Olivia was making her rounds at the school festival.
She had planned on helping out at the café, but Leon had told her to go have fun first and that the helping could come later.
She had intended to go by herself, but Carla was walking alongside her.
"Hm~ Just like the rumors. The Partner is a massive airship, huh?"
"Leon said there are even bigger ones, though."
Carla, who was marveling at the massive airship Partner, then started going on about how incredible it was.
"There are ones that use floating islands as fortresses. But a pure airship—especially one of this size for an airship fleet—that's rare. From what I've heard, the performance seems amazing too."
"R-really? You sure know a lot, Carla."
"...Well, I did my research."
The two of them browsed the festival stalls together, and around lunchtime, they planned to head to the café.
Olivia intended to introduce Carla there.
That was what Carla had asked for.
"Oh, it's almost time."
As Olivia moved to head toward the café, Carla looked a little tense.
"Are you okay, Carla?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
"You don't have to be nervous—Leon is really nice. He's, um, a bit... eccentric, though."
"Eccentric" referred to his outlandish behavior.
In all honesty, the number of people at the academy who thought Leon was nice could probably be counted on one hand.
(Maybe being around Leon really does make people nervous? I-I have to introduce her properly.)
Olivia psyched herself up and tried to figure out how best to introduce Carla—then she arrived in front of the café and froze.
(...Huh?)
Olivia, who had been mulling over how to introduce Carla to Leon, had already hit her first obstacle.
"Mr. Leon! This is unacceptable! For one who walks the path of tea to inconvenience a lady—such behavior is unbecoming of a gentleman!"
"...I'm sorry, Master. But I... I was!"
A male teacher—Leon's tea master.
That teacher was lecturing Leon right in front of him. Leon, who was usually so brash, became completely meek and obedient around this particular master.
Olivia, having stopped in her tracks, couldn't enter the café.
Carla was also bewildered.
"Huh? Wh-what's going on?"
Inside the café.
The master placed a hand on the shoulder of a tearful Leon.
"It must have been hard. But you must not give up there. Beyond that lies the true path of a gentleman—and the path of tea continues on!"
"Y-yes, Master!"
It seemed like a touching moment, but around them, Daniel and Raymond were tying up the exclusive servants—sub-humans—and continuing to kick them.
"To think you'd lay hands on Her Majesty, you're the worst."
"If we can't execute them, how about we take matters into our own hands? I'll go gather everyone!"
The boys, who were usually looked down upon by the exclusive servants, harbored strong resentment toward the sub-human races. That was why, when they had a just cause, they became quite aggressive.
Standing beside the hyped-up pair were two women with exhausted expressions... One of them was someone Olivia recognized, and seeing her kept Olivia from entering the room.
(Angel...)
Angelica also noticed Olivia standing at the entrance and lowered her gaze.
Olivia tried to flee the scene, but—
"Oh, Olivia's back."
Leon spotted her and waved her over, so she awkwardly stepped inside.
◇
So, after tidying up the café, I left the noisy lot of girls and their exclusive servants to Daniel and Raymond and kicked them outside.
The café had its sign down for a break and a "CLOSED" notice posted on the door.
After changing and showering, once everything was ready, it was time for me to meet with Her Majesty—the Queen, Milene.
She looked a little tired, which worried me.
"...Leon. I am angry."
At the Queen's words, I immediately dropped to both knees with both hands flat on the floor.
"So that's how it is. I knew it... Please, just spare my family! I... I'll accept whatever happens to me!"
My behavior only flustered Milene further.
"Huh? No. Th-that's not what I—... Angel, help me!"
When I saw her turn to Angelica for help, I could tell she wasn't genuinely angry at me.
Well, I knew that from the start—I'd dropped to my knees as a joke.
If the Queen were truly furious, I'd have already fled the kingdom by now.
Still, Angelica had caught on.
"...Milene, he's teasing you. Leon has that look on his face like he knows you're not really angry."
"Huh?"
When Milene looked at me, I gave her a sheepish grin.
She shot me such a cold look that I could tell she wasn't going to let it slide.
"You're the worst. I've misjudged you."
"I am truly sorry!"
Only then did I offer a genuine apology, at which point the Master asked Milene what she had come for. The Master had tea prepared for us, which put me in a surprisingly pleasant mood.
When I took a sip, I was floored.
—?! We're using the same tea leaves, so how can the taste be this different? Even the aroma is a completely different experience.
Truly befitting of the Master.
"Your Majesty, regarding this secret visit of yours—"
"...Never mind. If I say something careless, you know who will start teasing me, so let me be direct. Leon. I came here to complain about you. This isn't about punishment or anything—it's personal."
...Yeah, figures.
Regardless of the reason, I had beaten Julius senseless.
As his mother, she'd naturally have some things to say.
Now, this Queen—Milene—was what you'd call the antagonist side in the game. As her closeness with Angelica suggested, she was the type who would become an enemy right alongside Angelica if the protagonist opposed her.
It really was an otome game. She apparently hated in-laws.
Well, once Julius fell for the protagonist, she became the type who wouldn't tolerate that—she was only stating the obvious, but in an otome game, that made her an enemy who tried to tear the two of them apart.
Unfair, right?
In the end, even Milene had no choice but to accept the protagonist... So what exactly had she come to tell me?
"I'm all ears."
"Good. Then... first, I want to apologize for Julius. I'm sorry my son dragged you into his selfishness."
I hadn't expected it to start with an apology.
For the mastermind villain, she sure had manners.
"I can't understand how things ended up like this, even as his mother. Forgive the way I say it, but if he was going to take a lover, it could have been any daughter of a baron's house or lower. He was always so cold to women at the palace, so I never imagined he'd become this obsessed."
As I nodded along, Milene stared into my eyes.
Her clear blue eyes were almost mesmerizing.
...This woman is incredibly beautiful.
"However, I cannot accept the terms of the duel. Your behavior was far too violent. Couldn't you have settled things more peacefully?"
I probably could have, but honestly, I didn't want to tiptoe around when it came to stress relief.
As I looked at Olivia and Angelica with a helpless expression, seeking their help, I noticed the two of them had been in an awkward relationship ever since the athletic festival.
Both of them were looking down, not catching my eye contact.
I decided to appeal to Luxion through sheer mental force, and sure enough, I heard his electronic voice.
"My master settling things peacefully? Impossible. What could this woman possibly expect from him?"
...My partner is brutal.
This useless AI! Be nicer to me!
However, my silence allowed Milene to misread the situation. My glances toward Olivia and Angelica must have given her the wrong idea.
"Oh my, could it be that? How youthful~"
She teased me with a grin, but what exactly had she misunderstood?
Well, it was convenient, so I kept quiet.
"...Leon, I think you understand, but you have plenty of enemies at the royal palace too. Many people had pinned their hopes on Julius. Have you seriously thought about what comes next?"
"Of course."
...I'll rely on Angelica's father. Besides, I don't show my face at the palace, and if I could just coast along, I have no interest in advancement.
If anything, they could demote me for all I care.
People who had pinned their hopes on Julius? I'd just tell them their judgment was poor and move on. Seriously, their judgment was terrible. After all, dumping Angelica for Marie—that was the moment he was done.
He failed as crown prince.
"Is that so? You're a strong young man. If someone like you had been by Julius's side, perhaps he wouldn't have gone down the wrong path?"
I doubt it. Well, if I had been around, I might have pushed Marie away and recommended Olivia instead... In that case, Angelica would have become an enemy.
That was a problem. Having her nearby would have been troublesome either way.
"Even if I had been there, the outcome wouldn't have changed."
"Wouldn't it? Well, fine. I have one more favor to ask of you today. Help me with that."
"Another favor?"
"I married into this kingdom from abroad, so I never attended the academy. I want to make some memories here~ You'll help me, won't you, Leon? I've always been so curious about the academy. All the women I know light up when they talk about it, and I've always been envious."
This thirty-something woman gave me a mischievous smile... wanting memories of the academy?
In my past life, I might have laughed and told her to act her age.
But—now is different.
I stood up and took Milene's hand in both of mine.
"Huh?"
The startled Milene—no, I should call her Milene-san now.
"Of course. I'll help you make memories here at the academy. Milene-san... marry me!"
Milene-san's face turned bright red and she panicked.
Standing up from their chairs were Olivia and Angelica.
"Leon! What are you saying?!"
"Y-you—what do you think you're doing?! The other party is the Queen!"
Even the Master was shocked. I managed to surprise the perfect gentleman of a teacher—that's pretty impressive, right?
"Mr. Leon... even for a joke, that is not funny!"
I know, I know. But think about this carefully.
What is the purpose of attending the academy? Studies? No!
This is an otome-game academy. ...There is only one purpose! It's to get married! That is to say, she wants marriage-type memories. So naturally, what I need to do here is propose!
And when it comes to a marriage candidate, Milene-san is top-tier. A woman who's already had children? That's proof she can bear them! Nobles want heirs, so they'd welcome it! Not a virgin? Practically no girls at the academy are virgins!
Wake up—virgins are mythical creatures!
Age? That doesn't matter at all. Rather than a bratty teenager with no manners, a refined and adorable woman in her thirties is the best! I want to marry a human!
Going to the academy taught me something—stop having illusions about girls.
Between the academy girls and Milene-san, I'd pick Milene-san without hesitation!
...Wait, hold on. Is this woman seriously perfect except for status?
"I love you!"
"Th-that's... problematic. I-I have a husband and children... a-and I'm older than you—"
"It doesn't matter. You're beautiful. Even if you have a family, I still love you—WHACK!"
As I gazed at Milene-san's adorable blushing face, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glistening, I suddenly felt a blow to the back of my head.
Who the hell was that?! I'll flatten them!
When I turned around, there stood Julius, radiating fury.
His suit was disheveled, the front of his jacket blown wide open. His hair was a mess too.
"Oh, your Highness."
As soon as I said that, Julius raised the serving tray he'd been holding.
"You've got some nerve, courting someone's mother. I can't tell you how disappointed I am that I can't cut you down right here, Bartfort."
...He was genuinely angry.
Can you blame him? His mother was being hit on right in front of him.
Milene looked flustered.
"J-Julius, it's not what you think—this is—"
"Mother, enough! Remove your hands from him immediately! And Bartfort, let go at once!"
"No waaay~"
When I refused, Julius punched me.
◇
Café Princess.
Break time had arrived, and the room was empty of customers.
Marie, who had been counting bundles of cash just a moment ago, was in high spirits, but now she was hiding in the back behind a curtain from the person Julius had brought in.
(Why is the mastermind villain here?!)
She wasn't exactly a villain, but the person who supported the villainess in the game was the Queen.
From Marie's perspective, she was the enemy, no question.
Moreover, she was someone the current Marie couldn't hope to contend with.
Hiding and watching the situation, Kyle tugged at Marie's skirt.
"Miss, I can't take anymore. Those girls keep touching my body while saying they've paid the service fee. I'm not helping out next time."
Marie was irritated at her exclusive servant's complaints.
(What are you talking about?! I'm working my butt off to earn money for your living expenses and operational costs! The least you could do is help out!)
The reason Marie was so fixated on money was because she needed it to cover Julius and the others' living expenses.
Julius hadn't been cut off entirely, but his allowance had been drastically reduced.
The other four received nothing at all.
"Just hold on for three days. After that, things will get easier."
"Really? That's suspicious~"
Thinking what a complaining servant she had, Marie watched Milene's movements.
Milene was sitting on the sofa, facing Julius across a round table.
"Mother, you mustn't let Bartfort get close to you. You can't let your guard down around that guy."
"..."
"You may not know this, but he's a thoroughly rotten person. He'll do anything for money. On top of that, he's a coward. For him to confess to you, the Queen—it's abnormal!"
Julius was busy explaining what a terrible person Leon was, but Milene was scanning the room, her expression growing increasingly severe.
Marie felt the blood drain from her face.
"Julius? I was told your class was running a café?"
"Yes, it is a café. Marie made a few arrangements to it. How is it? Does it look good on me?"
Julius proudly showed off his outfit, and behind him stood Jilk in a similar getup.
They had been taking service fees and providing companionship to the girls, so their clothes and hair were somewhat disheveled.
Milene's voice turned ice cold.
"Call that woman over here. I'll deal with her personally right now."
Julius, however, looked mildly exasperated.
"Mother, you're no different from everyone else. With that attitude, I can't let you meet Marie."
Marie was delighted by Julius's response.
(Thank you, Julius! As expected of my prince!)
However, Milene slammed her hand down on the round table with a loud bang and glared at Julius.
That expression made both Julius and Jilk flinch.
"...Bring her here."
"N-no! If you'd just acknowledge our relationship—"
"What are you saying after causing that duel debacle? Jilk, you were with him the whole time—how did you let this happen?! Julius, open your eyes. You just said Leon was greedy with money, didn't you? Then what is this café?!"
The menu listed prices that no one would associate with a café.
"What are these prices? Stale tea and cheap sweets for a hundred dia? Plus a service fee? Former heirs of prestigious houses, and this is what you've reduced yourselves to..."
Put simply, it was a host club masquerading as a café. And yet, it was popular among the academy's girls.
"Julius, you called Leon a coward, didn't you?"
"Y-yes, a coward..."
"Then explain to me: after losing a duel and promising never to get close to a woman named Marie, how are you here right now? Which of you is the real coward who breaks promises without a second thought?!"
Unable to watch anymore, Jilk stepped in.
"Your Majesty, this is simply the Prince helping us—"
"What a pathetic excuse! Have some shame! And 'abnormal'? Julius, answer me. You abandoned your fiancée, chose another woman, and lost the position of Crown Prince—are you the one who's normal? Are you in any position to criticize Leon?!"
"Well, um, that's—"
"Speak clearly!"
A lecture ensued, and the atmosphere in the room was beyond terrible.
Greg had already sensed the mood and slipped away, while Chris and Brad had gone out on a supply run.
In the back of the room, Marie waited for time to pass with a prayer-like feeling.
(What's with that old woman?! Taking the side of that mob?!)
◇
After getting smacked by Julius, I sat in a chair hugging my knees.
"...She was totally my type."
As I grumbled in frustration, Angelica scolded me with exasperation.
"You idiot. What kind of knight courts someone else's queen?"
Right. If she weren't the Queen... I was so frustrated I couldn't stand it.
The Master had already left for other work.
Olivia was still here, but she was looking down and wouldn't join the conversation.
Then there was a knock at the door.
"Um, is it okay to come in now?"
A girl poked her head in when I opened the door. I didn't recognize her.
"My heart is broken today, so we're closed."
"E-eh, that's a problem... Olivia, could I ask you?"
The girl turned to Olivia for help.
Thinking they might be acquaintances, I watched as Olivia looked up and spoke to me.
"Sh-she's... a new friend. Her name's Carla. She asked me to introduce her to you."
At those words, Angelica's gaze turned sharp.
Carla, despite visibly shrinking under Angelica's stare, entered the room anyway.
"Carla Fou Wayne. Baron, please remember me."
Carla? Wayne?
As I gave an "ah, sure" response, Angelica was glaring daggers at Carla. But Olivia was chattering away nervously, so Angelica listened in silence.
"Um, she's in the general class, and we've been going around the school festival together..."
...Was this fate too?
I lowered my knees and gestured for Carla to take a seat.
"Do you mind if I ask why you specifically wanted Olivia to introduce you?"
Olivia seemed to sense that my demeanor had shifted and looked confused.
I shed the jokey atmosphere from before and faced Carla quite seriously.
"Oh, you can tell? As expected of the academy's rising star. You're nothing like the other boys."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Olivia glanced toward Angelica as if seeking help, but quickly looked away. Angelica also seemed like she wanted to say something but kept her mouth shut and lowered her head.
Olivia decided to ask me directly.
"Leon, what just happened? Your whole vibe—"
Carla revealed her true colors.
"Be quiet for a moment, will you? I have something rather important to discuss."
Olivia was visibly shaken by Carla's sudden change in attitude.
...Do you realize how terrible an impression you've just made, pulling that kind of act in front of me? Well, I suppose I only have myself to blame for expecting anything from academy girls.
Still, this was a problem.
"Baron... please, save me, save the Wayne household—no—save us."
The reason Angelica had been glaring at Carla was because she had grasped that Carla had latched onto me.
I knew it too.
Once I heard the name, it all came back to me... This event was in the game too. I was flooded with nostalgia.
◇
The first day of the school festival ended, and I was sitting on my bed in my room.
I'd gone to the after-party with just Daniel and Raymond.
That was because Olivia and Angelica had gone home right away.
As I sat there deep in thought, Luxion floated across my field of vision.
"...What is it?"
*'Cheaters are the worst.'*
"What are you trying to say?"
*'Actually, those are the Master's own words. Now then, shall we reflect on today's actions? The Master who hit on the Queen—tell me, wasn't cheating the worst?'*
"...That's not it. I just couldn't hold back these feelings."
*'The way your own words keep stabbing you one after another is truly remarkable. I'm almost moved by how perfectly you keep doing it. Shall I suggest you carry a mirror?'*
"No, come on—if there's even a chance, you take it!"
*'She's the Queen. The answer is no.'*
This AI that only deals in logic will never understand my feelings.
*'By the way, I believe what the Queen meant by "memories of the academy" was simply walking around the school festival. And you suddenly started hitting on her... I thought you had lost your mind. Ah, pardon me. You were never sane to begin with.'*
"You're an idiot. The only reason the academy exists is marriage. Saying you want memories means you want someone to court you."
*'That's only from the male perspective. The academy is a place for learning.'*
*'It's a place for learning.'*
"Seriously?! First time hearing that!"
*'I'm glad. Please devote yourself to your studies from now on.'*
"Sorry, but I can't escape the marriage hunt."
*'You hadn't given up on the marriage hunt? That's some impressive persistence.'*
"I'm the kind of man who never gives up, even when rejected."
I'd love to give up if I could, but no matter how much I put on a brave face, societal expectations followed me around. The worst part was that it wasn't just my problem—it involved my family too. I didn't want my parents or my brothers to suffer because of me.
Anyone else? Was there someone else?
*'That's quite the spin you put on things.'*
I was having this idiotic back-and-forth with Luxion when he suddenly shifted to the real topic.
*'Master, about that girl... are you really going to help the Wayne family?'*
I looked up at the ceiling.
"Once the school festival ends, we'll have a long break. I'll go help then."
*'The Master shouldn't have any reason to help.'*
I didn't think I did either.
But I had been formally commissioned.
And the arrangement was that Olivia had introduced me. It was a underhanded setup, but in this world, that was apparently how things worked—nobody else would see it that way.
It was the same as when Olivia had first greeted Angelica. Ms. Wayne had used Olivia as an intermediary to request a meeting with me...
We were just students, and this wasn't an official request.
I knew I could refuse, and I didn't want to help someone who resorted to tricks like this.
I didn't want to help—but there were reasons I couldn't refuse.
Putting down air pirates was essentially noble duty, but there was another reason I couldn't ignore.
*'The territory suffering from air pirates, you mean. Wouldn't it be better to ask the royal palace rather than the Master?'*
"You're right. The palace would be the correct party to appeal to. But the thing is, those air pirates... they have the protagonist's essential item."
*'You're participating because of a game-related reason?'*
"For the protagonist to awaken her powers as a saint, she needs three items. Two of them she recovers herself. One of those is held by the air pirates, so if I don't deal with them, I can't get it."
One was the **Sacred Ring**, hidden in a dungeon in the royal capital.
And the item the air pirates held—the ones who had been commissioned to be eliminated by Ms. Wayne—was the **Sacred Necklace**.
The final staff was the **Saint's Scepter**, managed by the kingdom's largest religious institution—the temple.
Since this was a matriarchal society, the gods were essentially goddesses.
The temple was the one that declared the protagonist a saint.
To earn that recognition, she needed these two items that would amplify her abilities.
"Sigh... The air pirate event isn't supposed to happen until the second year, though."
The air pirate arc, which was supposed to be a mid-story climax, was supposed to occur during the second year.
It involved air pirates appearing in a certain earl's territory—or rather, airspace—and the protagonist enlisting Julius and the others to subdue them.
Incidentally, this was a major branching point. Whichever character helped out would determine which route was locked in.
*'Can't you rely on the kingdom's regular military? The Wayne family is a baronet house, but their patron should be an earl, right?'*
"Ah, well, there's a story behind that. It's actually Brad's ex-fiancée's family."
*'From the patterns so far, that person seemed decent enough.'*
"No, they're trash."
That turned out to be completely different.
This family was trash so bad that even I was put off—the kind of trash that made all the previous oddities seem normal.
They were a newly elevated family that craved the prestigious brand that Brad carried—and it was the earl house that had invited the air pirates in.
This would set the stage for the war at the end of the story.
They were in cahoots with the pirates, doing terrible things.
*'...Is this acceptable? Olivia and Wayne seemed to be on friendly terms?'*
"I think... it'll be fine."
The bad person who got close to the protagonist was Carla.
...I couldn't bring myself to tell her that—it felt too cruel.
I believed Olivia was strong enough to handle it... After all, she was the protagonist.
*'...The Master is prioritizing game-related benefits, I see. The real-world advantages seem minimal to me—what are your thoughts on that?'*
"If Julius and the others are unreliable, I have no choice but to recover the items myself. If a war breaks out, I'm in real trouble."
Yes, genuine trouble.
If Olivia didn't become the saint, even I, who possessed Luxion... would have no choice but to flee the continent.
This wasn't a matter of whether we could win or not.
*'Why would the Wayne... the earl house commission the Master for the subjugation?'*
"It's a trap. I told you—they're the kind of trash even I was horrified by. I've never met them, but in the game, they were so awful it was almost funny."
The setup was that Brad was close to the protagonist, and out of pure spite, they lured him into the air pirate subjugation. I never expected the job to fall to me.
*'Master, at this rate, Olivia's match will end up being you, won't it?'*
"Me? No way. I'm a mob."
At my words, Luxion simply said, *'I see.'*
◇
There was a knock on the door of Olivia's room.
"Y-yes?"
Olivia, who had been sulking in her room, opened the door to find Carla—and behind her, two other girls.
"Got a minute?"
Carla was smiling, but Olivia could only stammer.
"Huh, um..."
"We actually want you to come help with the air pirate subjugation too. You're in the advanced class and have great grades, right? You can at least do that much."
"A-about today, I wanted to talk—!"
Carla slammed her hand hard against the door frame.
The noise shut Olivia up, and the girls behind Carla giggled.
"You'll help us, won't you? Because we're *friends*."
Olivia looked down and tears streamed from her eyes at Carla's emphasized use of the word "friends."
The word "friends," stressed so pointedly by Carla, didn't sound like it meant what it should.
Olivia realized she had been deceived, but that only made her feel more miserable. With Leon and Angelica having been so close by, Olivia was especially vulnerable to this kind of malice.
The two girls behind Carla were laughing.
"She's crying."
"Commoners do whatever you want once you scare them a little."
Carla stepped back from the door.
"See ya."
The three of them walked off, mocking Olivia as they went. Olivia closed the door, hugged her head, and sank to the floor.
"...Leon, what... what should I do?"
Olivia, weeping—if being close to Leon had given her any benefit, it was the protection she had enjoyed under his wing.
The drawback was that the opportunities to grow strong on her own had been almost entirely stolen away, because Leon had been protecting her.
Now, pressured by nobles of higher standing, Olivia had been dragged into the air pirate subjugation as well.