“—Jake, huh?”
Julius wore a solemn expression, but Prince Jake was clearly irritated.
“Stop grilling the meat!”
Julius kept turning the skewers even after Jake appeared.
But he shouted back with a serious face.
“Idiot! You can’t just stop on a whim. Hold on a sec. I’ll listen after I finish this. Got it? Timing is everything.”
Julius’s serious gaze was fixed on the skewers.
It was more earnest and focused than the look he gave Jake.
That must have been what Jake couldn’t stand.
Jake stepped closer, slapping the skewer on the grill with his hand.
“Don’t ignore me! You loser!”
When the uncooked meat fell onto the grass, Julius immediately bent to pick it up.
He brushed the dirt off, rinsed it with water, and put it back on the grill.
“Hey!”
Jake tried to complain again, but Jilk and the others gathered around.
Watching the scene, Julius didn’t seem angry at all.
“Jake, this is Margaret, a chicken I raised myself.”
“And so what?”
“I raised it with care. I killed it today so we could eat it.”
Marie, hearing that, put the skewer she was eating onto a plate and said, “Julius, don’t bring up such a grim story while we’re eating.”
Did he actually name the chicken he’d been raising?
Is this guy okay?
It’s weird for a prince to raise chickens, but giving them names is even worse.
—It just makes you attached.
“What—so what?”
Jake seemed to think he was a bit in the wrong, but he wouldn’t back down, lest he look weak.
“No, I’m not mad at you. I just want you to treat food with respect. That’s all.”
Jake snorted at that.
“Typical fallen‑prince line. You killed it just so you could eat it, didn’t you? What are you lecturing me about? Fine. Hey, Bartfort—”
He suddenly fixed his gaze on me and stepped closer.
“I’ve seen you a few times in the audience hall, always looking dull.”
“Good to see you looking lively.”
Sure, I’m dull compared to you.
Jake gave off the vibe of a sharp‑tongued kid.
“Kneel before me. Then I’ll make you my subordinate and put you to work.”
Is this guy an idiot? He’s definitely Roland’s kid. He’ll have to be eliminated. While I was thinking that, Erica stepped in front of me.
“Prince Jake, it’s rude to demand a marquis kneel.”
I was moved by Erica defending me.
There are still reliable royals left.
The blood of Lady Milène and the soul of my niece are still intact.
The kingdom stands!
Jake raised his hand to strike at Erica.
“The coward who did nothing in the palace shouldn’t even stand before me!”
“—!”
Erica closed her eyes, and I slammed my fist into Jake’s face.
“I’ll kill you, you brat!”
At that moment, Oscar, who had been glaring at Greg, swooped in.
“Your Highness! Marquis, do you understand what you’ve done!?”
“You’re the idiot, too? This brat told me to kneel. Who do you think you are? And I can’t forgive you for trying to lay a hand on Erica. I’ll turn you to ash right here!”
Jilk, exasperated, drew his pistol.
“Honestly, dealing with such extreme parents is a hassle. Prince Jake, and Oscar—don’t worry. One shot and you’re done.”
Brad conjured flames in both hands.
“That’s not how you treat seniors.”
Chris and Greg were flexing their muscles.
“The one who acted rude first was Prince Jake.”
“Right. And you just ignore that and defend Jake?”
Oscar stripped off his jacket and shirt, standing up to show off his muscles.
“Hah, Prince Jake’s temperament has always been like this. If it could be cured, it would’ve been cured ages ago! This is just his unchangeable personality now!”
Is Jake’s half‑brother a bit pitiful?
Jake clutched his cheek and stood up.
“Step back, Oscar. I’ll deal with this scoundrel myself.”
Jake tried to toss a glove at me.
Marie shouted.
“Hey! What are you trying to do!?”
Holding her head with both hands, Marie must have been recalling her first‑year days, reacting as if it were personal.
I sneered at Jake.
“Looks like you brothers all want to lose to me.”
Julius muttered something about “Bartfort, you don’t have to bring me into this,” but I ignored him.
Then a woman stepped between us.
She walked through the courtyard, spread her arms, and blocked Jake.
“Please stop!”
Seeing that woman—no, Aere‑chan—I couldn’t even speak.
Her back was the very picture of a woman.
Jake shouted at Aere‑chan to move.
“Do you understand why you’re standing in front of me? Move, woman!”
“—I won’t move! Acting tyrannical just because of status is wrong. I… I can’t speak for others, but that’s not right.”
When I stayed silent, Marie seemed at a loss for words too.
Jake and Aere‑chan glared at each other, then Jake backed off.
“—Fine, I’ll back down. What’s your name, girl?”
“U‑um… I’m called Aere.”
“Called? What a weird guy. Still, you’re an interesting woman. I’ll acknowledge your courage to stand before me.”
Oscar followed Jake.
“Your Highness, so it was that after all.”
“What are you saying?”
“The girl from earlier.”
“She stood boldly in front of me. I don’t dislike strong‑willed women. So, do you really respect me?”
“Of course! Prince Jake is noble, brave, selfish, and a wonderful prince!”
“I see… —Hmm?”
They walked off, bantering like a comedy duo.
From Jake’s mouth, this sounded less like a line and more like a full‑blown insult.
It was like a heroine in an otome game being treated as a conquest target…
“No way,” I muttered.
Aere‑chan turned, bowed her head to me.
“Senpai, I did something unnecessary. I’m sorry.”
“No, uh… well. More importantly, are you okay?”
I didn’t know how to respond!
“Yes. And this is also my atonement.”
“Atonement?”
“I once caused you trouble, after all.”
I had no idea what she meant, but I wondered what would happen next.
When Aere‑chan left, Marie was trembling.
Kyle and Cara were still waiting for Julius’s meat.
I looked at Jilk and the others.
“Did you really intend to kill them?”
“No way. Just a threat. I was copying you.”
“I never threaten anyone with a gun.”
“Funny joke.”
Jilk laughed at me, but I wasn’t convinced.
Then Brad eyed Julius’s grill.
“Shall we resume the tea party? Alright, I’ll help this time. Here we go—”
He placed a sauce‑drenched skewer on the grill, as if he wanted to help Julius.
Julius’s eyes widened.
“You—what the hell are you doing!?”
“Eh? Wh—what!?”
Brad’s collar was grabbed, his eyes bulging in confusion. Julius’s forehead pulsed with veins.
He was furious.
“This is the ‘salt’ spot! Putting a sauced skewer here—do you want a war or what!?”
“It’s just a grill!”
“Don’t joke! You cause a territorial dispute and act like this?”
Seeing Julius even more enraged than before, I thought:
You care more about the grill than being mocked by Jake?
“I—I'm sorry.”
Brad rolled his eyes and apologized, but Julius kept going.
“If apologies could stop wars, there’d be none!”
Marie rushed to stop Julius.
“Julius, Brad’s going to die!”
Jilk, Greg, and Chris also tried to intervene.
“Your Highness, that’s enough!”
“Don’t keep getting angry.”
“You’re too obsessed with the skewers!”
Watching Marie and the others having fun, I thought I’d talk to her later about Jake.
“Let go! I’m grilling meat!”
Julius’s shout echoed across the courtyard.
◇
(That’s bad. This is bad.)
The tea party ended, and Marie hurriedly cleaned up.
Julius, still pumped, was taken away by Leon and the others, leaving Kyle, Cara, and the four Erikas behind.
Kyle sighed.
“So we’re the ones left to clean up, huh?”
Cara wiped her cheek with a hand, picking up trash.
“It’s been a while since we had good meat. It was delicious.”
If Marie hadn’t known, she could have taken it easy.
But now the problem was Jake.
(That’s a funny line for the protagonist to say—‘what an interesting girl!’? That stupid prince, why is he falling for a guy!)
Aere‑chan used to be Aaron, a former conquest target boy.
Marie never imagined Jake would be interested in Aere‑chan instead of the protagonist.
(It’s all because of those round‑eyed guys at my brother’s place! Why did they make us do gender‑bends? What mistake leads to that idea!)
The slightly villainous Aaron becoming a demure lady was unimaginable.
While Marie panicked, Erica also helped.
“It’s a bit of a hassle, isn’t it?”
Seeing Erica smile wryly, Marie recalled Jake’s words.
“Hey, Erica. Aren’t you holding back a lot?”
“—No, not really.”
Marie knows Erica well.
In a past life she gave Erica a hard time, so Erica became tolerant—but also started suppressing her own feelings.
“You can be more selfish if you want.”
“I’m already selfish enough. I’m a princess, after all. Inside I’m an old lady.”
Erica’s words pierced Marie’s heart.
She’s an old‑soul aiming for a reverse harem.
She can’t tell who’s the parent anymore.
“You have to say what you want. Most selfish wishes, I’ll grant. Don’t worry. I still have my brother now!”
“Mom, this looks fun.”
“Erica, you have to enjoy life.”
“It’s already fun enough. I saw Mom having fun, and I even met Uncle.”
“Huh? Erica, did you want to see your brother?”
“Yeah. Mom always talked about ‘if brother were here…’ when she came back drunk. Grandpa and Grandma always said, ‘If that kid were alive, he’d probably dote on his niece.’”
Marie broke out in weird sweat.
(Wait, did I talk about my brother when I was drunk? Wow, embarrassing.)
Now it feels like I’m a bro‑con.
(Forget that—focus on Jake. If this stays like this, the conquest target won’t end up with Mia‑chan.)
Aaron is already out of the picture.
One classmate never even entered the academy.
Jake is after Aaron.
Oscar is—idiot.
The only one left is a lower‑year boy who’ll enroll next year.
(Guess I have to pin my hopes on a lower‑year boy now.)
Honestly, Jake’s brutality made Marie worry he’d do something drastic.
Erica looked down.
“What’s wrong, Erica?”
“Mom, there’s one thing I still regret. It’s about Elia.”
“That ugly guy? Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him at the academy.”
“What? Mom, you should’ve seen Elia too. He’s lost a bit of weight, but he’s cute.”
“He lost weight? In the illustrations he was huge.”
Erica brightened when talking about Elia.
“Elia’s actually a very kind kid.”
Marie sensed Erica’s feelings.
◇
Carrying the battered Julius out of the infirmary, I followed.
“You’re overreacting.”
I took a punch from Julius’s fist to the face, leaving a bruise on my eye.
“Sorry.”
The other four were sent home; I headed to the male dorm with Julius.
But a “net‑overseer” instead of a “pot‑overseer”—the royalty of this country, aside from Milène and Erica, are just hopeless.
Jake doesn’t look promising either.
In every sense, not promising.
I never imagined he’d ever like a guy.
Walking down the hallway together, a first‑year male student appeared.
Julius stepped in front of me.
“Elya, what are you copying!”
“Elya?”
Hearing the name, I immediately thought of Erica’s ex‑fiancé.
But the appearance didn’t match what Marie described.
He was a chubby‑type boy, not the ugly, overweight look.
“—Leon Fou Bartfort, Marquis. Heir of the Freyzer house, Elya Rafa Freyzer, challenges a duel!”
Elya tossed a white glove, which Julius caught.
“Stop! Do you even understand what it means to challenge Bartfort? Elya, you’re no match.”
Elya clenched his fists and shouted with all his might.
“So you want me to give up! You stole Erica and told me to stay quiet! I… I can’t be anyone but Erica!”
I snatched the glove from Julius’s hand and faced Elya.
“Spirited, freshman. If you want a match, don’t complain about the terms.”
Elya glared, then nodded.
“I’ll take any challenge. And I’ll win—to get Erica back.”
His eyes were dead serious.
“Elya, stop. Bartfort doesn’t show mercy.”
Julius tried to halt the duel, but for Erica’s sake I decided to crush him here.
“Looking forward to the next holiday, Elya‑kun.”
I’ll make you regret challenging me!