《My Sister the Heroine, and I the Villainess》 Volume 1: Seven Years Old, 1

Volume 1: Seven Years Old, Chapter 1

Being in a tree is great. That¡¯s what I thought as I sat on a sturdy branch of the splendid tree in our garden. My name is Christina Noir. I¡¯m a genius. At one I could walk, at three I could talk, and by five, I had exhausted all the books in the library. The household I was born into is a Duke¡¯s family which boasts a 300 year history. Our garden has been maintained by excellent gardeners for generations. Even this tree that I¡¯m sitting on was apparently nted a hundred years ago. Even after a hundred years, this tree shows no sign of withering. The branch that supported my weight was sturdy and I could feel the tree¡¯s quiet but massive existence from the trunk that supported my back. What was most wonderful of all though was¡­.. ¡¸Ojou-sama? Christina-ojousama?¡¹ The rampant, lush foliage obstructed the woman¡¯s view as she searched for me from down below. Calling my name repeatedly was a woman in her mid-thirties. Slim and tall, possessing a slender, straight and well-proportioned back, she was of a strict disposition. Mariywa Tote. She¡¯s the governess employed by my family to oversee my education. ¡¸Christina-ojousama. Where have you run off to, Christina-ojousama? It is all right. If youe out now, I will not be angry. If youe out right now, I promise that I will not reprimand you for running away from your etiquette ss. On the other hand, if you do not appear right this instant, I promise you that you will experience the depths of hell.¡¹ ¡¸Humph¡¹ Hearing her lie, I snorted and sneered. ¡¸A mere employee dares to threaten me with cheap lies?¡¹ Whilst disdaining her futile search from my elevated spot, I surmised her deception. At any rate, I¡¯m a rarely seen genius in this world. At one I could walk, at three I could talk, and by five, I had exhausted all the books in the library. Recently at seven, my most exciting memory was when I had won an argument with my Father, causing him to seethe with teary eyes. As I am a genius, I understood Mariywa¡¯s real intentionpletely. ¡¸¡­.. Even if I came down and apologised, I¡¯ll be struck with the whip¡¹ Stealthily holding my knees, I decided to ignore the voices from the ground. No to whips. Ah, it hurts. The etiquette teacher my family employed, Mariywa, always had her whip on standby. ording to the person herself, she will not use it unless necessary. In reality, she would mercilessly whip me without reservation. Mariywa especially did not like my tone. On the first day, every few words spoken resulted in the whip flying about. Even if I was the heir to the Duke¡¯s house and were to utilise the age-old sympathetic cry ploy whenever I saw the whip, Mariywa would state, ¡°This is education¡± with a freezing nce. Absolutely frightening. That was enough to freeze the heart of a genius such as myself. That wasn¡¯t a look that treated another human being with dignity. It was akin to a relentless, merciless re ¨C that one cannot express ¨C to a despised, poorly trained horse and cause them to shiver from the cold. Although, to submit to such fear, as a child prodigy born into the house of Duke Noir and christened with the name of Christina Noir, it would be equivalent to weeping. Therefore, particrly today, I boycotted Mariywa¡¯s lessons. ¡¸Christina-ojousama? This is myst warning. If you refuse toe out after hearing this¡­.. Your lessons today will be stricter than before¡¹ ¡¸¡­.. Ugh¡¹ It¡­.. It¡¯s a threat after all! In the past five minutes, I heard the whip fly once, more intensely than usual, in the remote distance. My shoulders instinctively trembled, but not attending the lessons was my victory. Mariywa was different from the live-in servants who worked here. The time for the pickup carriage to arrive was set in stone and can¡¯t be missed. In other words, if I hide till then, Mariywa can¡¯t meddle with me. Consequently, I would have to wait here until it arrived. Perfect. Not a piececking, it was the perfect, aplished n. ¡¸¡­..¡¹ ¡¸Christina-ojousama? ¡­.. Che¡¹ Bating one¡¯s breath, before long, Mariywa¡¯s resigned form disappeared from sight. Finally, I had a feeling that I heard the unworthy, ill-mannered etiquette teacher, but surely that was my imagination. ¡¸I won¡­..!¡¹ Victory. Deeply satisfied, I made a guts pose. ¡¸Hahaha! Mariywa! After all, you¡¯re just a lowly servant! To think that with your position that you could best me, Christina Noir, the eldest daughter and heir to the house of Duke Noir! Kukuku¡­.. Fuwahahahahahahhaha!¡¹ Striking a daunting pose on top of the branch, a loudughter rang out loud. This was an excellent height to gaze from and above all, it was a position that gave a bird¡¯s eye view of the estate. Therefore, it felt good to roar withughter. Of course, I had verified that Mariywa was nowhere in in sight. Even if she had seen me standing on top of the treeughing, it would have been difficult to strike at me with the whip due to the obstructing branches. Must not think grandiose thoughts. That big-headed governess¡¯ discipline and her torturous tool were inlycking characteristics. I thought she wouldn¡¯t dare, yet she would still strike me with absolute conviction. With that being the case, it¡¯s best to stay hidden. I can¡¯t rx my guard here for if I¡¯m found descending, it would be akin tomitting a folly. After all, I¡¯m a genius at cleverly hiding stealthily. Just like that, I continued ying hide-and-seek. ¡¸¡ªe -samaaaa¡¹ Suddenly, somebody¡¯s call could be heard. It wasn¡¯t Mariywa, but it was necessary to guard against the possibility of her advancement. If this be the call announcing meal time, then I would need to endure my hunger. This was indeed a wise decision in order to continue hiding and prevent running across anyone. Doesn¡¯t matter who tries to find me, even if it was Father searching for me personally, I would continue to hide here. With that resolve, I quietly peek at the ground. Lo and behold, an angel younger than me, that was shaped like a girl, was there. ¡¸Oneee-samaaaa¡­.. Where are youuuuuu¡­..¡¹ ¡¸Touuuuu!¡¹ The delicate voice trembled slightly. Hearing that voice, I unhesitatingly leaped off the branch. ¡¸Fueeee!?¡¹ ¡¸Fufufu!¡¹ For the seven year old me, jumping off from a height as such this was dangerous. However, if it was for the sake of my beloved imouto, this pain was nothing. Safelynding, I stood up boldly andughed. Before the very eyes of the me who had jumped down stood one beautiful girl. Compared to the boring ck irises and hair I possessed, she had light, golden coloured hair that shone beneath the sunlight. Transparent blue eyes that looked like a copy of the sun suddenly widened in astonishment when I had descended. This angel was my beloved imouto, Mishuly. ¡¸Onee-chan has answered your call, Mishuly!¡¹ ¡¸O-Onee-sama¡­..?¡¹ ¡¸What, Mishuly! You were looking for me weren¡¯t you? Onee-chan will always be by your side¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Well, that¡¯s reassuring. In the future, if Christina-ojousama runs away from her etiquette lessons again, I¡¯ll be sure to call upon Mishuly-sama¡¯s assistance¡¹ ¡¸¡ªnn?¡¹ Mixed together with the angel¡¯s voice, I heard the voice of a hellish goblin. Turning around, there stood the tall and lean figure of the old maid, Mariywa Tote. ¡¸¡­.. Why are you even here, Mariywa¡¹ ¡¸How about using a smidge of the expressions that I¡¯ve hammered into your brain as proof of my teachings¡¹ ¡¸¡­.. May I ask why you are here, Miss Tote¡¹ For the sake of information, I sold my pride using formal speech that was taught by Mariywa. The words I used were naturally the qualifying marks. That human-pretending man-eating fiend Mariywa answered me readily. ¡¸To discover the idiotic tomboy who decided to hide in the trees, I borrowed the assistance of Mishuly-ojousama¡¹ ¡¸Wha-!? Don¡¯t call me an idiot!¡¹ I protested instinctively at Mariywa¡¯s words. Receiving my outburst, Mariywa responded ingeniously with a raised eyebrow. ¡¸And the idiot would be?¡¹ ¡¸It goes without saying! Isn¡¯t that you, a person from hell, who would n and scheme to use an honest person like Mishuly!?¡¹ Mishuly is the purest existence in the world. It was highly unlikely that this existence would willingly agree to child abuse. ¡¸Hoho. Splendid work, Ojou-sama. As per deration, today¡¯s ss will be stricter. Have you prepared yourself to take a good look at hell?¡¹ ¡¸Silence, hellish goblin! For the crime of deceiving Mishuly¡¯s actions, quickly go to hell!¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­.. Erm¡­.. Mariywa said that onee-sama was lost and you didn¡¯te back during meal time so she was worried¡­..¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Mishuly! This was all your foolish sister¡¯s fault!¡¹ Preupied with running away from this hellish ogre, I had made my younger sister insecure. This was a disgrace and unbing of the older sister. To the world¡¯s cutest, younger sister who was worried for me, I apologised and hugged tightly. Mariywa¡¯s argument had implied that I was partly responsible. The uneasy countenance was swayed with a tight embrace, gradually turning into a smile. ¡¸Eh, ehehe¡¹ Uh huh. My younger sister¡¯s smile was definitely bing. Feeling the body temperature of the angel in my arms, I was convinced again. ¡¸As expected, you¡¯re the cutest in the world, Mishuly¡¹ ¡¸A-again, Onee-sama¡­.. ehehe ¡¹ Mishuly¡¯s voice was no longer shrouded with worry. Instead, it was overflowing with shy happiness. With my younger sister¡¯s worries removed, everything was settled as it should be. One extremely trivial problem remained. ¡¸Now then, Ojou-sama, rtionships between sisters are such blessings¡­.. It is already enough¡¹ ording to the hellish ghoul, it appears that I¡¯ll be on a tour to a hell known as etiquette lessons. However, I must not show my rm. The reason is because in my arms lie my beloved, heavenly younger sister. Not giving away a hint of insecurity, I confronted Mariywa with a magnificent, daunting pose. ¡¸Fu, fufufu, fuwaaaahahahaha! Naturally! Let¡¯s do this, Mariywa Tote! I will turn the tables on you, leaving you speechless!¡¹ ¡¸Starting from those expressions. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve learned from your mistakes, however prepare yourself, I will reform that vulgar, manly way of speaking¡¹ ¡¸O-Onee-sama!? That¡­.. Isn¡¯t that painful? Onee-samaaaa!¡¹ From a wee bit distance, I heard my beloved younger sister¡¯s encouragement. Holding my head which was hit; crouching with teary eyes, I immediately vowed to confront my hardships with courage. My name is Christina Noir. I¡¯m a genius. Started walking when I was one, spoke words freely at three, read and exhausted all the books in the library at five and remembered my previous life when I met my beloved angel. At seven years old, this is the personal, rare story of a proud Duke¡¯s daughter. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Etiquette begins with posture. Feet aligned, spinal column firmly straightened, hands held together in front. To stand in a way that was unashamed, and yet graceful, was actually pretty difficult. ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. Ojousama, pull your chin in a little¡­.. Yes, remain still like that for five minutes¡¹ ¡¸Ngnn¡­..¡¹ Being forced into an unnatural position, even as I groaned, I obeyed Mariywa¡¯s words. Trying to maintain a good posture while making it look natural and rxed was like trying to look both ways at once. The knowledge from my old life proved rather useless in my day-to-day life here. Speaking of my previous life¡¯s knowledge, it was quite fragmented; very little of it was clear. The knowledge that was clear waspletely useless. As I am in a position to seed as a blue blood, all of it was pretty useless. However, inside that hodge-podge knowledge, only one was different and had a connection with my current life. That knowledge was a story called¡ºLabyrinth Destiny¡» In my old life, we had a form of entertainment called an ¡®otome game¡¯, and uh, if I had to describe it with the knowledge from this life, I guess it¡¯s a really story-rich paper theatre? Characters were drawn in a vivid and highly-stylised manner, and the images were replete with apanying text and a multitude of choices. If that was all, then as curious as it was, it would still just be memories of entertainment, but what was shocking was that the story told of my own future. ¡ºLabyrinth Destiny¡»was a story, set a decade from now, that depicted Mishuly as the protagonist. ¡¸Ojousama. You¡¯re being too conscious of your posture and standing too stiffly. Rx a little more¡­.. And as you do so, you must not slouch your shoulders, nor lose your focus, and get rid of only your tenseness.¡¹ ¡¸Aye aye, ma¡¯am!¡¹ ¡¸Though I do not understand what you have just said, I implore you to give me that ridiculous response once more. When you do, I suspect that you will understand how unique today¡¯s whipping will be¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Miss Tote¡¹ Whoosh, rang the whip in Mariywa¡¯s hand. When I saw that, I put on my graceful ojousama mask in a panic. I¡¯m sealing off those words from earlier. It was when I first met Mishuly. I was struck by her cuteness beam, which, as a result, caused me to remember the knowledge from my past life, starting with the story¡ºLabyrinth Destiny¡» However, the knowledge that I recalled, because of my meeting with Mishuly, was merely knowledge in the end, and not memories. Although the knowledge was certainly unique, to I, who was raised and grown as a genius, it was nothing that could rattle me in the slightest. In other words, since the moment I was born until now, I have been Christina Noir. And although this knowledge was both directly relevant and incredibly important, and because of this knowledge, I could predict a portion of the future, giving me a tremendous advantage. Unfortunately for me, those advantages do not extend to etiquette lessons. That was why, today, I have to bear with Mariywa¡¯s hazings. After mastering the posture, next was how to walk, how to sit; from how to greet and all the way to how to speak, and so on, as well as how they¡¯re all tied together. But before we began training in that order, there was a question on my mind. ¡¸Hey, Mariywa¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s Miss Tote, Ojousama. Earlier, I was shocked at your admirable attitude and speech. You do know that, if you were to properly maintain that mask, I would have no reason to whip you?¡¹ ¡¸¡­.. Miss Tote. There¡¯s something I would like to know. Is that permitted?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. What is it?¡¹ Since Mariywa wouldn¡¯t respond when I spoke normally to her, I reluctantly made use of the ojousama speech that she had driven into me to ask my question. ¡¸Why are you piling books on top of my head?¡¹ For some reason, for my posture training, Mariywa had started piling books on top of my head. It was just one; two to three were piled up. Not to mention, the books were just in thick and my neck felt pressed. It was kind of hard to breath. If they fell, they would hit my foot and it would likely be a painful ordeal, so I silently endured it, although this situation was somewhat quite baffling for me. I had thought that we were supposed to be learning etiquette here, but could it be that I was practising to be a new street performer? As I was thinking this, she ced yet another book onto my head. ¡¸This is historically the correct way to practice. By cing books on top of the head, it means that you will be conscious of your body; retainingposure and a sense of bnce. Having those books fixed on top of your head will earn you a wonderful posture. Even walking with those books bnced on your head is possible¡¹ ¡¸Hohou¡¹ Mariywa¡¯s words meant that I need to pay attention whilst moving in order to avoid the books from falling, such confidence. ¡¸As expected, isn¡¯t this part of a performance!¡¹ ¡¸Absolutely not¡¹ Again, she added another book on top of my head. My neck hurts. In total, ten volumes of books were on top of my head. With that, I was made to walk onep around the room, as if I was training for a street performance. By the time I was seated for my meal, I was tormented by a dull pain. As Mariywa had already left, mealtimes at my home¡¯s estate were peaceful. But I had just started on table manners etiquette and there doesn¡¯t seem to be an end to it ¨C was what I thought, slightly depressed. Seated in the seat of honor was my Father. Seated beside me was Mishuly. At this moment, we were in the midst of eating the main dish, a saut¨¦d fish. But my neck was still hurting. Honestly, my neck had to bear and support the burden from the top of my head, and somewhere at the back of my neck was absolutely sore. My neck was well twisted. This was all Mariywa¡¯s fault. Everything was Mariywa¡¯s fault. ¡¸Onee-sama, are you okay?¡¹ In the midst of mealtime, it seemed that I often rubbed the back of my neck. Seated in the seat beside me, Mishuly had gently extended her hand to the back of my neck. ¡¸Your neck, what¡¯s wrong with it?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, this ispensation for learning a street performance, it¡¯s nothing big to make a fuss of¡¹ To ease Mishuly¡¯s concerns, I endured the pain andughed. Mishuly and I aren¡¯t blood-rted. Our appearances werepletely different after all, so I suppose you could say that it was a natural conclusion. Unlike the ck hair and eyes I have, Mishuly was a blond haired, blue eyed angel. Although, just like me, both of us were from the great Noir lineage, my younger sister, Mishuly, did not inherit our blood. Mishuly came to the Noir house about two years ago. I was around five years old; it was the period when I had exhausted all of the books in the library. At that time, I heard an adopted child wasing to our house, and began to sulk a little. In the situation of a noble household adopting a child, the general assumption is that of retrieving a lover¡¯s child. Anyhow, thinking about the fact that somewhere, Father had a child with his mistress and had brought it back, was sickening. The adoption felt like an act of insult to my dead Mother and I was irritated at Father; even the adopted child¡¯s existence felt irritating. Should I just bully her? My head was filled with irritation as I harbored these kinds of stupid thoughts when I went to meet Mishuly for the first time. I thought an angel had descended. Soft, curly blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. Struck by a charming cuteness that seemed to light up the whole universe, I ended up remembering my past life¡¯s knowledge and the like. ¡¸Onee-sama. Pain pain, fly away~!¡¹ ¡¸Fufu. Thanks, Mishuly. All of the pain has flown away. As thanks, ah~~nn¡¹ ¡¸Ah~~nn!¡¹ For gently using a charm to kindly stroke the pain at the back of my neck away, I moved a slice of tonight¡¯s main dish into Mishuly¡¯s mouth. Gleefully, Mishuly opened her mouth wide and gulped down the saut¨¦d fish. Cute. Reflexively, my cheeks softened. In my memories of the story¡ºLabyrinth Destiny¡», Mishuly was the heroine. This world¡¯s God apparently has good taste. After all, he knows quite well who the cutest person in the world is. The fact that he chose Mishuly means that he has quite a good eye. Next time, when we pay a visit to the church, I think I¡¯ll praise him just a little. My little sister was just so overwhelmingly cute that it actually made sense that the world was made for her. ¡¸Onee-sama. My turn, ah~~nn!¡¹ ¡¸Ah~~nn¡¹ Mishuly tried her very best and struggled to use the knife and fork to cut up a slice for me. I chewed on the food that was changed into the most delicious thing in the world like magic. It became so damn delicious that I thought my jaws would fall apart. ¡¸Soo~~ tasty~~,Onee-sama¡¹ ¡¸Right~~ It¡¯s so tasty~~ Mishuly¡¹ ¡¸He¨C Hey, Christina, Mishuly. Father also would¨C¡¹ ¡¸Otou-sama¡¯s seat is too far so it¡¯s impossible!¡¹ ¡¸Impossible~!¡¹ There was a distance between Father¡¯s seat at the head of the table, and where the two of us sisters were sitting. Joining with Father, we continued a harmonious conversation, although there was just one thing about my past life¡¯s knowledge that I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about. In¡ºLabyrinth Destiny¡», the one useful thing toe out of my previous life¡¯s knowledge was that Mishuly was the heroine of this world. Well, of course, Mishuly ¨C my most beloved younger sister and an archangel that descended from the heavens ¨C suited the position the most. But conversely, there was still another role that I couldn¡¯t ept no matter what. In the romance-heavy¡ºLabyrinth Destiny¡», the one who served as Mishuly¡¯s foil was Christina Noir. In this world, she would shun, oppress, and obstruct the protagonist who was loved by the world, and in the end, through her misdeeds, personally caused her own ruin. That¡¯s right. The viiness noble girl who did unforgivable deeds to my beloved sister, Mishuly, was none other than me. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mishuly is pulling precious blood. Born from the duke¡¯s family, I had royal blood but I couldn¡¯tpare with Mishuly. ording to knowledge from my previous life, I knew the king¡¯s younger sister secretly gave birth to Mishuly. As far as I know, she isn¡¯t married to anyone. Or rather, she¡¯s already dead. Judging from the timing, I fear that Mishuly¡¯s birth may have caused it. While not mentioned in my past life¡¯s memories, Mishuly¡¯s unique position was probably caused by some political circumstances.* In this situation, Mishuly was born and raised for 4 years. She was taken in by my father to be a member of the Noir family as my younger sister. I could make this conjecture due to my memories, but there are some differences. Namely: me. From my memories, I would have continued to misunderstand and think Mishuly was from father¡¯s mistress. Because such discrimination never started in the first ce, I managed to get along with Mishuly. If I was to have misunderstood and thought Mishuly was came from a mistress, I would have shunned her and tyrannized her. * Ten yearster, when she gets friendly with the crowned prince and the other high-spec boys, I would consider her a nuisance.* And finally, when Mishuly is revealed to be part of the royal family, the viinous daughter will receive her reward. Thus the unavoidable fate of suicide, execution, or exiled to a monastery awaits me. However, this is impossible to happen. First of all, I regained my past life¡¯s memories before I judged Mishuly to be a mistress¡¯s daughter. At this point, it¡¯s already different. Also, presently, I am Mishuly¡¯s prisoner. From my knowledge, I would have left behind a terrible would on Mishuly both physically and mentally, but now I can¡¯t even imagine doing such a thing. If I were to injure Mishuly, father will lose his position and she would be the Duchess of this country. With this weight, I swore that I wouldn¡¯t harm Mishuly. Regarding this and that towards the boys¡­¡­ well, there is no suitable partner for Mishuly, but this is my right as an older sister. Therefore, I can¡¯t be med. What¡¯s the difference? The answer is obvious.* Perhaps I was born a genius or something. From my memories, Christina Noir wasn¡¯t a smart woman. From an outsider perspective, you couldn¡¯t even consider her a human. Frankly speaking, it would be miserable to look at a woman so stupid and emotional. I¡¯m not singing praises about myself but I¡¯m not like that. For I, a born and raised genius who excels at reading the situation, paying attention to my environment was a breeze. Most importantly, for the sake of my sister¡¯s happiness I would be de to burn this life away.* In other words, the conclusion is this: Regardless of my memories, Mishuly and I have a happy, harmonious, and rosy colored rtionship. ¡¸FuFu¡¹ As I thinking,ughter slipped out. Augh I was unable to suppress swelled up and I puffed my chest in a dignified manner andughed loudly. ¡¸FuFuFU, Fuwa¡ªHaHaHaHa!¡¹ ¡¸From here I was going to start the practice to the dance steps so why the loudughter, Christina-ojou¡¹ ¡¸Just escaping from reality¡¹ In front of my eyes, the excessively strict reality towers over me. I whose eyes lie on Mariywa Tote, wanted to escape back to my memories. And so the item so called dance was added on to the etiquette lessons. The teacher was for some reason Mariywa. Dance and etiquette are quite different, so why is Mariywa who is an etiquette teacher also in charge of dance? I don¡¯t understand. I, with my genius brain, couldn¡¯t figure out this mysterious choice in personnel.* However, the reason for the abrupt intrusion of the dance lesson was obvious. It appears that there will soon be a ball at the royal pce. On top of that, a noble¡¯s child whose age is simr to mine will be making their debut. Building connections for the future is important. After the adults boast about their children, there is possibility a fianc¨¦ is selected.(?) Nheless, in the end, children around my age are just wallflowers, so there isn¡¯t a need to dance yet. At the ball, only gentlemen and women beyond 14 years old are stars. When I hear that, a question surfaced. ¡¸I don¡¯t have to dance yet though?¡¹ ¡¸You must learn it someday. Because there is no harm in learning it early, we will drill in the foot work now.* One, two, three, OK Then turn¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­UGiGi¡¹ Grinding my teeth, I danced and turned to Maria¡¯s beat. I must endure now for the sake of my future. Her argument is too reasonable and left me no room for argument. The genius me who differs from other 7 year old children, will respectably suppress my selfish emotions. But there is one thing. ¡¸Hai, Ojou-sama. Your chin is too high.* Your expression is turning shamefully stiff.* You must always have a feminine manner and soft, small smiles.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m already tired though¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Even if you are tired, you must not disy it. Do not wipe away a single drop of sweat nor show any fatigue.* On top of that, Ojou-sama is still young so even if you copse, you can still easily move around tomorrow. To be able to repeat this every day, being young is such a splendid thing.¡¹ The seven year old child couldn¡¯t respond to this devil. I fixedly stared without thoughts at Mariywa¡¯s words filled with evilness that crawled out from hell. I am a genius that, to some extent, regained her previous life¡¯s memories, will adapt an attitude that would bring shame to any adult.* But my immature body could not possibility be suitable for Mariywa¡¯s hellish and rigorous training. ¡¸What happened, Ojou-sama. Your feet have stopped. OK. One, two, three. Without lowering your arm straighten your back!¡¹ ¡¸UGuGu¡­¡­!¡¹ With the merciless beat, I alone went through the dance steps.(?) First with instruction and then three sets of repetition, the training will end. After that is the dazzling time with Mishuly. Thinking of that, I could endure anything. However, painful things are still painful. ¡¸Shit. In the first ce why is Mariywa even teaching me dance¡­¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Because Ojou-sama is currently being excessively tomboyish, I personally volunteered to reduce the burden on your future teacher.¡¹ ¡¸Haa!?¡¹ As my grumble was answered, the problematic answer caused me to stop my foot unintentionally. ¡¸I thought something was strange but you were the culprit!?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Ojou-sama¡¹ As I vigorously shouted and pointed at Mariywa, she scowled down at me. ¡¸What is it, thatnguage and conduct. Who taught you to point at a person and speak like that? Your punishment will be another 10 sets of footwork.¡¹ ¡¸!?¡¹ From the demonic deration that shaved away the precious time with my sister, I became bit teary eyed. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A form of propriety known as a ¡°curtsy¡± exists. Pull one leg inwards and back, now gently bend the other leg¡¯s knee, and lightly raise the hem of your skirt. As a finale, one must bend their waist and deeply lower their head. A truly formal greeting. However, this etiquette is only performed by women. Therefore, a high standard of grace and refinement must be met. Currently, this ¡°curtsy¡± is being beaten into me. ¡¸Please note, a curtsy is both the beginning and an end within a formal setting. As such, the importance of understanding such etiquette is of the highest priority¡¹ Mariywa¡¯s sses were never lenient to begin with, but her incredibly high tension today left me stifled. As for the reason for her unusual passion, it was quite simple: The Royal Pce is holding a ball in the near future. It was clearly Mariywa¡¯s scheme to disy the eminence of her tutoring abilities through my performance. ¡¸Ojou-sama, whendies of your age disy an elegant curtsy and maintain an eloquent introduction, in the eyes of others, none would believe you to be other than a true daughter of the aristocracy¡¹ A tutor¡¯s status in society was directly corrted with their student¡¯s grace. If my performance at the ball were to be splendid then rumors of an exceptional tutor, namely Mariywa, would arise and spread. Well, regardless of Mariywa¡¯s goals, I care for not. For I, Christina Noir, am a genius after all! [ED: I¡¯ve seen and defeated so many of you so-called genius sect disc.. wait, sorry, wrong genre] To be recognized, to be valued, and to be the pinnacle of worship, such is my fate in high society. Mariywa¡¯s prestige will surely grow as a result of my endeavors. I, as your student, shall allow you to bask in my brilliance when that dayes! ¡¸Now then, Ojou-sama. Curtsy and introduce yourself as I have taught you¡¹ At Mariywa¡¯s urging, I curtsied and introduced myself in the mostdylike of manners. ¡¸It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Tote. I am Noir Household¡¯s first daughter, Christina Noir. Speaking on behalf of my household, we wish for an enduring and felicitous rtionship¡¹ A curtsy along with a self-introduction. Expressed in a humble tone, I spoke, not as the 7-year old Christina, but as one befitting the Noir Household¡¯s name. As I finished speaking, I did not forget to gracefully smile as I raised my head to meet Mariywa¡¯s eyes. ¡¸Very good¡¹ Mariywa announced her satisfaction with my perfectly executed curtsy. It was perfect after all so this much was expected. Since I, a genius, evaluated it, perfection was expected! ¡¸To be frank, I did not expect such impressive progress in just one day. We shall end the lessons for today then. Some light reviews from time to time should suffice for curtsies and introductions so let us proceed forward next lesson on¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Miss Tote¡¹ ¡¸Very well¡­ ¡­ However, Ojou-sama was unusually obedient today. Did the lines between your acting and the true you blend?¡¹ Since she was in such a good mood, this stringent Mariywa actually jested with me! Certainly as Mariywa stated, I became and maintained a quiet manner after today¡¯s lesson on the curtsy. Having to maintain the appearance of a properdy, I ended up obediently following Mariywa¡¯s instruction and kept a polite tone. ¡¸That is not the case, Miss Tote. My attitude today is not something that should be praised. In fact, though slightly embarrassing, once I was taught the curtsy¡¯s form, I was left in deep thought¡¹ ¡¸Deep thought, you say?¡¹ It must be that my polite speech was unexpected since the whip in Mariywa¡¯s hand was kept tamed. We were actually speaking to each other as fellow human beings! ¡¸Were you, perhaps, considering the origins of the curtsy? If it is something like that then I would have been happy to relieve you of your doubts¡¹ ¡¸That is incorrect¡¹ Something like that, I cane to an understanding just by seeing it. It was likely created and propagated to disy a woman¡¯s grace as well as their submission to the norms of societal standards. Therefore, Mariywa¡¯s thoughts would never parallel to mine. [ED: Well¡­ You¡¯re not exactly a normal ¡°girl¡± from that era/world XD] ¡¸I could not help but notice that my feet looked exactly like something whenever I curtsy¡¹ ¡¸Exactly like something?¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡¹ ¡¸What is that something?¡¹ My meek and pure appearance today has produced results. I threw away mydy-like act and lightly smirked towards this curious and defenseless Mariywa. ¡¸Frog legs¡¹ ¡¸Ha?¡¹ Mariywa became speechless at my unexpected remark. Her mouth continued to open and close, but no words coulde out. ¡¸Fr¡­¡­Frog? O¡­Ojou-sama¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Ku, KuKu, FuFuFuFu, FuFuFuFu¡­¡­!¡¹ Seeing such a rare expression on Mariywa¡¯s face, the smile I was holding back the entire time sprang up. I was bursting with waves upon waves ofughter. I held back during the entire curtsy lesson, but now I have no need to be restrained. I puffed my chest out with pride and ced my hands on my waist, struck a daunting pose and bent my head back. ¡¸FuFu, Fuhahahaha, Fuwa¡ªHa Ha Ha Ha! Hey, Mariywa. The shape of the legs during curtsy is that. It¡¯s absolutely the form of a frog standing up on two legs. In other words, all thedies in the world, in their swelling skirts make the legs of a frog! On top of that, now that I realized it, it will be extremely hard not tough. Thanks to you, the entire time during today¡¯s lesson I was desperately struggling not tough¡ª¡ª¡¹*Piyang!* Because my joke was thergest one yet, the wrath of the whip was also the worst yet. Well, if my repentance only amounts to just this then I shall relent. However, as I was tenderly stroking thesh I received, something unbelievable flowed into my ears. ¡¸Ojou-sama. You surely don¡¯t think it will end with just one right?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ ¡­ Eh?¡¹ ring down at the befuddled me who forgot about the pain, was the man eating old maid, Mariywa Tote. Her expression was filled with silent rage. ¡¸Christina Noir¡¹ Foregoing all forms of formality, a chilling voice resounded out of her mouth. Mariywa always had a stern look, but her lips drew into a straight line and began to quiver. With the whip in her hand, and the snapping sound of the wind, I finally realized I went too far. However, it was already toote. ¡¸Ma, Mariy¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s Miss Tote¡¹ My timid and pleading voice was cruelly cut down. ¡¸Expressing such foolish thoughts,ughing so loudly and ungracefully, and even trampling upon the basics of ady¡¯s etiquette. The price for such acts, PREPARE YOURSELF!¡¹ ¡¸Eh, Wai¡­¡­.GyaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹ With the ¡°Etiquette Lesson¡± finished, I was left with some free time with Mariywa¡¯s departure until dinner. I ¡°optimally¡± used it by embracing my lovely Mishuly. Since Mishuly was two years younger and had a smaller build, she fitted perfectly on myp. Taking full advantage of that, I held Mishuly tightly. ¡¸Onee-sama¡­ ¡­?¡¹ Mishuly, who was in myp, tilted her head in confusion. It couldn¡¯t be helped that Mishuly would be curious about my odd behavior today. Immediately after Mariywa left, I dove straight into Mishuly¡¯s room and kept her in my embrace since. I may overly dote Mishuly regrly, but today was definitely excessive. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. To heal my emotional wounds from today¡¯s etiquette lessons, I had to stick to Mishuly like this. It was necessary to bask in the healing warmth that flowed out of my sister. I think Mishuly also doesn¡¯t find this pose unpleasant. She had a curious expression on her face, but I thought it was fine so we began to chat. ¡¸Onee-sama, Onee-sama¡¹ ¡¸What is it Mishuly¡¹ ¡¸What did you do for today¡¯s etiquette lesson?¡¹ Oh my dear younger sister, your choice of topic is simply too precise¡­ When I recalled my meeting with death from today¡¯s child abuse, my smile immediately stiffened. ¡¸¡­¡­Onee-sama?¡¹ ¡¸Fu, Fufu, it was normal, Mishuly, not much happened. Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­ ¡­ If I must exin then today¡¯s lesson would be helpful in understanding a horse¡¯s feeling¡¹ [ED: LOL] ¡¸Mr. horsie¡¯s feelings? What feeling was it?¡¹ Mishuly who has yet to understand what etiquette is, innocently questioned me. Being asked what kind of feeling it was, I ended up recalling the earlier horrors and stared off into the distance. ¡¸¡­¡­I learned about a horse¡¯s pain. In the future when I learn how to ride a horse, I decided to never recklessly use the whip¡¹ ¡¸Whip?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. To swing that flexible object at something, I could NEVER get myself to do such a terrible thing¡­ ¡­ That¡¯s because it hurts, it really hurt¡¹ ¡¸Fu-un?¡¹ My younger sister who has never been hit by a whip tilted her head in confusion. That¡¯s fine. I earnestly wish that Mishuly would live a life where she would never be hit by a whip during training and understand a horse¡¯s feelings. Getting hit by the whip on the butt a hundred times or wallowing in illusions to abate the pain is something that should be unrted to her life. ¡¸I don¡¯t really understand¡­¡­ Thing¡¯s like Mr. horsie¡¯s feelings and a whip, etiquette is really mysterious¡¹ Just as Mishuly said, etiquette ss is full of mysteries. To have the same thoughts as myself, as expected of my younger sister. ¡¸As expected of my Mishuly, you are truly smart¡¹ ¡¸Ehehe¡¹ As I tenderly stroked Mishuly¡¯s head, my lovely younger sister giggled in a tickled fashion. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

KonKon, the small sound of a knock could be heard. Those absolutely cute little fists are, in fact, knocking on the door to my room. ¡¸Onee-sama. Are you done? ¡¸Wa, Wait abit. Wait just abit more Mishuly! ¡¹ Due to Mishuly¡¯s urging from outside my room, I who has yet to finish my preparations panicked for a moment. Although it¡¯s a bit rude to her who was waiting, it will take just a moment. Giving a hurried gaze towards my servants, my intentions were read and they quietly nodded and hurried up. ¡¸Eh¡ª I finished mine already though¡¹ ¡¸Uu¡¹ Imagining my Mishuly pouting like a small bird over this, I felt a small sense of guilt well up in my chest. I know that time is limited and it¡¯s a sin to make my beloved sister wait. However, I can¡¯t open the door yet. Even speeding things up, it¡¯ll still require a certain amount of time. Above all, to rush things further, especially since the thoroughness required in this preparation made it a taxing task for my servants, was unreasonable. Still, I wanted to perfectly prepare to greet Mishuly. ¡¸I, I¡¯m sorry Mishuly. Just abit, Just a little bit more¡­¡­ Listen, the time you wait in anticipation will further the enjoyment when the funes¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Is that true? ¡¹ ¡¸Naturally!¡¹ It will be difficult if the amount of expectation rises in proportion to the dy, but in this situation, I will absolutely live up to Mishuly¡¯s expectations. Besides, it¡¯s not only Mishuly who is waiting. Even I want to quickly meet Mishuly and share this enjoyment as sisters should. ¡¸You know I won¡¯t lie to Mishuly right? Pleasure grows in proportion to the time waited. Wait just a bit more, and after that we can have fun together, Mishuly¡¹ ¡¸Unn¡­¡­Okay! I¡¯ll wait! ¡¹ Such a good child. To the lively answer, I fantasized about an excited Mishuly with sparkling blue eyes, causing me to break out into a grin. No matter the distance or obstacle, nothing can waver our sisterly bond! While basking in enjoyment of our bond, the other individual waiting outside of my room spoke. ¡¸But as Mishuly said, we waited for quite some time now. Christina, not beingpletely ready shouldn¡¯t be an issue since we¡¯re family right? Can we not enter sooner? ¡¹ ¡¸Stop it father. It¡¯s different for Mishuly but if father continues to persist, the estate¡¯s maids will say Father forcibly peeked at us changing and wholeheartedly act clinging in tears. Mishuly and I will hate you for this! After being tly refused with threatening words mixed in, there were signs of trembling on the other side of the door. ¡¸O,Oi Christina. Yo, you¡¯re joking right? You¡¯d never seriously threaten papa ¡ª¡ª it can¡¯t be that you will really hate papa right¡­¡­ Christina? Why are you silent, Christina!?¡¹ Though it was more effective than I thought, of course I was just joking. As evidence, the maids currently helping me dress all desperately tried to stifle theirughter. The duke family¡¯s head of all people was being threatened and lead around by his nose by his own biological daughter is strange, isn¡¯t it? Nevertheless, because the master of the house was just beyond that thin obstacle, everyone was put in dire straits trying to suppress theirughter. Unable to recognize the joke, my father was unable to stop trembling at my long silence. ¡¸Christina! Certainly there was no delicacy just now. That¡¯s right. Is there anything you want? How about something that¡¯ll match your current outf¡ª¡ª¡¹[ED: A matching car for my outfit please] ¡¸Father, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re starting to yell¡­¡¹[ED: It¡¯s Mishuly here] Far from stopping, his trembling only intensified. For the 5 year old Mishuly to worry about him, it was indeed unbearable. As I let out a bitter smile towards father¡¯s wavering voice, I suddenly thought, I¡¯ve already gone this far. Ignoring father who was currently beingforted by Mishuly, I gave a mischievous wink at the maids that were left trembling holding in theirughter. ¡¸¡­..BuFu¡¹ ¡¸Ku, Fu, FuFu¡­¡­!¡¹ Two people surrendered andughed out loud. The remaining person quickly turned away and held their mouth, sticking it out till the very end. From the three people inside, two were already down. The remaining one person was half way there. Umu, this is adequate. On top of that, the preparations were also finished. ¡¸Father. Of course it was a joke so please settle down. Additionally, it¡¯s fine to enter now.¡¹ After the three maid¡¯sughter died down, I invited two to enter the room. The attentive servants of my prided residence separated from my side and stood along the wall. ¡¸I, Is that so. I¡¯ming in.¡¹ ¡¸Finally¡ª!¡¹ I could hear the voices of my relieved father and the innocent Mishuly from the opening door. ¡¸Wee and pleasee in my dear father and Mishuly¡¹ I pulled one leg diagonally behind me while lightly bending the other knee all while lightly raising the edge of the dress¡¯s skirt. Like this, I bent my waist and silently ushered the two of them inside while lower my head. [ED: IT¡¯S THE BECKONING FROG!] ¡¸Hou¡¹ ¡¸Waa¡¹ To I who performed a perfect curtsy, father let out a breath of admiration and Mishuly let out an honest shout of joy. While it was a splendid reaction, behaving like a proper youngdy is mentally draining. Looking up from my curtsy, my expression undertook a rapid change. From here, I made a very me like grin and fearlesslyughed. With the pinched dress I magnificently spun around with my chest puffed out. ¡¸How is it! This dress suits me extraordinarily well doesn¡¯t it! ¡¹ This dress, made for the red themed party, exposed the figure with confidence. While it was mostly red, from the base of the skirt to the top of the neck there were vivid colors. Here and there, there were decorations for ents; one could say this was the tailor shop¡¯s best work. The time hase to debut myself and this dress at the royal ball! ¡¸Onee-sama is so cool!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, That¡¯s right. Fu, FuFu, FuFuFu! ¡¹ Having my dressed up appearance praised my sister, delightedughter¡¯s resounded the room. Like always I ced my hands on my waist and puffed my chest. I threw away the high ss daughter act which caused my father to make aplicated expression though he felt it was fine as we were family. As I do not have etiquette lessons today and Mariywa wasn¡¯t here so I fully took advantage of the situation. Hence there was no problem with my loudughter. ¡¸Fu fu Fu, Fuwaa Ha Ha Ha Ha!¡¹ ¡¸Onee-sama, Oneeeee-sama¡¹ As I was loudlyughing, the hem of my skirt was pulled by an angel¡¯s hand. ¡¸How about me? How is my dress? ¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s very cute!¡¹ I honestly replied to Mishuly¡¯s lovely question and embraced her tightly. It was not only me that was dressed up. Mishuly was too. While the tailor was making my dress, one was also made for Mishuly. With a white base, plenty of frills and ribbons were attached to fully bring out Mishuly¡¯s loveliness. Whenever Mishuly slightly moved, the dress would gently sway closely resembling an angel. The tailor did a very good job. ¡¸Cute, lovely, adorable, ka-wa-i-i! Mishuly is truly cute! The cutest in the world! ¡¹ ¡¸E, ehehe. Onee-sama is super beautiful! Most beautiful in the world! ¡¹ As we praised each other¡¯s dresses, we reveled in each other¡¯s presence. As we praised the others¡¯ respective merits, thepliments were endless. Ourpatibility, without a mistake, is perfect. After enjoying this period of supreme bliss, I released Mishuly from my grasp and smiled at her. ¡¸Fufu, Mishuly. For the uing ball, let us two sisters enchant everyone with our charm! ¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Ball? ¡¹ To my proposal, Mishuly responded in a questioning tone. ¡¸Ball? What¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Huh? ¡¹ To my sister¡¯s question, my eyes began to waver. There was only one more week until the ball. It was strange for Mishuly not to know about it. To me who was looking doubtful, father called out. ¡¸Christina¡¹ ¡¸What is it, father¡¹ ¡¸Christina, Mishuly isn¡¯t participating in uing ball at the royal pce.¡¹ ¡¸¡­..What? ¡¹ To those words I did not expect, I could only stare nkly in silence. Even I the genius could not understand Father¡¯s words. Gradually my brain slowly soaked, processed, and understood that Mishuly was not going to participate in the royal pce¡¯s ball. In that moment, I felt something explode in my head. ¡¸What do you mean Mishuly isn¡¯t participating, RAWR!¡¹[ED: She goes GORAAA, so yea RAWR!] ¡¸What is the meaning of grabbing your father, Christina!? Should I report this tody Tote!?¡¹ ¡¸You made a grave mistake in thinking I will surrender to such a threat father! However, if possible, do not inform her, father!¡¹ Against I, who follows her instincts without hesitation, was my panicking father. From there, the argument about Mishuly¡¯s participation prolonged for a few hours. In the end, I was unable to win the argument. In extreme spite and protest, I barricaded myself in my room. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Within the darkness, where not a speck of light existed, Iid barricaded. A normal 7-year old would burst into tears in such darkness, however the genius I was not afraid of the dark. Even though the visibility was low and I couldn¡¯t move around too well, I unknowingly managed a sense of calm while cradling my knees. This was something I could do forever. My current gloomy mood and the room have a sense of harmony. Doing nothing but cradling my knees, my heart was able to calm down. As Iy here considering to breathe myst breath or to open my eyes, gradually a weak feeling of wonder began to spread. Little by little my awareness dissolved, melding into the darkness of the room. Aah, finally I achieved equality with the world and achieved enlightenment but in this moment light from above shone on me. ¡¸I found you, Ojou-sama¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ It¡¯s Mariywa¡¹ To my eyes that grew ustomed to the dark, even the faintest of light was blinding. Hugging my knees in an empty box of in the pantry, I squinted my eyes looking up at Mariywa. ¡¸The residence has be quite noisy you know? I¡¯ve heard that Christina Ojou-sama suddenly vanished¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­They should be. It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been hidden here all along. How did Mariywa know I would be here?¡¹ I was in the pantry that was deep inside the estate; on top of that, I was inside an empty box. After my demand for Mishuly was rejected by father, I¡¯ve been hidden since then. To be able to find me in such a ce, that¡¯s a miracle. However, Mariywa found me seemingly effortlessly. ¡¸It¡¯s not difficult to fathom a depressed child¡¯s hiding ce, Ojou-sama¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Hmph¡¹ I snorted lightly and turned away. Comparing the genius I to those wanton little children, there¡¯s a limit to how arrogant of ament you can make. I moved not with feeling and instinct, but because I knew that hiding in a box in the pantry was the best ce to hide. Nevertheless, the lid of the specific box in which I was hiding was splendidly opened by Mariywa. It would be unbing of myself toin here. ¡¸And? Have youe to drag me out?¡¹ I was supposed to have etiquette lessons right now. The ball at the royal pce is due in 3 days. The n was to wrap-up all the etiquettes learned since now. To skip that, her mood must be very bad. I¡¯ll probably be punished with the whip or be forced to endure the harshest of lessons to date. Regardless, my future only seemed bleak. However, I right now wasn¡¯t afraid of the punishment. ¡¸Be it the whip or anything else just do it, Mariywa. No matter how much my body is bloodied or battered, I won¡¯t give in. I won¡¯t have anything to do with etiquette lessons.¡¹ It may have been out of desperation, but the I today was absolutely fearless in the face of critical danger. The reason for hiding myself in the food warehouse was due to the turmoil that happened the other day when I revealed my dress. Because the dresses were made together, I misunderstood that Mishuly would also be going to the ball. Father didn¡¯t have any ill will; since I was having a dress made, he with his ¡°overflowing¡± parental love decided to have one made for Mishuly as well. However, that love backfired. Father¡¯s genuine goodwill fostered my misunderstanding. I am not hateful towards father¡¯s spirit in trying to please his children. In fact, when Mishuly and I were shown to the dress shop, we were cheerfully shouting in excitement. The problem lied in the ¡°small¡± detail I revealed in front of the newly dressed Mishuly that day. Having thought that Mishuly would also be participating, I mistakenly unveiled that father was in fact keeping the news of the ball a secret from Mishuly. From that blunder, the reason why I started ying hide-and-seek was simple. Rather than participating without Mishuly, I¡¯d rather not participate at all. ¡¸Why must I attend a ball that Mishuly will not? It¡¯s unpleasant. Absolutely unpleasant. I absolutely won¡¯t go to such a ball. Neither will I continue with etiquette lessons whose purpose was for the ball.¡¹ If the reason Mishuly couldn¡¯t participate was due to her young age then it would be eptable. If it was because Mishuly hasn¡¯t acquired the proper manners, I would barely consent. However, it was different. Mishuly would not be allowed to attend any balls in the future. From Mariywa¡¯s perspective, I probably look like a child throwing a tantrum. Even so, I didn¡¯t care. I put strength into the arm that is holding my knees and curled myself up. I was small but I put all my strength into shouting. ¡¸How is it fair that I will be able to attend these balls but Mishuly will always be excluded?¡¹ Mishuly cannot appear on the glittering stage of high society. If it was a small, family party, then she had the opportunity to attend. However, anything beyond that waspletely stripped from her choices. If you think about it, it¡¯s reasonable. Right now, the existence of Mishuly borne from thete princess could not be known to the public. Currently, she is recognized as the duke Noir family¡¯s adopted daughter, hence Mishuly cannot be shown off. That¡¯s why the situation wasn¡¯t limited to this ball. From now on, I could only leave behind Mishuly and debut in high society. This was something I couldn¡¯t ept. ¡¸If you want me to participate in the ball, it must be with Mishuly. If not, I won¡¯t move from this spot. I absolutely won¡¯t!¡¹ After saying what I held in my heart, I buried my face behind my knees and fell silent. Here is the pantry. Surviving three days until the ball is over is an easy battle to win. To be honest, while persevering through the boredom, I was gnawing at the food around here. ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹ Mariywa is unlikely to ept my selfishness. That is only natural. As she was employed to be my private tutor, it was her job to force me to be ady. Soon, I will be dragged out from the box through brute force and have character severely beaten into me. However, I will absolutely not follow what she says. I will stubbornly resist to the end. To I, who was stubbornly holed up in the box, Mariywa acted unexpectedly. ¡¸¡­¡­ Haa¡¹ Mariywa neither hit me nor scolded me. She only sighed once. Without pause, she sat down next to me. ¡¸¡­¡­ What¡¯s the matter, Mariywa?¡¹ ¡¸Today¡¯s etiquette lesson is on hold¡¹ ¡¸Eh?¡¹ I looked up at those unexpected words. On hold, in other words, cancelled. It was unlike Mariywa who would, up until now, no matter how much I ran away, soon appear and drag me away Although I wondered what was wrong, to my regret, I could not see Mariywa¡¯s face who was sitting behind my box. ¡¸Christina Ojou-sama. You are a wise child.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­What are you saying so suddenly?¡¹ I am obviously a genius, but to say I am ¡°wise¡± rather than ¡°smart¡± or ¡°intelligent¡± gave it a slightly malicious feel. [ED: Like being called old, well you are inside Christina!] ¡¸You would often run away from ss or engage it much tomfooleries, but as the instructor, I also understood that your memory is very good. You remember everything I taught before, no? While you always used a vulgar, udylikenguage, you were able to perfectly demonstrate the etiquettes I taught with no room for criticism¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ To that extent, it is only natural¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s true. Therefore, even if one lesson was to disappear, it would not make a visible difference. And also¡­¡¹ Letting out a deep sigh, Mariywa continued in a somewhat exhausted tone. ¡¸A depressed child is very bothersome, Chris-Ojou-sama¡¹ Rather than her usual strict voice, it was very passive. It was unmistakably her real feelings. I understood I was simply being selfish here, but I still turned my head away and bluffed. ¡¸¡­¡­fuu. Say whatever you want¡¹ Mariywa speaking ill of me so frankly and treating me like a child, it didn¡¯t prick at my pride as a genius, no really. ¡¸Nee, Christina Ojou-sama¡¹ ¡¸What is it, Mariywa?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re a wise child¡¹ With the same exact face and tone as before, Mariywa brought the previous topic back with the same line. ¡¸You¡¯re a child that can understand everything. You¡¯re also a child who can guess what¡¯s not taught. You¡¯re a child who can understand her surrounding situation well. That is why you understand, don¡¯t you? ¡­¡­ You and Mishuly-sama are not true sisters¡¹ Those arrow like words pierced deeply into my chest. I understood it however, the unavoidable truth hurt more than I expected. Not wanting to admit the wound in my heart, I excessively and unreservedly shouted to deny Mariywa¡¯s words. ¡¸Mishuly is my younger sister¡¹ ¡¸No. No matter how well you get along; no matter how much you cherish Mishuly-sama; the fact that you do not share a blood-rtionship is the undeniable truth. The fact Mishuly-sama alone cannot attend the ball should be evidence, no?¡¹ Mariywa gouged the arrow of words deeper without consideration. ¡¸Shut up¡¹ ¡¸Admit it. This is the truth. No matter how much you shout and rebel, this is the reality. You do not have the power right now to deny that fact¡¹[ED: I italicized ¡°right now¡± because I felt it was important] ¡¸¡­¡­ Shut, up¡¹ Even while acting strong in my responses, every word that I received caused my body to tremble. Gradually, tears began to blur my vision. The truth I do not want to hear, the truth I do not want to recognize was beaten in and I¡¯m already crumbling apart. The tear nds bursting after holding out for so long; I firmly squeezed my eyes and press them against my knees. ¡¸Shut up, shut up shut up shut up¡­¡­!¡¹ Why was Mariywa piling up such harsh remarks one after another? Was this the revenge for thwarting the etiquette ss? This is bullying. It¡¯s too much. So mean. If only you could be kinder with your words¡ª¡ª ¡¸The noisy one is you, Christina Ojou-sama.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­tsk!¡¹ ¡­¡­I don¡¯t want this anymore. Exhausted and having lost all energy, trying to endure crying has be irrelevant. That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s just cry already. Without thinking about anything, I¡¯ll just single-mindedly cry. If I do that maybe Mariywa will be troubled. To my head which was thinking such things, something warm and gentle was ced on it. ¡¸¡­¡­ ?¡¹ To I who reached my limits to the point of suffocation, doubt suddenly spread my mind. What could the identity of this small, warm, andfortable sensation be? Slightly anxious, I revealed my face a little bit and saw something unbelievable. Mariywa¡¯s palm was gently ced on my head. ¡¸You and Mishuly-sama are not true sisters. After taking in that unavoidable truth, you will arrive at more absurdities from the world which you must ovee¡¹ To I, with widened eyes, who was too surprised to cry anymore, Mariywa gently stroked my head once. ¡¸If you are able to recognize the uneptable truth andply with society¡¯s evaluation, you will, if only a bit,e closer to bing a splendiddy.¡¹ Those were not kind words. Neither were there any agreeable logic. Strict and unreasonable, however, Mariywa¡¯s words about the spirit of ady struck and etched itself into my body with power. ¡¸¡­¡­Even after doing that much, are they still not considered to be a splendiddy?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s the truth. A truedy would, as easily as breathing, repeat and perform what I just stated¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Is that so¡¹ If that was the case, ady would be very strong, smart, and noble. Beyond what I believed it to be, by far. ¡¸Now, if you still insist on not attending the ball, these words shall instantly motivate Christina Ojou-sama¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹ Even though I already mustered some motivation, I wonder what it is? I¡¯m interested. To my ears which was anxious about the uing words, Mariywa thrusted out horrendous words. ¡¸If Ojou-sama stays indoors and skips the royal pce¡¯s ball¡­¡­From now on in etiquette ss, I will harden my heart and use a cane instead¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Mariywa¡¹ Hearing the most unbelievable words yet today, I stared in disbelief at Mariywa. ¡¸You, your body and soul has long since been a sadistic demon¡ªow ow ow ow ow!¡¹ Using two fists to grind against my temples, this confirmed that Mariywa was surely a denizen from hell. Using my pupils moistened from pain, I red at Mariywa. The gentle hand from before must have been an illusion! ¡¸¡­¡­fuu. It¡¯s already time my carriage has arrived. I shall retire for tonight so Ojou-sama may stay confined in the box as you please. I shall even close the lid for you¡¹ ¡¸Wa, Wait. Stop trying to confine me!¡¹ I began to stand up resisting Mariywa who was shutting the lid. ¡¸Oh? Didn¡¯t you want to seclude yourself in the box?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m ending this hide-and-seek. It doesn¡¯t suit me and I won¡¯t be able to see Mishuly!¡¹ I confidently strutted and asserted a daunting stance. In the first ce, if you think about it, under normal circumstances not meeting Mishuly for a day was already unbearable, but I could endure not meeting Mishuly for 3 days in the future. I, who was liberated form the box, began walking behind Mariywa. Mariywa¡¯s pace going out of the pantry was constant and the feeling of walking and stretching out my back wasfortable. ¡¸Mariywa¡¹ To her retreating figure, I called out in a small voice. ¡¸¡­¡­Today, I¡¯ll see you out¡¹ ¡¸Ojou-sama¡¹ It was the first time I offered Mariywa such words since her employment, but she showed absolutely no change. ¡¸It¡¯s Miss Tote¡¹ She said the same phrase as always without looking back. As though she was familiar with the estate¡¯s exit, Mariywa walked towards it without any pause in her step. ¡¸¡­¡­Muu¡¹ To Mariywa¡¯s appearance which was ramrod straight, my dissatisfaction was agitated for a moment. ¡¸Mariywa, Mariywa¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­Haa. What is it, Christina Ojou-sama¡¹ ¡¸The uing ball at the royal pce, I will do it perfectly. Praise me lots when I behave splendidly without a single error. Thisdy, Christina Noir¡¯s name, shall resound throughout the high society. I am a child that gets better when praised¡¹ ¡¸Because Ojou-sama is a child who will get carried away when praised, I do not intend to change the current Spartan policy¡¹ ¡¸!?¡¹ Mariywa who wouldn¡¯t even whisper a semnce of gentleness, as expected was the nastiest, worst, cruelest, merciless private tutor. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Trantor: Jawbrie
On the morning of the day that I was to head for the pce to attend the ball, I paid Mishuly a little visit. It was not seen as an unusual thing any more for me to visit the room of Mishuly, who I adored, and by now there was no one in the mansion who thought it was strange. I had the servants wait for me outside of the room so that it could be just the two of us. I read books to her and enjoyed our moment of sisterhood. While I wanted to entertain Mishuly, I also had the motive of replenishing my energy with my sister¡¯s smile so that I would be able to survive today¡¯s ball. During this moment that we were spending together, Mishuly suddenly turned to look at me and started to moan. ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± The angelic eyes looked up at me from a heads height below mine and stared. What is it? I think as I stare back at thoserge, blue eyes. She was so adorable that I didn¡¯t mind starting a little stare down right now, but I didn¡¯t think that that had been Mishuly¡¯s true intention when she began to look at me. ¡°What is it? Mishuly?¡± ¡°Olders sister, are you sick?¡± I was shocked at this blunt question with no context. I smiled so that she did not notice that I was a little shaken, but my mouth remained tense. ¡°Ah, no¡­ I¡¯m fine, Mishuly.¡± ¡°Mmm?¡± I made a vague reply to Mushuly¡¯s worried question. It was quite obvious that she was not convinced, but Mishuly was not old enough to probe further at such unsatisfactory words. For a while, she cocked her head and looked suspiciously at me, but once I patted her on the head with a ¡®there, there now,¡¯ her questioning look dissipated. ¡°Ehehe.¡± Mishuly was truly angelic when sheughed so happily from being patted on the head. I beamed at her smile which could have brightened the world, and at the same time, a stabbing pain made my body go tense. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I gently patted Mishuly¡¯s head as she once again raised her head with an alertness. She really was sensitive to the changes in others. But really, it was not anything to be rmed about. If I were topare it to something, yes. It¡¯s like there was a small thorn inside of my throat. That kind of insignificant thing. It was something that was there ever since the day that Mariywa told me that I must ept the unreasonable. She had said that it was something necessary in order to live, a knowledge I needed to be ady. That Mishuly could not appear on the front stage of society, well, that was just a part of it. It was something that could not be changed, and there was no use in rebelling against it. On that day where she taught me to ept it and act gracefully around others as if nothing had happened, there was still one conjecture that I had not been able to swallow. What Mariywa said was true. The knowledge of my past life that I had remembered, ¡°Labyrinth Destiny¡±. In that story as well, Mishuly had been raised in hiding. In order to hide the truth that she was the youngest daughter of the king¡¯s sister, she ced among the Noir family as an orphan, a social outcast. But, but. The Mishuly in that story may have started as a social outcast, but she had slowly gained attention as the story went on. By the end she finally did stand on the center stage, she was bathed in the spotlight. In that case, perhaps, even though I think that it is nearly impossible¡­ Perhaps it is I who was identally born as a genius, a bug, who is closing the door for Mishuly and glory. Perhaps it is I who has blocked the bright future that was promised her and instead locked her into abyrinth with no way out. It was unreasonable, and perhaps I was thinking too much, but I just couldn¡¯t swallow it. The thorn that remained in my throat continued to pierce and tear my heart. ¡°Hey, Mishuly.¡± ¡°Whaat is it, older sister?¡± ¡°¡­Mishuly, do you want to be happy?¡± Mishuly¡¯s eyes blinked in puzzlement at the sudden question. Her face showed that she had no idea what I was asking her. I saw her confusion, and thought, ¡®of course¡¯ andughed a little. There was no one in the world who did not want to be happy. It wasn¡¯t like me to ask such foolish questions. Nevermind, it¡¯s nothing. I try to tell her in an attempt to take the words back, but Mishuly was faster in replying. ¡°But, I am happy you know?¡± ¡°¡­.huh?¡± Mishuly smiled softly as if she were sending a blessing to the whole world. ¡°Father is here, older sister is here, I live in this big house, I am happy right now, you know?¡± Mishuly¡¯s words illuminated me like a light shining down. It kicked down my gloomy sentiments and cleansed away the thorn that had been stuck in my throat. That¡¯s it. I could not allow Mishuly to be miserable. Who cares about fate. Any fate that tries to tear me and Mishuly apart can get lost in thebyrinth. We don¡¯t need you toe. I will be the one who will make Mishuly happy. I embraced her with everything within me. Mishuly, who believed from the bottom of her heart, without hesitation or embarrassment, that she was happy. ¡°You really are so adorable, Mishuly!¡± ¡°Ehehe. Older sister is the coolest in the whole world!¡± Adorable and cool,bined we sisters looked unbeatable. We held each other like that for a long while. I basked in the sensation of holding her tightly. I was satisfied that I had fulfilled my purpose ining to her room. Good. I feel replenished. Report chapter Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- It is a gorgeous scene. A magnificent banquet had been prepared, sses of champagne were served generously. The beautifully constructed and decorated dance hall was filled with the movement of vibrantly colored dresses of thetest fashion, and sophisticated tailcoats and tuxedos. Yet this was just one of the many sites that this world called society was made of; I could not take this too lightly. A normal child would have surely been awestruck at seeing something so gorgeous for the first time. Either that or they would be overly excited and act in a very udylike manner. However, I was a genius. I had to show them all that I was not to bepared with other children. I would fulfill my obligation as a single element that made up this gorgeous social scene. And I will show them that I exist here. I, Christina Noir. And so I gracefully pulled one foot inwards at a nted angle, bent the knee of my other leg softly and bowed, as I lightly lifted the hem of my skirt. ¡°I am pleased to meet you. My name is Christina Noir, I am the only child of the Noir family.¡± I had to repeat this ceaselessly. But even so, my courtesy was never short of perfect and the portly man now in front of me could not help but smile with pleasure. ¡°How polite of you. I am Augustin Istar of the Istar family.¡± ¡°Lord Augustin of house Istar¡­oh! Why, my family has been long acquainted with your most noble house. Father has told me that he¡¯s known you since you were students.¡± It was one thing for someone my age to speak appropriate and rehearsed lines, but a child speaking so fluently amongst adults was a rarity. Furthermore, there were certainly no seven-year-olds other than I, a genius, who could tell you of the rtionships between families by just hearing a name. Count Istar¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when I not only introduced myself but started a conversation. ¡°That is correct¡­ But, what a surprise. You are not only lovely and graceful, but you carry yourself in a way that suggests greater intellect and breeding than most grown-ups. My, my, Duke Noir, you are truly blessed to have such a wonderful and enviable daughter!¡± ¡°No, no. You are much too kind. ¡­No, really. Is he not, Christina?¡± There was something of a twitch in father¡¯s smile as he answered Count Istar. I wonder why? As his daughter, I did the perfect greeting and even brought up a topic of conversation, yet his eyes when he called me seemed to say: Are you really Christina? It was horrible. As his daughter, it hurt me to have my own father look at me that way. I gracefully lowered my eyes, and with a show of embarrassment, agreed with my father. ¡°Yes. I have only just begun with my studies. I am just filled with worry that I may not be following the rules of etiquette correctly. ¡­Lord Augustin, how do you feel I am doing?¡± ¡°I do not see ady here that can be considered superior to you, and that includes the grown-ups! Your father here has often excused your absence from social events as being due to you being an ¡®incurable tomboy¡¯, good gracious! Excessive modesty can quickly be disagreeable, Count Noir!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Hoho. My fatherughed weakly. I, on the hand, gave my best princess smile upon hearing this reputation my father had bestowed upon me in the past. ¡°Oh, no Count Augustin. My father spoke truthfully. I am very different back at the mansionpared to a public events such as this. I am most ashamed to admit it, but I do like to frolic a little in thefort of our mansion¡­¡± My father¡¯s eyes looked like they desperately wanted to ask, ¡®A little?¡¯, but he kept smiling in silence. ¡°Dear, dear. If anything, I am much relieved to hear it. You have the grace of a grown-up, yet you still have a childish side as well. After all, the fact that you can navigate between the two means you have the intelligence to distinguish.¡± ¡°Oh! Please do not tter me so much. So much praise might cause my spirits to rise to the sky.¡± ¡°Hahaha! And you even have a sense of humility, you are a most wonderful youngdy. I very much look forward to meeting you again.¡± ¡°I would be delighted.¡± We lightly take each other¡¯s hands as a show of friendship. And with an elegant smile, I sent Count Istar off on his way. Hmm. I really was perfect. Count Istar would, without a doubt, have the name Christina Noir engraved in his brain as a most aplished youngdy. At this rate, it would not be long before I was known far and wide within society. In other words, it would not be long before the day that I canugh in Mariywa¡¯s face. A wave ofughter was already threatening to force its way from my lips, but clearly, a haughtyugh in this ce would do me little favors. I swallowed it down, digested it and tried my best to hide it from my expression. ¡°Hey, Christina.¡± Count Istar had gone, and as no one else hade to greet us, we had a short moment to rest. My father spoke in a quiet voice so that he would not be overheard amongst the pleasant chatting of the other guests. What was it now? Protected in my princess skin, I reacted by slowly lifting my eyes upwards to look at him. ¡°Are you really Christina then?¡± My father, now he¡¯s actually putting his doubts into words. Along with the reputation he had spread, this was beyond offensive. I am a genius and a child who can do anything. And more than that, I am the daughter of a noble family who could be presented anywhere without shame. Any disparaging of me, be it from family or others was quite unforgivable. Perhaps I would punish him a little for this. As I was very, very hurt by these suspicions from my own blood, I held a hand up to my mouth and chortled in an attempt to prompt his anxiety even further. ¡°Oh, have you not noticed yet? I am not Christina. I am a fairy who was attracted to Mishuly, the most adorable angel in the world. I wanted so much to be with the archangel Mishuly, that I switched ces with your true daughter, Christina.¡± I gave him a threatening and pretty smile, as a fairy would. Father sighed in relief. ¡°Ahh, thank heavens. Yes, you are unmistakably Christina.¡± ¡°What gave it away?¡± He had seen through my lie, a lie which anyone else would have agreed was perfectly reasonable. I continued to cover my mouth so that no one could see and pouted. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- We were now halfway into the party, and hadpleted our round of greetings. Generally, we went around to greet father¡¯s acquaintances and those people he wished to show me to, of which there were now none. In fact, the real purpose of this ball was not so much to introduce small children like myself, but to be the social debut of youngdies and gentlemen who had turned 14. In fact, there really was not much for either I or father to do. A person who turns 14 basically has two options, enrolling as a fourth-year student at the Royal Academy or directly debuting into society. Percentage-wise, boys usually went to the Academy and girls tended to be debuted, but ording to my knowledge of my past life in Labyrinth Destiny, both I and Mishuly are to attend the Academy. Well, who cares about that future. As a genius, I was sure to be admitted as a top student and I would graduate as a top student. But the present was what was important. My current state could be expressed in a single word. Tired. Well, it was not surprising. It was hard. it was manualbor. This continuing of all the moves required to be the perfectdy. And I was only seven years old. I was able to bear the stress of this physical fatigue, but I did have my limits. Alright, I decided. I was going to leave. I had already finished my round of greetings to the adults. My role as part of this ball was pretty much finished. It should not be a problem if I snuck out. I would throw off this princess disguise in a ce where no one was looking and stretch my legs. As long as nobody saw me, it would be nothing. I made a quick scan of my surroundings in order to gain that moment of rest. There were many thick groups of youngdies and gentlemen who had achieved their societal debuts tonight. As for the children of my own age, well, it seemed that they were not being left alone either. They were all close to a parent instead of being in a group of their own. Just like father stood close by me. Now that I¡¯d assessed the environment, it was time to construct some sort of n. One child wandering about would surely catch someone¡¯s notice, but as this was a ball, there was music ying and many people dancing. I did not think that anyone would care, even if I was the child of a Count, if I made some excuse and left the hall. After that, I only had to find some random garden where no one was looking. Well, then there was only one problem left. ¡°Father.¡± My guardian, my father. It pains me to say it, but I did not think that my father, who knew all of my habits well, would allow me to go free. As has been made very in by his recent reactions, his estimation of me is extremely low. There is a very apparent sense that he mistrusts me. However, as I was a genius, I had already thought of a natural reason to get away from him. ¡°Hmm? What is it, Christina?¡± ¡°Oh, father. I wish to go and gather some flowers.*¡± There really was no better way for ady to make her exit. Not only would leaving father here look natural, but it made it difficult for him to question further. It was perfect. ¡°Christina.¡± As I smiled inwardly at the perfection of this n, father answered gently: ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you explore the surrounding area, but please do not pick flowers from the royal garden.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but be stunned silent by father¡¯s words. He had either foolishly taken my words as literal, or he had perceptively seen through my ns. Father¡¯s warning was a difficult dilemma even for the genius that I was. *gathering flowers is an idiom for going to the bathroom. Going outside was much easier than I had imagined. All it took was to exit the dance hall and go off the main path a little. The garden could be easily essed from the hallway that faced outside, you just needed to be sure that no one was watching. There were nted trees that acted as a barrier, but I was only seven years old. I was easily able to crawl through the cracks. Entering the empty royal gardens was nothing for me, a genius with the ability to n and a will to act. Now, I was finally in the garden. The flower garden had been beautifully tended to by a gardener skilled enough to serve the king. It was even arranged differently depending on the season. And in that garden, I stretched and loosened my joints to my heart¡¯s content. ¡°Ghuua-¡± The udylike sounds escaped my lips, but I did not care. It would not harm my reputation as long as no one heard it. As long as I was not exposed, there would be no need to fear Mariywa¡¯s wrath at my ill-manners. ¡°Umph.¡± As there was no need to worry about being seen, I sat heavily on a bench that had been set nearby. ¡°Haaa.¡± I sighed and looked up at the sky. The dark sky was full of small stars and a brilliant, full moon. There were no clouds to intercept the moonlight, and it cast a soft shadow around me. For a while I sat there, enraptured by the tinum, full moon, and I began to think again of the situation I was in. Hmm. I really was quite tired. At the end of the day, I had been trying too hard with things I was not ustomed to. It was not possible to not feel tired. I would have probably caused some horrible incident earlier had I not replenished my reservoir this morning with the source of my energy, the healing ingredients from Mushuly. But, I had aplished it. I had yed the perfectdy without a single mistake. Well, we weren¡¯tpletely finished yet. I just needed to rest here a little and then return as if nothing had happened. And then it will all be over. And the only thing that will remain after that is my reputation, which will be just as perfect and whole as that full moon in the sky. Once she hears of my fame, even Mariywa will have to praise me. ¡°Hehehe.¡± I burst intoughter, but it was not as if anyone was watching. It was good to release some stress. There was no reason to hold back my boisterousughter now. As I sat on the bench, I raised my face towards the moon and let out a loud roar. ¡°Fufufu, FHAHAHAHAH!¡± ¡°What are you going?¡± ¡°¡­ah?¡± My loudughter, which I was quite proud of, was suddenly shattered with a screech. Had I just heard something? Yes, I definitely heard something. I considered the question I posed to myself as I moved my neck to look at the person who had spoken to me. I had kept my attention on the garden¡¯s entrance this whole time, and no one had entered from there. Like me, this person had apparently entered through the cracks in the nted trees. This was shocking. I did not think any child of nobility besides myself would have attempted such a thing. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two of us stared wordlessly at each other, confirming our existence. The person who spoke was a blond-haired and blue-eyed boy. He appeared to be the same age as Mishuly. While not to the same degree as either I or Mushuly, he did have a well-shaped enough face that made one excited for this future. The boy held a thick book under one arm as he cocked his head to the side. ¡°Who are you anyway?¡± ¡°Well, who the hell are you?¡± Oh, no. My princess disguise cracked and fell to the floor. I had made the mistake of addressing him while not hiding my true colors. I looked again at the sky and noticed something for the first time. That full moon that I had thought was perfect and whole was in fact not full at all; it was a moon that still needed an extra day to reach perfection. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I felt a slight tinge of regret as I was illuminated by the light of a moon that still needed another day to be whole. Leaving the dance hall itself was fine. Even stretching my body a little in the garden was eptable. Even throwing myself onto the bench instead of sitting properly was notpletely out of bounds. However, I should not haveughed aloud like that. Even if I was discovered, escaping into a garden was a rather agreeable kind of escape, my udylike manners could still be seen as childishly adorable. Butughing boisterously was not eptable. There was absolutely no reason for me to be ashamed of my own boldugh. But even I knew that it was not something I could let anyone besides my own family, the servants at the mansion and Mariywa hear. Yes. ¡°¡­¡± In any case, being seen by this boy who stared back at me in silence, could hardly result in anything positive. My mistake was thinking that my loudugh would be erased by the music that leaked from the dance hall. But if someone got close to me like this one had, they would be able to easily assess from the situation that I alone could be the culprit. That was why I kept my attention on the entrance to the garden. But it was no use now. I had been careless. No regret would fix the situation now. It could not be helped. Of course, it would have been preferable for the night to go without a hitch. But being able to flexibly conjure up a new scheme once the first has been crushed was one of my qualities as a genius. I stood up and directly faced the blue-eyed boy who looked at me in puzzlement. Drawing myself up to my full height, I addressed him with my usual voice restored. ¡°Good evening, boy. My name is Christina Noir.¡± He had already seen meugh. I had no intention of putting the princess disguise back on now. I proudly introduced myself with a fearlessugh and with my arms folded in front of me. My next scheme was simple. There was nothing to hide, I was the daughter of a duke. In all likelihood, this runt was a child of nobility who had escaped the dance hall like myself. And if he was the son of nobility, well, it didn¡¯t matter if his father was a marquis or a count, he was no match for me. As a genius, there was a huge gulf between us as people. But there was an even bigger one in terms of our station. Most children my age could be dominated by my authority as ¡®the daughter of a duke.¡¯ In other words, what I was about to do was a silencing through authority. ¡°Now, boy.¡± As one who was older than him, I was able to look down at from a step above. It was most advantageous here that I was older than he. The first thing to do was to establish a clear rtionship and show my superiority. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this, but House Noir is one of only three houses that hold the title of Duke in this country. We are known as the three great houses and are the most esteemed among the nobles. And I, Christina Noir am the sole daughter of that family! Now, fear and obey me!¡± ¡°Ooooh!¡± As I boasted this with a puffed out chest, the boy started to p with a sincere apuse. It was quite the reaction. I felt good about his honesty and I drew up my shoulders even more. ¡°Hehehe. You¡¯re quick to understand for such a small boy. I appreciate those who are smart. I may even make you my follower¡­ Who are you anyway?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± The boy had been so awestruck by my overwhelming presence, that he had forgotten to introduce himself. He pped his hands. His age-appropriate actions suggested to me that his formal education had not started yet. Well, it was not kind topare him with a genius like me. And he was probably only five years old. And he was probably a better speaker than most his age. Thinking about this, I watched him introduce himself with a forgiving smile. ¡°I¡¯m Charles Eduard. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡± I epted the boy¡¯s name with a smile. ¡°I see. You are called Charles Eduard, eh.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see, I see. Charles. Charles Eduard.¡± I nodded and smiled and repeated the name. I chewed on the name for a moment, and after fully tasing the name that had entered my ears I finally understood where it was from. This boy was royalty. ¡°¡­Ah, are you really Charles Eduard? Are you sure you didn¡¯t get the family name wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong.¡± ¡°¡­I seeeeee¡­¡± The shocking truth caused me to stretch thest word. I did that. I acted immodestly in front of royalty and then acted as if I were above him on top of it. Even if he were only a boy of five, I had been putting on airs to someone who was connected to the king. My follow-up scheme had turned into a time bomb. Well, I could onlyugh about it now. ¡­Yes. This was not amusing at all. What could I do? ¡°¡­¡± Even if I knew that there was no helping from there, I could not help but look up at the sky whenever my ability to think failed me. The moon that had just earlier been shining its gentle silvery light was now covered with clouds that had stealthily crept towards it. ¡°The moon disappeared, huh.¡± ¡°It has¡­¡± I agreed with Charles as he too looked up at the moon. In the whole country, there were only a few who were allowed to carry the name of Eduard. The one family with the royal lineage. It was a crime to be a pretender. Pretenders received a harsh punishment. I had already confirmed that this was not some misunderstanding of a five-year-old child, and there was little doubt that this boy in front of me was of the most powerful family line that carried the name of our countries founder, Gillick Eduard. Come to think of it, I had memories of the name Charles Eduard. I won¡¯t go into details, but his name matched the third prince of this country. It was very likely to be him. ¡°I see¡­ Charles Eduard¡­ Yes, you are Charles Eduard¡­¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­no.¡± After looking at Charles more closely, I noticed more and more convincing attributes. He had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as his cousin Mishuly, even their facial structures bore a resemnce. It was not a truth that I wanted to ept, and my mind raced to other possibilities, but the truth was the truth. I may have still been immature, but I intended to be ady. Mariwya had taught me how to swallow the bitter realities in life. My follow-up scheme had been thoroughly crushed. Trying to throw your weight around against royalty would result in the most painful boomerang throw. There was a strong possibility that my conduct towards Charles would have consequences. I had my misgivings. If one were to strictly view it in legal terms, the crime ¡®lese majeste¡¯ could be brought against me. But perhaps I was overthinking it. No. I was overthinking it, I decided with a shake of my head. I could still salvage this. I would turn this around. It was not yet an impossible situation. As a genius, I was immediately able to think of a way to escape this predicament. From here on my third scheme would be put into action¡­! ¡°You know, Charles,¡± ¡°What is it, My Lady Christina?¡± Well, well. Why was this boy, the third prince of this kingdom, speaking to me with such reverence? ¡°Yes. Well, I did have something I wanted to ask you, but it can wait tillter. More importantly, why did you put ¡®My Lady¡¯ before my name?¡± It would only look suspicious if I changed my attitude now. It also had the benefit of fitting within my next n, so I continued on in my usual way of speaking. And his reply had been to call me ¡®My Lady Christina.¡¯ Thispletely spoiled it from the onset. I could only be impressed that he could so thoroughly unbnce me from the beginning. I, a genius conversationalist. Even in the dance hall earlier, I had led the conversation and grasped control of its oue without letting go. But this prince had casually thrown me off course. This one, he was capable. I raised my guard even further, but Charles was looking at me with a puzzled expression. ¡°But My Lady Christina, I am only doing it because you told me to ¡®fear and obey you¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes. I see.¡± I did say that. Apparently, this five-year-old child had not only thoroughly memorized the biggest slip of the tongue in my short, seven-year life, but he had even gone as far as carrying it out. If he indeed was not trying to mock me with advanced techniques, then Charles was an incredibly naive and good child. One might even be worried about his future. I don¡¯t know. With the exception of Mariwya, no one has ever made feel so defeated after a short conversation. ¡°I did say that, yes. That is correct, yes¡­¡± ¡°You diiiid.¡± ¡°Gah¡­!¡± I ground my teeth as Charles, who meant no malice, pushed me even further. I had been very disheartened by the defeat at the hands of Mariwya, but it was not like me to give up in a ce like this. This was an unintentional yet punishing blow, however, I had still not been struck in the way I had been by Mariwya. And in spite of appearances, I could take being hit. Right, I rposed myself and raised my chin. I returned my thoughts back to the present and focused my gaze on this formidable enemy. ¡°So, Charles,¡± ¡°What is it, My Lady Christina?¡± Stop it. His petty psychological attacks made my lip curl, but I somehow continued in a soft tone. ¡°I did say all that a moment ago, but you don¡¯t have to call me ¡®My Lady.¡¯¡± ¡°Why?¡± Why. What a simple-minded question. It was simple and could lead to different paths. It made his former formidability seem like a joke. ¡­Was this a trap? I had my doubts as I looked into his pure, questioning blue eyes. But even so, Iughed to show that I was not phased. ¡°Hehe. Why, Charles. It is because we are friends, are we not?¡± ¡°Friends?¡± ¡°Yes, we are.¡± He reacted strongly to the word friend. I did not miss his mumbled question and nodded vigorously. Good, this was going well. But if he lost interest here, or said ¡®I don¡¯t want to¡¯, then my whole n would be ruined. ¡°I am your friend. Well, more urately, we are going to be good friends.¡¯ ¡°Going to be friends?¡± ¡°Yes. Being in a friendship is splendid, you know? Among friends, there is no station, age or reservations in conduct. Friendship is a kind of rtionship that allows you to connect and bypass all of the other things!¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± I emphasized the wonder of friendship by spreading my arms wide. Charles listened to my speech and raised his voice in admiration. I could taste my victory. He only needed onest push before it was mine. ¡°If you understand me, stop calling me My Lady. If anything, you can casually call me Chris!¡± ¡°I understand, Chris!¡± This boy was so naive. I watched Charles who seemed to be overjoyed at making what was likely his first friend on equal footing. I mentally posed in triumph. You could say that my n had all but seeded now. I just needed to insist that our first interaction had been something between friends and I would not be tried for lese majeste. There was only onest thing left to do. ¡°One more thing, Charles.¡± ¡°What is it, Chris?¡± We referred to each other casually and I put a finger up to my lips. ¡°Let¡¯s keep what happened here a secret between the two of us.¡± ¡°¡­A secret?¡± ¡°Yes. A secret. What happened here, everything.¡± ¡°¡­Even the part where youughed like, Fuaahahahahahha?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a top secret!¡± Why did he have a tendency to pinpoint the worst parts and pour salt on my wounds? ¡°Listen. You can¡¯t tell anyone that you met me here tonight.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± I repeated strongly and Charles curled his lip. That Charles¡¯ question contained a degree of discontentment was likely due him wanting to tell someone of tonight¡¯s events. But I did not think it was because he wanted to spread the story of my boisterousugh¡­ He just wanted to share the joy of making a friend with someone he was close with. As a genius, I understood his childish heart and so I gave him a humorous wink. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a special,memorative day for our friendship. Don¡¯t you want to keep it just between the two of us?¡± By beautiful suggestion seemed to works as I saw satisfaction appear in his eyes. ¡°I understand! It¡¯s a secret!¡¯ I won! Internally, I was apuding myself for being able to draw out from him the exact words that I had wanted. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Often the secret lock of friendship between children will have the power to withstand any lock breaking. For a child, a promise of secrecy was not one to easily break. It boasts an unshakable stubbornness that can withstand any threats from adults. And so there was no doubt that the nights events would forever remain a secret in my new friend, Charles¡¯ heart. ¡°Fuhfuhfuhfuhfuhhh.¡± Things had followed my exact blueprint, and I was ted by a sense of satisfaction. There were some hitches along the way, but in the end, I had been triumphant. The formidable foe who had pushed me to the brink was actually easy to manipte, if you knew how. He still had a ways to go before he could be considered a rival of such genius as I. ¡°Fufufu, fufufufuufufufuhhh.¡± ¡°Why are youughing?¡± ¡°Fuhahah¡­huh? Oh, you know. I am just so pleased to be friends with you.¡± It was not as if I could tell him the naked truth, so I said whatever came to my mind in the moment. And then it came to me. Through my lofty ns, Charles had now be a friend¡­ But, in fact, this was also the first time that I had made a friend on equal footing. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± My mouth had grinned a little, and the wickedly sharp-eyed Charles did not miss it. ¡°You¡¯reughing again.¡± ¡°Well, why shouldn¡¯t I? ¡­Ah. By the way, Charles,¡± I remembered and asked. Of course, I would act in the proper manner if we were in a public space. But we were friends now, and this was a personal interaction with no need for honors or respect. ¡°By the way, why did youe here?¡± Thinking back, Charles hadn¡¯t even been at the dance hall. As a duke¡¯s daughter, I would have without a doubt been made to greet the third prince if he were present. So that meant that Charles being here had nothing to do with the ball that was being held in the dance hall. ¡°I came to read a book.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Judging by those words, he seemed to have simply slipped out of his room and came here. And now that he mentioned it, he had been carrying a book under his arm ever since he appeared. It was a fairly thick tome, but the cover suggested that it was a sort of picture book. However, I think, as I look around the garden. This garden was outside and it was now night time. The moonlight would allow you enough light to see where your feet were, but I doubted that it was enough to read by. ¡°Can you read?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dark.¡± As I had thought. Iughed as Charles¡¯ shoulders dropped in disappointment. ¡°Indeed.¡± Most likely he hade to read during the day and found it terriblyfortable. He had escaped from his room in the night in order to repeat the experience, only to end in such a failure. It was rather adorable to see such childish foolishness. ¡°Uh, Charles.¡± Why not? I still had time, and the tools were here. I will show Charles some of this etiquette that had been beaten into me. ¡°Let me see that book.¡± ¡°Okay, but what are you going to do? Can you read in the dark?¡± ¡°Fufufu. Charles. Remember this one thing. Books are not only useful for reading.¡± Iughed proudly as I epted the book from Charles and ced it on top of my head. And just like that, I spun so that my dress fluttered. The book thaty on my head remainedpletely stationary and bnced. ¡°What do you think? Books can be used as props for such street performances as well!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± For bncing the book on my head, I received my second apuse of the day. I had utilized the etiquette that I had learned and nodded with satisfaction. I had gone through the trouble of learning this trick and had wanted to show it off. Now that I had done it, I decided to try out one more thing that I had learned from Mariwya. ¡°Charles.¡± ¡°What is it, Chris?¡± I returned the book that was on my head and stretched out my arm as I made a suggestion. ¡°We can hear the music from here. Why don¡¯t we dance?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charles blinked at the hand I had offered him. But when he finally understood what I had said, his eyes lowered in disappointment. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance yet.¡± ¡°Well, I can.¡± I forced Charles to swallow his denial with my words. ¡°Now, hold out your hand Charles.¡± I knew the steps and could very well dance, but a seven-year-old dancing at a ball attracted the wrong kind of attention. But to that point, this ce was safe. I had a partner who just happened to be the right height and we were in a ce where no one was looking. Surely I would not be punished for wanting to put my acquired skills to the test? After I insisted, Charles hesitantly stretched out his hand. His self-conscious hand was received by my incredibly confident one. ¡°Now, let¡¯s do this. One, two, three!¡± The music that leaked from the dancehall moved at the exact same tempo as Mariqya¡¯s pping. And to the music, I and Charles held each other and followed the steps. It was very unharmonious, we were out of sync and our movements were scattered. The primary reason for this was Charles, who could not do any of the basic movements. ¡°Hey, Charles¡­¡± ¡°I told you that I hadn¡¯t learned to dance yet!¡± Charles fired back obstinately as I red at him in annoyance. Indeed, it was probably ridiculous of me to demand a five-year-old to dance. Good grief, I thought with a sigh as we continued with the steps. ¡°Well, alright. It was my fault for forcing you to..ah¡­.agghh!¡± ¡°Uhghaa!¡± Our badly timed movements were a bad match for conversation. We had finally be entangled and fallen. We both found ourselves in a bed of flowers. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Ahh¡­¡± We fell on our backs, crushing the flowers. And I stared at him dumbly. I had ruined a corner of the pce garden. What was I going to do? A part of me felt that way. But more than that¡­ ¡°Fufuhh.¡± For some reason, an uncontrobleugh forced its way from my lips. ¡°Fu, kehehhe¡­AHHAHAHAH!¡± It wasn¡¯t my usual boisterousugh. It was a softerughter that came from the pit of my stomach. ¡°Aha, AHahhahah!¡± ¡°¡­Puh, Kufufuf, AHhahah!¡± Charles started tough along with me. We looked at each other and our innocentughter echoed around the garden. Why were the two of usughing? Even though I was a genius, I could say. But we were enjoying it. We were children lying in a flower bed andughing at the top of our lungs for no reason. Who knew just how long wey there andughed? Though I think that it was just two or three minutes at the most. Once we were finally doneughing, we stood up and brushed the dirt off of our clothes. ¡°Well, Charles. I think I will go back now.¡± I quickly checked my appearance and made sure that I did not have any dirt on my dress. I fixed my disturbed hair and shook off the leaves until I was satisfied that no one would think I looked strange. ¡°¡­You¡¯re leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes. Later, Charles.¡± He nodded but his voice had been tinged with sadness. My father would send out a search party toe looking for me if I was absent any longer. If this turned into a big thing, it would damage my perfect reputation as ady. So I needed to go back to the dancehall even if it meant that my friend would feel a little lonely. ¡°Hey, Chris!¡± He shouted at me as I turned my back on him and started for the exit of the garden. ¡°We will see each other again, won¡¯t we?¡± I turned around with a bold smile at his hopeful question. ¡°Of course.¡± I dered. I didn¡¯t care if he was royalty as I stood proudly with my legs straight and my chest puffed out. My assurance was even based on something substantial. As the duke¡¯s daughter, and being of simr age, I would surely have many opportunities to meet the royal family in the future. But more than anything, the name Charles had a rather deep connection to me due to the memories of my past in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ ¡°Do not forget when we meet again, Charles. I am Christina Noir. The sole child of the Duke Noir and your friend!¡± I proimed haughtily before turning on my heels. This time I did not stop or look back as I made my way back to the dancehall. I reached the hallway without anyone seeing me. While I walked, the name of the friend I had just met appeared once again in my head. Charles Eduard. The third prince of this kingdom. ording to my knowledge of my past life through ¡®Labyrinth Destiny¡¯, he was one of three who would possibly marry Mishuly. And one other thing. ¡°¡­Fufuh, I see. That one was to be my fiance.¡± Charles Eduard was also the viinous daughter, Christina Noir¡¯s fiance. The art in that story had taken some liberties in the design, and since most of it was when he was around fifteen, I had not recognized him. But it hade to me when I heard his name. Charles and I were to be married as was arranged by our families. It was one of the obstacles that Mishuly would face with the romance in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ Should Mishuly ovee the obstacles and marry Charles, then I would be condemned to one of my three fates. That fate was suicide by poison. Well, I wondered how this meeting tonight would affect my things. I recalled Charles¡¯ overjoyed expression as I made myst deration. And I smiled. ¡°Fufufuh.¡± Even as a genius, I could not predict the paths of fate that had entered thebyrinth. But for now, I felt intensely happy. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Trantor¡¯s note: I¡¯m terribly sorry, but I just can¡¯t do this anymore. I refuse. ¡®Mariywa¡¯ will be written ¡®Mariwa¡¯ from now on so I can actually remember how it¡¯s spelled. After parting ways with my new friend Charles, I was able to return to the dancehall without anything else happening. I felt so re-energized after I made my return that I executed a session of perfect courtesies to the other guests. Though, at one point a daughter of a Marquis pointed out that a flower petal -which I had not sessfully brushed off in the garden- was stuck to my hair ornament, I was able to get passed this with a genius excuse. Ultimately, I had been very sessful in ying the perfectdy at this pce ball. The next day. I was standing proud and tall in the mansion¡¯s garden. Not just in the garden, I was standing in the front of the huge garden thaty between the great gate that would wee our guests and the Noir mansion. Because I was outside, I had a maid stand next to me and hold a parasol so that I would not be burned to a crisp by the shining light of the sun. As I stood under the shadow created by our faithful servant, I waited impatiently for the gates in front of us to open. ording to the time, it should be any moment now. It was the first time I would be receiving a guest like this, but the person that I was expecting woulde at the designated time. ¡°Fufufuh. Come already.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to do with this overwhelming feeling of excitement, so I just smiled. After a moment I heard the sound of carriage wheelsing from the other side of the gate. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Mydy,e over here.¡± The gates opened as I eximed in excitement. The servant who had been watching me pleasantly, saw the carriageing towards us and frantically tried to get me to move off of the path. It was a most perceptive suggestion, but unfortunately, I would have to reject it point-nk this time. ¡°No, I will wait here.¡± I firmly refused the maids proposal and continued to stand proudly in the middle of the road. After all, I hade here just to receive her. I would hate it if she somehow failed to notice me and drove past. Additionally, depending on the qualities of the person that I was waiting for, she may notice me and still decide to drive passed on purpose. To that point, she would in no way be able to ignore me if I stood in the middle of the road that leads to the mansion. Even the driver, who was under our employ would surely stop the horses if I was standing here. As long as there wasn¡¯t some kind of worst-case scenario of the horses going insane, then I had no fear of being trampled. There really was no issue in terms of my safety. ¡°But, mydy¡­Oh, alright.¡± The maid had no choice but to give-up trying to persuade me. I would stubbornly not give in. Even so, I felt grateful at her loyalty as she good-naturedly continued to hold the parasol over my head. Finally, the long-awaited carriage came through the nowpletely opened gate. ¡°Wee. And halt!¡± Just as the carriage had gotten through the gate, I shouted for them to stop. The driver who was holding the reins looked at me in surprise. However, he was our driver and so that did notst long. Once he saw that it was I who had shouted, he immediately assumed that I had some business with whoever was in the carriage. He turned around and spoke a word or two. After a moment the door to the carriage opened. ¡°¡­Fuu.¡± The person who stepped out of the carriage was our private tutor, Mariwa Tote. For some unknown reason, she sighed very rudely upon seeing that I hade out to receive her. And with her usual rigid posture, she started to walk towards me. ¡°How very unusual for you to try and receive someone so close to the gates. This must mean that you are quite enthusiastic about today¡¯s lessons. I¡¯m impressed, mydy.¡± ¡°Hmph. You do say the most absurd things Mariwa. It is no matter for a genius such as I to master the rules of etiquette, even without effort. But let¡¯s leave that for a moment and talk of something else.¡± ¡°What you should be despising at this moment are your own words, mydy. Being ady is not so easy as you assume.¡± Both the maid who held the parasol and the driver of the parked carriage now averted their eyes at hearing this light exchange between Mariwa and me, which was really just an ordinary greeting. ¡°I agree with you on the point of it not being easy, but¡­.fufufufuh. But don¡¯t you have something more important to tell me, Mariwa?¡± ¡°Indeed I do. It¡¯s Miss Tote, mydy.¡± No. That¡¯s not it at all. Did she know and was only refusing to say it? Did she really not know? In any case, it seemed that it would be necessary for me to put it into clear words. ¡°Mariwa. At thisst ball, I was able to exceed your teachings by far and conduct myself in a more than perfect manner!¡± I ignored her usual corrections and boasted to her of my aplishment. Perhaps she could not focus due to the brilliance of my report, because Mariwa squinted her eyes ever so slightly. ¡°Oh. Far exceeding my teachings, is it?¡± ¡°Yes! I was wless like the full moon that will rise in tonight¡¯s sky! You can ask my father, he was with me the whole time, if you do not believe it. I was able to showcase ady that far exceeded your expectations!¡± I continued to boast. After all, even my father had asked, ¡®Are you really Christina?¡¯ Sooner orter, the name of Christina Noir, daughter of the duke, would spread with her fame through all of society. And so it was only natural for me to smile and demand Mariwa to give me what I deserved. ¡°Now, Mariwa! Shower me with praise. And you should also give me many pats on the head!¡± With a big smile, I offered my head to her. While Mariwa tended to believe that hitting me had its benefits, she would never strike without purpose. And now I was not only meless but deserving of much praise. Mariwa would surely have no choice but to say ¡®good child, what a good child¡¯ and pat me on the head. ¡°¡­Let me see.¡± That warm palm that I felt that day in the pantry. I smiled with expectations of that warmth being ced on my head. Finally, Mariwa¡¯s hand was ced on top of my offered head. For some reason, in the shape of a clenched fist. ¡°Huh?¡± I looked dumbfounded by the inconceivable shape of Mariwa¡¯s hand. Why was it in the shape of the rock that strikes all in this world, instead of the paper that sweetly epts everything? My heart wondered at this pure question, but the sight that my eyes viewed was one of cruelty. For before my eyes stood the man-eating fiend Mariwa, whose icy re held not a shard of kindness. ¡°Um, Mariwa¡­?¡± ¡°Yes? Mydy, Chris.¡± My uncertain voice should have triggered an instinct to protect, but instead, a voice so frightening that it turned my blood cold was what came back. At this point, my instincts were telling me that I was in grave danger, but it was toote. Without warning, her fist drove straight into my scalp. ¡°It is exactly as you say. Leaping into the royal flower gardens and destroying the flower beds was an action far exceeding anything that I have ever taught you. Yes, just as you said. You so thoroughly exceeded my expectations. I am sure that you are resigned to your fate now?¡± ¡°Agahadadhaghh. But how did you find out!?¡± Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- It seemed that the reason that Mariwa knew of my secret was not due to the story of it being reverberated throughout society. The truth was that the daughter of the Marquis who had tipped me off about the flower petal in my hair was Mariwa¡¯s old student. Mariwa would thenter hear from the pce gardener that there were marks left in the flower bed that suggested a child had been ying in it. She was able to put two and two together and decide that I was the culprit. It was rather infuriating to have her fist grind into my head over such spection, but I could not say anything, as well, she was not wrong. ¡°Mydy. You are much too careless.¡± After her abuse of thedy of the house, witnessed by two servants, Mariwa and I entered the carriage and rode the rest of the way to the mansion. Her lessons in etiquette began as soon as we reached my room. I sat on a chair with a meek expression, but Mariwa pounced on me in a harsh voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to warn you about this for a while, so now will be a good time. You have a bad habit of bing captivated by what is in front of you and cheating your way out of situations with temporary measures. It¡¯s fine if I wasn¡¯t seen at the time. I¡¯ll get away with it when the timees. You are full of such simple-minded thoughts. You do not understand that temporary solutions will not solve the root of the problem, and so you cannot see far ahead. This is why you continue to fail at every turn.¡± ¡°Grrrr.¡± She was loudly suggesting that my past failures were not by chance, but due to defects in my own reasoning. Mariwa gave me a quick sharp look when she saw my udylike attitude, but continued without addressing it. ¡°As ady, this will not do at all. You are not to right your posture just because someone is looking. You must always have your back straight and act gracefully. It is only when you can maintain the correct posture at all times, that you will be epted as a youngdy.¡± She was very brave for lecturing a genius such as I, but I had to admit that there were still many things that I could learn from her. While I was a genius who had memories of my past life in my head, I was still no match for Mariwa, the old maid who was past thirty, when it came to experience. ¡°In other words, I would not even consider you a buddingdy. Do you understand? Mydy Chris?¡± ¡°I understand, Mariwa.¡± I swallowed her words and experiences and tried to understand and express their contents in my own way. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Tote, mydy.¡± ¡°Ahh, fine. Never mind that. ¡­So what you¡¯re saying is this. I should not only pay attention to eyewitness reports but that I need to crush any evidence left at the scene. A perfect destruction of evidence. You do not care as long as I am not¡­¡± ¡°No one has said anything of the sort.¡± ¡± -Ouch!¡± Apparently, my understanding of her words was wed, for her fist came down on my head part way. Recently Mariwa had taken to using her hands instead of the whip. Thanks to this, there were all kinds of variations like the direct hit and the fist-grind, etcetera. ¡°Mydy Chris, you must stop trying to interpret things in such a self-centered way. Do you not understand that if you keep saying such things, you will one day make a fatal mistake? I intend to beat this corrupt nature out of you before it is toote, I hope that you are prepared.¡± ¡°Wha-, that is not something to say after you hit me! And besides, Mariwa. There is one important thing that you are forgetting!¡± The bony fist inflicted a different kind of a dull painpared to the sharp feeling from the whip. Even as I held my head with teary eyes, I desperately tried to persuade her. ¡°Do not treat me like other seven-year-old children. I, Christina Noir started to walk at the age of one. At three I could talk freely. At five I finished reading all the books in the library. I am a genius! How could you possibly believe that I would make a fateful mistake!?¡± ¡°¡­mydy Chris.¡± As I puffed out my chest with pride, Mariwa gave me a cold look and pointed out: ¡°Your third and fifth aplishments aside, walking at the age of one is no more than ordinary in that developmental stage of a healthy child. ording to your own words, your beginnings were nothing more thanmon. Is that what you are saying?¡± ¡°!?¡± She hadpletely stabbed me through the heart. I was troubled and did not know how to answer. Allow me to change my introduction a little. I am Christina Noir. I am a genius. At one year old, I could freely run throughout the mansion. At three I could talk freely. At five I finished reading all the books in the library. I am a genius. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I ruminated over this revised self-introduction and nodded. Michelie looked up at me oddly as I was doing this, but my exnation to her would have to be postponed. As usual, I had gone over to visit Michelie¡¯s room after Mariwa¡¯s lessons. The idea was to y and have fun with Michelie as usual, but self-worth as a genius had been serious rattled by Mariwa¡¯s words. And now I was left to devise a way to regain my confidence. The result of which was the previous introduction. At one year old, I could freely run throughout the mansion. At three I could talk freely. At five I finished reading all the books in the library. I am a genius. Hmm. I won¡¯t jump to any conclusions, but I was pretty sure that this was it. Well, no. I do not have any knowledge of ordinary child development, so I cannot say for sure. But I did not think that the average child could freely run through the hallways and climb the stairs of a mansion¡­ Probably. It was surely due to my abilities as a genius that I was able to do that at one and a half. ¡­Probably. Oh, it is because there were no books on child rearing in father¡¯s library, and I had no knowledge rted to child development in my past life¡­ ¡°¡­Hey, Michelie.¡± ¡°Whaat?¡± ¡°Michelie, were you able to run around at will when you were a year old?¡± My usual confidence was at a minus forty percent as I asked Michelie for her opinion. Even if her experience and absorbed knowledge were small, Michelie was an angel. I just knew that my confidence would return to its unshakable form if I had her assurance. To my question, Michelie shook her head to the side, back and forth. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Apparently, my five-year-old younger sister did not remember being a year old. ¡°Oh, right. Who would¡­¡± ¡°Eheheheh.¡± It was not the answer that I had wanted, but as she was adorable, I patted her on the head for being so good. It was a great mystery, but Michelie¡¯s smile would always somehow make every other problem seem insignificant to me. ¡°Nevermind that sister. But how was the ball yesterday?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, it was¡­¡± As usual, my beloved sister would want to hear about very specific subjects. I organized my thoughts. Michelie was still so young, and I had to make the story easy to understand and as entertaining as possible. ¡°We all gathered at a ce called a dance hall. It was full of pretty decorations and delicious food. It was an amazing and sparkly ce, and in it, everyone wore dresses and danced and had fun. And in that, I was the most popr of all. Why, people would incessantlye to introduce themselves to me.¡± ¡°I know why. Because you are so cool!¡± ¡°Fufufuh, yes. Right, right, right!¡± The conviction that my beloved sister adored me was my greatest joy in life. ¡°Also, there were other children my age there. But most of the time we were just there as our parents were greeting each other¡­ Oh, that¡¯s it. Michelie, I made a new friend.¡± ¡°Friend¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I was, of course, talking about Charles. I had only talked with the other children of nobility while still wearing my princess disguise, so I had not made any honest friends there. Now, perhaps I did make some sort of promise of secrecy with Charles, but my heart was constantly and fully open when it came to Michelie, and so the rules must be rxed this time. It could not be helped. Even so, I would keep out the parts that must remain a secret. Such as his name and that he was royalty and that we ruined a flower bed together. Those parts especially. ¡°The new friend is a boy. How can I say this, he was a small and wicked runt who unconsciously tried to corner me, a genius. He had the upper hand from the moment he appeared. He must be very lucky to have caught me like that.¡± ¡°A boy¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I was pretty close to acknowledging him as a rival, but in the end, I waspletely victorious. But after a little talking, we decided to be friends on equal standing and things settled down. Is he not the most amusing?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was most entertained as I recalled those moments, but then I noticed something. The more I talked the quieter Michelie¡¯s answers became. And she had now be very quiet. Usually, her blue eyes would have glimmered brightly as she listened. What could have happened? I was worried as I looked into her face. ¡°What is it? Michelie?¡± ¡°¡­Sister¡­¡± My ck eyes met her blue ones. She continued in a desperate tone. ¡°Me and that boy friend, who do you like more?¡± ¡°I like you more!¡± I said without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Apparently, my story about Charles had caused Michelie to feel a pang of jealousy. But my order of priority was unchanged, Michelie would always be number one in the whole world. I was so moved by Michelie¡¯s adorable and innocent emotions that I hugged her tightly. ¡°I, your sister, will always, always love you! Now, long before, and from here on out, more than anyone! ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Really!¡± ¡°¡­You promise?¡± ¡°I promise!¡± ¡°Promise, promise?¡± ¡°I promise, I promise, I promise!¡± ¡°¡­Eheheheh.¡± I assured her repeatedly and Michelie finally started to smile again. Now that her worries had been erased and her angelic and brilliant smile was restored, Michelie hugged me back with all of her strength. ¡°I love you too, sister!¡± ¡°Fufufuh. My love for you is even stronger than your love for me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! I love you just as much as you love me!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not too sure!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± ¡°Hooray! We both love each other equally!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With words and an embrace, our sisterly bond was reaffirmed and we basked in that bliss. We sisters were the best of friends. After we had hugged for a while, we let go of each other with a smile of immense happiness. ¡°Fufufuh. We are the strongest pair. I think you will be good friends with him too one day.¡± After all, ording to my knowledge of my past life, this was a possible pairing that would leave me, his fiance, in the dust. In this current life, I was a genius, a bug. So I did not think such a thing would happen this time, but I still felt that they could get along quite well, if it was just as friends. So I said those words with confidence, yet Michelieughed and answered: ¡°I don¡¯t think that is possible.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Her surprising denial left me at a loss for words. Why would she dere that it was impossible if she hadn¡¯t even met him? ¡°¡­is it, impossible? He is quite amusing, you know?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s still impossible!¡± The genius brain of mine was left confused as Michelieughed and started to grab and tug at my sleeves. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Christina. Your fiance has been decided.¡± Several days after the ball, father called for me toe to his study and he began to talk with those very words. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± I could not help but let out an unbelieving sigh as I faced him and heard those shocking words. ¡°Father¡­I came to you because you said that you wanted to tell me something, and then you say that you¡¯ve chosen a fiance for me. I am quite surprised. This is a most sudden development.¡± It was not particrly rare for children of nobility that were my age to be betrothed. Especially if they were high in rank, and I was the one child of the Noir house. Perhaps it was more unusual that I did not have a betrothed until now. Even so, it was still a sudden way to break the news. But I didn¡¯t feel any deep emotion when he told me he had decided who I would be spending the rest of my days with. I could only look at him stupidly. ¡°It was not really a sudden thing. We had been in talks over this for quite some time, it¡¯s just that it has only now been finalized. I¡¯m sure your sess at thisst ball helped in that regard.¡± ¡°Ahh, is that so¡­¡± His additional exnation was most gratifying. The engagement was not something that had just been decided out of the blue, there had been careful preparations for a while and this had finallye together. All this meant was that now happened to be the moment when this information came to the actual person being engaged, me. ¡°Christina. I¡¯m going to be very frank with you. There is no room for your own will to be considered for this engagement. None whatsoever. ¡­Do you understand?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It was the norm for marriages among nobles to be decided by their parents. And there was little reason to think that they would bother to seek the approval of some child every time. That was what it meant to be nobility, and I was nobility. I was born as a daughter of Duke Noir, one of the three great houses. I will clutch that pride tightly to my chest. ¡°I do not seek for my own will to be reflected in this marriage. Though I may be small and young, I am a noble. If it is the will of House Noir, then it is national policy, there is no right or wrong. ¡°I see.¡± Father¡¯s eye thinned a little as he smiled at myck of hesitation. ¡°Well said. You are truly my daughter.¡± ¡°Of course. I am your daughter, father. ¡­Ah, father. I would like to ask you regardless, who is he?¡± To be honest, I already knew the answer, but I asked just to be certain. Well, there was a nine out of ten chance that it would be him. But as father said that my reputation at the ball helped the decision, then perhaps it was not him. After all, there was a possibility that a high-ranking government official had been so moved by my incredible and perfect disy of being ady, that he would desire that I should be the wife of the first prince and the future queen of the whole country. ¡°Ahh, indeed.¡± That was really the only reason that I asked the question. But father calmly opened his mouth to give an answer that did not exceed my expectations at all. ¡°You are to be engaged to his royal highness, Charles Eduard. As you know, he is the third prince of this country.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Right.¡± Hearing Charles¡¯ name, my mouth smiled just slightly. ¡°They have expressed ns to visit us soon. You will have to greet them when the timees, I hope that you will not make any blunders.¡± ¡°Fufuh. I understand, father!¡± My voice had an unexpected bounce to it as I thought of being reunited with my friend much earlier than I had been expecting. Fufun, why not? I secretly made one decision in my heart that no one would know of. On this mostmemorative of asions, I would show Charles the most perfectdy he has ever seen. He should be most surprised. ¡°¡­Christina.¡± ¡°Hm? What is it, father?¡± ¡°Why do you seem so happy?¡± Father asked, his head tilted in suspicion. Oh. What did he mean by saying I seemed happy? ¡°Nothing, am I not always like this?¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± I¡¯ll admit that I was thinking about ying a little trick, but there was no harm in it. It was just an adorable desire to see the surprise on the face of a friend. It was just business as usual for me. Yet, father was always one to give in easily, and he backed down now as I gave him my usual, exaggerated nod. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°¡­.I see.¡± I bounced and nodded with a big smile, but my father¡¯s answer seemed a little weighted. I wonder what had happened. It was very strange, and I looked at him hard once again, and for some reason, there was a faraway look in his eyes. ¡°I see. You must have reached that age¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What did he mean by that? Father¡¯s odd behavior was worrying to me, but all I heard were the mysterious wordsing from his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, maybe a little jealous of him¡­ No, no, I shouldn¡¯t say such things. Yes.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The true meaning behind the words of the head of the Noir family was too much for even his genius daughter to understand. But there was something rather unsatisfying about watching father talk to himself like that. ¡°¡­Father.¡± ¡°She was such a rowdy little, no, she still is. That Christina is¡­ hmm? Did you say something?¡± I opened my mouth in anger towards my father for this feeling of unrity he was giving me. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten on my nerves now.¡± ¡°!?¡± Father looked at me with wide-eyed astonishment, but instead of exining myself, I gave him a graceful courtesy and put on mydy¡¯s face. ¡°Well then, excuse me, father.¡± ¡°Chri-, Christina! Wait a moment. What did you mean just¡­ Christina!?¡± I pretended that I could not hear the howling behind my back as I continued on. Like that, I quietly left my father¡¯s study behind me. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I was in pretty high spirits on the day Charles was to pay us a visit. I had a fondness for dressing up. It made me happy to know that you could attain beauty that corresponded with the weight of what you adorned yourself in. Now, I have absolutely no shame in myself even without as much as a string to wear, but then there was an inexpressible joy in essorizing oneself. What I am trying to say is quite simple. Due to the fact that I will be entertaining the third prince of this country today, I am dressing up a little more than usual. The dress I will wear today is very different one than the red dress I wore to the ball. This one is blue and white. The upper half has been dyed with a brilliant and deep blue and decorated with white lining and gold buttons. There is a train that starts from the top and goes halfway down the skirt that contrasts beautifully with the front that is pure white and flowing. Putting this on, I became my most confident self. First, I disyed it to Mishuli who I had invited to my room. ¡°Mishuli, what do you think about your older sister in her dress today?¡± ¡°You look so cool!¡± Unlike my appearances at balls, I would be the only one here that was dressing up. Mishuli was armed with an adorableness that no dress could ever match. In her regr clothes, she apuded me. Mishuli¡¯s vocabry was not the most extensive in the world, and so she always used the same words of praise. But I felt that all of the feelings in her entire being were mustered up in those words. ¡°Amazing. You looked slender and cool in the red one too, but this blue one is fluffy and cool! You look amazing no matter what you wear!¡± Mishuli¡¯s blue eyes shone brighter than the afternoon sky as she gave her all into expressing this praise. It wasn¡¯t just with words, she expressed it with her whole body. It hit me straight in the heart, reverberating. ¡°Fufun!¡± I puffed out my chest in answer to her adorable and honest praise. ¡°Of course I do! I am your older sister after all!¡± ¡°You really are my older sister. You are the coolest in the whole world!¡± ¡°Indeed! I am the older sister of the cutest girl in the world, that way, we create a bnce! ¡­But, fufu. If I can receive so much praise from you, Charles will surely be surprised too.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Thevish praise suddenly stopped dead. ¡°Charles¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, I had not told you yet. Remember, we talked about it a little? The friend I made at the ball, he is going to visit us. So I thought that I¡¯d go out and greet him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to greet him¡­? And with this cool dress?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right. Fufufu. Last time, he had caught me off my guard. Charles, this time I will give you something to really see!¡± ¡°A boy friend¡­.Charles¡­greeting in a dress¡­¡± I had turned my gaze from Mishuli and had been plotting on how to surprise my friend; I now turned back to look at her. For some reason, all of the vigor and joy she had been overflowing with up until now was shrinking. The lights in her bright, blue eyes had dimmed, even her blonde hair seemed to have lost its luster. And now she was mumbling things to herself, this was really not like her. ¡°Mishuli?¡± ¡°¡­sister.¡± What could have happened? Worried, I tried to look into the face of my beloved sister which stood a head below mine, but before I could, Mishuli had raised her own head and her blue eyes pierced into mine. ¡°So, you put that dress on for the boy, Charles?¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± My extravagance was indeed for this asion where I would greet the third prince of this country. It was just as Mishuli said. But something was wrong. Mishuli looked at me with a most difficult and willful expression. I was a genius, and yet I was feeling pressured. ¡°Well, indeed, it is the truth that I put on this dress for Charles. You are right, Mishuli.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Mishuli showed undisguised disappointment at my affirmation. ¡°You¡¯re going to go and meet this Charles, now?¡± ¡°Well, yes¡­¡± Mishuli was acting a little strange. There was a disquietness to itpared to her previous moment of adorable jealousy. Really, what was happening? ¡°Um, Mishuli. What ha-¡± ¡°Excuse me, mydy.¡± Just as I was about to ask her the reason for her behavior, I heard the most untimely sound of three knocks on the door. ¡°His Highness, Prince Charles will be arriving soon. The preparations have all been made, pleasee down.¡± ¡°¡­hmmm.¡± I frowned at the words that came after the knock. That was most terrible timing. It was quite tragic that as an older sister, I was unable to help Mishuli when she was feeling down. Mishuli would not be pleased by this interruption either. When she heard the words from the servant, she had whispered ¡®Charles¡¯ and her eyes had unusually narrowed. However, the person I was to meet was him. He was a prince, and more than anything, a friend. I could not just leave him alone. There was nothing that I could do but pat Mishuli on the head and try to cheer her up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mishuli. I have to go now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It felt like someone was pulling me by the hair, but I decided that I would settle thister. I¡¯ming. I turn in order to tell the servant, but then I noticed something lightly pulling me back. Mishuli was holding my sleeve to stop me. ¡°Mishuli?¡± ¡°¡­Older sister.¡± Mishuli looked up at me with trembling and teary eyes. I could tell how sad she must have been feeling just by looking at the tears and the tight grip on my sleeve, but the words came pouring out of her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go. I¡¯ll be lonely¡­¡± I heard the words that shaped her heart, and my eyes slowly widened. In truth, it was quite rare for Mishuli to act stubborn like this. Mishuli was more of an epting child. Even if this was just a tantrum, it was unusual for her to pursue something on her own like this. Mishuli was demonstrating her will to not listen, and so I knelt down so as to be on the same level as her. ¡°¡­The thing is, Mishuli.¡± I stared straight back into Mishuli as sheined, and I dered: ¡°I would never leave you and go somewhere alone!¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± A bright smile appeared on her face like a blossoming flower. She then flung her arms around my neck. I received it and hugged her tightly back. ¡°You would never leave me and go off to someone else, never!¡± ¡°No, no! It is impossible!¡± ¡°I know! I won¡¯t let you go off to some boy name Charles. You wouldn¡¯t go!¡± ¡°Yes! ¡­Huh? What, um. That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Of course it is! Ehehe. I love you, sister!¡± ¡°I love you too, Mishuli!¡± We sistersughed as we pelted each other with derations of love. I felt that we must be in a corner of God¡¯s kingdom that was made by the incorruptible archangel Mishuli. It was Shangri, Utopia, the Garden of Eden, Nirvana. There was a bliss that was more powerful than anything I remembered from my past life. But then a voice came that shattered that joy I was basking in. ¡°Um, mydy Christina? Forgive me for repeating myself, but it is time¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± I had forgotten. The servant¡¯s words brought me back to reality and I stood up, wordless. And like that, I made way toward the door. ¡°¡­sister?¡± Mishuli¡¯s voice quivered behind me, but I wanted her to be assured. It was not that I was trying to go out into another room. What I was about to do was quite the opposite. ¡°Alright.¡± The door was in front of me, and I turned the lock without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Yes. This should do it.¡± ¡°Do it¡­ Umm, mydy. Did you just lock the door?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think I will be able to leave this room for quite some time.¡± ¡°Wha!?¡± I had been lead to the truth of the world, but a horrible screech sounded after my honest reply. ¡°Ah, I, mydy Christina? What are you saying?¡± ¡°It seems that I will not be able to leave Mishuli today. We must ask Charles toe another time. Yes, we must do that.¡± ¡°That is out of the question! They are royalty, mydy Christina! Please stop it with these jokes and acts of willfulness!¡± ¡°And so what if they are royalty? Am I not entertaining an archangel in her? Do you really suppose that I would abandon my beloved Mishuli in here!?¡± ¡°Why, your affection fordy Mishuli is causing you to do strange things¡­! Mydy Mishuli! If you are in there, please persuade your sister toe out of the room-¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°What!?¡± That energetical rejection that echoed was very unlike the usually honest Mishuli. I heard the second scream of horror. ¡°Why, even you, Mishuli¡­? Tsk. For now, I will have to go and borrow the key from the head maid¡­¡± ¡°Try it. While you are gone, I will fill the keyhole with candle wax so it will no longer turn.¡± ¡°Will you not stop thinking of such childish tricks?!¡± It was most disrespectful of her to suggest that such ideas from my genius mind were no more than childish tricks. This servant will not be able to break through my defenses no matter what. I went back to where Mishuli was and with a smile, exined my ns. ¡°Now, Mishuli. Let¡¯s y together for the whole day.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Um, mydy Christina? You do understand that this is not something to joke about? Just like when you locked yourself in the pantry, it was not something that could be handwaved as a joke. Please, mydy! Please open this door right now!¡± Her banging on the door had far exceeded the level of a knock. I silently watched at the rudeness of it all. Unfortunately, I could not do what she wanted. There was not even one shred of a joke in my decision to hold this castle. ¡°What should we y, Mishuli? It¡¯s quite noisy outside, but should we read a book?¡± ¡°Yes¡­stories! I like your stories more than books!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Noisy outside¡­! No, no, I must call the master of the house and tell him¡­ Oh, but he has been easily controlled by Christina ofte, it might just be a waste of time¡­ Then, what should I -AH, that¡¯s it!¡± It appeared that the servant on the other side of the door had thought of something, unfortunately for her, there was nothing in this mansion that could aid her in breaking the defenses of a genius. I would be able to shoot down any n, no matter how brilliant. The kind that a plebian servant would think of was likely to be of no concern. I was about to confidently ignore the noiseing from the other side of the door. ¡°We just need to call Miss Tote!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± I would not have thought that they would try to rely on an outsider. I fell silent. ¡°Sister?¡± Mishuli cocked her head to the side as I became speechless. But as it happened, the servants had used an unexpected hand. And in this reality, I had to use all of my power in order to find a way out of this. I had no time to reply to her. Leaving us like this, the servant began to monologue. ¡°It¡¯s always like this. Even when she holed up in the pantry, it was Miss Tote who solved it for us. We prepared the youngdy quite ahead of time, so we can still make it. Today is not the usual day for the private teacher to visit, but if I send a carriage¡­we might just make it in time! Yes. Now¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was just a little joke. I wille out now, so please don¡¯t call Mariwa.¡± ¡°Sister!?¡± Mishuli¡¯s scream echoed. The pain in her voice tightened around my heart, but there were many things in this world that were out of one¡¯s control. I calmly untangled Mishuli¡¯s hand that was gripping my sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mishuli. What I must go and do now, is my responsibility as a noble. It is not something that I can ignore as the daughter of Count Noir.¡± I say as if tofort her. Hearing my words from behind the door, the servant mumbled, ¡®¡­It really is true.¡± Hey, now you maid. You may think that I can¡¯t hear you behind this door, but I can. I considered saying something, but I knew that if our previous exchange was rted to Mariwa, it would be incredibly troublesome for me. So I did not say anything. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Though she was solemn, Mishuli seemed to have been persuaded by my words. There was still discontent there, but she would no longer try to keep me from going. ¡°It¡¯s your duty as a noble to go, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you want to see that boy Charles, or anything right?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes. Well, that is true.¡± I won¡¯t deny that it would be fun to meet a friend, but it was also true that it was my duty. Upon hearing my answer, Mishuli smiled and gave me her blessing to go. ¡°Okay, I understand then!¡± ¡°I¡¯m d. You are so good.¡± I gently patted my understanding sister on the head. Her blonde hair was soft, it felt nice and fluffy under my fingers. ¡°Ehehe. ¡­Oh, by the way, sister,¡± ¡°Hm? What is it, Mishuli?¡± I was sure that the patience of the servant was reaching its limits, I had to leave soon. As I thought this, Mishuli made an adorablest request of me. ¡°Can Ie to your room to yter on?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Usually, it is I who goes to Mishuli¡¯s room to y. It was quite rare for Mishuli to want toe to mine. I would not mind hering to y as much as she wanted, as long as it was after Charles had left. So I dly epted her request and Mishuli excitedly said ¡®Yay!¡¯ in happiness. ¡°¡­You better not be alone together or anything.¡± ¡°Now, I suppose I should go¡­? Did you say something, Mishuli?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± I missed whatever it was that she mumbled, but there was nothing dark in Mishuli that she would hide, she shook her head with an adorable smile. ¡°See youter then, older sister!¡± ¡°See youter, Mishuli!¡± She was so cute. She was the manifestation of purity, wholesome and adorable with only one side to her. I could not help but smile broadly as she sent me off. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Royaltying to visit the house of a Duke was not amon thing. It was true for most things, the person who would invite guests was usually higher in importance. You called for people that you had business with. People who could do this did not move around lightly on their own. And while Charles was still young, he was royalty. His station did not allow him to move freely and without thought, there were too many restrictions and traditions keeping him in ce. Just as authority must not be wielded light-heartedly, one must now allow themselves to appear overly familiar. So why then, had it been decided that Charles would pay us a visit? The answer was simple. This promise of marriage between me and Charles was not because I would be marrying into his family, but was because he would be marrying into mine. In this country, it was quitemon for royalty who were not heirs to be subjects of the state. This marriage that was made without I or Charles¡¯ will had the intention of one day making Charles into the next Duke Noir. I could sense this intent through the political considerations that showed from every corner. Even in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny,¡¯ there was a route for Charles that ended with him bing Duke Noir. Well, in that scenario he would marry Mishuli and the girl who looked like me and was called Christina, would drink poison and die. With all of that considered, it was unlikely that my guess was wrong. After all, many people viewed Dukedom to be a sort of receptacle for royalty rejects. That was the reason for this marriage. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± I was thinking about all this as I waited for Charles¡¯ arrival. Then, a question suddenly hit me. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°What is it, Christina?¡± I say to father, who was waiting beside me. We were currently waiting for the messenger to announce their approach, and because it was just the two of us here, there was no need to be polite. ¡°Charles¡¯ marriage to me must signal his omission from the race to the throne. But he is only five. Do you not think it is too early for that?¡± ¡°¡­Christina. I hope that you understand that you must never say such things in front of His Royal Highness?¡± ¡°How rude.¡± What did he take me for? I curled my lip at father¡¯s most insensitive words. It was only because I knew that it would be incredibly disrespectful that I was asking no one else but him. ¡°Well, is that not the case?¡± The first prince was eight years old. The second was six. I especially remembered the first prince from ¡®Labyrinth Destiny¡¯ as he was one of three people who had the possibility of marrying Mishuli. The end route for the first prince was especially bright and wonderful as it meant that Mishuli would be queen of the entire kingdom¡­ But, to be honest, I was not fond of the first prince in that story, and I did not want Mishuli to get involved with him in this one either. But the thing was, there was an unusualck of an age gap between these princes. And so I thought it was quite strange for Charles to be cast out so soon. To my question, father struggled, but managed to exin: ¡°His Majesty, Charles¡­ How can I put this, he is seen as having a special sensibility you might say. It was determined very early that he would not be fit to rule.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± I nod at this. Well, he was the type who would run out at night with a book, crawl under bushes only to realize that ¡®it is too dark to read¡¯ and be sad about it. He was strange without a doubt. Thinking back, he was always depicted as being a ratherid back character in Labyrinth Destiny. ¡°I see, so that is the reason.¡± ¡°But, Christina. Don¡¯t worry about it!¡± Perhaps father had misinterpreted my curt nod of satisfaction, because he quickly began to make an addition to his exnation of the situation. ¡°From what I have heard from His Majesty and his caretakers, Prince Charles is not a bad person. They say that he is full of curiosity, and well, two people with strange sensibilities might¡­ Oh, never mind. In any case, I do not doubt that the two of you will get along!¡± ¡°¡­Father.¡± It was true that after having actually met Charles, I found him to be interesting and good, but that slight slip of the tongue from father was very unpleasant to hear. I slowly brought my hand to my heart and lowered my eyes, making a show of my weakness. ¡°Oh, father. I am ever so worried now that I have heard of His Highness¡¯ disposition. My heart is in pain from just thinking about what I should say when I meet him¡­ Why, I think there may be nothing for me to do but go and embrace the archangel Mishuli, and replenish her healing essence¡­¡± ¡°Stop lying, Christina.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Father said gently, and I could only pout in return. As a reward for seeing through me, I will pretend like his previous rude words had not been spoken. ¡°But I do want to replenish on Mishuli¡¯s essence. You know, Mishuli was so sad that she tried to stop me froming down here.¡± ¡°Is that so? That seems rather unusual for her to do¡­ Well, she had always taken such a strong liking to you.¡± ¡°Fufun. Of course, she does. I am her older sister.¡± Our warm conversation continued until we heard the sound of knocking on the door. ¡°Forgive me, mydy Christina. His Highness Prince Charles has arrived at the front gate.¡± It was time. So came the end of our family talk. ¡°I understand, I will go out now. ¡­Christina. I will bring His Highness to this room. You must receive him here and greet him.¡± ¡°I understand. Leave it to me, father.¡± My first meeting with the third prince. It was actually to be my second, but I was prepared to make this fact hidden to all who observed us. I was equipped with the most perfect of manners, and I had a genius n to surprise Charles as well. I was brimming with confidence now, yet for some reason, I could see a hint of worry in father¡¯s expression. ¡°Christina¡­ This time, please don¡¯t do anything senseless like you usually do. Understand?¡± ¡°Father.¡± His words could not be missed this time, but I epted them with a smile. And after that smile, I immediately erased all expression from my face. ¡°Enough about that, hurry up and go.¡± ¡°¡­Uh. of course.¡± I showed my wrath through myck of expression and sent him away as if with a kick. Father looked a little hurt by my quick littleshing, but he quickly exited the room. ¡°Hmph.¡± I snorted as I saw him leave. Really, what did father think of me? I was physically beautiful, I had a brilliant mind and cared for my family, I loved my sister unconditionally. I had it all. No one could have asked for a more perfect daughter, but this is the treatment I get. He has already decided that I am going to act out of turn. It was most annoying. ¡°¡­Very well then. I will do the most perfect greeting he has ever seen.¡± I am a genius. If I seed in this greeting without a single w, my father will have no choice but to raise his unjust estimation of me. My resolve to do what I had already intended only intensified as I waited for father to bring Charles to me. Though, I would not be waiting for long. The entrance to this mansion was not far from this room. After a brief moment, a knock echoed from the door. ¡°Christina. His Highness, Prince Charles is here. ¡­May we enter?¡± They were here! My heart started to beat faster at this long-awaited visit from a friend, but I did not show it. After all, I must be ady from here on out. Ady must swallow any emotions and act with grace. I must not allow myself to show strong happiness through my face. ¡°¡­Yes. Pleasee in.¡± I flicked the switch and put on mydies disguise. My graceful voice gave them permission to enter. ¡°Very good. ¡­your Highness, pleasee in.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Lord Noir.¡± Led by father, the silent Charles and one other figure entered the room. The other man who came in after Charles appeared to be in his early twenties. Hisrge, muscr frame and his stiff reply to father gave him an air of the military. He must be a knight or something simr. Likely, he was Charles¡¯ caretaker or guard or chaperone. Maybe he was all of those. Well, he was not important to me. I felt that it was safe to disregard his existence here. I decided to leave any spection on this person I saw for the first time and move my gaze to the real subject at hand. ¡°¡­¡± A five-year-old child with golden hair and blue eyes like Mishuli. While you could tell he was a boy, his face would have still been most aptly described as cute and soft. It was likely that he had been told to stay quiet. The road to here must have been tremendously boring, for Charles¡¯ eyes looked clouded and he seemed disinterested. However, his expression immediately lit up with joy when he saw that I was there. Fufu, he was an honest one. But his face immediately switched to one of surprise. I felt a strong sense of pleasure imaging how the rest of this scene would y out, but I do not show any of it. Finally, father entered the room and closed the door. Here, I pulled one leg backward at a nted angle and lightly bend the other knee. My hands gripped the hem of my skirt and I lifted it at the appropriate height. And like that, I bend forward and lower my head towards Charles. ¡°I am honored to make your acquaintance, Prince Charles. I am Christina Noir, daughter of Duke Noir, His Majesty¡¯s humble servant.¡± I greet him with a courtesy and the highest possible respect I could contain in my introduction. ¡°I am honored that you His Royal Highness hase to see me, though I am most unworthy.¡± I say these words and raise my head in order to give a smile that would enrapture all. Fufu, I was perfect. As evidence of the extent of my perfection and grace, the man who stood behind Charles had let out a sigh of admiration. And just as I had intended, Charles too wore an expression of surprise. He was surely shocked at the discrepancy with the girl he had met in the gardens. My little joke had gone well. I chuckled inwardly at his face. Well, now. Now we are even with ¡®first encounters.¡¯ I was proud of my win as I looked on at him. Usually, this would be the moment for Charles to greet me back. I was waiting for him to do so, but perhaps it was because he was young. Charles was in so much shock that he could not reply, he ignored all notions of good-manners and raised his arm. ¡°¡­¡± What was this boy doing? Such doubts entered into my head, but his bizarre behavior did not stop there. While all three of us watched, Charles most rudely threw up his finger and pointed directly at me. ¡°This is a fake Christina!¡± He had pointed at me with such force that it was almost audible, and then he made the loud usation. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡­hohoho? This unexpected reply from Charles caused my smiling face to freeze. What did he just say? ¡°Prince Ch-, Charles!? What are you talking about! You are being most insulting towards thedy Christina¡­!¡± ¡°But she¡¯s acting strange! She is clearly not Christina!¡± The guard or the caretaker did his best to persuade him, but Charles¡¯ tantrum would not stop. ¡°Her way of talking is too gross for her to be Chris. She is definitely an imposter! Right? Fake Chris over there! What did you do to the real Chris!¡± I see. My being ady is apparently strange. Not only that, but from Charles¡¯ point of view, it waspletely gross. Hmmm, mmmm, I seeeeeee. ¡°¡­¡± As I was apparently a fake Christina, I decided to move closer to Charles. I smiled silently as my shoes loudly sounded on the floor. ¡°Prince Charles, were you not listening when I told you so many times to stay quiet¡­ Ah,dy Christina. I understand that you must be very upset, please forgive him¡­! I will be sure to scold him about thister on¡­¡± Who cares. The man was letting out pained sounds as I approached, but I ignored him. I began to address Charles through my stiff smile. ¡°Prince Charles, may I?¡± ¡°What is it? Fake Chris.¡± He returned sharply to me, ady. He was surprisingly feisty. What was I going to do with him? This whole time father was looking at me with suspicious eyes that seemed to ask, ¡®what did you do?¡¯ But he was also giving the guard or caretaker a sympathetic look that said, ¡®you must struggle a lot.¡¯ What was that? It annoyed me. No matter how you sliced it, I was clearly not in the wrong on this asion. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve been exposed as a fake, do you feel like bringing out the real Chris?¡± ¡°Why no. That is not the case at all. The thing is¡­¡± Charles was ring at me with the same blue eyes that Mishuli had, I kept my graceful,dy-like smile and stretched both of my arms out. And like that, I grabbed both of his cheeks and pulled as hard as I could. ¡°Fuhya?!¡± ¡°¡­Now, Charles. Is this the mouth that calls me a fake Christina Noir? Is this the soft and stretching mouth that is calling my proud self a fake? Hmm? Really, Charles. If you insist that I, who is in front of you is a fake, then why don¡¯t you go and run around the mansion and find the real Christina? I will give you permission to search the attic and the basement, even the pantry. So go and find the real me. What do you think, Charles? I may be able to agree with your notion if you can bring the real Christina before me now. Of course, you won¡¯t find her any time soon, so I will have to be pulling these soft cheeks for quite some time!¡± ¡°Ouff, ouchff! Stofff¡­! You areff the ffeal Chriff fnow!¡± ¡°Hahaha, I do not understand a word you are saying, Charles. As a punishment, you are sentenced to additional stretching¡­¡± ¡°L-,dy Christina¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, it was just a most well-intentioned jest, I do not wish to extend the sentence at all.¡± Hearing the voice from the side, I immediately returned to mydy mode. My hands promptly released Charles¡¯ cheeks and Iughed in adylike gesture towards the man who had called me through a quivering voice. But I was not too confident, having to create a smile at such short notice could be difficult. ¡°That¡­really hurt. But, you really are the real Chris then.¡± ¡°¡­Grrr.¡± This boy! I should not have let him go free. Charles¡¯ unconscious and giddy attack as I had only begun to retreat was enough to make the smile I was wearing twitch visibly. A witness to the destruction of my fraudulence, Charles¡¯ guard or caretaker quietly looked away as if to say, ¡®I didn¡¯t see anything.¡¯ ¡­How did this happen? I was facing a reality where my ideal had crumbled into dust. I could not help but ask myself, even as my smile continued to twitch. This was supposed to have ended in myplete victory as Charles was awestruck by my ability to be ady. Why was this happening¡­! ¡°Christina¡­hah¡­¡± Father had seen the whole of this troublesome exchange between us, but for some odd reason, he let out a deep sigh after saying my name. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- We pretended this whole scene did not happen. It was the smart thing to do, why fixate on the remains of a fallen sand castle, if you could act as if it never were? Thanks to fathers mediation, we were able to settle things and the acts of barbarismmitted by both me and Charles would be scrubbed from the records. Once everything was cleanly forgotten, the only thing that remained was Charles¡¯ slightly reddened cheeks. It was much too small to be considered evidence of anything. And so once this scene had ended, I was allowed to take Charles away and give him a tour of the house. ¡°What do you think Charles! This the famous garden of House Noir!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± His reaction upon seeing the gardens was so good that I too snorted with delight. While I may have said ¡®taken away¡¯ this tour of the mansion had been nned in advance. Originally, it was to be father who would do this, but the role had been changed in an emergency. Father had told me in a voice mixed with resignation andprehension that, ¡®his majesty will probably be happier if you gave the tour¡­¡¯, well, that was his reason. In any case, it was the duty of a genius to carry out any task to perfection. I was very enthusiastic to introduce our home to my friend. ¡°What do you think of this garden! We employed a most gifted gardener to make this!¡± ¡°The one in the pce is better!¡± ¡°Shut up. Be quiet and praise it.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± My contradictorymand seemed to have confused him, but I did not care. It was something I decided to keep within the walls of the Noir house, but here I decided there was no need for respect and honors to be shown him. There were two main reasons for this. The first was because we were both children. The second is because when I did use elegant words and respect to greet him, Charles had taken to using me of being a fake and causing a scene. Ultimately, father and Oxe, who stood by Charles, had to discuss the matter and decided that such reservations were not necessary between children. The man who was with Charles was a house knight after all, and he had been assigned as Charles¡¯ caretaker. They had also considered the fact that I was adept at changing into the necessary way of speaking in public. ¡°Duke Noir. Your daughter Christina is quite a lively youngdy.¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know what I did wrong with her. I have such mixed emotions, I don¡¯t know if I should feel happy or sad¡­¡± ¡°No, it is a good thing that she is so healthy. ¡­And she seems to get along with Prince Charles.¡± ¡°I see. Well, I am d to hear you say it.¡± Oxe and father, what these two adults with pretensions of guardianship were talking about had nothing to do with me. I pretended that I could not hear them and continued to show Charles around. ¡°Well, I will admit that it is perhaps one step behind the gardens of the royal pce¡­ But the best thing about this garden is that over there!¡± What I now pointed to was the giant, one-hundred-year-old tree that I had often used to hide away from Mariwa. ¡°That big tree?¡¯ ¡°Yes! The view from that tree is in a league of its own. You can see the entire mansion from up there. Now, Charles! Let us climb it!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Please stop this,dy Christina! Prince Charles! It is much too dangerous, please, please¡­ Ahh! Both of you, wait just one moment!¡± We brushed off Oxe¡¯s protestation and began to climb the tree, but then father came and grabbed us by the cors and dragged us back to the ground. ¡°Now, next is the hallway.¡± ¡°A hallway? What is interesting about that?¡± Next was the inside of the mansion. I showed Charles the hallway which was not particrly strange or even decorative. ¡°Fu. That is an unjust prejudice to think hallways are boring, Charles. Look, this hallway stretches on in a straight line!¡± ¡°I saw!¡± ¡°Good! And so you understand then!¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°I see!¡± I nod at his energetic and quick replies. Dialogues with him tended to be smooth and delightful. ¡°¡­Duke Noir. Is there indeed something special here?¡± ¡°No, this is just an ordinary hallway¡­¡± ¡°Then why is she showing it? It does not seem like a ce for such a tomboy to be fond of¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. What reason could a tomboy have for showing this ce¡­¡± They may have been speaking behind us with hushed voices, but I could hear it all. It seemed that Oxe hadpletely recovered now from the psychological blow I had dealt him. I thought it was time I showed these ignorant people just what the merits of this hallway were. I raised my voice: ¡°If you do not know, then I will tell you! This long hallway is perfect for having a race!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Lady Christina!?¡± I don¡¯t know if my echoing voice resounded in their hearts. It hardly mattered to me. ¡°Now, let us race, Charles! On your marks¡­ Hey, Oxe. You are in the way. Do not stand like that in front of us. It is disrespectful.¡± ¡°I will not move! You cannot make me!¡± ¡°Tsk. ¡­Hey, Charles. You must use your authority as royalty to the fullest and make Oxe move. You can surely do it.¡± ¡°Okay, I will try!¡± ¡°I must beg you not to put such wrong notions into His Highness¡¯ head,dy Christina!¡± I felt a sense of relief seeing Oxe pleading with me so desperately. I was only seven years old, but my genius brain could easily bury any gap that came with age. I stood there quite satisfied at having bested one who was ten years older than me, but Charles was different. ¡°Oxe.¡± He took one step forward and continued. ¡°Imand you as the third prince of this kingdom. You are in the way, so move!¡± ¡°!?¡± ¡°Hhh, hey, Charles. Perhaps we should let him off now. Right?¡± While he continued to block our path, I could see that Oxe was on the verge of tears and I could not help but feel sorry for him. And so I interceded for him. ¡°Now, Charles. I will take you to the mansions great attic¡­¡± ¡°¡­Christina.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± After that, I had pulled Charles all around the mansion. There were several other moments that we made Oxe cry as well. As this repeated itself, father finally mumbled towards me. ¡°If you run around like this any more today, I might have to give a report to your teacher, Miss Tote tomorrow?¡± ¡°Now, Your Highness, Prince Charles. We have seen everything that there is to see here, let us now retire to my room.¡± I quickly donned mydy¡¯s disguise and lead Charles towards my room instead. ¡°Uh, Chris. It was weird the first time as well, but what are you doing?¡± ¡°Foolish Charles. Everydy has a feature that allows them to switch between three different levels of transformation. This one you just witnessed was my second form.¡± ¡°Second form!? So, so there is a third one?¡± ¡°Of course. I am ady!¡± ¡°Three-level transformation feature¡­ Ladies are so cool¡­!¡± ¡°Fu fu fu! Indeed. Am I not the coolest!¡± ¡°You are so cool!¡± Mydy¡¯s face had fallen off quite quickly, but I was satisfied seeing Charles¡¯ reaction. His blue eyes were shining with wonder. Right behind us, I could hear the two adults once again talking in very audible hushed voices. ¡°A three-level transformation feature¡­ Duke Noir. Do women usually gain the ability to change their attitude so quickly at this age?¡± ¡°My daughter is quite special. There is no need for you to smash any ideas you may have had of women before you even marry.¡± Their conversation was full of more sadness than all of the previous ones. ¡°Now, Charles. This is my room.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± After that, I had invited Charles to my own room, I hid nothing as I proudly presented it to him. The two adults were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they had seen how well I and Charles took to each other and decided we could be left alone. It seemed that the two of them had much to talk about. They were drinking lightly in father¡¯s study and getting to know each other. ¡°So, what should we do? Unfortunately, while my room is fairlyrge, it is still just one room. We will not be able to y on a veryrge scale.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s run away!¡± ¡°Hohoho!¡± It was a most beautiful idea, but it had to be dismissed. There were servants just outside of the room. Even if we were to escape from the window, we would be caught immediately. If that happened, I was sure to be whipped by Mariwa on the next day. ¡°Hmm, something we could do quietly here¡­¡± There was plenty of things we could do here. Just as I was about to suggest some of them, I could hear that there was some conversation happening on the other side of the door. ¡°My, mydy Mishuli. Forgive me, but there is a guest here¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Sister said that I coulde over.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± It was Mishuli and the servant who had been keeping watch. Indeed, Mishuli had asked me if it was alright for her to visitter on. But I had been sure that she would visit only after Charles had left¡­ ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Oh, well, in that case¡­ I suppose it is, alright?¡± ¡°Yes! It is!¡± Now Mishuli had forced her way past the servant. ¡°Older sister. I aming in now!¡± ¡°Eh.¡± I hesitated at Mishuli¡¯s words. I was entertaining a guest. I nced over at Charles, but he looked a little stunned as if he had no idea what was happening. For a moment I wondered if I should turn Mishuli away. It was not very proper to have an intruder while a guest was here. But more than anything, I had a sudden vision in my head of the two of them together in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ I did not want the two of them to meet. Somehow, I felt that very strongly, but even as I was hesitating, time moved on. Without being able to stop her, Mishuli opened the door. ¡°Thank you for having me over, sister! ¡­Ah.¡± ¡°¡­..mmm.¡± The brilliant golden hair. The eyes that were blue like the sky. These two could be bound by fate. It was the meeting of two who had those elements. Their first encounter was¡­ ¡°¡­This is, Charles.¡± ¡°¡­Chris, what is that?¡± It was an incredibly hostile atmosphere. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Forplete strangers, Charles and Mishuli had a lot inmon. They both had simr appearances: blonde and blue eyes. You could line them together and introduce them as siblings and no one would be any wiser. Of course, they were in reality, cousins whose blood ties were quite close, so this degree of resemnce was not unexpected. And now these two were staring each other down. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I was a little stumped at this unexpected turn of events. As someone who knew of ¡®Labyrinth Destiny¡¯ I had been overwhelmed with an unfounded anxiety that something irreversible would ur if these two should meet. Some mayugh at me, but you could say that I had been scared of fate. I had been so worried that if Mishuli, the protagonist of that story and Charles should meet, something would happen to this reality. Maybe this bug known as Christina would be fixed. But what of the reality of the current meeting? ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­ !¡± Well, they were staring intensely at each other, but it was not quite the atmosphere of a fateful encounter. This was without a doubt, there first time meeting, and yet they red at each other as if seeing their mortal enemy, angry sparks were flying. What was especially surprising to me was that the ever-loving Mishuli was staring hard at Charles. My archangel who was always overflowing with kindness, she had such a strength in her eyes now, as if to show that she would not back down. Yes. This was also quite adorable. I see. So Mishuli was now capable of showing that she would not allow herself to lose a fight. She¡¯s grown so much. I started to feel a little moved after seeing this rare side of her. The stare-down between the two finally seemed to end. It was Mishuli who turned her gaze away to end this heated battle. ¡°¡­Sister.¡± Though she was the first to look away, it was not because Charles had overpowered her. Mishuli casually walked towards me after taking her eyes off of Charles. And as if to suggest that Charles was not something worth looking at, shepletely ignored him and jumped into my arms. ¡°I was so lonely without you!¡± ¡°Me too, Mishuli!¡± There were several distracting things about this situation, but it was still my top priority to embrace my beloved sister who hade to me. I brushed away all that I had been thinking about and epted all of the happiness that leaped into my arms. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you, sister!¡± ¡°Fu fu. I am happy to see you too. ¡­But, Mishuli. Why did youe all of a sudden¡­ Do you not usually have more a patience?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But today, that one, Charles, or whatever his name is, ruined everything and we were separated. So I felt much, much more lonely than usual. ¡­Am I in the way?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you are in the way.¡± A rather gruff sounding voice interjected. ¡°Chris. Who is this?¡± It was Charles who hade in without hesitation. Perhaps he did not like being ignored. He stood a little distance away from us hugging siblings, his brows were narrowed as he red at Mishuli. ¡°Mmm, ahh, sorry, Charles.¡± It was indeed a great error of mine to have left Charles, a guest. I could not me him for being upset. ¡°This is Mishuli. She is my beloved younger sister. Is she not cute!¡± I boasted with my nose in the air, but Charles only mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t think she is cute at all¡­¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± I needed him to modify that unfathomable answer, and so I gave him a threatening smile. But Charles just looked the other way. Even if he were just hiding his own bashfulness by beholding the brilliantly adorable Mishuli, this was not an agreeable way to behave. Apparently, Charles¡¯ special sensibilities included his tastes in people as well. If he could think that Mishuli was not cute, then his taste for the arts could only be twisted and outrageous. He had my sympathies, but such defects in one¡¯s personality did not heal in a day or two. I would have to be patient with him, polishing and teaching him to be able to understand Mishuli¡¯s cuteness. I started to immediately put together my ns for educating Charles, who had said such nonsense about Mishuli not being cute. Next, I introduced Charles to Mishuli. ¡°Mishuli. This boy is Charles. Remember? The friend I told you about before. He is quite important. So, for form¡¯s sake, you should greet him first.¡± ¡°Um, okay. ¡­Nice to meet you, Charles.¡± After my suggestion, Mishuli did a polite bow. She did not use any honorifics, but I suppose it did not matter in this setting. After all, Mishuli still didn¡¯t even know who he was. ¡°I am Mishuli Noir. Christina¡¯s most ¡®beloved¡¯ younger sister. It is nice to meet you, Christina¡¯s ¡®friend¡¯ Charles.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Ahhh¡­¡± Mishuli was not quite skilled with words yet, but she did her best in her own words. I could not help but smile at this great feat of Mishuli, who had managed to finish. Even though there were moments that were a little shaky. Mishuli¡¯s adorableness had been overflowing in her introduction, but for some reason, Charles had thinned his eyes in irritation. Why would he be upset? It did not make any sense. There were slight ws in Mishuli¡¯s greeting, but it was more than enough for a five-year-old who had not started her education yet. In order to shower Mishuli with praise for her aplishment, I started to pat her on the head. ¡°That was very good, Mishuli. That¡¯s my younger sister!¡± ¡°Eheheh. Yes! I am your beloved younger sister after all!¡± ¡°¡­Then, it is my turn isn¡¯t it.¡± I don¡¯t think it was on purpose, but Charles once again interjected while we siblings lovingly embraced each other. ording to etiquette, it was indeed Charles¡¯ turn to introduce himself, yet the conjunction ¡®but¡¯ entered my brain. Judging from his words and action up until now, it seemed quite apparent that Charles had not been formally educated in etiquette either. His way of speaking did suggest he was of noble birth, but that was it. He had not been properly educated yet, and for better or worse, he was free and not yet shaped. Well, well. I wondered what kind of introduction he would show to me now. I found myself a little excited to see as Charles opened his mouth. ¡°I am Charles Eduard. Chris¡¯s ¡®fianc¨¦,¡¯ Charles.¡± I mentally furrowed my brows at Charles¡¯ introduction. It was not very skilled at all. The parts that he emphasized were strange. He hadn¡¯t even revealed that he was royalty. This introductioncked important details and contained unnecessary ones, I don¡¯t think I will be able to give him a passing score on this one. That was my general reaction, but Mishuli¡¯s was quite different. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Mishuli¡¯s eyes widened after hearing Charles¡¯ short introduction. ¡°Fian¡­c¨¦¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right!¡± The words escaped Mishuli¡¯s lips as she stood in shock. Charles nodded with a particrly pleased smile. Mishuli¡¯s eyes were wide and watery, she swung around to look up at my face. ¡°Sister, why?!¡± ¡°Huh? What is it, Mishuli?¡± It was all so sudden that I wasn¡¯t sure what she meant. Mishuli saw my look of confusion and desperately added. ¡°You said he was only a friend! It was your duty to see him! But what does he mean by fianc¨¦!?¡± ¡°Well, Mishuli. ¡®Fianc¨¦¡¯ means that he will likely marry me at some¡­¡± ¡°I know what it means! But why must you marry someone like that!?¡± Why was Mishuli so upset about it? ¡°Well, there are a lot of reasons for it. In short, it was a decision made between our families. Marrying the person who was chosen for me is one the crosses I have to bear.¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­ Sister¡­ Marrying¡­that¡­¡± My words must have been a great shock to her because she could only talk to herself as if delirious. I could not me her. Mishuli was still young, to hear that the life of a noble meant you had to walk a set path, including that of marriage, would be something both sour and shocking. But it was a reality that she would have to know of eventually. I cradled Mishuli¡¯s head in my arms as she continued to mumble, ¡®sister is¡­no¡­sister is my sister and¡­¡¯ in a voice that sounded lost. ¡°Do you understand, Mishuli? I and Christ will one day be married. We will both be number one to each other¡­¡± ¡°What. What are you saying, Charles? My number one will always be Mishuli.¡± ¡°¡­Uh.¡± I said what was only the most obvious thing to Charles, who for some reason acted victoriously. ¡°Charles. I will tell you this for our future as well, but I did not agree to this engagement due to any personal affection towards you.¡± ¡°But, but, are we not friends, Chris¡­¡± ¡°We are friends. But that is different.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± There were no objections to my sound arguments. Charles was a friend, and I liked him well enough, but that was it. I had been bothered by his attitude towards Mishuli previously, so this was a good time to set things straight. Charles was now quite surprised, and so I continued to exin in a harsh tone. ¡°This marriage was decidedpletely separate from our own will. In that case, it could be dissolved before we know it, as well.¡± ¡°Exactly, sister!¡± For some reason, Mishuli had jumped on my exnation. ¡°An engagement is just some promise that can be easily broken!¡± ¡°Huh? Well, I don¡¯t know if I would go that far. But we don¡¯t know what the future holds, so I think we should be prepared as responsible people¡­¡± ¡°But unlike Charles, who only has a thin promise called engagement, I and sister will always, always be together! Will we not, sister!?¡± ¡°Of course, we will. Mishuli!¡± Mishuli would always say the most adorable things. I praised her with every fiber of my being. ¡°The bond between you and I willst forever. No one shall break it! After all, we sisters are the strongest together!¡± ¡°Yes. I know! ¡­ Fu fu fu.¡± ¡°Ah! Chris, she stuck her tongue out! She made a face like she won and stuck her tongue out, so you couldn¡¯t see! She is not cute at all!¡± ¡°Stupid Charles. Why should I believe that Mishuli would ever do such a thing? Right, Mishuli?¡± ¡°Yes, sister!¡± ¡°¡­.t!¡± Perhaps Charles was angry that his first friend ever had someone else they held more important. Charles seemed to harbor some unreasonable feeling of jealousy as he continued to re at Mishuli. Mishuli herself had been jealous in her own,pletely adorable way over not having her sister entirely to herself. She now took one step in front of me and stared back at Charles. Their blue eyes shed, sparks were flying. This again. I thought, but I was wrong. ¡°Why you little!¡± ¡°Who do you!¡± They began to shout at one another, and in the next moment they had grabbed each other by the cor and were about to start a fight. ¡°Wha!?¡± It may have been a childish scuffle. But I still could not allow it to happen. I quickly came between them and tried to make peace. ¡°What are you two doing! Stop this!¡± ¡°But sister! I can¡¯t help it, I hate him!¡± ¡°I could say the same about you! You are in the way! Go somewhere else!¡± ¡°Enough of that, step away from each other. Now!¡± Both of them were pointing their fingers and hurling abuse at the other. I tried my hardest to pull them apart, but the maism of fate that I had feared was too strong. In Labyrinth Destiny, the story from my past life, there had been a strong force of attraction pulling these two simr people towards one another. ¡°Chris! Chris, you are being fooled by her! She is not cute at all! She is tricking you and plotting something!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such things to my sister! You can¡¯t even meet with my sister without the power of your house!¡± ¡°What did you!¡± ¡°What did you!¡± ¡°Could you two please stop this already!¡± In this world, there seemed to be a strong force smashing them together even as they strongly repelled each other. It was most strange. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Mishuli and Charles¡¯ fight resulted in all three of us being a little worse for wear, but overall uninjured. Of course, this was only after my efforts to stop their fighting, which included attempts to soothe and then to scold them, and sometimes restrain them. Thanks to all of this, Charles waspletely exhausted when it came time for him to leave. How tired was he? Let me put it this way. ¡°Prince Charles, it is about time we return to¡­ Oh?¡± ¡°You are finally back, Oxe¡­¡± Oxe¡¯s arrival had looked like theing of the savior to him. The two who had started the fight, Charles and Mishuli, were now sitting with sulky expressions and facing away from each other. I myself was much too tired to give a detailed exnation, and so I pushed Charles onto Oxe before he could ask anything. ¡°Nevermind. Just take Charles and leave¡­¡± ¡°Ah. I won¡¯t argue with that, as it is why I havee¡­ But, mydy¡¯s and Prince Charles¡¯ clothes look rather disheveled.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± It would be most tiresome to exin. As my face would have indicated, I was tired and just wanted this moment to be over with. Yet Oxe seemed to have mistaken me as he happily ¡®Hoho¡¯ -ed. ¡°Oh, were you children y fighting with swords? Ha ha ha! It is very good to be so energetic! I do think it¡¯s good for children to be ungovernable to a certain extent. Do you not agree, Duke Noir!¡± ¡°Ah, that is true, Oxe! I am quite troubled by Christina¡¯s actions on a daily basis, but viewing them as proof of her good health allows me to see them in a kinder light!¡± ¡°Indeed! I too am constantly surprised by Prince Charles¡¯ unusual actions, but¡­ Ohh. Who might this youngdy be?¡± ¡°Ah, she is my daughter, Mishuli. This one is much better behaved. She is still a little shy, but she is a good child who really cares about others!¡± The two adults seemed to be drunk on something. I could not help but scowl as I saw them continue to be senselessly cheerful and strong headed in the face of clear signs of fighting. What were they doing? No, I knew that they were enjoying a drink or two in father¡¯s study, but it appeared that they had not stopped there. Drinking was a part of hospitality for nobles, but this surpassed the limit. Especially Oxe, was he not supposed to be taking care of Charles? What was he thinking? ¡°¡­.Hahhh.¡± I thought such things but discarded them with a sigh. Let me say it again. I am very tired. I had used up all of my energy in order to push Charles¡¯ head down and tofort Mishuli. I did consider that Oxe would likely be berated, should he return to the pce in this state, but that was not my responsibility. And so I raised my head and red at the two foolish adults and said: ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of this. Would you hurry up and just do your job?¡± ¡°!?¡± My low roar that was full of resentment was enough to make the shoulders of these two grown men shiver. After my threat, Oxe promptly returned to his duties and took Charles away. When I and father were seeing them off, Charles turned around and said, ¡°We will meet again, won¡¯t we?¡± much like he had before. However, it was not I who made such ns. In any case, I told him ¡°Don¡¯t even think ofing again if you are going to fight with Mishuli,¡± which must have been very simr to stabbing him through the heart. Indeed, his face looked quite shocked, I doubt he will be jumping onto Mishuli again any time soon. And after finishing my duties as a noble, I returned to my room to see Mishuli waiting for me. ¡°¡­Suu suu.¡± She was curled up on the carpet and sleeping. A most adorable greeting. ¡°Fu fu.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at this. I approached the sleeping Mishuli, and while I knew it would be very impolite, sat next to her. Today was the first time Mishuli had ever had a temper tantrum. She had shouted so loudly, raged so vigorously, she must have gotten even more tired then I had, just trying to stop them. At least to the point where she could not wait and had to sleep. She looked like a cute, small animal. Still, it was not proper for her to sleep on the carpet, so I considered calling a servant to move her, but then decided against it. This was such a precious little scene. I wanted to have it for just a little while longer, and so curled up right next to her on the floor. ¡°So adooraable¡­¡± I could feel her inhtions and exhtions on my cheek. I gathered my beloved sister in my arms and held her gently. The carpet that covered the floor was shockinglyfortable. I could understand just why Mishuli had fallen asleep on it. Whether it was sanitary¡­ Well, I will put my trust in the cleaning abilities of our outstanding servants. ¡°¡­mmm.¡± After I held her, Mishuli began to move a little but showed no signs of waking up. Perhaps it was an automatic reflex, but Mishuli, in turn, held onto me. ¡°No¡­ Sister, you can¡¯t go¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what she was dreaming about, but she mumbled such things as she grabbed onto me. It was adorable and it made me happy. I gently touched her soft and fluffy golden hair. ¡°I won¡¯t go, I won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­.Ehe hehe.¡± There was no exaggeration in the words I said. I knew that she would not hear them, but perhaps they would get through to her in her dreams. Mishuli smiled at my assurance. I smiled too at how innocent she looked. But even now, my mind felt vague and tired. I was sleepy. My eyelids grew heavy, I allowed my eyes to close. Today had been a busy day, but it was also fun. I was sure that, along with Charles, such happy days would continue toe. Thinking about this, I was ready to give in to sleep¡­ ¡ª-That Christina is no longer the Chris that we knew. My eyes immediately opened. ¡°¡­!¡± What was that? My brain worked madly, trying to figure out whose voice it had been that suddenly yed in my head. The identity for that voice came to me very quickly. That line I had just heard, it was not a memory of something that I had experienced. It was just something that remained as knowledge. It was a scene in Labyrinth Destiny that has been carved into my brain. A still, some dialogue and voices to match it. This scene had opened with the words I had just heard. ¡ªMishuli. You can¡¯t help her anymore. She is not the old Chris. ¡ªThat¡¯s not true. Surely, one day, I and my sister will be close again like we once were! ¡ªNo. It won¡¯t happen. She used to take such good care of you, I don¡¯t understand why she turned out like this¡­ In this dialogue, Mishuli and Charles were talking about their shared past, and also of their biggest obstacle, Christina. There were not many details for the characters in Labyrinth Destiny. It was mostly just a summary, with a few scenes depicting the past of a few important characters. Of course, there were no scenes that focused on the past of Christina, the viiness. Even so, there were things that could be deduced from scenes such as this one. Christina had been tormenting Mishuli from the beginning of the story, but they were close as small children. Even in that story, Christina had loved Mishuli as a child. In that case, could it mean¡­ I felt a chill run through me as a certain possibility entered my mind. I had assumed from Christina¡¯s words and actions that her attitude towards Mishuli only changed when she discovered that Mishuli was the daughter of her father¡¯s mistress. But what if the unspoken truth was different? What if Christina was not as big a fool as I had thought, what if she wasn¡¯t just a very emotional woman¡­ If she had a past where she yed with Charles and loved Mishuli in Labyrinth Destiny, then what really was the difference between her and I? ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m thinking too much. I discard this foolish notion. I am me. No such forceful power as fate exists in this worlds. Mishuli and Charles had proven this today when they fought each other. People can live with their own will. They are not standing on stage as puppets. And so, if I were to be like the viinous daughter, Christina Noir from Labyrinth Destiny, it would be due to an unshakable belief, an irrefutable will¡­ ¡°¡­I would never do such a thing.¡± I stopped my mind, not allowing it to go to such ces, and hugged Mishuli even tighter. Feeling her softness and warmth close to me, my resolve is strengthened. No matter the reason, no matter what happens, I will never do anything to destroy Mishuli¡¯s happiness. As long as I live, I will protect the happiness of the most adorable sister in the world. In order to stop myself from thinking anymore, I close my eyes once again and attempt to sleep. I understood that I was only running from it, but I didn¡¯t care. And yet, the sleep would note no matter how long I waited. It should have been pitch ck as my eyelids were closed. But I felt like I had seen the face of fate for a second, the face that should have been lost in thebyrinth due to a certain bug. --------------------------------------------------------------- Fate is peeking. ¡¸|¦Ø?`£©¥Á¥é¡¹ You might tell it to go away¡­ But enough about that. This chapter marks the end of the 7th year arc. After a few extras, there will be a short time skip as we enter the 9th year arc. Intermission, 0.1

Intermission, Chapter 0.1

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- This is an extra chapter that is from Mishulli¡¯s POV. It is written in the third person and has a very different feel to the main series. --------------------------------------------------------------- The eyes were smiling, eyelids just slightly closed, the brows were furrowed just to the point where they didn¡¯t look angry. The eyes that looked at me like this, they seemed a little dark. Everyone I had ever met had looked at me with such eyes. *** ¡°¡­¡± A lone girl was sitting motionless in the swaying carriage. She was a young girl of three, with golden hair that looked like bundles of the finest golden threads and the clearest blue eyes. The carriage that bore this young girl from the royal pce moved along smoothly. There was nothing particrly wrong with the driving, but that was only from the perspective of an adult who was ustomed to carriages. If you thought about it, a three-year-old would surely get overly excited and rowdy inside of a moving horse-drawn carriage. Either that or they would be fussy at the environment. After a while, they may finally be tired and fall asleep. That was normal. However, this girl barely moved from the position that she first sat. She just stayed very still. Her eyes that resembled ss marbles were open and unmoving, looking quietly ahead. The overall effect was of a realistic doll. But this motionless girl did not so much seem as if she were calm, but as if all of her life force had been sapped from her. ¡°¡­Fu¡­¡± Duke Noir sat on the opposite side of the carriage, and he let out a soft sigh so that she would not notice. This may have been the result of political conveniences and expectations, but this girl was to be his daughter from now on. He had attempted to talk to her several time whening to pick her up, but aside from the one nce she gave him on their first meeting, she had not reacted to him at all. Eventually, Duke Noir could not stand the silence and had sumbed. Mishuli. This child who had been born from the now deceased sister of the King. The only thing that this young girl had ever been given was a name and a small hidden room in the depths of the pce. She was not even given a family name to confirm her roots. And considering she had been raised in a secret environment, hidden from the eyes of anyone, it was not surprising that she had be such a silent girl. Duke Noir thought this, but then immediately regretted his near eptance of the present. He once again looked at the girl who would be his daughter. ¡°¡­¡± Their gazes should have been perfectly aligned, and yet Duke Noir was not even sure that her eyes were registering him. Duke Noir was most struck by those lifeless eyes that seemed to stare into nothing. Once again, his heart was overwhelmed with resignation. Well, she was only three. Perhaps she just needed some time. ¡°Fuu.¡± Thinking this, he sighed once again and turned his gaze towards the small window and the outside. His heart grew even heavier when he started to wonder how his daughter, who had grown into such a tomboy, would react to this doll-like girl. As if to remove even a little of that anxiety, Duke Noir sighed once again. *** ¡°Fuu.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mishuli had heard this third sigh. Even if she didn¡¯t have the vocabry to express that it meant resignation, she understood the sentiment. Even with this knowledge, she did not feel anything in her pushing her to be involved with the adult in front of her. But she would remember his eyes when they first met. ¡°From now on, you are to be Mishuli Noir.¡± It was the kindest and warmest set of words that Mishuli had ever heard. Even at three-years-old, Mishuli had an almost instinctive ability to determine that this man who hade to take her away was a nice person. Mishuli had been filled with hope at hearing those warm words until she looked at him and felt tremendous disappointment. ¡°Now,e with me. We are going to be family from now on.¡± The smile that was on Duke Noir¡¯s face as he stretched out his hand was not of pure kindness alone. Amidst that kind smile with the corners of the mouth raised, the smiling eyes, eyelids just slightly closed, the brows were furrowed just to the point where he didn¡¯t look angry. The eyes that looked at her like this, the color seemed just a little dark. That color, even if it was part of a gentle smile, it was something that Mishuli was very sensitive to. It was the same eye color that every person that Mishuli had ever met in her short life had. She sensed this eye color, ¡°This Poor Child,¡± and she did not take his hand. ¡°¡­¡± Mishuli quietly inspected the adult in front of her with clear and emotionless eyes. She felt two main emotionsing from him as he looked away from her and to the outside. Resignation and eagerness. She could not analyze just why he was feeling those things. But it was because she had not experienced enough to allow her to imagine. But even then, a mere three-year-old child had urately read the emotions of an adult. This ability to observe arose as she was raised. ¡°¡­That poor child.¡± Even Mishuli did not know when she had first heard those words. It was because she had been hearing it, as if in a whisper, even before she was self-conscious. Mishuli had been raised deep inside of the royal pce, as if in hiding. And so there were only a few people that Mishuli had any interaction with. When Mishuli began to walk, the only ces she was allowed to go, was her own small room and a little garden that was connected to it. The garden had been surrounded by thick trees, blocking the view to outsiders, but also acting as a barrier to keep Mishuli inside. The people that Mishuli would see daily was one woman who was both nanny and wet nurse. There was also one knight who stood guard in front of Mishuli¡¯s door. That was all. It was her wet nurse who would constantly repeat, ¡®you poor child¡¯ as if by habit. There was no malice in it. She felt pity andpassion from the bottom of her heart. It seemed likely that sheter realized that this would have a negative impact on the child¡¯s education. For at some point, she had stopped saying itpletely. But Mishuli remembered it perfectly. She remembered the whispered words and the expressions of her wet nurse. The eyes were smiling but slightly closed, the brows were furrowed just enough to not look angry. The eyes that looked at her like that looked a little dark. ¡°¡­You poor child.¡± The color of pity and sympathy, ¡®You poor child.¡¯ The meaning of the words stayed at the bottom of Mishuli¡¯s heart and prevented her from feeling attached to her wet nurse. But Mishuli had a hope that this color would one day fade. That one day the person who raised her would smile with pure joy, and ept her wholly. She had held such a vague dream. And so Mishuli had continued to look into her eyes every day, searching for that change of color. What did her nurse feel besides this one color, ¡®you poor child¡¯? She tried her hardest to detect some other emotion for her. But ultimately, from the time she was a baby until she was three-years-old, that color had never left the eyes of her wet nurse. *** ¡°Now, here we are. The girl who will be your older sister is waiting inside.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mishuli made no response when she was shown towards the door. She would walk if prompted, she would follow if led. She was obedient to orders, but she never reacted to anything spontaneously. She was very much like a moving doll, and quite unsettling. Duke Noir had a mixed expression but appeared to finally give up. He looked away from Mishuli and called from behind the door. ¡°Christina, we¡¯reing in.¡± ¡°Please do, father.¡± As soon as the answer came, a servant who had been standing to the side opened the door. Mishuli followed as Duke Noir entered the room. ¡°¡­¡± As Mishuli entered, her eyes were clear, her expression was hard and unmoving like a doll¡¯s. There was a feeling simr to defeat within her chest. Would she meet yet another person who viewed her as ¡®a poor child¡¯? Mishuli had no idea that this meeting would derail her fate. And so she had absolutely no expectations about seeing this girl who would be her older sister. Intermission, 0.2

Intermission, Chapter 0.2

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- The first thing that Mishuli felt when she entered the room was the slight sting of heat on her skin. It was not because there was a stove burning in the room or anything. It was more of an emotional heat, it was causing Mishuli to feel a phantom heat. And the source of this heat was the young girl in the middle of the room. There was a single girl who stood proud in the center, and an intense heat was pouring off of her. ¡°Hello, father. How are you today? Just as an aside, I happen to be quite angry with you.¡± That heat filled re passed over Mishuli and focused solely on Duke Noir, who stood next to her. The girl gave him a look of such heated intensity that Duke Noir could not help but take a step back in surprise. ¡°Wha-, what is it, Christina?¡± ¡°Hah. Don¡¯t y dumb with me.¡± The young girl named Christina looked at her own father and snorted. ¡°Suddenly bringing an orphan back with you, how very impressive. Ah, wait. You, father, are the head of this Noir house. That¡¯s quite impressive already. It can¡¯t be helped then, yes, it could not be helped.¡± ¡°Chri-, Christina.¡± Duke Noir flinched at the force of the anger-filled words. ¡°Just why are you in such an ill mood¡­? Perhaps you have misunderstood something¡­¡± ¡°Hmph. As if there was anything to misunderstand! I am angry, father! You good for nothing!¡± ¡°Good for nothing¡­!?¡± She had not stopped with her overwhelming and heated, jealous attacks the moment her father had entered. He could not even start to exin himself. Mishuli had never witnessed anything so vicious and relentless before. What was it, this viciousness? Mishuli was left in a shock from experiencing such passion for the first time, then Christina¡¯s gaze turned towards her. ¡°And, is this the girl that you were¡­what?¡± The angry girl stopped in the middle of her words as soon as Mishuli entered into her eyesight. Her eyes widened as if to allow all of the steam that had been umting inside of her to disperse. What had happened? The answer came as soon as Mishuli wondered this. ¡°A, ador¡­¡± The first two sybles that came from that shaking voice; Mishuli was now able to understand the reason for her actions. See, her shoulders drooped and she looked at the floor. She had been very surprised at first, but in the end, they were all the same. This person would likely look at her with eyes that said ¡®you poor child,¡¯ as well¡­ ¡°Adorable!¡± A very different word than the one that Mishuli had been expecting now echoed through the room. ¡°Huh?¡± She raised her head reflexively, perhaps she had misheard her. Adorable. No one had ever called her that before. She did not know what it meant, Mishuli could only stand there in confusion. ¡°A-, adorable.¡± ¡°Yes, adorable!¡± It was just one word she parroted, but it was still the first word Mishuli had said since she arrived here. Duke Noir looked at her in surprise. Mishuli did not notice, she needed to know the meaning of the word ¡®adorable.¡¯ She looked straight at Christina in order to discover what emotiony behind those words. She trembled. What she saw there, were pure and brilliantly shining eyes like she had never seen before. ¡°You, what¡¯s your name¡­Ah! You are Mishuli!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mishuli wondered how this girl had known her name before she said it, but more than that, she felt herself being drawn into her dark ck eyes. There was not one speck of a color that Mishuli disliked there. It was a color that evoked ¡®adorable¡¯ and not ¡®poor thing.¡¯ The eyes of Christina were a ck that should have sucked in all light, yet, somehow they were filled with a mysterious color that glowed brightly. The girl with the eyes of a color Mishuli had never seen before, stretched out her hand. ¡°Woah, wow! What pretty blue eyes! Your hair is such a shiny, golden color¡­ Uhh, can I touch it?¡± ¡°¡­Ye-, yes.¡± ¡°Really!? Well, I¡¯m going to touch it then.¡± She had been so overwhelmed, but she nodded. The girl looked happy as her hands touched Mishuli¡¯s hair. Christina gently patted her hair as if she were touching a treasure, she let out a sigh of admiration. ¡°It¡¯s so soft and fluffy¡­and nice.¡± ¡°Christina¡­ I don¡¯t know what you meant, but, you are no longer angry with me?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, yes.¡± Duke Noir asked cautiously as Christina now seemed to be in a good mood. She was grinning from ear to ear as she patted Mishuli on the head. She nodded to her father tepidly. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t care!? But you were so angry a moment ago?¡± ¡°Yes. But never mind that, father. You are being bothersome, so please be quiet. I am trying to enjoy this girls adorableness, there is enough information entering my brain at the moment¡­¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Mishuli interrupted the conversation that Christina and the Duke were having. She did not know yet, that it was most impolite to interrupt people who are talking. Though, it was probably for the best, as Duke Noir would only have been dealt with more and more damage had the conversation continued. Mishuli wasn¡¯t able to read such small details yet, she just wanted to ask something that she had been wondering. ¡°What color is that?¡± She pointed at Christina¡¯s eyes as she asked the question. It was a color that she had never seen before. And so she had asked. What was that bright color that shone within her ck eyes? What emotion were they? She asked with the limited words she had possession of. Christina reacted with a carefreeugh to Mishuli¡¯s question. ¡°ck. My hair is the same color too. It¡¯s just amon, uninteresting color.¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not.¡± It was not exactly the answer she had been expecting, but she disagreed with Christina¡¯s disparaging. She slowly reached up and touched the hair that was the same color as her eyes. Her sincerest feelings, thoughts that came from the bottom of her heart, spilled from her lips. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± It seemed she had not expected this. Christina¡¯s mouth opened a little in surprise, but it quickly changed to the shape of a sweet smile. ¡°You say the most adorable things, Mishuli!¡± The hand that gently patted her head felt a little ticklish, but Christina¡¯s words had tickled her heart even more. She felt almost excessively happy. ¡°¡­¡± Duke Noir had decided a few moments ago that he would not interrupt them. And now, seeing the scene before him, he realized that his fears had been groundless. Nowhere was the angry girl who hated other children, nowhere was there an expressionless doll. ¡°Fu fu.¡± ¡°¡­Ehe he.¡± What Duke Noir saw was just two sisters who were smiling at each other. Volume 2: Nine Years Old, 20

Volume 2: Nine Years Old, Chapter 20

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I am Christina Noir. I am a genius. I was able to run freely around the mansion since I was a year old, at three I had mastered speaking, at five I had read every book in our library, at the still young age of seven, I portrayed the most perfectdy at a ball and shocked all of society. I am a genius andpletely wless girl. And now, I am nine years old. In the two years that passed since I was seven, I have gained even more knowledge, as I have an ability to absorb that you might expect from a genius. I learned during moments of every day, I learned from Mariwa¡¯s lessons, and then I spend time with my sister, the archangel, in order to replenish my heart. The days that went by were ever flowing with possibilities to grow even more. Since then, I have had several opportunities to appear in public and conduct myself in a way that was worthy of praise. My reputation was nearly set in stone at this point. Who was the girl that society whispered about, saying she was the most promising? It would be no exaggeration to say that it was me. I was the talented, genius girl whose future looked the brightest. In the past few years, the rest of the world has started to see my genius. This truth that slowly started to spread had definitely satisfied my self-esteem, and more than that, there was one wonderful result that was about toe to fruition. And it was more wonderful than all of my growth in the past two years. ¡°¡­Hmmm, very well then. I will acknowledge that mydy¡¯s etiquette and manners have finally crossed a certain threshold.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± So were the words that I heard after two years of etiquette lessons and a simple test. I was so pleased that I nearly pumped my fist in the air. The happiness threatened to rob me of my self-control, but I knew that, had I so much as clenched my own fist, Mariwa¡¯s bony hand would have dropped over my head. So I had to settle for keeping my excitement hidden. Yes. I had grown to such an extent that I was able to receive such words from the cold-blooded, devil brute known as Mariwa. Barely noticing my joy, Mariwa sat with her back straight like she had for thest two years and continued to talk in a calm voice. ¡°You have grown, mydy. Your ape-like, tomboy actions have be much milder now. You could probably wear the skin of a cat without looking too suspicious. There is almost no difference in your nature, which is like an unruly horse, but it is doubtful that anyone could peel thatyer off. And so I give you a passing mark.¡± ¡°Fu fu fu. It is no trouble to me, Miss Tote.¡± I hold back my need for a boisterousugh and just smile pleasantly. Her words did seem to imply a lot of other things, but I was still happy. Generally speaking, Mariwa never gave me any praise at all. And while she did not pat me on the head now, I was greatly moved by the few words of praise she had bestowed on me. ¡°I am the woman of talent who will carry the House of Noir, after all. The one who will one day shine so radiantly in society. It should be most expected that I can carry myself to this level!¡± It was a rule that I must speak like ady during my etiquette lessons. By now, it was very rare for me to break this rule and have her fiste down on my head. That was proof that I was making progress on this strict road todyhood. I was proud in a graceful manner that ady should be, and then I noticed something. ¡°¡­ah.¡± Now that it had been determined that I had acquired the necessary manners and etiquette, did this mean that Mariwa¡¯s role here hade to an end? ¡°¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but fall silent as I pondered on this. Mariwa was a private teacher who had been hired to teach me etiquette. If that role was no longer needed, then she would of course, no longer have to visit the mansion. Mariwa would be gone. That could not happen. It was such an obvious future, and yet thoughts of rejecting it immediately entered my mind. Because I was still¡­ Well¡­ That was it! I had still not brought Mariwa to her knees! ¡°That is well. Now, if you have learned to smooth over your outward appearance, the next thing to do is polish yourself from within. You will be studying the liberal arts next.¡± ¡°¡­Hmmm?¡± My genius mind had been working furiously to find a solution, but Mariwa¡¯s words made me pause in confusion. ¡°¡­Are we not finished with lessons of etiquette?¡± ¡°You seem to have misunderstood something? I told you. Everything you have learned until now has been nothing more than an emergency improvisation to polish your outward appearance. From now on, we will attempt to make you ady on the inside as well. And the first step to that is the liberal arts.¡± My dilemma had been immediately solved. The road to being ady was not easy, and it seemed to be far from finished. That was fine, but now another question entered my head. ¡°Will you also be teaching me the liberal arts, Mariwa?¡± Liberal arts. It was the study of the trivium and quadrivium. It originated as a ¡®study that gave people freedom,¡¯ and it was thought that attaining knowledge from them would give you a general education. I had no issue with learning such things. Indeed, it was only normal for those of nobility to learn them. In fact, the Royal Academy which allows students to enroll at the age of fourteen also used the liberal arts as a central part of the student¡¯s education. And so my misgivings had nothing to do with what I would be taught. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Tote, mydy.¡± ¡°Wait, you just said that I hadpleted my exterior etiquette training, would that not mean that such things don¡¯t matter anymore?¡± ¡°¡­.Hmmm. Well, that is right. We can ignore that for now then.¡± Surprisingly, she epted my argument easily. Mariwa looked very obstinate, but she could be quite flexible sometimes. If you have an argument with a sound reason, then it was possible to refute her. Leaving all that aside, I wanted an answer from Mariwa. ¡°Let me ask you again. Are you to teach me the liberal arts as well?¡± ¡°Yes. To learn the liberal arts is to gain a basic education. If an educated woman is considered ady, then the liberal arts are part of the same category as etiquette. So why should it be considered odd for me to teach you?¡± I was a genius, so I knew immediately that it was indeed something rather odd. But I didn¡¯t press the issue. I ask the other thing that was bothering me. ¡°¡­You are going to teach all of the subjects, by yourself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­.Huh? Why?¡± Who could have med me for being shocked at Mariwa¡¯s nonchnt nod? This was something quite unbelievable under normal circumstances. If one was going to learn all of the subjects, you would, of course, have a professional teacher teach each one. It may be possible for one person to give the child an introduction to each subject, but the student, in this case, was a genius. My ability to absorb knowledge at a rapid speed was not normal, it would require an especially good teacher to be able to keep up with me. And yet she said that she would teach each subject herself, I could not make sense of this decision at all. Mariwa would take on the burden of seven people. Why not hire seven people like a normal person? But there was not one speck of uncertainty on Mariwa¡¯s face. ¡°There is no need to worry, mydy.¡± Her cold eyes did not waver, they looked only at the truth. The mouth which swallowed the unreasonable, smoothly spun the next words. ¡°It is fundamental that as long as I am here as your teacher, that I help you acquire knowledge of all seven subjects until you reach the age of fourteen and enter the Royal Academy. By then, I would have crafted you into such a student that you will proudly proceed down the abyss of philosophy and the higher learnings.¡± ¡°Uh, yes.¡± It was not like me to nod so sincerely. But that was the level of intensity that I felt from Mariwa¡¯s spirit. Mariwa. What was she? It was really something that I should have wondered about a long time ago. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- There was something relentless about Mariwa¡¯s lessons after they remenced. I had already read every single book in my father¡¯s library. This was due to the ample curiosity that I had until I was five, and all of that information had been properly stored within my head. Without a doubt, there were much of the liberal arts subjects in there as well. There was a dy for what could be called preparations, that took an entire day¡¯s worth of lessons to get through. It was a progression speed that suggested she might be wrong in the head. As a genius, I was somehow able to keep up with this, but the average person was guaranteed to overheat as their heads was filled with too much information. The lessons themselves were densely packed with content, and all of this was starting to feel like a form of chastisement. The day after I had survived this torture, I decided to go and make a report of this to my best friend. ¡°¡­So as I was saying, Mariwa must be a demon after all!¡± Twenty minutes since I left in the carriage. That was all the time I needed to arrive at the abode of my best friend, who also lived in the royal capital. It was a sudden visit without appointment, but the family dly invited me inside. Within thest two years, the servants have alle to recognize my face, allowing me to pass through the gates as soon as they could see me. Of course, I would tell Mishuli in advance, so as not to worry her whenever I left. Having been told in advance, Mishuli had dly waved as I went off. Her face was a bright smile without a single cloud shadowing it. After I was led through the mansion and we were alone together in the room, I began to start the rather one-sided conversation. ¡°That one is surely an unidentified lifeform who has sprung out of purgatory. That is the only exnation for thatpleteck ofmon decency. She said something about increasing the speed as we did not have enough time, but is there not five years left until I enter the Royal Academy? It is not five weeks or five months. Five years, five!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The subject of myints, which I unleashed like a raging billow, was none other than Mariwa. Through the endless lessons that I had suffered under her, my pent-up resentment for her had grown. After all, Mariwa was harsh. They say that an excellent teacher knows how to use the carrot and the stick, but Mariwa would never praise me, not even a little. No matter how much I had tried, the only time that she had deigned to praise me in the past two years was to say, ¡®you¡¯ve be more skilled at feigning innocence.¡¯ I have more patience than the average grownup could boast of, but there were limits to even that. And so I could not help but spit out all of these grievances to the silent person in front of me. ¡°You know, five years is longer than the time it takes to enter the Royal Academy and then graduate. It is most ridiculous for her to say that the time is insufficient. On top of that, there was even homework that she demanded Iplete until tomorrow! Well, I am a genius so I will be able to finish it. But if we continue at this pace, I won¡¯t so much as enter the Academy, I might have enough of an education to pass the exam for the university! Oh, I am amazing! I¡¯m such a genius!¡± As I was talking, I happened to notice the extent of my genius and had to praise myself for a moment. I could enter into the countries highest educational institution. After graduating the Royal Academy which epted all nobles and a few upper-ss civilians, only a small few most excellent talents were allowed to enroll there. ¡°¡­¡± Perhaps it was just me, but it seemed that as my spirits rose in a heated fervor, my friend who faced me, seemed to look colder. In any case, the person in front of me was one of the rare few who I had decided that I could show my true self to. Someone who could understand, the only person my age that I had deemed a worthy rival. ¡°I think that I will just take the university exam when I turn fourteen instead. If I could enroll at the university instead of the Royal Academy at just fourteen, it would be quite the achievement! I would receive the marvelous distinction of being the youngest in history. Thinking of it has given me much motivation¡­! Hey, what do you think!?¡± I had a feeling that I had started to go off course at some point, but it did not matter. It wasn¡¯t so much that I wanted to hear an opinion, I just wanted approval so much, that I had to ask. My best friend had been reading a book since I got here, and hadn¡¯t looked up to see me even once. But now, my best friend¡¯s face finally looked up. ¡°¡­What do I think, huh.¡± With a loud snap, the unfinished book was closed. A girl with chestnut colored hair and a most annoyed expression looked up at me. Her mahogany eyes fixed on me as she said in a clear voice: ¡°I don¡¯t know why it is the case, but I think there is a damn obnoxious, failure of ady in my room.¡± ¡°!?¡± The words that came from Surfania Calibrachoa, my best friend, and rival of two years, were a little colder than I had been expecting. --------------------------------------------------------------- By the way, within the past two years, Charles was demoted to number 2 in the rankings. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Surfania Calibrachoa. She was the third daughter of Marquis Calibrachoa, and while it may sound like sarcasming from such a genius as I, she was rather intelligent for a nine-year-old. She had enchanting chestnut colored hair and mahogany eyes that suggested much coldness. She was one of the very few people that I could show my true self to, and she was also my best friend. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve given my opinion now. May I return to my book? I hate being interrupted while reading almost as much as I hate speaking with my older sisters.¡± ¡°Of course you may not. You must listen to what I say.¡± Those were incredibly icy words, but I was not such a weak person that I could be shot down by that alone. First, I confiscated the book from Surfania, who was already starting to flip the pages when she pretended to ask for my permission. ¡°Hey, wait.¡± Her hands stretched out in an attempt to retrieve the book, but Surfania was quite small for her age. She was nearly the same height as Mishuli who was seven years old. On the other hand, I had grown tall and healthy. Once the book was raised high above my head, there was no chance of her ever reaching it. ¡°Give it back. You better give it back!¡± Surfania was on her toes and reaching out desperately, but it was all a wasted effort for her. I had no intention of returning it. In the first ce, it was unfathomably rude to try to read when someone was trying to have a conversation right in front of you. I looked up at the book I was holding and skimmed through it with a sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are still reading these popr entertainment novels.¡± I only needed to read a few lines to tell that it was an adventure story. I read books for the purpose of increasing my own knowledge, but the books that Surania preferred were different. She had an obsession with reading the kinds of adventure novels that were popr on the filthy streets. It was aplete waste of time and intellect. I sighed at the wastefulness of it all, but Surfania red at me in return. ¡°What! What is wrong with reading adventure novels? I won¡¯t forgive you for ndering these books. They are entertaining!¡± ¡°Of course it is wrong. You will only be stupid if you keep reading these.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t. It won¡¯t matter how many adventure novels I read, there is no possibility of me bing a bigger idiot than you!¡± ¡°Ho ho?¡± Surfania gave me a most unfittingbel as she started to hop around. By the way, Surfania was a bit of a shut-in and her athletic abilities were unfortunate at best. No amount of hopping about would give her the height needed to reach the book. ¡°If anything, you are living proof that no amount of educational texts will make a person truly wise. And yet that living proof is trying to mock adventure novels? That is something only an idiot would do. Chris, you really are an idiot after all!¡± ¡°You sure have a lot to say, Surfania. Who, is a what? Say it in front of the face of this genius one more time, if you have the courage.¡± ¡°You are incredibly stupid. Well, it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? What¡¯s wrong with calling a spade a spade?¡± ¡°Surfania. What is it with your attitude today? Am I not the proud daughter of a duke? We are of the three great families. And more than anything, I am an officially invited guest. I am superior to you from every vantage point. You must treat me with more respect.¡± ¡°I refuse. I too am an illustrious daughter of a marquis. We are great enough not to bend to the wrongful authority of a duke. And first of all, a guest? What aughable thing to say as someone who came without notice. Why must I entertain such a fool as you? That does not seem right¡­ Ahhhh kyaan!¡± Surfania had been hopping around so desperately that it was only inevitable she would eventually slip. And of course, there was no question of her having the reflexes to recover her bnce, and she fell on the floor as if she had been crushed. That was most surprising. ¡°Oh, hey. Are you alright, Surfania?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, I am.¡± I called to her frantically. Surfania peeled her face off of the floor and slowly got back to her feet. She pretended to be calm, but there were tears near the corners of her eyes. She had hit the floor face first. That would have been painful in spite of the carpet. ¡°Whatever, just give me my book.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything if she was willing to go to such lengths. Surfania¡¯s strong will had pushed me, and I had to return the book to its owner. After she pulled the book out of my hands, Surfania held it tightly to her chest as if it were something precious. ¡°Hmph. That went ording to n.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ oh. Is that so.¡± She was insisting that she had fallen on purpose in order to get her book back. She was as proud as ever. ¡°But, to fall like that after jumping around a little¡­ Don¡¯t you think you should go outside once in a while?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Perhaps it was because I had taken the book from her thest time, for she now kept it close and held it against her as we talked. ¡°A nobledy should wear gloves even when in her house and live without ever leaving her room. That is what I strive to do. I am not like some idiot duke¡¯s daughter who runs around her garden and bes sunburnt.¡± She had to drag out my past mistakes and make such far-fetched arguments just to justify her seclusion. While what she was saying wasn¡¯t necessarily wrong, if not a little over-generalized, she truly did have no intention of ever being a part of society. She was a true shut in. Yet, she was high-born and the third daughter of Marquis Calibrachoa. One really wondered what went so wrong as to produce such a girl as this. I had to conclude that the Calibrachoa¡¯s had made some fatal mistake in the education of their children. Yet the first and second daughters were talented youngdies. So perhaps it was just Surfania¡¯s character. Most likely, Surfania had missed attaining honestyduring her growth and left consideration for others in her mother¡¯s womb. And it was this Surfania who red at me and said: ¡°And what of you then? Isn¡¯t today the day that Prince Charles is to visit?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, I¡¯ll leave by the time Charles arrives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m delighted.¡± ¡°Hey, you should be sad about it.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± She turned away and ignored my request. She seemed very cat-like when she acted like this. ¡°Well, even if I do end up having to stay here longer or Charleses too early, Mishuli will be there to entertain him. So do not worry.¡± Within these past two years, Charles and Mishuli have met ever so often. As they were the same age, there were many times when they would speak to each other with less diffident words than they would have used with me. ¡°¡­I see.¡± My assurance that she should not worry had the effect of turning Surfania¡¯s mood into something close to depression. ¡°Prince Charles will likely not even be there by the time you return.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± I didn¡¯t understand how she could reply like that after I had exined why everything was all right. On top of that, Surfania had said ¡®he won¡¯t be there¡¯ with an expression that might suggest, if not by ident, that he would be gone from this world. ¡°You are quite dense. You are such an idiot because you cannot see such things. Well, I¡¯ve benefited a little, thanks to the extent of your stupidity, so I will not me you too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying very hard to interpret that as apliment, but it just sounds like an insult. Pray do tell, how exactly is it a benefit to you. Hmm?¡± ¡°It is simple. For the past two years since we first met, you¡¯ve continued toe unannounced. And so my parents will leave my schedule free. Thanks to this, I have not been forced to participate in bothersome social gatherings. This increases the time I can dedicate to books. Chris, you are a great shelter from the wind.¡± ¡°Hey, Surfania. I¡¯ve been thinking about this recently, but do you perhaps think that I cannot feel hurt, no matter what you say?¡± ¡°I know very well that your heart can be crushed easily, like a cheap hair ornament. But the thing is, Chris¡­¡± Surfania was raised in such high-ranking nobility, that it was unlikely she had ever touched a cheap hair ornament in her life. She was young, but she was clever and pretty. There was now a cold smile on her face that matched her very well. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how hurt your thoughtless heart bes, my heart is tranquil. The adventure books that you disparage and call boring have always brought me emotions of many colors. But you are not able. No matter when I look at you, I can only see a fool.¡± ¡°Very well then. It will be war!¡± Even I could no longer stay silent at this verbal attack without bing angry. Along with my deration, I pick up a board game that was lying around. ¡°It¡¯s a contest! Let us begin, Surfania!¡± ¡°¡­Oh, alright.¡± Now, it may seem like I was just relying on whatever momentum I had, but this was the usual flow of our meetings. We would have a small argument and then y a board game after that. Even Surfania had a liking for these kinds of games. She tried to act solemn all the time, but as a genius, I could see that she looked forward to ying these games that required an opponent in order to y. ¡°Fu fu fun. I will allow you the first move.¡± The first move gave you a slight advantage in this game, but I did not mind. I was so full of confidence as I lined up the pieces that I happily epted any handicaps. I¡¯ve yed against Surfania almost every time that I¡¯ve visited, and so far I have won every single game. ¡°I am a genius after all. No mere disadvantage can shake me!¡± ¡°¡­You are right. I am inferior to you in regards to board games, and I have not read as many books as you have. But, Chris,¡± Having finished lining the pieces, Surfania made the first move as she said: ¡°I don¡¯t know why it is. That even if I am inferior to you in everything else, I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve ever lost an argument with you.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve done it now.¡± My best friend took her true feelings and stabbed me with them without restraint. But I was happy to react to this provocation. ¡°If you are going to go so far, then you should try and beat me then. Am I not a genius? I won¡¯t lose a board game much less an argument so easily. After all, I was winning arguments against my father since I was five-years-old.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. ¡­Ahh, that¡¯s right, Chris. This is not rted to what we were talking about, but as someone with two older sisters, let me give you a warning. ¡­If you pay too much attention to your sister, she¡¯ll start to find you obnoxious.¡± ¡°Uh, whaaa, no way!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Surfania Calibrachoa. While not at my level, this third daughter of a marquis had a bright mind. I could always refute father, but not always her, my argumentative rival. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I thought long and hard in the carriage on the way back. The reason for this was Surfania, who I had just been ying with. As far as the board game went, I waspletely victorious. Surfania was a little sullen by this result, but she was unfortunately still no match for a genius like me. It¡¯s a little boorish to not be able to enjoy a game regardless if one wins or loses. And I was not like Surfania, I didn¡¯t put much stock into something as small as the results of a game. It was only natural for me to win any way. And so the issue was not so much the results of the board game, but the many verbal attacks she hadunched while we were ying. With every word she said, I became more and more unsettled, and my mind grew disheveled. Thanks to this, I ended up putting a little too much effort into the game and beat Surfania ck and blue. It was such a humiliating and crushing defeat for her that she sulked and drove me straight out of her room. But then again, this was not too much of an issue. I had meant to go home soon; now it would just be a little earlier. I thought back on the contents of the many, endless things she said to me. She did not get along with her older sisters¡­ Well, Surfania had a rather one-sided dislike of them, and she was d to give me numerous examples of what about them she disliked as we yed together. And well, they fit quite well with my own actions. ¡°¡­¡± I thought deep and hard on this. I had to look back on my past actions towards Mishuli and our sense of distance to each other. And I think. Maybe I was paying too much attention to Mishuli. ¡°¡­no, no. That could not be true.¡± I tried to erase this theory from my mind as I mumbled to myself, but it was to no avail. I am a genius. No mere baseless threats saying that Mishuli would hate me could bend my will so easily. No, but¡­ Surfania¡¯s words came from her own experience as a younger sister. She had something inmon with Mishuli that I did not. She had a certain authority with her words then, and while just a little, I was starting to feel worried. I and Mishuli were very close sisters. Sisters who both loved each other dearly. There was nothing hidden behind the smile that Mishuli offered me, her brilliance was pure. However, even if she was my sister, she would surely enter adolescence or a rebellious phase eventually. Especially the rebellious phase. The phase that Surfania was clearly in right now. It¡¯s a period when one interacts with those close to them in a sharp manner for no reason whatsoever. When I consider that Surfania was much more honest when I first met her, it left little doubt in my mind that her current way of attacking with unnecessarily harsh words and actions meant she was right in the middle of her rebellious phase. It had very little to do with me, as someone with a mature mind who would put any grownup to shame, but otherwise, this phase was supposed to be a necessary part of growing up. That was why I could look at Surfania¡¯s actions as something almost adorable. But, if the time came for Mishuli to act like Surfania towards me, I think I might want to die. ¡°¡­.!¡± I was overwhelmed with worry over this. This was bad. My life was in danger. This was a much bigger threat than all that nonsense about fate. In the present, I felt very much like I could understand the emotions of Christina when shemits suicide by poison in the Charles route. If Mishuli entered her rebellious phase, I would probably die. I would take such a psychological blow and wish for death. ¡°What, what should I do¡­!¡± I tore at my hair over this sudden dilemma. This rebellious phase, when did it even begin? Surfania was right in the middle of hers, but she must be on the faster end of the spectrum. As a genius, it would probably nevere for me. Because I am a genius. But if I was asked about Mishuli, well, I could not answer. Wide-spread andpletely useless knowledge says that it starts at ten years of age, but then it also suggests that there are differences based on the individual. Would it be necessary for me to give Mishuli more space? Perhaps I should wait for the moment and then consider how I should interact with her. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t embrace her or put her on myp and express my affection over every little thing. If I minimized our contact, she shouldn¡¯t think of me asme. No, it would be too sad for me to have to stop doing that¡­ We quickly arrived back at the mansion as I was thinking about these things. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Ultimately I had not been able to gather my thoughts before stepping out of the carriage and entering the house. I couldn¡¯t see any carriages from the royal pce yet, so it seemed that Charles had not arrived. Well, I supposed that I should get ready to receive him in the meantime. As I thought this, I heard the sound of footstep approaching me. ¡°Sister! Wee back!¡± Of course, the person who hade down to greet me was none other than my beloved sister Mishuli. My sister was attached to me as ever, even though she was now seven years old. And she exuded an adorableness that had not changed since the day that we first met. I made my best attempt to meet her with the biggest smile; I failed a little. ¡°¡­ah. Yes, I am back!¡± I was able to recover with thest words, but I had stumbled over the first few. Mishuli had been rushing towards me with loud footsteps, but she suddenly slowed down with a mystified expression on her face. ¡°¡­What happened?¡± My sister was quite perceptive. She had immediately recognized that there was a shadow over my heart as soon as she heard my voice. She came over to me and her blue eyes looked into mine in order to see the colors. ¡°Worry¡­ But why?¡± Mishuli was my superior in terms of seeing the emotions of others. Once she learns to also discern the reasons behind them, she would surely be a finedy. Well, setting that aside, it would be ill-advised to try to hide it once she had already seen through me. If I tried to hide it now, it would only cause her to worry as well. I must share with her my anxieties for the future and strive to solve this problem. ¡°Hey, Mishuli¡­ What do you think of me?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re really cool!¡± Yes. I knew that these were the words that Mishuli would surely say to me. But, this was not about that. ¡°Mishuli.¡± My heart hurt just thinking about the words I was about to say. I bit my lip hard. I feel like I have to ready myself for this, but nothing could make this any easier for me. But even so, I force myself to say them. ¡°If, this is an if, okay? If you ever start to think of me asme or bothersome, or that you ha-hate me, or anything, just tell me.¡± It was an example of a worst case scenario, and yet my voice was shaking. And for some reason, I felt my vision start to distort. I thought that maybe the stress was affecting my perspective, but then I realized that it was my tears. ¡°I, I, I really like you, Mishuli, but if you tell me, I will respect your feelings¡­and so¡­!¡± ¡°¡­Did Miss Surfania say something to you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mishuli went straight passed my words and to the heart of the problem. ¡°Well, yes¡­but, how did you know?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t take much to know something like that¡­¡± ¡°¡­you know?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t the most well-grounded exnation, but apparently, she could tell. It was strange. But Mishuli was an angel, it only made sense that she might be equipped with some extreme intuition that I did not have. Or so I told myself through tear-stained eyes. My sister was an archangel, so such things could be possible. I was satisfied with this, but now Mishuli wanted to know more about what had happened. ¡°And so, what did Miss Surfania say? Why must you look at me with such an expression of worry?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, well¡­ To put it simply, it was about what was the optimal space that should exist between two people.¡± ¡°Optimal?¡± ¡°Yes. It is like, what is the best ce to be for both parties. You know. Surfania is not very close to her sisters, right?¡± ¡°I think that is just because she is not honest with herself though?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, well, those sisters do maintain a distance from Surfania because of her attitude, so I suppose that is true¡­¡± Indeed, it wasn¡¯t so much that the Calibrachoa sisters hated each other, but that the older sisters did not know how to react to Surfania while she was in her rebellious phase. So Mishuli was right. I flinched at Mishuli¡¯s ability to get to the root of the problem so quickly, but we weren¡¯t really talking about Surfania. ¡°I was thinking, what would be the best distance for us to have. Not just now, but moving forward.¡± Apparently, I had phrased it in a way that was difficult to understand. I reworded it, this time using Surfania as an example and boiling it down as much as possible. After that, she was able to make sense of it. ¡°Oh, I understand now.¡± This dilemma had been tormenting me ever since I left Surfania¡¯s mansion. But Mishuli had solved it the moment it was before her, she didn¡¯t even have to think about it. Her face immediately lit up and she jumped onto me and wrapped her arms around my neck. ¡°Always, right here!¡± This was our optimal distance. I was surprised by this answer that was the closest two people could be, but that was soon followed by an overflowing joy. That familiar sensation of her jumping towards me, all my fears were blown away in a heartbeat. In order to repay Mishuli for her answer, I embrace her tightly. This was it. This was the optimal distance for me and Mishuli. ¡°That was amazing Mishuli! You are always able to give me answers that I could have never thought of!¡± ¡°Ehe hehe. I am your younger sister after all!¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Mishuli might be a genius. Compared to me, she is much, much closer to the truth of the universe. It¡¯s been four years since we met. Though we weren¡¯t connected by blood, the love that we continued to nurture together could not be shaken so easily. What was this rebellious phase? What was adolescence? Such things were no match for us sisters. ¡°That¡¯s right, we sisters are the strongest!¡± ¡°Yes! ¡­Ah, but¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Mishuli, who was holding on to me, said as if just remembered something. Mishuli disengaged from our embrace, took one step back and looked up at me. And with a smile, she made the following proposal: ¡°I was thinking of optimal distances, and I think maybe you should keep a distance from Charles.¡± Mishuli had the brightest smile, and I, of course, felt absolutely no malice in her. There existed no spite or ill intent in the proposal at all. She must believe from the bottom of her heart that this would be for the best. And yet, I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head to the side by this. ¡°Why is that? Am I not doing quite well with Charles?¡± It was now two years since we were promised to be engaged. Charles would visit twice a week and we would enjoy ying together. Mishuli was together with us most of the time, and so she should know just how strong our friendship was. ¡°¡­Because, umm, well.¡± ¡°¡­Mishuli?¡± I asked again as Mishuli mumbled something under her breath. But my sister, the archangel only smiled and said, ¡®Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡¯ and shook her head. However, I just could not think that there was an issue with me and Charles in the present to warrant me keeping a farther distance from him. Aside from my own personal feelings on the matter, father too had grown quite fond of him. And there was something about Mishuli and Charles¡¯ unreserved way of arguing that reminded me of Surfania and I. I thought the two of them got along well. Along with his rtionship with my family, I could not find a fault with Charles as a fiance. But Mishuli continued to talk with the exact same smile that hadn¡¯t moved at all. ¡°You know, Charles is a boy, right? I think that he may not like being around a girl all the time.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± I had to think a little as her words were very convincing. That was basically what urs when boys grew older. My usually worthless memories of my past life had some utility today for once. Charles was still only seven years old, but as he continued to grow, it was normal to consider that he would start to find it embarrassing to y with girls. I did like Charles a lot, but it did not seem right to act too friendly towards him if it was not reciprocated. I was sure that Charles at least felt some fondness for me, but I didn¡¯t know how much that was. It was very different to Mishuli and my rtionship, where we were convinced that we loved each other the exact same amount. ¡°I see. Then perhaps it would be good to reconsider our distance, starting today.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I would not like for Charles to hate me because I hade too close to him. That was my conclusion, and Mishuli agreed to it with a great big nod. ¡°I think that is a wonderful idea!¡± After saying this, the brilliant smile that appeared on Mishuli¡¯s face was without a doubt, the greatest smile she had shown in a while. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I, Christina Noir am ady. No, it would be an exaggeration to assert that I am ady, as I have not yet been recognized as one. Mariwa would say that I was still a baby bird on its way to bing ady. However, when it came to appearances, even Mariwa has admitted that I could sessfully pose as ady, perhaps because I was that promising. And it was with thisdylike form that I went down to greet the guests that had arrived. ¡°Wee, Prince Charles.¡± Charles hade with Oxe as his escort, much like every other day, and I greeted them with my most graceful courtesy. ¡°It is the highest of all honors to be able to receive one of the royal family. Even though our humble house is one that you have graced many times by now. I pray that you will stay long and enjoy your time here.¡± It was no matter to me to y the perfectdy with perfect manners if I wanted to. As I went through the proper motions with an elegant air, I peeked upwards to see their reactions. ¡°Lady Christina!?¡± First, it was Oxe who let out a shriek at mydylike greeting. Yes. He was iprehensible as ever. He may not have been the highest rank of gentlemen, but why must he raise his voice like that after seeing so perfect ady? It was a most strange thing, and yet it was undeniable that the moment he had seen me, he had shaken as if seeing something that defied reality. ¡°What has happened to you¡­ Oh. Did you eat something that has gone bad? Did I not tell you so many times that you should not eat the weeds growing around here¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± With a stiff,dylike smile I ignored the inconceivable insult that poured from Oxe¡¯s mouth. It¡¯s barely worth mentioning, but as my honor is at stake I will just say it. I have never eaten any weeds that were growing around here. I have never even thought of it. The only thing that I could recollect that did in fact ur, was when Charles tried to eat some grass that was growing in the herb garden and I had stopped him. But Oxe, I was now aware of his actual view of me. I looked at Oxe who was still looking at me with a bewildered and worried expression and decided on one thing. I would thoroughly torment himter. ¡°¡­Hey, Chris.¡± Charles, on the other hand, did look remotely surprised. He just cocked his head to the side with a slight expression of wonderment. ¡°Why are you in your second form? I don¡¯t really like that one, you know.¡± ¡°Hey, now. Charles. This is the crown of mybors!¡± I had been wearing thisdy¡¯s disguise made by me and Mariwa, but it was torn right off within seconds of meeting Charles. I did realize it, but it was already toote. Charles smiled when he saw that I had now returned to my first form. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back then.¡± ¡°¡­Hmph.¡± Hearing him say that so happily definitely drained any enthusiasm I might have had for acting like ady. In the corner of my vision I could see Oxe sighing with relief, ¡®She was pretending¡­¡¯ I will definitely not be merciful to him when the timees, I think with a sigh. I always be a little sulky once I¡¯ve switched back. ¡°Hhh. I had thought that this would be the best way to measure the space.¡± ¡°Space?¡± ¡°Exactly. What we both think, what is the optimal space for use to have. It is a most important thing to measure. I had transformed into my seconddy form in order to measure the optimal distance between us.¡± Thedy¡¯s appearance was well suited to measuring such things. In fact, in the social world, it was easy to grasp just where you stood with another person when you had yourdy¡¯s face on. Oxe narrowed his eyes a little when he heard the reason for my conduct a moment ago. ¡°But, why now of all days?¡± ¡°Oxe.¡± It was a good question, but then again, I was still incredibly angry at his unbelievable behavior towards ady a moment ago. I would not be satisfied until I had my just revenge. I called his name with a smile and drew close to him and whispered somethingpletely unrted into his ear. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been making moves on one of our maids.¡± ¡°!?¡± Oxe¡¯s face froze as I whispered this. His reaction proved it. I knew it. I had my suspicions as one of the maids always seemed to be in a good mood every time Charles had visited. And I was right. Having seeded with my little trap, Iughed and drew a step back. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have urgent business, Oxe. Farewell. Now get out of the room.¡± ¡°Lady Christina! This, this, this, this is a mistake! I would never, I swear! We are just confiding in each other and¡­¡± Who cares. I had no intention of listening to the excuses that he had frantically started to make, and while I realized how bad my manners were, I continued to smile at him as I pointed towards the door. ¡°Enough of that, just leave. Alright? Don¡¯t you have something that you need to report to father?¡± ¡°¡­Ye-, yes.¡± I might have to tell him if you don¡¯t confess right now. Oxe recognized the unsaid threat and he exited the room with a dark cloud hanging over him. I felt good. Charles seemed to have not been able to follow this interaction. His eyes followed Oxe suspiciously as he left. ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°He is going to suffer the consequences of thinking he could hide something from me.¡± Father would surely listen to all the same excuses he had just presented. It would hardly be a scandal for an escort of a royal visitor to have made moves on a servant, but it did not look good either way. But I didn¡¯t know what their exact rtionship was in the present, or what would happen now. Compensations aside, it must be quite depressing to have to make such a report to the lord of the house. Well, given father¡¯s personality and the maid¡¯s as well, it was unlikely that anything bad would actually happen to Oxe. Once Charles had heard of the reasons for his subordinates actions, he gave an uninterested ¡®Hmmm¡¯ and moved on. ¡°By the way, Chris. What did you mean earlier?¡± ¡°Earlier? Oh, about the optimal distance.¡± Oxe¡¯s actions did not deliver enough material for conversation and we immediately returned to the original subject. Even his master showed no concern for poor Oxe, and I too decided to push that matter to the back of my mind. ¡°Depending on just how much we feel for each other, the distance that makes us the mostfortable will change. That¡¯s what I meant. I was thinking of measuring the optimal distance for us today.¡± ¡°¡­so, did Mishuli say something to you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charles went straight passed my words and arrived at the root of it all. I had a moment of deja vu. ¡°Well, yes¡­but, how did you know?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t take much to know something like that.¡± ¡°¡­I see. So you know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Apparently, he could tell. Unlike Mishuli, Charles was scowling, but the general flow of our back and forth was the same. It was most odd that in spite of not being Mishuli, he was able to discover the origin of something just like her. Maybe there was a reason. As both Charles and Mishuli were rted by blood, maybe it was a special intuition that the royal family was equipped with. ¡°But, if that¡¯s all that it is, it can be whatever distance you feel is best.¡± Charles offered bluntly as I was thinking of the special intuition that might exist among royals. ¡°Hm? Is that really alright?¡± ¡°Yes. Because I like you, Chris. It would make me happy if you kept whatever distance that you wanted to.¡± ¡°Ho ho.¡± He was as honest as ever. A smile appeared on my face. Surely there were not many people who would not feel happy at such a deration of affection as I just witnessed. It was without a doubt, one of Charles¡¯ favorable qualities that he could clearly express his emotions. ¡°You do say the most adorable things, Charles. I too, have a certain degree of fondness for you.¡± I expressed my honest feelings of friendship in return and tousled his blonde hair and patted him as a reward. He would eventually grow taller than me, but that had not happened yet. I suspected that this height difference wouldst at least two or three more years. If he would leave the decision to me, then I felt that our current friendship was the best distance. I thought this, but¡­ ¡°Chris. I might as well say it now. But, I like you just as much as you like Mishuli.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± My hands stopped dead as he continued to say this. I looked seriously into the eyes below me. Even Charles would know just how much I loved Mishuli. She was number one for me, that was an unshakable position. To say that his affection equaled that, it was quite the im. But, it seemed that he was not exaggerating either. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but you do know that I don¡¯t like you as much as I do Mishuli?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Charles cooly epted my cold and cruel words. He was younger than me, and he had swallowed this reality without balking. He smiled firmly. ¡°But, it¡¯s fine. One day I will catch up with Mishuli with a different kind of ¡®like.¡¯ You¡¯ll see.¡± I became speechless. He had not said anything particrly strong. It wasn¡¯t an expression of intense emotion. And yet, there was something mysteriously unmeasurable about the resolve I felt in those words. The quiet smile and the honest words went straight to my heart. I was left in shock for a while, but then a strange and unexpectedughter started toe from my throat. ¡°Ku fu fu fufuufu.¡± ¡°Chris? What¡ª¡± ¡°Umph!¡± ¡°¡ªWaa!¡± As a reaction to myughing, I held Charles head down with a heave. It was a good thing that I had gotten rid of Oxe. It was also a good thing that I was still big enoughpared to Charles in order to do this. I held his head away so that he could not see me. I don¡¯t know why I was even thinking about such things. ¡°Fu fufufu. Charles. You really are an honest boy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Speaking with Charles gave me a smile as if a sudden fountain of unending happiness was tickling me, it felt like it would never end. What was this emotion that surfaced when I heard his words? Even though I was a genius, I could not think of any that was fitting. I wanted to burst intoughter, so it was clearly not a negative one, but it also felt a little different than just happiness. ¡°It is one of your better qualities that you can speak so honestly.¡± I told Charles the truth about his favorable qualities. All the while I existed in this wondrous feeling like I was floating. ¡°I see. Thank you, Chris.¡± And then the next thing that I heard from just slightly below my gaze was also honest. ¡°¡­But, Chris. This is hurting my neck, let me go already.¡± ¡°Fufufu. I refuse!¡± ¡°Buuu¡­¡± There was some discontent at my t refusal, but I couldn¡¯t let go of him just yet. I could not say why, exactly. There wasn¡¯t any particr reason, but I could not let Charles see my current face no matter what. I would not let go of his head. ¡°How much longer¨C? ¡°Mm? Let me see¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t really answer that either. But I don¡¯t think it should be too long. In spite of the force I was using to hold his head away, I had been feeling a mysterious sensation in my cheeks that hadn¡¯t stopped smiling. I didn¡¯t know why, but there was some kind of heat present there. They needed a little more time until they¡­ ¡°Fufu, just a little longer now!¡± Just a little longer, I needed some time. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- A pleasant humming escapes my lips. Charles had now left and it was time for us sisters to have our usual time alone together. I was very high-spirited and the melody that my voice made was proof of it. This tune that had popped into my mind was a song that had yed at a ball I had once attended. It was that day where we danced to the barely audible music and then fell in a most grandiose fashion. The song was yed in a continuous, slow temp and I hummed along to the fragments that remained in my memories. ¡°¡­Mmm.¡± For some reason Mishuli was now looking at me with a rather dissatisfied expression. ¡°Sister, you look happy.¡± ¡°Fufufu, indeed I do.¡± I admit andugh at Mishuli¡¯s assertion. Though, it was not as if I were trying to hide it. In fact, I was feeling very, very fine right now. I pat Mishuli on the head good-naturedly. ¡°Ehehe. Mishuli, it is all thanks to you.¡± ¡°¡­What happened with you and Charles?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Mishuli was a sharp little one. Her words had hit the nail on the head and I smile giddily. ¡°Fufufu, Mishuli, you told me did you not? That it may be a good idea to reconsider my distance with Charles. And so I did just that, with great results.¡± I don¡¯t know, but it seemed to me that in just one day, I and Charles had be much closer all of a sudden. And this was somehow making me very happy. I am sure it was because we had deepened our friendship, but there was also this sensation, as if my heart was floating. It was most exciting. And all of this was because Mishuli had been kind enough to make the suggestion. I pat her on the head for being so good, enjoying the feel of her hair which was soft like melted honey. ¡°¡­Hmmph.¡± While I was in a good mood, Mishuli¡¯s eyes were a little annoyed. ¡°Mishuli?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± Care about what? It was embarrassing for me, as her older sister, but I could not understand what she meant by it. ¡°Uh¡­about what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s not like I regret saying something unnecessary or anything.¡± She said bluntly as if not allowing further questioning. Mishuli¡¯s lips were now pouting as if she were sulking. Then she came to sit on myp. From on top of myp, she slowly leaned backward, entrusting me with all of her weight. I was at a loss by this affectionate behavior as she pressed into me, which was so different than the rebellious words she had just spoken. I just could not grasp what her words and actions meant. What was this? Was this perhaps her rebellious phase? But if her rebellious phase was going to be this adorable, then I was rather looking forward to it. Well, it didn¡¯t really matter now. Mishuli hade to sit on myp. I pushed aside any questions that roamed in my head and embraced her as I felt her weight. ¡°Fufufu. You are so adorable.¡± ¡°¡­Ehehe. You are so cool, sister!¡± This back and forth was like our secret password. And at those words, Mishuli finally broke into a smile, and I feelplete happiness. In ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ Mishuli had been put in an unhappy environment. It was in fact, one of the concepts of the story: an oppressed and downtrodden girl who finds the road to sess. But, what about us now? ¡°Mishuli. Are you happy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She rejoiced with a short but gentle answer as I held her. If we were both happy, then there was no reason for us to be taken up by whatever fate had in store. Here, there was no sad orphaned girl being oppressed in the duke¡¯s house. No duke¡¯s daughter who bullied her. In that case, the fate who had once showed its face could note here. I hugged Mishuli even tighter as she bounced with a nod. ¡°I am too! We sisters really are the strongest together!¡± ¡°We are! ¡­Ah. But, sister¡­¡± Mishuli suddenly added as we confirmed the strength of our sisterly bond. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best too.¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± What was she going to do her best in? I let go of her and looked into her face. Her blue eyes were burning ferociously. ¡°I won¡¯t ever lose. After all, we sisters are the strongest!¡± My personal doubts aside, Mishuli had apparently made a decision with the most unshakable resolve. What could possibly have stirred her like this? It was a little strange to me, but if Mishuli was going to give something her all, then I would do the same in order to root for her. ¡°Do your best! Mishuli!¡± ¡°Yes, I will!¡± I chuckle as I see that she had clenched her fists, and I am once again convinced of something. We sisters could easily defeat this rebellious phase or adolescence. We were so happy together, there was no room for any sadness to enter. It would be the same for this fate thing. It had been two years since fate had shown its face to me. And since then, I have not once felt its strong presence. ¡®Labyrinth Destiny¡¯ was only knowledge I had from a past life, it showed the trajectory of a fate that had nothing to do with ours. These hint-like recollections were nothing more than tricks of the imagination. I was able to think that this was so; then the next day came. It hade to pay our mansion a visit, as if it had been called by fate itself. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- There was garbage in the garden. It was a nice, sunny day. As there would be no lessons with Mariwa, I decided to invite Mishuli to go out to y in the garden. I had gone on ahead and just now arrived. It had happened to catch my eye, and I was a little bewildered by it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t stop myself from stretching out the sound as I stared at the garbage. I looked up towards the sky in an attempt to escape this reality, but it was not likely to erase the garbage from existence. I once again returned my gaze to the problematic object. And then, it moved. Apparently, this piece of garbage was just not any garbage. As soon as it felt my gaze, it began to move. Judging by the way it stirred, it was probably raw garbage. I was sure of it. ¡°Gu¡­¡± The garbage groaned. It sounded like it was in pain. I supposed that the pain was the reason that it had been squirming about until now. ¡°Da, damn. Who, who are you¡­!¡± The piece of garbage had actually started to talk now. Ah, no, I must stop trying to fool myself. It¡¯s gone a little too far now. It is unbing of ady to try and dismiss reality. I must face reality for what it really is. If I cannot ept reality than I cannot learn to deal with it. There was a filthy garbage-like person in the Noir house¡¯s garden. The garbage, who was apparently amon boy, did have one thing inmon with me. We both had ck hair and eyes. We also seemed to be the same age. And while I did say that he was quite filthy, it appeared to be because he had been ying. His actual clothes seemed to be well-made, considering hismon status. It was likely that his family was rather well off. My guess would be that he had well-established parents who were merchants,wyers or doctors or any such intellectuals. But let me be clear. I have never met this boy before. After all, as the daughter of a duke, I would never have any acquaintances who were this filthy. First of all, none of my acquaintances would do something so queer as to climb the walls of our mansion and then fall off. However, I did know this boy¡¯s name. He was one of three boys who had the possibility of being united with Mishuli in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ Leon Nardo. As far as the story went, he was amoner that was brilliant enough to enroll at the Royal Academy. I am pretty sure that he was the same age as me. Even worse, he had the same hair and eye color as well. There was a scene in the game where he falls off the walls of the Noir mansion and is treated by Mishuli, so there was no mistaking that he was indeed Leon. It was not very likely that there were many other wicked children around, who would to dare climb our walls. Once I had epted all of this, I looked up into the sky and sighed heavily. ¡°Why did you have toe¡­¡± Iined, but in truth, I already knew the reason. If fate had been brought to a standstill because of a bug like me, it made sense that the others who I could not influence, would still continue to move as fate had dictated. However, if that were the case, I knew an easy way of dealing with it. ¡°¡­I suppose I¡¯ll throw it away.¡± ¡°!?¡± Leon looked very rmed when he heard what I had mumbled, but garbage was meant to be thrown away. It did not matter to me if that garbage also happened to fall off a wall and cry in pain and was also a small child. I did not have the smallest shred of hesitation in throwing out this trespasser. After all, this boy had climbed the wall that surrounded the Noir mansion. It could only have been tomit some sort of crime. Was he just testing his nerve or did he mean mischief? The fact that he would try to y with something from a noble¡¯s mansion showed that he knew no fear. I could have no sympathy for him now. But more than anything, I did not want someone so involved with fate to meet Mishuli. It was my great fortune that I discovered him first. I must call the servants and have him thrown out before Mishuli arrives. If that happens, then his and Mishuli¡¯s connection would vanish, this fateful event would not ur. But really, I had a strong dislike for the garbage in front of me just by the fact that there was a chance he could end up with Mishuli. Leaving my fiance, Charles aside, I did not feel I could ever get along with Leon or the first prince. Fate was using them to separate I and Mishuli. I would resist this to the bitter end. ¡°Throw, throw away? What are you trying to do!¡± If he had any ideas of what I should do instead of throwing him out, I would like to hear them. But it seemed that he at least understood that he had done something wrong. Leon¡¯s face was full of fear. I looked back at him cooly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what road lies ahead of you for trying to sneak into a noble¡¯s mansion?¡± ¡°!¡± By the way, the typical way for nobles to deal withmon children attempting to sneak into their mansions was to rebuke them and throw them out. Leon was clearly aware of whaty ahead of him, for his face turned pale and his body began to shake. ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I, I was dared to by a friend¡­¡± ¡°Why would I care!¡± I did feel like he was panicking to an abnormal degree, but I wasn¡¯t interested in hearing excuses. I needed to call someone and get this over with. There was not much time left. I needed to hurry before Mishuli¨C ¡°¡­Sister?¡± ¨CMishuli hade. ¡°Mi-, Mishuli?¡± I turned my head with a movement like a rusty nail, and there before me was my archangel, the most adorable person in the world. However, Mishuli¡¯s gaze had gone past me and was looking at Leon, the intruder. ¡°Who is that person?¡± ¡°Garbage.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s a person, right?¡± I stated tly, but Mishuli had rejected my answer, which was very unusual for her. I had only wanted to keep her interest away, but my deception had not worked very well. ¡°Uhh¡­yes. He is an intruder and will be gone very soon. Don¡¯t worry about him.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Right when I said that he ¡®will be gone,¡¯ Leon¡¯s shoulders began to shudder. What was with him? Was he so scared of being scolded? I don¡¯t remember his character being such a coward¡­ ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Mishuli murmured as she stared hard at the suspicious looking boy. She was paying a special amount of attention to the color of his hair and eyes. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± Mishuli had asked the question to him. She looked at him head on, gazing into his eyes. Leon looked taken aback by this but nodded. ¡°Oh. So you are hurt. ¡­Wait here a moment!!¡± Saying this, Mishuli turned around to face me. ¡°Sister. Let us help him!¡± This suggestion was most sweet and worthy of Mishuli, but it gave me such a bad sense of deja vu that I started to be dizzy. ¨CYou¡¯re hurt. ¡­Wait here a moment! That line, it was the same as the one in my memories. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I try to remember. Allowing my consciousness to concentrate and pull out the memories. The wheels in my head turn, itpares these memories with reality. The time when Mishuli and Leon met. Was I here at this scene in ¡®Destiny Labyrinth¡¯? I frantically dig into my memories of a past life in order to answer this question. And the answeres to me. I am quite sure that I was not present in this scene in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ The present was not moving forward just as it had in the story. Even if there was some ovep in lines that were spoken, it was clearly far too much to imagine that it was all due to fate. Leon was not a subject of fate. I shouldn¡¯t be so suspicious. I decided that all of this was in my mind, and returned my consciousness to the conversation urring between Mishuli and Leon. ¡°But really, I¡¯m d. I, I thought that I was going to die back there.¡± ¡°Die? Why is that? I don¡¯t think they would do that.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I just thought that all nobles were frightening people, but I suppose there are some good ones, like you.¡± Leon was being treated by a servant that I had called, all the while he was chatting rather pleasantly with Mishuli. His injury had only been a light bruise and some scrapes. Nothing noteworthy. We could not possibly allow some unknown child to enter the mansion, but I couldn¡¯t ignore Mishuli¡¯s plea either. And so I had called a servant here to do some quick first aid treatment. Leon Nardo should not be someone with any particr issues. He may have been a bit of a rascal at this point, but he was still mostly sensible. So, well, I did not think there was any danger in him talking to Mishuli. I know that. I had knowledge of his profile and backstory from my memories of the game. And I mentally decided that there was no problem with him. However. ¡°Oh, right. My name is Leon. Leon Nardo. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mishuli.¡± ¡°Mishuli¡­ Mishuli, huh. Hehe, got it.¡± As I listened to them from the side, I could feel that my face was looking more and more displeased. This was strange. I was a prouddy of the upper ss. At least, I don¡¯t believe that I had ever forgotten what ady should strive to be. I had been educated by Mariwa, been trained to ept reality and to deal with anything. One day I would use this genius brain of mine to be a shining star that all of society would see. There was no way that I was so self-serving that I would be this irritated just by seeing Mishuli talk with a boy. Now that I think back, whenever Charles and Mishuli would talk as friends and trade words without reservation, I would only look at it with a pleasant feeling. Was this not proof that I was an older sister with the biggest heart? But then, what did this mean? ¡°¡­tsk.¡± There was no way that I had anything but a big heart, and yet I was clicking my tongue. No, I did not like this at all. What did I not like about Leon? It wasn¡¯t so much to do with fate, I just did not like that he seemed to be getting along with Mishuli. I did not like how Leon¡¯s face had turned red when asking for Mishuli¡¯s name. I did not like how happy he looked when he had heard it. I noticed that the maid who had now finished treating Leon was ncing at me now and then, aware that I was not in a good mood. Her eyes said it all. Mydy, please be calm. So I even looked unamused from the view of others. I suppose I just objectively looked displeased then. But I could not help what I did not like. I was so consumed by this feeling of annoyance that I had abandoned any effort to try and control this emotion. I searched for the reason for this, and then realized: ¡°But Leon, how did you get hurt?¡± ¡°Ahahah¡­ I was ying with my friends and I suppose our joke went a little too far. Yes. I¡¯ve never seen such pretty blonde hair as yours. It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°But older sister¡¯s hair is prettier, you know?¡± ¡°Huh? Older sister?¡± Perhaps this scene I was witnessing was of a bad boyfriend trying to im Mishuli. This theory that I came to raised my sense of annoyance to the higher rank of anger. My heart became it¡¯s fuel, with a roaring sound my eyes began to burn ferociously. ¡°By sister, do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Hey, youmoner.¡± ¡°¡­Eeee!¡± I said with a voice so low that I could hardly believe it. Leon let out a short shriek. It was most terrible of him to answer the call of ady with a scream. I added his ill-manners to the list of things that I despised about him. I pulled Mishuli towards me so as to separate her from him. ¡°I hope that you realize that you are being treated in a way that is not appropriate for your status?¡± Of course, I meant that he should not be talking with Mishuli so casually on their first encounter. I spoke the words much slower than necessary, and Leon nodded repeatedly as he shook like a loose bundle of sticks. ¡°And your time has now ended. You have been treated, now begone from here.¡± ¡°Huh? Bu, but¡­¡± Ho. I followed Leon¡¯s gaze and narrowed my eyes. He was looking at Mishuli instead of the maid who had treated him. I admit that my archangel was so adorable that she would inevitably catch one¡¯s eyes, but he should not try to depend on her mercy a second time. ¡°Hey, youmoner. You have a lot of nerve to avert your eyes when I am talking to you.¡± ¡°Uh, um, no¡­ I, I apologize!¡± ¡°Ohh. I am impressed that you at least know how to make an apology. Your parents have not failed you it seems. And for that, I will let you off this once. But you must nevere on the Noir property again. If I do catch you again¡­ You understand what will happen?¡± ¡°Ye-, yes. I understand!¡± ¡°That is good.¡± I snort loudly and end the conversation. I knew that if I threatened him a little here, it would give me an advantage the next time we met. My most angry disposition was also calcted. I would never do something so childish as to act purely from emotions. ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll leave now¡­¡± ¡°Yes, be gone already. ¡­It would be most tiresome if he got lost on the way, escort him to the gate.¡± ¡°Yes, mydy.¡± Of course, I would not allow Mishuli to apany them and see him off. Imanded the maid who had treated him to take him to the front gate, which she agreed to do with a wry smile. Leon did not resist this and he followed her willingly. ¡°Fuuu.¡± ¡°¡­um, sister.¡± This measure of dealing with him that my genius mind had conceived had been executed perfectly. As I sighed in relief, Mishuli¡¯s bright blue eyes peered into mine with a teasing expression. ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± ¡°¡­Me? Never.¡± ¡°¡­Eheheh.¡± Hearing my answer, Mishuliughed most happily. She was better than anyone at reading the emotions of others. ¡°You are lying, sister.¡± ¡°¡­How did you know?¡± Every year it bes harder and harder to hide things from her. For some reason, Mishuli seemed even more cheerful than usual now that she had seen through my lie. She wrapped herself around my arm tightly. ¡°Ehehe. So you do be annoyed by it too.¡± ¡°Hmph. Of course, I be annoyed sometimes. ¡­Though, you seem to be in a good mood now.¡± ¡°Yes. Something wonderful just happened.¡± Mishuli said, and there was a bounce in her voice. She sounded so happy, I could feel myself starting to pout. ¡­Was it perhaps, because she had so much fun speaking with Leon? As Mishuli almost never left the mansion, her entire world was very small. The only people she had talked to that was near the same age was I and Charles andter Surfania. And so it may have been pleasant for her to talk with Leon, even if he was slightly older. Perhaps it had been a rare excitement. But, I still did not like him. As my feelings of hostility began to strengthen once again, Mishuli began to touch my hair all of a sudden. ¡°Sister. It¡¯s the same color, butpletely different.¡± Mishuli smiled with delight as she stared into my eyes. Both I and Leon had hair and eyes of ck. It was true that it was the same color, ck is nothing but ck. What did she mean by different? ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ehehehe.¡± Mishuliughed gently at the question. ¡°It¡¯s a secret!¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± There was no beating her. Her concealment was world-ss in adorableness, and my pout could not help but turn into a smile. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I try to think a little deeper about what is happening in Christina¡¯s heart. I begin to analyze myself with objectivity. This was something that I had decided was necessary for the present and for the future. Why was I so annoyed just because Mishuli and Leon were talking? It was something simr to theplex emotion a father might feel when his daughter leaves to be married. It was an emotion of a desire to possess that came from jealousy. My conviction that I was the closest to Mishuli, that I was family and had seen her grow. The desire to possess had poured out from this pride I felt. But, if that were true, then it was wrong for me to feel this way. I should have been happy when I witnessed that scene. Mishuli¡¯s world had been broadened. I needed to be happy that she was being prepared to one day leave me. The reason that I could not do this was a selfishness not bing of a genius and also immaturity. And so I decided on one thing. ¡°I think that I too, will distance myself a little.¡± I was in the third Calibrachoa daughter¡¯s room. There, I and Surfania faced each other with a board game set up between us. On the other side, Surfania was narrowing her eyebrows after seeing myst move. The tide of the battle was currently even. But myst move had ever so slightly tipped the bnce into her favor. Surfania caught this and her eyes gleamed brightly. ¡°¡­You being so fond of your sister is nothing new. But you really think you will seed in separating from her?¡± ¡°I will. Indeed, I am very fond of Mishuli, but it is not as if I want to keep her to myself either.¡± She made her move carefully after a moment of consideration. I pretended to take my time and slowly made my own move. With that I was at an even further disadvantage; Surfania¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Oh, is that really so? I had assumed that you two were locked up in your own little world, trying to be happy.¡± ¡°My only wish is to make Mishuli happy. I want her to be smiling, always. I want her life to be full of only happiness. Until now, I hadn¡¯t been ready to act as a foundation to make that happen.¡± Surfania¡¯s voice bounced with delight as the board showed her clear advantage. I pretended to be annoyed by this as I mmed a piece on to the board with more force than was necessary. Surfania smirked at this obviously poor move. ¡°Part of me had put my own happiness as equal with hers. Maybe I had be dependant on her without noticing it. I had poured so much love into her, and it drew out a shameful desire to have her look only at me. And so this jealousy is born from the need to possess.¡± ¡°Fu fufufu. Is that so. Well, you¡¯ve always been rather pathetic. I wouldn¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t refute you today.¡± Surfania sounded very pleased, this was the first time she was in a superior position to me in the game. I ignore this attitude from my friend. If things continued on like this, I would be a horrible sister who would only be satisfied when I had Mishulipletely walled up. That would only be unhappiness masquerading as happiness. The world was vast. It was nothing like this small board that could be manipted in the way you wanted. This world went on and on. It was my responsibility as her older sister, to show her this world. First, I would guide her by the hand, then I would walk beside her, finally, she must be made ready to walk her separate path alone. ¡°And so, I think I will try to expand the world that we know from now on. So we can look not just at each other, but see more of the outside world too. And so there is one thing that I want to do at the next Foundation Festival¡­ Will you help me with it, Surfania?¡± Four years had passed since I was put into the position of a sister. It was the sorriest thing that it took me this much time toe to a realization. I cursed myself as I moved one piece forward on the board. The usual Surfania would not have agreed to any of my ideas. But she waspletely different now. Surfania dly jumped on my offered sacrifice. ¡°Fufufu. Regardless if it works or not, I think that it is a great idea. Foundation Festival? Indeed. I don¡¯t know what you intend to do, but I will agree to help you within my abilities, if you beat me at this game today.¡± The game had proceeded ording to her own ideal and so Surfania was in a much better mood than usual. She could see the road to her first victory, and she was clearly ted. Yes. Usually, she would have rejected me with a ¡®it¡¯s too much trouble.¡¯ But now she had promised to do it on one condition. I hear her answer and I smile with satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s my friend. I knew you would agree to help!¡± ¡°¡­Did I not say that it depended on you winning?¡± Surfania shot me a suspicious look when it seemed that my spirits had risen. She was wondering if I could not see how bad the situation on the board was for me. Well, clearly Surfania still had a long way to go. She should know that things rarely go the way you want to in life. Even a genius like me is sometimes misled by uncertain elements. It would be rude to answer here, so I keep my mouth shut and smirk as I make the next move. ¡°Ah.¡± It seemed that Surfania realized that she had misspoken as she saw this single move. Her eyes widened in shock at realizing that she had been stabbed in an area that she had not been paying enough attention to. My smile widened as I saw the expression on my friends face. I added maliciously: ¡°Surfania. It is your turn, is it not? Think hard. After all, you did make a promise over this.¡± By the way, no matter how much Surfania squirmed, she would lose today¡¯s game in exactly sixteen moves. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Hey, Chris. It¡¯s almost time for the Foundation Festival.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was the day before, and I was talking with Charles in my room. It was just the two of us now. I invited him here and we were talking about nothing in particr. That was all it was, but recently I have been looking forward to talking with Charles much more than I had before. I could feel myself growing happier when the day of his nned visits drew nearer. I think it was due to Mishuli¡¯s advice that we were able to take this step to be closer. And on this long-awaited day of his visit, we began to talk about the festival that was around the corner. ¡°Speaking of the Foundation Festival, won¡¯t you have certain duties as part of the royal family?¡± The Foundation Festival was an annual celebration of this country. As they would be a part of the ceremonies, the royal family -who were representatives of the country- should have the busiest schedule. The intricacies of it all could notpare to anything I did, as I was still a ways off from having any public duties. In fact, Charles nodded at my words. ¡°Yes. It is such a hassle.¡± ¡°Charles. It¡¯s good that you are honest, but sometimes I worry about what that means for your future.¡± Iughed wryly at Charles, who already had a glowering expression over the things he would need to do. It was likely that he acted this way in the pce as well. This was why he was being made to marry into a duke¡¯s house in spite of being in line for the throne. Well, Charles did not seem to care about that loss, and I didn¡¯t hate this side of him either. He now had the most sullen face as if he was thinking about whatever rehearsals he had undergone for the festival. ¡°But I can¡¯t help it if it¡¯s so very, very bothersome. Hey, Chris. Listen. You have to memorize so much in just one day, you know? And I have to change my clothes five times a day? And I have to move around to different ces? And they want me to do all of this with a smile! It ispletely wrong and bothersome.¡± ¡°It is not wrong or bothersome. It is the proper thing to do.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± What he had just said about how good manners were strange or wrong was, if anything, something amoner would think. While I was a genius who had knowledge from a past life, it was most odd that someone like Charles, who was young and never really left his pce cage, could hold such a free idea. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it strange to spend time on things that don¡¯t matter?¡± ¡°It does matter. At least, it will leave an impression on someone. Do you not understand that these events and customs may look stupid, but they are actually really important?¡± Even more so when they were for the country. Charles must observe them as part of the royal family. However, this was not the kind of argument that would satisfy the heart of a seven-year-old boy. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I see. You don¡¯t know.¡± I had a lot of pride in my status as a noble, so I had no objections to fulfilling any of my duties. After all, I was noble. Even if I was going along with the flow of what had been decided and what was asked of me, I believed that doing it with pride was the way a noble should live. Yet Charles would find such a small responsibility as this to be bothersome. Indeed, he was not very suitable to be part of the royal family. But he was born into it and it could not be changed. And perhaps this was Charles¡¯ great misfortune. If that were the case, then there was only one thing that I could do. ¡°Well, for now, just do your best. Charles.¡± Support. I can¡¯t help you, but you better put some effort into it. There was cynicism in those words. It might look a little thoughtlesspared to my previous attempt to persuade him. But I did put all of my heart into those words of encouragement. Charles looked taken aback for a second but then smiled. ¡°¡­Okay. If you say so, I¡¯ll try to do my best.¡± Charles had suddenly be enthusiastic over just a little encouragement. I smiled. Even if he did have such aspects that were not fit for royalty, his honesty was a good thing, and it was just those aspects that I liked about him. ¡°By the way Chris, what are you going to do on the day of the festival?¡± Here we go. I was secretly wishing for this question to be asked ever since the subject of the festival had been brought up. A corner of my mouth lifted in a smirk. ¡°Fu, fufufu. Do you want to know? So you want to hear, do you? Charles!¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Nevermind then.¡± ¡°Hey, now. Just ask me already.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Charles begrudgingly mumbled the question, and so I forced him to say it again. He raised his voice in protest, but I happen to hate it when things do not go my way. Charles knew this, so he finally agreed with a solemn face and asked me yet again. ¡°Hhh. ¡­So? What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Fufufufu. You must promise to keep this a secret. It will be a most troublesome affair if a word were to spread about this.¡± ¡®Yes, yes. It¡¯s a secret, it¡¯s a secret. And?¡± I felt like he was being a little condescending and indifferent, but I decided to let it pass. It was still I who was in control of this conversation. I was leading and it was flowing in the way that I desired, it would be wrong toin. And so I say to him in a grave voice: ¡°On that day, I shall execute my n to be independent from my sister.¡± ¡°Huh? Independent? You? With Mishuli? ¡­I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Charles was at first surprised, then quite happy, then adeptly went into a suspicious stare. ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± Nothing was impossible for me. In fact, there were no factors in my n at all that could lead me to failure. ¡°Well then, what exactly are you going to do?¡± After a series of useless words, he finally asked the important question. I proudly puffed out my chest and made this deration: ¡°I¡¯m going to escape from the mansion with Mishuli and go to the downtown market!¡± Tomorrow, on the day of the festival. I would lead Mishuli by the hand and we would go and see the market downtown. It should be fun. It would be fun without a doubt. I was looking forward to it so much that I could barely contain myself. ¡°Huh¡­¡± My expression was lively and brilliant, yet Charles had mumbled with a face that clearly wanted to say, ¡®Well, you¡¯ll never change.¡¯ ¡°¡­So, what about that is separating from your sister?¡± ¡°The whole thing is.¡± I quickly drove the point home, as Charles tried to criticize my n for independence. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- As the name suggests, the Foundation Festival was a festival to celebrate the founding of this country. Nobles would open salons everywhere, parties would be held in the pce courtyard where high-ranking nobles would be invited. As for people of my age being invited to such parties, well, it depended on your parents. You could participate if your parents decided to bring you, but if your parents ordered you to stay, that would be your fate. Then what did themon folk who had no such ties do? The answer was none other than the scene that spread out before us. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A belltower that rang periodically stood in the central za of the royal capital. There were colorful tents all over the ce which were stores for the merchants. There were open street stalls tightly lining the za and continuing along the wide road to the market. If you looked above your head you would see strings hanging between the buildings that had colorful gs attached as they flew in the wind. Everything that we experienced through our five senses was new. There were countless people of different sizes and shapes moving along the road. Coarse bartering and shouts towards customers banged and shook my eardrums. There was a vulgar, heated atmosphere that surrounded us. It was very differentpared to the sophisticated way that nobles enjoyed themselves. This was a neighborhood overflowing with motley waves of people with an intensity. This was an area very far from the category of ¡®nobility¡¯ that I had never stepped out of before. ¡°This is¡­amazing¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it really is¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The words of marvel escaped my lips, Mishuli could only agree. It was very rare for her to even leave the mansion, so this site would be even more astonishing for her than it was for me. I steal a nce at her. Her eyes were moving here and there, catching every unusual thing while looking slightly restless. This was where the festival was held for people who were a ss below nobles. The ¡®citizens¡¯ who were the most numerous in number within this country. And it was all spread out before us. During this festival season, many people came from all over to gather at the royal capital. There were stalls that sold food, clothes, jewelry and other household goods from all over the country. It was said that in this season alone the capital¡¯s poption would increase by thirty percent. Information about the market held during the Foundation Festival was not so different than what I had in my head as knowledge. But there was a big difference between knowing something and seeing it in front of your eyes. Even this scene that wasid out in front of us was only a portion of my knowledge. The voices that urged customers to take a look, the overwhelming flow of people, the heat you felt on your skin, all of it was very stimting to me. I trembled at these things I was experiencing for the first time in my life. As I had thought, the world was so big. I was happy that we came. I was happy that I was able to bring Mishuli here with me. At this moment, I and Mishuli¡¯s worlds had opened up just a little. And by jumping into this world that was before us, that world would open even wider. We were not alone. The world was not made for just us two. It was better to feel this for yourself than to be told it. And so I gripped Mishuli¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. Mishuli, don¡¯t get separated from me!¡± ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t ever let go!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Today would surely be a wonderful day. For me, for Mishuli¨Calso for the third person who has been silent without saying a word for a while now. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± I stopped right before I was about to rush into the market, my hand in Mishuli¡¯s. After all, a most distinguished person who had helped I and Mishulie here, was standing right next to us. I must show her my appreciation, I think, as I turn to give her a smile. ¡°Let us enjoy this day, Surfania!¡± ¡°Thank you for helping us, Miss Surfania!¡± ¡°¡­..Hahhh¡­.¡± Surfania had aided us in our escape today, but her eyes had zed over at the sight of so many people she had never seen before. She said only: ¡°I want to return home and read a book¡­¡± It was in a gloomy voice that did not quite match the fervor of the streets. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- We employed the aid of Surfania for our escape. Or it may be more urate to say that we asked the help of the Calibrachoa family. As for appearances, Surfania asked to go and see the market incognito. I and Mishuli were just there to tag along. Of course, it was not as if I, Mishuli and Surfania were here lone. Right behind us were two servants from House Calibrachoa that were dressed as our guardians. So we had inconspicuous protection. Even themoner clothes we had been given so as to not stick out, were prepared by the Calibrachoa family. And all of these preparations were carried out not by Surfania¡¯s parents, but her sister. There were also general precautions taken so this information did not leak to House Noir. Perhaps father would have allowed it, if I had asked to go and see the market incognito. As long as I was being monitored and protected by servants as well. But I do not think he would have allowed Mishuli to leave. Father was quite soft when it came to giving us what we wanted, but there were some lines he would not cross. This had to do with Mishuli¡¯s birth, and the lengths that he would go to hide this information and ensuring that she was kept safe. ¡°Why am I in such a ce¡­ The sun is so hot, and I am tired of walking¡­ I want to go home¡­ I want to go back and read¡­¡± And so we had asked Surfania, who was stillining like the shut-in that she was, to help us execute this n. Surfania seemed to be incredibly annoyed at having to rely on her older sister. Though the oldest daughter of the Calibrachoa house seemed to be very pleased with being asked for help by her younger sister, who was very clearly in the middle of her rebellious phase. Apparently, this older sister would often leave the house in disguise, and so she had been able to make these preparations for us rather easily. The result of which was that I and Mishuli were sessfully able toe and visit this market. And though this was my reward for winning a bet, I was still thankful to Surfania. Even though it was quite obnoxious to hear her incessantining as she stood next to me. ¡°Surfania, you should stop right there. Don¡¯t you see that we are outside? An unknown world? You win if you can have fun.¡± ¡°I know about the world, I¡¯ve read of it in books. It¡¯sme.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± I shrug my shoulders at my stay-at-home friend¡¯s stubborn words. ¡°Well, don¡¯t they say that experience is everything? Let¡¯s hold hands. Or we might get separated?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Surfania looked at my offered hand and frowned. ¡°But, have you not seen this crowd of people?¡± ¡°Oh, shut up. I am not a child. Do you think that I could be separated so¨Cbuwah!¡± Right as she was talking, the nine-year-old child that was Surfania, had bumped into arge woman. ¡°Ah.¡± Mishuli had raised her voice, but this woman was really, fairlyrge. Surfania had been stunned by this crash, and there was now a gap between her and us. Of course, the wave of people would not ignore such a gap. Before we knew it people were squeezing their way through and passed us. The now open gap became bigger and bigger. We had no chance to close it again as the distance between Surfania and us increased. ¡°Hey, wai¨C¡± Surfania herself seemed to be desperately opposing the flow of people, but she was still nine-years-old on top of being a youngdy who had never properly left the house. There was no way that she could beat the strong onrush of people. She was pulled further and further away until we lost sight of herpletely. I and Mishuli stared in her direction for a moment before looking at each other. ¡°Sister. I think Miss Surfania may be lost.¡± ¡°She might.¡± It was likely impossible for Surfania to return by herself, and it would be very difficult for I and Mishuli to find her in this sea of people. If things continued like this, we may never reunite with her again. But really, there was no need to worry. I looked towards the Calibrachoa servant who walked behind us and was returned a look that seemed to say, ¡®Do not worry.¡¯ As soon as she had been hit, one of the two servants behind us had rushed towards Surfania. It was only a matter of time before the servant caught up with her and brought her back. Mishuli seemed to have noticed what had transpired between me and the Calibrachoa servant and was relieved. ¡°Ah! Miss Surfania, she¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s back¡­¡± It did not take long for the servant to appear, pulling Surfania by the hand. And there was, of course, a reason that Mishuli¡¯s voice had tapered when she saw her. ¡°Oh, I hate this¡­ I¡¯m going home¡­¡± Perhaps she had gotten scared after being separated once, but Surfania was now blubbering and grumbling through teary eyes. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- To be honest, for a moment I considered allowing Surfania to return to the mansion. It may sound a little cold-hearted, but I thought that I¡¯d have one of the servants take Surfania back and have the remaining servant and guard apany me and Mishuli. In other words, I did not think that it would be such a bad idea for us sisters to enjoy being incognito together without her. Though, I would never have expected Surfania toe back crying in the way that she did. Mishuli had almost never cried as a child, and so I had no experience with crying children. However, I was always up for new experiences. It was me who had thought that leaving the house was a good idea after all. It would look bad if I turned back on my words now, and so I tried to soothe the whiney Surfania so we could move on and look at the shops. ¡°Surfania. You must stop this crying already¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying¡­¡± she sniffed. ¡°Miss Surfania, are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­I, I¡¯m just fine!¡± Well, she had no choice but to hold back those tears when not only a genius, but even Mishuli who was two years her junior, was looking at her with concern. Before we knew it, Surfanai had stubbornly started to move forward. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t have all day!¡± She was as obstinate as ever. But seeing as she was tightly holding my hand this time, Surfania was at least capable of learning. Even so, she was still quite stupid. ¡°¡­Where is she going?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Surfania was pulling us with no particr destination. I and Mishuli wondered about this and giggled to ourselves. It would be the first time any of us had evere here, so there was no way that Surfania would know where anything was. She was just moving off her initial momentum. Well, it was not as if we had any ns ourselves, and so we followed Surfania and walked around. ¡°I¡¯d like to eat something as we walk¡­¡± ¡°There do not seem to be any stores.¡± At first, we had been shocked by the number of people here, but once we got used to it, we were able to inspect things more closely. There were extravagant stalls by merchants who owned stores and stalls that were just small tents that lined the road. At a nce, the market looked unorganized, but there was apparently a set of rules in ce. This was likely a district for selling household goods and entertainment items. But even then, there were so many things that we had never seen before. Though there was nothing yet, that was appealing enough to buy. As we wandered aimlessly around, Surfania¡¯s suddenly stopped in her tracks. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± I followed Surfania¡¯s gaze and saw a street corner that was shaded by arge awning. Its making was clearly very different from all the other stores we¡¯d seen until now. What was it for? As I focused on it, a dry clicking sound entered my ears. Before I discovered what it was, I was able to guess why Surfania had stopped here. ¡°Sister. What are they doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a board game. It¡¯s a game where you move the pieces around and try to take each other¡¯s pieces.¡± It was the same board game that I and Surfania regrly yed. There were round tables lined up under the awning with people ying at each one. It looked like it was a small game house. Likely, some of these tables involved gambling. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Mishuli seemed to have no interest in it. It was a normal reaction given that she didn¡¯t even know the rules of this game she was being introduced to. However, Surfania loved these sorts of games. ¡°¡­..¡± She was staring hungrily at this corner of the street. It was the longest gaze she had given to anything since we arrived at this market. Good grief, I think as I shrug my shoulders. ¡°Surfania. Do you want to go inside?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mind apanying you if you are so interested.¡± Why did she have to be so willful? In spite of her words, she was clearly restless. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I saw this. ¡°Yes, yes. I am so very interested in it. So pleasee with us, Surfania. Right, Mishuli?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to go in too!¡± Mishuli had quickly caught on with what I was doing and nodded with a look of sincerity. ¡°I, see. I suppose I have no choice then. Let us go.¡± I was feeling quite sorry for her at this point, and so I decided to allow her to have her pride while leading her to what she wanted. And so we went inside of the shop and were immediately greeted by the endless sounds of game pieces being moved on the board. Surfania reacted the most by these sounds. She looked even more restless than before as her eyes moved here and there, scanning different boards. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Most of the people here were adults, but if given the choice, I¡¯d rather y with people our own age. That would work better with my n to be independent from my sister. As I was considering this, I discovered a table that was surrounded by children who seemed to average at about ten years old. People would often conte age and skill, so the younger yers had naturally been separated into their own group. Luckily for us, it seemed that their game had just ended, and the person who had lost got up from his seat. Apparently, this was a kind of a tournament where the loser had to give up their seat. ¡°Surfania. Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± ¡°¡­I think I will.¡± She replied somewhat stiffly to my suggestion. Surfania had nevere to such a ce before, nor had she everpeted against anyone but me. So she was probably nervous. She was moving stiffly, but took a seat all the same. Well, who was her opponent then? I and Mishuli joined the small group of spectators and looked to see who Surfania would be ying against. I let out a sound of surprise when I saw a familiar face. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Leon.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Leon looked in our direction as he heard his name being called. ¡°Huh? Mishuli! ¡­And¡­¡± His face lit up as he first saw Mishuli, who had called his name. Then he looked towards the person whose hand Mishuli was holding and he immediately turned pale began to stutter. ¡°¡­Wha, what brings you here? Mydy.¡± ¡°You have no right to be calling me ¡®mydy.¡¯¡± I said tly to Leon, whose voice was shaking rather pathetically. For some reason, he was shivering as if he were scared. ¡°¡­?¡± Surfania looked at this scene, which she had no prior knowledge of. She could only tilt her head in confusion. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- The match between Leon and Surfania ended with Surfania winning. ¡°I won¡­?¡± It seemed as if she could hardly believe that her victory was real. Well, in truth, this was her first victory ever. She had only yed this game against me up until now, which meant that she had never won. And so this one win must have been quite special for her. ¡°I won¡­ I won! Chris, I won!¡± ¡­Perhaps I had beaten her a little too much. I could not help but feel a tinge of guilt as Surfania made a report of her victory, her face had the biggest smile. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great, Surfania.¡± ¡°Congrattions Miss Surfania!¡± ¡°Ehh¡­¡± While I could not hide the guilt that showed on my face, Mishuli sincerely congratted Surfania on her win. Surfania looked genuinely pleased as she epted ourpliments before turning back to see her next opponent. Her face now was so much more lively than it had been at the mansion. A smile came to me naturally as well, as I saw my friend while she moved the pieces on the board. I was d that I had brought her alone too, and not just Mishuli. ¡°And you, don¡¯t you dare run away.¡± ¡°Gwah¡­!¡± In spite of having lost, Leon did not look one bit upset as he hurriedly tried to get up and leave. But I grabbed him by the cor to stop him. ¡°W-what, can I do for you?¡± Not only did he make noints about my forceful way of stopping him, but he even spoke politely. I wondered where the arrogance he had when falling into our mansion went, but then again, this was only the expected way to treat one of my social standing. Aside from that, this boy had an unnecessary level of fear towards me, so perhaps his behavior was justified. ¡°Mmm. There is just something that I¡¯d like to confirm. That is all.¡± Leon may have been frommon stock, but he was depicted as being incredibly talented in ¡®Labyrinth Destiny.¡¯ I asked him in a small voice so that Surfania, who was now ying against a different opponent, could not hear. ¡°You, I don¡¯t suppose you were taking it easy on her in thatst match?¡± ¡°Impossible. She was really very good.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± He had answered without dy, so I decided that he must be telling the truth. Had he been doing any such thing as allowing her to win, I might have had him publicly executed. But I couldn¡¯t me him if this was an honest result of the game. ¡°But more importantly, why on earth are you here in a ce like this? Um¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Christina. Also, you don¡¯t have to talk so politely. ¡­We are here incognito.¡± I had just remembered that I had never introduced myself, so I give him my name with my family name excluded. I added an exnation as Leon looked confused when I told him that he did not need to speak politely, and he seemed to be satisfied with it. ¡°Hmm. Well, it would look weird if you¡¯re here incognito and I talked to you so politely, I guess.¡± While that was very true, it was somehow very annoying to see him switch back so nonchntly. ¡°So, um, Mishuli¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it. Do you want to try this game too, Mishuli? It¡¯s quite fun!¡± ¡°¡­yes, ignore me then.¡± I wasn¡¯t ignoring him. I had noticed his obnoxious gaze repeatedly moving towards Mishuli, and so I had intercepted his attempt to talk to her. Mishuli did not seem to notice this minor battle erupting between me and Leon, as she thought for a moment before asking: ¡°Do you y this game too, sister?¡± ¡°Yes, I do!¡± ¡°Are you good?¡± ¡°I am incredibly good!¡± I puff out my chest. It was no exaggeration either. As a genius, I was so strong that not even an adult could beat me. Hearing this, Mishuli¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Then I will try it too!¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± I smile at the predictably adorable reply. ¡°Well then, go over there so they can teach you the rules.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Aside from the free space underneath this awning, there was also a beginners area, which was most nice of them to prepare. I pointed to the instructor there who was teaching some other children on how to move the pieces. Mishuli¡¯s eyes blinked. ¡°Uh, umm¡­ Are you not going to teach it to me?¡± ¡°Mishuli.¡± Of course, usually, I would have been delighted to be her instructor. But today, I was a different person. ¡°Today is a festival, you know. ¡­You should go and have fun with other people too.¡± I told Mishuli in a sage-like voice that was appropriate for an older sister. Mishuli¡¯s eyes which had been glowing not a moment ago, now trembled with confusion, as if she could not understand why I was saying such things. ¡°¡­I, I want you to teach me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. Mishuli. There are other people besides me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Atst, Mishuli fell silent because she did not understand what I was saying. But this was something that I had decided on as part of my n for independence. I had to get Mishuli involved with people other than myself. That was my true purpose today. That was why I had chosen this busy area. ¡°Mi-Mishuli. If you¡¯re worried, I can teach¨C¡± ¡°That would be even worse. Shut up and stand over there, fool.¡± ¡°¨CWhy should I! Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a little harsh on me!?¡± Not at all. I was being very magnanimous by allowing him to even talk without being polite. ¡°Now, Mishuli. ¡­Go on.¡± I gently pushed her back so she would move forward. One step, two steps. That was as far as she went before she turned around. She was smiling as her eyes met mine. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Neither of us said anything, but we both knew what the other was feeling. Then she turned back and walked towards the beginner¡¯s area without hesitation. I smiled somewhat bitterly, as emotions rose within me upon seeing her back when she walked away. I had expected to feel like this, but it was still a little lonely. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Surfania was still ying and seemed to be having fun. She had won several games consecutively and didn¡¯t look like she would lose any time soon. There was even a small crowd of spectators surrounding her table now. Mishuli looked like she had also sessfully infiltrated the beginner¡¯s area. Other children that were her own age were there, learning how to move the pieces. As I was viewing all of this, I hear someone mumble next to me. ¡°You¡¯re pretty close with Mishuli, eh?¡± ¡°We¡¯re sisters.¡± Leon would say the most obvious things, so I answered him in kind. It was the most normal thing in the world for sisters to get along well. But, perhaps I and Mishuli had been too close. You could say that it was the result of living together in such a small world as the mansion. A dependence. Or codependence. We were so close that even such words that came from knowledge from my past life woulde to mind. ¡°We came out here in disguise, so that Mishuli could make some friends.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± As I really had nothing to do, I decided to talk to Leon a little. I wanted Mishuli to be able to talk to people other than me. I wanted her to have someone else that she could open her heart to. It wasn¡¯t possible with nobles. Aside from people that I was a bulwark for, we could not get too close to anyone who was in a position to go sniffing around, once we became well acquainted. It didn¡¯t matter who they were, it was the house behind them that was dangerous. As far as Charles and Surfania, well, they only knew her through me. And so for Mishuli to be able to talk with someone as herself, she would have to hide her status. But perhaps I was being too simplistic in thinking this. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± I thought this much, but then suddenly apletely unrted question entered my mind. The setting of ¡®Labyrinth Destiny¡¯ was eight years from now, at the Royal Academy. The story would begin with Mishuli being enrolled. But, why was Mishuli able to go to the Royal Academy? It was not mandatory to enroll. Mishuli was supposed to be in hiding, so why would she be sent to a ce where she would be forced toe in contact with so many people¨C ¡°You look like your thinking of all sorts of things. That¡¯s unexpected. To be honest, I thought you were just really self-important.¡± My mind was brought back to the present by his words. But anyway, I didn¡¯t have enough information to answer this new question that had entered my mind. I put it aside for now and answered Leon. ¡°I am quite important, so you aren¡¯t wrong. I¡¯ll forgive you for that one.¡± ¡°Haha. ¡­But, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for her to make friends in one day.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So you know¡­¡± Leon sounded exasperated, but there was no way a genius such as me would not have predicted this. But it was fine as a momentary pleasure. If she could mingle andugh for even just a short while, in a single meeting, then Mishuli would know something more about others. She would understand that the whole world was more than just me. This would be a memory and an experience for her. ¡°But, you¡­ Uh, Christina, was it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,moner.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I answered him with a deliberately sardonic tone to see his reaction, but he onlyughed wryly. The fact that heughed like that, instead of firing back meant that he knew it was a joke, which was something I could appreciate in a person. It was the reaction I had expected, and so I nodded with satisfaction. ¡°So, Christina. You¡¯re telling me you set up this whole troublesome incognito affair, just for your little sister?¡± ¡°Hm? Yes. That is exactly right.¡± ¡°Well then,¡± Leon¡¯s ck eyes looked at me as he talked. His eyes contained nothing but genuine curiosity. Ah, they were the same color as mine. Nothing had led to this thought, it just popped into my head. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything that you want to do yourself today?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± The words were so unexpected that I became confused. What I wanted to do. Leon saw that my mind had be nk as I was speechless. And so he continued. ¡°Yeah. Christina. Isn¡¯t there anything you want to do for yourself, and not for Mishuli? I don¡¯t have anything to do after this. I could be your guide, if you¡¯d like?¡± ¡°¡­What is it with you? Don¡¯t you have any friends?¡± ¡°Of course I do, idiot.¡± I shrugged as his replies became less and less reserved. I was well aware that I had purposely dodged the question. ¡°I see. Something I want to do¡­¡± I turn the question over in my mind a little. Something I want to do without Mishuli. I didn¡¯t think that I would be able to think of anything, but then one surprising idea came to me. ¡°I know. I want to walk around and eat.¡± ¡°Walk around and eat¡­ But you could do that any time you want.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± I was dumbfounded by Leon¡¯s negative reply. The only time I had been able to walk around and eat was when I was invited to a buffet. That waspletely differentpared to what I had always wanted to do. ¡°That may be, but walking around and eating isn¡¯t special in the least. Today is the festival, why don¡¯t you¡­ Um, are your parents very strict then?¡± Perhaps he had be worried if there were any activities that we were prohibited from doing. But I shook my head. ¡°No, quite the opposite. I would even say on an unbelievable level. I¡¯m generally allowed to do whatever I want.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Serious.¡± My father spoiled us. He would let us get away with almost anything. However, he was still a noble first and foremost, and also one with authority. He usually did not seem that way, but that was one area where he could not be moved. Of course, that had nothing to do with the present. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something I want to do as I walk around eating. First things first, take me to a nice food stall.¡± ¡°Aye aye¡­ Wait, just how much money have you brought with you anyway?¡± ¡°Money?¡± At these words, my eyes began to blink in surprise. Oh, yes. Money. It was that thing that elevated this concept of finance in the world. It was without a doubt in the top three inventions of mankind. One of the things that were the most highly circted in this world. ¡°Hmph. That¡¯s right.¡± I checked inside my pockets just in case, before proudly puffing out my chest. ¡°I have no such thing!¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Leon nodded with a great smile. He seemed happy for no reason at all. ¡°So, there will be no walking and eating!¡± ¡°Grr.¡± This inhumane rejection of my wishes caused my lips to pout. I see. You apparently needed this thing called money in order to get things that you wanted in this world. I had never actually held money up until this point, and so I had forgotten about it. This was purely due to ack of experience. Of course, if I asked the servants who had apanied Surfania, I was sure to be given something. But that was most unfashionable for me. They were the servants of House Calibrachoa, and I did not want to rely on money borrowed from a ce that had no connection to me. ¡°Well then. Why don¡¯t you y a game with me?¡± ¡°I would get bored ying against someone who lost to Surfania.¡± His sympathetic look had gotten on my nerves, and so Ished out. Money, money¡­ So eating and walking required money. I didn¡¯t have any of that, but I didn¡¯t want to give up here either. My eyes wandered about for a way to make money out of nothing, like alchemy, when my eyes stopped in one corner of the game house. ¡°Leon. Do you have any money on you?¡± ¡°Well, I do have a little¡­¡± He hade to enjoy himself at this festival, so of course, he would have some. He clearly thought I was about to rob him because his expression turned sour. But I wish for none to misunderstand me. I had not fallen so far into ruin that I would use my authority to steal coins from a peasant. Knowing that we had some capital made me smile mischievously. ¡°Leon. I shall increase your allowance for you as a favor then.¡± If we didn¡¯t have enough, we should increase it. I grinned as I pointed over to the gambling corner. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- A session of victories. Such words were made to describe me. At this moment, I was sure of this. ¡°Fu.¡± In front of me sat my heart-stricken opponent. He stared down at his crumbled formation as he tried to swallow the truth. He had been beaten by a nine-year-old child. However, there was no need for him to feel bad. While it would have been quite embarrassing for him to have lost to any other nine-year-old, he had lost against me. Christina Noir. ¡°Fufu.¡± I was running through the mansion at one, at three I had amand ofnguage, at five I had read every book in my father¡¯s library, at seven I yed the perfectdy at a ball and shocked all of high society. I was a wless, genius girl. No matter how many years of experience one may have had, it would not be possible to beat such a genius as I. ¡°Fufufu.¡± I had yet another brilliant victory under my belt. How many was it now? The next person that reced him was nothing special either. I got passed him without a hitch in no time at all. The ever-mounting victories made the spectators ¡®Ohh.¡¯ in awe. I knew no such thing as defeat. The only thing that I would repeatedly gain was victories. The only things I would see rolling in front me were the corpses of the losers. ¡°Fufufufu.¡± Arge crowd had gathered around my table as if to bless my many victories. Perhaps it was odd seeing a child y against adults. Even more, this child was beating these adults with a shocking degree of skill. The ck eyed and ck haired Leon was the youngest in that crowd, and he was praising me greatly. ¡°You¡¯re amazing Christina!¡± ¡°Fu fufufufu! Of course, I am!¡± Leon¡¯s face was bursting with happiness. He could not be more pleased with my victory. Even if he was only happy, because he had increased his money by ten times through betting on me winning, his apuse would be my strength. I was the type who grew through being praised. ¡°Praise me more, Leon!¡± ¡°Okay! Christina! The Goddess of Victory must be with¡­no, perhaps you, yourself are the Goddess of Victory!?¡± ¡°Fufufufufuu!¡± Apparently, there were others besides Leon who had betted on me, and they all cheered as if being led by him. All of their voices rose to uplift me. I was drunk on victory and the wine kept pouring. ¡°Your choice of words are not too terrible, Leon. I think I¡¯ll have you buy me some foodter with all that money you¡¯ve earned.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll dly pay for whatever you want to buy and eat, my Goddess!¡± ¡°Excuse me. Allow me to y next.¡± As I was creating ns with Leon in a most pleasant mood, I sensed yet another person take a seat in order to be sacrificed. ¡°Oh, the next one eh? Christina! I¡¯m going to bet on you this time as well!¡± ¡°You might as well. I¡¯m clearly going to win this!¡± It wouldn¡¯t matter who my opponent was. I did not feel like I could lose. I saw Leon off as he went towards the betting table to set the amount, before turning back to see my opponent. ¡°Fufu, sorry to keep you waiting. I assumed people would start to avoid this table out of fear of my skills, and yet a little oblivious bird hase to¡ªEh.¡± I was attempting an arrogant air that was only appropriate for my hidden identity as a proud Duke¡¯s daughter, but then I froze. The person who was facing me did not seem to care about my reaction at all. ¡°Is something the matter, my Goddess of Victory?¡± The person who talked to me with a calm voice was a woman. Thisdy appeared to be in her mid-thirties, clearly passed the prime of youth. The chair she sat on did not have a backrest, and yet her back was straight as a board. She wasn¡¯t in her usual formal clothing but wore rough, normal clothes. Yet no amount of differences in apparel could disguise the man-eating-fiend. ¡°Ah, um.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± There was only one person in this entire world who could make my voice shake so pathetically with just one sharp look. ¡°Um, no¡­ I, what are you doing here, Miss Tote?¡± For it was Mariwa Tote who sat there. ¡°I think that is something I should be asking you, but, very well then. I will tell you if you can win against me. And I will also promise to not pursue any answers as to why the Goddess of Victory is here, nor will I scold her for thister.¡± Mariwa did not stretch the ends of her sentences, nor did her tone be pointed. And yet she was emitting a freezing wind. It was so cold that my bones began to rattle. ¡°Hey, Christina. I just bet on¡­ What is it, Christina?¡± Leon asked with suspicion when he saw me shrunken and shivering, but I had no strength left to answer, while being in the face of such danger. What was he thinking? How could he act so calmly when there was such a fearsome beast right in front of him? And so I asked him one question. ¡°Leon¡­ How much did you bet on me?¡± ¡°Hmm? All of it. Why?¡± I experienced an attack of vertigo. ¡°¡­Wha? All of it?¡± ¡°Well, at first you were quite the dark horse, so betting even a little brought in quite a lot. But you¡¯ve now won too many times so profits have lowered a lot. But since you¡¯re going to win anyway, I thought I¡¯d just the bet all of it this time.¡± ¡°Ha, hahaha¡­ I see. Uh, indeed. I have to win, that is all.¡± Yes. I could not fall apart here. I just needed to win this. I had no idea how much experience Mariwa had with this game, but I would lose nothing by winning. I would not be scolded, and Leon would not lose his allowance money. We would be able to go and eat as if nothing had happened. Yes, I needed to win. I would win. I decided with conviction as I sneered at Mariwa, but her expression was one of boredom. ¡°Are you finished consulting your friend? Well, then. Let us begin.¡± Mariwa did not seem to be dwelling on the oue. In her mind, she had already won, and so she had no interest in winning or losing. She was thinking about how to deal with this child and how to destroy her. Or at least, that was what her face seemed to say. As the challenger, Mariwa had the first move. Her hand moved to choose the first game piece. ¡°I will not criticize your curiosity or wanting toe out to town, but I can¡¯t agree when you y with fire. Your self-esteem has grown, you have an excessive belief in your own strength, but have no sense of caution towards those around you. But worst of all, you are so clueless as to dabble in gambling. Yes, it is a little too much for me to overlook.¡± She lowered the game piece that she had raised, finishing her first move without hesitation. ¡°I will smash that mentality of yours and reshape it into something much better for you.¡± Click. The echo of the piece hitting the board seemed to be a reflection of my own heart. It wascking moisture, having gonepletely dry. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I think it is quite foolish to only speak of results. Results may seem to express everything, but in fact, it is only one element of therger whole. What is really important cannot be decided through such a dualism, as winning or losing. So extreme a logic was not what made the world turn. What was more important was the process. That winning was right and losing wrong, was a most mediocre notion. Indeed, there really was no difference between a winner and a loser. Both have gained the same amount of experience. It really was quite short-sighted to swing from joy to sorrow over results without knowing that. And so I was not remotely regretful when I lost. ¡°Christina.¡± ¡°¡­What, Leon.¡± The expression Leon wore as he called my name was difficult to describe. He wasn¡¯t sad. He wasn¡¯t angry either. It would be more urate to say that he was stunned, but it wasn¡¯t quite that either. ¡°Um, for some reason my allowance seems to have disappeared¡­¡± His face had a ghostly look as he spoke, my shoulders began to shudder. All hope and despair had been washed from his face, and yet there were still fragments of an expression there that would note off. Such a face would have sent a pang of guilt to my good heart, but I had my excuses too. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s not my fault! It¡¯s you. You just went ahead and bet on me!¡± ¡°What!?¡± Leon¡¯s face switched to rage as he heard my argument. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who said you¡¯d ¡®increase my allowance¡¯!? I believed in you!¡± ¡°Wrong! I only told you to bet the first time. I made no such orders after that. Every time after that was just your own selfish actions. As if I would have told you to do something so stupid as to bet everything with no margin!? You could have at least left enough for me to eat, you fool!!¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re really going to say such things! I was slowly saving up that money just for today¡¯s festival! And now it¡¯s all gone in a sh!? Do you understand how that makes me feel!?¡± ¡°How would I know! It¡¯s not my fault you lost your allowance! It¡¯s only right that I should make that very clear!¡± He was grinding his teeth now, but this affair had nothing to do with me, now that I had established that he bore sole responsibility for everything. I snorted and looked away, my arms tightly folded. I was now facing Mariwa. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Memories of my crushing defeat revived in my mind as the blood drained from my face. She had no restraint, no mercy. It was just a one-sided and very quick game. There wasn¡¯t a shred of entertainment value there, even the spectators seemed to have found it a little off-putting. Having finished her massacre, Mariwa now opened her mouth which looked like the gate to hell. ¡°Well then, we should leave now.¡± I didn¡¯t ask her where. It was quite obvious to me without having her say it. I was clearly about to be escorted to hell. As the guard escorting me was in the shape of Mariwa, the Calibrachoa servants and guards would not stop her. Mariwa had even served as the private teacher for the eldest Calibrachoa daughter once, so she was recognized as a person with a real identity. This was the end. I was finished. My gloomy prospects brought a shadow of despair that began to crawl up my legs. ¡°Um, Mariwa. Where are we going¡­?¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± But, maybe there still was hope. Itched onto this possibility, as I asked the question. Mariwa sighed heavily as if this was the most tiresome thing. ¡°You wanted to walk around and eat, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Eat? I had assumed that the only thing awaiting me now was a type of scolding called corporal punishment. But these most unexpected words made me pause. ¡°What do you mean, Mariwa?¡± I could not believe that Mariwa would give me anything but the whip. My eyes widened in wonder as hers narrowed in irritation. ¡°There is nothing to exin. ¡­Ahh, you there as well. You are a friend of this former Goddess of Victory, are you not? If you¡¯ve been unfortunately involved with this rascal over here, the least I can do is buy food that is the equivalent of the original amount you lost.¡± ¡°Are you serious!¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you are much more knowledgeable of this area than I. Please let us know if there are any good stalls nearby. I have no intention of being so immature as to crush a child¡¯s allowance after all.¡± ¡°Okay. That was our original n anyway. And it wasn¡¯t that much, to begin with.¡± Ever quick to change, Leon¡¯s face was nowpletely devoid of the fear it once had. He had already forgotten the despair of losing his money, and a smile returned to his face. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be. Christina, I thought she was scary, but she¡¯s really a nice person.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being fooled. She has youpletely fooled¡­!¡± ¡°Miss Mariwa. What do you think of Christina¡¯s opinions about you?¡± ¡°Idio¡­!¡± Sometimes I would be jealous of such easily pleased simpletons. I attempted to warn the foolishly gullible Leon, but he had been hooked by the money and would not listen. Worse, he had discovered in such a short time, that Mariwa was my weakness. This resulted in him saying things he shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Yes, yes. She can say whatever she likes.¡± ¡°¡­Hmph. Mariwa. That seemed a little too unconcerned?¡± I had lost my bnce and was feeling a little depressed. Looking at Mariwa closely, there was something a little different in her expression. It wasn¡¯t the usual iron mask. The overall impression she gave with her rigid posture and businesslike manner was the same, but somehow there was anguid air about her. ¡°I am not on the clock now. We will have plenty of time to discuss what has happened today on ater date.¡± She bluntly answered my question. Now that I recall, Mariwa had acted in a simr fashion during that one time she had canceled the day¡¯s lessons. Even so, I had my doubts. ¡°You were just saying you meant to educate me¡­¡± ¡°Any adult withmon sense would have at least warned a child who thought they could try their hand at gambling, regardless of working hours. Now, let us go.¡± ¡°Oh, wait. Surfania and Mishuli are¡­¡± ¡°They seem to be enjoying themselves as they are. And they have guards, don¡¯t they? Then it should be alright to leave them for a little while.¡± So saying, Mariwa took my hand and began to walk. I started to walk too, as she was dragging me and Leon followed. ¡°¡­¡± I was sure that Mariwa was holding my hand for no other reason than to avoid getting separated. And I did not want to get lost in this crowd like Surfania had, so I held onto her tight. There was no other meaning behind it. But, I don¡¯t know. ¡°¡­Mariwa.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. Never mind.¡± Perhaps it was just my imagination, but there was a kind of warmth in Mariwa¡¯s hand as she was leading me forward. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- I bit into the skewered dumpling. There was some hesitation over possible rudeness with the first bite, but then I noticed that such hesitation would result in the syrup running down my mouth and making my face filthy. The second bite was bolder, as I swallowed the whole thing. After that, I had mastered the technique and finished eating thest bite. As I enjoyed this most memorable first item, Leon, who had finished much quicker than I, asked for my review. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Itcks subtlety.¡± I said honestly, as I chewed on the dumpling that was still in my mouth. There was something sloppy about the sweetness of the brown sugar syrup. The texture of the dumpling itself was rough. In the first ce, it was most annoying to eat a chewy dumpling off a skewer. I think I would have preferred it on a tter with toothpicks in every single piece. ¡°I suppose it was apromise of less time and effort and also being decent enough for people to eat. That¡¯s what it is. It is so thoughtless and wed in both taste and presentation. But, I see. So this is whatmoner food tastes like.¡± ¡°Hey, are you mocking me?¡± I ignored Leon as he squinted upon hearing my review. I needed to do something about this syrup that was on my hands and mouth. I couldn¡¯t possibly wipe it on my clothes or sleeves. As I was thinking this, a towel was presented to me from the side. ¡°That is basically what stall food tastes like.¡± ¡°Hmph. I suppose so.¡± Mariwa said it with a knowledgeable air, but she herself had not even eaten it. She probably did not want to dirty her hands and mouth with syrup either. I epted the towel gratefully and wiped myself. One person who was not happy about our conversation was Leon, who had guided us to that stall. ¡°As a friend of Christina, you probably eat very well too, but¡­¡± Mariwa shrugged as Leon narrowed his eyebrows. ¡°It is fine though. It is not as if we havee here to evaluate the best delicacies. Isn¡¯t that right, mydy? Never mind the taste, isn¡¯t this so much fun?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s so fun!¡± The taste was third-rate indeed, but the very act of shopping was most enjoyable. Using money for the first time, eating foods I had never seen before, the freedom of not having to be so polite. I was swayed by the joy that all of those things brought, and hurried Leon on. ¡°Now, Leon. Let¡¯s go to the next one. To the next!¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± I ordered him in the way I would usually order a servant. He smiled wryly as if he had no choice but to obey. ¡°Is there anything in particr that you want to eat?¡± ¡°Anything that¡¯s not sweet.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Okay, then let¡¯s go over to the street then.¡± I had just experienced the crudest sweetness. I wanted to enjoy a different vor now. Having heard this thought of mine, Leon began to lead the way. ¡°The street? Is there none in the za?¡± ¡°There are drinks and sweets sold at the stalls here, but there isn¡¯t much proper food. Now that I think of it, I wonder why.¡± ¡°It is because you can not get a permit to have a stall that uses fire in such a crowded area as the za. It would be quite the disaster if there happened to be an outbreak in so dense a ce. Stalls that use fire to cook are only allowed on therger streets and they must maintain a certain distance from other stalls.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± Leon had apparently not known the reason, so he was interested as much as I was. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure there are plenty of sessful stalls that don¡¯t use fire either way. But we might as well go down a street that has more variety.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s true. Let¡¯s do that! You sure know a lot, Mariwa.¡± ¡°I suppose so. I don¡¯t have any personal interest in it¡­ But there have been several asions where I had to apany someone here who was much like abination of you and Mishuli and then multiplied by two. So I learned about this ce, naturally.¡± ¡°I and Mishulibined and multiplied¡­ What? Was this person a goddess or something?¡± ¡°You must keep your ego in check, mydy.¡± It was clear as day thatbing a genius like myself with an angel like Mishuli and multiplying it would result in a Goddess. But Mariwa used her free hand to flick me on the forehead. It hurt a little. As I red at Mariwa with hatred, Leon, who was staring at our little interaction, butted in. ¡°Nobles have wet nurses do they not? Is that what Mariwa is to you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± What an irrelevant question. My wet nurse had secretly sold myte mother¡¯s possessions and had her family and house destroyed as a result. Such were my memories of when I was two, and as far as I was aware, it was the angriest my father had ever been in his life. ¡°Does it look that way to you?¡± ¡°It does¡­ But I guess I was wrong.¡± Now that I think of it, it¡¯s not that odd an assumption given our difference in age. However, there was a reason that she would not be hired as a wet nurse. ¡°No, she¡¯s my private teacher. Mariwa¡¯s never been married, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for her to be a wet nurse.¡± ¡°Mydy.¡± Usually, people who have experienced raising a child were hired as wet nurses. Mariwa was Miss Tote, not Mrs. Tote and would never be hired as a wet nurse. That was the reason I said what I said, but I was immediately interrupted. ¡°I will have you know, that it was not as if I could not get married. It is only that I did not get married.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I felt a mysterious pressure from Mariwa¡¯s deration and I ended up nodding a lot more good-naturedly than I had intended. There was no ulterior motive behind it, to begin with, but clearly, this subject was dangerous. I knew this by instinct, and so I quickly turned to Leon in order to change the subject. Leon too seemed to have caught the danger signal, but he looked away from me as if to avoid any further attention. ¡­He had some nerve considering he was the one who brought it up. Fine. I would implicate him thoroughly. ¡°Mariwa. Leon is asking in his heart, why you never got married. It¡¯s for future reference.¡± ¡°What!?¡± He shouts and looks towards me, but it is toote for him. At my false usation, Mariwa turned a gaze towards Leon, that was much too diabolical for a nine-year-old to experience. ¡°¡­Very well then. I will tell you in detail, why I did not marry, why this thing called love is so foolish and why this thing called marriage is of no use to me.¡± It worked. I was quite satisfied with how shaken Leon was, but Mariwa¡¯s breast was burning with a much bigger fire than I had imagined. ¡°You must listen as well, mydy. I shall tell you just how much the current institution of marriage limits women regardless of status. I will exin all of this to you along with an academic viewpoint that will be worth listening to.¡± ¡°Eh.¡± It was toote for me when I realized that the spark I had lit were now falling down on my own head. Mariwa¡¯s eyes stared at me so steadily that it looked as if she had been drinking. Of course, this meant it was not exactly the kind of atmosphere where I could easily blurt something like ¡®well, I have a fiance¡¯, which Mariwa already knew about anyway. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- A woman getting married meant settling down in a house. It would be their duty to manage said house. Any thoughts of advancing in society would be nothing more than a dream. Within this space, women would only be able to operate within a small space with other women, they will have no opportunity to change this society that favored men so much. In order for women to be independent and achieve positions in society, it is necessary for more doors to be opened that allowed them to work in broader fields. In this way, Mariwa says that she is a pioneer. Expressing with herself how a single woman might live. ¡°I see, I see. Mariwa.¡± I nodded after she had said all of this to us. To be quite honest, this had nothing to do with me. I had already been engaged to Charles two years ago, and if I did not marry, then our most esteemed Noir line would end. And Mariwa¡¯s ¡®woman can do just fine without marriage¡¯ theory had no importance or necessity for me, if anything, it was a threat. And so all of this was not directly rted to me. This was true without question, but¡­ ¡°In other words, if put into practice, does this mean that there is no reason for Mishuli to get married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very shrewd observation, mydy. It is exactly as you say.¡± ¡°Oh, good! In that case, as a child of the house of Noir, I will use all of my influence to make this theory spread throughout all of high society¨C¡± ¡°Are you being brainwashed!?¡± ¡°¡ªHa!¡± Leon shook my shoulder and I returned to myself. ¡°Leon¡­?¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s right. Leon Nardo. Are you alright, Christina?¡± ¡°Of-of course I am. I am not so hopeless a wreck as to need your concern¡­ I mean, have I even done anything deserving of concern¨C¡± ¡°But, ever since Miss Mariwa started to talk, you¡¯ve looked stranger and stranger. In the end, your eyes were like off in a different world, you know?¡± ¡°Tha-, that¡¯s a lie. A genius like me would never¡­no. I, what was I saying just now¡­?¡± I recalled my own words as a cold sweat ran down my forehead. It was only yesterday that I had dered that I would be independent of my sister. But then a theory had presented itself that justified Mishuli not getting married, and I had nearly jumped on it. No, while it was true that this bait had been dangled before me, this theory was most strange. If Mariwa¡¯s radical beliefs were to be known and poprized, it was likely to cause such a social phenomenon as an increase in demand for jobs and lowered birth rate. It was a most heinous theory¡­! In the first ce, if noble women decided to be independent and walk their own paths, it would destroy long-running traditions. Regardless if I was a noble and heir, this sort of thing could cut me off from my family. And yet, in spite of all my pride as the eldest daughter of House Noir, I had been about to ept this theory¨C ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°¨CMariwa. Did you just tsk,right now?¡± ¡°No?¡± Her expression was as serious as her back was straight, it was not the appearance of someone who couldmit an act so unbing of a woman of the upper ss. Perhaps, I had just imagined it. I good-naturedly admit my own mistake. ¡°But now that I think of it, it is quite unusual for you to speak of your own views.¡± ¡°When I am acting as your private teacher, my job is to educate. It is not eptable for a teacher to bring their own opinions in as part of a students education. Education is about creating the foundation for thought. It would be nothing short of brainwashing to dye such a pure student into your own colors.¡± She was right. That made sense. I was quite satisfied with this answer, but Leon was looking at Mariwa with a most horrified expression. ¡°Um, what about what you were just¡­?¡± ¡°This is a private conversation.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± It was a smooth answer, but for some reason it made Leon sit up straight. ¡°More importantly, mydy Chris. We have now reached the main street.¡± ¡°Ohh, so we have¡­ My, there are a lot of people here.¡± We were out of the za and on the main street now, but there were so many people here. As far as density, it was much worse than the market in the za. The tide of people was thick and it was difficult to walk around. I assumed everyone here would be after the food, but it seems like that was not the case. Loud cheering erupted as the throng of people shook. ¡°Is there some kind of performance happening?¡± ¡°No, it seems¡­that we have arrived just in time for the royal family parade.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Upon hearing that it was the royal parade, I tried jumping up. But there were so many people blocking the way, and I could not see anything at all. I narrowed my eyebrows angrily and looked up at Mariwa. ¡°Mariwa, carry me now!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± It was a brusque reply. ¡°I¡¯m not so young anymore, and such physicalbor as picking up a heavy object such as yourself is out of the question.¡± She rejected me with her crone-like excuses without hesitation. I ground my teeth in anger. It was most inconceivable for her to address ady such as myself as a heavy object, but it seemed like she would not back down. She left no room for anyone to take advantage of her when she was on the job, and while Mariwa looked more rxed now, there was clearly something bad that had been added after something else was removed. I resented her, but I could still not beat her. Well then, I think as I spin around. ¡°Leon. Crouch!¡± ¡°¡­Uh, Christina. Why do I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡± ¡°Just do it!¡± I repeat myself with more force. Leon sighed in resignation and crouched. From the looks of him, Leon did not seem particrly interested in the royal parade. And I so I didn¡¯t feel bad for him when I straddled his shoulders. ¡°I thought you would¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and stand up!¡± ¡°Woah, this isme. I mean, do you really want to watch it so bad?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± In spite of all the grumbling, Leon stood up with me on top of his shoulders. I was now only slightly below Mariwa¡¯s level as I answered him with an excited smile on my face. This was most unexpected, but the royal parade meant that Charles would be there. My friend, my fiance¡¯s big moment. It would be one thing if I hadn¡¯t known and missed it. But this was a chance encounter. How could I not watch when I happened to be here? ¡°I will watch it!¡± I said decisively, all the while feeling my own cheeks turning slightly red. Perhaps it was the heat from the crowd. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- First, I saw the horses. Two thoroughbreds with lustrous, chestnut colored hair. They had intelligent looking eyes and were likely of a very gentle nature, and behind them was the roofless carriage that they were pulling. And in that carriage sat the royal family. His Highness the king and the queen were in the front, the five children were lined up in the back. The princesses and princes were waving to the crowd. Fortunately, Charles was looking in my direction. Even so, the situation wasn¡¯t quite perfect either. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I pouted a little at this unsatisfactory reality. I could see him. But the view was less than ideal. As it were, I could only just barely see him through the small gaps between people, and since the carriage was moving, I would asionally lose sight of Charlespletely. I wanted a little more height if possible. In order to make this wish known, I knocked on the head below me. ¡°Leon. Do you think you could grow in height a little?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been ridiculously selfish for a while now, what the hell do you think I am?¡± ¡°You¡¯re amoner, right? So listen to your betters. Make my wishe true. That is your duty.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Of course, so this is the nobility. ¡­Keep this up and I might start a revolution!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± It would be no good for him to do such a thing while he was still carrying me. No matter how high-born a noble I was, I could not deal with a rebellious footstool while I was on it. ¡°Fine, fine. I shall be satisfied with the present state, but you must at least maintain this height without going any lower.¡± ¡°Whaa-, ugh, this isme¡­¡± I could hear hisintsing from under me, but my vision did not get any lower. It was clearly a bad idea to make too many demands and provoke him. Well, I suppose this was fine. I had to give in. Charles appeared to be trying, as he had promised. He smiled and waved his hands. But royalty or not, he really did not look good with that forced smile. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he smile like he usually does¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Did you say something?¡± ¡°No.¡± I replied as Leon reacted to my mumbling. I looked back at Charles. His smile showed that he was bored. The smile Charles usually wore was so pure that it made others happy by just looking at him. I watched him almost nervously, wondering if others wouldn¡¯t notice how fake his smile was, but as far as I could see, the crowds of onlookers were cheering without noticing. My eyes follow Charles through the sea of people. From his view, I was probably nothing more than half a head peeking out from the masses. Even I could barely see him. Perhaps it was too much to wish that he would somehow see me. It would be smart to give up. I had held a little hope, but he would surely not be able to find me. Just as I had be resigned to this, something unexpected happened. Our eyes had met. ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment, Charles¡¯ face lit up. All signs of obligations disappeared, he stood up and waved enthusiastically towards me. The second princess who was next to him looked taken aback by his sudden movement, but Charles didn¡¯t seem to care at all. His smile now, was not the forced one a moment ago, it was the same bright smile that he always had for me. It wasn¡¯t my imagination. Charles¡¯ eyes had locked with mine and he had immediately known that it was me. Normally, I would not have been in a ce like this, but that had nothing to do with it, he could not mistake me. And he expressed his joy with his whole body. As a friend, I knew it would have been proper to rebuke him for acting inappropriately. I also knew that as his fiance, it would be right for me to pester him about his duty. But, strangely, I was so happy that my heart was full of nothing but joy. ¡°He really was¡­¡± ¡­very honest. Indeed, that was one of his best attributes. In answer, I too waved my hands towards him. For once, I feel no desire to find any fault in him. I waved until the carriage had passed and I could not see him. Then I felt fingers pinch my cheeks and pull. ¡°¡­What is it, Mariwa?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just noticed that your cheeks looked a little ck.¡± That tends to happen when someone is happy, it¡¯s called human emotion. It was no reason to pull at a person¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Hmph.¡± I puff out my cheeks after hearing Mariwa¡¯s unreasonable excuse. She let go of me now without an ounce of regret. ¡°His highness is fond of you. It is a good thing.¡± ¡°Of course. We are friends, after all!¡± ¡°¡­Hah¡­¡± I said proudly, but she only sighed. ¡°Well, we shall leave it at that, then.¡± What was this? There was something in the way she said it that I didn¡¯t like. I red back at her through half closed eyes, but she ignored me. I looked back in the direction of the now unseeable carriage, I whisper something. ¡°However, such a reaction during his duties¡­ So that was Prince Charles. I thought that it was Mishuli for a second, but she does look a little different.¡± ¡°Did you say something?¡± ¡°No.¡± I tried to pick up the words I had missed, but Mariwa just shrugged her shoulders and left them as they were. ¡°It is nothing. More importantly, please excuse me.¡± With that said, Mariwa put her hands under my arms and hoisted me up into the air. ¡°Hm?¡± What¡¯s this all of a sudden, I think. But the reason quickly became apparent. ¡°Huh, it suddenly became very light¨Cwoahhh!?¡± ¡°Bam!¡± ¡°Bam?¡± Leon¡¯s scream and an adorable voice sounded at nearly the same time. I turned around toward the most adorable person in the entire world. I saw Leon with his face in the dirt. Mishuli had thrown Leon to the ground and was now looking up at me as I was being held by Mariwa. ¡°Sister, what are you doing!?¡± ¡°Hmm? I should be asking you that question.¡± It was quite clear that she had thrown him to the ground, but I could not think of why she would do such a thing. ¡°It¡¯s quite dangerous to push someone who is carrying another person on their shoulders. Bad.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry, sister.¡± She must have just realized the danger of her actions, which had been little more than a result of momentum. After being pushed, Leon had ended up being swallowed into the sea of people and had drifted off somewhere. Mishuli was aware of her mistake now and bowed her head with regret. Yes. It was a great thing that she could admit to her own faults. I pat her on the head for being so very good. Mishuli smiled pleasantly. ¡°Ehehe. I learned the rules for the board game and so I came to find you.¡± ¡°I see. Then we can y together next time.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It was only normal to praise her once her objective had beenpleted. It made no difference if it was during a n to be independent of each other. There was a massive difference between independence and abandonment. So I would allow her to be spoiled just a little. After all, she had be a little lonely after the execution of my n. There was no way that replenishing my reservoir of Mishuli energy right after would be a problem. ¡°Did youe all the way here by yourself? Where is Surfania?¡± ¡°I left Surfania where she was! I didn¡¯t want to get lost!¡± ¡°Yes, that is true.¡± Mishuli had not said anything wrong. As sisters, even if we became separated a little, we would eventually be able to find each other with enough effort. And it was also true that Surfania would be a burden to drag through the crowds of people. ¡­I hope Surfania wasn¡¯t crying over being left alone. Even though there would be guards and servants, she might be lonely without me or Mishuli who were her originalpanions here. As I was considering these troublesome possibilities, Leon finally returned after having once disappeared in the crowd. ¡°-grief, what the hell was that. Who was it? Who just pushed me¡­ Uh, Mishuli!? Why¨C¡± ¡°More importantly, sister. Why were you riding on his shoulders? You shouldn¡¯t do things like that!¡± ¡°Huh? Why is that?¡± She made theint with as much force as she used to ignore Leon. But people riding on the shoulders of others was amon sight today as it was a festival. Was there really something wrong with it? I tilt my head to the side, but Mishuli was already clenching her fists. ¡°Yes. You may never! I don¡¯t know why exactly, but you cannot!¡± ¡°Is that right? And I was just thinking about letting you ride on my shoulders¡­¡± ¡°I will!¡± She will, huh. Of course, I had no intention of denying her, and so I let her straddle my shoulders. I was carrying my sister who was two years my junior. There was a sense of joy in feeling how much she had grown through her weight, there was no need for me to mumble andin as Leon had. ¡°Um, Miss Mariwa. Those two¨Cwell, Mishuli, I don¡¯t quite understand what she is saying¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, young Leon. I don¡¯t understand it in the least. But know this. Once in a while, you will encounter such people in this world, whose actions seem to have no meaning.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ I didn¡¯t want to hear that.¡± I ignored Mariwa and Leon¡¯s conversation, as I was intent on supporting Mishuli so that she would not fall as I stood up. And so the two-story building of sisters wasplete. I expected Mishuli to cheer as her vision reached a great height, but her reaction turned out to be much different. ¡°Huh?¡± Maybe it was because Mishuli had grown much more than I had known. Maybe it was the result of my n of independence. The voice I heard above my head was a question, which became even bigger in the next instant. ¡°This seems different then when it was with Leon!?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the same thing?¡± I didn¡¯t know if I should rejoice or cry. For Mishuli seemed to grow every time I blinked my eyes. Her words and actions were not only mysterious to Mariwa and Leon, but they had now reached a ce that was difficult for even a genius like me to grasp. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- For some reason, it¡¯s the most joyous moments that speed by, like a ball of yarn getting smaller and smaller as the string is pulled away from you. Thest remaining scent of that time was something I was reluctant to part from. I was sure that the festival would continue even after we had left, but our own little adventure today hade to an end. We parted from Leon, our guide for the day as well. During the goodbyes, he had even said, ¡®nobles aren¡¯t all despicable people, huh.¡¯ So it was at least a fruitful day for him as well. Now we were on the road home. I, Mishuli and Mariwa were in a carriage that the Calibrachoa¡¯s had sent for us. Surfania had returned to her mansion first. She had walked around, cried, be obsessed and done so many unfamiliar things in session that she must be sleeping in her room from all the exhaustion now. Now that she was back home, the carriage was taking us to back to the Noir mansion. Mishuli was sleeping on myp. She had been quite energetic up until we entered the carriage, but that was probably a reaction to her intense excitement earlier. Now she was clinging to me as she breathed softly in her sleep. The space we were in was blocking the atmosphere of the festival from all sides, there was something lonely in the way you could hear the sounds of the carriage wheels turning. Within this atmosphere, only I and Mariwa were awake. We sat facing each other. ¡°So, how was it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very pleased.¡± She asked about the day¡¯s results, and I reply with a brilliant smile. It was a most enjoyable day. The joy I felt upon seeing Charles was the highlight, but that aside, there had been so many interesting things. I was d that I been able to show Surfania around, and while it was by chance, I was happy that we had met Leon so that he could be our guide. It had also been the first time I had taken Mishuli out like this. It had been stimting. More than enough to help broaden her world. ¡°A lot happened today. Most of all, I am happy that I was able to execute my n of bing independent from my sister.¡± In just one day, Mishuli¡¯s world had expanded from only being the mansion to something muchrger. And that was still only a small part of a bigger whole. I could still tell that she was spoiled from the way she slept on myp now. But the fact that I had happily allowed this, showed that I still depended on her a lot myself. But, it was fine. Slowly, together we could lovingly find the best distance we needed to have. Not leaning on each other, but finding the right ce that would be best for both of us. ¡°A n to be independent from your sister.¡± Mariwa parroted my words. Seeing this, I pout with a measure of annoyance. She clearly meant to mock me. After all, even Charles had baselessly dered that my n was impossible. I would certainly make a big show of sulking if she dared to make fun of my n, which had ended so sessfully today. Such were my thoughts, but when she continued, the words were not what I had expected. ¡°I¡¯m impressed that you decided to do such a thing. As young as you two are, you are much too close. Mishuli especially, has a dangerous side to her, and you mydy, can often be blind to it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± It took me a few seconds to understand what Mariwa was saying. When I did, my eyes widened. Could it be? Was I, in fact, receiving praise from Mariwa? ¡°Mishuli practically had no parents from the moment she was born, and you lost a parent when you were so young, mydy. Your losses made you alike. Perhaps your two thought to bury that loss with each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing her indirect words, I began to remember things from my past. It wasn¡¯tpletely rted to what Mariwa was saying. It wasn¡¯t to do with the n to be independent either. It was about my origin as a genius, a memory that I had kept precious deep inside my consciousness. It was a memory of when I started to walk when I was a year old. There was a single voice that I could never forget. ¨CBrilliant! She can already walk. Christina, you are a genius! It was the wise words of my mother when she had seen me walk for the first time. She had been the first person in the world to notice my genius, she had showered me with deserved words of praise. I remembered being happy with how straightforward it was. She had praised me with almost childlike abandon. I was happy, I was happy that she was happy. I even remember that I had tried to walk over to my mother as she praised me, only to fall in the end. But my mother had passed away before I was two, and the wet nurse who took care of me received a reward for her terrible betrayal. The two people that were closest to me were gone in an instant. I think that it was around this time that the genius inside me decided to study and evolve like there was no tomorrow. ¡°There is a tranquility in this dependence, of leaning on the other. It is not an easy thing to break away from, and to return to a healthier state. Even more so for the person in question to do it on their own ord.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I did well. I am a genius, but even then, I did well. Not just with today¡¯s n. I¡¯ve always tried hard, put in an effort, persevered. I was talking freely when I was three, I had read all the books in the library when I was five. I was a genius, it was only normal for me to aplish all this. It was obvious. What should I do next? What did I need to do? What else did I need to do to¡ªthen, I remembered something. My mother was no longer here. My beloved mother who had praised me was no longer here. No matter what I did from here on out, she would never praise me for anything again. This obvious fact struck me for the first time in that library, after having conquered it. It was also the same time father told me that Mishuli would being to live with us. At first, I had assumed that she was the child of a mistress, and had been enraged at this insult to my mother. But such thoughts were blown away as soon as my eyes saw her. Her eyes were beautiful, transparent like ss. But the color of her eyes was so pure, I had felt that her heart must be in a much more dangerous ce than mine. And so I praised her with all my might. I threw everything at her, everything I was thinking, even though we had just met. That she was adorable, that I was so happy to have a younger sister. I felt that the memories of a past life had suddenlye to me so I could praise this sister in front of me. And so I went all out with praising her. I did to Mishuli, what made me the happiest when done to me. Mishuli¡¯s eyes had shifted with hesitation at first, but then small hints of joyous colors appeared. I was so happy at these subtle signs of happiness in her reaction. I knew then, that I was capable of giving this happiness, and from then on my efforts were all directed towards Mishuli. Without words, I knew that what I and Mishuli wanted was very simr. We were trying to bury what was missing in the other, trying to find fulfillment. But, that was all likely to end today. ¡°Mydy, Chris. You¡¯ve worked hard. I feel like you should be rewarded, at least a little. ¡­Is there anything you would like me to do for you?¡± I had a feeling, that at this moment, Mariwa would grant me almost anything as long as it was in her power. But I didn¡¯t feel it was right to order her either. Like I always did with the servants, like I had done with Leon today. I didn¡¯t want to order something I wished for. I was highborn and a genius, there was no mistaking that I was in a higher position, but what I wanted could not be granted by demanding it in such a way. ¡°Then, Mariwa.¡± Not an order, but words that expressed what I wanted her to do. I slowly petted Mishuli as she slept on myp. I returned to a state so very close to when I had first started to walk as I looked straight at Mariwa. ¡°Praise me.¡± I was the type of child who grew through being praised. And so I wanted her to praise me. Not my mother, not my father who had witnessed me growing all these years. Not the servants who supported me, not the friends who I was on even footing with. It was this person, who was incredibly strict, mostly cold and would use corporal punishment as part of my education. But I had an unwavering trust in her, and I wanted her to praise me. Not in the roundabout way she had done moments ago. Something more simple. A patting of the head and a ¡®you did well,¡¯ was what I wanted. ¡°Mydy, Chris.¡± In spite of being inside a moving carriage, Mariwa stood up. Both of her arms slowly stretched out towards me and she pulled my head towards her in an embrace. I had not expected this much kindness, a sigh even escaped my lips. But of course, I had no intention of resisting. ¡°You¡¯ve done so very well.¡± Her embrace was somewhat awkward, and the way she patted me could use some practice. But now she was so close to my ear, and I heard her say the words of praise. ¡°All this time, you¡¯ve done so well.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, I have!¡± It wasn¡¯t my imagination or a misunderstanding, she was so warm that tears were pouring from my eyes. --------------------------------------------------------------- Author: Miss Tote praised her because it was in private and not during her lessons. Mariwa wanted to praise her but could not, Christina wanted to be praised but never received any. Such was the story of these two awkward people. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- In truth, I was actually quite limited in terms of when I could make appearances at social gatherings. The first was my birthday. I was the star of the event, so it was obvious. It was a good day, close friends would gather at my house and they would all pamper my genius self, even more than usual. Mishuli¡¯s birthdays were much more modest affairs and celebrated with family only. These were fun in their own way, and every year I would n the entire party. Other then that, there were times where I would tag along with father and meet close family friends, or the reverse, which was to greet them as guests at our home. That was about it. In this country, I was not likely to expand my rtions with other nobles until I enrolled at the Royal Academy. I would make friends there, and those connections would continue even after we graduated. This was why so many enrolled, regardless of gender, even though it was not required byw. And so, while I was the direct descendant of one of the greatest nobles in this country, I did not have too many friends and acquaintances as a nine-year-old. Such was me, and yet there was one official event that urred annually, that I was allowed to participate in. ¡°It is so nice to see you again, Count Istar.¡± Gracefully, I pull my leg back at the perfect angle as I bend the other knee lightly, my hands just slightly raise the hem of my skirt, and I bow. Mariwa had beaten it into me, and I had done it hundreds of times now. And now that I had been praised by Mariwa, my courtesy had passed the realm of perfection, it was like a work of art that dazzled the eyes of all who witnessed it. ¡°I¡¯m delighted, Lady Christina. Thest time we met was, um¡­¡± ¡°I had the pleasure of greeting you at our humble home nearly one month ago. That you seem to be in as good health as ever brings me much joy.¡± He was one of the few grown-ups I had seen regrly ever since that first encounter two years ago. I was wearing mydies disguise now, and so I sent Count Istar a sweet smile. It was the annual pce ball. I had met Charles here for the first time, but in fact, it was also a ball for those of the upper ss to celebrate the ending of the Foundation Festival, whichsted five days. And every year I woulde here with father. I was a credit to him, and because of that, it was one of the few social functions that I could proudly make an appearance. ¡°Oh, that is right! But a child of your age tends to change so much in just one month.¡± ¡°Do you really mean it? I know that you have a most splendid son, I thought you would surely find watching the growth of someone as inadequate as me to be most boring inparison¡­¡± ¡°Oh, no. My foolish boy is nearly twenty years old now, there is noparison to you, who looks lovelier every time we meet. Why, I look forward to watching you grow whenever I visit, much more than I look forward to meeting your father, anyway!¡± ¡°My, what an honor you bestow on me.¡± There was nothing vulgar in Count Istar¡¯s praise of me. This very stout man was as great as he wasrge. Father could learn a thing or two from him. Speaking of my father, he clearly knew that I needed no one to oversee me once I entered mydy-mode, and so he had gone off somewhere to talk with someone else. ¡°Your father knows that you are capable of handling yourself now. I hope you know that it is because he has so much trust in you, and not that he is uninterested? After all, it a well-known fact that Duke Noir dotes on his daughter.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I know it very well.¡± He must have seen it in my gaze. He may have been poking fun at me a little, but I gratefully epted his kind consideration. He was subtle, yet discerning and was thoughtful of others. Count Istar was a rare person who I was actually fond of. ¡°Thank you very much, Count Istar. I hope that you will continue to visit us.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± We take each other¡¯s hands as a sign of friendship. After saying goodbye, I was alone once again, and started to look around the room. The party was now in its second half, most people here would have finished greeting all their acquaintances. Father seemed to be quite involved in whatever conversation he was having; I was sure he could be left alone for a little while longer. Well, then. It shouldn¡¯t hurt to escape right about now. I think as I head for the exit. I left the hall with its dancingdies and gentlemen and made a little detour. Once I reached the hallway that faced outside, I made sure that no one was looking before moving towards my actual destination. My genius ability to n and to act finally got me to the gardens, and while there had been no nned appointments, there was already someone there. ¡°Ah, Chris. You came.¡± He said, his face beaming in the night garden. Charles Eduard. He was the third prince of this country and my friend-cum-fianc¨¦e. Unlike the first time we had met, he had arrived first. ¡°Yes. Just thought I¡¯d do you a favor, Charles.¡± It was the night of thest day of the Foundation Festival. And now began an exclusive social event for just me and Charles to tie up the ending of the festival. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- A rounded moon was floating in the sky. It wasn¡¯t an iplete sphere that needed another day, like that night long ago. This was a full moon worthy of taking center stage in this cloudless, star-studded sky. Unlike the sun, there was something mystical about its silvery, cool light. It was a light most fitting to illuminate a genius such as I. And there, I and Charles sat side-by-side. ¡°Huh? So that n to separate from your sister actually worked?¡± ¡°Of course it did. It was the n of a genius. There was no way it could ever fail.¡± The only sound that could be heard in this deserted garden was music that leaked from the dance hall and our own conversation. We were sitting on the bench set in the garden, stretching our feet and leisurely chatting away. There was a different sort of charm with talking in the garden at night to ying at the mansion. Along with the first time two years ago,st year and tonight, it had been three times in total. It had be sort of a natural tradition for us to meet and talk here on the night of the ball. Aside from the mansion, this empty garden was really the only ce where I could talk to Charles without reserve. If I met Charles in the dance hall, for instance, I would in no way allow mydies disguise to fall. And so, it was likely that I and Charles would find ourselves here again next year; just to talk. It was refined and pleasant. I imagined the future that had practically been decided for us, and smile quietly. ¡°Hmm. I wouldn¡¯t have expected you to be able to do it¡­ But if you say that Mariwa even praised you, then you must have really done it¡­ But how?¡± ¡°What a silly question. Don¡¯t you doubt me. I worked hard towards it, and you should praise me.¡± I stare reproachfully at Charles¡¯ doubtful eyes. For I and Mishuli¡¯s sake, I had nned and executed. Mariwa had even praised me. This was clearly an achievement that left no room for doubts, and yet he acted like this. Charles was not very considerate of others. I puff out my cheeks in annoyance. Our conversation was revolved only around the festival. I told him how we had entered the city in disguises, Charles spoke of his public duties. And as we talked, the subject naturally moved to that moment during the parade. ¡°I¡¯m so impressed that you were able to find me in that crowd of people. You didn¡¯t even know that I would be there, I don¡¯t think most people would have been able to do it.¡± ¡°I could find you no matter where you are. You¡¯re Chris after all.¡± ¡°Ho ho.¡± I break into a smile at this iprehensible exnation. There was no logic to support it, and yet Charles¡¯ honest words sent my heart racing. I didn¡¯t know why, but it made me so happy. It was a different happiness from when I was with Mishuli, but it was also uncontroble. I stand up and grab Charles by the head and tousle his hair. ¡°You say the most pleasing things, Charles!¡± ¡°¡­Mmm.¡± I had praised him and patted his head as a reward, but he didn¡¯t seem too happy. Mishuli loved to be patted on the head, but Charles was different. If anything, he seemed discontent. Well, he was a boy. Perhaps he was now at the age where he didn¡¯t like having a girl lock his head in such a grip. But even so, we were good friends. Such things were only a type of yfulness and there was no need to hold back. I continued to pat him on the head for a while before I sat down again. I was in incredibly high spirits. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot too, Charles.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s nothing.¡± He looked at me with suspicion, but I rebuffed him as I hummed a tune. My bnce of happiness had not depleted at all yet, there was still plenty of it in my chest. ¡°Grow¡­ By the way, Chris, you seemed a lot taller at the parade. How did you grow? Was that your third form?¡± ¡°So, I grow when I change to my third form¡­?¡± What on earth did he think I was? He had gone from looking quite dissatisfied to suddenly looking excited. His eyes were bright with expectation now. I smiled wryly at this childish side. ¡°Unfortunately, that is wrong. I haven¡¯t even received my third form yet.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Is that right¡­¡± His shoulders drooped in utter disappointment, but this nonsense about forms was something I had originally blurted without thinking. I wasn¡¯t some demon lord, I hadn¡¯t even thought past what my second form was. ¡°Well, leaving my third form aside. I was actually riding on someone¡¯s shoulders.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charles¡¯ eyes blinked in surprise. ¡°Mmm?¡± Why indeed, was he looking surprised at such a mundane thing as riding on someone¡¯s shoulders to gain a little height? If anything, him being surprised was odd to me, and I tilted my head in confusion. He must not know the meaning of the words. It was most strange, but perhaps not impossible considering Charles¡¯ upbringing. Just as I was thinking about kindly exining to him what it meant to ride someone¡¯s shoulders, Charles started to move again. ¡°Ride, shoulders¡­.ah, ahh¡­ I see. You were riding on Mishuli¡¯s shoulders, right. Or was it Miss Mariwa? I understand then¡­¡± ¡°Ahaha, what are you saying, Charles?¡± I could not help but burst intoughter at his hopeless guesses. Well, I did do it with Mishuli, actually. But that was after the parade. And I was the one who was carrying her. Mishuli would be crushed if I rode on top of her. And there was no chance that Mariwa would diligently allow me to ride her. Surely, he knew such obvious facts? Why would he even ask? Charles was smiling as if in a desperate attempt to fool someone, and so I corrected him. ¡°You know, I told you that I saw the parade with amoner boy named Leon, who is the same age. As it was most convenient, I had him carry me on his shoulders that time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Charles¡¯ smile froze. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Charles smiled quite often. Well, at least when he was around me. Most of the time he would smile with an expression of great happiness. Of course, it was not as if he was always smiling, he had a varied and expressive face. He would smile when we first greet each other, then he would narrow his eyebrows and fold his arms when thinking about something. He would dere it clearly whenever he did not like something, and sometimes he would get into big fights with Mishuli. He expressed all his emotions without subtlety, and it was most entertaining to watch him shift through each one. However, he was apparently quite different normally. From what I heard from his caretaker, Oxe, Charles had a permanent expression of boredom while in the pce. I think that he had a strong dislike of feeling restrained. That must be why he looked bored in the pce, where he had no freedom. Sometimes he would even try to escape from his room, causing Oxe much grief. But the Charles in front of me looked sullen. I wondered why. My head was tilted to the side in consideration, but I could not understand it. I thought back on what we had been discussing, and yet I could see nothing in it that would cause Charles to be upset. I hadn¡¯t tried to restrain him in any way. In other words, I did nothing wrong. I nod at my perfect logic, it was worthy of a genius. Charles began to mutter. ¡°Chris¡­¡± I could see that he was sulking visibly from the corner of my vision. But he had now finally opened his mouth, so I turned my attention back in his direction. ¡°Do you, ride on just anyone¡¯s shoulders?¡± Yes. I did not understand it. ¡°I do if the need arises?¡± ¡°So you do.¡± I do. So what. What was wrong with riding on someone¡¯s shoulders. That is what I think as hear his words, which clearly contained a degree of reproach. There were times when Mishuli would act most entrically, and Charles was much the same at this moment. I can¡¯t help but remember, with some satisfaction, that they were cousins. I had really done nothing wrong. I dere once again. I have not done a single thing that was wrong. And yet, why must he look at me with such a reproachful re? ¡°I haven¡¯t even¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s this, Charles? Do you want to ride on my shoulders? There is no one watching us now, I don¡¯t mind if¨C¡± ¡°What are you running on about, Chris? That is not what I mean.¡± Charles, you are the one who has been saying things with no meaning. It is not me. I was rather insulted at the blunt rejection of an offer I had made with such affection. I pouted. ¡°Why were you doing it in the first ce? I¡¯m quite sure that it is strange.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not strange at all. I don¡¯t know why it even matters.¡± ¡°It is strange. It¡¯s not right.¡± My cheeks puff up in denial. I had no idea what I was supposed to do with Charles. For some reason, he had no intention of listening to what I was saying. I understood that he was in a bad mood, but I could not understand the reason or what I was supposed to do to fix things. Well, as long as he was questioning me, I would answer honestly. ¡°It was because I wanted to see you, Charles¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± His shoulders jumped a little. ¡°You wanted to see me¡­? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It was because I wanted to see you in the parade. Mariwa refused me even when I asked her, and there were so many people that I wouldn¡¯t have been able to see you without help. Leon just happened to be around and was the right height, and so he carried me on his shoulders.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­How¡­was I?¡± ¡°Hm? Let me see¡­¡± I think back. Charles during the parade. He was in the carriage along with his family. They wore fancy clothing and waved their hands to the crowd. Ignoring his bored face and fake smile, he did look incredibly happy when he saw me. Charles was looking straight at me without blinking as I began to answer. ¡°You were great.¡± ¡°Aha!¡± I praised him honestly, and Charles¡¯ face lit up. ¡°So¡­you¡­yes!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± I wasn¡¯t quite sure what lead to all this, but judging by how happy he looked, Charles was in a good mood again. ¡°So, Charles. Is riding on someone¡¯s shoulders a bad thing?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± What was with him? I had asked as a confirmation, but his reply hade at a ridiculous speed. I could onlyugh. It did not upset me, in any case. But, it reminded me how much I enjoyed seeing his expression change from one to the next. ¡°Hey, Chris.¡± A stark contrast to before, the now good-humored Charles stood up and extended his hand in front of me. It was a fine hand, fitting of royalty. My gaze followed up his arm and to his face. There was something refreshing about looking at his face from below, as he was usually half a head shorter than me. ¡°What is it?¡± I knew what his proposition was, and yet I ask him mischievously. ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡± It was incredibly clumsy as a gentlemen¡¯s invitation to dance, but I shut my eyes to it. We would dance in this garden. This would be the third time including the failure of that first day. This small event was now almost a custom for us. Thedy that I am, epts Charles¡¯ hand and bows most gracefully. ¡°With pleasure.¡± I smile as I ept Charles¡¯ invitation. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- It was fun. The syncing of your feets movements with the music. Two people holding hands, moving together, bing one heart and one body. While there was enough light, it came dimly from the full moon alone. I dance with Charles by our thin, moonlit shadows, as the music leaks faintly from the dance hall. There is no audience. There are no extravagant decorations. I was Christina Noir, daughter of a duke. I loved pomp, praise, and power. I wanted to show my own excellence to a crowd of onlookers. And yet, somehow this dance with Charles, which had no audience or stage, was so very fun. I wondered how it was that my heart felt so satisfied by this. Though, I did have a vague idea. ¡°Hey, Charles.¡± ¡°What is it, Chris?¡± ¡°This is fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, it is.¡± Charles nodded with a bounce, he was in a good mood. I was sure that the happiness within him was at least equal to mine. Hearing it confirmed with words brings yet anotheryer of satisfaction to me. I was feeling more and more satisfied by the minute, and yet I was feeling lighter and lighter. My heart was floating as we danced, I spun my body in a turn. ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lot.¡± ¡°I tried.¡± His soft blonde hair, which looked so simr to that of my beloved Mishuli, blew in the wind along with our movements. I smile at his inept, yet earnest attempt to lead me. It seemed that he had indeed learned the steps for dancing in these past two years. It was a huge improvementpared to the first time. At that time, Charles had never danced before, and so I led, which did not go very well. We had both ended up falling very dramatically. It was a precious memory. One, two, three, we ride the rhythm in sync with the tempo. He wasn¡¯t a genius like me, his experience wasn¡¯t there, and so his dancing was still awkward. I liked to lead in nearly all things, but with dancing, it was the man¡¯s job to lead and thedies to support. And so I focused on supporting Charles as we danced. It was not bad. Always, and with everyone, I wanted to stand dominant. But having Charles hold my hand and lead me like this¨Cit was not bad. ¡°I wonder why.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hm? Mmm¡­ It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I dodged the question, but those eyes that looked so much like the morning sky, looked discontent. He clearly hated having secrets withheld from him. But, I didn¡¯t hate this expression from him either. So I would not tell him. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°¡­Mm. You are quite mean sometimes.¡± ¡°Fu fun. It¡¯s the right of elders to be able to make fun of others.¡± It was fun seeing his expression change in such a way that was hardly fitting for a noble. It satisfied me even more. Perhaps, I take a guess at myst question to myself. Perhaps, I was only happy in this moment because Charles was with me. I liked receiving attention, I preferred to beuded with praise. I could return to the dance hall now, and dance with some fool in order to shock everyone with my genius. But my heart would not take flight as it did now if it was not with Charles. ¡°Charles. Do you like me?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± The honest words and emotion in them fulfilled my heart even more. ¡°You do.¡± ¡°I do.¡± It was now two years since we first met. I was happy with his words which hadn¡¯t changed in spite of his growth. ¡°I as well.¡± ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± I was fulfilled, full to the brim, my heart was starting to overflow. It wasn¡¯t ¡®quite.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t ¡®rather.¡¯ Charles, I. ¡°I do like you.¡± My emotions were turned into words with this answer. The thing that had been stuck to my chest ever since the day I met Charles had finally dropped to my gut after two years. I see. After putting it to words, I am able to realize it anew. I liked Charles. Sensitive and free, and true to his heart. It was easy once I realized it. I liked Charles, and so I enjoyed being with him. It was two years since we met. I had always thought he was an interesting person, but he had reached a new territory as I watched from a close distance. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t lying?¡± ¡°I would never lie.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± His surprise turned into a smile, his caution dissipated. Seeing Charles smile with so much happiness reaffirms my belief. ¡°I do like you.¡± It was different than my sweet father. Different than strict Mariwa. It was also different from Mishuli, an angel of this world. It was a different kind of ¡®like¡¯ than with those three. In my heart, I had my sights set on Charles. So this was what it was like to finally understand. The emotion that had fallen into me gradually began to melt and spread throughout my body. ¡°It¡¯s a different kind of ¡®like¡¯ than between friends, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different than between family, as well!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Aha! Then we are the same!¡± ¡°Yes! We are the same!¡± Charles¡¯ words of joy caused me to be excited as well. My dance moves began to be bigger along with my heart. I see, I see. So I really do like Charles then. It wasn¡¯t friendship, it wasn¡¯t like family, this emotion could not be expressed in any other way. The emotion was carried throughout my whole body through my veins. I just realized it now, and every time I confirmed it with Charles, my heart would be more and more sure of it. Like the true genius I was, I epted this change in emotions, drinking it in. But, suddenly, I feel that something is wrong. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, no, um¡­¡± I had drunk it in, it dissolved within me. The emotion carried by my heart was spinning and changing with no signs of stopping. As we danced, my legs started to be confused. And so Charles asked with augh what had happened. His smile was brilliant as ever. He was happy as if a long-held wish had juste true. However, my heart had no strength to answer. It hadpleted this realization, it had changed dramatically like a revolution as it spun like a tornado. What was this? I was confused. This emotion that spread through my whole body was overwhelming me. Once I was aware of it, my emotions had changed into something irreversible before I knew it. And it wasplete. I liked Charles. The moment that this feeling soaked into my body from my head to my toes, a new heart that had not existed within me until now, was ced in the middle of my chest. Love. It was born. ¡°Ah.¡± There was a sound of that little feeling growing inside of me. And then my face turned crimson as if there had been an explosion. Meanwhile, at the Noir mansion. Mishuli: ¡°¡­!!¡± Maid: ¡°Mydy, Mishuli? What is the matter?¡± Mishuli: ¡°Rom¡­ I feel the waves of a rom!!¡± Maid: ¡°Huh?¡± Mishuli: ¡°It¡¯s Charles¡­ It must be that Charles¡­! I¡¯ll ask sister when she returns¨C¡± Maid: (¡­She is starting to resemble Lady Christina in terms of entric words and actions¨Cno, it is even worse than her sister. What will I do¡­) Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- The blood rises to my face. It¡¯s as if there is another heart inside of my head which is causing my bloodstream to panic. Just like the chaos of my blood flow, my reasoning was also in disarray. ¡°I¡¯m d. So you like me too.¡± Like. The word make my shoulders jump. ¡°Ssssshut up! Sh¡­.ut up, you idiot!¡± ¡°Idiot!?¡± I chastised him as a reflex, but I was hardly coherent. This was bad. I could tell that it wasn¡¯t just my face, my neck was bing red as well. The sound of my furiously beating heart was incredibly aggravating. I was about to fly into a panic over this new feeling. But it was not possible for me to be calm. What was this? My feelings had changed as if I had been reborn. I could barely keep up with it. And now Charles¡¯ angry face came right up to mine. ¡°Chris? Why did you call me an idiot!¡± His face was so close. Aware of this distance, I avert my eyes quickly. But it was useless. We were even holding hands. We were dancing, our bodies were practically joined. Now that I thought of it, I could feel his breath on my neck. Also, wait. My hands were sweating. No. Charles would notice and¨C ¡°Umph!¡± ¡°Wah!?¡± I thrust a foot out and throw him to the ground. Of course, we were holding hands, and so I lose my bnce as well. But that was my aim. Our bodies were now separated. Just like I had nned. And then, together, we both fall into the flower bed like we did once long ago. Charles immediately got back up to hit feet. ¡°What!? What was that, Chris!? You scared me!¡± ¡°Shut up! I can¡¯t. I just can¡¯t!!¡± Unlike Charles, who was now standing, I rolled onto my stomach, covered my face and kicked with my feet. ¡°Can¡¯t what!? What is it, Chris!¡± ¡°There is a saying about three thousand worlds and keeping boys and girls separate from seven! I am ady! I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such a saying. What are you even talking about!?¡± ¡°There is! There just is!¡± Though, it was knowledge from my past life! I am not lying! I am not deceiving! I am not confusing! After all, I am a genius! ¡°Really now, Charles. Don¡¯t you have anything to say¡­?¡± I force the words out, all the whileying on my stomach and covering my face. I am, you know¡­ I hadn¡¯t realized it at first, but I had practically made a confession of love. The leaves and stems tickled me. But I didn¡¯t want to raise my face. I couldn¡¯t face him just now. I would rather lie here in this ufortable position. Yes, I know that Charles liked me. I knew that we both liked each other. I knew that Charles was happy about this. But, even then. Didn¡¯t he have a little more to give after my confession? ¡°I do.¡± His timing was so good that it was almost as if he had read my mind. The words echoed from his mouth without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve been waiting so long for you to say that. All this time, I¡¯ve been thinking about how I didn¡¯t want to lose to Mishuli.¡± I didn¡¯t know what his face looked like now. I didn¡¯t know what I looked like right now. I was a coward who had fallen to the ground and hid. Charles was surely the honest one as he faced me. The straightforward words he continued to speak smoothly entered my ears. ¡°It¡¯s the second happiest thing to happen to me, after first meeting with you, Chris.¡± Ah, this boy. Really. ¡°¡­You are really honest.¡± I said with a groan that was practically a deration of defeat. I was a coward. He was able to say it so naturally, and here I was, shamefully being tossed around by my own heart. My head was overloaded as I clumsily got back to my feet. It was strange. I hade here to take a break, but I was ten thousand times more tired than when I hade. ¡°I¡¯m going back¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± He was not happy about it, but I couldn¡¯t continue this. I wasn¡¯t even sure I would be able to don mydies disguise properly when I returned¡­ But, I didn¡¯t feel like I wouldst any longer if I stayed. ¡°What is it, Chris? You¡¯re strange, you know? Is it your third form?¡± ¡°Shut up. I said that I am leaving. ¡­Ah, yes.¡± I realize suddenly and turn to face him. ¡°Charles. I will take off some of this dirt for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­ But, what will we do about these flowers? It¡¯s your fault, but I have a feeling that I¡¯m the one who will get in trouble for it.¡± ¡°When the timeses, stay quiet and take the punishment and protect me.¡± ¡°What, that¡¯s not fair.¡± The only way I could continue to fool myself was by saying such things I was incredibly nervous about what I was about to do. Even as I brushed off the dirt from his clothes, I could not look at his face. I pretended to be sulking and looked the other way to avoid his gaze. ¡°I suppose that is enough then¡­ I¡¯ll do your hair now, so close your eyes.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± I saw that he had closed his blue eyes, then I sighed. It would be a lot easier without those straightforward eyes looking back at me. Now that I had calmed down a little, I look at his face. Seven years old. It was two years since we first met. He had grown, but his face was still chubby and cute. But I was sure that he would grow into a manly person. I recall an image from my past life of his future, and I can see the simrities. For a while, I did nothing but look at him. ¡°Chris?¡± ¡°Whaha!?¡± A strange voice came from my mouth at Charles¡¯ sudden voice. ¡°Waha?¡± ¡°I was just a little surprised! So, what is it!?¡± ¡°No! Wait a little longer!¡± I couldn¡¯t tell him that I was so captivated by his face that I had forgotten to do anything. With a hoarse voice, I frantically tell him to stay put. I see that he continues to close his eyes obediently, and I catch my breath. First, I brush off the leaves from his hair just like I had said. I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve touched it now, but it was as golden and soft to the touch as ever. ¡°Uh.¡± Small things that I had never noticed before were now the cause of embarrassment. But I didn¡¯t hate this feeling. It tickled. This softness wasfortable. It was a different feeling than the one I got brushing Mishuli¡¯s hair. I slowly raise his bangs. His soft forehead was now exposed, and an odd thought enters my mind. Charles had said earlier that he had done his best. Then I must praise him. Just like Mariwa had praised me, I needed to give him a reward. That was all. There was no other motive to what I was about to do. But¡­I wondered if he would mind. A little uncertainty entered my heart then, but my mind brushed it away. It was fine. It was me and Charles. We both liked each other. So it was nothing. ¡­Probably! I brought out the excuses to rid myself of reason. Then I softly kissed his forehead. What was I doing? Somewhere in the back of my head, I was thinking about it as if I were someone else. But I couldn¡¯t stop. For a brief moment I was arrested by a mysterious sensation, and when my lips left his forehead, there was a small sound. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± I realized that Charles¡¯ eyes were opened with surprise, and I jumped back. It was as if he wasn¡¯t quite sure what it was that had been pressed against his forehead. His hand felt the spot as his eyes blinked rapidly. ¡°¡­Chris? Just now¨C¡± ¡°GGGGGggggggooodbye Charles!¡± I said my farewells and ran as fast as I could. There were no manners here. What a monumental failure for one who aspired to be ady. I was dizzy with embarrassment. But my heart was flying with happiness. My body was pulsing with excitement. The bnce of everything was so off, my blood was overheating and ready to simmer. What was I doing? I knew that I was not normal. I was incoherent to a level not worthy of a genius, I was being controlled by my emotions. But, I couldn¡¯t stop it. As soon as I was away from the garden, I looked up. The full moon was still bright in the night sky, reflecting my own heart. My feelings were jumping up high, unreachable like the full moon. But even so, my heart was fulfilled in a way that flying through the air could never match. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- The next 4 to 5 stories will be written in third-person. --------------------------------------------------------------- Charles Eduard was in a good mood. He was humming a tune and there was a bounce in his steps as he walked. A smile even bloomed on his face. It would hardly be necessary to exin why his spirits were so high. It was because of his interactions with his betrothed the other day. In fact, Charles had been in such a good mood for the past few days that his caretaker, Oxe had been watching him from a distance as if something was terribly wrong. The day for Charles to visit the Noir mansion had finally arrived. Charles¡¯ mood reached a new peak as he and Oxe opened the door to the room where his beloved fiance should be waiting. ¡°Chris!¡± He called the name of his beloved fiance, but a te was what flew towards him. This te had been created for the purpose of eating and not to be flung around. It was made of hard y and as it was not very flexible, it would easily shatter on impact. It was almost a miracle that he was able to dodge it in time. It hit Oxe instead, and he groaned as the te fell to the floor and shattered. ¡°¡­I missed.¡± So said the culprit who had been facing Charles, when the te was thrown. Appearance-wise, she was short and cute. Her petite frame instilled others with a desire to protect her. Her soft, golden hair made you want to pat her on the head. Such were the qualities of this princess-like girl. But her blue eyes were ring with a murderous intent that far exceeded mere dislike of an enemy. As he did not see the person he had expected, Charles¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­Mishuli? What are you doing? Where is Chris?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I should be asking you.¡± The two mortal enemies red at one another. Mishuli¡¯s rage needed no further description, but Charles too, had nowpletely lost thest remnants of his good mood; he looked very displeased. The atmosphere in the room had turned into something threatening in instant. And the only adult present, Oxe, did nothing but fuss about incoherently. Even if it hadn¡¯t been Oxe there, this was not a scene that could easily be settled. Christina was the only person in the world who could have managed it, but this scene of carnage had only urred because of her absence. ¡°Charles. What did you do to my sister¡­?¡± Who knew how that voice could erupt from such an adorable mouth, for the question sounded like something from the depths of hell. Why was this young child¡¯s mouth now an abyss? Any ordinary person would have trembled at this strange phenomenon, but Charles had perceived now, what Mishuli¡¯s purpose for being in this room was; the corners of his mouth rose. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll tell you.¡± The second missile wasunched. The te that she must have borrowed from the kitchens, now flew in the air as it headed straight for Charles. Mishuli had even prepared a small table in front of her, and there was a stack of tes on it. But Charles had anticipated this attack, and he easily stepped out of the way. ¡°I hate you, Charles! You should just go away! Go home! Don¡¯t you evere back again! You stay away from my sister!!¡± ¡°I hate you just as much! Also, where is Chris, anyway!¡± ¡°Why would I ever tell you, stupid! Maybe she got bored of you!¡± ¡°What!?¡± He dodged the next te that had beenunched towards him without restraint, but he did not miss those words. His face twitched. ¡°Ha, haha, hahaha. ¡­Mishuli, shouldn¡¯t you stop ying the innocent child already? You try to act good all the time, but you know Chris will be fed up with this act eventually? Chris said she likes honest people. She said that she likes me!¡± ¡°Are you stupid, Charles? Do you want to die? I am not ying at anything! I just like my sister, so I am naturally sweet to her. It¡¯s you, Charles. You do realize that she is only saying those things to you because she is kind-hearted enough, and you are of the royal family? You are so stupid. You are stupid, Charles!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not! Chris even kissed me on the forehead!¡± ¡°Whaaaa!?¡± The two blonde haired and blue eyed children were angelic and adorable, but they shed with their emotions and filthy words. Mishuli was especially enraged to a point that it was surprising her golden hair wasn¡¯t standing. ¡°Is, is that why she is in such a state¡­!¡± ¡°Ah, Mishuli. There, there, how do you feel right now? Are you jealous? Are you so jealous that you¡¯re grinding your teeth?¡± ¡°Huh? Not really? I and my sister kiss each other on the cheek every morning and night! It¡¯s like a greeting for us!¡± ¡°But I and Chris, we a mutual affection for each other. Unlike some girl who has nothing to cling onto but her sisterly bond! We fought as individuals to arrive at this point!¡± ¡°You can say what you want! Her number one has always been me! It always has! She even promised it to me!¡± ¡°Do you really think you can remain her number one without doing anything? I will be her number one in no time! I look forward to seeing your reaction when that dayes. aahhh!¡± ¡°!!¡± Mishuli¡¯s roar was no longer that of a human voice. She hadpletely lost it now as she came for Charles in an attempt to grab him by the cor. Charles would not allow himself to be beaten, and he pinched Mishuli¡¯s cheeks as hard as he could in retaliation. Chris was not present to mediate, and the situation was headed towards utter chaos. Oxe was at a loss on how to deal with such an idiotic fight by two people who were both much younger and much superior to him in rank. That the adopted daughter of a duke and the third prince of the country would fight over such a senseless thing was more than he could have imagined. Finally, a hand tapped on him shoulder as he stood there. ¡°¡­¡± It was Duke Noir. It was likely that a servant had heard all the mor and came to him for help. Would he be able to mediate in this situation? Oxe had such expectations, but the Duke only silently made a drinking gesture. Let us drink as if nothing has happened. That was was Duke Noir was saying. ¡°Um.¡± Was that really the thing to do as the adult? Oxe thought, but Duke Noir shook his head silently and pointed towards the two fighting children. ¡°I¡¯ll gouge it¡­I¡¯ll gouge out that forehead with this spoon!¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll tear off these cheeks from your face! Then maybe you will learn to be a little quieter!?¡± The duke¡¯s daughter had found a new weapon in a spoon, and the prince was stretching her cheeks as if they were melted cheese. Finally, Oxe admitted defeat. He at least made sure that Duke Noir ordered a servant to clean up the broken tes to prevent anyone from being hurt. With that done, it was unlikely that any injury would ur, and so Mishuli and Charles would be allowed to fight to their heart¡¯s content. Oxe saw that the servant who came was none other than the woman he had feelings for, and so he nodded hopelessly and followed the Duke out of the room. Surely, the fight would eventually end as he drank with the Duke. Setting aside whether or not his hope would be reality, prayer would cost him nothing. And as he was doing his best to escape reality, he thought a little bitterly for a moment. If only Lady Christina had been waiting here ording to schedule, then none of this would have happened. But what was she doing now? Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Surfania Calibrachoa was confused. Her friend hade. That was fine. That was normal. Unscheduled visits and visits without warning were the norms for her. But her friend seemed very strange. Usually, she would enter the room and confiscate Surfania¡¯s book before challenging her to a board game. But today, Christina had entered her bedroom and covered her face in Surfania¡¯s bed and groaned with ¡®Ahh!¡¯ and ¡®Ugh!¡¯ and did little else. It was nice not having her reading disturbed for once, but she could not help but be curious as to what had happened. However, she ultimately did nothing and finished reading her book. Chris did not seem like she would be challenging her to a game today. She was just iling her limbs around on the bed. As she had little choice, Surfania finally took a closer look at Christina. ¡°Chris. Why did you evene here today? Isn¡¯t this the day that Prince Charles is supposed to visit the Noir mansion? Should you really be here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m too embarrassed to meet Charles, I can¡¯t¡­¡± What was this girl talking about? Even a shut-in like Surfania knew that it was clearly not just an issue of being too embarrassed to meet someone in the royal family. She looked hard at Christina who was now upying her bed, with her face buried in the sheets. As she could only see her back, there was no information for her to read. Her back didn¡¯t really tell her anything, the only thing she could tell was that Christina¡¯s neck had be quite red. ¡°Oh, why did I do such a thing yesterday¡­ How embarrassing¡­ I won¡¯t be able to look at him again¡­I want to die¡­¡± Christina groaned and mumbled something iprehensible. Surfania sighed, tired of it all. She would just ignore her for now and read another book, she decided as she turned on her heels. But right then, she thought of something. The book she had just read. It was a romance novel about a knight and princess who fall in love in spite of their stations. She felt as though there was a situation in the book that resembled Chris¡¯ bizarre behavior right now. She tried to recall what scene it was. It was a conversation between the princess and her maid confidante. ¡°Princess. If I may be so bold, why have you decided to relegate imperial guard Allen to the frontiers? It was only just recently that you caused such a stir after realizing that you loved him.¡± ¡°Because¡­because, I am so embarrassed!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He, he is protecting me as a close guard, you know? Then I must face him every day¡­ I am so bashful that I cannot bear it!¡± ¡°But how can you send him away just for that!? You may never see him again!?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Ah. So you didn¡¯t think things through and just acted based on your emotions, princess! I understand! I shall prepare for the order to be revoked immediately!¡± It was a little different in scale, but the situation was much the same. Surfania had drawn aparison with this princess and Chris, and she now muttered the name of this illness that Chris suffered from. ¡°¡­Lovesickness?¡± Chris pulled her face away from the sheets and jumped to her feet. ¡°Wha- wawawwawawawa.¡± Surfania was not able to understand her, but it was evident that she wanted to say something. She had jumped back with a reddened face and was now looking towards Surfania. Surfania looked back with her mahogany eyes. ¡°You want to know, how I know.¡± ¡°!¡± Apparently, she could still not speak properly. Chris remained silent, but she could still move her neck, and so she nodded vigorously. And so Surfania thrust a single volume right up to her nose. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. Chris. But what you are suffering from, and the remedy for it, are all written in this book.¡± ¡°Are you serious!?¡± Chris¡¯ obsidian eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What, what is that book!? You say that it holds a remedy for what I suffer from¡­ Which renowned schr wrote this medical tome!?¡± ¡°This is one of those books that you stubbornly insulted, dered were boring and even suggested I would be stupid for reading them.¡± Surfania told her coldly, Christina¡¯s face pulled back. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act surprised, Chris. This is one of those books that you imed were useless and even harmful, an entertainment novel!¡± ¡°What kind of use would fiction be to me!¡± Chris howled on the top of her lungs, Surfania gave her an icy re. She remembered well that time when a simr book had been torn from her poor hands and she had ultimately fallen to the ground. Surfania still resented that moment greatly. ¡°Fiction or not, this is a depiction of the human heart. It might be imagined, but this person¡¯s heart moved the hearts of many, and all shared her feelings. This could only mean that it has a reality to it, that fiction has the possibility of mirroring reality. In fact, the protagonist, who is in love in this novel, is taking the same actions as you, who is in love at this moment.¡± ¡°What, what¡­!?¡± Chris was taken aback by these truths that Surfania had thrust in her face. It could not be, she thought, but it was also true that Surfania had just defined her current state. Chris was assaulted by the confusion of those two things destroying her way of thinking, and also an un-hidable interest towards the novel. Surfania saw this change, and a thin, cool smile appeared on her face. ¡°Chris. Do you perhaps want to read this?¡± ¡°Gah. Um, well¡­ I would like to¡­yes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Surfania nodded calmly. On the surface, she was cold and icy, but deep within, her heart was ted with joy. What should she do? It was so incredibly pleasant to stand there and look down on Chris from an advantageous position. Seeing her friends troubled face, seeing her weakness, it made her want to push her further and further down the dark hole. Her back prickled just thinking about it. ¡°You really are hopeless, Chris. You were the one who mocked me for it. You were ignorant, yet you belittled it purely based on assumptions. But once you find personal gain in it, you crave for it. It¡¯s vulgar. Too vulgar for one of high birth and who is the daughter of a duke. Well, Chris. Do you not agree?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± She was likely regretting her past words and actions. She did not reply to Surfania¡¯s unrestrained insults, she just seemed a little saddened. Seeing Chris like this, Surfania was bing drunk on the feeling of euphoria brought by her moral superiority. She continued. ¡°Should I allow such a person to borrow my precious book¡­indeed. If you can at least say, ¡®Please allow me to borrow it, my Lady Surfania.¡¯¡± ¡°Who do you think you are!?¡± Chris had finally been pushed to her limit. She jumped off the bed and stood in front of Surfania to protest. ¡°I, Christina Noir have not discarded so much of my pride as to do such a thing! I don¡¯t care anymore! As if I would even rely on such a book!!¡± ¡°Yes. So I suppose you would not buy it for yourself either. Yes, indeed. You could not do something so shameless as to ask your father to buy a book that you have mocked so much. Not the proud Chris.¡± ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t! Listen here, Surfania. Novels are nothing more than two-dimensional byproducts of the real world. In other words, they are based on reality, but are diluted and willfullybined with delusions and interpretations. Nothing more. I won¡¯t rely on fiction, I shall learn from someone¡¯s actual experiences. Yes! I shall ask Mariwa, you wicked child!¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t Miss Tote unmarried?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you!!¡± A pained scream echoed in the room. She was nearing forty, but Mariwa remained a single noblewoman and was unlikely to have any experience with romance. Chris thought, and was overwhelmed by a feeling of ruefulness. The scream echoed pleasurably in Surfania¡¯s ears, and she smiled like the Cheshire Cat. ¡°¡­So, what will you do, Chris? Indeed, novels may be a two-dimensional byproduct of reality, but they are based on it, so they should have many elements that align with reality. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Gu, ugh.¡± It was not possible for her to learn from Mariwa¡¯s experiences. They did not exist. Sadly, her only friend was Surfania, who now showed her true colors. An evil intimidator. It was out of the question to rely on her father to get the book. Chris¡¯ pride would not allow her to show any weakness to him. There were only two people in this room. Chris, who groaned as if in pain, and Surfania, who held the book under Chris¡¯ nose and bore a smile like the devil¡¯s. ¡°Chris. You know, it will make you feel better if you just say it?¡± ¡°Ughhhghgh¡­.!¡± It would not be long until the proud daughter of a duke, Christina Noir, would sell just a little bit of her pride in the name of love. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- Mariwa Tote was silently offering a prayer when a strong sense of uneasiness struck her, and she opened her eyes. Her current location was a chapel within a small church situated in the downtown area of the imperial capital. She was sitting in a corner of the pews and offering a prayer to one who was long dead. She knew that usually such prayers were given in front of tombstones, but the woman¡¯s bones wereid to rest in a ce that Mariwa could not enter. And so once a year, she would search for a church where she could pray alone and in the quiet, and offer her prayers. But just now, something unexpected and disagreeable had entered her heart. She narrowed her eyes in displeasure and looked around the room. Everything happens for a reason, that was the rule of the world. There must be a reason for this as well. And so she looked about her, but this poor church was quite bare with only the necessities ced here in the chapel. There was nothing that caught her eye. The usual time for prayers had already past, and so there was no one here, no one to see her, other than the statue of the holy mother. Then what was it that had troubled her heart just now? Never quick to give up, she continued to search the room until one of the doors to the side opened. ¡°Oh?¡± Mariwa couldn¡¯t help but remark when she saw the person who had opened it. The person who had exited the room next to the chapel was a familiar ten-year-old boy with ck hair. ¡°Leon, was it?¡± ¡°Ah, Miss Mariwa?¡± It was the boy that her current student, the duke¡¯s daughter, Christina had dragged around with her the other day. He was unlikely to have anything to do with the sudden feeling of unease that she had, but she remembered him well. He must have been quite the child to have been able to stick with Christina for as long as he did. ¡°I¡¯m surprised a noble such as yourself woulde to this downtown church¡­ Is Christina with you?¡± ¡°Heavens, no. It is only me. I¡¯ve juste here to pray a little, and to meet an acquaintance who works here. Why are you here, Leon?¡± It was a chance encounter, but both Leon and Mariwa had met before. They had amon acquaintance in Chris, and so the two were able to talk without too much thought towards differences in status and age. The only reason she could think for a child to be in church was Sunday school, but today was a weekday. But it did not seem like he was here to worship either. ¡°The priest here gives you private lessons if you ask. I¡¯ve taken advantage of that and started to study under him.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± That was an impressive reason. There was a certain pupil of hers who could use such an attitude towards one¡¯s studies. ¡°I am very impressed Leon, and hope you do very well. ¡­But, what has made you want to study so hard, all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Well, you know. You can take the entrance exam at the Royal Academy when you turn fourteen. Since you¡¯re Christina¡¯s private tutor, that must mean that she has been studying for a while. So, I feel like I might as well study as early as I can as well.¡± ¡°¡­So you want to enroll at the Royal Academy.¡± Mariwa knitted her brows slightly. One would have many doors opened to you in terms of a profession if you graduated from the Royal Academy. But it was also a school where many were nobles, and there would be a strong prejudice against those that were not. Why, it was not that long ago where the very school had strong traditions of looking down on women, regardless if they were nobles. Mariwa herself had enrolled at aplicated period when it had just be coeducational. She had been maybe too brilliant, for her memories of her life then were that she always felt stifled. She had heard that things had gotten better since then, but from her own personal experiences, she could not feel good about encouraging this child to enroll. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t advise it. There are other schools, such as the town¡¯s school. If you have good grades there, you will have just as many good opportunities opening up for you.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s what I was considering until recently, and I thought it would be stupid to go to go to a school with nobles, but¡­ After talking with Christina, I felt it might not be too bad.¡± ¡°She is an exception. Most nobles are spoiled and have a bloated sense of self-worth. They believe that this status they were born with makes them superior, and it makes them act arrogantly.¡± ¡°Eh? That sounds just like Christina.¡± That was exactly right. Mariwa was shocked speechless by this unexpected retort. Leonughed. ¡°It¡¯s not just Christina, who is as typical a noble as there is. But the other girl she was with was normal as well, it was fine. Mishuli is, well¡­ I don¡¯t quite understand Mishuli¡­¡± He was probably remembering her bizarre actions during that time when she threw him to the ground. She couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with him as he started to get a far-away look in his eyes. Even Mariwa felt a little strange when she thought back on it. She had realized that the young, blue-eyed and blonde haired adopted daughter of Duke Noir appeared shy on the outside, but was, in fact, more trouble than her older sister. What was most sad, was that this was no surprise to her when considering who her mother was. That woman who had the same hair and eye color. She was so innocent and bright, a little spoiled and maniptive, but more than anything, she was persistent. ¡°Also, even you, Miss Mariwa. You are a lot easier to talk to than I had thought. So I should be fine.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. Well, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you after you get in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. ¡­Oh, by the way, Miss Mariwa. Do you know the name of the young girl with chestnut colored hair who was with Christina?¡± ¡°Chestnut¡­ You mean Lady Surfania. Both Lady Surfania and Lady Chris will enroll at the Royal Academy without a doubt. I am sure you will meet her again should you be epted.¡± ¡°Surfania¡­hmmm.¡± Mariwa saw Leon repeat the name of the chestnut-haired and mahogany eyed daughter of a marquis, and shrugged. Perhaps she was the reason that he was determined to enter the Royal Academy, but she was not so immature as to make fun of an innocent young boy. He may have held enough of a fondness for her to want to be friends, but it didn¡¯t seem to be a strong attraction. This boy seemed like he didn¡¯t even know that Christina was the daughter of a duke. So she would not mention what kind of distancey between amoner and someone like Surfania. But then again, considering recent affairs in this and neighboring countries, it may not be long until they entered an age where there were no nobles ormoners. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going home now. Goodbye, Miss Mariwa.¡± ¡°Yes, goodbye.¡± Slowly, gently, the times were changing. The current generation might have failed, but perhaps the day woulde when future generations would bring to fruition things that others could not. Mariwa held such hopes in her breast as she saw Leon leave the church. Then, she once again faced the chapel with folded hands and closed eyes. An exciting idea came to her. Revolution of the times. If the person who would start it and stand in the front of such a movement were her own student, she would be at least a little pleased. Currently, shecked the knowledge, experience, and personal connections. But as young as she was, she had the charisma to attract both nobles andmon people. Mariwa had no intention of forcing such a role on her, and she would do everything that she could to raise her to be ady that aligned with what high society expected. But surely, she could dream about that day when she exceeded her teachings, what might happen then. The abolishment of the aristocracy. Evelia Eduord, the king¡¯s sister, had failed at this and was now gone from this world. She had been buried along with her ns. Mariwa closed her eyes to offer a prayer for her. There was an unusual smile on her face over this thought that was pleasant but yet useless. ¡°¡­.Fu fu.¡± To her current pupil, Christina Noir. With a silent hope in her heart, a softugh escaped her lips. And so the Ninth Year Arc is finished. By the way, here is the current ranking inside of Chris¡¯ head: 1. Mishuli: Most loved 2. Father: In the end, he is her father 3. Mariwa: Teacher 4. Charles: First love 5. Surfania: Her best friend Hall of Fame: Mother: Memories She may have fluctuations in how she feels, but this is the general ranking. Charles is surprisingly low, and her father is surprisingly high. The only ones that are unshakable are Mishuli and her mother¡¯s positions. Leon? Leon is not only below the maids but below Oxe¡­ He is at least above Fate, so he isn¡¯t the lowest. The next chapter is an interlude and will be 1 or 2 extra chapters from Mariwa¡¯s point of view. Then we will move to the Eleventh Year Arc. I hope that you continued to stick with Chris. Intermission, -1

Intermission, Chapter -1

Trantor: Nefarian --------------------------------------------------------------- There appears to be no weight on that body at all. Seeing a woman walking on an empty road, Mariwa was thinking about these kinds of things. It¡¯s the woman walking slightly ahead of her with the blue eyes and blond hair. Unlike herself who was in her mid-twenties, this woman was fairly young and someone who could be seen as barely an adult for her age. Although she was wearing in clothing that concealed her figure, the girl exuded this innocent aura around her that just made you want to smile even though you were just looking at her. Just looking at her lively walking gait, you could tell that she was in a merry mood. Observing the girl who was obviously in good spirits from behind, Mariwa felt a little strange. There was only a short distance walk from when this girl got off her wagon to transfer to a different nearby wagon. When she was given this condition in order to get the opportunity to talk to her, Mariwa was confused. Evaria Edward. The first princess of this country. Because she is a woman, she isn¡¯t allowed the rights towards inheriting the throne but she is still proactive in the political scene and her opinions hold much influence with the people. In high society she is considered to be as precious as a gold ingot, but strangely enough she is also able to adapt herself to the street life. Mariwa would not normally choose to have a connection with her. But Evaria¡¯s school of thought is that nobles should not be privileged. This type of ideology is something that could benefit Mariwa. If she joins Evaria¡¯s faction, she thought that she may be able to speak her mind when the circumstances permit for it. This was the selfish desire that she had. ¡¸Hey, Mariwa.¡¹ ¡¸What is it my Lady?¡¹ At the center of a street with little traffic, Evaria turned her head to look back. Having her name directly called without warning made her a little surprised but it was nothing she couldn¡¯t handle. Evaria was known for her casual manner of speaking even within high society and it was not something to gawk over. Such a nobledy was pointing at a space besides her which waspletely empty. Within this country there was only a very limited amount of people that could walk side by side with her and at present there was naturally nobody of importance. Especially in this run down part of town, there is surely nobody who could match her standing. ¡¸Don¡¯t be like that,e over and walk besides me. Right now it¡¯s totally free to walk besides me you know? Within high society it is naturally a steep price to stay besides me, but right now it isn¡¯t something that needs to be made into a fuss of alright!?¡¹ ¡¸You must be jesting, my Lady¡¹ ¡¸Ehhh, don¡¯t be like thiss. I was all alone when I was riding the carriage, if nobody is beside me now, I will feel really lonely~. Could you pleasee over heree.¡¹ Hearing Evaria beckon her closer, she was secretly frowning inside. Being this friendly with others and trying to connect with them is one of the oldest tricks in her book to ensnare people. It¡¯s frightening to know that she acts like an airhead but still does these kinds of things naturally, most of all, Mariwa was bad at dealing with this type of people. However, she did not show such emotions on the surface. She was standing ceremoniously and in a nted angle so that she would not step on Evaria¡¯s shadow. ¡¸Someone as lowly as I, would not dare to fulfil such a request.¡¹ ¡¸Why are you acting so formally and distant to me? You can rx and be at ease you know? Even if you don¡¯t follow all the formalities when speaking to me, I would feel like that is a good thing, alright? Come on~ your facial expressions are totally stiff you know, Mariwa? Hence forth, I am going to make Mariwa¡¯s stiff cheeks into a soft marshmallow~¡¹ As soon as Evaria dered her intentions, she stepped closer towards Mariwa and pinched her cheeks. Not only that, she did it without restraint and was kneading it in full force. ¡¸When I do this, a person¡¯s cheeks is lifted and they are forced to smile. Look, Mariwa¡¯s face is making a huge smile like when people say cheese~¡¹ The previous atmosphere of respect all but dissipated and her gaze turned cold. ¡¸¡­..Evaria-sama.¡¹ ¡¸Uwaah. Mariwa¡¯s eyes are really scary!¡¹ She released her grip over Mariwa and shouted out in an exaggerated manner, however, contrary to her words, she did not look scared in the slightest. Receiving a threat from Mariwa yet being able to stayposed enough to giggle at the situation. Perhaps she is the one that should be feared? She seemed to be the type to enjoy life to the fullest even if she was facing imminent death, she would be one of those people thatughed till the end. ¡¸Ahaha. Making you smile through just your mouth seems to be useless~. But I guess it¡¯s alright. Mariwa¡¯s face has be a lot more positive since a while ago. That¡¯s the spirit. The Mariwa I wanted to meet is this Mariwa.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm~? After all when you talk amongst friends, you want to be able to see them face to face, wouldn¡¯t you say so? I¡¯ve already done an investigation on Mariwa just before our meeting, but even so¡­. Ah! That looks really delicious!¡¹ Midway into the conversation, Her Highness the first princess got her attention taken away by a roadside stall. Getting the topic totally derailed into one about food, Mariwa secretly breathed out a sigh in relief. She heard about Evaria¡¯s personality from the rumours but experiencing it firsthand she still could not get her head around it. The majority of high society frowns upon her behaviour and yet there are still a portion of them who idolizes her. For Mariwa it¡¯s just a silly thought, but if there was ever a time where a gathering of nobles came out to advocate for the rights of the people, it would probably be because of her. The princess isn¡¯t just some simple girl that is really childish, right? However, seeing Evaria so excited about buying some meat buns from the side stall makes one have second thoughts about the matter. This person, is she actually just an idiot¡­..? ¡¸A noble woman like Evaria-sama is really unusually isn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that unusual.¡¹ Eating her meat buns without a care in the world and stuffing her face, Evaria portrayed the splitting image of an innocent child. Though you could say that this forms part of her disguise within these streets, are the results really all that effective? Taking skipping strides across the street, she seemed to have a strong interest in the exciting things happening. Seeing Evaria bite into the meat buns, it made her think that she was made toe along this journey due to the whimsical desires of a spoilt brat. ¡¸I am always a spoilt girl no matter where I am. I¡¯m just like any normal person, so you can treat me more casually if you wish you know?¡¹ ¡¸There is no ce where your Highness is not the princess. Also amongst all the princess¡¯s your Highness is in a special ss of her own.¡¹ ¡¸Fufu~n. That¡¯s a little disappointing, Mariwa.¡¹ Just from speaking to her in this manner, the respect built up for the princess was being torn apart. She thought it was impossible for a royal noble like her to not exude the usual aura of dignity around them, but something about the way Evaria behaved really rubbed Mariwa the wrong way. ¡¸To our royal family, it¡¯s ideal to not skip any generations . So someone like me is actually very ordinary!¡¹ Shall I first aim to abolish the oppressive rights of the nobles and then aim to discontinue the Edward royal family? Mariwa¡¯s respect for Evaria was drastically reduced in the short amount of time they had together and she was seriously grasping for a solution. ¡¸It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard about this news, Evaria-sama. It would seem that the Edward¡¯s royal family lineage is extremely exceptional.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s the way. Keep this up, Mariwa.¡¹ Almost losing all respect and forgoing the use of polite speech, Mariwa¡¯s sarcasm was taken by Evaria and it didn¡¯t faze her at all. In fact, she sounded quite happy instead. ¡¸That¡¯s the type of lineage I have. Our ancestors are the masters that founded the country, and Gric Edward cherished the idea of freedom. Perhaps we have just inherited his will from generation to generation?¡¹ ¡¸Trying to inherit the ideology of the founder of the country is a very strange train of thought. ¡­..And, what concrete evidence do we have to support this statement?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s because, idiots are born!¡¹ It was on this day that her Highness the first princess of this country clearly dered a bold statement to the world. ¡¸How can I put this, in terms of the royal family most people will have restraint when they speak about them so I will say their thoughts out loud for them! The honest truth is that there are many fools.¡¹ If all the nobles had the same personality as her than her statement is probably true¡­ ¡¸The thing is Mariwa¡­ The royal family who is from the first generation are taught to supress those they hate and be vindictive, we are a pathetic humans. I am also one of these humans!¡¹ ¡¸Oh my¡­..¡¹ ¡¸By the way, a male in direct line to the throne would naturally try to secure their rights to the throne by way of political marriage. That is probably the reason why there such a custom within the country. It¡¯s probably to prevent an idiot from ascending the throne when something turns for the worse.¡¹ ¡¸I thank the person who made such a custom from the bottom of my heart.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? As for me, I truly love the people of this country and as such I sincerely hope that we can abolish the special privileges that the nobles have. After all this country is really poor! Our financial affairs are in a pinch! We are not allowed to tax the rich and many would find fault with this governmental system, right? If only we could tax the aristocrat¡¯s assets, then things would be really easy! Moreover¡ª¡¹ Evaria was speaking in a mboyant manner as she talked about her own ideologies and beliefs but suddenly her mouth curved in a terrible smile. ¡¸¡ª Even if it doesn¡¯t work out, isn¡¯t it at least good to try?¡¹ Hearing these words made Mariwa¡¯s spine shiver. Hearing such frivolous wordsing out from Evaria made Mariwa stare nkly at her face, but she immediately recovered and that strange moment disappeared. ¡¸I wonder. Mariwa, why did you want to cooperate with me?¡¹ Evaria showed a disgusting side to her but even so, a normal person could barely tell from the way she smiled. Evaria was finally getting to the heart of the matter. Though what happened before weighed on her mind, there was a limit to how much time she could spend talking with Evaria. If she doesn¡¯t clearly state her intentions now, she can¡¯t expect to get the other party to open up either. It was time to reveal her thoughts and speak her mind. Just as Mariwa was about to open her mouth to speak, the eyes staring at her made her body freeze in ce. The blue eyes Mariwa saw was even clearer than the surface ofkes, it seemed to be able to see through everything. ¡¸Ahh, is that how it is?¡¹ Mariwa hesitated due to the pressure and before she could even answer the question, Evaria already cut her off. Nothing had been said and yet how could she understand my thoughts? Having her heart seen through by Evaria, Mariwa muttered out in a low voice. ¡¸I hated it.¡¹ Her frank words confirmed that Evaria had hit the bullseye. Just as Evaria had said, Mariwa who obtained the right to speak within the political world summed it all up with a simple word. ¡°I hated it¡±. ¡¸Excellent Mariwa, you hated being denied, right?¡¹ That was precisely right and she didn¡¯t have any other words to describe it. She hated being told that it was because she was a woman. Regardless of how talented or gifted she was, merely because she was a woman, the opposite sex could discriminate against her and crush her hopes. She was clearly more capable then them, but just because she was a woman it was assumed that she would take on a more obsequious role. Why was it that just because she was a woman she was seen as inferior, why was it that they assumed she could never best any man. She hated how unjust it was, she hated the current society that denied her of her rights. This is the reason she chose to go to Evaria who was also a woman, so that she could change these preconceived notions against women and more importantly gain the eptance she deserved¡ª. ¡¸¨C So that¡¯s your motives.¡¹ After seeing through Mariwa¡¯s heart, she abruptly removed her gaze from her. ¡¸You don¡¯t have to participate in the things we do if you don¡¯t want to, it would be fine if Mariwa showed her weak side more often, I know that it must be hard on you right now. I think its fine to say that you are a woman and make use of it. Swallow your pride and this way you can appeal to the weakness of being a woman. A normaldy would act as such, so if Mariwa chose to do the same, the problems would easily disappear.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t want to. If that is what it means to be ady then I believe it to be repulsive.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so?¡¹ Scary. This was the honest thought she had to being seen through by Evaria. Her mouth was shaped like the character ¤Ø and she was acting tough but there wasn¡¯t any follow up questions. Instead of going down a line of questioning, Evaria giggled and smiled. ¡¸If that is the true Mariwa, than that¡¯s alright.¡¹ After summing it up like so, Evaria halted. Before she noticed it they had already reached a bend in the road where the wagon was parked. This was the wagon arranged to pick up Evaria and the destination of this short stroll across town. Evaria borrows the coachman¡¯s hand and smoothly climbs on board the wagon. ¡¸Goodbye, Mariwa. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡¹ After a brief farewell, the wagon begins to ride away. Mariwa who was seeing her off, was slightly biting on her lips whilst being silent. Mariwa had never been defeated before due to her excellence. If things were fair and impartial, she had the pride and confidence to say that she had never been defeated. Yet at this moment, even though it was such a short conversation, she felt a sense of defeat. In terms of social skills and the subtleties required to master them, Evaria overwhelmed Mariwa. Is this the true value of thedy that is said to be as precious as gold? Consenting to this fact in her own heart, she felt disgrace from it. ¡¸¡­¡­I won¡¯t lose the next time.¡¹ Swearing revenge on the distant figure that was going away on the wagon, she turned her heels and walked away. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C That was the first meeting between Evaria and Mariwa. The princess who exuded an air of innocence and yet conceals a fragment of insanity within her personality. From thereafter Evaria manipted Mariwa and her pride had been shattered on countless asions. Meanwhile Mariwa¡¯s ideology gradually changed, she learnt to swallow her pride and ept the reality. Instead of acting based on pride she is able to see through the facts of the matter and act ordingly to correct anything unreasonable. And although she failed to achieve her own desires, the secret story behind it has been buried in the past. There is no need to talk about these types of things any longer right? At the very least, her personal history had nothing to do with the girl in front of her who had teary eyes due to frustration. ¡¸Gununuu¡­.!¡¹ Holding on to the ck chess piece, Mariwa considered for a brief moment as to whether she should point out the correct etiquette to the noble girl who was groaning out. She was still around 10 years of age and she had ck hair and ck eyes. The surface of the board clearly indicated the superior side; ck was winning whilst white was suffering a crushing defeat. Naturally the person ying ck was Mariwa. Though the young girl leading the white troops was looking for any method to survival, her tattered forcescked any means of escape and the match seemed to be set in stone. After a long consideration, Chris hangs her head down in a heartbroken manner. ¡¸Uuu¡­. I lost.¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ Receiving Christina¡¯s concession of admitting defeat like it was natural, she stood up. Although Mariwa has been employed as a private tutor, this girl who barely exceeded the age of ten was almostplete with her studies. It was to the extent that she could y board games in her free time. Although Christina pleaded for a rematch, the result is all but apparent. Victory was snatched from right under her feet when a surprise attack strategy that she had not yet learnt was used against her. Stuck in a quagmire, the noble daughter could only show her teary eyed face as if she had been bullied. ¡¸If you would excuse me, it is nearly time for me to go home.¡¹ Leaving behind the girl who had just experienced defeat, Mariwa stands up and gives a curt bow. She was the private tutor of the Noir family. At first she undertook the request because she was interested in the child that Evaria had entrusted to the duke¡¯s household. However, right now, Mariwa¡¯s interest in the matter has shifted. ¡¸Mariwa!¡¹ The missus who suffered a crushing defeat is surely going to stare hatefully at the person who defeated her, right? ¡¸Next time¡­ Next time I won¡¯t lose okay! No, I will probably still lose the next time, but I will definitely defeat Mariwa some day!¡¹ ¡¸Is that so? In that case, I look forward to that time.¡¹ Mariwa receives Chris¡¯s passionate deration and answers her quite indifferently before preparing to leave. It has been over five years since she started working as a tutor. Chris is tomboyish and always gets carried away, however, Mariwa is aware of her rapid growth and doesn¡¯t want her to be conceited so she defaults to giving harsher words and hides her real thoughts. The small noble girl is someone she believes could ovee the history she could never defeat in her past, she does not want Christina to thread in the same footsteps as her and fail again, so as her teacher, Mariwa has more expectations ced on Chris more than anyone else. Of course, the fact is that Chris¡¯s life will need to be decided on her own. Mariwa ispletely devoted to her role as the teacher and does her duties with sincerity, she has never been pushy by cing that expectation on Chris and she has not shown this side of her to Chris either. Even so, there is still one thing she is convinced of. On the ride inside the wagon as she drove away from the Noir household, she muttered something only she could hear. ¡¸¡­. Hey, Evaria. After all this time, it would seem that I was not able to defeat you. However¡­ The thing is..¡¹ She is the type of person who would personally return something tit for tat, but just for a little bit, her need to be superior to others dissipated. ¡¸That girl¡­ I vouch that she will not be defeated by you.¡¹ Regardless of the decision she made in life, Mariwa had a firm belief that Christina would surely exceed Evaria as ady. As a teacher, she was convinced that her revenge would someday be fulfilled and dispelling her doubts, Mariwa had a gentle smile on her face. Volume 3: Eleven Years Old, 49

Volume 3: Eleven Years Old, Chapter 49

Trantor: Jawbrie --------------------------------------------------------------- My name is Christina Noir. I am a genius. I was running through the mansion at one, at three I hadmand of speech, at five I had read every book in my father¡¯s library, at seven I participated in my first ball and shocked all of society by ying the perfectdy, at nine I fell in love for the first time. Now I was eleven years old. Two years had passed since I was nine and realized that I was in love. Two years should have been more than enough time to analyze my heart, but even a genius like me could not solve this dilemma known as love. What had taken root in my heart on that day, I have still not been able to shake off. As proof of this, I was alone in my room now and holding my head in front of a mirror. ¡°¡­.Uhh¡­¡± There was nothing strange about the reflection of me in the mirror. I had asked the servants to do me up properly. I did prefer fancy clothing, but I do not have bad tastes as far as I can tell. This dress with a red base looked good on me, it was made to draw out my own allure. The girl who appeared in the mirror was the wless and beautiful Christina Noir. I was prepared to go and meet Charles. As a genius, it was clear that I was up to the task. There was nothing at all to be worried about. And yet, something was agitating me beyond belief. This happened asionally whenever Charles woulde to visit. As he was nearly ten, he had more and more public duties to attend to. And it wasn¡¯t just appearances in public either, he also had to spend many more hours studying than before. As my own schedule had to align with his, it became harder to see each other, two or three times a week like we used to. These days we would only be able to meet at the mansion once a month. Perhaps it was due to having not seen him for so long. I was starting to feel nervous at the thought of meeting him. In fact, while the face in the mirror wasn¡¯t quite as red as my dress, it was a close match. It must be my heightened emotions showing through. We could not longer innocently and unreservedly share words and feelings with each other like we used to. As I stayed in that room in my difort, Mishuli paid me a visit. ¡°Sister¡­oh, what are you doing?¡± She asked after seeing my face. My beloved angel had grown in the past two years. It might seem like a strange expression, ¡®the growth of an angel¡¯, but how else could I describe her increasing beauty as the days went by? Perhaps she would change jobs one of these days. From angel to Goddess. Mishuli was still nine years old, but her adorableness was still overwhelming. As I see her only be more lovable throughout the years, it makes me forget such ns about bing independent, and I just want to embrace her. ¡°Why is your face red? Are you ill?¡± ¡°Mishuli¡­no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± My separation from her was going smoothly just as it was for her. I knew that we were inseparable, but once I turned ten, we began to spend more time alone. Recently, Mishuli would spend more time away from me than with me. But even so, it did not change the fact that we were close sisters. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You might have a cold.¡± Mishuli looked a little upset as she closed the distance between us. When she was younger, it seemed that she would generally obey whatever I told her and follow along. But now she often showed an independence that sometimes went against my will. ¡°I shall check your temperature, sister.¡± ¡°No, I told you. I am fine¡­¡± ¡°Nooo, you aren¡¯t.¡± My protests were nothing. Mishuli was now close enough for us to touch, and then she pressed her forehead against my own. Her blue were so close as they looked into mine. The eyes no longer had the same transparency they did when we first met, there were all kinds of emotions melded in now. They shone with a brilliant and human light. ¡°Sister, you have a bad habit of keeping your problems to yourself¡­yes. You do have a fever after all.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Why would I lie?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Aside from my reddened face, I was not aware of any abnormalities with my health. But if Mishuli said I did, then I must have a fever. In that case, maybe this tight feeling in my chest was also due to my illness. ¡°A fever¡­does that mean it¡¯s just from a cold?¡± ¡°I think so. If there are no other symptoms, it must be still early. You should rest for a while.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Oh, so it was only a cold. That made sense. I see. I see. Even though I would be meeting Charles for the first time in a while, it was too much to think that it was the cause of my unrest. It madeplete sense. My mental state was just following my physical state. It couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have Charles leave today as well.¡± It wouldn¡¯t do if he caught a cold as well. Charles was also quite busy these days, he wouldn¡¯t have any time to waste in seeing me. ¡°Oh, sister.¡± As I was thinking about sending a carriage to the pce with a message to cancel the appointment, Mishuli took my hand and squeezed it. ¡°I shall stay with you all day and nurse you back to health.¡± ¡°¡­But, you might catch a cold too?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After all, we are sisters, are we not?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Mishuliughed with the most sincere smile, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile too. She really had grown. We were no longer dependant on each other. We were sisters who helped each other. We were the strongest. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll allow it.¡± ¡°Good!¡± I smile happily, deciding to be pampered by the kindness of the most adorable sister in the world. By the way, Mariwa was scheduled to give a lesson that afternoon. Of course, a message had been sent to Mariwa in advance, telling her of the situation. But Mariwa still came right on time and the lessons started as usual. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think that I might be sleeping in bed today?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Perhaps Mishuli¡¯s care had proved sessful, because the heat had drawn from my face by then and I was back to normal. And so there was no trouble with receiving my lessons, but I was puzzled as to how she could have known it would. Mariwa had appeared at the Noir house with suchposure, not once did she look worried that her lessons would be canceled. ¡°How? I did have a fever this morning, usually, you would not think it would settle down by the afternoon. And you¡¯re not even a doctor, how did youe to assume that I would be fine?¡± ¡°A simple theory that would be overbold to even call a prediction.¡± I asked her, and Mariwa answered cooly as if unbothered. ¡°Fools to not catch colds. You had most certainly been misdiagnosed this morning.¡± ¡°Hey, take that back!¡± ¡°I will not. I had only heard of the situation from someone else, and yet even I could easily understand the method your sister used to easily fool you. It is about time you realize just howcking you are in terms of sensibility. Prince Charles has also inherited that, disposition of his and Mishuli has without a doubt been growing with troublesome qualities as well. I shall tell you based on my own experiences, but being involved with such a person could lead to disaster.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! Are you ming Mishuli just for worrying about me!?¡± Recently, I had only talked to her politely, and so Mariwa¡¯s insults had been ignored. But duke¡¯s daughter or not, I could not help but howl at her now. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Trantor: Cryus I don¡¯t really know myselftely. I called off my ns with Charles the other day, mainly because I was simply feeling unwell, but aside from that, I have also been upset from trivial matters. The servants, for instance. They have been performing their duties as usual for the most part, but perhaps due to having lost any opportunity to see Oxe, the maid in question has been a little coldtely. When I try to converse with her, she speaks in a rather stern manner. If I continue the conversation, I get frustrated and think, hurry up and get married! I get tempted to vent and I dislike that, so I end up telling her to leave me alone. And Father, for instance. I be extremely annoyed with him for no reason whatsoever. I don¡¯t even want to see his face. That¡¯s right. Even during meals, I tend to avoid dining with him. I can¡¯t have my own way with anything, and bad things just keep getting in my way. The only things that are certain in my life are Michelie¡¯s cuteness and Mariwa¡¯s strictness. I can only look at everything else with uncertainty. Perhaps the reason for all this is connected to the workings of the mind of my past adolescent self. ¡°In fact, I have been thinking about this for a long while now.¡± I voice myints to my best friend, who looks very annoyed. ¡°Have you been degenerating with every year?¡± ¡°I am not.¡± I tly deny her baseless criticism as she looks at me with cold, reddish-brown eyesplementing her smooth, chestnut brown hair. As a genius, I am constantly evolving and will never degenerate, for I am always filled with curiosity and a desire for improvement. ¡°Is that so. Then it was probably my imagination that you were slightly more intelligent than I during our first encounter. I hope this helps you understand my position when I voiced my own poeticints, but are you really sure you haven¡¯t been degenerating? Or perhaps you have been nourishing seeds nted in your brain, and havee to see them grow into a garden?¡± ¡°Shut up. I don¡¯t want to hear iting from a shut-in like you.¡± I retort, offended by my best friend¡¯s tendency of hurling abuse without restraint. I could take her abuse lightly in the past, but being aware of my reaction now shocks me. ¡°Ugh, damn¡­¡­ What¡¯s this? Is a certain someone somewhere being jealous of my excellence and putting a curse on me¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°No way.¡± Surfania looks down on me with cold eyes as I droop my head. My best friend hasn¡¯t really changed in the past two years. She looks more mature and cool, but she still disys the sameck of interest in society as a shut-in. Ofte, she has been saying such things as ¡°I want to stay single and write novels for a living.¡± That¡¯s a terminal way of thinking. ording to my knowledge of my past existence, it¡¯s not exactly impossible for a princess to live an unmarried life writing novels, but I honestly don¡¯t rmend it. I want to tell Surfania to learn from her elder sisters and be a properdy. ¡°Leaving aside what kind of flowers are blooming in your head right now¡­¡­ You¡¯re saying that you want to do something about not being honest with yourself.¡± That¡¯s a very simplified exnation, but it¡¯s correct overall. I nod in confirmation, and Surfania smiles in amusement. ¡°Well, I understand your feelings on the matter. After all, you ran away from your meeting with His Highness Charles.¡± ¡°I- I didn¡¯t run away!¡± I stand up with enough force to topple the chair I¡¯m sitting on, and press Surfania. ¡°I didn¡¯t run away or anything. In fact, I¡¯m perfectly calm about seeing Charles, so there is no need for me to run away. I simply had a slight fever yesterday, that¡¯s all!¡± I¡¯m saying I didn¡¯t run away at all. I¡¯m just trying to avoi- ¡­¡­no. I¡¯ve simply been unable to see Charles due to unavoidable circumstances. Not a single time have I run away willingly. ¡°You can¡¯t convince me with that red face andck of honesty with yourself¡­¡­ hehehe. Well, you¡¯ve entertained me somewhat. I will not press on any further.¡± I can see a glimpse of satisfaction in Surfania¡¯s eyes. That¡¯s the only thing that has newly surfaced in her at times in these past two years. She puts her chin on her fingers in thought without taking much notice of me. ¡°But, curses, huh¡­¡­ yes, that¡¯s right. I have a manual for you, Chris.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I return to my seat thinking she has a n, but I get a feeling of deja vu when I see her pull out a book from the shelf. I remember clearly that she has done this before. There is no w in my memory as a genius. ¡°You are sorely mistaken if you think I will be fooled again, Surfania.¡± It¡¯s a humiliating and unforgettable memory of a simr situation two years ago. I, Christina Noir, daughter of the Duke, gave in to temptation once and ended up kneeling before a noble of a lower ranking. It¡¯s a part of my past I want to erase. In fact, there was another urrence after that incident that was more damaging to my reputation. Surfania deceived me into thinking that entertainment novels could actually be a romance guidebook. I read one in earnest, and mimicked the protagonist¡¯s actions in that book. I practiced being the character in front of Surfania, and as I got better at it, I did it right in front of Charles. Yes. I actually did it. I will avoid going into the details because I simply do not wish to remember it, but it was probably known as my ¡°dark history¡± in my past life. I probably thought that things would go well. Just remembering it makes me want to pass out in agony. If anything, seeing Michelie¡¯s cheerful face was my saving grace. Since then, it has be increasingly embarrassing to see Charles that I have been avoiding¡­¡­¡­¡­ I mean, I haven¡¯t had the good fortune to see him. Surfania was the cause of these Two Shameful Incidents, so naturally I put my guard up against her. ¡°My, how rude. I have done no such thing as deceiving you. Look at the title.¡± ¡°The title? What is it this time¡­¡­ hey.¡± I take the book from Surfania while staying alert. I notice right away that it¡¯s something I would read in a heartbeat. In fact, it¡¯s something that not only I, but almost every literate person in this country, have already read at least once. ¡°A fairy tale?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It¡¯s a picture book written to help children remember words. To guide them to literacy. I wonder why she would offer this to me. Most likely she¡¯s trying to y a prank on me, but I can¡¯t discern her true intentions. ¡°What do you want me to do with this picture book?¡± ¡°Stop being so uptight. You probably know that the story is about a cursed princess who receives a kiss from the prince, and lives with him happily ever after.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I read this when I was a toddler, but I remember the details because I am a genius. ¡°It¡¯s not just our country that has this. There are other fairy tales with simr stories all around the world. Breaking curses with kisses is one of themon ideologies worldwide.¡± ¡°¡­¡­So what are you trying to say?¡± I read Surfania¡¯s thoughts at that instant. This is the difference between amoner and a genius. Staring at her, I sense her true intentions despite her attempt at providing cheap and shallow guidance. Surfania thinks she has the upper hand and nods. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you¡¯re like a cursed princess, and everything will be solved as long as you kiss His Highness Charles¡­¡­ Wait, Chris. What¡¯s gotten into you, putting your palms against my temples? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to make me yield through violent ow ow ow ow ow!¡± Hearing her say something so optimistic makes me use Mariwa¡¯s Temple Rubbing Technique without hesitation. Unlike me, whom Mariwa tramples on a daily basis, Surfania is a sheltereddy after all. Shecks the tolerance for pain, and begins screaming in no time. ¡°Hey, Surfania. Do you really think that I¡¯m so stupidly naive to be instigated by your words? Do you really think so, hm?¡± ¡°But you really entertained me when you took what I said at face value and yed the character from that novel two years ago- ow?! Chr- Chris¡­ it¡¯s true that I was ying a prank so please sto- OW OW OW OW OW!¡± Surfania sincerely apologizes in tears atst, but it¡¯s not enough to call it even, after these two years. I finally release the pressure from my palms on Surfania¡¯s head, and put on a broad smile. ¡°I saw through the same trap I was caught in two years ago. This means that I¡¯m evolving as a genius by harnessing my experience. Knowing that makes me feel good today.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re right. You¡¯re a genius, Chris. So take that as your reward and go-¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a genius. Now, Surfania. Now that we¡¯re on the same page¡­¡­ Prepare yourself for my Temple Rubbing Technique.¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Knowing what pain feels like now, Surfania cowers in fear. I don¡¯t n on letting her escape. I close the distance for every step she takes. ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s enough. It was wrong of me¡­¡­ so stop hurting me!¡± ¡°Surfania, I know your pain very well. Yeah, I don¡¯t like it when it hurts either. Yup, I understand it so well that I will never use a whip on a horse. But I want to give you a piece of advice as a close friend.¡± As Surfania is shaking her head in desperation, I gently smile and ce my hands on the sides of her head. I form a couple of fists this time, and ce the hardest parts of my joints slightly above her temples, preventing her head from moving. Then, I turn my wrists while speaking. ¡°Know the pain of people around you.¡± ¡°¡ªT!!!¡± In the bedroom of the third daughter of the Calibrachoa family. In a ce restricted only to certain nobles and servants of the house, a sharp cry of pain resounded. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- I hurt Surfania physically and made her cry, but unfortunately it was insufficient to make me feel satisfied. I know because I hardly yielded to Mariwa while enduring her torture. It is difficult to break one¡¯s spirit simply through inflicting physical pain. Especially with an obstinate person like Surfania. She would simply revert to her normal self the next day. She¡¯s the type who never learns. I, on the other hand, am very angry. I will never be satisfied until I take her down for her evil atrocities. Her attitude gets on my nerves as well, so I decided to organize a party. In order to put it into fruition as soon as possible, I directly consult the eldest Calibrachoa sister regarding my n to host a party. As a good organizer, she epts my idea enthusiastically. She probably wants to do something about that shut-in sister of hers. I don¡¯t understand why Surfania dislikes her so much even though she¡¯s just trying to help. In any case, the eldest Calibrachoa sister readily epted my proposal. I¡¯m still a child, so the party will not be too grand. It will probably be a small gathering among friends at most. As juniors, we will most likely be engaging in discussion with upperssmen and graduates of the Royal Academy at the party. It would be embarrassing if we had nothing to focus on, so it is of utmost importance that we have some engaging topics in mind. It will be convenient since I¡¯m a prospective student and the eldest sister is already enrolled. Having our ownworks will surely make a varied and interesting gathering. Furthermore, it is a party that is jointly organized by the Calibrachoas and the Noirs. I have been building my connections at a young age. There are many people associated with me as the Duke¡¯s daughter, and it feels good to have my social status known to so many people. It will doubly effective with the eldest sister of the Calibrachoas present. This n is sure to seed with the coboration of our families of a duke and a marquis. It¡¯s a good opportunity to let Michelie in on the fun, so I request that the party be held at the Noir house. We will consolidate the details soon, but the rough n seems solid. Father was surprisingly agreeable to the party as well as Michelie¡¯s attendance. I honestly thought he would object, but he gave his consent, muttering something like ¡°¡­¡­I suppose it would be best to give her a little exposure to society in order to discern her character.¡± I don¡¯t really know what the true meaning behind those words are, but the fact remains that having gained His Excellency¡¯s permission, I can do as I please. What remains from here is coordinating with the schedule of the servants to set up the arrangements. There may be a lot to work on, but nothing is too difficult for a genius such as I. I have only one goal in this grand scheme. To see Surfania¡¯s upset and confused face as she is thrust into this party. I definitely enjoy organizing a party and socializing with people, but I take care not to forget to carry out my original intention. I want to see the clueless shut-in known as Surfania get lost in the waves of high society. The waves will only be enough to reach her ankles, so to speak, but it will be enough of a shock for her nheless. ¡°Heh heh heh, I¡¯ll show you¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Big sister?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry Michelie. It¡¯s nothing.¡± I return to my senses upon hearing my bewildered sister. I¡¯m in the same room as Michelie who is currently dressed up. It¡¯s already the time for fitting clothes for the party. I have time to dress up Michelie in a cute fashion, which is what gets me excited the most while looking forward to the party. Wearing a pale blue dress that gives off a subtle impression, Michelie gently lifts up the hem of her skirt and casts an upward nce at me. ¡°Hmm, I wonder. Does it suit me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the cutest in the world.¡± I give a fair evaluation of her cuteness. The pale blue dress emphasizes her daintiness as if she was a fairy. It¡¯s an ephemeral color, but it allows her golden hair to sparkle and her blue eyes to shine ever so brightly, making a vivid impression. There are no dresses that will ever be unsuitable for Michelie, but her current dress is especially matching. It¡¯s so cute that it gives the illusion of leaping out at any moment. My sister is, as always, the heroine of this world. I stand by my im even after having bing independent of her. In other words, it would be a fair assessment to say that she is the cutest person in the world, even if we weren¡¯t family. ¡°I wonder why you¡¯re so adorable, Michelie. It¡¯s hard to think about, but it doesn¡¯t matter because you¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°Ehehe. That¡¯s because you¡¯re the coolest sister in the world. It¡¯s not hard to think about, it¡¯s natural!¡± I pat her head in praise, and she rxes her face in joy. I was disappointed when Michelie was not allowed to socialize at the party years ago, but the Calibrachoas¡¯ eldest daughter and I are the hosts for this party. There¡¯s no harm in allowing Michelie to attend. I¡¯ll crush anyone who dares voice aint against her. Unlike Father, who forbade her from attending that ball years ago. ¡°But is this really okay? It¡¯s the first time you will be introducing yourself to many people. Are you afraid?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, big sister.¡± This party is also different from the Founder¡¯s Festival two years ago. It¡¯s a gathering ofpletely different peoplepared to those in the hustling and bustling streets. Having to socialize with such people at the young age of nine would be a lot for her to bear. But her blue eyes show no sign of fear. ¡°I¡¯m going to do my best. I¡¯ll put in as much effort as you, big sister. I can¡¯t always be relying on you. I have to be a true member of the Noir family, and bring pride and joy to the house. I¡¯ll make everyone recognize me as your sister!¡± Showing her determination, Michelie makes a small fist that¡¯s gentle, yet strong. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± Michelie has really grown up in these two years. She¡¯s not just the cute little sister who always depended on me. She has her own goals to achieve, and she¡¯s a real independentdy. I¡¯m so happy that I can proudly show her off around others. I pat her head and shower her with even more praise. ¡°I need the help of others instead of yours in order to win against Charles, after all.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I tilt my head in response to her unexpected words. Why is she bringing up Charles all of a sudden? ¡°I¡¯m saying that I have to crush him from the sides¡­¡­ Even though he¡¯s royalty, he¡¯s only the third prince, and he¡¯s not even in line for the throne¡­¡­ So I have to give it my all to best him¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I can¡¯t hear her clearly as she¡¯s goes from muttering to whispering. Charles isn¡¯t attending this party anyway. I never gave him an invitation, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯sing. ¡°¡­¡­Why are you suddenly talking about Charles?¡± Michelie smiles boldly in response to my honest query. ¡°He¡¯s my enemy, you know? That¡¯s why I have to win!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Heh?¡± Her goal of winning is so far-reaching that even I, as a genius, have difficulty grasping everything she said. Thus came the day I prepared for. The day I host a small party at the young age of eleven, and the bright and memorable day Michelie introduces herself on the public stage. The day of opportunity for me to offer a grand wee to my guests as the Duke¡¯s daughter while showing my might as a genius. ¡°Hey, Chris. Why don¡¯t you step out from behind me already?¡± ¡°S-shut up¡­¡­!¡± I, the ¡°bug¡± in this world, blessed with the brain of a genius, am cowering in fear behind Surfania. === Author¡¯s note: I have added a character poll at the bottom of the page. Please click on the link to ¡°Cutest Sister Poprity Vote¡± and cast your votes there. As of right now, Chris and Michelie are having a friendlypetition over first and second ces. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- It was great in the beginning. I like to stand out. Especially on top of people. I think it¡¯s great when you have henchmen. Some may call me arrogant, while others may criticize me as contemptuous. I, for one, think that it is only fitting for a noble of high ranking. Since our society consists of social status and ranks, I can only be proud to be born into high nobility. I am to bemended for being born as the Duke¡¯s daughter. And as a genius. In fact, I am a noble who also possesses glory. Thus, it also brought some satisfaction to show off my prowess as Christina Noir through the disy of my dresses and the setup of the stage. It¡¯s a simple party held in the courtyard of the Noir house. I would call it a sess for utilizing my genius to host a party catered to children and young teenagers. The Calibrachoas¡¯ eldest daughter introduced me to her friends. I listened to them talk about student life in the Royal Academy with deep interest, discussed the cuteness of my beloved Michelie, introduced my own friends to them, proudly introduced Michelie to the guests, brought Surfania around as she panicked in the crowd she was unustomed to, and bragged about the angel Michelie who descended from the heavens. It was a lot of fun. Until Charles made his entry halfway through. ¡°Why is Charles here?¡± Michelie¡¯s the one giving a sideways nce with a sullen face. She stands between me and Charles with her small body, asking the same question I¡¯m holding in my mind. She¡¯s probably voicing my discontent on my behalf after having observed my feelings. I¡¯m reeling in shock by Charles¡¯ sudden appearance. It somehow feels as though my heart is about to explode from pounding too hard from the shock. Michelie probably saw me hiding behind Surfania, and after tracing my line of vision to Charles, she¡¯s now ring at him with increasing hostility. ¡°If big sister is acting this way, it must mean that she never invited him¡­¡­ Did he perhapse arbitrarily? If that¡¯s the case, I could have him thrown out with an excuse, but I don¡¯t expect him to go out without a fight. I wonder how he snuck here in the first ce.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t have to. His being here is simply a matter of having a formal invitation.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Having seen me show my weakness, Surfania recovers and promptly discerns the reason for Charles¡¯ visit. While listening to Michelie and Surfania¡¯s inferences, I have been taking great pains to hide my breath and my presence. I¡¯m afraid that Charles would notice me if I even so much as spoke a word. ¡°My elder sister. She must have invited His Highness Charles to the party. I think he most likely came in halfway into the party after an official duty¡­¡­ well, after his studies.¡± ¡°Why would your sister invite Charles? He shouldn¡¯t be acquainted with her as the Calibrachoas¡¯ eldest daughter. Big sister didn¡¯t invite him, so your sister wouldn¡¯t have invited him either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Most likely she saw His Highness Charles¡¯ name on the invitation list while she was skimming through it, then sent him an invitation. It¡¯s possible if it¡¯s her. She probably wanted to do it even without Christina¡¯s knowledge, saying something like ¡®Oh, looks like little Christina forgot to send an invitation to His Highness Charles, ahaha.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s not her concern.¡± ¡°Yes. My sister is a meddlesome one.¡± Surfania reluctantly agrees with Michelie¡¯s displeased criticism. I can¡¯t dispute Surfania¡¯s reasoning even after only having met her sister a few times. I¡¯m surprised by this sisterbination. Surfania knows her sister very well, even though they probably barely speak a word to each other. Who could have thought that so much harm could be done in a coborative effort? No one, surely. It was beyond the imaginings even for a genius such as I. She¡¯s someone who does things based on good intentions. I can sense no malice behind her actions. I understand that she did this out of her pure goodwill. I understand that, but I wish it never happened. ¡°I wish she came to consult me first, at the very least.¡± ¡°She probably thought that it would shame you if word of your mistake got out. Do you understand how annoying she is now? She¡¯s the type of person who interferes in affairs and creates problems despite bearing no ill will. No, herck of ill will is the problem itself. If you tell her to stop, it will look like you¡¯re the one in the wrong.¡± Neither Michelie, who has never had direct social interactions before, nor I are able to defend our position. But my pride won¡¯t allow being talked down by Surfania, so I decide to formte a responseter. I was lucky to have spotted Charles first and hidden behind Surfania and Michelie, but it¡¯s probably useless. He has a superior intuition that even allowed him to spot me among a crowd in a bustling street. Even though there are tens of people in this ce, it would be a matter of time if he is actively looking for me. But what if¡­ Michelie is next to me right now. It¡¯s true that I am an outstanding genius. I can¡¯t help it if my superiority brings attention to me. But with Michelie here, it would not be difficult even for Charles to spot her cuteness radiating from miles away. In that case, I could continue this game of hide-and-seek until he gives up- ¡°¡­Ah.¡± We saw each other. My heart skips a beat. Charles walks towards me casually, and his blue eyes captivate me. My beating heart sends fresh blood coursing straight to my head. We gaze at each other and focus on our positions. The building heat in my head turns into energy. Our gazes ignore Surfania who¡¯s in the way. The heat continues to build in my head, which begins to boil with emotions and overheats. Charleses closer one step at a time, ignoring the frowning Michelie. The heat in my head reaches its limits, and pushes all capability of thought out of my brain, as if it¡¯s a mystery why my head hasn¡¯t exploded. The very instant Charles takes another step, the heat reaches past its limits. ¡°Wa¡­¡± My head begins fuming. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- The treetop is good. I let out a sigh of relief after climbing the tall tree overlooking the premises. As I¡¯m going through a splendid growth as ady, I haven¡¯t been climbing trees recently. However, therge tree in the Noir house always calms me down. This tree has been alive since before my birth, which bears a great significance to the house. Whenever I lean my back against it, I can feel a warmthing from it, as if it¡¯s sharing its life force with me. And most of all, its thick bushes and green leaves provide a good hiding spot for me. ¡°Rx, Chris. His Highness Charles isn¡¯ting after you. Michelie is keeping him busy with the help of my sister. It will surely take him some time and effort to get away from the ce. ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Surfania inly reports the situation to me from below as I¡¯m sitting on a firm branch and hugging my knees. Michelie is surely talented in socializing as she is able to show her good behavior. That¡¯s only natural as she¡¯s never interacted with people before. Despite her unusual background as an adopted child, her innocent smile and friendly attitude are warm enough to dispel any ill feelings. One would smile without hesitation upon interacting with this angel. If Michelie were to use her angelic powers, even the evil spirits guing the political world would be purified in an instant. I, on the other hand¡­ I ran away. I, despite being born as a genius, ran away. I fled from difficulty without facing it. Yes, that¡¯s right. I shall admit it. I took to my heels. I ran away without trying to hide it. I ran away from Charles. I bite my lips, but that does not erase my blunder. It¡¯s toote for regrets, and I don¡¯t have the courage to go back and face him either. Was I ever this pathetic? ¡°By the way, I¡¯d like for you to exin to my sister that I left not on my own will, but because you dragged me out here, and I had no choice because you¡¯re one of the hosts. I hope you understand. I don¡¯t want my sister to stick her nose into my affairs again, so exin it to her clearly, won¡¯t you? ¡°I¡¯ll exin whatever you want¡­¡­¡± It¡¯s too much trouble to debate against Surfania who is much too persistent with the excuse of running away together. I nod my head in approval. By the way, Surfania is unable to climb trees. But for some reason, she¡¯s kicking the tree trunk. The tree is over a hundred years old, so there¡¯s no way a weakling like Surfania can kick it down, let alone shake it. So why is she doing it? ¡°¡­¡­Stop kicking trees in people¡¯s houses. What kind of a brute are you?¡± ¡°Well, I was wondering if I could make the wild person on the treetop fall off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I pick up a grasshopper crawling my way and drop it on Surfania¡¯s head. She makes a funny scream. ¡°Wh- What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that great, Surfania? You¡¯ve learned that kicking trees will cause bugs to fall. Serves you right for kicking the great tree of the Noirs.¡± ¡°Grr¡­¡­!¡± That¡¯s all Surfania manages toe up with as a retort. She¡¯s probably ring at me from below, but her eyes are blocked by the thick bushes and leaves. ¡°But Chris.¡± I get ready to drop another bug, but she finally stops kicking the tree and begins asking. ¡°How long do you intend to keep running?¡± Her words hurt more than I imagined. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t think you would run away like that. There were a lot of people who saw you, and their evaluation of you would surely decrease. In fact, it is only natural if strange rumors were to be spread after today. Even so, do you still intend to keep running?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I will until I have calmed down.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t calmed down a bit after two years.¡± It is as she says, so I have no way to refute it. ¡°If nothing has changed in two years, how do you expect it to change in the future?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Unable to muster the strength even to curse her, I bury my face in my knees. I know that. Even I know that. I can vaguely tell that if I continue letting my emotions roam free, there¡¯s no way I will calm down. Letting time pass hasn¡¯t changed anything. In fact, it¡¯s only making it worse. Surely, the best solution is to face Charles properly. As a genius, Ie to this conclusion. But, even still. ¡°But it¡¯s been¡­ two years.¡± It¡¯s simply an excuse, but it¡¯s what I truly think nheless. ¡°I¡¯ve been running away from Charles for two whole years, you know?¡± I know the answer, but my emotions betray me. I was simply embarrassed in the beginning. I became aware of my own feelings, and I felt so embarrassed from an impulsive kiss on the forehead that it felt like my head was burning. But after running away the first time, it became increasingly difficult to see his face. I became lost on how I should look at him or what I should say next. I became stiff after acting without thinking, and gradually began to feel even more frightening emotions. I haven¡¯t been able to face him properly these two years. I¡¯ve simply been running away, leaving him to Michelie, sometimes to Father, and just once to one of the maids. How many times have I looked into Charles¡¯ face and talked to him in these two years. Has Charles grown to dislike me? I remember when I saw him at the party just now. He wasn¡¯t smiling back then. He might have looked a little angry. I¡¯m afraid of that. Even as a genius, I am afraid of knowing the true intentions of others. ¡°How am I supposed to face him now¡­¡­¡± It¡¯s all my fault. He did nothing wrong. I had iting, but when I think of the possibility that he dislikes me now, I can¡¯t help being afraid. ¡°Hey, Chris.¡± Surfania sounds serious. Her cool voice reaches straight to me as I fear her answer. ¡°Why am I listening to your poem? I¡¯m getting goosebumps listening to it. Although I would much rather read an anthology sold in a market-¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In the middle of her speech, I shake a tree branch and drop a variety of bugs on her head. She ends up screaming loudly. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- It¡¯s not as if my mood cleared up after bullying Surfania. The reason I bullied her was because she was being irritating, that¡¯s all. It had nothing to do with the feelings I¡¯d kept bottled up from the Charles situation boiling over all at once. That¡¯s why even if I make Surfania scream and cry it will not erase these murky feelings. Having said that, my inclination these days of going off at Surfania at the drop of a hat was not that great either. Of course, most of the time she starts it. But even if it is mostly legitimate self defense, I still can¡¯t say my actions are suitable. When I ran away from facing Charles at the party, I only made the situation moreplicated. Add to that blowing up at Surfania and I was pretty much irredeemable.Even though I knew that to resolve the whole thing all I need to do was going and see Charles, for now I kept putting it off. Yup. Let¡¯s do that some other time. Putting off meeting with Charles for another day, for now I went to apologise to Michelie. ¡°It isn¡¯t something my big sister needs to worry about though?¡± Even though by running away, I had pushed everything onto her, my little sister didn¡¯t look fazed at all. ¡°Rather, the fact that you relied on me at that time made me happy. Because of that I understood that even I could be useful to you. That¡¯s why from now on please rely on me more and more!¡± ¡°Michelie¡­!¡± With her good mood showing on her smiling face, there was no doubt that things with my sister had worked out fine. With her being so cute I couldn¡¯t resist the urge to squeeze her with a big hug- but I had already decided since two years ago to not smother her so much. Holding back the skinship, I lightly brushed her golden hair instead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m such a shameful older sister¡­ Even though my little Michelie has grown up so well, I¡¯m in this sorry state.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not like that, big sister. The person who knows best that my older sister is the coolest in the world is me after all. So don¡¯t worry about stuff like that.¡± ¡°No, this time it¡¯s out in the open. Even more so because it happened at an event hosted by our family. I even caused trouble for the eldest daughter of our friends the Calibrachoa¡¯s¡­ ¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that person they aren¡¯t the sort to think badly of that. If anything she¡¯s the person you least need to worry about offending.¡± Even though yesterday was their first meeting, it seemed that Michelie had clearly grasped the personality of the eldest Calibrachoa daughter. In reality it¡¯s because that person is willing to let it slide, that I must make sure to properly apologise. That is what they call social etiquette. Even though an apology might just appear to be a formality; to ignore that and snub her would be the worst act one couldmit. In the future I will need to properly call on her and exin myself. ¡°Also, the atmosphere at that time didn¡¯t turn nasty, so I don¡¯t think you need to worry about that either. Everyone was a bit perplexed, but that was all. Even Charles didn¡¯t seem particrly put out, so you don¡¯t need to dwell on it so much big sister.¡± ¡°¡­I guess¡± The age bracket invited was young enough that most were still very childish. That was the only reason it didn¡¯t cause arge fuss. Even though Michelie¡¯s words should have been good news ¨C I couldn¡¯t honestly celebrate. Of course, it was me, the organiser, who threw away her responsibilities that was in the wrong so, knowing that the people there weren¡¯t put out by my actions should have been a good thing. That I hadn¡¯t left them with a bad impression was, by all rights, something to be happy about. But even just a little¡­I wish they had been troubled. I would never tell a soul ¨C but I wanted them to have cared. ¡°¡­..hmph¡± In response to my mouth unconsciously frowning, suddenly Michelie¡¯s blue eyes seemed to see straight into my mind. ¡°I am most displeased.¡± I gave a start at being so easily seen through. I¡¯d been an open book to her since long ago, I¡¯d given up trying to figure out how she saw through me. I wonder why this person could always see detect the slightest changes in emotions. This time as well, she could see straight through to the source of my dissatisfaction. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°That Charles, just ignore him.¡± ¡°No, Michelie,¡± To think she could see all the way into my heart with that sharp perception, only to follow up with such words. I had to admire the growth of my little sister. Even so I had to shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m the bad one. I need to ept that I¡¯m in the wrong.¡± ¡°Big sister is not bad. The one in the wrong is entirely Charles.¡± As I thought, Michelie is truly kind. Puffing up her face like that, unconditionally protecting me even though I¡¯m the older sister. Even with that frustrated face my sister is cute. I gently patted her golden curls in an attempt to soothe her. This cute little sister of mine was steadily growing up to be so strong. She could stand on her own feet now. Rather, she had be such a reliable person that she could support me instead. With this, for someone like me, there was no choice but to be someone who could stand beside her. And with that our exchange was ended by a knock on the door. ¡°Aaaah, she¡¯s here.¡± It would appear we had a visitor. At the sound of the knock Michelie¡¯s face soured into one of resignation. Even Michelie had people she couldn¡¯t deal with, and we both knew who was on the other side of the door. She hurriedly approached the door, letting me be the sacrifice for today. ¡°Good luck, big sister!¡± ¡°You said it!¡± As the smiling Michelie clenched her fist in a show of support, the door opened. ¡°Please excuse me for interrupting, Lady Christina.¡± In the space before the opened door stood twodies. One was a live in maid, though she was still young, she was in the middle of splendidly working for us for many years. Next to the maid was someone who need no introduction. ¡°Lady Chris, I am sorry to interrupt your conversation, but it is time for ss¡± She didn¡¯t look over 40 years old, with her perfectly straight spine. There was no softness in her strict tone or severe expression. The tutor employed by the Noir house, Mariwa Tote. ¡°G-Good afternoon, Ms Mariwa.¡° ¡°Good afternoon, Lady Michelie¡± Brief greetings were said as Michelie and Mariwa passed each other. Michelie who normally stood down any enemy, bowed quickly and barely nced at Mariwa as she exited through the door. It seemed that even Michelie was afraid of Mariwa at times. Well, it¡¯s not as if I don¡¯t understand being afraid of Mariwa. ¡°Well then. I¡¯ve already heard, Lady Chris.¡± Once Michelie had departed and after confirming that the maid had closed the doors Mariwa opened her mouth. Upon opening her mouth, Mariwa let out a voice that sent cold shivers down my spine. In reality Mariwa is actually incredibly scary. ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you abandoned your own party. Moreover, you even left cleaning up your mess to Lady Michelie.¡± It was useless of me to try and feign ignorance. There was no escape left in her brief summary of what had happened. I felt like clicking my tongue at having been found out, but indulging that impulse would just lead to more trouble. ¡°Where did you hear such a thing¡­?¡± ¡°Anywhere and everywhere.¡± She really does have a healthy supply of gossip and information. It was hardly a situation where I could curse the quick-eared Mariwa. Even as she spoke indifferent words, Mariwa¡¯s aura is both peaceful and severe. If I was to simply ssify her feeling today, it would be of unsupressable anger. ¡°I thought you had awakened as ady, but it seems I was mistaken. Today, let¡¯s mend it by reviewing etiquette again, shall we?¡± Today¡¯s ss will be an especially strict one it seems. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Time passes irregrly. Of course, the passing of time is subjective, but everyone and anyone knows it¡¯s true. My proof for this is that when you have nothing to do, time seems to stretch forever, but when you are concentrating on something it passes in the blink of an eye. Mariwa¡¯s ss seemed to be forcefully hammering that idea into me. One¡¯s thoughts are an inherently personal thing. There is no room for another person to interfere in such a personal thing as one¡¯s own thoughts. My thoughts were something that had been born from my eleven years of living. It was something that only I should be able to understand. However, sometimes it seemed that Mariwa could grasp the full picture from my thoughts. Even so it¡¯s not as if I turn off my thoughts even if she was reading them. I was pushed to the limit as she gouged out what I didn¡¯t know, understand or was unsure of. Her uracy at knowing my weaknesses was enough to make me believe she was truly monitoring my thoughts. I couldn¡¯t tell if this was what people meant when they said ¡®education.¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­well, I think we can give you a passing mark today. ¡°Y-Yes¡­!¡± Hearing Mariwa¡¯spromise, I pretended to hang my head with disappointment. Internally I let out a huge sigh of relief. Perhaps Mariwa was testing just how fast I could think. I had been forced to concentrate to the extent that all I could remember was that it felt like time had kept speeding up. As long as the ss would pass more quickly as it went on, I could remember what I needed to. If I was to say it frankly, it felt like my spirit was being scraped away bit by bit in that ss. The breakneck pace time had been going was cut short with my relieved sigh, and it seemed time was back to normal. ¡°Even if I¡¯m satisfied with your work today, we still have time left in our lesson. How about we listen to the why the youngdy went and forgot her ce?¡± ¡°Aah, because I was scared of facing Charles¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Finishing sswork early so she could bring this up must have been her n all along. The question had been flung at me right when I was most worn down. Forgetting myself for a moment, the truth snuck out in my answer. Even as I mped my traitorous lips shut, I knew I could not take the words back. My only sliver of hope was that Mariwa would pretend she hadn¡¯t heard a thing. That vain hope was crushed to pieces with her next question. ¡°Scared of His Highness? That is¡­Oh. So it was like that.¡± Pausing in the middle of her question, Mariwa looked as though she had just realised something. ¡°Now that I think about it, that was the case. I guess you were still just a stupid brat, huh?¡± ¡°Oi! The hell did you just call me?!¡± ¡°Nothing at all.¡± The words I heard would be unbelievable in front of a Duke¡¯s daughter such as myself. Surely that must have been my imagination. I tried to clear my head. ¡°I see. It must have been my imagination.¡± ¡°Err, yes of course you simply misheard. What kind ofnguage is that, youngdy. Just try speaking a single word like that in high society. They will be shocked beyond words. Make sure you never say such a word like that in front of the upper ss.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Somehow feeling like this was unreasonable I puffed my cheeks up in frustration. Even if I was the one who misheard what she¡¯d said, somehow I wasn¡¯tpletely satisfied that exnation. ¡°Hold on a second, there¡¯s no way I would ever say such a thing in front of someone. I¡¯ll have you know I am a prouddy of the Noir household.¡± ¡°To say that you, as ady of the Noir house, wouldn¡¯t mishear such a thing. Considering you fled from your guests of honour the other night, I hardly think that argument has any power.¡± ¡°Urk-¡± ¡°However, just this once, because of the situation with His Highness Charles¡­well, it all couldn¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s just treat this as an important growth experience.¡± My excuses were trampled as Mariwa yed judge and jury to this problem by herself. Still, it was an unexpectedly mild conclusion. I had thought for sure she would be angrier about my actions. ¡°Mariwa, you aren¡¯t actually all that angry, huh.¡± ¡°Oh. To the youngdy does it appear as if I am not angry? You believe your teacher isn¡¯t mad?¡± ¡°No, no¡­¡± Putting aside that she had answered my question with a question, I closely observed Mariwa. It was something I had only realised recently, but if Mariwa didn¡¯t answer a question clearly she was usually hiding something. Perhaps it¡¯s that she doesn¡¯t want to actually lie. It was a way of causing a misunderstanding by leading the conversation with a question. In order not to be fooled by her tricks, I re-analysed our interactions thus far. Looking at Mariwa, questioning whether she was actually angry I came to the conclusion that she wasn¡¯t actually all that angry. The contents of our conversation was proof enough. To put it more urately, considering Mariwa¡¯s nature she should be a lot more angry. But somehow her level of anger seems rather low. ¡°As I thought. You¡¯re not actually all that angry. Why is that?¡± ¡°¡­That may be so.¡± I was genuinely surprised that I had not only managed to break through Mariwa¡¯s barrier with my impressive powers of observation, but that she had even acknowledged it. ¡°If we are to talk truthfully, I am not that bothered by your emotional behaviour itself. Absurdity isn¡¯t born from logic after all. If you acted irrationally, then that is proof of your emotions. You never know, someone could have been thinking that was rather charming of you.¡± Then Mariwa added with an unheard murmur. ¡°Like his highness Charles.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying Mariwa¡­ is that maybe acting out like that could maybe have been a good thing. And because of that you¡¯re not angry?¡­But still, isn¡¯t it the job of a tutor to reprimand me to control my emotions better?¡± ¡°No. In reality, people who act like they have that control are just repressing their true emotions. Saying that hiding your feelings is managing your emotions is foolish. What they¡¯re basically doing is just controlling their facial expression and their words. All the while their emotions are acting out inside.¡± ¡°Suppressing your emotions¡­is that a bad thing?¡± ¡°It is neither good nor bad. There are both disadvantages and benefits at the same time. If you think of it more from a social aspect, there are more benefits, yes?¡± She immediately struck down my words. That she could respond immediately like that was proof that Mariwa knew what she was talking about. I thought about it for a little while. ¡°Even if you say that to yourself¡­for me, being controlled by my emotions and the public humiliation that followed. I would be better off suppressing them.¡± ¡°If even as an adult, you still find yourself controlled by your emotions, then at that time you will need to learn to suppress them. But, while you are still young it is best to listen to your feelings. That way you cane to understand your emotions. Rather than suppressing them or being controlled by them, you can learn to wield your own emotions.¡± ¡°To wield my emotions¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Though I have never been able to do it, there was a certain person who turned it into a social art. If you are able to do that, those emotions will be a strong weapon for you.¡± ¡°¡­a certain person?¡± ¡°A friend of mine.¡± So she actually does have friends. At my surprised expression Mariwa narrowed her eyes. ¡°While I can no doubt guess what you¡¯re thinking right now¡­it¡¯s already time for my carriage home. And with that, make sure to engrave what we discussed onto your heart.¡± ¡°W- wait! Mariwa!¡± As devoted to the time limit as I knew she was, I hastily grabbed her cuff to try and stop her, looking up at Mariwa. ¡°Um, that is. I think I basically understood what you meant about controlling emotions but¡­tell me what to do about Charles?!¡± ¡°That is not something I can tell you.¡± I was left with the most important question unanswered as Mariwa pulled her cuff free and resumed her frosty exterior. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Nasty rumors could spread like wildfire. The mediocre had a preference for vulgar gossip. There were the amusingly exaggerated rumours, and the exaggerated rumors they used as entertainment were practically baseless. Compared to the news, enjoyment is gathered from this kind of thing because of jealousy and envy. Even though they gain nothing, the false sense of superiority they have watching others fall gives them pleasure. How worthless. Let me clearly state it; there is nothing more vulgar that using words to ruin the lives of strangers. It¡¯s even more unbelievable that, while knowing full well just how unfounded the rumours are, they continue to spread them again and again. Saying it¡¯s just amon entertainment, they act like that¡¯s just the way it is. There are humans who live their lives in such a way. There is no air toin with among people like that. But when it is an aristocrat who pretends to be noble while spreading such things, just what are they trying to achieve? One could even say that when it is an aristocrat spreading the rumours things take a turn for the worse. This evil that afflicts our narrow society, a ce where there is no truth and a bad reputation will follow you for life as it¡¯s transmitted for enjoyment. If I was to cut straight to the point, basically the rumor that I ran away from Charles at the party the other day is currently spreading through aristocratic society. ¡°Hehe, hehe¡± And here I was, the subject of rumour, sitting at my desk writing. Assembling the information I heard from people here and there, I had finally arrived the answer I had searched for. The rumors going around still only mostly spection. People are doubting that the daughter of the Noir family, known for her intelligence and beauty, could really have made a blunder like the rumor says. Others specte that Charles being known for his entricity must have done something to cause the scene. That the image of ady I had umted up until now would not so easily crumble at such rumors was taken as further proof that the rumor was mistaken. However, the problem in the first ce is that such a rumor is still spreading. ¡°Hehe, hehe hehe hehe¡± As I glided the ink across the paper myughter leaked out. Even I had to say that my echoingughter sounded creepy. Even so, it¡¯s not like I have even the slightest intention of stopping. Along with my bad rumor is the rumor that Michelie of the same house is said to be an angel, but that is only a smallfort. Right now, I am rather angry. ¡°Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe¡± The humiliation. I cannot endure those rumors, doubting the absolute embodiment of perfection that I am, being spread around. And there is no way that I, Christina Noir, am not someone who would content oneself with the passive stance of simply bearing with it. If you are facing an enemy, then you have to crush thempletely. There is no room for hesitation on this battlefield. The courseughter that had been flowing without stop was suddenly cut off. Listening to them whispering about me all over, and assembling that information I had finally worked my way back to an answer . ¡°Hehehehehe, I did it¡­I¡¯ve finally done it!¡± Along with pleasure, it was a listpiling every obsession and grudge that I hadpiled with everything I had. What I had before me was a list of every soul who had dared to gossip and spread the rumor of my bad reputation. From talking to people who were told the rumor, I could locate those who had twisted and distorted the story. It is exceedingly difficult to pinpoint the exact source of a rumor. It had proved difficult even for a genius like me, but I had perfectly aplished putting together a list such as this. ¡°Mwuhaha¡­.to think you ever dared to look down upon me. This is why they say that words can cause disaster!¡± As I held up the list to the light I felt my spirits rise. Now then, the people named here, I wonder why they sunk so low. Even if my power and influence are that of an eleven year old, there was no limit to my methods. I shall make it so you will never forget name of I, Christina Noir. This list waspiled by shaving off my precious time with Michelie after all. I wouldn¡¯t let that sacrifice go to waste. I am a woman who turns back when she is killed after all. And we alwayse back for revenge. I will make you regret making a fool out of the genius of a century, I, Christina Noir. Just as my thoughts started to shift in a dark direction there was a knock at the door. ¡°Mdy, may Ie in?¡± ¡°If you must.¡± At the interruption to my revenge ns I couldn¡¯t help the sour expression I showed. There¡¯s no ss today, and it shouldn¡¯t be cleaning time. There had better be a good reason for a maid toe and interrupt my revenge ns. If this wasn¡¯t about Michelie, I would be very annoyed. ¡°What business do you have with me?¡± ¡°The Lord is calling for you. As he is waiting in the study, I havee to assist your preparations.¡± What the-? Father had called for me? Even upon hearing it was a request from the highest authority in the mansion I only nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then I¡¯m not going. I am in the middle of something. Please convey that to him.¡± ¡°Please go, Mdy. The lord will cry if you do not.¡± I thought this maid had recently warmed up quite a bit. Even though in the past she would have panicked at my reply, now the door opened without me even agreeing. ¡°Excuse me Mdy, I¡¯ming in.¡± ¡°Wha- hey! I didn¡¯t say you coulde in here.¡± ¡°I have already received prior permission from the Lord to force my way in.¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± I was taken aback at the reply. I mean, I knew I was putting the maid in a tough spot by refusing the lord of the house¡¯s summon, I never thought they would actually go and get permission beforehand. While I was dumbfounded, the maid smoothly made her way to the closet. ¡°Well then, I shall assist you in changing.¡± ¡°¡­.I understand.¡± While I was a genius, I could still be defeated if I didn¡¯t properly prepare beforehand. I waved a white g and became obedient to the maid who had be surprisingly sharp. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Being called to father¡¯s office sometimes happened. Unless he needed us for something, my constantly working father practically ignored us. When he did have some business or another with us, then he would summon us in this fashion. It was never about us, just his one-sided problems. You could say I was a little annoyed. I wanted to try saying the words on my mind: ¡®Is a daughter just a useful tool to you!¡¯ but I never did. Unfortunately, I knew why I was being brought in today. ¡°Father.¡± That¡¯s why I dered this as soon as I entered the room. ¡°I know why I was called today. So before you say anything, could you just listen to me?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve arrive Chri-? Christina. You, aren¡¯t you misunderstanding something again?¡± Seems my father was disappointed I had stolen his thunder. Of course a genius such as I would not misunderstand such a simple problem. I was quite taken aback by his words. ¡®Again¡¯? Just what did he mean by ¡®again¡¯? That makes it sound like I¡¯m always misunderstanding things. I held aposed smile when faced with his eyes that seemed to be saying ¡®my daughter is spouting nonsensical things again¡¯. ¡°A misunderstanding? There is only one reason you would have called me here at this time. Frankly, it must be have something to do with the malicious rumours about me swirling about.¡± ¡°That is what you think this is about?¡± I¡¯m sure the surprise on his face was caused by the fact I had guessed his intentions so perfectly. The one misunderstanding is you father, underestimating me that far. I thought and let out a chuckle at his astonished reaction. ¡°Of course my father would worry. This is the only dent that could scratch my perfect reputation after all. But please rest assured. I have already identified the ringleaders. All that¡¯s left is to crush them to pieces!¡± While raising my voice I pped down the list I hadpiled on the desk in front of my father. Listed there were all the people who had dared twist and spread lies about me in high society. Still in shock my father quietly picked up the list. ¡°Hehehe, what do you think, father? Are you in awe of my abilities?¡± ¡°Christina¡­¡± As he surveyed the list that was the fruit of my efforts my father¡¯s features seemed to sadden. ¡°Going this far, why couldn¡¯t you put that effort into¡­¡± He sighed, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± I didn¡¯t understand the situation as my father¡¯s words trailed off midway. Somehow his reaction seems off. Even though he should be shaking with amazement at my genius, his expression is the exact opposite. It almost went so far as to be an expression of exasperation. Sighing my father ced the list back on the table. ¡°Christina. I did not call you for such a reason.¡± ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t lie to me father!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± Even though I thought he was just joking as a sore loser, he corrected me immediately. It seems his call today is truly about a separate matter. After all my earlier confidence I felt a little off put. ¡°I-I see¡­ It¡¯s really not about the rumours?¡± ¡°No. It is really about something else, but since you brought it up I will address your issue. Christina, although it is a cruel rumour about you, do you understand why such a rumour is spreading?¡± ¡°Eh? That¡¯s because it¡¯s an attack against the Noir house right?¡± The originator of the information was guests of the party, in other words children. It was unlikely that such young children, who had not even debuted into high society yet would be able to spread such rumours. In other words, the people spreading the rumours are the parents. Since it¡¯s adults spreading the malicious rumours, there is no way it¡¯s just harmless gossip. Nine cases out of ten, their aim was to ruin the Noir family by attacking the reputation of the only heir. it could also incidentally be a diversion. As long as it¡¯s speaking ill of the Noire family, those people are fine with anything. Perhaps out of agreement, my father nodded easily. ¡°You are half correct.¡± ¡°Half?¡± He sighed before answering. ¡°Yes, half. While saying they want to damage the family name isn¡¯t incorrect, the truth is far more vicious. If the content of the rumors was just you then that would be fine but¨C¡± ¡°It would not be fine.¡± ¡°-It would be fine Christina.¡± My pride will never forgive others sullying my name with rumors. My father ignored my interruption and continued. ¡°If their intention was truly to topple our family, then there was no need for them to include Michelie in the rumors.¡± Michelie. I had not expected her name toe out here. If their intention was truly to topple the family, they would not be spreading ttering rumors about the adopted daughter. But with my little sister being such an absolute angel isn¡¯t it obvious that rumors of her cuteness would spread? It was inevitable that such an angel wouldn¡¯t be touched by such evil intent. ¡°Rumors of Michelieing about at a time like this, it can¡¯t be said to be just gossip. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is it really so bad that Michelie is bing known?¡± ¡°It was I who gave permission for Michelie to attend the party. I had known this could happen but¡­That you wouldn¡¯t understand is to be expected. Since it¡¯s about the birth of that child.¡± ¡°¡­birth?¡± If it¡¯s about Michelie¡¯s birth, then it would be about her mother being the younger sister of the current King, Her Royal Highness, Evelia Edward. But how was that even connected to the current rumors? All in all there was really no connection that I could see. ¡°That story ends here. More importantly have a look at this. It¡¯s an invitation addressed to you.¡± My father would give a clear answer even though I was so confused. Instead my father held out the envelope that had been sitting on his desk. He had closed the essential part of the conversation while dodging actually answering anything. I was left only being able to grasp at straws. I couldn¡¯t read my father¡¯s face at all. Looking at the face I was convinced to let the matter drop. It was the face of a noble who had clearly drawn the line between his personal life and official role. Right now, this man was not my father, but rather an official with a job to do. Even if I tried to pry it out of him it would be useless. Although I was frustrated at all the secrets, I still gasped when I saw the wax seal on the letter. My eyes couldn¡¯t get any wider. ¡°Ugh- this is¡­¡± ¡°Aah. It is a summons from the royal family.¡± The seal on the letter was without a doubt the royal crest. Of course I also had an idea of who the sender might be. Expecting the letter to be from Charles my face turned bitter. ¡°That guy¡­took him a while¡± ¡°I might add that it¡¯s not from His Highness Charles.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blinked nkly. I thought for sure that Charles had grown impatient and used his power to summon me, but it seems I was wrong. I had been so convinced it was from Charles that I hadn¡¯t even confirmed the sender. Before I could check the envelope for the name of the sender, my father said it out loud. ¡°That is a written invitation from His Highness the Crown Prince Endo Edward¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Although this conversation had been nothing like I¡¯d thought, I will still shocked at the name he chose to throw out at the end. Upon hearing the name of the sender my thoughts froze. However, being a genius that I was, I quickly regained my thoughts. Slowly I raised my face as I understood the truth of what was happening. ¡°¡­Father?¡± ¡°What is it, Christina?¡± ¡°This, can I refuse it?¡± ¡°That is impossible. You have no reason to refuse it.¡± Even though it was the first expected answer in this whole conversation, I couldn¡¯t be happy about it. My shoulders fell at his harsh dismissal. Endo Edward. As the first prince of the country, he was next in line to seed the throne. Along with Charles and Leon, he made up thest person of the three conquerable targets of Labyrinth Destiny. And above all there is one thing that I had to mention. If I was to describe his character in the game¡­It was one that he was prejudiced from the very bottom of his heart. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- I may not have actually met him, but I have a very good reason for hating Endo Edward. If I were to sum up his personality in one word it would be ¡®arrogant¡¯. ¡®How to be a good king¡¯, was drilled into him ever since he was a kid, I guess you could say it worked. Everyone around him praised him for being a prodigy. He was showered in praise and great expectations, they called him ¡®the perfect heir¡¯. Being raised in that kind of environment led to Endo believing he really was the most amazing person in the whole kingdom. Of course he would end up looking down on others and thinking he¡¯s god¡¯s gift. The fools around him just kept encouraging him, so his arrogance has only grown worse over the years. Well, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that his personality is rotten. Everything was just as it was in the game, well outside my interference anyway. To put it mildly, it was impossible to get along with him. I wondered if just like in the game he would have that firm belief gently melted away by Michelie. It does make me worry about the future of this kingdom a little. Only idiots would think they are god¡¯s own gift until their mid teens. I wish they would use their brains. Let them meet Mariwa and then see how smart they think they are. Raising Endo strictly, but in a world wrapped in cotton wool. Unfortunately the Crown prince is still caught in his own delusions of superiority. Thinking he¡¯s unparallelled even though I, who prides myself on my genius, is not only in the same country but also the same generation as him. Honestly, his arrogance is annoying. Sheesh. Even though a genius such as I is right here, to think he had surpassed number one, just how conceited can he get. I try to remember to forgive his crime as simply that of one who does not know the outside world, and yet the way he acts is infuriating. Even just remembering his lines from the game make me feel sick. It¡¯s not just His Highness Endo that I cannot get along with, cannot get along with anyone so arrogant and pompous. Be that as it may, my opponent this time holds quite a lot of power. He is one of the few people who held more power than a Duke¡¯s daughter such as myself. Because of that I¡¯ve tried my very best to never, ever,e into contact with His Royal Highness. I knew that if we came into contact ¨C we would fight. Even worse, of course, I would end up winning. There¡¯s no telling what he would do if he had his pride shattered by someone younger than himself. I tried so hard to avoid him, and now he ends up forcing me to meet him. And for some unclear business. The letter only invites me to visit him, it doesn¡¯t mention anything about why. Even now, as I make my way to the royal pce, I have no idea what his goal is. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± I¡¯m being following a servant who is guiding me through the pce. As expected of a royal pce, all the furnishing and art disyed in the hallway are in perfect taste. Even just walking through it in passing I could tell how much effort went into it. Even once we arrive at His Highness¡¯ room, with all the thoughts going around in my head I still haven¡¯t figured out what¡¯s going on. But surely there¡¯s no real reason to be worried. I am ady. No matter who I am faced with, I have the courage to hold my smile andugh. It¡¯s like that. Even if he is the very portrait of self conceit, my force of will has been forged as hard as diamond by Mariwa. I will endure. With my decision to endure, the servant walking in front of me stopped. We had arrived at our destination. ¡°Your Highness. Lady Christina Noir has arrived.¡± ¡°Hmm, she¡¯s arrived, huh. Come in already then.¡± Hearing his tone, I internally frowned. What a rude reception to someone like me, who was but a step behind the royal family as the fiance of a prince and daughter to a duke. Even if I was already annoyed having only just stepped forward, this much was fine. This was simply the ripples of a single drop in the wide pool of my heart. It hardly affected me. I tried to calm the worried expression of the servant with a smile. To be able to apologise with just a look, the servant was quite experienced. Seeing myposed face, the servant opened the door. With that encouragement ¨C I entered the room. Waiting inside for me was a boy just a few years older than me, with blond hair and blue eyes. His bright eyes were for some reason narrowed in displeasure, rather than the fluffy blond hair Charles has, his was dead straight. Even though the siblings shared many features, overall he had a harsher look about him. Entering the room quietly, I nced briefly at His Highness Endo before curtseying. ¡°Christina Noir, here in reply to your invitation. Today-¡± ¡°Aaah, let¡¯s just forget about that stuff for now. Don¡¯t waste time with such foolish lip service. Sit there and wait.¡± Even though I prepared a polished curtsey, His Highness did not seem to be at all impressed. On the contrary, he cut off my greeting with a frown. His behaviour made it clear he thought my formal greeting were annoying, to that I internally clicked my tongue. Tsk. He has no idea about efficiency. A person who did not understand the importance of manners was disagreeable for this reason. Someone who does not understand the subtleties of personal rtions can never be seen as noble by others. To think that even on a first meeting he doesn¡¯t even try. Though I could think of a very suitableint, some as modest and steady as I would never dare to abuse a member of the royal family. Following His Highness¡¯ instruction I sat at the prepared table. ¡°Well then, Christina Noir. Before we talk about why I¡¯ve called you here¡­leave us.¡± Instead of opening his mouth to return my greetings, he instead ordered the servants to withdraw. The one¡¯s most shocked by hismand were the servants in question. Their hesitation wasn¡¯t because they feared for his safety. Rather, even if they were young, they were still a boy and a girl of simr age. And them being left unapanied would raise anyone¡¯s eyebrows. Even if it was to have a private conversation, having the servants withdraw was highly improper. Usually you might prepare a room for a confidential talk, or let the servants know beforehand but¡­.Ahh, I see. You didn¡¯t want to waste your precious time being considerate. Having grasped his true character, my heart grew cold. He could act like this because everyone around him was a ¡®tool¡¯ beneath him. My original bad impression of him sank even further. ¡°Well, Your Highness, That is¡­¡± One of the servants tried to speak up to Endo. ¡°Shut it. Do you think you are in any position to question my thoughts? It¡¯s fine so disappear like I told you to.¡± While just making them more curious, His Highness forced everyone to leave. If you¡¯re told twice by a royal like that, you have no choice but to obey. As they left the room, the elderly servant shot me another apologetic look. The concern warmed my heart. ¡°Christina Noir. There is a reason I went as far as to call you here.¡± Aah¡­this guy is irritating. I was fed up with being looked down on, but my poker face remained firm. I let my face bloom into the smile of ady, without a trace of my true feelings showing through. ¡°I wonder what business you could have with me, Your Highness. Even though Your Highness and I have never had the chance to exchange greetings before, it is an honor to have been noticed by you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re avoiding Charles.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± The words that came out of his mouth took me byplete surprise. It only showed on my face for an instant though. I slowly released my held breath, putting my calm expression back into ce. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it that way. With how busy our respective schedules are, it is true that we have only seen each other from afar. Having said that, I am by no means ignoring His Highness Charles.¡± ¡°Huh. Even if you don¡¯t hide it, I already know the circumstances. I have heard exactly what¡¯s going on.¡± I see. Knowing the circumstance that I myself hardly know, how amazing of Your Highness. As if I could ever be superior to His Highness. How excellent of you Endo. Sarcastic thoughts filled my head. I, Christina Noir, am much, much, smarter than a dimwit like you. ¡°Christina Noir, you probably think that guy Charles is troublesome right?¡± What on earth is this idiot saying. ¡°Why I would never think such a thing. My marriage to Charles was a joint decision between our two great families. I am quite satisfied with the arrangement.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it. I know just how selfish he is. Just being in the same room as him is annoying¡± How can you so confidently dere things so off the mark? My annoyance at the jokes of this arrogant, mistaken, clown of a crown prince, had almost reached the surface when I remembered. In Labyrinth Destiny, Prince Endo hated Charles. Proud and arrogant of his royalty, His Highness Endo could not forgive Charles who lives freely. The reason he called me here must be to find tools to attack Charles with. Indeed, indeed. If that¡¯s the case then there is only one thing need for my triumph in this conversation. I just have to decline any pompous offer he throws my way. ¡°Someone like Charles doesn¡¯t give off even the slightest hint of nobility. Everything his does is unbefitting of royalty¡­and yet why does father overlook it all?¡± ¡°Oh my. His naivety is a virtue. Just being around his liveliness make every asion fun.¡± ¡°Huh. That¡¯s some smooth words. It seems being roundabout is your strong point. To hide each and every feeling, you do such a troublesome thing well.¡± ¡°Why, I am but speaking honestly about His Highness Charles¡¯. Are you displeased?¡± Surely at least this level of sarcasm is allowed. Honestly, I¡¯m holding back for dear life against the strong urge to crush this brat. Tiny. To think that this is the person who will seed the throne, what a small heart he has. I cannot understand, because of not overlooking it, even though I am engaged. I guess His Highness is actually just ipetent. While it seemed like at any moment the storm in my heart would break free, I managed to swallow itpletely. ¡°If you find it so displeasing to talk about His Highness Charles, shall we move to another topic?¡± ¡°Ha. Even if you hit the bullseye, there¡¯s no rush to change the conversation. Rejoice, Christina Noir. I have prepared a way for you to break free form the troublesome fellow that is Charles.¡± It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s. Fine. I¡¯m calm. I¡¯m so very calm. Even if his misunderstandings and his attitude arepletely irritating, we are finally at the main business for today. I have no idea what His Damn Highness is trying to propose but I just have to simply refuse and endure and with that it will be the end¨C ¡°You, be my fiance.¡± ¡°Ha? What the hell kind of nonsense are you saying bastard?¡± And though it should have been the end, to endure through this is asking the impossible. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- A person can only take so much. I didn¡¯t regret what I said ¨C not even a little. Even though my words were stupid, impulsive and rash. Even though Mariwa was constantly scolding me about mynguage, sometimes it was necessary to swear. Lese Majeste? Like I care. Unlike my first meeting with Charles, when I had insulted a royal by ident, this time it was because I wanted to insult this punk. Still, it wasn¡¯t like I wanted to ruin my reputation. But I didn¡¯t need to worry about that. I was actually thankful that he had cleared out the servants, since now there were only us two in this room. There was no one around to hear what we said. So now no matter how I behaved in this room, it wouldn¡¯t affect my reputation. Knowing that, there was no need for me to hold back anymore. As I smiled at the scowling face opposite me, I knew that all I had to do was shut him up and my reputation would be unscarred. Since I¡¯m such a genius, this would be simple. ¡°¡­.the hell did you just say?¡± Perhaps it was his first time ever being insulted. Perhaps he thought the low voice he responded with was meant to be intimidating in this silence. If that¡¯s the case I couldn¡¯t help butugh. He couldn¡¯t even hold a candle to the devil-god Mariwa. I threw my head back withughter at his annoyed face. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear, would you like me to say it again?¡± Having fended off the angry little prince¡¯s attack, I haughtily crossed my legs and rested my chin atop my hand. I honestly, from the bottom of my heart, despised His Highness Endo. ¡°What¡¯s so bad about me saying bastard? Aah, is it that Your Highness¡¯s ears are so noble they can¡¯t hear such vulgar words? What a wonderful skill, I¡¯m envious. Seeing as you can¡¯t hear it, I guess I can just freely call you ¡®Your Bastard Highness¡¯. Since you can¡¯t hear it there¡¯s no need for me to gloss over my words.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s your true nature. Just like Charles, it seems like you don¡¯t even have an ounce of dignity. I¡¯m ashamed that I even thought for an instant that you were an equal.¡± ¡°Why thank you. I am so happy to hear that I am not to your liking.¡± Iughed without a trace of sarcasm. It seems Endo wasn¡¯t pleased by my first form. Thank goodness. On the off chance that he did actually like me, I might have skipped second and gone straight into my third form. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really care about your character. I¡¯ll try asking again ¨C just in case. Do you really have no interest in being the fiance of someone as great as myself?¡± ¡°Obviously. My fiance is Charles.¡± If he really broke up my engagement and forced me to marry him, I would bite off my own tongue for a swift death. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t you know that I am the only daughter of the Noir house? If I married into the royal family who knows what would happen to the Duchy. That is, unless Your Highness intends to marry into the Noir Duchy instead?¡± I would prevent any chance of me marrying this toad with my all, but I still wanted to get away from the topic. Not only was I the only daughter of the Noir duchy, I was the only legitimate blood left. With that it would be inconceivable that I would leave my house ande here. Of course, I should have guessed that this bastard could not even think that far. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a little sister? Even if she¡¯s adopted, it seems she was well breed enough. After all she did stand in for you when you ran away from Charles. Why don¡¯t you just leave everything to her? Your house, your fiance, your noble title, hmm?¡± ¡°¡­.Heh.¡± To think he had even investigated as far as Michelie, no wonder he was so good at getting on my nerves. More than anything, the conversation with my father the other day was ying through my mind. ¡°Perhaps, it was Your Highness who spread those rumors?¡± ¡°While it¡¯s true that I called you here because of those rumors, there¡¯s no way I would get involved in such vulgar things.¡± I thought it fit well with his crappy personality, but it seems I was mistaken. If I really thought about it there¡¯s no way this socially oblivious idiot could manipte others like that. Still. In response to Endo¡¯s words, a possibility I hadn¡¯t yet considered came to mind. To ce Michelie in my role. That was how they nned to use the rumors about Michelie. Usually an adopted child cannot inherit a royal house or duchy, but since Michelie is of royal blood it would be different. If my reputation hit rock bottom, then Destiny Labyrinth was proof that Michelie could take over my ce in nobility. Taking into ount that possibility, then it¡¯s just as malicious as my father said. Well for now I would have to wait to talk to father about that, first I had to deal with His Highness here. ¡°Well, if you were to mention those rumors. It would be high society saying how wonderful you are. Even though you always hide your faults, now that I¡¯ve seen your true personality what are you going to do? The gossip loving nobles will eat your alive.¡± Wow. We¡¯vee to threats now have we? Even if he tacked it on the end, it was still a poor move. ¡°The one who cleared out the room for our private talk was Your Highness though? You¡¯re going to spread our confidential talk? I see, I see. Isn¡¯t His Highness Endo just amazing. Such unexpected barbarity, even I¡¯m shocked. This is just what it means to have no shame!¡± ¡°¡­.To think you¡¯d still bite back until the end, you¡¯re a fearless woman alright.¡± ¡°Fearless? Don¡¯t be stupid. Do you know what fear is to me?¡± It¡¯s Mariwa. That woman is the scariest thing in the world. ¡°It is just that I do not fear Your Highness at all. Honestly, Charles is more frightening than you. Though Charles has many cute points, he has been able to unconsciously drive me into a corner. Your Highness is just useless.¡± ¡°Ha? To be so unafraid of me. To evenpare me to Charles¡­that¡¯s proof you¡¯re too stupid to see your own position. In this country who has the fate to stand above me?¡± ¡°Your Highness. Every word you say, do you know how it seems? Even the silent statues in the hall seem smart byparison. So why don¡¯t you just follow their example and shut up.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the one who should shut up you? Only your mouth functions well. You¡¯re a brazen woman to the core.¡± Suddenly Endo stood up and approached me. I had no idea what he nned to do as he stretched out his hand towards me. Should I, or should I not, knock him down? My hesitation at physically resisting a so-called royal was a mistake. His hand seized my chin and held it up so I was forced to look up at him. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯vee to understand you and Charles¡¯ rtionship.¡± I could only grimace as Endo smiled at some future fantasy he was imagining. ¡°If I took you away from Charles, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be quite resentful.¡± ¡°Eh? Don¡¯t touch me scum.¡± This time, without hesitation I pped his hand away. He was already starting to rot from the inside. His Charlesplex soaked through his every word. Whaty under all his annoyance at Charles was the contradiction that he actually longed for that same freedom. They were both royalty, yet while he was trapped and oppressed, his younger brother lived without those same restraints. Even though I knew from the game that the cause of hisplex was thereabouts, I wasn¡¯t welling up with emotion. Rather, Michelie is truly an angel to have been able to put up with this bug. She¡¯s too big hearted. My little sister is the best after all. Knowing that Michelie existed kept my heart steady. If I don¡¯t keep it steady I might just punch His Highness. That would be quite bad. What would be bad? Leaving a mark on his face would be evidence. And that would be very bad. ¡°Aren¡¯t you stubborn. But I¡¯m not one to let up an opportunity to teach Charles a lesson or two. As such, Christina Noir. Won¡¯t you have a match with me?¡± ¡°A match?¡± At the mention of a match mypetitiveness twitched to life.. ¡°Since we¡¯re calling this a match, what will the wager be?¡± ¡°Aah, that¡¯s right. If you win I¡¯ll overlook your insolent speech. However, if you lose you¡¯ll be my queen. You will personally appeal to the King and your father to break your engagement with Charles.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± I let out a surprised chuckle. Even if the Crown Prince wishes it, in reality it wasn¡¯t going to happen that easily. Breaking off the engagement just because I ask for it, who knows if that would even work. Even if it does, to then be engaged to the Crown Prince instead would be difficult. Let¡¯s say he did win, because he cleared out any witnesses who knew if he would even honor our bet. Still, it¡¯s unlikely he would throw away his pride in disgrace just to start a minor rumor about me.That thinking was my extra insurance, just in case. That said, just now, Endo didn¡¯t add a time limit. So if I win this contest, His Highness will not only forgive all the impolite things I¡¯ve said so far, but that I can be as rude as I want to him for the rest of our lives. He has basically promised that in the future no matter what gossip I spread or how I abuse him, even to his face he will have to overlook and forgive it. Wonderful. Truly wonderful. It¡¯s the perfect offer to me. It¡¯s unclear if he even realises theck of a deadline, but surely a royal would never go back on a promise they voluntarily made. And if I lose? Ha. There¡¯s no need for me to worry about such a thing. ¡°Okay then, Your Highness. Let¡¯s begin this game.¡± After all, it¡¯s impossible for I, Christina Noir, to suffer an embarrassing defeat here. Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°No way¡­!¡± A word of regret came out of my mouth. It was mainly in regards to how careless I had been up to now. Even if it was a waste of time, a person can¡¯t help thinking ¡®if only¡¯. No matter how much you regret the past, time can¡¯t be reversed. Humans make mistakes. Even a genius like me can make a mistake. That¡¯s why when a mistake is made, it is worth asking yourself; ¡®what should I do¡¯, ¡®How do I fix my mistake¡¯. Instead of wasting time fantasizing of a future where you never made that mistake, it¡¯s more constructive to think of what to do about your current situation. Even knowing that, when I heard the what type of contest Endo had chosen for our match ¨C I had some regrets. ¡°Mwuhahah hahaha! What¡¯s up with that face? I thought you were full of cheek, but you¡¯re surprisingly obedient!¡± Seeing my expression, His Highness Endoughed. It was an expression convinced of victory. Originally I had just wanted to smash his pride, but now I wouldn¡¯t settle for less than his face twisted with tears. However, right now I couldn¡¯t answer back. ¡°Hahaha! What¡¯s wrong Christina Noir? If that noisy mouth of yours has fallen silent, perhaps you seem even a little bit like thedy you¡¯re rumored to be!¡± ¡°Urk¡­!¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the small sound from leaking out. Endo had chosen the one thing a prodigy like me had no chance of winning. The mistake I had made? That was not deciding the game we¡¯dpete in at the start. Even with my pride, signing a contract before reading the terms had been too hasty of me. However- but- even if- I had no excuse. ¡°¡­Your Highness¡± ¡°What is it, Christina Noir?¡± ¡°To choose a sword fight for our match. Is your head quite alright?¡± Exactly. Out of all the things His Frickin Highness could have picked, he chose to challenge ady like me to a sword duel. I really wish he would use his head. Well, normally just having somemon sense would be enough. A guy who would challenge a much younger girl to a sword match? Surely such a thing is impossible. That is what I had thought. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that in this wide world there is a shameless human being trying to do just that. His Royal Highness Endo. Drop dead. ¡°Ha, it¡¯s the grumbling of a loser. My head is the best out there.¡± His Highness, who suggested such an unconventional match, wasn¡¯t going to listen to myints. His face said he didn¡¯t doubt his victory, or the appropriateness of this match at all. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with choosing an advantageous game? The one who said we didn¡¯t need to decide the game beforehand was you after all.¡± ¡°I am well aware of just how much of a malicious coward you are, Your Frickin Highness¡­!¡± Even if it¡¯s to win, normally a person would have some limit to how far they¡¯ll go! In this world there are both clear rules and unspoken agreements that one followed whether consciously or unconsciously. His Highness had smashed apart that system. It was unexpected. His proposal went way beyond my expectations. Because it was His Highness Endo who acts like he¡¯s so much better than other. I had been so sure it would be a reasonable match. If it were any other person, they wouldn¡¯t suggest a game where they would wield a sword against a woman or child. It was an unspoken rule of this world that woman and children should not hold swords. Which is why it is the best way to win against a genius like me. ¡°Your Highness. This is a warning, but if you really intend to have a sword match against me, the one who will suffer most would be you, correct?¡± Mainly because what he was going to do was hardly the makings of a gentleman in the eyes of society. If we really fight with the sword, I have no chance of winning. However, if His Highness Endo actually hits me with a sword, his reputation will hit the ground. But he still ignored my warning again and again. ¡°How foolish. Whatever they say, it¡¯s not actually going to hurt me. It won¡¯t change the fact that I am superior.¡± I think this guy is broken. The only scary thing about Endo is how limitless his stupidity is. This is what they meant in my previous life when they said someone was; ¡®unable to read the situation¡¯. Basically, Having grown up being surrounded by praise, he couldn¡¯t understand that other people could negatively affect him in anyway. That¡¯s why he mistakenly thinks anything he does will be okay. Thinking like that will get you in trouble one day. So far he had been young enough to get away with his behaviour. But once he became an adult, those around him wouldn¡¯t turn a blind eye anymore. At that time Endo will realise a thing called; ¡®know your ce¡¯ for the first time. But the future where that happened had nothing to do with me. So what if he¡¯ll suffer in the future? I wasn¡¯t going to suffer now because of such a far away revenge. Even if I could expect His Highness to suffer a lot at such a future, losing to him now would have no meaning. The ball is in your court now, Endo. ¡°If you¡¯re going toin that much, maybe I should choose a different type of contest¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± For him to say he would abandon his own advantage is beyond surprising. Rather than surprise my face has be a scowl. ¡°Isn¡¯t this expected? To be extra sure I proposed a sword fight, but I am a supreme being. No matter what the game is, I will not lose to the likes of you. If you are opposed to a sword fight, then why don¡¯t you pick a different game?¡± This guy is too vain. Even if it¡¯s just a little, I¡¯m still thankful. I will teach His Highness that arrogance can be fatal- ¡°So we¡¯ll change the conditions of the game¡­but doing that would be betraying a promise made with the future king. We can¡¯t have that. That wouldn¡¯t be a good thing for someone as powerful as me. Indeed, indeed, to go easy on you because of your grumbling, now that would be foolish. I suppose all that talk about your pride was just crap, Christina Noir!¡± ¡°¡­what did you just say?¡± The humiliation was too much, my brain stoppedpletely. Pride. The pride of a genius that my mother entrusted to me and the pride of my position as a noble is what makes the blue blood run through my veins. To a genius like me, the only emotion I had was pride from those two factors. Aside from Mariwa, no one had ever dishonoured my pride. ¡®Pride¡¯, to me, was sacred. It was what I was born into, held, and raised with. He was trampling on that. ¡°Ha, haha, hahahaha¡± What emerged as I perfectly understood the humiliation being forced upon me, wasughter. The voice was too smooth for the emotions, and as myughter echoed endlessly in this ce, I finally went past my limit. ¡°Hahaha, hahahahaha, hahahahahahahahaha! A sword match it is. The one who¡¯s gonna get hit will be you, bastard!¡± I am a noble. Even if it put me at a disadvantage, I will hold onto my pride. I red at His Smarmy Highness. To a noble there are times when even if you know you will lose, you cannot quit. Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- The match hadn¡¯t even started, and yet, aggravatingly, His Highness Endo was smiling triumphantly. I somehow kept my face from turning into a dreadful expression. The way of ady, afterall, was to face provocation with a sweet smile. Not that I was actually provoked. Despite how it seemed, I hadn¡¯t actually been carried away by my emotions and blundered the details when I dered I¡¯d participate. This was simply a part of my genius revenge, as such there wasn¡¯t actually anything to regret. I should hardly have to say this, but as the noble daughter of the Noir House I have never even touched a sword before. That was to be expected. ¡®Cause I¡¯m ady. No one would have ever thought that I would be expected to fight with a sword. Except Mariwa, who was practically irvoyant, why would anyone ever think I would need to learn swordsmanship? But, it was probably going to be okay. I was not only born a genius, but also with the will of Heaven backing me up. That¡¯s why it¡¯s okay, even if it¡¯s a match where I couldn¡¯t see a way to win. Who knows, maybe a miracle will ur and I¡¯ll be able to seize victory. I convinced myself of that. Because I am a genius. ¡°What are you looking so triumphant about, Your Highness Endo?¡± There¡¯s no way I, a genius, would ever lose to this guy. I said it straight out, undaunted. Even if it had no basis ¨C I had to backup my resolute pride. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would lose to someone like, Your Highness in a sword fight. I¡¯ll have you know that I am a genius!¡± ¡°Still bluffing I see, well bring it on. You do have a barbaric personality. It wouldn¡¯t be too strange for you to have gone and learnt swordsmanship somewhere. Is that where your confidence ising from?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± using me, a perfectdy, of having a barbaric personality, what rubbish. I scoffed at his off the mark assumptions. ¡°A prince shouldn¡¯t say such a ridiculous thing. Look at my smooth palms. These are the hands of ady who has never held anything heavier than a teacup.¡± ¡°No matter how you look, seeing you with that bad personality iming to be ady is too funny¡­If that were true, there¡¯s no way you could ever think you¡¯d win against me in a fight.¡± ¡°Probably a miracle will happen. Your Highness will slip on a banana peel during the match or get struck by lightning and die, something like that will happen. And then I will im the victory. It has already been decided so by the heavens.¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? Relying on something like luck in gambling. I¡¯m the number one favourite child beloved by destiny you know? Topete with a future king like me on the power of luck, I can¡¯t express just how much of an imbecile you are.¡± ¡°You im to have a friend in destiny, but you¡¯re just setting your inferior character in stone. I kind of want to beat up that friend of yours a little bit for making a cocky bastard like you, would you introduce me to them? Since a while ago, I¡¯ve been nning to beat so-called destiny to death, but they¡¯re unfortunately skilled at running away. Is that it? If I hit Your Highness will I finally be able to punch destiny in the face?¡± ¡°Grr.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The hostility continued to rise as we exchanged words. Finally, our seething res met like the sh of swords. Endo¡¯s blue eyes eloquently seemed to say ¡®I hate you¡¯. But that¡¯s fine, let¡¯s just rx. After all, I happened to hate Endo¡¯s guts. I hated him before we even met thanks to my game knowledge, but now that we had met face to face I truly understood. We would never, ever, get along. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You just wait right there, Christina Noir! I¡¯ll get permission from the parade ground and bring along a witness. Just tremble in fear until then!¡± ¡°Ha! It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯te back, dimwit! Just get assassinated in the hallway why don¡¯t you, Your Bastard Highness! It¡¯d be for the benefit of this country!¡± ¡°Just endure it, stupid woman! I¡¯ll definitely beat the crap out of you when I get back!¡± With that he left the room acting so crass you wouldn¡¯t think he was a royal. Going through his head right now, rather than our bet, rather than revenge on Charles, was probably just the desire to rip me apart. Well, it can¡¯t be helped. ¡°¡­Heh¡± Alone in the room atst I finally let the corners of my mouth lift into a satisfied smile. ¡°Hehehe¡± I could no longer hold back theughter leaking out. I¡¯d held it back for so long. To tell the truth, at the time he said it would be a sword fight, my victory had been assured. Leading a conversation was my specialty after all. This time I only had to provoke His Dumb Arrogant Highness Endo and things went just as nned. Since a while back I had just been acting during this fight. That¡¯s right, acting. I wasn¡¯t particrly upset, and I hadn¡¯t lost myself in his provocations either. My actions hadn¡¯t been spurred on by the heat of the moment. Well now that the nuisance was gone, the servants made every hospitality avable to me. As if, after having been unable to treat a guest properly, they were now going above and beyond to make up for it. Tea and sweets were almost immediately provided, as if they had been waiting for this exact moment. I had to try each and every delicacy they had brought me. There was no way I could be rude after all. I took a sip of the ck tea one of the servants had brought it. ¡°¡­Mmm?¡± The taste and temperature that met my tongue, the full bodied scent that reached my nose, I was a bit taken aback. It was better quality than the tea from home. There hadn¡¯t been a single good thing since I had arrived at the pce, but this, this was delicious. The reserved attitude of the servants who didn¡¯t even boast was also wonderful. As expected of a pce, even the quality of their servants was admirable. I considered what would happen from here on out, working to keep a smile of pure joy at how surprisingly delicious everything was off my face. As His Highness Endo had said, my loss in a physical sword fight was inevitable. However, ady had other ways of fighting a war. He just hadn¡¯t realised it yet. Which was unsurprising, since he didn¡¯t have a single friend let alone the social skills to know the blunder he wasmitting. But I was confident that my victory was assured. Let me put it this way; if this were an official sword duel then I would indeed have already lost. But this wasn¡¯t a rule bound proper match now was it? His Highness nned to settle this with simple violence. That was, in a sense, an honest victory. Since it¡¯s clear that I am superior in intelligence, to challenge me with the blunt force of violence is an effective tactic. To attack you opponent¡¯s weak point is a simple way to win. However, in this world, weakness could be someone¡¯s weapon. Especially in an aristocratic society obsessed with honor, like the one we were in. As a sheltered young master, His Highness who doesn¡¯t know this, has started down his path to ruin all by himself. All I need to do is slowly await His Highness¡¯s ruin. As I reclined and enjoyed myself, the hallway outside became turbulent. It seems there¡¯s a visitor. With only a look between us, the perceptive servants sent me a nod ofprehension and begun preparing for more guests. After a little while it seemed my tranquil time hade to an end, so I savored the taste of the tea and the sweets. I couldn¡¯t me the delicious treats for the sins of their master. ¡°Lady Christina.¡± ¡°They are most wee to enter.¡± Permission was required before anyone would be allowed into the room, as was proper courtesy. I had a rough idea of who it would be. With a silent bow the servants opened the door, and in came a gentleman roughly pulling His Highness Endo in behind him. ¡°Please excuse the discourtesy.¡± ¡°Igusa! Bastard, what do y¡ª¨Cugh gah!?¡± His Highness Endo was cut off before he could finish what he was saying. His words were interrupted by his head being pushed down by force. Ha. How unsightly. It serves you right to be treated so cruelly I thought. Inside I was gloating with joy, but I kept my face nk. ¡°It is our first meeting, Lady Christina Noir. I am His highness Endo¡¯s fencing instructor, Viscount Igusa.¡± All colour was draining from Igusa¡¯s face. It doesn¡¯t take much to see right through him. From what I could guess from the state of affairs, Endo had ordered him to be the witness for their duel. His pupil, challenging a woman, even worse the younger daughter of a Duke to a mock duel. With that he had be pale. ¡°Viscount Igusa, it seems you are acquainted with who I am, shall we still do the necessary introductions?¡± Equipped with the mask of ady, I warmly smiled at Igusa in wee. I had some pity for him, but I also med him somewhat for the poor education behind Endo¡¯s growing arrogance. As a person in charge of Endo¡¯s education, I would like him to at least take responsibility for this situation. ¡°No, I have been hearing of the talented and celebrated Lady Christina for a while now. ¡­On this asion it seems His Highness has lost his mind, I cannot apologise enough. As you can see his highness is reflecting-¡± ¡°Oi, Igusa. That brat over there is a rude pig you know. It¡¯s fine for me to beat her up without restraint, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything.¡± ¡°Please shut up, Your Highness¡­!¡± ¡°Urk!?¡± Igusa¡¯s face looked like he had swallowed a bug as he forced His Definitely-Not-Repenting Highness¡¯s head down again. Seeing as Endo couldn¡¯t even read this obvious situation, he must give his instructor a lot of trouble. After checking that Igusa wasn¡¯t looking my way, I sneered at Endo¡¯s disgraceful disy. Why don¡¯t you take a look and see, Endo? This? This is my victory. Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Suppose an adult, with some sense, was to be told that the Crown Prince had tried to challenge a young noble girl to a sword duel. What do you think they would do upon finding out? The answer is the obvious of obvious, you put a stop to it. Then, you¡¯d reprimand. This might have been a bit of a strong y to spread the fact that Endo was missing a few screws. But since I arrived today, his downfall was due to his ownck ofmon sense. Even in the royal pcemon sense is definitely still around. So of course His Idiot Highness was safely stopped by an adult. ¡°His Highness Endo is seriously reflecting on his actions and would like to take back everything he has said-¡± ¡°Let me go, Igusa! You think it¡¯s okay for a viscount like you to pin down the head of the crown prince!?¡± Endo had probably just lost his final chance. And after Viscount Igusa had gone through all that trouble to try and smooth things over for him. A selfish student who can¡¯t read the mood is also a disaster for the teacher. Even so, the attack this time is too tant to be overlooked. ¡°Repent¡­? His Highness doesn¡¯t seem to be in agreement though¡­¡± I tilted my head with a slightly doubtful look. Even when ady isining, she must retain a refined demeanor. I felt bad for Viscount Igusa who¡¯s face stiffened at my words, but what I really wanted to say was much worse; ¡®I am holding quite a grudge against your student, so please torture him mercilessly for me¡¯. At my words Endo red up as expected. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not! Why the hell should I have to repent?¡± ¡°Just shut up, please¡­!¡± Finally Viscount Igusa, who had already had to deal with so much today, mped Endo¡¯s mouth shut with his hands. If he held the nose as well Endo could surely faint, but of course that wouldn¡¯t happen. Even though I¡¯d probably like him more if he was unconscious. ¡°It is as you see, Viscount Igusa.¡± In contrast to the entertaining situation in front of me that held nothing back, I had quietly locked away all my uncivilised desires in the jewel box of my heart. I am ady. I cannot forget my manners and roll around inughter at His Shameful Highness. ¡°To show you such an unsightly thing, it is inexcusable Lady Christina! Please ept my sincerest apologies.¡± ¡°Well, I shall receive your apology¡­It seems you¡¯ve had a hard time as well.¡± Only thest part was sincere. As a daughter of the nobility I had heard a few rumours about the pce. It seemed that Endo had unbelievably not caused any real problems until now. The Royal family¡¯s problem child was said to be Charles. Endo was known to be arrogant but with his excellent grades they didn¡¯t care too much. All Endo¡¯s tutors must be blind. Either that or the royal family¡¯s education principles have gone in a ridiculously strange direction. ¡°While I am just a girl, I carry the honor of House Noir on my shoulders as its daughter. I have held my pride to protect my house. To have such abuse hurled at me, I cannot stay silent, would you not agree?¡± ¡°Just when did a bitch like you stay quiet and take my words!?¡± I was quite rxed as I knew that Viscount Igusa would automatically shut Endo¡¯s irritating mouth again. I may be saying this, but I thought it was quite a feat how I had manipted the situation such that I could one-sidedlyin freely. ¡°Such words¡­Whatever shall we do now, Viscount Igusa? Even though as it is now I will have to return home to my father tell him exactly what has happened here today¡­?¡± Not that I would. Those threatening words were the opposite of what I actually thought. My father strangely has no confidence in me. If I was to tell him what happened today, he would groundlessly assume that I was the one in the wrong and rush to apologise to the royal family. Be that as it may, to Viscount Igusa who didn¡¯t know those circumstances, it was quite a threat. ¡°¡­What is it that Lady Christina wishes for?¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± I put my finger to my jaw and looked studious. While my threat just then was light, I also needed to keep this story from spreading. However, on this asion to be satisfied with just a promise of secrecy was a little¡­ I had no need for an apology made up of just words, nor for money or presents. Anything given to me by his highness, well, I would have it burnt with the trash. My wish was not for something trivial like that. My wish was to cause Endo even greater suffering. ¡°Sincerity.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± I had been sure that he would be troubled by such a vague demand, but there wasn¡¯t a moment of hesitation in Viscount Igusa¡¯s reply. ¡°I will make it so that His Highness fully understands the mess he has caused today. As his swordsmanship instructor, I have received prior permission from His Majesty to use corporal punishment when critical. Although I am only his swordsmanship instructor, I believe it will be sufficient. What it means to be a gentleman, I am fully prepared to drill it into his body. Please have confidence in me.¡± Viscount Igusa¡¯s eyes were serious. I was left blinking in surprise at the oue that was very different to my predictions. ¡°Corporal punishment?¡± ¡°Yes. It is different to the teaching methods ady would know, but its effectiveness is guaranteed.¡± ¡°I see. Well if it¡¯s like that, then I am convinced. Afterall, we are both still children. Making such a big deal out of it would be strange.¡± Though I understood the pain of receiving 100shings a day from my own training, I wouldn¡¯t have to see the actual punishment in person. Besides, having corporal punishment added to Endo¡¯s everyday life wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. ¡°Words cannot express your kindness, Lady Christina. In my effort to teach His Highness how to be a strong leader I have been misguided and caused this¡­No. I have no excuses for this.¡± Well it¡¯s true that there isn¡¯t really any excuses for this. Even if you say that, the real problem here is Endo who caused all this. I might be forced to kick His Highness while he¡¯s down to really teach him his lesson. ¡°Viscount Igusa. If I may be allowed to talk to His Highness in private?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± In order topletely break Endo, Igusa being here was now just an inconvenience. At my request, Viscount Igusa nced between his raging student and my small lonely figure with worry. Even though I was really the dangerous one right now. ¡°I beg of you, please?¡± ¡°I understand. If his Highness does anything, please call and I shall return at once.¡± ¡°Thank you, Viscount Igusa, I will be relying on you.¡± With a sweet smile I easily broke his weak resistance. With the door shut, at the departure of Igusa and the servants. I waited until I was sure there was no one but us around to break into a wide smile. ¡°Heh¡± I took off the mask of ady that I had been wearing until now, and scoffed at Endo with my true face. After having hidden my true feeling for so long, being able to show my true feelings on my face felt pleasant. I slowly crossed my legs and though I was sitting down while he stood, I was definitely the one looking down on him. ¡°Well you heard it yourself, Your Highness. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°¡­Bastard, you were like an entirely different person.¡± ¡°It was obviously just me. I trust you still remember our promise though, Your Highness? That from now on I may be as rude as I like to you?¡± ¡°¡­.tch. We didn¡¯t even have the match.¡± ¡°Oh? While technically correct¡­¡± While gnashing his teeth in frustration, Endo tried to wriggle out of the contract. I responded obediently. I didn¡¯t still use his title out of politeness. I just didn¡¯t want people to think we were close friends on a first name basis. ¡°I see, I see. It is indeed as Your Highness said. We did not have the match.¡± ¡°What do you want to say¡­! If you have something to say, why don¡¯t you just spit it out!¡± It seems that he saw through my sarcasm. As if he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, his words came out roughly. To his demand I merely smiled sweetly. ¡°If you say so, Your Highness. It¡¯s not anything of much significance but¡­you do see that you don¡¯t have the power to hold the type of match you want right?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A vein bulged on his forehead even though I had only obediently responded to his order. I wonder why he¡¯s so upset? I am onlyying down the bare facts just like he told me to¡­ ¡°Shall I say it again, Your Highness? Have you understood that even with all you have, any poprity, nning and all that you have worked all these years for, that even then you don¡¯t have the power to have a sword duel? Once you finally understand, just let me know. Then we¡¯ll see if you can honestly say that ¡®we didn¡¯t have a match¡¯.¡± ¡°Guh¡­!¡± ¡°Saying we ¡®didn¡¯t¡¯ rather than ¡®couldn¡¯t¡¯, is that your pride? Hah. To think the future king wouldn¡¯t know his own limits? And then to go back on his word? How despicable. Your ce in society will be that of an irresponsible liar who¡¯s word means nothing! Do you understand yet, Your Highness!?¡± ¡°I understand! It was my bad! If I say that, it should satisfy a fox like you!¡± ¡°Exactly! Looks like you could finally say the words I wanted to hear! Let me praise you! I¡¯m so proud of you, Your Highness Endo!¡± He made a strangled sound. If one was to say what sort of sound it was, it would be that of His Highness reaching his limit. It would appear that when Endo has been pushed so far that his face has be wiped clean. What fun. To have perfectly cornered this bastard of a prince is incredibly satisfying. However, the fun really starts from here on out. My anger, irritation and hate have not disappeared. I want to hurt him with my words until his pride is a broken, dead husk on the ground. As I was thinking this, the very guy I was thinking about turned on his heel towards the door. ¡°Where are you off to, Endo Your Highness?¡± ¡°To the toilet.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It was obvious he was lying, but I decided to see how this would y out. Such a prideful prince wouldn¡¯t just run away with his tail between his legs. Though he was probably leaving to try and find a way to get back at me, I wasn¡¯t worried. With Viscount Igusa backing me up, Endo was limited in what he could do. I only had to wait until I had finished thest of the sweets and tea for the door to open again. Well let¡¯s see what reinforcements His Highness has brough. His wastedst minute futile resistance, I raised my head leisurely without much expectation. ¡°Eh?¡± My cheeks stiffened. Endoing back was expected. I wasn¡¯t the least bit scared by Endo who was ring with enough of a grudge to cut through bone. I honestly couldn¡¯t care less. The problem was the person behind him. ¡°¡­Chris?¡± The person using my nickname was a size smaller than the eleven year old Endo. Even if it was just the shadowy figure of a child stepping through the door I knew exactly who it was. The third prince, my fiance. ¡°We finally meet.¡± Charles, hade through the door. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Thank you for letting me know Chris had arrived, brother.¡± ¡°What, don¡¯t worry about it. She¡¯s your fiance right? I had heard you hadn¡¯t met for a while so, just gratefully receive my kindness.¡± ¡°Of course, thank you very much.¡± My palms began to sweat at their conversation. I wanted to rip His Shameless Highness Endo¡¯s smug smile off his face, but that would be a careless move. Most importantly, even as he talked to Endo Charles¡¯ eye didn¡¯t leave me for a second. I could sense the re in his eyes. It seemed Charles wasn¡¯t very happy with me. Well this had been going on for two years already. And then at the party, our long awaited reunion, I had been too scared to face him. It was clear why Endo had brought Charles here. Endo knew I was avoiding Charles. It was undeniable since the whole reason he had called me to the pce was because of those rumors. That¡¯s why he had thrown us together like this. Still something didn¡¯t quite make sense. ¡°Your Highness Endo, just how much of a fool can you be! Even though you knew I didn¡¯t want to!? I knew you were dumb as soon as I met you, but to think you¡¯re this idiotic!¡¯ ¡°What? You bastard, what are you saying all of a sudden!¡± Having easily been provoked Endo raised his finger and yelled back. Unlike the red face of the ape Endo, Charles didn¡¯t react at all and kept eyeing me cooly. He was blocking the only exit from the room so I couldn¡¯t run away. Darn. He was being much more cautious than usual. It was obvious he wasn¡¯t going to let me run away this time. My only chance was to use Endo. ¡°Insulting someone out of the blue, how can you call yourself ady!¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you spit out your true motive in calling me here today?! If you can say that much maybe I¡¯ll even say that Your Foolish Highness isn¡¯t an idiot!¡± ¡°My motive? My only motive is to beat you into the dust!¡± ¡°Ha, I don¡¯t think so!¡± I red back at Endo, he was somehow an even bigger idiot that I¡¯d thought. The hell did he think he was saying. What is he even thinking? Didn¡¯t he call me here to torment Charles? He was the one who so confidently told me to be his queen! It made no sense for him to put me and Charles in the same room! ¡°Your Highness Endo¡­.you, can you in all honesty say that?¡± ¡°Of course. Today I fully understood. I was born to smash an arrogant bastard like you to pieces.¡± What an utterly useless reason to be born. I just couldn¡¯t stomach being lectured about arrogance from this conceited ass. ¡°Christina Noir. Reconciling with my brother is child¡¯s y if it¡¯s to teach you a lesson!¡± ¡°Reconcile?¡­Big brother? Were we in a fight?¡± Sure enough Charles hadn¡¯t been aware of the hostility his brother held towards him. It was a very Charles reponse. I sent Endo a death re. ¡°What an honor. I am the reason such brothers have reconciled. How d I am to hear that¡­.as if! Just what are you nning?!¡± ¡°Sure I don¡¯t know the particrs bastard, but I know you¡¯re avoiding Charles, right? Since that¡¯s the case I figured it would be interesting to bring you two together. Hahaha. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see results so soon!¡± ¡°Grr. This lying bastard who couldn¡¯t even carry out his original ns¡­.! Just you wait, one day I¡¯ll finally beat you to death!¡± ¡°Ha! Just try it, I¡¯ll have your whole family killed for treason against the country! Are you prepared to condemn your whole family? I didn¡¯t think so! With your level of stupid pride, all you can do is say big words!¡± ¡°Stop kidding around fool! As if I would leave behind proof!¡± He would already be dead right now if I didn¡¯t have to protect Michelie. Even if it¡¯s not by my hands, Endo will be assassinated eventually. Letting a fool like him be king will ruin this country. ¡°First of all Your Highness, why don¡¯t you try and remember your little speech from when you challenged me to a match! If I lost, what was it you said you were nning to do again? Do you really need me to remind you? It was something along of the lines of ¡®be my queen¡¯ wasn¡¯t it? Ha!¡± It happened so quickly I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Without a second of hesitation Charles drove his fist right into Endo¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Wa- Charles, you bastard-?!¡± ¡°Hm? What was that? Big brother is also my enemy? Are you Michelie No.2? You seem exactly like her. ¡®Ch¡¯ did you say? Cheek? I can pinch your cheeks?¡± Endo screamed as Charles mercilessly pinch and pulled at his cheeks. Rather than pain, it seemed to be from the humiliation. Probably the most humiliating thing anyone had ever dared do to him. ¡°O-Oi wait a sec Charles!¡± Endo tried to escape from Charles, waving his hands as he spouted excuses. ¡°Stop- I said stop it already. I¡¯m not your enemy. I¡¯m your ally. I was just fooling around¡­It was a prank on her! I would never actually ask a feisty bitch like her to be my woman!¡± ¡°Oh? Care to repeat that big brother? You did it to humiliate Chris? Even if you were just fooling around, you know, I¡¯m so angry I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do?¡± ¡°Why- What are you saying Charles! Your enemy is over there!¡± Endo seemed to be panicking not only at the sudden fight, but also that his inferior younger brother was winning. As Charles unleashed his anger, the room fell into chaos. However, on the flip side of chaos was opportunity. By provoking Endo to distract Charles, I had finally found an opening. Since they were busy fighting each other, I tried to silently sneak to the door. ¡°Where are you going Chris¡­¡± A shriek escaped as I jumped in surprise. Until just a second ago he had been upied with punishing Endo, but he had somehow caught onto my escape attempt. Since my back was turned, I hadn¡¯t seen how it had happened, but Charles had managed to catch the edge of my sleeve with his fingertips. I felt restrained by that slight touch. In this situation I couldn¡¯t run away. Resigned to my fate, I cautiously turned towards him. Seeing his unexpected expression made my breath catch. His blue eyes were swimming in tears. ¡°Sneaking away¡­?¡± Still holding my cuff, it looked like those tears would start falling any second now. ¡°Ah, no, that um, Your Highness Charles¨C¡± ¡°Why do you run away when I try to meet you? When we talk, why are you always in your second form? When you were talking to my brother you were just regr Chris. I don¡¯t understand. Even though I¡¯ve been thinking about it this whole time I still don¡¯t understand at all.¡± ¡°¨Caah¡± As I was being questioned by those teary eyes. My mask begun to chip away and my lips wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°Is it about the right distance to keep? Even though I said I¡¯d let you decide, is this what you¡¯ve decided? If, if this is the distance you¡¯ve decided, then I hate it.¡± Even as he brought up the conversation we had two years ago, I still couldn¡¯t say a thing. Caught by his eyes I bit my lip as my throat seemed to stop working. I had never seen Charles make an expression like this. I felt like my heart was being wrenched out of my chest, and yet still I couldn¡¯t get a single word out. ¡°Chris¡­is it that you hate me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s impossible. If I hated you everything would be so very simple. If it was just that then I would just smash your self-esteem like I did Endo¡¯s and bend you to my will. Rather it¡¯s because I like you that it¡¯s all soplicated. From the moment I realised my feelings, I haven¡¯t had a clue what to do. I know I can¡¯t just touch you like I can with Michelie. And I know I can¡¯t just mess around with you like I can with Surfania. Even when I asked Mariwa what I should do my all-wise tutor only said I should think on it myself. I have no idea just what I should be doing. Since I can¡¯t think of any answers, all I can do is run away. Even if I¡¯m a genius, I still don¡¯t know what to do with these feelings when someday everyone will betray me? Who could understand my position? I can¡¯t tell a soul the things I know, so no one can understand why I¡¯m so afraid. What should I do so that I won¡¯t be hated by Charles¡ª ¡°Oi what the hell do you bastards think you¡¯re doing. What are you going to do by just staring at each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± I hadpletely forgotten Endo even existed. But at his sudden interruption everything suddenly became very clear. ¡°¡­¡­..¡± I looked at Endo with hollow eyes that reflected my nk heart. He looked dissatisfied that things were not going ording to how he thought they would. ¡°Hate each other more. Compete, fight, argue so I can be entertained. Isn¡¯t that what you guys always do?¡± ¡°Is your head okay big brother?¡± Even Charles¡¯ seemed worried about Endo¡¯s sanity. He hadpletely jumped from misunderstanding to downright fantasy. Unfortunately it was toote to do anything about his stupidity now. I made my way to the door without a trace of emotion. Of course it wasn¡¯t to run away. nkly I opened the door and rang the bell, the person I was looking for came running quickly. ¡°What can I do for you, Lady Christina?¡± ¡°Please take His Highness Endo away.¡± ¡°Eh? Ah, certainly.¡± Looking at my expressionless face, Viscount Igusa seemed to guess Endo had done something. It seemed I didn¡¯t need to say anything. Entering the room, Igusa smoothly grabbed Endo by his cor before he even had a chance to run away. ¡°A, wait, Igusa! Lemme go! From here on Christina Noir is going to lose face¨C¡± ¡°I understand, Your Highness Endo. As your instructor I am overjoyed at your desire to undertake extremely severe sword training. Thus, I shall do my best to train you.¡± As Endo was dragged out the door and down the hall, Endo¡¯s voice was lost. His screams that had been so loud just a second ago were now silenced. ¡°Fuu¡± The corner of my mouth rose just thinking about the pain that Endo was about to receive. With the root of evil gone, my low spiritspletely changed into bright ones. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Well then, Charles.¡± After I had seen His Highness¡¯ unsightly show of being dragged down the corridor, I abruptly turned around. Standing before me was of course, Charles. Still the fear and nervousness I usually felt in front of him was gone. My heart had never felt so light. It¡¯s alright, with my heart lightened I think I can manage this somehow. Sure, Endo¡¯s a useless idiotic bastard without a single redeeming quality, but for a genius like me I could use that to my advantage. This was my only chance to fix theplicated situation we were in. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What is it?¡± Without looking away Charles wiped away the tears from his big blue eyes.In the lighting through the window Charles¡¯ blonde hair seemed to shine. Go on, say it. Right now is your once in a lifetime opportunity to clear this up. Say it. Just speak Christina Noir! Spurred on by my inner voice I opened my mouth wide and- ¡°What nice weather it is today Charles!¡± Yup. I was mistaken. Just how deep into my unconscious was the urge to run away ingrained. I didn¡¯t want to say such a thing, and Charles didn¡¯t want to be told such a thing. That much was obvious. Only in front of Charles did I be such an idiot, even then I still knew that. Even Charles eyes¡¯ seem terribly displeased. ¡°That¡¯s right. The weather is nice. ¡­¡­so?¡± ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s not it. That¡¯s not what I wanted to say, ah¡­..¡± ¡°Yeah, then what did you want to say?¡± ¡°Urk-¡± My heart jumped as his voice dropped several degrees. I¡¯m not used to facing Charles when he¡¯s like this, it¡¯s making me jumpy. I¡¯m too conscious of him, and too worried about his reactions. Even though I know that¡¯s why I keep getting caught in this vicious cycle, I don¡¯t know how to escape it and not knowing just makes me even more impatient. I start to panic. It¡¯s better if I run away than to have our conversations turn so cold. These helpless thoughtse out and I lose my voice. ¡°¡­Chris?¡± His calling my name returned me to sanity. His voice cracked a little as he said my nickname, I could feel his uneasiness. I¡¯ve been driving myself crazy over pointless worries. I¡¯m not the only one annoyed at my indecisiveness, Charles is in the same boat. I have so many things I want to hear from Charles. But now is time for Charles to hear my side. Charles has never run away from me once, and he¡¯s never tried to force the conversation. So there¡¯s no reason for me to be so confused. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I take a deep breath. That breath fills my lungs and circtes through my body. I gradually manage to return my breathing to normal and oddly enough my heart also calmed down. ¡°Sorry¡± I finally said the words I¡¯d been holding onto for two years. If I could say that, then the rest was easy. ¡°To avoid you all this time, I¡¯m sorry I selfishly ran away. It doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯vee to hate you, Charles. I can¡¯t say it well, but that¡¯s definitely not what¡¯s going on¡± ¡°¡­okay¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, I don¡¯t really understand it myself. EVen now I still don¡¯t understand. But I know I¡¯ve been acting like a fool. ¡­..I kept running away, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t apologise enough.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s enough.¡± In the middle of my words Charles squeezed my cuff tightly. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t exin everything, I think I basically get it. Since it¡¯s Chris, I had a feeling it was something like this.¡± ¡°I see¡± ¡°But, I was scared I was wrong. Not knowing was so scary¡­..you can be such an idiot sometimes Chris.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I puffed my cheeks up in frustration at the most unthinkablement in the world. I, I ¨C I am a genius. I ran around the mansion freely at age one, could speak at age three, had read every book in the study by five, was praised as the perfectdy at my first ball at seven, realized my first love at nine, and now at eleven I could finally face that love. I am such a perfectdy that I have never received aint. But only this time, I won¡¯tin and apologise instead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t run away anymore it¡¯s fine¡± Rather than wasting time on the past, I need to seize the now and the future. I intend to follow those great words. But as a girl two years older than Charles, I couldn¡¯t seem weak in front of him. That¡¯s why, I¡¯ll smile instead. ¡®Aaah¡± A smile from the bottom of my heart. As if to show Charles that It¡¯s really me I smile as only I can. Finally after two years I¡¯m smiling in front of Charles. In front of the Charles I was so scared of, one day I will be able to be more honest. That¡¯s it, I finally get it. To understand your own feelings, it¡¯s just as Mariwa said. This has to be what Mariwa was talking about. Impatience, fear, confusion, they¡¯re all my emotions and I can own that. This is the first step to being true to myself. That¡¯s why I could say these words honestly. ¡®I won¡¯t run away anymore.¡± ¡®¡­I understand. with that it¡¯s okay.¡± Though he still looks a bit sulky, my fiance forgave me with that. With this small exchange he let my two years of dishonesty be the past. Letting all the worries I¡¯d kept in my heart unravel, I could finally feel relief. I¡¯m d. Everything is back to normal now. It was concluded so easily I doubted why I¡¯d been worrying all this time. The load on my chest was finally gone, I felt the relief I hadn¡¯t had for two whole years. Now at ease I made to stroke Charles¡¯ hair as I once had. ¡°By the way Chris, Chris caught my hand halfway. ¡°Yes?¡± As he held my caught hand I tilted my neck in confusion. Charles muttered as he brought my hand to his lips. ¡°I won¡¯t let chris run away anymore either¡± To Charles who asionally looked so much like Michelie I was frozen. At the same time as he finished speaking, the face that looked just like my beloved sister¡¯s, kissed my hand. It was the way a gentleman expressed affection to ady. It was often done as a formality at parties, but at those time ady would have gloves on. My hand was bare. ¡°Charles¡­¡± I held my kissed hand to my chest as Charles smiled cheerfully. ¡°What Chris? You¡¯re face is bright red.¡± Of course. No matter how simr they looked, the meaning waspletely different to when Michelie did it. Charles isn¡¯t a member of my family yet. I sent a disgruntled expression to the very calm Charles, as my cheeks burned. ¡°¡­..I¡¯ll forgive you this time.¡± In our two years apart he had be a bit conceited. I frowned. Charles didn¡¯t seem to have even a speck of remorse for kissing ady without permission. ¡®That¡¯s why next time make sure to ask first.¡± Charles smiled a little as I berated him. ¡°As I thought, Chris is just too cute.¡± ¡°Guh-¡­¡­! I¡¯m leaving! Bye Charles!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle over to y soon.¡± It seems that after two years things will never go back exactly the way they were. I informed the servant of my departure, all the while gently stroking the spot Charles had kissed. A small smile ys on my mouth. Rather than going back, it seemed we¡¯d managed to take a step forward. ¡°Charles¡­.¡± Where he had kissed still felt warm. Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Somehow the story of reconciliation between the fiances had became rather distorted. For some reason everyone seemed to think that His Highness Endo had called me to the pce to make us reconcile. ording to the rumor, Endo was a kind elder brother who had been troubled at Charles¡¯ estrangement from his fiance, and had personally worked hard to bring us back together. Thanks to his tireless efforts the Duke¡¯s daughter Christina Noir and the third prince Charles Edward returned to their previously close rtionship. How on earth did the story end up like this. The only true part is the result, the rest of the rumor is just fantasy. Even so, why are people giving His Idiot Highness credit? Even if I can rationally understand it, my heart won¡¯t. No, rather, this must be the work of Viscount Igusa. This must be how Endo¡¯s retainers cover up what a horrible person he actually is. By overwriting his disgraceful behaviour into some kind of moving tale. Well, this kind ofmon gossip was still preferable to the old malicious rumors. Even though Mariwa would surely tell me to just grin and bear it. Especially since it¡¯s working in your favour, I couldn¡¯t ept him rising in people¡¯s esteem. As I was in the middle of trying to understand how strangely the world works, the door was flung open. ¡°Bis sister! You in here?!¡± ¡°Michelie?¡± I jumped a little at Michelie¡¯s over-the-top energy. Unlike father, Michelie was free toe into my room whenever she wanted, but usually she would at least knock. ¡°I am here, can I help you with anything?¡± Even though when we were younger I could understand everything about her, now that I was keeping my distance there were more and more moments when I couldn¡¯t read her. When I asked the reason for her visit, face sparkling with energy she showed me what she was holding. ¡°Look, I made gloves! I wanted to give it to you. Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I forgot to knock.¡± ¡°Ooh, so that¡¯s what it was. Don¡¯t worry about such a small thing. I¡¯m always happy when youe to see me¡± She had probably wanted to show me as soon as possible. As she held out the gloves, I finally recovered from my shock and smiled at my little sister. Michelie was really into embroidery right now. While she had previously learned a little bit from a maid. Recently, she had be very passionate about it. To be precise, it started when I came home from the pce. It seems that as I was telling Michelie about what happened with Charles, she was hit with sudden inspiration. As such she had thrown herself into embroidery these past few days. It¡¯s not like I have any interest in embroidery myself. I¡¯m just not cut out for such constant detailed work. Once I had learnt the basic skills I was content to never embroider again. Though I was still honestly pleased that Michelie excelled though, even if it wasn¡¯t a shared hobby. ¡°Anyway, you really worked hard. It took a lot of effort to make right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I worked really hard!¡± An older sister should always encourage and praise her little sister, even if they don¡¯t care about the actual hobby itself. While one should always boast about their own achievements, there is no older sister alive who wouldn¡¯t praise her little sister for trying her best. Even if I had distanced myself, I am still truly her older sister. That¡¯s why I praise her. There¡¯s no reason to be harsh like Mariwa. I¡¯m not a demon big sister. ¡°Hehe, Michelie is indeed my little sister. Your effort is always rewarded with results.¡± ¡°Ehehe, I¡¯m your little sister after all!¡± Even though I was holding back and couldn¡¯t hug her like I used to, Michelie still seemed pleased even with just my words. ¡°Hey big sister. Would you wear these for me?¡± ¡®Of course¡± ¡°Yes! Then can I have your hands?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± There was no reason to reject her cute request so I obediently held out my hands. After patting the back of my hand as if to gently wiping away a stain, Michelie finally put the gloves on me. As expected the actual gloves had probably been made by a maid. The smooth silk fit me perfectly. There was no way someone as inexperienced as Michelie could have made such aplicated pattern. The white gloves were adorned with cross stitches at the wrist and on embroidered on the index finger was a slightly crooked heart. So cute. Especially the heart. I could feel the love that had gone into it. The small mistakes just made it all the more lovely, as I brought it up to my face I noticed something on the back of my hand. ¡°Michelie, what is this pattern?¡± This part was done with thread matching the gloves, so I hadn¡¯t noticed it at first. I didn¡¯t think I had seen such a pattern before. Unlike the other designs it seemed to be some kind of geometric pattern. I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that such symbolic patterns were a hobby of Michelie¡¯s. Michelie smiled widely at my question. ¡°It¡¯s a curs¡ª-I mean a good luck charm!¡± ¡°I see, a good luck charm!¡± I felt my mood rising at the pure energy in her voice. A good luck charm. That makes sense. It¡¯s popr among girl¡¯s around Micheli¡¯s age. I nodded in understanding as I traced the white thread that made the good luck charm. it felt like a reflection of Micheli¡¯s heart. ¡°By the way, does this good luck charm have a specific effect?¡± ¡®Ummm well, It¡¯s a talisman that with repel Charl¡ªI mean enemies froming near big sister. It wards off evil? Something like that.¡± ¡°Oho, what a promising effect!¡± It¡¯s perfect in supporting a genius such as me. Even if I don¡¯t know where the charm came from, Michelie still embroidered it for me. Those feelings are what matter. While the gloves aren¡¯t appropriate for high society, I can surely wear them around the house or with close friends. As long as I wear this, it should keep His Highness Endo froming near me. What perfect timing for such a gift. ¡°Michelie always seems to know just what I need¡± ¡°Ehehe¡± This time not just with words, I praised her by patting her head softly. Michelie squeezed her eyes shut as if it was slightly ticklish. ¡°¡­..I think that¡¯s more true for big sister¡± ¡°Hmm? What was that?¡± ¡°Well-, nothing at all¡± Michelie just shakes her head and smiles as I missed what she mumbled. ¡°More importantly, big sister. If you wear them it will make me very happy. When you¡¯re at home or¡­.especially when you go out to meet your friends!¡± My sister is a true gem. I agreed with a big smile, something made by my precious Michelie, of course I was going to show it off whenever I could. ¡°Sure, I definitely will.¡± ¡°Thank you big sister!¡± Hand in hand, we shared our love and eternal sisterly bond. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°As such, these gloves were made for me by Michelie and are as such a unique masterpiece!¡± ¡°Hmm¨C¡± We were in the usual room in the Calibrachoa house. My close friend Surfania nodded at my boasting, all the while taking a close look at the gloves I was showing off. ¡°I see. That would exin the obsessive aura the gloves give off. This here is a curse pattern.¡± ¡°Bastard, it¡¯s a good luck charm!¡± Surfania¡¯s misunderstanding about these gloves made by a pure angel caused me to say some words unbefitting of ady. She didn¡¯t explode in anger though. Surfania gives me a questioning nce as I refused to repent. ¡°To think you woulde to my house only to badmouth me. Are you trying to curse me instead? Do you have some grudge against me? Please get over it. How can you be so cruel.¡± ¡°How many times do I have to tell you it¡¯s a good luck charm?¡± ¡°My apologies. But, I won¡¯t agree with you no matter how many times you say it.¡± So stubborn. Even when I re at her, Surfania simply returned my re, without changing her tone at all. Letting out a sigh, I give up trying to persuade her. ¡°Honestly¡­there¡¯s no reason for an angel to make a curse.¡± ¡°Even if you say you¡¯ve stepped back from overly spoiling her, you haven¡¯t stopped your blind faith in your beloved Michelie. What was the point of stepping back?¡± ¡°Though I still love her just as dearly, I¡¯ve stopped being so overprotective of her, wasn¡¯t that the whole point?¡± Since the moment I met her, I knew I would love Michelie the most forever. I¡¯ve stopped smothering her for her own good, but it¡¯s not as if I love her any less. That¡¯s why I have no intentions to stop telling everyone just how amazing my little sister is. The fact that, Michelie is the most important person in the world to me, will never change. At my blunt words, this time, it was Surfania who let out a resigned sigh. ¡°So that¡¯s it, ¡­..still, I¡¯m a little jealous of those gloves¡± ¡°Right?¡± They¡¯re a present from my beloved little sister after all. Not only am I delighted, but everyone around me must be so jealous. My expression melted a little with happiness as Surfania changed her tune. ¡°Not quite. Looking at how these were made, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the intended target for the curse. This is definitely a curse for whoever kisses the hand of the one wearing these. I want a pair for myself¡­.. the curse seems quite effective.¡± ¡°What the hell are you saying¡­.¡± With those envious eyes it seems she is actually being serious. Believing in such nonsense at our age is really pitiful She¡¯s been a shut in for so long her thoughts have be pure fantasy. ¡°Don¡¯t you see? Your sister was inspired to make these after hearing about what happened with Charles.¡± ¡°We, well yes but-¡± Even if I thought she was saying rubbish my cheeks still blushed when remembering when he kissed my hand. ¡°Um well, certainly she was surprised to hear Charles had kissed me but she wouldn¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°if you say so¡­¡­Heh.¡± Surfania broke into a triumphant smile as she saw me unconsciously stroking the back of my hand for some reason. ¡°Hey Chris, While it may sound like a fairytale to some¡­..in the end everything really was solved with a kiss.¡± ¡°Geh-¡± I had no smart retort for Surfania¡¯s unexpectedment. ¡°Well, Chris is enough of a simpleton to be in a childish fairytale afterall.¡± ¡°Grr¡­..¡± Even though watching Surfania hum with sess was annoying as anything, I couldn¡¯t argue back. Since it¡¯s that you know. Talking with Charles had healed our rift, with the kiss like a parting gift. That¡¯s why I should tell Surfania she¡¯s wrong but, there¡¯s still that. Because I was so surprised by what happened, there¡¯s no helping that it became the strongest memory of that day. ¡®She¡¯d understand if it happened to her¡¯, I thought, and that was when I had a very good idea. Surfania can say these things only because she has zero romantic experience. And because she has no such experiences she has absolutely no defenses. Heheh. Let¡¯s test this a little. ¡°Surfania¡± ¡°What is it Chris-¡± Right as Surfania responded I knelt and took her hand. her words were cut off half way as I brought her hand close to my lips. ¡°Surprised right-¡± My mocking words were cut off midway. As I nced up to see her reaction, she didn¡¯t seem shocked at all! At her unexpectedposure, far from panicking I pushed forward and calmly touched my lips to the back of her hand. With the cold air of an adult, Surfania slowly crossed her legs with an with an aloof charm. ¡°What a nice position we¡¯re in Chris. Let us greet each other this way from now on. Right now I am in a very good mood.¡± ¡®Who the hell do you think you are!¡± ¡°Wh-¡± As Surfania went to respond like a royal queen, I flicked her right in the centre of her forehead. ¡°Wh- what¡­You were the one who went and suddenly did that.¡± There was no trace of that imperial behaviour now as the weakling Surfania cried out and held the spot I had hit. ¡°Nonsense. What a face you¡¯re making. Fate should have made you the viiness instead.¡± ¡°Fate? wait, what, viiness did you say? What kind of viin is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I shook off Surfania¡¯s question with a vague response. If I told her the truth about fate she would just make fun of me for the rest of my life. ¡°Come one, I¡¯m curious. Viiness¡­Have you read a book even I haven¡¯t yet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said it was nothing geez.¡± I waved her off, even though she actually wasn¡¯t all that far off. Surfania pouted but reluctantly let it go. ¡°I see¡­.. then, want to y a boardgame?¡± ¡°Mm, not really.¡± Surfania who has grown up at a snail¡¯s pace has finally asked for a board game herself. Still, I didn¡¯t feel like staying inside for the rest of the day. Truthfully, on my way here I had heard something interesting. ¡°How about we go out today?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°I see, I see¡­¡± Even if she immediately declined my idea, I firmly grasped the back of her neck with a smile. ¡°Today we¡¯re going out I said!¡± ¡°Not a chance!¡± Not that I had ever intended to listen to her opinion from the start. So, slowly dragging her by the neck, I arranged to borrow the Calibrachoa family¡¯s coach. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Trantor: Cyrus There are people who dampen my mood the moment I step out. It¡¯s the type of people who are aggressive in their own territory, but they be weak and silent once they take a step outside theirfort zone. There¡¯s an expression from my past life that describes this type of person as ¡°a lion at home and a mouse abroad¡±. This type of person has a strong temperament at home, but is otherwise weak. What¡¯s my point? Surfania fits into this category. ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± It¡¯s only been a few minutes since we departed her home. The only thing we¡¯ve done is get on the carriage, and she¡¯s already saying that with a gloomy expression. ¡°Well, the carriage is shaking. Just sitting in here robs me of my alreadycking strength.¡± ¡°Oh really.¡± Just sitting there takes up her strength. I can¡¯t sympathize with her poor constitution. In truth, Surfania isn¡¯t really frail. As far as I know, she doesn¡¯t get sick despite her unhealthy lifestyle. Sheins about being ufortable in the carriage, but she doesn¡¯t get motion sickness. She also has the stamina to walk long distances, as she proved at the festival two years ago. Surfania¡¯s not athletic in any way, but she¡¯s born without any health problems. She should at least be grateful to her parents for that. ¡°¡­Hey, Chris.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Where are we going exactly?¡± ¡°To the church.¡± Her ignorance is annoying, so I tell her our destination. It¡¯s a small church at the outskirts of the town. Others who visit the church have an unshakable trust in the Calibrachoas, so we¡¯re easily permitted there. ¡¸I see. The church, huh¡­¡­¡¹ She nods, giving a distant look. She¡¯s giving me the impression that she¡¯s trying to look for an excuse to turn back. I want to tell her that nothing¡¯s going to happen, but it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s going to listen. ¡°I don¡¯t have any business there though. If it¡¯s about contributing money, my family should have that taken care of.¡± ¡°No, and we¡¯re not going there to tter anyone, okay? In fact, we¡¯re going there not for any particr reason.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason to go¡­¡­ no, that¡¯s not it. Chris. I don¡¯t believe in any gods in the first ce, so it would be an insult if I went. I would probably receive some kind of divine punishment for stepping into the premises for not being a believer. So let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much of a bad loser.¡± I¡¯m too tired to point out the contradiction in her statement, so I just crush her with those words. I don¡¯t have a good impression of the church either. I know from my past life, but I don¡¯t like the way they preach fatalism. I don¡¯t give a damn about fate. I don¡¯t need fate, since I already have Michelie. I want to live my own life. I want Michelie to be happier than she was in the story. ¡°¡­¡­Chris? Why are you pouting like that?¡± I didn¡¯t realize I was making a long face. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Telling Surfania won¡¯t solve anything. I quickly go back to normal. Surfania looks at me searchingly, but there¡¯s no way she can see through me like Michelie does. I keep quiet and avoid her gaze, pretending not to notice. ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± She gives up right away, looks away and makes a small sigh. ¡°Fine then.¡± I doubt it¡¯s just my imagination that she was sulking. I cast a sideways nce at her, and she¡¯s looking away. It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s going to talk. The carriage proceeds despite the halt in our conversation. I spend some time regretting the fact that I made it awkward. We finally reach our destination. This church is tinypared to the cathedral in the capital. It looks like a humble building even from where I¡¯m sitting. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± Mariwa greets us with a troubled sigh as we get off the carriage. ¡°Miss Tote?¡± Surfania raises her voice in surprise. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Good day, Miss Surfania.¡± ¡°G-good day.¡± Unlike Surfania who¡¯s taken aback, I expected Mariwa here from the beginning. ¡°Yup. We¡¯re here, Mariwa!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. My, how did you find out¡­¡­ Well, I suppose it matters not. This way, please.¡± She briskly enters the church. Mariwa¡¯s really different when she¡¯s off duty as a private instructor, especially theck of her usual strictness while going straight to the point. ¡°Hey, Chris. What¡¯s all this about?¡± ¡°Heh heh heh. Actually, I heard that an acquaintance of mine would be in this church, so I came here.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± She bes even more surprised. I have no intention of dragging out the unpleasant mood from earlier. When I tell her my purpose foring here, she bes shy and her expression stiffens all of a sudden. We can¡¯t just stand here, so I drag her along and start walking. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s an acquaintance of yours too.¡± ¡°Mine too¡­¡­?¡± Going after Mariwa, I grasp Surfania¡¯s hand firmly to prevent Surfania from escaping as she¡¯s ncing back at the carriage. I¡¯m keeping the name of our acquaintance as a little surprise. I drag her into a chapel lined with long wooden seats. ¡°Please excuse us. I have something special for you today.¡± The person I dragged Surfania along to meet is here. ¡°Ah, Miss Mariwa. What do you mean¡­¡­ Eh, Chris?!¡± ¡°Call me Lady Chris, youmoner.¡± I give my old acquaintance a joking smile. Seeing my usual attitude, the acquaintance makes a nostalgic expression. ¡°Whoa¡­¡­ You haven¡¯t changed a bit. I mean, you¡¯re still aristocratic as ever, Lady Chris.¡± ¡°Of course. And you still haven¡¯t gotten any wealthier, even for amoner.¡± ¡°Ugh, shut up. And I thought you were supposed to be something special as Miss Mariwa mentioned.¡± ¡°You shut up!¡± It¡¯s been two years, but we still heartily exchange brutal yet eptable jokes. After confirming the fact that neither of us have changed, he looks at Surfania who¡¯s behind me. ¡°Ah, that would be Surfania Calibrachoa. Would you prefer if I call you Lady Surfania?¡± He throws in a little joke as a greeting for their reunion. He¡¯s still as friendly as he was two years ago. In contrast to our considerate and frank acquaintance, Surfania looks at me anxiously. ¡°H-hey, Chris. Who is¡­¡­ this person?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten me?!¡± Themoner we met two years ago, Leon Nardo, shouts out loud in response to Surfania¡¯s cruel question. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Now that I think about it, Surfania and Leon have only met once. On top of that, they barely said a word to each other. The closest interaction they had was over a board game. It¡¯s bad for nobility to forget someone that easily, but I can¡¯t help it if she¡¯s really forgotten him. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that you¡¯re especially unimpressionable or that your situation is just as forgettable.¡± ¡°Thanks for the lousy constion.¡± He puts his hand on my shoulder, but there¡¯s no gratitude behind his thanks. While this was happening, Surfania ran to the corner of the room. Shutting herself in there, she stares at Leon, on guard against him. Let me speak my thoughts on the current situation. It¡¯s interesting. ¡°Come on, Leon. Go talk to her.¡± ¡°No way. She¡¯spletely on guard. She looks like she doesn¡¯t know me at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. She¡¯ll get used to you.¡± I egg him on because Surfania¡¯s acting funny. If anything, it¡¯s a good chance for her to get used to interacting with people. Leon reluctantly approaches Surfania who¡¯spletely on her guard. ¡°Well then, Lady Chris. How did youe to know about this ce?¡± ¡°Hm? One of the maids resides near this church. When she came back from her break, she told me she saw you here, Mariwa.¡± After doing some research, I found out that Leones here too. I came here thinking maybe I could see them. I did tell Mariwa I wasing to visit, so it was never a problem. I¡¯m thinking about bringing Michelie here next time. Bringing Surfania here this time was merely the rehearsal. But things have be more interesting than expected. I observe Surfania, who¡¯s beginning to threaten Leon with a re. ¡°I see. That¡¯s how it is. Well, I wasn¡¯t trying to hide the fact, but I didn¡¯t expect one of the maids to see me here, either.¡± ¡°Yeah. So why do youe here, anyway?¡± The maid simply saw her in this church, but doesn¡¯t know why shees here. Mariwa herself has some social status. There has to be a reason why she¡¯sing all the way out of town. ¡°I¡¯ve simply been teaching a talented and diligent child with bright prospects. Since I had the good fortune to meet him, I thought I might as well invest in him a little.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Leon was indeed depicted as a talented person in Labyrinth Destiny. Mariwa certainly has insight. I¡¯m convinced of the reason itself, but something bugs me. I take a peek at her face. ¡°So who¡¯s more talented, me or him?¡± ¡°I do notpare my students with one another. You are you, and Leon is his own self.¡± As one who holds formalities despite having a private life, Mariwa dodges my question with a sound argument, and my indirect attempt at receiving praise as well. I pout silently. In the first ce, the Noir family is paying Mariwa for educating me, yet Leon is receiving the same education in this church for free. Perhaps I¡¯ll ask him how far he¡¯s progressed. As if reading my thoughts, she begins speaking. ¡°First of all, how do you intend topare yourself with a child who receives education only once a week? And at such a huge advantage, no less.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I be silent in earnest thought. Mariwa breaks the silence. ¡°But looking at Lady Surfania and Leon¡­¡­¡± I look at what she¡¯s seeing. Surfania¡¯s still hiding in the corner, keeping Leon at bay. Leon himself is consciously keeping his distance, as if he¡¯s at a loss as to what to do with a small animal. ¡°It¡¯s quite an interesting sight, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ipletely agree. The most interesting thing is Surfania openly showing her timidness. She looks just like a cat who¡¯s seen someone for the first time. ¡°Is she really going to debut in high society in the future, I wonder?¡± ¡°Who knows? Well, such a situation is certainly a surprise. However, no matter how others may criticize her, she is free to live as she desires.¡± ¡°Well it should matter.¡± ¡°Please tell that to Lady Surfania instead.¡± Mariwa and I are talking excitedly about Surfania without a care. ¡°However, they should at least talk with each other, if only a little. Otherwise, it will negatively affect their motivation.¡± ¡°Leaving Surfania aside, will this really affect Leon?¡± ¡°Yes. Greatly, I might add.¡± I ponder about this. I don¡¯t know why exactly, but Mariwa seems certain about it. ¡°That said, Surfania is extremely shy¡­¡­ I doubt she can ovee it within a single day.¡± ¡°Getting Lady Surfania to eat the bait would prove to be effective. Do you happen to know what she likes, Lady Chris?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ I would say, entertainment novels and board games, if there are any here.¡± ¡°Ah, there are some.¡± Really? I could never imagine entertainment being remotely rted to churches. Mariwa gives a single nod in response to my surprised look. ¡°Yes. It would seem that the priest here has an interest in them. Let¡¯s see¡­¡­ here they are.¡± She takes a board game from the cupboard without a second thought. She has a perfect grasp of the ce she¡¯s simply borrowing. ¡°Yes. now we have some bait. ¡­¡­Leon! Come here for a second!¡± I take the the board game from Mariwa and call out to Leon. ¡°Hey, Chris. Does she dislike me for some reason?¡± ¡°She just acts like that in front of people she¡¯s unfamiliar with.¡± He seems more depressed than I thought. Though it¡¯s only natural when someone you know is putting up their guard against you. Leon sighs in deep relief. ¡°I see. She¡¯s just shy.¡± ¡°Yeah. She bes impudent once she gets used to you though¡­¡­ anyway, help me with the preparations here.¡± ¡°Huh? Preparations for what?¡± ¡°You getting along with Surfania. Here, let¡¯s move the desks first.¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± I give my support to the confused Leon. We move the chairs and put some desks together, then ce the seats so they can face each other. ¡°Then we¡¯ll put this here. Now, sit there, Leon.¡± I ce the board game on top of the desks. Now for the difficult part: getting his opponent to sit here. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Surfania looks at what we¡¯ve set up and twitches in response. She approaches the table with caution, step by step. That¡¯s just¡­ funny. ¡°Heh¡­ Heheh¡­¡­ Hm?!¡± ¡°Mdy, let us enjoy this in silence.¡± Mariwa holds myughter back for me. Indeed, it¡¯s highly possible that Surfania will start sulking if she notices us enjoying the situation. I nod in silence, and gently move her hand away. It¡¯s rare to see Mariwa enjoying herself like this too. I¡¯m surprised to find out that she may well be into pranks herself. We watch over the both of them, and Surfania finally sits and faces Leon. ¡°Um, let¡¯s y?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Surfania nods at his suggestion without a word. Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°One more match!¡± Surfania¡¯s words echo in the room. The cute little animal in Surfania is gone, along with her timidness. Instead, she¡¯s pounding on the desk with her hands. Having been promoted from predator to prey, she is chewing on Leon, who just won a game. ¡°Huh? You wanna go again?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Leon stops packing the board game and looks confused. Surfania doesn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°I almost won that one¡­¡­ I¡¯ll win this time! One more!¡± ¡°But I have to continue my lessons with Mariwa-¡± ¡°Shut up. Do you have a problem with that?!¡± ¡°Uh, no. Let¡¯s y again, mdy.¡± ¡°You weakling.¡± I was observing them silently, but I step out and hit Leon¡¯s head lightly for giving in to Surfania so easily. He covers the spot that I hit just now, and looks at me slightly embarrassed. ¡°Well I mean, there¡¯s nothing to be gained from going against her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say something so pathetic. You¡¯re a guy.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s more gentlemanly to back down though.¡± He gives a surprisingly sound argument. It¡¯s true that nothing good will happen if he stands his ground, and it¡¯s also the code of a gentleman to letdies have their way. Perhaps Mariwa has taught him well in this case. But now that Surfania has gotten used to Leon, it¡¯s starting to get boring. I try to spice things up and egg him on. ¡°Go on, Leon. Hold your ground against Surfania and fight back!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your servant. I refuse to take part in this meaningless fight.¡± ¡°Also, what¡¯s with you, Chris? Do you have a problem?¡± ¡°Uh, not really?¡± She res sharply at me. I¡¯m not afraid of her, I just don¡¯t have a problem with her so I say that honestly. I just wanted to entertain myself more. It was fun watching them before, but now it¡¯s just a drag. I envy Mariwa for being able to feign ignorance by reading a book. Most likely she sees more value in watching their exchange than in continuing her lessons, as she doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of interfering. Surfania is still dissatisfied from losing the board game. She gives Leon a sharp re with a sullen face. ¡°First of all, Leon. I don¡¯t like the color of your hair. It¡¯s the same color as that of Chris! It annoys me!¡± ¡°Hey, why are you getting mad at me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who should be mad. What have you been doing to her all this time, Christina?¡± That¡¯s an unexpected usation. I¡¯ve only been teasing her a little, as always. Leon stops arguing, and resets the board quietly. ¡°My first impression of you was that you were a gentle girl¡­¡­ until just now¡­¡­¡± Never mind. He¡¯s grumbling a lot. I begin to pity him a little. I put my hand on his shoulder tofort him. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not the worst. This girl acts like that to her family, you know? In fact, she puts on her worst behavior towards her sister.¡± ¡°What? First Michelie and now Surfania. Are you trying to give me special training by ruining all my first impressions ofdies? Please stop trying to crush my dreams.¡± ¡°Hm? Michelie¡¯s an angel though. Just like your first impression of her, right?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Leon makes me speechless. How dare he as amoner. Does he have a problem with Michelie? It¡¯s an absolute universal truth that she¡¯s an angel. I don¡¯t know why he seems to think otherwise, but I¡¯ll show him the truth. ¡°Come on, Leon. Michelie¡¯s an Archangel, you know? You probably fell in love with her at first sight, right?¡± ¡°Gh¡­¡­! I- I don¡¯t deny that, but Christina, you¡¯re really not one to talk about wrong first impressions, you know?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Chris is blind when ites to her sister.¡± ¡°Ah, I can tell somehow. She¡¯s been spoiling her since I met them two years ago. Maybe that exins my first impression of Michelie.¡± ¡°Well, her sister, too¡­¡­ in fact, I think she¡¯s the evil one.¡± Leon and Surfania are suddenly agreeing with each other. What¡¯s going on? They¡¯ve only met her once. They don¡¯t know anything about her. Leon looks at me suddenly, perhaps because I was showing my dissatisfaction. ¡°Now that I think about it, Christina¡¯s the only one who sticks to first impressions of herself. She¡¯s really willful and thinks she¡¯s the best.¡± ¡°Of course. She¡¯s easy to understand because she¡¯s an idiot.¡± Surfania piles on the insults before I can say anything. ¡°Surfania.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± I thought her timidness would keep her from staying, but I didn¡¯t expect that response. Having her agree so easily makes me hurt a little inside. ¡°¡­¡­Oh yeah, Leon.¡± I need to take out my frustration, so I give Leon a piece of advice before leaving. ¡°She¡¯ll take it out on you if you let her win.¡± ¡°¡­¡­And what happens if I do win?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a sore loser, so she¡¯ll take it out on you anyway.¡± ¡°Then what should I do?¡± He clings to me for help, but I don¡¯t care. He can figure it out himself. ¡°Now, Leon. You seem confident that you¡¯ll win. I¡¯ll make you eat those words. This time, it¡¯s going to be my win.¡± ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t say that-¡± I stifle myugh at the sight of Leon digging his own grave. All in all, I¡¯m d I brought Surfania here. It¡¯s good they¡¯re having fun. ¡°Bye then. ¡­¡­What are you going to do, Mariwa?¡± ¡°I shall remain here. I cannot leave the children here like this.¡± She¡¯s staying here even though it¡¯s only going to get boring. I¡¯m impressed. ¡°Bringing Surfania here has brought some unexpected rewards, mdy. I bid you good day. Please be careful on your way home, and when you get home, as well.¡± ¡°Yeah, I kno- ¡­¡­Hm?¡± I tilt my head in response to Mariwa¡¯s cryptic warning, and leave the church. Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Trantor: Cyrus Michelie is the first person to wee me home. As I get off the carriage and enter the house, she jumps toward me with a cute smile, which heals me instantly. The fact that the adorable Michelie is the one I love most still hasn¡¯t changed. I pat her head in happiness. She interrogates me. ¡°¡­¡­Big sister.¡± Michelie calls my name slowly, and with a soft tone, yet I feel a strange pressure. I gulp. I wasn¡¯t aware of it, but it seems that I¡¯m nervous. On her fingertips is a strand of ck hair that was on my shoulder. I noticed it as well when she was weing me back. I don¡¯t see the point though. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I don¡¯t know what she means. There¡¯s something indescribable behind her smile, but I don¡¯t know what it is, or why I¡¯m feeling pressured. She¡¯s not just angry. It¡¯s something else, well, how should I put it? But staying silent is the worst and most foolish option. I¡¯m a genius, and thus I will not resort to the passive and foolish tactic of silence. I have to be resolute and honest. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­ Isn¡¯t it my hair?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to trick me!¡± I wasn¡¯t trying to trick her, but she shouts fiercely for some reason. ¡°Huh? Well¡­¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way it¡¯s yours! Do you really think I can¡¯t tell?! Hmph!¡± ¡°Ah, um, sorry. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯m sorry.¡± Michelie begins to rage. I¡¯m not scared. In fact, seeing an angel get angry like that is adorable. But I still don¡¯t know why she¡¯s angry. I¡¯m sorry, Michelie. I know you¡¯re really angry. I think I know why¡­¡­ it¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t tell it wasn¡¯t my hair. No, I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s the same color and texture. Sure, it¡¯s a little short, but that¡¯s not enough to say that it isn¡¯t mine. ¡°But is this really not my hair?¡± ¡°It¡¯s totally different! I can tell! It¡¯s not the same ck color!¡± ¡°I- I see.¡± It looks the same to me, but there¡¯s no way Michelie is lying. She¡¯s positive that it¡¯s not my hair, so she has to be right. There has to be some way she can tell, but I don¡¯t know how. Let¡¯s say it isn¡¯t my hair. I still don¡¯t know why she¡¯s angry. Hair tends to stick no matter how careful you are. There¡¯s no way Michelie can get so narrow-minded and angry over such a trivial thing¡­¡­ or is there? ¡°Well then, big sister. What¡¯s going on? Whose hair is this? ¡°Huh? Maybe it¡¯s Leon¡¯s.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Leon.¡± He¡¯s the only ck-haired person I¡¯ve met today. Michelie stiffens when I mention his name. It doesn¡¯t seem like she remembers him. She tilts her head slightly. ¡°Leon¡­¡­?¡± She tries to recall by repeating his name. Looks like she doesn¡¯t remember after all. It¡¯s probably strangeing from me because I called him trash on our first meeting, but I pity him a little for beingpletely forgotten by Surfania as well as Michelie. ¡°Remember that guy? Themoner who climbed the wall here and fell off a while back. You treated him, right? And we were at the Founder¡¯s Festival together, remember?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Yeah. I remember. That guy with the ck hair¡­¡­ and ck eyes!¡± She got it right. I pat her soft golden hair, praising her for taking the effort to remember him. ¡°You remembered. Good job, Michelie.¡± ¡°Ehehe. I did a good job?¡± ¡°Yup. You did great. And you¡¯re so cute, my adorable Michelie!¡± ¡°Ehehe. And you¡¯re the cooles- hey, wait!¡± I couldn¡¯t pull it off. I look slightly away from Michelie. I thought I could make the matter slide through our usual banter, but it didn¡¯t work this time. Oh well, it was just a small chance. Yup, never mind. ¡°Big sister. Don¡¯t look away.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maybe she detected my guilty feelings, but it¡¯s fine now. I¡¯m mentally prepared to talk it out with her. I look her in the eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen Leon all this time, right? Why are you meeting that kind of guy? Weren¡¯t you going to see Miss Surfania today?¡± She puffs her cheeks as if telling me she isn¡¯t in a good mood. I want to poke her soft and adorable cheek with my finger, but this will probably put her in a worse mood instead. ¡°But I did. She¡¯s a shut-in as usual.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I brought her to see Leon.¡± ¡°You went with Miss Surfania?¡± ¡°Yeah. You got along with her pretty well for a first time. They¡¯re surprisinglypatible with each other.¡± Michelie crosses her arms in thought. ¡°I see¡­¡­ that¡¯s fine, then. As long as he¡¯s not another one like Charles¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. Leon¡¯s studying at the church, under Mariwa¡¯s guidance. For free, too.¡± I stop myself fromining about the unfairness of having to pay for my education. It¡¯s not like I want to disturb Mariwa¡¯s privacy anyway. ¡°Ah, Miss Mariwa was there too.¡± ¡°Well? If you want to meet him, I could bring you along next time, you know?¡± I was thinking about making this a routine for Surfania when we¡¯re both free, too. I brought this up because I remember seeing Michelie look a lot happier after our first meeting with Leon, but she shakes her head without giving it too much thought. ¡°Nope, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t remember him much anyway. Since it looks like they¡¯re getting along pretty well, why don¡¯t you bring Miss Surfania next time?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± Good luck, Leon. I¡¯m relieved that she¡¯s not taking it to heart, but also cheer him on for his unrewarded efforts. Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Trantor: Cyrus When Charles visits, Michelie is put into a bad mood as usual. Now that I think about it, it was the same with the hair yesterday. And now that she¡¯s all tense before Charles visits, she¡¯s sure to say or do something weird again. There are no other situations in which my adorable sister behaves this erratically. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to wee Charles now¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fiiine. Go aheaaad?¡± She tells me to go ahead, but on my way to the front entrance with one of the maids to wee Charles, I run into Michelie who begins clinging tightly onto my sleeve. She¡¯s looking at me sullenly. She¡¯s cute. ¡°¡­¡­Ahem!¡± The maid apanying me sighs andes back. This won¡¯t do. I¡¯m being mesmerized by Michelie. At this rate, I¡¯ll be her prisoner, unable to wee Charles. I¡¯m impressed by my sister. She¡¯s so adorable even with such a sullen face. I could even say she¡¯s being seductive. While I can¡¯t bear to shake her off by force, I still have an obligation to greet Charles as his fianc¨¦e. The maid is staring at me with increasing intensity as well, so I have no choice but to move forward. ¡°Um, Michelie¡­¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shall we greet Charles together?¡± ¡°Ab-so-lute-ly not.¡± It¡¯s such a decisive response that I¡¯m at a loss, and I can sense the maid getting angry now. How dare she show her rage in front of her master. But Michelie is my top priority right now. The fact that she¡¯s stopping me right now is proof that she¡¯s still attached to me. Even though she¡¯s taking her first steps to bing independent, she¡¯s not even ten years old yet. It¡¯s natural for her to want to keep me at her side. I¡¯m happy and proud of her. But Michelie and Charles aren¡¯t on the worst of terms. Sometimes when all three of us are ying together, I feel so impressed by her that I find myself holding my breath. Right now, she must be feeling emotionallyplicated. I can¡¯t very well shake her off like this. It will have a negative impact on her growth. I wonder what to do. I¡¯m seriously considering the option of carrying her like a princess and greeting Charles like that, but I wonder if my stamina canst that long. Perhaps having run out of patience, the maid stretches out her hand toward Michelie¡¯s fist. ¡°Lady Michelie.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± The maid softly wraps her hand around Michelie¡¯s clenched hand. I think she has the intention of persuading her, but she¡¯s overstepping her boundaries a little too much for a maid. She¡¯s probably being influenced by her personal feelings for Oxe. ¡°Lady Christina is most certainly not trying to ignore you, Lady Michelie. After all, she has a sister c-¡­¡­ you are the entire world to her. I can see that even from the side lines.¡± ¡°No wait, what were you about to say?¡± ¡°So please try to understand as well. I am sure Lady Christina knows herself better than I do. If you trust her, then please let her go. ¡°Hey, I asked you what you were about to say.¡± I try to pursue her slight slip of the tongue, but she seems to have grown bold since the beginning of her employment, andpletely ignores me. Instead, she crouches and looks at Michelie closely. ¡°Is it all right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hmm. Okay.¡± While I¡¯m d she finally convinced Michelie to let go, I¡¯m not so sure that her motives are based on her desire to see Oxe. In any case, it seems that Michelie hase to terms with her own feelings. She gives me the world¡¯s cutest, unclouded smile. ¡°Okay, big sister. See youter. ¡­¡­I¡¯ll go and y with youter, okay? ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s fine¡­¡­¡± ¡°Very well. I shall take my leave. Let us go, mdy.¡± Despite her bad attitude earlier, the maid urges me forward and pushes my back without too much force. ¡°¡­¡­Oh well. I¡¯ll see youter then, Michelie.¡± ¡°Yup!¡± I watch Michelie leave with a radiant smile on her face, then head to the entrance of the manor to greet Charles. I could have had more time to prepare myself, but my timing is perfect as his carriage arrives at that moment. I¡¯m d I made it in time. With the maid anxiously fixing her hair at my side, I wait for Charles and Oxe to get off the carriage. But it¡¯s not the usual pair getting off the royal carriage. ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± The maid is showing ack of manners, but I can understand why she¡¯s so surprised. ¡°It has been some time, Lady Christina.¡± The one who greets us so gentlemanly with a kneel is obviously not Oxe, who is usually terribly impolite to me. Even while being surprised, I¡¯m still a genius. Acting as a tactfuldy, I return his greeting with a perfect curtsy. ¡°Indeed it has, Viscount Igusa.¡± Viscount Igusa is in charge of instructing His Highness Endo on swordsmanship. I wonder what he¡¯s doing here. I can feel the maid shuddering behind me as I perform my wless curtsy. She must be unfamiliar with my second form as ady because I don¡¯t often get the chance to show it to the servants of the house. I turn my face up from my curtsy, and tilt my head to express my doubt. ¡°However, may I ask why you are here? Oxe is supposed to be apanying His Highness Charles- Oh, my apologies.¡± I see the answer for myself. Thinking about it, it¡¯s not a surprise that Oxe isn¡¯t here. In fact, it¡¯s something I should have expected. ¡°It seems that Sir Oxe has been dismissed after all.¡± ¡°Ehh?!¡± I affirm it with partial confidence while acting like a modestdy. I feel sorry for the maid who burst out in shock, but it¡¯s certain. Seeing the way he performs his job, it¡¯s only a matter of time before he gets fired. Viscount Igusa smiles gently in response to my quick understanding. ¡°Heheh. I am impressed by your sense of humor, Lady Christina. Of course, he is still under employment.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Looks like I jumped to conclusions here. The maid sighs in relief. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s actually not easy to dismiss someone working in the royal pce. Probably the first thing to happen would be¡­¡­ demotion. It would please me if he were sent to a harsh and remote region. They say that the north is freezing cold, so that may be a good ce for him. While I¡¯m busy satisfying myself with my imagination, Viscount Igusa continues speaking. ¡°Yes. I thought you would have realized when I showed myself, but in fact-¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Christina Noir.¡± The voice, which interrupted Viscount Igusa¡¯s attempt to exin the situation, makes me stiffen. That voice. ¡°¡­¡­tsk.¡± The grating voice is enough to make me stumble. I turn towards its direction. The person who got off the carriage has golden hair and blue eyes, albeit a different bluepared to Charles¡¯ eyes. His straight, neat hair is alsopletely different from the usual soft, curly hair. The only possibility I thought of was Charles. What¡¯s going on? ¡°What¡¯s with that face? The great Endo Edward hase all this way to visit. You should be honored.¡± His Stupidity shows himself, with not a hint of maturity. Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Trantor: Cyrus ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Christina Noir. I see you still look displeasing and impudent as ever.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Viscount Igusa?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ignore me.¡± I ignore the idiot even further, and beg an exnation from Viscount Igusa with a stiff smile. ¡°Viscount Igusa, my apologies for being unable to grasp the situation. Please kindly exin it to me¡­¡­¡± ¡°H-hey, Christina Noir. I¡¯m talking to you here.¡± Shut up. I didn¡¯te to greet an idiot. The one I¡¯m expecting to see is Charles. It¡¯s only normal to want an exnation when an idiot hase in ce of my fianc¨¦. I have no intention of talking to Endo until I¡¯m satisfied. ¡°His Highness Charles has been feeling unwell. The doctors said that it¡¯s just a slight cold and that his fever will most likely dissipate by tomorrow. Even then, His Highness insisted on seeing you, Lady Christina. And somehow His Highness took on the role of representing him¡­¡­¡± Why the hell? An idiot isn¡¯t fit to be a recement for Charles. ¡°Hey, stop ignoring me¡­¡­ the least you could do is look at me, you little¡­! Still ignoring Endo, I stare at Viscount Igusa to convey my dissatisfaction. He averts my gaze, perhaps because he is unable to bear it. ¡°Well¡­¡­ my apologies. I could not have brought Charles here if it meant affecting his health. There was also the possibility of you getting infected, Lady Christina¡­¡­ That was when His Highness Endo offered toe in his stead, since his schedule was open.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it was. Now that it¡¯s settled, look at me already. Or are you too much of a filthy coward to face me?¡± I want to grab the cor of the arrogant idiot who looks like he¡¯s begging for an apology and throw him out with my own hands. But as long as Viscount Igusa is present, I have to resist the urge and continue the role of a perfect Lady Christina. I have to keep in mind that it¡¯s not a daily urrence for the crown prince to visit so unexpectedly, no matter how much I may dislike it, and no matter how disagreeable we are with each other. ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± I¡¯m about to sigh, but hold it in and turn it into a smile instead. ¡°It was certainly an unexpected turn of events¡­¡­ but I suppose it cannot be helped. Very well, I understand.¡± It could have been helped, but I don¡¯t have the right to tell him. Viscount Igusa sighs in relief to my assent. I can also tell he¡¯s a little exhausted. The maid looks at me as if she¡¯s seen a rare beast as I¡¯ve been unting my image as a properdy. I ignore her for now and entice Viscount Igusa with a wide smile. ¡°Well then, you are going to greet my father now, are you not? I shall have the maid escort you to him. As for His Highness Endo¡­¡­ Yes, I shall entertain him. Is that alright with you?¡± ¡°Yes, please. Thank you very much. I shall take my leave from you.¡± Following my suggestion, the maid guides Viscount Igusa into the house. Now it¡¯s just me and Endo. I survey my surroundings once more to make sure no one is watching, then sharply turn my face toward him. ¡°Hey, idiot. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Hey, idiot. You¡¯re finally looking at me. I¡¯ll make sure to teach you some respect and manners.¡± We exchange words with our brightest smiles. Of course, it¡¯s not from friendship or love. It¡¯s pure enmity. We¡¯re merely expressing it through our words, or in his case, grating voices. ¡°Hahaha. Respect, huh. Yeah¡­¡­ my performance as ady might have been too dazzling for a prince who cannot even speak politely. Hehehe.¡± ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re creeping me out.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Is he trying to dig his own grave in this courtyard? Even his displeased face is getting on my nerves. I send him flying for insulting my second form. ¡°Seriously, why are you here? Hmm? Did youe to win an argument? I can win easily with money from the family, you know?¡± ¡°You¡¯re short-tempered as always. It¡¯s as Igusa said. I¡¯m here representing Charles.¡± ¡°So why does it have to be you?¡± I frown at him because I can¡¯t ept him of all people. ¡°Charles insisted oning along even when we left him alone, and he only calmed down when we told him we would represent him. He¡¯s stubborn that way.¡± That was unexpected. He¡¯s really doing it on behalf of Charles. ¡°It took a lot of convincing, you know? He¡¯s persistent for a guy who seems flexible.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I know.¡± I nod while pouting in response to his urate judgment of Charles. It seems that he and Charles have gotten along much better than before. Before, it was His Highness Endo who disliked Charles. I wonder if his hatred has disappeared. If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll stop being aggressive towards him. ¡°Oh well. I¡¯ll show you to my room, but you should go home right after that. ¡­¡­Oh, yeah. I¡¯ll write a get well soon letter to Charles. Once I¡¯m done with it, you can take it and go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. I don¡¯t n on staying too long anyway.¡± Now that we¡¯re finally on the same page, I guide him to my room while thinking this task is beneath me. The maid escorted Viscount Igusa earlier. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to let Father and Endo meet, since he¡¯s already seen the way Endo and I interact. He might throw a fit if he saw us, so I n to make Endo leave as soon as possible. ¡°In any case, what made Charles ill all of a sudden?¡± ¡°No idea. It¡¯s just a fever anyway, and it¡¯s so slight that he should be fine by tomorrow. He probably snuck out of his room at night and caught a small cold, anyhow.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It¡¯s possible. But I¡¯m disappointed by the bad timing. Charles was still healthyst time. He was fighting with Michelie as usual, so I interfered and held his face with the gloves Michelie gave me. He was energetic enough to break free. I wonder what happened. ¡°I¡¯m on enemy territory myself. Maybe I¡¯ll go home after exploiting one of your weaknesses.¡± ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t have any weaknesses to exploit.¡± He says that while we¡¯re walking in the hallways, as if he¡¯s trying to do reconnaissance. I don¡¯t think of asking him directly. First of all, I¡¯m a wless genius, so there¡¯s no way I have any weaknesses. I snort at his foolish words. ¡°As always, you¡¯re an idiot. A genius such as I-¡± ¡°Big sister?¡± I freeze as Michelie suddenly shows her face from the corner of the hallway. Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Trantor: Cyrus Is Michelie my weakness? The obvious answer is no. The person I love most is my weakness? What a joke. That¡¯s why I¡¯m denying it outright. But I still have not the slightest intention to let Michelie and Endo see each other. Michelie is my prized treasure, and the greatest treasure in the world. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that she¡¯s my primary motivation to live, or that she¡¯s the reason I can stay strong. She¡¯s not someone whom the likes of the crown prince cany their eyes on. Also, it¡¯s kind of pathetic, but I¡¯m still afraid of fate. Charles and Leon no longer pose a problem, but a part of me is still afraid of hopping onto the rails of destiny by any chance. I suppose it¡¯s a price I have to pay for knowing a part of the future. And there¡¯s the biggest and simplest reason of all. It¡¯s extremely simple, yet it has the biggest factor for concern. I don¡¯t want an idiot like the crown prince to get together with Michelie. But the unexpected encounter happened. I originally nned to send a message to Michelie after escorting Endo to my room, but we¡¯re in the same manor. There are a number of ways things could go wrong. I¡¯m a genius. It¡¯s exactly times like these when I have to settle the matter calmly. Yes. For example, I could solve everything by digging a hole in the courtyard and burying Endo in it. Yeah. I¡¯ll do that. It¡¯s my house. Even if there are witnesses, I could get rid of them easily. I canmit the perfect crime and get away with it. Completelymitted to my genius solution with my mind as serene as a polished mirror and still water, I bring up my fist, ready to knock out the prince. ¡°Hm?¡± He opens his stupid mouth. I tilt my head and forget about hitting his iprehensible, stupid face. What happened? I know he¡¯s an idiot, but his reaction upon seeing my sister is very strange. ¡°H-hey, Christina Noir.¡± He¡¯s calling my name with a shaken voice while staring at Michelie. He¡¯s nted right in the middle of the hallway, so she can¡¯t just walk past him. ¡°What, you idiot prince. That stupid face suits you a lot, by the way. You should just use it by default-¡± ¡°There¡¯s an angel here.¡± ¡°-eh?¡± He said something decent for the first time since I met him. I blink in surprise to his unimaginable iteration of the universal truth. ¡°Your Highness Endo. It can¡¯t be¡­¡­ you actually have good eyes?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I have the most refined sense of aesthetics. More importantly, can you see that halo shining from behind her?¡± ¡°Of course I can.¡± Why is he asking such an obvious question? I¡¯ve constantly been bathing in Michelie¡¯s light since I met her when I was three. Of course I can feel her radiance. ¡°It¡¯s an overwhelming radiance that spreads in all directions and travels miles away. There¡¯s no way I could miss it. Why do you think I love her so much?¡± ¡°Huh, I see. I thought your eyes were merely ck holes, but it seems that¡¯s not really the case. ¡­¡­Hmph. It¡¯s too bright even for a ruler such as I.¡± If he didn¡¯t insert his overly egotistical lines, I would have taken him for an imposter. That¡¯s how shocking it is when he¡¯s making suchmonce remarks. ¡°But you referred to her as big sister, didn¡¯t you? So you¡¯re her younger sister? I heard there was someone like you in the Noir family¡­¡­ but you don¡¯t resemble her at all.¡± ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re annoying.¡± It¡¯s obvious since we¡¯re not rted by blood. Why is he saying something like that so recklessly? Then again, he¡¯s the only one to have seen Michelie¡¯s halo. Charles often shes with her, and Leon tends to avoid talking about her for some reason. Even Surfania said something ridiculous like ¡°I can definitely see an indescribable chaos.¡± What does she take Michelie for? While I¡¯m busy thinking about what a certain shut-in so carelessly said, I feel my skirt getting pulled. ¡°Hey, big sister. Who is that?¡± ¡°Hm? Ah¡­¡­¡± Endo is beginning to whisper. He¡¯s probably prepared to die standing. I nod gravely to Michelie as she timidly approaches me. Now that it¡¯se to this, it¡¯s no longer possible to conceal his existence from her. I decide to bury the idiot prince next time. Also, it was Charles who was supposed to be here today, but it¡¯s an obvious idiot who¡¯s here instead. I can¡¯t help it if she has doubts. Even I wasn¡¯t fully convinced when I him. ¡°He¡¯s our guest. He¡¯s the older brother of Charles.¡± ¡°Guest? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Charles¡¯ older brother?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. I¡¯m Charles¡¯ brother, Endo Edward. I¡¯m in line for the throne! S-so, yo- I mean¡­¡­ w-who are you? Tell me your- kh! No¡­¡­ could you¡­ tell me your name?¡± It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing him walk with full self-awareness. It¡¯s kind of creepy. He¡¯s moving awkwardly like a robot. Normally he acts all high and mighty, but now it looks like he doesn¡¯t even know how to approach her. I¡¯m having trouble keeping myself fromughing. Look at him now. He¡¯s showing his pitiful side for once. It¡¯s my only chance. I¡¯ll nt a negative image of him now. ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to his creepy behavior. This guy¡¯s an idiot. Too bad he¡¯s going to seed the throne¡­¡­ the future for this country is so dark. But it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll protect the peace and security of the Noir family with my life.¡± ¡°Hey, Christina Noir.¡± ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t get too close to him, lest his idiocy infect you too.¡± ¡°Hey. What the hell are you saying?¡± What am I saying? Only the objective truth. Also, I am under no obligation whatsoever to be on his side. I thought it was enough to make Michelie dislike him, but her response is beyond my expectations. ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± Michelie, whose first reaction to Charles was one of enmity, has been observing our exchange, taking a peek at Prince Endo¡¯s face, then shifting her gaze to me. She must have sensed something from our emotions. ¡°¡­¡­Yup.¡± Muttering slightly, she looks at Endo and squanders her angelic smile on him. ¡°I¡¯m Michelie. Pleased to meet you, Prince Endo!¡± ¡°Y-yeah! Likewise!¡± ¡°Hold on, Michelie. You don¡¯t have to be pleased to meet him, you know?!¡± It¡¯s a much more proper encounterpared to Charles. I can¡¯t ept it. But I can¡¯t find a good reason to tear them apart right now. Michelie is smiling happily, and while Endo¡¯s face is red with panic, he seems to have fallen for her smile. Never mind. I should tear them apart. I prepare to use some hard-handed tactics even if it means gouging out his eyes, but I stop myself. I¡¯ve seen this before, somewhere. ¡°Also, Charles is using a horrible excuse toe to our house. It would make me really happy if you could do something about that as his brother, Your Highness!¡± ¡°I see. I can¡¯t ignore Christina Noir¡¯s negative influence on Charles, and it¡¯s unbing of royalty to pay unnecessary visits. Very well. It¡¯s my duty as his brother to keep an eye out for him-¡± I frown at the increasingly strange feeling from the trivial conversation. The topic itself is simply gossip. Ignoring it is not a problem. But I get a sense of deja vu just from seeing them talking. I wonder why, but this event is clearly different from my knowledge of my past life. In Labyrinth Destiny, the first time they meet is in the Royal Academy. There is no situation in which they meet at this age. So I shouldn¡¯t be feeling this same sense of deja vu as it was with Leon¨C ¡°¨COh, I see.¡± I remember now. Yeah, I see now. It¡¯s not my past life, but it¡¯s ovepping with something I saw long ago. A scene of Michelie talking with a smile, and a boy with a red face, drawing her attention. I remember seeing that. Yeah, that¡¯s what it was. I felt the same thing when I first saw Leon. Leon seems to be avoiding Michelie for some reason now, but I was upset when he was all shy in front of her when we first met. I felt like crushing the insect trying to crawl his way towards Michelie. I see, this was simr to how I feel towards Endo right now. As Ie to terms with the situation and the strange feeling begins to dissipate, I suddenlye up with an impossible theory. ¡°¡­¡­Impossible.¡± ¡°Big sister?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I try to cover it up, and give Michelie a smile. Obviously, she¡¯s sensitive enough to notice. She gives me another questioning look, but I can¡¯t tell her about it. ¡°I was about to tell you how impossibly stupid Prince Endo really is. Combined with the stories Viscount Igusa told me, this could be aedic masterpiece.¡± ¡°Do you have a grudge against me?!¡± A lot of grudges, actually. Especially our unforgettable first meeting?¡± ¡°Gh.¡± ¡°First meeting? What was that like?¡± ¡°Ah. Of all people, this guy came to me and¨C¡± ¡°Anything but that! That¡¯s the biggest blot of my life!¡± I stick my tongue out at him, dodging Michelie¡¯s sharp senses while desperately looking for evidence to disprove my theory. This can¡¯t be. Michelie¡¯s angelic cuteness and beauty drew Leon to her, and her deadly attractiveness is drawing Prince Endo to her right now. That much is obvious. My sister is the cutest in the world. Michelie is the charismatic and adorable heroine of this world. She¡¯s¡­ definitely¡­ the¡­ heroine¡­ of¡­ this¡­ world¡­ not because of her cuteness and charisma. It¡¯s because she¡¯s the most charismatic girl in the world, that she¡¯s drawn in both Leon and Prince Endo on their first meeting. It¡¯s definitely not because of fate. ¡°Come on, Michelie. Let¡¯s go to our room.¡± ¡°Yup! ¡­¡­Are youing too, Prince Endo?¡± While urging Michelie forward, I keep looking for solid proof to deny my own theory. It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s no way Michelie¡¯s charisma is tied to the maism of fate. Otherwise, it makes no sense why I love her with every fiber of my being. Even if my response towards Michelie isn¡¯t normal simply because I¡¯m a ¡°bug¡± born as a genius in this world, I have another solid reason to deny the existence of fate. Because Charles was never attracted to Michelie. My fianc¨¦ has been paying attention to me without the influence of fate. It¡¯s precisely because of his passion toward me that I can bring myself to believe that fate does not exist. Michelie and I will grow without having to die young, get along with each other, and support each other through our lives. ¡°Alright. Since you¡¯re our guest, we¡¯ll bring you to¡­¡­ hey, idiot prince. Step away from Michelie. Were you just about to touch her hair? If you darey a finger on her, I¡¯ll ughter you and bury you in the courtyard, you pervert.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Prince Endo?¡± ¡°Huh?! T-t-that¡¯s not how it is okay?! Why would I do that?! D-don¡¯t call me a pervert! It¡¯s just your imagination, Christina Noir!¡± ¡°Huh. ¡­¡­Yeah. It¡¯s just my imagination.¡± Yeah. It¡¯s just my imagination. ¡°¡­¡­Hm? You¡¯re surprisingly honest. Stop it, it¡¯s creepy.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take you to the courtyardter. After I bury you I¡¯ll make a gravestone that says ¡°Here lies a perverted prince.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really scary.¡± ¡°Prince Edward, big sister is always honest. She¡¯s always dazzling, too. That¡¯s why she¡¯s cool, and I love her!¡± ¡°I love you too. You¡¯re always so radiant and honest and adorable!¡± Holding my beloved sister¡¯s hand and thinking about my fianc¨¦ with hope, I catch a sh of fate¡¯s silhouette, even though it¡¯s supposed to be far away. (Fate) ¡°I don¡¯t see a way in for my debut so I¡¯ll try calling.¡± *beep boop bup* THE NUMBER YOU ARE TRYING TO REACH IS NOT AV- (Fate) ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± £­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­£­ Author¡¯s note: This marks the end of the Age 11 arc. Intermission , -2

Chapter 119

Trantor: Cyrus Mariwa was in the middle of a busy festival. It was the annual Founder¡¯s Festival. It¡¯s always amotion on that day. One could see rows of stalls in the central za leading to the main street, and hear the ceaseless shouting of vendors. Everyone loosens up and enjoys themselves more than usual. However, they would never expect royalty to be among the crowd. Mariwa wasn¡¯t alone in this popr festival. She dragged herself out there because one of her friends had something to talk about. Without a conspicuous guard beside her, that friend of hers was dashing to a stall that sold meat skewers. Her golden hair was stuffed beneath her coarse robes, and her beautiful face was covered by her hood. Even then, she couldn¡¯t hide her radiant blue eyes or her friendly demeanor, smiling at the stall owner who was making a delivery. She enjoyed herself when socializing, but she was energetic during times like these as well. Mariwa sensed the simr butpletely different mood in her as she walked at her side. She loved dressing up and having fun in the old downtown district. Such was the woman named Evelia Edward. But her footwork seemed heavier than usual. Perhaps it was because of what she had heard earlier. ¡°So, who is it?¡± ¡°A pregnant virgin.¡± The pregnant woman said ridiculously. Mariwa was furious at her in attempt to dodge the question. It¡¯s only obvious that a child is the product of both man and woman. There are no exceptions. Babies aren¡¯t born on cabbage fields, nor do they pop out between crotches of a tree. It¡¯smon sense that even a ten year oldmoner would know. The ¡°pregnant virgin¡± that the church preaches about in the scriptures is simply a means to heighten the mystery of the saint herself. Unless you were a true believer, you would know that without having to say it. ¡°This child is a blessing from God. Ahem!¡± Despite that, the woman past her mid-twenties proudly said that without a hint of shame. It was truly a sphemy. How could a noble woman with social status and good education say something like that? Surely she couldn¡¯tin if a certain someone pulled her face or grabbed her cor and jolted her back and forth. But what was truly terrifying was the fact that four out of five people backed down from hearing that. ¡°So, who is it?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m doing my best alone ououou! Fy ah you hooing ny cheeksh?!¡± ¡°I shall tear off your chin if you are such a fool to not know why. I would be doing the world a service by making it a more peaceful ce.¡± ¡°Hill you shoh?!¡± Mariwa was the only one who didn¡¯t back down. Without further hesitation, she grabbed Evelia¡¯s face and hoisted it up. It was a little rowdy, but it was right in the middle of the festival. They were wearing inconspicuous clothes, and even if they were a little loud, it was probably not enough to attract anyone¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Fy ah you sho wean, Mariwa?! Fy?!¡± ¡°I am a respectable person. Also, are you a fool? I wondered why you called me out, but you still talk so much, and so foolishly. Do you have no shame at all? Even I feel embarrassed walking beside you. I beg you, please say something decent for once.¡± ¡°You¡¯h howihle!¡± She wasn¡¯t trying to be horrible. In fact, the true horrory in the princess¡¯s head. Convinced by the fact, Mariwa showed no mercy. She intensified the pressure on her fingers grabbing Evelia¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Owowowow!!¡± ¡°So, who is it?¡± ¡°Fy hon¡¯t you heliehe me, Mariwa? Eheryone elsh did.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that they backed down from your stupid excuse¡­¡­ but not everyone believed you.¡± ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Mariwa wasn¡¯t really satisfied, but mimunication would eventually ur if she kept talking like that. As a finishing touch, she made a strong tug, then let go of her face. ¡°Ow¡­¡­ my cheeks hurt. They¡¯ll definitely get red.¡± Evelia stared at Mariwa with her eyes half open whileining. For someone who seemed to be hurting so much, she was tightly grabbing the meat skewer she had bought earlier and showed no sign of dropping it. She most certainly could have taken more pain. Evelia ate a piece of the meat skewer and smiled, thinking how close she was to dropping it. Casting a sideways nce at her, Mariwa began to walk slowly with the crowd. ¡°I simply wanted your answer, without prying into details. Who would believe your stupid response, you fool?¡± ¡°Eh, what then? You just wanted to say that youck delicacy? Are you really such a nosy person to step all over someone¡¯s privacy, Mariwa? That¡¯s such a great personality. I rather like it, you know?¡± ¡°That is not what I am saying. Please stop fooling around, it¡¯s rather annoying.¡± Eveliaughed teasingly, regaining her mood after eating the delicious meat skewer. It had been more than three years since they met. Currently barring special privileges, nobles,moners, and even royalty were taking part in something meaningful together. Even the princess herself was behaving informally. Of course, this manner of exchange between Mariwa and Evelia was only limited to the event where they concealed their social status. In high society, they had to take on different roles and personalities. Evelia called this rtionship ¡°A secret friendship!¡± But this did not please Mariwa at all. Humans tend to see ws the closer they get to each other, and this would be no particr exception. Mariwa frowned at the unchanging friendliness Evelia was disying. But that wasn¡¯t enough to discourage Evelia. ¡°Ehehe. Then why bother asking, Mariwa?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obviously something that I can only find out by asking. I don¡¯t see why I should be med for it.¡± What Mariwa said was true. In fact, no one would take Evelia seriously if she said something ridiculous like she was a pregnant virgin. The four people who backed down simplycked the courage to press Evelia for the truth. ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re right. That¡¯s actually convincing. ¡­¡­But Mariwa.¡± There was a sparkle in Evelia¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°Do you really, truly think that everyone else was a fool to believe what I said? Can you really, truly, definitely say that I wasn¡¯t telling the truth?¡± ¡°Of course. ¡­¡­Most likely.¡± Even Mariwa couldn¡¯t be certain. She couldn¡¯t say that shepletely denied the possibility. It wasn¡¯t that they were foolish for believing her, but rather she was terrifying to have said that. During the instant Evelia said she was a ¡°pregnant virgin¡±, Mariwa almost believed her. It was the very weight of Evelia¡¯s words that allowed her to distinguish herself in high society. Also, Evelia was not married, nor had she ever been engaged. She was the exception among royalty to have lived to her mid-twenties and remained single. When Mariwa asked why, she simply replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married.¡± She didn¡¯t understand what she meant. Normally that would sound like an excuse, but now that she knew her better, she also knew that Evelia¡¯s responses were based on emotion rather than logic. And now she was pregnant with a child. Without getting married, or engaged, or even having a boyfriend. Mariwa couldn¡¯t deal with that reason Evelia was pregnant. That was precisely why Mariwa relented on her queries. ¡°It is all right if you do not wish to talk about it.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Evelia herself was taken aback by Mariwa¡¯s resignation. Within an instant, she turned that surprised reaction into a gentle smile. ¡°You¡¯re actually considerate, Mariwa. I like that part about you.¡± Mariwa sharply clicked her tongue in response. Tutting became an unbing habit for her, and it began when she started associating with Evelia. ¡°And I dislike you.¡± ¡°Really? Well, I guess things can¡¯t go on as always, especially now that I¡¯m having a child. I¡¯ll have to go to the royal vi. It¡¯ll be an exile of sorts. I¡¯m a little excited.¡± ¡°I see. I pray that you nevere back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually more of a city person. I think I would get bored of the countryside ande back soon-¡± ¡°Do not worry. You will be an outstanding barbarian. I am sure of it.¡± ¡°How could ady like you say such a thing? And to a realdy as valuable as gold at that! What do you have to say for yourself, Mariwa?¡± ¡°It is the high society of this country that requires some work.¡± Such was Mariwa¡¯s evaluation of the proud Evelia. The impression Evelia had on Mariwa had sharply deteriorated over the course of the three years they spent. The horrifying fact was that she could fall even further, perhaps to the depths of hell. ¡°That¡¯s not good, Mariwa. ming society instead of taking responsibility for yourself won¡¯t get you far in life. Suffering setbacks like that is kind of foolish, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Oh really, is that so.¡± Ignoring her haughty advice, Mariwa nced at Evelia¡¯s tummy. Her stomach didn¡¯t seem as proud as she did. She said she was going to the royal vi, most likely to get away from the public eye before it gets bigger. The royal family hadn¡¯t announced Evelia¡¯s pregnancy yet. They were probably never going to make it public. Such a story about an unwed princess getting pregnant would surely be buried deep in the dark side of history. ¡°I understand your wish to return to primacy, but pleasee back soon. It will not be much of a life for the country without you.¡± ¡°Yessir! I will. It¡¯ll take about a year, so do your best until then.¡± Mariwa was relieved as Evelia nodded lightheartedly. It would still take a lot of time for the operation centered around Evelia. Without invoking state power, they would slowly change the opinions of the masses, gain more allies, and pass the bill for reformation. Without Her Royal Highness as a symbol, and most of all, without the support of Evelia, this n would not take fruit. Not a single person could rece her. Taking a year off would surely hurt their ns, but it wasn¡¯t enough to call it a fatal blow. ¡°You¡¯re such a worrywart, Mariwa. Even if we fail, there¡¯s always next time.¡± ¡°How could you say something like that so casually?¡± From Mariwa¡¯s point of view, Evelia was too optimistic. Mentioning failure at that stage was bad luck, too. ¡°We shall change this country together, and we shall spare no effort in doing so.¡± ¡°Hmm? It doesn¡¯t matter who changes it.¡± ¡°It does matter.¡± Evelia shrugged it off as if feeling no sense of responsibility. It was something she said out of habit, sometimes. It doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°No, Mariwa. It really doesn¡¯t matter. Because change will happen no matter who causes it. For better or for worse, things will always change. It¡¯s only a matter of time, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Strangely, she had a sense of conviction as she said that while eating the skewered meat. It didn¡¯t seem to matter to her whether they seeded or failed. Mariwa didn¡¯t understand that. She couldn¡¯t imagine a future where she wasn¡¯t in it. That was why she decided to stand against the world with all her strength. If she was gone, and someone else took her stead¡­ That would be truly regrettable. Perhaps a huge part of her couldn¡¯t agree with Evelia. A shadow of a doubt came over Mariwa. ¡°Hey, Evelia.¡± It was something Evelia had said some time ago. There would always be a member of royalty, born full of love, who chose freedom. There would always be one of those every generation, and that was her. And she loved this country. ¡­Surely she said that. It was obvious that Evelia chose freedom. But upon hearing her say it didn¡¯t matter, that thought came over Mariwa. ¡°Did you truly love this country?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± There was no response to that abrupt question. Usually, Evelia would reply immediately with a smile. This time, she averted Mariwa¡¯s gaze. She looked upwards, as if searching for something. ¡°¡­¡­You know.¡± Still staring at the sky, she stretched her hand towards the sun. There was no meaning behind that, yet for some reason it was very much like her. ¡°It would¡¯ve been much simpler if I was born amoner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± Her hypothesis seemed random and crazy, and Mariwa had no idea what she was getting at. Evelia wasn¡¯t trying to tease her, either. She continued her meaningless what-if scenario. ¡°I mean, if I was born amoner, I would have started a revolution. I would have hated this stupid system so much that I would have gathered allies to resist, and with our strengthbined, we would have turned this country upside down. I think it would have been fun and satisfying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­And after you turned it upside down, who would have struck the final blow?¡± ¡°You, most likely.¡± Evelia chuckled, and Mariwa shrugged off the joke. ¡°Would you have preferred that life instead?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ how should I put it? I wouldn¡¯t choose it, but I would definitely have done it if I was amoner. I would have lived my life fighting my way up. But I was born among royalty. For me, there is no way up.¡± ¡°Up, you say?¡± ¡°Yeah. Who would be above me? My father, or brother? Other royalty and nobility? Or perhaps God Himself? I don¡¯t think so. That wouldn¡¯t be much of a fight.¡± Turning the naked skewer rhythmically with her speech, she finished talking and threw the skewer into the trash area. ¡°That¡¯s why my life has been about controlling those below me.¡± She said that as if arrogantly resenting her royal birth itself. ¡°I don¡¯t hate it though. Getting along with everyone and changing the bad things together isn¡¯t bad either, you know? Ehehe. I¡¯m pretty sure there wouldn¡¯t be much resistance this way.¡± ¡°That is the first I have heard of it. Please allow me to shatter that confidence of yours.¡± ¡°Why are you making a fist, Mariwa?! Don¡¯t hurt me!¡± Her voice was louder than expected, so Mariwa put her fists down from Evelia¡¯s temples. If there ever were another fool like Evelia, she would surely use those fists without hesitation. She decided to do that, and to ignore the previous conversation. ¡°By the way, you said that you woulde back a yearter. What do you intend to do about the child?¡± ¡°Eh? That really wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± This time without hesitation, she hit the fool¡¯s temples with her fists. ¡°You may live however you choose. I care not. However, a child is a child after all.¡± Evelia was saying that so much that it really wouldn¡¯t matter what happened to her from this point on. Mariwa didn¡¯t intend to pry further into her affairs regarding her child, but Evelia¡¯s manner of speech wasn¡¯t something Mariwa could overlook. Having suffered Mariwa¡¯s Iron Fists, Evelia trembled while covering her head where she was hit. ¡°Gh. That really hurt¡­¡­ but it¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll work out somehow.¡± ¡°You¡­¡­ no. That is enough.¡± What she said was so reckless that Mariwa finally gave up. She could never understand how a fool thinks, after all. These three years taught Mariwa something. Fools should be educated before it¡¯s toote. For now, she resigned herself to her carelessness of getting acquainted with a fool who was toote to be educated. ¡°Hey, Mariwa.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Evelia reverted to her usual smile, and asked a simple question. ¡°Can I be a good parent?¡± That question caught Mariwa off guard. As usual, there was no hint of excitement or uneasiness in Evelia¡¯s expression. ¡°You¡­¡­¡± Mariwa hesitated, but said what needed to be said. ¡°¡­¡­will surely not make a great parent.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes. However.¡± Evelia was probably self-aware enough to know. She didn¡¯t seem depressed by Mariwa¡¯s answer. Thus, Mariwa continued sincerely. ¡°After you give birth, please ask everyone for assistance. Bring out the love in everyone, more than usual, if only for the child¡¯s sake. That much is within your grasp.¡± Evelia¡¯s retainers, friends, acquaintances, or ¡ª Mariwa herself. If she relied on them, she could certainly be a somewhat decent parent. Perhaps she felt something from that sincerity. Evelia smiled happily. ¡°Really? Then, someday, I¡¯ll rely on you.¡± It was her usual smile. That was thest conversation they had. After that, Evelia moved to a summer resort, gave birth to Michelie in secret, and died at childbirth. There were few who knew the truth, as it was publicly announced that she had unfortunately passed away due to illness. The country grieved her premature death. Evelia Edward. The princess who was simply loved by everyone. Loved, and loved, and loved. She enjoyed her life, but surely there was somethingcking. That was why she spent her life searching for something she loved. Her way of life was almost a challenge. A challenge to find someone or something she loved just as much as she was loved. That was what made her so charming. Over ten years passed since then. ¡°¡­¡­It is almost time.¡± Mariwa noticed that it was almost time for the carriage to arrive and bring her to her workce. She had been lost in thought at home, and now began to get dressed. After Evelia¡¯s death, their ns dissolved into thin air. It was important, but their pivot, their leader, was gone. Mariwa thought about it once in a while. If she met Evelia who was born as amoner, would she have safely given birth to her child? What kind of a parent would she have been? It was their final what-if scenario. Surely she was allowed to y with that imagination. Surely she had the right to indulge herself in such sentiments, to wish for such a world to exist. ¡°Lady Tote, we have arrived.¡± ¡°I shall be there at once.¡± Responding to the summons from the Noir house, she remembered her beloved friend¡¯s memento, and smiled so gently she could make her own sister tremble. It was the generation after theirs. Keeping these offspring in mind, a smile wrote over her usual strictness. Evelia was a genius who was loved by everyone. Truly and genuinely loved by everyone. But still¡­ ¡°Perhaps her very own daughter disliked her.¡± They resembled each other, but they were total opposites that would never have meshed. The younger sister who shows her love all at once, and the older sister who shows the same amount of love for her by showing her off to everyone. Perhaps they are sisters living the way Mariwa and Evelia could have, in their stead. But Mariwa felt not an ounce of regret or frustration watching them. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for some education.¡± cing all her hopes for the future in them in her stead, Mariwa Tote turned around and got into the carriage. Volume 4: Thirteen Years Old, 74

Volume 4: Thirteen Years Old, Chapter 74

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- My name is Christina Noir; and ¨C I am a genius. It has been ten years since my genius was recognised. Now that I am thirteen, I shall attend the Royal Academy alongside most other noble children. And this school will be the stage for scenes of the game, just like in my memories of my previous life. Of course, the me right now does not even slightly resemble that stupid role of a viiness. Reigning as ady of character, I n to push aside that good-for-nothing idiotic crown prince and cultivate power and influence among the top aristocrats. For my ¡®School Domination n¡¯, I was currently sitting with the people who would be my number one and two pawns. ¡°And with that, tell me how the exam went.¡± ¡°Exam? Aaah, do you mean the entrance exam?¡± We currently sat in a quiet corner of the church in the neighbourhood. It was a ce I had be familiar with after visiting so many times over the past two years. ying against my usual boardgame partner; I took their knight and advanced forward with my piece while I talked. ¡°What other exam would I mean? Yes, the entrance exam for the Royal Academy. How did you go?¡± ¡°Mmm, I think I probably passed. There weren¡¯t any problems I couldn¡¯t do after all.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Even while you say ¡®probably¡¯ you¡¯re actually feeling quite confident. To say there wasn¡¯t a problem you couldn¡¯t do, you must be feeling pretty brave. I thought to myself. His face is still that of a boy, looking at it makes it seem that he won¡¯t grow up for many years. However, even though he¡¯s already so tall, he just keeps growing. Even though I know I¡¯ll also grow some more, it¡¯s frustrating. Leon Nardo. He was amoner the same age as me, with ck hair and eyes. Honestly, as amoner there¡¯s no way he should be able to sit next to a noble like me, but I allow it since my heart is so incredibly generous. Even if they¡¯re amoner, if they¡¯re smart and funny then I don¡¯t mind being around them. ¡°Well as long as you pass it¡¯s fine.¡± I smiledcently. Since Leon is going to be my no.2 pawn, my ns are counting on having him helping me out. I¡¯d be in a difficult spot if he didn¡¯t make it in. It is said that an aristocrat¡¯s duties begin in earnest after graduating from the Royal Academy, but that is a huge mistake. The people who will rise to the top socially and politically will have already begunworking for their future before they arrive at the Academy, and continue making connections. With my genius, I will certainly stand above them all. As the daughter of the Noir family, one of the three great houses of this country, it is my duty to do so. I must build up an overwhelmingly superior powerbase while I¡¯m a student for my future standing. But most importantly, it is my duty as the elder sister to make the school afortable yground for Michelie when she enters. With my genius intellect, previous life¡¯s information and my current informationwork, I am unrivalled. Not to mention with my handy pawns ¨C I will bepletely invincible. Hehehe. Laughter bubbled up from within me. As Iughed in my heart, Leon gave a shiver. ¡°Did you guys feel something cold just now¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably just your imagination. We¡¯re indoors after all.¡± I cannot let my future henchman know of my scheming, he might reject the honor of serving me if he knew my true intentions. So, of course, I deny the real reason behind his shivers. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s because of preparing for the exam? Perhaps you overdid it and exhausted yourself.¡± ¡°No, Miss Mariwa told me not to overdo it, so that can¡¯t be it.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s Mariwa being all sweet to you?¡± There¡¯s no way Mariwa would say that to just anyone. The same Mariwa who is always mercilessly pushing me to the breaking point. She never says anything that caring to me about my health. ¡°She¡¯s not being sweet, Isn¡¯t Miss Mariwa always like that? She¡¯s not the sort to teach by forcing a student to overdo it.¡± ¡°No way, Mariwa follows the ¡®If there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way¡¯ approach.¡± The same person should be tutoring both of us, but his sses sound a lot less harsh than mine for some reason. ¡°Well whatever. It is Mariwa after all. So Surfania, what¡¯s your next move going to be?¡± ¡°¡­Shut it.¡± My future no.1 pawn, Surfania, was taking a long time to make her next move. Well, even if the game isn¡¯t over yet, against a genius like me the winner isn¡¯t really in question. After all, to this day, I have never lost to Surfania¡­ Although I have never won against Mariwa, but let¡¯s just ignore that for now. I¡¯m pretty sure Surfania just hasn¡¯t improved at all. A shut in as always, same barbed tongue, constantly a sore loser, quick to tears. She hasn¡¯t grown up at all. After considering her options for ages, Surfania finally makes a move. Since it was an expected move I could immediately counter it. ¡°If by any chance Leon does fail the exam, Mariwa will probably strangle him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such scary things¡­¡± Leon shuddered, already imaging what would happen. It seems that after all these years Leon had at leaste to understand just how truly frightening Mariwa was. ¡°Putting aside such fun talks¡­you probably passed right? As long as you answered each question; there¡¯s no need to worry about failing. If you¡¯re going to worry, then it should be over your school life starting from spring,moner.¡± Eighty percent of new students at the Royal Academy were the children of nobles. In such an affluent ce ¨C amoner like Leon will stand out no matter what. Especially if he gets excellent marks. He will definitely attract some jealousy. ¡°If you¡¯re just going to hang out withmoners, then there¡¯s no point in going to the Academy. Make sure to use the chance to make some connections.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really worried about that anyway. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m about to start worrying about my social status now after all this time, It¡¯s fine to ignore them as long as they don¡¯t push it too far, right? And don¡¯t call it ¡®making connections¡¯. I¡¯m just nning on making some normal friends.¡± ¡°Try and use your head would you. At least have a think about the advantages and disadvantages, okay? If it¡¯s the child of a high rank noble, that¡¯s all anyone is thinking about. You have to be able to show off just what your worth is. Then gather sufficient associates to prove your value. That¡¯s a start. If you¡¯re really struggling, you can use my name.¡± ¡°Well¡­alright. Not that I¡¯ll use your name though, Chris.¡± ¡°As long as you understand. Now you just have to work hard.¡± I¡¯ll leave him be at the start and see just how far Leon can get by himself. If you say you won¡¯t use my name then, it¡¯s fine to just recruit youter on anyway. While I nned to drag that shut in Surfania into my camp from the beginning, Leon¡¯s position is different. My connections will spread further if I absorb a faction Leon has made himself without my help. Heheh. Regardless, he¡¯ll be my follower. I like the sound of that. I love having followers. They satisfy my need for social approval. My n for school domination is progressing steadily. Still, my number one goal is the Idiot Crown Prince. He will make for an easy victory. If it¡¯s that fool, even Leon could easily smush him. ¡°Somehow I felt that chill again¡­ So what about you guys? I won¡¯t be mad if you failed the exam. Especially you, Surfania. Since you hate people, I figured you¡¯d refuse to go.¡± ¡°Since my older sisters all go there, I have to go¡­ I more or less passed the exam as well.¡± In these two years Leon had managed to understand Surfania¡¯s character well, which was to say he didn¡¯t give her words much weight. Without paying much attention to what was being said, after grimacing at the board for a while, Surfania finally moved her piece. For high nobility like myself and Surfania, if our parents enrolled us, we would without a doubt get in. The exam results doesn¡¯t actually matter. Still, with my score on the exam and noble status, without any royalty in the same year I should easily be the student representative. I¡¯m also confident I got the top score in the exam. ¡°Oh yeah, the Calibrachoa house¡¯s daughter, their second daughter that is, Miss Ignia is at the school. One grade ahead of us right? I hope we can be cooperative.¡± ¡°Stop it, I don¡¯t even want to imagine it.¡± As signs of defeat showed on the board, Surfania was twirling a strand of hair in clear agitation. ¡°Aaaah, that¡¯s right, for some reason Surfania isn¡¯t close with her sister right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that her rebellious stage is dragging on. Miss Ignia is actually quite easy to get along with, though the eldest sister is a bit difficult ¨C even for me. Since she¡¯s always so energetic, she¡¯s probably involved in lots of activities at the school right?¡± ¡°Noisy. I don¡¯t know anything about my sisters. Saying my sister is ¡®easy to get along with¡¯ is just her being a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing¡­Speaking of tricking people, Chris at school, are you going to constantly be pretending to be ady in your second form? Because if you are, then I¡¯d prefer it if you stayed away from me. It¡¯s annoying. When you¡¯re like that I get goosebumps.¡± ¡°I know what you mean. Chris is like a whole nother person in her second form. Even for me, when you¡¯re in that mode I don¡¯t know if amoner like me can talk to you or not. If you can, could you not bring it out¡­?¡± ¡°You guys¡­¡± These two saying whatever the want to, my eyebrows started to twitch. They¡¯ve got some nerve to talk like that about my second form, I have spent over eight years cultivating it to perfection. Just you wait and see, you¡¯ll have ss with my second form in ss everyday. ¡°I think normal Chris is best. It sounds like a pain to hide your true self the whole time we¡¯re at school.¡± ¡®It does. I would even prefer the current her over that version. So talk normally.¡± ¡°Hehe. Not a chance.¡± I rejected the two ¡®s counsel of opinion with a snort. With no mother or wet nurse, the way I speak I wasrgely influenced by Father. So it¡¯s useless. Even briefly, letting my true coarse mouth talk at the Academy wouldn¡¯t be forgiven for a second. ¡°We¡¯re trying to look out for you, Chris. Why do you need to be in second form anyway? With your social status, you can pretty much talk down to anyone there. Since your default is spouting self important nonsense, I don¡¯t think you can hide it the whole time.¡± ¡°Well yes. To be so picky about her words and tone, it¡¯s just not you at all, Chris. Even Mariwa says so. To train yourself to act one way until you fully understand it, and then put it to practical use. You should at least keep a bit more of your actual personality in your second form.¡± ¡°I already said; I can¡¯t. Because how I usually talk is¡­¡± It¡¯s like that. It¡¯s the same way the viiness, Christina Noir, from Destiny Labyrinth spoke. ¡°¡­This isn¡¯tdylike after all. It seems like a viiness after all.¡± ¡°I guess it is like Chris is speaking like ady ¡­wait, what do you mean viiness? You¡¯ve mentioned it before right?¡± ¡°Did I? I don¡¯t recall.¡± In order to fool Surfania, who had knit her brows at me, I went overtime in destroying her chess pieces. ¡°Well, anyway, together all three of us will be going to the Academy!¡± Brightly changing the subject, I moved my knight in order to thoroughly defeat Surfania. The me who was so happy about going to the Academy had no idea what I was about to be forced to endure. The hardships that fate had in store from me after entering the Royal Academy. Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Normally at dinner the Noir table bubbling with conversation. Father, Michelie and I were all gathered together to have dinner tonight. As usual Michelie and I were exchanging everything that happened during the day while gathering information, it was a fun mealtime activity. Even delicious food will be spoilt by a bad mood. Since I knew that, I was saving up all the times I got to each happily with Michelie like this. Yet, right now the table held the atmosphere of a funeral. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± A silence of three people saying nothing. The only sound was the echo of tableware. Even I, who normally livened up our dinners, had my mouth firmly closed. My hands holding the knife and fork moved heavily as the dinner seemed to drag on. My appetite hadpletely disappeared. Even Michelie was still feeling down. Even her golden hair that always shone seemed to have darkened. She sat there ¨C despondent. With slow movements she worked through her te, taking small bites. So cute, even when she¡¯s feeling down my sister is still cute. Only one person, Father, had said, ¡°Why is everyone so down?¡± as a small try, but he had tucked into dinner with his usual vigour. The reason we¡¯re so down, was because of a topic that already came up during dinner. ¡°Father¡­¡± Even if my heart feels hollow, I still have something I must say. Fate is cruel. It crushes my heart. My n that would start from spring, entering into The Royal Academy. That was where fate had prepared arge trap for me. The Royal Academy was a boarding school. I¡¯ll say that again. It¡¯s a boarding school. As soon as Father mentioned it during the meal, both Michelie and I had frozen. ¡°I won¡¯t go to the Royal Academy¡± ¡°¡­.¡± My Father ignored my appeal. As if pretending he didn¡¯t hear me, he kept on eating. If you ignore it all, don¡¯t fantasise that it will just go away Father. Even I, his daughter, has to say how stupid by Father was acting trying to feign innocence. Beside me, Michelie was holding onto my skirt. ¡°Big Sister¡­you won¡¯t leave right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave¡­There¡¯s no way I can abandon you and leave, right?!¡± ¡°You will go.¡± My previously silent Father suddenly came between us sisters. ¡°Father¡­¡± Michelie turned her entreating eyes on Father. Even though Michelie, who was always so obedient, was rebelling on this, Father just looked away as if he couldn¡¯t see it. Still, if Michelie is of the same opinion as me then I have no hesitation. With my conviction prepared, I confronted Father. ¡°Do you have a problem, Father? Since I said I won¡¯t go, I will not go. Is there anything more important than my will?!¡± ¡°Just why are youining so much, Christina¡­¡± Father is acting as if he¡¯s facing a selfish brat saying nonsense. Finally beginning to speak, Father met my stare. ¡°Christina. What you will gain at that school, do you really not understand how important it is? You were originally looking forward to starting school. Why all of a sudden have you changed your mind?¡± ¡°Because¡­I didn¡¯t realise all students had to live in the dormitory.¡± I knew it had a dormitory, but I thought it was just for students who lived quite far away. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d go so far as to force nobles who lived so close to the school to also live in the dormitory. Certainly I knew that in the game Michelie stayed at the dorm, but I thought that was because of the game Christina¡¯s bullying, they never said it was actually apulsory dormitory. Until today at dinner Father had said ¡®To think from Spring even Christina will be in a dormitory¡¯ Even this house will be so quiet¡¯ uttered looking deeply moved. It was a possibility I hadn¡¯t even considered. Damn it. I was careless. To go so far as to ce a trap here, destiny is truly cunning. ¡°It¡¯s your own fault you didn¡¯t realise. Anyway, aren¡¯t you going to go to school with the Calibrachoa¡¯s daughter Surfania? Then everything should be fine. If you suddenly pull out, won¡¯t she be quite upset?¡± ¡°What?!¡± I didn¡¯t get what going to school with Surfania had to do with what we were discussing, but Michelie seemed shaken for some reason. ¡°Big Sister is happy to be with Miss Surfania, right? Even if I¡¯m not there, if Surfania is then it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fall for his rubbish, Michelie. Surfania can cry all she wants.¡± I sighed. As Michelie had begun to grasp my hem with all her power, I thought of a very good idea. Even if Father¡¯s eyes were telling me to be quiet, I had no intention of stopping. ¡°I know! Father should use his power to force the school to give me special treatment! They can just let memute instead. Like that, everything will be fine.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. I am ordering you to stop with these crazy ideas.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with it. Our house is so close!¡± Rules are rules. Abide by them.¡± ¡°Well their rules are stupid! making people live in the dorm, it should only be people from the border!¡± If Father is going to crush my idea without even listening, then I won¡¯t listen to him either. Im the name of my pride and my love for Michelie I say this. ¡°Who do you think I am? I am Christina Noir The eldest daughter of the Noir house, one of the three great houses of this country. I am Micheli¡¯s Big Sister! If it¡¯s for my sister, I will break this enforced boarding system!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cool, Chris!¡± ¡°Of course! I am your Big Sister after all!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re such an admirable Big Sister then stop saying such unreasonable things!¡± Though Michelie¡¯s eyes were sparking with high praise for my speech, Father quickly cut me down saying I was just being selfish. ¡°It¡¯s not as if there isn¡¯t a system to let students go out for legitimate reasons, and the half yearly holiday students are free to go wherever. Isn¡¯t it fine since you can y with Michelie as much as you like then?¡± I see, I see. He is saying that even if I¡¯m in a dormitory, I can still see Michelie every half year. ¡­Is he trying to kill me? To only see her one every six months? As if I could stand such a stretch of time being apart from her! I can¡¯t believe this. What the hell are you saying Father? ¡°I can¡¯t see Big Sister for over half a year¡­..? Th- that¡¯s ridiculous!¡± If the angel by my side, who was so rarely opinionated, will argue on my behalf the there¡¯s no way I can fail here. As long as Michelie is by my side, I shall never yield. ¡°I¡¯ve already paid for your enrolment and donated to the school. There¡¯s no way I can suddenly cancel your enrolment just like that. Michelie, you should also be reasonable. There¡¯s nothing that can be done.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that! Since we¡¯re rich, there¡¯s shouldn¡¯t be any problem?!¡± ¡°Enough of this foolishness!¡± This time he finally responded to myints. It seems Father has no intention of listening to my opinions. ¡°Father¡­why are you saying such cruel things? Father, do you hate Big Sister and me now¡­?¡± ¡°Michelie. You too, stop copying Christina¡¯s bad behaviour. Rather, to have to tell you off when you¡¯re usually so good, it hurts my heart¡­¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t care what you say to me, Father!¡± I¡¯d expected him to simply re, but instead Father came back with a scolding. ¡°Christina, you will stay away from your sister for a while. It¡¯s because you¡¯re always acting like this that Michelie can¡¯t stand on her own two feet. Are you not ashamed as an elder sister?¡± ¡°I- I already know!¡± I¡¯ve been steadily distancing myself. Michelie¡¯s has already grown so independent thesest two years. Even if it¡¯s just a little, she doesn¡¯t depend on my so much that it could be called dependence. I am aplishing my duties as a Big Sister properly. Father narrowed his eyes. ¡°I see, let me ask for reference then, how many more years will it take?¡± ¡°Th- that¡¯s¡­¡± The reason I looked at the ground was definitely not an attempt to escape from Father¡¯s gaze. Because, Michelie can live independently from me, I¡¯m following the n. Exactly. Slowly, slowly, until the day when Michelie and I will livepletely separate. ¡°¡­about thirty years left?¡± ¡°Oi. Clean the table. Dinner is finished. Ah, also. take away the children¡¯s as well. Even if they haven¡¯t finished, just take it away.¡± ¡®Father?!¡± ¡°How cruel Father!¡± In the face of the two sister¡¯s condemnation, dinner was ruthlessly called to a close. Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Yesterday Father was really quite pigheaded. Even though I tried toin during dinner about thepulsory dormitory system, he left saying he had work to do and wouldn¡¯t let me into his study. After banging on his door I was dragged away and locked in my room. Even though it was treason to separate me and Michelie, Father wouldn¡¯t listen to our sisterly bond. ¡°Even if I go to the Royal Academy, it¡¯s not like sses arepulsory. Most of all, I¡¯ve already studied everything in the curriculum anyway! So there¡¯s no reason I have to go. Isn¡¯t that right charles!¡± ¡°Exactly Chris!¡± The one who responded, eyes gleaming with spirit was Charles. Even though he was royalty he was so cute alwaysing over to visit my house. He had already turned 11 this year. Although he and Michelie used to be the same height, Charles has grown to be quite a bit taller. Even so, his honesty was still his greatest asset, as his emotions were clear on his face. For some reason my fiance was quite pleased when I ryed the situation to him this morning. ¡°Today Chris is so lively!¡± ¡°Of course! because I¡¯m angry now!¡± It seems like Charles had taken a different meaning from all this than me, but it didn¡¯t matter. I was in high spirits. I held up my clenched fist above my head to show just how mad I was. Charles raised his hand with a ¡°wow¡±. ¡°I thought Father was a better father than this! To try and separate Michelie and me¡­.Oi Charles! Do you have anything to add!¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°Okay, let it out!¡± It seemed Charles did after all have have some thoughts on the forced separation of Michelie and me. As expected of my fiance. At my encouraging response Charles opened his mouth in good humour ¡°It serves you right!¡± ¡°Look Charles, I get it, you are courageous as always in volunteering to fight for me¡­..!¡± My smiling face was shocked as I realised what Charles had just said and I grabbed his face in my hands. In my previous life they called this move the iron w. I put all my strength into twisting as hard as I could. ¡°It hurts! This really hurts Chris!?¡± ¡°Make peace with it. While I am fond of you, I am still a strictdy.¡± Charles tried to pry himself out of my iron w, but being older my grip was stronger. Never ever will I lose! How could his reaction to my justified speech be ¡°Serves you right¡±. Even someone as gentle as me will snap. His timing especially had fired me up. ¡°While I¡¯m happy you said you¡¯re fond of me, you¡¯re misunderstanding! I wasn¡¯t saying that it serves you right Chris!¡± ¡°Oh really now?¡± I considered Charles¡¯ appeal for a moment, as a doubt was born. I rxed my grip ever so slightly. ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± ¡°I meant it serves Michelie right? So let me go already!¡± ¡°I understand. we¡¯re going to go into overtime now. Resolve yourself Charles.¡± ¡°Wh- why?!¡± WHy on earth would this kid think I¡¯d let him go with that. He had just dug his grave deeper. No matter how Charlesined or screamed I didn¡¯t let him go. I was now putting in more power than before. As I was punishing Charles a voice came from the side. ¡®Oi Christina Noir Let him go¡ªWah?!¡± Turning in the direction of the voice, I threw a nearby jewelry box at them. I thought it was quite a weak throw, but the target screamed when it hit the mark. ¡°Bastard¡­.Just what are you trying to pull?! The hell do you think I am. How dare you disrespect the crown prince like this!¡± ¡°Just when did you sneak into my room you perverted prince!¡± ¡°Who you calling a perverted prince?!¡± I really don¡¯t think I need to tell you all the names of my enemy shouting at the moment. With straight blonde hair and blue eyes slightly different to Charles¡¯, it was His Highness Endo. He was a species of annoying bug that would asionally follow Charles here when he came to visit. While I was busy with Charles he has snuck into my room, I hadn¡¯t noticed him at all until now. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you Big Brother¡± In order to beat up this idiot who forced himself into my room, I released the iron w. Charles approached Endo as if he hadn¡¯t just been tortured. ¡°What are you doing here Big Brother. Weren¡¯t you keeping Micheliepany?¡± ¡°Aaah. I went to her room, but she wasn¡¯t it sight. Oi Christina Noir. Where¡¯s MIchelie?¡± ¡°Well now. That¡¯s something even I don¡¯t know.¡± I yed dumb to His Highness¡¯ Royal Inquiry. Of course I actually knew where she was. Since Endo wasing here, Michelie had run away from her room. She¡¯s probably off doing embroidery with a maid somewhere. She¡¯lle out again once Endo¡¯s gone. ¡°I see. Michlei is inconsequential, so it¡¯s fine that Chis doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± ¡°Ow-¡± As usual I couldn¡¯t understand the aggression between Charles and Michelie, so I lightly chopped him on the head. ¡°Hah. Well, since it seems Michelie is busy there¡¯s no helping it. But from that talk just then¡­.bastard, It seems you didn¡¯t know about the dormitory system until now. You have no self respect.¡± ¡°Shut it you good-for-nothing Prince! What a hobby you have, eavesdropping.¡± ¡°When things don¡¯t go your way, do you always resort to nder? Pathetic. I basically onlye during the seasonal school break. How did you not even realise?¡± ¡°Seasonal school breaks¡­¡­? Ahh, I see.¡± After all, this year Endo¡¯s visits have always been in the seasons of Summer or Spring. Thinking about it Endo is one year older, so he¡¯s definitely a student there. I see. He came during the twice yearly holiday period. I didn¡¯t realise because I don¡¯t pay attention to someone like Endo. ¡°My bad, because his highness shows up only in summer and winter, I thought it was just you being weird as usual. So I didn¡¯t really think about it much.¡± ¡°What the hell am I to you anyway?!¡± ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t I just say so now?¡± ¡°But Chris, you really have no choice about the dormitory. Finally Michelie is the one who gets left behind for once.¡± ¡°The first part was right. I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear the second part. This is advice from your older brother. Don¡¯t hang around with this one. Her stupidity will run off on you.¡± ¡°How about you stop talking to Charles. You¡¯ll corrupt my fiance and turn him into an idiot and pervert like you Perverted prince!¡± I will never get along with this asshole. Since he had fallen in love with Michelie at first sight two years ago, he has been appearing now and then like a stalker to visit her at our house. No way would I ever get along with that. He sticks to her like a bug. He isn¡¯t even good enough to face Michelie, so I¡¯ve been running interference. Even if he gets through my interference, and manages to meet Michelie, it¡¯s not like this useless bug can try anything. ¡°Oi Christina Noir. Quit calling me a perverted prince. It¡¯s way too harsh¡­.!¡± ¡°Hah. I can call scum like you whatever I want to. Since that was what you promised two years ago.¡± ¡°Grrr-¡± With a chuckle I proudly squash Endo¡¯s resistance. There¡¯s nothing wrong with calling a pervert trying to close in on my little sister a pervert to his face and I have no intentions of changing that after this. The special rights I received two years ago havee in more use than I thought they would. Since the only thing this idiotic prince has is his ridiculously high pride, since he put forward the conditions, there¡¯s no way he would break his word. ¡°Then shall we have another duel with swords this time? My training has been paying off.¡± Since the incident with Endo, Mariwa has been teaching me the basics of self defense. Even Mariwa agreed that it was a good idea to be able to protect myself. furthermore, for some reason only in our self defense sses ¡®¡­.You have good muscles¡¯, Mariwa unprecedentedly praises me. While I had never actually fought with anyone, since Mariwa praised my skill, I think I will be fine. I¡¯ve already given up suspecting why Mariwa knows how to train the body. It¡¯s just mariwa. I¡¯d be more surprised if there were things Mariwa couldn¡¯t teach. Endo crossed his arms and turned away to my teasing proposal. ¡°Fuuun. Can you even fight against a girl with a sword?¡± Seems this fool who tried to have a duel with me in the past was babbling on about something. It seems Viscount Igusa¡¯s teaching has improved since two years ago but still¡­.. ¡°Charles. Get away from that idiot. Come here.¡± ¡°Yeah ¡­¡­sure?¡± ¡°Hold on a second¡± As Charles obediently headed towards me Endo grabbed him to stop him. ¡°Oi woman. don¡¯t deceive my little brother. Stay here, Charles.¡± ¡°Yeah? um, I don¡¯t really mind but¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not deceiving anyone, he¡¯s my fiance. Charles, It¡¯s fine soe here.¡± ¡°Okay-¡­¡­¡± Caught between me and Endo, Charles was trying to decide what to do. Of course neither of us wouldpromise to the other, so we red at each other over Charles. Unexpectedly, Charles who was stuck between us took hold of each of our hands. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°hmm?¡± With aplicated expression, Charles was drawing Endo and my hand¡¯s towards each other. Our fingertips were barely touching. Even if this is such a Charles thing to do, since it¡¯s so sudden I can¡¯t respond immediately. ¡°Can¡¯t we get along like this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Caught unguarded by Charles, I can only stare at my hand touching Endo. Well, I mean, I get what Charles is trying to do. I can see what he wants to say. But still, this is. Basically, it¡¯s that. ¡°It will dirty my beautifuldy skin¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch a royal like me, it gives me goosebumps¡± It¡¯s basically still the same conclusion. No matter what Charles says, I will never try and be friends with this guy. Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- To enter the Academy means to seperate from Michelie for a while. I couldn¡¯t help but reluctantly understand that fact. No matter how much I tried to oppose it, Father would not yield. There was nothing more I could do. I am the sole daughter of the Noir household, so I have some power, but the real power lies with my Father. Since I was still a child, there was no way for me to overturn the decisions Father as the head of the Noir family made. I had to grow enough to be able to defeat Father. Though I considered continuing my previous protests, that was my limit. So there was nothing I could do to stop being pulled away from Michelie for a while. Even if the reason was to encourage Michelie¡¯s independence, it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing to be physically separated for a while. Originally, us sisters were the strongest, something like distance will not defeat us. Of course I¡¯ll be lonely when we can¡¯t meet, but to withstand this trial, I shall grow as ady and someday have my revenge upon Father. It¡¯s not like there were only bad things about entering the school. With the change in environment, I would acquire so many new experiences. I¡¯ll all of a sudden be surrounded by so many new people, and there will be countless challenges to go along with that. ¡®I¡¯m honestly looking forward to it. After all, make no mistake, I am the genius of my generation. The Royal Academy is the perfect stage to announce that Christina of the Noir house is here. There¡¯s only two more years until Michelie will enter the Academy, after that we can spend our school life enjoyably as sisters. I will spend these two years gaining perfect control of the school ready for when Michelie arrives. That way I can have everything ready for her to join me. I have set my heart on this. However, aside from separating from Michelie there is one more problem. As I begin my life at the Royal Academy, something wille to a definite end. ¡°¡¯Lady Chris, Is something the matter?¡± ¡°¡­.Mm. It¡¯s nothing.¡± After Mariwa pointed out that I had stopped writing, without back chatting I resumed concentrating on the ss. Mariwa didn¡¯t enquire any further and ss resumed. Quietly, Mariwa¡¯s ss continues without interruption. I silently try and store all the information Mariwa mentions in her lecture. Recently, I hadn¡¯t rebelled at all. This was proof that I was growing up and bing a truedy. Under Mariwa¡¯s training, I was steadily bing a finedy. Mariwa¡¯s sses that had been a staple since I was seven, after today there was only one ss left. Mariwa is after all my hired tutor. Even though on paper she was simply my etiquette teacher, in her twice weekly lessons I was now taught anything that might be necessary for me to know in the future. I was taught all sorts of things from Mariwa. Beginning with manners, then liberal arts, and then various other disciplines, and finally even self defense. These will all be indispensable in the future, and though I can¡¯t say it easily, I am incredibly grateful to Mariwa. So much so that words cannot express it. But Mariwa will not be my tutor forever. Mariwa is only my tutor until I enter the Royal Academy. This deadline has been there since long ago. It¡¯s an unavoidable parting. It¡¯s different from the unexpected separation from Michelie. As such, once Mariwa is no longer my tutor, there is nothing I can do to stop our rtionship being cut. There is no reason for Mariwa to continue toe see me, and there is no excuse for me to go see her either. ss continues indifferently. Mariwa teaches as always, the only different thing is perhaps my heart. During ss I don¡¯t cause a fuss, or try to escape, or joke about anything, I simply apply myself to the content. Our time passed like this in the blink of an eye. ¡°Let¡¯s finish here for today. Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mariwa¡¯s words are met with silence. There are things I want to ask. But they¡¯re not rted to ss. A genius like me is a child who prepares and revises properly. To prepare for ss, I study even on days with no ss. I already understand all the contents of today¡¯s ss. So what I want to ask is not rted to today¡¯s ss. it¡¯s a much more trivial, thoroughly personal thing. For example, once you are no longer my tutor what will you do? or, Where does Mariwa live. or, How did you be my tutor. I want to hear about Mariwa. Now that I know I will no longer meet her regrly as my tutor, after all this time questions keep bubbling up. If things continue like this, I don¡¯t think I will be able to ask Mariwa anymore. Mariwa, what is your normal life like? Mariwa, how have you lived so far? Mariwa, what will you do from now on? I realised that I know nothing about Mariwa¡¯s past, present or future. If i don¡¯t do anything, Mariwa won¡¯t tell me about herself. After all, Mariwa is just my tutor. Since I know mariwa, I know she will not go beyond her duties as tutor. ¡°That¡¯s right. A question¡­¡± That¡¯s why, today I definitely need to ask one of my many questions. ¡°Your question?¡± ¡°¡­..Nn. No. I understood everything! You should praise me!¡± ¡°So it was like that. It is expected that you will understand the contents of our ss, there¡¯s no reason for me to praise you.¡± For some reason I couldn¡¯t bear it. As if she hadn¡¯t sensed what I had been trying to say, mariwa begun to tidy up her belongings after a cold reply. This was just like usual, Mariwa is always like this, for some reason my chest tightened. ¡°¡­..Mariwa¡± ¡°What is it, Lady Chris¡± Mariwa stopped what she was doing and turned to face me after I called her name. But when I saw that face all the things I had nned to say dried up. Her back was perfectly straight, her eyes shining like a hawks. Her expression was cold, as if she didn¡¯t care that our final goodbye was near, no matter what it was her usual face. ¡°Mariwa¡­.¡± I felt that her face was so very far away. The words I tried to stay were blocked in my throat, the lips I tried to gently open became tense. ¡°¡­¡­Ha. It¡¯s nothing. SInce ss is finished, hurry up and leave! I want to spend my remaining time before the Academy with my precious Michelie!¡± ¡°I see, Well, don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Mariwa left without reprimanding my careless words. ¡°Well then, excuse me.¡± Ah, my regrets are toote now. I se Mariwa off without being able to stop her. I bite my lips at what a coward I am. I only have one more chance left. Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- I ran down the corridor. I moved my body forward, keeping to rhythm, each step a leap. I ran past a worried maid who yelled after me ¡®That¡¯s dangerous- young miss!¡¯ but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop me. Feeling this way, I was helpless. Inside my chest pathetic thoughts spun around and round. Emotions bubbling up with no outlet just like when I hid from Charles. When I thought about that time, the solution came easily. I just need to say it. I just need to listen. I just need to clearly say my thoughts. All the things I¡¯ve kept in my heart, I just have to throw them out there, and maybe they will catch them. However, I¡¯m not that confident I can actually carry it out. ¡°Urgh¡­¡­!¡± I want to let out a loud scream. But I scolded myself for trying to take such an easy way out. Another part of me violently responded, ¡®then what else should I do then¡¯. Suppressing all the chaotic thoughts as they were too much, I arrived at Michelie¡¯s room. Without even pausing to knock, I threw open the door. Keeping my momentum I ran and hugged my little sister who has been reading quietly until now. ¡®Michelie!¡± ¡°Wha- Big Sister?¡± Michelie was surprised at my attack, but didn¡¯t dislike it in the slightest. Without resisting my hug at all, she just tilted her head slightly, as if this was the normal hug. ¡°All of a sudden, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mm. Just give me a sec.¡± I held my cute little sister as close as I could for a moment. Feeling Michelie¡¯s warmth, my heart calmed a little. For a moment I dreamed I could stay here forever, but today that was no good. Today I didn¡¯te here to be healed by Michelie. That¡¯s why I reluctantly pulled away from our embrace, I earnestly looked into Michelie blue eyes. ¡°Michelie. Please scold this useless older sister.¡± ¡°Eh? All of a sudden, what¡¯s wrong Big Sister?¡± In response to my serious request, the same words she had said when I first jumped on her, now had a slightly different meaning. Michelie¡¯s nk look, was the face of someone who had absolutely no idea what was going on around her. Certainly, most people would be shocked, being asked such a thing out of the blue. But, I really wanted Michelie to do this for me. ¡°It¡¯s fine so, without asking why, just scold this no good sister of yours. With the strongest words you have, push me forward!¡± I was currently driven by the intense urge to be punished. So I wanted to be scolded. I had thought of asking Father, but when Father admonishes me I just automatically rebel, so I scraped that n. Maybe if Michelie sent me a ¡®tsk!¡¯ my feelings would calm down. If my most beloved sister could scrape out my weak self, then with all my power I can challenge Mariwa. ¡°Please Michelie.¡± ¡°Um well¡­.okay¡± I guess I understand, for now anyway.¡± Michelie was a child who well understood people¡¯s emotions. Even without knowing all the details, she understood my enthusiasm. Taking a step back, when Michelie looked into my eyes she didn¡¯t look at all confused. ¡°Big Sister.¡± As she said my name gently Michelie reached her hand towards my head. Aaah. I hadn¡¯t expected her to go for a beating straight off. But it was convenient. If it was hit like how mariwa does, surely my body would wake up. Michelie¡¯s handnded on my head as I waited expectantly. Rather than a punishing harsh fist, an epting gentle palmnded on my head. ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really get it but, if it¡¯s you Big Sister then everything will work out.¡± Stretching as high as she could, Michelie gently stroked my hair smiling from her heart. ¡°Michelie¡­.¡± ¡°Ahaha. I feel a bit bad for doing this Big Sister, but it makes me happy. Big Sister relying on me.¡± I was going to say that this was the opposite of what I had asked for, but I stopped. Just like how I have never harmed Michelie, Michelie has never harmed me. Beingforted by Michelie is not a bad thing. Though it didn¡¯t follow my n, I still felt my motivation returning. ¡°Something happened with Mariwa. yeah. Speaking of, your sses with her wille to an end soon won¡¯t they. I see. To say goodbye like this, must feel lonely.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.Mmm.¡± ¡°But you know what? I know for a fact that there is nothing Big Sister can¡¯t achieve if she tries.¡± Being consoled by my little sister, the tension finally leaves my body. As her words soak in, my heart feels rxed. ¡°So, if it my Big Sister, the coolest in the world, everything will work out.¡± ¡°¡­..Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Looking at Michelie smiling up at me, I confirmed what I knew from long ago. To be worthy of my younger sister who selflessly supports me, I will stand with dignity and pride and throw away my weak self. ¡°I am the older sister of Michelie, the coolest in the world!¡± ¡°So cool Big Sister!¡± Always single mindedly motivating me, my most beloved sister is indeed an angel. Later I would think back upon these days. Peaceful days I spent ignoring the fated scenario and instead chasing after daily happiness. I was so happy then. It was surely because I was so happy that I couldn¡¯t look ahead and think about the consequences of my actions. What a fool I was, calling myself a genius. However, that stupidity was just the most obvious out of many small pushes that made me be a viiness. It was then that I could see all the signs as far back as when I was thirteen, no eleven, even as a seven or nine year old¡­.No even before that. The groundwork that would decide my path had beenid long before the five year old me remembered my previous life. Like that, even if it was only by the heart, I was manipted down this path. Or perhaps for a viiness like me, it was decided from the moment I was born. But even now I don¡¯t have any regrets. Because I love the fate that made me like this. All I need to do, is love the fate that was given to me. Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- I opened my eyes. As soon as I did I was aware of my surroundings. From my dream I opened my eyes to the real world. With that, I¡¯ve already forgotten what I was just dreaming of. Looking up at the bed canopy, I blinked owlishly several times. The sunshineing in from the window was radiant. It¡¯s morning. I¡¯m an early riser, but my head is still blurry first thing in the morning. With my thoughts still catching up, I can rx in bed without my usual impatience. I justy there, still, not fully in reality for several seconds, before finally I¡¯m truly awake. ¡°Sun¡¯s up¡­¡± Muttering as I got out of bed, I let out a big stretch. It feels nice to move the body after it¡¯s be heavy from sleep, but it doesn¡¯t get rid of all the drowsiness. Already done with the morning preparations, the maid calls out once she¡¯s sure I¡¯m up. ¡°Good morning Miss. Let me help you get dressed.¡± ¡°Mmm-¡­.G¡¯morning-¡± Using the water prepared in the bowl, I wipe my face with a cloth. Though I¡¯m left feeling refreshed, the dregs of sleep are still hanging on. Thest bit of drowsiness won¡¯t leave me just yet. It¡¯s persistence is annoying, but it¡¯s always been like this. I already know what I need to do to. ¡°Hair¡­.First I need to¡­..arrange my hair¡± ¡°Yes, yes. On it.¡± The maid sits me down on a chair, before brushing my hair out. Just a little more and I¡¯ll be fully wake up. ¡°Your bed hair is the same as always. Your hair has a mind of its own, every morning it sets a challenge for me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. ¡­..Ahaha You¡¯re a true young miss.¡± ¡°Mmm I am?¡± Combing through my hair, the maid has a small smile on her face as she seemed to enjoy my sleepy responses. My hair is unruly, It¡¯s especially bad first thing in the morning. The maid who does my hair every morning is a lot better at it than I am. Having my hair brushed like this feels nice. Secretly enjoying this luxury, I be fully awake from talking with the maid. ¡°Today, what ns do I have again?¡± ¡°yes. I have been instructed to bring you to the master¡¯s study after breakfast.¡± ¡°Father? I wonder why.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t told any more than that. ¡­..Ah. Young miss, Which dress should we go with today?¡± ¡°Hmmm, Give me a second to pick. While checking my schedule my brain gets up to speed. All the subtle thoughts in my mind be clear. By the time I¡¯ve gotten dressed, I am my usual perfect self. ¡°Okay, First off let¡¯s go wake up Michelie!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± To my usual announcement, the maid shows a wry smile as she bows. ¡­. Going to wake up Michelie is my daily routine. Or rather, I actually wake up a little bit earlier just so I can wake Michelie up. I quietly enter Michelie¡¯s room early. That way I can see Michelie¡¯s peaceful sleeping face. Her resting face is exactly what I imagine an angel would look like. Her golden hair is spread out in waves. her cheeks look so soft I just want to poke them. This small time where I can monopolise her is my privilege as an older sister. ¡°Isn¡¯t my little sister just the cutest¡± ¡°¡­Mm¡± I will never get tired of looking at my angelic little sister. Since she¡¯s still dreaming, of course Michelie can¡¯t hear me, but she still reacts to my words. Well, at least that¡¯s my embarrassing thinking. Though she¡¯s so cute like this, it¡¯s about time to wake her up. I give her shoulder a gentle shake. ¡°Michelie, It¡¯s morning.¡± ¡°¡­..Mhmm¡± The shine in her eyes when she just wakes up is the most beautiful sparkle in the world. Looking at me with those eyes, Michelie hugs me with a happyugh. ¡°¡­.It¡¯s big sister,¡± ¡°Yup. It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Ehehe¡­¡± Pretending to be asleep, Michelie clings to me like a spoiled child. Even though she¡¯s so grown up now, in the morning she still acts like a little kid. Since I¡¯m also out of it in the morning I understand. So just in the morning, I don¡¯t think about keeping away from my sister and just spoil her as much as I can. Like this, the time I get to spend with her before she wakes up isn¡¯t all that long. ¡°Good morning Big Sister.¡± ¡­ ¡°Mhmm, Morning Michelie.¡± Michelie greets me with a smile from within my arms. ¡°Let¡¯s get you up and dressed eh.¡± ¡°Will Big Sister be doing my hair?¡± ¡°Of course, well with some help from the maid as well. After all it¡¯s fun to y with Michelie¡¯s soft hair!¡± ¡°Ehehe I also enjoy having you y with my hair. ¡­.One day I hope to be able to do your hair for you Big Sister.¡± ¡°I think you might be exaggerating it in your head but¡­Why don¡¯t you try it today?¡± ¡°I can?!¡± ¡°U- uh, well Of course. You don¡¯t need to be so shocked¡­.¡± As I carefullyb Michelie¡¯s hair, I¡¯m a little puzzled by her enthusiasm. What ribbon should we use today?. While thinking things like that, I try and imagine a hairstyle that will suit a sister as cute as mine. I don¡¯t have long left before I enter the academy after all. Like this, same as always, we sisters get to spoil each other¡­ Just like that the day passes as usual. I wake up my beloved little sister, peacefully eat breakfast, and then remembering Father¡¯s summon¡¯s I head to his study. It¡¯s probably rted to when I¡¯ll leave for the academy. If so, then it¡¯s not really anything big, so I don¡¯t need to prepare myself to face Father all that much. ¡°Once she graduates from the academy, Michelie will enter a monastery.¡± Fate had bared its fangs. Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- I don¡¯t understand what he just said. His words echoed in my head, yet I still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°In two years time Michelie will enrol at the Royal Academy. Then four years after graduating from the Academy, I will send Michelie to a monastery. This has already been decided. If you get it, then you can leave.¡± After only saying that I was told to leave. With a snap somewhere in my head I lose it. I tried to pull myself together, gasping for air. But I couldn¡¯t catch my breath, it felt like I was suffocating. The rage forming in my body rushed out of my mouth. Later on I woulde to know that I had verbally abused Father between gasping for air. Honestly, I don¡¯t remember what I said. All I remember was that Father¡¯s face didn¡¯t even flinch as I threw my worse words at him. ¡°Have you calmed down yet Christina.¡± ¡°¡­tch!¡± I manage to hold back my immediate response. I forced my already half open mouth shut, biting off the words at thest minute. Father surely knew that I would respond like this. That¡¯s why he waited until I had nearly left for the Academy before he told me. He chose the short amount of time I had left with Michelie to tell me so that I couldn¡¯t n anything. I exhale a little, before breathing in heavily. And then I slowly let it out. I was calmer. I couldn¡¯t solve this by being angry. That¡¯s it. I can¡¯t resolve this by getting upset. I need to rify the facts and then think of a way to solve this. That¡¯s how I can proceed constructively from here. I ought to know that by now. I learnt from Mariwa that rather than being pulled around by my emotions, I needed to wield them myself. To be conscious of my anger, to identify and manage the source of that anger. By doing that you can return to your usual calm. Of course the anger is still there. ¡°Why. Michelie being sent to a monastery, why did this happen? Tell me why, Father.¡± Suppressing the anger stirring in the pit of my stomach I asked Father. One of the route of the original Christina is to be sent to a monastery as a political prisoner. In this country, the death sentence can be reduced to a life of harsh imprisonment. There are many reasons why someone might be sent to a monastery, punishment is only one of them. It¡¯s not that unusual for the children of nobles to enter monasteries, in order to stop a family¡¯s inheritance been split up. Thus second and third sons, as well as spinster daughters will often be sent there, basically, it¡¯s a support home for noble children who don¡¯t work or marry. To live in the monastery they vow a life of virtue, poverty, obedience, and to dedicate their lives to the monastery. Abandoning family and possessions, they live ording to the rules of the order. If Father says she will be sent there, then it will be with a suitable donation to the order. Alternatively, she could be sent to a private monastery of the Noir family. With that in mind, Michelie won¡¯t be treated like the original Christina was. Bing a nun is a respected life usually. It¡¯s a life that will never suit me, but it¡¯s not an unfortunate life. It¡¯s a virtuous aspiration, and many people hope to enter a monastery. However, I cannot forgive Father for arbitrarily closing off Michelie¡¯s future. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about¡­ as if you would understand with just that. This is because of Michelie¡¯s birth..¡± ¡°Her birth? Then it must be because her mother was the little sister of the king.¡± Father grimaced at my frank words. ¡°¡­.So you knew.¡± He said it bitterly, since this was information I wasn¡¯t supposed to know, but I was defiant. ¡°So what if I knew?¡± Even if Father thought I was suspicious, it didn¡¯t matter. Though he red at me, he didn¡¯t seem flustered. ¡°Christina. We are not royalty.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Of course I know that. Nobility and royalty, though they were simr, they werepletely different. Though the Noir family is a principle family of the aristocracy, it didn¡¯t hold a candle to the responsibilities of royalty. ¡°That¡¯s why I took Michelie in. It wasn¡¯t good to keep her imprisoned as royalty. I wanted to keep an eye on the child of Her HIghness Evilia. By keeping her close I could monitor the child. With just that person¡¯s child, her Highness Evilia will have a big impact of our world.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who her parents are.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t know.¡± It¡¯s the opposite of what he said before, but it¡¯s basically the same. I don¡¯t know anything about the King¡¯s little sister, so Father¡¯s evaluation of that person should have nothing to do with it. To me the only important thing is Michelie, just here and now we¡¯re discussing her future. But even now Father is stuck talking about the past. ¡°Her Highness Evilia. That person had everyone deceived. Of course no one would suspect her, no one would sense anything, until they were already under her spell. And then before we realised, everyone was her ally. None of us even knew a thing about her. No one thought to investigate. Who her friends were, what she was thinking as she acted¡­.we don¡¯t even know who Michelie¡¯s Father is. Noble privilege and royal power are closely intertwined in a delicate bnce always fought over. When Her Highness Evilia was there, that bnce leaned heavily towards the royal family. ¡°She ensnared high society, and had tempted almost all the nobility to her side. It was only when she passed away that we realised just how frightening a situation we were in. If it had remained that way, it could have been the end of aristocratic society. She was that skilled. She was a person beloved by all and beloved by the gods. She was a person that terrifying.¡± ¡°¡­.and?¡± After listening to Father¡¯s old tales, I asked the real problem with a low voice. ¡°Michelie inherited her skill. I feel bad for that child, but I cannot let her remain in the Noir family. Her graduation from school is the right time to end it. Even if I say she¡¯s being sent to a monastery, it isn¡¯t a bad life. I need you to understand that Christina. ¡°As if. Don¡¯t assume a child is just like the parent. Michelie is Michelie. Quite the bull Father. Have you ever been looking at Michelie until now? Or have you just been looking at the shadow of the deceased parent. Why don¡¯t you just look at Michelie!¡± ¡°No, It¡¯s from looking that I know.¡± Father bluntly responded. Saying you¡¯ve already looked, as if such a silly thing could matter to a genius like me. I was prepared to immediately refute my Father. ¡°Looking at you, who is so under her spell, I know for sure.¡± All my words disappeared. All the objections I had prepared, my burning anger too, it was all blown away from his words. ¡°More than anyone, even more than the Noir family, you put Michelie first, just looking at that I can see clearly.¡± ¡°¡­..a¡± But, that¡¯s. Michelie is, she¡¯s my younger sister. That¡¯s why, I. ¡°¡­.Say, Christina.¡± My thoughts are in pieces, I couldn¡¯t put together a sentence, it was then that Father gently smiled at me. ¡°You know, even I value Michelie a lot. But I love you more than that. And¡­.as the head of the Noir family I put this country first, even before my own daughter.¡± That is undoubtedly the duty of a noble, and Father is indeed the embodiment of a high ranking aristocrat. I tightly clench my fists. Hands in a fist, tighter and tighter, until my nails bit into my palm, I squeezed my hands. In response to my Father¡¯s beliefs, there was only a few words I could wring out in my pathetic state. ¡°Father, Have you ever thought about this¡­..?¡± ¡°I have thought about it. And this was the conclusion.¡± This is nobility. My Father¡¯s cold words somehow seemed lonely. Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- I was the failure who let myself be talked down by Father, but thinking I¡¯m going to give up here is a big mistake. I love Michelie. She¡¯s the most important thing in the world to me. That won¡¯t change no matter what Father says. I love Michelie. That thought is the only clear thought in my head. So I clung to it desperately. With anger and duty pushing me forward I search for countermeasures against Father. There are two years left before Michelie enters the Academy. From there another four years until graduation. Within that time limit I examined every single possible way to stop Michelie being sent to a monastery. I am the daughter of the Noir family. A genius child born into the high ranking nobility. I was blessed at birth with my abilities. But that was all I had. To consolidate the power and influence I require will take ten, if not more, years to happen. If I am seriously going to oppose Father, then I need more. I came to the conclusion that right now, no matter how hard I try, I do not have the power to overturn Father¡¯s decision. Once you enter a convent, you can never leave. That is an irond rule no matter which convent it is. Six years just wasn¡¯t enough time. As a child by myself there was nothing I could do, but I can ask for advice. I don¡¯t want to burden Michelie, besides she has less power than I do. Charles and Endo are from the royal family. I can¡¯t tell anyone the circumstances behind all this, so even if I cooperate with others, the six year time limit is standing in my way. There was a limit to the connections of a child. With those worries, there was a knock. ¡°Miss, It¡¯s nearly time for ms. Tote to arrive¡­.¡± At the maid¡¯s news, my face grimaced. The hesitation in the maid¡¯s voice is probably because she can sense my ill mood. The timing is bad. I hadn¡¯t even figured out how to deal with Mariwa leaving, I clicked my tongue at this horrible timing. ¡°Ah¡± There was someone I could ask after all. The most dependable person I know. Exactly. I should ask Mariwa. This was a great idea. There was no one more suitable to consult than Mariwa. ¡°Okay, please bring her here!¡± ¡°Y-yes. certainly.¡± She seemed surprised by my sudden attitude change, but she left without voicing any doubts. Meanwhile, my heart had brightened with the possibility of solving the issue. I just need to get Mariwa¡¯s coboration in sorting out this mess. If I do that, then I can keep consulting Mariwa in the future. I would have an excuse to keep seeing her. As if the fog had suddenly cleared, my problems seems to be solved one after another. Waiting impatiently like that, the maid finally showed Mariwa in. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here Mariwa! I have something I need to ask you about!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen after ss.¡± My energetic greeting was coldly rebuffed. Well, it¡¯s always like this anyway. It¡¯s not something to get depressed over. Once Mariwa was sure I had, though somewhat reluctantly, taken my seat, we begun the lesson. ¡°Our ss today is thest time I will teach you as a home teacher. So with that announcement, let me hear your thoughts on Philosophy.¡± Starting with an announcement like that, ss felt more serious than usual, so I pushed away the other thoughts. Rather than what I wanted advice on, I switched my mind to concentrate on ss. ¡°Philosophy is not only the basis of all academic disciplines, but it is also the most important of them all. However, it is an academic field that doesn¡¯t have a single correct answer. ¡°There¡¯s no correct answer?¡± ¡°Yes, inly speaking, this doesn¡¯t only apply to philosophy. I have educated you on various methods until now. Beginning with etiquette, than liberal arts, etc, we went through many questions, giving each a yes or no answer. However, while these answers are unavoidably beneficial and convenient for our current society, there is no absolute correct answer.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± I showed her a truly pathetic face. With one ss, she had flipped everything on its head. ¡°What¡¯s with that. So all our lessons up until now were meaningless? That¡¯s pretty cruel.¡± ¡°They were not meaningless. They were key points for your survival. But that is just saying they have meaning. You must not follow blindly and allow yourself to be trapped by other¡¯s way of thinking. I will teach you one thing. To divide everything into being correct, wrong and neither, is fatal. There is no difference between those three. ¡°¡­Sorry. I don¡¯t fully understand.¡± ¡°I see, then I shall offer you an easy to understand guiding principle for your life. I do not expect you to understand everything today, but I just ask that you remember what I will tell you today,¡± Even a genius like me can¡¯tprehend what Mariwa is trying to say. Without extra information it¡¯s really hard to understand. Even Mariwa expected it would be like this so she put it as easily she could with her next words. ¡°¡­.Love your fate¡± My breath stopped. ¡°In this unreasonable world, that repeats a daily life full ofints ¨C without averting your eyes from all the possibilities ¨C as it goes before you, love your fate.¡± Hearing thest thing Mariwa will teach me, my heart feels like it¡¯s going to stop beating. even as I feel it jumping in my chest. To give Michelie freedom to choose her future, there is only one choice I can make, and it was here the whole time. I now clearly know the answer, my messy tangled heart was put at peace. ¡°Everything you have experienced, for better or worse, has made you who you are today. That is what is called ¡®Love your fate; as long as you remember them, these words will help you in your life. ¡®Ha, hahaha.¡± Laughter leaked out from my mouth. Aaah, I finally get it. As if someone turned on the lights, I can finally see the road ahead. Who knew, in the end I didn¡¯t need an extra consultation with you. ¡°¡­..What¡¯s wrong,dy Chris?¡± ¡°Nothing at all. I got it. I finally understand Mariwa¡± Even though I felt like I was about to burst into tears, I forced a smile. Even though I know that many painful things are waiting for me, I was resolved to walk this path. I know it will involve betraying most of the people I¡¯ve encountered until now, but I¡¯ve decided to choose my most beloved sister. I remember every key event that leads to the conclusion I need. It¡¯s just as Mariwa said. Let¡¯s believe in it and love it. ¡°Thank you Mariwa, I really, truly, understood.¡± ¡®Ah, is that so?¡± I smiled sweetly as Mariwa looked at me unconvinced. ¡®Yup. my future from here, it¡¯s been decided.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Perhaps Mariwa was sent as a push from fate, but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Fate. That which I have denied all this time. The truth I knew when I met Michelie for the first time, the knowledge of my previous life. In that story there is no bad end. Suffering was always waiting for Christina. There were three endings to the game, and Michelie achieved happiness no matter which it was. Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Let¡¯s respect it. Whether it¡¯s execution, suicide or exile to a nunnery, whatever conclusion there is to Christina Noir¡¯s life, I will respect it. She always followed through. By sacrificing herself she gave Michelie happiness. That is the road I too shall follow. It¡¯s all decided. There¡¯s one month left until the Academy entrance ceremony. I have so many things to do before then. Since I¡¯m going to change the direction of my life, I need to change the very way I have lived my daily life until now. ¡°¡­¡± Sitting in my room I swirl a pair of scissors around. These dark and simple scissors arerge and cut with finality. This heavy weapon in my hands was something I stole from the maid¡¯s quarters. I had brought them here because they are necessary for what I¡¯m about to do. Since I decided to follow the scenarios of ¡®Destiny Labyrinth¡¯, there was something I had to do first. It¡¯s a crucial part of the scenario. Rather it is what drives the whole story ¨C my rtionship with Michelie ¨C so I need to make our rtionship what it was in the original scenario. In the game Michelie and Christina were already enemies by the time Christina entered the Academy. Although the description said that Michelie idolised her sister, the viinous Christina tyrannised her and looked at her with disgust. They never clearly said why. From the words and actions of the original Christina it seemed she thought Michelie was her father¡¯s secret child born from a mistress and thus hated her for it. But you know it was probably just like this. That Christina was me. That¡¯s why I have to immediately recreate what happened. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Motionless, I stared at my reflection on the de. The sin I¡¯m about tomit, I dare say father won¡¯t punish me. Hurting Michelie and pushing her away, he will think it¡¯s my rebellion against his im that she ¡®deceived¡¯ me. I¡¯m about to do a terrible thing to Michelie. ¡®I have never been deceived by Michelie. So, don¡¯t send Michelie to a monastery.¡¯ The things I¡¯m about to do, he will surely misunderstand them like this. That¡¯s why Father won¡¯t say a word and pretend that nothing happened. He¡¯ll just overlook this as a childish rebellion against him. ¡°Such a convenient excuse¡­.how annoying.¡± I feel like I¡¯m going to throw up. My hands holding the scissors are trembling. The things I¡¯m about to do, even if I¡¯m not punished, I hate it. It must be because of stress. As a headache starts to throb, I hear a knock at the door. ¡°Big Sister, I¡¯ming in.¡± ¡°¡­..Ah¡± Michelie enters my room, with no idea what¡¯s about to happen she approached me with a happy smile. Today is the day Charles wille to visit. She always visits me in my room before he arrives, which is why I had to do it today. I must finish this before Charles arrives. ¡°Ehehe, Until Charles arrives why don¡¯t we-¡­..Eh? Big Sister. What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± What¡¯s about to happen, my determination right now; Michelie who knows nothings, tries to read my espression. My face right now is probably pale as a sheet. I knew from what I saw in the scissors. Looking at me, I don¡¯t know what Michelie is feeling. ¡°¡­.Stay away from me¡± ¡°Eh?¡± More than hurt, she seems bewildered at these words I¡¯ve never said to her before. Her troubled face is attacked by confusion. The weak part of my heart is screaming that it¡¯s not toote to stop this now. I crushed that voice. ¡°W, what¡¯s wrong Bis Sister. Are you that sick? I¡¯ll call the doctor? It, it will be okay. Even if it¡¯s contagious, whatever disease it is, since it¡¯s you Big Sister, I¡¯ll stay right by your side!¡± She seems to have reached this conclusion by ming my words on illness. My self hate will leak out. Of course, up until now I would have responded just like that. But I¡¯m a viiness. I have to corrupt my soul. To let go of my beloved little sister. This is nothing more than the beginning of what will happen in Destiny Labyrinth. To make Michelie a true heroine, she needs a viiness like me to stand in her way. Therefore I cannot choose words she can misunderstand. ¡°¡­..Michelie. Do you know your origin?¡¯ ¡°Ummm, I¡¯m Big Sister¡¯s little sister?¡± ¡®Wrong.¡± As my beloved sister had just said words that would make me happy, I put my arms around Michelie. Without the slightest resistance Michelie hugs me back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Big Sister. You seem a bit different?¡± ¡°¡­.Different¡­Huh. That¡¯s right.¡± Michelie is sweetly looking up at me confused, but this time I¡¯m not hugging her to show her my love. I raise the loose strands in my arms, and with a short movement I twist my hands. Like this you can easily gather lots of hair without pulling hard. It¡¯s even easier because Michelie¡¯s hair is so very soft. ¡®Michelie. Someone like you has no right to the Noir family name.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Ahh. Actually, you¡¯re not even of noble blood.¡± ¡°Oh Okay.¡± Because Michelie is actually royalty. But I have to hide that for now, and instead make my expression one of disgust. Even hearing this new information, Michelie doesn¡¯t seem shocked at all. It¡¯s surely because she trusts our bond unconditionally. Without caring about her lineage, she has full confidence that our bond is the strongest. That is correct, but it is also wrong. I love Michelie. But even so, from now on I will trample her love for me into the ground. ¡°Seems you still don¡¯t get it¡± My voice trembles. ¡®because you¡¯re pretending¡¯ says my head. This can only be described as an abrupt rash act of violence to a clueless innocent. Slowly and carefully, I gather all of Michelie¡¯s hair in my hand so as not to miss a single strand. The top part of Michelie¡¯s hair is tied in a ribbon, but the rest is left to flow down her back. While making full use of her wavy golden hair, the ribbon makes an ent. I have both the loose and bound parts in my hand, and then I use the scissors. These scissors cut with finality. In order to cut through all the hair, I hack at the hair in my hand. Snip-snip. Michelie¡¯s hair is easily cut off. ¡°Huh?¡± Michelie¡¯s hair was left in my hand as the red ribbon fell to the ground. Michelie¡¯s face showed the start of confusion. Certainly, she felt her head suddenly be much lighter. Michelie¡¯s hair now hung in a mess above her shoulders, her hands grasped where her hair had been, disbelievingly. The cut off golden hair was still in my hand. Michelie blinked nkly. ¡°Um, Big Sister?¡± ¡°Michelie. You are. not. my. sister.¡± ¡°¡­eh?¡± She surely has no idea what I just said, what I¡¯ve just done to her. Aftering so far, as I look at the childish confusion on Michelie¡¯s face, the guilt that wells up in me can¡¯t be held back. In my chest, I felt my heart crush, my stomach felt like it was being ripped apart, I felt like all my organs were trying to force their way out of my mouth. In this aristocratic society, the worth and importance of a woman¡¯s hair, is something I am well aware of. I understand that in this society, you will be held in contempt just for having short hair. These emotions are so strong, it felt like they were tearing my body apart, I could only grit my teeth and try and hold them back. From now on, I must feel this way for the rest of my life. ¡°I am a noble. You are not. So listen up.¡± ¡°Bi-Big Sister?¡± My heart died hearing her voice. Looking at her uprehending face, it seems I¡¯ve managed to trick my little sister. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s seen through me. Even so I mustn¡¯t waver. Looking straight into her eyes I dered it. ¡°You, are not my sister.¡± I¡¯m sorry Michelie. To selfishly drag you along like this, I¡¯m so sorry. Even if it¡¯s for the sake of your future happiness, it¡¯s something I decided by myself. Without asking Michelie first, this is something I went and did for myself. To show finalise our seperation, I let Michelie¡¯s hair drop to the floor. ¡°This is the end of our rtionship.¡± Thinking of the burden I¡¯ve ced on Michelie by selfishly throwing her away, I know. Michelie is a¡­¡­¡­¡¯pitiful child¡¯ ¡°¡­..a¡± As if she finally understood what had happened, the light disappeared from Micheli¡¯s eyes. Now that I was sure, I turned on my heel. Leaving being the shattered Michelie, I left the room. Calling me back, didn¡¯t happen. ¡°¡­..¡± I walked down the corridor alone. I wanted to hit something as hard as I could. I wanted to scream. I wanted to distract myself from these feelings. However, I did not want such a light punishment. For Michelie¡¯s happiness, I need not be forgiven, something like happiness I don¡¯t get to wish for. This is my choice. For this, one day I will have to pay dearly. Whether it be with death, suicide, or exile. In my future these are the only three options. No matter which, I will suffer in the end. Thinking of that, my heart calms a little. I didn¡¯t know. Alone, muttering in my head I walked down the manor¡¯s hall. I didn¡¯t know, I would feel suchfort, knowing that one day I would receive the promised punishment. Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- In the room where she was abandoned by her only older sister, Michelie Noir stood stock still in nk surprise. Her hair was scattered on the floor. The wreckage of the golden waves she¡¯d grown for so long. But right now, Michelie¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t even see the hair around her or anything else. She didn¡¯t care about such a thing. Originally, my most beloved older sister praised my hair saying she likes it, so I asked a maid to help me keep it nice. If it was cut by the person I wanted to impress by growing it long, then I didn¡¯t care about it anymore. That¡¯s why what had shocked Michelie wasn¡¯t having her hair, ady¡¯s pride, cut off. It wasn¡¯t even the words of her always reckless sister either. What had gone straight to her heart were the eyes that Chris had looked at her with. Narrowed eyes, with the lids slightly hooded, wrinkled eyebrows not quite enough to look displeased. The colour of the eyes that looked at me like that, they had felt murky. Everyone I had met had looked at me with those eyes. ¨Cwhat a pitiful child. The only eyes that had never looked at me that way in this whole world were the ck iris¡¯s of my beloved older sister. That murkiness she had seen, even more so, as it was her beloved sister who they belonged to, was shocking enough to leave Michelie nk with shock temporarily. ¡°¡­.never¡± How long had she been standing there for. From Michelie¡¯s downcast form a continuous stream of resentful words, could be heard. ¡°Never¡­.won¡¯t¡­.forgi¡­.¡± The storm of my feelings couldn¡¯t be kept down, so much so that time seemed to have stopped. ¡°Absolutely, never forgive¡­¡­!¡± Driven by those violent emotions Michelie¡¯s fists clenched harder and harder. ¡°Michelie? Ah, I thought you¡¯d be here.¡± Michelie was still rooted to the spot by the vortex of unpleasant emotions when the door to the room opened. Michelie slowly turned towards that rude voice. Standing there, was a boy of the same age, same hair and same colour eyes as her. ¡°Michelie, I wanted to ask if¡­.eh? You cut your hair Michelie. Anyway, that¡¯s not important.¡± The rude boy whole entered without even knocking, was Charles. Charles didn¡¯t even seem to notice Michelie¡¯s emotionless face. he didn¡¯t have anyment on her new shorter thanmon sense hair length. ¡°Hey Michelie, Chris is acting weird, did you do something? She told me to go home, then wouldn¡¯t see me to the door and won¡¯t even meet my eyes. Today Chris was even stranger than her second form.¡± ¡°Charles¡± Completely ignoring Charles¡¯ flood of questions, Michelie called out quietly. ¡°Cooperate¡± Michelie hated Charles. She firmly believe she would never see eye to eye with him. But, throwing aside her hostility at her natural enemy, there was something she absolutely had to aplish. In response to Michelie¡¯s words Charles frowned. ¡°What, all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Because I cannot forgive. So cooperate¡± ¡°Wha?¡± The wrinkle between Charles¡¯ brows deepened at Michelie¡¯s unclear exnation. Of course he would react like that. Just as Michelie hates Charles, Charles also hates Michelie. Suddenly being asked by an enemy to cooperate with them without an exnation, of course he wouldn¡¯t easily agree. Because Charles and Michelie both share the same most important person in the world. Like repels like. Which was also why Michelie was sure Charles would help her. ¡°That big Sister has changed, you noticed right Charles?¡± ¡°Well, yeah Chris has been weird today¡­.¡± ¡°Then cooperate¡± Even if I resent it, The person who cares the most about my sister other than me is Charles. Normally that repelled me. But today was different. Michelie held out her hand to Charles ¡°Help me find out what hurt Big Sister¡± Charles eyed her outstretched hand as if it were a slug. ¡°You mean, the cause of Chris¡¯s change?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°The cause, it¡¯s something that¡¯s hurting Chris right?¡± ¡°Big Sister looked like she was in pain¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t turn back to normal at all?¡± ¡°¡­This hair, it was Big Sister who chopped it off¡± Holding a piece of her now short hair Michelie said who cut it. Hearing that, Charles¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­..mm¡± Chris, who always exims that she loves Michelie the most in the world, performed such a rash and violent act. Even if it sounded ridiculous, Charles would understand since he saw Chris with his own eyes. Chris having gone so far, she wouldn¡¯t be able toe back so easily. When her hair was cut, in Chris¡¯ eyes Michelie had seen fierce resolution, sacrifice and pity. The change in Chris¡¯s heart, it isn¡¯t like what happened with Charles. At that time Chris¡¯s change of heart had been because of a clear outside cause. And that was something that time alone could not erase. ¡°So cooperate with me¡± ¡°¡­.Okay¡± Charles took Michelie¡¯s hand only as much was necessary looking, disgusted to even touch her. ¡°I will cooperate with you. Since it¡¯s for Chris.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Cooperation for Big Sister¡¯s sake¡± Between the two people holding hands, there wasn¡¯t the slightest bit of trust. All that held them together was the shared interest of doing it for Chris. ¡°But, I will definitely rescue Chris. Michelie you¡¯ll be useful for that¡± ¡°f course. Same to you Charles, I won¡¯t get in your way.¡± Michelie looked at Charles coldly. Something had muddied that ck that had glittered the most in the world. Somewhere out there was the bastard who had broken the heart of Chris, the most amazing person in the world. And so, what Michelie should do as a sister was clear. ¡°The person who made Big Sister have those eyes. That bastard who obstructed my Big Sister¡¯s life¡­..!¡± As her head rose, eyes wide open, face dyed with anger, in those blue eyes burned resolution. ¡°I will never forgive them!¡± Held by that flood of emotions, driven by her fury, Michelie took her first step. It was the first step towards crushing the destiny Chris knew to pieces. Elsewhere, Father muttered ¡°¡­.I felt a chill¡± Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Mariwa Tote was drinking tea in the front parlour of her parent¡¯s house. It had been quite a long time since she had returned to her ancestral home. Even though she had grown up in this house she wasn¡¯t allowed past the front parlour, let alone to her old room, that was how alienated she and her family were. Mariwa lived and worked independently, and they they had broken off family rtions a while ago, so there was really no helping it. The life Mariwa had chosen to live was not one her family considered to be proper. She was aware that the path she had chosen was different to that of the normal path lead by otherdies her age. As such she did not get along well with her father. But now that her older brother had be the head of the family; rtions were slowly returning to what they had once been. As she sat in her parent¡¯s house leisurely drinking tea, her thoughts were on a young girl who had been her student until just a few days ago. The look Christina Noir had thatst time, it had been quite a shock for Mariwa. Mariwa had said ¡®Love your Fate¡¯. That you were in charge of all your own thoughts and actions, this was preparation for the cruel and harsh outside world. Which could be said to be in line with Chris¡¯ way of life until now anyway. To her attempt at giving Chris hope¡­.why did Chris¡¯ smile at that time look so defeated? Mariwa couldn¡¯t seem to forget the girl¡¯s reaction at that time. There had definitely ben something wrong, but she couldn¡¯t seem to figure out the cause. ¡°I¡¯ve kept you waiting, Aunt.¡± ¡°¡­Not at all.¡± Looking at the person who had entered the room, Mariwa put her thoughts on hold. The man who sat across from Mariwa had not reached reached thirty years old. He had a friendly smile that put people at ease. Igusa Tote. The sessor of the Tote family. He was the child of her much older brother, so despite his age he was her nephew. Since he was actually much closer in age to Mariwa that her actual older brother, Igusa was more like a younger brother to her. ¡°That reminds me, I heard that your father had passed on the title of Viscount on to you. Congrattions, Igusa.¡± ¡°It happened quite a while ago actually¡­¡± Igusa smiled bitterly at the dyed congrattions. Among high nobility there were nobles who held multiple titles. It wasmon to bestow a minor title to the heir before passing on the full responsibilityter on. The Tote family held both the rank of Count and Viscount, so when Igusa came of age he was given the viscount title only. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard you¡¯re teaching swordsmanship to His Highness the Crown Prince Endo? I feel proud to be your rtive.¡± ¡°Not at all, it is nothingpared to the you, Aunt, who has even taught the princess rather, this might be a blessing from being shown how to wield a sword by you all those years ago¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine not to be so humble .You have aplished it with your own power after all.¡± The Tote family was originally a knight family after all. Ass a descendent, Mariwa had also endeavoured with the sword. At that time, teaching Igusa sword basic was the first time Mariwa ever taught someone. ¡°Well, in the end I never managed tond a hit against you, Aunt.¡± ¡°That was only in the past. You lost because you were but a child then. That¡¯s the only reason. ¡°Really? I¡¯m pretty sure I could never match your skill¡­¡± ¡°The past is seen through rose coloured sses is all.¡± While chatting idly like that about the past, they eventually started talking about Mariwa¡¯s work as well. ¡°That¡¯s right, you were the home tutor for Lady Christina. When I saw howdylike she was, I knew she must have been taught by you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met that child?¡± Having let down her guard, Mariwa let out a small sigh. ¡°You have never been great at reading people well. That makes me a bit worried.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It was Mariwa¡¯a own blunder that she had never fixed his overly optimistic impressions of people. Since in another twenty years Igusa would be the head of the Tote family¡­ It would be good if he could improve a bit by then she thought. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand but¡­well, do you have ns for after this?¡± ¡°I have no ns for the rest of the day. I don¡¯t have any particr business to attend to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Actually an acquaintance asked me to arrange to meet you. They¡¯ve been patiently waiting for a chance.¡± Mariwa had a patient look on her face as she looked at her nephew¡¯s impish smile, as if he were up to no good. ¡®Is that so? Then please show them in.¡± She was quite certain it would be a child with ck hair and eyes who woulde in. This would be an opportunity to clear up her worries from theirst ss. Thinking that, Mariwa yed innocent. Except, her predictions turned out to be wrong. ¡°¡­.Excuse me.¡± The person who appeared was younger than the child she had expected. ¡°Good afternoon, Ms Mariwa.¡± It was a young girl with gold hair and blue eyes. Hair that should have been long as a noble daughter, had been cut roughly above her shoulders, but more than anything it was the coldness in those eyes that nearly made one shiver. ¡°Though you are already acquainted I believe, this is Duke Noir¡¯s-¡± ¡°Igusa¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you allow me to speak alone with this child for a moment?¡± Igusa¡¯s introductions were cut off mid way. While Igusa was slight taken aback at the sudden request, he understood the serious tone of Mariah¡¯s voice. Without asking any more, he acted ording to Mariwa¡¯s words. Once she was sure Igusa had left them, she returned her gaze to Michelie. ¡°Greetings,dy Michelie. What business do you have with me today?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s something I wanted to ask you¡± How did she find Mariwa and how did she manage to get to the Tote house all alone? The girl who exuded a dark light asked her question. ¡°In thatst ss, to my big sister, what did you say to her?¡± The fury that emanated didn¡¯t seem to match with the small figure in front of her. Mariwa didn¡¯t seem flustered, as though it was simr to murderous intent, Michelie was too young for that. Apart from that she was satisfied. Michelie who is always stuck to her sister had actually gone out of her way to find Chris. As she had thought, Chris must have gotten some strange notion from her words. That is why Mariwa answered frankly. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Michelie frowned as her question was dodged. ¡°I told that child to ¡®Love her Destiny¡¯. That the path we walk is up to our decisions, and our decisions alone, and that knowing that would allow her to prosper, that was the meaning I had intended to teach her.¡± Thinking of Chris¡¯ temperament in ss up until then, this meaning should have been conveyed to Chris. But for some reason, Chris had seemed to resign herself. Defeated and powerless, she had smiled. Her reaction had been iprehensible, more than anything, it was so out of character for that child. ¡°That time, what that child understood, I still haven¡¯t figured out an answer to that¡± ¡°Love¡­your destiny¡­.¡± Muttering to herself, Michelie slowly lifted her head. ¡°¡­I have a request¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Please tell me how to win against my sister. I will surely have to fight against my sister from now on. So that¡¯s why, please teach me¡± Today, not a single thing had gone as expected. However, there were days like this sometimes. Letting out a sigh of agreement, Mariwa threw a question out to understand a bit more. ¡°So basically, you want me to tutor you?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°I was paid to tutor Chris. Why should I teach you?¡± ¡°Ms Mariwa, you have quite high expectations for Chris didn¡¯t you? I heard you also tutored Leon for free. I already know that you do not teach for money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She had so easily pinpointed her weakness. Mariwa restrained the urge to frown. ¡°If she stays like this, Big Sister¡¯s future will certainly be different from Ms Maria¡¯s hopes. That¡¯s why I will bet my future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I will, for my own sake, bet my own future, so that I can recover Big Sister¡¯s future. That¡¯s why, please teach me¡± Her eyes were strong. She no longer resembled the alwaysughing child she had been, instead there was just¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t resemble your mother at all do you.¡± She looks more like her adopted older sister than her own blood rted mother. Aah, Michelie gave a small nod of understanding. ¡°As expected, Mariwa knew my mother.¡± ¡°Well yes, do you want to know about her?¡± ¡°Mmm. It doesn¡¯t really matter to me¡­Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°Not at all. I hate that person, so it¡¯s a good thing that you don¡¯t resemble them. Even now, I feel relieved from the bottom of my heart knowing that.¡± Mariwa spoke her opinion of the former princess beloved by even the gods mercilessly without reserve. ¡°Then that¡¯s good. However you had better be prepared. I am by no means a soft teacher.¡± ¡°Of course, Ms Mariwa.¡± ¡°Incorrect, Michelie Noir. I am not ¡®Ms Mariwa¡¯ to you now.¡± No sooner had Michelie nodded her agreement than Mariwa had her in her sharp gaze. Abilities are sufficient, her enthusiasm is vast, and the strength of her purpose is endless. Those qualities made up her new student, Mariwa gave her first lesson in a cold and dignified voice. ¡°You will call me Ms Tote.¡± ¡­ Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Tap tap tap. The sound of fingers drumming a book. A room in a church on the outskirts of town, Leon Nardo looked around the ce he could finally meet his friends in ¨C if only just once a week. In the room with him was a girl who you could tell was a noble even with just a nce. Her unfriendly red-brown eyes were narrowed to slits. In contrast to her white, almost translucent skin, her light brown hair that went to her back was long and heavy. Although she was still a young girl in years, her beauty had a matureness to it. Surfania Calibrachoa A daughter of the high aristocracy She wasn¡¯t even attempting to hide her annoyance behind her book. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± Though she address Leon, Surfania didn¡¯t lift her gaze from her open book. Even though she had been holding that book open for a while now, she hadn¡¯t turned a single page. Probably not a bit of the book¡¯s contents could make its way into her mind right now. Though he was exasperated with Surfania, since he had guessed the reason behind it, Leon continued speaking. ¡°Christina already said she wouldn¡¯te, so quit being so jumpy. Next week is the entrance ceremony for the Academy right? She¡¯ll have no choice but to meet you then.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with Chris!¡± Since she snapped back at him it was obvious it had everything to do with Chris. ¡°Chris isn¡¯ting, so what? I¡¯m not annoyed just because that idiot said she wouldn¡¯t be here. Rather, this isn¡¯t this peace a nice change?¡± ¡°Sure, sure, it¡¯s just as you said, young miss.¡± He shrugged his shoulders at her obvious overreaction. Leon honestly couldn¡¯t understand why she hid behind harsh words. She¡¯d be better off being honest, he thought. ¡°Well, Christina probably has all sorts of things to prepare before entering the Academy. Setting aside her noting here, hasn¡¯t she gone to your house at all?¡± ¡°¡­She hasn¡¯t. I don¡¯t care even if that idiot doesn¡¯t visit me.¡± With a humph Surfania turned away stubbornly. Such an easy reaction to read. His mouth was itching to grin, but it would be annoying if she took issue with him instead, so he suppressed it. ¡°What should we do? How about a board game?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ve already had a match today.¡± It was just like Surfania said. Since Surfania just kept improving, soon Leon wouldn¡¯t be good enough to y against for her. Well then, as he was considering what they could y instead, he heard the creak of the church door opening. Surfania jumped at the sound, of course. ¡°Ah-¡­I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± Though it was obvious Surfania was desperate to go look herself, without getting up she just stared at the door instead. He couldn¡¯t just ignore Surfania when she was like this, so Leon went instead. Surfania was the type where,If he tried to approach her, she would pull away. Having said that, since he was too clumsy, even if she wasn¡¯t like that he¡¯d probably still mess up. Honestly, she was a troublesome girl. Not only did it seem to take forever, it was annoying as hell. You had to be super patient, and even then it was a bother to do. ¡°Hmm, well I also like that part of her though¡­¡± Since there was no one around, unintentionally the words that came out reflected his true feelings. During these two years, he¡¯d ended up hopelessly, stupidly, in love with that surly youngdy. Being with them, I¡¯d forgotten I¡¯m just a lowlymoner, how stupid am I. Smiling bitterly he walked towards the entrance. To try to gain even a bit of favor with the one he adored, Leon was now an expert at being ying gofer for her. But the person he saw at the entrance was someone he knew well. ¡°Eh? Ms Mariwa, and¡­Ugh¡± ¡°Ugh?¡± Inclining her head slightly at Leon¡¯s word choice, was Michelie. Even from afar, that blonde hair and blue eyes seems to shimmer. Looking so lovely. ¡®Lovely¡¯ was the best descriptor for her, even if you tried you wouldn¡¯t be able to forget her beauty. ¡°Good afternoon, Mr Leon. While I understand your feelings, please refrain from showing them so obviously.¡± ¡°Ah, no I- Excuse my rudeness¡­¡± To behave as I had in front ofdies was inexcusable, so I bowed my head in apology. Did Michelie notice or not? Whichever, she doesn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°It has been a while, Leon. Have you been well?¡± ¡°Ah, um, yeah. It has been a while. But, why is Michelie¡­?¡± ¡°From today we shall be holding her sses here.¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Without waiting for Leon to understand, they entered the room. ¡°A, Wai-¡± Right now Surfania is impatiently waiting for Chris to appear. In a panic Leon tried to stop the two, but he was toote. ¡°Who was it, Le..on¡­?¡± Her energetic voice withered to nothing. Surfania who had been expectantly jumping and fidgeting about the room became suddenly still with disappoint when she saw who had arrived. ¡°You are¡­?¡± ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Surfania¡± Michelie quickly bowed her head in a show of good manners to Surfania who¡¯s disappointment now neared open hostility. ¡°Good day,dy Surfania. Excuse our rudeness, however we will be using this room for this child¡¯s sses.¡± ¡°Ms Tote¡­¡± To Mariwa and Michelie, who hade in, it seemed Surfania wanted to say something, but she just bit her lip. Though among her friends she was intensely confident, at times like these Surfania became quite timid, so Leon stood in front of her as a buffer. ¡°Um, while it seems that Ms Mariwa and Michelie are doing well, as for Christina, what¡¯s going on? That girl, she hasn¡¯te here in a long time.¡± ¡°Even if you wait here it¡¯s useless. Bis Sister, she won¡¯te here anymore so.¡± The one who answered Leon¡¯s question was Michelie. But rather than Leon who had asked, her eyes were on Surfania when she spoke. ¡°Even once you¡¯re all together in the Academy, it won¡¯t be like it was. Since Big Sister isn¡¯ting here anymore, didn¡¯t you even suspect this a little?¡± ¡°¡­Shut your mouth.¡± Michelie¡¯s words seem to have a provoking tone to them. Her anger exceeding her shyness, Surfania who had been silent until now was now ring with sharp eyes at Michelie. ¡°Why is someone like you talking like they understand what¡¯s going on with Chris? Acting like you¡¯re all that. All you¡¯ve ever done is cling to Chris, when did you be Chris¡¯ spokesperson, huh?¡± ¡°¡­as I thought. Is it that Ms Surfania dislikes me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Thinking you can get away with any and everything by using your face, you¡¯ve, made a big mistake. Pretending to be all depressed like that.¡± The atmosphere had grown uneasy, Leon felt a trickle of cold sweat. Though he hadn¡¯t noticed until now, somehow it seems these two really don¡¯t get along. He appealed with his eyes to Mariwa to rescue them, but as cold as ever, it seemed Mariwa had no intention of meddling in this. ¡°Is that so? To think that you hated me.¡± ¡°Exactly. But so what?¡± In response to Surfania whose eyes were burning with fighting spirit as if she was issuing a challenge, augh slipped out of Michelie¡¯s lips. ¡°But, in front of Big Sister you couldn¡¯t say that¡­what a cute ¡®rival¡¯ you are.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Surfania¡¯s face turned bright red, her shame was now greater than anger it seemed. Since she didn¡¯t retort right away, it seemed this was Surfania¡¯s defeat. Right when Leon was wondering whether he should step in to protect her or not, Mariwa broke into their conversation with perfect timing. ¡°Michelie. No more. Apologise.¡± ¡°Sure, Ms Tote¡­My apologies, Ms Surfania.¡± With Ms Tote¡¯s intervention, Michelie easily retracted her ws. ¡°¡­tch. I¡¯m not particrly bothered ¡± At the moment when she could have gracefully retreat, with her bruised feelings Surfania still acted tough. ¡°You have my apologies, Ms Surfania. This child hasn¡¯t received an education term and it still quite impolite.¡± Continuing from Michelie¡¯s apology, Mariwa also bowed her head. ¡°However, if you stay outside for so long you shall cause the Calibrachoa household to worry. Before it bes amotion, I think it would be best for you to return home.¡± ¡°¡­I know, okay¡± Clenched hands trembling, Surfania stood up and left the room. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mr Leon.¡± Mariwa also called out to Leon, who in a daze after not being able to do anything, hadn¡¯t been able to see Surfania out. ¡°You should also should return home soon. You also have quite a bit to prepare for the Academy, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. well then¡­¡± ¡°Yup. Goodbye for now, Leon¡± As he stood up to leave, the smile Michelie showed was the same innocent look at that time during the National Day festival. ¡°Y- yeah. See you, Michelie.¡± That he could someone force this out from his stiff face was a godsend. His thoughts on the indescribable fear he felt towards that girl two years his junior, Leon went to chase after Surfania. Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- It was simply a coincidence. Chris only saw her as a rival because of a in old coincidence, a gift of good fortune to a child like Surfania. Surfania herself knew this more than anyone else. It has all started with her older sister. ¡°Today, I met quite an interesting child!¡± Her eldest sister had said. It had been Chris¡¯ first entrance into high society, the royal ball. Surfania had excused herself from participating, since even then she was already introverted and had no interest in the party. As such it was the eldest Calibrachoa daughter who had met Chris. It seemed she was the current student of Eder Sister¡¯s former tutor, and from there they had talked more. ¡°With that flower petal on her head, she was so cute looking ¨C like a fairy.¡± It seemed that pointing this out had started their conversation. I wasn¡¯t interested whatsoever in hearing what my sister was talking about with that ¡®fufu¡¯ughter and flowey smile. Not wanting to hear any more of her the story, in a lonesome fashion she retreated to her room and ignore her sister¡¯s voice. The second time she heard about Chris, was from the middle sister. ¡°That child, she¡¯s such a good kid!¡± As her sister reported with eyes sparkling, it became increasingly unpleasant. Without Surfania even knowing, it seemed that her eldest sister had invited Chris over to their house at some point. Now that her middle sister had met Chris she could only keep highly praising that child. Chris was polite and courteous, yet her stories were funny. She was sweet, but had an abundance of knowledge, after they had thoroughly praised every word she had said did the report finally end. ¡°Rather than reading books all day, you should follow that girl¡¯s example!¡± It felt like something was stuck in her throat. Even as Surfania faced away, unresponsive, her sister continued to squawk on about this and that. Once more she retreated into her own room. The young daughter of the Noir family was highly praised by her two elder sisters. But Surfania didn¡¯t have any desire to meet that child. From what had been said the Noir child sounded like an obedient social butterfly, and Surfania believed that a surly introvert like her could never get along with such a person. Regardless, when Chris was invited over a second time, Surfania reluctantly couldn¡¯t avoid meeting her face to face. ¡°Good day, Ms Surfania. I am honoured to finally meet you.¡± Smiling with eyes that seemed to dazzle, she perfectly performed a curtsey. Surfania refused to leave her room no matter what her sister¡¯s said, and so the youngdy that hade all the way to Surfania¡¯s door to greet her, seemed absolutely wless. ¡°I am Christina Noir. I have had the privilege of spending time pleasantly with Miss Surfania¡¯s older sister.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm¡± As Surfania tried to digest the perfect manners disyed in front of her, remembering the middle sister¡¯s words, words of rebellion came out of her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s with that fake smile?¡± There was no getting around it, she was t out insulting her. In fact, Chris¡¯ smile at that time was wless. From her gestures to her facial expression, there was nothing that seemed unnatural. That was why the middle and eldest sisters had held so much praise for this girl. That¡¯s why Surfania¡¯s appraisal hadn¡¯te up with a single fault in Chris. She only felt this strongly because she would never have to meet this girl again after insulting her. So she had thought, but her words had a rather unexpected effect. ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Chris¡¯ eyes narrowed in surprise before her expression broke into a broad smile without a trace of her perfectdy¡¯s mask from a moment before. ¡°Amazing. This is the first time anyone has ever seen through my second form.¡± Surfania was taken aback by the sudden transformation. In the blink of an eye, in that very Chris way, she had closed the distance between them. ¡°I was so sure I had perfected it since it had never been seen through by older kids or even adults. As for Charles¡­well hepletely thought I was a different person.¡± Surfania could hardly understand the words she was hearing. Unlike herdy mask, her face showed all her honest expressions as she spoke and her eyes seemed to pull a person in. ¡°What¡­? What are you?¡± ¡°Fufu. I am what I am. My name is Christina Noir. And I am a genius! The girl who threw out her chest as she said her name didn¡¯t appear to even have a trace of the etiquette of a noble daughter, but she was so much more fascinating than she had been a moment ago. ¡°Well than, Surfania. From today onwards you are my rival! My genius rival. You should feel honoured!¡± ¡°¡­Self centred. I know this because I¡¯m the youngest in my family, but you don¡¯t have any younger siblings. They would surely dislike you.¡± ¡°Wh- what?! Th-that¡¯s not true! I am super close with my younger sister!¡± Ah, I discovered her weak spot. Thinking she could now easily win since she knew the easy to read, fluttered Chris¡¯ weak point, Surfania felt relieved. Actually, Surfania already knew that Chris was an amazing person. Although Chris could have chosen to be around anyone, to Surfania, it wasforting that she had chosen to stay by her instead. To not only be recognised Surfania, but to be genuinely seen as an equal, it was unbelievable. There was no need to mention sociability, the number and types of books she had read, her skill at boardgames, and her quick retorts that shed past like greetings. Within these, there wasn¡¯t a single thing that Surfania could beat Chris in. The only thing Surfania was above Chris in was her knowledge as a ¡®younger sister¡¯ and that she knew Chris¡¯ weak point. She didn¡¯t have a single other point that could beat Cris. She had actually been rather insecure. Surfania, who was well aware of her own faults was worried. Even though Chris had said that to her, Chris would see that she was unworthy of being a rival in time. Surely one day Chris would grow exasperated and abandon her¡­. Surfania hid her fears behind harsh words, keeping Chris away with her coldness. Even though Surfania¡¯s uneasiness made her behave like a pouty child, Chris had epted all of her. Like that Surfania and Chris had been able to tell each other everything. ________________________________________ Well, until now that is¡­ ¡°Surfania, are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­n-¡± After being driven out of the room, in the empty hallway of the church, Surfania had buried her face in her knees. Then hearing a voice made her shoulders trembled. ¡°Huh? Leon¡­?¡± ¡°Ahh¡­the things Michelie said, don¡¯t take them to heart.¡± I¡¯m not taking¡­them- to heart¡­¡± ¡°Okay. Good.¡± In response to her mixture of sobbing and attempts at acting tough, Leon sat down beside Surfania. Without saying or doing anything, he just stayed there with her. She couldn¡¯t express just how thankful she was for that. Thinking that, at the same time she was disgusted by how spoilt she was acting. Now that Chris had left her behind, was she going to hold Leon back instead like a greedy child. ¡°¡­.t-¡± Seeing just how inexcusably weak she was, Surfania stubbornly forced her tears to stop before slowly wiping them off her face with her hands. ¡°Mm. Are you okay now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Because I won¡¯t lose¡­¡± To be left behind ¨C it was frustrating. Without saying anything, not even a single word, and to be abandoned without even a nce back was pathic. She couldn¡¯t forgive herself. She, who had selfishly held Chris back without ever trying to improve herself. So, Surfania made herself stand up. ¡°Exactly. Am I going to let myself be defeated just like this? I¡¯m so sorry I let myself be called an idiot, let myself be looked down upon by that evil little sister. I am Surfania Calibrachoa. I¡¯m not just a tacked on extra to Chris. I am, I¡¯m¡­!¡± ¡°Yeah. that¡¯s it. Just like that.¡± ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s why, Leon¡± Surfania didn¡¯t quite have the self confidence to call herself a genius. That¡¯s why, if she alone wasn¡¯t going to be enough, she needed depend on others help. She would use the power and influence of her older sisters, even if she disliked them, if she did that ¨C she could surely be able to reach Chris. Tear tracks still visible on her face, Surfania stood tall with a fiery rage burning inside her. ¡°I will, over that idiot, triumph. I will leave that ckhearted little sister in the dust, and will stand in front of Chris such that she can¡¯t ignore me¡­!¡± ¡°Exactly, mdy.¡± Looking up at Surfania, Leon smiled broadly. Leon also stood up so he could stand beside his friend, who knew her own weakness¡¯ but still kept going. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll lend you a hand with that.¡± ¡°Of course. I would have dragged you into it even if I had to by force.¡± Standing next to Leon, eye to eye, Surfania abruptly turned on her heel. Even though she had vowed to be strong and independent, Surfania knew that she couldn¡¯t do anything alone. She was stronger with someone by her side. Surfania knew this weakness would surely be her strength one day, unlike Chris who walked alone. To catch up and grab the shoulder of their friend who had selfishly left them behind, these two walked forward together. The girl who didn¡¯t show up at all in the fate Chris knew, what disturbances shall her steps make? ¡°Let¡¯s go, Leon.¡± ¡°Roger that, Surfania.¡± In this world there wasn¡¯t a single soul who knew the answer to that. Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- With only a week left until school starts, Endo Edward was currently quite confused. ¡°So, what¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°Aah, um¡­nothing.¡± Sitting opposite Endo ¨C was Christina Noir. From her hair to her eyes, this girl was rebellious. She still used an old agreement to be rude to him, the Crown Prince of this country. Endo couldn¡¯t understand what his younger brother Charles¡¯ saw that was so appealing in this woman. She hade to visit Endo alone. It is well know that Christina and Endo are on visiting terms. It is also known that they had be acquainted because of Charles. That was why people didn¡¯t think it was unusual for her toe to his room by herself. However, this was actually the first time time Christina had ever chose to call on Endo at the pce. He had thought she must be up to something, but her attitude didn¡¯t really seem like those were her intentions. ¡°In truth, I would actually like to ask a favor¡­rather, I don¡¯t think this is a negative thing for your highness, but¡­.well, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± He scowled at Christina¡¯s stammering. Avoiding the main point, and continually rambling on without saying much, it was quite depressing. At first, Endo had been on edge thinking she hade to stage a surprise attack, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t it. Putting together her confusing words that were all over the ce, he could only make out that she had some kind of request to make. But looking at Christina¡¯s distressed face, it was impossible to think that this was someone requesting a favour. ¡°Quit the foolish prattling, just get to the point already. Do I need to kick you out?¡± ¡°¡­tch¡± Since so much time had passed, Endo had encouraged her out of the kindness of his heart, but the brat responded with a tut. If he had to kick her out, he was never letting her into his room again. Her beautiful eyes showed surprise, but Endo was already beginning to go to call someone. ¡°Well, certainly this is out of character for me¡­Your Highness, you like Michelie right?¡± ¡°Aah.¡± Finally onto the main subject. He didn¡¯t deny it, but rather nodded his head without a trace of shyness. Endo had a soft spot for Michelie since the moment he first saw her. Endo could tell that Chris, being Michelie¡¯s older sister, didn¡¯t like that one bit. ¡°And so what? I won¡¯t give up just because you so.¡± ¡°¡­I see. What I want to ask is, why Your Highness likes Michelie? Of course, she has the looks of an angel, and the heart of an archangel so of course there¡¯s that, but as a noble she is not without faults. Since she is only adopted, wouldn¡¯t it prevent you from seeing her in a marriageable light?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as if I¡¯m just attracted by her looks. Sure, I won¡¯t deny it started from that but¡­her character, her abilities, good fortune, Michelie is blessed in every way. Something as trivial as her position in society, since it¡¯s me I can ovee anything to protect her.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Arms folded, Christina having heard Endo¡¯s clear deration closed her eyes. Like that she contemted. This also seemed to go on for a while. While waiting for Christina to respond, more than four of the cookies on the table ended up disappearing into Endo¡¯s stomach. Enough already let¡¯s kick her out. Just when he had decided to dispose of Christina who acted so selfishly in front of royalty, Christina opened her eyes. ¡°I can help you.¡± ¡°What?¡± He was sure he must have misheard. ¡°How could someone like you help? Even if he could cautiously hope those words meant what he thought, he couldn¡¯t believe they were true. It was impossible to think that the woman in front of him had just said those words. ¡°I¡¯m offering to support the progressing rtionship between Michelie and Your HIghness Endo¡­Michelie¡¯s future is hers to choose is my belief, but still. I can just barely tolerate helping you. ¡± ¡°¡­what are you even talking about?¡± ¡°thatst part, I was just talking to myself.¡± ¡°Then say it in your own time.¡± ¡°You are quite right.¡± Christina smiled obediently, bringing her eyes back from her thoughts to meet Endo¡¯s gaze. ¡°I thought I would have to keep searching for a potential partner for Michelie, but it seem you¡¯re not the worst choice. As such, it¡¯s easiest if we coborate from the beginning. ¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± This time it was Endo¡¯s turn to consider. There was probably a catch somewhere in her words, but he ignored it. Christina¡¯s suggestion itself was not bad. ¡°While I can¡¯t give you the details, after Michelie enters the Academy in two years time, I will support you and Michelie¡¯s rtionship. While it¡¯s not as if you can¡¯t just marry Michelie using your power, you probably want it to be mutual right? I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll help you out with that.¡± At any rate, Christina was Michelie¡¯s older sister. In romance, having their family onboard was a huge plus. ¡°Well then, okay. You can assist me.¡± ¡°Must you be so egotistical, Your Highness? You¡¯d be much cuter is you were meeker.¡± ¡°Like you can talk, Christina Noir!¡± ¡°Ha. Well, since the route has been decided, I can be a little relieved. Just for that, I am thankful to you.¡± It doesn¡¯t sound like she¡¯s thankful at all, that unpleasant tone. Endo red at Christina¡¯s meek attitude with eyes narrowed. ¡°Speaking of, it seems you scored top ce on the exam. Rather than things two years in the future, have you prepared for your student representative weing speech? As a noble, don¡¯t bring us shame.¡± ¡°Naturally. Your Highness¡¯ worry is needless.¡± At Endo¡¯s attempt to trip her up, her shoulders shook withughter. ¡°You know I¡¯m a genius, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What is this? Hearing Chris¡¯ strong guarantee Endo, who waspletely confident in himself, for the first time in his life felt as if he was on shaky ground. He felt as if he had been caught in andslide, or had put his foot in his coffin, he felt like he hadmitted a mistake he could never get out of. ¡°I, uh¡­I see.¡± Anyway, in order to calm his sudden uneasy, Endo drained the remaining tea in his cup. Somehow he still felt that sense of dread. Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Trantor: CasBrin The Royal Academy Entrance Ceremony. This would be my first appearance to the world as the viiness I now had to be. I was climbing up the steps to my spotlight. Naturally, since I had the top score on the exam, I was student representative and would give the opening address. With my status and abilities, there was never any question that I would be entrusted with the position. That¡¯s why, even even as I stood on the tform, I wasn¡¯t nervous. Gathered in the auditorium were all the students of the academy; around five hundred in total. Even faced with so many people, these youngsters weren¡¯t enough to faze someone like me who had been raised since birth to face the challenge of managing the country as a high noble. Though there wasn¡¯t any tension in my body, when I was given the stage of honor, there was a certain feeling of being in freefall. I could feel the gaping hole in my chest. For this past month I had avoided showing my face to Michelie. Not only Michelie. Charles, Surfania, Leon and even with Mariwa, I had purposely distanced myself. They deserved better than to be wasted on a viiness like me. I wonder if I¡¯ve caused Michelie more pain than the story needed. Perhaps Charles is venting his anger out on Oxe. Surfania might withdraw even more, but surely Leon will be able to coax her out of her shell. As for Mariwa¡­surely she is unchanged as always. ¡°¡­¡± Thinking of my close friends, who I had abandoned, icy wind seems to whistle through therge hole in my chest. It¡¯s not a refreshing breeze, rather the pain feels like the bite from a winter gale. I doubt this hole where my heart should be will ever be healed, not even with myst breath. ¡®That¡¯s fine with me¡¯ I thought, since I had resigned myself to that since the beginning. I was starting to get used to the ache from my hollow heart, I slowly spread open the paper I had been carrying. Surprisingly these events were the same no matter which life they took ce. Just as in my previous life, I spread open the script and give voice to the speech. It was exactly as it had been in my previous life. Since there isn¡¯t a microphone, people have to speak loudly and clearly by themselves, but that is just a technological difference, rather than an actual difference in the presentation style. Like that I had nned on giving the speech in an unaffected manner, but I unexpectedly changed my mind. Right now there wasn¡¯t anything that I had to do as a viiness. I nned to spend my four years at the Academy acting the part of the bad guy. But the main events wouldn¡¯t really start until Michelie arrived at the Academy in two years time. Even though I had nned on behaving like a foolish, arrogant noble daughter only after obediently doing my duty at the entrance ceremony. Just as I had told His Highness Endo, I had long prepared for this day. But, my thoughts abruptly changed. From now on I must be the disgrace of the Noir family. It is only because the blood heir of the Noir family has fallen so far that the adopted Michelie can shine brightly. For that path, I must do my best. A haughty personality that doesn¡¯t mix with the people around her,cking in the proper poise and education of a noble, a stupid fool through and through. That was the Christina Noir I was aiming to be. And right now I had the attention of every single student at the school. There was no better to chance to show everyone just how much of a viiness I truly was. My reputation right now is that of ady overflowing with charisma and sensibility. This position was proof of how hard I had worked under Mariwa¡¯s strict instructions, but for my viiness reputation it would only hold me back. I have to destroy my reputation. And I would be a viiness for sure. It just so happens that I was quite familiar with someone who had disgraced this position of honor and had made sure that everyone associated their name with the fool ever after. ¡°¡­Haaa.¡± By following their example everything would go as nned. WIth a smile I let out a small sigh, and then ripped the congrattory address paper in two. At this sudden act, my surroundings erupted noisily. Looking pleased with myself, I really stood out. Feeling stronger than I had in a long time, to gain even more infamy, I stepped out in front of the podium. From the raised staged I looked down upon the five hundred students in chaos beneath me, and let out a sneering smile. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m meeting most of you. There are many people here who know of me, but likely a few who don¡¯t. So everyone gathered here can get the picture, I shall educate you all as to exactly who this Duke¡¯s daughter before you is. So listen up.¡± This ce is perfect for causing a scene. I can look down on them, and they have to look up to me. Perhaps this perfect stage was put in ce to allow me to walk the path of a viiness. I threw away any trace of the congrattory speech I was supposed to have made. Overlooking the crowd of people in front of me, I threw out my chest with pride as only I could, to say the words that only I knew, I opened my mouth wide. ¡°I am Christina Noir.¡± I knew how my destiny ended, I who was blessed to stand by my mother would now walk forward for my most beloved little sister¡¯s sake. The ending I was aiming for and the force driving me forward, there was only one. For that, I have decided I will bet everything I am on this goal. I don¡¯t care what other people think of me. I have decided to sever all my friendships. I will betray all the hopes and expectations that person had of me. Because I¨C ¡°And I ¨C am a genius!¡± ¡ªBecause my younger sister, the heroine, is just too lovely, and for her I will even be the viiness of her story. Character Notes

Character Notes

Trantor: CasBrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Character Notes Since I think it will make a nice way to end this volume, I¡¯m going to talk a bit about the origins of the characters. I will introduce their original character settings, the origin of their names by this author(who has zero naming sense) etc, in order of their ranking from the poprity contests so far. Christina Noir In the poprity contest, she, as expected, overwhelmingly won first ce. In the print illustration her hair will have a few curls. It really suits her. The illustration became an added bonus item somehow. When you purchase a copy through AniMate ites attached. In the beginning, I designed her as a character who never lost, but somehow I ended up calling her a genius. Some may have noticed already, but rather than a ¡®genius¡¯, technically she just developed early and worked hard. However, she certainly has a certain something that attracts others. From the initial concept, our heroine really hasn¡¯t changed much at all. I didn¡¯t really name her like this for any reason. It just had an aristocratic feel, and had an easy nickname ¡®Chris¡¯ so I chose it. Michelie Noir Whether intentionally or not, in front of her big sister she is always perfectly adorable. She has only recently developed a moreplicated personality. In the print edition the colour of her eyes changes a bit. Not for any real reason. Ummm, maybe it¡¯s because I thought it looked cute. The specs she inherited from her mother are higher than Chris and even Mariwas. But since her OP stats are only used when it concerns her big sister, the rest of the time she is just a harmless angelic child. Considering her recent actions, you probably won¡¯t believe me, but in the original design she was just a pure and naive child without any of her current malicious intent. From about chapter twenty three, I realised I had somehow stepped on the elerator of her ¡®jealousy¡¯ setting, but I thought it would be odd to hit the brakes now, so it just kind of got out of hand. As for her name, I just wanted to pick a cute sounding name, so I thought of ¡®Michelie¡¯. Mariwa Tote It was quite close, but she came in third ce. asionally she overtakes Michelie for second. In the print edition she has been drawn as a smart beauty. Looking at her is strangely reassuring, she is truly a wonderful adult. Her expectations for Chris are not about her learning ability, but rather her charismatic charm. She believes Chris will surely change the world they live in. As for Michelie, aside from winning by all means, she¡¯s considering whether she should teach her somemon sense. She really hates Evilia and thinks she¡¯s an immature child. Since the scene has changed, I think we will be seeing less of her from now. Her initial setting actually wasn¡¯t a character who could do literally anything. Rather, I really didn¡¯t n on her appearing as much as she has. The origin of her name, Marie Antote. She doesn¡¯t actually have anything to do with the historical figure. I just wanted the characters to have easy to remember names, so I often used names simr to famous figures. Charles Edward He got first ce in the Hero Division. For his beloved Chris, he will cooperate with his enemy Michelie. Even though they are ¡®cooperating¡¯ with each other, they are both just waiting for the chance to trip the other up. Just like Michelie, I also altered the colour of Charles¡¯ eyes. Well, it was because I thought it was cute ¨C but I wonder if there was another reason? While his initial setting was as the obedient puppy type, for some reason he turned out this way. That was probably Michelie¡¯s bad influence. I chose his name after searching ¡®Royal Names¡¯ on the inte. That was howzy at naming I am. Surfania Calibrachoa A gloomy but sharp tongued tsundere. Recently, she has decided to try her best. She originally didn¡¯t appear in Destiny Labyrinth, but because she was involved with Chris her whole life¡¯s route was altered. The upper limit of her specs are probably around the same level as Chris¡¯. In terms of effort and motivation, Chris has so far been vastly ahead in both. Whether she will ever be able to beat Chris well, that will depend on her growth from now on. For the time being, she¡¯s trying her best to be able to even talk with a stranger. Her original setting was as a child who was really smart, but since her debut she somehow became a piece of trash. The origin of her name is derived from a flower. Yeah, that¡¯s right. I mistook ¡®Surfinia¡¯ and ¡®Surfania¡¯. Her family name is also from a flower. Apparently it means ¡®smiling face in bloom¡¯ in thenguage of flowers. Leon Nardo Unlikest time when he lost to Duke Noir, he has grown a lot more popr. For the print edition, I was surprised that he was so handsome. Initial setting¡­I really didn¡¯t think of anything. I thought of making a vague but lively child, but that¡¯s all I had considered for his character. In any case, right now he¡¯s decided to act for the girl he likes. His nameses from Leonardo da Vinci. I thought Leonardo was a really cool sounding name, so I split it and got his name. Endo Edward He is regrettably, our egocentric hero I really hated him at first, but his personality ended up just being a male version of Chris. His bad rtionship with Chris is identical to Michelie and Charles¡¯. Like repels like. He has teamed up with Chris, but for some reason he feels incredibly uneasy about it. ¡­Good luck. I had decided from the beginning that he would be the third piece of junk? capture target? Because the author can¡¯t stand junk characters unless they are pitiful or haughty, so he ended up like this. His namees from the name of an author I love, ¡®Michael Ende¡¯. At first I was nning to call him ¡®Ende¡¯ but then I made a typo and it became ¡®Endo¡¯. It was just a typo, but it fit him so perfectly that we decided to leave it like that. Father Head of the Noir family Currently he is being hated by one daughter and targeted by the other, yes this is how pitiful he has be, but really he¡¯s just reaping what he sowed, I actually dide up with a name for him, but I missed the chance to use it. I¡¯m currently worrying how I can introduce his name¡­ The Usual Maid Even though it¡¯s a nameless character, she¡¯s quite popr. She is quite new to the Noir family and has a favourable rtionship with Oxe. Recently, the youngdy she looks after seems to be in her rebellious stage and fighting with her little sister, so she has a lot of worries. In the print edition she actually got a name. Although she¡¯s a minor character, she will be ying a very active part as a victim in a side story. Igusa Tote Ms Mariwa¡¯s nephew. When Endo enter the Academy, Igusa finished being his Swordsmanship teacher and returned to being a knight of the chivalric order. He greatly respects his aunt, Ms Mariwa. Evelia Edward A person beloved by the heavens. Compared to her original design, she¡¯s ended up being quite a mysterious figure. Her specs are insanely high, who was especially good at winning people over. She was a person who lived their life doing whatever they wanted to. Her namees from ¡®Eve¡¯ and ¡®Maria¡¯ that weren¡¯t joined to make it easier to read. For some reason or another I really wanted her name to sound holy. Mother Chris¡¯ mother. Despite not even having a rough description, she is the one person who Chris could never forget. In the novel she¡¯s beginning to appear a bit more. Augustin Istar Probably the only gentleman in this story. Once we¡¯re in the school arc, I n to have his daughter be quite an active character. But¡­this person, in terms of parenting ability, is just the worst. Oxe Charles¡¯ attendant. Recently he hasn¡¯t been appearing much at all. His full name will be released in a side story as a special privilege. The origin of his name is, a certain world famous university, I think you can guess which one it is pretty easily. By the way, What do you mean not a single person voted for him?! The Seriousness With many regrets, it¡¯s now dead. However even if one serious point has fallen, it shall rise again and again¡­! Mr Lucky life (¡äß\¦ØÃü`)¤µ¤ó At death¡¯s door. Only lives on in Chris¡¯ heart. √1

Chapter ¡Ì1

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- Author¡¯s Note: This is a short extra chapter about the second prince, and a little about the second Calibrachoa daughter. This was when Charles was about 7 years old. There¡¯s no meaning behind the title. ¡ª Cedric Edward hated his little brother. It¡¯s nothing Charles did specifically, and Cedric didn¡¯t hate him so much toy a finger on him. He simply disliked him. Cedric was born frail. It wasn¡¯t life threatening because he livedfortably, but his frailty was enough to exclude him from the line of session. His older brother Endo Edward disyed a sufficient amount of intelligence, and it was also decided that Cedric would spend arge amount of time in his life receiving medical treatment. He always knew that no one expected anything from him. No one needed him, and no one wanted anything of him. But still, he felt a little lonely. He was a mature and reasonable young man, but he was still under ten years old. That¡¯s why he wanted to be recognized by adults. Despite that, he was fully aware that no one would ever look to him. Thus, he paid attention not to his talented older brother, but to his younger brother Charles. Charles was in no way talented in his studies. Nor was he particrly good at the military arts. And even though he was younger than Cedric, there was also talk about him being excluded from the line of session as well. However, Charles received attention from everyone in the pce. Cedric was envious of that. He didn¡¯t understand the exact reason for that, but the fact that Charles seemed to live his life freely was too much for him. It blinded him and annoyed him, but he couldn¡¯t look away from Charles. That¡¯s why Cedric hated him. Since they were brothers, there were plenty of times where they saw each other, despite the size of the pce. In times like those, he desperately tried to hide his feelings of hatred behind a fake smile. He hated him and was jealous of him, but didn¡¯t have the option of ignoring him. To Cedric, that was what Charles was. From Cedric¡¯s point of view, Charles was always living a carefree life. It looked like there was nothing tying him down. Every time he went outside without notice, it would cause trouble for Oxe who was supposed to be by his side. Every day he broke a piece of furniture in the pce, and the servants would chase him with furious looks on their faces. And just recently, he climbed a tree in the royal garden. The gardener spotted him and reprimanded him, but he dared to climb the tree again, and was confined to his room for three days. Soon after that, he went there again and plucked some weeds from the flower bed, put it into his mouth, and began crying. It seemed rather bad. And why would he even eat it in the first ce? Cedric Edward hated his younger brother Charles Edward, and was jealous of him. Buttely, that changed. Everyone is different in a good way. Learn from the follies of others. Understanding that such apparent words of constion were in fact truths of life, he found it easier to adapt to his environment. Eventually, the servants began scolding Charles by saying ¡°You could learn a thing or two from His Highness Cedric!¡± This was when Charles gave Cedric a present. ¡°Big brother! This is for you!¡± What Charles gave him was a handful of flowers. What¡¯s this? Is this an borate prank? There¡¯s still dirt on them, so it looks like he just plucked them from the pce garden. Why is he giving them to me as a present? As Cedric thought to himself, Charles replied with a smile. ¡°These are herbs! They¡¯re the same ones I saw in the herb garden in Chris¡¯s house. They were growing in the garden, so I brought them here! Oh, but they¡¯re really bad, so be careful, okay?¡± Charles went back to his room. His honest smile was an impressionable contrast to the apologetic look on Oxe¡¯s face. ¡°Herbs, huh.¡± Cedric mumbled while looking at the present. Charles was probably looking out for his health. It looks like he even tasted it. Of course, Cedric was educated enough to not eat raw herbs without knowing their effects. Medicine could also be poison. He would be better off letting an expert take a look at it. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t use it as his younger brother expected him to. He put the flowers in a vase as a decoration. I¡¯ll get along with my younger brother. That was the day he began to think that way. The next day, his fianc¨¦e Ignia Calibrachoa visited him. Of course, this arrangement was not up to either of them. To Cedric, it was part of his duty to marry her. But on that day, Cedric felt like spending some time taking a walk with her. ¡°Do you like flowers?¡± Of course, there were things she didn¡¯t know about him. Noticing such a simple fact, he thought that it was time to get to know each other better. Seeing her cast an asional nce at the flower vase, he took the first step and asked her the question. Usually she would simply give a nomittal reply, but she looked surprised for an instant before breaking into a smile. ¡°Yes. In fact, my younger sister¡¯s name is associated with a flower.¡± He wondered if they were on good terms. Her expression looked soft when she was looking at the flowers. He was a little fascinated, and a little envious of her rtionship with her sister. He decided to learn from her. ¡°I see. Your sister must be adorable.¡± ¡°No, she is not adorable at all. She¡¯s gloomy and has a sharp tongue, and she listens to no one. On top of that, she never opens up to us even as family. She¡¯s like an untamed cat. She¡¯s the worst sister a person can have.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± Cedric flinched from thepletely unexpected reply. Girls are difficult to understand. He was impressed by how she could talk badly about her sister while smiling like that. ¡°Yes. It looks like she has finally made a friend she is unworthy of, however¡­¡­ Oh?¡± Cedric was ovee by yet another thing she told him. She was observing the nt, and now looked a little troubled. ¡°Um, Lord Cedric¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ignia Calibrachoa began to look nervous. Should she say it or not? She hesitated for some time, then finally pointed a finger. ¡°This is neither an ornamental nt nor a herb. It¡¯s simply a weed. Why are you putting it up as a decoration¡­¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Eh?¡± His face twitched from having his fianc¨¦e tell him that. Cedric Edward hated his younger brother. Charles Edward, who ignorantly gave him such a present on a whim. Cedric decided that someday, when he became healthier, he would hit him hard on the head to teach him some manners andmon sense. He made a single pressed flower as a reminder of his determination. Author¡¯s Note: I¡¯ve been thinking about putting this in a discounted extras book, but I¡¯ve decided to put him here since it¡¯s his first appearance. Other extras are like that too, so they¡¯ll make a good reference. By the way, Cedric doesn¡¯t make much of an appearance. Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- It¡¯s a good spot under the sun. I¡¯m leaning into afortable chair and dozing off. I am Christina Noir. The viinous daughter of the Duke. It has already been two years since I parted ways with Michelie and moved into the dormitory within the Academy. I¡¯ve been getting taller at a healthy rate, but that hase to a stoptely. I have also been unusually aggressive in making myself look good, in order to present myself as the viiness who would stand in Michelie¡¯s way. It¡¯s the period before lunch. I¡¯m taking an afternoon nap in an empty ssroom, while other students are still in their sses. The sunlight shining through the window makes me feel a gentle warmth. I¡¯m staving off my hunger with drowsiness. In these light dreams I¡¯m enjoying, I always see my beloved sister. Michelie Noir. She¡¯s the heroine of this world. My adorable younger sister. I haven¡¯t seen her at all in these two years. Even during long vacations, I¡¯ve been staying in the dormitory andzing about instead of going home. But I¡¯ll be able to see Michelie soon. I¡¯m happy about it, but also a little sad. It¡¯s time to face the fate that I should gracefully ept. I was enjoying what little peaceful time I may have left, but even that hase to an end. ¡°¡­¡­Your Highness. Don¡¯t show your crappy face to me just as I¡¯m waking up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one with the stupid face.¡± It¡¯s Prince Endo who woke me up with his footsteps. He frowns and gives me a displeased look for upying this ssroom. I woke up from dreaming about Michelie and saw his face. It¡¯s only natural for me to hurl an abuse upon seeing that much of a difference. The prince is also seventeen years old. He¡¯s somewhat sensitive, but he¡¯s also be manly. It¡¯s not just his appearance. He has also be just a little more mature. At least he¡¯s a lot more decent than he was before I enrolled. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re here means that lessons are over, right?¡± ¡°They ended just now. Weren¡¯t you in ss?¡± ¡°I skipped.¡± I answer with a yawn. Prince Endo sighs, but I don¡¯t give a damn. I¡¯m a viiness, so why should I be an honor student taking sses seriously? I¡¯m a viiness whose role is to oppose and obstruct Michelie. I have to behave like one. It¡¯s outrageous for me to have good conduct. I¡¯m currently living a life far unbing of a properdy. I don¡¯t take lessons seriously. I disappear from the dormitory and squander my money downtown everyday. To put it in simple terms, I am a problematic child and a delinquent. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to the dining hall.¡± It¡¯s now lunch time, so I stand up. By the way, what I was sitting on is the seat of the student president, the very top position of the student council. Of course, I¡¯m not the student president. The president is none other than Prince Endo, who¡¯s right in front of me. Oh no, I¡¯m making it a habit to sit in this chair because of howfortable it is. ¡°You shouldeter, Your Highness. I mentioned it before, but there¡¯s a big event going on.¡± ¡°You mean your n to y the viiness and bring me and Michelie together?¡± ¡°Yeah, that.¡± I told him about my fate without going into too much detail. The long school break is over, and the entrance ceremony for new students also came to an end without a hitch. Today is the day after Michelie¡¯s enrollment. It¡¯s also the first day of Labyrinth Destiny. My reunion, as well as the event where I reveal myself as the viiness, will take ce in the dining hall. Endo shrugs his shoulders lightly. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go once I rush this task.¡± ¡°For the student council?¡± ¡°Yeah. The newspaper club has put together a stupid feature article about the new students. I have to inspect and approve the contents for publishing. Those guys are annoying, sending it right before the deadline. ¡°The newspaper? Oh, the extras?¡± He nods. There was an extra section from the newspaper club about the entrance ceremony in Labyrinth Destiny too. It was about Prince Endo and Leon, if I remember. It was subscription based, but the newspaper club was mostly responsible for gathering and publishing thetest information from that point on. In the real newspaper club here, there are quite a number of students who are active in it. There¡¯s even someone following me around. Prince Endo is in charge of submitting the news. ¡°It¡¯s going to be published after school today. Are you gonna read it?¡± ¡°No way, why would I read that?¡± I¡¯m not interested in anything other than Michelie. I might be interested if it¡¯s about Charles, but I don¡¯t care about Endo or Leon. ¡°Anyway, just hurry up and finish the damn thing, thene to the dining hall. You have to.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me again. Hurry up and get lost. You¡¯re an eyesore.¡± That should be enough from me. Satisfied with my daily dose of abusing the prince, I head off to the dining hall. ¡°¡­¡­I wonder how much more adorable Michelie has grown.¡± Even though I¡¯m ovee with the joy of seeing Michelie all grown up, I¡¯m also depressed by the fact that I have to be cruel to my beloved sister. Nevertheless, I proceed to my destination. ¡°¡­¡­Sigh.¡± Endo Edward sighed after watching Christina Noir leave. Christina was about to mistreat Michelie from this point on, and he would providefort to Michelie, who would fall in love with him. That was Christina¡¯s n. Then, she was going to behave arrogantly all around the Academy. Endo didn¡¯t understand why Christina would go so far for someone she was always arguing with. But somehow, he could sense that she wasn¡¯t doing it for herself, but for Michelie. ¡°¡­¡­Hmph. I¡¯ll just have to use that fool.¡± The entire n was Christina¡¯s suggestion. There was no need for Endo to restrain himself. Even then, there was something off about her saying ¡°I¡¯ll be a viiness¡± with a smile. After cursing her, Endo redoubled his focus on the newspaper. The Academy¡¯s newspaper club was all about gossip, so usually there would be a lot of attention gathered around noteworthy students. But it was also umon for the extra section to be focused on a single student like this time. A must-see for new students. A feature article for the most popr student, Christina Noir! There was a lot of passion put into this article and this huge title. Endo thought that there would be a self-portrait of the ¡°sophisticated¡± Christina, but there was only a photograph that was recently developed. By the way, just taking one photograph cost so much money that even the wealthy would hesitate. He sent his approval of the passionate news, and mumbled. ¡°What exactly is she trying to achieve?¡± Fate itself seemed to be missing. Things were going as expected for everyone other than Chris herself, after all. ¡ª Author¡¯s Note: Leaving that aside, it¡¯s April 28, and the printed version is on sale! Yay! Also, I submitted my final draft of the Sister Heroine piece yesterday, and it¡¯s Number 2 on the dailyedies. I¡¯m really grateful. Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- Usually during lunch break, I walk down the middle of a busy hallway. There are always a lot of students, but the crowd doesn¡¯t stop me. That¡¯s because people look at me as I¡¯m walking, and they give me a lot of space. I can hear their whispers and squeals as I walk by. I¡¯ve been surrounded by people like that. ¡°¡­¡­Hmph!¡± I end up scaring them off with a loud snort. Today, I¡¯m heading straight to the dining hall as I skipped sses, so there¡¯s no one around me. Now that I¡¯m alone, I¡¯m probably going to stand out more. This situation is surprisingly enjoyable. For better or worse, it¡¯s nice to be looked at. The faces of fear and awe are equally satisfying to me. Squandering money downtown and keeping lowpany are actually fun to me, even though they¡¯re actions unbing of ady. My main hobbies now are buying and eating things from various ces. These types of behavior are unimaginable for a good student. I¡¯ve built up to that image, so people are currently gossiping about me. Christina Noir, the daughter of the Duke, doing such things. Of course, I¡¯ve had to work towards building such a reputation, but it hasn¡¯t been difficult. I might have had the personality befitting a viiness after all. And I¡¯ve been behaving very much like a viiness. My reputation as a person has been ruined, so only a few dare to stick around with me. I always take these few people with me around the school. Although they¡¯ve approached me because of my status as the Duke¡¯s daughter, they¡¯ve done no wrong at all. The reason they¡¯re following me is probably because they want a share of the power I would eventually possess. I¡¯m not so childish to deny that people sometimes form connections based on gain and benefit. When the timees for my ruin, I¡¯ll try to spare them from sharing my fate. My objective right now is to meet Michelie. Then, I¡¯ll hurl some abuse at her. I¡¯ll make it clear that she¡¯s not my sister, and that a member of the Noir family leans on no one for support. I¡¯ll say that in a sarcastic way, and set the event for Michelie¡¯s bad start in school. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hm. My stomach hurts. I¡¯ve lost my appetite all of a sudden. I really want to leave early, but I can¡¯t today. I can¡¯t run off. If I do, then I will have wasted my efforts these past two years. Namely, bearing the pain of not seeing her at all, and also cutting off my ties with Surfania, Leon, and Charles. It¡¯s alright. Right now, I¡¯m the top delinquent of the Academy, but I¡¯m still a genius deep down. I can do it. I can¡¯t turn back, not now. ¡°Alright. Come on, Christina. I¡¯m a genius¡­¡­!¡± I mumble to myself and look up with renewed determination. It¡¯s the beginning of fate. The glorious stage of my ruin, and most of all, Michelie¡¯s bright future. I proudly enter the dining hall to announce the opening act. I start searching for Michelie by looking for the light of my beloved archangel. I notice that something¡¯s different. ¡°Hm?¡± I¡¯m in the dining hall, but no one responds. Usually, someone would have spotted me, and everyone¡¯s attention would gather on me like a ripple. There¡¯s none of that now. Instead, they seem to be focused on some kind ofmotion in a corner of the dining hall. ¡°¡­¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± I¡¯m heading towards the center of attention. A few students notice me and look at me with astonishment, but that¡¯s all. I¡¯m approaching the cause of themotion, not as an onlooker, but as a furious person. This is the supposed to be the event that decides her future, and yet there¡¯s something else going on and taking the spotlight away. I have to punish the people involved. But the crowd is so dense that I can¡¯t even make my way through to see what exactly is going on. ¡°Tch.¡± I click my tongue. From what I can hear, it¡¯s more one-sided than an actual argument. I can only hear a grating angry voice. It¡¯s irritating. ¡°Hey, let me through.¡± I announce my presence just loud enough for the crowd. The students look at me first with suspicion, then with a shocked expression. Whether each of them noticed me or not, they hurriedly make way for me. This happens a few times before I manage to make my way in. It¡¯s tough, but my role here is to cruelly announce to Michelie who has just enrolled, ¡°You¡¯re not a member of the Noir family, and you¡¯re not my sister at all.¡± I have to make that loud and clear in front of all the students here. So I prepare myself to take care of this stupid mess. ¡°Michelie Noir! I will never acknowledge you as the sister of Lady Christina!¡± ¡°?!¡± Someone stole my line of abuse towards Michelie. At least now I know what themotion is about, but I feel the urge to cough out loud. Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- Cutting through the crowd, the first thing I see is a grown-up Michelie. She has a more mature-looking face, but still has that bright golden hair and blue eyes. She¡¯s sitting so it¡¯s a little hard to tell, but she¡¯s probably not very tall. She looks feminine and adorable. She has grown her hair a littlepared to when I cut her hair long ago, but it¡¯s only about shoulder length. It¡¯s a w that cannot be overlooked in ady, but that too disys her beautiful personality. In the first ce, hairstyles are merely a tiny fraction of fashion and style. Even though she¡¯s grown up, she¡¯s just as charming as she was. She¡¯s still the most adorable heroine ever. A young woman with extravagantly curled hair is arguing furiously with her. Her long golden hair is rolled up in a gorgeous manner. As if to match it, her face is just as showy. Her eyes are a calming deep blue, yet her demeanor doesn¡¯t reflect any of that. Michelie is giving her a slightly sharp look. ¡°¡­¡­What do you mean, I¡¯m not her sister?¡± ¡°I mean just as I said it.¡± Michelie is a little upset, but not afraid of her at all. ¡°You arepletely unsuitable to be Lady Christina¡¯s sister.¡± The girl with the curly hair says so resolutely. She has an aura of presence. I wonder if she¡¯s rted to Prince Endo. No, she has a different lookpared to members of the royal family, so I don¡¯t mean that they¡¯re rted by blood. I mean that she¡¯s an idiot, just like him. Well, whatever. I should just shut her up and face Michelie. I take a step forward. ¡°You may be a little adorable and clever enough to enrol thanks to the Chairman, and perhaps because you are friendly to people, and are also Lady Christina¡¯s actual sister, but that¡¯s just it!¡± She¡¯s probably a new student herself, and the context itself is too surprising. I take another step forward. ¡°What is that girl trying to say?¡± I ask that purely as a question, but no one has a response for me. I simply let it slide. ¡°Do you have anything to say about it?!¡± ¡°Um¡­¡­ Thanks?¡± ¡°No! Why are you thanking me?!¡± Everyone could tell her words were filled withpliments. It¡¯s only natural Michelie would react that way. But the curly haired idiot seems dissatisfied and steps on the ground angrily. Even I don¡¯t understand her behavior. Michelie must be even more confused. She looks like she doesn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t really know what you were trying to say¡­¡­¡± ¡°My, perhaps you aren¡¯t too clever after all. Heheh. I shall exin it to you then.¡± These past few minutes, the only thing she has done is expose her idiocy, yet she still looks arrogant. ¡°Very well. Even I of all people know this, but no other students have ever called Lady Christina ¡®big sister¡¯.¡± As a convention, girls in this academy who are upperssmen are referred to as ¡°big sisters¡±. Sometimes, it happens with ss differences as well. And it¡¯s true that I¡¯m not allowed to be called a big sister. Michelie¡¯s eyes sparkle as she listens. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. I am certain. And the reason why is because of your existence!¡± ¡°Hey. Someone stop that idiot.¡± I¡¯ve detached myself from Michelie, but what she¡¯s saying makes it sound like I¡¯m still attached to her. She¡¯s putting all my efforts to waste. No one moves an inch. I have always stopped other students, whether they were underssmen, peers, or even upperssmen, from calling me ¡°big sister¡±, by giving them a sharp re. I¡¯ve done this to go against the culture of the Academy, but another major reason is because I don¡¯t want anyone besides Michelie to call me ¡°big sister¡±. She¡¯s notpletely off the mark, but it annoys me anyway. While I¡¯m starting to feel anxious, Michelie looks down in sadness. ¡°¡­¡­How should I know that? I don¡¯t even know how Big Sister is doing now.¡± ¡°Please do not y games with me. I have looked up to her and worked hard for her to this day! She is not a fool to ignore my efforts.¡± This idiot isn¡¯t even answering Michelie¡¯s question. ¡°There is only one person Lady Christina will acknowledge as her sister. That is exactly why I, Freesia Istar, have dered war on you to fight for the title of ¡®younger sister¡¯. Do you understand¨C¡± ¡°I see. I understand, Freesia.¡± My cold voice overshadows her shouts. I can¡¯t let her speak any more than this. I may already be a little toote, although it¡¯s probably just my imagination. Michelie opens her eyes widely in response to my appearance. ¡°Big Sister¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Just by looking at her blue eyes, my determination is beginning to waver. What I¡¯m about to say to her is unforgivable. However¡­ ¡°L-ldy Chrishtina?!¡± Her upset voice helps me calm down. ¡°¡­¡­Michelie.¡± I take a deep breath. ¡°I simply didn¡¯t like being called ¡®Big Sister¡¯ by everyone. But Michelie, you were adopted in the first ce. You have no blood rtion to me, or to anyone in the Noir family.¡± ¡°-!¡± Michelie gulps, perhaps shocked from my cruel words. My voice quivers a little, even though I tried to y it cool. ¡°S-so don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Don¡¯t take this idiot girl seriously. I don¡¯t think of you as my dear sister at all!¡± I said it. I said the line I was meant to say in Labyrinth Destiny. I make sure that Michelie¡¯s blue eyes are welling up with tears, and grab Freesia by the cor. ¡°You,e with me to my room. There¡¯s something I want to talk about.¡± ¡°Y-yes! I am honored!¡± I¡¯m infamous in the Academy, and I just hinted that I was going to punish her. Why is she so happy? There¡¯s something wrong with this girl. I was convinced that she¡¯s an idiot at first nce, but now I¡¯m starting to get worried. Does she understand anything anyone¡¯s saying? As I¡¯m dragging her along, I¡¯m beginning to worry about her level ofmunication. That said, I¡¯ve done a pretty good ad lib to bring fate back on track despite the unexpected turn of events. ¡°¡­¡­Hm? Christina. What have you brought here?¡± ¡°An idiot who¡¯s one of a kind these days.¡± Prince Endo is a littlete. He gives me a suspicious look. ¡°What are you talking about? I never told you to make a self-introduction.¡± ¡°Shut up. More importantly, hurry up and console Michelie.¡± ¡°Console her? Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡± I start getting depressed as I remember the cruel words I said to Michelie. Prince Endo picks up on that and doesn¡¯t press too much. ¡°Really? Well, looks like I¡¯ll go see her¡­¡­¡± ¡°Go for it.¡± I answer curtly and leave the dining hall. Prince Endo is going tofort Michelie who was hurt by my cruelty right at the start of the semester. I¡¯ve done my part in the event in Labyrinth Destiny, and I¡¯m now walking the course of fate. I feel a little better knowing that. ¡°Ldy Christina, where are we heading off to?¡± ¡°To my room. No one will bother us there.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°Hey, why are you so happy?¡± I feel a little uneasy about this irregrity. ¡ª Author¡¯s Note: Useless Character Number Four. Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Trantor: Cryus --------------------------------------------------------------- The dormitory in the Academy is separated between male and female. Even though it¡¯s a co-educational school, it¡¯s only natural for the Academy to establish it this way because of the multitude of children from prestigious families. The girls¡¯ dormitory has three floors, and students are separated ording to social status instead of grade level. In fact, students with a background of high nobility are allocated to the third floor. And of course, I¡¯m reigning on the highest floor because I¡¯m the proud daughter of the Duke. Right now, there are only three students, including myself, who reside on the third floor. Even here, I¡¯m the one who is the highest in terms of social status. And I have been behaving arrogantly as the viinous daughter of the Duke, as the highest ranked noble in the Academy. I¡¯ve brought Freesia into my room, and now I¡¯m facing her alone. ¡°So, tell me who the hell you are.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Freesia¡¯s shoulders are quivering in nervousness, it¡¯s almost funny. I¡¯ve enjoyed doing things like this as well as stirring things up since my decision to take on the role of the viiness. ¡°I-I am Freesia Istar- oof!¡± She bit her own tongue. She almost made meugh, so I sigh and stop myself, and give her a sharp sideways nce. Her face flushes with embarrassment. ¡°Uh, um, I am a new student who enrolled in the Academy the other day.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I nod generously while trying to hold in myughter in the face of her embarrassment. I was going to make her kneel on the floor, but I give up on the idea. That would be too much of me. Also, I only take joy in teasing people. Plus, because I dragged her in here all of a sudden, the maid is giving me a cold stare for not giving her time to prepare. The ck tea I¡¯m drinking right now, as well as the various tea snacks arranged on the table, were prepared in a hurry by the maid, who¡¯s staring at me while leaning against the wall. She probably wouldn¡¯t listen to me even if I told her Freesia wasn¡¯t a guest. If I misbehave too much, she will most definitely have something toin aboutter. I haven¡¯t brought many of the other servants from the house since moving into the dormitory in the Academy. There are rules stipting that students may bring up to three people, but I¡¯ve only brought the maid along because she volunteered her assistance. But the person I need to deal with right now isn¡¯t the maid, but this idiot girl in front of me. ¡°Well then, Freesia Istar ¡ª wait, Istar?¡± I was going to ask her why she was treating Michelie like that, but I get interested upon hearing her family name. ¡°Count Istar¡­¡­ You¡¯re his daughter?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly right!¡± I cross my arms in thought. The Istar family has some status. I have a slightly friendly rtionship with the head of the family, Lord Augustine. From what I remember, he had a stout build and was a perfect gentleman. I¡¯m making a frown. How did a child of that gentleman turn out to be this way? ¡°M-my father has told me about you, Lady Christina!¡± ¡°Really? I haven¡¯t seen him since I enrolled in the Academy¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, it was a long time before you enrolled, Lady Christina. He told me how perfect of ady you were, and that he would raise me just like you. How often he praised you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I wasn¡¯t into this conversation at all, but now I¡¯m nodding in interest. I¡¯m impressed by Lord Augustine¡¯s judgment. Also, this girl has shown me her good side. She has had some good education. ¡°And so I have been in awe of you, Lady Christina. When I was a child, Father brought me to one of your parties, and I saw how awesome you were from a distance. Since then, I have always been excited about the thought of bing a decentdy and meeting you!¡± ¡°I see.¡± That was quite a long time ago. She¡¯s looked up to me not because of my misconduct, but because she was inspired by me in my younger days. I don¡¯t me her. I¡¯ve been working hard to ruin my own image now, I was in fact almost a wless and perfectdy in the past. ¡°I have wanted to tell you especially now that we have met, but I have always refined my own culture with you as my role model, Lady Christina!¡± ¡°Hm? Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°Huh? No¡­¡­ Why would I do that?¡± Why would she do that? There¡¯s no way she¡¯s turned out to be such an idiot if she¡¯s been looking up to me as her role model. It¡¯s like she¡¯s saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be an idiot by mimicking you!¡± ¡°Well, I may sound presumptuous, but I just wanted to tell you how much I have looked up to you¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, well, nevermind.¡± Maybe she justcks self-awareness. I¡¯m taking pity on her while drinking the cup of ck tea. It must be a pity for her not to realize how idiotic she is. I¡¯m observing her with renewed effort. Her eyes are a different bluepared to Michelie¡¯s. Her facial features are so neat that she would stand out among a crowd. Her long and thick hair is curled up in a very extravagant fashion. She stands out so much, yet she never appeared in Labyrinth Destiny. She does look gaudy, but with such a strong personality, it looks like she will never have a good love life. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve heard enough. Don¡¯t cause any moremotions like that anymore. Also, stay away from Michelie as much as you can.¡± To be honest, Freesia has entertained me in a few ways, so I find it a pity. But if she keeps getting involved, it could very well derail the scenario. That¡¯s why I have to warn her to stay in the backstage. But her eyes sparkle when she hears my words. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°No, please do.¡± If she really respects me, why won¡¯t she listen to me? ¡°I will not cause any trouble to you, Lady Christina.¡± ¡°Well, you caused a lot of trouble just now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just have to win against that Michelie Noir!¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you caused themotion in the first ce!¡± Freesia makes a tight fist in determination. She¡¯s not listening to me at all. And for some reason, her face is turning red in shyness now. ¡°Um, well, this may be impudent of me, but I have a request¡­¡­ Is that all right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Go away.¡± ¡°Is that really all right?!¡± She¡¯s too positive. I get the feeling she only heard me say yes. I¡¯m impressed by her ability to listen to only what she wants to hear, and I might as well listen to her request. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°P-please, allow me to join your faction, Lady Christina.¡± ¡°Alright, go away.¡± ¡°Is that really alright?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± They say it¡¯s difficult to win an argument against idiots and conmen. I¡¯m starting to get a headache as she¡¯s shouting for joy. Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Trantor: Casbrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Since the afternoon break was over, Freesia had to go to ss right away. Feeling grateful that it¡¯s ss time, this is a first for me. My attendance rate to lessons was shockingly low, afterall I had covered all the content up until graduation with Mariwa. Add to that the delinquent reputation I had to have, and ss times weren¡¯t something I ever paid any attention to. But since it got rid of Freesia for now, I was truly grateful from the bottom of my heart. That¡¯s how impossible it was to deal with Freesia. She was a scarily strong opponent; clinging to me even when rejected and only hearing what she wanted to. Even being as amazing as I am, I just couldn¡¯t shake her. It was a mystery just where she got all that positivity from. Since I didn¡¯t attend sses, I sneaked out from the Academy and headed toward downtown. Without even an escort, this was a true solo outing. I could easily handle two or three thugs by myself though, what with my power and the self defense techniques I had learnt from Mariwa. Not that I was going to the kind of ce where that would happen anyway. For my walks I made sure to stick to main streets and patrolled areas, of course I didn¡¯t venture into any dark alleys or the like. Looking through the shop windows and browsing stalls, I continued down the street until a voice called out to me. ¡°Whaddaya know, if it ain¡¯t Big Sis.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I don¡¯t have any younger siblings aside from Michelie. I looked over my should to see what kind of scoundrel was calling someone like me ¡®Big Sis¡¯, to see a man who looked like the textbook definition of a ¡®thug¡¯. Well built with the shadow of a beard. Age looked to be in the twenties. Dressed in a shabby suit he looked like the kind of rotten guy who would hit on pretty girls like me, but he was actually an acquaintance of mine. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t Geist. What are you doing out in the middle of the day? Get a job. Looking at a deadbeat like you makes me want to punch your face.¡± ¡°Ahaha. I beg ye¡¯ forgiveness. I¡¯m really not out to cause any trouble though.¡± ¡°With a rap sheet like yours?¡± ¡°Ever since you gave me a what-for Big Sis, I ain¡¯t done nothin.¡± Scratching the back of his neck as if he¡¯s embarrassed to be thought of so badly, Geist might think it¡¯s all old news, but until just a while ago this guy was hardcore anti-aristocracy. With a gang of his ay young noble child who got off their carriage downtown would be harrassed. I never ran into them until one day I happened to see them drag a schoolgirl from the Royal Academy down a side alley. Beating them up until they couldn¡¯t stand, the violence I disyed wouldn¡¯t stand under the self defence act. It wasn¡¯t something that a viin should have stopped for, but there was no way I could ignore it when it was right in front of me. Well, you could also say that it was a good opportunity to trash my reputation as ady with some violence. After that incident the people who whispered and kept their distance from me at school increased. Given how we met, I had never imagined that he would now be a member of my entourage. He¡¯s the older brother of the head of the Academy¡¯s newspaper. He¡¯s also the elder brother of You wouldn¡¯t expect it from our first meeting, but now Geist is also one of my followers. He¡¯s also the older brother of the student in charge of the school newspaper. All in all, for amoner hees from a pretty good family. His little sister speaks with exactly the same ent. ¡°Is that so. Well, I won¡¯t tell you love aristocrats, but at least quit the pathetic harassment. Why not try to use your brain ande up with some more constructive ways to get your opinion across?¡± ¡°Ya don¡¯t trust me a bit. Since your warning I¡¯ve been doing just that. Since I met Big Sis I don¡¯t hate a person just ¡®cause they¡¯re an aristocrat no more¡­..hey, how¡¯s that little sister of mine doing? They says she¡¯s a part of your clique, and that¡¯s all I¡¯ve heard¡­.¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing well. While I don¡¯t know the particrs, she¡¯s been all fired up about making a newspaper extra for the entrance ceremony¡± ¡°Hmmmm¨C She better not be causing you any trouble Big Sis. That kid, she gets carried away real easy, that¡¯s my only real worry.¡± ¡°Well, she does indeed seem to be the carried-away type, but I¡¯ve never thought of her as a nuisance you know?¡± Right after entering the Academy, to protect herself Geist¡¯s little sister has stayed close to me. As amoner her standing was originally pretty low, but by being my follower her position bes quite strong. Once she joined the Newspaper club, she¡¯s been using my name to control the publication as she likes. Although she darts around me like a small animal, she does seem to be enjoying student life. I¡¯m quite impressed by how high she has managed to climb by snuggling up to powerful people, I highly rate her ability to bnce human rtions. ¡°If that¡¯s true then it¡¯s a relief. So was there some business or something that brought ya down here today?¡± ¡°Hardly. Until sses end I¡¯m just killing time.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s like that, then do me the honour ofing to the Bar. Recently everyone¡¯s beenining to me saying they haven¡¯t seen you in awhile.¡± ¡°Not my business¡­..Ooh, actually the Bar could be just what I need.¡± Despite his shady looks Geist really has connections, through him I¡¯ve actually made quite a few acquaintances. I don¡¯t care if they pester Geist, but I could really go for a meal right now. The reason for that being that even though I went to the cafeteria for lunch, I didn¡¯t get a chance to eat anything because of that idiot. While I dealt with Freesia I only got a chance to nibble a scone with a cup of tea. Geist may call it the Bar, but during the day it¡¯s basically just a cafe with an open terrace. Since I know the people there well, his suggestion was actually perfect. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go to the bar. I¡¯m quite famished now anyway.¡± ¡°Score! If Big Sis ising by, all the folks will be real happy y¡¯know.¡± ¡°Excuse you. Am I being used as a sales promotion? It¡¯s hardly decent to use people as wallets I¡¯ll have you know.¡± ¡°No way, I would never dare.¡± Hitting the bullseye with my prod, Geist was in a fluster denying it. Because of certain circumstances, I have branched out from just my allowance to multiple ie sources. Thanks to that I have quiterge surplus of cash. For various reasons, I have developed another source of ie other than just my allowance from Father. Thanks to that, I never have to worry about money. When I go shopping it¡¯s always quite a gaudy affair, since I pay for everyone with me. With those facts behind me, I could tease him a little with feigned disagreeability. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend though? Food bought by others is especially tasty afterall.¡± ¡°No, I swear, that was really not my intention at all. If ya like, how about today we treat you Big Sis?¡± To this obvious sucking up,plete with fake modesty and puppy dog eyes, I let out a snort of amusement. I am an aristocrat. A filthy rich one. The money used to raise me as the daughter of Noir Duchy all my life originally came from themoners. People with less money than me, there¡¯s no way I would allow them to treat me. ¡°Quit the jokes. Since I¡¯ll be eating there, of course I will be treating everyone there.¡± ¡°Big Sis is truly the best! I¡¯ll call out to my friends to join us on our way!¡± ¡°Call as many people as you like! I¡¯ll treat all you fools with my charity!¡± With Geist¡¯s obvious ttery, I indulged him more. Being so easily ttered, I must seem like an easy to manipte fool. But that¡¯s fine. My future is to one day fall to ruin after all. Whether they¡¯re nobles ormoners, I need to be seen as the fool by everyone. It¡¯s important to remind them of that asionally. Though I was happy to lie back and let them be, I suddenly added a condition. ¡°Ah, but tell them all to not get drunk. Actually, let¡¯s just limit how much alcohol the store can sell each person. I don¡¯t like drunks. Especially people who get drunk while it¡¯s still day time.¡± ¡°Ye, yeah¡­.¡± Watching the disgraceful actions of drunk people since I was a child, I don¡¯t like the irresponsible actions of drunks. At my pickiness, Geist¡¯s shoulders dropped with his spirits. Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Trantor: Casbrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Happiness is eating a delicious food. I gobbled up the stew the bar served me, each bite made me smile a bit more with happiness. Sure, it was a basic meal, but that didn¡¯t stop me from enjoying it. Basic food has its own appeal. Fully enjoying my meal, I let eyes roam over the scene. The bar¡¯s patrons were all in allte twenties to forties in age. This made Geist seem pretty young. I wanted toin ¡®shouldn¡¯t people your age have a job?¡¯ but honestly gathering around like this from noon was a sadlymon urrence. Though it was busy, the noise level was surprisingly quiet. People are having their conversations in low voices. It wasn¡¯t a ce where people were rowdy, that just made me like this ce even more. Without yelling, everyone could easily converse with each other on their tables. They¡¯re at that age when people like toin about politics. Some things thatmonlye up are their thoughts on: Revenue, Policies, this-or-that Noble or Bureaucrat. asionally some will ask for my opinion as well. A genius like me, it¡¯s no exaggeration to say there¡¯s almost nothing I wouldn¡¯t be able to answer. Sometimes what they would ask are just amoner¡¯s biased opinions, other time¡¯s it¡¯s a fully formed argument about a legitimate concern. Whether I answer in their favor or not, I will never make any quick promises to act on it. Since soon I will fall to ruin, without having a vested interest I can just exchange normal conversation. All I¡¯m doing is listening. That¡¯s as far as I go. As we killed time like this, a new customer entered the store. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Leon.¡± ¡°Christina?¡± My ssmate at the Academy Leon, raised his voice he was so surprised to see my face. He¡¯s as tall as an adult man now. That childishness and face of a mischievous boy is disappearing to be a tough face. ¡°You, I knew you ditched, but I didn¡¯t know you came to a ce like this today¡± ¡°Like I can be told that by someone doing the exact same thing¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong¡± Even I never expected we could have such a light hearted conversation as this. If only because Leon isn¡¯t the sort to pry. Even as I cross my legs and dere that arrogantly, Leon just shrugs his shoulders. Honestly this ce is not somewhere for students of the academy toe to, it isn¡¯t even somewhere they should be able toe to. Me and Leon being regr customers is heresy. ¡°Ooh so it was Leon¡± ¨C Calling this fine establishment ¡®that kind of ce¡¯ that school¡¯s staining you with those nobles. You¡¯ll make the old man cry.¡± ¡°Shut it Geist. As if you, who brought a youngdy like Christina to a ce like this, can say anything like that?¡± Seems he had figured out that this was a meeting ce formoners who hated the nobility. Originally in Destiny Labyrinth, Leon became the middleman in negotiation between Michelie and themoners. That Leon asionallyes to a ce like this, it¡¯s probably because of that. Even if we call it a dump like this, the reason my existence is tolerated by the members here is because I¡¯m their source of money and information. I purposely let them think i¡¯m a fool and pretend not to notice this fact. ¡°Big Sis¡¯ is fine. Rather, she¡¯s more than wee here.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. besides that I haven¡¯t forgotten. When we were kids you made me climb the wall of an aristocrat¡¯s house and then had the nerve to abandon me there¡± ¡°You were the idiot who fell off the wall. And anyway, nowadays I¡¯m jealous that happened to you and not me¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you have any idea how scared I was back then?¡± ¡°Quit your chatter.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who got scared and ran away first, chattering?¡¯ Geist and Leon were said to be childhood friends, but they were really butting heads right now. Putting that aside, since an honour student like Leon is here means school must have finished for the day. ¡°Hey, i¡¯m going to start heading off. You good for nothings hanging out in such a ce in broad daylight. Ask those questions to Leon instead. He¡¯s no match for me, but he still knows a lot.¡± ¡°Eh? Wa- wait a second Big Sis¡± With that messy remark he stands up clumsily. The other people here as expected of adults were seeing me off with a cackle, Geist stood up in a panic. ¡°Oi Leon. You go back as well. Right now. Quickly.¡± ¡°Wha? what¡¯s with you. You tryin ta pick a pick?¡± Even though Leon who had only just walked in was dumbfounded, Geist don¡¯t draw back. ¡°You¡¯re the reason big Sis is leaving! Despite appearances Big Sis has a strong sense of duty, if her excuse for leaving goes then she¡¯ll stay here longer.¡± ¡°Just how stupid are you. Come back. With that it¡¯s fine right. She acts tough as if she¡¯s the school delinquent, but the reasons he¡¯s heading back now is because if she¡¯ste then the maid will get angry at her. For Christina, let her leave early.¡± ¡°Oi¡± Just what is this fool blurting out about me. Of all things a high ranking noble such as myself, being afraid of the likes of a maid, of course that would never happen. I was going to interject into Leon¡¯s insolent words, but the person in question didn¡¯t seem to hear. ¡°Not like I know. Alright, it¡¯s not a question about that. That¡¯s why it¡¯s a great thing if Big Sis is fed up with the academy. That¡¯s why beat it.¡± ¡°Being told that by you, of course i¡¯d want to stay here. As for me, I want Christina to go back to the Academy¡± ¡°I heard from my little sister, how pathetic you are to be wrapped around the finger of that wench from Big Sis¡¯ enemy faction.¡± ¡°Just try saying that again. Bastard, how dare you talk about mydy like that. I¡¯ll beat ya to death¡± At that one provocation from Geist, Leon¡¯s face looks ready to murder him. ¡°And just what¡¯s with this ¡®Big Sis, Big Sis¡¯ ya keep going on about. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to drag her into one of your schemes?¡± ¡°Big Sis is just as it sounds. Everyone here recognizes her as that.¡± ¡°Christina has drawn a line with how involved with you lot she will be. I can at least see that much.¡± Since when did Surfania be Leon¡¯sdy? Anyway, these two childhood friends were currently dragging Surfania and me into their stupid feud. None of the other patrons seemed like they were going to intervene, rather it seemed this was their new fun conversation topic. I am jealous of how close they are. Even though it seems I¡¯ve be their main topic, ignoring that I get the tab from the sales clerk. Since there¡¯s still some money left from the down payment i made, they can use up the remaining on the patrons here. ¡°Aah, also Christina. Could you be reasonable and make up with Surfania? You know how stubborn she can be. You keep aggravating her, and I end up having to deal with her bad mood.¡± ¡°Keep suffering.¡± With a cold wave I exit the bar. At the refreshing breeze outside, I let myself smile a little. As a result of her antagonism towards me getting worse, Surfania now has a remarkably bad reputation. But, no, for sure, I know that Surfania¡¯s heart hasn¡¯t changed at all since the old days. One way or another, she¡¯s a lonely child. Soon will be my end, if i¡¯m close with Surfania it will just cause her pain. And then, once I¡¯m gone Surfania will stop acting rashly like this. As I walk along, somehow I ended up looking at the sky. The day has ended, the sun is now setting. It¡¯s time to return to the academy. If I stay out toote, the maid at the dormitory will get worried. Chapter 96

Chapter 96

**NOTE**: Chapter 95 contains author thoughts and is not rted to the story, therefore we are not tranting it. Enjoy chapter 96 Trantor: Casbrin Something was troubling me. Now that Michelie had entered the Academy, I can¡¯t continue to live the way I have been before. I am a viiness. My existence is the pair to the heroine Michelie. For these past two years at the academy, I¡¯ve been doing whatever I want, breaking the mold of a cultured youngdy. That should be more than enough to let everyone know that I have a rotten personality. And now that Michelie has arrived, I must now act as a true viiness, the problem is just how to go about that. The original Christina mostly indirectly harassed her. Harassing like a true aristocrat, like spreading lots of nasty rumours. It was only at the main points that she acted directly. It¡¯s important that I am behind everything, but it doesn¡¯t really matter who the pawn¡¯s are. That¡¯s the sort of bullying I need to do. Michelie will then ovee this persecution to obtain happiness and glory But I have a shortage of capable people to use for harassment. At any rate, the new students have only just entered. Right now I don¡¯t have any acquaintances among the first years. From the beginning I need to iste Michelie from the other first years around here, so I can¡¯t just be idle. True genius lies in the preparation. I thought of how to solve this as I got ready in the morning. It was in that second as I stepped foot outside my room to go get breakfast downstairs that it appeared. ¡°Good morningdy Christina!¡± The moment I left my room I was greeted by a heap of luxurious ringlet curls. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I¡¯ll say this again just to be clear, I absolutely, do not have any acquaintances at all among the first years. The person beaming in uniform is neither an acquaintance of mine nor part of my clique. My group is made up of people both older and wiser than this kid. Saying that, I chose to smoothly ignore this person. ¡°Eh, ah? Good morning to youdy Christina. It¡¯s Freesia. Freesia Istar, you know!¡± From the third floor, to the second, the person sticking to me is without a doubt Freesia. If I take notice of her she will probably stick to me even more, so I continue with silence. It¡¯s all right. Once I leave the dormitory my usual group should be waiting there. Once I meet up with them, even this kid should break¡­..off? Darn. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s just going to follow along as if she belongs with me in the first ce. ¡°Lady Christina¡­..Why are you being so silent? Aah. By any chance, did something unpleasant happen to you?¡± Good guess, but you just don¡¯t get it do you? At least the result is right, even if her thoughts are all wrong. What a waste. Please use that insight elsewhere. For now, I need to check on how His Highness¡¯ progress is going. To escape from my current situation, I let my thoughts drift back to my earlier problem. That was it. Yesterday, His Highness should have consoled Michelie and properly closed the distance. I have to ascertain whether or not he managed to do it. It¡¯s more troublesome than I thought, actually trying to help someone get someone¡¯s heart. I can¡¯t always be around too personally monitor everything. But even so, I must not neglect the gathering of intelligence. I must, no matter what, give Michelie happiness. ¡°Lady Christina. If there is something that is causing you worry, please consult with me. I may be out of my depth, but somehow or other I could be of help. At least, I¡¯ll be better than that Michelie¡­¡­!¡± This is bad. There¡¯s only one floor left until we reach the door outside, but Freesia hasn¡¯t got the hint at all. If I keep ignoring her like this, this idiot will force herself into my clique. I can¡¯t have that happen. This is a big problem that concerns my reputation. ¡°Freesia.¡± ¡°Why, what is yourmand,dy Christina!¡± When I spoke she was obviously delighted. If she had a tail it would be wagging. Rather, with her mass of curls she looks exactly like some fancy dog breed. I wonder why she is so emotionally attached to me? Her happiness at being spoken to is written all over her face, I couldn¡¯t help but start to have some doubts. I had no memory of ever meeting Freesia face to face before after all. Then why was she so obsessed with me? ¡°By all means, please instruct me however you wish. rather than your sister Michelie, instruct me!¡± And why does this girl burns with such hostility towards Michelie? ¡°¡­.If I was to ask you to do a favour for me, would you?¡± If I went through with the harassment of Michelie, could I could use Freesia? To put it bluntly, Freesia could be very convenient. The timing with which she had appeared before me, the hatred she held for Michelie, and even her unconditional adoration of me. Indeed, it wouldn¡¯t be exaggerating to say that this is the work of fate Did fate see through me and see my doubt and hesitation? Even now Freesia¡¯s face still showed how earnest she was. ¡°Whatever it is, I will cooperate with you with all my power.¡± ¡°I see.¡± What to do. Even as I calmly nodded on the surface, inside I wavered more and more about whether to rely on Freesia or not. Part of that hesitation, was also the guilt that she could be caught up up in my condemnation. However even more than that, for some reason, I feel like it will fail if I use Freesia. Even Freesia, if I think that fate is behind it, there is nothing I won¡¯t use. Even though I need a pawn¡­.this kid, is she really this obedient? After all, whether or not I use Freesia will depend on His Highness¡¯ progress. ¡°For the time being, Freesia¡­¡± This doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve decided to involve her. Either way, I need Freesia to as far away from me to minimize involvement, I need to get this across to Freesia. ¡°Go on ahead to ss and make friends with the people in your year level¡± ¡°E, why¡­.NO, I shall do as you havemanded!¡± At Freesia¡¯s reaction I let out a sigh. It seems as if I finally got my rejection through to her. If only briefly, it seems I managed to have the relief of getting rid of her. ¡°Come to think of it, most people in my year level don¡¯t know the factions yet. I shall leaddy Christina¡¯s first year student faction! Not Michelie, but this me!¡± ¡°Wh-? No, that wasn¡¯t what I said though? I just meant like normally¡­¡­¡± ¡°Please do not restrain yourself! To be able to read between the lines, is what is expected ofdy Christina¡¯s disciple! With that, I bid you adieu. Please look forward to my report on the results!¡± No sooner had she said that then she let me go and quickly skipped outside. I stood still watching until I couldn¡¯t even see her back, perhaps they had been watching the scene between me and Freesia from afar, but my two followers joined me at the exit. ¡°Lady Chris. What, who is that? She looks like such a first year, but is she Lady Chris¡¯ die hard fan maybe. From her hair style, some nobles kid I¡¯d say. Do you know her,dy Rona?¡± ¡°Why does her hair style even matter¡­¡­That, was certainly the daughter of the Istar house. In my memory she was a much quieter child though¡­.what do you say, Lady Christina.¡± ¡°That kid is totally unconnected to me. Ignore it.¡± To my puzzled followers, I clearly dismissed her, but I had a feeling it was already toote. Chapter 97

Chapter 97

Trantor: Casbrin --------------------------------------------------------------- At this Academy, the student council room was a sanctuary of sorts. Teachers hardly came, and there are restrictions on which students can enter. For the student council room, no one except members can enter. The student council members were a collection royalty and particrly, high ranking nobles. There is a terrifying story that once there was amoner elected to the student council, but the bacsh was so great they eventually ran away from the school for good. Listening to a story like that, it makes me think this school is really warped. In our country, there has been a rise in affluent families who aren¡¯t part of the aristocracy. For that reason, a school where a person¡¯s parent¡¯s wealth or status was irrelevant was needed. Aside form nobles, rich families became to control the economy too, unlike previous schools, it was hoped that this school would be a great equaliser since it made dormitory mandatory. However, as it¡¯s prestige as a learning institution rose, previously home educated royalty even begun to attend the school. Because of that, social sses ended up seeping through the whole school, and, well, there¡¯s not much that can be done about that. Well, my fate won¡¯t let me stay until graduation anyway. For a school that has be entrenched with the distorted structure of this country, nothing can be done. Basically, the student council room is perfect for having conversations you don¡¯t want others hearing. In that very same student council room, His Highness and I were sitting across from each other. ¡°Well then Your Highness. How was yesterday. Did it go well?¡± That isn¡¯t to say it was just the two of us. My second inmand, Rona, who was also secretary of the student council, was here as well, but she was currently preparing tea in another room. Having read the situation, she had made herself scarce. Our conversation topic was, of course, the encounter between His Highness and Michelie yesterday. Even though I had provided him with a perfect situation, I couldn¡¯t help worrying about how the main actor, His Highness, could mess up. ¡°It greatly troubles me, whether or not I ought to trust someone like you.¡± I asked for details on yesterday, so why did I get this nonsense instead? With no clue why he said that, I could only incline my head in confusion. While I didn¡¯t tell His Highness about my previous life¡¯s knowledge and my destiny, I did let him know in advance that I would harass Michelie. ¡°¡­.What do you mean? Was there a mistake somewhere in the advice I gave you?¡± ¡°Rather, you were greatly mistaken. You were fundamentally wrong in the information you gave me.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± What do you mean fundamentally? How could there be a fundamental w in my carefully prepared n? As if I would believe such a stupid false im. I say I can¡¯t believe it but, these are the words of someone who was there I can¡¯t just ignore them. In this carefully nned story I have to act as both the director and as an actor. If there is a discrepancy, then it makes things different from the fate I¡¯m supposed to love. No matter what, I have to fix this. ¡°What exactly was wrong. Michelie was surely crying in that cafeteria. It ought to have made a favourable impression if you went there andforted her.¡± ¡°Aaah, well she was crying.¡± His Highness confirmed what I had said. If it was like that, then there couldn¡¯t have been anything wrong with my advice. ¡°Michelie was so happy she was moved to tears.¡± Wait a, that makes no sense. ¡°How could you tell me to go andfort Michelie when she was crying of happiness huh. I have no idea what you want from me.¡± ¡°Eh? Wha, what do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­.I don¡¯t have any more words for someone as dense as you. After all, I should really stop putting my trust in you huh.¡± Grr, this conceited prince. ¡°What¡¯s with that. Isn¡¯t this Your Highness¡¯ misunderstanding? Isn¡¯t this just you misreading the perfect situation I set up? How unsightly, to fail and then me me!¡± ¡°Shut it ugly. Rather¡­¡± Ignoring myints, His Highness changed topic. Since it¡¯s not going in his favour he¡¯s trying to escape now huh. However I¡¯m not in the mood to be deceived. I was about to snap back at him when- ¡°Christina Noir. You haven¡¯t seen Charles yet.¡± From this inconvenient topic he presented, I quickly looked away. ¡°Wha, What are you talking about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying, that even though Charles has entered the academy, you still haven¡¯t shown your face in front of him.¡± ¡°¡­..Shut it.¡± Why do I have to hear things like this from Endo. Even though I think that, I can¡¯t argue back. While I am still at this school, I will not meet Charles, this is the reality I have chosen. As I sunk into silence, Endo let out a sigh. ¡°Honestly, whatever happened to change your heart three years ago, It has nothing to do with me. Since it¡¯s convenient I thought I could utilize it, I thought as long as you don¡¯t get in my way it was enough. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not going to look into it.¡± He was going to look the other way at my strange behaviour. His Highness has matured into an adult. By actually interacting with people, he has gained a sense of bnce with human rtions. For Endo, it seem these four years as a student has had a positive influence on his personality. I will honestly recognise this. ¡°It¡¯s a problem between you and Charles. Anyway, you¡¯re the one who will regret it in the end. It not something I should be involved in. ¡°¡­..I don¡¯t regret it at all.¡± I pursed my lips. I have, I have done what I must do. I have no room for regrets. That¡¯s why, unless it is necessary for my n, I will not reach toward anything else. I am in love with Charles. That feeling will never change. However, there is not even a year left until my ruin. ALthough i decided to force the progression of Endo¡¯s route, knowing what I do, to meet Charles, it just too cruel. I don¡¯t care about me, but I will never drag Charles into an end that will only cause him sadness, Endo who knows nothing of my considerations for others, simply scoffs. ¡°Whatever is up with your feelings, I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t underestimate Charles though. He is¡­.frankly terrifying.¡± To Endo¡¯s faraway look, even I smile bitterly. Surely because we¡¯re both his family, we understand perfectly. And even I agree with him on that. ¡°I know¡± Charles is that sort of person. I know that much after all. Charles is honest with his own feelings, which is even more reason why I must not waver. Without caring about the surroundings, faithful to his desires, that attitude, is such that sometimes it is frightening. But, my remaining time isn¡¯t even a full year. Even Charles, by himself there¡¯s nothing he can do. With my solemn agreement, the conversation has abruptly ended. seeing that out conversation has quietened down, Rona has returned with tea. ¡°Please,dy Christina. I put my whole heart into this tea.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Drinking the tea Rona presented with a smile, I find some calm. Since there is no more reason to converse with His highness, I shall make idle chat wit Rona instead. ¡°How is the student council doing? With His Highness, things must be quite difficult.¡± ¡°Yes. two years ago was especially difficult. Really, his HIghness knew nothing about the the hearts and minds of people in this world¡­.Recently though his attitude has be a lot more understanding.¡± Endo seems to be making a bitter face at our remarks. Serves you right. ¡°When I think of howdy Christina shall be the next student president, I will do my utmost!¡± ¡°¡­I, I see.¡± I can only ignore the words Rona says, as her smile knows nothing of what will happen in the near future. It is good to throw in my surroundings and express harsh words, but it is an idea that I be a Yes-Man. In the first ce, the president is decided by a vote amongst the student council. Strictly speaking, I am an outsider. I am not a member of the Student Council. I onlye here because it¡¯s convenient to talk to Endo, I could never be the president since I don¡¯t even belong to the student council in the first ce. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about such odd things, Ronafia I will never allow a savage like her to be the student council president of our esteemed school.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so, Your highness¡­¡± To the words of His Highness, the current president, Rona responds with an ice cold voice. Her eyes cold, Rona extends a cup to Endo. ¡°If you please, Your Highness. I wholeheartedly put some tap water in a cup for you.¡± ¡°Oi¡± Preparing in advance, Rona is someone who can really read the atmosphere. Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Trantor: Casbrin --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying the fragrant steam which rises from my cup, I slowly sip the ck tea. His Highness Endo on the other hand, is still restlessly scanning over documents. His drink has been ranked up from tap water to at least hot water. Rona is such a kind girl. ¡°Bastard, if you don¡¯t have any business then go home already.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± Averting my gaze from Endo¡¯s re, I just ignore him. With a sideways nce at everyone else working hard, the taste of this tea as I rx is really exceptional. ¡°However, You Highness. Every time, you¡¯re always working through documents. Is it fun?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a question of fun or not. It¡¯s my responsibility.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡± How ufortable, all Endo ever considers is whether it is his obligation to do it or not, rather than if he actually enjoys it. Still, that His Highness hase this far, is proof that it is possible for anyone to achieve personal growth. After all, rather than the schooling he received as a child, the environment he is in now has certainly greatly contributed. But really, just what where they teaching a kid in ¡®how to be a good King¡¯ pce primary school to warp them so badly? There are just so many documents though.So many things needing approval though means that the student council has had almost everything in the Academy dumped on them. Since I was a little bit interested in just what needed approving, I tried to peek at some of the ¡®epted¡¯ documents. ¡°Oi, quit it. You rude bastard, you¡¯re going to give me more work to do by messing up the order.¡± ¡°Good idea If you¡¯re troubled then I¡¯m happy as¡­..can be?¡± While talking back to an annoyed Endo, I scanned my eyes over a few documents. It seems to be about approval of student autonomy and activities of gathering group activities, but within the pile was something else. ¡°¡­.What is this¡­¡± It was a copy of a newspaper. It was probably here because it had required publishing approval and the actual copy was provided. Catalina, one of my followers, had been talking about the uing edition before the entrance ceremony. And written in this newspaper, was praise for my various actions these past few years? It had many simrities to the edition from the game, but it didn¡¯t follow the plot at all! ¡°Y-your HIghness. Just what is this?¡± There was a slight tremble to my voice at this inconceivable article. My face felt frozen as I tried to ask just what was going on. I don¡¯t understand the meaning of this? I am the viin. The person who will be expelled from aristocracy, must be disliked by the whole school. Just what is this ¡®fruits of goodwill¡¯ I¡¯m holding?! Well, well, I will have to forgive the existence of such a thing as this newspaper. This is the work of my followers. Obviously they must have altered the article to improve my reputation, no one could honestly believe such trash. Even if it¡¯s positive and favourable to my actions, it won¡¯t affect the plot at all since Catalina wrote it. That I can excuse, but just what is this ¡®fan club¡¯ the article mentions? How can there be over two hundred members? In this school, excluding new students, there are only three hundred students left in total! What do they mean first ce in the school poprity vote?! What is this forgery¡­ Perhaps, this fanclub and poprity vote, this is all just me hallucinating. That¡¯s it. I just need to confirm it with Endo. ¡°I won¡¯tment on the newspaper, but what is this fanclub thing it mentions? Surely they weren¡¯t given permission to form such a disgraceful club. Surely at such a proud school as ours, our student president would never let such a vulgar thing happen right?!¡± ¡°Now you decide to care about vulgarity?¡± I don¡¯t care. I do not mind, but this is wrong. I behaved the opposite of a cultured young aristocrat, I made sure everyone avoids me, I was always consistent in being trash. ¡°No, but this is just in wrong! What is this thing anyway, I never knew something like this existed!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Endo sends me a look of disgust as my tone gets louder. ¡°While I won¡¯tment on just how insensitive you can be to not know of it¡¯s existence, of course I would never authorize a club for someone as stupid as you¡± ¡°What did you just-!¡± ¡°You are really bothersome.¡± Shut it. A fan club that just worships me¡­this is gross. Understand a fair maiden¡¯s heart Endo you knucklehead. OH no, I forgot you¡¯re just too stupid for that Your Highness. But that means Endo knew about this fan club situation all along¡­Then what¡¯s with this casual response?! ¡°Rona dragged the other members of the student council in and forced them to approve it. It was a day when I was absent.¡± ¡°¡­.Why would Rona do something like that?¡± ¡°Who cares about the reason, but she¡¯s the founder of your fanclub.¡± ¡°What?! Oi Rona¡­.just where did she run off to?!¡± ¡°She escaped a few moments ago. You know Rona, always a step ahead with her great intuition. Her ability to sense a crisis is quite admirable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I¡¯m gonna chase after her!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯te back.¡± At this unexpected emergency, I rushed out of the student council room. Since he sent me off with such a remark, next time I would definitely be as annoying as possible to him. Looking both ways down the corridor, there wasn¡¯t a trace of where Rona had gone. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Lady Chris.¡± However, luckily my other entourage, Catalina was around. ¡°Oi, Catalina. Did you see where Rona went?¡± ¡°Yeah? I just saw her speed walking real fast off ¡®ta somewhere¡­.legit youngdy aristocrat¡¯s sure are something huh. Even at that speed, she didn¡¯t lose any of her normal grace. SO that¡¯s her full power mode eh.¡± Sounds like it would have been quite a funny sight, but she was really going to far into detail. Tch, I clicked my tongue. Seems like it would be hard to catch up if I give chase now. It seems she somehow managed topletely evade me. However, I am blessed with good luck. RIght here is another of the culprits. ¡°I have no choice then sigh. Catalina, you¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Oh¨C, what¡¯s up? If it¡¯s something for Lady Chris then I would do any¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s about what¡¯s written right here.¡± ¡°-geh.¡± When I thrust the newspaper I¡¯d taken from the student council room, her face showed her obvious guilt. Seeing her behaviour my eyes squinted with suspicion. As I thought, these kids have indeed been hiding things from me. ¡°So, Catalina, just what is this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finally been busted¡­..¡± I don¡¯t know for what purpose they founded this, but a joke thing like this definitely didn¡¯t exist in Labyrinth Destiny. Such a thing as a fan club, it will ruin the scenario of the downfall of a viinous noble daughter. It is only after my downfall that Michelie can rise above. If they be get in the way of that, then even if they are my followers, I cannot forgive them. Looking clearly at Catalina, her expression bes solemn. ¡°I understand. I shall exin. if you would go ahead into this empty ssroom please.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Seeming resigned, she didn¡¯t even try and get out of it. Catalina opened the door to the empty room and gestured for me to enter. It¡¯s good if she¡¯s given up. In order to start the questioning, I naturally walk into the room as if I have never opened a door myself. Just as I entered the room, the door mmed shut behind me. ¡°Well then Catalina. Exin this to me so I can understand every¨C¡± Upon turning around, my words were cut off. Catalina had not entered the room. This kid, she actually shut the door just after I went through. IN a rush I pulled the door back open and looked left and right, but again there was no sign left. Unlike Rona, Catalina wasn¡¯t one to care about dignity. It¡¯s not hard to imagine her barrelling down the hallway without a hint of grace or poise. Left behind in the doorway, my shoulders shook with anger. ¡°You have just sealed your fate, you hear me!¡± My scream echoed through the empty ssroom before it was quiet again. Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Trantor: Casbrin --------------------------------------------------------------- This wasn¡¯t right. As I walked down the corridor my chest couldn¡¯t contain the irritation that was welling up. For thest three years I have been killing myself every day. I ceased contact with Michelie, forced myself even though I wanted to apologise to her, stifled my love of Michelie, all to live this selfish life. It might seem like it¡¯s been a fun life, but it is justpensation for cutting myself off from Michelie. And the result has been the betrayal of the people closest to me. No, betrayal or whatever you want to call it, objectively they didn¡¯t mean any harm, but betrayal is betrayal. Establishing the fanclub etc, they never asked my permission. If I had known about it in advance I would have never permitted it. In the first ce why are people even joining this thing? My Behaviour should have been, for a high ss Duke¡¯s daughter, absolutely uneptable. Was it Catalina? Did she pointlessly manipte my public image? ¡°Dammit. Don¡¯t be so efficient at such weird things honestly¡­..!¡± As the questions in my head swirled and fought, I didn¡¯t even try to calm my mind. When I checked, those two had already left the academy under suitable sounding pretenses. Rona had returned home for a sudden matchmaking appointment, as for Catalina it was said that her older brother is on death¡¯s door. To go that far¡­Especially Catalina. A guy like Geist, full of life, don¡¯t jinx him by pretending he¡¯s on the verge of dying. Even if you don¡¯t get along with your sibling, don¡¯t just try and kill them off to get out of school! They¡¯re excuses are tant lies, but it¡¯s not like I can easily prove it to the administration. I considered going home to check, but that would just be a waste of time. I should just abandon those two. They were the closest thing I had to friends, but they acted behind my back and then ran away like this in the end. Thinking about it, It¡¯s time to cast them away. I need to fix this situation pronto though. Just where did my oh so beloved Destiny run off to? I need to get things back to how they should be. As my thoughts went in that direction, I mmed into another problem. Endo as he is now, hasn¡¯t he grown a bit too much? Endo Edward from Destiny Labyrinth was exactly as he was all those years ago when I met him. Back then only his body had grown, he still had the brains and emotional maturity of a toddler. By interacting with Michelie he was supposed to mature and learn about life. That was how this storyline was supposed to go! But Endo as he is these days? He just has too muchmon sense! I had thought it was fine since it meant he wasn¡¯t as annoying as he used to be¡­but now that it¡¯se to this, I can¡¯t ignore his difference from his original character. What caused this? Just, but, what can I do now? I don¡¯t think I can make him revert back that much now that he¡¯s matured this far. ¡°¡­.No, things will work out.¡± As weak as I am right now, I could only give myself encouragement. I am Christina Noir. To perform my role in fate¡¯s script, I was bestowed genius intelligence. To someone like me, nothing is impossible! So stop hesitating Christina. Anything you can use, use. Just like Christina Noir the evil viiness. Everything up until now, let¡¯s just pretend that none of it happened. Everything is still going to work out just as it should. This is not the time to be impatient and rush. I just need to slowly and calmly undo each of my errors one by one. And in order to do that, I headed towards a certain ss¡¯ homeroom. It was not my own ss, rather it was a ss full of students who had only just entered the academy.Everything will be fine. I had already checked that neither Charles or Michelie were a part of this ss. It was a small ss of only ten people. To give each student a great quality of education the Academy had low teacher to student ratios. I looked over the short heads to find the person I needed. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯ve called by Lady Christina!¡± ¡°Eep!?¡± Sure she screamed in my ear, but I can¡¯t believe I, of all people, jumped in surprise. I was in shock. Cautiously turning my head, standing behind me, smiling ear to ear, was Freesia. ¡°Wee Lady Christina! I am overjoyed that you have honoured me with your presence. Do you have any orders? After all, rather than that Michelie, you have a task for me right? I will do anything your order me to.¡± Even though that smile could rival ady¡¯s mask, it didn¡¯t have a hint of nobility at all. I really have to ask, how on earth did this intense positive minded assertiveness of yourse about from a nobledy¡¯s education? Also, howe everytime we meet something seems so nostalgic? I just can¡¯t put my finger on it. Putting that aside, I am in desperate need of a new pawn right now. ¡°I see. I do have a task for you, but this isn¡¯t the ce to talk. Let¡¯s change location.¡± ¡°Yes, Aha! please listen to this Lady Christina! I have be a member of Lady Christina¡¯s fanclub!¡± ¡°Leave that disgusting thing immediately.¡± ¡°I beg your-?¡± Freesia, who doesn¡¯t seem to understand my words at all, inclines her head as if puzzled. ¡°What do you mean by¡­.ahem, speaking of you Lady Christina!¡± This strange creature call Freesia continued to trail behind me as I walked. She threw away the problematic topic, even though she obviously had questions, and tried to choose a happier topic instead. ¡°In the newspaper they handed out at the entrance ceremony, there was a photo of Lady Chris in it! I decided that I must bring it back to my room wit me¡ª¡± ¡°Fine, hand it over. I will throw it away.¡± ¡°-Ehhhhh?!¡± Taking the newspaper from her hands, I crumpled it up before throwing it into a nearby trash bin. ¡°Wh, why are you doing this?!¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± Tears in her eyes, Freesia was reluctant, but I sharply cut her off. I don¡¯t know how many copies were given out, but each one I find I will personally destroy. I don¡¯t want to hear about this so called Fanclub. It has be the very symbol of my problems. My current followers can no longer be trusted. They may not have been malicious to me, nor do I doubt their capabilities. Rather, today has convinced me of the truth. They don¡¯t obey my words. Freesia though, she doesn¡¯t think at all and instead just epts all of my words with joy. She is a pawn who obeys my everymand, that is quite ideal. Basically, as long as I can control her well, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. ¡°Freesia. I have been entrusted by the Fates with arge responsibility, and take pride in bing the viiness they have decreed me to be. To achieve this I need your assistance.¡± ¡°While I do not understand what you have told me at all¡­I will do whatever I can!¡± Not having a clue, but will still try her best. Looking at that pure smile, when I should be feeling guilty for dragging her into this, instead I am filled with an unshakeable worry. Something feels incredibly wrong, did I make a mistake somewhere? First of all, my so-called fanclub, I will destroy you. And then I will take back the gravity and pride of a viiness. With the clueless Freesia trailing behind, I set off. Chapter 0

Chapter 0

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- I am Nowa Kurisu. I am a genius. I was able to stand on my own two feet at the age of one. When I was five, I boasted superior intellect putting adults to shame. At the mere age of ten, I mastered the Englishnguage. And by the time I was fifteen, I mastered each and every kind of housework while also going to school. I am a super genius girl. Because the Japanese education system proved too limiting for a genius such as I, I am studying abroad in Ennd where one is allowed to skip grades, which I did in the blink of an eye. Now I am sixteen years old, attending a historical and prestigious university. Since I was ten years old, I have been living here in Ennd, always making breakfast in the kitchen. Having spent almost half of my life in Ennd, the Edward family has kindly taken care of me due to my parents¡¯ connections. The Edwards are a family of two, a mother and a daughter. The mother, Miss Evelia, doesn¡¯te home often because she¡¯s the sole breadwinner of the family. As such, her daughter Michelie and I are managing the house¡­¡­ ¡°Yo-ho, little Kurisu. I¡¯m home. It¡¯s another good morning today!¡± ¡­¡­It¡¯s still early in the morning, but she¡¯s announcing her return so loudly. Her eyes are as blue as the clear sky. She has voluminous blond hair, which has been passed down to her daughter as well. Even though she¡¯s way beyond her thirties, she looks a lot younger than that. On top of that, her demeanor is a little childish. One would probably mistake her for a teenager. ¡°Did you sleep well, Kurisu? I didn¡¯t sleep a wink! I can still keep working, but oh, how short each day is!¡± ¡°Ah, Miss Evelia. Good morning¡± It seems she¡¯s stayed up all night, yet she¡¯s not bothered by it. She¡¯s always so energetic. Miss Evelia is a researcher in apany. She basically stays overnight doing research and development, so she rarelyes home. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you toe home. Did you need something?¡± ¡°Yeah. there¡¯s a small event happening today. Are you going to the university today, Kurisu? Michelie is an idiot, so I¡¯m a little envious of your excellence in school. Oh, can I have some breakfast?¡± She takes some of the food and eats it while happily going on and on. I¡¯m so used to her behaving as she pleases even though she¡¯s over thirty years old, I no longer feel like reproving her. ¡°You¡¯re harsh on your daughter, as always. Michelie is a really good girl.¡± ¡°No, no. She¡¯s an idiot, I say. It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t have brains, but she doesn¡¯t know how to use it. I wonder how my very own daughter became this way. It¡¯s a mystery.¡± I wonder if she¡¯s been a bad example for Michelie. Just before she took me in, I didn¡¯t talk to her at all. She mistook me for a naive person. I¡¯ve never told her, but it¡¯s a little difficult for me to deal with people with her personality. Even as a genius, I¡¯m not perfect in many aspects. ¡°It looks like Michelie is still sleeping, so could you quiet down just a little? ¡°Hmm?¡± It¡¯s still early, and Michelie is usually sleeping at this time. Evelia is tilting her head exaggeratedly. ¡°My idiot daughter is probably just pretending to be sleeping. She¡¯s an attention seeker¨C¡± ¡°Shut up mom!¡± ¡°¨C*cough*¡± Micheliees downstairs and hits her own mother with her pillow without hesitation. She probably woke up from the noise. She¡¯s already in her school uniform. Her usual gentle smile is reced with an angry face that she rarely shows. ¡°Why are you acting as you please?! If you¡¯re going to make so much noise when youe home, you might as well stay away!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? This is my home, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it from you and chase you out!¡± Michelie got off on the wrong side of the bed, and is saying ridiculous things. ¡°And don¡¯t put any weird ideas into my sister¡¯s head. What are you gonna do if she looks at me differently?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this for a long time, Michelie. Who are you calling your sister?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re asking that now?¡± Michelie started calling me ¡®sister¡¯ around the first time we met. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re my only daughter, and Kurisu isn¡¯t mine.¡± ¡°Sister is sister! It has nothing to do with you, mother!¡± ¡°And my only daughter is such a strange girl.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with that? You¡¯ve never acted like a parent. And you¡¯re the strange one, mother!¡± Michelie sticks out her tongue in such an adorable manner. The still youthful Miss Evelia doesn¡¯t show her an ounce of guilt. ¡°Ooh? I can¡¯t help it, Michelie. The world needs my brain and inspiration. I have to bury my head in research in order to make a breakthrough in technology. Of course I have no time for my daughter!¡± Miss Evelia is being rather heartless. Michelie looks at her with puppy eyes. They are a dangerousbination. It¡¯s hard to understand Miss Evelia at first nce because of her nonsensical attitude, but in particr, Michelie seems to detest her as a mother. Miss Evelia is to me for abandoning her child. But I would say that the fact that Michelie is able to express her emotions like this is a good thing. When I first came to Ennd, Michelie was so fragile, it seemed like she would shatter like ss. ¡°Okay, okay. Michelie, let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± ¡°Grr¡­¡­¡± I rest my palm on Michelie¡¯s head before it turns into a full-scale argument. That¡¯s the kind of person Miss Evelia is. There¡¯s no changing her personality. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast. You too, Miss Evelia.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah. I love my sister¡¯s breakfast.¡± She changes her sulky expression upside down, showing a sweet smile. Yeah. She¡¯s adorable. With this smile as my motivation, I have perfected by cooking skills aftering to Ennd. Michelie takes a seat and stares straight at Miss Evelia. ¡°Yay, it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had breakfast you made!¡± ¡°¡­¡­You bum. I¡¯m going to tell Miss Mariwater that it¡¯s taken you eighty-seven days for you toe home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, please?! Mariwa is scary, you know?!¡± It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen her carefree attitude give way to fear today. Mariwa is a professor in my university. Even though she¡¯s a woman, she¡¯s teaching in such an authoritative university. She¡¯s extremely strict and frightening. It seems like she¡¯s an old acquaintance of Miss Evelia, and since she knows that Miss Evelia is taking care of me, she¡¯s doubly strict to me. ¡°Mariwa is scary. Yeah, she really is.¡± ¡°Right? Yup, I¡¯m d we see eye to eye. Since our graduation, the only times she makes me feel wee is when I invite her to theb, or ask her about her field of study, or talk about her lectures on artificial intelligence.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that, sister. There¡¯s no way this mother who neglects her own child would reflect on herself, and it¡¯s not like she cares about anyone. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t get involved with her.¡± Michelie finishes her breakfast and continues insulting her own mother while standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sister. The more you talk to her, the more cocky she¡¯ll get.¡± ¡°Huh?! Did you eat my breakfast too, Michelie?! You¡¯ll get fat!¡± ¡°T-there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get fat, stupid mother!¡± Such was their rather friendly banter. It¡¯s better than it was when they were too hostile to argue with each other. As I get home from the university, I see a bamboo nted in the garden. It¡¯s so out of ce that it seems surreal. ¡°How¡¯s this?!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Where did you even manage to find one?¡± That¡¯s all I manage to say. Bamboos are nts that thrive in warm and humid areas with high altitude. They don¡¯t grow in many ces in Europe. I don¡¯t have to mention who nted the bamboo here. Miss Evelia is turning a full round while standing on the roots of the bamboo, proudly showing it off. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Bamboos are rather popr for gardening, so you can find one if you look.¡± ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Even then, I can¡¯t help but stare at it. It looks like a normal bamboo from afar, but it¡¯s actually decorated. ¡°It¡¯s the Seventh of July today. I was thinking about you, so I bought it.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­ But why so sudden?¡± I¡¯m grateful for her sentiments. It¡¯s been almost five years since I¡¯ve been under her care, but we¡¯ve never celebrated Tanabata. Miss Evelia answers my question nonchntly. ¡°I felt like it.¡± I see. That¡¯s how she is. Her tendency to act on impulse is second to none. She¡¯ll carry on thoughtlessly causing trouble for others until the end of their lives. ¡°¡­¡­Why a bamboo?¡± Michelie, who joined me on the way home, doesn¡¯t seem to be able to grasp the reason why there¡¯s a bamboo in her own house. She¡¯s giving her own mother a perplexed look. I¡¯m making a riddle in order to dispel her doubts. ¡°What day is the Seventh of July?¡± ¡°Independence Day for Solomon Inds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly an important day¡­¡­¡± It is indeed the day on which the Solomon Inds gained independence from Ennd. Although it¡¯s an important event, I¡¯m Japanese after all. ¡°It¡¯s Tanabata today.¡± ¡°Tanabata?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a celebration in Japan. They celebrate by eating dango, making fireworks, and wishing upon the stars.¡± ¡°Miss Evelia, why are you mixing so many things up?¡± She¡¯s probably confusing Tanabata with the summer festival. ¡°For Tanabata, we write our wishes on small pieces of paper and decorate bamboos with them.¡± ¡°Hmm. Wishes¡­¡­¡± Miss Evelia looks curiously at Michelie who¡¯s already scribbling her wish. ¡®I wish my mother¡¯s research will end in an explosive failure.¡¯ ¡°Why are you writing such an unlucky wish?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I really wish for.¡± Seeing them fool around with each other makes me give a wry smile as I write my own wish. ¡®I wish everyone will get along with each other.¡¯ ¡°Kurisu, aren¡¯t we already getting along?¡± ¡°Well, this is directed to you and Michelie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible, sister. Even if it¡¯s your wish.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Still, I¡¯m d we¡¯re celebrating this event.¡± I made sure that I had their attention before presenting my shopping bag. ¡°I thought we should spend the day in luxury.¡± ¡°¡°Eh?!¡±¡± Their eyes are wide open. ¡°Yay! I love your delicious cooking, Kurisu! I love you too!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not fair, mother! I love her much more than you do!!!¡± I ignore their argument and take a peek at the piece of paper that Miss Evelia had already decorated on the bamboo. ¡®I wish for world peace.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but make a wry smile at her grand, foolish wish. ¡°¡­¡­Heheh. I¡¯ll get started now, so I¡¯m going inside.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll eat it all up!¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll tie mother up and leave her rolling on the ground, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Why are you saying such scary things?!¡± They hurry up and follow me inside. Michelie¡¯s indirect wish for her mother toe home more often, my wish for everyone in the family to get along, and Miss Evelia¡¯s wish for world peace, are hanging outside on the bamboo. The wind is blowing gently on our three wishes. Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- The sound of game pieces hitting the board resounded in the room. Leon advanced his pieces, but his opponent showed no change in expression, striking back without hesitation as if everything was ording to n. The endgame was approaching, and Leon began to think more. He knew that his formation hadn¡¯t been good since the midgame, but it wasn¡¯t so bad that it was a sure loss for him. There could be an opportunity for aeback. ¡°I resign.¡± ¡°You took too long to admit defeat.¡± Leon finally surrendered, and was criticized harshly. His opponent was a clever looking girl with cool, thin eyes. She was beautiful, yet cold. Surfania Calibrachoa. As the daughter of the marquis, she was a little arrogant in her criticism. Besides, Leon didn¡¯t know when the match had already been decided. ¡°Go easy on me. Next time, you should y against Miss Mariwa or someone else.¡± Miss Tote is a busy person. I would feel bad asking her to indulge in games like this. They were evenly matched when they were young, but she had improved a lot since then. Nevertheless he still yed a few matches against her, but his chances of winning dropped drastically. He wondered if she could win against Chris now. In any case, there was no way he could outmatch Surfania at this point. ¡°It¡¯s true that Miss Mariwa is a little busy. ¡­¡­By the way, Michelie and Prince Charles have enrolled, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Even as he brought up their acquaintances, her reaction was bare. Anyone who didn¡¯t know her better would think she was a curt, cruel and cold person. She only had one word to say about the Academy filled with upper ss children and talentedmoners. Surfania Calibrachoa, the wicked daughter of the marquis. This was how she rated the Academy. She showed no mercy towards anything she didn¡¯t like. There were rumors about her seducing boys and girls alike with her beauty, while acting as the mastermind for every corrupt practicemitted in the Academy. This was in no small part due to her cold appearance and demeanor. She couldn¡¯tpletely and utterly deny the rumors because she was in fact unfriendly, but she wasn¡¯t skilled enough to seduce anyone. Perhaps that part of the rumors was because Leon was always with her. After all, Leon was amoner, while Surfania herself was the daughter of a highly ranked noble. Normally there should be nothing inmon between them, but they were seen together since they enrolled in the Academy. As a result, rumors began to spread about how she was able to seduce him. But she never debated against the rumors. Perhaps it was because dealing with the rumors was a hassle in itself. Leon ignored them too, thinking that such idle rumors would go away eventually. If anyone bothered to get to know Surfania better, they would know that she could be bossy sometimes, but was just bashful. For better or worse, that was just her personality. However, her identity as a viiness became set in stone due to a certain incident. ¡°Leaving the prince aside, how is the wicked girl doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s surprisingly normal. She¡¯s taking sses and spreading her circle of friends.¡± Surfania never addressed Michelie by name. Perhaps she simply hated her. Also, she still held a grudge from years ago when Michelie made her cry. That¡¯s why she called her a wicked girl. ¡°Knowing Michelie, I thought she would have done something to Christina the moment she enrolled.¡± ¡°Yes. Or perhaps, even before she enrolled.¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s scary¡­¡­¡± It was definitely possible. Leon trembled in shock. He recalled Michelie¡¯s innocent smile. ording to her personality, she would do anything within her realm for the sake of Chris while maintaining that smile. ¡°Her life of peace within the Academy seems far out of reach. ¡­¡­How is Christina doing? I heard she broke up her own fan club or something.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care to hear about such stupid things.¡± Still with a nk expression, Surfania reset the board for another game. Leon himself was shocked when he heard it, but Surfania had a point too. ¡°On top of that, she¡¯s been getting involved with a really idiotic first year student. Do you know of a Lady Freesia Istar?¡± ¡°I do. They¡¯re a matching pair.¡± He caught a glimpse of Surfania looking stern. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong? Are you jealous that Chris has a new friend? You¡¯re narrow-minded as always.¡± ¡°That¡¯s obviously not the case. ¡­¡­She disbanded her fan club right after that wicked girl enrolled. Isn¡¯t it obvious what she¡¯s doing, personally crushing something that was made as a sign of good will towards her?¡± ¡°You mean Chris standing against Michelie and ruining herself? You¡¯re really into that, Surfania. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it though.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Surfania sounded displeased. Most of it was directed towards Michelie. ¡°Ruining herself for the sake of her sister isn¡¯t what that idiot would do.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Surfania was half confident about that theory, while Leon waspletely suspicious about it. To Leon, Chris was willful and optimistic. Most of all, she would never give up. If anything, she would have found a more optimistic approach. Most importantly, Mariwa Tote would never allow that to happen. Leon could say that with confidence as a student of the same teacher. That, and as long as she didn¡¯t haveplete confidence in her ns, she wouldn¡¯t choose such a pessimistic course of action, even for Michelie¡¯s sake. There was one more thing. ¡°Even Chris wouldn¡¯t do such a thing if she wasn¡¯t certain that Michelie would be unhappy in the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s precisely why we are investigating. Have you discovered anything about that wicked girl¡¯s origins?¡± Michelie¡¯s origins. In order to understand the motivations of Chris, and in order to understand who Michelie was before she was adopted by the Noir family, Surfania gathered information among the upper sses, while Leon did the same among the middle sses. It was a lot harder than they expected, and there was little information they could obtain. ¡°It¡¯s not public information, but there was someone who testified that he saw someone who looked just like Michelie. He ran a stall downtown, a long time ago.¡± ¡°Someone who resembles that wicked girl. Who was it?¡± ¡°Thete princess, Evelia Edward.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It was as she expected. Surfania¡¯s eyes became thinner as she began thinking. ¡°Thedy who was more valuable than gold, and who proposed the dismantlement of the privileged sses¡­¡­ That wicked girl is the most bothersome within the royal bloodline.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a hard fact though.¡± ¡°Spections are fine at this point. Even fragmented and vague things can take shape when you piece them together, and if not, we can fill up the gaps with our imagination. Now I can roughly understand what that idiot and that wicked girl are trying to do.¡± ¡°Merely based on spection?¡± ¡°I must say I have a rather vivid imagination.¡± Surfania sounded certain. Putting spections together and filling the gaps with deduction was something she was good at, but not for Leon. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s stop beating around the bush and make up with Christina already, Surfania. If we apologize, things may go back to the way they were, you know.¡± ¡°No way. Why do I of all people have to apologize?¡± Leon looked at Surfania, who still managed to put up a straight face. She was behaving childishly, in spite of her status as the greatest viiness in the Academy. ¡°I have done nothing wrong at all.¡± ¡°Nothing wrong at all, huh.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± She began to sulk. Leon sighed in silence. The rumors about Surfania were not entirely due to her unfriendliness. There was a certain event that contributed to this. It happened when Christina and Surfania saw each other by chance. ¡°The battle between the daughter of the Noir family and the Calibrachoa family¡­¡­¡± Surfania heard Leon say that and turned away. It had been almost two years. Shortly after their enrollment, Surfania bumped into Chris and gave her a good scolding. Chris had suddenly cut off her ties with Surfania before their enrollment, and Surfania never got any news about Chris after that. She must have held it in for a long time, and finally exploded when she saw Chris in front of a huge crowd. She scolded her so badly that Leon was dumbfounded, and Chris almost cried. Since then, the image of Surfania and Chris stayed the same. The cruel and merciless viiness, and the reliable girl who got scolded to the point where she looked helpless. In a way, Chris became even more popr than she had been, thanks to Surfania the viiness. In that situation alone, Leon sympathized Chris. ¡°You almost made her cry, you know? Where did you learn to scold someone like that anyway?¡± ¡°I simply improved my vocabry from reading entertainment novels.¡± ¡°Those novels clearly aren¡¯t good for education.¡± Surfania showed no remorse for her udylike behavior. She ignored Leon and picked up a book to read. ¡°I don¡¯t really care. In fact, I couldn¡¯t be happier distancing myself from everyone like that. Unlike Chris, I find it a bother to be loved by everyone.¡± Her unfriendliness and hobbies never changed. Nor did her personality. In that sense, she never matured a single bit. However, she ceased being a weakling. She had gained the ability to analyze things calmly, just as her appearance demanded. She was growing up, even if just a little. ¡°Since you¡¯re refusing to patch things up, what are you going to to?¡± ¡°Could you stop asking such obvious questions?¡± Surfania answered while flipping the pages of her book. She began to betray her cold appearance, as if he had lit a fire in her. ¡°I¡¯m going to grab her by the cor and give her a good beating.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± Leon sympathized with Chris, so he gave the violent girl a strong warning. Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- There were two girls rxing in a room within the dormitory of the Royal Academy. ¡°You have so much free time.¡± ¡°It cannot be helped. I applied for a week¡¯s leave in order to get away, so I cannot afford to show myself in broad daylight.¡± They were Rona and Catalina. Three days had passed since they carelessly ran away from Chris. They had been hiding together. They foresaw the worst possibility in which Chris hunted them down all the way to their homes, so they decided to hide in in sight. The room was bigger than necessary, yet they felt bored and suffocated from hiding there. ¡°Three days have already passed. I wish Lady Chris¡¯ wrath would fade with the passage of time.¡± ¡°I wonder. ¡­¡­Oh.¡± They got along pretty well despite the difference in social status, but staying together that long made them exhaust their conversation topics. In contrast to Rona who leaned gracefully against her chair, Catalina stood up suddenly and went straight to the windowside to examine the situation. She used a hand mirror to reflect the light from the window. ¡°Ah, looks like she¡¯s still upset after all. Also, word is that Lady Chris dissolved her own fan club.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Is there any meaning to that strange action of yours?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been in contact with the club members outside and getting info from them.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± Rona didn¡¯t know what to say. Everything seemed suspicious to her. ¡°You are in the newspaper club, are you not?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­¡­You are not a spy, correct?¡± ¡°Ahaha. Lady Rona, have you been reading too many entertainment novels? I wouldn¡¯t be getting information in such an obvious way. That would reflect poorly on my job. Trust me.¡± Catalina replied casually, so Rona didn¡¯t bother pressing on. What she said was true. There was no way the newspaper club would do something so ridiculous as to use light signals. Although Catalina had been behaving as if she knew something, Rona pretended not to notice. ¡°I-I see. I am impressed that you managed to apply for leave.¡± ¡°Well of course.¡± Rona changed topics in order to avert suspicion. The Academy had strict policies when it came to applying for leave. Even a family member¡¯s wedding or funeral wouldn¡¯t warrant a week¡¯s leave. Catalina simply nodded. ¡°I have something on the dormitory matron and one of the teachers, so this is a piece of cake for me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I asked.¡± ¡°Ahaha. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s provided us with some convenience.¡± Rona looked scornfully at Catalina, whoughed without showing an ounce of guilt. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡­ But how on earth did you manage to get dirt on them?¡± ¡°I love how you dislike injustices, Lady Rona. Leaving that aside, I didn¡¯t expect Lady Chris to find out about the fan club at this point.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Perhaps because Rona seemed unhappy, Catalina changed the subject. The fan club was an idea that Catalina brought up half jokingly, which Rona brought into fruition in no time. She was aware of the possibility that Chris would get upset because they made it without her permission. They did it anyway, thinking that it would be alright as long as Chris didn¡¯t notice. ¡°But she disbanded it, huh. We worked so hard on it, yet it was over in an instant.¡± ¡°Yup. it was convenient in many ways, but we can¡¯t do anything about it now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Convenient?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Also, we were invited here because of that¡­¡­ oops.¡± Catalina had been exchanging information even while conversing with Rona, but suddenly withdrew from the window. ¡°¡­¡­Did something happen?¡± ¡°The Princess is back.¡± Catalina looked like she was making fun, but Rona made a tight face. The person, whose room they had been taking shelter in, wasing back. The owner of this room. This room. The third floor of the dormitory. Only people whose status were higher than the marquis and his family were allowed here. ¡°I have returned. ¡­¡­Is this cefortable enough for you?¡± ¡°Yep, thanks.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Catalina replied casually, while Rona made a polite bow. The girl smiled in response to their contrasting way of thanks. ¡°Please, make yourselvesfortable. This room is too much for me.¡± Her blue eyes contained a mixture of sky blue and earthy green. Her soft, golden hair reached her shoulders. It was a short length for ady, but it showed some personality. Michelie Noir. The very own sister of Chris had given them shelter in this room. ¡°Ahaha. It¡¯s embarrassing. Lady Chris got furious, yet her own sister is sheltering us. How strange.¡± ¡°I think Big Sister is just she about it. She does tend to overreact when ites to things she is embarrassed about.¡± The third floor, where only high nobility was allowed. A thought came to Rona. Michelie was the daughter of the Duke, so it seemed natural for Rona to see her here. But at the same time, she was nothing more than an adopted child. Then, did she truly have the right to stay here? Excluding her identity as the adopted daughter of the Noir family, what else gave her the right to be here? Rona began to have a strange feeling, while Catalina was enjoying her conversation with Michelie. ¡°But it¡¯s all right. I think my sister will change her attitude soon.¡± ¡°I see. Well, knowing Lady Christina, she will have her hands full with the daughter of Uncle Istar.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I would prefer that Freesia had never met my sister.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that? They seem to get along.¡± ¡°They¡¯re getting along too well. ¡­¡­By the way.¡± While Rona was lost in thought, Michelie shifted her gaze to her and gave a sweet smile. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Oh, nothing.¡± She hesitated to ask. She thought that she should stay silent for now, then discuss the matter with Catalinater. But Michelie¡¯s blue eyes started to overwhelm her. Her eyes looked like they saw right through her, and would swallow her whole. ¡°¡­¡­Is something wrong, Lady Rona?¡± ¡°Eh.¡± Catalina shook her shoulders and brought her back to reality. She was relieved for a few seconds. Yet she didn¡¯t have the courage to look Michelie straight in the eye. ¡°N-nothing at all, really.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s good.¡± Rona was frightened by this girl who was two years younger than her. She looked down slowly and decided to bury her thoughts and never bring up Michelie¡¯s background again. Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Three days have passed since Rona and Catalina ran away. ¡°It¡¯s finally over¡­¡­¡± I¡¯ve finally disbanded the fan club and emptied the ssroom. I bury my head on the desk in exhaustion. I hunted Canaria down to her room, and thankfully I managed to get a list of the fan club members. Privacy? Like I care. I¡¯m strict towards my followers. They created the fan club without my knowledge, then ran away without giving me any exnation. Why should I care what they think? Also, thanks to my methods, I was able to gather the members of the fan club and convince them to withdraw from the club. While I was at it, I was also able to find out why they created the fan club in the first ce. Many of them asked me for marypensation in exchange for their withdrawal. I¡¯m actually relieved they brought that up. It means they joined purely based on their own benefit. That¡¯s good. It wasn¡¯t because they really liked me. And bribery is indeed fitting for a viiness like me. That¡¯s why I let them list the price, as long as I could afford it. Bright yellow snacks, my own support, and whatever connections and concessions I could provide. Anything but myte mother¡¯s keepsakes and things that Michelie and I cherished. The fan club members became greedy thanks to my generosity. They asked for my uniform buttons, my scarves, my ribbons, and even my signature. ¡­¡­Why were they asking for useless things like these? What¡¯s this weird feeling that I can¡¯t shake off? I thought they would ask for more materialistic things. Why would they ask for things worth nothing more than keepsakes? Thanks to them, all my buttons were gone, and Lyndis devoted herself to sewing buttons onto my shirt to the point where she was beginning to look upset. Freesia then suggested that we hold an autograph session. Everyone seemed to be satisfied to a certain degree. Thanks to that, I was able to handle it calmly. It was actually a good idea for an idiot like her, but signing over a hundred times was honestly exhausting. ¡°It is done.¡± Freesia wipes off her sweat after enjoying herbor. She looks so carefree and joyful. To be honest, I¡¯m a little envious. ¡°Yeah, it is. We wasted a whole day¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you think so? It was not a waste to me¡­¡­ By the way, Lady Chris.¡± Freesia turns to me in the now empty ssroom. ¡°May I have your autograph-eee?! W-what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll give you my handwriting so stay still, you idiot.¡± ¡°Yesh?!¡± It was such a stupid request, I grabbed her cheeks with one hand and wrote my signature on her face with my other hand. ¡°But I wonder what they¡¯re going to do with the things I gave them¡­¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they put them up as decorations?¡± ¡°What for?¡± As usual, she said something I couldn¡¯t understand. Looking at my autograph on her face, it seemed as if she was one of my personal belongings. Leaving Freesia aside, I can understand why everyone else would want my autograph. They could obtain small loans just by showing my signature. It¡¯s true that they could use it for personal gain, but it¡¯s nothing I should care about. At least, it¡¯s not an immediate concern, unlike my uniform buttons. ¡°Even though it may not be worth a lot, I am sure they will be proud they managed to get your autograph, Lady Chris. I wonder how I should preserve this autograph on my face¨C¡± ¡°Just wash it off your face.¡± ¡°B-but that¡¯s such a waste!¡± Freesia is truly an idiot for marveling over a signature on her face. Well, I¡¯m bringing myself to ruin, so I doubt they could use my autograph in the future. That¡¯s why I think the autograph session was a waste of time. In any case, it¡¯s over. I¡¯ve managed to get them to disband the fan club thanks to this. Now I can prepare myself for the next event. ¡°Now, Freesia. You know about the introductions for the new students, right?¡± ¡°But of course.¡± I¡¯m referring to the party on thest day of the Founder¡¯s Festival. The new students will be attending. The Academy gets to show off how many new students they have. It¡¯s such a big event that even Freesia knows about it. Upperssmen aren¡¯t allowed to attend this party. Instead, there will be a separate party elsewhere on campus. Prince Endo should be managing this party with the help of the student council. ¡­¡­Rona is one of the council members and is gone, but it should be fine. Endo should be able to handle it. There are people who can bully Michelie on my behalf. That¡¯s where Freesiaes in. ¡°I want you to pick on Michelie at the party.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± She¡¯s surprisingly excited. I haven¡¯t even had the chance to go into details. She¡¯s an idiot, but she¡¯s straightforward and good natured. But she¡¯s an idiot. I thought she would hesitate to hurt people, but she simply nodded in response. I wonder if it¡¯s because I ordered her to. ¡°Really? I¡¯m ordering you to bully Michelie, you know?¡± ¡°Please do not worry. I couldn¡¯t ask for more.¡± Freesia makes a tight fist with determination. ¡°I have to show that wicked girl some pain!¡± ¡°Wicked girl?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It¡¯s a title unfit for the angelic heroine of this world. But I can¡¯t convince Freesia that Michelie is an angel. I¡¯m the viiness who¡¯s supposed to be cruel to Michelie. I can¡¯t let Freesia know about my love for Michelie. ¡°I know what you are thinking as well, Lady Chris. We have to correct that hopeless personality, even if it means bullying her.¡± ¡°Did something happen between you and Michelie?¡± ¡°Well, when I was a child¡­¡­¡± Freesia sulks and looks away. ¡°Do you mind telling me?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t too big of a deal. I thought she was a good friend, but she used me time and time again, and I felt discarded in the end.¡± Freesia isining about her. I wonder what actually happened. I shouldn¡¯t have to say this, but there¡¯s no way my sister would do something like that without reason. She¡¯s an archangel after all. But it doesn¡¯t seem like Freesia is lying either. Most likely, it happened when I detached myself from Michelie. I would imagine that a lot happened to Michelie during that time. She must have felt lonely and hurt when her beloved sister cast her aside. She probably wasn¡¯t mentally prepared to make friends, and must have caused some kind of misunderstanding. ¡°Really¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I have decided that I will not allow myself to be used anymore.¡± I¡¯m d she has that determination, but she¡¯s an idiot who¡¯s still being used. I¡¯m the one using her. Well, I do feel bad for getting her involved, but after hearing what she said, I feel less guilt and sympathy for using her. ¡°Since you have no objections, I don¡¯t have to waste time convincing you. I¡¯ll exin how you should approach Michelie. Follow my lead.¡± ¡°Please do not worry, Lady Chris. I have already cast my weakness aside. I will show no mercy or weakness now!¡± ¡°Hey, stop lying.¡± She¡¯s showing her weakness in being an idiot. ¡°I am not. I have cast aside my timidity, and have been working on my shyness! The first step to independence is self confidence. You have shown me that, Lady Chris!¡± ¡°You were just lying about your timidity and shyness, right?!¡± Freesia showing her determination was the most shocking thing of the day. Chapter 103

Chapter 103

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Night has fallen. I¡¯m sitting alone on a bench in the courtyard of the Academy. Most of the students are attending the party held in the auditorium. I can see the light shining through the windows, and hear just a little noise and music from the party. The prince should be heading towards the royal pce as the student representative, so the other student council members should be managing the party right now. I probably should have acted like a viiness and stolen their thunder. In fact, that¡¯s what I didst year. I yed pranks on the prince, and conspired with Rona to let Catalina host the party. But I¡¯m not in the mood this time. My attention is focused on the other party beyond this auditorium, but there¡¯s no way I can see it from here. However, I know that something should be happening there. I wonder if Michelie is suffering there, at the royal pce. I¡¯m beginning to feel frustrated because I¡¯m the cause of her suffering right now. I look up at the night sky. The moon isn¡¯t shining its light in the dark sky. I stretch my hand out towards the stars, even though they¡¯re out of reach. I mumble to myself in disappointment. ¡°The moon¡­ isn¡¯t here.¡± The light from the stars are providing insufficient constion. I may be feeling sentimental right now, but I¡¯m still a girl. I¡¯m feeling hurt just thinking about the harm I¡¯m causing to me beloved sister. I¡¯m going to go all out in being a viiness from this point on. I won¡¯t be praised for it, nor will my reputation rise from the ashes. In order to allow my sister to bask in the light, I have to fall into darkness in her ce. And for that to happen, I need to continue hurting Michelie. I can¡¯t help but feel sad. I wish I could calmly and coolly ignore fate and be loved by everyone, just like her. But I¡¯m helpless. I have to fulfill my destiny as the viiness. My future is dark, just like the twinkling stars without the moon shining at their side. ¡°¡­¡­Heh.¡± Perhaps because no one is looking at me, I begin to mock myself. Maybe I should seize this chance andugh to my heart¡¯s content. That¡¯s what came to my mind. I don¡¯t know when I stoppedughing, even though it was a habit when I was a child. No one¡¯s looking right now anyway. I stand up and beginughing loudly at myself. ¡°Heheh, hahaha! Hahahaha¨C¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°¨CHuh?¡± It¡¯s a familiar voice. It stimtes my memory, but I can¡¯t remember who exactly it belongs to. I turn to look at the person who spoke. This person shouldn¡¯t be here right now. The voice belongs to someone with soft golden hair and blue eyes. ¡°Charles¡­¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Chris.¡± He¡¯s grown a lot in two years. He¡¯s gotten taller and more muscr. He still looks a little childish, but that¡¯s probably due to his youthfulness. His voice has also changed. He¡¯s no longer the same cute boy. But why is he here? He should be attending the party at the Royal Pce as a new student. I decide to ask him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came here to read a book.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± What is this guy saying? I¡¯m beginning to rx thanks to his nonchnt attitude. Most of all, I feel no persistenceing from Charles. Even if I ran away now, he probably wouldn¡¯t chase after me. He¡¯s just smiling there naturally. I see how it is. I gave it some thought, and came to a conclusion. Charles must have stopped liking me now. Two years of adolescence is enough to change a person¡¯s feelings. Charles is simply calling out to an acquaintance he bumped into. In that case, I can feel at ease without being foolishly on guard. I begin to rx and chat. ¡°Can you really read here?¡± No, it¡¯s too dark here. I asked him teasingly while mocking myself for expecting such a response from him. It¡¯s darker than before since the moon isn¡¯t out, but I have amp with me. I was about to lend it to him, but his response was unexpected. ¡°Books aren¡¯t just for reading, you know?¡± He puts the thick book on my head. ¡°¡­¡­Why you.¡± He seems taken aback from my response. It¡¯s been almost ten years since we¡¯ve had this sort of interaction, but I still don¡¯t feel like giving him a street performance. I sigh and remove the book from my head. ¡°An entertainment novel? That¡¯s the kind of book Surfania likes.¡± ¡°Yeah. I borrowed it from Surfania, the third daughter of the Calibrachoas.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Have Charles and Surfania be friends? I flip through some pages, then return it to him. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I pretended not to notice the word ¡®IDIOT¡¯ I wrote on thest page when I hung out with Surfania. He takes the book without hesitation, taking my hand in the process. ¡°Since it¡¯s a good time, shall we dance, Chris?¡± Does he still have feelings for me? I¡¯m not replying to his suggestion with a nod. ¡°No. I don¡¯t feel like it.¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s been two years since we saw each other. Are you sure?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡± Not just these two years. I haven¡¯t danced at all since that time. ¡°I see. I won¡¯t force you.¡± He backs down like a gentleman, which is very much unlike him. I feel stupid, but disappointed at the same time. I still have feelings for him too. I try to shake it off with a smile. ¡°You should go¨C¡± ¡°How about this?¡± He gets on one knee. He wants to kiss my hand as a simple greeting to ady. But I won¡¯t allow it. ¡°Such a pretentious greeting. I told you before, ask me for permission first.¡± I shake off his hand a little violently. Charles casts an upward nce at me. ¡°¡­¡­Is that a no, too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a no.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He backs off again. I don¡¯t know if this straightforwardness is like him or not. Maybe he¡¯s just grown up. I¡¯m a fool to feel sad about it. Maybe I just want the attention, or maybe I want him to press further. I¡¯m disgusted with myself for being so whimsical. He looks like he¡¯s about to leave. He stands up slowly. ¡°Then this will do.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Smiling broadly, he takes a step forward and pushes back my hair from my forehead. I¡¯m looking up at him while making eye contact. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve looked up at him. I couldn¡¯t react. He draws closer to my face. ¡°Huh?¡± He kissed my forehead. All my thoughtse to a stop. ¡°That¡¯s fine, right? You didn¡¯t ask for permissionst time either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± I spoke inly, not wavering even in the slightest. I¡¯m retorting with a in face. ¡°It¡¯ste, you should go soon.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m satisfied. Bye, Chris. I won¡¯t forget, and neither should you. I¡¯m the third prince, and your fianc¨¦.¡± He leaves without turning back. When he disappears from my sight around the corner, I crumble onto the floor. ¡°¡­¡­Dammit.¡± What just happened? What exactly did hee here for? Was he trying to say something? Was it by chance, or did hee here on purpose? Was his natural seeming behavior simply a bluff? Is he still in love with me? There¡¯s so much I want to ask and tell him. But I only have one thing to say for now. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me, Charles.¡± I don¡¯t have to look into a mirror to tell how red my face is. === Meanwhile, at the Royal Pce: Freesia: (Spill a drink onto her clothes andugh at her, spill a drink onto her clothes andugh at her¡­¡­ Alright, now¡¯s the time!) Freesia: ¡°Oh, my apologies. I did not see¡­¡­ Why are you grabbing my arm? Wait, M-Michelie?! Your eyes are¨C¡± Michelie: ¡°I¡¯m not taking it out on you this has nothing to do with Charles getting ahead in the game you understand right Freesia hehehehehehe¡­¡± Freesia: ¡°Eeeek!¡± Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Trantor: Cyrus ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± After that, I headed to my bedroom and just copsed onto my bed, sinking into the soft mattress and clean bedsheets and burying my head into my pillow. I can¡¯t let anyone see how pathetic I am right now. I just can¡¯t. That¡¯s why I¡¯m in hiding right now. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± I¡¯ve solved a part of the mystery revolving around the divergence from fate. For instance, the event that¡¯s happening today. My n was to get my sidekicks to harass Michelie and make her leave the party halfway. Depending on the routes in Labyrinth Destiny, either Prince Endo, Charles, or Leon would arbitrate and help Michelie. So, which route is going to take ce now? Simply put, we¡¯re not on Charles¡¯ route because he wasn¡¯t at the party. Because Charles was here instead, he never set the romance g with Michelie. Most likely we¡¯re on Prince Endo¡¯s route. I¡¯m relieved in that sense. But at the same time, I never knew that Charles came to talk to me in Labyrinth Destiny. ¡°Mdy, this won¡¯t do. Since you¡¯ve returned, won¡¯t you please have something to eat?¡± ¡°Later¡­¡­¡± I turn over in bed, stillying on my side and covering my face with my pillow. ¡°¡­¡­Won¡¯t you at least take a shower?¡± ¡°I saidter.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. Later, correct?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡­¡± I give her an nomittal nod. Whatever. I¡¯ll call it a night. I¡¯ll most likely fall asleep soon, and I¡¯ll probably have calmed down when I wake up. I¡¯m not trying to be conceited, but Charles is most likely still in love with me. Most likely it¡¯s because we¡¯re not on Charles¡¯ route. I don¡¯t know about Leon. Most likely it¡¯s because of Surfania. But that means I¡¯ll probably have to continue seeing Charles. Christina gets sent to a convent in Charles route. If that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t be able to stay on such friendly terms with Charles. With such thoughts churning in my head, I finally fell asleep. ¡°Lady Chris!¡± I calm down after hearing the voice from outside the door. It was a rude awakening. I jump out of my bed. It¡¯s Freesia. She¡¯s able to calm me down in a minute when it would normally take me an entire night. How convenient. I never knew she could be useful in such a way. ¡°Lady Chris, are you here?! It is your loyal and humble Freesia!¡± Yeah, I figured it out the first time. I make sure my forehead is back to a normal temperature, and signal for the maid with my eyes. It¡¯s going to be a bother if I leave her causing a ruckus outside, so I¡¯m letting her in. ¡°I¡¯m opening the door now, Freesia.¡± As a reward for calming me down, I decide not to reproach her for herck of manners. But she came back a little early from the party. Most likely something happened there. Oh no. What kind of problem happened there, exactly? I want her to be useful for once. Freesiaes in crying. ¡°Michelie, dear Michelie¡­¡­!¡± She fumbles her way in, with tears welled up in her eyes. What the hell happened? I suddenly be dumbfounded. If it¡¯s something so serious to make her cry, then I have to ask her. But something she said caught my attention. ¡°¡®Dear¡¯ Michelie?¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­¡­¡± She turns back to normal. ¡°A-a-anyway, Michelie is so mean!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She holds back her tears andins curtly. She must be mistaken. There¡¯s no way my sister could ever do something mean. ¡°Leaving that aside, have you carried out my orders?¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving it aside?! ¡­¡­W-well, I have indeed done as you asked!¡± ¡°Oh? Really?¡± I thought she failed miserably. But her task was simple. She was supposed to spill a drink on Michelie and say the lines in Labyrinth Destiny. It¡¯s just a short and simple scene, so it seems she didn¡¯t screw up on that. Most likely the problem came after. ¡°It was after I bumped into Michelie and spilled my drink. She pretended to stumble, then grabbed onto my arm and sent me crashing head first into the servant carrying the drinks¡­¡­¡± That must have been one hell of a tragedy indeed. ¡°I was soaking wet in front of so many people¡­¡­ It was so embarrassing!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I¡¯mparing herints to the original scenario. That¡¯s about what happened, albeit with some margin of error. ¡°She must have been shocked from getting spilled on.¡± ¡°No, I am sure she did it on purpose! She even said she wanted to leave early!¡± ¡°Why was that?¡± ¡°I do not know, but she was mumbling creepily about something. I am certain of it!¡± There¡¯s no way the archangel Michelie could intentionally cause so much chaos, but Freesia is still insisting that she did it on purpose. Anyone could tell with one look that Michelie is good natured. I can¡¯t help it if Freesiacks good judgment. ¡°So, what happened after that?¡± ¡°She left right after that.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I¡¯m confused. ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± ¡°Yes. it¡¯s certainly odd that she would leave with her clothes and hair still wet¡­¡­ but she seemed to be in a hurry.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean.¡± She should have been alone with Prince Endo after that. In the original scenario, she was mocked at for being soaked and for being an adopted child, then exchanged a few words with Prince Endo. Freesia continues exining the situation to alleviate my confusion. ¡°Well, I wanted to fix my hair and dry up a little. Oh, yes! Prince Endo brought me to another room, and we exchanged a few words. I thought he was a little difficult to approach at first, but he was so kind and considerate¨C¡± ¡°Why are you the one setting up a g with Prince Endo, you idiot!¡± ¡°¨CFy are you cawing me an idioch?!¡± Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- There is bound to be failures in life. As a genius, I am no exception to this rule. I was once a fool who knew and cared nothing about fate, and simply enjoyed a stable life. Because of my resourcefulness, I looked away from the fact that fate should be yed ording to its natural course. I overcame that mentality, and became the viiness Christina Noir. I decided that I wouldn¡¯t stop no matter what hardshipsy in store for me. When I heard those words that opened my path to destiny, I was determined to love my fate. Yet there was someone who stood in my way as I tried to side with fate. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Prince Endo?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± I barged into the student council room and came face to face with the prince. He looks clueless. I wonder if he¡¯s just pretending, or if he really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong. He can be ignorant and incapable and incorrigible sometimes. I¡¯m screaming at the idiot prince. ¡°What do you mean what¡¯s wrong with me?! Your personality is what¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°You screwing up your own life is what¡¯s wrong, you idiot.¡± He raises his eyebrows. What a retort. I have always devoted my life to making my sister happy. It has been about three months since the first event that leads to that goal of mine. Using Freesia as my pawn, I have established myself as the viiness getting in Michelie¡¯s way. Freesia is trying her best too, in her own way. Events are going ording to the natural course of fate. The location, timing, and appearance of the characters match perfectly. As a genius, I am fulfilling my role as a viiness in order to allow these events to take ce. That¡¯s only natural. But for some reason, Endo interacted with Freesia, not Michelie. I don¡¯t get it at all. Freesia was the one who harassed Michelie, yet Endo helped Freesia instead of Michelie and even exchanged a few words with her. It¡¯s alright. The situation is still under control, even if just barely. On the other hand, if I leave things as they are, Freesia and Endo will get married eventually. Although they do make a good pair. But what¡¯s going to happen to Michelie if that happens? ¡°What? Are you in love with Freesia? What happened to the creepy prince who fell in love with Michelie at first sight? Also, I wonder about your sensibility if you¡¯re really interested in Freesia. Are you okay? She¡¯s not evil, but she¡¯s an idiot, you know? ¡°So you did instigate her!¡± He¡¯s gaining the upper hand in this conversation now. ¡°You¡¯re the cause of her unchecked idiocy¡­¡­! She¡¯s been sticking around me and causing unnecessary trouble for me! What are you trying to do with her?! Is this some sort of harassment? Is this your way of indirectly causing trouble?!¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± ¡°Huh?! So it is harassment after all!¡± The one I¡¯m harassing isn¡¯t him. My goal is to do it to Michelie in order to gather sympathy towards her as a tragic heroine. We¡¯re staring straight at each other. Endo is the first to look away. He clicks his tongue and sits back down. ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s all you have to say, then I¡¯m going to sleep. You¡¯re tired too, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t take your insomnia out on my, Christina Noir. And stop that girl from causing trouble again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Tch.¡± To be honest, I was going to beat him up if it came down to it, but I¡¯m d he backed down. I¡¯m a viiness, but I¡¯m still ady. I can retaliate with force without much consequence whatsoever, but it would be udylike if I started the brawl first. I¡¯m relieved. It¡¯s not that he¡¯s particrly interested in Freesia. There have been too many gs set up at once, I was getting worried that he might start liking her. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯te here to pick a fight with you. I just wanted to ask.¡± ¡°I see. In that case, hurry up and leave. You¡¯re in the way of my work.¡± ¡°Then let me warn you, before it¡¯s toote. If things keep going at this rate, you¡¯ll end up getting married with Freesia. If you still wish to pursue Michelie, then do as I say.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He looks displeased, even though I was warning him out of goodwill. ¡°I¡¯ve only listened to a tenth of everything you¡¯ve said. If I act ording to your ns, it will only result in ruin. So stop making so much noise. It¡¯s annoying.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not listening to me!¡± I¡¯m annoyed at how I can¡¯t make things go as nned, but I¡¯m even more pissed at his uncooperative attitude. And Charles hasn¡¯t contacted me proactively since that unexpected event. It¡¯s so quiet it¡¯s almost scary, but I don¡¯t have much time left. I can¡¯t allow Charles to think too much about me. In any case, all my rtionships will be severed when the timees. That¡¯s the fate that awaits me. Despite that, things aren¡¯t going ording to n, and I¡¯m growing rather impatient. I¡¯m about to tell him off again when Rona butts into the conversation. ¡°I do not know what is going on. Lady Chris, you should calm¨C¡± ¡°Shut up, Rona. I have yet to forgive you for what you¡¯ve done. Don¡¯t get friendly with me.¡± ¡°Gulp!¡± I re coldly and sharply at the traitor. She backs down in shock. Then she speaks up resolutely. ¡°I-I understand. It is true that I have done things without your knowledge or permission. However, please at least bless me with your autograph¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Like I would. I don¡¯t care.¡± She doesn¡¯t get it. There¡¯s no way I will ever give her my autograph. I simply ignore her request. It seems that Endo really doesn¡¯t n on listening to me. And just because he¡¯s upset with me. It¡¯s the epitome of foolishness and childishness to base his decisions on his mood, but I¡¯ll overlook it. If he¡¯s not going to listen, then I¡¯ll have to make him. ¡°Endo. There¡¯s going to be a debate in the near future, right? How are the preparations going?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯re interested in knowing about it, but obviously yes. ¡­¡­You had better not do anything stupid like you didst year.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to.¡± I look the other way. I won¡¯t do anything stupid. I¡¯ll just carry out what fate has in store. It¡¯s true that my tricksst year went a little overboard, but that¡¯s all. I did it in order to make myself known as a viiness, and the crowd got excited anyway. The debate hall was established in order to discipline students in the school of logic within the liberal arts, and to strengthen their debating skills. It¡¯s a big event this time, in which the student council hosts an event once every three months, and the students with the highest grades gather for a debate. The contestants are split into several groups, and each group is assigned a topic which they will debate on. The debate groups themselves consist of students from different years mixed together, and students who are unable to participate in the debate will be listening to it instead. And this is the event in which I will have the showdown with Michelie. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m assuming that I have been picked for the debate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yeah. The only thing good you have going is your grades.¡± He¡¯s finally stopped letting his emotions get in his way and admitted that I¡¯m a genius. ¡°This may be a stupid and obvious question, but Michelie is attending too, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s especially gifted. Unlike you, her personality and behavior are perfectly fine.¡± ¡°Alright. Put me in the same group as Michelie.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The students will be debating within their groups, so I can¡¯t debate against her if we¡¯re not in the same group. Prince Endo frowns at my proposal. ¡°You siscon. Why should I have to help you through unfair¨C¡± ¡°Rona, if you help me here, I will let you choose to either have my autograph, or be my sidekick again. Your pick.¡± ¡°Understood! I will do as you wish!¡± Endo makes a wry face at the student council member who epted my bribe so easily. ¡°You little¡­¡­¡± ¡°Either way, both their grades are good enough to be put in the same group. It is not unfair at all.¡± Rona answers him confidently. In any case, I¡¯m prepared for it. In the debate hall, I will denounce Michelie in front of all the students and fail miserably. Basically, that will be the event in which I will begin to fall as a viiness. Now that I¡¯m prepared, all I have to do is carry it out. But something bothers me. ¡°¡­¡­Oh yeah. Freesia will be listening among the audience, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s an idiot, even in her studies.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good.¡± Now I don¡¯t have to worry about her getting in my way, or in the way of fate. She has her ways of messing things up. I won¡¯t get her involved in this event. The main cast is only me and Michelie, after all. Now that there are no irregrities, I¡¯m all set. It¡¯s time to take the first step towards my fall. Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- The lecture hall is packed with students. Some of them look like they were half-dragged to the event, while others simply look bored. There are even students who are trying to fall asleep. Only a handful of students who are serious and studious are here on their own free will. I¡¯m sitting in the crowd, crossing my legs arrogantly. It¡¯s an event in which students debate about a topic. They¡¯ve recognized my talents and selected me as one of the students to participate in the debate. In truth, it¡¯s satisfying my pride. I like to be acknowledged by people. It¡¯s somewhat simr to being praised. But here, I will be facing off against Michelie. I will soon face my ruin. To be honest, I am aware that everything I¡¯ve done to this point has ended in failure. Fate, which is the only thing I could see clearly, just seems off now. The ideal situation is clearly different from the current reality. It¡¯s notpletely unsalvageable, but the first act is already over. If I leave things as they are, it will bepletely impossible to put fate back on its tracks. That¡¯s why I have to face off against Michelie today, and during this event, I have to burn this image of me as the viiness into the minds of all the students, especially Michelie. Prince Endo has just finished his boring speech as the student representative. It¡¯s almost time for me to get on the stage. The debate concerning judges is about to begin, and I will go up on the stage to face Michelie. While I¡¯m preparing myself, a student stands in Prince Endo¡¯s ce. The student has cold eyes with long slits. Her long hair sways with each step she takes. She isn¡¯t tall at all, as she has to step on the dais itself. It¡¯s Surfania. ¡°¡­¡­Hm?¡± That was really unexpected. Is she going to be the judge of this event? Every year without fail, the judge was always a member of the student council, so what is she doing up there? Surfania is looking straight ahead. ¡°Good day to you. I am Surfania Calibrachoa.¡± The sullen expression is gone from her face, and her voice is resounding surprisingly well in the lecture hall. ¡°I have been somewhat involved with the debate today, so I havee to give a short speech. I hope I will not take up too much time.¡± For an instant, the lecture hall is filled with whispers. It¡¯s rare to see a shut-in like her to stand in front of so many people. And she doesn¡¯t like attention either. However, she has earned a little fame on campus. Everyone knows her. Surfania continues as if she wasn¡¯t bothered. ¡°The extent of my involvement is rted to the judges. This may be amon mistake among first year students, but the point of a debate is not to win an argument through words. Instead, it is to debate about the topic at hand and train your skills to get a third party to agree with you. Thus, it is fair to say that in a sense, it is more difficult and important to be a judge.¡± She shows no ounce of nervousness despite her shy nature. I can tell there¡¯s a little hesitation, but she¡¯s bold in a way. She hasn¡¯t left a good impression on everyone, yet she doesn¡¯t look bothered by the fact. ¡°In other words, a judge has to bepletely fair. However, it is a tragic fact that people tend to take social status and position into consideration. Many students of the Academy are of royal blood, or have a good family background. We cannot outright deny the possibility that the faculty behind them may have authority and influence over them. If we allow the student council to judge on their terms, then there is the fearful possibility that their rtionships will be an additional factor that hinders their fair judgment. They may agree with certain individuals simply because they said so. I am sure that everyone knows too well that such people exist within the Academy.¡± Don¡¯t look at me. Fine, whatever, I¡¯m a viiness anyway. Just because you¡¯re standing there gives you the power to speak and suppress any counter-arguments. And I¡¯m d you know where I stand. But what I don¡¯t get is why Surfania is taking on the role as a judge. It can¡¯t be that she¡¯s suddenly awakened to the value of education. She has azy personality. I thought she had an ulterior motive, but it looks like she¡¯s just giving a speech in front of the audience. A rather long one. ¡°As representatives of the students, the student council members have served as judges every year. However, no matter how outstanding they may be, they are still students. That is why I have suggested to give the position of judge to someone from outside the Academy, and the student council has approved my suggestion. In order to achieve that¡­¡­ Sigh. Never mind. In any case, allow me to introduce the judge for this year.¡± Perhaps she got tired of it. She cut off her speech midway. Is she okay? I¡¯m a little concerned that she doesn¡¯t seem to care about being in front of so many people. Then again, she probably wouldn¡¯t want someone like me to worry about her. It may be a little more difficult in persuading the judge now. I have no problems with the student council members because I know their personalities, but I can¡¯t help the situation now. And it doesn¡¯t matter who the judge is. What I have to do there is to attend the debate and denounce Michelie. Yes. there is only one thing I have to do. Not to win the debate, but to act as the viiness¨C ¡°The one who has kindly epted to act as our judge is none other than the famous and knowledgeable Lady Mariwa Tote.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Yes, there is only one thing I have to do. I look at the tall, thin, and merciless man-eating fiend, and feel determined. To run away at full speed and full power! Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Now that I think about it calmly, there¡¯s no need to run. Immediately after seeing Mariwa, I wanted to jump out of my chair and run away right then and there. But I¡¯m a clear-headed person. I regained myposure in no time. I was surprised when Mariwa suddenly appeared, but her words spurred me to perform my role as the viiness. That was before I epted my Destiny. She gave me her advice, and that was when I decided to do what I must. That¡¯s why the cold sweat dripping down my face is nothing more and nothing less than conditional reflex. My face became pale merely because I waspletely unprepared to see Mariwa. That¡¯s all there is. I¡¯m not panicking, and of course there is no reason for me to fear her presence. I¡¯m definitely not running away. I¡¯m no longer the child who¡¯s always running away from Mariwa. I¡¯m a viiness. Having taken the side of Destiny, I should no longer fear Mariwa. I remain calm, straightening my back and correcting my sitting posture, in case a certain someone wouldin to meter. I¡¯m listening to her speech now. ¡°Thank you for your kind introduction. I am Mariwa Tote. Having graduated from this Academy, I am very honored to be invited back to this historical school.¡± She introduces herself with a stiff face. I suppose she has to maintain appearances, but she¡¯s really shameless in her ttery. Mariwa is the type of person who hates honor and glory. Unlike me, it¡¯s somewhat obvious that she has an antipathy to authority. What she seeks is something more pragmatic. What¡¯s Surfania¡¯s motive for calling Mariwa here? Obviously it¡¯s mere harassment toward me. She must have thought that I would go pale if Mariwa came here. I have no doubt that she¡¯s happily and proactively doing anything that would annoy me. Leaving that aside, the important thing is Mariwa¡¯s motives. ¡°Even among the various educational institutions, this Academy has admitted many students whom the future rests upon. Henceforth, no matter how society may operate, it will be each and every one of you who will shape the future of this country. Being even slightly involved in this process holds great meaning to me.¡± So this is her true feelings. I can tell that this is genuinepared to what she said earlier. I¡¯m listening for her true intentions. There¡¯s no way Mariwa woulde here just because Surfania asked her to. There must be something that provides an obvious benefit to her, something that she has deemed worthy of her time. Surfania, or perhaps Leon, must have told her that that something was here. ¡°I shall have the honor of setting the debate topic. Of course, each ss will have a different topic. I shall announce the topic for the first group. Please debate and exin your stance on ¡®fatalism¡¯.¡± I have a hunch. She came here to do this, to confirm my thoughts on the matter. ¡°Although this topic has often been discussed in philosophy, I hear that only the most outstanding students are attending this debate. It is only natural that they have sufficient insight to discuss this.¡± Whether she¡¯s doing it on purpose or not, it sounds like she¡¯s trying to incite me. Leaving that aside, I sense her intentions, and feel relieved at the same time. If she¡¯s here to confirm my position on fate, then there¡¯s no need to worry at all. I haven¡¯t wavered one bit since then. ¡°My role here is to be the judge for this debate, but it is not my wish to judge merely on the debate I have presented. All of these presented topics are propositions of my own as well. I pray that my own doubts will be resolved through your debates. Now then.¡± She finishes her introductions and gets off the stage. There¡¯s only a moment of break time before the debate begins in earnest. The first debate group is me and Michelie. I sigh in relief while going up to the podium. I didn¡¯t need to run away after all. I have the answers that Mariwa seeks. The fact that she¡¯s here with this objective and timing may be due to the corrective power of Destiny. Even one such as Mariwa shouldn¡¯t be able to figure out the course of Destiny. She was probably led here unconsciously in order to rectify the errors in Michelie¡¯s story. Destiny is the future that none can change or escape from. If Mariwa is here as an observer and is on the side of Destiny, then all the more reassuring her presence is. On the other hand, I can¡¯t help but think. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ I¡¯m biting my lips. This feeling is due to my attachment and immaturity, which have prevented me from fulfilling my role in my Destiny. It¡¯s growing beyond my control. If she is in fact Destiny¡¯s pawn¡­ If her role was simply to impart her knowledge to me, to pound it into me with her fists, and to gently give me her hand in assistance at times, then¡­ I feel utterly helpless. Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Destiny was smashed into bits and pieces. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s over.¡± After the debate ended, I returned to my room and copsed onto the bed. The soft bed gently epts me in its embrace. I, on the other hand, cannot ept the cruel reality. The end of Destiny has been clearly announced. To put it clearly, Mariwa has been an enemy of fate all along. At least, that was her judgment in the debate. The moment I tried to change my avenue of attack to insult Michelie¡¯s personality, Mariwa stopped me right away. I never got the chance to y it ording to the script. Thanks to that, we ended up having an actually meaningful debate. That¡¯s not the problem though. ¡°I lost too¡­¡­¡± I, a genius, tasted defeat in the debate. Of course, acted on the assumption that I was going to act as the viiness, so I lost to Michelie simply because I didn¡¯t make a sound argument. If I took it seriously, I would never have lost to her, so my pride is still intact. Leaving that aside, the real problem is what to do from here. ¡°Why didn¡¯t it go well at all¡­¡­¡± I hug my pillow and grumble. I did my best since Michelie enrolled into the Academy, and now I¡¯m at my wits¡¯ end. My three years of following the path of Destiny have all been a waste. What should I do now? I don¡¯t understand anymore. Laying face down on the bed, I suddenly fell asleep for a little while. For some reason, when I woke up, I saw Surfania already sitting on the chair in my room. ¡°Serves you right, Chris.¡± She closes her book as if noticing that I woke up. She looks down at me with a cold stare. ¡°¡­¡­What do you want?¡± For a moment, I thought I was dreaming, but it¡¯s reality without a doubt. Who let her in? No, I already know. It was probably the maid. She must have known that I was acquainted with Surfania, and hence let her in. But what is she here for? Not once has she ever proactively approached me since we enrolled in the Academy, so why did shee here on her own will? Is she here to insult me for losing the debate? Yeah, that¡¯s likely. That¡¯s what I thought, until I saw the thing on the table. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, so why don¡¯t we y a board game?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± What exactly is she nning? I doubt she came here just to have fun, just like old times. In the first ce, she wasn¡¯t even the one to approach me in the old times. But that¡¯s fine. ¡°¡­¡­Alright.¡± I reluctantly get out of bed and stop thinking. Nothing matters now that I failed. I¡¯ve lost the means to guarantee Michelie¡¯s bright future. ¡°It¡¯ll probably cheer me up a little.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s good to see that you¡¯re being reasonable.¡± We¡¯re sitting on opposite sides and setting up the board. It¡¯s been a while since we yed this board game together. I thought she would let me go first, but she made the first move without saying a word. I gracefully make the next move. We¡¯re moving our pawns and pieces without making new or drastic moves. ¡°You know, I always thought that you were deteriorating each year. I always thought, Chris is going to be more of an idiot, and cause more trouble along the way. ¡°You really are rude by nature.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only proper. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing, but I pride myself on being the most suitable person to criticize you.¡± ¡°You should think it¡¯s a bad thing.¡± We¡¯re moving our pawns while talking just like we did in the past. It feels natural for some reason, as if nothing has happened in the past three years. We¡¯re entering the mid-game. But I¡¯ve noticedtely. It wasn¡¯t that you were deteriorating or anything. ¡°Obviously. I am always improving¨C¡± ¡°No.¡± She cuts me off, denying what I said. ¡°You simply haven¡¯t matured at all.¡± I stop myself just as I¡¯m about to make my next move. It¡¯s not because of her words. It¡¯s because of the intensity of the mid-game. The match hasn¡¯t been decided yet, but my formation puts me in a slight disadvantage. I look up from the board. Surfania looks normal, without a hint of pride. ¡°You are sorely mistaken if you think I am unable to defeat you. I am not such a blockhead to keep losing to you without improving.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯ll lose?¡± A fire is kindled inside me. That¡¯s right. I shouldn¡¯t be leaving myself to rot here. I am a genius, and I hate losing. I¡¯ll save my sister. Even if Destiny is nowhere to be found, even if I¡¯m all alone, I¡¯ll definitely save her. ¡°Yes. You will lose.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me, Surfania. And by the way, let me say a word of thanks.¡± I finally make my move. Being spurred on by Surfania, my determination has been renewed. ¡°I¡¯ve just remembered thanks to you. I¡¯ll do what I have to. That¡¯s the reason I was born.¡± ¡°I thought you were finally being serious, but it still looks like you are still an idiot who refuses to face reality. People aren¡¯t born for any reason whatsoever. There isn¡¯t anything that has to be done either. People simply put their efforts into doing what they want to do.¡± In constrast with my passion, Surfania remains calm and cool. ¡°But, yes. Since it¡¯s a fine opportunity, let¡¯s make a bet.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I remember the time during the Festival many years ago, and also the first time I met Prince Endo. But we can¡¯t bet all our money on random opponents or sign our autographs on a nk sheet of paper. Well, it was mostly Leon¡¯s and Endo¡¯s fault both times though. ¡°What are we betting on?¡± ¡°If you lose, you will apologize.¡± ¡°¡­¡­To you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Surfania looks sullen and furrows her eyebrows. ¡°What? Did you do something you should apologize to me for? Why don¡¯t you say it then?¡± ¡°No, if anything, you should be the one apologizing.¡± I¡¯m the one who cut off my ties to her, but I was shocked when she scolded me in public. I kept quiet because I knew I was wrong too, but her chiding was on another level. That incident set our positions in stone. Thinking about it now, it was the triggering point that caused Destiny to go off track. ¡°I see. Then if I lose, I will apologize to you. As a matter of fact, I will apologize in a public space.¡± Dammit. I¡¯m at a loss. I let her set the conditions herself. On top of that, it¡¯ll look like I asked it of her. It¡¯s hard to take it all back now. ¡°¡­¡­Who should I be apologizing to? Michelie, perhaps?¡± ¡°Why should I have to be the mediator between you and that wicked girl? Are you stupid?¡± Surfania snorts in fury. ¡°Wicked girls and idiots should remain fighting for their entire lives. That would be much more pleasing.¡± ¡°Who are you calling a wicked girl?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± I red at her in reflex, causing her to sneer.¡± ¡°In the end, you¡¯re crazy about your sister as always.¡± I¡¯m speechless. I made a slip of the tongue too many times. Having been disheartened since my failure at the debate, I¡¯m probably letting my guard down just because it¡¯s Surfania. ¡°Well, leaving that aside, let¡¯s talk about the one you should be apologizing to. You should know if you gave it some thought. Why do you think I took all the effort into calling the famous Miss Tote to the school? It took great pains to reason with her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Apologize to Miss Tote.¡± My face stiffens. Surfania looks at me as if she¡¯s d. ¡°Hehehe. That¡¯s right. I wanted to see that face of yours.¡± ¡°S-Surfania. Y-you. The reason you called Mariwa here¡­¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± She shows her characteristic sneer that suits her clever looks. ¡°All of it was harassment towards you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Alright. I¡¯m going all out from now on. Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°One more round!¡± My voice resounds loudly in my own dorm room. ¡°One more, one more round! I was just about to win! I let my guard down in the early game. There¡¯s no way I would lose¨C¡± ¡°Alright, shut up. Leon. You maye in.¡± ¡°Oh, is it over?¡± Surfania disregards myints, and beckons Leon inside. She probably discussed this with the maid earlier. It seems that Leon was waiting for her signal. ¡°It is. Take this seventeen year old girl with the mind of a five-year-old with you. ¡­¡­It¡¯s this fool we¡¯re dealing with, so don¡¯t let her run away, ever.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Seeing that I couldn¡¯t take back my loss, I was about to turn around and run when Leon performs a neck hold from behind me. She read my intentions. But there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll give up just from being restrained. I am a nimbledy. ¡°Stop that, you worthless fool! Do you think I¡¯ll take this from you?! I am the daughter of the Noir house! Do you think it¡¯s okay for amoner such as you to touch me as you please?!¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± For someone with no backing like Leon, I can simply tear him to shreds with my authority. But he doesn¡¯t seem to be afraid of my noble status. In fact, his tone is a happy one. ¡°As you say, amoner like me would be thrown in jail along with my family. I would probably be expelled from school. My parents would lose their jobs, and my entire family would be driven to their wits¡¯ end. My future would be so dark.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you know that, then let me go. I¡¯ll be lenient and forgive you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. ¡­¡­Well? Do you have the intention to destroy my life, Christina?¡± ¡°Is that all you have to say?!¡± I scream at Leon, who¡¯s unting his own weakness. When did he learn to use such despicable reasoning? I look at him with disbelief, and he simply shows his enjoyment through his smile. ¡°You¡¯re a good person, Christina. You wouldn¡¯t do anything like that. I know you won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Shut up! Do you have no pride?! Besides, I¡¯m the viiness, so doing that is a simple matter to me, you know?!¡± ¡°Yeah yeah. So what¡¯s up with being the viiness?¡± ¡°She probably made that up anyway. It was mostly as I expected.¡± ¡°You lost to Surfania after making a bet, right? So stay still. You probably got spurred on and agreed to the bet with your own conditions anyway.¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t¨C I mean, I lost, but that was the first round, right?! Also, what do you mean, I got spurred on?!¡± ¡°Wow. Christina, you lost to Michelie AND Surfania in the span of one day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you Leon!¡± I¡¯m howling at Leon who jeered at me childishly. I lost the debate to Michelie because of Mariwa, and I lost the board game to Surfania because of the early game. Having yed with her so many times, almost all of the games were a sure win for me. I won¡¯t let this single defeat ruin me. ¡°Just a little more, and I would have won!¡± ¡°You were always bad when it came to betting during an important time, Christina. And it¡¯s so easy to emotionally manipte you.¡± ¡°This is truly unsightly, unting the victories you had as a child. That¡¯s exactly what a child would say.¡± ¡°You look like you¡¯re having fun, Surfania.¡± ¡°Oh, but of course.¡± Ignoring myints, Surfania opens the door and leads the way while humming almost happily. ¡°We took three whole years, including our investigations and preparations. Thanks to that, I was able to see Chris behave in such an unsightly manner. There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t enjoy this.¡± ¡°Wow. You¡¯re beyond crooked.¡± ¡°Just¡­ let¡­ me¡­ go!¡± With Surfania leading the way, Leon is dragging me down the hallway while I¡¯m wildly thrashing about. At this rate, I¡¯ll be brought before Mariwa. If I don¡¯t stop them now, I¡¯ll be in grave danger. ¡°Dammit! You¡¯re a guy, Leon. Don¡¯te into the girls¡¯ dormitory!¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me this now. Obviously I already have permission to be here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I even invite him to my room sometimes. You¡¯re such a slow person.¡± ¡°Surfania! You¡¯re being called a viiness because you do such stupid things like inviting a guy to your room!¡± ¡°Hey, stop being so chaste. I¡¯m just visiting as a friend.¡± We¡¯re going down the stairs from the third floor as I¡¯m desperately struggling in vain. We¡¯re almost at the exit. Once we leave the dormitory, Mariwa probably won¡¯t be too far away from us. ¡°What have I done to Mariwa that I should apologize to her anyway? Nothing? Then I shouldn¡¯t have to apologize!¡± ¡°Then you should have no problem showing yourself in front of Miss Tote. How great. You should stand proud.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± ¡°Haha! This rowdiness reminds me of the time when we used to gather in the old church. It takes me back.¡± ¡°Yes. So let¡¯s go and meet Miss Tote. Only then will our reunion beplete.¡± ¡°S-stop¨C Let go!¡± Someone help me. I¡¯ll be sent to hell at this rate. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, I haven¡¯t even saved Michelie yet, and I¡¯m about to be plunged to the depths of hell. Someone help me before that happens. We¡¯re still in the dormitory of the Academy. I have henchmen here. There should be nock of talented people I can depend on for help. I look around desperately trying to find someone I know. ¡°L-Lady Christina?¡± I fall into despair upon seeing the only person I know. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± The one who approaches timidly as I¡¯m being dragged by the neck is Freesia. Why is it Freesia out of all the people I know? I look around once again, but there¡¯s no one else. Surfania mumbles as she looks at the girl with two locks of curled golden hair. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t that Chris Number Two?¡± ¡°What do you mean, Chris Number Two?!¡± I shout in response to the unexpected remark. I never expected anyone to think that Freesia and I were one and the same. I lost to Michelie at the debate, and lost to Surfania at the board game, but this was the most hurtfulpared to everything else that happened today. ¡°N-no way, Lady Christina Number Two¡­¡­¡± In contrast to my utter shock, Freesia¡¯s face is turning red in embarrassment. Surfania sulks and frowns when she sees her reaction. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s strange. I¡¯m pleased at having seen the epitome of idiocy.¡± ¡°I for one feel really hurt.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s great.¡± Surfania looks even more satisfied from hurting me. Leon chimes in from the side. ¡°Lady Istar. I think you can tell just by looking, but these two are much friendlier than the rumors portray them to be. We¡¯re just having fun. So don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Huh? Um, is that true?¡± ¡°Freesia, don¡¯t be fooled by them. They¡¯re bad guys without a doubt. Don¡¯t ask or say anything, just call Rona or Catalina here.¡± ¡°O-okay. I underst¨C¡± ¡°¡­¡­Hold on a minute.¡± ¡°Eep!¡± Surfania cuts her off coolly, causing the timid Freesia to tremble in shock. Her looks are already cold, so she can intimidate people just by using her appearance. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling unsafe that we¡¯re dragging Chris away alone, then there¡¯s no need for you to call anyone.¡± Surfania looks like a sh of inspiration struck her. Insecurity is rising within me. I¡¯m definitely sure she¡¯s going to say something drastic. ¡°H-hey, Surfania. What are you¨C¡± ¡°You can juste along. Then it will be two on two, right?¡± ¡°Ah, that sounds good as well!¡± ¡°¨CSurfania, will you please?!¡± She¡¯s cornering me at every move. Freesia seems excited for some reason, shrieking in delight at Surfania¡¯s proposal. Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- I¡¯ve decided to follow along quietly, on the condition that Freesia doesn¡¯te with us. Freesia and Mariwa aren¡¯t acquainted with each other, but I would never think of introducing Freesia to Mariwa. There would only be chaos. And so I feltpelled to take responsibility. Not bringing Freesia along had a great effect on getting me to calm down. I gulp as we arrive on the doorstep of the reception room in the school. Once we open the door, we will see Mariwa inside. I can¡¯t help but get nervous. Besides today¡¯s debate, it¡¯s been three years since Mariwa and I have seen each other face to face. I still have a bad impression of her pounding her teachings into me as a private tutor. I can¡¯t help but get nervous. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Hurry up and go in. Otherwise I¡¯ll kick you inside. ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡­ Hm?¡± Ignoring her violent remarks, something she said caught my attention. ¡°Surfania, are you noting in with me?¡± ¡°What? You want me to go in with you?¡± I was under the impression that we were going in together, but Surfania looks surprised. ¡°I know better than to spoil the mood, you know? And just the idea of seeing you cry in tears while being reprimanded¡­¡­ Well I guess it¡¯s a fine opportunity for me to intrude.¡± ¡°Stop right there.¡± More unnecessary remarks. She¡¯s hopelessly rude. I was about to tell her to stay where she is as she had originally nned, but she seems to have understood my intention. She takes a step forward. ¡°No way. Now that it¡¯se to this, no matter what¨C¡± ¡°Leon, stop her.¡± ¡°Aight.¡± ¡°Wha-?! You traitor! Let go of me, Leon!¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not spoil the mood. You won¡¯t make new friends if you keep going on like that. Control your desires a little more. You like to hurl abuse at the slightest incident. That¡¯s why ordinary people stay away from you.¡± ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Leon holds Surfania back just as she suddenly starts getting excited. I take a deep breath and let it out as I knock on the door. It¡¯s alright. Mariwa may be a demon, but she¡¯s a reasonable one. So I should be able to salvage the situation if Ie up with an excuse. I just have to prove the validity of my reason for being a delinquent since enrolling in the Academy. Telling that to myself, I enter the room. It feels like I¡¯m a condemned criminal walking up to the gallows on my own free will. ¡°I-I¡¯ming in.¡± I enter the room where Mariwa is in. She was probably there when I knocked earlier. She stands up from the sofa and gives me a graceful bow. ¡°Good day to you, Miss Noir.¡± She straightens her back as if she¡¯s d to see me. Even though we¡¯ve known each other for so long, she¡¯s still speaking so formally with me. I feel lost because of the unexpected greeting. It was as if she was greeting a stranger. That¡¯s only natural. Mariwa is no longer my private tutor. From her point of view, it¡¯s only natural for her to treat me with respect. That said, I still didn¡¯t expect her to behave this way. ¡°It has been some time. Is something wrong? Or did you need something, perhaps?¡± Mariwa asks me as I¡¯m standing speechless. Another unexpected response. It¡¯s like she¡¯s greeting a customer. I wonder if something is rted to her current attitude. Maybe Surfania said something to Mariwa. ¡°Um, did Surfania say anything to you?¡± ¡°No, she has not. Miss Calibrachoa merely invited me to be the judge of the debate, that is all.¡± So she hasn¡¯t said anything. To a certain degree, I was convinced that was what happened, but what Mariwa told me blew all my expectations away. ¡°I have fulfilled my role as the judge for the debate, so it is time I should be going home. I was just thinking about proceeding with the formalities to take my leave from the office¨C¡± ¡°W-wait a minute!¡± I¡¯m still confused because I thought Mariwa and Surfania spoke to each other prior to this. I call for her to stop in order to calm myself down. If Surfania said nothing to Mariwa, then why the hell did she drag me here? I feel like crying right now. ¡°What is wrong, Miss Noir? My deepest apologies, but I am a busy person, you know. Would you care to tell me what it is you wish?¡± ¡°Oh, well, um¡­¡­¡± With my thoughts all jumbled up, all I could do was lower my head. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± In response to my abrupt and awkward apology, Mariwa tilts her head slightly. ¡°Why are you apologizing all of a sudden? You may be a student, but someone of your status should not be lowering your head as you please.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean¡­¡­¡± Confused by her question, I look within myself ande to a sudden realization. Why indeed? What exactly am I apologizing about? There are a few superficial things I should apologize about, but most of all, it¡¯s my udylike behavior in the Academy since I enrolled. I¡¯ve soiled Mariwa¡¯s teachings and failed her as a student. But even before that, I¡¯ve always felt like I could never look her straight in the face, that I¡¯ve felt guilty about something. Why is that? ¡°W-well¡­¡­¡± Most likely¡­ I think I¡¯ve found the reason. I¡¯ve always been deceiving myself. Because of that, I clung to Mariwa¡¯s words. It¡¯s because I want to believe that I can definitely save Michelie. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. For many things.¡± I can¡¯t express it well in words. I¡¯m not a person who believes that fate is something that has already been determined, yet I convinced myself otherwise. I have no excuse whatsoever for changing my beliefs and cking off in my efforts. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t help but say such vague words. She¡¯s going to hit me. She¡¯s going to get angry over my immaturity because I¡¯ve defied her teachingspletely. Surfania was right when she said I haven¡¯t matured at all. Having relied on Destiny to guide me to Michelie¡¯s future, I¡¯m probably no different from the Christina in my past life. I hear her sighing. Just as she sighed, I could feel her mood changing. ¡°Please, calm down.¡± She ces her palms, which I have feared all my life, on my head. It¡¯s been so long since Mariwast patted my head. The palms seem to be smaller than it was long ago. Now I wonder if she wasn¡¯t using all her strength to discipline me. But now I can feel the warmth. I look up and make eye contact with her without having to go above eye level. I noticed that we¡¯re looking at each other straight in the eyes. For the first time, I realized how much I¡¯ve grown. ¡°I think I know why you are apologizing. However, there is no need for an apology at all. It was most likely my fault.¡± Her hands really are warm. Even though they¡¯re a little dry and clumsy, it¡¯s enough to make me cry. I look down to hold back the tears from overflowing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­¡± ¡°Like I said, there is no need to apologize. Even then, you were still a little brat.¡± Her evaluation of me is a little unbelievable for a person of noble status. ¡°¡­¡­Did you just call me a little brat?¡± ¡°Yes, that I did.¡± My tears dried up from her immediate affirmation. ¡°And even now, you still are an impertinent little brat. ¡°I see. Is that really what I am?¡± ¡°Yes. That is what you are.¡± She¡¯s affirming herself again. ¡°And I was a fool as well for making a slip of the tongue. When I heard your pet theory at the debate, I had to refrain from hitting you in front of the public.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°No, I will now.¡± It was probably no more than a joke, but it was scary nheless. ¡°I suppose you are already regretting your current situation. And so, I will not tell you what you should do. It would be unbing for me to ingrain reason and logic to a carefree one such as you.¡± She adds that she¡¯s failed in doing that in the past. ¡°However, allow me to say this one thing.¡± Mariwa brings my head to her chest as if consoling a young child. I close my eyes and put up no resistance. Her warmth and heartbeat feel so pleasant. I feel secure. ¡°I like you the way you are when you act as you please, without a script.¡± Tears are blurring my vision just slightly. I feel no remorse or guilt, only overwhelming happiness. ¡°Hey, Mariwa.¡± ¡°What is it, Chris?¡± This will most likely be the only time. She called me Chris. ¡°I¡¯ve done horrible things to Michelie.¡± ¡°You have, haven¡¯t you? Shall we go to herter, where you can offer your apologies?¡± ¡°I wonder if she¡¯ll forgive such a useless sister like me.¡± ¡°Your worries are unfounded.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I wonder if I can redo the future.¡± ¡°But of course.¡± She listens to my regrets and reassures me. ¡°Everyone fails once or twice. We do not know what will happen in the next second, but a day must mean much more to you than a month means to me. And you have three hundred and sixty-five of those days in a year. What do you have to fear?¡± I wonder why her words resound so well within me. ¡°Mariwa.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is it okay for me to be myself?¡± ¡°Please do not be mistaken. You are you, no matter what happens.¡± Hearing her reassure me fills me with confidence, and my face turns into a smile. We break off from our embrace and look straight at each other again. ¡°Thank you, Mariwa.¡± As if thanking her with a broad smile is a rare asion, Mariwa smiles slightly herself. ¡°You are very wee, mdy.¡± Her smile seems to widen a little as she says it. Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Mariwa helped me, if only a little. She epted me even though I was pathetic and lost my way. Where I was hopeless and stuck, she filled me with confidence and courage. She kindly provided guidance when it seemed like I would be shattered to my core if I stopped and hesitated. And she gave me a single piece of advice on what to do. She said that I should see Michelie. I can¡¯t argue against her advice, and I don¡¯t feel like protesting now. Mariwa even said that she was going to assist me in any way she can. Nothing can be more reassuring than that. After I smiled and thanked her, she gave a strong nod and went home. She went straight home. It was a little cold of her. I was going to see Michelie, so it would¡¯ve helped if she came along. Well, it¡¯s not like I really need her there. Patching things up with Michelie is a piece of cake for me. But still, I thought it would¡¯ve been nice of her to see it through with me. That¡¯s within her obligation as my teacher. ¡°Then I guess you don¡¯t really have to go all the way and make it up¨C ouch!¡± Leon jabs Surfania as she was about to say something. We¡¯re on our way back from the reception room to the dormitories. I should make hay while the sun shines. Better being rough and ready than slow and borate. I¡¯m a genius so I figured I should go and apologize to Michelie right away. ¡°What was that for, Leon?¡± ¡°That was me telling you to stop joking.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I wasn¡¯t trying to make a joke.¡± Surfania pouts at Leon, who¡¯s admonishing her. It¡¯s good that Leon is finally standing his ground against Surfania. I¡¯ll stop calling him a worthless fool. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Leon. I¡¯m not one to be deceived by Surfania¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Really? Normally you would helplessly listen to Surfania, and by now you would being up with excuses not to see Michelie.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself,moner.¡± Leon shrugs his shoulders as I re at him. Whether she¡¯s trying to divert my attention or ease the tension, I won¡¯t be swayed by her jokes. There¡¯s no way a genius like me would run away in the face of any difficulty. Also, Mariwa told me that I didn¡¯t have to beat around the bush. She cheered me on, saying that as long as I apologized to Michelie, everything would be resolved. So it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m going to Michelie¡¯s room to make it happen. Or so I thought, until I suddenly realized that I don¡¯t know where her room is. ¡°Come to think of it, where exactly is Michelie¡¯s room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just next door.¡± ¡°Next to your room, Surfania?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She looks at me like I¡¯m an idiot. ¡°Hey, stop being so rude.¡± ¡°Impossible. It¡¯s your fault for being an idiot.¡± She adds insult to injury before telling me where Michelie¡¯s room is. ¡°The wicked girl¡¯s room is next to yours.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, you know.¡± The moment I bow my head in apology, Michelie forgives me without a second thought. All three of us entered her room, havinge straight from talking with Mariwa. Michelie didn¡¯t look confused at my sudden visit. She let me in right away and epted my apology. That was a disappointing turn of events, considering the fact that I was prepared to get on my knees. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me about the details?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± I look up slightly to see Michelie stroking her chin in thought. She may have forgiven my foolishness just because she¡¯s so pure and kind at heart, but that won¡¯t work for me. I want her to judge me for my actions. It¡¯s my own selfishness at work, but I can¡¯t forgive myself so easily. Instead, Michelie looks straight at Surfania. ¡°I mean, I already know that Miss Surfania is trying to hide her smile half the time because of her harassment towards you, and that she called Miss Mariwa here to try to do something to you¨C¡± ¡°Hey, stop, Surfania! Don¡¯t hit her! Violence won¡¯t solve anything!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stop me, Leon. This wicked girl is an exception. She must receive divine punishment!¡± Surfania is having a sudden outburst. So she had already figured everything out. Michelie continues on, ignoring Surfania, who¡¯s getting rowdy, and Leon, who¡¯s holding her back by the neck. ¡°When I finally got the chance to see you in the dining hall, I knew that you were trying to be the way you were as before. And I also know why you tried to cast me away on that day, so I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You found out.¡± ¡°Yeah, I knew. I knew about my real mother, and what my father tried to do with me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± She saw through my every intention. This world really is different from Labyrinth Destiny. In Labyrinth Destiny, Michelie never knew her background until the end of the game. The sister I thought I knew has grown to be so much more strong-minded than I expected. ¡°I¡¯ve be stronger. Thanks to Miss Tote, I¡¯ve be almost as strong as you. I¡¯m no longer the younger sister who always needed help from my big sister.¡± I know for a fact that she¡¯s be stronger. She beat me fair and square at the debate. I can¡¯t imagine how much effort she put in to that end. ¡°You can¡¯t go sacrificing yourself. I¡¯ll never let you be unhappy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve worked hard. I just want you to understand that, so ept me wholeheartedly without causing any more misunderstandings. Otherwise, I won¡¯t forgive you no matter how many times you apologize.¡± Michelie is showing me not only her adorable side, but also the strength of her own will. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone call me a ¡®poor little girl¡¯, ever.¡± I¡¯m proud that she has something to stand for. She has a firm belief. That¡¯s one thing she won¡¯t allow. Michelie¡¯s resolute and firm attitude is nobility in and of itself. ¡°I understand. Michelie, you¡¯re an awesome girl.¡± I really think so, from the bottom of my heart. I¡¯ve done horrible things to Michelie. And she has ovee that. I surrendered to fate, whereas she carved her own path. And she has bested me. There¡¯s no way I can see her as a ¡®poor little girl¡¯ any longer. Michelie is strikingly strong now. ¡°I¡¯ve been a useless sister. Is that fine with you?¡± ¡°Even though we¡¯re the Best Sisters?¡± I see. In the end, that was it. I finally understand as she grasps my hand firmly with a bright smile. I understand my own foolishness and stupidity, and why Destiny was crushed to bits. It never stood a chance. It had nothing to do with my genius, or my knowledge of fate. There is no older sister who can beat such an adorable younger sister. ¡°Hey, Michelie.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, big sister?¡± I can¡¯t erase my sins. I¡¯ve definitely hurt Michelie through my actions. Michelie forgave me because she¡¯s kind, but I want to atone for what I¡¯ve done. It¡¯s my selfishness at work, but I want her to say something. ¡°Please scold your useless sister.¡± ¡°No way. But if you really wanna make it up to me, there is one thing you can do.¡± ¡°Okay. Tell me. I¡¯ll do anything.¡± The angel smiles as she tly rejects my request. And she has a request of her own. Anything is fine. As I wait for her to state her request, she sticks her head out to me. ¡°Praise me, again and again.¡± That¡¯s an unexpected request. ¡°¡­¡­Is that all you want?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want.¡± I¡¯m confused by such a vague and abstract request. She answers with a smile of an angel. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. That was where I started from.¡± It was the first time we met. I praised her wholeheartedly when she was so fragile and vulnerable. Michelie is telling me we can start again from there. Perhaps Destiny faded into thin air at that point. ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± The tension disappears, and my strength with it. As I let myself go, Michelie embraces me, and smoothly puts my head on herp. For some reason, it seemed natural. And naturally, herp feels the mostfortable to me. ¡°Michelie, you¡¯re the cutest in the whole wide world.¡± ¡°Ehehe.¡± Praising Michelie is a simple task. I can praise her endlessly. It¡¯s just like breathing. Michelie breaks into a smile and strokes my hair gently. ¡°Big sister¡­¡­ You¡¯re just a littleme, but you¡¯re the coolest in the world.¡± ¡°I see. I love you, Michelie. You¡¯re adorable and strong.¡± ¡°I love my cool big sister, but honestly, I kinda like it when she¡¯sme too.¡± Thus, we restored our sisterly bond. We¡¯re the Best Sisters. ¡°Leon, let¡¯s leave right now. It¡¯s so disgusting I feel like throwing up.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t stand this either. Let¡¯s go.¡± Now that I think about it, Leon and Surfania were in the same room. They turned around and left, but it didn¡¯t matter if they were there or not. It felt the same to me. Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Michelie and I made up. Well, I was the one avoiding Michelie in the first ce. It¡¯s not like we were really quarrelling. But the fact remains that I could have spent that amount of time with Michelie, but wasted it because of my foolishness. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to host a reconciliation party for me and Michelie. ¡°Are you stupid or an idiot?¡± My guest Surfania said something, but it doesn¡¯t hurt, or even itch. This is the happiest moment for me in the past few years. Having set up a happiness barrier with my sister as the ingredient, I won¡¯t be affected by any insult. I called it a party, but strictly speaking, it¡¯s more like a tea party. But I felt like calling it a party anyway. In other words, it¡¯s party time to me. I wanna go all out! The venue of the party is my room. The only ones I¡¯ve invited are my close friends and acquaintances. Surfania and Leon are the ones I¡¯ve had a long acquaintance with. I¡¯ve invited my sidekicks, Rona and Catalina as well. I wanted to invite Mariwa too, but I couldn¡¯t help it. Even if I had invited her, I¡¯m sure she definitely wouldn¡¯te. It¡¯s really small for a party. But that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s the first step in showing that Michelie and I have established our bond as the Best Sisters. I no longer have to hide the fact that I absolutely love my most adorable Michelie. The first ones I¡¯m telling are Rona and Catalina, and from there, it¡¯ll be the entire Academy. Rona and Catalina¡¯s loose tongues will surely help spread the news. The ability to gather such talented people around me is definitely one of my strengths. ¡°¡­¡­Argh. Michelie took the position of younger sister in the end.¡± By the way, what is Freesia doing here? The maid prepared some tea snacks, and is eating them in my room with a sulky face. For some reason, the girl with golden rolls for her hair is here too. She¡¯s already a strange creature, but her presence adds ayer of mystery. I never invited her here. Perhaps sensing my confusion, Michelie chimes in. ¡°Oh, sorry, big sister. I¡¯m the one who invited Freesia. She¡¯s an old friend of mine.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s fine then.¡± Of course, the Prince isn¡¯t here. I don¡¯t want to bow down to him, and I have nothing to apologize for anyway. It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m the genius Christina Noir. Now that I have no reason to help him through his romance, he¡¯s just an insect trying to crawl his way to my sister. ¡°But it looks like everyone¡¯s here. They¡¯re all here because they love you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s something to be grateful for.¡± Since enrolling into the Academy, I¡¯ve been behaving as I please, and tried to destroy myself. Even then, there are people who are still willing to stand by me. I¡¯m cherishing this moment in a different perspective. But there¡¯s someone whom I¡¯ve invited but isn¡¯t here. That person is Charles. ¡°¡­¡­So you couldn¡¯t contact Charles at all?¡± ¡°Yeah. I haven¡¯t been in contact with him since we parted ways because of our differences.¡± Michelie answers with her eyes cast downward. ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± I sent him an invitation, and even asked Michelie to tell him just in case, but never got a response. Charles is the only person I can¡¯t predict. He affirmed his love back in the courtyard in the Academy, and yet he hasn¡¯t taken any steps to approach me yet. I wouldn¡¯t mind if he came in acting all conceited right now. Also, what does she mean, they parted ways because of their differences? I know they worked together for a while in order to mend the fence with me, but I don¡¯t really know why their cooperation fell apart. ¡°Well, let¡¯s forget about Charles for now. Here, big sister. Open wide.¡± ¡°Ahh-¡± As if seeing my face bing gloomy, she picked the best timing and gives me a slice of the party cake. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve eaten deliciously enchanted food. I sense Rona and Catalina staring at me somehow, but I eat it slowly without giving them much heed. ¡°Ehehe. Is it tasty, big sister?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s tasty! Here, you too, Michelie¨C¡± ¡°Lady Chris! Let me have some of your blessing too!¡± ¡°Here you go-¡± ¡°Here Ie!¡± Freesia ruins the mood by impertinently cutting in on our sisterly exchange. I throw a wrapped bone in her direction, and she chases after it happily as I expected. What is she, a dog? ¡°Freesia is a fun girl.¡± ¡°Yeah, she really is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­She¡¯s cute, right?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± I look around me while discussing Freesia with Michelie. Part of this reconciliation party is also an opportunity for my acquaintances to get to know one another. Surfania and Leon in particr have never interacted with my sidekicks. I¡¯m sure there were strange rumors and misunderstandings, so I created this opportunity for them. But it seems like Surfania isn¡¯t talking to anyone besides me. I broke the ice by asking her how she¡¯s doing, and with the help of Leon and the talkative Catalina, we managed to strike a good conversation. ¡°Now then, I¡¯m sorry to cut the conversation even though it¡¯s getting deep, but I wish to go into the main event.¡± Everyone was warming up to one another, but they gather their attention on me. ¡°The reason I have gathered everyone here is-¡± ¡°To show off your sister!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My sister is the best!¡± Surfania tried to pour cold water on my speech, but she¡¯s not wrong. I do want to proudly show off Michelie. I will no longer hesitate to announce that my sister is the best in the world. And so I raise my voice. ¡°And that¡¯s the sister I want to save.¡± I¡¯m announcing my intentions to all the people I know here, to my friends and acquaintances. ¡°You see, my sister was born somewhat special. Because of that, the despicable, cowardly, cold-blooded father of mine, Duke Noir, is about to send her somewhere far away. I want to do something about it, but I can¡¯t do it alone. That¡¯s why I need your strength and wits.¡± I emphasized my fair evaluation of my father. My father may seem to be doing moderately well in society, but he¡¯s a cold-blooded man for neglecting his daughter. I want to work together with everyone in order to overthrow the evil member of nobility that is my father. ¡°The issue isplicated, and in order to truly save Michelie, we will have to ovee many obstacles. We will need to put our mind and body into solving thisplex problem. You will be rewarded. I will give you everything I have. So I would be d to have your assistance.¡± I look sideways at Michelie, then lower my head. I have the power and position to order people around. I am of the highest status in nobility in this room after all. But I thought it was natural to lower my head as a friend asking for help. ¡°I, too, ask it of you. Not for my own sake, but for my sister¡¯s.¡± Michelie lowers her head as well. Surfania is the first to speak. ¡°¡­¡­Leaving the reasons aside, this is a serious requesting from Chris. All right, I shall y along.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all students of Miss Mariwa. I¡¯ll help too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stand by your side too, but¡­¡­ Catalina, what¡¯s with that creepy smile? Are you plotting something wicked?¡± ¡°Hehehehe¨C heh? No way, Lady Rona. I was just thinking how nice it is for you to follow Lady Chris of your own ord.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know the situation, but I shall do as Lady Chrismands!¡± She¡¯s the only one who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Leaving that aside, Michelie and I look at each other with a smile as everyone agrees to join our cause. They truly are good friends. I¡¯m really grateful. Just as I¡¯m about to thank them formally, the door opens. We turn around to see who it was. Michelie¡¯s face freezes, and I¡¯m standing here dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯ll help too, Chris.¡± It was Charles who opened the door. Chapter 113

Chapter 113

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- I¡¯m still stunned by Charles¡¯s sudden appearance. Michelie is the first to revert to normal. Her gaze follows Charles as he enters, and she seems to be mumbling uncontrobly. ¡°¡­¡­Why is Charles here?¡± ¡°Too bad you couldn¡¯t stop him.¡± Surfania retorts against Michelie. ¡°¡­¡­Tch! Why¨C¡± ¡°Why, you say? In case you haven¡¯t noticed, I really hate your guts.¡± Michelie snaps her head up, and Surfania mocks her abusively. ¡°Just about the time you parted ways with Prince Charles over such a ridiculous reason, I¡¯ve been working together with him. He told me just how much you hated his ns.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Tch.¡± Come to think of it, I saw Surfania¡¯s writing in Charles¡¯s book when I took a nce at it. Michelie bes silent and approaches Catalina, dragging her into the corner of the room. I can hear them whispering something like ¡°The debt for sheltering you¨C¡± and ¡°No, I¡¯m certain I stopped him¨C¡± but I don¡¯t know what exactly they¡¯re saying. In fact, my brain is still frozen from Charles showing up. I was caughtpletely by surprise. Surfania pushes my back. ¡°Come on, hurry up.¡± I take a couple of steps forward while staggering. Even though I¡¯m a genius, there are only three people I can¡¯t beat. The first is the scary but absolutely trustworthy Mariwa. The second is my beloved sister Michelie. And thest is none other than Charles. ¡°It¡¯s been a¡­ short while, Chris.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Charles is smiling happily in front of me. It hasn¡¯t even been a month since Charles dered the fact that his feelings haven¡¯t changed. So it really hasn¡¯t been that long. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear your speech, but I know roughly what it is you¡¯re trying to do. The first thing is overthrowing Duke Noir, right?¡± ¡°Y-yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± It¡¯s imperative that we take Father down in order to avoid having Michelie sent to a convent. But we don¡¯t have a good reason or cause to stand against Father. It¡¯s not limited to political strife. People won¡¯t rally without a just cause. Without that, it wouldn¡¯t matter despite all the charisma I possess. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens to Michelie, but I¡¯ll help you for your sake.¡± He¡¯s brutally honest. He hasn¡¯t changed in that aspect. But he¡¯s really matured in many ways. Even though he just barged in halfway, he knows what I want and takes the initiative in saying it. And he probably intends to help me either way. ¡°I have a solution for that.¡± Charles announces his n with a smile. ¡°Marry me, Chris.¡± For a moment, I couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying. It seemed to have nothing to do with the problem, and I didn¡¯t understand what he meant. But as I came to an understanding, my cheeks flushed red. ¡°Scheming prince, I¡¯ll kill¨C¡± ¡°M-Michelie, what are you doing?! And what did you just say?! You¡¯re in the presence of royalty, you know?!¡± ¡°Let go of me, Freesia. I have to destroy this scheming prince right here and now! It¡¯s my duty as a younger sister, and I¡¯ll do it!¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Freesia is restraining Michelie. My sister is usually reasonable and wise, but now it¡¯s taking Freesia, who has the least amount ofmon sense, to hold her back. The corner of the room is getting rowdy, but Charlespletely ignores it and continues speaking. ¡°The first thing that¡¯s obstructing your n is its validity itself.¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± He¡¯s absolutely right. I just insulted Father horribly, but in reality, the general opinion of him within high society isn¡¯t that bad at all. He¡¯s firmly established himself as the reliable master of the Noir house. It will be difficult to get through that and drag him down from his seat as master of the house. Before that can happen, I have to obtain sufficient authority to tarnish his reputation. Charles is already providing that means through his n. ¡°If you marry me, you will earn the title of Duchess. In the first ce, our marriage was arranged so that I could inherit the title of Duke Noir.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need that! As long as I announce my own background¨C¡± ¡°Huh? What are you saying? Are you an idiot? Oh, sorry. You already are one.¡± Charles insults Michelie with a broad smile. ¡°Tell me how announcing your stupid background will help. I don¡¯t really get it, so would you mind exining?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯ll help! My mother was a member of royalty!¡± ¡°Heh?! Is that true?!¡± Freesia seems surprised, but everyone else seems to know already. Charles doesn¡¯t back off even after hearing Michelie¡¯s exnation. ¡°Hmm? So? I¡¯m a member of royalty too, you know? And Michelie, you¡¯re about to be sent to a convent, right? Also you would need my brother Endo¡¯s help for your n to work, right?¡± Even if the crown prince were to lend his assistance¡­ There¡¯s still going to be a lot of red tape. ¡°Now that we mentioned him, he isn¡¯t here. Well, it¡¯s better this way.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he being dyed thanks to a certain someone?¡± ¡°Oh, they went there alright¡­¡­. Yup. The only member of royalty who¡¯s on friendly terms with Lady Chris and knows her in the Academy would be Prince Endo.¡± Catalina mumbles in response to Charles. It seems she¡¯s gotten something wrong. I¡¯m not on friendly terms with the prince. In fact, we¡¯re hostile. Leaving that aside, I¡¯m still taken aback by Charles¡¯s sudden proposal. For some reason, I find myself trying to look for an excuse to reject his proposal. ¡°B-but you¡¯re still busy with school, right Charles?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You gotta wait until I graduate! It¡¯s not toote to marry then!¡± Michelie is agreeing with me while grumbling. I wonder why she seems so desperate. Maybe it¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t want her big sister to be taken away from her. I see. You¡¯re so adorable, my sweet little sister. I¡¯ll pat your headter, so just be quiet for now. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll quit.¡± Charles maintains his smile even as he said it so casually. His gentle and serious face is touching my heart. ¡°After Chris graduates, I¡¯ll quit school. And then, I¡¯ll marry her. That¡¯s easy as pie, as long as it¡¯s for Chris.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never allowch!¡± ¡°Shut up for a bit. You there, Chris Number Two, help me stop this evil witch.¡± ¡°U-understood! Michelie, you should calm down¨C¡± ¡°Let go of me, Freesia. Catalina, help me! Now is the time to repay me for sheltering you!¡± ¡°Well, Lady Rona has captured me, so I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Lady Michelie, it is true that we owe you a debt of gratitude, but I cannot stand idly by while you stand in Lady Chris¡¯s way of happiness.¡± ¡°Tch! In that case, make a mess of this ce, Freesia! It¡¯s okay, I know you can do it! You can ruin the mood just by saying something! That¡¯s how much destructive power you have in you! I invited you here just in case something like this happened, you know?!¡± ¡°¨CSo you didn¡¯t invite me out of your good intentions! That¡¯s what I hate about you, Michelie!¡± I¡¯m just a little curious about what¡¯s going on behind me. But I¡¯m not so heartless to turn away from Charles right now. Not when he¡¯s proposing to me. Not when it¡¯s his own free will. He¡¯s proposing not as a fianc¨¦ whose engagement was decided by our parents, but as a man who truly loves me. ¡°I gave Michelie the role of returning you to normal. But I want the role of changing you for the better from this point on. I want to help you, Chris.¡± He¡¯s letting me decide whether to ept or not. He¡¯s giving me that chance. ¡°Uh, um¡­¡­¡± Whether it¡¯s based on my feelings or personal benefit, I have no reason to reject him. On the contrary, I have many reasons to ept. Realizing how red my face is, I reach out slowly. ¡°I-I¡¯m not much good at anything, but please take care of me¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Ahaha, you¡¯re weird, Chris.¡± Charles smiles gently in response to my pathetic consent. ¡°But you¡¯re adorable anyway.¡± His praise somehow eases my tension and embarrassment. I¡¯m fixated on his smile. And my own face naturally breaks into a smile. ¡°I really can¡¯t beat you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been really desperate, you know? ¡­¡­Because I kept losing to a certain persistent nuisance.¡± ¡°Who are you calling a nuis- mmmgh?!¡± Sorry, Michelie. I¡¯ll help you really soon, so just wait for a while. Charles takes my hand and gets on his knees. Then, he gently kisses the back of my hand. I¡¯m trying to endure the tickling sensation. He looks up at me, smiling mischievously. ¡°I¡¯ve been in love with you since the very beginning.¡± ¡°I see. I really like you too.¡± We ended upughing together. Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- I am Christina Noir. I am a genius. With my mother¡¯s blessing, I stood up on my own two feet at the mere age of one. When I was sixteen, I shattered Destiny to pieces through the bond with my beloved sister. And I¡¯ve graduated from the Academy at the age of eighteen. Thus, I¡¯ve formally entered the political realm of high society. I¡¯m in the waiting room at a party. I¡¯m dressed in luxurious clothes, and I¡¯m just a little nervous. I may say that I¡¯m fully prepared to do what I have to, but I know it¡¯ll take more than being prepared. The first step to saving my sister is overthrowing my father. And in order to win her freedom in the true sense, I have to overthrow this society that runs on social status. Even for a genius like me, my enemy is strong and formidable. Even though I have many allies, my opponent seems limitless in strength and number. I hear a voice beside me, without a hint of nervousness. ¡°To think that I would be debuting in high society.¡± Surfania mumbles thoughtfully. Hearing her say so, I begin to rx my shoulders. ¡°¡­¡­Yeah. Since childhood, you¡¯re probably the one who has changed the most.¡± ¡°That may be.¡± She agrees with me, as if realizing how much she has changed. Since we¡¯re both the same age and are members of royalty, we¡¯re in the same waiting room. Or rather, we asked to be in the same room. Surfania is always cutting corners on her appearance, but today she¡¯s dressed wonderfully, and she looks just like a properdy. ¡°Aren¡¯t your sisters happy that you¡¯ve decided to debut in high society?¡± ¡°Be silent. I don¡¯t want to remember the sight of them dancing in joy.¡± ¡°Ahaha. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine that.¡± Her sisters still have a pretty serious sisterplex. Seeing such a gloomy sister walk a decent path in life must have made them so happy. ¡°By the way, why are you helping me, Surfania?¡± I¡¯m referring to my n to save Michelie. Charles is helping me for my sake. Rona is helping me out of pure admiration, and Catalina is probably taking my side mostly to change the social system. As for Leon, well, he¡¯s probably helping for Surfania¡¯s sake. I can tell that Surfania has no interest whatsoever in my ideals and goals. I have to find out what¡¯s driving her. ¡°Is it out of friendship? Are you ying along because we¡¯re best friends? I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Stop saying such stupid and annoying things.¡± Surfania is ruining my joke. ¡°After everything is over, I think I shall make a story out of your chaotic life. I shall then live a peaceful and quiet life on novel royalties. That will be my reward.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Well, if that¡¯s all she wants, then I don¡¯t mind at all. The biography of my greatness will surely make a bestseller, and will most likely be written in history as well. ¡°I¡¯m going to cause a greatmotion that will take years to quell, you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. That in itself is worth writing. And I¡¯ve already decided on the title. ¡®Labyrinth Destiny¡¯. How does that sound?¡± ¡°You have no sense of delicacy at all. Can I burn it?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Surfania screams in my face. I¡¯ve finally found someone who¡¯s harder to deal with than Prince Endo. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s almost time to enter the party. I¡¯ll be going ahead of you, Missus Noir.¡± ¡°S-shut up, Miss Calibrachoa!¡± My face is turning red in response to her teasing. She¡¯s calling me Missus instead of Miss. I don¡¯t have to exin what that means. ¡­¡­I¡¯m too embarrassed to say it. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll see you at the party then. I¡¯m looking forward to your daring deeds.¡± Perhaps having had her satisfaction in teasing me, Surfania looks at me with an abusive smile, then allows her father to escort her out of the waiting room. The room bespletely silent as I see her off. A thoughtes to my mind, and I blurt it out. ¡°¡­¡­Now that I think about it, Mariwa is always going to be Miss Tote, huh.¡± ¡°Do you want me to make you silent?¡± I was caught by surprise. I look outside to see who it is. ¡°Y-you¡¯re here, Mariwa.¡± ¡°Yes. I am here to apany you and your friends today, after all.¡± It¡¯s Mariwa Tote. Her eyes are as sharp as a hawk¡¯s. She¡¯s not wearing a fancy dress, but her clothes still make her look surprisingly graceful and elegant. In order to show my resolution to overthrow my father, I asked Mariwa to apany us for our formal debut in high society. I told Father not toe with me, and he looked rather depressed. I honestly wish he would rx. I¡¯m about to make him suffer from now on, but as a present, I also intend to let him live a peaceful and quiet life as soon as possible. ¡°Thanks for epting my request to apany us. ¡­¡­But is it really okay?¡± It was a struggle before I was born. When Mariwa was with Princess Evelia, she didn¡¯t show herself in public. Mariwa nods without a second thought, as if she fully understood my doubts. ¡°I do not mind. I do not intend to fail again, and I have nothing else to lose now.¡± If she says so, then all the better. I possess the same overwhelming poprity as thete princess, who lived in the previous generation. Even though Mariwa is of that same generation, she will be of help to us through her connections. That¡¯s very reassuring. Mariwa escorts me out of the waiting room and apanies me to the party. My body is trembling, not out of nervousness or fear, but out of excitement. The struggle that awaits me is probably going to cause the greatestmotion in my life. In order to free Michelie from the shackles of a hierarchical society, I¡¯m going to destroy the institution of nobility itself. All in all, I¡¯m a person who likes to stand out. And my sense of purposees from facing and oveing difficulties. I never thought that such a wonderful public stage awaited my beyond my past life in Labyrinth Destiny, from which I have broken free. ¡°Now then, Lady Chris.¡± ¡°Stop calling me Lady, Mariwa. I¡¯m not a child anymore.¡± ¡°My apologies, Missus Noir.¡± My cheeks are flushed red, and I¡¯m frowning. It¡¯s my first step in my debut in high society, and my battle against the governing system. My heart is pounding in expectation and preparation for the long, distant battle ahead of me beyond that door. Mariwa looks at me in a final confirmation. ¡°No hesitation.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°And you will not fear whether who likes or dislikes you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And whomever you may hurt, you will not recoil from the pain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fully prepared.¡± ¡°And¡­¡­ you will not go off somewhere far away, all alone?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I won¡¯t!¡± I¡¯m staring straight into Mariwa¡¯s brown eyes. Knowing that I won¡¯t waver from now on, I affirm all of Mariwa¡¯s questions. Finally, Mariwa nods. ¡°In that case, let us go.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± That¡¯s right. This country will know my name. This body is a parting gift from my mother from childbirth, and Mariwa has raised me well. I will devote myself to my sister, the heroine. But in this story, I am not the viiness. I open the door to the elegant gathering ofdies and gentlemen, the door to my battlefield. Everything is unknown from this point on, but I know I will enjoy it rather than fear it. A world where everything is predetermined is such a fragile one. In this unscripted world, Mariwa tells me the role that is more fitting for me. ¡°From here on, you are the main character.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I proudly ept my role. ¡°I am Christina Noir.¡± That¡¯s my greeting as I enter. I haven¡¯t forgotten the manners and etiquette I have perfected so well, but I¡¯m trying to break the tradition and charm everyone by acting like myself. Everyone is staring at me dumbfounded. I raise my voice in order to publicly announce my intention to start a revolution. ¡°I am the main character who loves my sister the heroine, and I am a genius!¡± The world in which I am the main character has just begun. Extra : Happy Days

Extra Chapter: Happy Days

Trantor: Cyrus --------------------------------------------------------------- Mncholy filled the air in one of the rooms of the Noir mansion. For better or worse, the Noir mansion was always filled with life and joy due to the presence of the energetic mistress of the house. However, a feeling of overwhelming weariness took over the living room. There were two people there. One of them was Michelie Noir. It was a few short years after she had graduated from the Academy. Almost at the age of twenty, she was still ady squatting in the Noir mansion. She would most likely spend the rest of her life there. As long as her sister was there, she would stay rooted at home, and she made sure it happened at any costs. The worsening of her sisterplex was no longer reversible, but they still lived happily together, so it wasn¡¯t much of a problem. The other person was Charles Noir, the spouse of Chris, who was mistress of the house. With their rtionship as stepsiblings unknown to most, Michelie and Charles were very much alike. Not only in semnce, but in terms of character as well. Thus, they didn¡¯t get along at all. And yet these two sworn enemies were spending time together. At the current moment, Chris was out running errands, which were spread over the course of three days. The moment Chris left the house, a fierce battle broke out between them, causing an overwhelming amount of trouble for the servants. Their fightsted for about two days, until they ran out of breath. They were fighting over the same reason. ¡°Big sister¡­ isn¡¯t here¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, she isn¡¯t¡­¡­¡± Precisely because they both loved Chris and werepeting with each other, the fact that Chris wasn¡¯t there made them lose their will and determination. Thus, they ran out of energy, and were lounging about listlessly. It was supposed to be the day of Chris¡¯s return. They were on standby in the living room with the front door of the mansion in sight, waiting to wee her home. Their thought process was basically the same. They looked at each other, consumed by lethargy and weariness. While drinking a cup of ck tea, Michelie thought: I wonder if I¡¯ll hit Charles if I throw this te like a saucer. Charles thought: If she throws that te at me, I¡¯ll hit her face with this half eaten cake. Their thoughts remained exactly the same from when they were five years old. As they came up with such helpless thoughts in such a helpless mood, they heard the front door opening. Chris was home. Their expression changed. They became so cheerful that one would find it difficult to believe they had been so helpless. Charles was the first to stand up. In terms of physical capability, Charles was no doubt the better. Even if they became old and started from the end of the hallway, Charles would probably still be first. Of course, Michelie would never allow that. ¡°Oops, my hand slipped.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Michelie said monotonously while dragging the carpet at her foot with full force. Charles fell forward. Serves you right. Michelie¡¯s face was filled with glee as she ran past Charles, who tumbled pathetically. She would perform her duty as a sister in weing Chris home. However, Charles was no ordinary person. Rather than being the only one to fall, he dragged Michelie down with him by pulling on her skirt. ¡°Wha-?!¡± This was the perfect example of a situation in which they could hardly bother maintaining their own appearances. As a result, they fell on each other splendidly. ¡°¡­¡­What are you doing? Are you such a child to grab ady¡¯s skirt?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it because a certain someone caused me to lose my footing.¡± Of course, there were no indecent intentions between the two of them. Michelie, who ended up on top of Charles like he was riding a horse, thought that it was the perfect chance to take a mounted position and hit him. However, she also considered the possibility that Chris woulde in and see her hitting Charles, so she hesitated. It was the same for Charles, who simply wanted her to get off because she was heavy. ¡°You two! Your mistress Christina Noir is ho-¡± The beautiful woman with ck hair swung the door to the living room open. Her eyes were sparkling with energy and generosity. It was as if anyone who looked into them would be filled with the same energy. Above all, her smile was most charming. It was a priceless smile of intelligence and purity. That smile stiffened as she saw Michelie on top of Charles in the living room. ¡°Big sister, this isn¡¯t what you th¨C¡± Just as she tried to exin the situation, it dawned upon her and Charles that it looked like they were having an affair. They became silent. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chris closed the door while maintaining her stiff smile. ¡°-!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Michelie suddenly stood up, kicking Charles in the stomach. Ignoring his cries of pain, she ran down the corridor to chase after her sister. ¡°Big sister! I said it¡¯s not¨C She¡¯s gone?!¡± Despite her upbringing as herdy, Chris was also a physical brute. She had disappeared from the mansion in a sh. ________________________________________ On that day, Surfania Calibrachoa was surprised to see thedy dash into her room. ¡°¨CThen, Michelie and Charles were¡­ there¡­ hug¡­ hugging each other¡­¡­!¡± Her old friend Chris was talking almost intelligibly, looking as if she was about to cry. She sobbed and choked on her words, but Surfania was able to deduce from her minced words that Charles and Michelie were having an affair. Even for her, it was difficult to imagine such a situation. ¡°Huh, I see.¡± ¡°*sniffle*¡­¡­¡± They were the least likely pair in the world. Even if they were thest remaining humans, they would most likely kill each other first. In fact, they would be the most likely cause for the extinction of the human race. In which case, it would no doubt be caused by a war over Chris. Thus, Surfania had only one thing to say. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. They probably tripped over each other, ended up in that mounted position, and were just about to hit each other, no?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Even though that was roughly what happened, Chris refused to admit that Michelie and Charles ¨C especially Michelie ¨C would do such a thing. Chris¡¯s judgment had always been clouded because she thought too highly of Michelie. ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s talk about more serious things. What should I do now?!¡± ¡°I think everything will be over once you go straight home and say ¡®I¡¯m home¡¯.¡± ¡°I said I was being serious, right?!¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, Chris.¡± For once, Surfania had been listening and giving her advice in all seriousness. She apologized coolly. ¡°I have ns to see a y with Leon today. I don¡¯t have time to y along with any more of your nonsense.¡± ¡°You traitor!!!¡± Chris grabbed Surfania¡¯s shoulder and stopped her just as she was about to leave. ¡°Why are you so unreliable as a friend?! Leave that worthless Leon aside! Take me more seriously! I¡¯m the one thinking normally, so I¡¯m more important, right?!¡± ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t have time to y along with a worthlessdy, and I never thought the day woulde when you would think of me as unreliable as a friend.¡± ¡°Why are you saying this?! There¡¯s no one who takes friendship more seriously than I do!¡± Surfania frowned at her confident words. She posed a question to Chris. ¡°Whose situation would you prioritize? Mine, or that wicked sister of yours?¡± ¡°Michelie¡¯s, obviously!¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± Surfania had seriously thought about canceling her ns and apologizing to Leon depending on her response, but she squinted at Chris in displeasure and tly said goodbye. It felt just like a girl breaking up with her useless boyfriend. ¡°Hey! Y-you¡¯re seriously leaving?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Oh, hurry home after I leave. It¡¯ll be a problem if you remain here. ¡­¡­Oh, Chris. Allow me to say a word of thanks.¡± She turned around, gorgeously showing her cold looks to Chris. ¡°This will make a good conversation topic between me and Leon. Thank you.¡± The look in Surfania¡¯s eyes seemed the most pleasant recently. ________________________________________ Michelie and Charles remained in the Noir mansion. They were ying a board game. ¡°Where did Chris go?¡± ¡°Miss Surfania¡¯s ce.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll probably chase her back here.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡± Since Chris had left, they decided and acted swiftly. After Chris had ran off so quickly that she couldn¡¯t be stopped, they deduced that she had gone to Surfania¡¯s house, where Surfania would chase her out while acting nonchntly. Thus, they waited in the mansion for her return. They would rather see the world end than have an affair. They agreed that they should clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible, and finished the conversation in just a few words. And thus, they were having a match over a certain bet. ¡°Win or lose, no hard feelings.¡± ¡°Of course. Well, I¡¯m not going to lose.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± They were frighteningly agreeable only in times like these. One of them would definitely stab and kick the other in the back halfway, but that was a different matter. In any case, their thought process was exactly the same. They were moving their pawns while making their conversation as short as she could. Michelie had self-confidence when it came to this board game. It was Chris¡¯s favorite game after all. She had learned how to y from Mariwa¡¯s lessons, and was almost on Chris¡¯s level. Also, she knew Charles¡¯s level of skill. It was just about average. It was an early game with standard moves, but Michelie¡¯s expression changed halfway. Due to Charles¡¯s initiative, the board became perplexing to Michelie, who kept ying without being able to read her opponent¡¯s intentions. The chances looked bad for her. Even as she kept putting up resistance, she was unable to regain her formation, and was checkmated. The winner Charles asked Michelie cheerfully. ¡°So, how many days?¡± ¡°¡­¡­One night.¡± ¡°Are you stupid? One week.¡± ¡°Huh? You kidding? Half a day.¡± ¡°No way. Five days.¡± ¡°Impossible. One day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time to think about how to get along in the world, Michelie. Four days.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Tch. Then, three days.¡± ¡°Fine, three days.¡± Thus, they finally agreed on the number of days in order to solve the problem. ________________________________________ ¡°I- I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°Wee home, Chris.¡± Charles was the one to wee Chris back to her own mansion. Surprised that he was the only one here, Chris took a nce around the area. ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s Michelie?¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hm? I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± She was sure that she had heard him say something, but now wondered if she was mistaken. Still, it was rare to see Charles alone. There were usually more people to greet her when she came home. Charles showed Chris a wide smile. ¡°Michelie has gone to Miss Tote¡¯s ce. I think she¡¯s staying there for three days.¡± ¡°Mariwa¡¯s ce?¡± This was a weird timing. Blinking her eyes, Chris thought about what happened earlier in the day, and began sulking. ¡°H-hey, Charles. Um, how should I say this¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about what happened in the day. It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll exin everything.¡± ¡°I- I see. I¡¯m okay. I knew that such a fate existed¡­¡­ so I understand. When ites to that, be sure to tell me.¡± ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t get it at all. Nothing¡¯s happened. It¡¯s alright. The only wife I love is none other than you, Chris.¡± Chris was being unnecessarily depressed. Charles took her hand to stop her from running away. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll make sure such a misunderstanding never happens again.¡± He kissed her hand without a hint of embarrassment. ¡°We¡¯ll be alone, together, for three days.¡± Charles happily announced the number of days he won from Michelie, causing Chris¡¯s face to tinge red with embarrassment. ________________________________________ Meanwhile, Michelie had reached Mariwa¡¯s house. ¡°What happened all of a sudden? And the reason you came was because you wanted to y board games.¡± ¡°I am so deeply frustrated that I lost to Charles.¡± The sparkle in Michelie¡¯s eyes had gone. When Chris misunderstood the situation, Michelie and Charles yed a match to decide who would get the role of cleaning up the misunderstanding, as well as the privilege of consoling Chris. The condition was that the loser would have to leave the mansion for a while. And she lost. To Charles, of all people. Over Chris, of all things! ¡°I was so sure I would win¡­¡­¡± It was truly regrettable for her. She was the one who had proposed ying the board game in the first ce. Because she had confidence in herself. And Charles had epted. Because he, too, had confidence in himself. Michelie remembered the difference in their abilities when they were students, and clenched her teeth. Did he keep practicing after he graduated from the Academy? Or perhaps¨C there was also the possibility that he had always concealed his abilities since they were children. That he had always deceived everyone and saved his victory for times like these, when it was all or nothing. ¡°It takes days, even months, to improve on the opening moves. You are conceited to think that you could win after not doing your research on your opponent for years. ¡­¡­Well, I shall leave my collection of recorded games with you, so read them as you please.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Michelie couldn¡¯t argue against Mariwa¡¯s sound argument, and took the book in her hands. Having known the reason for Michelie¡¯s visit, Mariwa let out a long sigh. ¡°Sigh. And I had thought that you came here out of consideration for them¡­¡­. In fact, you should move out of the Noir mansion¨C¡± ¡°Aah, I can¡¯t hear you! I can¡¯t hear Miss Mariwa¡¯s voice at all!¡± Michelie covered her ears and protested. Mariwa sighed again as Michelie¡¯s behavior reminded her of her old friend. ________________________________________ It was about ten months and ten days since that day. The heads of the Noir house bore a son. Thus, their sessor became included in those happy days that followed. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!