«Ugh, seriously! Picking out a fancy jam first thing in the morning is the best!»
I was eating a toast topped with a fried egg and bacon while watching Marie spread jam on a second slice of toast and grin.
When I showed up at Marie’s house on my day off, breakfast was already on the table. I was invited to eat with her, and after a long while I was finally having toast again… but something was off.
Even though it was Marie’s homemade breakfast, it tasted terribly nostalgic.
It reminded me of my mother’s cooking from my past life.
When
«Bartosfalts are used to this kind of food. I’ve never really had anything like it, so at first I didn’t even know how to eat it properly.»
Well, that figures.
Actually, the first time I ever had toast was after coming to the Alzel Republic. There was none in the
Chris was using a knife and fork.
«Still spilling, Greg,» Chris muttered.
A lively breakfast.
«Morning really does call for this,» he said.
I tilted my head at the scent.
«That smells kinda weird,» I said.
Jilk sighed dramatically, «You don’t get it. You’ve got a little tea knowledge, but that’s not enough.»
I was irritated, but I held my tongue.
Kara raised a tiny hand, «Ah, I’ll take the next one.»
During the noisy breakfast,
«Jilk’s a tea fanatic, too.»
«Hey, don’t call me a tea fanatic. I’m a gentleman who enjoys tea,» I retorted.
Everyone fell silent for a beat.
Then Greg resumed eating, and we moved on to the next topic as if nothing had happened.
«So, when’s the first envoy from the Kingdom arriving?» I asked
«The first wave can come as soon as the summer break starts; the second wave will follow after that,» Luxion replied.
Summer vacation is almost here. I feel like I barely attended the academy at all, but that’s all Pierre’s fault.
I should’ve given the Fevel family a good hard‑earned rant… I did, actually.
Julius lowered his head. «But this time we’re in trouble. I never imagined the Saint Tree would be this much of a hassle. I only ever thought of it as a faith object.»
We probably didn’t brief outsiders on that much.
In that sense, Pierre was reckless.
Marie was spreading jam on a third slice of toast.
«But now we can finally live in peace. The semester’s ending, and the rest looks fun,» she said.
The envoy’s staff are also coming along to look after Marie and the others.
Marie looks happy to be freed from chores.
Just then, a bell rang outside the mansion.
◇ The sitting room.
Luxion, Marie, and I were entertaining a guest.
The guest turned out to be none other than Lelia.
She whispered to Marie, «Why is the protagonist here?»
Marie replied, «I don’t know. Didn’t your brother call you? Oh! I think Kara mentioned someone was coming earlier.»
She seemed too busy to keep track, but it was probably Marie’s fault.
«…Remember later,» she muttered.
«Wait! Big brother, I’m innocent!»
While the two were talking, Lelia fixed her gaze on Luxion.
Then— «That’s a paid‑item, isn’t it?» she said.
We exchanged looks, then stared at Lelia’s face.
«How do you know that?»
A bad feeling settled in my gut.
If she recognized it as a paid‑item just by looking at Luxion, then— Lelia introduced herself. «I’m also a reincarnated person, just like you.»
Normally I’d try to bluff, but she was the girl who’d thought I was the protagonist.
Marie gasped. «No way! I thought you were the protagonist! Wait, are you one of those ‘reincarnated into the protagonist’ types? Jealous, you bastard!»
Lelia’s eyes narrowed. She looked nothing like the carefree Emil when we were flirting.
«That’s my sister! I’m the twin sister!» I said, glaring at Marie.
Marie quickly looked away.
Since there was no point arguing, I talked with Lelia.
«…We checked, and you’re the only one who fits the ‘protagonist’ profile. And what do you mean by ‘twin’?»
«It’s literal. I was reborn as my sister’s—my twin sister’s—reincarnation. Normally there’s no twin sister of the protagonist. And I’m not the protagonist. The protagonist is my sister.»
I took a deep breath, then shouted, «Marie—!»
«I‑I’m sorry!!!» Marie apologized frantically, but something else nagged at me.
«Hey, wait a sec. If that’s the case, where’s your sister—where’s the protagonist? The semester’s ending and she hasn’t come back yet… could she have not enrolled?»
A twin sister claiming to be a reincarnated person was standing right here.
Maybe the real protagonist was already off‑campus? That would be a problem!
«…My sister’s doing fine. Do you have any idea how much I’ve struggled to keep her afloat? And now you’re trying to ruin it! What are you gonna do about it?»
Marie laughed derisively. «What’s the problem? If there’s no issue, it’s fine.»
Lelia was fuming, standing up from the sofa, waving her hands and yelling at us.
«Big trouble! We grabbed the Saint Tree sapling too early. If my sister doesn’t retrieve it, it’ll wither! You know that thing’s a key item, right? That’s the sneaky part!»
«You’re being sneaky! Stop it. You’re the one who’s been flaunting it every day! You’re the one being sneaky for male attention!»
While the two fought, I set the case I’d been holding on the table.
Inside was a fresh, green sapling—definitely not withered.
Marie and Lelia stared at it, shocked.
«There it is!»
«W‑Why? Because my sister was chosen as the priestess, the sapling didn’t die.»
That detail wasn’t in Marie’s notes. Her memory was unreliable.
Luxion explained, «The sapling withers because the Saint Tree exists. Only one Saint Tree can exist on this continent, so any sapling that sprouts soon dies unless the Tree’s influence is softened. If you protect the sapling, it can survive.»
So while it’s under a special case’s protection, the sapling won’t wither.
«What a waste of worry,» I said.
Marie stuck her tongue out at Lelia, «I’m dealing with my own problems. You only got confused because you tried to go after Anpai‑kun.»
Lelia’s expression softened a bit as she sat back down.
«Good. If the sapling had withered, we’d be dead‑ended.»
I checked with Marie. «Is that right?»
«The final boss is the Saint Tree itself. Without a guardian or priestess, the Tree tends to go berserk. The protagonist, chosen by the sapling, defeats the Tree and plants a new one—happy ending,» Lelia added.
«My sister has the same priestess aptitude as in the game. I didn’t, so the priestess is definitely my sister, making her the protagonist.»
Marie smoothed her hair, apparently recalling more of the game as she talked with Lelia.
…If only she’d remembered sooner.
«So after that, the priestess‑chosen guy becomes the guardian and fights the final boss together, right?»
Lelia corrected angrily, «No. The guardian is also chosen by the sapling. It picks a guy who seems compatible with the priestess, so it only looks like the priestess chose him. Did you actually finish the game?»
«Mind your business! I never cleared it, and besides, how many years ago was that? Can you even remember ten years ago clearly? Stop whining.»
Sure, we can’t remember everything. Marie, having reincarnated into Holfart Kingdom, might not care much about the Alzel Republic.
But one thing nagged me.
«Then there’s no reverse‑harem ending, right?»
Lelia snorted. «There is, but it’s weak. In the end Erik was chosen as guardian and everyone else was just a side character. I can’t believe a reverse harem even exists.»
Those words seemed to hit Marie hard.
«…A reverse harem is a girl’s dream, huh?»
Come on, look at me and say that. I’ve suffered through a girl’s dream, so tell me again!
Leaving Marie aside, Lelia’s knowledge seemed solid, and she didn’t look worried about any big future problems.
«Alright, then there’s no issue. So where is that protagonist‑sister now—»
I grabbed the sapling case, and my right hand’s back glowed.
«—Wha—!?»
The back of my right arm lit up, a crest forming.
Luxion, nonchalant, said, «Oh, this crest isn’t Pierre’s.»
Marie’s mouth dropped open, and Lelia clutched her head.
«That’s the Guardian’s crest!!!»
«No way!»
I looked at my right hand’s back and saw a plant‑like emblem floating there.
Marie looked away from me. «It’s not me. It’s your brother’s fault.»
She blurted that out.
«You, stop pretending you’re not involved! What’s going on? This is the protagonist’s lover’s crest, right? Why is it on me? Luxion, take it off!»
Luxion examined my hand. «…Don’t worry. It won’t kill you.»
«This isn’t the point!» I shouted.
The three of us were shrieking when Luxion finally began to explain.
«Everyone’s misunderstanding something,» Luxion said calmly.
We fell silent and stared at him.
«The sapling and the Saint Tree both want a guardian. The Tree can exist alone, but the sapling can’t survive without someone protecting it.»
Lelia seemed to understand that too.
«So the guardian is chosen from among the protagonist’s potential lovers. Each has their own strengths and some influence, making them suitable candidates.»
What? The sapling actually evaluates that far?
I peered into the case and saw the sapling looking perfectly healthy.
«Is this the part from the game?» Luxion asked. «Right now, who’s protecting the sapling?»
…Me.
Lelia and Marie’s gazes pierced me.
«See? It’s not your fault!»
«Brother, you idiot!!»
I snapped back at the two complaining.
«Is this my fault?! Am I to blame?! No, right? I only got involved because Pierre kept pulling me in—»
Luxion replied coolly, «You’re the Master who repelled the Six Great Nobles. The sapling probably judged you as a worthy guardian. It has a good eye. It chose the Master you serve.»
Lelia screamed, «What are you doing for us!?»
…What now? I’ve just tangled myself in something messy.
◇ Port.
A pair of travelers stepped off a skyship.
The guy had spiky medium‑length red hair and striking yellow eyes.
He looked sulky.
«…The fruit with the jewel didn’t choose us. Maybe one of us lacked enough love?»
His yellow eyes began to cloud.
The girl walking behind him shook her shoulders.
His name was Erik Leta Bariel.
Tall, handsome, and dressed in a costume made just for him.
The girl behind him wore a school uniform.
She was Lelia’s older sister—and the second‑act protagonist of the story.
Her hair was blonde mixed with pink; the longer it got, the pinker, forming a slightly messy twin‑tail that reached her shoulders.
Her yellow eyes were sharp and strong‑willed.
She seemed downcast, looking at the ground.
«Erik…‑san, um, there’s no evidence for the jewel story, so—»
There’s a legend that a Saint Tree’s fruit ripens when two lovers are together, then presents a jewel as proof of their love.
But that’s just a tale.
Erik turned, grabbed the girl’s jaw, smiling at her.
«So? Don’t you think you’re not at fault? You ruined the first semester, clung to the Saint Tree, got tangled in Pierre’s mess, and were told to go back to the academy.»
The girl apologized, «I‑I’m sorry, but—»
Erik shoved her away, then started kicking her.
«Don’t talk back! I did this for you! And you still—»
When she winced, Erik suddenly lunged back, grabbing her.
«I’m sorry, I went too far.»
She bowed her head.
«I’m really sorry. When I think of you I get emotional. You understand how I feel, right?»
She nodded slightly.
(That’s fine. Lelia said it too—if I hold back a bit, things will work out, and it’ll even help Lelia.)
Erik helped her up, but the thing he was holding was a chain.
The chain was attached to the collar she wore.
«Come on, let’s go. This one failed, but we’ll have another chance. During winter break we’ll get the jewel together and get my parents’ blessing to marry.»
She gave a small reply and walked off, drawing attention at the port.
(If I just endure… maybe it’ll work out. I… also think Erik’s kind deep down.)
A drone hovered above, spying on the scene.
◇ Marie’s mansion.
Since Lelia said she’d be back soon, I sent a drone to check.
What we saw was beyond what we imagined.
Luxion reported calmly, «He’s a man with strong possessiveness. As Lelia and Marie mentioned, Erik is a bit… yandere‑type.»
Even the sister seemed speechless.
Only Marie muttered, «K—»
«K?»
«Secure—!!»
She suggested we secure Lelia’s sister.