episode_0117

I think I understand these days.

I have a bad personality.

Actually, there was a time when I wondered why I was a villainess.

In reality, I was a completely different person from the villainess in the original novel, and I was worried that I had already been ‘possessed’ the moment I actually emerged.

But the longer I spend with Elsie, the more I realize.

I am probably the same person as that villainess.

However, it just brought back memories of my past life as a child.

That’s why I was careful not to become that vicious, and in the end, I tried to get a happy ending without becoming a villain.

I was careful not to disappoint the people around me or make enemies, and as a result, I now have a pretty good reputation around me.

She was able to become a ‘virtually’ different character from the original Amelia, who was held up because of her status as a grand duchess but had many negative stories behind her back.

Which is better: being born good or being born evil but trying to become good?

I don’t know which side of what a character said in which game is correct.

But at least, the reason ‘Amelia Grattenmount’ could exist today is not because I was born good, but because I tried to be good.

I don’t feel guilty about making Elsie look at me.

I don’t feel guilty about having trouble because of Elsina. No, I even wish that she would feel that way for me a little more.

I wish you would always look at me and always do things for me. I wish you would not move for other children like you did today.

However, I still feel fear.

If Elsie were to look only at me—surely, my ugly points would also be included in that field of vision.

What if Elsie hates what I do? What if Elsie hates me?

Only that fear was the brake that made me restrain my actions even a little.

That’s why I couldn’t be cruel to Adele and Diane.

… … Of course, I feel like friends towards these two people.

“Do you remember what name Diane gave to the bird she received today?”

“Ulysses Huber II?”

“Okay.”

I slowly nodded at Elsie’s words.

There was a reason why I dared to speak out and talk about thoughts that could have just been in my head.

“The fact that she is a Hoover must be proof that she is very attached to the child she is raising. To be honest, I never thought Diane would have that kind of side, but that doesn’t mean I can’t understand it. There is a world in the world where she commits evil deeds towards people, but shows affection towards animals. Because there are quite a few people who pour it out.”

“Definitely… … You wouldn’t think Diane would have that kind of personality.”

“That’s right. Right now, the only thing I’ve done that’s blatantly bad is the invitation, so I don’t think there’s a need to be too cautious. However, you shouldn’t be too relaxed either.”

Elsie nodded at my words.

And seeing that behavior tickled a small part of my heart.

“Anyway, going back to the original story, why do you think you added ‘second generation’ after your name?”

“… … I guess it’s because I got the name from somewhere. Or maybe I just wanted to give it an aristocratic name.”

“Probably both. Diane may have had animals before.”

“But it seemed like they weren’t allowed to raise it inside the house.”

“That’s probably why they gave it that name. They originally raised it, but the family was against it, so they couldn’t raise it anymore. Maybe there’s a bit of a sad story behind it.”

“I know I couldn’t raise him, but what a sad story?”

“Um—well, this is just a guess on my part.”

I paused a bit in my words.

An expression of concentration on my words appeared on Elsie’s face as she sat across from me on the bed. I closed my mouth and listened.

I liked that.

The time that only the two of us share.

“This world is ‘in a novel’.”

And, a story that cannot be shared except between the two of us. A secret that others should not know.

It’s not simply because it’s embarrassing if someone knows, or because it’s important information, but it’s stories that anyone other than the two of us would hear as the words of a crazy person.

“That too is a world in romance novels. In such a world, wouldn’t it be strange if there were things like ‘cliches’?”

“A cliché?”

“There are things like that. Obvious foreshadowing that you can tell at a glance, and a special story that you can roughly tell by looking at a certain character.”

“Aha.”

Elsie nodded as if she understood what I said.

“The same goes for Adele. She is an aristocrat on the verge of collapse, and her father is sincere and loves his daughter, but he has to make money, so he doesn’t have time to talk to his daughter. Adele grew up brave even in that kind of family. That’s why she is the main character. ”

“Diane grew up in a good family, but she doesn’t seem to be that happy.”

Elsigan nodded as she supplemented what I had said. There was a bit of surprise in her expression.

Elsigina is ‘amazed’ while listening to her story.

“Yes. If the main character is like that, it’s not strange if the villain also has a story. Because this is that kind of world.”

“But then, Amelia, you… … .”

“… … Since this is a novel like this, the villainess has to be evil without any real reason.”

I told Elsie.

“That way, there is joy in winning. You don’t feel bad after winning. It’s a device for cider.”

After hearing what I said, Elsie’s expression became a little more subtle.

It’s probably because ‘I’ am telling the story.

It must be because of that sense of disconnect.

“But, Amelia, you didn’t do that.”

no.

“You… … So, because he’s nice.”

it is not so.

But Elsie’s face, who ‘defended’ me like that, was so lovely. Even though she was embarrassed and blushing, she tried to save me from my words, and I was so grateful.

And that’s probably why I like Elsie.

Because no one else will understand me or try to defend me like this.

Even the kind Adele detested Amelia, who was close to pure evil.

“Anyway, Diane was swayed by Amelia in the original work, but in the end she ran away saying she couldn’t do it.”

“… … That’s right, yes.”

Elsie frowned slightly and nodded.

In the original work, Diane’s ending is only briefly mentioned and passed over. Rather than saying ‘what happened to Diane’, it is depicted in a lumpy way that Amelia, unable to forgive her subordinates who tried to run away, blew away all of her weaknesses and was abandoned.

So, if you haven’t read it in detail, it may be difficult to recall.

Considering that Elsie was young when she read the novel, it wasn’t strange to think that she skipped it without reading it in such detail.

“So, it means that, unlike Amelia, there was a line. At first, she was just drunk with power and crossed the line without realizing it, and after that, she caught Amelia’s weakness as a ‘peer’, so she kept crossing the line and couldn’t step back. That’s how it happened. What do you think is the reason?”

“Uh… … .”

“Diane, even with the information that Amelia’s personality was not good, there was only one reason why she clung to the Archduchess. ‘Because she was taught to do so.’ Aristocrats are all about power, so cling to someone who has more power. It must have been taught at home. Most likely, the reason he was hostile toward Adele was because his family didn’t like Diane being compared to him, rather than because he himself was being compared.”

A light of understanding spread across Elsie’s face at my words.

“Clichés are generally used in novels, but the reason they work is because people are interested and moved by the story. And most of all, it makes sense. After listening to the stories in that order, it feels ‘reasonable.’ People like it more.”

I spoke confidently to Elsie.

“So, as long as there is an overlap between the world the author came up with and this world, the cliches will generally fit. Of course, we don’t know what will happen after the story ends, and it’s unclear whether the story went according to the cliches even before we came here. I don’t know, but.”

“Since we are here, it means that the prediction is generally correct.”

“Yes.”

okay.

Because we are here.

Since there is you and me, there is meaning in making these guesses and worrying about them.

“So, I have an idea.”

“What idea?”

Elsie asked with an excited expression.

Ah, good.

It was so nice to see Elsie lean on me like that.

So, I—

“What if we become Diane’s ‘back boat’?”

I can’t stop moving forward like this.

Even though I know that the faster we move forward, the faster the time for us to part ways approaches.

“Oh.”

And yet, in order to get Elsie’s attention like this—

“Let’s start by gathering information. I wonder what Becky found out.”

Maybe I won’t be able to stop doing this until the end of our story comes.

If we can’t increase the time we spend together, we need to make as many enjoyable times together as possible.

Even if this short time is over, don’t forget each other for the longer time that will remain.

Let us remember Elsigana for the rest of our lives.