We headed into the city to accompany Marie on her little shopping trip. She was patronizing stores that specialized in women’s clothing, so we hung around outside to wait for her.
“I was shocked to hear how she grew up,” I said to my partner.
“It was certainly more miserable than we anticipated. Based on what we have learned, it is my personal opinion that it would be far too risky to simply ignore Viscount Lafan and his household. And we would hardly be the only ones who benefited from dispatching them.”
I stared at him. “Is it just me or are you seriously soft on her?”
“I will not deny that. The blood of old humanity runs as strong in Marie as it does you, Master. It is only natural I would give her preferential treatment.”
“You don’t say.” I let the conversation dry up there, at least until I noticed another store down the road—one I’d seen before. “Hey, isn’t that the place Marie was ogling that first time?”
“It is indeed. They truck in dresses and other ladies’ accessories. It appears they even provide custom tailoring.”
I remembered Marie being particularly taken with the place. From what I could see of their display, their merchandise was top quality, with a price to match. Marie could never hope to afford anything from there on her own.
“A gown is probably some far-off dream to a girl who can’t even afford her own socks,” I said to myself.
“Quite.”
After contemplating the matter for a moment, I made my way over to that shop while Marie was otherwise occupied.
***
April had been action-packed with all sorts of events, but ever since that last incident, things had calmed down. I was only a background character, after all; excitement wasn’t exactly my middle name. My days returned to their usual monotony, which consisted of attending classes, exploring the local dungeon, and saving money for tea parties.
Before I knew it, the term was nearly over. The problem was that I’d only ever had the one attendee at every tea party I threw: Marie. My jerkbag of an older sister, Jenna, occasionally dropped in to heckle me though. Like today.
“Hey, loser, are you seriously going to marry Marie?”
“Uh, what?” I was in the middle of pouring my sister a fresh cup when she kicked me in the face with that question.
Jenna shrugged, staring disinterestedly at her nails. “You invite her to all of your tea parties, so I just figured it was a done deal,” she said. “Although I guess she’s not here today.”
“She’s not here today because she knew you were coming,” I snapped.
“Marie may not be a problem in herself, but her family sure is. I hear they’re drowning in debt.” Jenna snatched up one of the snacks on the table and took a bite.
I couldn’t figure out my sister’s angle. It was almost like she was warning me against getting romantically involved with Marie. Was she actually worried about me in her own twisted way? Or was she more worried that Marie’s family ties would somehow impact her life if I got together with her? Okay, yeah, it had to be the latter.
“That’s not how it is with us. We’re friends. Friends,” I repeated for extra emphasis.
We had a lot in common, given our origins in Japan. More than we had in common with anyone else in this world. The values we’d inherited from our previous lives sort of clashed with the tenets of this one.
Jenna narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing my face. “Well, if you do go through with this, you’ll be the one to suffer, so it’s not like I care. But you can’t say I didn’t try to warn you.”
Yes, you’ve made it plenty clear you don’t like the company I keep.
“I think you should be more worried about yourself,” I said. “Haven’t you found a guy yet?”
Jenna leaned back in her chair. “Unlike you, I’ve got more options than I know what to do with. I’ll have you know multiple boys are courting me.”
“Must be nice.”
The capital had been a terrible influence on Jenna, exacerbating her already insufferable personality, and yet some guys were still trying to get with her. Maybe it was her looks. I was probably biased, being her little brother, but I thought she had some decent qualities in that arena.
Thanks to my contributions, our house was finally free of debt, and our region was developing at volume and speed. Since we lived in the far-flung countryside and sat on the lowest rungs of the noble hierarchy, we had no troublesome ties to any of the aristocratic factions. That made Jenna a hot commodity for my peers.
Hard to believe someone as unbearable as her is prime wife material. What a rotten world this is.
“It’s your own fault.” Jenna stabbed a finger in my direction. “If you hadn’t gotten so close with Marie, you’d have a whole army of girls on your doorstep. You did yourself a big favor by taking down those pirates, but then you had to go and ruin it by attaching yourself to her. No wonder everyone has the wrong idea.”
I made an exaggerated gasp. “Gee, I guess I sure screwed up this time.”
“Hmph. You don’t actually think that.”
I shrugged. “I do think it’s a shame.”
“You aren’t fooling anybody. I always had a hard time reading you, but it’s gotten even worse since you enrolled here. Do you realize that?”
That made sense. Between my memories of my past life and knowledge of this game, my actions were probably pretty inscrutable.
“Anyway,” I said, eager to change the subject, “is Marie’s family really that awful?”
Jenna stared at me for a moment. She probably sensed I was avoiding something, but she didn’t bother to press the issue. “All I know is what I’ve heard, but they certainly sound pretty awful.”
***
At the academy, it was tradition to hold a party for each grade before extended vacation. The principle aim was to give students a chance to practice formal etiquette, as well as provide an opportunity for students to interact with as many of their peers as possible. For the female students, this was a chance to get dolled up in their best gowns and make a good show of themselves. Those who didn’t have the money for tailor-made dresses had to rent theirs instead. For students as dirt poor as Marie, even that option was too expensive.
“Gaaaaah!” Marie howled. “I knew I should’ve gone dungeoning more often to make some cash!”
The school party was only hours away when she began to lament her life and her choices. If her reaction was any indication, she’d hoped to attend in a gown rather than her school uniform. I found her sniffling about it behind the main building, which was when I handed her a gift bag.
“I figured you’d say something like that, so I got an outfit for you,” I said.
Her head shot up, but the look on her face was less joy than suspicion. “You picked it out?” she asked skeptically, as if she didn’t trust my fashion sense. “You don’t even know my size, do you?”
“He does not,” Luxion agreed, “but I am fully aware of your measurements. You need not be concerned in that arena.”
Marie’s jaw dropped. “Have you no respect for my privacy?!”
I grabbed her by the arm and started dragging her inside. “Luxion wrote them down, and I passed them to the store. Not that I looked. So relax.” I figured that would allay her concerns, but her mood didn’t really improve.
“Are you saying you have no interest in a girl like me, huh? Are you mocking me?”
“If there’s a right answer to that, do enlighten me. Actually, scratch that. We’re out of time. Hurry up and get changed.”
***
The academy was equipped with changing rooms for the female students, with staff on hand to attend to their hair and makeup. Having this option on hand was a welcome luxury for the girls. The boys, of course, were provided with no such services.
I had already made an appointment for Marie in advance, so I left everything up to the staff while I waited outside.
“Wh-what do you think?” Marie asked nervously as she stepped out.
“You look incredible,” I said sincerely.
Her face flushed.
Marie was wearing the exact dress she had ogled in the window display ages ago. I’d had the shop’s tailors adjust it to her measurements and bought accessories and shoes to match.
I knew she’d long yearned to wear a gown like this. It would have been insensitive to tease her, even if that was my knee-jerk reaction. So I snapped my mouth shut after giving my thoughts to keep myself from adding anything off-putting. See? I can read the room.
Tears welled in Marie’s eyes. “It’s…it’s the first time I’ve ever worn a dress like this.”
She had mentioned working in the adult industry once upon a time, but apparently they didn’t wear gowns quite like this.
“Glad you have the chance now,” I said. “How about we get going?” I offered my hand, and she readily took it.
***
The party was held in an enormous event hall with extravagant decorations that felt far too fancy for a student function. A buffet table was lined with dishes from top chefs, all of which had been designed to be eaten while standing. A live orchestra played in the background.
Back in my time in Japan, I had never attended a party as luxurious as this. Namely because I’d never really gone to parties.
“This world is something else,” I said.
“Shur ish!” Marie was already gorging herself. She looked all the more out of place doing it in that adorable gown. Part of me wondered what she was thinking, but I decided to hold my tongue, since she was enjoying herself.
“Anyway, how come I’m stuck with you? I was supposed to be going around picking up girls with Daniel and Raymond.” I frowned.
Marie shot me a look. “Wouldn’t you feel bad leaving me all by myself?”
Besides, Daniel and Raymond were off with those girls that Marie had introduced them to. Originally, the three of us had intended to move as a group to try to hit on our female classmates, but now they’d insisted they already had their minds made up. The coldhearted jerks had totally broken their promise to me. They were way too preoccupied with trying to land themselves a match as quickly as possible so they could bow out of this miserable bride race.
I can’t let them get away with this. I was already figuring out how to track them down to disrupt their little dates.
Beside me, Marie was chowing down on the mountain of food she’d stacked on her plate, but as her gaze wandered, she suddenly said, “Wow, would you look at that.” Her voice was thick with envy.
I followed her line of sight to Julius and Olivia. The latter was dressed in her school uniform, but all of the love interests had surrounded her. Their popularity made them stand out, and the way they showered Olivia with attention drew attention to her as well.
“Wishing that was you?” I asked, leaning toward Marie.
She shook her head. “Dummy. I was just thinking we live in totally separate worlds. And anyway, my values would seriously clash with theirs.”
The sort of luxury that made Marie balk was, to them, normal—or even restrained. Although she still envied Olivia, she had at least given up on ever stealing her spotlight.
“I’m glad you understand,” I said. “Now there’s no one to get in Miss Olivia’s way.”
As long as the protagonist hooked up with one of her love interests, the world would be saved. We were headed for a happy end, provided nothing unforeseen popped up.
Marie and I watched the other attendees from a cozy spot by the wall. Everything was so ostentatious that it really did feel like a different world. Not in the literal sense, although that was indeed the case. It was more like Marie had said—the love interests were on a completely different level from the rest of us. We occupied the same space here at the school, but we lived our lives on opposite sides of an invisible chasm.
Then Marie let out a squeak as Angelica appeared and directly addressed the prince. “Ah…”
Angelica glowered at Olivia as she tried to step between them.
***
“Your Highness, don’t you think you should be more selective with the company you keep?” Angelica asked as she glided up to him.
“I believe I’ve already told you not to bring outside affairs onto campus.”
Angelica was dressed in a finely tailored gown that had been specially prepared for this occasion in the hope of drawing the prince’s interest. She’d thought he might at least compliment her, but far from offering any praise, he had thus far completely ignored her presence. Julius’s attention was focused solely on Olivia, who didn’t even have the money to wear anything but her uniform. And he wasn’t alone; his fellow respected heirs-to-be were fawning over her as well.
Angelica couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t jealous, but her bigger concern was the pure scandal of the spectacle.
Julius instinctively stepped in front of Olivia, putting himself between the girls and blocking Angelica’s disapproving gaze. She found she resented him for it. Meanwhile, Olivia stood behind him, her gaze shifting about uncomfortably.
Why, Angelica wondered, are you taking my place? That’s where I’m supposed to be!
What vexed her most was not that Olivia had stolen the prince’s attention and affection, but that she looked distressed. She obviously had no appreciation for what it meant to stand at Julius’s side. The thought infuriated Angelica.
“Scholarship student,” Angelica said, rather than addressing Olivia by name. “I warned you before, didn’t I? Is this your answer?”
Before Olivia could respond, Julius interjected. “What did you say to her? I know I told you that I didn’t want you leaning on my status at school, Angelica.”
His interference prevented her from pressing further. Julius had made his stance clear; he wanted to enjoy his time at the academy as an ordinary student. If Angelica argued any more, it would only upset him. And Angelica did want the prince to have the school life that he so strongly desired, as much as possible, at least. However, she couldn’t let him forget that he was also the crown prince. A mere glance at the crowd made clear that he and his friends had drawn disapproving glares.
“The prince and his friends are completely enamored with that commoner.”
“I wish I were in her shoes.”
“She’s got nerve for a lowborn hick.”
It would have been one thing if they were enamored with their own fiancées, or even other girls of similar status. Instead they were obsessed with a commoner. It was an insult to the pride of the entirety of the female student body. In that regard, Angelica was among their number.
“Then at the very least, I beg you to interact with some of the other students as well,” Angelica said in a last bid to get through to him.
Julius snorted. “If I feel like it.”
He considered this party an opportunity to let loose and have fun—nothing like one of the stiff, formal affairs he usually attended in his capacity as prince.
Angelica fisted her hands. This isn’t your personal playground. Why don’t you understand? This is an important opportunity to make connections with people who will be essential to your future!
***
We watched the whole dramatic affair unfold as the orchestra continued playing in the background.
“Y’know, when you think about it,” Marie said, her eyes glued to the villainess and prince, “isn’t it pretty slimy to hang all over another girl in front of your fiancée? I mean, straight up, it’s pretty gross to hang around a guy who’s already engaged in the first place, right?”
I don’t think you’ve got any room to criticize. You were doing the exact same thing until, like, a month ago.
“Try taking a look in a mirror sometime,” I suggested sarcastically. “That said, I agree. I wish they’d take the fight outside, though. They’re making it awkward for the rest of us.”
This was how things played out in the game, though, so there was nothing to do about it. That didn’t mean it wasn’t grossly unfair. Angelica was made out to be the villainess, but compared to the protagonist, she had solid, compelling reasons for her behavior.
As I studied them, something occurred to me. “Do girls really want a guy who’d kick his fiancée to the curb just for them? Is that really appealing?”
I wondered how this all looked to Olivia. I wasn’t a girl, so I had no idea, but if she was enjoying this, she was a serious creep. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I hoped she wasn’t that sort of person.
Marie considered my question. “Basically, the guy ditches his fiancée because he found someone he likes more. When you look at it like that, it kinda makes you worry he’d just as happily ditch the new girl if he found someone even better. That’s the vibe. Personally, it’s a huge turn-off.”
“I thought this was some kind of dream scenario.”
“Dreams and reality are separate. It sounds exciting in the moment, maybe even romantic. But as soon as the novelty wore off and you looked at it with a clear head, you’d realize it was a huge red flag. That’s how these things go.”
True. This scenario was one thing in a game, but it felt completely different in reality. The person at the center might be excited by the prospect of forbidden romance, but from the outside looking in, it was a huge downer.
The male students watched nervously as the drama continued, while the female students were on tenterhooks, waiting to see what happened next.
“I’d sure love to share your words with a certain someone who was thinking about pursuing the reverse harem ending for themselves,” I said pointedly, grinning.
Marie balled her tiny fists and smacked my chest with them. “What’s with you?! If you’ve got a problem with me, then say it!”
“I don’t have a problem with you. I agree with everything you just said.”
While we went on bantering, the people around us went eerily silent. When I paused to look, I noticed they were all staring at us.
“Uh…what?”
Luxion, who had concealed himself and was hovering close to me, quietly answered, “Everyone was quietly listening in on Julius’s squabble with Angelica. By pure coincidence, the orchestra paused to take their break, and in the silence that ensued, the two of you kept going.”
Basically, what he was getting at was that everyone had heard our every word.
Marie and I broke out in a cold sweat. Every single person in the room was staring us down.
Marie tugged on my arm. “Wh-what should we do?”
I quickly racked my brain. With no other choice, I took hold of her wrist and yanked her along as I sped out of the venue. “Come on, we’re making a run for it! Excuse us, everyone!”
“Yes, excuse us!”
By the time we peeled out of the party hall, the orchestra had started back up. You guys are late! Learn to read the room a little!
We made it outside, breathless.
“What were you thinking? You made us stand out so much!” I complained.
“Don’t pin this all on me!” Marie huffed and crossed her arms. “The worst part is that I hadn’t even finished sampling the buffet.”
Marie bolstered her complete lack of sex appeal with a voracious appetite. Unbelievable. And she even had a whole lifetime of experience from which she could have learned better.
The sun had already disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving darkness in its wake. Luxion emitted a beam of light from his eye to illuminate the surrounding area.
Marie cast a wistful glance over her shoulder at the party venue. “I really wanted to enjoy myself a little more.” Her shoulders slumped.
A sense of guilt washed over me. She’d really been looking forward to tonight, and thanks to our little show, it had ended prematurely.
“As long as you’re here, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to go to parties,” I said.
She gave me a skeptical look. “You actually think I’ll have more chances? Seems like you’re forgetting how awful my family is.”
The Lafans were drowning in debt. Marie’s situation would improve if she found herself a man, but in the worst-case scenario, she’d be stuck with her family forever as their unpaid servant. There’d be no more parties if that happened. If she was to be believed, they’d probably treat her even worse than I could imagine—like a slave whose raison d’etre was to do their bidding.
“Well, we can save that conversation for another time,” I said, trying to change the subject. Once the party was over, we had a long summer break to look forward to. “What’re your plans for vacation? You going back home?”
“There’s no place for me there. If I went back, they’d just treat me like a nuisance. It’s better for me to stay at the academy and go dungeoning. I’m gonna make enough money to actually enjoy my school life!” She raised a fist, eyes blazing with determination.
I was speechless. How was that a fun way to spend your summer break? After a long stretch of silence, I couldn’t stand it anymore and finally blurted out, “Wanna come stay with me? It’ll be way far away in the countryside, though.”
“With you?” Marie echoed.
“Yeah. I was planning to go back to my territory for the summer. There’s a hot spring.”
Her eyes lit up. “A hot spring?!”
I was relieved to see her so excited. “That’s not all! Believe it or not…we’ve got rice, too!”
“Riiiiiiice!” Marie squealed. She broke into a run and circled around me, unable to contain her happiness.
Since we both hailed from Japan, the thought of being able to eat the staple foods of our long-lost home was a source of great joy. Marie was over the moon.
“What about miso? And soy sauce?!”
I shook my head. “Not yet, sadly. Fermented foods take time.”
Marie’s face fell, and she let out a disappointed groan.
“If Master wasn’t so insistent on a totally organic process, I could produce it much faster. I explained to him that it would take a significant amount of time to start from scratch and follow the original techniques for natural fermentation, but he insisted. Your lack of miso and soy sauce is squarely his fault,” Luxion complained.
Okay, but I’d spurned his suggestion because I doubted artificial versions would have the same nutritional value, let alone flavor.
“I want to eat the genuine article,” I insisted.
At almost the same time, Marie said, “I much prefer natural to artificial.”
We exchanged looks. Our cheeks flushed in embarrassment at our unexpected synchrony, and we quickly looked away.
“All right,” Luxion answered. “In that case, you will have to wait another year.”
It was actually impressive that he could make miso and soy sauce in a mere year. But still, can’t he hurry it up even a little bit?
As Marie was skipping around, imagining how much more enjoyable her summer break was bound to be, she stumbled over her own feet and pitched forward.
“Whoa! You okay?”
“Ouch! It’s been so long since I wore heels this high. I think I might’ve sprained my ankle.” From the looks of it, her heels were starting to blister, too. She placed a hand over the wounded area and called on her healing magic to relieve the pain.
As I watched, certain memories flooded back. My little sister had hurt her foot one time and sat there on the ground sobbing, refusing to move. Annoyed, I’d left her there and gone home…but I had been so worried that I’d ended up doubling back to check on her. The little jerk had worn herself out and fallen asleep.
Once Marie was finished, I turned my back to her and knelt to the ground. “Hop on,” I said. “I’ll take you back.”
“How considerate. Take me to the girls’ dormitory, then.” Marie hopped up with no reservation and thrust her finger forward. “C’mon, giddyup!”
At least thank me first! You trying to out-brat my sister or something?
***
As Marie rode on Leon’s back, Luxion lighting their way through the dark, her mind wandered to the past.
This is kind of nostalgic. I remember Big Bro letting me ride on his back like this. Her brother had infuriated her to no end, but she’d always regretted her part in his death. Revisiting those memories made her cling to Leon even tighter.
“Hey,” Leon grumbled. “That hurts.”
Even the way he complained was annoyingly reminiscent of her lost brother. It made her happy.
“You really can’t read the mood,” Marie said.
“Well, excuse me.”
Again, just like her brother. A maelstrom of emotion welled up inside of her. Tears pricked at her eyes, and, embarrassed to be crying, she buried her face in his back. In the end, I guess I’m nothing without my brother.
Her whole life had gone off the rails after his death. He’d been more bark than he was bite—although his bark had been pretty awful. His personality, on the other hand… Well, it hadn’t been terrible. At his core, he had been very kind. Leon reminded her of him.
I wonder if he reincarnated, too? If he did, I hope he has a much happier life this time around. He’d died so young, after all.
Marie peered up at the sky, where the silver light of the moon stood in brilliant contrast against a blanket of darkness.
For a moment, she wondered if perhaps Leon was her older brother, but considering the timing of his death, it wasn’t possible. How could they both reincarnate at the same time?
“What’s your home like?” Marie asked.
“It’s all relaxing countryside. There’s not much of anything else there, really, but I like it.”
“Yeah. The capital doesn’t really suit you.”
Leon nodded. “Yep. I hate having all these people packed into such a small space. I also don’t like how I’ve always got some kind of work to do—another reason why I hate it here.”
“Yikes. Only a total failure would say something like that,” she teased. That’s exactly the kind of thing my brother would say, though.
As Leon hauled Marie to the girls’ dormitory, she reflected on everything that had happened thus far. She had worked frantically since reincarnating into this otome game, desperate to claim some happiness for her own. In her mind, she’d been set on dating all of the love interests, getting married, and living happily ever after. That particular wish hadn’t come true, but she wasn’t dissatisfied with how things had turned out instead.
I thought I’d just seduce those boys to get what I wanted, but for some reason, my heart wasn’t really in it. We just didn’t jive. At first, she hadn’t been sure why she couldn’t commit to cajoling them, but she finally understood. I always had horrible taste in men. Figures that it’d be in my second life that I realized I’ve got a thing for people who remind me of my brother.
She continued to mull this over even as she continued to banter with Leon.
***
Back at the party venue that Leon and Marie had abandoned, Stephanie was clad in a luxurious purple gown and idling the night away. Julius’s squabble with Angelica had only just ended.
“What an amusing little spectacle,” she remarked.
“My lady,” said Carla, who was wearing a far more modest dress, “it would cause a stir if people overheard such a comment.”
“Never you mind. Angelica’s reputation will be in tatters after today. It’s pitiful, seeing the future queen reduced to this.” Stephanie snickered as her gaze trailed to the high-ranking ladies who served Angelica. Their leader had just proven herself impotent in the face of the prince’s dismissal; Angelica’s followers regarded her with looks of open distrust.
“She’s a duke’s daughter,” Carla said in disbelief. “I can’t imagine her position would be so easily undermined.”
“I suppose. That’s probably why the only real consequence she’s suffered thus far has been the dissatisfaction of her entourage. But if something truly scandalous were to happen—perhaps if the prince were to break their engagement—even her own house would turn on her. I would love to see that.”
Angelica was a trueborn lady—practically a princess. Picturing her downfall made Stephanie’s lips curl in a malicious grin. At present, Angelica’s father, Duke Redgrave, sat at the head of Holfort’s largest political faction. Their unity was contingent upon Angelica’s engagement to Julius. Only through their ties to the crown prince did they enjoy a superior status in the kingdom.
But what if they lost all of that?
The Redgraves’ fall would galvanize the other factions that had, until this point, resigned themselves to inferiority. The promise of that power vacuum would lead to a fierce struggle among the survivors. No longer would Duke Redgrave enjoy his influential position at court, nor would he be able to act as boldly as he once had. While he would still be a duke, he would lose his position as a power player once he was no longer the lynchpin of the most powerful faction.
Julius and his friends were actively fawning over Olivia. Stephanie glared at the girl. “It vexes me to see them all so focused on a commoner, but I suppose we can afford to sit back and watch a little longer. More to the point, wasn’t that Bartfort with Marie?”
Trembling, Carla nodded. “Yes. Um, y-you don’t think they’ve caught on to our secret, do you?” By this, she meant the Offrey connection to the air pirates.
Stephanie laughed. “I have ties within the palace. Even if they were to make a report on me, I would have no trouble covering it up. The larger concern is that they both defied me. They’ll have to pay for that.” She pressed her index finger to her lips, and her tongue peeked out to lick it. “We’ll have to wait and see how things play out with Angelica. In the meantime, I think I’ll torture Marie and Bartfort.”
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