel like I heard someone whisper ‘Whose fanservice is that!?1 After letting the lips of stiffened Canaria go, she gasped for a breath and protested with teary eyes.
‘Wha, w-w-w-w-w-what do you think you’re doing so suddenly, sir!? We’re in the sacred church, you know?’
‘Don’t worry, she just us as saw two girls fooling around.’
‘That’s not the problem here, sir! Jeez, sir Keith is too mischievous!’
Canaria kept on poking at me with her finger completely in the red. She’s cute but… it hurts. By the time that she regained her composure, her gaze went towards the door.
‘That was, Miss Momo, just now… wasn’t she? I saw her pinkish hair for a moment.’
It’s not as though pink-colored hair is rare within the Coloflare Kingdom, but in the game, the only ones with pink hair other than the heroine are her mother and the first saintess. (That was also the first time I knew her hair color.) At any rate, that voice I heard was certainly that of the Momo Palette I know.
‘Looks like she didn’t focus on anyone this year. Is it because this is the season to raise her status, just like in the game as Canaria said?’
‘Uhm, I didn’t pay attention due to confusion earlier but, did she say “fanservice”2 earlier, sir?’
She took off her wimple and fanned her flushed face, looking up. Canaria was hesitating to continue for a moment, but when I urged her, she dropped an explosive revelation.
‘It’s possible the Miss Momo, is a reincarnator just like me.’
