Airbike Race.
In the airship hangar, I stood before my airbike.
Dressed in a racer-style suit and carrying my helmet, I was having a conversation with Luxion, who had attached himself to the airbike.
"You wouldn't want to upset your backer, so you're pushing yourself, aren't you? Aren't you Angelica's distinguished lackey? Is that really a fitting position for a mob?"
I always call myself a mob, and Luxion never misses a chance to needle me about it.
"I prefer a position more in the background, personally. Being a villainess's lackey is too big a role for someone like me. More importantly, is the thing ready to go?"
Luxion had been modifying the airbike—one of those water-bike-like machines—by jamming a cable from his spherical body into it.
"It should be fine in about ten minutes. It appears someone has been tampering with it, though. There were devices set up to cause engine trouble."
"You're kidding. Am I really that hated?"
"I'd say every student in the academy hates you, without question. You should treasure the two people who've been friendly with you lately. If they don't see you as a romantic prospect, you might at least make friends."
"...Friends, huh?"
Speaking in hushed tones, I thought about those two.
In the original scenario, the heroine and the villainess couldn't even be friends... I'd assumed their relationship was a simpler problem that couldn't be resolved so easily.
"As long as they keep getting along, that's fine. Keeping the peace is what matters most."
"Is something bothering you?"
"Yeah, actually. Those two fundamentally—"
I was cut off when a third-year senior approached.
Short-haired and tall, the stern-looking senior was clearly well-built. His neck was particularly thick. He was one of the top contenders to win.
"So you're Jilk's substitute?"
"Well, if it isn't the leading contender for the championship. Can I help you with something? I'm a bit busy at the moment—engine trouble, you see."
One of Clarice-senpai's followers.
The third-year senior looked at my face and didn't even make a bitter expression. He just acted normal.
"You already knew? Then I didn't need to warn you. Still, of all the people to send in Jilk's place, they sent the Shovel Boy. ...What a pain."
Shovel Boy. I'd mistakenly fought with a shovel during a duel, so that's what they called me.
"Real generous of you."
Hearing that, the senior gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"...Let me apologize in advance. I have nothing against you personally, but I'm going to crush you in the next race. Seriously."
What a proper declaration of war! ...If you're going to apologize, maybe don't threaten me. I hate pain.
"Forced into it, were you? Did Clarice-senpai threaten you?"
"That's—no!"
The senior flared up at my joke, then immediately apologized: "Sorry about that."
After clearing his throat, he told me about—Clarice-senpai.
"My family is at the bottom of even the court nobility. No title, and I wasn't even the heir."
The senior was in the regular class—one of Clarice's followers.
What made him slightly different was that he felt genuinely indebted to her.
"She was kind even to someone like me. When she found out I had talent for airbike racing, she supported me. Thanks to her, I'll be able to get a job working with one of these after graduation."
The senior gently placed his hand on the airbike, looking both happy and sad at the same time.
"...She's a kind person. She was our ideal. When the other girls were awful, when we listened to the other noble ladies' lackeys all whining and complaining... we thought over and over that we were lucky to have her."
When I stayed silent, the senior opened up about the past.
"Her family owns an airbike racing circuit, you know. She let us use it freely, so we never had to worry about practice. That Jilk guy was going to the circuit even before the engagement was set. She even arranged a coach for him and gave him an airbike. She'd cheer for him with this really happy look on her face. That was both frustrating and endearing... and yet that bastard Jilk suddenly went and called off the engagement. She tried to meet him, but he absolutely refused, and before she knew it, the engagement was over."
There was no point being angry about that.
Jilk deserved to get beaten up. I'd allow it. Go for it, senior!
"Then... you won't forgive me?"
"Sorry about that. Emotionally, I don't dislike you, but the young lady's orders are absolute. ...This is one order we will carry out no matter what. No matter what it takes... even if it costs us our lives."
Such fierce determination.
To be so beloved—Clarice-senpai must have had great charisma.
The senior spoke to me.
"...I heard about the infirmary incident. I know it's a tall order, but please don't think badly of the young lady. She's completely changed since summer vacation. She keeps slaves around her, goes out partying at night, and comes back at dawn. She was never like that before."
...Slaves, partying at dawn? That's what a lot of the girls do, starting with my sister!
Maybe my sensibilities had gone numb, because I wasn't even surprised.
This was terminal. It looked like I was starting to get absorbed into this otome game world too.
For a split second, I even thought: *That's just normal, right?*
"...You hoping I'll go easy on you out of sympathy?"
The senior smiled.
"No luck, huh? Well, you don't seem interested in this kind of talk anyway. It's fine. Just venting."
Watching him walk away, I sat down on the airbike seat and put on my helmet, fastening the chin strap securely.
"I've taken full control of the airbike," Luxion announced.
"Good."
"...Master, after hearing all of that, you're still going to aim for first place without a second thought?"
"Yeah, first place. Sorry about that, but I've bet a fortune on myself."
The students who found out I was competing in Jilk's place were buzzing with excitement... When they heard I'd be using the academy's standard airbike this time, they were apparently convinced I'd lose.
Comparing me to the finalists who'd made it through, I was clearly inferior.
...In other words, I was the ultimate long shot.
"I don't see why you'd need money, though."
"Don't be stupid. I get to show the faces of all those people who think I'll lose, looking miserable. That alone is worth winning first place. The betting is just a bonus. Besides, I've got my own reasons for needing a bit of cash."
"What a truly wonderful hobby. It's pathetic enough that you use my power to compete, but the tough and brazen mentality that shows absolutely no awareness of that—I aspire to it."
Does this guy hate me too much?
◇
The race began, and we soared into the sky on our airbikes.
All around me, other students on their bikes filled the air.
Among them were some who had a personal grudge against me.
"Hey, been waiting for this. Today I'm gonna pay you back for what happened before."
Who the hell is this guy?
Looking at him, he seemed to be a second-year, but I had no memory of him whatsoever. Not from the regular class—it looked like he was from the advanced class.
When I ignored him, he rammed his airbike into mine.
"Don't ignore me, you first-year trash!"
I snorted with contempt.
"I can't be bothered remembering every piece of trash like you! I'll report your name to the Duke's household—go on, tell me your name! Come on, out with it!"
Flexing my close relationship with the Redgrave family, I politely put the guy in his place.
A fox borrowing the tiger's authority? So what? It's actually pretty fun.
The guy clicked his tongue and backed off.
When all the racers lined up at the fabric-draped starting line, I could see the course laid out by the surrounding airships.
It was an extremely long course.
There were obstacles scattered throughout.
"...Your mouth is as foul as ever. I can't sympathize with you at all, Master."
"I'm so serious and hardworking, so why do troublesome things keep finding me? What a drag."
"You bring it on yourself. Actually, I've been suspecting lately that you're a secret attention-seeker. Oh—look, they're starting."
Up ahead, the referee fired a rifle into the air.
At that signal, all the airbikes took off at once. I tried to surge to the front group—
I didn't make it.
"Nicely surrounded there," Luxion remarked.
"Goddammit!"
"Were you Japanese in your past life?"
"I just wanted to say it."
The male students closing in from all sides began kicking me as they got close.
"Drop dead, you heretic!"
"Because of you, we're living in debt!"
"Fall off, fall off!"
I wanted to tell them they were blaming the wrong guy.
"You brought it all on yourselves, you idiots! You're the ones who should fall!"
I was kicking back at the guys who kicked me while Luxion looked on with exasperation.
"...A conversation befitting nose hair commenting on eye boogers. I can truly appreciate that fights only happen between people of the same level."
Blocked from above, below, left, right—and even ahead, I endured the concentrated attacks from all directions.
"Ow! Who just hit me?!"
◇
In the paid lounge, students had gathered to watch and cheer on the race.
"Get him!"
"Right there! Dig in deeper!"
"Warm him up a bit, won't you!"
The passionate cheering... it was all because Leon had accumulated so much of the students' hatred.
Ange pressed her fingers to her temple in a headache.
"...Bottling it up would only build resentment. Leon said it was fine to let off steam in moderation, but this is a bit much."
Livia was teary-eyed.
"Leon is so pitiful. He didn't do anything wrong... right? I-I mean..."
Ange tried to comfort Livia, who was attempting to defend Leon.
"Don't push yourself. He's got his faults, but you and I both know he's not the kind of person who deserves this much hate. Still, I can't believe even Clarice's people couldn't get close."
Clarice's followers had tried to crush Leon.
But before they could surround him, other male students had already gotten to him and beaten him up.
Though avoiding any fatal blows, Ange was clenching her fists in frustration watching it all when Clarice arrived.
"Oh my? We didn't even need to lift a finger, did we? Your entourage really is hated, isn't it?"
When Clarice assumed Leon was Ange's lackey, Ange refuted her.
"Leon is not my lackey."
"Is that so? He's always with you, so that's all I could see. But you really have no charisma either, do you? All your followers betrayed you, didn't they? Maybe there was something wrong with you for getting betrayed like that?"
As Clarice cackled, Livia couldn't help but interject.
"That's not true! Ange isn't wrong!"
"—Livia."
Ange felt a small measure of relief seeing Livia stand up for her, but Clarice narrowed her eyes.
"Don't interrupt our conversation, you commoner."
"...Eh, ah..."
When Livia flinched at being called a commoner, Ange moved to defend her. Seeing this, Clarice let a dark smile cross her face.
"You've changed too, Angelica. Have you gone soft after being betrayed by all your followers? The old you wouldn't have given a commoner a second glance. Could it be that you're so down that you've clung to a commoner? You used to look down on commoners so much—people really do change. I've had traitors among my group too after all the drama, but I certainly wouldn't rely on a commoner."
Ange glared at Clarice, but then turned to look at Livia. Unable to find words, Ange tried to explain the misunderstanding—but.
"...N-no. Livia, I—"
She reached out her hand, but Livia wiped her tears and left.
"—Ah."
Ange moved to chase after her, but her feet wouldn't move.
(*Do I even have the right to chase after her?*)
Stopping to think—that was the old Ange.
As a duke's daughter, her lifestyle was completely different from Leon's. She'd never worked in the fields, and she'd never had opportunities to interact with commoners unless someone arranged it.
How Ange had once viewed commoners...
"Well, she got away. Your last friend turns cold too, huh?"
Clarice's words made a vein throb on Ange's forehead as she glared.
"Shut up. If you don't want your face blown off, don't open your mouth in front of me."
"...There she is—the real Angelica. You really are short-tempered. But I'm disappointed that someone like you isn't even seeking revenge and is just sitting here quietly."
As Clarice kept provoking her, Angelica glanced at her followers and exclusive slaves.
(*All men. So... she was betrayed by women too.*)
Noticing Clarice had no female followers, Angelica fired back.
"You talk so high and mighty, but you've cut ties with your friends too? Shall I get you a mirror?"
"...You're so infuriating. If you had kept an eye on Prince Julius and the others, none of this would have happened!"
A slap struck Angelica's cheek.
The lounge, which had been buzzing with excitement moments ago, fell instantly silent.
As Clarice's followers rushed in to intervene, Angelica grabbed Clarice by the collar and punched her in the cheek with her fist.
She shoved her down and mounted her.
"Don't act so high and mighty! Surrounding yourself with men, and on top of that, exclusive slaves? You're the bigger fool! It's because you're like this that you got dumped! You hypocrite!"
Clarice grabbed Angelica's hair.
"—Take that back, you wild mare!"
The lounge erupted into chaos.
◇
As the race entered its final stretch, the male students peeled away from me to fight for ranking.
"This is good enough."
"We've beaten him up so bad he can't ride anymore."
"See ya, big talker!"
Watching the backs of those scumbags retreat, I gripped the handlebar and twisted the throttle. The engine responded with a satisfying rumble.
My bike was battered, my helmet visor was cracked... but my spirit wasn't broken.
Too bad, you trash! Your mistake was not finishing me off!
"Ready to go?"
"Anytime. But having been so obviously ganged up on and still not disqualified—aren't you too hated?"
"I should've bribed the referee beforehand."
"...What an absolutely terrible thought. Though I imagine the other students have already done so, so in your case you'd need to stack up even more money to make the referee consider it."
"Yeah, that sounds about right."
As my speed increased, the male students who'd been ganging up on me were now fighting amongst themselves over ranking.
I blew past them.
The airbike, under Luxion's complete management, was performing beautifully!
"Y-you bastard!"
I waved cheerfully at the frustrated guys.
"Thanks for all that backstabbing! You guys go ahead and spend your whole lives dragging each other down!"
As I overtook racer after racer, Clarice-senpai's followers were dominating the top positions. They were on a completely different level from the rest, poised to monopolize the top ranks within their group.
"They're genuinely fast."
"Can you catch them?"
"You're kidding... I'll overtake them in less than a minute."
When the engine pushed past its limits and roared to life, just holding on was a struggle.
Luxion was handling the airbike's controls too. As the bike lurched in tiny jerks and sometimes tilted sharply, I clung on for dear life.
"Master, your weight transfer is slightly too slow."
"You're making tiny corrections too often!"
I moved my body in sync with the bike, overtaking the top racers one after another.
The venue was in an uproar. Even the announcer was shouting in disbelief.
"I-it can't be! Bartfort is joining the race for first place! How is this possible?! Could it be illegal modifications?!"
Is it really that bad for me to win?
"I see. Then... I'll win on sheer stubbornness."
You'd better show me those miserable crying faces of yours.
I blew past the third-place racer, and the second-place racer moved to block my path.
"Not getting past me!"
I said with a laugh to the scumbag cutting off my path.
"Sorry! I'll be passing through!"
Matching the airbike's movements with my body, I used a wildly tricky maneuver to slip past the second-place racer. Ahead of me, only the third-year senior remained.
When I tried to pass on the outside, the senior chose not to interfere and instead focused on the straightaway—using the final stretch before the finish line to settle it with a straight contest of speed.
I'd figured he was the type who hated cheap tricks, and I was right.
"Sorry about this."
The airbike under Luxion's management belched fire from the exhaust, and the final burst of speed was terrifying even to me.
...The speed was so intense that I never wanted to race an airbike again, and yet it was my airbike that crossed the finish line first—by a hair.
I'd won.
I slowed down, pulled off my helmet, and waved with a smile toward the spectator stands.
"Everyone, I won! Sorry about that~!"
From the stands—from the airship decks and lounges—things were being hurled at me.
"You again?!"
"Give me back my pocket money!"
"You jinx!"
Enveloped by these loving shouts, I kept waving. The looks of frustration on their faces were the greatest reward.
"Master."
"What? I'm in a good mood right now, so leave me alone."
"No, we're about to actually hit the limit."
"—What?"
I turned around, and white smoke was billowing from the airbike. No wonder my back had felt a little hot. The seat and the airbike itself seemed to be radiating heat.
"Whoa!"
I grabbed Luxion, jumped off the airbike, and the senior who'd been racing behind me scooped me up.
...He was surprisingly kind.
"Thanks for saving me."
I offered my thanks, and the senior gave an awkward smile.
"Don't mention it. You made up for the duel fiasco. This is my way of saying thanks for that. Besides, I made a little money on the side too."
This senior had apparently bet on me during the duel out of sheer hatred for Jilk.
◇
Infirmary.
After being awarded the top prize, I went to where Jilk and the others were with my winnings.
I showed off my medal while watching Marie's frustrated expression.
What a wonderful feeling.
This rush of satisfaction—like winning an argument against my little sister—had been too long in coming.
"See? I won. Don't tell me you forgot the promise, Jil~k."
At my grinning face, Jilk let out a small sigh.
"...Yes, a promise is a promise. You can order me to do whatever you want. Well, I'll do my best to comply within reason."
"Within reason"—that told you everything about how scheming this guy was.
He was saying he wouldn't do things he couldn't do.
What a scumbag.
This was exactly why the target characters in otome games were hopeless.
Kyle, with his hands clasped behind his head, spoke to me familiarly—despite knowing I was a baron.
"So what are you going to make him do? Make him do a handstand naked or something?"
"Are you stupid? How much is a handstand from this guy worth? ...Wait, actually, making him strip naked in front of the girls might not be bad. Could make some money."
Then Marie pointed at me.
"You'd go that far just for money?! You cheapskate!"
"Go look in the mirror! There's a bigger cheapskate right there!"
"Give me back the prize money!"
The nerve. Since I only got to race thanks to Jilk, splitting the prize would have been reasonable... but I decided to hand over the entire amount to Marie.
"Sure, here. Take it."
"Wh-why are you being so honest all of a sudden?"
"Honesty is my strongest trait."
When I handed over the hundred thousand dia, Marie jumped at it. But she'd noticed the gold coins I still had—the platinum coins. I casually played with a platinum coin in my hand, making sure she saw it.
"Th-that's..."
"Yeah, I made a killing on today's bets. Betting on myself paid off big since I was such a long shot."
Looking at the platinum coins and the gold and silver coins I'd converted, Marie started trembling. I knew this cheapskate would be jealous, and I was dead right.
In my hands was a sum that made a hundred thousand dia look like pocket change.
"That's—that's cheating! You can't bet on yourself! That's impossible!"
"No problem here~. You guys just be content with your little amounts."
I made it clear that a hundred thousand dia was nothing to me, and Marie looked truly miserable. This girl was so easy to read.
While I was locked in a staring match with the fuming Marie, Jilk stood up.
His injuries seemed to be okay.
"I understand. If this lifts your spirits, then that's fine by me."
I turned my gaze away from the irrelevant Marie and faced Jilk.
"Don't be an idiot. If I did something like that, Ange and Livia would be furious. I want something more realistic and within reason... no, something I can ask for as a favor."
Jilk looked at me with a hint of suspicion. Did he really trust me that little?
"A favor?"
◇
The airship lounge.
Since we'd reserved it, only the people involved were present.
Jilk, still in a hospital gown with bandages wrapped around his head and arms, stood before me.
And facing him was Clarice-senpai.
What I'd asked for was...
"I am truly sorry for everything that has happened."
...An apology to Clarice-senpai.
Incidentally, I'd also made him apologize to the second daughter who'd been in the lounge. That was secondary—this was the main event.
Clarice-senpai's eyes were brimming with tears.
"Now? After all this time... it's too late! I was waiting! You thought you could erase everything with a single letter?!"
Clarice was furious.
Understandable. Jilk needed a lot more reflection.
"I felt it would be disrespectful to meet. I couldn't meet you while loving another woman. Lying... I hated the thought of lying in front of you."
As Clarice closed in, she slapped Jilk hard across the face.
The crisp sound echoed through the lounge.
Do it again! Get him, Clarice-senpai!
...Jilk didn't fight back. He accepted everything. That kind of dignity should have been shown in a very different situation.
"What lie?! You were deceived by that woman... you threw me away for that? Why her? Of all people, why?!"
"...I don't understand it myself. But I fell in love with her. That's why I hesitated to meet you."
Handsome guys could make even excuses sound beautiful.
If it were me, I'd say I was too scared to face her! No wait, there wasn't even any cheating to begin with. In an otome game world, cheating would get a man hounded into oblivion. Women, on the other hand, got away with a slap on the wrist.
...This world really was unfair.
"Are you going to cover it up again like that? Jilk, you're always like this! You've never once spoken your true feelings to me! And now you're trying to apologize and run away again?!"
"...This is my honest feeling. I wasn't in a position where I could see you. Even if we met, I'd only hurt you. I'd rather you remember me as I was in your memories."
This Jilk, this target character—the annoying thing about him was that he "fundamentally never shared his thoughts with anyone." He was always smiling and never talked about what he liked or disliked.
Running away from difficult things like that made him truly insufferable. In the game, his reason was supposedly for Prince Julius's sake or something... But you could at least apologize properly to your former fiancée!
Clarice's followers were reaching for weapons.
Realizing this was getting dangerous, I stepped in—and.
"...It's fine now."
"Young lady?"
The third-year senior was worried about Clarice. Clarice herself was wiping away tears.
But what concerned me more than her tears was her bruised face. Why was she so beat up?
"You're not worth dirtying our hands. I'm done with men like this. From now on, we're strangers. Don't ever approach me again."
Quite a claim from someone who'd picked the fight in the first place, but Jilk simply bowed his head.
"I'm truly sorry. And... thank you, Clarice."
Clarice looked down, grinding her teeth.
"Don't call me by my first name! I don't even want to see your face anymore!"
Jilk straightened his posture and left the lounge with his dignity intact, but... wait—was I the only one left behind?
As I nervously felt the atmosphere of the room, the senior spoke to me.
"...Sorry about that. I caused you trouble."
"N-no, not at all."
Clarice sat in a chair that her followers had brought and was crying.
...I wanted to leave so badly.
"I'll be going too. I shouldn't be here."
"No, wait a moment."
When the male students surrounded me, every single one of them bowed their heads.
"S-Senior!?"
"We tried to call him out but he wouldn't come. But to you—to the Baron... we are grateful. We apologize for our many offenses!"
"We are truly sorry!"
Confused by the collective apology from the males, I noticed that off to the side, the demi-human slaves were watching the scene.
They had no loyalty. Only a contract.
"If you have complaints, feel free to hit me. You can even report me. But the young lady has nothing to do with this."
"You think that'll fly?"
When I said something petty, the senior gave a small smile.
"If it doesn't, I'll take responsibility. With my life, if necessary."
Take responsibility with his life... He really seemed like he'd do it. It was scary. ...I envied him for having a master worthy of such devotion.
Hearing this, Clarice-senpai stood up.
"Wait! Do you think I'd let that slide?! ...The responsibility is entirely mine. You followed my orders. That's all there is to it."
"But, young lady!"
While they argued over who would take responsibility, I said exasperatedly:
"Can you please stop with this little drama? Besides, pursuing responsibility would only make things more troublesome, and I don't want that."
The senior looked at me.
"Y-you... I see. You'll forgive us?"
Forgive Clarice-senpai? The one at fault was that bastard Jilk. If he'd had the decency to handle things properly, this whole mess could have been resolved beforehand.
What an insufferable guy.
"...Clarice-senpai, please pull yourself together already. There are plenty of fish in the sea."
At my words, Clarice looked down and laughed weakly.
"You're twisted, but you're kind."
Luxion, who'd been listening, started saying something unhelpful like "She's under a misconception—Master isn't twisted so much as bent and warped—" so I scratched my head and dropped my awkward act.
"...I won't say I understand how you feel, but I'd appreciate it if you stopped being so dramatic."
"I will. Even though it's far too late... I've already been sullied."
Behind the sadly smiling Clarice, one of her exclusive slaves was smirking meaningfully. He had the look of someone who'd won a victory against us.
"Don't worry about it. A good woman wouldn't be bothered by that kind of dirt. Though, you might want to do something about the number of exclusive slaves you keep."
When I glared back at him, the demi-human slaves all looked panicked. For them, Clarice must have been a good master.
Convenient, I'd say.
"You're quite the smooth talker. Is that how you wormed your way into Angelica's good graces?"
"I'm an honest person—I don't lie."
The senior had been saying something like "That's definitely a lie," but I ignored him.
Clarice nodded slightly.
"Alright. I'll try again. I'm tired of this life anyway... Though I'm not sure— I knew that no matter what I did, he wouldn't look my way... so what was I even doing?"
Jilk was truly a heartless man. To be loved this much and throw it all away for Marie's sake...
...Reincarnators really were no good. To achieve a reverse harem, they manufactured misery left and right.
A serious, kind woman surrounded herself with men and caroused around... because she wanted the man she'd thrown away to look at her again... Why didn't I have girls like this around me?!
And on top of it all, I was stuck cleaning up after Jilk's mess... What a raw deal!
Honestly, I could've just stayed out of it. But Jilk was one of the otome game's target characters, and him being involved meant extra trouble I wanted to avoid. I'd meddled for my own sake.
Since Clarice had started crying again and I had nothing left to do, I decided to leave. If anyone should be crying, it was me. Today's hard work had done absolutely nothing for my marriage search. The only result of the sports festival's gains was the fortune I'd won on bets—enough to build a house.
And then—
"Leon. You, Angelica... and that scholarship student—I need to apologize to all of them too."
◇
On the deck of the sightseeing airship.
Finding Livia sitting in a corner, I approached and spoke to her.
"...You look down."
Livia raised her face. She'd been crying.
"Leon, I... I don't know what to do anymore."
She said with a pained smile, and I sat down beside her. Ange's face had been injured too, but Livia had asked me to come here instead. She'd given me such a lonely look.
"I'm not great at comforting people. But if you'd like, I'll try?"
She shook her head, so I said "Okay," and—
"Leon... do you think... Angelica and I were friends? Do you think we really became friends?"
Were they friends, or had they become friends? For that kind of question, I struggled with how to answer. Honestly, I'd expected this to happen.
"Which would you prefer—a sweet lie or a bitter truth?"
"...The bitter truth, please."
I'd want to escape into a sweet lie, but this girl was strong. She really was the protagonist... no—she really was Livia. Well, I'd figured she'd say that.
"As it happens, I prepared a sweet, warm drink. I made it just the right level of sweetness for listening to a bitter truth."
"You really are a strange person, Leon."
She gave a complicated smile. Well, she did have a past life.
I handed her the drink, and after she took a sip, I told her the bitter truth.
"If I'm going straight to the answer—it's damn near impossible. Your lives and environments are so different that you have nothing in common. Honestly, things had been going too well up until now. If you told a farmer holding a hoe to start swinging a sword tomorrow, they'd be lost, right? It's like that."
The differences in family background, living standards... If a rich person and a poor person existed, it was unreasonable to expect them to share the same values.
There might be exceptions, but for the most part, it wouldn't work out.
Livia's tears fell.
"I was so happy that I finally made a same-sex friend at the academy... but I guess it really wasn't meant to be... I'm just a burden to Ange."
I draped my jacket over Livia and sat down beside her.
A comforting speech?
Expecting me to deliver one was the mistake. That kind of thing... was Prince Julius's job.