episode_0020

Ira’s proposal came in with a pre-arranged appointment with Rachel.

If you think about it, it might be right to refuse just because you have a prior commitment, but I couldn’t do that easily.

I’m sorry that I feel sorry for Aira, and I think that this may be an opportunity for the already awkward relationship between the two to worsen even further.

‘Should we just ask the three of us to go out together?’

That thought popped into my head for a moment, but I quickly discarded it.

Since the two didn’t get along well, it didn’t seem like a good picture would be drawn even if the three of them walked around like that. It would be nice if it didn’t get worse.

After thinking about it, I came to a conclusion.

‘Let’s share.’

The Academy’s festival lasts for three days.

Wouldn’t it be nice to spend one day with Rachel and another day with Ira?

Yes, that would be the way to resolve it amicably.

Thinking that way, I brought up the topic when there were three people in the club.

And the reaction of the two.

“… … .”

“… … .”

It was quite subtle.

Although he doesn’t show it on the outside, I should say that I can feel that he doesn’t like my suggestion.

“… all right. If that’s what Wade means, there’s nothing we can do.”

“… Well, then… By doing… … .”

Fortunately, the two of them didn’t seem very reluctant, but in the end, they accepted my offer.

I felt relieved by that fact.

This solved the problem. You won’t have to worry anymore.

That’s what I thought.

It didn’t take long for that thought to change.

“Wade Heblon, what are you planning to do during the festival?”

“… … .”

Estelle suddenly appeared and asked another strange question.

“… Why do you ask that?”

“Why do you think you are asking?”

I tried using Estelle’s frequently used method of speaking back as a question, but even that was answered back as a question.

I enjoy using it, but I don’t suffer from it. I felt it was unfair, but I couldn’t show it outwardly.

Because she is strong and I am weak.

Feeling sadness at human weakness, Nara opened her mouth again.

“I decided to visit the festival with someone I know.”

I don’t know her intentions, but I have a clear schedule.

It was a pre-arranged appointment with Rachel and Ira.

If she had a human heart, she wouldn’t mess with someone she had a good relationship with.

… Honestly, I’m not sure.

“Hmm. is it. That’s a shame.”

‘uh… ?’

Surprisingly, Estelle backed away cleanly.

I was secretly hoping so, but I feel a bit embarrassed that it actually turned out like this.

Because the opponent is none other than Estelle.

He is a person who can force me to cancel my promise or anything else if he wants to, and there is nothing strange about him doing such a thing.

But to retreat so cleanly.

Could it be that she really still has a human heart left in her?

I looked at her with new eyes.

“Why are you looking at me with such surprising eyes?”

“… I have never done that.”

“No. It’s all revealed on your face.”

I tried to feign composure, but Estelle could clearly see it.

This sent a chill down my spine, but Estelle, unexpectedly, didn’t look that upset.

In fact, the smile on his face made him look like he was in a good mood.

‘… ‘It must be an illusion.’

“So, who is the opponent?”

“… Yes?”

“Opponent. You decided to go to the festival together.”

A mischievous smile appeared on Estelle’s face.

“Probably either Eldrid’s daughter or the guardian knight’s daughter, right?”

“… How did you know?”

How does she know that?

Did Rachel or Ira tell someone that they had made an appointment with me, and did it end up in Estelle’s ears?

It’s not strange.

She is probably one of the most powerful people in the academy in terms of intelligence.

“What, it’s a simple guess. If I had to choose a candidate, there would be only those two.”

“Guess? Didn’t you get the information?”

However, she lightly denied my guess.

“There is no way that information would be needed for something like that. Isn’t it obvious? Both of us are anxious because we can’t show it like that.”

“Tea? What are you talking about?”

“… … .”

Estelle looked at me as if I was dumbfounded.

“… Are you sure you don’t know?”

“What do you mean?”

“… Looking at the reaction, it seems like it’s real.”

Estelle placed her hand on her forehead.

“I thought he wasn’t a very perceptive person… I guess my insight isn’t as good as it used to be.”

What on earth are you talking about?

I quietly looked at Estelle with an inexplicable feeling.

“… Well, that’s it. So, which one is it?”

After sighing slightly, Estelle asked again.

“Both.”

“… What?”

“We both promised to look around the festival together.”

“… … .”

Estelle had a rare blank expression on her face.

“… Are you saying the three of us are walking around together?”

“No. We decided to take turns taking turns one day at a time.”

“Huh… … .”

Estelle looked at me as if I was dumbfounded for a moment, then shook her head with a bored look on her face.

“If you look at what a guy without any sense does, he is no different from a player. Should I consider it worth the price? .”

“… … ?”

Today’s Estelle felt like there were a lot of sounds that were difficult to understand.

Estelle, who was shaking her head like that, suddenly stopped.

Then, he smiled as if an interesting idea occurred to him.

“Then there will be one day left.”

“Yes?”

“If you give those two girls one day each, wouldn’t they have one day left? The festival lasts for a total of 3 days.”

“… … .”

no way. Probably not.

no. It must not be.

I looked at Estelle’s mouth with longing.

“Then give that day to me.”

However, my ominous premonition was not wrong.

***

It was late at night, and I left the dormitory for a rare walk and walked aimlessly.

It was because a worry that would not go away had taken root in my mind.

It wasn’t just that the festival schedule had changed.

Of course, it’s more uncomfortable than traveling alone, but it’s still not unbearable.

The main cause of my worries was Estelle, herself.

Estelle von Reinberg.

A villain who appears in the original work.

Until now, I had deliberately avoided her so as not to get involved with her as much as possible.

Because I thought there was nothing good about having a connection.

I thought it would be better to not be interested in this as much as possible and just not pay any attention to it.

And because of that, there is one fact that I had ignored.

That’s the difference between the original Estelle and the current Estelle.

First, personality.

In the original, she is truly a tyrant… No, even calling him a tyrant would not be enough.

A villain who goes beyond being a villain.

A crazy princess without blood or tears.

The rumor going around right now is that he is a person who carries out cruel acts without hesitation. This person is afraid that everyone will catch their eye.

That was Estelle von Reinberg in the original.

However, she is far from that now.

Although it is arbitrary and overbearing, it is by no means cruel.

Rather, he may not actually be such a bad person… I even think about it.

Another difference is the appearance.

As she appeared in the original work, she wore a mask and covered her entire body with cloth, leaving no trace of skin exposed.

But now Estelle neither wears a mask nor hides her skin.

Her outfit in the original work is too obsessive and bizarre to be considered a simple change in taste.

In this way, the Estelle in the original and the current Estelle are different.

Even though the name is the same, I wonder if they are completely different people.

Why is it so different?

For that reason, I don’t know.

However, there was something I could guess.

In the original work, Estelle appears after Mary enters second grade.

From then on, Estelle begins to harass Mary and act as a villain in earnest.

On the other hand, it is now the second half of the first semester of the first year.

Considering the difference in that period and the stark difference between the original and the current Estelle, a hypothesis can be made.

I wonder if something will happen to Estelle before the first semester of her second year begins, and that it will completely change her.

‘And maybe he too… … .’

Renee, the escort driver who is always by Estelle’s side.

She also does not appear in the original work.

Judging from Estelle’s reaction now, it seems like she trusts her a lot.

One of the few things that the original Estelle and the current Estelle have in common is that they do not let people get close to them.

Excluding the people she inevitably encounters, Estelle has never seen anyone other than Rene that she keeps close to her.

The fact that that picky woman entrusted him with being an escort in the first place was proof that he had a great deal of trust in her.

Considering that, Renee may be quite important to Estelle.

However, such a person’s face is not shown once in the original work.

What if Renee didn’t exist at that time?

What if the disaster that struck Estelle not only harmed her, but also took the life of a precious person?

If it causes you to feel hopeless and eventually break down.

If that’s the case, I can understand it.

The difference between the current Estelle and the original Estelle.

Honestly, I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me.

Estelle in the original is a completely broken person.

Something that has lost all humanity, something truly broken.

It was difficult for someone to completely ignore it even after knowing that someone else’s life would be ruined like that.

Even someone else’s life might be at stake.

To be honest, my heart was already leaning a little.

In the direction of wanting to help Estelle.

Don’t let her become a villain.

Don’t let her life be ruined.

Don’t let her despair.

The thought of wanting to prevent the disaster that would come to her had already sprouted within me.

However, I couldn’t give in to that feeling and go out impulsively.

Estelle is the ‘villain’ at the core of the story, and the disappearance of such a villain means a complete change of scenery.

This is different from cases like Rachel or Ira.

They were close to extras with a small role to begin with, and the problem itself was resolved in a way that did not have a significant impact on the story.

The reason I originally didn’t want to get involved in the story was because I decided it would be better for me not to get involved.

The main character, Mary, goes through various trials, but eventually overcomes them and envisions a brilliant and bright future.

Because I knew that, I tried not to intervene.

If the original story had been a dark story without dreams or hope from the beginning, I would have given up a long time ago.

But if I end up rescuing Estelle, the story changes completely.

It will flow in a direction you don’t know and can’t predict.

Will I be able to bear the consequences?

… And, even if I intervened, it would have been a problem.

There is no information about when and what events Estelle will experience.

That’s because it wasn’t described at all in the original work.

What if an incident occurs somewhere out of my sight, at a time when I cannot intervene?

Then there is no way to do anything. Because it is realistically impossible for me to always be by her side.

Also, there is a possibility that it is a case that cannot be resolved on my own.

No, considering her position as the next emperor, that is highly likely.

‘… ‘It’s difficult.’

difficult.

What should I do?

I couldn’t give that answer easily.