episode_0022

“So, Princess. When will you leave?”

“Sirahlin, no, because your hands are too gentle. Do you know what I mean?”

“Oh, so even royalty uses such words. Isn’t it uncouth?”

“Could that be my charm? Sir?”

Seeing Yustetia boldly claim her uncouth manner of speaking as charming, I secretly chuckled.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter at her shameless behavior. It was kind of cute.

Even this peaceful daily life seemed fine to me.

Oh, but how long has it been since Yustetia got caught in my hand? Despite skipping all my classes, Yustetia remained captured in my hand until there was time left over.

Is my hand that comforting? Thinking so, I resolved to use my hands the next time I coax someone.

If not, well… I’ll give a surprise box or offer a piggyback ride, and the tears will stop on their own. Just that Yustetia is a bit peculiar; others might react differently.

“Oh… What time is it already? Has so much time passed? I should go. Farewell, future husband?”

As she received a pat on the head from me, Yustetia glanced out the window, noticing the darkening sky. She uttered words like “feels embarrassing” that didn’t quite fit her royal demeanor, then slipped away from my embrace.

After that, calling me an awkward future husband, she headed towards the door.

Hmm, but something feels lacking.

“Shall I pat your head once more?”

Another pat on the head might soothe her nature.

What is this feeling? Having lived obsessively in the manor, this emotion is new to me.

Hmm… What should I call it? Healing, perhaps, in earthly terms?

“…Alright.”

Seemingly comforted by my words, she reached for the doorknob without a word, turning back with flushed cheeks, and approached me with a shy smile.

I enjoyed this moment while gently patting Yustetia’s head.

Yustetia departed, and the next day arrived.

After Yustetia left, nothing eventful happened. Just the usual routine of studying and eating.

And now, as the next day dawns, I wait for the right moment to initiate Rachel’s departure plan.

I cannot execute Rachel’s departure plan immediately. I must simply wait.

Like Lulu, Rachel’s departure plan can only happen at the right timing.

Before that, I need to distance myself from Rachel. By enduring any mistreatment, I will eventually reach the point where I can start the departure plan. Similar to Ayla but with some differences.

“It’s just about creating distance… If she sees me unfavorably, it should work.”

Unlike Ayla, Rachel doesn’t seek revenge even if someone is violent towards her; she simply attributes it to the person’s weakness.

Revenge is considered a base act when one loses their reason… Well, in this world, knights rarely seek vengeance, so it makes sense.

Although Rachel’s disdain for revenge seems odd, it’s natural here, so let it be.

In any case, one thing is certain: mistreating Carla won’t earn Rachel’s resentment.

To incur Rachel’s displeasure, I must personally annoy her.

For instance, by disregarding her beliefs, ignoring knights, or dismissing Ayla—just enough neglect will easily provoke her ire.

Living this way, I wonder if Rachel, who has been patient, will eventually explode and confront me.

With those thoughts in mind, as she entered the academy.

“··? Lulu?”

Sharp eyes, a head full of pleading unlike usual, fingers stained with what seemed like torn flesh, ears, lifeless eyes of a servant. Lulu was trudging towards the academy with feeble steps.

It was indeed time for Lulu to attend school at this hour, but the sight of her now could be considered quite shocking.

There were many flaws in my plan. I had made those flaws perfect through violence against Karla, but Lulu was not supposed to deteriorate to such an extent.

She was just supposed to regret a little and look a bit worn out, not transform so drastically.

“Oh, Yustetia.”

Ah, right. I had asked Yustetia to prevent Lulu from transferring my punishment back to me.

Yustetia’s words would carry more weight than seeing Lulu or Karla unconscious there, so the principal must have listened to Yustetia.

Did I make a mistake by intervening upfront? It could be assumed that Lulu’s current state was due to the aftermath of that incident.

“Yustetia knows something.”

Seeing Lulu turning me into the culprit before her eyes. Despite trying to reveal herself as the perpetrator, due to Yustetia being a variable, she ended up looking even more worn out… Well, it was a good decision to get engaged.

Even though it’s an engagement for the future, an engagement is an engagement. I should make good use of Yustetia.

The power of royalty is formidable. No matter what the heroines say, with a word from Yustetia, everything will be settled.

As the future queen, the royal princess whose position is becoming more certain, there are few who would dare to ignore her words or speak ill of her.

“··· Huh? Wha… What, S-Seraine…?”

Ah, it seems Lulu has spotted me passing by.

Her apologetic expression as she helplessly reaches out her hand fills me with excitement.

Well done, you rascal Yustetia. Next time we meet, it’s an hour of petting.

Internally thanking Yustetia, I put on a displeased expression for the sake of appearances.

“Trash like Lulu… What’s with that hand?”

-Snap!

“Get lost. You trashy woman… Go have a cozy time with Karla. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything back then. Instead, I won’t like you anymore. Ah… Would it matter if it’s Lulu? Anyway, goodbye.”

With polite yet sarcastic words, I left Lulu behind and headed towards the academy.

No hesitation, no pause, just walking straight ahead.

Seeing me like that, Lulu must have thought that if she missed this opportunity, she might never be able to correct it again, so she endlessly reached out her hand to me.

“W-Wait a m-moment!”

[Skill: Instant Capture]

-Zap!

“Ouch…!”

Using Instant Capture, I deftly avoided Lulu’s hand and kicked her abdomen.

As her abdomen was hit, Lulu coughed and collapsed to the ground.

Similar to what I did to Ayla, this method proves to be efficient. By striking like this, she can truly realize that the image of me whispering love to her before has changed.

The subject who realizes this would naturally cry out of injustice or remorse.

However, Lulu doesn’t get off that easily.

“Seraine… I’m sorry…! I really… couldn’t transfer the punishment…”

-Thud!

“Ow…!”

After briefly hitting Lulu’s abdomen again as she tried to say something, I distanced myself from her.

Lulu seemed to finally break down at my actions, as if her once solid emotional barrier had crumbled, she burst into tears.

Since the training ground incident, she had made some kind of resolution, but failing even that, her heart was now completely shattered.

Although excitement surged through me upon realizing this fact, now is not the time.

With the corners of my mouth held back from tearing with a poker face, I entered the academy rather than going to the classroom.

“Where is the library?”

I headed towards the library.

The library in this academy was ordinary. Just like any library you would find in reality.

There was a reason why I was going to such a library.

“To start off on the wrong foot.”

Rachel, an aspiring knight, was always in the library every morning to increase her knowledge.

It didn’t suit her very well, but what can you do? Knights need to be smart first and foremost. Dumb knights aren’t accepted even in the Knight Order. You need at least some knowledge to become a knight.

If you think knights just swing their bodies around and that’s it, don’t even think about becoming one. Surprisingly, becoming a knight is tough.

With those thoughts in mind, I arrived at the library and smoothly opened the door that seemed old and about to fall apart.

Even though the door creaked as it opened due to its age, all eyes turned towards me with a loud noise.

Damn, most of the people looking at me were studying. I get that being quiet in the library is a rule, but what am I supposed to do with a door like this?

-Tap, tap.

“Hmm?”

Someone suddenly tapped my shoulder twice with their finger.

Turning my head to see who it was, a person who seemed like a librarian handed me a piece of paper.

“What’s this…”

This is what was written on the paper:

“Why are you coming in through the old door when there’s a perfectly fine side door?”

I thought, really? and turned my head to look at the side of the old door, where indeed there was a new door.

It sparkled and looked brand new without any flaws.

Well, okay, I’ll admit I was wrong. But damn, why replace just one old door with a new one? Remove the old door first and then make a new one. Or just buy two new doors.

However, since I was in the wrong, I didn’t say anything and went inside the library to find Rachel.

“I found her.”

Rachel was sitting at the end of the library, illuminated by the sunlight streaming in through the window, highlighting her beautiful appearance and golden hair.

Rachel’s golden hair and golden eyes were truly beautiful, but the fact is she didn’t quite fit in this library. It was surprising for some of the people in the library to see a beauty who usually wielded a black sword in the training grounds suddenly here.

However, no one dared to speak to Rachel. Because she was one of the Three Beauties and known as the Ice Queen of the Cold Kingdom, no one dared to approach her.

But Rachel wasn’t like the Ice Queen of the Cold Kingdom.

“Rachel?”

“Hmm? Oh… Sir Siiin, right? We had a match before.”

“Yes, hello.”

“Hello to you too.”

She surprisingly treated people warmly.

Even when she saved Karla, she did so with a warm voice. But perhaps due to her image, formal language, and constant poker face, most students thought of her that way.

Rachel liked people who could talk to her comfortably without any formality.

Moreover, since I had been polite to Rachel during the match, the fact that I was a good person must have been deeply ingrained in Rachel’s perception.

This Rachel hadn’t even seen Karla in fan mode directly.

But that ends today.

“But Rachel, with books… it just doesn’t seem to fit.”

“What did you say?”

First thing Rachel hates: saying she doesn’t fit reading books makes her angry.

I executed that.

Now my reputation is trash. Yes!