Volume 10, Chapter 01 “The First Princess”
Volume 10, Chapter 01 “The First Princess”
Part 1
The school on holidays is quiet and easy to spend time in.
Students at the academy are naturally young, and on holidays it is common for them to invite their friends to go out to the royal capital.
Some of the students enjoy dating with the opposite sex, and I, who only knew the situation the year before last, can’t help but envy the younger students.
Some of them are terrible, but most seem to have healthy relationship.
Marie was beside me as I walked down the quiet hallway, stretching out after yawning.
Even though she is a little sister in a previous life, she is the root of all evil that drove the kingdom of Horfalt to the brink of destruction.
Also, she is the fake saint [Marie Fou Lafan].
Today, she is walking next to me with her small body.
In her hand was a souvenir she had purchased in the royal capital.
Perhaps she is in a good mood and she has a rather loose face.
“I’m looking forward to having tea with Erika. I would love to talk to her every day, but we only see each other on the weekends because of the busyness of the world around us.”
It’s getting to be a lot of trouble for a fake saint to meet Erika-sama ―― No, in a previous life, she was my niece, and seeing Erika was all sorts of trouble.
A niece from a previous life. In other words, to Marie, Erika is her daughter from a previous life.
So Marie had an emotional reunion with her daughter in this world ―― the world of the Otome game.
Therefore, she was looking forward to the day when they could talk at a tea party on the weekend.
She even went to the trouble of waking me up on a holiday morning and taking me out to the royal capital to buy snacks.
“You come to my room every morning on the weekends, and there’s a strange rumor going around among the boys. You should think about the trouble you’re causing me.”
When I complain to her, Marie protests with a big wave of her hand.
“It can’t be helped! I can’t have a visit with Erika without aniki, the Duke. Besides, the only reason I let you go with me to buy sweets is because aniki insisted that I’m the one throwing the tea party! And you didn’t budge at all.”
I never bothered to have a tea party with Erika ―― my niece from a previous life, on the weekends.
I’m interested in talking to my niece from a previous life too, and most importantly, tea parties are my hobby.
No, it’s a way of life.
If I was going to attend, I wanted to be the one to throw the tea party.
“It’s obvious. No way I can let Erika prepare a tea party. She may have been my niece in a previous life, but she’s a princess now.”
The Kingdom of Horfalt is a large country, and as its princess, she has a position.
“In your case, it’s because it’s aniki’s hobby, isn’t it?”
“I’m not saying that’s not part of it, but I don’t want to make Erika prepare for the tea party because it’s not polite to make her do it. Because she is my niece from a previous life.”
“I’m your little sister from a previous life, though”
“I’m sorry. My little sister is even lower on my priority list than my niece.”
“What’s up with that difference in treatment?”
“It’s just a daily routine. And for the most part, what is it with you, knocking your brother up on a holiday morning from a previous life and making him go shopping with you? You haven’t changed at all from your previous life.”
Remembering a previous life, Marie in this life had not changed in any way.
Like the part where she uses me the right way on my days off, or the part where she begs me for spending money.
Luxion, who was listening to the conversation, points his red one-eyed lens at Marie while floating around my right shoulder.
[If the story of her previous life is true, then Marie has not grown in her reincarnation. I believe that physical growth is not possible, but mental growth is possible. Marie, why don’t you grow up a little more?]
Marie’s mouth was agape at Luxion’s harsh line.
Then she agitatedly starts an argument with Luxion.
“What do you mean I can’t grow up physically?! I’m going to grow into an adult, attractive body from now on!”
[I assure you, I have that much evidence to back it up.]
“What’s that based on? Besides, you said I’m not mature enough on the inside, didn’t you? Too bad~. I’ve lived longer than my brother. Inside, I’m a charming, mature woman who has had a lot of experience in a previous life. “
I snicker when I see Marie puffing out her no well-endowed chest that she is an adult.
“The self-proclaimed “adult” is having a miserable time deceiving five young men.”
Marie screams in an empty, easily audible hallway.
“It’s all your fault!”
“That’s because of you getting carried away”
“I did. I carried away! But what’s the point of beating up five guys in a duel? You didn’t like the handsome Julius and the others, so you beat them up out of spite!”
She is my little sister from a previous life, and she understands me very well.
“Aa~, that’s right. What is that?”
When I let it unfold, Marie clenches her fists and gives me a look of frustration.
――This girl really hasn’t grown at all from her previous life.
Rather, she seems younger than in her previous life, partly because of her current appearance.
There was not the slightest hint of the charm of an adult who had gained experience in a previous life.
Luxion made a gesture of waving the red lens from side to side, saying yare-yare.
[The same applies to Master, who needs to grow mentally.]
We’ve had this same exchange before.
Unlike Marie, I’m not concerned with adulthood, so here’s what I’m going to say back to Luxion.
“I just don’t want to give up my pure, young boyish heart.”
[You’re getting better at making excuses.]
“When you grow up, you get good at making excuses. It’s a sign of growing up.”
[You use both the child and the adult for your own convenience.]
“Because it’s important to be flexible.”
As we continued our silly conversation, Marie, who had been watching me and Luxion, hugged her souvenir pastry, her mouth pouting.
“Aniki and Luxion look so much alike. Like the way you two talk and so sarcastic, really do look alike.”
When we were told we were similar, we protested to Marie.
“With this guy? No, I don’t think so. Because I’m nicer than him.”
[Similar to Master? Would you like me to do a full eye and head exam on you as well, Marie?]
Hearing our objections, Marie let out a deep sigh.
“It’s enough”
.
Part 2
Tea Party Room.
Until the year before last, tea parties were held every week with the boys inviting the girls, but now they were used less often.
The frequency of use has dropped drastically, and the decision has been made to reduce the number of tea rooms in the future.
Shisou ―― The principal of the school also lamented that.
As a tea party lover, it’s sad, but I like having a tea party in a quiet environment.
The year before last was a lot of noise.
As I was preparing tea to go with the snacks, Marie took a seat and was enjoying a conversation with Erika.
The composition is Marie, who is excited like a child, and Erika, who is smiling as she listens.
“You’re lying, right? Did that store go out of business?”
“Yes. Because the owner of the store is retiring.”
They were talking about their previous lives, but I couldn’t get in on the conversation because it was a common topic for both of them.
But just listening to their conversation like this made me a little happy.
Perhaps because I was naturally smiling, Luxion speaks to me.
[You are mentally stable. I decide that a weekend tea party with the two of them is what Master needs.]
“Thanks to that, there are rumors that I’m targeting Marie and Erika?”
Since I frequently invite them to tea parties, bad rumors are spreading.
I am concerned about that, but it doesn’t seem to matter to Luxion.
[The evaluation within the academy is worthless to me]
“But it worth to me?”
[It is a question of priorities. Instead of dealing with the masses, Master should put your own priorities first.]
“This guy just declared the students of the school were nothing but a bunch of people.”
Luxion treats the students of the academy and others like that, but even this was worse when I first met him, so he has become nicer.
Let the human race that can handle magic――the new human race should be destroyed.
I can remember when he said that.
[More importantly, Master should have more people to care about. You don’t have time to deal with all those people.]
“I know”
When I prepared tea and headed to the table, Marie was talking to Erika about various things with gestures.
Erika listens, smiling maturely and nodding occasionally.
Erika said she was over sixty years old in a previous life, so she must be very mature on the inside.
She gives off a calm and mature impression for her age.
Thanks to that, Marie is more childlike.
“I’ve prepared some tea that goes well with the sweets. ――Wait, you’ve already eaten most of it !?”
Looking at the table, more than half of the sweets had already disappeared.
The culprit would be Marie, who is looking away from me.
“You’re really gluttonous.”
“Because ~”
I sigh at Marie, who makes a spoiled voice.
“Why don’t you think a little bit about your real age? You’re not at an age where you need someone to spoil you.
“Most guys are kind to me when I’m spoiled.”
“You’ve grown up to be a bad adult. Why don’t you learn from Erika a little?”
“What! Erika is the daughter I raised!”
“I guess it’s all thanks to the fact that she grew up with you as her bad example? I’m so glad she doesn’t look like you.”
“You dare to say it, stupid big brother!”
Erika looked troubled when Marie and I started cursing at each other as I took my seat.
She’s going to stop our ugly fight.
“Both of you, let’s calm down. The tea is getting cold.”
After being interceded, Marie and I turn away from each other and start drinking tea.
Erika looked at us and let out a small sigh with a troubled look on her face and suddenly started giggling.
What was so funny?
“What’s up, you suddenly started laughing?”
When I ask, Erika straightens her posture and looks straight at me.
Smiling, Erika really looked radiant.
“It was funny to see uncle talking happily with my mom. You really are just like my grandparents told me you were.”
“Grandparents? Dad and mom?”
Erika nodded and we talked about my parents.
“Grandparents always told me stories about uncle. They said that if uncle had lived, he and my mother probably would have argued with each other when they became adults.”
What are you talking to your niece, dad and mom?
“I don’t know what they are talking about. That should be the part where you tell the story and make it sound like your uncle was a nice person, like he was kind, unlike your mother.”
When I complain about my parents in my previous life, Luxion responds.
[I feel sorry for your parents in your previous life. I can imagine how hard it must have been to have a child like you, Master.]
“Oi, don’t make it sound like I’m a bad kid. It’s Marie who’s been giving the trouble.”
When my eyes fell on Marie, she forcefully swallowed the pastry she was eating with her tea.
She doesn’t agree with what I’m saying.
“I was usually a good girl~. It was aniki who caused the trouble. You’re usually quiet, but sometimes you caused big problems.”
“I’m sure it’s a cute little thing compared to you.”
“It’s not cute! It wasn’t cute at all!”
There seems to be a discrepancy with each other’s memories of the past.
But I’m not wrong, so it must be Marie’s mistaken memory.
I don’t talk back to Marie, but take a sip of my tea and then ask Erika.
“――So how’d they do?”
Erika seems to have guessed my vague question and tells me about the two last days together.
Smiling, but somewhat sadly, looking down.
“I took care of them. Both of them said they were going to scold those idiots.”
Those idiots.
It would be me and Marie, a lack of filial piety, who died before my parents.
What does it mean to go and scold us when I didn’t die because I wanted to?
At least there, I wanted two of them to say something like wanting to meet those two.
But I guess it’s like my parents.
“It’s terrible that they both want to scold me together. Why don’t they just let Marie be the one to be scolded.”
I tell her with a laugh, and Marie looks miffed.
“Why me? Wasn’t it aniki who stayed up all night playing games and slipped on the stairs? It’s a really pathetic way to die, isn’t it.”
“Because you’re the one who forced the game on me!”
When I point my finger and say you’re wrong, Marie snickers.
“It’s aniki’s fault for not being able to take care of yourself.”
“T-This girl”
When she says that, I can’t say it back.
Even I think it was a bad idea to stay up all night.
Deciding that I was at a disadvantage, I drank my tea and looked up at the ceiling after a short pause.
“They’re really terrible parents. ―― If they said they were going to scold me, they should have come to see me.”
I’d have to laugh if even those two were reincarnated in this Otome game world.
When I say a snide remark, Marie turns her head down.
“I don’t mind if I was scolded, I just wish I could have seen them at least one more time.”
Both Marie and I lack of filial piety.
And I gave my niece Erika a lot of trouble.
“――Thank you very much for taking care two of them. I and Marie were lack of filial piety, so I was relieved to hear that Erika took care of them.”
One of the things that had bothered me in my previous life was resolved, and I felt a little more relaxed.
Luxion teases me.
“Were you worried? I thought you had forgotten”
“I’m a human child, too. ――I cared about what happened to my parents in a previous life. I’m aware of the trouble I caused them. And even more so when I heard that Marie showed up here and died before my parents. “
The siblings all lack of filial piety.
So I thank Erika.
“Thank you so much. I’ll be sure to thank you for this. If you ever need any help, just let me know.”
Erika smiles in a troubled way as she accepts my thanks.
“You don’t have to worry about it that much, though. They are grandparents to me, too. Besides, they raised me gently. So don’t worry about it, Uncle.”
I was so happy to see my niece, who had done so much, that I scratched my head in embarrassment.
Luxion blurted it out.
[It is hard to believe that Erika is a blood relative from the Master’s previous life.]
Then, for some reason, Marie puffed out her chest.
“She’s awesome, right? She’s my pride daughter.”
“Don’t you dare be boastful”
When Marie boasts about her daughter, Luxion throws cold water.
[Oya? It wasn’t Marie’s parents who raised her, was it? That’s what I’ve been told?]
When told, Marie’s gaze wandered.
“W-Well, that’s true.”
[Then, it’s the result of your parents.]
“That’s true! That’s true! But why don’t you let me be a little proud? She’s my daughter!”
[Now she is someone else’s child. Such a shame]
“Do you have a grudge against me?”
As I was giggling at Marie being teased by Luxion, I saw Erika smiling a little sadly out of the corner of my eye.
.
Part 3
Girls’ dormitory.
When Ange returned from the Redgrave family mansion and entered her room, Livia, who had noticed her, came over.
The little finger of Livia’s right hand had an ink smudge on it.
Seeing this and realizing that Livia was studying, Ange smiles weakly and apologizes.
“Looks like I interrupted you”
Livia ―― [Olivia] smiles at Angel and replies.
“It’s not a disturb, this is Ange’s room, right? Welcome back, Ange.”
“I’m back”
Ange was slightly soothed by Livia’s smile.
But soon Livia’s expression clouds over.
From the way Ange looked, she must have realized what kind of talk had taken place at the mansion.
The result would not be good, but Livia also needs to know, so she asks.
“So, how’s all the talk going?”
Ange erases the smile she was making and nonchalantly talks about the discussion at the mansion.
“My brother nailed me on the head. What have you been doing? He said”
“That is”
“――Then again, neither my brother nor my father like the fact that Leon has become infatuated with Her Highness Erika.”
At the mention of Erika’s name, Livia’s expression turns slightly grim.
Both Ange and Livia knew that Leon had tea parties with Erika every week.
They both know there is no romantic interest there, but the question is, what will people around them think.
Students at the school, who are notoriously tight-lipped, have begun to gossip that Leon has dumped Ange for Erika.
That must have been frustrating for Livia.
“I’m going to go complain to Leon-san.”
“Livia?”
“It’s strange that he has tea parties with Princess Erika every week. During a difficult time with so much going on, why?”
Livia is angry with Leon, but Ange shakes her head.
“It’s okay. Let him do what he wants.”
“But!”
” ―― Maybe he has some kind of an idea, you know? Besides, I’ve tried to talk to him a few times, but he just shrugged it off.”
Ange laughs bitterly, and Livia looks down sadly.
“Even though Ange is having such a hard time”
Now Ange was protecting Leon from being used by the Redgrave family.
It is doubtful that Leon himself understands this, although she is performing the role of a bulwark.
It was upsetting to Livia that he was unaware that the kingdom of Horfalt was already centered around Leon.
“You are kind”
Ange hugs Livia and their foreheads touch each other.
Livia put her hands around Ange’s waist.
“Ange, aren’t you in pain?”
Ange answers Livia’s question sadly.
” ―― It’s painful, I guess. If this continues, I may be cut off from my parents’ home. If that happens, I’m just a little girl. I would be worth nothing. If that happens ―― I won’t be able to be by Leon’s side. “
Ange shed tears as her mouth said, “I can’t stay by his side”.
Thanks to Ange, Leon has risen to the rank of Duke, but is now highly regarded for his personal military prowess.
Now Leon had become a man worthy of being a Duke even without Ange.
Which meant that it did not matter if Ange was around or not.
Ange hugs Livia tightly and starts crying just like that.
“Livia, will I be thrown away again?”
“You won’t. I won’t let him do it!”
“But at this rate ―― I’m really going to lose everything.”
If the Duke is kicked her out, she will lose a great deal of backing.
If that happened, Ange believed, she would have no value.
“I don’t want it. I ―― I don’t want to be thrown away again.”
Remembering the time when Julius declared breaking off the engagement, Ange clung to Livia and cried like a child.
.
Part 4
A room in the royal palace.
There, a couple was arguing.
They are King and Queen of the Kingdom of Horfalt. She is [Roland Rafa Horfalt] and [Milene Rafa Horfalt].
Some of the furniture set up around the room is in disarray and has fallen over.
The fierce dispute between the two had become quite heated.
Milene screams at Roland.
“Enough of this! Didn’t I explain many times that this is for the best!”
In contrast, Roland has no intention of listening to Milene.
“What do you mean the best! Erika was originally supposed to be engaged to Marquis Fraser, though. You forced the issue! You’re going to destroy it and marry her off to that little kid? No way I can stand the thought of letting my cute Erika marry that rotten bastaaaard?”
Furious, Roland lost his temper and kicked the table by his side.
In doing so, he kicks a table leg with his shin and rolls around in severe pain.
“It huuurts!!”
Milene looked down at Roland with cold eyes.
“Then is there any other way for the kingdom to survive than to give Erika in marriage to Leo ―― Duke Bartfalt?”
“If there was, I wouldn’t be arguing with you!”
“If you don’t have a better alternative, please shut up.”
The reason they are fighting is because Milene said that she would marry Erika off to Leon.
Erika had previously been engaged to Marquis Fraser, who guarded the border with the Holy Kingdom of Raschel.
This is largely due to Milene’s family home, the United Kingdom of Leparto.
The United Kingdom of Leparto is also a neighboring country to the Holy Kingdom of Raschel.
The conflict is still ongoing, and the United Kingdom of Reparto and the Kingdom of Horfalt have joined hands.
It was Milene who was sent at that time.
In order to save her country, Milene was trying to make all possible preparations by marrying off her own daughter, Erika, to Marquis Fraser.
―― But then, all of a sudden, Leon appeared.
He rose almost single-handedly to the rank of Duke and in the last disturbance, he took control of the royal capital in a short period of time.
For Milene, it was no longer the Fraser family that she wanted to incorporate to save her country.
Milene ―― If the royal family asked for and then broke off the engagement, it would be an unbearable humiliation for the Fraser family.
But even understanding this, Milene still wanted Leon’s power.
Roland opposes it.
“Even though I can’t stand the thought of my little Erika getting married, and now of all people that kid? I’d rather it be the Fraser boy!”
“Are you going to destroy our country because of your personal feelings?”
When Milene responded reasonably well and Roland decided that the odds were against him, he decided to push through with his emotions.
“Erika will have a hard time if she marries that kid!”
“That is the duty of those born into royalty.”
“Are you a demon?! She’s your daughter too!”
” ―― Because she is my daughter, I want her to be happy, you know. And the only person with whom that could happen was the Duke Bartfalt.”
Milene’s cold expression turned bitter for a moment.
Roland didn’t miss it.
“Why don’t you just marry him?”
“Don’t be silly. Anyway, we will proceed with the engagement between Erika and Duke Bartfalt. We cannot let the Redgrave family have his power.”
For Milene, the Redgrave family is now the same as the enemy.
Roland is aware of this, though.
“If you marry Erika to that kid, Angelica won’t shut up about it. The royal family will trample on that girl’s feelings twice.”
Hearing this, Milene, who has known Ange since she was a child, must have felt pain in her heart.
She looks sad with her eyes down once, but her expression quickly returns.
“I don’t need to weigh that child’s feelings against those of a single country.”
“Lie. You’re worried right now? Because you loved her.”
“――Even so, my decision will not be overturned.”
Deciding that further discussion is pointless, Milene turns her back on Roland and leaves the room.
Roland, looking at her back, let out a loud sigh as he lay down on the floor.
“Even though just a kid, he misleads a woman. He’s the worst kind of man.”
Roland’s words were without consideration for himself.
Soon Roland looks serious.
“If Milene’s proposal is approved, it will certainly be the best news for the kingdom. The nobles will be wagging their tails in no time. However, the idea of giving my precious Erika to Leon damn kid is ―― absolutely unbearable.”
In the past, when Julius was disinherited, Roland discerned that Julius was responsible for his own disinheritance.
However, this is a different story when it comes to Erika.
Because Roland loves Erika so much.
Roland rolls around on the floor.
“Aaah !! Papa absolutely doesn’t want Erika-chan to get marrieeeed!!”