Winter break.
Mia was opening an album.
The album Luxion had prepared for her was in color and very beautiful.
In her dorm room, she looked at the photos and reminisced about everything up to now.
"It was so much fun~"
Her life at the academy was all gathered there.
There was a photo of her studying together with Livia.
There was a photo of her going dress shopping with Angie, and one of her finding treasure in a dungeon with Noelle.
In a photo from the party before summer break, Finn was surrounded by a large group of girls.
There was also a photo of Mia wearing a dress.
From the second semester, there were many photos of the school festival and the sports festival.
Her memories of the school festival were of the cafe produced by Marie.
It was an unusual cafe where the boys, starting with Julius and the others, served the girls as customers.
Leon, wearing a suit, was participating with an extremely reluctant look on his face.
Finn looked a little nervous.
Jake and Oscar were also there.
"A lot happened~... so much really happened."
Girls swarming the cafe.
Finn was being jostled around by the girls, and so were the other boys.
There was a photo of Leon laughing at the sight, but there was also a photo of Leon breaking out in a cold sweat as he was surrounded by Clarice and the other graduates.
There was even a photo of Angie, Livia, and also Noelle showing up and arguing with the other girls.
"That time was scary, though."
Boys being jostled all over the place.
Leon caught up in a chaotic scene.
A blue-haired boy whose name she didn't even know was laughing his head off at the sight.
And then—on the next page, there was a photo of Jake dueling with other boys over Are.
Leon and Finn staring off into the distance was particularly memorable.
"—A lot really happened, huh."
Mia also stared off into the distance.
"So much really did happen."
It turned out that Senior Are was actually a man.
But Jake had boldly declared, "It doesn't matter to me!"
Looking at the photo, Leon and Angie were holding their heads in their hands.
Finn was covering his face with both hands.
There was also a photo of Julius with a complicated expression.
But perhaps because Julius had his own situation going on, in the end he had called out to Jake, saying, "I'll cheer you on."
The relationship between the brothers seemed to have become better than ever before.
(Is the Kingdom really going to be okay like this?)
Mia felt a little uneasy, since it seemed both of the royal family's boys had together kicked away the position of crown prince.
She turned the page.
At the sports festival, there was a photo of Leon raking in money through gambling.
Erika was giving him a cold look, and right after that, he was apologizing.
Mia had also participated in the tournament, and she had been happy to place third.
In the photo where Finn was praising her over and over, Mia was bashfully looking down.
"The school trip was nice too."
Where they had gone aboard the large airship was a resort destination.
Girls lined up in swimsuits.
Boys with rough demeanors wearing sunglasses and shirts.
There was also a photo of Finn and Leon confronting some boys who had called out to Mia.
There was also a photo of Leon afterward being dragged off by Angie, Livia, and Noelle.
So many fun memories.
But the best one was this.
"The hot spring during summer break was wonderful."
A photo of Marie, Erika, and Mia bathing in the hot spring together.
There was also a photo of Chris and Greg goofing around in the open-air bath.
A photo of Leon, Finn, and Marie overjoyed while eating rice.
The people around them were watching curiously.
Mia had tried it too, but since it was her first time eating it, she didn't really get what was so special.
When she turned the page, there was a photo of the women making scary faces.
A photo of Angie raising a huge hammer toward a statue of Marie.
A photo of Livia stopping her, while she herself held a chisel and mallet.
Noelle was fishing.
There was a photo of Mia and Leon with their arms around each other's shoulders.
On the next one, Leon was being chased around by a weapon-wielding Finn.
Next, there was a photo of Finn taken with Erika.
After that, as if on cue, there was a photo of Finn being chased around by a weapon-wielding Leon.
In the photos, Finn looked like he was having a great time.
"The fireworks were beautiful too."
She had worn a yukata together with Finn and gotten to see the beautiful fireworks.
There were so many photos.
"I'd like to play around with everyone again."
It was uncertain whether that wish would come true, but she thought she'd be happy if she could enjoy more fun school days.
A knock came from the door.
"Co~ming!"
It was Finn.
Finn, having opened the door, was wearing a suit to attend the engagement ceremony.
"Mia, let's get going soon."
"Yes!"
Today was the day of Erika and Eliya's engagement ceremony.
◇
The venue of the engagement ceremony.
Among the attendees was my older sister Jenna—pregnant.
Standing beside her, Oscar waved at me.
"Brother-in-law, the protein the other day was the best! I request seconds."
"—Are you really okay with that guy?"
Jenna glared at me.
"What? You got a complaint?"
Oscar got the wrong idea.
"Jenna-san is a wonderful woman."
"I'm talking about the protein! Every single time, all you talk about is muscles! And, what's with having a kid at your age!?"
Oscar smiled bashfully.
"My parents praised me, saying 'Well done!' It is a bit early, true, but having an heir born is a wonderful thing. And personally, I'm looking forward to it. Though, I do find it concerning that my parents were overjoyed, saying 'With this, our house is secure!'"
Jenna whispered into my ear.
"Look, Prince Jake kicked away the throne, didn't he? Since they can get close to you, my in-laws are overjoyed."
"—You're not causing trouble for your in-laws, are you?"
"After seeing Zola and Mercer, I really did reflect on things. I thought that was no way to be, so from now on I'm going to live humbly and happily. —So don't get in the way, and support your precious older sister."
I looked away from Jenna and saw Finley.
She was looking at this with a complicated expression.
Oscar waved his hand.
"Finley-san, please come over here too."
—Stop it! I can't bear this!
When I tried to escape, Jenna grabbed my arm.
"Hey, don't run away. I'm feeling a little bad about things too, you know."
"A little!? You haven't reflected at all, have you!"
"Whatever, just introduce someone to Finley too. Ideally, someone just slightly inferior to Oscar would be best. You know, there's such a thing as family balance."
"You'd better keep your true colors hidden in front of Oscar for the rest of your life."
When Finley came over, Oscar looked at Jenna's belly.
"It's already kicking. Finley-san, would you like to feel it too?"
"Y-yeah."
Finley, touching Jenna's belly, looked somehow happy.
I could only pray that the sisters would reconcile just like this.
"Leon, want to feel it too?"
"Is that okay?"
Jenna said that, telling me to touch her belly.
"I've got to make sure my child is doted on from now on. You seem like you'd spoil a nephew or niece, after all."
"—Th-that's not true."
Looking away while touching Jenna's belly, the baby was kicking energetically.
—What is this.
Life really is amazing.
◇
An official engagement ceremony.
The attendees were the great nobles and related parties.
It was simply swearing to be married before the goddess, but for nobles even that carried great significance.
When Erika entered wearing a white dress, Leon was hiding his face with his right hand and crying.
Sobs were leaking out.
"Erika."
Beside him, Marie was crying as great big tears poured down.
"Eriiiikaaaa."
And then, next to her, was the figure of Roland bawling and biting down on a handkerchief.
"Eriiiikaaaa!"
The women's side was completely put off.
Angie and Livia looked embarrassed, while Noelle was watching with a laugh.
The scary one was Milene.
She was smiling, but somehow it felt cold.
The attending nobles were also bewildered.
Erika and Eliya pledged their engagement before the goddess.
Then, wiping away his tears, Roland said:
"Eliya—if you ever make Erika cry, I'll sic this brat on you!"
The brat referred to Leon.
At that treatment, Leon protested to Roland.
"Why the hell would I follow your orders, you fake-illness bastard. But if Erika is made to cry, before you can even sic me on him—I'll crush him myself."
Marie was the same.
"If you bully my bride, I'll cry to Leon and have him burn your family home down."
Seeing the three of them repeatedly making such dangerous remarks out of love for Erika, those around them gave wry smiles.
Angie tugged on Leon's ear.
"That's enough. Leon, the engagement ceremony has ended without incident. You have work to do, don't you?"
This engagement ceremony—or rather, the one backing Eliya was Leon.
Angie was the one who arranged various things, but Leon also had his work to do.
Greeting the attendees and such.
"I'm bad at greetings."
"In your case, you just hate it and try to avoid it. Come on, let's go."
Leon was dragged away.
◇
Once the engagement ceremony was over, Erika was in the waiting room to change her clothes.
Besides Livia and Noelle, there were maids tidying up.
"Lady Erika, you were beautiful."
When Livia said that, Erika, sitting in front of the mirror, smiled.
"Thank you very much."
Only—she had a somewhat sad look on her face.
The one who didn't miss it was Noelle.
"Is something bothering you?"
Erika shook her head, and her black hair swayed.
"No. It just felt somehow like a dream."
From Erika's perspective, she had been able to show her radiant self to Marie, to Milene—and also to Leon and Roland.
However, she felt very apologetic.
Thinking of Eliya, it would have been better not to have an engagement ceremony at all.
Livia clasped her hands together in delight.
"A white dress is just lovely, isn't it? It feels so very special."
"I'd like to wear one too."
To Noelle saying that, Livia turned a smiling face.
"You can have an engagement ceremony after graduation, can't you?"
Leon and Noelle's engagement ceremony.
Erika thought.
(Will my life last until then? —Maybe that's too much to hope for.)
That otome game had an important setting.
It was a setting that only Erika, who had played the third installment thoroughly, knew about.
Neither Leon, nor Marie, nor Finn had known about it.
It was a hard-to-notice setting, a hidden lore element that hardly ever came up on the surface.
Originally, Erika's position was that of a villainess, and in the end she would be exiled.
But that wasn't the end.
It didn't end there.
—Erika felt apologetic for having kept silent about it.
In the peaceful space, the door suddenly opened, and the maids straightened their backs and bowed.
The one who entered was Milene.
"—Could you let me be alone with Erika? I'd like to have a conversation between just mother and daughter."
Told that, Livia and Noelle couldn't refuse and left the room.
Erika was alone with Milene.
Milene spoke.
"Erika, you performed beyond my expectations."
"Mother?"
Milene embraced Erika from behind, watching her through the mirror.
"Achieving this much without entering into a marriage is amazing. Wrapping Duke Bartfort around your finger, while marrying your beloved Eliya yourself—I'm envious."
There was a woman's dark, tangled emotion in those words.
Seeing the expression mixed with affection and jealousy for her daughter, Erika understood.
Placing her hand on Milene's arm, which was holding her more tightly than necessary, she spoke gently.
"It's all thanks to you, Mother."
"—It's your own ability. What I want but can't have, you can refuse and still be forgiven. I'd really love to know what methods you used. After all, who knows when we'll no longer be able to meet."
"Mother, I didn't do anything."
"As a mother, I'm glad to have such a charming daughter. But you know, Erika—as a woman, I'm very mortified."
On Milene's face as she shed tears, the regret of 'what am I saying to my daughter' was apparent.
Erika gently embraced Milene's hands.
"You weren't wrong, Mother. It's just that Mr. Leon didn't want me."
"—I'm envious. That just goes to show how much he loves Angie and the others. I was never loved like that."
"I love you, Mother."
Told that, Milene loosened the strength in her arms.
"—I'm sorry. I let you see me in such a terrible state on your special day."
"No, considering all the hardships you've been through, Mother, this much is fine."
Erika understood that Milene, given her position, tended to prioritize politics.
That wasn't wrong.
After all, if you considered the politics, Leon and the others were the ones who were wrong.
It was only that, if you emphasized personal opinions, Milene had simply been mistaken.
(Female supremacy—in my previous world, this would be like a father deciding on a fiance with his daughter's best interests in mind, I suppose?)
Milene wiped her tears with her fingers.
"Erika, you must be happy."
Erika felt Milene's resolve in the way she said 'you' specifically.
"M-Mother, um, you know!"
If she asked Leon—she nearly let those words out, but swallowed them.
(No. I can't rely on Uncle. Any more than this is not allowed.)
Just then, the one who burst in in a hurry was Leon.
Ignoring the voices of the maids waiting outside trying to stop him, he roughly threw open the door and entered, approaching Erika.
"Erika, are you alright?"
"Huh? Wh-why? Aren't you supposed to be making greetings?"
"Cleare told me you were in a pinch. I left the greetings to Angie."
Erika, bewildered by Leon worrying about her, looked at Milene reflected in the mirror, who had a cold look in her eyes.
Seeing Leon worrying over Erika, she had an expression mixed with love and hatred.
(Why does Uncle...)
Erika agonized over the relationship between her uncle in her past life and her mother in this life.
Sensing that Erika was concerned about Milene, Leon turned to face her instead.
"Milene-san, what's the meaning of this?"
"—I just felt like calling out to my daughter after seeing her radiant figure. That said, you've certainly taken quite a liking to Erika, haven't you? —I'm pleased."
Leon closed the distance to Milene, who wore a pasted-on smile.
He cornered her against the wall, their faces coming about a fist's distance apart.
(U-Uncle?)
"You—what were you trying to do, pushing your daughter onto me? I never wished for such a thing."
Milene was slightly flustered, but she immediately steeled her expression and shot back.
"I thought the duke would choose the method that spilled the least blood, after all. It was my misunderstanding. I'll admit that."
The reason Milene had entrusted her precious daughter to Leon had political meaning, but—more than that, it was also the most she could do as a thank-you.
She had likely felt sorry toward Angie as well, but Angie's family was House Redgrave.
If Leon were stolen from them, they wouldn't even be able to resist.
So, as a compromise line, she had proposed the idea of making Erika the legal wife and Angie the concubine.
Leon pressed his index finger to Milene's chest.
"Your misunderstanding isn't there! What I wanted was—not Erika. It was you."
"—Eh?"
Milene's expression gradually crumbled, and her face turned red all the way to her ears.
"Wh-what are you saying! I'm a married woman, and there's an age difference between us! That's why I thought Erika was suitable!"
To begin with, it was impossible for Milene to marry Leon.
Rather than impossible, it wasn't even an option.
Leon smiled.
"That doesn't matter. The one I wanted was—you, Milene-san."
"—Leon-kun."
Erika thought.
(What on earth am I being shown right now?)
Leaving Milene with the face of a maiden, Leon left the room.
"Please leave the rest to me. I'll handle it somehow."
Milene, placing a hand on her cheek, nodded.
Erika understood that feeling.
(Mother, you have ability, so up until now you've been the one others relied on, haven't you. That's why, when there's a man you can rely on, you're weak to it.)
Today's Leon was like a different person to watch.
Ever since before summer break, it felt like he had shed a layer of skin somehow.
Or rather, he was getting carried away.
Milene looked at Erika, looking embarrassed.
"S-somehow, I'm sorry, Erika."
Seeing her mother's very happy face, Erika covered her face with both hands.
After all, her mother in this life was being courted by her uncle from her past life, and she was happy about it.
What's more, her uncle in this life was still in his teens.
Faced with such a complicated situation, Erika also agonized.
(I have no idea what Uncle is thinking.)