“Um, sorry to interrupt the fun, but have you forgotten about me?”
Then, both Paolo and Emilio said at the same time.
“That’s not true.”
“That’s not true, is it?”
“Well then, please stop for now. Also, please listen to what I have to say.”
As I said that, the two men’s gaze turned towards me.
Anyway, the argument seemed to have been interrupted. All that was left was to convey my thoughts.
Alright, I psyched myself up in my mind.
Even though there were only three people in the audience, it was still nerve-wracking. I took a deep breath and spoke up.
“First of all, I want to say that it seems like both of you were talking under the assumption that I would choose one of you, but I don’t intend to choose either of you.”
“But…”
Emilio looks at me suspiciously.
I had expected that.
What he probably wants to say is that if we go back like this, it will damage my reputation. Certainly, it wouldn’t be a good story, and if we do as Emilio says, we can come up with various lies. Since the fact that we are trapped here is true, we can make up something plausible.
That way, we can minimize our losses.
However, there was something more important to me than that.
“But, it’s not like we can go back to the way things were, right? So…”
To Paolo’s question, I shook my head.
That wasn’t the issue.
“Then why? Even if you want it, it may not be possible for those around you. You may be rejected by many people…”
“That’s okay. I have decided not to betray myself.”
As I assert this, both Paolo and Emilio fall silent with subtle expressions.
Although I may have hurt them, I was relieved that I was able to say it properly.
I had been thinking about it all along.
Even considering the worst-case scenario, that was my conclusion.
Jeremiah was the one who gave me courage. It was impossible for me to betray someone like him.
“…But still, I won’t give up.”
A squeezed-out voice came from behind.
“Paolo.”
“Yeah, me too. Our luck has finally turned around, so I don’t want to give up here.”
“Lieutenant Colonel Caldelara.”
I laughed at their words. They were such troublesome people. But being needed made me happy.
One day, one of them might push me too far. Thinking that, I said:
“It’s probably pointless, but do your best.”
Then, a sigh could be heard from a little distance away.
“Lorraine-oneesama, you’re so cool.”
It was Lucia.
She looked at me with eyes that seemed to be admiring me. I was surprised. I felt like she had some kind of terrible misunderstanding.
It was as if she thought I was one of the glamorous people in the world. I think I said something that only people like socialites or actresses are allowed to say.
I said it with a feeling of almost dying.
I thought I had to say something, but Lucia was faster.
“I want to be like Onee-sama someday. So that I can manipulate a wonderful man like that…”
Ah, I knew it.
I cursed my slow thinking, but I knew that Lucia didn’t listen to people.
I wanted to scratch my head, but Paolo still wouldn’t let go.
As I wondered what to do, a helping hand appeared unexpectedly. It was the silly sound coming from my stomach, signaling hunger.
“…Shall we have a meal?”
Paolo said with a small laugh.
“Yes.”
I replied with nothing but embarrassment.
◆
Three days had passed since the event that seemed to have used up almost all of my love luck for the next life. Almost every day, I went around listening to the people in the castle.
Sometimes I talked about myself, and there were times when we got excited about completely unrelated topics or when they confided in me about their troubles.
At first, some people were wary or disgusted with me, but gradually they began to accept my presence, and I was hardly ever looked at with hostile eyes like when I first arrived.
“You never get bored, do you?”
Paolo, who still accompanied me as a guard and watchman, said that to me, and I smiled wryly.
“Really, but it’s interesting.”
And I continued to think that in my heart.
I had been brought here for quite some time now. While I wanted to go back and see everyone’s faces, I was also afraid of how they would react, so I tried not to think about it too much. But when I returned to my room, I couldn’t help but think about it, so sometimes I walked around until I got tired and could sleep right away.
When that didn’t work, I wrote down the stories I heard. As I wrote, I eventually became sleepy and could finally sleep.
By the way, I have been given a room inside the castle now.
It seems that they can’t leave me in that inn forever. However, it’s a pretty good room. Still, it didn’t change the fact that I couldn’t settle down.
“Don’t you think you should rest a little more? You look thinner.”
“It’s okay, I’m on a diet.”
“You don’t have to do that. You’re already thin overall.”
Paolo’s casual words made me snort.
“I know that. I’m flat overall.”
“I-I didn’t say that!”
I glanced at the flustered Paolo and sighed deliberately with lukewarm eyes. Then, Paolo groaned.
“S-Sorry, I take it back.”
“It’s okay, I’m not bothered.”
As I replied with a slight smile, Paolo looked troubled. While thinking that I had told the truth, I shifted my gaze forward and met the eyes of a bearded man. He came near us with a very cheerful chuckle. Seeing that, Paolo and I stopped.
“It’s nice to have a good relationship. I’m a little jealous.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hahaha, well, she probably doesn’t know. Anyway, we’re being called. Ojo-sama over there is coming too.”
Paolo’s face tightened at the bearded man’s casual words. While feeling a creeping sense of unease in my chest as I watched him, I asked.
“Um, sorry to interrupt the fun, but have you forgotten about me?”
Then, both Paolo and Emilio said at the same time.
“That’s not true.”
“That’s not true, is it?”
“Well then, please stop for now. Also, please listen to what I have to say.”
As I said that, the two men’s gaze turned towards me.
Anyway, the argument seemed to have been interrupted. All that was left was to convey my thoughts.
Alright, I psyched myself up in my mind.
Even though there were only three people in the audience, it was still nerve-wracking. I took a deep breath and spoke up.
“First of all, I want to say that it seems like both of you were talking under the assumption that I would choose one of you, but I don’t intend to choose either of you.”
“But…”
Emilio looks at me suspiciously.
I had expected that.
What he probably wants to say is that if we go back like this, it will damage my reputation. Certainly, it wouldn’t be a good story, and if we do as Emilio says, we can come up with various lies. Since the fact that we are trapped here is true, we can make up something plausible.
That way, we can minimize our losses.
However, there was something more important to me than that.
“But, it’s not like we can go back to the way things were, right? So…”
To Paolo’s question, I shook my head.
That wasn’t the issue.
“Then why? Even if you want it, it may not be possible for those around you. You may be rejected by many people…”
“That’s okay. I have decided not to betray myself.”
As I assert this, both Paolo and Emilio fall silent with subtle expressions.
Although I may have hurt them, I was relieved that I was able to say it properly.
I had been thinking about it all along.
Even considering the worst-case scenario, that was my conclusion.
Jeremiah was the one who gave me courage. It was impossible for me to betray someone like him.
“…But still, I won’t give up.”
A squeezed-out voice came from behind.
“Paolo.”
“Yeah, me too. Our luck has finally turned around, so I don’t want to give up here.”
“Lieutenant Colonel Caldelara.”
I laughed at their words. They were such troublesome people. But being needed made me happy.
One day, one of them might push me too far. Thinking that, I said:
“It’s probably pointless, but do your best.”
Then, a sigh could be heard from a little distance away.
“Lorraine-oneesama, you’re so cool.”
It was Lucia.
She looked at me with eyes that seemed to be admiring me. I was surprised. I felt like she had some kind of terrible misunderstanding.
It was as if she thought I was one of the glamorous people in the world. I think I said something that only people like socialites or actresses are allowed to say.
I said it with a feeling of almost dying.
I thought I had to say something, but Lucia was faster.
“I want to be like Onee-sama someday. So that I can manipulate a wonderful man like that…”
Ah, I knew it.
I cursed my slow thinking, but I knew that Lucia didn’t listen to people.
I wanted to scratch my head, but Paolo still wouldn’t let go.
As I wondered what to do, a helping hand appeared unexpectedly. It was the silly sound coming from my stomach, signaling hunger.
“…Shall we have a meal?”
Paolo said with a small laugh.
“Yes.”
I replied with nothing but embarrassment.
◆
Three days had passed since the event that seemed to have used up almost all of my love luck for the next life. Almost every day, I went around listening to the people in the castle.
Sometimes I talked about myself, and there were times when we got excited about completely unrelated topics or when they confided in me about their troubles.
At first, some people were wary or disgusted with me, but gradually they began to accept my presence, and I was hardly ever looked at with hostile eyes like when I first arrived.
“You never get bored, do you?”
Paolo, who still accompanied me as a guard and watchman, said that to me, and I smiled wryly.
“Really, but it’s interesting.”
And I continued to think that in my heart.
I had been brought here for quite some time now. While I wanted to go back and see everyone’s faces, I was also afraid of how they would react, so I tried not to think about it too much. But when I returned to my room, I couldn’t help but think about it, so sometimes I walked around until I got tired and could sleep right away.
When that didn’t work, I wrote down the stories I heard. As I wrote, I eventually became sleepy and could finally sleep.
By the way, I have been given a room inside the castle now.
It seems that they can’t leave me in that inn forever. However, it’s a pretty good room. Still, it didn’t change the fact that I couldn’t settle down.
“Don’t you think you should rest a little more? You look thinner.”
“It’s okay, I’m on a diet.”
“You don’t have to do that. You’re already thin overall.”
Paolo’s casual words made me snort.
“I know that. I’m flat overall.”
“I-I didn’t say that!”
I glanced at the flustered Paolo and sighed deliberately with lukewarm eyes. Then, Paolo groaned.
“S-Sorry, I take it back.”
“It’s okay, I’m not bothered.”
As I replied with a slight smile, Paolo looked troubled. While thinking that I had told the truth, I shifted my gaze forward and met the eyes of a bearded man. He came near us with a very cheerful chuckle. Seeing that, Paolo and I stopped.
“It’s nice to have a good relationship. I’m a little jealous.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hahaha, well, she probably doesn’t know. Anyway, we’re being called. Ojo-sama over there is coming too.”
Paolo’s face tightened at the bearded man’s casual words. While feeling a creeping sense of unease in my chest as I watched him, I asked.
