That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us - Volume 3 - Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

After the School Trip

ONCE THE FESTIVAL ENDED, Marie returned to the Japanese-style inn, grinning ear to ear. She’d brought a smorgasbord of food from the festival stalls back with her; once she’d laid it out on the table, she and her three friends settled in around it.

“You’ve been all smiles since you got back, Rie,” said Ellie.

As Betty dug into the yakisoba, she noticed Marie staring at her own ring finger. “I’m guessing Bartfort finally managed to propose properly. How many tries did it take him again?” She directed the question at Cynthia, who had planted her head on an empty space on the table.

Cynthia lifted a hand and waved it flippantly. “I don’t remember anymore. It got to be a pain to keep count.” Despite doing absolutely nothing, she acted utterly exhausted.

Betty sighed at her but didn’t bother saying anything. Instead, she turned her focus to Marie. “Is marriage really something to be that happy about? I just don’t understand it.”

“Who cares, as long as Rie’s pleased about it?” Ellie asked with a strained smile. “Happiness is different for everyone, after all.”

“Happiness, huh?” Betty’s forehead scrunched. “Everyone meets the same end eventually. Does what happens between now and then really matter that much?”

Ellie’s smile stiffened further. “Well, it’s probably important that people live in the moment, right? Though I doubt that sounds very convincing coming from me.”

Betty opened her mouth to keep arguing, but must’ve thought better of it, since she stopped herself. Instead, she simply muttered, “I guess we should hope for blessed futures for the younger generation.” She obviously thought of Marie as part of that “younger generation,” although the two were actually the same age. 

Ellie didn’t bother to point that out. She was preoccupied with returning to her spot in her book. Cynthia seemed to be listening, but didn’t bother to join the discussion.

“Tee hee hee,” Marie giggled, lost in her own little world. She hadn’t heard anything her friends had said. She was too lost in her own joy, grinning like an idiot.

***

Having departed from the island’s port, the cruise ship was heading back to the capital. Once the island was out of sight, and we were well into our journey, Deirdre summoned me to speak with her.

“The wedding?” I blurted out.

“Right. We plan to hold it during the winter break.” I noticed that she was using a Japanese-style folding fan now—probably a souvenir she’d bought on the island.

I cocked my head. “I realize Miss Dorothea already graduated, but my brother’s still in his third year. There’s no reason we have to hold the wedding this winter, right? He’ll graduate a few months later. We can do it then.”

Nicks was on the cusp of completing his studies at the academy. He’d finish in less than six months. Yet for some reason the Roseblades wanted to hurry his marriage to Dorothea along.

For this particular conversation, Deirdre had called me to a private room. She hadn’t even brought her followers along, and she still scanned the area to ensure we were completely alone. Then she sighed, and her brows pinched together as she said, “My sister has been making a number of unreasonable requests.”

In this otome game, marriage was an extremely important event in a woman’s life, as it was in our previous world. That was why it wasn’t altogether surprising to hear that Dorothea wanted to change specifics of the event.

“Do those include the wedding date? Did some fortune teller say it’d be more fortuitous to hold it in the winter or something?” I asked.

Relying on a fortune teller to determine when to hold a wedding sounded ridiculous, but it was a fairly common practice here. Judging from the look on Deirdre’s face, though, I had the feeling that wasn’t the issue.

“If that was all it was, there’d be no need to rush,” she told me, frowning. “We could hold an engagement ceremony now, then have the official wedding next winter.”

I tilted my head, confused.

She leaned in closer. Although no one was around to eavesdrop, she whispered, which told me this was extremely confidential. “Instead of rings, my sister wants to exchange dog collars.”

“Someone knock some sense into her,” I replied, not even bothering to phrase my response politely. After the words left my mouth, I panicked for a moment. 

Deirdre didn’t seem to mind what I’d said, though. “I’ve tried! I’ve attempted to persuade her numerous times. So have my mother and father—practically daily!”

From the sound of it, the whole family was doing their best to talk Dorothea down, but she simply wouldn’t budge. She wanted dog collars.

“I know it sounds terrible of me to say of my own flesh and blood,” she added, “but my sister has a somewhat…unique personality most ordinary people simply cannot comprehend.”

“Yeah, I get that sense, too.” Wanting people to be understanding about dog collars of all things at a wedding would be a tall order.

“On top of that, she’s stubborn,” Deirdre continued. “If she can’t have the perfect wedding she envisions, who knows how she’ll act out?”

“You’ll make an adorable sister-in-law, you know.”

Deirdre smiled at me, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh? As if I’m not always adorable?”

I averted my gaze. “Aren’t you confusing ‘adorable’ with ‘beautiful’? You have the sensuality of a grown woman, my lady.”

She giggled. “A suave response. I’ll forgive your earlier gaffe. But I digress. Returning to the matter at hand, our compromise with my sister will entail a wedding ceremony this winter. We’ll hold one for just our immediate family, so she can have her wish, and schedule the official ceremony later.”

Weddings—in this world, at least—weren’t just for the two people getting married. They were opportunities for both families involved to publicize their new link to one another, which required them to invite dozens upon dozens of guests. Exchanging dog collars in front of hundreds of people would completely ruin the image of both the Roseblades and the Bartforts. Thus, Deirdre reasoned, we’d be prudent to hold a private ceremony to appease Dorothea.

“How am I supposed to face Nicks after hearing all this?” I asked, my gut twisting with pity and guilt.

Deirdre pressed her fan over her mouth and refused to meet my eyes. “Make sure to bring your fiancée,” she continued. “The Roseblades will be happy to welcome our extended family’s newest member.”

Of course they’d welcome her—in part because our families had shared secrets we didn’t want to get out. 

“We’ll hold the ceremony at the Offreys’ former estate,” she added. “We’re in the midst of preparing everything as we speak. And next year will see the emergence of the new Bartfort viscounty.”

That would consist of Nicks, the Bartfort family’s newly titled viscount, and Dorothea, a daughter of the Roseblade family. They would head the new viscounty together. Thus, the destruction of one noble house would lead to the formation of a new one. Deirdre told me that her family had already sent people to begin maintenance on the Offreys’ former estate. The Roseblades likely wanted to hold the ceremony there because they already controlled the region.

“Hard to believe Nicks is already getting married,” I muttered to myself.

However much he tried to argue against it, there was no going back now. He’d just have to grin and bear it.

***

When Olivia returned from the school trip, three of the love interests—Greg, Chris, and Brad—awaited her with souvenirs. They reserved one of the school’s tea rooms, where Kyle brewed and served them tea.

Greg threw his arms wide. “Man, was that a good time. I had a lotta fun. I thought every place out in the sticks was the same, but the sauna we got to visit was really amazin’.”

Greg and Brad’s group had visited an area rich in nature, and since the climate there was currently wintery, they’d been able to enjoy all kinds of seasonal sports. Greg had loved every moment of it, and even Brad took his own enjoyment from it.

“We were split into teams, and we all had our own duties in our cabins. It was surprisingly fun,” said Brad. “We even went camping in the cold, which wasn’t too bad, either.”

The souvenirs they’d brought back were mostly unusual sweets from their destination. There were also a few wooden carvings—presumably handcrafted by locals—within their haul. Those interested Olivia more, if only because she seldom saw anything like them.

“It sounds like you had a really good time.” She smiled at them.

Greg and Brad brightened, but almost as quickly, Greg’s eyes narrowed. “Did somethin’ happen on your trip, Olivia?”

“What? Why would you ask that?” She tried to feign ignorance.

Brad stared at her, too, his smile falling away. “You don’t seem like your normal cheerful self. If it’s just our imagination, then it’s fine, but still.”

Olivia had already warned Kyle against sharing what had happened during their trip. If the five boys found out, that would only cause even bigger drama. Besides, she didn’t want them to know about Leon.

Her lips moved into a stiff smile. “Maybe I’m just not used to traveling on a cruise ship like that. I’m a little exhausted after the whole trip.”

That excuse seemed to convince them.

“I learned a lot during my trip, too,” Chris said grudgingly, his nostrils flaring. “But I have some words for Prince Julius and Jilk.”

Olivia’s eyes moved to Chris. She could already tell this wouldn’t lead anywhere good. Still, she asked, “What happened between you and those two?”

“They intervened when the professors chose our groups. I was originally supposed to be in your group, Olivia.” Chris shook his head, jaw clenched. “They really stuck their noses in where they shouldn’t have.”

Greg burst out laughing. “Sucks for you, Chris. But maybe you shouldn’t hold it against them too much. After all, they couldn’t even go. They’ve been stuck attendin’ meetings at the palace this whole time.”

He obviously felt badly that Jilk and Julius couldn’t go on the school trip, and Brad and Chris shared his sympathies. They were all scions of reputable houses, carrying the kingdom’s future on their shoulders. It might’ve been Julius and Jilk who’d needed to sacrifice their personal plans for duty this time, but there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be one of the others next. They understood that.

A shadow fell over Chris’s face, though. “I still think I should be allowed to complain,” he muttered.

Brad snickered at him. “If I were you, I’d definitely grumble about it. Anyway, it was pretty pathetic that the prince and Jilk left Olivia all by herself.”

At that, the boys’ gazes turned to Olivia.

She smiled bitterly. “I still had fun. Connecting to a different culture like that was a valuable experience.”

“Y’know what? You should come on a trip with me during the winter break. I’d love to see the spot your group got to visit,” Greg suggested. It was exactly the kind of luxurious vacation a lordling like him would casually express interest in, as if money was no object.

Olivia’s eyes widened. “But you’ll have an opportunity to go next year, and the year after, right?”

“I wanna make memories with you,” Greg said. “If it makes a difference to you, I’m happy to let you choose a destination.”

She shook her head. “N-no, there’s no need to go out of your way like that for me.”

Greg started to say something but was interrupted when the door swung open. Julius and Jilk entered.

“We’d both be interested in joining you,” the prince declared.

Chris folded his arms and glared at them. “Seems like you two have been awfully busy.”

Julius and Jilk instantly sensed why he was so irritable.

“I apologize,” Jilk said with a wan smile. “Moreover, I have a suggestion: Why don’t we all take a trip together? His Highness couldn’t go on the school trip at all, so how about we make up for it by traveling as a group during winter break?”

The suggestion was sudden, but Chris perked up at the idea of a trip with Olivia. His cheeks colored. “W-well, I suppose I wouldn’t mind that much. A-and I don’t have any winter vacation plans yet.”

Greg shook his head. “Why can’t you just be honest and say you’d enjoy the hell outta goin’ on a trip with us all?” he scoffed. “You beat around the bush way too much.”

“I would argue that you’re too simpleminded and direct,” Chris shot back, launching the pair into a verbal spat.

“Like a cat and dog.” Exasperated by their antics, Brad shook his head, then inquired of the prince and his companion, “That aside, how did the discussions go?”

Julius and Jilk paused to exchange glances, as if silently asking each other how much was safe to disclose. When Jilk nodded, Julius turned back to Brad and said, “Duke Redgrave will, on the surface at least, offer the Roseblades and Bartforts his support.”

“But only on the surface, hm?”

“Well, that does put pressure on Marquess Frampton, but he doesn’t want either house to grow more powerful. So, yes, only on the surface.”

Essentially, they had Duke Redgrave’s approval, but he wouldn’t provide material support. It was hard to believe that days and days of discussions had produced such a trivial conclusion.

Greg sighed. “Was it really necessary that you two cancel your trip for that?”

Julius shrugged. “My sentiments exactly. Being surrounded by all those adults wasn’t terribly comfortable, either.”

Listening to their conversation, Olivia had a hard time envisioning what exactly had happened. When she heard Bartfort’s name mentioned, however, her face clouded. 

Kyle shot her a worried look. He obviously felt guilty about not telling the boys anything about what happened on the cruise ship. 

Startled, Olivia looked back at him with panicked eyes. Don’t tell them anything, she tried to communicate. 

Bobbing his head slightly, Kyle refocused his attention on serving tea to Julius and Jilk.

Julius took a seat and smiled at Olivia. “Why don’t we discuss our upcoming trip, then? That would be far more productive—and enjoyable for me—than talking about politics.” After missing the school trip, he was understandably eager to start planning their winter vacation.

Olivia pasted a smile on her face in response, although she thought, I guess this means I won’t have time to study during winter break, either.