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Table of Contents URL: https://novelbin.me/novel-book/the-protagonists-party-is-too-diligent#tab-chapters-title

In a mind-blowing twist, I found myself reborn into a steampunk-themed JRPG made by a Japanese game company. To my shock, I was appointed as an executive of the villainous faction. However, the protagonist’s party was way too diligent.

Chapter 0

It seems like I’ve been unconscious for quite a while.

When I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling stretched before me.

It was an old wooden ceiling. There were small holes in it, as if it had been gnawed at in several places, and cobwebs filled the corners of the room.

This wasn’t… a hospital.

If I had really collapsed from a stroke, the situation would be far more severe, and naturally, I would have been taken by ambulance to a hospital capable of treating such an emergency.

And a hospital with that kind of equipment would obviously be quite large, and a large hospital would never be this poorly maintained.

No, actually, it would be harder to find a wooden house like this in the middle of Seoul.

I blinked a few times and then slowly sat up.

Creak. The bed I was lying on groaned eerily.

My body felt light.

In fact... it felt excessively light.

The neck disc I had developed from staring at a cheap monitor with an ugly green screen that couldn’t even adjust its height was gone. The chronic back pain from bad posture was also absent.

I stretched both arms upward, and there was no stiffness in my shoulders. My vision was clear, even without glasses.

...Yeah, my body felt light. As if I had become 25 years younger.

The problem was, if I were 25 years younger, that would make me about five years old.

My line of sight was incredibly low. My body was thin and frail, and my limbs were short—far too short for an adult.

My hair was long, hanging down to my waist. When I reached out to grab a handful, it was shiny and black, looking completely out of place in this environment.

The hand I saw wasn’t that of a man who had just entered his thirties, someone on the cusp of middle age. It was a small, delicate, pale hand.

"Ah, ah."

I made a sound, just to check.

It was hard to tell if it was the voice of a young girl or a boy since it was so high-pitched, but at least it wasn’t the raspy voice of someone who smoked and drank heavily.

When I turned my gaze, I saw a group of children gathered around my bed.

Their faces were dirty, and they were all thin and malnourished. They were wearing oversized, ragged shirts that looked like they could be dresses, their mouths hanging open as they stared at me.

"......"

"......"

We all stared blankly at each other for a while. None of us knew what to say.

“Who are you?”

Finally, the tallest boy, who looked like the leader of the group surrounding me, spoke up.

The language that came out of his mouth sounded like English.

The words were simple enough for me to understand, but somehow, it didn’t feel like the English I was used to hearing.

No, was it even English?

Something about it felt slightly off.

"......"

Whether I understood him or not didn’t matter—I had no idea what to say anyway.

At first, I thought I had somehow ended up in industrial-revolution-era England.

You know those alternate history stories where someone collapses, then wakes up in the body of someone from a different era? I’m no history buff, but I’ve read enough of those kinds of novels to have a vague idea of what to expect. Reading web novels was my go-to way of passing the time during my commute.

I didn’t really have a specific genre preference, so I read all kinds of stories from various websites. Whether it was subscription-based or pay-per-chapter, if I enjoyed the free chapters, I would usually keep reading. So, while I didn’t have a proper understanding of historical knowledge, I could at least make some educated guesses about the time period based on certain cues.

From the people’s clothes and the grim atmosphere of the back alleys, I thought I had landed in the Victorian era, the time when Jack the Ripper roamed the streets.

...That assumption was completely shattered two days after I woke up in this world when I saw a flying warship passing over the alley.

It looked like a ship that had been plucked from the ocean and suspended upside down in the sky.

A strange airship, belching out black smoke as its steam-powered propellers whirred. Below the massive airship, a warship’s bridge and cannons were mounted upside down, giving the impression of a ship seen from above. The deck was made of wood, making it seem as though someone had simply hoisted a sea vessel into the sky.

In reality, the warship was looking down at us from above.

In the real world, this would be impossible. No matter how much hydrogen or helium you filled the airship with, it couldn’t lift such a heavy load. Even if it managed to get airborne, there’s no way the cannons could be used. The moment they fired, the recoil would shift the center of gravity, sending the whole thing crashing down.

Yet, the warship was soaring majestically through the sky, flanked by biplanes flying in formation as its escorts. It felt like watching a fleet parade through the sky.

When I saw that warship flying outside the window, I realized exactly what kind of world I had ended up in.

This wasn’t some web novel I had read. Not that it mattered anyway—I never even left a comment on those stories.

This was a world inside a video game.

A JRPG series I had been playing consistently for the past seven years.

Inspired by England’s Industrial Revolution, combined with steampunk and the unique touch of Japanese subculture, this game had a fanatical following among a certain subset of otaku.

I was definitely in one of the games from Millennium Corporation’s Azernian Chronicle series.

Millennium Corporation is a small company based in Osaka, Japan, with around 40 employees. As a result, the games often suffer from subpar graphics and optimization issues, leading users to complain that the visuals looked like they belonged to consoles from two generations ago.

They do make progress, but it’s slow. In comparison to other Japanese game companies from the same era, the graphics from Millennium are objectively below average.

But that’s something only non-players care about.

The fans of the series are just grateful that a new game gets released every year. In fact, the sales aren’t even that impressive—just five years ago, they didn’t even release a Korean version.

The series has a history spanning about 20 years. Initially released for PC, it suffered major losses due to piracy, which led them to move the games to handheld consoles. Eventually, they returned to home consoles, and now the games are available on PC again.

They’ve also been re-releasing older titles on modern consoles or as PC versions, consistently attracting new players despite the technical shortcomings. The distinct atmosphere continues to draw in fans.

I was roped into it by a friend about seven years ago and have bought every new release since.

And, true to the rule that the one who starts later falls harder, I became more obsessed than my friend, ordering limited edition game guides from Japanese online shops, playing the Japanese version before the Korean one was released, and even writing game walkthroughs on my blog. By the time I realized it, I had fallen deep into the game.

The series has been going for 20 years, but the lore varies. Games 1 to 5, 6 to 8, 9 to 13, and everything from 14 onward each exist in their own separate universes. Think of it as a periodic reboot, keeping the core system while changing the world each time. This allows the series to continue for 20 years without becoming too difficult for newcomers to jump into.

Experiencing the grand finale of each universe in real-time is always deeply moving.

That’s probably why I fell in love with the series seven years ago.

“......”

Anyway, that’s beside the point.

The real question is: how did a non-Japanese person like me end up in the middle of a Japanese game?

I’ve written blog posts criticizing the game’s weak cutscenes or repetitive events and dialogue. Once, I mocked a plot inconsistency, only to find out later that it was a deliberate plot device, prompting me to delete the post. I’ve even stirred up trouble on online forums when a particular character didn’t appeal to me.

...Not that I feel entirely guilt-free about it, but there’s no way a Japanese game company would have been monitoring my posts. Especially not for an imported game.

...Well, it doesn’t really matter now.

The most important thing is: what role do I play in this world, and why did I end up reincarnated as a girl?

In this world, orphanages aren’t exactly safe places, but as long as I’m not in the same place as the original heroine, I might be able to get by. If I’m lucky, I could even be adopted by a childless bourgeois family.

“Sylvia!”

I was staring up at the now-distant warship when a sharp voice interrupted my thoughts.

A gaunt old woman was approaching me. She held a crudely carved wooden cane, and though her back was hunched, the malice on her face radiated so strongly that it almost made her look energetic.

For reference, Sylvia was the name I had been given upon arriving in this world. My surname was Black.

I wasn’t originally part of this orphanage, but two days ago, I suddenly appeared, and my name was found on the roster.

When the head of the orphanage had asked where I had been hiding, I wanted to retort that maybe she just hadn’t checked the list carefully, but I kept quiet after seeing another child get beaten with that cane.

If I had the strength of a thirty-something-year-old, I could’ve easily overpowered this old woman, but now I was just a five-year-old child.

“Yes,” I answered obediently and turned toward her.

“There’s a new child. You’ll take care of her.”

Excuse me? Me?

I barely managed to keep from voicing my protest.

My natural dislike for children didn’t matter here—after all, I was a child myself.

Normally, the oldest child in the orphanage would have taken on this responsibility, but yesterday evening, a kind-looking couple had adopted that child.

"See? I’m better than all of you beggars!"

The child had taunted us with a sneer as they left, and now, I had taken their place.

“You’re the oldest one here now. And since you’ve been sneaking around unnoticed for so long, you should be able to manage something.”

That was the logic.

I nodded quietly, not wanting to argue with the old woman, who always reeked of alcohol, for fear of being hit.

I followed her down to the first-floor parlor, where a filthy child, covered in grime like the other orphans, was standing.

Despite the dirt, it was immediately obvious who the child was. Her pale skin and thick blue hair, reminiscent of the ocean, gave her away.

“This is Claire. She’ll be living here with us from now on. Take care of her.”

Or else you’ll be beaten.

That was the implication.

The child, Claire, who had been shyly looking up at me, awkwardly smiled when our eyes met.

...And in that moment, I was stunned.

Claire Fangriffon.

Both her appearance and name were exactly the same as the Claire Fangriffon in my mind.

Of course, she didn’t carry the Fangriffon surname yet.

...And she was definitely not someone I wanted to meet in an orphanage.

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Chapter 1

These days, heroines with tragic backstories involving sexual abuse are rare, unless you're playing an adult game. However, just twenty years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for heroines with such traumatic pasts to appear, even in all-ages games.

Of course, those scenes were never shown explicitly; they were often glossed over with a simple, “This character has had a miserable life.” Yet, even with that, the setting was still gut-wrenching in retrospect.

Claire Fangriffon, however, while being classified as a heroine character, was never a character you could pursue. At least not in the series I played.

In fact, pursuing her wasn't the issue—saving her was impossible.

Although the series is now 20 years old, the current world within the game only started five years ago. The 14th installment came out five years ago, and there have been three more games since then.

By the late 2010s, characters with backgrounds like Claire’s were already outdated.

Still, there’s a certain appeal to a character like her… if you could call it that. Tragic backstories can add depth to a character, after all.

She might try to cover up her dark past by pretending to be cheerful or become more mature than her peers. Maybe she acts tough to appear stronger or finds redemption from her bleak history, reconciling with her estranged stepsister.

Those are the types of character arcs often attached to such tragic backgrounds, though that kind of misery doesn’t need to involve “degradation” to be effective.

Whether it was due to the developers’ preferences or because the same scriptwriter had been working on the series for 20 years, the shocking aspect of Claire’s backstory always seemed to hold back her popularity as a character.

On top of that, a few players constantly dragged her past into every discussion, further lowering her image, at least in the domestic scene. I don’t know how things went in Japan.

Eventually, whether the developers intended for this to happen or not, Claire ends up rejecting the emperor’s orders and sacrifices herself for her stepsister—the emperor’s real daughter—in the last installment of the series.

Despite the controversies surrounding her character, no one criticized that storyline. "She was unhappy until the very end, but she chose her fate on her own terms." That’s always been a popular trope.

“Hmm…”

The problem is that the Claire sitting nervously in front of me now hadn’t yet earned the surname Fangriffon nor experienced the horrors of her future.

Claire was sold to a brothel by the head of the orphanage.

In fact, the orphanage itself had a special arrangement with the brothel. It masqueraded as a regular orphanage but was, in reality, a place where children were selected and provided as needed. When one of the brothel’s unfortunate children was broken and discarded, a new one would be supplied from here like a replacement part.

...The child who was “adopted” recently probably ended up being sold for a similar purpose.

Gender didn’t matter much when it came to those with “special tastes.”

A girl from a brothel becomes the emperor’s daughter. It doesn’t make sense under normal circumstances, but there’s a story behind it.

Claire had a unique talent.

During one of her routine assaults, she snapped. Unable to endure any longer, she killed the “customer” she had been forced to serve.

On her way out, she grabbed a fork and severed the carotid arteries of the large men who had come running at the sound of the scream. Then, by accident, she knocked over an oil lamp, setting the entire brothel ablaze.

Without proper fire safety measures or regard for human life, the fire quickly spread from the dilapidated brothel to the slums, resulting in a massive inferno that claimed countless lives.

Ironically, many nobles who had been opposing the emperor perished in that fire, dealing a significant blow to the aristocratic faction.

While investigating the incident, the emperor discovered Claire and adopted her as his daughter.

Many of the emperor’s “children” were loyal only to him, having been brought into his fold in similar ways.

However, they had no rights to the throne; they were merely tools for the emperor to further his ambitions.

Claire’s true origins remain a mystery, even up to the latest game. There were hints that her biological parents might be revealed in the next installment, but that’s all we know.

Anyway, since she hadn’t yet taken on the Fangriffon name, she hadn’t gone through any of those horrors yet.

...But, conversely, that means this orphanage is the very place connected to that twisted brothel.

Yes, that means not only Claire, but even I could be sold off.

The reflection I saw in the mirror was that of a mystical-looking young girl.

And what difference would it make if the mind inside was that of an adult man? To the nobles buying children for their perverse desires, that would just make it all the more entertaining.

“We’re screwed.”

“Sc-screwed?”

“Ah.”

Claire mimicked my muttering.

I buried my face in my hands, watching her innocent attempt at copying me.

For the past month, I hadn’t been able to do anything.

Not that I hadn’t thought about it. I’d considered trying to escape this orphanage and find somewhere better to hide.

And I know a place where I might have a chance.

The main protagonist of this game is a diligent and kind person. Naturally, his parents are the same. They belong to a respectable baronial family with a long history in the capital, and in line with their reputation as a noble and kind family, they run a proper orphanage.

Not one like this, which only pretends to care for orphans. No, this was a genuine orphanage, one that sincerely cares for the children, raising them with love until they reach adulthood.

I’ve platinumed every console version of Azernian Chronicle, and I even bought the Japanese versions before the official Korean releases, using a dictionary to write detailed walkthroughs. I know the layout of the imperial capital. If this world is truly the game world I remember, I could at least navigate using the map in my memory.

But the problem is the game’s scale.

Unless you’re a Western studio with a massive budget, it’s nearly impossible for a game company to recreate an entire city within a game. For a small company with only about 40 employees, it’s out of the question.

They did a decent job of representing some areas, but they only included the key locations necessary for the game. In terms of distance, it would only cover a few blocks, with about eight key areas featured in the game.

Everything else was an outside battle field, and since this was a JRPG, the fields had monsters and treasure chests, making the layout illogical. The outside areas were designed purely as dungeons, so it’s no surprise that the city’s outskirts in this world might look entirely different.

So, I’ve been stuck here, waiting.

“Sylvia, is something wrong?”

The other children had grown quite fond of me.

Maybe it was because the previous leader of the group ruled through fear. The children would be punished if they caused trouble, so they kept quiet and out of the way.

Even though I was never hit myself, perhaps it was because of this pretty face.

...As odd as it feels to say it, I suppose this face must be considered beautiful from a child’s perspective. From an adult’s view, it would be a “face with potential”...

And to a criminal’s eyes, it would be a face they’d want to possess right away.

I don’t know why I ended up in this orphanage with such a face.

In a web novel, this would be the point where I save the child in front of me, and the story would begin to take a completely different path from the original—

—but how?

I glanced at the other children who were staring at me.

They were all attractive in their own way. It was almost uncanny how the orphanage had managed to gather only such good-looking children from the back alleys.

...Perhaps they weren’t just orphans after all. I have no way to prove it, but still.

Sure, being reborn in another world is exciting. Meeting the heroine during her childhood is thrilling. Honestly, when I first realized it, I was touched.

Magic, airships soaring through the sky, incredible steampunk devices—all of it was stuff that stirred the heart.

The problem is that I’m destined to be sold off and exploited long before I get a chance to enjoy any of it.

For all I know, Sylvia Black could be an actual character. Maybe there’s a backstory where she knew Claire before Claire became the emperor’s daughter. Maybe Sylvia was sold off and disappeared before the main story began.

“......”

No matter how hard I think about it, I can’t find a solution.

There’s no status window, no sudden voice offering me guidance. I don’t seem to have any extraordinary abilities either.

“Sister?”

“......”

Even though the language is similar to English, it has that distinct tone unique to Japanese games, and it’s probably not just my imagination.

In fact, it’s likely that my age and Claire’s aren’t too far apart. At most, we’re separated by a year, or perhaps just a few months. Based on our heights, we’re about the same.

Yet, because the old woman said I was the oldest, all the kids call me sister.

“...It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

I tried my best to be kind to them.

After all, I couldn’t do anything else for them.

I’ve never been the type of person who empathizes deeply with others or tries to help everyone. That’s just not me.

If I can’t do anything about a situation, I’ll stand by and watch from a distance. That’s my position.

But even so...

I could at least offer kind words to children destined for a tragic future.

...Looking back, maybe that’s why the kids here took such a liking to me.

The day of farewell came sooner than expected.

“Claire!”

And it arrived in the worst way.

“Someone’s here to take you! Come on, be happy about it!”

“...”

Normally, when kids leave this place, they’re more excited. After all, they’re escaping from a place where they’ve only known abuse.

And the kids still don’t know that they’re being sold.

They just think they’ll be adopted into a wealthy family, where they’ll live comfortably.

...They don’t realize that nobles and rich folk aren’t coming to take children from filthy slums like this.

Despite that, Claire just looked up at me.

Her eyes were filled with fear and regret.

Had she grown attached to me in that short time?

“...I’ll walk you to the front.”

I stood up and said it gently.

Claire, looking uncertain about what was to come, smiled up at me.

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Chapter 2

“What is it, you? You think you’re going to go along with her?” the old woman scoffed.

I remained silent, simply looking up at her, and she clicked her tongue in irritation.

“Well, since you’re here anyway, take this lamp.” She shoved the oil lamp she had been carrying into my hands. The lamp, filled with oil, was heavier than I expected. There were lighter gas lamps, but oil lamps lasted longer, and in this orphanage, everything was cheap.

The clothes we wore had been passed down through several orphans, stretched at the neck, frayed at the hems, and full of holes. Even our undergarments were so oversized that we had to pin them to our waists to keep them from falling down.

Who knew when the building had last been repaired? The broken windows had fabric stuffed into the cracks, allowing cold drafts to seep in, and the creaky floor felt like it could collapse any minute.

The porridge we got each day barely kept us from starving, made from the cheapest ingredients imaginable.

In this orphanage, the most valuable assets were probably the orphans themselves.

“Always so gloomy. No matter how pretty that face of yours is, if you keep acting like that, no one will want to take you in,” she sneered.

I kept quiet.

Could a five-year-old child like me stand up to this old woman?

No, even though she hobbled around with a cane, she was stronger than I was. The last time she grabbed me by the arm, I was stunned at how easily she overpowered me.

If I said anything back, I’d probably just get beaten, or worse, she might not even let me walk alongside Claire.

I was trying to think of a way to save Claire, even in that moment. I didn’t have any grand plan, but I couldn’t just let her go.

When Claire first appeared in the game, her character was anything but likeable.

She was bratty, full of complexes, and constantly antagonized the princess, one of the main heroines. But as her backstory unfolded, and she eventually reconciled with the princess, Claire’s image improved. She went on to stand by the emperor, who sought to conquer the world, and in the end, she disobeyed his final orders to sacrifice herself for the princess.

I... liked Claire’s character.

Actually, I liked almost every main character in the game series.

Each installment took anywhere from 70 to 150 hours to complete, and I’d played through multiple times to finish all the routes. Over the years, I’d grown attached to the characters.

Seven years. For seven years, I eagerly awaited each new release, preordering and tearing open the delivery boxes with excitement. I even bought the downloadable version once because I couldn’t wait for the physical copy to arrive.

Claire was one of those characters I had grown to care about. I wanted to save her because I knew what the future held for her.

But... I didn’t have the power to do anything.

Even though I knew what would happen, I was just a five-year-old.

In some stories where people are transported to other worlds, especially game worlds, they gain special abilities or status windows. But I had none of that. Even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to use it.

Why did I end up here of all places?

What was the reason for me, powerless as I was, to be near this heroine?

“Say your goodbyes,” the old woman’s voice came from behind me.

The door was open. Was it because it was summer? The night sky was black. A middle-aged couple, clearly from a wealthy family, had come to the orphanage in the dead of night.

“...Hello.”

Not wanting to get hit again, I bowed politely and greeted them. Claire, standing beside me, awkwardly bowed as well.

“Oh?”

The man, with a neatly trimmed beard and wearing a cylindrical silk hat, bent down to peer at my face.

It was early winter, judging by the cold wind brushing against my skin.

But the chill that made me shiver wasn’t just from the breeze.

The man had high cheekbones and a monocle that made his one visible eye appear grotesquely large.

“This child?” he asked.

“No, no, it’s this one...” The old woman, who usually spoke with irritation, was suddenly polite to the man. “But, of course, this one is also for sale.”

“I see.”

The man took the oil lamp from my hands and brought it close to my face. The distinct smell of burning oil filled my nose, and the heat from the flame was almost unbearable. The flame inside the thick glass glowed with a red, almost bluish hue, like the gas flames you’d see on a stove.

The man examined my face closely in the flickering light, then slowly lowered the lamp, scrutinizing my body.

Then, he moved to Claire and did the same.

“I only brought enough money for one today. But this one seems to be just at the right age. The client will be pleased. Are they the same price?”

The man, having thoroughly inspected Claire, asked the old woman.

The plump middle-aged woman accompanying him stood a few steps away, uninterested in the proceedings.

“Well, this one has been kept hidden because she’s premium stock... We were preparing her for a client who prefers slightly older children...” the old woman replied nervously.

“Hm.”

The man turned back to me and grabbed a handful of my hair. Goosebumps spread down my spine. Even if I were in my original body, I doubt I could overpower him.

Underneath his finely tailored suit, I could see the outlines of his muscular frame. If he wanted to, he could probably crush my skull with his bare hands.

Ignoring my frozen posture, he held my hair up to the lamp, as if checking the color.

“This one is more to the client’s taste. Is she experienced?”

The man asked, letting my hair drop.

“Oh no, sir. We always provide only new stock. That’s our policy,” the old woman assured him.

“I see. Then we’ll handle the preparation on our end,” the man said, straightening up and handing the lamp back to the old woman.

Now that I could see more clearly, I noticed he held a sturdy cane in his right hand. Unlike the old woman’s roughly carved wooden stick, his cane was sleek, polished, with an eagle’s head for a handle. It might have been made of silver.

“So, what’s the price again?” he asked, his gaze cold as he looked down at the old woman.

She seemed to have forgotten all the exaggerated praise she’d heaped on me earlier.

“Oh, it’s nothing. After all, they’re both orphans. We’ll stick to the price we discussed before.”

“Very well.”

The man pulled a heavy pouch from his coat pocket and tossed it to the old woman, who barely managed to catch it. She peeked inside and smiled broadly, her face creasing with wrinkles and revealing her nearly toothless mouth. With the lamp casting shadows from below, her grin looked like something out of a horror movie.

“Thank you, sir! Please continue to do business with us,” she said, bowing deeply.

“Of course. Keep the other one safe until next time,” he said, gesturing toward Claire.

“Certainly, sir. You can count on me.”

“Let’s go.” The man looked at me and spoke.

“Sister?”

Claire, not fully understanding what was happening, looked at me nervously.

“...Claire.”

I hadn’t expected things to turn out like this...

But maybe, at least for now, I had succeeded?

I couldn’t predict what would happen to Claire in the future, but for the moment, had I averted disaster?

“...Stay healthy,” I said.

“Sister, where are you going?” Claire asked anxiously, her gaze flickering between me and the man.

Before I could nod in reassurance, the man spoke.

This time, his voice was no longer cold and formal—it was disturbingly warm and soothing.

He walked over to Claire, bent down, and placed a hand on her shoulder, like a gentle adult.

“Your ‘sister’ is going to a wonderful place. It’s warm there, and she’ll never go hungry. So, be good and wait here. Soon, someone will come for you, and you’ll be able to live happily with her in the same place.”

“...”

Even at her young age, Claire didn’t seem to believe his words.

Her eyes darted between the man and me, full of unease.

The man smiled at her, then gently patted her head.

He stood up, turned away, and walked toward the carriage without saying another word.

“......”

I waved to Claire.

It wasn’t exactly a moment for smiling, but I forced one anyway.

Seeing my smile seemed to calm her, and she waved back.

With nothing more I could do, I turned toward the carriage.

Thud!

A loud noise echoed around me as soon as I climbed into the carriage.

I thought it was the sound of the door closing, but then I felt a sharp pain in my forehead and realized that my head had been slammed into the floor.

My vision blurred, and my ears rang. The dizziness was worse than the pain. A burly man had just grabbed the head of a five-year-old and smashed it into the floor. It was a miracle I was even conscious.

“Ah...?”

But that didn’t mean I was unharmed.

Blood was streaming down my face. Had I broken my nose?

I felt something rolling around inside my mouth.

I tried to raise my hand to touch my face—

Smack!

My head snapped to the side with a sharp slap.

“H-hiee...”

Only then did the pain truly register.

It hurt.

It was probably the worst pain I’d ever felt, in this world or the last.

Tears blurred my vision, and my ears rang so loudly I couldn’t hear anything. Maybe that last slap had ruptured my eardrum.

“Sorry.”

A voice, emotionless and unfeeling, cut through the ringing in my ears.

“I have nothing against you personally. The client just prefers them a little... damaged.”

A thick hand wrapped tightly around my neck.

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you.”

“Gugh...”

I wanted to say something, but no words came out.

I could vaguely see the man’s hand rising above me through my still-swollen eye.

No... Please...

Then, all of a sudden, the pain in my body vanished.

I remained curled up, waiting for another blow, but it never came.

In fact, the warmth of the carriage had disappeared entirely.

Was I... dead?

Trembling, I slowly opened my eyes.

Standing in front of me, looking confused, was Claire.

“Sister?”

Claire asked, staring at me as I sat on the bed, huddled and terrified.

“...Huh?”

I lowered my arms and looked around.

I was back in the orphanage. It was exactly as it had been before I’d left.

I touched my face.

No wounds. No bruises. Nothing hurt. My teeth were intact, and my tongue wasn’t rolling over anything broken.

What... was this...?

Before I could even begin to process what had happened—

“Claire!”

The old woman’s voice called out.

“Someone’s here to take you! Come on, be happy about it!”

I had heard this before.

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Chapter 3

The shadows of the three of us flickered violently as we walked down the hallway.

The oil lamp, unlike the modern fluorescent lights or LEDs, was an actual flame on a wick. Since the flame constantly flickered, it was normal for the shadows to sway a bit. But now, the shadows shook far more violently than before.

That was because my hand, holding the lamp, was trembling uncontrollably.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you? Did you eat something bad?” the old woman asked, though she didn’t seem particularly concerned. It was more of a curious look.

I had always maintained a blank expression in front of the old woman. While the other children were terrified of her, I had learned to hide my feelings. It wasn’t because I had any extraordinary skill—if I did, I wouldn’t be trembling like this now.

I’d once dreamt of becoming a voice actor when I was younger—
No, no, this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

I needed to figure out what was happening and how to process it.

There were no injuries on my body. I didn’t feel any pain. There was no evidence that the man had beaten me.

But the pain I had experienced was far too vivid to simply dismiss as a dream or my imagination.

The sensation of falling face-first onto the carriage floor. The sickening sound of something breaking in my mouth. The hard, small objects rolling around inside, the metallic taste of blood, the blurred vision—

Thud.

The old woman whacked my leg with her cane, causing me to stumble a bit.

“Useless brat. Can’t even hold a lamp properly? If the light keeps shaking, it’ll hurt my eyes. What will you do if my eyesight gets worse, huh?”

Her eyesight was far from poor. She could spot a child misbehaving from the other side of the room and rush over to whack them with her cane.

But I tried my best to stand firm.

I could feel cold sweat trickling down my back.

I didn’t want to get hit again.

When was the last time I had been struck? It must have been over ten years ago. And since becoming an adult, I hadn’t been in a fight—adults generally avoided situations that involved getting hit.

Although the pain wasn’t real at this moment, I knew what would happen if this continued.

“Sister?” Claire called, her voice pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turned and saw her looking at me with concern.

Right. I had been taken in place of Claire and had been beaten. Though I wasn’t sure why, the man’s comments about his “preferences” made it clear that this was part of some twisted desire of his.

I regretted stepping forward earlier. If the person waiting outside the door was the same man, the situation would only repeat itself.

But if I didn’t take her place... then Claire would be the one to suffer.

What should I do? How could I get both of us out of this situation?

I racked my brain, but no matter how hard I thought, there didn’t seem to be anything a five-year-old child could do.

“What are you two whispering about? Look ahead and walk straight. He’s waiting for us,” the old woman grumbled.

We had barely exchanged a word—Claire had only called my name. But even that slight interaction was enough to irritate the old woman, and she hit my leg with her cane again.

“...”

Having witnessed one of the children get beaten mercilessly with that cane, Claire and I fell silent. I was even more afraid, having already experienced brutal violence.

I just hoped the person waiting wasn’t the same man.

Then,

“Say your goodbyes.”

The old woman’s voice signaled our arrival.

I looked up.

The man waiting for us was wearing a fine coat and a silk hat, his face adorned with a monocle and a thick mustache.

“Ah...”

Seeing my despairing expression, the man smiled.

“Oh?”

He seemed intrigued by my reaction.

And then, everything proceeded just as I had remembered.

“...”

I woke up, curled into a ball once again.

I had returned to a few moments before.

“Sister?”

Claire’s voice called to me again.

I opened my eyes and checked my arms. There were no injuries, no objects rolling around in my mouth, no metallic taste of blood, and my vision was clear.

Once again, I had returned to the moment before we met the man.

Claire looked at me curiously as I frantically checked my body.

The other children stared at me, too.

Had I... somehow turned back time?

Or had some higher power—perhaps the one that brought me into this world—reset time for me?

My mind, still paralyzed by fear, raced to recall the game’s lore.

There were gods in this world. But it was unclear whether they were personal deities or just abstract forces.

In every series installment, no matter how many times the world changed, the lore around the gods remained consistent. Players often theorized that these gods were the same entity, exerting a kind of “narrative force” that shaped events—though some players criticized this as a lazy plot device.

Was this one of those conveniences?

Could gods rewind time? And if so, what criteria did they use to decide when to do it?

Why hadn’t time rewound before I was beaten? Did I have to be in life-threatening danger for it to work? No, the man hadn’t planned to kill me—he’d been careful not to damage his “merchandise” too much.

So... was this my ability?

“Claire!”

And then, the all-too-familiar, grating voice of the old woman echoed again.

“Someone’s here to take you! Be happy!”

Once again, the scene repeated.

I still didn’t fully understand my ability. I couldn’t control it freely. I didn’t know if there was a limit to how many times I could use it or how far back I could rewind.

Why had I been given such an absurd power? What was the one who gave it to me thinking—

—I didn’t have time to ponder these questions.

The fear of getting hit again gripped me. I wasn’t someone used to pain. A small paper cut would leave me obsessively tending to the wound all day, and a cramp would have me groaning and bedridden.

But even so.

Even so, I had an opportunity here.

I had confirmed that I could turn back time.

This time, I had rewound just before the man’s face appeared.

“Sister...?”

Hearing Claire’s voice, which I had now heard several times, I opened my eyes again. My body was still unscathed.

And finally, I began to understand the conditions under which time rewound.

A strong emotion, a desperate need.

Whenever I felt overwhelming regret and my emotions collapsed, I would return to this moment.

Why this specific point? I had no idea. And I didn’t have time to figure that out.

“Claire!”

And once again,

“Someone’s here to take you! Be happy!”

Time repeated itself.

Even after going through the same events three times, it was still hard to adapt. Heck, even if I were starting a new office job, it would take at least a month to fully adjust and stop making mistakes.

And here I was, teetering on the edge of—well, not death exactly, but something close to ruining my life.

Getting hit over and over didn’t make me immune to pain. And there was no way I’d grow accustomed to the body of a five-year-old withstanding the punches of a grown man.

Still, I racked my brain fiercely.

What could I do?

How could I save both Claire and myself from this nightmare?

Telling the man we were useless wouldn’t work. He wasn’t looking for personality. He intended to “process” us in his own twisted way.

Claire wouldn’t stab a noble or set fire to a brothel until years from now. If she took my place today, I might be spared, but she would suffer for years to come.

Better that I, with my ability, take the blows. I still had a chance to stop this.

Let’s just hope there’s no limit to the number of times I can rewind. I decided to act as though there wasn’t.

I needed something—anything—useful in my hands.

That’s when I remembered the oil lamp I was holding.

The man began to approach.

There was no time to think.

I hurled the lamp at him with all my strength.

“What the...!?”

The old woman let out a yell, and the woman behind the man screamed in shock.

I don’t know what Claire said.

But a lamp thrown by a five-year-old...

...didn’t manage to set the man on fire.

Thwack!

Before the lamp could hit him, the man swung his cane and shattered it in midair.

Oil spilled out, and a small fire ignited, but that was all.

“...”

The man’s expression remained unchanged as he looked at me.

“Ah.”

I was screwed.

“Sister...?”

I had returned once more.

Luckily, I rewound time before the man could do anything.

Each time, I felt like I was getting better at triggering the ability.

There didn’t seem to be any strict conditions for turning back time. Whenever I desperately wished for it, time simply rewound.

I hadn’t figured out how to rewind further than this point, but that was irrelevant for now.

“It’s okay,” I reassured Claire, trying to calm her.

I still had another chance.

In fact, the more time passed, the more I realized I was in a better position than before.

Once again, I threw the lamp.

This time, however, I didn’t aim for the man.

I hurled it at the old woman.

Fortunately, Claire was standing closer to me than to the old woman, so she didn’t get splashed with any of the burning oil.

“Gaaahhhh!”

The old woman shrieked in agony as the flames engulfed her legs. The fire spread rapidly, crawling up her body until it consumed her entirely.

Soon, she was nothing more than a human-shaped torch.

The problem was that I had never done something like this to another human being.

No matter how awful the old woman was, she was still a person. Even if she deserved it, seeing someone on fire was horrifying.

Claire and I stood frozen, staring at the burning figure—
Until I felt a rough hand grab my shoulder.

“Ah...”

I was yanked backward—

—And returned once again.

This time, I resolved to stop the man from entering at all.

I couldn’t set him on fire. Even burning the old woman wouldn’t scare him.

So, instead—

“Claire—”

I waited for the old woman to arrive.

“Someone’s here to take you—”

I followed her willingly. The old woman grumbled, and Claire smiled up at me.

“Good, while you’re at it, take this lamp,” she said.

As soon as I received the lamp, I smashed it onto the hallway floor near the entrance.

“What are you...!”

Oil splattered everywhere, but thankfully none of it landed on me or Claire.

“What do you think you’re—”

Before she could finish, I grabbed the old woman’s collar and spun her around with all the strength I had.

For all her strength, the old woman’s hunched posture made it easy to throw her off balance.

“You crazy brat...!”

Her eyes bulged with rage as she swung her cane with both hands—but she fell straight into the burning pool of oil.

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Chapter 4

A scream echoed from deep within the orphanage.

“Hmm?”

The man and woman, waiting near their carriage, turned their attention to the run-down building.

Terrible cries continued to ring out from inside. The man quickly deduced that the voice belonged to the old woman they encountered every time they came to this place.

“What’s going on?” the woman asked, her voice tense.

She was a middle-aged woman, her face thick with makeup to hide the wrinkles of age. Her eyes, lined with concern, were fixed on the decrepit building.

The screams were loud enough to light up the neighboring windows of the closely packed houses.

Light flickered through the windows of the orphanage, but it was no ordinary light. Instead of a faint glow from a single candle, flames flickered like tongues of fire, much larger than they should have been.

Perhaps it was because the wooden building was so old, or maybe it was due to the recent drought that had dried up the Splin River.

The dried-out timber of the building burned like firewood, the flames spreading rapidly.

“Tsk.”

The man clicked his tongue.

That wasn’t the kind of fire that oil alone would cause. Judging by the strange blue hue deep within the red flames, he could tell that this was no ordinary fuel. It was mixed with magical powder derived from mana stones, commonly used to power steam engines.

Perhaps the old woman had scavenged the scraps of mana stones near the factories and mixed them with the oil. He wouldn’t put it past her to use the orphans for such a task.

But mana stones didn’t just increase the light’s brightness—they amplified the fire itself. While it might have been useful inside the lamp, outside, it was uncontrollable.

Once the flames had spread this far, not even a fire brigade pouring water over the building would be able to put it out easily.

“...Let’s leave,” the man said, adjusting his silk hat.

“But the goods—” the woman hesitated, still staring at the fully engulfed building.

In his usual, emotionless tone, the man responded, “We’ll have to procure them ourselves for the time being. It’ll be risky, but there’s no helping it.”

He gestured toward the driver, and the carriage began to move.

“We’ll also need to find a new supplier,” the man added with a sigh. “This is becoming bothersome.”

The woman, looking nervous, glanced once more at the building now engulfed in flames, shivering as the screams continued to echo from within.

Bracing herself, she tightened her coat around her shoulders and followed the man into the carriage.

Was it a good idea to set fire to the building?

I had successfully avoided the man. It seemed he had no intention of forcing his way in after all.

It made sense. The fire had spread much faster than expected, quickly consuming the entrance before anyone had a chance to intervene.

Come to think of it, this was exactly what had happened in the original game. At first glance, the lamps here seemed similar to the ones from my old world, but the fire spread much more rapidly and intensely, leaving no room to react.

Many players had questioned how one overturned lamp could cause such a massive fire. In response, the developers explained that the lamp’s fuel was mixed with the powdered mana stones, a key resource in the game’s world.

The fire’s hue wasn’t the typical orange one would see in a lighter but rather the bluish glow more akin to a gas stove. Even as I stepped back, the heat felt overwhelming, as though it were rushing toward my face.

“Sister?”

Claire’s worried voice snapped me back to reality.

The old woman’s body was already beyond recognition, consumed by the flames.

“Let’s go.”

I quickly turned and grabbed Claire’s hand.

We needed to get out of here.

The fire I had started could easily spread through the entire district. Innocent people could get caught up in it, and there might even be casualties.

But right now, there was something more important.

Our safety—Claire’s and mine.

We had to run first. Then I could think about my abilities and what lay ahead. I had at least prevented one tragedy—

“Sister.”

Claire pulled on my hand, tugging me in the opposite direction.

When I looked at her, she wore a frightened expression but was still trying to drag me back.

“The others... the other kids are still inside.”

“...”

She had just seen me kill someone. Yet she wasn’t doubting me. Despite the fact that I hadn’t done anything particularly kind for her, Claire still trusted me. It was probably in her nature—her innocent, uncorrupted nature, not yet shattered by the cruelty of the world.

Or maybe it was simply that, compared to the old woman who abused her, I seemed like the better option.

But still... yes, Claire had always been kind, even in the original story.

Even after escaping that hellish place, Claire had been tormented by the fact that so many homes had burned and people had died because of the lamp she knocked over. While she only expressed her guilt in the episodes leading up to her death, she had always tried her best to avoid unnecessary casualties, even while serving the emperor and playing the role of an antagonist. In the end, she sacrificed her life for the princess.

If that was her nature after being broken, then it made sense that she would still be this kind now.

“...Alright.”

I turned around. The fire was still blazing, but there was some time left.

Instead of heading for the back door, we ran upstairs.

Claire coughed as we went. I stopped, turned around, and had her cover her mouth with her collar. Then, keeping low to the ground, we continued.

The house wasn’t filled with smoke yet, thankfully.

We reached the second floor, where I could hear the cries of the children.

Holding Claire’s hand tightly, I rushed to a door and threw it open.

“We have to get out of here!”

At my words, the children staggered to their feet, their faces stained with tears.

But going back down the stairs was no longer an option. I could already feel the heat radiating from the doorway. The first floor was likely a sea of flames by now, or at the very least, the hall was choked with smoke. Thick black smoke was already pouring up the stairs.

I slammed the door shut. It wouldn’t stop the fire, but at least it might slow down the smoke for a little while.

There was no time to think.

I tore down the old, moldy curtains from the windows. The smell was awful, but they looked strong enough to hold the weight of a few children.

Seeing me do this, the kids quickly followed suit. In total, we gathered four curtains.

We tied the curtains together as tightly as we could. It should be enough to hold the weight of the small children.

I tied one end of the curtains to the nearest bedframe and opened the window.

Luckily, the fire hadn’t spread to the outside of the building yet.

“Hurry!”

I shouted, and the children scrambled toward me.

Could they climb down using the curtains?

I couldn’t help each of them down one by one; there wasn’t enough time. But I couldn’t just leave them either.

Claire’s eyes were fixed on me, silently urging me on.

Pushed by her gaze, I called out to one of the children.

“James, grab it with both hands. I’ll help lower you down.”

A boy with straw-colored hair, his face covered in tears, nodded.

“Everyone, grab onto the curtain behind me. We’ll help each other get down, one by one.”

I decided to start with the heavier children. As each one descended, there would be fewer of us left to hold the curtain.

One by one, we lowered them.

With each child that went down, my strength waned. There were fewer of us to help support the weight, and my own five-year-old body wasn’t exactly strong.

But with the curtain tied securely to the bed, no one would fall, even if my hands slipped.

“Go ahead,” I said to Claire, who was the last.

She looked scared but nodded, gripping the curtain tightly.

The room was already filling with smoke. I couldn’t see what was happening below, but the curtain hadn’t caught fire, so at least the flames hadn’t reached outside.

“Sister! We’re all down!”

Claire’s voice came from below.

It was faint, but I could hear her through the noise. She must have been shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Ah...”

But my hands were trembling. After helping so many children down, they were weak and shaking.

Could I still make it down?

As I considered this, a loud crack echoed through the room.

The door was now on fire. My eyes and throat burned. I could still breathe thanks to being right next to the window, but if I stayed any longer, I would die.

“...”

I wrapped the curtain around my waist.

Would it be long enough? No, it was probably too long. If I fell straight down, I’d crash into the ground.

But still...

I had more chances than anyone else.

With the curtain tied around me, I gathered the last of my strength and jumped out the window.

The outcome was both good and bad.

“Ah...!”

The curtain was short enough. Even after accounting for the knot I had tied, I dangled in midair, just above the ground.

But I hadn’t tied it securely enough. My hands had been too weak to make a proper knot.

So, just as my body bounced lightly from the force of the fall, the curtain slipped from around my waist.

I crashed into the ground.

Fortunately, the fall had been slowed enough that I didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

It still hurt, but at least it wasn’t bad enough to warrant rewinding time.

When I stood up, I saw the children staring at me.

Behind them, the orphanage was now fully engulfed in flames.

“Fire!”

Someone shouted.

The sound of horses’ hooves echoed in the distance, and a carriage with a large water tank came rushing toward us.

“...Let’s go.”

I hurried the children along.

By now, plenty of people had seen us. The entire area was illuminated by the fire, and people were running everywhere. The streets were in chaos.

But at least none of the children were hurt. Claire and I had made it out too.

Unlike the hidden brothels, this was an area where carriages could pass through. The fire brigade was already here, so hopefully, the flames wouldn’t spread into the catastrophic inferno they had in the original story. This was a world where magic was used to put out fires, just as it was used to start them.

But if we were caught here, we’d just end up in another horrible orphanage.

It would be safer to disappear into the chaos of the people running around in fear of the fire spreading to their homes.

The children did as I said. They trembled in fear but followed me, knowing that the only adult who had ever taken care of them was now gone.

“Where are we going?”

Claire asked. The other children looked up at me, curious and scared.

“...I know where we need to go.”

I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find the way. I didn’t know how far it was from here.

But right now, there wasn’t any other option.

I might have to rely heavily on my ability.

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Chapter 5

One fortunate thing was that the map of this world matched the one in my head.

Of course, I didn’t have the entire map of the capital memorized. In the game, the capital’s map was more decorative than functional, with only key areas being accessible. But those "key areas" were also the most important landmarks in the capital, and thus easy to recognize.

At the center of the capital stood a massive castle—the imperial palace. While not towering enough to be visible from everywhere in the capital, it was still prominent enough to be seen from most of the central districts. Even in the game, when the capital was the backdrop, you could always spot the castle from a specific angle.

Millennium, the company behind the game, wasn’t known for cutting-edge graphics, and they lacked the resources and technology to create a fully open-world capital. However, they paid a lot of attention to detail, ensuring that certain views of the palace were visible from key areas.

The game’s map also adhered to a logical layout. Even though invisible barriers blocked off certain areas, it felt like the pathways would connect naturally, creating a seamless world.

And I had wandered those areas countless times, either chasing relationship events that required multiple playthroughs or searching for hidden notes and NPCs scattered by the developers. I even blogged about guides and walkthroughs for the series, so I had to be thorough.

Aside from the neglected slums, the capital was relatively well-maintained for this era. The signs along the main roads were enough to help me find my way.

However, there was one problem—

“Hey, you kids over there!”

—The capital wasn’t exactly kind to orphans and vagrants like us.

It wasn’t that the people walking by were unkind. They regarded us much like people in my old world would look at the homeless—sometimes with pity, other times with disgust, holding their noses or avoiding eye contact.

But unlike my old world, this one didn’t have the same concept of human rights.

The capital, being a hub for foreigners, placed a high value on appearances, meaning they were quick to crack down on anything "unsightly." And if that "unsightly thing" was a child wandering the streets, it became the responsibility of the city guards.

“Stop right there! Don’t run!”

So, whenever we saw a guard, I grabbed the children’s hands and ran like mad.

It was the obvious thing to do. Getting caught by the guards meant one thing—being sent back to an orphanage.

I had tried lying a few times, claiming we had parents, but it never worked. Once we were caught, the guards would drag us by the scruff of the neck to the station, and a few days later, we’d end up in some rundown orphanage.

And every time that happened, I’d rewind time.

The baron’s estate wasn’t far, but getting there was the hard part.

“Nuna, I’m sleepy...”

We had fled the streets in the dead of night, blending in with the chaos of people running from the spreading fire. No one had paid us much attention, but after hours of walking, the children’s stamina was wearing thin.

I wasn’t faring much better. Even though I had the body of a five-year-old, I was just as tired. My legs were stiff, and the mental exhaustion from setting fire to the orphanage weighed heavily on me.

With short strides and frequent breaks, our journey took longer than expected.

The children, who had been relatively quiet at first, started to whine more as we walked. I was exhausted too.

“...Alright, let’s rest here.”

Eventually, we had to stop every hour or so. We usually found dark, damp alleys where we could hide without attracting attention.

It smelled terrible, and the ground was wet, but as long as no one found us—

“Hey, who gave you permission to be here?”

—If we didn’t get caught, that is, we could rest for at least an hour.

I looked up, weary, at the scarred man who had kicked my leg to wake me. His face was rough and intimidating.

“...Rewind.”

Thankfully, it seemed there was no limit to my ability. I could rewind time as much as I needed to start from the most advantageous moment.

Whether we had lost a child, encountered a thug in an alley, got caught by the guards, or were reported by a citizen, I rewound time over and over, finding the best outcome.

In total, it had taken us half a day to reach the baron’s estate by the time the sun was rising, and people began filling the streets.

But to me, it felt like weeks had passed.

Rewinding time reset my body’s fatigue. Even if I hadn’t slept, my mind would clear, my legs would regain their strength, and the pain in my feet would disappear.

But my mind didn’t get the same rest. No matter how refreshed my body felt, mentally, I was exhausted. I just wanted to lie down and give up. Maybe I could leave a few of the kids behind. Maybe if we got caught by the guards, we’d end up in a decent orphanage. Maybe the thug wasn’t as bad as he looked.

Whenever those thoughts crossed my mind, I rewound time again.

It was easier to think clearly once my body was refreshed.

It felt like trying to beat an impossibly hard action game without a single mistake. Or maybe more like attempting a real-time tool-assisted speedrun. Either way, it was exhausting.

But...

“...I did it.”

Yes, I had done it.

I murmured to myself as I looked up at the sign hanging above the mansion’s front gate.

The Grace Baron’s estate.

In the Empire of Azerna, barons owned land, but not much. Their territory was typically part of a larger noble’s domain. And, technically, all the land in the empire belonged to the emperor, so the noble’s territory was merely land granted to them by the emperor.

If it were a duke’s territory, it would be the emperor’s land, managed by the duke. The same went for margraves and counts. Of course, since titles were inherited, things often became more complicated.

Barons were at the bottom of the hierarchy, but if the emperor personally granted the title, the baron could wield considerable influence. While they wouldn’t necessarily rival dukes or counts, they could still hold significant power.

The Grace family was one such barony, directly granted by the emperor.

Naturally, they were staunch supporters of the emperor in the ongoing power struggle between the imperial and noble factions.

This dynamic would shift over the course of the game, but that was something for much later in the story. Right now, it wasn’t worth worrying about.

For now, all that mattered was that the Grace family’s estate was just beyond this fence. It was massive for a private mansion but small for a noble’s territory.

“...”

Now, how do I get inside?

There were no guards at the gate, but the gate was locked.

Of course, it made sense. Even if they didn’t have guards, they couldn’t just leave their gates open to anyone.

Still, I had an idea.

The Grace couple were known for being soft-hearted. In the game, players often joked about them being pushovers who couldn’t refuse helping someone in need.

If we could catch their attention when they came out, they’d likely take us in or, at the very least, hand us over to a reputable orphanage.

The problem was, the estate was right in the middle of the capital.

If we stood out here too long, we’d definitely get caught by the guards.

“...”

I sighed, considering whether I’d have to use my ability again. The kids around me looked up at me, puzzled.

Well, it was almost over now.

Hiding wasn’t difficult after all the experience I’d gained from sneaking around the city.

The key was to stay out of the guards’ sight and avoid being reported by the locals.

We didn’t need to crawl through alleys. As long as we didn’t attract attention, we’d be fine.

“They’re coming out.”

I muttered as I saw the baron and baroness step outside.

I stood at the back of our group. It was easier to keep track of the children that way, ensuring no one got left behind.

“Let’s go. All we have to do is get to them. Then it’s really over.”

“Really? It’s okay?”

Claire, still unsure, looked at the baron and baroness—two people who clearly looked wealthy and well-off. I nodded.

I remembered their faces. Even though they were 2D illustrations in the game, their features were unmistakable.

The baron’s vibrant blue hair and neatly groomed sideburns were impossible to miss. He looked more like a man on the cusp of leaving his youth than a middle-aged noble. His wife, standing beside him, had the same blue hair, styled in elegant waves, and flawless skin.

As they stepped outside, arm in arm, I urged the children forward.

“Come on, let’s go. It’s really over once we get there.”

The couple had no guards.

They didn’t need any. They could easily slice a carriage in half with their swords if needed. There was no risk in approaching them.

That’s why they didn’t bother with guards at their estate.

I pushed the children forward. At first, they hesitated, but after hearing my words, they moved toward the couple. After all, we had gotten this far thanks to me, and half a day’s worth of trust had formed.

My stomach growled. We hadn’t eaten breakfast. The children were likely just as hungry.

Just as I let my guard down, I felt something clamp over my mouth. I was too shocked to scream.

The children kept walking toward the baron and baroness, unaware. But I wasn’t moving. My feet had left the ground.

Someone was holding me from behind.

What? Was this some creep from an alley? Cold sweat ran down my back as I considered my appearance. This body was quite attractive, and it wasn’t impossible that some pervert had targeted me.

I started to rewind—

“Wait, wait. Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”

The voice that spoke was young, maybe a teenager whose voice had just settled after puberty.

...I knew this voice.

As I stopped struggling, the hand over my mouth loosened. It wasn’t completely removed, but it wasn’t as tight anymore.

“You’re smart. The Grace family will take those kids in. They’ve been talking about expanding their orphanage anyway.”

I watched as the children reached the baron and baroness. The couple turned around, noticing the kids approaching them.

“Oh no, we’ll get caught if we stay here.”

My vision spun as the boy picked me up and darted away from the scene.

...Well.

It seemed I wouldn’t be going to the orphanage after all. If this guy had been following us the whole time, no matter how many times I rewound, I wouldn’t have been able to escape.

But still...

The children had made it. They would be safe now, growing up in a proper environment.

Claire, too. She wouldn’t have to endure the tragic past she had in the original story.

As for me, I would probably be safe with this guy. He wasn’t a crazed murderer kidnapping orphans to kill them.

...It was a shame, though. I wouldn’t get to see how Claire grew up.

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Chapter 6

"It’s a relief, isn’t it, unnie?”

The two people standing in front of her seemed like good people.

Claire found that incredibly strange. Although she was still very young, she wasn’t so naive as to miss other people’s emotions.

From her earliest memories, she had wandered the back alleys. Her oldest recollection of herself was begging on the streets with a dented can, after being caught by the alley gangsters.

The gangsters always scared Claire by saying that bad things would happen if the police caught her. So, while begging on the main street, whenever she saw a police officer in the distance, she would slip into an alley and hide.

Since Claire was still young, she wasn’t given a daily quota, but those just a little older than her were. If they failed to meet the quota assigned by the gangsters based on their age, they would get beaten until their faces swelled. And often, their swollen faces ended up helping them beg more effectively.

However, the reason the gangsters didn’t assign a quota to young children like Claire wasn’t out of kindness or sympathy. It was simply because they knew there was no way the children would meet the quotas, even if they were assigned one.

If they had had any sympathy at all, they wouldn’t have sold Claire to the orphanage for money.

The old woman who regularly visited the gang saw Claire, handed over money to the gangsters, and bought her. Even as a small child, Claire understood she had been sold. She had seen enough exchanges of money and goods to recognize what was happening.

Of course, even though the children brought money to the gang, they were only given moldy bread in return.

“You’ll be sold for a good price,” the old woman had said, smiling, as she took Claire to the orphanage. It wasn’t even that long ago, so the memory was still vivid.

Life at the orphanage, though, was better than being under the gangsters.

Though the porridge had the texture of wet paper, at least she could eat at regular times and fill her empty stomach. As long as she obeyed the old woman, she wouldn’t be beaten. And, more importantly, even when she was beaten, it wasn’t severe enough to leave permanent injuries or scars.

At the orphanage, Claire met her first “good person.”

Sylvia.

The person who carried the last name Black seemed to be the oldest of the children. Although, in truth, the age difference didn’t seem that great. At first glance, Sylvia could have easily passed as someone Claire’s age.

But since the old woman said she was the oldest, Claire simply accepted it. Even when Claire called her unnie (older sister), Sylvia didn’t seem particularly bothered. Although she looked a bit flustered, that was all.

When Claire first heard that Sylvia was the leader of the group, she thought Sylvia might hit the other children, just like the “bosses” the gangsters appointed. If she didn’t want to be beaten, she needed to follow orders.

But… Sylvia was different.

“Are you hungry? Here, eat some more.”

Though the meals were meager, Sylvia would share her portion with the children who stared blankly at their bowls after finishing theirs.

She didn’t hit anyone or shout at them.

She didn’t get angry when someone laughed or made noise. When the children whined, she tried to comfort them with kind words.

Meeting someone like Sylvia for the first time in her life, Claire found her fascinating. In some ways, Sylvia seemed more of an adult than the old woman who had lived longer than all the orphanage children combined.

It wasn’t just Claire who felt this way.

The children followed Sylvia.

Sylvia, usually quiet, would sometimes tell old stories when the children fussed. Most of the stories were similar in content, with only the names, endings, and settings changing, but the children, who had nothing else to do, eagerly listened.

In truth, Sylvia hadn’t been the leader for long. It had only been about a month from when Claire arrived at the orphanage until it burned down.

But to Claire, that short time had been the happiest and most peaceful period in her life.

After the orphanage burned, the old woman died, and the children escaped.

Sylvia led the children into the city center.

And the journey was… nothing short of a series of miracles.

They moved through the city without once catching the attention of the police, who patrolled every street. The alley gangsters never once approached them. Sylvia walked them straight through the heart of the city.

And somehow, she had known to bring them here.

“The children don’t look well.”

A man with a magnificent beard lifted the sleeve of one of the children and examined them.

“It looks like they haven’t eaten for days,” said the lady standing next to him.

Sometimes, passersby would toss a few coins into Claire’s can, showing a bit of pity. But never had anyone gone so far as to check on her condition with such concern in their voice.

“Where are you all from? Are there more children like you?”

“I don’t know.”

The child held by the man answered timidly, and the man nodded before letting go.

“Is there someone who brought you here?”

“Ah, that’s—”

It was Sylvia unnie.

Sylvia had brought Claire and all the other children here.

“It’s a relief, isn’t it, unnie?”

The two people seemed like good people.

Sylvia must have known that and brought them here for refuge.

How she knew didn’t matter. What was important was that they would be safer here than they ever had been at the orphanage.

“...Unnie?”

But the kind voice that usually answered her wasn’t there.

Claire turned around.

Sylvia had been at the back of the group, but—

There was no one behind her.

“Huh?”

She quickly spun around.

People were walking along the main street. Carriages passed by, and the shops were busy with people coming and going.

But Sylvia unnie was nowhere to be seen.

“Unnie!”

Claire shouted, but still, there was no answer.

“What’s wrong?” The lady had approached quietly and asked.

“Was there someone else?”

“Unnie! Unnie’s gone!”

At Claire’s words, the lady’s face immediately grew serious.

“Are you saying there was one more person?”

“Yes, she was at the back of the group…”

The lady exchanged a glance with her husband.

“Don’t worry,” she said, kneeling to meet Claire’s eyes.

“We’ll find her. I’m sure we will.”

“Really?”

Normally, Claire wouldn’t have asked that question. Most of the adults she had met until now hated it when children asked for reassurance.

But she was scared.

She was scared that Sylvia would disappear from her life, just like how she had suddenly appeared.

“Yes. We’ll definitely find her.”

But the lady didn’t scold Claire, nor did she call her a nuisance or curse at her. She didn’t hit her either.

She simply stroked Claire’s head gently.

Claire nodded.

After that, everything went smoothly.

It didn’t take long for Claire to learn that the couple were Baron Grace and Lady Grace.

They took the group of orphans to a newly built orphanage on their estate and welcomed them warmly.

And it didn’t end there. Over time, the number of orphans grew.

All the children were given clean clothes, a safe environment, and proper meals. They grew up healthy.

The education was excellent. Some of the orphans, despite coming from the streets, were able to grow into bright students, smart enough to attend the prestigious Runderium Royal Academy, and some excelled in swordsmanship as well.

One even became so close to the eldest son of the Grace family that they were almost like siblings.

That child was Claire.

At ten years old, Claire was adopted by the Grace family and became Claire Grace. With swordsmanship skills far surpassing those of the Grace family’s eldest son, at the age of fifteen, she entered the Runderium Royal Academy as second in her class.

But even after all that time…

Claire never found Sylvia among the newly arrived orphans.

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Chapter 7

Recently, I've come to realize that having the ability to turn back time is, without a doubt, a ridiculously overpowered skill.

Of course, people might think I'm talking nonsense. After all, the very idea of being able to erase your mistakes just by turning back time reeks of unfairness.

What I’m trying to say is, the scope of application for this power is absolutely absurd.

For starters, as anyone would expect, you can correct your mistakes with this ability.

For example,

“Eek!”

“Huh...?”

…Like when my ‘stepbrother’ suddenly slashed me with his sword.

In the original story, Claire becomes one of the emperor’s children. Essentially, she becomes one of the emperor’s most cherished officers, wielding a sword that acts like a whip—a recurring trope in Japanese subculture.

Even though it was called a whip-like sword, it didn’t mean the blade was flexible. Rather, it was a sword with several segmented blades connected by a strong wire, kind of like if you separated the individual blades of a box cutter and strung them together. Normally, it could be used as a regular sword, but when needed, it would extend and whip around like… well, a whip.

It doesn’t exist in reality, but for some reason, it appears frequently in subculture.

In addition to her sadistic-looking appearance, Claire's voice was sharp and harsh. Although that wasn't her true nature—she was just someone who had given up on everything—her dead eyes and decadent aura somehow fit together, making her a surprisingly popular character.

She was occasionally a guest character in the protagonist’s party, and you could even raise her affinity level to unlock special events. However, she was also a character who, according to the story, ultimately met her death.

Well, since she was a popular character, the game developers often found excuses to bring her back, so it was possible she would return in a future sequel, but in the latest version I played, she had died…

Of course, that’s not the case now.

Claire is safely living in the orphanage run by Baron Grace’s estate. I don’t know how the original story will progress in this world, but at least this version of Claire won’t have to endure the excruciating pain that might make her wish for death. Nor will she have to become a villainous officer. There’s simply no reason for that.

…The problem is that I ended up taking that ‘villainous officer’ position.

My image has changed a lot since I first arrived here. I worked hard to change. I figured it was safer to stay here than risk being discarded by the emperor. So, I always made sure to present myself well, remained polite to my superiors, and even cut my long, unruly hair short to keep it neat.

But looking at my current situation, I wonder if I really needed to go to all that trouble.

Right here, standing before me, was the perfect example of someone who lived recklessly but still wasn’t cast aside by the emperor.

“Hey, you alright?”

I heard the voice of my ‘stepbrother’ asking me that.

"....."

I wasn’t completely split in two. His strike wasn’t meant to kill me.

But it was a critical blow, just severe enough that I couldn’t even feel the pain yet. My brain must be pumping out endorphins like crazy to prevent me from going into shock.

Based on past experience, I know this won’t last long. Soon enough, the excruciating pain will hit me, and I’ll be screaming.

When that happens, not only will my life be in danger, but my ‘value’ in the emperor’s eyes will plummet.

And that won’t do.

“Hey, wait, you're bleeding…”

You idiot, you did this to me.

I glared at my stepbrother as I thought.

Again.

Anyway.

By turning back time like this, I can avoid getting hit by a sword.

I can even avoid it without looking.

Of course, the faster my opponent's sword is, the harder it is to dodge, and the more mistakes I make. That means I have to retry more often, but it doesn’t matter. I can turn back time as many times as I need.

Not only can I dodge, but I can also keep retrying until I dodge in the coolest way possible—whether it’s scrambling on the ground or narrowly sidestepping by half a step. How I dodge depends on how many attempts I make.

…And after seven years of dodging this stepbrother’s sword since becoming Sylvia Fangryphon, I’ve had to evade his attacks multiple times a day. Even if my physical reflexes haven’t improved, dodging the sword strikes of one of the strongest swordsmen in the world hundreds, even thousands, of times a day has sharpened my instincts.

Now I can dodge half-hearted attacks like this with just a step.

Still, I mean, does it really make sense to swing a sword at a twelve-year-old?

I’m grateful that he brought me here, but this guy isn’t normal.

He wasn’t normal in the game either. He’s here under the emperor because he can spar with more opponents.

“Phew!”

As I stepped forward to dodge the sword coming at me from behind, I heard him whistle.

I immediately pulled out the revolver from the holster under my left armpit and spun around.

After becoming the emperor’s ‘daughter,’ I spent a lot of time thinking.

Even though I had the ability to turn back time, my physical capabilities weren’t extraordinary.

I was just like any other child my age.

Compared to the other monsters under the emperor’s command, my body was pitifully weak.

To those who didn’t know I could rewind time, I probably looked like a freak with superhuman reflexes, hearing, and senses. I could dodge every strike, detect assassins the moment I entered a room, and recognize who was standing outside a door before they even entered.

Of course, I was just acting on what I had already seen, but to others, it seemed like I was using my senses alone.

It’s like performing a TAS (Tool-Assisted Speedrun) in real life.

But no matter how impressive my ability to rewind time was, the emperor wouldn’t be satisfied with that alone. A man who dreams of world domination would want me to have undeniable combat skills.

So, I chose guns.

The game developers claimed that the setting was inspired by the Industrial Revolution.

Although they added many fantastical elements, the design and technology in the world resembled the mid-19th century. However, as a steampunk fantasy, it featured advanced technology, including mass production and press techniques that were still in their infancy in the real world. There were even hints of modern 21st-century technology, especially in things like school uniforms.

Some aspects of the technology in this world seemed to lag behind Earth's 19th century, but in the original story, this gap was closed within a few years.

Despite the widespread mass production and press techniques, revolvers were still more popular than automatic pistols, and bolt-action rifles were preferred over semi-automatic or submachine guns. Simpler designs were more reliable since complex firearms weren’t fully perfected yet.

The revolver I carry is a Wexler military model. It’s a break-action revolver that opens completely to eject all six spent casings at once and reloads with a moon clip. It was designed for adult men, so it’s not exactly the right size for my still-growing hands.

Naturally, when I first started using it, I dropped it several times. But as I’ve said, I always have infinite chances.

I rewound time countless times until I mastered the perfect draw.

When I rewind time, any physical training I’ve done, like strength training or running, resets along with my body. But the sensations and muscle memory remain in my head.

So, I practiced drawing the revolver thousands, even tens of thousands of times. If I struggled, I’d just rewind time and keep practicing until it felt natural.

Shooting was no different. As long as I had a single bullet, I could practice firing again and again, whether it was with the revolver or a bolt-action rifle almost as tall as me.

Even if I missed, I’d keep practicing until I could hit the target. If necessary, I could even fire bullet after bullet into the exact same hole until there was only one left. I could keep rewinding until I achieved that level of precision.

I guarantee no soldier in the empire has had as much shooting practice as I have.

Bang!

I felt the strong recoil of the revolver in my hand—

“Huh?”

“…Oh.”

Did you know that if you practice hitting the bullseye over and over again, it becomes harder to miss?

…My stepbrother now had a bullet-sized hole in the center of his forehead.

Uh, well…

Again.

There’s a god in Norse mythology named Baldur.

He couldn’t be harmed by any weapon, and the other gods would throw things at him for fun, knowing he wouldn’t be hurt.

…Apparently, it wasn’t bullying; they were just having fun with him because he couldn’t be injured.

That’s exactly how my stepbrother and stepsisters looked at me.

Whether they swung swords at me out of nowhere or fired arrows at me, it became a joke because I dodged it all as if it were nothing.

Of course, the only person crazy enough to keep doing it was the one who just got shot by me.

Hmm.

Since I rewound time before he died, I guess it doesn’t count as killing him, right?

Bang!

The sound of the gun echoed, and his movements froze.

Even after dodging his initial strike, this madman had prepared for a follow-up attack.

The ends of his red hair, specifically the area near his temple, were singed. That’s where the bullet had grazed him.

I didn’t aim to hit that exact spot, but since it served as a clear warning, I guess I’ll let it slide.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, little sister.”

Little sister, my ass.

“…Would you really swing a sword at your little sister like that?”

“Well, you dodge everything I throw at you anyway. I knew you’d dodge this too.”

He made a show of sheathing his sword with an exaggerated gesture.

I didn’t dodge it, you lunatic.

Not that he’d believe me if I told him.

“What if I hadn’t dodged?”

I asked, and he furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before replying,

“Huh? But you did dodge.”

And that’s it.

This guy’s intelligence does not match his sword skills. Then again, it’s no surprise he let his guard down and got shot by me earlier.

Even though I’m skilled, I’m no match for this master swordsman’s raw ability. Of course, no one else knows that since I keep rewinding time to ensure I get the best outcome.

To dodge his constant sword swings, I even have to keep myself in decent shape by working out every day. Otherwise, I’d just shoot from afar and run, but no—damn it.

And there are still three years until the main storyline begins. The academy selects outstanding children who turn 15 that year, so this guy still has some growing to do, mainly in the intelligence department.

At least in the game, he wasn’t such an idiot that he got shot because he let his guard down.

He’s only 22, so let’s chalk it up to inexperience.

…Then again, I’m only 12.

Damn it.

“Whoa, whoa, Sylvia.”

He raised his hands in mock surrender, as if I looked cute glaring at him.

“Calm down. I wouldn’t seriously hurt my little sister.”

You literally did hurt me.

Although, I guess it’s true that since he didn’t swing with full force, I wasn’t split in two.

And technically, I’m not hurt right now.

“...Lucas.”

“Hey, come on, don’t be so cold, little sister. Call me oppa~ (big brother). You’ve known me longer than you’ve known Father.”

Yeah, by a matter of hours.

The emperor had been observing that orphanage from the start.

It wasn’t because he was looking for talented kids like Claire or me. Rather, he was trying to gather dirt on the nobles frequenting the brothel connected to the orphanage.

And the one assigned to watch the orphanage was Lucas Fangryphon.

After the orphanage burned down, Lucas noticed how I led the orphans to safety without a hitch and decided I had potential. So, he kidnapped me and brought me before the emperor.

And then he swung his sword at me. This lunatic.

At a five-year-old.

I barely managed to dodge after a few attempts.

I mean, I thought I’d entered a game by Millennium, not one by FromSoftware.

Well, thanks to that, I caught the emperor’s eye, and my name became Sylvia Fangryphon.

“…Lucas. If you ever do that again, I’ll make sure not to dodge and will report it directly to His Majesty.”

“Oh, no, did little Sylvia get upset? Are you going to tattle on me to Father?”

“.....”

Should I just kill him?

Maybe I should.

I seriously considered it as I ran my fingers over the gun in my hand.

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Chapter 8

Well, if Lucas were caught off guard like earlier, I might have a chance, but in a face-to-face confrontation, no matter how many times I tried, I wouldn’t be able to shoot him in the head.

Maybe if I tried hundreds, no, thousands of times, I could hit him once.

…But for the sake of the main story, this guy has to stay alive. He plays a pretty significant role as an antagonist in the original.

So, in order to ensure the future events unfold as expected, I have to go through the trouble of rewinding time to save this guy I worked so hard to kill. How absurd is that?

Besides, even though Lucas annoys me and sometimes I genuinely want to kill him, I don’t truly hate him. I never had much attachment to the male characters in the original game, but I didn’t despise them either.

And this situation, to be fair, was partly my doing.

Plus, the emperor plays a supportive role for the protagonist until a certain point. He usually helps through his children, and Lucas was one of them.

Maybe I’ll end up being one of those children too. After all, I’m the one in Claire’s position now, not her.

In the original story, Claire didn’t enter the academy right away. Initially, she interacted with the protagonist and their party from the outside, and only later, when the story really got going, did she infiltrate the academy as a transfer student.

She was actually an undercover agent for the emperor, spying on the protagonist.

I have no idea if I’ll end up taking Claire’s role in this situation.

At the very least, I think I’m quite different from Claire in personality.

Claire was a multi-faceted character who lured people in with her devil-may-care attitude, only to reveal a much harsher side when her true nature was exposed. In contrast, the character I’ve built under the emperor is someone cold and expressionless in every situation.

It couldn’t be helped.

I once dreamed of becoming a voice actor and even attended a voice acting academy, but I wasn’t particularly talented in acting. So, instead of trying to convey a wide range of expressions and emotions, I opted for the unchanging, emotionless persona.

It suited my ability to react as if I could foresee the future, thanks to my power to rewind time. This cold demeanor fit well with my ability to know what was going to happen beforehand.

“Oh, Sylvia. And Lucas.”

As I walked briskly down the palace hallway, doing my best to ignore the incredibly irritating Lucas at my side, someone approached us from the distance.

Unlike Lucas, who wandered around the palace like a delinquent without even bothering to manage his hair, this person had brilliantly shining golden hair neatly parted 2:8, with not a single eyebrow hair out of place. He, too, was one of the emperor’s children, just like Lucas.

His face brightened when he saw me, but when his gaze shifted to Lucas, his expression immediately soured. And I’m sure that wasn’t just my imagination. This person had a particular fondness for cleanliness, and Lucas, let’s be honest, tended to look rather unkempt.

Despite looking like a noble, he wasn’t actually one. Out of the emperor’s children, only one was a true royal by blood—a daughter. The rest were all orphans gathered from the streets.

Why all these street orphans turned out to be monsters, I have no idea.

“Lucas, could you at least try to button up your shirt properly while you’re in the palace?”

“Huh?”

As expected, Lucas didn’t like this person much either. They were complete opposites, after all.

“Who are you to boss me around? You think you’re my big brother or something?”

“Well, I was born a few months earlier than you.”

And he’s taller too.

Saying that now would only irritate Lucas further, though.

“Hey, Jaiden.”

Lucas stomped over toward Jaiden Fangryphon, pretending to be angry.

…But it was obvious he was faking it.

Lucas liked to pick fights with Jaiden whenever they met, but it wasn’t just because he didn’t like him.

Jaiden was already the empire’s strongest knight.

And Lucas, in the future, would become the empire’s greatest swordmaster.

The difference between the strongest knight and the greatest swordmaster is subtle, but Jaiden earned his fame on the battlefield, while Lucas gained his reputation after defeating the Sword Saint.

So, you could say the titles reflected slightly different meanings.

Jaiden was a loyal soldier who followed the emperor’s commands with utmost dedication, while Lucas was a madman with ambitions to surpass the emperor and become the strongest being in the world.

He also loved to fight. If I ever truly challenged him, he’d probably be thrilled and rush at me with full force.

…Well, earlier, I caught him off guard, and he ended up with a bullet in his head before he could even react.

“I told you before, if you want to boss me around, beat me in a sword fight first. Prove to me that you’re definitely stronger, and I’ll even drink horse piss if you tell me to.”

“...Sigh.”

Jaiden let out an exaggerated sigh, ran a hand down his face, and with a flourish, pointed that same hand toward me.

“Look at Sylvia. Everything about her, from her posture to her demeanor, exudes elegance! No matter how many times you swing a sword at her, she avoids it all with graceful, noble movements. And that’s not all! Even when she meets with His Majesty, she carries herself with such refined poise, far beyond her years. You could at least try to be half as dignified as your little sister!”

Of course, all of that was the result of countless hours of practice.

To everyone else, it looked as if I’d been that way from the beginning.

…And this relationship between Jaiden and me was a major deviation from the original story.

Even setting aside the fact that I was here instead of Claire, Claire and Jaiden never got along. Jaiden, who loved clean and noble appearances, couldn’t stand Claire’s scruffy, shabby attire.

Naturally, I had no intention of dressing like that, and it didn’t fit my image anyway, so I always dressed neatly.

It seemed that earned me Jaiden’s favor.

Thanks to that, I’d become Jaiden’s most beloved ‘little sister.’

…So much so that he publicly declared he’d personally assess any future boyfriends I might have.

Why do you need to do that, you crazy man?

Well, to be fair, Jaiden had always been a bit of a comic relief character in the game, so his reactions weren’t entirely unexpected.

“...”

Lucas, who had been full of bravado just a moment ago, now looked utterly crestfallen.

Yeah, I get it. Even for a madman like him, that comment probably came off as… creepy.

Calling a twelve-year-old beautiful and graceful…

Of course, Jaiden had no inappropriate intentions—he genuinely meant what he said.

But couldn’t he choose words like ‘dignified’ instead?

“Come on, Sylvia, let’s go.”

Suddenly, Lucas, who had been talking like a complete thug moments earlier, spoke in a surprisingly gentle voice, as if he were a doting older brother.

“We shouldn’t stay near this pervert.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Pervert?!”

Jaiden protested fiercely, but Lucas just grabbed my shoulder, turned me around, and gently pushed me away from him.

In this empire, the term ‘children of the emperor’ isn’t just a literal term.

In the game… no, in this empire, it’s practically a common noun.

While commoners might not know, among the nobility, the term is used to refer to the emperor’s private organization.

And that’s exactly what it was.

I don’t know how the emperor managed to gather them all, but every one of the people he called his ‘sons and daughters’ was a superhuman in their field.

…Technically, I’m one of them too.

“Oh, everyone’s already here?”

Lucas said as he pushed open the door to the audience chamber.

In a normal situation, there would have been knights guarding the emperor, but inside the audience chamber now were only the emperor, a woman, and a man.

“Oh, you’ve arrived.”

Despite being the final boss of the evil organization in the game, the emperor’s voice sounded very fatherly when he called us.

Arthur III.

The embodiment of Fangryphon.

The emperor who established the most powerful reign in the history of the Azerna Empire.

A literal villain who sought to conquer the world and put everything under his feet.

And kneeling before him were two more of the ‘emperor’s children.’

The delicate-looking man with long black hair cascading down his back was, contrary to his fragile appearance, an incredibly strong martial artist. Despite his lean figure, he was all wiry muscle, with almost no body fat.

He didn’t speak much, and his handsome face made him popular with the female players in the game.

For the record, Lucas was also quite popular.

Jaiden wasn’t.

The slightly sinister-looking woman kneeling next to him was the one who, in the original story, served as Claire’s mentor. Of course, Claire called her ‘unnie’ (older sister) due to their relationship.

She wielded a sword that resembled a whip. In the original story, she was already dead by the time it began. How she died was never explained—she was only mentioned as the original owner of Claire’s weapon.

She apparently adored Claire and taught her many things, including her wicked personality, which contributed to Claire becoming a polarizing character.

…Well, that’s just backstory, and honestly, the writer was at fault for the way Claire turned out, but there’s no point in dwelling on that here.

Still, I’m curious what kind of swordsmanship Claire will learn in the Grace family. If Baron Grace has any sense, he’ll make sure Claire is properly trained and sent to the academy.

The emperor’s true daughter wasn’t present. Then again, part of her character arc was her inferiority complex toward the ‘children of the emperor.’ Her story was about overcoming that.

I wonder if she’ll develop an inferiority complex toward me as well.

“Have you been well, Your Majesty?”

“Hmm.”

As I knelt and spoke the line I’d practiced hundreds of times, the emperor nodded with satisfaction and smiled.

I could hear Jaiden letting out a soft gasp of admiration behind me, but I ignored it.

“Have you been well too?”

I almost got cut in half by my beloved brother’s sword, but sure.

Of course, I couldn’t say that.

“Yes, I’ve been diligently training as always.”

“Excellent. Even though you know how talented you are, it’s important not to neglect your efforts. You’re at an age where you’re ready, so I’ll soon assign you a task. Don’t worry—it will be a mission you’re more than capable of handling.”

Despite being a literal villain who dreamed of world domination, the emperor’s tone was like that of a kind father. But I was sure that the mission would involve killing someone.

Probably an order to assassinate one of the noble faction leaders, or at least incapacitate them. In the original, it was said that the emperor had secretly killed dozens of nobles.

There’s no doubt about it. But accusing the emperor based on suspicions alone is impossible.

“I’ll be ready, Your Majesty.”

And the fact that he was assigning such a task to a twelve-year-old made it clear—this man was definitely a villain.

He probably played a big role in warping Claire’s personality in the original story.

“I’ve returned from my mission, Father.”

No one took the title of ‘child of the emperor’ more seriously than Jaiden.

That’s why he wasn’t popular. He had no depth and was solely devoted to the emperor.

“Good work. The count is still alive, I assume?”

“Yes, he didn’t die. But I made sure he clearly understood your message.”

“Very good.”

This coming from the empire’s top knight?

“Lucas.”

“It’s done.”

Lucas answered casually, and though Jaiden glared at him, the emperor didn’t seem to care.

“Excellent. It makes me happy to see my children doing so well. Keep up the good work.”

The emperor smiled warmly.

…And I was certain that smile was genuine. So were the words ‘my children’ and ‘father.’ He meant it all sincerely.

And that’s what makes him the true villain.

That’s what I believed.

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Chapter 9

Honestly, I never intended to carry out the mission with complete seriousness.

Assassinating a count?

Oh, of course, it’s not that I can’t do it. I’ve already tested whether I’m capable of completing the mission.

I took the carriage lent by the emperor to the count’s estate, and I found it entirely possible to infiltrate the count’s mansion.

Of course, I didn’t succeed on the first attempt. The mansion was crawling with guards, and the count himself was meticulous, with numerous servants and guards inside the mansion as well.

But no matter how tight security is, there are always gaps.

Especially in this world, where there is no such thing as CCTV. There are devices similar to computers that run on steam engines, called interpretation engines and difference engines, along with mechanical calculators, cameras, and printers, but all of these are based on ‘analog’ technology.

The difference engine can store numbers and letters, but instead of using semiconductor-based storage, it relies on countless large and small gears to store ‘physical shapes.’ Think of it like an expensive analog wristwatch. The complex gears, driven by steam engines, store information in a ‘form,’ which is then ‘printed’ onto paper when retrieved.

Of course, the engine constantly needs to be fed coal or mana stones, and you have to worry about the wear and tear on each part. Plus, compared to modern computers, it’s incredibly large. Even a difference engine that can store just a few images is about the size of three grand pianos stacked together.

Naturally, storing images is highly inefficient, so they are primarily used for solving complex calculations. If you store numbers instead of images, the engine can store far more data, and the time needed to print the results is greatly reduced.

But even then, the advantage of these engines over human calculation is only marginally faster and more accurate. So unless there's an urgent need for precise calculations, most people just hire professional ‘calculators’—humans trained to do the math.

Moreover, a high-end interpretation engine with the power of something comparable to a 386 or 486 computer would require an entire building to house it, with hundreds of engineers on standby to maintain the gears. It’s smaller than a library, but if you consider the cost, building a library might actually be more efficient.

The latest model of interpretation engine, a scaled-down version, was installed aboard the imperial airship Dreadnought that flies above Rondarium, the capital. However, due to the reduced size, it sacrifices functionality, and dozens of human calculators are still needed to assist its calculations.

While cameras exist, video recording hasn’t been invented yet. The ‘film’ in this world isn’t the flexible type we know, but rather large glass plates. And, naturally, the higher the resolution of the camera, the larger the glass plate needed, which increases the risk of breakage.

At the start of the main story, a film comparable to the 35mm film we’re familiar with does get introduced, but I haven’t seen any of it yet, probably because we’re still in the prequel phase.

…It’s strange how detailed the world-building is in some areas.

Anyway, to summarize, it’s a world where steampunk over-technology is mixed with the atmosphere of the 19th century.

Through my dozens of failed attempts, I confirmed that Count Crowfield’s estate relied solely on manpower for security, without any difference engines for surveillance.

And as long as humans are responsible for security, there will always be a way in.

Out of 46 attempts, I managed to reach the count’s side twice.

Out of 34 attempts, I succeeded in creating a situation where I could shoot the count while he was walking down the street three times.

Out of 37 attempts, I succeeded in planting a bomb on his carriage twice.

Lastly, I disguised myself as a newly hired maid and successfully poisoned the count’s food once. It took five tries, with success only on the last attempt.

However, I decided to discard the poisoning method. It took at least one to two weeks to infiltrate, and the success rate was too low. I only succeeded once, and even then, I had to rewind time multiple times to make it happen. I had to rewind entire weeks five times, and the total number of time rewinds was the highest for that method.

Considering the time needed for escape and the risk that someone might remember my face, the second method—shooting from a distance and fleeing—seemed the most efficient.

Of course, I didn’t actually kill him. I was just testing the likelihood of success. For now, the count is still alive.

“…Hmm.”

I sat perched in a tree, binoculars in hand, watching the count’s carriage pass by below, deep in thought.

I knew the name Crowfield. As ominous as it sounded, the count lived up to the name with his gloomy atmosphere. He sported a curled Kaiser mustache, and his skin was as pale as if he’d been drained of blood.

To be honest, this was my first time seeing his appearance. I only recognized the name from the game.

Mia Crowfield.

One of the heroines. She had a somewhat melancholy demeanor, her hair hanging limply. But if you brushed aside her bangs, which covered half her face, you’d find a stunning beauty.

In the game, it’s revealed early on that Mia lost her father to the emperor’s schemes three years before the main story starts. However, it’s later revealed that Count Crowfield had been involved in all sorts of dirty dealings behind the scenes, including human trafficking and the opium trade.

Mia Crowfield’s storyline revolves around her discovering the truth about her father, whom she once believed to be an innocent victim of political scheming, and reconciling with the heroine of the commoner faction, accepting her past, and moving forward.

“…But I never expected to be the one to eliminate the Crowfields.”

I sighed lightly.

The emperor believed that everything he did was for the good of the empire. He loved the empire so much that he was willing to sacrifice the rest of the world to it. He was the quintessential imperialist, someone who would sacrifice everything beyond the empire’s borders for the benefit of his nation.

However, his love for the empire was genuine, and so was his desire to eliminate the opium trade and human trafficking within its borders. What happened to other countries didn’t concern him. He was ready to sacrifice anything for the empire.

Of course, there were plenty of flaws in his logic. But isn’t that true for all villains? If their logic was flawless, they wouldn’t be villains—they’d be heroes.

So, until I learned the name Crowfield, I hadn’t been particularly determined to carry out the assassination.

The problem—

“…”

I raised my binoculars again to watch the count’s carriage.

Through the meticulously crafted lenses, I could clearly see the black carriage the count was riding in.

It was a luxurious carriage made of expensive wood, though it was different from the one the count usually rode in.

His usual extravagant carriage was parked in front of another inn. The count had switched carriages twice before heading to his destination.

And that destination was a brothel in a secluded corner of the county.

By the way, brothel is just a name I came up with. The sign in front of the building actually read orphanage.

Out of the 46 attempts I made to get close to the count—whether by bypassing or neutralizing his guards—12 of them involved this brothel.

And once, I even managed to get close enough to press my Wexler revolver to the count’s head.

Thanks to that, I knew exactly what went on inside that building.

Calling it a brothel was far more fitting than calling it an orphanage.

The foul stench of rotting filth.

The mind-numbing scent of opium.

The screams and moans. The desperate cries of children begging for their lives.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that during my 12 infiltrations of the brothel, I thoroughly searched the place.

I found a list of clients, a list of the children who had been used up and discarded, the prices for their lives, and the names of the people involved.

After I shot the count in the leg with a .455 caliber bullet, he spilled everything he knew.

That brothel sourced children from ‘an orphanage in the capital,’ processing them into ‘commodities’ as needed.

"Do you really think that getting rid of this one brothel will eradicate this problem? This is just one small cog in a much larger machine! If you want to eliminate the rot in the empire, you need to work with the big players! Let me live, and I’ll do anything for the emperor. I’ll tell you everything I know…"

“…I have one question. The carriage you’re riding—what about the driver? Is he part of the organization?”

“Y-yes. Of course. To prevent any leaks, we use loyal members at every stage of the process…”

That’s what the count had told me during one of my attempts.

Of course, the current count would never dream he had confessed such a thing.

There wasn’t a single innocent person in that carriage. Every person involved was entangled in more than just money—they were wrapped up in drugs and the exploitation of children. They couldn’t just walk away or keep silent, not when the evidence was ready to be exposed the moment they tried.

And these weren’t people who had been blackmailed into joining. Those with enough guilt to be swayed couldn’t have been roped in like this.

Most of the members propping up this organization were hardened criminals who had been in and out of prison multiple times.

Even in a country with such a weak sense of human rights, harming children was still seen as a grave sin.

…In hindsight, it was strange. No one seemed to care when a ten-year-old factory worker got their hand crushed in a press, but the moment those children were locked up and abused, society suddenly cared. I’ve never understood the logic of this world’s sense of ‘good.’

But that’s beside the point.

To summarize,

The count and his accomplices—

They were all people who wouldn’t be missed if they died.

As the carriage neared the brothel, it began to slow down.

I pulled out my pocket watch and checked the time.

Mechanical watches aren’t the most accurate, but I could roughly estimate when the bomb would go—

BOOM!

—off.

I raised my binoculars again, aiming toward the source of the explosion.

Half of the carriage had been blown to pieces.

The driver, who had been sitting in the front seat, was rolling on the ground, missing his legs. One of the bulky guards escorting the count had lost an arm and staggered out of the opposite door before collapsing.

The other members of the organization, riding in the carriages behind, were scrambling to dismount—

Only to be caught in a chain of subsequent explosions, blowing them away.

The entire procession following the count’s carriage was caught in the blasts. While I had carefully placed the bomb to target the count’s position, I hadn’t been as precise with the other carriages, so the locations of the explosions varied. Some carriages were blown apart from the driver’s seat, others from the left side, and a few, at first glance, appeared mostly intact.

Of course, even the ‘intact’ carriages had shattered windows, indicating there were likely no survivors inside.

I could see a few bodies strewn about, limbs flying in opposite directions.

…Along with several horses. A few of them had survived but were wildly thrashing in panic from the deafening noise, causing further chaos among the remaining organization members. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the innocent horses.

The count’s body would likely never be found.

This was my eighth attempt, and my third success.

“…”

It wasn’t the first time I’d killed someone.

But… honestly, it didn’t feel great.

“Ugh.”

Suppressing the nausea rising in my throat, I climbed down from the tree.

I changed out of my dirtied clothes, hastily packed them into my travel bag, and closed it.

I needed to escape the estate before the chaos settled.

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Chapter 10

Escaping wasn't that difficult.

With the count blown to bits, the command structure in his territory was thrown into chaos.

Moreover, since the count had been traveling with underworld figures without telling anyone, and the explosion had completely disintegrated the bodies, the initial conclusion wasn’t that the count had died, but rather that he was missing. Only a few of his closest confidants knew what had actually happened to him, but they couldn’t exactly speak up about it.

As a result, the search for the assassin who killed the count didn’t begin in earnest until three days after the explosion, when it was confirmed that the count was indeed dead. They were able to deduce his identity through some clothing fragments and a piece of his facial skin found among the wreckage.

"…"

And I was reading about this in the newspaper.

"You really chose quite the spectacular method."

As I silently flipped through the pages, Lucas, sitting beside me, commented.

Naturally, as soon as the count was killed, I had immediately changed my clothes and slipped out of his territory.

In a vast estate, there are many people living in the territory, which boosts productivity. Even though the Industrial Revolution had brought about factories and mass production, those factories still required a vast number of workers. And most of those workers were residents of the territory.

No matter how much wealth a commoner might accumulate—what we call the bourgeoisie—they still couldn’t match the starting point of the nobility. Nobles, already possessing both land and wealth, were the ones who built their own factories. Even if a commoner wanted to build a factory, most of the land it would be built on belonged to the nobility.

Thus, a noble with vast estates, like the count, would often be far wealthier than even the richest commoners.

"A chain of explosions with a carriage—not exactly subtle. It screams ‘murder’ to anyone looking."

Lucas wasn’t blaming me with his remark. He was indifferent to how a person was killed, after all.

Of course, if Lucas killed someone, he’d always prefer to use a sword.

When someone as high-ranking as a count is murdered, it usually means the culprit has backing that’s too powerful for the victim’s family to challenge or even question.

In this case, the only individuals higher than a count are dukes and the emperor.

Even a duke, though politically higher, isn’t always guaranteed more power than a count. The distinction between duke and count often comes down to whether or not they possess royal blood, but in terms of actual land and influence, a count can sometimes surpass a duke. Generally speaking, dukes do hold more power, but sometimes a baron can wield more influence than a count, depending on circumstances.

Still, even a duke wouldn’t have the social standing to easily assassinate a count. After all, dukes are still part of the nobility in this country, and with the emperor’s faction already at odds with the aristocratic faction, killing someone like the count without considering alliances would only strengthen the opposition.

Thus, the only person who could realistically kill a count under these circumstances was the emperor.

The problem is that, while it seems likely, there’s no concrete evidence linking the emperor to the murder.

The emperor’s power had been solid since the days of his predecessors. He was in a position to send a clear message: "Defy me, and death awaits you."

And without any definitive proof, it was hard to accuse the emperor, especially given how firmly his faction was established.

The only ones who might believe such an accusation were those aristocrats who already harbored an extreme hatred for the emperor.

The emperor likely already possessed evidence of the count’s crimes when he ordered me to eliminate him. So if any of the count’s confidants tried to confront the emperor, he could simply reveal that evidence, leaving them in a shameful position. The Crowfield family would have no choice but to keep silent for at least the next several years, unless they wanted to endure a fate worse than death.

Even the count’s daughter likely wouldn’t understand why her father had died.

"A boiler explosion differs from a bomb explosion. Even if a car exploded, they’d quickly figure out if a bomb was used."

Vehicles powered by steam engines all had boilers. They were loaded with either coal mixed with mana stones or pure mana stones, so there was always the risk of an explosion. And such accidents did happen occasionally.

The car Lucas and I were riding in carried the same risk. But there’s a distinct difference between a boiler or mana stone explosion and a traditional explosive. I may not have specialized knowledge, but the differences were clear enough.

Feigning indifference, I responded to Lucas, and he simply shrugged.

"Well, I wasn’t really trying to make that point… but whatever. Father wanted something that would serve as a ‘warning.’ I think I’m starting to understand why Jaden dotes on you so much… though, to be honest, some of the things he says do sound a bit creepy."

When Lucas raised his hand as if to ruffle my hair, I quickly smacked it away.

"Well done."

The emperor spoke those words as he looked at me.

"I didn’t specify how you should kill him, but you still executed the task as I intended. Of course, I trust that you would have carried out the mission no matter what method I had requested."

"…Thank you."

The emperor’s words were both true and false.

Considering my ability to repeatedly attempt something until I achieved success, it’s true that, theoretically, I could have accomplished the task regardless of the method. And I could have escaped without anyone knowing.

"You truly are my daughter. I am proud of you."

"…"

He had sent a twelve-year-old child to kill someone, and now he was praising the child for completing the mission.

And knowing the emperor’s character from the game, I was certain that he was sincere. He wasn’t the type to lie.

"Thank you."

So, I simply expressed my gratitude.

"You’ve done well after traveling such a long way. I’ll hear your detailed report once you’ve had time to rest."

"Understood."

I bowed deeply again, then turned and left the room, walking with the soldier-like precision I had practiced so many times.

Every movement must be graceful, with perfect posture. My words must always be respectful, and my face expressionless. This was the ‘character’ I had developed. With monsters all around me who could seemingly read emotions from one’s body language or facial expressions, this had become my method of protecting myself.

And, though the first few years had been rough, I had managed to survive by maintaining this façade.

Even though the emperor had openly killed the count, he didn’t seem to want to talk about it openly, and the audience chamber was completely devoid of guards or servants.

Not that anyone in this capital could likely challenge the emperor in a one-on-one fight.

Those of us who periodically used this ‘family-only’ audience chamber were accustomed to opening and closing the doors ourselves.

"Out of the way! I need to see Father!"

"Whoa, calm down, Princess. Sylvia is meeting with His Majesty right now—"

"But I’m Father’s daughter! I should have the right to enter no matter who’s inside!"

"His Majesty specifically ordered that no one else be let in."

"…Oh…"

As I opened the door to leave, I overheard this conversation.

"Princess."

I bowed slightly to the ‘princess’ in front of me.

The princess looked at me with a startled expression.

As a reminder, both Lucas and I were also considered ‘the emperor’s children.’ Officially, our titles were princess and prince.

But that didn’t mean we were treated like true members of the royal family. Despite being officially adopted, we had no claim to the empire.

The real heir to the empire, the one with the legitimate right to inherit, was the true ‘child of the emperor’—the girl standing in front of me, the real princess.

For people like Lucas and me, we were essentially the emperor’s personal assassins. While the emperor probably considered us his real children in some ways, our roles were different.

While my black hair and dark eyes made it obvious I wasn’t related to the emperor by blood, the real princess had long, shining golden hair, with the ends slightly curled in a noble fashion.

Not that I didn’t look noble myself, but having been a soldier in my past life, I could never compare to the true royalty who had been born into this world of privilege. Despite having been under the emperor’s care since I was five, I could only pull off a military-like demeanor, while the princess, even in her childish tantrums, exuded an air of nobility.

Her skin was so pale and flawless that it seemed like it had never been exposed to sunlight, and her eyes were a clear, deep blue, confirming her as the emperor’s true daughter.

"…"

Standing before me was Alice Fangryphon, the princess who was my age in this world, glaring at me.

Her gaze was filled with jealousy. I couldn’t really blame her.

Even though she was the princess, she was still a child.

Her father, whom she should be receiving all the love from at this age, had adopted a bunch of non-blood-related children, and spent more time with them than with her. Of course, she’d be upset.

If anything, it was abnormal for me to be returning from an assassination mission without feeling anything.

"…I can go in now, right? Since your audience is over?"

Her voice was sharp, and she directed it at me.

She was especially hostile toward me, likely because we were the same age and gender. But everything else about us was different. While I went unnoticed and unscolded for my actions, she had to bear the weight of being the emperor’s true heir. It was natural for her to feel resentful.

…In the original story, Claire and Alice had a similar dynamic.

Hmm…

"Yes, of course."

I responded politely, stepping aside to let Alice pass. I even opened the door for her.

This only seemed to make her angrier. It makes sense; when you’re furious, and the other person remains calm, it only makes you feel worse. It’s like when an easygoing villain in a story taunts the hero.

And, well, I suppose I was something of a villain now.

The original story had Alice eventually reconciling with Claire.

But that only happened because Claire died.

…

Does that mean I’m going to die, too?

"…"

Alice shot one last glare at me before lifting her chin and walking past.

As she entered, I slowly and carefully closed the door behind her. Just before it shut completely, I think I heard her shout, "Father!"

"You’re always so harsh with the other siblings, but you go easy on her."

Lucas grumbled.

…Are you seriously, at twenty-two, jealous of a twelve-year-old girl?

"She’s pitiful."

Not wanting to explain further, I gave that simple answer.

"Huh…"

Lucas made a strange noise, as if unsure what to make of my response.

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

If you want to buy me a /kimsu

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Chapter 11

"Lucas, what do you think of Sylvia?"

"Excuse me?"

At the sudden question, Lucas momentarily wore a blank expression. What did he think of Sylvia?

However, the Emperor would never ask a question without intent. At the very least, it was not simply an innocent inquiry about his opinion of Sylvia. No matter what Lucas answered, it was clear that the Emperor had another agenda in mind.

If Lucas showed that he hadn’t fully grasped Sylvia’s character, the Emperor might classify him as a “useless individual.”

Well, considering that even Jaiden, who had zero sense, wasn’t treated that harshly, maybe that was an exaggeration.

"......"

So, Lucas began to contemplate his thoughts on Sylvia.

Expressionless, always polite in her speech, and quick to brush off any physical contact from Lucas. At a glance, she seemed to have a harsh personality, but there was a gentler side to her. Sylvia, in particular, had a soft spot for Alice.

It didn’t seem like it was just because they were the same age. Sylvia, oddly mature for her age, often acted as though she had stolen Alice’s rightful place. Whenever she had the opportunity to show consideration, she would, and whenever there was a chance to yield, she would do so.

Sylvia even seemed to extend this sense of having “taken” something not just to herself but to all of the Emperor’s children. Even when it was Lucas’s or Jaiden’s turn for something, if it overlapped with Alice’s, Sylvia would step in as a shield, ensuring Alice received the benefit first.

Unfortunately, Princess Alice didn’t seem to appreciate Sylvia’s intentions at all.

Just moments ago, for instance, it was Lucas’s turn to have a private audience with the Emperor after Sylvia. Lucas didn’t have anything particular to say, but the Emperor had indicated there were important matters to discuss.

Yet, Sylvia had nonchalantly allowed Alice to go in first.

If it hadn’t been Sylvia allowing Alice in, and Alice had forced her way in on her own, the Emperor would have scolded her. But the Emperor knew that Sylvia had let her through, so he didn’t blame Alice.

And Alice, perhaps unconsciously, understood this, which only made her more irritated with Sylvia.

If Sylvia really were an emotionless machine, Lucas wouldn’t have interpreted her actions as “being gentle.” He would have thought she was just acting mechanically to protect the Emperor’s only true bloodline.

But Sylvia wasn’t some emotionless, clockwork doll. She would get annoyed if Lucas or Jaiden bothered her and often fled from her brothers. Of course, the way she avoided them wasn’t just a child playing hide-and-seek but more like a professional spy concealing herself and going into hiding.

Even when they returned from the latest mission, Sylvia’s expression wasn’t cheerful. One could easily think it was because Lucas was sitting beside her, but in her hand was a newspaper with a glaring headline about a count’s assassination.

Though Lucas had seen Sylvia kill before... this assassination wasn’t an impulsive act. It was a calculated assassination that Sylvia had planned and executed herself.

"She’s... somewhat soft-hearted?"

"Ho?"

At Lucas’s evaluation, the Emperor slightly lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile.

"Is something wrong with what I said?"

The smile made Lucas uncomfortable, so he asked in his usual nonchalant tone. Although, Lucas was always laid-back, no matter who he spoke to.

"No, that’s not it. In some ways, your assessment aligns with mine."

If their thoughts had perfectly aligned, the Emperor wouldn’t have added “in some ways.”

"Is that why you’re lenient with Sylvia, Your Majesty? Because you know her personality..."

The Emperor was a cold-blooded man who would order a twelve-year-old child to assassinate a count, but at the same time, he genuinely loved his children. At least, that’s what Lucas had felt after spending his childhood and growing up with him.

If the Emperor thought Sylvia would fail, he wouldn’t have assigned her such a task in the first place.

"Perhaps."

The Emperor gave yet another ambiguous answer.

As Lucas looked up at him blankly, the Emperor asked again.

"Lucas, can you imagine yourself striking down Sylvia?"

"That—"

He was about to respond with a confident “Of course,” but then stopped himself.

"......"

And then, he seriously began to think.

Could he really strike down Sylvia?

Not on an emotional level, but purely from a skill-based perspective.

If Sylvia didn’t have a weapon, maybe it would be possible. Every time Lucas swung his sword at her, Sylvia would do her best to dodge. In terms of physical ability, Lucas had the upper hand by several moves. But then again, Sylvia was only twelve years old, so that was to be expected.

However... Lucas couldn’t imagine a moment where Sylvia wouldn’t be armed.

Since she had first been brought to this place as a child, Sylvia had always carried a gun.

Sure, there were times she wasn’t armed, like when attending important events or when she had to wear tight-fitting clothes where hiding a weapon wasn’t an option. It seemed that she wasn’t armed when relaxing either.

But even so—

For some strange reason, Lucas couldn’t shake the feeling that Sylvia would never face anyone without being fully prepared.

It wasn’t because he hadn’t seen her fight unarmed.

It was just that Lucas had this odd certainty that if he ever tried to strike Sylvia, she would always be “fully armed” and “prepared.” Maybe he would approach, ready to strike, only to find that Sylvia wasn’t there, but instead, the place was rigged with explosives, while the real Sylvia aimed an Ergensen rifle at him from a distance—something like that.

Because that’s how Sylvia had always been.

Even if he ambushed her in a place where he thought it would be impossible for her to notice, she would dodge by just half a step.

Even if Imperial Guards couldn’t detect her, Sylvia would somehow know where Lucas was.

As if she could read the future.

"Yes, I feel the same way."

The Emperor nodded, as if he knew exactly what Lucas had been thinking.

"Even if I imagined doing anything—mobilizing tens of thousands of troops to kill her—I couldn’t. For some reason, I just can’t imagine Sylvia being ‘unprepared.’ If I devised a foolproof plan to trap her, I’m certain she wouldn’t even be there. That’s the Sylvia I envision."

The Emperor leaned forward toward Lucas.

"Now, let me ask you again. Do you still think Sylvia is merely soft-hearted?"

"......"

"Perhaps. Maybe she’s holding back her true abilities and sparing everyone in the palace out of pity. Perhaps she’s showing restraint. But do you really believe that’s all there is to Sylvia?"

"Uh..."

Lucas hesitated to answer.

"The reason I gave her the order to kill the Count was because of that. I didn’t give her any information about the Count. I just told her to kill him—no reasons, no explanations, and I assigned you to monitor her. The reason I chose Count Crowfield was simple: he was the kind of person Sylvia would despise to the extreme."

Indeed, Sylvia had previously been part of an organization that “sold” orphans. If she had possessed the insight she has now, she would have never believed that place was just an orphanage.

And she wouldn’t have burned it down the way she did.

"If Sylvia weren’t an emotional being, she would have followed my orders, killed the Count, and returned. But somehow, within days, Sylvia figured out that the Count was a client of that orphanage. And then, she blew up every single carriage that followed. Do you know what that means?"

The Emperor leaned even closer toward Lucas.

"It means that Sylvia isn’t staying by my side because of any grand purpose or for the good of this nation. She’s only here because there’s something she wants to do for herself, for the moment. She’s selfish and acts according to her whims. Think about it. What if the Count had been a kind man, a loving lord of his people? What if Sylvia had ignored my order and spared him? Could we have stopped her?"

There was no way to know.

But at least, it wouldn’t have played out the way it did this time.

"Do you plan to... remove Sylvia?"

Lucas asked, and the Emperor burst into laughter. Watching the Emperor laugh, Lucas felt a wave of confusion as the Emperor finally spoke.

"No, no, Lucas. That’s a misunderstanding. In fact, it’s because of this that I find Sylvia all the more lovable. If we simply continue to cater to her whims, she’ll stay here. And she’ll bring us victory. I suppose, as a father, I’ll have to pay more attention to her from now on."

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Chapter 12

World-building games are enjoyable precisely because you can pick and play with the most fun parts of their lore.

I’ve always loved Azerna Chronicles from the start, so I wanted to memorize as much of the game series’ universe as possible. The myths, the continents, the countries, the magic, the cultures… If there was anything that detailed the lore, I devoured it.

I bought thick lore books, read all the in-game “books,” learned every description of monsters, beasts, and enemies, and completed character notes that filled in as I finished events with them.

Since a new installment came out only once a year, I had nothing better to do while waiting for the next one. Sure, I played other games in the meantime, and I also played previous installments I hadn’t cleared before, but no matter how devoted you are to a single series for seven years, eventually, you’ll run out of things to consume.

And even though the series continued, the world would reset periodically.

No matter how many texts I gathered from the game or how many lore books I added, summarizing the entire world would probably take just about three books—assuming they were as thick as the lore volumes themselves.

So, it was fun to read.

...The problem was, that only applied when it was a game.

A game doesn’t always show the bright side of the world, but it doesn’t dive too deeply into the darker aspects, either. Any setting too grim, the kind that would make you feel depressed just by witnessing it, was often glossed over with a brief line of dialogue or shown in passing glimpses.

It’s fun to skip over the sad parts and only dig into the interesting ones when you're researching lore...

But if this were the real world, it would be a different story.

In the game, a quick glimpse of a shady back alley becomes hundreds of pages of actual documentation in the real world. Discussions over how to solve poverty issues would show countless examples and arguments, all defending or disputing one another.

History was the same. The game’s story cleanly summarized the most important parts at the time of the main events, but the history books in this world were as thick, boring, and numerous as those in the world I came from. And just like in my world, interpretations of events varied depending on the key figures being discussed, and ambiguous topics led to endless debates.

Steam engines, firearms, magic. These three core elements of the world’s lore splintered into materials science, mechanical engineering, chemistry, physics, magical studies, magical engineering... There were so many fields that it made my head spin.

And at the heart of all these theories lay the same daunting subject: mathematics.

And I had happily abandoned math when I was in high school.

...Did I really have to tackle math just to dig into lore?

But it wasn’t entirely impossible for me to understand all of this.

After all, wasn’t time on my side?

If I didn’t understand something after reading it, I could always turn back time and go over it again until it made sense. I could ask the same tutor a hundred or even a thousand times, and to them, it would feel like I only asked once.

Besides, there were incredible benefits to learning things this way.

"Truly impressive, Your Highness!"

My tutor exclaimed, clapping their hands with a beaming smile.

The title of “princess” still felt strange, but it wasn’t as though I could ask them to call me anything else. After all, I really was a princess.

Of course, that status was quite different from the true princess, Alice, but to this tutor, that didn’t matter. They were only interested in being able to say later, “I was the tutor of such a talented princess.”

"I can’t believe you understand everything I explain right away. Your natural talent is remarkable! I’m sure you’ll blossom even further at the Royal Academy!"

...They were probably over-enthusiastic, but I kept my expression neutral.

I had no intention of becoming an expert in any particular field. My only goal was to get into the Royal Academy.

In games, exams only ask one or two questions and move on, but in reality, I knew it wouldn’t be like that. The actual entrance exam would likely be strict, with dozens of questions to answer in a limited time.

Well... I could always turn back time and look at the questions, but relying on that all the time would eventually expose my lack of preparation.

So, it was better to maintain this image of being “smart and capable” from the start.

Why was I so determined to enter the Royal Academy, though? In the original story, Claire didn’t enter from the beginning; the Emperor arranged for her to be admitted later in the story.

The reason I wanted to enter the Academy myself was...

Isn’t it obvious? I loved Azerna Chronicles. I had a deep affection for the characters in that world.

The thought of spending my school days with those characters...

How could I pass that up?

Sure, in this world, I was under the Emperor, effectively the head of the villainous faction, so I might end up opposing the protagonist’s party in various ways...

But even that was a major appeal to me.

There were a few characters who died in the original game. Depending on the protagonist’s choices, certain characters were fated to die. Which characters would die varied depending on the route, but no matter which route you chose, two or three characters, including Claire, would permanently die.

That’s how it was in the latest installment I played. The sequel was supposed to carry over the save data, continuing the consequences of those choices.

Of course, players didn’t believe that a small company would maintain that continuity throughout the series. Most believed they’d eventually find a way to bring those characters back to life after the grim opening, and I agreed with that opinion.

Still...

I hated the idea of characters I cared about dying.

So, I would stop that from happening. As long as I was trusted by the Emperor, it wasn’t an impossible task.

"..."

But all that extra effort I was putting into my studies had its downsides.

Like right now, with Alice glaring at me.

Both of us would be turning 14 this year.

In this world, you enter the Academy at 15. The entrance exam would be at the end of the year, and those who ranked highest in the exams would receive privileges upon admission. Then, we’d study at the Academy for four years, constantly taking tests to rank ourselves.

If I were to compare it to the system I knew, it would be like starting high school in the third year of middle school and staying until graduation.

In the original story, Alice had been the top student upon entrance.

"How did you do it?"

Alice’s voice was harsh and dripping with jealousy.

She had only gotten five questions wrong across all subjects on the entrance exam. The Royal Londarium Academy’s exam was famously difficult, and scoring over 450 out of 500 points was enough to be considered a genius.

With a score of 487, Alice had been hailed as a prodigy. She had worked hard to surpass her "siblings" and take pride in her accomplishment.

"..."

I looked down at the mock exam I was holding.

On it, my score read 495.

For reference, mock exams are usually considered harder than the actual ones.

...Did I overdo it?

"..."

Alice’s face flushed red when I didn’t respond.

"...Answer me. Did you really solve it all on your own?"

Well...

Technically, yes?

If using my time-rewinding ability was considered part of my “skill,” then yes, I had studied and memorized everything. And while Alice was cramming four hours of sleep a night, I was getting a solid eight hours of rest. To everyone else—including Alice right in front of me—I probably looked like a genius, not just a prodigy.

...Maybe I did go too far.

"I was lucky."

"Lucky?"

The excuse I had hastily come up with sounded something like that.

"Yes. There were a few questions I wasn’t sure about, so I guessed. It seems I happened to choose the right answers. I remember there being five of those, so if I’d left them blank, you would’ve had a higher score than me, Your Highness."

I spoke calmly, maintaining my usual tone to avoid sounding like I was making it up on the spot.

"As you know, Your Highness, I’ve always been fortunate."

In reality, there had been many instances where I foresaw the future, rewound time, and solved problems that way. Some of it might have looked like sheer luck.

And naturally, some people who saw me thought I was incredibly lucky.

Well, I agreed. After all, one of my favorite protagonists was standing right in front of me.

"...Hmm."

Alice squinted, as if trying to gauge whether I was telling the truth.

But her expression soon softened.

"Really? You mean that?"

She said, trying hard to compose herself, though her expression had already relaxed.

"Truly. Have I ever lied to you, Your Highness?"

"...No."

For the past nine years, I had never betrayed anyone in the palace. If I was asked to do something, I did it without complaint, and when questioned, I answered honestly. I hadn’t lied, either.

Of course, sometimes I said things and then made it so that they weren’t lies, but the result was the same as what people expected.

Incidentally, the Emperor hadn’t assigned me any more assassination tasks since the last one. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but I suspected he had some hidden motives. It made my act easier, though.

"Heh, I see. So, it was just luck, huh?"

Alice couldn’t suppress a smile as she spoke, her mood instantly lifting.

...I did feel a little guilty lying to someone like her, but this should be enough.

"That’s right. Congratulations, Your Highness."

"Hmph."

Alice let out a haughty snort in response.

"Well, there’s a saying that luck is a skill in itself. If this had been the real exam, you’d have taken the top spot."

Her eyes gleamed with determination as she looked at me.

"Just watch. Next time, I’ll make sure even luck won’t help you beat me."

"I’m looking forward to it."

How cute.

...I’ll make sure to miss five more questions on the entrance exam.

And aside from riling Alice up, there was another side effect to all my effort.

"Sylvia."

"Yes?"

"Are you interested in world affairs?"

"..."

During a private audience with the Emperor, he suddenly hit me with this completely out-of-the-blue question.

For a moment, I almost responded with, "Excuse me?" but I held my tongue.

"Hmm."

The Emperor hummed thoughtfully, as if considering my silence, before continuing.

"There will be a three-party conference next month between the Papal State, the Kingdom, and our Empire."

"..."

I remained silent. The Emperor had a habit of saying unexpected things when we met, so I had assumed this was just more of that.

"But I won’t be able to attend because of prior engagements."

So?

I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, suppressing the question that wanted to rise to the surface.

"That’s why I’m asking you to go in my place."

"Excuse me? Me?"

"Hmm?"

Ah.

I couldn’t hold it in.

...Let’s try that again.

"...May I ask why you want me to go instead of someone else?"

Since the Emperor had said it, I figured he had already made up his mind. If he hadn’t planned on sending me, he wouldn’t have called me here in the first place.

...Still, the more I thought about it, the more insane it seemed.

Regardless of my real age, I was officially only 14 years old. In Korean terms, I was 16, about to enter the Academy—essentially high school—next year.

Sure, anime and other subcultures often show teenagers running the world, but wasn’t this a bit too much?

"Because I trust you. What other reason would there be?"

"..."

Hmm.

It seemed I had worked too hard.

The people around me—the other children of the Emperor, the true princess Alice, and even the Emperor himself...

It wasn’t just trust in me that had become too solid—it was the trust in my abilities.

...That unshakable belief in my powers was one of the downsides of my time manipulation ability that I had been starting to worry about lately.

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Chapter 13

Wait a second, why am I being sent to this meeting when the Empire has a Chancellor? Sure, I’ve read a few books and taken a few practice tests, but is that really enough? How can they expect good results if they send me?

And why on earth didn’t the Chancellor speak up against such a crazy idea? Isn’t that his job? He’s supposed to be the highest-paid government official, yet he’s not doing anything?

Moreover, why send someone like me, who isn’t even related by blood, and has so many rumors swirling around about being a part of the Emperor’s assassination unit, to a three-nation summit? Is this the Emperor’s way of saying, “If you don’t behave, you’ll end up like those people”? Even so, how would sending me to the Papal State or the Kingdom result in any kind of assassination? Or worse—am I supposed to carry it out?

No!

I kept repeating “no” in my head, but it didn’t help me reach any proper conclusion.

"..."

I stared into the mirror.

The summit was to be held in Lutetia, the capital of the Kingdom of Velbur. The distance from the imperial capital, Rondarium, was roughly over 400 kilometers. The Empire’s capital was somewhat skewed to the east compared to the rest of the country, so that’s why the distance seemed short. In reality, the Empire was about four times larger than the Kingdom. The population difference was even greater, as was the military power.

The Empire had multiple colonies, while the Kingdom had none. They had tried to establish some, but none of their attempts had yielded significant results.

As for the Papal State, it was nestled beside the Kingdom and even smaller in size—practically the size of a single city. Of course, the influence of the Pope’s words on the world was immense, but the Empire hardly paid attention.

The Empire had overwhelming technological and military power, enough to stand its ground even if the Kingdom, Papal State, and other nations banded together.

That’s why the Emperor’s grand ambitions weren’t entirely unrealistic.

...Thinking about it this way, sending me to such an important summit might be part of a strategy to “disrespect” the other nations. That made sense in a way.

In the mirror, I still looked like a child. It wasn’t just a matter of looking “young”—I was clearly a kid. No matter how you looked at me, I appeared to be in middle school, or at most, someone about to enter high school. I’d probably grow a bit more over the next year or two.

By sending such a young representative, the Emperor was effectively saying, “We have no intention of engaging in serious negotiations with you.” In that context, sending me wasn’t completely illogical.

The problem was that I’d be the one bearing the brunt of the other nations’ glares.

I glanced at the clock hanging above the bathroom window. It was just past 1 PM. We still had about two hours before arrival.

The steam locomotive I was riding on could reach speeds of 100 kilometers per hour. While it had a top speed of 130 kilometers per hour, 100 was considered a stable pace.

By the way, despite this being a world that primarily uses steam engines, the Empire already had high-speed trains undergoing trial runs, true to the world’s “over-the-top technology” aesthetic. These steam-powered trains could easily maintain a speed of 200 kilometers per hour, and they’d become available for use in the main storyline of the game.

Even at 200 kilometers per hour, it would still take hours to cross the Empire, and it wouldn’t be possible to maintain that maximum speed all the time. However, in the game, the protagonist’s party could conveniently travel from one end of the Empire to the other multiple times in a single day. Of course, that’s impossible here in “reality.”

According to the lore, all the events that took place in those different regions were somehow condensed into just “one day,” as outlined in the lore book.

This means that if the protagonist were to complete all the side quests in each region, they would have to travel back and forth incessantly, poking around every nook and cranny of the map.

Obviously, that wouldn’t be possible in reality.

"...Hoo..."

Well, there’s no point in worrying about the main storyline now.

Actually, the protagonist’s party would likely do just fine on their own. As long as I guide the heroines at risk of dying onto survival routes, everything should go smoothly.

So, for now, I should focus on my own problems.

"..."

I studied my reflection, smoothing out every sign of worry on my face. I relaxed my furrowed brow and loosened the tension around my mouth. After gently massaging my face to ease my nerves, I looked into the mirror once more.

"Alright."

I calmed myself.

If the Emperor really did send me with the intention of disrespecting the other nations, then all I had to do was follow his lead.

I just needed to keep quiet, say nothing, and return without causing a fuss.

"Okay."

After steeling myself, I left the bathroom.

"Hey, sis!"

And as soon as I stepped out, I heard the voice that raised my blood pressure.

Because I was the Emperor’s representative, this train was running solely for my sake. All unnecessary baggage had been removed, allowing the train to travel at maximum speed in case of an emergency.

To ensure my safety, two of the Empire’s finest swordsmen were assigned to protect me—

"Come sit with us, we’ve got plenty of time. Let’s play some poker."

—those two being Jaiden and Lucas.

Lucas, who was casually inviting me to join them, spoke in such a lighthearted manner that I wondered if he even remembered why we were on this train or where we were headed. He seemed like he was on a field trip.

Well, it’s understandable. With Jaiden and Lucas on this Imperial-exclusive train, and me—the not-so-helpless target of protection—it wasn’t exactly a tense situation. Plus, in the other cars, there were Imperial Guards stationed, ensuring further security.

Before departure, they had meticulously checked both personnel and baggage, and the train had priority passage through every station. No wonder Lucas was so relaxed.

"Teaching a kid to gamble, Lucas? Really?"

Jaiden scolded him, though he himself was holding a deck of cards.

"Aw, come on. Why not join us? What else are you going to do, huh?"

I glanced over at the table where they were sitting, and it was clear that Lucas was dominating, judging by his mountain of chips. Jaiden gave me a wary look, as if afraid I’d sit down and bankrupt him completely.

...Were they really betting actual money?

Given how prepared they were, with poker chips and everything, that wouldn’t surprise me. Maybe this train even had a casino car.

"I’m not interested."

At my response, Jaiden visibly sighed in relief.

"Why not?"

Lucas sounded genuinely curious. After almost ten years of knowing me, he still had the nerve to ask that? How many times had I joined in on their games? Not many.

...Well, I had been roped into playing with them a few times, but never by choice.

"..."

Instead of answering, I looked toward a corner of the train.

From my vantage point, I couldn’t actually see anything but the back of a chair.

Still, Lucas shrugged, as if knowing exactly who I was thinking of.

"You’re too soft. She doesn’t even appreciate it, so why do you keep going out of your way to shield her?"

"..."

Without bothering to answer, I walked past him. Lucas, too, didn’t seem to expect a response, merely shrugging again.

"Don’t be so hard on her. She’s the only one of your siblings who’s your age."

"Yeah, but still... Never mind."

I could hear Jaiden and Lucas’s conversation behind me, but I paid them no mind as I made my way to the seat.

Sitting there with a prim expression on her face was Alice.

"Why aren’t you playing with your brothers?"

She asked with a hint of childish irritation, but I didn’t bother answering as I took my seat.

...Of course, one of the reasons I hadn’t joined the poker game was because I didn’t particularly enjoy their company. The other reason was that they were playing poker.

Even with my ability to rewind time, I was vulnerable to games of chance like dice rolling or card drawing. The smaller the variables, the more easily the outcome could be influenced by the tiniest factors. If I made even the slightest remark while the cards were being shuffled, or delayed picking up a card for a split second, those little actions could completely change the result.

Sure, I might not lose, as long as I wasn’t aiming for a flawless victory. If I rewound time each time I drew a card, carefully analyzing my opponents’ hands before deciding to fold or bet, I could probably win.

But my opponent was Lucas.

If he started pulling off his superhuman sleight-of-hand tricks, I’d be finished. And to prove that, I’d need skills as good as his, which I didn’t have.

That was the most dangerous part.

The reason I had gained the Emperor’s trust was because of the image I’d built: the one who never made mistakes and succeeded in everything.

But if that image were to crumble over something as trivial as a card game, what then?

I’d have to learn how to cheat like Lucas just to stand a chance.

But I wasn’t about to put in that kind of effort. It would be much easier to just avoid card games altogether.

"I’m more comfortable sitting here."

With that, I reopened the newspaper I had set aside earlier.

What I needed was information.

There were no smartphones or internet in this world. Sure, important information could be relayed to the Imperial family via telegram, but the details were always lacking.

So, I had to gather whatever information I could to reduce the variables that could affect future events. Otherwise, I might end up rewinding time by several years.

It was bad enough having to guess cards in poker. If I had to rewind that far, it’d be even harder to control the outcome. Years were plenty of time for people’s thoughts and values to change.

"..."

"..."

For a while, the only sound was the rustling of my newspaper pages.

"Hey."

"Yes?"

Alice spoke to me, and I replied without taking my eyes off the newspaper.

"Am I annoying?"

"..."

I lowered the newspaper slightly to look at Alice. She was glancing between the window and me, as if unsure where to direct her gaze.

Technically speaking, I was the one headed to the summit. Even as a princess, Alice wouldn’t be able to attend without a direct order from the Emperor.

But... Alice, who had always harbored some jealousy toward me, had stubbornly insisted on boarding the train the moment she found out I was headed to the summit.

It seemed the Emperor had tried to keep this fact from her, but that only made her rebellion stronger when she eventually learned of it.

Had the Emperor been there to reprimand her directly, she would’ve probably backed down. Unfortunately, the Emperor was on the complete opposite side of the Empire at the time.

And with Alice throwing a fit right before departure, it had nearly delayed us enough to miss the summit. As a result, she ended up on this train, under my responsibility.

So, I understood why Alice was asking that question.

"I’ve never once thought of you as annoying."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

It was the truth.

This was favoritism, after all.

In the original story, Alice was part of the protagonist’s party, traveling throughout the Empire and supporting the faction opposed to the Emperor. While she was still immature now, I could already see glimpses of the confident woman she would become.

And I had affection for all the members of the protagonist’s party, including the protagonist himself.

So, well...

What can I say? If anything, I was the intruder here.

"You’re destined to become the leader of this Empire someday. I don’t think it’s a bad idea for you to get a sense of what the atmosphere at the summit is like."

"R-Really?"

Alice’s face brightened at what was meant as praise, or at least my attempt at flattering her.

In the original game, interacting with Alice in this way was the correct approach in the early stages.

She had a high sense of pride but low self-esteem. She was constantly outshone by her step-siblings, who had no royal blood, and in the original story, her self-esteem took a bigger hit because of Claire. Compared to the original, though, she seemed to be handling things a bit better.

"However, even if you wish to enter the conference room in my place, or with me, I won’t be able to comply. It’s an order from the Emperor."

"I-I know that."

Alice blushed in response.

She wasn’t much of a problem. After all, she hadn’t insisted on getting on the train just because she thought she could attend the summit.

It was just a series of coincidences that had led her to be here with us.

Besides... there were people Alice could meet, even without entering the summit.

As the Emperor’s true heir, it wouldn’t make sense for Alice not to meet any important figures. She’d have a productive time, and I could easily assign either Jaiden or Lucas to guard her.

Hmm... She might meet the princess of the Kingdom.

In the original story, there was a scene where the princess met the Emperor. Maybe this was the time that would happen.

...Honestly, how did the original protagonist, a mere baron, manage to get involved with both his country’s princess and a foreign princess?

Then again, setting aside the main plot, the romance lines did have a bit of that “high school harem” vibe.

Can’t say I’m not a bit envious.

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Chapter 14

The royal capital of Lutetia was a beautiful city.

I already had a rough idea of the atmosphere from seeing it in the game. Compared to the heavily “modernized” imperial capital, Rondarium, it had an undeniably older, more classical feel.

Of course, even though Rondarium was considered “modernized,” it still looked ancient compared to Earth’s modern cities, with most of its buildings made of brick, and it lacked proper electrical or internet wiring. Well, electricity and the internet didn’t even exist in this world yet.

However, telephone lines were installed, as were fully buried water and sewage systems. Most notably, the city had a massive gas pipeline system that lit up street lamps consistently once night fell. There wasn’t any electrical system, so workers had to manually light the streetlamps as they patrolled, but it was still more convenient than carrying a torch around. Once the gas lamps were lit, they would stay on as long as the gas supply lasted, which was considered cutting-edge technology in this world.

...Though, coming from a world that primarily used electricity, this setup seemed incredibly dangerous to me. But I suppose it wasn’t that different from how things worked in similar historical periods back on Earth.

In contrast, Lutetia, which hadn’t yet undergone full modernization, still had workers carrying torches to light the streetlamps in areas beyond the train station. The water and sewage systems were only just starting to be installed, and the railways were still in the process of expanding nationwide.

Unlike Rondarium, where cars were slowly becoming more common, Lutetia officially only had three cars in total, all of which were imported from the Empire. Since even their parts had to be directly imported, only royalty had access to them. By the start of the main story next year, more companies would have begun selling cars, improving the situation, but it would still pale in comparison to the imperial capital.

But because of this, the sky in Lutetia was clear and blue.

While the city center was as densely packed as Rondarium’s, there were no skyscrapers, fewer people rushing about, and no visible factory smoke, giving the place an oddly rural feel.

"It’s much quieter than the capital," Alice remarked, sitting across from me in the carriage. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who noticed the difference.

"But... the sky is beautiful. I’ve never seen a sky like this in the capital."

Sure, the sky in the capital was blue too, but it was rare to see it stretch far without being marred by the black smoke from all the boilers running in various factories.

Incidentally, the Empire took pride in that smoke. It was seen as a symbol of modernization.

Those factories and their emissions were what kept the Empire running, fueling its dominance.

"Look at all the colorful clothes. Do the people here like to dress up?"

No, they just don’t have the same mass-produced alternatives.

Mass production of limited varieties.

With the industrial revolution and the rapid advancement of textile technology, most people in the Empire wore similar factory-made clothes. Only the nobles or the wealthy upper class could afford hand-stitched, custom-made garments.

But the Kingdom didn’t have many such factories yet. Even though some were being built, it would still be a long time before mass-produced clothing was widely available to the general population.

For now, handmade clothes were still the norm in the Kingdom. Although sewing machines had been introduced, making clothes faster and in larger quantities, each household used different fabrics and designs. It was a unique aspect of the pre-industrialization era’s diversity in attire.

In a few years, even that would likely disappear.

"I’ve never been outside the capital before," Alice said as she gazed out of the carriage window.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

I briefly wondered what to say. What kind of response should I give to a princess seeing a foreign land for the first time? I decided to take the safest route and offer a compliment.

"Then you’re lucky to be in Lutetia. Since it hasn’t been fully industrialized yet, there’s a lot of unique things to see."

Of course, you could find even more beautiful natural landscapes if you ventured out into the Empire’s grasslands.

"Have you been to Lutetia before?"

"...No."

Well, it felt like I had.

What I had seen was the world inside the game. And not even in AAA-level graphics—just the kind of background design you’d expect from a Japanese mid-tier game developer, with visuals two generations behind.

But the design had captured the essence of the place well enough. At least the level design from the train station to the royal palace was detailed, so everything around me felt strangely familiar.

Those developers had really put in their best effort. I couldn’t help but admire that.

"This is my first time in Lutetia as well."

Though I’d left the capital once for the assassination of the count, this was my first time in a foreign country. And it wasn’t like I had done any sightseeing during that mission either.

"Then why did you say that earlier?"

"..."

Good point.

The level of hospitality Alice and I received was identical. It was only natural, and Lucas and Jaiden were treated as true sons of the Emperor as well. In that sense, it was quite amusing to think of them as my “bodyguards.”

The Emperor treated us all equally, regardless of whether we were blood-related or not. Therefore, foreign dignitaries had no choice but to do the same.

It would be absurd for foreign countries to compare us based on internal imperial politics. If they did, they’d only be inviting trouble for themselves.

Because of this, the Kingdom was in quite a predicament.

"We sincerely apologize. We weren’t informed that another princess would be arriving..."

The Kingdom’s diplomat wiped sweat from his brow as he spoke. Internally, he was likely fuming at the Empire’s breach of protocol.

Accommodating us was already a costly affair, given our status, but now they had to deal with the sudden addition of another royal.

“I apo—” Alice, realizing the situation, began to apologize, her face flushing red. I quickly raised my hand to stop her.

I wasn’t a diplomat. I had no experience in such matters, nor was I particularly skilled in handling them.

But even so, I had basic common sense.

Alice hadn’t been officially named the Crown Princess yet, but she was still the future ruler of the Empire. Even though she and I were currently receiving the same treatment, Alice was undeniably in a far higher position than me.

Therefore, she shouldn’t apologize to a mere diplomat. It would have been one thing if the matter were personal, but in a formal setting like this, such an apology would undermine her status. If she were to apologize, it should be to someone of equal rank in a private setting.

After all, everything we did, even in our personal lives, had public consequences.

And let’s not forget—the Empire was the dominant power. The very fact that the Emperor had sent a mere daughter to represent him at the summit instead of coming himself or sending the Chancellor was a clear message: “I am not your equal.”

So, the best approach for us was to act as the representatives of a hegemonic power—arrogant and unapologetic. There was no way Alice, the future Empress, should lower her head to anyone.

If the Kingdom had an issue with this, they should have demanded the Emperor himself come. Since they hadn’t, it was too late to complain.

I subtly signaled Alice to stay silent, then turned to the diplomat.

"Do you have another room of the same standard as the one prepared for us?"

"Y-Yes, we’ve reserved the entire hotel, so we do have vacant rooms."

"Then please prepare one immediately. I also expect the same level of security for her as for me—both in quality and quantity."

"Understood. I will see to it right away...!"

Strictly speaking, my demands were rude. Almost tyrannically so.

But if the Emperor hadn’t wanted this, he wouldn’t have sent me.

And again, if they didn’t like it, they could have insisted on him coming in person.

While Alice’s room was being prepared, she stayed with me in my room.

As she often did, Alice took the seat across from me on the sofa, staring at me intently.

"..."

"..."

Without saying a word.

Honestly, her gaze was a little unsettling.

Had my behavior earlier come across as too much?

It was true that Alice was a classic “tough on the outside, soft on the inside” character. Early on, she had a prideful demeanor, much like the original game’s Claire, looking down on others. But gradually, she would open up to the protagonist and his party. She also genuinely cared about the future of the Empire and its people.

Alice’s personal story was about defying her father, the Emperor, who sought to dominate the world through death and destruction, and... probably, eventually, defeating him.

I said “probably” because I hadn’t finished the game before being transported here. Of course, given the company’s preference for traditional narrative arcs, that’s what I expected... but if that’s the case, what’s the point of me being here?

The world would be saved even without me.

The only thing I could do was try to prevent the deaths of a few characters. But even then, I didn’t know if that would make a difference.

There were no gods greeting me with, “Hello, I’m your guide,” nor did I have a neatly organized status window detailing my abilities. What was I even supposed to do?

"How are you so confident?"

Alice’s question pulled me out of my thoughts. I lifted my gaze from the book I had been pretending to read and looked at her.

"You always act so confident, no matter what happens. Like you’re sure you can’t be wrong. Earlier too—what would you have done if the Kingdom’s officials had reacted badly to what you said?"

Hmm.

The reason I could be so confident was simple: if I made a mistake, I could always fix it.

And to be honest, even if I had made a mistake earlier, it wouldn’t have been that big of a deal.

I hesitated for a moment, weighing how much I should reveal. I couldn’t exactly tell her about my ability to rewind time, but offering a flimsy excuse would only confuse her.

After some thought, I decided to go with a response that would make sense to anyone.

"Princess, who is your father?"

"What?"

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Alice hesitated for a moment before replying with a touch of indignation.

"Th-The Emperor, of course!"

Her tone was a little angry, understandably so. I had asked her something she probably thought I should already know.

"And who is my father?"

"W-Well, that’s..."

She didn’t want to admit it.

After all, Alice was the Emperor’s only true-born child. From her perspective, she wouldn’t want to acknowledge my status.

But the fact remained that, legally, I was the Emperor’s daughter. Even if everyone knew I wasn’t truly his blood relative, that didn’t change the official records. And the Emperor treated me as his daughter, even sending me in his stead on missions like this.

So who could dare say I wasn’t the Emperor’s daughter?

Even the blood-related princess standing in front of me couldn’t openly deny it.

"Regardless of what you think, I am officially the Emperor’s daughter. It doesn’t matter if others don’t see it that way. I still have as much authority as you do. Even if people deny it, that authority won’t disappear."

"..."

As Alice bit her lip, I continued.

"Use the Emperor’s authority boldly. If anyone challenges you, assert your status as a princess. No one will be able to look down on you—not anyone in this world."

"But... what if I make a mistake...?"

"A mistake? Just act confidently. No one will dare criticize you. The Emperor doesn’t rule the Empire alone. If you make a mistake, there will be people around you to correct it. If you’re hesitant, it’s the Empire that will look weak."

Alice lifted her head and looked at me with a slightly dazed expression.

"Even if you make mistakes, you’re still the princess, and you will eventually be Empress. Who would dare rebuke you? Maybe they’d offer cautious advice, but that’s all."

"But what if... when I become Empress, I—"

"By the time you become Empress, you’ll be at the pinnacle of the Empire. By then, who would even dare?"

"..."

I watched Alice closely as I spoke.

"Of course, you’ll need to be the best in the Empire. Even if you’re not the absolute best in everything, you should at least be excellent in all areas. The Emperor’s power reaches every corner of the Empire, and if there’s even one weak link, someone might raise their head and attempt to betray you. But if that happens, use your authority to crush them. That’s your greatest weapon."

I strung together what I thought were some encouraging words.

Alice looked at me with a slightly awed expression, which made me feel a little proud.

Well, once she goes to the Academy, she’ll meet better friends than me and learn far more important things.

"...Alright. So I just need to act like that?"

"Exactly. And if there’s something you don’t know, just learn it when the time comes. The real shame isn’t in being confident without knowledge; it’s in refusing to learn when you need to. No one knows everything. So—"

"Even you?"

"Huh?"

Alice suddenly interrupted, and I reflexively asked in return.

Fortunately, she didn’t seem bothered by my reaction. She just kept looking at me with a curious expression.

"You too—do you not know everything about the world?"

"...Of course not."

I worked hard to keep the disbelief off my face as I answered.

"But you always handle things so quickly and efficiently. It’s like you know exactly what’s going to happen. Isn’t that because you already know everything?"

"That’s simply due to my knowledge, skills, and luck. I’m not a fortune teller."

"Is that so?"

Alice’s expression remained doubtful, but I quickly continued before she could dig deeper.

"—Anyway, if someone laughs at you for not knowing something, they’re the ones who should be embarrassed. They’re the ones who think they know everything, which is impossible. When faced with something they don’t know, they’ll get angry rather than embarrassed. So don’t envy people like that. You should take pride in being able to admit your mistakes."

I knew this from personal experience.

Back when I replayed the game multiple times, trying to discover every hidden secret, I’d encounter people who argued with me over lore. I’d refute them with details from the untranslated guidebooks, and if they kept pushing, I’d take them down with a well-aimed counter.

...Though, I had to admit I’d been called out and humiliated a few times when I was wrong. Still, what could I do? I was the only one translating and summarizing all those obscure details. If anyone else wanted to challenge me, they could do the same work.

Of course, I couldn’t pull that stunt now, living in the actual world of the game.

"I see..."

Alice nodded, seemingly impressed by my words.

Her expression made me feel a sense of pride.

Though I worked hard not to let it show.

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Chapter 15

No matter how much I carried the authority of the Emperor as his representative, I was still a fourteen-year-old child.

To the King of the Kingdom and the Pope of the Holy State, I must have seemed laughable.

However, they didn’t dare show that scorn on their faces.

The military power of the Kingdom of Belbur was insignificant compared to the Empire. Both Belbur and the Empire were conscription-based nations, but the number of soldiers in proportion to the population was much higher in the Empire, which had a much larger population. Naturally, the Kingdom's military strength was pitiful in comparison.

Additionally, while the Empire was actively modernizing its air force and navy, the Kingdom’s military remained “medieval” in comparison. Of course, that didn’t mean they still fought with swords, spears, and bows, but they severely lacked tanks and aircraft. The Empire, on the other hand, had already advanced from the chaotic tanks of World War I to state-of-the-art main battle tanks with rotating turrets and powerful main guns. In comparison, the Kingdom’s army was weak.

And despite how inefficient air battleships might seem at first glance, in a world without advanced anti-air missiles, they were terrifying.

There were no anti-aircraft guns with the range of a battleship’s main guns, nor were there anti-aircraft cannons capable of penetrating the armor of the Empire’s Dreadnought-class airships.

In theory, one would have to use a battleship’s artillery to hit them, but the range of naval guns fired upward toward the sky and those fired downward from an airship into the sea was vastly different.

The Empire’s airships could travel at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour, faster than any ship in the world. And they didn’t fly alone, making it difficult to send bombers to drop explosives on them.

To make matters worse, the Empire’s air force was the strongest in the world. Slow-moving bombers would be easily shot down by interceptors long before they reached their targets. And in all likelihood, even those bombers would be of Imperial origin.

In short, imagine a massive gunship firing shells more powerful than those from modern self-propelled artillery, from a distance comparable to that of self-propelled artillery—but from the air, with precision. The gunship’s armor would be comparable to that of a battleship, and it would be escorted by dozens of interceptors. To nations just beginning to modernize, it was pure terror.

Indeed, in the Empire's military doctrine, the role of airships was akin to that of the gunships used by modern American forces. The problem was that there was no effective way to shoot them down.

For these reasons, even if the King and the Pope’s representative found me laughable, they greeted me with utmost politeness.

“We understand the stance of the Holy State. However, we cannot compromise on our religious freedom. The Kingdom of Belbur has long been a melting pot of various ethnicities. If we were to establish the Goddess Religion as the state religion, it would cause severe social unrest. I regret to say that we must once again reject this proposition.”

“As always, we are deeply disappointed.”

Of course, just because they were polite didn’t mean they seriously considered me as part of the conversation.

I didn’t intend to actively participate either. The only nations that had a vested interest in speaking up at this tripartite summit were the Kingdom and the Holy State. The Empire, wielding absolute dominance, had no need to interfere unless its interests were directly threatened.

As a result, I spent most of the meeting sipping on a wonderfully fragrant tea. The milk tea, rich with sugar and cream, was delicious. It was a specialty of the Kingdom of Belbur, if I recalled correctly.

“The Holy State may be a small nation, but it possesses powerful military capabilities. We believed a partnership with the Kingdom would be mutually beneficial…”

“Hmm…”

The King shot me a quick glance.

Oh, these people...

The Holy State was an incredibly small nation—practically the size of a single city. It had gained independence centuries ago due to some ancient treaty.

Because of its religious significance, the Holy State leaned heavily toward the “fantasy” side of things. Although the Empire, with its airships and modern weaponry, also had elements of fantasy, the Holy State went even further.

The Holy State’s Paladins, wielding divine magic, were formidable threats in a different way compared to soldiers armed with guns. There were few of them, but their presence on the battlefield was akin to deploying tactical weapons.

In short, the Holy State was proposing an alliance with the Kingdom.

I silently observed the two of them as they conversed.

I already knew some of this from the game. The Kingdom would ultimately reject religious unification, but the Holy State would still provide covert support to the Kingdom’s key figures.

They were setting themselves up as challengers to the Empire’s hegemony. While they might seem like reasonable, rational religious leaders on the surface, the Holy State harbored ambitions of uniting all religions under the banner of the Goddess Religion.

The Empire was even more of a cultural and religious melting pot than the Kingdom, with colonists from various territories, annexed cultures, and indigenous faiths mixing together. To the Holy State, the Empire must have seemed like a thorn in their side.

Of course, their ultimate goal was likely just that—a distant ideal. Just as the South Korean government’s constitutional objective is to reunify with the North, they had no real intention of acting on it. The Holy State knew full well that trying to enforce religious unification would lead to their destruction.

So instead, they sought to gradually and pragmatically shift things in their favor.

The Kingdom, exposed to the threat of the Empire, was a natural ally. The Empire might seem content for now, but internal dissatisfaction was quietly brewing. And the best way to channel that discontent was by directing it outward.

It wasn’t surprising that the Kingdom and Holy State viewed the Empire through the same lens.

Therefore, most of the discussion at this summit was likely just for show. In reality, the two nations were probably negotiating behind the scenes. Even if the talks here broke down, they would likely form a secret alliance later.

Of course, they would have to put on a convincing enough show to make the Empire believe their talks were genuine.

Was the King’s slight frown a sign of genuine frustration?

I quietly contemplated my next move.

Whether or not they formed an alliance, the Emperor would eventually act. So... it didn’t really matter whether I said anything or not.

“We do not intend to reject the Goddess. Our royal family has long followed the faith. However, if we declare the Goddess Religion as the only legitimate faith, it will undoubtedly lead to unrest within the Kingdom. That would render an alliance with the Holy State meaningless.”

“In that case, the Holy State’s renowned Paladin Order will assist in maintaining order.”

“That sounds like an offer to station foreign troops in our Kingdom.”

Nice try.

They were already stationed here, though.

Of course, their numbers were so small that they weren’t like the U.S. military garrisoned in Korea, draining resources, nor were they deployed as a full unit. But they were still present, disguised as clergy in the Goddess temples throughout the Kingdom. This was a known fact from the game’s lore.

Even so, they were likely counting on keeping their secret troops hidden from my eyes.

“What if…”

To be honest, I didn’t particularly like the Holy State. Their secretive machinations were annoying, and most of their characters were obnoxiously self-righteous. I wouldn’t have minded if they’d been written as cliché fanatical zealots from a typical manga, but…

Instead, they pretended to be devout believers while killing people left and right or massacring civilians in the name of “justice,” all while maintaining this irritatingly smug demeanor. To top it off, they were inexplicably popular with fans due to their good looks. It was such a typical trait of Japanese RPGs to have such problematic characters undergo late-stage redemption arcs.

Sure, there were a few good characters in the Holy State, some of whom even became the protagonist’s friends or love interests. But I found a few specific characters so irritating that I often sabotaged the Holy State’s entire faction.

Sometimes I even fabricated parts of the lore just to mess with them... though I did eventually get caught.

Anyway, I was tempted to stir things up here.

For example, by saying something like:

“If the Empire were to make the Goddess Religion its official state religion, would the Holy State consider forming an alliance with us?”

The two of them froze at my words.

Of course, the Emperor despised the very concept of a “Goddess,” so he would never agree to such a thing. That was why I felt perfectly safe making such a bold statement.

Whether the Goddess truly existed in this world or not, I didn’t care. I just didn’t like the Holy State, and I had no intention of forming any alliance with them.

Besides, the Empire didn’t need them.

“Are you saying the Empire is open to adopting the Goddess Religion as its official religion?”

“That depends on what benefits we would gain. The Empire is a modernized nation, so we have no intention of making an unproven belief system our state religion. However, if the benefits outweighed the harm, it could be considered.”

The Holy State’s representative narrowed his eyes at me, clearly trying to gauge whether I was being serious or just testing them.

Moreover, if the Holy State aligned itself with the Empire, there was a chance they could be absorbed entirely. The Empire was powerful enough to do so. And given the Emperor’s ambitions, he would likely be more than willing to make that happen.

Even if the Empire made the Goddess Religion its state religion, it wouldn’t be able to suppress all other faiths. Not unless it wanted to tear itself apart. At most, the Empire would recognize it as the “state” religion while allowing others to exist.

But this proposal struck at the very core of the Holy State’s identity. Their ultimate goal was to abolish all other religions and establish a single, “true” faith. However, that could only happen if the Holy State wasn’t absorbed by the Empire in the process.

“Is this the Emperor’s will?” the Holy State’s envoy asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know. Since the Pope didn’t attend in person, do your words carry the same weight as his?”

“I represent the Holy Pope in these discussions. Of course, everything I say reflects the Holy State’s position.”

“Then my words are equivalent to those of the great Emperor. I’m here as his ‘representative.’”

I shifted my gaze between the King and the Holy State’s envoy before continuing.

“If what you’ve said here truly represents the Holy State’s official position, are you willing to take responsibility for every word spoken today?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m here. Doesn’t the same apply to you, Princess?”

“I wouldn’t dare lie in the presence of His Majesty, the King of Belbur.”

The King’s eyebrow twitched slightly when I referred to him as “His Majesty,” but I ignored it and continued.

“Then, on the authority of the Emperor, I have a question for both of you.”

I looked directly at them, focusing on the envoy.

“Have you had any discussions outside of this tripartite summit? I’m curious whether everything I’ve seen and heard here represents the full scope of your dialogue, or if there are other, secret alliances being forged behind the scenes.”

“...”

I didn’t harbor any ill will toward the King, so I felt a little bad for putting him in an awkward position. But watching the Holy State’s envoy’s face stiffen was quite amusing.

Not that I expected them to admit anything. They would form their alliance regardless.

“Do you have any basis for such a question? If you’re invoking the Emperor’s authority, you should be prepared for the consequences of your words,” the King asked with a serious expression.

“Do I need a basis? We’re discussing military alliances here. Isn’t it only fair to confirm whether all discussions are truly for the benefit of all three parties, or if one nation is being left out?”

“...”

Neither of them responded to my question.

It was a weak argument, full of holes, but I had made it clear that I spoke with the authority of the Emperor. That made it difficult for them to flatly deny my words. Doing so would be an official rejection, and if it came to light later, they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

Of course, this wouldn’t be enough to break their alliance. They were masters of saying nothing without actually saying anything, so they’d never outright deny or confirm anything. Later, they could claim, “We never said that.”

“If I may ask again,”

The Holy State’s envoy broke the silence.

“Does the Empire truly intend to adopt the Goddess Religion as its state religion?”

“I’m afraid that decision would require the approval of the Imperial Assembly. I cannot give a definitive answer.”

A double-edged response.

On the surface, it appeared as though the executive powers of the Emperor and the legislative powers of the Assembly were separate, and thus the Emperor couldn’t make the decision unilaterally. But in reality, the Assembly was just a rubber stamp for the Emperor’s will. Anyone paying attention could easily figure that out.

Just moments ago, I had spoken as if I had the full authority of the Emperor, only to now backtrack by blaming the Assembly.

The two men in front of me must have been seething.

But what could they do?

The Emperor’s authority loomed behind me.

And frankly, I didn’t care about the Empire’s reputation in this situation. If the Emperor had cared, he wouldn’t have sent me here in the first place.

As I lifted my teacup again, the two men stared at me for a while.

What? Why? What more is there to say?

If you’ve got more to discuss, go ahead and talk amongst yourselves.

After all, an “evil empire” doesn’t get that reputation for nothing, right?

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Chapter 16

"She's strange."

That was Alice's first thought when she saw Sylvia.

To be honest, it was hard to pinpoint exactly what was strange just by looking at her. When Sylvia sat quietly with her mouth closed, she seemed like nothing more than a pretty girl who liked to read, not saying much.

Even if you had a brief conversation with her, you might not notice anything particularly odd. Though her tone was a bit stiff, she still spoke politely, always aware of her place and bowing her head to those above her.

But the longer the conversation went, and the more you watched her actions, the more peculiar things started to stand out.

Sylvia had been with Alice since they were very young. Alice didn’t remember their first meeting exactly, probably due to their childhood, but somehow, amidst those vague memories of early years, Sylvia had gradually become part of her world, mixing into conversations.

Or more accurately, Alice would talk, and Sylvia would respond, usually in brief answers.

According to Lucas, Alice used to be terrified of Sylvia, who never changed her expression no matter how much Alice tried to speak to her. He said Alice would hide behind nearby adults whenever she saw Sylvia, and whenever Sylvia was close by, Alice would run away as if afraid she might start talking to her.

"Afraid of Sylvia? Me?"

When Alice first heard that, she didn’t believe it.

But upon further reflection, she realized it might not be entirely wrong.

After all, even now, Alice was still somewhat afraid of Sylvia.

Alice was the sole legitimate heir to the empire. She was the only one who had rightfully inherited the blood of the Fangryphon dynasty. No other siblings, half-siblings, or even distant relatives stood in her way. If it weren't for Emperor Arthur III’s hobby of adopting orphans and making them his closest aides, Alice might have remained uncontested.

Even without sharing blood, a Fangryphon is still a Fangryphon.

Long ago, during the era when the world was collapsing, and all order was being reformed, a child who had been abandoned on a cliff due to a deformity survived among twisted beasts. That child, who subdued a pack of gryphons with nothing but their human form and rode the largest one, later became the empire's first emperor. People called him "The Chief of Gryphons" in reverence.

That’s the meaning behind the name Fangryphon.

Of course, Alice knew it was just a myth. Even in modern times, gryphons still existed, but no one had ever succeeded in taming one. They might be captured or hunted, and one could perhaps even ride on their back, but the gryphon would resist to the end. That’s why the story of taming a gryphon was considered mythical.

Besides, gryphons weren’t even known to live in packs.

But in an empire with such a myth, the name Fangryphon carried special meaning.

No one could say what the Imperial Council or the people thought.

But at least from the Fangryphon's perspective, the name stood for the power to rule as emperor.

Even if you didn’t share the blood, as long as you had the ability to inherit the name of Fangryphon, the emperor would willingly pass the throne to you.

That’s why Sylvia was feared. While she didn’t have the terrifying aura of the mythical first emperor, she handled matters in front of her as if she already knew what would happen.

It was hard to imagine Sylvia riding a gryphon, though.

And that’s why Sylvia was strange.

Despite possessing such incredible abilities, and the name of Fangryphon, she acted as if she would never take the throne. She repeatedly insisted that the real heir was Alice and that she was merely there to assist her.

At first, Alice wondered if Sylvia was hiding her true intentions. But after some thought... well, Sylvia had never acted in a way that contradicted her words.

In politics, one of the gravest mistakes is judging someone solely by their appearance.

But at least in Alice’s eyes, Sylvia seemed more relaxed around her. She was still expressionless, but Sylvia, who often ignored or gave short answers to other step-siblings, would actively engage in conversation with Alice.

Whenever Alice was anxious, Sylvia would offer encouragement. When Alice was sad, Sylvia comforted her. Her words were always spoken in the same emotionless tone, but hearing them always put Alice at ease.

Was it all just an act?

Was Sylvia merely acting out of obligation because Alice was the princess?

Was Alice being fooled by something so simple?

If so—

—Yes, if even that was an act, then Sylvia was indeed a worthy candidate for the throne from the start.

Although she had somehow followed them to the kingdom, Alice Fangryphon now deeply regretted her decision.

She knew her father favored Sylvia. That didn’t mean he didn’t love Alice, but there was a difference between favoring someone as a talent and loving them as a child. While Alice hadn’t yet been appointed as Crown Princess or handled state affairs, Sylvia was already taking on some of the kingdom’s most crucial responsibilities.

Sylvia herself always treated Alice as the future empress... but that didn’t ease Alice’s anxiety. After all, it wasn’t Sylvia who would decide the next emperor, but Alice’s father, the current emperor.

“I’m going to get scolded again...”

Her father often called Sylvia to ask her about upcoming events. Each time, Alice would try to sneak in and listen to the conversation or, failing that, attempt a poor imitation of Sylvia.

And every time, it ended with her father’s reprimand.

He never shouted or struck her, but the weight behind his words, fitting of an emperor, was heavy. Alice shrank a little more each time she heard them.

And each time, the person who comforted her was Sylvia.

Alice knew that Sylvia’s words weren’t always genuine. If Alice felt disappointed about doing worse than Sylvia on a test, Sylvia would casually mention that she had gotten lucky on a few questions... though Alice knew that couldn’t be true.

If she wanted, Sylvia could easily get a perfect score.

But despite knowing that, Alice always felt buoyed when Sylvia reassured her.

Hearing someone as competent as Sylvia call her the "next empress" made Alice happy. In the palace, where Alice had no one she could truly call a friend, Sylvia was both her competitor and her only friend.

And so, after another scolding, Sylvia would likely comfort Alice again.

That thought left a bitter taste.

Lying on the luxurious bed in the kingdom's best hotel, just as Sylvia had arranged, Alice stared blankly at the ceiling, killing time. Her main guards were Lucas and Jayden, but honestly, Alice found them both more intimidating than Sylvia.

Maybe if there was time, she’d ask Sylvia to walk around the capital with her.

While Alice was deep in thought—

Knock knock.

There was a careful knock on the door, startling her.

[Princess, may I have a word?]

“Huh, what!?”

Alice jumped to her feet at the sound.

“Wh-what’s going on!?”

She shouted, flustered. She had never received guests without Sylvia or someone else by her side. The Imperial Guard was probably outside the door—no, the one knocking must be from the Imperial Guard. They were tasked with directly protecting the princess.

But she had never welcomed a guest into her room alone. The trip had been so sudden that even her personal maid hadn’t boarded the train in time.

[Princess Charlotte de Belvure of the Kingdom of Belvure requests an audience.]

“P-Princess—!”

Alice barely managed to stifle her gasp by covering her mouth with her hand.

Technically, the princess of Belvure wasn’t on the same level as a Fangryphon imperial princess. Maybe that’s why she had come directly upon hearing that the “real” princess of Fangryphon had arrived. While princesses and imperial princesses didn’t take part in governance, they could still form friendships.

Relationships between nobles could lead to practical benefits later on. And if it were royalty, even more so. Even without administrative duties, forming a connection with someone you had at least met before would make it easier to communicate in the future.

Alice, who had received her fair share of political lessons, recalled some information about the Belvure princess.

Like Alice, she was an only child. She was likely to inherit the throne. And she was the same age as both Alice and Sylvia.

“...Phew.”

Alice didn’t know why Princess Charlotte had come, but she couldn’t turn her away now that she was here.

Though terribly nervous, Alice knew she had to handle this situation herself.

She recalled her earlier conversation with Sylvia.

Always be confident, as befits the rightful heir to the throne.

She quickly looked down at her clothes. Were there any wrinkles, or worse, stains? Fortunately, there were a few creases, but nothing too noticeable.

She straightened her back and puffed out her chest, lifting her chin just like she had once seen a duchess do.

And she mimicked Sylvia’s expression.

After a few more deep breaths, Alice finally spoke.

“Yes, please let her in.”

Of course, her heart wasn’t as calm as Sylvia’s.

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Chapter 17

Even though I made such a mess at the diplomatic meeting, the Emperor didn’t say much about it, which means he probably thought it wouldn’t be a problem even if I did screw up.

Or maybe the Empire was so powerful that the other countries were too afraid to say anything, fearing the consequences of speaking out of turn.

In the main story, the Emperor actually tried to start a global war, and it was only thanks to the protagonist and their party that it was stopped just before it began. Given that, both the Kingdom and the Republic seemed to be handling things relatively wisely for now. At present, no country could win a war against the Empire unless the Empire itself fractured or every other nation united against it.

Even if a war were to break out, the first to attack the Empire would surely not escape unscathed.

...And I am one of the Empire's central figures. And I’m only fourteen.

Am I going to become a war criminal?

Well, I still have a few years before that happens, so I’ll think about it slowly. If it comes down to it, I’ll just wipe out the whole mess and assassinate the Emperor.

Of course, I plan to prevent things from getting to that point.

In any case, it wasn’t surprising that my misbehavior didn’t cause any significant problems.

What did surprise me was something else.

“Are you saying you spoke with the princess?”

“Why? Shouldn’t I? You were there at the meeting between the three nations as the Empire’s representative.”

“No, that’s not it…”

Alice’s face was practically glowing with pride as she spoke to me.

It was understandable. She usually spent all her time in the Imperial Palace studying and training. To her, just accomplishing something was worth feeling proud of. And it wasn’t just some trivial task—it was befriending the only princess of the Kingdom.

I didn’t know much about the King himself. He only appeared a few times in the game, saying a few lines here and there.

But his daughter, Charlotte, was a good person. She wasn’t the type to put on a false face in front of others. She was one of the heroines you could pursue in the game, so if she had been some two-faced character, she wouldn’t have been so popular.

If Alice had talked to someone else, I might have been suspicious. But if it was Charlotte, there was no need to worry. We were going to meet her again at the academy next year anyway. She was being sent as a foreign student by her father.

There was likely a reason the Emperor didn’t harshly reprimand Alice this time.

Part of it may have been because I personally asked him not to.

“It seems you had a productive time.”

When I said that, Alice lifted her chin with pride.

Honestly, it was more cute than dignified.

After that, nothing particularly eventful happened. The Emperor didn’t call me in to ask any more questions, nor did he give me any more assassination orders.

I figured it was because I would be attending the academy next year. If bad rumors about me spread at the school, it would be troublesome. Besides, if the Emperor was sending me to the academy, it wasn’t so I could focus on my studies, but rather to observe the nobles who would later take important positions, as well as the talented commoners.

That’s what happened with the original Claire. She hadn’t originally intended to attend the academy but transferred in later on by the Emperor’s decree. She didn’t even want to go to the academy in the first place.

Since I’ve been diligently studying and taking mock exams with the goal of attending the academy from the start, I assumed I’d be able to enroll right away.

But—

“There’s a place I need you to go.”

I barely managed to keep myself from blurting out, “What?”

If something like this was planned, they should have told me in advance.

“The time has come to deal with the warlords in the northern part of the Empire. The Riecland Autonomous State has finally requested our help. I’ll give you the details about the warlords you need to take care of. Handle it.”

Ah, a military matter.

The way they summon people to tasks at the last minute is classic military behavior.

“…Understood.”

Of course, there was no real reason for me to refuse. The most I could say was, “I’d rather go to school than the battlefield,” but the Emperor hadn’t raised me just to send me off to school.

That said, just because I was heading to the battlefield didn’t mean I couldn’t go to school.

I could still take the entrance exam in the nearest city to the front lines, and there was plenty of time before April next year.

…If the game’s world followed the European-style academic calendar, the school year would start in August or September. However, Azernia Chronicles was a Japanese game. Despite being exported abroad, it was primarily designed to appeal to Japanese players. Naturally, the game mechanics were tailored to Japanese tastes.

Japanese gamers buying a school-themed game wouldn’t necessarily expect a European-style academic calendar.

Therefore, the Imperial Rondarium Academy also followed the Japanese system, with an April start and a three-semester academic year. This way, they could include summer vacation and winter vacation episodes typical of Japanese anime.

By the way, despite the European setting, the game also had a Valentine’s Day event. Depending on which character you spent the year with, the heroine who gave you chocolate would change.

“Are you disappointed?”

The Emperor asked, causing me to lift my head and look at him. He gazed down at me with the same usual expression, a slight smile but no discernible emotion.

“No, I will follow your orders.”

I knew what the Emperor was asking. He knew I had been studying for the academy entrance exams with Alice.

Perhaps this command was a way to remind me that I was in a different position from Alice, the true princess.

This was my first assassination mission since the one involving the count. And it was in the north, where various warlords were uprising. Some of these warlords, I had heard, were even bold enough to cross the Empire’s designated borders.

It seemed the Emperor intended to crush them once and for all.

“Hmm.”

The Emperor made an unintelligible sound and then said,

“Very well. You are to depart in a week. The military will send someone soon to provide the details.”

…If that was indeed the Emperor’s intention, then it looked like I wouldn’t be able to attend the academy in April after all.

What a shame.

“Are you really going to the battlefield?”

As I was packing my things, the door burst open, and Alice asked me the question.

I paused as I was attaching a canteen pouch to my bag and turned around.

Alice stood in the doorway, drenched in sweat.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“That’s correct?”

Alice stepped into the room and spoke.

“‘That’s correct,’ and you’re just going to leave it at that? Weren’t you the one who wanted to go to the academy? You worked so hard for it!”

Well…

I did want to go to the academy. And it was true that I had studied hard for it—far more diligently than Alice realized. The academy was filled with the characters I had liked. I was curious whether Claire, who had grown up far happier than in the original story, had enrolled in the academy. And I was also curious to see Charlotte’s reaction, now that she and Alice were on good terms.

Maybe I would even get involved in the original storyline and become part of the protagonist's group. If something dangerous came up, I could handle it before it escalated.

…In fact, I had fully intended to do that.

But just because I couldn’t go now didn’t mean I’d never go. Even if I wasn’t a student, there were still ways for me to get involved in the protagonist’s situation.

“Say something!”

Alice, seeing me deep in thought, must have assumed I was at a loss for words.

“I have been tasked with subjugating the warlords beyond the northern borders and stabilizing the political situation in the Riecland Autonomous State by His Majesty’s order.”

At the mention of the Emperor’s command, Alice seemed momentarily at a loss for words, but she quickly raised her chin.

“So what?”

So what?

I blinked at her a few times.

What did she mean, “so what”?

The Emperor’s orders were absolute in this country. The Imperial Council didn’t dare stand up to the Emperor because the people wanted the Council to follow the Emperor’s lead. The Emperor’s policies boosted the people’s pride in being citizens of the Empire. And thanks to the Emperor, the citizens' situation had improved significantly.

Although most of it was due to cheap raw materials extracted from the colonies.

And the people who could vote in the Imperial Council elections—only "pure Imperial adult males"—were happy to support the Emperor’s reign.

Minors were another story… Though, in this country, anyone over twelve was practically treated as an adult and sent to work in factories.

Even though it wasn’t an official policy, the extreme blend of capitalism, imperialism, and authoritarian rule had somehow fused into a system where twelve-year-olds were forced into hard labor, drinking, smoking, or worse—becoming addicted to opium. Yet, they weren’t given the right to vote until they were 21. By then, if they survived, they were usually too poorly educated to care about politics.

And so, the military never had a shortage of volunteers. Those who were hungry or disabled weren’t likely to fight well in a war, so the military ensured that recruits were well-fed, rested, and trained. And the pay was better than what they’d earn working in a factory. Sure, they’d occasionally risk their lives, but with advanced technology, the casualties were far lower compared to the enemy, and compensation was prompt.

…The system seemed deliberately set up to maintain the status quo.

Women didn’t have voting rights, nor did anyone from the colonies. Even mixed-race individuals were excluded. You had to be at least a quarter "pure Imperial" to be recognized as a full citizen, and even then, if you looked too "colonial," you could still be rejected.

Workers feared that colonials were stealing their jobs, and there were rumors of foreign secret societies plotting to undermine the Empire from behind the scenes…

Does any of this sound familiar?

And yet, the Empire had had an empress in its history, which was an ironic contradiction.

“You’re a princess, aren’t you? You have the Emperor’s power behind you, so you should be able to stand taller. Why are you just accepting those orders without question?”

“Even as a princess, I am not the same kind of princess. I am someone His Majesty deemed useful and took in, while you, Princess Alice, are the rightful heir to this Empire.”

“…So you’re saying you’re some sort of tool?”

Of course.

The Emperor most likely thought of me as a tool.

He might love me as his daughter, but that didn’t change the fact that I was ultimately a tool to him. The same went for Lucas, Jayden, and my other siblings. In the story, the Emperor had grieved deeply whenever one of his children died.

But at the same time, even his children were just tools in his eyes.

Maybe it’s easier to understand if I explain it like this: there’s a difference between a tool you cherish and one you’re willing to discard.

Naturally, Alice was the most important tool among us.

…But there was no need to explain all of that to Alice. She was too young to understand.

Turning back to my packing, I said,

“There’s no need to worry. I’ll complete my mission and return safely. I won’t die.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about…!”

Alice started to shout in frustration but quickly cut herself off. The door was still open. If she raised her voice here, the maids would hear everything.

While Alice had thrown fits in the hallway before, she had learned that such behavior could harm her image as she got older. Of course, she still threw tantrums from time to time, making things difficult for those around her.

“…”

For a while, Alice fumed, struggling to contain her emotions. I couldn’t see her face, but her ragged breathing told me she was trying to calm herself down.

Eventually, Alice said—

“I’ll go to Father.”

—No, it seemed she hadn’t calmed down at all.

“Princess—”

By the time I turned to stop her, Alice had already run out of the room.

“…Sigh.”

I let out a soft sigh, put down the bag I was packing, and quickly chased after her.

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Chapter 18

Morphine was discovered in the early 1800s.

Well, considering that morphine is derived from opium, you could assume it appeared around that time without needing to research the historical background. Plus, in works set during World War I, morphine was often used as a painkiller for soldiers.

As one of the most powerful painkillers ever derived from natural plants, morphine’s effects were potent, and it acted quickly on the brain. This is why it was distributed so heavily to soldiers up until World War II.

However, it also caused severe problems for soldiers who survived both World Wars. After all, it’s a form of the infamous "opium."

Its addictive properties are so strong that even today, it's reserved as a last-resort painkiller when no other medications work.

Back then, they used it without fully understanding its side effects. Moreover, there weren’t many alternatives at the time.

And now, I had that morphine stored in my room.

"What is this...?"

"..."

That's right. It's not like people didn’t understand the dangers of opium in the past. After all, wasn’t the Opium War sparked when China, realizing the damage opium was causing to their country, tried to resist the British, who were pushing it on them?

Even in this world, they knew about its effects.

They knew, and they still used it.

And now, I was revealing the hidden locations of all the morphine I had stored in my room.

All because Alice was rummaging through every nook and cranny—under the bed, on top of the wardrobe, and everywhere in between.

"Princess."

"...No way, right?"

Alice asked, staring at the morphine on my bed.

It wasn’t a large amount. I didn’t need much in the first place. Just enough for one or two doses. I had three small bottles for emergencies.

But it was enough to arouse Alice’s suspicions.

"You’re not... addicted or anything, right?"

"Princess."

I called out calmly to Alice, who was looking at me with a mixture of fear and uncertainty.

"Have I ever shown any symptoms of opium addiction?"

"..."

One of the most noticeable effects of morphine is pinpoint pupils. I had seen it myself several times, back in the Count’s territory a few years ago.

If I were truly addicted to morphine, it would have been impossible to hide. When you're high on morphine, you're barely in your right mind, and withdrawal symptoms are incredibly obvious—vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and so on.

But I was perfectly fine. I was constantly busy when needed, and not once had I shown any signs of withdrawal. I hadn’t even caught a simple cold.

"Then why do you have this?"

Alice glared at me as she asked.

"For emergencies."

"There are mages in the castle."

She was right.

This was a world where magic existed. Mages, who used magic through mana stones, were real.

They could heal damaged bodies without leaving a scar, and recently, there had even been reports of them successfully reattaching severed limbs.

"Healing through magic takes too much time."

"But during that time—!"

"And an unhealed body still feels pain, making it sluggish."

No matter how well-trained a person is, it’s impossible to move exactly the same after being injured. Sometimes, it’s necessary to trick the brain into ignoring pain so that the body can move quickly in emergencies.

...Honestly, it felt a bit unfair. I hadn’t even used the morphine yet.

But I planned to use it when necessary, experience the situation, and then turn back time.

Addiction to drugs stems from both mental and physical reasons, but the main issue is the effect on the body, especially on the brain and nervous system. Addiction isn’t just a matter of craving something out of habit. It’s as desperate as a starving person searching for food because the brain has been tricked into thinking it's essential.

But I could cancel out those changes in my brain and nervous system.

So, if I were in a situation where I was seriously injured, I could endure, see how the future unfolded, and then restart without relying on drugs.

"..."

Alice bit her lip.

"Is this because of me?"

"..."

Hmm...

It wasn’t just because of Alice. It was more of a contingency plan for all possible situations. In case, for example, I had to assassinate the Emperor.

The Emperor was one of the strongest individuals in this world. Even Lucas couldn’t defeat him in a sword fight, and the Emperor was likely stronger than anyone known as a Swordmaster in this world.

Still, being human, there had to be a tiny opening.

But that opening would be so small that finding and exploiting it might take thousands of attempts, down to the second.

So the morphine was simply a tool to make that process a little more efficient.

Seeing me remain silent, Alice reached out and grabbed me by the collar.

When it came to raw talent, Alice was far superior to me. She was, after all, the daughter of the Emperor. Her physical abilities were top-tier, and she was incredibly smart. Honestly, if I weren’t able to turn back time, I wouldn’t stand a chance against Alice in a one-on-one confrontation.

The same went for academics. I had read the same books dozens, even hundreds of times, attended hundreds of hours of lectures from tutors, and still needed extra time just to keep up... or to erase everything and focus on absorbing the knowledge. Without that, I wouldn’t have made it to the academy.

I probably wouldn’t even be alive.

So, yeah.

If she grabbed me by the collar suddenly like this, there was no way I could dodge. My face was now just a fist's distance away from hers.

...Should I turn back time?

I considered it for a moment but decided to wait and see how the situation unfolded.

After all, Alice was one of the characters I liked.

I didn’t want to erase the time we had spent together if I didn’t have to.

"Hey."

Oh no.

She was really mad.

"I’m going to ask you some questions now, and I want honest answers."

"..."

I was lucky I didn’t let my expression falter. The years of practice were paying off.

"What do you think of me? And what do you think of yourself?"

"You are the future Empress of the Empire, and I am here to assist you in that role."

"As Father instructed?"

"..."

No, this was my own will.

If Alice hadn’t been here, I would have run away. I’d have gone to Claire or one of the other heroines or protagonists, or even one of the male characters I wasn’t particularly fond of, to ask for help. Anywhere but the Republic.

I’m not sure what Alice thought of my silence, but she glared at me and said,

"Let me ask you this instead. What if Father names you as the Crown Princess instead of me?"

"That would never—"

"If you think Father wouldn’t do something like that, you’re sorely mistaken."

...Hmm.

I felt like Alice was the one who was mistaken, but now wasn’t the time to say that.

"If that were to happen, I would do my best to ensure that the rightful power is restored to its proper place."

"Even if that’s Father’s command?"

"Yes. Because it’s the right thing to do."

That part was sincere.

I had no intention of becoming Emperor. In fact, based on how the story had progressed so far, I wasn’t even sure the Emperor would be able to maintain power. After all, wasn’t it obvious? The Emperor was the leader of the evil empire.

In the end, the protagonist would be victorious, supported by their heroine and male companions, as well as countless other allies.

Although the story hadn’t concluded yet, most players speculated that the ending would involve a democratic revolution.

Alice might not inherit the throne, but she could still become a hero to the people. That would probably be a much better future for her. Despite its real-world inspiration, it was still a game. Knowing the developer, they probably wouldn’t have the entire royal family beheaded.

"Even if it ruins your body?"

Alice’s eyes darted to the morphine bottles on the bed.

I nodded.

"Yes, that’s right."

Of course, I didn’t plan to use it in the end, but I couldn’t say that outright. If I did, there’d be no reason for me to keep the morphine around in the first place, so I used it as an excuse.

"..."

Alice stared at me for a while before releasing her grip on my collar. I did my best not to stumble. Fortunately, my years of practice paid off once again, and I managed to avoid looking awkward.

"I’m taking this."

"..."

Alice grabbed the morphine from the bed.

Then, looking at me, she said,

"Don’t worry. I won’t use it. A ‘princess of a nation’ can’t afford to be addicted to morphine, after all."

And that comment was aimed at me as much as it was about herself.

"..."

"And I’ll make sure that something like this won’t ever be available in the Imperial Palace again. From now on, only professionals who can assess whether it's absolutely necessary will have access to such substances. Not a ‘dignified princess.’ Understood?"

"Understood."

It was only after I said this that Alice gave a firm nod, her expression still hard, before turning on her heel and leaving my room.

"..."

After counting to about thirty, I let out a long sigh.

She’s definitely the Emperor’s daughter. Her spirit is no joke. I thought I was going to get crushed the whole time she had me by the collar.

Thankfully, I managed to keep my composure, so I didn’t have to turn back time.

Earlier, when I chased after Alice, the Emperor was already gone. Whether meeting him would have resolved things or not, I’ll never know. But it was clear that Alice’s temper had been ignited by the fact that she didn’t even get the chance to try.

Fuming, Alice had stormed back to my room, and in her frustration, she started tearing through my things.

At first, I didn’t know what she was doing, but then she found the morphine in my bag, and that’s how this whole mess started.

"...Hmm."

Honestly, even if Alice confiscated the morphine, I could easily get more. This world was full of opium dens hidden in the corners of cities. Sure, it was illegal, but the Empire didn’t really care about the suffering of the lower classes.

Opium use was even somewhat trendy among the nobility. And catching nobles was far harder than catching commoners. The Count had continued his habit openly until the day he was assassinated.

...Still, bringing morphine back into the palace would be dangerous.

If Alice caught me again, she might actually suspect I was addicted and have me forcibly committed to a sanitarium. The mental institutions of this era... well, they were barbaric, to say the least. I definitely didn’t want to end up there.

"Hmm..."

If not morphine...

There were a few other options I could think of. While not painkillers, there were substances that could dramatically increase my chances of success in my attempts.

For example, there was something newly released in this era that hadn’t yet been fully understood for its dangers and side effects.

A drug that could exponentially increase focus, allowing someone to work twice as fast with more precision. It wasn’t some magical potion, either. It existed in the real world.

Methamphetamine.

In reality, it was once marketed as a legitimate pharmaceutical product.

The commercial name of this drug was "Philopon."

Since the company that made it was Japanese, the drug became commonly known as "Hiropon."

Of course, like all drugs, it severely damaged the body. I think it permanently damages dopamine receptors? Dopamine is essential for producing positive emotions in humans. So, if you took it, you’d never be able to experience normal happiness again—unless you kept taking the drug.

I could always reset and fix that, though.

"...Maybe I shouldn’t."

If morphine could be used to explore possibilities, methamphetamine was strictly a tool for producing results. Any outcomes achieved using it would be tainted.

Even if I succeeded in an assassination while on methamphetamine, I’d be left with only two choices: live as an addict for the rest of my life, unable to enjoy anything without drugs, or turn back time and try again without the drugs.

Nothing is ever simple.

I sighed deeply again.

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Chapter 19

A day had passed since Alice’s visit, and there had been no new developments.

The Emperor’s order for me still stood. It seemed Alice hadn’t been able to meet with the Emperor yet, as I had heard he was away.

The things Alice had unpacked... well, I hadn’t repacked them yet. I simply returned the items she had taken out of the bag to their original places.

Since Alice had personally unpacked them, I figured it was better to wait a bit before packing them back up again.

No matter how determined Alice was, she wouldn’t easily convince the Emperor. He was the kind of man who, despite loving his daughter, always prioritized his goals above all else.

On the surface, it was always “for the Empire,” but in reality, he was a man obsessed with ruling, almost like a governance addict. If he thought something would harm his control over the Empire, he wouldn’t hesitate to discard even his own daughter.

The Riecland Autonomous State hadn’t appeared in the main story yet, but it existed in the game’s lore. There had been hints that it might play a significant role in a sequel... but that was just a theory.

By the time I arrived in this world, the game’s sequel was probably still in development, so I hadn’t even seen any previews.

Fans speculated that the protagonist, who had retreated to the unstable Riecland Republic due to the presence of warlords, would help stabilize the region and gain their trust, potentially finding a new base of operations.

Of course, if I wiped out the warlords before that, those speculations would become irrelevant... but I doubted the Emperor intended to eliminate them all. He’d likely leave enough warlords to keep the autonomous state in a state of reliance on the Empire, ensuring they’d need the Empire’s support.

If the Emperor really wanted to destroy the warlords, he would’ve just sent the army.

But sending the army would have likely been met with resistance from the autonomous state.

What country would welcome foreign troops coming in to “solve” their internal problems, even if it meant dealing with criminals? That’s a clear violation of sovereignty. It’s too obvious a move.

"...Wait a minute."

Could it be that the Emperor was sending me for that reason?

Sending the Empire’s military would surely be rejected by Riecland, but sending one assassin might not raise the same objections.

In fact, the Emperor might not even intend to send me as a soldier. He could disguise me as a diplomat or even send me as a princess on a formal mission.

...I could create gaps in my official duties to move around the autonomous state and carry out assassination missions in secret.

Uh...

Is the Emperor overestimating me a bit too much?

Did Claire in the original story receive this much trust? I don’t recall her being sent alone on missions, no matter how skilled she was.

I pressed my hand to my forehead, lost in thought.

If I had blindly gone to the autonomous state and started taking out warlords left and right, the future could have changed drastically.

Then again, Millennium Studio was known for pulling unexpected twists on players. They wouldn’t have made the storyline so simple that it could be easily predicted.

Should I refuse?

I seriously considered it.

If the Emperor truly trusted me, and if he genuinely believed in what I said, I could go there, do nothing, and return. Even if I lied, the Emperor would likely think, “There must’ve been a good reason.”

The problem was whether the Emperor trusted me 100%, without even a shred of doubt.

And the conclusion to that question wasn’t something I needed to think about for long.

The Emperor never trusted anyone completely. The only thing he believed in was his own conviction. If I returned without completing the mission, he would undoubtedly be suspicious.

He might accept that “there was no choice,” but he wouldn’t believe that the reason was purely physical. He’d start to speculate politically.

And once that happened, the Emperor’s actions would stray too far from my predictions.

That would be a problem.

I’ve been trying to minimize casualties by controlling the future, but if the Emperor starts acting unpredictably, it could prevent me from using my foresight-like ability.

I haven’t assassinated the Emperor yet or outright defied him because I’m trying to minimize variables and create a favorable situation for myself. If I break that balance, new opportunities might arise, but the more time between opportunities, the harder it becomes to line everything up.

"...."

I sat quietly in my chair, resting my chin on my hand, deep in thought, but no clear solution came to mind.

Even if I blamed Alice, the fact that I had already agreed to the mission meant that changing my mind now would only arouse the Emperor’s suspicions.

Hmm.

There’s no good answer.

As I was pondering this—

Suddenly, the door swung open.

"...."

It wasn’t that surprising. Over the past ten years, this had happened quite often. Honestly, nothing could surprise me anymore, not even getting sliced by Lucas’ sword.

It was probably Alice again.

If she had met with the Emperor, she would’ve been rejected, no doubt about it. She would’ve opened the door looking incredibly dejected.

So, most likely, she had come to get me to accompany her to meet the Emperor, as she always acted confidently before facing him.

“I’ve got it!”

“Huh?”

However, hearing Alice shout that made my mind go blank for a moment.

Got what?

I turned my head to see Alice standing there, grinning triumphantly. Her hair shimmered like gold in the sunlight streaming through the window.

With her hands on her hips, she looked like a victorious general as she spoke.

“You don’t have to go to the north!”

"...."

I stared at Alice for a moment before responding.

“Even if you’re the next Empress, your rank still doesn’t supersede the current Emperor’s orders.”

At my calm voice, Alice huffed.

“I know that! Even I’m aware of that much. But if you don’t believe me, take a look at this.”

She raised her right hand, which had been resting on her hip.

It was only then that I noticed the Emperor’s order in her hand.

[By my decree as Arthur III, Emperor of Azernia, I hereby rescind the order for Sylvia Pangryphon’s dispatch to the north.]

It wasn’t an official document. It was written hastily on a random scrap of paper with a fountain pen, barely worthy of being called a decree.

But I recognized the handwriting.

And the Emperor’s signature.

“...Forging or impersonating official documents is a serious crime. If you’re using the Emperor’s name—”

“I’m not!”

Alice yelled in response to my words.

“If you don’t believe me, check it yourself! Even I wouldn’t lie about something like this!”

"..."

If Alice was that insistent...

Could this really be true?

If it was, how on earth had she managed it?

Although I kept my face expressionless, Alice must have sensed my confusion because she smirked at me confidently.

"See? Now we’re going to the academy together! Of course, I won’t start packing right away, but still!"

Her smile was radiant as she added that she would definitely outperform me academically.

Uh...

I honestly had no idea what was going on.

How?

Even though I was bewildered, a part of my brain silently cheered, clenching a mental fist in victory.

A few minutes earlier—

Crash!

The sound of something shattering was rarely heard in the Emperor’s audience chamber. All the maids who worked in the palace were noblewomen trained in the highest etiquette, and breaking something by accident was practically unheard of.

And no one would deliberately break anything either. After all, meals weren’t usually served in the audience chamber.

But this time was different.

The sound had come from a small glass bottle shattering on the floor. A clear liquid splattered from the broken shards, though it wasn’t enough to reach the Emperor’s clothes.

“…What do you think you’re doing?”

The Emperor asked, staring at his daughter, who had just committed such an outrageous act right in front of him.

Lucas, who was standing by as a guard, looked equally dumbfounded, but Alice paid no attention to him.

Normally, Alice would have shrunk in front of her father, the Emperor. Especially considering that the mood today was far from good.

But Alice was furious.

And when a Pangryphon gets angry, nothing can stop them.

Alice was a Pangryphon too.

She had never been this angry at her father before. While she wanted to surpass Sylvia, she had never wished for Sylvia to be kept from competing on an equal footing.

“This is morphine. I found it in Sylvia’s room.”

“Hm?”

The Emperor’s expression changed instantly from one of displeasure to one of intrigue.

“Sylvia... using morphine?”

It wasn’t a strange reaction. The Emperor had been the one making the best use of Sylvia’s abilities in all sorts of ways. While there had only been one assassination mission so far, Sylvia had proven invaluable in gathering information.

It was hard to imagine Sylvia needing morphine. After all, she had never been seriously injured by bullets or swords.

Lucas, too, looked shocked. His usual smirk had disappeared, his eyes wide in surprise. Despite the tense situation, Alice couldn’t help but feel a bit satisfied at that.

“She said it was for emergencies. In case she needed to fight without any time to heal her injuries.”

“...Ho.”

If Sylvia had said it, it couldn’t be taken lightly. If Sylvia was talking about getting injured and needing to fight without time to heal, that implied some significant danger.

What could she have been planning for?

“...Your Majesty.”

Normally, Alice would have addressed him as “Father,” but today, she was speaking to him as a princess addressing her Emperor. What she was about to say wasn’t just from a daughter; it was a statement from the next Empress... or at least, a candidate for that role.

“Sylvia told me I would be the next Empress.”

“...”

The Emperor listened quietly.

“If she ever became a candidate for that position, she said she would do everything in her power to give it to me.”

“Hm.”

The Emperor was watching his daughter carefully.

“So, Your Majesty, Sylvia belongs to me. Not to you.”

Alice smiled as she spoke.

It wasn’t a confident smile but one tinged with nerves. Her lips trembled slightly from tension.

But a Pangryphon doesn’t retreat.

Because she was a Pangryphon.

“Sylvia might be a griffon, but the first Emperor, Pangryphon, wasn’t a griffon. He was the griffon’s master. He subdued the griffons and rode on their backs. He led the flock. He didn’t need to be stronger than the griffons.”

That’s right. Pangryphon wasn’t a griffon, but its leader. The one who controlled the griffons.

Leading doesn’t always require brute force, especially when leading humans.

“So, Sylvia belongs to me. Of course, if you ever need her, I can lend her to you. But not this time.”

Sylvia—that Sylvia—had pledged her support to the true princess as the next Empress.

And the princess had realized the significance of that.

Now she was telling the current Emperor.

The Emperor, upon hearing this, smiled.

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Chapter 20

There is always a reason why mock exams are difficult.

Even though it's just a mock exam, the question style is different from the actual entrance exam, and the difficulty level is rarely "moderate." The balance of difficulty itself is inaccurate—some questions are too easy, while others are overly difficult. Overall, the difficulty level tends to be quite high.

This isn't limited to just the Academy entrance exam. In the world I came from, most mock exams were also somewhat or excessively more difficult than the actual test.

The reason is simple. It's beneficial for the company that runs the mock exams to hear people say, "I passed the entrance exam after taking their mock exam."

Even though students know that these mock exams are just imitation questions and have almost no official recognition, they still become emotionally invested. Humans, by nature, have a psychological tendency to relax once they believe they've already achieved a goal.

Therefore, it's better to make the mock exam harder to prevent students from relaxing and to give them an excuse if the real test turns out to be excessively difficult.

Alice and I have taken such exams multiple times.

Alice, with her brilliant mind, studied hard and consistently scored high—

—while I used my ability to exploit loopholes, repeatedly reviewing textbooks and memorizing everything by heart.

Honestly, it was incredibly tedious. Even though my mind follows my body, and if I turn back time, my body returns to its original state, my memory doesn't recognize the 'time rewind' and instead accumulates experience.

So, no matter how many times I rewind time, from my perspective, it just feels like the same thing is happening over and over again.

…Does that make sense?

Well, anyway.

During those numerous chances, I took time to rest or sleep.

I'd skip class and take walks outside the capital, or lock myself in my room and sleep.

I didn’t care about what others thought. After all, the time I spent doing these things would just be reset. I minimized mental fatigue and turned time back to its original state.

Human memory has its limits, but when you see and study something repeatedly, you can't help but remember it. I don't know if it's because this body's brain capacity is large or if I had that talent all along but never used it.

Thinking about the times when I would save and reload multiple save files while playing games… Well, imagining what my original self could've achieved now seems rather meaningless. After all, I'm now Sylvia Fangryphon, a character who never appeared in the original story.

“How was the test?”

Even though Alice is a princess, the entrance exam had to be taken at the designated location.

The Empire is vast. Even if one takes the latest trains, it often takes hours or even half a day to travel to Rondarium from the provinces. And if you push yourself too hard the day before, it'll affect your condition during the test.

It's understandable for commoners from the provinces, but if this happens repeatedly, even the nobility will start to complain. No matter the era, educating children has always been a critical issue. Except for those who struggle just to earn enough for daily survival.

That's why there are designated exam centers in the provinces as well. Of course, some people can't even make it to those, but in such cases, they probably don't even realize they have that kind of talent. After all, they live in places where they have no access to education.

Anyway, we took the exam at the Imperial Rondarium Academy.

Honestly, if you live in the capital and take the Academy entrance exam, it's a stroke of luck. It means you get to visit the Academy itself. Whether you pass or fail, simply entering that beautifully constructed building is a valuable experience. Outside of festival periods, the Academy isn’t open to the public, so most people never get to see its studious atmosphere.

“The test was easier than the mock exam.”

“Right?”

Of course, even though we took the exam at the Academy, we weren’t treated exactly the same as the other students.

There were security issues, and more importantly, the students in the classroom would have been incredibly distracted by us. This could ultimately affect their performance.

Many noble families are extremely sensitive about their children's grades. If parents only scolded their children, the Empire wouldn’t intervene, but there are always those who want to blame the exam location for their child’s poor performance.

Naturally, the Emperor brushes off such complaints. Such trivial matters rarely even reach his ears.

But the Academy staff can't do the same, and neither can the high-ranking officials who run the Ministry of Education. If the nobility—especially from count or duke houses—start making a fuss, these officials will find themselves in a predicament.

To prevent that from happening, we took our exam in a separate classroom this time.

As I glanced at Alice’s face as we left the room, I saw that her expression wasn’t bad. It seemed the exam was easy for her as well.

It was the same for me. After seeing the material over and over again, I probably performed better than during the mock exam.

Of course, I intentionally got a few questions wrong.

“Let’s go and do a quick self-check. No need to verify everything. You’ll probably remember a few tricky questions, right? We can estimate our scores based on that.”

I nodded.

Alice was already confident about getting into the Academy.

Of course, she was. Alice becomes a student of the Academy in the original story.

While the building is currently filled with unverified candidates, by the time the semester starts, all the unsavory elements will have been filtered out. Inside the Academy, everyone was treated equally, and students were on a first-name basis.

Though those formal rules eventually became meaningless as time passed, social ranks still existed. Alice was so famous that no one needed to be told who she was.

As we walked, we heard some commotion ahead.

Students were pouring out of the classrooms. We weren’t the only ones who had finished the exam.

We paused for a moment.

There were ways to clear out all the students ahead of us, but there was no need to rush.

The knights guarding us stepped forward and secured a path.

Some students glanced our way. However, the presence of the knights prevented them from approaching. Alice never had close friends growing up, so even the children of prominent noble families would hesitate to approach her. They didn’t know how to act around her.

Alice wasn’t just a princess; she aimed to become the Emperor. If she had free time, she'd rather read another page or practice her swordsmanship, so it was no wonder she didn’t have many acquaintances among the nobility.

“How many of them do you think will get into the Academy?”

“Probably very few.”

According to the original story, the Academy's admission quota was 30 nobles and 60 commoners per year.

In reality, the number of named characters who appeared was far fewer than that.

Compared to the many students passing by us now, it felt like just a handful.

We stood aside for a while, waiting for the students to pass.

“…”

Suddenly, I almost let out an audible gasp.

In the distance, I saw a student with blue hair walking by.

She didn’t look like how I remembered. It wasn’t the image from the game, nor the ragged appearance I last saw.

She had grown significantly and had her long blue hair tied up in a proper ponytail. Unlike in the game, she wasn’t wearing bold makeup, nor had she modified her uniform to make it more revealing.

She just looked like a very proper student. Honestly, she could easily pass as a class president. She wasn’t wearing glasses, though.

It was Claire.

Claire was walking and happily chatting with a handsome boy beside her.

That boy must be the son of the Grace family.

The protagonist of this game.

“…?”

“Why? Do you recognize someone?”

“Yes. I see a few children from noble families.”

“…Hmm.”

I figured it was better to offer a plausible explanation rather than deny it, so I said that. Alice hummed in response.

“Is there someone we should be cautious about?”

“There is, but this isn’t the place to discuss it.”

I wasn’t referring to Claire.

It was better if Claire didn’t know who I was.

But there were still people to be cautious of.

…The daughter of the Count Crowfield I killed would also attend this school. She’s one of the heroines in the original story.

“…Alright. Tell me later when we’re back. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”

“Understood.”

Alice’s expression immediately turned serious after hearing my words, and I responded accordingly.

In the original story, Alice and Claire had a terrible relationship, so Alice wouldn’t have received this kind of information.

But now… I wasn’t the same Claire. And Claire seemed to have changed significantly from her original self.

So I figured sharing this much information wouldn’t be a problem.

“…Huh?”

Claire, who had been talking, suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around. Leo, who had been walking with her, asked.

“What is it? Did you see something?”

“Ah, it's just...”

Claire stood there, looking somewhat dazed as she gazed behind her. Leo thought that maybe she had noticed someone standing at the turn in the hallway. One had shining blond hair, and the other had black, shoulder-length hair. Leo had a good idea of who the blonde might be. It seemed like the Princess was also set to enroll this year, and if that was true, the two knights standing ahead of them made sense. As for the other person, Leo wasn't sure who it was.

“Was it someone you knew? Should we go back and check?”

Leo, trying to figure it out, began to retrace their steps, but soon stopped awkwardly as the passing students gave him annoyed looks.

“Oh, no, no need for that.”

Finally, snapping out of her trance, Claire responded.

“Maybe… maybe I just mistook them for someone else. They might have just looked similar.”

“…Is that so?”

Leo found Claire's behavior a bit strange, but decided to let it go.

He knew Claire had been searching for her sister. She had mentioned it a few times throughout her childhood.

However, even if her sister did exist, there was no way she could be here. To even take the exam here, one’s identity had to be verified beforehand.

As much as he sympathized with Claire's story—although Claire never truly believed it herself—the odds of her sister surviving and growing up to take the entrance exam for the Empire’s top Academy were extremely slim. Not to mention the idea of her sitting the exam right beside the Princess was even more far-fetched. Besides, the girl with the short black hair didn’t appear to be a maid. If she were a real maid, she would’ve taken the exam just like any other student.

Furthermore, Claire had almost given up hope by now. Even if the chance wasn't zero, Claire likely knew how slim it was.

“Yeah. I’m sure it was nothing. Just… a feeling. Again.”

As a child, Claire had rushed over to check anyone with black, long hair, only to be disappointed every time. Over the years, she had grown accustomed to these moments, and eventually learned not to expect too much.

After all, there were plenty of girls with long black hair passing through the Academy’s halls.

“…Let’s go.”

Claire said, starting to walk again. Leo, feeling a bit sorry for her, followed behind.

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

If you want to buy me a /kimsu

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Chapter 21

The test results came out as expected.

I scored 475 points, and Alice scored 492. Both of us had scores well above the passing mark.

For me, this was a surprising result. Sure, I had intentionally gotten some questions wrong, but Alice had originally entered the Academy with a score of 487 in the game, earning the reputation of a prodigy. Of course, even that score wasn’t low by any means, but the Alice standing before me now had achieved an even higher score.

"Impressive, Your Highness."

That’s what I said. There might have been a little emotion behind my words, but not enough to make a big deal of it. I had occasionally let my feelings show in front of Alice before. Besides, my reason for going to the Academy in the first place was to meet the main characters and heroines from the original story, so there was no need to hide my excitement too much in front of Alice.

After all, I’d be seeing her often from now on, so it would be hard to keep everything hidden forever.

I’d just have to be careful around the Emperor and his children.

"Hmm…"

However, Alice's reaction wasn’t what I had expected. The pitch of her "hmm" was much lower than usual. Unlike her usual pleased tone, this one sounded suspicious, as if she were openly doubting me.

Alice narrowed her eyes and asked,

"Are you sure this is your real score?"

"..."

Hmm.

She caught on immediately.

"You said it was easier than the mock exam while walking through the hallway that day. But your score didn’t improve—in fact, it went down. Doesn’t that seem strange? Especially for someone as meticulous as you."

"..."

"Did you intentionally score lower than me?"

"..."

Hmm.

She’s not the Emperor's daughter for nothing. It seems she inherited his talents.

Or maybe I just gave myself away too easily.

"You."

Alice continued.

"Don’t do that again. You’ll be working under me in the future, right? I need to know your real abilities. If you keep trying to make me look good, how am I supposed to evaluate your skills?"

I stared at Alice intently.

Alice had changed a lot from the Alice I knew.

I’m not talking about the Alice from her childhood—although she’s certainly different from then as well. The Alice I’m referring to is the Alice from the game.

The Alice who, from a young age, devoted herself entirely to studying swordsmanship and reading, never attending royal banquets or balls except when she was very little. She was so focused on following in her father’s footsteps that she ignored the need to socialize with the nobility, even though that was important for becoming Emperor. But then again, at fourteen, it’s not surprising she had a bit of a rebellious streak, thinking, "While others are wasting time, I’m studying imperial matters."

That part of her is still somewhat similar. But in terms of attitude, she’s different.

In the game, early on, Alice was portrayed as someone with very low self-esteem despite her high character stats. Outwardly, she appeared as an arrogant princess, but there were several moments where she felt envious of others who were better at swordsmanship or academics than she was.

In the early stages, she never openly acknowledged other people’s abilities like she does now.

But this isn't even the "early stage" anymore. Both Alice and I are fifteen years old now, yet her attitude toward me is far more mature and composed than the childish stubbornness I expected.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

Alice, seeming a little unsettled by my gaze, asked.

"...It’s nothing."

I replied, slightly bowing my head.

"I apologize. From now on, I won’t hide my abilities from Your Highness."

"Huh? Oh, um, alright…"

Alice seemed flustered by my sudden compliance and responded hesitantly.

And that reaction—that felt like Alice. The Alice I knew from either version of her.

To be honest, I’m a little excited.

No, scratch that. There's no need for the word "little."

Actually, I could replace it with "incredibly."

In fact, even "incredibly" doesn’t fully capture how I’m feeling. There are no words in existence that can accurately express my excitement. If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s like a child jumping up and down on their bed after receiving a console game as a birthday present, unable to contain their joy.

Ten years. I’ve waited for ten long years.

Since I was five years old, when I first came to this world and realized it was the setting of the game I remembered, it took me ten years to finally meet the characters I loved. And, in reality, it’s probably taken longer since I’ve rewound time multiple times.

Even I’m amazed at how long I’ve waited.

I mean, I only spent seven years playing the Azernor Chronicles series. That’s shorter than the time I’ve spent waiting in this world.

After becoming one of the Emperor’s children, I often wondered how long my excitement would last. As an adult, there were dreams from childhood that seemed insignificant in hindsight, and possessions I had longed for as a child ended up feeling anticlimactic once I obtained them as an adult.

But… maybe it’s not always like that.

Sherlock Holmes fans waited seven years for a new book, and game or movie series often have similar long waits. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that I didn’t wait the whole time consciously. I was busy with various things, and before I knew it, the time had passed. Even when you count the days at first, you eventually forget to keep track.

Maybe that’s how it was for me.

Or perhaps it was because the real-life versions of the characters from the game were nearby, constantly reminding me that I was still in this world. With the Emperor’s children, Alice, and Claire around, it meant that Leo Grace and other characters were out there somewhere, alive and breathing.

"Hoo…"

I exhaled deeply, trying to calm my nerves.

It feels like I’m about to meet a celebrity. I’d already met Alice and Claire, but when I encountered Claire, I didn’t even have time to enjoy the moment, as I was too busy thinking about escaping. And as for Alice, I’ve been with her since childhood, so she feels more like a younger sister than a celebrity. Though Alice would be horrified if she heard me say that.

Besides, meeting one person at a time is different from suddenly meeting several at once.

I had packed my belongings the night before. Not that there was much to pack. The uniform would be provided by the school, and the same went for textbooks. They did say we could bring personal items for the dorm, but the only personal item I had was my weapon.

And even that would be stored by the school. In the original game, there were a few characters who used firearms. And even if they didn’t, most of the weapons brought by students were deadly tools meant for combat, so it was natural for the school to take precautions. Who knows what would happen if some maniac decided to go on a shooting spree during class.

That’s why the school did background checks on all students.

In any case, there was no need for me to pack additional items. Which meant there was nothing to distract myself with. I wasn’t sure if I could even focus on a book right now.

So, I had been pacing back and forth in my room. As much as I wanted to jump on my bed in excitement, I had to maintain my character.

After pacing for a while, I heard a knock on the door.

[Lady Sylvia, we’re here to move your luggage. May we come in?]

While commoners carried their belongings to the school themselves, royalty and nobility had many people beneath them to handle such tasks. Their belongings could be sent to the dormitory in advance.

This was only allowed on the first and last days of the school term. It was a necessary safety measure to protect the students, so I had no reason to object.

I took a deep breath and, hoping my voice wouldn’t tremble, answered.

“…Yes, please come in.”

It seemed my ten years of acting practice had paid off.

The Imperial Palace and the Imperial Rondarium Academy weren’t far from each other. The area around the palace had the best security in the capital, so it was an ideal location for the Academy. There were several other academies in the vicinity, most of which only accepted students from prominent or wealthy families.

Although it wasn’t far enough to require a long walk, we wouldn’t be commuting. Even students with homes in the capital wouldn’t be commuting. The Imperial Academy had a mandatory boarding school policy for all students.

Public transportation like stagecoaches existed, but it wasn’t practical to pack people in like modern buses, and no matter how safe the Empire claimed the capital was, it wasn’t as safe as the middle of Seoul. To ensure student safety—or more accurately, to avoid being held responsible if a student was harmed—many schools, including the Academy, had adopted mandatory boarding.

Additionally, it was easier to guard someone while they were riding in a carriage, so we traveled the short distance to the Academy in one.

"Excited?"

"Huh?"

Alice suddenly asked me, catching me off guard as I stared out the window.

Lately, I’ve been startled by such questions more often. Maybe it’s because my heart has been racing with excitement. Thankfully, since it was Alice, it didn’t cause much of an issue.

Sitting across from me, Alice wore an incredibly smug expression.

Her expressions had become much more diverse. Was it because she had found peace of mind? If that was thanks to me, then perhaps my efforts to console and comfort her weren’t such a bad idea after all.

"Why do you ask?"

I still maintained a blank expression. I knew this without even touching my face or looking in a mirror. I’d been practicing keeping a neutral face for ten years, so this much was second nature to me.

But the fact that Alice could read my mood so well was concerning. If she could, then others might be able to as well.

That’s something I’d need to check and fix.

"Normally, you don’t care about the view outside. And you’re not even reading the book on your lap. Usually, no matter what’s happening around you, you’d just be focused on your book."

"…"

"And, it’s not like there’s anything new to see in the capital, right? I mean, I don’t know about me, but you must be tired of seeing these sights."

I had run various errands for the Emperor all over the capital, so I was certainly more familiar with it than Alice was. Actually, I was confident I could find my way around any corner of the capital since I had memorized all the major landmarks. No matter where I ended up, I could find my way.

"So, I just figured you weren’t able to focus on your book. If that’s not the case, my apologies."

Of course, when she said "my apologies," she was still smiling smugly, so it was clear there was no real sincerity in her words.

"…"

I didn’t bother responding to Alice. Even if I said, "No, you’re wrong," Alice would just respond with, "Oh, really?" And admitting she was right… well, that was something I wasn’t ready to do yet.

So, I turned back to the window.

And for the rest of the short trip to the Academy, I had to endure Alice’s smug expression.

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Chapter 22

The Imperial Rondarium Academy is grand and majestic.

It’s truly a source of pride for the Empire, a building constructed using the Empire's most advanced architectural techniques without holding anything back. In some ways, it’s even more remarkable than the Imperial Palace. The palace, after all, is a structure that has been maintained and expanded for hundreds of years, but its foundation was built in the medieval era.

The Academy, however, was only built about thirty years ago, and new buildings continue to be added. There’s even a building similar to the Crystal Palace from Earth’s Britain within the Academy’s grounds, and the street lamps aren’t gas lamps, but powered by mana stones. In fact, not only the street lamps but most of the lighting inside the buildings is powered by magic.

There are also significantly more telephone lines installed here compared to other buildings in the capital, and there’s an entire building dedicated to the Academy’s exclusive analytical institution. This ensures that the Academy’s data processing is nearly flawless and, more impressively, much faster than anywhere else. The machines in the institution are powered by pure mana stones, so no black smoke is emitted from coal.

The infirmary is well-equipped to handle minor surgeries and is even linked with a university hospital. The students are provided with the highest quality goods, products of the Empire’s finest industrial capabilities, and if needed, a student's personal weapon can be exchanged for an imperial-made one.

Despite all this, the tuition for Imperial students is entirely covered by the Imperial family, and even for foreign students, the tuition is significantly cheaper compared to other academies. The Empire operates the Academy at a loss.

Why is the Empire so invested in this Academy? It’s because not only the children of the Empire but also the offspring of famous foreign families, and even royalty from other nations, attend this Academy.

The aim is for these students to live in such comfort that they feel inconvenienced when they return to their homes. Moreover, the Academy serves as a showcase for the quality of goods produced by the Empire, instilling trust in the Empire’s products. In this way, the Academy is a ‘presentation hall’ for the Empire itself.

In that sense, the cost covered by the Imperial family is just a marketing expense. There’s no reason to skimp on the funding. These students, once they return home and grow up, will purchase the Empire's products—and in large quantities.

Ironically, this makes the Academy the perfect place for the children of the Imperial family as well.

Even if Alice and I hadn’t scored as well as we did, we would’ve been admitted under special circumstances. After all, who could complain when the Academy is run by the Imperial family?

"Alice Fangryphon, valedictorian of the Imperial Rondarium Academy."

Of course, Alice didn’t need any such special considerations.

The headmaster, with his hair completely white, parted sharply in a precise 2:8 ratio, and his mustache curled neatly upward in a classic Kaiser mustache style, stood in front of Alice.

Here, at this moment, neither Alice nor I were princesses. We were just students.

Of course, that didn’t mean the other students would treat us as equals, but the headmaster was different.

The headmaster was Abraham Fitzgerald Winterfield, a former Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army. He hailed from one of the most prestigious northern noble families, a house that had produced three Supreme Commanders of the Imperial Army. If this were a romance fantasy, you could say he came from a Northern Grand Duke family.

It’s no surprise that his granddaughter attends this Academy. However, she’s not a heroine. After graduating from the Academy and joining the military, she gave up her career to become a teacher and instructor at the Academy, appearing as a teacher in the commoner class.

Though she’s from a marquess family, she’s portrayed as a character with an open-minded, progressive outlook, often in conflict with her rigidly noble grandfather. She later appears as a guest character in the game, and while her abilities are outstanding, her lack of synergy with other characters makes her rarely chosen for a second playthrough. Besides, as a guest character, she can’t be used in the final battle.

"And Claire Grace, salutatorian. Step forward."

At the headmaster’s words, the two people standing in front stepped forward.

I’d seen Claire enter the orphanage under the Grace family’s care, but I didn’t expect her to grow up so beautifully and be adopted into the Grace family.

In the original story, Alice was also the valedictorian, but the salutatorian was another character, who was only a supporting role and not particularly important. Besides, Claire didn’t take the entrance exam in the original story.

If she was adopted by the Grace family, did she learn their swordsmanship? Although her movements didn’t seem particularly impressive, the surrounding characters spoke of her as a ‘model of uprightness,’ and even the headmaster in the story was impressed by her swordsmanship.

Her sword style, which was like a whip—specifically a rapier—was completely different from the Claire in the original story.

While I am a princess, I was neither valedictorian nor salutatorian, so I stood among the other students. The character Sylvia’s appearance is beautiful, but not enough to rival the two standing in front. Besides, ‘beautiful’ is just my subjective view.

Now that I think about it, both Leo and Claire have blue hair. Claire’s hair is darker, but if they claimed to be siblings, who would question it? The nobles might already be gossiping about it.

"Both students have achieved far superior results compared to their peers. With your brilliant intellects, you must become figures worthy of the Academy's name and lead the Empire to greatness."

What a joke.

Both the valedictorian and salutatorian are women, so technically, they don’t even have voting rights. While it doesn’t matter for Alice, who is the next in line for the throne, Claire’s best chance to make a name for herself in the eyes of nobility would be through marriage.

Thankfully, the Grace barony isn’t your typical noble family.

Still, the Imperial military accepts both men and women without distinction and treats them equally, so there’s a future for her in that direction too—unless the story follows the original path, and the Emperor suddenly becomes an enlightened ruler.

Claire bowed her head lightly to the headmaster.

…But Alice didn’t.

…What?

"…"

"…"

A moment of silence.

Even though she was surely aware that all eyes were on her, Alice stood with her chest out, staring at the headmaster without bowing her head.

The headmaster’s icy expression cracked for just a moment.

And if my eyes weren’t deceiving me, the headmaster even gave a faint smile.

A smile of satisfaction.

Azernor Chronicles isn’t a historically accurate simulation but more of a loosely historical fantasy, drawing from various famous European countries. It’s a Japanese-style fantasy game, closer to a whimsical mix of settings than a grounded historical one. However, to maintain the steampunk genre, it did take inspiration from the atmosphere of real historical nations.

If we talk about the atmosphere of a real country from that time—specifically England—

—being a man meant never tolerating unfair treatment, standing up for your rights, and if necessary, engaging in a life-or-death duel to defend them. That was considered manly, a macho attitude.

Of course, since this is a game, those traits were exaggerated.

Alice isn’t a man, but from an outsider's perspective, she’s the sole legitimate heir to this nation.

The weight of the name ‘Fangryphon’ is no small thing. Even if you gathered all the names in the Empire, none would outweigh Fangryphon.

So, while Alice’s behavior—holding her head high as the legitimate heir of the royal family—wasn’t exactly in line with the Academy’s rules, to the headmaster, a rigid old soldier with a strict sense of tradition, her posture was that of an ideal future Emperor.

If Alice becomes Emperor while the headmaster is still alive, he’ll be the one following her orders.

So it made sense that the headmaster didn’t reprimand her. If another student, like a duke’s child, had done the same, there would have been a harsh scolding.

The headmaster handed Alice the plaque he had been holding with a satisfied expression.

Alice took the plaque with precision, her posture sharp, as if she had practiced it many times, then performed a perfect military ‘about-face.’ Claire, watching Alice in surprise, quickly followed suit and turned around.

Alice opened the plaque and began to read aloud.

"In the year of our glorious new century, 1901, we, the 89 new students of the Imperial Rondarium Academy, led by the representative Alice Fangryphon, solemnly swear to strictly adhere to the Academy’s rules, to diligently pursue our studies, to not neglect our training, and to foster friendships with our fellow students as we strive to become the future leaders of humanity."

The year 1901.

Both in the game and in real life, this was undeniably the era of the Belle Époque

, or the "Beautiful Era."

In real life, it would take more than ten years before the world war would break out, but in the game, things would begin to unravel before we even graduated.

This glorious era would collapse in less than five years.

…And I intended to save every heroine who might die in that collapse. Even if it meant rewinding time over and over again.

"…"

The atmosphere in the auditorium was heavy.

But that was mostly because of the presence of the headmaster and the princess. Most of the students probably just wanted to get this over with and return to their luxurious dorms—something most nobles, let alone commoners, could never experience.

After all, even though these students had just entered the Academy, they were still only fifteen years old.

Well, they were turning fifteen this year, so some of them might not even be that old yet.

They probably wanted to make friends and maybe even fall in love.

And… to be honest.

I, too, wanted to make friends.

It would be even better if I could befriend the protagonists from the original story.

As I stood there, lost in thought, I suddenly felt someone’s gaze on me.

"…"

I focused on Alice, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone else. I couldn’t see clearly, but…

…it seemed like Claire, standing next to Alice, was looking at me.

…Did she recognize me?

It’s possible. Claire was incredibly smart in the original story. She might be even smarter now, having grown up in a more stable environment without experiencing addiction or indulging in alcohol and cigarettes.

But still, I can’t reveal my identity just yet…

…Wait.

Why shouldn’t I reveal it?

There’s something that feels wrong about just openly revealing myself, but at the same time, I can’t think of a solid reason not to.

"…"

Maybe I should give it more thought.

I watched Alice, standing tall and confident, receiving the stares of all the students, as I pondered.

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Chapter 23

The term "children of the Emperor" isn't an official designation.

By unofficial, I mean it's not a name that people like me, Lucas, or Jaden have ever personally claimed. There's no secret society emblem or anything cool like that, nor are there any fancy code names or settings tied to it.

In legal terms, we're simply the Emperor's sons and daughters, just like Alice. Legally, we’re no different from Alice. We are, after all, literally adopted by the Emperor.

But even though the law says that, in terms of status and in people's minds, things are different.

The beings that the Emperor has gathered are all monsters in their own right. Occasionally, they disappear from public view, only to return after some mysterious event—something or someone has disappeared, or people have died or gone missing somewhere in the Empire.

Sometimes, these deaths or disappearances appear as accidents, but other times, they look like gruesome crime scenes, almost as if they were warnings. The Empire would launch investigations, but they never seemed to find any conclusive evidence, and the cases would eventually be closed.

So, if you're not a fool, you'd quickly realize that these monsters gathered by the Emperor were likely behind these incidents. Alice, who was often confined to the capital due to her noble position, was an exception. The rest of us—the "unblooded" ones—were the Emperor’s finest chess pieces, executing his most important commands swiftly and without fail.

Of course, most commoners don't know about this. Lower nobles might have heard rumors, but most would dismiss them as coincidences. Only the high-ranking nobles with the means to gather circumstantial evidence feared us.

And that was exactly the Emperor's intent.

He wanted to say, "If you value your life, you’d better kneel."

That message would eventually spread throughout the entire Empire.

Well, in any case...

Most of the attention I receive is due to me being a "princess."

The whispers I hear around me... they're probably because I'm not the "real" princess.

"Sylvia."

"Yes."

Alice, who had been walking slightly ahead of me, stopped and turned to face me.

"Don’t walk behind me. Walk beside me."

"...Understood."

At Alice’s command, I slowly moved forward to walk beside her.

Of course, I didn’t get too close. After all, even in a same-gender relationship, walking hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm like in a manga isn’t really realistic. Well, this world is somewhat similar to those settings, though.

Now that I think about it, there wasn’t much physical contact between characters in the game either. Aside from a few kisses with female characters in romance lines and the occasional hug of greeting, there wasn’t much contact between the main characters.

...I’m not sure if that’s because the developers were trying to be accurate to real human behavior, or if they just didn’t bother due to graphical and motion limitations. Either way, it’s something to think about.

"You’re the one who told me to be confident. If you’re a princess, act like it and carry yourself as I do."

"But, Your Highness—"

"And it's 'Alice' here. We’re equals, aren’t we? Don’t you know that there’s no hierarchy among students?"

That’s rich, coming from someone who proudly held her head high in front of the headmaster.

Maybe Alice misunderstood my silence, as she quickly avoided my gaze and resumed walking.

Well, I decided to follow her orders for now.

I’m not exactly sure how the Academy determines its class assignments. It’s probably not entirely random, judging by how certain necessary people end up in the same class.

The thirty nobles, including Alice and me, were divided into two groups of fifteen, placed in different classes. But just as I wasn’t separated from Alice, Leo Grace and Claire were also in the same class. It seems they took into account the fact that the two are considered siblings.

There were also other cases where the eldest son of a duke’s family ended up in the same class as the eldest son of a baron’s family, or an engaged couple was placed in the same class. Those with connections were all placed together, ensuring that their relationships remained intact. Whether the fact that it split perfectly into groups of fifteen was a coincidence, or whether it was planned that way, I can’t say.

Incidentally, I had already made sure to familiarize myself with all the students in the noble classes.

One of the strengths of Azernor Chronicles is that even the side characters are given some degree of a backstory. While these backstories don’t usually impact the main story, they’re often side quests or dialogues that don’t affect the plot.

However, those side quests often extend throughout the game, and even those few lines of dialogue can change from chapter to chapter. Sometimes, those characters even appear in sequels, with dialogue that ties back to the previous game.

Despite the game's poor graphics and motion quality, the world felt alive because it gave the impression that every character had their own story.

The problem was, to get a platinum medal, you had to complete every single challenge in the game—including writing out character cards for every named NPC.

And to write out those character cards, you had to see every piece of dialogue at least once.

In other words, you had to find and talk to every hidden NPC in some corner of the map, complete every side quest. People called it the "NPC marathon."

I even wrote a guide for it. Damn those developers.

Thankfully, the sequels improved the convenience of the system, marking the characters you had already talked to so you didn’t have to track them down again. But you still had to talk to them.

...Anyway, those NPCs fell into categories: characters with unique models and dialogue, characters with unique names but no special models, and generic characters labeled as things like "girl in sailor uniform" or "male commoner in suit."

All the NPCs in the noble class had unique models.

While it’s impossible to match a polygonal model to a real person one-to-one, "purple bun hairstyle" or "green twin-tails" aren’t exactly common. Based on that, I had already figured out most of the backstories of the students in the noble class.

...Actually, I had made notes on it the moment I had a moment of stability. Since I wrote it all down in Korean, no one here would be able to read it.

Before entering the Academy, I took the time to review everything I had written down.

"Wait! Wait a moment!"

As Alice and I were about to start our first day at the Academy together, a hurried voice called out from behind us.

Normally, after some time, students would get used to the routine and arrive at school at their own pace, but in this country, very few students had attended something like a formal school before. Most nobles were homeschooled by private tutors before entering the Academy, and commoner children... well, they usually went to work in factories, unless they were bourgeoisie.

That’s why, on the first day, the hallways were packed with students. I didn't think it was my imagination that only the area around Alice and me was oddly quiet, though. Thanks to that, other areas were even more crowded, and a circle of students seemed to form around us like a barrier.

But someone was forcing their way through that barrier toward us.

"Claire!"

No, it was two people—a girl and a boy.

The girl was Claire, and the boy was Leo. Oh, both heavyweights. What a surprise...!

Actually, no surprise at all. I had expected this. Claire’s intense gaze during the entrance ceremony was no joke.

And while they were heavyweights from the perspective of someone who had played the game, in terms of the current setting, I was an even bigger heavyweight than the two of them combined. Whether others acknowledged it or not, I was still a princess.

"Ah!"

"…"

I blinked twice as I watched Claire stumble through the crowd and almost trip when she got close enough to see my face.

What is this, a scene straight out of a shoujo manga?

Even from a distance, I could sense that Claire had a much purer image. Unlike the Claire from the game, who wore heavy makeup and had a sharper demeanor, the Claire standing before me had almost no makeup on her face.

And, of course, she was beautiful—enough to rival Alice.

"Ah…"

Although she staggered for a moment, Claire didn’t completely lose her balance. After a brief wobble, she quickly righted herself.

"Y-Your Highness."

She then bowed slightly, placing her hand in front of her uniform skirt, as a noblewoman in a dress would do when greeting a princess.

Alice, who had just recently said that there was no hierarchy between students—

"Over here. You should bow to this side as well."

—pointed at me without hesitation.

"…What?"

"You should bow to this side as well. She’s also a princess."

Alice’s tone was slightly stiff, as if correcting Claire, who looked slightly confused.

I had to resist the urge to snap my head toward Alice. Managing to maintain my expression with superhuman self-control, I felt a cold sweat break out on my back.

Wait, hadn’t she just said there’s no hierarchy among students...?

Of course, Alice didn’t know about my relationship with Claire.

And from Alice’s point of view, Claire probably looked like someone who was desperately trying to curry favor with royalty.

Considering that I knew all the noble students in our class, Alice probably did too. In the original story, there were scenes where Alice could naturally guess the protagonist’s name without seeing or hearing it directly.

Claire was part of the Grace baron family.

Though the Grace family held considerable power for a barony—thanks to their direct appointment by the Emperor—they were still a baronial family, not a ducal one.

If you think of the Academy as a grand ballroom, where nobles observe strict etiquette when initiating conversation, Claire had already made a significant blunder.

She wasn’t the head of the Grace family, yet she had spoken before any ducal or count families had addressed us, and she had only bowed to one of the two "equal" princesses standing side by side.

"Claire…!"

Leo Grace, who had arrived belatedly, froze upon seeing the scene unfold before him.

Hmm.

In the original story, Leo was known for his kindness. Despite being a male character, he always ranked at the top of popularity polls. That was partly because many women played the game, and Leo’s righteous yet relatable character resonated with players.

I liked him a lot too.

But…

Given his kind, ordinary nature, it’s no wonder he’s frozen in shock at the situation.

"…"

A heavy silence settled over the surroundings.

Alice, Claire, Leo, and even I stood in silence.

And so did everyone else surrounding us.

No one uttered a word.

Seriously, what is anyone supposed to do in this awkward atmosphere?

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Chapter 24

“I, I greet Your Highness,”

Claire greeted me with the exact same gesture she had used for Alice earlier.

It was an unbearably awkward moment, though not to the point where I’d actually lose my mind. It was just one of those moments.

Yes, I knew Claire. Of course, I knew the younger version of her, but the Claire I was truly familiar with was not this one. It was the Claire who had become a villain under the Emperor’s command.

As I’ve mentioned several times before, Claire in the game was never this pure. No matter what she said, she would never back down, and if something upset her, she would openly show her displeasure. She never stuttered or fumbled with words.

The only time Claire showed vulnerability or anger was when someone mentioned the sister who had once doted on her.

A sister who, by the time the main story began, was already dead.

...Of course, that sister was still alive at this point. I had no idea how that happened, but it’s likely that my existence had a significant impact. After all, the only real change in this world was me.

Had the Emperor become more cautious?

At this point, it wasn’t important. The sister was just a background character in the original, someone who had owned the sword Claire used. I’d worry about it when that plot became relevant. After all, I had the power to turn back time if necessary.

Standing beside Claire, Leo Grace also bowed his head to us stiffly.

Leo Grace, the protagonist of the original game.

As befits a protagonist in such a game, he was handsome, and his abilities were decent enough. Story-wise, he was a cheerful, expressive character, combining aspects of a typical shonen manga hero with traits of a harem protagonist.

In terms of gameplay, he was notoriously weak early on but became exceptionally powerful later in the game—a classic “late bloomer” character. His stats weren’t particularly high, but his utility skills were broken. His support skill, Morale Boost, didn't heal, but it temporarily boosted his allies' abilities, increasing stats by up to 70% depending on the setup, and it was an area-of-effect skill.

Moreover, the skill centered on him, and he could even buff himself. If you kept using it, you could wipe out enemies even at the highest difficulty. Of course, your other characters needed to be properly geared as well.

But his personal stats weren’t bad either. By the final battle, his stats placed him among the top tier of characters.

Because of this, Leo had a reputation as a character that required grueling effort to level up, but was ultimately worth it. The essential support skills only unlocked halfway through the game, making the early stages a grind.

Because of that, I was curious about how Leo would survive in this world.

The Morale Boost skill worked as an attack buff because it was a game mechanic. In real life, even if someone cheered you on, it wouldn’t let you exceed your physical limits.

In the game, that mechanic expressed the power of words, but in reality, it was just a gameplay concession.

Similarly, characters in the game known as "the strongest wizard in the world" or "the most dangerous mercenary" often had subpar performance in battle, due to gameplay balancing. How would they be portrayed here? Would they follow the mechanics or the lore?

Well, the game was turn-based, and there wasn't any open-world freedom like in a Western RPG, so things could play out quite differently.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sylvia Pangryphon.”

“Sylv…!”

At my words, Claire lifted her head sharply, but when her eyes met Alice’s, she quickly bowed again.

This is the complete opposite of the original.

No, in fact, it’s even more extreme than the original. In the game, Claire was better than Alice in almost every way, but that didn’t mean Alice bowed to her. It was more like Claire treated Alice as a little sister in a kind of bad-blood sibling relationship.

Though saying “bad blood” feels like an understatement.

“Both of you.”

Alice, who had been silently watching the two with their heads bowed, finally spoke.

“Is there something you wish to say?”

“Ah, um, well…!”

Claire bravely lifted her head again at Alice’s words.

And she looked straight at me.

I was a bit taken aback by the intensity in her gaze. Despite the pressure of the situation, Claire’s eyes never wavered as she stared directly at me. It was similar to the look Claire had in the game—resolute and unyielding.

Sure, she was stammering a bit, but so what?

Claire had grown up wonderfully, without having to endure the horrors she faced in the original timeline.

“Sylvia… Sir!”

“….”

It seemed like she was about to call me something else, but the fact that she didn’t call me “Sister!” was a relief.

The way she had rushed over here reminded me of how close she must have been with Leo, almost like siblings. Maybe even closer than with Leo, in some ways. After all, Leo was born a noble, but Claire wasn’t.

“Yes. What is it?”

I replied to Claire, slightly after a pause.

“Could you…?”

Claire seemed to be on the verge of asking me something when she suddenly gasped.

Everyone’s eyes were on her.

Only now did she realize what might happen if she asked the “princess” whether or not I was from an orphanage.

Hmm.

Claire still needed to work on her caution. In the original story, Claire was portrayed as arrogant but also incredibly perceptive. Now that I think about it, she had to be sharp to survive her circumstances.

The Baron and Baroness Grace were known for their justice and kindness. They likely never treated Claire any differently from Leo, despite her being adopted.

Claire had grown up as a beloved child.

She wouldn’t become a character who secretly resented Alice for having a biological father.

“Could you…?”

I echoed her unfinished question, and Claire, her face now pale, stammered again.

“C-Could you please accept my greeting!?”

“….”

Once again, the atmosphere grew awkward.

Alice’s expression shifted from stiff to outright confused. Initially, she probably thought Claire was approaching with some ulterior motive when she ignored me earlier, but now, Claire’s words seemed utterly incomprehensible.

“I have already accepted your greeting.”

Claire’s face flushed red.

As Claire turned red, Leo’s complexion grew paler. Any paler, and his skin would match his blue hair.

“Rather than that, why don’t you introduce yourself first?”

At my question, Claire’s face turned even redder.

“I am… Claire Grace, the daughter of Baron Grace.”

Despite bowing her head and maintaining her formal greeting, her voice no longer stammered.

“I see.”

“The Grace barony is not far from the capital, right?” Alice said, as if she were searching her memory.

Then she looked around meaningfully.

Though we were still surrounded by students, the expressions on the faces of those closest to us were far from welcoming. To be more precise, they seemed reluctant to retreat due to the crowd behind them.

“...Take note. As long as we are attending this academy, we are all students like you. The title of princess only applies outside the academy. Here, we are all just people who have come to learn, whether noble or commoner.”

That’s right.

This wasn’t just about the students’ positions. It also applied to the relationship between teachers and students.

Though the headmaster was a duke, there were teachers of baron and count lineage, and even commoners. If the academy enforced the hierarchy system, it would lead to the bizarre sight of teachers bowing respectfully and speaking formally to students.

To avoid such absurdities, the academy’s rule was simple: "No hierarchical ranks exist within the academy."

It might seem like a meaningless rule, but it occasionally had its purpose. Commoners and nobles did befriend each other here, and some were even recognized for their talents after graduation. It also helped break down social prejudices.

“So, there’s no need for you to be so formal with me here. Of course, you don’t have to follow my lead. But if you treat me with such formality, then I will only treat you as a princess would treat a subordinate. If that’s what you want, then go ahead.”

“...”

There was no immediate response.

But in the distance, I could hear the faint murmur of voices.

It wasn’t just first-year students here. The corridor we were standing in led to the classrooms for first-year students, but second through fourth-years were likely passing by as well.

And Alice’s words applied to all of them.

After glancing around once more, Alice focused her gaze back on Claire and Leo.

“So, what will you do?”

Hmm.

The fact that Alice hadn’t bowed her head to the headmaster likely stemmed from her belief that it was a "battle she couldn’t afford to lose." Even if the rules dictated otherwise, as the Emperor’s daughter, she thought it shouldn’t apply to her.

But beyond that, she seemed willing to apply the rules generously.

It made sense why Alice had been so firm with Claire earlier. Claire had treated Alice like a princess, so Alice responded by treating Claire as a subordinate.

“Ah…”

Claire blinked in momentary confusion before flashing a bright smile.

Straightening her slightly bowed posture, Claire boldly stepped forward toward Alice.

Then, extending her hand, she said,

“I’m Claire. Claire Grace.”

I could hear someone swallow nervously from the surrounding crowd. Perhaps Leo had made the same sound from where he stood behind us.

Alice looked at Claire, who had extended her hand boldly, and after a brief pause, reached out to shake it. Her face wasn’t exactly warm, but it wasn’t entirely cold either.

Unlike the original Alice, she was calm, composed…

…Wait, is she copying my expression?

“I’m Alice. Alice Pangryphon.”

“Alice.”

Claire flashed a brilliant smile at Alice’s neutral face and lightly shook her hand. Alice, without hesitation, let go of Claire’s hand.

Then, Claire turned toward me.

Whatever awkwardness she had felt earlier was now gone. Claire was smiling brightly again.

It was the same kind of smile Claire had worn in the original, right before she sacrificed herself for Alice.

This, I thought, was Claire’s true nature—her cheerful, confident self, the one who had been twisted in the original timeline.

“And I’m Claire,” she repeated, extending her hand to me again.

Her introduction this time was confident and direct.

“Claire Grace.”

She announced her name with pride.

“…”

I looked down at Claire’s outstretched hand. It was slightly calloused—likely from her diligent sword practice.

I reached out and gently took her hand.

“Sylvia Pangryphon,” I said, maintaining my usual serious expression.

Claire’s eyes wavered slightly.

But then, with a soft smile, she lightly shook my hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you as well.”

Claire’s hand was warm.

I wondered… Was it the same warmth as in the original story?

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Chapter 25

“Hoo...”

Claire finally exhaled a deep breath of relief after parting ways with the two princesses.

The students who had been surrounding them now directed their gazes at Claire and Leo briefly, then went their own way, wearing amused expressions. Claire, however, didn’t seem to care.

“Thank goodness…”

“What do you mean, thank goodness?!”

Leo, who had been holding in his anxiety, finally burst out with frustration as he heard Claire’s muttering.

Passing students threw glances at the two, but Leo was too worked up to pay any attention.

“She’s a princess! And not just any princess, a real one! How could you just approach her like that? What if she got mad at you?”

Despite Leo’s panic, Claire’s expression remained unchanged.

“It’s fine. The princess—no, Alice, said it herself. We’re all just students here. We should treat them the same way.”

Leo pulled at his hair, walking behind Claire as she made her way toward the classroom.

“Come on, you know that was just her being polite! We’ve been to noble banquets before. When dukes or counts tell you to relax and speak freely, you don’t actually do it! What would’ve happened if we did?”

“Banquets are different from school. Banquets end in a day.”

“Which is why you should be even more careful! We’re going to be here for four years!”

Even after hearing Leo’s exasperated pleas, Claire remained unfazed.

“Hmm… did she cut her hair, or is it just easier to manage it that way? Maybe she didn’t cut it before because she couldn’t?”

“…Excuse me, are you even listening?”

Leo waved his hand in front of Claire’s face as she mumbled to herself.

“Hello? My dear sister?”

The word "sister" immediately drew a frown from Claire’s otherwise serene face. It wasn’t a deep wrinkle, but enough to show her annoyance.

“You haven’t even had your birthday yet, so how can you call yourself my older brother? I was born first, so I should be the elder one.”

It was a debate they had been having since childhood.

Claire was born a few months before Leo, but in Leo’s eyes, Claire was someone who had come into the family later. As children, Leo had often looked after Claire, who knew nothing of noble life when she first came to the family.

Leo’s role as her caretaker made him feel like the older sibling, but Claire, based on her birth date, insisted she was the elder.

Over the years, their many arguments over this issue had led to three wins for Leo, three for Claire, and two draws. With identical records, neither had a reason to argue further.

Of course, Claire’s birthdate was just what she remembered, and its accuracy was uncertain. Claire herself didn’t know why she thought of that day as her birthday, only that she had remembered it as such since before she arrived at the orphanage in the Grace Barony.

“Well, it seems like you’re finally back to normal.”

“My mind is always clear.”

“Right, because a clear mind is what rushes up to not one, but two princesses, right?”

“Who rushed?”

“You, Claire Grace! Daughter of a baron!”

Leo pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose.

“...Anyway, Her Highness—”

“Alice.”

“What?”

“She told us to call her Alice. Remember? The one you keep calling ‘Her Highness.’”

“…”

Leo closed his eyes in frustration and pressed harder on his nose, as if the pressure could relieve his growing headache.

That’s going to leave a mark, Claire thought as she watched him.

“Look, just because Alice said we’re equals in the academy, it doesn’t mean you can just ignore everything. You saw it too, didn’t you? Alice didn’t bow to the headmaster.”

“…”

Leo had a point, one that Claire couldn’t easily argue against.

Once a soldier, always a soldier. It was a well-known saying, embodying the spirit of the Empire’s military. It didn’t matter who first said it or where it came from; the principle was widely accepted.

Even if it wasn’t an official motto, it was a concept that soldiers lived by. A soldier who had sworn loyalty to a person or institution maintained their dignity and never brought dishonor to those they served, even after retirement.

The headmaster, Abraham Fitzgerald Winterfield, was one of those soldiers. A living legend, anyone who studied even a bit of the Empire’s military history—basically anyone attending the academy—would have heard his name.

He was a pioneer of modern warfare, responsible for innovations like machine gun emplacements, trench warfare, modern ammunition belts, and tank tactics. His legacy was so great that the Empire’s current main battle tanks were named “Abraham” in his honor.

Alice had not bowed to this living legend because, in her eyes, he was still a soldier. A soldier who had retired, but who remained loyal to the Empire. If the Empire were ever threatened, he would return to the frontlines without hesitation. In her mind, he was still a loyal servant of the Imperial family.

“...”

“See? You’ve got nothing to say, do you?”

Leo let out a deep sigh.

“Think about it. Even if Alice said we’re all equal here, if we start speaking casually while other noble students still use formal titles, won’t that make us stand out? Wouldn’t that make Alice seem too informal, no matter what she says?”

“Hmm.”

For a brief moment, Claire seemed lost in thought.

“But Alice doesn’t strike me as someone who would care about that. If anything, I think she’d be colder to people who are overly formal with her.”

“…”

Leo dragged his hand down his face in exasperation.

“Anyway.”

After walking in silence for a few moments, Leo spoke again.

“Earlier, when you said you were relieved… what did you mean by that? You don’t mean…”

“Yes,” Claire interrupted, smiling brightly.

“She said her name was Sylvia. That’s the name of my sister.”

“Sylvia Black,” Leo corrected her. His eyes darted nervously around the corridor. A few students glanced in their direction, but it seemed they were just curious about the boy and girl walking together, not eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Well, I’m Claire Grace, and no one has a problem with that when I introduce myself.”

Of course, Leo would inherit the title of the barony, but that didn’t concern Claire.

“That’s exactly the problem,” Leo said, scratching the back of his head.

“Even if she is the Sylvia you remember…”

“She is,” Claire said firmly.

“…”

Leo pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. In his mind, the shared name was a coincidence.

Living in the Grace Barony meant hearing stories about the Imperial family from time to time. The Baron had been granted his title by the Emperor himself, after all.

Because of that, they had heard many detailed rumors about the Emperor’s adopted children. The Baron and his wife had made sure Leo, the future heir, understood the dangers of discussing those rumors openly. Leo knew that such talk could cost him his head.

Everyone knew the Emperor’s children weren’t biologically related to him. Their backgrounds were shrouded in mystery, with the official story being that they were orphans of noble or heroic families. But no one really believed that, except maybe some remote barons or poorly informed peasants.

More ominous rumors circulated among the nobility: that the Emperor was training an elite assassination squad and that his “children” were survivors of brutal training.

Whatever the truth, no one believed those children were merely orphans plucked from the streets.

The Sylvia that Claire remembered seemed almost superhuman, but Leo had his doubts. How reliable could the memories of a child be?

To Leo, the most logical conclusion was that Claire’s Sylvia had disappeared while traveling to the Grace Barony—lost or left behind. That seemed like the most realistic scenario.

And it wasn’t as if Claire hadn’t met people named Sylvia before. Some of them had black hair and eyes, and at least one of them had been named Sylvia Black. Claire had gotten her hopes up, spoken to them, and each time had been disappointed.

After several such encounters, Claire had stopped mentioning her search for Sylvia altogether. For the past two years, she hadn’t spoken of it at all.

Leo had witnessed Claire’s growing disillusionment firsthand.

That was why her newfound certainty about this Sylvia struck Leo as so strange. What had changed?

…He’d get to that later.

For now, there was something Leo needed to address.

“Alright, let’s say you’re right, and she is the Sylvia you remember.”

Claire puffed out her cheeks slightly at his skeptical tone, but Leo continued.

“If Sylvia really is that person, do you think it’s right to bring up her past like that? Would she appreciate it? You have to think about how she’d feel.”

“Ah…”

It seemed Claire, caught up in her excitement at finally finding her lost sister, hadn’t considered that.

Leo let out another sigh and continued.

“And even if you remember her, she might not remember you. If you just rush up to her and start talking, it could give her the wrong impression.”

“...You’re right.”

Claire’s expression dimmed, and she nodded seriously.

She wore a slightly bitter smile.

“...Don’t worry too much about it,” Leo said, trying to console her.

“If she really is the person you remember, she’ll recognize you too. Even if it doesn’t happen right away, she’ll eventually remember. If she’s as capable as you say, she probably hasn’t forgotten her childhood.”

“Alright.”

Claire clenched her fist as if to motivate herself, and Leo shrugged.

He still didn’t think Sylvia Black and Sylvia Pangryphon were the same person. Even when they had seen Sylvia after the exams, Claire hadn’t reacted strongly. Was it just because she had only seen her in passing?

The Sylvia that Claire had described was much kinder and more nurturing. Leo couldn’t picture the current Sylvia Pangryphon sitting down with a child, telling them stories from the past.

“Oh, by the way, we’re not in the same class as those two, are we?”

Claire’s eyes widened.

“You didn’t know?”

“We’ve already been assigned to the same class as Alice and Sylvia,” Claire said, smiling.

“Wha—?”

Leo’s face, which had just returned to a normal color, turned pale again.

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Chapter 26

The back of my head tingled.

In fact, the sensation of feeling someone’s gaze is just a subjective interpretation by the person experiencing it. No laser beams come out of people’s eyes. What we call “glaring” isn’t light coming from one’s eyes but merely sunlight or other light sources reflecting off the surface of the eye.

Unless you’re a nocturnal bird of prey or a feline, there’s no reason for human eyes to emit any kind of light.

So, strictly speaking, the reason my head was tingling was probably just my own imagination. It was because I was conscious of Claire’s presence sitting behind Alice and me.

If Claire hadn’t recognized me at all, I wouldn’t have been so bothered. I might have felt a little down, but I’d have been satisfied knowing she had grown up well and moved on. There would still be opportunities to get closer in the future.

Of course, it’s not like I, the expressionless character, could suddenly act friendly out of nowhere. But isn’t there that common cliché of the expressionless, emotionless character? The one who, at first, doesn’t respond much to others but gradually starts smiling and laughing as they grow closer to their friends.

Ah, perfect.

Just imagining myself laughing and chatting among the characters I liked filled me with excitement. And when the others see me smile for the first time, their surprised expressions would be priceless.

For that to happen, I’d need to stick with my expressionless character role for a while longer.

That wasn’t going to be hard since I’d kept up this persona for over ten years already.

“……”

There was a strange tension in the classroom.

It was probably because of what had happened in the hallway earlier when Alice pointed out someone’s failure to properly greet the princess.

Although everyone had seen what happened next, they had also previously witnessed Alice refusing to bow before the headmaster.

So, rather than choosing how to treat Alice right away, they were probably thinking of observing a bit more to see which behavior Alice seemed to prefer.

And if anyone acted too carelessly, they could leave a bad impression on someone widely regarded as the next potential emperor. In other classes, the children of dukes and counts might be gossiping, but no matter how high-ranking they were, they couldn’t be placed on the same level as the emperor.

Moreover, Alice rarely attended balls or banquets, so no one here personally knew her. It wasn’t surprising that the entire class was stiff and formal. The commoner classes were probably much more relaxed and lively by comparison.

Tick, tick, tick.

The classroom was so silent that I could hear the ticking of the pocket watch in my hand.

The silence remained until the sound of the sliding door opening broke it.

Incidentally, the reason the classroom door was a sliding one, and why the desks were arranged in a way that reminded me of a Japanese-style classroom from manga, was all because the game’s developer, which served as the basis for this world, was a Japanese company. The hallway outside had a Victorian steampunk feel, but the classroom alone had this odd, out-of-place design.

No one else seemed to care, though.

“Hm.”

The teacher who entered the room seemed momentarily startled by the frozen atmosphere and stopped at the doorway before quickly regaining her composure. She cleared her throat, as if embarrassed by her own surprise, and stepped into the classroom.

It was a young female teacher.

This was her first time taking charge of a class, unlike the granddaughter of Winterfield, who was in charge of Class B. This gentle-looking teacher had no military background.

However, that didn’t mean she was just an ordinary person. She was, after all, the second daughter of a duke.

Her name was Caroline Northwood, from a ducal house that ruled over a territory a bit distant from the capital. Though somewhat removed from central power, it was still a house with imperial blood.

She had short, light brown hair, similarly light brown eyes, and slightly drooping eyelids, which gave her a somewhat dull impression. To add to it, she was wearing loose clothes that made her look like a middle schooler in uniform. In reality, she had a great figure hidden underneath those clothes, but she always dressed in this loose formal attire—that was part of her character design.

While she wasn’t a playable character, there was a romance route with her in the game. She was a heroine who contributed to the main storyline—at least, that’s how it should be described. Realistically, she was more like a side character you could romance if you wanted to.

To manage a class filled with high-ranking nobles and even members of the imperial family like ours, a teacher from a family with comparable authority was necessary. Winterfield could have handled the job, but her rebellious personality, especially towards her grandfather, meant that Caroline ended up being assigned to Class A instead—that was how the original story went.

Even though she had the blood of a duke, Caroline was less than ten years older than us, having just graduated from university.

Seeing two princesses sitting side by side at the front of the class, it was no wonder she was a little intimidated.

On top of that, the classroom atmosphere was cold and stiff, and there was even a girl in the back staring intently at one of the princesses’ backs.

Just imagining the scene was enough to make my head spin. I could only wonder how Caroline felt, having to deal with it in real life.

“……”

Finally snapping out of her daze, Caroline began to move again, walking with her head slightly bowed and her eyes fixed on the floor.

She seemed desperate to avoid making eye contact with either of the princesses, but—

Unfortunately, to look down at the attendance book on the podium, she’d have to make eye contact with us, even if just for a moment.

“Ladies and gentleme—”

Ah.

She started speaking, but her voice cracked.

No one in the class laughed, though. If even one person had giggled, it would have been awkward for Caroline, but the fact that no one did only made her feel even more cornered.

“I am… I am!”

But even as a novice teacher, she couldn’t back down.

No matter how inexperienced she was, as a teacher at this prestigious academy, she carried the name of her noble house. If word got out that she was outdone by her students, it would tarnish the name of the Northwood ducal family.

Though her voice was shaky and high-pitched, Caroline managed to pull herself together and speak out.

“I am Caroline Northwood! The second daughter of the Northwood Ducal House!”

“……”

Naturally, there wasn’t much of a reaction.

After all, there were twelve ducal houses in the Empire.

Among the main heroines in the story, two were from ducal families, and across all the academy’s grades, there were sixteen students from ducal houses.

Yes, the Empire was vast enough that you could rank even the dukes themselves. It was impressive to invoke the title of a duke, but in a class like ours, it wasn’t exactly something to boast about.

Especially when there were two princesses sitting right in front of her.

“I-I look forward to working with all of you!”

And I, watching Caroline struggle, couldn’t help but feel a sense of fondness.

I was the person who had fully completed every romance route and made a video for players who found it too tedious to go through them all.

Of course, I’d seen the kiss scene between Leo and Caroline.

I’d also seen the event where she’s tricked by Winterfield into appearing at the students’ swimming pool in a bikini.

Though she was a bit clumsy in the game, she had a positive character arc.

Caroline genuinely cared about being a good teacher.

When the Empire later split into civil war following the emperor’s declaration of global conflict, Caroline risked her life to protect her students. Not just the academy students, but any minors she could see, invoking the name of the Northwood family to shield them.

And she did it proudly. At least, until the most recent installment of the game.

Though she came off as a bit flustered now, I knew Caroline had a strong sense of duty as a teacher. That was the image I had of her.

So, naturally, my first impression of her was a good one.

Of course, I was only thinking this to myself—my face remained as expressionless as ever.

“……”

After Caroline’s introduction, the class fell into silence once more.

Clap, clap.

The sound of someone clapping broke the stillness.

The applause came from right beside me.

That’s right. It was Alice who started clapping.

Hearing Alice’s slow clapping, I joined in, and soon, one by one, the other students followed until the whole class was filled with enthusiastic applause.

When I looked at Alice’s face, I noticed a small smile on her lips.

Seeing Alice’s expression seemed to relax Caroline a bit, as she placed a hand on her chest and let out a small sigh.

Well, at least Alice didn’t leave the impression of being "scary" on our homeroom teacher.

Even though the academy’s curriculum spanned four years, it wasn’t really modeled after a university. It felt more like the last year of middle school combined with three years of high school. Higher education institutions, like universities, did exist in this world.

So, there was no way a teacher would let us get away with just introducing themselves and ending the lesson on the first day.

Especially not if the teacher in front of us was a passionate history instructor.

Caroline Northwood was that kind of teacher.

It was unfortunate for the students that homeroom happened to be Caroline’s class.

However, none of us dared to fool around, skip class, or doze off during her lesson.

Because the princess sitting in the front row was studying diligently.

The academic atmosphere of a class is often shaped by its most influential students. If the class leader were a troublemaker who had given up on their studies, the students might not have taken the lesson seriously.

Of course, at this academy, the Empire’s strict class system complicated things even more.

But in the original story, Class A always had a good academic atmosphere.

“...And that’s how the Empire of Azerna came to be.”

The first lesson was light. It started with the founding myth of the Empire, which everyone already knew, and continued with how the Empire annexed neighboring kingdoms and expanded its territory.

Most of the students already knew this. After all, it was part of the academy entrance exam.

But these were still fifteen-year-olds.

To delve into deeper topics, it was necessary to review the basics. Moreover, there were also foreign students among us.

As soon as Caroline finished speaking, the bell rang.

In the original story, I thought it was just a coincidence that her speech ended right as the bell rang, but now that I saw it, it seemed Caroline had put a lot of thought into planning her lesson before arriving at school.

“That’s all for today’s lesson. Does anyone have any questions?”

No one raised their hand.

No one wanted to waste the ten-minute break.

“Well then, I’ll see you all in the afternoon.”

Looking a bit more relaxed after making it through the lesson, Caroline smiled slightly at us before leaving the classroom.

…Though she didn’t ask us to stand and bow. You’d think it would fit the atmosphere here.

Then again, that didn’t happen in the original story either. Maybe the game developers considered omitting that formal farewell as part of what made the school feel more “Western.”

Even though everything about the school system screamed Japanese.

“This isn’t as hard as I thought,” Alice said with relief, now that the tense atmosphere had lightened.

“It’s the beginning of the semester, so we’re just reviewing what we already know. There might be students who didn’t do well in history on the exam,” I replied.

There was no failing grade on the entrance exam.

“Huh, I see.”

Alice seemed pleased, probably because she felt confident she could keep up.

...In fact, she wouldn’t just keep up—she’d likely end up being one of the top students in the entire academy.

Maybe I’ve been overusing my abilities all along.

“Have you been well?”

As I pondered that to myself, a voice suddenly spoke up in a very formal tone.

This voice—

“Oh, Charlotte!”

Char—Ack.

I turned in shock to see Alice enthusiastically greeting Charlotte in an overly cheerful voice.

Thankfully, I managed to keep my expression from breaking.

Wait, Charlotte?

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Chapter 27

Charlotte is a French name.

And Charlotte is the English pronunciation of the same name.

Of course, at the moment, there’s no particular animosity between the Azerna Empire and the Kingdom of Belbour—at least, not openly. But still, it’s considered rude to arbitrarily call someone by the pronunciation of your own country’s language, especially when it comes to personal names.

In the original story, the friends don’t start calling Charlotte “Charlotte” (the English way) until much later—only after they’ve grown close and Charlotte herself says it’s okay to do so.

Later on, when the Azerna Empire begins its full-scale invasion of the Kingdom of Belbour, Charlotte distances herself from the group and even asks them not to call her “Charlotte” anymore.

So, this situation now is quite surprising.

...Could it be that just meeting her that one time made them this close?

“Are you Princess Sylvia? It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Charlotte said, addressing me politely as she looked over at Alice and me.

I debated for a moment whether or not to stand but ultimately decided to remain seated. After all, we were all students here. I agreed with the notion that we should treat each other as equals in this setting. Even if that wasn’t strictly true in reality, acting that way would make things easier in the long run with the other students.

“I’m Sylvia Fangryphon,” I replied.

“I’ve heard of you,” Charlotte said with a cheerful smile.

“You came in place of His Majesty the Emperor during the last negotiations. My father had nothing but praise for you.”

Praise?

Not a word of complaint?

I had acted quite rudely—enough that it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had turned around and cursed me the moment my back was turned.

On top of that, the three-way meeting where I stood in for the Emperor was known among those aware of it as a meeting where the Kingdom of Belbour was the one left in the dust. The Empire sent me, a princess, and the Holy State sent a cardinal, while the kingdom sent their king himself. From the kingdom’s point of view, they might have claimed it was out of respect for the location, but I wondered if the higher-ranking nobles felt the same way.

The Empire was a hegemon, capable of devouring the military strength of any other nation, so their approach was understandable. The Holy State, though small in territory, wielded significant influence around the world. While the Holy Church wasn’t exactly the world’s template religion, it still had the largest following among the world’s faiths.

Additionally, the cardinals and priests in the Holy Church were also citizens of the Holy State. While this might seem superficial at first glance, the more followers a nation had, the higher the social standing of its clergy. Therefore, nations with a large number of followers could not easily ignore the influence of the Holy State.

The Kingdom of Belbour, one of the countries that ceded land to form the Holy State, had a significant proportion of Holy Church followers. It wasn’t quite a monopoly, but as a single force, it was the largest.

So, the kingdom couldn’t completely ignore the Holy State’s influence either.

Still, sending Charlotte in place of the king to a high-stakes meeting wouldn’t have been appropriate.

Given how little of the meeting’s content was leaked, the Kingdom of Belbour should have considered themselves lucky, yet here Charlotte was, casually mentioning it as if it were common knowledge. What was going on in her head?

...It wasn’t as simple as her being oblivious.

She’s genuine. There’s no need for deceit. That doesn’t mean she’s not intelligent, though.

Charlotte had a gift for making friends with all kinds of people, but she was also keenly aware of who was most important to keep close.

Charlotte was the type to move for the sake of her people. In other words, she could boldly do what was necessary, even if she didn’t enjoy it. Of course, she wouldn’t hide her displeasure either.

“I see,” I replied.

In that sense, it seemed Charlotte hadn’t developed any outright negative feelings toward me just yet.

However, there was a subtle difference between the way she looked at Alice and the way she looked at me. Her clear gray eyes gazed directly into mine without any hint of wavering, as if she were trying to read my thoughts.

“I spoke with Alice at length back then. Your name came up several times, Sylvia.”

Alice.

That was the French pronunciation of “Alice.”

So that’s how they had been addressing each other back then.

“……”

“D-Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything bad,” Alice mumbled, turning slightly red when I looked her way.

“That’s right. I can promise you that Sylvia was never insulted. I swear it,” Charlotte added.

“I believe you,” I replied, looking up at Charlotte.

“I realize it’s a bit late to ask, but I’ve heard that in the academy, students are expected to set aside their status and speak to each other on equal terms. Would it be an issue if I called you by name?”

“Not at all,” I answered again.

If Charlotte had truly grown close to Alice, it only made sense for her to get closer to me as well. Judging by the situation, Alice and I were going to be spending a lot of time together, so naturally, I’d encounter Charlotte often as well.

As Charlotte looked at me carefully, she tilted her head slightly.

“Are you always this quiet?” she asked.

“...Yes,” I replied.

At least, I tried to speak as little as possible in front of people other than Alice.

Of course, as one of the main companions in the original story, Charlotte was definitely someone I wanted to befriend. But breaking my character’s expressionless facade too soon would ruin the atmosphere.

...Does that make me too much of a role-player?

“Uh, excuse me.”

Just as we were talking, someone else cut in.

I didn’t need to look to know who it was.

Claire, it seemed, was now certain of my identity. She was oddly persistent in the original game, and that trait hadn’t changed.

“Sylvia?”

Turning around, I saw Claire standing there, with Leo next to her, looking incredibly uneasy.

Despite the tension in the air created by the presence of two princesses and one princess from another kingdom, the situation oddly reminded me of the early stages of a harem story. The clueless, slightly brash younger sister, and the older brother who follows behind to clean up her messes, eventually becoming friends with the younger sister’s companions... That kind of setup, though I couldn’t quite recall a specific story that fit.

“...Claire.”

I decided to clear my mind of these thoughts.

“Ah, sorry. Were you in the middle of a conversation?” Claire asked.

“No, it’s fine,” Charlotte responded, elegantly tucking a strand of her shining silver hair behind her ear.

“We were just getting to know each other better. I was greeting some familiar faces. But it seems like I hardly know anyone here.”

“Oh, are you from abroad?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Charlotte replied, lightly grasping the front of her skirt with both hands in a curtsy. It was a gesture similar to what Claire had shown Alice and me earlier, though Charlotte’s version was more refined. Not that Claire had done poorly—it was just the difference between someone who had it ingrained in them and someone who had learned it recently.

“I’m Charlotte de Belbour.”

“Gah!”

Suddenly, a gasping sound drew all of our attention to Leo.

Leo had both hands over his mouth, looking as if the moment he let go, he might scream.

“De Belbour...”

“Yes, I’m the princess of the Kingdom of Belbour,” Charlotte said playfully, clearly amused by Leo’s reaction.

Now, you might wonder why a baron’s son wouldn’t recognize the princess of a neighboring kingdom. But in this world, it was considered somewhat distasteful for royalty and nobility to leave photographs instead of portraits.

Photos, while cheaper than hiring an artist, were still expensive, and more importantly, photographs were in black and white while portraits were in color.

It wasn’t that people never took photos, but having them printed in newspapers was a different matter.

If a noble or royal’s photo was printed large in a newspaper, it could easily be cut out and used for insulting purposes.

While we were nearing a time where words like “freedom” and “democracy” were beginning to appear, the Empire and Kingdom still functioned under nearly absolute monarchy. Strong media control was a constant presence. Who knew what the future held fifty years from now, but for now, that was the state of things.

So, even with the advent of thin, modern film and small portable cameras, the photos of nobles and royals almost never appeared in print.

This created a gap in information, leading to the phenomenon of nobles and royals whose names were well known, but whose faces were a mystery.

“Charlotte, huh?”

Leo somehow managed not to make any more embarrassing sounds after that.

“I’m Claire. Claire Grace, eldest daughter of the Grace barony.”

According to the lore, Claire was technically older than Leo by a few months. Her birthday came first, but there was no one here to prove that. The only reason I knew was because I had memorized the game’s settings from cover to cover.

“I see.”

Charlotte probably wasn’t familiar with the Grace barony. She wouldn’t have the time or reason to memorize the names of foreign nobles. But she wasn’t the type to openly ignore or belittle foreign nobility either.

“Nice to meet you, Claire.”

“Same here!”

Claire wore a beaming expression, clearly excited that she’d made yet another friend, while Leo looked like his heart was on the verge of giving out.

“...So, may I ask why you approached me?” I inquired, looking at Claire.

“Oh, right!” Claire clapped her hands together, as if suddenly remembering why she’d come over.

“I was wondering if, after class, you’d have time—”

However, before Claire could finish her sentence—

Bang!

The classroom door burst open.

It opened with such force that it skipped the usual sound of the door sliding.

And in this game’s original story, there was only one person who would open the door like that.

“Attention, everyone!”

She looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties, with wild, unkempt black hair, arms crossed confidently.

Despite wearing an Imperial officer’s uniform, several buttons on the shirt beneath were undone, and she wore her jacket draped over her shoulders like a cape.

Four medals adorned the jacket.

“Outside, everyone!”

And there was only one person in this academy who would shout something like that before the bell even rang.

Jennifer Winterfield. The headmaster’s rebellious granddaughter.

And the homeroom teacher of Class B.

Following the instructor out to the training field, we hadn’t even had the chance to fully enjoy our break before the bell finally rang.

Ding-dong-ding-dong, the bell echoed in vain as the students shot frustrated glances toward each other. However, I wasn’t particularly surprised, having already expected our first encounter with Jennifer to be like this.

The training field was empty. Even though there were physical education classes, most teachers didn’t gather students outside for exercise on the first day.

Jennifer wore an Imperial uniform and had a military tone, but she wasn’t the type to impose strict military discipline on her students. She didn’t force us to line up in neat rows, and she didn’t mind if the students loosely gathered on the field.

“Proud students of the academy!”

Standing on a platform without a microphone, Jennifer’s voice boomed across the field.

Even without a mic, her voice was loud enough to make my ears ring.

In the game, whenever Jennifer gave a speech like this, the font of her dialogue would increase dramatically, and the students would either cover their ears or look shocked.

And now, the same was true here. Alice was frowning, and even Charlotte’s brows were furrowed in discomfort.

“I am Jennifer Winterfield, your tactical instructor, here to improve your battlefield skills!”

That’s right—tactical instructor.

Since this academy also functioned as a military school, we had classes like this as well.

“But no matter how much you learn about tactics from a book, it’s useless if you don’t have the ability to apply them. And the tactics required in battle depend on the soldier’s weapon and how skilled they are with it. Therefore—!”

Several students, who had momentarily relaxed their shoulders, were startled once again by Jennifer’s sudden increase in volume.

“We’re going to evaluate your skills right here, right now! We’ll see which weapons you prefer and how you handle them!”

Clap!

Jennifer clapped her hands together energetically.

“And the best way to assess your weapon proficiency is, of course, through combat practice!”

Jennifer grinned as she continued.

“Feel free to choose the weapon of your choice. Let’s give it our all!”

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Chapter 28

I could hear the sound of the other students murmuring in confusion, but I wasn’t particularly surprised.

After all, this duel was the first battle in the game. It didn’t matter if you won or lost; it was more of a tutorial.

That said, the difficulty level was set somewhat high... and the problem was that the opponent you faced in this one-on-one duel was treated as a boss by the system, with a bronze medal tied to it. If you were aiming for a platinum medal, you absolutely had to win this battle.

It was a fight that could be manageable if you knew the strategy and there weren’t too many random elements working against you. However, that was only from Leo’s perspective, the protagonist.

The game I was experiencing now wasn’t a turn-based JRPG where each character had their turn based on speed, taking swings at each other. No, this was a hyper-realistic FPS.

...Well, not even an FPS—just plain reality.

Honestly, I had confidence in my personal skills. I could easily dodge a clumsy sword swing from someone who didn’t know what they were doing. That much was certain.

Of course, it helped that I had dodged Lucas’s sword several times, and right now, there was no one stronger than the Sword Saint who could swing a sword faster than him.

The Sword Saint was still alive. He only dies at the hands of Lucas in the second game of the Azerna Chronicles series, so at this early point in the first game, he would still be alive.

However, the timeline between the first and second games isn’t that far apart—about a year. Frankly, I believe that if Lucas were to challenge the Sword Saint to a duel right now, he might win. That’s just my estimation, though.

I stood idly, watching the other students carefully pick their weapons.

The weapons they were choosing weren’t their personal ones. As realistic as this academy was, they weren’t about to tell students to genuinely shoot or cut each other.

The swords, spears, and other weapons were made of wood and rubber. They would hurt if they hit you, but unless you were struck on the head, getting hit a few times wouldn’t kill you.

There were also staves for the magic users. Of course, they had reduced the power of the magic stones inside, so any spells cast would only produce a small flash of light. When a magician cast a spell, Instructor Jennifer would judge whether it hit or missed based on the student's skill level—at least, that’s how it worked in the game.

Naturally, there were also guns.

Since guns had many moving parts, they weren’t made of rubber. In fact, they were real guns. Instead of making mock guns, they just opted to use real firearms. The difference was that the barrel was filled with a solid metal rod, so even if you loaded a bullet, you couldn’t fire it.

The bullets inside were just metal slugs without gunpowder.

...So, the Ergansen rifle I was holding felt heavier than the real one I usually used. Even the revolver at my side was heavier than normal.

It wasn’t going to cause any major issues during a brief duel, but still.

"Alright, does everyone have their weapons!?" Jennifer called out, glancing around at the students. No one answered, but each of them had a weapon in hand. The variety of weapons chosen by the students was impressive, and seeing that there were no leftover weapons, it was clear that Jennifer had studied each student’s strengths beforehand.

"......"

Jennifer’s gaze lingered on me for a brief moment as she looked around. Was it just a coincidence?

"Since it might be awkward to fight someone you don’t know on the first day, if you want to choose your opponent, go ahead and ask their permission. If there’s anyone left without a partner, I’ll pair you up."

...And anyone left without a partner would have to fight Jennifer.

That was the worst-case scenario. While I could rewind time to keep fighting until I won, I had no idea how many times it would take.

Jennifer was a warrior from the battlefield. Her reputation had spread in a short period of time as she had made her name in real combat. The character's background stated that she could use anything she got her hands on as a weapon.

In the game, she was a turn-based RPG character who could freely switch between using guns, swords, and magic. But in some event scenes, she was described as using chairs, ladders, cups, water bottles, stones, pens, or pencils in battle.

I think they were trying to mimic a famous Hollywood action character, but honestly, the motions and graphics in the game were so awkward that it didn’t look very cool.

Clap!

Jennifer clapped her hands once more.

“Alright, I’ll give you one minute!” she shouted.

I looked over at Alice.

"...No thanks."

Alice made eye contact with me and immediately stepped back, horrified.

...Ouch. That hurt a little.

“I know I’d lose for sure if I fought you. Why would I choose to duel you? I’d rather fight the instructor and lose—it’d be less embarrassing,” she said.

Hmm.

Alice wasn’t a weak opponent by any means, but her swordsmanship hadn’t yet reached Lucas’s level.

So if we did fight, I’d definitely win. After all, I could erase my mistakes.

“Oh my,” Charlotte, who had been listening in on our conversation, suddenly chimed in.

“Alice, would you like to duel me instead? I’m actually quite confident in my swordsmanship.”

Unlike the wooden bastard sword Alice was holding, Charlotte had chosen a rubber-tipped rapier.

Charlotte swung the rubber sword around a few times, then pouted slightly.

“As I thought, the material makes this feel different from a real sword. It’s more like a riding crop than a sword.”

“In that case, mine’s more like a club,” Alice replied, raising her wooden sword.

And what I was holding was practically a toy gun.

There was no one else nearby.

No matter how skilled they were, no one wanted to be the one to beat up a princess or a royal, unsure of how that might come across.

“Oh! Then, I’ll duel with Sylvia!”

Ack!

Claire suddenly appeared behind me and shouted excitedly, making me nearly jump out of my skin.

Had it not been for the ten years of surprise attacks from Lucas that I’d endured, I might have actually jumped.

“Hmm?”

Alice turned to look at Claire just as—

“Attention!”

Jennifer’s shout interrupted the murmuring of the students, bringing everyone’s focus back to her.

“Those who have found a duel partner, sit down!” she commanded.

The students, though a bit reluctant, began sitting on the ground. They were nobles, so they clearly didn’t enjoy sitting on the dirt, but no one dared to defy the warrior standing before them. Not on the first day of class.

Alice and Charlotte sat down.

“Sylvia, quickly!”

Claire, already sitting, tugged at my sleeve with sparkling eyes.

“...”

I glanced over to see Leo giving me a long, resentful look from afar.

But still, this was a better option than dueling Jennifer, so I hurriedly sat next to Claire.

Sorry, Leo. I won’t forget this debt... though I have no plans to repay it.

Since Class A was made up of nobles with connections, most of the students quickly found partners and sat down.

“Alright, you two over there, pair up,” Jennifer said, pairing the remaining two girls before turning her gaze to Leo.

“Hmm. You’re the eldest son of the Grace barony? How is your father?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! He’s doing well!” Leo said, snapping to attention and shouting in response.

“Good, good. I like your loud voice. You’ll be sparring with me. Now, sit down.”

Leo’s face turned pale, but Jennifer didn’t bat an eye.

Once Leo sat down, Jennifer glanced over all the students.

“Alright, now then...”

She pulled out a pocket watch to check the time.

“We don’t have enough time to do one duel at a time. We’ll do three teams at once. Don’t worry—I’ll be able to judge all of your performances.”

Um, no one was worried about that, though.

If anything, we were more concerned about your insane approach to teaching. But, of course, none of us had the guts to say that out loud.

“So, let’s see... alright, let’s start with those who will be the pillars of this country.”

Jennifer pointed at Alice and me with a grin.

“You two, bring your chosen partners up. And you two over there, come up as well. These three teams will go first.”

“...”

Everyone hesitated but slowly began standing up, eyeing each other warily.

Except for one person—her eyes were sparkling.

“You’re a Grace too, huh?” Jennifer said, looking at Claire.

“Good eyes. I hope you can keep that spirit in whatever you do in the future.”

“Yes!” Claire responded enthusiastically.

They seemed to be getting along surprisingly well.

Though, Claire didn’t exactly strike me as the military type... but that didn’t matter for now.

Jennifer’s gaze lingered on me again for a brief moment.

And then I knew for sure—it wasn’t just a coincidence.

Why? Was it because I was the emperor’s child? Did she think the emperor was behind the Crowfield Count’s assassination?

...Had I already drawn her attention on the very first day of the semester?

“Come on, everyone, get moving!”

“...”

We moved forward at Jennifer’s urging.

Alice and I stood back-to-back, keeping our distance from each other.

And in front of me stood Claire, gripping a rather large sword with both hands, standing tall and straight.

Her eyes were shining brightly, and her lips twitched as if she was delighted to be sparring with me.

...

Well, I suppose it’s nice to see someone so excited.

But I couldn’t gauge her skill level. Unlike the unorthodox fighting style she used in the game, this version of Claire seemed to use a more traditional swordsmanship, similar to Leo’s.

Would that make her easier to deal with?

I had seen her use a saber in the original game. Compared to that tricky weapon, this would probably be easier.

Alright.

I pulled the bolt back on my rifle, chambering the first round.

Then, like a soldier on the battlefield, I pressed the stock against my shoulder and leaned slightly forward. I spread my legs slightly, ready to move—

But wait, was it really alright to have me, essentially a foot soldier, standing in front of someone wielding a sword?

“Alright then! Begin!”

Before I could object, Jennifer shouted the start.

...Well, of course she would say something like, “On the battlefield, you must be ready to fight in any situation!”—

“I’m coming!”

—Before I could even finish my thought, Claire shouted and charged toward me!

Like a kendo practitioner yelling “Men!” she lunged forward, her left foot taking a large step as she raised both arms above her head.

In a game, this move would probably be called a “downward slash” or something.

Simple, but incredibly fast.

I leaped to the side with all my might. I barely managed to avoid falling over, and my shoes scraped loudly against the sandy ground.

Dry sand scattered as I landed.

My rifle was long, and even though the time needed to raise it was short, aligning the sights to fire would take too long. Claire was too fast, and by the time I was ready, she was already too close for me to aim properly with such a long weapon.

Alright.

Next time, I’d go for a shorter gun.

Click.

I pulled the trigger anyway, but Claire had anticipated it and moved to avoid the barrel before the shot went off.

“Missed!”

I heard Jennifer’s voice call out, but I was already jumping backward.

I released my right hand from the grip, reached under my left arm—

“Hyaah!”

Hearing Claire’s shout, I quickly pulled back again.

She had brought her sword down with force but then swiftly changed its direction, swinging it toward me. If I had stayed where I was just a second longer, I’d have been struck—

“Ugh!?”

I felt a delayed impact on my right arm, and I was flung to the left.

What? What just happened?

I scrambled to my feet, feeling the eyes of everyone in the area on me.

“Sister?”

Claire was looking at me with a surprised expression.

My arm throbbed. The pain had been numbed for a moment, but now it was rushing back as my brain registered the blow.

Claire’s sword was glowing faintly blue.

...A sword aura. Claire had wrapped her wooden sword in aura.

And that aura had followed behind the actual sword, coming slightly later and snapping out like a whip.

...A saber technique!

Isn’t using aura with a wooden sword a bit unfair!?

“Again!”

Feeling a bit indignant, I shouted resolutely.

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Chapter 29

No matter how many times I rewound time, the feeling of embarrassment didn’t just disappear. It might get erased from other people’s memories, but it still remained in mine.

Well, it didn’t matter.

At least now I understood that Claire was serious, something I realized after taking her attack head-on.

Since I hadn’t revealed my true identity, Claire was likely determined to uncover it herself. The bright smile on her face made that clear.

The shock Claire displayed when I fell to the ground after her strike was probably also due to that same determination.

We hadn’t spent much time together, but Claire surely held a strong memory of me as someone who was kind to her during her most difficult times.

Moreover, to a young Claire’s eyes, I must have seemed like someone with mysterious powers. It probably felt as though I could predict the future, moving everyone around and leading them safely to the baron’s manor.

Honestly, I’d considered keeping my identity hidden for a while longer—not for any grand reason, but simply because I liked the character I had built over the past ten years. It felt like a waste to let it collapse in an instant.

However, if I avoided Claire’s attacks and ended up defeating her, she would undoubtedly realize that I was the Sylvia Black she had known back then.

...That might not be so bad.

The reunion of an older sister and younger sister, proving their bond through skill—it would make for a great moment in a story with a Japanese manga-like feel.

“...”

I slung my rifle over my back and drew my revolver.

I wrapped my finger around the trigger. The Wexler revolver was a double-action, so there was no need to cock the hammer manually.

“Alright then!”

Jennifer’s voice echoed once more.

“Begin!”

At the sound of her shout, Claire raised her sword high again—

But things didn’t unfold exactly the same as they had before, since I had switched weapons.

This time, instead of dodging Claire’s movement, I raised my arm straight ahead.

Click.

I pulled the trigger, and the hammer of the gun snapped back before hitting forward with a dull clank. There was a slight recoil, but not enough to push me back, given that the gunpowder had been removed from the rounds.

“Missed!”

Jennifer declared.

Claire had already twisted her body to the side, evading the line of fire by the time I raised my arm. She might not have the ability to see the future like me, but she had surely noticed my arm rising.

She couldn’t dodge the bullet itself, but she could adjust her posture in preparation for the shot.

In the original turn-based game, characters would simply walk up and strike. In reality, such a combat style was impossible. To engage someone wielding a gun while armed with a sword, you had to be at least this quick.

Claire moved to her left—my right—her body shifting in one fluid motion, and she raised her sword as if to shield her face with its broad side. It wasn’t that she intended to block a bullet, but rather that she was trying to maintain her stance while turning swiftly.

I turned my arm to follow her movements, but before I could aim properly, Claire was already swinging her sword.

It wasn’t that my arm was slow; it was just that Claire’s reactions were quicker than mine.

The distance between us wasn’t enough for her to strike me with her sword. The diagonal slash she performed didn’t touch me directly.

But then, just a split second later—

“Ugh...!”

I felt a heavy impact on my right shoulder, as if something had slammed down hard.

I dropped my revolver.

Again.

The moment I pulled the trigger for the first time, Claire had resumed her earlier stance, preparing to strike downward with her sword, but I moved first.

I took a half-step to the left.

As I aimed the gun at Claire and moved, her sword came down just a moment too late, striking the ground as sand kicked up in the air.

Click.

“Missed!”

Jennifer sounded almost gleeful.

This time, I had acted too hastily. While the revolver allowed for quick aim, its short barrel meant that even a small distance could cause the shot to miss by a fraction.

Especially when you were moving intensely and shooting with just one hand.

Before I could pull the trigger again, Claire darted to her left. Click. The revolver emitted a hollow sound, and Jennifer didn’t even bother to call out the miss—it was too obvious.

This time, Claire raised her sword high above her head.

With a whoosh, the sword sliced through the air, coming down at a terrifying speed.

Though it still wasn’t close enough to hit me directly, the follow-up shockwave from the sword aura sent sand flying into the air again.

And this time, I wasn’t able to avoid the aura.

Again.

I think I’m starting to understand.

Claire’s sword aura followed her blade like a whip, but it wasn’t as wild or freeform as the whip-like movements of the saber she used in the game. Her current swordplay was too straightforward in comparison.

Is it the nature of sword aura that prevents it from moving like a whip, or is it simply because she hasn’t mastered the technique yet? Either way, it doesn’t matter. It’s to my advantage.

Although, having to deal with two consecutive strikes was certainly annoying.

...Alright, I’ve made up my mind.

Next time, I’ll make sure to bring a short shotgun. While it might be fine for an assassination mission, in a battlefield filled with sword-wielding maniacs, the more options I have, the better.

For now, though, all I had was the revolver.

I aimed the revolver at Claire again, stepping to the left this time, supporting the hand holding the gun with my other hand.

As soon as I aimed at Claire, she moved left as well.

In this world, there were machine guns, and the best-known way to dodge them was to run in a zigzag pattern. By preventing the enemy from predicting your movements, you increased the chances of the bullets missing. Of course, only someone with highly developed physical abilities could dodge bullets like that.

But I wasn’t holding a machine gun—I had a revolver. While it could fire rapidly, a double-action revolver required a lot of pressure on the trigger, making it hard to shoot quickly. And on top of that, Claire wasn’t just swinging a sword; she was using sword aura, a long-range attack.

Alright.

Again.

I noticed the movement of Claire’s feet. I hadn’t seen it the first few times, but after rewinding several times, I finally caught on. It was a subtle shift—Claire was preparing to move left, my right.

It was such a minor movement, something you wouldn’t notice in the heat of battle.

But even if it was a brief moment in a fast-paced fight, if you replayed a video over and over, you’d eventually see it clearly.

I didn’t have the ability to adjust my aim precisely within such a short window.

But that wasn’t an issue.

I had an infinite number of chances to try again, to correct my mistakes, no matter how many shots it took.

I turned my gun to the left and fired at the same time.

“Missed!”

Again.

Click.

“Stop! Claire Grace, you’ve lost!”

Jennifer declared, having watched our fight closely. The other two teams were using swords, so they could probably determine the winner on their own without Jennifer's interference. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t been paying attention to them.

It wasn’t common for nobles to wield firearms.

Guns were often seen as weapons that “anyone could use.” In reality, firearms required less training than melee weapons to become proficient in. In just three months, soldiers could be trained to fight on the battlefield.

But weapons were still weapons.

And just like with any other, once you started training with firearms, the depth of skill you could attain was endless. You could calculate trajectories to hit distant targets that were difficult to reach, or quickly aim and neutralize an enemy in close combat. Even using a gun to block or strike was part of mastering firearms.

However, most soldiers who became proficient with guns didn’t learn from a great master; they honed their skills through grueling combat experience. After all, firearm training was hard to simulate without the chaos of real battle. The gun Sylvia had been using didn’t even have real gunpowder inside, so the sensation would have been different from a live firearm.

You survive, you grow stronger. That applied to every soldier who’d experienced real combat... but a fifteen-year-old kid?

Was she perhaps someone who had been destined for the Northern Front?

Or maybe, even before that, she had some reason to wield such weapons and fight for her life.

Additionally, there was something strange about Sylvia’s movements.

It was as if she already knew how Claire would swing her sword or move her body.

When Claire had tried to slash downward, Sylvia had reached out and aimed at her. When Claire brought her sword down, Sylvia calmly sidestepped.

And...

Though Sylvia might not have realized it, from Jennifer’s perspective, it looked like she was already turning her gun in the direction Claire would dodge before Claire even made her move.

Then, as Claire shifted diagonally, Sylvia fired.

Unlike the other students, whose duels were a back-and-forth of clashing swords, this match had ended in an instant.

Not that the duel had seemed easy by any means.

“Hmm.”

Jennifer found herself intrigued.

Would Sylvia going to the academy instead of heading north be a good thing for the empire, or a missed opportunity?

Physically, I wasn’t exhausted.

Nor was I in pain. Mentally, I was a bit drained, but even with the rewinding, it hadn’t taken that long in the grand scheme of things.

Still, the sensation of being struck wasn’t a pleasant one.

Had it been anyone other than Claire, I would’ve been far more irritated.

As I holstered my revolver, Claire approached me.

Despite having lost, she wore a bright, cheerful smile.

It was a lively, spirited smile. In the game, I had only ever seen Claire smile like that once—at the very end.

And back then, the “sister” she smiled at wasn’t me, but Alice.

Behind us, I could hear the clash of wooden swords. It seemed Alice and Charlotte’s match wasn’t over yet.

Step.

Claire stood before me, extending her hand as if offering a handshake.

“...”

I looked at her hand for a moment, then slowly reached out to grasp it lightly.

But it seemed I was the only one who intended a light grip—Claire firmly grasped my hand.

And then she pulled me toward her.

It wasn’t an ambush, not really. I managed not to stumble, likely because I had somewhat anticipated this happening.

As I moved closer, Claire looked me straight in the eye.

“Sister.”

Her voice was resolute.

“You’re my sister, right?”

Her eyes were already filled with certainty.

...Well.

I had expected this. If anyone would recognize me after a clean victory, it would be Claire.

That’s why she had been so surprised when I got hit earlier.

“You seem... very sure of yourself,” I said.

But Claire’s smile didn’t falter.

“I knew you would dodge like that, just like you did back then.”

The time Claire and I had spent together had been short. And that precognition-like ability I had shown her back then... it was similar to what I did now, but not quite the same. Back then, I had used it to avoid danger in advance, whereas now I was briefly rewinding time to dodge each strike.

“I looked into it afterward. Those men must have been human traffickers.”

It had been a mystery, even back then, how the orphanage had burned down with only a single victim. We had made our escape blatantly, but the surrounding area had been engulfed in flames, and the authorities had been called in chaos.

Vanished children. And the very next morning, those children appeared at the Grace baron’s residence.

If the baron and his wife hadn’t noticed something, that would’ve been strange.

“...Did you ever find those traffickers?” I asked.

The transactions happening at the count’s estate had been separate from those at the orphanage. If I had ever found that one-eyed man, I would have shot him on the spot. He wouldn’t have remembered me, but I had been beaten nearly unconscious.

Countless other children had likely died at his hands.

...Harvesting, they called it.

Had Claire survived only because they intended to sell her, or was she involved in some resurrection ritual hinted at in the game’s lore? Maybe she had just narrowly escaped a fate worse than death.

I had revealed my true identity, but Claire’s expression darkened slightly.

She shook her head.

I see.

Though that one-eyed man hadn’t been in the original game, it didn’t guarantee that he wasn’t important. He could still appear in future installments.

If he was still alive, he could have grown into a powerful figure.

“...”

I glanced around. There were quite a few people watching us. Other students, curious about our match, and Jennifer’s gaze still lingered on us.

“Claire.”

“Yes, sister?”

“...Call me Sylvia while we’re here,” I said.

Claire’s eyes widened, and she nodded vigorously.

“Revealing information carelessly can have unintended consequences. You never know how it might be used against you.”

“I understand.”

Claire nodded again, like a well-behaved child. She no longer looked like the scruffy little orphan I had met all those years ago. Her hair was neatly styled, and she wore much finer clothes now—even if it was just the academy’s military-style uniform.

She no longer looked like a child with nothing to her name.

“...”

“...”

Well, the conversation had ended, but Claire still hadn’t let go of my hand.

I wished she’d release it so we could move on with the rest of the conversation.

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Chapter 30

One thing became clear to me: I had decided to stick with this persona for as long as possible.

Sure, part of me wanted to blend into the main cast as just another character, but I realized it was too late to hide my true nature—my deep-rooted otaku tendencies.

Although in this world, people probably wouldn’t even understand the concept of being an "otaku" in the way they would on 21st-century Earth.

Then again, this world had its own famous characters, just not in the way we’d think of them in our games or shows. In this world, mascots were becoming popular, much like early 20th-century Earth.

One such mascot character was Digger the Dog, a cartoon dog that loved to dig holes. It was featured in a series of newspaper comic strips, and from what I understood, it had already gained a lot of popularity.

In the real world, back in the early 1900s, characters like The Yellow Kid were making waves. The Yellow Kid was so influential it became the origin of the term “yellow journalism.” And that comic had debuted in the 1890s. The developers of this game even mentioned in interviews that they based the popularity of Digger on the likes of The Yellow Kid to give this world some cultural depth.

In this game world, Digger was quite the hit, and there was even talk of it becoming an animated short soon, thanks to the emerging film industry. The technology for short, silent animations was just beginning to blossom, though everything was still in black and white.

I wondered if it might be fun to have my character like Digger—or at least subtly show an interest in it.

"..."

Not a bad idea.

After all, I had always liked cartoons. I wasn’t a hardcore Disney fan, but I had seen most of the famous ones. Maybe I could even collect a few Digger plush toys once they started making them.

But not now. It would be something I’d slowly incorporate into my persona, perhaps a year or two from now.

Why wait? Because it would be unbearably embarrassing to admit openly right now. I could barely handle the secondhand embarrassment from rewinding time, let alone deal with something like this in real-time. Even though I’d lived in a girl’s body for ten years now, I still had thirty years of memories from my past life as a man.

"What are you thinking about so deeply?"

I was startled out of my thoughts by Alice’s voice.

When I glanced up at her, she was staring at me, her eyes curious.

"You’re looking at a book, but your eyes aren’t moving at all."

Ah, that made sense. I hadn’t been focused on reading, and I wasn’t particularly interested in it either.

"I was thinking about the duels from this morning."

"The duels? Oh."

Alice seemed to draw her own conclusions from my words.

"Are you analyzing everyone’s movements?" she asked.

I hadn’t been, but that explanation fit better with the character I was trying to portray.

"Yes, that’s right."

I nodded in agreement.

Attending the academy had proven much more challenging than staying in the imperial capital. The hardest part wasn’t the coursework; it was maintaining my character. And it had only been the first day of classes.

As soon as the lessons ended, Alice headed straight for the library, determined to study and review everything she had learned. She had this idea in her head that "a student’s primary duty is to study," and she acted on it with full force. Naturally, I followed her to the library and pretended to read a book.

...I wasn’t planning to take studying too seriously. After all, I’d have to do everything over again if I rewound time during tests. Instead, I figured I’d cram when exam season rolled around. For everyone else, it would be last-minute cramming, but for me, it would feel like plenty of time.

"So, what did you think?"

Alice put down her pen, clearly eager to hear my evaluation.

Though I hadn’t paid much attention to Alice’s fight, I knew she wasn’t asking about herself.

"Most of them were average."

I gave an honest response.

Even among the main characters in the game, there were several whose background stories didn’t involve much combat. While the academy served as both a general school and a military academy, not every student was destined to become an officer.

So, from my perspective—or even from the viewpoint of an average person with no combat experience—many of the students seemed awkward and unrefined in their movements.

"But a few stood out," Alice agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

Alice had won her duel against Charlotte, though she considered it a close victory. From what little I had seen of Charlotte’s swordsmanship, I agreed with Alice’s assessment. Charlotte hadn’t used any sword aura, but her refined sword skills were impressive nonetheless.

As for Claire Grace, I had firsthand experience of her abilities, so I didn’t need to dwell on her.

Leo Grace, Claire’s brother, had held his own against Jennifer. Of course, the fact that Jennifer hadn’t used her firearms gave Leo a better chance of survival. His movements were comparable to Claire’s, which made sense—he was the protagonist, after all.

And then there was Mia Crowfield.

Mia, the daughter of the Count Crowfield I had killed, was also in Class A.

Like me, Mia had dark hair, but her long bangs almost completely covered her eyes, giving her an ominous, gloomy aura.

It was understandable. Her father had been brutally murdered, and the largest part of his remains they found was a finger. The rest were just bone fragments and scraps of flesh. They’d identified the remains by the scraps of clothing stuck to them.

Mia hadn’t seen the remains herself, but she had surely heard the story. She must have also heard the rumor that the emperor had ordered the assassination. That was how it had played out in the original story, anyway.

Mia Crowfield’s staff was a dummy—it couldn’t be used in real combat. While she could cast minor spells, they weren’t strong enough to kill.

However, her staff had a magical power gauge, like a thermometer, that indicated the power of the spell she was attempting to cast.

When Mia tried to cast a spell, the gauge shattered.

Naturally, Jennifer declared Mia the winner of her duel, looking quite pleased with herself.

...In the original game, Mia had used a spell that conjured a massive icicle to impale her opponent.

Mia hadn’t once looked in my direction, but if she ever found out that I had killed her father, I wondered how she would react. Right now, she barely spoke to me because I was a princess. But if she knew I was the one responsible for her father’s death, she would likely try to kill me. In the original story, that’s what she did when she found out about Claire’s actions.

The thought was a little unsettling. In the game, wounds didn’t matter—it was all just effects with no real consequence. In real life, if I got hit with that ice spear, I’d end up with a massive hole in my body. In the game, you could get slashed by a sword or shot with a gun, and all that happened was your HP bar went down. No one questioned it—it was just game logic.

People who obsessed over realism in games were often considered weird. Like the ones who pointed out how unrealistic it was to survive after getting shot in an FPS.

I doubted I could become friends with Mia.

Not that it would matter much. Mia’s storyline would proceed regardless, with or without me. I didn’t need to intervene—Leo would be there to handle it.

"Well, at least not everyone is completely useless. There’s still a lot to learn here," Alice said, smiling in satisfaction as she picked up her pen again.

I knew that her smile wasn’t just about the lessons. It was because she had made new friends—Charlotte, for instance.

I hoped that smile would never fade.

And I’d make sure it didn’t.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

Leo, Claire’s so-called "older brother," even though Claire considered him her younger brother, asked her.

The two of them were sitting together at an outdoor café. It was mid-April, and the warm sunlight was proof that winter had finally passed. Claire thought it would be foolish to waste such good weather.

The buildings near the academy all had modern boilers, and though the chimneys still spewed smoke, it wasn’t black—just white steam.

While many people in the empire still proudly saw black smoke as a symbol of industrial progress, Claire wasn’t one of them. After coming to the academy, she had realized how different the world could be. She couldn’t understand what people saw in that dirty, black smoke. If they liked it so much, they could try cleaning out a chimney themselves.

Then again, the world didn’t seem different just because of the clear blue skies.

"That’s a secret."

But Claire couldn’t tell Leo the real reason she was smiling.

Leo was family, after all. They had known each other for much longer than Claire had known Sylvia. But despite that, Claire felt a stronger bond with Sylvia.

Perhaps it was because Sylvia had been the first person to ever make Claire feel truly protected. Even as a child, Sylvia had been more mature than any of the adults around her.

Children who are separated from their parents don’t forget them. Even years later, when they’re reunited, they cry tears of joy at the reunion.

Though Sylvia wasn’t old enough to be considered a parent figure, seeing her now, Claire couldn’t shake the feeling that they were the same age.

Claire had wanted to invite Sylvia out to a café this morning, to sit and talk about everything that had happened over the years.

But Sylvia clearly had her own burdens to bear.

A nameless orphan who had almost died in the slums was now living as a princess of the empire.

"..."

Once upon a time, Sylvia had been the kind of person who smiled easily.

She wasn’t someone who laughed out loud, but she had always smiled softly at the other children, sharing food with them and telling stories. Those memories, faint though they were, had become Claire’s first real "treasure."

But now, Sylvia spoke stiffly to her peers, keeping secrets and hiding her true feelings.

What had happened to her in the imperial palace?

It wasn’t something that could be dismissed as just another bad memory.

"...No, never mind. I won’t ask. I feel like knowing more would only get me into trouble."

Leo had tried to ask Claire what she was thinking, but seeing her sudden shift in mood, he changed his mind.

Even if he had asked, she wouldn’t have told him. After all, Sylvia had asked her to keep her identity a secret.

That was fine.

They would see each other again soon enough.

After ten long years of anticipation and disappointment, Claire felt that there would be plenty of chances to make Sylvia smile again.

"You’re smiling again."

Claire ignored Leo’s muttered complaint and took another sip of her milk tea, sweetened with plenty of sugar and milk.

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

If you want to buy me a /kimsu

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Chapter 31

In the main game, not all the daily lives of the characters were shown in detail.

Of course, the game did have a “daily life” section. You could attend classes, visit the library to study, or walk around the campus talking to other students. Some quests even involved running errands for teachers.

How you interacted with certain characters determined how much your bond gauge increased, and based on the level of that gauge, you could experience special events with that character at specific points. Maybe you’d go on a date or run into them by coincidence somewhere... and at the very end, you might even get to kiss them.

In your first playthrough, there was a limitation—time. You couldn’t talk to everyone in one go. But in the second playthrough, there were no limits. You could chat with everyone endlessly, and in the end, you could choose any heroine or male character you wanted. Choosing a male character didn’t trigger a BL (boys' love) route—it just ended as a friendship. Still, some players enjoyed reading too much into those friendships.

The main story didn’t really hinge on these romantic endings, though. They were just a fun extra, a service provided by the developers so players could romance their favorite heroine.

In the sequel, if you carried over your save data, the story would continue with the heroine you romanced in the first game. And if you didn’t have a save file, the game would ask who you ended up with. Still, romance didn’t heavily influence the main plot, and the game could even forget about the romance entirely as it progressed. By the end, you could end up with a different character.

But... things wouldn’t work like that in real life.

In the game, it was all about game mechanics. In reality, switching relationships wasn’t that simple. Women wouldn’t just overlook that, and there would definitely be friction between characters. Plus, now that I was here, the relationships between the characters were already changing drastically.

...Would the original plot even unfold as intended? It felt like things had already gone way off course. Knowing the original plot might not even help at this point.

"Sylvia," Alice called to me, snapping me out of my thoughts as I sat at my desk, preparing for class.

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do about the student council?" Alice asked, skipping any pleasantries.

Ah, right. There was a student council, too. Alice had been part of it in the original game.

In this academy, the student council members were chosen by the student council president, except for the president themselves, who was elected by the students. Naturally, the president was always someone popular or well-connected—or both. That meant it was practically impossible for a commoner to become president. Unsurprisingly, there were no commoners on the council either.

In some ways, the student council reflected the politics of the empire. Most commoners didn’t have the time or means to vote, let alone know the candidates. The emperor, as the head of the government, appointed most of the ministers, who were typically nobles. Similarly, nobles were the only ones with enough money and time to run for parliament. While nobles were vastly outnumbered by commoners, the nobles’ voting turnout was disproportionately higher. This system carried over into the academy.

Even if commoner students wanted to elect a commoner president, the commoners attending the academy were typically from families already connected to nobles. They had to pass two rounds of exams just to get in—once before taking the test and once after.

With such a setup, it was customary for high-ranking nobles to be recommended for student council positions as soon as they enrolled. If they wanted the position, they’d get it. If they didn’t want it, no one would force them.

Alice would be recommended, as in the original game.

"I haven’t given it much thought," I said, pulling out the textbook for our first class.

In the game, joining the student council was optional. Joining increased Alice’s bond gauge, unlocked specific events and items, and gave access to the character cards feature. Completing the student council quest was also necessary to obtain the silver medal for clearing all quests. Plus, it helped boost Alice’s affection in the first playthrough.

In short, joining the student council added some minor events to the daily life portion of the game and granted access to the student council room. But in the second playthrough, with unlimited action points, you didn’t need to join since you could max out Alice’s affection through other events.

And I didn’t need to collect platinum medals here—this wasn’t a game.

"Then I’ll go ahead and put your name in as well," Alice said without waiting for my response.

"..."

I paused and turned to look at her. She stared back, as if asking why I was making a big deal out of it.

"What? You don’t want to do it?" she asked, sounding confused.

Hmm... Honestly, I wasn’t too keen on the idea. As I’d explained, the student council was basically a reflection of the rigid, entrenched power dynamics of noble society. Even in the game, Leo, as a baron’s son, faced several events where he was dismissed or ignored. Alice usually stepped in to defend him, citing his noble title granted by the emperor.

As for me, no one would dare ignore me. In some fantasy novels, you’d hear about “dukes older than the royal family,” but in this game’s setting, the empire’s founding was practically a creation myth. There wasn’t a name older than “Fangryphon” in this world.

Still... I really didn’t want to join. The student council might have been treated like a minor quest in the game, but in reality, it would involve a lot of work. Not to mention, I’d be surrounded by high-ranking nobles, which would make maintaining my usual facade even harder.

"...You don’t want to?" Alice asked, her expression softening slightly. She looked almost disappointed.

In the original game, Alice had seamlessly become part of the student council, but there must have been a moment when she was first asked to join.

And it’s not like Alice had a wide circle of noble friends to rely on.

Oh well. If things go wrong, I could always rewind time.

"Fine. I’ll come with you after class," I said.

"That’s the spirit. You were going to get an invitation anyway, right?"

She had a point. An invitation would probably arrive soon if it hadn’t already. It might even be waiting at my dorm right now.

Before I could share that thought with Alice, someone else interrupted us.

"Sylvia!"

It was Claire, of course.

"..."

What should I say? I wasn’t the kind of person who greeted people often. Usually, the only person I’d greet was the emperor, and even then, it was with stiff, formal phrases like “I hope Your Majesty is well” or “It’s an honor to see Your Majesty.” I rarely exchanged casual greetings.

My character didn’t typically bother with greetings. Even when Jaiden or Lucas acted rowdy right next to me, I’d just ignore them—that was the persona I maintained. The emperor’s children, and Alice, usually chatted away without needing me to chime in.

"Ah, hello...?" I awkwardly replied.

At least Claire was keeping her promise not to call me “sister,” which was commendable.

"You can say hello as many times as you like, but it won’t change anything," Alice chimed in, clearly amused.

"Sylvia doesn’t usually respond to greetings. She rarely initiates them herself," she explained with a playful smile.

Nice, Alice.

That’s right. I was maintaining a "cool beauty" persona. I wasn’t going to “dere” anytime soon, so I guess "cool beauty" suited me better than "kuudere."

The kind of character that smiles and responds warmly to greetings would only emerge after I’ve grown closer to my friends.

Sure, I already felt some affection toward them, but they didn’t know that yet. For now, keeping up my character was important.

Who knows? Maybe one day I’d reach the point where, after finishing the final battle, I’d look at my companions and say something like, "I don’t know what expression to make in times like these."

Someone might even compare me to a certain character from Evangelion, but hey, that anime doesn’t exist in this world.

"Was that what it was?" Claire sighed with relief, as if she’d been worried I didn’t like her.

"Oh dear, that would be a problem," came another voice, inserting itself into the conversation.

Without even needing to see the speaker, I knew from the tone alone that it was Charlotte.

Her movements were graceful, her platinum blonde hair swaying as she sat beside Alice. Every gesture was like a perfectly crafted scene from a painting.

As she hung her school bag on the side of the desk, Charlotte added, "It’s always better for someone of royal status to be polite, even to those of lower rank. After all, everyone deserves respect, no matter their title."

"Hello, Charlotte," Alice greeted her casually.

"I hope you’ve been well, Alice," Charlotte responded with equal grace.

It was a pleasant scene to watch. In the early chapters of the original game, Alice had always been tense and serious.

Apparently, my efforts to boost her confidence had paid off.

...It was impressive that Charlotte maintained the same level of formality with me, despite how rude I’d been to her father.

"And Sylvia," Alice began, turning back to me, "even our father greets people first sometimes. Like when he meets a duke from a former royal family."

He may greet them, but he never bows.

And most of those dukes were on the emperor’s list for future purges. Even though the kingdoms had been part of the empire for centuries, the regional differences were still deeply ingrained. People from those areas often harbored strong resentment toward the capital and the northern territories.

"...I always try to act with courtesy," I replied.

"Saying ‘hello’ doesn’t mean you’re being courteous..." Alice sighed, shaking her head.

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Chapter 32

“Student council?”

“Yes, I’ve also received an invitation,” Charlotte replied, pulling out an envelope from her bag that resembled a wedding invitation.

“I’m not too familiar with the traditions of this academy, but... do they send these in order of academic rank?” she asked curiously.

“No, it’s not based on rank,” Alice answered, shaking her head.

“They send these based on noble status.”

“Oh, I see.” Charlotte nodded, seeming to understand the situation.

“So, I received this because I’m royalty.”

“That’s probably it. Do you know who the student council president is?” Alice asked.

Charlotte slowly shook her head. “I’m afraid I’m not well-acquainted with the nobles of this empire. I do know quite a few people from my own country, though.”

“That makes sense.”

Alice herself wasn’t too friendly with the nobility of her own empire, so it wasn’t surprising. Even those who had been personally granted titles by the emperor barely recognized Alice’s face, which spoke to how much she had distanced herself from the nobility.

Of course, the imperial authority was strong enough that it didn’t really matter.

“So, Sylvia, did you get one too?” Claire leaned on my desk with her hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“No, I haven’t received one yet,” I replied.

“Maybe we came out too early to check?”

Despite Alice’s disinterest in maintaining ties with the nobility, she was clearly driven by a desire to earn the emperor’s approval. This was why she was already up and studying early in the morning.

And, unintentionally, I had followed suit, studying alongside her.

Not that I minded too much. I’d been sleeping soundly on a soft bed every night, and there were no late-night games keeping me awake in this world.

In many ways, my life in this world was much more comfortable than it had been in my previous one. Naturally, being the emperor’s daughter was a big upgrade from being an office worker.

“Seeing as Charlotte received an invitation, it’s likely that we have some waiting for us back at the dorm,” Alice said.

Claire’s eyes practically lit up. Her excitement was so intense that I wondered if it was even possible for someone’s eyes to shine like that without some optical trickery. It was... a bit overwhelming.

“Sylvia, are you planning to join the student council?”

“...”

I glanced over at Alice before answering.

“If Her Highness wishes to join, I suppose I will follow suit.”

“Then it’s settled.” Alice grinned confidently.

“I’m planning to become the student council president eventually. Considering I’ll take over for my father one day, it wouldn’t hurt to get some experience leading an organization, right?”

It made sense. The student council was made up of children from influential noble families, so building connections now would likely come in handy when Alice eventually had to run the empire. That’s why, in the original story, she had joined the student council even though she attended the academy alone.

As for Charlotte... she never showed much interest in it. From what I knew of her backstory, she probably received an invitation as well, but hadn’t cared to act on it.

After all, Charlotte was the picture-perfect princess. A student council full of power-hungry nobles might not have interested her much, especially since she was sent to the academy by the King of Belvur.

“Well, should I visit it too?” Charlotte asked, smiling faintly.

This world’s Charlotte seemed different, though. In the original, she had taken much longer to form a bond with Alice. But now, with Alice having let go of the inferiority complex she once had toward “the perfect princess,” things had changed. There was no reason for Alice to feel insecure anymore.

It was a positive shift.

“Oh? Are you interested?” Alice asked, turning to Charlotte.

Charlotte shook her head slightly. “Not particularly. But... perhaps.”

She smiled, and I could hear a few of the students nearby gasp quietly, especially the boys.

Even though the differences between our races were small, the fact that Charlotte was from another country gave her a kind of exotic appeal to the students here. With her soft Belvurian accent, she embodied the image of a “foreign beauty” to them.

Since ancient times, people have always been fascinated by beauties from other lands. It was often nothing more than an illusion, of course, but Charlotte’s mysterious aura, especially with her platinum hair, likely only fueled those fantasies.

“If it’s with friends, I think it might be worth considering.”

“I see,” Alice replied, smiling in return.

“I-I want to come too!” Claire suddenly interjected, trying to join the conversation.

“You too?” Alice seemed surprised this time. Going to the student council without an invitation would likely result in rejection.

In the original story, Leo had accompanied Alice to the student council room for the first time after being roped into it by her. But even then, Leo hadn’t been eager to go. That event wasn’t supposed to happen for at least another month, once the main story quest started rolling out.

It was unusual for the daughter of a baron to ask to go along with us like this. Alice, for all her talk of treating everyone as equals within the academy, was well aware that she and Claire were not considered the same “kind” of student.

“Is that... not allowed?” Claire asked, looking at me pleadingly.

Why was she asking me?

...Actually, this might be a good opportunity.

The student council was full of pretentious individuals who were deeply concerned with authority. Bringing Claire along could be interesting.

Imagine the reactions: Who is this girl? Why is the daughter of a mere baron standing between the princesses? Why is she talking to them so casually? We’ve never even seen her before!

Wouldn’t that be a refreshing turn of events? A bit of “justice served” against these snobbish nobles?

No, that wasn’t right. I didn’t want to see Claire get ignored or treated poorly.

Despite my teasing thoughts, I’d spent seven years waiting for each new installment of this game series. I had affection for all the characters, not just the setting. There were some characters I absolutely despised, but they hadn’t appeared yet, so that wasn’t relevant.

I didn’t want to see the characters I cared about struggling in painful situations.

If the student council members started looking down on Claire or Leo, I wasn’t sure I could hold back.

“...”

That’s what made this so complicated.

“...Um?” Alice made a curious sound, noticing my hesitation. Ah, was I thinking too hard about this? Hopefully, my thoughts didn’t show on my face.

“Why not?” Charlotte said lightly, breaking the silence.

“Is there a reason she shouldn’t come?”

“There isn’t, I suppose,” Alice agreed, seeming a bit relieved.

I felt relieved too. It wouldn’t do to break the character I’d been maintaining for ten years just because of a single awkward situation.

“It’s a bit strange that only those who receive invitations can visit the student council,” Charlotte mused, looking at the letter she was still holding.

“But aren’t we all equals within the academy? I doubt anyone would have an issue with Claire coming along.”

She looked amused, as if she had just thought of something fun.

“...Hmmm.”

Alice noticed the subtle shift in Charlotte’s expression. After spending ten years watching me remain expressionless, Alice had become quite adept at reading subtle emotions in others.

It was clear Charlotte had found something amusing and was also itching for a challenge. She hated people who set rules for others but didn’t follow them themselves.

That was part of why she didn’t care much for the student council.

“...”

Alice had grown a lot more confident than she had been in the original story, but her pride was still there. As the empire’s princess and the top student in the academy (albeit only because I intentionally scored lower), she had plenty of pride to uphold.

That’s why she was hesitating.

Was it more damaging to her pride to bring Claire along and expose the student council’s hypocrisy, or to make an excuse and leave Claire behind?

But I was sure of one thing.

With Alice’s combination of pride and confidence, she wouldn’t choose either option.

“Alright, let’s all go together,” Alice finally said.

Claire’s face brightened with joy.

Yes, that was just like Alice.

She would always choose to break the rules and do things her own way.

In the original story, Alice had been proud but timid. But thanks to all my encouragement—reminding her that she would one day succeed the emperor—she wasn’t like that anymore.

If there was something she didn’t like or something she was embarrassed to show others, she’d simply fix it.

After all, she had the power to do that.

It wasn’t me who helped her find that confidence. It was Leo, who had spent time with Alice in the original story and unknowingly encouraged her to grow stronger. By the end of the first game, she had even stood up to the emperor.

Now, Alice had already stood up to him once, when she convinced him to let me attend the academy. I didn’t know what had happened behind closed doors—Lucas never told me—but I doubted Alice had spoken to the emperor with a gentle voice.

“...”

Meanwhile, Leo, who had helped Alice develop this confidence in the original story, was now sitting quietly, trembling as he drank his tea. His sister, Claire, on the other hand, was far more composed—almost as poised as Alice and Charlotte.

And as we approached the student council room, I could see the current student council members watching us from a distance, their eyes filled with confusion.

It wasn’t strange to see me walking with Alice. Ever since I started attending the academy, I had been by her side every day.

Charlotte being with us wasn’t surprising either. She was a foreign princess, so it made sense for her to associate with the imperial family rather than the empire’s nobility.

But what about the two baron’s children?

Of course, being from a baron’s family didn’t mean one was insignificant. The Grace family had earned their title by serving the imperial family as their sword and had fought in numerous battles, earning great respect within the capital.

But among the student council members, made up of children from the highest-ranking noble families, the Grace siblings were seen as lower in status. That’s why they hadn’t received an invitation.

And now they were entering the student council room with two imperial princesses and a foreign royal. Naturally, the student council members were baffled.

The key here was that they didn’t know why. They couldn’t understand that Charlotte had suggested this as a way to have some fun at their expense, and that Alice had agreed.

That ignorance gave this moment its meaning.

“...”

Yet, no one seemed to have any idea how to break the awkward silence that had fallen over us.

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Chapter 33

It might have been better if we hadn’t brought Claire with us when we came to the student council.

Two princesses, and one royal princess. Isn’t that a group no one would find strange? The children of those who stand at the pinnacle of a nation. Even if one of them didn’t share the same blood, who could possibly raise an objection?

But then, when a ‘Baron’s daughter’ is mixed in, the hierarchy becomes odd.

Honestly, it wasn’t something to worry about too much. If someone among us had a sharp sense, or if there was someone who had been around high-ranking nobles and knew the ropes, they would have understood how to treat the baron’s daughter and her brother.

For example—

“Ah, Your Highnesses, and the royal princess.”

Just like the student council president who just entered.

The nobleman who stepped in with neatly cut golden hair was none other than someone from the Granchester Ducal family, known to be second only to the imperial family in nobility. In fact, they were the family with the most imperial blood flowing through their veins, aside from the royal family itself.

The most famous person in the royal family was, of course, the Emperor and Alice. That’s not to say there weren’t others in the imperial family. Some lived in more secluded parts of the central power structure, while others held honorary positions, living like high-ranking civil servants.

They all knew how to lie low.

Among the ducal and count families, those who didn’t know how to stay out of trouble often found their names on the Emperor’s kill list or ended up assassinated. But the imperial family knew better how to stay cautious due to their status.

Even in the game, there were times when members of the imperial family appeared as extras, typically spouting clueless lines. But occasionally, they would reveal that they were carefully treading lightly without even realizing they were doing so, asking the player to keep it a secret.

Of course, they wouldn’t actually spill their thoughts like that. It was just a way for the game to convey the situation.

“And… the Grays family.”

Just as he had greeted Alice, Charlotte, and me, the student council president smiled politely and greeted the children of the Grays family with equal respect.

In fact, that was the reason for the silence earlier. Not knowing the names or personalities of the Grays’ children, no one had dared to approach them. They might wield more power than they appeared to, having been brought here by the princess herself.

As mentioned before, in noble society, it’s considered rude for someone of lower status to speak first to someone of higher status. So, there were plenty of reasons why the student council room had been quiet.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting. I had some business to attend to.”

His words seemed genuine. The student council president was, in fact, busy. Even though he had sent out invitations, he couldn’t have known exactly when we would arrive.

“It’s no problem. We didn’t wait too long.”

“Hmm.”

When Alice responded, the student council president squinted briefly before quickly reverting to his usual expression.

Alice probably used formal language out of respect for the president as a senior, even though she typically treated fellow students as equals.

The president’s eyes lingered on Alice, then moved to Charlotte, and finally to me. His gaze stayed on each of us for only a moment. As for Claire and Leo... rather than looking at them, his eyes merely brushed past.

“It’s an honor that you responded so quickly to the invitation. How do you find the tea?”

“Is it from the salon? It’s the same as what the royal family uses. You must have put a lot of thought into this, even for the student council.”

I honestly had no idea.

No matter how many times I went back and tasted it again, I couldn’t tell where the tea leaves were from. Maybe if I had listened to the conversation and returned, I could figure it out, but just by tasting it? Not a chance.

This was another reason I played the role of a quiet person. It saved me the effort of wasting time exposing unnecessary information.

“The leaves are from our estate. I’m glad they suit your taste. However...”

The student council president’s gaze finally lingered on the children of the Grays family.

“May I ask what your relationship with Her Highness and the others is?”

Now, even Claire and Leo’s eyes were on Alice.

Yeah, what is our relationship?

It hadn’t even been a week since we met, and while we had exchanged conversations, it wasn’t as if we were particularly close.

Alice brought the Grays siblings along simply because Charlotte mentioned that it would be interesting.

“We’re friends.”

But Alice answered without hesitation.

Claire’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Alice, and Alice seemed a little taken aback.

Somehow, it felt like their roles were reversed.

… Not that I disliked it.

In fact, didn’t it balance out? Alice had nothing to envy about Claire, and Claire didn’t envy Alice for having parents.

It felt like any potential conflict was resolved before it even started.

And honestly, it looked good from where I was standing. You know, like in fan fiction, where you flip relationships or even gender roles. If this game had more female characters, I probably would have cringed at the gender swapping, but this kind of role reversal didn’t seem so bad.

“Ah, I see.”

But it didn’t seem like the student council president fully believed it.

Maybe he had already grasped the intentions of Alice and Charlotte to some extent. After all, he had grown up with proper noble education, attending social events like a true aristocrat.

“So then...”

The student council president walked leisurely to his seat.

Then, with a calm demeanor, he sat down.

“Do you know why we sent you the invitation?”

“Wasn’t it to invite us to join the student council?”

“That’s right.”

The president smiled at Alice’s straightforwardness.

In noble circles, there was no reason to dislike someone who spoke so plainly. They often revealed their weaknesses without even realizing it.

As long as that person wasn’t Alice.

“Do you have any interest in joining?”

That question undoubtedly included Claire and Leo. In the original storyline, Leo was also offered an invitation to join the council after tagging along with Alice, so it seemed like this scene had come a little earlier.

Back then, Alice and the student council president were engaged in a power struggle. At least, that wasn’t the case at this point.

“May I ask what positions are available in the student council?”

“What positions are—”

But the president’s invitation was interrupted.

Knock, knock.

There was a knock at the student council room door.

“Would you mind if I answered?”

The president asked politely.

When Alice nodded, the president also nodded toward a female student.

The person outside the door must have been someone the president had called in advance—

… But it wasn’t.

“Oh.”

The president’s eyes widened slightly, as if someone unexpected had arrived.

It wouldn’t be strange for another high-ranking noble to show up, considering the invitation wasn’t exclusive to us.

But the issue was,

“Lady Crowfield.”

Yes, the person the smiling student council president addressed was Mia Crowfield.

For a noblewoman from an earl’s family, she didn’t seem particularly well-maintained. But as a high-ranking noble, she didn’t appear entirely unkempt either.

However, her black hair, which should have gleamed if properly cared for, looked a bit dry. Some strands at the ends were slightly tangled.

And the most eerie part of her appearance was the long bangs loosely covering her face.

You know that ghost from the Japanese horror movie Sadako?

Her hairstyle made her look like she might crawl out of a black-and-white TV screen at any moment.

If this were just normal Earth, rather than a game-based world, I’d bet that underneath those bangs was an acne-ridden, greasy face that hadn’t been properly cared for.

But under Mia Crowfield’s hair was the face of a delicate, pure beauty.

“I received... the invitation...”

Her weak voice sounded so gloomy that, even after more than ten years, I could still recognize it immediately. It wasn’t a bad voice, just... distinct in its melancholy.

“Yes, I sent it.”

The president, who had been speaking formally to us, instantly shifted his tone. Not that he was being rude—it was more like a boss addressing an employee, as if it was only natural.

“Oh, but...”

“It’s alright.”

Before the president could say anything apologetic, Alice interrupted.

“There’s no harm in her joining the conversation, is there?”

“I suppose not...”

We were discussing joining the student council, so it didn’t seem like a problem for Mia Crowfield to be part of the conversation if she had come for the same reason.

It wasn’t a problem for them, but...

It was a bit of a problem for me.

Uh, did Mia Crowfield ever come to the student council in the original story?

Her grades were decent, and the Crowfield earldom hadn’t fallen. The head of the family had passed away, but the estate remained intact, and no crimes were revealed. The Emperor’s assassination order was purely political, not an act of justice.

If anything, Mia’s value might have increased since her family’s land and power remained untouched. Once she graduated from the academy or dropped out, she could marry and take control of the estate.

Sure, there’s always the option of wooing the Countess, but someone of her rank wouldn’t fall for such obvious schemes.

Even though her face was hidden, I could see her eyes through the strands of hair. Naturally, she had to look ahead, so when she glanced in my direction, part of her eyes became visible.

And I’m certain that Mia Crowfield and I locked eyes.

She even stared at me for a while.

“...”

It didn’t matter how much information Crowfield had. After the Earl’s death, the Emperor surely made a deal with the Countess. As long as she kept quiet about what happened, they would turn a blind eye to everything.

Stay quiet and don’t challenge the Emperor politically. Otherwise, next time it would be her head.

And if she agreed to that deal, she’d harbor deep resentment toward the Emperor.

That resentment would be passed down through generations. Parents would teach their children to hate the enemy, but wouldn’t explain how they became vulnerable in the first place.

If the Crowfields followed that pattern, Mia Crowfield would undoubtedly harbor intense ill will toward me.

If she had done her research, she would’ve heard the rumors about the Emperor’s children.

“...Huh?”

Alice’s gaze flickered between me and Mia Crowfield. She must have noticed something, given how intently Mia was staring at me.

“...Are those people...”

“Hmm?”

The student council president seemed a bit surprised by Mia’s sudden question.

She hadn’t paid proper respects to the princess or the royal family, nor had she greeted the president.

“Are those people... also joining the student council?”

“...”

Her gloomy, somewhat unclear voice made her intent difficult to discern, but I had a feeling I understood.

Did she want to join the same club as me?

...Was she trying to get closer to me?

I looked at Mia Crowfield’s face once again.

This time, we definitely locked eyes.

And if my guess was right, Mia Crowfield was glaring at me.

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Chapter 34

The moment I looked into Crowfield's eyes, one thought came to mind:

How much does she know?

Given the Emperor's personality, it wouldn't be surprising if he fully revealed his involvement. After all, flaunting his power and making it known was part of his style.

“I took care of your husband. So, if you want you and your daughter to remain safe, do as I say.”

In this era, recording devices are far too large and inefficient. While magic stones can act as power sources, they can’t replace all the other components of a recording device. So even if the Emperor had openly said such things, it wouldn’t be something that could be recorded as evidence.

Magic isn’t all-powerful. At least, in all the time I played the game, I never saw anything like a wiretapping device, even though there were plenty of political and legal discussions happening.

“...”

Both Alice and Charlotte could sense hostility. Things like killing intent or presence—concepts that you’d expect to find in martial arts novels—or, to be more accurate, in “Japanese manga or anime,” were naturally accepted in this world. Scenes like, “How can this killing intent...!” or “How did they manage to hide their presence...!” often appeared.

...I can’t sense any of that, though.

I don’t know how to use magic, nor can I feel things like presence or killing intent. In fact, if I could sense such things, my expression would have broken long ago. Lucas used to toy with me by showing his killing intent, aside from just threatening me with a sword. He eventually stopped when he saw I didn’t even flinch.

But the truth was, I just couldn’t sense it.

“...”

Everyone’s attention turned to me. Apparently, Mia Crowfield was directing her killing intent toward me now. She wasn’t originally a character known for wielding a sword, so her killing intent wasn’t overwhelming. Still, people seemed to find it strange that I wasn’t fazed by her hostile aura.

“Your Highness, do you participate in student council activities?”

She asked me, staring intently.

In the original story, Mia Crowfield was a very quiet character. She knew that the Emperor, Alice's father, had killed her own father, but she never directed more than a polite hostility toward Alice.

After all, she didn’t think Alice herself had been involved. In the original story, it was Claire’s doing.

Later, she did go into a frenzy trying to take Claire’s life. But in the end, she was easily subdued and left screaming in agony.

“What is the meaning behind your question?”

I asked, quietly looking at Mia Crowfield.

...I won’t say I feel no guilt at all. After all, my actions did lead to the destruction of her family.

However, I don’t regret it. I may not know if it’s right to justify my actions this way, but I only ever killed when I had a reason.

And I had a reason when I saw the Earl of Crowfield in bed with a child who couldn’t have been more than eight years old.

The child, and the Earl himself, were under the influence of opium.

When I killed him, of course, it wasn’t in that exact situation. But if I had let him live, such an incident would certainly have happened again in the future.

After his death, opium dens were strictly banned within the Crowfield territory. Not because it was immoral, but because the Countess of Crowfield cleaned up all the family’s affairs, afraid the scandal would come back to haunt them.

When the Countess learned the truth about her husband, did she feel any disappointment?

Looking at Mia Crowfield now, it didn’t seem like that was the case.

“I...”

It seemed she realized a bit late that everyone’s eyes were on her. The hostility she had directed at me moments ago seemed to waver as her expression faltered, and she glanced around, appearing slightly flustered.

It was just like the original story.

“Is it because I killed your father?”

“...What?”

The atmosphere in the student council room froze instantly.

The previously relaxed air grew taut, as if it could snap at any moment. Even though I couldn’t sense killing intent, I could feel the temperature in the room drop several degrees.

Some of those present had likely heard rumors, but no one had ever outright confirmed it. Assassinations are, after all, most effective when they’re kept secret.

“You... killed...”

“Yes, I did. I placed a bomb in his carriage. Twelve people died.”

“What are you talking about...?”

Alice’s face turned pale as she looked at me.

“I’m talking about my assassination of the Earl of Crowfield. Did you not know?”

Alice shook her head.

She probably had her suspicions. Even if she denied it, she wouldn’t have imagined that I was the one who killed him.

After all, I was only twelve at the time.

“...What do you mean? You... killed someone?”

“I had already killed someone when I escaped the orphanage.”

I answered Claire calmly, while the faces around me grew even paler.

“What were you planning to do if you joined the student council... if you became part of the same council as me?”

I turned to Mia Crowfield and asked.

“...Why?”

But Mia Crowfield only stared at me in a daze.

Her expression was one of confusion, as if the sudden revelation had left her unsure of how to react.

Was it because she had no weapon? She didn’t seem to be making any moves to kill me.

With a thud, Mia collapsed to her knees, unable to support herself.

But no one moved to help her up.

They all just stared at me, as if looking at some kind of monster.

“Didn’t you already know? Wasn’t that why you were staring at me?”

“...”

Mia Crowfield remained silent.

“...You.”

As I quietly observed her kneeling form, a cold voice came from the side.

It was Charlotte, who had just set her teacup down and was now glaring at me with an expression that could freeze the air around us.

“Are you saying that the Emperor of this empire... murdered one of his own nobles?”

Was she still maintaining her manners out of habit, even in this situation?

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“And why?”

“For the Emperor’s power.”

Alice’s face grew even paler.

I had already made it clear to Alice that I supported her. Even if I were to be named as the next emperor, I’d stand by Alice’s side alone.

Knowing this, Alice might now think that I killed the Earl to strengthen her claim to the throne.

“...Do you think it’s acceptable to do anything for the sake of power?”

Charlotte looked at me with true disgust in her eyes.

“My personal judgment was also involved.”

“Personal judgment...?”

Claire echoed my words softly.

“...What do you mean by personal judgment?”

Though her gaze was filled with disgust, Charlotte still asked for clarification without interrupting.

Even now, the princess of the kingdom was trying to see me with impartial eyes. Maybe she didn’t fully believe me. After all, I claimed to have killed him, but there was no real evidence. It could easily seem like I was just saying this because the Emperor ordered me to.

“The Earl was involved in the opium trade. There was an opium den in his territory, and within it, there was a brothel that exploited children under the age of ten. Even if the Earl wasn’t directly managing the trade, he was clearly a patron of that brothel.”

“And your evidence?”

“I witnessed it with my own eyes.”

“...Was there an investigation, a trial—?”

“That was impossible.”

If it had been possible, such a thing wouldn’t have happened in his territory in the first place. No matter how powerful the Emperor is, the highest authority within the territory belongs to the Earl. The Emperor could have traveled there and wielded his power directly. And he did—through violence, by eliminating the Earl.

“Would it have been possible in your kingdom?”

“...”

Charlotte fell silent when I asked her this.

Her expression, which had been that of someone looking at a monster, seemed to shift slightly. It was difficult to tell exactly what emotion she was feeling.

“...My father...? Why...?”

Mia Crowfield murmured softly, as if talking to herself after hearing my explanation.

“Mia Crowfield. I still haven’t received your answer.”

I turned back to her and asked again.

“What were you planning to do if you joined the student council? Were you intending to kill me once you realized I was the one who murdered your father?”

“...”

Mia stared at me blankly for a moment, then—

“...I’ll kill you.”

She said it.

“I’ll kill you!”

“Even if your father was a man who committed such atrocities? Even if he sacrificed countless children?”

“I don’t believe it! I don’t believe any of it!”

“Lady Crowfield!”

The student council president finally snapped out of his daze and stood up as Mia began to rise, as if she were about to lunge at me.

“You believe that I killed your father, but you refuse to believe he committed such evil acts?”

“I’ll... kill you with my own hands...!”

Seeing the student council president intervene, the noble girls nearby rushed to restrain Mia Crowfield.

“Please, Lady Crowfield! Calm down, just for a moment...!”

“I understand.”

As I spoke quietly, the room froze once again.

“So that’s how you feel.”

“Wait a second, sister.”

Just as I didn’t know how to sense killing intent, I also didn’t know how to exude it. The most I could do was glare at someone.

But maybe they thought there was something more to it.

They might have realized something was off when they confirmed that I could kill without a flicker of emotion on my face, even when I was just twelve. Maybe they feared I would deal with Mia Crowfield here and now.

Claire was already halfway out of her seat, watching me closely.

Was she worried I might kill again? At least, her eyes didn’t seem to show disgust or hatred toward me. Instead, they were filled with concern.

“W-wait, Claire.”

Alice spoke hesitantly.

“Everyone, calm down. We don’t even know if all of this is true.”

Alice was trying her best to defend me.

Leo was completely frozen, and Charlotte still seemed conflicted.

Hmm.

So, this is how everyone reacts.

I slowly looked around the room, memorizing their faces.

And then—

“Nothing has been decided yet.”

I spoke calmly to Mia Crowfield.

“I’ll do as Her Highness... no, as Alice wishes. What will you do?”

“Huh? Ah, uh, yes.”

Alice, who had been glancing between me and Mia Crowfield, answered, seemingly a bit flustered.

“I... I’m considering it positively.”

“Then I will also consider it positively.”

I said this, and then took a small sip of my milk tea.

“...Then, I would like to consider it positively as well.”

Mia Crowfield, who had been glaring at me moments before, said softly.

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Chapter 35

"…Hey, wait a minute."

That’s how the uncomfortable encounter in the student council room ended.

No, more accurately, it ended after school when classes were over.

Since I hadn’t officially joined the student council yet and was still in the “maybe” stage, we didn’t have anything to do after class.

Yesterday, we studied in the library.

Claire had seemed like she wanted to see me briefly after school, but I had too much to think about, so I quickly returned to the dormitory. Maybe I’ll get another chance once I’ve sorted my thoughts. If I feel like it, I can always turn back time and spend it with Claire.

As for romance with the heroine… well, honestly, I don’t have any particular desire for it.

It’s true that I was quite immersed in playing the character Leo Grace in the game. I’m not as handsome, wealthy, talented in studies, or skilled with a sword as Leo. When I think about the version of me who barely managed to find a job, scraping by while spending the rest of my time playing games and reading manga, comparing myself to someone like Leo, who effortlessly attracted women, is just impossible.

But despite all that, Leo was the character I controlled in the game. Even though there weren’t that many choices, and the ones that did exist didn’t significantly affect the ending, I still developed some attachment to him as my in-game avatar.

And now, I’ve ended up inside that very game.

I’m definitely interested in the romantic pairings. I’m curious to see who Leo will end up with and how the changed story will play out. Honestly, it’s quite exciting that I’m the catalyst for those changes.

In fact, from the perspective of a player of the original game, my existence is a character to be both revered and feared.

An infinite regression ability with no risk? While I may not have superhuman physical abilities, my powers allow me to mess with even some of the strongest characters.

Not to mention, thanks to this ability, I already know information that I otherwise shouldn’t. For example, I’ve read all the prophecies stored deep within the Imperial Palace’s forbidden archives. And I don’t even need to worry about escaping after sneaking in. As long as I can get in once, I can read everything, then go back in time and reset it all.

…Anyway.

That’s why I turned down Claire’s request and came back to the dormitory.

As expected of a prestigious dormitory, it was just as clean and luxurious as my room in the Imperial Palace. In some ways, it was even better.

Just as I was about to close the door to my room, Alice grabbed the doorknob.

I can’t beat Alice when it comes to strength. If I knew ahead of time, I could avoid her, but…

“….”

Knowing that, I let go of the doorknob. Alice opened the now unresisted door and stepped into my room.

Bang!

The door shut a bit harder than necessary.

She seemed… a little angry. Or maybe just emotional? Is there even a difference?

“That look Crowfield gave you earlier—she didn’t seem like she was just casually glancing your way.”

Alice crossed her arms, clearly upset, but maintaining some level of composure to ask rational questions.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“…”

What should I do?

Alice probably knows about the death of Earl Crowfield, though she might not know the exact cause. There’s no way the Emperor would have told her directly.

She might have her suspicions, though. Alice isn’t stupid. She’s likely aware that the Emperor could be eliminating his political rivals one by one. After all, she’s spent her whole life observing the man who’s her father.

“Answer me. This is…”

She stopped mid-sentence, then frowned slightly as if considering something, before speaking again, more resolute this time.

“This is a question I’m asking as the future Empress. It’s information I need to know.”

“…”

So that’s how it’s going to be.

There was a similar scene in the original story. But back then, most people didn’t care much about the matter. Alice’s attitude wasn’t as serious; it was more like she was grasping at straws, and most of the time, it was when she was dealing with the Emperor’s other children.

But the Alice standing before me now had a much more serious expression. She wasn’t just using her status to throw a tantrum. She was sincerely using her authority to question me.

And it was me who shaped this version of Alice.

…In that case, it would be right to respect that authority.

“I killed him.”

“…”

Alice stared at me, still with the same posture, without saying anything for a few moments.

“…What?”

About five seconds later, her expression loosened into one of disbelief, and she muttered quietly.

“The explosion of the carriage he was riding in was caused by a bomb I placed underneath it.”

“…”

Alice, who had been standing there in shock with her mouth slightly open, staggered to my bed and sat down. Then, she looked up at me and asked,

“Why?”

“Because the Emperor ordered it.”

“…You were… how old then?”

“Twelve.”

“…And since then, have there been any other assassination orders?”

“That was the first and the last one I received.”

“What about the others?”

“I don’t know. But based on the circumstances, it’s unlikely that was the only time.”

“…”

Alice fell silent, lost in thought.

This was different from the moment in the student council room when I had openly admitted the truth. There, she wasn’t the only one listening, which meant controlling the situation was almost impossible.

“Did you kill the Earl just for that reason?”

“…”

The look Alice gave me was mixed with complex emotions.

She trusted me, but that didn’t mean she knew everything about me. She didn’t know about my origins from another world or the full extent of what I had done here.

The Emperor may think of me as a difficult tool to manage, but Alice didn’t see me as a tool. The fact that she was horrified when she saw the morphine I had stored was proof of that.

“The Earl was running an opium business within his territory.”

“…”

Alice waited, looking at me as if urging me to continue.

“And he had established brothels that used young children. He was also a frequent patron of those brothels.”

Whether the Earl had started the business himself or simply turned a blind eye in exchange for something, I don’t know. But he was certainly one of the brothel’s regular customers.

I hadn’t just seen it once. I’d gone back several times, observing him. I’d even heard him admit it himself.

“The children were likely from the orphanage.”

“…”

“And I’m from the orphanage, too.”

“…”

Alice, who had been staring up at me, finally exhaled a small breath as if some of her tension had eased.

“Then… one last question. What if the Earl had truly been an innocent man? If the Emperor had ordered his death solely for political reasons, what would you have done?”

“I wouldn’t have killed him.”

What I would have done after that, I’m not sure. Maybe I would have revealed the truth and helped fake his death, or perhaps I would have simply left him alone. Since it never happened, I can’t say for sure.

But one thing is certain—I wouldn’t have killed him. Even though I knew from the game what kind of person the Earl was, I still made sure to confirm it before making my decision. After all, there was a chance his actions could have been different from the game.

In the end, I decided to kill him.

“I see.”

Alice let out a long breath and nodded.

“So, that’s how it is.”

She closed her eyes, sitting still for a few seconds, then stood up.

“Alright.”

As she rose, Alice looked me straight in the eyes and said,

“From now on, there will be no need for such things.”

Huh?

I stared at Alice, trying to make sense of her sudden statement. She met my gaze with a firm look of determination.

“From now on, there’s no reason for your hands to be stained with blood.”

“…”

Uh, well…

That…

“When I become Empress, I won’t make you do any more of those dirty tasks.”

Well…

No matter how you look at it, I find it hard to believe that someone like an Empress wouldn’t have to deal with dirty work at all.

Even in the modern world, leaders sometimes make soldiers or spies do the dirty work, don’t they? Reality doesn’t follow chivalry’s rules.

“If the Emperor gives a direct order—”

“Disregard it. I’ll handle it.”

“…”

Did I… press some kind of button inside her?

Alice’s words seemed somewhat unrealistic. Honestly, it sounded like something a stubborn child would say. Even if she was poised to become the next Empress, the current Emperor is still strong and healthy. It would take decades for her to take over.

If I defied the Emperor’s orders while he’s still alive, what would I even say?

…Even though I thought it was absurd,

“...Understood.”

I somehow felt compelled to say that.

I don’t believe Alice’s promise will hold up perfectly. But even so, I could tell that she genuinely meant what she said. She was sincerely determined to shield me from the Emperor’s commands.

And I found myself feeling proud of her for that.

“...Why are you making that face?”

Alice asked, her tone annoyed, as if she was bothered by something.

Huh?

“…What expression do you mean?”

I should be expressionless. If I’d made any changes to my face, I would’ve noticed. After all, I’ve trained myself to maintain a neutral expression at all times.

I wanted to raise my hand to touch my face, but I held back. If her comment was a fake-out, I didn’t want to fall for it. Better to keep staring at her with confidence that my face hadn’t changed.

“Hmph.”

Alice made a dismissive sound, turned, and walked toward the door without hesitation.

With a soft click, the door opened.

…Was it locked?

“Well then, rest well.”

Alice said before closing the door behind her.

“…”

I was going to rest well even if she hadn’t said that.

I sat down on my bed.

I had planned to sort my thoughts for a while, then maybe turn back time to have tea with Claire... but now...

Sorry, Claire, I’ll have to pass on that. After a conversation like the one I just had with Alice, going back in time seems like a waste. Even if I did go back for tea with Claire, there’s no guarantee the conversation with Alice would unfold the same way again. Having rewound time multiple times before, I know for certain that time never bends exactly to my will.

Even the slightest change in my actions can lead to drastically different outcomes. If I’ve already experienced the outcome I want, I’d have to follow my previous actions with absolute precision to achieve the same result.

“Disregard the Emperor’s orders, huh.”

Did Alice somehow gain leverage over the Emperor? Or was she planning to use the information I shared today as leverage?

Neither seems very likely.

So, she must simply be relying on her own strength.

…Thinking about it that way, I felt proud of Alice again.

It seems like my time in this world hasn’t been wasted after all.

Smiling to myself, I lay back on the soft bed.

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Chapter 36

Crowfield.

Despite its name, Crowfield wasn’t actually a place swarming with crows. At least, it wasn’t called that simply because there were a lot of crows. There was a wide meadow, and until autumn, it was a beautiful stretch of green. Even in autumn, it didn’t turn ugly; it just shifted from green to a golden hue. It never became a barren wasteland.

The city was reasonably modernized compared to other territories. While there weren’t towering chimneys belching massive clouds of smoke, there was still a distant factory district where black smoke rose. Even though Crowfield wasn’t a particularly large territory, the security wasn’t bad despite the presence of factories.

People who visited, often feeling uneasy about the grim-sounding name, would find themselves asking the same question after touring the beautiful landscape:

"Why is this lovely place called ‘Crowfield’? It sounds so sinister."

Crowfield had originally been part of the Kingdom of Belbur. Specifically, it was a border region between Belbur and the Azerna Empire.

During the war between the Empire and Belbur, the largest battle took place here, with both sides repeatedly capturing and losing the territory. Many lives were lost: Imperial soldiers, Kingdom soldiers, and civilians who were massacred by the Empire for simply being from the Kingdom, or those killed by the Kingdom for allegedly collaborating with the Empire. Corpses piled up, covering the land.

Bodies were left to rot in the fields, scattered across the meadow and thrown carelessly into the forests. And soon, crows swarmed the area, feasting on the dead. The skies were filled with their black wings and the air with their harsh cries.

Over time, people began referring to the area as ‘Crowfield.’ Its original name was seldom mentioned anymore, as most of the original inhabitants had been killed or displaced.

Despite the countless deaths, the Empire continued its expansion, eventually solidifying the current border. Crowfield was no longer a border region itself, as a small territory had been established between it and the Kingdom of Belbur.

It seemed that Crowfield would never see the accumulation of bodies again. It was expected to continue developing, eternally enjoying prosperity.

Until a single explosion killed the Earl.

"…Mia."

Not long after her father’s funeral, the Countess called for Mia.

After gently wiping the tears from Mia’s face and hugging her, patting her back, the Countess spoke.

"This was the work of the Emperor."

"…What?"

The official report claimed that a gas line explosion beneath the carriage had killed the Earl and his entourage. Such incidents were not unheard of, and until her mother’s words, Mia had assumed her father’s death was a tragic accident.

"The Emperor… or maybe even those children," her mother said quietly.

She wasn’t certain, but it seemed that was what she believed. Mia didn’t fully understand why.

"Mother?"

"Mia, my daughter," her mother whispered, holding her tight, close to her ear.

"Never forget this. There is nothing we can do for now, but…"

In a voice so low that no one else could hear, her mother continued, speaking only for her only child to hear:

"Until the day the Imperial family becomes the next ‘Crowfield.’"

After the death of the Earl, the Countess continued gathering information. Some of it was accurate, some not so much, but that didn’t matter to her. Every piece of intel fueled her hatred, regardless of its veracity.

The gathering of information wasn’t about the pursuit of truth—it was about ensuring her hatred never faded. And perhaps, if they could rally others, they might even find allies for their cause.

For Mia, this hatred was a constant, a fire that never extinguished. She studied diligently, ensuring she would never forget.

One rumor in particular circulated widely:

"Whenever a powerful figure in the Empire dies, one of the Emperor’s children goes missing."

This rumor alone wasn’t much, but it was widely believed among the nobles. Lists had even begun circulating among the upper echelons, tracking the names of children who had disappeared on the day of a noble’s death. Although the evidence was purely circumstantial, the theory gained traction, especially as certain traits of the missing children seemed to match those of the assassins.

The Emperor, however, made no effort to suppress these rumors. In fact, if the list were true, he was likely aware of it circulating.

This only made Mia hate the Emperor even more.

It felt as though the Emperor, sitting high upon his throne, was daring someone to come and challenge him. As if the death of her father hadn’t even bothered him.

The one who disappeared on the day of the Earl of Crowfield’s death was a twelve-year-old girl, the same age as Mia: Sylvia Fangriffon.

Some nobles didn’t believe the list for this reason. After all, how could a twelve-year-old child bypass heavy security, infiltrate the Earl’s estate, plant a bomb beneath his carriage, and successfully assassinate him? It seemed absurd, a wild conspiracy theory forced to fit the facts.

Even if some of the information had been gathered from maids and servants within the Imperial Palace, it could still be inaccurate. Dates could be mistaken, and the child in question could have simply been away or in hiding.

Some nobles on the list had even died of natural causes.

But…

During the first day of class sparring, Sylvia Fangriffon had used explosive weapons. Even in close-quarters combat, where firearms would typically be a disadvantage, the Emperor’s daughter calmly dodged every attack and countered with precision.

It wasn’t the kind of movement taught in a standard training manual.

She moved as if she already knew her opponent’s every move.

Would it really be so difficult for someone like her to infiltrate an Earl’s estate?

That wasn’t the only strange thing.

When Sylvia Fangriffon entered the student council room, Mia had directed all her killing intent toward her. Yet, Sylvia hadn’t even flinched. Perhaps Mia’s magical power wasn’t strong enough, but that didn’t explain why Alice Fangriffon and Princess Charlotte of Belbur, both seated nearby, seemed slightly unsettled.

It had been clear hostility directed at the Emperor’s daughter. Not reacting to that would have been odd, but Sylvia remained calm, as if it were entirely natural.

Back in her room, Mia looked at her desk.

A small frame stood there. Inside was a black-and-white photograph of three people.

Mia, her mother, and her father.

Nobles typically preferred portraits over photographs. Portraits were considered more “elegant” and “noble-like.” Taking a photograph was something only those without time to wait for a portrait or the money to commission a painter would do.

Besides, portraits usually depicted a more idealized version of oneself compared to photographs. Portraits involved the artist’s interpretation, and that interpretation was often influenced by the patron’s preferences.

That was why Mia didn’t hang a family portrait in her room.

She remembered the father from her childhood.

He was often absent at night, working tirelessly for the people of his territory. His gaunt appearance was a reflection of his dedication. Mia remembered that look, how her father always worked hard.

She recalled Sylvia Fangriffon’s face, staring directly at her, without a hint of guilt.

Sylvia Fangriffon, drinking tea with hands undoubtedly stained with blood.

“…I can never forgive her.”

Mia muttered to herself, reaffirming the hatred deep in her heart.

Sylvia Fangriffon would die. She would pay for her sins with her life.

Even if Mia had to sacrifice her own life in the process.

Perhaps because they shared the same last name, Alice Fangriffon acted rather affectionately toward Sylvia Fangriffon.

Of course, despite their conversations, Sylvia’s expression never changed. No matter how long Alice spoke, Sylvia’s replies were always short.

Yet, there was a strange warmth between the two. Neither princess smiled often, both maintaining stern faces at all times.

How could Sylvia remain so calm?

Did she think that Mia Crowfield was too naive to ever seek revenge?

"…Ah."

But today, things felt different.

Alice Fangriffon’s face showed a slight change when she looked at Mia. It wasn’t the same expression from yesterday. Yesterday, she had merely been surprised by Mia’s hostility toward Sylvia.

But maybe… that’s why Alice looked more conflicted today.

Even without a staff, Mia knew she would be easily subdued if she attacked Alice. The princess was an exceptional swordsman.

So she wasn’t scared of Mia’s killing intent.

Could it be guilt?

"Mia Crowfield."

"…Your Highness."

For today, Mia decided to hold back her hatred. After all, constantly exuding hostility toward even a hated foe would only lead to failure.

But could she succeed?

"…"

Sylvia Fangriffon stared at Mia with that same cold, expressionless face.

Her gaze conveyed nothing. It was as if Mia Crowfield, standing before her, held no value, as though she felt nothing toward her.

"Are you hungry?"

Suddenly, Alice Fangriffon asked Sylvia a question.

The cold gaze shifted from Mia to Alice.

"…"

Sylvia didn’t answer.

"Let’s go then. You should have breakfast. You tend to eat a lot in the morning, don’t you?"

"…"

Still, Sylvia remained silent.

Did Alice deliberately distract Sylvia?

Why?

"Well, we’ll be off. You know, you need three square meals a day to function properly."

"Ah, yes…"

Mia’s expression faltered at Alice’s words.

But the fire in her chest reignited quickly.

"…"

In the end, Sylvia didn’t even care.

That’s fine. I’ll just have to show her that this righteous anger will eventually pierce her with a blade of vengeance.

Mia Crowfield stood still, glaring at their retreating figures.

How did Alice know?

Had my stomach growled? There was no reason for Alice to make that observation otherwise.

"It was written all over your face. Why?"

My face?

"…No, I don’t think so…"

I stared at Alice, who seemed embarrassed and looked away.

Does she have vision like a microscope? How else could she have noticed micro-expressions in my face that not even I was aware of?

"…And just because someone shows hostility doesn’t mean you always have to respond."

"I don’t intend to always respond."

Alice gave me some advice, and I replied calmly.

"I just thought the anger was understandable."

She was angry because I killed her father.

And she didn’t even know the full truth. Even after yesterday’s events, it wasn’t something she could easily accept, no matter what I told her.

It would be better to let her figure things out herself.

"…"

Alice stared at me quietly as I mused.

I wasn’t expressionless, but I couldn’t read her face either. Her expression was a blend of emotions, a mixture too vague for me to understand.

…It felt a little unfair that Alice could read my expressions, but I couldn’t read hers.

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Chapter 37

"Do you know what the most glorious battlefield is, soldiers?"

On the first day of class, Jennifer had taken all the students outside, and today was no different. As soon as her lesson began, she led us out to the field again. It seemed that the concept of a “curriculum” didn’t exist in her mind.

Although we had received textbooks when we started school, we never once opened them. If we didn’t need them, why hand them out? It just made our bags heavier every morning.

But I wasn’t surprised by this behavior. I knew Jennifer’s character well. She served as a device within the game to facilitate the player's experience by offering opportunities to fight during class.

Of course, students are supposed to study. But in the game, having characters study all day would make things unbearably dull. This wasn’t a dating sim or a trivia game, after all. To keep the game engaging, the developers minimized the study portions and injected more “combat time” into the lessons.

Jennifer Winterfield was one of the characters who facilitated these moments of conflict and rivalry, which served to fuel character development and drive the story forward.

However, it wasn’t just about having duels every class; as the story progressed, incidents and events would naturally escalate. The initial introduction of the characters set the stage for more explosive conflicts later on.

"Hmm."

None of the students raised their hands to answer her question. And I already knew who Jennifer would call on.

"Leo Grace!"

Of course, it was Leo Grace. The protagonist. According to the backstory, Leo’s father, Baron Grace, had been a role model to Jennifer when she was younger. Though her favoritism wasn’t overt, the game subtly hinted at the bond between them.

Naturally, Leo had no idea about this backstory, so to him, it just seemed like a random selection from the teacher.

Come to think of it, there was even a point in the original game where Leo could choose to duel with Jennifer, depending on the choices made. Given the sparring session they had a few days ago, this scenario didn’t seem like a coincidence. It wasn’t random at all.

"Ah, yes."

Leo stood up with a resigned expression, clearly not thrilled about being picked, but Jennifer didn’t seem to care.

"What do you think is the most glorious battlefield?" she asked.

"Uh…"

At this point, the game presented the player with multiple-choice options.

It didn’t really matter which one was chosen, as none of them fully matched Jennifer’s intended answer. Each option had a valid reason behind it, but none of them were entirely correct.

"The northern front, isn’t it?"

Leo, being diligent, thought it over carefully before giving his answer.

So, he chose the first option.

The other options were the southern and western fronts. The south was still underdeveloped, with skirmishes against local tribes occurring frequently, while the west was along the coastline, where trade ships heading to the New World were constantly harassed by pirates.

All three options cited the need to maintain Imperial security, but the choice regarding the southern front had an imperialistic undertone, leading some players to jokingly refer to it as the "imperialism route" in online forums. Not that it affected the game's ending or plot progression.

In one of the sequels, there’s a storyline focusing on the conflicts in the Empire’s south, but in that installment, Leo actively helps the native people instead.

"Hoh."

Jennifer, who had served on the northern front herself, seemed intrigued by Leo’s answer.

"And why do you think that is?"

"Well, the north shares a border with the Riklant Autonomous Region, but that region’s internal security is highly unstable, leaving them unable to properly manage their side of the border. This allows warlords to occasionally invade Imperial territory. Therefore, the soldiers who vigilantly defend the border against these threats must be serving on the most glorious battlefield."

"Hmm."

Jennifer nodded approvingly.

"Indeed. Those warlords are little more than mercenaries without masters, willing to do anything for the right price. They don’t care about the morality of their actions. Facing such adversaries is undoubtedly an honorable task. However," she added, looking Leo in the eyes, "that glory is only realized once you’ve returned alive, or after your body has been sent back. The battlefield itself holds no glory. But still, a good answer. You may sit."

Leo, visibly relieved, sat back down.

"And now—oh, right."

Jennifer paused mid-explanation.

Hmm.

Normally, this would be the part where she explained her philosophy about the battlefield. But she never paused like this in the original storyline.

Her gaze shifted to me.

"Sylvia Fangriffon. Stand up."

"…"

Why me?

Of course, I didn’t say that out loud. It wasn’t that unusual for a teacher to call on a student, at least not compared to having a fourteen-year-old girl serve as the Emperor’s representative in an international meeting.

I stood silently, and Jennifer stared at me for a moment before asking, "What do you think? Where is the most glorious battlefield?"

"…"

I hated giving presentations.

Back in university, I’d rather design all the slides by myself than present them. Even if it meant not getting the highest grade possible, I avoided public speaking at all costs.

It’s embarrassing if you mess up.

Of course, I knew exactly what Jennifer wanted to hear. I had seen this event multiple times, especially during my second and third playthroughs. I even rewatched the scene while translating the dialogue to make sure I had it right.

"I don’t believe there is a glorious battlefield."

That’s the answer Jennifer was looking for. If Principal Abraham Winterfield had been present, he would have exploded with rage.

"Hoh."

Jennifer’s eyes narrowed.

Her lips curled into a smile as she watched me. Did she like my answer?

It was an answer I had chosen knowing it would embarrass me either way—whether I got it right or wrong. At least if I got it right, the embarrassment would be worth it.

Part of me was also curious to see what would happen if I gave a fourth, unlisted answer.

"And why do you think that?" Jennifer asked again.

"Because the battlefield is hell. There is no glory in hell. You may be honored for surviving, but the battlefield itself cannot be glorious."

This world was still transitioning from the era of lined infantry formations to more modern warfare tactics, where troops stayed behind cover and fought from a distance.

They had modern tanks and aircraft, but no precision-guided smart weapons. This was a world of barbed wire, trenches, and soldiers charging into machine gun fire, only to be shredded into pieces. Artillery shells and mortar fire rained down, and if you were unlucky enough to take a direct hit, there wouldn’t even be a body left to recover.

No-man's land between the trenches was littered with the corpses of fallen soldiers.

Flamethrowers, poison gas, land mines, machine guns… weapons far too terrifying for any human to face head-on, yet with limited means to counter them effectively.

The modern warfare of Earth was hell in its own way, but in this world, it was all-out, unrelenting war—a different kind of hell.

"…"

Jennifer’s expression softened slightly.

She walked over to me, staring directly into my eyes.

"…I see."

She nodded, as if understanding something on her own.

"Yes, you’re right. The battlefield is hell. The days of knights clashing with swords are long gone."

Even those old wars, where knights clashed, were hell in their own way.

"Take your seat."

I sat back down, feeling the eyes of the other students on me, but I did my best to ignore them.

"You cannot truly prepare for the battlefield. No matter how much I teach you, it’s impossible to fully master survival. Out in the field, your actions will adapt to whatever keeps you alive."

Jennifer’s expression became more serious as she continued.

"I don’t know how many of you will become soldiers, but I do know that my role is to train those of you who will. And the most important skill a soldier needs is the ability to survive any unforeseen trials."

That’s why she had us sparring from day one. She meant every word she said.

She spoke as someone who had experienced the battlefield firsthand.

"And today, you’ll learn how to face such unforeseen challenges."

Jennifer’s smile returned, bright and wide. With the flair of a showman introducing the cast, she spread her arms dramatically.

"Today, your sparring opponents will be the commoners of Class C."

At that very moment, the students from Class C were emerging from the building, perfectly timed.

They were late because Jennifer had spontaneously changed the schedule. Instead of taking away their lesson time, she had coordinated with another instructor to make sure both Class A and Class C had overlapping sessions.

"…Instructor?"

"What is it?" Jennifer responded, turning to a student who had raised their hand timidly.

"Those kids… they’re commoners, right?"

"Yes, they are. Is that a problem?"

The student, looking uneasy, glanced at the approaching Class C students and asked again.

"Commoners… haven’t they been trained in less formal schools? Can they really pose a challenge to us?"

A few students chuckled quietly at that remark.

"Hoh."

Jennifer seemed amused.

"Is that so? Even though Princess Sylvia here doesn’t wield any ‘formal’ weaponry?"

"…"

Jennifer’s sarcastic tone silenced the class instantly.

That’s right.

Very few commoners had formal training in swordsmanship, spear fighting, or magic.

In other words, most of them used weapons that required little formal training to operate.

As the Class C students came closer, it became clear what they were carrying.

Most of them had rifles or hunting shotguns strapped to their backs. Though many of them were civilian models rather than military-grade—

"…"

That was more than enough to shut the noble students up.

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Chapter 38

There are bears in this world.

But they aren’t the bears people from Earth might imagine.

Oh, sure, Earth bears are dangerous too. They can tear a person apart. If you get slashed in the stomach by one of their claws, your guts would spill out onto the ground, and the bear would eat them with pleasure.

There are similarly dangerous animals like elephants and rhinos, and then there are predators like lions and tigers.

In this world, they’re called by the same names: “bear,” “lion,” “elephant,” and so on. The bestiary in the game even uses the same terminology, but...

Well, it’s debatable whether the animals I know from Earth and these creatures can really be considered the same.

For starters, the fur colors are different. On Earth, bears come in brown, black, or white. Here, though, they have a much more colorful variety: red, blue, green, and brown.

Their claws, too, are different. If you’re imagining regular bear claws made of tough keratin, think again. The claws on these bears can be as hard as ice, constantly engulfed in fire, cause gusts of wind strong enough to send a person flying, or even strike the ground to create localized earthquakes. These bears can perform attacks no ordinary animal could ever dream of.

Lions, tigers, elephants, and rhinos in this world have similar abilities. In fact, the only animal here that resembles an ordinary Earth creature might be the horse, but even that has its quirks—wild horses in this world often have manes that are literally on fire.

And yet, somehow, humanity has survived in a world ruled by such insane beasts and managed to become the dominant species.

It’s not too surprising, though, when you consider that the first Emperor supposedly commanded a pack of griffins with his bare hands.

That’s why civilian firearms aren’t to be underestimated in this world. Shotguns and rifles are used to hunt these terrifying monsters. Some people even make a living by selling the materials they harvest from these creatures.

They use massive shotguns loaded with slug rounds that can shatter a bear’s skull, or rifles with calibers far larger than those used by standard military equipment. Mages, too, have learned combat magic purely for survival.

“...Instructor!”

Still, even if one has lived as a noble, it’s impossible to be completely ignorant of these facts. After all, nobles eat meat too, and it’s not like they don’t have mounted trophies decorating their walls.

“How can they point shotguns at us?! This is an insult! Using guns meant for hunting animals…!”

Surprisingly, the developers must have drawn inspiration from real-world history when writing this scene. It reminds me of how, during World War I, Europeans were horrified by American soldiers using shotguns in the trenches. Similarly, American soldiers found it unsettling to face Germans wielding submachine guns, which they saw as "gangster weapons."

But, as unsettling as it might be, it doesn’t change the fact that shotguns and submachine guns were incredibly effective in close-quarters trench warfare. When there’s no time to aim, being able to quickly pull the trigger or spray bullets can make the difference between life and death.

That’s probably why Jennifer has us fighting commoners today.

She’s fought against warlords who didn’t care whether their enemies were nobles or commoners, and they certainly didn’t care about honor or fairness.

"Do you think humans are different from animals?" Jennifer asked calmly, turning to the noble student who had raised the complaint.

"Whether it’s a human or an animal, both will bleed and die when shot. Just because you’re human doesn’t mean a shotgun pellet will miss you. I’ll say it again: there is no honor or glory on the battlefield. In the mud-filled trenches, all that’s left is a desperate, filthy creature trying to survive.”

As she said this, Jennifer’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Or, if you prefer, we could ask our princess for her opinion. Sylvia?”

Why me?

I hadn’t said a word—oh, wait. It looks like I was the only one who hadn’t said anything. The other noble students, even Leo, Charlotte, and Alice, had all shown some degree of discomfort. I was the only one who remained calm.

Well, Claire was calm too, but she likely understood the darker side of humanity.

“What do you think, then? Will you object to your enemy using a shotgun? Will you demand they fight you with an ‘honorable’ weapon?”

Jennifer’s asking me because she knows I won’t say anything like that. She knows I won’t complain about something as trivial as that.

I’ve assassinated a count before, after all. I didn’t challenge him to a duel; I just planted a bomb under his carriage. That’s hardly the “noble” way to do things. Nobles are supposed to duel honorably, not blow their opponents to pieces.

I’m not sure if Jennifer knows about all that, but she seems to trust me in a strange way.

She must see me as a soldier.

Has she heard that I was meant to go to the front lines?

"Can we get our hands on shotguns or submachine guns?" I asked.

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

Everyone was used to thinking of pistols and rifles as necessary tools for the battlefield, so no one questioned their use. Even if they whispered among themselves about how commoners weren’t formally trained, no one was brazen enough to accuse them of being dishonorable to their faces.

"Of course. The most important thing on the battlefield is being prepared. I’ll give you the chance to choose your weapons before the fight. Rifles, pistols, hunting shotguns—take your pick."

"Thank you."

Jennifer smiled, clearly pleased with my response.

She was pretty, in that way all video game characters tend to be, but honestly, her words made her seem a bit unhinged.

Well, she had seen the horrors of war, so I guess it’s understandable.

The sparring match was set up like a team battle, but that didn’t mean the noble students would automatically be on the same team. While it would’ve been interesting to see us work together as a squad of fifteen, some nobles still felt uncomfortable with the idea of wielding shotguns on the battlefield.

Maybe their opinions would change after a few years at the academy, but right now, many of the new students seemed to consider using shotguns to be dishonorable.

"…"

The group around me didn’t look particularly enthusiastic either.

“If you don’t want to use them, there’s no need to force yourselves,” I said, noticing that even Alice and Charlotte, who usually treated me fairly, seemed displeased.

“If you’re unfamiliar with the weapon, there’s a higher chance of making mistakes. No matter how easy a weapon might seem to use, it takes time to get used to it.”

As I spoke, I loaded a shotgun with shells.

The M1889. Jennifer had provided this shotgun, which was the standard issue for the Winterfield family's soldiers up north. It looked like a trench gun used by American soldiers in World War I, with a perforated heat shield and a bayonet lug.

Knowing this game’s developers, they probably just took the trench gun’s design and slapped a new name on it.

It held five shells in the tubular magazine and one more in the chamber, for a total of six rounds.

Although my main weapons were a rifle and revolver, I knew how to use a shotgun. I had practiced with it plenty of times—though I spent more time practicing reloading than actual shooting. To be fair, shotguns had some of the coolest reload mechanics in modern firearms.

“Alright,” Alice finally said as I finished loading the shotgun. She had been quietly observing but now spoke up.

“Teach me how to use it.”

All eyes turned to Alice.

“As long as I know how to fire it, I can make use of it, right? If nothing else, it should be effective for dealing with enemies up close.”

"…"

I watched her for a moment before grabbing a double-barrel shotgun from nearby.

I loaded two shells into the barrels and handed it to her.

"Both barrels are loaded. Just aim the muzzle at the enemy and pull the trigger."

It had two triggers, but she could easily fire both barrels in quick succession. It was ideal for immediate close-range combat.

"Once you’ve fired both shots, feel free to drop the gun and draw your sword."

If she fired both barrels, the enemy would likely be close enough for her to switch to melee combat. And Alice knew how to wield her sword. If she could get close enough, she’d be fine.

If things went south, I could always reset the timeline and try again, adjusting our strategy little by little.

“Anyone else?” I asked, looking around.

"Ugh, fine," Leo muttered under his breath.

"Claire, just… don’t tell my father about this."

"Do you think I’d rat you out?" Claire replied cheerfully, though Leo shot her a skeptical look.

…She’s definitely told him things before.

"Princess—"

"Call me by my name. We’re in the field now, not the classroom. Using titles could lead to confusion."

That made sense, especially since we had two princesses on our team. Not to mention others with similar titles.

"Sylvia. I’d appreciate it if you could teach me as well," Leo said.

I handed him a shotgun identical to the one I had given Alice.

“You heard the explanation, so I won’t repeat it. Don’t bother reloading in the middle of a fight. If you have the chance to switch to your sword, do it. None of you have been trained as soldiers, so don’t waste time fumbling with the gun.”

Leo nodded, his expression tense.

These commoners may have been from humble backgrounds, but the fact that they were enrolled in this academy meant they had skills. For all I knew, some of them might be better shots than me. After all, I didn’t have much experience with live-fire exercises.

But, well, I could always reset if things didn’t go as planned.

"Me too!" Claire chirped, her voice as lively as ever.

I wordlessly handed her a shotgun.

There were submachine guns as well, but they’d be awkward to use unless someone was already familiar with them. The shotgun was much more straightforward, and smaller too, compared to the bulkier submachine guns.

If the shotgun didn’t work out, I could always hand out the SMGs later.

"…"

Now, everyone had a shotgun, and we all turned to look at Charlotte.

"…"

She was clearly uncomfortable under our gazes, shifting her eyes away before finally groaning in exasperation.

"Ugh, fine!"

Reluctantly, she reached out to take a shotgun.

Cute, really.

It was little moments like these that made her such a popular character in the game.

Maybe I should take a page from her book.

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Chapter 39

Seeing Alice, the Grace siblings, and Charlotte all strapped with firearms by their sides was quite a sight.

One of the defining features of JRPGs is that you can't just switch weapons freely. It's not that you can’t swap weapons like in an FPS; it’s more that each character has a fixed weapon type, and they literally can't equip anything else.

There are several reasons for this. It could be to conserve resources, reduce the number of motion and skill animations required, or to prevent players from getting confused about party members' equipment.

Whatever the reason, in the original game, you couldn’t have characters wielding weapons outside of their specific type.

Then again, if this were the original game, this type of battle wouldn’t be happening at all.

It’s not like we could actually dig trenches into the academy’s sports field. So, we had to make do with some sandbags stacked slightly higher than the ground as cover. It wasn’t the most authentic “battlefield” setup, but... what could we do? The instructor wanted it this way, so we followed orders.

In the game, combat was turn-based, and even if you were shot, it only took off some HP, rather than being an instant kill. Sure, it was far from reality, but JRPGs have certain rules they follow.

However, here we could break some of those rules—like giving firearms to characters who traditionally fought with swords.

Jennifer was watching us from a platform above, observing the chaos below.

I suppose she was up there to monitor and call out who got shot.

Forty-five students in total, counting both classes. Would this really be okay? In the game, the turn-based system kept things under control, but here…

Well, whatever. It wasn’t my problem. The instructor would handle it, and I had other things to worry about.

“For now, I’ll cover you when you run. Make sure to run in a zigzag pattern, and do it fast. If you run straight, you’ll be declared dead for sure,” I advised.

Everyone nodded silently.

Not many of the noble students had experience with firearms. I was one of the few who did, and it seemed that the others trusted me because of it.

Technically, the battle had already started.

But no one dared move. The first person to poke their head out would likely be shot.

Still, I wasn’t too concerned.

“Shouldn’t we be moving?” Alice whispered from beside me.

“It’s fine,” I replied calmly.

It really was fine. After all—

“Charge!”

—there were idiots for that.

This wasn’t a game where everything followed one person's point of view. Sometimes, the perspective shifted to supporting characters or even NPCs.

And I knew there were always a few students like that—the ones who thought staying behind cover was dishonorable.

In the game, these characters were portrayed as the type who believed it was unworthy to remain behind defenses and not charge forward.

Of course, they only felt safe charging because they knew this wasn’t a real battlefield. No one would die here, so they figured they might as well show off their “honor.”

That didn’t mean they were completely reckless, though. They wouldn’t just run headlong into enemy fire.

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot echoed across the field, and I saw Alice flinch, her eyes widening in surprise.

It wasn’t as loud as a real gunshot. They must’ve used a much smaller amount of powder to avoid accidents with blocked barrels.

But it was still enough to make noise, and there were small holes drilled in the barrel just in case.

If anyone got injured, it would probably just be a minor burn.

“Mackenzie, eliminated!”

...Yup, eliminated in one shot.

“They’re using blanks. You don’t need to worry too much,” I reassured Alice as I carefully rose from my position.

I moved just enough to peek without making myself too obvious.

Bang!

The rifle in my hand roared, the stock nudging my shoulder slightly.

“James, eliminated!”

A commoner student who had poked his head out from behind the sandbags fell back, marked as eliminated.

Bang!

“Sylvia, eliminated!”

Great, so they’re shooting from over there, huh?

I memorized the direction the shot had come from.

Reset.

Bang! Click. Bang!

Two shots, and I took out two targets.

“Sylvia, eliminated!”

But then a return shot hit me. It wasn’t just me—once the gunfire started, the students from Class B quickly returned fire, turning the field into a chaotic battleground. Jennifer called out eliminations one after another, as more and more students dropped behind their makeshift trenches.

I made sure to memorize every spot where someone had popped up.

Reset.

“I’ll cover you. Run now!” I shouted, pulling the bolt on my rifle and firing in quick succession.

Bang!

Without even confirming the hit, I pulled the bolt again, swung my rifle in another direction, and fired again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alice sprint from behind the sandbags, holding her double-barreled shotgun in one hand and her sword in the other, running at full speed.

She zigzagged across the field just as I had instructed, making it difficult for the commoner students to land a hit.

But—

Bang!

“Alice, eliminated!”

Difficult didn’t mean impossible.

Alice turned to me with a frustrated expression—

Reset.

The Ergenson rifle holds five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Unlike other rifles that use a clip, this one requires you to open a side panel to load the rounds, making the process slower and less stable.

There’s a speed loader, but it’s still not as reliable as other bolt-action rifles where you can feel the rounds click into place.

If more of my teammates were proficient with rifles, I might’ve spent more time reloading and firing methodically. But…

“Charlotte, eliminated!”

Unfortunately, none of my teammates were skilled enough with firearms to make a difference.

We had more targets, and we were managing to hold them off for the moment, but it was only a matter of time before they hit back.

Still, I was getting closer.

I had stashed several Ergenson rifles behind the sandbags. I knew this situation was coming. Jennifer’s rule of “prepare as much as you want; it’s all up to your own judgment” allowed me to stockpile as many guns as I wanted without her interference.

Of course, it would’ve been more efficient if we just had more six-shot rifles and soldiers who knew how to use them.

This was exhausting.

At least we were making progress. We were almost at the enemy lines, but getting eliminated just before reaching them was becoming a pattern.

“Once you get closer, feel free to use your firearms. Just point the barrel at the enemy and fire,” I reminded my team before the next round.

But—

“Eliminated!”

—while we managed to take down a few more opponents, we still got eliminated.

"…"

In the original game, this scene played out as a scripted event.

The key difference was that in the original, Mia Crowfield was the one who used magic.

I looked to my side.

Mia Crowfield was still crouched behind the sandbags, gripping her magic staff tightly. It seemed like everyone else had charged ahead, leaving her behind.

Hmm.

Well, it’s worth a shot.

Reset.

Before handing out shotguns to my team, I stood up and walked confidently toward where the other noble students were gathered.

“Sylvia?”

Alice called out my name in surprise as I headed straight toward Mia Crowfield, but I ignored her and kept walking.

I acted as if there was nothing wrong.

Even if Mia rejected me, I could always turn back time and try again.

I had already shared the truth with Mia once. I wasn’t afraid to make a simple request.

The nobles gathered around Mia parted as I approached. Being a princess, even in name, certainly had its advantages.

Mia turned, startled by the sound of my approach, and took a step back.

“Lady Crowfield,” I called to her.

“Ah, uh, wh-what do you want…?”

This was the same Mia Crowfield who had glared at me with murderous intent in the student council room, but now she seemed more timid.

When she had faced me back then, it was out of a loss of control—her emotions had overwhelmed her. But I hadn’t reacted, and now she seemed unsure of herself.

She probably thought she’d made a mistake back then.

Even if she hated me, it didn’t matter. Mia Crowfield had already said she intended to join the student council if I did. If she ever saw an opportunity, she’d try to kill me or at least bring me down. She’d likely fail, but she’d keep trying.

For now, she was trying to stay close to me.

Regardless of her personal feelings, I had to make the offer.

“We could use your help. Would you assist us?”

There was a collective gasp from the students around us.

Was it really that strange for me to ask for help?

I suppose it might have been. I’d never asked any of the students for anything before. I had always maintained my image as the aloof beauty, too self-sufficient to need assistance from anyone.

But right now, I needed her help.

In the original game, the protagonist’s party succeeded here thanks to Mia’s assistance.

It wasn’t necessarily about her abilities—it was about recreating the event. Without her, this scene couldn’t unfold properly.

“My help…?” Mia blinked, looking at me in surprise.

She looked like a typical cute heroine, with her long bangs framing her face.

In the original game, I wasn’t around, nor was Claire. Leo’s interactions with other characters were varied—he could grow closer to Alice, or Mia might align with him out of rivalry with Alice.

But because Claire and I were here, the dynamics had changed, leaving Leo with a different group.

That meant Mia Crowfield’s involvement was missing from this event, and because of that, we were struggling.

"…"

Mia seemed to be deep in thought, and I could feel the students’ eyes on us. I ignored them, focusing solely on Mia.

Would she refuse me? Would she mock me for asking? Would she relish in my failure?

Her expression from earlier didn’t suggest she would, but maybe she’d just been too overwhelmed by the situation to show it.

“...What kind of help do you need?” Mia finally asked.

“We need light,” I replied succinctly.

In the original game, Mia came up with this idea on her own. But by now, Leo would’ve been eliminated, so I had to prompt her instead.

“I need you to create the strongest light you can. Is that possible?”

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Chapter 40

The battle system in the original game was typical of your standard JRPG.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it was identical to other games. The developers had their own unique spin on turn-based combat, making the game distinct in some ways.

However, the turn-based system imposed significant limitations on how certain scenes could be portrayed.

For example, it was difficult to represent large-scale battlefields effectively. If the genre had been SRPG, it might have been easier to depict something like trench warfare from World War I, where moving between trenches and taking cover played a central role. There were actually games that tried to convey that atmosphere.

But this series stuck to its traditional JRPG roots, which meant there were inherent challenges when trying to stage complex battle sequences.

So, what did the developers do to work around that?

They came up with a system of “consecutive battles.” After each battle, a cutscene would play before launching into the next fight. Win three battles in a row, and you'd capture the temporary trenches. Lose a battle, and you'd be disqualified. The only downside to losing was that you wouldn't receive the reward items.

Those items were useful, but only for the early stages of the game, so their importance was relatively low. Still, it bothered me to think of someone else taking what should be mine. In the game, all those rewards were rightfully mine.

Not that I’d come to this world by choice.

More importantly, I had an image to uphold. I had cultivated the reputation of someone capable of handling any challenge. I didn’t want anyone thinking, "Well, it looks like there are things even she can’t do."

...Perhaps it would’ve been better to go for the "I just don’t do things I find tedious" approach?

There were also several other things I wanted to verify. Specifically, I was curious about how “system-generated” items would manifest in reality—things like the message saying, “You received [item] as a reward.” There was no status window in this world, after all.

While I had already learned that things restricted by the system could be done in reality, I still needed to know how “system-controlled” elements functioned here.

To find out, I needed to win this battle.

“Light...?”

Mia Crowfield hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to understand my intent, before finally grasping my meaning.

“But if you cast a light that bright, wouldn’t it blind your own side as well?” she asked, skepticism lacing her voice.

It was a fair point.

Light, by its nature, doesn’t discriminate between allies and enemies. If someone couldn’t see it, it would mean there was something seriously wrong with their nervous system or brain.

There were magic spells that could induce hallucinations, but nothing that could selectively affect dozens of people over a large area. At least, I had never encountered such magic during my playthroughs of the game.

...Though I had seen spells where a giant hand appeared from the sky to shoot lasers.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mia took a step back as I continued to stare at her.

In the game, spells like that were just flashy visual effects—like something out of the Super Robot Wars series. You could use those techniques anywhere, whether indoors or outdoors, without any real-world limitations.

But here in reality, how would such spells behave?

That was something I’d need to investigate eventually.

And I had to remember that, if things went wrong, that spell could end up backfiring on me.

“Can you do it?”

She had to be able to. It was possible in the original game.

While Mia’s specialty was ice and water magic, that didn’t mean she was incapable of casting other types of spells. In the game, there were “basic spells” and “extra spells” that required special equipment to cast. Her specialty spells weren’t inherently stronger, but having those basic spells gave her more versatility.

Plus, her base “magic attack power” was exceptionally high.

Any character could technically use those spells if equipped with the right items, but without them, their magic damage and effects were greatly reduced.

At this point, Mia Crowfield was the only character capable of casting the necessary spells.

“...”

She didn’t seem too pleased with my silent insistence, but eventually, Mia nodded.

Good. That’s what I wanted.

Despite her hostility in the student council room, Mia had said she’d join the council if I did. It wasn’t about friendship; being close to me meant she could gather evidence that I had killed her father, or take her chance at revenge if one presented itself.

There was no point in trying to explain her father’s crimes now. I had already attempted it once. Even if I told her calmly in private, she wouldn’t believe that her father had been a drug addict and a pedophile.

I’d have to give her time to come to terms with it herself.

“But this magic staff...”

“It’s not meant for killing. Just send the brightest light as far as you can. That will be enough.”

“...”

In the original game, the characters all charged forward blindly, managing to succeed, but Leo and Jennifer had both commented afterward, saying, “You pulled it off, but never try that in real combat.”

But what if I were involved this time?

What if it wasn’t luck, but a calculated strategy?

Of course, my plan still relied heavily on chance.

But to the enemy, it would look like fate.

I glanced over at Jennifer, who was observing me intently. Her expression was one of clear interest. It seemed I had caught her attention since our last training session.

Jennifer had likely heard the rumors about the emperor’s children and the suspicions surrounding the death of Count Crowfield.

“All right, this way.”

I turned and made my way back to my group. A moment later, I heard Mia Crowfield hesitantly following behind me.

No one tried to stop her from leaving. It seemed I was intimidating enough.

Or maybe Mia had just never really fit in with the others.

“So, that’s the plan,” Alice said with a serious expression. “But what about you? You won’t be able to aim properly if you can’t see.”

“I’ll provide cover fire.”

“...Are you sure you won’t hit us by accident?”

“I’m sure.”

“...Well, okay.”

Alice, who had no doubts about my abilities, eventually agreed.

“But still, how will you manage without being able to see...?”

“Sylvia says it’ll work,” Claire cut off Leo’s skeptical question.

...That was originally your idea, Leo. Though back then, you didn’t have someone promising to provide covering fire from behind.

Claire seemed to have absolute faith in my abilities—almost to the point of religious devotion. But I’ll put that aside for now.

Charlotte, meanwhile, was giving me a narrow-eyed look.

Her gaze was filled with a mix of suspicion and certainty. She must have heard something from her father.

“I’ll go along with it. We don’t have any better options,” Charlotte finally said.

“So, when do we move out?” Alice asked after confirming everyone was on board.

“The timing is—”

Just as I was about to explain, a loud shout interrupted me.

“Charge!”

The noise came from the group that Mia had just left.

“Now,” I said, turning to Mia.

She looked startled but quickly began chanting her spell—

“Mia Crowfield! Eliminated!”

—only to be shot before she could finish.

...Reset.

“Now!”

I called out, immediately standing and taking aim. I fired a shot at one of the commoner students, whose head was poking out from behind cover.

“Rukshina!”

Light!

Hearing the magical incantation in both the game’s original language and human speech was surreal.

Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen magic being used up close since arriving in this world.

My vision went white for a moment, and then I saw a massive ball of light soaring through the air.

It wasn’t quite like a flashbang—more like staring directly at an incredibly bright spotlight. It was like facing the high beams of an oncoming car.

The key difference was that the light spread out in all directions.

The enemy’s visibility was just as bad as ours, but even from our side, we couldn’t make out the silhouettes of the people on the other side.

I heard Alice, Charlotte, Claire, and Leo vault over the sandbags, each armed with a shotgun.

Well, then.

The operation had begun.

Now it was time for me to do my part.

With quick, practiced movements, I pulled back the bolt on my rifle, ejecting the spent cartridge and chambering a new round. The process felt almost natural.

I already had a mental map of where the enemy had been stationed.

Click!

Of course, hitting them was another matter.

I pulled the trigger, but there was no cry of “eliminated!” from the other side.

In that case—

Reset!

By the time I vaulted over the sandbags, the others who had charged earlier were already out of sight.

Not that they had gone far. The blinding light in the sky had made it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.

Despite Mia’s mixed feelings about me, she had followed my instructions perfectly, casting the light spell multiple times as I requested.

During that time, I had shot down several enemies. Seven? Eight? I wasn’t sure. It had all happened so quickly. But I’d gone through at least six rifles, switching each time I ran out of bullets.

Before I took off running, I turned to Mia.

“Stay here and cast the spell one more time.”

Her face was stiff, but she nodded.

She would probably follow through. But even if she didn’t, I had my own backup plans.

By now, the others should have reached the enemy’s trenches.

With that in mind, I sprinted forward, vaulting over the sandbags.

“Ah!”

And promptly tripped.

“...”

For a moment, I was sure the entire battlefield had gone silent.

No, it couldn’t be. That was just my imagination.

Still... it felt like both Jennifer up on her perch and Mia behind me had seen the whole thing.

How embarrassing.

Reset!

This time, I didn’t trip. I noticed a small stone in front of the sandbags—a stone I had probably tripped over earlier.

Good.

Feeling confident that I had cleared the sandbags with style, I immediately began running.

I kept my eyes down, avoiding the blinding light overhead, zigzagging as I sprinted across the battlefield.

So far, there had been no return fire.

Some of the other noble students had probably made it over by now. I could hear footsteps and the sound of weapons clashing, so it seemed like the commoner students were in a state of panic.

After running for a while, I spotted another line of sandbags, illuminated by the overly bright light that still filled the air.

Putting all my strength into it, I dove behind the sandbags.

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

If you want to buy me a /kimsu

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Chapter 41

In the end, we won.

More than a third of the nobles' side were declared "dead," but none of the people in my group were. In fact, it wouldn’t have been surprising if more than half had been eliminated, but we managed to keep it down to a third, largely thanks to the magic that Mia Crowfield had cast.

The commoners were thrown into confusion by the sudden appearance of the blinding ball of light flying overhead. Even though they knew rationally that no truly dangerous magic would be used in this scenario, seeing it with their own eyes was an entirely different experience.

Moreover, the magic wasn’t just for show—it had a real effect by impairing their vision. As a result, most of the commoners who were taken out by gunfire were those who had charged in early on.

Of course, if they had been holding only swords when they jumped over the sandbags, more of them would have been eliminated. But the members of my group were all carrying shotguns.

The double-barrel shotguns we carried only had two rounds, but they were simple to fire, no need to pump between shots. Taking down an opponent right in front of you wasn’t difficult.

Once they fired, they would have drawn their swords immediately, and the commoners would have been even more startled.

Bayonet combat isn’t just about swordsmanship—it’s the fear of being slashed and the terror that comes with someone charging at you, weapon in hand. There was also the stereotype that nobles were skilled with swords, which would have contributed to the commoners' intimidation.

All in all, it wasn’t too hard for them to deal with the psychologically shaken commoners.

By the time I crossed over the sandbags, the nobles had already gained the upper hand.

I managed to take down two or three people, though not literally—since no one was actually hit by real bullets. It was all part of the mock battle.

“Your shooting was impressive,” Alice said after the battle was over.

“When we charged in, everyone was already hiding behind the sandbags. It seems they thought, ‘if I stick my head out, I’ll get shot.’”

To be honest, the fact that I already knew their positions helped a lot.

And I had rewound time every time I missed or when one of my allies got hit. To them, it must have looked like I was flawlessly taking people down one after another.

“Right,” I responded, nodding as Alice and I stood near the commoners' sandbags, chatting.

“But how exactly did you manage to hit anyone when the light was so blinding?” another voice interjected.

It was Jennifer.

Even though the light ball was made with magic, its range was limited. There was no way the entire commoners' side was hidden by it. From her high vantage point on the platform, Jennifer could still see most of the commoners, so she was able to call out when they were eliminated.

But for Jennifer, watching me hit the commoners with such accuracy must have looked strange.

“…”

“Hmm,” she hummed, clearly expecting an explanation.

The problem was, there was no way I could explain it. Telling her I could rewind time would be dangerous. While my classmates might laugh it off as a joke, Jennifer wasn’t the type to take things lightly. Even if she didn’t immediately believe me, she would keep it in mind as a possibility and investigate further.

Not just Jennifer—neither the emperor nor my other siblings would take it lightly either. That’s why I avoided telling anyone about my ability, even in jest.

“Well, no matter,” Jennifer said, crossing her arms and shrugging.

“Normally, I’d have a word or two to say about executing such a risky plan. From the outside, it looks like you were just charging in recklessly, relying on luck.”

...There really wasn’t any other way to do it, though.

It’s not like we had mortars or artillery. Besides, the distance between us was far too short for that. While we called them “trenches,” the situation was much closer to urban combat.

Jennifer had probably wanted to give us a taste of just how dangerous the battlefield could be.

That was her conclusion in the original game too. "In war, even luck can determine the outcome. Well done," she had said in the game. My memory of the exact wording was a bit hazy, but it was something like that.

“But your shooting…” Jennifer continued, eyeing me carefully.

“There’s no way you were just firing blindly. It looked like you knew exactly where they would be. So, calling it ‘luck’ wouldn’t be fair, would it?”

It was luck, though.

I had simply rewound time again and again, turning chance into certainty. Honestly, I probably fired more than just seven or eight bullets. Likely much more.

Every time one of my allies was eliminated, I rewound time and fired in every direction that seemed like a good guess.

This was another difference between practice and real combat. In this mock battle, without gunpowder, there was no way to hear where the shots were coming from. All I could do was rewind and pray that my shots would hit their mark.

If that’s not luck, what is?

Of course, I had no desire to see my favorite characters get hurt or actually die in a real fight.

“Thanks to you, my whole plan went up in smoke,” Jennifer said, glancing at the commoners with a slightly exasperated expression.

Her original intention had likely been to demonstrate that even commoners could take down nobles with firearms, but with the way things played out, the conclusion was that “nobles could turn the situation around, even against the odds.” Especially since the commoners had twice as many participants as the nobles.

Among the commoners, I spotted a few familiar faces—characters who had eventually become part of the protagonist's party in the original game. Some looked disheartened, but a few were watching us with interest.

Maybe I’ll strike up a conversation with them later.

I didn’t care whether they were commoners or nobles—some of my favorite characters were commoners, after all.

“Well, whatever. It’s not like commoners can’t become officers. If they think about it from that perspective, today’s battle will be a valuable lesson. They’ll learn that there are monsters on the battlefield with insane skills.”

That much was true.

In this world, there were plenty of people who could tear through battlefields with just a sword.

“In any case, those who lead their side to victory deserve a reward.”

With that, Jennifer reached into her jacket pocket.

Oh.

It seemed that instead of the typical in-game notification of “You received [item],” I was about to get my reward in person. It felt much more natural than having something just magically appear in my pocket.

“Here, take it.”

What Jennifer handed me was a gemstone, carved like a marble, with the deep red color of a ruby.

Marmaros.

The name came from the Greek word for marble, and like its name, the gemstone glowed softly with a magical red light. Anyone could tell it was infused with magical energy.

When I took the stone from Jennifer’s palm, it was warm to the touch—not uncomfortably hot, but pleasantly warm, like a pocket warmer in the dead of winter.

Though, of course, it was far too valuable to be used as a pocket warmer.

Marmaros is a refined mana stone. Most mana stones have mixed elemental properties, making them difficult to use for specific purposes. Stones with too many conflicting properties are usually used as fuel, but occasionally, you find one with almost pure elemental properties. These can be carefully refined and enhanced to safely channel magic, resulting in a marmaros.

In the original game, it was used to modify weapons, adding elemental effects or boosting damage.

It should work the same way here.

“This is a fire-element marmaros. It’s yours now. Use it however you like.”

I nodded in response.

In the late game, marmaros stones became quite common. You’d even find ones with two or three different elemental properties, and they were just as powerful as single-element ones. Of course, those were typically dropped by high-level monsters, not mined from the earth.

But for now, this one would be useful. In the game, time passed quickly, and you’d hit the late game before you knew it. But here, in the real world, one year was still one year.

“If you want, I can introduce you to a skilled craftsman. You’ll get your customized firearm back as well. Honestly, I’m curious to see how you’ll use that marmaros.”

...This wasn’t in the original game.

I had a good guess as to who the craftsman would be, though.

“Thank you,” I said, giving a slight bow to Jennifer.

“So, what will you use it for? A gun, I assume?” Alice asked as we walked.

“Yes,” I replied. “But I’m still thinking about which firearm would be best.”

I had noticed some differences between this world and the game. In the game, certain characters couldn’t use firearms or swords, but here, they seemed to handle both easily. That made me think the bullets would follow real-world physics.

In the game, you could slot a marmaros into a gun to add elemental effects to your shots. I’m sure I could do the same here.

But how exactly does a “fire-element” bullet work?

It didn’t seem like simply heating up the bullet would make much difference—the bullet is already hot when it fires.

Then again, making it too hot would be problematic. An overheated barrel could lead to weapon failure, and on the battlefield, a broken gun equals death. Even though I can rewind time, I’d rather not risk dying.

Besides, I’ve never actually died and rewound before. That first time? I’m not even sure if I died or just passed out.

So, unless absolutely necessary, I’d avoid any situation where I might die. “Absolutely necessary” would be if I died without even realizing it.

It would be best not to create that situation at all.

“I’ll take some time to think it over and figure out which gun would be most advantageous.”

“Well, you can reuse the marmaros later, right? So no need to worry too much,” Alice said.

...True. That’s a relief. In the original game, you could always remove a marmaros and slot it into another weapon, so I guess it’s the same here.

“…”

“…”

We continued walking in silence for a while.

There were six of us in the group—me, Alice, Claire, Leo, Charlotte, and Mia Crowfield.

Mia had ended up tagging along, looking incredibly awkward. Her discomfort seemed to be contagious because the rest of us had fallen silent too.

Nobles are usually good at reading the room, but—

“Oh, right!” Claire suddenly exclaimed, breaking the tension with a bright voice that didn’t match the mood.

“Why don’t we go to a cafe after class? I found a place with delicious parfaits the other day.”

“...Sure,” Alice quickly agreed, clearly relieved by the suggestion.

“Parfaits, huh? Lutetia has some excellent cafes, but... fine. It might be fun to compare them to the ones in Rondarium.”

The three of them then turned to look at me, Leo, and Mia Crowfield.

“...”

For a moment, none of us said anything.

Well, why not? I had no reason to refuse.

These were all characters I liked, after all. Not going would be disrespectful to my inner otaku.

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Chapter 42

There's a popular meme about British food being tasteless, but honestly, I don’t entirely agree with it.

Take “Fish and Chips,” the first thing that comes to mind when people think of British cuisine. I mean, it’s a combination of fried food and more fried food. It might get a bit greasy, but it’s not tasteless. Of course, if someone doesn’t like fish, that might be a different story.

When I actually tried it, it tasted pretty decent.

The problem is that this was something I ate in my previous life—in other words, back in Korea.

Even though the origin of the ingredients might differ slightly, I don’t think the taste would be that different if you ate Fish and Chips in Britain. Sure, they might use a bit more oil, and the vinegar they sprinkle on top might change the flavor a bit, but how much could it really differ when you’re just frying fish coated in flour?

Even if we put Fish and Chips aside, I’ve heard there’s plenty of other British food worth trying... or so they say. Honestly, it’s not like anyone needs to defend British cuisine for me. It’s common in the subcultures consumed by nerds to depict certain races or countries as stereotypes. To be fair, I thought British food fell into a similar case.

The real issue is, this world isn’t “Korea” or “Britain.” It’s the “Azerna Empire.”

Right. This is a world that doesn’t exist in reality.

Well, actually, that’s not quite accurate. It would be more correct to say, “a world that doesn’t exist on Earth.”

But here’s the thing.

The game series that features the “Azerna Empire” is called the “Azerna Chronicles,” and the company that made this series is “Millennium,” a Japanese company.

And when it comes to “foreign-made food” in Japanese subculture, British cuisine often makes an appearance. It’s typically portrayed as either something that British people can’t cook properly or as food that is practically inedible.

And one of the inspirations for the Azerna Empire was the “British Empire.”

Even the setting draws from the Industrial Revolution era, a time when, except for the aristocracy, the common folk led rather wretched lives.

That’s right. Most of the food in the Azerna Empire was pretty bad.

Ah, but the meat was generally good. If it was something like a steak—just grilled meat—it turned out well.

Desserts were also quite nice, and so were the tea and cookies served during teatime.

But, of course, those are the kinds of things that only people with money can leisurely enjoy. When you pour money into something, it’s bound to taste good.

Sometimes, when I went out to get a better sense of the geography of Rondarium, I’d buy food from street vendors or small shops. But when it came to cheap street food that cost only a few pence, most of it was barely fit for consumption.

No, really.

If you think of “Fish and Chips,” you might imagine a crispy—at worst, soggy—fish fillet and some fries that are either crunchy or limp but still decent.

But the Fish and Chips in this world? Yeah, that’s not the case.

Industrial Revolution.

A time when everything shifted to mass production.

The “fish” in Fish and Chips—usually cod—was caught in bulk with steam-powered ships.

And the best way to handle all that fish at once? Toss it into boiling oil without much care.

They took low-quality fish, almost spoiling, and fried it in equally low-quality oil. The flour coating wasn’t so much to enhance the flavor but to protect the fish from being soaked in the oil. That’s what the Fish and Chips in this world were like.

People usually peeled off the greasy batter and just ate the fish inside.

Oh, and there’s no boneless fillets like in fish cutlets. You have to pick out the bones yourself as you eat the bland white fish, which doesn’t taste nearly as good as simply grilling it.

It wasn’t just Fish and Chips. Most of the food for commoners in this world was made purely for survival.

Have you ever had a sandwich made by toasting bread and then salting it before stuffing it between more slices of toast? I had the misfortune of trying that once. It tasted like dry, salty bread. I mean, who even thinks of selling something like that? It’s one thing to make it, but to sell it? I hope to God that kind of food doesn’t exist on Earth.

After experiencing that firsthand, I’ve stayed far away from “commoner food” in this world. There was curry from the colonies, but as someone with a deeply ingrained Korean palate, the unfamiliar spices just didn’t sit well with me.

At least there was black pudding, which tasted somewhat like sundae (Korean blood sausage), and sauerkraut from the part of the Azerna Empire that was inspired by Germany, which suited my taste. But neither of those were main dishes. And they were both polarizing foods, so I doubted the “cool beauty” would like them.

“Ta-da!”

Claire, who had gone to get the drinks we ordered, returned with a dish that shattered my image of “commoner food.”

Well, maybe it wouldn’t exactly be considered commoner food?

It wasn’t dirt cheap, but it wasn’t priced for the nobility either. It was the kind of food a commoner could afford if they were willing to splurge. Of course, their meals might be pretty meager for the following week.

Then again, this wasn’t exactly a poor neighborhood. At least in the Azerna Empire, this was one of the safest places.

It was a glass of tropical fruit—likely mango—layered with heaps of whipped cream, more fruit, then even more whipped cream, and finally topped with a variety of other fruits.

In the glass, it almost looked like a cake.

“This is the specialty of this place—parfait!”

It wasn’t just one kind; there were several variations.

“I wasn’t expecting much based on the price, but this is impressive,” Alice said, her voice filled with pure admiration.

“Right? I didn’t expect much the first time either!”

If any of the Azerna Empire’s working class had heard Alice and Claire’s conversation, they might have felt an overwhelming urge to revolt. This world’s... proletariat, if you will, would find this dessert quite an expensive luxury.

Of course, from a noble’s perspective, it was certainly a cheap dish. Especially for Alice, a princess.

“It’s splendid. It doesn’t seem much different from what I saw back home,” Charlotte remarked, her expression showing a bit of anticipation.

Well, “parfait” is a French word, after all. It might be considered just a regular dessert in Belbur, the fictional nation with cultural motifs borrowed from both France and Belgium.

“But we won’t know for sure until we taste it,” Charlotte added with a small smile of expectation.

“To be honest, the bread at the academy wasn’t that great,” Charlotte added.

“Huh?” Alice’s head whipped around.

“What… You mean the food at the academy isn’t good?”

It wasn’t just Alice; even Claire, Leo, and, surprisingly, Mia Crowfield all stared at Charlotte in shock.

“Uh… are you saying you actually liked that bread?” Charlotte asked, wide-eyed in disbelief.

Alice, looking flustered by Charlotte’s words, glanced over at Claire and Leo for confirmation. They both nodded.

"It is good."

In fact, it might even taste better than the bread I had back in Korea. Most of the bread I ate there came from convenience stores, after all. When bread is baked with care, of course, it’s going to taste great.

But Charlotte is from Belbur, the so-called “Kingdom of Taste,” one of whose inspirations was France.

France—a country where even the process of making baguettes is enshrined in law.

If the Azerna Empire is the land of meat, tea, and cookies, then the Kingdom of Belbur is the land of bread, wine, and chocolate.

Granted, the Azerna Empire’s bread should be at the highest level too, especially considering that one of its inspirations is Great Britain, where baking has developed extensively. But it seemed like the game’s creators wanted to give each country a distinct personality. So, officially, Belbur is where the best bread is made, and this fact was even mentioned in the game’s lore. It’s practically common knowledge in this world.

"Hasn’t Alice visited the Kingdom of Belbur before? Didn’t you try their bread while you were there?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, it was delicious. But just because one is amazing doesn’t mean the other is bad, right? It’s more like one is ‘better.’”

"No, not at all. The bread in the Azerna Empire just doesn’t taste good."

By the way, as the name suggests, the word for “bread” in this world comes from the Belbur language.

"Come on, both are good, but Belbur’s is just better."

It seemed Alice, being the imperial princess, wasn’t about to back down easily.

"Saying Belbur’s bread is ‘better’ means that Azerna Empire’s bread is ‘worse,’ and that implies the Empire’s bread isn’t as good. Honestly, objectively speaking, can you really call the food here delicious? All they do is grill, steam, or boil fresh ingredients, that’s it."

"W-What!?"

Alice looked absolutely dumbfounded.

"If we’re going by that logic, isn’t Belbur's cuisine sinful for drowning the natural flavor of the ingredients under wine? Don’t you feel sorry for the cows who died only to have their taste ruined by wine!?"

Belbur’s cuisine is famous for its use of wine, even among the common folk. It’s a country with such high wine production that even the poorest citizens can afford to use it in their cooking.

Even in the Azerna Empire, Belbur wine is considered the finest by the nobility and royal family.

"Belbur’s wine is the best in the world, objectively speaking. Of course, dishes made with such ingredients would be the best, too. Besides, the dessert we’re about to eat right now originates from the Kingdom of Belbur.”

“Urgh... Well, the Azerna Empire has plenty of delicious desserts too!”

"But here we are, about to enjoy a dessert from Belbur instead of one from the Empire."

"Well, you can’t eat only food from the Azerna Empire, right?"

"I’d be just fine eating only Belbur cuisine."

"No, that’s not what I’m trying to say...!”

“…Sister?"

The heated debate between Alice and Charlotte abruptly stopped.

Arguing about food is pointless, really. The only reason the British inspiration stands out is because of the game’s setting, but the Azerna Empire also has a German influence.

In this world, sausages are an Azerna Empire specialty. When people think of sausages, they think of the Azerna Empire. So, why get into such a heated debate over bread when sausage is right there?

As long as it tastes good, what’s the problem?

“…Sister, are you... smiling?"

Claire was the first to notice, her mouth agape. Then Leo followed, and lastly, both Alice and Charlotte were equally stunned.

Mia Crowfield looked like she wasn’t quite following what was going on.

“…Sylvia?"

“Is... is the parfait that good?” Alice muttered my name in disbelief, while Charlotte, still shocked, asked me with wide eyes.

Oh, it’s good, alright.

Having experienced the awful commoner food in this world multiple times, I knew how to truly appreciate a meal.

It’s not about arguing over good food. It’s about humbly savoring it.

If someone can eat a sweet and exquisite dessert and not smile, their taste buds must be dead, or they must be devoid of emotions.

…Though, I’m not ready to show such an expression just yet.

Smiling is something to be saved for truly important moments.

Besides…

With a graceful, princess-like gesture, I picked up a napkin and wiped the whipped cream from my lips.

After a small sigh, I murmured, “Again.”

Since we’ve come this far, I may as well savor all of the parfaits in front of me.

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Chapter 43

...Alice has been reading my expressions more frequently.

No, at this point, it’s not just that it’s increasing—she’s practically reading my expressions as part of her daily routine.

To be fair, it hasn't been that long since she started doing this in earnest. When Alice saw me as a kind of “competitor,” she wasn’t particularly good at reading my facial cues. To be precise, it wasn’t that she couldn’t—it was more that she just didn’t care. Even if she was interested in me, she never showed much curiosity about what I did on a personal level.

But at some point, she began to warm up to me. Now, she could even read my expressions with surprising accuracy.

If I had to pinpoint exactly when that “moment” was…

It must have been during that three-way meeting.

I already had a feeling we were growing closer before that. Maybe it was inevitable. After all, regardless of anything else, Alice and I are the same age, and I was the only peer she could really talk to in the palace.

Some of the maids were around Alice’s age, but... well, they were still just maids. And to be a maid in the palace, you had to be from at least an earl’s family or higher. These kids knew all too well how far removed they were from a princess. Getting close to her as a friend? That was never going to happen.

Alice herself didn’t go out of her way to be friendly either.

And more than anything, I always took a very gentle approach with Alice.

She’s a major heroine in the game, and since I spent the entire time playing looking at her face—well, her face was technically a mass of polygons, but still—I felt a certain familiarity toward her. That attitude showed in how I treated her.

Plus, I kind of felt bad for her.

Even though Claire, the person Alice always felt inferior to, was gone, I had popped up in her place. I didn’t tease her like Claire did, but my abilities were nearly the same as Claire’s. Actually, considering how the emperor and others viewed me, Alice might even have seen me as an upgraded version of Claire.

If I also started teasing and looking down on her, it might have crushed Alice’s spirit.

Whether or not I’m truly mature is beside the point. I just didn’t feel the urge to bully a girl who’s over ten years younger than me.

I tried to boost Alice’s confidence in little ways here and there. If she still felt distanced from me, that would’ve been quite upsetting.

Well, maybe not that upsetting, but…

“Did you not sleep well last night?”

“...”

How is she reading my expression so accurately while asking me that with such a concerned face?

It’s strange, really, because I had checked my reflection in the mirror this morning, making sure I didn’t look tired or worn out.

I had perfected my neutral expression—this wasn’t just some face I pulled out of habit. I had refined it over time, adjusting based on feedback from others until I had perfected an expressionless look.

In other words, even I couldn’t recognize my own expression sometimes, that’s how neutral it was.

So, how on earth is she reading me?

“Sylvia?”

Alice’s worried tone brought me back to the moment, and I wondered how I should respond.

Her observation wasn’t wrong.

I had, after all, woken up at four this morning.

I’m a die-hard nerd at heart.

In the past, I tried hard to deny it, but no matter how much I resisted, my hobbies always ended up reverting back to their original state.

When I quit Japanese manga and anime, I moved on to Japanese and American dramas. When I stopped collecting figures, I started assembling plastic models. Even when I tried to avoid nerdy games, I found myself buying and playing Western games.

And eventually, I came full circle. I started with military models, then Gundam models, then finally back to collecting figurines and statues of anime characters. The same went for movies—whenever I bought Blu-rays, I somehow ended up buying animated movies, and then, before I knew it, I was purchasing TV and OVA anime Blu-rays.

After living like this for about ten years, by the time I was thirty, I just gave up and accepted my true nature.

Not to mention, I spent seven of those ten years playing the Azerna Chronicles, so it’s fair to say I never truly tried to escape in the first place.

Being a nerd, of course, I spent countless hours reading light novels and web novels.

And naturally, I became familiar with the common tropes of reincarnated protagonists.

You know the ones. A protagonist reincarnates as a side character or someone with little significance to the plot but ends up monopolizing all the fortuitous encounters and items meant for the main character, eventually surpassing the protagonist.

I wasn’t aiming for something like that.

Leo, Claire, Alice, Charlotte, and even Mia Crowfield... and the characters who hadn’t yet joined the main party—they all held a special place in my heart.

I had no intention of stealing all the cool moments from those characters.

My only goal was to ensure none of the main characters ended up dying.

The problem is—

“...You mean the request has already been completed?”

“Y-Yes. I’m very sorry, Your Highness...”

No need to apologize. It wasn’t your fault.

I turned my head and glanced at the clock, leaving the trembling receptionist standing before me.

The large pendulum clock, powered by weights, showed it was 6 AM.

That’s right. Six in the morning.

“...As far as I know, working hours begin at 6 AM.”

Indeed, the academy’s staff were supposed to start working at 6 AM.

Of course, not all staff members start at that time. There are those assigned to early morning shifts.

And some positions, like the dormitory guards, have people working through the night.

Today was Sunday.

Yesterday and today were rest days. Naturally, there were no classes for the students.

There were no classes, but there were still voluntary service activities.

In this world, there’s no adventurer’s guild, like in typical fantasy novels. The Empire is a centralized, authoritarian nation ruled by the emperor, and the other kingdoms are structured similarly. While there are some places with a nobility-based republic, they don’t outsource security to adventurers either.

This era was when the concept of “nations” was beginning to take root. The argument Alice and Charlotte had on Friday was also an indicator that kids influenced by such ideas were starting to appear.

And the best way to prove the superiority of your nation? Demonstrate how well its people live.

Security is a key part of that.

...Though, as someone who grew up in an orphanage, I wouldn’t call it great security. Still, for the middle class and above, it was a decent country to live in.

Anyway, there’s no adventurer’s guild. But they couldn’t completely get rid of the “quest” feature that’s a staple of RPGs.

Thus, the “volunteer service” system was created in this world.

Students enrolled in the academy were strong, and there were still areas within the Empire with unstable security. Whether it was local back alleys or roads between cities, people and goods were sometimes harmed by wild beasts.

Volunteer service activities were meant to prevent and resolve such issues. Of course, since it wouldn’t make sense to provide no rewards for these quests, the people requesting help would give “gifts of goodwill” as a form of compensation.

Having already received a reward from Jennifer in the past, I knew I could expect to be properly compensated for completing these volunteer quests.

“A-About that…”

But—

“I usually arrive around 5:30 AM to prepare for my shift. But...”

But, you see...

“There were some students already waiting outside, so I thought it was admirable...”

“...”

So, they were here even before the 6 AM shift started.

They completed the request and sat there, waiting.

The diligent receptionist, who had arrived 30 minutes early to prepare for her shift, saw them and processed their reward.

I slowly raised my hand and pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose.

It had been hard enough for me to wake up at 6 AM. But those crazy students had completed the task before

that.

“Could you possibly tell me the names of the students?”

The receptionist hurriedly began rummaging through the pile of documents on her desk.

Technically, it’s against protocol for her to reveal the personal information of students just because someone asks. But when a princess, clearly displeased, makes such a request, it’s hard to say no.

“Well... it was Leo Grace and Claire Grace.”

“...”

Of course.

I let out a quiet breath.

“...Again.”

“Pardon?”

“Again!”

Six in the morning.

Right. Six in the morning.

That means they had already completed the task and were waiting before then.

The receptionist said they arrived 30 minutes early, so they must have finished the task before 5:30 AM.

Sure, the volunteer service activities were supposed to start precisely today. The person who posted the request on the bulletin board must have done it last night during their shift. They probably pinned the request right before leaving.

The requests were based on reports from citizens and government agencies, carefully selected to match what students could handle. So, if they wanted to bend the rules, they could have started last night.

But I didn’t think Leo and Claire would have gone so far as to cheat the system.

Isn’t “fair and square” the motto of the Grace family?

I was certain they had waited until the date changed before they started.

And, honestly, it wasn’t like the quest was urgent enough to stay up all night waiting for it. This is still the beginning of the main story. Side quests this early wouldn’t affect the main plot too much.

So, I had set my alarm for 5 AM.

I went to bed early, set my alarm for 4:30 AM, woke up, prepared, and headed out. After all, I didn’t want to ruin my image by looking disheveled after just waking up.

But I failed to wake up.

By the time I managed to crawl out of bed, it was already 4:50 AM. I was grateful that I kept my hair short, or else it would’ve been even worse. I washed up as quickly as I could and sprinted out of the dormitory at full speed.

Then I realized.

The quest location was a good two hours away on foot.

In the game, traveling between locations gets skipped over, and time doesn’t pass unless an event is triggered. But in reality, things were different.

The quest was located outside the city, where wild beasts were causing trouble.

And of course, the capital city is enormous.

Leo and Claire had gotten up at the crack of dawn, hired a carriage, and completed the quest.

...Why?

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Chapter 44

Honestly, I was curious.

How do the protagonists manage to traverse the entire empire, seeing all the side quests and relationship events, without running out of time?

Of course, I never seriously questioned it by digging into the lore or anything like that. After all, there's no such thing as a "second playthrough" in real life. From that perspective, the protagonist's life is limited to a single playthrough, and during that single playthrough, it's impossible for them to complete every relationship quest.

As for side quests, some are hidden, and if you forget to talk to the NPC at the right time, you miss them altogether.

So, I had always just chalked it up to "game logic." Just like how in an FPS, characters don’t die from a single bullet, or how they can walk around while shrugging off gunfire because of a bulletproof vest, RPGs also use a simplified concept of time so players don’t get overwhelmed.

But what happens when you apply that logic to real life?

In an FPS, the protagonist would be some kind of superhuman, dodging bullets while shooting down enemies left and right. You can die as many times as you want in a game, but not in reality.

So what about the peculiar time logic of an RPG?

The answer is simple: you cram everything into the available time limit.

In the game, weekends like this don’t come around often. If they implemented an actual "weekend every week," the game would be too long. In the first semester, there are about three key weekends spaced out between major events, and in the second semester, two weekends appear before the main storyline picks up and the characters start adventuring outside the academy.

Each of those weekends has seven side quests: three in the morning, three in the afternoon, and one at night.

The morning is, of course, the "morning." That’s the time before lunch—roughly from 7 AM to noon. During that period, you're supposed to complete three quests.

I mean, wouldn’t it make more sense to have four in the afternoon and three in the morning? The morning hours are just too short!

And it’s not just the side quests. The "relationship events" between characters also overlap with the "morning, afternoon, and night" time frames. Side quests are separate, but relationship events take just as much time, requiring you to run errands, offer advice, train, study, or help with some task. Each event could take anywhere from several minutes to over an hour.

With all that in mind, it makes sense to get a head start on side quests as early as possible, assuming you want to complete all the relationship events too.

But still...

"Four in the morning...?"

Four in the morning!?

You were already out on the roads hunting beasts at that hour!? Are you crazy?

And there were only two of them—Leo and Claire.

Oh, right. The academy’s 24-hour carriage service, which is known for being reliable, was mentioned in the game’s lore. It runs between stations precisely on schedule without any detours or ambushes from bandits, so even the local residents use it sometimes—though they have to pay, unlike students.

I guess they run it around the clock for crazy people like Leo and Claire who want to get started before dawn. But I never expected there would actually be students taking it in the pitch-black hours before sunrise.

"Uh? Sylvia?"

Claire noticed me as soon as I arrived, right after they had defeated the target of the quest—an Elemental Dog.

Under the glow of the streetlights, I could clearly see the slightly dazed look on her face.

"...Can I ask what exactly you're doing here at this hour?"

I tried my best to sound calm, hiding the fact that I had run here after getting off the carriage.

"Uh, um..."

Did I look angry? Claire, looking a bit flustered, glanced over at Leo. Leo shrugged, just as confused as she was.

"Well," Claire started hesitantly, "Leo and I were doing our morning training—"

"…Morning training?"

"Ah, yeah."

Even though I had interrupted her, Claire didn’t seem upset. She calmly continued explaining.

"We practice every morning—mental conditioning and sword swings. It’s a routine we stick to."

"...Morning?"

I looked up at the sky.

It was starting to get brighter, sure. But it was still clearly nighttime. The sky had a slight bluish tint, but anyone could see that it was still more night than dawn.

"Yeah, and?"

Claire tilted her head, puzzled.

So, you’re telling me you woke up at 4 AM... or earlier, really, if you were already doing mental conditioning and sword swings by then. And it must have taken some time to get here, considering our only mode of transportation is the academy carriage.

I mean, you could have ridden a horse, but I doubted they had one. There was a stable at the academy, but few students had their own horses.

There were cars too, but even fewer people used them. Plus, using a car inside the capital was still limited due to conflicts with the carriage drivers.

Maybe they rode a bicycle? That could be possible, but I didn’t see any bikes parked around.

"Don’t you get tired waking up and moving around so early in the night?"

"Tired?"

Claire looked genuinely confused at my question. She glanced back at Leo.

Leo also wore a puzzled expression.

…A strange, cold feeling crept over me.

No, it wasn’t the chill of the early morning air. It was more like… an unsettling realization.

"Well... it’s about our energy," Claire said. "Keeping our bodies filled with clean energy is the first thing we learn in the Grace family. To use sword energy properly, we need to maintain a clear mind, and to do that, we can’t afford to be tired. That’s why we meditate and clear our minds of fatigue..."

Leo added, speaking as if he were holding back from switching to formal speech.

Energy? Clear mind?

What are we, in some kind of martial arts fantasy?

...

Oh. Right.

I knew this.

The setting of this world casually uses terms like "sword energy" and "presence." Claire had already demonstrated her ability to release sword energy during our duel. Sword energy in the Age of Enlightenment... what a bizarre concept.

But of course, there’s also magic and mana stones in this world! Obviously!

"......"

That being said, I didn’t realize their meditation had the actual effect of eliminating fatigue and sharpening their minds. I thought it was just self-hypnosis at best.

"So, you’re telling me," I asked, wanting to clarify one last time, "that even if you don’t get much sleep, you can meditate in the morning, get rid of your fatigue, and keep your mind sharp enough to wield sword energy properly?"

"Yeah…?" Leo answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

So, I’m the weird one here.

I’m the one who was mistaken.

It’s my fault for not expecting the main characters to actually complete all the side quests in the game world.

"Um, Sylvia?"

Wait, hold on.

A cold sweat started running down my back. It must have been my imagination, but it felt like my body temperature had dropped by a couple of degrees.

So, what about the other characters?

When Leo, the protagonist, does side quests, he can only take six party members with him, including himself. Two of them are usually support characters.

So what about the other characters? Do they also complete side quests on their own?

What if the protagonist splits tasks with the others?

"Sylvia? Are you okay? Are you feeling sick?"

Claire came closer, worried, when she saw me standing still, sweating.

"..."

I glanced at Claire for a moment, then…

Once again, I rewound time in my mind.

I should get a driver’s license.

As I sat in the swaying carriage, I made a firm decision.

I wasn’t sure if there was even a system for getting a driver’s license in this world, but whatever. I needed to learn how to drive. It seemed like the best option.

Horses need constant care from people. Sure, cars need maintenance too, but they’re still easier than dealing with a living animal.

And driving would be more convenient for me than riding a horse. Plus, I’d have access to it whenever I needed, unlike now.

"..."

Even though I couldn’t hear what the coachman was saying up front, I could sense his discomfort from his posture. He was clearly not happy with this situation.

I mean, why wouldn’t he be?

Important information about students gets passed around among the academy staff. They all know I’m a princess. Naturally, he must have found it extremely uncomfortable to see me riding alone at this hour.

Not that he’d assume I was off to assassinate someone or anything like that.

"..."

But if you’re a coachman and you see a high-ranking noble with a sour expression, arms crossed, staring ahead without a word, you’d probably feel like you did something wrong.

Of course, it wasn’t his fault.

I was just frustrated.

"We’ve arrived at the eastern road of the capital."

"...Thank you."

The coachman stopped the carriage, got down, and opened the door for me as he spoke. I stepped out and thanked him.

"The next carriage won’t arrive for another 30 minutes. Will you be alright?"

"I’ll be fine."

Sensing something was off, he bowed quickly, climbed back up to his seat, and hurriedly rode away.

"..."

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out my pocket watch.

The soft ticking of the watch sounded unusually loud in the stillness of the night.

"Three-thirty," I murmured quietly, looking up at the sky.

The moon shone brightly.

...Sigh.

After letting out a deep breath, I slowly started walking.

Well, fine.

Let’s just get this over with.

At least I had gone to bed early last night and managed to get five hours of sleep.

...

Maybe I should learn that meditation technique too.

Elemental Dogs aren’t particularly strong beasts. Despite being called "dogs," they’re larger than wolves, and their fur color and elemental effects change depending on their attributes.

Of course, those "effects" appear as real wind, fire, ice, or earth in this world, not just visual gimmicks like in the game.

I had encountered these creatures several times already.

They’re good practice for target shooting.

The quest request was simple: "An Elemental Dog has been spotted on the road, threatening travelers. Please deal with it."

The Elemental Dog in front of me had green fur and seemed to be surrounded by wind. If I took it to Earth, I could probably sell it for a high price.

But here, it was just another common beast.

"...Sigh."

Suddenly, I felt a wave of indifference wash over me.

Was I really up this early just to kill this one thing?

And I already knew what kind of monster it was going to be.

"…Grrr."

The Elemental Dog growled, keeping its distance as if it knew how dangerous a lone human could be.

"..."

Click.

Without a word, I pulled back the bolt, loading a bullet into the chamber, and aimed at the dog.

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Chapter 45

The reason the academy runs carriages 24/7 and why there’s always staff on duty to manage students' weapons is exactly this: students may need to return home with their weapons at any time, even in the middle of the night. And it's not just weapons. There are plenty of instances where students might need to pack up their belongings and leave abruptly.

If a student suddenly has to pack up and return home in the middle of the night, it might seem like they're running away. While that does happen on occasion, more often than not, it’s due to sudden, urgent matters related to their family.

For example, the head of the family, who had been bedridden, might pass away, forcing the student to return and take over the family. Or perhaps there’s an emergency marriage that needs to be arranged quickly. In more extreme cases, the family might be drawn into a border conflict and need to deploy immediately.

Noble society is full of unexpected variables, and since the academy isn't compulsory, if a student has to leave, it’s better for them to withdraw than stay. As a result, even though the academy accepts a full roster of students every year, about 10% of them end up leaving for various reasons before graduation.

...And I ended up using that emergency system just to catch one Elemental Dog.

“...”

Not that I’ll face any real consequences for this. It’s not like I’ll be penalized in any way for using the system like this.

It’s just... well...

In hindsight, I wonder if I should have just bought the reward instead of going through all this trouble.

For Leo and Claire, it might be a bit harder. The Grace family isn’t poor, but it’s not like they could afford to waste money on unnecessary purchases. In the game, it was established that they were given "just enough" living expenses, so upgrading weapons without doing quests would be impossible.

While you do earn money through the main quests alone, even if you don’t do any side quests, it’s not enough to fully equip all the characters with top-tier gear.

In a first playthrough, unless you focus on outfitting only your primary characters, money management can be quite tight. After all, there are more things to spend money on than just weapons, armor, and Marmaros stones.

But I’m a princess.

Couldn’t I just send a letter to the emperor and ask for whatever I need?

...That thought just now crossed my mind.

“...”

My backside felt a little cold.

I stood up. I had been sitting on the corpse of the Elemental Dog, dragging it back here with me. As expected of a wind-element creature, its body was annoyingly cold. If it had been an ice-element creature, I wouldn’t have even thought about sitting on it.

It was late April, but the early mornings were still chilly. Even with my coat draped over my shoulders, a biting cold seeped through.

...Should I just wear the coat properly instead of draping it?

“...”

I placed my hand on my chin and seriously considered it.

But I dismissed the idea.

Draping it over my shoulders looks cooler.

I’m not trying to be edgy or anything, but in this world, military personnel often wear their coats like this. Jennifer did it, and so did the other soldiers.

So by this world’s standards, it’s the latest trend.

It’s better to follow the trend and look fashionable than to look uncool.

Besides, the coat even had a strap at the front, like a cape, so it was clearly designed to be worn this way.

Even in Japanese subculture, you often see navy officers from something like One Piece wearing their coats over their shoulders, right? It’s a common look.

As I continued to gaze down at the corpse of the Elemental Dog, which now had a hole in its head, I heard the sound of hooves approaching in the distance.

“Sylvia?”

It was Claire’s surprised voice.

I turned to see her looking out the window of the carriage, which had pulled up nearby.

As soon as the carriage stopped, Claire jumped out even before the coachman could open the door.

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

That’s what I want to ask you.

Not that I could actually say that, given the current circumstances.

“I just happened to be out and decided to complete one of the requests on the bulletin board.”

“At this hour?”

I mean, really. Should you be the one asking that when you’re out here too?

Then again, from their perspective, they probably think I’m the one who woke up extra early. For them, waking up after only a few hours of sleep to meditate and train is the norm.

“Did you have something you needed to do?”

“...”

Not really.

I can’t exactly tell them that I just came out here because I didn’t want them finishing the quest before me. They wouldn’t understand even if I explained it, and it’s not like I can reveal that I rewound time either.

But while I was hesitating, Claire’s expression softened as if she had misunderstood my silence.

“Is it... something related to the royal family...?”

Hmm.

“I’m afraid I can’t say right now.”

It was a convenient excuse, so I went with that.

Technically, it wasn’t even a lie. I hadn’t said anything about receiving orders from the royal family. Besides, there was a valid reason why I couldn’t explain everything right now.

Claire simply nodded, accepting my vague answer.

“Could you help me load this corpse into the carriage?”

“Oh, yes.”

At my request, the coachman, who had been unsure whether we’d need the carriage or not, quickly moved to the back and opened the iron trunk. He pulled out a thick, shiny cloth—probably treated to be waterproof.

As expected of an academy carriage, it was well-equipped. It seemed that students often used these carriages to transport evidence after completing a request.

In the game, whenever you hunted beasts on the road, you’d automatically collect Marmaros fragments, but in this world, that convenient system doesn’t exist. Refining Marmaros from a monster’s corpse requires a specialized process.

Since I don’t know the details of that process, it’s safer to take the entire corpse back with us instead of just a part of it.

I’m sure Claire and Leo were planning to do the same.

After wrapping the corpse in several layers to prevent any blood from seeping out and staining the trunk, we loaded it into the carriage and climbed in ourselves.

“By the way, Sylvia, you’re amazing,” Claire said with a smile as we rode back.

“Killing the beast with a single shot to the head.”

“It wasn’t a particularly difficult monster, even for the two of you.”

Plus, I had plenty of time to line up my shot. If I missed, I could just rewind time and try again.

“Still, with a beast that size, it’s not easy to take it down cleanly with a single sword strike,” Claire said, glancing at Leo. Leo nodded in agreement, a faint hint of admiration in his eyes.

It was a little surprising to see that from him.

“Then again, I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising. After all, Sylvia has hit her target before, even in near-complete darkness.”

“...It was nothing.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed by Claire’s praise, I tried not to let my expression falter as I turned my gaze out the window.

“The condition of the corpse is excellent. I’m sure we’ll be able to refine high-quality Marmaros from it,” the academy official said, inspecting the Elemental Dog’s body, which only had a single bullet wound.

“However, refining Marmaros will take some time, so we’ll give you a Marmaros of the same element from our reserves. Is that acceptable?”

“That’s fine.”

I nodded.

So the rewards work the same as in the game, after all.

No matter the process, the outcome is basically the same. The Marmaros I’ll receive likely came from other Elemental Dogs or beasts that have been hunted and refined.

Marmaros refined from magic stones and those extracted from creatures like this one are fundamentally the same material. The difference lies in how they’re obtained. Mining pure magic stones yields a large amount of high-quality Marmaros, but mines themselves are dangerous places.

On the other hand, extracting Marmaros from beasts is relatively stable, though there aren’t many beasts capable of producing top-quality Marmaros.

The Marmaros I received this time was much smaller and less impressive than the one Jennifer gave me. Still, it wasn’t completely useless.

In the game, these kinds of Marmaros had slightly lower stats but were useful for filling in the gaps in equipment slots due to their smaller size.

The general theory is that Marmaros is widely distributed throughout nature. It’s said that deep beneath the earth, where ley lines converge, high-quality magic stones condense into Marmaros. Alternatively, it can be extracted from apex predators that have absorbed the magic of other creatures they’ve hunted, or so the lore suggests.

And if we’re talking about "apex predators," you might wonder if Marmaros can be extracted from humans as well.

The answer is yes. Humans can produce some of the finest Marmaros. While they don’t have magic flowing through their bodies like beasts, they channel magic to wield sword energy and cast spells, so it makes sense that Marmaros can be extracted from them.

Of course, it’s generally frowned upon to do so. But in stories that include such a setting, there’s always some group that ignores common decency.

“Thank you for your cooperation, Your Highness. You were the first to successfully complete a request, so you’ve set a great example for the other students.”

Honestly, I hope I don’t set an example.

If the rest of the academy’s students decide to follow my lead and start working as diligently as Leo and Claire, it’ll just make my life harder. Fewer quests mean fewer rewards for me.

And the rewards get better later on.

After completing the request, I stepped outside and suddenly handed the Marmaros to Claire.

“Take it.”

“Huh?”

Claire stared blankly at the Marmaros I was offering.

“Wait, why?”

“Because I don’t need it.”

It was true. After going through all this, I realized this Marmaros wasn’t worth the trouble I’d gone through to get it.

“Uh, oh, um… thanks?”

Claire, still looking bewildered, took the Marmaros from me. Leo, standing beside her, also wore a perplexed expression as he watched us.

Without another word, I turned around and began walking away.

...I need to get back and get some sleep.

“I’m not particularly tired,” I replied, but Alice wasn’t buying it. She narrowed her eyes at me. I’ve been seeing that look from her a lot lately.

“Is it something to do with your father?”

Why does everyone always jump to the same conclusion?

I mean, the emperor is kind of suspicious. He practically screams, "I’m plotting something shady," so no one would believe him anyway.

So I decided to pin all misunderstandings on the emperor.

He’s already under suspicion, so adding a bit more won’t hurt anyone.

And it’s not like I need to lie.

“...”

All I have to do is stay quiet.

“...”

Alice’s eyes narrowed further as she scrutinized me.

I’m sorry, Your Majesty.

But if you wanted to avoid suspicion, maybe you should’ve lived a kinder life.

Or blame the main characters who start their training at 3 AM.

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Chapter 46

Alright. Let’s make a plan.

No matter how good a person’s memory is, it’s impossible to remember every single detail about a game’s lore. Even for hardcore fans, there aren’t many people who can recite the entire script of their favorite game word-for-word without making a single mistake.

It’s the same reason not many people go through the trouble of translating the lore from their favorite games themselves. Some people don’t even bother reading lore books because they find learning a foreign language too cumbersome, let alone memorizing all the game dialogue.

I was no different. Even though I played through the game multiple times for walkthroughs and personal enjoyment, and had compared the original version to the translated one to the point of criticizing localization choices, I still didn’t memorize every line of dialogue.

But games aren’t meant to be memorized like study material.

Most games, whether 2D or 3D, offer a navigable world. Unless you have terrible spatial awareness or the developers did a horrible job with level design, after running around the map a few times, you’ll have a general idea of where things are and what events occur. It just sticks with you.

At the very least, I could recall the major events and areas from start to finish if I took my time thinking about it.

One advantage was that the game series didn’t maintain the same world or lore across all titles. Each game had its own setting, so I only needed to recall three games that shared this particular steampunk world.

The playtime was long, sure, but most of it was spent exploring maps, leveling up characters, and reading dialogue. There weren’t that many critical points to remember for a successful walkthrough.

From what I’d seen of the capital, the layout of the city was nearly identical to what was depicted in the game, at least for the parts that had been included in the game. The highways, though, looked different. It’s not surprising—creating a full-scale version of the highways in the real world would have been too much, even for a mid-tier studio like Millennium.

Not even AAA games aim for that level of detail. Some claim to recreate entire regions like Egypt or Greece, but when you actually explore the maps, cities are only a few hundred meters wide, and the whole map spans a few dozen kilometers at most. Realistically sized maps would just make the game boring to play.

Still, it’s impressive to recreate areas on such a scale at all.

That’s why the parts of the guide I wrote about "the highways" weren’t going to be much help here. I’d decided to focus on the side quest lists and ignore the highways for now.

After all, if any important areas do show up, they might have been faithfully recreated.

“Next up…”

I flipped through my notebook and placed my finger on a particular section.

“Dungeons.”

Right.

If quests are the heart of RPGs, dungeons are the foundation. The protagonist and their party fight monsters in dungeons, grow stronger, and earn rewards. Unless it’s a tactical RPG where the battles themselves are the main attraction, this is a core mechanic.

Even in open areas like forests or city streets, or inside space vessels, the layout still follows the dungeon formula—there are paths, obstacles, and monsters roaming around. So, whether it’s a wide open "field" or not, it’s essentially still a dungeon.

So, what about the dungeons in this world?

Technically, highways could be considered a form of dungeon, but they couldn’t maintain a 1:1 scale, making their limitations obvious. However, places like underground prisons or sewer systems? Those could very well be accurate to a 1:1 scale.

Especially in the later stages of the game, when reality and the supernatural begin to intertwine, complex dungeons with sprawling layouts start to appear. These massive dungeons are fun to navigate and explore.

And if those dungeons were recreated, it’s possible they’re close to a 1:1 scale in this world.

I can’t be 100% sure, of course. It would be just as strange to imagine vast sewers beneath the city teeming with monstrous creatures waiting to be exterminated.

“…I should check it out.”

The main dungeons usually appear after Chapter 2 in each game. I’m not referring to the second game in the series, but rather the second chapter within each title. Chapters 0 and 1 typically serve as a tutorial for players to get used to the game’s mechanics.

Still, there were several places that could qualify as dungeons even in the early stages.

The city’s sewers should do just fine for a test run.

Thanks to a couple of individuals who start their days unreasonably early, I was up before dawn today.

Of course, sleeping in when Alice was around wasn’t good for my character, so I downed an espresso (which I didn’t even like) and began my day.

As a result, my Sunday was going to be a very long one. But even with time spent hanging out with Alice, I figured I’d have enough time to explore one area.

…Or at least, I thought I would.

Every time I tried to gather my things, Alice would strike up a conversation.

It’s not like Alice and I were inseparable. Sure, we’d become friends much quicker than I had anticipated, but it wasn’t like we were glued to each other or anything. We were somewhere between sisters and friends—close, but not overly clingy.

The problem was that, unlike me, Alice’s memory reset whenever I rewound time. Her drive to improve also seemed to reset along with it.

You know how people say that swans float gracefully on the surface of the water while their legs frantically paddle beneath to maintain that elegance? Well, that’s the perception, anyway.

In reality, swans’ bodies are built to float with ease, and their long legs allow them to glide effortlessly. But the problem is how others perceive them.

To me, Alice was always top-tier in terms of her abilities, but to meet those external expectations, she was constantly studying and training—much like Leo and Claire, but in her own way.

And to Alice, the weekend was like a golden opportunity. Time is something you can’t buy, and using that time to study and train would help her continue improving.

…And, of course, the best study and training partner in her eyes was none other than me.

Whenever I was in my room getting ready to head out, there’d be a knock on the door, and Alice would walk in with a stack of books in her arms, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“Where are you going, all packed up like that?”

“Ah, well—”

“…Is it because of your father?”

“….”

Right. I’d already pinned my early exhaustion on the emperor earlier this morning when I saw her.

Even if Leo and Claire eventually found out, I figured I could just say, “It’s all part of the emperor’s grand scheme,” and they’d more or less understand. Claire certainly hadn’t questioned it when I used that excuse earlier.

To be honest, I had simply run out of things to say. But it seemed Alice had interpreted it differently.

“I’m coming with you.”

I found myself involuntarily slapping my forehead.

“…What?”

“Oh.”

Again.

I barely managed to stop myself from facepalming this time. Though I almost blurted out, “Why?” I also managed to hold back. It’s impressive that I was able to consciously avoid a major slip-up like that—maybe I have more talents than I realize.

“…I don’t care if you look at me like that.”

What kind of look was I giving her?

Of course, I couldn’t just ask her outright. Alice had gotten pretty good at reading my expressions lately.

Even though she couldn’t read my mind like an open book, she could still interpret my facial expressions and come to her own conclusions—whether I was frowning in pain or fear.

“It’s not a place for the princess.”

“And you’re not a princess?”

“…We’re different.”

At my response, Alice raised one eyebrow slightly, a clear sign she was annoyed.

“You’re the future empress of this country.”

“Do you really think there’s anywhere in this empire my father, as emperor, wouldn’t go?”

Well, now that she mentions it…

When I thought about it, the emperor probably wouldn’t care if he were standing in the imperial palace or the sewers, as long as it served his interests or helped him wield more power.

He was the kind of person who would do anything necessary to achieve his goals, without a shred of shame.

“And besides,” Alice continued, pointing at me. “I think you’re the hardest person to control in this entire empire. You never explain what you’re thinking, yet you still want me to become the empress. Honestly, I have no idea what your real intentions are, so it only makes sense to keep a close eye on you, don’t you think?”

“…”

She wasn’t wrong.

Not a single thing she said was incorrect. From the perspective of the people in this world, I was indeed a mysterious figure, and that was entirely intentional on my part. It was like the quills on a hedgehog’s back, sending a clear message: "Don’t mess with me."

The thing is, those warnings only work because no one knows what my true motives are.

I just wanted to see Alice rise to the throne and rule with confidence, free from all her insecurities. Because she’s Alice.

The fact that she’s the legitimate heir or the emperor’s only trueborn child doesn’t really matter to me. If she retained her current personality and character, I would support her as empress, even if the lore had been different.

Because, in the game, that’s how it goes.

At the end of the 16th game, Alice becomes the empress. Since Claire risked her life to save Alice, Alice wasn’t a character who could die just yet. Sure, there were heroines who came back to life in later installments after being "killed off," but… that’s a whole other matter.

There were a few clues I’d gathered since arriving here, but I’ll think about that later.

The current emperor, of course, plunges the world into chaos before being overthrown by the protagonist and his party.

…That said, with two more games planned after that, it’s highly likely the emperor’s death is either faked or that someone resurrects him later on.

“…Fine.”

In the end, I agreed to let Alice come along.

Sewers, after all, are… well, they’re even more repulsive in this world. I bet once we reach the entrance, Alice will take one look and freak out, wanting to go back. She hated them in the game, after all.

“…I don’t like the look on your face, but fine.”

I had a pretty good idea of what expression Alice had seen on my face.

It was probably "annoyance."

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Chapter 47

The sewers.

Not exactly the kind of place you’d willingly want to go into unless you had no other choice, or if your job required it. Sure, it was an important part of the infrastructure, and not just anyone could stroll in. But in most cases, people would avoid it if they could.

Of course, Azerna Chronicles wasn’t exactly a hyper-realistic game. While there were a few grotesque monsters, that was more about their design than anything actually disgusting. The game was an anime-style subculture title aimed at otaku, with a lengthy, saga-like story that could compete with any epic fantasy.

I doubt they’d bother to graphically represent cockroaches crawling along the floors and ceilings or floating filth. The developers didn’t go that far.

Given that the sewers spanned the entire capital, recreating the whole thing would be impossible. But since the city itself looked nearly identical to its in-game counterpart, I figured the sewers would be as well.

Initially, I had considered obtaining a map of the sewers, but I concluded that gathering that kind of information in a single day would be impossible. Besides, even if I got lost inside, I could just rewind time and get out easily enough. So, it wasn’t a big deal.

At least, that’s what I thought before the princess and the royal princess decided to follow me.

Leo and Claire had gone off to complete a different quest. Not that it would offer better rewards than what I’d already done this morning, but I figured instead of exhausting myself trying to stay ahead of them, I’d check something else out.

Still, the fact that the protagonist and the party members in the original game were diligent workers seemed to carry over into this reality too. Even when separated from the main party, the characters always had something to do.

From a game developer’s perspective, these characters were like their children. And in the game industry, it was important for the popularity of all characters to be balanced in order to sell merchandise and sequels. That’s why I wasn’t too worried when I encountered scenarios where a heroine could die—it wasn’t controversial, even among players.

Some of the possible death routes involved really popular characters, after all.

Considering the need to sell sequels and the limitations of creating routes for every major decision, it made sense that the most popular characters would be brought back to life in some way. Even Claire, who had a death route, was someone I suspected would be revived later on.

But back to the present.

The diligent nature of the protagonist's group in the game seemed to apply to this world too.

“Princess, Your Highness,” I said, standing in front of the sewer entrance, turning to face Alice and Charlotte behind me.

“Alice,” she corrected.

“Call me Charlotte,” said the royal princess, who seemed entirely nonchalant, as though it was perfectly normal for her to be standing here with us.

I didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t surprising for Alice to be here, given our growing bond. But Charlotte? The royal princess of Velbur, coming into the capital’s sewers?

“This place is much filthier and far more unpleasant than either of you probably imagine,” I warned.

Honestly, it would probably be far worse than even I anticipated. The game couldn’t capture the full sensory experience of reality—the sights, smells, and general filth of a real sewer. The game developers, notorious for their lackluster optimization, probably avoided adding rats and bugs not because they didn’t want to, but because doing so would have tanked the game’s performance.

Even the entrance to the sewer in real life was rusted in places, unlike the simple metal-textured door from the game.

Still, this part of the area matched the surroundings I remembered from the game pretty closely. The texture was never meant to be realistic anyway, given the budget constraints of the studio.

So, I had expected the inside to be more or less what I remembered.

“Well? I’m the princess of this empire. No matter how unpleasant a space, it’s still under the empire’s domain. As someone who will stand at the top, how could I hesitate?” Alice said confidently.

I had no rebuttal to that. After all, I was the one who had instilled such thoughts in her.

Still, I knew that one day she’d have a rude awakening. She was bound to face situations far worse than her current imagination could handle. In the original storyline, she had.

There’s a big difference between knowing something and experiencing it firsthand.

But then again, maybe Alice wouldn’t have to face those horrors this time since Claire hadn’t fallen yet.

I turned to Charlotte, who was standing proudly beside Alice.

“I didn’t have any pressing matters today. The royal family of Velbur isn’t so heartless as to ignore a friend in need,” she said.

I didn’t ask for help, though.

We had just bumped into Charlotte while walking, and she had decided to tag along after overhearing our conversation.

Still, I had something to say to her.

“The sewers are an important part of national infrastructure. Allowing a foreign princess in without clearance—”

“Oh?”

Charlotte cut me off with an amused sound, her eyes fixed on my hand.

In my hand was a lockpick.

Yes, that’s right. A lockpick. The kind that shows up in RPGs, often used for breaking into places or unlocking doors in stealthy missions, or in horror games as a makeshift master key.

It definitely didn’t look like I had any permission to enter this place.

That’s because I didn’t. This area was supposed to be accessible only after progressing a certain distance in the main quest.

And right now, we were still in the early stages of the story. This area wasn’t supposed to open for a while yet.

“Keys these days are quite unusual, aren’t they? Maybe it’s a security measure, making them disposable?” Charlotte commented, her expression completely neutral, though her words carried a subtle jab.

I didn’t bother responding and turned back to the lock.

The lock itself was brass, sturdy-looking, which made sense in a steampunk world where terms like "magic" and "aura" were casually thrown around. But its internal structure was far simpler than what we used on modern Earth.

If they wanted, they could have made it far more complicated. But this was just a sewer. There was no need for a fancy, expensive lock on such a place.

And that’s why the lockpick worked so well.

Realizing that my physical strength was laughable compared to the monstrous beings of this world, I decided to invest in “utility” skills. One of those was lockpicking.

There was an important scene in the game where a lock had to be picked, so I figured I’d be able to do it here too. It took some time and effort, but I’d managed to learn how.

“What’s with the look? I’m not changing my mind,” Alice said, mistaking my silence for hesitation as I glanced her way.

Actually, I had hoped she might convince Charlotte to go back, but… never mind. It’s not like Charlotte was here to sabotage anything.

If the stench inside was bad enough, I figured they’d both want to leave soon anyway.

Suppressing a sigh, I turned back to the lock.

Kneeling, I inserted the pick into the keyhole.

A few moments later, with a crisp ting, the lockpick snapped in half.

The door remained locked.

On top of that, the broken pick was now lodged inside the keyhole, making any further attempts impossible.

“Oh,” I muttered.

Behind me, there was dead silence.

…

I could imagine their expressions without even looking.

I thought to myself: Again!

Click.

With a satisfying sound, the lock finally opened.

“You’re full of surprises,” Charlotte said, genuinely impressed.

Both Charlotte and Alice were skilled swordswomen capable of using sword aura, but they didn’t seem to have a knack for this kind of finesse. Even Alice was looking at me with some admiration.

“It’s nothing,” I replied as I opened the door.

Once inside, I was grateful I had gone in first, so neither of them could see my face.

I probably looked utterly miserable.

I managed to return to a neutral expression quickly, but the foul stench had almost made me turn back on the spot.

“…”

It seemed the two who followed me were having a similar reaction.

“Ugh,” Alice’s voice was muffled, as if she was covering her mouth to stop herself from gagging.

Having composed myself, I turned around to face them.

“If either of you wishes to turn back, now would be the time,” I offered.

Alice, who had been covering her mouth and wincing, lowered her hand.

Surprisingly, beneath her hand, she was smiling.

“You look worse than we do.”

“Do I?”

Charlotte tilted her head, glancing between us, not entirely sure what Alice meant, but I knew she was right.

“If you want to go back, you can. Right now,” Alice teased.

“…”

With that, I turned back around.

Fine. If I had come alone, I might have given up and gone back. But with Alice throwing that challenge, I had no choice but to see this through.

Let’s see who gives up first.

“By the way, that weapon…” Charlotte began, eyeing the strange contraption I was holding.

It wasn’t my usual firearm. This time, I was carrying a crossbow, its brass and steel parts intricately intertwined. It looked almost as complex as the clockwork mechanisms of a pocket watch. Its size was about the same as my usual rifle.

It was easy to load with minimal effort, thanks to all the cranks and gears, but compared to a rifle, it had few advantages. The only thing it had going for it was that it was relatively quiet. In terms of reloading speed, rate of fire, and durability, it didn’t compare.

“It’s just in case,” I replied.

For now, the only real problem was the stench, but this was a sewer. If there was any gas buildup, using a firearm could cause an explosion.

Of course, if the gas concentration was that high, we’d likely notice physical symptoms first.

“I see.”

The smell was bad, but not unbearable. At least, not to the point where we’d start feeling lightheaded or nauseous.

…But I didn’t want to stay here any longer than necessary.

Raising the mana-powered lamp to light the way, I silently vowed to finish our task as quickly as possible.

Honestly, I’d initially planned to explore a bit more on my own, but there was no way I was doing that now.

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Chapter 48

Thinking back, the game series from Azerna Chronicles 14 onwards was never just about Leo alone.

Sure, Leo was a playable character who couldn’t leave the party or be removed at any point. He was deliberately designed to be a character that players could easily immerse themselves in. But that didn’t mean other characters couldn’t be utilized either.

You could set other characters in the party as the lead, changing which one appeared in the field. This allowed you to take advantage of field-specific mechanics, like attacking monsters first to steal the initiative or sneaking up from behind to stun them. These were quite important for gameplay.

For most strategies, players often selected a long-range character instead of the sword-wielding protagonist to begin battles by hitting monsters from a distance, like Mia Crowfield, who fired ice arrows as her basic attack.

And among the party members, not a single character ever said things like, "I won’t go in there, it’s filthy," or, "I don’t want to enter smelly places." Not even when they had to crawl through a ventilation shaft. This included princesses or guest characters like Jennifer.

"......"

"......"

"......"

So, my assumption that they would give up because of the overwhelming stench was extremely foolish.

About ten minutes after entering the sewers, I was already regretting it.

The two people following behind me, possessing superhuman physical abilities, were likely unfazed by the smell. But for someone like me, who barely qualified as “superhuman,” this was torture. Even that "barely" was just my guess—I couldn’t be sure how accurate it was.

I seriously considered rewinding time during those ten minutes, but... I decided against it in the end.

It felt like this:

Like starting a game on the hardest difficulty, only to hit a wall during a boss fight due to poor strategies, experiencing a few party wipes, and then seeing the message "Would you like to reset to a lower difficulty?" on the screen. The developers likely put that message there hoping players wouldn’t give up, but seeing it stung my pride. Even though no one was watching, and I wasn’t streaming the game, I still felt embarrassed at the thought of pressing that button.

Even though I’d eventually need to complete multiple playthroughs to write a proper guide, and I could still earn those difficulty-related medals later.

In the end, with the same feeling as selecting “No” and trying again, I didn’t rewind time this time either.

The fortunate thing was that the two people behind me didn’t seem to have the energy to speak to me. If they opened their mouths, that nasty stench would probably flood in. You can’t really smell through your mouth, but you know that gross, uncomfortable feeling that comes with it.

“This way,” I said, careful to avoid any long pauses. Though they didn’t respond, I could still hear their footsteps continuing behind me.

At this point, it would be tricky to leave on my own, even if I wanted to. The path we’d taken to get here was complicated enough. While it wasn’t exactly a maze, it was confusing for a first-timer.

Yes, “for a first-timer.”

But I wasn’t a first-timer.

There were parts of the map that differed from my memory. The low-resolution textures in the game hadn’t given off such a disgusting feeling. And while it was supposed to be dark, it wasn’t so dark that you couldn’t see anything, like in a horror game.

Actually, if anything, the brightness was more like having a fluorescent light turned on. Since it wasn’t a horror game, adding such a frustrating gimmick wouldn’t have gone over well.

In the game, the minimap would light up block by block as you entered each area, showing you the way forward, and it was clear enough that players rarely got lost. It was only when you forgot a gimmick and had to backtrack that it became annoying.

In contrast, the sewers we were walking through now were very different from the game, especially in terms of atmosphere.

It wasn’t so dark that you couldn’t see ahead. Judging by the occasional signs of maintenance, people clearly came through here. There were faintly glowing magic lamps scattered around.

However, the spaces between the lamps were pitch dark. The water that flowed through the sewers was... revolting. I could occasionally see what looked like cockroaches scurrying along the floor.

Still, the layout itself was exactly as I remembered it.

I didn’t know what was beyond some of the iron gates that blocked certain paths. But that didn’t matter, because in the game, those areas weren’t accessible either.

This was a dungeon I had cleared many times while writing guides.

Of course, that didn’t mean I remembered it all like a navigation system—it had been ten years, after all.

But I did remember the really important parts. I had written them down in my notebook right after coming to this world.

"Do you know where you’re going?" Alice asked in a slightly uneasy voice.

"Yes, of course," I answered confidently.

At least I knew where we were. If we went deeper, there would be real monsters. But they wouldn’t be a problem for now. It was still too early in the game for that. The monsters would only become an issue later.

And besides...

Even if they did show up, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

In the game, monsters were considered strong because of their "levels." But in reality, that didn’t apply. Azerna Chronicles wasn’t an open-world game where you freely roamed vast fields, adventuring. The monsters were tied to specific regions that opened up based on your progress. Their levels weren’t meant to block players from entering too early—they were there to match the strength of the protagonist by that point in the story.

And since this wasn’t a turn-based game where I had to stand still and take hits from swords and bullets, the crossbow bolts I fired would kill the creatures here.

“This is the place.”

We turned sharply and entered a small room.

Why there was a room like this in a sewer, I didn’t know. In the game, this sewer functioned as a dungeon for adventuring, so its presence made sense. But in real life, there was no reason for such a space to exist.

...Well, maybe it was some sort of storage area. The sewer was long and wide, so perhaps they’d built resting spots along the way.

The room wasn’t locked, and inside were a few scattered pieces of garbage and a single closed chest.

The chest looked almost identical to the ones that appeared in the game containing items.

In the middle of the dark, empty room, the chest stood eerily alone.

“...A chest?” Alice muttered behind me, but I didn’t answer. I approached the chest.

A thick layer of dust had settled on it. You could probably draw pictures in the dust with your finger.

I pulled a pair of black leather gloves from my pocket and slipped them on.

Then, slowly, I crouched and opened the chest.

It opened easily, without any resistance. There was no special lock on it.

That much was the same as in the game.

“...”

I confirmed that my memory had been correct, but seeing it in person left me feeling strange.

How long had this chest been here? Who had placed it, and why had it remained even as the rest of the room became so desolate?

I reached into the chest and pulled out the item inside.

“Huh?”

“What’s that...?”

It was a Marmaros.

The item in my hand was a Marmaros.

It wasn’t particularly expensive or rare compared to the ones that appeared later in the game.

But in reality, this Marmaros was an extraordinary item. In the later stages of the game, all sorts of chaotic events occurred in the Empire, offering many chances to acquire rare Marmaroses, and perhaps the same would happen in this world. But for now, this was an item you couldn’t easily purchase, even with money.

The perfectly spherical, blue Marmaros was so cold that I could feel the chill even through my gloves. If I had touched it with bare hands, it wouldn’t have injured me, but it would have been like holding a can of soda fresh from the refrigerator—cold enough to make my hands ache.

This Marmaros was far stronger than the fire-type one I had received from Jennifer. In the game, Mia Crowfield equipped it on her staff to enhance her ice-based attacks during the mid-game.

In the game, it slightly boosted ice magic damage, but in reality, it would be much more dangerous.

“Why is something like that here?” Charlotte asked, stepping closer. In the game’s lore, Marmaroses could be embedded into magical weapons. If I had secretly taken this one and forged a weapon with it, I could have carried it around without anyone knowing.

...If someone else had found this instead of me, it could have been dangerous. Is it more dangerous than a gun? Hard to say, but it’s definitely valuable.

Charlotte wasn’t just asking why this item was here. She was questioning how I knew it was here.

I glanced at both Charlotte and Alice. Their faces were lit by the light from the magic lamps, and both were full of suspicion.

Until now, I could have explained everything as “luck” or “skill.” But coming here, to this specific spot, was a different matter entirely.

I could only have known this was here from the start.

And this room was covered in dust, suggesting it had been abandoned for a long time. There was no way someone could have set this up for me recently.

So it wasn’t surprising that Charlotte asked.

“How did you know this was here?”

That was the essence of her question.

“I’ll explain later,” I said, placing the Marmaros in my coat pocket.

In doing so, I was essentially losing the main reason to keep wearing the coat, but... well, I couldn’t just carry it in my hand either.

As I turned toward the door,

Thud.

Someone blocked my way.

Without even looking, I knew it was Alice.

“Tell me,” she said, her eyes filled with determination as she stared at me.

“How did you know that item was here? I won’t move until you explain.”

“......”

Hmm.

How should I handle this?

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Chapter 49

The truth is, one of the reasons I came here was because I was afraid of dying.

Just because I can rewind time doesn’t mean I’m invincible. The first few times I rewound time, it wasn’t by choice, but at least I didn’t die. Or rather, that’s what I believed.

After that, each rewind was something I consciously initiated.

In fact, it’s probably more accurate to say that even those first few times were triggered by my intense will. Whether this ability truly belongs to me or is the power of some other force observing me from above, I don’t know. I didn’t meet a god or receive any explanation when I came to this world, and there’s no system or status window to guide me.

It’s not like saving and loading in a game either. Unlike saving at a specific point and reloading from that spot, my ability rewinds time to a necessary point, precisely when needed.

While the trigger seems to be a "strong desire," it doesn’t necessarily have to be during a life-threatening moment. Even if I’m embarrassed or just want to make a different choice, time can rewind quite easily.

But what if I’m in a situation where I can’t make that wish?

If I’m shot, or my body is torn apart in an explosion before I can react...

...or if an ice spear pierces straight through my head.

Mia Crowfield is a serious threat to me. She doesn’t yet have the means to kill me, but if she had this Marmaros, she might be able to. Her specialty is ice magic, after all.

I don’t want the protagonist’s party to be in danger, but I also can’t ignore my own survival. For now, I’ll keep this Marmaros with me. Once the likelihood of Mia trying to kill me is almost nonexistent, I’ll hand it over. At least until the end of the first semester, it’s unlikely she’ll come across a Marmaros of this quality, so I’ll buy myself some time.

The problem is that I have no way to explain this to them.

What they’re curious about isn’t why I took the Marmaros, but how I knew it was here in the first place.

“...I can’t tell you yet.”

In the end, I had no choice but to stubbornly stick to that answer.

“...”

Alice stood in front of me, staring with an intense gaze, but I tried to keep my expression unchanged as I spoke again.

“One day, when the time is right, I’ll tell you.”

Alice continued to look at me.

She’s become quite good at reading my expressions. Maybe she’s already realized that I’m flustered. How she’ll interpret that is beyond me, though.

“...”

“...”

We stared at each other in silence for a while.

“...Hmph.”

Thankfully, it was Alice who backed down first.

“...You know,” Alice said, her eyes still fixed on me, “I have a pretty good memory. I won’t forget that you said this. So when the time comes, you better really tell me.”

“I understand.”

I had planned to do that anyway.

Once we were close enough, once everything was over, and I no longer needed to use this ability. If by then I still had a positive relationship with the protagonist’s group, there’d be no reason not to tell them. By that time, my “role” would have lost all meaning.

But not now. It’s only been a week since the story really started. It’s too early to reveal all the secrets, and doing so might put the protagonist’s group in danger. If these justice-driven fools found out about the emperor’s schemes, they’d likely turn on him immediately.

And, above all, Charlotte wouldn’t stay still if she found out about the looming conflict between Belbur Kingdom and Azerna Empire.

“When the time comes, will I be able to hear it too?”

“...I think so.”

When I said that, Alice’s expression softened slightly.

“If Silvia says so, then it means she’s certain. You’ll probably be there with us to hear it, Charlotte.”

“Is that so?”

Alice’s words seemed to placate her for now, though Charlotte still didn’t fully trust me.

And that’s understandable. I had, after all, once directly threatened her father, the King of Belbur.

“Well, I guess there’s nothing we can do about that. If Silvia decides to stay quiet... Honestly, I don’t see a way to force her to talk.”

It was a good thing I’d built up that mysterious image of myself. While Alice might be able to read my expressions, to everyone else, I remained an enigma. If they gave up early on, that was enough for me.

“Is that it for now? Then let’s head out. Honestly, the smell in here has been awful from the moment we stepped in. I feel like my nose is completely numb now.”

“...Let’s change our clothes first. I doubt we’ll be able to wear these again.”

...She was probably right. The fur lining on my coat was likely going to stink. Could I wash it out?

“And while we’re at it, why don’t we all grab some parfaits after we change? You love parfaits, don’t you?”

Alice turned to me with a grin on her face.

...Even though I’d worked so hard to control my expressions, it seemed Alice had still seen through me.

“Did you really look like you were enjoying it back then?”

“His emotions show clearly on his face.”

After Alice made that remark and turned around to lead the way, Charlotte looked at her with a strange, almost puzzled expression.

At least, in this moment, I couldn’t help but agree with Charlotte.

How does Alice manage to see through me like that?

Even after waking up early, completing a guild quest, exploring the sewers, cleaning up, changing clothes, and grabbing a bite at the café (with parfaits!), it wasn’t even 3 p.m.

It felt like there was so much time left when the morning started early like this.

“More work to do?”

When I mentioned I had something else to take care of after finishing my parfait, Alice gave me a slightly exasperated look.

“Well, alright. I guess I am curious about what you’re up to, but... honestly, I don’t think I’d figure anything out even if I looked into it more.”

I was relieved to hear that.

And Alice was spot-on with her guess.

I was planning to head back to my room and flop onto the bed, doing nothing.

It had been a long Sunday—working nonstop for hours, even rewinding time—and I figured I deserved some rest by now.

Leo and Claire were probably out running various quests right now, and Mia Crowfield was likely holed up in her room.

“Charlotte, want to study together?”

“I suppose I could. Silvia, today was quite fun. I still don’t know much about you...”

“Yeah. When else would we get a chance to explore the capital’s sewers, right?”

Nodding at Alice’s comment, I wondered what her reaction would be when she eventually faced much worse horrors in far deeper sewers.

Hmm, on second thought, it was probably better not to mention it. If I told her now, instead of scrunching her face in disgust, she’d likely just ask me how I knew such things.

Sometimes, there are things you can know without rewinding time.

“See you later this evening.”

“Alright.”

I gave a slight bow as the two walked away.

“...”

And then, I let out a small sigh.

Phew.

Exploring the sewers alone would have been exhausting, but doing it with two others? It felt like double the effort.

...Okay, time to do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.

I’ll go back to my room, collapse on my bed, and relax. And when evening comes, I’ll rewind time and do it all over again. Then, maybe I’ll rewind one more time after that, just to make sure my mental exhaustion has been fully erased.

“Oh, Princess.”

And just like that, my expectations were brutally shattered by the appearance of some tanned, blonde punk.

Seriously, a blonde tanned punk.

And to make it worse, he was flanked by girls on either side.

“...What do you want?”

Do you even know who I am?

I barely managed to hold back the urge to say that, instead asking calmly.

At the very least, this was our first time meeting.

I wasn’t sure if he’d stopped to talk to me by chance or if he’d been waiting for me on purpose.

But... based on his posture, I was leaning toward the latter.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

The blonde tanned punk immediately bowed slightly. Despite his rough appearance, his bow was smooth and respectful enough to be impressive.

Well, that made sense—he was the eldest son of a well-known duke’s family in the Empire, after all.

By the way, his tanned skin? It was from actual tanning. He wasn’t naturally dark-skinned.

As for the black-haired girl standing beside him, her dark skin was natural.

Of the two girls flanking him, one had an expressionless face, likely because she was from a colony. You couldn’t tell from the illustrations, but in reality, she looked as if she could be of Indian descent. She wasn’t a full-blooded colonial, though—half of her lineage was imperial.

The girls with him greeted me as well. Just a moment ago, they had been giggling, but seeing my expression must have wiped away their smiles.

“I just happened to see you while passing by and wanted to greet you. I apologize if I disturbed you.”

“...”

What’s the point in beating around the bush?

He’s one of the protagonist’s party members.

People often associate tanned blondes like him with characters who steal heroines in doujinshi, but that’s just in adult comics or eroge. In reality, these kinds of characters are usually just hot-blooded fools.

Not that he’s a complete idiot, but... well, being unable to tolerate injustice kind of makes him a typical hot-blooded fool.

He’s popular with girls, good-looking, and outgoing, but he only ever focuses on one girl. The half-colonial girl standing next to him. If I remember correctly, she’s a distant relative of his, though far down the family line. She carried the blood of the duke’s family, but because she was half-colonial, she was technically his "maid."

She was allowed to enter the academy as a student rather than a servant, but her status as a commoner split their classes.

“Jake Lindbergh,” he said.

In the original, he wasn’t much of a schemer. He wasn’t completely devoid of noble instincts, but to put it bluntly, he was the type to act before thinking.

He was kind to women but harsh toward men, often filling the role of the "comedic relief." The type of character you’d see as the protagonist’s best friend in a harem novel.

The developers probably included this character to avoid him becoming a nuisance to the harem dynamic.

Still, this made him somewhat of a hopeless romantic, which secured his niche role in the story.

“Silvia Fangryphon,” I replied.

Jake Lindbergh straightened from his bow slightly.

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

“...”

Do you have anything more to say?

I cast him a glance, trying to convey that thought, but only Alice seemed to ever understand my expressions. There was little chance this fool would.

Sure enough, Jake just kept grinning like the social butterfly he was.

...But if he had a reason to talk to me...

I shifted my gaze slightly to the half-colonial girl standing beside him.

In the original story... while she had her share of interest in Jake, her role was mostly to support him. You could exclude one of them from the party if you wanted, and she had her own connection quests, but she wasn’t meant to end up with the protagonist.

She’s probably the one who prompted him to approach me.

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Chapter 50

Despite his personality, Jake Lindbergh is a character who often ended up unfairly portrayed.

He was written as a hopeless romantic with unrequited love, but because of his appearance, he was often used negatively in fan works. Although the game itself was quite popular, there weren’t that many of those types of fan works, fortunately.

Later sequels managed to shed some of that image, but then he became the character who lost the girl due to his "pure-hearted" nature in other fan depictions. Either way, he was a somewhat pitiful character.

"......"

"......"

The issue was, there wasn’t much for us to talk about.

At this point, he probably had more to talk about with Alice than with me. Alice was in line to become the emperor, and most nobles would have their eyes on her. Even if someone tried to get closer to me...

Oh, wait, maybe not. I was always seen with Alice, so from their perspective, befriending me wasn’t a bad idea. The issue of my intimidating image only came after that.

By the way, the girls who had been standing beside him slowly slipped away the moment Jake and I started exchanging words. They had already vanished by now.

"I’ve heard a lot about you, Princess. I apologize for not greeting you sooner, given that we’re in the same class."

But Jake wasn’t the type to avoid conversation with women. Just because there was a brief pause in the conversation, he didn’t flee from me.

Even now, he was flanked by two girls, wasn’t he?

...Come to think of it, Jake had the air of a "clueless harem protagonist." Of course, unlike the heroines around the protagonist, the girls near him were almost always side characters. Nobles with names, sure, but their roles were brief, usually just appearing in jealousy scenes.

Those background characters had already started slipping away as soon as Jake and I began talking.

Even if they envied or ostracized someone, they were still noble daughters. Regardless of their status or background, none of them would openly challenge me, especially with some rumors in noble circles suggesting I had killed someone.

Few nobles dared to approach me directly.

“I don’t mind,” I replied, glancing at the maid standing just behind Jake.

Though the nobility and commoners had different classes, their uniforms were practically the same. If not for the characteristic pleats in the skirts, it would be hard to tell the difference between the military-style design and a standard school uniform. It seemed the academy wanted to convey the message that all students were equal... but among nobles, everyone already knew each other’s faces, so it didn’t really matter. Even if they didn’t, gossip spread quickly enough.

“At least within the academy, we’re all just students. You don’t need to address me as a princess.”

“Oh, then...”

Jake hummed in thought before responding.

“Would it be alright if I called you Silvia?”

“...”

Well.

To be fair, calling me "Lady Fangryphon" felt a bit too formal too. It was a royal family name, after all, and using it so casually would’ve been odd. Still, his quick shift to using my first name was... bold, to say the least.

But then again, this was Jake. He was the type to call everyone by their first names from the start, so there wasn’t much point in correcting him now.

Instead, I turned my attention to the maid who had likely brought Jake over to talk to me.

Her skin was slightly darker. In the game, there were scenes where her skin tone was a point of discrimination. But it wasn’t as if her skin was completely dark either—she was a half-blood, after all.

“If people are going to discriminate based on skin color, should I be discriminated against too?”

That was a line Jake had said when standing up for her.

Most people knew Jake’s tan came from sun exposure, so some argued it was different.

“But if something as simple as a tan can change one’s skin color, how can you claim someone is incapable of something just because of it?”

No one could refute Jake when he said that. They probably had a lot to say, but what could they do when he was a duke’s son?

“Oh, this is...”

Jake must’ve noticed my gaze shifting toward his maid, as he extended a hand, gently pushing her forward.

“This is Lottie... that’s her name.”

The girl, who seemed rather small, was introduced by Jake.

Like the children from the orphanage, Lottie had no last name. In this world, if one doesn’t inherit a surname from their parents, they live without one unless they marry or create a new family name.

Lottie was an illegitimate child of the Lindbergh family. Even if a nobleman had a child with a commoner, they wouldn’t recognize the child. It was even worse in Lottie’s case since she was born to a maid from the colonies.

She had lived her entire life as a maid, while Jake had been a noble from the moment he was born.

Though they were a supporting couple, they were interesting characters.

“Silvia Fangryphon,” I introduced myself.

“I... I’m Lottie. I apologize for not greeting you sooner.”

Normally, a maid wouldn’t introduce herself like this. Even though she’d grown up with Jake, Lottie was surely aware of this fact.

Lottie’s face was... a perfectly expressionless one, one I could probably learn from.

“Did you have something you needed to do? Sorry if we interrupted. Lottie thought that talking to you might help get rid of the girls.”

“Young master.”

“......”

I stared at Jake’s face for a moment.

There was no hint of malice in his expression. Being a nobleman, especially from one of the highest-ranking families like a duke’s, he surely knew how to navigate conversations. Yet, his words seemed genuine rather than probing for information.

Still, it was surprising he’d be so candid.

“Don’t worry, Lottie. Silvia’s not like that.”

Jake responded to Lottie’s concerns with confidence.

Where did that certainty come from?

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

Jake nodded at my question.

“I don’t know what others might think of you, but personally, I don’t believe you’re a bad person.”

Whether Jake had good judgment when it came to people wasn’t really addressed in the original story. He was simply friendly with everyone. In the part of the game where the protagonist’s party goes into hiding, Jake nonchalantly lived in a harbor town, mingling with the common folk and spending his days fishing. He even pretended to be married to Lottie during that time.

In retrospect, maybe he did have good judgment. If he couldn’t trust the people around him, he wouldn’t have been able to live so casually.

Perhaps it was just luck, but shouldn’t he at least be a bit more cautious?

I raised my guard against Jake slightly.

“Well... yeah. She gives me the same vibe as Lottie.”

“......”

“Young master.”

Lottie’s expression didn’t waver, but seeing that I didn’t respond, she called out to Jake again. Jake, however, remained unfazed.

I glanced at Lottie, and she averted her eyes, looking down at the ground. Being the son of a duke, Jake’s words carried a lot of weight, and Lottie couldn’t take them back, nor did she have the authority to apologize on his behalf. While her face remained blank, I could sense her fear through her demeanor.

“Perhaps we’re not so different after all.”

When I finally responded, Lottie’s face lifted slightly, though she still couldn’t meet my eyes.

“Was that the only reason you approached me?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Just thought I’d say hello since we’re in the same class.”

“I see.”

“Yeah.”

“In that case, I’ll take my leave.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

Jake waved enthusiastically, and I didn’t bother returning the gesture as I turned around to leave.

The fatigue was starting to catch up to me. Even though I’d gone to bed early and rewound time to sleep longer, waking up at dawn had still taken its toll.

...I’ll take a proper nap when I get back. I’ll think about these two later.

With that thought in mind, I headed quickly to my room.

At least one thing in my day should go according to plan, right?

“......”

“......”

As they watched me walk away, it was Lottie who spoke first.

“Young master.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you know who you just spoke to?”

“Well, didn’t you suggest I talk to her?”

“Young master.”

Lottie had snapped at Jake earlier, frustrated by all the girls surrounding him, and Jake hadn’t forgotten. He’d followed through on her suggestion, using the opportunity to speak to me, especially since neither the princess nor the other royal was around.

And the strategy worked. The girls who had been hovering around him scattered.

“See? It worked. Maybe I should start hanging out with that group.”

“Young master.”

“What? Why not? There’s the princess of Belbur Kingdom, a leading candidate for the next emperor, and the Greys are closer to the imperial family than most dukes. Perfect connections to build, don’t you think?”

“......”

When Lottie fell silent, Jake let out a laugh.

“Alright, alright. I admit it. At first, I just wanted to tease you.”

“......”

Lottie remained quiet, but Jake shrugged and continued speaking.

“But after talking to Silvia, I realized something. She doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Jake tilted his head, lost in thought.

“To be honest, I don’t have a logical reason.”

“......”

“She’s similar to you. Silvia didn’t deny it either. What would a typical high-ranking noble have said if they’d been compared to you?”

It was true that Silvia Fangryphon’s reaction had been surprising. Even among commoners, most wouldn’t appreciate being compared to someone with darker skin, let alone the majority of white-skinned imperials.

Yet Silvia, despite being a princess, didn’t seem offended at all.

...Even if her expression remained blank.

“Princess Silvia is someone who rarely shows any emotion.”

“I know. I saw it up close.”

Jake replied immediately to Lottie’s comment.

“But I know someone who always keeps a neutral face. I’ve spent over a decade learning to read subtle expressions, thanks to someone.”

“......”

“Why? Are you going to argue that Silvia and you are completely different?”

Jake smiled as he spoke.

“How about a bet? Whether Silvia’s a good person or a bad one?”

“Is this really the time to be making bets? What if...”

“What if she’s as dangerous as the rumors say, and my life is in danger? Thanks for the concern.”

“......”

Lottie fell silent, but Jake didn’t stop speaking.

“Even if Silvia did kill that person, I can’t imagine someone with her demeanor doing it without reason.”

Lottie let out a sigh, as if realizing there was no point in arguing with Jake.

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Chapter 51

Following someone isn’t as easy as it seems.

People, surprisingly, have sharp instincts and tend to react to even the slightest disturbances around them. Especially at night, when there’s almost no movement, even the faintest sound can be much more easily heard.

Of course, there are plenty of spells to minimize such disturbances. These spells, however, require a considerable amount of expensive Maramorus crystals. But if the need to observe someone secretly arose, Mia Crowfield wouldn't hesitate at such costs.

Especially if the person in question was the one who killed her father.

The problem was, if Sylvia Pangryphon had truly assassinated the Count and fled without a second thought, even with these precautions, there was a high possibility of getting caught.

Mia Crowfield was a mage, not an assassin. She had received some training, but it was more as a noble, trained to expose the royal family’s weaknesses, not for assassinating someone or evading an assassin.

Moreover, Mia had the opportunity to observe Sylvia Pangryphon up close during that mock battle. Despite firing towards an area too bright to see clearly, Sylvia had taken down her targets, one by one, with perfect precision, leaving Mia stunned.

Not only that, but Sylvia hadn’t hit any allies by mistake either.

That sight… It was terrifying, almost as if there were some magical force aiding her.

Mia knew how ridiculous she looked—wearing the softest shoes she could find, dressed in the darkest colors she had, opting for pants instead of a skirt, and even covering her face with a mask. She was well aware that if she got caught, there would be no excuse she could give.

But… even if she were caught…

Well, she could try killing me, Mia thought, though she had no intention of dying alone. Even if she couldn't kill Sylvia, she would at least leave a severe wound behind.

With such resolve, Mia Crowfield began following Sylvia Pangryphon at dawn—no, more accurately, at a time when it was still deep into the night.

Mia, who knew little about Sylvia’s daily habits, needed to verify them thoroughly.

“...At this hour?”

It was fortunate that she had decided to begin observing from such an early time. Sylvia moved surprisingly early in the morning. No doubt, there must be something important for her to deal with at this ungodly hour.

However…

“Huh?”

If the task Sylvia had to do was so secretive that she had to move at dawn, shouldn’t she be more cautious of her surroundings?

Sylvia Pangryphon sat on a bench, seemingly waiting for a carriage, showing no signs of checking her surroundings.

No, to be more precise… she looked far more spaced out than she usually did.

Sylvia Pangryphon…

Was dozing off on the bench.

“Huh?”

And she appeared utterly defenseless. If someone were to attack her now, she would fall victim to the attack without even realizing it.

…No, wait.

Maybe that, too, was a ruse. Mia Crowfield shook her head, considering the possibility.

Yes, it’s not impossible that it’s all an act. She could be extremely cautious but pretending to be relaxed, hoping to throw off any tail following her.

…But wouldn’t it be better to confront and eliminate the follower if she knew someone was tailing her?

“Huh?”

Sylvia Pangryphon’s head drooped forward as she dozed, only to jerk up in surprise when she woke. She rubbed her eyes, and although Mia couldn't see from her distance, it wouldn't have been surprising if Sylvia’s eyes were bloodshot.

What… is this?

Seriously, what’s going on?

This was Sylvia Pangryphon, the unshakeable woman who wouldn’t even blink while eating a delicious meal. The Iron Lady.

Of course, Alice Pangryphon had once remarked that Sylvia’s expression hid deeper emotions underneath, but Mia had never believed such words.

“Haaaam.”

“Eh?”

…But watching Sylvia Pangryphon yawn widely without even covering her mouth, Mia’s confidence began to waver.

As Sylvia pulled her coat tighter against the early morning chill, yawning as if reluctant to even extend her hand outside, she suddenly looked around as if startled, clearly trying to maintain her usual impassive expression.

Could it be that she didn’t want anyone to see through her stoic facade?

“...”

An assassin? Seriously?

No, no.

Mia shook her head again.

It must be an act. A ploy to dispel the rumors that she’s an assassin. After all, she is still a princess.

Slap. Slap.

The sound made Mia glance over at Sylvia Pangryphon again, just in time to see her lightly slapping her own cheeks, perhaps in an attempt to wake herself up.

“...”

At this point, Mia couldn’t even muster a gasp of surprise.

It was a completely different sight from the Sylvia she was used to seeing.

Could it be that she didn’t sense my presence? Admittedly, the distance was quite far. A normal student wouldn’t even notice Mia tailing them.

In fact, Mia had calculated that Sylvia would sense her following. If Sylvia realized Mia was behind her, she would no doubt confront her. And by provoking Sylvia in that confrontation, Mia hoped to glean some kind of clue.

“…Ah.”

Could it be?

Is this all part of her plan?

The royal family had used her father's murder to some extent, though they had never directly admitted it. Officially, the incident was a tragic accident, and the empire had simply offered their condolences for the Count's death.

Because of that, they could never present evidence.

After all, they hadn’t "officially" killed anyone. The nobility trembled in fear, but when questioned, the royal family would simply deny everything.

The emperor had had a conversation with Mia’s mother. Mia hadn’t overheard it, nor had her mother shared the details with her, only confirming that the emperor was indeed responsible for her father’s death.

So…

“…”

Sniff.

Sylvia Pangryphon let out a loud sniffle, seemingly under the impression that no one else was around.

…

Could this person really have killed my father? Not just my father, but also blown up multiple carriages, resulting in the deaths of countless innocent people, as a cold-hearted murderer?

Maybe I’m wrong?

As Sylvia Pangryphon heard the distant sound of an approaching carriage and returned to her usual stoic expression, Mia Crowfield found herself seriously questioning everything.

As Sylvia Pangryphon heard the distant sound of an approaching carriage and returned to her usual stoic expression, Mia Crowfield found herself seriously questioning everything.

Monday morning.

As soon as Mia entered the classroom from the dormitory, she immediately headed toward the place where the two princesses and the queen's daughter were seated.

She approached Sylvia Pangryphon and bowed slightly as a greeting.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

Mia had spent all of Sunday pondering over what she had witnessed of Sylvia Pangryphon, but no clear answers had come to her.

"Did you sleep well, Mia?"

"Yes, thanks to you."

It was Alice, the "true princess," who responded to Mia's greeting first.

"Did you sleep well?" Mia asked politely.

"Thank you, Princess. I slept well."

For someone like Mia Crowfield, who had always been quiet since childhood, initiating conversations in the morning was no easy task. Especially when it involved greeting people in a group.

However, Mia needed to confirm something.

She needed to know if the Sylvia Pangryphon she saw early Sunday morning was the real Sylvia or not.

No matter how much hatred a person harbored, no one could stay up two nights in a row. Therefore, Mia’s way to confirm Sylvia’s state was to observe her facial expression as early as possible on Monday morning.

If there were even the slightest hint of fatigue on her face now, Mia would actually feel relieved.

“…”

However, Sylvia Pangryphon looked up at Mia with her usual blank expression, completely unchanged.

"Sylvia, no matter how tired you are, you should still acknowledge a greeting when it's given," Alice said, interrupting.

…Tired?

Hearing Alice’s words, Mia took another close look at Sylvia’s face.

Without a doubt, Sylvia’s face was as expressionless as ever.

“Good morning.”

Even her voice showed no sign of fatigue.

"It’s so fascinating watching the two of you," Charlotte said suddenly.

"What’s fascinating?" Alice asked.

"From my perspective, Sylvia's face is always expressionless. And yet, Alice, you manage to read her expressions effortlessly," Charlotte replied.

…Reading her? Mia, who had already seen another side of Sylvia's expressions just the previous dawn, was curious. Could Alice really be reading her correctly? Or was she just imagining it?

"Well, it's like this,” Alice said with a self-satisfied hum. “There were always people in the royal court who found Sylvia bothersome. Sylvia’s reactions weren’t always this blank, you know. Sometimes she was annoyed… well, most of the time she was annoyed. But the way she reacted to me was always different from how she reacted to our other siblings."

"…"

At Alice’s words, Sylvia Pangryphon turned her head. Her expression was still as unreadable as ever.

“Is that so?”

Even while looking at Sylvia, Charlotte still seemed confused.

"I’m telling you, that’s how it is."

"…"

Mia, too, glanced over at Sylvia Pangryphon.

Yet, as expected, there was no trace of the expression she had seen the previous dawn.

…Was I being too naïve?

Sure, I’d lived my life keeping a blank face, but my reactions to Alice, Lucas, and Jaiden had been different. I’d been curt with Lucas and Jaiden, but I’d been a bit warmer toward Alice.

Wasn’t that understandable? After all, Lucas and Jaiden were adults when I first met them, while Alice had been just a child— the same age as Claire.

Even though we weren't related by blood, I found myself trying to be kinder to Alice, who was struggling through a difficult childhood, pushed aside by our more talented siblings.

And then there was the fact that I knew she was part of the main cast of the original story.

That’s probably why Alice ended up being able to read my face so well, considering the range of expressions she’s seen from me.

“…”

I didn’t make eye contact, but I could still feel Mia Crowfield staring at me.

What’s with her?

We hadn’t crossed paths all weekend. Could it be that another one of the emperor's children caused trouble?

“Hmmm.”

It was Charlotte, once again lost in thought, who muttered, “I still don’t get it.”

Tell me about it.

Honestly, if someone took a photo of my face, even I wouldn’t be able to recognize my expressions.

So how in the world does Alice manage to understand them so well?

Maybe… Alice has some sort of hidden ability?

As I glanced at Alice’s smiling face, I thought to myself that it might not be a bad idea to investigate.

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Chapter 52

I’m not completely clueless.

I mean, I’ve definitely had those moments where I brought up some game I was playing to someone who wasn’t even remotely interested, only to realize later they were just being polite by listening. And sure, there was a time in high school when I mistakenly thought I’d become friends with someone because of that. Thankfully, it didn’t go any further than being known as a bit of a nerd, as there weren’t many girls around back then. After that, I made it a point to become a little more mindful of others.

I don’t have the kind of looks that make people instantly like me, nor am I great with words. On the internet, I could type anything without much thought, but that’s different because you don’t see the other person’s face. You can't tell if they're uncomfortable or not.

Over time, through working at my company and navigating social situations, I learned how to handle things without too much trouble. At least now, I can recognize the face of someone who hears something they don’t want to.

Or the look on someone's face when they don't know how to deal with me.

Like Mia Crowfield’s expression right now as she sat in front of me.

People often find it uncomfortable to meet the gaze of someone who shows no expression. Especially when that person holds a position of power.

Of course, there are exceptions: people who confidently claim they can read such an expression, those who boldly announce themselves as the stoic person's younger sibling, or those who are generally so outgoing that one more expressionless person in their life doesn’t faze them. And then there are people surrounded by all kinds of women who probably don’t even notice the addition of one more.

Now that I think about it, I do seem to be surrounded by some odd people. But then again, these were all characters from the original story, part of the protagonist's party. I guess it’s only natural for them to be unique.

The main character, though, still seems to have a hard time dealing with me, but that’ll sort itself out in time.

The issue right now is Mia Crowfield.

Up until last week, every time our eyes met, Mia Crowfield would glare at me as if she wanted to kill me. She made no effort to hide her hatred, and I often had to stifle a laugh at how blatant it was.

She had the body of a typical game heroine, with noticeable curves, but she was a bit short, and her eyes were often hidden behind her bangs, giving her a timid appearance. In fact, if she wasn’t glaring at me, she mostly kept to herself, looking small and meek.

That’s why I couldn’t help but notice the change in Mia Crowfield.

Even when she was in front of Charlotte or Alice, the emperor’s daughter, Mia used to act like a frightened rabbit. Yet recently, she’d been avoiding my gaze more and more, rather than glaring at me.

Had something changed in her heart?

If so, what was the reason?

“…”

“…”

Hmm.

Wait a second.

Why can’t I just ask her directly?

Right. I’m someone who can turn back time. All I have to do is ask her outright.

Besides, I’ve already said worse things before.

I glanced around. Alice and Charlotte were both here in the student council room, along with some other council members, including the student president.

We had been accepted into the student council, though we didn’t have any specific roles yet. The council seemed to consider us “talent worth keeping around.” Even in the original story, the student president was a noble who prioritized ability, though he did give some weight to one’s background.

And of course, Grace and her sister had confidently followed Alice into the room.

I had offered them both milk tea, but unsurprisingly, they didn’t seem as welcoming toward me as they did toward Alice, Charlotte, and Mia Crowfield. It felt like they only accepted because it was offered out of courtesy.

Leo looked like he was sitting on pins and needles, while Claire remained perfectly calm.

Hmm.

I can ask Mia. Even if everyone around me is surprised by the question, I can just turn back time and it won’t matter.

But Mia doesn’t know I can turn back time. So, there’s a chance she might hide the truth in her answer.

Would I get a proper response if I asked her right now?

“…”

I looked at Mia Crowfield closely, watching her glance around nervously. Her face wasn’t turning red, so she didn’t seem embarrassed.

What’s with her?

She’s acting suspicious, which is making me feel uneasy.

“…”

Hmm.

I don’t care anymore.

“Mia Crowfield,” I called out softly.

Mia jumped in her seat as if she’d been hit by a jolt of electricity.

The sound of chairs and desks being dragged along the floor echoed as she startled, and I could feel everyone’s eyes suddenly turn toward us.

…This was a familiar sensation. Of course, it wasn’t as intense as the last time, and Mia Crowfield’s reaction wasn’t as severe. We hadn’t exchanged any particularly serious words yet.

“Yes, y-y-yes, yes!?”

Her response was nothing short of panic.

Was it really that surprising?

Granted, I don’t usually call people by name first. I didn’t like dragging out conversations and revealing too much about myself. Sure, I could adjust conversations by rewinding time, but doing so always left me mentally drained. While my body might not get tired, my mind still experienced the extended time as real, making long conversations exhausting.

As someone who had always been a bit of a loner, having to maintain a conversation with someone longer than I wanted felt like torture.

“I have something I’d like to discuss with you. Could we talk for a moment?”

“No, n-n-n-n-no! I don’t want to!”

Mia Crowfield flat-out rejected my request.

But I was only trying to talk to her privately, away from everyone else.

The people around us looked on with their mouths hanging open.

…Was this really such a shocking thing? Even shy people sometimes need to talk privately, don’t they?

…Wait, hold on. Could this be…?

I thought I had built up an image of a cool beauty, but have I actually been seen as just an awkward outcast who can’t talk to people? Like someone with social anxiety?

Could I be seen as similar to Mia Crowfield?

“...You don’t want to?”

“That’s right! Who knows what you’ll do to me!?”

I wasn’t planning to do anything.

In fact, with the way she said that, it made me sound like some predatory lesbian character. Of course, Mia probably meant it as “you’ll kill me,” but it was easy for others to misunderstand her words.

In fact, aside from Alice, who looked concerned, everyone else was staring at me with their mouths still agape.

…Or maybe I was just imagining it? Maybe I’ve read too many comics and seen too many anime, so now I’m jumping to conclusions?

I wanted to shake my head and brush off the thoughts, but even in a situation where I could rewind time, I still needed to maintain my character.

“I won’t do anything.”

“Why should I trust you?”

Fair point.

From Mia Crowfield’s perspective, she had no reason to trust me. After all, I was the one responsible for her father’s death.

But the question was, why had her attitude toward me changed over the past week?

“If that’s the case, I’ll ask my question here. Would that be alright?”

“...Ah.”

When I said that, Mia Crowfield looked a bit dumbfounded. Perhaps she was wondering what I could possibly ask her. Maybe she didn’t expect me to bring up anything about her father, but if she still saw me as an assassin, she might be concerned about the kind of information I’d reveal.

“G-go ahead, then.”

She tried to sound confident, though it seemed like she was bluffing.

“...”

I narrowed my eyes slightly, gazing at Mia Crowfield before slowly speaking.

“Alright then, if you’ll allow me.”

After a brief pause, I asked, “Mia Crowfield, the way you look at me now is different from how you looked at me last week. May I ask why that is?”

An imaginary *ping* echoed above Mia Crowfield’s head, as if a question mark had popped up.

Well, not literally—there’s no convenient system like that in this world. It’s just how I imagined it.

“Th-th-that… even if there was a change! What does it matter to you!? Why should I explain every little thing to you!?”

Mia stammered for a moment before blurting that out, then quickly turned and fled from the student council room.

“...”

Hmm.

In the silence that followed, I briefly considered my next steps.

Judging by her reaction, I wouldn’t have gotten a proper answer even if I had spoken to her privately.

…Maybe I’ll have to wait for now.

“Sylvia?”

Claire, still looking surprised, spoke to me, and I realized it was time to reset the situation.

Once more.

* * *

I might not be able to tell the difference between good and bad tea leaves, but anyone can tell when they’re drinking something really high quality. 

In fact, the milk tea we drank in the student council room tasted excellent. It was smooth, fragrant, and even though I wanted to dump in more sugar, just two sugar cubes made it sweet enough to enjoy.

After all, I have to maintain my cool beauty image—can’t let myself get chubby.

The rich aroma of the high-quality tea filled the student council room. It seemed like the scent had seeped into the walls, as you could catch a

 faint whiff of it just by walking in.

As I enjoyed my milk tea, I quietly observed Mia Crowfield.

Just like before I rewound time, she was doing everything she could to avoid my gaze.

…So far, I’ve only killed the Count and his men. While the emperor sometimes asked me for information or updates on world affairs, I hadn’t yet gained the reputation of someone who kills on a whim.

Could she have heard some rumor elsewhere?

Maybe she found out that I’m more dangerous than I appear and got scared?

It wouldn’t be surprising. Her reaction earlier made it clear that she was afraid of being alone with me.

“...”

I took a silent sip of my tea. The tea, now at a comfortable temperature, spread pleasantly in my mouth.

…Maybe I should tail her?

With the weekend coming up, it might be worth following Mia Crowfield’s movements and seeing what she’s up to.

If she’s receiving information from someone, I could figure out who. In the original story, there wasn’t anyone like that, but since this world has changed so much because of me, her background might have changed too.

Alright.

Looks like I’ve got my weekend plans set.

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Chapter 53

"I will keep an eye on Mia Crowfield."

At first, I thought about keeping it to myself, but our diligent princess, Alice, had a habit of showing up on weekends to study with me. Although she wasn't the type to study nonstop, she believed it was only natural to review the week’s lessons during the weekend, even if it wasn’t exam season.

No doubt, when exam time actually comes, she’ll probably study even harder.

It’s beneficial for me, too. Well, I do have the advantage of rewinding time during class if there’s something I don’t understand, allowing me to hear the lesson multiple times.

In any case, if I hadn’t mentioned this beforehand, Alice would have definitely been looking for me all over the place.

“…Did Crowfield do something wrong?” Alice asked, with a slight hint of concern.

“No, nothing like that,” I replied, shaking my head lightly.

“It’s just that Mia Crowfield could be a potential threat.”

In the original game, she was one of the strongest magic dealers. With the right staff and the proper combination of Maramorus crystals, she could deal damage on the level of final skills with regular spells. Especially in the first installment, where the balance wasn’t perfect, there were some overpowered Maramorus crystals that made it possible to spam magic almost endlessly on her turn.

Of course, this world has its differences from the game, but some of the system mechanics still exist. If even a portion of the magic from the game remains in this world, that “portion” could be enough to end my life.

“Are you thinking of getting rid of her?” Alice’s expression showed clear disapproval as she asked.

That was to be expected. From Alice’s perspective, Mia Crowfield was just a classmate, someone she knew from school.

Honestly, I didn’t have any personal grudge against Mia Crowfield either. Her father was trash, but Mia herself wasn’t a bad person. In fact, she had a strong sense of justice and leaned toward being a good character.

“No, I’m not,” I reassured her.

What I’m trying to do is mitigate the risk and prepare a defense. I’m not trying to eliminate Mia Crowfield as a potential threat.

And honestly… what would I do with her body if I killed her inside the academy?

“Really?” Alice asked again, just to be sure.

“Yes, really,” I replied firmly.

Alice scrutinized my expression for a moment, then let out a long sigh and nodded.

“…Okay, I’ll trust you since you're saying it with that expression.”

…What expression? I wasn’t even sure what kind of face I was making. I thought I was just keeping my usual neutral expression.

For a moment, I wondered if Alice had some kind of superpower to read people’s emotions, but I quickly dismissed the thought. I’d thoroughly studied the original game’s lore, including the characters' abilities.

There were no spoilers about any special powers revealed in the sequel, and Alice definitely didn’t have any hidden abilities like that.

If she did, she would have noticed the emperor’s plans by now.

“Well, I guess it’s true that Crowfield’s attitude has changed… If you feel threatened by her, we shouldn’t ignore it,” Alice murmured to herself, then looked at me again.

“Do you want me to help?”

“No, I’ll manage,” I replied immediately.

“…You answered that a bit too quickly,” Alice remarked, sounding a bit hurt.

“The fewer people involved in tailing someone, the better. It lowers the chances of being noticed,” I explained, having anticipated her offer and prepared a response.

“But still… what if I befriended Crowfield and tried to gather information from her?”

“Your Highness, you are the emperor’s daughter, the princess,” I said. If the daughter of the person who killed her father approached her, Mia would naturally be extremely wary. While she didn’t seem to harbor any ill will toward Alice, that doesn’t mean she would trust her so easily.

Maybe if you took your time and built a relationship over six months…

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” I confirmed again.

Alice looked a bit disappointed, but I had to be firm.

Besides, I’d feel much more at ease handling things on my own. It allowed me to be more relaxed.

Thanks to my explanation, I managed to keep Alice at bay.

I’d already done my fair share of surveillance. When I assassinated the Count, I’d exhausted myself trying every possible route, rewinding time over and over again to cover all my bases.

Even within the academy, the same method works. I have a high-quality pair of binoculars and a sniper scope, both of which are incredibly useful. Even without mounting the scope on a gun, it serves its purpose just fine.

The dorm rooms all have large windows, giving a good view of the surroundings. The academy wasn’t the only tall building in the area, as it was located in the heart of the city. Despite the meticulously maintained environment around the academy, it was still surrounded by buildings.

However, there was a large lawn between the dormitory and the other buildings, giving a pleasant, open view from the windows. It wasn’t quite as vast as Central Park in New York, but the greenery in the middle of the city had a calming effect.

It was the weekend, and students were lounging on the grass. Couples sat cozily on picnic blankets, sharing sandwiches, and others were stretched out, taking naps. Well, it was spring, after all.

But that wasn’t where my focus was.

The large windows were designed to allow light and fresh air to help students stay comfortable. Without curtains, the rooms were clearly visible from outside. Especially on a bright, sunny day like today.

I was looking at one of the houses outside the academy.

Normally, it would be impossible to observe the dormitory from that far away… but I had a sniper scope.

I could see clearly up to 400 meters away. While people still looked as small as the joints of my fingers, it was enough to “hit a target,” which was all I needed.

I knew exactly which room belonged to Mia Crowfield. There was no need to dig through records; the dormitory layout had been part of the game.

Not every room was detailed, but the key characters’ rooms were.

The protagonist's party’s rooms were, of course, included.

In the game, you could enter most houses freely. Even if you entered someone’s home, the NPCs wouldn’t accuse you of trespassing. Instead, they would tell you about their lives or share random thoughts.

That was probably more of a game mechanic than a reflection of actual behavior, designed to flesh out the world.

…Thanks to that, I knew that Mia Crowfield kept her most important items hidden beneath the floorboards under her bed.

Of course, barging in and opening the door wasn’t an option here, so I had to watch from a distance.

“…”

As expected, the curtains were drawn.

They weren’t thick blackout curtains, but thin, white ones. If the lights were on inside, her silhouette might be visible from the outside, but right now, it was daytime. The sunlight outside was much brighter, so I couldn’t see anything.

…Mia Crowfield was probably in there.

In the original story, Mia loved staying inside her room. She even had a line about how “the world outside the blanket is dangerous…” so it made sense.

She didn’t like the bright sunlight either.

Gloomy, timid.

That was how Mia Crowfield’s character was designed.

…Although, being in such close proximity to the person who killed her father might have dulled that vibe a bit.

“Hm.”

I let out a small sound as I pondered.

With this many characters changing because of my presence, wouldn’t that drastically alter the storyline?

If the story deviates that much, would the future I know still be useful?

“…”

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come to a conclusion.

…I guess I’ll deal with that when the time comes.

For now, my priority was to observe Mia Crowfield.

And if worst comes to worst, I can always rewind time.

I should have expected this.

People who love staying indoors might never leave their rooms all day.

I’d been on top of the house for half the day.

The sun was starting to set, and the curtains of Mia Crowfield’s room hadn’t budged.

There hadn’t even been a flicker of light from inside.

Could she be sleeping?

I seriously considered it, but with no movement at all, there wasn’t much to go on.

“…”

Fine.

I lowered the scope and made a decision.

Since things had come to this, I might as well go visit Mia Crowfield’s room.

Now that I think about it, maybe she didn’t answer my question properly yesterday because of all the people present. It could have made her feel cornered.

If Mia Crowfield is trying to avoid being alone with me, then I’ll just make sure we’re alone.

…But if I go now, wouldn’t that mean I’ve wasted my time here today?

“…”

Alright, I’ve already made enough missteps. Time to have a direct conversation with Mia Crowfield.

After I talk to her, I’ll decide whether or not I need to rewind time.

With that thought in mind, I stretched out my body, sore from crouching for so long.

At least I had the foresight to lay down a military poncho before lying down. It made things a bit more comfortable.

I sighed as I rolled up the poncho.

Fortunately, on my way to the dormitory, I didn’t run into anyone I knew. If I had, those overly friendly people wouldn’t have left me alone.

I wouldn’t have minded going out for a parfait or something, but I had something I needed to do today.

I headed to Mia Crowfield’s room, which was on a different floor than mine and Alice’s.

Standing in front of her large door, I took a deep breath and looked around.

Luckily, the hallway was empty. It was Saturday, after all. A lot of students had probably gone home for the weekend. Or, if they were upper nobles, they were probably getting extra education at home.

But Crowfield’s estate was far away. It wasn’t the kind of distance you could travel to and from every weekend.

Even in the game, Mia Crowfield was always in her room.

Alright.

I raised my hand and knocked softly on the door.

“Miss Crowfield.”

I called out.

“…”

There was no answer.

I knocked again, a bit more firmly this time.

Knock, knock.

…Still no response from behind the door.

I glanced around once more before pressing my ear against the door to listen.

No sound came from inside.

…Is she really not in?

“…”

I hesitated for a moment, then checked my surroundings once more.

…No one was around.

Alright, then.

I had plenty of opportunities, and time was on my side.

I pulled a lockpick out of my pocket.

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Chapter 54

And I failed more times than when I had picked the lock at the entrance of the sewer.

Of course, that makes sense. The lock on the sewer was expensive and difficult to open, but it was still a lock that was exposed to the elements. It needed to be simple yet sturdy enough to withstand constant exposure to the weather. The person who installed that lock probably never imagined anyone would try to break in. At best, they chose a reasonably strong but inexpensive lock to prevent unauthorized entry.

However, Mia Crowfield was the daughter of a count. Moreover, the dormitory itself had excellent security. The guards at the entrance were thorough, checking and recording anyone who entered, and they stopped anyone who didn’t have proper authorization.

The rooms for noble and commoner students were basically the same, but that didn’t mean the facilities were of low quality. This academy was known for being “the best.”

Fortunately, though, the locks didn’t use Maramorus crystals or have any magic spells placed on them. At least, the doors weren’t completely impossible to open with a lockpick.

…Though I broke the pick over thirty times trying.

Still, if I hadn’t practiced lockpicking extensively in the past, I would’ve broken it over a hundred times and still failed to open the door. My efforts weren’t in vain, even if it took longer than I hoped.

Of course, with my ability to rewind time, thirty or a hundred attempts didn’t really make much of a difference.

…

Anyway.

I pushed aside the hollow feeling in my chest and finally opened the door to Mia Crowfield’s room.

For a brief moment, I worried about what I’d do if she was asleep inside, but luckily, she wasn’t.

“…”

The room was clean, just as I’d expected. In the original game, most noble students kept their rooms tidy. They had been trained from a young age to ensure their surroundings were always presentable, even if the only visitors were maids or servants.

Of course, there were exceptions, but that’s beside the point.

In any case, keeping the room this neat without personal maids or servants in the academy was commendable.

The layout of the room was the same as mine.

The furniture—bed, desk, wardrobe—was all provided by the academy, so there was no reason for the design to be different. Nobles didn’t complain about the quality since everything was already top of the line.

However, the personal touches were evident in the items on the desk and the bedspread. They reflected Mia’s own tastes.

It felt a little strange, but also familiar. I’d seen this room countless times in the game. Although the atmosphere in real life was different from the game’s mediocre graphics, the scene still triggered memories of the original.

Most of the books on the desk were related to magic. There were no books on swordsmanship or marksmanship.

A training staff hung on the wall.

There weren’t many decorations or anything particularly noteworthy in the room’s overall atmosphere—

Click.

“Huh?”

I turned my head at the sudden sound from the door.

For a moment, I thought someone had entered behind me. Maybe Mia Crowfield herself, or someone else who had seen me sneak in.

But when I looked, no one was there.

It wasn’t the sound of a ghost or some supernatural entity either.

…Then again, if you consider it, magic is a supernatural phenomenon. And with this steampunk world that diverges from real history, such distinctions hardly matter.

After all, ghosts do exist in this world.

“…”

I approached the source of the sound and inspected it.

There was a strange device locked on the inside of the door.

It had a faint red glow from a Maramorus crystal, probably powered by the heat it emitted. There were likely a few other magical mechanisms in play as well.

It reminded me of the old apartment door locks from my world. The sturdy metal device securely bolted the door, preventing it from opening.

It seemed like an automatic lock that engaged whenever someone entered without permission.

There hadn’t been anything like this in the original game.

After trying several methods to unlock it, I gave up.

There wasn’t even a keyhole or anything to work with. It was clear that this lock couldn’t be opened without knowing the exact method or having the person who set it unlock it themselves.

Mia Crowfield probably had to use her own magic to open it.

“Hmm.”

I wasn’t in a rush, though. Even if Mia Crowfield caught me, I could always extract some information through conversation and then rewind time.

“…”

Since I was already here, I might as well take a closer look around the room.

In the game, Mia Crowfield hid important items beneath the floorboards under her bed. I knew exactly what was supposed to be there, but with this unusual lock in place, who knew what else might have changed?

I lifted the bed sheet and crawled under the bed, which was high enough for a person to fit underneath.

There was no dust. It was almost suspiciously clean. If someone had been crawling under here, there would be at least some signs of disturbance. It was clear Mia had been cleaning regularly to avoid leaving any such traces. Someone might think she had an obsessive need for cleanliness, but for Mia Crowfield, this level of care was probably normal.

The floorboards under the bed were unmarked, but when I wedged a coin between them, I managed to lift one of the planks.

There wasn’t enough space to hide anything large, but there was room for a few Maramorus crystals.

“…”

Sure enough, there were several Maramorus crystals, neatly arranged by element.

They weren’t as powerful as the ones I had found in the sewer, but if combined with a magic staff, they were enough to kill someone.

It was rather unsettling to see.

In the game, Mia Crowfield had smuggled them in for her magical research. But in this world, where she had entered the academy with the goal of avenging her father, it wasn’t surprising that she had gathered them with revenge in mind.

And that wasn’t even the real problem.

Beside the Maramorus crystals, there was a small handgun.

It wasn’t as large or combat-ready as the revolver I used. It was a Derringer—a small, break-action pistol with two barrels that could hold a single large-caliber bullet in each. It was more of a self-defense weapon than anything else.

But even a self-defense weapon was deadly if fired accurately.

“…”

I took the gun out and held it in my hand. Despite its small size, it had a decent weight to it. Well, it was a lump of metal, after all.

When I broke open the barrel, I saw that both chambers were loaded with bullets.

No spares.

Did she think two shots would be enough to kill me? Or did she believe there wouldn’t be time to reload anyway?

Or maybe she planned to use one bullet on me and save the other for someone else.

Click.

I snapped the barrel shut.

This gun didn’t fit the image of the Mia Crowfield I knew from the game.

But maybe that was just my own bias. In the game, characters couldn’t equip weapons outside their designated categories, but this wasn’t a game—it was reality.

With the right sleeves or pockets, it wouldn’t be difficult to hide a small gun like this. And this wasn’t an era with metal detectors.

I crawled out from under the bed, still holding the gun.

Dusting off my clothes, I sat on the bed and waited quietly for Mia Crowfield to return.

I’m scared to go in.

Mia stood in front of her room, hesitating.

Last weekend, she had followed Sylvia Pangryphon and questioned how an assassin could be so careless.

But the more she thought about it, the more something seemed off.

It didn’t make sense for Sylvia Pangryphon, who maintained such a cold and calculating demeanor in front of others, to act like an ordinary girl when no one was around.

What would she gain from that?

If she were truly trying to convince others of her innocence, wouldn’t she be better off acting friendly and warm to those around her? If she had truly killed someone and wanted to claim she was innocent, she wouldn’t behave like an assassin.

Instead, she would act kind and approachable, using her charm to escape suspicion and move on with ease.

So Mia didn’t understand.

Maybe Sylvia had known Mia was tailing her all along and was trying to confuse her with that performance.

That made more sense to Mia.

As a result, Mia had been unable to make eye contact with Sylvia all week. Her behavior had been so strange leading up to the weekend, and surely Sylvia had noticed.

So this morning, Sylvia had acted.

The academy was surrounded by a residential area. Since the industrial revolution, the buildings had become densely packed, with narrow stairs that barely allowed two people to pass each other.

Sylvia had gone up to the roof of one such building, a place Mia couldn’t follow without being seen.

The rooftop was probably narrow as well.

Even if Mia had waited a while before going up, she wouldn’t have been able to avoid confronting Sylvia once they were alone.

And Sylvia had stayed on that rooftop until sunset.

Like a spider waiting in its web for prey to get caught.

Mia hadn’t been able to follow her up.

After waiting for a long time, Sylvia had come down from the building with her usual indifferent expression, as if nothing had happened.

And now, she had calmly walked into Mia’s room, as if there were no one following her.

Mia’s door had been set to automatically lock if anyone entered without permission.

But if Mia opened the door now, she would be trapped inside with Sylvia.

Would Sylvia really try to kill her inside the student dormitory?

No, Sylvia Pangryphon was the type who could probably persuade someone without needing to resort to violence.

“…”

Mia stood in front of her door, her thoughts racing. She took a deep breath.

Fine.

If Sylvia Pangryphon wanted to confront her one-on-one, so be it.

Even if she had to die, she would do so with honor, bearing the name of Crowfield.

After a few deep breaths, Mia pulled out her Maramorus crystal.

Click.

She unlocked the door and slowly opened it—

Only to find Sylvia Pangryphon sitting on her bed, casually playing with the hidden gun Mia had stashed away.

Mia nearly fainted on the spot.

“…”

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Chapter 55

Mia Crowfield’s face was pale as she stepped into the room.

She must have noticed that the door was locked in an unusual way, and she could likely guess that someone was inside.

And if that someone happened to be the person she suspected had killed her father, it would have been an even greater shock.

Especially if that person was sitting on her bed, casually playing with a gun.

...Had I gone too far?

For a moment, I thought I might have overdone it, but I quickly brushed the thought aside. If things really got out of hand, I could always rewind time and adjust the situation.

“What... do you want?” Mia asked, her eyes shifting between my face and the gun in my hand.

“Do you know what this gun is?” I asked.

“...”

Mia hesitated, clearly unsure of how to answer. She could try to claim ignorance—it wasn’t as though the gun was hidden behind any special lock. Unless someone already knew where to look, like I did, they wouldn’t have found it.

But the problem was, I was the one asking.

It wasn’t that I simply knew there was something hidden beneath her bed. The people around me assumed I had near-omniscient abilities. The Emperor and his children treated me as if I had some kind of foresight, and I’d already shown in class that I possessed incredible abilities.

They wouldn’t be surprised that I found something hidden under Mia’s bed.

Finding it and showing it to her, however, was another matter entirely.

“Firearms are prohibited on school grounds. Did you not know that?”

How she had smuggled it in wasn’t important. The fact that she had been caught was.

“May I ask why you brought this gun here?” I looked up at her from my seat on the bed.

“...Th-that’s...” Mia stammered, her face still pale, her body trembling. It was a little pitiful.

After all, it wasn’t really her fault. The one who had done wrong was her father. Perhaps her mother too.

Mia herself didn’t know anything. She’d simply grown up being told things by her parents.

And this gun—well, she hadn’t used it yet.

But, by the Empire’s laws, the situation was different.

She would be expelled from the academy for sure, and depending on the reason she’d hidden the gun, she could be executed.

Given the circumstances and the fact that there was already incriminating evidence, the Emperor could easily twist the situation to his advantage.

The danger Mia was in now was far worse than when Count Crowfield had been killed. If the Emperor wanted, he could justify eradicating the entire Crowfield family.

After all, I was still a princess.

“Are... are you planning to kill me?” Mia finally managed to ask, her voice shaking.

“Why don’t you close the door, and we can talk?” I replied calmly.

After I said that, Mia hurriedly closed the door.

Silence.

Now, it was just the two of us in the room. Alice knew I was here because I’d informed her beforehand, but no one else knew about the connection between Mia and me.

“Would you care to explain why you think I would want to kill you?” I asked.

“...Because I’m a Crowfield,” Mia answered, her voice barely a whisper.

“And you know I can’t just kill a noble’s daughter without consequences, don’t you?”

“A-After you killed my father...”

Mia swallowed hard and continued.

“After you killed him...”

“...”

I looked at Mia carefully.

Was she saying that because she had actual evidence? Or was it just blind belief?

Last time, I’d baited her into revealing her suspicions. Now, it was important to confirm how she had come to know about the situation.

“May I ask why you’re so certain?” I asked.

“...”

Mia closed her eyes tightly before opening them again.

“Because... on the day my father died, you weren’t at the palace.”

“...”

I waited, but she didn’t elaborate.

“Is that the only reason?”

“Not just you. Every time a noble died mysteriously, one of the Emperor’s children was missing from the palace.”

“...”

I see.

The Emperor hadn’t bothered to hide that fact. If anything, he’d probably made sure it was obvious—to send a message to any nobles who dared defy him.

That was why Mia was so sure.

And, of course, she was right. I had killed her father.

“So, are you planning to take revenge? By killing me?” I asked.

“...”

But she didn’t answer that question.

Was it because she was afraid of me? Did she think that if she answered wrongly, I might kill her on the spot? Was she worried that her revenge would be stopped before it even started?

“...I’m not sure,” she finally muttered, her voice lacking confidence.

“...”

Not sure?

After preparing a gun and magical crystals, she still wasn’t sure if she wanted to kill me?

I fell silent, thinking.

In the original story, Mia had tried to kill Claire but had given up. However, that had only happened after she’d found conclusive evidence linking her father to the terrible things he’d done. That part of the story hadn’t even occurred yet.

Mia’s suspicion of Claire had never wavered in the original. Could my presence here have caused her doubts?

Strictly speaking, I was an easier target for her, wasn’t I? At least psychologically, if not in practice.

I was always cold and emotionless—a killing machine. I was the kind of person who didn’t feel any guilt about taking a life.

Since I had never shown any human emotions, wouldn’t it be easier for her to kill me?

“I have a question,” Mia said.

“Why did you act so human when no one else was around?”

“...Human?” I tilted my head in confusion.

Human? Was she saying I had smiled when no one was watching?

Mia’s expression was weary, as though she had already given up. She looked like someone who had been through too much at once and just wanted to fall asleep without thinking anymore.

It was the kind of look a soldier had after returning from a war, exhausted and drained.

“...I followed you,” she said.

...What?

“I followed you, trying to see how you acted when no one else was around.”

...Huh?

“And... when you were sure no one was watching, you acted just like any normal person. You sniffled, yawned, and even dozed off while sitting.”

“...”

What in the world...?

When did I ever...?

...

...Oh.

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.

Back in the palace, I had always been on high alert. I had to be, with Lucas constantly trying to attack me. Rewinding time to dodge his blade was one thing, but the real danger was when he didn’t try to kill me outright.

If Lucas was lurking around, I could never know where he might strike from unless he made himself known.

That’s why I had to maintain my persona so strictly. If I didn’t, Lucas might report back to the Emperor about my behavior. Despite his casual attitude toward the Emperor, Lucas’s loyalty to him was undeniable.

He might have wanted to kill me, but he was serious about his duties.

But at the academy... I’d relaxed a bit.

Even in the palace, I’d let my guard down slightly in my room, but never to the extent I had here. The only one who might burst into my room at the academy was Alice, and she had already started to understand me. Even if she saw me let my guard down, it wouldn’t shock her.

As long as I maintained a certain level of composure, like when eating parfaits, Alice wouldn’t be fazed.

But... had I relaxed too much?

Had Mia Crowfield really been tailing me?

“When did you start?” I asked.

“Answer my question first,” Mia said, her expression still confused, but with a hint of determination in her eyes. She wanted answers from me, no matter what.

“Was everything you did an act? Were you trying to throw me off?”

“...”

“Did you really kill my father? Did you come into my room today to silence me? I don’t know anymore. I can’t understand the logic behind your actions, or if there’s any consistency to what you’re doing.”

“...”

Hmm.

She had probably been following me for at least a week. The only time I could have been caught dozing off was that morning when I had gotten up early to wait for the carriage.

The yawning, the sniffling... it must have all happened then.

But there was no guarantee she hadn’t been tailing me before that. If I rewound time to stop myself from doing those things, I could at least erase that impression from her mind. But the problem was, I couldn’t be sure she hadn’t caught me earlier—or wouldn’t catch me later.

If I rewound time, I might have to go all the way back to the start of the semester.

Just thinking about it made me feel dizzy.

It was only the second weekend, but so much had happened in these two weeks. I could rewind time, but I couldn’t fast-forward through it.

I had worked so hard to reach this point, and now I’d have to redo everything because of this?

Well, sure.

Maybe I could handle things more quickly this time. The time itself would pass at the same speed, but I wouldn’t have to rewind as many times.

But even then, could I maintain the same relationships I’d built with everyone so far?

Even if it would be their first time meeting me again, to me, it would be like meeting them for the umpteenth time. Could I really pretend to be meeting them for the first time? Could I recreate the image I’d carefully built up?

And the truth was, I didn’t want to lose the feelings I’d experienced. The excitement of meeting characters I had loved in the game. If I rewound everything, that excitement would be dulled.

No matter how much I criticized the game, my affection for the characters had always been genuine.

Even for the Mia Crowfield standing in front of me now.

“Please answer me.”

Mia’s voice was almost pleading at this point.

“Why did you go out of your way to help me with the assignment? Why are you standing here, showing no hostility toward me?”

The more I listened to her, the more I realized how much I’d overlooked.

“...”

I raised a hand, stopping Mia mid-sentence.

After organizing my thoughts, I spoke slowly.

“I know the truth.”

Yes, rather than rewind everything and start over, it might be better to get through this situation first and then figure out my next steps.

“But I can’t reveal everything to you right now.”

I looked Mia Crowfield directly in the eyes as I spoke.

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Chapter 56

No, no, no, no.

What about the cool beauty persona?

I had no intention of spilling the whole truth right now. But since I had already mentioned that I knew something, I had to at least create the atmosphere that I had some understanding of the truth. That way, Mia Crowfield could accept it and move on.

What happened to “I don’t know what expression to make at times like these”?

In that brief moment, I frantically racked my brain.

Should I just rewind time? Go back two weeks and start over?

But then, would I be able to maintain my persona for another two weeks?

Is there another option? I searched for a way to navigate this situation without breaking my ‘cool beauty’ image.

And then...

"Also, the things you saw... were practice."

I blurted out nonsense.

I had intended to steer the conversation away, but instead, I just said something ridiculous.

...Practice? Seriously? Who practices yawning or sniffling? Even Mia Crowfield, with her naive side, wouldn’t believe such a story—

"Practice...?"

...Or would she?

Mia had been thorough enough to follow me around. She wouldn’t have just followed me without carefully preparing and planning. The fact that she had hidden all these things under her bed made that much clear.

But still, this was Mia Crowfield.

She had grown up without friends, raised with her mother's hatred toward the Emperor. In some ways, she was similar to Claire from the original story, though their outcomes were different.

She could plan things out and was skilled enough in magic to oppose the Emperor, but she struggled with personal relationships.

"Yes, practice," I said, deciding to push forward with this bizarre narrative. If worse came to worst, I could always rewind time and try again.

At the moment, the advantage was mine. Mia Crowfield didn’t have her staff in hand, at least.

"I..." I furrowed my brow slightly. Even that small gesture must have caused a noticeable change in my expression since I usually didn’t move my face at all. The only people who had ever seen me make a face like this were probably Jayden or Lucas—or both.

"I don’t know how to express emotions well."

I lied through my teeth.

The idea that I couldn’t express emotions was absurd. I’d spent time rolling around on my bed, making goofy faces while eating sweets. I was an incredibly emotional person.

Sure, I had erased those moments by rewinding time, but I was trying my best to maintain a stoic, emotionless persona. And yet, here I was, caught acting otherwise.

"But the way you... yawned and nodded off—"

"Practice," I repeated, resolutely maintaining the lie.

I wasn’t sure if she would actually buy it, but I was counting on the image of Mia Crowfield I had from the game.

"If I suddenly started showing emotions, it would catch people off guard."

People had, in fact, been caught off guard. Alice could read my expressions somewhat, but I hadn’t openly smiled in front of anyone. When I had made a slight face while eating parfaits, people had been visibly shocked.

"Dozing off... was practice?" Mia mumbled, her face a picture of confusion.

Damn it, I forgot about that.

Practicing how to nod off and yawn? It was bizarre. Maybe I could have gotten away with practicing a smile or a tearful expression, but this?

But the problem was, I had already committed to this lie. My only other option was to rewind time, and I didn’t want to resort to that yet. So I stuck to my story.

"Practice isn’t just about facial expressions," I continued, pushing forward. "It’s not enough to just change your face. People recognize emotions through more than just facial expressions."

"..." Mia stayed quiet, listening intently.

"For example, if I were to try smiling," I said, barely moving my eyes and only raising the corners of my lips. Mia flinched, recoiling slightly at the sight of my awkward smile.

"How does it look? Does it seem natural?"

"No, not at all," Mia responded, clearly unsettled, taking two steps back until her back hit the door.

Good. That was the reaction I wanted. It wasn’t just an awkward smile—it was the kind of smile where your lips smile but your eyes don’t. The kind of expression that would make someone feel uneasy. That was what I was aiming for.

...Maybe I should use this expression on others if I ever need to unsettle them.

"Facial expressions involve many parts of the face. It’s not just about the shape of the mouth, but also the eyes. And it’s not just about smiling—there are different kinds of smiles. A grin is different from a laugh, and when laughing, sound plays a role. Would you like me to demonstrate a laugh I’ve been practicing?"

"N-no, that’s okay," Mia quickly declined, looking horrified.

...

Well, that was intentional, but her reaction still stung a bit.

Mia Crowfield was quite the beauty, as expected of a heroine from a game. Her somewhat awkward personality, combined with her tragic backstory, gave her a lot of charm. She was a popular character because of that gap between her personality and her appearance.

"Facial expressions are complex, so I’ve been working on simpler actions," I explained. "Things like nodding off or yawning are easier to mimic without changing my expression."

"..."

Mia still seemed unsure, but the furrowed brow she had been sporting moments ago was gone.

"I’ve been practicing how to look like an ordinary person, acting in ways that most people would expect. That’s probably what you saw."

It wasn’t exactly a revolutionary concept, but it reminded me of a storyline from a different manga. A robot, designed to mimic human behavior, practiced actions based on what it had observed from people. The protagonist had been devastated when they realized the robot’s behavior wasn’t genuine. It was a hard sci-fi anime, and I hadn’t finished it because it was too depressing.

"..." Mia continued to stare at me for a long time without saying a word.

Would she believe me?

It wouldn’t be surprising if she didn’t. From Mia’s perspective, I was the last person she should trust. Who would believe the person who killed their father?

But on the other hand... she didn’t have much choice.

Mia had clearly been confused by the sight of me behaving like an ordinary person. If she was inclined to see me as an unfeeling killer, this explanation might actually make sense to her. In a twisted way, it was easier to accept the idea that my human-like behavior was a calculated act.

"..."

After a long silence, Mia remained frozen in place, seemingly processing everything.

I extended my right hand toward her.

Mia flinched as if startled, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw what I was offering her.

In my hand was the gun, the handle facing her.

If she wanted, she could take it and shoot me.

Of course, I didn’t expect her to do that.

Mia Crowfield had failed to kill Claire in the original story because, deep down, she wasn’t the kind of person who could take someone’s life. She was timid and had grown up without friends. What she really wanted, deep down, was for someone to befriend her.

Even Claire, who had a biting personality and had grown up hardened by her environment, had softened after getting to know Mia. Claire had been harsh, but she wasn’t a bad person.

Mia had never been able to follow through with killing Claire because, by the time she discovered Claire was involved in her father’s death, they had grown too close.

So I handed the gun to Mia, thinking about that situation.

Mia Crowfield may have circumstantial evidence, but she didn’t have any concrete proof. She wasn’t even sure if I was the one who had killed her father.

She wouldn’t shoot me.

And if she did... well, as long as it wasn’t a fatal shot, I could rewind time.

Mia’s trembling hands accepted the gun.

She stared at me, her expression blank.

"If you’re sure you need to kill me, go ahead and shoot," I said calmly.

"..." Mia opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.

"Someday, you’ll learn the full truth about what happened. And when that day comes, if you still think I deserve to die, then fine. Shoot me. I won’t dodge the bullet."

"Can’t you just... tell me now?" Mia asked, her voice weak.

"Not right now. You’re not ready to hear it."

"..."

Mia bit her lip, clearly frustrated.

"If the day comes when you’re ready to hear the truth and you still don’t understand, I’ll tell you everything myself. I’ll tell you what really happened."

"..."

Mia lowered her head, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

I carefully walked past her.

Thankfully, I didn’t get shot in the back on my way to the door. Phew.

"Oh, and," I said, turning slightly to look at her.

"Please keep what I said about ‘practice’ between us. It’s not quite a finished performance yet."

"...I will," Mia replied weakly.

Satisfied with her response, I turned back and opened the door.

My heart was pounding in my chest.

Honestly, I wanted to scream out in triumph—

—But I couldn’t afford to get caught.

I forced myself to maintain a normal pace as I walked back to my room.

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Chapter 57

"So, how is Sylvia doing?"

At the Emperor's question, Lucas's face showed an expression of peculiar bewilderment.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the Emperor's question. Rather, it was the memories that question brought up about his non-blood-related sister that felt so odd. Frankly, it left him wondering if he might have misunderstood something.

"Ho."

Noticing Lucas's expression, the Emperor leaned in slightly, observing him with a look of intense curiosity.

"Did something interesting happen?"

"Rather than calling it interesting…"

Lucas furrowed his brow slightly as he gathered his thoughts and then began his report, slowly.

"I think I saw a more… human side of Sylvia."

"What are you talking about? My daughter has always been human, has she not?" The Emperor smiled as he replied to Lucas's muttering.

Always expressionless, her face looked as if not a drop of blood would spill even if pricked. Of course, one would have to wonder if they could even manage to prick her. Sylvia sometimes didn’t even seem human.

And that impression hadn’t changed even when he’d seen her training at the academy.

The mock battlefield, clearly designed to crush the spirits of the noble class, was, in reality, an unbalanced field heavily skewed to one side.

No matter how much they positioned the trenches facing each other, it was rare for the ground between them to be a literal open wasteland.

Even with machine guns and tanks, it would be impossible to fully prevent the enemy from advancing. After all, machine guns can only fire in one direction at a time, and no matter how many enemies are swarming in from all directions, one cannot eliminate them all with scattered gunfire alone.

So, they build barricades between the trenches, launch an onslaught of artillery and mortars overhead, and create craters of all sizes in no-man’s land. It creates pockets of cover that both advancing allies and advancing enemies can use.

The attackers are fewer in number than the defenders. Even though one side has mostly long-range weapons, the bright daylight makes them too visible, and there is almost no cover along the way.

It was an outrageously unfair battlefield.

…But Sylvia led her side to victory. She obscured the vision of both sides—even her own—yet took down one enemy after another, tearing through the defensive line with precision and covering her close-combat allies flawlessly, ensuring everyone’s survival.

It wasn’t entirely clear why she did it. To zigzag in the face of armed opponents is just to give them more chances to hit you. In such situations, the key is to run straight at full speed, to reach the enemy a second faster.

Could it have been just to prove her ability?

“No matter what, it’s rare to see Sylvia nodding off, don’t you think?”

“Ho.”

The Emperor raised one side of his mouth in a smirk.

“Do you think she was genuinely asleep?”

"…."

Lucas gave it some serious thought.

"…Perhaps not."

It wasn’t certain. That behavior had seemed too convincing to be an act.

However, thinking it over, Lucas couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Sylvia could easily pull off such a performance.

"Were there any unusual circumstances then, any reason for Sylvia to act that way?"

"…."

After a brief pause, Lucas answered shortly.

"There was a tail."

"A tail?"

"It was Count Crowfield’s daughter."

"Ho."

The Emperor’s face lit up with genuine amusement, his interest clearly evident as he continued speaking.

"Did Sylvia have any dealings with the Count's daughter?"

"Once, during training..."

"I remember. She mentioned striking up a conversation with her during training to secure cooperation. How did Crowfield take it?"

“Crowfield… seemed rather unwilling, but ultimately complied with the instructions.”

"I see."

The Emperor paused in thought before speaking again.

"Then Sylvia would have known she was being followed, wouldn’t she?"

"Likely, yes. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone out so early in the morning. It’s likely she wanted to expose that clumsy tail under the cover of solitude."

"I agree."

The capital's nights were bright, with streetlights constantly on, and the occasional patrol by the city guard. Especially around the academy, with carriages coming and going, one could consider the area relatively safe.

But that didn’t mean it was without danger. While the main streets might be safe at night, the alleyways remained perilous. Few people would be around to help, and the patrols weren’t frequent.

So, if someone believed they were being followed and wanted to expose the tail, going out late at night wouldn’t have been a bad idea.

"Then isn’t the answer clear?"

"…Do you mean she was luring an attack?"

"Precisely."

Seeing the Emperor’s nod, Lucas pondered it deeply. Sylvia had appeared so vulnerable then that, had it been him, he could have easily—

“—Ah.”

"Exactly. If even you thought she seemed vulnerable enough to strike, what do you think the enemy would have thought?"

"…Certainly."

To expose a threat, Sylvia would need to be in enough danger to be harmed or killed. Only then would someone dare to attempt an assassination on the Empire’s princess.

But Lady Crowfield, whether out of fear or caution, hadn’t made a move against Sylvia.

"Since Sylvia wasn’t attacked, what did she do afterward?"

"She took a carriage to a nearby area to complete a small task and then returned. She gave the payment, a Marmaros, to some friends she met early the next morning."

Sylvia, who arrived later with her friends, easily completed her task and handed over the Marmaros reward to her companions.

"Then, it seems fair to conclude that the task was meant to throw off the suspicions of her follower. One must have a reason to be out at such a time."

"But the observer didn’t entirely dismiss their doubts."

"That’s not our concern. Sylvia would have known you were tailing her too."

Lucas nodded at the Emperor’s remark.

It was an order, so he had kept his presence hidden, observing Sylvia from spots where an average person wouldn’t have noticed him. But Lucas didn’t believe for a second that Sylvia would be unaware. Even in those seemingly careless moments, if Lucas had swung his blade, Sylvia would have dodged it without issue.

"Then we should look into why Sylvia seems to be involving Lady Crowfield."

"…Isn’t it because she’s wary?"

"Perhaps."

The Emperor thought for a few seconds, then spoke slowly.

"Sylvia is emotional. Though she doesn’t show it openly, she has a clear sense of what she likes and dislikes. She’s already set her sights on Alice as the future ruler. That’s not a bad thing. I did consider Sylvia as an option, but if she remains loyal to Alice, either outcome would suit the Empire. In fact, it may even be preferable."

"Indeed, that is true."

A reluctant ruler wouldn’t be beneficial to the country. Perhaps having someone Sylvia respected as emperor would be better.

"So, who would most likely oppose Sylvia if she were to put her sister on the throne?"

"Well, naturally—"

The Emperor’s other children weren’t a concern. Those carefree individuals would probably flee at the mere suggestion of being given the throne, Lucas included.

Nor was there another sibling of Alice’s bloodline.

"Wouldn’t it be families with potential for rebellion?"

"Correct. That’s why I had Count Crowfield assassinated."

There were other names on the list of those to be purged, but the Emperor had not acted on them since. Sylvia's apparent disapproval had stopped him each time.

He hadn’t ceded control entirely to her, but when it came to such matters, letting Sylvia handle things directly was the best approach.

After all, she had alternative methods. And with Sylvia’s counsel, matters often unfolded exactly as she predicted.

As if she could see the future.

No, perhaps she truly could. It was so accurate that he sometimes wondered if she wasn’t returning from glimpses of the future.

Testing that theory was tempting, but too risky. For now, letting Lucas monitor her was enough.

"Do you think she sees potential in the young lady?"

"Potential for what?"

"For reformation," the Emperor said with a mischievous grin, as if he had thought of a particularly amusing joke.

"Not in the current Countess of Crowfield, but the young lady might lead the family as an ally to the throne. If she supports Alice as the future Empress, wouldn’t that be valuable?"

"Ah…"

That would explain Sylvia’s actions.

If Lady Crowfield had attacked Sylvia, she would have sealed her fate, likely meeting the same end as her father.

"That does make sense."

Lucas’s response made the Emperor shrug slightly.

"Well, it’s just our speculation. Sylvia is emotional yet so unfathomable that we can barely guess what’s going on in her mind."

The Emperor looked at Lucas thoughtfully.

"Which is why we continue observing her, trying to grasp her true intentions."

"Understood. However…"

Lucas looked at the Emperor, his expression unusually serious.

"And… what about the matter of the goddess?"

"We’re still investigating. The prophecy is vague. So far, we have no proof linking Sylvia to any deity."

"Is that so?"

"And what would you prefer?" The Emperor asked with a smile, as if he were speaking to his own son.

"Would you like it if Sylvia were a goddess?"

"Not really."

Lucas grimaced openly.

"She’s better off as just my sister, don’t you think? Swinging a blade at a goddess every chance I get—that’s a one-way ticket to hell, isn’t it?"

"Indeed. I couldn’t agree more." The Emperor chuckled, giving a playful shrug.

***

Anyway, isn

’t that prophecy book utterly worthless?

I dusted off my notebook, filled with my in-game knowledge, and considered my options.

The prophecy book doesn’t even mention me.

…If it’s based on the in-game prophecy, then it’s just useless firewood at this point, isn’t it?

"…."

Well, it doesn’t matter. The important thing now is whether Mia Crowfield will talk about me to others or keep her mouth shut.

I closed the notebook with a feeling of unease.

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Chapter 58

Spring had arrived.

The once chilly weather had warmed significantly, to the point that I could shed the coat draped over my shoulders. No matter how casually I wore it like a cape, the warm sunlight eventually turned it into a makeshift sauna.

Since this world was crafted by a Japanese game company from a country with four distinct seasons, it only made sense that as soon as winter ended, the warmth came rushing in. My own homeland was like that too. Just when you start wishing for a reprieve from the heat, it turns bone-chillingly cold, leaving you digging out your heavy winter coat from the closet without a chance to enjoy the autumn clothes you'd just bought.

Now, however, it was the reverse.

I was also feeling warmer because I still had the winter fur on my coat, which I didn’t really need to keep attached anymore. But… it just looked too good. It wasn’t only for show, either—it was made from real high-grade animal fur, so I kept it on.

It hadn’t even been a full month since I enrolled in the academy, but I had adjusted reasonably well. It had been quite a while since I last attended any school, yet I adapted quickly, probably because I had an inner sense of familiarity with the people around me.

After all, I’d spent countless hours encountering these characters in-game. Even though it hadn’t even been a month, it felt like I was reconnecting with old friends.

Of course, the characters I’d seen in the game were low-res, low-poly models repeating pre-written lines, not “real people.” Comparing them to my current surroundings felt almost disrespectful.

But anyway.

By the time I enrolled, the plains were already sprouting green, and now they were even more vibrantly lush. Beautiful flowers of unknown names dotted the landscape in all their colorful glory.

And there, in the middle of this picturesque meadow, I…

*sigh*

…let out a deep sigh.

I was here to test the fire-attribute Marmaros I received as a reward from Jennifer two weeks ago.

The workshop Jennifer had recommended near the academy truly had remarkable skills.

They were remarkable, indeed, but…

"Are you sure you want to use a top-tier Marmaros on a firearm?"

The workshop master gave me a look as if I were some kind of oddball.

"Is that a problem?"

I asked, glancing down at the Ergensen rifle resting on the table.

I'd used this rifle for quite a long time, but it was still in great condition. In fact, you could say it was in pristine condition. I’d fired tens of thousands of rounds with it for practice but always rewound time afterward. The end result was a rifle in nearly perfect shape, saved for only the most crucial moments.

In fact, it was probably in such good condition that any battle-hardened soldier might laugh at how pristine it looked.

"Well… not exactly," the young craftsman said, scratching the back of his head with a gloved hand. If he weren’t wearing an artisan’s apron, he could almost pass as a hidden, powerful lieutenant of the Demon Army with those narrow, squinted eyes.

"Since it’s a firearm, there’s really no need for this kind of enhancement, is there? It’d be more practical to reinforce the barrel or adjust the powder load in the ammunition. Generally, a Marmaros like this is far more effective on close-combat weapons like swords or spears."

In the game, these enhancements would just increase attack power by a few percent or allow the use of certain spells, but reality seemed to have a bit more depth to it.

Apparently, a Marmaros could imbue a weapon with effects like trailing flames after a sword strike or supercooling the blade to freeze anything it cut.

"Even if the bullets are on fire, what difference would that make to the enemy?"

"…."

Hmm…

“Is there any way to make the bullet cause a small explosion upon impact?”

“If such a bullet existed, wouldn’t the military already be using it?”

Fair enough.

This world did have large-caliber rifles, after all. Back in the days when tank armor was barely any stronger than that of armored cars, people used massive rifles in anti-tank warfare. There were also high-explosive incendiary rounds for machine guns, though… that might be a bit of a World War I thing. I'm no expert on the evolution of firearms, and I'm not sure if this kind of ammunition would even be used for sniping.

"Could it be removed after being attached?"

"Oh, that’s possible, but…”

The young craftsman glanced at me with hesitation.

“There is an extra charge for removing it. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

"Very well, I’ll give it a try."

Despite his skepticism, the craftsman picked up my rifle and the Marmaros, then disappeared into his workshop.

And so, the results…

I was now out on a deserted road, practicing some shooting.

Thanks to the Marmaros mounted under the rifle barrel at the end of the wooden forearm, the bullets did indeed ignite as they fired.

It wasn’t just that they caught fire physically; it was a magical effect, so the fiery bullets held their flame all the way to the target.

Then, upon hitting the target, they burned it, causing some light scorching.

And that was it.

Yeah, it might be somewhat useful in causing wounds to fester. Against regular soldiers, this might have its uses.

The problem, however, was that Marmaros was too expensive for something that was only “somewhat” useful. Any hit from a rifle bullet is a threat to someone’s life, and if the shot lands somewhere non-lethal, a minor burn won’t matter much—it can be healed with magic. For standard soldiers without easy access to magical healing, it would indeed be fearsome, but…

Considering I’d likely be targeting high-value enemies, this feature wouldn’t mean much unless it could kill in one shot. What use is it to roast shattered brain fragments?

…Now I understand why the military hasn’t standardized Marmaros for firearms. I also get why neither the Emperor nor my siblings suggested such an enhancement to me.

That ceremonial sword was likely made with a Marmaros.

“Rewind.”

Feeling I’d made sense of things, I rewound time.

---

Even though a rifle holds only a single round, which makes a flaming bullet feel redundant, perhaps a shotgun would be different.

Shotgun incendiary rounds do exist in reality. Using a shotgun like a mini-flamethrower would be extremely useful, at least in this trench-warfare-based world.

"Are you going to war or something?"

The craftsman, eyes widening in surprise, asked as I presented him with my shotgun and the Marmaros.

"I might."

In the original story, the protagonist’s involvement was more about stopping the war from behind the scenes than fighting on the front lines.

But that didn’t mean they never stepped onto the battlefield.

"I see…"

My abilities weren’t widely known. Nobles had a vague idea, but at least outside the palace walls, commoners were mostly unaware of me.

Jennifer had already informed the craftsman that I was a “princess,” but he had no idea who I really was.

"Are you considering enlisting as an officer?"

This time, as he picked up the shotgun and Marmaros without further comment, I answered vaguely.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

---

“It’s finished.”

A few hours later, the craftsman returned the modified shotgun to me.

As with the rifle, the Marmaros was mounted at the front of the shotgun’s tubular magazine. It seemed designed not to interfere with assembly or disassembly, as the Marmaros attachment was detachable itself, though it required a bit of screwing and unscrewing.

It didn’t look like a crude attachment; rather, it felt as though it had been integrated from the start. I was quite pleased with the result.

“Um… this may be unnecessary advice…”

As I examined the completed shotgun, the craftsman hesitantly spoke up.

When I looked at him, he flinched slightly but continued.

"Battlefields are terrible places. If you're planning to go for something as romantic as honor, you may want to reconsider."

I looked at him for a moment, then asked,

"Have you served on the frontlines?"

“Yes.”

I already knew this. He had a character card in the original story.

He walked naturally, but one leg was a prosthetic—a very costly one funded by his old unit-mate, Jennifer. It was full of gears and springs, moving via a coiled mechanism that wound up with each step. There was even a side quest related to it later.

“I understand.”

As a gesture of respect to the retired soldier, I stood at attention. He looked uncomfortable, but not displeased.

He wasn’t a bad person, after all.

The northern frontlines had the nominal purpose of protecting civilians and assisting the legitimate government of the Riclant Autonomous Region. They’d actually requested help. So, while it hadn’t escalated into an all-out war, retired soldiers were still treated well… for now. But as time passed, the situation would change.

Many of those currently on the battlefield had initially joined with romantic notions, only to face harsh reality.

Leaving the awkward craftsman behind, I exited the workshop.

---

Back on the deserted road.

When I returned, a few beasts were wandering around again.

Earlier, I’d fired from a distance, but now I had a shotgun. Although the spread might allow me to feel some of the Marmaros’s power from a distance, it would be most effective at close range. The direct fire from the muzzle wouldn’t reach otherwise.

"Graar…."

It wasn’t as large as the Elemental Poison Beast I’d seen before, but it was still not something a regular person should approach unarmed.

If it stood on its hind legs

, it would probably reach chest-height on me. And if you count its long ears, it might even be taller than me.

It was broad and muscular, and a hand-to-hand fight would be deadly.

You could call it a rabbit… though a very large and vicious-looking one.

…Honestly, it was ridiculous that such a monster lived this close to a road frequented by regular people. At least it wasn’t openly prowling the road like in the game.

“Grrrr…”

…And, a rabbit should not be growling like that.

*Click.*

I raised the shotgun toward the rabbit.

“RAWR!”

With a not-at-all-rabbit-like sound, it kicked off the ground with its muscular hind legs—

I immediately pulled the trigger—

*Boom!*

“Wha—!?”

—and nearly jumped as a massive burst of flames shot out from the shotgun.

The fire reached three or four meters in front of me, engulfing the space.

*Thud.*

The rabbit, charging at me, was immediately struck by the spread of twelve fiery pellets, collapsing as it hit the ground.

Its fur was charred black.

The smell of cooked meat filled the air.

“…”

Uh… okay.

Now I think I understand why Marmaros-enhanced shotguns aren’t a common military choice.

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Chapter 59

But what can I do? No better solution comes to mind.

I hadn’t considered learning swordsmanship at this point. Even if I started now, who knows how far I could progress?

…No, would I even reach a level that could be called “mastery”?

The Empire has not only various schools of swordsmanship but also a military-style sword training. While firearms are gradually replacing swords on the battlefield, there are still plenty of monstrous swordsmen whose prowess is unmatched. Some could take on hundreds of enemies alone, true masters in every sense.

Guys like Lucas would rush across the battlefield, cutting down enemies without hesitation, proving that the sword still had its place.

Even so, isn’t it better to rely on pistols or shotguns to deal with close-range threats? Then again, firing a gun at a swordsman deep within enemy lines, where soldiers are entangled, could lead to friendly fire.

Though I’d seen similar scenes in 3D CG, the animations weren’t great, so I couldn’t precisely tell how the fighting unfolded. Given that even anti-air gunfire was poorly depicted in the game, it’s impossible to say what it would actually look like without seeing it firsthand…

But that doesn’t mean I thought the fights shown in the original were impossible to pull off here—

“Sylvia!”

—especially with people like that around. Lucas, for example, could certainly hold his own on the battlefield.

I thought I’d come out early, but some people were out even earlier than I was.

“Claire.”

I responded, waving cheerfully to Claire, who was calling out to me.

“Leo.”

“Hello.”

It seemed that after three weeks of seeing me without incident, Leo had relaxed somewhat around me. Though he wasn’t entirely free of tension.

Thankfully, Mia Crowfield was keeping my secret well. Otherwise, Leo wouldn’t be even slightly relaxed around me.

In the original story, Leo was always friendly to those he didn’t have any reason to suspect. I mean, he is the protagonist of a harem story, so it’s part of his personality.

“Out early, completing requests again, I see.”

They must have started around three in the morning.

This week’s request was something I hadn’t seen before. Just because the academy was the main setting didn’t mean every single day was faithfully recreated in the game. Some events were skipped over without much detail.

Though if I looked at the request sheet, I could probably figure out the task and reward…

“…”

“What do you think? I’ve gotten to know the terrain around here, so I optimized our route to make a full loop!” Claire said with a sparkle in her eyes.

Indeed, around Claire and Leo lay the bodies of six beasts, neatly stacked. They were technically animals, but they could easily be called “monsters” if you encountered them on Earth.

There was a huge eagle with feathers still smoldering, a bat large enough to “hug” a person if it spread its wings, a massive bison with absurdly large horns, and three other beasts.

All were perfect targets for extracting Marmaros.

…Didn’t the original have simpler tasks? Like errands?

“Oh, we also took down a few dangerous-looking beasts along the road. They said they’d reward us appropriately if we brought back proof.”

I see.

In the original, you’d get rewards immediately upon defeating monsters, but that’s not how it works here. You can’t exactly butcher a beast’s carcass on the spot.

Here, at least, you’d need to bring the body back to receive a reward.

“Couldn’t you just bring back a part of the beast instead?”

“Huh? But leaving the bodies lying around wouldn’t be very pleasant for people passing by.”

“…”

Well.

I’m not sure if I should call them diligent or just plain soft.

It seems like someone’s upbringing really shapes them. In the original, Claire’s words were always so frustrating to hear, yet she turned out admirably well.

Perhaps she grew up a bit too well, if anything.

“…”

When I looked silently at Leo, he shrugged and said,

“She has a point. If we don’t clean them up, blood will start leaking from the bodies, making things messy for the folks who manage the road.”

It’s not like they dumped garbage on purpose; they were clearing the path for others. Nobody would mind a little mess if it meant helping people. But they seemed really bothered by it.

“But why are you here at this hour, Sylvia?”

I didn’t think being out at this time was unusual.

At least compared to them. It was already eleven in the morning.

…By their schedule, they’d probably been out for almost seven hours.

“Have you had breakfast?”

“Yup! Leo and I packed lunch and ate here.”

It wasn’t exactly a leisurely stroll.

“…Just so you know, we’re not like that,” Claire added, as if anticipating something.

“…Who said you were?” Leo retorted with an annoyed expression. It wasn’t the usual playful banter you’d see in a game or anime; he genuinely looked disturbed, like a brother whose sister had mistaken their closeness.

In the original, Claire wasn’t exactly a romance option… well, not quite. It’s just that she had a set tragic fate, so there was no final “route” for her.

“No one’s making assumptions, so you can relax.”

“Oh, good.”

“Seriously, who brought this up first?”

Leo growled, but Claire brushed it off without a care.

…Well, anyway.

“I’m glad to see you two getting along.”

“What?”
“Me?”

Claire and Leo responded almost in unison.

“With each other?”
“With her?”

It was such a classic reaction that I had to stifle a laugh.

Still, seeing this scene play out right in front of me was quite enjoyable.

After all, they were both characters I’d liked.

---

Not only Claire and Leo, but the entire protagonist’s party in this game was diligent.

Even Jake, who seemed lazy on the surface, was like that. He only appeared to be slacking off, but in reality, he was always studying or working hard. Especially since he was romantically involved with someone from a race foreign to this world. He needed to be well-informed to defend her from the judgmental remarks of others.

In that sense, am I the laziest one?

Whenever I get a chance to rest, I rewind time as much as I want to relax fully.

Of course, rewinding time doesn’t retain any of the rest I’d accumulated, and the fatigue returns when I rewind.

But it was still nice to have a “five more minutes” button on hand.

Whenever I had an hour to rest, I’d rest deeply for that hour.

Then, I’d rewind thirty minutes. Since I always wanted to relax, this wasn’t too hard to do.

No matter how tired I was, thirty minutes of rest would usually bring some relief, as long as I wasn’t gravely injured.

So, I’d extend my rest by repeatedly rewinding that improved thirty minutes.

Sure, my body only recovered as if I’d rested an hour, but mentally, I’d feel ready to face whatever came next.

And if any urgent tasks came up, I’d have time to handle them.

“…”

Like now. I rewound time for the fifth time, driven by a single desire to avoid the approaching Monday.

As I lay sprawled on the bed, contemplating the days ahead, new ideas would occasionally pop into my head.

Most of these thoughts were short and fleeting, but when combined, they’d often lead to a promising conclusion.

For example, the ideas that crossed my mind right now went like this:

I already had a schedule for the academy’s first semester.

So, I knew that starting in the second week of May, there’d be a field training exercise.

The field training would run from Thursday to Sunday, a total of four days.

The destination: Winterfield. Although it’s far from the active battlefront.

This is the academy information I knew; the rest was from my knowledge of the game’s lore.

Winterfield is located in the Empire’s far north, where there’s always snow—hence the name.

Maybe because of its image, or the established fantasy world conventions, the Empire’s most renowned warriors usually hailed from this place.

Not just Winterfield, though.

Several prominent names come to mind, each significant to the story and lore.

Among them, one of the most famous swordsmen hails from Winterfield.

“...Oh?”

In that instant, I shot upright.

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.

The Sword Saint hadn’t died in the story yet. Unless my presence had somehow accelerated things, making Lucas seek out the Sword Saint sooner.

The reason Lucas sought out the Sword Saint was because, at that point, he was confident in his abilities. He believed he could challenge and defeat him. Though developers had hinted that Lucas was stronger than the Sword Saint by now, Lucas wouldn’t actually commit until the second installment of this world’s storyline.

The Sword Saint, although older, was still very much alive and active.

If I wanted to, I could meet the Sword Saint next week.

If I could meet him before Leo or Claire, I might learn a few unique training methods—like meditation techniques that reduce the need for sleep. With my ability to rewind time, I could repeatedly train… though my physical state would reset each time.

“…Ah.”

No, maybe it wasn’t so simple.

I knew where the Sword Saint resided… but he was located on a mountainside.

In the lore, the Sword Saint cut himself off from the world and lives in seclusion, so you couldn’t just meet him by conventional means. But there were hidden quests that would eventually lead you to him.

“But I’d have to climb a mountain.”

I pressed my nose bridge between my thumb and forefinger.

Just as the roads here look different

 from the game, the mountain likely wouldn’t be the same, either. Climbing a mountain isn’t easy.

Just think about it: even climbing Mount Seorak would take over ten hours, and the mountain where the Sword Saint resides is much harsher.

“…Wait a minute.”

I thought of Leo and Claire, the two who had piled up six beast corpses with such bright smiles this morning.

…Even if I didn’t want to climb up there, wouldn’t these two eventually set out to find the Sword Saint?

They both seemed eager to learn swordsmanship.

And they’d probably bring along Alice or Charlotte, too.

…If Alice is there, then so will I.

"…"

If someone had seen my face at that moment, they probably would’ve been startled by how pale I’d turned.

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Chapter 60

So much for spring.

Winterfield was as brutally cold as its name suggested.

To be fair, even though it's called *Winter*field, it’s not blanketed in snow year-round. After all, it’s still part of the Empire, and unless you go further north to the Riclant Autonomous Region, it does experience some semblance of spring and summer.

But spring here is only less cold than winter, and summer is just cool, comparable to autumn in other regions.

Ironically, this made it a popular getaway for nobles. In the heat of midsummer, they’d flock here to escape the sweltering temperatures and enjoy the mildness. At the lower areas near the town, the snow melts in spring, but the mountain peaks stay snow-covered, creating breathtaking scenery that you wouldn’t find elsewhere in the Empire.

The Riclant Autonomous Region may be mired in conflict between warlords, the local government, and imperial forces, but that’s far from the heart of Winterfield. The territory is vast, and the main areas are down south, where it’s comparatively warmer.

“Brr, it’s freezing… Is it still winter here, even in May?”

While the snow does melt in spring, it doesn’t mean there’s no snowfall. And when it does snow, it doesn’t melt right away. Even back home, in particularly harsh years, you could get snow as late as May.

“It’s Winterfield. The people here may think differently, but to everyone else, it’s winter all year round,” Leo said, shivering as he addressed Claire, who was trembling beside him.

“Well, it’s not literally winter all the time,” said another voice, startling Leo.

“There’s a summer, too. It’s cooler than in the capital, though. Honestly, from my point of view, the capital’s unbearably hot,” Jennifer said with a shrug.

“It’s just now spring,” Leo said, still shivering.

“That’s what I mean by hot. This place doesn’t go a full season without a single snowfall,” Jennifer replied.

Leo and Claire, as well as the other noble students gathered here, fell silent at Jennifer’s comment.

“Honestly, I worry about how I’ll survive in summer… but I suppose it doesn’t matter since there’s summer break,” she added.

Not that it truly didn’t matter.

Jennifer would be sweating bullets even before real summer arrived. And with her penchant for wearing revealing clothes, she’d end up as one of those “ideal figure” characters, loved by figurine collectors everywhere.

Not that this game had a lot of figures, though. Which was a shame.

In the game, the cold setting and reactions were present, but the characters could wear any outfit. If I didn’t pick otherwise, they’d default to their winter coats, like the one I was wearing now. But you could still dress them in DLC costumes if you wanted.

Oddly enough, putting other characters in swimsuits here felt out of place. Jennifer, though, somehow pulled it off. She’d always been complaining about the heat back in the capital from the start of summer.

“Alright, is everyone here?”

Despite Winterfield’s frigid climate, the territory was a sprawling area of strategic importance, and several people were disembarking from the train besides Class A’s noble students.

Businesspeople in suits checked their pocket watches as they bustled along, while officers in military uniforms walked by in the distance. Some soldiers, likely returning from leave, also moved through the station. No one paid us much attention. Jennifer, out of uniform and dressed in civilian clothes, wasn’t saluted.

They might have recognized her face if they’d looked closely, but Jennifer was technically a retired officer, so she wasn’t owed any formal gestures.

Alice, now serving as class representative, answered Jennifer’s call.

Jennifer glanced around, taking us all in.

Unlike our homeroom teacher, Caroline Northwood, Jennifer didn’t order us to line up in rows. She was an instructor of a different sort, one with a streak of independence.

“Before I left, Caroline asked me to take good care of you all,” Jennifer began, addressing us.

“I’m not usually fond of high nobles, but Caroline’s different. You probably feel the same. There aren’t many people out there as genuinely good-hearted as she is.”

Several of the students nodded in agreement. After all, no one would dislike a beautiful, kind, and dedicated teacher.

“So, I won’t tolerate any reckless behavior. If you mess around or put yourselves in danger, I’ll make sure you regret it. I can’t send you back injured on another teacher’s watch.”

She scanned the group one more time before continuing.

“Winterfield is a dangerous place for first-timers. I’ll go over the details once we reach our lodgings, but for now…”

Jennifer took out her pocket watch and glanced at it.

“We have about an hour to spare, so you’re free to explore a bit. This isn’t the heart of the territory, but it’s not isolated either, so feel free to take in the atmosphere of Winterfield. There are plenty of soldiers here, so it’s safe.”

After tucking her watch away, Jennifer added, “Dismissed!” and promptly turned and walked off.

The students, somewhat surprised by the abrupt freedom, began to chatter excitedly.

“Sylvia.”

Among them was Alice.

She was fully dressed in her academy coat, which gave her a distinctly military look—like a cadet. Unlike others, though, Alice had removed the fur around the collar for comfort.

“Shall we grab some lunch? It’s about that time,” she suggested.

“Indeed, it’s an ideal time for a meal,” Charlotte chimed in.

“Lunch, you say?”

“Yes. We haven’t eaten yet.”

“…”

Jennifer might have let us roam freely, but I had a feeling she also wanted us to get a sense of the area.

As it turned out, what most noble students would consider a “meal” wasn’t available here. This wasn’t exactly a hotspot for nobles.

The security wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t a wealthy area.

Most of the establishments around here served soldiers and kept things simple.

The food, in true northern fashion, was rustic and lightly seasoned.

And, of course, this was the Empire with that infamous British inspiration. The northern regions’ cuisine came with a reputation, making it questionable whether the nobles here would even touch the food.

“Oh, really? Then let’s eat together!” Claire chirped.

“Yeah, it’ll be easier to eat together than to go separately,” Alice and Charlotte nodded in agreement.

As they chatted, Leo and Claire joined them.

“That sounds good.”

Just then, someone else spoke up.

“I was just thinking I had no one to eat with since Lottie’s in another class.”

Jake Lindborough had appeared.

Though Lottie entered the academy as Jake’s handmaiden, she was in a different class, being a commoner.

All students were nominally equal here, meaning no one could openly employ or keep a servant, especially if that “servant” was also a student. Technically, Jake and Lottie were equals.

“Lindborough?”

Alice looked surprised, eyeing Jake with a hint of disapproval. Charlotte, too, didn’t seem pleased by his casual demeanor.

“Is that alright with you, Sylvia?”

“Sylvia?”

Alice’s eyes widened.

“We became friends after chatting last time,” Jake explained, grinning. Alice glanced at me with a look of mild shock.

In fact, every other student nearby was looking at me the same way.

…Yeah, I guess seeing a quiet girl who always sat in the corner of the classroom suddenly hanging out with this bleached-blond, tan-skinned playboy would be a bit shocking.

But it’s not like that.

“Hm? Why?” I asked.

Jake shrugged, glancing at me.

“Aren’t we friends?”

Uh, we talked for the first time two weeks ago.

And that wasn’t even a real conversation. He’d just walked up to me and said hello.

So, really, it would be more accurate to say we barely knew each other.

“Sylvia.”

As I wondered how to respond, Charlotte sidled up to me, gently taking my arm.

“I know you’re inexperienced with men, so you may not realize it, but you shouldn’t get too close to someone like him. Come, this way.”

Not that we were close. He’s just the one acting friendly.

I glanced past Jake to see a few girls, watching from a distance with nervous expressions.

…Of course.

Jake was escaping from the swarm of girls around him. All the girls here were from prestigious families, and all were strikingly beautiful.

By joining our group, he was likely hoping they’d get the hint and stay back.

“…”

Charlotte and Jake had clashed early on. Well, technically, it was Charlotte who disliked his casual attitude, particularly his tanned skin and carefree manner.

Later on, though, her opinion of him softened a bit when she realized who he truly cared for. Though she still found his attitude off-putting, she became less judgmental, knowing why he acted that way.

“Oh, I see.”

Alice seemed to pick up on my feelings quickly, reading my expression as she looked between me and Jake.

“If you’re approaching Sylvia one-sidedly, I’d like to discourage it,” Alice said, stepping between me and Jake, her gaze serious.

“Sylvia isn’t as simple as you might think.”

“…”

What sort of image do these people have of me?

I’d been working hard to build a perfect reputation by rewinding time as needed—

Just then, I made eye contact with Mia Crowfield, who had somehow quietly slipped into our group.

"…"

Well, maybe not perfect.

Let’s call it “close enough to perfect.”

After all, I’ve managed to fool everyone else but her.

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Chapter 61

“So… you joined us just to shake off the other girls?” Alice said, looking somewhere between exasperated and amused.

We were all seated around a table at a nearby restaurant.

Despite some back-and-forth on the way, Jake had managed to tag along, so our group now consisted of seven people, which meant finding a large enough table. We’d ended up around a sizable round one, which, though it kept us spaced out, was a relief in its own way. At least I wouldn’t feel too crowded.

“To be honest, yes,” Jake admitted, his straightforwardness helping him secure a seat between me and Leo. The other girls hadn’t wanted to sit next to him.

Apparently, this crowd of earnest types didn’t mesh well with Jake’s “bad boy” vibe. Despite his reputation, Jake was actually a top student and disciplined in his daily training, but people rarely noticed that unless they paid close attention.

Lottie, for instance, despised anyone who belittled Jake. Knowing better than anyone else just how hard he worked in private, she couldn’t stand when people dismissed him.

“From the moment I stepped off the train, they just swarmed me,” Jake sighed.

Though we weren’t in the capital, the students were still recognizable, even if none were visible here in the restaurant.

“Well, you *are* the son of a duke, and you do have that look of someone who’d give in easily,” Alice replied, raising an eyebrow.

“A bit harsh, don’t you think?” Jake retorted, though he didn’t seem offended.

Jake was a character full of confidence—not arrogance, but assuredness in his plans and actions.

And those plans always centered around Lottie. Eventually, he wanted to brush aside all the distractions and live happily together with her. That was his goal.

“Go easy on him,” Leo spoke up in Jake’s defense.

“And how would *you* know about his struggles?” Claire quickly countered, leaving Leo momentarily speechless.

To be fair, Leo wasn’t exactly popular at this stage. The game’s progression was all about slowly building rapport, one episode at a time.

Yet, the group didn’t seem to dislike having him around. Despite being the only guy among them, no one appeared uncomfortable or out of place. It was, in a way, a classic setup for a harem story.

“So, you targeted Sylvia?” Alice asked Jake.

She had the strange ability to read my expressions accurately and seemed confident that I hadn’t developed feelings for him.

“Exactly. Sylvia’s the one noble girl other nobles don’t flock to.”

It wasn’t only noble boys who attracted a following of noble girls.

Even though we were just three weeks into the school year, the Academy had already split into factions, despite having only fifteen students per class.

This division was inevitable. Nobles rallied around dukes, who in turn formed alliances to amass power. Even with the Emperor wielding absolute authority, it was necessary to have backing—whether by aligning with the Emperor or forming bonds with powerful dukes from a young age.

School friendships were part of this strategy, with daughters of dukes becoming popular among students for reasons beyond personal affection.

Technically, as a member of House Fangriffon, I should’ve been in the thick of it too. But rumors and reputation kept most people away from me.

In that sense, I envied Jake a bit. Whether I was male or female, I’d never been popular with girls.

…Well, that’s a rather sad thought. Better not dwell on it.

“Even so, using people like that…”

The group didn’t seem thrilled about Jake’s plan, which, honestly, was touching.

All I’d done since starting here was tag along on walks and meals with them. But to be treated as part of the group by characters I’d admired in the game—it was more gratifying than I’d expected.

Even Charlotte, who had no real reason to view me favorably, seemed willing to consider me a friend.

“It’s alright,” I assured Charlotte. “No harm was done, so there’s no need to worry.”

“See?” Jake couldn’t resist adding, which earned him a round of glares.

“A remark like that—” Alice began, about to say something to Jake when the server arrived.

“Your meals are here,” the server announced, setting our food down with precision.

There were no individual menus; this place served a fixed breakfast, lunch, and dinner, catering to traveling businesspeople and soldiers. But the moment the food hit the table, Charlotte and Alice, along with everyone else, fell silent.

“Please enjoy your meal,” the server said, unperturbed by our stares, before walking back to the counter.

“Um…”

Even Jake, usually so laid-back, seemed at a loss for words as he looked down at the food.

“So, this is…”

I glanced at the food on my plate, following the others’ example.

It looked like a very thick sausage at first glance. It was more of a ball shape than a sausage, really, but sausage was a local specialty, so it wasn’t entirely surprising.

Still, it was an unusual dish for sure.

“Haggis,” I announced.

They looked at me and then back at the food.

It was a well-known “peculiar” food from England—or rather, Scotland, if we were following the inspiration for the Empire’s regions.

In this fantasy world, the creators had loosely placed cuisine according to cultural influences. The northern Empire, inspired by Britain, had its own “local flavors.”

While the group sat silently, I picked up my fork and knife.

It could’ve been worse. At least it wasn’t some bizarre fantasy dish.

Though I hadn’t tried haggis myself, I’d heard it was tolerable by Korean standards, somewhat like sundae, or blood sausage.

This might actually remind me of home.

***

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Alice, Claire, and Leo managed to finish theirs as well, though Jake and Mia left a bit on their plates. Charlotte, however, barely touched half.

“Is all northern cuisine… like this?” she asked afterward.

Charlotte, who’d held back any complaints while eating, had been especially mindful, likely because I seemed to be enjoying my meal.

She might usually find the Empire’s bread unsatisfactory, but at least this dish wasn’t even comparable.

As a royal, Charlotte knew that mocking regional food was unwise.

“There’s bread in the north too,” I replied.

“Well, that’s a relief…” She sighed deeply, genuinely.

Normally, hearing about the Empire’s mediocre bread would make her frown, but today, even the bread seemed preferable to haggis.

After all, with Belvure’s culinary inspiration drawn from France and Belgium, her standards were high.

I’d heard even the French had their share of “pungent” sausages, but now was probably not the time to mention that.

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Chapter 62

Field training has always divided student opinions, with some relishing it and others dreading it. Those who enjoy venturing outside and dislike the rigid classroom environment tend to see field training as a refreshing change. The Academy’s courses aren’t exactly easy, especially for those without a strong educational foundation. 

Most noble children strive to maintain above-average grades to uphold their family honor, so for those feeling stifled by the competition, field training offers a welcome break from the Imperial capital. Especially for commoners, who rarely travel beyond their hometowns, the opportunity to explore new places can be a luxury. 

On the other hand, students who are more introverted, reluctant to approach strangers, or simply prefer staying indoors may find field training stressful and uncomfortable. If they’re fortunate enough to have friends to tag along with, it’s manageable, but those without close ties may find even earning a passing score challenging. 

Personally, I fall into the latter category. 

Spending countless hours replaying long RPGs, poring over spin-off novels, comics, and game lore is my idea of a good time. Even when I traveled, I would book a cozy place and limit my time outdoors. My rule was simple: if there’s no clear plan, I don’t go out. 

“Silvia!” 

“Wha—?” 

“Silvia! Big sister?” 

A shout broke through the silence as my door swung open at four in the morning. My adopted sister, whom I hadn’t seen for nearly ten years, and I were evidently cut from very different cloth. 

Let’s try that again. 

***

Why did I choose the "cool and composed" image for myself?

Looking back, I could’ve gone for a more relaxed, easygoing personality—the kind that drifts through life with a calm smile, tackling tough problems with ease. But when I initially adopted the "cool beauty" facade, it was for simplicity: fewer expressions to control, easier to keep my thoughts hidden.

In hindsight, I could’ve created a more "layered" character like Lucas or Jake. But because I’d committed to the cool persona, I was already awake, pretending to clean my gun as Claire barged into my room at dawn. 

“Silvia! Ah, I knew you’d already be up.”

I could’ve done without the “I knew it” comment. Claire looked genuinely surprised when I jumped, startled by her entrance.

“Hah, well, you were up before us last time,” she added.

…Last time?

Oh, she must mean when I finished that first quest before anyone else. Back then, Leo and Claire were already out hunting the Elemental Wolf at dawn, only to find out I’d beaten them to it. 

Since then, I hadn’t exactly made a habit of beating those two to the punch. Most days, I woke up on Alice’s schedule, studying alongside her in the mornings. Sometimes, I had things to do and would slip out to handle them separately. But I’d learned the hard way that aiming to complete quests before anyone else meant running on virtually no sleep.

“Leo and I were about to head out early. Want to come with us?” Claire asked.

I thought it over. What quests could I pursue at this hour?

Unless a mission came in urgently, Jennifer would already have gathered the quests beforehand. Unlike the introductory tutorial phase, this first field training session marked the beginning of the main storyline.

In the game, not everything revolved around the protagonist. While hunts and timed battles could be cleared anytime, quests involving other people had to be completed at specific times to stay true to the story.

My goal was simple: to experience the story firsthand and secure a happy ending for characters destined for tragic fates.

With that in mind, I asked, “Is the princess joining?”

“Princess? Oh, you mean Alice.” Claire’s expression dimmed slightly. She didn’t harbor any resentment toward Alice; rather, it seemed Claire simply missed the time when she had been the only one close to me.

If it weren’t for Lucas, I could have ended up in House Grace with Leo and Claire. We might’ve even become a makeshift family trio, and I might’ve never chosen this “cool beauty” persona.

“Oh, Alice seemed pretty out of it,” Claire replied. “I stopped by her room before coming here, but she was mumbling in her sleep, so I didn’t get much of a response.”

Hmm. 

Despite her sleepy state, I was pretty sure Alice would join us. After all, in the game, I could add her to the party from the beginning of the quest. If Alice had been “asleep,” she wouldn’t have been available.

“All right,” I replied. “I’ll be down in a bit.”

“Great!” Claire’s face lit up. 

Given her background, Claire probably never experienced having anyone close to her, so my presence alone might mean a lot to her. And I couldn’t help but wonder about the orphanage kids who’d been part of her backstory. Were they still under House Grace’s care? Maybe working as retainers or servants?

In any case, I’d have a chance to find out if I ever visited House Grace later in the story.

“Well, I’ll head down and get breakfast started!” Claire called as she turned to leave, shutting the door quietly behind her.

The sound of her hurried footsteps fading down the hall brought a slight smile to my face. With both Leo and me around, along with friends, she must’ve felt this trip was like an extended retreat.

I resumed reassembling my rifle piece by piece, absentmindedly wondering how this version of myself could possibly look forward to the day. Even I was eager—Claire, with her sunny disposition, must’ve been thrilled.

“…Yawn…”

Still, the early hour was unforgiving.

***

Though the early morning gun maintenance was just a cover to keep up appearances, it wasn’t entirely pointless. It gave me a chance to double-check everything, ensuring my equipment was in top shape.

After putting the gun away, I headed out of my room to find Alice waiting, her voice hoarse from sleep as she tried to greet me.

“Si—Sylvia…”

“Princess.”

“…I’m still an Academy student. Just… call me Alice…”

She barely managed the words, sounding like a sleep-deprived zombie.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“Do I *look* all right?” she replied, not so much looking at me as aiming her face in my direction, her eyes still shut.

Her hair was disheveled, but her face remained as pristine as ever, a testament to her usual self-discipline. 

Still, Alice didn’t exactly thrive on four a.m. starts.

“You have some stray hairs,” I pointed out.

“…Leave it,” she mumbled. “I know, but I don’t have the energy to fix it right now…”

Even as we walked, Alice seemed to wake up slowly, her voice gradually returning to normal. Descending the stairs, I carefully watched her steps to ensure she didn’t stumble. Thankfully, she managed to keep her balance and dignity intact.

In the dining hall, we found tables similar to the ones we’d seen near the station. Only, this place was leagues above in quality.

Leo waved to us from his seat. “Morning.”

“…”

Next to him sat a row of classmates who looked even worse off than Alice. Mia Crowfield, in particular, looked more like a corpse than a student, her head resting on the table, unmoving. Jake rubbed his eyes continuously, and Charlotte barely maintained a semblance of royal composure, barely managing to sit upright.

…Relief washed over me.

So, it wasn’t just me. 

After all, the original protagonist had been Leo, and everyone in his orbit had been dragged along by his relentless energy.

Well, relentless as it was, the only real problem was that his mornings started far too early.

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Chapter 63

“Good morning... Though I’m not sure if it’s fair to call this morning,” Jake said, raising a hand lazily in greeting and letting out a wide yawn, which he didn’t bother to cover. Alice narrowed her eyes slightly at him but refrained from commenting.

“Good morning,” Alice replied, taking a seat beside Charlotte, and I sat next to Alice. Claire, seated next to Leo, looked a bit disappointed but didn’t make a fuss about it.

This left Jake and Mia Crowfield a little farther from the main group. Not that they were sitting close together — the table was just wide enough that they seemed somewhat separated from the rest of us. Mia, for her part, had her face planted on the table, breathing softly, with her shoulders rising and falling rhythmically, deeply asleep. No one seemed particularly eager to wake her, so she would likely continue her peaceful nap for a few more minutes.

“...One thing, though,” Alice finally said, having closed her eyes for a moment to gather herself, “is breakfast even served this early?”

As expected, the dining room was nearly empty — no other students were around. Even someone as diligent as Alice seemed to find this hour impossibly early, so it wasn’t surprising that no one else was here yet.

“No worries,” Leo assured her. “I spoke with the staff on my way down. They said meals at Winterfield Castle are served at any hour.”

“Is that so?” Alice tilted her head slightly.

Our current location, Winterfield Castle, was the residence of Abraham Fitzgerald Winterfield, the lord of Winterfield. However, with the lord and his daughter, Jennifer, often away in the capital for their duties, the castle’s noble presence was largely symbolic, upheld by loyal retainers who oversaw daily matters. Winterfield Castle’s renown for its unique reindeer leather products, prized for their durability, seemed to reflect the resilient nature of its inhabitants as well.

“Apparently, they’re always prepared to serve meals, given the unpredictable schedules of the hunters,” Leo explained. 

“Well, that’s fortunate,” Alice replied, nodding. “Though I doubt other regions will be as accommodating on field assignments. We’ll need to remember that; they might not view us with the same... hospitality.”

Claire flushed slightly at Alice’s words, looking bashful but pleased.

Charlotte, watching the two, looked faintly concerned. Last night’s haggis had left a negative impression on her; she hadn’t managed to finish it. The strong flavor and distinct smell of the dish were likely off-putting for someone unfamiliar with such cuisine. 

“There’s no need to worry,” I said, addressing Charlotte. “Since this is Winterfield Castle, meals here should follow the standards expected of noble households. Haggis may be a specialty, but ham and sausages are also well-regarded local products.”

Charlotte’s cheeks turned slightly pink at my words, clearly a bit embarrassed. She knew well enough that it was rude to dismiss the local fare as distasteful — especially as a guest representing her homeland. Though haggis had been an acquired taste, she was aware that rejecting a meal offered by a host was a faux pas, especially here, where Jennifer Winterfield herself was our guide. Any negative impressions could follow her back to her kingdom.

“That... that wasn’t my concern at all,” she stammered, glancing at Alice, who smiled warmly, clearly amused.

It seemed Charlotte was holding onto her pride, but I couldn’t fault her for it. After all, I’d crafted a careful reputation for myself, going so far as to rewind time to maintain it.

As we talked, the sound of footsteps filled the room, and servers entered, each holding plates piled high with food.

Just as expected, the meal resembled what one might call a “European breakfast,” the kind you might picture upon hearing the term “English breakfast” — or in this world, perhaps “Azerna breakfast.”

“Let’s eat first,” Claire said, glancing toward Mia, who was still dozing with her head on the table. “Maybe food will wake her up.”

I couldn’t help but glance at the servers, noting their calm, alert faces with a hint of admiration. Despite the early hour, they looked as though they had been awake and ready for hours. I picked up my fork and knife with a new respect for their dedication.

***

Finishing my meal helped sharpen my mind, and it seemed to have done the same for everyone else as well. Mia was now sitting up straight, though she hadn’t finished half her meal. Her small stature and the early hour were probably to blame for her modest appetite.

Satisfied with her meal, Claire let out a contented sigh, and even Charlotte seemed pleased, though she left one black pudding on her plate. Despite her dislike for haggis last night, she had managed to eat nearly everything this morning.

“Well then,” Claire said, drawing a piece of paper from her coat. “Let’s decide which requests to tackle first.”

It seemed she had hastily scribbled down requests from the mission board.

The way she phrased it — deciding which requests to start with, rather than which single request to take on — was both exciting and mildly terrifying.

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Chapter 64

Although it was technically a Thursday, they didn’t immediately throw us into work the moment we arrived. After lunch yesterday, we had some time to explore the area around the station, regrouped, and then moved to Winterfield Castle under Jennifer's guidance, receiving introductions along the way. It made sense to familiarize ourselves with the locals; having a good rapport might prove beneficial in case we ever needed help.

Traveling as a group of fifteen noble students led by a noble instructor, we naturally drew a fair share of stares. Given that we all wore coats over our uniforms—garments resembling officers' jackets—it was no wonder the townspeople kept a cautious distance.

Alice, Charlotte, and I retired to our rooms in the afternoon to get some rest, but others took the opportunity to roam around. Even Mia Crowfield, who seemed less enthusiastic than most, was among the students exploring.

"Ugh, it's still freezing out here, even in May," Alice shivered as we stepped outside.

Despite the supposed arrival of spring, the chill still lingered intensely. Northern winters seemed to defy seasonal changes, which I couldn't decide was due to the developers' detailed world-building or a fantasy element meant to reinforce the idea that “the north is always cold.”

Regardless, the biting weather meant I'd abandoned my usual cape-like way of wearing my coat, opting to wear it properly. Thick, dark stockings had become a necessity as well — I’d chosen practicality over style the moment I stepped off the train and felt the northern chill sink into my bones.

"At least the quest office is open. Look," Claire pointed to the quest office near the main castle.

The other shops and eateries around us remained dark and silent, with only the gas streetlights casting faint, eerie glows across the empty main street. Since we were within the castle walls, the atmosphere was less foreboding; at the station, the forest at the edge of town would have looked incredibly ominous in this predawn stillness.

“Winterfield’s law enforcement structure is surprisingly modern,” I thought as I looked around. Here, the military and the police operated separately, with imperial soldiers handling military matters and imperial police in charge of maintaining order. However, imperial police were limited primarily to territories directly under the emperor’s control. This semi-autonomy granted certain lords the means to run local police forces funded by regional taxes.

For strategic locations like Winterfield, this system had its advantages, allowing lords some leeway to maintain "support troops" as auxiliary forces to the imperial army. If necessary, these forces could protect against external threats without direct imperial oversight. Yet, if the emperor deemed these forces a threat and ordered their dissolution, there would be no alternative but to comply or face the wrath of the imperial army.

"Let's hurry inside before we freeze out here," Charlotte suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement. Even Mia and Jake, who both looked groggy after breakfast, perked up at the mention of warmth.

I trailed behind the group, grateful the cobbled road was kept free of snow by underground steam pipes, which allowed horses and carriages safe passage.

---

*BAM!*

A loud bang resounded as the muscular woman behind the front desk slammed her fist down, startling Mia Crowfield into a quiet squeak.

“Are you here to demand work this early in the morning!?” she growled, her voice heavy with irritation.

The woman, visibly scarred and with arms that hinted at brawls with bears, did not appear to be a mere receptionist. Her grimacing face and bulging muscles were intimidating, even for someone like Alice, who raised an eyebrow at the woman’s tone but chose not to comment.

“Oh, uh, sorry, but the door was open… Are you not on duty yet?” Leo responded calmly.

Impressive. That was the original protagonist’s line from a key decision in the game. In the game, selecting "Stand your ground" led to this exact dialogue with a bonus point, although I wasn’t sure if that had any significance in real life.

“Hmm?” The receptionist shot Leo an evaluating look, as if reevaluating her earlier annoyance. The expression she wore resembled one that said, "Well, would you look at that?" She simply nodded.

"Apologies for the early intrusion. We assumed you were open for business," Leo added with some tact.

“True enough,” she conceded with a lazy shrug before pointing to a board covered in quest postings. “There’s plenty to choose from, so pick wisely. If you fail, you’ll earn a solid smack on the head, so don’t get too ambitious.”

I glanced at her hand. It looked large enough to cover my entire face.

Not that I was worried. With our group’s capabilities, we weren’t likely to fail. Besides, I trusted Leo’s judgment in picking tasks suited to our strengths.

Leaving the grumpy receptionist behind, we moved to the wall-sized corkboard covered in quest sheets.

“...There are so many,” Claire murmured, and Leo nodded.

In the game, only three or four quests appeared at a time, but the board here was covered with countless tasks. Considering there were fifteen of us, as well as hired mercenaries, it made sense that there would be plenty of work available.

"Hmm…" Claire was carefully examining each option when Charlotte pointed to a specific quest sheet.

**[Quest – Elemental Bear “Red Claw”]**

*Capture not required. Notify for corpse retrieval if killed.
Reward: 5 pounds. Additional compensation if the corpse is intact. Detailed information provided by the receptionist.*

A bounty of five pounds was generous. It roughly translated to around 500,000 won by the game’s standards, where one pound was equated to 10,000 yen. Split among five of us, that was one pound each, enough for modest daily expenses. Though selling the bear’s remains ourselves might yield more, the contractors had ways of ensuring that wasn’t a feasible option.

The group nodded in agreement; a bear was dangerous solo but manageable as a team.

After picking a few other quests along with the bear task, all of which I recognized as familiar side quests, we approached the receptionist.

“Elemental Bear, huh?” She glanced over the selected quests, pausing when she noticed Leo’s hair. Her gaze shifted to Claire, and her expression turned to one of understanding. “Oh, so you’re the kids from House Grace?”

It was a little annoying that she noticed Leo and Claire, the baron’s children, first, rather than the royal Alice or myself. But she probably knew who we were; her gaze drifted over Alice and me as if acknowledging our presence.

“Alright. I’ll hand you the detailed paperwork,” she said, handing over a thin stack of papers. The receptionist explained that some clients preferred the details to remain confidential unless they were working with trusted individuals.

“Thank you very much!” Claire said with a bright smile, clutching the documents tightly.

“Alright then. Take care, and try not to get yourselves killed,” the receptionist added, her stern face softening into a slight smile.

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Chapter 65

In games, no matter how long you walk around, the character never gets tired. It’s only natural; if characters grew exhausted just from walking, it would be incredibly frustrating for the player.

Imagine if a character that’s been walking for about an hour had to rest for ten minutes just to keep going—it would be a fatal flaw in lengthy JRPG genres.

Furthermore, in games like these, there aren’t many restrictions on running. As long as it’s not an action RPG, limiting stamina doesn’t significantly affect gameplay. Combat mode takes over whenever you encounter an enemy, so there’s no reason to add a speed limit that would only make traversal tiresome.

The problem is, that only applies to games.

“Heck... huff... huff...”

I could hear heavy breathing from behind me.

The spot where the Elemental Bear was located lay deep within the forest. While it wasn’t pathless or an actual mountain, the trail was far more challenging to walk on compared to the solid paths of a village.

Naturally, walking on such a trail for several minutes without rest is bound to strain your stamina.

"......"

Fortunately, I’d trained myself to a minimum degree. I didn’t have a superhuman body like other protagonists, but at least my stamina wasn’t the worst.

The real problem was Mia Crowfield, who hardly seemed physically active in her daily life.

“Are you okay?”

Claire, who was following closely behind, noticed me maintaining my composure and looked back at Mia Crowfield with concern.

“Huff, yeah... I’m... fine…”

“No, you don’t look fine at all,” Alice interjected.

“Let’s just rest here for a bit. It’s better to meet our prey when we’re all in optimal condition, including Miss Crowfield,” she suggested.

“That’s true. Let’s take a short break,” Claire agreed.

The sky was gradually brightening. We’d left after a meal at four in the morning, knowing full well that venturing into the forest in the dead of night was foolhardy. But we didn’t spend that time idly; we went over the mission details one last time and double-checked our supplies before entering the woods.

No matter how much gaming I’d done, this forest didn’t look exactly like it did in the game’s empire maps. The village layout might have been spot-on, but a forest this large would have been impossible to render identically in-game.

“Haa…”

Mia Crowfield sat down on the ground, sighing heavily.

"..."

I took the water flask from my belt and handed it to her. I’d boiled water earlier in the morning, and after keeping it in my leather pouch at my waist, there was still a bit of warmth left.

“Ah…”

She looked at me with wide eyes, perhaps surprised that I offered her the flask.

“T-thank you.”

Though she seemed hesitant, she couldn’t outright refuse with everyone watching.

Holding the still-warm flask, Mia Crowfield cautiously took a sip, exhaling a small, relieved sigh afterward.

“We might have to forgo some of the missions,” Jake remarked coldly.

To some extent, I agreed with him. Mia Crowfield aside, my stamina had its limits too. While others might think I was superhuman, even with all the training I’d done, I couldn’t outmatch anyone here in terms of sheer strength or stamina—except maybe Mia Crowfield.

The real question was, what about the game’s story?

It doesn’t matter if we skip a few side quests, but the main quest mandates a fixed party. Anyway, things were already quite different from the game. In the game, only four members could fight simultaneously, so having a whole group wandering around together was unusual.

But what happens if someone crucial to the main quest collapses from exhaustion, gets injured, or just burns out?

As I pondered this deeply, Mia Crowfield, noticing my gaze, looked back at me, slightly intimidated, and handed the flask back. I silently took it and took a sip myself. The warm water soothed my throat.

...We’re still early in the story, so it’s not too late to observe a bit more before making any decisions.

Besides, wasn’t this mission chosen by Charlotte, with Leo and Claire backing her?

The three of them believed they had the strength to take down the Elemental Bear, and even the guide, upon hearing the Grace family name, nodded confidently. We’ll be fine.

I mean, who could get seriously hurt from a mere side quest?

*

The Elemental Wolf was about the size of a regular wolf, with comparable physical abilities. Though its body held marmaross, it wasn’t bulletproof.

Considering it was the first monster encounter in the game, it’s expected that it wouldn’t be too strong here.

“Graaooo!”

But the frenzied roar of the ‘Red Claw’ was another matter.

Our target this time was a bear—a bear whose hide and bones could sometimes deflect bullets.

Moreover, this bear had a fire-aligned marmaross, granting it an instinctive grasp of magic.

It was twice the size of a polar bear I once saw at a zoo; I had to tilt my head all the way back just to look up at it.

A regular bear might look cute just sitting there, but the Elemental Bear had an aura of savagery even while motionless.

“Alright, let’s go!” Leo shouted, and Claire nodded.

“Graoo!” 

As the bear swung its paw, Leo leapt sideways while Claire ducked swiftly. Watching her narrowly avoid the bear’s razor-sharp claws by the tip of her ponytail made my heart skip a beat.

“Let’s go too, Princess!”

“...Just call me Charlotte.”

Jake and Charlotte then moved in, circling around to strike from behind. The bear’s thick hide made it unlikely to go down easily, but they were taking turns attacking, each time forcing the bear to turn its attention between them.

Claire wielded her whip-like sword with finesse, keeping her distance while distracting the bear. Leo used that opportunity to charge head-on, swinging his blade, though it wasn’t quite enough for a fatal blow. Nevertheless, it was steadily wearing down the beast.

The battle continued with Leo and Claire drawing its focus forward, while Charlotte and Jake attacked from behind. The Grace family’s swordplay, with its heavy, cutting strikes, combined well with Charlotte’s rapier and Jake’s swift in-and-out technique.

“Alright, my turn.” Alice gripped her sword tightly.

“Cover me from the rear!”

I nodded, and Alice surged forward.

The royal swordsmanship emphasized the power of each strike. Though slower than the Grace family’s dual-handed sword style, every blow packed immense force. Her strike left cracks in the ground beneath.

In the game, Alice had been a close-range damage dealer—slow, but with powerful single-hit moves.

Dashing between Leo and Claire, she sliced at the Elemental Bear, her blade finally tearing through its tough stomach hide, spilling blood.

“Gwaaaar!”

The bear’s agonized roar reverberated loudly. In fury, it slammed its paws down on the leaf-strewn ground, igniting small flames.

“Hick.”

Seeing this, Mia Crowfield let out a small scream.

“Stick to the plan,” I said calmly to her.

The scene felt far more intense and brutal than anything I’d seen in the game, but after witnessing people explode and putting a bullet in a wolf’s forehead, I wasn’t fazed.

“Prepare your water-based spell. I’ll cover you from a distance,” I instructed.

Mia Crowfield nodded repeatedly, clutching her staff while moving to a position a bit away from the battlefield.

If I’d had more time, I’d have climbed a tree, but that wasn’t an option now.

I climbed up a nearby large rock, knelt, and aimed my gun at the bear’s head.

Its massive head was a tough target, thrashing madly as it focused on Leo and the others, but I had multiple chances.

Resting my finger on the trigger, I pulled it. The hard metal resisted, then gave way as the gun fired.

Bang!

The gunshot sounded even louder than the ones I’d heard in the military.

It was pure luck that I hit the bear’s head without needing to rewind time.

“Graah!”

But the beast didn’t fall. Blood gushed from one eye, yet it stood tall, glaring at me, undeterred.

If that bear had expressions, this was rage.

Watching its bleeding right eye, I pulled back the bolt, feeling the satisfying click of metal sliding into place, ejecting the empty shell with a faint ping.

Just then, flames burst from the bear’s back.

Even to me, someone who couldn’t sense auras, the bear’s behavior felt unsettling.

“Retreat!” Leo shouted, and everyone quickly backed away.

The bear, surprisingly, didn’t pursue them.

A hissing sound like a boiling kettle came from the bear as it slowly opened its massive jaws, aimed directly at me.

“…Ah.”

Right. In Azerna Legends, even low-level monsters could use magic casually.

Magic with effects identical to human spells.

I’d always wondered how these beasts cast spells that humans needed chants for.

Through the scope, I saw flames flickering deep in its throat.

So, it comes from within!

I fired again in a hurry.

Bang—the shot fired, the recoil hitting my shoulder as my scope jerked up. I didn’t see it pierce the bear’s cheek, but I knew it did.

Simultaneously, Mia Crowfield’s spell, which she had been preparing, finally activated.

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Chapter 66

Games are different from reality.

Especially turn-based RPGs—those hardly resemble reality at all.

In real life, you don’t take turns hitting each other when fighting for your life. You don’t waste precious seconds preparing a powerful attack, and you certainly don’t miss a blow on an enemy standing right in front of you.

In other words…

When casting magic, you don’t just stand there, accepting all incoming attacks.

In *Azerna Legends*, there are moves that can cancel an opponent’s turn, interrupting their major attacks. If a skill has “action cancel” as one of its attributes, there’s a certain chance it’ll cancel a big move the enemy was about to execute.

Unless it’s an instant ultimate skill, all spells show their name upon activation, and the number of turns required to complete the spell depends on the monster or character’s agility. If hit by an action-canceling skill during this period, the spell will be interrupted, and instead of casting it, that character will simply wait for the next command with refreshed action points.

The best way to increase the chances of an action-canceling skill is to choose a spell or instant skill of the opposite attribute of the one being cast. Of course, this skill or spell must also have “action cancel” as a feature.

This approach seemed logical enough.

If you douse fire magic with water, it makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s not easy to keep your composure while drenched in water pouring from above.

The problem is, that theory only works in a controlled setting.

...What kind of enemy wouldn’t try to avoid a huge downpour if they knew it would work against them?

The Elemental Bear is, after all, a *bear*. And though bears may look slow, they’re fearsome beasts packed with muscle.

And the Elemental Bear standing before us was far larger than any bear I’d ever known.

Naturally, that meant more muscle mass as well.

“Ah…!”

The bullet I fired didn’t seem to be a critical hit. As I pulled the trigger, Mia Crowfield’s spell activated, and water poured down from above. The bullet grazed the bear’s cheek but didn’t kill it.

The main reason I asked Mia to cast that spell was that I feared the fire-wielding Elemental Bear might set the forest ablaze. There were indeed spots where flames sprang up where its claws touched.

But that could have been dealt with after the attack.

By the time I lowered my rifle from the recoil, the Elemental Bear had already moved from its last position.

Though the time it took to bring my gun down wasn’t long, it was enough for the bear to shift its position and change its stance.

When I lowered my gun, it was no longer where it had been, lying flat on its belly with its forepaws planted in the ground, thoroughly soaked but still baring its teeth.

The spell wasn’t canceled.

And the bear’s gaze was fixed on Mia Crowfield.

“Again!” I shouted urgently.

*

Gasping, I sat up abruptly.

The room was still dark.

…I had returned to the time when I woke up this morning, just before Claire came to wake me, right before I’d started cleaning my gun.

“...”

Ah.

I’d rewound time a bit too far in my haste.

In hindsight, maybe it would’ve been better to rewind just a little, like during training, and ensure I hit the bear in the head. Even if the bear was about to cast its spell, I’d been watching it.

I ran my hands over my face.

Still…

Yes, my own short-sightedness played a big part in this.

The name “Azerna Empire.”

And the countless character names I’d seen in the game.

For these reasons, I couldn’t help but perceive this world as if I were still inside the game.

But… this world was undeniably different.

In the game, even if you get hit by a bear’s swipe, you only lose a bit of HP. You restore it with a spell or potion.

Even losing HP doesn’t matter much. 

Cutscenes may show scenes of assassinations by gunshot or bomb explosions, but in combat, no matter how many bullets or bombs hit you and your HP drops to zero, you’re merely “knocked down” unless it results in a game-over.

After the battle, you just heal up with magic, potions, or the recovery device at each checkpoint.

But reality isn’t like that.

There are no convenient recovery points in the forest. No autosave spots.

If a bear’s paw strikes, it’s not HP you’d be worried about—it would likely tear flesh and break bones before you even thought about healing.

…Taking a fire-aligned laser head-on could cost you a finger or melt part of your face, leaving you with horrifying scars for life.

“In the original story…”

“In the original story” is a concept that applies only to the plot and the layout of towns.

Thinking back, if I hadn’t been there, I doubt Leo and the others could’ve taken down the enemy camp so easily. Even if they’d asked Mia Crowfield for help… could they have pulled it off without my rifle to eliminate threats before they struck?

“Is it because of me?”

Could the events diverging from the original story be happening because I, someone not in the story, have joined their ranks?

I frowned, lost in thought, unable to reach a definitive answer.

Could my presence make that much difference in battles like these? Facing enemies armed with guns or knives, one strike could be fatal. For the story to progress, they’d need to keep fighting without suffering more than scratches.

Could the protagonist’s party reach the end unscathed even if the story proceeds as intended?

In the first place, if they could, would I even be here? Surely, some goddess of this world, or perhaps a god from another religion—or even some kind of system—created my presence for a reason?

“...”

I don’t know. No one’s told me why I’m here, so for now, all I can do is come up with my own reason.

Becoming a character suited for this game, one who won’t be discarded by anyone. That’s the path I’ve chosen.

“Huff…”

At least knowing what lay ahead snapped me wide awake.

I stood up.

Claire would be bursting through the door soon enough.

*

“Is there a blacksmith nearby?”

The guide, who had been about to rest after giving us a quick briefing, shot me a glare when I asked that question.

“At this hour? You planning to wake someone up to forge a weapon?”

“Yes.”

“Huh?”

He scoffed, but when I met his gaze without wavering, he blinked, momentarily thrown off.

“Sylvia?”

Claire, who had been watching nearby, called my name in surprise.

“I have money. It must be tiring to rush a weapon at this hour. I’ll tip you if you wake the craftsman for me.”

“...”

My sure tone seemed to give him pause. The guide stared at me for a long moment.

He must’ve known who I was; Jennifer would’ve mentioned it.

The guide from last night had been different, of course. They couldn’t work through the night indefinitely, so shifts were natural.

Even if they rotated, he would’ve been briefed.

“…Fine. No tip necessary.”

Honestly, I couldn’t tell what had changed his mind, but the guide picked up the receiver on the table.

“Put me through to the blacksmith.”

He spoke in a surprisingly calm voice, so different from before, and then fell silent, glancing over me with a thoughtful gaze.

In the game, it took no time to attach components to equipment, as if you were playing with toy parts, but reality was different. Adding marmaross to a magic staff would take time—perhaps a bit less if you had the right parts, but it would still need at least a few minutes to adjust and secure it properly.

Fortunately, we weren’t heading out right away. We had a little time, so we could leave the weapon with the blacksmith in the meantime.

“Got some newfound confidence?” Alice asked, and I nodded. Seeing my expression, Alice stopped asking.

“Hey, sorry to bother you this late. It’s Frida from the assignment center—”

The guide, receiver in hand, finally spoke.

*

On the way back to the Elemental Bear’s lair, Mia Crowfield seemed lost in thought.

Though still out of breath, there was something more pressing occupying her mind, a serious contemplation beneath her outward fatigue.

The blue gemstone embedded in the tip of her staff glowed faintly.

It was the marmaross I’d found in the underground waterways.

…I couldn’t deny I felt a little afraid. If she cast that spell on me, I wouldn’t even have time to scream.

But even more than that, I didn’t want the protagonist’s party to get hurt.

There might have been ways to avoid this mission from the start. But even that had its downsides.

So, I’d just have to explore alternatives while taking calculated risks.

“Let’s rest for a moment.”

The group hadn’t realized someone was lagging behind since Mia Crowfield had been masking her exhaustion, but when they heard me, they turned around, a bit surprised.

Mia Crowfield, sweating profusely, was there, looking more worn than I’d realized.

“You could’ve said something if you were struggling,” Claire remarked, and we sat down to rest.

Just like before, I handed Mia Crowfield my water bottle in silence.

She accepted it without a word, drinking cautiously while casting me a curious look.

Considering I’d handed over a rare piece of marmaross, it was natural for her to be wary.

I’d have been suspicious too.

But I had no intention of explaining that I

’d foreseen this. I could only hope this approach worked as I accepted the warm bottle she returned.

*

The more marmaross of a particular element is embedded in a staff, the shorter the casting time becomes.

In practical terms, it meant the marmaross itself provides magical support, reducing the need for intense focus.

More spells become available, and their activation speed increases.

…Reality might not be a game, but games do draw on certain real-world principles.

“Spiritus Glaceus!”

Ice spirit.

Mia’s voice rang out.

A massive ice spike shot into the gaping mouth of the Elemental Bear lying flat with its jaws open.

The glow within the bear’s maw turned crimson as the ice lodged deep inside. Blood seeped through cracks in the solid ice.

But the bear didn’t die.

Bang!

Well, its head was soon skewered right after that.

As my shot struck the bear’s right eye—already wounded by a previous bullet—its skull caved in around the area.

With ice lodged in its throat, shredded hide, and a collapsed head, the bear finally slumped over, looking grotesque.

Jake looked at the bear and commented, “Doesn’t look like we’ll get much for that hide.”

No one laughed at his joke.

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Chapter 67

I finally returned to my room after handling tasks all morning.

Moving around in the cold had made me sweat and then cool down repeatedly, leaving my body in a rough state. I’d managed to keep my expression neutral, but… I couldn’t shake the worry that Alice might catch on.

It was great being part of the protagonist’s party, but the problem was my stamina—it could barely keep up with them. At least Mia Crowfield wasn’t one to rely on physical endurance.

I… Well, I could shoot from a distance, but what they expected from Mia was entirely different from what they expected from me. I was supposed to be the one dodging attacks from close combatants with ease.

“...”

Claire would surely come to wake me up tomorrow morning, as she’d been doing every day. This short break wouldn’t last; after it, Claire would return. If I kept following Leo and Claire, I’d eventually meet the Swordmaster. But by then, it’d be too late—his interest would be in Leo, Claire, Alice, Charlotte, or maybe even Jake.

Mia and I weren’t the type to wield swords, so we’d likely be overlooked by the Swordmaster as unsuitable talents.

But that couldn’t happen.

Until this morning, I’d been dreading the climb to meet the Swordmaster, but after today’s events, I realized I needed something beyond shooting skills.

...Alright.

I rolled off the bed and stood up.

After all, I could turn back time. I didn’t want to go weeks back, but I’d spent months rewinding time by a few hours to practice before. When I assassinated Count Crowfield, I’d tested countless strategies, refining my methods through trial and error.

I was far from perfect, but time was on my side. I could correct mistakes. Even if I couldn’t build stamina through training alone, I could repeat actions until they became habits.

Fortunately, the sun was still high in the sky.

I got up, walked to the door, and headed toward Jennifer’s room.

*

Jennifer’s room was surprisingly modest for a duchess’s quarters. It wasn’t that it lacked luxury, but everything was neat and uncluttered, with minimal decorations. No porcelain or marble statues, just a single mirror on the wall. There wasn’t even lace on her bed.

Honestly, it looked more like an “officer’s quarters” than a duchess’s room. Not that I’d ever seen a real officer’s quarters, but it had that feel.

“You want to meet my mentor?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Hearing my request, Jennifer looked at me with interest. She sat in a chair, poised and proper. Back at the Academy, she’d seemed more laid-back for a former officer, but here, she carried herself with formal restraint.

“Hmm.”

Jennifer closed the notebook in her hands.

“You sound as though you know who my mentor is.”

Perhaps intrigued by my request to meet someone she’d never mentioned herself, Jennifer looked me straight in the eye.

“He’s the Empire’s Swordmaster, isn’t he?”

He wasn’t her only mentor. Jennifer had many teachers, but the only two explicitly named in the game were the Swordmaster and her grandfather, Abraham.

Jennifer could wield almost any weapon, so it was natural for her to have multiple mentors, but if I had to pick the two most influential, it’d be those two.

“And you seem to know that I know where he is,” she added, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Yes. I understand he resides in the Winterfield Territory.”

“Then why don’t you find him yourself?”

Jennifer looked at me with a sly smile as she continued her line of questioning.

“I don’t know the exact location,” I replied.

In the game, the mountain area was depicted rather simply.

But in reality, it wouldn’t be that straightforward.

“Hmmm.”

Jennifer propped her chin on her hand, studying me intently before standing up from her seat.

She strode over to me, and though we were of similar height, the way she carried herself made her seem much taller.

And as she approached, she suddenly—

Whack!

“Ouch!”

She flicked me on the head with lightning speed.

“Hm?”

She looked puzzled, even though she was the one who’d done the hitting.

...Again!

*

It took three rewinds to finally dodge her lightning-quick flick.

I was proud I’d managed to evade it on my third try. Lucas’s sword-swinging practice must have trained me well. Dodging Jennifer’s flick had been harder, likely because it was almost genuine compared to Lucas’s playful sparring.

“...Interesting.”

I didn’t know what Jennifer saw in my expression, but she seemed to have gleaned something from my gaze.

“And what about your endurance?” she asked. “To reach him, you’ll have to walk quite a distance. While you can drive up to the mountain base, there’s still a long hike. It’ll be midnight when you arrive.”

...Was it that far?

Come to think of it, in the game, you stayed a night at the Swordmaster’s hut.

“Even a few days wouldn’t be enough to learn anything meaningful… Oh, but perhaps that’s not an issue for you?”

I felt a shiver down my spine, wondering if she had figured out that I could rewind time.

“Since you seem to have a basic level of talent, it might only take a day if you’re just looking for advice,” Jennifer said, grinning as though to provoke me.

“Or is your skill level not so… ‘basic’?”

Not basic at all.

In fact, I lacked any fundamentals.

Of course, I couldn’t just say that outright.

“One night will be enough.”

Jennifer looked at me quietly, then shrugged.

“There are a lot of things I’d like to ask, but I can wait until you return. It’s not like you’re planning to leave right now.”

But she wouldn’t have the chance to ask me anything.

She’d soon forget I even made this request.

Jennifer was someone who never hesitated once she made a decision. Without delay, she brushed past me, heading for the door.

I turned to follow her, but just before opening the door, Jennifer paused as if something had occurred to her.

“Oh, by the way,” she said, glancing back at me, “It’s not exactly a point of pride for Winterfield to be seen unconditionally assisting a royal.”

…

She usually didn’t care about such things.

“As the price for introducing you to my mentor, there’s something I’d like you to do for me.”

“...”

“I know you’re no ordinary teenager. And it should be easier and more honorable than assassinating a count.”

Her expression left no doubt that she fully believed I had killed Count Crowfield.

Not that she intended to use that fact against me. It wasn’t enough for blackmail anyway.

This was simply a “deal.”

“Could I hear the terms of the deal in advance?”

“There’s a warlord wreaking havoc near the border. I’d like you to take him out. Imperial soldiers have been dying for months now.”

“...Is that the battlefield I was supposed to be deployed to?”

“Yes.”

Jennifer nodded seriously.

“The reinforcements His Majesty intended to send were surely meant to be you.”

“...”

I couldn’t say for certain, but it was highly likely. My original assignment had been the northern front.

In the original story, Claire probably went instead. Though it wasn’t detailed, she’d likely played a major role in dismantling the warlord’s forces along the border.

“Understood. I’ll do it.”

“Thank you.”

Jennifer nodded and opened the door.

*

Leo and Claire were in the dining hall, while Alice and Charlotte were in their rooms.

Mia was also in her room, and while I didn’t know where Jake was, it didn’t seem like he was planning any trouble.

On our way outside, we didn’t encounter anyone else. A few other noble students were around, but they didn’t dare approach a princess and her instructor.

Not just any princess and instructor, but one rumored to be an imperial assassin and a former soldier from the northern front. No wonder no one dared interrupt our serious conversation.

“There’s a road leading to the mountain base. There aren’t any speed restrictions like in the capital, so no need to worry,” Jennifer said as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

Due to coachmen protesting the introduction of steam vehicles, the capital had imposed a speed limit of 20 km/h. That was why I never bothered getting a driver’s license. Hardly anyone drove their own cars anyway.

Learning to ride a horse would’ve been more practical.

“I’ll drive. You don’t mind, do you?”

Jennifer spoke casually as she took the wheel.

“Not at all.”

I nodded, settling into the passenger seat.

Only after getting in did I realize there were no seat belts in this car.

Ah.

But by the time I noticed, Jennifer had already floored the accelerator.

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Chapter 68

Fortunately, I didn’t get carsick. My heart was pounding a little, and the road was much rougher than the asphalt roads I’d known on Earth, but Jennifer assured me it wasn’t that bad, considering it was also a supply route.

Then again, I’d traveled by carriage, which shook a lot more than this. Unlike cars, most carriages didn’t have any suspension. Not that they had seatbelts, either.

Still, unlike the carriage, which usually had only side windows, the car’s passenger seat offered an unobstructed view straight ahead. Though we were only going about 80 km/h, sitting without a seatbelt in a car for the first time in a while made my palms a bit sweaty.

Moreover, the road was wide open. Out here in the countryside, where cars were scarce, the drive felt simultaneously refreshing and slightly terrifying.

About 40 minutes later, we arrived at a base in the forest.

“This isn’t a military post. It’s maintained by the hunters who guard Winterfield’s vast forest.”

Jennifer parked the car and got out.

“Although, in terms of their equipment, they’re practically like private soldiers.”

She glanced at me as she said this.

“Does this bother you, Your Highness?”

“Not at all.”

I answered immediately.

This was more of an issue for the Emperor or, if anything, for Alice, the future Empress. Winterfield was one of the most loyal duchies, and this private force existed to guard the northern forest against bandits, not to threaten the imperial family.

“Lady Jennifer!”

The moment Jennifer stepped out, a burly hunter with a thick beard came running up to us.

He wore a heavy fur hat—the kind with ear flaps. An ushanka, I think it’s called, the type you’d expect to see on Soviet soldiers during World War II.

Of course, his clothes weren’t military uniforms. Beneath his fur coat, I could glimpse a red checkered shirt and sturdy jeans. He looked more like a lumberjack than a hunter. But in these cold mountains, the difference probably didn’t matter much. Survival here required year-round woodcutting to stockpile firewood.

“She’s here! Lady Jennifer is here!” the hunter called out, and several other men dressed similarly to him came out from various log cabins around the base. Every single one of them had a thick beard.

“How’ve you all been?” Jennifer asked.

“Doing fine, my lady!”

The hunter removed his hat respectfully, revealing matted hair that hadn’t been trimmed in a long time.

His face was slightly red, probably from the cold or maybe from a midday drink, but he looked pleased.

“It’s been a while, Lady Jennifer. But…”

He trailed off, glancing toward me, the girl who’d just stepped out of the car.

The other hunters who’d come out also looked at me with curious expressions. It made sense. A teenage girl showing up in a place like this was bound to draw some attention, especially since there didn’t seem to be any women here.

“This is the Imperial Princess, visiting from the capital,” Jennifer introduced me.

“Oh.”

The hunter’s face grew tense, likely because he didn’t have the best impression of the imperial family. He even looked around, as if expecting an escort or guards hiding nearby.

“No need to worry. She’s here as a student first and foremost, and as my apprentice, she has no intention of expecting special treatment from you all,” Jennifer assured him.

Even if I’d come here officially as a princess, I didn’t plan to expect special treatment.

“We’ll be climbing the mountain. Can we borrow some climbing gear? The place I stayed as a child should still be around, right?”

…She stayed here?

Then again, if she was looking to meet the Swordmaster, living here rather than in central Winterfield made sense.

“Yes, everything should be just as you left it, my lady.”

“Thank you.”

…Climbing gear?

“This way. My childhood climbing clothes might fit you. They might be a bit tight in the chest, though,” Jennifer added with a hint of humor as she led the way, leaving me a bit puzzled as I followed.

*

Indeed.

Climbing a mountain in a school skirt that left my legs bare was an insane idea. Even with a well-worn trail, the mountain path was uneven and treacherous. The chilly mountain air relentlessly seeped through any gap it could find between my legs.

I shivered just thinking about how cold it would’ve been if I’d come in just my thick stockings.

In the game, characters’ outfits never changed unless there was a special event, so it was easy to overlook things like this.

…If Jennifer hadn’t spent her childhood here, who knows what would’ve happened?

“…Hah…”

I exhaled quietly. Jennifer could likely hear me, but I didn’t care; climbing a mountain was exhausting.

Though I wanted to collapse, gasping, I kept myself composed.

Thanks to the minimal training I did regularly, I wasn’t about to pass out. Surprisingly, Jennifer was pacing herself, giving me time to adjust. The trail was also in better shape than I’d expected. It wasn’t flat like a road, but hunters likely used it regularly.

Whenever I misstepped or felt inefficient, I rewound time slightly to conserve my stamina as best as I could.

“Even for those who live in the mountains, it’s impossible to be entirely self-sufficient,” Jennifer remarked, confirming that at least in the game, trails existed where people could traverse.

It had taken us four hours to get this far.

The sun was beginning to set. My friends were probably searching for me by now.

…I’d return as soon as training ended, so it shouldn’t matter.

And I’d rewind to the time just before I’d met Jennifer anyway.

*

“Master—”

Jennifer opened the door of the Swordmaster’s cliffside hut without asking permission, then swiftly sidestepped out of the way.

A small clay pot flew out at tremendous speed and shattered as it fell down the cliff.

“Oh dear.”

Jennifer seemed unperturbed, though.

“You reckless fool!”

Neither did I feel much surprise.

“How dare you return here!?”

“My face is still intact, so I figured I might as well, Master.”

“Hmph…”

Hearing Jennifer’s audacious response, an exasperated sigh echoed from inside the hut.

“I can manage half of your sword technique now, Master. That should make me at least half an apprentice, shouldn’t it?”

“...”

For a moment, it seemed her master was at a loss for words.

“I have someone I wish to introduce to you, Master. May we come in?”

“…Go ahead. It’s not like you’d listen even if I told you no.”

“Correct, as always.”

“You fool.”

Jennifer tilted her head toward me as if signaling for me to follow her in, then stepped inside.

The hut was warmer than I’d expected.

Although it looked shabby from the outside, inside, it was clear this log cabin was well-built. The wood was dried and stacked tightly, leaving no gaps for drafts. The interior was adorned with animal hides, creating a rustic yet cozy atmosphere.

It looked more like a forest hunter’s cabin than a Swordmaster’s home.

However, above the fireplace, instead of animal heads, three “katanas” of various lengths hung on the wall.

“Hm.”

The Swordmaster looked more intrigued by me than his own apprentice, and only then did I fully grasp, “Ah, so this is the Swordmaster.”

He had a long white beard and white hair tied back in a style reminiscent of a Japanese topknot.

Although his features were typically Western, with piercing blue eyes, his appearance matched his backstory: a warrior who had journeyed east in his youth, earning the title of Swordmaster.

“Is this the child?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“You fool!” he yelled, his face darkening.

“What are you doing, bringing someone with no talent here?”

“...”

Oh.

He saw right through me instantly.

Well, it was the Swordmaster, after all. Lucas and even the Emperor probably found me strange, too.

“If you’re that curious, Master, why don’t you have her wield a sword?”

“Say what?”

…What?

That was the last thing I’d expected her to say.

…Did I pick the wrong character after all?

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Chapter 69

In his seventy years of life, Swordmaster Frederick had never encountered anyone as peculiar as the young girl standing before him.

For one thing, he hadn’t sensed her presence at all as she approached. 

He’d known from the footsteps outside that two people were approaching the hut. Although he could usually gauge something about a person from their footsteps alone, accurately identifying "who" it was was another matter entirely. Still, when it came to familiar footsteps, there were always subtle nuances that gave them away.

The footsteps trailing behind, for example, were those of his only remaining disciple. She’d once come to him, demanding to learn swordsmanship, trained to an impressive level, and then left abruptly, claiming, “This should be good enough for actual combat.” If she’d stayed, she’d likely have inherited the title of Swordmaster, yet her aspirations had never been solely about mastering the sword.

He’d pelt her with bowls, ashtrays, or even small pots every time she visited. Not that he actually wanted to hit her—it was more of a habit, really.

But the steps in front, slightly heavier and fatigued, belonged to someone else. These footsteps, unlike his disciple’s lighter stride, were slower and wearier, yet carried a quiet certainty, a rhythm that never faltered.

“Hmm.”

Oddly, when the footsteps approached the cabin, he noticed a shift in them. It was as if the person had crossed some invisible threshold and adjusted their bearing.

Intrigued, Frederick picked up an empty basket from the table, holding it in readiness. Even if it hit, it would only cause a minor sting. And if they were right in front of the door, dodging would be a challenge.

He waited with the basket poised in his hand.

“Hm?”

Just one step shy of the door, the footsteps stopped, almost as if the person somehow knew he was waiting on the other side, basket in hand.

And then the door opened.

There was no one standing in the doorway.

“…Stop standing around and come in.”

After a few moments, the door revealed a young girl—young enough to be called a child in noble society, yet someone Frederick saw as little more than a kid.

She was dressed in fur clothing, her forehead beaded with sweat.

Had she sensed his presence and deliberately opened the door from a distance?

But judging by her posture—holding herself upright despite being obviously winded—it seemed unlikely. Her expression was carefully blank, but her shoulders hinted at the strain.

And yet, there was something odd. She had no hint of the “presence” common to those trained in swordsmanship, almost as if she had no talent for it whatsoever.

“Master, I trust you’ve been well.”

His disciple entered with an annoyingly confident grin, her tone as bold as ever. Frederick lowered the basket, slightly disappointed.

“What brings you here? And who is this? You didn’t come alone, so you must not be here just to waste my time.”

“Yes, well, I have a favor to ask. A little of both, really.”

As she spoke, his disciple’s gaze shifted to the girl.

Oh?

Having lived secluded from the world for fifteen years, Frederick felt a rare sense of intrigue bubbling up.

*

But the girl’s strangeness didn’t end there.

“So, you want me to teach you something?” Frederick asked.

“Yes. I’d like to learn how to harness my inner energy—to steady my mind and bring my body into balance through meditation. I’d appreciate your guidance.”

“Hmm.”

Frederick narrowed his eyes as he studied the girl. He’d half-expected her to look intimidated, but she remained utterly composed under his scrutiny.

To him, it appeared she hadn’t intentionally concealed her aura, but rather lacked the ability to project it in the first place. In other words, she seemed to have no natural aptitude for this path.

“You don’t appear to have much talent for it,” he said.

Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to dismiss her outright. There was something about her that set her apart from any ordinary child.

Maybe that cautiousness she’d shown at the door was just part of her nature.

“I may lack talent with the sword,” she replied, “but I have full confidence in what I already know.”

“Oh?”

Her words were spoken with such self-assurance that Frederick found himself taken aback. It wasn’t empty bravado but a conviction grounded in some kind of certainty.

“And I’m not asking you to teach me for free.”

“A price, is it?”

Frederick looked her over carefully.

Perhaps, as a princess, she intended to offer him money.

“If I needed money—”

“It’s not money.”

—he’d be far wealthier by now.

This audacious princess clearly had something else in mind.

“It’s about strength,” she clarified.

“Strength?”

“Yes. You seek someone worthy to challenge you in battle, don’t you?”

“…”

She wasn’t wrong.

His life was nearing its end, and the chance to face a worthy opponent in a duel was something he longed for.

But…

“Are you talking about the Emperor?” he ventured.

“No.”

Her response surprised him.

“One of the Emperor’s children wields the sword. I believe you would find satisfaction in meeting them.”

The princess held his gaze steadily as she spoke.

“If you wish, I can arrange for you to meet.”

“…”

Her eyes didn’t betray a single hint of deception.

He glanced at his disciple, Jennifer, who merely leaned against the wall with a slight smile, as if amused by the exchange.

“Hmm.”

Frederick made a low noise of thought, then said, “Fine. I had nothing better to do anyway.”

*

The princess… did she have talent or not?

If asked, Frederick would say she had none.

And yet, something about her felt inexplicably odd.

By all appearances, she lacked talent. Her ability to absorb knowledge seemed no different from that of an ordinary person, and the chance she’d master meditation in a single day seemed slim.

But, strangely enough—

She was somehow already complete.

To be precise, she seemed to have come to him in a nearly finished state.

As if she had spent months, perhaps without sleeping or eating, in deep meditation. Before he could teach her anything, she had already slipped effortlessly into a state of calm.

In mere seconds, she seemed to regain her breath and soothe her strained muscles, as though she hadn’t just climbed a mountain.

“….”

Her silence and composure held a tranquil, almost sacred air.

Frederick wasn’t the only one struck speechless.

…Could she have pulled this from the future?

It seemed an absurd thought, but Frederick couldn’t shake it.

He paused for a moment, and then—

“Ha!”

He brought his hand down in a swift chop toward her head.

It wasn’t meant to be a serious blow, but it was no light tap either. If she were completely untrained, she would’ve taken the hit and likely been knocked out cold.

Yet, his hand sliced through empty air.

Though sitting cross-legged with her hands resting on her knees, eyes closed in meditation, she leaned back just enough to dodge the strike by a hair’s breadth.

Even in a meditative state, where she shouldn’t have sensed anything.

“Oh.”

Frederick let out a sound of interest.

She had no innate talent.

And yet, she was… complete. At her age, she was further along than he’d been.

Could she really have reached a level where she could conceal her aura to this extent? Had she already achieved such mastery that even Jennifer hadn’t noticed?

Then why had she bothered to come up the mountain to learn meditation?

Slowly, the princess’s dark eyes opened and met Frederick’s gaze with calm, unwavering certainty, as though she knew precisely what would come next.

She looked almost like the ancient statues he’d seen in the East.

“Do you have any serious intention to learn the sword?” he asked.

“I lack the talent.”

She rose smoothly to her feet, as though she’d already completed what she came here to do.

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Chapter 70

As the Swordmaster Frederick looked upon the princess, he couldn’t help but feel a curiosity deepening within him.

“Then how have you managed to train this way until now? Why come to me, specifically? It sounds like you already know how to meditate,” he asked.

“Because I’ve practiced it hundreds of times,” the princess replied, her voice carrying, for the first time, a tone of weariness, as if drained. But to Frederick’s trained eye, her condition was markedly improved since she first ascended the mountain; her inner energy seemed more focused.

“When I first climbed this mountain, I knew nothing. And the first time I learned meditation from you, I grasped only fragments by rewinding time, practicing repeatedly,” she explained.

“Is that so?”

The princess’s words felt odd to Frederick, the strangest of all her mysteries.

“After I had a feel for it, I started from the base of the mountain again, even before speaking to you each time.”

“Hmm.”

Though her statements made little logical sense, both Jennifer and the Swordmaster listened calmly as the first rays of dawn streamed through the window.

“Every time I climbed, I calmed my mind, strengthened my body, relearned meditation, and further improved myself. When I rewind, my body reverts to its original state, but my memories and sensations remain intact.”

“I see.” Frederick chuckled, realization dawning on him.

“That’s what was happening.”

“Master, you believe this story?” Jennifer asked, though her expression betrayed a knowing smile.

“If you don’t believe her, why does your face suggest otherwise?” Frederick responded, noting Jennifer’s amusement.

“Are you saying you can turn back time?” Frederick asked, a smile tugging at his lips as he pulled a chair, gesturing for his guests to sit.

“Yes.”

“Interesting. But I have one minor disagreement,” he remarked as he settled into his chair.

“Disagreement?” the princess asked, taking a seat.

“Is this the first time we’ve had this conversation?”

“Yes.”

Frederick gave her a nod. “Then think of it as foresight.”

“But I can turn back time whenever I choose. Calling it foresight seems… inaccurate.”

“Then consider that you may be glimpsing what lies ahead, peering into a future you hadn’t yet experienced,” he proposed with a grin.

The princess tilted her head, uncertain.

“Well,” he continued, “whatever you experience directly is bound to be more accurate than anything I say.”

The scrape of a chair broke the silence as Jennifer took a seat.

“Ah, I regret not having any tea for such distinguished guests. My apologies; I ran out.”

“It’s quite alright,” the princess assured him.

“I might be much older than you think,” Frederick said, chuckling.

“I doubt it’s gone that far. I haven’t rewound time to that extent.”

“A frog doesn’t recall its tadpole days.”

“What if a frog could remember the egg it came from?”

“Everyone carries faint memories from childhood,” Frederick mused. “And human memory is frail; a small trigger can shatter it entirely. Just look at how many spells are designed to alter memory.”

“…”

As he watched her contemplate, Frederick asked gently, “Will you erase this memory, too, now that you’ve achieved what you came for?”

The princess remained silent, but her expression betrayed a hint of discomfort. Perhaps, after facing him so many times, she felt a strange familiarity with him.

Jennifer couldn’t help but comment, “You’re making quite a face. Normally, you’re so expressionless.”

Frederick was sure she would rewind time once again.

“What about our deal, then?” he asked with a hint of mischief. “If there’s no memory of it, there’s no debt to pay.”

“I’ll repay my debt in my own way,” she said firmly.

Jennifer chimed in, “Isn’t it funny, though? Getting rewarded for something that never happened. It feels like we’re profiting unfairly.”

“…I’ve already gained something,” the princess replied softly.

“There’s no need to be so formal,” Frederick laughed.

At his age, he found this encounter a precious and rare experience. He didn’t care much for the original deal she had proposed. To witness someone who could turn back time and gain whatever they sought was a treasure beyond any condition or deal.

“If you insist on repaying me,” he added, “visit me once more before I die. Then, I’ll try to guess your true identity. Don’t spoil the mystery by giving me too many hints; riddles are dull if the creator gives everything away.”

“….”

“You’re under no obligation to avoid rewinding time because of us,” Frederick advised warmly. “You pursued this path, enduring countless loops under my guidance, didn’t you?”

Many had come to him without natural talent. Most left soon after, discouraged or worn out by the arduous training. Yet this girl was different. Even though she seemingly possessed the ability to turn back time—a power she could have used to pursue fame, wealth, or influence—she chose a difficult path, a path with purpose.

And Frederick, a man who respected such unwavering purpose, had nothing but admiration for her. If he hadn’t, Jennifer would never have been allowed into his life.

“So, is that your final condition?” she asked.

“It is. Even if I don’t remember, I count you as my disciple after all this time you’ve endured. Bear that title proudly; I don’t take on many disciples. Not that many seek me out here,” he said with a chuckle.

The princess, Sylvia Fangriffon, looked at him with mild puzzlement. Frederick’s cheerful demeanor lifted her spirits. Though he wouldn’t remember this encounter, she would carry his laughter with her.

Jennifer finally interjected, “Honestly, I’d like you to fulfill our agreement. I’m practical like that.”

“…”

Sylvia gazed at her teacher for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“If that’s your wish,” she replied.

“Not that I’d know if you didn’t,” Jennifer shrugged.

“Then, as we descend the mountain, tell me what I need to do. I’ll remember.”

“Hmm.” Jennifer’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “If you want to. If you choose not to rewind, it’ll be a pleasant surprise for me as well.”

Sylvia gave no reply, but Frederick imagined that, had she had a teacup before her, she would have quietly sipped from it—a gesture that would have suited her perfectly.

*

As his two disciples left to fulfill a portion of the agreement, Frederick remained seated in his tranquil cabin, murmuring to himself, “If you have business with me, come on in.”

A red-haired young man opened the door and stepped in silently.

“Such a dazed look on you, young man,” Frederick chided with a click of his tongue.

The young man crossed the room, took a seat at the table, and shrugged. “I don’t care for such noble pastimes.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Frederick said with a broad smile.

“You must be the swordsman the princess spoke of,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sized up the young man.

He was no ordinary talent, that much was clear.

It was possible this youth already surpassed Frederick in skill, despite his seventy years.

“Impressive. Care to cross swords with me?”

“…What’s the point if time’s just going to rewind soon anyway?” the youth sighed.

Frederick burst out laughing. “You’re like a child who’s just found out a magician’s trick and doesn’t know what to do with the knowledge.”

The young man looked momentarily sullen, but Frederick rose from his seat, walked to the wall, and began buckling on his katana.

“But when all is said and done,” Frederick said in a firm tone, cutting off the young man’s complaints, “we’re here, talking in this moment, are we not? I’d wager we have at least a few hours left.”

The young man fell silent.

“Even if the world ends tomorrow, the living have no choice but to carry on,” Frederick continued. “If our memory of today is real, no one can deny this moment existed, not even a god.”

Hand resting confidently on the hilt of his katana, Frederick exuded a presence of absolute certainty, an indomitable aura worthy of a Swordmaster.

“Come, young man. Wouldn’t you like to spar with me in the time we have left?”

The red-haired youth looked at him, mouth agape, before bursting into laughter.

“Wisdom really does come with age, huh, old man?”

All traces of earlier despondency had vanished from his face.

“Alright, then. Let’s have ourselves a hell of a match.”

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Chapter 71

Meditation was, in essence, just meditation—sitting down, calming the mind, and contemplating oneself. Yet, even for someone like me, possessing the absurd ability to rewind time, such a task wasn’t without its challenges. 

Things like Leo and Claire's relentless dedication, while exhausting, weren’t necessarily the things that weighed me down. My stress stemmed instead from two distinct situations: when the story adhered too closely to the original, and when, inexplicably, it diverged. 

When things went “as planned,” Leo was tirelessly completing every side quest and detail as if he were a perfectionist. However, in the original story, characters—heroes included—wouldn’t all survive. Some would inevitably die, including Claire. Now, with me in her place, would I be the one to die? Or would it be both of us? I’d rewound time plenty of times but had never experienced death firsthand. What lay beyond? A new world? Another character?

On the other hand, there were also times when the narrative broke from the “script” in strange ways. The world here had an odd mix of game-like mechanics alongside brutally real consequences. In the game, taking hits didn’t necessarily result in death unless the health points dropped to zero. But here, even a single blow could be fatal.

Over three hundred days, I thought about these inconsistencies during my continuous sessions of meditation. The time-reversal ability allowed me to forego food, sleep, and even hygiene, channeling all my focus into contemplation—a definite advantage.

---

A battlefield lay before me, tinged with the faint scent of gunpowder and charred remains. The area between the trenches bore fresh craters filled with snow, remnants of recent artillery strikes. 

The Empire held an overwhelming advantage. They had tanks and aircraft, while the opposing forces, dug into the trenches, had only basic defenses. Jennifer surveyed the concrete bunkers in the distance with binoculars.

“There’s a lot of them,” she muttered. “But not enough to hold the line against us.” 

Jennifer continued, “They’re using a makeshift machine gun setup. Not as fast as the Empire’s, but the initial assault was rough. Many fell because of it.” She turned to me, her gaze steady. “Think you can handle it?”

I stayed silent, and Jennifer watched me intently, as if reading my thoughts. “Or… have you already done it?”

“I’ve succeeded seven times,” I replied.

It had taken countless retries, far more challenging than infiltrating a noble estate. The no-man’s land between the trenches was long and perilous; any misstep would result in a hail of bullets. The only way to survive was to reach the trench unseen.

Taking advantage of the dimming light, I pressed forward. There were sections where enemy guards’ vigilance waned, where fatigue or distraction offered opportunities. Through endless resets, I’d learned to find these gaps. Once inside the trenches, I had the upper hand; each bullet I fired found its mark.

Explosives were critical. In the dark of the trench, I threw grenades into rooms, trying to sow as much chaos as possible. My customized shotgun, modified to emit a flash of flame, left enemies in terror. I didn’t need a massive fuel tank strapped to my back—I was a storm unto myself.

As I pressed deeper into the trench, I stumbled upon an ammo depot. Around that time, the Empire began its assault from the outside. Enemies were trapped, taking fire from both sides. Then, a massive explosion shook the ground. My vision blurred, and I found myself sprawled on the ground. As I struggled up, I saw enemy soldiers staring, dazed, at a column of smoke and flame rising behind me.

The ammo depot had detonated, likely sparked by one of my haphazardly tossed grenades. The echo of gunfire grew closer as the Empire advanced. Shouts of victory resonated across the battlefield as enemy soldiers began surrendering, some dropping to their knees in resignation. They looked at me, visibly shaken.

I climbed up from the trench, looking back toward the bunker. Half of it had caved in from the internal explosion. Anyone inside likely hadn’t survived. If they had, the advancing Empire forces would capture or kill them.

That marked my first successful infiltration.

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Chapter 72

The remaining six successful infiltrations were refinements of the initial route, each time enhancing my approach. Of course, I’d often reset completely, starting from the very beginning, but all those smaller rewinds were countless in comparison.

Yet, I’d achieved a reliable route to success.

“Is that so?” Jennifer murmured, pondering my report. “You’ll rewind this time, too, I assume?”

“Yes,” I replied quietly, watching my breath drift into the cold air.

“Honestly, even knowing about your ability, it’s incredible. The fact that you could destabilize that kind of fortress alone…”

“I only stirred up confusion inside. Without the Empire’s forces advancing, success would’ve been nearly impossible, even with the ability to rewind.”

Having it confined to trenches was a blessing; no matter how many enemies there were, their visibility in the trenches was limited. It was dark, and taking out the lights was straightforward. A grenade was enough to destroy any illumination in a section.

“Fail until you succeed.”

Jennifer remained silent for a while before she finally spoke, her voice hesitant, as if releasing thoughts from deep within. “When I first heard you were being sent, I couldn’t believe it,” she said, almost as if sharing a guarded secret.

She sighed, almost laughing, but it was tinged with a hollow sense of absurdity.

“My grandfather reassured me, saying His Majesty must have a plan. But I thought it meant we’d been abandoned, left for ruin. I’d assumed politics had finally prevailed over loyalty.” She chuckled, but there was an edge of bitterness in her laugh that faded as she spoke.

“Does His Majesty know about your power?”

“No, I’m certain of it.”

Jennifer glanced at me with a half-smile. “Well, hearing you can turn back time makes it obvious. A while ago, you looked only a bit tired, but now… you have the look of someone who’s been to hell and back.”

“Is that so?”

Jennifer turned to look at me, her gaze steady. “Though I’m the one who brought you here, I still think… with your ability, you could just leave. Go somewhere far from the Empire, live a simple life. With time on your side, you could avoid everything.”

I didn’t respond immediately, instead staring out into the distant fog surrounding the bunkers. “I’ve heard that before.”

Jennifer looked taken aback.

“I see.” We stood in silence until I spoke, surprising her. “Thank you, truly.”

Jennifer’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. “Is… is that also something I’ve said before?”

“No,” I replied, shaking my head. “This is the first time I’ve said it.”

“Ah.” Jennifer’s face softened, and a smile found its way to her lips.

---

Would starting over even be an option for me?

Jennifer knew only parts of my past, and only a select few understood the “game” as I did. Claire, Leo, Baron and Lady Grace, and a handful of others were aware of my history. And they, too, would likely agree that even if I reset, I’d end up right back here. 

There’s no escaping someone like Lucas, who’s been watching me from the start. As “Sylvia Black,” I was a construct, not a natural part of this world. My knowledge of the story’s future had likely been embedded in me, meaning I wasn’t here by accident but by design.

Whoever—or whatever—brought me here surely anticipated my use of time. My ability had been woven into the narrative.

So, “Doesn’t that mean I’m free to do as I please?”

Lying in bed that night, I gazed up at the ceiling and whispered into the dark. As expected, no answer came. Whether it was some god above or the goddess of the Church, their silence was telling.

And silence could be taken as consent.

"Fine."

In that case, I’d interpret that silence as freedom, throwing off the binds of expectation. I sat up, feeling a familiar exhaustion in my limbs, lingering from my recent missions. Even my body, aching from a lack of sleep, cried out to return to rest.

But I didn’t have the time. Claire would come looking for me at four in the morning, and that deadline was fast approaching.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, recalling my master’s lessons.

Focus the mind to restore the body.

Ordinarily, this would be absurd. In my old world, no amount of calm breathing could replace sleep. But here, in this world, it was different. I could will my body back to strength.

I closed my eyes, emptying my mind of everything but my goal, and released the last of my hesitation with a breath. When I opened my eyes, I felt ready.

Time to go.

I had a debt to settle.

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Chapter 73

   “So, that mercenary group was completely annihilated? When did this happen?”

   "Early yesterday morning, sir."

   Upon hearing the report, a brief expression of satisfaction crossed the face of Maximilian Schmidt, Governor of the Riklant Autonomous Territory. However, that look of delight didn’t last long.

   “Did the Empire deploy additional forces?”

   “Well…”

   The senior officer in a blue uniform furrowed his brow, looking somewhat troubled. His meticulously groomed gray mustache twitched, as if something about the report didn’t sit well with him.

   Still, Schmidt found it unlikely that the Empire had sent a large force across the border. If they had, this commander would have stormed in here looking visibly agitated. The autonomous territory, though nominally a “republic,” hadn’t completely shed its aristocratic influences.

   Structurally, it resembled the Empire, minus the royal family.

   Of course, that resemblance was only political; the territory was far smaller, and its military strength was laughable compared to the Empire’s. Originally, the autonomous military should have kept this mercenary group in check, but during the revolution’s chaos, they’d turned into a full-blown warlord faction. Comparing their military might to the Empire’s was practically a joke.

   Reluctantly, they had requested assistance from the Empire, with the added plea not to send too many troops, fearing the Empire’s strength. Schmidt and the territory’s nobles had hoped to maintain some pride, though the military occasionally let its frustration show.

   …Truth be told, even if the Empire ignored this plea, there was little they could do to stop them, but the Emperor had respected it—for now.

   “There was only one individual.”

   “...One person?”

   Schmidt pondered for a moment before speaking.

   “Did General Winterfield return?”

   “No, sir.”

   “Then, perhaps his daughter?”

   “I’m afraid not. Though she was also female, she was much younger than General Winterfield’s daughter. There are rumors she’s a princess...”

   “...A princess? Are you telling me they sent a princess to the battlefield? And she was the key to victory?”

   Schmidt looked up at the ceiling with a stunned expression before turning his gaze back to the commander.

   “Did the Empire sacrifice their forces to protect her presence in the field? If so, the compensation will be significant.”

   ‘Protection’ isn’t free, after all. Even if compensation isn’t paid outright in gold, there would undoubtedly be a price. Otherwise, who knew where the Empire’s military might would end up pointing?

   The border region was overrun with warlords now, but if the Empire ever cleared them all out…

   This was part of why the autonomous territory repeatedly pleaded with the Empire to limit their troops.

   “No, sir.”

   However, Schmidt’s speculation was denied by the commander.

   “The Empire’s forces sustained minimal damage. The warlord’s base collapsed, bunker and all. A nearby unit sent someone over this morning with photos to prove it. You should take a look.”

   The commander gently placed a thin but elegant wooden clipboard on Schmidt’s desk.

   "..."

   Schmidt flipped through the report, scanning the pages.

   Just as the commander said, the stronghold, which the autonomous forces couldn’t breach, lay in ruins. Imperial soldiers were cheering from all directions, while the bedraggled mercenaries knelt on the ground with their hands raised above their heads.

   Among the many photos, one showed a young girl.

   It wasn’t taken up close. She was captured standing near the collapsed bunker, wearing a coat similar to an Imperial officer’s, though with slight differences, and her short hair was visible.

   Though she was looking off to the side, showing only her profile, she didn’t seem to be seriously injured.

   “That girl is the princess.”

   “...So, what exactly did this princess do? Even if she were sent, her mere presence wouldn’t change the tide of battle. Was she deployed to gain experience as an officer?”

   “That doesn’t seem to be the case. There’s conflicting information, so we don’t know the full story… But, from what’s being said, that girl supposedly played the decisive role in this battle.”

   "..."

   Schmidt pressed his lips together and looked back down at the photo.

   The girl’s face was expressionless, with no apparent injuries. Her clothes seemed clean, though it was a blurry black-and-white photo, and the focus wasn’t sharp enough to tell for sure.

   “According to the messenger from the Empire,”

   The commander’s voice was deliberately flat, as though he aimed to make his words sound as objective as possible.

   “The princess entered the battlefield, and within minutes, gunfire and explosions were heard from the enemy lines. Soon after, a massive blast occurred. Hearing the sounds of fighting from within, the Imperial forces advanced as if in a feigned attack, and the defensive line crumbled, allowing them to breach the base centered on where the princess was positioned.”

   “Propaganda, most likely.”

   Schmidt scoffed and pushed the report back toward the commander.

   “Don’t we have the example of Lady Winterfield? If someone has the Emperor’s blood—”

   “Even Lady Winterfield wouldn’t be able to infiltrate enemy lines alone and blow up an armory. That’s beyond human capability. Are they implying this princess can dodge bullets?”

   "..."

   With Schmidt’s blunt dismissal, the commander fell silent. In truth, even he found the story hard to believe, which was why he had taken care to strip his voice of emotion.

   “However.”

   Schmidt ran his hand over his hair, brushing it back to reveal his forehead. His neatly styled black hair and sophisticated demeanor made him look every bit the gentleman, though he was older than he appeared.

   “Even if it is propaganda, there might be some truth to it. Like Lady Winterfield’s case, the princess may have been of considerable help in battle.”

   Though the Empire might downplay their own losses, the presence of the princess in these photos suggested she’d participated in the battle. Schmidt considered sending someone to verify the truth from the Imperial forces.

   "Hmm."

   “Is there something wrong, sir?”

   Seeing Schmidt narrow his eyes, the commander took a step back, looking puzzled.

   “Commander, don’t you have a daughter?”

   “...Yes, I do.”

   Schmidt, noticing the commander’s dubious look, added with a faint smile.

   “My daughter is still too young for the Imperial Academy, unfortunately.”

   "..."

   “But if you’re interested in sending your daughter to study abroad, the autonomous territory would be happy to sponsor her.”

   "..."

   The commander fell silent for a moment.

   “There is, of course, one condition… but if you’re not interested, it’s no problem. There are many young women in the territory who’d love to study in the Empire. A son would be just as suitable.”

   “I’ll consider it.”

   At the commander’s response, Schmidt nodded, leaning back in his chair.

   “I’d appreciate a decision as soon as possible. I’d like our student to board the same train as the cadets returning home.”

   Although the process would require some bureaucratic navigation, Schmidt was confident the Emperor would entertain his suggestion.

   Though he hadn’t fully gauged the Emperor’s character, Schmidt knew at least that he had a keen interest in “entertaining developments.”

   “What do you intend to do with this information about the princess?”

   “Well, information has a way of coming in handy eventually. If this princess really is as formidable as they say… we might find a way to leverage her abilities to benefit the territory. After all, we still don’t know much about her character, do we?”

   Schmidt shrugged.

   “Oh, and Commander, does your daughter enjoy making friends?”

   “Oh, well—”

   Schmidt chuckled as the commander averted his eyes, shifting them awkwardly.

   I see.

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Chapter 74

   The operation that took place at dawn was my decision. Though my promise with Jennifer technically no longer existed after the time reset, I still remembered it. For any other promise, it might not have mattered, but I didn’t want to break a promise to characters I cared about.

   Because of this, by the time I returned yesterday, the morning had already passed.

   “...If you want compensation, I’ll give you whatever you desire. Winterfield doesn’t forget a debt.”

   Jennifer said that to me on our way back in the car.

   “I was only repaying an existing debt.”

   That was my response.

   Saying that filled me with a small sense of pride.

   Sure, I had experienced the stench of blood and gunpowder that morning. The memories of that battlefield would likely stay with me for some time. I’d heard stories about things like PTSD, so I knew those memories could have a significant impact on me.

   Still, thinking that it was something I had to do made me feel better.

   After all, that’s what war is. If we don’t fight, our people are the ones who’ll die. Besides, those mercenaries had committed countless atrocities that bordered on war crimes. Perhaps some among them were of sound mind, but… in a place where lives are on the line, there’s no room for sympathy.

   They pointed their guns at me, too. If I had been shot and left disabled without the ability to reset time, I would have suffered at the hands of that undisciplined mercenary band.

   And this wasn’t my first time killing someone.

   I had optimized my approach to that battle through multiple resets. Although there was a difference of a day, the outcome remained more or less the same.

   “A debt?”

   Naturally, Jennifer questioned me, but I chose not to elaborate.

   “...”

   Seeing my lack of response, Jennifer didn’t press further. Instead, she seemed deep in thought and drove in silence the entire way back to Winterfield Castle. This allowed me to quietly gaze out the window.

   The distant mountains were beautiful.

   Somewhere out there, the Sword Saint still resided.

   *

   Upon arriving at Winterfield Castle, Alice rushed out to meet me in the lobby, hugging me tightly with a look of worry.

   It seemed she had caught a whiff of gunpowder on me, for she immediately glared at Jennifer.

   "..."

   Jennifer didn’t seem to have a response.

   Currently, Jennifer didn’t know that I could reset time. Thus, she must have been shocked in her own way, seeing me fight like that on the battlefield, without any time to mentally prepare.

   “Did… Father…”

   Alice quickly asked me,

   “Did Father order you to do this?”

   Hm.

   I thought about it seriously.

   Technically… it wasn’t something the Emperor directly ordered. It was more like something he intended to order.

   So, would it be alright to let her think so?

   It was, after all, something I had chosen to do.

   “…”

   I decided to let her assume as much. Explaining would be a hassle, and hiding my abilities while explaining often left gaps that raised unnecessary suspicion.

   On the other hand, lying could lead to questions later if my abilities were discovered.

   So, I opted for a “believable silence.”

   Alice seemed to take my silence as confirmation, her lips tightening as she looked at me.

   “I told you, you don’t have to follow everything Father says.”

   "..."

   Alice took a step back, gently holding my hand.

   “...Well, considering it’s you, refusing wouldn’t be easy.”

   Although I hadn’t received any orders.

   ...I just hope she doesn’t go running to the Emperor.

   Feeling a bit uneasy, I decided to change the subject.

   “Did you complete the task?”

   “The task? Ah.”

   Alice glanced at the other children who had been waiting behind her, then looked back at me.

   “Yes. Thanks to you.”

   I turned my gaze to find Mia Crowfield. It seemed they had only recently returned as their clothes’ hems were slightly damp, and their coats were stained here and there. Likely from snow melting into mud.

   The blue Marmaros staff in Mia Crowfield’s hand glistened.

   I had left it on my desk before I left, with a note instructing that it be given to Mia.

   The kids seemed to have followed through with it.

   “The Marmaros made the hunt go much smoother,” Charlotte said, stepping forward. Her expression was as complex as Alice’s. It seemed she was uncertain whether to feel grateful for my help or wary of me after witnessing me return from the battlefield.

   “Th-thank you,” Mia Crowfield stammered nervously.

   “Sis… are you alright?”

   Claire, who had been watching me from a short distance, approached and asked.

   “I’m fine.”

   In truth, I was doing much better than I had expected. Having seen similar situations repeatedly, I’d grown accustomed to it and could prepare myself mentally. Plus, I had my reasons.

   Looking around, I noticed Leo and Jake standing a bit farther away. Leo… oddly enough, didn’t look pale or frightened. For a moment, I wondered if he had reached a state of calm through sheer terror, but on closer inspection, he looked as though he were lost in thought.

   Had his opinion of me changed?

   Jake’s reaction was similar. The usual roguish demeanor was gone, and he was observing me with an unusually serious expression. When our eyes met, he flashed a crooked smile and walked over.

   “Alright, alright. Let’s stop standing around and get some food. I’m starving here.”

   “You…”

   Alice shot Jake a glare, but then, as if reading something in my expression, she let out a faint chuckle.

   “Yes, well, that sounds about right. We’ve all been working hard all morning. We’re bound to get hungry.”

   ...Seriously, how does she read my expressions so easily?

   *

   “Are you sure you’re alright? You could rest for the afternoon.”

   In the afternoon, as I prepared to arm myself for another task, Alice asked, her tone filled with concern.

   “I’m alright.”

   I was glad I’d learned meditation. Just as Claire had mentioned, even without much sleep, meditation helped me feel centered and able to keep going.

   Of course, it didn’t erase all my fatigue, but after lunch, I’d returned to my room, cleaned up, and sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate, feeling as though I’d taken an energy drink to push back the weariness.

   “Are you sure?”

   Claire asked the same question, and I nodded again.

   “I still need to complete my tasks. They count toward my evaluation—”

   “No.”

   Before I could finish, Jennifer, who had approached, cut me off.

   “I will grant you full marks for your performance. While it wasn’t an official task, you accomplished what no soldier could.”

   "..."

   Jennifer’s face looked troubled as she said this.

   She had worn a similar uneasy expression when I’d declared my intent to take down the enemy commander. It was different from the clear, confident look she had when she’d assigned me tasks back at the Sword Saint’s cabin. Had she truly not expected me to carry it out?

   Likely so. She was an instructor who taught not to seek honor on the battlefield.

   “So, you may rest this afternoon… or even tomorrow. I’ll explain everything to the Academy.”

   I figured Abraham would understand.

   “In that case, I’m doing this because I want to.”

   My words brought a sudden silence to the already quiet space around me.

   “Sylvia?”

   Alice looked at me with wide eyes.

   “...Sis?”

   The word finally slipped from Claire’s mouth.

   “...I see.”

   Jennifer closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and then exhaled softly.

   “If that’s what you wish, I can’t stand in your way. Just… thank you. This is gratitude not only from me but from the soldiers as well.”

   Jennifer bowed her head.

   “...I see.”

   Unsure how to respond, I settled on a simple acknowledgment.

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Chapter 75

   That afternoon felt strangely refreshing.

   It felt as if half of the concerns that had been weighing on me had been resolved. I’d found a way to recover quickly even when tired through meditation, and had at least partially addressed the issues in the north. And, I’d made my abilities clear to those around me.

   The emotional side I’d shown Mia Crowfield might also be somewhat diluted after this incident. After all, I’d proven that I alone could inflict significant damage on the enemy.

   Perhaps, by now, even Countess Crowfield, who likely harbored thoughts of revenge against the Emperor, would take it as a warning. In the original story, Claire hadn’t transferred until partway through her first year, and she certainly hadn’t acted as openly as I did, which had allowed the Crowfield side to underestimate her somewhat.

   Back then, I hadn’t blown up the Count with a bomb, either.

   There’s a vast difference between dealing with an assassin and facing a human weapon capable of decimating whole units.

   “...”

   I could understand why Mia Crowfield was now glancing nervously at me.

   This would probably make it harder to grow closer to her.

   “Sister!”

   ...And there was someone else whose attitude towards me had noticeably shifted.

   Considering I’d returned after performing as a one-person army, I thought people would find it even harder to approach me, but Claire, on the contrary, seemed more at ease around me.

   It was probably because I’d said, “This was something I wanted to do.” I hadn’t explained my reasons, nor had I done anything as straightforward as obtaining a reward. Instead, I’d gone out and dismantled a mercenary group. Yet to Claire, the action itself didn’t seem to matter as much.

   More than anything, it had assured her that I still had genuine emotions.

   “Claire.”

   “I know, I know! But we’re not in the Academy right now, are we?”

   Before I could say anything, Claire preemptively responded, tapping my arm.

   ...Though we weren’t technically on Academy grounds, we were still engaged in practical activities that counted toward our attendance.

   Plus, we were all in our uniforms. It wasn’t an Academy building, but it might as well have been, considering the setting.

   “By the way, Claire keeps calling you ‘Sister’ since earlier. Can you explain why?” Alice, walking on my right while Claire walked on my left, asked. This made me feel oddly unsettled, as they both felt like sisters to me.

   Though, in reality, I hadn’t explicitly thought of them as “sisters”… but, you know, that feeling you get over time when you’re around people. Claire followed me closely, and Alice had spent considerable time by my side, so I seemed to have developed such sentiments toward them both.

   “Oh, that?”

   At Alice’s question, Claire responded with a confident smile.

   “Sylvia has this vaguely older-sister vibe, doesn’t she? I had a younger brother, but never an older sister. So, I decided I’d call her ‘Sister.’”

   “...”

   Glancing behind, I noticed Leo staring incredulously at the back of Claire’s head, and I nearly burst out laughing. It wasn’t just the reason Claire called me “Sister” but more so her casual mention of having a younger brother that seemed to leave Leo in disbelief.

   “...For that reason?”

   Alice leaned forward slightly, directing a questioning gaze at Claire, then turned her eyes to me.

   She clearly didn’t believe a word of Claire’s explanation.

   “...”

   I looked silently at Claire, who avoided my gaze, pretending to be distracted by something else.

   Come to think of it, she hadn’t just started calling me “Sister” now. She had been doing so subtly for a while.

   I didn’t mind as much as I’d thought I would; it didn’t feel out of place or uncomfortable. Still, being addressed like that could complicate things in this situation.

   “...I’ll explain later,” I murmured to Alice.

   “...Alright.”

   Alice didn’t press further. She trusted me enough to leave it at that.

   Charlotte, standing nearby and likely within earshot, looked intrigued but refrained from prying further. Apparently, she didn’t think digging for secrets was a proper royal behavior.

   Jake, on the other hand, seemed entirely disinterested. He was glancing around idly as if he couldn’t care less… but I couldn’t relax my guard around him.

   In the original story, scenes like this, bustling with people, were rare. Each character had set lines, and unless a character was central to the plot, “optional party members” would often fade into the background during key events. Without dialogue scripts, even if they appeared in a cutscene, they’d just stand in the back, idle.

   Typically, only the character set as the main one by the player would move around, with maybe one or two companions during specific events. Although, in theory, they were traveling together, only one character would be visually present.

   So, this lively scene felt a bit odd.

   Yet, it was enjoyable, too. It reminded me of hanging out with friends in high school, even if it felt slightly awkward compared to the game’s scripted interactions.

   “Alright then.”

   Claire stretched her arms high and said,

   “Let’s give it our all this afternoon! We’ll be heading back tomorrow.”

   “...Are we going straight back to classes on Monday?” Mia Crowfield asked hesitantly.

   “Isn’t that obvious?” Charlotte replied matter-of-factly, prompting Mia to slump her shoulders.

   Tomorrow, we’d finish our practice in the morning and return to the Academy by train. However, since this place was quite far from Londarium, it would take several hours to get back. Though the train was spacious and comfortable, it didn’t offer sleeper seats, meaning we’d be sitting for hours.

   I imagined it was hard for them to accept that we’d be back to classes immediately after the trip.

   ...Though I planned to use a few resets to catch up on sleep.

   Still, seeing Mia Crowfield engage naturally with the others reassured me that our joint task this morning had been beneficial. It seemed they’d grown closer over it.

   The blue Marmaros in Mia’s staff still sparkled.

   *

   “Impressive.”

   Jennifer looked genuinely surprised.

   There wasn’t much to do in the afternoon. Since our group had completed most of the assignments in the morning, the others had hurried into the guild hall after waking up a bit later — not that it was very late, just relatively so — and had only a few tasks left by afternoon.

   In the original game, this was also the trigger that unlocked a hidden quest.

   If you cleared all the morning side quests, an event would trigger in the afternoon about “extra time.” Completing the morning quests didn’t reduce the number of afternoon quests, though.

   If you didn’t finish the morning side quests, the time would simply be filled with various tasks, and Jennifer’s dialogue scene wouldn’t even appear.

   Anyway, as we completed our work and returned, Jennifer greeted us with—

   “We still have plenty of time left before dinner.”

   “Yes, we do,” Leo agreed, nodding. Jennifer paused, her expression thoughtful for a moment before she spoke again.

   “Then, would you like to take on a challenging task with your remaining time?”

   “A challenge… ma’am?”

   Leo’s curiosity was evident, and Jennifer gave a mischievous smile.

   “Yes. If you succeed, it could be highly beneficial for you. Although the time might be a bit tight.”

   "..."

   The students exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with interest.

   Jennifer’s suggestion was half a jest and half a serious offer. She wanted to surprise her mentor, but she was also considering rewarding her favored students.

   She’d kept a close eye on Leo, who had inherited the swordsmanship of the Grace family.

   She must have seen potential in him.

   “Are you interested?”

   The students nodded in unison, and Jennifer smiled as she spoke.

   “Then—”

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Chapter 76

   “Are you really alright not going?”

   “Yes, I’m fine.”

   I had learned what I needed to learn.

   Besides, going back now… wouldn’t be very dramatic.

   I did consider the Sword Saint to be my mentor, and he had suggested I come see him again. Still, visiting the very next day felt a bit… forced.

   And frankly, I’d had enough of climbing mountains. I didn’t want to go up another one anytime soon.

   “...I suppose you deserve a break,” Alice said, nodding. It seemed the rest of the group understood my reasoning as well.

   Yeah, I was feeling a bit worn out. Before I learned meditation, I would have tried to push myself to go, resetting time just to absorb everything I could. But now… I’d just returned that morning after tearing through the enemy’s stronghold.

   “They’ll probably come down by tomorrow,” someone said.

   Just imagining all of them crowding into that little cabin made me feel claustrophobic.

   “I’ll be here waiting,” I replied, watching as the others exchanged glances and then looked back at me.

   “Alright then.”

   Though they seemed a bit disappointed about not hearing the “sister” story right away, it was something that could wait until they returned.

   “We’ll be back soon, Sister!” Claire called out, waving her hand enthusiastically. The others still seemed a bit baffled by Claire’s casual address. The only one who looked unaffected was Leo, probably because he already knew. Given how close they were, it wasn’t surprising.

   "..."

   I quietly watched as they climbed into the large carriage.

   Only when the carriage was completely out of sight did I turn around.

   *

   “Hey there, young lady!”

   Maybe wandering around town instead of going straight back to my room was a mistake.

   I’d gotten tangled up with a strange man almost immediately.

   “Over here! There’s room, why don’t you join me?”

   The man called out loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. Most northerners were reserved, and they didn’t care much for flamboyant men. Naturally, people were giving him disapproving looks, but he didn’t seem to notice.

   The man had striking red hair, impossible to miss, and had propped his feet up on an extra chair in front of him. The café owner was glaring at him, frowning in clear disapproval.

   But no one was forcing him out. Perhaps it was because his clothes looked so expensive. He had the air of a high-ranking noble, which likely kept people from meddling.

   Around here, any noble would almost certainly be a guest of the Winterfield family or a soldier.

   But this man was neither a noble nor a guest, and he was certainly no soldier.

   He was royalty, not that anyone had summoned him, and his personality didn’t exactly suit military life.

   "..."

   Feeling a slight headache coming on, I approached Lucas.

   When he saw me, Lucas grinned broadly, dropping his feet from the chair and dusting it off, gesturing for me to sit. I ignored his invitation and pulled over a different chair, sitting down silently.

   Lucas didn’t seem bothered by my response.

   “How’s the trip been, little sister?”

   “...It was enjoyable until just now.”

   “Saying it like that makes it sound like I ruined your fun.”

   "..."

   He knew exactly what he was doing.

   It seemed Lucas had no illusions about whether I’d be happy to see him. He kept that smile on his face, but he knew.

   What could be the reason for showing up so openly now? Because Jennifer was away from Winterfield? Because Alice had left for a short time?

   But there were students milling about nearby. With his flaming red hair, Lucas stood out, and even if my appearance wasn’t especially eye-catching, it wasn’t plain enough to go unnoticed.

   The Imperial Princess, seated alone in a café with an unknown handsome man.

   Well, any rumors would probably die down quickly. If high-ranking nobles recognized Lucas, and learned our identities, this scene would come across as anything but harmless gossip.

   “How long have you been tailing me?”

   “You’re asking as if you don’t know.”

   I really didn’t.

   ...Though I could understand his reaction. If he had been following me the whole time, he would have seen me fighting on the battlefield.

   If I were truly the kind of person who could wage such inhuman battles, it would make sense for him to assume I’d noticed him.

   “Always, I presume.”

   “Exactly.”

   He responded casually to my words, unfazed. He hadn’t touched the coffee in front of him. It seemed he had only settled in after confirming the kids’ departure, as the coffee was still steaming.

   ...So he’d been following me the entire time?

   “Oh, not 24/7, though. When you’re in your room, it’s hard to track you, so I didn’t bother. Plus, I had to report back to His Majesty, and I still need to eat, sleep, and, well… take care of things.”

   I’d assumed as much.

   But that meant no one else had been assigned to keep watch in shifts.

   “And if I’d planted something in your room, you would’ve found it by now.”

   I studied his face, trying to detect any hint of deception… If he were lying, it might be safer to reset and clear out everything in the room.

   But I didn’t have the power to see through every lie just by looking at his face. Without any psychic abilities or enhanced perception, my eyes were just like any other person’s.

   So, I decided to take his words at face value and simply stay alert moving forward.

   ...Though I’d still go back to check everything in my room.

   “Then, why did you choose to reveal yourself to me now?”

   If he had overheard my conversation with Jennifer, he would have known that following my friends would have been more productive. It was a chance to meet the Sword Saint, after all, whom Lucas had been eager to seek out.

   Even in the original story, Lucas had postponed meeting the Sword Saint until he felt ready to prove his strength, so deviating from the original plot wouldn’t change much.

   “...Who knows?”

   Lucas stared blankly at the sky. The crystal-clear blue was almost chilling, without a cloud in sight. In the capital, smoke filled the air, making it rare to see such a blue sky, even near the Academy. Though there were steam engines here as well, they didn’t produce quite as much pollution.

   “I just had some things I wanted to ask.”

   “What do you want to know?”

   “...You.”

   Even after calling me over, Lucas simply stared at me.

   “...Yes?”

   Feeling uneasy under his lingering gaze, I asked, to which he grinned mischievously.

   “Fight me sometime.”

   “...Excuse me?”

   “For real. Life on the line.”

   "..."

   I tried not to let my face betray my surprise. I think I managed to keep it under control—my expression didn’t shift much.

   “Hm.”

   Lucas seemed satisfied, his lips curling into a smile.

   “I’m beginning to understand how Alice reads your expressions. Impressive.”

   Before I could respond, Lucas stood up.

   Walking over to me, he gave my shoulder a few light pats, then walked away.

   "..."

   Uh…

   What just happened?

   I sat there for a moment, processing what had just occurred, and finally came to a conclusion.

   So, after seeing me fight, he thinks facing me would be more thrilling than challenging the Sword Saint?

   "..."

   Am I doomed?

   *

   I didn’t feel a trace of bloodlust.

   But the moment Lucas spoke those words, a chill ran down my spine, and cold sweat formed on my back.

   It was precisely because I felt nothing that I sensed it so strongly.

   Even as he watched Sylvia, firing relentlessly on the battlefield and single-handedly taking down a bunker, Lucas sensed no bloodlust from her.

   Was this the state of “mirror-like calm” he’d heard of? Or was she simply so superior that her opponents felt insignificant?

   ...No, it was something else entirely.

   More like…

   An attitude that said, “This is simply how things are.”

   A sense of inevitability, as if things were unfolding as they should.

   Sylvia’s demeanor in battle exuded that.

   And so, Lucas couldn’t even picture himself defeating her.

   However…

   “A mountain to conquer.”

   If he could somehow surpass Sylvia…

   Wouldn’t that mean he could conquer the future itself?

   A feeling far stronger than any he’d experienced before, even more intense than when he’d first faced her with his sword—an intuition.

   And that was why Lucas had made up his mind.

   To strike down that future.

   “How could I just let a phenomenal opponent like her go?”

   A bold, competitive smile spread across his lips as he muttered.

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Chapter 77

   At this point, there was no point in overthinking where things had gone wrong.

   I’d done my best, and this was the result. Honestly, if I were told to go back a few days and try to fix everything, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pull it off. Even if I knew the steps, repeating the same events over and over was mentally exhausting.

   One thing was certain—I didn’t want to step onto a battlefield again anytime soon. The smells, the dampness, the overwhelming noise—it was all something I’d rather avoid for a while.

   So, after parting ways with Lucas, I just returned to my room and collapsed onto the bed.

   And I slept deeply.

   My mind was so overheated that I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather do than just shut it down for a few hours.

   *

   When I woke up, my body felt unbelievably light.

   And with that, I confirmed a few things.

   While meditation helped to alleviate some of the fatigue, actual sleep was still superior. Meditation helped to maintain physical and mental condition, but it didn’t eliminate tiredness entirely.

   To keep up with meditation, you still needed proper breaks in between, and it seemed you had to be in reasonably good shape, physically.

   Until now, I hadn’t been too fond of exercise.

   Partly because I didn’t particularly enjoy it, but mostly because I never knew when or how far I’d have to rewind time, which made keeping up a physical routine challenging.

   Any progress in strength could be reset by an unexpected event that forced me to turn back time, erasing all that effort.

   Skills that could be ingrained as habits, I practiced repeatedly, and the same went for knowledge.

   I did keep up with the protagonist’s group, maintaining minimal training levels, but I never aimed to match the inhuman abilities of the main characters.

   …Still, considering that I’d gone through that battlefield yesterday, then completed missions with the group without collapsing, it seemed that both meditation and minimal training had paid off.

   If I hadn’t learned meditation, I probably would have passed out on my bed and not woken up until the next morning.

   Being able to push through even a few more hours was thanks to my teacher.

   Had Leo and the others returned? It occurred to me they might not be back yet.

   Their training with the Sword Saint wasn’t likely to be short. Even if they’d trained all night, they would have barely scratched the surface.

   After all, the point of this event was simply meeting the Sword Saint.

   My stomach rumbled.

   I’d skipped dinner last night, falling asleep right away, so naturally, I was hungry.

   It was nine in the morning.

   Maybe I should clean up and go eat.

   *

   No matter how much people live by routines, most will relax those routines the moment they have the chance—unless they’re the rare, exceptionally diligent type.

   In the Academy dorms, students were expected to wake up, get ready, and have breakfast by 7:30 a.m. to arrive in class by 9:00.

   But Jennifer, who was in charge of overseeing us here, wasn’t the type to enforce that strictness.

   If you wanted to sleep in, that was fine by her. As long as students maintained their grades, Jennifer didn’t care how late they slept or how much they played and rested.

   So the students likely spent yesterday running around with that in mind. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have put in such effort.

   Maybe that’s why Winterfield Castle’s dining hall seemed almost empty. There were hardly any students around.

   In a game, this might have been due to technical limitations, but seeing only three students in Academy uniforms made me realize this effect was real.

   Two of them were students I recognized. They were fellow nobles from Class A. I’d seen them in the game and read about them in the lore books. We weren’t particularly close, and they weren’t prominent named characters in the story.

   The girl and the boy were sitting across from each other, eating, and given their different family names, they weren’t siblings. They didn’t seem like they were dating either… Maybe their friends were still back at the dorm, sleeping in.

   And then there was one other person…

   …Uh.

   Who?

   She had short, deep brown hair, and even with the short cut, her beauty stood out clearly. Her hair was longer than most boys’ cuts, even if it was short for a girl.

   Not only was her hair noticeably shorter, but her uniform was also clearly the women’s version.

   She had taken off her coat and draped it neatly over the empty seat beside her, making it clear she was wearing the female uniform. Nobody would mistake her for a boy.

   Did we have a noble student like this?

   As I’d mentioned before, in the game, all the noble students had unique models, even if they were minor characters. After multiple playthroughs and poring over lore and guidebooks, I had a mental list of them all.

   And she wasn’t on that list.

   I doubted she was from the commoner class either; they were off at a different location for practical training. She could have come from somewhere nearby, but if there had been information important enough to warrant sending someone, they wouldn’t have sent a student.

   It might have been prejudice, but… she gave off a distinctly noble aura.

   "..."

   I had a bad feeling about this.

   Wouldn’t it be troublesome to get involved?

   After everything I’d gone through yesterday, I just wanted a peaceful day, so I purposefully sat far from her.

   This wasn’t a place where you could order food from a menu. This was more of a dining hall than a restaurant.

   If you waited at your seat, a server would approach, tell you the meal options, and you could request any additions or omissions. If you weren’t up for a full breakfast, you could just ask for a coffee.

   As I sat there, waiting idly for the server, I heard footsteps.

   The sound was remarkably clean and even, unlike the sharp clacks of the server’s shoes. Academy students wore shoes too, but they were far softer and more flexible than the formal shoes worn by faculty.

   So even in the Academy, you could easily distinguish a teacher’s footsteps from a student’s.

   The sound reaching my ears now was the sound of a “student.”

   "..."

   I felt uneasy.

   I had a bad feeling that something unexpected was about to happen.

   “Your Highness.”

   And my intuition was spot on.

   Thankfully, I managed not to flinch. After the chaos of the previous day, hearing the sounds of bombs and gunfire nonstop, it took more than this to startle me.

   I slowly turned to face the person addressing me.

   In front of me stood a strikingly dignified young girl.

   I hadn’t noticed it from afar, but up close, her face looked rather youthful. Compared to the many young faces I saw at the Academy, she seemed even younger—probably at least a year younger than me.

   She was taller than I’d expected, and her physique was well-developed, but the youthfulness in her face was unmistakable.

   Snap.

   This young, handsome girl gave me a sharp salute. It wasn’t just a casual gesture; I even heard the snap of her heels as they came together.

   The salute wasn’t in the Empire’s style.

   "..."

   "..."

   As I continued to look at her without responding, she held her salute, frozen in place.

   …Oh, is this her way of greeting me?

   “At ease,” I said finally.

   Only then did she lower her hand with a precise movement. Again, I heard the crisp sound of her uniform settling. I hadn’t realized those sounds were possible outside of movies.

   “May I ask your purpose here?”

   “Yes, ma’am!”

   "..."

   Her formal reply nearly made me pinch my temples in exasperation, but I held back.

   “My name is Rena Meyer!”

   Okay, but… who’s that?

   I almost blurted out the question.

   “Are you a student at the Academy?”

   “Yes.”

   Rena Meyer answered.

   “I’ve recently transferred in and came to introduce myself.”

   "..."

   I was at a loss for words.

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Chapter 78

So...

If someone out there was watching or controlling this world, I really wished they’d stop playing these pranks already.

Not that it mattered much even if the girl in front of me wasn’t originally part of the main story. It’s almost a cliché in novels or games like this—getting to befriend characters who didn’t appear in the original but have incredible abilities.

I still didn’t know what kind of abilities this girl, Lena Meyer, might possess.

I’d only just learned from her that she was the daughter of the commander of the Riklant Autonomous State. Given that Riklant was one of the places heavily hinted to appear in the sequels, it wasn’t too strange to be meeting someone like her. Maybe she wasn’t just an extra-game character, but someone intended to be added in a future installment.

In the main story, even though they defeated the emperor and thwarted his schemes, several heroines and key characters perished in the process. Despite that, the world itself wasn’t truly concluded, which meant that another conflict would follow in the sequels, something beyond just the emperor’s schemes.

I wasn’t quite sure what that new threat was, but...

Anyway, the fact that the daughter of the Riklant Autonomous State’s commander had come all the way here likely meant that I was now seen as someone to be watched carefully by Riklant. Considering what I’d done, it made sense.

...Well, it sort of made sense.

“The noble A-Class is already full, though.”

In the sequel, it was natural for transfer students to join because some of the heroines had died, leaving spaces in the class. There’s a line in the original where one of the nobles leaves the academy due to family matters, which is how Claire was transferred in.

But as of now, no one had left the academy. If Lena Meyer joined, the class would be over capacity.

“Thanks to the governor’s grace and His Majesty’s generosity, I’ve been permitted to transfer to the Royal Rondarium Academy.”

“...Is that so.”

Her responses were brisk and formal, showing no hint of ill-will toward me. I didn’t know what Lena’s father or this governor had in mind, but at least this girl didn’t seem to hold any particular feelings toward me.

Our meal was steak, which Lena Meyer ate with impeccable decorum. She sliced her meat with such precision that the knife barely made any sound on the plate. Just by her table manners alone, it was clear she’d been raised under strict guidance, close enough to a noble’s upbringing.

“Do you have any objections to attending the academy?”

“No.”

Her hand paused for a second in response to my question.

Then she looked up at me, her face devoid of any apparent emotion—

“The Royal Rondarium Academy isn’t just the best in the Empire but in the world as well. No one would dislike the opportunity to study there.”

If it weren’t for the peculiar intensity in her tone, I would have thought she’d rehearsed the line.

Even without visible expressions, emotions can still be conveyed through one’s demeanor.

What I sensed from her was... anticipation.

“...”

Could Alice have detected my own shifts in demeanor that easily?

If Alice could sense that same pressure every time I told her she could be the next emperor, it wouldn’t be surprising if she could read my expressions alone.

Sooner or later, the others might be able to read me as well.

“And...”

And?

The typically stoic girl showed a moment’s hesitation, so I waited.

“And, I consider it an honor to meet you, Princess. I’ve heard about your feats on the battlefield. There aren’t many heroes in the world like you. From the perspective of our state, you’re also a benefactor to countless citizens.”

“...”

For a second, my hand nearly slipped off the utensils.

What was this?

Why did talking with her keep giving me déjà vu?

It felt oddly familiar, as though I’d spoken like that before.

...

Of course, Alice’s face flashed in my mind.

“I’m sure it’s because you have the blood of the Pengryphon line that you’ve achieved such greatness. To be able to study alongside such a person—it’s an unmatched honor.”

Well, not a drop of that blood flows through me. If not for Lucas, I’d be a stranger.

But I couldn’t just say that out loud.

Two nearby noble students, who’d been lounging earlier, were now paying close attention to our exchange.

“I’ll go have a word with them,” Lena offered as she noticed my glance.

“That’s not necessary.”

I said it quickly, relieved I hadn’t sounded too hurried.

Lena, who had been about to stand, looked at me intently.

Her demeanor certainly conveyed emotion, but her face remained neutral, creating a jarring, almost endearing awkwardness. Despite her mature expressions, mannerisms, and speech, her words were still a bit unpolished.

It was cute. But getting caught up in such “cuteness” felt humiliating.

In a situation that felt like it might trigger a cold sweat, I tried to calm Lena Meyer down.

“Reacting to every single thing like that, to every word and gesture, isn’t necessary. The school you’re attending is the Royal Rondarium Academy. There are many noble students there, which means plenty of people are always paying attention. If you respond to each and every situation, school life will quickly become exhausting.”

Lena Meyer nodded at my advice.

“Thank you for the counsel.”

“...”

Was this part of her act?

I honestly wondered.

No matter how I looked at it, her expression and demeanor seemed out of sync.

...

Could it be that I’m this obvious too? Are the others all just pretending not to notice?

Thinking that sent a chill down my spine.

“Then, are you traveling with us today?”

“Yes.”

Lena Meyer spoke in a firm voice.

“My belongings are packed and have already arrived at the station.”

“...”

Oh... well.

I see.

“Just to confirm,” I asked Lena Meyer, still a bit tense.

“Which class will you be studying in?”

“The noble A-Class.”

“...”

Ah...

I see.

Alright.

...I wasn’t sure what else to say.

---

“Eeeeek!”

A girl raised her arms and let out a cheer as she entered her room.

Quickly covering her mouth, she glanced around. Naturally, the room where she would spend the morning was private. No one was around, and the door was thick enough that it was unlikely anyone outside had heard her.

Still, feeling a bit uneasy, the girl cracked the door open and peeked out.

No one was there.

Closing the door again, she shouted once more, this time with confidence.

“Awesome!”

Lena Meyer had spent her childhood near military bases, following her father, a commander in the Riklant Autonomous State’s military.

Though there were other children around, she couldn’t play freely. Her father, a trusted associate of the governor, was strict, and everyone treated her cautiously. Her daily life was almost indistinguishable from a military routine.

To avoid trouble, she wore a figurative mask and imitated a stiff, soldierly demeanor, earning praise as a dignified and capable heir to the commander’s lineage.

But that didn’t mean she was a soldier to the core.

Lena leapt onto the bed, wriggling with excitement.

Her father had been strict, but her mother had always indulged her. Until her mother passed away three years ago, Lena had been just as playful and innocent as other children her age.

Since then, though, her moments of fun were in private, alone.

That didn’t mean she resented the military; quite the opposite, she admired it. Having grown up around it, she saw it as a noble profession.

And today...

Lena Meyer had met a hero.

According to her father, Princess Sylvia Pengryphon was a legendary hero.

There had been reports from Riklant’s soldiers who had fought alongside the Empire’s army and surviving mercenaries, and Princess Sylvia’s name had come up several times.

Overcoming trenches, breaking through from within to secure victory—the very image of a true soldier.

And when she’d met her today, she’d seen the majesty of a royal, a figure truly unmatched.

“...”

Would she actually be attending classes with such a person?

“Uuuuugh!”

Burying her face in the bed, Lena let out a muffled squeal, kicking her legs in excitement.

On her desk, a small stuffed dog stared blankly at her—a doll modeled after a character from a famous comic known for being a master digger.

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Chapter 79

“……”

“……”

After lunch, on the train back to the capital.

An awkward silence had settled around me.

To be fair, the entire train car was quiet. When I’d gone to the Kingdom of Belbur as the Emperor’s representative, my security had been on par with the Emperor’s. Thus, the only ones sharing my compartment were Princess Alice, and Princes Jayden and Lucas. It was a rather spacious cabin, entirely for the four of us.

But as an academy student, I wouldn’t receive any special treatment compared to the other students.

Of course, the academy had reserved the entire compartment. Since the noble A-Class only had fifteen students, booking a whole cabin left plenty of empty seats. Still, this was just a standard first-class cabin, with lots of empty seats but not much room to wander around.

After practically fleeing from lunch with Lena Meyer, I’d holed up in my room, and then headed straight to the train station as soon as it was time. And there I found... Lena Meyer.

I thought I’d arrived almost forty minutes early, but she’d shown up even earlier and was waiting for me.

Then again, maybe she hadn’t specifically been waiting for me. With her diligent nature, she’d probably just arrived early to wait for the train.

When our eyes met, her face remained as expressionless as ever.

Snap.

Once again, I heard that sharp, disciplined salute. The sound of her heels clicking together was audible.

“You really don’t have to salute every time we meet. Now that you’re joining the academy, we’re just classmates.”

“Understood.”

...That stiff tone of hers.

I couldn’t get used to it.

It wasn’t my first time dealing with a character who showed no expression. Under other circumstances, Roti, who always accompanies Jake, was a similarly stoic maid character.

But... there was something different here. Roti was someone who found it awkward to show emotion. In the game, even if you became close to her, she wasn’t one to break into grins or bursts of laughter. Her personality was closer to Charlotte’s—just a bit more cautious and conflict-avoidant.

That’s why, even when Jake constantly bothered her, she’d respond with a hint of irritation or reluctance, separate from her underlying fondness for him.

When Roti smiled, it wasn’t shocking; it was simply a natural expression she showed when she became close to others.

Meanwhile, I was “playing” a character who suppressed emotions...

And Lena Meyer had a similar atmosphere. As if she, too, was hiding behind a mask.

“……”

“……”

Arriving forty minutes early meant that the train hadn’t even pulled in yet. This station, the Empire’s northernmost civilian stop, required the train to arrive and wait thirty minutes before departure. Further north lay Lena’s homeland, the autonomous state, but the security issues near the border made civilian train travel in that area rather unsafe.

“……”

“……”

Two expressionless people standing across from each other made for an awkward lack of conversation.

Did she feel as awkward around me as I did around her?

“Is this your first time visiting the Empire?”

“Yes, it is.”

At least she replied as soon as I spoke. Her demeanor reminded me of a new recruit, her conduct almost overly disciplined.

...Though she wasn’t actually a soldier.

“The atmosphere in the Riklant Autonomous State must be very different. Do you think you’ll be comfortable here?”

“Yes, I’m very much looking forward to it.”

Her expressionless face didn’t seem to convey much excitement, so it was hard to tell what she actually felt.

...Is this what it felt like for others to look at me?

Come to think of it, there was that time I’d set out at dawn to the village just to get ahead of Leo and Claire before a mission.

Was this how they’d felt when they’d seen me already waiting at the village gate with the quest target’s body?

“……”

Hmm, maybe not.

After all, Claire had always greeted me with a bright smile, even back then. She was delighted to see me every time.

The one who seemed uncomfortable was Leo.

...Had I gone too far?

As these thoughts ran through my head, the train finally arrived. Leo and the others hadn’t reached the station yet. There was even a game event where the players only managed to arrive just before the train departed.

And, as that implied, I would now be alone on the train with Lena Meyer until my friends arrived.

We weren’t the only students who had arrived early, but nobody seemed eager to strike up a conversation with us. With an expressionless princess known for taking lives without hesitation and an unfamiliar, stoic student beside her, it was unlikely anyone would be willing to approach.

Normally, I’d find this peace and quiet refreshing, but right now, I desperately wished someone would talk to me.

While boarding the train, I had a faint hope that Lena Meyer might sit a little distance away from me...

...But that hope was swiftly dashed.

As soon as I took a seat by the window, Lena Meyer confidently sat down directly across from me.

“……”

“……”

And silence.

It’s not as if I could just get up and move, either. Even without an expression, people still have feelings, and moving away would only hurt hers.

If I’d always sat alone, maybe people would eventually think, “Oh, that’s just how she is.” But I’d usually hung around with friends. Even though I wasn’t the leader, I tended to travel in a group.

If I left this seat to sit with Leo, Claire, Alice, Charlotte, Mia Crowfield, or even Jake, leaving Lena here alone...

...it’d feel a lot like I was ostracizing her.

“……”

“……”

So, I had no choice but to endure the awkwardness and sit there. Lena Meyer might be expressionless, but she seemed to express her feelings, however subtly, through her actions... probably.

Maybe she felt a slight sense of camaraderie with me as her first academy acquaintance... I wasn’t sure.

We sat in silence for about twenty minutes before other students started boarding the train, bringing some chatter to the cabin. Then again, there were fewer than ten of them.

In the original, none of the protagonist’s friends faced any kind of social ostracism. Now that I thought about it, they made up nearly a third of our class... a rather powerful clique, in fact.

They could have easily ostracized anyone if they’d wanted to.

About five minutes later, some kids finally stumbled onto the train, clearly rushing.

These were the ones who had only just come down from the mountains, taking a car back with Jennifer.

Considering Jennifer was with them, they would’ve made it back to the academy even if they’d missed the train. But knowing them, they were probably determined to stick to the schedule.

“Sis! ...Huh?”

Claire greeted me enthusiastically but hesitated when she noticed Lena Meyer sitting across from me.

As soon as Lena saw Claire, she sprang to her feet and gave yet another flawless military salute—the third one I’d seen. She spoke without waiting for me to introduce them.

“I am Lena Meyer. Greetings, Your Highness.”

“...Huh?”

Claire murmured, visibly taken aback.

I barely managed to hold myself back from facepalming.

...How embarrassing.

Even as a bystander, I felt embarrassed.

It seemed that Lena Meyer had mistaken Claire, who called me “sis,” for another princess.

...Well, it made sense.

The Empire’s nobles knew I wasn’t actually a blood relative of the Pengryphons, but in smaller nations where information flow was limited, they likely wouldn’t know. Even if they were curious, the Empire wouldn’t go around announcing that I was adopted. Nobles tended to keep quiet on the topic when dealing with outsiders.

In her autonomous state, they’d have been preoccupied with their own affairs, leaving little room to investigate the imperial family’s history in detail.

“……”

With Lena standing there in a picture-perfect salute, an icy tension settled over the train cabin for a moment.

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Chapter 80

“……”

Whether or not she felt embarrassed for calling someone else “Your Highness” instead of me, there was no way to tell. Her expression hadn’t changed at all.

I could rewind time if I had to, but she couldn’t.

“Meyer, Meyer…”

Alice, the *actual* princess, sat beside me, furrowing her brows slightly as she muttered.

“Oh, right. The commander of the autonomous state’s military is Felix Meyer.”

As a princess, Alice hadn’t neglected her studies on neighboring nations, and she quickly deduced Lena Meyer’s background.

Hearing her comment jogged a faint memory in me, too, of the name buried deep in my mind. But it wasn’t a name from the original story or the game’s lore. In the game, the only Riklant figure given a proper name was the governor, Maximilian Schmidt.

In *Legend of Azerna*, if a new character’s name wasn’t explicitly introduced, they were labeled as “the woman with black hair” or “the rough-looking man.” This applied not just within a single series but across the entire work. Even if characters from previous installments appeared, unless they were introduced or met the protagonist’s party, they’d be described with vague titles.

It was almost amusing sometimes, like when a character’s face, known to everyone—even from the opening—would be half-concealed and described as “the young man with red hair,” as though it were a big mystery.

Anyway, Felix Meyer was a name I’d only heard since coming to this world, so it was a bit different from all that. He might have been the name of some background extra next to the governor in the original story.

“Yes, I’m the only child of the Meyer family, a military family in the Riklant Autonomous State. I look forward to working with you all.”

Though her expression was blank, her tone showed a subtle hint of pride anyone could have picked up on.

“A transfer student? But isn’t Class A already full?” Alice asked.

“Thanks to His Majesty’s grace, I was able to transfer.”

“My father’s?”

Alice frowned slightly.

Lena Meyer probably didn’t fully grasp Alice’s relationship with the Emperor. She might have imagined it was a typical father-daughter relationship.

But Alice had actually gone to confront the Emperor herself before joining the academy.

I wasn’t sure exactly what happened, but given Alice’s expressions whenever the Emperor came up, it was clear she didn’t view him favorably.

Alice’s gaze moved between Lena Meyer and me.

“We met this morning at the dining hall.”

Not that we did much more than a basic introduction. Other than that, we just sat in silence, waiting for time to pass.

Thanks to that, I hardly remember what I ate for breakfast.

“Oh… really?”

Apparently, deciding she wouldn’t get much more from me, Alice turned back to Lena Meyer.

“So… how do you feel about attending an academy in another country? I’ve heard Riklant has a few prestigious academies of its own. Isn’t it a bit odd to come all this way?”

“It doesn’t feel that way,” Lena answered immediately.

“Even in the autonomous state, the Royal Rondarium Academy is highly renowned. I consider it an honor to be granted a special transfer here.”

“But if you were attending another academy, wouldn’t you have had to leave your friends?”

“I’m still a year too young to enroll in any academy. However, both the governor and His Majesty saw value in my abilities, so I was allowed to transfer. My only goal is to avoid being a burden.”

“Hmm… is that so?”

Alice glanced at me briefly, hearing that Lena was a year younger than us.

Though she wasn’t particularly short or undeveloped, Lena Meyer’s face had a slightly younger look. Since the academy's entry age was fifteen, she must be fourteen if her birthday had already passed.

Alice leaned back into her seat with a casual air.

“Well, if my father allowed it, he must have had his reasons.”

If anything, knowing the Emperor was involved made Lena Meyer seem even more suspicious.

Despite Alice’s scrutiny, Lena’s expression remained unchanged.

“How was it, meeting the Swordmaster?”

I attempted a change in topic. We still had a long way to go before reaching the academy, and I wasn’t eager to spend the trip sandwiched in awkward silence between these two girls.

The one small blessing was that there were only four seats here.

Charlotte and Mia Crowfield were seated a few rows over, while Jake and Leo were on the other side. With so many seats open, splitting up in pairs still left plenty of room.

Jake and Leo sat far from us, but Charlotte and Mia Crowfield were across the aisle, close enough to overhear our conversation.

Sitting on the aisle side instead of by the window showed their interest in the discussion.

After all, they had come to the academy partly to find ways to keep the Emperor in check. There were even a few willing to consider more drastic measures.

“The Swordmaster…?” Alice looked at me.

“Oh, right, Sis! The Swordmaster really does live up to the title!” Claire interrupted excitedly before Lena Meyer had a chance to register any reaction, stealing my opportunity to observe Lena’s expression.

“After just one night of training, it felt like my eyes had been opened! He watched us spar for just a moment and instantly pointed out our weaknesses, correcting us. We trained almost all night!”

“...and I’m still exhausted because of it,” Alice added, running a weary hand over her face.

“Oh, come on. You improved a lot. You’ll thank him later for it. And he did invite us back.”

“Considering how far it is from the capital and the fact that you have to drive for hours and then hike up a mountain to meet him, do you really think we’ll visit regularly?”

“Why not go during vacation?”

“...It didn’t look like that small hut had room for anyone to stay.”

“So? Just climb up every day. It only takes a few hours anyway.”

If we got up at four every morning, there’d be plenty of time to climb and train.

Of course, Alice didn’t seem thrilled at the idea.

“...If that’s the plan, maybe count me out.”

“Really?”

Claire’s expression showed a hint of disappointment, but her eyes soon sparkled as she looked at me.

“...Still, considering it’s the Swordmaster, it might be worth visiting him again someday if I have the time.”

Unable to ignore that gleam in Claire’s eyes, I nodded.

“Good thinking!”

“The Swordmaster… are you referring to Sir Frederick?” Lena Meyer, who’d been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up as soon as Claire finished. She seemed to have been holding back until now.

“Yes, that’s right,” Claire replied without hesitation, leaving Lena looking slightly dazed.

“To think… the Swordmaster is that close…”

He may have been in hiding, but he was far from unknown. Among those who trained in swordsmanship, his name was as famous as any royal or noble title. He was, after all, the *Swordmaster*. Before aiming to surpass the Emperor, even Lucas had initially set his sights on defeating the Swordmaster.

Now, for some reason, I seemed to have taken that position.

“If you’d like, you could join us on a visit sometime,” Claire offered, displaying her usual boundless friendliness even to this stoic new girl.

“Would… that be all right?”

...If she got any more excited, her carefully maintained demeanor might break.

Though her expression remained blank, I could see the faintest twitch in the corner of her mouth.

“I don’t see why not. Whether he teaches you or not is up to him, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind meeting you.”

“……”

He did seem like the sort to allow it. If someone he’d already accepted as a student brought another, he’d welcome them. Though he preferred his solitude, he wouldn’t turn down someone interesting.

“Thank you!” Lena Meyer responded enthusiastically.

“……”

And silence fell over us once again.

...Why did I feel so unsettled?

I was certain I was keeping my own “character” better than anyone here.

But a deep-seated unease slowly crept up inside me.

The real problem was, I had no idea where this feeling was coming from.

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Chapter 81

Whether she was a character intended for the sequel or someone never meant to appear in the game at all, one thing was clear: Lena Meyer’s presence posed a significant threat to me.

The fact that she was a student specially admitted through a request from the governor to the Emperor was unsettling. The governor was merely a passing character in the game, and I’d never met him directly, so I had no idea what his true personality was or how he might perceive me. And as for the Emperor—well, even meeting him in person rarely revealed his true intentions.

At least I had some insight into the Emperor’s mindset from the game. I knew how he viewed the Empire and its citizens, how he treated the nobles, and what plans he had for the people. Due to my presence, he seemed to be acting more passively than in the game, but he was still someone to be wary of.

So, what exactly was Lena Meyer?

A bit stiff, with a military-like tone, but youthful and attractive in appearance.

…There’s no way anyone would see her as “just an extra.”

Granted, even if she had been a background extra, everyone here had unique appearances, from shop owners in villages to merchants in markets. But among all those people, there weren’t many who “stood out” like she did.

The fact that she was a year younger than us only added to it. Lena Meyer was the kind of character you could easily expect to appear in a sequel.

…It’s like they added a “cool beauty” character to the roster without even waiting.

I adjusted my binoculars to get a better look inside Lena Meyer’s room.

I was in the same spot I’d used to observe Mia Crowfield before.

Of course, I hadn’t brought a gun. Lena was a bit suspicious, but not to the point of needing elimination.

Honestly, even if it came down to it, killing someone younger than me would leave a bad taste in my mouth.

For now, I’d decided to investigate Lena Meyer properly. Whether I needed to keep her at a distance could come later.

Peering through her window wasn’t likely to reveal anything groundbreaking, but—

—I found something surprising.

Inside Lena Meyer’s room, there was a large stuffed toy by her bedside.

This toy, almost as tall as a person’s torso, hadn’t been among the belongings she’d moved into her room.

She must have snuck it in somehow. If she’d tucked it away in a cabinet and brought it in one go, no one would have noticed.

The toy was easy to recognize. It was the very character I’d once thought of using for my own “persona”—*Digger the Dog.*

…Honestly, it’s not exactly a cute character.

The mascots from my world were designed for 21st-century tastes, with round, soft, squishy looks that made you want to hug them. Or they’d be a bit weird-looking, giving them an odd charm.

But here, chronologically, it’s like the early 20th century.

The character industry was only just beginning, and the “characters” from this era matched those early 20th-century tastes.

Digger the Dog had a long, thin body with extremely spindly limbs. Even in the cartoon, his arms and legs seemed to move without joints, probably to make every movement look comical.

His face was based on a brown puppy, cutely deformed, and his body was round enough to make for a good hug. Though, admittedly, his floppy arms would likely dangle everywhere.

And Lena Meyer was lying face-down, her face buried in the body of that toy.

She was probably napping.

I silently lowered my binoculars and ran my hands over my face.

…Was it all just an act with her, too?

It did feel that way. She didn’t quite seem like a cold beauty without any emotions; I’d been able to sense her feelings of anticipation or her admiration for me through that blank expression over the past week.

That meant that, even if her stoic look was a facade, the way she respected me was likely genuine.

I let out a silent scream and rolled around on the rooftop. Thankfully, I’d prepared three layers of ponchos, so my clothes stayed dust-free.

Having overlapping personalities wasn’t the problem. If Lena Meyer were a true cool beauty, I could have gradually adjusted my character to set myself apart. Or, if she’d kept that personality all along, it wouldn’t have been an issue for me to stick with a cool beauty persona as well.

The problem was that Lena Meyer might reveal her real personality.

If Lena Meyer was supposed to be a “character from the original story,” showing her true self was inevitable.

Because it’s a cliché!

She’d laugh at a silly joke, lose her stoic facade over some sweet dessert, or get caught hugging a big stuffed toy if someone barged into her room.

She’d be mortified, coming up with flimsy excuses to maintain her character, but no one would believe her, and eventually, she’d break down into an “adorable character.”

Exactly.

That was the concept I’d come up with.

So what would happen if Lena Meyer “broke character” before I did?

…Obviously, all my own efforts to keep my act would be pointless.

Realizing this, I stopped rolling and shuddered on the spot.

A chill ran down my spine.

There’s a world of difference between “Oh, turns out they’re just a normal person, too,” and “Wait, you too?” The former is a subculture character’s fate, a cliché; the latter is the cringe of a real-life otaku caught pretending to be normal.

Besides, the reaction is bound to be different between someone you’ve known for years and someone you’ve just met. If there were only one of us, the others might dismiss it. But if both of us were caught—

—there’d be no question about which one of us would be more embarrassed.

“This can’t happen.”

The words slipped out before I realized.

Lena Meyer couldn’t break character before me.

If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve prepared a plush toy and a list of lines to say…!

I’d postponed it, not feeling ready to fully commit, and now this was the result.

If she’s a sequel character, she should have shown up in the sequel! Why did she have to intrude now?

Not that I had any proof she was a sequel character…

I quickly rolled over, grabbed my binoculars, and looked again.

“Huh?”

Lena Meyer had gotten up from the bed.

Not only that, but she’d moved to the door.

She stood with it slightly ajar, as if someone were outside.

A fresh wave of chills ran down my spine.

If someone walked into her room—

They’d see the large stuffed dog on her bed, along with the small ceramic figurines on her desk.

Lena Meyer would be forced to explain, marking the beginning of the trope where her cool exterior cracked.

I shot up from where I was crouched.

There was no time to gather up my ponchos. This was more urgent.

I hurriedly ran down the stairs.

---

As of late, Sylvia Pengryphon had been acting suspiciously.

Then again, to Mia Crowfield, Sylvia Pengryphon had always seemed suspicious.

Since their conversation in her room, Mia had stopped tailing her. There was little to gain from doing so.

Following someone capable of singlehandedly turning the tide of battle wouldn’t lead to any solutions.

Besides, she was someone who, in a private space, had the nerve to hand over a gun to a known adversary.

…The way she subtly showed trust in Mia’s abilities was unnerving.

She’d even gifted Mia a valuable blue marmaros stone, without which Mia might have been seriously injured or worse. The situation had been so dangerous that Charlotte, who’d initially insisted on taking the job, had personally apologized to Mia.

It made Mia think she could trust Sylvia, at least a little.

But recently, she’d noticed Sylvia Pengryphon looking at Lena Meyer in an unusual way.

Sylvia’s gaze was unreadable, lacking any obvious emotions, but Mia couldn’t shake the feeling that it carried a sense of “danger.”

That’s why, on the weekend after Lena Meyer’s first week, Mia found herself impulsively standing outside Lena’s room.

After a moment’s hesitation, she decided it was best to say something. She wouldn’t reveal everything, but at the very least, a word of warning seemed necessary.

After all, Lena was a foreign student, clueless about the undercurrents here.

Taking a deep breath, Mia Crowfield knocked on Lena Meyer’s door.

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Chapter 82

"…May I ask what you mean by 'dangerous'?" Lena Meyer's voice came through, cautious.

Few students stayed in their rooms on weekends like today. The campus had salons for nobles, club activities, and events like tea parties and small banquets. Regardless of age, nobles naturally engaged in socializing to solidify their networks and strengthen their power bases. Those who didn’t were typically either eccentric loners or didn’t need to bother at all.

Thankfully, the hallway was empty, and their lowered voices were still audible from where I stood, just around the corner. Slowing my pace, I paused to better gauge who Lena was speaking with. Knowing her conversation partner would make it easier to intervene.

"Sylvia Pengryphon is…"

But Lena's conversation partner hesitated, as if unsure where to begin. She seemed to know something about me, but was wrestling with whether it was wise to divulge it. Hearing her uncertainty, I felt a rush of confidence.

I stopped trying to muffle my footsteps and let the echo of my heels ring through the empty corridor.

"…Ah."

A flustered voice—Mia Crowfield’s—reached me as I rounded the corner and spotted her standing outside a door, slightly ajar. Only Lena’s gaze met us from inside, scrutinizing Mia with a hint of suspicion.

"Lady Crowfield," I greeted.

"…Sylvia."

At my voice, Mia took a step back, bowing her head slightly. I returned the gesture.

I felt that I’d grown closer to Mia, but she was still clearly conflicted about the idea of becoming friends with someone who’d killed her father. I could understand. I’d explained there was more to the story and told her to find me once she uncovered the truth, but enough time hadn’t passed for her to fully grasp it.

"Your Highness."

As soon as Lena saw me, she stepped outside, presenting a distinctly different demeanor from when she’d been addressing Mia. She shut the door firmly behind her, seemingly wary of anyone seeing her room’s interior.

…Did she realize how openly suspicious this made her look to Mia Crowfield?

Not that she seemed to mind.

"As I mentioned before, there’s no need to call me ‘Your Highness’ in the academy. It’s technically against school policy."

In theory, the academy’s rules promoted equality among students, discouraging titles and special treatment. Of course, from faculty to students, no one seemed to take this seriously.

"But…"

"Lady Crowfield."

"Y-yes!?"

Apparently, Mia hadn’t expected me to address her, nearly jumping at the sound of her own name. I looked at her calmly and asked quietly.

"You called me ‘Sylvia’ just now, didn’t you?"

"Uh, yes?"

She hadn’t even called me by name before, yet Mia had begun to refer to me simply as “Sylvia.” It meant she’d relaxed around me—at least a little.

"Did I ever tell you not to?"

"No, I guess not?"

She seemed uncertain, struggling with the sudden question.

I nodded, turning back to Lena Meyer. Her expression was still unreadable, but there was a hint of tension in her posture. Was she cautious around me, too?

"Then calling me by my name is perfectly fine. We already have another student in Class A with the same surname, so wouldn’t it be more efficient to avoid confusion by using first names?"

Not to mention, the title "Your Highness" also applied to Alice.

"…Understood."

Lena responded, though she appeared to hesitate. Despite her stoic pose, I sensed she wanted to say something. It seemed that, while she could put on a poker face, it wasn’t as complete as mine.

…Should I help her improve her expression skills? It’d save her from breaking character before I did.

"Do you have something you’d like to say?"

After a brief pause, Lena asked, "In that case, would you also call me by my first name?"

When she finally spoke up, she didn’t hold back.

"…Very well. If that’s what you prefer."

I could have sworn her eyes sparkled for a moment… but I chalked it up to my imagination.

I turned back to Mia Crowfield.

"Um, you don’t need to go that far for me!"

That was unexpectedly disappointing.

Besides, that wasn’t what I’d intended to ask.

It was a bit irksome that she’d feel free to call me “Sylvia” but didn’t think I needed to reciprocate with her first name. Regardless, what I wanted to know was “why she was here.”

"May I ask what brings you here?"

"That’s—" Lena started to answer.

"It’s… a personal matter!" Mia blurted out, interrupting.

"…"

"…"

Stunned by her outburst, Lena and I both looked at Mia, who blushed furiously. Her pale skin made the flush even more apparent against her dark hair.

"W-well, then, why are *you* here, Sylvia?"

A deflection?

Her attempt at changing the subject wasn’t exactly smooth, but since I’d already overheard enough of Mia’s intent, I decided to let it slide.

"I came here to speak with Lena… about something personal," I said, glancing at Lena. Her expression tightened. She seemed anxious about the fact that I’d sought her out.

"A… personal matter?"

Mia looked back and forth between us, trying to make sense of it. She probably thought I was scheming something again.

"Lena, you mentioned coming from a military family, correct?"

"Yes."

At my question, Lena adopted a rigid posture, as if showing pride in her background.

This era was indeed different. Nationalism and militarism were on the rise, and without television or fully developed radio systems, the public had no way to truly understand the grim realities of war. The romanticism surrounding service and heroism remained strong.

"Then… are you proficient with firearms?"

"Of course."

"I see."

I looked back to Mia Crowfield.

"Few students in the noble class are skilled with firearms. A gun may be simple to use, but to wield it as a primary weapon with precision is rare."

In the game, the only party member who used firearms was from a commoner background… Roti, if I remembered correctly.

"That’s why I wanted to assess Lena’s skill level. If we end up in practical situations, working alongside someone with firearms expertise could be advantageous."

Lena took a measured breath.

"…What do you think?" I asked, turning to her. "Would you be interested in joining me for a mission?"

"…"

Lena remained silent for a moment, then spoke with unmistakable conviction.

"I would."

Her firm answer allowed me to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

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Chapter 83

There are times when I wonder if I’m more popular than I realize.

Since enrolling, not a single noble has willingly approached me. Between the rumors about me, my practiced stoic expression, and the rather intimidating skills I’ve shown, it’s no surprise. And even those skills—relying on firearms rather than the swordsmanship or magic nobles usually favor—aren’t exactly a hit among the nobility in my class.

Even if “Sylvia Pengryphon” is likable enough based on looks alone, the rest of my persona seems to set up enough barriers to keep anyone from trying to get close.

Yet, somehow, my circle of acquaintances continues to grow.

Alice? That makes sense. We’ve been together since childhood, and I’ve always made an effort to help her develop confidence. Her father, the Emperor, has a unique way of expressing his love, and since her mother passed away long ago, it’s only natural that we’d form a close bond.

Claire? That’s understandable, too. I treated her kindly in a rough situation and helped her out of it. Even though our time together was short, the impact was strong enough to leave a lasting impression.

But as for the others gathering around me, it’s still puzzling.

Mia Crowfield and I were enemies in the past. Charlotte, if anything, would have every reason to dislike me for disregarding her father. Leo seemed somewhat intimidated by me, and I had no prior connection to Jake.

So, why are they all here?

…Could it be because of Leo?

In the original story, Leo was the protagonist, and wherever Leo went, the party would inevitably follow.

"Uh… w-why are you staring at me like that?" Leo asked nervously as I glanced at him.

"It’s nothing."

It wouldn’t be fair to say it’s all his fault. He didn’t intend to draw everyone here on purpose.

I shifted my gaze and saw Lena Meyer, face unreadable.

Technically, I’d brought her here to assess her skills.

To be honest, I didn’t actually feel the need to evaluate her abilities. She didn’t seem like an immediate threat, and her attitude toward me appeared positive. If she’d been genuinely spying on me, she wouldn’t have been caught napping with her face buried in a stuffed toy.

The real purpose had been to keep Mia Crowfield from picking up on Lena’s true personality and causing her to break character. Yet, somehow, word had spread, and now every student I was on speaking terms with had ended up here in one place.

Even Leo and Claire had joined while on a mission. They’d run into us by coincidence and simply tagged along.

"…I’d planned to assess skills on a mission," I started.

But with Leo and Claire scooping up every available job since morning, all that remained were trivial tasks. None were sufficient for the assessment I’d been pretending to arrange, so I hadn’t taken any.

Even without a mission, there were usually beasts wandering near the road.

"It seems small tasks wouldn’t be much use for a proper evaluation."

Lena gave a confident nod, face still impassive.

I could feel the others’ curious gazes prickling around us, likely intrigued by the fact I’d specifically called Lena out.

"For now, could I see the weapon you plan to use?"

While I knew the main characters’ weapons by heart, Lena Meyer’s remained a mystery. Not that it was hidden—her firearms were plainly visible.

Since Rondarium, modeled after London’s weather, rarely goes above 30 degrees even in high summer, it was a bit chilly in May. Even I had discarded my overcoat, so for Lena, who came from an even colder region, it probably felt like summer.

She’d kept on her school uniform jacket, though, and her holstered pistols were clear to see.

Like me, with my revolver holstered under my arm, Lena wore a pistol holstered under each shoulder. I could guess their make just by the distinctive grips.

"Understood."

At my request, Lena promptly drew both pistols.

At first glance, they looked like the semi-automatic pistols used by Nazi Germany during World War II on Earth.

In fact, it seemed her guns were modeled on the Luger P08. The Republic’s soldiers used similar weapons in the story. None of the main party members used firearms, but they were seen occasionally.

And I found myself intensely envious of Lena Meyer’s pistols.

It’s not that the Empire lacks semi-automatic pistols. Though a bit less reliable than a revolver, semi-automatics offer rapid fire and quicker reloading, which can be useful.

Still, I stuck with my break-action revolver for a reason.

The Empire’s standard semi-automatic pistol, the “Wexler Semi-Automatic,” was based on the real-world Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver.

It looked like a blocky stick with a handle attached, as though someone had hammered a paper towel roll into a short chunk of wood and fitted a metal tube into the barrel.

When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe anyone had modeled a gun to look that way. But finding out it was based on a real firearm had been a shock.

In short, I don’t use it because it’s ugly.

Lena’s pistols, on the other hand, bore a striking resemblance to the Luger—one of the most sought-after trophies by American soldiers during the war. It was beautiful, really. The only downside was that its ammunition wasn’t compatible with the Empire’s standard rounds.

"Wouldn’t dual-wielding pistols reduce accuracy?"

When I asked, Lena shook her head.

"I train consistently to maintain control."

If Lena were meant to be a “main character,” this fighting style wouldn’t be unusual. Just as swordsmen could wield sword energy, there were gun-wielders who could shoot two pistols at once with perfect accuracy.

"…Understood," I replied, nodding reluctantly.

---

"We have a good target in mind for our job—think that might work?" Claire suggested as I pondered what kind of prey would be appropriate for a test.

Her suggestion caught me off guard. I hadn’t even spoken, but it seemed she’d sensed my hesitation.

"…Is that so?"

I decided to follow her lead on this one.

"Yes, it’s…"

Claire pulled a small paper from her pocket and unfolded it.

Scrawled on the sheet was the name of our target.

"This is…"

"Yes, it’s a type of amorphous monster."

An amorphous monster.

Most of the beasts that roamed the wilderness were merely animals—or at least, animals by the standards of this world, though they’d be classified as monsters back on Earth. After all, we’re talking about fire-breathing bears and wind-wielding wolves here.

However, there were also true “monsters” roaming these lands. Even here, such creatures were categorized separately from regular beasts.

Amorphous monsters were like slimes.

Some have tentacle-like appendages that lash out like whips; others mimic the appearance of ordinary animals.

Claire’s target resembled the former but with a difference: rather than tentacles that act like whips, this creature’s “limbs” were about as thick as a golem’s fists. And instead of being a gelatinous mass oozing over the ground, it stood upright on two legs.

Physical attacks had little effect. One would need magic from a mage or a swordsman using energy-infused attacks to deal any real damage to it. For a well-leveled character, it wouldn’t be much of an issue.

The reason I could picture it so clearly, despite Claire’s brief description, was because it was also an enemy in the game.

Hmm…

It seemed a bit much to take on with only two pistols—

"I’ll do it."

—But before I could voice my concern, Lena had confidently answered, reading the paper alongside me.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I’ve trained to handle such enemies."

"…Is that so?"

Considering her words, I paused for a moment before answering.

"Very well."

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Chapter 84

When faced with the unfamiliar foe, I considered that I could step in to help if things turned dire. The Marma Ross, infused with elemental power, didn’t just work as a physical force but also as a magical attack. Some enemies had resistances, but for those vulnerable to magic, it could deal significant additional damage.

In the original game, there were spells with no specific element, so if this slime creature proved troublesome, I could handle it. Equipping my shotgun with a fire-imbued Marma Ross would melt the slime down easily enough. The only downside was that it would heavily clog the barrel afterward.

“I don’t need help,” Lena replied confidently.

“Have you ever faced an amorphous creature like this before?”

“No.”

She was awfully self-assured for someone with no experience.

“But I know its characteristics well, and from what I understand, it poses no real threat to me.”

I couldn’t help but glance at the pistols holstered under each of her arms. If her guns were equipped with Marma Ross crystals, it would be noticeable, like my shotgun. But Lena’s pistols looked utterly ordinary.

“Alright then, go ahead.”

Without another word, Lena strode confidently down the hill, leaving us behind as she approached the slime-like creature below.

The monster looked more like a golem, aside from its semi-transparent blue, gelatinous appearance. It stood about three meters tall, and up close, it would be an intimidating sight.

“Do you think she’ll be alright?” Alice asked, voicing my own concerns.

“She seems confident enough,” Claire replied, and the others watched Lena with keen interest.

After all, if things looked truly dangerous, I could always rewind time.

As we watched Lena’s receding figure, Mia Crowfield spoke up. “I think she’ll be fine.”

At her words, everyone turned to stare, making Mia shift uncomfortably as she gathered the courage to explain, “When someone is attuned to mana long enough, you learn to sense it in objects and people. I could sense… quite a lot of mana from Miss Meyer.”

Hmm.

Most people can’t detect mana without a high level of training. There’s a theory that sword energy is a form of mana, though in the game, it’s treated as a separate attribute. The mechanics of this world defy logical categorization—fantasy worlds don’t have to follow physical laws, after all.

“Mana? And that much?” Jake asked, looking at Mia in surprise, which made her blush even more.

“Um, I don’t think it’s her own mana. I didn’t sense it when we met in the hallway earlier…”

So it must be from the Marma Ross after all.

A sudden, guttural roar interrupted us, making everyone turn to see what was happening.

The slime-golem monster bellowed, its low rumbling sound reverberating as its gelatinous form quivered. The sight was slightly unsettling. But Lena, unphased, calmly drew both pistols, crossing them in a quick, confident motion.

…It was undeniably impressive. That small part of me that held onto my adolescent fascination with these displays found itself unexpectedly moved.

Without breaking her stride, Lena raised her pistols, aiming as the slime lunged toward her, its sheer size allowing it to close the distance surprisingly fast.

With steady aim, Lena fired a shot directly at the creature’s incoming, bulbous fist.

*Bang!*

Even from where we stood, the gunshot echoed loudly. The explosive force of the Marma Ross-infused bullet shattered the slime’s fist in a fiery burst that resembled a fireball rather than a simple bullet impact.

“Amazing! That’s Marma Ross, right?” Claire whispered in awe.

Indeed, it was Marma Ross.

But Lena’s guns showed no signs of modification to accommodate it. The barrels weren’t any thicker, and there was no external indication.

“Is she using the Marma Ross itself as ammunition?” Charlotte observed with curiosity.

“I think so,” Mia confirmed.

So her guns didn’t require modification; they fired regular bullets, but those bullets contained Marma Ross. The magic only activated on impact with the target.

The slime, seemingly enraged, swung its other arm toward her.

*Bang!*

Lena quickly twisted, firing with her left pistol and blowing off the slime’s remaining hand. Both arms gone, the creature showed no signs of weakening; the destroyed arm was already regenerating.

Before it could fully stabilize, Lena aimed again and fired at its right leg.

A sharp cracking sound filled the air as its leg shattered, releasing a cold mist as the frozen limb fell away. It resembled the sublimation of dry ice as it crumbled, and the creature tilted off balance.

So, her left pistol had a fire-imbued Marma Ross while the right had an ice element.

“In the Republic, there are plenty of big beasts. It’s less populated, so game for hunting is abundant,” Claire explained.

That, and there are numerous mines. Although the government controls most of them, the perpetual shortage of manpower due to the military draft means that there’s still plenty of Marma Ross available, much like how Winterfield hunters extract Marma Ross from mountain animals.

*Bang, bang, bang!*

The gunfire continued in rapid succession as Lena approached the fallen slime. Each shot she landed on its body rapidly froze the creature. Once it was fully immobilized, Lena finished it with a final shot from her left pistol.

With a fiery burst, the frozen mass shattered, scattering shards in all directions. The pieces quickly melted, leaving no trace of regeneration. It seemed she’d struck its core, rendering it completely inert.

Lena spun her pistols, casually blowing off the residual smoke before holstering them under her arms with a flourish.

“That was incredible!” Claire shouted, applauding along with the others as Lena returned.

A hint of pride showed on Lena’s usually stoic face as she looked in my direction, as if expecting praise.

“Well done.”

Some might dismiss her victory as mere “equipment advantage,” but in combat, such distinctions were irrelevant. Life and death were the only outcomes on the battlefield, and even swords came in both ordinary and enchanted varieties.

Still…

I couldn’t help but glance at the broken shards of the slime.

Considering the amount of Marma Ross she’d used, I couldn’t help but think she might’ve lost more value than she gained in this fight. With the slime in pieces, recovering any Marma Ross seemed unlikely.

But I kept this thought to myself. The satisfaction on her face was unmistakable.

…Maybe this is how Alice feels when she looks at me?

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Chapter 85

"Oh, alright, I’ll admit, it's impressive."

Seeing her dual-wielding automatic pistols, each loaded with rounds of opposing elements, crafted with a distinctively old-fashioned design from the 20th century, made me feel a tinge of nervousness.

Moreover, seeing her equipped with such romantic, impractical weapons made me wonder if I’d missed something in choosing my own equipment.

The bolt-action rifle I carried, with its wooden stock and barrel cover, would probably be considered a vintage charm in the 21st century. But by early 20th-century standards—when plastic wasn’t commonly used in mass production—it was just another common rifle. Plus, mine was a standard model used by the Imperial Army, making it even less unique. Truthfully, the main reason I chose it was because it was the easiest to find ammunition for within the Empire.

Strictly speaking, a shotgun wasn’t a "chivalrous" weapon, but I’d picked mine purely for its practicality. It was just a typical pump-action shotgun with nothing special about its design.

If I had to pick something for its aesthetic, the only one that came to mind was the Wexler revolver. But even this was widely used by the military, so it didn’t seem particularly vintage or unique from anyone else’s perspective.

The two Koch 98 pistols that Lena uses are standard military equipment in the autonomous region, though they’re unfamiliar to the Empire and have a distinct look associated with other nations.

Dual-wielding pistols might not be considered unusual by 20th-century standards. Back then, pistols were widely seen as one-handed firearms—a perception rooted in the character for "fist" in the Korean term or the term "handgun" in English. The implication in this world might be, "That person must be confident in their shooting skills," if they could handle a gun in each hand. Lena, for example, was actually quite skilled.

However…

Even though I've spent over a decade in this world and have adapted fairly well, the image of dual pistols in my mind was still part of that romantic ideal. Why else would an impractical "akimbo" feature be so prevalent in FPS games? The sight of blazing away with a gun in each hand is undeniably thrilling. Even if it’s inefficient in reality, people still want to see it in games.

Honestly, I even started to suspect if Lena already knew my secret.

I wondered if she, too, was a reincarnated human like me, and had recognized Sylvia Fangriffon, a character not present in the original story, and decided to play along for fun.

Yet, after a few days of observing Lena after classes, I found nothing out of the ordinary. In her room, she’d either be hugging a doll, practicing stances as she walked, or rolling around on her bed, carefully crafting her character.

Watching from outside the window, I wanted to ask her to at least close it, but doing so would reveal the fact I’d been observing her.

…Then again, who else would prepare high-powered binoculars to meticulously observe the window of a teenage girl?

…Right.

On that day, I decided to stop observing Lena altogether.

---

"Are you asking me to process all of this into bullets?"

The artisan at the workshop gave me a slightly bewildered look.

"Is it not possible?"

"No, that’s not the issue…."

He eyed me carefully and spoke with a hint of caution.

"You, uh… seem quite worn out."

Of course, I am.

Leo and Claire formed an unbeatable pair, relentlessly taking on slightly stronger beasts or quests every weekend with boundless energy. Recently, they’d even recruited two additional people, rotating them as needed, which seemed to mimic the original story’s quest mechanics.

As a result, I had to wake up insanely early and run around tirelessly just to scavenge a small piece of Marmaross.

Additionally, I scoured areas without mentioning anything to anyone—locations I remembered that would later become dungeons. Though I hadn’t fully cleared any of them solo, I had been to every place where I thought I might find Marmaross.

I’d collected enough of it that it was probably a bit much for one individual to bring to a workshop.

If I converted it all to bullets, I guessed I’d have around twenty rounds. Just a rough estimate based on the bullet size and the individual pieces of Marmaross.

"...Something like that happened."

"Is that so…."

The artisan seemed to think probing any deeper might be risky.

The workshop master gazed down at the Marmaross, rifle, and revolver I’d placed on the table before looking at me with a more serious expression.

"So, what kind of bullets would you like?"

"Hmm."

Practically speaking, revolver rounds would be the best for reloading. They’re easy to load one by one and, if needed, I could use a moon clip to load several at once faster than reloading a rifle.

But to me, the Ergensen rifle was my main weapon.

While I was pondering this alone, the artisan spoke up.

"If you'd like to mix multiple types of rounds, I can make some modifications to the rifle."

"To the rifle?"

"Yes," he said, pointing to the left side of the rifle.

"I could install a magazine cut-off to prevent rounds from automatically chambering. That way, you’d typically shoot from the magazine, but could block it off and use it as a single-shot rifle when needed."

Oh.

That sounded rather practical.

A clip-loading rifle from the WWII era wouldn’t work that way because the loading port and ejection port were the same. But on this rifle, the ammunition loading and shell ejection areas were separate. If I could prevent rounds from entering the chamber, I could use it like a single-shot rifle.

"Marmaross bullets are expensive, after all."

"How long would this modification take?"

"Not long at all. I have some spare military parts."

"Do they really add magazine cut-offs to military rifles?"

"There was a time, back when manufacturing bullets was much harder. For commanders, every wasted bullet fired into the air was like throwing away money. But they didn’t want to distribute only single-shot rifles, so they made repeating rifles with a magazine cut-off feature. Nowadays, it just adds extra cost."

"I see," I nodded. "Please, go ahead with it."

"Understood."

"And…."

The workshop master, about to start on the work, looked back at me as I added another request.

"Do you have any reliable automatic pistols?"

"An automatic pistol? Don’t you have the Wexler?"

"Well…."

I hesitated for a moment. Realistically, reliability wouldn’t differ much, and in fact, the more complex mechanism of the Model 98 would likely have a higher chance of malfunctioning.

Still… if possible, I wanted something that looked more like a weapon.

"If you’re hoping for revolver-level reliability, I’d have to say there’s nothing like that available right now."

"I see."

I couldn’t quite bring myself to ask if there was a prettier gun, so I just nodded. The workshop master fell into a moment of thought before making up his mind.

"If you’d like, Your Highness…."

Then, after glancing around to ensure no one was nearby, he lowered his voice.

"I’ve heard a rumor that a new standard military sidearm might soon be designated."

That was news to me. If it were true, it likely came from Jennifer, who held the artisan in high regard.

"Ahem. So… on the off chance it happens, I’ve developed a prototype."

When I remained silent, urging him to continue, the workshop master hesitantly opened a drawer and placed a gun on the table.

"It has a slightly larger caliber than the standard ammunition, and I’ve simplified the structure as much as possible. One round fits in the chamber, and seven in the magazine—making it an eight-shot weapon with more firepower than an eight-round revolver of a smaller caliber."

"…."

I picked up the gun as if hypnotized. It was quite heavy, probably over a kilogram. But since it wasn’t significantly different from my revolver’s weight, it didn’t seem to be an issue.

It looked like a classic automatic pistol with a slide.

To put it simply, it was the kind of gun that typically comes to mind when one thinks of a "pistol." With even a slight interest in firearms, anyone would recognize it as a .45-caliber automatic pistol. The hammer protruding from the slide was a design detail that added a bit of old-world charm, giving the pistol an air of dignity.

"It even has two safeties, as per military requirements. The grip safety prevents the trigger from being pulled if—"

"Workshop master."

"Y-yes, Your Highness?"

I interrupted, catching him off guard. His voice was laced with the fear of possible punishment for having used leaked information to create the weapon.

Examining the gun from all angles, I continued.

"Now that I think about it, I don’t know your name. May I ask what it is?"

When Jennifer introduced him, she’d only mentioned him as a "skilled workshop master" and provided directions.

"Ah, yes."

Momentarily flustered by the unexpected question, he hesitated before answering.

"My name is James Browning."

Browning.

…Was he not being a bit too obvious with that name?

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Chapter 86

"Hmm."

Jennifer was deep in thought, examining the firearms Lena and I had brought with us.

Even someone like Jennifer couldn’t skip classroom lessons entirely, so after our field assignments, we’d resumed lessons from textbooks. Today, however, was our first chance in a while to practice in a setting more like real combat, but our weapons weren’t exactly ideal for a “mock battle.”

Bolt-action rifles and shotguns posed no issue, as both require reloading after each shot or two. Anyone with a keen eye could observe from afar whether or not someone was trying to cheat.

The same went for my revolver. Since it’s a double-action model, the hammer visibly moves with each trigger pull.

But automatic pistols… unless a round is actually fired, they don’t move on their own. Unlike the revolver, there’s no hammer motion visible from the outside when the trigger is pulled. While the new automatic pistol created by the workshop master does have an external hammer, it’s a single-action model.

Asking us to perform a reload action after every shot with an automatic weapon, as if we were firing BB pellets, wouldn’t feel right in a “realistic” scenario.

Additionally, the range of reload scenarios—emptying the magazine and reloading, loading partially empty magazines, reusing partially spent magazines—created an endless variety of situations.

To make things more complicated, neither Lena nor I use only one weapon. Lena dual-wields automatic pistols, while I use an automatic pistol, a revolver, a rifle, and a shotgun.

Even remembering all these details would be a challenge for anyone, not to mention that we use custom-made Marmaross bullets. Determining whether we were eliminated or not would be nearly impossible.

"…."

After a long silence, Jennifer finally spoke.

"…I think it’s best that the two of you practice separately over the weekends."

Ugh.

---

"Meyer’s weapon is familiar enough, but the one you’re using is new to me."

Well, it’s a prototype. It didn’t even have any markings on the slide since it hadn’t been officially named yet.

"Did you get it from the workshop master?"

"Yes."

I nodded, and Jennifer nodded back.

"The ammunition is new as well. Last time I visited, he seemed busy working on something; it must have been this gun."

"…."

I didn’t say much. I was only answering to this extent because it was Jennifer asking, but in truth, I’d received the gun on the condition that I wouldn’t share too many details with others.

News of my actions on the battlefield had only just reached the capital. Since reliability under all conditions is a primary criterion for military firearms, it was understandable why the workshop master entrusted this gun to me. He likely wanted to test it through someone who would put it through plenty of use in diverse conditions.

Additionally, since this pistol was only available at Browning’s workshop, any repairs would require me to take it back to him. If it malfunctioned, he’d know why; if it jammed, he’d find out what caused it.

"Well, alright. I know the workshop master’s skills well enough, and if you picked this gun yourself, it should be fine."

I accepted the gun Jennifer handed back to me and nodded.

"I’m familiar with the Model 98 as well. I may look like this now, but I was once stationed on the northern battlefield."

At Jennifer’s words, Lena nodded as well.

"Alright, I’ve been thinking of ways to evaluate your skills…."

Jennifer shrugged, then addressed us both.

"Since the two of you are using weapons that are practically meaningless without live rounds, I figured it would make sense to use live ammunition for the test."

She pointed to a structure made from stacked logs… it was hard to say whether it was a trench or a building. Either way, it was something like that.

It wasn’t dug into the ground, but built above ground to make it easy to enter. Though it was designed to resemble an actual trench with an interior and side spaces to duck into, as well as room-like sections. It wasn’t too big, occupying just one corner of the training grounds, but once inside, it would likely take at least a minute to cross from one side to the other.

"From above, you can see the entire interior."

Jennifer looked oddly pleased as she said this.

And it was impressive—building such a training ground in just two days was no small feat.

Though it looked like a trench from a world war, its purpose was much like that of a modern shooting range.

"This way, other students can use it too."

The absence of anything like this in the original story was likely due to the lack of “nobles” who would train with firearms, making it unnecessary.

If it weren’t for Lena and me, this place probably wouldn’t even exist.

"We’ll be using live rounds, but are both of you alright with that? Oh, but no Marmaross bullets. Let’s not waste the effort put in by the workers over these last two days."

"…."

Fair enough.

Even if they were paid to build it, it would still be disappointing to see it all go up in flames after a single use.

---

Lena went in first.

With a magazine holding eight rounds and one in the chamber, she had more than enough ammunition. Her opponents were just wooden panels that sprung up thanks to springs, so it wasn’t particularly dangerous.

I’d wondered how they managed to make the targets pop up in a world without electricity, but it turned out each one was wound up with a spring mechanism that would release them when triggered… making Jennifer’s request not to use Marmaross make even more sense. The whole setup looked expensive and fragile for what it was meant to do.

It also wasn’t ideal for multiple students, since resetting each target manually would take time.

"I’ll be sure to learn as much as I can."

While I was thinking this, Lena turned to me.

"…."

Surprised, I glanced over at her and saw her eyes brimming with determination.

"It may not be exactly like the battlefield where you fought, Your Highness, but I think this will still be a valuable opportunity to witness even a fragment of it."

"…."

She wasn’t trying to tease me with that comment, was she?

Judging by her earnest gaze, it didn’t seem likely.

"Oh, is that so?"

And right then, Jennifer, who had finished setting everything up, spoke.

"In that case, you’re welcome to observe from up there."

"Really?"

"…."

I gave Jennifer a long look, but she merely shrugged in response.

---

Alright, fine.

I had my own plan in mind.

If Lena’s character is all about the romantic image of firearms, what kind of character should I be?

Not the opposite of romantic, but maybe "tactical" could work.

The extreme practicality of tactical skills can even become its own form of romance, can’t it? Like, say, someone like John *you-know-who*. Although, that character is fantastical in a different way.

In short, if I looked "believable" enough, that would do. This was the transition point from line infantry to modern warfare, so I could employ modern shooting techniques.

For example…

*Click.*

A spring-loaded target popped up, with two panels appearing simultaneously.

I fired at one of them with a shotgun. Since it wasn’t my personal Marmaross-loaded shotgun, but a school-issued one, standard rounds went out.

But a shotgun’s still a shotgun, even if it’s not custom-made. I had enough replacement parts with me to modify it just a bit.

As I shot down one target, I let the now-empty shotgun hang on its sling. The strap, mounted just in front of the shotgun stock, hung down slightly. Unlike the typical rifle slings in this world that connect the ends of the gun, my strap was a sling-back style over my shoulder and neck, so it didn’t hang all the way down and stopped just below my chest, making it easy to grab again.

Quickly, I dropped my right hand and drew my pistol from my hip holster.

With both hands on the pistol,

*Bang! Bang!*

I fired two shots at the target’s chest.

Then, I advanced.

For each successive target, I fired two shots, reloaded the empty magazine with seven more rounds, holstered the pistol, and slipped into the spot where the previous targets had appeared.

On my right thigh holster, I had shotgun rounds arranged in twos—six shells in total.

Taking out two shells, I loaded them directly into the chamber.

Repeating the action twice, I loaded the shotgun, stepped out, and fired a quick shot at the next two targets.

…And just like that, I reached the end of the range.

"Hoo."

With a small sigh, I looked up.

Jennifer was watching me with a smile. I wasn’t sure what kind of expression it was, but—

—at least Lena was staring at me wide-eyed in awe.

Looks like all that nagging I did to the workshop master over the past two days to get this gear made paid off.

The sleepless nights practicing reloads and drills were worth it.

…And the secret training I did last night, sneaking into the finished range to run and drill alone, too.

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Chapter 87

"In any case, this game is a JRPG. I didn’t play many JRPGs from the 90s, so I’m not sure what the atmosphere was like back then, but most JRPGs released in the 2020s tend to be anime-style games brimming with elements otaku would love."

The only difference might be the degree to which it’s done. Even when the graphics lean toward realism or Hollywood-level cinematics, often, you find that every main character, male or female, is ridiculously good-looking.

And their personalities? Less like film characters, more like anime characters. Even if they’re clearly white characters, they somehow fit better with Japanese voice acting than English. Their movements, too, feel exaggerated in a way.

Maybe this is just a bias I developed from playing so many of those kinds of games… but that’s certainly how it feels to me.

So, if someone were to ask me where *Legend of Ajerna* fits within the JRPG spectrum…

I could confidently say, "This is a game only true otaku could endure."

The 2D illustration-based character design is a minor detail. Regardless of its generally positive reviews on rating sites and digital platforms, the personalities and behaviors of the characters feel like they’ve been lifted straight from Japanese anime. Plus, there’s even a dating-sim style system for courting those characters.

Though it follows a single, overarching story, there are quite a few "obviously pandering" events scattered throughout.

A beach episode with the main heroines in swimsuits? Practically a requirement for this type of game. An academy festival episode where they dress up as waitresses in maid-like outfits? Skipping that would defeat the purpose of a school story.

And there are even some scenarios in this game that felt almost forcefully pandering.

For example, an episode set in a casino.

…The moment I saw "casino" in the game, I could already guess what the heroines’ outfits would look like. Apparently, I’m a bit of an otaku down to my bones.

---

Though I’d put out the immediate fire, there were still a lot of issues left to handle.

Alright, going tactical works well enough. Since this world doesn’t have much of this vibe, it’ll probably stand out. My methods might seem forward-thinking to others, but from my perspective, they’re a reasonably fitting combat style.

People would surely acknowledge that I’d honed my skills through hard-won experience as a veteran on the battlefield. And that was exactly the image I was aiming for.

The problem is, this jeopardizes the mysterious image I’ve been cultivating.

It’s possible to have a character with multiple layers, but if those concepts don’t harmonize, the character ends up as a jumbled mess. So, I needed to be more deliberate in crafting my persona.

"Got something on your mind?"

Alice, as always, picked up on my mood right away.

"It’s nothing serious."

"Come on, now."

Even when I brushed her off, Alice persisted.

"Well, you know…."

She hesitated, casting her eyes around as if unsure how to bring it up.

"I mean, I’m like your older sister, right? So if you’ve got any worries you can’t tell anyone else about, you can tell me."

"…."

I couldn’t help but turn and stare at Alice in disbelief, causing a faint blush to rise on her cheeks.

Her expression said she was fully aware of how forced her words sounded.

Which was no surprise, considering that she was usually the one struggling with inferiority, and I’d always been the one to boost her confidence.

"Ahem."

Clearing her throat, Alice quickly recovered her composure.

We’d been walking, but now we stopped, with no one else around. Alice likely chose this moment because of the privacy.

"Well, technically, you were born first."

"…."

"But, really, birthdays aren’t exactly reliable evidence here…."

"…."

"And, um, I was the one who lived with Father longer, wasn’t I? So, since you were taken in later…."

"…."

"So it wouldn’t be that strange to consider you my little sister… would it?"

If she’s so certain, why did she end her sentence with a question?

Well.

Honestly, I had no intention of arguing about this. Technically speaking, I’m not even really Alice’s sister. Digging deeper, it’s questionable whether I should even be considered female at all.

Sure, my body’s female, and I’ve been living like this for over a decade… barely 10 years if you count from the orphanage to now, but including my life before I was reborn, it’s well over 10 years.

But my life as a man was still longer than my life as a woman.

And could I really call myself Alice’s "brother"? Even that feels off. Wouldn’t I be closer to an old man by technicality?

"Well, if you want to think of it that way, then go ahead."

"…Your response is a bit lukewarm, you know?"

Was Alice trying to joke? Though, honestly, she seemed a little too serious.

Perhaps she felt a hint of jealousy, seeing Claire openly call me her sister. After all, we did grow up together in a sibling-like bond.

Maybe her pride just wouldn’t let her address me as "sister" like Claire did.

"Fine, whatever. You said I could, so from now on, you’re my little sister."

Still, it’s absurd no matter how you look at it.

I don’t call Lucas or Jayden "brother," so I certainly won’t be calling Alice "sister." She’s aware of that too.

We resumed walking.

Crossing the quiet campus grounds, we headed outside the academy gates.

The weather was beginning to feel like summer, by Rondarium standards. It was nowhere near as sweltering as the summers in Korea. Supposedly, temperatures here rarely exceed 30 degrees, even in summer.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t warm. The air is warm, and the sun shines brightly. If it weren’t hot, people wouldn’t be flocking to the beach during summer.

"Alright, go ahead and take a seat."

The place we arrived at was a café.

We’d been coming here more frequently since our first visit, where we had parfaits. Alice seemed to believe I had taken a liking to this place, and to be fair, she wasn’t wrong.

I did enjoy it here. Few places serve such delicious desserts yet remain so free of customers.

"Hmph."

Seeing me sit quietly, Alice hummed, pleased.

"I figured you’d be craving it by now."

Truthfully, it wasn’t just "craving"; I almost always wanted something like this.

After all… it’s sweet. I have a fondness for sweet treats. Since becoming this person, I seem to like sugary foods even more.

Having won her little "sister" argument, Alice, delighted, eagerly made her way to the counter without even waiting for the waitress.

"…."

Watching her childlike enthusiasm, it was honestly hard to associate that image with "big sister."

Well, if that’s what she wants, I’ll play along.

While I sat quietly, watching her skip over to the counter—

"So, have you decided who the youngest is now?"

A voice drifted over.

"…."

I turned toward the source of the mature voice and found a woman sitting at a nearby table.

Her long silver hair was tucked behind her ears, exposing her forehead and giving her an air of decadence. Though her skin was dark, her hair, delicate eyebrows, and long lashes were all silver, creating a distinctly unique atmosphere.

Her gray eyes, usually disinterested, now held a spark of curiosity I hadn’t seen in ages.

Seated across from me, with her chin resting on her hands, was Bella.

Her last name was Fangriffon.

In the original story, she was the original owner of the relic sword, who died before the main events began.

"Oh, Lucas mentioned he had something he wanted to do, so he took a vacation without notice. I’ve taken over his duties for now. Father didn’t seem too upset, so don’t worry."

This character, who volunteered this unsolicited information in a languid, slightly slow voice, was one of the characters I found somewhat troublesome.

Though by now, she wasn’t as unpredictable as someone like Lena.

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Chapter 88

At least Bella was a character with an established backstory. Although she died before the main events, she still appeared in flashbacks. They’d skimped on her by using a single illustration instead of a full model, but she was there.

Now, she was speaking in a soft tone because there were people around, but her real personality was far more sinister. Her eyes were perpetually half-lidded, with a mocking smile often playing on her lips.

And no matter the occasion, she always wore clothes that revealed her cleavage. That was one thing that never seemed to change.

Today’s outfit was no different.

She was in a tight tank top and a short jacket that barely reached her waist, leaving her cleavage fully exposed. Frankly, if someone wore that on a subway, it would be hard to know where to look.

Of course, this outfit felt a bit risqué to me because of my 21st-century perspective, but in this world, it was unimaginable attire, especially for someone of royal status.

"Oh."

Alice, returning from placing our order, looked horrified when she saw Bella sitting in the empty seat.

Naturally, Bella didn’t seem to care at all about Alice’s reaction.

In the original story, this was part of why Claire and Alice struggled to get along.

Alice, born a princess, grew up without want—apart from the emperor’s strange displays of affection, that is. She had the finest clothes and exquisite meals made with premium ingredients. While she worked hard on her own, she was surrounded by support that more than made up for it.

Claire, however, did not. Having endured all kinds of horrors after being sold to a brothel, she couldn’t fully relate to Alice’s worldview, leading to constant friction.

The emperor’s other children weren’t much different. None of them lived the life of misery that Claire did. Bella, who had experienced her own hardships, was the only one who could empathize with Claire and become close to her.

It wasn’t surprising that by the time Claire entered the academy, she’d become something of a "Bella Mark II."

Here, though, instead of Claire, there was me, and whether out of caution or something else, Bella survived. The only real change was my existence, so it seemed likely that she was alive because of me.

"…What are you doing here?"

Alice, sitting down, asked irritably. Bella, still leaning on her hand, shrugged.

"Can’t a sister visit her dear younger siblings?"

"As if. We’re not exactly close, are we?"

"Aw, that’s harsh."

Bella sighed in mock disappointment. The exaggerated gesture made it clear she wasn’t serious.

"Maybe you’re not close to me, but your sweet little sister and I are quite close."

"You and Sylvia?"

"…."

I stayed silent, watching the two talk. I didn’t think my involvement would stop them from bickering, nor did I believe this argument would escalate to anything dangerous.

"Come on, you know it’s true. Sylvia doesn’t form relationships with just anyone. Being on friendly terms with her is something, wouldn’t you say?"

"If that’s the case, then I—"

"Just because you’re close to her doesn’t mean we can’t be close too, don’t you think? Relationships can overlap."

"I don’t think you’re the one to lecture others on relationships."

I turned my gaze toward the waitress. From the moment we entered the café, she’d been nodding off at her station, probably because there were so few customers and thus little to do. That might explain why Alice hadn’t waited for her and went to the counter directly.

"It’s hard to believe anything you say, so why not just get to the point? Going in circles won’t get you anywhere."

"Are you trying to protect your little sister or something? To be honest, it feels like you’re the one who needs protecting."

"…."

Alice glared at Bella, and I finally spoke up, breaking the tension.

"What brings you here?"

"Why, naturally—"

"If you genuinely wanted to spend time with me, you could’ve come to see me, whether I was inside or outside the academy."

I met Bella’s gaze steadily.

"You must have something to tell me, don’t you? Lucas didn’t show up either until he had something to say."

"…Did Lucas say something to you?"

"He told me one day he’d kill me."

"What?"

"What!?"

Bella repeated in disbelief, while Alice was outraged.

Seeing Bella’s reaction, it was clear that Lucas had likely left the emperor’s side soon after our conversation in Winterfield. If Lucas were still around, Bella wouldn’t need to come here.

"…Lucas said that? Seriously? He did? To you?"

Watching Bella’s rare expression of genuine shock made me feel satisfied with my decision to mention it.

"For what reason?"

Alice, equally disbelieving, gaped at me, but I glanced briefly at Bella instead of explaining further.

"…."

After understanding my meaning, both Alice and Bella fell silent for a moment.

"…Hah."

Bella exhaled a long sigh, sinking slightly into her seat.

"Well, fine. Thinking about it, I can probably guess why he said something like that."

She ran her hand through her hair.

"Things are about to get busy."

With a resigned tone, Bella continued, as if to show she was serious.

"You know there’s a casino near Northwood, right?"

"Yes, the Empire’s largest casino, built in a clearing in the middle of the forest."

Of course, I knew that.

And hearing her mention the casino in early June made me recall something specific.

"Has someone from the Papal State infiltrated the casino?"

"Infiltrated by someone from the Papal State…."

Bella and I spoke almost simultaneously. She closed her mouth, listening as our voices overlapped.

"…You knew?"

"…."

I didn’t answer.

Alice stared at me, mouth agape.

"Then, do you know who infiltrated it?"

"Isn’t it a knight of the Holy Knights?"

"If you say ‘a knight of the Holy Knights,’ that doesn’t really narrow it down, does it? Even if there aren’t many of them."

Bella probed, watching my reaction.

"If they wanted a truly inconspicuous agent, they’d choose someone who wouldn’t raise any suspicions."

"…."

Bella gestured for me to continue, and I went on.

"Every female knight of the Holy Knights is also a nun. So if one of them were to enter dressed in a particularly revealing outfit, most people wouldn’t even consider the possibility that she’s a knight from the Papal State."

After all, that’s exactly what happened in the original story.

Who’d ever expect a nun dressed as a bunny girl?

Besides, her personality was anything but nun-like.

"And?"

Bella pressed, looking more serious than usual.

"But a devout Holy Knight would likely refuse to do something so undignified, and the Papal State wouldn’t want to risk alienating such valuable knights. So, the knight who thought of this idea must be… somewhat eccentric."

And there was only one unhinged female character among the Holy Knights.

Well, most of the Holy Knights were crazed fanatics, but there was one who took it to a whole other level.

"So, who do you think it is?"

"Eliza."

"…."

Bella’s expression stiffened slightly at my answer.

Alice still hadn’t managed to close her gaping mouth.

Of course. This was information the Empire had just recently uncovered, and in the original story, it was acquired through sheer coincidence.

Seeing me reveal it so casually as if I’d known all along was bound to be unsettling.

"…I think I understand a little better why Lucas said he’d kill you."

Well, he didn’t threaten me for that exact reason, but it was true that my abilities were a factor.

"…."

Without responding, I shifted my gaze back to the waitress, who had finally woken up and was now moving around.

As she began bringing over our parfaits, Bella didn’t press me for further details.

Though she still looked at me with a hint of suspicion.

…Good.

At least I wouldn’t have to give up on maintaining an air of mystery entirely.

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Chapter 89

"So, what now?"

The conversation didn’t end there. Alice, hearing Bella’s words, looked at her as if to ask, "So what?"

"What do you mean, 'so'?"

"Did you just come to give us that information and leave? It takes ages to get to Northwood from here, and it’s not like knowing that a Holy Knight is there changes anything for us."

I took a spoonful of mango parfait and put it in my mouth.

The sweet ice cream and slightly tangy mango pieces blended perfectly. The warm weather only made it better—a near-perfect combination. Maybe that’s why it’s called "parfait," the perfect dessert.

I wished I’d taken the chance to have parfait in Velbur last time I was there.

At the time, my judgment was clouded by shock over being sent as the emperor’s representative, so the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.

I resolved that next time I went to Velbur, I’d make sure to try the recommended menu at Charlotte’s favorite café.

"The only reason Father would pass on information to us is if he wants us to do something about it."

"More like he wants 'us' to do something, not 'you.'"

"Ugh…."

Bella corrected Alice.

It wasn’t the "real" princess, Alice, who received direct orders from the emperor, but rather "the emperor’s children"—essentially, his personal assassins. I was among them, too.

Though, compared to the original story, the number and danger of these missions had been greatly reduced, but the missions were still real.

"…So, then? Why did you go out of your way to come here and inform us while making it clear you’re watching Sylvia?"

I took another spoonful of parfait, this time scooping more fruit than ice cream. Even though it had come from so far away, the juice of the fruit was incredibly fresh. I wondered if it would taste even better if I ate it locally.

"That assumption is wrong. Do you think Sylvia wouldn’t know if I tried to stay hidden while following her around? She probably knew from the moment Lucas was assigned to her."

Actually, I didn’t know from the beginning. In fact, I’d missed Mia Crowfield’s less subtle attempts at tracking me, so it wasn’t surprising that I hadn’t noticed Lucas either.

"If you asked her where Lucas is right now, she could probably tell you instantly."

Nope, I had no idea. If I found out where he was soon, I could probably pretend I knew all along by rewinding time. But honestly, I didn’t expect to find out anytime soon, nor did I plan to rewind time just to fake knowing.

Of course, there was no need to reveal that I didn’t know. After I’d just rattled off the latest information no one should have known, admitting I didn’t know Lucas’s location would be odd.

So, I opted to stay silent.

"…You keep dodging, but why are you giving us this information?"

Well, obviously, it’s an order to infiltrate the casino.

In the original story, it was Claire who delivered this information. Naturally, the character description only said "a girl with a decadent air." Thankfully, this scene was Claire’s first appearance, so it didn’t feel like I had to pretend not to know her character despite already being familiar.

Alice initially appeared in the story in a somewhat suspicious role—a character who seemed diligent on the outside but hinted at hidden depths, misleading players into thinking she had a dark side. They even included a scene where she held a mysterious conversation with an unknown figure while the protagonist wasn’t around, making it easy for players to suspect her.

The dialogue itself wasn’t fully revealed either. Just fragments—something like, "…Alright, I’ll keep that in mind." So obvious that it felt like a setup.

In fact, it was so blatant that no one ended up believing it.

"Before the vacation… there’s one more, uh, field assignment, right? We rearranged the schedule a bit. You’ll be heading to Northwood for this one. Naturally, you’ll be near the casino, which is completely surrounded by forest."

The casino’s security was ironclad, thanks to its location in a dense forest that was difficult for people to enter. They’d cleared out the surrounding trees, and with the forest forming a natural barrier, even if someone ran off after losing all their money, there was no way they’d make it through that vast forest alive.

The local mafia history tied into this somewhat, but that wasn’t relevant right now.

"It’s supposedly an unparalleled natural forest in the Empire… but wild animals apparently appear at all hours. Naturally, there are also hunting requests in the area."

"And so?"

Poor Alice hadn’t considered what that might mean for her.

"If you’re truly the emperor’s daughter, then you should try taking on the same missions as us."

That’s what Claire had said in this scene. Though in this version of the world, Claire was likely still in training or studying somewhere.

And if a casino appears in a game like this, there’s usually one reason.

To put the heroines in bunny girl outfits.

Since the game was a bit niche and didn’t have many figures, they had to at least offer some fan service.

Naturally, Claire joined the infiltration as well. They both donned bunny costumes, wore masquerade masks, and sneaked deep into the casino, only to get caught by Leo, who had somehow ended up there too.

At first, Leo thought, "Nah, there’s no way the princess would be doing something like that here."

…A line that inspired a few fan artists, though that was unrelated to the original game.

"So, yeah, I came to ask a favor."

I wondered how Alice would react.

Honestly, I was curious. The game hadn’t shown Alice’s response to this situation.

I was about to take another spoonful of parfait, eagerly awaiting Bella’s next line and Alice’s reaction—

"From Sylvia."

I froze.

"Mmm, I originally intended to ask our real princess, Alice, just to see how she’d respond."

Bella smiled slyly, casting her gaze over at me.

"But it turns out there’s someone here who probably knows everything already."

"And what did Father say?"

Alice asked, looking at me. Bella shrugged.

"He told me to tell Sylvia."

"…."

Alice bit her lip at that answer.

Well, I froze, not because of the mission… though I can’t say I was particularly eager to accept it.

But that wasn’t what bothered me.

"…Fine. Tell Father this clearly."

Alice glared at Bella.

Seeing her fierce expression, Bella raised her shoulders in mock fear, though her expression was anything but frightened.

"I, as the 'other' princess, will be joining this mission too."

Wait.

No, no, no.

If you go there, you’ll end up in a bunny girl outfit too.

Not that I’d mind—Alice in a bunny girl outfit would just look like a high-quality cosplay faithfully representing the original heroine.

The problem was that I’d most likely end up in a bunny costume alongside her.

And if things went according to the original game, Leo, who would be trailing after Jake, would eventually catch us. I wasn’t planning on letting Alice roam around in a bunny outfit on her own.

"Hoh."

Bella chuckled, amused by Alice’s competitive expression.

"Are you trying to play the 'big sister' role now?"

"Of course."

Alice puffed out her chest proudly.

"As someone with royal blood, I keep my promises. Since I’ve declared myself Sylvia’s older sister, I’ll protect Sylvia as her older sister."

No, that’s not the issue here.

Alice should know about my skills. She already knew I’d fought on the battlefield, so she shouldn’t be worried that things would go south if I went alone or that I might die.

This was just pure competitiveness.

The grin she gave me seemed to say, "You’ve got support, too!"

"Well, fine."

Bella shrugged at Alice’s declaration.

"I planned to watch from a distance, but… this just got interesting. It would feel incomplete if the two sisters infiltrated without me tagging along. I’ll join as well."

With that announcement, Alice cast another sharp look at Bella.

Bella met her gaze confidently.

…With Bella joining us…

Infiltration was now guaranteed, whether I liked it or not.

The fact that my expression didn’t change was nothing short of miraculous.

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Chapter 90

"Why? Are you worried about something?"

After Bella left, Alice looked at my face and asked.

Of course, I had plenty to worry about.

It wasn’t the Holy Knights that worried me. Opinions among fans of the game were divided over whether or not a goddess even existed, but I figured that if she did, my existence being permitted was proof enough that she didn’t see me as a problem.

In fact, I figured she might even favor me. Otherwise, there’s no way I would’ve been left alone for the past ten years.

If she didn’t know about me or didn’t have the power to intervene, then that was all the better. And if she knew but didn’t care, then that was fine by me too. I’d always thought the Holy Kingdom, wielding the goddess’s name, was merely a group of power-seekers. If she really did support them, then I wouldn’t consider her a goddess at all.

No, the real problem was the outfit I’d likely have to wear in that place.

"…Princess."

"Please, just call me Alice…."

However, seeing my serious expression, Alice didn’t push the matter too strongly.

Looking her in the eye, I continued.

"Even if it’s a legally run establishment, it’s still a gambling den. The people who frequent it and the ones who run it are not exactly the most honorable types."

"I know that."

Hearing me, Alice looked relieved, as if to say, "Oh, was that all?"

But I shook my head.

"…It may be far worse than you imagine, Princess."

Naturally, there wouldn’t be any "nobles" working as bunny girls there. Perhaps there were daughters of fallen nobles, but in their current situation, they’d be barely any different from commoners.

However, those who frequented casinos were usually wealthy, and the vast majority of the wealthy were either nobles or had close ties to nobility.

This world still adhered to a rigid class system, even if the winds of capitalism and nationalism had started to blow. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if a noble laid hands on an attractive bunny girl displayed for show in the casino.

In most regions of the Empire, brothels were illegal.

But that didn’t prevent "consensual encounters." If a noble visitor and a casino server happened to "fall for each other" and had a brief affair, the Empire wouldn’t pursue charges.

Tips? Well, they could say they were given as part of the service.

Technically, it was still illegal. But they knew and let it slide.

"…."

I didn’t think Alice fully understood these details, but she could read my expression well enough to sense how serious I was about it.

"If that’s the case, I can’t just let you go there alone."

"…."

While I appreciated her intention, her presence would undoubtedly be helpful. Sure, I might appear skilled in combat due to my ability to rewind time and assess situations, but in a direct battle without preparation, Alice would likely be stronger.

"And if I decide not to go, what would you do?"

I asked her this time, curious about her answer.

"If I disobey His Majesty’s order and refuse to go?"

"Is that what you want?"

Well, of course, that’s my will.

My will to avoid wearing a bunny costume.

"Or are you hoping I’ll tell you not to go?"

Uh…

It was my will, right?

A strong will against bunny costumes.

"…Even if you choose not to go, I can’t ignore this. The Emperor directly ordered it, and Bella herself came to deliver the information."

True, from the Empire’s standpoint.

"And who’s the one expected to become the next Emperor?"

"…That would be you, Princess."

"Then, as the next ruler of the Empire, I have a duty to know as much as possible about everything that happens behind the scenes. Besides," Alice continued, looking determined, "once I become Emperor, I might not have the freedom to roam about. The Empire is vast, and there’s much for the Emperor to do, so it’s unrealistic to personally gather intelligence. But, conversely, since I’m not yet on the throne, I can do things without reservation."

"As the future Emperor—"

"Don’t start with that now."

Alice stated proudly.

"I attend the Academy, talking with people on equal footing, training, and doing fieldwork together. Even when hunting beasts, we risk our lives just the same. And obviously," she pointed at me, "you," then pointed at herself, "and I are equals here. We’re just students in the same uniform. So, as long as we’re both in these uniforms, drop the 'Princess' title. I’m not the crown princess yet, so there’s no need to call me the future Emperor either."

"…."

"If you don’t want to call me Alice, you could call me 'Big Sister.'"

"I’ll call you Alice."

"…Even if I ordered you to call me 'Big Sister,' you wouldn’t listen, would you?"

"You were the one who said we’re equals here, Alice."

At my firm response, Alice looked like she was about to burst out laughing.

*

I had clung to a small hope.

That, perhaps, the "game logic" would lose to "reality."

No matter how skilled a swordsman was, they couldn’t slice through bullets, and injuries from wild beasts left real wounds. Even beasts that required dozens of strikes to bring down would bleed and die when cut with an aura-infused sword or shot.

Though it was a steampunk-fantasy world with absurdities, it retained some level of realism.

So I held onto a faint hope that the seductive outfits common in games wouldn’t exist here in the real world.

"…."

But judging by Leo’s flushed face as we stood in front of the casino, I could tell that my hopes had been dashed, and brutally so.

"Needlessly extravagant."

Alice muttered with a frown.

As she said, the casino was grander than expected. Admittedly, it was less garish than the over-the-top neon displays of the 21st century, but still.

If you watched American movies or shows set in the 1950s or 60s in New York or Las Vegas, you’d see buildings covered in lights, excessively bright by those standards. This place felt like that.

Of course, since there were no electric bulbs here, they used colored mana stones for lighting.

Compared to the capital’s other buildings, this one stood out as particularly flashy.

"…I can see why the instructor wasn’t keen to accompany us."

At Alice’s remark, Claire nodded in agreement, though her gaze was directed elsewhere.

While Alice observed the building as a whole, Claire, like Leo, was staring at something else entirely.

The entrance.

There, attractive women with perfect figures stood holding promotional signs. Most displayed ads for the casino. Some wore sashes with slogans, while others advertised hotels owned by the same entity as the casino.

A few nobles—mostly older, heavyset men—were flirting with the women. Some even had their hands on the ladies’ waists or shoulders as they headed inside together.

It was, in every sense, a city of indulgence.

If Las Vegas was a paradise in the middle of a desert, then this was like a hidden mansion of pleasure in the heart of the forest.

I remembered being completely thrown when I first saw this place, so at odds with the wholesome image of Carolyn.

…Everything here matched my memories exactly.

"…It’s indecent."

Charlotte murmured in shock.

Her gaze was fixed on a bunny girl with slightly tanned skin and a provocatively exposed chest, chatting and laughing with a large noble.

By the way, the bunny girl’s hair was silver. Frankly, if it weren’t for her flirty demeanor, she would have looked like a tragic heroine forced into this job against her will, radiating an almost ethereal aura.

…

She’s definitely enjoying herself, isn’t she?

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Chapter 91

"Alright."

I decided to avoid making eye contact.

I tried to shift my gaze elsewhere, doing my best to not look like I was purposefully avoiding her while also trying to stay unnoticed. Yet, either I was a beat too late, or perhaps I accidentally caught Alice’s gaze. From the corner of my eye, I could sense Bella looking in our direction.

Then again, it was in her nature to pull pranks on us, whether she made eye contact with us or not. Although she wasn’t a character I’d encountered in the main story, we had known each other long enough for me to be familiar with Bella’s mischievous personality and her indifference towards what she wore.

"Oh my, hey there, oppas!" 

Bella interrupted her conversation with a nobleman to wave in our direction. The middle-aged noble she’d been talking to looked thoroughly perplexed, but Bella didn’t seem to care at all.

…

The word "oppa" seemed a bit of a stretch given our age gap, but I reminded myself that it’s natural in places like this to use terms like that for soliciting attention.

"Wh-What? Me?" Leo stammered, looking startled.

The distance between Bella and us was quite substantial. It was enough that one could easily mistake her waving at someone behind me, especially if they were further away.

Even though the distance was enough to make her voice audible, Bella made sure her call was loud enough to reach us.

Claire looked at Leo with an expression that was somewhere between exasperation and incredulity, as if to say, "Why would she be calling you?"

After all, we were still wearing our uniforms. If Bella weren’t a royal or someone completely oblivious, she would probably choose to approach the many affluent older nobles milling around rather than call us. Even if she mistook our attire for something other than uniforms, it would still look like military wear.

Students and soldiers tend not to have as much wealth as the high-class nobles around here.

"Yes, you, the handsome oppa over there."

But Bella continued walking straight toward Leo. This time, even Claire seemed at a loss for words.

"…"

Naturally, Alice and I were just dumbfounded.

Weren’t we supposed to be undercover?

Though, I had half-expected her to act like this, undercover or not.

On second thought, maybe it was more natural for her to behave this way. Bella hiding her identity didn’t mean she’d hide her personality.

As Bella approached us, I could see she was wearing a masquerade mask—not the sort you’d wear to a grand ball but more like the kind of mask a girlfriend might wear to surprise her boyfriend. It was cheap-looking, adorned with fluffy white trim, making it very clear that no noble would wear something like this to a formal masquerade.

"…"

Lena’s expression was as stiff as mine.

Ever since we’d arrived here, she had been unusually quiet, seemingly uncomfortable with the very different atmosphere compared to the military-governed autonomous state.

"Hmm."

Bella, now close enough to see clearly, bent slightly to look into Leo’s face.

Standing close to the same height as most men, Bella was wearing heels that had to be at least ten centimeters high, giving her enough height to look down on Leo. Her long legs were fully visible, her waist narrow, and her chest prominently forward. With her bending like that, certain aspects were unavoidably emphasized.

"What brings you here? Are you perhaps interested in the casino?"

"Huh? Uh, I… uh…"

Leo stammered, completely thrown off by Bella addressing him directly.

Without sparing Alice or me a glance, Bella grabbed Leo’s hand.

"Judging by your attire, you must be some noble young master. Care to join me? I can show you all kinds of things. I know my way around the casino here, and I’m quite familiar with the area… or perhaps, even the hotel?"

"…"

If I didn’t know Bella so well, I might have felt something—an allure of some kind.

But… there’s that saying, isn’t there? When you’re around someone for so long, even if there’s no blood relation, you get to know them so well that any sense of attraction disappears.

That’s how I felt right now.

I knew that Bella had no actual intent behind her actions, so I didn’t even feel the urge to intervene.

"Wait—"

But it seemed Claire thought differently. Before seeing Leo as a man or not, Claire and Leo had always bickered about who was older.

If my own little sister were about to be swayed by some street host, I’d probably want to step in too.

But before Claire could act, a man shouted.

"Hey!"

It was the nobleman Bella had been speaking to earlier, now storming towards us, his face full of anger.

He didn’t fit the stereotype of a decadent noble. His body looked well-maintained, and even through his lavishly decorated attire, one could see he was physically fit. He wasn’t strikingly handsome like the male leads in the protagonist's party, but he was decent-looking.

Yet despite all that, he still gave off the impression of a nouveau riche nobody.

…Then again, my impression of him as a “noble” might have been wrong. If he truly were nobility, he’d either be wary of our uniforms or, at the very least, recognize Alice’s face.

And then there was Jake, watching the whole situation with amusement a few steps away. The fact that he didn’t recognize either the princess or a duke meant this man was far removed from the political scene.

"Are you toying with me? Things were going so well between us just moments ago."

…Seems like he was just about to fall for Bella’s honeyed words.

"Oh, but I’m far more drawn to this one. Look," Bella said, gently placing her hands on Leo’s shoulders and pulling him close enough to make a side-by-side comparison with the noble.

Then, nodding, Bella added, "Yes, this one’s definitely prettier."

What on earth was she saying to a minor?

…Well, in this world, characters in their mid-teens are basically treated like young adults.

The noble’s face turned red with anger. Seeing him flush so, the attractiveness I’d noticed earlier vanished completely.

"Hey, wait!" Claire shouted, shocked again as she tried to wedge herself between Bella and Leo.

But this time, her outburst wasn’t even for Leo’s sake.

"Ouch!"

Bella cried out.

The noble had stormed forward and grabbed Bella’s arm.

"…"

Hmm…

Watching this situation unfold, I realized something for certain.

Bella had abandoned her conversation with that man and come our way precisely to drag us into this mess. Alice seemed to think the same, watching with a complicated expression.

"Aren’t we going to help?" Lena, who had been watching beside me, asked.

Hmm…

If we just stand here and watch, it might look bad.

As I started to step forward, I heard Alice sigh softly.

"Hey."

But there was no need for the rest of us to get involved.

Another man had already grabbed the arm of the noble who was holding Bella.

It was Jake.

"It’s not right to roughly grab a lady’s arm like that," Jake said with a smile.

"A lady? You’re kidding—" 

The noble tried to pull his arm back, but his face turned blank as he mumbled.

It seemed that his arm wouldn’t move. Despite his efforts to pull or twist, Jake didn’t budge, keeping his grip firm.

"Agh…!" 

Not only could he not move his arm, but Jake was squeezing tightly enough to hurt. As Jake’s grip tightened, the noble cried out in pain.

"My hand… let go!" 

Struggling, the man finally released Bella’s arm. She quickly drew her arm back, clutching it with her other hand. The confident expression she’d worn was gone, replaced by a more vulnerable one.

…Honestly, I didn’t know what to think.

After confirming the man had let go, Jake released his grip too. Trying to back away, the noble lost his balance without Jake’s support and fell flat on his back.

"Do you know who I am?" 

The man shouted, trying to save face, but Jake replied, chuckling, "Do you know who *I* am?"

The man went speechless, seemingly realizing what kind of place this was.

In places like these, there’s always someone richer, someone of higher status.

Though people here didn’t wear their ranks on their sleeves, high-ranking nobles and tycoons abounded.

"…"

Ultimately, the man scrambled to his feet, fleeing without even dusting off his clothes.

"Are you alright?" 

Charlotte, who’d looked down on this place at first, seemed to have changed her mind after watching the scene unfold and asked Bella with genuine concern.

"Oh, yes… yes, I’m fine." 

What a spectacle.

I couldn’t help but think this as I watched Bella, now speaking in a meek, gentle tone, completely at odds with her earlier behavior.

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Chapter 92

Even though this area was a casino-centered, adult-themed park, there were still ordinary places for daily activities.

Some people came here literally to gamble away their fortunes, but many others visited to enjoy the dazzling scenery the casino had helped establish. High-class visitors uninterested in gambling often came here with their partners, stayed in luxurious hotels, and enjoyed the festive atmosphere.

The people working here, however, weren’t typically wealthy, especially those in jobs like waitstaff.

Thus, there were, of course, ordinary restaurants where you could get a simple meal.

And plenty of small restaurants and cafes catered specifically to the locals who worked here.

The place we found ourselves at, courtesy of Bella’s guidance, was one such establishment—a modest eatery in a rundown area just a bit away from the casino.

“Hey! I told you not to bring guests here!” 

A green-haired bunny girl, sitting at a table, yelled at Bella. Her outfit was the classic bunny costume, though wrinkled, and her hair was disheveled. Her bunny-ear headband lay tossed onto the table. Glitter covered her face and chest, suggesting she had only recently returned from a long night’s work.

“Oh, I’m sorry… I just really wanted to treat the people who helped me out,” Bella said meekly.

I was a bit surprised to see Bella acting so timid. It suited her surprisingly well. Of course, I knew her background, but if I hadn’t, I might have just seen her as a character with a mysterious backstory. Well… maybe Alice and I would have suspected her motives after that previous conversation.

“Fine… but the kind of people who’d be eating on your dime could afford to pay for themselves,” the green-haired woman replied, scratching her head, then sighing as though it no longer mattered.

"Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter as long as there are more girls than guys with you. From your outfits, you look like students, even if you are nobles. Not like you’d be able to try anything funny under school rules anyway, right?”

With that, she dismissed us entirely.

It was normal in a place like this. People who ended up working here usually had rougher lives and hit rock bottom before taking on a job in a place like this. The empire had worse areas than this, so in that sense, Northwood was actually managing this place decently well—though the locals probably wouldn’t share that opinion.

“I’m sorry. She might talk tough, but she has a good heart…” Bella began to say, but before she could finish, the green-haired woman flashed us a “V” sign over her shoulder, with the back of her hand facing us.

A well-known British insult that even Lena, who had crossed paths with the imperial forces, and Charlotte, who hailed from a rivaling neighboring kingdom, recognized instantly, causing them to frown.

Bella chuckled nervously, then hurriedly offered, “Please, have a seat.”

Despite their tendency to get involved in things, it seemed even the main party members understood that causing a scene with Bella’s colleague would only make things harder for her. They took their seats without a word.

…Though it wasn’t like such a minor matter would actually inconvenience Bella. Alice and I were the only ones here who knew her true identity.

Unlike me, whose face was somewhat known due to my role and my appearances, Bella was different. She was officially a princess, but she never showed up at public events.

The children of the Emperor who regularly appeared in public were Jaden, Lucas, and me. Meanwhile, Bella and the youngest handled the jobs that required discretion.

This arrangement wasn’t something enforced by the Emperor—it had developed naturally over time. Bella enjoyed hiding her identity, as it allowed her to get involved in more interesting situations.

“Do you… go through this often?” Charlotte asked seriously.

While such matters were an issue within the empire, it wasn’t as if places like Bella’s kingdom were exempt from similar situations. Brothels and opium dens existed worldwide. Considering that such things likely happened in her country as well, this was probably a useful experience for Charlotte.

“Not too frequently,” Bella replied.

“…”

Besides, Charlotte herself had a righteous personality. Perhaps she was silently regretting her earlier muttered disdain after seeing these conditions firsthand.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

“What do you want to order?” 

The restaurant owner, oblivious to the tension, approached us, lightening the mood a bit.

The man’s clothes were worn and stained with patches of grime. His apron was dirty and torn, like the rest of his outfit. Given the cracked window I’d noticed when we walked in, it seemed he probably couldn’t afford replacements.

“What’s good here?” Charlotte asked Bella with a polite tone. Normally, Charlotte would have been horrified by the establishment and the owner’s appearance, but given the situation, she wasn’t in a position to be picky.

Graciously accepting genuine hospitality was part of a noble’s etiquette.

“Oh, please make enough servings of chicken stew for everyone,” Bella said.

“Huh?” 

The owner looked at Bella, puzzled.

“Do you have the money for that?” 

“Y-Yes! I do!” Bella replied, glancing at our group nervously.

Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel impressed.

If she’d been born twenty years later, she would’ve been a legendary actress.

Then again, with her personality, who knows if she’d have gone that route?

The owner shrugged, counted our party members, and walked back.

“Are you sure it’s alright?” Claire asked, sounding concerned.

“It’s fine. I have enough for this…” Bella replied.

As the atmosphere grew heavy again—

“So, who was that guy earlier?” 

Jake quickly broke the tension.

“He was one of the men who approached me and started joking around. I laughed to humor him, and he seemed to take it as a sign that I was interested…”

“So, you came over to us to shake him off?” 

Alice, who had remained silent, finally joined in on the act.

“Yes… I’m sorry. I didn’t expect things to escalate like that.”

Though, she’d probably hoped for just that kind of outcome.

“Any particular reason you approached us? There were plenty of others around.”

“Well…” Bella replied, looking genuinely embarrassed. “Other nobles either avoid me as if I’m filthy or try to take me with them. It’s usually one or the other.”

Charlotte’s shoulders twitched. She kept her face steady, but the discomfort showed in her posture.

“You’re from the Rondarium Academy, aren’t you?” Bella asked, looking at Leo. Leo stammered in surprise.

“How… how did you know?” 

His response was hilariously clumsy.

“Your uniforms. They’re from Rondarium Academy. I spent a little time near there once and saw students wearing the same uniform.”

Though she didn’t utter some clichéd line about admiring them in her youth, it somehow made the sentiment all the more authentic.

Of course, it was likely all an act.

“That’s why… I thought you, as students… might help me. I apologize…”

“…”

The atmosphere grew even heavier. Amidst the tense mood, Alice had a particularly complex expression on her face.

She had announced her intentions to go “undercover,” making Bella something of a role model she was meant to emulate.

The problem was that Bella’s level of acting was far beyond the reach of the average person.

…

And as for myself… I might need to bring a similar air to my role.

An emotionless bunny girl might be popular in its own way, but…

Could I even keep a straight face in a bunny outfit?

Before long, the chicken stew arrived.

Given the establishment’s atmosphere, I hadn’t expected much, but the chicken stew turned out to be surprisingly delicious.

Maybe, just maybe, this was one thing Bella hadn’t been acting about.

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Chapter 93

In games, the concept of "game logic" often has a significant impact on the story.

For example:

In the beginning of a cutscene, the character might be empty-handed, yet once the battle begins, they can magically pull a weapon out of thin air.

The problem is, there's no actual explanation for it. If they at least had a scabbard, it might be assumed they pulled the sword from there. But no, they just casually pull out a sword as if it’s always hanging by their side.

It’s not like they have some kind of "dimensional pocket" either. In that game, characters are simply expected to have weapons on hand at all times, regardless of their outfit—be it a school uniform, a dress, or even a swimsuit.

…Or a bunny girl outfit.

Yes, even Alice had managed to pull out her weapon effortlessly when it came time to fight.

However, after living in this world for nearly ten years, I knew that wasn't possible in reality.

To draw a weapon, you actually needed to carry it with you, and larger weapons couldn’t be concealed. Especially not Alice’s two-handed sword—it was impossible to hide it on her person.

My revolver was the same.

I had considered getting something smaller, like the derringer hidden under Mia Crowfield's bed, but even then, there was no place to conceal it in a bunny girl costume.

I hadn’t secured a bunny girl outfit yet, but just in case, I’d tried slipping a paper model of similar size into my undergarments to see if it would fit between my chest. Not only was it uncomfortable, but it was also still visible.

It was embarrassing to admit, but despite not exactly having a small chest, I still couldn’t manage to hide anything there. Alice’s figure was similar, so hiding anything between her chest would be just as difficult.

I’d even considered hiding a weapon in the tail of the bunny outfit, but the risk of it accidentally going off and injuring my hip was too high. Even if I could turn back time, I’d rather avoid such an incident.

…Besides, someone would inevitably try to frisk me in a bunny outfit, which would almost certainly reveal anything hidden in the tail. And just standing around would make it droop under the weight.

After a lot of deliberation, I came to a single conclusion.

Handle the situation before we even get to the bunny girl costume.

The mission would be a success if I could simply obtain reliable information on the undercover temple knight.

Moreover, I’d already identified the location of the knight.

…That green-haired woman who had been sitting in the diner earlier after finishing her shift with a client.

*

Bella was likely aware, too.

Though the Holy Kingdom is a formidable power in the game, the Emperor has always set his sights even higher.

He was a figure who combined his prophetic insight with firsthand intelligence gathering. Despite possessing the Book of Prophecies, he did not rely solely on it, which often left the Holy Kingdom helpless. I never had strong feelings about the Holy Kingdom’s role in the game since they weren’t portrayed favorably.

The Emperor probably knew not only that a temple knight had infiltrated this area, but exactly *who* had been sent. That’s why Bella was dispatched. It was the same in the original story.

Wandering near the casino alone as a woman late at night might sound risky, but it really wasn’t. This place was modeled after Las Vegas, and the security around here was actually better than in many other areas.

Bright lights illuminated the streets even late at night, and guards patrolled the area. There were even some plainclothes guards who were clearly part of the domain’s soldiers.

It wouldn’t do for a tourist hotspot to be plagued by theft. The domain would suffer if visitors’ money ended up in the hands of criminals or if bad rumors spread, keeping tourists from spending.

Though waitstaff weren’t particularly well-protected, anyone falling under the label of "tourist" was well-guarded here. The better the experience, the more likely they’d return.

Dressed casually, I looked like any other tourist, so there was little reason to worry about being targeted.

As I stepped out of the brightly lit hotel and made my way toward the casino, the bustling crowd of tourists continued to surge around me. Couples, groups of tipsy friends, and those reveling in the city’s nonstop atmosphere filled the streets.

People walked with bunny girls or waitresses by their side, and some middle-aged women even strolled arm-in-arm with handsome, tall young men.

It didn’t quite reach the level of Sodom and Gomorrah, but for a world inspired by the early 20th century, the atmosphere was indeed decadent and indulgent.

With a faint scent of alcohol lingering in the air, I approached the casino entrance.

The men in black suits and fedoras stationed at the entrance gave me a quick glance but didn’t block my way. I was a woman, after all, and likely a guest in their eyes. Many wealthy individuals frequented this place, so seeing a young woman alone wasn’t unusual.

I hadn’t brought a weapon with me, so even the most cautious of guards probably didn’t see me as a threat.

Without hesitation, I entered the casino.

Golden lights filled my vision.

…It was extravagant.

Far more dazzling than it had looked in the game. Of course, that made sense. With the limitations of game development, the graphics had never been this refined.

Even so, the general layout of the casino seemed to match the one I’d seen in the game.

If that was the case, then the temple knight would likely be in a similar spot as well.

I headed straight up the stairs. Inside the lavish building, there were no windows or clocks, and the crowd was thick. Could there really be so many people with money to spare? Then again, this casino wasn’t famous only within the empire—wealthy people from all over the world flocked here.

The role of a bunny girl here was simple. Walk among the guests, serving drinks and collecting tips.

Tips were usually tucked between the chest.

"…"

Thinking about it again made me a bit dizzy.

Quickening my pace, I climbed to the second floor.

And soon, I spotted the familiar green hair.

Her expression was entirely different from this morning. Now, her face was adorned with a bright smile, and with the glitter on her chest, her skin seemed to sparkle under the lights. Her bobbed green hair swung energetically, giving her a lively appearance.

“Oh my, thank you so much!”

I nearly lost my focus again as I watched her lean back and subtly push her chest forward, flirting with a customer.

So… I was really considering walking around in that outfit?

…Let’s get the information and end this quickly.

I walked straight toward her.

As the green-haired woman straightened up, accepting a tip from a dazed, intoxicated man, our eyes met.

For a brief moment, surprise flickered across her face. Then she flashed a mischievous smile.

I didn’t like that smile.

But there was no turning back. I hadn’t come all this way just to retreat.

"Sorry, but I’m a devout follower of the Goddess. I don’t deny same-gender relationships, but I don’t accept female clients."

The woman spoke in a chipper tone as I continued approaching her.

She probably already knew my identity. After all, she had been disrespectful to the papal envoy in Belbrou. And she’d dismantled their plans.

An alert would have been issued long ago.

"…"

Without a word, I pulled out a check from my pocket. It was folded in half, the amount displayed as thirty pounds, and I pushed it into the woman’s chest.

Careful not to let my fingers touch her chest.

…It probably wouldn’t matter if I did, but it still felt uncomfortable.

"…"

The green-haired woman blinked at the sudden check tucked into her chest. Then, she looked back at me with a wide smile, though her eyes, hidden behind her mask, weren’t smiling at all.

“Well, since you went this far, I can’t just let you leave without a word, now, can I? Shall we find somewhere more private?”

I nodded in silence, and with a pleased look, she turned to walk away.

Without a word, I followed her.

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Chapter 94

"Hah, really."

The terrace was sparsely populated.

No, it seemed designed that way on purpose.

Unlike the casino below, which had no windows, just two floors up was a large ballroom with several big windows. The building extended even higher, likely where the hotel floors were located. While the students from the academy were staying at Northwood Castle—a place whose value was almost beyond monetary calculation—something told me that even if this place charged for rooms, it wouldn’t be quite as costly.

"I'm *such* a devout follower of the Goddess, you know. I can tolerate being touched, but I draw the line at anything further. Would you like me to start undressing right here?"

The woman closed the terrace curtains with a playful smirk.

Turning my head slightly, I could see couples on other terraces, some indulging in activities ranging from sitting on each other's laps to heavy petting. It seemed to be a sort of stopover before things escalated further.

The terraces were open spaces, though spread far enough apart that, despite some light from below, it would be difficult to clearly identify anyone unless they were nearby.

"…"

I took a seat on the guest sofa, crossed my legs, and fixed my gaze on her as she casually tucked her hand next to her chest with a coy smile.

"…"

"…"

"W-What? Do you actually want me to undress?"

She hesitated, her smirk faltering as I continued to stare without a word.

"If it’s part of the service included in the thirty pounds."

At that, her eyes widened before she quickly put on a bold smile and replied, "I didn’t know Her Highness had such tastes."

"Then if you can’t, you could always consider it the price for information instead."

"So you came here already knowing who I am?"

"Of course. Lady Verati."

The woman’s face turned rigid at my words.

"I’ve come to find out why Lady Chiara Verati is here in disguise."

"So you already knew when you came?"

"To be precise, I wanted to confirm what I already suspected."

"…So, you already knew everything?"

Chiara Verati looked both exasperated and resigned as she removed her hand from her chest and let it fall to her side.

"I suppose the warnings from the Papal Office were justified."

"To be exact, caution wouldn’t have hidden anything from me."

Chiara shrugged at that, glancing around before meeting my gaze again.

"But if you thought such a paltry sum could buy state secrets…"

"I understand. But what you consider a 'secret' is already safely stored in my mind, so there’s no need to worry. As I mentioned, the money was merely for confirmation."

"So you’re fine with spilling everything you already know?"

Chiara’s expression was incredulous, but I didn’t waver.

Naturally.

I intended to verify everything and then turn back time.

"If necessary, I could even share some information in exchange."

"You’re suggesting a trade? With me?"

"Is that strange?"

"Considering your attitude at last year’s meeting, it sure is."

So she had been there?

Not surprising. Even if she’d been among the nuns led by the cardinal, it would have gone unnoticed. I hadn’t paid attention back then, either.

"My actions are guided by what currently benefits the Empire. At the time, I merely thought that new alliances outside the Empire would do us harm. There was nothing personal about it."

Of course, my actions back then had been motivated by deeply personal reasons, but there was no need to share that with this temple knight.

"And if I share my information, what would you offer in return? Oh, and don’t bother with checks like this."

Chiara pulled the check from between her chest and waved it dismissively.

"In terms of the entire Holy Kingdom’s wealth, that’s not even a drop in the—"

"I can tell you what’s written in the Empire’s Book of Prophecies."

"—."

My calm response left her speechless once again.

The Book of Prophecies was one of the Holy Kingdom’s most coveted relics. Since they had no means to access the book buried deep within the imperial palace, they had left it untouched. But given the chance, the Holy Kingdom would have forcibly taken it, as they believed that all relics left by the Goddess should be managed by her successors, their fanatical organization.

And Chiara knew well that it was the book's contents, not the book itself, that held value.

"If you’re lying…"

"Then everything I tell you from now on will be worthless according to the standards of the Holy Kingdom. It’d be no more than a scrap of paper worth less than that thirty-pound check in your hand."

"…"

The reason she’d accepted the check despite claiming it was worth little was simple.

Refusing thirty pounds from a client would be odd behavior for a bunny girl.

She might have had no intention of selling her body, but it was only natural for her to keep a paying guest engaged, even if only for thirty pounds. If she were genuinely uninterested, she would’ve just handed the money back.

And knowing I was a princess, she likely thought it wise to have a conversation rather than let this opportunity slip.

"Fine."

After mulling it over with a conflicted expression, Chiara Verati finally agreed and took a seat, albeit on the edge of the terrace bench rather than right next to me.

The half-moon-shaped sofa placed us far enough apart that we could easily see each other’s expressions.

It was a stark scene, lacking even a drink to sip on, but I had no desire to play friendly. So I began.

"Let’s start with your identity. Chiara Verati, nun of the Order of St. Antonio and one of the Holy Kingdom’s Four Knights. Your weapon is the Holy Spear, and you’re here to 'reclaim' a relic from the Northwood ruins. Am I correct?"

"…The Empire knows about the relic?"

"I do, at least."

If we had tea, I would have taken a leisurely sip here.

"It’s a piece of an ancient weapon, located not far from where this casino now stands. Isn’t that right?"

Long ago, before the world had taken shape,

there had existed a civilization from a time before everything collapsed.

Some of that civilization's architecture and artifacts had survived the Great Cataclysm.

The Holy Kingdom gave these places and objects the titles of “ruins” and “relics” and went about calling them sacred. They scoured various places in secret.

And to avoid suspicion, they used scapegoats.

Sometimes it was a band of thieves, sometimes a monster that had inconveniently appeared, sometimes an unlucky weather event.

Or sometimes, “warlords.”

"…"

She didn’t respond, but I could tell I’d struck a nerve. Everything here was following the main storyline almost to the letter.

"No response? Then there will be no prophecy."

"…Fine."

Grinding her teeth, Chiara Verati admitted it.

Not that she had any choice. By the time I’d revealed everything I knew, the Holy Kingdom’s plan was doomed, with its chances of success greatly diminished.

Acknowledging this and gaining something from me would be a better option.

In that sense, my offer was quite generous.

"Impressive. You really do live up to being the Empire’s future empress."

"I am not the next empress."

My tone wasn’t mocking, but I corrected her matter-of-factly.

"…So, did you let another princess trail after us so she could be informed?"

…Someone was following us?

"Are you making fun of me?"

Seeing my silence, Chiara Verati rose in annoyance and strode toward the terrace entrance. Before I could stop her, she pulled the curtain aside.

"…Oh."

Standing there, plain as day, were Claire—dressed in casual attire like me—and Leo, who seemed to have followed her.

And in front of the two of them…

was Alice.

Alice, in a sky-blue bunny girl outfit.

"…"

Alice and I locked eyes, both speechless.

Though she should have been shocked by all the talk of prophecies she’d overheard… the embarrassment of meeting me in that revealing outfit seemed to weigh heavier on her expression.

…

I sighed deeply and thought to myself.

Again.

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Chapter 95

Lately, I've been increasingly reminded that this world doesn't revolve around me.

No matter how much I try to skip over stories I don't want to deal with, ignoring everything else, these diligent characters just keep moving according to their own ideas.

Just as in the original story, where Alice was spurred on by her entanglement with Claire and infiltrated the casino dressed as a bunny girl, this time, too, Alice was prompted by Bella to sneak into the casino.

She must have realized a lot during their conversation yesterday. Bella's demeanor was completely different from usual, embodying the role of a woman with a tragic past. She once had dreams, but harsh reality turned her life upside down. If I hadn’t known the backstory, I might have fallen for it, too.

When Bella approached us back then, it was likely to provoke us, and perhaps also to tease Alice a little while she was at it.

In the end, I skipped over some intermediate steps and leapt straight into the action, and Alice went on her way, putting on the bunny girl outfit to sneak in. There’s no need to wonder who got that outfit for her—it could only have been Bella.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

"Hah!"

As I abruptly entered, Alice, holding a piece of blue cloth, let out a gasp.

She hadn't even put on her stockings yet.

"Did you plan to put this on here?"

"W-what!?"

When I asked her directly, Alice opened her mouth, perhaps intending to deny it, but after noticing where my gaze had landed on her hand, she quickly hid what she was holding behind her back.

I fully entered Alice's room and shut the door behind me.

"If you go out dressed like that from here, you'll draw too much attention."

"I... I know that too!"

Realizing I had caught on from the beginning, Alice spoke with a sigh of resignation.

When she dropped her hands, the cloth and stockings she was holding drooped down toward the floor. Looking around, I noticed a mask and bunny ears headband on the desk.

"I was just... going to wear it under my clothes and take off the outer layer later…."

"…"

But it seemed she couldn’t withstand my silent gaze. Alice blushed and lowered her head deeply.

There was something strangely pitiful about her appearance.

I had thought Alice had become far more confident than in the original story, thanks to the confidence I’d instilled in her since she was young. But maybe that wasn’t the case.

I held back a sigh. I knew that sighing in front of her now would only further hurt her pride.

"First, why don’t we sit down and talk? You can decide if you still want to go ahead with your plan afterward."

"…Okay."

At my suggestion, Alice sat down on the bed without a word.

Perhaps she, too, realized that what she was about to do wasn’t exactly befitting a princess.

Watching Alice plop down on the bed, I initially headed for a chair but then changed my mind and sat beside her.

Of course, I didn’t sit so close that we were touching. I left a bit of distance, just enough that she wouldn’t feel I was too far away.

"First of all, can you explain why you planned to go out dressed like this?"

Looking down at Alice’s hand as I asked,

"No, I wasn’t actually planning to go out like this—"

Turning her head toward me, seemingly about to offer an excuse, Alice caught a glimpse of my expression and stopped speaking.

"Well…"

After murmuring to herself for a moment, she finally spoke.

"It just feels like… I'm not doing anything."

"What do you mean, 'not doing anything'?"

"Even during the field training in Winterfield, I was just taking on tasks casually with friends, wasn’t I?"

"You were only doing what a student was expected to do."

"But… you achieved something incredible in the meantime. You could’ve received a medal right then and there, and no one would’ve found it odd."

"…"

True, that was the case. Technically, what I did had nothing to do with the mission and should have resulted in a failing grade. But Jennifer gave me a perfect score because the accomplishments couldn’t be ignored. And separately, I might even receive some sort of commendation for it.

"What I did, I did because it was my responsibility—"

"What responsibility?"

Alice interrupted me.

"What exactly is your responsibility?"

"That is—"

"What does it mean for someone like you, also a princess, to have a responsibility?"

"…"

Alice was looking directly at me. Though we sat side by side, she had turned her body toward me, gazing intently into my eyes.

And from her face, I felt a peculiar determination.

I had felt this atmosphere once before.

When I was entering the academy, Alice had been outraged when the emperor tried to send me to the northern battlefront instead. She had found morphine in my room and confronted the emperor, bringing me to the academy.

The look on Alice’s face now reminded me of that moment.

"Father doesn’t distinguish between you and me, or between Bella, Lucas, and Jayden either. You know that, don’t you?"

Alice clenched her fists tightly, the cloth in her hand crumpling.

"But when he heard that you saw me as the next empress, he said nothing. It’s not because he trusts my abilities more but because he believes in your determination more, isn’t it?"

Was that really what the conversation between the emperor and me had been about?

Looking back, it was likely that the emperor had placed more weight on my judgment than on Alice's intentions.

"Let me ask you something. I may have overlooked it before because I thought I had your approval… but why do you think I should be the next empress?"

"…"

"What exactly made you think I should be empress? My abilities? My personality? Or was it just my bloodline? Or perhaps you saw some use in me? Did you think I would somehow benefit you in the future?"

What did I see in Alice that made me think she should be empress?

The reason I treated Alice the way I did.

Honestly, it was simple.

I liked Alice.

It wasn’t just Alice; I liked all the characters who had been protagonists or heroes in Azeroth’s Chronicles.

The reason I treated Alice well was the same reason I treated Claire well—because these were characters I had liked even before coming to this world.

Honestly, I’d be lying if I said my heart hadn’t skipped a beat when I first met them.

There were pressing matters to attend to, enemies to face, countless considerations to make, and amidst all that, my first thought had been pure and simple—joy.

Meeting Claire was terrifying because I knew what would happen to her if I stayed close, just like in the original story. Meeting Alice brought joy, but also fear of the emperor and annoyance from Lucas, who always intruded.

Yet, I couldn’t erase the thrill of being part of that game’s storyline.

The reason I worked so hard here was ultimately because I wanted these characters to survive safely.

"…"

But, strangely enough.

Saying "just because I like them" was oddly difficult. Even knowing it wouldn’t be embarrassing if I went back on it afterward. I could simply laugh it off if it became awkward—

But for some reason, it felt like something I shouldn't say.

"See?"

However, Alice seemed to interpret my silence differently.

Rather than looking disappointed or sad, she wore an expression that seemed, strangely enough, relieved.

And I couldn’t quite understand why she looked that way.

"If that’s the case, let me prove it to you."

With a determined look, Alice gazed at me.

"Let me prove that I have the ability to sit on the throne. That I’m not someone who only needs your protection, but someone who can protect you, too."

"…"

"Not just someone claiming to be your sister, but someone who can truly stand beside you as a sister. Give me the chance to prove it."

"I…"

"Sure, maybe you already know everything. You probably see this as my stubbornness, and maybe it isn’t even something an older sister should ask for. But…"

Alice clenched her fists, the cloth in her hands crumpling further.

"But… I just want to do this."

Simply because she wanted to.

It was, when you looked closely, just a stubborn request without logic, merely for self-satisfaction.

But—

"…Alright."

In the end, I wasn’t that different in my reasoning either.

"In that case, I'll go with you. Princess… no, Alice, you may act as you wish. I’ll follow and help whenever needed."

"But—"

"The emperor isn’t someone who acts alone, is he? I think he’s allowed at least one person by his side."

If she’s going to do it, I’d prefer she does it where I can see her.

After all, isn’t this an important event?

"…"

Alice stared at me blankly.

And I could understand why.

For once, in this moment, I wasn’t trying to control my expression.

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Chapter 96

"What are you so deep in thought about?"

Claire's question startled Leo, making his shoulders jump.

"Oh, it’s you?"

Realizing it was Claire who had spoken, Leo let out a sigh of relief.

"That relieved expression is oddly irritating," Claire muttered, a little annoyed, realizing that Leo didn’t seem to see her as a woman. Not that Claire saw Leo as a man, of course; they both had no reason to be bothered by such things.

Still, it was annoying for reasons neither of them could quite understand.

…Leo thought it was strange, not even sure why he felt this way himself.

It was late at night, and the weather outside was finally starting to become bearable. Despite its name, Northwood was further south than the capital, so even on such nights, it was slightly warmer here than back in the city.

Northwood had been named back when it was a separate kingdom. Now fully integrated into the Empire, it had long lost its kingdom status.

"So, what are you doing out here?"

"Why? Can’t I go for a walk too?"

But despite her casual response, there was a hint of concern on Claire's face.

Before Leo could ask what was bothering her, Claire smirked mischievously and said,

"Why? Still thinking about that chest?"

"…"

Leo shot her a sidelong glance, but Claire just shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's not that… it's just sad to think that Bella’s in such a situation. And who knows how many others like her might be here."

"That is…"

But hearing Leo’s sincere words stopped Claire from teasing him further.

Leo knew some of Claire’s past. The night she was sold off, Sylvia had helped her and the children escape the orphanage, and thanks to that, Claire and the others were safely taken in by House Grace.

Sylvia, however, had disappeared into the imperial palace.

After hearing that story, Leo had once wondered if Sylvia had been with the imperial family from the beginning… But even if she was, Sylvia couldn’t have been more than two years older than Claire. Even so, no matter how skilled she was, it was hard to imagine the palace using a seven-year-old as an agent.

"Hmm."

Claire closed her eyes, arms crossed, contemplating Leo’s words.

After a moment of thought, she looked up suddenly.

"Alright."

"Alright? What do you mean?"

"Let’s go to the casino."

"Huh?"

Leo blinked, not quite catching up with Claire's train of thought.

"Aren’t you worried about Bella?"

With another shrug, Claire added, "Honestly, I am too."

"…"

Leo stared at Claire, mouth slightly open, as she scratched her head.

"Yeah, I get it. Maybe this is all just unnecessary meddling. Realistically, everyone here probably has their own story. But still…"

Claire smiled, looking at Leo.

"You can't just leave someone in distress. After all, we're part of House Grace."

"Even if you can't save everyone, don’t ignore the person struggling in front of you."

Leo murmured the family creed.

"That’s exactly why I’m here now."

Claire laughed brightly.

---

…This feels a bit too breezy.

I had expected something dignified when I entered with Alice, but now I was second-guessing whether there had been a better way.

Most parts that normally wouldn’t see the light of day outside of dressing and bathing were out in the open.

Even though more than half of me was covered, the black fabric only reached to just under the chest. Above that, bare skin was fully exposed.

At least, unlike Chiara Verati, I hadn’t gone to the extent of adding glitter or anything.

"Don’t stray too far, alright?"

"I’m right behind you. Don’t worry."

After confidently declaring she would prove herself worthy of being an empress, Alice seemed incredibly self-conscious about her attire.

Alice usually dressed impeccably. Well, of course, surrounded by nobles as she was. Still, I didn’t remember Claire’s character being particularly obsessed with prim and proper attire.

And sure enough, like in the game, Claire was… well, bigger than she appeared.

Alice was no different.

In the game, each character’s bust size had been meticulously modeled, especially for costumes like these bunny girl outfits, with painstaking detail down to the folds of the fabric. The community even joked that the developers must have been total perverts for such attention to detail.

Now that I thought about it, it wouldn’t have made sense for a character game to be any different.

Whoever designed Alice’s sky-blue bunny girl outfit knew what they were doing. Her golden hair against that shade of blue was just perfect. It wasn’t too flashy, and the faintly visible skin through the stockings matched well.

The shy expression, barely concealed behind her half-mask, was more than enough to attract attention.

…I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed it earlier, before rewinding time.

And, though it’s a bit odd to phrase it this way—

Sylvia Fangriffon’s, well, attributes, weren’t far behind Alice’s either.

I’d often seen it in casual clothing, but in an outfit that pushed things up, the effect was even more, uh, emphasized.

Whoo— 

Someone whistled at us, but we ignored it.

No surprise there. Some people here held their heads high until they got broken in. And some others probably enjoyed trying to break them down.

"As I’ve said, if anyone tries to touch you—"

"—I should kick them right between the legs. I know. You’ve told me enough times."

Even if security came running, we could just reveal our identities. Nobody would dare lay a hand on a princess.

…Though it would probably be safer if I rewound time and suggested a different approach.

"Don’t worry, I’ve got a lead. I’m not here to waste time."

It seemed Bella had tipped her off to something.

"Hey, over here!"

As I carefully followed Alice to avoid bumping into people, someone called out. A few bills were held between the fingers of an outstretched hand.

Naturally, we tried to ignore it and pass by—

"Hey, you’re ignoring me?"

Yeah, in situations like this, there’s always that kind of person, right?

It’s a cliché.

…Not a particularly welcome one.

There was an annoyed muttering from behind as we walked past.

I couldn’t quite tell what he wanted to order us, since we didn’t even have drinks in our hands. Maybe he intended to invite us to sit on his lap or something. Judging by his height, he was shorter than us, even in our heels.

But short or not, he had a rough, muscular look about him.

"Let’s go."

Alice, hearing the voice, grabbed my wrist and pulled me along. As reliable as she seemed, running in heels wasn’t exactly easy.

"Hey, didn’t you hear? I said I like you."

Suddenly, I felt a rough hand grab my wrist.

If I had moved right away, I might have gotten out of this, but with Alice pulling me one way and this guy holding the other, I ended up stuck in an awkward pose, arms stretched in opposite directions.

…Being pulled from both sides in this outfit was a little too embarrassing.

Just as my mind began to blank out from the discomfort—

"Hey there."

As if on cue, another classic cliché moment.

"Let go of her."

"Huh? And who do you—gah!"

Claire, who appeared deceptively delicate, had a formidable grip.

And she looked a little angry right now.

…It was a familiar look, though somehow much more intense than in the game.

The man let go of my wrist.

"Even if it’s not a man, she could still be taken out of here, right?"

Before either Alice or I could respond, Claire pulled a bill from her pocket and stuck it between my chest.

…The way her fingers avoided touching anything in the process was a skill in itself.

"Princess… Alice, this way."

And Leo, who seemed to always follow Claire, appeared next to Alice, slipping his hand around her waist—

—well, almost. He didn’t actually put his arm around her, but he reached close enough to pull her toward him.

Oh, right, so that’s why Alice, Leo, and Claire all showed up at once.

As Claire pulled me along, I worked hard to keep my composure, realizing that was exactly why they had all gathered here.

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Chapter 97

Claire was more intense than I expected, and Leo was far more gentlemanly.

Of course, Leo’s personality was something I’d seen plenty of in the original work. He was that infuriating, almost stereotypical harem protagonist—a true gentleman by the standards of this world, never touching a lady without permission and handling every situation as gently as possible.

Though, I’d never seen him wearing a silk hat or anything.

Alice was walking in front of me, and though I could only see her back, I could catch glimpses of her red ears peeking out beside her hair. She was probably blushing so hard it looked like she might faint from embarrassment. Even as Leo and Alice walked by, envious glances from men around us followed them like a magnet.

Not that anyone really believed the appeal of the bunny girl costume was genuine attraction. Most men flocked to the bunny girls because, well, it usually meant the man had plenty of money. Men likely knew this, but still, if a bunny girl offered them that kind of “service,” few would refuse.

In contrast, Alice’s reaction—face burning behind her half-mask—screamed pure, honest embarrassment. Hers was not the expression of a seasoned casino server. And with Leo looking young and handsome, as any good protagonist should, the dynamic between them felt all the more convincing.

To anyone watching, they looked like a scene straight out of a fantasy: a bashful waitress smitten with a kind, gentlemanly noble. It was enough to make other men feel a pang of jealousy.

Though technically, they were both still minors.

Meanwhile, I seemed to be catching the attention of more women than men.

It was probably because I looked… pitiable.

Most men here walked around with their faces uncovered, but women generally hid behind fans or wore half-masks like the bunny girls. Women gambling wasn’t forbidden, but it certainly wasn’t fully accepted, either.

But even behind those masks, I could sense the clear look of “poor thing” directed at me from other women.

Unlike Leo, who led Alice without even touching her, Claire held my wrist firmly, practically dragging me along.

And while Alice’s neckline was clean and empty, mine… well, there was an obvious wad of cash lodged between my chest. 

Some women in this world preferred the same sex, and some wealthy women occasionally paid generously to get close to young servers in these settings.

Judging by the sympathetic glances I was receiving, it seemed most of these women were imagining something along those lines.

…Should I rewind?

Maybe I should go back to the beginning and convince Alice all over again.

As I let Claire drag me along, I seriously considered it, but in the end, I gave up on the idea.

After all, I’d agreed to come because Alice had wanted this so badly.

Knowing full well how embarrassing it would be, I’d come anyway. Who was I to blame?

In resignation, I decided to follow Claire without a second thought.

And, thankfully, that blank state of mind was perfect for keeping a straight face.

---

"So, you came here to gather information? Dressed like that?"

Claire’s disbelief made Alice’s face flush even redder.

They’d led us to a secluded corner of the building, down a hallway where few guests ever ventured, and now stood in front of us, arms crossed.

Claire, of course, was completely maskless.

I, however, couldn’t bring myself to say anything about it. Not because I was afraid of Claire, but because this situation was just that mortifying. I knew if I opened my mouth, my voice would crack.

Alice and I had removed our masks and held them in our hands. I was doing my best not to fidget with my black half-mask, while Alice nervously toyed with her white one, eyes darting around uncomfortably.

"…There’s someone here who has the information we need, disguised as a server," Alice finally managed to say.

Claire sighed, running a hand down her face.

"Did you really need to infiltrate in an outfit like that? You could have come in as a guest, like us."

"…"

This was a bit ironic.

In the original story, Claire had been the main reason Alice ended up in the bunny girl outfit.

In the original, Alice had been irritated by Claire’s snide comment along the lines of, “I’m out here working hard, and you’re just sitting back comfortably,” and out of spite, Alice had disguised herself in the same way as Claire.

Yet, here and now, it wasn’t Claire but Bella who had provoked Alice into action.

In a way, it hinted that Alice had started to see Bella as her real sister. Since Bella, a fellow princess, was out working on the field, Alice, also a princess, felt it would be strange to sit back. It was the same sentiment Alice had felt toward Claire in the original story.

In a way, her consistency was almost admirable.

"Say something to her," Claire said, nudging Leo.

"Huh? Me?"

Caught off guard, Leo, who had been too flustered to look in our direction, looked at Claire, then us, then reverted his gaze back to the ceiling.

"…"

Seeing Leo’s utterly unhelpful reaction, Claire sighed again.

In the original story, Leo hadn’t recognized Alice right away when they first met. He’d only started suspecting her absence when she didn’t show up for a night mission on the second day.

So, his reaction wasn’t exactly out of place.

"And you, sister."

"…Yes."

Reluctantly, I turned my gaze toward Claire. Her eyes blazed as she looked at me.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

Hmm.

Something told me that “why not?” wouldn’t be the right answer.

I’d already guessed why Claire was so upset as she dragged me along earlier.

That orphanage we’d stayed in had been that kind of place. Even if she hadn’t known it at the time, she must have realized it during her investigation into my background.

So… bluntly put, she was not pleased about me wearing the kind of outfit that implied I could “sell myself.”

"It’s my fault."

Before I could respond, Alice spoke up.

"She’s only dressed like this to protect me since I insisted on infiltrating here."

"…Fine."

Thankfully, Claire seemed to accept Alice’s explanation. Alice was one of the few people close enough to me to read my expression. Claire, having watched Alice closely, must have picked up on that as well.

"So where did you even get these outfits?"

"That’s…"

Alice was unable to answer this time.

It was Bella, of course, who had provided us with these bunny girl costumes. She’d likely arranged this just so she could enjoy the sight of us dressed like this, though she was nowhere to be seen.

Thinking back, I hadn’t seen her even before rewinding time. Judging from Chiara Verati’s reactions, Bella had probably been quite close to her.

…Was she watching us from a safe distance somewhere, perhaps enjoying the show?

"Then why are you two here all of a sudden? And Claire, why aren’t you wearing a mask?"

"Uh?"

Clearly flustered by the sudden question, Claire, who had seemed so confident until a moment ago, hesitated.

"Before you answer that, could you—"

"These outfits aren’t hard to come by. Honestly, do you think many people working here would proudly talk about their pasts?"

"…"

"If I said I wanted a job here, I could get an outfit like this easily. Whoever hands out the uniforms doesn’t care who I am. They’d never guess I’m a princess."

It sounded a bit far-fetched, but it wasn’t entirely implausible.

Who in their right mind would think an actual princess was working here? They’d probably assume she was just someone who looked like her.

"Alright, now your turn. I get why Leo’s here, but—"

Hearing Alice’s comment, Leo looked a bit hurt, but Alice ignored it and turned back to Claire.

"—why is a woman walking around here without even covering her face? And what was that about sticking money down Sylvia’s chest?"

"…"

Finally, I looked down.

There were still several pound notes tucked between my chest.

I reached to pull out the bills and return them to Claire but stopped myself.

…Handing back sweaty, damp bills would be awkward, wouldn’t it?

Claire’s expression was just as complicated.

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Chapter 98

"…It’s because of Bella."

At Claire’s words, Alice and I exchanged a glance.

Could it be that Leo and Claire were starting to suspect Bella’s true identity? I’d thought Bella’s performance was flawless.

"It might sound intrusive, but after meeting Bella yesterday, we both felt something. We wanted to help her."

It seemed her act had worked a bit too well.

Alice’s shoulders, which had been tense with worry, relaxed slightly.

"But we couldn’t find Bella, and somehow, we ended up noticing you two instead."

"You’re quite observant."

"Wouldn’t it be stranger if we didn’t notice?"

Claire gave me a smirk.

While Alice might have been harder to recognize, Claire seemed confident she’d know me anywhere.

And thinking back to before I rewound time when Alice, Claire, and Leo all came rushing in, Claire had probably recognized Alice just as quickly. In the original story, while Leo hesitated and brushed off his suspicions, Claire would have been more thorough.

"…"

Our conversation paused as a bunny girl passed by in the hallway. She gave us a quick glance, taking in our unmasked faces, but didn’t linger. She’d probably just noticed the bills still clutched in my hand.

Masks weren’t mandatory here. It was just that most people dressed like this didn’t want to reveal their identities.

Once money exchanged hands, showing your face became a lesser concern.

"So, what are you planning to do now?"

After watching the woman walk away, Claire decided we were out of earshot and spoke again.

"…Even if I asked you to go back, you wouldn’t, would you?"

"Of course not."

At Alice’s reply, Claire nodded, then threw a look at Leo. Catching her gaze, Leo nodded seriously, his expression resolved.

Alice sighed, though she didn’t seem particularly unhappy.

"In that case, will you cooperate with me?"

Claire and Leo exchanged glances before looking back at us and nodding.

"Alright."

"Gladly."

Satisfied with their responses, Alice nodded.

"Good. Both of you… You’re talented, and you’re from House Grace."

She continued.

"According to the information I gathered, there’s a spy hiding here."

"A spy?"

At the word "spy," both Claire and Leo’s expressions became serious. A moment ago, Leo had been darting his gaze around, unable to meet ours, but now he was looking straight at us.

Truly, House Grace—the empire’s most loyal family.

"Yes. I’m not exactly sure what their mission is, but given the nationality, it probably involves something to do with the relic."

Though Bella hadn’t given her detailed information, Alice had managed to make a surprisingly accurate deduction based on context.

If you knew enough about how the Theocracy operated, it wasn’t a hard guess. The Empire’s intelligence agency wasn’t exactly clueless, after all.

"The relic?"

Without clearance for this kind of information, Claire and Leo looked a bit puzzled.

"I’ll fill you in on the details later. For now, we need to capture our informant."

"Do you know who it is?"

"Yes."

Alice nodded, a fierce determination blazing in her eyes.

"I spotted them earlier. If we hurry, they might still be there. Leo, I have a task for you."

Leo blinked at Alice’s call.

Before he could respond, Alice grabbed the pound note still in my hand, now cold and clammy, and pressed it into Leo’s hand.

"…I’ll need to borrow this."

She said, glancing at Claire, who gave a silent nod of understanding.

…Hmm.

I understood what she meant, but…

Was it strange that I felt uncomfortable knowing the money came from between my own chest?

---

From there, things played out surprisingly similarly to when I first arrived.

In the original story, it hadn’t been clear exactly what Alice was up to the first night she encountered Leo. Given what happened later in the storyline, she likely didn’t gain much.

But this time, she had plenty of support. Especially since Leo, a man, was with us.

"Want a drink?"

"…Shut up."

Claire asked a nervous Leo in a low voice. Unlike earlier, Claire now wore a mask. She hadn’t obtained it in any legitimate way; apparently, she’d picked it up after spotting it on the floor, dropped by someone drunkenly stumbling around.

Wearing the mask and loosening a few buttons on her uniform as if to match the disreputable atmosphere, Claire was starting to resemble her original character a bit.

Of course, her naturally earnest demeanor kept it from fully working, but it was a small hint of the Claire from the game. She wouldn’t fully pull off the look unless she let her hair down.

"There they are."

"Oh, that person…"

Back in her bunny girl mask and refocused, Alice pointed toward Chiara Verati, prompting a surprised murmur from Claire.

It was no wonder. If you didn’t know, it would be shocking to learn that someone who appeared so casual was actually a member of the Holy Knights. And on top of that, all female Holy Knights doubled as nuns.

No one would expect someone like that to be dressed in a bunny girl outfit, even with sparkles on her chest.

The Theocracy had chosen their agent well. Other zealots wouldn’t have taken on such a role, but someone who merely acted the part of a believer would take it gladly.

If it allowed her to fight for her cause, she’d probably be thrilled to accept.

"…"

I stayed silent, letting Alice take the lead. After all, the reason I’d gone along with dressing as a bunny girl was to let her handle things her way.

Well, at least we’d found the right person.

Thank goodness the Empire’s intelligence agency wasn’t incompetent.

Or maybe Bella was just exceptionally good at what she did.

"Do you think you can manage?" Alice asked.

With a stiff, nervous expression, Leo gave a small nod.

"Alright, then…"

With that, Alice moved a little further from Leo. I stood at a slight distance from her, ready to rush in if needed, while Claire stayed close beside me.

…Hm.

This was a bit uncomfortable.

Claire seemed intent on protecting me, which felt odd. After all, she was much younger than me… well, at least by my perception.

Focus.

There’s work to do. I can worry about this awkward feeling later.

If things went wrong, I could always rewind.

But strangely, I didn’t feel any desire to rewind this moment, even if Leo or one of us made a mistake.

With that unsettled feeling, I watched Leo stiffly walk forward, his legs and arms moving in sync.

---

In the end, the operation was a success.

Though it seemed Leo’s pride suffered irreparable damage.

Imagine giving a bunny girl money only to fumble so badly you drop it before you even get it into her chest, leaving her to awkwardly pick it up with a frozen expression.

I considered rewinding to give him another chance, but figured he’d probably just repeat the same mistake. So, I decided to leave it alone.

Besides, it wasn’t entirely Leo’s fault. The bill had absorbed enough moisture from being tucked in my chest that it couldn’t hold itself stiffly anymore.

That damp bill was probably one of the reasons Chiara Verati’s expression had soured, too.

Still, maybe she’d been aware of us from the start, as she quietly followed us.

And so, after a long journey, we ended up right where I had been before rewinding.

The costumes and the leader of the conversation had changed, but the location was the same.

"So, Your Highness, what brings you here dressed like that?"

Chiara Verati’s eyes darted to me, and then she added,

"Or perhaps I should say, Your Highnesses?"

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Chapter 99

"Or should I say ‘princesses’ instead?"

As expected, Chiara Verati was fully aware of who we were.

For someone infiltrating deep into the Empire, she’d obviously have done her homework.

Without waiting for us to sit, she took one of the terrace seats, crossed her legs, and leaned back casually. Her demeanor was noticeably different from when she’d confronted me alone.

Well, it made sense. Back then, I hadn’t been dressed in… this sort of attire, and I’d approached her directly, without pretense, even sticking a bill between my chest without hesitation.

I didn’t act like I was trying to blend in; I’d behaved as if I already knew everything about her. She couldn’t treat me lightly.

Now, though she seemed at ease, her gaze kept shifting toward me.

If she’d received any report of how I’d presented myself at the recent trilateral meeting, she’d know better than to underestimate me.

But Alice seemed a bit bothered by Chiara’s attention.

Alice took a seat at one end of the curved bench, directly across from Chiara Verati. She sat with her legs crossed and her arms folded, exuding confidence.

It made her look even… more, well, noticeable, but at this moment, her pride was clearly stronger than her embarrassment.

I took the seat next to Alice, followed by Claire, and finally Leo, who sat down looking incredibly tense.

"So, why don’t you come over here, handsome?"

Verati tapped the seat beside her, clearly aiming to seize control of the conversation.

"You seem a little inexperienced, but I don’t mind that sort of man."

"As a Holy Knight and nun, is it acceptable to lust after men?"

"Well, the goddess did command us to be fruitful and multiply. I doubt she’d be pleased if her children just hid away, refusing to procreate and letting themselves die alone."

With that, Verati shrugged.

"And besides, I am keeping my vow of chastity… for now. But even if I didn’t, do you think the Order would expel me for it? They’d probably prefer I eliminate any man I bedded to keep my position secure."

"Eliminating the heir of House Grace wouldn’t exactly earn you any favors with His Majesty."

"Who knows? Even the Empire would think twice about waging war against the Theocracy, right? They might just let it slide over one dead noble."

Bluster, obviously.

The Theocracy and the Kingdom had been attempting to form an alliance for one reason: as individual states, they could never hope to defeat the Empire. The Empire’s military buildup and recent deployment of forces along the border had only intensified their concerns.

I glanced over at Alice.

Her expression hadn’t changed. She wasn’t merely maintaining a poker face; she genuinely understood the situation with the Theocracy and the Kingdom. I’d given her a detailed report after my meeting that day.

"Don’t be ridiculous. My father would happily use that as a pretext to invade the Theocracy."

"…"

Exactly.

The most crucial element in war is justification. No matter how much power you have, if there’s no just cause, the people won’t support you. Whether it’s inflated patriotism, national pride, or the tangible fear of being overrun by the enemy, soldiers need a reason to fight.

The Emperor would have no qualms about turning the death of one noble into a national rallying point.

Even autonomous states, despite their pleas for assistance, had imposed conditions limiting the Empire’s military presence. They knew well enough what kind of man the Emperor was.

"So, from what I hear, the Emperor has both sons and daughters. If you’re thinking of using his authority to intimidate me, that might not be a good idea. A mere princess of the Empire, especially one without the title of Crown Prince, doesn’t hold much leverage over us. Unless…"

Verati gave a sly smile.

"Would you like my help in becoming the next Empress? If we get along well, sharing information wouldn’t be out of the question. Having a genuine friend ascend the throne would be a great advantage."

"Spare me."

Alice responded immediately.

"Do I seem that naïve to you? The Imperial succession is decided solely by the royal family. No foreign country, let alone our Parliament, has any right to interfere."

"In that case, there’s nothing more to discuss. If you’re not the next in line for the throne—"

Verati’s gaze shifted to me.

"—nor do you possess exceptional abilities like the other princes and princesses, then why would we bother forming an alliance with a mere princess? We’d rather take what we want and leave."

"So, there is something here you’re after."

Alice’s retort nearly made me smile.

Looks like her studies paid off.

"You’re saying there’s something here you want to take. Isn’t that right? And it sounds like you haven’t yet secured all the information you need. Otherwise, you’d have taken it and left without revealing yourself. I’m glad we’re not too late."

"And so what if we are?"

Unfazed, Verati shrugged.

With every exchange between Alice and Verati, the heads of those seated between them turned back and forth as if watching a tennis match.

"If I keep quiet, you’ll have no idea what we’re after anyway."

"…"

Alice straightened up, still crossing her legs but with her hands clasped in front of her, a posture strikingly similar to the Emperor’s.

"It seems you’re mistaken."

There was a calmness in her tone, free of any animosity or intensity.

Not that I’d be able to sense such things anyway.

I wondered if Claire or Leo felt anything from Alice. Judging by their wide-eyed expressions, they could sense the shift in her demeanor from her usual self.

"I am a princess of the Empire and the next in line for the throne. What you think of my abilities is irrelevant. I alone carry the royal bloodline and am the sole successor to the legitimacy of the Empire."

Alice continued without a trace of hesitation.

"And this is the Empire, not the Theocracy. No matter how many forces you brought, all you can do here is act in secret. You couldn’t have smuggled an entire Holy Knights battalion across the border."

"…"

Verati seemed to catch on to something in Alice’s unruffled demeanor.

Staring intently at her, as if reassessing her, Alice delivered a chilling statement.

"Knowing I’m a princess, you still followed me here. Or did you underestimate me so much that you felt safe following me this far? Either way, it doesn’t matter. Thanks to you, I can deal with you here without risking civilian casualties. And I was able to bring you to an open area like this."

"If you’re trying to threaten me—"

"A threat? Do I look that foolish to you?"

Alice lifted her chin, her blue eyes shining brightly under the moonlight.

She directed her gaze at Verati, who, moments before, had belittled her as just another princess.

"This isn’t a threat; it’s a plan. I knew you were here two weeks ago, and I’ve prepared accordingly."

Two weeks ago, when we were at the café and Bella shared the intelligence with us.

"From the moment you decided to follow us, you walked right into a trap. Now, you have only two choices: either live and uphold your faith or try to escape, which would be no different from a death sentence."

Ah.

So that’s what this was all leading to.

I’d wondered why Bella hadn’t shown up earlier.

Just as Verati tried to stand, having finally grasped the situation, a swift, slicing sound tore through the air as a curtain ripped open.

A strange device, like a toy with a glove that shot out to strike its target when triggered, slammed down on the table in front of her.

Of course, it wasn’t a toy. Each extension was fitted with blades, deadly sharp, and far more flexible than a child’s toy.

With a metallic clink, the blade retracted, merging back into a thin, long sword.

Standing there was—

"Hey there!"

Bella waved cheerfully at Leo and Claire. Leo stared at her in shock, mouth open.

But neither of them would recognize her.

Bella wore a fox mask, the kind you’d see at a Japanese festival, and her hair was dyed black instead of her usual color.

Her form-fitting black outfit clung to her, revealing her silhouette without exposing any skin. And by subtly changing her voice to a higher-pitched, youthful tone, she sounded completely different.

Bella’s strength was anonymity, and her outfit played into it.

And, obviously, the fox mask was just the developer’s indulgence. Here, it was supposed to be a keepsake from the East.

"Chiara Verati. Baptismal name: Eliza."

At this, Verati glared at Alice.

"Congratulations. You’ve had the rare honor of facing every princess of the Empire at once—a distinction no one else in the Empire has ever experienced."

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Chapter 100

“...”

“...”

After Bella took Verati away, we remained in our seats for a while, each of us lost in thought. Alice, who had been tense, finally let out a deep sigh, while Claire and Leo, who were caught up in the unexpected situation, still looked dazed.

Eventually, Alice couldn’t handle the silence any longer.

“Ugh, seriously!” she shouted, turning sharply toward me.

“Say something!”

“What would you like me to say?” I asked earnestly, and Alice looked at me with a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

“You know… like, how dangerous it was for a princess to be there or that there was no need for me to be directly involved in such a risky plan.”

“Are you asking me to scold you, Your Highness?”

“No, that’s not it…”

Alice glanced around nervously, her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Well, yes.”

I replied calmly, “Of course, it was something that could have been handled by someone else, and there was a real risk of unforeseen complications where Your Highness could have been severely hurt.”

“...”

Alice’s shoulders slumped at my words, and I couldn’t help but think the white bunny ears she still wore seemed to droop as well.

“But that doesn’t change the fact that what happened was something you accomplished.”

Upon hearing this, Alice lifted her head, and her ears seemed to perk up slightly.

In truth, it would’ve been challenging for anyone else to pull off a plan like this.

Lucas was absent—whether he was running away or simply away on an extended errand, I wasn’t certain. But in any case, assigning a task to someone who wasn’t present was impossible. Even if he’d been available, Lucas was too well-known. Verati would have likely bolted the moment she saw him.

Jaden was also unsuitable for similar reasons.

Bella, while adept at gathering intelligence, had to remain unseen. Someone else had to handle the capture, and Verati, who was often surrounded by crowds, had to be lured somewhere less populated to minimize civilian casualties.

If Bella had taken care of the capture herself, her face would have been exposed to Verati. While eliminating Verati might have been an option, it would only provoke further scrutiny from the Theocracy.

The same held for my other sibling, who performed similar work to Bella and was already stationed in another country for intelligence gathering.

Which left only Alice and me.

Since the Theocracy viewed me with extreme caution, they couldn’t dismiss my presence, while Alice, whom they likely considered inconsequential, was ideal bait.

The Theocracy had directly observed me assuming the role of the Emperor’s proxy, a position that Alice might one day inherit. 

Perhaps, from that observation, they made a crucial error in judgment—believing that Alice had no chance of becoming the next Empress.

Well, their assumption was understandable.

The current Emperor was an unusual figure by any standard, and despite the lack of blood relation, there were no official distinctions among his children. One of them was already a Knight Commander, while another was serving as the Emperor’s full proxy at a young age.

To those who hadn’t overheard the private discussions between the Emperor and his children, the confusion was understandable.

Alice’s position made her the perfect lure.

Verati would have been caught regardless, but the royal family’s goal was to extract Verati without drawing attention to the Northwood duchy.

Removing Verati without alerting Duke Northwood was critical, and if Alice hadn’t volunteered to act as bait, things would have been far more complicated.

Although the royal family wasn’t fully aware of what the Theocracy wanted, they knew it was valuable.

“Well done. Achieving results is also a form of skill.”

And so, I said this to Alice.

“R-Really?” she replied.

“Yes. Though it’s a bit concerning that you were dressed as a bunny girl the entire time.”

“...”

Claire, having finally regained her senses, chimed in with a hint of jealousy, causing Alice to realize just how embarrassing her outfit was. She quickly uncrossed her legs.

“W-Well, the other person was dressed like a bunny girl too, so it doesn’t matter!”

Despite her words, Alice hurriedly rose from her seat.

---

“Yeah, there weren’t any other forces around.”

Back at the inn, we discussed a few things we hadn’t been able to cover in front of Leo and Claire.

“So, it was just a bluff,” Alice said confidently, to which I nodded in agreement.

Indeed, even with the Emperor’s authority, deploying forces within Northwood’s domain was a separate matter. Requesting Northwood’s forces to act was an even larger issue.

Troops might have accompanied us from the capital, but their ability to operate openly in Northwood was another matter altogether.

It was fortunate that Verati hadn’t divulged her true purpose before we took her away.

Even if Leo and Claire weren’t the type to gossip, it was better if no one else overheard any sensitive information.

“...You knew about this all along, didn’t you?”

After a pause, Alice cautiously asked me.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Hmph.”

Alice responded with a knowing sound but didn’t press further.

“I don’t know how you come by such knowledge, but still.”

She motioned to a small, round table with four chairs set around it in the middle of the spacious guest room.

Even though it was just a guest room in the ducal residence, it was equipped to receive visitors in style.

Then again, even luxury hotels have this level of preparation.

When I pulled out a chair and sat down, Alice took a seat across from me.

“Even if I ask how you came to know all that, I suppose you wouldn’t tell me,” she remarked.

I paused briefly, contemplating my response.

“The way I acquire information is one of my greatest talents. It’s not something I can reveal casually.”

“Well, I suppose we all have one or two secrets we’d rather not share,” Alice replied with a thoughtful look.

As curious as I was about her secrets, I decided not to pry. If it was something I needed to know, Alice would eventually tell me.

“Still, I’d like to know a little, if possible.”

Alice looked directly at me, her expression calm, her clear eyes shining with determination. Her gaze wasn’t one of interrogation, nor was it one a princess might use to demand answers.

Rather—

“As your sister, not as a princess, I want to know.”

Alice paused before asking softly, “The ability you have… is it foresight?”

“Are you referring to the same kind of prophecy as those recorded by the ancient scribes of the royal family?”

“Yes.”

“No, it isn’t.”

I could answer that much with certainty.

“Then is it some sort of advanced calculation, a prediction derived from careful analysis?”

“No, it’s not that either.”

I could also answer that with certainty.

If I had such powers as Laplace's Demon, where I could perceive the world with perfect clarity and predict the future, that would be one thing. But even if the laws of physics worked the same in this world, such abilities were beyond me.

“You say it’s neither calculation nor prophecy, yet you can somehow know the future?”

“Yes.”

“...”

Would Alice be able to figure out my ability from this exchange?

Maybe, or maybe not.

If it wasn’t prediction or calculation, the only remaining answer would be that I had already experienced that future firsthand. If even that were denied, it would imply that I simply acted as I wished, and everything worked out accordingly, which would imply a divine level of control.

I doubted Alice would assume I was some kind of god, so she could probably guess the nature of my ability without me explicitly stating it.

If I truly wished to hide my powers, I wouldn’t have answered her questions in this way.

But for some reason, I wanted to answer like this.

It wasn’t a logical conclusion, just… something I wanted to do.

“...Alright. I won’t press for more details.”

After a moment of thought, Alice concluded with a glance at the wall clock.

“You must be tired. Thanks for staying up so late with me tonight.”

“It was my pleasure. I wanted to accompany you.”

I gave her a slight bow in response.

Honestly, I would have gone even if she hadn’t asked.

There was no need for Alice to apologize to me.

If anything, I’d almost spoiled her plan.

“If you ever need me again, just call on me.”

“...Alright.”

Alice nodded, accepting my offer without hesitation.

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Chapter 101

After sending Sylvia back to her room, Alice stood up and began changing her clothes.

Under her school uniform, she still wore the bunny girl outfit.

Once she removed the uniform, putting on what was now, embarrassingly, nothing more than her bunny costume, Alice glanced at herself in the mirror, her cheeks turning red.

Even now, the outfit felt mortifying.

She could hardly believe she’d actually chosen to wear it herself.

But...

At the same time, she felt oddly relieved.

It was as if something she had long repressed deep inside her had finally been released. Perhaps she was able to feel this way because she hadn’t gone alone, but had friends like Sylvia and others who happened to be caught up in the moment with her.

“...”

It was as though Sylvia had known Alice would wear this outfit to the event; she had come to Alice’s room without a hint of surprise.

Alice hadn’t mentioned anything to Sylvia on purpose.

But she had thought Sylvia might show up. Alice believed Sylvia somehow had a grasp on the future.

That belief had solidified when Sylvia had returned victorious from the battlefield.

How many soldiers could march into a war zone alone and come back without a single serious injury?

It was already a remarkable feat to infiltrate enemy lines. The area between the battlefronts was known as “no man’s land” for a reason—all who entered there met their end. Even those who survived were quickly spotted and killed by bullets. Yet Sylvia had crossed that barren, deadly ground alone, wreaking havoc on the enemy’s base.

And not a single scratch on her was the bonus.

To accomplish such a feat, she would have had to know the enemy’s base layout, the positioning of their forces, the type of weapons they wielded, and even the trajectory of incoming bullets. Even Jennifer Winterfield couldn’t achieve such a thing. If she could, she would’ve done so already.

So, guessing what Alice intended to do wasn’t difficult for Sylvia.

In truth, Alice felt reassured that Sylvia had come of her own accord.

Whenever Alice was about to act stubborn, Sylvia would always support her. This time, Sylvia didn’t even say a word—just quietly staying by her side, as if to say she could do as she wished. She stood by, setting the tone for Alice to take the lead in the situation.

Of course, if Verati had made any moves, Sylvia would have stepped in...

“This way, you’re the one who seems unfit to be the older sister.”

Alice let out a deep sigh.

To anyone watching, Sylvia wouldn’t seem like the younger one at all.

“Even so...”

A smile quickly spread across Alice’s face.

She had seen Sylvia smile.

Alice was startled at first, and though the smile vanished just as quickly, she was certain she had caught a small smile on Sylvia’s face.

Alice had always been able to sense Sylvia’s feelings, and while she knew Sylvia wasn’t some emotionless monster, it was the first time she had openly smiled at her.

A smile so natural, Alice almost missed it in that fleeting moment.

Seeing that smile, Alice had a sudden thought.

Perhaps Sylvia’s belief in her as the next emperor wasn’t just a matter of practicality.

Perhaps it wasn’t because Sylvia had glimpsed something in the future, but simply because she was loyal to Alice Fangriffon.

Because, perhaps, she trusted her.

“It’s neither foresight nor calculation.”

Alice reflected on Sylvia’s words.

Could it be that Sylvia had lived through the future before?

But that should be impossible.

Reversing time was scientifically inconceivable. Even the followers of the goddess and mystics would scoff at such an idea.

If it were possible, people could erase their sins, meaning that proper divine judgment on human wrongdoing would be impossible.

Even hinting at such a possibility would stir outrage among the goddess’s followers as blasphemy.

“No, that’s not it.”

Alice chuckled to herself.

On the contrary, would they choose not to treat Sylvia as a goddess to maintain their own contradictions?

She wondered how Verati would react if she said that to him.

Feeling amused by the thought, Alice chuckled to herself while changing clothes.

---

“What do you think of my younger sisters?”

This place could well be a safehouse.

After blindfolding Verati, she’d brought him to this basement room with no windows. Though he’d tried to memorize the route as the carriage swayed and turned, he doubted it was any ordinary path.

Even if it had been, the carriage’s turns were likely intended to disorient his sense of direction.

Still, if it was within Northwood’s estate, he was confident he could find his way.

The past few months hadn’t been wasted. He’d made his presence known, scoured the forests, and even infiltrated Northwood’s estate a few times without being caught.

But he hadn’t yet pinpointed where the relic was stored. He had a rough idea of its location, thanks to some equipment brought over from the kingdom, though he hadn’t searched every spot.

Thinking of that “equipment” sent a chill down Verati’s spine.

The best way to find the relic would be to search while holding another relic made in the same way. Since they were part of a matching set, their resonance would help pinpoint each other’s location.

Could his allies retrieve the relics on time?

“You seem lost in thought.”

A grating, high-pitched voice broke through, almost mocking him. Verati glared at his captor.

The face was hidden completely behind a mask. Likely, even the hair wasn’t their own. The ears were concealed, and even the neck was covered by the clothes, leaving not a hint of skin visible.

Quite fitting, in a sense, for someone in this area.

“...Yeah, you could say that.”

He had realized the operation had failed as soon as he’d seen the princess. If even the two princesses had been notified, then the entire Imperial command must be aware of it.

But who would’ve thought that the seemingly insignificant princess was capable of pulling the strings for all the imperial princesses?

Even the emperor couldn’t ignore his blood ties?

“I don’t know what you’re assuming,”

The masked woman—another princess—interrupted Verati’s continuous stream of thoughts.

“But the emperor’s successor hasn’t been decided yet, you know? Sylvia could end up as empress, or I could take that position. Or perhaps, as tradition holds, one of the princes might be crowned instead?”

“...”

“Today, I simply wanted to help. It was a request from my cute little sister, you see? Hard to ignore, being the big sister and all.”

“How noble of you, Your Highness.”

Verati gritted his teeth.

“Well, apart from that, there’s only one person with ambitions for the throne. That doesn’t mean our father will necessarily place him there.”

“Would the empire function properly if someone who doesn’t want the throne sits on it?”

“The empire has a council, doesn’t it?”

“Ridiculous.”

Verati scoffed.

“That council is full of puppets. They wouldn’t dare go against the emperor’s will.”

“They’re only subservient because the imperial power is so strong. Should the power weaken in future generations, maybe the council would have a say.”

“The emperor? Well, if you, claiming to be the emperor’s daughter, say so, you’d know better about his intentions, but…”

Verati shrugged as if indulging her before speaking.

“At least, the emperor we see in the kingdom isn’t someone who’d do that.”

“Do you trust your kingdom’s intel?”

“More than I trust yours.”

“Impressive. I thought you became a cathedral knight because you just liked killing people, but maybe you’re quite devout?”

“...”

Verati fell silent.

And silently, he glared at the fox-masked woman before him.

“Well, even if you don’t want to talk now, it’s fine. Soon enough, you’ll want to.”

“Ha.”

For the first time since entering, Verati relaxed.

“You’re planning on torture?”

He could handle torture. In fact, he could withstand a fair bit of pain.

As long as he didn’t die, his kingdom would fix him up somehow. They had the relic, after all.

Provided they found no evidence of his betrayal.

“No. We’re gentlemen—or rather, I should say, ladies.”

After that lame joke, the fox mask shrugged with feigned casualness.

“You seem to have plenty of questions about the Imperial family. Why not ask someone at the very top?”

“What—”

But before Verati could react, the basement door opened, and a blinding light flooded in.

Squinting upward, he saw a figure standing against the light.

The face wasn’t visible, but...

That build—Verati had seen it more than once before.

“I told you, you’d want to talk.”

Perhaps it was the black clothes.

In the darkness, it looked as though only her white fox mask floated in the air.

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Chapter 102

"Hmm... guess I'm just not cut out for casinos."

The faux Golden Sun muttered these words as he looked around.

Although there were many jobs near the forest, his classmates seemed incredibly motivated to complete quests right from the morning. Perhaps it was because he recalled Leo and his group sweeping through all the available tasks the other morning.

Even if jobs popped up nearby, it wasn’t because the guild couldn’t handle them. Some requests were simply set aside for students. The situation in Northwood was unlike the northern region, where manpower was genuinely scarce. Northwood had plenty of resources, no nearby battlefields, and a stable security environment.

With fewer quests this time, they had plenty of downtime between missions.

This meant there was even time to sit leisurely in the casino in the evening.

“...”

Charlotte, who had tagged along, was noticeably unenthusiastic. She hadn't bothered to venture outside the previous night either, indicating a lack of interest in casinos. This was fortunate. Because Charlotte stayed in her room as she had in the original story, the group could relax here without much concern.

After losing money twice in a card game, Jake returned to where they were leaning against the railing, prompting Charlotte to speak.

“Thinking you could win in a place like this is the first mistake. The people who run casinos aren’t fools; they wouldn’t keep this place open if they thought they'd lose money.”

It wasn’t the kind of establishment that relied on cheats. Pulling scams in front of high-ranking nobles would be dangerous. No matter how powerful the Duke of Northwood was, there were too many other noble families frequenting the place for anyone to risk outright deception.

“And Professor Caroline advised moderation.”

More precisely, Caroline’s expression indicated she was thoroughly embarrassed that her students were even seeing such a place.

The Northwood family had raised Caroline to be impeccably upright, perhaps too much so.

Among the characters, she’d likely suit the bunny girl outfit best... but, well, that sort of attire wasn’t something a noblewoman would wear, so that idea could be set aside.

“I don’t understand what’s supposed to be fun about gambling.”

“That’s exactly it. Don’t bother trying to learn.”

Charlotte quickly replied to Lena’s comment.

Lena, the youngest in the group, received special attention from Charlotte. It seemed Charlotte found her cute or related to her as a fellow foreigner. Charlotte often took extra care with her.

Lena, having come from a region with significantly fewer luxuries than the Empire, looked at the casino with some amazement, but didn’t have a favorable opinion of the bunny-dressed waitresses or the card players.

There was even a roulette machine. Though it looked like a regular machine placed on the floor, it was powered by a steam engine using heat from gas pipes running beneath the building—state-of-the-art within the Empire.

“Are we done here?”

When I asked, Jake shrugged.

"I was thinking about buying Roti a diamond ring, but now I'm flat broke. Not even enough for a single spin on the roulette wheel, so I’d say that’s that.”

“...You don’t even have café money left?”

"Not a cent. So, could you lend me some?”

Alice sighed heavily at Jake’s request.

“The heir of a duke asking a princess for money...”

“It’s not like I’m asking for a fortune. C’mon? Or do you want me to win and bring back more?”

“...Fine, I’ll lend you some. Let’s just get out of here.”

Alice glanced at him in exasperation.

There was likely another reason behind her insistence. She had been glancing around the whole time, probably mindful of last night’s events. Despite wearing a mask, those who recognized her could tell.

A few eyes turned their way, not because anyone recognized Alice as a bunny girl, but because it was unusual to see a group of students in academy uniforms here.

“Ugh.”

Following Alice’s sigh, Claire let out a small one of her own.

Jake’s behavior was understandable. It was, in part, his way of rebelling against his family.

Meanwhile, Leo stayed close to Claire. He wasn’t holding onto her, but his expression conveyed his silent declaration: “I’m with this group.”

Since entering the casino, Leo had been surrounded by bunny girls vying for his attention. His good looks were one reason, but more than that, he projected an “easy target” vibe. Jake, on the other hand, hadn’t attracted anyone’s attention, which was quite telling.

And Claire looked at Leo with slight disapproval.

“What about you, Sylvia? Don’t you want to try winning some money? You could lend it to me, and I’d turn it into something bigger. I mean, you might hit the jackpot, right?”

Unfazed by his blatant attempt, I looked at Jake and responded calmly.

“More importantly, there’s work to be done. I don’t mind if you stay here late, but if you linger around with empty pockets, you might end up with a debt too large for your family to handle by morning.”

“Alright, alright. I don’t want Roti mad at me.”

Though with what he’d just said, he was sure to get scolded.

A noble borrowing from a princess? Forget his maid; even the duke himself might come down harshly.

But that’s probably what he’s aiming for.

“Well then, let’s go hear what he wants to talk about.”

Jake started off ahead, and the rest of us followed at a more relaxed pace.

---

Before discussing it with the group, we had a long talk.

The relic was hidden, and we had to ensure it remained out of the Duke’s sight.

To make things more complicated, two of us were foreigners.

Disappearing without notice would also cause trouble. If we vanished, it would only raise suspicion.

In the original story, Verati had gone in first, with Alice and Leo following. Claire observed from afar, marking the first time she joined as a guest character.

When they returned, rumors swirled about Alice and Leo disappearing together, sparking romantic misunderstandings.

This time, there were four of us. It would be impossible to go unnoticed if that many people disappeared two nights in a row.

So, we decided... just to be honest about it.

Well, not exactly. We’d be a bit more “noble” about it.

“Look at this.”

After leaving the casino, we gathered at a nearby café, and I handed the others an invitation.

“This is...”

Charlotte accepted it, taking in the ornate envelope that exuded the impression of a high-society invitation.

She glanced at us, and Alice nodded for her to proceed. Carefully, Charlotte opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper with the same luxurious feel.

It was a job request.

“Explore the hidden regions of Northwood Forest...”

After reading the brief message, Charlotte looked somewhat bemused.

“If this was a real job, why didn’t it go through the guild?”

“Well, this *is* Duke Northwood’s land.”

“...I see.”

Charlotte returned the paper to the envelope.

“So, this wasn’t issued by the Duke.”

“Exactly.”

“But why come to ‘us’ specifically for this?”

“Well...”

Alice closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then opened them, saying softly, almost as if the words slipped out on their own.

“There are... reasons I can’t talk about.”

“...”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she studied Alice, then nodded.

“Ah, so that’s it.”

She dangled the envelope between her fingers, her tone turning light.

“It seems the ones behind this are bold enough to try raiding the Duke’s land but careful enough not to want to get caught. And multiple dungeons, huh? Their intentions are clear as day.”

Alice did her best to keep a poker face, but it seemed Charlotte had read her well.

Yet, Charlotte didn’t press further.

“Alright. Everyone has their secrets. I’ll play along this time.”

Charlotte looked at Jake and Lena sitting beside her. Jake appeared amused, while Lena tilted her head curiously.

“Both of you seem to agree... but if I’m going to play along, I’ll need something in return.”

“...Name it.”

“One day, when I need a favor, you’ll have to play along for me. Fair’s fair, isn’t it?”

“...”

With a smile that bordered on jest, Charlotte held out her terms, and Alice nodded.

Then, mimicking Charlotte, Alice glanced at the two sitting beside her.

“For my part, I’m with the Duke’s household, so I’d rather avoid clashing with the Imperial family. I’ll follow along.”

Jake responded with a bit of bravado.

“Well, if it’s a job, isn’t it our duty to get it done?”

Lena replied, still seeming a bit lost.

Each of their answers carried a unique charm of their own.

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Chapter 103

The place where Bella had arranged to meet us wasn’t far from the casino—just a short walk into the forest.

It was a location I remembered. In the game, the areas outside the casino building were not fully accessible, and the forest hadn’t been entirely rendered, but the direction we were headed aligned with what I recalled from the game.

“So close…”

Alice turned and looked back.

Even by the standards of my former world, the building loomed impressively, reaching toward the sky. The casino and the hotel rising above it were not the tallest skyscrapers in existence, but one had to crane their neck to see the top when standing close by.

The structure was bathed in a dazzling light that spilled down from above.

Its grandeur could be seen even from the forest.

It was hard to believe that such a luxurious building could exist near an area so densely forested that development seemed nearly impossible.

In a way, it was a brilliant choice of location—a hidden, decadent city in the forest. Something straight out of a novel.

“You’re here on time?”

Bella was waiting, just off the path that led from the forest entrance.

Given the late hour, no one else was wandering the woods, so the light she held wasn’t likely to attract attention.

Bella wore her fox mask and a skintight leather suit. While she exuded an air of casual confidence, her outfit suggested a high degree of caution against revealing her identity.

Even though Bella and Lucas sometimes acted disrespectfully in front of the emperor, they were, in truth, deeply loyal. They would never stray from the emperor’s plans.

In her left hand, Bella held a bag—not a large one, about the size of a handbag, though it looked rather shabby.

That must be… Verati’s. I remembered from the game that Verati had carried a similar bag while searching for relics.

Inside was likely one of the sacred relics from the kingdom.

“Hm.”

Bella gave us a scrutinizing look, making that small sound.

Bella was exceptionally skilled. In her area of expertise, she had likely reached the pinnacle.

But even for her, navigating an ancient dungeon alone was out of the question.

“Impressive,” Bella said with a smile.

She still wore her mask, of course. Claire and Leo had already seen Bella’s appearance once before.

Her voice was different, too.

For me and Alice, it was unmistakably Bella… though how others might see her was unclear.

Leo might not notice, but Claire had sharp eyes.

Yet, a quick glance at Claire showed no particular reaction.

“Two daughters of the Emperor and two youths from loyalist families. I heard you were quite skilled.”

“Indeed, they are both very talented. I can vouch for that as a fellow princess.”

Alice stepped forward as she said this, and Bella shrugged.

Her attitude was oddly haughty.

Bella was a difficult character to gauge. In the main storyline, she was only mentioned briefly, with a few illustrations and some voiced flashbacks. Even if her personality was described as “similar to Claire’s,” it wasn’t an exact match to Claire’s personality in the original.

Besides, my perception of Claire had softened considerably over the last two months, as I’d gotten to know this much more diligent version of her up close.

If I had to make an educated guess, based on the personality I had observed for the past decade…

This attitude was an act.

Without the mask, Bella usually behaved playfully around us, occasionally teasing or pulling pranks.

“Well, if the Empire’s future Empress says so, I guess I’ll have to follow,” Bella replied.

Alice shot a glare at Bella in response.

Leo swallowed hard. In the original storyline, his attitude toward Alice became much warmer from this point on, but with Bella’s comment about “future Empress,” that moment might be postponed indefinitely.

“Did you find the location?” Alice asked.

“With three princesses involved, I couldn’t risk failing to find it,” Bella replied.

Yet, her tone suggested less than full confidence.

“However, not finding it all at once isn’t exactly a reflection on the Empire’s reputation.”

“What do you mean, not finding it?” Alice questioned.

“It seems we were too quick. Verati didn’t know the exact location of the ruins. He was only making an educated guess based on records from the kingdom.”

“So, there may be more people like him hidden within the Empire?” Alice asked, her tone laced with concern.

“Most likely. This landmass is vast, after all,” Bella replied, pulling a piece of paper from her bag and handing it to Alice, who took it with a slight reluctance but no objection.

It was more of a map than a note.

“A local map.”

It wasn’t a military-grade map, but a general layout of the area. Northwood’s lands were extensive and complex. To prevent tourists from getting lost, the Northwood estate had created maps, similar to those found in theme parks.

Compared to the theme park maps I was used to, it lacked color and mascots, but it showed the commercial district surrounding the casino and the forest encircling it.

Marked at regular intervals around the forest were Xs.

“Poor Verati,” Bella remarked with a sneer.

“The kingdom’s knight had truly terrible luck. After all his efforts, he could only pinpoint the location at the very end.”

“…”

We all had to agree with Bella’s assessment.

---

The relics reacted to each other. They weren’t simply individual items with unique powers; they were parts of a larger mechanism.

In the original story, the function of the relics was never revealed. Given the universe of the series, they were likely imbued with divine power, capable of fulfilling impossible wishes… or something like that. However, the relics were a recurring theme, stretching across several storylines and reboots, to the point where players had begun to voice their fatigue with the concept. Whether this element would persist in the current story remained uncertain.

Most players speculated that the relics would be used to save a heroine who had died.

Still, I had no intention of giving up on saving her myself. If this were just a game, I would’ve just enjoyed the story without intervening, but here, this was reality.

“Honestly, it’s no wonder Verati couldn’t find it,” Bella muttered in frustration.

After nearly three hours of searching, we finally located the entrance.

We had never seen the relics in person, so even though we knew they would glow when nearby, we couldn’t tell how bright that glow would be.

It wasn’t until we got close to the dungeon entrance that the glow became faintly stronger.

In other words, the relic wasn’t set to glow by default but had been glowing faintly since we arrived in the area, detecting the presence of another relic.

“Do you think Charlotte is still dealing with her side?” Alice murmured in concern.

“…”

Given how long it had taken us, entering the dungeon now would leave us too tired to fight effectively.

I let out a small sigh.

Once more.

---

“…”

When I took the relic halfway from Bella’s hand and walked confidently toward the dungeon entrance, the others wore stunned expressions.

There was no visible path; I’d simply walked through the dense trees.

The time I spent moving forward was barely thirty minutes.

…though, to me, it felt closer to eight hours.

Retracing my steps, while constantly reversing time and wandering in circles, had made finding the entrance from the start torturously difficult. Knowing the general direction of the building had helped me locate it sooner than my first attempt, but the difference wasn’t significant.

So I’d kept rewinding time, adjusting my search until I found it in a way that made sense to those around me.

Each time I found the dungeon, the group’s expressions shifted from an assumption of my success to one of amazement.

This time, they seemed nearly speechless.

“…”

Alice’s expression had grown even more curious, but I chose not to say anything.

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Chapter 104

“How could a place like this go unnoticed?”

Claire spoke as she looked at the dungeon entrance.

True to her words, the entrance was substantial—a ruin in every sense.

A dilapidated temple lay before us, mostly crumbled beyond recognition. The ground that had once been a floor was now overgrown with thick vegetation, making it difficult to walk, while the temple itself, resembling a miniature Parthenon, was completely overtaken by ivy.

Still, it wasn’t exactly hidden. In the middle of the forest, it stood out like a clearing, and anyone approaching would immediately notice it had been constructed rather than naturally formed.

Even with the forest teeming with wild animals, it seemed unlikely that Northwood’s hunters wouldn’t be aware of its existence.

“Probably because of the relic’s power,” Alice remarked thoughtfully.

The relic’s glow had grown even brighter. There were no other obvious effects—no magical inscriptions or hidden symbols around it.

The relic itself looked like a fractured stone tablet. Etched with partial symbols, it seemed to be only a piece of a larger picture, though the nature of that image was unclear. It reminded me of the broken stone tablets often seen in horror games, where each piece was needed to unlock a door.

Given its position, it might have originally been the central fragment, but whether the complete tablet was meant to be square, triangular, or circular was impossible to tell.

I had seen this before.

In the original story, this was an item you obtained after defeating Verati.

Verati would become a prisoner of the Empire, serving as a bargaining chip between the kingdom and the Empire.

...Not a heroine. The heroine from the kingdom would make an appearance later.

But that aside…

“It likely has some form of perception-dampening magic. Even if it’s a forgotten place by the Empire’s standards, it would have been a significant site in past civilizations.”

“Perception-dampening magic? Does such a thing exist?”

“In an age when everything was solved with magic, it might have,” I replied.

Claire’s eyes widened in surprise, while Alice nodded, seeming convinced.

“That’s why the kingdom brought this relic here. At the very least, it suggests they know these sites are scattered across the world.”

“Doesn’t the Empire have relics, too?” Claire asked.

“Yes, but they don’t know how to use them or have maps marking their locations. They’re merely ‘treasured artifacts’ and nothing more.”

As Claire and Alice continued discussing, I approached the ruins slowly.

The closer I got, the brighter the blue light from the relic became.

As I moved forward on my own, I heard hurried footsteps following me.

“Do you know something we don’t?”

Bella asked as she caught up to me.

“…”

I didn’t answer.

Yes, I knew quite a bit.

For instance, I remembered the layout of this dungeon. Not in perfect detail, but seeing the structures inside would likely jog my memory, much like when I’d entered the capital’s sewers.

Moreover, this dungeon wasn’t especially challenging. It was the first “real” dungeon introduced in Chapter 2 out of the six chapters, a relatively straightforward one.

In the game, the graphics hadn’t been polished enough to depict all the dense vegetation, and the ivy didn’t move as naturally as it did here, but the faint glow from the relic and the ruins looked almost identical to what I recalled.

“From here, I’ll take the lead,” I said.

“But isn’t it dangerous…?”

“The only danger would be the monsters inside.”

I dismissed Alice’s concern with a quick response and handed the relic back to Bella.

“We don’t need the relic inside?”

“We’ll need it at the end.”

I drew the shotgun I’d prepared.

The fire-enhanced rounds would undoubtedly come in handy, given the abundance of slimes inside.

This was the first “true” dungeon, structured like an actual dungeon. The previous forest, while maze-like, hadn’t featured an underground ruin.

There were no life-threatening traps, though the paths twisted and turned, sometimes blocked by specific mechanisms.

There were simply more monsters inside.

As I pumped a shell into the shotgun’s chamber, the others exchanged glances. Even Bella shared a look with Alice.

Alice had seen me confidently navigating the sewers in the capital, but the sewers and an ancient dungeon were worlds apart. At least in the sewers, there were maps available within the Empire.

Noting their expressions, I turned back with a slight smile.

It was a smile of satisfaction.

After all, I still had a distinctive edge in this world.

---

Inside the dungeon, dimly lit stone corridors stretched in all directions.

In the game, it had been illustrated brightly enough for player convenience, but in reality, the interior was far darker. Though there was a full moon outside, it felt as though no light reached inside. Another magical effect, perhaps?

In contrast, the light from the relic Bella held was much brighter now, illuminating our surroundings in stark detail. It resembled the way it was depicted in the game.

I considered telling them to stick close behind me but held back. Everyone here had greater combat skills than I did, so there was no reason they wouldn’t be able to keep up.

We proceeded through the dungeon, guided by the relic’s light.

And before long…

“Enemy—”

Bang!

Before Claire could fully react to the slime in front of us, I pulled the trigger.

Though my aim was hasty, the powerful blast of fire from the gun was more than enough to vaporize the slime on impact.

“…”

The others stared at me, slightly open-mouthed, as I casually reloaded a shell.

Well, I’d come prepared, after all.

At least I knew what types of creatures inhabited this place.

With a small sense of pride, I moved forward slowly.

---

“Sis, you’re amazing…”

…Hmm.

Perhaps I’d overdone it a bit?

The lack of traps, coupled with the creatures inside… I’d over-prepared to such an extent that we could deal with them effortlessly. Though I only carried a handgun and shotgun, slimes were weak to heat and magic.

Mia Crowfield would’ve been a big help, but she’d adamantly refused to come to the casino. Even if she had, bringing her down here wouldn’t have felt right. If anything, I’d likely have assigned her to support Charlotte’s side.

“Hm.”

Following closely behind, Bella let out a small hum of interest as we finally reached what seemed to be the deepest part of the dungeon. Her mask’s eyeholes were darkened, making her gaze unreadable, but I could sense a shift in the way she looked at me.

“This device…”

At the deepest point in the dungeon, in front of the room housing the boss monster, was an auto-healing device.

It was a design feature in the game. To avoid the absurdity of placing a merchant right before a boss fight, the developers had opted for an ancient, magical healing device instead. It wasn’t unique to this spot but appeared in various locations throughout the game. Still, it was the first time I’d encountered one in this world.

“It’s still active,” Alice said as she approached.

The strange, spiral-shaped pillar, wrapped in vividly glowing lights, illuminated the area.

Not surprisingly, it didn’t seem to offer any shop functions.

“What exactly is this device?”

Leo frowned as he examined it closely, and only then did I realize…

Ah, we hadn’t taken any damage.

In a world where being shot was fatal, this principle applied equally to animals and monsters. With enough penetration to pierce skin, a bear would die just as a person would.

…And slimes stood no chance.

Thanks to my thorough preparation, the others had taken little to no damage.

So there was no need to heal here, and they felt nothing from the device.

…Perhaps I had overdone it after all.

For a moment, I pondered that thought.

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Chapter 105

I couldn’t help but wonder—could this device heal more than just wounds? If someone with a chronic illness were to come near it, would it heal that, too?

These were idle thoughts, but something else nagged at me.

It made sense that this device lacked features like a shop or forge. After all, who would collect the money if items were sold, and even if it could modify weapons, who could wait around here for hours or even days?

But something else was more concerning.

In the game, recovery devices scattered throughout dungeons acted as markers to prevent players from getting lost. Usually, the path to the objective was straightforward, but as the dungeons grew more complex in later levels, even experienced players could end up wandering aimlessly.

So, the latest entries in the series had introduced these marker systems.

The recovery devices would remain inactive until players approached, then light up and stay active until the dungeon was cleared. Seeing a glowing device meant, "You’ve already been this way."

Granted, it seemed unlikely that someone would get lost in a game with mini-maps.

But now that this game had become reality, had things changed? Could this device have been running for thousands of years?

Or…

Perhaps someone had already passed through here.

I looked at the large stone doors leading into the boss chamber.

In the original story, they weren’t locked. They would open automatically as the player approached, though the exact mechanism was never explained.

Probably magic.

“Are you all ready?”

I turned to face the group.

Claire, who had been admiring the dungeon’s interior; Alice, examining the recovery device; and Leo, watching me expectantly—all looked my way.

Bella, who had been leaning against a wall, also turned her attention toward me. At some point, she’d placed the relic back in her bag, though its glow was subdued by the intense light from the recovery device.

“It seems we’re at the heart of the ruins. If the ancients built this to protect something…”

“...then there’s likely a powerful guardian or security system inside,” Alice added, glancing back at the recovery device.

I nodded.

Whether the device had reactivated because someone passed by recently or had been running since ancient times, its durability was undeniable.

The state of these ruins, the lingering perception-dampening magic—it all hinted at a once-great civilization, far more powerful than the Empire.

As I checked my shotgun one last time, the others inspected their own weapons. All three wielded swords, but each was distinct. Alice’s was a broad two-handed blade sturdy enough to double as a shield, while Leo’s and Claire’s were slimmer, manageable even with one hand.

While they all used variations of the Grace family’s swordsmanship, Leo’s approach was more straightforward, whereas Claire’s had a trickier, more unpredictable style.

…Technically, I should enter last, but considering I’d be using a shotgun, that might not be ideal. It wasn’t a magic weapon, so firing from behind could risk hitting the others.

Bella’s style was different from the rest. Though she used a sword, her reach made her more suited to mid-range attacks. Leaving the rear to her wouldn’t be a problem.

And if things went wrong, I could always rewind time.

“Are you all set?”

Everyone nodded, gripping their swords firmly. I stepped up to the doors.

As soon as I touched the surface, a light spread outward from my hand, tracing geometric patterns like circuit boards across the stone. The glow only lasted a few moments, but it was clear the device was working.

After a moment, the doors began to open with a low, rumbling sound, scraping against the ground.

A faint vibration traveled through the floor, and some sand drifted down from the ceiling. For a moment, I worried it might collapse, but finally, with a heavy thud, the doors were fully open.

Inside was a brightly illuminated chamber.

From the abundance of slimes we’d encountered, I assumed the boss would also be a slime.

That assumption was half-correct. The floor was slick with a viscous substance, like the residue left behind when Lena had fought that slime.

It was… the remains of one.

“…Is that a person?”

Standing in the room, surrounded by the slimy remains, were people.

Or, rather, multiple figures.

“…What the…”

Bella muttered under her breath.

“…Father…?”

The voice behind me was Alice’s.

“Father? Alice’s father?” Claire sounded shocked.

“So then…”

Leo whispered, his voice filled with disbelief.

Standing in the deepest part of the dungeon, facing a tall figure whose shoulders were more than a head taller than mine, was a man with golden hair, meticulously parted and groomed.

His beard was trimmed neatly along his jawline, giving him an appearance that was both youthful and mature. His piercing blue eyes, calm and unreadable, exuded a serious, almost intimidating aura.

“To surprise my daughters, I made some preparations, but alas, I couldn’t give you a proper welcome due to these unwelcome guests.”

The Emperor’s tone was jovial, even with the ominous figures in front of him.

“Y-Y-Y… Your—Your Highness?!”

Leo stammered, his voice stumbling like a scratched record.

Under normal circumstances, calling out so informally would have warranted reprimand.

But our Emperor didn’t seem to mind.

“A child of the Grace family, I assume? It’s the first time I’ve seen you in person.”

The Emperor’s demeanor was almost casual as he asked the question.

From the glow inside his red cloak, it was clear he, too, had brought an imperial relic.

“…Did you leave the enemies here on purpose?”

“If I’d marked my path, you wouldn’t have been as surprised.”

The Emperor smiled, as if he’d read my expression of shock.

“…”

“Let’s save the reunion for later.”

As the Emperor spoke, I could hear Leo struggling to catch his breath. Being born into nobility wasn’t always as easy as it seemed.

Though, it was probably better to be born into a respectable family than one with mixed blood.

Keeping one eye on the Emperor’s opponent, I raised my shotgun.

The figure standing against the Emperor… their age was hard to guess. Judging by their frame, they didn’t seem to be a man. Unless they were deliberately cross-dressing, this was unmistakably a woman.

She wore a plain white mask with nothing but two dark holes for eyes. Black fabric draped from the mask, leading into a robe that flowed down to the floor. She looked almost like a character from a famous space opera franchise—if only her robes weren’t so tattered at the hem.

From her slender shoulders to her hips, her build was delicate. Even through the robe, her chest was prominent enough to make her gender clear at a glance.

She stood there silently, not even making a sound.

In one hand, she held a sword. Like the Emperor’s and Alice’s, it was a long, double-edged blade, though it appeared quite old, with chips and nicks along the edge.

“…”

Even as she faced the Emperor of the Empire, she showed no signs of hesitation or fear.

Who… is she?

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Chapter 106

Was I encountering these unknown characters because I’d altered the story so much?

Honestly, it felt unfair.

Sure, I’d made some changes behind the scenes, but I hadn’t twisted the plot so much that I’d replaced the protagonist, nor had I tried to court any of the heroines like in other transmigration stories.

Okay, fine. I could understand why the Emperor might show up. I’d proven myself capable, and it made sense he’d want to personally support his skilled daughter.

As for Lena, well, after the chaos I’d caused on the northern front, sending her to keep an eye on me wasn’t unreasonable.

But… who was this?

Even if the kingdom was perceptive, there was no way they’d immediately know Verati had been captured and was spilling all her secrets. Northwood was deep within the Empire, far from the kingdom’s reach.

Even if they’d somehow discovered it, mobilizing reinforcements to get here would take time… and you needed a relic to enter this dungeon.

Yet, no light shone from the figure’s cloak, as would be expected if they carried a relic.

"I’ve tried to initiate a conversation several times now, but they haven’t responded," the Emperor said with his usual calm.

I gave him a sideways glance. He either didn’t have any information on this figure, or he simply didn’t want to share it. He only shrugged nonchalantly.

"But one thing is certain," the Emperor continued, eyeing the mysterious figure. "The relic that should have been here is now in their possession. We won’t get it back unless we defeat them."

So, was this why the Emperor had waited at the entrance, blocking their escape?

If their goal was to acquire the relic, they could have tried to avoid a confrontation and fled. But they’d stayed in place, unmoving, until we arrived.

"…"

I took a step forward.

The figure remained utterly still, watching us. Was it even alive? Could it be a statue, placed here by the Emperor to mess with us? They stood as motionless as stone.

As I stepped forward, the others did as well, spreading out into a semicircle around the figure, closing in. Though there was space between us, we formed a loose perimeter.

Bella was the first to act.

With a flick of her wrist, she transformed her longsword into a whip, lashing it toward the figure like an executioner striking down a criminal. The blade was far more dangerous than a regular whip; if it struck, it would rip through flesh and even expose bone.

Finally, the figure moved.

They charged forward—straight at me.

"Sylvia…!" Alice called out instinctively, and I heard the rapid footsteps of Claire from her side.

I also intended to act—

—or so I thought—

No.

As I raised the shotgun to aim, an intense feeling echoed in my mind.

No, it wasn’t a sound—it was as though my instincts themselves seized control, forcing me to stop.

Don’t shoot. 

If I pulled the trigger, I would—

—regret it.

A chill ran down my spine, and my finger, frozen on the trigger, convulsed as if someone were holding it back.

My own body was rejecting my movements.

“Sister, don’t…!” Claire shouted as the figure lunged toward me, her sword trailing behind her in a flash.

Half a beat slower than her swing, the sword aura followed—

It should have—

Should’ve connected.

---

What… just happened?

Claire’s sword had been on target, and her skillful sword aura should have struck the figure’s arm.

It should have. There was no way they could have avoided it. Even I saw it clearly.

But the sword aura didn’t connect.

"Wha…?" I heard Claire’s bewildered voice.

The figure kept moving forward, their abdomen pressed against the barrel of my shotgun. They pushed forward with such strength that my arms began to buckle, forcing the shotgun downward.

My fingers, still stiff from hesitation, began to loosen, one by one, as if by force.

The shotgun fell from my grip entirely as the figure leaned in closer, almost as if they intended to embrace me—though their movements were anything but friendly.

The white mask drew near, closer to my face.

Inside the dark eyeholes, I could see—

A whoosh of wind—was it Alice’s sword? Bella’s whip? I wasn’t sure. My head wouldn’t turn.

Through the shadowed eyeholes, a glimmer of a human eye caught my gaze.

"Syl—v—i—a."

The voice stretched unnaturally, as though the words were lagging.

It felt like this figure and I were somehow out of sync.

In that moment, before they finished speaking, Claire barreled into them, tackling the figure aside.

---

Again, my vision flickered, like a frame cut from a film, and I was staring in a different direction. I could still hear the distorted voice, as if it was right next to me, muffled by the mask.

Claire’s tackle missed, and she stumbled, digging her heels into the ground with a scraping sound.

"—Never—"

Never what…?

But before I could hear the rest—

"—!"

The figure was struck by Alice’s shoulder and sent flying to the side.

"Are you okay?!"

Before I could even process what had happened, Alice’s face filled my vision, concern written on her face. I must have been falling; Alice had caught me mid-fall.

"I’m fin—"

But before I could finish, the figure reappeared behind Alice as if they’d materialized from thin air. The longsword in their hand was gone, replaced by a revolver.

A revolver identical to mine.

It bore the scars from our previous battles, scuffed and scratched.

But… I hadn’t brought that one today—

Before I could react, a massive, towering sword aura cleaved down from the ceiling, its blade grazing the walls and floor. Where it should have severed the figure’s hand cleanly, there was nothing.

Yet, in the same instant, they still held the gun.

I clenched my jaw.

Again!

---

The air shattered with a deafening crack.

My head throbbed painfully, as though I’d collided with a wall at high speed, a piercing ring reverberating in my ears. My brain felt scrambled, as if it had been shaken to its core.

My vision blurred. Tears stung my eyes.

I felt a grip on my collar, something firm as if trying to hold me back.

A pale hand reached out from beyond, dragging me through fractured space.

The jagged edges of the broken space were sharp, like shards of glass. Even as blood flowed from the arm gripping me, the hand persisted.

But… it seemed I was too heavy for the arm to hold onto.

With a tear, my collar ripped free.

I fell.

---

"Sylvia!"

I gasped, taking in air as if I’d been underwater for too long. The fresh rush of oxygen cleared my vision.

I found myself lying across someone’s lap.

Blinking a few times, my vision sharpened as the residual tears rolled down my cheeks.

Hovering over me, faces etched with worry, were Alice and Claire.

I instinctively reached up to touch my collar.

The fabric felt torn, its rough edges confirming what I already feared.

It had been real. Not just a nightmare.

I tried to sit up, but Claire pressed firmly on my shoulders, gently easing me back onto Alice’s lap.

"Where is that… person?"

"Gone."

It was the Emperor who answered.

"They vanished the moment you fell."

"And the fight…?"

"A fight?" The Emperor’s voice carried an amused lilt.

"Did we really fight that figure?"

"…"

To the Emperor’s question, I had no answer.

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Chapter 107

None of it made any sense.

Up until now, I’d never doubted my own ability.

In the beginning—back when I’d first arrived in this world, I’d questioned it somewhat. I’d wondered if my power had limits, or if there was some unknown restriction on the number of uses, or if each use slowly ate away at some part of myself.

But in the ten years since, I’d never felt that my power chipped away at me.

People get tired from moving, they feel sleepy when they don’t sleep, thirsty when they don’t drink, and hungry when they don’t eat.

Yet my ability seemed to exist on a different plane altogether. Rewinding time reset everything: exhaustion faded, thirst and hunger vanished, and my body reverted to a state of comfort. Only my memories persisted.

But how was that continuity possible?

I didn’t even remember how I’d left the dungeon. At some point, Claire or Alice had tried talking to me several times. The Emperor had walked ahead, saying nothing, while Leo was visibly shaken, frozen in place.

Bella wasn’t in my line of sight. She was probably walking at the very back of the group.

Did Alice or Claire support me at some point? Or was I simply holding onto my torn collar, tracing the frayed edges of the fabric?

Up until now, I hadn’t truly considered the implications of time rewinding. In my head, I was simply moving through time. Like rewinding a clock, I would reset to a previous moment and exist as myself in the space and time I returned to.

…Or had I truly been myself?

My memories persisted, unchanged, while the world reset.

It was unsettling to only question this after ten years of relying on my power. The very ability I’d once trusted without question now filled me with an inexplicable unease.

In the distance, I could see the moonlight. Oddly enough, it hadn’t entered the dungeon itself; only the glow from the relic had illuminated the corridors. From inside the pitch-dark room, the sliver of the moon at the exit looked like a frame of light against a black backdrop.

I stared at that light for a moment, lost in thought, and then—

I rewound time.

---

It was an impulsive move.

Perhaps it was driven by impatience.

In line with my nature, rewinding felt instinctive.

The Emperor seemed to be catching on to my ability, with his suspicions about the figure we’d encountered lingering. If I wasn’t careful, he’d figure it out and expose my power, not just to him but to everyone around me.

So, as always, I tried to erase the mistake by rewinding time.

This time, I’d unmask the figure, guard my words around the Emperor, and make sure to escape that grasp.

But I couldn’t.

"—Sylvia!"

Once more, I gasped for air. The sensation of falling through that shattered space, tumbling into the void, was as jarring as the first time. My body hit the ground, and I felt a peculiar weightlessness, like being pulled from a vacuum into the world again, my lungs struggling for air.

No, it wasn’t just unpleasant—it was unbearable. Experiencing it a second time made it feel even worse, as if my mind was piecing together just how disturbing the experience was.

And it seemed I couldn’t remain calm this time, either.

I couldn’t go back. Some kind of wall seemed to stand between me and the figure I’d faced.

This time, the wall didn’t break.

The impact left me shaking, and I took several deep breaths, trying to fill my empty lungs. My hand reached up to my collar, feeling the torn fabric.

The rough, shredded edges were still there.

I looked up at where the figure had been standing, but there was nothing there.

"Where did they go?"

"…They disappeared," Alice replied.

"And the relic… it seems they took it with them," Claire added.

I had no words. Just moments ago, I’d tried to ask about the fight, inadvertently revealing my power to the Emperor.

"Hmm."

In the game, the Emperor had been portrayed as someone not easily fooled.

Keeping silent wouldn’t prevent him from discovering my secrets.

He had simply observed me cautiously until now, biding his time.

"Father!" Alice cried out as the Emperor raised his sword, pointing it toward my neck. Claire instinctively reached for her weapon but pulled her hand back, startled.

However, the Emperor didn’t seem intent on actually harming me.

If he’d meant to, I knew he could have cut me down without a second thought, just as he’d effortlessly severed the hand that had pointed a gun at Alice.

The thick blade moved with surprising precision, touching the torn edge of my collar. He traced the frayed fibers with his fingers.

"It’s not something that would just tear like this. Did someone rip it off?" Alice gasped, seemingly only now realizing the significance of the tear. Claire, too, seemed taken aback. Leo, on the other hand, was still dazed, as if unsure of what had happened. And Bella, watching from a distance in her mask, remained unreadable.

"It’s not just your collar—you have bruises all over your body. From impact, perhaps?" The Emperor’s mouth curved into a slight, unsettling smile, as if he found the situation amusing, despite its disturbing implications.

Because of that expression, he frightened me.

"Impact," he repeated, withdrawing the sword from my neck. "You, Sylvia Pangriffon?"

"…"

The Emperor leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if he were sharing a secret.

"Have we had this conversation… ‘before’?"

The "before" he spoke of was clearly from my perspective.

I was certain of it.

There was no escaping this future.

---

The rest proceeded as it had before.

The Emperor seemed to have deduced much about my power. I wasn’t sure how deep his understanding went—whether he’d grasped the mechanics better than I had—but I felt a palpable sense of danger.

Alice, Claire, and Leo remained silent. They stole occasional glances in my direction, as if looking for some clue to what had happened.

And Bella… was humming a tune, her voice light and lilting.

"All of you should get some rest now," the Emperor said.

Despite the loss of a relic, he didn’t appear disappointed. In fact, he looked rather pleased.

"It was a lovely evening walk, but it seems you’re all quite worn out. I hope the rest of your journey is enjoyable."

With that, the Emperor turned and left us behind, though his gaze lingered on me until he was completely out of sight.

I remained silent to the end.

---

"I won’t ask you anything right now," Alice said with a serious expression.

I found myself back in my room. Northwood’s guest rooms were spacious, with elegant decor similar to Alice’s. But instead of the sitting area, I was seated on the edge of the bed, with Alice and Claire standing beside me, as if guarding me. Leo was absent—perhaps because he’d decided not to enter a lady’s room, as he often would.

But that wasn’t what mattered.

"We don’t know what happened, but…" Alice and Claire exchanged a look before turning back to me.

Alice spoke first.

"Right now, you look… exhausted. So, for now…"

They’d never seen me like this before.

They might have seen me tired in the past, from trudging through the dark dungeon, trekking through snowy forests, or navigating the sewers. Those were all tiring tasks, and they wouldn’t assume I had limitless stamina.

But suddenly collapsing, as if I’d been through an ordeal alone, with bruises all over… was strange.

"Just rest for now," Claire finished Alice’s words for her.

"…We’ll continue this conversation tomorrow."

"…"

Worry filled both their faces.

They didn’t press me, didn’t demand an explanation, or insist that I reveal my power.

Their consideration touched me.

"Understood."

For now, I gratefully accepted their kindness.

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Chapter 108

“Have you ever played a game with dice?”  

When Verati first sat face-to-face with the Emperor, fully prepared to accept her death, those were the peculiar words he chose to start with.  

“…Dice game?”  

“Anything involving dice. A board game, maybe. Or even the street hustlers’ dice game. Haven’t you seen it in a casino? There must be such gambling games there.”  

Verati remained silent, staring steadily at the Emperor. Since the eccentric woman in the fox mask had left, the Emperor’s expression hadn’t shifted an inch.  

Surrounded by cathedral knights, each one powerful enough not to be dismissed lightly, the Emperor sat there with a leisurely smile, as if facing nothing more than a child.  

The gaslight flickered atop the table, casting faint shadows that danced across the Emperor’s face.  

If someone wanted to assassinate the Emperor, this would be a good opportunity.  

After all, Verati wasn’t even bound in any way.  

But the fact that the Emperor was speaking one-on-one with her at all implied he was confident enough to handle someone like Verati alone.  

Pangriffon.  

There was no concrete proof that the legend was real. Yet, every Emperor throughout history seemed to possess formidable strength, as if trying to prove that myth true. No one believed that this could be due to lineage alone. Some even suspected that certain Emperors had swapped children or secretly designated someone else as crown prince within the royal family.  

This was why the Church had judged that Sylvia Pangriffon might one day be Emperor—  

“Do you not know it? It’s a game where you roll dice and compete with numbers. Whoever rolls the higher number wins, or maybe the same number with multiple dice, or in sequence—”  

“I know that much.”  

She snapped back, glaring at the Emperor as he continued talking without a care.  

It wasn’t the sort of reaction you’d expect toward an Emperor. Yet, he didn’t seem to care in the slightest. That attitude of his only irritated her more.  

“Right, of course. Not everyone gambles, but who hasn’t held a die at least once in their life?”  

The Emperor nodded, adjusting his posture, crossing his legs in a relaxed manner. It was as though he were welcoming an old friend, despite the underground room not exactly giving off a cozy vibe.  

“What if, say, the other party couldn’t possibly notice our trick—no, rather…”  

The Emperor paused, as though rethinking his analogy, and then continued.  

“What if, even knowing about our trick, they were helpless against it? What would you do to win?”  

“Well, I’d keep using the trick.”  

“Even if they knew you were cheating?”  

“If you’re saying they can’t avoid it anyway, then yes.”  

The Emperor smiled as though satisfied with her answer.  

“And if you were on the losing side?”  

“…Then I’d try to beat them to a pulp. Since, you know, I’m aware of the cheating, right?”  

“I did say it was unavoidable.”  

“That doesn’t mean I don’t know my opponent.”  

At her response, the Emperor chuckled, lifting his shoulders slightly. His laughter was ambiguous, half menacing villain and half middle-aged man sharing a joke with a friend.  

“And what if your opponent were a goddess?”  

“What?”  

“You’re playing dice with a goddess. Both of you use the same dice. Your die is made of fragile glass. It’s so thin and delicate that it cracks after just one throw, barely letting you see the result. Meanwhile, the goddess’s die is made of fine ivory, resilient enough to last countless throws.”  

He continued, tapping his fingers atop his knee.  

“The rules are simple. Whoever rolls the higher number wins. You can throw the dice as many times as you wish, as long as you feel like it.”  

“What ridiculous rules.”  

Verati scoffed.  

“So I get only one throw before my die breaks? What’s the point of being able to throw it as many times as I want?”  

“But there’s still a chance you’ll roll a twelve on your single throw, right?”  

“Even so, the odds are heavily against me. And if I’m forced to play by such rules, then it’s already a setup. Can I even refuse if she decides to add more dice to her side?”  

“You can’t. She’s a goddess.”  

“…Exactly.”  

Verati sighed deeply at his answer.  

“If the opponent is a goddess, of course, we’d have to bow down. What sense is there in even considering a game against the very owner of this world?”  

“Is that so?”  

“Whether you see it that way or not, I’m a servant of the Church. A knight, a sister. Even if I have a bit of a wild streak, that fact doesn’t change.”  

“Hm.”  

The Emperor smiled as if pleased with her answer.  

“So why are you asking me these things?”  

“Who knows.”  

The Emperor paused, drawing out the suspense before speaking again, slowly.  

“I think I may have found someone who might be that goddess.”  

“….”  

Verati remained silent for a long moment.  

“…What?”  

After a lengthy silence, she finally asked.  

“You probably won’t believe me, but that’s irrelevant.”  

“Ha.”  

Verati exhaled in disbelief.  

“So, that’s what you wanted to say? That you found a goddess?”  

“It hasn’t been proven yet.”  

“So, you’re planning to prove it?”  

“Yes. And for that, I’ll need the cooperation of the Church.”  

“Oh, let me guess. You want a Saintess sent over so she can sit across from the goddess and proclaim, ‘Ah, this is truly our goddess’? Think the Church will agree to that?”  

“No need. Just lend me the sacred artifact you possess.”  

“…”  

Verati clamped her mouth shut, but the Emperor continued.  

“How would one go about understanding the power of someone who can rewind time?”  

“Why are we suddenly talking about this after all that nonsense with dice?”  

“I’m discussing ways to reveal a trick.”  

“….”  

“I’ve considered prophecy, calculations, even the possibility of someone having already experienced the future. And I understand that all three conclusions are quite similar. So, what remains is proving it.”  

“And just how do you plan to prove it?”  

“By planning something that the other side won’t like.”  

The Emperor explained with a gleeful expression.  

“If there’s someone who keeps rolling the dice until they get the desired outcome, then the way to expose that is by setting up a scenario where the result can’t change.”  

“Couldn’t they just roll again?”  

“The timing of the throw will change.”  

The Emperor dismissed her concern casually.  

“If I set it up so that a two shows up on the tenth roll, then the other side might suddenly pull out a third die or try to manipulate the result on the eighth or ninth roll. As long as we can observe that, we can determine whether they know our future or not.”  

The Emperor shrugged.  

“It’s not enough just to make plans. To get what I want, I’ll need to act greedily. If there’s something the opponent might desire, I’ll be the first to snatch it away.”  

“And if they rewind time again?”  

“If, without my knowledge, they end up with the item, then that would prove they’re using tricks. And once I confirm that, I’ll be quite delighted.”  

The Emperor laughed.  

“At the very least, it’ll validate my theory that I can influence the opponent’s actions.”  

“….”  

Verati stared at him, bewildered.  

…Well, at least,  

if she managed to survive, she’d have something noteworthy to report back to the Church.  

That fleeting thought passed through her mind.  

*  

“You seem rather pleased.”  

Bella, who had quietly approached the Emperor from behind, remarked.  

“Indeed, I am.”  

“But the sacred artifact you wanted was stolen by that one.”  

“It’s meaningless unless all the pieces are together, anyway. More importantly, I’ve gained more than just proof.”  

Striding confidently through the dense forest, the Emperor continued.  

“Even ivory dice can break, it seems.”  

“We still don’t know who the opponent really is.”  

“Really? I have a good idea.”  

At his words, Bella simply tilted her head in curiosity.

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Chapter 109

I’ve encountered a limit with my ability.

It hasn’t disappeared, nor does it seem to have gained any additional penalties. I tested it a few times in my room afterward, and it worked as it should.

However, it seems I can no longer go back to the moment before that encounter with the nameless figure yesterday.

I haven't attempted to return to that point since. Even if I did, what would be the point? I’d only have to see that face of the Emperor again, and he’d probably make assumptions on his own without me saying a word. Rewinding time wouldn’t change that.

Besides, I didn’t want to experience that pain again.

Lying on my bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.

I’d healed the bruises, and I felt no fatigue after a long, deep sleep. But my mind was still a tangled mess.

I kept thinking about that nameless figure I encountered in the dungeon.

“…Could it be me?”

I mumbled to myself, but it didn’t seem real.

If this were one of those possession novels, then the figure being a future version of myself would fit the cliché.

That figure had taken the artifact and disappeared. In that future, was the Emperor planning some catastrophe using that artifact? And had I gone back to stop it?

But even then, something doesn’t make sense.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that it was me.

They were clearly using a time-related ability, and even in that moment, it was clear they were using it. Watching that movement felt like timelines were getting jumbled—future, present, and past merging together.

The voice, too, was strange. It sounded distorted, grating, like static interference. It wasn’t something they would have done intentionally, and it didn’t seem like it was due to injury.

When I tried to nullify the situation with my power, they must have used theirs simultaneously. They shattered the space around us and seized me. I managed to rewind time, but it was unstable. That’s likely why, despite the rewind, my body’s condition remained as it was.

If our powers had clashed, perhaps that figure was left stranded in an impossible future. If so, then maybe that’s why I can’t go back to that specific point.

But even thinking this, it still feels strange.

They were holding my gun, yet they pointed it at Alice, not the Emperor.

Maybe they aimed at me, and Alice just happened to be in front of me… but, no. I’ve used that gun countless times. Even if my physical abilities aren’t exceptional, I wouldn’t miss at such close range. And if it really was a future version of me, I’d be even less likely to make a mistake like that.

They were trying to tell me something.

Sylvia, never—

I couldn’t hear the rest.

Also, when I aimed at them, I felt a powerful sense of rejection in my mind…

…Ah, I really don’t know.

I scratched my head and got up.

Thinking about it constantly won’t make me understand the situation any better. For now—

Just as I finally managed to get out of bed and slip on my slippers, there was a gentle knock at the door.

“Yes, come in.”

Thankfully, my voice didn’t crack.

The door opened carefully, and Claire stepped inside.

“Sis.”

Normally, when Claire called me that, her voice was lively, her spirits high.

But now, her eyes were full of concern. She called to me with a soft, cautious voice.

“Are you feeling better?”

She didn’t ask any questions, once again.

“I’m fine.”

I had been healed by magic, so there was no lingering pain. Not that I’d been seriously injured in the first place.

There were a few drops of blood on my clothes, but that was it. And it wasn’t even my blood. It had come from the arm of that figure holding me as it scraped against the spatial rift.

Though, that probably wasn’t the only reason Claire was worried.

“So…”

Claire averted her gaze for a moment before looking back at me. She had the air of a little sister checking in on an older sister who was angry.

“Everyone else is gathered in the dining room. I thought it might be nice if we all had a meal together.”

“All right—”

But as I answered, I remembered I hadn’t even washed yet. Claire’s cautious invitation probably had something to do with that as well.

“I’ll wash up quickly and come down.”

At my words, Claire nodded.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

*

When she said “I’ll wait for you,” it didn’t mean she would wait in the dining room. Claire was sitting quietly on one of the chairs in my room, waiting.

In a world without smartphones or other gadgets, she must have been quite bored just sitting there.

I squeezed as much water out of my hair with a towel as I could.

I tried to dry it using a small, wind-up fan, but my hair still felt damp in places.

“Are you planning to go like that?”

When I eventually gave up on drying my hair fully and began putting on my uniform, Claire looked at me in surprise.

Normally, I would never let anyone see me in such a disheveled state.

What would my usual self have done?

I… I probably would have rewound time to before Claire arrived.

Then I would have quickly washed up and waited for her, hair perfectly dried, of course.

After all, I’d spent the whole morning thinking things through, and rewinding wouldn’t make me forget any of it.

“….”

For a brief moment, I considered doing just that, but then,

“Do I look strange?” I asked Claire.

She quickly shook her head from side to side, a childlike movement, as if a child had asked their mother, “Do you hate me?” Her innocent reaction almost made me laugh.

Oddly enough, the atmosphere felt peaceful, as though yesterday’s strange incident hadn’t happened at all.

She could have asked me a question, though.

Not that I would have answered it.

“Well then, let’s head down as I am.”

“Okay.”

Claire nodded briskly in response.

*

“What happened last night?”

The moment I stepped into the dining room, Charlotte asked.

For her, it must have been unusual not only that I hadn’t fully prepared myself, but also that I’d taken so long to come down at all.

Until now, my personality had been precise, almost prophetic in my ability to predict and handle situations.

But here I was, showing up late, freshly washed, with my hair still damp…

…It was out of character, not just for me, but even by noble or royal standards.

Yet before anything else, the aroma of freshly baked bread hit me.

Some time had passed since I’d come down, but my meal was still covered with a silver lid, likely to preserve its warmth.

Without rushing, I made my way to the empty seat.

Alice watched me with a slightly worried expression. Had she picked up something from my face again?

Since Claire had come to get me instead of Alice, that meant Alice was the one who had likely been questioned about yesterday’s events. After all, it was Alice who had asked Charlotte to lead us to another dungeon.

“Alice?”

Not hearing my response, Charlotte turned back to Alice to ask again. Fortunately, she didn’t seem angry at me; if anything, she seemed to understand that I might be hungry.

“Well, last night…”

I could almost hear Alice’s mind whirring.

“…Sorry. It’s just… there are things that are hard to explain.”

“I see.”

Charlotte didn’t press Alice further. In fact, her gaze was on me.

I noticed Charlotte watching me curiously as I tore into the bread without spreading anything on it.

“Were you very hungry?”

“….”

I looked at the bread in my hand. I hadn’t even torn it into smaller pieces—I was holding it whole.

Did I look uncultured?

Though Charlotte didn’t seem to be judging me.

At least she didn’t look as appalled as when I ate parfait before.

“Yes, a lot happened yesterday.”

At my words, Alice’s shoulders flinched.

Charlotte glanced between Alice and me. Her deep gaze held curiosity, though she likely heard things she couldn’t discuss.

But she didn’t press us further.

“And where is everyone else?”

“Leo was dragged off by Jake. They’re probably off gambling somewhere.”

Charlotte sighed as she answered.

“Mia hasn’t woken up yet, and Lena went straight to her room after breakfast to tend to her weapons,” Alice added.

“Do you want more food, sis?”

Noticing how quickly my plate was emptying, Claire offered.

“….”

Normally, I would have declined…

But honestly, I was starving.

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Chapter 110

Food really does wonders to lift the spirits.

With a full stomach and a bit of drowsiness settling in, I finally felt a sense of calm.

After going over everything in my mind, I concluded with a simple “So what?”

Yes.

So what?

This wasn’t the first time someone unexpected had suddenly appeared in my life. I’d already been through something similar with Lena.

I was already aware that the Emperor viewed me as something extraordinary. From the beginning, he’d been giving me all sorts of orders. He’d openly commanded me to assassinate a count and had even tried to send me to the battlefield instead of the academy.

And yet, it wasn’t my ability that got me out of those situations. It was Alice. She’d stormed to the Emperor after finding morphine in my room and resolved the matter face-to-face.

A limit to my power? It was bound to happen sooner or later. Honestly, my power was ridiculously overpowered. Other protagonists in novels, comics, or anime who had time-reversing abilities usually had to pay some kind of price—often even dying to trigger it. Truthfully, I’d been spoiled by how convenient my ability had been.

Besides… thinking about it, nothing so far had been so catastrophic that I’d needed to rewind to fix it.

So, I decided to stop worrying about it.

If that guy shows up again, I’ll deal with it then.

There was something a therapist had once told me out of curiosity: “Don’t waste energy stressing over things you can’t resolve right now. At the very least, try not to worry.” Right. Agonizing over a future I can’t prepare for is pointless.

"…"

I could feel Alice staring intently at my expression.

We were sitting across from each other. Outside the window, the trees stretched endlessly, marching along as we moved. Technically, the trees weren’t moving—we were.

“Really, your resilience is something else.”

“…Is there something on my face?”

“Yep.”

Alice nodded at my question.

“Last time, when we came back from the battlefield, you were like this too. You’d sit alone, deep in thought, but then a few hours later, you’d be back to normal. The same thing happened this time. Right after meeting your father, you looked devastated, but now you’re fine again.”

“True. When I came to your room this morning, you looked completely out of it.”

Claire, sitting beside me, added her observation.

Meanwhile, Leo was sitting next to Alice, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Though we were all members of the student council and had gradually broken down some barriers over time, meeting the Emperor yesterday seemed to have reminded him that Alice and I were, in fact, princesses.

Claire noticed my gaze shifting to Leo and gave him a slight glare, as if to say, “Are you seriously making her uncomfortable with that attitude?”

…A little guilt crept up on me.

“I had a lot to think about.”

“Did you?”

"…"

Since I didn’t elaborate, Alice didn’t press me further.

“Are you really not going to ask me anything?” I finally asked.

“Hmm.”

Alice considered my question for a moment, then responded plainly, “No, I’m not.”

I watched her silently, and she gave a slight smile.

“Curious why?”

“Yes, I am.”

Of course, I was curious.

If it were me, I would’ve rewound time several times to try to pry out every bit of information. Though if I couldn’t get anything, I’d have given up eventually.

I’d already scoured the Empire’s restricted archives. I’d confirmed there was nothing concrete about my existence in the prophecies.

Granted, I wasn’t seeking personal secrets—I was just looking for clues to move forward with the story.

“There’s no particular reason.”

Alice leaned back in her chair, turning her gaze to the window.

The forest outside seemed never-ending, lush and proudly stretching as far as the eye could see. Occasionally, we’d pass through small villages or cities buried within it. If this world had other races, this would be the perfect place for elves.

“You don’t need a logical reason to ask or not ask something. I just… don’t feel like asking right now. In fact, I probably won’t ask directly in the future either.”

Her head remained facing the window, but her blue eyes shifted toward me, a faint smile at her lips.

“Not until you decide to tell me.”

"…"

I couldn’t respond.

Alice… she had already told me what she thought before. Back when she’d infiltrated the casino in that bunny girl costume. In the game, her motives were simplified to her inferiority complex toward Claire, and it was mainly played for fanservice.

If there’s one difference between the game and this world, it’s that the game’s characters moved according to the story, while here, people moved to create the story themselves.

“I understand.”

“You look relieved somehow.”

"…"

Alice once again seemed to read my mind, so I turned my head to Claire.

“Claire.”

“Huh, yes?!”

Claire, who’d been watching my conversation with Alice in a daze, was startled. She hadn’t expected me to address her.

“Does my expression reveal my emotions that easily?”

“Um… uh…”

Claire stammered, trying to process my question’s intent.

“Well, no? I mean, sometimes it does? I guess… usually, not so much…”

Her response came out jumbled, like a broken machine.

“Hmph.”

Alice snorted lightly at Claire’s answer.

Claire’s brows furrowed at Alice’s reaction.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Her tone wasn’t exactly hostile or cold, but it did carry a hint of irritation.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s not wrong. It’s just… sometimes you can’t help but feel a little superior when you see someone struggle with something you find easy.”

“What?!”

Um…

Claire, you do realize we’re on a 20th-century train where soundproofing isn’t great? When you yell like that, everyone around us stares.

Not to mention, standing up like that only draws even more attention.

Most of the onlookers likely wore expressions of shock. They were well aware of who Claire usually hung around, and regardless of the reason, shouting in front of someone like me—a princess—would be considered terribly improper.

Leo, sitting beside Alice, was the perfect picture of a typical noble reaction.

“C-Claire…!”

His face had gone pale as he tried to calm her down. But since he wasn’t sitting right next to her, he couldn’t easily reach her. A small table sat between us, after all.

And to top it off, Alice was holding Leo back from standing up.

Leo froze in place, sending me a pleading look…

…Sorry.

I’m just as confused as you right now.

“You’ve spent so much time with Sis! If I’d been given that much time, I’d definitely be able to read her emotions better than you!”

Um…

If you two want to argue over this, could you at least wait until we get to the academy? Or at the very least, lower your voices?

Actually, I’d really appreciate it if you could hold off until we reach the academy. Arguing right next to me is just incredibly embarrassing.

I’m barely managing to keep a straight face as it is.

And Alice, watching me, just gave a smirk.

She definitely caught my expression.

“Well, how would you know? You’ve never had that experience. So how can you be so sure?”

“Urgh…”

Claire’s expression grew briefly angry at Alice’s words, but then…

“…”

She took a deep breath.

Then she composed herself, sitting back down with poise and grace, as if she hadn’t just yelled.

But that calm demeanor was merely an act. Claire’s determination was far from subdued.

“Sis.”

As soon as she sat down, she looked at me.

“…Yes?”

“Look at my face.”

She adjusted her posture slightly, turning toward me.

Silently, I did as she asked.

Claire’s deep blue eyes met mine. While both she and Alice had blue eyes, if Alice’s were like a clear lake, Claire’s were like staring into a mysterious blue hole. Looking directly at her was a bit intimidating.

“From now until we arrive at school, I’m going to practice reading your expressions.”

"…."

I glanced at Alice, but she only looked back with a smug expression.

…

Great. Just great.

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Chapter 111

July is a time when things generally start to ease up for students.

And in this world, it feels like that ease is even more pronounced than in the one I came from.

The Academy, which was modeled after the Japanese high school system, holds its final exams at the end of July. But that doesn’t entirely extinguish the anticipation for the approaching summer break.

This atmosphere was more prevalent among commoner students than among those from noble families.

Nobles, after all, are beings who live on pride.

Even though the primary goal here was to make connections, and many noble children believed forming good relationships was more important than achieving high grades, there were still plenty who would consider it a disgrace if their grades fell below a certain level. Many noble parents were especially sensitive about their children’s grades.

On the other hand, many commoners felt their fate was already set in a fortunate direction simply by being accepted into this Academy. Although the Academy had twice as many commoners as nobles, that was only because the number of commoners in the Empire far exceeded the number of nobles. In terms of competition, it was actually more challenging for commoners to secure a place here than for nobles.

Just graduating from the Academy was enough to secure a stable livelihood. Since the Academy also served as a military academy, they could even apply to become imperial officers if they so wished. Of course, they’d need to maintain at least the minimum required grades to avoid being held back.

As for me… I may have lost the ability to rewind to any time before mid-June, but that didn’t leave me as severely impacted as one might think.

That was thanks to my habit of diligent pre-studying and reviewing.

To be precise, it was because I had rewound time repeatedly after each class to make sure I understood everything thoroughly. Even during self-study, I would rewind several times to fully grasp the solution to each problem.

No matter what, though, rewinding after looking at the exam questions felt like crossing a line, even for me. And the idea of rewinding several months just to perform well on an exam felt like madness. So, I had studied diligently all semester instead.

After all, even an average person can become a genius if they invest enough time. And time was something I had in abundance. I had consistently used it without wasting any opportunity, leading to the results I had achieved.

Not that I was particularly looking forward to the summer vacation, though.

Returning to the Imperial Capital—the closest thing to “home”—meant that I would inevitably run into the Emperor.

Since the incident in June, he hadn’t mentioned anything, but I was sure that as soon as I saw him again, we would discuss something I would rather avoid.

---

But not everything that happens to a person is bad.

Even if it was only a temporary reprieve from something unpleasant, sometimes a welcome event would come along.

"An invitation?"

About a week before the final exams began, Claire came to my room and handed me a letter in an elegant envelope.

It was similar to the invitation Alice had given Charlotte, but at least this one wasn’t intended to distract me.

“Yes, it’s an invitation to our family’s estate.”

Grace Estate, located within the Capital, wasn’t too far from here. It was, from the beginning, a unique kind of territory, different from what most grand noble estates were like.

In terms of size, it was more like a grand mansion than a typical estate. By modern standards, you could compare it to a slightly large school. There was a large building, several smaller structures, some grounds between them, and a grassy area that could be considered a field…

Certainly, it was impressive for an individual to own such a property in their name, but compared to the vast counties and duchies owned by some, it was still a more modest, realistic size.

“I told Father and Mother about you, Sister. They really want to meet you.”

When I looked at Claire in mild surprise, she quickly shook her head.

“It’s okay. I only told them that I’d found my sister. I didn’t say anything else… Ah.”

It was only after she said this that Claire seemed to realize even that much was a detail that hadn’t been widely shared.

Claire, with a slightly uneasy look on her face, gazed at me. Even though she was almost my height, something about her made her appear younger.

“Did… did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“No, it’s fine.”

I opened the envelope as I replied.

“The Grace family is a loyal house. And… it’s something that would eventually be revealed as long as you’re there.”

Claire blinked at my words.

“Besides, I was the one who took you there. There’s no reason to be upset now about what you’ve done.”

“R-really…?”

With a hint of relief, Claire watched as I took the letter out of the envelope. The letter itself was on high-quality paper, the kind only nobles would use.

Even a baron’s family is still noble, I thought as I unfolded the letter, revealing elegant cursive handwriting that looked almost as if it had been printed.

> To the Honorable Princess Sylvia Pangriffon of the Glorious Empire,
> 
> The sun’s intense rays warm the earth, and the breeze from the sea carries a hint of humidity. While some may find this weather uncomfortable, it can be a pleasant excuse to take a trip somewhere.
> 
> Our estate may not be far enough from your residence to offer a refreshing climate or entirely different surroundings, but the green lawns within our grounds are known among the nobility for their well-kept beauty. They provide one of the few places in our somewhat dreary city where the eyes can find rest.
> 
> It would be our greatest pleasure to host you here for tea and allow you to enjoy such greenery in our shaded gardens.
> 
> We sincerely hope that, through our daughter, we may receive a favorable reply from you.
> 

> July 11, 1901, Tuesday  
>   
> Edward Grace, Baron of Grace Estate.

The content of the letter aside, the handwriting gave off a strong “I am an honest person” impression. Of course, there were probably many villains with beautiful handwriting, but maybe I was reading too much into it because of my own preconceived notions about Baron Grace.

After reading the letter, I looked up to find Claire watching me with a hesitant expression, her hands clasped behind her back. She didn’t seem confident that I would respond favorably, and there was a faint shyness in the way she looked up at me, her head slightly lowered. It reminded me, vaguely, of an expression I’d seen before.

It was the same look she would give me back in the orphanage when I would share my food with her.

It seemed that even after a decade, Claire hadn’t lost that habit, likely shaped by those five years of having nothing.

Perhaps that’s why I remembered it so clearly—after all, I had been the first person to show her kindness.

“All right.”

I carefully folded the letter and returned it to the envelope.

“I’ll accept the invitation. Is there any particular date they have in mind?”

“Oh, no, any time after exams and the end of term would be fine!”

Claire’s face lit up with a bright smile at my response.

Honestly, I wondered what would have to happen to such a sweet child to turn her into what she became in the original story.

Maybe it was a miracle that she hadn’t broken entirely, that she had held on despite everything. It was proof of how strong she was.

After all, she was the kind of person who could die for a sister she hadn’t been particularly close to in the end.

At least, thanks to this, I could put off facing the Emperor for a bit longer, which made my heart feel slightly lighter.

Besides, I had been curious to see the Grace Estate at least once. While I would have eventually visited it in the original story, waiting around passively until then felt frustrating.

“In that case, after the exams and the end-of-term ceremony, I’ll visit right away. Does that work?”

“That would be great! I’ll let my parents know right away!”

Parents.

Thinking about it, I’d been with Claire often, but I hadn’t actually heard much about how she’d grown up. Compared to the original, she must have grown up in a far better environment, and perhaps that’s why she hadn’t felt the need to mention it.

After all, this was also the protagonist’s family.

Hearing firsthand from Baron Grace and his wife about how Leo and Claire grew up could be quite enlightening.

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Chapter 112

I don’t have particularly fond memories of my school days.

But then again, I don’t have any particularly bad memories either. I just went to school like everyone else, got through it, and graduated without much fuss. My grades were neither outstanding nor terrible, and I’d like to think I managed to make a few friends along the way.

Though, I never did manage to get a girlfriend.

I was an otaku, and my friends were otaku as well. We didn’t travel anywhere far together, but we did attend related events as a group, pooled money to buy manga, or headed to PC rooms after exams.

Looking back, those memories seem insignificant compared to the things I’ve experienced here at the Academy. None of those memories were vivid enough to remember the exact dates, and out of those friends I once hung out with, I could count the ones I kept in touch with on one hand. I even struggled to recall some of their faces or names.

Still, perhaps because this is a school for teenagers as well, I sometimes found myself reminiscing about those days.

“We’ll be parting ways for a little while,” said Charlotte, the first to break the silence.

Just like in my old world, the school closed early for exams. Taking advantage of the free time, we all decided to hang out and wander around.

We strolled through the streets outside the Academy, not doing much, then spent some time in a café, sipping tea and eating parfaits. We chatted about trivial things and shared laughter over mundane topics that I barely remember now.

It hadn’t seemed like long, but before we knew it, the sun was setting, painting the sky with a warm red glow.

“You’re going back to Lutetia?” Alice asked.

“Yes, I am. After all, I’m the princess of Velbur,” Charlotte replied, with a faint smile as if feeling a bit wistful.

“But we’ll see each other again soon, right? Summer break isn’t that long,” she added.

The break was just over a month, so barring any unforeseen events, we would all reunite for the second semester.

However, on further thought, it also meant that after graduation, meeting up wouldn’t be so simple.

If Charlotte were merely one of Velbur’s nobility and not the princess, she might have been able to visit Rondarium for a few days each year, reconnecting with Alice over tea, catching up, and parting ways again.

But, both Alice and Charlotte were important figures in their respective imperial and royal families. Although not yet officially announced, Alice was a strong candidate for the throne, and Charlotte had no siblings to share her royal responsibilities.

“…”

Alice’s expression darkened as if the same thoughts had crossed her mind.

…If events followed the original storyline, these two would become enemies. Though Alice, in her efforts to end the war, would reconcile with Charlotte, the peace wouldn’t last long.

Charlotte noticed Alice’s expression and suddenly extended her hand.

“Then, I’ll see you after the break. And if you ever come to visit Lutetia again… I’ll make sure you get a taste of Velbur’s cuisine, which is far more diverse and flavorful than that of the Empire,” she teased, as if daring her.

Alice finally broke into a smile.

Holding Charlotte’s hand, she replied, “The Empire’s cuisine is improving a lot. Come back in about ten years, and even a Velburian won’t be able to look down on it.”

Charlotte shrugged playfully.

“Lena, you’re returning to the Autonomous Region, right?” I asked.

“That’s correct. My belongings are already packed,” Lena replied, standing at attention. Even in this weather, she wasn’t wearing short sleeves. It was as if she thought wearing lighter clothing might somehow diminish her military spirit.

Not that Lena was immune to the heat.

In fact, coming from a cooler region, this weather likely wasn’t easy for her. I noticed a slight sheen of sweat on the back of her neck.

“I’ll make sure to train hard so that by the second semester, I won’t be a burden to Your Highness.”

It seemed Lena hadn’t fully gotten over the fact that we went to another dungeon without her in June. She hadn’t openly shown any resentment, but she must have felt that her lack of skill was to blame.

Lena’s grades weren’t low by any means, though.

“…Um…”

When Lena hesitated, speaking with a cautious tone, I was a bit surprised. She rarely displayed such hesitation, especially not in front of others.

After fidgeting for a moment, she looked at me and asked timidly, “Would it be all right… if I wrote to you?”

I nearly laughed.

Honestly, I hadn’t done anything particularly deserving of Lena’s admiration. If anything, the only time I had interacted with her in that way was running through the training grounds in her presence, yet that one moment seemed to have left a strong impression on her.

She’d already held me in high regard after hearing about my exploits on the battlefield, and seeing me in action had likely solidified that view.

“Of course.”

At my response, Lena’s lips curled up slightly in a rare smile.

---

We didn’t accompany them to the train station. With so many students leaving for the Academy break, the place would already be packed, and the appearance of two princesses would have practically shut it down.

Charlotte would be in a private compartment, and Lena would be on a train heading north, but they would depart from the same station. Normally, if they were leaving the relatively secure Academy grounds for a busy, anonymous public area, they’d need a retinue of guards.

Airships weren’t yet used for civilian travel, and while passenger planes were being developed, they hadn’t been commercialized yet. So, we said our goodbyes within the Academy grounds.

“Well… I’ll be on my way, then,” Mia Crowfield said in her soft, slightly timid voice.

“You did well. We really appreciated your help,” Alice told her.

“Oh, no… it was nothing…”

Mia blushed and bowed her head at Alice’s words.

Then—

“…”

She looked over at me with a somewhat complicated expression.

“Thank you… for everything,” she said, bowing her head.

She wasn’t holding her staff. It was the last day, after all, and students weren’t allowed to carry weapons around campus.

But the blue gemstone that would normally be shining at the tip of her staff was still something I had given her.

It occurred to me that this gemstone was something she likely wouldn’t have been able to acquire even at this point.

Given that, I suppose her expression made sense.

“You worked hard, too,” I replied, bowing my head slightly to Mia. She looked at me, a bit taken aback, before hastily turning and hurrying off.

“You don’t need to say goodbye to me,” came a lighthearted voice from behind me.

I turned to see Jake, with his ever-loyal maid by his side.

“We’ll be staying an extra day before heading out.”

Even with two princesses present, Jake’s casual attitude didn’t change. His maid, Lottie, gave him a disapproving look, but he seemed completely unaffected.

“Still, a farewell is a farewell,” Alice said. “We’re planning to leave today as well.”

“Oh, really?”

Jake seemed unfazed, as if wondering why they were in such a hurry since they were all staying in the same city.

“It’s better to get things done early since we’re already here. And even if we leave first, our belongings can stay for a while longer, can’t they?”

After all, it’s not like we’ll be the ones moving them ourselves.

“Is that so?”

Jake likely wanted to stay back for a day to spend more time with Lottie.

“Well then, let’s say our goodbyes now. See you in the second semester,” I said.

“Come back as a slightly more grounded man next time,” Alice added with a smirk, to which Jake just laughed heartily.

---

“Th-then…” Leo stammered, looking rather nervous.

“As the future head of the Grace family, I would like to formally invite both princesses to our estate.”

“…”

Alice looked at him with an amused, slightly exasperated expression.

“There’s no need to be so formal, Leo. Even among nobles, friends can keep things casual.”

“Oh, r-right…”

“Actually, you don’t even need to be so polite—never mind,” Alice sighed, while Claire rubbed her forehead.

“Well, since you’ve extended such a formal invitation,” Alice said, a mischievous glint in her eye, moving toward Leo and lightly holding the edges of her skirt.

“I will be happy to accept it.”

She offered a graceful, yet playful, curtsy by placing one leg slightly behind and bending her knees just enough, all while keeping her head high.

It was no surprise that Leo’s face turned an even deeper shade of red.

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Chapter 113

Even though the Imperial Capital wasn’t as vast as some of the mega-cities back on Earth, like Seoul, New York, or Tokyo, traversing from one end to the other still required quite some time by carriage or train.

Of course, this city wasn’t a true "megalopolis" like those modern capitals. With technology and living standards still at early 20th-century levels, population growth had surged compared to medieval times, but that didn’t mean everyone here was living to the age of seventy.

The official census estimated the Empire’s population at just over 110 million. Considering the countless illegitimate children and orphans born and abandoned in the industrial zones, the actual population was likely a bit higher.

In the Imperial Capital, the population had just begun to densely concentrate, reaching over seven million. For this world, it was an overwhelming metropolis, though compared to the mega-cities I’d known, it still seemed somewhat lacking.

Nevertheless, a city of seven million people was by no means small. Perhaps it wasn’t as large as Seoul, but outside of Seoul, there was hardly any other city in Korea with such a population.

Due to a rather peculiar law known as the “Appropriate Machinery Act,” steam-powered vehicles were practically non-existent in the Capital, leaving carriages as our only option. Moving at a mere 10 kilometers per hour, a city of this size felt, by modern standards, significantly larger than it was.

Thankfully, the journey from the Academy to the Grace Estate wasn’t too far.

Though I’d only come to the entrance once as a child, it still left an impression.

In an era when smoke from factories symbolized industrialization and steam from locomotives represented modernization, it was rare to see a place in the heart of the Capital proudly maintain a lush green lawn.

It wasn’t exactly what you’d call "quaint." It was just that, with such a large piece of land, most people would expect it to be put to other uses. Nobles might not go so far as to build factories in their front yards, but they typically used land for extensive gardens rather than simple lawns.

Moreover, for an "estate," there weren’t many guards around. Unlike the Winterfield, Northwood, and Crowfield estates, where heavily armed guards kept a constant watch around the noble residences, this estate was guarded by only two people at the entrance.

The guards’ attire wasn’t much different from that of city patrol officers, save for the fact that they carried swords at their waists.

They wore dark uniforms with buttons in a single row, belts of fine leather, and trousers paired with polished shoes—very similar to early 20th-century British police uniforms, except their coats were black instead of blue, perhaps to distinguish them from regular city officers. They lacked the iconic hats, though.

Their appearance, with the dark colors and weapons, could have intimidated passersby, but their expressions were calm and relaxed, which softened their presence. Frankly, they looked approachable enough that I’d consider asking them for directions if I were lost.

“Welcome, young master. And young lady.”

“It’s been a while!” Claire beamed, waving her hand enthusiastically. She received only a cursory check—a mere inquiry about any weapons she might be carrying—and the guards smiled warmly at her greeting.

Even though they were armed, they looked more like genial uncles smiling at their niece than intimidating sentries.

Given Claire’s warm familiarity with the guards, they were likely close retainers of the Grace family rather than simple hires. Even though retainers are technically employees, loyalty often went beyond monetary ties.

“Have you been well?” Claire asked.

Leo, seated across from her and able to see through the same window, chimed in as well. “It’s good to see you both.”

“Of course, young master,” replied the older guard with a grin. “And have you been well yourself?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

The older guard chuckled, adding, “The Baron has been concerned that you’re perhaps a bit ‘too well.’”

“...What?”

“For instance, that you might have lost some muscle and gained a bit of weight…”

The younger guard examined Leo carefully, causing him to protest.

“No, I’ve been training diligently!”

“Well, that’s for the Baron to decide, don’t you think?”

The way they interacted with Leo seemed slightly different than with Claire.

Maybe it was because Claire was a young woman, and Leo, as the heir, bore a different set of responsibilities. In this society, it was often considered ungentlemanly for a man to bicker or challenge a woman directly.

Moreover, Leo was the next head of the family. He would carry the responsibility for the Grace family until his dying days.

As for Claire… one day, she would marry into another noble family. Although she’d still be linked to the Grace family by blood, her name would change to that of her husband’s house, and she’d no longer be a member of the Grace family.

For this reason, they likely allowed Claire more freedom. As long as she upheld basic etiquette befitting her noble status, that was enough.

After a bit more lighthearted banter, a bell rang from a speaker-like device by the main gate.

The younger guard went over to the speaker and listened briefly before returning with a smile.

“The Baron and Baroness of Grace are honored to welcome the two princesses to their estate.”

Then, with a graceful motion, both guards drew their swords and presented them in salute, holding the blades upright in front of their faces with one hand behind their backs. The stance was so perfectly executed it looked like it belonged on the cover of a military manual.

“On behalf of the Imperial family, we thank you for the welcome,” Alice replied from within the carriage, showing as much respect as she could given the space constraints.

The guards lowered their swords and returned them to their sheaths.

“Then, we hope you enjoy a pleasant and fulfilling time here at Grace Estate.”

---

“Simple” does not always equate to “impoverished.”

Noble estates are typically adorned with extravagant decorations—gardens with vibrant flowers, lavish fountains, and even labyrinths on occasion.

But, as mentioned before, Grace Estate wasn’t decorated in such an opulent manner.

Maintaining such a pristine lawn isn’t easy. Not a single blade of grass was out of place, and there were no patches of bare or yellowed spots.

The buildings on the estate followed the same aesthetic. While they lacked the elaborate, antiquated decorations common to other noble estates, the buildings here seemed to have been built with modern techniques, perhaps even reminiscent of 20th-century New York rather than European castles.

The buildings, with their clean, restrained lines, gave the estate more of a "facility" feel than a traditional noble’s estate. It reminded me of an old, prestigious university.

“It is an honor to welcome the princesses to our estate,” greeted Baron Edward Grace, standing in front of the main entrance.

He didn’t look much different from how I remembered seeing him ten years ago. Not that I’d gotten a clear look back then, but I could see some resemblance to Leo in his blue hair and eyes. Claire, despite not sharing blood, had seamlessly integrated into this family, perhaps due to her similar hair color and eye shade. Anyone unaware of her background would assume she was a true blood relative.

Baron Grace bowed with noble decorum, and his wife, standing slightly behind him, followed suit, giving a polite curtsey. She, too, had blue hair, though hers had a softer, emerald-tinged hue in the sunlight.

“We’re here as friends of Claire and Leo, so there’s no need to be overly formal,” Alice said calmly, and I nodded in agreement.

Not that I bowed or inclined my head, of course.

Titles and status truly do complicate personal interactions, don’t they?

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Chapter 114

By the time we arrived, the sun was already setting, so we headed straight into the main building without delay. Since we’d be staying here for a few days, there was no rush to explore the grounds; we could save that for tomorrow.

Leo and Baron Grace seemed to have some matters to discuss separately from us.

As I watched Leo follow his father, I noticed an expression on his face that suggested this wouldn’t just be a simple conversation. Knowing the Grace family’s customs from the original story, it was likely that he would be sparring with his father.

Baron Grace’s prowess in combat was ranked among the best in the game.

And he certainly wasn’t the type to go easy on his own son.

…Considering the situation, Leo’s expression was understandable. If I came home expecting a relaxing break, only to find training even tougher than at the Academy waiting for me, I’d probably look the same way.

This also made me feel a bit uneasy.

After all, once I returned to the Imperial Palace, I would undoubtedly have an audience with the Emperor.

Even if Leo wasn’t heading off to rigorous training, there was still the question of him being around us. While the Academy was mixed-gender by design, it was generally frowned upon in noble society for a man to linger among groups of women.

If he were a rugged, masculine figure attracting female attention, that might be considered admirable, but with Leo’s soft, youthful looks, it wouldn’t leave the best impression if he spent his time chatting with women.

I felt a bit of sympathy for Leo once again. As long as Alice and I were here, he’d inevitably be seen in that light by others.

“When I heard that the ‘sister’ Claire always talked about was a princess, I must admit I had my doubts about her memory,” said the baroness, who had led us to the drawing room and served as our hostess.

She spoke elegantly while sipping tea. Noticing she hadn’t added any sugar, I briefly considered forgoing sugar as well, but in the end, I added just one cube. I figured I’d probably leave the tea untouched if I didn’t.

Fortunately, the atmosphere was relaxed enough that small gestures like this went unnoticed.

“….”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to the baroness, so I took a sip of tea, stalling for a moment, and then replied, “That reaction is perfectly reasonable.”

“Sister…”

Claire murmured sadly at my words before quickly falling silent, casting a glance at the baroness.

I didn’t think the Grace family had ever discriminated against Claire for not being blood-related; she was likely more worried about having called me “sister” in front of the baroness.

Although Baron Grace and his wife were relatively progressive, they were still nobles. Among nobility, addressing someone as “sister” was considered inappropriate if they weren’t truly related by blood—especially when that person was a princess.

Ironically, precisely because the Grace family didn’t discriminate against those without blood ties, they saw me as unquestionably a part of the royal family.

“It’s all right,” I said, speaking up before the baroness could respond.

“During our childhood, we relied on each other,” I explained.

Claire blushed slightly, while Alice looked back and forth between us, her eyes gleaming with interest.

Alice had never asked about my past. Although we hadn’t formally agreed not to, it was an unspoken rule. This applied not only to me but to the other children of the Emperor as well.

In the original story, Alice hadn’t known about Claire’s past, either, for the same reason.

But having someone who knew parts of my past sitting in front of me must have stirred Alice’s curiosity, even if she didn’t ask directly.

“I see…” the baroness said, studying me carefully.

The confirmation of her daughter’s memories by a princess herself seemed to leave her slightly cautious.

“Claire and I both came from the same orphanage. I was the one who brought Claire here,” I added.

“And you also brought some of the other children along,” she said gently.

“…Yes.”

Though there was no hint of blame in her voice, speaking about it made me feel a bit embarrassed, as if I’d left a difficult responsibility with them.

In a way, it was like I had abandoned those children here with the Grace family, knowing their good nature.

Originally, I had considered seeking refuge here as well.

I often wondered how my life would have turned out if I had grown up here. Would I have played and bickered with Claire and Leo like siblings, like I’d seen them do? Or would I have assumed the role of the eldest among them?

Of course, since I lacked skill with the sword, I probably wouldn’t have been adopted by the Grace family. In fact, of the children left here, only Claire had been adopted.

I would have taken the Academy’s entrance exam, but half of my life might have turned out differently.

If that had happened, my relationship with Alice might not have been equal—I might have looked up to her instead.

Each decision shapes the future in unexpected ways.

“You don’t need to worry,” the baroness said kindly, noticing my thoughtful expression.

“All of the children grew up splendidly. Some of them have already started working as retainers for our family.”

“Is that so?”

Hmm…

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how those children remembered me. Claire seemed to have strong memories of me, but for the others…

To be truthful, I barely remembered their faces or names.

I had focused intently on recalling the details of the game. I had rewritten things on paper multiple times to commit them to memory and even visited places in the Capital that served as settings in the game.

But aside from that, I hadn’t made an effort to remember every detail of my other memories. Simply getting through life had been enough of a challenge for me.

Still, it was reassuring to know that the children had turned out well.

“In fact,” the baroness said, setting down her teacup with a slightly more serious tone, “we haven’t disclosed your true identity to the children. It’s a sensitive matter in many ways.”

“Thank you,” I replied sincerely.

I didn’t mind if the fact that I wasn’t related by blood got out, but it was better to keep the truth of my actual identity hidden. The fewer people who knew, the better.

By that measure, Claire calling me "sister" was a bit risky too… but Claire had always been considered somewhat unconventional among the noble class.

Moreover, most of the noble children suspected I had something backing me, so few wanted to directly engage with me. They didn’t pay much mind to the unusual way Claire addressed me.

“However, if you wish, I could arrange for you to meet the other children,” the baroness offered.

“….”

I glanced at Alice and Claire.

Alice seemed mildly interested. After meeting Claire, the child I had supposedly saved, she was likely curious to see how the others had turned out.

Claire, on the other hand, looked expectant.

Though she had been adopted by the Grace family, she had probably grown close to those children before then. I might have only spent a brief time with them, but Claire must have shared her early childhood with them, creating a bond akin to that of childhood friends.

In that sense, I felt a bit curious too.

Even if they didn’t recognize me, I wondered what sort of relationships Claire had built with them.

Given the Grace family’s open relationship with their retainers, Claire might even speak to them casually.

And more importantly…

I was curious to see if what I did back then had held any true meaning.

However…

“It’s already getting late,” I pointed out.

We hadn’t had dinner yet, but it was nearly time for it.

While commoners might get by on a handful of hours of sleep, nobles operated differently. And the Grace family certainly wouldn’t treat their retainers like factory laborers.

If we announced our intention to visit now, it might disrupt their routines. Not to mention, having a princess wander around would mean everyone would have to stop and greet her.

“You needn’t worry about that,” the baroness replied confidently.

“There is a child currently working and training within this very mansion. Today, they happen to be working in the afternoon, so there shouldn’t be any issue with visiting.”

Both Alice and Claire looked at me expectantly.

“…All right. Then I’ll graciously accept your offer,” I replied.

And so, my decision was made.

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Chapter 115

The role of a butler is a specialized profession.

This is especially true if the butler is managing a bourgeois household with numerous business ventures or a noble family with a long history.

While they may not deal with matters on par with the royal treasury, the amount of money they handle isn't something that can simply be recorded in a household ledger like in an ordinary family.

Though calculators, mechanical devices, and computers of a sort existed in this world, they were far slower and more complex compared to the devices powered by semiconductors in my world. Thus, the quality of the people operating these machines—and those managing them—was critical.

The most important factor was human trustworthiness.

It was vital to trust someone enough to manage large sums without pocketing any of it. Someone competent enough to calculate taxes precisely to avoid any issues with the royal palace. Finding someone who met all these criteria externally was no easy task, as such people were likely already employed elsewhere.

For this reason, noble families of a certain stature would often try to cultivate such individuals within their households. Ideally, they preferred family members. Even if someone tried to embezzle, it would ultimately come back to the family itself, minimizing any losses. They also calculated taxes with extreme precision—while they aimed to pay as little as possible, they didn’t delude themselves into thinking they could outwit the royal inspection agency.

An admirable worker indeed.

However, not all members of noble families were as discerning or intelligent.

So, they began training people from scratch, instilling loyalty along the way.

The baron’s butler was no exception.

"It’s the honor of a lifetime," he said, his words sounding exaggerated yet delivered in a manner that made them seem genuine. So sincere, in fact, that I almost doubted if he was actually serious.

The butler wore his short-cropped hair parted in a strict 2:8 ratio, slicked back with pomade. He looked like he should have graying hair, given his age, but his hair was black, perhaps dyed.

His mustache was neatly trimmed without a single stray hair. A thin gold chain draped from the vest pocket of his black three-piece suit, likely attached to a pocket watch.

"It’s a pleasure for us to visit such a well-kept estate. Surely, its beauty is thanks to your hard work," Alice complimented.

"You flatter me," the butler replied modestly, though he couldn’t completely conceal the pride on his face. The level of pride, however, was appropriate—a mere hint, like a fragrance added sparingly.

"I was showing the princesses around the mansion," the butler explained. "Since they’ll be staying for several days, and may even visit again, it seemed appropriate."

The butler's gaze shifted subtly toward Claire, who stood nearby. In that single glance, he seemed to grasp the situation entirely.

Either that or he was someone who often conversed with Claire. Considering the guards we met at the entrance, the latter seemed more likely.

"If needed, I could assist in the tour," he offered to the baroness.

The baroness shook her head gently. Her graceful movements gave her the appearance of a noblewoman raised in sheltered luxury, yet the calluses on her fingertips, which I’d noticed earlier, told a different story.

Those calluses were evidence of more than just casual sword practice; they suggested she trained whenever she could. I had no doubt she noticed my brief glance at her hands, though she showed no reaction.

"As the lady of the house, it’s my responsibility to guide the princesses," she stated.

"Understood."

The butler bowed deeply to the baroness, showing no hint of objection.

"My reason for seeking you out," I said, "was to meet the child training here to work in this mansion."

The butler’s gaze rose again. There was a fleeting curiosity in his eyes, gone almost as soon as I noticed it.

"The child has finished their tasks for the day and is resting."

"Would it be an imposition to visit them now?"

"Not at all. Being under the baron’s grace, they would surely welcome the opportunity."

Though it was indeed intrusive to disturb someone after their working hours, this was a noble society, and most of the children working here had been taken in by the family, who had saved their lives. Besides, they were well-fed and well-cared for, certainly more so than in an average peasant household. Their loyalty was likely sincere, or at least their desire to stay here was.

Thinking back, the child I was about to meet was a character not mentioned in the original story.

The butler, however, was someone I remembered. While not an essential character, he was present every time the player visited the Grace household in the game, and even provided a side quest.

The orphans I’d forced onto the estate, however, weren’t part of the original cast.

Still, meeting them was far less unsettling than when I first encountered Lena or that strange, humanoid creature in the dungeon… the one that made me wonder if it was me.

At least I could guess why these children had ended up here.

If I had stayed here, they would have called me “big sister.” The thought made me feel… strange.

"..."

I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing Alice was watching me intently. I shifted my gaze elsewhere.

What’s done is done. Time… well, I couldn’t turn it back like I once could.

Had I been able to escape Lucas, it might have been possible. There was always a one-in-a-thousand, one-in-a-million chance of finding a way.

But I hadn’t taken it. Even if I could turn time back, I likely wouldn’t.

Well… I guess.

Lucas was somewhat intimidating, Jayden was bothersome, and Bella was a bit annoying, but Alice was someone I cherished.

Dealing with Alice, who whined like a child—or rather, as a child—wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined. In the original story, she was usually serious unless she did something outlandish, and I rarely saw her whining like this.

So, those memories felt too precious to dismiss.

Had I been on the other side, I might have felt the same way.

If I had to choose one path, I’d likely struggle with the decision until the end. It was better to never experience the other, making it easier to let go.

"This way, please."

The butler guided us effortlessly to the quarters where he and the other staff stayed. The baroness followed without hesitation.

This suggested they kept their rooms clean and orderly, ready for inspection by their masters at any time.

"…"

Alice and Claire had worn warm smiles before we arrived, but upon seeing my face, their expressions stiffened. Alice’s changed first, and Claire’s followed as she glanced between Alice and me.

What kind of expression was I wearing now?

Probably… a blank one.

A mask so devoid of emotion even I couldn’t tell what I was feeling.

That was the character I’d cultivated.

*

On Earth, older people had a habit of romanticizing elementary school as a time of innocence and fond memories. I never agreed with them.

Maybe my memory was worse than others', or maybe it was something else, but I had few, blurry memories from those years.

A few faces came to mind, though I couldn’t recall their names or what they looked like clearly.

So, I had little nostalgia. My clearest memory was of the spicy rice cakes sold in front of the school, one of the few recollections I had from that time.

As I stood in front of a boy who looked a few years younger than me, I struggled to bring a face to mind.

But it seemed that the boy, not fully grown out of childhood, was different.

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Chapter 116

As expected in a game like this, young girls and boys are typically drawn to look adorable.

Yes, that includes the boys. After all, there aren’t many ways to make a child look "cool." No matter how impressively they’re designed, to an adult, they’re still just kids. Even if an elementary schooler says, "I’ll protect you!" it just comes across as cute.

…Elementary school.

Thinking about it, I'm currently fifteen years old. Excluding the age of the soul within this body, and counting from when this body was created, I was fifteen in this world’s years.

In Korea, that would place me in the equivalent of ninth grade. Outwardly, though, I didn’t look much different from a high schooler. Maybe the game’s modeling carried over here somehow; I’m not sure.

It’s strange to think about how absurd it is to dress kids like this in bunny costumes... 

I often forgot that the characters here, given the growth dynamics different from Earth, were just kids according to the game’s standards.

If we hadn’t worn masks, people at the casino would have probably recognized right away that we were too young.

Although someone might have realized Alice was a princess before that.

And naturally, the boy standing in front of me, a few years younger than I, looked very much like an upper elementary or early middle schooler. This world didn’t have a clear middle school concept, but that’s how he appeared.

With green hair, dressed in an outfit that looked like a child’s butler uniform, and a face that was neat and cute enough to have been a regular character in the original game... but this was an unfamiliar face.

That’s to be expected; if I hadn’t saved him, he would have likely been sold. And if he didn’t have that pretty face, he might not have even been at the orphanage.

The boy looked up at me with emerald-green eyes, his expression slightly surprised.

I wasn’t as skilled as Alice at reading people’s expressions, so I wasn’t sure if he was surprised to see my face or if he recognized me as the "Sylvia Black."

"They’re esteemed guests who will be staying here for several days," the butler informed him.

"Oh, yes."

The boy’s voice responded promptly, and the butler's brows furrowed slightly. It seemed he wasn’t pleased with the boy’s momentary lapse in attention.

But it appeared he wasn’t the type to scold a child in front of guests, nor did he seem the kind to raise his voice. The young apprentice butler didn’t seem intimidated by him either. Had he been mistreated, he wouldn’t have stood so confidently.

The boy placed one hand over his heart, clasped his other hand behind his back, and gave a slight bow. The graceful movements revealed the extent of his training.

"I’m Daniel, a butler-in-training. I look forward to serving you during your stay."

Though he likely wouldn’t be guiding us himself… ah.

Daniel.

Hearing his name triggered a memory from deep within. There had been a quiet, composed child with striking green hair, one who had a similar demeanor to Claire. Younger than her, but with the same calm aura.

We had all been young back then. Claire and I were only five years old, and there were even younger children—orphans whom that old woman at the orphanage had "acquired" from somewhere.

They were "goods" she held onto and later resold for a high price.

Had Daniel been particularly attached to me?

I wasn’t sure. Back then, most of my attention was focused on Claire. I had been kind to the other children, sharing my food and telling awkwardly made-up stories, but that was about it. There had been too many to take care of individually. I was just one person.

Still, the fact that none of them caused me any particular trouble suggested Daniel had likely been an obedient child as well.

"Daniel!"

Claire, as if seeing him after a long time, instinctively stepped forward, only to pause and look back at her mother.

The baroness regarded Claire with a slightly stern expression.

I glanced at Claire.

She had her hands slightly raised, as if she had intended to run over and hug Daniel.

But it wouldn’t be appropriate for a fifteen-year-old girl in this world to do that.

While teenage marriages weren’t unheard of here, children who attended academies weren’t treated as mere kids anymore.

The line between "adult" and "child" was incredibly blurry in this world. Stories of seventeen-year-olds who lied about their age to join the military and became celebrated heroes were common, but at the same time, those under twenty were often reminded by "real adults" that certain responsibilities weren’t for children.

There was no charter of human rights yet. Who knows if there ever would be.

"Oh, it’s been a while?" Claire hastily lowered her hands and waved them enthusiastically as if that had been her intention all along.

"Haha…" Daniel chuckled awkwardly, lowering his head slightly as he replied, "It’s been a while, Miss Claire."

Claire’s expression turned slightly discontent at his response.

There was no hint of a romantic undertone between them. It would have been difficult for there to be one, anyway. One looked young yet seemed mature, while the other was still closer to childhood.

More than that—

I slowly looked around the room.

It was a very tidy space. Not empty, but neatly arranged, with various items organized in a way that made it feel comfortable.

There were two bunk beds in the room, indicating it was meant for multiple occupants.

"The other children are all attending to different tasks. Currently, Daniel is the only one residing here," the butler explained, noticing my gaze. The baroness nodded in agreement.

Perhaps Claire had once stayed in a similar room with Daniel. They likely separated rooms by gender, but they must have lived as siblings before Claire was adopted by the Grace family.

Had they hugged freely back then? Knowing Claire, it seemed likely.

My gaze, which had been wandering around the room, gradually focused on Daniel’s face.

I studied his expression carefully.

Were there any signs of injury? Did he look unhappy or sad? I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to check, but it seemed necessary.

And, to my relief, I found nothing concerning.

Satisfied, I finally spoke.

"I trust you’ve been well."

Though it might have been impolite to ask such a question without a proper introduction.

But Daniel replied as if he’d already been informed about me.

"Yes, I’ve been well and have lacked for nothing."

"I see."

I chose my next words carefully. How should I continue?

"I heard there are others from the same orphanage…"

"They’re all under the Grace family’s protection. They’re currently finding various ways to repay the family’s kindness."

"I see."

I took that to mean they were all doing well.

"…"

I almost asked if he remembered my face but held back.

Somehow, I felt I already knew the answer.

At first, I thought he was simply surprised by the unexpected visit. News of two princesses visiting the mansion would have already spread among the household staff.

But… there was a look of understanding on his face that seemed different from mere surprise.

"It’s late today," I said slowly, carefully choosing my words for the next part.

"But if you’re free tomorrow…"

I hesitated, briefly questioning if it was appropriate to ask this way.

"Could you introduce me to your friends?"

In the brief silence that followed, there was no tension, only a moment of stillness.

"I’d be happy to," Daniel replied, bowing his head to me.

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Chapter 117

Alice lay on the bed, staring intently at the ceiling.

Sleep wouldn’t come.

It wasn’t that the bed at the baron’s estate was uncomfortable compared to the one at the academy. In fact, the most expensive bed brands were well-known, and any noble household with decent wealth, or even wealthy commoners, would likely have beds from those brands. Staying as a guest in a respectable household rarely brought concerns about uncomfortable beds.

The reason Alice couldn’t sleep wasn’t the bed—it was Sylvia.

Or maybe it was also because of Claire, or perhaps even the children from the orphanage where Claire and Sylvia had spent their early years.

More precisely, it was because of "those children who had been with Sylvia."

Alice prided herself on knowing Sylvia well. She had known her since they were five—a very young age in a person’s life—and with ten years between them, she could almost call Sylvia her sister without anyone questioning it. Hardly anyone could recall memories from before the age of five anyway.

Yet… today, Sylvia’s expression seemed to suggest she remembered that time quite vividly.

Alice’s ability to read Sylvia’s expressions often surprised others, and Sylvia would look at her with a baffled gaze as if Alice had some strange talent. But the truth was, it was no special skill at all.

To understand Sylvia’s expressions, all Alice had to do was look into her eyes.

Sylvia’s gaze, whether directed at a person or an object, had never been devoid of emotion. Sylvia was always thinking, calculating.

Today, the expression Sylvia had when looking at Daniel was almost… nostalgic.

Seeing Sylvia display such a nostalgic look gave Alice an oddly unsettling feeling.

Discovering a side of someone you prided yourself on knowing well wasn’t always pleasant.

She wanted to understand it. But the feelings she was experiencing weren’t as simple as that.

Even in the pitch-dark room, if one stared at the ceiling long enough, faint light would find its way in through the shadows. Not enough to call it “light,” of course—barely enough to discern the expression of the person beside you.

Turning her head, Alice could just barely make out the faint shape of Sylvia’s figure on the other bed, a shadowy outline in the darkness.

Come to think of it, Alice had rarely seen Sylvia sleep. They had used separate rooms since childhood.

Even on long train rides, Sylvia had never dozed off, and the same was true during classes and breaks.

Alice knew that Sylvia was exceptionally disciplined, always going to bed by 11 p.m. without fail—

"Ah."

Only now did she realize that Sylvia always slept deeply and woke up refreshed. Unless she had a mission or some pressing task, Sylvia always maintained that routine.

Maybe Sylvia was someone who actually valued sleep quite a lot?

The thought surprised her.

Sylvia was always thorough, methodical, someone who always accomplished what she set out to do—

—Not just in that relic encounter from before.

"…"

She could clearly remember the feeling of a gun aimed at the back of her head. She hadn’t seen it directly or heard anything, but the killing intent had been unmistakable.

A fierce, murderous intent to kill without fail.

Sylvia had never shown such intent before—not even when her own life was on the line. And because that unfamiliar, hostile intent had come from Sylvia, it had felt even more jarring to Alice.

Unfamiliar. It was unlike anything she’d felt from anyone before.

Yet somehow, it felt oddly familiar.

When she had turned to face that person, she had seen the gun in their hand.

A gun that looked like the one Sylvia always carried, though a bit older.

At that point, Alice had stopped thinking about it.

For some reason, she felt that thinking about that strange person any further was something she should avoid.

"…"

Maybe she had thought too much.

It had already been a month, yet the memory of that moment still lingered somewhere in her mind, sticky and hard to erase.

She knew they would meet again someday.

At the very least, she hoped that person wasn’t the one currently sleeping beside her.

If Sylvia ever grew to hate Alice enough to want to kill her, Alice felt she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

She hoped, at the very least, that she was as important to Sylvia as the others from the orphanage.

Though she knew it was foolish to think this way, she found herself a little wistful that she wasn’t from the same orphanage.

*

Last night, she had slept deeply and without worry.

She awoke early, before dawn, feeling unusually refreshed and alert. She lay there, contemplating the reason.

Perhaps it was because there was no one else here she needed to be wary of.

Leo was important, of course—the protagonist. Claire was too, and so were the Baron and Baroness Grace, who played significant roles in the story.

But none of them had any reason to harm her.

Alice even more so. Just last year, Alice might have seen her as a rival, but over the past year, she had grown surprisingly mature and now practically saw herself as my older sister.

Now, she was sound asleep, even more deeply than I was.

Once I thought it through, I understood.

I didn’t need to worry about being backstabbed by Lucas, nor about Leo and Claire sneaking out before dawn to take on some mission, nor about wasting energy dealing with other nobles along the way. Here, everyone was trustworthy enough for me to relax around.

"Heh."

And yet, for some reason, I felt an odd emptiness, and I chuckled quietly to myself.

Glancing at Alice, it seemed she was in a deep sleep, oblivious to my quiet laughter.

I sat up in bed. Most of my things from the academy had likely been transferred to the palace by now, but I had brought a few useful items along for stays outside the palace, all packed in a large trunk.

I reached under the bed, pulled out the trunk, and picked out a few articles of clothing and undergarments.

"…"

I glanced down at the clothes I’d selected.

In my hands was my academy uniform.

An endlessly militaristic uniform.

Most of the other clothes in the trunk were similar. Even if they weren’t my uniform, they were almost all military-style outfits, much like what Lucas or Jayden wore.

However, I did have a few dresses packed.

I thought of Claire. Yesterday, I had still been in my uniform since we had just arrived, but would I be wearing it again today?

She liked wielding a sword, but I doubted her tastes extended entirely to masculine things.

I looked at the uniform in my hands for a moment before putting it back in the trunk.

I chose a different outfit instead.

*

Though it was summer, I had no interest in showering with cold water.

The bathroom was exceptionally clean but also appeared—by my standards—ancient. Not that a newly built bathroom would have been any different; this world was still in an early 1900s era. Even though it was another world, and magic or steam-powered engines had replaced electricity for various tasks, there certainly weren’t any smartphones here.

A steampunk smartphone would be fascinating to see. Considering there were digital clocks powered by wind-up mechanisms, maybe they could create one if they wanted.

Lost in idle thoughts, I watched as hot water flowed smoothly from the showerhead.

Gazing at the fogged-up shower screen, I tried to imagine how the hot water was generated using a steam engine but quickly gave up. I didn’t even know how boilers worked in my own world. Maybe they burned coal to heat the water. Apparently, older apartment buildings had central heating systems.

I chuckled at my ignorance, both here and in my previous world.

Strangely, I found it comforting.

If I’d lived so unaware before, why should it matter if I didn’t know things in this world?

*

"Sylvia…?"

It was only after I’d finished my shower, dried my hair, and fully dressed that Alice woke up. By her standards, it was late.

And she looked at me with a startled expression.

No, startled might not be the right word.

Alice’s expression was closer to shock as she looked at me.

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Chapter 118

Right, it’s true that I rarely wore dresses.

Noting Alice’s expression, I thought to myself.

“Does it… not suit me?”

I asked straightforwardly.

I don’t trust my own sense of fashion. I didn’t consider myself someone who dressed particularly well in my past life, either. Back then, I would usually just buy whatever was on display in the store, set up on the mannequins. Whether it looked good on me was a different story.

Still… don’t they say the finishing touch to fashion is one’s face? And it’s not just the face but the body as well.

With the appearance of "Sylvia Pangriffon," I was sure I wouldn’t look out of place by anyone’s standards. In fact, beautiful might be the more accurate word.

So unless it was an absurdly mismatched outfit, I thought it would suit me just fine.

The dress I had on was a light blue one.

It wasn’t overly ornate, and it didn’t reveal much skin.

I thought it had a suitably refined design… though, I couldn’t be sure how it appeared to someone like Alice, who’d grown up in the royal palace.

“Uh, no, it suits you well. Really.”

Whether Alice genuinely thought it looked good or was just being polite because she couldn’t bring herself to say otherwise, I couldn’t tell.

Alice could read my expressions with ease, while I struggled to read hers. How unfair.

Not that I was planning to get upset with her; I simply asked again calmly.

“Do you think it would be inappropriate to meet the Grace family in this dress?”

I didn’t think so. Wearing a dress was common for nobles, and this dress hadn’t been cheap. It was something I’d prepared for the academy and hadn’t worn before, but considering the cost, it certainly wouldn’t be "inappropriate."

“Oh, well—”

Alice seemed like she was about to say something but closed her mouth.

For a moment, her expression stiffened. I resisted the urge to tilt my head in confusion.

If she thought the dress was so atrocious that it was outright disrespectful…

I supposed that could be the case.

It’s like going to a fashion show and being noticeably poorly dressed on purpose—while not an official rule, it would certainly be seen as bad etiquette.

Or wearing something overly bright to a funeral, or trying to outshine the bride at a wedding. Nobles might have their own similar rules. Perhaps it was considered bad form for a guest to dress more extravagantly than the host.

“—No.”

But Alice’s rigid expression soon softened.

Then, with surprising haste, she replied.

“Really?” I asked again, noting her suspiciously flustered look. Alice nodded fervently.

“Yes, it suits you well. And it’s not against etiquette. If anyone criticizes it, it’s just because they personally dislike it.”

“…”

For a moment, I wondered if she was just saying that to avoid hurting my feelings, but ultimately, I decided to take her words at face value.

Alice wouldn’t lie about something like this. Over the past ten years, that was one thing I’d come to trust completely.

If we ever had to compete, Alice would challenge me fairly, just as she had when we were children.

“Understood.”

Seeing me nod without protest, Alice seemed visibly relieved.

*

Alice caught herself just before saying, "Maybe it doesn’t."

As someone less adept at hiding her expressions than Sylvia, her stiff face was entirely visible to Sylvia, who could easily observe it.

However, Sylvia’s expression remained unchanged, with only a slight flicker of curiosity.

But it wasn’t as though Alice could simply ask, "Why are you dressed like that all of a sudden?"

In noble and royal circles, words often carried many layers of meaning. Sylvia, who had lived within the royal family for ten years, surely understood this.

If Alice were to ask such a question, "all of a sudden" could imply "why here," "that attire" could imply "plain clothing," and "dressed like that?" could imply "trying to impress someone?" Sylvia would pick up on these subtleties.

And if she connected all those hidden implications, they’d boil down to one word: jealousy.

And that was… childish, wasn’t it?

Alice had never claimed to be Sylvia’s "sister" until recently, when Claire had started calling Sylvia her "big sister."

Sylvia might not have given it much thought yet, but if Alice were to cross a few more lines, Sylvia might realize that Alice was feeling envious of Claire.

It wasn’t a deep, possessive jealousy. Rather, it was simply that Alice was unable to ask Sylvia directly, her thoughts and emotions tied up in questions she couldn’t voice.

So, it was something like this:

Did Sylvia resent being taken to the royal palace by Lucas?

Behind that impassive expression, was there a faint hint of resentment toward Alice?

Had Sylvia never once considered Alice her sister, seeing her only as a means to an end—a tool to secure the future she wanted or avoid something she feared?

Were those occasional glimpses of humanity in Sylvia just an act to deceive Alice?

“It’s getting late.”

Sylvia’s words interrupted Alice’s wandering thoughts.

Alice blinked at the calm look on Sylvia’s face. Perhaps the light blue dress, slightly out of character, made Sylvia seem even more at ease.

Sylvia was, undeniably, beautiful. Almost anything would look good on her.

But, something felt off.

Her shoulders were too tense, standing too rigidly. In hindsight, her shoulders were always like that when she wore her uniform.

It wasn’t the uniform; it was Sylvia’s natural posture.

Too accustomed to behaving like a soldier, she’d developed the habit.

Realizing this, Alice relaxed, her shoulders dropping. She was almost lucky not to burst out laughing.

Sylvia was still Sylvia.

If she appeared different, it was only because Alice herself was seeing her differently.

“I think it would be best to get ready now.”

“Before that, Sylvia,” Alice said, getting up and walking over to Sylvia with graceful poise, like a princess.

Still in her pajamas, it might have looked odd to others, but it was only the two of them here.

Just like in the old days.

“You’re holding too much tension in your shoulders.”

“…”

Sylvia didn’t reply, but her eyes were on Alice. Seeing a faint trace of curiosity in Sylvia’s deep black eyes, Alice felt strangely reassured.

“It’s fine when you’re in uniform or dress uniform,” Alice said, lifting her hands to lightly pat Sylvia’s shoulders, just as her etiquette tutor had done for her as a child.

“But if you walk around that stiffly in a dress, it’ll look far too rigid.”

“Is that so?”

The response was pure curiosity.

“You really don’t know, do you?”

Alice sighed without realizing it. Her earlier worries and doubts seemed to melt away with the sigh, leaving her feeling lighter.

“All right, then. Just wait until I’ve finished my shower. I’ll teach you some quick tips for moving around in a dress.”

“There’s a specific way to move in a dress?”

Sylvia’s fleeting thought of changing back was practically visible, and Alice barely held back a laugh.

They’d likely learned from the same etiquette tutor, so why did their lessons feel so different?

“Understood? Stay right here. We’re here representing the royal family, so we don’t want to be an embarrassment.”

With that, Alice turned to head to the shower, only to realize in her excitement that she hadn’t brought any undergarments or a change of clothes.

Looking a little embarrassed, she returned to her bed, retrieved her clothes from the trunk, and then headed back to the shower.

…She was genuinely grateful to be sharing the room with Sylvia alone.

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Chapter 119

Surprisingly, embarrassment hit me a beat too late.

At first, I thought, *What's the big deal about wearing a dress?*

I’d already worn a bunny costume before, with a neckline that revealed nearly everything. By that standard, a normal dress shouldn’t make me feel embarrassed at all.

This dress didn’t expose anything. It didn’t even bare my shoulders. It was just… the type of outfit any noble lady might wear.

The skirt was even longer than the skirt of my academy uniform, which, true to the game’s "pretty girl character" content, was shorter than most real-world uniforms. Objectively, I had no reason to feel embarrassed in this outfit.

Alice had been a bit surprised when she saw me this morning, but she hadn’t made a big fuss.

But I only realized the real source of embarrassment when I went down for breakfast.

Embarrassment doesn’t come from *how much skin* you’re showing; it comes from *the reactions* of those around you.

When I’d worn the bunny costume, Alice had been with me, and though it had felt humiliating, Claire’s reaction was more of stunned disbelief. Besides, we had our reasons for doing it.

But this dress—*I had chosen this myself.*

And people noticed.

“Wow!”

Claire, who had stared at me for a few seconds, lit up with a beaming expression, clasped her hands, and approached with sparkling eyes.

“Sister, it suits you so well!”

At the word "sister," I noticed the baroness’s eyebrows raise slightly, but she didn’t show her surprise, instead approaching gracefully.

“You looked splendid in yesterday’s attire, but this dress also suits you wonderfully.”

“Does it?”

Somehow, their reactions made me feel even more self-conscious than when Leo had blushed seeing me in the bunny outfit.

And Leo’s reaction wasn’t much different.

Normally, he would’ve stared at me in shock, but maybe because we’d known each other for a semester now or because we were at his home, he walked over with a "heroic smile" and said,

“You look great.”

And that’s when it hit me.

While there was no character named Sylvia Pangriffon in the original game, if a scene like this had been in it, this would definitely be one of *Sylvia Pangriffon’s affinity events.*

As I imagined a half-filled heart icon appearing beside my name in some invisible status window, I felt chills down my spine.

“Does it?”

But what could I do? If I protested with a "no," that would just be another cliché.

I could see the upside in successfully portraying my character, but I certainly didn’t want to feel like I was being "conquered." Even after ten years in a woman’s body, I was still a guy at heart.

“Now the children will definitely feel more at ease meeting you.”

Claire, unaware of my thoughts, smiled brightly. Everyone here was likely oblivious to the concept of a "game world"—they didn’t even have video games here, after all.

Even if they did, they’d never imagine it like this.

“Is that so?”

Beside me, Alice was watching intently as I muttered the same phrase again. She had just given me a lengthy lecture on maintaining a refined posture like a noblewoman before we’d left the room.

Her expression was mostly neutral, but I sensed a hint of satisfaction in her gaze.

*

Daniel’s face turned a bit red as he looked at me.

I briefly wondered if he actually recognized me.

In my previous life, I’d never imagined myself as anyone’s first love. I hadn’t been particularly attractive for that role.

But "Sylvia Black" was different.

Though the kids in the orphanage had been decent-looking, few were growing into the kind of "beauty" that Claire and I had, simply because they were too young.

Besides, I was one of the few people who had been kind to them in that so-called orphanage.

If they felt any admiration toward me, I wouldn’t be surprised. Claire had, after all.

“This way… please follow me.”

The baroness excused herself early after breakfast. Though she mentioned she was busy, I suspected it was partly to give me space to reunite with the other children.

“They’re all gathered, it seems.”

“Ah, yes.”

I asked Daniel as I followed him, and he nodded.

“They don’t all stay in the same room, but those with similar roles tend to live in similar areas.”

That made sense.

Butlers and maids wouldn’t share quarters, and neither would the guards.

Even if the estate wasn’t enormous, it wasn’t small enough to be managed by only two or three people. They needed someone to watch over it 24/7. Most of the orphanage kids must have ended up as guards if they’d all been employed here.

Even if more than half of the children were girls.

“Here we are.”

Daniel stopped in front of a detached building separate from the main house, one of the buildings we’d noticed upon entering the estate.

Calling it a "dormitory" seemed inadequate—it was quite an impressive structure. If this was where the servants stayed, the Grace family certainly offered them excellent living conditions.

Daniel opened the door and waited for us all to enter.

It felt odd to see a boy shorter than me holding the door, but this was just how things were here. Claire, Leo, and Alice all acted as though it were entirely normal.

Inside, the hot air seemed to subside a bit. They must have some sort of cooling system, whether steam-powered or magic-based.

The interior looked like an old hotel. Not a particularly luxurious one, but more like a charming, vintage inn somewhere in the European countryside. The lobby counter, however, was empty.

“Two people live in each room. The people Her Highness wishes to meet are…”

Daniel glanced at Claire, who nodded with a big smile.

“The ones who stayed with you and me.”

“I understand.”

Daniel looked back at me, waiting for my response.

“Please, bring them here.”

I nodded.

*

After sitting in the lobby chairs for a few minutes, the children started appearing, one by one.

When we had escaped together, there had been twelve of us, including myself, Claire, and Daniel.

The children shuffled in, looking around shyly. They didn’t seem much younger than Daniel.

Most of them were slightly taller than Daniel, whether they were girls or boys.

“Hi!”

“Sister!”

When Claire waved, a lively girl with short, dark brown hair called out, then quickly clamped her mouth shut upon seeing me and Alice behind Claire.

I see.

It looked like the kids who had escaped together had grown close, almost like siblings.

Judging by the way they glanced at me and Alice, they must have immediately recognized us as nobles. The girl, who had almost run over, now approached us with a more subdued step.

She held her skirt lightly and greeted us with a polite bow.

“Hello.”

“…”

I was trying hard to remember her name, so I couldn’t respond right away.

Before she could introduce herself, more children filed in through the corridor.

Red hair, blond, gray, blue… Now that I looked, their hair colors were surprisingly varied. Maybe that old woman had selected children based on hair color?

Lost in thought, I finally noticed all the kids had gathered.

There were nine of them.

Not a single one was missing.

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Chapter 120

The initial embarrassment from wearing a dress had long since faded.

In fact, seeing the children in front of me without any trace of hesitation or fear made me glad I had chosen this outfit. If they were intimidated, we wouldn’t be able to have a proper conversation.

The problem was… now that I had all these curious-eyed kids gathered around me, I was at a loss for what to say.

I couldn’t just outright say, *“I’m from the same orphanage as you. Do you recognize me?”* There were too many of them here for that. While I trusted Daniel not to reveal my identity, I wasn’t sure about the other nine.

"…"

And that’s when it hit me—I didn’t really know any of these kids.

It was a given, I suppose. Even with friends I’d known for years, there were always things I didn’t know about them. How could I expect to remember kids I’d only spent a few months with a decade ago? The fact that I even recalled some of their faces was a testament to my memory.

…Though it wasn’t particularly impressive.

“Look, sister.”

Claire, who had sidled up next to me, looped her arm through mine and tugged me closer.

I took a step forward toward the children.

“Sylvia, my sister,” Claire added, though her words were clearly directed more toward the children than me. She probably knew that outright revealing everything wasn’t wise, but she wanted to give them a hint.

And a hint was just that—a hint. If any of them grew certain enough to ask directly in the future, I could always deny it.

A few of the children blinked, their eyes widening as they processed Claire’s words. The glimmer of understanding appeared in their eyes, quickly giving way to a look of surprise.

That look of realization rippled through the group like a wave. Each child glanced at their neighbors, then back at my face, gradually connecting the dots. One by one, they all wore the same open-mouthed expression of astonishment.

It took less than a minute.

They all remembered me. It took them less than a minute to recognize who I was.

And I couldn’t even remember their names.

“This person,” Claire said, still clinging tightly to my arm, as if worried I might vanish at any moment.

…The last time we’d all been together, when Lucas had taken me away, and I’d become part of the royal family.

Claire might not have fully understood what happened back then, but she seemed to think that something similar could happen again, even now.

“This is Lady Sylvia Pangriffon, princess of the House of Pangriffon.”

A few of the children gasped, startled. Some hesitated, unsure whether to bow, but then looked around and hesitated when they saw no one else moving.

They were still young, despite the ten years that had passed.

Does that mean I, too, still appear young in the eyes of others?

My head was too muddled to think logically.

“I invited her after we became friends at the academy, and when she heard we were looking after you all, she expressed interest in meeting you, so I brought her along.”

Gone was the playful tone Claire had used with Leo; instead, she explained to the children in a soft, gentle voice, as if this were something she absolutely had to do.

I found myself thinking about Claire in my absence.

It wasn’t as if I hadn’t imagined it before. I’d thought about it many times since we’d been separated. I had pictured her living well in the Grace family, confident that she wouldn’t have grown up twisted or bitter. Those were the kinds of thoughts I held onto, until we’d reunited at the academy.

Once we met again, I didn’t need to imagine.

Hardworking and diligent, friendly and sociable… that’s how Claire had turned out in the end.

But was that Claire’s true self?

Had she, like in the original story where she had grown up fighting with Alice in the palace, developed that personality due to circumstances beyond her control?

What kind of words did she say to console the others right after I had disappeared?

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Claire said, hugging my arm with both hands, smiling proudly as if she were presenting a prized possession.

“Her Highness was curious about our lives. What do you all think?”

The children’s eyes lingered on Claire before shifting to me.

“Shall we tell her our stories?”

Under normal circumstances, that would be a ridiculous question.

Many nobles engaged in charitable work for various reasons—whether out of genuine compassion, religious duty, or a desire to showcase their generosity. Some sponsored activities in impoverished neighborhoods, ran orphanages, or even visited them from time to time.

But holding them up with long-winded tales would be considered rude. Most nobles had no interest in hearing the mundane lives of commoners, even those they were helping.

Yet, Claire spoke as if she thought I would want to hear their stories.

And—

Yes, honestly, I did want to hear them.

*

Emma had a talent for cleaning. And not just regular cleaning. She had an eye for estimating the size of items and figuring out how best to arrange them, organizing boxes to fit even more into storage. She was currently training as a maid, and in a few years, she would likely continue working in the main household until she found a good man to marry.

Oliver had a knack for swordsmanship. Although he wasn’t quite at Claire’s level, he was steadily improving, and it was clear he would one day become capable enough to protect his master. He was undergoing training now, and in time, he’d be one of those guarding the estate’s entrance.

Chloe had a gift for tending to plants…

One by one, as if presenting a report, they told me their stories.

Each one was different. Some worked in similar areas, but no two had the exact same talent.

And they were all the same children I had once lowered down by rope from that window.

"…"

As I listened to their stories, I remained silent.

The truth is, I remembered that day clearly.

Back then, I had only intended to escape with Claire. She was the one who urged me to save the others.

*There are still children inside…*

It was only after her words that I’d climbed back up and tried to save as many as I could.

If Claire hadn’t said anything—

But the children, the ones now beaming at me with proud smiles, introduced themselves as if determined to prove that they were living their lives to the fullest, as if to show that my actions hadn’t been in vain.

Beside me, Claire smiled warmly, listening to their stories with me.

I felt embarrassed.

Ashamed.

I wanted to crawl away and hide.

It felt like wearing an ill-fitting outfit.

I wasn’t… I wasn’t as good a person as they thought I was.

“Sylvia…”

While I was lost in thought, someone gently tapped my shoulder.

It was Alice.

Unlike Claire, Alice spoke to me from the other side, with a slightly worried expression.

"…"

She didn’t say, *Are you all right?* But I could tell that was what she wanted to ask. Alice, too, knew who these children were and had seen the pride in their expressions.

And Alice, too, probably thought I had saved these children, or at least that I had done something worthy of their gratitude.

“Do you want to take a break?”

At her question, I nodded slightly.

I moved to one of the chairs in the lobby and sat down.

Seeing me sit without a word, everyone else fell silent as well.

This wasn’t how I’d wanted it to go.

And yet… I had no idea what to say.

So I just sat there quietly, catching my breath.

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Chapter 121

Memories aren’t defined by their length or duration but by their intensity and the impact they have on our lives. They linger when they’re deeply positive or negative, something that shapes us profoundly.

For these children, I had become such a memory.

As the conversation extended and our time in the lobby grew, we moved to the dining hall. There were other children and adults scattered around, but the room was spacious enough that we didn’t disturb anyone by settling in a corner. Some of them glanced our way curiously, but seeing who we were, they chose not to intrude. They were well-mannered, raised with respect.

As they stood to leave, Claire signaled with a gentle hand motion, and we exchanged polite nods. Then we claimed a section of the dining hall as our own, and the children continued telling their stories.

It was as if they had been waiting for this moment to share their lives with me. They talked about how they’d come to Grace Manor, received their education, and grew up. When the time came, they each had the chance to decide if they wanted to stay and work here. Not one of them wanted to leave. Having spent their early years in a miserable place, they weren’t about to give up the chance to live without the constant threat of cold, hunger, or violence.

As their stories unfolded, I sensed their anticipation, a flicker in their eyes that told me they were waiting to hear mine.

But…

I’m sorry, I thought to myself, but I can’t share my story just yet. Instead, I kept my mouth shut, listening intently to each of them.

Did I seem overly solemn? Or had they finally run out of things to say? The chatter gradually subsided, and by the time the last diners had left the hall, our group had fallen into silence too.

"…"

"…"

A short, awkward silence followed.

Alice was watching me, her gaze curious, while Claire’s expression suggested she was hoping I’d say something. But still, I didn’t know what to say.

Could I share my truth with these children, who had just been so open with me about their lives?

Could I confess that, when we escaped, I hadn’t intended to save them? Or that the food I had shared with them back then was motivated by pity for lives that I assumed wouldn’t last much longer?

No… I couldn’t. I wasn’t courageous enough to bare the truth to these children who saw me as their savior.

Finally, someone broke the silence.

"Um..."

It was Daniel.

In the otherwise quiet dining hall, the only sounds were the shuffling of the children and the faint clattering from the kitchen. Yet, that single syllable seemed almost thunderous.

With every eye on him, Daniel looked flustered, his cheeks quickly turning pink.

His training as a butler must still be incomplete; a butler shouldn’t be so transparent. But then again, Daniel was young. He had time to learn.

…as long as there wasn’t a war to drag him to the frontlines as cannon fodder.

"May I ask you something?" Daniel finally managed, regaining his composure. His face remained slightly red, and his eyes wavered, but his curiosity won out.

The children looked from Daniel to me, eager for my response.

"Yes, go ahead."

If his question was too personal, I’d avoid answering it. But… if I left without saying anything, this whole reunion might have been pointless. So, if it was something I could answer, I wanted to.

"…your hair," he said, swallowing nervously before continuing, "has it always been that short?"

The children all looked at me expectantly.

In their memories, my hair would have been long. There were no tools to cut it back then. Perhaps that old woman had thought longer hair made us look better—easier to sell, to suit the preferences of whoever would own us next.

"When I was young, it was long," I replied.

Not long after entering the palace, I had cut it short.

"May I ask why you cut it?" he pressed, though his voice was still soft and hesitant.

"It was inconvenient."

Running around with long hair was impractical. I had considered tying it in a ponytail, but the idea of waking up each morning, washing, and tying it felt burdensome. Long hair took so long to dry too.

"I engage in a lot of physical activities," I added.

"Ah…"

Perhaps he’d imagined a more profound reason. My straightforward answer seemed to surprise him, his face turning redder.

On impulse, I lifted a hand to touch my hair. It felt surprisingly soft, smooth—almost too good to be mine.

"Do you think it would suit me to grow it out?"

Daniel’s face flushed even deeper, and he lowered his head.

"It, it already…"

He mumbled, and his words trailed off, too quiet to make out.

I decided to take that as a compliment. After all, who would dare tell a princess that her hairstyle didn’t suit her?

*

As the letter had said, the Grace estate was indeed a peaceful and beautiful place. It felt like a miracle to find such tranquility so close to the bustle of the city. Though faint sounds from the distant city reached us, they felt muffled, like they were from another world, softened by the heavy summer air.

Or perhaps it was because knowing the children I remembered were safe and well here had put my mind at ease.

"Your hair."

Sitting in the shade, gazing at the green fields, Alice’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

I turned to her. She was still looking straight ahead, speaking softly.

"Are you thinking of growing it out?"

"…I don’t know."

"I think long hair would suit you," Claire chimed in from my other side.

"Maybe someday, I’ll grow it out," I said, turning my gaze forward again.

In the distance, several red-brick buildings marked the edge of the Grace estate. Beyond it, the city kept turning, clanking and grinding like a machine.

"But not now."

Yes, not now.

Growing out my hair could wait until I had fewer things to take care of.

At least until I knew that every child sitting beside me would be safe…

Until I knew that all my favorite characters from the original story would survive to the end…

Until I could confirm that the children I’d impulsively saved were still secure…

Once I was sure I’d no longer need to turn back time, then, maybe, I could let my hair grow.

I didn’t want to go through the trouble of growing it out, only to reset and start all over again.

"When you do decide to grow it, I’ll teach you how to braid it beautifully," Claire offered, now something of an expert from doing her hair in a ponytail every day.

"What are you talking about? Sylvia looks better with her hair down. Why would you tie up her beautiful hair and risk damaging it?" Alice countered.

"But she’s always running around—"

"All the more reason to style it elegantly, befitting a princess—"

The two of them bickered back and forth with me sitting between them.

…they really were like sisters, quarreling over nothing.

I wondered if a day would come when we’d look back on this moment and think, *That’s how things were back then.*

…Maybe I’d make it my goal to ensure that day would come.

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Chapter 122

Alice and Sylvia returned to the imperial palace the following evening.

It had only been three short days, but to Alice, Sylvia’s face looked more at ease than ever, as if she had finally let go of all her worries. It was a calm expression, one that spoke of complete peace of mind.

However, that sense of ease disappeared entirely when Sylvia changed back into her uniform just before reentering the palace.

Alice found herself wondering if the palace she thought of as home didn’t feel that way at all for Sylvia.

It was a thought that felt... somewhat foreign to Alice, a notion she had never before considered or questioned.

The imperial palace was, to Alice, unquestionably her home from the day she was born, and she had always assumed Sylvia must feel the same way.

But that wasn’t the case.

It seemed that Sylvia considered the Grace Estate—her first visit there—a more comfortable place.

And, strangely enough, Alice felt as though she understood why Sylvia might feel that way.

“Did you enjoy your time at the academy?” 

Both Sylvia and Alice had entered to meet the Emperor, yet now it was only Alice and the Emperor speaking.

Perhaps because Alice was his blood?

It could be. Though Sylvia was more capable than Alice, and the Emperor was well aware of her potential as a successor to the throne, if he had chosen Alice as his heir, it was likely not due to her surpassing Sylvia, but rather because Sylvia had no desire to ascend the throne.

It was likely also due to Alice’s behavior before departing for the academy, if there were a specific reason.

However, even so, the Emperor’s demeanor differed when Alice and Sylvia were present together.

Though he treated them as “equal princesses” in words and actions, if one had to say whom he treated as his true daughter, it would surely be Alice.

“Yes, I enjoyed it,” Alice replied, recalling the Grace Estate. The baroness treated Leo and Claire equally. Perhaps it was because Claire, being female, was unlikely to inherit the Grace barony. Though she had been adopted based on her abilities, in the end, she was a girl.

Even if she retained the baron’s name, the best future for Claire was likely marriage into a good family. The barony wouldn’t suffer from seeing Leo and Claire as siblings.

But even when considering those reasons, the baroness acted as though Claire were truly her daughter. Except for occasional discussions of the orphans Claire grew up with, the fact that Claire was adopted was never overtly mentioned.

...Entrusted with assassination missions at a young age, nearly dispatched to battle before even entering the academy—

Would the Emperor have assigned Sylvia such tasks if he truly thought of her as his “child”? Was it truly out of trust that he did so?

Was Sylvia aware of this? Did she sense it?

“You seemed to enjoy your time with your sister.”

Yes, she had. Truly. She had even managed to forget the oppressive expectations tied to the throne from her childhood.

“What about Sylvia? Did she seem to be enjoying the academy?”

“…I believe so.”

“I see.”

The Emperor studied Alice carefully as he responded.

“She went to such lengths with her appearance for your plan, so she must have enjoyed her time with you there.”

Alice quietly gazed up at the Emperor.

She had a feeling she knew what he would say next.

“That time, the person we saw.”

The Emperor began to speak slowly, almost deliberately, as if to emphasize his words rather than from hesitation.

“Did Sylvia say anything about that robed figure?”

“No, she didn’t.”

If Sylvia had spoken to her about that figure’s identity… whoever it might have been, Alice would have been thrown into panic. Wrestling with her suspicions alone was entirely different from having them confirmed.

“Since then, has Sylvia… used her abilities, as far as you know?”

“…I’m not sure.”

Even if she had, Sylvia hadn’t spoken of it. Nor had Alice thought to ask.

The Emperor’s face bore its usual calm smile. Alice kept her gaze fixed on him, trying her best to maintain a neutral expression. She doubted she succeeded; if she could read Sylvia’s expressions, surely the Emperor’s skills were far superior. Alice didn’t consider herself better at concealing her emotions than Sylvia.

“Hmm.”

The Emperor looked down at her steadily.

“At that time, in that place.”

The Emperor resumed, carefully choosing his words.

“That figure, suspected of possessing the Relic, vanished in an instant. There was no indication of magic being cast or any device being used. Even after thoroughly searching, no other exits were found.”

When he leaned slightly toward Alice, his position above her made it seem as though he were towering over her.

In that position, his voice took on a subtle pressure.

“In that moment, Sylvia fell. No, to be accurate, she was already ‘collapsed.’ We hadn’t seen her fall. But from the bruises on her body and the torn collar of her clothing, we could infer that something had happened ‘in that moment.’”

The Emperor laid out each fact meticulously, as if deliberately placing each one in front of Alice.

“Did Sylvia truly not tell you anything about what happened that day?”

She hadn’t.

Alice hadn’t thought to ask, either.

But—

“She didn’t.”

Alice remembered.

For some reason, she alone recalled the battle that everyone else present seemed unable to remember.

Not in precise detail.

She remembered clearly the encounter with the figure. Even the ensuing fight.

But the battle itself was fractured. Whenever she thought she had struck him down with her blade, it turned out not to be so. When he seemed to be shot, that wasn’t the case either. The past and the future overlapped, as though it was somehow predestined that he would not die.

And yet, Alice distinctly remembered something impossible.

She remembered the moment he grabbed Sylvia’s collar.

She remembered the space warping and shattering as he finally began to bleed—

And then that memory abruptly broke off, leaving her in the moment the Emperor spoke.

So, what had happened?

She didn’t know. The figure had disappeared, and the Relic they had expected to find there had vanished as well.

Why was Alice the only one who remembered him?

She didn’t know.

“Sylvia has not mentioned anything yet.”

And neither had Alice.

“…”

Beyond her lowered head, she sensed the Emperor gazing at her intently. But she said nothing, simply waiting in silence.

“I see.”

At last, the Emperor spoke, and the pressure in the air dissipated.

“But there’s one thing we know for certain.”

A faint smile played on the Emperor’s lips, as if he found this all rather amusing.

“Sylvia cannot return to that moment in time. If it were possible, she would have erased the situation entirely. Whoever that robed figure was, he has, at the very least, provided us with one advantage.”

“Even if he took the Relic?”

“And what could he accomplish with it?”

“…”

With just a few fractured pieces, there was little one could do. Rumors and legends remained scattered around the world, but that was all. No one had ever managed to gather the entire Relic.

“But if he reappears to seize more—”

“He won’t appear so easily,” the Emperor said, chuckling.

“If he could, he would have gathered the Relic long ago. If his future of collecting it were already certain, well.” The Emperor shrugged.

“Then we would simply have to accept it as fate.”

Yet Alice knew that her father would never be one to yield to fate so easily.

“In any case, you’ve done well.”

Despite the weight of their conversation, the Emperor spoke as if their words were but a casual, everyday exchange.

“You must wish to spend time with your sister, and I’ve kept you here too long. You may go now.”

“…”

Alice gave the Emperor a slight bow and turned to leave the audience chamber.

But she could not shake the uneasy feeling that lingered deep within her heart.

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Chapter 123

While the way back to a specific point in time was closed off, it didn't pose a significant problem for me.

It was painful to have the Relic stolen and to remain ignorant of the identity of that robed figure, but it wasn’t as if anyone had died, nor did I have a desire to turn back time.

Therefore, I needed to take more definitive steps to confirm things before encountering that figure again on my return journey.

For instance, I could explore the royal library more thoroughly, checking the contents of the books.

Years ago, when I first entered there, it had already been a place not easily accessible even to a princess, and it remained so now.

But I had already been inside once.

In the game, I had entered many times and learned which parts were vulnerable, and I had actually scouted the internal structure a few times as well.

…Though it was far more difficult to get in now than it had been a few years ago.

As the noise of the hydraulic cylinders echoed loudly, I thought about how difficult it was to crawl flat like this. It wasn’t impossible, but—

Whenever characters with large busts in subculture make remarks about envying flatter characters, complaining of shoulder pain or unease while going down stairs because they couldn’t see their feet, it struck me how relatable those sentiments were in various ways.

When wearing the academy uniform, if I didn’t secure my chest tightly, it became painfully difficult to run.

“…Hah.”

I stopped crawling and let out a deep sigh.

Above me, large gears turned, and the hydraulic cylinders moved steadily, emitting the sounds of well-oiled machinery. Fortunately, there were no steam-spewing machines here.

The “forbidden library” was hidden deep within the palace, in the very depths of the underground. Generally, there was no way to go down without taking an elevator, and even the entrance to that elevator was protected by thick steel doors, with countless guards both inside and outside that room.

When Alice and Leo infiltrated the palace, they had also decided against heading that way.

Under normal circumstances, it was somewhat strange to avoid a few enemies when my character could take on four to six heavily armed soldiers at once… but then again, in a world where bullets could penetrate people, characters could survive even after taking several hits with potions or recovery magic in battle.

In any case, the two had chosen this maintenance passage.

The palace was equipped with interpretation and stabilization devices. Unlike semiconductors used in CPUs, a large steam engine was necessary to produce machines that performed “computer-like” functions. Within it, numerous large and small gears, levers, and hydraulic cylinders turned endlessly, displaying information on something akin to a “screen.”

Of course, with so many parts, there were many points of failure. Countless components, from those as large as a person to tiny gears the size of those found in wristwatches, meant that they needed to be regularly repaired as their lifespans expired.

And, naturally, there was an entrance for going around to make those repairs.

Though that entrance was guarded by people, it was, after all, “generally” not a place one could enter to reach the forbidden library. I had to find a way into areas that seemed impossible for anyone to access, like this one.

Thanks to Alice and Leo having read the palace schematics in advance, they managed to get in.

I already knew that path.

…If I could turn back time, I could just pass through that entrance…

But after spending years talking with the people who worked in the palace, it felt… well, awkward to do so.

At least I was fortunate to have this method.

*

Initially, I had thought it was merely a dungeon, but it was remarkable how it resembled the image I had stored in my memory when I actually entered. It was such a complex place that I got lost several times, rewinding time as I went in.

Indeed, it was a dungeon.

That was part of why I had brought a gun with me.

While lost in thought, I pushed the gun forward and continued moving steadily. I felt that perhaps after spending this time, I had built some muscle, and it was manageable to crawl slowly.

“Ugh.”

As I crawled out with a groan—

Creak, creak.

The sound of a poorly oiled machine echoed through the air.

Creak, creak, it was a sound of gears turning that was dissonant with the footfalls of a beast.

I stood up, holding my loaded gun and looking ahead.

It was dimly lit, but not entirely dark. The room was faintly illuminated by glowing mana stones.

A figure clad in armor was moving around inside the room.

On one arm, where a hand should be, there was a sword attached, while on the other arm was a short firearm.

But it had no legs. It looked as if its waist had been severed and was simply stuck to a pole.

Of course, since that figure was entirely mechanical, it didn’t feel particularly brutal.

Like a moving target in a shooting range, it was fixed within the long iron bar extending from the floor. The sounds of gears turning echoed from within.

It would probably move around, tracing lines on the floor as it followed me.

…They were security devices installed intermittently because it was hard for people to remain inside.

Though they were infinitely dumber than humans.

I raised my weapon and aimed at one of the moving targets.

I knew their weak points. In games, the dramatic moment of striking a weakness only came after hitting their HP to zero, but this wasn’t a game.

Bang!

With that sound, one of the machines, cleanly pierced through the iron plate on its back, slumped forward. Even so, the iron bar kept moving, and the machine that had stopped working staggered as it adapted to the motion of the bar.

Fortunately, it seemed the security system hadn’t changed.

But as soon as I confirmed that one of the machines had ceased functioning, the remaining two turned swiftly toward me.

First the right, then the left.

Good.

Again!

*

Before the right could fully turn, I swiftly pivoted and shot.

The front armor of those machines wasn’t something a regular rifle could penetrate. It was better to eliminate the two quickly first before dealing with the next one.

As I saw the last one turning toward me, I rolled on the ground.

The machine fired its weapon the moment it turned. With a dull thud, a barrage of shotgun pellets erupted from the floor where I had just been, creating a shower of sparks.

Truly, I was grateful that they operated on gears.

In a world without cameras that could stream live footage or motion detection sensors like lasers, the only way the machine could assess the situation was through physical impact.

The floor of this room was densely packed with tiny switches, and except for the area where the caretaker could descend, every other area was a danger zone. If I stepped on the wrong one, the machine would immediately fire bullets in my direction.

I had to figure out which direction the gears were rolling from and assess the source of the impact… All of that couldn’t happen simultaneously. After all, I would only be able to comprehend it once the gears had already started rolling.

Thud, thud, I kept dodging and moving as the machines continued firing at the spot where I had been.

The sight of a machine rapidly approaching me along the fastest rail was honestly a bit chilling, but it wasn’t as if I had never faced anything like this before.

Bang!

I fired once, barely managing to slip away as it turned toward me—if I had just a little more time, the machine might have been able to shoot me.

Bang! Bang!

Still, I was slightly faster as I had already anticipated its movements.

Having moved to the side of the machine, I fired two shots into its flank. Creak, creak, some parts seemed to fly off, preventing it from turning its waist.

I quickly moved behind the machine and fired one last shot.

Only after the most critical component on its back had been taken out did the machine slump down. The remaining two machines continued to move toward me, still determined to follow, as the iron bar on the floor kept them moving at a steady pace.

Without time to waste, I headed straight for the next passage. The switches on the floor not only activated those machines but also signaled an intruder’s presence to the outside.

In truth, under normal circumstances, even if I gathered information, I would have lost every means of escape.

But not me.

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Chapter 124

Generally, there was no way to escape.

Alice and Leo had taken advantage of the chaotic moments within and outside the palace to infiltrate it. In the end, however, they had been captured without properly escaping.

But I was different.

If I rewound time, I could go back before I even entered this place.

Thanks to that, I might not be able to write anything down, but right now, the most abundant resource I had was time.

The study was quiet.

Perhaps it was because it was deemed “nonexistent”? While it was likely known that someone had slipped inside and alarms were going off throughout the palace, it seemed no one was aware that I had made it this far.

As soon as I emerged from the vent, I headed straight for the door and secured the internal latch.

Originally, this mechanism was designed to buy time in case the palace faced a dangerous situation, but I had no intention of going outside anyway.

I turned around.

Dust was thickly settled everywhere. Just standing there felt like it could pose a health risk to my lungs.

A dim light illuminated only the center of the circular room.

In the spot where the light from the mana stones fell, there was a box filled with nails tightly packed inside.

However, the heads of the nails were not irregular. They seemed to be aligned flat at the ends, designed to look like a plate. In truth, anyone who had never seen it operate would likely find it a curious structure.

I approached it directly and pressed on that “screen” randomly.

A portion of the nails was pushed inward, shaped like my fingertip. When I lifted my finger, the surface returned to being flat, and then the heads of the nails rose collectively from the vacant space.

The surface became uneven. Yet it was far from random.

[Please enter the title of the book you wish to access.]

The slight rise of the nails resembled letters. The brass nails had risen to form characters, as if expressing something on the screen.

Clunk.

I opened the drawer beneath the screen.

Inside was something akin to a typewriter. However, there was no slot for inserting paper. Each letter was connected to thin metal plates leading downward to the screen.

I fully opened the drawer, letting it make a soft clacking sound before I slowly began typing.

Clack, clack. With each key I pressed, a loud sound reverberated through the dimly lit study.

[04-08]

The registration number of the prophecy book.

Typically, it wouldn’t be known. It wasn’t listed in the thick catalog hanging beside the screen.

That said, it wasn’t protected by a password. Very few were allowed to enter this far in the first place.

Creak, creak, the sound of rusted machinery moving filled the air, and a brass pillar behind the screen opened up to reveal a slender metallic arm.

With a clattering sound as if something were fitting into place, the arm moved.

As the arm extended, a cylindrical mechanism began to rotate.

The arm reached high, pulling down a book from a shelf near the ceiling.

The machine returned, and the arm lowered itself.

It presented the book to me, showing the cover clearly.

[04-08]

The title on the book cover was all there was to it.

I pulled the book closer to me. The mechanical arm didn’t let go of it. More accurately, the tip of the arm was firmly attached to a metal part embedded in the spine of the book.

However, it didn’t stop me from opening the book.

In fact, as I opened it, the top part of the book glowed softly as it was illuminated by the mana stone’s light.

“......”

I flipped through the pages immediately.

[I have written what I saw of the future, not to avoid that future, but to prepare you.]

The meaning was clear: The future was set, so there was no need to try to evade it; instead, prepare your hearts.

“Bullshit.”

I muttered to myself.

Thud.

A sound echoed from the door. It seemed they had finally realized I had gotten this far.

Quite fast, indeed.

If I were to estimate, I would have only about five minutes to read the book properly.

If I had to read every prophecy book here from start to finish, it was far too short a time.

But, well, what I had in abundance was time.

I placed the book down and murmured.

“Again.”

*

“Your Highness.”

“Sir Ford.”

It was a peaceful day like any other.

I was neither crawling through a vent nor fighting bizarre creatures. Of course, I wasn’t asking some grotesque mechanical librarian for a book in a dust-filled, musty space.

At least, that’s how it would seem to others.

As I walked through the palace corridors, I encountered a single person.

A knight with a friendly face and a fashionable Kaiser mustache bowed his head to me.

Dressed in heavy plate armor that seemed too cumbersome for modern times, he wore a sword and a firearm at his waist.

A revolver much larger and longer than the one I carried.

I thought to myself that perhaps that man’s armor could be pierced by his own weapon.

“I heard about the achievements you established, Your Highness.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded at the friendly gentleman’s words. Well, there was nothing to hide.

What happened in Northwood was a secret from others, but the events on the Winterfield battlefield were widely publicized by the royal family. It would help raise the morale of the soldiers and promote the royal family itself.

Normally, no one would believe such ridiculous rumors, but the soldiers on the battlefield all received long vacations and generous bonuses as rewards. They would all return home and spend time there, and naturally, stories about me would be circulated vigorously.

With so many witnesses and the assurance of “Winterfield,” there was no one who would disbelieve the tale.

“It is a pity that our knights could not accompany you to protect you personally, Your Highness.”

“......”

The knight’s initial words were not praise for my achievements but an apology.

“It's impossible for palace knights to be present at such places. And it wouldn’t make sense for the order to accompany a single soldier to battle.”

“......”

For a brief moment, he wore a look that suggested he had much to say, but the knight said nothing. It was likely due to the knightly decorum not allowing him to act recklessly before his lord.

“...However.”

That said, I felt a bit uneasy leaving him like this.

After all, he was one of the few people I had known since I was very young, seeing him around the palace.

To converse with a princess required more than just being in proximity. There had to be a good reason for it. Rank, title, age, and many other considerations had to be taken into account.

In that sense, this Sir Ford was sufficiently positioned to do so.

“Thank you for your concern...”

At my words, Sir Ford raised his head.

And, just for a moment, he looked at me as if he had seen something strange.

Well, it was a bit unusual for me to speak like that.

And once again, a gentle smile spread across Sir Ford’s face.

“No, it is nothing. We are merely doing what we must.”

Had he mentioned that he had recently had a child?

As I gazed up at the kind-faced Sir Ford, I thought.

If the firstborn had lived, he would have been around my age. If I were a ‘normal princess,’ a marriage proposal might have been discussed with this man’s child. Even if it wasn’t a marriage proposal, at the very least, he could have been on a list of noble bloodlines to consider.

However, I lost my child shortly after I entered the palace. It seemed it was an accident. I had not heard the exact story, but I hadn’t seen this man’s face for a while. It seemed he had been occupied with the funeral and trying to recover.

People whispered about how it was hard to believe that such a diligent and good person could suffer such a tragedy.

As I pondered whether to say a few more words to him, I decided to simply nod again and continued on my way.

Footsteps began to echo behind me, slightly delayed.

If that man were to die, only his wife and child remaining in his territory would be left. Many would be engulfed in sorrow.

Wasn’t it possible to turn back time and erase such things before they happened?

...I was sure that just half a year ago, I would have thought that way.

The longer I stayed here, the more I realized that shooting someone I knew, even if I knew I could invalidate it, was... 

Perhaps it was because I had come to recognize that my ability to turn back time could disappear.

There had been incidents where the outcomes of actions I had carried out thoughtlessly might change the lives of countless others, and that thought felt too vividly real.

“......”

Suddenly, I remembered Mia Crowfield, who had looked at me with confused eyes even on the day we finished the first semester.

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Chapter 125

If I were a genuine student, I would have been thrilled about the vacation period.

Going to school is akin to going to work. It's a reason to get up when you’d rather stay in bed, forcing down breakfast you don’t want to eat and taking reluctant steps into a place where you must endure the entire day until classes are over.

Of course, school was still better than a job. It ended a bit earlier and included two long vacations each year.

However, I was not an ordinary student. Neither was Alice. Both of us were princesses, and we had a great deal to do during the vacation.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, I had yet to be tasked with anything by the Emperor. It seemed he didn’t even know that I had entered the forbidden library.

Based on that fact, I was able to relax a little. The Emperor's ability to deduce my powers was likely due to his own analytical skills, rather than some kind of supernatural ability to see through me.

At least, that was a relief.

*

“There’s really no need to follow me like this.”

Alice spoke to me from within the rattling carriage. Her face, genuinely apologetic, nearly made me smile without realizing it.

“There’s nothing to do inside the palace anyway.”

“Yet at the beginning of vacation, you were holed up in your room.”

In the end, that was true.

While I had been wandering through the palace, infiltrating the docked airship Dreadnought for inspections due to its regular maintenance, observing the internal structures, throwing bombs at various equipment, and timing how long it took for the soldiers to respond, I hadn’t done much in terms of official business.

After repeating this ten or twenty times, calculating the average time and recording everything in my notes—of course, all in Korean—I had never let anyone see them. I wrote in artillery notation, not Arabic numerals.

After the Emperor learned of my abilities, I had carried that small notebook with me wherever I went, so no one could read it.

And all of this had transpired during Alice's absence. Although I had never actually shot anyone, from the empire's perspective, it was clearly treasonous, and I didn’t want Alice looking at me with a sense of betrayal.

I had seen the Emperor’s reactions a few times, and they all bore expressions of complete calmness, which annoyed me.

It was as if he were saying, “After all, you’ll just turn this back, right?” Of course, the Emperor would likely phrase it in a more serious manner.

“...But the place you’re going now is much more dangerous than anywhere you’ve been during vacation.”

“No matter what, they can’t just kill a princess openly. Well, even if they did, the entire territory would be at stake if there were an accident.”

“But the opponent is Crowfield.”

“Then it’s you who should be more cautious, right?”

While I had been making various excuses to lurk in my room during vacation, Alice had been publicly displaying her official duties, seemingly eager to announce her status as the next Empress.

Up until now, her face hadn’t been well known even among commoners, but now her name and face were recognizable to many. She was moving so earnestly that even the press raised questions.

“I’ve already faced Crowfield before.”

“That was years ago, though. The guards and the defenses are much more formidable now.”

Hearing her assert confidently that she “would have lost” rather than “might lose,” I shifted my gaze from the window back to Alice.

“Do you think I wouldn’t have investigated at all after hearing you? I’m genuinely trying to act as your sister.”

Alice spoke in a somewhat firm tone.

“And it’s my duty as your sister to protect you.”

“In that sense, protecting the future Empress—”

“No.”

Alice interrupted my rebuttal sharply.

“The Emperor is the one who protects his loyal subjects under his name. If you were to follow me, then I must ensure your safety. I….”

Alice paused for a moment, looking straight at me as she continued.

“Unlike my father, I won’t just use you.”

“......”

I didn’t know how to respond.

I felt happy that she cared about me. Especially since she was one of the characters I had admired.

But at the same time, I was worried.

In the original story, Alice hadn’t been this determined at this point. She had had some twisted aspects, feeling inferior and clashing with the protagonist, showing vulnerable sides.

The Alice in front of me was a different person.

Thus, I couldn’t quite grasp what path this version of Alice would take. If I were attempting to control things to pull the future toward my desired outcome, I could say I had already failed.

“...But you really don’t have to visit Crowfield.”

When I tried to protest even slightly, Alice scoffed and looked out the window.

What lay beyond was a breathtaking sight of endless green pastures, contrasting starkly with the name Crowfield. It was hard to believe that there were several factories belching black smoke at the heart of that territory.

And it seemed unimaginable that this place had once been known for selling drug-addicted children.

“You have things you don’t know about, don’t you?”

Alice muttered.

“What do you mean?”

“Or perhaps you still don’t know ‘yet’?”

“......”

As Alice gazed out the window, she glanced at me.

Her eyes—

—Well, I didn’t know if Alice would find it amusing, but they resembled the Emperor’s in some way.

*

“Your Highness.”

Saying that, Lady Crowfield greeted Alice with a dignified bow. She had mentioned before that she grew up in a different count family during her childhood. Apparently, she was a distant relative of Count Crowfield. Though that hardly mattered now.

With pale skin and black hair, Count Crowfield bore a somewhat similar vibe, making it difficult to say whether Mia Crowfield particularly resembled anyone. Perhaps it was because I knew they were mother and daughter that I assumed they simply looked alike.

When Alice graciously accepted the greeting, Lady Crowfield turned to me.

Her gaze held no hint of negativity whatsoever.

At least, she was much better at controlling her emotions than her daughter.

That had been true even in the original story.

“......”

For a moment, Lady Crowfield’s gaze fell on my face. As she kneeled slightly to greet me, I returned the gesture respectfully.

It was my first time being looked at by Lady Crowfield, but I had seen her several times before. Of course, this was years ago.

It was the one time I had successfully infiltrated as a maid.

Count Crowfield, who had brazenly attacked someone much younger than himself, didn’t show such behavior openly in his mansion. Instead, he acted like a normal, caring father. I didn’t think that was all an act. The Count had genuinely loved his wife and would have been a doting father to his daughter.

He simply hadn’t treated the children from the orphanage as people.

And that attitude had been somewhat evident in his daily life.

Among the servants of the Count’s household were children of low-ranking noble families and commoners. The Count had always been kind to the noble children, speaking to them in a soft tone, treating them like nephews, and when a young girl began to realize the signs of womanhood, he would kindly excuse her from work.

Basic courtesy extended to the common servants as well.

…Basically.

However, I had felt the Count’s predatory gaze upon me several times. The reason I had been able to get so close to him so quickly as a newly appointed maid was precisely because of that.

Ironically, I had only succeeded once for that reason. In other words… it had been extremely difficult to secure an opportunity to poison the Count’s food without losing my virginity.

It made sense that the Count had died several years after the main storyline began. A child like Claire, with such a background, would surely have found it harder to endure that situation than I had.

I turned my gaze to find Mia Crowfield nearby.

As expected of the girl who had cast such a complicated glance at me before the vacation began, she now wore a thoroughly bewildered expression. She could barely manage to uphold the formalities between a princess and a noble.

Lady Crowfield glanced briefly at the confused Mia.

…Isn’t it a bit cruel to treat your own daughter like that?

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Chapter 126

Having lived for a decade in this world, I still didn’t fully understand the mindset of the nobility.

How could Lady Crowfield tolerate Count Crowfield’s behavior? Even if he didn’t treat commoners like people, it was a fact that her husband was spending the night with someone else.

Did she not know? Did she think that the reason I killed her husband was merely a political calculation from the Emperor?

In fact, thinking that way would be more strange.

Perhaps her mindset was so aristocratic that she couldn’t even conceive of the idea of treating commoners as people.

“It’s an honor to have you visit our territory.”

Once seated in the reception room, Lady Crowfield spoke to us in a soft voice.

“It’s an honor for me to be invited.”

At Alice’s reply, I almost glanced at her in surprise.

Invited?

I hadn’t received an invitation—ah, that’s right.

There was no reason for her to invite me in the first place.

I turned my gaze toward Mia Crowfield.

Her eyes, unable to meet mine, darted around nervously.

She might have heard from Mia that the next Empress was Alice, not me.

In that case, it would be important to consider just how much Mia had shared with her mother about this.

Personally, I didn’t think she would have said much. While the relationship between Mia Crowfield and her mother, Lady Crowfield, wasn’t severely broken, I believed the relationship between Mia and me wasn’t significantly damaged either.

Alice and Lady Crowfield were engaged in conversation.

After exchanging a few mundane aristocratic greetings, Lady Crowfield said,

“Mia often speaks about you two. She says she has a wonderful time with you. Since Mia isn’t the most outgoing child, I can’t express how relieved I am to know that she has friends like you.”

“I also have a shy little sister.”

“Oh my.”

As Lady Crowfield listened to Alice’s words, her gaze shifted meaningfully toward me.

“If someone doesn’t speak to her first, she sits quietly, sulking, so she had no choice but to learn to initiate conversations.”

…In reality, it seemed closer to Alice’s old self. If anything, I was bold enough to speak when necessary. I could just rewind time if I made a mistake.

However, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Alice to say, “I was actually a shy child who didn’t enjoy talking to strangers.” Considering that Alice cared for me as her sister, my childhood memories of caring for her might be something she didn’t want to share openly.

If Alice trusted me, then she wouldn’t believe Lady Crowfield’s words.

“I see. Hearing that puts me at ease. It was thanks to such friends that my daughter was able to adapt easily to the academy.”

Alice took a sip from her tea.

…Actually, it seemed she was just pretending to drink. The tea in Alice’s cup hadn’t decreased at all since earlier. Lady Crowfield didn’t seem to point it out.

Surely, Lady Crowfield wouldn’t have poisoned the tea. There was a knight order here to protect us. Besides, they already knew that it was the Emperor who killed Count Crowfield; if they killed Alice, they would know what chaos would ensue.

If I were Lady Crowfield, I would have found another way. There were various kinds of poisons that could be administered in tea.

“Oh dear, look at me.”

Suddenly, Lady Crowfield clapped her hands. At the sound, Mia Crowfield flinched slightly, clearly tense.

“I’ve been occupying this space without noticing. It’s been so long since friends have met, so I should have given you time to talk. I will take my leave now.”

As Lady Crowfield stood, we all rose from our seats in accordance with her.

Alice, I, and Lady Crowfield exchanged polite bows, and Lady Crowfield stepped aside as she said she would take her leave.

As I watched the door close anxiously, Mia Crowfield quickly opened her mouth once her mother had left.

“That tea—”

“Don’t worry; I was suspicious of it already.”

As Alice spoke, she took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.

The tea only made a slurping sound, but the contents of the teacup hadn’t touched Alice’s lips. Alice understood very well how dangerous a drug could be.

She had been horrified when she saw the morphine that had come out of my room, which had also been used by soldiers.

“Ah….”

At Alice’s words, Mia Crowfield slumped back into her seat, sounding utterly deflated.

And as if she had realized what it meant that Alice already knew the truth, she trembled slightly.

“...Rest assured. I’m not blaming you right now.”

Alice said this as she leisurely walked around the reception room, moving slowly while surveying the walls and ceiling. Her demeanor suggested that she had anticipated everything from the beginning.

“......”

Mia Crowfield’s eyes turned to me.

“Silvia is not involved. She’s just here because she’s worried about me.”

I’m not here to kill you or your mother.

I imagined the unspoken words that followed.

…If it had been the me from last year, I might have explored the possibility of killing Mia Crowfield’s mother. If I could, I would prefer to make it look like an accident so there would be no evidence that I had done it.

“I wonder if there’s a place in this room where someone could hide?”

Alice asked casually.

“Oh, well….”

Mia Crowfield opened her mouth but soon closed it again. She wore an expression that suggested she didn’t know how to respond.

Still, a complex look remained on her face.

“What brings you here today?”

“You sent an invitation, didn’t you?”

“......”

But did she never think I would respond to that invitation?

After all, it was a suspicious invitation by anyone’s standards. Even someone closer to Alice, like Charlotte, wouldn’t invite her. It could be a letter to check on her well-being, but not an invitation.

There was an enormous difference between an aristocrat wandering around and a princess visiting. The number of people who would come with her was substantial, and accommodating them would be quite a headache. The royal family would cover the expenses, but depending on the size of the territory, simply feeding and housing all those people could be burdensome.

If it were a matter between countries, it would be even more significant. They would need to show the other side, “Look how well we live.”

In that sense, the Grace family could be considered immensely unique. Even if we went without a guard, no one would doubt us. That was proof of the Emperor’s deep trust, and that fact alone became the source of power for the baron’s family.

“I know that much is essentially a warning.”

Before Mia Crowfield could speak, Alice spoke first.

“......”

Mia Crowfield’s lips pressed tightly together, nearly forming a line.

“However… I had something to confirm.”

“...About me and my mother?”

“No. I already know all that I need to about you and your mother. In fact, there is no easier target to investigate than nobility. I apologize for not informing you ahead of time about my inquiries.”

Alice slightly bent her knees, but Mia Crowfield’s expression remained stiff.

Recognizing that her eyes were waiting for what would come next, Alice continued.

“Of course, it relates to your territory. Perhaps… it could be related to that incident back then.”

“......”

Mia Crowfield’s eyes sharpened. Alice regarded her expression with interest.

“I’ve never seen that expression on you at school.”

“Ultimately, you haven’t changed at all.”

Mia Crowfield’s words left Alice silent. As if waiting for what would come next.

“At that time, just like you took my father’s life—”

“No.”

Alice interrupted Mia’s words sharply.

“I won’t kill you. There’s no reason for it.”

“......”

As I quietly observed the widening of Mia Crowfield’s eyes, Alice spoke.

“I swear on the name of Fangrifon. I won’t kill my ‘friend.’”

Mia Crowfield’s mouth fell open in shock.

The reason my mouth didn’t drop open was due to years of training and experience.

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Chapter 127

"Yes, I just called you a 'friend,' didn't I?"

Alice spoke somewhat sharply to Mia Crowfield, whose mouth was agape and frozen in shock, unable to respond properly.

"Or do you not consider me a friend?"

"Uh, no, it's just that…"

Seeing Mia struggle to answer, Alice waved the teacup she had been holding.

“At least, judging by how you’ve pointed out the teacup just now, it doesn’t seem like you view me as a target for revenge like your mother does. Or perhaps your friendship takes precedence over your desire for revenge.”

Mia Crowfield tightly closed her mouth at those words. However, she wasn’t very effective at maintaining a poker face; her lips trembled, her eyes darted around, and her face turned crimson.

“Let’s talk for a bit. The main reason we’re here is, of course, because of Silvia, but… it also relates to you, or rather, your family.”

I found myself staring at Alice, unable to hide my surprise.

Something related to me?

Did Alice find out about my past?

…Well, thinking back, if Alice decided to investigate my past, it wouldn’t be impossible for her to discover. Even if they were beings who were not easily approached, she could ask the Emperor's children, Bella or Jayden, about where I came from.

But…

“If you thought that the place I came from was connected to this place, then you’re likely mistaken.”

As my words reached her, Mia Crowfield cautiously turned her gaze toward me. Her eyes seemed to be seriously contemplating whether to intervene or not. It appeared that her heart was leaning toward not intervening.

“Really?”

However, Alice remained unfazed by my words, gracefully placing the teacup on the table.

“That was not the case the last time I investigated.”

Before I killed the Count, I had rummaged through various documents inside. There was no evidence linking it to the orphanage I lived in.

There was no way that the only orphanage selling children was that one. The Empire is vast. If they were to buy a child from a system so far away, it would be better to gather orphans from nearby places instead. There must have been enough orphans within the Crowfield territory, and given its location near the border, they could have imported orphans from abroad.

Claire seemed to have conducted some investigation herself, but she hadn’t found anyone connected to that orphanage.

Thus, I tentatively concluded that the orphanage had operated independently. It was destroyed by my flames.

Though I never did find the man and woman who visited that orphanage back then.

“If you thought that way, it means you’ve overlooked something.”

Alice wiggled her fingers as if she felt empty-handed. Perhaps she thought that discussing while drinking tea would be more fitting in this atmosphere.

“No matter how much it’s run like a loose organization, there are connections.”

As I continued to gaze at Alice, urging her to explain further, she shrugged her shoulders and replied.

“Just because someone keeps buying things from one store doesn’t mean they’ll stick to it. If they don’t find anything they like, they’ll actively search around the other stores until they find what they want. Especially if there’s something that someone had custom-made.”

“Um…”

Though Mia Crowfield had just now worn a face that seemed to say she shouldn’t interrupt, it seemed she couldn’t hold back as I continued to talk in a way she didn’t understand.

“What exactly are you talking about? Are you saying that this is related to our territory?”

Alice and I looked at Mia Crowfield simultaneously. I glanced at her startled expression for a moment before returning my gaze to Alice, watching intently.

Was Alice trying to let Mia know that I killed her father?

“Yes, it is related. It’s a story concerning the business the Count was involved in before his death.”

However, Alice didn’t mention that I was the one who killed him. It was still a risky balancing act… but then again, thinking back, Mia Crowfield already knew that I had killed her father. Even if she didn’t know exactly how, she had already come to that conclusion.

So the more I treated her well, the more confused she would become. The less she thought I would want to kill her, and the more her negative feelings toward me faded, the more perplexing it would be. If she ended up not wanting to kill someone she had viewed as a target for revenge her entire life, it would be all the more absurd.

“......”

Whatever Alice had to say, I wasn’t going to stop her.

Part of it was that it was difficult to easily restrain a stubborn Alice, and above all—

To be honest, I found the current situation somewhat intriguing.

I was directly witnessing how "the relationships between characters are changing on their own," rather than leading it myself.

“What kind of business was it?”

Was Mia Crowfield genuinely asking without knowing anything?

She might have been completely unaware in her childhood. But as time passed, after her father died and her mother began preparing for revenge while dragging Mia into it, I wondered if she started to pick up on it little by little. Maybe she simply turned a blind eye…

“First, let me finish explaining.”

However, Alice didn’t give Mia Crowfield a proper answer and continued her explanation.

At least it was fortunate—or perhaps unfortunate—that Mia Crowfield wasn’t reckless enough to openly contradict the princess who said she wouldn’t speak about it.

“So, it’s pointless to examine the lowest shops that have already burned down for tracking purposes. They became ashes ten years ago. Instead, we should look for the upper-level ones that are still operational.”

Alice let out a small sigh, as if lamenting.

“From the top down, find the aristocrats addicted to opium, filter out the decadent ones among them, and then search through the opium dens one by one. It might be easier than you think to figure it out.”

“...Did you go there directly?”

When I asked somewhat mockingly, Alice furrowed her brows.

“Of course, I didn’t go in person. No matter my abilities, I don’t present a particularly intimidating impression at first glance. It’s far more frightening to send a knight carrying a commission under the Emperor’s name.”

“Are you saying His Majesty permitted that?”

“I didn’t really ask for permission. I borrowed the format of the commission. I already know what my father’s signature looks like. After all, I’m his daughter. It wouldn’t be too strange if my handwriting resembled my father’s quite a bit.”

“......”

I had to exert all my effort not to make a sound of disgust. Moreover, Alice’s proud expression as she spoke was so striking that I found myself at a loss for words for a moment.

“Are you saying you forged His Majesty’s commission?”

“The great His Majesty couldn’t possibly be unaware of it, so I consider myself effectively granted permission.”

No, even so, the Emperor doesn’t know everything.

This time, I had to hold my arm tightly to avoid hitting my forehead.

“Anyway, you... swept through the area where you were? So you managed to ascertain a few certain facts.”

Alice smiled with satisfaction.

“Those aristocrats often find it difficult to escape, even if they want to. The value of their name and territory far exceeds their self-worth.”

“......”

“And they often think, seeing others looking after them, that it’s only natural.”

Mia Crowfield seemed to ponder the implications of Alice’s words, her jaw slack. At this point, wouldn’t she need to visit an orthopedic or dental office?

“Hmm.”

Having said that much, Alice picked up her teacup again as if she found it somewhat unsatisfactory. She then reflected her face against the surface of the tea.

“...But, do you really think there’s something in there?”

Alice asked with a somewhat serious expression.

“......”

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. There might indeed be a trace of a drug in it. In truth, Lady Crowfield wasn’t that crazy, and Mia Crowfield might have just panicked.

But was that really important right now?

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Chapter 128

“Silvia, just calm down for now.”

“I am perfectly calm right now.”

Of course, my hands, which I had neatly placed on my lap, had lifted slightly, about 3 mm off the surface. Just before they could slap my forehead, I managed to calm them down and put them back on my knees, but judging by how Alice’s gaze momentarily fell downward, I couldn’t claim I had completely hidden it.

Honestly, I was not calm at all.

“I don’t see you as being calm at all.”

Alice’s eyes were as sharp as ever, just as they had been throughout this year.

It was only natural that I couldn’t be calm.

Wasn’t it Alice who executed a plan that the Emperor wouldn’t even consider? While I was turning back time dozens of times to gather various pieces of information, the Imperial Army had been flipping over some of the nobility and bourgeoisie.

“You don’t have to worry too much. I coordinated everything so that we can turn it all upside down before a report goes up to Father.”

“......”

For a brief moment, I suspected Alice might have the power to turn back time.

This was the state of Alice before she turned back time.

“Aren’t I supposed to be the one who will become the Emperor?”

Alice spoke to me.

“If so, I should be able to do this much. Right?”

“......”

Mia Crowfield’s face now displayed not just anxiety but almost pure fear, as if she felt she shouldn’t learn anything more here.

“...So,” I finally managed to speak after about thirty seconds of calming myself.

“So, you have found out something.”

“Exactly,” Alice replied.

“Although the underground organizations are not connected, there were fine threads like a spider's web above them. It’s only natural. I might not know much about the children moving about, but drugs are produced somewhere and come into the Empire. There aren’t many places within the Empire where poppies can be grown extensively.”

At her words, Mia Crowfield flinched in surprise.

“Well, I understand why we can’t eliminate the poppy’s origin. No matter how developed magic is, we can’t stop producing painkillers. There are many situations where people have no choice but to use them, even if they’re not good for their bodies.”

This was particularly true for the common folk who could not benefit from magic. Or perhaps in the worst-case scenario where all the mages were wiped out, emergency supplies for soldiers returning home.

“Are you saying that it’s flowing out from our territory?”

Mia Crowfield finally mustered the courage to speak up.

Her expression was rigid.

“...You seem to trust your parents, huh? Just a moment ago, you thought there might be poison in my teacup.”

“......”

Mia Crowfield had nothing to retort to Alice’s statement.

“Well, that’s fine.”

Alice exhaled softly and straightened her posture.

“You probably can’t know everything that happens in your territory. Until not long ago, I didn’t know either—” Alice bit her lip.

“—there were things I couldn’t even imagine. So I won’t blame you.”

“......”

Mia Crowfield paled but maintained her rigid expression as she stood up alongside Alice.

“If you want, I’ll let you see what’s happening here.”

“...If it’s to tarnish the honor of the Crowfield family…”

“There’s no need to worry about that.”

Alice smiled bitterly.

“To be honest, the Imperial Family isn’t that clean either.”

I couldn’t help but silently agree with her words.

*

“Are you going out for a walk?”

As we exited the reception room, Lady Crowfield, who had been seated by the window in the parlor, rose. Her expression drew a gasp of admiration. That gentle smile is remarkable, as if it’s a performance. Is that what being noble is like?

That said, her expression didn’t always look positive. Perhaps it was because I had a certain understanding of this person’s inner thoughts.

“Of course. Is it alright if I walk with Mia around the territory?”

“Of course.”

In response to Alice’s words, Lady Crowfield glanced at Mia. As Mia exited the reception room alongside us, her face still looked pale. Seeing that expression, the Lady turned her face toward Alice, seemingly suspicious. Of course, her expression was that of a benevolent noblewoman.

“Our territory—”

Lady Crowfield’s words were abruptly cut off as we approached the mansion’s door, which swung open with a bang, revealing a knight entering.

He wasn’t one of the escorting knights. He wore armor adorned with the distinct Crowfield crow emblem.

“A lord…!”

However, the knight who barged in became rigid upon seeing Alice and me standing beside Lady Crowfield.

My gaze also shifted back to Alice.

But Alice remained with a smile on her lips. She didn’t even flinch.

It seemed she knew exactly why the knight had come.

“What’s the matter?”

The knight’s behavior was sufficiently rude to be shown in front of the princess. However, if a well-trained knight showed such behavior, it indicated that the information he needed to convey was urgent. That was likely why Lady Crowfield frowned but didn’t blame him.

The knight removed his helmet, revealing the sweaty forehead of a handsome middle-aged man with hair sticking to it.

Having regained his composure, he carefully approached Lady Crowfield. As he raised a hand to his mouth, he watched Lady Crowfield tilt her ear toward him, and at that moment, Alice spoke to me.

“Then, let’s go do what we need to do.”

It was just before we exited the mansion that Lady Crowfield lost her composure.

“Princess!”

At that cry, the steps of Alice, me, and even Mia Crowfield, who hesitated behind us, came to a halt.

“What is happening right now—”

The expression that had previously been on the knight transformed into one of unease, and Lady Crowfield hurried toward us with a demeanor that was quite contrary to etiquette.

“Princess.”

Before she could finish, the knight who was with us approached.

By now, the entrance of the Crowfield mansion was filled with our knights. That wasn’t particularly unusual. It was expected that knights would arrive ahead of their lord when they were going out.

However, the atmosphere was distinctly odd.

While they hadn’t drawn their swords, both the Imperial Knights and the Crowfield knights were on edge, ready to draw weapons at any moment. If I could sense hostility, I would have been drenched in sweat the moment I stepped outside.

“Everything has been taken care of as per the commission.”

“Good.”

At the knight’s words, Alice nodded.

Then she turned back, looking at me, who was standing just behind her, and Mia Crowfield, who was hesitantly hovering behind us. Ignoring Lady Crowfield, Alice said,

“Do you want to follow? If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. After all, I only wanted to know the truth.”

“......”

I said nothing. There was no point in saying something like, “What if the Emperor finds out about this?”

Besides, thinking it over again...

Isn’t it more strange that the Emperor doesn’t know about this?

Initially, I thought I could kill the Emperor. Not long ago, anyway. If necessary, I thought I could turn back time repeatedly and assassinate the Emperor to steer the story in the direction I wanted, but strangely, the longer time passed, the more it felt like the methods to kill the Emperor were fading away one by one.

It felt as if he knew everything I did...

And even if I prepared a way to ensure I could kill the Emperor, I strangely felt that the Emperor wouldn’t be present at the moment.

Was I also caught up in the Emperor's schemes?

Alice was silently watching me.

“...I understand.”

I replied to Alice. A small smile crept onto Alice's lips.

“I, I…”

Mia Crowfield turned anxiously toward her mother. Lady Crowfield was trembling, as if she might kill the two princesses standing here at any moment.

However, the knight who spoke to Lady Crowfield likely believed that it was ‘by the Emperor’s command.’ The commission must have been issued in the name of the Emperor.

In front of the imperial army, which had nearly completed its centralization and wielded immense military power, rejecting that command would have been akin to asking for death.

Of course, from a long-term perspective, handling things in such a clumsy manner would also be problematic for the royal family.

What would happen to the next Emperor after the one with such immense power was dead?

I glanced at Alice once more.

Seeing Alice’s confident smile...

Um... 

For some reason, the fleeting thought that everything would be fine irritated me.

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Chapter 129

I wasn't completely oblivious to what was happening.

I could deduce what kind of information Alice had discovered. The memories of that time were still lodged firmly in a corner of my mind.

In particular, it was not easy to forget the face of the person who had smashed my face with his fist. If it wasn’t my face under that fist, it would surely have been Claire’s, and adding that thought made it even more unforgettable.

I had made some efforts to look for that man on my own. However, I hadn't sought help from others. Unlike Alice, who had forcibly twisted things using imperial authority, I had moved quietly, without drawing anyone’s notice.

But I had not found him. In fact, I hadn’t looked for long. In this altered timeline, he had never been connected to me, so I felt there was little point in searching for him.

However... it seemed that Alice had different thoughts on the matter.

“Do you know where this is?”

As we looked out of the carriage, Alice asked me.

The scenery outside was a beautiful and peaceful territory. There were no poppy fields, and no beggars by the roadside. Most of the people walking around appeared to be well-dressed and ordinary.

A narrow river flowed, and a stone bridge crossed over it. On the other side of the bridge were rows of uniformly designed brick houses, reminiscent of works set in the industrial revolution.

The carriage was heading toward the edge of this residential area. It seemed as if the river marked the boundary, with a cluster of brick houses on the other side, while this side was almost undeveloped grassland.

And I remembered that place.

There was a hill not too far away. A tall tree should stand there, even if someone might have chopped it down. The hill would still be there.

And from that tree, I had watched the carriage of the Count explode. I had seen the people inside turned to pulp. I had seen innocent horses caught up in the explosion.

Now, there was no trace of that scene. That was to be expected.

While the overall layout hadn’t changed much, the number of brick houses across the river had significantly increased. Some buildings looked different from what I remembered. I was sure of this because I had already wandered through the spaces between those buildings several times. I could even accurately recall the interiors of some.

Especially that one building in the middle, which looked remarkably well-maintained compared to the others.

I furrowed my brow slightly.

Was that building still... used for that purpose?

“......”

I wasn’t the only one with a stiff expression. Mia Crowfield, who was sitting next to Alice, had a similarly tense face.

Despite her somewhat youthful appearance, Mia Crowfield was around the same age as us.

She was old enough to vividly recall the day her father died, so she must have known what this place was.

Yet she said not a word.

She could have asked why I had brought her to such a place.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the well-kept building.

Knights were already stationed at the entrance. The same was likely true inside the building. Police officers were also present, though they looked utterly bewildered. Beyond the knights and police, imperial knights and local knights stood facing each other, their postures tense.

While the number of imperial knights was smaller, they weren’t lacking in spirit. It was just a gut feeling, but I thought that if a fight broke out, the imperial knights would likely come out on top.

The reason the carriage had made it here safely was probably due to that spirit.

“Father is quite impressive.”

As Alice stepped down from the carriage, she spoke with a somewhat indifferent tone. Her gaze was directed at the local “knights” confronting the imperial knights.

“It’s obvious that they would hate him so much, yet they allowed this private army to form.”

“...The Crowfield territory shares a border with the Kingdom of Belbour.”

Mia Crowfield countered Alice's statement, but Alice shrugged it off.

“Those people don’t seem like they’re ‘supporting’ the Imperial Army.”

“......”

Even Mia Crowfield could not refute that statement.

But Alice didn’t glare at Mia Crowfield or show hostility. Instead, she looked just like she did at school.

Rather, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that she looked a little concerned.

Alice turned her head to look at the building again. Then she lowered her gaze back to Mia Crowfield and said,

“Inside, there will be information you might not want to know.”

“Me? Not want to know?”

Mia Crowfield attempted to glare at Alice, but her expression was closer to hostility than she might have liked.

If my father had done something terrible and I was unaware, with only the memory of him being a loving and proud father, and he had been unjustly murdered, what would I do?

What if the daughter of the person who had commissioned his murder came to me and said, “Your father is not the good man you think he is”?

...Thinking of it that way, Mia Crowfield appeared to be exerting her utmost self-control. Perhaps the imperial knights surrounding us and Alice were aiding her in maintaining that self-restraint.

“Right.”

But Alice replied without hesitation.

“......”

Mia Crowfield’s expression reset, surpassing hostility and returning to a neutral state. It seemed she felt a twinge of anxiety at seeing Alice speak so casually.

Mia Crowfield had been living in close quarters with Alice for the past several months. And a few months is enough time to judge a person’s character.

Mia Crowfield knew that Alice wasn’t the kind of person to make jokes about such matters.

“Still, are you going to enter with us? It might be a huge shock for you.”

“......”

Mia Crowfield’s head slowly drooped before it shot back up suddenly.

Her eyes were trembling, and her lips were pulled down. Her face was considerably paler than usual.

Yet the expression that emerged on her face was one of noble determination.

“Alright.”

Mia Crowfield said in a somewhat trembling voice.

“If you two are coming out like this, I won’t shy away from facing it head-on. My father is not that kind of person.”

“......”

Alice let out a very slight sigh.

“Good, then.”

Alice turned her body and began to walk. I followed, as did Mia Crowfield.

The knight standing by the door opened it for us.

Inside the building... it was definitely a structure with windows, but it felt too dark.

*

As we walked, the only sounds were the creaks of the old wooden stairs under our feet and the sound of our footsteps.

If there was anyone being subdued inside by the knights, we should at least have heard some complaints, but there was no such sound, creating a sense of unease.

The imperial knights were stationed intermittently in the narrow corridor. Though their attire seemed like it should creak, they stood like statues, ready to greet us. They were exceptionally well-trained.

The smell I remembered from my last visit was gone. Fortunately, it seemed that the place wasn’t being used for “that purpose” anymore.

“This way, Your Highness.”

At the corner of the second floor, a knight was standing in front of what looked like the smallest room.

As Alice, Mia, and I approached silently, the knight opened the door for us, just as he had done when we entered the building.

And inside was—

“What do you think?”

As we stepped inside, Alice turned her head slightly toward me. She didn’t fully turn, so I couldn’t see the expression on her face, as it was obscured by her hair.

However, I could clearly sense the contempt in her voice.

Inside the room lay a middle-aged man sprawled on the floor, subdued by the knights. His arms were bound behind him. He looked relatively older, yet his physique was still robust, but he lacked the strength to push aside the knight who was sitting on his knee.

...He had looked terrifying when I had seen him as a child.

A few books were scattered on the floor. They were novels revered as classics. 

Next to those books lay a shattered pair of spectacles, one lens cracked.

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Chapter 130

“Who… is this?”

As Alice entered the room and fell into silence, Mia Crowfield asked in a somewhat anxious voice. To be more precise, it seemed she couldn’t grasp the current situation.

But I didn’t answer her question. Neither did Alice.

I simply walked slowly forward, looking down at the man’s face.

The man was staring blankly at the floor.

What should I do?

It was quite an ambiguous situation.

It was true that this man had beaten me. He probably didn’t intend to kill me. I had lost consciousness, but I woke up shortly after.

Since Claire was able to escape alive in the original story, it must have been a literal “processing” of me that left me in such a state. If he were going to sell me to a necrophiliac, it would have been better to kill me right there and take me away than to keep me alive and hand me over fresh after killing me.

Should I grab his hair and lift his head?

After seriously contemplating, I decided against it. Doing so while squatting like this would mean that the inside of my skirt would be completely visible to him. Moreover, Alice and Mia Crowfield, who were standing, would also see... But then again, these two weren’t in school uniforms, so maybe it wouldn’t matter.

Hah.

Am I really so shallow that I’d have such thoughts in front of a man I had given up looking for?

“...”

Well, one thing is certain.

That night, if it hadn’t been me, another girl would have suffered the same fate. There were orphanages other than the one we were in.

“About ten years ago.”

As I sorted through my thoughts, I finally spoke.

“There was an orphanage that burned down. Do you remember it?”

“...”

The man didn’t answer for a while.

Just as I thought he had no intention of responding, he answered in a rough voice.

“I remember.”

He was speaking formally.

He might not know who we were or why we were here. But he couldn’t possibly miss the emblem of the royal family, a griffin, clearly depicted on the armor of the knights who burst into this building. Even commoners from neighboring countries would recognize such a symbol.

It was a seldom-seen emblem, but here it was, in such proximity.

“Were you nearby?”

“Yes.”

Does he know why I’m asking this? Perhaps he just thinks that refusing to answer correctly in this situation would be far worse for him.

“Back then… there was a woman beside you. Do you know where she went?”

At a glance, she seemed like a noblewoman, but upon closer inspection, it appeared she was dressed overly extravagantly. While it was this man’s job to process and select the children, she must have played a significant role and likely was nearby.

“...The last time I saw her, she was at the institute.”

“...”

I shut my mouth and quietly stared at the back of the man’s head.

His hair was thick. It looked like someone who had never truly suffered. Well, considering the role he played in life, he must have “really” suffered at some point, but at least he lived proudly off money that was less than honorable.

I slowly raised my body and glanced around.

As soon as I entered the room, my gaze had been fixed on the man, preventing me from taking in the surroundings.

I didn’t recognize the place.

It felt quite different from when I had last been here. Of course, it would be. To decorate it so lavishly, they must have at least repainted the wallpaper. Ten years had passed, and the wallpaper in that house back then… must have been stained with opium smoke and bodily fluids.

“Is this house yours?”

I asked as I walked slowly around the room. Everyone in the room was holding their breath. Mia Crowfield was naturally anxious, but even Alice, who had been assertive when bringing me here, and the knight pressing down on the man were silent.

“...Yes.”

“It seems you’ve worked hard.”

It would be difficult to buy even a single room in such a house with a regular wage. It wasn’t just a matter of expensive land or housing costs. The wages paid to workers were ridiculously low.

Ah, the good old days, the Belle Époque.

An era pushing the extremes of capitalism. Anyone who worked could earn money, and with the hard-earned cash, they lived with dignity.

And even the one paying the wages could adjust the amount to their liking.

There were no laws to protect tenants. To pay rent, one had to work fourteen hours a day, and if you worked late into the night, you’d inevitably feel sleepy.

If you dozed off, your hand might get caught in the press. If you lose a hand, you lose your job. Then the worker would scrape together what little money they had to go to an opium den or drink themselves into oblivion, cutting reality out of their lives. They’d wander the alleys, begging for money, smoking opium, drinking, until finally, their stomach and liver couldn’t take it anymore, and their already fragile life was snuffed out. In the great homeland of the Azerian Empire.

On the streets of the empire.

And this man must have worked hard to cut away that life. Using children who were far too young—too young even by this world’s standards—as material.

“...”

The man was silent.

“You sold fantasies so that the weary workers could find comfort.”

Through opium.

“...”

“You gave value to children who would have otherwise frozen to death on the streets and provided them a chance to contract with suitable employers.”

A chance to sell their bodies.

Whether they wanted it or not.

It was far too young to even think about such things.

“...”

The man had no answer.

Or could he not answer? Did he understand the meaning behind my words?

“Isn’t it something to be proud of? The one who sheds light on the dark sides of the great empire is someone like you, isn’t it?”

Before I knew it, I had walked a full circle around the room and stood in front of the man again.

The man’s back remained visible.

The wallpaper in the room was definitely not of cheap quality. The solid wood of the shelves and desk, and the mana stone lights on the desk.

The curtains, the mattress, the leather-bound books filling the bookshelf, the silk curtains, and the expensive shirts hanging on the coat rack, along with the wristwatch and pocket watch neatly placed on the desk.

Not a single item was cheap.

In this cramped room, those expensive items created an appearance that seemed modest and warm at first glance, but if you looked closely, you could tell how extravagantly this person had lived.

Now that I think about it, it was the same back then.

The fur on the coat he wore. The cane he held.

None of it looked cheap.

I could easily guess what he had sold to earn such money.

“How did you purchase this mansion?”

“...”

“Who introduced you?”

I heard Mia Crowfield gasp, but I didn’t turn around.

My gaze remained fixed on the back of the man’s head.

“Did you have any connections with anyone in this land?”

“The em—”

As I spoke, Mia Crowfield took a step forward and made a loud sound, but it seemed Alice stopped her. The sentence was cut off midway. It seemed that reason had fled when Alice grabbed her shoulder.

“...”

The man didn’t answer.

Bang!

A loud sound erupted. A small scream came from behind. At that moment, the knight, who had been pressing down on the man’s arm, looked up at me. Through the slit of his helmet, I could see his surprised eyes wide open.

The man’s head slammed against the floor, making a loud noise before bouncing back up.

The well-kept hair on the back of his head became disheveled. Thankfully, it hadn’t broken.

Was that a good thing? It could break and be put back together.

What happened to the man’s face? Had he smashed his nose into the floor?

I heard a small groan. His head wasn’t hanging low, so he didn’t seem to have fainted.

I slowly looked down at the floor again and asked quietly.

“Answer me.”

“...”

I decided to count to five in my mind.

5, 4, 3—

“You’re being unreasonable.”

With two seconds left, the man spoke.

His voice, which had been normal just a moment ago, now sounded rough as if it were ground into the earth. Moreover, it seemed to seep out through clenched teeth.

“Unreasonable?”

When I asked back, the man continued.

“...Wasn’t the imperial family already aware of this?”

“...”

The room fell silent.

I shifted my gaze back to the knight’s face.

Just as I had seen when I swung my foot earlier, his eyes were wide open.

“Could you please tie this man up and step outside for a moment?”

When I spoke in a calm tone, the knight nodded.

“We’ll continue the conversation once he’s gone.”

“...”

The man remained silent.

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Chapter 131

The man was now sitting up.

Of course, it wasn’t a comfortable position. He was tightly bound to the chair. His arms were tied behind his back, his legs secured to the chair’s legs, and a strap crossed his chest, fastening him to the back of the chair. If he wanted, he could probably struggle to free himself, but all he would achieve would be to tip over.

Like all the furniture and decorations in the room, even the chair he sat on was luxurious. It wouldn’t break from just a fall.

“The imperial family was aware.”

I repeated the last thing the man had said.

“What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like.”

Blood was flowing from the man’s face. Seeing his face up close brought back clearer memories. The man with the round glasses. His distinctive mustache and well-kept hairstyle. Of course, his clothes were different now, as he was wearing just a rolled-up shirt and trousers.

His nose was crooked. It looked like it had been broken when he slammed his face against the floor earlier.

Considering he was answering my questions so readily, it seemed he thought the reason I was asking him these things was simply because I was part of the royal family.

It was understandable. He had never seen my face, at least not since I had turned back time.

“The imperial family must have known. That there are places in the institute and other cities where drugs and people are sold.”

A soft groan interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see Mia Crowfield standing there, her face pale. Leaning against the wall, it seemed she couldn’t stand comfortably.

However, Alice didn’t let her go outside.

It seemed she thought she needed to hear this.

She had been the one to ask the questions from the start.

Moreover, it seemed Mia Crowfield wasn’t planning to leave. Even though she was barely managing to stand, her eyes were fixed firmly on the man.

“Nobles are all turning a blind eye. As long as their authority isn’t challenged and it doesn’t interfere with running their territories… they haven’t captured us. It’s easier to control those gathered in sight than those moving stealthily in uncontrollable places.”

Thus, the relationships became intertwined.

“But, the Emperor must not have directly permitted it, unlike some nobles.”

“...”

However, my response didn’t elicit any further excuses from the man.

It was just a blind eye. The orphanage I had been in was under the watch of Lucas. If Lucas had wanted to, he could have killed the orphanage director and taken all the children away. But Lucas didn’t seem inclined to do that. Moreover, the Emperor hadn’t given Lucas orders to save the children...

...Wait a minute.

“In the institute, what was your position?”

At my question, the man looked up at me as if he couldn’t believe I didn’t know that.

For a moment, I thought about striking his cheekbone, but I restrained myself and waited patiently for his answer.

“I was just a middleman. I bought the goods requested by busy people and resold them.”

“...”

I glanced at Alice. She nodded, her face rigid.

She had said that those at the top were thoroughly messed up before it reached this point.

This man was just a nobody. He acted gentlemanly and spoke with an air of ease, but the real buyers were the nobles, and he was merely a distributor who took requests... buying raw materials to process and sell.

Those “goods” were likely children at times, or maybe drugs.

But if that’s the case...

Then that orphanage he frequented must have just been one of many.

If so, why was Lucas keeping an eye on that ordinary orphanage? If the Emperor didn’t intend to obliterate that organization, it wouldn’t make sense for Lucas to monitor the orphanage.

“Silvia.”

Suddenly, Alice called my name, pulling my thoughts back to the present.

“Are you okay?”

Though she asked that, her expression indicated she knew I wasn’t.

I wasn’t okay. But it wasn’t because of this man. I felt discomfort and thought that it wouldn’t be wrong to kill him right now, but a more significant issue arose in my mind.

If Lucas was intentionally watching that orphanage—of course, he must have had some reason for targeting it—

If Lucas’s reason for being there was to find “Claire,” then there must be a basis for Lucas choosing me instead of Claire.

And the Emperor saw me, taken by Lucas, and made a judgment on what I was.

What was the Emperor “looking for,” what “something”?

What was it like in the original story?

Claire, who barely survived in a terrible environment, ultimately awakened her abilities under extreme stress, causing a massive fire in the middle of the institute. The cause of the fire was a lamp, but she emerged from that huge blaze without a scratch thanks to her innate talent.

In the original story, Lucas sought Claire after seeing that talent.

In the original story, after Claire sacrificed herself for Alice, the Emperor’s plans began to collapse rapidly.

In the original story, several hints suggested that there was some secret to Claire’s birth.

Then, what about here?

Here, Lucas sought “me” after seeing my talent.

If so, that’s a misunderstanding. I have no secret regarding my birth. Such a thing doesn’t even exist.

What did the Emperor mistake me for to accept me?

“Silvia?”

Alice cautiously called my name again.

I looked at Alice’s face.

It was a face I had seen for the past ten years. From a very young age until now.

Perhaps Claire sacrificed herself for Alice for that very reason. For Alice, who had been like a sister she had fought with every day.

Then, what if...

What if I were to sacrifice myself for Alice in this world?

If Claire were still alive and the story flowed similarly to the original...

...Why hadn’t I noticed this until now? I knew that Lucas had specifically taken Claire, and I knew there were many orphanages besides that one. I had even entertained similar questions in my mind several times, so why was it only now that I was realizing it?

*

“So, what happened here?”

After the man was taken away, Mia Crowfield asked with a sense of urgency.

“Who is that man? What connection does he have with our father...?”

Right, this was another issue.

“Mia, for now, just sit down a little.”

There were still no knights in the room. It was just us inside.

Alice pointed to the bed rather than the chair where the man had been sitting until recently. While there wasn’t any blood on the chair, it seemed she was uncomfortable making Mia sit in a place where a criminal had been bound.

Of course, the bed had been used by a criminal too.

“That man... sold things to your father, to Count Crowfield.”

“What things?”

Even Mia Crowfield should have been able to recall something vaguely from the previous conversation, but maybe she didn’t want to believe it. She asked as if she didn’t know anything.

“...Children. Conversely, opium was probably the product being sold here.”

Alice hesitated for a moment before answering.

Mia Crowfield’s face went blank. It looked as if all emotion had drained away.

“...No.”

After a moment of silence, she murmured.

“No way!”

And her voice gradually grew louder.

“No way, my father, my dad couldn’t have done that!”

Her previously dazed eyes sharpened again. The sharpest I had ever seen Mia Crowfield, including her face from before I turned back time.

“You’re tarnishing the honor of our deceased father—”

“...His eyes.”

Just as Mia Crowfield was about to get up from her seat, I opened my mouth.

“Do you remember your father’s eyes?”

“...”

Mia looked up at me, still wearing a confused expression.

“Have you ever seen his pupils shrink to a dot?”

Mia’s mouth opened slightly.

I had seen it. Every time I faced the Count, his pupils were tiny dots. I had never seen them change size.

A pale face. An emaciated body. Dark circles under his eyes. Bloodshot eyes, as if he hadn’t slept for days, and pupils that had shrunk to dots.

Even in a dark place like this dim room, his pupils had remained tiny dots.

“It’s the characteristic of someone who uses drugs. In the dark, their pupils keep contracting.”

“Ah, my father... he was just working hard for the territory...”

“Do you truly believe that?” 

At my question, Mia Crowfield looked up at me, speechless.

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Chapter 132

“Father…”

Mia Crowfield murmured weakly.

“Your mother... she might have instilled a desire for revenge in you. She may have told you to seek vengeance against me, Alice, or even the imperial family.”

“...”

I continued speaking as she kept her head bowed.

“But you know, don’t you? Your mother does too. If you attempt revenge, that alone would spell the end for the Crowfields.”

“That’s...”

“And if that’s the case, then your mother should have sought vengeance right after your father’s death, when there was still a justifiable reason. If she knew something, wouldn’t that have been the best time to expose it? The other nobles would have welcomed it. Even if they couldn’t kill the Emperor, it would have dealt a significant political blow. But the Crowfields didn’t initiate revenge immediately. Why do you think that is?”

“...”

“It’s because there were discussions between the imperial family and the Crowfields.”

With her head still bowed, Mia Crowfield slumped, unable to say anything.

“At that time, taking action ‘right then’ would have meant that the Emperor had cards to play. Perhaps something everyone knows but cannot openly reveal—a dreadful reason. Your mother must have needed to erase traces of that reason to seek revenge.”

“And that man…”

Alice, who had been listening quietly, interjected.

“He must have taken advantage of that. By leveraging the Crowfields’ efforts to erase the evidence, he was likely able to buy a house like this. There’s nothing more detrimental to a justification than someone who knows even a little about the past speaking up.”

A somewhat painful expression crossed Alice's face as she spoke. After all, she had spent a semester with Mia. They had even fought together, risking their lives.

She might think there was a way to simply kill the man.

But a man like him wouldn’t have threatened a lady without being prepared for the situation. At the very least, he would have put on a show of bravado.

And that man also had his own value. The place he traded wasn’t the only one. If he was the one who took the drugs, he likely sold them in some other territory as well. Later, when establishing a ‘justification,’ he might have used that as leverage to draw others into supporting him. It would certainly be an extremely ‘discourteous’ act.

Now that he was caught, he would undoubtedly spill everything.

“...”

Mia Crowfield slowly raised her hands to clutch her head.

“You... you killed our father.”

“...”

For a brief moment, I considered whether I should respond to that statement.

It was a strange feeling. Back at the beginning of the semester, on the very first day when I had a proper conversation with Mia Crowfield, I had openly stated that I had killed her father, who was a drug-addicted pedophile.

Yet, oddly enough, it was incredibly difficult to utter the same words now. It felt as if the words had turned into a physical object lodged in my throat, refusing to come out.

This must be the weight of time. I couldn’t say we had completely become friends, but still, the time we had known each other was pressing down on me, preventing me from speaking those words.

“Yes.”

So, I could only manage that one word.

What happened next was instantaneous.

“Mia!”

Alice screamed.

It was hard to breathe.

Mia Crowfield, shorter than me, had tightly gripped my neck with both hands. With all her strength. Though her hands were small, they had enough force to choke a person.

But it was just a moment.

Before Alice could rush in and pull Mia Crowfield away, the strength left Mia’s hands.

Her hands slipped from my body, falling down.

Mia Crowfield knelt on the floor. No, she collapsed face down.

With her face pressed to the ground, she clawed at her hair with both hands.

“Mia…”

Alice kneeled beside her but hesitated to touch Mia Crowfield’s body.

“You knew… you knew too.”

In a faint, trembling voice, Mia Crowfield questioned.

“You also knew, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I knew.”

I had known even before I came here.

“...Was it here?”

“It was here.”

“The children who were here, the last ones… where did they all go?”

“I don’t know.”

They might have been taken by the imperial family or disposed of by the count’s household. I didn’t know. I hadn’t returned since then.

“...How many were there?”

“I can’t say.”

The evidence must have all burned away by now. The children who had been here were likely gone, their names never even spoken.

“Ah…”

Mia Crowfield’s moan gradually transformed into a cry that was difficult to express in words.

Several knights outside the door instinctively kicked it open, freezing in place.

*

After returning to the Count’s mansion, Mia Crowfield staggered past the Countess’s side. There were no greetings, no embraces.

Without even making eye contact, she brushed past Mia Crowfield, and the Countess shot us a look of hatred before turning sharply and following her inside.

Leaving that mansion behind, we climbed into the steam car that had been prepared in advance.

Alice and I sat side by side in the back seat, but even after the car started moving, we didn’t speak for a while. With a driver present, we had to choose our words carefully, and above all… it wasn’t a mood for laughter.

“...Was it the right thing to do?”

After a long silence, Alice finally spoke those words.

And I had already prepared my answer to that.

“You did well.”

It was a sincere answer with no hidden meanings. At first, I had been at a loss for words when I heard that they had forged the Emperor’s orders… but in the end, it was something that would happen eventually.

At least it would be better for Mia Crowfield than if it had happened during the semester. She would have time to gather her thoughts.

“But…”

Alice bit her lip.

“What if what the imperial family is doing is the same as the wrongful acts of other nobles…?”

The confident appearance she had before entering that building was nowhere to be found. The Alice sitting next to me was speaking in a pained voice.

“Do I even have the right to punish such things?”

“...”

For a while, I stared silently out the window.

I had no authority to grant such rights. I, too, had once been a child in that orphanage, but now I was merely the Emperor’s pawn.

But it wasn’t Alice’s fault either. Just as the Count’s actions weren’t Mia Crowfield’s fault.

“At least,”

I carefully opened my mouth.

“At least the fact that you, Princess, considered doing such things means that you’re different from the Emperor.”

To my words, Alice was silent for a while.

“...Thank you.”

After a long contemplation, Alice’s response was that.

*

“Your identity.”

After taking Alice to her room, I immediately went to meet the Emperor. It was fortunate that Alice had much to think about. If not, I would be standing here alongside her and wouldn’t have been able to ask such questions.

“Why do you ask me that?”

Seeing the Emperor look back at me as if he found it amusing, my insides boiled with frustration, but I remained patient and asked again.

“If you brought me here, there must have been a reason. Why did you place Lucas in that orphanage?”

“I’m curious as to why you’re asking that now.”

The Emperor spoke while placing his hand on his well-groomed golden beard, looking down at me.

“I won’t force you to ask. It would be amusing to guess the reason.”

“I didn’t come here to play guessing games.”

I glared at the Emperor as I spoke, but he continued to regard me with a look of amusement.

“You already know your identity, don’t you?”

At that moment, my heart dropped.

Could it be that the Emperor had already caught on? Was there some truth I hadn’t read in the books, and he already knew that I had come from another world?

“You are my daughter.”

But my anxiety quickly faded. The sigh of relief I might have released was stifled by how irritated I felt. I was grateful for that revelation.

“So, not that kind of answer—”

“Hmm? I am speaking the truth. This is the answer you wanted.”

The Emperor spoke with a smile.

“You are my daughter. You have undoubtedly inherited my talent. Perhaps, you’ve also inherited the talent of your mother. Of course, I don’t remember what kind of person your mother was.”

So simply.

As if he were answering when his real daughter asked, “Am I a child you picked up from under the bridge?”

“...Yes?”

“You are.”

The Emperor said, leaning slightly toward me with a smile.

“You just claimed to be my daughter.”

...And that...

That must be the story about Claire.

And it would also relate to the “Emperor’s children.”

The reason the Emperor could think of his “children” as mere “children.”

“...”

For the first time since coming to this world, I was struck with a look of shock in front of the Emperor.

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Chapter 133

How did the Emperor manage to gather such capable individuals among so many orphans?

It wasn't as if the Emperor had hundreds or thousands of children, nor did he deploy knights to go out and search for them.

Players speculated. Somehow, the Emperor must have had a “certain method” to gather these talented children, and perhaps that “certain method” was related to Claire or other bloodlines of the Emperor’s offspring. I ended up entering this world before I could see the truth in the game.

But who would have guessed that this “certain method” involved “mixing his own blood”?

If that were the case, the Emperor must be an incredibly confident man. Actually, “confident” might be an understatement; “arrogant” might be a more fitting word. He seemed to assume that his children would naturally inherit his “outstanding abilities,” without question.

He would spread his blood as widely as possible… avoiding the nobility due to the political complications, and instead, spread his blood in places where no one cared, bringing back only those children who displayed exceptional abilities.

Hah.

I let out a faint chuckle.

The idea of “children of the Emperor” wasn’t something thought up only in the current Emperor’s reign. Previous emperors had kept such children close as well, and even emperors known to have “not done such things” still had elite personal guards.

This sense of pride in one’s lineage wasn’t limited to the Emperor but was shared by the entire imperial family.

Still, if that’s the case…

In the original storyline, I, who wasn’t supposed to be there, am likely not the “targeted child” the Emperor intended. Originally, Claire would have been the one in that position.

If the Emperor’s approach was merely to “sow seeds,” he likely didn’t pay much attention to the specifics of the partner. He probably just sent someone he trusted to keep an eye on where each child from these women ended up. The color of her hair—blue or black—wouldn't have mattered to the Emperor.

“Wow…”

Sitting in my chair, staring at the ceiling, I sighed in admiration at my own conclusion.

If some entity placed me in this world, they certainly put me in the right spot. Even managed to tie me up with a hidden birthright.

And as for the power I was given… Instead of a vague talent like swordsmanship that would require a lifetime of dedication to see results, I was given endless chances to correct my mistakes.

And even though the Emperor knows that my fighting style relies on that power, he still thinks I’m his daughter.

That’s right. The Emperor has mistaken me for Claire.

And it’s all because Lucas brought me, not Claire.

…I need to find Lucas.

---

Lucas probably doesn’t know he might be the Emperor’s legitimate son. To be honest, he didn’t bear much resemblance. Furthermore, judging by the circumstances, Lucas’s childhood as an orphan was likely as miserable as Claire’s.

He probably wouldn’t “naturally” consider himself of imperial blood. After all, who would imagine that, even if illegitimate, a child of the Emperor would be left to suffer in such conditions?

So, I needed to talk to Lucas, to find out why he chose me, and to understand what his past was like. Only then would I have the certainty I needed.

The damned Emperor had thrown that bombshell at me and then just laughed, saying, “Figure out the rest yourself.”

The problem was, I had no idea where Lucas was.

Bella and another sibling had already been deployed on missions. In fact, those two had remained largely anonymous, making them quite useful, so they were always busy. If Bella hadn’t been assigned a specific mission, I wouldn’t have seen her at all.

So, I went to find the only “sibling” I could meet immediately.

And that person was—

“Lucas?”

At the mention of Lucas’s name, Jayden’s brow furrowed instantly.

“How would I know where Lucas is?”

Fortunately, Jayden didn’t seem angry with me, but rather with Lucas himself. Abandoning his position without informing the Emperor was a show of disloyalty to someone like Jayden, the Empire’s strongest knight.

I looked up at Jayden’s golden hair, neatly divided in an 80/20 split.

Seeing him up close, his hair color looked quite similar to the Emperor’s and Alice’s. But using that as evidence would be difficult—golden hair wasn’t uncommon in the Empire.

Still… it was hard not to think differently after hearing that story and seeing such a shade of gold.

Though Jayden had rigorously trained in imperial swordsmanship, he, too, probably had a dark past, just like Claire or Bella.

Perhaps his obsession with elegance stemmed from that.

“I see.”

“Why? Did he do something to you?”

“No.”

At my response, Jayden shrugged and went back to packing. The way he fit his belongings perfectly into the massive trunk made me wonder how he managed to arrange everything like a puzzle.

Impressed, I asked, “Are you being deployed?”

“That’s right.”

Jayden nodded, continuing to pack.

“I was assigned to the north. Thanks to your recent achievements—”

He glanced at me, his expression openly proud. I nearly shivered at the sight but managed to hold it back.

“—we managed to wipe out an entire warlord faction, though similar groups still remain. Since we’re not officially at war with the autonomous state, we can’t deploy an entire army, but even one skilled irregular will make a huge difference in battle.”

With that, Jayden shut the trunk with a snap.

“The north…”

It was somewhat daunting to think that I would be the only child of the Emperor left in the palace, but then, an idea struck me.

“Do you have a means of transportation?”

“They want me to arrive quickly, so I’ll probably be traveling on a supply ship.”

A “supply ship” wasn’t an ordinary vessel. If we were near the ocean or a large lake, it might mean an actual ship, but on land, it referred to an “airship.”

While not as fast as the Dreadnought aerial battleship, which could reach 100 km per hour, the supply ship’s direct route without stops made it faster than a train in terms of actual arrival time.

“Would it be possible for me to join you on that ship?”

With only two weeks left until the end of the break, time was critical for me.

“Hm? Even though it’s a military supply ship… Not that I don’t trust you, but boarding it does require proper procedure. I registered a week ago, but for you…”

Not bypassing protocol with his authority showed Jayden’s “straight-laced” character. That’s probably why the Emperor used Jayden as a “public operator.”

“I have… an urgent matter.”

“An urgent matter, huh?”

Jayden’s expression turned serious.

“Is this related to an order from His Majesty?”

Uh…

Not exactly.

I could come up with another reason, but as a knight of the Empire, Jayden would definitely verify with the Emperor. Not because he suspected me, but because he would want a clear understanding to handle the mission properly.

“…”

“Sylvia?”

Seeing me fall silent, Jayden tilted his head.

…Alright.

In that case…

I’d have to exploit Jayden’s one weak spot.

I took a deep breath, calming myself as much as possible, then clasped my hands in front of my chest.

Looking up at Jayden wasn’t hard; he was taller than me, after all.

But the next part was.

“O…”

“O?”

Jayden repeated, watching as I hesitated mid-sentence.

“O…dear brother.”

I couldn’t bring myself to call him “oppa,” so I settled on a formal title that fit my character.

Yes, this is just part of my character; it’s not something I’m saying by choice.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

With Jayden frozen in place like a statue, I took another deep breath and said, “Dear brother… please?”

Jayden stared at me, mouth agape, then rubbed his forehead.

Just as I thought I’d failed…

Jayden let out a sigh, dragging his hand down his face, then touched his forehead again.

A faint smile played on his lips, his eyes glimmering with the look that said, “What a little troublemaker.”

“Oh dear.”

I immediately regretted what I’d said and seriously considered rewinding time.

“If my sister asks like that… there’s nothing I can do. Don’t worry, Sylvia. This ‘dear brother’ will take care of it.”

…I genuinely considered it.

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Chapter 134

Strictly speaking, a school break is like a holiday for workers.

Of course, compared to an actual worker’s vacation, it’s incredibly long, and usually, kids with the social status to attend an academy tend to enjoy it comfortably without working.

Claire and Leo could have done the same.

However, both of them were highly driven. Neither Leo nor Claire hesitated to spend the entire break diligently training to improve their swordsmanship.

And both of them had met the "Swordmaster" during the semester. Though the time they spent learning from him was brief, they had both earned the title of “disciple.”

Moreover, they were even told that they could come to learn anytime they had the chance.

For such purposes, the school break was an ideal period.

With this in mind, Leo and Claire planned to head north right after the visit from the two princesses ended.

Of course, life rarely flows exactly as planned.

"Claire, you’ll stay here."

Naturally, it didn’t.

“Mother?”

But life doesn’t always follow exactly what one expects or desires.

“Inheriting the Grace swordsmanship is a good thing. If you have a great teacher like the Swordmaster, then it’s proper to pursue your swordsmanship with gratitude. After all, it’s not a chance given to just anyone.”

“Mother, then—”

“But.”

The Baroness of Grace sighed softly as she spoke to Claire.

“Claire, isn’t it about time you started preparing for marriage?”

“…Excuse me?”

Claire’s face went blank, her mouth slightly agape, reflecting a bewildered expression of “What does that mean?”

“I’m not saying you need to marry right away. You can think about it slowly after you become an adult. But, even so, you need to be equipped with the basics.”

Claire’s face began to flush slightly.

“At the very least… you need to carry yourself properly as a ‘young lady.’ This break will be focused on that.”

“But, Mother—”

Claire’s face took on a pleading expression, but the Baroness of Grace seemed resolute.

“Claire, you are the daughter of our family. I believe you should receive proper education to ensure there’s nothing lacking if you marry someone one day.”

Beneath her words lay an unmistakable affection.

Claire found herself at a loss for words.

Seeing Claire’s dazed expression, the baroness smiled gently.

“Still, if, during this break, you manage to refine your manners to represent our family well, then I will allow you to go north for swordsmanship training in the winter.”

“Really?”

Claire’s eyes widened.

“Really, Mother?”

Seeing Claire bouncing in excitement, the baroness let out a soft sigh.

“…Yes, but first, let’s do something about that boisterous behavior of yours.”

---

“Haha…”

Frederick, the Swordmaster, chuckled softly after hearing Leo’s story.

“Time passes, yet people’s perceptions don’t change so easily, it seems.”

He shook his head.

“For such an enlightened family to still think that way…”

Muttering to himself, Frederick added, “Though even if they think it doesn’t matter, other nobles may think differently.”

Frederick nodded as if he understood why one of his disciples was absent.

“Well, alright. That child will likely overcome such adversity without much trouble. Let’s hope I can properly teach both of you in the winter.”

Frederick lowered his crossed arms.

“Then, let’s start by calming the mind through meditation.”

“Understood.”

Leo nodded seriously, taking his seat.

It was late July.

---

A month under a Swordmaster is an incredibly short time. The Swordmaster had spent decades honing his skills, so naturally, imparting all of that would require a comparable length of time.

However, that month wasn’t without progress.

Leo became more focused and steady in his approach to swordsmanship. The precision and sharpness at the tip of his sword had noticeably improved. Previously, he and Claire had been roughly on the same level in skill; now, he felt he could edge out a victory by a narrow margin.

Living in a hut built near a cliff—a place where the weather barely held up—also helped. The harsh environment was, in itself, a form of training.

Despite the discomfort, Leo felt satisfaction as he sensed his steady growth.

“Hm.”

As he was calming himself through meditation as usual, he heard a sound from the Swordmaster.

Opening his eyes slightly, he saw the Swordmaster with a hand on his chin, staring at the thin wall of the hut. He wasn’t actually looking at the wall but at something beyond it.

“It seems we have an uninvited guest.”

Frederick placed a hand on the basket of herbs on the table.

“Could it be Teacher Jennifer?”

“No, it’s not her footsteps. If it were, she would’ve boldly walked in without hiding a sound. And her movements wouldn’t be this unsteady.”

Frederick narrowed his eyes. While it was an unfamiliar presence, he didn’t feel it was an expert skilled enough to pose a threat.

There was no malice, either. Those who lack skill often fail to suppress their killing intent, broadcasting it widely and failing to surprise their target. A skilled individual would suppress their hostility and dispatch their target in one clean strike.

Could it be that they genuinely had a visitor? Perhaps someone lost while climbing the mountain for fun?

Regardless, Frederick tightened his grip on the basket.

“…”

Without hesitation, the intruder boldly approached the hut’s door and opened it.

Frederick timed it perfectly and threw the basket.

As the door opened, the basket spun through the air, scattering its contents—and landed precisely on the forehead of a young girl.

“Eeek!?”

Surprised by the high-pitched squeal, Frederick blinked. Leo, too, turned his upper body toward the door, still seated cross-legged.

The girl, who had fallen onto her rear, was petite and appeared fragile at first glance. Not that she lacked a certain feminine charm, though.

With tears in the corners of her eyes, the girl rubbed her forehead.

“Sylvia?”

Leo asked in a somewhat dazed tone.

The girl, addressed as Sylvia, blinked as if only now realizing she was sitting on the floor. She seemed to momentarily forget the pain in her forehead.

Looking blank for a moment, she suddenly snapped out of it and—

“Redo!”

She shouted—

---

After bumping my forehead on that damn basket again, I’d forgotten about it.

It had been months since I’d last come here, so it was only natural I’d forgotten… but still, it was embarrassing.

Especially since even Leo inside the hut saw me.

“Hoo…”

I rewound a few seconds, took a deep breath, and opened the door again.

The door, its ill-fitting hinges creaking, opened with a groan that betrayed its poor craftsmanship.

And then I saw the basket flying toward my face.

Raising my free hand, I caught the basket.

Snap.

Thankfully, it seemed Frederick wasn’t throwing it with the intent to kill, so I managed to catch it fairly gracefully.

“Oh-ho.”

Frederick let out a small exclamation.

“Sylvia?”

This time, there was no bewilderment or shock in Leo’s voice—just pure surprise.

Trying to keep my composure, I calmly placed the basket on a nearby table.

“Sylvia, is it?”

Frederick looked thoughtful for a moment, then smirked slightly, a bit of a predatory gleam in his smile.

“I see. So you’re the one who made a name for yourself on the battlefield recently.”

…What’s this?

Why does it feel different from when we first met?

For a moment, I wondered if Frederick remembered me, but it didn’t seem like that, fortunately.

Instead—

“If you’re my disciple’s close friend, then I should at least see your skills.”

He gripped his sword.

Wait, hold on!

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Chapter 135

At the very least, the Swordmaster wasn’t actually trying to cut me down with a real blade.

But that slight mercy didn’t make much difference to me.

After all, even if I got cut by a real sword, I could just rewind time to before the injury, so getting slashed was merely a matter of experiencing some pain. And Lucas’s sword, as sharp as one might expect from a sword of the crown prince, didn’t inflict pain immediately. My brain would release a rush of endorphins right after the slash, numbing the sensation.

As a result, whether I was struck by the Swordmaster’s blunt weapon or a real blade, the pain didn’t differ much. In fact, in a strange way, this blunt sword—without the numbing effect of endorphins—felt even more painful.

Additionally, getting hit still meant I had to rewind time.

Unlike Lucas, who would swing once, and after I dodged, it would end there, the Swordmaster’s strikes came in rapid succession, forcing me to rewind time over and over.

“Hm.”

After unleashing a series of five consecutive strikes, forcing me to rewind time at least a dozen times, the Swordmaster rested his sword on his shoulder, raising an eyebrow.

“Very strange.”

He muttered words I’d heard before.

“No talent whatsoever.”

“Talent…?”

Leo, listening from the side, echoed in shock.

Thwack!

“Gah!?”

The Swordmaster’s sword landed on Leo’s forehead, prompting a yelp.

“You’re my disciple, yet you can’t recognize whether someone has talent or not? This kid has no talent at all. Honestly, the way I see it, the only reason you’re dodging is sheer luck.”

He was absolutely correct. I was dodging on pure instinct.

I tried to make my movements elegant and precise, but the truth was, there was no method or discipline behind them—just random, instinctive movements without adherence to any particular style.

In that regard, the Swordmaster was far better at recognizing my flaws than Lucas. Lucas might be a more talented and powerful fighter, but he likely saw my movements as a sign of innate physical prowess.

…And that was probably why he’d resolved to cut me down in the first place.

“You, what are you—”

“S-sir!”

Seeing the Swordmaster refer to me as “you there,” Leo, standing awkwardly nearby, panicked.

“Hm? What is it?”

“Well… that is…”

Leo approached the Swordmaster, cupping a hand by his mouth to whisper something. He was likely explaining my identity. Specifically, the fact that I was a “princess of the Empire.”

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

But as soon as the Swordmaster heard that, he smacked Leo’s forehead again.

“Is the fact that she’s an imperial princess really that important? Have you even considered why I built this hut on this cliffside? It’s because I’m sick of statuses and politics. In this place, only skill in swordsmanship matters. So,”

Pointing his sword at me, the Swordmaster Frederick declared,

“Here, you’re no different from the lowest rank.”

Despite my appearance that couldn’t exactly conceal my femininity, he continued to address me as “you there.”

…Then again, calling me “you there” was probably his way of avoiding more offensive language. He was already a bit of an old-fashioned character, and being even more abrasive wouldn’t help his case.

Watching the Swordmaster call me “of the lowest rank” made Leo’s face turn pale, almost to the point of blue.

Honestly, I could let it slide. After all, I was here as a disciple. My teacher might not remember me, but technically, Leo and I were fellow disciples.

“I understand.”

So, maybe I could help out my fellow disciple with a little reminder.

“Oh-ho.”

The Swordmaster lifted one corner of his mouth in amusement.

“Well, alright. Since you made it all the way here without drawing your weapon, it seems you’re not here as an enemy. If it’s a story you’re after, I’ll listen.”

He gestured to an empty chair, inviting me to sit.

---

Sitting down, I candidly explained my reason for coming here.

Of course, I left out details about my ability or lineage—things I wasn’t ready to reveal. Someday, I might tell them, but for now, I focused on the urgent matters at hand.

“So, your stepbrother wants to cut off your head, and you want to find him?”

“Yes.”

“And you have something to discuss with him?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s likely stronger than I am?”

“That’s correct.”

“…Are you, by chance, suicidal?”

The Swordmaster asked, looking at me as if I’d lost my mind.

It wasn’t exactly a fair question coming from him.

At the mention of a swordsman stronger than himself, he’d looked intrigued, and he’d accepted me as a disciple simply because I’d offered to introduce him to Lucas. If anyone was taking these things lightly, it was him.

I didn’t actually laugh, though.

I could read the room.

“….”

As we sat in silence, Leo prepared tea for us, his expression rigid and serious.

I lifted the teacup to my lips, and for the first time in ages, winced purely at the taste, casting a sharp glance at Leo.

Leo, catching my eye, looked incredibly wronged.

The tea he’d prepared… seemed different from what I usually drank. On closer inspection, the color was pitch black, closer to herbal medicine than tea. Perhaps he’d brewed the herbs from the basket Frederick had thrown earlier.

“Is there any sugar?”

“Hah.”

When I brazenly asked, the Swordmaster let out an incredulous laugh.

“Are you serious? You want to put sugar in herbal medicine?”

“….”

On second thought, it probably wasn’t a great idea.

I silently set the teacup down.

Then, I addressed the Swordmaster.

“No, I don’t have a death wish. I simply have an urgent need to ask him something.”

I needed to hear why Lucas had chosen me. And if Lucas had been monitoring that facility from the beginning, then he might know how I ended up there—or, at the very least, he might know whether I had simply appeared there suddenly.

And perhaps he knew where Claire came from, too.

There were a lot of things I might not learn, but Lucas was the only person I could turn to for answers.

If things went wrong, I could just rewind time and pretend none of this had happened. That way, I wouldn’t have to die at Lucas’s hand. And while I was at it, I could erase the embarrassment of calling Jayden “dear brother.”

That overly proud face he’d made, introducing me to the commanders as his “little sister”… I’d rather that memory disappear.

“Hm.”

After hearing my story, the Swordmaster turned to glance at Leo.

Leo’s face was stiff with tension.

“But I’m curious. Why did you feel the need to seek me out to find this Lucas character?”

Turning back to me and leaning over the table slightly, the Swordmaster looked at me with unmistakable interest. More interest, even, than he’d shown upon hearing about my status.

“Because,”

I replied slowly, hoping to sway the Swordmaster with my answer.

“It’s certain that, before he tries to reach his final target, Lucas will seek you out as an intermediate goal.”

In the original story, the Swordmaster’s death happened far later.

I couldn’t be certain if Lucas was currently tracking me or not.

So, expecting him to appear before me within a few days was unrealistic.

But, at the very least, I could make it so that Lucas might appear “someday.”

If I heard that Lucas had shown up to challenge the Swordmaster, I could just rewind time to a few days prior and come here to meet Frederick.

And for that to work, it would be best if the Swordmaster Frederick left his reclusive mountain retreat and returned to the city. If he positioned himself openly, he’d be easier for Lucas to find.

Ideally, I could bring him near the capital.

“Oh-ho.”

Frederick smiled more wickedly than he had when I’d first entered the hut.

“So, he sees you as more of a ‘threat’ than me?”

“Yes.”

“How arrogant.”

“….”

Seeing the Swordmaster’s hand grip the hilt of his sword once more, I felt myself tense up.

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Chapter 136

“Please come to the capital.”

I spoke with a tense expression, not letting my resolve waver.

“There, you can be with all your disciples.”

“Hm.”

The Swordmaster seemed to contemplate my words, and for a moment, he loosened his grip on his sword.

I felt a momentary relief—only to be abruptly interrupted.

Thwack!

“Eek?!”

The Swordmaster’s blade tapped sharply against the top of my head.

Reflexively, I clutched my head, glaring up at him.

He looked at me with a mixture of exasperation and disbelief.

“Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I came to this mountain to avoid the world. And you want me to endure the crowds in the busiest part of the capital, surrounded by all sorts of people?”

The Swordmaster scoffed.

“And as bait, no less? I’m not foolish enough to fall for such a flimsy trick.”

Of course, he wouldn’t be.

Internally, I agreed. A man who’d lived on a mountain for decades wasn’t likely to leave just because of a stranger’s words.

“In that case, I’ll stay here.”

“Hm?”

“I’ll remain here until I convince you to come.”

I wasn’t unprepared. There were only about two weeks left of my break, but I could spend those two weeks persuading him, figuring out what approaches might work, and then rewinding time to refine my attempts—

Thwack!

“Gah?!”

“Is that exclamation part of your vocabulary or something?”

Hitting someone on the head without warning and then making that kind of comment was beyond frustrating.

Not that I could actually defeat him if it came to it.

“A grown woman—even though I may be older—is suggesting spending the night in a man’s home? That would damage your reputation. And beyond that, the fact that you’d even consider such a thing is problematic, especially for a princess.”

“…”

He hadn’t seemed to care when I’d stayed overnight with Jennifer, or when Alice had done the same. Claire had even stayed, too.

Granted, Jennifer was with us those times, but in the original storyline, the Swordmaster was never a character who cared about such things. He was just looking for reasons to send me away.

Ignoring my glare, he turned his gaze elsewhere.

“And why are you so frozen in place?”

“Ah, well…”

Leo’s forehead was damp with sweat, his hair clinging to his brow.

“Are you upset that I keep tapping ‘Her Highness’ on the head with my sword?”

“…”

“I’ve met other princesses before, you know? And if I cared about rank, I wouldn’t have taken Jennifer as my disciple.”

“Y-yes, but…”

“Oh, right.”

The Swordmaster turned back to me.

“Is Alice your elder sister or younger?”

“She’s my sister—”

Leo started to respond, but a quick glance from me made him close his mouth.

“...She’s my ‘sibling.’”

“Oh-ho.”

The Swordmaster smirked, his lips twisting in amusement.

“I see. So that’s how it is…”

He crossed his arms, pausing to think.

“Well, fine. It’s already late. Sending you down the mountain at this hour wouldn’t be right.”

He rose from his seat.

“I’ll let you stay for one night. But leave tomorrow. I’m not idle enough to entertain you any longer.”

He’s definitely not as busy as he claims.

But at least I had his permission to stay the night.

It was a start.

---

“Did you learn that from Alice?”

At dawn the next day, as I sat cross-legged in meditation, waking at the same time as Leo, the Swordmaster asked this question.

It was the first thing he’d said to me since yesterday’s conversation. He’d completely ignored me since, which, in hindsight, was justified given my presumptuous request.

But if words wouldn’t convince him, then actions would.

He’d declared I had “no talent” last night, so all I had to do was show him some “talent.” And waking up at the same time as Leo seemed a good place to start.

Peeking slightly, I noticed Leo watching me, somewhat surprised.

His expression was more contemplative than shocked, though. He’d been there with me at the ruins in Northwood and might be wondering if I’d already trained here before.

The truth was, I didn’t have any talent in this area. I hadn’t even learned the basics of meditation until coming here, and it had taken me 300 days to master the simplest technique under this “Swordmaster.” Learning any other moves would take me even longer.

But for now, I needed to make it seem like this ability was my “talent.” Only then might the Swordmaster take me seriously.

I heard the sound of his footsteps approaching, and I shut my eyes completely, resuming my meditative state.

The Swordmaster moved around to observe me from the front, as if scrutinizing my posture—

And just before he could speak—

Bang!

The door burst open with a loud noise.

“…Alice. If you open the door like that, it might break.”

The Swordmaster spoke leisurely, as if he’d expected Alice. His demeanor was completely different from when I’d arrived.

“If it breaks, I’ll buy you the finest door I can find.”

Alice’s voice was calm, yet somehow sounded deeply angry.

“I doubt such a door would suit this place,”

the Swordmaster replied, sounding mildly amused.

Alice didn’t seem to hear him.

I found their exchange intriguing.

Though I’d met the Swordmaster before and knew his character from the game, this was the first time I’d seen him and Alice interact directly.

In the game, aside from main story dialogue, other party members, besides Leo, often faded into the background during side quests. Although the developers tried to give attention to detail, the sheer amount of main story text meant they couldn’t dedicate as much care to side quests.

As the party options increased, it was easier to skip dialogue entirely, especially to save on development costs.

But this was real life.

I couldn’t just skim over it with a single line like, “They shared opinions” or “They all trained together.”

“What brings you here? It doesn’t seem like you came to train, unlike Leo.”

“…I came to find my ‘sister.’”

I couldn’t read people’s energy, but I could tell that the Swordmaster was now staring intently in my direction.

“Did something happen at the palace?”

I kept my eyes tightly shut, trying to look deeply immersed in meditation, as if I were completely oblivious to Alice’s presence.

Of course… I had a feeling that wasn’t particularly convincing.

After all, just closing my eyes didn’t make me invisible.

“I’d like to speak with Sylvia for a moment.”

There was the sound of fabric brushing against wood as Alice made her request, likely prompted by the Swordmaster gesturing to the table.

“You’re free to use the table. Since there’s no separate room here, I can’t offer privacy.”

“That’s fine.”

Alice’s voice carried a hint of laughter.

It didn’t sound warm, though.

---

“I heard about it.”

“…About what, exactly?”

Alice and I sat facing each other across the worn table, with Leo and the Swordmaster standing about three paces away, both looking curious about our conversation.

I pondered briefly. Could it be about Lucas? Had Alice somehow learned that she and I might actually be sisters—

“I heard you called Jayden ‘dear brother.’”

—Apparently not.

Still, I realized the importance of what Alice had just said.

I turned toward Leo.

Leo looked at me, his mouth hanging open, clearly not expecting to hear such words from me.

Unfortunately, I had no idea how to control my rapidly beating heart, which was now pounding with embarrassment.

…Maybe I should at least learn how to deal with this kind of shame during my two weeks here.

And as for Jayden, who apparently didn’t bother to keep that little incident to himself—I was definitely going to make him pay.

Even if it was my fault for forgetting to ask him to keep it a secret.

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Chapter 137

I first attempted to change the subject.

“How did you get here?”

“By carriage last night.”

“…Did someone drive you here?”

“The palace is crowded with people. I couldn’t exactly ask them to run a train at such an odd hour, could I? It’s not like it costs just a few pennies.”

Taking a steam car here wouldn’t be cheap either.

No, more than that, arriving by ‘car’ from the capital to here was no small feat. Although the roads were somewhat established, many of them were just dirt paths. They were maintained to some extent, but still.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t come alone; there were knights escorting me.”

Seeing Alice lean back in her chair with her arms crossed, I felt the urge to slap my forehead once again. 

If it had just been Alice and me, I might have actually done it.

“Is this all because of the time I called you ‘dear brother’?”

“That ‘all’? You don’t really think that was just a minor issue, do you?”

Alice raised an eyebrow at me.

“…”

If it wasn’t just a minor issue, then what was it?

But I wasn’t foolish enough to voice that thought out loud. For whatever reason, Alice looked incredibly serious right now.

“You don’t call anyone else such… intimate names. Doesn’t that mean you have something important enough to come all this way for?”

That was… quite astute.

The implication that “Alice and Claire might be sisters” was a significant bombshell, and I couldn’t admit to coming here to confirm that truth without bringing up the Emperor’s words, which would lead her to think I was talking about Claire and not me.

Time rewinding was a fantasy concept, and in a world where goddesses might actually exist, even if I got caught, it would likely just lead to shock or surprise. But telling someone I came from another world and that this world’s story was merely a game? That was a whole different matter. It implied my will didn’t truly matter, and the narrative might already be set in stone.

“…”

Seeing me hesitate to answer, Alice sighed deeply.

“Well, fine.”

With her arms still crossed, she squinted at me.

“After all, you came here intending to stay, right? So I’ll stay with you while you’re here.”

Hearing a sound, I turned my head to see the Swordmaster Frederick pressing his forehead with his hand. He had his eyes tightly shut, making the wrinkles on his face appear twice as pronounced.

“Are you two girls really planning to stay in my hut?” 

“Don’t worry too much, Master.”

With a gentle smile on her face, Alice looked toward her teacher.

“If Sylvia says she wants to leave, I’ll consider returning today.”

Then she turned back to me, observing my expression.

“You don’t seem too keen on leaving, though.”

I stared at Alice silently for a while, then slowly opened my mouth.

And then closed it again.

Hmm.

While it had been embarrassing to call Jayden “dear brother,” and I regretted it now, it hadn’t been an overwhelmingly difficult thing to do. I had planned to rewind time after discovering the truth anyway.

Of course, there was no guarantee I’d actually find Lucas within the remaining two weeks of break. He could be off in another country or training in the mountains to cut me down all at once.

But if I didn’t find him, that was fine too. I could always rewind time to think of another way, or enjoy the rest of my break and reconsider later.

However, saying “sister” to Alice…

Even if I could rewind time, I felt an inexplicable aversion to doing so.

It was just a thought, but for some reason, it felt like it would become a significant… blemish in my life.

“…”

Alice was still looking at me, as if to say, “If you have something to say, go ahead.”

“...Um…”

“Hmm?”

“Um…”

I took a deep breath and spoke.

“Could you just go back home and wait instead of being here?”

“…”

Alice didn’t seem to catch what I said, tilting her head slightly toward me.

“What are you trying to say? It’s hard to understand when you break it down like that.”

“…”

I clenched my eyes shut, biting my lip.

Then I took another deep breath and blurted out, “Sister, could you not be here and just go home to wait?”

“…”

After hearing my words, Alice’s face lit up with a victorious smile, her eyes sparkling as if they were brighter than the stars still twinkling in the sky.

“Yes? What is it, Sylvia?”

Seeing her affect that deliberately gentle tone only made me seriously consider rewinding time and pretending that my earlier history with Jayden had never happened. But I ultimately concluded that no matter what, that feeling of embarrassment wouldn’t entirely disappear.

“I’ll tell you everything,” I finally said to Alice, who now looked ready to hear anything.

“Please?”

“…”

After hearing my plea, Alice’s smile grew even wider.

“I understand how much you care for your sister,”

she began, and at those words, I felt a wave of intense anxiety wash over me.

“But I can’t just leave my sister here and go back, can I?”

“This place…”

The Swordmaster mumbled in a somewhat wounded voice. Hadn’t he just been acting like he didn’t care moments ago?

“Alice will stay here with Sylvia.”

“…”

I felt a different kind of irritation rising, watching the Swordmaster press his fingers to his forehead, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Well, fine.”

He turned his gaze toward me.

There seemed to be no emotional weight in his gaze, but somehow, it felt sharp enough to pierce me. It was the same gaze he’d held when I’d been meditating here.

Even just yesterday, he had no intention of letting me stay overnight, but perhaps seeing me in that meditative state had changed his mind.

“However, don’t make me a nuisance. I already have one disciple I’m teaching here.”

The Swordmaster's gaze shifted toward Leo, who stood stiffly in front of us, having completely frozen in a military posture.

I had thought his demeanor would soften outside the academy, but apparently not.

After all, students from commoner backgrounds often felt uncomfortable around their noble counterparts. They’d rather keep things formal to avoid the potential awkwardness of trying to build camaraderie, especially knowing they would have to revert to politeness after graduation.

It was easier to think of their relationships as strictly defined from the start than risk getting hurt by being treated as equals.

“However, you three are equals here. There’s no one higher or lower among you.”

The Swordmaster looked at Leo with a certain disdain.

Leo seemed utterly stiff, unable to relax in our presence.

“Additionally,”

The Swordmaster continued as we nodded in agreement,

“there are no genders here. The training is the same, regardless of whether you’re male or female.”

“That’s something I’ve already experienced,”

Alice nodded, affirming his words.

And I…

“…”

Only then did I realize the gravity of the situation.

It was fortunate I hadn’t been kicked out, but—

The Swordmaster’s gaze toward me felt ominous.

It was the same look he had given me when I was meditating here.

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Chapter 138

I had been training diligently, so I had built up some stamina.

However, the problem was that keeping up with Leo, the ‘protagonist,’ or Alice, the ‘sword-wielding heroine,’ was not an easy task with that stamina alone.

“It’s because you’re pouring all your effort into that weapon,”

the Swordmaster said, looking at me with a rather disapproving expression.

“When comparing the skill of using a gun to wielding a sword, it’s clear that swordsmanship requires much better physical capabilities. After all, isn’t it true that handling a firearm only takes a few weeks of training?”

Hearing that, I seriously debated whether to argue back, but ultimately decided to keep my mouth shut.

The Winterfield region in the north wasn’t oppressively hot, even in midsummer. But summer was still summer, and while the temperature was in the mid-twenties Celsius, the sun hung high in the sky, making training in the scorching heat anything but easy.

I found myself lying down, exhausted after running around under that blazing sun.

And the Swordmaster looked down at me, uttering those words.

I felt a desire to counter his claim, but I also thought it wise not to tire myself out by speaking.

After all, I was the one who sought him out, not the other way around.

Besides, one of his disciples, Jennifer, had learned the sword just enough before leaving to immediately start using firearms instead. She thought, “This is enough to be useful in a real fight,” and went off to learn how to mix in firearms. From the Swordmaster's perspective, firearms must have been a rather unpleasant concept.

“Hm, still,”

the Swordmaster said, watching me closely.

“Your tenacity seems decent enough.”

I trained by repeatedly rewinding time.

If my stamina was lacking compared to the other two, then my only option was to find the best way to make it work.

I didn’t plan on cheating by falling back. Doing so would just get me on the Swordmaster's bad side.

As I climbed the hill, I searched for the best footholds, rewinding time to find them. Places where my foot wouldn’t slip too easily, spots that were easy to grip with my hands, places where I could exert strength without the rocks moving, and where I could save my thighs from fatigue.

I looked for those spots step by step, advancing while conserving my stamina. Rewinding time required no extra effort.

“Have you been here before or something?” 

The Swordmaster asked, genuinely curious.

It was a reasonable assumption. From my perspective, I was effectively creating the optimal route and running through it by rewinding time, but to an outsider, it probably looked like someone who had already mapped out the area was moving through it.

Having lived alone without neglecting my training, the Swordmaster must have seen it that way too.

“You really are a strange one. At first, I thought you were just someone without talent who got lucky.”

The Swordmaster crouched down a little away from where I lay sprawled out on the ground, gazing at me intently.

“Did you find your way here through someone else’s guidance?”

“…”

“I thought you must have heard it from one of my disciples, but you seem like someone who could have found my location through other means. After all, I’m hidden away, but I didn’t use any special methods to do so.”

As expected of the Swordmaster, it felt like he could see through my identity to some extent, just as he had back when I trained with him.

Seeing the corners of his mouth turn up slightly, it seemed I had succeeded in catching his interest.

An unknown entity suddenly popping up in his mundane life. That’s how he would perceive me.

“So, what exactly are you?” 

“…”

I pondered seriously.

The Swordmaster’s previous expression when he told me to “come again” overlapped in my mind. After all, the Swordmaster now was no different from the one I had met then. It was just that I had encountered him a little later.

So, I thought about revealing that to the Swordmaster but decided against it.

He might believe me. He was quick to judge situations. But…

If I wanted to exchange information, I should have him find me before I die. And at that time, I would see if I could guess his identity. I hoped he wouldn’t give me too many hints. If the one giving the riddle makes it too easy, it loses its fun.

The Swordmaster had said that before.

Even in situations where someone might feel their life was being undermined, or where their efforts seemed meaningless, he had said those words.

If the one giving the riddle gives away too many clues, it becomes less enjoyable to solve.

And, I was also his disciple. Recognized directly by the Swordmaster.

So, as his student, I shouldn’t take away his enjoyment.

I sat up from my previous position.

Then I looked at my ‘teacher’ and said, “Are you curious how I knew this place and how I came to utilize this training method?”

“Of course, anyone would be curious about that.”

But even while saying that, the Swordmaster still wore a subtle smile, as if he already knew I wouldn’t share it.

“It’s a secret.”

I couldn’t suddenly divulge the answer here.

Hearing that, the Swordmaster’s eyes widened slightly.

Then, he let out a short laugh as if he had drunk some bitter but precious liquor.

“So, you mean to say that if I want to know your secret, you’re inviting me to the capital? If I watch closely, I’ll find out what kind of secret you hold.”

“Not entirely incorrect.”

I looked straight at the Swordmaster.

“Besides the secret of how I could move like this, there are many secrets in the capital that would be fun to learn when revealed.”

“And of course, you have no intention of revealing all those secrets yourself.”

“Of course not.”

At my words, the Swordmaster stared at me for a while longer, still wearing that somewhat fearsome smile.

“You’re quite bold.”

But at least this time, he didn’t hit my forehead.

*

“Pack your things, everyone.”

The next morning, the Swordmaster announced.

As we sat around the old, small table eating a dish made of rabbit-like meat, he boldly made that statement.

“Master?”

Leo, who had been eagerly eating the meat, suddenly looked dazed. However, the Swordmaster seemed undeterred by Leo’s expression.

“We’re all descending after breakfast today.”

…Did I provoke him too much?

Had I appeared too arrogant and offended the Swordmaster?

I had thought that since he had such a boisterous personality, it would be better to present something intriguing rather than a practical trade, but perhaps I was mistaken.

I pondered whether I should rewind time to the conversation before this, but the Swordmaster continued.

“By the way, Sylvia.”

“Yes?”

The Swordmaster, casually turning his gaze back to his plate, picked up a piece of meat to eat as he spoke.

“Is there a place for me to stay in the capital?”

“…”

For a brief moment, I was at a loss for words, then quickly regained my composure. The time I hesitated was so short that perhaps Alice or the Swordmaster wouldn’t have noticed.

Even so, out of the three people sitting here, two of them were aware.

“Of course.”

Just in case, I had kept a guest room empty among the chambers in the palace. It wasn’t a room solely for the Swordmaster, but rather one I had left empty in anticipation of bringing someone from outside the palace.

It could wait to find a separate house for him, but for now, it would be best to let him stay there.

I doubted anyone in the palace would oppose it. The knights would probably be thrilled, right?

The Swordmaster wouldn’t be too pleased, but I decided not to mention that on purpose.

“Then I’ll trust you.”

The Swordmaster said that and continued his meal.

As Alice and Leo turned their gazes toward me, seemingly expecting an explanation, I simply focused on my food like the Swordmaster.

*

“Swordmaster?”

After our supplies were replenished, the supply ship, following the manual, would check its status and return to the capital.

Normally, we wouldn’t have the luxury of taking a flying ship. If we had delayed even one more day, the supply ship would have been flying toward the capital by now.

However, the Swordmaster had made up his mind much quicker than I had expected, so we were able to board the supply ship on our way back.

Leo was the eldest son of a family close to the imperial family, and the Swordmaster was… well, the Swordmaster.

Seeing him like that made Jayden’s surprise understandable.

Having heard that his sister was returning to the capital, Jayden rushed from the front lines, recognizing the ragged old man immediately.

“Are you Jayden? I’ve heard news about you from Jennifer a few times.”

The Swordmaster spoke while stroking his chin, but Jayden merely gaped, unable to respond.

Soon, it seemed he realized he couldn’t engage in a longer conversation with the Swordmaster since he had to be here.

“I’d like to see the skill of your brother since you say you’re his brother.”

Hearing the Swordmaster’s words, Jayden quickly turned his head toward Alice and me.

“…”

Just for the record, I had planned not to engage Jayden in conversation, so I simply turned my gaze to the side.

Jayden seemed thoroughly disappointed, letting his shoulders slump once more, but what did that matter?

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Chapter 139

"The world has truly advanced a lot," remarked the Swordmaster as he looked at the airship while we waited to depart.

"When I was young, I never even imagined that humans would be flying through the sky," he added, clearly impressed.

In the Swordmaster’s youth, wasn't the clashing of swords more common than gunfire? Decades ago, swordsmen who could unleash sword energy had a clear advantage. While guns and cannons existed back then, firearms with cases were still an emerging concept, and mass production hadn’t quite taken hold. This kept ammunition prices high, so most armies preferred single-shot weapons. This was why firearms often had “magazine cut-off devices,” which might seem cumbersome today.

Things have changed with modern warfare, where planes fly in the sky, steam-powered tanks and machine guns are employed. Fortunately, the northern warlords can’t afford to maintain such advanced weaponry.

"Even so, your great swordsmanship hasn’t lost its shine, Swordmaster," I said, hoping to offer some flattery.

"..."

The Swordmaster turned to the voice beside him. Unsurprisingly, it was Jaiden.

Jaiden had been trying to catch my eye, eager for an introduction to the Swordmaster, but I was avoiding talking to him, and Alice was simmering with frustration.

It was probably because I had called Jaiden “older brother” before I had referred to her as “sister.” I felt like calling her out on such a trivial reaction, but I knew that would only lead to another unpredictable outburst, so I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I left Jaiden to bear the brunt of her frustration.

"I am Jaiden Fangryphon, leader of the Gryphon Knights," Jaiden introduced himself.

"Ah, so you're a prince as well," the Swordmaster noted with a brief glance at me.

"By chance, I ended up taking both of your sisters as my disciples."

Jaiden’s mouth dropped open a little at that. His gaze was uncomfortably intense, so I averted my eyes.

"R-Really?" he stammered, a glimmer of hope crossing his face. After all, the Swordmaster had accepted two imperial children as disciples, so Jaiden thought he might be welcomed as well.

“Seeing such a grown-up older brother, it seems that skill runs in your family,” the Swordmaster mused, then glanced at Alice and me, his gaze shifting between us.

Having observed me during training earlier, he must have sensed something. He hadn’t yet seen Jaiden in action, but if he figured out my moves were a “deception,” then he’d surely be curious about Jaiden’s abilities as well.

For the Swordmaster, this was a hint to solve a puzzle. His approach to unraveling things was very… Swordmaster-like.

"Hmm."

After a moment’s thought, the Swordmaster murmured with a slight smile, "A knight captain, huh?"

His lips curved into a smirk as he added, "I’d like to test the swordsmanship of the Imperial Knights someday."

An imaginary exclamation mark seemed to appear over Jaiden's head, like in a game.

"Any time, I would be honored to welcome you!" Jaiden replied eagerly.

Hmm…

Watching the two of them, I thought, "Once I get all the information I need, I'll have to turn back time." If those two end up teaming up, calling Jaiden “older brother” would be the least of my worries.

---

Once we had unloaded all the supplies, the airship was faster than when it had been carrying cargo. While the difference wasn’t vast, it didn’t need to make stops, nor did it depend on the state of the roads, so it was much faster than traveling by steam-powered car or train.

When we departed and arrived, there wasn’t much of a welcoming ceremony. Although I was a princess, it wasn’t practical to prepare such events for me every time I traveled around. This was the same for Alice, the “only true-blood princess” known to the public.

However…

"What’s all that commotion?" asked the Swordmaster as he looked out of the slowly descending airship.

Outside, lined up in neat rows, stood knights dressed in white uniforms. There were about twenty of them, both young and older, though all looked younger than the Swordmaster.

Behind the knights, soldiers dressed in standard military uniforms waited in orderly rows.

"Is this because there are two princesses on board?"

"No," Alice and I shook our heads simultaneously. Alice’s expression suggested she suspected the same thing I did.

"...I think Jaiden must have arranged this."

Even though the Northern and Central capitals are far apart, they’re connected by phone lines. With just a word from the Swordmaster, Jaiden could have organized a grand reception like this.

“Hmph.”

The Swordmaster let out a scoff of disbelief and looked at me.

"This is exactly why I secluded myself in the mountains."

This reception seemed more like an informal event put together by people at the airbase and knights in the capital. I guessed that those who had come did so as long as it didn’t interfere with their duties.

There were likely many who had wanted to come but couldn’t.

As the airship neared the ground, the faces of the gathered knights and soldiers became more distinct. Among them were not just ordinary soldiers but several officers in dark uniforms, contrasting with the soldiers' attire. And among the officers, I noticed a familiar face.

It was Jennifer.

Jennifer, dressed in a uniform that closely resembled my own, stood proudly, looking up at us. Her expression was one of barely-contained laughter.

Seeing his eager student, the Swordmaster’s brow furrowed deeply.

---

"The capital is always so bustling," the Swordmaster remarked.

"It’s been nearly a decade since you last came, hasn’t it?"

"Seems even busier now, thanks to you, Jennifer."

Jennifer, who had been in the capital on academy business, had rushed to join the reception upon hearing her master was coming. Now, as she escorted him to his room, she kept teasing him.

"Didn’t you come to this busy place on your own, Master?"

The Swordmaster didn’t respond, either because he had no rebuttal or he knew arguing would only prolong her teasing.

"Where am I staying?" he asked me instead.

"...In the royal palace," I replied, watching his expression darken. I quickly added, "It’s temporary. We’ll arrange a place for you outside the palace soon."

"Oh, surely there’s no better place for you, Master! After all, you were a great hero in the last war—"

The Swordmaster's hand moved swiftly, but Jennifer sidestepped it with ease.

"So much for quietly staying here," he sighed, glancing at his hand before releasing a deep breath.

...Should I apologize?

Honestly, this situation was mostly Jaiden's fault. If he hadn’t gotten so excited about alerting the capital, the Swordmaster wouldn’t be this irritated.

"Fine, then," the Swordmaster said suddenly in a calm voice. "Since I’ll be staying near my disciples, I’ll do my best to teach you all I can."

His tone and expression were far more serene than when he was frowning earlier—

—Yet somehow, he looked more furious than ever. Was it just my imagination?

Sensing something ominous beside me, Jennifer let out a quiet whistle.

"You're all in for it."

"..."

"In this state, Master is ‘serious.’ Sylvia, you should be grateful. This could be an explosive opportunity to improve your swordsmanship."

...And it’ll probably leave me feeling like I was hit by an explosion.

"Oh, in that case, I just remembered, I need to go back to my estate—"

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

Even I, who wasn’t attuned to sword energy, felt something, so Leo, who had trained in swordsmanship, must have felt an intense threat to his life.

But of course, the Swordmaster had no intention of letting Leo go.

"Do you really think it makes sense for one student to skip out while the others are training? Weren’t you planning to spend the rest of the break in a cabin, honing your skills?"

The Swordmaster looked at Alice and me, then smiled kindly.

"The royal palace should have one more room, shouldn’t it?"

"..."

Well, it seemed he was genuinely serious.

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Chapter 140

Everyone has a plan—until they find themselves rolling on the ground like a madman, reduced to a ragged mess.

Naturally, I turned back time several times during this training session. The training ground was inside the imperial palace, a place I’d used often and was quite familiar with. Being located within palace grounds, it was much flatter than the mountain, so, theoretically, it was easier to run around here.

Theoretically.

But that theory didn’t account for the Swordmaster with a wooden sword.

Dodging his sword strikes one by one was somewhat manageable. Once I got hit, at least I could track the sword’s trajectory, which was similar to how Lucas wielded his blade. Of course, the Swordmaster wasn’t swinging with full intent, nor was Lucas back then.

However, dodging continuously, beyond my physical limits, was impossible. Even if I paced myself carefully, trying my best to dodge, avoiding the Swordmaster’s relentless wooden blade indefinitely would be impossible without a skill level on par with his.

I tried to block with the training gun I was holding, but that only highlighted my weakness. Whenever I tried to block, the Swordmaster would simply swing harder, emphasizing just how lacking I was.

Still, it wasn’t all bad.

It had been a long time since someone like Lucas randomly swung a sword at me. The feeling I’d almost forgotten began to resurface. At least now, if Lucas were to come at me seriously...

...Well, to be honest, I wasn’t confident. If Lucas genuinely charged at me with the intent to take my head, I wasn’t sure I could evade.

But...

"No matter how I look at it, you lack talent," the Swordmaster said, looking at me. But his tone didn’t sound disappointed.

"But it doesn’t seem like you intend to give up."

I simply thought about how pathetic I’d look if I ran away now, but the Swordmaster seemed somewhat impressed by my persistence.

"I don’t dislike that kind of grit."

It was something you’d hear in a shonen manga. Considering the original game was made by a Japanese company, it wasn’t all that surprising.

"Alright! We’ll stop here for today!"

At his words, Alice and Leo exhaled deeply. At least the two of them were still standing by the end. I… Well, I didn’t think lying on the floor was quite appropriate, so I was seated on a chair.

It was too exhausting to sit up straight, so I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees.

Seeing me like that, Alice and Leo rushed over.

"Sylvia, are you okay?"

Not really. Thinking about spending at least two more weeks like this made regret flood over me.

Is it really necessary to search for Lucas right now?

Couldn’t I just turn back time and make this all disappear, then spend the next two weeks resting peacefully?

I considered it, but...

When I lifted my head, my eyes met the Swordmaster’s gaze, standing a bit away from Alice and Leo.

He was smiling at me. I had no idea why he seemed so pleased. Was it a look of satisfaction?

Seeing that smile made me feel that turning back time would somehow be like admitting defeat.

...Fine.

No matter what, I’ll wait until these two weeks are over before I turn back time.

At the very least, I should fulfill my responsibility to the end before considering it.

After all, having the ability to turn back time means that "too late" isn’t really an option.

"I’m fine," I replied, though my gaze was fixed on the Swordmaster rather than Alice or Leo.

I saw the Swordmaster’s lips move as if to say "Hoho," a look I’d seen maybe three hundred times during my meditation training.

If I’m seeing that expression more often now than before, maybe my training hasn’t been entirely in vain.

---

And so, I let my mind relax.

Turning back time would erase those moments where I called Jaiden “older brother” or Alice “sister.”

As for the term “sister,” well... I should probably save that as something to pay back to Alice one day. Maybe at the very end when my plans come together.

This time, I wasn’t intending to search for a relic. Though there was one in the capital, it wasn’t the type to be found by clearing dungeons.

So… I figured there wouldn’t be any surprise appearances from a masked woman in a black robe who looks suspiciously like me.

...

Or so I thought.

"...You."

In the palace training ground, I spoke to the masked figure in a black robe.

No lights were on in the open space leading outside. Especially in the training ground’s center, there was no need to keep lights on.

No one could enter here without climbing the palace walls or slipping in through the open roof of the training hall, where they would still be spotted by guards patrolling the corridors.

Normally, guards would also be stationed inside, but I’d dismissed them earlier to familiarize myself with the training ground.

The masked woman had slipped in during that time.

"How did you get in here?"

This couldn’t have been a coincidence.

If that was "me," she’d remember the timing of my actions. Even if she didn’t recall every single day, she would at least remember significant days.

Like the day I met the Swordmaster for the first time in the capital,

…or right at this very moment.

In truth, asking how she entered might have been the wrong question. Wasn’t this the very same being that once stood proudly in the deepest part of that ruin? Conventional methods and procedures meant nothing to her.

Besides, she could also block my powers.

Whether she existed in the same timeframe, causing my powers to clash with hers, or if she blocked my abilities intentionally—

Thinking about this sent a chill down my spine.

"...Why now?"

Yes, why now, of all times?

If she could appear at any moment, there would be much better timing. Unless… perhaps she was aiming for my life.

If that truly were me, she shouldn’t be doing something this cruel.

Despite my startled voice, the figure gave no response.

No, there was a reaction, of sorts.

Upon hearing my voice, her shoulders trembled.

It wasn’t out of fear or tension. If she were afraid of me, she wouldn’t have appeared here alone.

Rather, it was…

A reaction of someone holding back laughter.

Her shoulders, wrapped in a long robe, shook slightly as if stifling laughter. I was sure I was right.

"..."

I tensed up momentarily, then rushed forward.

And, almost too easily, I caught the hem of her robe.

She was still laughing. Up close, I could hear the distinctive sounds of suppressed laughter.

"Who are you…!"

But before I could say more, her mask suddenly moved closer.

Then, as if determined to convey something, she spoke through the mask.

"Sylvia."

"..."

She didn’t seem to be attacking or planning to escape. Although her voice was tinged with a hint of laughter, I couldn’t sense any hostility.

However—

"■■, ■■■ ■■■ ■."

Her words didn’t come through clearly.

It was like trying to talk to someone several meters away underwater; her voice was muffled, blocked by something.

"...What?"

When I asked, unable to hear clearly, her shoulders slumped.

It was as if she’d been disappointed by something.

"..."

"..."

For a moment, we simply stared at each other.

Her eyes, visible through the mask’s holes, sparkled. I still couldn’t tell their color. The dim moonlight was the only light we had.

Slowly, I released one hand.

I raised it toward her mask.

Even as I reached to pull off her mask, she made no attempt to resist.

But—

"...Ah."

At that exact moment, she vanished.

As if she had never been there.

...Did someone take her away?

"...No, more importantly."

As the strange feeling faded and I came back to reality, another chill ran down my spine.

Could it be, could it really be…

"N-no, surely not," I muttered, trying to calm myself.

There’s no way just encountering her would block my abilities, right?

It’s not like we even fought or anything.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself.

"Alright."

Bracing myself, I shouted, "Again!"

Then I felt something hard slam into me, and I blacked out.

When I awoke, I was back in the training ground.

It was probably the same time as when I’d first arrived; at least the position of the moon hadn’t changed.

The masked woman was gone.

Lying flat in the center of the training ground, I muttered while staring up at the sky.

"Great, just great."

Was she laughing because of this?

…Whoever that person was, whether it was me from the future or not, I swear I’ll take her down.

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Chapter 141

Alice didn’t have high expectations, truthfully.

Sylvia calling Jaiden “older brother” was likely not sincere but more a means to leverage Jaiden’s power. While Alice didn’t know exactly how Sylvia acted before using her “ability,” she wasn’t completely clueless.

Sylvia had never directly talked about her powers, nor had Alice asked her to. But from what their father had mentioned, it wasn’t hard to infer the nature of her ability.

If Alice could erase her own mistakes, she’d likely do whatever she wanted and then simply take what she could get. It was the same conclusion Alice had come to herself.

Still, she felt a bit resentful.

After all, wasn’t it unfair?

Among those who had spent the longest time with Sylvia—if not the longest, certainly one of the longest—it was Alice. It had taken a while, but Alice genuinely thought of Sylvia as her sister. Claiming to be her “older sister” was partly pride, of course.

Moreover, Sylvia had shown a kind attitude toward Alice since they were young. While she maintained a distant demeanor with other siblings, she didn’t hesitate to help Alice.

But “older brother”?

Yes, she felt it was a little unfair.

Even if that moment could be erased, it was still unfair. After all, for the time being, Alice remembered it.

That’s why Sylvia’s reaction in the morning was a bit of a surprise for Alice.

“Sylvia?”

Alice almost never had to wake Sylvia up in the morning. Usually, Sylvia was up before her. It wasn’t that Sylvia slept less than others, but she seemed to value a consistent routine.

During assignments, Claire was often the one who woke up Sylvia even earlier, which Alice envied. The difference between “saying” you’re an older sister and “hearing” it was as vast as heaven and earth. Saying “older sister” was something she could do anytime, but hearing it required Sylvia to willingly accept it and use that term.

In other words, if Sylvia didn’t want it, it wouldn’t happen.

"..."

In any case, the fact that Sylvia was up later than Alice indicated something was going on. Perhaps it wasn’t anything dangerous, but it meant she’d stayed up late for some reason—something significant enough not to be erased by her power.

Or maybe she was preparing to turn back time to before she called Jaiden “older brother,” so small things like oversleeping didn’t concern her anymore.

Regardless, it was time for her to get up. The Swordmaster was waiting, and Alice knew from experience that he didn’t care much for lazy people. While he might not punish them, training could become several times harder for that day.

Alice raised her hand and knocked on the door again.

“Sylvia?”

There was no response from inside.

“I’m coming in?”

Even after giving notice, there was no answer, so Alice opened the door and entered.

Inside, she found Sylvia, already dressed and prepared to leave.

Sylvia, wearing her academy uniform, sat absentmindedly in her chair.

Yes, absentminded.

To Alice, who could read Sylvia’s expressions, it wasn’t quite “expressionless.”

“Sylvia?”

It was only when Alice came closer and spoke that Sylvia blinked, as if snapping out of it.

“...Your Highness.”

Hearing “Your Highness” instead of “sister” or her name made Alice’s temper flare, but she held it back. If Sylvia couldn’t even hide her expression, the situation must be serious.

“Is something wrong?”

“...”

Despite Alice’s concerned tone, Sylvia only looked at her blankly for a moment before raising her hand to brush her face.

“Is it serious?”

“Well...”

Sylvia seemed to hesitate for a long moment at Alice’s question.

Seeing that made Alice’s heart sink.

---

I couldn’t turn back to the moment before I called you “sister.”

How could I say that?

Especially to someone looking at me with such a serious expression.

Given the image I usually aimed for, I shouldn’t be so flustered. I was supposed to be the cool, beautiful one, moving with grace and poise.

I knew that my image would inevitably crumble one day, sure.

But I hadn’t expected it to be outside of my control.

“It’s nothing.”

I let out a long sigh and composed my expression. Morning had already arrived while I sat there dazed. Though I had slept, it hadn’t been restful. I woke up several times, dreaming of Jaiden grinning and saying, “Come on, call me ‘older brother’ again!” After jolting awake three times, any trace of sleep had vanished by dawn.

“Are you sure?”

Alice’s expression was still serious, but she didn’t press further.

She’d always been like that. If I didn’t want to say something, she let it be.

...Well, except when it came to insisting on “sister.”

Now I couldn’t even undo it.

I forced myself not to cringe in embarrassment, barely holding back the urge to roll on the floor.

Alright.

What’s done is done, so I might as well gather whatever’s left of my composure.

“Yes.”

With that, I stood up.

“Let’s go to the Swordmaster.”

“Ah, okay.”

I got up and walked confidently toward the door.

“Um, Sylvia?”

Hearing Alice call from behind, I turned—

“The training grounds are this way, aren’t they?” she pointed down the opposite corridor.

“...”

Stiffly, I turned and followed her.

Alice’s expression was still serious...

But I couldn’t admit it was because I’d called her “sister.”

Nor could I tell her that the checkpoint was updating in real-time whenever I tried to check if the masked woman was still nearby.

If Alice knew, she wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip by.

---

“Sister!”

The moment we reached the training grounds, that word—now almost a trauma for me—rang out loudly.

For some reason, Claire was already waiting for us in the training grounds.

...Maybe I should give Claire a nickname?

If I gave her a name like “Flash” from some cringey light novel, maybe she’d feel embarrassed and stop calling me “sister”?

But that seemed too risky right now.

With Claire’s cheerful personality, she might actually like it and end up giving me a nickname in return.

Another chill ran down my spine. I’d felt this several times since yesterday.

“Claire.”

Claire, smiling broadly, dashed up to us.

“Since Master is nearby, my mother gave me permission to train here.” 

“Although the condition is that she returns home in the evenings for bridal training,” added Leo, who had followed her.

“Bridal training?” Alice asked, puzzled, and Leo shrugged.

“Well, we’re from a baron’s family. If we were of higher nobility, suitors would be lined up for Claire, regardless of her elegance. But as barons, if they aren’t from an equal family, they’d scrutinize our conditions more closely.”

Claire shot a quick glare at Leo for speaking formally, but she didn’t deny his explanation.

“Well, we’ll all grow up eventually.”

“Click, click,” the Swordmaster clicked his tongue at Claire’s words.

“Do you think age alone makes an adult? When I was your age—”

As the Swordmaster Frederick spoke, the expressions of the three who were talking grew awkward. If I weren’t carefully controlling my expression after yesterday’s ordeal, I might have shown the same look.

The Swordmaster, for all his talk, had still tried to dissuade Leo from going to war back then.

“Ahem.”

As he prepared to launch into a lecture, the Swordmaster noticed their expressions and cleared his throat.

“Well, what can I say? The times have changed, so even an old man like me has to keep up.”

After looking us over, he spoke.

“Alright, we’ll begin morning training now. Breakfast will follow. Understood?”

“Yes!”

The training grounds echoed with our voices.

I glanced at the soldiers standing by the door.

They were watching us with what seemed to be envy.

...Well, I suppose their restraint in not joining training was commendable.

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Chapter 142

Though the masked woman disappeared in front of me that day, I knew she was still somewhere in this world. Even now, I couldn’t turn back time to that moment.

This was still true at the present moment as well.

I could have experimented further to see if I could turn back time, but the risks were too high.

Imagine if I collapsed suddenly in the middle of training—especially if it happened so abruptly that one moment I was standing, and the next, I was lying on the ground without anyone seeing me fall. That would look suspicious, wouldn’t it?

I figured it’d be better to test my ability to rewind after training ended, but—

“You seem especially exhausted today.”

The Swordmaster, who hadn’t known me long, could easily tell that I was in a worse state than yesterday. Then again, he was the Swordmaster—he would be able to sense such things.

Plus, I hadn’t slept well last night, plagued by worries and nightmares. Though I thought I was fully alert in the morning, my body wasn’t lying. I was certainly more worn out than the day before.

The only reason I was managing at all was because I’d rewound and familiarized myself with the training ground yesterday.

“Hm.”

Still, it wasn’t like I was slacking off.

I was giving it my all.

Perhaps the Swordmaster found this effort satisfactory, as he seemed pleased.

But that expression didn’t last long.

After morning training, while we were gathered in the training hall having a meal, the door suddenly burst open. Had it been a private room, the person who entered so abruptly would have been considered extremely rude.

The one standing beyond the open door was Jaiden.

...Jaiden?

His usual flawless 2:8 part... was a little disheveled.

It looked like he’d run here in a hurry; a few strands of hair were out of place, and his shoulders were rising and falling heavily. His face was flushed as if he had just rushed over.

Upon meeting our gazes, Jaiden pushed his stray hair back into place, adjusted his uniform, and straightened his posture as he walked toward us.

Seeing his breathing calm and steady as he approached, I couldn’t help but think, “Well, he is the Knight Captain, after all.”

“What is it?”

The Swordmaster, as always, spoke with confidence, even in front of a prince. I could easily imagine him having this same attitude in front of the Emperor.

“Jaiden of the Imperial Gryphon Knights.”

“Haven’t we already heard that yesterday?”

“Yes, but given what I have to say now, I thought it best to introduce myself again.”

The Swordmaster sighed openly and glanced at me.

Well...

I had been the one to invite him, but the Swordmaster came of his own accord. So technically, it wasn’t my fault.

...Wait, hold on.

I can’t rewind time right now.

What if Lucas appears? Won’t I just get cut down without any way to avoid it?

Could it be that the masked woman was laughing at me yesterday, imagining me being sliced to pieces by Lucas?

This thought sent a chill through my bones, cold and sharp, though I somehow kept it off my face. Alice seemed to notice, though.

“I was under the impression you had matters to resolve there,” the Swordmaster said.

Indeed, Jaiden was the Knight Captain, and his personality was rigid and uncompromising. He clashed with Lucas often because of it.

There was no way he’d disregard the Emperor’s orders and return without reason, but—

“I borrowed air support to get it done,” he replied.

“...”

We were all speechless.

“Jaiden.”

I called to him.

But he flinched, then looked away, clearly intending to ignore me.

What was his problem now?

I held back the urge to run my hand over my face and instead glanced at Alice, who was also avoiding my gaze, looking somewhat resentful.

“Do as you like,” her expression seemed to say.

...I had a guess.

Alice had driven all night to find the Swordmaster’s cabin, furious over me calling Jaiden “older brother.” I hadn’t even told her I was going to find the Swordmaster, yet she’d tracked me relentlessly, so her current attitude was probably connected to that “older brother” incident.

Jaiden, too, was likely refusing to make eye contact because he wouldn’t respond unless I called him “older brother.”

I didn’t run my hands through my hair, though I sorely wanted to. Instead, I clenched my fists tightly to restrain myself.

When I see that masked woman again, I won’t let her off.

If she’s a future me, I won’t kill her, but I’ll definitely give her a smack. Seriously.

“I was under the impression that the territory’s request forbade the deployment of any forces beyond infantry support,” I said, trying to reason with him.

But Jaiden, immaturely, refused to respond.

I looked back at Alice.

It seemed she had no intention of helping.

Watching this exchange, Leo looked stiff, while Claire, who hadn’t grasped the situation, was confused. Meanwhile, the Swordmaster—

—was grinning.

If you’re going to join the conversation, at least take charge and help resolve it!

“...”

Stuck in a predicament, I took a deep breath.

Fine.

There was no further to fall back to.

Alice’s appearance had already exposed the fact that I’d called Jaiden “older brother” in front of Leo, and I’d even called Alice “sister” in his presence.

Ah.

Oddly enough, realizing this brought a sense of calm.

It was as if I’d passed the threshold of frustration and reached a point of inner peace.

Perhaps this was what enlightenment felt like.

...Or more like resignation, actually.

“...Sister.”

I said, looking at Alice.

I heard Claire gasp.

“Could you please ask ‘older brother’ here how he managed the situation?”

“Ah…”

Alice looked more surprised than pleased.

Jaiden looked equally taken aback.

“Oh, um, alright.”

Alice nodded and turned to Jaiden.

“How exactly did you manage it? You shouldn’t have been able to bring in armored units or air support beyond the border.”

Jaiden’s brows furrowed as he gave Alice a curt response, as if this were somehow my fault.

“It’s only an issue if we physically cross the border.”

And with that, Jaiden dropped a bomb.

“But wouldn’t a fighter plane’s range fall short of crossing the border?”

“Did I say I used fighter planes?”

The serious exchange between these two hostile siblings sounded more like an argument than a discussion.

“It was a monitor ship.”

Ah.

Hearing that, I finally understood what he meant.

I knew they’d stationed air support at Winterfield. It had been a preparation step in the original story.

Instead of building expensive warships, they equipped cheap supply ships with just one naval gun each, with no consideration for defense.

Supply ships didn’t have the high-tech features of battleships and were much smaller in size. Just mounting a single gun like the dual-mounted main cannons on a dreadnought was already pushing their limits.

But they were affordable. They had decent range.

...So that was why they used supply ships instead of trains. It was a rapid plan to bombard enemy positions just outside the border.

“And then I flew here on a fighter jet in the morning. Monitor ships are a bit too slow.”

“...”

Alice pressed a hand to her forehead, mirroring what I wanted to do.

“What is Father thinking…?”

“Probably trying to show the world that the Empire is the best,” Jaiden replied confidently.

We were all speechless at Jaiden’s obvious and smug response.

“After seeing all that, do you still want to learn swordsmanship?” the Swordmaster asked.

“Of course!”

Jaiden straightened his shoulders proudly.

“No matter how much weaponry advances, infantry is the core of occupying and holding territory! It’s a knight’s duty. It’s only right to raise one’s personal skills to the fullest, isn’t it?”

“Ha…”

Seeing the Swordmaster’s impressed reaction, I fought hard to suppress a sigh.

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Chapter 143

When I was able to use my powers fully, I felt confident that I could handle most situations.

No matter how things turned out, I could cancel the events and rewind to a more advantageous position. It was an incredible privilege. Honestly, even in other games or comics, it was rare to find a character with a power as useful as mine.

The problem was that I couldn’t use my ability right now.

The image I’d carefully maintained thanks to this ability was wavering, and, more importantly, I felt powerless against the situation unfolding before me.

Was that masked woman laughing at me from somewhere right now?

The thought made my insides churn with frustration, but, for the moment, it seemed she had no intent to kill me. If she was who I suspected she might be, then she probably wouldn’t try to kill me... or so I hoped.

Although I should be wary, given she had tried to attack Alice.

With that in mind, I was actually in a rather favorable position right now. If the masked woman came for me, I wasn’t sure what would happen, but if Lucas showed up, there were plenty of people around who would intervene. Individually, they might be slightly weaker than Lucas, but if they all attacked him at once, even he wouldn’t come out unscathed.

Of course, that didn’t mean the situation was entirely without problems.

“...So,”

Jaiden’s expression was one I rarely saw—he looked genuinely furious.

“You’re saying you spent the night with my little sister?”

“What? No, I mean...!”

“How could you jump to such a conclusion?” I interjected between Jaiden and Leo, preventing Jaiden from drawing his sword in a fit of rage.

“You were with that brat in the same place—”

“The Swordmaster was also with us, you know.”

“Right. Even I wouldn’t interpret the situation that way,” the Swordmaster said, his usual serious demeanor replaced by one of mild exasperation as he looked at Jaiden.

“But clearly, that rascal—”

“—Would you please stop emphasizing ‘spent the night’? Are you intentionally saying it to make it sound worse? O—”

I swallowed the word “older brother” that was almost out of my mouth.

“—Are you trying to sully my reputation with such accusations?”

“I mean, there’s no need to cut off your words like that,” Jaiden said with a disappointed look, and I couldn’t hold back from pressing my hand to my forehead.

“Let me clarify this.”

I spoke as calmly as possible, trying to keep my tone measured.

“Leo is a fellow student at the academy, a classmate, and a former student council member. I’m also acquainted with his sister, Claire, so naturally, Leo and I have a friendly relationship. Even beyond this year, we’ll likely be in contact for another three years, so that connection may deepen.”

“Exactly!” Jaiden exclaimed, clearly misunderstanding my point.

Seriously, he was acting like an elementary schooler teasing someone for holding hands during a field trip dance.

“Just because a man and a woman are together, it doesn’t automatically mean there’s a romantic relationship involved. Would you like it if every conversation you had with a noblewoman at a ball was turned into a scandalous rumor?”

“...”

Jaiden didn’t respond.

Oh, right.

Wasn’t he unpopular with women?

If Lucas was a character popular with women yet uninterested in romance, then Jaiden was someone who was interested in women but unfortunately not popular. Despite being described as handsome, there was just something about him that put women off...

Well, maybe it wasn’t a mystery. He was the type of character who, in conversations, would repeatedly talk about the specifications of standard swords or how he performed in various battlefields.

Essentially, he was the guy who talks about the military in front of women.

...Wasn’t there even a backstory that he’d never properly danced with a woman at a ball?

“Unless we’re in a cloistered church school, it’s natural for men and women to converse casually. There’s no need for you to interfere with every little interaction.”

I glanced over at Leo, who looked somewhat touched. For a baron’s son to face a direct reprimand from a prince must have been terrifying, so it made sense that he’d feel grateful if a princess stepped in to shield him.

“Have our conversations ever crossed into anything romantic or inappropriate?”

“Of course not, absolutely not!” Leo replied immediately.

“Not even in the Swordmaster’s cabin?”

“No, definitely not!” Claire nodded emphatically along with Leo’s response. Jaiden looked back at me, still skeptical.

“Is that really the case?”

“Yes, that’s exactly the case.”

Idiot. Of course, I didn’t say that out loud.

If I had my rewind ability right now, maybe I’d have risked saying it.

If I had it, I wouldn’t be in this mess, to begin with.

Jaiden finally lowered the hand he’d kept on the hilt of his sword. He dropped his arm in a defeated, slightly pathetic manner.

Not that I felt sorry for him.

“And, moreover.”

To drive the point home, Alice, who had been silently listening, chimed in.

“No matter whom Sylvia marries, it’s not your business. Would you react the same way if she introduced someone she liked?”

“Well, of course I’d—” Jaiden began, glancing my way before stopping mid-sentence.

My expression was blank, or so I’d intended.

Still, “blank” can be open to interpretation depending on the situation.

...At least he didn’t seem to fully understand my intentions yet, which was a relief.

---

And so, in this already chaotic situation, yet another figure appeared. Why did people keep showing up? Important people, too—the most important people in the Empire. It was starting to feel like a celebrity reunion.

“Oh dear, oh dear.”

Leo and Claire’s reaction to that voice was understandably one of shock. Even if they didn’t recognize that deep, resonant voice, few people in the Empire didn’t know the face of the Emperor.

“I apologize for not coming sooner to greet such an esteemed guest.”

The Emperor, addressing a man who looked almost twenty years his senior, was as imperial as one could imagine.

The Emperor’s gaze briefly flicked to me as he entered the training hall. The amused smile on his lips made it clear he suspected I was up to something.

Which, well, was true.

“Hoh,”

The Swordmaster, seeing the Emperor, also smiled faintly. He didn’t bow his head in the slightest; then again, he wasn’t the type to yield to authority or status, which was consistent with his character in the original story.

And then—

Bang!

The Emperor drew his sword and charged straight at the Swordmaster.

The clash of their blades resounded like an explosion.

Without even releasing sword energy, their strikes were enough to stir the air around them. Though it wasn’t a force strong enough to knock anything over, it made our hair and clothes flutter.

“...”

Silence.

Both the Emperor and the Swordmaster, having swung their swords, smiled at each other. Whether or not their smiles could really be called “smiles” was another matter, but it seemed they didn’t truly dislike each other.

“You’re still as sharp as ever, old man,” the Emperor said.

“And you, aren’t you always seated comfortably in your throne?”

...Huh?

Before I could fully process the exchange, they both sheathed their swords.

Then, they shook hands firmly.

Wait, what?

It seemed I wasn’t the only one thinking that. Alice, Leo, Claire, and Jaiden were all staring in shock at the two men.

“Well, I never thought I’d see you again like this,” the Emperor said warmly.

“Nor did I expect to come down to such a bustling place,” the Swordmaster replied nonchalantly.

...They knew each other?

I’d half-expected it, but I didn’t anticipate them being so... friendly. I thought they’d acknowledge each other’s existence, like a celebrity and a president aware of one another, but that was about it.

“You should give your daughter credit. After all, I came down here because she lured me out.”

Ack.

As the Swordmaster spoke, everyone in the training hall simultaneously turned to look at me.

Oh, um...

Well, I mean, that’s what happened...

All I’d intended was to bring the Swordmaster over. I’d only wanted to bait Lucas a little to have a chat.

How did things escalate to this?

A rival reunion wasn’t part of my plan.

And yet, everyone looking at me had expressions that said, “She’s up to something big.”

...

Whether the masked woman is my future self or a close acquaintance doesn’t matter.

When I meet her again, I’m definitely going to make her cry.

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Chapter 144

The game’s setting book contained a vast amount of stories, but it didn’t have complete historical accounts or biographies of characters.

In particular, some background settings that played relatively important roles in the game were deliberately omitted. It’s only natural; they would be spoilers.

However, wouldn’t it have been better to write down a bit about the past of the Emperor and the Swordmaster? In the original work, the Swordmaster dies in his cabin, and he and the Emperor have no further encounters, leaving them with nothing to say to each other. Both characters are not present throughout the game; the Swordmaster provides crucial lessons to the protagonist before departing, while the Emperor is the final boss.

Especially since the Swordmaster is a character who cannot be encountered in the first game unless a hidden quest is completed.

“That’s good. I wasn’t in the mood to train any further today anyway.”

The Swordmaster said this to the Emperor while casting a sideways glance at Jaiden. Jaiden flinched, his shoulders twitching.

He then moved his gaze again, this time looking at me.

“......”

I slightly lowered my head.

It was understandable. After seeing my strange talent and following me here, it must have been disappointing to find just an “ordinary, talentless human” in the imperial palace. It wasn’t an overly harsh gaze, but the Swordmaster was clever enough to hide his thoughts.

“It’s been a while since we last met, so let’s have a drink and catch up.”

“Do you think an old man can handle drinking during the day?”

“Yet you were just sitting in the palace, playing politics, weren’t you? You couldn’t even get drunk in front of others, so your liver must be clean now.”

After delivering his retort to the Emperor, the Swordmaster turned to us.

“I’ll continue training tomorrow. Don’t get lazy just because I’m not around. It’ll show.”

“Yes!”

Jaiden replied energetically, seemingly wanting to make up for today’s mishaps.

“Oh, right. Jaiden.”

The Emperor spoke as if he just remembered something.

“I’d like to hear a report. Come to the audience chamber as soon as you’re ready. We’ll both be there.”

With those words, the Emperor glanced at me before turning away.

“Understood!”

Jaiden replied vigorously and then said to me,

“See you tomorrow, Sylvia.”

He looked my way as he spoke.

Of course, I didn’t respond.

*

It seemed that both Alice and Claire noticed something a little off about me today. Alice had sensed it from the moment she came to my room in the morning, and Claire felt it throughout our training together. Leo seemed to have noticed as well.

All three of them asked me in their own ways if I was “okay,” but I simply replied,

“I’m fine. I just… want to rest a bit.”

Not being able to explain the situation in detail, I headed towards my room.

I was exhausted.

I knew it was all my doing. And as I had thought earlier, for my own safety, I had to stay close to the Swordmaster and the Emperor no matter what.

But at this point, I just found everything to be a hassle.

I just… wanted to sleep deeply.

Worrying too much had prevented me from getting proper rest, plagued by nightmares and unable to meditate, my mind was a tangled mess.

Ignoring everyone’s worries, I fled to my room and dove straight onto the bed without even changing my clothes.

Lucas… Ah, right, it’s going to be troublesome being alone...

That was probably the last thought I had.

However, what I should have been concerned about wasn’t my own body.

*

“Sylvia!”

The voice that came right after the door burst open belonged to two people.

As I barely opened my eyes, I saw Claire and Alice looking at me with worried expressions.

“Are you hurt!?”

Claire asked like that.

“No, there’s no sign that anyone has come in here. It’s just as I last saw it.”

After Alice surveyed my room and said this, Claire exhaled as if relieved.

After blinking a few times, my vision finally cleared up a bit. At the door, Leo was standing with his back to us. He was gripping his sword tightly, indicating he had been on guard while Alice and Claire entered.

“What…?”

“An attack.”

Before I could finish my question, Alice answered first.

“An attack?”

“Was it Lucas?” Claire asked, and Alice nodded.

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s Lucas. He’s been missing for a while.”

Hearing that made my mind snap to attention.

“Who is the target?”

The Swordmaster? The Emperor? At least I seemed fine until Alice and Claire arrived, so it appeared I wasn’t the target.

“The Interrogation Office.”

But Alice’s answer was completely different from what I expected.

Not the Swordmaster, not the Emperor, but the Interrogation Office.

Who could be there—ah.

“That’s right.”

Seeing the light of understanding rise on my face, Alice nodded.

“Kiara Verati is still being held there.”

The knight from the cathedral captured in the Northwood territory.

“Why is Lucas after her?”

“I don’t know either.”

Alice bit her lip slightly.

“……We need to go.”

As I approached the gun I had leaned against the corner of the room, Alice grabbed my arm.

“Wait a minute, Sylvia.”

Alice hesitated for a moment before meeting my gaze.

“Your condition is…”

Both Claire and Alice were looking at me cautiously. Including Leo standing there, all three had seen that my condition was at its worst today.

But...

If Lucas had gone out of his way to find the “prisoner of the legal nation,” I absolutely needed to know what was going on. There might be something far more significant than I intended to ask.

Moreover, there was still that masked woman lurking around me.

Even though I was missing a few pieces, I could still see the outline as the puzzle began to fit together in my mind.

“We need to go.”

As I spoke again with conviction, Alice looked at me for a moment and then nodded.

“Then we’ll go with you.”

Though I wished to go alone, there was no way the three of them would let me leave by myself.

Without my time-reversal ability, I wouldn’t be able to get through them.

“......”

And without that ability, I wouldn’t be able to protect all three of them.

But—

“......Alright. But you must not overdo it.”

“Who would say such a thing?”

At my words, Alice replied as if incredulous.

“It’s all a mess because of me.”

I had to see that situation without fail.

And I had some trust in this matter.

There were two people in this imperial palace who wouldn’t overlook the presence of Lucas.

*

“……Why are you doing this?” 

“There are many reasons.”

As the man with the red hair stood before me, Verati stepped back as far as possible. Her back hit the wall.

As a glorious knight of the legal nation, she knew that such behavior was unbecoming, but she had a much more important mission.

At least, she couldn’t die.

“I don’t know where to start.”

The man said as he swung his sword. Blood from the blade splattered downwards. The blade itself became clean from just that. It was as if he couldn’t allow it to be dirty.

Verati’s mouth fell open in astonishment as she saw the now clean blade.

“……Jerico’s sword.”

“Oh, you know? You really are a cathedral knight.”

Lucas held the blade upright as if boasting. It was extremely sharp and capable of cutting anything, yet he had never seen the blade break.

Though it wasn’t a “Zibo,” it was a sword created using ancient, lost magic, considered a treasure.

“……What happened to Antonio?”

“What do you think happened?”

When Verati mentioned the original owner’s name, Lucas questioned her in return.

“He wasn’t someone skilled enough to be the owner of this sword.”

Verati ground her teeth.

“In fact, when I headed towards the legal nation, I didn’t expect much. I was just wondering about the identity of my younger brother who reads the future, thinking there might be a hint if I just went to the legal nation.”

Lucas shrugged.

“Surprisingly, there are a lot of hints here and there. It seems you guys couldn’t even imagine it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Lucas quietly looked at Verati, who asked that question. Upon seeing his gaze, she felt goosebumps all over her body.

He would kill her.

The man in front of her had no intention of letting Verati live.

“I’m supposed to be the one asking questions.”

Lucas spoke slowly, as if he didn’t want Verati to hear a single word.

“I asked a few cardinals, and they said it was somewhat intentional for you to be captured here.”

“......”

“If you could find Zibo at the ruins, that would be great. And if you were captured, you could search for its location within the palace. Didn’t you draw several magic circles on your body?”

“How do you know that...?”

“I told you. I asked.”

Lucas said with a smile on his face.

“It’s a good thing the legal nation is such a secretive country, isn’t it? Otherwise, there would have been a huge blemish on the name of the cathedral knight order by now. Worldwide, too.”

And he took a step closer to Verati.

Since her back was against the wall, Verati couldn’t distance herself from Lucas.

“I'm thinking of asking you the same thing. What do you think?”

“I...” 

Verati was about to speak but shut her mouth.

If it was

 an interrogation severe enough to open the mouths of the cardinals, it wouldn’t be the ‘gentlemanly’ manner that she had seen in the empire until now.

In that case...

“Well, if you don’t want to say anything—”

Just as Lucas was about to step closer to Verati,

“—Oops.”

Lucas quickly ducked his head.

A sword swept through the place where his head had been just moments before. The sword’s tip flew forward and scratched the ceiling above Verati’s head.

A few stone fragments fell on top of her head.

Lucas jumped back and widened the distance between himself and the figure standing behind him.

He turned his body toward that direction and said with interest,

“Oh?”

A woman in a black robe, wearing a plain white mask with only two eyeholes, stood there.

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Chapter 145

The Interrogation Office was quite far from where we were staying. This was only natural. No matter how important a prisoner might be, they were still an enemy. If they managed to escape, they might try to assassinate important figures within the palace.

While the facility itself didn’t seem much different from regular rooms, its purpose was essentially that of a prison.

It was located at the very top of a tall tower within the imperial castle. The interrogation room was there.

Naturally, many guards were stationed around, but—

“This is….”

As we approached the tower, Claire and Alice stopped in their tracks, shocked by the scene.

Knights, who should have been the elite of the imperial castle, were sprawled about haphazardly. Some seemed to have already breathed their last. The barren dirt floor was splattered with red blood and blackened scorch marks.

It appeared that not just the knights, but also soldiers had put up a fight. Various fragments and half-cut firearms lay scattered on the ground, along with grenades that had not been used.

The blaring sound of sirens pierced the air.

New soldiers were being dispatched to replace the fallen. Over the sirens, the sounds of hurried footsteps and shouts could be heard from all around.

Although cannons surrounded the tower, they couldn’t just fire at will.

“Your Highness…!”

A knight rushed towards us.

“What is happening inside?”

“Lord Lucas has instigated a rebellion.”

I hadn’t properly grasped the situation due to my hasty approach, so when I asked, the knight quickly assumed a stance of attention and reported in a stiff voice.

“Inside the tower?”

“Yes. It seems he’s targeting the prisoner from the legal nation. And…”

The knight glanced at Alice and me before continuing.

“The Emperor and the Swordmaster are inside.”

“……Father is here personally….”

“Forgive me!”

As Alice murmured with a troubled expression, the knight exclaimed.

“We should have stopped this…!”

“No, it’s not your fault.” 

I immediately responded to the knight. There had been no time to intervene anyway. Before they could even say anything, it must have all passed like the wind.

And the Emperor going there… It wouldn’t simply be to stop Lucas.

He must be enjoying this, without a doubt.

I gritted my teeth and loaded my gun.

“Your Highness, wait…!”

The knight tried to stop me, but I was already running.

Inside the tower, a considerable number of knights had already been deployed. The Imperial Gryphon Knights, directly under the royal family, known as the best in the empire.

As I climbed the spiral staircase winding through the wide tower, knights were packed tightly. I knew that Lucas could theoretically slaughter them all, but I couldn’t help but wonder, “Is that really physically possible?”

Moreover…

“Wait a moment, Sylvia.”

Alice grabbed my arm as I stepped onto the staircase. She held onto it tightly, as if she wouldn’t let me go.

“It’s dangerous.”

‘Does she know what’s going on?’ Before that suspicion could surface, I appreciated her warning. But…

“You know best what Lucas is like.”

“And you also know that I am the one who has suffered the most from that sword, Your Highness.”

For just a moment, I saw a pained expression flash across Alice’s face, but she didn’t release her grip.

“……There’s something I need to hear from Lucas.”

“Is it really that important? More than your life?”

Of course, it wasn’t more important than my life.

But I had faith in something.

No matter how formidable Lucas was, he couldn’t come out of a confrontation against both the Emperor and the Swordmaster unscathed. In the original story, he was already portrayed as having surpassed the Swordmaster’s skills by this time, but that didn’t mean he possessed overwhelming power.

In the duel with the Swordmaster, Lucas gets stabbed in the chest. It’s not a life-threatening wound, but it’s deep enough to leave a scar.

So, if the Emperor, who was still in his prime, was there, Lucas wouldn’t have a chance.

And the Emperor wouldn’t end the fight “while keeping Lucas alive.”

If I wanted to hear something, this could be my last opportunity.

“It’s absolutely something I need to hear.”

I spoke firmly, my eyes determined.

About my true identity. How on earth I ended up here.

Lucas was the only person who could give me even the slightest answer to that question. At least, he was among the people I could think of right now.

“So, can you let go of me?”

“…….”

At my words, Alice released my arm. Seeing her hand drop helplessly made my heart twinge a little, but I looked Alice straight in the eye and said,

“You absolutely won’t get seriously hurt. Your Highness should wait here. And Claire, Leo too.”

All three of them wore expressions of complete disbelief at my words, but I turned and spoke to the knight beside me.

“Can you keep an eye on them so they don’t come up?”

“B-but Your Highness—”

“Do I look like I’m going to go die?”

“…….”

At my words, the knight fell silent, realizing he couldn’t just ignore what I had said. After all, this was someone who had single-handedly swept away many troops on the battlefield.

“Sylvia!”

I heard a voice calling from behind, but I turned and stepped onto the stairs, climbing upward.

*

However, things didn’t unfold as I had expected.

The Emperor and the Swordmaster. They were the highest existence in this world when it came to swords, so it wasn’t particularly surprising that Lucas hadn’t been defeated.

But—

“Oh, my little sister has finally arrived.”

As soon as I opened the door, a smell of blood hit me. I was almost proud that I didn’t flinch.

“Cough, ugh…”

“I was just starting to miss you. After all, you’re the only one who can perfectly evade my swordsmanship.”

With a crack, the sound echoed.

“Ugh!”

A suppressed groan escaped the lips of someone gritting their teeth.

It was Verati, stabbed by Lucas’s sword. It looked like she had been cut in the belly, but it didn’t appear to be a fatal wound. At least, her insides weren’t spilling out.

As the sword lodged in her thigh was pulled out, a few drops of blood splattered.

The interrogation room was already a mess. The furniture that should have been there was barely recognizable, having been shattered beyond repair, and blood splattered on the walls.

And that blood wasn’t just Verati’s.

“I’m proud to see my son has grown this much.”

As the Emperor said this to Lucas, Lucas laughed incredulously. From the looks of the blood on his forehead, it seemed the Emperor had also been wounded by Lucas.

…The Emperor, by Lucas.

“Well, to be honest, isn’t this all just due to your equipment?”

Lucas said with a nonchalant expression.

“……You’ve been to the legal nation, haven’t you?”

“Right. You caught on quickly.”

In Lucas’s hand was the sword used by the knights of the legal nation. An artifact created during an era when humanity relied more on magic than physical laws.

Moreover, his clothing was also that of a legal robe. It was as if he had just returned from a long journey, with a small bag slung at his side. The straps were tightened to ensure they wouldn’t interfere with wielding his sword, making it look like the simplified military gear of a soldier in this era.

Lucas hadn’t suddenly converted. It was far more likely he had taken it because he deemed it useful.

Most legal robes looked similar, so I wasn’t sure exactly what abilities it had. Vitality? Recovery? Defense? …In any case, it would be a significant help just by wearing it.

“Sylvia, you’re not someone you can face.”

The Swordmaster, who looked even more wounded than the Emperor, said this.

“…….”

Of course, I didn’t listen to the Swordmaster’s words. Even if I tried to flee from here, Lucas would chase after me immediately.

That was a misjudgment.

If Lucas had suddenly burst out like this, I should have assumed he was well prepared.

“Well, I wouldn’t normally think of pushing through with just equipment like this.”

Lucas said, shaking the blood off his sword. After just one shake, all the blood that had been on it flew off, leaving it perfectly clean.

“It seems that if I’m to face ‘you,’ I also need some preparations. Besides—”

Lucas spoke while looking toward a corner of the room with a smile.

“—there are also nuisances.”

Turning my gaze in that direction, I froze.

There stood the masked woman, who had been grievously wounded by Lucas’s sword. She wasn’t collapsed but was leaning against the wall, gasping for breath.

How…?

“Curious?”

At Lucas’s words, I turned my head back.

“I’m not going to tell you.”

And in an instant, Lucas’s face was right in front of me.

“Cough…!”

The only reason I was able to raise my gun immediately was that I could move my body as I had repeatedly learned over time.

But luck only lasts for one moment.

As Lucas swung his sword, my gun was sliced in two.

“Ah—”

“…….”

Seeing my gun, now cut in half, I was taken aback, and Lucas’s once-smiling expression turned emotionless.

And that expression was truly terrifying.

“See? Those who use tricks…”

Lucas said in a voice mixed with a sigh.

“When that fails, you can’t do anything.”

It was as if he was announcing a death sentence.

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Chapter 146

But Lucas couldn't strike my neck right away.

A deadly blade shot in from both sides, colliding with the spot where Lucas had just stood.

The killing intent was real; if a person had been caught in between, they might have been torn to shreds.

It was completely different from Claire's attacks during our training.

“Tch…!”

As Lucas stepped back, making that sound, he slightly bent at the waist.

That’s— 

“Exactly.”

Noticing my gaze, the Emperor spoke.

“There was a reason he had to come prepared like that.”

Lucas was wounded. It meant he still couldn’t unleash his full power.

Had he received those injuries during the process of obtaining that legal robe and sword?

If he had attempted to take on the entire knight order at once, that could explain it. Even if he could defeat them all, it was impossible for him not to take a hit at least once.

And among those wounds, some couldn’t have been healed by simple recovery magic.

“Hey, do you really think that’s all?”

Lucas laughed, and the masked woman flinched slightly.

“Even though I look like this, I know a lot more than the Emperor here. Did you know that there’s already a lot of chatter about your identity in the legal nation?”

“…….”

That might be true.

With the Verati incident… Of course, they would have caught Verati even without me.

I slowly rose my body and got into a stance.

I couldn’t just stay here sitting on my behind any longer.

“Shall we have a go?”

Lucas flashed a grin in my direction.

“Aren’t you curious? Why you’re in this situation. Normally, you could easily evade my sword.”

“…….”

“Well, at least one of the things the legal nation was curious about has been resolved.”

It seemed Lucas had reached some sort of truth in his own way.

Something far more significant than the fact that his blood flowed through the Emperor.

“What on earth are you talking about—”

Before I could say much more, the door burst open with a bang.

At the same time, Alice, Claire, and Leo rushed in. Following them, knights poured into the room, filling it up.

“I told you to seal the room!”

The Emperor’s words made the knights flinch.

“I insisted on coming in.”

As she stepped out to my left, Alice said that.

“Do you really think you can help? Seriously?”

Though the Emperor scolded her harshly, Alice merely glanced at me.

“Alice.”

“Lucas.”

As Lucas called Alice’s name in greeting, she responded in kind. It seemed like a relaxed exchange at first glance, but her eyes were far from cheerful.

“And the Barons of the Grace family. No matter how many of you come, you won’t be of any help. In fact, you’ll just be a nuisance. You won’t be able to unleash your sword energy freely.”

“Well, if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be a strange logic that many people are a nuisance on the battlefield?”

Upon seeing Leo and Claire’s faces pale at Lucas’s words, the Swordmaster replied.

“No matter how crazy someone might be with their sword energy, they will ultimately succumb to the masses.”

“Oh, really?”

With one side of his mouth curling up, Lucas grinned.

“Then let’s have a go. Since I’ve confirmed what I wanted anyway.”

Saying that, Lucas charged toward us.

Simultaneously, all the knights in the room rushed at Lucas—

With a whoosh, my vision turned crimson.

Several knights who had charged forward fell to the ground. I didn’t have time to check if they were critically injured.

My hands were already moving. As if replaying the motions I had practiced over and over, my hands grabbed the automatic pistol tucked under my arm,

Bang, bang!

I fired two shots in quick succession.

I was sure my aim was true.

But in an instant, I saw Lucas’s gaze shift toward the muzzle of my gun.

Lucas was already moving his body before I even pulled the trigger.

A monster.

That was the only thought that flashed through my mind. It wasn’t the usual carefree demeanor of Lucas; it was a murderous expression that made it seem he truly wanted to kill me.

But at the same time, that smile on his face felt so out of place.

As Lucas evaded my gunfire, his body spun to the side, unleashing his sword energy.

Two more knights fell.

“Chut…!”

The masked woman was pushed back, emitting a sound like a boxer. The sword energy she hadn’t fully blocked left shallow wounds on both her arms.

Clang!

Before I could even register the shock of that, I heard the sound of swords clashing again. It seemed the Emperor had blocked Lucas’s sword with his own.

The tip of the Emperor's blade had sunk halfway into the sword Lucas was wielding.

“Is that sword energy? Impressive as always, Father…!”

Since the sword had a protective barrier around it, it meant it hadn’t been completely severed.

“Whoops…!”

Lucas lightly dodged the incoming sword energy from the side.

“Old man, if you keep worrying about those around you, you’ll end up dead.”

That mouth of his never stopped.

Lucas twisted his sword. With a crisp sound, the tip of the Emperor's sword split, and Lucas’s sword slipped through the widening gap.

“Hmm…!”

As the sword energy swung toward the Emperor, he slashed down with his own sword, cleaving it in half.

“Cough…!”

But that wide sword energy was sufficient to slice through the nearby people all at once.

Bang, bang!

Two more shots fired. But in my haste to pivot my aim, I merely grazed Lucas’s shoulder. His robe tore slightly and stained with red, but Lucas didn’t seem to care, his gaze fixated on me.

Gritting my teeth, I pulled the trigger again—

Ping, a clear sound rang out.

In an instant, I didn’t understand what had happened.

It seemed like sparks flew from Lucas’s sword at that moment—

I heard Alice gasp beside me.

“How is it? Doesn’t it feel like magic?”

Did he just deflect a bullet with his sword?

“Fantastic. Just seeing that expression on your face makes coming here worthwhile!”

Lucas swung his sword with that same smiling expression.

And just like that, the sword energy surged toward me.

I can’t dodge this.

In that moment, I thought that,

“No!”

…If my sisters, who I’d never win against even once without resorting to tricks, were to be killed because of me—

Blood sprayed as someone blocked my way.

Huh…?

The person who had shielded me collapsed. With my limited human-level reaction speed, I felt as though her fall was in slow motion.

“Alice!”

I heard a voice calling out in despair.

The masked woman rushed toward Lucas,

And Lucas swung his sword again. Carelessly, as if swinging a piece of grass, left and right twice.

More screams erupted, and blood splattered.

My abdomen felt hot.

Looking down, I saw it stained red.

My vision slowly shifted sideways, downward…

But what filled my mind wasn’t my condition.

Alice.

Alice, who lay on the ground, bleeding and in pain.

Alice’s gaze turned toward me. Her expression was filled with despair.

Far deeper wounds than mine.

Alice looked up at me with a pained expression.

I heard Claire’s scream and Leo’s shout.

Perhaps, in the next moment, the two of them—

In my fading vision, I caught a glimpse of their backs, and Lucas swung his sword—

No!

If everyone dies because of me—

“Again!”

Those words erupted from my mouth like a scream.

*

Thud, the familiar sensation of impact returned.

My head buzzed as if I had collided with something solid, and my breath escaped me.

The ringing in my ears gradually subsided, and the twinkling stars in my vision began to accept the light again, revealing the back of a girl with blue hair running forward.

“Again!”

*

Thud.

It felt like my body slammed into a rock.

Strangely, that sensation cleared my mind a bit. It was a power I hadn’t properly utilized every time I encountered the masked woman.

But was that really the case?

Had my ability been completely blocked?

Think, think.

Again, the girl running ahead. Two princesses bleeding.

“Again!”

*

Thud.

A moment of sensation enveloped me.

It was as if I had fallen into the center of a kaleidoscope. Light passed through a prism, splitting into various colors to create a rainbow, revealing an incomprehensible world.

But even while seeing such a world, there was one thing I understood.

I had definitely broken through this world before.

By slamming my body against something hard.

I had broken through the space, and at that moment, I had definitely turned back time.

Rewinding, I returned to just before the battle with the masked woman.

If that hand that had grabbed my collar hadn’t been there, I would—

“Again!”

*

Thud!

My entire body trembled.

But it still wasn’t enough.

I think I understand now. Why I couldn’t go back.

Something was definitely blocking the path that should have been passable. But it wasn’t a barricade so strong that I couldn’t break through it.

Rather, it was unstable enough that I could smash through it with my body.

It would hurt if I collided with it, but if I could just muster the courage—

I could definitely shatter that crystal.

Ha, this is absurd.

No one tricked me outright; I was simply deceiving myself all on my own.

The reason I could break through at the ruins back then was only one.

Because I

 didn’t know.

I didn’t know how much it would hurt to collide with it.

Just like someone charging toward an unmarked window, I had simply crashed through that barrier.

After the first collision, I was the one who became afraid.

Well, I wouldn’t be unscathed. I would have to slam into it pretty hard.

But even back then, I had been dazed but hadn’t died.

That’s right.

As I watched the blue ponytail dancing in my field of vision, I thought.

Then, there’s only one thing I must do.

Hit harder.

Hit farther.

With all my might.

If I go back, that’s all it takes.

“Again!”

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Chapter 147

In the space between time and reality, light appeared.

Among the erratically scattered rainbow colors, a vivid blue light stood out clearly.

Before I could properly observe that pale blue light seeping through the cracks of an invisible wall, I had already crashed into it.

With a sound like shattering glass, each broken shard reflected the situation I found myself in. The moment I saw it through my eyes.

Alice, bleeding, collapsed.

My body bounced back as if it had felt the recoil of that first impact, rising into the air.

It felt like there was some sort of obstacle, as I kept bouncing back repeatedly, feeling that sensation.

My entire body ached, and my head throbbed, making it hard to think logically. Still, I struggled to see the situation before me clearly.

No, I can’t let this be.

It was all my fault. It had happened because I had been too complacent and relied too much on my abilities.

Ever since I became seriously involved in the story, I had no idea how much help I had been. Wouldn’t everything have gone well even if I hadn’t existed? Each of them facing their trials, overcoming them, growing, and understanding one another… Just like in the game, wouldn’t everything have turned out fine?

Had I shown up and instead tangled things up, making the situation worse— 

…No.

Circumstances aside. The moment I appeared in this world, the story could no longer remain the same. I didn’t even know why I had ended up here. If the goddess truly existed and had placed me here, she was definitely heartless. At the very least, she could have explained why I was brought here or what my purpose was.

Since there was nothing, I was just living for my own sake.

Again!

I shouted to keep myself from losing consciousness. My body, which had been thrown back, surged forward once more.

In truth, I didn’t need to shout like that. I could rewind time just by thinking it.

Thud. My body crashed again.

But honestly speaking, I wasn’t someone with great mental strength or incredible tenacity. After putting in a lot of effort while rewinding time, I always needed to rewind it again and rest for a while to feel balanced; that’s just how I was.

If I hadn’t been so reckless, I would have probably given up long ago.

Crack. I heard something breaking, and pain jolted through my body.

But, well, that’s fine.

No matter how much it hurt, it had to be better than being sliced by a sword or shot by a gun.

I had already experienced those things.

So, focus.

I rubbed my bleary eyes and shouted again.

Again!

This time, I could clearly hear it.

Something shattered.

*

I was lucky.

I had barely returned to the moment before Alice was struck by the sword, but perhaps because I had pushed through with all my strength, I stumbled forward and collapsed. By naturally falling on Alice from behind, neither of us was hit by the blade.

I felt something graze the back of my hair. If I had been just a little late, or if I had hesitated in my charge, I would have had to rewind time again.

As I fell, I reached my hand out in front of me.

Bang!

One shot fired. I felt the recoil strongly in the hand that had hastily grabbed the gun, but again, Lucas evaded it. It seemed he had seen the tip of my gun and slid to the side to dodge my shot. I saw the bullet lodge into the wall beyond where Lucas had been standing.

So that’s how it is.

I clenched my teeth and pressed down on Alice’s back as I stood up.

“Sylvia!?”

Perhaps taken by surprise at being tackled from behind, Alice couldn’t get up right away. Well, that was something I had been aiming for.

“Big sis?”

Leo looked at me with a puzzled expression.

Ah, I felt one side of my vision turn red.

Something had grazed my forehead, and blood was flowing from that spot.

I fired my gun again. This time, because it took a bit longer to pull the trigger, Lucas was able to dodge my shot more easily than before.

The slide of my automatic pistol was stuck back.

I had exhausted all seven shots.

Lucas was looking at me with a slightly surprised expression, but that didn’t mean he paused his movements.

Once again, Lucas’s hand moved toward the hilt of his sword—

So that’s how it is.

Again.

*

“Aah!?”

Once more, I returned to the spot where I had tackled Alice.

My body bore more wounds. But at least it didn’t hurt as much as before. It was only natural. Getting hit with a blunt object and being grazed by something sharp are completely different kinds of impacts.

I’m fine. I didn’t have any serious wounds. At least, the fact that I was able to stand up again proved that.

I ran toward Lucas as I got up.

“Your Highness!”

I heard Leo’s voice calling from behind. As the masked woman approached me instead of Lucas, I fired a shot in her direction.

It was a warning shot, but at least that function of “threat” seemed to have worked, as the masked woman flinched and halted her advance.

Why? Are you scared because you can’t launch an attack like me?

If you want, just smash through it like I do.

If I’m lucky, I might just achieve my goal of making you scream.

Swish!

Ah.

But perhaps I had focused too much on the masked woman. I didn’t see Lucas swinging his sword.

“Sylvia!”

I heard Alice’s voice filled with despair.

I’m fine. I’m not dead yet. Although my vision was oddly low, my thoughts hadn’t stopped.

So, there’s still a chance.

Again.

*

Bang!

From the moment I fired at the masked woman.

I had already seen the reaction, so there was no need to pay attention. I immediately turned the muzzle toward Lucas.

The muzzle erupted in flame, and the .45 caliber bullet was fired toward Lucas. Of course, Lucas dodged again.

It was too close. He would undoubtedly swing his sword before I had time to reload.

It’s okay. I was only testing the waters.

I needed to see how you move to know where to aim next.

Again.

*

Seven times, nine times, fourteen times, twenty-eight times.

Again, in the old-fashioned way. Just like I had practiced shooting hundreds of rounds with a single bullet. I shot at Lucas multiple times, who was moving.

In that process, I discovered a few things.

The wounds I sustained in “reality” disappeared when I rewound time. I was steadily running toward the past.

However, the injuries I incurred while “coming back” did not heal instantly. My condition returned to normal only the moment I entered that unknown space. Any scratches from exiting remained.

Well, it’s fortunate, at least. The injuries I received from rewinding time wouldn’t accumulate each time I did so.

And one more thing.

The more I rewound time, the slower the recovery of the space became. The space doesn’t heal the moment I pass through it. Though the wounds were not visible in reality, every time I entered that space, the expanded area would narrow just a little bit.

Then, I had only one thing to do.

As briefly as possible, in seconds.

Smash through it hundreds, thousands of times. If I could maintain that situation, I could continue using my previous abilities.

Well, the same goes for smashing through it with my body.

*

Lucas instinctively dodged to his left, which meant he moved to his right from my perspective.

Even so, due to the physical difference, it wasn’t easy for me to hit Lucas—

Bang!

“Ugh!?”

Well, that’s right.

Ultimately, all I needed was one success.

The bullet lodged into Lucas’s right shoulder. The bullet struck the strap of the small bag he was carrying. It didn’t completely sever it.

I rushed toward Lucas.

Lucas swung his sword toward me with slightly widened eyes—

Thud, the sword plunged into my abdomen.

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Blood surged from my throat, and I coughed it up.

But even so, I was able to cling tightly to Lucas.

Grabbing Lucas by the collar, I said,

“Not satisfied yet, are you?”

Seeing me smiling as blood spilled from my mouth, Lucas’s expression hardened.

“How—”

“Now that you mention it. I’m not going to tell you.”

And with that, I swung the gun I held at Lucas’s head. Wham, Lucas’s head jerked to the side.

Well, I knew that wouldn’t make him faint or die.

I just wanted to land one hit.

Again.

*

Returning to the moment Lucas had been hit by the bullet, I rolled forward from where I had tackled Alice. Immediately, a sword energy flew from behind me. It must have been prepared in advance. It could have been the Swordmaster, or Claire. It didn’t seem to be from the Emperor.

“Ugh.”

Lucas, not comprehending the situation, was struck by the sword energy.

In that moment, I quickly reloaded my gun. Fortunately, Lucas didn’t strike again while I lay on the floor reloading.

Lucas looked at me with his eyes slightly widened.

Why would he feel so unpleasant about me using a “trick”?

Um… well, yeah, I suppose it would feel bad. If I were him, I would think the same way. If I were in the same situation.

But this is not the same situation.

After exhausting all the bullets in my chamber, I loaded a new magazine, so I

 had six rounds in the gun.

Of course, that was more than enough for me. At least it was enough to take down one enemy.

With the gun trained on Lucas, I slowly rose to my feet.

Even after being hit by the sword energy, Lucas was still standing. A normal person would have rolled on the ground even if they weren’t sliced in half.

From that, I could tell that the robe Lucas wore was protective armor.

“Right, that’s right…”

After taking a long breath, Lucas said,

“Alright, I’ll admit it. I can’t win here.”

He said that.

But before anyone in the room could respond, Lucas had already finished his stance.

Then, he charged straight ahead.

He barreled into all the knights in front of him, knocking them down, and made a beeline for the door.—

*

Damn it.

Now that I think about it, blood wasn’t flowing from the place where the bullet had struck. He had been hit, but it seemed the protective magic had pushed the bullet away.

As I took aim and fired several times at the fleeing Lucas, it wasn’t easy to catch him, who was only focused on escape.

However, even if it wasn’t easy for me, there was already someone in this room who could do it.

The Swordmaster and the Emperor.

And Claire, Leo, and Alice.

A multitude of knights.

Countless sword energies flew toward Lucas. While each one wasn’t that powerful, they had to carefully control their strength to avoid cutting through everyone at once.

But they were enough to beat Lucas down.

Thunk.

The bag that Lucas had been carrying fell to the ground. As he bent down to retrieve it—

“Tch.”

He seemed to give up upon seeing the sword energy coming toward him.

After glancing briefly at the several bullets flying his way, Lucas dashed straight for the door.

How many knights would be waiting in the hallway?

It was a tower without any windows, and it wasn’t an easily destructible place with ordinary bombardment. Unless Lucas smashed through all the knights with his body, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

“Hah…”

Hearing the cries and the sounds of swords clashing from outside the door, I knelt on one knee.

My body trembled.

I had pushed through something blocking my way with all my might several times.

The cycle of my body healing and hurting was mentally exhausting.

“Sylvia!”

A voice filled with tears reached me. It sounded like Alice.

But I couldn’t respond.

My eyelids felt too heavy.

Ah, even though the battle isn’t completely over yet. I still need to check for the masked woman.

Someone rushed toward me and caught me before I fell completely to the ground.

In my fading and darkening vision, I saw the Emperor approaching the bag that Lucas had dropped.

That was the last memory I had before everything went black.

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Chapter 148

When I opened my eyes, I saw the ceiling of my room.

Naturally, I was lying in my bed. I didn’t even need to get up to know that. It was the bed I had consistently used for almost ten years, now approaching eleven, and the blanket I covered myself with every day.

Well, the blanket might have changed a bit, but it was clear that this one had been used for quite a long time.

So… is it all over?

Had Lucas been caught? Did the Emperor find out what Lucas had been holding? Those were the first thoughts that came to my mind.

It didn’t feel like I had slept. I had just closed my eyes and then opened them to find myself lying in bed.

“Sylvia?”

I heard a voice from beside me.

Turning my head slightly, I saw Alice's face, wide-eyed in surprise.

“Sylvia!”

Hearing Alice tightly grip my arm and shout, Claire, who had been doing something by the table, flinched.

“Big sis?”

Claire turned around in shock, her expression not much different from Alice’s. I couldn’t see Leo or anyone else. Were they all busy with something?

If Lucas had been caught, they must have been busy… I wasn’t sure what Leo was up to, though.

“Where's Lucas…?”

“That’s not the important thing right now.”

No, it is important.

I hadn’t been able to ask Lucas anything. We had fought as soon as we encountered each other.

…Looking back, I was rather foolish. The fact that Lucas had reappeared after disappearing meant he had come back to fight.

As I propped myself up, Alice stood up in concern, then sat back down.

I felt refreshed.

I raised my arm to check, but there were no visible wounds. Without needing to check too closely, I knew that as a princess, I had surely received top-notch medical treatment. Most of the wounds I had were probably just scratches, so healing them shouldn’t have been too difficult. I was likely just exhausted from everything.

After lying on a soft bed for hours, it was no wonder I felt so refreshed. Before, I hadn’t been able to sleep properly due to nightmares.

And mentally, I felt much better.

“What happened to the masked woman?”

The last time I checked, she was still swinging her sword, entangled in combat with others. I still bore the wounds, though.

“She disappeared during the process of stabilizing the situation.”

Another one. 

I knew she had been unable to use her abilities. If that was the case, her vanishing was a separate matter.

Was her disappearance a result of her own will? Or was she somehow fixed to a specific timeline and could only appear like that?

Whichever it was, it wasn’t something to be welcomed.

“Big sis, water.”

While I was conversing with Alice, Claire suddenly thrust a cup toward me.

Only after seeing the cup of water did I realize my lips were parched.

I gratefully accepted the cup Claire offered and took a sip before asking again.

“What happened to Lucas?”

At my question, Alice and Claire exchanged glances before answering.

“...He escaped.”

“With his current condition—”

I stopped speaking mid-sentence.

Thinking back, it seemed plausible given it was Lucas. Considering the outfit he was wearing. He had withstood the Emperor and the Swordmaster’s sword energies, so he could probably evade the knights’ swords as well.

He surely wouldn’t come out unscathed, though.

“What about the fallen people...?”

“...”

At my question, both Alice and Claire avoided eye contact.

So that’s how it is…

“How much time has passed?”

It wouldn’t be surprising if I had been lying here for a day. That would explain my thirst.

However, the answer I received came with a hint of hesitation.

“Almost two weeks have passed.”

“...What?”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard it as two days.

“Two weeks, big sis. While you were unconscious, August almost ended. School starts tomorrow.”

“...”

I couldn’t hide my stunned expression at that moment.

“Tomorrow is the start of school?”

“Yeah.”

Alice nodded seriously in response to my question.

“Then what about the Swordmaster?”

“He’s still in the palace. He has this weirdly pleased expression, which is a bit scary.”

Claire said with a hint of hesitation.

“...Leo?”

“He’s currently training. I guess he felt it would be awkward to leave taking care of you to a man.”

If I was wearing comfortable clothes, then someone must have changed me.

“After lying down for two weeks, how did I manage to eat and drink?”

“Basically, we did it, and the nurses helped out.”

“They chopped the food finely and fed it to you little by little, and the same with the water.”

Alice and Claire explained one after the other. They seemed to be careful, as if afraid I would panic.

“...”

I lay back down on the bed.

Hah.

I had been lying here for two weeks?

Receiving care from others?

While their explanations were concise, an incredibly large number of things must have happened in the meantime. If Lucas had escaped, there would have been a manhunt, and with the sounds of gunfire echoing from the tower, news would have spread near the palace. The institution had many diplomats and embassies. Given the spies planted there, it would have been impossible to completely suppress those rumors.

Even if they hid that Lucas was the one who caused the incident, they couldn’t cover up the fact that an incident had occurred. Moreover, if Lucas had already rampaged through the Law Country, they would probably have a rough idea of what had happened.

It sounded like the fortress-like status the Empire had maintained was starting to crack.

How would the Emperor react? From my perspective, it seemed unlikely he would show a positive response.

“Well, the situation has been largely contained. At least the palace is functioning without issues…”

Alice explained as if making excuses, but with so many knights having fallen, it couldn’t be the same as before.

“...That.”

When I fell silent, lost in thought, Alice cautiously spoke up.

“...I’m sorry. It was my suggestion to go inside.”

“No.”

Before I could say anything, Claire quickly interjected.

“I suggested we couldn’t just wait below.”

I gazed at the two of them quietly. It seemed they both wanted to hide from me.

“Thus—”

“No.”

I cut Alice off, who was trying to continue.

“The one who didn’t say how this all unfolded, or what you were trying to do, is me.”

At my words, both of them fell silent.

They wore expressions that seemed to hold many things they wanted to say. Probably mostly in the realm of apologies.

But I didn’t want to hear those apologies. It wasn’t that I wouldn’t forgive them for having wronged me. It was simply that there wasn’t anything to apologize for.

It was just that the situation had gotten tangled. Mostly because of my existence.

I had claimed I would save all the heroines and yet ended up putting them in danger.

“...”

I lay back down, looking up at the ceiling. As I gazed at the overly ornate, Victorian-style decorations far removed from the word minimal, a sudden thought struck me.

Ah, my entire vacation just flew away.

*

I considered rewinding the entire vacation but decided against it.

Even rewinding briefly had already caused me pain to the point of losing consciousness; trying to rewind even further would be...

Would I end up like an egg smashed against a rock?

In truth, what I had done from the beginning had been incredibly foolish. What if I had actually died?

...

So, what would I do then?

It would be better than Alice dying. After all, I was a character that was close to being a bonus in this world. More precisely, I was a character whose true identity I didn’t even know.

...Well, as long as no one died, it should be fine.

“Hmm.”

I heard a grunt and looked up to see Charlotte. She seemed unchanged, as if nothing significant had happened during the vacation.

“I’m glad to see you’re healthy.”

“I’m glad to see you’re healthy too, Your Highness.”

“The title has reset again.”

Charlotte sat down with a wry smile.

Then, after glancing at me for a moment, she shrugged her shoulders.

She probably had heard about what had happened through the newspaper or from the intelligence network of the Bellbur family, but she didn’t pry any further. What happened inside the palace was a royal matter. Conversely, it would be a breach of etiquette for us to ask about it.

“Hello, Charlotte.”

“Hello, Alice. By the way, we greeted each other in the hallway already.”

After Alice, who had come in a bit late because she had been occupied with greeting other nobles, greeted Charlotte, Charlotte responded with a smile.

“Well, greetings in the classroom are different. There were many other people in the hallway.”

Saying that, Alice sat down behind me.

“It was such a long vacation.”

As Alice said with a sigh, Charlotte replied, “Tell me about it.”

Indeed. It was really long.

It felt like it had been ages since I had experienced such a peaceful atmosphere.

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Chapter 149

It seemed that the ceremonial robes didn’t fit properly.

The Emperor stood lost in thought, still holding his bag.

It was because of those robes that Lucas had been able to escape. From what we saw of him blocking the Emperor’s sword energy and the Sword Saint’s blade, it was clear the robes themselves were incredibly powerful.

However, even the ceremonial robes have their limits.

If the wearer isn’t numb to pain, or if they don’t have the ability to escape in certain situations, they will eventually be overwhelmed by continuous attacks. Considering how much pain Sylvia endured from a single shot, it might not be as worrying by the Empire’s standards.

After all, not everyone who wears those robes is like Lucas.

“Your skill is clearly not on Lucas’s level.”

“…I apologize.”

Jaiden lowered his head deeply as he responded.

“No need to apologize. What else could you do? It was an impossible task from the start.”

“…”

The Emperor’s words were meant to be kind, but it seemed Jaiden didn’t hear it that way.

The Empire’s strongest knight. He probably takes pride in his title.

Come to think of it, there was never a time when they fought for real, at least not sincerely. He had always thought there was camaraderie between them, especially since they were both children of the same family.

“Verati isn’t dead, then?”

“Yes. He’s recovering. His life isn’t in danger, but we’re unsure when he’ll wake up…”

“And Sylvia?”

Jaiden’s face grimaced. He probably thought it was all Lucas’s fault.

Half of it was true.

But the other half…

“I see. For now, return to your duties.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Jaiden had been injured, but it didn’t seem too severe. Lucas had been running for his life, after all. If it had truly been a fair duel, Jaiden wouldn’t have escaped unscathed.

Jaiden snapped to attention before turning and leaving the royal audience chamber.

Alice remained by Sylvia’s side after that. Even though she had been told that Sylvia’s injuries weren’t life-threatening, it seemed Alice couldn’t relax. Though there were attendants in the room, Alice wanted to help Sylvia herself.

It was odd how their bond had grown so strong.

…It was probably because of Sylvia. From the moment Sylvia had arrived here, she had always considered Alice’s well-being.

“Hm.”

The Emperor opened the bag he had been holding.

Inside was a piece of *jibo*.

It wasn’t completely unexpected. After all, there was no way they went all the way to the law country and caused such a commotion without bringing anything back.

But what he hadn’t anticipated was the power this *jibo* would have.

“I’ve never encountered a human of this kind before…”

Muttering to himself as though answering his own question, the Emperor continued.

“No, can we even call this 'human'?”

Most nations, especially those with myths related to the Goddess Church, know that *jibo* is something of great importance. Even just looking at the amount of mana it holds, it’s clear that it is a key to something important, though only a few truly understand its exact role.

Indeed, only a few knew.

The Emperor was one of those rare individuals.

There is a legend passed down only to those who inherit the throne of the Empire, a story tied to the *Fangryphon* and the Goddess.

But according to that tale, *jibo* couldn’t be used until it was whole.

It might be best to gather them all one day, but there was no need for the Empire to be the one to collect them. In the end, the place that needed *jibo* was the Holy Land. War with the law country would be inevitable at the end.

Even if the Empire only secured a single fragment of *jibo*, they could conquer it with sheer force when the time came.

The gears of the world were turning.

The unfinished machine of the *Fangryphon* that had once sought to usurp the Goddess’s power.

The broken cog of that machine was this *jibo*.

“I never imagined that a single piece could have such power.”

A fragment of a crucial device. Logically, a single piece alone shouldn’t have value. Even if it did, it wouldn’t be able to activate the machine.

But—

Does this mean that, even broken, it carries the power of the Goddess?

The masked woman wasn’t the key. What mattered was the *jibo* she possessed, which blocked Sylvia’s powers.

This *jibo* blocked the power of the masked woman. Thinking of it this way, everything falls into place.

Of course, questions remain. If Sylvia were truly the Goddess, or her avatar, why would she be helping the *Fangryphon*, her mortal enemy? Why was she trying to make Alice the Emperor instead of herself?

Maybe she’s thinking the same thing I am, the Emperor thought.

If I wait to gather all the *jibo* and finally steal them at the end…

Even so, the *jibo* is necessary.

Despite having the *jibo*, Sylvia could still use her abilities. The aftereffects were devastating, but…

And if the masked woman’s *jibo* isn’t nearby, Sylvia will be free to use her powers when she wakes up.

To prepare for any similar entities that might emerge, the *jibo* must be collected.

“This will be useful,” the Emperor said, smiling as he looked down at the bag once again.

---

**A Failure Again**

She had failed again.

Her body creaked as she moved, lost in thought.

Click, click. The sound of machinery moving echoed with every flick of her fingers. In truth, it wasn’t just when she moved her fingers that the noise could be heard.

It was there when she walked, when she shifted her gaze, and even when she tried to think.

She wanted the sound to stop, but she couldn’t. It was the only proof that she existed, the only sign that she was alive.

Her body had blood and flesh, but—

Everywhere she looked, the same sensation lingered: it felt as though her body was floating inside a kaleidoscope. She had become something infinitely small.

Every time she saw Sylvia, the sound clicked in her chest. What she felt was warmth. Longing. Joy and sorrow.

But in this body, she couldn’t even speak properly. She couldn’t laugh.

Alice—am I Alice?

She remembered. If she could remember, then those feelings she felt when seeing Sylvia must be hers.

Sylvia had a sad expression on her face. Sylvia had shot the “Alice” that she was, but the shot missed.

Then, Alice’s wings…

Endlessly, endlessly, she regretted it.

But is ‘regretted’ even the right word? Could I have really regretted it? It must be wrong. Alice hadn’t even existed back then. More precisely, it hadn’t happened yet.

Click, click. The sound grew louder as her thoughts became more tangled. Her head vibrated, trembling.

In fact, what surrounded her body, what made her flesh and blood, might just be for show.

If the devices in her head were the only proof of her existence…

Who created this body? Who placed these memories inside her?

Why were they dropped here without explanation, without teaching her anything? What were they thinking when they made this piece on the chessboard—me?

At least, there was one thing she could still do.

Maybe she could at least tell what she knew.

---

**A Long-Awaited Visit**

In the student council room, she met someone who made her uncomfortable.

Or should it be said, they weren’t on the best terms? From Mia Crowfield’s perspective, it was even worse.

“Lady Crowfield.”

As I spoke first, Crowfield raised her head to look at me. Dark circles were visible under her eyes.

“…What happened over the break?”

Before Charlotte could greet her, Mia Crowfield had already asked that question, indicating that Mia was in a bad state.

Looking at her dry eyes, it was clear she had been crying a lot.

It was understandable. She had just learned face-to-face that her beloved family… were not the people she had thought them to be. That moment, Mia had collapsed, crying on the floor.

She probably didn’t know who to blame. It’s easy to blame a single thing, but when there are many reasons stacked together…

Still, I thought there was hope.

She hadn’t quit the academy, nor had she locked herself away in the dorms. She hadn’t made it to the opening ceremony, but here she was in the student council room.

It seemed she still wanted to talk.

“…”

I knew I had to say something, but when I tried to think of the right words, I didn’t know what to say.

Saying “hello” didn’t feel right. Mia Crowfield was definitely not in a “hello” state. Similarly, “well” didn’t feel appropriate either.

Alice glanced at me, and Charlotte, Claire, and Leo seemed to notice that this conversation was connected to me. All four of them stood a little apart, sensing the tension.

“From now on…”

I took a moment to organize my thoughts, then slowly opened my mouth.

“Let’s try to get along, alright?”

The words I came up with weren’t very impressive.

I waited nervously, not knowing how Mia would respond, and she nodded ever so slightly.

That was enough to let me breathe a little easier.

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Chapter 150

It had been a week since the second semester started.

Thankfully, nothing particularly troublesome had happened. The Masked Woman had disappeared again, my abilities had returned to normal, and I didn’t face any major issues while attending classes. As usual, I rewound time to study and understand, and since the lessons contained a lot of common knowledge useful for living in this world, it wasn’t bad to simply understand and move on.

"So, turning back time is impossible, even for the Goddess. This world is strictly physical. There are magic and other things, but in the end, the results they produce cannot escape the laws of physics," explained Ada, the physics and mechanical engineering teacher.

I listened to her explanation with a nonchalant attitude. I would have thought the same if I were in her position. Even if the physics of this world isn’t as advanced as the 21st century in the world I came from, or even if there’s no logical basis or common sense to the idea that changing time would cause a parallel world to form or something like that, it made sense that most people would think that way.

In this world or the other world, no one had been able to reverse time. Not a single person. Just as the heliocentric theory replaced the geocentric theory as science advanced, if my ability couldn’t be scientifically proven, there would be no way to explain it to others.

So, I had no intention of debating her point.

But there was one person who disagreed.

"Um, Teacher?"

Johannes.

He wasn’t an important character in the original story, and he seemed the same here. He didn’t even interact with me, and since we were in the same class, I only remembered him because I’d memorized the names of the original named NPCs.

But I still remembered the basics about him. He was a devout follower of the Goddess Church.

"It doesn’t make sense that a divine being can’t do something," he said.

"Really?"

Ada didn’t seem to find his question particularly interesting.

Had she been working here for ten years, or had it been longer? She started working in her early twenties, and even after getting married and becoming "Lady Strange," she continued to teach, so she must have received such questions countless times.

"Yes, that’s right. For example, the scriptures of the Goddess Church—"

"Does it say something about reversing time? Like winding a clock?"

Ada interrupted him, stopping him from speaking and shrugging her shoulders.

"Let me ask you something. Do you think winding a clock is the same as turning back time?"

"U-Um... No, not exactly, but..."

"I think the same. Even if the world is like a clockwork mechanism, and the Goddess rewinds it, time itself still moves forward. The clock hands may move backward, but in the Goddess’s view, time continues to flow in one direction. It’s a reversal of the situation, but not a return along the timeline itself."

"Uh..."

Johannes looked around, uncertain, before speaking again.

"But doesn’t that make it no different from reversing time?"

"From our perspective, yes. But from the Goddess’s perspective, it’s different. The positions of the stars, the places where sand has fallen, the locations of flowing water—they would all return to their original state. But absolute time would still keep moving forward. The Goddess who rewound the clock would feel time flowing outside the clock."

Johannes tilted his head.

Honestly, I somewhat agreed with Johannes’s point.

---

**Mia Crowfield and I were slowly starting to speak more.**

We had never been the best at talking to each other, but it felt a bit strange to leave things as they were.

Also, I liked nearly all the heroines from the original story. Of course, Mia Crowfield was included. While I could never like her parents, Mia herself was a character who tried to overcome the deeds of her family without ever forgetting them.

I liked Claire, Alice, Charlotte, and even Lottie. I liked even the commoner heroine I hadn’t met properly yet.

The only heroine I really didn’t like was one.

"Sophia Bianchi. I’ll be studying with all of you starting this month. Please take care of me."

The girl with lavender-colored hair, lavender eyes, and a kind expression bowed to the class.

She exuded an air of nobility. Not the same type as Alice or Charlotte—this was more of a humble, dignified nobility, closer to that of clergy than royalty or aristocracy.

Yes, the girl greeting us in front was none other than the heroine from the Law Country.

In the original story, she was supposed to appear next year.

I had to struggle to hide my shock. If Alice had seen my expression right now, she would have reacted one of two ways—either with an incredibly serious face or about to burst into laughter. Or maybe both at the same time.

"Sophia is from the Belbur Kingdom. She recently received approval from the Empire to study here with all of you."

The homeroom teacher, Carolyn, introduced her.

It was a lie.

Sophia Bianchi was from the Law Country, but the only "citizens" of the Law Country were clergy.

Of course, most of them were orphans brought in from other countries.

Among those orphans, the ones with strong abilities or deep faith became clergy, while others nominally lived as monks. In reality, they were just citizens who prayed, but...

Sophia Bianchi was one of the children who stood out for her abilities and became a priestess. And—she enjoyed the role.

She had settled there because she found joy in cutting people down.

So...

Sophia’s lavender eyes turned toward me. Our gazes met, and her eyes curved into crescent shapes. The innocent gaze that put others off guard.

...So, that’s the type of character she was.

A character designed to embody the "chuunibyou" trope. Laughing crazily while covered in blood after battle.

It reminded me of my own cringey middle school days when my friends and I used to play with that kind of concept.

...I really hated her.

---

**Chuunibyou is not truly chuunibyou if the character actually has those abilities, but honestly, I couldn’t relate to this type of story much, especially considering the game-like nature of it.**

Moreover, this character was one who had been strongly pushed as a powerful character in the early part of the story.

In the first installment, the characters from the previous chapters all lost in battles against this character, even though the victories weren’t due to hard-fought efforts. The phrase "Oh, did I not control my power properly?" seemed to describe it.

Even though the series didn’t continue with power scaling, didn’t it seem a bit off?

Later, she did somewhat repent and joined the party, but the bad first impression stuck with me. I didn’t like her. To be honest, I hated her.

But...

"Sylvia."

She kept trying to act friendly, and it made me extremely uncomfortable.

If she had started as an enemy like in the game, I could have just openly shown my dislike for her—but...

"Let’s have a meal together."

"Do you have plans after class?"

"Oh, are you going to the café? Can I join you?"

She boldly approached, and I was left with no way to act. At least, Mia Crowfield had initially shown discomfort toward me, so I could be rude in return, but this wasn’t the case with her.

"Sophia."

The one good thing was that I wasn’t the only one feeling uncomfortable.

Alice, seeing Sophia sitting with us in the café, spoke.

"Isn’t she from Belbur?"

"Yes, she’s from Lutetia," I replied.

"Really?"

Hearing that, Charlotte stared at Sophia Bianchi.

"But I’ve never seen you before."

An exchange student from another country who had received the Empire's approval to transfer, especially to the noble class. Charlotte, being well-connected, should have seen this character before, but...

"I’m somewhat clumsy in social circles. And my family only holds a knight’s title, so I never had the chance to meet the princess directly."

After that explanation, Charlotte seemed convinced.

"…Really?"

Charlotte tilted her head but eventually stepped back.

"Bianchi-sama."

"Please call me Sophia."

She responded with that answer.

"Bianchi-sama, have we met before?"

Ignoring my earlier words, I directly asked her.

When Sophia Bianchi heard my question, her eyes curved again into crescent shapes.

"No, not at all."

...What a bold response.

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Chapter 151

“Then why are we supposed to start calling each other by our names?”

When I asked this, the already awkward atmosphere froze completely.

“Ah, well…”

Sophia Bianchi’s eyes darted around before settling back on me.

“Do you not want that?”

Of course, this was an act. It had been the same in the game. Until her true nature was revealed, no one could guess it. She must have been very skilled at acting, and her performance was probably excellent.

Perhaps there was a little truth mixed in, though. Considering how she kept following me around, it seemed like she wanted something from me, and it would be troublesome if that didn’t happen.

“Lady Crowfield.”

Instead of answering her, I called out to Mia Crowfield, who was sitting at the table with us.

Mia flinched and cautiously looked at me.

“Have I ever called you by your first name?”

“No, I haven’t…” Mia shook her head vigorously at my question.

I turned my gaze back to Sophia.

“It’s been a semester since I met Lady Crowfield. But I’ve never called her by her name. This isn’t about whether I like it or not; it’s about how familiar we are with each other.”

In this group, excluding me, everyone else called Mia by her name. Even Alice, who had continued to call her "Lady Crowfield" after what happened during the last vacation.

Once I finished explaining, I picked up my spoon and began eating my parfait again. Honestly, the weather had gotten quite chilly, and most of the people at the table had ordered warm coffee, so I must have been the strange one.

But what could I do? It was delicious.

“Is that so…?”

When I bluntly put it like that, Sophia Bianchi looked bewildered. Her expression wasn’t exactly one of disappointment or frustration, but rather something closer to being dazed.

Perhaps there was a little sincerity in her reaction.

---

**“Sylvia.”**

Even though the situation was awkward, I didn’t stop eating my parfait. After scraping the spoon all the way down to the bottom of the cup, I left the café and returned to my room.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Alice arrived.

“Do you know anything about Sophia?”

Alice asked with a serious expression.

“Sophia Bianchi is a spy sent from the Law Country.”

“A spy?”

“To be more precise, she belongs to the Order of the Cathedral Knights.”

At my words, Alice’s expression froze for a moment.

She was standing there, her lips moving as if about to speak, then sighed and wiped her face.

“Well, I won’t ask how you knew that,” she said.

I was thankful for that. It was difficult to explain this information even if I rewound time, as I had no other way to explain it except by using knowledge from another world.

It was more comfortable when they didn’t ask about things I was deliberately trying to hide.

Alice sat down in one of the chairs at the guest table in the room, facing the same direction as I had been sitting.

“I have a few things I want to ask. Will you be able to answer?”

“I can answer quite a lot about Sophia Bianchi.”

“Good.”

Alice nodded and then continued.

“Sophia said she was from Belbur, a daughter of a knight family in Lutetia. How could she be from the Law Country? Falsifying one’s identity is a serious crime, and if she’s pretending to be a knight, it could cause a diplomatic issue. And then she even got the imperial approval to enter the academy. Doesn’t that sound impossible?”

“The Law Country and Belbur have a cooperative relationship. The Law Country has declared its independence from Belbur, but there’s no significant friction between the two. The Law Country governs only a small territory, much like a single fief, and Belbur citizens can travel freely there. There are many followers of the Goddess Church in Belbur, so the atmosphere between the two countries is not tense.”

“So, are you saying that Belbur helped create a fake identity for her?”

Alice asked seriously.

“Rather than a fake identity, it’s likely another legitimate one.”

The connection of her being the daughter of a knight family could be called a fake, but the family itself actually exists. It was the same in the original, so it would be the same here as well. The title itself was real, and the claim of being the “daughter” was legally accurate, even if it didn’t mean she was their biological daughter.

If the relationship was legally recognized, it could easily be fabricated if both sides had compatible interests.

“Were the two countries allies, then?”

“There’s probably not an official alliance,” I answered.

After all, there was the mess I caused last year. Outwardly, I tried to create the appearance of friction, even though behind the scenes I had intended to cooperate. It had always been a situation where the two countries acted outwardly hostile but were working together in secret. So, even though I caused a disruption, they probably didn’t abandon that relationship.

But it would have become more secretive. They would want to appear as though there was nothing happening.

“But... then it’s strange.”

Alice tilted her head and said.

“Even if the Law Country didn’t expect you to know about Sophia’s identity, why are these two countries suddenly acting so openly? If they were being so secretive, why would they reveal themselves now?”

“Because it’s urgent.”

My answer was simple.

Yes, the situation must have been pressing. The Law Country had caused quite a few issues recently.

Starting with Verati, who still hadn’t fully regained consciousness, and then the Emperor’s child, who had fled with important items after causing a commotion in the Law Country.

The Law Country might be doubting the Empire itself. They might think that all of Lucas’s actions were orchestrated by the Empire.

Even if that wasn’t the case, the situation was critical. For countries like Belbur or the Law Country, it was getting too late to wait. A war takes years or even decades of preparation before it can even begin. But right now, no country was ready to go to war with the Empire. From the perspective of nations that had just started industrializing, something had to be done, or it would be too late.

“So, you think she’s trying to build friendly relations with us? She thinks that becoming friends with the princesses will prevent war?”

“…”

Well, I wasn’t sure about that.

In the original story, she didn’t appear until the second book, when the war escalated. She wasn’t a character you met at the academy.

“I don’t have a clear idea of her objective yet. Maybe... she just wants to talk to me about something.”

“You? What could—ah.”

I blinked.

Before I could explain anything, Alice’s expression seemed to change as if she understood something. She suddenly looked much darker.

“Do you have any thoughts on it?”

When I asked, Alice hesitated and gave an uncertain answer.

“Ah? Uh, yeah... I think I do.”

But she didn’t give a clear answer.

“If you have any thoughts, please share them with me.”

“Ah, no.” Alice quickly shook her head.

Then, standing up, she said,

“Thanks. That cleared up a lot of things. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on Sophia.”

“Okay…”

I watched Alice leave, still dazed, as she left with a “See you tomorrow!”

...Wait, what just happened?

---

**Sylvia has a special ability. Maybe she can turn back time.**

As the teacher mentioned, time is something even the Goddess cannot reverse.

But, according to the explanation I heard back then, if time could simply be adjusted, like rearranging objects, then that would truly be divine power, wouldn’t it?

I wasn’t sure if she realized this or not. From Sylvia’s expression, it seemed she didn’t think of her power as “the Goddess’s power.”

The first time Sylvia’s abilities seemed to change was when she went to the place with the *jibo*.

She had met the mysterious being wielding strange power. After that being disappeared, and the *jibo* was taken, Sylvia’s powers seemed to return to normal. Since then, she hadn’t shown signs of confusion or loss.

And now, in the imperial palace…

Power, Goddess, *jibo*, Law Country.

Considering these four keywords…

“Could it be?”

Alice’s face turned pale.

Maybe, in the Law Country...

...

No, no. I shook my head vigorously to clear my thoughts. While there were lingering suspicions at the back of my mind, I was beginning to calm down.

Even if it was the Goddess’s power, her abilities were far too limited. Most importantly, Sylvia didn’t know how to heal or protect others like the priests of the Law Country.

Still, even so, I now understood why the Law Country had come.

“That’s it.”

Lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, Alice murmured.

...

It was time to solidify my thoughts.

Whether I heard it directly from Sophia or from the people behind her.

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Chapter 152

It had been a while since I was able to train at the academy training grounds.

Most of the distinguished imperial knights use swords. It's not that they don't use firearms at all, but they are generally considered supplementary tools.

After all, there are gendarmes armed with firearms within the imperial palace. From their perspective, swords are actually auxiliary tools, and firearms are the primary weapon. There are training grounds for these people, but…

Well, honestly, it felt a little strange for me to train there by myself.

While it wasn't that women didn't exist in these roles, the majority were men. Moreover, all the knights and gendarmes in the imperial palace were under the imperial family’s command, so if I were to go, the training would undoubtedly be disrupted. It would cause quite the inconvenience.

When I trained with firearms as a child, I practiced by shooting flying birds or randomly firing indoors to get used to it. Even back then, I was still young, so I doubt anyone would have seriously trained me if I went.

Therefore, having a training ground where I could freely practice shooting without interruption was something I deeply appreciated.

“Phew…”

I exhaled as I checked my gun at the end of the training ground. Suddenly, I heard clapping from behind.

For a moment, I thought it was Sophia Bianchi, but when I turned around, I saw Lena standing there.

When I realized who was clapping, I felt a bit embarrassed.

Just a moment ago, I had been training around the grounds without rewinding time once. After meeting the Masked Woman twice, I had firmly realized that if I relied only on my ability, I would become utterly useless the moment it disappeared.

As the Sword Saint said, I wasn’t particularly talented in that area. I had fired a lot of shots, so I could hit something when I tried, but that was about it.

That said, I wasn’t going to seal away my abilities or swear off relying on them completely. But if I were to lose that power, at the very least, I should be more useful than the trash lying on the street. I used to criticize characters in games and comics who were useless, and I didn’t want to become one of them.

To avoid that, the best thing I could do was practice a little more, so I could be of some help, even if just a little, in such situations.

“Impressive.”

“Is that so?”

I had to make a significant effort to avoid blushing at Lena’s words. If I had rewound time to practice, I might not have cared. After all, it would have been the result of something I adjusted to make happen.

But to be complimented without ever rewinding time—at least it meant that, to Lena, my skills weren’t lacking too much.

…Then again, I had probably already trained in this area hundreds of times, so maybe that’s why.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t join you yesterday.”

“It’s fine. You had a lot of equipment to check, so it was inevitable.”

It felt a bit strange having this conversation with Lena, just the two of us. Maybe it was because we were both using formal language with each other.

Lena’s equipment had only arrived yesterday. After Jaiden bombarded the enemy with the monitor ship, the autonomous country became nervous, and the Empire responded by positioning more troops near the warlord regions. As a result, the atmosphere in that area became tense.

Lena’s weapon was a battleship cannon, one of the weapons being transported to the academy, where the noble children of the Empire gathered. Because the procedure had already become complicated, her weapon had been delayed at the border for a while before arriving yesterday. As a result, she hadn’t been able to join us at the café yesterday.

She didn’t seem to mind too much, but honestly, if the Empire started sweeping through the border region like that, even someone who had requested it in advance would be frightened.

Not just any weapon, but cannons. While each one was mounted on a separate ship, the caliber was similar to the dreadnoughts that soared above Rondarium. Given the number of ships, it might have been the same as if the dreadnought had gone to bombard us.

After the incident, the autonomous country moved its troops, and it was a bit absurd for the Empire’s army to respond in that way.

“Are you here to train?”

“Yes. Now that I’ve received my weapon, I thought I’d take this opportunity to check it out.”

I nodded and stood up from my seat.

---

Lena’s skill was as impressive as ever.

Given her personality, it was no surprise that she hadn’t taken a break during the vacation. In fact, her movements had become even more refined than before.

Hmm, in some ways, her movements seemed similar to mine.

In the past, I had only shot with pistols in both hands, but now, Lena was wearing a short submachine gun on her back.

“Impressive.”

As I watched Lena finish her round of the training ground, I clapped for her, just like she had done for me. A flush appeared on her face, but it wasn’t just from running around.

“I referenced your movements, Sylvia-sama.”

At those words, I almost blushed as well.

I was lucky it was dark outside.

I had only mimicked her movements—I wasn’t actually a member of a special forces unit. I had just pulled out the little knowledge I had of military tactics and tried to move the way I thought would work.

Still, I was glad it looked somewhat practical to the people around me.

“That so…?”

“Yeah!”

As I replied to Lena, trying to think of what to say next, I heard a voice shouting from behind.

“Your Highness, you were amazing!”

…

I turned around, and this time it was truly Sophia Bianchi.

“That was a move I never thought of!”

Well, of course. You’re a swordsman, right?

Now that I think about it, there seems to be an overwhelming number of swordsmen in Azer and Electric. Still, wasn’t the game set in an industrial revolution era? I mean, this was an era where people were digging trenches and mowing people down with machine guns. But here we are, swinging swords. Of course, the ones wielding swords are only the monsters who survive the gunfire.

Still, even they would die from a bullet.

“There are many people in Belbur who handle firearms, but I’ve never seen anyone move like you two,” Sophia said, looking impressed.

“…”

Lena’s face became a little dazed as she listened to Sophia’s words.

Lena knew about Sophia Bianchi. After all, she was in the same class, and since she had been hanging around us, Lena had naturally had the chance to speak with her.

It seemed like Sophia Bianchi had set her sights on getting close to me through my circle, if not through me directly.

“Is this training ground only for you two?”

Sophia asked, and Lena shook her head.

“No. Other students can use it too, but…”

…No one else would even think about using it as long as I was here.

Most of the students who use firearms are commoners.

“I see…”

Sophia tilted her head but then shrugged her shoulders.

“How did you manage to come here at this hour?”

“Oh, I was just taking a walk and heard the sounds, so I came to see. If there’s such a nice place here, I’d like to try using it too… Um…”

Sophia Bianchi stared at the training ground for a moment and then spoke.

“Would it be alright if I used it?”

Lena looked at me after Sophia spoke.

“I don’t have the right to stop you, but…”

“Well, could you tell me how to use it? How do I get the target board to go back up?”

“…”

I almost wanted to say, “Go wind it up yourself,” but…

Sophia Bianchi was terrible with machines. Especially with clocks. She’d break them at least once a month.

She’d over-wind the springs and break the parts, or press the mechanism’s buttons and cause it to malfunction. It had been a joke in the game, but in reality, it was disastrous.

“…I’ll help you.”

I sighed and said, holding back my frustration.

---

And the result was disastrous.

It was my complacency that caused the problem.

Yeah, honestly, I thought just winding the spring would be enough.

Who would have thought that hitting the target board too hard would cause the parts to break?

When I saw Sophia Bianchi coming out of the training ground with a proud look, I glanced back at the board and noticed it was twisted in an odd direction. After checking, sure enough, it was in that state.

“…Sorry.”

And just like that, Sophia Bianchi apologized.

She seemed somewhat accustomed to this situation.

“…”

I had to try incredibly hard not to wipe my face in embarrassment.

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Chapter 153

We didn’t have the ability to repair the broken parts, and it was getting late, so we all returned to our rooms for the night.

It wasn’t until the next day that I informed Jennifer about the damage to the training ground.

“Since it was designed with shooting in mind, it’s only natural that it broke when hit so hard,” Jennifer said, nodding after hearing the story.

“Bullets pass through without causing the mechanisms to bend. But if you strike it with a sword and apply strong force, it’s not impossible for the parts to break.”

Jennifer, who had been inspecting the ruined mechanical device, stood up.

“If you inform the academy, we have spare parts, so it can be fixed. There’s no need to worry too much.”

In truth, I wasn’t really concerned. Even if it cost a lot to repair, I could afford it if I really wanted to.

“By the way…”

Jennifer looked at the three of us.

Sophia Bianchi, who had apologized countless times last night, hadn’t needed to come, but she had insisted on coming anyway. She must have genuinely felt sorry.

Or perhaps it was because she had to appear genuinely apologetic.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a knight train here. Honestly, there’s not much a knight can do in this kind of training ground,” Jennifer remarked.

“Is… that so?” Sophia Bianchi asked.

Jennifer shrugged.

“Combat with firearms is all about reaction speed. It’s important to shoot and take down targets that pop up unexpectedly. But for a swordsman, the ability to clash swords is the most crucial, isn’t it? While reaction training is necessary, what matters most is training with someone who actually wields a sword.”

“Is that so…?”

Sophia Bianchi hesitated, and Jennifer tilted her head as she looked at her.

“If you really need training, it might be best if the two of you help out.”

“….”

I had a feeling something like that would be said.

Since the incident in the battlefield, Jennifer had greatly overestimated me. That was only natural. If there was someone who could change the course of a battle by themselves, anyone would think highly of them.

Lena coming from the autonomous country was likely because she wanted to observe my movements as well. Though it seemed like Lena didn’t notice that at all.

In the modern world, even if there was an exceptionally strong person who had achieved numerous feats in battle, they wouldn’t necessarily be seen as a “hidden card.” In a normal scenario, such people would just be gathered into a unit to slightly increase the chance of success in operations that regular soldiers would struggle with.

But this world, with its characteristics of Japanese subculture, was different. The mere mention of a war hero entering a battlefield made the enemy tremble. Even in a world where those heroes would still die from a bullet, their presence alone could change the course of the battle.

“Hmm?”

Sophia Bianchi asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

“The two of you are, aside from instructors, the best firearm users at this academy.”

Jennifer gave her a very simple reason.

“Besides, the ‘Princess’ here has already made a name for herself on the battlefield. She single-handedly saved the Empire’s army from a dangerous situation, rescuing them from a deadlock that could have turned into a pointless war of attrition.”

“Oh, is that…?”

Sophia Bianchi glanced at me, her expression questioning.

“Was that really true?”

“Of course,” Lena quickly intervened.

“The person who played the biggest role in dealing with the warlord group was Sylvia. Even soldiers from the autonomous country who were with the Empire testified to it.”

“I was there too. When Sylvia went to the battlefield, she was alone. Not just me, but nearly every soldier on the frontlines saw her as a crazy person, so there are plenty of witnesses.”

It was no wonder they thought of her that way.

Heroes can change the course of a battle, so in reality, it’s rare for someone to be sent into battle as a hero. Such a person, almost like a tactical weapon, couldn’t simply be wasted.

“If you think that story is just imperial propaganda, then how about a sparring match to test it?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that…”

Sophia Bianchi spoke in a flustered voice.

“Here?”

“No need to worry about the surroundings when sparring.”

Honestly, the only one who wouldn’t care about the surroundings would be Jennifer.

“No, well…”

Sophia Bianchi’s gaze shifted to the gun I was holding.

“Using firearms would require cover…”

“If it’s one-on-one, there’s no need for cover. Besides, your opponents here are Sylvia and Lena. So, no advantage in using cover, right?”

I hadn’t even responded, but Lena had already started preparing for the spar.

“…Can we spar with automatic pistols?”

“Ah, about that…”

Jennifer took a pistol from the holster at her waist.

It looked almost identical to the one I used, but the barrel was blocked off. Not just blocked, but it had a unique design, with a hole drilled to the side, like a compensator.

“This is your Browning, right? I asked to have a training firearm made. With blank rounds, it’ll feel almost like using a real gun.”

Jennifer handed the pistol to me, and I accepted it with some hesitation.

“Now you won’t get confused watching me shoot, counting the number of bullets.”

Normally, people wouldn’t be able to keep track like that.

Well, I had enough tact not to mention that.

I took the training pistol from Jennifer, and Lena didn’t need any special equipment. The gun wasn’t a design with a slide covering the barrel, so Jennifer probably had Browning make a blank round adapter. It might make aiming a bit awkward, but since Lena had always fought with guns in both hands, she’d manage fine.

After loading the blanks into the magazine and facing each other, Jennifer looked back and forth between us and Sophia Bianchi before speaking.

“Alright. Let’s—”

She paused for a moment with an excited expression.

She really did enjoy this sort of thing.

“Start!”

---

Now that I thought about it, there were a few things I hadn’t seen in this world yet.

For instance, shouting out the names of techniques while swinging swords.

Each character had their own skills, and each of those skills had a name.

And characters would always shout the name of their technique when using it.

Of course, for some characters, the name of their technique wasn’t really a name but more of a short phrase. In that case, they would usually shout the phrase instead of the skill name.

Thinking about it, it made sense that shouting technique names in battle was unrealistic. It would be like announcing to the enemy exactly how you planned to fight. Plus, in a real battle, there’s no time for posing like in turn-based combat. Oh, I could understand it for mages, since they need to chant spells.

So, I hadn’t really thought much of it, even though I knew about it.

But—

“Goddess, grant me light…”

I never imagined someone would actually shout lines like that.

…Ah, right, she’s from the Law Country.

It might not be weird for her to fight while reciting prayers.

The problem was, hearing that from someone else was just... awkward.

The company that had hired the voice actor for Sophia Bianchi was known for using famous voice actors, and the one who voiced her had starred in major roles in many prominent works.

If this were a game, it would have been in Japanese. If the language used in this world had been Japanese, I probably wouldn’t have felt so uncomfortable.

But the language in this world is a constructed language based on English.

Even though I understood it just like my native language—

Hearing her shout “By the power of light…” was like watching a dubbed Japanese anime in English. It was a feeling that was hard to describe but left me utterly cringed out.

It would have been a little better if it had been in Korean.

And because of my ability, I had to rewind and listen to that sound again and again during the battle.

Damn it.

---

Fortunately, I was able to finish the spar before running out of ammo. If it had gone on longer, I might have given up on the training altogether to avoid that embarrassing moment.

“Really… impressive.”

Sophia Bianchi seemed shocked that we had finished the training with a shot before her “By the power of light” could even come out.

…Well, she’s a cathedral knight, so she probably has some magical gear that can block bullets.

“Of course,” Lena said with a proud expression.

“After all, she’s the Empire’s princess.”

Well, usually, a princess wouldn’t be doing things like this.

...But thinking about it, all the imperial princes and princesses were skilled in one thing or another.

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Chapter 154

The discomfort from the awkwardness of the duel did have its effect.

Sophia Bianchi was originally quite proud.

When she first appeared, she acted as if she enjoyed fighting on the battlefield, and after defeating the main characters, she made a remark about “not controlling her strength” or something similar. 

But this time, she started by losing to me.

Even Lena, who was on my side, wasn’t deemed to have died, which was a good sign.

Of course, I fought while using my ability to rewind time multiple times, but that wasn’t the only reason I was able to win.

I had faced Lucas recently.

And not just facing him, but facing Lucas when he was extremely angry at me, and wearing the protective armor and holding an artifact as a weapon.

Sophia Bianchi’s skill didn’t compare to Lucas's.

I remembered something a baseball player once said. He faced a pitcher who threw fastballs with monstrous speed, and when that pitcher was replaced, the next pitch seemed much easier to hit.

That was exactly how I felt.

Although Sophia Bianchi wasn’t a weak opponent and wasn’t someone I could easily defeat without my abilities, I was confident that, at least with my ability to rewind time, I could take on a cathedral knight like her.

It gave me a bit of confidence.

That was the positive effect I gained from the duel.

But there was also a negative effect.

It was—

“Sylvia!”

Sophia Bianchi had become far more clingy than before.

I hadn’t realized it when she’d been sticking to me before, but perhaps back then, she was just evaluating me.

She was a skilled swordswoman, and for someone like her, it would have seemed odd to treat someone like me as ‘important,’ since she would have seen me as someone with no talent.

But after yesterday’s duel, it seemed like she looked at me differently.

Well, it wasn’t like she was physically touching me, so I suppose it was a relief…

“Ah, Sophia. How are you?”

“Yes, of course!” 

She was acting so differently from how she was in the original story.

Claire had changed, but this felt even stranger. While Claire had grown up in an entirely different environment, Sophia’s circumstances hadn’t changed so drastically.

...Perhaps this was all an act?

“You seem in a good mood today.”

Charlotte seemed to feel a sense of familiarity with Sophia Bianchi. It was probably because they came from the same region. There was still quite a big difference in status, though.

“Yes, something wonderful happened yesterday.”

“Something wonderful?” Charlotte asked, tilting her head. Sophia Bianchi’s face turned toward me with a wide smile, and I felt a little uneasy seeing her expression.

“Yesterday, Sylvia and Miss Bianchi had a duel,” she said, before I had a chance to speak.

“That’s right,” Lena added.

For a brief moment, I caught a flash of irritation on Sophia Bianchi’s face as she spoke. Most people probably wouldn’t have noticed, but I did. And, oddly, I felt relieved.

So, she hadn’t completely changed her character.

“Yes, Sylvia and I had a duel yesterday.”

“I see,” Charlotte said with a wry smile.

Her expression suggested she had a rough idea of what had happened.

“When a swordsman with pride faces Sylvia in a duel, their perspective usually changes afterward.”

...That was a bit too much praise.

“….”

After listening quietly, Alice turned to me, smiling gently.

Considering that Alice was probably the only one who could read my expressions accurately, she likely picked up on the changes in my face.

I took a deep breath and held it in.

---

“Miss Bianchi.”

After school.

As everyone packed their bags to head back to the dorm, I called out to Sophia Bianchi.

“Yes!”

She immediately stopped packing and flashed a big smile in my direction, drawing the attention of everyone around me and even the entire classroom.

…I should’ve talked to her somewhere else.

Still, it wasn’t bad to observe the reactions around me.

Sophia Bianchi wasn’t a character I met in the academy in the original story, so seeing this reaction from the others was actually quite refreshing. It would help to understand how people were perceiving her and how her image was being shaped.

I realized I’d become a bit self-conscious about judging people’s appearances due to the number of good-looking people around me. With everyone being so handsome or beautiful, it was hard to objectively judge someone’s looks when meeting them for the first time.

Considering how many of the boys were staring at Sophia Bianchi with awe, it seemed safe to say that her looks were objectively excellent.

“Can we talk for a moment alone?”

At my question, I heard a few people quietly gasp. It wasn’t often that I asked someone to speak alone with me.

Now that I thought about it, what did people think of me? The way my friends saw me probably differed from how others saw me.

But that was something I’d think about later.

“Of course!”

Sophia Bianchi responded as if she had been waiting for this moment.

I felt Alice’s gaze on me, intense and sharp.

After glancing at Alice briefly, I looked back at Sophia Bianchi.

“Then, please come to my room this afternoon. I would like to discuss yesterday’s… duel.”

“Understood!”

Sophia Bianchi answered with that same bright smile.

---

The most comfortable place to talk at the academy was, of course, my dorm room. Being a room for nobles, the walls and door were thick, so no sound leaked out. The room was warm, in contrast to the chilly air outside. Even if the conversation went on for a while, we wouldn’t need to change locations.

As Sophia Bianchi entered and glanced around, it seemed like she was trying to spot differences between my room and her own.

I quietly prepared tea, letting her continue looking around.

“Well then… let’s talk. Please, have a seat.”

“Yes.”

Sophia Bianchi sat down, her expression showing no sign of tension.

She looked directly at me.

Her amethyst-like eyes locked onto mine, and it was a little uncomfortable. Despite living in the West for ten years, I hadn’t fully gotten used to this kind of eye contact.

I steeled myself.

There was no reason for me to feel uncomfortable in this situation. In fact, the person who should feel uncomfortable was Sophia Bianchi, who was here on a covert mission.

In that sense, she was doing her job well.

“Sophia Bianchi.”

“Yes?”

“Are you from the Law Country?”

I asked without beating around the bush, and for a moment, she stood there, speechless.

“Pardon?”

“I asked if you’re from the Law Country.”

Sophia Bianchi stared at me blankly, and I poured some tea into her cup.

It seemed strange to think she wouldn’t be discovered, especially with her sword techniques and openly mentioning the goddess.

Though, there might be people in the Empire who casually talk about goddesses. It wasn’t a religion that everyone believed in, but it was still an influential faith, so there must be plenty of followers.

I only realized the truth and figured it out, so maybe other people wouldn’t have noticed. They might have thought, “There’s no way a true knight from the Law Country would be so open about it.”

“You’re not going to answer?”

As I urged her for a response, she blinked and spoke.

“Are you saying… I’ve been hiding my nationality?”

“You may not have been hiding it. If the status itself is real, then you wouldn’t be lying. It could be a ‘real’ status created for a purpose.”

At least, it wasn’t something created just for this mission. In the original story, her name had always been “Sophia Bianchi,” and that hadn’t changed, even in the latest editions.

“Then I’ll change the question.”

I looked directly at Sophia Bianchi, just as she had looked at me earlier.

Sophia Bianchi was flustered but didn’t avert her gaze, so her expression became clearer.

Was she doing this on purpose? Maybe she thought showing her flustered expression would make me believe her?

Well, I would find out soon enough.

“Are you a knight from the Law Country?”

“…”

Eventually, Sophia Bianchi’s expression stiffened.

“…If I ask how you knew, will you tell me?”

“Well…”

I replied as I stared at Sophia Bianchi.

“If the hand you’re showing is useful to me, I don’t see any reason to hide my cards either.”

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Chapter 155

"Ugh..."

Sophia Bianchi hesitated for a few seconds before letting out a deep sigh.

"It seems like you knew from the start, not that I was caught."

While that was true, I imagined she said it with the confidence that she never thought she would get caught in the first place.

I didn’t feel the need to comment on it. Arguing about such a thing would only waste time.

"Well then, let's exchange the necessary information without hiding anything."

As I watched Sophia Bianchi continue, I was a little surprised. Or rather, now that I thought about it, perhaps it wasn’t so surprising.

In the original story, whenever the protagonist asked her something, she would respond without arrogance and only say what she wanted to say. But that was only because she had enough confidence in her skills to take that attitude.

Now that I had defeated her once, she probably realized that showing such an attitude before me would be meaningless.

"Yes, as you guessed, I’m from the Law Country."

She even changed the way she addressed me from "Sylvia" to "Your Highness."

"The reason I’m here... It’s because of the orders from the Law Country to gather information on you, Your Highness."

"My information?" I asked.

"Well, they want to know more about your ability to change the situation of a battlefield with just your own power. I don’t know much more than that. The Cardinals are famous for not giving out detailed information when they issue orders."

"Was this for preparation in case you were caught and imprisoned?"

"Yes... well..."

At my question, Sophia Bianchi made a brief unhappy expression. She must have thought there was no way her true identity would be discovered, considering how confident she was in her skills.

"Because of Eliza's situation."

Mentioning Veratti’s baptismal name suggested that the Law Country had become more cautious since Veratti was captured by the Empire. This had also been touched upon in the original story.

"Is there another reason?"

Sophia Bianchi shrugged.

"The rest of it is information I wouldn’t know unless I met His Majesty the Emperor personally. My main task here is to gather information about you, Your Highness. If I can learn more, that’s great. If not, well, no big deal."

Sophia’s attitude had shifted slightly. Compared to the more formal way she usually acted in front of others, she seemed a bit more relaxed now, especially in her body language.

"Why are you watching me so closely? There are other princes and princesses, not just me."

"Because you’re unique among them, Your Highness."

Sophia Bianchi answered, as if it were obvious.

"Normally, people who can’t handle swordsmanship end up using firearms, so they can join combat quickly. A person with true talent can avoid the trajectory of a bullet just by watching it fly... and honestly, firearms don’t give a sense of developing skill. I’m not trying to insult you, Your Highness."

She added hastily at the end, then continued.

"But after seeing Your Highness’s records, my thoughts have changed. While it’s impossible for every soldier to be like you, if an army could produce even a fraction of your ability... you get the point. No matter how strong a soldier is, they can’t be in two places at once. Even if one battlefield is defended, if the other falls, the war is lost. And it’s not like the Empire has no skilled swordsmen."

"So, are you trying to recruit me?" I asked.

"Not recruit, exactly. It’s more like they asked me to learn Your Highness’s movements, if possible."

Sophia Bianchi spoke in a somewhat deflated voice.

So, to put it simply, I was being asked to have my combat techniques copied before they even became a proper training manual.

And after hearing that, I started to understand.

My combat style, after all, was a mix of my basic, surface-level knowledge of military tactics and my own practical experience. Normally, it would take a long time to develop a fighting style, but I had gone through far more battles than most people, and I had the scars to prove it.

I fought for survival, so my style had real value.

Hah.

It was a surprising answer, and I found myself a bit flustered.

I had never considered that anyone would approach me because of the value I might have.

"Well, also..."

Sophia Bianchi shrugged once more.

"If you consider His Majesty the Emperor’s meritocratic nature, it might not be so strange. If you do well, you might even rise to be the next Empress. Perhaps they thought it would be a good idea to make a friend of similar age beforehand. Though, that’s just my guess."

Ah, I see.

Veratti was still detained in the Empire. In fact, she was in a coma, unable to communicate properly.

Even magic couldn’t facilitate long-distance communication, and the wireless communication devices weren’t fully developed in this world.

What did the game developers say?

Originally, radio technology should have been introduced by the time the game began, but since electricity-based technology hadn’t been fully developed, radio communication hadn’t made much progress either. There were fighter planes, but instead of using radio communication, they communicated through hand signals or light from embedded mana stones.

The information Veratti had gained hadn’t been delivered to the Law Country. So, it made sense that they would want to send someone in more safely to gather information.

"...."

This all felt a bit strange.

"So, Your Highness, would you like to be friends? If necessary, we can even negotiate with the Law Country. Honestly, even if we train soldiers, we can’t win against the Empire."

I quietly watched Sophia Bianchi try to persuade me, then opened my mouth.

"Are you aware of the incident that happened at the Imperial Palace recently?"

"...Yes?"

Sophia Bianchi’s eyes widened slightly at my words.

"It was the incident where Lucas invaded. Many knights and soldiers were injured or killed."

"Uh..."

"Lucas was wearing protective armor and holding Jericho’s sword. I suspect he had something to do with the Law Country’s actions. What do you think? What’s been happening in the Law Country?"

At my question, Sophia Bianchi stared at me blankly.

"Uh, if you give me such high-level information, I don’t really know how to respond..."

"..."

I glared at Sophia Bianchi in silence, and she gave me a slightly awkward look.

"The leadership of the Law Country is a very secretive group. If they don’t think I need to know, they won’t give me any information. I’ve heard rumors about what happened, but I don’t know the details. I just learned that it was the prince who infiltrated."

Hah.

"I may be from the Law Country, but I grew up in Lutetia to create this identity. I’m confident in my skills, and the Law Country trusts me, but beyond the knowledge needed for this mission, I haven’t been told anything else. I’m sorry."

I watched Sophia Bianchi quietly. As soon as my gaze met hers, she shifted uncomfortably.

Just a moment ago, she had been looking me straight in the eye, making me uncomfortable. Now, the atmosphere had completely flipped.

I began to think that she might be hiding the truth from me. But, considering her character in the original story, she wasn’t really good at hiding her emotions, even if she tried. She had always been confident, but after losing to me, she had been genuinely surprised and lost for words.

She might have been trying to hide her true feelings just now, but there was no major change.

Right, she was still just a fifteen-year-old kid. Even in the second year of the main story, she would only be sixteen.

She was still at an age where her sense of self was growing, and she probably thought she was special.

Perhaps the cocky attitude she displayed in the original story came from her being sure of her own abilities.

...

I let out a long sigh.

Thinking about it, it was a bit of a reality check.

Despite all her bravado, she was just a newly transferred kid. Even the Law Country knew that.

Had I been too serious about this?

I shook my head and couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

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Chapter 156

By the end of September, I had just been living an ordinary life.

The hatred I once felt toward Sophia from the original story had mostly faded by then.

What I disliked was just a character in a book, and the person in front of me... she was a different Sophia than the one from my memories.

It was similar to Claire’s case. Of course, even when she was just a character, I had liked Claire, but if anyone had asked me whether the Claire next to me now was the same as the one from the story, I would have said no.

I had even tried asking a few things while rewinding time right after—

“Pardon? Me? I’ve never really killed anyone yet…”

“When I was asked to become a knight by the Law Country, I was happy, but it was to repay the kindness I’ve received. How many people would want to become a knight just to kill others?”

—Sophia answered with a flustered tone.

In the original story, the character's backstory wasn’t really revealed, and she just said something like, “I became a knight of the church because I like killing people,” but... perhaps there was some backstory here too. Was becoming a knight of the church something that happened later in the original story? Did she become one hurriedly because of me?

At least, I remembered that the justification was something like, “I didn’t go around just killing anyone.”

Since I couldn’t confirm it with her directly, I decided to stop asking. Maybe it would be more helpful to wait for Veratti to wake up instead.

Or perhaps I could personally invade the Law Country and grab the Pope by the collar to ask him.

Maybe it was something that would be revealed in the sequel. Since I had come over to this side before the original work came out, I might have missed out on intended details.

...Come to think of it, it’s a bit absurd.

If you’re going to send someone to such a place, shouldn’t you at least make sure they see the entire backstory? That way, they can properly prepare for what comes next.

Sending someone like this without any context just leaves me clueless about what my goal is. All I’ve managed to come up with is some vague, half-baked plan like “saving the characters I like.”

Maybe creating such a situation itself was the goal of that entity, but well, that’s something I can’t confirm right now, so I decided to focus on the task at hand.

The RPG series from Millennium Company, especially the Azerna Chronicles series, tends to focus on introducing the world, characters, and society whenever the setting changes. The first game usually builds the foundation, and then in the sequels, it picks up with the characters coming together and solving the events that occur.

The first game covers the period until the second semester of the first year. The second game starts right after the first and continues until the end of the year. The third game picks up from the second game and covers six months, with the stories becoming denser while the time span becomes shorter, increasing the playtime as the series progresses.

In the third game, the heroine who dies is already determined.

Of course, in a game, it’s difficult to link save files individually, so all the events are packed into the third game. But since this is reality, it’s better to start thinking about everything from here on out.

That’s why I didn’t make a battle manual.

If I made one, the Emperor would probably use it. Jennifer had never suggested I make such a thing, either.

It’s more likely that Rena would go to the Autonomous Nation and create it herself… but that’s fine. If the Autonomous Nation gets the power to counter the Imperial Army or handle the borderlands’ warlords on their own, the Emperor will likely change his mind.

The Emperor is already ruling the Empire much more easily than in the original. And the reason for that is entirely because of my existence.

The existence of the monitor ship that fired on the borderlands is a variable, but that was something that appeared in the original too.

So far, things seem to be progressing positively, right?

So far, at least.

*

The person bowing their head without saying a word was wearing the same uniform as me.

Now that the weather was getting colder, I began to drape my coat over my shoulders again. It was a bit strange that Rena, who often followed me around, also started wearing her coat over her shoulders, but well, at least it didn’t look completely out of place. Jennifer also wore her coat like that.

But this person was different. Every button of the shirt and coat was fastened properly, and the clothes were impeccably smooth without a single wrinkle.

That pristine appearance, which could be described as perfectly neat, made me think of a soldier at first glance, but it still felt different from Rena’s neatness.

Following this strange sense of discomfort, the figure that came to my mind was none other than a maid from the royal household.

Ah, right, of course. Roti was Jake’s maid after all.

“Roti, was it?” I asked.

If she had just been a regular maid, I would have nodded and moved on, but she was a regular character from the original. She wasn’t a heroine to be courted, but she was still quite popular due to her relationship with the righteous male lead, Jake.

“I am honored that Your Highness remembers my humble name.”

If I were in the modern world, I would have thought this sounded a little sarcastic.

But here, it wasn’t. The idea that Roti came from a humble background was common sense here. I didn’t personally think that way, but I wasn’t sure how to respond to her.

“You were a close friend of Jake’s, right?”

“I am his maid,” she responded, as if putting up a solid defense.

“Hmm.” 

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but feel a bit challenged.

As a sign of her mixed heritage and colonized background, her skin was dark. The Empire’s main motif was the once mighty British Empire, so the inspiration for Roti’s homeland was colonial India.

Whether Roti had spent her childhood in the Azerna Empire or in a colony, it wasn’t surprising that the caste system was deeply rooted in her mind.

“Jake doesn’t think so,” I said.

“Sir Jake simply treats me comfortably because we’ve known each other for a long time.”

“Then it’s only natural to think of each other as close friends, isn’t it?”

“...Your Highness.”

I quietly stared at Roti.

Since she had her eyes down, I couldn’t make out her expression, but it seemed she thought I was belittling Jake.

Hmm.

I couldn’t exactly say, “I’m not even a drop of imperial blood, but I have the title of princess.” 

If the Emperor, who was at the top of the caste system, chose to do so, that was his decision. Bringing it up would only be a pointless aggravation.

“Oh, Sylvia,” Jake appeared just as I was thinking of what to say next. Had he been doing something for a while?

“It’s nice to see you two getting along so well,” he said cheerfully.

“...Sir Jake.”

Roti, looking at us, who didn’t seem friendly at all, warned Jake with a playful tone.

As expected, Jake shrugged off her sharp words, letting them slide.

“Did you two run into each other by accident?” he asked.

“Yes, we just happened to cross paths,” I replied.

Jake smiled at us, seeming entertained.

“Did you speak because our territory is next for the field exercise? Trying to gather some information?” 

I hadn’t thought of that, but...

I had a rough idea of how the Lindbergh estate’s castle was structured. It wasn’t fully implemented, but at least I could picture where the books I needed to read or the items I needed to check were located.

“Yes.”

But I was too lazy to think of another reason, so I just went with that.

It wouldn’t make sense for me, who’s notorious for not striking up conversations with others, to speak for no reason.

Especially since Roti had been staring at me quietly.

Because I was “that” royal child from “that” family. She might have thought I would do something at the Lindbergh estate.

And probably, the biggest reason she was wary of me was Jake Lindbergh.

How quaint.

Watching Jake casually place his hand on Roti’s shoulder and seeing her swat it away before he lowered his hand with an equally nonchalant look, I briefly considered making things more awkward, but then decided against it.

“If you really need information, I can share it with you,” I offered.

“Really?”

I glanced at Roti as I spoke.

Jake, too, briefly looked at Roti, and for a moment, it seemed like our thoughts aligned. Jake or Roti probably didn’t suspect I was teasing Roti.

“Then, would you like to have a chat for a moment?” 

“Sure, if we’re alone—”

“Master.” 

Roti cut off Jake’s words, and Jake shrugged again.

“Oops, seems like my childhood friend doesn’t like it. Well, it can’t be helped.”

If I hadn’t been here, I bet Roti wouldn’t have rolled her eyes.

It’s a bit disappointing that I won’t get to see that. 

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Chapter 157

I also liked the character Roti. She wasn’t a character I could romance, but whenever Jake and Roti appeared in the game, they would usually have little exchanges like this. It wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny, but it was heartwarming.

"So, what kind of information can you provide?" 

The fact that Jake wanted to talk to me alone was probably not sincere. He was likely just trying to make a joke because Roti was standing next to him.

When he first spoke to me, it was probably just a remark he made out of frustration, reflecting Roti’s words.

He was a character who generally kept a neutral expression, hiding his emotions. But that didn’t mean he was emotionless—he had simply grown accustomed to hiding his feelings since childhood.

Jake felt pity for Roti because of that.

"What information can you give me?"

"Hmm."

Jake fell into a moment of thought before speaking.

"Well, it's still warm down there, even at this time of year."

Since it bordered a desert.

The Empire controlled most of the western part of the continent, and the northern region of the southern continent was one of its colonies.

The Lindbergh family had been at the forefront when the Empire first invaded the southern continent. They had recruited pirates before the Empire even had a proper parliament and had conquered and occupied a region, slowly absorbing it into their territory over about a century.

As a result, the Lindbergh estate was split into two, with the sea separating the northern and southern parts.

The northern estate, across from the sea, was peaceful and unremarkable. It was large, but there were no notable special products.

Most of the Lindbergh family’s wealth came from their holdings in the southern continent. They controlled the fertile areas of the northern part of the southern continent, and their trade with colonies beyond the desert made up the majority of their income.

Before the standing army was disbanded, they had set up naval bases and rented them out to the Imperial Army for a tidy sum.

Additionally, like the Winterfield family, they maintained some private soldiers because they were situated near the borderlands.

"Maybe it wouldn’t be a problem to play by the seaside? The swimwear trend has been popular in the estates recently."

"……."

Upon hearing Jake’s words, Roti made a face that seemed like she was trying to suppress something.

If we followed historical accuracy, swimwear in the early 20th century was just baggy clothing, especially for women.

However... considering the world we were in, what kind of world was it? A world created by a Japanese game company at the forefront of otaku subculture.

Naturally, the swimwear looked quite similar to the ones from my world.

It was a bit absurd to even bother pointing this out, especially considering that casinos in this world had bunny girls.

"And, well... I could tell you about local specialties and such, but honestly, it’s not really related to what we’re doing there, is it?"

"That’s true."

Even if Jake knew important secrets about the estate, he wasn’t the type to blurt them out carelessly.

"Well, at least it’s good news—means we can stay warm for a few more days. I had a hard time adjusting after spending the vacation in a warm place and coming here to the cold."

"You might catch a cold if the temperature suddenly changes. You should be worried about your health, sir. You’re traveling back and forth twice this month."

"Don’t worry, Roti. I’m tougher than I look. And speaking of which, shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself, being a woman?"

"I..."

Roti seemed about to say something, but then shut her mouth, probably feeling like, ‘What’s the point?’ I had to hold back a bitter smile.

*

Most other territories didn’t need to cross a vast ocean, so even if each group went separately, it wasn’t a big deal, but the Lindbergh estate was different.

Going to the northern Lindbergh estate wasn’t particularly educational, so naturally, the practical field exercises were in the southern part.

The southern continent colonies were incredibly important to the Empire. The reason the Empire could call itself an Empire was because of its numerous colonies.

Many people believed that the Empire was truly completed when the Emperor declared, “I am the emperor of two continents,” after conquering them all.

Though, even during the era of the first Emperor, Fangriphon, the term "Empire" had been used confidently, but calling a nation an Empire rather than just a country made it easier for other nations to accept the Empire’s imperialistic claims.

The reason the Empire could be called a true Empire.

That was also why the academy sent students here at least once.

Moreover, since the academy often had foreign students, it was a good opportunity to flaunt the Empire’s prestige.

Sending students by airship, not just by boat, had practical and imperialist reasons for showing off the Empire’s status.

"The Empire claims that this vast sea is all within its territorial waters," Rena said.

"Since the Empire’s territory spans both the top and bottom," Alice added.

Strictly speaking, under international law, no sea could be entirely considered territorial waters.

However, the Empire had applied its laws to all the islands and reefs it had occupied, effectively claiming half of the Mediterranean as its own territorial waters.

With the Empire’s powerful navy, no nation had the means to contest it. After all, they were a country that could float battleships in the air—who could say they couldn’t control the sea?

"Velbourne hardly uses this sea anyway, since it's located in the northern continent."

"...There’s a saying that the prices of goods coming across this sea are inflated."

"It’s not because the Empire treats it like its own sea. It’s more because the Lindbergh family takes a lot of cuts. In fact, that’s why goods from the Empire aren’t much cheaper than those from foreign countries. And if you really want to buy something, you could just trade with the Ivelia Kingdom."

Alice responded somewhat harshly, possibly because of the comment about the country she might inherit.

Despite Alice’s reaction, Charlotte didn’t seem fazed. After all, they had been friends even before they were princesses.

"The Ivelia Kingdom has almost no colonies in the southern continent. It’s only been unified for 20 years. In that time, the Empire has taken all the prime land in the southern continent."

"That’s because they’ve been fighting amongst themselves for centuries."

...

Hmm.

In the original work, I don’t remember hearing about this. I mean, I knew about the settings, but I had never heard the characters discuss such political topics. When political discussions came up, they were usually about direct conflicts between the Empire and the Kingdom.

Then again, these two characters were from an era when 20th-century imperialism and nationalism were spreading. Their pride in their countries was growing, and that pride was, of course, based on the power they had over their colonies and nations.

Well, that would probably break down soon enough.

I turned my gaze towards Roti.

All first-year students from Rondarium Academy were on the airship, but those in the scenic observation deck were mostly noble students.

Noble students typically claimed the best spots, and commoners rarely moved when they saw the nobles settled in.

However, among them, one student stood out.

No, rather than the student standing out, it was the way people around the student were looking at them.

It was Roti.

Roti, standing next to Jake.

Jake probably hadn’t dragged her here against her will. Even Jake, no matter how mischievous, wouldn’t want others to look down on Roti. After all, she was the girl he liked.

Roti was probably here by her own choice, pretending to be standing there to "assist the young master" as a maid.

In truth, she probably just wanted to be with him.

When I turned my gaze towards Roti, our eyes met for a brief moment. Roti quickly turned her gaze back to the window, but she was clearly paying attention to our conversation.

It made sense. Roti was from a colony.

Though she had grown up in the Lindbergh estate, she was discriminated against openly because of her appearance. The conversation between the two, talking so casually about the discrimination she faced, must have caught her attention.

But there was no anger or frustration visible on her face.

It seemed more like resignation.

She was a character caught between two worlds—an Empire-born with mixed blood, unable to fully belong to either side.

Even before she got together with Jake, and even after, she had been the subject of gossip among the nobles.

"..."

At first, I hadn’t paid much attention to it, but now, with the reality of it sinking in, it felt far more pitiful than when I saw it in the game.

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Chapter 158

That being said, I wasn’t particularly worried about Alice and Charlotte’s way of thinking. Nor about Leo and Claire.

After all, they were the protagonist and heroine characters, weren’t they?

It wasn’t a picaresque story, so the protagonist and heroines were mostly righteous by nature. After learning the truth about imperialism, they would be shocked and change their perspective. Well, in the original, it wasn’t so much that they “changed their perspective,” but more like “they were always righteous,” and that was how it was portrayed—but that’s because the story I heard on the airship never made it into the main plot.

"Wow, it’s really hot... no, it’s more like the seasons have completely switched."

Alice, who had gotten off the airship, exclaimed in shock.

Given that the daytime temperature was almost hitting 30 degrees Celsius, it was understandable. Rondarium never reached temperatures like this, even in the middle of summer.

"You don’t need to worry too much. When night comes, the temperature will drop so much that it’ll be hard to bear without outerwear," Jake reassured.

"The weather is so extreme..."

"Still, a lot more people live here than on the Empire’s mainland, so the climate might actually be more livable than where we come from."

"...It’s almost a whole country’s worth of desert."

Jake shrugged at Alice’s rebuttal.

Half of it was probably a joke, but half was likely sincere. Jake had lived here since childhood.

He had a fondness for the place as his hometown, but also felt guilty since the cities were built by forcing the local people to work. I could understand why he would try to frame things in a more positive light.

"Alright, everyone, listen up! All students from the same class, please gather and line up!" 

Jennifer, who had the loudest voice among the teachers, clapped her hands to grab the students' attention.

The students, both commoners who rarely got to leave and noble children, were all excitedly chatting and gathering around. The airport built with Lindbergh’s money, as if to elevate the family’s prestige, had glass walls all around. It reminded me of the Crystal Palace that once existed in London.

Given the glass building built under the intense sun, the inside was naturally sweltering, but there were air-conditioning-like devices forcing the hot air out, making it bearable. Though the roof was also entirely made of glass, there were shade covers installed here and there.

To my eyes, the building seemed quite old-fashioned, but for a building from 1901, it was perfectly modern. Even though it had been built a few years ago, it still felt cutting-edge.

And outside the building, the well-maintained streets were filled with exotic elements rarely seen in the Empire. Palm trees lined the roads, and steam-powered cars and complicated machinery were clearly visible.

The city, which had been built in a place that had nothing before, could truly be called an experimental ground for advanced technology.

By the way, the airship airport here was the largest in the world.

"Alright, alright."

When the students finally gathered in line after hearing Jennifer’s instructions, she nodded and said:

"Our accommodation will be the Lindbergh Hotel. As it’s named after the family that rules this territory, it’s the largest and most modern place here."

At this, several students’ gazes turned toward Jake. He only smiled slightly and didn’t show any particular reaction.

"The way we’ll get there is by ‘bus.’ You’ll need to follow the instructions carefully. There’s little chance of something going terribly wrong, but there will be a lot of unfamiliar things, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, accidents can happen."

Though there were crossing points in the Empire, carriages generally didn’t move at high speeds, and even some steam cars moved very slowly to avoid startling horses. While collisions still led to major accidents, they weren’t as fast as the cars in this place, which raced around at full speed.

...Still, listening to this made me think, ‘Ah, this is what a car is,’ and it made me laugh a little.

"Since this place will be unfamiliar to most of you, no personal actions are allowed. If you want to go somewhere, you must travel in groups of at least three. If you don’t have companions, ask one of the teachers, including myself."

Jennifer glanced around at us and asked, "Any questions?"

I thought no one would raise their hand, but surprisingly, someone did.

It was Jake.

"You."

When Jennifer pointed at Jake, he opened his mouth.

"This is my hometown, but do I still need to go with someone when I go somewhere?"

A small laugh spread among the students.

Jennifer smiled in response and said, "Yes, no exceptions. If I make an exception for you, someone will surely get hurt, thinking ‘I’m used to it now, so I should go by myself.’ And you’re not exactly ‘alone’ anywhere, are you? The girls will probably follow you around."

A slightly louder laugh rang out from the group.

"Alright, then. Any other questions? No? Good, let’s head to the hotel. Don’t worry too much about the luggage; it will be taken to your rooms."

*

The hotel and surrounding buildings reminded me of the dramas or movies set in early 20th-century New York. No, actually, with the palm trees lining the streets, it was closer to Miami. Though I’d never been to either place, they resembled each other.

Still, the hotel itself looked very similar to the Empire State Building, so let's say it was a mix of both.

"..."

Charlotte’s expression looked somewhat troubled as she watched the bus drive away.

It made sense. Velbourne had not undergone full industrialization or modernization yet. There were still more carriages than cars, and soldiers were only just starting to be supplied with modern firearms.

The Empire didn’t "not" modernize; it simply "didn’t" modernize. Whether it was the vested interests or guilds, people who pulled carriages or made saddles had to be supported, so modern devices were restricted by archaic laws.

Therefore, it was clear that this city, with its complete "modernization," was something entirely different.

Though there weren’t cars filling the streets, there were no carriages either. Wealthy commoners and nobles drove their own cars, and workers took city buses. Occasionally, motorcycles could also be seen.

It was a modern urban atmosphere, unlike anything you could find outside the Empire.

This was exactly why it was so easy to use this place to showcase the power of the Empire.

"Impressive..."

Sophia’s honest reaction was probably because there was no need for her to develop the Law Country any further.

Charlotte, who would inherit the throne, must have felt much more complicated about it.

"This city is special. In fact, the Empire still has a long way to go in terms of development," Alice said, trying to comfort Charlotte.

"Lutetia is far from being that developed," Charlotte replied, silencing Alice.

I thought about speaking on Alice’s behalf. Lutetia was a very beautiful city. Even without modernization, it could still be proudly shown to others.

"If such transport were applied to the military, how much faster could we move a large number of troops?"

"……."

Well, saying something like that left me without a response.

After all, even if a city is beautiful, if it can’t stop the enemy, it will just be taken.

"Don’t worry too much."

Jake suddenly interrupted our conversation.

"It’s only just recently that they started bringing in that technology. Even though it looks like that, they rushed it, so there are a lot of issues. It’s still not good enough to be used for the military."

Of course, it wouldn’t be a huge problem for the Imperial Army, which already used things like tanks.

"Is that so?"

Charlotte didn’t particularly argue with Jake’s words. There was no point in continuing such a conversation.

"Anyway, let’s head into the hotel. We’re all sweating here, right?"

...Hmm.

I knew Jake didn’t always think highly of his own family, but...

Somehow, I had the feeling that he didn’t really enjoy praising his family.

Could it be that there was something I hadn’t seen in the original?

Thinking that, I followed Jake into the very well-decorated lobby of the hotel, which, by their standards, looked modern but also had a historical feel.

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Chapter 159

As expected of a hotel that looked so impressive on the outside, the interior was just as remarkable. It wasn’t excessively extravagant, nor was it overly simplistic—it had just the right touch of luxury. In fact, it looked far more expensive than a place decked out in jewels and glitter.

If a noble family operated a hotel this perfect, they’d probably be proud to show it off. The Grace family took pride in cultivating the only patch of green grass in the middle of a dreary city, the Winterfield family in their strong-hearted citizens, and the Northwood family in their magnificent streets.

But no, this place did show off its elegance. However, the person who was supposed to take ownership of it—Jake—was merely smiling faintly, without a trace of a boastful attitude.

Jake was, in fact, much more composed here than he was at the academy.

"You probably already know the room assignments. We’ve put you with people you can comfortably stay with, so there’s no need to worry," he said.

I shared a room with Alice. It was a spacious two-person room, though they could have packed us into a four-person room. The decision to keep us in a larger room was likely more influenced by the Lindbergh family than by the academy’s plans.

The willingness to offer such generosity, along with the intention to make sure that when the time came for business visits, they would ensure we stayed here, was clear.

Providing the same for the commoner class meant Lindbergh was "progressive," in a sense. Of all noble families, they were the most sensitive to money. It was also a family that always lacked manpower. Whether commoner students would end up becoming bourgeois or professionals, it wouldn’t hurt to become familiar with them early on.

Of course, the term "progressive" probably only applied to pure-blooded Empire citizens, particularly those of white descent.

"We’ve been traveling for days, so I’m sure you’re all exhausted. Rest well today. However, as I mentioned earlier, before going outside the hotel, report to me or one of the teachers waiting in the lobby. Also, make sure to travel in groups of three or more. A little additional advice—don’t fall for any persuasion that might lead you astray," Jennifer said.

Her last words caused some laughter among the students, but Jennifer’s expression remained quite serious.

"The security around here is better than in some places, but it’s still not as good as in the Empire. Stay alert and act responsibly. That’s all."

In truth, most of the students here weren’t from the Empire, so they were probably more familiar with places that had far worse security. Still, there might be some who had never experienced places with poor security firsthand.

"Sylvia."

Once Jennifer finished speaking, and the students began gathering in their groups, Alice tapped me lightly on the shoulder.

"Shall we go check out our room? It’s on a pretty high floor."

Alice’s expression was excited, so I nodded silently in agreement.

*

It would be a lie to say I hadn’t felt excited since coming to this world.

The moment I realized I was in the world of the game series I loved. The moment I found myself beside Alice as a princess.

When I entered the academy that the main characters attended or got involved in the main story…

There were many moments when I had to think hard and ponder, but at the same time, I felt a flutter in my chest. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t feel excited when they find themselves in the world of a game they love.

In most body-swap stories, people usually start by saying how everything’s ruined and this world is doomed, but eventually, they end up living well after meeting the heroine.

...I guess it’s a little different for me, but still.

"This is amazing, now I get why they insisted on having us stay in this hotel."

Alice said, gazing out the window.

The 72nd floor, the very top.

No matter how big the hotel was, there was no way they could have squeezed so many students into such a scenic location. The reason our rooms were placed here wasn’t a coincidence; the room allocation wasn’t random.

The road outside, visible through the clean glass windows, was perfectly straight. It seemed as though it had been measured with a ruler, as the road stretched all the way to the edge of the city, which could be faintly seen in the distance. A road that cut diagonally across the city was also visible.

It proudly showed that the city had been planned from the start.

At the far edge of my sight, the industrial area began. Outside the city limits, I could see black smoke and white steam rising. Beyond that, there were likely plantation farms.

"If we had stayed at Lindbergh Estate like the other places, we wouldn’t have felt like this."

"Lindbergh Castle is actually much more modest compared to the estates on the Empire’s mainland."

Unlike other estates, which literally resembled castles, Lindbergh’s family residence was just a mansion in the middle of the city. It wasn’t small enough to be called ‘just’ a mansion, but calling it a castle would have been a stretch.

It was built during an era when families didn’t need to prepare for medieval-style sieges.

"A new kind of business for a new era…" Alice muttered, gazing down at the scene.

"Well, fine. Let’s check the room and luggage first, then we can go out and explore the area. Charlotte’s probably itching to go outside, so we can gather the others and head out—"

Before Alice could finish speaking, there was a knock at our door.

"I’ll go answer it."

I had a pretty good idea of what was happening since this was part of the story from the original.

As I walked across the large room toward the door, the knock didn’t come again. Whoever had knocked wasn’t in a hurry and was waiting quietly.

When I opened the thick door, I met Roti’s eyes.

"Your Highness."

Roti bowed slightly. She had always greeted people with grace, even when she was just another student at the academy, but this time, her greeting was different.

She held the edge of her skirt and bowed with a refined gesture.

It felt more like a formal bow than a simple greeting.

"What is it?" I asked.

I already knew what was happening, but I felt awkward not asking about it.

"Tonight, Duke Lindbergh would like to invite the two princesses to a banquet at Lindbergh Mansion," Roti said, bowing again and handing us two invitations.

I took them, and on the elegant, flowing handwriting was written: "To Her Highness Princess Alice Fangriphon" on one side, and "To Her Highness Princess Sylvia Fangriphon" on the other. Both invitations were sealed with a dark purple wax seal, embossed with an image of a rearing horse.

"It would be an honor if the two princesses would grace the banquet with your presence," Roti said, her voice full of respectful courtesy.

"…Roti?" 

Alice’s voice came from behind, surprised to see Roti standing at the door and greeting me so politely.

Though Roti was still in her uniform, her posture was as dignified as if she were wearing a maid’s uniform.

I silently passed Alice her invitation.

"We’ve been invited to a banquet tonight at Lindbergh Estate."

"...Really?"

Alice squinted slightly at the envelope, then looked back at Roti.

"Roti, there’s no need to be so formal. We’re both in the same uniform right now."

"However, the invitation was sent in the name of Duke Lindbergh," Roti responded, her words carrying more meaning.

Roti was Jake’s personal maid, so when delivering something like this, it was natural for her to do so as a maid.

Whether she was wearing a uniform or not, when dealing with nobility, Roti would always act in her professional capacity.

"...I see." Alice nodded, as if understanding the implication.

Roti gave another deep bow and then stepped back, retreating a step.

She remained standing in the same spot until I closed the door.

"So, Roti is Lindbergh’s..."

"His maid, I suppose. Jake insists she’s his childhood friend, though."

"Actually, that would be the more natural assumption. I’ve been at the academy so long that I keep forgetting things like that."

Alice’s expression was complex.

I didn’t think it was a bad thing, so I didn’t feel the need to say anything about it.

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Chapter 160

When Alice and I went back down to the lobby, we found Claire and Leo there. It seemed that Claire was staying in the same room as Charlotte, while Leo was in a room with Jake.

Mia Crowfield was with Sophia, but… I honestly didn’t understand why they were paired up. "So they wouldn’t be uncomfortable together?" But wouldn’t they just be uncomfortable with each other? 

However, upon thinking about it again, I realized that no matter who Mia was paired with, she probably would have been uncomfortable. Mia didn’t like getting close to anyone, and Sophia had only recently transferred, plus, as a foreigner, she didn’t have any ties to the Empire’s social circles.

Perhaps that’s why they assumed there would be no clashes. It would have been awkward to pair Mia with someone from the royal family or a powerful noble family like Claire. 

"Oh, that." 

When Alice took out the invitation she had brought downstairs, Claire reacted immediately.

"You got one too?"

"No, I didn’t get one."

Claire responded with a look of disappointment.

"But I saw Charlotte get one. From Roti."

"What’s this about?"

Leo, intrigued by the conversation, asked.

"It’s an invitation to some dull banquet tonight at our estate," Jake answered. Unlike his usual casual tone, his words had a strangely subdued atmosphere. Given Jake’s typically lighthearted demeanor, even the smallest shift made him seem much more serious.

"I’ll say it now, but there’s no need to go. My father didn’t send the invitations expecting everyone to show up," Jake continued.

"But we can’t turn down an invitation from the lord of the estate where we’re staying, can we?" Charlotte frowned slightly.

"The place isn’t being provided because we were invited. It’s part of the academy’s cooperation, and strictly speaking, we’re still in class, so it’s not the same as a regular invitation," Jake explained, glancing around at the others.

"Anyone else get one?"

The room fell quiet for a moment, and a girl cautiously raised her hand.

"I-I got one..."

It was Mia Crowfield.

After seeing her, it seemed everyone realized how the invitations had been distributed.

"How blunt… Does this mean no one from the commoner class got one?" Alice said in disbelief.

"Yeah. They were only sent to families around the count level," Jake said with a bitter smile, noticing the attention on him.

"Even a duke’s family being so obvious about it?"

"Well, I wouldn’t call it that bad. Even at banquets held by other dukes, barons don’t usually get invited unless they’re family. Certainly not commoners."

Alice opened the envelope and unfolded the invitation.

‘It would be an honor to have you grace our banquet tonight with your esteemed presence.’

The Duke’s signature, the venue, and time were listed. Other than the signature, nothing too significant—someone would come to fetch us anyway if we forgot.

"Are they trying to make connections before we even graduate?" Alice muttered, glancing out the window.

Once Alice becomes Empress, both she and I may never have the chance to come back here. As Empress, she would be occupied with ruling, and I would be busy supporting her.

So now was the best time to make connections. Not just with royalty like Alice, but also with the children of other high-ranking noble families.

"Well... I guess so?" Jake gave a vague response.

"I’m curious about this banquet," Sophia said, her eyes sparkling. Of course, Sophia, officially from a ‘heritage knight family,’ was barely considered a noble by rank. Technically, she wasn’t even a baron, so she didn’t receive an invitation.

"Well, to outsiders, it would probably look that way," Jake responded, but neither Alice, Charlotte, nor Mia, who had received the invitation, looked particularly excited. Neither did I.

...And I knew the Duke’s ulterior motives. I might not be involved in them directly, but for the sake of the other girls who would be caught up in it, it would be better if I went along.

"Hmm."

After hearing Sophia’s remark, Jake stroked his chin thoughtfully, then smiled mischievously.

"Hey, buddy."

"Wh-what?!"

Leo jumped in surprise as Jake suddenly threw an arm around him.

"Why don’t you want to come to the banquet? There’ll be plenty of pretty noble girls there."

At that, the girls around us glared at Jake with cold, disapproving looks. Even Sophia… Ah, now that I think about it, she had some lines about chastity, didn’t she?

"Uh? No, I—"

Leo, clearly uncomfortable, looked away, giving the expected reaction from an oblivious male character. But honestly, Leo’s reaction wasn’t that important.

The protagonist couldn’t possibly miss out on an important event like this.

In the original, after Jake figured out the Duke’s real intentions, he dragged Leo into the situation, causing everything to fall apart. I wasn’t sure if the same thing would play out here, but it couldn’t hurt to have the protagonist around.

"And, Leo’s sister."

"My name is Claire. And I’m not his little sister; I’m the older one."

"Right? Then Claire."

Jake smiled at Claire.

"How about you? Want to come to the banquet too?"

"Huh? Is that okay?"

"Of course. If I’m going, my sister can’t miss it. You too, Sophia."

...Hmm.

Well, this atmosphere was similar to the original, but now I understood why some fanfic writers adored Jake so much.

With his attitude, he was clearly the "heroine-charming" golden boy.

It almost seemed like he was deliberately setting the stage for that role.

Thankfully, Roti was still passing out invitations. Otherwise, I might have given Jake a smack on the back of his head.

"…What’s the deal here?"

"The deal? I just want to have fun with my friends," Jake replied casually.

Alice’s reaction was slightly different from the original.

Back then, Alice, who had been awkward about socializing because she focused on studying to beat Claire, almost refused the invitation. But after hearing Leo would go, she decided to go for sure.

The other girls had similar reasons.

In this version, Alice didn’t seem to have any romantic feelings for Leo, though.

"I’ll go."

I suddenly spoke up, and all eyes turned toward me.

"Really?"

"Seeing the Duke in person will be a lot different than just hearing about him," I said.

Honestly, I was more interested in joining Jake’s plan.

Well, of course.

In a setting like this, if there were a couple caught in forbidden love, it would be common sense to bring them together.

"Hmm."

Jake stared at me for a moment before shrugging.

"Alright, you’ve already got an invitation, so it’s fine."

"Is that alright?"

Alice, still a bit skeptical, asked quietly while glancing at Jake.

"I don’t think anything big will happen. And..."

I glanced at Claire and Sophia, who both seemed excited.

"If we don’t go, there’ll be at least two people who’ll be really disappointed."

"You’re too soft."

Alice chuckled bitterly at my words.

*

The southern part of Lindbergh territory was almost always under the blazing sun, but by September, the temperature swings became quite dramatic.

Of course, the car that picked us up in front of the hotel was warm. There was no need to worry about the cold.

"So the invitation..."

"It’s fine."

At the entrance to the mansion, before we could even hand over the invitation, Jake spoke to the doorman.

"I’ll vouch for everyone here. They’re my friends."

"Understood."

The doorman stepped aside without asking any further questions.

"Have a pleasant time."

"Hey, hey..."

As we walked confidently behind Jake, Claire tugged lightly at my sleeve, asking.

"Sis, do we not need to wear dresses or anything?"

It was such an adorable worry.

Wasn’t it a little late to be asking?

"We’re students, so our uniforms are enough," I replied.

It wasn’t really a full-fledged social event. The Duke had invited us because he wanted to see the "students."

Especially the girls who didn’t have fiancés.

He likely wanted to see which students would be suitable for marrying his son.

The Duke knew that Jake spent a lot of time with Roti.

A classic forbidden love, I suppose.

Well, in a game with this kind of background, forbidden love was basically designed to happen.

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Chapter 161

The banquet hall was indeed small.

That said, the absolute size wasn’t what made it feel cramped. Compared to other lord’s estates, it was simply smaller. After all, it wasn’t a castle, but a mansion.

Unlike typical lord’s estates with a separate banquet hall, here they were using the mansion itself for the event. As long as guests stayed out of the rooms they weren’t meant to enter, they were free to roam the two-story mansion.

There weren’t many guests, though. There weren’t many other noble domains nearby, so the invited guests were mostly the vassals of the duke who governed the territory, along with a few of the highest-ranking officials from the colonial governor’s office. The rest were all academy students.

Aside from the fact that the students were all dressed in their uniforms, no one seemed out of place. The children of barons and knights weren’t invited, after all. Those from count families were likely familiar with such gatherings, though.

In that sense, our group stood out in many ways.

There were only three people who were truly familiar with high society.

Charlotte, being a princess, was quite famous in her country’s social circles. Jake, as a duke’s son, was well-known in many of these circles too. Though he was seen as lighthearted among his friends, he was known to be reserved and taciturn in the territory… or so I heard. At least, that’s how he was portrayed in the game.

The last of the three, Roti, was familiar with high society in a slightly different sense. She was always by Jake’s side.

And the rest of us—

“Hey, can we drink something like alcohol here?”

Claire asked cautiously as she approached me.

Her gaze was fixed on some students from the B-class nobility, who were chatting while holding glasses of champagne. Judging by their slightly flushed faces, they had probably already had at least one drink. They didn’t appear to be drunk, though.

“Just thirty years ago, at our age, we would have been treated as adults. As far as banquets go, a small amount of drinking isn’t seen as a big issue.”

“Really…?” Claire’s eyes widened in surprise.

It wasn’t like she had never attended a banquet before. But usually, she would have accompanied her parents, the Grays, when she was younger. Back then, alcohol probably wasn’t even something she could dream of.

“Claire.”

I stopped Claire from reaching for the row of champagne glasses on the table with a curious expression.

“If you wish to drink, please do so in moderation.”

I said seriously.

“Ah… uh… right…”

She answered somewhat absentmindedly when I gave her a serious look.

In the original story, Claire was a heavy drinker.

However, just because she could drink a lot didn’t mean she wasn’t affected by alcohol. Claire’s character was one who drank heavily but didn’t collapse, instead becoming obnoxious when intoxicated.

While I couldn’t imagine her like that now, in the original story… she was a character who had experienced things she shouldn’t have at a very young age.

“Leo.”

Just to be safe, I called Leo over.

“If Claire tries to drink more than one glass, please stop her.”

“I got it.”

Leo, a model of proper behavior, would never drink even if it were allowed, so I was relieved. He nodded seriously at my request and followed Claire.

“Don’t you plan on drinking?”

Alice asked with a smile on her face as she looked at me.

“Alice, aren’t you drinking?”

“Well... not yet.”

That was true. Even though Alice was a princess, she wasn’t particularly used to these kinds of places. She probably thought she had to study more to defeat me, and attending events like this wasn’t as important.

She probably didn’t drink because she didn’t know how much she could handle. Knowing Alice’s personality, she’d likely get some alcohol later, test her tolerance in her room, and then only drink that amount in front of others.

“Good thinking.”

Charlotte said after hearing Alice.

“Honestly, even if you do drink, it’s not exactly an enjoyable drink.”

“That’s unexpected,” Alice retorted provocatively to Charlotte’s words.

“Isn’t Belvoir one of the regions where wine is famous? This champagne is even named after a place in Belvoir. So, do you mean someone from Belvoir can’t drink?”

“…Then can you eat eel jelly?”

“Eel… what?”

Alice asked, taken aback by Charlotte’s rather random rebuttal.

“There’s a jelly made from eel fat and meat, solidified together.”

“Why would anyone eat that?”

Alice responded, looking incredulously at me. Well, if you have eel, you’d think about grilling it, not turning it into jelly.

“It’s a proud traditional dish from the Azerna Empire.”

Well, it wasn’t exactly a traditional dish, but it was true that it was from the Empire.

“….”

Alice didn’t have a rebuttal to Charlotte’s words.

---

The banquet continued, and the situation didn’t change much. However, not all of the Empire’s food was unpalatable.

Even things like eel jelly or bread toast were designed for human consumption. The problem was they didn’t taste good.

Such food was typically made from odd ingredients by the lower class, desperate to make something edible from what they had. You couldn’t really say they were inedible—though they might not be the most pleasant. The noble guests at this banquet were eating foods entirely different from that.

“Mia Crowfield.”

Though she hadn’t come in because of Jake’s connections, Mia Crowfield, the Count’s daughter, wasn’t mingling with the others. In fact, she didn’t have many friends at the academy either. She wasn’t the type to approach others unless they spoke to her first.

Though she had the title of a Count’s daughter, not many people approached her after her father’s murder.

If she had been someone with a duke title, they might have approached her without hesitation, but people who had a title like hers were usually treated the same way as other young noblewomen.

“The banquet—”

I was about to ask if she was enjoying the event when I noticed the biscuits in Mia Crowfield’s hands. I closed my mouth.

It seemed that Mia was enjoying the banquet in her own way.

Noticing my gaze, Mia looked a little restless, still unable to put the biscuit down or stuff it all into her mouth at once.

I silently walked over and took one of the biscuits from her plate, popping it into my mouth.

“It’s soft and delicious.”

I commented honestly. It really was delicious.

“That, uh, yes… it is,” Mia Crowfield managed to say, finally swallowing the biscuit she had been chewing. Unfortunately, she still had one in each hand.

“You’re not used to coming to places like this, are you?”

“No, that’s right?”

Why was her answer in the form of a question?

Did I still intimidate her?

Hmm… considering things from her perspective, it wasn’t easy to just brush away the emotions. No matter what bad things her father had done behind the scenes, he had been a good father to her. He must have been kind to her in front of others.

So, if the man who had killed her father was standing right in front of her...

Mia Crowfield was fifteen years old now.

I didn’t want to push the conversation further, fearing it would only make her more wary, so I shrugged my shoulders and started to step back. I knew from personal experience that people who are naturally introverted don’t like it when others try too hard to make them feel comfortable. It’s better to let them be and allow them to spend time at their own pace.

“Uh, excuse me…”

Just as I was about to pull away, Mia Crowfield stopped me.

She was still holding the biscuits, though.

When I turned back, Mia was wearing a surprised expression. It seemed she was just as surprised as I was that she had stopped me.

“Um…”

Mia Crowfield hesitated, her eyes darting around, then asked,

“Are you enjoying the party, Your Highness?”

“…”

I turned my gaze. Claire and Leo were arguing a little distance away. Charlotte and Alice were bickering with each other, while Sophia had somehow inserted herself between them. As always, Jake was chatting with Roti.

Though we were all wearing the same uniform, the students stood out to me like they were in color while everything else was in black and white.

“Yes, I’m enjoying it.”

“Is that so?”

And then the conversation stopped.

Mia Crowfield seemed like she wanted to say something, but didn’t know how to continue. She opened and closed her mouth several times, looking confused.

“I’m just glad you two are enjoying yourselves.”

Just then, someone cut into our conversation.

He was tall, with sun-kissed skin and a gold mustache that curled up at the ends like a painting. The atmosphere around him was similar to Jake’s, but his maturity gave him a more dignified presence.

“Princess Fangryphon.”

He bowed deeply in front of me.

“And Count Crowfield’s daughter.”

Then he turned and bowed to Mia Crowfield.

“Duke Lindberrow.”

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Chapter 162

“The food is quite delicious, isn’t it?”

The Duke’s towering height and very masculine appearance initially gave him a somewhat intimidating presence, but the voice he used to address us was gentle and polished, very much like the gentleman of the early 20th century you might imagine.

As he noticed his gaze drifting toward the biscuit in his hand, Mia Crowfield’s face flushed bright red. The Duke, seeing her embarrassment, wore a warm smile. Even his mustache, which curled upward at the ends, seemed to lift in response to his upper lip’s movement.

“There’s no need to worry too much. All the food here is made by top-tier chefs who’ve crossed over from the mainland. We can’t possibly serve dishes made by colonial cooks to our guests.”

“Is that so…?”

Mia Crowfield answered absentmindedly. The Duke smiled softly at her, then looked between the two of us before continuing.

“It’s certainly a very different environment from the mainland, but I do hope your health is doing well?”

“I’m fine.”

“Oh, I’m glad… Thank you for your concern.”

Mia still seemed unsure of why the Duke had approached us in the first place. If I were in her shoes, I’d be confused too. If someone invited me to a party, only to reveal that the purpose was to see if their son might find a suitable match, I’d be just as bewildered. It might not be an odd thing in this world, though.

Even now, I could see a few girls on the edge of my vision, approaching Jake. They were all daughters of prominent families. Roti, who was always by Jake’s side, seemed to be ignored.

“I’ve heard that you two are in the same class as Jake.”

“That’s correct.”

I answered politely, while carefully observing the Duke’s expression. To the casual observer, it might seem like he was simply curious about the people his son associated with, but I couldn’t shake the feeling there was something more to it.

The Duke’s gaze shifted from Mia Crowfield to me, locking onto me for a moment.

“I’m curious… how close are you with my son? Is Jake behaving properly?”

“At least, he hasn’t been unpleasant.”

“Is that so?”

The Duke smiled, clearly pleased by my response.

Then, he turned his attention to Jake, who was subtly distancing himself from the girls who had approached him. It wasn’t that he was blatantly escaping; he was just skillfully steering the conversation away, gradually extricating himself from the situation.

The Duke seemed to have low expectations for Jake, judging by the look on his face as he turned back toward us.

“I’ve met Count Crowfield’s wife a few times already. It was when Miss Crowfield was very young, so I’m not sure if you remember.”

Mia shook her head. The Duke didn’t seem too disappointed by that.

“Well, since we’ve met here today, we can start anew and get to know each other. If you ever find yourselves in any trouble within my territory, please come to me. I’ll make sure to handle whatever issues arise with all my strength.”

Was he seeing Mia Crowfield’s shyness as a sign of modesty? It seemed like he was quite taken with her.

From an aristocratic standpoint, Mia probably seemed like a much better choice compared to Roti. Especially considering that Mia Crowfield had no other siblings or father. It was possible that Jake might inherit the Count’s domain one day.

“Of course, Your Highness. Given the vast sea in between, the Empire’s reach can be limited. But my Duke’s family will do everything in its power to remain loyal servants to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

…It seemed the Duke had taken a liking to me as well. After all, I was of royal blood. Even though rumors said that the bloodline was no longer directly connected, people still recognized me as part of the imperial family.

I couldn’t help but wonder how the Duke would react when he learned that Claire also carried the Emperor’s blood. Would he be happy to see her here without an invitation?

Perhaps, though, he might not need to know that to be pleased. After all, it would be impressive enough that Jake had brought “a woman who wasn’t even invited.” Though she was from a baron family, they still had a noble estate and access to useful information, making her a much more suitable option than Roti, in the Duke’s eyes.

“My apologies. I hope I haven’t interrupted your conversation.”

The Duke bowed his head slightly to us, and Mia and I each curtsied in response.

“What did he want to say…?”

Mia asked, watching the Duke retreat. It was a relief to finally have a conversation to ease the awkwardness that had been hanging in the air.

The Duke, moving leisurely, made his way toward Alice, Charlotte, and Sophia, who were gathered nearby.

“Jake is of an age where he should be thinking about a fiancée soon.”

“Excuse me?”

Mia blinked in surprise at my words, nearly dropping the biscuit she was holding.

“But… Jake already has… Roti, doesn’t he?”

Hmm.

“Roti, huh…”

That was a very typical way for Mia Crowfield to refer to her. I realized I’d never seen the two of them talk directly. Neither of them was the type to initiate a conversation.

“That’s—”

Before I could explain, a loud shout interrupted me.

It seemed a maid had made a mistake. A maid with dark skin, likely from the local area, was bowing repeatedly, apologizing profusely.

The man who had shouted was wearing a garment with purple stains on it. Did he spill wine?

Judging by the broken glass on the floor, it looked like they had bumped into each other.

…In the original story, it was the man who had bumped into her.

“Do you know how much this outfit costs?”

“I’m really sorry…”

The man spoke with the same old phrases, while the maid continued to apologize. She was quite beautiful, though she was clearly older than us, but not to the point where she seemed old.

“I’ll—”

“You think you can compensate for this? Huh? Do you have that kind of ability?”

She probably didn’t, of course. Even if she were sold into servitude, the outfit would cost more than her life.

The man with black hair was a minor official from the Governor’s Office. I didn’t think his name had been mentioned.

As for the maid—

“I’m really sorry.”

Just as the man was about to shout again, someone stepped in.

“Ah, Your Highness.”

“This maid works for our family. If she made a mistake, it is my responsibility. If you wish to be compensated for the clothing, I’ll take care of it.”

At Jake’s words, the man’s expression immediately became respectful.

“Oh, no, there’s no need for that. It was the maid’s fault, Your Highness. You don’t need to say such things.”

“But, as I said, this maid works for our family.”

“Young Master…”

The maid seemed flustered and tried to stop Jake, but he simply waved her off, gesturing for her to step back.

Then, someone else stepped forward.

The girl, who had approached silently, knelt down and started picking up the scattered glass shards without a word.

“….”

The maid, who had been standing nervously, quickly knelt down beside her to help clean up the mess.

The commotion grew louder.

The girl picking up the glass was also in uniform.

“Roti?”

I heard someone mutter quietly beside me.

“Roti.”

Jake said, but Roti didn’t lift her head. She remained quietly focused on her task.

While most of the students simply whispered among themselves, those who had known Jake for a semester—Alice, Charlotte, Claire, Leo, and Mia—were all wearing confused expressions.

Mia Crowfield looked back and forth between the maid and Roti, then said,

“…Huh?”

It seemed like she had realized something.

It wasn’t just Mia. The others looked equally confused.

The maid’s face was very similar to Roti’s.

And considering their age difference…

It wasn’t unreasonable to think they could be mother and daughter. Roti looked young for her age, and the maid, while more mature, wasn’t old.

But at the same time, it wasn’t hard to believe they might be “sisters with a significant age gap.”

In fact, their age difference wasn’t even twenty years.

It was exactly seventeen.

The true nature of their relationship was the former, not the latter.

“Could it be…?”

Mia muttered to herself. I didn’t feel the need to answer her.

Even without saying anything, she could probably figure out exactly why Jake and Roti couldn’t marry.

Blue blood and common blood.

In the public eye, that was the kind of relationship they had.

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Chapter 163

So, what should I do?

The reason I came all the way here was to see Jake and Roti as a couple. This was actually one of the more significant episodes in the original story.

If we’re being honest, the story between Alice and Leo was also an important episode, but that relationship has changed in many ways compared to the original.

In the original, Alice stops Leo from going to help Roti. This causes a brief distance between them, but… hmm.

I turned my gaze toward Leo. Not just Leo, but even Claire seemed like she was about to rush over to help.

Alice didn’t look like she was trying to stop them, though. She had a lot more composure than the Alice from the original, so she probably didn’t feel the need to worry about losing her standing because of something like this.

But still, I couldn’t let Leo and Claire help Roti.

Both of them were from a baron family. They weren’t even formally invited. The reason Alice stopped Leo in the original was because, if Leo—who had no invitation—helped Roti, it would negatively affect his reputation.

In this situation, we had all come at Jake’s invitation, but in the original story, it was Alice who had asked Leo to accompany her, which was the deciding factor. Alice, who wasn’t used to these kinds of events, had asked Leo to come with her because he was someone she knew. She likely asked him to come because she secretly liked him.

For Alice, it was about worrying about her reputation because of the man she was with. But to Leo, it just seemed like she was discriminating against a schoolmate. Anyway, that was the story.

So, luckily, I was closer to Roti than Leo and Claire were.

Even if I just walked normally, I would reach her first.

Without saying a word, I went straight to Roti and sat next to her.

There was no time for anyone to stop me.

Ironically, because everyone’s attention was already on this side, no one could even get a word in before I entered their field of vision.

“...”

Roti’s usually expressionless eyes widened in surprise. Not just hers, but also her mother’s. Both of them were staring at me in shock.

It wasn’t just their gaze. The nobles’ eyes were all on me too.

The murmuring stopped. What followed was a suffocating silence.

While the spilled wine on the floor was beyond saving, at least the large glass shards could be picked up right away. After all, it was just a wine glass that had broken, and if no one yelled at the person who got the wine on their clothes, it wouldn’t take long to clean up.

I carefully placed the glass shards onto the cloth her mother had been holding and covered them with the edge of it. Her hand trembled slightly as she did.

The maids and servants here had probably heard who the guests for today were.

And among those guests, I was one of the people they needed to be particularly careful about.

“Th-thank you, Your Highness…”

“It’s nothing.”

I said that and stood up from my seat.

The confused nobleman looked at me with a bewildered expression.

I glanced at him once, then turned my gaze toward Jake. His expression was also complicated. Confused, perhaps?

“You said earlier that the Duke of Lindberrow would compensate for the clothing damage, right?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Then, let’s just settle it that way. There’s no need to ruin the atmosphere of the banquet with anger on such a nice day, is there?”

When I looked back at the nobleman, his face had turned pale.

In the original story, Leo had said something more polite, providing more reasonable justification. He had the opportunity to gain bonus points with the right choices, and the official plot proceeded with those bonus points.

But I didn’t see any need for that.

If they didn’t like it, they could always visit the Imperial Palace.

“No, no, I’m sorry. I didn’t gauge the atmosphere properly.”

This approach was far more effective.

It wasn’t that I helped them out of kindness. Rather, I could frame it as stepping in to handle the situation because I couldn’t stand the ruined mood.

The nobleman quickly adjusted his expression and retreated. It was clear he wanted to get as far away from me as possible.

“Silvia.”

When the nobleman’s back disappeared, and the murmur of voices slowly began again, Alice approached me.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say, before a smile appeared on her face.

“You did great.”

I shrugged without giving much of an answer.

“...Thank you.”

I heard Roti’s voice. When I turned around, Roti and her mother were standing near me. Roti still had some wine on her knee, and her mother’s maid uniform was soaked with it.

At least, no one seemed to have cut their hands on the glass. The cloth had been thick enough to prevent that.

“It’s not that I liked the situation. There’s no need for thanks.”

“...”

Despite her words, both of them bowed slightly and slowly stepped back.

“Impressive.”

Only then did Jake speak to me.

“In a situation like that, reacting that way… it’s not something a noble or royal would normally do. I’m not criticizing, though. I just wanted to thank you.”

Then he fell silent, watching me carefully.

As the Duke’s son, he must have heard a lot of stories. It wasn’t like the Duke of Lindberrow was directly wary of me, so I didn’t think he was treating me like an assassin.

“Like I said to Roti, there’s really no need for thanks. I just didn’t like the atmosphere.”

I said that and turned my back without hesitation.

I then walked over to where Mia Crowfield was still standing, looking dazed.

Hmm.

Did I seem a bit cool?

---

It was fortunate, or unfortunate, that the atmosphere didn’t completely fall apart due to the incident.

The Duke of Lindberrow resumed his rounds, talking to the invited students one by one as if nothing had happened.

He even seemed quite interested in Leo and Claire, who had entered without an invitation.

Watching them answer nervously, it seemed the Duke hadn’t said anything too bad. I wondered if he knew Claire was adopted.

But it didn’t really matter to the Duke. After all, even if she was adopted, her status as a noble was clear. When I, who was also adopted, had been seen as a suitable match for his son, the Duke probably had a rather open mindset.

That mindset didn’t apply to everyone, though.

I didn’t drink alcohol. It wasn’t that I hated alcohol in my past life, but my tastes were quite cheap. I preferred beer or diluted soju, which you could buy cheaply at a convenience store, over expensive wines with good aromas.

...Honestly, there was also the issue of side dishes. If there had been a spicy soup or something, maybe I would have had some boardkara.

“...Your Highness.”

I hadn’t been drinking, but the smell of alcohol was still in the air. After being around it for a while, I started to feel a little uneasy, so I stepped out to the terrace for some fresh air.

From behind me, I heard Roti’s voice.

“Roti.”

I turned around slightly to speak, and Roti bowed politely.

“There’s no need for that. We’re still just students of the same school until graduation.”

“...”

Roti didn’t respond to that.

I tapped the railing I was leaning on. Roti seemed to hesitate for a moment before walking toward me.

But, as I had expected, she didn’t stand next to me. She stood diagonally behind me, about a step away. So, I had no choice but to turn around.

The bright light from the window cast a shadow over Roti’s face. Her expression was mostly neutral, but the shadows made it hard to detect even the slightest change in her features.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“...”

Roti seemed to hesitate again before slowly opening her mouth.

“Earlier, did you know about the maid... and what kind of relationship she and I have?”

Well, there was no need to hide it.

I stepped away from the railing and walked forward. Roti quickly shifted her position, thinking I was about to leave without a word.

But I only drew the curtains on the terrace window.

If someone wanted to eavesdrop, there was nothing I could do about it, but at least for now, this was a private conversation.

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Chapter 164

“Honestly, if anyone with sharp eyes was there, they probably would have figured it out.”

I spoke calmly.

In reality, Mia Crowfield had alternated between looking at Roti and her mother’s faces before being taken aback. They looked so alike.

If they’d simply looked alike, Mia might not have noticed. Unless you were a lecher, there wouldn’t be any reason to study a maid’s face closely. Moreover, in this world—particularly a world set in the early 20th century—women over the age of 30 weren’t considered particularly attractive.

Sure, there were women who had remarried or swapped husbands, but they were typically women from noble families, not maids with nothing behind them.

“What truly gave it away was that you directly helped them,” I continued.

Even if I hadn’t known the background, I would have picked up on it. Besides their resemblance, Roti was someone Jake had ties with.

“I see…”

Roti’s voice lacked strength. She was very different from the usual feisty self she had when walking around with Jake.

Her usual stoic expression was now more than just a bit altered. It seemed like she wasn’t exactly comfortable in this place.

This moment was a clear indication that Roti had been able to relax at the Academy, much more than she usually did.

“Do you think this is going to be a big problem?” I asked.

Roti lowered her head and fell into thought.

“…It could be a problem. That action I took, I think… maybe it was my mistake.”

Hmm.

Listening to her, I couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.

Though I’d seen Roti’s face many times, I’d hardly ever had a one-on-one conversation with her. We weren’t classmates, and whenever I saw Roti, she was usually with Jake. It was always Jake who would talk and chatter. Roti wouldn’t approach anyone unless they spoke to her first.

“You can’t really call helping your parents a mistake.”

I said this as emotionlessly as possible. Any emotional undertone would probably sound unpleasant to Roti.

At my words, Roti lifted her head and looked at me.

Having regained some composure, Roti’s face returned to its usual neutral expression.

“Your Highness, why did you help us back then?”

“….”

I quietly studied Roti.

“I already gave you the reason.”

“...You mean it was just because of the atmosphere?”

Hmm.

Did I accidentally raise her guard?

Come to think of it, Roti in the original story hadn’t been able to easily accept Leo’s help either. She couldn’t understand why a noble who had nothing to do with her would help her.

In the end, she did accept Jake’s help, but that was likely just a matter of familiarity.

Honestly, if Jake hadn’t been there, I think I could have made some progress. The story feels a lot like a visual novel.

“It could be because of the atmosphere.”

I turned back and leaned against the railing.

Even though this world has no electricity, the city here was incredibly bright. The gas lamps along the streets and the lights coming from the windows of the houses far in the distance were more than enough to light up the city.

Although, thanks to the smog emitted during the day, the stars in the sky were barely visible. Well, even at night, there were places still pumping out smoke. In an era like this, worker’s rights were hardly something to consider at night.

“The atmosphere of the banquet, and the mood about the situation, could have played a part.”

I paused for a moment before adding,

“I don’t have parents.”

At those words, I could tell Roti stiffened, even though I couldn’t see her expression or hear her voice.

“I can’t tell you anything more specific, but if you’ve heard anything about the imperial family, you probably know that only Alice truly carries the Emperor’s blood.”

To be more precise, everyone except for me carries the Emperor’s blood, but there was no need to bring that up.

“I won’t say I envy you or anything. Everyone has painful memories, and we shouldn’t easily empathize with that kind of pain. Even if we think we empathize, we can’t truly understand it until we go through the exact same experience ourselves.”

I spoke toward the silent Roti.

“But if someone has both parents, or at least one of them, and is in a position to help their parents in trouble, I would be more than willing to help that person.”

“...”

Roti remained silent for a while, and then quietly said, “...Thank you.”

---

“Roti.”

After finishing her conversation with me, Roti was called out by someone as she stepped out from behind the curtain.

There was no need to confirm who it was. She had been living with her master for her entire life.

Had she seen me talking to Silvia? Jake was standing by the entrance to the terrace, leaning against the doorframe.

“Did you hear that?”

“No, those curtains are thicker than I thought. With the curtains drawn like that, the banquet noise completely drowned out the conversation, so I couldn’t hear what was said.”

Roti recalled the image of the Princess. Even if she had overheard that conversation, with her usual composed demeanor, I didn’t think she would have reacted.

And besides, it wasn’t that important. If Roti had heard it directly, she would have already known that the majority of the Emperor’s children were orphans.

That rumor had reached Roti as well.

“So, what about Silvia?”

“...”

Roti opened her mouth briefly in response but then closed it again.

Earlier, when she’d helped her mother, she had been startled when a hand suddenly reached out beside her. Her expression had faltered for a moment.

And then she’d doubted.

Jake seemed to have no particular thoughts on the matter, but Silvia... Princess Silvia Fangryphon was someone to be wary of.

She had said something similar when Jake had placed Roti beside him at the Duke’s estate.

But the more she spoke with Silvia, the less Roti believed she was someone devoid of emotions. When they had encountered each other at the Academy, Roti had initially seen Silvia as someone to be extremely cautious around. But after watching her interact with Jake, Roti started to wonder if Silvia was just a caring person, after all.

“Did Silvia… say something bad to you?”

Jake asked, not really believing it himself, but Roti asked just to make sure.

“Do you think so?”

“Hmm, I don’t think so.”

Jake furrowed his brow for a moment.

“Well… At the Academy, there were a lot of people who liked to threaten you, right? I thought that’s why they called you over.”

“Those pathetic people aren’t like her.”

Even among commoners, Roti was treated in two ways. Some discriminated against her because of her colonial roots, while others were too afraid of the Duke’s name to even speak to her.

Among those who discriminated, there were a few who acted far beyond their station.

...There were commoners trying to seduce or threaten Roti to marry Jake and elevate their own status.

Most people didn’t know that Roti had been assigned to Jake’s side for precisely this reason, to stop such people from approaching him.

“And I was the one who went to help her. The Princess didn’t say anything.”

“Is that so? Well, Silvia did seem like that.”

Jake’s reaction caused Roti to widen her eyes just slightly.

Though Jake generally acted lighthearted, he wasn’t the type to easily trust others. Even if they were from the Imperial family, or perhaps because they were, Jake had to maintain a consistent demeanor and act in a way that made her believe he was being genuine.

If not… he would have had to be someone like that.

For a brief moment, Roti’s heart raced.

Though it was a presumptuous thought, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of camaraderie and... a bizarre intimacy with Silvia during their conversation.

But seeing how Jake spoke about Silvia like that—

“...”

And just as quickly as the thought appeared, it vanished.

For a moment, she almost scoffed at herself.

Jealousy.

That wasn’t an emotion Roti was supposed to feel. Jealousy. There was no need for it.

Jake would eventually marry someone else.

And Roti…

Hmm.

“Did you almost smile just now?”

Jake caught the subtle change in Roti’s expression.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Are you sure? I saw it.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Roti firmly replied, walking ahead as Jake followed, teasing her. But that was just Jake being Jake.

At least, his behavior at that moment was enough for Roti to understand.

After all, Roti would never be the first choice.

In that case, perhaps it was enough to simply stay by his side.

Up until now, she hadn’t been attracted to anyone else, but... if she were to make a personal judgment, she didn’t think Silvia Fangryphon, as the future mistress, would be someone Roti would have any serious complaints about.

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Chapter 165

"Rena, where were you yesterday?"

Charlotte asked Rena while we were having breakfast.

Come to think of it, Rena wasn’t around when Claire and Leo were personally invited by Jake yesterday. I didn’t even know whether she had received an invitation or not... but judging by the atmosphere, it seemed like she didn’t even know there was an invitation.

After arriving at the hotel by bus, she disappeared the moment free time started and didn’t reappear until this morning. 

By the way, who was Rena sharing a room with?

"I went to a weapons shop yesterday."

"A weapons shop? Were you there all day?"

Charlotte asked, surprised by Rena’s response, and Rena nodded.

"I heard there were some unusual weapons at the shop, specialized for climates completely opposite to the North. So, during my research, I got some information about weapons I hadn’t seen before. Yesterday, I was checking their effectiveness."

I remembered that on the airship, Rena hadn’t said a word to anyone and had been absorbed in some catalog—probably a firearms catalog.

"Did you find any good weapons?"

Alice asked, giving her usual exasperated look.

Rena hesitated, unsure whether to nod or tilt her head.

"Actually, I’m not sure."

After a brief pause, Rena continued.

"There were some interesting weapons specialized for this climate or for hunting beasts, but I’m not sure they’d be suitable for military use."

She said it in a slightly hesitant voice.

Specialized firearms for certain climates?

Well, I’d heard of places like the former Soviet Union, where extreme cold caused frequent weapon malfunctions, and to solve that, they simplified the components to reduce the chance of failure and made the trigger guard larger so it could be used even while wearing thick gloves.

But in a place with such high temperatures, would they really bother making such adaptations?

I’m no expert, but I was intrigued. In my past life, I had a bit of interest in firearms. Of course, I never had the chance to buy any, as gun ownership was nearly forbidden in my country.

In the original game, no matter which shop you went to, they only sold the types of weapons available for the characters. The weapons each character could use were predetermined, and changing weapons didn’t alter their character models.

I was curious, but I hesitated to suggest going to check them out myself. Thankfully, someone else spoke up for me.

"Really?"

Charlotte said nonchalantly, but her eyes were gleaming. It wasn’t just because she was interested in firearms; it was probably because they were "Imperial weapons." Even civilian firearms were often modified military weapons.

"Then should we go check it out after breakfast?"

"Do you have an interest in this sort of thing?"

At Rena’s question, Charlotte shrugged and replied.

"Well, Silvia seems a bit interested in it."

"……"

Looking at Charlotte, who was smiling slightly while glancing at me, the gratitude I had felt earlier quickly disappeared.

I wasn’t sure if it was just a casual comment or if Charlotte was starting to read my expressions and gestures.

When Alice widened her eyes in surprise, I felt the need to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"By the way, Rena. Who are you sharing a room with?"

It wasn’t just a change of subject; it had actually crossed my mind. The others were staying with their classmates, after all.

Since I was somewhat close to Rena, I ended up sharing a room with Alice, but who was Rena with—?

"I’m sharing with Jennifer, the teacher."

"Eh?"

Charlotte, Alice, and I froze for a moment, but Rena didn’t seem to notice.

"She’s an excellent person. Last night, I was able to hear about her various field experiences—"

Rena said this with a proud expression, and it didn’t seem like she was forcing the conversation or making things up.

Well, I knew Jennifer was a decent person, but...

Isn’t it a bit strange to be sharing a room with a teacher at a place like this?

---

It wasn’t until we finished breakfast that Claire, Leo, and Sophia returned.

Apparently, Claire and Leo had gotten along well during the banquet yesterday and had become friends, which is why they ended up tagging along for the request early this morning.

Seeing them walk in, looking a little bedraggled, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them.

The way they looked was far from their usual selves, so I guessed their mission must have been something out of the ordinary.

For the record, I had already given up on following those two around. Even though I’d learned some meditation, I could never get used to the feeling of waking up early and working all day.

"Have you had breakfast?"

I asked, and Leo and Claire nodded immediately.

"Yeah, we ate before we left."

I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the kitchen staff at the hotel, but I had the tact not to mention it.

"Mia?"

"She’s still asleep in her room," I answered Claire’s question.

"Were you going out somewhere?"

"To a nearby weapon shop. I heard they sell some unique weapons here."

This time, it was Sophia who asked, and Alice answered.

"Oh, really? Do you think we can go check it out too?"

"I don’t mind if you follow... but—"

When Claire asked excitedly, I glanced at Sophia. Her face clearly showed that she just wanted to rest. Anyone would feel that way. With the kind of job they’d done early this morning, they probably had enough work to last the next few days.

"I… I think I remember something I need to do!"

"Really?"

At Sophia’s outburst, Claire looked a bit disappointed. Seeing that, Sophia seemed to get a chill down her spine, apologized repeatedly, waved her hands, and hurriedly ran toward the elevator.

"…Did we make them work too hard?"

When Leo asked, no one answered. Only Claire tilted her head.

---

To my surprise, this world uses both the Imperial measurement system and the metric system, like yard-pounds and centimeters.

Fortunately, the more commonly used system is the metric system, like meters and grams. Although the currency still uses both duodecimal and vigesimal systems.

Players guessed that the creators tried to match the measurement system to that of the British Empire during the industrial revolution, only to give up due to the irregularities of the yard-pound system.

So, even though the metric system is used in everyday life, the military uses the yard-pound system. That’s why gun calibers are measured in inches.

For example, the .600 Nitro Express I’m looking at.

I could roughly guess why it’s called "Nitro Express," but why is the front part specifically ".600"? I mean, it’s 0.6 inches, right? Why would they need to write it as .600 inches?

…Honestly, I thought it was just an odd choice, and the bullet itself was ridiculously large.

"This is the strongest bullet. With a 0.6-inch diameter bullet packed with nitrocellulose inside this massive cartridge, it delivers a quick and deadly shot to the enemy’s head. Naturally, the firearms used for this are extremely durable and reliable."

It didn’t look like something you’d use to shoot a person’s head.

"It’s a bullet capable of taking down elephants or rhinos. What do you think? It’d be perfect for your current missions, wouldn’t it? And if you’re concerned about purchasing it, we also offer a rental service for firearms during your practice period."

I couldn’t help but think of the elephants and rhinos from the original game. In this world, elephants could shoot lightning from their trunks, and rhinos had their whole faces covered in tough armor.

…Yeah, this bullet would actually be fitting.

But maybe a anti-tank rifle would work better.

By the way, the rifle the shopkeeper pulled out was a revolver that looked like it would be better off made into a rifle.

"Do you have a rifle-type gun?"

"Of course!"

At my question, the shopkeeper’s face brightened, and he quickly pulled out a cardboard box from below the counter.

He dusted it off with his hand, opened the box, and inside was a very simple bolt-action rifle.

"It’s a single-shot bolt-action rifle. You can take down prey with just one shot! No need for extra ammunition!"

Ignoring the sales pitch, I examined the rifle and asked,

"Can I use Marmaros rounds with this?"

"Excuse me?"

At my question, the shopkeeper looked dumbfounded.

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Chapter 166

“Did you order large-caliber Marmaros rounds? Is there really a need for something like that?”

Alice’s expression looked quite serious.

“I just made them in case I might need them someday.”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the day would come when I’d actually use them. But, I thought it might be a good idea to prepare them just in case. If the day comes when I’m back on the battlefield, I might need such special ammunition.

However, Alice seemed most concerned about the fact that *I* was the one who ordered them.

Given how I’ve been acting lately—almost as though I can foresee the future—it's understandable for her to think that I was preparing for something that was *definitely* going to happen.

“I don’t anticipate every future event. I just prepare for any situation because I never know what will happen in the future,” I explained.

At least, the special rounds would come in handy when fighting the massive summoned beasts in the later parts of the story. They might even be useful against creatures like Gryphons.

“...”

Alice didn’t seem to have a response to that but it didn’t seem like she had completely dismissed her doubts.

By the time we returned to the hotel, it was almost lunchtime.

The shopkeeper, not wanting to lose a customer like me, had contacted the company that makes the rounds and confirmed whether they could make custom rounds. They even promised to deliver them if they couldn’t finish them during my stay, so I had signed the necessary papers and checks.

The premium Marmaros rounds were as expensive as precious gems or even more, so I had to take out a one-time insurance for them.

Money was no problem since the royal family was covering it.

“But don’t you think you could just hunt something like a rhino with a sword?”

“...”

Hearing Leo mutter this, I began to understand why Sophia had looked so bedraggled.

Even if it's the same swordsmanship, fighting a person and a beast are different. Even though Leo had lost to Sophia in part two of the story, it was unlikely that the fight would have been anything like hunting a rhino.

Moreover, the main characters, including Leo, hadn’t been in the best mental state at that time either.

“You’re using a gun, not a sword.”

Claire patted Leo on the back as she spoke.

Well, that’s true.

No matter how much I swung a sword, I’d never match those two in skill.

I could only hope that my abilities wouldn’t end up dragging these kids down later.

“Hmm.”

Charlotte, who had been walking silently and listening to our conversation, suddenly spoke up.

“What is it?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. It’s just that Jake and Roti are over there.”

Charlotte’s expression wasn’t exactly bright when she said that.

It wasn’t just Charlotte. Alice, Leo, and Claire were all the same. Everyone remembered what had happened yesterday.

“What happened yesterday?”

Noticing the tension, Rena asked.

“Well, that’s…”

Alice opened her mouth to answer Rena but closed it again almost immediately. It was understandable.

Though stories about commoners and illegitimate children were often whispered around, it wasn’t exactly proper to speak that way about a friend.

Moreover, Roti’s mother wasn’t just a commoner. She was a native of a colony, so even just mentioning that fact could be seen as an ‘insult’ in some way.

“...”

Seeing Alice’s expression, Rena didn’t ask any further questions.

“Well, we can’t just ignore it.”

Claire was the first to speak up.

“...That’s true. We go to the same school, and Jake’s her friend.”

As soon as Leo said that, all eyes, including mine and Rena’s, were on him.

“What? What? Did I say something weird...?”

“Ugh.”

Claire let out a loud sigh, clearly directed at Leo.

It seemed that, in this group, Leo was the only one who didn’t realize that Jake had romantic feelings for Roti.

In the original story, Jake didn’t notice the attention directed at him either, so it wasn’t that surprising.

While I was wondering whether it would go against my character to pat Leo on the shoulder, 

“Hey!”

From the other side, Jake spotted us first.

We couldn’t ignore Jake, who was waving at us with a big grin, so we all gathered and walked toward him and Roti.

“Where have you all been?”

“We stopped by a weapon shop to see what kinds of weapons are available for use here.”

“Ah…”

Jake’s expression grew a little subtle.

“Aren’t most of them for hunting? If you’re as skilled as you are, you could probably hunt without those, right?”

Oh.

It seemed like Jake wasn’t too comfortable with the idea of hunting elephants or rhinos.

Was that the case in the original story as well?

Now that I thought about it, Jake wasn’t even part of the party in this episode in the original.

He didn’t seem like an environmentalist or someone who would avoid meat, though... I decided to keep this thought at the back of my mind.

“The rounds are big, so I came up with several ways to use them. I’ve ordered a few custom rounds.”

“Really...?”

Jake shrugged his shoulders.

“If you’ve decided that, they must be useful. Oh, and why don’t you sit down instead of standing there? We’d need a couple of tables to fit everyone, but still.”

“I’m not sure if I’m interrupting your time.”

Roti’s face didn’t show any signs of annoyance, but then again, it was no surprise since Roti was skilled at hiding her expressions.

“You’re welcome to stay.”

I wondered if the fact that Rena was with us made it easier to leave out the part about ‘what happened yesterday.’

We exchanged glances before we carefully took our seats… I ended up sitting at the same table as Jake and Roti, along with Rena.

...What is this? It wasn’t like anyone assigned us to sit there, but I could tell Rena had been following me a bit more lately. I didn’t expect her to sit so boldly at the same table.

But then again, since the others had gone to another table, it probably felt more natural this way.

“Do you do this often?” Rena asked.

“Of course,” Jake replied with a smile. “We’ve been like this since we were kids.”

“...”

Roti didn’t say a word.

“Are you childhood friends?” Rena asked.

“Oh?”

Jake looked surprised by Rena’s question.

I didn’t recall Rena having spoken directly to Jake before, but perhaps it was because I was sitting next to her, or maybe it was part of her trying to imitate me.

At least, unlike Mia Crowfield, Rena didn’t seem shy about starting conversations. She asked her questions without hesitation, and she didn’t stutter.

...Maybe she just didn’t feel the need to talk to others?

“Does it look that way?”

“If not, how else could a man and woman always be together?”

At those words, Roti’s shoulders flinched. Jake let out an “Oh” sound again.

Rena tilted her head as if she found the reaction strange.

“Rena Meyer, right?”

“That’s right. Please call me Meyer.”

...She really knows how to set boundaries.

“Then, Meyer,” Jake grinned and asked, “What do you think of love between commoners and nobles?”

“Why would there be any reason to think about that?”

“Isn’t it?”

I admired Rena’s boldness.

Well, maybe it wasn’t boldness, just a clean mindset. Somehow, if I asked Rena how to make babies, I felt like she’d seriously think about it and then tell me she learned it somewhere.

“Then, what about those two getting married?”

“Would it be a problem legally?”

“Hmm, not really.”

Jake thought for a moment before replying.

“Marriage itself isn’t the issue, but there might be problems about the position of the first wife.”

“...”

While listening to the conversation, Roti remained silent.

“If you marry someone from the start, is there any need to worry about a first wife?” Rena asked, tilting her head as if she didn’t quite understand.

“What’s it like in the Autonomous Country?”

“If you did that in the Autonomous Country, your wife might just kill you.”

“...”

“Pfft.”

I was at a loss for words at Rena’s comment, and Jake burst into laughter. Rena looked at him as though she found his reaction strange.

“Well, I guess I don’t want to die, so I better be careful.”

I suppose the women in the north are much stronger than I expected.

Wait, thinking about it now, that does seem like it could be true. Just look at the guide at the info desk or Jennifer.

“Then, one more question.”

Jake finally stopped laughing and, now with a more serious expression, asked, “What do you think about not being able to marry because of skin color?”

Roti’s shoulders flinched again.

“There are many people with dark skin in the north as well. Especially those in the snowy mountain bases—they get tan like fishermen from the sunlight reflected off the white snow.”

“But some people might have been born with a different skin color.”

“Skin color is different for everyone when they’re born, isn’t it?”

Rena said, sounding like she didn’t quite understand the point of the ongoing conversation.

“As you can see, Alice and Sylvia have slightly different skin colors, just as Claire and Charlotte do. Doesn’t everyone have a different skin color?”

“That’s an

 interesting argument,” Jake said, but Rena frowned slightly.

“And I’ve never seen Lindbergh—”

“You can just call me Jake.”

“—Jake with ‘white’ skin.”

Roti’s mouth slightly opened in surprise.

Rena stayed silent for a moment, as though deep in thought, and then said, “Skin color might be part of someone’s preferences... but if someone falls in love with someone else and their skin color isn’t a factor, then there’s no reason to prevent the marriage.”

The more I heard about it, the more I became incredibly curious about the Autonomous Country. Was it due to their education, or had the circumstances there shaped Rena’s way of thinking? Or maybe it was just Rena’s personality?

“Skin color is something that changes easily depending on the situation, so judging someone solely by it might lead to incorrect conclusions later on.”

“Hey, I really like you.”

“...”

Upon hearing Jake’s words, Rena subtly moved her chair closer to mine.

...That last remark seemed to obviously include Jake’s skin color. 

But of course, I wasn’t clueless enough to bring that up and ruin the atmosphere.

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Chapter 167

“Is it okay if we team up with kids from other classes?”

“It should be fine. The whole point of gathering us all together like this was probably for that. Besides, we’re not sticking together because the teachers put us in teams. We just ended up gravitating toward people we’re comfortable with. So, do you think anything serious would happen if we expanded that to other classes?”

Inside the academy, the nobility class only ever meets other students from other nobility classes. It’s not like they even consider meeting commoner students.

This was true for the commoner class as well. Unless you were someone like Jake, who specifically sought out certain friends, the commoner students didn’t try to mix with the nobility class kids.

Moreover, this year’s nobility class, especially Class A, is so strong that no one would dare approach them.

We even have two people who could potentially be the future emperor and one who could be the future king... not to mention the count families, and even dukes.

With these kinds of people all hanging out together, even the commoners, let alone other nobles, wouldn’t even think to start a conversation. Come to think of it, I don’t think I saw any other noble kids talk to me for the entire first semester.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

When I stared at her, Claire tilted her head in confusion.

How much courage does she have?

Even Leo, who had adapted relatively well recently, used to turn pale every time he came near us.

Once I had decided that she was “sister material,” she immediately came up to talk to me without hesitation. It’s clear that, even though she’s from the Grace family, her courage isn’t what you’d expect.

Come to think of it, wasn’t she the one who boldly used informal speech with Alice in the original?

“...It’s nothing.”

“Really?”

Claire tilted her head again, but didn’t say anything else.

“Anyway.”

Claire continued the conversation with Alice.

“The academy’s motto is that ‘we’re all students here.’ I know that it’s not always followed, but that’s the general idea. Thinking about how I’m able to speak to you like this, it seems to be part of that idea.”

“Well... I guess that’s true.”

“So, the reason we’re all gathered here is because of that. The reason they don’t separate us into four groups and send us off is probably because it would cost too much time and resources. But maybe they hope that we’ll cooperate with each other here at the academy.”

“You’re being a lot more thoughtful than usual— *cough!*”

Leo made a random comment and was immediately grabbed by the collar by Claire.

Claire just looked at us as though this happened all the time.

“Anyway, I’m in favor. Having Roti with us won’t make us any more dangerous, and Jake guarantees her abilities.”

“Hmm.”

Alice turned her head toward Charlotte.

“I agree... too. The beasts from the southern continent are known for being vicious. I’ve only seen them in the zoo, but wild ones would probably be much worse, right? Even adding one more person to our group can’t hurt.”

After hearing Charlotte’s opinion, Alice turned her gaze back to Roti.

Roti looked like a doll.

Not that her appearance was the issue—though, her looks did make her resemble a doll—it was more that she barely reacted to what we were saying.

She didn’t say anything, simply lowering her eyes and waiting quietly while we talked about whether or not we’d take her with us.

“Roti, are you uncomfortable?”

Alice, knowing that Roti wasn’t saying anything, was likely worried, not just because of her status or background. Having spent time with her, Alice was sharp enough to notice.

Jake wouldn’t just take her with him because he said “let’s go,” but Alice wasn’t expecting that kind of response either.

“I will follow your decision.”

Roti spoke in a calm, composed voice.

“No, that’s not... what I mean.”

Of course, I didn’t want to hear her outright refuse, but Alice stifled a sigh and decided to ask directly.

“You must have friends in your class, right? Wouldn’t it be strange if we suddenly took you away, and your friends didn’t like it?”

If we took a friend away, it might upset those left behind, so it made sense to ask.

But—

“...”

Roti didn’t respond.

Alice seemed troubled by this lack of a response. It was hard for her to tell if it was because Roti didn’t want to come with us or if it was just because she didn’t have anyone else to stay with.

I knew.

Roti didn’t have friends.

It was because she was from a colony.

If Roti were an empire citizen, even as Jake’s maid, there probably wouldn’t have been any issues. In fact, her background might have even made her popular among the other students.

However, discrimination against colonists existed even within the empire.

In this world, there were no minimum wages or worker protections, so workers were dying from overwork. And most of the workers dying within the empire were the white empire citizens.

Normally, in such a situation, you’d expect labor movements or even revolutions to break out, but in this world, things weren’t progressing like that. The historical period of the communist revolution was a bit different in this world.

The emperor had been advising to replace rebellious workers with colonists whenever labor issues arose.

Colonists weren’t slaves.

But the money they were paid was almost equivalent to slavery, and they couldn’t say anything about it.

Colonists were a small minority within the empire, and they were in an environment where lynchings were a real threat.

A few colonists wouldn’t change the market dynamics. They were too few to organize resistance, and the empire deliberately mixed them with different regions and bad-class locals to keep them from uniting. Originally, people from completely different countries and tribes were forcibly gathered, making it even harder to unite.

But, without knowing these facts, the workers of the empire only saw colonists as people who “took their jobs for ridiculously cheap wages.”

This setting doesn’t appear in the main story, but it was included in the side stories explaining why there hadn’t been a nationwide independence movement in the colonies or why workers didn’t unite for revolution.

Although there were some flaws in applying this to real history, the game’s world had been designed with this setup in mind, and it worked as expected, so there was no need to question it.

“Ugh...”

As Roti’s mood grew even more somber, Alice’s expression reflected her uncertainty.

Alice glanced at me. Her eyes were silently asking for help.

Sister, huh?

I almost wanted to tease her with that thought, but the atmosphere didn’t seem right for that, so I held back.

“Can we trust Roti’s abilities?”

I turned to Jake and asked.

“Of course. Honestly, she might be more helpful than me.”

Everyone seemed to accept this explanation with little resistance.

Despite Jake’s casual appearance and somewhat flippant behavior, he had earned a lot of trust through the missions they had completed together.

The only one looking confused was Sophia.

“Well, she’s using firearms, so…”

Alice glanced at me and Rena as she said this.

“Alright, then.”

Alice nodded.

“She’ll join us. And if you want to bring any friends along, just let me know. It’s fine with me.”

“...Understood.”

But seeing Roti like this...

Well, thinking back to the original, it wasn’t completely unexpected. The commoner class wasn’t one I interacted with much, so there wasn’t much room for change there.

I remembered that not long after we started moving with Roti, a girl would approach us. We could just bring her along.

As I was thinking this, Alice gave me a suspicious glance.

...What is this? Can she read my thoughts now?

*

“Today, since Leo and Claire already completed their mission, let’s just relax.”

Alice said, looking at Jake.

“You said you had a lot of work to do, right?”

“That’s right.”

Jake replied in a deadpan manner.

“This place is huge, but there are almost no people like us... to ‘manage’ it. You guys said you hunted beasts, right?”

When Leo and Claire nodded, Jake continued.

“There’s plenty more to do aside from that. This trip is a week-long, so we can take it easy. I’m telling you, there’s no way we won’t have enough to do to fill the time.”

Hmm.

I wonder if our diligent protagonists will really take it easy.

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Chapter 168

Roti is a hybrid-type character.

She primarily uses firearms. True to her quiet, reserved image, she wields a rifle, providing support from behind the party while staying safe. She's the kind of character who handles firepower support from the backline.

However, she’s not limited to firearms. Since she has a talent for magic, her magic skills are quite impressive. While she’s not quite as dedicated to magic as Mia Crowfield, who focuses solely on it, Roti is versatile enough to contribute with physical attacks as well as magic-based support. Because of this, Roti was often a useful character in the party.

And the other commoner character who follows Roti into the party is someone who exclusively uses firearms.

Still, after dealing with Rena, I wasn’t really concerned about my character overlapping with hers.

Roti and I have completely different images. At first, I was a little worried, but in the end, a cool and collected character in love isn’t the same as a cool beauty character.

The next commoner character who enters is very energetic by nature, so it’s not like she’d be an issue either.

“E-excuse me...!”

Even though she’s an energetic character, I didn’t expect her to come charging forward like that.

*

Alice thought of me as a sister, and Claire felt the same, but that didn’t mean we were always together.

I liked to have some alone time, and both of them had enough sense to notice when I wanted to be by myself.

Especially after the whirlwind of vacation, when I’d lost the remaining days of break entirely, I often found myself lying on the bed in my room after school started again, doing nothing but staring into space.

Neither Alice nor Claire would have expected me to be lying around in bed, but they’d surely noticed that I enjoyed being in my room with the door closed.

So, even now, I was alone. Alice was having a chat with Charlotte, and Mia Crowfield was still in her room.

Rena had gone upstairs to do another round of firearm checks. Maybe buying new bullets had sparked her interest.

Sophia had tried to speak to me but was quickly grabbed by Claire and dragged away. I really appreciated that she respected my desire for alone time.

“Well, I’ll go back to my room for a bit.”

“Oh, okay.”

When I got up to leave, Alice nodded.

“If anything comes up, just call me.”

There was a guest phone near the lounge. It wasn’t connected across the sea, but it was enough to connect to rooms within the hotel.

...Though, I kind of wish they had wireless communication technology. 

Well, it’s not like smartphones would exist, but still.

As I walked away from those random thoughts, I passed someone on the way to the elevator.

“Ah...”

It was a familiar face.

This character appeared as a party member in the original story. However, their role wasn’t particularly large. It seemed like a character added to match the setting of "an academy that includes both nobles and commoners."

Still, she was a character you could pursue in the game. While she didn’t have a major role in the main quest, she did have her own side quests and relationship events.

But at this point in the story, this was our first time meeting, so there was no need for us to be overly familiar with each other.

At least, that’s what I thought.

“E-excuse me...!”

As I walked past her, she called out to me.

Ah, I see.

I was a bit surprised.

No, I wasn’t thinking that she was rude. It’s just that, with how the world’s social class system worked, the way people interact with each other, I was more surprised that she could recognize me and call out like this.

“Is something wrong?”

When I turned to face her, she immediately seemed flustered.

Her dark brown hair was neatly tied up at the back of her head. True to the heroine type, she had a well-developed figure. Her skin was pale.

She wore round glasses, which were a ‘beauty seal’ for her character—though, some people later regretted when she took them off in the later parts of the story.

Her eyes under the glasses were slightly droopy, and her pupils were a deep brown, matching her hair color.

She definitely had the atmosphere of a ‘class president.’

Of course, in the academy, there was no official class president. That would only apply to the student council president, maybe.

In the nobility class, trying to appoint a class president would probably lead to political struggles.

Separately, there were ‘class president-like’ figures whom the homeroachers trusted.

This girl was one of them.

“Ah, um...”

She tried to continue speaking but took a step back, startled.

Was there a tiger behind me? I almost turned around, but it seemed like that wasn’t the case.

I didn’t hear any other footsteps in the hallway.

“P-please, Your Highness!”

She awkwardly grabbed the hem of her skirt and bowed her head deeply, looking uncomfortable with the formality.

You know the type of character I’m talking about.

She’d be a perfect ‘commoner character’ in a romance novel. She thought of herself as ordinary and insignificant, and in fact, her family had nothing notable about them, but she’d made it this far solely through her academic ability. The ‘commoner character’ drawn in a picture like that.

Unlike some other classmates who came from commoner families but had some connections with the nobility, it seemed that she had had no interactions with them.

She didn’t even seem to know how to avoid appearing clueless by speaking to me out of the blue.

Well, it didn’t matter much. I was already somewhat fond of her.

She was a character I liked in the original story.

“Is something wrong?”

The polite speech seemed to make her more flustered as she was caught off guard.

“I-I’m... Lily Baker...”

When I spoke a second time, she stubbornly introduced herself, probably having heard somewhere that she should introduce herself to a noble before speaking.

She probably hadn’t heard about things like “you should approach slowly from the other side of the room, so the other person has time to respond” or “if the other person cuts to the point, introductions are unnecessary,” but that wasn’t too surprising since even among nobles, following all the formalities wasn’t common.

“Miss Baker.”

I nodded, and Lily finally got to the point.

“Is... Roti... doing okay?”

Hmm.

If my gender were male, this would be the perfect moment to head straight into a romance route.

I wasn’t disappointed, though. I’ve always believed that the heroine should end up with the protagonist. If she got closer to me, I’d end up feeling like I was the NTR (Netorare) character, and I wouldn’t have been comfortable with that.

“She’s doing fine.”

In fact, compared to when she was in the commoner class, the hostility she used to feel has greatly diminished. At least, within our group, no one would discriminate against Roti because of her skin color.

“Ah...”

She seemed worried about Roti but hadn’t really thought about how to continue the conversation afterward.

“No, I mean... um…”

I stared at her for a moment before slowly speaking.

“Is Roti not getting along well in her class?”

I brought up a topic Jake would be interested in.

“Uh...”

Lily hesitated and couldn’t give a proper answer, but just that hesitation told me that Roti wasn’t doing well in her class.

I decided not to pry further.

“What kind of weapon do you use?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, what kind of weapon do you use during practical training?”

“...I use a Winterfield rifle.”

It was a rifle made by the Winterfield arsenal, which was based on an Austrian design. Unlike other bolt-action rifles, it had a feature where you could just pull the bolt handle straight back to reload, which made it memorable.

“I see.”

I nodded.

If this were Earth, the ammunition probably wouldn’t be compatible, but since it was the same empire-made firearm, it would likely work together. Even if we were in the same party, I didn’t think there would be any big issues.

“Then, how about you come and see it in person?”

“...Huh?”

“I think it’s better for you to see the situation firsthand rather than just have me explain it.”

“...Y-yes!?”

Her reaction was as surprised as you’d expect from a scene in a Japanese manga.

It was nice to see that again after a long time.

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Chapter 169

"Am I being bullied right now?"

Lily Baker pondered this seriously.

Though she was technically a commoner, she had grown up in a rather well-off family and prided herself on her early-morning starts—earlier than most nobles, or so she believed.

Her parents ran a well-known bakery in the capital. If Lily hadn’t gone to the academy, she would have likely inherited the bakery herself, or perhaps her future husband would, whoever he might be. But as things stood, it was uncertain if she would take over the bakery. Her parents wished for her to aim higher, and Lily shared that ambition. With outstanding grades, a successful four years at the academy could make that possible.

Of course, the reckless decision she’d made to speak to the Princess—when she looked back, she wasn’t sure what she had been thinking—wasn’t motivated by ambition.

Lily’s teacher, Ada, had entrusted her with nearly all the tasks typically handled by a class representative. Informing classmates about schedules, collecting assignments, passing along unexpected announcements… though she wasn’t officially assigned the role, she had essentially become the de facto leader of Class C. Over time, her teacher, as well as her classmates, had come to accept her in that position.

Thus, though no one had asked her to, Lily had taken it upon herself to feel responsible.

Roti was somewhat isolated within their class.

After school, while the other classmates gathered in groups, she often spent time with Jake.

There were various rumors about their relationship, but few truly believed them. It seemed unthinkable that the heir of a ducal family would regard a colonist as a romantic interest. Generally, such rumors were used more as a pretext to disparage her than for anyone to take seriously.

Lily, for her part, wondered "what if," though she was certain that Roti’s position at Jake’s side was as a maid. Whether they had feelings for each other or not was something Lily could only speculate about, and she had no intention of asking them directly.

It was a personal matter, after all.

When Lily had approached the Princess, it hadn’t been due to any personal curiosity but rather an impulsive sense of duty.

There was a bit of guilt involved, too.

And the response she received—

“What… what should I do?”

Lily had managed to make a fair number of friends. Six months had proven to be enough time to get to know her peers. She couldn’t claim they were as close as her friends from home, but that would come with time.

Growing up in Lindborough, a land known for its resorts, she’d already made plans with a few friends for a visit there—

She imagined her parents’ faces, urging her to “Seize the opportunity!”

Not that it was any help.

“…Sigh.”

Pushing her slipping glasses back up, Lily muttered to herself.

Alright.

Even though she hadn’t trained with the noble class, she doubted her absence would cause them any major setbacks. All of them were skilled. She still remembered the mock battle led by Professor Jennifer.

The experience of watching one ally fall after another under well-aimed, unseen gunfire, even though it was just a simulation, had left a lasting impression.

While some murmured that Jennifer, a noble and teacher of the noble class, might be showing favoritism, seeing Princess Sylvia Fangryphon’s movements in action gradually silenced those voices.

Yes, that’s right.

Perhaps this was Princess Sylvia’s generosity.

By asking about Roti’s well-being, Lily had been granted a chance to check in on her.

So, if she decided to decline tomorrow morning, there wouldn’t be any issue—

—at least, that’s what she optimistically assumed.

Then, when someone knocked on her door at four in the morning, she reconsidered.

Wait… is this bullying?

*

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

Clare, bright-eyed even at dawn, reassured her.

Since I had informed everyone the previous evening, they were quick to accept Lily Baker’s presence among us.

Considering that our group already included people like Sophia, who, although difficult to define as a commoner, was not entirely noble, as well as Roti, a commoner and colonist, there was no valid reason to reject Lily now.

Besides, her excuse of “having plans with friends”—

“So, you said you’re meeting them at ten in the morning, right? Then we can finish up early and let you meet them without a hitch!” Clare’s merciless logic shattered any resistance.

Alice and Charlotte, standing behind her, had expressions that plainly said, “Is she serious?” followed by “But knowing her, she probably is.”

Initially, Lily looked as though she couldn’t believe her ears, but seeing the faces of Alice and Charlotte, she began to doubt the entire situation.

She glanced in my direction, so I stared back at her with a neutral expression.

What? What is it?

You approached me first.

“Your name is Lily, right?”

When Leo, who was standing next to Clare, spoke, Lily’s face turned bright red.

Despite failing to live up to his harem protagonist reputation in our group because of me, Leo still had the looks—handsome, tall, with broad shoulders.

In short, the type of guy girls would find attractive.

“Nice to meet you.”

Leo extended his hand with a smile, and Lily hesitated, unsure whether to hold her skirt or take Leo’s hand.

It was rather amusing to watch.

In the original story, she had been swept up into the party by tagging along with Roti, after all.

…

Hmm.

Am I bullying her?

Well, it’s not like she’ll ever know.

I smiled inwardly, watching the two of them.

*

Anyway.

Returning to the issue of Roti and Jake, I had a plan in mind.

Of course, I wasn’t planning on putting it into action right away.

More accurately, there were a few things I wanted to confirm before moving forward with it.

“It’s certainly too large and heavy for practical use in combat,” I muttered, holding a rifle that was nearly as big as an anti-materiel sniper rifle.

It was definitely too large to shoot while standing. The anti-tank rifles I had seen were about the same size, but I had never fired one myself.

“But we’ve prepared the Marmaros rounds specifically for this,” Alice reminded me.

“That’s true.”

…Though I doubted I’d need to use it unless absolutely necessary. Still, it could probably set a carriage—and its occupants—ablaze in one shot.

“I’ll try it out for hunting first, then decide if it’s worth using in battle,” I said.

“Fair enough, it’s up to you to choose your weapon,” Alice shrugged.

But Jake, watching me sling the rifle over my shoulder, seemed less than enthusiastic about it.

Despite the lack of animal protection laws in this world, Jake seemed to have a soft spot for animals.

The reason soon became clear.

Bang!

The rifle’s blast was as powerful as its size suggested.

Even though I was lying down, the recoil pushed hard against my shoulder.

The weapon’s power lived up to its “express” name.

The problem, however, was that the power was excessive.

The elephant, which hadn’t even noticed us yet, collapsed with its skull shattered.

The bullet pierced right through its forehead, and it fell back before collapsing on its haunches, legs stretched out and quivering towards the sky.

…

Leo and Clare, who had bragged about hunting a rhino the day before, stood with their mouths agape.

All the nearby elephants fled, leaving only a few calves behind.

Even as we approached, the calves lingered around their fallen mother, only fleeing when we came within arm’s reach.

“Yesterday was about hunting a beast threatening civilians…” Leo muttered, and I began to understand why they seemed so unsettled.

“All we need are the tusks. The rest… the vultures will take care of it later, I guess.”

Ah.

Now I understood why Jake hadn’t been too thrilled about the “mission.”

Oh well.

At least I got to test the firepower.

Though, to make things go the way I want, I may need to reset time…

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Chapter 170

Thanks to my strong insistence, the hunting mission was changed from an elephant hunt to a lion hunt.

The target was an old lion that had been wandering near a residential area, and unlike the elephant, this one was a genuine threat. It was massive, almost monstrous, with thick, frozen fangs—a unique trait for a lion—and it had been attacking livestock near the village.

Moreover, it had reportedly attacked people on several occasions. Though those people had managed to hide in a car before the lion broke through the windows, they narrowly escaped when a group of hunters arrived and scared it off.

"According to reports, this one is a tricky prey," I explained.

Because the lion recognized guns, we couldn’t take heavy firearms. The elephant hunt had been chosen for my firepower test, but we had to be more cautious here.

It seemed to distinguish between men and women as well. While it hadn’t eaten anyone, the lion had attacked while a man was away, targeting a woman and two children returning from the market. Though an elderly driver was present, he wasn’t exactly a match for a lion.

The lion had waited, hidden, until they opened the car door to step out, then pounced. Fortunately, they managed to retreat back inside the vehicle in time.

"So, you’re planning to stand alone?" Alice asked, skeptical.

"Yes."

I answered firmly.

"Wouldn’t it be better if someone stayed with you—?"

"The others here can’t completely conceal their presence, so it won’t work," I interrupted.

I had a point. While I lacked the talent for intimidation, my sword-wielding companions had an aura that could overwhelm enemies with sheer presence. Against someone of equal or greater skill, it might not work, but it was certainly effective against humans.

However, dealing with an animal was a different story.

Especially an experienced, old lion—it wouldn’t likely attack someone like Leo.

Of course, I couldn’t send Roti or Lily Baker out there either.

It wasn’t a matter of doubting their skills. It was for my own plan.

"Alright," Alice nodded.

"But if things get even slightly dangerous, we’ll abort the mission and all rush out."

"Understood."

I had no intention of risking my life, after all. If things went south, I could always rewind time and pretend this never happened.

*

...Wow, it’s huge.

The lion was enormous, its eyes nearly level with mine even as it stood on all fours.

To the lion, did I look like a tasty meal?

It probably thought so. One swipe of its claws, and I’d be sliced in half. To the lion, I must’ve looked like a soft pudding.

Of course, I had no intention of going down that easily.

As the lion moved three steps closer, I discreetly pulled out the revolver hidden behind my back.

The lion seemed to recognize the gun.

It tensed momentarily, then charged at me.

Did it think it could withstand a handgun? Or did it decide it was better to attack than to run?

How unfortunate.

The gun in my hand wasn’t just any revolver; it was my old revolver, slightly larger in caliber than the automatic pistol I typically used.

It was loaded with .455 Marmaros rounds.

These incendiary rounds worked particularly well against creatures with cold auras.

Besides, no matter how fast that lion was…

I’d once hit someone as fast as Lucas, after all.

Bang.

One shot.

One shot was all it took.

The bullet hit the lion square in the face, exploding on impact and engulfing it in flames, slamming the beast to the ground.

It skidded across the ground, flailing, and I fired a few more shots.

Bang, bang, bang.

Honestly, I was running at a loss here. Even if I sold the lion’s pelt and refined the Marmaros, it wouldn’t cover the cost of the ammunition I’d used.

Still, better that than dying.

The lion skidded to a stop right in front of my feet.

Alright. At least now I knew I could handle this alone if needed.

Again.

*

The process repeated itself.

But this time, there was a different condition.

Bang!

This time, the bullet wasn’t as powerful as before, and didn’t knock the lion back.

It was no surprise; this time, I’d loaded regular rounds.

Only the first two rounds.

To be precise, the cylinder was loaded in the same order as before: four incendiary Marmaros rounds and two regular bullets.

All I’d done was rotate the cylinder to change the sequence.

But the result was entirely different.

The lion flinched as it was hit, blood splattering slightly, but it didn’t drop mid-charge like before.

Bang!

I fired another regular round.

The lion still seemed keen on making a meal out of me.

I pretended to panic, stepping two paces to the right before collapsing to the ground. From a distance, it would look like I’d tripped.

Bang!

A loud gunshot echoed—not from my gun, but from the distance to my right.

On the open plain, a lone tree stood tall.

Glancing over, I saw a flash—the glint of Roti’s rifle scope reflecting the light.

I’d positioned Roti and Lily far enough away that they’d barely be able to sense any presence. However, Lily’s view was a bit precarious. If I moved to the right, I’d end up nearly overlapping with the lion in her line of sight.

Rena was here as well, but equipped only with a pistol and submachine gun, neither suited for this range.

I hoped Roti didn’t see the satisfied grin on my face as the lion fell—

"Wait—"

But in the next moment, I was forced to react. While I’d intended for the lion to fall at a certain angle…

Its front paw, far larger than I’d anticipated, was coming down right over me.

"Ugh."

Fortunately, we were far enough away that no one heard me make that noise.

*

"Sylvia!"

I heard Alice’s voice, almost a scream, a little later.

Watching my group rushing towards me, I pushed the lion’s paw off me, as if it were a blanket.

I hadn’t suffered any major injuries. The paw hadn’t struck me hard; it had merely fallen on top of me.

I might bruise a little, though.

I was lucky the claws hadn’t scratched me.

"I-I’m so sorry!" Lily ran up and bowed deeply.

"When you ended up in line with the lion—" She clapped her hand over her mouth, realizing that might sound like she was blaming me.

"Don’t worry too much. It was my fault for falling," I reassured her.

As I spoke, a cool sensation spread through my side. I looked over to see Mia Crowfield pointing her staff at me, a faint blue light shimmering around it. A healing spell, perhaps.

When I nodded toward Mia, she averted her gaze slightly.

Past Clare and Alice, who were fussing over me with concern, I spotted Roti approaching quietly.

"Roti."

I called out to her. She stood nearby, hands folded respectfully.

"Thanks to you, I wasn’t seriously injured… In fact, I’d say you saved my life. Thank you."

"No… I was merely doing what was expected."

Jake, observing our conversation in silence, narrowed his eyes slightly.

"No," I replied to Roti firmly.

"Let’s not forget, I am a princess of the Empire. I can’t just overlook the fact that you saved my life."

Roti’s face was impassive, but she looked slightly flustered, her gaze lifting to meet mine.

Alice, who had been fretting over me, also had a curious expression.

A look of understanding crossed her face, and she brought her hand to her forehead.

Exactly.

The best way for a commoner to ascend was by earning merit. The higher the status of the person they aided, the greater the reward.

As Jake’s expression shifted into a faint smile, I simply shrugged.

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Chapter 171

"We… we actually made it before ten o'clock…."

Impressive, right?

Lily mumbled in amazement, and I held back the urge to say something snarky.

Leo, true to his protagonist-like, honest, and diligent nature, kept his promises well. This wasn’t just about showing up on time—he’d go to great lengths to keep his word, even in life-threatening situations or nearly impossible challenges. Finishing a task on schedule was second nature to him.

Of course, for those caught up in his pace, it wasn’t always a laughable experience.

In the game, for the player’s convenience, characters never seemed to tire from walking, running, or fighting since stamina was never an issue. Here, though, everyone around me looked exhausted.

Even Lily, who had gasped in awe earlier, was now worn out.

Mia Crowfield, who had the weakest stamina, looked practically half-dead.

We had set out in the early morning cold and returned when the sun was high and hot, experiencing the drastic temperature shift throughout. It would be strange not to feel tired.

"Do you always move this early?" Lily asked.

"Not ‘always,’" Alice replied firmly, giving Lily a look that said she’d barely believe it.

"It’s usually only these two who keep this kind of schedule," Charlotte chimed in, pointing to Leo and Claire, who both looked mildly puzzled.

With Leo, it made sense. But as for Claire—how had she gone from being like this to her much calmer, more serious personality in the main storyline?

I knew my arrival in this world had altered the original course of events, but even so, it was still ironic.

"Are you okay with this? Didn’t you have plans with your friends?" Leo asked Lily.

For a moment, Lily seemed dazed that this handsome noble boy was speaking to her, but she quickly came back to reality, looking crestfallen.

She’d woken up at dawn, worked hard all morning, and now had to join her friends for more activities, barely getting a moment’s rest. And unlike this group of near-superhuman allies, her friends were commoners who would have to handle everything themselves, without magic or enhanced physical abilities.

Their work would likely stretch until around five in the evening, and if they took breaks to avoid the midday sun, it could go even later.

…

I suppose I couldn’t blame the commoner students for spreading unfavorable rumors about our class.

Still, Lily’s dismay didn’t last long.

Suddenly, she looked as if she remembered something and glanced at me, then at Roti.

Following her gaze, the others did the same—looking at me, then back at Roti.

"Oh…"

With a look of understanding, Lily glanced back at me, and the others turned their attention to me once again.

Well, she was supposed to be quite smart in the original story. Although Alice held the top spot academically, and the other high-ranking positions were mostly taken by Charlotte and other noble students, Lily’s name was always somewhere on that list.

Considering her commoner background and lack of foundational knowledge compared to the nobles, it was impressive. Even in the original story, this was acknowledged, though Lily herself didn’t particularly like being reminded of it.

"I see," Lily murmured, as if she’d grasped something.

I couldn’t fully follow her thoughts since her perspective differed from mine. But at the very least, she probably understood that we didn’t look down on Roti because she was a commoner.

"Thank you all very much. This has been a valuable experience," Lily said, bowing to us.

"Huh? We just invited you along since we had some extra time. You don’t need to think too much about it," Leo said, causing Lily to smile wryly.

"Were you satisfied?" I asked.

"Yes, much more than I initially expected," Lily replied with a broad smile.

"Then let’s meet again. Don’t pretend not to know me if we run into each other in the halls."

"I doubt there’s a commoner in the academy who’d ignore a noble if they saw one," Lily replied with a laugh at Claire’s comment.

Well, that’s that.

Not only had I left a good impression on Lily, one of the main characters, but I’d also laid the groundwork to nudge the story in the direction I had in mind.

A win-win, so to speak.

*

After going to my room to freshen up, I finished lunch and took a seat at a lounge table, spacing out a little, when Jake plopped down across from me without asking.

"Sylvia."

His voice sounded unusually cheerful, brighter than usual.

Or rather, it was a different *type* of brightness. Normally, his tone had an exaggerated, performative quality, but now it sounded as natural as if he were greeting a friend.

I supposed there was no longer any need for him to keep up the act around me.

Perhaps I’d gained his trust, or maybe the events of today had improved his impression of me.

"Have you thought about why I’m sitting here alone?" I asked.

"And why’s that?"

Jake replied with a mischievous grin. Honestly, it was hard to believe that someone who looked like him could be such a straight-laced guy. If you looked solely at his appearance and behavior, he seemed like the delinquent character who’d flirt with a heroine who already liked someone else.

It was no wonder that kind of fan fiction was popular.

In any case, the way Jake’s character was portrayed in the original wasn’t entirely his fault. The developers designed him that way.

"Most of the people around me know that if I’m sitting alone, it’s because I’m ‘sorting through my thoughts.’ Alice, Claire, and even Rena rarely interrupt me when I’m like this."

"They’re all people you call by name, huh?"

"…I address most people around me by their names."

"But not Mia."

That’s because I’m not close with her.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be friends, but our pasts made it difficult to get close. If I suddenly acted friendly, it’d come off as suspicious, maybe even psychopathic.

"Even though you try to hide your expressions and tone, anyone watching you closely can tell you distinguish between close friends and others. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. You’re probably just being considerate," Jake observed.

"And what exactly led you to this conclusion?"

"Are you really asking that after today’s stunt?"

"…."

"You never waste a single bullet, yet today you ‘misfired’? I saw you checking your gun before the battle. You’re not careless enough to mix up the rounds or mistake the Marmaros bullets."

Too bad he hadn’t heard the noise I made when the lion’s paw landed on me.

Not that I wouldn’t have rewound time if he had.

"So, why don’t we just lay everything out on the table?"

Jake leaned back in his chair, stretching his spine, and continued.

"You’re trying to elevate Roti, aren’t you?"

"…."

He wasn’t wrong.

"I just can’t figure out why. Even if you’re trying to help me and Roti get married, it’s hard to believe you’d suddenly go out of your way for us without some hidden motive."

But that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.

Why?

Honestly, while Roti’s mixed tsundere/cool demeanor was amusing to watch, the obstacles in the way of their relationship were frustrating. It felt like eating a dry potato without water.

"So," I replied, keeping a neutral expression as I spoke.

"Are you accusing me of trying to use her?"

"Well… I can’t say for sure what role Roti plays in your plans, but—"

Jake shrugged.

"It’s better to have someone who values her skills rather than treats her as mere decoration."

But he wasn’t done.

"Still, if Roti’s life ends up at risk, I won’t just sit by."

Of course, I wouldn’t let that happen.

Both Roti and you—

You’re all part of the people I’m determined to protect.

At least until this grand story reaches its end.

"I’ll keep that in mind," I replied sincerely, letting him see that my words were genuine.

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Chapter 172

The rumors spread in an instant.

It was because I acted so openly. I borrowed Roti from Jake and walked around with her by my side — not that I truly *walked* around with her, of course. It's just the way it sounds — or I kept her with me as part of our "noble group." Either way, in a hotel where nearly all the first-year academy students were gathered, there was no way the rumors wouldn't spread.

Moreover, I didn’t just engage in such visible actions.

“Knight’s title… are you serious?”

“I’m talking about the person who saved the princess’s life. It’s not impossible to bestow such a reward, even if it’s a temporary title that won’t carry down to future generations.”

“But doesn’t it require the Emperor’s approval to grant such a title?”

“Do you think His Majesty, who dearly loves his daughter, would say nothing and let it slide?”

At my words, Roti fell silent.

Alice, who had been watching us from a nearby table, looked as though she was about to snort, but I ignored her and continued speaking.

Well, anyway, I knew the Emperor would find such a proposal amusing and would likely accept it.

It would provide a good reason, after all, for claiming that she had done a favor for the future Duke of Lindbergh.

Normally, I would choose a seat by the window or against a wall when picking a spot in a restaurant. I wouldn’t want to sit in a place where I’d attract attention. But now, that wasn’t the case. The more attention I drew, the better.

So, I bit my lip and deliberately chose a seat in the center of the room, enduring the discomfort.

“But Your Highness, that incident...”

“Baker.”

I interrupted Roti and called out to Lily, who happened to be passing by our table.

“Yes... yes, Your Highness!?“

Lily, suddenly being called out by me, turned pale.

She had probably been doing it on purpose. Ever since I started sitting alone with Roti, she seemed to want to get a sense of whether I was bothering her. She even jumped into the crowd of nobles to figure it out.

However, the conversation we were having now was slightly different. This was likely purely out of curiosity.

She must have deliberately put less food on her plate and casually walked by us, trying to eavesdrop.

“Baker, you were nearby at the time, weren’t you?”

“Eh? Ah, yes…”

Feeling the eyes that had been on Roti and me shifting to her, Lily squirmed uncomfortably, twisting her body this way and that.

“Didn’t you see Roti save me back then?”

“Y-Yes, I did.”

“Exactly.”

I repeated my words to emphasize my point and looked at Roti.

“With a witness like this, I don’t think anyone will be able to refute it.”

Alice made a face as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but she didn’t try to refute my words.

Claire, sitting across from Alice, and Leo, sitting between them, were staring at me with their mouths agape. It wasn’t until Claire slapped Leo’s arm that he snapped out of it and quickly began cutting his steak. But in his haste, some sauce spilled onto his clothes.

Why? Are you jealous?

Should I make an opportunity to tease Leo a bit? Watching Leo turn pale after hearing all this would be amusing.

Besides, since Leo is a guy, maybe rumors of an affair will start circulating.

“Anyway, my mind is made up.”

“But, then... what about the young master?”

“I’ve already told Jake.”

“...”

At that, Roti’s expression grew cloudy for the first time since I had started speaking.

“Did the young master agree?”

“Yes, he did.”

Looking at Roti’s dimmed expression, I felt slightly flustered.

Why? Isn’t she supposed to be happy about this? Jake wouldn’t spare a glance for any woman other than Roti.

I thought for a moment and realized that I might have misunderstood something at a deeper level.

Wait, so... is that it?

Could it be that Roti wasn’t fully confident that Jake liked her? That’s why she feels comfortable being by Jake’s side as a maid, thinking she’s safer that way?

Hmm.

But if that’s the case, I couldn’t really do anything about it. Jake would keep Roti by his side even if she became more than just a maid, but if Roti herself couldn’t gain that confidence…

“You don’t need to worry too much.”

I figured I should add a few reassuring words, just to be safe.

“You don’t need to worry about losing your job. It’s quite common for a daughter of a baron family to become a maid in a duke’s household. Roti will only be receiving a knight’s title, so unless she intentionally quits, she should be able to continue working just fine.”

“...I understand.”

After hearing my words, Roti’s expression relaxed a bit.

So, it looks like I was right.

This couple is more troublesome than I thought.

...Well, I’ve done my part, so the rest is up to Jake. That’s the common sense of this age, right?

I guess I’ll be satisfied with just lowering the difficulty a bit.

*

After finishing our meal, a maid was waiting outside.

Though she wasn’t wearing a maid’s outfit, she introduced herself as “a servant of the Lindbergh family,” so I suppose it wouldn’t be wrong to call her a maid.

Dressed in a luxurious suit, she handed me a similarly elegant envelope and said:

“Lord Lindbergh would like to have tea with Your Highness. He said that, while you are staying here, if you give him a time and place, he’ll come right away.”

I wouldn’t leave until I checked the letter, so I opened it immediately and read its contents. Apart from some decorative phrases, the message was basically the same as what the maid had just said.

“I see.”

When I responded, the maid bowed slightly.

“Would it be possible now?”

She froze as soon as I said that.

“The location—”

“I’ll go to him. Couldn’t you accompany me on your way back?”

They say, strike while the iron is hot. It’s more convenient for both of us if we talk now.

But at my words, the maid immediately wore an apologetic expression.

“However, Lord Lindbergh is not at the estate right now.”

“May I ask where he is?”

“…He’s at the farm. There is a mansion there, but…”

“I’m fine with that. Wouldn’t it be better for us to take care of this while the opportunity presents itself?”

“Understood.”

It seemed that the maid had made up her mind after hearing my words.

‘Anytime, anywhere,’ I had said.

“So, you’re going to meet the Duke now?” Alice, who had been eavesdropping, asked.

“Would you like to come with me?”

When I asked, Alice furrowed her brow for a moment before replying.

“Yeah, I’ll go with you.”

“But if you do—”

“I’ll be the one to do the talking.”

“...Understood.”

The maid, slightly startled by Alice’s words, clearly couldn’t argue with what the princess had said.

“Oh, may I come along and have a look?” Charlotte immediately butted in.

“I’ve never seen the farm since I got here. It might be interesting to visit the grand farm that the Empire is so proud of.”

“….”

The maid hesitated for a moment, then looked at me.

“In that case, I suppose it’s best to check with the Duke first.”

“…Understood.”

The maid lowered her head respectfully again and turned to leave. As she made her way back, I suddenly realized: she’s a foreigner.

*

People often think that the military-industrial complex rules the world just because they sell weapons.

After all, weapons are tools that kill people, and manufacturing them requires advanced technology. Even in a place without semiconductor development like this, it’s still the military sector that leads technological innovation.

It’s often said that new technologies are first tested on the battlefield, so it isn’t too strange to think this way.

But in reality, those who make guns and cannons are always at the mercy of those who buy their products. When those buyers switch suppliers, the makers of weapons go bankrupt.

It’s the military contractors who always cater to the needs of their clients.

So, to say that these people rule the world? That doesn’t make sense. They’d be dragged around by the collar if it came to that.

The real world rulers are those who sell fruit.

Everyone can easily buy and eat fruit, and nobody’s upset if they don’t buy it. Leftover and overripe fruits are turned into juice and sold, while nearly spoiled fruit is dumped on colonized natives, but it’s not free, of course. The price includes shipping across two oceans.

Thanks to this, the fruit business is always profitable. The same goes for anything else. The trade between the homeland and the colonies always favors the homeland.

Despite the Duke’s intentions, the number of guests increased, and we ended up taking the bus.

And as we entered the vast farm, no one in the bus could speak.

The size of the farm was enormous, no doubt about it.

“...It’s amazing. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the oranges in the Empire came from here,” Charlotte muttered.

No one really responded, but they all seemed to agree with her.

Even though the sun was nearly set, many people were still working on the farm.

Of course, almost all of them were native workers.

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Chapter 173

The interior decoration of this era was incredibly extravagant, no matter where you went.

Even the newly built houses were like that. This was likely a faithful reflection of the original setting. When thinking of the Belle Époque era, one immediately associates the distinctive Victorian-style interior decorations, and that's exactly what was being used here. In the game, even though the decor was like this, it didn’t seem all that extravagant because the graphics weren’t advanced enough to fully showcase it.

But my experience in this world, actually seeing such things in person... was refreshing.

It was because, in the world I came from, the Victorian-era artifacts I encountered were mostly "old." No matter how grand and vintage something looked, when the object itself was aged, the feeling of newness was largely gone. This was something I noticed even in the historic palaces of long-standing systems.

However, here, it was different. Even though this place had been a colony for a long time, new houses and farms were being built everywhere, and the mansion on this farm didn’t seem to have been built that long ago.

It was a curious feeling to be surrounded by interior decor that was a little too flashy. At the same time, though, it didn’t give off the feeling of being newly wealthy or tasteless, which made me realize how skilled the interior designers of this era must be.

“Your Highness,”

The Duke bowed his head slightly, putting extra emphasis on his manners considering the age gap between us.

“I hear you have something you wish to discuss.”

“Indeed.”

Perhaps he had heard of my personality somewhere. Or maybe he had gathered a rough idea during the last banquet. The Duke didn’t seem bothered by my direct approach to the conversation, cutting to the chase without much pleasantry.

He gently gestured toward a chair, and I took a seat. As we sat across from each other, a maid quickly served us both a cup of tea. After placing the teapot on the table, she hurriedly left the room.

The maid was also white.

“What is it that you wish to discuss?”

“I heard that Your Highness is fond of Roti.”

Hmm.

It wasn’t exactly wrong to say I was “fond” of her. While we weren’t exactly soulmates, I did want to protect Roti, just as she was one of the people I wanted to save.

In fact, Roti herself was unlikely to die. Depending on the choices made, Jake might be the one to save her and die in the process.

Jake might not be the heroine, but I didn’t want to see a pure love couple ruined by death.

“I owe her a great debt.”

“Then, is it really possible to bestow that knight’s title?”

The Duke asked bluntly again. Well, it’s better than beating around the bush.

Still, even though his words were direct, they carried an implication. Inside that question was a subtext of, “Is it really possible to give a title to someone from the colonies?”

“It’s not impossible.”

I answered decisively.

“First of all, His Majesty trusts me. He is not the type of person who would ignore someone who has helped me.”

The Duke nodded seriously at my words.

“Also, my older brother, Prince Jaden Fangryphon, is the commander of the Imperial Knights. He cares for me deeply, so he isn’t the kind of person who would refuse my request.”

I observed the Duke’s expression carefully after hearing this.

If the Duke was simply a character who was trying to suppress the colonists, he would likely have shown displeasure at my words. However, if he leaned more toward opportunism, he might take the bait.

In the game, the protagonist’s "parents’ generation" didn’t play a central role in the story. Sometimes they were portrayed as supporters of the regime, sometimes as obstacles to love, and sometimes as reliable allies. They appeared occasionally, but the focus was always on the protagonist’s group.

I had read the text of the original setting and remembered it.

The Duke was a racist and an imperialist, but at the same time—

“I see.”

The Duke smiled.

—Yes, the Duke was also an opportunist driven by power.

He stood up from his chair, walking toward the large window, and gazed out quietly.

The farm was now dimly lit. There were scattered lights, but it was unclear if they were meant to ward off intruders or if they were simply from workers still toiling away.

“Your Highness, do you know how long this system will last?”

“It can’t last forever.”

“That’s right.”

I widened my eyes slightly at his unexpected words, but fortunately, I don’t think he noticed, as he was still looking out the window.

“Some people say that because there are so many people in the colonies, it’s easy to buy raw materials cheaply and sell them for a high price. But the reality is different. There is a limit to the wealth any group can amass. If you keep draining it, even a gold mine that seemed endless will eventually dry up.”

The Duke turned around.

“And I’ve started feeling that recently.”

“Are you saying there might be a rebellion?”

“Not exactly.”

At my question, the Duke smiled bitterly.

“Do you know? People in the homeland seem to think of the colonists as something akin to slaves, but legally, they are not.”

I didn’t respond.

“The Empire abolished slavery a long time ago. The slaves' skin might have been the same color as ours, or different, but legally, there are no slaves anymore.”

“Are you claiming that colonists are free people?”

“That’s not it either. Legally, they are legitimate subjects of the Empire, but that’s all. They can’t move freely, and they don’t have the right to vote. What I’m trying to say is that we’ve missed our chance to truly enslave them.”

The Duke looked back out the window.

“Before we came here, they were divided into multiple nations. There were different classes, and because of that, they couldn’t form a single identity. Even now, that atmosphere hasn’t completely disappeared. But it doesn’t mean there’s no sense of shared understanding.”

The oppressors and the oppressed.

People of different skin colors.

“There was once a great empire here, though. It split hundreds of years ago, but at one point, there was an empire that ruled the entire continent, an empire that flourished in culture. And now, they are slowly starting to collect that history again. Though it’s only a small portion, the idea of ‘same culture, same race’ is beginning to take root.”

This world was just beginning to form the concept of ‘ethnicity.’

“They are legally free, can refuse to work if they choose, and within the scope of judicial authority, they are starting to form groups with shared understanding. When that happens…”

“…”

“I am trying to control it, though. If I pay them enough to get by, they won’t have the luxury to think of anything else. After all, they need to survive, right? If I instill the idea that striking will mean starving to death, it might delay things a little.”

“Eventually, they will rise up.”

At my words, the Duke nodded.

“Then, Your Highness, what you’re doing is truly remarkable. ‘Even someone from the colonies can rise if they do something remarkable,’ wouldn’t you say?”

…

Well…

No, I didn’t think it would go that far.

“If everything goes according to Your Highness’s calculations, Roti might become an iconic figure. Her name might even be in textbooks one day.”

Would that happen...?

I was just trying to set up some minimum conditions for her to marry into the Duke’s family.

“Do you wish for my son to marry Roti?”

Well... yes?

I nodded, and the Duke smiled knowingly.

“I think I have a rough idea of what you’re thinking.”

What exactly does he think I’m thinking?

No, I just wanted the awkward couple to finally get together and flaunt it around already.

“But honestly, the idea of my son marrying someone of a different race… I must admit, it does make me uneasy.”

The Duke said this with a warm smile on his face.

“However, my son does care deeply for Roti. If the conditions are right, as a father who loves his son, I won’t refuse.”

“And those conditions would be something more than just a title, wouldn’t they?”

“It’s been quite some time since we moved here, but that doesn’t mean we have no affection for our homeland. Still, I can’t demand too much as a vassal of the throne.”

The Duke bent slightly at the waist.

“We seek a ‘true’ friendship with the royal family. I hope Roti can be the witness to that.”

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Chapter 174

It seems like I’ve caused some huge misunderstanding, but I decided to just let it go.

At this point, it’s too late to correct it—well, I could correct it, but I’d invested too much effort to let it go to waste. It wouldn’t result in major losses if I did, but after all the trouble of persuading the Duke, I really didn’t want to start over with a different method. It would be too much of a hassle.

Besides, in the latter half of the story, the colonies will eventually start their independence movements anyway.

By that point, the Empire will have declared war on nearly the entire world, and as a result, the Emperor will die, leading to a truce among those who no longer want the war. The situation will be chaotic, with constant bloodshed in the colonies, and the Law Country will be acting very suspiciously... that was the storyline I played up until.

Moreover, some of the protagonist’s group members die, making the whole situation pretty depressing.

...Well, I don’t need to worry about that here.

“True friendship, you say?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Well, I could offer friendship.

It felt like he was intentionally being vague with his words, but if we’re being vague too, then it’s fine.

There may be political rhetoric and all that, but if we end up sweeping it all away later, who’s going to care? I’m not planning to start a rebellion against the royal family. If it came to that, we'd probably be in a much worse position.

“If in the future, my dear friend marries the son of this family, then perhaps that might happen.”

“I understand.”

The Duke responded with a slight smile after hearing my words.

“Then, we will think positively about it.”

*

Somehow, I wrapped up the situation.

Looking back, it ended much more smoothly than I expected.

I had thought there might be shouting, or even an ashtray flying at me. Of course, I didn’t think they’d throw the ashtray at me.

“What kind of conversation did you have?”

Jake asked as I exited the room. It seemed strange to him that his father hadn’t come out with me.

“A lot of positive discussions were had.”

Alice narrowed her eyes as she stared at me, but I made a point to ignore her gaze.

After all, we would be in the same room when we got back, so I’d have to tell her eventually.

I could already imagine Alice rubbing her forehead after hearing about the conversation I had today.

“Is that so?”

Jake dragged out his words, asking again, but thankfully, he didn’t press further.

“…”

Otherwise, no one had really said anything all that remarkable.

Leo seemed to be in a heavy mood.

“Is something wrong?”

When I asked, Leo shrugged his shoulders, retracting his gaze from the outside.

“No, it’s nothing major.”

“You’ve been staring outside for a while, though,” Jake said, joining me.

“Is it really that rare to see so many people working on such a large farm?”

“…”

Jake didn’t seem to mean anything by his words, but there was a tone to his voice that suggested he didn’t exactly appreciate the situation.

Outwardly, he seemed like the kind of guy who’d be fooling around with multiple women, but deep down, he was probably a straightforward guy who only had eyes for one woman and cared for animals, while also feeling pity for the colonists... Why isn’t he the heroine? Wouldn’t it be more interesting if Roti were the male character instead?

I quietly wondered to myself, but Alice interrupted my thoughts.

“There are people like that in the Empire too. The ones who work in factories. There are farms there as well.”

When attention shifted to her, Alice made a slightly embarrassed expression before responding.

“I’m not saying it’s a good thing. I just meant that the nobles are surprisingly unaware of such occurrences happening everywhere.”

“In Belvur, fruits with the Lindbergh name are quite famous.”

Finally, Charlotte, who had been silent like Leo, spoke up.

“They’re cheap and delicious... Even if they tried to grow such fruits in Belvur, they could never replicate this method.”

They’d have to use Belvur’s own people, of course.

Of course, even though Belvur hasn’t industrialized, that doesn’t mean life is wonderful there. The majority of the country’s industry is agricultural, and that agriculture is based on the exploitation of tenant farmers by landowners. Naturally, most of these landowners are nobles.

It’s a complicated matter.

Even if the Empire’s colonization has boosted its national power by squeezing people, the speed of development will always be slower compared to that of a colonizing empire. 

And if they wanted to make colonies now, they’d have to go to war. Once those colonies were made, the same cycle of exploitation would repeat.

Well, who do you think created the “good times” of the past?

“…”

Meanwhile, Claire, who would have been at the bottom of the exploited class, said nothing.

A brief silence fell over the guest room.

“We’re done here.”

When I spoke up, everyone turned to look at me.

“Shall we head back? The Duke did say we could stay, but…”

If we stayed the night, we'd see something even more depressing the next morning.

“...No, let’s just go back. There’s nothing left to see here.”

Alice seemed to have realized what kind of scene we’d witness the next morning.

Everyone nodded in agreement after Alice.

*

“Your Highness.”

Roti called out to me before Jake, which likely meant she had a lot she wanted to say.

She had clearly come with us, but Roti wasn’t in the guest room... It seemed like she hadn’t been treated unfairly after all.

Roti was talking in the hallway.

Her conversation partner was her mother, dressed in a maid’s outfit.

I had assumed all the maids here were white.

Well, maybe only one person was getting special treatment. From the Earl’s perspective, Roti might be a connection point with me.

As for what happened in the banquet hall... I’d ask her about that later.

When Roti’s mother saw me, she quickly bowed.

“Did everything go well?”

“Yes…”

Roti seemed like she had a lot of questions, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask them outright.

Even through her neutral expression, I could feel her emotions... Perhaps Alice had figured out how to read my expressions this way as well.

Roti’s mother didn’t lift her head.

I wondered, if Roti received a knight’s title, what would happen to the relationship between Roti and her mother?

I’d have to think about that.

Glancing aside, I noticed Alice also had a complicated expression. It was natural since she was looking at the “mother of a friend.”

“Well, let’s head back.”

I said, and Roti’s mother raised her head slightly to look at us.

When I nodded in her direction, she quickly hid her face.

*

After returning to our room, Alice stayed silent for a while before speaking up.

“Is Roti the daughter of Lindbergh?”

“If you mean the ‘Lindbergh’ family, yes. But she is not the daughter of the Duke of Lindbergh.”

“…”

Alice narrowed her eyes and stared at me for a while before sighing and sitting down.

“Well, fine. I’ll let it go for now. How did you find out?”

She spoke with a hint of a sigh, then slumped down in front of me.

“Tell me. If Roti is the daughter of Lindbergh, whose daughter is she?”

“Roti is the cousin of Jake.”

In Korea, such a relationship would be considered too close for marriage, but in this world, aristocrats aren’t restricted in the same way.

Moreover, internationally, cousin marriages are allowed in many countries… though the law might allow it, society’s perception is different. Still, in this world, where people deliberately look for families with intertwined bloodlines to marry, this situation was different.

Roti was the daughter of the Duke of Lindbergh’s cousin, born from an affair with a young colonial girl. Naturally, she could not bear the Lindbergh name or be recognized for her status. The official story would be that the Lindbergh family had graciously employed her as a maid after her mother’s affair.

“…”

After hearing this, Alice rubbed her forehead.

“Well, fine.”

Alice spoke with an expression that wasn’t quite happy.

“You do realize, don’t you? Even though the royal family is powerful, getting involved in the affairs of a Duke’s family can get very messy.”

“…”

I realized that she was right.

Alice’s gaze narrowed even further as she looked at me.

“What did they ask of you?”

“True friendship.”

Finally, Alice rubbed her forehead again.

“You do know what that means, right?”

“…”

“You’re talking about the kind of friendship where the imperial family steps in to help you solve problems, right?”

“…”

Oh, is that what it means?

“Don’t look so relaxed… honestly.”

It seemed Alice had caught on to my expression of thinking the Emperor would handle things for me.

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Chapter 175

The word *"diligent"* carries varied connotations depending on the context. 

While it’s typically viewed positively, its interpretation changes based on where the emphasis lies. For instance, someone described as diligent in studying might be seen as a bookworm. Diligence in sports conjures an image of a healthy, active individual, while adherence to rules might evoke a rather stiff personality. And, of course, there are people who are diligent in social activities—a description that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re party animals. Even in modern society, where explicit hierarchies are less prominent, socializing can be crucial. Skipping all gatherings in college might leave one at a disadvantage in class, and avoiding every work dinner could hinder career advancements. 

But in this world, where explicit social hierarchies still exist, what about the aristocracy? 

Alice, for example, was an exception. Her childhood devotion to academics had left her ignoring most social obligations. Normally, noble children would start attending countless social gatherings in their early teens. Granted, some of these gatherings strayed far from what one might call *diligent* behavior.

---

“Is this for real?” 

Alice narrowed her eyes, glaring at Jake.

“Yes, it’s not that unusual here in the south. You’d know if you spoke more with your classmates. Ever since this site was chosen for field practice, everyone’s been excited about it.”

“…”

Fads exist in every era, and this world is no different. And often, the latest trends seem a bit indecent or vulgar by old standards, even if they aren’t outright illegal.

“So, according to you,” Alice began slowly, “on a beach—not some private estate but a normal beach open to everyone—”

“Well, not everyone. The one we’re going to is Lindborough-owned. I assure you, no outsiders, except for Academy students and faculty, will be there.”

“—regardless, in a place full of strangers, people are planning to… wear barely-there clothes to swim and play around? Together? Men and women?”

Her expression was difficult to describe—not disgust, exactly. It was more akin to the look elderly folks give upon hearing about the peculiar ways kids these days entertain themselves.

“You’ve never seen it? Many noble estates have indoor or backyard pools for the same purpose.”

How modern. Though I, who once lived in the modern world, never actually attended such a party. I’ve only seen them in movies or TV shows.

---

“So,” Alice continued, ignoring Jake’s explanation, “these swimsuits—are they the ones I’ve seen in popular magazines lately? The ones that are practically underwear?”

“They’re not the same,” Jake replied seriously.

“How are they different?”

“They’re waterproof.”

“….”

Alice was momentarily lost for words.

“They’re made by layering natural rubber with fabric, creating a compressed material. They’re much thicker than underwear.”

“But still—”

“I object!” 

Suddenly, a loud voice came from the teachers’ table, startling everyone. Even more surprising, the topic wasn’t all that different from what Alice and Jake had been discussing.

“How can men and women reveal so much skin, soaked in water, in the same place!?” 

“You’re a daughter of the Northwood family, aren’t you?” Jennifer replied nonchalantly, sipping her coffee. “You must’ve grown up seeing such settings. It’s odd for you to be this resistant to something so ordinary.”

“Ugh…”

The debate was between Carolyn, who had shot to her feet, and Jennifer, who remained seated and composed. Meanwhile, Ada, indifferent to their conversation, quietly read a small book.

“Th-that’s different! Those people—”

“Those people?”

Carolyn flushed, unable to admit her thoughts aloud.

“At least they covered their stomachs!”

“….”

Even Jennifer seemed at a loss for words, while Ada finally looked up, gazing blankly at Carolyn. 

Realizing the awkward silence she had caused, Carolyn blushed deeper and sat down.

---

“Regardless of one teacher’s objections, it’s already decided. The students are thrilled about it, and if we, as adults, suddenly cancel their fun, do you think they’ll respect us moving forward?” 

“Mostly Jennifer’s idea, though,” Ada commented without much interest before returning to her book.

“See? It’s set in stone,” Jake said to Alice.

As Jennifer shrugged at me with a smirk, I thought to myself, *I already knew this was coming*. 

While it was winter back in the homeland, this region was warm—a perfect getaway. Not enjoying the sea here would certainly disappoint the students. Of course, I had known about this event in advance. The original game—a JRPG catering to otaku—practically guaranteed a swimsuit event. What kind of animation-inspired game would it be without it?

---

“You’re awfully quiet,” Alice remarked, narrowing her eyes at me.

Well, I had already been prepared for this.

“Are you not bothered by the idea of your younger sisters baring so much skin in the presence of strangers?”

Sorry, Alice. I may not have been a social butterfly, but I did come from a society far more *liberal*. 

“Do you not find it odd for someone who insists on being called ‘big sister’ to say such things to her ‘younger sibling’?” 

“Ugh.”

Alice flinched as if struck. 

“Shouldn’t an older sister be the one protecting her younger sibling?”

“….”

Alice turned away, guilt etched across her face. Technically, I was older, but since she insisted on being the elder sibling, I played along.

I was already thinking of excuses to skip the event, but—

---

“Sis.”

Someone suddenly interrupted my train of thought.

“Are you saying that to me?” Claire asked, her eyes sparkling. I was momentarily at a loss. Her tone carried genuine curiosity rather than malice.

Well, Claire could probably protect herself better than I could. I doubted some delinquent would suddenly appear to snatch away one of the heroines. Even if that did happen, we already had the ultimate delinquent—Jake—among us, though he was loyal to one person alone.

---

Jake’s real motive for organizing this? Roti. 

Roti rarely wore anything revealing, and this event was his chance to see her in a modern bikini. This was also one of the few events in which Jake became visibly flustered. I glanced at Roti, standing behind Jake. Her gaze was lowered, avoiding mine.

“Hmm? Hmm? Sis?” Claire’s persistence was harmless enough, though Alice’s smirking face in the background annoyed me. 

“Fine. Let’s go buy swimsuits today. We’ll need them for tomorrow.” 

Alice’s anticipation visibly shattered.

Well, it’s not like I can’t wear a swimsuit. If I managed a bunny costume, a swimsuit should be easy enough.

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Chapter 176

Even though I had seen it in the original game, the swimsuits in this world were far bolder than I anticipated.

Thinking about it, the classic bikinis often seen in anime are surprisingly rare in design. While they’re common at beaches, swimsuits themselves vary greatly in style. Some people don’t even bother with swimsuits and just enter the water in regular clothes before changing. Many swimsuits, particularly those covering most of the upper body, exist as well.

But of course, in this anime-style game world, every character around me seemed to be wearing swimsuits that revealed skin to some extent. There were some one-piece designs, but even those couldn’t be called modest.

---

We chose swimsuits for each other—though the two male characters, Jake and Leo, were naturally excluded. 

That left me, Alice, Claire, Charlotte, Mia Crowfield, Sophia, Rena, and Roti. Since none of us had any say in the matter, our swimsuits inevitably ended up as daring designs.

“This… isn’t much different from the bunny costume incident!” Alice protested.

“At least no men will dare touch us,” I replied.

Letting go of my pride helped keep me from panicking like Alice. While the attention was annoying and embarrassing, most of the stares were closer to reverence than anything predatory. Unlike the bunny costume incident, there wasn’t that sticky, predatory gaze directed at me. 

Was that a win? Who knows.

---

Alice and I picked classic bikinis for each other. Mine was black, while hers was sky blue. The color schemes were oddly similar to our bunny outfits, but we silently decided to let it slide.

Swept up in the mood, Charlotte and Claire ended up in bikinis as well. Claire’s swimsuit matched her hair, a deep blue, with far more fabric than mine. Unlike my tiny triangles held together by strings, her design looked like thick fabric tied into place. It gave the impression it might unravel, but it was securely fastened with strong internal ties. A swimsuit for nobles, after all, couldn’t be anything less than durable.

Charlotte’s swimsuit was white. While its coverage wasn’t much different from ours, she wore a translucent top over it, offering a bit of modesty. Of course, being translucent, it might seem even more suggestive to some. 

Charlotte likely didn’t realize it, but that kind of fabric wasn’t waterproof in this era. Water-resistant fabrics relied on natural rubber pressed between cloth, so they couldn’t be transparent. Once she got in the water, the fabric would cling to her body like a second skin, making it seem as though she were wearing nothing at all.

In the original game, that’s exactly what happened.

---

“Are you, a princess, so insecure about your body?” Charlotte teased.

“What? You’re the one wearing a cover-up. Insecure much?” Alice shot back.

“This skin is sensitive to sunlight! I might get sunburned!”

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.”

Caught between our bickering, Charlotte had been teased into wearing her swimsuit. Half-reluctantly, she was now part of the group.

As for the others…

Sophia’s swimsuit was similar to Claire’s in design, a simple yet elegant purple that matched her hair. However, her trembling pupils betrayed her feelings. She was clearly comparing her figure to the others, particularly certain parts.

Don’t worry, Sophia. It’s us who are outliers. Yours is perfectly normal. Judging by the attention the others are getting, that much is obvious.

Standing near her, Rena, Roti, and Mia Crowfield added to the contrast.

---

Rena ended up wearing a swimsuit strikingly similar to mine. Though her face was slightly flushed, her confident demeanor made it feel less suggestive. Maybe it was because I unconsciously viewed her as younger than me.

Mia Crowfield chose a black one-piece. While her proportions couldn’t quite rival mine or Alice’s, her smaller frame made her stand out. The eyes drawn to her seemed to agree.

And then there was Roti.

Roti also wore a one-piece, but her swimsuit gave off a completely different vibe. Her tall, athletic frame made her look like a professional swimmer, especially with the white stripes running along the sides of her black swimsuit. Jake, of course, couldn’t take his eyes off her.

---

I glanced at Jake and Roti. Though I had orchestrated all this to see their interactions, the sight somehow made me feel… annoyed.

Damn it. I should’ve been a male character. Not that I’d had any choice in the matter.

Leo, meanwhile, looked utterly overwhelmed, unable to decide where to focus his eyes. I sighed, recalling what was about to happen.

---

Then came the ruckus.

Carolyn, deceived by Jennifer, had ended up in an outrageously daring bikini. The normally innocent and utterly clueless Carolyn now wore a swimsuit even skimpier than mine. Her face was bright red as she fidgeted, alternating between covering herself with her hands and letting them fall to her sides. Covering herself made it seem like she was completely naked, while leaving her hands down exposed the swimsuit for all to see.

In the original game, this was one of the most infamous scenes, contributing heavily to its 15+ rating. 

I couldn’t help but think how lucky it was that the game’s graphics weren’t more realistic. Otherwise, things might have crossed the line.

---

Carolyn’s unintended spectacle served one purpose: diverting everyone’s attention away from us. Taking advantage of the moment, we quickly found a quiet corner of the beach and settled down.

“Phew.”

Alice let out a sigh of relief.

“At least no one’s crowding around us…” she muttered.

“Well, this area is part of the Lindborough estate,” Jake replied with a shrug.

---

“Alright!”

Claire exclaimed, brimming with excitement. 

“Since we’re here, let’s enjoy the ocean! It’s my first time at the beach!”

Ah, that’s right. For nobles, getting to freely visit a beach wasn’t easy. Even without school, their schedules were packed with lessons.

“What about you, sis? Let’s go play in the water!” Claire tugged on my arm.

I almost stood up before a thought struck me: I can’t swim.

Wait—can Claire swim? Leo could in the original game, so it’s likely she can too.

“Hold on.”

Claire stopped, confused by my sudden tone.

“Shouldn’t we bring drinks first? It’s better to stay hydrated.”

Nice save. Besides, Alice can’t swim either. If I can stall, she’ll have to go in first. That’ll buy me some time.

“Oh, good point!” Claire agreed cheerfully.

---

“Then I’ll come with you,” Alice chimed in, standing up immediately.

Did she see through my plan? Or was she just as desperate to delay getting in the water? Either way, it looked like making Alice go first wouldn’t be so easy after all.

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Chapter 177

My attempts to delay entering the water worked well enough.

After all, visiting the beach isn’t just about playing in the water. We ate snacks, ran around, and soaked up the sun for a while before finally cooling off in the waves. 

I don’t remember who entered the water first. By the time I realized it, I was already in the sea myself. 

How long had it been since I last visited the ocean? Not just a few years—probably in a previous life. During my time in the palace, the thought of visiting such a place never even occurred to me.

Despite always teasing Alice for being overly tense, it seemed I had been just as nervous. I wasn’t even sure if I managed to maintain my usual neutral expression during the fun. Claire and Alice, on the other hand, looked like they were having the time of their lives.

We didn’t venture too far into the water, sparing us the need to actually swim. Perhaps Claire had been considerate of that.

---

“Mia Crowfield.”

Of course, some people firmly refused to go into the water, sitting on the sidelines with a resolute expression—or so I thought.

“Mmgh?!”

Mia Crowfield wasn’t as composed as she appeared. With her cheeks puffed out, full of fruit, she looked like she might choke when I addressed her. I felt a little guilty for startling her.

“May I sit here?” 

The beach’s sand was surprisingly fine, almost as if someone had gathered only the softest grains. There were no sharp rocks or debris in sight. Near Mia, several pairs of slippers lay scattered, discarded by others when they’d decided to go barefoot into the water.

“A-ah, yes, of course,” she replied after hurriedly swallowing her fruit.

I pushed my damp hair behind my ears and sat down beside her, making sure to lay out a mat. There was also a parasol providing shade, though the fine sand had started creeping onto the mat, carried by the breeze. 

Mia held a plate, likely to keep the fruit safe from the sand. Though I hadn’t intended to notice, her legs were also covered in a thin layer of sand.

“Do you not plan to go into the water?” 

It seemed like a waste, considering she was already dressed in a swimsuit. 

Water from my hair trickled onto the mat, forming a small puddle. A few grains of sand floated momentarily before settling at the bottom.

“Well…” Mia hesitated. “I’ve never been in the water before. It’s a bit… intimidating.”

Fair enough. Plenty of people come to the ocean but never set foot in the waves, content to simply stare at the water.

“I see,” I replied simply.

---

Silence fell between us. 

Why did I sit here, of all places?

I inwardly cursed my decision. The mat was large—there were plenty of spots to sit. Why did I choose to sit right next to Mia Crowfield? True, this spot offered the best shade, but sitting too far away would have been equally awkward.

In hindsight, I’d only spoken to her during the banquet because the atmosphere made it easy. Here, I didn’t have much of a reason.

Was she thinking I was trying too hard to act friendly?

---

“Um…”

Fortunately, Mia didn’t seem entirely against the idea of conversation.

“Why do you go out of your way to… look after me?” she asked quietly.

Look after—? 

I wasn’t sure if that was accurate. But… maybe it was? I kept finding myself gravitating toward her.

Mia didn’t seem to have anyone else to talk to. Despite her pretty face, her family’s poor reputation and various rumors made others keep their distance. 

Her estate, Crowfield, bordered the Belbur territory, and its proximity to the neighboring country brought its own complications. Though the Crowfield family wasn’t of Belbur descent, there were enough ties to stir mistrust. Likely, the only person who could casually invite Mia to events was the student council president, with their duke-level authority.

Adding to the difficulty was Mia’s own demeanor. Her habit of hiding behind her bangs and lowering her head didn’t help her case. At the start of the semester, she had openly antagonized me.

With a mother like hers, it wasn’t surprising her personality wasn’t the brightest. After all, she had been raised with revenge drilled into her as a core value.

---

“Is this because of what happened before?” Mia asked, her voice subdued.

Her father’s misdeeds weren’t something she liked to discuss. The man hadn’t just been a flawed individual—he had done unspeakable things, actions no human should commit.

“…”

I didn’t respond immediately. I didn’t regret killing the count. If I hadn’t, many more children would have suffered. Worse, I could have ended up as one of his victims. 

But that didn’t change the fact that Mia was pitiful. If I hadn’t seen her in the original story and understood her struggles, I might have dismissed her as an enemy based on our first meeting alone. 

I remembered, though—her efforts to acknowledge her father’s crimes and her determination to change the situation. That’s why I couldn’t leave her alone.

---

“Sometimes, I wonder what my life would’ve been like if my father were still alive,” Mia began, her voice soft. “Would my mother have been less sharp? Would I have grown up receiving a father’s love, like other children?”

“…”

“But at the same time… if he hadn’t died, those children would have kept dying too.”

“Do you wish there had been another way?” I asked.

“I… I’m not sure,” Mia admitted, staring into the distance with unfocused eyes.

“I spent the entire break locked in my room, thinking about it. Maybe I could’ve had a normal life with loving parents… but then I realized that life probably wouldn’t have lasted.”

Her voice turned hollow.

“My father… he used drugs, and those children… How did my mother see him? Did she view him as just a tool? Or did she truly love him? Could anyone truly love a man like that? Maybe her love became blind devotion after he died, because that gave her a single purpose—revenge.”

“You’ve felt that atmosphere?” I asked.

“Yes. Every time I spoke with her, she’d talk about revenge. I used to think it was normal, but… why wouldn’t she talk about anything else? Why did she avoid ever speaking about my father?”

Mia’s grip on her tray slackened. I quickly caught it before it could fall. She murmured a quiet “thank you” and continued.

“So, I tried. I brought him up during a conversation with her.”

She paused, her voice trembling.

“She screamed, covering her ears.”

“…”

“That’s when I realized—my life hasn’t been okay. Not even close.”

---

What could I say to that? Her honesty was appreciated, but I hadn’t expected such a heavy conversation. 

“Do you resent me for killing your father?” I asked after a moment.

Mia didn’t answer right away. Instead, she posed her own question.

“Did you ever consider sparing him?”

“…No,” I admitted. If he’d been even remotely redeemable, I would’ve refused the mission and fled. But every piece of evidence painted him as irredeemable.

“This discussion is going in circles,” I concluded.

“It is,” Mia agreed. “But at least… we understand each other now.”

“Yeah.”

“And… I’ve found something new to do. Something other than revenge.”

“I hope it goes well for you.”

“It has to.”

I handed the tray of fruit back to Mia. Only then did she seem to realize what she’d shared, her face turning red.

For some reason, it felt like calling her by her first name from now on would be just right.

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Chapter 178

Sitting idly by Mia’s side had its limits. Before long, Claire noticed my absence in the water and dragged me back into the surf.

The sea in this world, much like the one in my previous life, was salty and slightly bitter. Claire’s exclamation of, *“Wow, it’s really salty!”* upon entering the water had a comedic undertone that lingered in the air. Even Alice, who had likely never visited the ocean before, timidly dipped her finger into the water for a taste. I made a mental note that, for the sake of preserving royal dignity, she would never utter those words aloud to anyone else.

Mia, who had stubbornly refused to join in, was eventually coaxed into the water as well. I did catch a glimpse of her forlornly setting down her tray of fruit, only for the sand to begin encroaching on it—a symbolic surrender. As is often the case, even the most steadfast claims of not entering the water eventually gave way, and soon enough, Mia was splashing and playing like the rest of us.

Leo, on the other hand, seemed increasingly aware of the attention drawn to him. He tried, unsuccessfully, to slip away from the group.

In a world where appearances often mirrored idealized game designs, everyone was naturally attractive. Yet, within this group were the "heroines," a collection of high-ranking and impossibly beautiful women. If the character Sylvia Fangryphon had existed in the original game, she would undoubtedly have been one of them as well.

Royalty, noble daughters, and heiresses—each woman here was almost untouchable, not just for their beauty but also for their social standing. Leo, a mere baron’s son, being among them invited envious and judgmental stares. He was, after all, the only male among a group of women clad in swimsuits.

The only one.

Jake, notably absent, was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Roti.

While it was easy to imagine Jake enjoying himself in the water, Roti was another story. In my mind, I could only picture her standing stiffly behind Jake, still wearing her maid’s headband, even in a black swimsuit.

---

My musings were cut short when I spotted them. Roti’s hair, unmistakable, disappeared behind a distant rock formation.

For any other pair, the imagination might conjure inappropriate scenarios. But this was Jake and Roti. Nothing of that sort would happen. They were two people, both deeply fond of each other, who somehow still kept a reserved distance.

I glanced back at the lively group before quietly slipping away.

What were those two talking about? Hopefully nothing too serious.

---

“...But ultimately, even that position is one granted by the logic of those who rule,” Roti’s voice drifted from behind the rocks.

“Accepting credit for something you haven’t earned is no different from the other noble heirs, is it?” she continued.

“That’s why you accept it first, use it to rise, and then build on your own accomplishments,” Jake replied, his tone measured.

Roti fell silent for a moment.

“This swimsuit… do you know how much it costs?” she eventually asked.

“Not really.”

“Honestly, neither do I. I simply picked it because I was told to. But I imagine it involves a significant amount of natural rubber and fabric, pressed and layered together. It’s not something meant for someone like me to wear—or even touch. Even this ‘break’ was arranged by you, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, I made it happen,” Jake admitted.

“And that’s precisely the point. All of this is possible because of you, young master. I…”

Roti trailed off, seemingly unable to finish her thought.

---

“You two seem busy,” I interjected, stepping out from behind the rocks.

“Ah!” Roti flinched, startled by my sudden appearance.

“Apologies,” I said smoothly. “I couldn’t help but overhear.”

I turned to face Roti directly. 

“Do you see the title I wish to bestow upon you as nothing more than charity?”

She averted her eyes, unable to respond.

“Let me ask you this. Do you believe that every gift, every opportunity Jake has given you—your position, your training, and yes, even this break—is undeserved?”

Roti remained silent.

I sighed, suppressing my frustration.

“Everything you’ve received has been because of who you are,” I told her firmly. “Had you been someone else—someone with a lesser character, someone who only wallowed in bitterness—you wouldn’t have been given these chances. You want something, don’t you?”

“...”

“When you achieve it, will you still dismiss it as a product of someone else’s kindness?” 

---

The issues of social disparity, colonial exploitation, and the dehumanization inherent in systems like plantation labor weren’t something that could be resolved overnight. The noble class wouldn’t disappear in ten or even twenty years. These structures would remain, enabling exploitation simply by existing.

But in this imperfect system, would she remain a maid bound to a single household? Would she resign herself to unrequited feelings, watching Jake marry someone else?

Granted, Jake likely wouldn’t marry anyone else—but that wasn’t the point.

---

“Don’t overthink it,” I said, taking a step closer. “If an opportunity comes your way, seize it. A knight’s title offers far more freedom than servitude ever will.”

Roti’s lips parted slightly, surprise evident in her expression. Her eyes darted toward Jake, and I could almost hear her thoughts: *How does she know?*

How could I not? Even without knowledge of the original story, anyone watching these two would suspect as much. Their closeness was both obvious and, to some, alienating. It was one reason why Roti often found herself ostracized.

---

“Don’t settle for being second best or for mere proximity,” I said softly, ensuring only she could hear. “I dislike seeing those around me justify their unhappiness.”

Roti looked up at me, the shadow I cast covering her completely.

...Okay, perhaps I came off as a bit intimidating. That wasn’t the intent.

“Wanting something is enough of a reason,” I said. “You don’t need any other excuse.”

“...”

Still, Roti said nothing.

---

“Apologies for interrupting,” I said, stepping back. “I’ll leave you two to your conversation.”

I bowed slightly and turned to leave.

---

From a vantage point outside their view, another figure leaned casually against the rocks. Alice.

Though her earlier exclamation of “Eek!” had been erased, the complex expression on her face spoke volumes. She clearly had questions.

I raised a finger to my lips, signaling for her silence. Alice nodded, suppressing her curiosity for now.

Two princesses eavesdropping on a duke’s son. It was a scenario ripe for tarnishing royal dignity.

I gestured toward the beach, and Alice obediently followed.

---

“How are they?” Alice asked after we’d walked a good distance away, far enough that our voices wouldn’t carry.

“To be honest, I’m not sure,” I admitted.

I could only hope my words had resonated with Roti. 

Would she interpret them politically, like Duke Lindborough might? Had I overstepped?

In hindsight, maybe I shouldn’t have interfered.

For the first time since returning to this world, I felt a pang of regret.

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Chapter 179

Roti and Jake never fully integrated with us, but neither did they try to force themselves into our group.

Being a noble is a position where one inevitably becomes keenly aware of social cues. What to ask, what not to ask, what to know, and what it’s better not to know… and, of course, what things to bring up that might make the person uncomfortable. This was something that Leo, the baron, Charlotte, the royalty, and even Alice, a princess like me, all knew well.

They must have something to say, right? Given the situation, it seemed everyone thought so.

Of course, I awkwardly inserted myself between the two of them.

“It’s been a long time since we had fun like this. It really felt like returning to my childhood.”

“Childhood?” 

Charlotte, sitting on the mat, asked when she heard me.

“Yes, exactly. The times when I didn’t know anything… When I wasn’t worried about politics or international affairs and just played around.”

…But, you’re only fifteen, aren’t you?

When I was fifteen, I spent my time watching anime and saving my allowance to buy figures.

No, actually, when I think about it, that kind of lifestyle didn’t change as I grew older. I guess I never really graduated from that stage.

“The time when you didn’t know anything…” 

But it’s nonsense to think that the mindset of an ordinary person from my world would be the same as someone who is destined to become a ruler here.

Even Alice, sitting between me and Charlotte, proves that. Alice… well, she never had a time when she didn’t know anything, like Charlotte did.

I couldn’t even imagine the Emperor playing with children.

No, I couldn’t imagine the Emperor sitting leisurely, enjoying a hobby for that matter.

But then again, it makes sense. Even in matters of statecraft, the Emperor is someone who would think of maintaining power and climbing higher as a hobby in itself.

“Alice, didn’t you have a time like that?”

“Me? I…” 

Alice couldn’t quite answer Charlotte’s question.

A sharp personality, one who never had the luxury of playing around, having never even learned how to have fun.

That was Alice’s original character.

When Alice couldn’t answer, Charlotte’s gaze turned to me. Her eyes, slightly lowered as she looked at me, were filled with curiosity.

My relationship with Alice was good. In fact, it would be an understatement to say that we were close. I could easily imagine Alice throwing herself into danger to protect me if needed.

Whether I wanted that or not, that was another story.

“…Sylvia always followed her father’s orders before she grew up. She probably lived a harsher life than I did, and she probably never had the luxury of just relaxing.”

“…”

Charlotte’s mouth opened slightly when she heard this.

“Ah, so…” 

So what?

I wasn’t sure what Charlotte was thinking, but it was clear that whatever she was recalling must have made her feel pity for me.

Did she notice how I finish every parfait, leaving no whipped cream behind?

The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.

“This winter,” 

After a while, Charlotte finally spoke up.

“This winter, I’ll make sure to invite you to Belvur. Forget all the worries that fill your head, and let’s just have fun, alright?”

“…Should we?”

Alice’s expression softened a little at Charlotte’s words.

…but, I knew that this invitation was ultimately one that would never happen.

In the original story, war broke out that very winter.

* * *

Before the sun fully set, we quickly changed clothes. Though the sun was blazing hot during the day, the temperature dropped significantly in the evening, making it easy to catch a cold if we stayed in our swimsuits after the sun went down.

Even if the original characters were meticulously designed with all kinds of hidden details, there are parts that can’t be shown.

You can set things like favorite and least favorite foods. You can set character measurements or even underwear sizes.

But you can’t make every little habit of a character, because, in the end, those things aren’t something you would necessarily reveal.

After all, given that the studio is known for its reused modeling and motions, it would be hard to add such subtle motions for each character, and if you were to add them, they would be more likely to become pivotal story clues rather than mere “quirks.”

That was something I noticed most after coming to this world.

Watching someone blow on hot meat to cool it, or the way they hold a fork and knife, the movement of their hands while talking, or their gait.

Those small differences, which felt different from the original, made every character here feel alive.

No, they are alive.

They breathe, they laugh when they’re happy, they cry when they’re sad, and they shout when they’re angry. They don’t just recite preset lines; they speak their minds or show their feelings through actions depending on the situation.

That’s why I want to preserve all of this.

But at the same time, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was capable of doing it right.

“Sylvia.”

I turned my head when Alice called my name, and the sausage I was eating accidentally fell into my mouth.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

If she wanted an answer, maybe it would have been better if I didn’t shove a sausage into my mouth.

I chewed and swallowed the juicy, smoked sausage before answering.

“I was thinking about the things to come.”

“…”

Alice stared at me silently for a moment.

“Do you know what’s going to happen?”

I didn’t answer right away.

When I didn’t respond, Alice sat next to me and asked.

“Is what’s going to happen that terrible?”

Well...

I used to think I knew, but now, I’m not sure.

In the original, battles were just about swords and bullets and people falling over. But here, it’s different.

Bombs tear people apart, swords slice through flesh, and intestines spill out...

Of course, in the original, these were just things that were skipped over for various reasons.

But I’ve seen the battlefield. I’ve seen people fall from the shots I took, and I’ve seen people torn apart by grenades I threw.

If one of my friends were to die like that, would I be able to bear it?

“I’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“…”

When I said this, Alice continued to stare at me quietly.

She kept gazing at me with her blue eyes, before speaking.

“Don’t try to shoulder everything alone.”

Alice said softly.

“You have so many people around you.”

That’s true. There are many.

So many, in fact, that I don’t know how to protect all of them.

“…I understand.”

But I couldn’t say that to Alice, so I simply responded like this.

Alice’s gaze lingered on me for a while after that.

* * *

Things went smoothly after that.

We completed a few more requests to meet our quotas.

Even though all the first-year students were gathered, the atmosphere was still relatively relaxed. Most of the requests were for hunting wild animals, so there was no need to rush into them. Jake wasn’t thrilled about hunting, which is probably why we didn’t take on wild animal hunting ourselves.

More importantly, there was nothing particularly hidden about this. There were a few covert quests, but most of them were just to secure Marmaros, and there was only one quest that had a significant impact on the main story.

“Still, I’m glad we got to relax before leaving. Sometimes… spending a vacation like this isn’t so bad.”

“You made a good decision.”

I answered.

“If you don’t take breaks and only work, people will break down.”

“…Are you the one to say that?”

I was the one relaxing, after all.

Of course, when I reverse time, my physical fatigue returns, but I feel comforted by the fact that I can sleep more.

“Since today is the last day, we can just relax and leave tomorrow.”

“I was already planning on doing that, you know.”

Alice responded with a small retort.

Well, I still had one more thing to do.

* * *

One difference between this world and the game is that I need permission to enter certain places.

In the game, I could just walk into any house and talk to the people inside. It was “game allowance,” but strangely enough, quests sometimes proceeded like that.

That means, in this world, to enter the Duke’s mansion again, I would need an invitation from the Duke. Even though I’m a princess, it’s impolite to invade someone’s personal space without an invitation.

But fortunately, I had the ability to sneak into that mansion.

“….”

Alright.

I’ve gotten better at this, sneaking in after getting caught five times by the guards.

Now, let’s go do the important covert quest.

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Chapter 180

The method for completing a covert quest is simple.

You enter the room, approach the NPC who holds the quest, and start a conversation. Then, the dialogue proceeds, and once the conversation ends, the quest is automatically added to your quest log.

The tricky part is that no notification pops up when you receive the quest, so sometimes you won’t even realize you’ve accepted it, and if you continue with the story without noticing, the quest will end up failing.

In reality, there’s no system window like that, so I had to rely on my memory to keep track of everything.

The interior of the Duke’s mansion was less guarded than the outside. Despite its vast size, it was still a personal residence. It would be strange to let anyone wander freely inside.

That was a relief. The thick, luxurious carpets in the hallway were a blessing.

You couldn’t hear footsteps at all.

The problem was running into a maid or servant while wandering around, but that was something I could deal with later. It was late at night, so there wouldn’t be many people wandering around.

So, I just had to meet Roti’s mother, who was giving the covert quest, and have a chat—simple enough.

“Sylvia.”

Did I not scream because I’ve grown? When Alice called me on the beach, I screamed once. So, I guess it could be said that I’ve grown quite a bit in just a few days.

“...Your Highness?”

“Just Alice—ah, never mind.”

I almost screamed when I saw Alice following me behind.

In the original, Alice was a physical attacker wielding a massive sword. Had she secretly changed classes to a thief?

“After the conversation yesterday, don’t you think it’s strange that you thought I wouldn’t notice your movements, even though we share a room?”

“…Then why did you only speak to me after you came inside?”

“…”

Alice avoided my gaze and fell silent.

Yeah, it must have been out of curiosity. Alice and I had known each other for years—not just known, but lived together in the same place... It was a bit awkward, but we’d been like sisters, in our own way.

“You’ve really gotten good at sneaking up on me.”

“Oh, really?”

Her voice was a quiet whisper, but she had a pouty expression when she said that.

“You always go off without telling me, so I had no choice but to get better at this.”

Wait, hold on.

Does that mean Alice saw me get caught by the guards five times?

...

How embarrassing. Alice probably won’t remember it, but I sure will.

I tried my best not to show how flustered I was.

“So, what brings you here?”

It was an interesting experience to crouch in the corner of the hallway and talk to each other, but I didn’t have time to enjoy the novelty of it.

After all, it wouldn’t be right to deliberately wake someone up just to talk to them.

“...I’m here to meet someone.”

“You’re sneaking around to meet someone? If you told the Duke, he’d gladly invite you.”

That’s true.

But, at the same time, there would be surveillance. If it were Alice, she could get away with it, but I’m someone other nobles would watch closely.

Who knows, someone might even think I’m planting a bomb in the mansion.

“Who is it?”

Hmm.

I paused for a moment, then stopped myself from overthinking.

There was no point in scheming here. There was no way to get Alice to leave me alone.

Actually, to separate her, I might have to rewind an entire day. Based on the situation, Alice probably started following me from the hotel.

“It’s Roti’s mother.”

So, I said it.

Alice blinked in surprise for a moment, then closed her mouth again.

“At this time?”

“At this time.”

When I answered, Alice gave me that complicated look she’s been giving me lately and sighed deeply.

“Alright, then. If you say so, I’ll go with you. Just so you know, don’t even think about trying to separate me.”

“I knew you’d follow me here, so I didn’t think you’d try to leave.”

When I said that, Alice shot me a brief, irritated glance.

* * *

One of the causes of the civil rights movement in the United States started when a woman sat in the white section of a bus.

Of course, there’s no such incident in this world. For something like that to happen, it would probably take decades—far beyond the main story of the game. It would be more of a “future” story, something from a far-off time.

But, at the same time, there were similarities.

Colonial natives weren’t allowed to ride the buses. Specifically, they had separate vehicles for them.

Colonial natives were usually transported in the back of trucks. It might sound charming to ride in the back of a truck on a cool day along scenic country roads, but if you had to endure the scorching sun, the story would be different.

“They are different from us.”

The Empire was eager to make sure everyone knew that.

And naturally, the same went for the maid’s room. The rooms for white maids and servants and the ones for colonial natives were usually separate. Ironically, in this mansion, the only maid of colonial native descent was Roti’s mother, so she ended up alone in a room.

But that didn’t mean she was treated better than other colonial natives.

Naturally, the maids who shared rooms would envy and resent her. They’d never volunteer to share a room, yet they thought Roti’s mother was receiving special treatment just because she “gave birth to the child of Lindbergh.”

…

It’s odd that I don’t hear any sobbing from the thin walls.

Alice’s expression hardened as soon as she stood in front of the door.

Before coming here, Alice had somewhat imperialistic views, but it seemed like those had shifted a bit after the incident at the banquet.

When I quietly opened the door and stepped inside, I saw Roti’s mother, her face buried in her palms, sobbing.

Only Roti’s mother was in the room.

When the door creaked open, Roti’s mother flinched, looked up, and when her eyes met mine, she jumped to her feet.

“W-w-Your Highness!?”

Her almost-screaming voice made me quickly extend my finger to my lips, signaling her to be quiet. Perhaps thinking I was giving an imperial order, Roti’s mother immediately clamped her mouth shut.

“I just need a moment to talk. Would that be alright?”

Roti’s mother looked between Alice and me with trembling eyes, then nodded.

I closed the door behind me.

Hmm.

Now that the door was closed, I was at a loss for what to say.

In the original, there wasn’t a description of sneaking in, and the conversation had been led by Leo.

Leo had discovered Roti’s mother crying and sat down to listen to her in silence.

Could I do the same?

“First, would you mind sitting down?”

When I said that, Roti’s mother sat down, still looking frightened.

Hmm, I guess sitting next to her would be hard in this situation.

I moved towards an old table in the middle of the room, pulled out a chair, and sat, keeping some distance from Roti’s mother.

Alright.

Let’s start the conversation... and if she’s too scared to talk, I could always rewind time.

* * *

“Just as I thought…”

There had been several attempts.

When I acted stiffly as usual, Roti’s mother’s face turned pale, and she couldn’t speak properly. Well, that was to be expected. Who could talk poorly about the Duke’s family in front of a princess?

And not just any princess, but one who was likely to be the next Empress.

I tried to smile, but I could see Roti’s mother’s face turn even whiter.

I decided to rewind time and ask Alice for help.

In the original, things were different, but now Alice used a soft tone that wouldn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable.

We had just finished hearing about the day Roti was born.

At first, Roti’s mother had vehemently refused to speak, but after Alice sat next to her and gently spoke a few times, Roti’s mother eventually gave in and continued her story, looking as though she had let go of all her pent-up emotions.

It must have been painful for her. It was something she couldn’t say to anyone else.

She didn’t have any coworkers to talk to. And even if she did, talking to another colonial native would only earn her the label of a traitor.

The reason she eventually opened up in front of us was likely because she wanted to share the things she could never say to anyone else.

“…”

Alice’s jaw twitched as she watched, clearly angry after hearing the story.

“Please, don’t tell the master. If you do, I’ll—”

“I understand. You don’t have to worry.”

After Roti’s mother had finished speaking, Alice comforted her with a calming expression, but I clearly saw the flames of anger in her eyes.

Maybe, coming here with Alice was a good thing after all.

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Chapter 181

In the original, the issue with Roti’s mother was resolved by granting her the status of a free person.

You might ask, “How can there be such a thing as a free person in a world without slaves?” But as I’ve mentioned before, slavery may not be officially recognized by law, but with a little manipulation of the system, it’s not impossible to create something resembling slavery.

It’s an era where a few percent of the population controls almost all of the world’s wealth. No matter how expensive human life is, there’s no reason it couldn’t be bought. Moreover, in this world, human life isn’t really as valuable as one might think.

One of the most common ways the Empire treats colonial natives like slaves is through **debt**.

It works like this: a person takes out a loan they can’t possibly repay, and then they’re forced to keep working to pay it back. And if they can’t repay the loan, they’re made to work even harder, supposedly as a way to pay off the debt. If they refuse to work and just lie down, the financial authorities are alerted.

It might seem better to just go to prison, but even in prison, labor continues. Outside the prison, it’s labor to pay off the debt, and inside the prison, it’s labor to pay off their crimes.

And in this era, corporal punishment still exists. Of course, it doesn’t apply to Empire citizens. The law was supposedly implemented out of respect for the original practices of the colonial natives who used corporal punishment.

“Is there no way to live without getting into debt?”

After hearing my explanation, Alice asked with a look of disgust.

Though the night was chilly, it wasn’t cold enough to be called winter. At least as long as we kept our coats tightly fastened, the cold was bearable. We could sit at a café late into the night, far away from the Duke’s mansion.

Lindbergh was a bright city even at night. In some ways, it was more developed than the surrounding areas. The city center didn’t get dark even at night, and there were plenty of places like cafés and bars that didn’t close even at midnight.

Though, it wasn’t always easy to distinguish between the two. Some places sold coffee in the morning and alcohol at night. We didn’t sit at a table outside sipping non-alcoholic cocktails just because. The inside of the café wasn’t quiet enough for a proper conversation.

“Debts in the colonies aren’t limited to just money borrowed by individuals.”

Of course, there were individual debts. Many of the original landowners were forcibly displaced, turning the natives into something close to serfs, and no matter how hard they worked, they couldn’t get enough rations to survive. They had no choice but to borrow money from landowners.

They borrowed out of necessity, to avoid starving themselves, or to feed their families.

Some might ask, “Isn’t it just a matter of them starving to death if they don’t get the food?” This kind of question usually comes from people who have never experienced true hunger, those who think the hunger they feel right before lunch is the same as what someone else might feel in a different situation.

Well, okay, let’s leave it at that.

But then, how would they respond to the discussion about infrastructure?

It’s obvious, but infrastructure can’t be built for free. Digging for steam engines, pouring mana stones for electrical lines, constructing modern buildings, laying roads, building airports, and seaport facilities.

All of this is being done for the Empire, for the Empire, but the ones who are billed for it are the colonial natives who will have to “enjoy modern life.” After their old homes were destroyed, the price of their homes was severely undervalued, and they were charged for the modernization.

Even when roads were built over land where houses used to be, the same thing happened.

“…”

After listening to my explanation, Alice was silent for a while.

“You told me that the purpose of all this was to modernize the world and abolish the class system.”

“The class system was never truly abolished, even in the Empire.”

“But… wasn’t it different? I’ve heard that the original class system here was different from the one in the Empire.”

Indeed, a class system based on the Indian caste system was part of the setting.

At the top were the priests, and at the bottom were the untouchables—people who would be considered tainted by simply making contact with them.

“That’s right. So, after Lindbergh took over this land, the first thing they abolished was surnames. If you didn’t know the family name, you couldn’t tell what class someone was from. But that doesn’t mean class could be ‘completely’ hidden.”

“How can you deduce someone’s class?”

“Usually, if a colonial native is in a high position, they’re likely someone who belonged to a lower class before. The untouchables were employed to suppress those who had been higher up. It must have felt like the world had been turned upside down, and they gladly took on the role.”

At first glance, it seemed like the class system had been abolished, but in reality, it was the Empire’s way of manipulating society to suit its own desires.

And by doing so, they could present their actions as something “noble.”

“If the Empire really cared about the natives, none of the modernized facilities would have been built to face the Empire. Everything has been built for the Empire, to facilitate the export of all crops and raw materials from this land to the Empire.”

“…”

Alice raised her hand and wiped her face.

“Why didn’t I know this?”

“You couldn’t have known. After all, very few people would have cared enough to pay attention.”

After I spoke, Alice fell silent and thought for a while, before her eyes suddenly lit up.

But the look in her eyes wasn’t one of joy.

If anything, it was a look of determination.

“I can’t save everyone in this land.”

“True.”

At least, not with our current strength.

Even if the Empire comes to its senses and withdraws from the southern continent in a few decades, the society that’s been thrown into chaos won’t easily return to its original state. Furthermore, the twisted class system has created a justification for the untouchables to truly become untouchables.

“It might just be a petty act of self-satisfaction, but still... I want to help that person.”

“Then you can help them.”

I answered simply.

“And that might serve as a warning. After all, you’re the one doing the helping, Your Highness.”

“…”

At my words, Alice kept her mouth shut.

* * *

How much money does the Imperial family really have?

This was a question that even the distant collateral relatives, far removed from the line of succession, were curious about. 

And honestly, I was curious, too.

Even though I had wandered freely through the Imperial Palace, seeing all the hidden treasures, I still couldn’t quite grasp just how much wealth the Imperial family held.

Of course, the wealth wasn’t enough to buy an entire country, but—no, wait. Thinking back to how the United States bought Alaska, I’m sure that with the money from the Imperial family alone, they could easily buy a small principality.

There were six secret vaults inside the Imperial Palace. Even though they weren’t mentioned in the game, these vaults held gold and priceless art, carefully organized and securely kept.

This was why the Imperial family didn’t give allowances to princesses.

Rather than setting aside a budget for allowances, they could just borrow money directly from the bank and repay it with interest later. Money was abundant, and even if it ran out, the family could live comfortably for three generations.

And with the wealth of the Imperial family, that’s why the bank manager was summoned and came running, out of breath, long after business hours.

“Yes, so…”

The bank manager scratched his head as he spoke.

“Honestly, it’s a bit tricky to convert that into money.”

Though he seemed to be racking his brain to try to lend Alice as much money as possible, his words were sincere.

“Because the natives’ surnames were completely erased, it’s difficult to tell who’s who. …It’s a bit awkward to say, but for Lindbergh, it doesn’t really matter. The debts of the natives are theoretically infinite.”

They’d find any reason to turn them into debt slaves.

But Alice, sitting with her legs crossed, spoke confidently.

“If that’s the case, how much are you willing to spend to free a single native maid?”

The bank manager’s face brightened immediately upon hearing Alice’s words.

He was likely going to ask for an exorbitant amount.

Well, it was only possible for us, after all.

They say that borrowing money is a skill in itself.

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Chapter 182

News that the princess had visited twice brought one more person rushing out.

Naturally, it wasn’t the Duke of Lindbergh. A man of his stature would require a prior appointment before meeting with anyone, even if they were a princess.

Protocol would have the princess be of higher rank, but politically speaking, the title of Duke is not something easily dismissed.

But this was only true when referring to the Duke himself.

Even though a royal family member like the emperor has immense power, the same cannot be said for those who are far removed from the direct line of succession. Most of them live leisurely, enjoying their family’s wealth, and when they meet a person with a distant lineage, it’s laughable to even bring up the royal family’s name.

If this is the case for the royal family, what about the Duke’s family?

The Duke already has a legitimate heir, and unless something truly monumental happens, such as the heir being disabled or dying, it is nearly impossible for anyone else in the Duke’s family to take the heir’s place. I mean, it’s not just “unlikely”; it’s absolutely impossible. The royal family would never acknowledge it.

So, the Duke of Lindbergh, George Lindbergh, unlike his cousin, is in a position where he has no choice but to come out to greet us whenever we arrive, regardless of how or when.

“It is an honor to have you visit.”

Normally, when royalty or nobility visits late at night, it’s not considered a pleasant thing. When members of the royal family or nobility come at night, it usually means there is something urgent to address.

However, for someone who senses themselves slowly drifting away from the political scene, especially someone concerned that their children might no longer fit into it, the situation is different.

“This is a humble place, but I hope you can feel at ease and stay as long as you need.”

Compared to the Duke’s mansion, it was a smaller residence, but honestly, it wasn’t what I would call humble.

Well, it was probably just a polite remark.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Alice’s tone was formal, though she didn’t exactly convey genuine gratitude for the welcome.

However, the person before us didn’t seem to notice that we weren’t particularly impressed with the reception.

We were escorted into the splendidly decorated parlor.

Unlike the maids at the Duke’s mansion, these maids weren’t white. Most were of colonial native descent, with some occasionally appearing to be mixed race.

Alice’s gaze briefly lingered on the maids. She seemed to wonder if they might be in a similar situation to Roti, but I doubted it.

In the original, this was a rather striking detail, and it’s likely the same here. This man likely didn’t meddle with anyone else besides Roti’s mother.

“Would you mind leaving us for a moment?”

As soon as we sat around the round table, Alice spoke.

George Lindbergh immediately gestured to the servants in the room.

Once the servants left, Alice took out a white piece of paper from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

It was a check.

A check guaranteed by a local bank.

“This is…”

The amount written on the check was enough to make even someone from the Lindbergh family falter for a moment.

Originally, this would have been a quest that Leo would have handled—interrogating, digging for weaknesses, and possibly making a scandal. But now it had come to this, where a princess could handle it with money instead.

“Through this, I would like to pay off someone’s debt. Is that possible?”

“Debt?” 

Naturally, after hearing the story, George Lindbergh had no idea why we were here.

“Roti’s mother, Lydia’s debt.”

When he heard this, George Lindbergh’s face first went blank, then pale.

“Where did you hear this from?”

“To be precise, I’ve known since the very beginning.”

I answered in Alice’s place, and George Lindbergh’s face turned from pale to almost blue.

In truth, it was common for a white person to have relations with a native and have children. Of course, this was usually limited to white men and native women. In a world without women’s suffrage, children would follow the mother’s lineage, but the wife followed the husband’s. That doesn’t mean the native women became nobility… it’s just one of those common stories.

So, technically, this could be considered a scandalous story, but it wasn’t necessarily a huge stain on anyone’s character. From the noble’s point of view, it was just a matter of indulging in some entertainment.

However, there was one person in the Lindbergh family who hated this kind of story more than anyone.

He was even the type of person who employed only Empire citizens in his household, rejecting anyone of mixed blood, and viewing the mixing of blood as something disgusting. He had a somewhat positive view of colonial natives but believed that they should never mix with the Empire’s blood.

—To be precise, this was the outward “persona” that George Lindbergh, the Duke, put on.

George Lindbergh jumped to his feet and began pacing the room.

Of course, it wasn’t that the Duke didn’t know about Roti’s existence or her true nature. If he didn’t know, there would have been no reason for him to keep Roti’s mother in his mansion.

The reason he kept her there was precisely because he feared that if he let her stay any longer, she might give birth to another mixed-race illegitimate child.

“…That’s not possible.”

George Lindbergh, pacing, said.

“Why not?”

“...Now that you know everything, there’s no point in hiding it anymore.”

With a solemn look on his face, as though he were a nobleman in an impossible love story, George Lindbergh said:

“I love Lydia.”

It was an impossible love.

But it wasn’t because of class.

“Ex—”

Even I, who had already met with Lydia and heard her story, was shocked by this man’s nonsense.

“Love, you say?”

“Yes. How could I mix with someone I don’t love?”

“…Then, what about the time at the banquet when you were angrily yelling at Lydia?”

“That couldn’t be helped. Our love was forbidden by the Duke of Lindbergh. We had to have some pretense to even speak to each other.”

Alice looked at me, mouth agape.

I silently dropped another sugar cube into my tea.

Noticing that I wasn’t planning to speak, Alice wiped her face with her hand. George Lindbergh, however, was too lost in his delusions to notice her expression.

“I can tell. Every time I see her, I see the sorrow in her eyes. The longing in her movements! One day, when we overcome all these walls, we’ll be together under the name Lindbergh. And that day, Roti will be called Roti Lindbergh!”

“So, is that why you gave her the name Roti? The name ‘Freeborn’?”

I couldn’t hold back anymore and finally asked.

“…If it weren’t for the Duke of Lindbergh, yes, that child could have been freeborn… if it weren’t for that Duke…”

George Lindbergh answered, his eyes burning with passion.

“Do you know Lydia’s real name?”

Alice then asked.

“…”

A brief silence.

“No matter how you call someone you love, it doesn’t change the love, does it?”

This was a terrible excuse.

“Then, let’s make one thing clear.”

Alice spoke, her face twisted in frustration.

At this point, it was easy to see that George Lindbergh was a madman, but I guess Alice, as a princess, felt the need to hear his story before passing judgment.

“You and Lydia… no.”

Alice closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and stood up. After taking a few large breaths, she spoke.

“On the day Roti was conceived, did Lydia really sleep with you? What did Lydia say that day?”

“Of course, our relationship was blocked by class barriers, so Lydia rejected me at first. But in the end—”

“What the hell are you saying, you insane man!”

Unable to take it any longer, Alice threw her chair at George Lindbergh.

“Ex.”

I never expected Alice to act like that, and I let out a sound of shock.

But as I stood up to stop her, Alice had already jumped up and kicked George Lindbergh.

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Chapter 183

At first, I thought I should stop her.

I actually started to rise a little from my seat and for a brief moment, I even considered shouting "Again!" in my mind, but—

Well, would Alice have stayed seated and calmly listened to the conversation if I rewound time and stopped her from throwing the chair?

Even knowing the situation, and even as a man who's lived quite a long time—if I, with my own experiences, felt disgusted by the story, could I really expect a teenage girl with illusions about love to not be outraged after hearing it?

If I stopped her from throwing the chair, she’d probably end up throwing herself at him.

In the original, Leo, the son of a baron, couldn’t do much to George Lindbergh, who was closely related to the Duke, even though Leo was very familiar with how to leverage weaknesses. Instead, he gathered evidence and pressured George subtly, eventually leading to Roti’s mother being freed.

Hmm.

I thought this over as I looked down at George Lindbergh, groaning from the kick Alice had just given him.

At first, I wondered if it was really okay to beat up someone from the Duke's family, but thinking about it again, maybe this could be seen as groundwork for granting Roti a knighthood, right?

“Your Highness.”

I called Alice’s name, but she didn’t seem to hear me.

“Alice.”

When I called her name again as she raised her foot, she finally stopped moving.

“It would be better to stop here.”

Fortunately, the parlor was well soundproofed, and it seemed the servants hadn’t noticed what had happened inside. 

Though, they’d probably figure it out soon enough.

I leaned slightly forward to check George Lindbergh’s condition.

Unfortunately, it looked like the sharp edge of the chair had hit his head, which was now slightly torn and bleeding, and his right eye was swollen. His lips were also cracked, but it seemed like his teeth hadn’t been damaged.

He was clutching his stomach and lying on his side—he’d probably been kicked there too.

“Even so, if someone were to die, it would cause serious trouble. In the future, when the royal family and the Duke’s family exchange words, this might be used to settle a debt,” I said, thinking carefully.

From the way the Duke treated George Lindbergh, it didn’t seem like he was particularly fond of him, but as the head of a family, he wouldn’t just let something like this slide. It wasn’t about the injuries George Lindbergh had suffered; it was about the Duke’s family name being tarnished.

“Lydia... or rather, ‘Asha,’ is a case where you don’t have the authority to make decisions,” I added.

‘Asha’ was Lydia’s real name. When the Empire colonized the southern continent, they erased the native surnames and unified the names in the Empire’s language. That’s how the name ‘Lydia’ came about.

Well, I’m sure George didn’t care much about that.

When I spoke, George Lindbergh briefly raised his head to look at me, his expression as if asking what I meant by that.

“Actually, Asha has always been a free person, hasn’t she? This country, or rather the Empire’s laws, don’t allow slavery in any of its external territories or colonies. All the servants working here are in the same situation. They’re not enslaved; they’re just working off debts because they can’t repay them in money.”

I stared quietly at his wide eyes.

“Actually, the money here didn’t even have to be given to you. We just came to deliver it because we weren’t sure what might happen if we gave it directly to Asha.”

I didn’t know how Asha would manage such a large sum of money, and I wasn’t sure how the other white maids and servants at the mansion would react. 

Human nature, after all, isn’t bound by skin color. If someone has more than they do, there are always people willing to take it by force. Once one person does it, others will inevitably follow.

“I came to you because I knew that Asha’s debt was tied to you, but honestly, we didn’t have to come here. We could have gone straight to the Duke and made a deal,” I continued.

Perhaps the Duke’s cousin, after moving Asha to his mansion for whatever reason, had affected George Lindbergh’s thinking in a profound way.

…Though, if that hadn’t happened, perhaps Roti would have been the only child.

“…”

George Lindbergh didn’t speak.

“Moreover, considering Asha’s legal status as a free person, it would be entirely possible for her to file a lawsuit for the wrongs done to her,” I said.

After all, there are no slaves in this country.

If slavery had existed, there would be no need for complicated excuses to justify discrimination. This was meant to show that the country was far more civilized than the other nations that still had slavery.

The colonial police, made up of Empire citizens and the oppressed natives, didn’t readily resolve incidents when a colonial native was wronged. If something happened between an Empire citizen and a colonial native, the police would always side with the Empire citizen.

But what if the royal family stepped in and directly handled the legal process?

Nobles might protest, calling it internal interference, but—

...

So what?

“If you just take this money and quietly step aside, everything will be fine. Otherwise, the Duke’s family will face a massive scandal. The Duke is already preparing for the upcoming scandals, but if you make one yourself before that, you’d be doing him a favor, wouldn’t you?”

Jake, the Duke’s second son, and Roti, whose bloodline contains colonial native ancestry—just their engagement or marriage would be a huge scandal. But the reason the Duke could allow it was because Roti wasn’t a full-blooded native. It’s because she has the Lindbergh blood in her.

When speaking with me, he showed some leeway, but that was because of who I was. If someone like Leo, a lower-ranking noble, had spoken, it wouldn’t have worked at all.

Still, even so, the mere news of this would cause a slight crack in the Duke’s name. The Duke’s eldest son, who was to inherit the title, marrying someone with a different skin color—how could that not create a stir?

Thus, in order to minimize the damage, the Duke would already be making preparations. Most likely, he would try to frame it as a sign of how close he had become to the royal family by granting his approval for the marriage.

But if this scandal about his cousin raping a native woman and fathering a child came to light before his preparations were complete…

“…”

“If you continue to remain silent, I’ll take that as a yes,” I said, turning to leave.

However, even as I made my way to the door, I heard a voice from behind.

“Even if you try to stop my love…”

I stopped in my tracks at those words.

“If you say anything more, I can’t guarantee what will happen,” I said, turning back.

I approached George Lindbergh, who had barely managed to sit up from the floor.

“I didn’t step in earlier because Alice already moved first. If I had gotten involved and killed you by accident, things would have become far more complicated,” I said, staring at him.

Perhaps noticing something in my expression, George Lindbergh closed his mouth.

“If you, in any way, get any closer to Asha, my ‘friend,’ who happens to be Roti’s mother…” I paused for a moment, locking eyes with him.

Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes were trembling slightly. It was a look I hadn’t seen before, not even when Alice kicked him earlier.

Was he only now realizing that he could actually die? Did he really not understand the consequences of his actions?

“You will die, one way or another. So, you will stay here in the south for the rest of your life. If you ever return to the mainland, I’ll personally come for your throat.”

After a brief pause, I thought for a moment.

“On second thought, that might not be such a bad idea. Please do visit the mainland at least once. When you do, I’ll personally greet you. I’ll even prepare someone for you to share your love with. Just like how you treated Asha, I’ll make sure you experience it properly. I’ll let you feel what it’s like to be beneath someone else, from the bottom up.”

I said that with a slight smile.

I didn’t wait for an answer.

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Chapter 184

"The princess is... a little unpredictable."

"Which princess are you talking about? Alice? Sylvia?"

"…Of course, Her Highness Sylvia Fangryphon. While Her Highness Alice Fangryphon is also different from most nobles, her way of thinking isn’t hard to follow. She’s a good person, someone who sets her principles and acts accordingly."

"High praise. Have you been observing her closely?"

"…"

When Roti shot Jake a sidelong glare, Jake exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders.

"Naturally, it's because of you, Young Master. Since these are people you associate with, I need to understand their nature properly—"

"Oh, so did you analyze Charlotte too?"

"…Young Master, wouldn’t it be better to let someone finish their sentence before interrupting?"

"No, I was just curious."

Jake chuckled softly and turned his gaze out the window.

The airship had already risen high, offering a view of the entire city below. From a distance, it seemed rich and prosperous, but Jake, being from there, knew how much of it had started to rot beneath the surface.

…Being from there.

Now it was called Lindburrow, but it once went by an entirely different name. Could Jake really claim to be “from there”? The locals might grab their necks in shock if they heard him say that.

"You were the one who suggested I talk to Sylvia in the first place."

Hearing Jake's comment, Roti, unusually, rubbed her temples with her fingers as if to calm herself, as though thinking, *Yes, no need to frown over this anymore.*

"I’ve already told you several times that was a joke."

"You don’t usually joke. So that statement back then could only mean one of two things: either you genuinely thought Sylvia was worth talking to, or it just slipped out of your mouth and you called it a joke afterward to cover it up."

"…"

"Which is it? The former? Or the latter? Or maybe you were jealous of me hanging around with other girls?"

"…The latter."

"Huh?"

Caught completely off guard, Jake made a strange noise.

"What do you mean, the latter?"

Jake had teased Roti with the same words several times before, but this was the first time she’d responded like this. Until now, Roti would just keep her mouth shut and not dignify his teasing with a response.

"I meant that none of the women around you at the time were worthy of your company."

This time, it was Jake's turn to react unusually.

To put it simply, his face turned slightly red.

"If I had to leave you to those women, it would be far better for me to stay by your side and support you."

"…What’s wrong with you? Did you eat something bad today?"

Hearing Roti speak so bluntly, Jake looked at her with an almost panicked expression.

His face was now completely flushed. It was fortunate no one else was around; if they were in a crowded lounge full of students, this alone would have caused a campus-wide uproar.

"I was told by Her Highness to ensure you got what you needed, no matter what."

Roti’s tone sounded slightly satisfied as she noticed Jake’s flustered expression.

"You're saying you’re doing this just because it’s an order from Her Highness?"

"…That’s not entirely it."

Roti stared at the shrinking city in the distance before speaking again.

"Let me repeat myself: Her Highness is unpredictable. She seems to operate solely on logic, but sometimes… just sometimes…"

"She acts emotionally?"

"Exactly."

Roti’s answer made Jake hum thoughtfully for a moment.

"Well, if you think of both sides as part of who Sylvia is, doesn’t it make her easier to understand? Everyone’s like that, after all."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah. Look at yourself. You used to be so wary of Sylvia, but now you bring her up like it’s nothing."

"…"

"Or am I wrong? If you were that cautious, you wouldn’t have told me to approach her in the first place—"

"—I believe it’s time to drop that subject, don’t you think?"

At Roti's pointed remark, Jake fell silent.

"I just… I simply don’t understand why she’s helping me this much."

"Ah, that."

Jake smiled faintly at her words.

"That’s just because she’s inherently kind."

"…Is that so?"

"It is. But because of her position and circumstances, she has to maintain that poker face. Think about it. Alice is a princess too, but there’s a vast difference between her role and Sylvia’s, isn’t there? You’ve heard the stories, right?"

There were the “true” royal heirs meant to carry on the bloodline, like Alice, and then there were the “Emperor’s children,” selected to handle the empire’s dirty work. Alice belonged to the former, while Sylvia was part of the latter.

"She’s just a kind, ordinary person at heart. It’s her situation that’s made her seem so different. If it weren’t for that, there’d be no other explanation for her actions, right?"

"…"

Roti found Jake’s reasoning plausible.

But if that were true—

How tragic her circumstances must be.

Noticing Roti’s thoughtful silence, Jake suddenly changed the subject.

"Oh, by the way, isn’t your mother on the airship too? Shouldn’t you be with her?"

"…Well…"

"What? Is there a problem?"

"It’s not that, but… I’ve hardly spent time alone with her before. I’m not sure what to talk about if it’s just the two of us."

"…"

Hearing that, Jake found himself momentarily speechless.

"Just stay by her side. That’s probably enough."

Jake managed to piece together a response after some thought.

"Do you think so?"

"Yeah."

Truthfully, Jake wasn’t entirely sure himself.

But for now, offering encouragement felt like the best option.

"You’ve finally got a chance to be alone with her. Go… spend time with her. Conversations will naturally come up, and before you know it, you’ll be talking without realizing how much time has passed."

"Understood."

After a moment of contemplation, Roti nodded slowly in agreement.

And then, with a faint smile on her lips, she stood up.

"Well then, I’ll be off."

Before Jake could fully grasp what had just happened, Roti bowed slightly and left.

"…Huh?"

Jake let out a dumbfounded sound, a few beats too late.

---

I had thought I wanted to see those two grow closer.

But honestly, I hadn’t expected it to happen this fast.

Roti seemed to take my words to heart, casually sticking by Jake’s side. Before, she used to trail a little behind him, but now, it was as if they were practically a couple.

Well, to be fair, they *were* something like that.

So my goal was achieved, and I should’ve just watched them with satisfaction. But—

Watching the two of them walk into a small meeting room together left me with a strange feeling.

That feeling was, let’s see…

It was like stepping out for a convenience store run on Christmas, only to be surrounded by an overwhelming number of couples, leaving me feeling oddly annoyed.

I’d wanted to see them get along, not rub it in my face.

Thinking back, there was a stark difference between seeing game characters act lovey-dovey and witnessing it in real life. In games, it’s just dialogue and preprogrammed animations, but real life has much more detail.

"You could get someone for yourself if you wanted."

And of course, the one person who could read my expression like an open book was standing right next to me: Alice.

When I turned to look at her, she was smiling mischievously.

"You’re the one who set those two up, after all. Wasn’t this the whole point of your scheming?"

"…That’s true, but still."

I mean, that’s a completely different thing.

Not that I could explain why it felt so different, even to myself.

"If you’re that jealous, you could always find a boyfriend for yourself."

"…Are you joking?"

"No, I’m serious."

Well, fine. Maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal if I had a boyfriend. In this world, having a significant other wasn’t seen as a major flaw. If anything, it was like holding an unofficial yet somewhat acknowledged position.

But I had no intention of dating a man.

At least not right now.

I didn’t feel like dating women either.

The people around me were all just kids anyway.

"Have you ever considered it, Alice?"

"…No, I haven’t."

No need to look so serious about it, though.

Wasn’t this the part in the original story where she’d start acting tsundere toward Leo?

Looking across the room, I saw Leo sitting awkwardly among a group of girls, clearly out of place. For some reason, I sighed.

Should I envy him or not?

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Chapter 185

October was busy from the start.  

It wasn’t the Academy schedule that kept me occupied. The reason I was so busy was mostly due to my personal goals.  

My goal to prevent the war.  

Whether it’s fortunate or not, the Academy is located near the Imperial Palace, which lies at the heart of the Empire. The distance was inconvenient for walking, but not impossible. Especially for someone like me, who has what feels like infinite time, that distance was hardly an issue.  

In other words, I could sneak around the palace at night collecting information without much difficulty.  

I didn’t even need to secure an escape route. Once I saw what I wanted, I could simply rewind time. I could even rewind to the moment I entered a location, minimizing my travel and securing more time for exploration.  

Wars don’t erupt overnight.  

Even though there were no major changes at the borders for now, the planning for a strike to catch the opponent off guard must have started long ago.  

The problem was, no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find any evidence of such preparations.  

The defense budget was not significantly different from previous years. While it had increased, most of the additional funds went toward the mass production of new weapons—hardly a direct sign of deploying them to the battlefield.  

Several monitoring ships had been constructed, but after the northern border skirmish that wiped out the warlord factions, they had been relocated to satellite cities near the capital. Some ships, plagued by recoil issues due to their oversized frames, were undergoing repairs and inspections, leaving similar models on indefinite standby.  

There were no plans for constructing additional warships. Even for the Empire, building new warships would take time. The absence of such plans, even in the palace, suggested…  

…Could they be hiding the plans elsewhere? Had the Emperor caught on to my abilities and dispersed information to locations I couldn’t physically reach?  

It seemed like a plausible explanation.  

“Interesting.”  

After failing to find concrete evidence despite my extensive investigations, I decided to take a direct approach: meeting the Emperor himself.  

“So, you mean to tell me you’ve come to *me* to ask about the ‘hidden information’ that *I* might be concealing?”  

The Emperor rephrased my words with a bemused expression, his voice tinged with amusement.  

“That is correct.”  

“Hmm.”  

The Emperor gazed at me for a moment before a sly smile crept onto his lips.  

“Then let me ask you something. What would you do if someone capable of killing you was watching you closely?”  

“…”  

“Wouldn’t you naturally avoid doing anything to provoke such a being? Of course, this might require you to alter your lifelong ambitions. But that doesn’t mean life becomes meaningless, does it? After all, losing one goal simply means finding another.”  

“…Are you saying, Your Majesty, that you abandoned the idea of war because you knew I didn’t want it to happen?”  

“So, you think I was planning to wage war against the entire world?”  

The Emperor’s face lit up with intrigue, as if he found my assumptions fascinating.  

“If you believed that from the start, your hypothesis would’ve crumbled right after you assassinated the count. If you still think that way… well. Doesn’t that mean I’ve already accomplished something far beyond what you imagined?”  

“…”  

“It would be wonderful if the ‘me’ you meet after rewinding could also know this.”  

The Emperor spoke as if he were a father humorously playing chess with his daughter. His expression rendered me speechless.  

Once more.  

---

I don’t trust him.  

This is the Emperor we’re talking about. There’s a high chance he deliberately withheld accurate information from me. Although I hadn’t uncovered definitive evidence yet, I still needed to prepare for the worst.  

Still, my efforts weren’t entirely fruitless. By roaming the palace corridors dozens, even hundreds of times, I memorized every pathway—even those not featured in the original game.  

The same applied to the sewers beneath the capital. I now knew every potential connection to the palace and could estimate which sections would collapse if certain points were destroyed. If the worst happened, I was prepared to set explosives to bring down the whole system.  

Of course, casualties would be inevitable in such a scenario—  

…but that was a concern for the worst-case scenario only.  

On a brighter note, my stealth abilities were improving day by day.  

Sylvia Black’s body might be no different from an ordinary person in this world, but it was more than capable of performing tasks expected of regular soldiers. It couldn’t wield sword energy or swing a blade larger than my height, but standard maneuvers were well within reach. Although rewinding time reset my stamina, my body retained the memory of those movements, leaving me better equipped for future actions.  

If I focused, I could even tail someone without being noticed.  

And soon, an opportunity presented itself.  

---

If there’s anyone I regarded with as much suspicion as the Emperor, it was the Holy Kingdom.  

The "Goddess" subplot remained unresolved in the original work. The Holy Kingdom’s divine power wasn’t explored in detail, and whether the Goddess actually existed—and if so, whether she was truly benevolent—was a topic of rampant fan speculation. Some fans treated their theories as gospel, posting them everywhere until they got caught. But that’s ancient history.  

In any case, it wasn’t surprising that I found Sophia, the "Cathedral Knight," lurking suspiciously near Leo, the male lead of the original work.  

Claire and Leo, being siblings, often stayed together. However, as time passed and they made new friends, they occasionally spent time apart. Claire got along well with Alice and Charlotte and even trailed after me sometimes.  

As her time with other girls increased, Leo began spending more time on his own.  

Frankly, I didn’t know what Leo did during those times. I was often with the "girls’ group," so his activities outside that circle were a mystery.  

“…”  

That’s why I was startled to find him sitting alone on a park bench surrounded by bare trees, looking utterly lost.  

Come to think of it, having few male friends despite being surrounded by friendly girls could be a bigger issue than it seemed. Leo’s position as a "pretty boy" among beautiful girls had made him a target of envy for his male classmates, and I hadn’t realized that envy had turned into isolation.  

In typical harem manga, scenes of the male lead being ostracized by his peers are played for laughs. But depicting it seriously as outright bullying… that’s too heavy.  

Seeing it in real life, though—  

“...Huh?”  

And then, I noticed something else.  

Far off in the distance, at the corner of my vision, I saw purple hair fluttering in the breeze.  

If it weren’t for the sudden gust of wind, I might not have noticed.  

“…Sophia?”  

My brow furrowed deeply.  

Her appearance was quite different from how she was portrayed in the original, but it was unmistakably her. Perhaps the image she presented to me was a façade, or maybe she hadn’t yet fully developed into her original character. Still, as a Cathedral Knight, she seemed fully committed to her mission.  

She probably thought there was something to gain from watching Leo. Maybe she believed he was connected to the Holy Kingdom in some way.  

“…”  

I had initially intended to approach Leo and strike up a conversation, but I quickly changed course and returned to my room.  

I gathered my equipment and prepared to leave again.  

Not to approach Leo directly, but to circle around the Academy grounds far enough that neither he nor Sophia would notice me.  

From my new vantage point, I had a clear view of Sophia’s hiding spot.  

As I suspected, she was watching Leo intently. Through my telescope, I confirmed that she hadn’t noticed me.  

Adjusting the angle, I turned my focus back to Leo—  

“...Sylvia?”  

A soft, clear voice called out from behind me.  

The fact that I didn’t scream is a testament to my restraint.  

Instead, my shoulders jerked violently.  

Cautiously turning my head, I saw none other than Charlotte.  

Her face was pale as she stared at me.  

She looked at me as though I were a stalker.  

...  

No, it’s not like that!

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Chapter 186

Still, Charlotte maintained her composure and allowed me to finish my explanation, no matter how absurd it might have sounded.  

"So," she began, her tone calm as she carefully unraveled my series of excuses, "you were just out for a walk to get some fresh air on your day off when you happened to notice Leo sitting alone over there?"  

"That’s correct," I nodded. Charlotte mirrored my seriousness, nodding as she continued.  

"And then, by sheer coincidence, a gust of wind allowed you to spot Sophia observing Leo from afar?"  

"Exactly," I confirmed, and once again, we both nodded in agreement.  

"And instead of trying to figure out the situation, you immediately went back to your room, grabbed an urban-camouflage cloak, a sniper scope, a field mat, a canteen, and emergency rations, then climbed onto the rooftop to start watching them?"  

"..."  

When she put it like that…  

No matter how I explained it, there was no way it wouldn’t sound suspicious.  

I only brought the cloak because the weather had genuinely gotten colder. Yes, it was an urban-camouflage cloak, but that was simply because it was practical for retaining body heat and functionality. It wasn’t a military operation, but staying unnoticed was better, wasn’t it?  

The mat? Same logic—it’s freezing to lie on concrete in this weather. For basic comfort and warmth, it was a necessity. And, of course, the sturdiest option happened to be a field mat.  

As for the canteen and emergency rations… well, what if I got hungry and left my spot, only for them to disappear while I was gone?  

"Sylvia," Charlotte said, pressing her fingers to her temple, looking as if she were holding back a headache. "I know you’re not the best at expressing emotions, but…"  

No.  

"No matter how bad you are at it, it’s still not okay to spy on someone you like this way. People have their privacy, you know."  

"It’s not like that," I replied, my expression serious—as usual, my face was always serious—but Charlotte didn’t seem convinced in the slightest.  

"And if you’re so worried, why not just approach him and ask him out on a date? Times have changed, you know. The idea that men have to ask women out is outdated. Sure, being a princess complicates things, but going to a ball with a partner isn’t going to ruin your reputation."  

I’m telling you, that’s not it!  

…Should I rewind time?  

If I rewound and moved somewhere else, Charlotte wouldn’t have caught me here. Alice might have noticed, but I didn’t think Charlotte would have been tailing me.  

But as I considered this, another question arose in my mind.  

It was something that had occurred to me the moment I encountered Charlotte, but her earlier remarks had derailed my train of thought.  

"…By the way, why are *you* here, Princess Charlotte?"  

"Pardon?"  

Interrupting her, I asked quickly. For a brief moment, her eyes widened in surprise. Sensing an opportunity, I pressed further.  

"Were you on the rooftop? Were you here to see Leo, perhaps?"  

I tried to mirror her own tactics, hoping to fluster her, but—  

When I saw Charlotte visibly relax, her shoulders sagging as she let out a long sigh, I found myself taken aback.  

"I was just…"  

With another deep sigh, Charlotte stepped closer and asked, "May I sit on the mat with you?"  

I didn’t answer verbally, but I shifted my position to allow her a portion of the mat.  

"Thank you," she said softly, gathering her skirt and carefully sitting down on the edge of the mat.  

"I just needed a little break."  

When I said nothing and continued to observe her in silence, Charlotte let out a faint chuckle, as if mocking herself.  

"You know as well as I do, don’t you? I’m something of a ‘celebrity’ and a ‘popular figure’ at this Academy."  

She wasn’t particularly active in any clubs, but her status had earned her a spot on the student council. She was one of the few foreign students at the Academy, and among them, she had the most noble lineage. Unlike people like Rena or Sophia, who had gained admission purely through merit, Charlotte exuded an innate aura of nobility.  

She might even be more popular than Alice or me.  

To the imperial aristocracy, Alice and I were enigmatic figures who avoided social events entirely. And, of course, we had the Emperor looming behind us. Together, we appeared as an incomprehensible, menacing trio.  

Although Alice had managed to shed some of that intimidating image through conversation, few dared to casually approach their own country’s princess. Thinking about their futures, most people preferred to tread carefully.  

But Charlotte, the Princess of Belbour…  

Imperial citizens often viewed other nations as slightly inferior, leading them to treat foreign nobles of the same rank more casually. While outright disrespect was rare, they interacted with them with a far more relaxed attitude.  

Of course, such treatment might leave the foreigner thinking, *Do they think I’m easy to manipulate?*  

"I’ve lost count of how many invitations I’ve received from ducal houses. And seriously, how does this country have so many dukes? There are *three* whose territories are adjacent to the capital alone! And twelve in total! Isn’t that excessive, no matter how large the Empire is?"  

I agreed—it was excessive.  

And none of the twelve dukes were mere figureheads. Each one wielded considerable influence, regardless of their proximity to the capital.  

"I attended a few gatherings out of politeness at first. After all, it’s customary in my kingdom to accept such invitations. But these dukes…"  

Charlotte sighed deeply, as if even recalling it drained her energy.  

"They might be thinking of me as a potential daughter-in-law. Perhaps they’re imagining a future where I become queen and marry one of their sons, allowing them to claim the name ‘Belbour’ for their family. Or worse, they might even want to rename the entire kingdom."  

"So, you came here to avoid them?"  

"That’s right. Is that a problem?"  

Charlotte pouted slightly, her expression tinged with a bit of sulkiness, and I almost laughed.  

For her, it was clearly frustrating, but I could understand. If men constantly flocked to me, I’d find it unbearable too… Or wait, is this different?  

If women started flocking to me instead…  

…  

Yeah, let’s not go there. Men and women don’t think the same way, after all.  

As silence settled between us, I wondered if I should explain my reasons for being here. Should I warn Charlotte about the impending war? Should I tell her that Sophia wasn’t actually from Belbour but from the Holy Kingdom?  

Hmm.  

No, not yet. If the Emperor truly didn’t intend to start a war, mentioning this now might inadvertently provide Belbour with a justification for conflict.  

"I consider Claire to be like a little sister," I began, deciding to use a safer excuse.  

"And Leo is Claire’s sibling…"  

Whether he was her older or younger brother remained unclear, so I left it ambiguous.  

"So, you’re saying you want to personally evaluate the kind of woman your little sister’s family is associating with?"  

Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow.  

"If I am Claire’s older sister, and Leo, as Claire claims, is her younger brother, then Leo would also be my younger brother, in a sense."  

"Hmm~"  

Charlotte narrowed her eyes, her lips twitching with amusement as if she were barely holding back laughter.  

…She didn’t believe me at all.  

Still, it was better than offering no excuse at all.  

"Very well, then," she said at last.  

At least Charlotte understood—or so I thought.  

"In that case, I’ll help. I happen to have plenty of free time right now."  

"…"  

Of course, in a way I didn’t want.  

"Why are you looking at me like that?"  

"Would you consider dropping this, like you did during the Northwood incident—"  

"Oh, that time."  

Ah.  

I shouldn’t have brought that up.  

Charlotte’s face lit up with a mischievous smile as she stood abruptly.  

Then, leaning toward me playfully, she said, "You still owe me for that. Let’s consider this a chance to pay back that debt. And honestly, as a woman, don’t you think my judgment would be better than yours? I’d be much more suited to assess whether Sophia is a good match for Leo or not."  

But even as she spoke, her eyes seemed to say: *You’re just using this as an excuse to spy on Leo because you like him, aren’t you?*  

I’m telling you, that’s not it!  

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Chapter 187

Charlotte seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself.  

Well, I supposed she wasn’t all that different from Alice, come to think of it. While Alice had been largely neglected, Charlotte hadn’t exactly grown up in a completely free and loving environment either.  

The King of Belbour, as depicted in the original work, was a loving father and a ruler who cared deeply for his country. Yet, as a king, he had no choice but to impose strict expectations on Charlotte. Without that discipline, she likely wouldn’t have grown up knowing the proper decorum expected of her station.  

Though legally still a minor, the laws defining adulthood were relatively recent on a global scale. In many people’s minds, if a child could walk, carry things, and follow instructions, they were practically an adult.  

At fifteen, commoners of the same age would already be working full-time in factories, regardless of gender.  

To nobles, royals, and even the imperial family, children of that age were ready to be groomed into their roles.  

They were taught politics, strict etiquette, and how to suppress their desires.  

Charlotte’s enrollment in the Academy wasn’t necessarily because she had wanted to attend. Belbour likely had its own renowned schools, and she probably had friends there. But with two imperial princesses and countless children from the Empire’s most influential families attending this Academy, the King of Belbour must have ordered her to come here to observe the political climate.  

Charlotte seemed to be enjoying her school life for the most part, but moments like the one on the rooftop earlier hinted at the frustrations she dealt with.  

Perhaps she found some guilty pleasure in moments like these, engaging in acts that were slightly subversive.  

"By the way, Sylvia," Charlotte said.  

"Yes, Princess?"  

"Don’t call me ‘Princess.’ Just call me Charlotte. We’re in ‘stealth mode’ now."  

Her pronunciation of “Charlotte” leaned so heavily into the Belbour accent that it barely sounded like an imperial name.  

But that hardly mattered.  

For this “mission,” Charlotte—no, "Charlotte"—had swapped her usual uniform for a modest dress likely purchased nearby. It was the kind of plain brown dress you’d expect to see in a Victorian-era romance, the sort worn by a heroine at the story’s beginning.  

Of course, as the saying goes, fashion is all about the person wearing it. On Charlotte, the dress looked anything but plain.  

She had even styled her hair into a loose side ponytail and wore a wide-brimmed hat, perhaps trying to blend in as a commoner. But the noble air radiating from her made her attempt at disguise laughable. If she wanted to pass as a commoner, her posture and gait would have to change first.  

"In that case, is there any reason for me to keep my name as Sylvia?" I asked.  

"My point exactly!"  

Charlotte—"Charlotte"—puffed out her cheeks slightly in mock indignation.  

"You haven’t even bothered to disguise yourself. You’re still wearing your uniform. What’s the point of me calling you by a different name?"  

"…"  

I looked around.  

It was a sunny Sunday, albeit chilly. A coat was enough to fend off the cold.  

Groups of male students, female students, and even some mixed-gender couples were wandering around. Some seemed to be shopping, while others simply strolled down the streets, enjoying themselves.  

Turning back to Charlotte, I didn’t need to change my expression for her to understand my point. Her face flushed slightly as she stammered.  

"Well, still! The target might leave the area at any moment, and this is the only place with so many Academy students around."  

"In that case, wouldn’t disguising ourselves be unnecessary?"  

Having explored countless times while rewinding time, I knew that what you wore—uniform or otherwise—didn’t matter much for stealth. Unless someone was particularly vigilant, people rarely paid attention to specific individuals unless they stood out significantly.  

Even the Academy uniform, with its oddly modern design, could be toned down with a coat to blend in somewhat.  

While I was technically a princess, most commoners wouldn’t recognize my face. Though, given my increasing interactions with commoners, it was only a matter of time before my face became more widely known.  

"But disguising ourselves would take time!"  

"…It wouldn’t take that long unless we were doing full makeup."  

"Ugh! Just do as I say! No more arguing—let’s get you some different clothes!"  

Before I could protest, Charlotte grabbed my arm and dragged me into a clothing store.  

Well…  

Might as well let her enjoy herself.  

Honestly, it was kind of fun to tease her while playing along.  

---

Thankfully, we didn’t lose track of Leo and Sophia.  

Sophia’s striking purple hair made her easy to spot.  

Since she maintained a discreet distance from Leo, all we had to do was keep a slightly greater distance from her.  

It seemed Sophia hadn’t noticed us.  

"…"  

Initially, I thought Sophia following Leo had some political motive.  

But the more I watched, the less that seemed to be the case.  

Leo’s actions were entirely mundane.  

He stopped by a bakery and bought an armful of bread, then went to a thrift shop to purchase clothes, packing everything neatly into the large bag slung over his shoulder.  

Despite the heavy load, Leo walked with steady confidence, his training as a swordsman evident in his posture.  

And I had a pretty good idea of what he was doing.  

Charlotte, however, seemed perplexed. Tilting her head in confusion, she murmured, "Why is he doing all that?"  

I wasn’t entirely certain myself, so I just shrugged.  

Eventually, Leo, laden with supplies, headed into a secluded alleyway.  

"Uh…"  

Charlotte hesitated at the alley’s entrance, clearly uneasy.  

Understandable.  

Leo likely felt comfortable entering because he was confident in his swordsmanship—and because he’d clearly been here before.  

Sophia followed without hesitation, which suggested she was similarly familiar with the area.  

While Charlotte and I could probably handle ourselves if trouble arose, her hesitation was understandable. She was a princess, after all. Entering a place like this without any guards must have felt deeply unsettling.  

I had a pistol tucked into my waistband, so dealing with a few thugs wouldn’t be a problem even without rewinding time. The sound of gunfire would bring Leo running, too.  

Still, if Charlotte decided to back out, I’d leave with her.  

But it seemed she was determined to go in.  

"…"  

Leaving the indecisive Charlotte where she stood, I approached the burly man stationed at the alley’s entrance.  

Though he had a rough demeanor, his attire was unusually refined for a common thug—a proper suit, albeit one that didn’t quite suit him.  

"Is there something I can assist you with, miss?" he asked, straightening up the moment I approached. He seemed experienced in dealing with people like me.  

"Entering this alley with just the two of us seems a bit dangerous, doesn’t it?"  

"Indeed, miss. Of course, I have no authority to stop you, but you don’t strike me as someone unfamiliar with the ways of the world."  

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I could trust him entirely. But his confident stance at the entrance and his polished attire suggested he was a professional.  

Some nobles or upper-class commoners were curious about life in the slums, not out of altruism but out of a voyeuristic fascination, akin to visiting a zoo.  

This so-called "backstreet tourism" likely kept his business running, and maintaining a reputation for safety was essential for attracting more patrons.  

I nodded at him and pulled out my wallet, handing him a handful of pound notes.  

"Ah, such generosity! Rest assured, miss, I’ll treat you like royalty!"  

The man’s enthusiastic bow confirmed that, as always, money spoke louder than rank in this Empire.  

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Chapter 188

Charlotte looked utterly uncomfortable.  

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the man guiding us. Rather, it was the way he conducted himself that seemed to make her uneasy—something about it felt... off.  

For example:  

“Ladies, behold! This man here lost his left hand in a tragic factory accident not too long ago. Isn’t it pitiful? Doesn’t it break your heart? Without help, he’ll surely struggle to put food on the table. Hey, John, show them your arm.”  

At his prompting, the man named John displayed his left wrist, which ended in a smooth stump with a few stitched scars.  

“See for yourselves.”  

Charlotte would stare at the man with a deeply conflicted expression, while I silently placed a few silver shillings into the tin can in front of him. John’s face lit up immediately, his gratitude beaming through his smile.  

As we walked further, it felt like we were moving through a twisted amusement park. At every corner, we encountered new “attractions.” Children with soot-smeared faces rushed toward us with outstretched hands, an old woman with a crooked back stood clutching an empty basket, and so on.  

Each time, our guide would introduce these people as though they were exhibits, telling their stories of misfortune. And each time, I would quietly drop a few shillings into their hands or cans.  

This strange cycle repeated itself multiple times.  

“Um, Sylvia?”  

Charlotte finally spoke, her voice laced with discomfort.  

“Doesn’t this feel like… watching animals in a zoo?”  

“But this is how they survive,” I replied matter-of-factly.  

“...Like this?”  

“They’re selling happiness.”  

“Happiness?”  

Everyone feels that their life is lacking in some way. No matter how wealthy someone is, there’s always someone richer, a noble above them, or a duke and royalty higher still.  

Even royalty, like myself, often find themselves envious of others within their own circles. This world wasn’t much different from the one I came from.  

For these people, their "business" is selling a fleeting sense of relief. For a small price, they allow the wealthy to feel gratitude for their own lives by providing a moment to think, *At least I’m better off than they are.*  

Of course, that “small price” is a significant sum to those in the slums, enough to eat well for an entire day.  

“…”  

Charlotte didn’t seem entirely convinced, judging by her expression.  

“Ah, ladies! You’re in luck today!”  

Our guide, perhaps invigorated by the coins I’d handed out so far, suddenly pointed ahead with great enthusiasm.  

“The Saint of the Backstreets is right over there!”  

“…”  

Charlotte immediately pulled her hat low over her face. It seemed she hadn’t expected the guide to lead us straight to Leo.  

*The Saint of the Backstreets*, huh?  

That nickname wasn’t one Leo had in the original work.  

Of course, it made sense. In the game, while you could interact with street NPCs, those interactions were limited to preset dialogue. Beggars might exist, but unless the developers added a donation option, you couldn’t do much beyond hearing their pre-written lines.  

But this world wasn’t bound by game mechanics. People reacted to any stimulus, given the chance.  

“Thank you,” I said, pulling my wallet out again.  

I took out the rest of the cash I had on hand and handed it to the man.  

“This will do. We’ll find our way out from here.”  

“Are you sure? This is a dangerous area, with no police patrols…”  

The man hesitated, looking surprised by the wad of pound notes I’d handed over.  

“We’ll be fine,” I assured him.  

At my insistence, he nodded, bowing deeply before accepting the money.  

“In that case, I’ll make sure everyone in this alley knows not to bother you. We can’t afford to lose customers like you. Please, do visit again.”  

I nodded in acknowledgment, and he quickly left.  

“...Really?”  

Charlotte muttered, clearly holding back a multitude of thoughts. Ultimately, she sighed deeply instead of voicing them.  

She understood well enough that orphans, the disabled, and the elderly in this area needed money to survive.  

From what I knew, our guide wasn’t a completely irredeemable man by the standards of this era. As the de facto leader of this alley, he ensured his people’s survival—a sort of “noble thug” archetype commonly seen in Japanese games and manga. He didn’t appear in the main story, nor in any related side quests, but his background was clear from his interactions.  

With the amount of money I’d given him, I was certain he’d share it with the people we’d seen.  

“Well then, Charlotte. Shall we?”  

At my words, Charlotte nodded, and we continued down the alley.  

Leo was still some distance away. Sophia, however, had drawn much closer to him.  

We walked as quietly as possible, positioning ourselves where we could observe without being seen.  

---

“That's amazing…”  

Sophia’s voice carried a note of awe, her eyes sparkling with admiration. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, unmistakably the expression of a girl in love.  

Sophia wasn’t exactly the most subtle character in the original work either. Her psychopathic tendencies stemmed from her unfiltered impulses. I had no idea what had happened to her in the one year gap before her behavior became so extreme.  

Or perhaps meeting Leo earlier had prevented her from developing those traits.  

In any case, with his objectively handsome features, it wasn’t hard to see why she was drawn to him. In the original story, Sophia’s change of heart had also been triggered by Leo.  

“It’s not that amazing. These are just old clothes, and the bread is from the cheapest bakery I could find,” Leo replied modestly, scratching his head.  

Sophia shook her head fervently.  

“No, it is amazing. How many people would spend all their allowance helping others? Even the wealthiest nobles don’t do that…”  

No argument there.  

What truly stood out was that Leo didn’t brag about his actions. It made sense that Sophia had fallen for him so quickly.  

Despite her claims of loving violence and being a devoted knight of the Goddess, she would become enraged if anyone spoke ill of her faith. Seeing Leo embody the compassion the Goddess preached must have made him seem extraordinary to her.  

And, of course, he was handsome.  

He likely had a great physique too—if his gratuitous bath scenes in the game were any indication. Female characters were always modestly covered, but Leo? He only wore a towel around his waist, showing off his lean, toned muscles.  

It was a game with a sizable female fanbase, after all.  

“Can I help you with this?”  

Sophia leaned closer to Leo, her earnestness evident. If she had followed him initially out of interest, she now seemed genuinely motivated to assist in his efforts. While I couldn’t read minds, her intentions appeared sincere.  

“…”  

Watching the scene from the corner of the alley, Charlotte had an indescribable look on her face.  

“This is… pathetic.”  

“…”  

“Ah, not you, Leo, or Sophia. I mean me.”  

With a sigh, Charlotte crouched down, her long skirt pooling on the dusty ground. She didn’t seem to care about the dirt clinging to the fabric.  

“I’m just aimlessly following them for fun, thinking about teasing them... while they’re doing such noble work.”  

It seemed that her recent reflections on her royal responsibilities were taking a toll on her.  

Understandable. She hadn’t accomplished anything significant at her age yet—nor should she have to.  

“You couldn’t have known. It’s not your fault,” I said.  

“A princess can’t use ignorance as an excuse,” Charlotte muttered bitterly.  

“A single overlooked detail can lead to the fall of a kingdom.”  

“That depends on the context,” I said firmly.  

“Not knowing what was for breakfast and not knowing the results of a battle are vastly different. No one can know everything.”  

If they could, I wouldn’t have to keep rewinding time and suffering through this mess.  

“…”  

Though my words were logical, they didn’t seem to console Charlotte.  

After a moment’s thought, I reached out and grabbed her arm.  

“Sylvia?”  

“If it bothers you so much, let’s help them.”  

“W-Wait, if we do that, won’t Leo find out we were following him?”  

Sophia was tailing him too, wasn’t she?  

But instead of saying that, I couldn’t resist teasing Charlotte.  

“Then I’ll call you Charlotte instead of Charlotte.”  

“Like that’s going to fix anything!”  

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Chapter 189

“This lady here is Charlotte, a person who merely bears a slight resemblance to the Charlotte we know. She is a completely different person.”  

“…Sylvia.”  

“Though the only difference appears to be that she’s not wearing her usual school uniform and has a wide-brimmed hat—”  

“Sylvia, enough.”  

Sensing that Charlotte might seriously get upset if I kept teasing her, I decided to stop there.  

“Uh…”  

As I dragged Charlotte out by the arm, Leo looked at the two of us with a slightly dumbfounded expression, as if silently asking, *Why are you here all of a sudden?*  

“You didn’t notice us following you?”  

“Huh? Not at all. How far back were you?”  

“There was Sophia in between us, so we weren’t exactly close. Plus, there were so many people before you entered this place that it’s no wonder you didn’t notice.”  

It’s not like Leo is particularly adept at sensing others. Sometimes, he doesn’t even realize Alice is tailing him.  

…Though that’s because Alice has an unnervingly good knack for erasing her presence.  

She didn’t follow us here, right?  

Feeling slightly paranoid, I glanced back over my shoulder. A few people were visible, mostly peeking out of their windows after hearing that the “Saint of the Backstreets” had arrived. Thankfully, I didn’t see any golden hair gleaming in the sunlight.  

Since Claire had said she’d be studying with Alice, it made sense that neither of them was here. When those two started studying, they’d stick to it for hours.  

Claire had tried to drag me into studying with her, but I wasn’t particularly fond of academics and had quickly escaped. Alice, knowing my tendencies all too well, hadn’t bothered to stop me.  

Studying during class time by rewinding and redoing lessons was more than enough for me. I wasn’t about to spend after-school hours doing more of what I avoided in the first place.  

If Alice had been alone, I might’ve stayed, but…  

…Thanks to that, Leo ended up alone.  

Turning back to face the others, I noticed Leo, Charlotte, and even Sophia looking at me quizzically.  

I decided against explaining myself.  

“So,” I said, shifting my attention to Leo.  

“When did you start doing this kind of activity?”  

Having stopped shadowing Leo and Claire long ago, I wasn’t aware of Leo’s volunteer work.  

It seemed unlikely that Claire was involved; if she had been, her personality would’ve made her tag along for sure.  

“Ah, well…”  

Leo scratched his head, giving a wry smile.  

It was a self-deprecating smile. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, but perhaps it was because most students spent their free time happily socializing, while he wandered alone.  

Even if he wanted solitude, taking a carriage arranged by the academy wasn’t exclusive to him. No matter how much he wanted to explore alone, there would always be other students on the same route.  

And that would only fuel the whispers.  

In noble society, social connections are everything. Without “friends,” your influence dwindles. Even if you have female acquaintances, once they’re married off, meeting them freely becomes impossible, and even correspondence risks scandal.  

His only male acquaintance, Jake, was undoubtedly spending time with Lottie.  

“…”  

Thinking about it made me feel bad for him.  

Was this… my fault?  

“Well, I guess… I just needed something to pass the time. And since I don’t really have much use for my allowance anymore, I figured, why not use it for this? I’ve already prepared all my equipment and materials for the semester, so I don’t have much else to spend money on. After stumbling into this alley one day, I thought it’d be a good way to use the leftovers.”  

“That’s admirable,” Sophia said, nodding enthusiastically.  

Her amethyst-like eyes sparkled, reflecting her obvious admiration for Leo.  

From beside me, I heard Charlotte shifting uncomfortably. Glancing her way, I saw her darting glances between Sophia and me.  

…Seriously, it’s not like that.  

While I still saw Sophia as someone to keep an eye on, I had no intention of interfering if she and Leo genuinely liked each other. The Sophia standing before me wasn’t yet the twisted version I had grown to despise.  

“Alright,” I said, turning to Leo.  

“Would you mind if I joined you in this volunteer work?”  

“Huh?”  

Leo blinked up at me, wide-eyed.  

Why?  

Did I really look like the type who wouldn’t lift a finger to help?  

…Actually, now that I think about it, maybe I did. Even in my previous life, I’d only done volunteer work because it was a school requirement.  

“We’ve got plenty of time today anyway. Following you all the way here just to observe what you’re doing and then leaving would feel strange, wouldn’t it?”  

I glanced at Charlotte as I spoke, noticing her wince slightly, as if my words hit a nerve.  

“Consider it my apology for tailing you.”  

“Oh, uh… sure, I guess?”  

Leo seemed unable to fully process what I was saying.  

Understandable.  

If I were in his position and two classmates suddenly showed up, offering to help while claiming it was an apology for stalking me, I wouldn’t know how to react either.  

But in situations like this, being shameless was sometimes the best way to move forward.  

“…”  

“…”  

Feeling the gazes of Sophia and Charlotte on me, I couldn’t help but marvel at how thick-skinned I’d become.  

---

There aren’t many people who dislike receiving free things. Sure, someone extremely principled, moral, or self-reliant might refuse charity outright. But generally, those people don’t need charity to survive.  

It’s easy to turn down help when you’re capable of supporting yourself.  

Such people are often artisans inheriting a family trade or nobles with ample resources.  

“It’s quieter here than I expected,” Charlotte observed.  

“Most of the residents are out working,” Leo explained.  

“Even on a Sunday?”  

Charlotte’s surprise was evident, to which Leo responded with a wry smile.  

“Charlotte, are you part of the Goddess Church?”  

“No, but…”  

Charlotte glanced briefly at Sophia.  

While the Goddess Church is unique to this world, its practices bear many similarities to Christianity. Just as the Goddess rested on the seventh day after creating the world, her followers consider that day sacred and take it as a day of rest.  

Over time, this practice became an unspoken rule, extending even to non-believers.  

Charlotte, familiar with this convention, had been startled by the exception.  

Leo, of course, understood her reaction.  

“The Empire has no official religion, which is why there aren’t designated holidays. Factory schedules vary. Some places give workers one day off a month, others two. And it’s not always Sunday.”  

“I see…”  

Compared to the Empire, Velbur was a more faith-oriented nation and hadn’t yet transitioned to an industry-centric economy.  

That didn’t mean its people weren’t impoverished—poverty there simply looked different.  

Village-based farming families led lives starkly different from those in urban slums, where individuals of all backgrounds crowded together. At least rural farmers might take a day off on weekends.  

“Most people here still have families to care for, though. And this area has its own systems. The government doesn’t intervene, so the locals have created their own rules.”  

Leo didn’t seem entirely comfortable as he said this.  

Systems built on verbal agreements were inherently fragile and prone to corruption.  

“…”  

Despite the relative quiet, there were still children and elderly residents around.  

We distributed bread and secondhand clothes to the children who approached us. Leo, having visited this area multiple times—evident from his nickname—seemed familiar with their family situations.  

The supplies Leo brought were gone in less than an hour.  

“Hey, big brother! Show us that thing again!”  

Just as we were preparing to leave, a child ran up to Leo, shouting excitedly.  

Both Charlotte and I were startled. Then again, thinking about it, Leo probably hadn’t revealed that he was a baron’s son.  

“Alright, sure. I’ll show you.”  

“Yay!”  

Hearing this, more children began gathering around him.  

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Chapter 190

What Leo demonstrated was his sword aura.

For the kids living in the backstreets, with little in the way of entertainment, witnessing a sword aura was nothing short of a spectacle. Mastering swordsmanship to the point of wielding an aura was no easy feat, after all.  

Even at the academy, while many main characters in the storyline were sword users, in reality, far more students opted to train with firearms. Guns were easier to use, simpler to master, and had practical applications in everyday life.  

Surrounded by children sitting in a semicircle, Leo displayed the unique swordsmanship of the Grace family. The children stared at him with their mouths agape.  

“When I grow up, I want to be like him…”  

“Don’t be dumb. He goes to the academy. We could never even dream of that.”  

“Haha…”  

Hearing their exchange, Leo could neither agree nor deny it.  

Telling them they could go to the academy would plant false hope.  
Conversely, saying they couldn’t would crush even the faintest glimmer of aspiration.  

Watching the children’s interaction, Charlotte clasped her hands tightly against her chest.  

Meanwhile, off to the side, a young girl was speaking to Sophia.  

“Big sister, what do you do? Do you also go to the academy like him? Can you do that too?”  

“Hey, she’s a girl. Girls don’t do that stuff. Academy girls just cover their mouths and go ‘Oh ho ho ho’ when they laugh.”  

Ah, what a bold declaration of sexism.  

The truth was that most girls at the academy were perfectly capable of defending themselves.  

Although, to be fair, as students progressed to higher grades, the number of girls focused on finding and courting potential husbands increased. It wasn’t uncommon to see such couples strolling around, laughing just like that.  

“Hmph.”  

Sophia, however, smiled and casually swept her hair back.  

“It seems you’re underestimating me because you don’t know my capabilities.”  

That confident tone of hers… I’d heard it in the original story before.  

Although the context was entirely different, Sophia’s habit of flaunting herself in front of children seemed to fit her character.  

Perhaps it was her connection to the church. She seemed softer and more indulgent when dealing with kids.  

Drawing her sword with an air of theatricality, Sophia whispered a prayer. Her blade shimmered as a holy aura enveloped it. As expected of a knight of the church, her aura had a distinctly different feel from Leo’s.  

“Wow!”  

The kids, who had turned back toward her after watching Leo’s demonstration, couldn’t help but gasp.  

“Hyaah!”  

Sophia swung her sword with a flourish, leaving behind a trail of glittering light like a stream of stars.  

That’s just for show.  

Her use of sword aura was clearly designed to impress rather than for practical combat. The more specific and elaborate the effect, the harder it was to control. Creating intricate forms with aura required immense mastery, which was why techniques like Claire’s or Bella’s saber-like aura manipulation were so rare.  

Still, for entertaining the kids, nothing could beat such a dazzling display.  

Encouraged by their cheers, Sophia performed a few more tricks, even leaping into the air at one point. She concluded her performance with an elegant salute, earning enthusiastic applause from the children.  

Sophia beamed with pride, her expression strangely fitting for the occasion.  

Once Leo and Sophia finished their impromptu show, the children’s eyes naturally turned to Charlotte and me.  

Their expectant gazes were almost palpable.  

Neither of us was wearing our academy uniforms, yet the children seemed to have figured out we were students too.  

“…Haa.”  

Unable to withstand the pressure, Charlotte eventually borrowed Leo’s sword.  

Though it wasn’t her usual thin blade, Charlotte was confident in her swordsmanship. Even if she couldn’t display her full skillset with the unfamiliar weapon, it was enough to earn applause from the children.  

The real problem arose when their attention shifted to me.  

…Hmm.  

I did have a pistol.  

It wasn’t impossible to put on a show with it, after all.  

Stepping forward, I pulled a coin from my pocket.  

With a flick of my fingers, I tossed the coin into the air.  

Then, in one swift motion, I drew my pistol and fired.  

Bang!  

The coin landed on the ground, completely untouched. Not even a scratch along its edge.  

The kids stared at the coin, then back at me, their eyes wide with wonder.  

Heh.  

It wasn’t like I’d planned to hit it on the first try anyway.  

Let’s try that again.  

---

“I had a lot of fun today,” Charlotte said as we exited the alley.  

Taking the advice of our earlier guide, we decided to leave before the sun completely set.  

In hindsight, the most problematic part of the day was probably when I fired my gun.  

While it had been satisfying to hit the coin mid-air multiple times, the noise of gunfire had naturally caused a commotion. The guide had come running back, pale as a sheet, convinced someone had been killed.  

Considering the nature of the backstreets, hearing a gunshot would understandably lead one to assume the worst.  

Even though the police rarely patrolled these alleys, a reported gunshot would prompt at least a cursory investigation. That would spell trouble.  

To reassure him, I handed the guide a card from my pocket.  

The card bore no name, but it was made of high-quality paper and stamped with the intricate emblem of the Fangryphon Imperial family.  

The crest was embossed with anti-forgery details that were nearly impossible to replicate without the original seal.  

I told the guide to present the card to the police if they came. Upon seeing it, his face turned from pale to outright blue.  

With a shrug, I rejoined my companions and left the alley.  

Leo and Sophia seemed a little bewildered by the exchange, but Charlotte, in contrast, appeared oddly pleased.  

Perhaps she found the experience exhilarating, a refreshing break from her strictly “royal” lifestyle.  

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” I remarked.  

“….”  

Charlotte’s smile faltered slightly at my words.  

Looking at me with an apologetic expression, she hesitated before speaking.  

“I’m sorry. I got carried away… I completely forgot that you might have wanted to spend time with Leo.”  

“….”  

Ah, right.  

The only reason I’d been dragged into this was because Charlotte had insisted on helping me.  

“That’s not it,” I replied seriously, though Charlotte seemed lost in her own assumptions.  

“I’ll arrange a time for you and Leo to spend together soon. Of course, I’ll keep it a secret from Alice.”  

If I genuinely had feelings for Leo, I wouldn’t just keep it a secret from Alice—I’d ensure no one knew.  

“After all, there’s such a wide gap between a baron’s son and a princess…”  

No, that wasn’t the issue here.  

If anything, the Emperor would likely approve of me marrying someone I liked. He’d never been the type to meddle in such affairs.  

He was the kind of man who sowed seeds in courtesans with the sole intent of producing competent offspring. If I told him I had a child, he’d probably celebrate rather than disapprove.  

Fangryphon’s Imperial family didn’t lack for wealth or political clout. Even a baron’s son would be considered a decent match.  

But explaining that to Charlotte would only fan the flames of her misunderstanding, so I chose to stay silent.  

“What are you two talking about?” Leo suddenly asked, breaking into our conversation.  

“Did I hear my name?”  

“Oh, it’s nothing!” Charlotte answered hastily.  

“We were just discussing what happened in the alley earlier. Right, Sylvia?”  

Well, that wasn’t a lie.  

But telling Leo the full truth would turn this from a simple misunderstanding into an uncontrollable wildfire.  

…Meanwhile, Sophia’s gaze felt particularly piercing.  

She wasn’t glaring, but it was clear she had her own misconceptions about the situation.  

Not that I could blame her.  

After all, I *had* been keeping an eye on Leo.  

But it wasn’t out of affection.  

It was because of *her.*  

Yet explaining that would only lead to further complications.  

As October began, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this month was going to be anything but smooth.  

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Chapter 191

“Hmm.”

The reason Alice squinted at me like that was usually one of two things.

One reason was when I did something completely ridiculous and nonsensical, only to pin it all on the Emperor.

Most of my friends have seen parts of my personality, but the one person who could almost perfectly read my essence was Alice. Claire had recently started to get dangerously close to understanding me, and Charlotte had been slowly picking up on my expressions too, but for now, that was still the case.

The problem was, I hadn’t done anything like that recently.

When I returned from Lindbergh, I didn’t take more than a day before causing some trouble. The airship had flown nonstop, so it didn’t take days to return, but almost immediately after, I began poking around the most crucial places of the system. Of course, after making a mess, I always made sure to rewind time and erase all evidence.

So, Alice’s stare wasn’t because of that.

That left only one other reason.

She had found something to tease me about.

I wasn’t exactly sure when Alice opened up to me completely, but at some point, she started teasing me without caring about my usual blank face. Even after she had more or less figured out my abilities, she didn’t stop.

Or perhaps, it was because she figured out my abilities that she felt comfortable teasing me.

Well, anyway.

Alice used to be the one who had a rivalry with me when we were younger, but now it seemed like I had developed a sort of rivalry with her.

I could tell just by how her gaze made me irritated.

“What’s going on?”

Unable to stand her stare any longer, I finally asked.

We had gathered in the classroom for the first time in a while. After all the time we’d spent going off on various field assignments, you might think the classes would be running smoothly, but there’s no mandatory curriculum set by law in this world.

Despite the world’s best faculty, the teaching here wasn’t based on centuries-old educational theories. Instead, it was more about teachers passing on the knowledge they had gathered through years of personal research, giving students general life knowledge. It felt more like a university than a high school.

So, it wasn’t a big deal if a class was interrupted. The teachers themselves knew about the field assignments, so they just adjusted their schedules accordingly.

Because of that, the mood in the classroom was a mix of joy and regret. Out of all the field assignments, the one to Lindbergh had been the closest thing to an actual “trip.” While Winterfield and Northwood had their charms, Lindbergh was the most exotic.

With the buzz of students discussing the last field assignment even after the weekend, my voice didn’t spread too far.

“Well, it’s just…” Alice casually looked away with a little pout as if she was playing hard to get. But her eyes quickly returned to me.

Yeah, that was definitely a move to annoy me. The proof was in the muscles around the corners of her mouth, slightly lifted as if she was hiding a grin. Alice was grinning at me.

“…”

And then, I started to get an inkling of why.

I turned my body a bit more to look at Charlotte. When our eyes met, the foreign princess quickly shifted her gaze elsewhere.

I thought so.

I suppressed a deep sigh. Even though my concept had been getting a bit shaky lately, I didn’t want it to break completely—

*

...

Well, sure.

It could be a bit of a cliché for a cool beauty to fall in love and become a cool dere (cool and tsundere) only to break down and turn into a mega dere (over-the-top affectionate).

But still.

I had no intention of getting involved with any male character.

Actually, I didn’t really want to get involved with any female character either. If I had been possessed by Leo, or even if I had just come to this world as a male character, I might have flirted with a few heroines. With so many female characters, I could’ve easily slipped in, as long as I wasn’t engaging in NTR (netorare) with the protagonist.

But I ended up as a female character. Moreover, I was a character who may or may not even appear in the original work.

In this era, with homosexuality, well, considering the game was designed as a subculture targeting otaku, maybe it would be more accepting of it, but I didn’t want to make unnecessary trouble.

Still, if I were to date someone, it would be another woman.

Right.

At least in the future, I would never date a “man.”

“Umm… about that.”

Charlotte, who was facing me and Alice, spoke with a somewhat awkward expression.

“To be honest, I wasn’t really planning on talking about it. Keeping ‘such things’ a secret is the duty of a noble, after all.”

I didn’t really want to know what “such things” referred to, so I just stayed silent.

“But, no matter what, when his little sister asks me like that, I can’t just keep my mouth shut.”

“So, are you saying you told Claire that I like Leo?” I asked, unable to hold back.

The following statement was so absurd that I quickly asked in a bid to stop any more of my sanity from escaping my mind.

“Ah, no, I didn’t say it exactly like that.”

Seeing my expression, which must have been downright fierce, Charlotte stammered, “Well, no, I didn’t say it exactly like that.”

“Yes, Charlotte didn’t say it exactly like that.”

I turned to Alice, who chimed in.

“I heard it from Claire.”

“…”

“My little sister said she wasn’t sure if anyone liked Leo, but I couldn’t just ignore it. And don’t be too harsh on Claire. She also didn’t want to say anything at first.”

“How did you convince Claire to say it?”

“I agreed to support Claire’s plan. At that time, I didn’t even know what the plan was.”

I forced myself not to facepalm.

“You said that without even knowing what the plan was?”

“You said you’d go along with the Duke of Lindbergh’s plan without knowing what it was. Isn’t that a much lighter mistake than mine?”

“…”

Well… I didn’t have much to say to that.

“And by the way…”

Alice leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.

“If you really don’t like Leo, then Claire’s plan might actually work out quite well for you.”

She was grinning, but I didn’t think that plan would actually be that great. Still, I decided to listen.

“What’s the plan?”

“Claire doesn’t want Leo to marry you.”

“...No way!”

Charlotte covered her mouth in surprise.

As both of our gazes turned to her, Charlotte, still in shock, turned to Alice and asked, “Why? Claire calls Sylvia ‘big sister’ and follows her, doesn’t she? Isn’t this an important matter where she could actually become a ‘real big sister’?”

“That’s the problem,” Alice said.

“Claire wants Sylvia to stay as her ‘big sister,’ but she doesn’t want to become her ‘little sister.’”

...

...

...Ah.

I see.

It took me a while to process, but it slowly started to make sense.

Claire was insisting that Leo was her “little brother.” Of course, both of them had been calling each other “older brother” and “younger sister,” so it was unclear who was actually older. 

But it seems that the rivalry between them was real.

Claire truly viewed Leo as her little brother, so she was worried that if I married him, I’d start calling her my “sister.”

I clenched my fist again. I had to hold back from slamming it into my forehead, so I tensed my entire arm.

“No way!”

Charlotte looked like she was genuinely getting into the situation.

“Because of that…!”

“And also, Claire isn’t just calling Sylvia her big sister. She’s already considering her part of her family. Think about it. How would Claire feel if her little brother and big sister were to get married? Even if they’re not blood-related.”

“…”

That was truly a disturbing way of thinking.

“So, if you really don’t like Leo, just keep those feelings. It’ll be a lot easier for you and your little sister’s worries will be eased.”

Charlotte’s gaze at me now felt like she was seeing an older sister sacrificing herself for her younger sibling.

...

Alright, then.

In that case, there must be another way.

I was already quite the expert at setting up couples… too successfully, in fact. Every time I saw one of those couples, it made me feel queasy.

Making Leo a girlfriend was easy, right?

He already had someone he liked, so it shouldn’t be that hard.

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Chapter 192

It wasn’t easy at all.

“Huh? Really? Then shall we eat together?”

First, Leo was far from being easy.

Before he made any same-sex friends, Leo already had plenty of opposite-sex friends, so there weren’t many people who’d casually ask him to eat together.

Normally, I would have had meals with Alice or maybe the whole group of friends, including Leo. 

So, I should’ve just kept quiet.

When I first spoke to Leo, he looked at me with a bright smile. I even felt like a physical light was shining on me, and I instinctively squinted my eyes a little.

Leo considered me his friend. So, as a “friend,” I was probably making him happy by asking to eat together.

The problem was, it seemed like others didn’t see it that way.

Yeah, I realized that only after I spoke up.

Even if Alice or Charlotte spoke first, there was hardly anyone who would mistake them for liking Leo. The difference in their social statuses was just too big. There was no need to look for a logical reason why jealous people would interpret things that way—it was simply because they wanted to gossip.

The problem was, *I* was the one who spoke first.

Normally, I wouldn’t ask anyone to eat together.

And Leo responded with a smile.

Ah, this might look like something special to others—was the thought that came to me only after I spoke.

At least I was fortunate not to look around. If I had done that, I would have quickly realized how awkward it would be, turning me into the quintessential cool-dere heroine who, after realizing her mistake, awkwardly tried to hide it.

“…”

I could feel the intense gaze on me from the side.

Claire was squinting at me. *That* Claire Grace.

Usually, she would have been looking up at me with sparkling eyes, like a golden retriever.

No, wait, that’s not it. Forget what you were thinking.

Saying that would be pointless. At this point, suspicion had already deeply taken root, so anything I said would only sound like something suspicious.

“Claire.”

Before I could bring myself to speak, someone else had already moved.

It was Charlotte.

“Huh?”

Claire, who had been startled, turned around to see Charlotte holding her own shoulder.

“I found a nice restaurant nearby. Would you like to join? It's a place that serves Belvoir food, and even I thought the taste was quite good.”

“Oh, then I’ll go with my sister and Leo—”

“Ah, but it’s a shame. The place is almost full. I barely managed to get a reservation yesterday. I could probably fit two more, but wouldn’t it look like I’m going on a date with Leo? It’d be better if it were just two women, right?”

She was doing something completely unnecessary.

It was already going to be a problem asking Claire to come with us. People already suspected that I liked Leo, and on top of that, Claire had been against me marrying Leo.

It was clear the situation would get extremely awkward.

And I also had my own reasons for talking to Leo.

“Well then, can I join the remaining seat? I’d like to check out what kind of place a Belvoir local would recommend.”

Saying that, Alice stood up and casually moved to stand next to Claire.

Then Claire was practically dragged out of the classroom by the two of them.

“Hey, wait, sis, sis—!”

Claire screamed as she was pulled out, and the whole classroom watched with stunned expressions.

Then, their gaze shifted back to us.

...

Well, fine.

So that’s the way it’s going to be.

I had my own plans.

Leo had already become a bit closer to Sophia yesterday. There’s no better way to build closeness than to work together on something. And if that "something" was volunteer work, even better. It allowed Leo to subtly show how good of a person he was and to emphasize common interests.

Most importantly, it allowed them to spend time together.

So, calling Sophia over for a meal with the three of us wasn’t such a bad idea. Leo wouldn’t reject it.

If Leo had “one definite girlfriend,” it might ease some of the jealousy that others felt toward him.

Even though they were both from foreign countries, their family backgrounds were that of a baron and a knight, so the difference wasn’t so great. With Sophia’s personality, the Grace couple wouldn’t mind.

There was the issue with the Kingdom Spy, but that... well, I could deal with that later.

With those thoughts in mind, I turned my gaze toward Sophia’s seat—

—and met her eyes.

There were tears welling up in Sophia’s eyes.

Ah.

Wait, hold on. That’s not it.

Before I could even make an excuse, Sophia suddenly jumped up and dashed out of the classroom.

“…”

The entire class watched this unfold before their eyes and then turned their gaze back to me.

“Huh? Why is that? Is there something bothering Sophia?”

It’s you. 

It’s *you*, you!

Okay, sure, I created this situation, but still!

“…Sylvia.”

Someone called my name, and I turned to see Mia, who had quietly approached me, gazing up at me.

Maybe she wanted to ask to eat with me—

Before I could finish that thought, Mia gently took my hand and said,

“You’ve finally learned what emotions are.”

She said something completely nonsensical.

I stood frozen for about 2.5 seconds before recalling what she meant.

It was something I had said when I found the Marmaros and the gun in Mia’s room—the excuse I gave her at that time.

Mia smiled slightly, as though sincerely congratulating me, let go of my hand, and quickly left the classroom.

“…”

I stared blankly at her flowing black hair, when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Princess, I wish you luck.”

With a solemn expression and voice, Lena spoke to me.

Then, as if she understood everything without needing words, she gave a slight nod and left the classroom.

By the way, Jake and Lottie had been missing for quite a while. They probably went out as soon as lunchtime started to cause some trouble.

In the end, the only person left in the classroom with me, sitting in front of me with a puzzled smile, was Leo.

“…”

What is happening?

*

I didn’t shout “again!”

I carefully held onto the last thread of reason and thought it through. This was actually a pretty good opportunity.

Though it was incredibly embarrassing, this was a chance to sit down with Leo and have a one-on-one conversation, to understand the situation he was in and his true feelings.

Even if someone had a close younger sibling, there are things you can’t say because they’re a sibling.

Especially when it comes to the struggles of school life.

With Claire’s personality, even though she often bickers with Leo, if she heard Leo’s words, she’d immediately act to help him. But... things like friendship can’t be solved that way.

This kind of issue needed to be approached properly, step by step.

“Well, it seems we ended up eating together today.”

Since it was a bit awkward to eat in the classroom with everyone watching, we ended up going outside.

Of course, it wasn’t the academy garden. It was way too cold to eat outside.

So, we chose a small bakery not far from the academy.

It was lunchtime, so students sometimes came in, but this bakery only had one table. With the two of us sitting there, no one could really interrupt.

There were a few students who subtly hovered, trying to eavesdrop, but when they made eye contact with me, they quickly left.

“Now that I think about it, this is the first time.”

“Yeah.”

I spoke up immediately.

“I’ve hardly ever eaten alone with anyone else.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

I continued, thinking hard and chewing on the cream cheese-covered baguette slowly.

“Because of that, it seems like we’ve caused quite an absurd misunderstanding in the classroom.”

“Haha…”

Leo gave a weak laugh at my words.

“Well, people always misunderstand things anyway.”

Then, in a slightly weaker voice, he said.

“…”

I silently stared at Leo and then asked,

“Has anyone ever bullied you?”

“...Huh?”

Leo widened his eyes and looked at me.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because your behavior seemed a bit off lately.”

“Aah, that…”

Leo awkwardly laughed and sighed deeply.

“I guess… how should I say it?”

With an apologetic expression, he added,

“Maybe my relationships with friends have gotten a bit skewed, and I don’t have many people to talk to lately?”

“I see.”

So that was it.

I barely managed to suppress a sigh.

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Chapter 193

But before continuing the conversation…

“Sophia.”

I pointed to one of the women who had been hovering around since earlier.

“Y-yes…!?”

The blonde woman, who had been wearing a long coat with a thick scarf around her neck, let out a high-pitched sound in surprise when I spoke.

“Sophia, please come here and sit down.”

“Wh-what? Who are you talking about, Sophia? My name is Jeon.”

“Using the most common name in the system won’t help. It’ll just make it more suspicious. If you want to hear the story, stop eavesdropping and come sit quietly here.”

I gestured to the remaining chair at the table.

Sophia’s disguise was actually pretty good. If I hadn’t seen her disguised in the original story, I definitely wouldn’t have recognized her.

Moreover, while other students would quickly run away from me whenever our eyes met, it would have been impossible for me to not notice her lingering around.

…Well, I guess I half-jumped the gun. After all, I could just rewind time if it went wrong.

“…”

Thankfully, it seemed that the woman was indeed Sophia.

Realizing she couldn’t keep up the charade any longer, Sophia pulled off her wig and removed the scarf.

Her face was still filled with embarrassment.

“Sophia? Is it really you?”

Leo stared wide-eyed.

It made sense. He was a swordsman, trained to detect people by their presence. Leo, who was currently undergoing serious training with a sword master, had developed a much keener sense than before.

“…”

Sophia, her face flushed, came over and sat down, trying to put on a dignified expression, though it was somewhat ruined by the redness of her face.

Moreover, her eyes were swollen. I didn’t know when she had been following us, but she’d probably been crying somewhere earlier.

Sophia, as a heroine, was a beautiful girl. I should have felt guilty, seeing her cry because of me—especially since I didn’t have a good impression of her from the original. But right now, I just wanted to rip my hair out.

No, what the hell did I do wrong?

“What happened?”

It’s your fault, *you*.

Even Leo, who was usually oblivious, seemed to immediately recognize Sophia’s face.

So now what?

At first, I had planned to hear Leo out and then rewind time. I thought I would give them a chance to talk more naturally at a later time… though it didn’t go exactly as planned, there was still a chance for that to happen.

But I couldn’t just tell Leo, “Sophia likes you.” That would have been the absolute worst move. Even though I had lived a life far removed from romance in my past life, if someone told me that someone I liked liked me without me confessing, I would want to kill that person.

…The problem, though, was that Leo was far worse at picking up on these things than I was.

Alright then.

If I could be blunt about it, I’d go ahead and say it.

“Leo, do you know that people have been misunderstanding the relationship between you and me lately?”

“Huh?”

In the awkward atmosphere, worsened by Sophia’s downcast expression, I made the statement, and Leo reacted by making a more clueless remark than usual.

I heard someone inhale sharply. I glared in their direction. It seemed like two girls from the B-Class of the nobility had entered the bakery and, upon seeing us, had been trying to eavesdrop while acting casual. As soon as they made eye contact with me, they turned pale and quickly left the shop.

Even the bakery owner’s face turned pale.

…I didn’t mean to interfere with the business.

Maybe I should buy a ton of bread as an apology when I leave. I can’t eat all of it, but I can share it with the residents I visited last time. After all, I did make some of them shake in fear after firing my gun.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means exactly what I said. People think I like you. And while I don’t think you like me, it’s clear that’s what they think.”

“…”

Leo, who had been staring blankly with his mouth open for a while, turned pale.

“I… I, me?”

He was so flustered that his speech turned awkward.

“Y-yes.”

“W-what about with the princess?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Leo looked like a fish gasping for air, and after a while, he wiped his face with his hands.

I glanced over at Sophia. Her face was still swollen, but at least there was no sadness or despair on her face. Instead, she looked surprised.

“Let’s make one thing clear.”

I spoke in the tone I often used when negotiating with Leo.

“Do you think I like you?”

“Eh? No, of course not.”

Leo immediately hardened his face and replied.

“I never thought such an outrageous thing.”

“I don’t think it’s an outrageous thought, though…”

I couldn’t stop myself from giving a wry smile.

“I’m glad to know you’re not misunderstanding, at least.”

I gave Sophia one last glance and stood up.

Sophia was about to get up as well, but I placed my hand firmly on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into her seat.

Actually, if it came to physical strength, Sophia was stronger than me, so if she really wanted to, she could have stood up regardless of whether I had my hand on her shoulder or not. But, as a princess, maybe she didn’t want to stand up, so she stayed seated without a word.

“You stay and finish your meal here. I believe you know that getting up first in the middle of a meal is quite rude to the person you’re sitting with.”

When Leo heard my words, his face immediately turned to one of frustration.

It was only natural. I was the one getting up without finishing my meal.

But so what?

I’m a princess, and you’re just a baron (well, technically not even a real one yet).

And Leo knew that very well, so he didn’t get up to follow me.

Turning around without a second thought, I headed for the door of the bakery—but when I saw the bakery owner looking at me with a face as if I’d overheard something I shouldn’t, I bought every loaf of bread except for a few that would be good for Leo and Sophia.

The bakery owner’s face brightened, and as I was leaving, he even shouted, “Please visit again next time!”

Money really is the best.

*

“…”

“…”

After a brief but intense time, Leo and Sophia sat there, staring at each other, both with blank expressions. They clearly had no idea how the situation had escalated.

“...You don’t really believe what I said, do you?”

Sophia squinted at Leo as she asked.

It was only then that Leo realized Sophia’s eyes were still red and swollen. He hadn’t noticed this in the morning… or maybe he did, but wasn’t sure. To be honest, he couldn’t be sure. Claire had always treated Leo like an oblivious little brother whenever he looked at her.

Of course, that wasn’t true. He couldn’t deny that he was bad at picking up on things, but Leo was definitely not her little brother.

“Believe it? What do you mean by that?”

Sophia rolled her eyes, looking utterly confused. Her expression seemed both incredulous and, in some ways, pitiable. Leo could tell that, at least, she wasn’t pitying him.

“It’s obvious it’s a lie. Just look at how the princess has been acting.”

Sophia folded her arms and glared at Leo, and once again, Leo was left speechless.

“No, just earlier, didn’t the princess herself say that? She said it wasn’t like that.”

“So, is the person who likes an unavailable man supposed to say ‘actually, I love you’?”

“…”

That… well, yes, but…

Hearing this, Leo’s heart felt heavy.

At least…

At least, he thought, the princess wouldn’t be like that.

The reason was simple. Even though they had spent a night together in the same place during summer vacation, the princess hadn’t once shown the slightest sign of embarrassment or shyness.

At least, after seeing that reaction, Leo felt confident that he could tell she had no special feelings for him.

“Have you ever seen the princess talking to another man?”

“Jake, right?”

At Leo’s quick response, Sophia slapped her forehead.

Why is she doing this to me?

After seeing Sophia’s reaction, Leo began to understand why Princess Sylvia had insisted on sitting Sophia next to her and saying those words.

She was trying to clear up the misunderstanding.

If it were a man, it wouldn’t matter as much, but if it were a woman, just having such rumors circulating could tarnish her reputation.

“No, what I mean is…”

Leo calmly began explaining to Sophia, step by step, why he was sure the princess didn’t like him.

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Chapter 194

“…”

Alice and Charlotte were trying their best to calm Claire, who was sitting with a scowling expression.

“Sylvia doesn’t seem to be interested in men, so even if she’s just eating together with Leo, nothing major will happen.”

“You think that’s the case, huh? Of course, nothing major will happen with just a meal! One’s a baron and the other’s a princess!”

Claire finally exploded at Alice’s words.

“No, that’s not it! You said you’d help me keep Leo from getting together with Sylvia! So why on earth did you drag me out of there!? Charlotte, maybe I could understand, but you!”

“That’s not a good thought, Claire,” Charlotte countered, responding to Claire’s outburst.

“No matter how much you like your sister, you can’t control who she has feelings for,” Charlotte added softly, her hand resting gently on Claire’s shoulder.

Charlotte didn’t yet fully understand the relationship between Claire and Sylvia, but it was clear from the way Claire treated Sylvia that she genuinely saw her as an older sister. Even someone who didn’t know the details could see that Claire sincerely followed Sylvia as if she were family.

The relationship between nobles or royalty was often far more complicated than it appeared, and sometimes even the most distant families, like that of the Emperor and a baron, hid incredibly close bloodlines. Charlotte interpreted Claire and Sylvia’s relationship through this lens, thinking that it might have some similar complexity.

“No, I understand if Sylvia likes someone else. Of course, it would be better if he’s handsome, capable, and comes from a prestigious family that fully understands Sylvia, but if she likes him, what can I do? As long as he’s not some obnoxious guy, I’d have to accept it.”

“Well, at least it seems you’ve learned some basic etiquette as a noble…”

Charlotte sighed in relief, placing a hand on her chest. Claire immediately shot her a glare.

“No, I’ve been trying my best to learn!”

“But, Claire…”

Charlotte tried to calm her again, placing her hand gently on Claire’s shoulder.

“Nobility often requires you to make unwanted marriages, especially if you’re from a higher family, like a royal or imperial family. Sylvia, being royalty, might have to marry someone older than her, like a duke.”

Alice’s face took on a slightly confused expression at Charlotte’s words. Fortunately, Charlotte was standing behind Alice, so she didn’t see the look.

In reality, Sylvia didn’t care much about marriage or not marrying. She was far freer in matters of romance than a typical duke’s daughter.

Of course, if Sylvia decided to engage in a political marriage, there were plenty of families that would take her, but the Emperor wasn’t stupid enough to squander Sylvia’s position in such a manner.

“So, something like this, a light romance, should be forgivable, don’t you think? Besides, someone like Sylvia could easily find someone she loves even after marriage. There are concubines, after all.”

“…”

Claire narrowed her eyes and spoke in a cold voice to Charlotte.

“Charlotte, do you want to spend your wedding night with a man you don’t like, and then keep your real lover as a concubine for the rest of your life?”

“…”

Charlotte avoided Claire’s gaze in response to her harsh words.

“No, that’s not the point! If Leo really wants to marry Sylvia, I’m sure our father would be thrilled and rush out to support it! And our mother seems to like Sylvia too!”

Claire said, venting her frustration.

“But the class difference between Leo and Sylvia…”

“That doesn’t matter,” Alice interjected, cutting off Charlotte’s words.

“The only person who cares about marriage among the royals is me. I’m the one who will be the next Emperor, and Sylvia is someone who’ll support me. Who Sylvia marries doesn’t matter. Sylvia’s children won’t carry the royal name. In fact, I think Father would welcome Sylvia marrying a baron. At least he won’t try to manipulate her.”

Charlotte and Claire stared at Alice as she spoke.

“But you still left Sylvia and Leo alone together!” Claire suddenly exploded again, her frustration mounting.

“But Sylvia—”

“What’s the matter?”

Before Alice could explain, she froze at the voice coming from behind.

“…When did you hear all this?”

“I just arrived a moment ago. You were discussing it so loudly that I could hear it from outside the classroom. And, of course, the topic was about my love life.”

Sophia’s voice came from the doorway as she leaned against the wall. She looked like she was biting her tongue.

“Leo and Sylvia’s conversation?”

Charlotte, who would normally have no trouble responding, stumbled over her words.

“…”

Sophia stood silently by the door for a while, glaring at the three of them, before pushing herself off the wall.

*

Ah, seriously, I’m not like that!

Are nobles in this world supposed to not understand simple conversations? Or is it that ‘a woman’s rejection means strong consent’ here?

…

Come to think of it, maybe it’s true.

The women in front of me right now are incredibly open-minded by the standards of this world, but they’re still women who just passed the 19th century.

It’s still a time before women’s suffrage. In some ways, the women here are a collection of the worst traits for attracting men, aside from their appearances.

“I’ll make it clear right now. I don’t have romantic feelings for Leo.”

Since beating around the bush would only fuel misunderstandings, I decided to say it outright.

“The reason I invited him to dinner earlier was to make that clear. I’ve already told Leo, so there’s no way he’ll misunderstand.”

Charlotte wiped her face with a sigh.

“…What’s going on?”

“Well, of course, Leo won’t misunderstand.”

Charlotte spoke in a voice laced with frustration.

“Leo doesn’t even think you like him, so that’s why he won’t misunderstand.”

“…That’s exactly what I’ve been saying.”

“…”

When I heard Charlotte’s words, I nearly grabbed the back of my neck in frustration.

What? Is she asking for a duel?

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way about a woman.

It wasn’t the first time, but it’s been a while. And the first time was with Sophia from the original story. It made me angry, but I had no choice but to lose to her in the story.

Alice looked like she was about to burst out laughing.

“Are you serious, sis?”

Claire, who had been dragged out of the classroom earlier, peeked out from between Alice and Charlotte and asked.

“Of course. I have no intention of becoming your sister-in-law.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

What is so exciting about this?

I know Claire isn’t trying to attack me. But it’s hard not to interpret her words like that.

Claire already thinks of me as family. Not someone who shares the same parents or grew up in the same household, but a family bound by fate. That’s why, even though we didn’t spend much time together when we were young, she could confidently call me ‘sister’ the moment we met.

So, there’s no need for the process of “making me the wife of her little brother” to become part of the family. Thinking about it, it’s actually quite a refreshing mindset.

“Well… does this mean everything’s settled?”

After making a pinky promise with Claire, I looked at Charlotte and Alice.

Alice just shrugged, her expression still amused. I was a bit nervous because of her expression, but at least I’d made myself clear, so she wouldn’t keep teasing me about it.

The problem was Charlotte.

I wasn’t sure how my behavior looked to her, but it seemed that Claire’s attitude was what bothered Charlotte the most.

From the perspective of this world’s nobility, where marriage involves changing surnames and becoming family, asking me not to marry Leo would seem like an outright rejection of becoming part of their family.

For Claire, it was just the shock of possibly having her little brother marry her ‘sister,’ but…

“…”

It felt like no matter how many mountains I climbed, there would always be more ahead.

I thought to myself as I watched Charlotte quietly staring at me.

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Chapter 195

There are moments when, even with the ability to rewind time, I hesitate to use it.

If I made a serious mistake, of course, it would make sense to use my ability. If I could prevent someone from getting hurt or save someone who should have died, it would be a win for everyone.

I could also use it to make myself perfect. Rewinding time to study for exams and get excellent scores, or to ensure that I never miss a shot when firing a gun—these things could be done easily.

And I’ve done that. On the battlefield, I took down entire fronts without getting hit, and I already knew the most important military secrets of the empire. While it would be impossible to sketch out naval blueprints or maps perfectly, I had enough knowledge to explain which areas were critical and why.

But when it came to clearing up misunderstandings that had been placed on me, it was incredibly difficult.

Yes, there were no limits to my ability, so I could rewind time again and again and try to explain things. If I thought about the countless time-manipulators I’d seen in my past life, my hesitation would probably seem like an indulgence to them.

But… still.

“…”

Somehow, despite having the ability to rewind time, I found myself in yet another confrontation today.

Alice had at least said that she wouldn’t interfere with my love life anymore. She probably read that I was genuinely annoyed. And, true to her word, Alice didn’t bother me during lunch today either, nor did she offer any advice.

Claire trusts me. If I really were to start dating Leo after saying all this, it would deeply wound her, but there’s no need to worry. I have no intention of dating a man.

Moreover, the general common sense I had from my previous life made things more uncomfortable. To others, I appeared to be a slightly mature girl in her mid-teens, but in truth, I was just an old man inside. Even though I didn’t have romantic feelings, the thought of engaging in such things at my age was... highly unpleasant.

Charlotte had agreed not to interfere further, but as we three walked out of the classroom, she caught my gaze and clenched her fist.

It reminded me of something I’d once thought when I used to watch internet broadcasts: why do people dislike obsessive couples so much? Now, I understood why. I wasn’t involved in internet broadcasting, but still.

*

We ended up in the same bakery as yesterday. The bakery owner’s face lit up when he saw me.

I probably had to buy even more bread today. After all, if we were going to have a conversation, we’d have to clear everyone else out of here.

“…”

As soon as we sat down, I opened my mouth.

“So, you asked me to eat with you today. Can I hear why?”

“Ah— well…”

Before Leo could answer, Sophia raised her hand like a child eager to answer in class.

“Sophia,” I said, seeing Leo nod in agreement. I looked at Sophia.

“I’m not sure why the Princess gave up on Leo yesterday.”

“…”

I glanced at Leo. He was already covering his face with both hands. Thankfully, his face and ears weren’t flushed red from embarrassment.

“I don’t think you need to do that.”

“Well, the premise is a bit strange,” I said, since I already knew she wouldn’t listen to me anyway.

“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t give up on Leo?”

“Of course, because love is something you fight for.”

Sophia said with determination, her face hardening with resolve.

…

What’s going on?

Did she sneakily read some romance novels when she was young in a convent? That wouldn’t surprise me.

“If there’s a fight for love, there must also be a way to let go,” I replied.

“I can’t accept that!” Sophia immediately responded to me.

“Fighting for love like that—”

“Fighting?” I asked, confused.

How does someone like her, who’s usually completely oblivious, pick up on such words when it matters?

“Leo.”

I said, turning to Leo with a serious expression.

“Would you mind stepping outside and waiting for us for a bit while we talk? It’ll only take a moment.”

And then I realized how cold it was outside, so I quickly added.

“It won’t take long.”

“…”

Leo gave me a somewhat surprised look but nodded and stood up.

Thank goodness. He was a gentleman, unlike Jake. If Leo had Jake’s personality, he’d probably have smiled smugly and insisted on staying in the conversation.

As Leo left, I pulled my chair next to Sophia.

There was a distinct scent of flowers around her.

From what she had said about “fighting,” it seemed like she had applied perfume for Leo. Honestly, I didn’t know whether it was acceptable for someone in her position—especially someone from the church—to be so proactive in relationships.

“Uh, uh?”

When I sat so close to her, Sophia was taken aback.

“It may be uncomfortable, but let’s talk for a bit like this. This is something that can’t be overheard.”

Sophia nodded, looking slightly apprehensive.

“Sophia, you like Leo, don’t you?”

“…”

She looked like she was about to immediately deny it, but after a brief moment of hesitation, Sophia finally nodded.

“…Yes.”

“I don’t care why you like Leo or what attracts you to him. I’m not involved in your romantic affairs. I have no interest in other people’s relationships.”

While Jake and Lottie tried to help set people up—

—The results were a bit too much, I thought. Those two became a bit too close. If they went any further, the whole genre of the story might change. Mainly in the sense of being rated 19+.

I wasn’t concerned about whether Leo would get a girlfriend. If it ended up being Sophia… I would’ve interfered if it were the original Sophia, but this Sophia didn’t seem to show any signs of that.

It was probably just her attraction to Leo’s appearance.

“But once again, I’ve never had romantic feelings for Leo. I think of him as a friend. If he’s ever in danger, I’ll help him. If there’s a political need, I’ll gladly use my position as a princess to assist. But that’s because he’s a ‘friend,’ not because he’s my type.”

I looked directly into Sophia’s eyes as I spoke.

“Ah. Ugh.”

Sophia’s expression showed that she didn’t know how to react, especially since we were so close.

Well, that’s exactly why I did it—to make her uncomfortable.

But, it wasn’t like our bodies were touching.

“If I were to help Alice, Claire, Mia, or Lena in similar ways, it wouldn’t be because I think of them as my lovers either.”

“R-really?”

“Really.”

I said, moving my chair back a little.

“Of course, I think the same about Charlotte. But she’s a princess of a country. In fact, she will be the future queen. Even though I’m a princess, when she becomes queen, I won’t be in a position to ‘help’ her anymore.”

“…”

Sophia seemed lost in thought for a moment.

“And you. Sophia Bianchi.”

When I called her name, she blinked in surprise.

“Perhaps, I could help your ‘family’ as well. I could assist a small noble family, at least.”

“…”

Sophia’s expression subtly shifted.

I already knew Sophia’s true identity, and she knew I knew it too.

But the help I spoke of would be limited to the ‘small noble family’—I wasn’t offering to help the Law Empire, but I would help her personally.

Even though Sophia’s thinking was a bit simple, I’m sure she understood exactly what I was saying.

“But if you keep spreading false rumors that make me upset, you might be removed from my list of friends.”

“Ah.”

At my words, Sophia’s face turned pale.

Yes, I knew she was enjoying her school life, but there were things she had to do.

As an agent sent by the Law Empire, she had a mission to fulfill.

And the priority of that mission was to become friends with me, Sylvia Fangryphon.

Looking at the pale Sophia, I felt satisfied that my message had gotten through.

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Chapter 196

**Satisfied.**  

Since that conversation that day, Sophia no longer says strange things to me.  

Leo had never misunderstood anything in the first place, and Alice, who had only been teasing me for her own amusement, stopped bringing it up altogether once the fun was over.  

Charlotte would occasionally look at me with sad eyes, but that was all. She no longer tried to tie me to Leo in any way.  

Solving a major incident without resorting to rewinding time felt immensely gratifying and satisfying.  

Back in the day, I thought of my cheat-like ability as something I could use recklessly whenever I wanted… but now, things were different. My relationships had changed.  

The friends around me were, quite literally, my “friends.” And every conversation I had with them was a memory to cherish.  

Rewinding time didn’t just mean erasing my mistakes; it also meant erasing all those memories.  

At the start of the semester, I had used my ability multiple times to maintain my perfect image. Of course, even now, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it if my image was in serious jeopardy. However, I no longer wanted to use it for every minor mistake—especially after conversations that could shape relationships.  

That’s why the fact that I didn’t rely on my ability while forming bonds with others brought me such satisfaction.  

Not that it meant there would never be a reason to use my ability again.  

---

"Seriously, you're as elusive as a ghost."  

The voice, weak and strained, belonged to Chiara Verati.  

Her body was wrapped in countless bandages as she lay on the bed, looking at me with a feeble smile.  

"Especially while wearing such uncomfortable clothes."  

"This might not look it, but these uniforms are made with advanced materials. They’re perfectly functional."  

I replied, taking a seat on the chair next to her bed.  

**Thud.**  

A sound came from the direction of the door. There was the noise of repeated, loud impacts, followed by muffled shouts from someone outside.  

It was natural. Even injured, a knight of the church was no ordinary person. Even without weapons, they could take down an average soldier with ease. So, it was only logical for her to be confined deep within the imperial palace in the heart of the capital, despite her injuries.  

...Though, honestly, did they really need to imprison someone this badly hurt?  

"So, how exactly do you plan to escape... Not that you'd tell me even if I asked, right?"  

"Who knows."  

I shrugged at Chiara Verati's question and said,  

"Depending on how this conversation goes, I might just let you in on it."  

"Hah. Still, I doubt you'll tell me anything beyond what you want me to know."  

"I promise you this: I’ll make sure to reveal a real secret."  

As long as that masked woman doesn’t suddenly appear, there’d be no need to rewind time.  

And at this point, I didn’t expect her to show up. The masked woman only appeared when matters related to the artifacts were involved.  

Artifacts like the one that had first appeared before me. I’d already checked the bag the emperor mentioned finding—it was hidden so well that uncovering it had required doing things I’d rather forget. Still, those who had been hurt back then were now fully recovered, so perhaps it was all worth it.  

It seemed the masked woman couldn’t use her abilities because of that artifact. Just as my abilities were sealed whenever she appeared.  

Objects tied to the goddess's power could suppress both my and the masked woman's abilities.  

"And what, you're planning to kill me?"  

"..."

If the moment ever came when my abilities were blocked, I might have to.  

At my silence, Chiara Verati frowned.  

After thinking for a long while, she let out a deep sigh.  

"...Fine. Speak. Is there something specific you want to know?"  

"Will you tell me?"  

"Do I even have a choice?"  

**Thud!** Another loud sound came from the door. It was possible they were preparing magic or even cannons on the other side.  

No, cannons seemed unlikely. The emperor might not allow that.  

"What did Lucas ask you about last time?"  

"The artifact."  

Chiara Verati answered straightforwardly.  

"He asked about what it was and why we were searching for it."  

"Didn’t you say you weren’t high-ranking enough to know the details?"  

"And you believed that?"  

"Not entirely."  

I hadn’t thought pressing her further back then would get any more answers. Besides, I couldn’t exactly interrogate her with Alice watching.  

"..."

After a brief silence, Chiara Verati spoke again.  

"I was sent to the Empire to search for the artifact. While Northwood wasn’t the only potential location, there aren’t many places worth searching—like here, the imperial palace."  

"Are you saying you intentionally got captured?"  

"No. It wasn’t intentional. But since I was caught, I decided to turn the crisis into an opportunity."  

"Did you succeed?"  

"No."  

Chiara Verati let out a scoff.  

"For such an important location, one they’d even bring their most vital prisoners to, the artifact wasn’t here. It was hidden elsewhere."  

"And how do you search for the artifact?"  

"The Holy Nation hasn’t been idle for centuries. To return the goddess's power to her… to bring her back into the world, we’ve been perfecting a system. Of course, we don’t rely solely on ancient records. There's a sacred spell known only to the highest ranks of the Holy Nation. It’s cast on individuals and works without leaving any evidence. Those affected can sense an anomaly when near an artifact."  

"Have you ever felt it?"  

"In the Holy Nation, we train using an artifact in our possession to familiarize ourselves with the sensation."  

"And one of those artifacts ended up in the Empire."  

"...Exactly."  

Chiara Verati exhaled deeply.  

"Can you tell me more about that spell?"  

"No. The Holy Nation's leaders wouldn’t allow such knowledge to spread. The spell is performed while the subject is unconscious, and when they wake, there’s no trace of it. Even if you suspect there might be a mark, you'd need the Holy Nation’s unique magic to confirm it."  

"I see."  

**Crash!**  

The door bent inward, almost breaking under the repeated impacts.  

"Why are you telling me all this?"  

Feeling pressed for time, I asked.  

Not long ago—just after Lucas’s attack left her badly injured and unconscious—this same person had been completely uncooperative.  

"Ha… who knows."  

Chiara Verati stared blankly at the ceiling as she spoke.  

"I used to think dying for the goddess was enough. Suicide’s forbidden by doctrine, but… I figured as long as I served her, I could die doing so."  

But now…  

"After coming here, being left to rot by the Holy Nation, hearing that some monstrous creature killed my old comrades, and losing the artifact… I’m just so disillusioned. Everything I believed in feels shattered. Honestly, I wish I hadn’t woken up after Lucas's attack."  

"That’s your reason?"  

"Yes. And you promised to tell me about your ability—how you found me and plan to escape. I’m incredibly curious."  

The hinges on the door seemed ready to give way.  

"Fine," I said, nodding. "I’ll tell you. I already knew what would happen. I saw it from beyond the bounds of this world."  

"...You knew the future?"  

Chiara let out a breathless sound.  

"And second, I have the power to rewind time."  

"..."

"So there’s no need to plan an escape route. Once I’ve achieved my goal, I’ll simply go back."  

"Ha."  

Chiara Verati let out a disbelieving laugh.  

"You don’t believe me?"  

"No, it’s not that. It’s absurd, but if you really have ‘that kind of power,’ everything suddenly makes sense. It’s just…"  

Chiara Verati fell silent, staring at the ceiling for a long time.  

**Crash!** The door finally broke, armor clanging as soldiers rushed in.  

Through the commotion, Chiara Verati’s voice rang clearly.  

"It’s all so meaningless. I worked so hard for the goddess’s power, but in the end…"  

Her words trailed off, but I’d already heard enough.  

Once again.  

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Chapter 197

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself while living in this world, it’s that I don’t particularly care about how others perceive me.

Well… aside from the character image I’ve carefully cultivated. I put effort into maintaining that because it defines my persona. But outside of that, especially when it comes to people beyond my immediate circle, I don’t think about their opinions as much as I might have imagined.

For instance, it wasn’t until recently that I found out a rumor labeling me a “murderer” had been circulating for months.

And even after hearing about it, I didn’t react much. Honestly, isn’t it true? Setting aside the assassination of Count Crowfield—still a secret for now—I’ve been on the battlefield and fired upon people before.

Not just one or two, either. I couldn’t even recall the exact number of people I’d killed. Not that it was in the dozens, but when bullets are flying from all directions, bombs are exploding, and the cacophony of machine gun fire and charging soldiers fills the air, there’s no time to keep count of the lives you take while rewinding time hundreds of times in a battle.

Frankly, I understand why this reputation arose.

Even if this academy doubles as a military academy and some graduates are destined for the army, most students here have never killed anyone. If they had, that would be the unusual case.

War, even in this world, is generally regarded as an adult matter.

The distinction between who is considered an adult and who is considered a child might be blurred, but the line is drawn nonetheless. And while the arbitrary nature of that line disgusted me at times, it was precisely because of it that I, a person who had crossed that line without hesitation, was being labeled a “murderer” by the students.

Looking at it objectively, they weren’t wrong. The only problem was that if you applied that label strictly, countless soldiers hailed as “heroes” in this nation would fit the description just as well.

I happened to overhear the rumor by sheer coincidence.

If I’d been alone when I heard it, I would have easily ignored it and moved on—but—

"What did you just say?"

The problem was, someone else had been standing beside me when I opened the door to the student council room.

And that person, physically superior to me in every way, was Alice.

I had clearly heard the words “murderer Sylvia” from just outside the door, so it wouldn’t have been surprising if Alice had caught the entire context.

"Repeat what you just said, right now."

Before I could even open the door fully, Alice slipped inside with swift, decisive movements, heading straight toward the source of the voice.

It seemed she had already identified the person behind the comment. Unlike me, who didn’t particularly care about the idle chatter of nobles, Alice had been actively engaging in social interactions since coming to the academy. Recognizing someone by their voice wouldn’t have been difficult for her.

The student council room had several tables. Instead of the massive, intimidating conference tables one might expect in a corporate boardroom, these tables were smaller, more suited to informal gatherings, with seating for four or five people each.

By regulation, anyone could make proposals or announcements in this space, typically by tapping a champagne glass with a spoon or raising their voice to gather attention. In essence, the student council operated in the style of a traditional noble social gathering.

Unsurprisingly, the room was often a social hub for council members rather than a formal meeting place, even during scheduled meetings.

"Ah, um, I didn’t mean…"

Even with the most charitable interpretation, the term “murderer” is never positive.

The girl who had attached that word to my name turned pale, her face almost as blue as her strikingly light sky-colored hair—an uncommon feature that wouldn’t be out of place on one of the protagonists in a story.

I stepped into the room, my loafers clicking sharply against the floor.

The eyes of the seven students in the room all turned to me at once.

Did they think I was about to explode in anger? Honestly, such words didn’t bother me enough to provoke that kind of reaction.

I knew the names and backgrounds of all the noble students here, but I had no intention of getting involved with those who weren’t part of the main storyline.

"Oh…"

Still, just because I didn’t intend to form close relationships with them didn’t mean I avoided them altogether.

We were, after all, part of the same student council.

I hadn’t planned to approach the girl in question, but since Alice had gone straight to her, I couldn’t ignore the situation entirely.

Conversations among nobles often followed a kind of mathematical formula, with official feelings and personal emotions kept separate.

Even if I personally didn’t feel offended, “showing anger” might be necessary to gain favor among the nobles. On the other hand, even if something enraged me, “not showing anger” might be expected depending on the situation.

Usually, the former applied to matters of personal or familial honor, while the latter applied to issues involving close family or spouses. The ability to navigate that fine line was what made a noble truly skilled.

"I-I’m sorry!"

The girl’s face turned even paler when our eyes met. She stood abruptly, bowing deeply in my direction.

So… she’s from an earl’s family, I think. Not someone insignificant, given her position in the student council, but certainly not a match for the Fangryphon imperial family.

Suppressing a sigh, I abandoned my plan to head for an empty seat and approached their table instead.

"Calling someone who fights and sacrifices their life for the Empire a ‘murderer’ casts doubt on your family’s loyalty to the Empire," Alice said sharply.

The already silent room grew even quieter, as though the pressure alone could crush someone.

"N-no, that’s not what I meant… I just…"

The girl frantically searched for an excuse, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

"If Sylvia is a ‘murderer,’ then doesn’t that make the Duke of Winterfield, headmaster of this academy, a murderer too?" Alice pressed, smiling faintly.

Her opponent remained silent, unable to respond.

A quick glance showed the student council president frozen mid-sip, his teacup suspended in midair.

"And how many others in this room agree with that sentiment?" Alice continued. "Before I arrived, the atmosphere here seemed cheerful enough. Do you all regularly hold such discussions in our absence? I would never have guessed that families I considered pillars of the Empire were actually parasitic freeloaders clinging to its name."

"Um, no, that’s not…"

The president, who had remained frozen until now, finally moved, his jaw trembling slightly.

"Those words were Lady Rassel’s personal remarks," he said slowly.

Lady Rassel turned her pleading gaze to the president, silently begging him not to abandon her.

For a moment, I thought I could see the calculations running through the president’s mind.

"The word ‘murderer’ and the name ‘Sylvia’ must have been joined accidentally during an unrelated conversation," he declared after what seemed like careful deliberation.

It seemed he had decided that being in debt to the Rassel family was the more advantageous choice.

"Continue," Alice said, fixing her gaze on Lady Rassel.

"The Imperial Princess Sylvia Fangryphon was on the battlefield at the time," the president explained slowly. "The enemy was a group of despicable warlords—murderers and rapists. The princess played a significant role in eliminating them."

He pieced together an explanation, neither fully convincing nor entirely weak. As the duke’s heir, his words carried weight, even if they weren’t definitive.

Lady Rassel nodded vigorously in agreement.

"I see."

Finally, I spoke, breaking my silence.

"I appreciate the praise. As much as you support me personally, I trust the Rassel family will also contribute to the royal family’s future endeavors."

"For the esteemed Fangryphon imperial family, there is nothing we wouldn’t do. I will follow your words without fail."

Lady Rassel bowed her head deeply.

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Chapter 198

At first, I thought Alice was using the situation to intimidate Lady Rassel for the imperial family's benefit.

While she was still somewhat emotional, Alice had displayed more calculated and "princess-like" behavior since we returned from Belvur last year. It had become a regular part of her demeanor.

But even after the matter seemed resolved—with an apology from Lady Rassel and a pledge of loyalty to the imperial family—Alice continued glaring at her, sitting silently in the student council room.

Ordinarily, once an apology was given and accepted, the issue would be considered settled. Yet, it seemed that wasn’t enough to quench Alice's anger.

"I don’t think there’s any need to stay so upset after receiving an apology," I remarked.

"Doesn’t this bother you at all?"

Her question made me furrow my brow slightly, lost in thought.

Hmm…

If the person in question had been an adult, it might’ve been different. Knowing a grown person was badmouthing me behind my back would’ve left me annoyed, if not outright angry.

But Lady Rassel was just a fifteen-year-old girl.

I hadn’t been all that angry when Mia showed hostility toward me, either, because she was still young and unaware of the truth.

From a teenager’s perspective, the idea of someone having killed people might seem unnerving.

As I remained deep in thought, Alice ran a hand down her face, sighing, and then took a seat at one of the room’s guest tables.

"What if it had been me instead? If they’d been calling me a murderer instead of you?"

"..."

That would’ve made me angry, no doubt.

Not just for Alice. I would’ve felt the same if they’d been gossiping about Leo, Claire, Jake, or even Lottie. Mia and Lena too… though Sophia is still a little more complicated.

Alice seemed to understand what I was thinking from the look on my face, even though I hadn’t said anything.

"...Well, I guess you’re the type to think that’s just normal, so no matter what I say, it won’t bother you much."

"..."

She rolled her eyes briefly before speaking again.

"I think this situation needs to be handled carefully."

"I agree."

"Then why let nobles badmouth the imperial princess and just leave it at that?"

"Because in this situation, avoiding unnecessary enemies is the wiser move."

I could handle more enemies. If things got too difficult, I could always rewind time to undo the situation. Besides, I’d already used my original-world knowledge and time-rewinding ability to gather dirt on the most influential families, in case I couldn’t use my powers anymore after encountering the masked woman.

I hadn’t visited every single noble estate, so the information was limited, but it was enough to make me confident.

One reason I wasn’t particularly affected by this gossip was that Lady Rassel had already broken down in tears before me a few times, spilling plenty of her family’s secrets.

"..."

Perhaps picking up on something from my expression, Alice chose not to press the matter further.

"In any case," she continued, "it’ll be a problem if more nobles start disregarding the imperial family. Things have been kept in check so far, but you know what happened recently in the northern bombardment."

She must’ve been referring to Jayden’s monitor fleet sweeping the border clean.

"Since then, nearby nations and local lords have been wary of the imperial military. After all, they didn’t even notice the monitor ships flying over their territories until they reached the border."

"And local forces have no way of stopping those ships," I added.

If a monitor ship decided to bombard a lord’s castle, that would be the end of it. While civil wars might follow, the imperial military was strong enough to crush any rebellious factions decisively.

Ironically, that capability only made more lords want to rebel.

No matter how large or productive the capital was, the Empire couldn’t function on its own. Producing vast amounts of munitions required enormous quantities of gunpowder and lead. To make gunpowder, saltpeter was essential—and there were no saltpeter mines in the capital.

Even in the original game’s story, certain nobles were already openly boasting about "keeping the capital running" before the main events unfolded. It wasn’t until later that those nobles started acting collectively.

Even if the Emperor wasn’t aiming for world domination, the nobles wouldn’t change their mindset. After all, they didn’t know about my "abilities."

"But there won’t be an uprising," I said confidently.

"And what makes you so sure?"

"Because His Majesty has no intention of deploying military forces abroad."

In the original story, the rebellion had been opportunistic.

Even with the Empire’s overwhelming military advantage, waging war against the entire world required committing forces on a massive scale.

Warships guarding the capital were moved to the borders, and monitor ships were sent to the frontlines. Air forces shifted to support the ground army, leaving only minimal defenses. Loyalist forces like Winterfield were tied up in the north, while Lindbergh, another ally, was distracted by a colonial uprising.

With the Empire’s mightiest forces deployed elsewhere, it created the perfect chance for ambitious lords to act.

But the Emperor wasn’t a fool.

He’d anticipated this and had crushed several rebellious families with brutal efficiency to assert dominance. Dukes were assassinated, their heirs publicly burned alive in their territories. The message was clear.

Additionally, most of the borderlands were under the control of counts or dukes, not directly managed by the Empire.

During the war, if the imperial forces withdrew, enemy troops would invade, trampling those lands in retaliation. Those enemy soldiers wouldn’t care if the lords were "imperial loyalists" or not—they’d simply destroy everything.

Because of this, border lords had no choice but to align with the Emperor, even if it was against their will. This dynamic ultimately led to the downfall of the aristocratic faction.

But all of that hinged on the military’s deployment to the borders.

"Local lords fear the imperial military. A rebellion would leave them with nothing but burnt estates and dead heirs. If they’re lucky, they might keep their own heads."

"But the air among the lords is undeniably uneasy," Alice pointed out.

I nodded.

"That won’t last forever, though."

In the end, neither the aristocracy nor the absolute monarchy is eternal.

Eventually, it all crumbles.

A century from now, there will likely be a time when citizens govern themselves. That’s an inevitable progression. The aristocracy might persist in some form, but the shift toward republicanism cannot be stopped. The Empire already has a nominal parliament, after all.

Trying to stop that tide would only get heads chopped off.

"...Do you know something I don’t?"

"Honestly? Not really. Too much has already diverged from what I knew."

While I could make educated guesses based on the world I came from, this world—despite drawing from real history—wasn’t entirely predictable. Even the game developers hinted at such outcomes during interviews.

But those were long-term changes. When it came to the short term, I couldn’t be certain about anything.

My presence had already shifted the original story too much.

The Emperor was far more focused on internal affairs than in the original. The nobles’ unrest hadn’t fully surfaced yet. The Holy Nation was moving far more cautiously, and Bella was still alive.

And then there were people like Lucas and the masked woman.

Sometimes, I wondered if things might’ve been better if I’d done nothing at all.

"Well, fine," Alice said, shrugging it off. She didn’t seem particularly troubled, but I knew her well enough to guess her thoughts were far from settled.

"In that case, let’s set aside the uncertain future and focus on the one just ahead."

She crossed her arms.

"What do you think of Charlotte’s idea?"

"You mean her proposal to use Lutetia as the training site?"

In the original story, going to Belvur wasn’t just for training.

It was to persuade Charlotte to join the fight against the Emperor, who sought to place the entire world beneath him.

Sneaking into the ruined Lutetia to find Charlotte had been part of the story’s core plot.

Well, at least this change was for the better.

Even so, I felt an overwhelming urge to pull at my hair.

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Chapter 199

No matter how good or bad someone's first impression is, spending enough time with that person usually changes it.

Even the worst first impressions soften over a year or so as you begin to notice the good sides of that person. Conversely, no matter how great someone seems at first, spending a long time with them reveals their flaws. That’s often why relationships fall apart. As people become more familiar with each other, their partner’s flaws become more apparent, and once those flaws pile up past a certain threshold, they can no longer tolerate one another.

…Not that I’d know for sure, having never been in a romantic relationship myself.

In any case, such changes in perception often result from learning something new about the other person, but sometimes it’s because the person themselves changes.

In Charlotte’s case, I believe her image shift had more to do with her subtly changing personality rather than me uncovering unknown aspects of her.

In the original story, Charlotte had a somewhat cold impression. Though her relationship with the protagonist, Leo, softened her image over time, the outbreak of war between the Empire and the kingdom shattered that progress.

The issue here, however, is that the Emperor shows no sign of instigating a war in this world, perhaps due to the butterfly effect.

It’s a good thing—definitely a good thing—but…

“Fufufu.”

I stared at Charlotte, whose suspicious giggling filled the room, with a baffled expression.

Yes, the absence of a reason for Charlotte to guard herself against us had resulted in her displaying these strange behaviors over time.

“I’ve prepared a course that will surely amaze everyone. While Belvur may lag behind the Empire in industrialization, I’ll show you that its traditions and culinary culture are leagues ahead!”

In the original story, Alice and Charlotte’s battles of wit revolved around political matters. In this world, however, Charlotte seemed to have developed an entirely different kind of logic.

“…Did you spend your entire vacation planning this? Inviting academy students to promote Belvur’s history and culture?”

“I thought about it quite seriously,” Charlotte replied, unfazed by Alice’s remark.

“Belvur, which is only just beginning to industrialize, cannot surpass the Empire in military or economic power. That’s not something that can change with time alone. While we can strengthen our military enough to defend ourselves during a war, we could never expand it to the point of conquering the entire Empire.”

“So you’re planning to project cultural influence instead?”

“Isn’t it a possibility? After all, the place you frequent most is a café serving Belvur-style desserts.”

Charlotte’s gaze shifted toward me.

“Even the café owner boasts about learning their skills in Belvur to attract customers, doesn’t he?”

In short, Charlotte was aiming for cultural victory.

Well, it wasn’t entirely nonsensical.

Culture plays a significant role in relations between nations. It’s hard to justify suppressing cultural exchanges, and attempts to do so often provoke backlash from those who already enjoy that culture. The best way to counter such influence is to develop one’s own cultural industry and encourage people to embrace it instead.

Belvur and the Empire were long-standing neighbors with culturally similar roots. Belvur retained many cultural elements the Empire had lost during its industrialization—such as its cuisine—which had become popular among the Empire’s upper class.

Charlotte had clearly picked up on this while attending the academy.

However, there was one aspect of her enthusiasm that I found a little… unsettling.

“I guarantee that once you taste authentic Belvur cuisine made by real Belvur chefs, your opinions will change. And it’s not just the food; there’s plenty to see as well. Belvur didn’t recklessly demolish its old buildings in the name of industrialization.”

As Charlotte puffed out her chest and proudly made her pitch, she reminded me of a junior officer from my military days, boasting about giving me the "full Busan tour" if I ever visited their hometown.

…There was no need to remind her that I’d already tried Belvur’s cuisine during our visit last year.

Seeing Alice glance at me uneasily, I stifled a sigh.

Alice and I might’ve had reservations, but the academy seemed to think Charlotte’s proposal was worth considering.

While there were legal and cultural differences between the Empire and Belvur, communication wasn’t a significant issue. Although ordinary Belvur commoners didn’t speak Imperial, the high-ranking individuals hosting the academy students would be fluent.

From the academy’s perspective, there was no reason to refuse an opportunity to broaden students’ horizons.

Naturally, most of the students were excited about the idea. Officially, Sophia and Charlotte were the only academy students from Belvur, after all.

In the world I came from, budget airlines and saving money made overseas vacations a possibility for most people every few years. Here, however, international travel was far more complicated. Most border crossings required extensive paperwork, and very few places offered easy access based solely on visas.

While nobles, backed by their governments, might have more opportunities, commoners found traveling abroad extremely challenging unless involved in commerce.

“…Mia.”

I quietly called her name.

“Y-Yes?”

Mia, startled, looked up before glancing at where my gaze had fallen. Her face turned red as she hastily closed her notebook.

I had been looking at the notebook in front of her.

As the weather turned colder, most students had retreated into the academy buildings. The once-green lawns had begun to yellow, and the bare branches of the street trees offered little to admire. Most students were spending their time in the academy lobby or their dorm rooms, enjoying tea and snacks.

Meanwhile, we were in the student council room.

Mia’s presence in the room was a rare sight, enough that I sometimes forgot she’d joined the council at the start of the semester. Well, “joined” might be putting it lightly—“chased me into” was probably more accurate.

Back when our relationship was rocky, she’d barely shown up. Lately, however, she had been coming around more often, just like now, where she was seated at a small table in the room, diligently jotting something in her notebook.

“Is that a list of foods you want to try?” I asked.

Mia’s face flushed a deeper red.

“I… I don’t think I’m obligated to answer that!”

Look at her, being all defiant to hide her embarrassment.

Amused, I pulled out a chair at her table and sat down.

“You seem pretty excited about going to Belvur. Making a list of foods to try once you get there?”

“I-It's not like that! Not at all!”

Yeah, sure it isn’t.

Even at a glance, it was obviously a list of Belvur cuisine.

Looking at her now, Mia’s image had definitely changed. When we first met, she’d been like a prickly hedgehog. Now, she resembled a hamster or squirrel—though one you’d still want to handle with care to avoid getting bitten.

I briefly recalled Mia from the original story. Was she always this food-driven?

Hmm… Not really. There weren’t many characters in the original who openly displayed such traits.

Of course, eating a lot was another matter. It just wasn’t common to show characters happily munching on sweets or favoring specific cuisines. In the original story, Mia spent much of her arc grappling with her circumstances, which left little room for such moments.

Here, though, it seemed she’d adapted and overcome her struggles much faster—possibly because of me. While she was still a bit timid, she wasn’t the gloomy character from the original story.

“Belvur is right next to your territory, isn’t it? You could visit anytime to try their food.”

“…Are you serious?”

Mia’s eyes widened as she stared at me.

“I’m from Crowfield, you know.”

…Oh.

Right.

Crowfield had originally been Belvur territory.

Not just a neighbor—a descendant of invaders.

"..."

"..."

For a moment, an awkward silence hung between us. I could’ve sworn I caught a fleeting hint of a "How can you be an imperial princess and not know that?" look in her eyes. Maybe it was just my imagination.

Um.

Well.

Let’s try that again.

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Chapter 200

"Indeed, even if the Crowfield territory is right next to the border, considering its history, it’s not exactly the kind of place one can freely travel to," I said.

"Yes…"

Mia nodded, her shoulders slumping slightly.

I wasn’t sure whether she had a genuine affection for Belvur itself or if she just wanted to indulge in their cuisine.

I suspected the latter, but I had enough tact not to say it out loud.

"You don’t need to worry so much," Charlotte said as she entered the student council room and took a seat in an empty chair.

"At the border, plenty of people might recognize the name Crowfield, but where we’re going—the capital, Lutetia—nobles there won’t pay much attention to it."

Or perhaps they’ll simply pretend not to.

It was only natural. Unless someone was the Countess of Crowfield herself, there was little to gain from criticizing a daughter who essentially knew nothing. If anything, doing so would risk being labeled as ungentlemanly. After all, nobles often preferred to handle sensitive matters through wives or daughters. Alice and I were the exceptions, not the rule.

"Really?"

Mia perked up slightly at Charlotte’s reassurance.

While nationalism was beginning to sprout, it hadn’t yet fully bloomed. It was still limited to intellectuals and some nobles, and even among the latter, it hadn’t completely taken root outside royal and imperial circles.

Many countries still clung to remnants of medieval feudalism. Even if people claimed to be "fellow Belvurians," those who had deployed armies against each other mere decades ago weren’t about to suddenly embrace each other as kin.

This meant Mia would likely be safe.

"Of course. The customs of hospitality are universal, no matter the country. I’ll do everything I can to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable stay in my country—not just you, but all the Imperial students," Charlotte said with a warm smile.

If she said so, there was no reason to argue.

Of course, I had my own preparations to make as well.

The weapons I had been secretly preparing would all be loaded onto the train with us.

While I didn’t plan to raid Belvur itself, there was a mountain of information to gather from the church knights stationed there.

Still, seeing Charlotte’s cheerful face might make me feel guilty. Maybe I’d rewind time before seeing her.

Watching Charlotte laugh and chat with Mia, I entertained these treasonous thoughts.

During my last visit, I’d noticed how close the Azernian Empire and the Kingdom of Belvur were. There was no sea or lake dividing them—it was as simple as boarding a train.

The fact that two countries with such strained relations shared fully compatible railways was remarkable.

It was a clear sign that even Belvur, despite its deep mistrust of the Empire, had no viable alternatives to Imperial weaponry and steel technology.

Still, as Charlotte had pointed out, cultural dominance was another story entirely.

For example, Belvur’s music.

"Wow…"

A soft murmur of awe escaped someone’s lips.

As soon as we disembarked from the train, we were greeted by a grand welcome.

Though it wasn’t a full orchestra, a line of musicians played various instruments, all proudly representing Belvur’s culture.

The melody was familiar. It was the Belvurian national anthem.

Composed by a celebrated musician, it was far more refined than the anthems of my own world, which often felt outdated and rigid. While Belvur drew inspiration from France, it wasn’t modeled after post-revolutionary France, so its lyrics weren’t as bloodthirsty as one might expect.

Above us, small pieces of confetti rained down. Though the buildings weren’t as tall as those in Lindbergh, citizens standing atop four-story structures cheered and scattered vibrant paper over us.

It was a festival atmosphere, quite literally.

Even knowing this spectacle was Charlotte’s doing, I couldn’t help but feel a little elated.

The sky here was a clearer blue than in the Imperial capital, and the air was refreshingly clean.

I could see why Charlotte loved her country so much.

"Welcome."

Standing before us was an elderly gentleman in an impeccably tailored suit.

"It is an honor to welcome the students of Azernian Imperial Ronderium Academy to Lutetia."

Though I couldn’t discern his exact title, his demeanor exuded so much elegance and dignity that it almost felt oppressive.

Unsurprisingly, the students following his lead seemed even more excited.

"Haaa…"

Alice let out a long sigh as she entered our shared room.

Being invited here was an honor, but it also meant Alice had to take on the role of student representative.

Given her noble status and consistent top-ranking academic performance, she was always the one chosen for such roles.

If students from other grades had joined, the student council president would’ve taken on the responsibility instead.

"Tired?" I asked as Alice kicked off her shoes and threw herself onto the bed.

"And what if I am? Are you offering to take over for me?"

She mumbled her response into the mattress.

"No, I just thought I’d remind you that the next event involves meeting the King of Belvur."

"…Can’t you go instead? You’ve already met him, haven’t you?"

Hmm…

Our last meeting hadn’t exactly ended on a positive note.

Alice referred to him as "His Majesty," out of respect for her friend Charlotte’s father. But when I met him, I’d deliberately addressed him as "Your Highness."

In the Empire, my title was "Her Highness," so by calling him that, I’d effectively dragged him down to my level.

He probably wouldn’t be thrilled to see me again.

Honestly, it was a miracle Charlotte hadn’t shown open hostility toward me after our first meeting.

And it wasn’t like I could rewind time to fix things now. With the masked woman involved, attempting to rewind time would result in massive complications. I’d probably end up unconscious for months afterward.

"…"

I didn’t respond right away, lost in thought. Alice lifted her head slightly, resting her chin on the mattress, and squinted at me.

"You look like you’re hiding something," she said.

Hmm…

Should I tell her?

After a moment of deliberation, I decided to come clean. Alice was going to meet the King soon anyway.

And as a result, I succeeded in getting Alice up.

Not that it was intentional.

She glanced at me, opening and closing her mouth as if trying to find the right words. Eventually, she gave up and began pacing the room in frustration.

Then she looked back at me, pressed her palm to her forehead, raked her fingers through her hair, sighed heavily, and finally blurted out,

"What were you thinking when you said that!?"

Uh…

Should I tell her the truth? That it was a mix of rebellion against being sent into that situation without any support from the Emperor and a petty desire to mess with the Holy Nation?

"I thought it was the best course of action at the time," I replied instead.

Of course, I couldn’t admit the real reasons. No matter how open I was with Alice, there were limits.

"The best—"

She started to say something but then shut her mouth. Her expression could best be described as ‘Forget it, let’s not even go there.’

"If I apologize, that’ll probably just make things worse, won’t it?" she asked after a pause.

"If you apologize now, it would likely be perceived as a provocation," I confirmed.

"…"

Alice groaned, clutching her head, before throwing herself back onto the bed.

Now that I thought about it, she’d been pacing barefoot this whole time after kicking off her shoes.

"Ugh, whatever. You deal with it. You made the mess, so you fix it."

"I’m sorry, but the Empire’s rightful heir is none other than you, Your Highness," I said curtly.

"…"

Alice didn’t respond, but the menacing aura radiating from her as she lay on the bed was impossible to ignore.

So… this is what killing intent feels like?

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Chapter 201

Lutetia Castle wasn’t entirely unfamiliar—it wasn’t my first visit.

The Imperial Palace, at a glance, resembled a medieval castle in its external design. Of course, the interior had been extensively renovated, befitting the residence of the Emperor. Yet, its outward appearance retained a certain rustic charm.

Lutetia Castle, however, felt more like a "palace" than the traditional image evoked by the word "castle."

Perhaps it was because Belvur drew inspiration from France. The opulence of Lutetia brought to mind the splendor of the Palace of Versailles.

This likely stemmed from a fundamental difference in how the two nations approached the concept of fortresses.

The Empire had endured countless wars at the heart of the continent’s chaos, while Belvur had conserved its strength from a safer, more distant position.

While the Fangryphon family waged wars and drew attention across the land, Belvur invested in encircling Lutetia with walls. These walls, though limiting urban expansion, were deemed sufficient to safeguard the entire capital.

In the modern age, such walls no longer posed significant challenges. In a world where aerial warships could bombard from the skies, the meaning of "walls" had faded. Nevertheless, they still held strategic value in deterring ground forces.

"..."

“Are you nervous?”

I asked Alice, who was walking silently beside me. She glanced at me without a word, still upset about the earlier conversation we’d had in the guest room.

The last time, it had been Charlotte who personally went to fetch Alice. Since we were staying at a hotel, this was Alice’s first time entering the palace itself.

"...Hah."

When I kept staring at her, Alice finally sighed in exasperation.

“To be honest, yeah, a little.”

Accompanying us were a handful of Imperial and Belvurian knights, along with a few attendants in butler uniforms.

Though we were visiting as students, it was hard for either government to treat Alice and me as equals to the others. Even if we were fine with it, both the Imperial and Belvur governments were decidedly not.

Our reception as student representatives aside, our status as Imperial princesses was the reason for this formal audience with the King.

“It’s an impressive palace. I admired it from afar last time, but seeing the interior is truly dazzling. For a nation without any real colonies, Belvur’s wealth is evident.”

Alice commented bluntly, gazing up at the palace’s golden ceiling. Perhaps it was my imagination, but the Belvurian knights’ shoulders seemed to rise a little in pride.

“In terms of decor, it certainly surpasses the Empire.”

“Well, Belvur is known as the land of the arts.”

According to the lore, Belvur had many renowned artists—painters, musicians, sculptors. In the streets, one could see street painters sketching portraits for a fee or musicians playing violins and guitars for passersby.

"..."

Alice didn’t respond, possibly out of envy.

It was understandable. No matter how glorious the Empire’s steam, soot, and brass pipes might be as symbols of humanity’s progress, they lacked the artistic refinement of something created purely for beauty.

Realizing that anything I said might not improve Alice’s mood, I simply followed her quietly.

“Alice!”

Charlotte was already in the audience chamber when we arrived. She had said she would go ahead, and I had assumed she would change into a dress and wait, but she was still in her school uniform.

...It seemed our decision to remain in uniform was the correct one.

“Princess Alice.”

“Your Majesty, King of Belvur.”

Although Alice didn’t smile as brightly as Charlotte, the King of Belvur greeted us with a warm smile.

Unlike me, Alice addressed him as “Your Majesty,” though she didn’t kneel. She merely lifted the edges of her skirt slightly with both hands.

Neither the King nor Charlotte seemed to mind this lack of formality.

Had my last visit lowered their expectations too much?

“I’ve been meaning to invite you, and now I finally have the chance. I apologize for inviting you as students rather than as royalty.”

“No need to apologize. This lighter purpose makes it more comfortable for us as well.”

“Hmm.”

The King nodded slightly, his gaze briefly shifting to me.

For a moment, the smile on his face faded. Understandable, given that it would be hard for him to harbor positive feelings toward me.

Or perhaps he suspected I was scheming something?

If so, it felt unfair. This visit wasn’t my doing; it was Charlotte’s proposal, entirely unexpected on my part.

“Since this meeting is not politically motivated, let’s keep the formalities light. You’ll be staying in Lutetia for a while, so there’ll be more opportunities to strengthen our acquaintance.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“If you encounter any inconvenience during your stay, let the nearest knight know. I’ll do my best to assist you.”

“While in Belvur, it’s only natural to respect its laws. We’ll adhere to what has been prepared for us.”

“Your words are appreciated.”

The King smiled faintly at Alice’s response.

Hmm.

Maybe my arrogance during my last visit had been the right move after all.

It had given Alice the opportunity to make a strong impression today.

Of course, if I mentioned this to Alice, I’d likely earn a smack.

“Alice, what do you think?”

Charlotte walked out with us after the audience.

“What do I think about what?”

When Alice responded coolly, Charlotte beamed.

“The Lutetia Palace! Isn’t it beautiful?”

Charlotte gestured grandly with an open palm, and Alice let out a dismissive “Hmph.”

“The Imperial Palace is splendid enough.”

“Oh, of course, the Imperial Palace is magnificent. Its towering presence is visible from anywhere in the capital. But isn’t there a difference between being magnificent and being beautiful?”

It seemed Alice had no intention of conceding, as she continued deflecting Charlotte’s attempts to coax a compliment.

A faint clink echoed from the armor of one of the knights walking beside us. Though their expression was hidden behind a narrow visor, it was easy to guess they had briefly smiled.

It was one of the Belvurian knights.

Alice glared at the knight, who immediately straightened and resumed walking silently.

“It’s a beautiful place.”

When Alice still refused to answer, I finally spoke up. She shot me a glare this time.

“But it’s true,” I said calmly. “This place is beautiful.”

Beauty, however, doesn’t equate to strength. Even a technologically advanced nation supporting a vast population could crumble if its military was weak.

Of course, this wasn’t something I needed to point out to Charlotte.

At least, not yet.

“Yes, isn’t it?”

Charlotte’s smile widened at my answer.

“There’s so much more to show you! During your week here, I’ll do my best to introduce you to all the wonders of Belvur!”

Watching her puff up proudly, I silently hoped my existence had prevented whatever great tragedy might have been destined to occur.

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Chapter 202

No matter how close two people are, their relationship isn't composed solely of positive emotions.

Of course, the majority of emotions between friends are positive; otherwise, they wouldn’t remain friends.

Negative emotions between friends are usually subtle and insignificant, small enough to seem petty if voiced aloud.

Take, for instance, two friends from different countries watching a soccer match.

Even if neither of them typically cares about soccer, the moment their respective national teams compete, they automatically become their country's loudest cheerleaders.

Winning or losing the match doesn’t result in any substantial gain or loss, but emotions run high nonetheless.

That was the kind of frustration Alice felt toward me at the moment.

"Ugh, this is so unfair! It's infuriating!"

Hmm.

Still, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her flailing her arms and legs like a child throwing a tantrum.

Noticing my gaze, Alice abruptly sat up and glared at me.

“What? Why are you staring? Haven’t you ever seen me like this before?”

“To be honest, no, I haven’t,” I replied, nodding seriously.

It wasn’t that Alice had never thrown tantrums. She’d harbored feelings of jealousy and inferiority toward me since childhood. Whenever I received orders from the Emperor or went to make reports, Alice would often insist on entering the audience chamber as well.

Each time, I tried to accommodate her as much as possible, usually by wrapping up my tasks quickly so she could have her turn.

Even then, Alice never resorted to lying on the ground and flailing her limbs. She always maintained a level of dignity as a princess, stopping just short of crossing the line.

Her tantrums were also reserved for times when no other nobles were around. Even on the train to Lutetia, although there were other nobles in the carriages, they were seated elsewhere.

“...”

As I answered her seriously, Alice’s cheeks flushed slightly.

“W-was I really like that?”

“At the very least, I’ve never seen you flail your arms and legs. Do you do that in your room when no one’s watching?”

At my remark, Alice immediately flopped back onto the bed, burying her face in the mattress.

After a few seconds of punching and kicking the bed in frustration, she sat back up and glared at me again.

“If you ever tell anyone about this, I’ll tell everyone your true self!”

“My true self isn’t much different from what you see now.”

At my response, Alice let out a dramatic "Hah" before flopping back onto the bed. This time, she turned her head to face me rather than burying it in the mattress. Didn’t her neck hurt lying like that?

“When I was younger, I think I threw tantrums in front of you a lot.”

“And I always handled them well. Honestly, if we were to argue about who was more mature, I’d say I acted more like the older sibling.”

I laid out the situation objectively, but Alice responded with a dismissive “Hmph.”

“Really? Then should I start calling you ‘Big Sis’ like Claire does?”

“...”

I paused to imagine Alice calling me ‘Big Sis.’

And quickly concluded that the current arrangement was better.

When I shook my head, Alice’s brow furrowed.

“I wasn’t planning to call you that even if you begged me to, but now that you’ve reacted like this, it’s annoying. Why not?”

“Claire’s ‘Big Sis’ and yours would feel very different.”

“...”

Alice’s eyes narrowed at my words.

I wasn’t wrong, though.

Claire had a naturally youthful and cheerful demeanor, fitting her age. If she called me ‘Big Sis,’ it felt natural.

But Alice...

Sure, she had some childish traits. At the same time, she had a calculating mind and a touch of arrogance befitting her status as a princess. If Alice called me ‘Big Sis,’ it would seem forced and out of character.

Alice didn’t even call Belahan, who was much older than her, ‘Big Sis.’ For her to use that term with me, someone effectively the same age...

“—Ack!”

Lost in thought, I was startled as a pillow smacked me squarely in the face.

Looking toward Alice, I saw her lying on her side, looking at me with a scowl.

“For some reason, you’re just irritating me right now.”

Alice turned over, facing away from me.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t been this open with each other for very long.”

I considered picking up the pillow and throwing it back at her but stopped at her unexpected comment.

“Is that so?”

Reflecting on it, she was right.

It had only been last year that we traveled to Lutetia together. Before then, we hardly ever spoke like this.

Alice had always been the one throwing tantrums, while I was the one accommodating her. Even our journey to Lutetia had only happened because Alice insisted on joining me on the train.

Perhaps the conversations we had during that trip were what brought us closer.

“Yeah. It’s only been since then that we’ve had talks like this...”

Thinking back, it was around that time Alice started visiting my room, asking about exams or studies, and even getting mad at me for the morphine she found there.

“I’m not exactly an open person, even now.”

Alice lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.

“But I noticed.”

“Noticed what?”

“All the times you looked out for me.”

“...”

I had thought she was completely unaware, given her constant complaints and tantrums.

“How could you do that?”

“Do what?”

I helped Alice simply because I liked her character in the original story. I hadn’t been trying to change her future or make her life better in any profound way.

It was more like offering a little extra kindness to someone I liked, just because.

And...

“You were young.”

“You were the same age as me.”

Alice chuckled softly before letting out a long sigh.

“Claire told me you were like that even as a child. Back at the orphanage—”

Alice’s voice faltered mid-sentence.

She had mentioned the orphanage. In this world, that word carried even more negative weight than in mine.

“It’s fine. It’s true that I was there.”

“...Claire said you used to share what little you had with the other kids.”

“...I already knew.”

“Knew what?”

It seemed safe to explain this to Alice, who had already guessed my ability.

“I knew what would happen to the children in that orphanage.”

“...”

Knowing they were doomed, I tried to be a kind presence for them, even if just for their final moments.

Not that I had much to give—maybe a piece of bread or a bowl of cold porridge.

“Yet you saved everyone.”

“Not everyone.”

“Huh?”

“There were some I couldn’t save.”

Alice’s silence deepened as I recounted the story.

We both knew there wasn’t more to say.

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Chapter 203

If a depressing thought crosses your mind and you know it can’t change anything, it’s better to simply not dwell on it.

Not that I’ve been plagued by guilt over the past few years. I’ve merely accepted it as something inevitable.

This applies not only to the children I couldn’t save but also to Count Crowfield, whom I killed, and the countless nameless individuals I’ve faced on the battlefield. This is the kind of world we live in. It would have been naive to think I could avoid killing in a world based on a game where death is a common theme.

“Sylvia?”

I blinked at the sudden voice calling my name.

Charlotte was looking at me with a concerned expression.

“Is something wrong? Do you not like the food?”

“No, it’s not that.”

I quickly answered.

I had just briefly recalled my conversation with Alice from the night before. It wasn’t that the food was bad or that I’d forgotten how to speak because of it.

In fact, the food was delicious.

The meals served at the Academy or the Imperial Palace were already quite good. Despite the internet memes about "British cuisine," even the Empire’s aristocrats wouldn’t tolerate eating unappetizing food.

Well-cooked steak, hearty English breakfasts, a variety of desserts for tea time—they all tasted wonderful.

Besides, the Empire didn’t strictly stick to traditional Imperial cuisine. Just as people in Korea eat a variety of global foods instead of Korean dishes every day, the Empire embraced culinary diversity. Complaining about food was rare when you attended the Academy.

In that context, I had always been curious why Charlotte often expressed dissatisfaction with Academy meals. How much better could Belvurian cuisine possibly be?

...It turned out, it was genuinely excellent.

Not to the point of being so mind-blowing that I’d never eat anything else again, but there was something subtly different about it. The texture of the meat, the delicate aroma infused into it, the sweetness and consistency of the sauce—everything came together in harmony.

Eating the same dish felt like an entirely new experience.

“It’s excellent.”

“Is it?”

Charlotte replied in a tone that was polite but devoid of emotion, much like a noblewoman responding out of courtesy. Still, her gaze briefly flickered toward Alice.

Alice wore a slightly frustrated expression.

...Why was she reacting like this to my opinion? It wasn’t as though I were some renowned food critic.

Perhaps it was my notoriously neutral expression at work. Maybe they thought, “If even she breaks her composure, this food must be exceptional!”

The easiest way to break my expression would’ve been to put a plate of jellied eels in front of me, but I wasn’t about to tell them that.

It wasn’t just me, Alice, and Charlotte at the table. Claire, Leo, Mia, Rena, and Sophia were seated with us. Jake and Lottie had chosen to dine separately. Leo’s face briefly fell at the idea of being the only man surrounded by women, but there wasn’t much he could do about it.

Claire was eating with sparkling eyes, Rena was her usual composed self, carefully wielding her knife and fork. Sophia seemed the same as always, though she occasionally cast fleeting glances at Leo. Meanwhile, Mia was happily munching away, her cheeks puffed out with food.

...For a moment, I wondered if I should eat like Mia. After all, I could just rewind time afterward.

But I quickly gave up on the idea.

Steak was something I ate regularly anyway. If I started rewinding time for every meal Charlotte introduced, it could become a slippery slope.

Charlotte had a determined look on her face, as if she’d prepared extensively. If I were to rewind, it should be for something truly extraordinary.

Watching Charlotte’s confident smile directed at Alice, and Alice’s begrudging glare in return, I turned my focus back to the plate in front of me.

“Sis, look at this!”

After finishing our meal, Claire tapped my shoulder as we walked along the road.

“Tada!”

She proudly presented a camera.

It was a far cry from the digital cameras of my old world—a bulky, antique-looking device at first glance.

Of course, "antique-looking" was my perspective. For this era, it was cutting-edge technology. A portable camera like this was a marvel. According to the game developers, its design was inspired by a legendary modern camera brand.

“I brought it since we’re traveling abroad! What do you think?”

“I heard it’s quite expensive.”

I wasn’t particularly interested in cameras. I only knew about this one because I’d considered whether it could be useful for espionage.

Unlike digital cameras, film cameras didn’t allow for quick editing or easy storage on memory cards. They lacked stealth and immediate photo previews, making them inconvenient for covert use.

Developing film required a darkroom and chemicals. It was a hassle for something classified, especially since anything gained would disappear if I rewound time.

Still, it seemed useful for preserving memories.

“Hehe.”

Claire laughed mischievously, her demeanor reminiscent of Charlotte, and puffed out her chest proudly.

“I worked hard hunting to afford this. I sold everything I didn’t absolutely need, except for a few essential marbles.”

This was a notable difference from the game.

In the game, even if you earned a lot of money, you couldn’t buy anything outside event-specific items, healing recipes, or equipment. But in this world, money could buy practically anything.

Charlotte’s gaze briefly fell on the camera, clearly made in the Empire, before turning back to Alice.

Alice was smiling smugly.

For a moment, Charlotte’s expression turned frustrated.

...Why were they getting competitive over something that wasn’t even theirs? I had thought they’d matured somewhat, but they were still kids in many ways.

“So, can we take a picture together? Since we’re here, I want to capture the memory properly.”

Claire’s suggestion seemed to break the tension between Alice and Charlotte.

After all, despite their bickering, everyone here was a friend.

“An excellent idea.”

My words sealed the deal, and even Charlotte and Alice nodded in agreement.

The camera, of course, had no selfie function. Everything, from the rangefinder to the focus, had to be adjusted manually. No one passing by seemed skilled with a camera.

Fortunately, Claire had anticipated this and pulled a tripod out of the large bag she’d been carrying since morning.

Setting up for the photo, we stood in a line with Lutetia Palace visible in the background.

“Okay, ready!”

Claire shouted as she pulled a lever on the camera and quickly dashed back to us with the agility of a swordswoman.

Sliding between me and Alice, she hooked her arm through mine.

“Ah—”

Before Alice could complain, the shutter clicked.

That evening, when the photos were developed, the result showed Claire beaming brightly at the camera while everyone else looked slightly startled, glancing in her direction.

Still, it was a good picture—everyone’s faces were clear, and the mood was cheerful.

...If not for the shadowy figure that had accidentally crept into the corner of the frame.

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Chapter 204

Of course, saying that the entirety of Lutetia’s streets belonged to us would be an overstatement.

Lutetia itself was Belvur’s territory, and naturally, no Imperial citizen could claim it as their own.

Nor did the streets belong to Charlotte, despite her accompanying us. While the royal capital was directly under the King’s domain, even Belvur couldn’t fully escape the winds of capitalism.

Some individuals had bought parcels of this royal domain, built homes, and settled there. The streets, however, remained public spaces—open to all, including other people who weren’t part of our photo session.

In modern South Korea, people are familiar with cameras and might intentionally avoid the frame or wait until the photo is taken. But in Belvur, cameras were still novel. It wasn’t uncommon for a passerby to unknowingly appear in a corner of the photo without a second thought.

What was strange, though, was that the face captured in the corner of our photo was one I recognized.

"…"

And I wasn’t the only one. Alice, my roommate, knew the face as well.

“Isn’t this Damien?”

Alice immediately voiced the name I was thinking of.

“The last time we saw him was two years ago, but… this really does look like Damien, doesn’t it? What do you think?”

Alice waved the photo Claire had given us, her tone curious.

“I believe you’re correct.”

Damien Fangryphon.

A character the Emperor would dispatch only to the most covert and dangerous missions. In the original story, he didn’t even appear until much later.

Even then, his role wasn’t particularly significant. He served as a gatekeeper, opposing the protagonist’s party on their way to confront the Emperor.

However, his androgynous design, unlike the conventionally masculine characters dominating the story, made him a fan favorite—especially among female players.

Given the early 20th-century aesthetic, most male characters were broad-shouldered and exuded a traditional masculine vibe. Leo and Jake, for instance, didn’t have long hair like female characters. Damien, on the other hand, sported long hair that reached his back.

During battles, he wore skintight black shirts and pants. In scenes where he was in disguise, he tied his hair back, leading many to joke that the character was explicitly designed to appeal to female players.

“But why is Damien here?”

Good question.

In the original story, Damien was stationed in the Holy Nation.

Alice didn’t know where he had been dispatched, but I had that knowledge from the source material.

The Holy Nation wasn’t extremely far from Lutetia, but it wasn’t particularly close either. In fact, the distance between Lutetia and the Holy Nation was greater than the distance between Lutetia and the Imperial capital.

So, did he cross the border from the Holy Nation to come to Lutetia? Or had he been here all along?

“Was he waiting for us?”

Alice asked, and I nodded.

It wasn’t impossible. Charlotte had been planning this visit to Lutetia since summer vacation. If someone had leaked that information, Damien might have known when we’d arrive.

But if that were the case, why reveal himself in the corner of a photograph? Even if his face was partially obscured by his coat collar, his hat, and the shadow of the camera lens, it was still distinctly Damien. Alice and I recognized him instantly.

“If he wanted to meet us, wouldn’t he just approach us directly? It’s not like we’re enemies. If needed, we could easily have a conversation.”

Alice and Damien didn’t have the best relationship, but it wasn’t hostile either. They rarely interacted to begin with.

“Maybe it was a mistake? He might’ve been watching us and accidentally wandered into the camera’s frame…”

“That’s unlikely,” I said firmly.

I didn’t have much interaction with Damien myself, but I knew his personality. Someone like Damien would easily recognize a camera’s presence, understand the lens’s range, and avoid being captured unless he intended to be.

In other words…

“Perhaps he wanted to send us a message.”

“Through a photograph? That’s awfully roundabout.”

Indeed.

“...The only way to get an answer is to find him ourselves,” I said, standing up with the photo in hand.

How could we track Damien down based solely on a photograph?

Alice and I returned to the spot where we had taken the photo. Holding the picture, we adjusted our position until we matched the angle at which it was taken.

Looking at the photo again, illuminated by the streetlights, we noticed something.

The direction Damien had been facing.

In the photo, Damien appeared to walk casually, as if uninterested in us. Naturally, none of our friends suspected anything—they hadn’t met him before.

His body’s orientation in the picture was the only clue.

We turned in the direction he seemed to be heading, and soon our eyes landed on a shop.

It was a shabby, run-down storefront. The windows were boarded up with planks, suggesting it hadn’t been in use for some time. While it didn’t look abandoned, the neglected atmosphere was eerie. The broken streetlight nearby only added to its shadowy presence.

Despite all this, Alice and I instinctively knew someone was waiting for us inside.

Exchanging nods, we moved cautiously.

No one had followed us. Charlotte had dismissed the knights earlier in the day, and we’d snuck out discreetly. I had taken the lead, guiding Alice along.

After checking our surroundings multiple times, we reached the shop and turned the doorknob.

Despite its outward appearance, the door opened effortlessly.

“Lock the door,” a low voice came from the shop’s darkest corner as soon as we stepped inside.

“Huh?” Alice uttered in surprise.

Without hesitation, I locked the door.

A faint light flickered on, illuminating a lamp in the corner.

In its glow, we could see a large man seated in a chair, his presence exuding quiet authority.

“...Father?”

Alice’s voice was laced with disbelief.

“It’s a strange feeling, meeting my daughters so far from home. But it’s a welcome one,” the Emperor said calmly, as though this meeting were entirely natural.

“Why are you here?”

Alice, forgetting her usual decorum in the Emperor’s presence, raised her voice in shock.

“Lowering your voice would be wise. These thin windows and planks don’t do much to keep sound from escaping.”

At his warning, Alice snapped her mouth shut, visibly struggling to process the situation.

“You seem less surprised,” the Emperor said, shifting his gaze to me.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” I admitted.

If Alice hadn’t reacted first, I might’ve blurted out, “What are you doing here?”

Behind the Emperor, standing in the shadows, was a pale man with long hair and a strikingly androgynous face—Damien. His presence was quiet yet eerie, his fair complexion and reserved demeanor amplifying the unsettling atmosphere.

“So, why go through the trouble of coming all the way here?” I asked calmly, my voice steady. Alice, now regaining her composure, turned to look at her father for an explanation.

“I have my own preparations to make,” the Emperor replied. “Just as you have your own plans that you haven’t informed me about.”

...Well, that was a petty response.

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Chapter 205

"…Are you implying that, since I haven’t shared my thoughts with Your Majesty, you won’t share yours either?"

“Well, I wouldn’t phrase it quite like that.”

The Emperor chuckled, his tone almost playful.

"Perhaps you did tell me a few things, but I simply chose not to remember them."

"…"

I had no response to that.

No, wait—I did have something to say.

Seriously? You’re the Emperor. The man at the pinnacle of this vast empire. In the original story, you were the ambitious figure who declared you’d bring the entire world to heel and create a perfectly equal society under your rule.

And yet, you’re sulking because your daughter didn’t share every little thought with you? Even if you truly believe we’re your real children, as you claim, you’re an Emperor first and foremost. It’s not like anyone else knows about your supposed paternal sentiments.

"Hmm."

Though I tried my best to maintain a neutral expression, the Emperor seemed to catch a flicker of dissatisfaction.

Well, considering how long he’s known me—longer than Alice, even—it wasn’t surprising that he could read my face.

"If we both start speaking freely, there will be much to discuss. Let’s exchange information one piece at a time. May I ask the first question?"

He was going to ask regardless of my permission, so I nodded stiffly. The Emperor smirked mischievously before speaking.

"Why did you bring so much luggage on the train?"

"What luggage are you referring to?"

"I’m talking about the items you personally hid. You leveraged your status as a princess to enlist the help of Imperial knights and smuggled in an arsenal. Some of those items are far too excessive for use against people."

The Emperor stroked his well-groomed golden beard, his voice laced with intrigue.

"What? You brought weapons?"

Alice, who had been silently listening to our conversation, gasped in shock.

"…"

When I glanced away, avoiding her gaze, Alice’s expression grew even more incredulous.

"Wait. Are you telling me you smuggled unauthorized weapons into another country? Weapons beyond what the knights and we might use in combat? And you did this while attending as Charlotte’s guest?"

Um…
Well, when she put it like that…

"I had no intention of using them against the Kingdom of Belvur."

"Yet you brought them into Belvurian territory," the Emperor interjected smoothly.

"…How many weapons are we talking about?"

Alice asked the Emperor before I could stop him from answering.

"Quite a few. A massive rifle with a custom-forged barrel designed to handle rounds that could shatter an elephant’s skull. Ammunition made of marmaros that could likely blow a hole through a building’s wall."

Alice’s jaw dropped.

"And some peculiar armor. It resembled jack chains at a glance but was equipped with mechanical enhancements. Springs, hydraulic systems, even slots for mana stones and marmaros. It seemed far too complex for simple defensive use."

Even with marmaros ammunition providing most of the destructive power, the sheer force required to propel it was no joke.

Naturally, wielding such a weapon was physically demanding. And if I intended to use it effectively, I’d have to move and fight while carrying it.

That’s why, in my spare time, I approached Browning with an idea. I asked if it was possible to create a device that could augment strength by distributing force using springs and gears.

…Browning, with an excited glint in his eyes, dove into his workshop and returned with what he called an "exoskeleton."

I didn’t fully understand its mechanics, but it supposedly used steam generated from heated water powered by mana stones to enhance physical strength. The device had hydraulic mechanisms and springs, and the boiler sat on the back, designed to avoid burns. During testing, I hadn’t felt any heat, and the water reservoir was compact enough not to be cumbersome.

The equipment looked like it had countless potential points of failure, but, as is typical in worlds like this, such devices tend to function remarkably well. So I brought it along.

"Even if I don’t know exactly what that armor is for, judging by the ammunition alone, it’s clear that you’re prepared for a large-scale conflict. With all those bombs and enhanced bullets, it wouldn’t be surprising if you started a war singlehandedly."

Alice whipped her head toward me.

If I knew how to whistle nonchalantly, I would’ve done so while looking elsewhere.

"And yet, you claim you have no intention of using them in Belvur? Should I assume you’ve arranged for a means to transport this arsenal elsewhere?"

"…"

That wasn’t the plan, but…

The Emperor, Alice, and even Damien—all three of them were staring at me now, their gazes heavy with curiosity.

"Isn’t this a little intrusive, Your Majesty? Taking such an interest in your daughter’s private affairs?"

"Are you saying you possess the sensitivity of a typical teenage girl? Because the teenage girls I know don’t bring enough firepower on vacation to start a war."

The Emperor’s remark left me momentarily speechless.

Even Alice, usually at odds with her father, nodded in agreement.

Unable to withstand their combined scrutiny, I sighed deeply and relented.

"Even within Belvur’s territory, there are places that aren’t technically under Belvur’s jurisdiction."

"Are you referring to an embassy?"

"Something like that. I intended to investigate the Saint Latina Cathedral in Lutetia."

"…"

Silence fell over the room.

Alice inhaled sharply, her breath trembling as she exhaled. Then, marching up to me, she grabbed my collar.

"What were you thinking—!"

"I simply intended to… gather… information…"

Alice shook me so hard that my words came out fragmented.

"Gather information?! Gather infoooormaaation?!"

"Alice, calm down," the Emperor interjected.

Alice reluctantly released my collar and took a step back, though her breathing remained heavy.

…Maybe I should’ve told her beforehand?

Then again, she probably would’ve insisted on coming with me—or tried to stop me. Judging by her current reaction, the latter seemed more likely.

"I’ve answered your question, Your Majesty. It’s your turn now," I said, steadying myself.

The Emperor shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ask away. If it’s something I can answer, I will."

I wanted to ask if there was anything the Emperor couldn’t answer but held back. After all, I hadn’t disclosed everything either, and he knew it.

So I decided to address the most pressing matter.

"Is Your Majesty’s presence here preparation for war?"

Alice’s jaw dropped further, as if it might unhinge.

Her fingers twitched slightly, as if she was debating whether to lunge at her father next. Then again, he was her father.

"No," the Emperor said firmly.

"Are you certain? You’re not planning to start a world war?"

"How could I, when you’re here watching my every move? Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’d already uncovered all of the Empire’s military secrets. Even if I tried to keep plans from you, you would’ve found out. And if that happened, do you think I’d still be sitting here talking to you?"

"…"

He had a point.

"Of course, I once thought about it. Ten years ago, I considered the possibility that unifying the world under my rule might bring peace. Whether it was feasible or not, I believed there was a chance."

Something felt off.

This didn’t align with what I remembered from before.

The words were similar, but the tone was different.

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Chapter 206

"…Let me be honest. Even after learning about your 'brilliance'—"

The Emperor’s gaze briefly flickered toward Damien. It seemed he hadn’t revealed my abilities to others. If he had, there’d be no need for such indirect language.

"—I spent a long time preparing for war. At times, I even considered deceiving your keen eyes or hoping you’d come to understand my ambitions. But no matter how much time passed, I realized a global war wasn’t to your liking."

The Emperor smiled as he spoke. It wasn’t a bitter smile—far from it.

"So, I began seriously contemplating why you are so opposed to war. Was it because you lacked patriotism for the Empire? Were you worried things would grow too complicated if you succeeded me as Emperor? Or perhaps you feared your beloved sisters might get caught up in the chaos?"

The Emperor shook his head.

"No, it wasn’t a lack of patriotism. I’ve seen how deeply you care for the Empire’s future. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have offered me advice whenever I asked about the Empire’s prospects or shown such anger at the corruption of the nobility."

Ah…

No, he had it wrong. I cooperated because staying silent would have seemed even more suspicious. And I was angry at the corrupt nobles not out of any grand ideals but because their actions were utterly insane. If they’d been quietly indulging in bribes and self-serving deals, I wouldn’t have cared much.

"And you never showed any desire to become Emperor. Instead, you seemed more interested in seeing your sisters ascend to the throne. To my eyes, it wasn’t simply a matter of playing kingmaker. It felt like you genuinely wanted them to become Emperor. Whether that stemmed from trust in their abilities or a desire not to take anything away from them, the outcome was the same."

Alice’s gaze shifted toward me again.

But this time, her expression wasn’t one of irritation or anger. It was far more complex.

And that made it even harder to meet her eyes.

Instead, I forced myself to look directly at the Emperor.

"You have no hesitation when it comes to pulling the trigger—provided your target deserves it. That’s why you recoil at the thought of dragging ordinary Imperial citizens into a war. Outwardly, you project the image of a cold, unfeeling war machine, but to me, you’re deeply human. And yet, your foresight is unmatched."

The Emperor smiled again.

It was a peculiar smile, one that didn’t seem fitting for someone like him.

Not because it was dangerous—no, it was the kind of smile I wouldn’t have expected him to wear.

It was the smile of a father proud of his child.

"And so, over the years, I began envisioning the Empire you wanted. In a way, it became a challenge to myself. To build the greatest empire in the world, one so unassailable that even you couldn’t deny its merits. That’s been my goal for the past several years."

…

The fact that I didn’t immediately blurt out "What the hell?" was a testament to how much my patience had grown.

Well done, me. Such remarkable self-restraint.

…No, wait. This wasn’t growth at all!

I’d been so focused on the original story that I’d completely misjudged everything!

I’d always assumed the Emperor was preparing for war, that the Empire was destined to become a villainous superpower. I thought several of the heroines would inevitably face mortal danger—or even die—and that my mission was to prevent it.

But what if that premise was entirely wrong?

What if the Empire wasn’t becoming a force of evil? What if the Emperor had turned into an oddly righteous figure? What if a world war never broke out at all?

At its core, this should have been a good thing. The protagonist’s party would achieve their goals without anyone getting hurt.

The problem was that it meant the future had been derailed completely—far more severely than I’d anticipated.

And not just recently—this derailment had started much earlier than I’d realized.

"Did you… find an answer?" I asked cautiously.

"Almost," the Emperor replied, still smiling.

"It’s not perfect. Compared to my original plans for world domination, it’s far less flawless. But in terms of risk, this approach is much safer. It’s almost impossible to reach an ideal conclusion, but even in failure, this path guarantees a positive outcome. And that’s all thanks to you. For that, I’m grateful."

"…"

I stayed silent for a moment before asking, "Can you share this answer with me?"

"Of course."

The Emperor nodded, his smile unwavering, and began explaining his plan.

"First, the colonies will gradually gain independence. Borders will be restored to what they were before Imperial conquest. The modern infrastructure we’ve built on their land will remain theirs."

"…The Empire will lose all the benefits it’s gained from them," I pointed out.

"Do you think they’ll ever catch up to the Empire, even after independence?"

No, they wouldn’t—just as South Korea would never catch up to the United States.

"Exploitation has its limits. It’s better to foster their growth and establish fair trade relationships. In the long run, this approach is more profitable. They’ll gain independence, but they’ll remain part of our union. Over the coming centuries, we’ll help them solve their problems, fostering a dependency that ensures an unbreakable alliance."

The Emperor’s smile grew as he spoke.

"And if others wish to join our union, we’ll welcome them. Our currency will unify under the Imperial standard, and our weaponry will become the global standard. While their lands won’t belong to us, they’ll be unable to survive without the Empire."

"…But for that to work, Your Majesty would need to live for several centuries."

"Then we’ll ensure it can be done."

"Are you saying you’ll create successors who share your vision?"

"Precisely."

I glanced at Alice.

"Oh, Alice will be one of those successors. And so will you."

"You’re proposing a dual Emperor system?"

"There will only be one person on the throne, as you wish. That person will be Alice."

Seeing my startled expression, the Emperor grinned like a child who had landed a perfect punch in a boxing match.

"My absolute authority will be divided and entrusted to those who will never betray it—those who despise the nobility yet remain essential for keeping them in check."

Ah.

I was starting to understand.

"Who exactly will…?" Alice asked, her voice trailing off.

The Emperor smirked.

"The people, my dear daughter."

He spoke playfully.

"I will entrust my absolute power to the people before I die."

Strengthening parliamentary powers. Universal suffrage.

If the nobility held even slightly more power than the Emperor, they might have resisted fiercely. But in the Empire, no one could oppose the Emperor’s will.

No one could kill all the people.

At first glance, transferring the Emperor’s power to the populace might seem like weakening it. But in reality, it was the opposite.

Until the entire population was eradicated, that immense power would remain intact.

Even if 10% of the population were massacred, the remaining 90% would still hold that power.

"The institutions are already in place," the Emperor continued. "All I need to do is instill my vision in the people. I won’t live forever, but I have enough time. Thirty years is enough to educate a generation."

"…"

"What do you think, my daughter?"

The Emperor leaned toward me, his eyes gleaming.

"This is the answer I’ve come up with. A way to make the Empire the center of the world, one you cannot reject. What do you think?"

I had no response.

It wasn’t a perfect plan. There’s no such thing as a perfect plan, system, or politics.

I wasn’t an expert on these matters either.

But…

But I was someone who had grown up consuming media where empires were almost always the villains.

I had been raised in a republic, educated to believe in equality and universal rights.

In that sense, the Emperor had read me perfectly.

His words sounded utterly righteous to me.

So much so that I couldn’t find a single point to refute.

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Chapter 207

No, no, no. That can’t be right.

No matter what, people don’t change that easily.

No matter how convincing the Emperor's words sound, I can’t trust them one hundred percent. After all, this is the same Emperor who, in the original story, turned the world into a sea of flames.

Can a villain who once dreamed of world domination so easily relinquish their power?

The same man who claimed, “As long as everyone is equal under me, that’s enough,” is now supposedly dividing his power among commoners? Commoners whose numbers haven’t even been properly accounted for yet, let alone seen the effects of real welfare policies? Does that sound realistic?

Though, to be honest, the way the Emperor spoke about it made it feel like he could actually pull it off.

And yes, I’ve seen some documents where welfare policies were given serious consideration.

But I absolutely refuse to believe it.

“…So, are you really planning to attack the cathedral?”

“That’s correct.”

I replied firmly.

“I can’t blindly trust the Emperor’s words.”

“Well, yeah, I get that. But… are you saying Verati’s testimony alone isn’t enough for you?”

“Verati didn’t know nearly as much as we had hoped.”

The cathedral in question was the largest one in Belvur, located right next to the Holy Nation. That made it an entirely different story. It was an incredibly significant site, even by the Holy Nation’s standards. Not only was it a major holy site, but it also served as a kind of forward base.

In the original story, it was where Sophia had been stationed.

“Well, I guess you’re saying this because you think you can undo the worst-case scenario anyway…” Alice muttered as she plopped onto the bed.

“So, basically, you’re ignoring your father’s plea to stay quiet, huh?”

I thought back to what the Emperor had said just before I left the building. He had specifically asked me not to cause trouble, if only for the sake of maintaining Belvur’s goodwill.

…He must be scheming something to say such a thing. The fact that the Emperor was even in Belvur was suspicious in itself. If it wasn’t for a truly critical reason, there was no way he’d come here personally.

I’d been so preoccupied with the plan he mentioned that I didn’t even think to ask why he was here now. But I could at least guess that he deflected my questions to conceal his true intentions.

“It wasn’t an order,” I said.

“Even if it were, you wouldn’t have followed it.” Alice buried her face in her hands and groaned.

“…”

After a brief silence, she spoke again.

“No matter how many incidents you manage to erase from existence,” she began, her voice muffled as she held her head, “can you really say it won’t bother you to see how Charlotte reacts to the fallout? Even if no one else remembers, you will.”

“…”

This time, it was my turn to be at a loss for words.

Charlotte… she’d definitely be furious. It might even be similar to the way she reacted to Alice in the original story, after the capital was bombarded.

And it wasn’t just Charlotte. Sophia, who I’d grown close to, would be just as affected. While the others might write it off as me acting with some grand plan in mind, for those two, it would be the destruction of a part of their homeland.

“…Fine,” Alice sighed, her voice tinged with resignation. “No matter how hard I try to stop you, you’re going to find a way to slip past me and cause an incident. So, I’d rather be by your side when it happens.”

“Your Highness—”

“Call me Alice.” She frowned slightly at my words. “You only call me ‘Your Highness’ when you’re trying to convince me of something. Be honest: isn’t it a bit weird for one princess to treat the other like they’re more important?”

As a child, she would’ve puffed up with pride every time I addressed her that way. But now, she had grown too much for such flattery to work.

“I’ve made up my mind,” she said firmly. “No matter what you try, I’m going to stick with you. So don’t bother trying to talk me out of it.”

“When I’ve finished—”

“When you’ve finished? And then what? Everything goes back to the way it was, and I don’t even remember what happened? So I shouldn’t worry?”

Alice shot up from the bed, visibly irritated. She strode toward me, leaning down until her eyes met mine.

It was a gaze I couldn’t avoid, no matter how much I wanted to.

“Don’t give me that nonsense. What about me? Am I just supposed to sit here, worrying while you go around blowing things up? Or are you planning to erase even this moment, rewind time to before we left Father, and solve everything before I even get a chance to react? Isn’t that it?”

“…”

When I didn’t respond, Alice smirked.

“You don’t actually want to turn things back, do you? Sure, you’d rewind for something major—some mistake you have to fix. But you’re afraid. Afraid of being erased from everyone’s memories. Isn’t that it?”

I couldn’t deny her accusation.

“You don’t want the memories we’ve shared to become something only you can remember. That’s why you’re trying to persuade me with words instead of just rewinding.”

“…”

“Let me make one thing clear.” Alice straightened her back, crossing one arm over her chest while placing the other on her hip. Her expression radiated confidence.

She looked just like the young Alice who used to make such baseless claims with a smug grin.

But—

“I’m a princess and your sister. So, whether you like it or not, I’ll help you in whatever way I can. Don’t underestimate me—I’m stronger than I look.”

—she wasn’t the same child she once was. Now, her words carried weight.

“Will this be all right?”

After Sylvia and Alice left the building, Damien and the Emperor remained silent for a while, listening intently to their surroundings. Only when their presence completely faded did Damien finally ask.

“Oh, you mean about my power?”

The Emperor’s reply came as a question. Damien didn’t respond further, but the Emperor understood perfectly well that his silence carried an implicit affirmation.

“Well, to be honest, it’s not entirely impossible.”

But that admission implied that it was at least partially unlikely as well.

“Overturning the world… That’s far more difficult than taking control of it through power,” the Emperor mused aloud.

“But, Damien, let me ask you this. What would you do if someone who had the power to decisively strike you down despised your life’s work? Could you still carry out your plans?”

“…”

Damien remained silent, as if deep in thought. However, the Emperor didn’t wait for an answer.

“My goal remains unchanged. I want to seize this world in its entirety. So, what I told Sylvia was merely a compromise. If Sylvia keeps scrutinizing me, it’s the best choice I can make under the circumstances.”

A faint smile played on the Emperor’s lips.

“But compromises are just that—compromises. And there can be many kinds. The kind you show your opponent and the kind you reveal only to yourself.”

“Then, does that mean everything you told Sylvia was a lie?”

“It wasn’t a complete lie. I made plans for it, after all. If I want my brilliant daughter to believe the plan is real, it has to be real, to an extent. And, as I said earlier, it’s a compromise. If my main plan fails, it’s a secondary option to block her potential choices.”

“But… do you really think Sylvia will just listen to you and stay quiet?”

“It would be troublesome if she did.”

The Emperor rose from his seat and began to walk slowly, extinguishing the only lamp illuminating the room.

The windows were boarded up, but faint light from a streetlamp filtered through the cracks.

“She’s far too skeptical to take my words at face value. At least I’ve managed to discern her plan to attack the cathedral. That’s a relief.”

The Emperor climbed the creaking stairs, the faint light casting eerie shadows on the walls. Damien followed a few steps behind him, his movements measured and deliberate.

“Fortunately, the target is a building belonging to the Holy Nation,” the Emperor remarked as he opened the door to the second floor.

The room should have been pitch-black, but several faintly glowing mana stones provided just enough light to make out its contents.

Maps lined the walls, covered in red markings and pinned photographs. The table was a chaotic array of scattered maps and multicolored pins.

This was the trove of information Damien had painstakingly collected on the Holy Nation over the years.

“If Sylvia had fully understood my intentions, she would have undoubtedly tried to stop this.”

The Emperor chuckled, his voice carrying a note of amusement.

“My daughter is brilliant, but her brilliance stems from experience. And right now, it seems she hasn’t gained enough of it.”

He leaned over the table, placing his hands firmly on its surface as he studied the maps.

“I still have opportunities left. And, it seems, an ally from the future as well. The path to victory remains open. The order of the plan may have shifted, but this might be more effective in the end. I should thank Sylvia for pointing out the gaps.”

Bathed in the dim light, the Emperor—Arthur Fangryphon—smiled, a grin far too youthful for a man of his age.

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Chapter 208

"On one condition," Alice said.

In exchange for agreeing to my plan to attack the cathedral, Alice imposed a condition.

"You can’t go today. We all came here together, after all. Since we’re already here, let’s relax and enjoy ourselves for a bit before carrying it out."

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and added, "No matter how your powers work, there’s always a chance you might not be able to rewind things. If that happens, we might as well make some good memories first."

Alice had a point. If it weren’t for the presence of the Masked Woman, I could proceed without hesitation. But if she interfered while we were in the middle of causing an incident, the situation could spiral out of control.

Would there be a relic hidden inside the cathedral? The chances were slim. In the original story, no relics were ever found in a cathedral.

The cathedral held something else entirely—a hidden underground base that served as a dungeon in the game, housing troops in hiding and a repository of various reports buried deep within.

They could have sent the reports directly to the Holy Nation, but they needed a secure space to compile and analyze the data first. Besides, in the original story, the Holy Nation was working hand-in-hand with Belvur.

Until now, the Masked Woman had only appeared in locations where relics were present or were about to appear. That meant we were unlikely to encounter her at the cathedral. Still, I couldn’t discount the possibility.

"Understood," I replied.

There was no need to act immediately.

I also needed preparation time. I had to gather the weapons I had smuggled in on the train, assemble the over-tech exosuit Browning had crafted, organize the ammunition, select the appropriate weapons... It was better to take our time and prepare thoroughly than to rush in recklessly.

When I gave my straightforward response, Alice exhaled a long sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted.

"Good. In that case, I’ll help you with the preparations. But for now, let’s keep things quiet, especially when we’re with the others."

I nodded at Alice’s suggestion.

*

Spending time with my friends turned out to be quite beneficial for me as well.

Charlotte diligently guided us around the city, ensuring we got a good grasp of Lutetia’s layout. Thanks to her, I now knew the locations of key landmarks, including the distance from our hotel to Saint Latina Cathedral and even the positions of nearby police stations… things like that.

"If industrial facilities are introduced, parts of Lutetia will inevitably be torn down. It’s a beautiful city, but modernization comes at a cost," Charlotte said occasionally, her expression tinged with bitterness.

“Rondarium isn’t much different,” Alice chimed in. “Factories are popping up everywhere, gas pipes are being laid… Honestly, I envy Lutetia’s air a little. The capital’s central district barely has any clean air left to breathe.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened in surprise at Alice’s agreement.

“Did you just say you’re envious of Lutetia?”

Alice’s expression changed instantly. Just moments ago, she’d been gazing off into the distance with a wistful look in her eyes. But Charlotte’s remark seemed to snap her back to reality.

Alice’s new expression could be summed up in a single word: Hmph!

“Still, Rondarium’s the more convenient place to live. Let’s be honest, it’s a lot easier to get by there,” Alice retorted with a touch of pride.

“But if we’re talking about a place that’s genuinely good to live in, that’s a different story,” Charlotte countered smoothly.

Alice decided not to push the point further.

In the end, Lutetia, too, would inevitably be swept up in the wave of industrialization. Breathing in air as clean as this would become a rare luxury.

When that time came, Lutetia might fall behind Rondarium in terms of modernization, ending up as a second-rate city. An ironic fate, really.

Yet, neither Alice nor Charlotte chose to voice that thought aloud.

Perhaps it was because no one could truly predict what the city would look like in the future.

*

Saint Latina Cathedral wasn’t just a target I intended to attack—it was also a historically significant monument.

While it didn’t hold the same stature as Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, it was the largest cathedral outside the Holy Nation and boasted the highest number of visiting worshippers. Naturally, it also collected more donations than any other cathedral in the Holy Nation.

Both as a sacred site and as a practical resource, it was immensely valuable to the Holy Nation.

Granted, it was located in Belvur, and Belvur had been the one to build it in the first place.

“It’s breathtaking…”

Even Alice, who always had a sharp quip ready for Charlotte’s every comment, couldn’t help but murmur in awe after stepping inside the cathedral.

The towering walls, intricately carved from white stone, the vibrant, multi-colored stained glass windows, and the magnificent murals painted across the ceiling—it was a masterpiece of devotion and artistry.

While the Goddess Faith drew heavy inspiration from Christianity, the two religions weren’t identical. The scriptures available in the game often felt like a reinterpretation of Greek and Roman mythology into monotheistic beliefs.

Beyond the stories of a great war between the Goddess’s followers and opposing forces, there were myths explaining why certain flowers are red or why some trees have broad leaves, echoing the themes found in Greek and Roman legends.

Interestingly, most people in this world didn’t take these stories literally. Just as many in modern society interpret religious texts as allegories rather than absolute truths, so too did the believers here.

Of course, just like in the modern world, there were still those who adhered to the literal interpretation of the scriptures and believed unwaveringly.

“Hmm.”

Charlotte’s proud expression was understandable, but for some reason, even Sophia wore a similarly pleased look.

Wasn’t that a bit problematic? She was supposed to be undercover, after all.

“But Charlotte, you’re not part of the Goddess Faith, are you?”

Claire’s question made Charlotte flinch, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly.

It was true—Charlotte didn’t adhere to any religion. The Belvur royal family intentionally remained unaffiliated with any specific faith. This neutrality served as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Holy Nation and ensured that Belvur as a whole wasn’t overly influenced by them.

The lore even hinted that some Belvur kings secretly followed the Goddess Faith, though they always officially claimed to be non-religious.

“Well, this cathedral’s architectural style is distinctly Belvurian!” Charlotte replied quickly.

Claire, apparently not too curious about the matter, simply nodded in agreement.

“This was built in an era without modern machinery, wasn’t it?” Leo remarked, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. “Every single carving was made by hand.”

“It wasn’t just carved by hand,” Sophia interjected, answering in Charlotte’s stead.

“Both the architects and the laborers were devout believers. Every strike of the chisel, every stroke of the brush, and every word of scripture etched into the walls was accompanied by prayer to the Goddess,” Sophia explained.

All eyes turned to her as she spoke, including Charlotte’s—even though she had been the one to guide us here.

Sophia, however, seemed entirely unaware of the attention. She was too absorbed in her enthusiasm to notice.

“Because of this devotion, the building itself is said to hold divine power comparable to structures constructed directly under the supervision of clergy in the Holy Nation. While no single worker could match the holy power of a cleric, their collective faith imbued the cathedral with an aura as strong as a deliberate blessing. It’s a true miracle.”

The reason such devout workers could gather was due to Belvur having just ceased its persecution of the Goddess Faith at the time.

Although the cathedral was built by the people of Belvur, the royal family provided no support for its construction. The Holy Nation itself hadn’t been formally established yet, so it couldn’t offer aid either. The Saint Latina for whom the cathedral was named had been executed by burning at the stake ten years before construction began.

It took decades to complete the cathedral. Every penny used came from donations made by believers, and every laborer who contributed did so voluntarily.

The Holy Nation’s reverence for this place stemmed not only from the number of worshippers or the money it brought in but also because of its profound historical and spiritual significance to the Goddess Faith.

While Sophia didn’t explain all this here and now, Charlotte’s expression subtly shifted, as if she were reflecting on the deeper context.

Still, the others simply gazed up at the cathedral with a mix of admiration and awe, so the mood didn’t take a strange turn.

“…”

However, there was one person who cast a distinctly critical glance my way—the rightful Imperial heir, Alice Fangryphon.

“Are you seriously planning to destroy a place with such a rich history?”

Her gaze seemed to say it all, and I instinctively averted my eyes.

Yes, I plan to destroy it—but I’ll put it back afterward!

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Chapter 209

Even after learning just how much the people of Belvur and the Holy Nation cherished Saint Latina Cathedral, my resolve remained unchanged.

I had known all of this from the beginning. Hearing it confirmed by others didn’t sway my opinion in the slightest.

The real issue lay elsewhere.

Hadn’t there been a similar incident in my own world? When the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris caught fire, it drew global attention. France was already a famous country, and Notre Dame held immense historical significance—not to mention the cultural treasures housed within.

Here, in a world without the internet or a global news network, the news of Saint Latina Cathedral’s collapse in Lutetia would spread more slowly. But eventually, it would reach every corner of the world, especially in countries where the influence of the Goddess Faith was strong.

And once it became known that I was the one responsible for destroying the cathedral, both Belvur and the Holy Nation would turn against me.

So would Charlotte.

Before arriving in Lutetia, I hadn’t been too concerned. I could simply rewind time if necessary. Even in the worst-case scenario where I couldn’t, I figured I’d shoulder the consequences alone.

After all, my very existence in this world hinted at some divine purpose. Surely, my actions would ultimately align with the intentions of whatever higher power had brought me here. In the end, I believed I could be understood.

But watching Charlotte’s genuine smile as she guided us around with such enthusiasm stirred a flicker of hesitation deep within me.

“Lutetia isn’t exactly unsafe,” came a voice from behind me.

“But even so, I wouldn’t say it’s safe for a woman to walk alone at night.”

It was Charlotte.

“I could say the same for you,” I replied.

“I have guards,” she said with a small shrug. “It’s not like I’ve ditched my entire security detail to wander the streets alone without any friends.”

I rolled my eyes and glanced around her. There was no one immediately nearby, but I spotted figures at the building corners and on the terraces of second-floor structures, quietly keeping watch.

Fair enough. Interrupting their princess’s stroll would certainly be out of the question.

I was sharing a hotel room with Alice, but no matter how close we were as sisters, I wasn’t about to join her in the shower. Rondarium had public bathhouses, but I’d never been to one myself. Being perceived as “male” made the idea of entering the women’s baths… uncomfortable, to say the least.

The best time for me to slip out unnoticed was when Alice went to bathe. I had been as quiet as possible when leaving, so I didn’t think she’d noticed.

“Alice was looking for you,” Charlotte said. “She was wandering the hotel, her hair still damp.”

“….”

Ah. I hadn’t accounted for that.

Was she really that worried?

“Did she seem very anxious?” I asked.

“Well…” Charlotte tilted her head thoughtfully, crossing her arms. “Her demeanor was confident, as usual. She didn’t let her anxiety show outwardly while looking for you.”

She shrugged lightly and continued, “But feelings of unease don’t only show in someone’s expression or tone. Royals and nobles, especially those trained from a young age to mask their emotions, often reveal their true feelings in subtler ways. In Alice’s case, her lack of attention to her appearance gave her away. If she were truly calm, she would’ve at least taken the time to dry her hair.”

“Is that why you’ve come to find me?” I asked.

“Partially.”

“Partially?”

“The truth is, I wanted a private conversation with you to understand your thoughts.”

“…”

I stayed silent, studying Charlotte as she spoke.

“To be honest, you’re one of the best I’ve ever seen at hiding your emotions. The feelings you do show are always the kind that don’t matter much. But when it comes to moments of real importance, you wipe all emotion from your face and act.”

Charlotte stepped closer, her shadow stretching long in the lamplight.

“But in high society, simply feigning a lack of emotion isn’t enough. Sometimes, you must smile when you don’t want to, cry when you’d rather not, and even express genuine anger over trivial matters. That’s what it means to truly embody nobility or royalty. In that sense…” She hesitated briefly, then gave a faint chuckle.

“…your approach is a bit too deliberate. Always being emotionless leaves you open to suspicion. It’s what they call a ‘poker face,’ isn’t it? If someone always looks like they’re playing poker, others will naturally assume they’re constantly betting on something.”

She took another step toward me.

She wasn’t close enough to be intrusive, but her proximity was undeniable. If I reached out, I could tap her on the shoulder.

Charlotte paused briefly, then let out a soft chuckle.

“…It’s a bit… intriguing, you know. Always keeping a blank face makes you more likely to draw suspicion. It’s what they call a ‘poker face,’ isn’t it? If you always look like you’re playing poker, people will assume you’re constantly betting on something.”

She took another step closer.

Not close enough to be intrusive, but not far enough that I couldn’t make a break for it if I had to. Could I outrun her from here?

Then again, there was no real reason to run right now.

“Are you saying I look suspicious?” I asked, deciding to keep the conversation going.

Charlotte smiled.

It wasn’t forced, nor did it seem to carry any ulterior motives. Perhaps it was genuine. Though considering she’d just lectured me about nobles and royalty needing to act out their emotions, it was hard to take it at face value.

But… had I ever seen her laugh like this before?

“Didn’t I just say as much?” she replied. “To be honest, it would be strange not to feel wary or suspicious of someone like you. Someone your age, with your track record, who manages to stay expressionless through everything? No one could reasonably expect others not to keep their guard up.”

“…”

“…”

I said nothing, meeting her gaze in silence. Eventually, she broke eye contact, glancing away.

So… she’d been suspicious of me from the very beginning.

Not that it was surprising.

Most of the others, no matter how strong they were, still weren’t as powerful as adults. A group of knights could neutralize them if needed.

But me… My perception of my abilities and the way others saw them were completely different. I had made countless mistakes, correcting each one to produce the best possible outcome. But to outsiders, it looked as though I always achieved perfection on the first try.

Fighting hundreds without taking a single hit, singlehandedly collapsing enemy lines, navigating a maze-like path and immediately finding the critical point—it all seemed impossibly flawless.

If there were someone like me wandering around my country without restraint, I’d be suspicious too.

But Charlotte’s behavior in front of me was something else entirely.

She subtly gestured to the guards encircling us. They hesitated for a moment, their bodies tensing, but when she calmly looked up at them, they eventually backed away.

They’d still remain nearby, of course, but at least our quiet conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

With the guards gone, Charlotte stepped even closer. Not close enough to feel suffocating, but within reach if I wanted to tap her shoulder.

Her expression was clearer now, and it carried… hesitation.

After a moment of deliberation, she finally spoke.

“But… truthfully, I didn’t want things to go this way. Not like this.”

I weighed my response carefully. What could I even say to that?

“…I see,” I replied at last, my words amounting to little more than a noncommittal observation.

“When I first entered the Academy, I was wary of you. That’s why I approached you so quickly, and why I later requested a private meeting with Alice after she came to Lutetia.”

She paused before continuing.

“But…” Charlotte hesitated, then added, “…you treated me as just a friend. That was… a new experience for me. Talking to someone without any hidden motives, just having normal conversations… It’s something I’d never known before. I’m the King’s only daughter, without siblings. Every noble who spoke to me treated me as royalty first and foremost. So yes, it might sound strange to say this, but… you were the first person to address me so confidently, as an equal.”

Charlotte’s eyes softened as she held my gaze.

“It wasn’t just you and Alice. Everyone I’ve met at the Academy… Only now do I understand how much of a blessing it is to feel at ease, to simply live naturally without pretense.”

Ah…

Wait, hold on.

“I want to stay friends with you, no matter what happens. Can I ask that of you?”

Ah.

That’s not fair.

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Chapter 210

When Charlotte first approached me, my plan had been simple: engage in light conversation and then rewind time.

By doing so, my little midnight outing would be erased, and Alice and Charlotte would both remain in the hotel, blissfully unaware of my absence.

While it meant I wouldn’t be able to sneak into the cathedral to investigate, I could at least gauge how much the Kingdom of Belvur suspected me and how wary they were.

Then I could rewind time again, take a different route to avoid Charlotte entirely, and carry on with my plans.

But…

The sound of footsteps heading back to the hotel was not mine alone.

Charlotte was walking beside me, and a squad of guards followed closely behind, keeping a protective watch over us.

We didn’t exchange many words on the way back.

Still, Charlotte’s face looked far more at ease than when she had confronted me in that alley.

Meanwhile, my own thoughts were far from calm.

Maybe Charlotte was right. At least I had mastered my poker face well enough to conceal the storm inside. Then again, even criminals can develop new skills when they spend enough time practicing them.

The walk back to the hotel took a while. I had been wandering long enough to cover a fair distance while Alice was showering.

At least I had been intercepted before reaching the cathedral.

“Sylvia.”

Alice was waiting for me in the hotel lobby.

Just as Charlotte had said, her hair was still damp.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw me walk in with Charlotte, but her expression quickly turned more complicated.

Of course, it did.

“You must be tired from wandering outside,” Charlotte said gently. “Why don’t you get some rest? Tomorrow we’ll have more practical lessons to go through, and then we’ll head out to enjoy Lutetia’s cultural festival.”

I had no choice but to nod at her suggestion.

*

When we returned to the room, Alice didn’t sit down immediately. Instead, she paced around the space, her movements restless. Then, she spun on her heel to face me.

"Why didn’t you use your ability?" she demanded.

"If you truly thought I would use it, why did you go looking for me?" I countered.

“…So you weren’t planning to use it?” she pressed further.

“I was,” I admitted.

“….”

Alice’s expression grew complicated as she walked over to sit across from me, dropping heavily into the chair with a thud.

“I mean… even if you have the ability to make everything that happened disappear, I can’t just ignore the fact that you vanished without a word. I can’t leave everything to you and sit around doing nothing.”

Her words left me momentarily speechless.

Of course, she would worry. It wasn’t just a matter of whether I could rewind time or not. Alice had seen me fail to rewind it before. She had also witnessed the toll it took on me—the moments where I pushed myself too far and ended up in a coma.

Not being there to see for herself must have been terrifying.

“So, why didn’t you use your ability and instead chose to walk back?” Alice asked again.

Hmm.

There wouldn’t be any harm in telling Alice the truth. She thought of Charlotte as a close friend, so she wouldn’t take issue with me forming a deeper bond with her. But admitting that my conversation with Charlotte made me hesitate to rewind time… that felt a little too personal.

And honestly, a little embarrassing.

“….”

I remained silent, and Alice narrowed her eyes at me. Then, with a sigh, she said, “Fine. I’ll just ask Charlotte tomorrow.”

She wouldn’t bring up my ability to rewind time, but she would certainly ask about the conversation we’d had.

That much, I decided, was acceptable.

If Charlotte didn’t feel embarrassed about it, she might tell Alice herself.

Of course, she had dismissed all her guards before speaking to me, so whether she’d share it or not was anyone’s guess.

*

The next day, for some reason, I found myself surrounded by people.

It occurred to me that I had a surprisingly large circle of friends in this world. Whether Claire counted as a friend or a little sister was debatable, but if I considered her a sister-like friend, it was possible I had more people to keep in touch with here than I ever did in my original world.

The issue was that all of these so-called friends were clustered around me.

Normally, even if I was alone or just with Alice, my friends wouldn’t hover too much. But now, they were all here, subtly watching me. Even I could tell the situation had taken a strange turn.

When I looked at Alice silently, she avoided my gaze.

Of course.

Charlotte had mentioned yesterday that Alice had been wandering the hotel with wet hair, asking where I was.

It wasn’t likely she’d asked only Charlotte. In fact, I was probably one of the least likely people to be alone with Charlotte.

She must have approached Claire, Leo, Mia, Lena, Jake, Roti, and even Sophia.

And all of these people knew me well enough to recognize that I wasn’t like an ordinary person.

Naturally, if I disappeared, they would assume I had vanished to get myself into trouble.

Which explained why I was now surrounded by my friends, who were all keeping a close watch on me.

Or, from their perspective, maybe it wasn’t surveillance. Maybe it was concern.

I slid over to Alice and jabbed her in the side with my finger, making sure no one else was watching. This was something I could rewind later if needed.

“Eek!” Alice squeaked, then quickly checked to see if anyone had noticed before glaring at me.

“What?” she hissed in a low voice.

Keeping my voice equally quiet, I asked, “How much did you tell them yesterday?”

“I… I just… thought you were… you know…” she stammered, looking around nervously before changing the subject.

I almost facepalmed.

Of course.

Alice had assumed I’d rewind time.

She must have thought asking around about me wouldn’t cause any problems. Even though she’d seen me fail to rewind time due to the Masked Woman, that hadn’t happened here yet… Her anxiety and her trust in me had mixed together to create this illogical behavior.

“….”

I stared at Alice silently. She avoided my gaze for a moment before muttering, “You… you do the same thing. You leave stuff to Father all the time.”

That… was fair.

While I couldn’t offload the cathedral incident onto the Emperor without sparking a war, I had shamelessly dumped countless minor problems on him without a second thought.

I considered jabbing her in the side again but decided against it.

Why?

Because her earlier squeak had already drawn a few glances our way.

Charlotte, walking ahead, didn’t turn around, but Claire, further back, was glancing over. Leo, with his keen senses as a swordsman, and Sophia both seemed to have noticed too.

Mia had been sneaking glances at me the entire time, and while Jake and Roti were walking side by side, they occasionally glanced in my direction as well.

For a brief moment, I seriously considered rewinding to yesterday.

But then…

Honestly, I didn’t entirely mind.

If the people watching me were doing so because it was their duty, I would have done everything in my power to escape their surveillance.

But the eyes on me now weren’t those of guards or spies. They were filled with concern.

And that feeling… it was strange.

It was a little ticklish, oddly embarrassing, and overall just… strange.

But despite the strangeness, I couldn’t help but think that thanks to those eyes, I’d managed to live reasonably well in this world.

Sure, it might seem ridiculous for someone who constantly caused trouble to feel this way.

But hey, that’s just who I am.

*

We couldn’t spend all our time here as if we were on a sightseeing tour.

Even if Charlotte had played her trump card, I still needed to find my own way.

“Are you sure about this?”

Ah… Well, maybe I wasn’t entirely alone in this.

“I’m not planning to tell her everything,” I replied to Alice, who had been following me.

She fell silent for a moment, her expression serious as she considered my words. Then, with a firm nod, she agreed.

I nodded back at her, turned, and knocked on the door in front of us.

[“Yes, come in.”]

Charlotte’s voice came from beyond the thick door.

I glanced at Alice once more.

Both of us nodded to each other before I opened the door and stepped inside.

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Chapter 211

"......"

"......"

The silence was understandable. After all, what Alice and I had just said was utterly absurd.

Charlotte, who had been staring intently at my face for some time, finally placed a hand on her forehead.

“So, let me get this straight. You’re asking me, a princess of Belvur, to help you destroy one of the nation’s proud cultural heritages?”

“To be more precise, we’re asking you to help us sneak inside, not destroy it,” I corrected.

“......”

Alice, standing beside me, buried her face in her hands.

What? Why?

Seriously, what?

If I don’t explain things clearly from the start, how would I respond later if someone accused me of lying? Better to lay it all out now.

“So, let me summarize what you just said, Sylvia...” Charlotte began, carefully reiterating my words.

“You suspect the Holy Nation is up to something suspicious.”

“Yes.”

“So, you want to meet with one of their higher-ups to have a discussion.”

“That’s correct.”

“And to gain access to St. Latina Cathedral, where you believe this person might be, you’ve prepared an arsenal of weapons.”

“Exactly.”

“But then you thought it might not be the best idea to act on this plan, so you came to me for help?”

“Precisely.”

“Sylvia, do you want me to hit you?”

Charlotte’s final remark made me stare at her blankly. Realizing she might have gone too far, she cleared her throat and covered her mouth with a fist, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“While the cathedral may have been built during a time when relations between Belvur and the Holy Nation were strained, it’s now one of Lutetia’s most iconic landmarks. Moreover, most of those ‘higher-ups’ you’re talking about aren’t just citizens of Belvur but also hold dual citizenship with the Holy Nation.”

Charlotte’s serious gaze bore into me as she spoke.

“And yet, you’re asking me, the only princess of Belvur, to assist in something that could spark a conflict between our nations?”

Hmm...

“So, would it be better if I just acted alone?”

Charlotte’s argument was valid. That’s why I had initially planned to handle everything on my own. Asking Charlotte for help hadn’t been my first choice. After all, she was in a similar position to Alice—though Charlotte had always paid more attention to her relations with the nobles, whereas Alice had only me as a true friend before joining the academy.

Naturally, if Charlotte acted alone, it would bring severe political consequences for her.

“Do you even hear yourself?”

Then again, knowing Charlotte’s personality, she wasn’t the type to let me act alone after hearing all this.

Next to me, Alice clutched her head with both hands, clearly distressed, but I resisted the urge to look in her direction.

"......"

Charlotte fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.

It wouldn’t have been surprising if she got up and started pacing the room, but instead, she remained seated with her legs crossed, arms folded, and eyes closed—a picture of royal composure.

“First of all… let’s not resort to violence,” she said after a long pause. When she opened her eyes, they were fixed on me with the same intensity as before.

“If an incident like this actually occurred, it could be interpreted as an act of war. Even if the royal family doesn’t want war, if the nobles and the people demand it, we won’t be able to stop it.”

“So, wouldn’t it be better if I—”

“Sylvia.”

Alice’s voice cut through my words. She still had her head in her hands, so I couldn’t see her expression, but the tone of her voice made it clear that continuing in this direction would be dangerous.

Even if I could rewind time and navigate through any situation, the process sounded exhausting, so I decided to keep my mouth shut.

“Is there a way to resolve this?” Alice finally raised her head, looking slightly less distressed.

“I’d rather tell you to abandon the plan altogether…” Charlotte sighed, glancing at me before letting out a deep breath.

“But even if I say that, Sylvia would go ahead and execute it anyway.”

That’s not entirely true.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have come this far, having been convinced by Charlotte to discuss the matter. Sure, I hadn’t told her everything, and I had brought weapons without her knowledge, but here I was, seeking her cooperation after hearing her out. I could be considered quite considerate, all things considered.

Of course, I’d still go through with it if she refused.

“...Honestly, we’ve been contemplating the Holy Nation’s actions ourselves,” Charlotte muttered, rubbing her chin.

“Last year, we seriously deliberated over several ‘treaties,’ but when the Empire intervened and the negotiations fell apart, we discovered several suspicious details during the review process.”

Though Charlotte didn’t describe it explicitly, those treaties were about a full military alliance between the two nations. In the original story, Sophia had fought alongside Belvur’s soldiers, so this made sense.

“What kind of suspicious details?” I asked.

“…I can’t go into specifics. It’s classified.”

Charlotte’s cautious tone made her reluctance clear, and truthfully, she might not even know all the details herself. After all, she still believed Sophia was a native of Belvur.

The Holy Nation had already infiltrated Belvur long before this. They hadn’t just planted people under the guise of “Holy Nation citizens”—they had fully embedded operatives by rewriting their identities to appear as Belvur citizens.

My antics during last year’s conference might have been just to provoke the Holy Nation, but it seemed my actions had inadvertently tipped off Belvur about the infiltration.

“So, if we can leverage these suspicions well enough, it might not be impossible to persuade my father—the king.”

Charlotte glanced at me as she spoke, her expression suggesting she expected some kind of additional information.

"......"

Well.

I could sell Sophia out if necessary. Her cover was definitely a false identity.

But...

Sophia, while not as close to me as Charlotte, was still a friend. Besides, seeing her interactions with Leo was genuinely entertaining. In the original story, she was one of the romanceable heroines, but her current personality differed significantly from what I remembered.

So, while I could throw her under the bus, I didn’t want to.

And frankly, there was an even bigger card to play.

“Beneath St. Latina Cathedral lies a massive base,” I said.

"..."

Charlotte’s expression froze, her mouth slightly open as she stared at me in disbelief.

“The cathedral serves as a foothold for the Holy Nation’s expansion westward. Back when it was being built, Belvur hadn’t fully accepted the Goddess’ faith, and the church had been in active opposition to the kingdom. The underground beneath Lutetia hides an extensive and intricate network of Goddess-worship catacombs. The cathedral was constructed over it to conceal the entrance.”

The underground catacombs were also a pivotal dungeon in the original story, hosting numerous significant events.

Lutetia, modeled after Paris, naturally included this elaborate underground labyrinth. The developers clearly couldn’t resist drawing inspiration from the real-life Paris Catacombs.

Given the dungeon’s complexity and history, it was a treasure trove of secrets and key characters.

Charlotte blinked, her gaze darting as she processed the information.

“So, you’re saying that the Goddess’ church has been plotting something in Lutetia for hundreds of years?”

“More like their grudge from back then has yet to end. The Holy Nation’s mission is to bring the entire world under the Goddess’ will. Their persistent influence over Belvur aims to ultimately make the Goddess’ faith our state religion.”

It also explained why they couldn’t entirely dismiss my remarks about the Empire’s state religion, even if they thought I was bluffing.

“Is this enough to persuade His Majesty the King?” I asked.

Charlotte rubbed her face with her hand, clearly overwhelmed. Though she didn’t say it out loud, I was sure she wouldn’t be able to ignore this.

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Chapter 212

"There’s a tunnel under Gyeongbokgung Palace with hundreds of North Korean tanks waiting to attack!"

That’s the kind of statement no one would believe. Honestly, even the people making such claims probably don’t believe them. Most of the time, those spreading such rumors are just after money.

So, what would Charlotte think if I hit her with a claim that absurd?

The idea of North Korean forces digging tunnels to invade South Korea—typically, these theories are accompanied by hastily drawn maps and baseless claims about tank dimensions. If, by some chance, a politician or expert seriously believed it and brought in professional equipment to investigate, they’d likely find nothing. After all, investigating what isn’t there can only lead to the conclusion that nothing exists.

But, on the off chance—one in a billion—that the experts found something and said, “Actually, it’s real,” the narrative would shift entirely. If they really uncovered tunnels filled with North Korean tanks and explosives, what could anyone say against such evidence?

In that sense, I was definitely not an expert.

I lacked even a sliver of expertise. My knowledge of Belvur’s history was limited to what I’d gleaned from lore books and general education classes in this world. Naturally, these “external-use” histories didn’t delve into how their nation oppressed others.

In fact, modern historical research was still in its infancy here. Most historical accounts were grand tales of monumental events, filtered heavily through a nationalistic lens.

Given that, it was perfectly reasonable to ignore me when I claimed there were tunnels.

But—

"Can you take responsibility for your claims?"

—That night, I went straight to the Lutetia palace and convinced the King of Belvur to grant me an audience based on my wild assertions.

Yes, I wasn’t an expert. But I was skilled enough at sounding credible to qualify as a "pseudo-expert."

The hallmark of a pseudo-expert is being just knowledgeable enough to sound convincing, yet too far from true expertise to be trusted. They often wield their limited knowledge as authority, confidently challenging genuine experts.

In that sense, I was the perfect pseudo-expert.

"I swear on the name of Fangryphon."

A perfect pseudo-expert with the ultimate authority in this hierarchy.

"......"

When I puffed out my chest and declared my stance, the King of Belvur rubbed his forehead.

Of course.

Even if Belvur was seriously considering a military alliance with the Holy Nation, discovering that their supposed ally had been digging tunnels under their lands—without their knowledge, no less—would be infuriating.

"What is your reason for sharing such critical ‘information’ with us? Do you seek something in return?"

I hadn’t planned to share this information initially.

I glanced at Charlotte, who stood beside me. Her eyes trembled slightly—not out of fear or shock, but because she was trying to subtly convey her thoughts to me without her father noticing.

After all, she couldn’t just shake her head in front of the King, her father. If someone delivering sensitive information saw Charlotte shaking her head, it would only mean “Don’t reveal this.”

Given that this was the same person who had treated her as an adversary until last year, such a display would have caused a massive issue.

"Sharing this information alone brings substantial benefit to the Empire," I replied.

Not that I hadn’t thought of an excuse. This one, though hastily concocted, would hold up.

"Does the Empire still believe there’s a possibility of us forming an alliance with the Holy Nation?"

If the chance of a Belvur-Holy Nation military alliance was completely off the table, it would be a huge win for the Empire. Maneuvering military forces begins long before a war breaks out, after all.

But outright agreeing to his assumption would be too transparent.

"Does the Kingdom believe the Empire is planning a war?"

At my counter-question, the King paused.

At the very least, it seemed the current Emperor wasn’t actively planning a war—or at least wasn’t showing any signs of it publicly. Still, from the Kingdom’s perspective, they couldn’t simply trust the Empire’s restraint.

If it hadn’t been for the suspicious circumstances Charlotte had mentioned, the Kingdom might have already formed an informal alliance with the Holy Nation.

"In that case, let me rephrase," the King said, adjusting his posture. From his earlier slouched position with his hand on his forehead, he now sat straight, radiating the authority of a monarch.

"Does the Empire wish for relations between the Kingdom and the Holy Nation to become irreparable?"

"......"

From the Empire’s perspective? Probably.

From my perspective? Ideally, the Kingdom could keep the Holy Nation in check independently, without relying on an alliance. After all, the Holy Nation was rife with suspicious elements.

I didn’t want to see Charlotte become a puppet of the Holy Nation in the next decade.

But I couldn’t share all of this openly.

As for the tunnels—those could be excavated. Evidence would speak for itself.

However, other information about the Holy Nation... wasn’t something I should know at this point in time.

Thankfully, the King seemed to interpret my silence on his own.

"Regardless of the reasoning," he said, looking down at me.

"You swore on the name of Fangryphon. That’s not something one does lightly. It means you’re confident in your claims. While we’ll need to figure out how an Imperial princess came to possess information even our Kingdom doesn’t know, that’s a matter for later."

He continued to look down at me, trying to assert his authority. But judging by the slight twitch of his lips, he seemed on the verge of covering his face with his hands again.

Frankly, if our positions were reversed, I’d feel the same.

"The first priority is verifying the urgent matter. Do you know how this underground facility is hidden?"

I hesitated for a moment.

The tunnels lay beneath Lutetia’s sewer system. The quickest way in would be through St. Latina Cathedral, but there was no guarantee the Holy Nation hadn’t hidden the entrance.

Of course, the entrance was hidden. My concern was whether the Holy Nation had altered the original entrance after becoming aware of my existence.

Sure, I could blow the cathedral sky-high to find the entrance, but I was standing here precisely because I’d been told not to.

Still, there were alternatives.

"It’s not the only way into the underground," I said.

As expected of an RPG-like world, Azerna Chronicles had plenty of hidden areas. Many fields—like cities and towns—had inaccessible spots containing treasure chests. Those locations were often connected through dungeons, which were typically beneath urban areas, like sewers or ruins.

Of course, in a game, you don’t get punished for looting someone’s belongings.

The underground facility beneath Lutetia was similar. St. Latina Cathedral wasn’t the only entrance; there had to be other paths for people to sneak in or out.

The most important sections were near the cathedral, but that wasn’t an argument I could make now.

"I have a lead on a potential location," I said.

"...Do you now?"

The King’s eyes narrowed further.

I could almost feel his suspicion hitting its peak—and then some. It was like a game where a stat value went so high it broke the UI and overflowed the screen.

"In that case, you’ll need to reveal all these locations. Once the search is complete, we’ll have a thorough discussion about how you came to know them."

I’d need to run as soon as the search concluded.

"We can’t do anything drastic to an Imperial princess, but the Emperor will undoubtedly take an interest in this matter."

...I really needed to run. At least until this whole ordeal blew over.

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Chapter 213

I felt it once again.

I had grown.

In the past, I would have definitely shouted, “Again!” by now and started over, methodically reworking my plan from the beginning.

Granted, it’s not like the kind of grand-scale “plans” the Emperor could conjure would come flowing from my mind effortlessly.

To be honest, compared to a year ago, I had been acting without much thought.

But now...

“...”

Charlotte’s gaze was a little uncomfortable. It was understandable. It hadn’t been long since she told me I was a true friend, only for that same “friend” to propose causing a mess in her country.

Still, the fact that I felt uneasy about her expression meant I believed we’d grown close.

After all, if she didn’t think we were close, she wouldn’t be looking at me like this. Back at the start of the semester, she would have hidden her true feelings behind a practiced smile.

Now, however—

‘Can I really trust her? Does she actually have a plan? Was everything I thought I understood about Sylvia completely wrong?’

The doubt in her expression was plain as day, something she never would have shown back then.

...It’s fine. Even if her gaze toward me has grown a little colder, doesn’t the fact that she’s comfortable enough to show it mean we’re friends? Right?

As I consoled myself with that thought, I looked around.

Charlotte wasn’t the only one whose demeanor toward me had changed.

If this were earlier, I couldn’t have stood in front of Mia and boldly declared, “I killed your father, and he deserved to die.” Back then, I wouldn’t have been able to bear the thought of how Mia might look at me after hearing that.

Rewinding time to repair relationships is also a way of destroying what’s been built. It’s not just about fighting and drifting apart or finding something unlikable in someone. Even the negative aspects of a relationship are part of it—things that can be overcome with effort, by apologizing, understanding why someone acts the way they do, and growing together.

To rewind time is to disregard the weight of those shared memories.

Mia may have been the first to realize this and say something wise to me about it, but I’ll let that slide for now.

“...So.”

Leo, who had been sitting with his head in his hands for a while, was the first to break the silence.

“You’re saying we’re going to attack the cathedral near the heart of Lutetia, and the people who go in have to be the most ‘trustworthy’?”

“That’s correct,” I replied.

“So you can’t trust Lutetia’s soldiers?”

“I can’t.”

Charlotte’s gaze grew even colder at my words, but I ignored it for now.

“Then the people sent by the Empire—”

“—are not an option for me,” Charlotte interjected.

Leo closed his mouth momentarily, then glanced up at me.

“...”

“...”

An awkward silence hung in the air.

“Excuse me.”

Finally, Mia broke the silence, her voice cautious.

“Everyone here... except for Charlotte, are all from the Empire.”

True enough.

But even so, everyone here was trustworthy. We’d worked together multiple times, and I knew each of them was more than capable.

Sophia was excluded, likely asleep in her room—or praying.

Rena was also left out. Though she was a dear friend who followed me devotedly, she was still a foreigner.

As for Jake and Rottie... I couldn’t find them. Wherever they were, I could only hope they weren’t overstepping as students.

Even with those four absent, I believed we could manage. With Leo and Claire as the vanguard, both trained by the Sword Saint, and my own sufficient firepower, we had what we needed.

The masked woman and Lucas were wild cards, but if they both appeared, it might actually be a stroke of luck. Even if my abilities were restricted, they wouldn’t be completely sealed, and those two would never team up.

Having accounted for those variables, I was confident.

And yet—

“...”

Something felt off.

Even Claire, who normally responded to my plans with an enthusiastic “Yes!”, was looking at me with a deeply uncomfortable expression.

Arms crossed, she glared at me like she had a serious grievance.

“Sis, what about the people you left out?” Claire asked.

“...The ones I left out?”

“Sophia, Rena, Jake, and Rottie.”

“Jake and Rottie are probably off enjoying some quality time together. If I were to interrupt, I’d be ruining their precious memories.”

“Fine, let’s set them aside. What about Rena and Sophia?”

Claire’s voice was strangely cold as she tapped her crossed arms with her fingers.

“Those two are foreigners—”

“Excuse me!”

Mia, who had been nervously watching the situation, raised her hand abruptly.

“We’re foreigners too! At least, by Belvur’s standards...”

Her sharp awareness of the situation likely stemmed from having grown up near the border. If she realized she was part of this group, it would be a real problem for her.

“That’s true. From my perspective, you’re all ‘foreign friends.’ Friends I personally invited here. Besides, Sophia’s even from the same homeland as me.”

Ah, right.

Charlotte didn’t know that Sophia was originally from the Holy Nation.

If she found out, things would get incredibly awkward—not in terms of national politics but on a personal level.

How many people could continue treating a friend as such after learning they were a spy from another country?

“Besides, you know Sophia, don’t you? If you deliberately left her out, she’d be devastated when she found out later. And Rena? She adores you. Do you even know how she talks about you?”

“...”

For the record, Alice hadn’t spoken a single word since we met with the king earlier. She’d just been glaring at me with a face full of discontent, as if saying, “Let’s see how far you’ll go with this.”

...

Relationships are best handled head-on. That’s how they leave a lasting impact, how you figure out how to move forward together and build shared memories—

...Screw it.

“Again!”

When things go completely awry, nothing beats rewinding time.

If I’d had this ability in my past life, I’d have used it all the time.

Timing is crucial for apologies. Even a slight delay can make forgiveness nearly impossible.

In my past life, I’d made countless blunders by acting thoughtlessly.

Well, at least now, with this ability, I can truly build friendships—even if it took rewinding time to realize that.

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

Shortly after our meeting with the king, but before gathering the others, the three of us—Charlotte, Alice, and I—were in Charlotte’s room. Bowing my head deeply, I spoke.

“...”

Charlotte froze momentarily, then, in an incredulous tone, said, “Do you even understand what you’re doing? A princess of the Empire bowing to a princess of a kingdom—”

“If that’s how you want to see it, so be it.”

“...”

At my words, Charlotte fell silent.

“But my apology is not just about politics or strategy. It’s as Sylvia, not as Fangryphon, that I’m apologizing.”

Depending on how she interpreted that, it could sound insulting. By shedding the name Fangryphon, I was no longer a figure of great importance.

“I’m sorry for keeping this plan a secret until now. It’s not just a military or political matter. I’m apologizing because, as your friend, I kept you in the dark about a plan that could harm your homeland.”

It took rewinding time for me to realize this. How foolish.

I could claim personal growth all I wanted, but unless others recognized it, what was the point?

The room was silent for a long moment.

“In that case, I’ll speak as Charlotte, your friend, not as a princess. Raise your head.”

Her words brightened my mood considerably.

I barely managed to keep my expression neutral as I lifted my head.

Charlotte met my eyes with a radiant smile.

However, for some reason, she was raising a tightly clenched fist beside her face.

If this were a game, her fist would probably have exaggerated, cartoonish veins popping out.

And I could guarantee, even without those veins, her punch would hurt.

Charlotte, still smiling brightly, said, “I’ll forgive you—but only if you let me hit you once.”

Uh-oh.

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Chapter 214

It hurt.

When Charlotte asked, “Can I hit you?” I briefly considered rewinding time again, but Charlotte didn’t give me a chance to finish that thought.

In an instant, my vision flashed, and pain spread across my forehead.

With a sharp thud, it seemed Charlotte had given me a playful tap on the head.

Though it wasn’t exactly a sweet moment, that's for sure.

If I rewound time, I could have avoided it, but—

“Huff.”

The look on Charlotte’s face as she saw the pain in my eyes was so satisfying that I decided against rewinding.

Thankfully, there were no tears, but the pain wasn’t exactly negligible either. I did feel the urge to rub my forehead.

Suppressing the desire to touch it, I watched Charlotte sit down.

“Alright, then.”

Charlotte plopped down onto a chair and continued.

“You must have delivered the information to His Majesty the King because you had something planned for this, right? You didn’t just come here out of the blue and bring this up without thinking.”

Hmm...

It wasn’t exactly without thinking.

The biggest change was that my solo plan was suddenly turned into a group effort.

But well, what can I do?

It’s already decided. If I hadn’t gone along with this, I would have already used my power to rewind time and erased this whole event.

I took a deep breath, mentally organizing my thoughts.

In the end, my argument hadn’t changed much from the last time.

But the number of people involved had definitely increased.

Before rewinding time, I’d kept a small circle in mind, but now, I’d brought everyone else in.

Well, Jake and Rottie were both from the Empire. I didn’t think Jake would spill the details of the operation to his father, and Rottie would probably keep quiet as well. As long as Jake didn’t say anything, Rottie wouldn’t either. I figured they wouldn’t cause too much trouble.

Next, Rena.

Rena... was a little concerning. Based on the circumstances, it was clear that the autonomous region had sent her to keep an eye on me.

But given her pure personality and the timing, when we weren’t even supposed to be heading north yet, there hadn’t been any real issues.

“Do you understand? Being part of this operation means you cannot tell anyone, especially your family or superiors.”

I made sure to remind her of this multiple times, but strangely, Rena kept nodding with sparkling eyes.

“As a member of the Academy, I’m also an Imperial cadet. It’s natural for soldiers to keep operations conducted under certain affiliations confidential.”

“...”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even an Imperial operation.

But why was she looking at me so eagerly? Could it be that she trusted me that much?

Or perhaps her inner Chuunibyou was excited by the idea of a “secret operation.”

Not knowing what else to say, I just nodded.

Surprisingly, despite the ongoing war setting, the protagonist and his group didn’t actually kill anyone. No matter how many times they made people fall into pits, pierced with ice spears, shot with guns, or sliced with swords, when the battle ended, the enemies didn’t die but were simply incapacitated, kneeling on one knee.

Yes, the righteous protagonists were portrayed as worrying about even the nameless extra enemies' lives.

...Of course, I’m the one saying this after having shot people a few times, and in reality, that just wouldn’t happen.

No matter how much of a Chuunibyou someone is, they wouldn’t stay completely sane after killing someone.

Not just Rena, but everyone traveling with me.

If we really had to shoot someone, it would be ideal if I did it.

“Leo, how about you?”

I asked Claire, who had finished checking her weapon and was walking toward me. She looked a little uncertain.

“He’s still talking with Sophia.”

They still hadn’t figured out who was older. But I guess it would feel really strange if suddenly a girlfriend appeared, no matter if the guy was an older brother or younger brother.

Of course, it wasn’t really a girlfriend, just a girl who had unilaterally fallen for Leo.

From Claire’s perspective, I could imagine her thinking, “What does she see in him?”

I wonder how Claire would have reacted if Leo had actually created a harem like in the original story.

But of course, for that to happen, I’d have to not exist in this world, and if I didn’t exist, things would have gone just like in the original.

There’s no such thing as “if” in history, right?

Even though I can rewind time, there comes a moment when I don’t want to anymore, or I simply can’t. Once you pass a certain point, time “fixes” itself, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that.

“Then let’s wait a bit longer.”

After my answer, Claire nodded, and the room fell silent again.

It was a decision made abruptly, without a word until now. To be honest, it felt odd that everyone had gathered without protest.

“...”

As I glanced around the room, everyone’s eyes met mine—those who, in this moment, could truly be called “friends.”

For some reason, I felt a strange, ungrounded trust that I could leave my back to them.

I had to suppress the urge to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

I had always liked these characters, but honestly, it had only been a little over half a year since they started seeing me like this.

Why would they trust me so much?

...Well.

At least I have to become someone worthy of that trust.

“Sylvia.”

After talking with Sophia for a while, Leo came out and called me.

“Sophia wants to talk to you as well.”

Leo’s expression was serious, as always.

As the traditional “righteous protagonist” of a JRPG, Leo was the type of guy who would express sorrow over even the unnamed extra enemies’ deaths. He was a kind-hearted fool.

Of course, after hearing about the operation, he must have felt uneasy about Sophia.

I nodded to Leo, then walked toward the door he had just come through.

Charlotte’s room had a walk-in closet attached.

Unlike me, who mostly wore dark, plain clothes and Alice, who didn’t enjoy attending banquets, Charlotte frequently mingled with nobles and often went to balls.

So, the “walk-in closet” was surprisingly spacious. It might even be larger than some university dorm rooms that cost 500,000 KRW a month.

In the center of the closet, two chairs were placed facing each other, and Sophia was sitting in one.

Sophia glared at me.

It was understandable.

I slowly walked over and sat down in front of her.

“...Did you think I would betray my country just because of Leo?”

“Historically, there have been plenty of people who betrayed their countries for love. But I don’t think you would do that.”

Sophia gave me a look that seemed like she was about to retort, so I quickly added,

“The reason I brought you here...”

In fact, it was mostly because of Claire and Charlotte’s reactions. If they hadn’t been so opposed, I probably wouldn’t have brought Sophia here. Honestly, it would have been easier for Sophia to just think we betrayed her and be at peace with that.

But now that I had brought her here, there was only one reason.

“...It’s because you’re our friend.”

“...”

Sophia’s eyes widened at my words.

All the members of the protagonist’s party shared one thing in common.

Aside from Leo, the protagonist, they all had a severely lacking childhood.

Given that they grew up in the noble society, it was understandable. Raised among adults who valued behaving inhumanely and hiding their emotions, they never learned how to open their hearts to others.

In the game’s lore, the story unfolds around these characters who, through Leo’s genuine nature, eventually become true friends.

The goddess, the war, religion—those were just decorations. The real heart of the story was the friendship among the protagonists.

That’s why I was able to enjoy the game so much.

And the reason I resented Sophia’s position in the original game was because she was a character who suddenly inserted herself into the already-formed, tight-knit group of friends and caused disruption.

But that’s not the case now.

She appeared much earlier than in the original.

And, strictly speaking, the character who shouldn’t be here is me, not Sophia.

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Chapter 215

“I understand. But even if you told me to attack the Holy Land of your beloved Kingdom just because we’re friends, I’m sure it would be hard to understand.”

“......”

Fortunately, Sophia didn’t snap back at me or shout that we weren’t friends. I was able to carefully continue the conversation.

“Then, how about this? Your role is to observe us.”

“Observe, you say?”

Sophia seemed a little taken aback by my words.

“I don’t intend to turn any historical landmarks into ashes,” I continued.

Though I had been thinking of barging in and extracting information, in the end, I planned to rewind time, so I wasn’t exactly lying.

“I just want to know a little more.”

“Can’t you ask me directly?”

“Yes.”

I answered firmly.

Sophia, in the original story, had been quite high-ranking, but there was much she didn’t know. Naturally, considering she was at the lowest rank among the cathedral knights now, it was safe to assume she knew next to nothing about the most important matters of the Holy Kingdom.

“...Then you know that it’s my duty to ensure that this information doesn’t leak out.”

“......”

I paused for a moment to think, then said,

“If I gain any useful information, I’ll be sure to share it with you.”

“And, I’ll tell you about ‘me,’ the things you’ve been so curious about.”

Sophia’s eyes widened slightly at my words.

“You were told to learn about my fighting style, and if that’s really your assignment, I’m sure you were also told that there were other instructions, right? Something like, ‘Report any unusual circumstances immediately.’”

I could practically see an exclamation mark popping up above her head.

“I suspect the Holy Kingdom believes my power is related to ‘the goddess’s power.’ If you join us and cooperate, I’ll tell you more about me. I’m sure it’ll benefit you.”

If, by some chance, I couldn’t rewind time, I’d have no choice but to keep my promise.

But honestly, I didn’t think sharing this information would be such a disadvantage for me.

So...

“How am I supposed to trust you?”

Sophia asked, her voice filled with hesitation.

“The only proof I can offer is friendship. I don’t know how much you feel that, but I believe we’ve become close enough.”

Yeah, even if Sophia and Leo ended up together, I could genuinely congratulate them.

It would ease the guilt I felt toward Leo.

“...Can you still use the name Fangryphon?”

“This conversation isn’t about that name.”

I looked at Sophia directly and spoke.

“I’m not asking as the princess of the Empire, but as your friend, Sylvia.”

“......”

Yes, Sophia too.

She had grown up in the Holy Kingdom, constantly drilled into the idea of competition. Everyone around her, even those her age, was a rival, someone to be stepped on in order to rise higher.

Once she reached the top, she might have tasted friendship. In fact, there seemed to be something like friendship among the knights of the Holy Kingdom.

“I’ll leave whether you believe me or not to you.”

I stood up after saying that.

It was a little while later when Sophia, having made up her mind, finally left the room.

The rest of our party had finished preparing their weapons, and the tension was starting to ease when the door to Charlotte’s dressing room suddenly swung open, and Sophia emerged.

“......”

When our eyes met, Sophia nodded at me with the same stiff expression.

“So, it’s decided, then?”

Charlotte spoke, her voice cutting through the tension.

“One thing’s for sure. What we’re after is the secret facility rumored to be beneath Lutetia. We cannot destroy the St. Latina Cathedral, it’s a sacred landmark, and as a princess, I can’t allow that. And as for the underground—destroying that is out of the question. After all, there are homes for the people of Lutetia above.”

At Charlotte’s words, everyone nodded in agreement.

Looking at me, Charlotte took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, her expression determined.

“Alright, then. Let’s go.”

The underground secret tombs in Lutetia were inspired by the catacombs beneath Paris.

The real catacombs are extremely narrow. There are spaces where a few people can walk side by side, but often, a person can only enter by squeezing through tight gaps. They’re so vast and deep that people can actually go missing down there.

And, of course, our Millennium-era technology wasn’t quite advanced enough to replicate all that perfectly in-game.

Unlike the winding and sprawling catacombs in reality—

“This place, what the heck...?”

The underground tomb we arrived at wasn’t like the chaotic, scattered piles of skulls and occasional odd skull towers you’d find in a real catacomb. This one looked more like a clean, organized underground tomb you’d find in a subculture anime.

Of course, it had the setting that the entire facility stretched across Lutetia, so it was hard to know the full scale—just like the real catacombs.

“Is it true that such a place existed beneath Lutetia, and no one knew about it until now?”

Right?

Even in the original game, and now in this world, monsters—beasts that are practically like monsters—wandered the streets, and inexplicably, crates filled with Marmaros were casually placed in the sewers, yet no one knew... it was a bit ridiculous.

If this were a game, I’d chalk it up to “game mechanics,” but now that it’s reality, it’s a different story.

Everything in the dungeon in the game was intentionally placed by someone. The fact that this place is so vast is due to more than just technical limitations—after all, if it were too small, it would be difficult to play.

So who, in this “reality,” thought it was a good idea to blatantly allow such “game mechanics” to exist here?

Furthermore, these “game mechanics” were limited to the resemblance of this place, and didn’t extend to other mundane aspects. There’s no HP, no MP, no inventory system—if we want to carry anything, we have to either hold it in our hands or put it in a bag.

It’s pointless to ponder why such a hybrid “reality” exists.

At the end of the day, this place is real, and it’s in front of us.

“Even if we use some explosives, the ceiling won’t collapse. But let’s be cautious, as Charlotte said.”

When I said that, the group, who had been gazing absentmindedly at the ruins, nodded.

...Well, we did blow up part of the sewer on the way in, but it wasn’t a huge issue.

I moved my arm again, the enchanted suit still functioning well with its several powerstones embedded in it.

“I’d love to meet the artisan who made this equipment.”

Rena had mentioned that before.

Maybe after this job is over, I’ll introduce her.

I strapped my specially-made elephant-hunting revolver on my back and held the rifle I always used in my hands.

My holster had both a pistol and a revolver, with magazines full of regular ammo and one Marmaros round each, in sequence.

This was probably the most heavily armed I’d been for any mission so far.

“If there are any people down here, we’ll avoid them as much as possible. Even though it’s such a large area, since it stretches across all of Lutetia, it’s easy to get lost. Make sure to follow me closely.”

“...I really want to ask how you know all this, but now that I’ve seen this place, I’ll put that question aside for now.”

“Once everything is over, I’ll explain it all.”

I looked at Sophia. She looked a little pale, probably because the torches in the underground ruins emitted a faint blue light.

“......”

Alice still hadn’t said a word.

For some reason, I could almost feel her thinking, “You’ve been here before, haven’t you?”

...No.

Well, if she thought I’d been here before in the game, she wouldn’t be wrong.

...Wait a minute.

Did I just read Alice’s expression?

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Chapter 216

No matter how different the events of this world were from the common sense I knew from the world I came from, honestly, I couldn’t quite grasp the situation at hand.

“Claire, cover the rear!”

“Got it!”

With Leo’s shout, Claire immediately rushed to the back. It seemed like, with Rottie using firearms and Mia using magic, the rear could get a little unstable in close-quarters combat.

And the ones charging at us were—

“Keheh!”

With a swift swing of her sword, Claire’s strike left deep gouges in the floor and walls of the ruins. At that moment, several of the approaching dogs let out their signature howls—like animals in pain—before being sent flying into the air.

“Glas Esta!”

I heard Mia’s shout just as the sound of a gunshot rang out.

Of the two dogs that had been lifted into the air, one was impaled by an ice spear, while the other took a bullet to the head, blood spraying as it fell to the ground. If an animal rights organization from the world I came from saw this, they’d probably be horrified.

But we didn’t have time to be horrified by such scenes.

Click.

From beside me, I heard the sound of a magazine being inserted into a pistol.

Rena calmly swapped out the empty magazine, then fired two shots straight ahead. In front of her, a massive wolf with blue fur, bigger than the combined weight of Rena and me, received the two shots from her gun.

In an instant, smoke billowed from the wolf’s face, followed by a furious, guttural howl—one that made it clear just how angry the beast was.

The wolf leapt forward—

Bang!

It crashed to the ground, struck by my rifle shot.

It wasn’t a Marmaros round. I had modified the ammunition to increase the charge to match the barrel’s durability, but it was enough to penetrate the wolf’s skull.

“This is never going to end!”

Alice shouted.

If the path had been a little narrower, we might have placed those who could wield swords at the front and back, with fire support and support groups in the middle. But this ruin was too large.

Even with ten people positioned in a circle, there was still space left, and with beasts attacking from all directions, the six swordsmen couldn’t protect everyone—me, Rena, Mia, and Rottie—effectively.

I had no problem, though, since I could still rewind time and I had two pistols. Rena, armed with a pistol and submachine gun, wouldn’t have trouble in close combat either.

But Rottie’s rifle was a bolt-action, and Mia needed time to cast. While the two of them had been able to shoot and drop the incoming beasts before they got too close, it wasn’t enough to let our guard down.

“How the heck are there so many beasts in the underground of Lutetia!?”

“Sorry, Princess, but I don’t think they’re living here.”

Charlotte, swinging her rapier, spoke with a hint of sarcasm, and Jake, nearby, also chimed in.

As Jake pointed out, the beasts had collars on them, resembling dog collars. They even had identification tags attached.

In the original game, similar beasts appeared later in the dungeon, making it easier to acquire Marmaros—but back then, they were part of the Emperor’s plan to use them as weapons.

But now, if this situation were really like that...

I shot a few more of the approaching dogs, quickly loading my rifle with the speedloader, then glanced over at Sophia.

Even while wielding a glowing sword, Sophia wore a complicated expression.

She probably couldn’t understand why so many beasts were swarming in a place her own country had set up.

“Let’s take a break for a moment.”

I spoke up.

“If we go further, we should reach a room that’s empty. Even if there are other soldiers inside, we should be able to deal with them and close the door to rest for a while.”

In the original game, there weren’t even autosave features, so players had to manually save whenever they felt uneasy. But with the new world, autosave sections appeared, usually in areas with key dialogue events or recovery stations.

The recovery stations we saw in the Northwood ruins...

...Now that I think about it, I’ve only been to one ruin in this world. Surely there are more relics than what I’ve seen.

It felt like I was experiencing the entire series in one go, and some parts of the story seemed to be missing in the process... Well, not every ruin appeared in the original, and the relics weren’t all gathered into one, but...

That’s not something to think about right now.

What I needed to focus on was the current situation.

As we got closer to the cathedral, stronger beasts would definitely start showing up.

I wasn’t sure if it would be worth rethinking the plan, but at least we needed some time to rest. The swordsmen were already getting soaked in sweat.

A few of the people I locked eyes with nodded.

The ones who didn’t nod would catch up as we moved.

“This way!”

I shouted, turning and running ahead.

“Huff...”

Claire let out a long breath as she stood in front of the recovery station. She watched as the small cuts on her body healed instantly.

Not just Claire, but everyone who had entered the room was healing.

“What is this...?”

Charlotte muttered as she watched the wounds on her hands disappear.

“......”

Sophia didn’t say anything. I wasn’t sure whether she knew about these devices and was silent because of it, or if she was truly unaware since she was still a low-ranking member of the kingdom.

“Rottie, are you okay?”

“Yes, there are no injuries. But I’m concerned about how many bullets we have left.”

“I have extra ammo.”

I shrugged off my coat, revealing the exosuit beneath. It looked like something from an SF novel, though it was made with a lot of brass rather than steel, and the gears were constantly whirring. Some of the glass covering the gears had small cracks.

It was a prototype, but quite functional.

Maybe in a sequel, this suit would be more widely used, though it still wasn’t mass-produced.

I set down the metal box I had strapped to my back.

“Rottie, Rena, if you need anything, take it.”

“Thank you.”

Rena responded immediately. Rottie hesitated for a moment before saying,

“Well then, I won’t turn it down.”

She walked over to me.

Luckily, I had prepared various types of ammunition, just in case. Though I had only debated whether to use the submachine gun, I never expected it to come in handy.

In truth, I hadn’t bothered to dig out every single item. I’d just loaded up the train with all the supplies.

I was already heavily armed, with an elephant-hunting rifle strapped to my back and ammunition hanging from every part of my body, including my waist, stomach, and thighs, so I was a bit weighed down, even with these special gear.

“...The beasts we’ve faced so far.”

As Rottie and Rena chose their ammunition, Alice, who had taken a breath, spoke up.

“Those things... they were all bred by someone, right?”

“Yes.”

They might have even been created, I thought.

There’s magic for that. More specifically, artifacts that make it possible to open gates to entirely different worlds, corrupt “beasts,” turning them into monstrous forms, and even summon creatures from beyond to command them.

In the original game, this magic was used by the Emperor in the later stages. That’s when beasts and monsters infused with Marmaros would flood the dungeon, and players would complete the final setups by looping through certain areas.

But here, Marmaros wouldn’t just drop to the floor when we captured a beast or monster, and right now, it was of no use.

The ancient artifact that allowed this magic had been secured and hidden by the Holy Kingdom. The Emperor would eventually steal it for his own purposes, but... the Holy Kingdom would likely treat this magic as a curse.

Because it goes against the perfect world the goddess created.

If that’s the case, then the Emperor...?

No.

That can’t be. If the Emperor had taken control of this underground place, the Holy Kingdom wouldn’t be so quiet about it.

And there would be no reason for him to use this magic here. If he wanted to use it, he could have done so in the Holy Kingdom, where it could deal a significant blow to his enemies without starting a world war.

So, it seems this magic was used by the Holy Kingdom.

“...Have you figured something out?”

I looked up at Alice’s voice.

Looking around, all of my friends were staring at me with anxious expressions.

“......”

Yeah, at this point, hiding what I was thinking might cause problems for us later. Emotional confusion could seriously disrupt our battle plans.

“I think the Holy Kingdom was preparing for war.”

I decided to speak plainly, saying what had been on my mind.

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Chapter 217

“......”

My words hung in the air, and for a moment, the room was engulfed in silence.

“War...?”

Charlotte, who had grown up in this very kingdom, mumbled in disbelief, her voice almost a whisper.

“No, that can’t be!”

Sophia flinched at Charlotte's mumbling and immediately stepped forward, defending her kingdom.

“There’s no reason for the Holy Kingdom to go to war with Belvur! Yes, there have been issues in the past, but those were resolved a long time ago through diplomatic agreements!”

“I didn’t say the Holy Kingdom was preparing for war with Belvur.”

“Then who?”

Alice, who had been lost in thought with her arms crossed, spoke up.

“Perhaps... they were preparing for a war with the Emperor.”

At my words, Alice let out a soft groan, clearly taken aback.

“...What are you talking about? A war between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom? Why would they be preparing such a war here, beneath Lutetia?”

Unable to hold back, Charlotte interrupted as she overheard my conversation with Alice.

“It’s not a war between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, it’s a war between the Emperor and the Holy Kingdom.”

At my words, the room fell silent again.

In the original story, the Emperor had prepared for war—and eventually carried it out. In two months’ time, this world would be a battlefield.

The practice in Lutetia was a consequence of my arrival in this world. In the original story, Alice had failed to grow fully until the very brink of war, and during the several months leading up to it, tensions between the Empire and Belvur escalated. Charlotte’s temperament became more sensitive as well.

No, the truth was that Charlotte and Alice had never been friends from the start. They met at the academy, gradually grew closer, and then, because of the war, their relationship fractured. They would only become friends again when they united to stop the Emperor.

“They were preparing to stop the Emperor.”

“Stop the Emperor? Why would you need to stop him? Is the Emperor preparing for war?”

No.

Well, more accurately, he had been. But because of me, that war was stopped, and his plans shifted. I didn’t know exactly what those plans were, though.

“The Emperor—”

I opened my mouth but then glanced at Alice and Sophia.

Alice nodded, while Sophia, her face pale, appeared as though her emotions were entirely mixed. It was honestly harder to read her emotions than Alice’s, who was trying to hide hers.

...Well, to be honest, I wasn’t exactly perceptive, whether in my previous life or this one.

Mia was holding her staff tightly, looking at me. The Marmaros embedded in her staff had multiplied since I first gave it to her, but the ice-element Marmaros I gave her was still embedded there. I wondered why she continued to keep it when she must have obtained better ones by now...

Rottie and Jake were looking at me, standing together.

They hadn’t asked any questions; they simply followed us. It felt like they were doing so because they believed it was only natural to help after I had helped them.

I hadn’t thought things would get to this point, so I hadn’t said anything about possibly risking my life, but it felt like Rottie and Jake would have come along anyway, even if I had.

Rena... was just the same as usual. She’d been completely fooled by me, thinking I was just putting on a brave front, and had followed me this far. I couldn’t help but wonder, how would she have reacted if I had shown her my true self? Would she have been disappointed? Thinking back, I realized I had been so caught up in other things that I had forgotten the competition I once had with her over our "concepts."

And then, finally, Claire and Leo.

Claire was the first major character I met after arriving here.

...And she had a secret about her birth that I never could have imagined. Now that I thought about it, I understood why I had ended up meeting her first. Maybe it was because of her birth secret that the Emperor’s plan had unraveled so suddenly after Claire’s death.

Back when I first met Claire, she had boldly called me "sister." And even now, she acted as though I was the most important person in her life.

As for Leo... I felt truly sorry for him.

He had been so kind, always coming to my aid whenever I asked, and I found it strange how easily he followed me. Maybe, after some time passed, the two of us could share a drink and talk things through. He didn’t look as pale when he had to speak to me alone lately, so it might be possible.

...Hmm.

I had been lost in thought for so long that the expressions of those around me had started to turn increasingly anxious. I decided it was time to stop my musings and speak up.

“The Emperor, in the past, had a plan to conquer this world. But now, he has ‘retracted’ it, mostly because of me.”

“......”

The eyes of everyone in the room turned to Alice. Alice nodded and added to the explanation.

“But Sylvia refused to become the Emperor. She insisted that she was the rightful heir to the Empire. Her father completely trusts Sylvia’s judgment. So, when Sylvia said she didn’t want that path, the Emperor didn’t seem to care, thinking it was of no consequence.”

“Huh?”

Mia let out an exclamation, a question that escaped her lips as all eyes turned toward her. She quickly covered her mouth, unnecessary as that was.

“Yes, that’s right. I have no royal blood. I’m from an orphanage.”

This wasn’t news to nearly everyone in the room.

...In truth, it wasn’t completely accurate, but by coincidence, it was still somewhat true. If this had been "Claire Fangryphon" saying this, it would either be a lie or the person themselves wouldn’t know the truth.

“Even so, the Emperor saw you as the next Empress?”

Charlotte asked.

“My father... believes that ability is more important than bloodline when it comes to succeeding the throne,” Alice replied.

In truth, he was far more concerned with bloodline than he let on, sowing his seeds far and wide and selecting capable heirs. He didn’t care much about things like ‘purity’ or ‘honor.’ Just look at Claire in the original.

“But I don’t think the Emperor truly gave up on his plans. The last time we met, he made it sound like he had abandoned them entirely, but I suspect it’s a smokescreen. And I believe the Holy Kingdom thinks the same. I only realized this after coming here and seeing things for myself.”

“......”

When I finished speaking, silence once again fell over the room.

“So...?”

Sophia spoke up, her voice calm but filled with confusion.

“Are you saying that, whether back then or now, you’ve been working to extinguish the spark of war?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

This much was clear.

Of course, I hadn’t done it for some noble reason. It wasn’t about stopping the war to save lives or prevent sorrow. I had no right to think that way.

I had only acted to save the characters I liked.

If, on the other hand, war had been necessary for that, I wouldn’t have hesitated to start one. But that path would lead to a much harder road to a happy ending.

“So, I need to know more about this situation. Where are these beasts coming from? Is the Holy Kingdom really behind this? And if so, how exactly are they doing it?”

I had a general idea of what was happening. After all, I had already navigated through many dungeons. There was no way we’d take an unexpected turn—especially not to a place that hadn’t appeared in the original story.

But even though the world was clearly influenced by the game, it was far more real than any virtual world.

So, if there were any unexpected variables, I needed to understand their origin. That way, I could figure out how to deal with them—whether now or in the future.

I had barely finished speaking when everyone in the room continued to stare at me in silence.

There were no loud responses, no one nodding eagerly.

Click.

The silence was broken by a small metallic sound.

“We’re ready.”

Rena stood up, holding her pistol.

I nodded at her.

“Then, shall we go?”

Not a single person objected.

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Chapter 218

“How... how is this...?”

How many times have I heard this question?

Probably about nine times. Out of ten people, I was the only one who didn’t mutter something like that.

As we descended further below the cathedral, the creatures we encountered grew larger and more grotesque. At first, they looked like bears, tigers, or lions—at least, they resembled these animals in some way. Of course, they weren’t normal animals.

If a Japanese company had designed these monsters, they might have appeared cute. There are famous examples of such designs, and Japan’s culture has a penchant for small, adorable things. Honestly, when I first played this series, I couldn’t get used to it.

The monsters were just... too ugly.

In the original game, the monsters were designed with a mediocre graphic style, where they took on the texture of realistic beasts but added grotesque details that didn’t quite reach the level of ‘horribly grotesque.’ It was a typical game design, but now, in this ‘real world’ version, we were experiencing those strange designs in all their disturbing glory.

At least I knew what they looked like, so I wasn’t as shocked as I might have been. But—no, even so, seeing the bodies melt and become limp made me instinctively step back.

“Haah...”

Charlotte, who muttered the usual “What is this...” again, exhaled deeply as she shook off the slimy substance stuck to her sword. Whether the blue or black was blood, I wasn’t sure, but the monster’s bodily fluids clung to her blade. The sound of it hitting the floor was unpleasant—more of a wet thud than a solid drop. Upon closer inspection, it seemed more like slippery slime than liquid.

“...Well, at least we managed to block it properly this time,” she said.

Leo, swinging his sword, added, “Yeah, that was well done.”

Most of the swordsmen in our party had small injuries. Every time it seemed like someone would take a serious hit, I rewound time and provided support. Still, it was hard to erase every little scratch and bruise.

“Are you okay, sis?”

As I caught my breath, Claire asked.

“I’m fine,” I replied, lifting my left hand.

Hadn’t I mentioned before? A jack chain—or whatever it was—connecting my shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers had slightly bent. On the surface, it appeared to be brass, but there was a strong steel core inside, so the minor deformation wasn’t a big issue.

But blood was flowing under the brass plates, from my fingers upward. It looked like rusty water.

“Seems like I got hurt a little while swinging my fist earlier,” I said.

When I moved my fingers, there was a bit of a sting, but nothing seemed broken.

As I moved the brass plate around my hand with a creaky sound,

“Spirits Lucis.”

A soothing, warm light enveloped my hand, and the pain in my fingers disappeared.

Looking to my side, Mia was nearby.

“I’ve healed everyone else,” she said, her face a bit pale.

“Are you okay?”

After we had been running for a while, we were nearing the center of the ruins. In the original game, there was always a healing device near boss rooms. It was likely the same here, but if we ran out of mana before reaching it, we would be exhausted.

Mia nodded and pulled out a small vial from her waist, drinking from it. After a few minutes, her complexion slightly improved.

“I wasn’t actually carrying this for places like this,” she added, avoiding my gaze.

I wondered if she had prepared it for dealing with me. After all, if Mia had prepared any weapons to protect herself or harm others, they were probably meant to be used against me. Now, those purposes had disappeared, leaving only the weapons and equipment.

“I’m sorry,”

Rottie suddenly approached me and bowed.

“If I had practiced close combat a bit more, I wouldn’t have needed all of you to help me...”

“But Rottie, you can still use magic. So can Sophia. If you two hadn’t been there, Mia would have collapsed long ago,” Claire said, trying to comfort her.

That was true. In both the original and this world, Mia used mostly offensive magic. If Mia hadn’t been there, I would have used all my large-caliber Marmaros rounds by now. Having a mage at the back, casting giant ice spears or fireballs, allowed me to draw attention or retreat when necessary.

Healing magic, like offensive spells, consumed mana. If Mia had to take care of both healing and attacking magic, she would have passed out from mana exhaustion.

“My magic is based on tools that record spells,” Rottie humbly explained.

While the tools in the original game allowed anyone to use magic, it wasn’t something just anyone could use effectively. It was more of a ‘last resort’ for non-magic characters, and even then, it was more useful to attack directly rather than using magic.

When you’re in a place where you have limited space and gear, prioritizing and focusing is key.

“But I’m surprised. I didn’t think Sophia could use healing magic. Most swordsmen don’t have time to learn magic,” Rottie said, genuinely impressed.

Sophia, who had been listening from a distance, flinched when she heard this.

“Ah, that’s...”

Many magic spells can be used without casting a verbal incantation. To be precise, all magic can be used without it; however, speaking the incantation makes it much easier and more effective.

Sophia had been quiet during the healing magic, likely because she was aware that her method was fundamentally different from the magic Mia used. Mia seemed to realize that too, but she chose not to speak about it, sensing it wouldn’t help.

However, even without voicing their thoughts, two people had been watching Sophia with somewhat knowing eyes: Alice and Charlotte.

Alice had already heard about Sophia’s true identity from me, so she might have suspected that it was holy magic.

Charlotte, though not from the Holy Kingdom, had grown up in a city where the St. Latina Cathedral was located. She had likely seen people who used holy magic multiple times, even if she wasn’t directly familiar with it.

Though Sophia had used holy magic at the academy, using it to heal people was a different matter entirely.

“...We’re almost there. The healing device we saw earlier should be coming up soon. Rena, do you have enough ammo?”

I shifted the conversation.

“Yes. I’ve used up quite a bit of regular ammo, but there’s still plenty for the combat. The Marmaros rounds are almost all intact,” she replied.

“Good,” I nodded.

“Can I ask what kind of monster we’ll face ahead?”

Jake, standing near Rottie, turned to me and asked.

By now, they must have all figured out that I knew something. They might not have guessed exactly what I could do—whether it was seeing the future or rewinding time—but they knew I had some knowledge. I hadn’t gotten lost at any point during our journey.

In fact, I had ignored all the treasure chest rooms along the way. Entering those rooms would mean more battles, and since fighting too much would wear us down in this world, I hadn’t bothered with them. If we had spent time opening all those chests, we would have been exhausted even before we reached here.

In the original, only four people participated in battles, and the rest were substitutes.

Originally, we couldn’t have brought all ten people along. Many weren’t even our ‘companions’ yet.

“......”

I paused to think for a moment.

In the original story, what were the ‘monsters’ the Emperor unleashed?

As I fell silent, the others watched me intently.

“Probably...”

I couldn’t be certain, but it seemed likely that the creatures we were about to face were griffins—twisted and grotesque versions of them.

“......”

Griffins existed in this world too, but they were usually found in high mountains where humans rarely ventured. They were kings of beasts—untamable, unlike normal creatures.

“...Ha.”

At that point, Alice, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.

“I’m losing my mind.”

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Chapter 219

It was a funny story. For people with the name "Fangryphon" to feel tense over the name "Gryphon" itself—it was ironic.

Well, to be fair, we didn’t choose the name Fangryphon ourselves. Technically speaking, Fangryphon was the name of the one who ruled as the king of Gryphons during the chaotic era when the world was conquered.

And honestly, that was a figure from the mythological age. If such a story existed in the modern times I lived in, I’d dismiss it as a mere "founding myth" without much thought. Even in this world, there are people who despise the Empire and think of it that way.

However, this world runs "as the original plot dictates." If that’s the case, dismissing the myth as "just a myth" would be foolish.

“Honestly, isn’t it kind of ridiculous?”

Alice, trying to lighten the lingering tension, spoke up after hearing my story.

“To place a recovery device like this right ‘in front of the base.’ Logically, shouldn’t it be deeper inside? It’s practically inviting intruders to rest and recover.”

“Perhaps it’s for the guards stationed near the entrance?”

Charlotte offered her opinion, seemingly joining Alice’s efforts to ease the tension.

“No, even considering that, it would still make more sense to place it further in. It would be more effective to ‘reinforce’ the troops as needed.”

Charlotte’s faux-serious remark prompted everyone to glance at the recovery device.

Regardless of placement, the recovery device was undeniably effective.

Just moments ago, we had barely managed to fend off a swarm of monsters at the gate, yet now we were conversing as if nothing had happened.

Our clothes were torn to shreds, leaving us looking like beggars, and moments ago, Leo had been bleeding profusely. Mia had been staggering on the brink of collapse… but the recovery device had solved all of it.

“Maybe,” Lena, who had been quietly observing, rested her chin on her hand and shared her thoughts.

“Maybe they excluded it from deeper inside because it also heals enemies. If placed further in, it might keep the attacking intruders alive longer. Placing it outside for the defense force might have been a deliberate choice, relying on stronger forces within to handle things more decisively.”

Granted, the recovery device didn’t seem to work on the monsters.

“…Talking about this among ourselves isn’t going to give us any answers.”

Alice placed her hand on the massive door before us, brushing it as she spoke.

The door was enormous, adorned with intricate carvings reminiscent of Rodin’s Gates of Hell. The difference was that this door was bronze rather than cast iron and looked far larger than Gates of Hell.

And undoubtedly, the carvings were different. I couldn’t picture the Gates of Hell clearly in my mind, so I could only compare this to my vague impression.

“Do you think we can open this?”

“I don’t believe it’s locked.”

“…Why?”

Good question.

Alice’s gaze was different from usual when it turned toward me.

Typically, the information I provided to Alice came from my experiences of the future. Even when it wasn’t, Alice, knowing my ability, would usually assume as much.

But in this case…

Claiming I had “already been here” would be far too strange.

If I had failed previously and come back for help, we wouldn’t have made it this far. Knowing the exact way was also impossible. After all, we barely made it here as a group of ten. It would be absurd to think I came here alone, scouted the inside, rewound time, and then led everyone here.

Alice had occasionally cast questioning looks at me on our way here, but this time, her expression was markedly different.

Even with my improved ability to read her expressions, I couldn’t discern what Alice was feeling right now.

“…”

When I remained silent, Alice didn’t press further. She simply exhaled a long breath.

“Well, fine.”

Alice muttered to herself and glanced at Charlotte.

“So… ready?”

“Yes, I’ve been ready for a while now. What about everyone else?”

Charlotte turned to look at the others, and they all nodded. Even Sophia, albeit with a slightly dark expression, nodded last.

“Good. Let’s act as planned. Of course, don’t feel obligated to stick strictly to the plan. Situations can change at any moment.”

“Well, even if it’s a dragon instead of a gryphon, there won’t be time to change tactics.”

Charlotte shrugged at Alice’s quip.

“Both have wings, so we’ll manage somehow.”

Someone chuckled dryly.

“…”

And then, silence fell.

Alice turned her gaze toward me.

I nodded.

All right.

No one will die. I’ll make sure of it.

That’s the only reason I’m here.

“…”

Should I call this surprising or predictable?

Our opponent really was a gryphon.

But it wasn’t just any gryphon. It appeared to have been "modified for easier control."

The head, reminiscent of a bald eagle, was stained with an ink-like black substance. Its eyes, which should have been yellow, were crimson.

Its body showed patches where feathers had fallen out, revealing grotesque growths resembling tumors. Honestly, calling it a “rescued pet abandoned on the streets” wouldn’t have been an exaggeration—it looked pitiful, like it had endured untold hardships.

Yet, despite this appearance, it still carried itself with the dignity of a king of beasts.

Even in silence, it held its head high, its red eyes gazing down at us. Its presence alone inspired a strange sense of awe within me.

But the real problem was…

“Of course, it’s not alone.”

Exactly.

Several heavily armed knights flanked the gryphon.

We hadn’t encountered a single human on our way here, yet here they were.

Were these knights their entire force? If so, why?

Although their faces were hidden beneath their helmets, I clearly saw them glance at Alice, Charlotte, and me.

For a brief moment, their heads turned slightly as if gauging the situation. Were they nervous?

Even if I wasn’t a concern, letting Charlotte die here wouldn’t be something the Holy Nation wanted.

Not to mention, we’d already wiped out a significant portion of the forces the Holy Nation had prepared on our way here. As long as "this place" wasn’t breached, they could always replenish their forces elsewhere. There were likely still hordes waiting in the areas we hadn’t explored yet.

“...Surely you know that this land belongs to the Kingdom of Belvur.”

Charlotte finally broke the silence.

“Even if priests from the Holy Nation reside in this cathedral, the land itself is recognized as part of Belvur. That was agreed upon long ago. So why are you conducting such activities beneath this place?”

“…”

The gryphon continued to observe us in silence.

The knights also remained silent—until a voice called down from above.

“Your Highness.”

The voice was that of an elderly man, calm and kind.

“…Cardinal.”

The Cardinal of Belvur. I’d already encountered him once before.

“Your Highness, it has been a while. I did not expect to meet you in such a place.”

“I’m glad to see you’re in good health.”

I replied, and the Cardinal regarded me briefly before turning his attention back to Charlotte. His expression betrayed no interest in Alice.

“You asked why we are doing this, even beneath Belvur’s territory?”

“Yes. Why are you doing this?”

“For one reason alone—peace.”

“…Peace.”

“Yes. Under the goddess’s blessing, we seek a perfect world. We merely strive to fulfill the goddess’s will, restoring the ‘perfect world’ that the Fangryphon dynasty trampled upon.”

“The world of that era must have been utter chaos.”

Alice interjected, drawing the Cardinal’s gaze to her for the first time.

“We were merely reconstructing the world. Perfection requires removing imperfections.”

Ha.

That’s quite the interpretation.

But then again, fanatics are always full of nonsense.

“In that sense, you’ve disappointed me, Sophia.”

At his words, everyone turned to look at Sophia.

Her face had gone pale.

“We sent you to watch over Princess Sylvia, yet here you are, cooperating with her all the way to this point.”

“Was your attempt to monitor me…”

I cut him off.

“…merely because of my ability?”

“Ah.”

The Cardinal responded as if he’d been waiting for this question.

“Well, we still haven’t fully grasped who you are. At first, you seemed to be just a human with an impossible ability. Then we wondered if you might be a messenger of the goddess. But we still can’t decide.”

“If I were a messenger of the goddess, I wouldn’t be standing here before you now.”

“We cannot claim to fully understand the goddess’s will. In the end, the world will unfold according to her design. We merely strive to understand her intent and act accordingly.”

“…”

Hm.

Maybe the Holy Nation is falling apart, too.

Just as my existence has made the Emperor a more enigmatic and incomprehensible figure, perhaps the Holy Nation has been thrown into disarray because of me.

Well, no matter.

Whether their contradictory responses were to conceal their intent or reflected genuine confusion, I’d get the answers directly.

“Mia!”

“Huh? Oh, yes!”

At my shout, Mia flinched momentarily before quickly raising her staff.

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Chapter 220

The spell Mia originally prepared wasn’t intended to be used like this.

The plan was simple: since the gryphon had wings, Mia would conjure an ice staircase, allowing Alice and Charlotte to dash up simultaneously and slash the wings off.

If the gryphon had been alone, that would have worked. But with humans controlling it, the situation became more complicated.

“Spitas Glacia!”

As Mia chanted and swung her staff toward the ground, it looked as though water was spilling out and freezing instantly.

It didn’t create a beautiful ice staircase like something from a Disney animation. Instead, jagged, hastily formed steps shot upward with sharp icicles protruding at the front, looking dangerous enough to pierce anyone who dared to approach.

I wasn’t sure if Mia had intended this, but it was certainly effective. From our side, it was just a staircase. From the enemy’s perspective, it likely resembled a charging ice tank.

The knights positioned in its path were forced to retreat.

A piercing eagle’s cry rang out, something you’d expect at the start of a Western film. The gryphon raised its massive body, wings flapping as it reared onto its hind legs.

It had already been intimidating enough on all fours. Standing upright, it was a true monster.

“Mia!”

By the time I shouted, I was already dashing up the staircase at full speed.

“I know!”

Mia yelled back as I called out again.

Another chant echoed, and the ice staircase continued spiraling upward, growing taller and steeper.

Once more, the gryphon let out its unnervingly clear, almost unnatural cry. As it twisted its body toward me, I fired.

Boom!

The sound was far louder than that of a standard bullet, more akin to cannon fire.

Clang!

The rifle’s butt struck the brass plating protecting my shoulder with a sharp sound. A creak near my elbow followed—a reminder to ask Browning for improvements later.

I hadn’t expected a single shot to incapacitate the gryphon. It was a gryphon, after all—a creature of legends, residing where humans couldn’t reach. Few who ventured into its habitat returned alive, and even with the invention of cameras, photos of gryphons were scarce.

Its crimson eyes locked onto mine.

A chill ran down my spine.

It wasn’t like the fear I’d felt on a battlefield with bullets flying. At least in war, the enemy was human. Even if they were trying to kill me, they were still the same species. There was no reason to feel the primal intimidation of facing a predator.

But the being before me was a gryphon, the apex of life. In this world, apart from dragons, nothing could rival it.

Still—

“Not so fast!”

A sharp voice rang out below as a whip-like slash of a sword grazed the gryphon’s face.

It was Claire’s strike, leaving a thin wound near its cheek.

There was no time to check if it bled.

The gryphon remained unshaken, merely flapping its wings and ascending into the air.

“Damn.”

Clicking my tongue, I raised my rifle again—

Tat-tat-tat!

Before I could pull the trigger, another volley of bullets flew toward the gryphon. Unlike my previous shots, these caused smaller explosions of red flames and icy shards.

I didn’t need to look down to know it was Lena. She must have loaded all her pistol rounds into a submachine gun.

The gryphon, still majestic as ever, was at least distracted, its gaze shifting from me back toward the ground.

The crushing weight of its stare lifted, replaced by the sounds of clashing swords and gunfire below.

“This is as high as I can go!”

Mia’s strained voice called out, hoarse from repeated shouts.

Sure enough, the staircase I was running up was nearing its end.

Beyond the last step, I caught sight of the Cardinal.

The faint glow emanating from his chest illuminated his sneering face as he looked in my direction. That light—it was likely the source controlling the gryphon.

If he could fully command the gryphon, he’d have used it to shield himself. But judging by his twisted expression, he hadn’t achieved complete control.

So, even with such a powerful tool, he couldn’t make it his own.

Not much of a Fangryphon, are you?

I bent my knees and launched myself forward with all my strength.

Crack!

The sound of the frozen staircase breaking underfoot echoed as I shot upward, tumbling through the air.

Whether it was the adrenaline or the repetition of combat, time seemed to slow. I saw everything clearly—the knights rushing toward the Cardinal, the Cardinal turning in a panic, and the chaos unfolding below.

Precision wasn’t necessary. The bullet I was about to fire wasn’t ordinary; it was practically a grenade.

I aimed loosely toward the cluster of enemies and pulled the trigger.

Boom!

A section of the second floor exploded, screams echoing in its wake. Flames engulfed some, and others scrambled in panic.

“Argh!”

But I wasn’t unscathed. The Cathedral knights were no amateurs; their swordsmanship was proof enough.

Slash!

A blade tore into my right arm, leaving it mangled.

I had jumped with flair, but I fell short of the second-floor railing—

—Or did I?

Not yet!

I twisted mid-air, barely avoiding a follow-up slash. The blade grazed my shoulder, but it was manageable—an injury I could heal later.

However, my plan for a graceful landing failed.

I landed near the spot where the Maramaros rounds had detonated, avoiding falling into enemy hands, but I still tumbled across the floor.

The brass exosuit’s steel core wasn’t forgiving; each roll felt like a blow to my bones. The fresh wound on my shoulder didn’t help either.

This is definitely going on Browning’s to-fix list.

Springing to my feet, I immediately dropped back down as another knight lunged.

Of course, they wouldn’t just let me stand there and shoot them.

Not yet!

Unloading a revolver into a packed group of enemies isn’t the best idea. Unlike rifles with thirty-round magazines, a six-shooter leaves you defenseless once emptied.

But…

If the enemies are tightly packed,

If the bullets are anything but ordinary,

And if I have infinite chances to fire them the way I want—then the rules change.

Still prone, I rolled away from an incoming slash, dust and debris flying in its wake.

From the ground, I drew my revolver and began firing without hesitation.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The nearest enemies were thrown back by the explosions. While the Cathedral knights’ armor wasn’t for show, enchanted to withstand such impacts, a few in the front collapsed.

That bought me precious time.

I snatched up a nearby rifle, gritting my teeth as a sword struck the brass plating on my right arm again.

The reinforced metal held, but the impact reverberated through the inner steel, jarring my arm painfully.

No time for second-guessing. Before resetting time, I had one more shot to take.

I braced the elephant rifle under my arm and aimed directly at the Cardinal.

And I pulled the trigger.

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Chapter 221

A sharp gasp echoed in the air.

It wasn’t just because one of their comrades had collapsed forward, their abdomen cleanly pierced through. The sight that followed made the shock ripple through their ranks.

The soldier behind them, and the one behind that, all fell to the side, their armored bodies crumpling like dominoes.

Each suit of plate armor bore bullet holes.

Bang! Bang!

The mechanical click of the revolver’s hammer was followed by the deafening roar of gunfire.

I fired relentlessly in the direction of the Cardinal, unloading every last round from the revolver’s cylinder.

Accuracy didn’t matter. Even if I missed, it would be fine. The Maramaros rounds were more than enough. Each shot enveloped the enemy in flames, froze the surface of their armor, or sent them flying backward on a gust of wind.

The responses around me were a mix of panic and disbelief.

It made sense. Maramaros was an incredibly valuable resource, and I was wasting it like it was nothing, one bullet at a time.

Aside from the single round I’d fired at the gryphon earlier, the revolver had held five bullets.

I counted them off, firing carefully while using the chaos to gauge my surroundings and steady my breathing.

With the last shot, I watched as an earth-aspect Maramaros round pierced three enemies in a line. Satisfied, I tossed the now-empty rifle down to the ground below.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the automatic pistol from under my arm, holding it firmly with both hands, and darted into a nearby corridor.

A fraction of a second later, the place where I had been standing was slashed by several sword strikes. Even the ornate decorations near my new position were chipped and shattered as shards of stone scattered around me.

I extended only my hand from cover and fired a few shots blindly.

“Ah…!”

And then my hand was severed.

Missed.

Reset.

The reason I could instill fear on the battlefield was simple: I never missed a target. I knew where attacks would come from before they happened.

Granted, my actual battlefield experience wasn’t as extensive as it might seem. I had truly fought only once—if you’re counting “success” on the first attempt.

Before resetting time, I’d fought once. After resetting, I fought again. Before that, I had already replayed the battlefield numerous times to ensure I perfected the outcome.

Technically, this made me a "veteran" despite my age.

The skill level of the Cathedral knights, or how rigorous their training was, didn’t concern me. What mattered was their lack of real combat experience.

If the Empire and the Holy Nation clashed in war, the Holy Nation would lose. The Empire would send seasoned veterans who had survived the Northern Front, while the Holy Nation’s Cathedral knights would falter from sheer inexperience.

It wasn’t just a matter of skill or weaponry.

If the protagonists hadn’t killed the Emperor, the war would have ended with the Empire annihilating the Holy Nation.

Though I couldn’t see their faces behind their helmets, I knew the humans inside those armors were terrified.

The air on the second floor was thick with acrid gunpowder, metallic blood, and the faint smell of scorched earth.

“H-Help…!”

As I stepped toward the Cardinal, he scrambled backward, dragging himself with one arm. His other arm was missing, and his leg was broken, the bone protruding grotesquely.

I almost pitied him. Almost.

I wiped the blood dripping down my forehead. It had been obscuring my vision for too long.

The sound of clashing swords and the gryphon’s cries continued from below.

Were the others safe?

I wanted to check, but stopping the object glowing in the Cardinal’s chest took priority. In games, an enemy could be defeated just by reducing their HP to zero—or, in our case, surviving as long as your HP didn’t hit zero. But here, things were different. Permanent injuries couldn’t be undone without resetting time, and death was irreversible. There was no option for someone to simply "fall unconscious."

Bang. Bang.

I fired twice more, taking down two knights who were struggling to rise and reach their swords.

“Gah… cough…”

When I reached the Cardinal, I planted my foot on his back. Blood gushed from his mouth with a gurgling noise.

“Why…”

The Cardinal’s voice trembled.

Good question.

That’s something I wanted to ask him, too.

But he wasn’t dead. I could heal him later and get the answers I needed.

“It’s too late…! I’ve already unleashed the beasts and monsters beyond that door!”

“If this is gone, they won’t remain under control, will they?”

I bent down and ripped the necklace from around his neck.

“Why…?”

The Cardinal’s voice cracked as he tried to twist his head to look at me, struggling to understand how I seemed to know everything already.

“If there really is a goddess watching over this place,” I said calmly, “then clearly, she didn’t choose you.”

I tossed the necklace to the ground and crushed it underfoot.

Crack.

The delicate artifact shattered pathetically.

“Ah!”

A startled cry came from below.

Something must have happened to the gryphon.

Judging by the abrupt silence in the sound of clashing swords, it wasn’t entirely bad news for us.

I pulled out a bandage I had tucked away as an emergency measure. Unfortunately, it had been stashed in the unarmored side of my torso—where a sword strike had hit. The bandage was tattered and soaked with blood, barely functional.

Still, for what I needed it to do, it would suffice.

I shoved the bandage into the Cardinal’s mouth. If he bit his tongue… well, he wouldn’t die, but interrogating him later would be far more difficult.

“Try not to die. I have many questions for you after this.”

The Cardinal’s wide eyes stared up at me as I turned away.

The second floor wasn’t much of a “floor.” It was more of a corridor overlooking a massive hall. From here, I had a clear view of the battle below.

The gryphon, once proud and towering, had collapsed. It knelt with its head bowed, breathing heavily.

Its tumors bulged grotesquely, blood vessels in its crimson eyes ruptured, and its body was riddled with wounds. Even standing must have been agony.

The Cardinal’s inability to escape must have stemmed from this. A regular beast might have been able to function under the tumors’ influence, but a gryphon required immense power just to remain upright.

I knew what the artifact was—it had been detailed in the lorebook. Destroying it didn’t feel like much of a loss.

Now, the real concern was…

“Hold your swords until the end—!”

One of the remaining Cathedral knights shouted, trying to rally his comrades, but collapsed forward mid-sentence.

Bang.

My shot rang out, followed by the metallic clatter of his sword hitting the ground.

The massive rifle in my hands felt impossibly heavy. Only the power assist of my brass exosuit kept me in position.

I still had five Maramaros rounds left.

Though there were more than five knights below, I paused as my gaze met Alice’s.

Not just Alice—Claire, Leo, Charlotte, Mia, Lena, Jake, and Lottie.

…And even Sophia, who looked up at me with a mix of awe and fear.

They were all still standing.

Though everyone bore wounds, no one had fallen.

Despite my repeated resets, despite all the interruptions, they had endured and fought valiantly against the gryphon.

Knowing this, I almost laughed.

“Indeed, it’s not over yet.”

I muttered under my breath.

“If you want this to end, come at us until the very end. But for now… I suggest accepting defeat.”

One of the knights, staring up at me, dropped his sword.

The clang of metal hitting the floor echoed in the silence.

It was followed by another. And another.

Were they afraid of me?

How foolish.

The real Fangryphons were the ones who stood against that gryphon below.

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Chapter 222

To be honest, I wasn’t in good shape.

The space was narrow, with few places to hide, unlike the battlefield. The sheer number of enemies crammed into the tight corridors made it feel overwhelming. Even in war, where thousands of enemies might gather, I wasn’t fighting the entire battlefield. There were trenches wide enough for small squads to maneuver. Here, the second-floor hallway offered no such leeway.

Naturally, I was far more exposed to enemy attacks.

The opponents weren’t ordinary soldiers either—they were trained knights. While they might have lacked real experience in killing humans, they were still formidable enough to make fighting them alone an arduous task.

If I hadn’t been able to reset time, I wouldn’t have been standing here now. I wouldn’t have won, either.

...Games are games. No matter how many enemies you face, it’s only possible for a four-person party to emerge victorious because that’s how games work.

After all, the enemies we faced in the game included gryphons, the Empire’s strongest swordsman, and even the Emperor himself.

While magic-made ice stairs had helped us ascend earlier, I used the ordinary staircase to descend. There was no point in forcing Mia to drain her mana further after such a fierce battle.

That ice staircase, too, was only possible because this wasn’t a game. In the original game, spells could only be used as battle commands, not as tools to manipulate the environment.

“Sylvia!”

Alice’s shout jolted me.

Stumbling down the stairs with an injured leg, blood continued to drip down my forehead, obscuring my vision. One hand was occupied dragging the Cardinal, while the other held a pistol aimed at our surrendered enemies. I had no way to wipe the blood away.

Thud. Thud.

With every step I took, the Cardinal’s body bumped against the stairs. I didn’t have the strength to carry him with care.

…Hmm.

By the time I reached the bottom, I realized that I was probably in the worst condition among the ten of us.

Thud.

I dropped the Cardinal onto the floor, eliciting a groan of pain. His limbs were a mangled mess, but he didn’t appear to be bleeding out, likely thanks to the heat from the Maramaros rounds cauterizing the wounds.

As I wiped the blood from my face with my now-free hand, Alice hurried over and grabbed my empty arm, draping it over her shoulder to support me.

“You’re okay—”

Alice began to ask instinctively but stopped mid-sentence. Judging by appearances alone, I was far from okay. Even without a mirror, I could imagine how I looked.

During the battle, adrenaline had dulled my senses, but as the tension eased, the pain and exhaustion hit all at once.

I had been able to calmly reset time even after losing an arm mid-battle, likely because I’d experienced worse under Lucas. One thing I’d learned from being repeatedly cut by his sword was that “a deep wound hurts less at first.” And that the pain grows unbearable with time.

“I’m fine,” I insisted, though I couldn’t relax entirely now that the fighting was over.

“We need to restrain the surrendered knights—”

“Got it.”

Charlotte, standing a short distance away, responded promptly.

“As Princess of Belvur, I order you all to kneel and place your hands behind your heads,” she declared, stepping confidently toward the knights.

Charlotte’s body bore numerous wounds, the most notable being a deep gash on her shoulder. It looked more like a gryphon’s claw mark than a typical beast’s wound. The spacing between the gashes was far too wide for it to have been caused by anything smaller.

“You’ve conducted unauthorized military activity beneath Belvur’s territory, violating the treaty between the Kingdom and the Holy Nation. We will address these violations thoroughly.”

Charlotte’s commanding tone prompted the rest of the group to act.

We hadn’t brought restraints with us, not expecting to subdue enemies without killing them. Yet the knights had cuffs strapped to their waists.

They hadn’t planned to kill us outright. Even if they wanted leverage, killing the Princess of Belvur would have been disastrous for the Holy Nation. It seemed they had prepared for negotiations or hoped to use us as bargaining chips.

Now, those same restraints were being used to bind them.

As the knights were forced to the ground, their gazes shifted toward me.

Some had removed their helmets, and their eyes revealed unmistakable fear.

Even while leaning heavily on Alice and struggling to stand, I must have looked like a harbinger of destruction to them. After all, I had taken down so many of their comrades singlehandedly.

“Sis.”

Claire approached, gently placing a hand on my right arm—the one holding the pistol.

“It’s over now. You can let go.”

It wasn’t over.

We still had information to extract. The story had deviated too far from the original, and the future was uncertain—

But I didn’t get to finish my thought.

Claire’s soft hand eased mine away from the pistol grip. She calmly holstered the weapon for me and lowered my arm with gentle care.

“Let’s go. Sit down for a while, at least.”

Her voice was soothing, almost like a lullaby.

“….”

I didn’t respond.

But at that moment, the tension drained from my body.

My knees buckled, and I almost collapsed, but Alice caught me just in time. Claire, on my other side, tightened her grip to help support me.

“Take a break. We’ll handle the rest,” Alice reassured me.

I decided to follow her advice.

Sigh.

I felt like I could breathe again.

The device controlling the gryphon had been destroyed, but it wasn’t the only thing released from control. Beyond the massive doors lay countless other beasts we hadn’t dealt with, now freed from the device’s influence.

I doubted they’d be in great condition, given the gryphon’s state, but caution was still necessary.

Leo and Claire stood beside the slightly ajar doors, ready to keep them open. They had positioned themselves carefully inside the room to prevent the doors from slamming shut, as they had when we first entered.

Even through the small gap, the recovery device worked flawlessly. I didn’t know the exact mechanics—it hadn’t been detailed in the lorebook—but as long as it considered the space "the same location," it seemed to function.

“At least there won’t be any scars,” Charlotte commented, inspecting her now-unblemished shoulder. The skin beneath her torn clothing was flawless, showing no trace of the gryphon’s earlier attack.

“…”

Sophia remained silent. Though she had tried to heal me earlier with divine magic, the bleeding on my forehead had barely stopped. Her powers seemed limited, likely capped at a certain level.

In the original game, divine magic used a separate resource from mana. But considering the discrepancies between the original and this world, I wasn’t sure if MP was an exact analog for mana here. After all, the concept of a "gauge" for a person’s condition was something unique to games.

Alice, meanwhile, stood fearlessly before the gryphon.

The creature, its head bowed and eyes closed, looked utterly defeated. Alice’s expression as she stared at it was complex, layered with emotions I couldn’t quite decipher.

Reaching into my pocket, I retrieved the broken artifact I’d taken before descending to the first floor.

Its center was shattered, and the glow it once emitted was gone.

But the gryphon recognized it.

Its eyes snapped open, gleaming sharply as they fixed on me.

…Oh.

Was this the wrong timing?

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Chapter 223

To be honest, I’ve always been skeptical about the idea of talking to animals.

Not the beasts of this world—I’m talking about the pets people kept back in my world.

When a dog barks, humans can only guess at their general emotions. Deciphering a dog’s language with any accuracy is impossible. The idea that animals possess complex linguistic structures akin to human languages has always struck me as nonsense. Given their intelligence, barking is likely less a language and more a form of body language enhanced with sound for clarity.

Still, pet owners often claimed they could “talk” to their animals. I never believed it. Sure, animals can be cute and comforting to be around, but that’s it. I never felt the need to talk to a dog at my friend’s house. I’d just silently pat its head or scratch its back.

But...

Well, perhaps things might be different with a gryphon.

In this world, gryphons are considered the “kings of beasts.” However, calling a gryphon a “beast” feels inadequate—it’s more like a mystical creature.

According to lore, gryphons live in organized societies. Whether these are wolf-pack-level hierarchies or true civilizations is unclear. Even the game’s lorebook and monster descriptions didn’t go into detail. Gryphons were simply treated as boss monsters, little more than a challenge to overcome.

Frankly, such treatment seemed unworthy of a creature associated with the name "Fangryphon."

“Big Sis?”

Still, if this gryphon could recognize the artifact, perhaps trying to “talk” wasn’t such a bad idea.

“Big Sis, wait!”

Claire, standing near the door, called out to stop me, but I was already moving.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward me as I rose and walked forward.

In my hand, I still held the shattered artifact, deliberately raising it high so the gryphon could see. Though it knelt with its head bowed, the gryphon was still far taller than me.

As I approached, the gryphon’s wary gaze intensified. Given that I was holding the very object that had restrained it, its reaction was understandable. Even dogs growl at humans who once mistreated them.

“It’s alright,” I said gently, attempting what I could only describe as “conversation.”

“This object is destroyed. It will no longer bind you.”

The gryphon lifted its head at my words, its sharp eyes locking onto mine.

How should I interpret that gaze?

An order to explain myself?

Even as I stared at this magnificent creature, the thought amused me. My condition was pitiful—I looked like I might collapse at any moment. Yet I still entertained the idea that the gryphon wanted answers.

Without another word, I raised the artifact higher, allowing the gryphon to examine it more closely.

The creature tilted its head slightly, focusing its gaze on the broken relic. It didn’t emit any sound, but I saw its crimson eyes flicker with recognition as it confirmed the artifact’s lack of power.

No response. I hadn’t expected one. Even if we made sounds at each other, mutual understanding of language was improbable.

But for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw relief in the gryphon’s eyes.

It was dying, after all.

I tucked the artifact into my pocket and looked up at the gryphon.

Silence enveloped us.

Not even Alice, who had been checking on the gryphon moments earlier, made a sound. She stood nearby, watching us in silence.

I stepped closer and placed a hand on the gryphon’s side.

Its body was warm—much warmer than a human’s. Its feathers, though battered and torn, were surprisingly soft.

Then my hand brushed against a rough patch—a tumor.

A low, guttural growl rumbled from the gryphon’s throat, more like the sound of a feline predator than a bird. Was it a sign of pain?

“Come with me,” I said.

The gryphon didn’t seem inclined to attack me, and even if it did, I could always reset time.

From what I’d observed, it didn’t see me as prey. Gryphons, like lions or tigers raised by humans from birth, might recognize individuals who care for them.

Whether it understood my words or simply wanted to follow me, the gryphon slowly rose.

The sense of majesty that radiated from its movement was palpable. This was the true presence of a king of beasts, unlike the eerie, manufactured intimidation it had exuded earlier under control.

I felt a twinge of embarrassment recalling how I had called it a “king” during the battle. Still, since I hadn’t said it aloud, no one else would know.

I took a few steps back, keeping my eyes on the gryphon. Slowly, with visible effort, it moved its legs and began to follow.

As I approached the door, I noticed the others had cleared a path for me. Even the Cardinal, slumped near the doorframe, stared wide-eyed at the sight.

The gryphon let out a quiet, piercing cry, like a bird of prey.

The sound startled the Cardinal, who flinched and scrambled further to the side. Though his legs had mostly healed, his panicked reaction suggested he was still reeling from the ordeal.

I reached the bronze door and glanced at Claire and Leo, who stood on either side.

Without a word, I nodded, and they stepped aside to open the door for me.

As the door creaked open, a flood of healing light washed over us.

I turned back to face the gryphon.

For the first time, I saw the gryphon fully restored.

Its golden eyes were the first thing I noticed—vivid, luminous, and piercing.

Though its feathers hadn’t entirely recovered from the earlier corruption, the tumors and wounds had vanished. Its powerful muscles were whole again, and its once-broken wings now folded neatly against its sides. Even its shattered beak and claws had regenerated.

The speed of its recovery was astonishing, far beyond anything human.

Now fully healed, the gryphon stood tall, its regal bearing unshaken.

For a moment, I wondered if I had made a mistake. Had I been wrong to heal it?

But as I hesitated, the gryphon didn’t attack.

I raised a hand and gestured toward the corridor.

“Go,” I said.

The gryphon stared at me, its golden eyes inscrutable. Did it understand?

“You’re free now,” I added.

After a moment’s pause, the gryphon finally began to move. Its steps were steady and deliberate, exuding a confidence that was no longer artificial.

Then, unexpectedly, it turned toward me, spreading its massive wings in a grand display.

The movement was so sudden that I almost flinched—but my shock was so overwhelming that I froze entirely, my soul momentarily leaving my body.

The gryphon tilted its head slightly, as if puzzled by my lack of reaction. Its sharp eyes narrowed, and for a fleeting moment, it seemed amused.

With a slow, deliberate motion, the gryphon folded its wings and lowered its head toward me.

Regaining my senses, I grabbed the edges of my skirt and offered the most elegant imperial bow I could muster, one I’d practiced many times since arriving in this world.

The gryphon raised its head, turned without hesitation, and began to stride away.

Its massive body moved with an agility that seemed impossible for its size, each step light and graceful.

From a distance, its cry echoed once more—a high, piercing call.

I had no way of knowing what that sound meant.

But for my own peace of mind, I decided to think of it as a farewell.

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Chapter 224

In the epic poems about the lives of heroes, the battles of heroes are often described as "beautiful."

The swing of their sword is beautiful, their forward stride is beautiful, their resolve is beautiful, and their expressions, unflinching even in the face of pain, are beautiful.

But Sylvia's fighting could not be so simply described in such poetic terms.

Her battles were brutal.

There was little time to pay attention to the second floor from the first, but the gunshots, screams, and the sound of flesh being torn that echoed down from the second floor often drew unwilling glances upward.

Even when struck by a flying sword slash multiple times, she didn’t so much as stagger. As though she'd known it would happen, she twisted the brass plates of her armor to minimize the damage and continued to fight. Every step seemed calculated; she would stop just before a slash reached her, draw another gun, reload, and roll sideways.

At the Academy, such debates often came up.

If the heroes from ancient epics, armed only with swords, faced a modern battalion equipped with firearms, could they survive? No matter how strong they were, the students would joke that they couldn’t possibly avoid the machine gun fire raining down from a squadron of fighter planes or a steam-powered tank's shells.

In some ways, Sylvia’s fight seemed to embody the results of that debate perfectly.

But to Alice, watching the battle from afar, the situation didn’t look as simple as a mere "technological gap."

The armor Sylvia wore was cutting-edge, a piece of technology so advanced even the Empire's military hadn’t adopted it—perhaps they didn’t even know it existed. The firearms she wielded were masterpieces of modern industrial precision. Yet even with such weapons, fighting knights swarming from all directions was an entirely different matter.

Especially when it wasn’t a battle fought at hundreds of meters away but right in the middle of the melee.

In such a situation, what weapon you held in your hands wouldn’t matter much.

Sylvia dispatched her enemies without a single change in expression or even a blink.

Alice, too, had her own opponents to deal with, so she couldn’t keep watching for long. But every time she glanced upward, the number of enemies dwindled.

Even while bleeding from numerous wounds, Sylvia stood firm and unyielding.

—Alice had a vague sense of Sylvia’s abilities.

How many times had Sylvia been struck by blades in this loop? How many times had she fallen, and how many times—

"..."

At some point, the battle abruptly stopped.

The gryphon suddenly collapsed to its knees. The knights who had been rushing toward Alice and the others hesitated, caught off guard, and stopped swinging their swords.

“It’s not over yet! Raise your swords to the end—”

Whatever had happened above, even with the gryphon neutralized, the knights still had the upper hand.

No matter how skilled Alice and the others were, they were still students. They couldn’t hope to defeat a group of knights who lived and breathed combat in a fair fight.

But.

A burning hole opened in the chest of a knight shouting orders, and he fell forward, dead before he could even cough up blood.

Alice looked up toward the upper floor.

There stood Sylvia, her figure noble and unwavering despite the countless wounds covering her body.

In a steady crouched shooting position, she pointed a rifle almost as tall as she was downward and spoke.

“It’s true. This isn’t over yet.”

Her voice was calm, as though she truly agreed with that sentiment.

“If you want to end this, fight to the very last. But I recommend you simply accept your defeat… for now.”

Her tone, however, carried a clear declaration:

If you do not surrender here, all of you will meet the same fate as that knight.

Despite the cuts and bruises all over her body and the blood streaming from her forehead that partially blinded one eye, Sylvia’s conviction was so powerful that Alice couldn’t bring herself to doubt her words.

It seemed everyone else present felt the same.

The clang of a sword dropping to the ground broke the silence.

Then another. And another.

Until, at last, every knight of the Holy Nation present had dropped their weapons.

Sylvia stood tall, her gaze steady and unyielding as she looked down at them.

For a fleeting moment, Alice had a strange thought—that Sylvia wouldn’t look out of place with a pair of eagle wings sprouting from her back.

Good.

Realistically, the situation wasn’t one to be called “good” at all, but for now, Alice decided to think of it that way.

No one in their group had died, and no one had sustained permanent injuries either.

Their tight, pre-planned formation and focus on strict defense had paid off.

Of course, the strategy had somewhat fallen apart when Sylvia impulsively charged ahead. The gryphon’s wings hadn’t been cut, and Alice and Charlotte had been left behind below instead of leaping upward.

But there hadn’t been any need to sever the wings. Perhaps anticipating the possibility of losing control over the gryphon, the Holy Nation had already crippled its wings. Given the sorry state of the rest of its body, it wasn’t surprising.

Heh.

The thought made Alice let out a dry laugh. The king of beasts, an indomitable force, had still been enslaved by the Holy Nation, even if only one.

Was it a juvenile gryphon? Or perhaps it had been captured by sheer chance during its youth and raised to adulthood under their control? There was no way to know—

—No, there was a way to find out.

“Khrr…”

As Alice yanked out the blood-soaked bandage she had stuffed into the Cardinal’s mouth earlier, the man gasped for air.

With a flick of her fingers, she tossed the unpleasantly sticky, blood-and-saliva-stained cloth to the side and crouched down to look the Cardinal in the eye.

He didn’t spew curses or vow revenge, nor did he declare his refusal to speak. It didn’t matter to Alice if he did; she had all the time in the world.

“There are a few things I’d like to know. Would you care to cooperate?”

Her voice was calm, but the Cardinal only trembled, staring at her in fear.

Hmm.

Alice glanced at his leg. It looked like he could walk again—mostly. It wouldn’t hurt anymore, at least.

Of course, his severed arm wouldn’t grow back, but that was the cost of battle. Alice had lost a hand earlier in the fight, so the Cardinal could deal with something similar.

Deciding to interpret the Cardinal’s silence as agreement, Alice continued,

“Why were you stationed down here? If you intended to prepare for war with the Emperor, you could have chosen the border instead of Lutetia.”

To be honest, it would have been possible to align with Countess Crowfield. She was the kind of person who wouldn’t hesitate to betray the Emperor. Of course, silencing her during the cleanup process later would have been necessary.

"…That’s…"

The Cardinal started to respond but quickly shut his mouth.

He shouldn’t speak.

But he was just as afraid of staying silent.

His eyes reflected both emotions simultaneously.

"I…"

So, I decided to help the Cardinal come to a decision.

"I happen to know a few ways to convince someone. But if you’re asking whether I’m confident in my methods… that’s a harder question to answer. If I’m not careful… I might lose control. And if you were to pass out during the process, it would take some time before you’d regain consciousness."

The Cardinal’s eyes flicked toward Sophia, as though pleading for help. But Sophia only lowered her gaze, remaining silent.

"What will it be? A long conversation or a short one? You can choose. Now that the fight is over, I have no particular grudge against you."

Honestly, I found the idea of wrestling with him any further to be tiresome.

"…"

The Cardinal, still meeting my gaze, turned to glance at the knights. But they weren’t in any position to intervene. Their hands and feet were tightly bound, and their mouths gagged.

Eventually, resignation flickered in the Cardinal’s eyes.

"…The reason we were here is—"

But nothing in this world ever goes smoothly, does it?

Just as the Cardinal began to speak, blood suddenly gushed from his mouth, choking off his words.

Well, of course. The Holy Nation, which had a way to control the gryphon, would naturally know how to silence someone as well.

I let out a heavy sigh.

Again.

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Chapter 225

Honestly, the Holy Nation's idea was clever—disturbingly so.

It was clear they thought of human lives the same way one might think of machine parts, but wasn’t that the nature of this world? Besides, in settings like this, religious zealots often turn out to be the most inhuman of all.

Of course, the religion of this world wasn’t so dominant as to rule the entire world, nor were they in any position to hold inquisitions in foreign countries when they were barely avoiding being judged themselves. Still, the signature fanaticism of “only the Goddess matters” subculture characters was too good a trope not to use.

But, as I must emphasize again, I had infinite opportunities.

As long as the Cardinal remained conscious and capable of speech, I had all the time I needed to get answers. Even if their magic involved an instant-death spell that the healing device couldn’t counter, it didn’t matter.

Cough!

I lost track of how many times I heard that sound.

I dragged the Cardinal around the room countless times, rewinding time again and again. I asked him questions to get verbal answers and had him point things out with his remaining hand. Fortunately, a few seconds before he died each time were enough to piece together his intentions.

"…"

By about the twelfth attempt, I stopped asking questions altogether.

The place the Cardinal pointed to before dying was the corner of the first-floor hall—a bookshelf tucked away in the shadows.

A bookshelf filled with various versions of their sacred texts.

Classic.

Was it one of those mechanisms where pulling or pushing a particular book would trigger a hidden door?

But it seemed the Holy Nation wasn’t entirely careless. No matter how many of the sacred texts I pulled off the shelf, no switch or secret door was revealed. The bookshelf didn’t swing open, nor did the floor beneath it give way to reveal a hidden passage.

I turned back to the Cardinal.

He was still alive—this time, I hadn’t asked him anything.

Since he consistently pointed to the bookshelf, there had to be a method hidden there. Perhaps it wasn’t a simple mechanism but something more complex, something too elaborate for him to explain while coughing up blood.

Hmm.

I glanced at the sacred text I had just removed, lost in thought.

Without asking anyone anything—at least that’s how it must have appeared to those watching—I examined the books on the shelf. The Cardinal and the knights seemed visibly flustered, unsure whether my actions constituted a "leak of information." At least no one started coughing up blood yet.

I had enough time to read through every sacred text on the shelf. Maybe the solution involved reading a specific passage aloud or rearranging the books in a particular order.

Or perhaps—

Suddenly, I thought of the Cardinal’s severed arm left on the second floor.

Ah.

While I had learned the basics of magic in this world, it was as intricate as the laws of physics.

At first glance, physics seems simple, with its absolute equations and laws. But delve into the microscopic world, and you’re met with quantum mechanics and other bizarre, incomprehensible phenomena. Magic was just as convoluted, far beyond simply chanting spells.

So, I had no idea why the "Cardinal’s severed right hand" was the key to activating the mechanism.

Did the Cardinal need to be alive to touch the sacred texts? Or was it simply a matter of his fingerprint or some other biometric being registered?

Whatever the case, it wasn’t my concern.

The people who created such mechanisms could worry about the details. As long as it worked for me, that was all that mattered.

“You overreached, and that was your downfall.”

I tossed the Cardinal his discarded right hand as I spoke. Whether he could reattach the thing was his problem now.

The Cardinal reflexively caught the severed hand but immediately dropped it in horror. It was a surprisingly squeamish reaction for someone who had been trying to kill children with a gryphon mere moments ago.

“You tried to control a gryphon, a powerful, majestic creature. To maintain that control, your presence here was necessary. If you’d simply fled and left the knights behind, this might have ended differently.”

Perhaps they had another plan in mind.

Maybe they feared me, thinking I had such overwhelming abilities that no trick could escape my notice.

To someone who hadn’t seen me directly, it might very well seem that way.

Among my companions, the only ones giving me odd looks were Alice, Claire, and Leo. But those three had seen enough of my fighting to have some idea of my abilities. Alice, in particular, seemed to fully grasp what I was capable of.

The others, though? Their expressions were pure shock.

Yeah, I’d probably react the same way.

After all, I’d led them into a hidden base, navigating the shortest possible route as if I’d memorized the map, identified the enemy’s critical weaknesses at a glance, neutralized them efficiently, and found a secret area as though I’d known it was there all along.

If I were them, I’d be yelling, "This makes no sense!" right about now.

But what could I do?

It had already happened.

"…"

I glanced at the children, their mouths agape as they stared at me. Then I turned my gaze back to the newly opened floor.

The central hall where the gryphon had been standing.

The door beneath it was now open.

This was a place I’d never seen in the original story.

So, there had been a reason the gryphon had stood there.

Was this space something the Holy Nation had hastily created with magic?

“Shall we go?”

I turned to my companions and asked. They exchanged uncertain glances before looking back at me.

Their earlier confusion was gone.

They nodded silently.

I nodded back, if only for the sake of it.

The space was surprisingly expansive, considering it was hastily built. It wasn’t as meticulously arranged as the upper floors but seemed designed to conceal something.

It made sense they’d choose this "deepest" area as the safest place to hide it.

Perhaps it was something they intended to safeguard from the Emperor in case of an attack. Or maybe they hid it here to keep it out of reach, even if the Holy Nation itself fell.

Whatever the reason, their logic was sound.

“This is…”

At the end of the pitch-black expanse, something faintly glowed.

It was fractured, its surface marred with cracks, yet parts of it were "clearly" complete.

“This… could it be?”

Alice murmured from over my shoulder, staring at the object.

“Wait a moment.”

I held out a hand, stopping the group about ten steps away.

That was… a Relic.

Not just any piece, but one that was partially complete. I didn’t know whether they’d gathered every artifact in the Holy Nation or if they’d been working tirelessly while I was distracted.

Even incomplete, the finished portion was enough to identify what it was.

A jagged corner of a shattered gear rested quietly atop a pedestal in the center of the hastily dug chamber.

Which meant—

Time flowed properly.

My powers weren’t sealed.

The masked woman wasn’t here, at least not yet.

The Relic didn’t interfere with my abilities.

Why?

If they’d gone to such lengths to hide it from the Emperor, I understood.

But wherever the Relic was, the masked woman always appeared.

“Sister? What’s wrong?”

Claire peeked over my shoulder, her voice light.

“…We need to be cautious,” I replied.

Slowly, I began approaching the Relic.

The closer we got, the brighter it shone.

As if it were welcoming us, as if it had been waiting for someone to arrive—

…No.

That wasn’t it.

The Relic wasn’t welcoming me.

It wasn’t intuition or some supernatural revelation.

The light emanating from the Relic wasn’t directed at me.

The glow split into beams, flowing toward Claire and Alice, who stood behind me.

And, unmistakably, the light directed at Claire was far stronger.

“…Ah.”

In that moment, I began to understand why, after Claire’s death in the game, the Emperor’s plans had crumbled.

Unbelievable.

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Chapter 226

There are always decisive reasons why battles end in failure.

If we think about it simply, numbers are a crucial factor. Generally, the side with the greater numbers holds the advantage in battle. As long as the individuals on the "larger side" possess at least a certain level of skill, they can unite their strength to take on opponents stronger than any of them individually.

However, the leaders of the Holy Nation miscalculated that “certain level of strength.”

As the Emperor swung his sword, the blood staining the golden blade dripped off in scattered droplets. Gold is said to be a soft metal, yet the aura enveloping the Emperor's sword made such differences trivial, slicing through the Holy Nation's knights as if they were nothing.

If it had been just the Emperor alone, they might have had a chance. No matter how skilled in swordsmanship or how powerful, he was still human. Every human ability has its limits.

But—

“Anto, Neo…”

A knight gasped out the names as he struggled to speak.

Of course, his words were cut short as "Jericho's Blade" pierced him, killing him instantly.

“It was from the very beginning… From the very start, you say.”

An aged voice, frail yet steady, sounded.

The Emperor turned his head to see a small old man, who appeared to be at least ninety years old, seated in the distance. The man’s robes were pristine, snow-white fabric embroidered with intricate golden thread, radiating elegance. Yet, the frail figure within the robes seemed pitiful to the Emperor.

“Ah, Your Holiness, the Pope,” the Emperor greeted, his smile soft as he turned toward the man.

“Indeed. Plans must be laid properly from the beginning, wouldn’t you agree? You, however, were careless. To be honest, I had no intention of sending my son so deeply into your territory. If my daughter hadn’t drawn so much attention, merely observing your internal structure would have sufficed.”

The figure called “Antonio” raised his head as he withdrew the sword from the knight’s corpse.

It was Damien.

“Then… the incident when your other son attacked this place…”

“Ah, that was truly an accident. Allow me to apologize for my son’s impudence,” the Emperor said, placing a hand over his chest and offering a shallow bow of regret.

“Honestly, at the time, I thought I might need to revise my plans. Luckily, the brotherly bond between them proved to be strong.”

“To be precise,” Damien interrupted as he approached silently, “I was lucky to escape with my life. Since all the knights around me died, they didn’t suspect a thing. Otherwise, my presence here would have been uncovered.”

“Well, at least you had the decency not to reveal everything, didn’t you?” the Emperor remarked, chuckling.

“…It was more due to the lack of witnesses,” Damien replied seriously, his tone cutting through the Emperor’s amusement.

After a moment’s pause, Damien bowed his head.

“…But in the end, I failed to retrieve the relic. For this, no number of apologies—”

“It’s fine,” the Emperor interrupted, placing a reassuring hand on Damien’s shoulder.

“In the end, that relic is now in my possession. Looking at the results, both of my sons ultimately delivered to me the very object I sought.”

With those words, the Emperor reached into his robe and pulled out a cogwheel.

It gleamed with an iridescent blue glow, its surface inscribed with intricate patterns that shimmered mesmerizingly—a flawless cogwheel.

“And the rest,” the Emperor continued, “was brought to me by my daughter.”

A ragged, gasping sound came from nearby, as if someone wanted to say something but couldn’t.

The Emperor looked down to see a girl wearing a white mask, collapsed and bleeding.

Her body was riddled with wounds, severe and gaping. Left untreated, she would succumb to blood loss within moments.

In fact, it was a miracle she was still alive.

A massive gash ran across her abdomen, exposing her insides. Among the spilled entrails were bolts and small cogwheels, as if her very body concealed some kind of machinery.

The Emperor gazed down at the figure he had called “daughter” and slowly began to speak.

“In that future, I failed. Isn’t that right?”

His words were incomprehensible to anyone listening.

“The ancient machinery created by Fangryphon could only function with Fangryphon’s power. It was designed by the first Fangryphon, who rebelled against the goddess’s plan to strip humans of their freedom and will, and impose her ‘perfect order.’ To replicate even a fraction of its capabilities, the body of a Fangryphon was required.”

The Emperor knelt gently beside the masked girl, cradling her upper body in his arms.

Even as he removed her mask, the girl made no effort to resist.

“Isn’t that right, Alice?”

The wet, choking sound she made could not convey any meaning.

The Emperor, ignoring the blood splattered on his face, brushed back Alice’s hair with a tender hand.

“I nearly succeeded in that future, but I failed. As a result, even in this repeated world, no one realized time had been rewound. The me of the future must have wondered how to seize the next opportunity, how to ensure victory. Isn’t that so, my daughter? If it were me, I would have thought exactly that.”

The light in Alice’s blue eyes was fading.

“I understand why you tried to kill yourself and why you resisted me so fiercely. I can understand it… in spirit.”

The Emperor smiled down at his daughter, who was gasping for breath.

“But that doesn’t mean I want to lose. I’ve always lived with the desire to win, and nothing else.”

“Why?”

The question didn’t come from Alice.

“Why… go to such lengths? Is the name Fangryphon truly that important to you?”

“Hmm.”

The Emperor gently laid Alice down and rose to his feet, looking toward the source of the question—his son, Lucas.

“Do you want to know why I wish to win?”

“That’s correct,” Lucas replied.

The sound of swift footsteps followed his words.

The first to move was Damien, who stood closest to the Emperor. He stepped forward as if to shield the Emperor.

“Enough. Step back,” the Emperor said, lightly tapping Damien’s shoulder. Damien flinched slightly at the gesture before reluctantly retreating.

Behind him, Bella and Jayden rushed in. Although they didn’t block the Emperor’s path directly—having been ordered to step aside—they stood ready to draw their swords at a moment’s notice.

Lucas, however, paid no attention to the three of them, fixing his gaze solely on the Emperor.

“It’s the same reason you wield your sword,” the Emperor said.

“…To become the strongest?”

“That depends on where you place the foundation of that strength.”

The Emperor took a step forward, a smile on his face as he approached Lucas.

“Lucas, you see… I enjoy being Emperor.”

“….”

“When I give a single command, tens of thousands of soldiers march, their boots shaking the ground. Tens of thousands of human lives, each as valuable as my own, march into the inferno of war, trusting only in my orders. They lay down their lives. It’s a tragic thing, really. That’s why I’m always compelled to deliver results worthy of the price they pay.”

The Emperor continued his approach, taking measured steps toward Lucas without a hint of hesitation or caution.

“Isn’t it thrilling? That my every move, my every word, shapes the flow of an era. Can’t you understand that feeling?”

“….”

“At first, I may have sought to live up to the illustrious name of Fangryphon. But not anymore. The first Fangryphon loved chaos. A world where the weak and the strong intertwined, where strength wasn’t determined solely by the clash of swords or purity of spirit, but by words, alliances, scheming, and betrayal—a world where the weak could overcome the strong through such means.”

Long, long ago, during an age of chaos when the concept of order was yet to be established, the first Fangryphon, despite his malformed body, rose to become the ruler of the world as the leader of the Griffons.

And thus, he earned the name Fangryphon.

“He wished for that beautiful chaos to never end.”

“Then… Father, do you intend to revive that great chaos? To restore the legacy of the first Fangryphon?”

“No,” the Emperor replied.

“I care nothing for chaos or order. To me, it’s all irrelevant. I simply… enjoy my current position too much. The joy of playing a game of wits against one who, despite sharing the blood of Fangryphon, somehow gained the goddess’s favor, is indescribable. Planning new schemes and executing them is exhilarating. Digging traps and waiting for prey to fall into them is delightful. Yes, it’s enough to make me think this is my reason for living.”

The Emperor laughed—a pure, childlike smile, free of any blemish.

“Aren’t you curious? If I could perfectly control the goddess’s power, just how much greater the pleasure I could enjoy would be. In the end, Lucas, what I pursue is no different from what you pursue, my son.”

The Emperor spread his arms wide.

“To bring this world under my feet and methodically, thoroughly correct everything I believe to be wrong. Imagine it—a day when even the flaws of your incomplete past could be restored to fullness. Isn’t that something worth anticipating?”

“….”

“Hmm.”

Before Lucas could respond to the Emperor’s grandiose claims, the sound of clashing metal echoed from outside. The knights of the Holy Nation, fully armored, were closing in.

“It seems the diversionary tactic involving my daughter has run its course. They must have decided to abandon their position on the other front.”

“…Did Sylvia agree to this being a mere diversion?”

The Emperor responded to Lucas’s pointed question with nothing more than a sly smile.

“Well then, Your Holiness,” the Emperor said, turning toward the Pope. Despite the considerable distance between them, the Pope simply stared up at the Emperor in silent awe, as if utterly overwhelmed.

“Where is the incomplete machine you’ve been hiding? I’d like to proceed to the final stage soon. Oh, and of course, we welcome the knights outside. Surely you didn’t think I would come here with just this many troops?”

“….”

And so, the Holy Nation had miscalculated the Empire’s “strength.”

Not in terms of sheer force or strategy, but something more fundamental, the Pope realized in that moment.

Something far more fundamental.

Yes, something like—

The unwavering conviction they thought only they possessed.

The kind of conviction that, while incomprehensible, could not be broken—a conviction the Emperor clearly shared.

Through her dimming vision, Alice, lying on the cold floor, overheard the Emperor and his children talking.

Click, click, click.

The sound of spinning cogwheels echoed in her mind, perfectly interlocking, turning in harmony.

This very moment—

This moment of lying on the cold floor, being just another cog in the machinery that made up the world—

It felt as though she had glimpsed a faint blue light through the cracks above, where she had once been.

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Chapter 227

It’s not something I can’t understand.

If this “Relic” reacts to Fangryphon’s bloodline, it makes sense that it would react simultaneously to both Alice and Claire.

However, I don’t recall the relic showing such a strong reaction when I saw it previously.

I tried to remember the relic that the Emperor had taken from Lucas. At the time, I hadn’t been in the best condition to observe it properly, but I was certain it hadn’t behaved like this—glowing intensely, as if screaming, “Use me! I belong to you!”

Back then, it seemed to possess the ability to suppress the Masked Woman’s powers, or something similar, but it hadn’t displayed such a blatant, active presence.

So, why is this artifact now reacting in this way before us?

The most logical explanation is that the relic has been partially assembled. According to its lore, “it holds no great significance until fully gathered,” but it’s plausible that as it nears completion, its functionality begins to manifest more prominently.

Considering that the sequel’s main storyline revolved around collecting these relics, it’s not surprising that gathering them one by one would trigger story-driven events.

However, there’s a problem.

“Sylvia, what is this…?”

“Unni?”

It’s difficult to explain this situation to the two standing behind me.

I’ve never had even a drop of Fangryphon’s blood. Whether someone intentionally placed me here or it was sheer coincidence, the relic’s reaction makes it clear—I am not biologically the Emperor’s daughter.

I’ve suspected this for some time. Back at the orphanage, the one who inherited the Emperor’s blood was Claire. The Emperor had only assumed I was his daughter because of my abilities.

If the Emperor’s real goal in starting a war wasn’t world conquest but gathering the relics—and if he planned to select the child best suited to wielding the relics—then it makes sense why his plans fell apart after Claire’s death.

In this world, Marmaros could even be extracted from humans. Stories often include villains who exploit such concepts, and the idea of using one’s child as a tool fits the Emperor’s character perfectly.

The question remains—why Claire?

Logically, based on bloodline concentration, it should have been Alice. In societies where nobles and royals value maintaining a pure lineage, intermarriages among close relatives are common. The deceased Empress, too, was undoubtedly of the imperial bloodline.

Genetically, Alice should be the one inheriting Fangryphon’s blood.

Naturally, Claire’s mother—

——.

“Unni?”

Ah.

For a moment, my mind froze. It was Claire’s voice, close and calling to me, that pulled me back to reality.

In the dim underground space, Claire’s face appeared pale under the relic’s glow.

Rather than being concerned about the relic pointing toward her, Claire seemed more worried about my reaction.

As she stepped closer, the relic’s light grew even brighter, almost as if it was begging to be used.

…Claire’s biological parents.

In the original story, their identities were left as unresolved threads. Why Claire possessed such talent in swordsmanship or how she managed to escape at such a young age—none of these mysteries were ever properly explained.

Even if the main story didn’t delve into it, the subplots involving Claire strongly hinted at something deeper.

If one parent was the Emperor, then who was the other?

Did the orphanage director know? Perhaps. It’s possible, though Claire wasn’t under their care from the start. Even in the original, it was mentioned that she was “bought” from somewhere.

The problem is, there’s no way to know what happened during the transfer.

Because the director is dead.

I killed them.

If the orphanage still existed, there might be clues to trace Claire’s past. Surely, there would have been ledgers or documents. Knowing which neighborhood she came from could lead to answers by questioning everyone in the area.

But that evidence is gone—burned to ash.

…I set it on fire.

I wanted to roll on the floor, clutching my head in frustration.

And I did.

“Sylvia!?”

“Unni!?”

Despite the alarmed cries of the two behind me, I spent a good while writhing on the dirt floor before suddenly springing to my feet—

And rewound time.

“I have something important to tell you both.”

Before Claire and Alice could call out to me again, I turned to face them.

To anyone else, it would have seemed like I quickly assessed the situation and addressed them decisively. While the three of us were aware of my ability, there was no visible trace left when I rewound time.

“….”

The people trailing behind us hesitated at my words.

“It’s about the Fangryphon imperial family. I apologize, but could the rest of you wait outside for a moment?”

It was a somewhat presumptuous request, but I made an effort to sound as polite as possible. After all, everyone here was someone I considered a friend.

“Hmm.”

Of course, I hadn’t expected a completely agreeable response.

“In the heart of Belvur’s territory, practically beneath the Lutetia Royal Palace, you’re asking us to leave so you can discuss the Fangryphon family?” Charlotte, clearly agitated from the long journey, spoke up.

I understood. Anyone would find it upsetting. Though I had little attachment to the Azernian Empire, if a high-ranking official from another country came to my homeland, demanded privacy, and brought up foreign matters, I’d be irritated too.

Especially if it turned out to be a secret base built by someone from another nation without anyone’s knowledge.

“This relic is deeply connected to the Fangryphon bloodline,” I explained. “And, frankly, I’m the only one here with any real knowledge about it.”

Sophia might know a little, but not as much as I did.

“Even Alice isn’t fully informed. I promise to share as much as I can with everyone after speaking privately with those directly involved.”

“….”

“Does this ‘involvement’ include Claire?”

While Charlotte was silent, staring at the relic, Leo cut in with a question.

Of course, it sounded absurd.

Even I found it ridiculous. Hearing it directly from the Emperor himself had been shocking enough—Leo, who had lived his entire life as Claire’s brother, would find it downright incomprehensible.

Would I finally see Leo’s face turn pale after revealing the truth about Claire?

…

I marveled at my ability to think like this, even in such a situation.

Was it something to be proud of?

Neither Leo nor Charlotte looked entirely convinced.

Still, the trust I’d painstakingly built up until now seemed to work in my favor. It wasn’t just about camaraderie or professional competence. Without their belief that I wouldn’t betray them, they wouldn’t have stepped aside.

Nor would they have followed me this far.

“So?”

Alice asked impatiently. Though her arms were crossed, she tapped her fingers against them, betraying her unease.

“What do you mean I’m involved, Unni?”

Claire, on the other hand, seemed far less tense. She probably hadn’t even guessed the reason for her presence here.

“….”

I stayed silent for a while before finally speaking in a strained voice.

“Claire.”

“Yes?”

“You carry the blood of Fangryphon.”

“…Huh?”

Claire blinked at me, her expression blank.

Silence.

Uncomfortably long silence hung in the dim space. For some reason, the room seemed even darker, despite the relic’s glow.

“…What?”

“…Excuse me?”

Finally, both Alice and Claire broke the silence simultaneously.

TL Note: Unni = Sister

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Chapter 228

"…So," Alice began, pressing her fingers against her temple as if to suppress a headache after listening to my explanation.

"Father has… been spreading the royal bloodline far and wide, taking in anyone who showed potential, then raising them as his own sons and daughters?"

"If the Emperor's words are entirely true, yes," I replied.

"And you're saying he mistook you for Claire and ended up bringing you in when it should’ve been her?"

"That’s correct."

"That doesn’t make any sense."

Alice shut her eyes tightly and spoke with frustration.

"If these ‘bloodlines’ were so carefully managed, shouldn’t he at least have remembered their physical appearances? Honestly speaking, you have black hair—"

Alice pointed a finger toward Claire, who flinched slightly but remained silent.

"—and she has blue hair. And Father’s hair is golden! If he knows the hair color of his own children, it’s common sense that he should’ve realized his child wouldn’t have black hair!"

Claire, who was suddenly on the receiving end of Alice’s sharp gesture, looked completely bewildered, unable to react.

Her face alternated between seriousness, shock, and confusion. She opened her mouth as if to say something, only to close it again, seemingly unable to find the right words. Even knowing the original story, I had been stunned when I first discovered this twist—how much more shocking must it be for Claire, who had never suspected such a thing her entire life?

"Perhaps it’s atavism," I said, trying to sound serious.

Of course, discussing genetics in a world where hair colors could range from blue to purple seemed somewhat ridiculous. Back in the real world, without dye, unique hair colors were limited to shades like platinum or fiery red. How something like "blue hair" could be genetically inherited was beyond me.

"Or perhaps he didn’t care much about appearances and focused solely on finding viable candidates to bear his offspring."

This theory seemed far more plausible to me. The Emperor, though he claimed to love his children in his own way, also viewed them as tools. It wasn’t hard to imagine him mechanically spreading his bloodline without any emotional attachment.

If the Emperor had countless illegitimate children but only selected a few to be part of his "family," and if he was confident enough in his judgment to believe any child with talent was undeniably his own…

"…."

Alice bit her lip, looking as though she might vomit.

Even Alice seemed to think, If it’s Father, he might actually do something like that.

"And it was Lucas who brought me to the palace," I continued. "Of all the children, I ended up in the Emperor’s favor not because of his judgment but Lucas’s."

Of course, that didn’t mean the Emperor didn’t trust Lucas.

But trust didn’t mean full disclosure. I doubted he had ever told his children outright that they shared his blood.

All of this had snowballed into the convoluted situation we were in now.

"I don’t know how he chose the women who bore his children, but tracing the imperial bloodline through history, it’s not unimaginable. There have been countless noble families who fell from grace, becoming less than minor nobles."

Though I had destroyed the evidence that could shed light on Claire’s mother, I could still imagine.

Not everyone with imperial blood was treated as royalty. Just as there were nobles without lands or titles—nobles in name only—there were imperial descendants who had fallen so far that they were no longer recognized.

Of course, their bloodlines likely weren’t as pure as those in the main family.

"…Mother was assassinated by a political rival," Alice muttered suddenly, breaking her silence.

"It happened when I was too young to remember. At the time, there were even rumors that the assassination attempt was meant for me, not her. Fangryphon’s name may hold the highest status in history now, but back then, it wasn’t as unshakable as it seems today. Even though people speak of absolute power and an unyielding empire, most of the Empire was still controlled by nobles."

Alice raised a hand to her chin, her gaze dropping as she pondered.

"The first to be purged during that time were the other members of the imperial family. Many who had succession rights, besides me, were executed or fell from grace."

And with that, the Emperor’s power solidified further.

"At first, I wondered if… Father had been the one to assassinate Mother. That he had used her death as an excuse to eliminate political rivals and consolidate power for the imperial family."

But if that wasn’t the case…

If the Emperor had no intention of killing the Empress and they were merely a normal couple, but he lost her during a power struggle—leaving him with only one heir…

Having only a single daughter as an heir would make anyone anxious. Children can die for countless reasons, not just from weapons or poison. Even with magic, there are diseases that medicine of this era cannot cure.

It wouldn’t be surprising if there were those who suggested the Emperor take a concubine to secure more heirs, whether from a noble family with diluted imperial blood or a distant branch of the family.

If that heir were a son, it would provide the legitimacy needed to pass down the throne.

If that’s why the Empress died…

Then the first to be purged under the pretense of "legitimacy" were the distant imperial relatives.

And among the nobility, the faction opposing the Emperor.

Even during my childhood, those power struggles continued. I had received orders from the Emperor to assassinate a count. That count had been Count Crowfield.

"…If Father, who trusted no one, sought to create a Fangryphon who trusted only him and whom only he could trust…"

"…."

It was all conjecture.

The truth could very well be that the Emperor was simply a hedonist who indulged freely and abandoned his lovers, selecting only the most talented children later by sheer coincidence.

Or perhaps he had orchestrated the Empress’s death, using it as a pretext to justify purging the opposition. That would also be entirely in character for him.

To uncover the real story, I would need to confront the Emperor directly.

"So, this relic…"

Alice trailed off, turning her gaze back to the relic, as if her thoughts had reached the same conclusion as mine.

"Yes. For reasons unknown, this relic is undeniably reacting to Fangryphon’s bloodline. Since it’s responding to Claire and not me, there’s no doubt about it."

It was strange for something called a "relic of the goddess" to react more strongly to Fangryphon’s bloodline than to anyone from the Holy Nation.

While my conclusion was based on the relic’s behavior as well as the original story’s lore, explaining this in terms of "fictional settings" and my ability to rewind time would be impossibly convoluted. I’d have to start with an explanation of video games.

"Then I…"

Claire, who had been listening to our conversation with a conflicted expression, finally spoke.

"…"

I looked at her silently before responding.

"Claire."

"Y-yes?"

"What kind of person do you want to be?"

"What kind of person…?"

"Whether you choose to embrace being Fangryphon or remain Claire of the Grace family, the choice is yours."

The original Claire had never been given such a choice.

She had been swept along, sold off, and subjected to a horrific past, with no say in her fate. Her only act of agency had been sacrificing herself in the end for someone she considered a sister.

But the Claire before me was different.

Would she be Claire Fangryphon or Claire Grace?

She had the freedom to choose.

Now, Claire had no master.

"I…"

Claire placed a hand over her heart, clenching it tightly.

"I want to stay as I am."

Then that was enough.

There was no need for Claire to sacrifice herself for anyone.

That’s why I was here—to stop that from happening.

"Understood."

I replied and reached out toward the relic.

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Chapter 229

After finishing my conversation with Alice and Claire, I stepped outside, but the situation was far from resolved.

There were many loose ends: Charlotte, visibly upset; the children who couldn’t comprehend the unfolding events; the Knights of the Holy Nation, bound tightly despite their healed wounds; and even the Cardinal, who was missing an arm. The pile of issues waiting to be addressed felt insurmountable.

I understood why Charlotte was so displeased. Not only had the situation spiraled into chaos, but I’d acted as though I’d known everything from the beginning. She must be overwhelmed, unable to even imagine how to handle the international upheaval this incident would cause.

Of course, Charlotte wasn’t officially the Queen of Belvur yet. However, she was undeniably closer to the throne than Alice. While the Emperor hadn’t solidified his succession plans, Belvur’s King had firmly designated Charlotte as his successor.

Still, I couldn’t blame Charlotte entirely—I, too, felt unsettled.

Where should I start, and how much should I reveal?

If I told Claire that she bore the Emperor’s blood, I’d have to share all the theories and speculations behind it. The implications alone could lead to hours of debate.

Furthermore, Claire had already made her decision. She’d chosen not to embrace the Fangryphon bloodline and remain part of the Grace family instead. It wasn’t a decision she’d made impulsively—it was one I’d offered her, and she’d chosen. I was obligated to respect her choice. Otherwise, I’d only be betraying her trust.

In time, I’d have to quietly explain things to Leo.

"So," Charlotte interrupted my thoughts.

From her perspective, my silence must have seemed infuriating, especially given that I clearly knew far more than I was letting on.

"Can you explain what that object is?" Charlotte asked, her gaze fixed on the fragment of the relic in my hand.

"This is…"

Honestly, what even is this thing?

I didn’t truly know its "real purpose." In the game, it had simply been referred to as an object tied to the goddess’s power. There were characters who traveled the world gathering its pieces, and the Emperor seemed to be seeking it as well. Yet, even after collecting all the fragments, its exact effects remained unclear.

If I’d played through the sequels, I might have understood what it truly did. Unfortunately, I’d been dragged into this world before I had the chance.

It’s disappointing. I would’ve preferred lounging in my chair at home, casually gripping a game controller, instead of dealing with this mess.

Meeting and befriending the characters I once admired had been a joy, but that joy came with a heavy burden. Unlike watching characters on a screen, where I could vent my frustrations or mock them freely, my actions here directly affected these people.

"My best guess is that it’s an object tied to the goddess’s power," I finally said.

Based on what I knew, that was the most plausible explanation.

"It’s likely a component of some larger device. Once the fragments are assembled into a complete unit and used in the right location, it should grant access to the goddess’s power."

The Cardinal, sitting at a distance, flinched visibly at my words.

It made sense. The Holy Nation’s actions had been driven by this knowledge.

"If it’s so important, why isn’t it in the Holy Nation but here in Belvur?" Charlotte asked skeptically.

"It’s not just in Belvur," Alice interjected, her expression grim as she observed Charlotte’s pale face.

"There were fragments in the Empire too. We don’t know the full history of this device, but it seems the pieces have been scattered across the continent."

"So this is one of those fragments," Charlotte murmured, glancing at me for confirmation.

I nodded.

"Technically, it’s more accurate to call this a collection of fragments. This piece alone already seems to have been partially assembled."

Compared to the relics I’d seen before, this one was larger, its glow more vibrant. Its luminous, broken cogwheel edges suggested that the Holy Nation had indeed poured considerable effort into assembling it.

"The reason it was hidden here was likely to prevent the Emperor from seizing it. While Belvur’s military isn’t as powerful as the Empire’s, it’s still a credible threat."

Of course, in an all-out war, the Empire would win decisively. The damage the war inflicted on the Empire might not even last as long as one might expect.

By comparison, the Holy Nation’s forces were a mere fraction of Belvur’s.

Perhaps the Holy Nation had chosen Belvur as a potential ally in a war, planning to use its strength to hold off the Empire while they escaped. Lutetia, Belvur’s capital, was an ancient city with a maze of winding alleys and extensive underground ruins spreading beneath its surface. It was the perfect place to hide something or plan an escape.

If they’d packed the ruins with their own forces, it would have been an ideal last-ditch stronghold.

"…"

Charlotte pressed a hand to her forehead, as if nursing a headache. After standing silently for a moment, she lifted her gaze, her sharp eyes landing squarely on me.

"Then my next question…" she began, her voice tense.

"Sylvia, how do you know all of this?"

"…"

It was a direct question about my "identity."

Alice, Claire, and Leo might assume my knowledge was tied to my "ability," but this was something else entirely.

I had vague knowledge of how the events of this world would unfold, including the key locations and storylines. I had explored this ruin in the game—perhaps not its entirety, but certainly the critical areas tied to the plot.

If I had been here before, I had been here many times.

"I’ve simply known from the beginning," I replied.

"From the beginning?" Charlotte’s expression grew incredulous.

"I don’t know who my biological parents are. I spent my childhood in an orphanage and was later adopted by the Emperor, who raised me as his daughter. I believe the reason for my adoption was my ability."

I quickly recounted my past, hoping to dispel Charlotte’s doubts. Sharing a pitiful backstory was an effective way to diffuse hostility or suspicion. Generally, such tales weren’t things people were eager to share, making them appear sincere when revealed.

"I don’t truly know who I am. I was once called ‘Sylvia Black,’ but my true origins remain a mystery. The now-deceased orphanage director once told me I had ‘appeared there’ out of nowhere."

"…"

No one interrupted as I continued. Even Alice and Claire, who knew the rough outline of my past, remained silent.

This was the first time I had ever spoken so openly about my history.

"Yes, I possess extraordinary abilities. I’ve been able to act with knowledge that no one else could have. As for the source of this ability, even I don’t know."

I withheld the most critical detail—that my knowledge came from playing a game. Even without explaining how I ended up in this world, I wasn’t lying. Not even Alice, with her keen ability to detect falsehoods, would think I was being dishonest.

"Of course, I don’t know everything. While I knew the location and general layout of these ruins, I had no idea what was truly hidden within them."

"So you wanted to find out for yourself," Charlotte surmised, her gaze softening slightly, though it still held a hint of skepticism.

"You don’t know your own identity either."

"I’m simply trying to uncover the truth," I said.

Charlotte fell silent, her expression one of resignation. It seemed she had decided that pressing me further wouldn’t yield any meaningful answers.

"Then…" she continued hesitantly.

"Should we assume that everything you’re doing is related to the goddess’s power?"

"…"

I nodded silently.

In truth, what other explanation could there be?

I glanced around the room, taking in everyone’s expressions. The Cardinal looked as though he had just had a revelation, trembling slightly. The knights were visibly shaken, their bodies trembling.

As for my friends, their faces were stiff with tension, their thoughts unreadable.

No—there was one exception.

Sophia.

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Chapter 230

"…This ruin," Sophia began, breaking the silence with a resolute expression.

"This ruin wasn’t built by those who originally constructed the cathedral."

"Bianki!"

The Cardinal immediately shouted her name, but when his eyes met mine, he shrank back, silenced by the lingering fear etched into his psyche. Despite the significant healing of his wounds, the sheer terror instilled in him prevented any thoughts of retaliation.

After all, with the knights neutralized and bound, any attempt to fight back would only shorten their lifespans further.

"Please, continue," I prompted.

Sophia, her voice trembling slightly, obliged.

"I was born long after this facility was built, so I don’t know the full details. But… I’ve heard that this place was completed using a pre-existing site."

It was clear she hadn’t been privy to the intricate details, likely because her powers hadn’t fully awakened yet. In the hierarchy of the Holy Nation, she had been little more than a subordinate.

"Sophia, you—"

Charlotte began to speak but quickly shut her mouth, her expression one of resignation.

What would be the point of reproaching her now? It was a face that screamed, I’ve hit my limit.

"…I’m sorry," Sophia muttered, bowing her head deeply.

Come to think of it, I’d promised to explain everything to her once this was all over. Yet, given the situation, there likely wouldn’t be a chance for the two of us to sit down and talk one-on-one.

I wasn’t sure whether I should feel relieved or regretful about that.

"So, what do we do now? What can we even do with that fragment?" Charlotte asked, her gaze fixed on the piece of the relic in my hand.

"For now, we’d like to keep it in our custody," I replied.

Charlotte looked at me intently.

This was Belvur’s territory. The suspicious artifact found hidden by a secret organization beneath the cathedral was, by all rights, something the Kingdom of Belvur should secure.

However—

"…You won’t betray me, will you?" she asked quietly.

Her question reminded me of a conversation we’d had not long ago.

"I would stake my life to ensure I never betray you," I had told her then.

I had maintained my usual blank expression as I said it, but it seemed Charlotte had felt something different in that moment.

She didn’t smile, nor did her demeanor soften. Yet now, she didn’t argue further, simply letting the matter drop.

I took that as a sign she trusted me. At least, I hoped so.

What followed wasn’t particularly difficult to deal with.

The Kingdom of Belvur had discreetly stationed troops around the cathedral from the moment we’d entered the underground facility. The king had apparently decided to take my claims seriously.

While we had gone inside, Belvur hadn’t been idle. They were prepared to send in reinforcements the moment we failed to return or failed to send word within a few hours.

We emerged just in time—mere moments before the Belvurian forces were about to storm the cathedral.

Getting out was easier than getting in.

We exited through the cathedral itself.

It seemed the Holy Nation’s forces hadn’t anticipated us defeating the gryphon and the knights and returning. The knights stationed within the cathedral were visibly panicked at the sight of us.

They had already been disoriented, though.

"…Ugh," Mia groaned, looking like she might vomit as we exited.

While not everyone inside the cathedral had been killed, the path to the exit was littered with bodies.

Even the sight of beast corpses on our way down had been disturbing, but human remains were far more gut-wrenching. That was why I’d tried to keep the children away from the second floor.

Still, the carnage in the cathedral was even worse than what I’d left behind on the second floor.

The gryphon had apparently broken through the walls near the entrance, forcing its way out.

…Had it gotten lost underground and resorted to smashing its way out through brute force?

The soldiers and knights stationed at the entrance were unrecognizable, their corpses mangled beyond recognition.

Judging by the state of the place, the gryphon, already furious from its earlier ordeal, had lost all sense of reason and rampaged through the area in a fit of blind rage.

Even the surviving soldiers looked utterly horrified as they watched us approach.

We had placed the disheveled Cardinal, still clad in his torn robes, at the forefront, but in hindsight, that had probably been unnecessary.

"Charlotte!"

The king of Belvur rushed forward, his face pale as he approached us.

"A-are you alright?! I saw the gryphon emerge from inside! The gryphon…! What in the world happened down there?!"

His concern for Charlotte was evident as he checked her condition. He looked more like a worried father than a dignified king in that moment.

A sight, I imagined, Alice had never witnessed before.

"I’m fine. That gryphon…"

Charlotte paused, then asked cautiously, "Did it attack the Kingdom’s forces?"

"No. I saw it burst out of the cathedral’s entrance and take flight. But aside from the personnel inside the cathedral, it harmed no one. It soared into the sky without hesitation. I never thought I’d see a gryphon, let alone in Belvur’s territory," the king said.

Only after confirming Charlotte’s condition did he seem to relax slightly.

However, his gaze soon shifted to us—much sharper this time.

His eyes locked on me with particular intensity.

The king hadn’t witnessed the events in the underground ruin, yet he seemed certain I was somehow connected to the gryphon’s actions.

Well, I had encountered it by chance.

I’d simply attempted a "strategy" that couldn’t be executed in the game but seemed plausible based on the lore.

"I’d like to summon you to the palace immediately for a detailed testimony, but… the situation is urgent," the king said.

And he wasn’t wrong.

Whether they publicly disclosed what had happened in Lutetia—that a gryphon had emerged and chaos had unfolded—or tried to cover it up, the entire ordeal promised to be a political nightmare.

We would be stuck dealing with the fallout for a long time. Whatever the Emperor had planned, I had essentially interfered in his designs.

…Should I just rewind time and start over?

The thought crossed my mind for a brief moment.

But the king’s next words obliterated that notion.

"Something unusual is happening in the Holy Nation," he said gravely.

"…What?"

"Not long after you entered the ruins, a strange light was observed emanating from the Holy Nation."

A strange light?

"It looks as if a barrier has formed, enveloping the entire Holy Nation. In fact, it’s visible even from Lutetia."

…

Judging by my expression, the king must have decided it would be faster to show us the scene directly.

Turning on his heel, he began walking toward the cathedral’s exit. After exchanging uncertain glances, we followed him outside.

And there, we saw exactly what he had described.

The Holy Nation, built on land once ceded by Belvur, was visibly engulfed in a massive, glowing barrier.

The barrier wasn’t just a column of light rising into the sky—it wrapped around the entire nation, its shimmering form visible even from this distance.

"What… is that?" Sophia murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"…"

I had no answer.

I had no idea what that was.

Even the Emperor, with all his knowledge and control over the Holy Nation’s plans, had never displayed magic on this scale.

Though the game’s lore was vast and its stakes high, nothing in my experience compared to this.

Was this… the goddess’s power?

I didn’t know how it was being used, but in a world like this, where the goddess’s power was leagues beyond conventional magic, it made sense.

…

Why couldn’t things just end after I finished dealing with one crisis?

Why did something even bigger always have to happen right after?

Seriously. Give me a break.

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Chapter 231

The situation had grown ridiculously complicated.

The mere fact that I knew about the Holy Nation’s secret base carried enough weight to spark a diplomatic incident. While Lutetia was a direct territory under the Belvur royal family, limiting the intervention of other nobles, the problem lay in the location of the base—beneath St. Latina Cathedral.

Belvur’s monarchy was relatively strong, but it wasn’t invincible like the Empire, where nobles could be crushed outright under imperial authority. Moreover, although the royal family maintained a neutral stance on religion, many nobles were devout followers of the Goddess’ faith.

Naturally, if the royal forces attacked one of the faith’s holy sites like St. Latina Cathedral, massive backlash would ensue. Some nobles might even evoke memories of the long-past persecution of the Goddess’ Church on this land.

Ironically, this was the exact reason only Charlotte and Sophia from the kingdom were directly involved in this operation. The situation needed to be contained, with as little information spreading as possible. The forces encircling the cathedral in secrecy comprised only royal troops and loyalist knights, ensuring no undue attention.

But then…

A gryphon had emerged from beneath the cathedral.

As a result, the Holy Nation's forces stationed in the cathedral suffered catastrophic losses.

Although the gryphon was an imperial symbol, the Empire had never done anything significant with it. Gryphons were untamable, making their use in warfare impossible. Even if Lutetia’s citizens associated the gryphon’s emergence with the Empire, the latter could easily dismiss it with a “We have no knowledge of this” excuse.

The real problem was the chain of events that followed.

While it was clear something catastrophic had occurred at the cathedral, strange incidents also erupted within the Holy Nation.

Coincidentally, two imperial princesses happened to be visiting the royal capital during this time.

And yet again, the imperial throne was unoccupied, and none of the "Emperor’s Children" were anywhere to be seen.

No directives had come from the Emperor. Usually, when the Emperor was absent, the entire imperial military would be placed on high alert. But now? Silence.

Imperial nobles were in a stir, and the kingdom’s followers of the Goddess’ faith were simmering with unrest.

“...Let’s all just get some sleep first.”

After hearing all this at once, that was the conclusion I reached.

We needed to rest.

We’d been fighting through the night. While the recovery device had alleviated much of our physical fatigue, it couldn’t do anything for our mental exhaustion. Besides, physical fatigue and drowsiness were separate issues altogether.

It wasn’t quite morning yet, but staying awake in this state wouldn’t lead to any sound conclusions.

Thankfully, everyone in the group agreed.

“If anything happens, I will ensure you are awakened,” the king promised.

No, please don’t do that.

If something happens, I’d rather be left to sleep through it. It’d be wonderful to wake up and find everything resolved.

But, of course, that wouldn’t happen. If anyone were to be woken first, it’d be me.

And my pessimistic prediction proved right.

“To think you’d still be asleep at this hour. I’m beginning to regret teaching you meditation techniques.”

The person who woke me was none other than the Swordmaster, Frederick.

I blinked several times, still lying down. Sunlight seeped through the curtains, indicating morning had arrived. Yet it wasn’t late—not with this man ensuring I didn’t oversleep.

Truthfully, from my perspective, I’d spent enough time with him to feel a strange sense of familiarity. However, from his point of view, I was probably nothing more than an untalented kid he had briefly tutored during a vacation.

“Then again, it might be more accurate to say you discovered the technique on your own rather than me teaching you.”

I slowly sat up.

I considered rubbing my eyes but decided against it. I wasn’t quite comfortable enough around him to act so casual. If it had been Claire or Alice waking me, my reaction might’ve been different.

“How did you get here?” I asked.

“I took the train.”

He must’ve known I wasn’t asking about the mode of transport, but he grinned as he gave his answer.

“...”

“Ah, were you asking why I’m here?”

The Swordmaster chuckled, his confidence unshaken even before the imperial princess.

“Word traveled fast last night—a gryphon emerged in the city where you were.”

“You came all this way over a single rumor?”

What, was he planning to hunt the gryphon?

More importantly, how had the rumor spread so quickly?

“Well, it wasn’t just any rumor. To be honest, I overheard a communication.”

“...”

“And I slipped in with the knights being dispatched here.”

“Knights were deployed?”

“Not summoned by the kingdom, apparently. The pretext was to protect the two imperial princesses in light of the Emperor’s uncertain situation. The kingdom was extremely reluctant but ultimately accepted. Things are chaotic outside as a result.”

I paused to think before collapsing back onto the bed.

“Why are you lying down again?”

“If I go outside, I’ll have to face the enraged crowd in the capital.”

“The royal forces are holding them back. The Belvur royal family is respected enough that the crowd won’t storm the gates.”

“What about the nobles residing in Lutetia?”

“From what I hear, they started gathering at the royal palace last night. By the way, just as you slept here instead of a hotel, all the academy students have been moved to the palace as well. I only learned this after arriving this morning.”

“In that case, I’ll just go back to sleep. Please wake me once the situation is fully resolved.”

“That could take months.”

“Then wake me in a few months.”

“You have no filter when speaking to your master.”

Was he even treating me as his student? Knowing the Swordmaster, it wouldn’t be surprising if he was.

“If you don’t wake up, your companions will have to resolve everything themselves.”

“...”

Of course, I already knew that.

It wasn’t like I truly intended to sleep for months. Biologically, that wasn’t even possible.

More importantly, without my intervention, who knew how things would spiral out of control? At the very least, I needed to be there to determine whether I could save someone or if time needed to be rewound altogether.

Still...

I stared at the ceiling.

Even so, I wanted just a little more rest.

Yes, maybe...

While confirming my abilities, I could buy a bit more time.

Despite the chaos erupting within the Holy Nation, my powers were still functional.

It was unclear whether the barrier was purely a physical one or if its effects differed at a distance. After all, when dealing with the Masked Woman, my abilities had been nullified even with some separation.

But for now, I decided not to dwell on it. I’d use whatever powers I had to resolve the situation as safely as possible.

“Sylvia.”

The sight of those gathered at the Swordmaster’s destination momentarily left me dazed.

Not only was the Cardinal present—whom I’d barely managed to save last time—but so were the Belvur King, academy instructors who’d escorted the students, and Belvur’s prominent nobles. Alongside them were Alice, attending in her capacity as a princess, and imperial knights dispatched from the Empire overnight.

Almost all of them looked varying degrees of displeased.

As their collective glares focused on me, I seriously considered undoing this entire situation.

But that wouldn’t do.

Even if I rewound time, I needed to understand what was happening first.

I’d already made up my mind.

Before anyone could address me, I stepped into the meeting hall and spoke.

“We need to assemble a reconnaissance squad to infiltrate the Holy Nation.”

The weight of the silence that followed was immense.

Then, moments later, voices erupted from all directions.

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Chapter 232

“Silence! Silence, I say!”

At the head of the meeting table, seated a few steps above the rest in the royal chair, the King of Belvur raised his voice. The commotion died down somewhat.

But unlike the heavy silence from earlier, this one felt precarious, as if dissent might erupt at any moment. The clinking of armor, the rustling of clothing, the sound of heavy breathing, and quiet whispers filled the room. The silence was uneasy and chaotic.

“Princess Sylvia, you are permitted to speak. If you’ve made such a suggestion, I presume you have your reasons. Please explain so that everyone present can understand your point.”

I wasn’t entirely confident I could explain it that well.

Then again, I doubted the King had high expectations either. As with most noble assemblies, there were always those who objected purely for the sake of opposition. A meeting where no one voiced dissent usually only happened when opposing the motion was tantamount to death.

“The Holy Nation—”

I deliberately paused, letting my words hang in the air. If I was going to speak, I might as well project the kind of arrogance that would make these people resent me.

“It’s highly likely His Imperial Majesty is currently in the Holy Nation. We must immediately form a reconnaissance team to determine what is happening there.”

“But isn’t that an imperial matter?”

One of the kingdom’s nobles jumped in, almost as if he had been waiting for his moment.

“While I cannot say what His Majesty is doing there, should anything happen to him, it is an issue the Empire must handle directly. We have no obligation to intervene. Princess, you should recall the events you caused here last year.”

The meaning was clear: You interfered with our alliance, so why should we help you militarily?

“My apologies, but I never sought the assistance of the kingdom’s military. The reconnaissance team will be composed of the same personnel who executed last night’s operation in Lutetia, with a few additions.”

“And among those involved last night was Charlotte.”

Charlotte wasn’t here. The fact that Alice was present while Charlotte was absent meant she had likely been excluded deliberately.

This was merely my speculation, but I was certain Charlotte would participate in the reconnaissance team without hesitation.

She might wear the same conflicted expression as last night or display her discomfort openly, but Charlotte’s upright nature would lead her to conclude that it was the right thing to do. After all, she trusted me.

And in that sense, the person I owed the greatest apology to right now was Charlotte.

Still, no matter what Charlotte thought, from the King’s perspective as her father, it was an unacceptable risk.

He had entrusted his daughter to me last night, only for a gryphon to emerge from the cathedral's underground lair. Though the King hadn’t witnessed it personally, Charlotte had even been injured by the gryphon’s claws. The wounds were fully healed now, with no trace left behind, but her torn clothing from the night before still bore testimony to the battle.

“If there are individuals who absolutely must withdraw from the operation, I have no objections,” I said, glancing at the Swordmaster as he stepped forward.

His eagerness to participate was written all over his face.

The Swordmaster had come down from the mountains after learning there was something he could fight.

Naturally, the prospect of a battlefield where he might have to risk his life excited him. And with the Holy Nation’s knights already renowned for their combat prowess, he must have been eager to test himself against them.

Aside from the Swordmaster, there were others ready to replace the students who couldn’t participate. Jennifer and Carolyn, for example, were both incredibly skilled. While they were often guest characters in the game, they could be recruited for the final battle.

“However, I would request permission to approach the border shared with the Holy Nation.”

“You’re asking us to open the kingdom’s border to the Empire?”

This time, it was another noble who spoke.

How tiresome.

“The kingdom and the Holy Nation have historically maintained strong relations. If the Empire intervenes against the Holy Nation, who knows how they’ll react?”

Instead of responding to him, I turned my gaze to the one-armed Cardinal seated nearby.

His face had turned deathly pale.

“I would suggest asking the Cardinal for details,” I said, turning back to the noble, “but given the magical constraints on him, doing so would result in his death. Therefore, I will explain on his behalf.”

I met the noble’s gaze directly.

“The Holy Nation was plotting a conspiracy beneath Lutetia, right under the kingdom’s nose. If the kingdom doesn’t hold them accountable for this, who will? No matter how strong the ties between the kingdom and the Holy Nation are, there are boundaries that should never be crossed. I don’t know your name, nor do I care to, but this will likely be the last time I speak with you.”

When the noble opened his mouth to respond, I raised my hand to stop him.

“In any case, are you suggesting you’d tolerate a friendly neighbor digging a pit under your house and filling it with live snakes?”

“Well, that is—”

“That’s why we’re offering to handle it. Without involving the kingdom’s military, a reconnaissance team devoid of kingdom personnel will investigate, resolve the issue if possible, and report back. If you reject this plan, how exactly do you propose to resolve the situation?”

“...”

The noble was left speechless, not because my argument was flawless but because my reaction had been far more intense than expected.

Even Alice was looking at me with concern.

“And one more thing.”

I straightened my posture, standing tall.

“His Majesty the Emperor, despite his fearsome reputation, has pursued relatively conciliatory policies toward neighboring nations. While he has strengthened his military, that enhanced power hasn’t been stationed along the kingdom’s border.”

“But didn’t he bombard the autonomous state’s borders?”

Another noble interjected.

“That was at the autonomous state’s request,” Jennifer Winterfield replied.

“The autonomous state had been struggling for years with rampant illegal warlords. While it’s true they were wary of excessive imperial involvement, the Empire’s solution was artillery support. By striking the enemy from afar without deploying troops, they managed to address the issue without violating the autonomous state’s sovereignty.”

It was an audaciously bold move, but effective nonetheless.

“And after the bombardment, the fleet withdrew. Currently, it’s stationed near the imperial capital, so there’s no reason to fear artillery fire reaching Lutetia tomorrow.”

“...”

While I was just a princess, Jennifer Winterfield was a soldier—a member of a military family renowned across nations.

Her statement carried a weight that couldn’t be easily dismissed.

“Surely the kingdom has spies in the Empire,” I said bluntly.

“In that case, has any information surfaced indicating that the Empire is preparing for war?”

The Emperor had told me directly.

He planned to dominate the world through means other than war.

...Not that I fully trusted him, but knowing his meticulous nature, he’d have ensured that his intentions appeared completely genuine to outsiders.

And indeed, I had found no evidence of impending war.

If even I, with access to the Empire’s most classified information, couldn’t uncover such evidence, it was unlikely the kingdom’s spies could.

“His Majesty’s authority is immense. While I can’t say why he has left his post or if he’s truly in the Holy Nation, his absence will undoubtedly plunge the Empire into chaos.”

I remained, Alice was here, and as a last resort, Claire—who bore the Emperor’s blood—was available.

But politically, the three of us lacked the stature to fully substitute for the Emperor’s presence. Until we demonstrated tangible power, the Empire’s regional lords wouldn’t take us seriously.

And if that’s the case—

“If part of the imperial military fragments into warlords amidst the chaos, could the kingdom fend them off?”

“...”

Exactly.

This was why the situation was so urgent.

If even a portion of the imperial forces turned rogue or were absorbed by local lords with ulterior motives, they wouldn’t just be a band of ragtag terrorists.

They’d be warlords armed with the Empire’s advanced weaponry.

In modern terms, it would be akin to a terrorist group possessing ballistic missiles and specialists trained to operate them.

The Empire wouldn’t collapse instantly. It had established systems, and its parliament could keep the nation running in the Emperor’s absence.

But was the possibility of collapse truly zero?

Neither I nor anyone else here could provide a definitive answer.

...Of course, the Emperor wouldn’t have gone to the Holy Nation without considering this.

Still, I had to dangle this much bait to reel these people in.

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Chapter 233

Meeting Charlotte outside the meeting hall turned out to be more difficult than expected.

Unlike the Emperor and Alice, whose relationship was strained and one-sided—where Alice clung to the Emperor almost desperately—Charlotte and the King shared a much healthier father-daughter bond. While it wasn’t as warm as an average family’s relationship, familial affection undeniably existed.

And because of that, the King had likely predicted that Charlotte would try to help me.

To prevent this, he must’ve thought the best course of action was to keep us from meeting altogether.

Of course, such “methods” didn’t work on me. Unless my abilities were nullified, I could rewind time as many times as I needed to.

Additionally, I could now pull off things I never would’ve imagined in my old world. Back when I was a company worker with a growing belly, the thought of sneaking onto rooftops or rappelling down windows wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. But in this world, I’d undergone all kinds of training.

So climbing up onto the roof near Charlotte’s room, securing a rope, and descending down to her window was perfectly doable.

“...”

Charlotte didn’t seem like she was confined to her room. More likely, she’d simply been told, “Don’t meet with those people.”

Seated in a chair, her expression was dark, though she didn’t appear thin or pale. Then again, it had been less than a day since I’d last seen her.

“You might be the only princess in the world who scales rooftops just to see a friend’s face.”

Charlotte opened the window for me, her tone sardonic.

I didn’t bother responding and quietly slipped inside.

Charlotte’s room was… pristine. Of course, my room back in the Imperial Palace had been equally spotless. There was no reason for a royal’s room to be messy when servants cleaned it hourly.

However, the atmosphere of Charlotte’s room was warmer, more feminine compared to mine or Alice’s. It wasn’t necessarily “girly” but carried a certain elegance.

The predominant aesthetic of this world was Victorian-inspired, albeit refined with a more modern sense of design. Still, there was no avoiding that slightly antiquated charm.

For instance, the chairs prepared for guests were embroidered with floral patterns, and the table had several ornate decorations. It was tasteful—luxurious without being excessive.

“Did you come here because of what’s happening outside?”

Charlotte’s question broke the silence as I surveyed her room.

“Not exactly. I came to check if you’re alright.”

“...I’m in my room, in my home. Why wouldn’t I be alright?”

Judging by her expression, though, she didn’t look alright.

With everything happening, I was sure her mind was overflowing with worries. Still, telling her that outright wouldn’t do much good.

“Considering there’s someone climbing rooftops and sneaking into a princess’ room in broad daylight, I’d say things aren’t quite alright.”

I couldn’t exactly tell her, “You don’t look okay,” so I opted for a joke instead.

“...”

And, of course, the joke backfired magnificently.

“I heard an explosion outside a moment ago.”

“...”

Uh.

Well, that had happened.

There had been snipers positioned on the roof, so I’d set off a small explosion to distract them.

“It was outside the palace and in an empty area. It’ll just blow over as a minor incident.”

I answered calmly, and Charlotte shot me a glare—

—only for that glare to melt into a sudden laugh.

“Pfft.”

Her laughter, starting as a soft snort, quickly turned into genuine mirth. It wasn’t a sarcastic laugh, either. Judging by how it grew louder, Charlotte truly found the situation hilarious.

“...Haah.”

After laughing for some time, Charlotte looked at me—now frozen in place—and spoke with an incredulous tone.

“Unbelievable. Isn’t the person sneaking into a princess’ room in situations like this usually a prince who’s fallen in love with her?”

“If setting off explosives and climbing through windows are crimes, then I’ll accept responsibility for those. But that part? Not my fault.”

If I’d ever been given a choice between becoming a devastatingly handsome man or an extraordinarily beautiful woman, I would’ve proudly chosen to stay a man.

*

The commotion in the meeting hall had subsided, but in truth, the kingdom didn’t have many options.

After all, someone had to investigate the Holy Nation.

Of course, that didn’t mean we’d be marching in today or tomorrow. There were mountains of issues to sort out first: the kingdom’s stance, the divide between the royal family and the nobles, the chaos slowly spreading in the Empire, and the confusion within the imperial military, whose supreme commander had vanished. Those problems wouldn’t disappear just because we’d decided to “go to the Holy Nation.”

Moreover, while the nobles had held their tongues in front of me, I’d heard they’d erupted into arguments as soon as I left the room.

But still, there was no alternative.

If the light rising from the Holy Nation vanished and the Emperor emerged unscathed, this would all blow over as a harmless misunderstanding.

Yet few among the kingdom’s leadership seemed optimistic. Despite the rhetoric about maintaining ties with the Holy Nation, at the end of the day, it was still another country. And while many nobles were devout followers of the Goddess’ faith, plenty of others were not.

Ignoring the situation entirely would be a blow to the kingdom’s pride.

“Besides, Iberia has started to move as well.”

Charlotte slid a sheet of paper across the table toward me. It featured a photo capturing the Holy Nation’s distant situation and a brief report on the Iberian Kingdom.

The Holy Nation was a small city-state nestled between Belvur and the Iberian Kingdom. Like Belvur, Iberia was heavily influenced by the Goddess’ faith. However, perhaps because of that, Iberia was pushing to “verify” the situation in the Holy Nation.

Given the Holy Nation’s history, Belvur had a stronger justification to investigate, as the territory had originally been ceded to the Holy Nation through negotiations with Belvur.

Still, delaying would only work against us. The longer we waited, the more nations would begin to take an interest in the Holy Nation’s affairs.

“This doesn’t look like a newspaper.”

“Belvur has already adopted some advanced technologies where it matters. Believe it or not, we have a few aircraft of our own. During the hours you were sleeping, there was ample time to gather information. There’s even an embassy in Iberia. It’s not quite on the Empire’s level, but still.”

“No, it’s not that.”

I pushed the paper back toward Charlotte.

“The Empire relies too heavily on the Emperor. It’s not that we lack intelligence divisions or that the military and nobles are incapable of gathering information, but…”

Ultimately, the Emperor was the one holding the most critical pieces of information, and he rarely shared it. Those tasked with gathering intelligence were often individuals dispatched directly by the Emperor himself, not imperial agents.

“Is that so?”

Charlotte smiled faintly at my explanation—an expression that was surprisingly pleased.

“Are you sure it’s alright to show me this kind of information?”

“Didn’t you come here because you wanted to hear it?”

Her words made me pause.

Well… not exactly. I’d come to see if she was alright.

As the King had predicted, Charlotte wouldn’t be able to follow us. In the original storyline, Belvur had been in complete chaos, so the kingdom couldn’t keep track of Charlotte’s whereabouts, which allowed her to travel with the party. But now? Belvur was less chaotic than the Empire.

Even if she couldn’t come with us, I just wanted to see her face and talk to her.

Not just Charlotte—everyone else in the group, too.

“...”

Seeing me lost in thought, Charlotte furrowed her brows again.

“For the record, even if you tell me to ‘stay here,’ I’m not going to.”

While not on Alice’s level, Charlotte was still perceptive when it came to reading the mood. Perhaps that was her royal blood at work.

“The kingdom will go to great lengths to keep you here.”

I pointed out the obvious, and Charlotte’s gaze flickered toward the window.

The window where my rope still dangled.

...Uh-oh.

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Chapter 234

“If you plan to leave without me, I’ll scream at the top of my lungs right here and now.”

“…How exactly would that help?”

I asked earnestly.

If I were a man, it would’ve had a significant impact. In this world, which is extraordinarily conservative—especially in terms of gender relations—just the fact that a man and a woman were alone in a room could cause a scandal. If the woman screamed, that scream alone would serve as evidence.

However, we were both women.

“You used explosives to get into my room, didn’t you? If I claim you came here to assassinate me, wouldn’t everyone believe it?”

Charlotte spoke nonchalantly, saying something utterly terrifying. I stared at her for a moment before slowly opening my mouth.

“May I ask why you’re so determined to come along?”

“And may I ask why you’re so determined to stop me?”

Charlotte responded to my question with another question.

“Ah, and please don’t bother with the ‘it’s dangerous’ argument. I’ve already faced ‘danger’ when I was clawed by a griffon, so I believe I’ve seen enough of it for a lifetime.”

“…”

Well, she wasn’t exactly wrong about that.

“Or perhaps you think my skills are unnecessary? That it’s enough to just take some well-trained knights?”

Logically, that would be correct.

Think about it. No matter how mature we might seem, we’re still only fifteen years old. Not even adults. It wouldn’t be strange for others to dismiss us as mere children.

In this world, while teenagers might be treated as adults in certain societal aspects, sending them to the heart of a political conspiracy or a life-or-death mission would still be unprecedented.

The reason the protagonist’s party in the game could risk everything in the final battle and save the world was simply that—it was a game.

In real life, they’d have sent in a highly trained special forces unit.

Even now, as I consider this, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea.

And yet, the fact that I believe I must go myself shows just how much my mindset has shifted to align with this world’s norms.

“It’s not that I don’t trust your skills. It’s just that the political situation—”

“Again, let me ask you the same question: ‘And now, at this point?’”

“….”

“If there had been a proper plan in the first place, you wouldn’t have stormed into the royal palace and made such demands of my father—the King. Nor would you have assembled your friends and infiltrated the underground base. Do you know why my father agreed to your plan? It wasn’t because there was no alternative. It was because you were the one suggesting it, and he resigned himself to that.”

What?

“It’s because it’s you. Sylvia Fangryphon.”

Charlotte repeated herself, emphasizing my name.

“You’re the one who, at just fourteen years old, met with representatives of two nations, preemptively dismantled a military alliance, and left their relationship ambiguous. The one whom the Emperor trusts completely. The one who casually knew secrets of Belvur that even its own royal family didn’t. When you suggest something, people feel compelled to follow through because they have no idea what might happen if they don’t.”

“Do you really think my father agreed with your plan because he thought it was flawless?”

Well… no.

I thought he’d concluded it was the only viable option.

But now that I think about it, the reason it was the only option might have been me.

“So at this point, debating what’s better or more likely to succeed doesn’t matter. That’s why I need to see the end of this with my own eyes. I’d rather witness it myself than hear about it secondhand through rumors.”

The risk to her life or political repercussions didn’t matter anymore. She’d been drawn into this and wanted to see it through to the end.

In essence, that was Charlotte’s stance.

“And besides, as I said before…”

Charlotte’s expression shifted slightly, becoming more reserved.

“We’re friends. I was born into a political position. Enemies will arise no matter what I do, and I’ll have acquaintances who meet me for political reasons. Among them, there might be people who approach me, claiming to be my friends. I might even believe some of them. After all, there isn’t a strict definition for what a friend is.”

Charlotte looked down at her tea before raising her gaze to meet mine directly.

“But I’ve never encountered anyone with whom I couldn’t imagine not being friends, no matter how much our political interests might clash or how we might compete for the same gains. Even if one of us declared, ‘You’re not my friend,’ I couldn’t picture us as anything but.”

Charlotte gave a small shrug, smiling faintly.

“And you all—everyone from the Academy—you’re those kinds of friends for me. You’re the kind I’ll never find outside the Academy.”

So rather than lose them, she’d rather stay together until the end.

“…Do you realize we’ve known each other for less than a year?”

“Oh my, are you saying that because it’s only been a few months, we aren’t truly friends?”

…No, that’s not what I meant.

It’s just… I was taken aback.

She didn’t know what awaited her if she came along, yet she was willing to risk everything for friends she’d known for only a short time.

“Fine. If that’s what you’ve decided, I won’t try to stop you anymore.”

“Not that it would’ve mattered. I would’ve followed anyway.”

Once again, I found myself persuaded by Charlotte’s words.

*

“You look like you’ve been through hell.”

Alice’s voice greeted me as I entered her room. She squinted at me, clearly unimpressed.

Well, I had been through hell.

I’d spent so long talking with Charlotte that the snipers on the roof had returned to their posts. After the chaos caused by the underground base being discovered, security in the royal capital had been heightened to the max. Add to that the explosion I’d caused while entering Charlotte’s room, and it was no wonder the guards were on edge.

Climbing back up the rope, retrieving it, dodging the sharp gazes of the snipers by sticking to the roof like a lizard… I’d lost track of how many times I’d rewound time.

Naturally, I’d rolled around plenty as well.

“So about that explosion outside earlier…”

“I was just visiting Princess Charlotte’s room.”

“…”

Alice looked like she had a hundred things to say but refrained from asking further. It wasn’t hard to imagine what had happened, given my track record. She’d seen me cause enough chaos before to guess the rest.

“Leo and Claire haven’t arrived yet. You might want to fix your appearance before they see you. They’ll worry themselves sick if they see you like this.”

“Understood.”

Following Alice’s advice, I headed straight for her bathroom to freshen up.

*

The relics on the table still glowed faintly.

As expected, their light was directed at Alice and Claire.

“So… Claire is…”

“She’s my sister.”

Leo turned pale at Alice’s confirmation. As I’d expected.

“But I’m not a Fangryphon; I’m a Grace. So you don’t need to worry about losing your sister.”

Claire’s words were spoken lightly, almost as a joke, but Leo remained frozen, his lips moving soundlessly.

“Is there a reason you’re telling me this?”

“…He’s back to formal speech again.”

Alice sighed deeply. Lately, Leo had been growing more comfortable and informal with them, but now it felt like their relationship had reset to the beginning.

Alice shrugged, as if to say, “What can you do?”

“You’re Claire’s brother. At the very least, I thought you should know.”

“Claire has chosen to remain a Grace. Regardless of her lineage, she’s still your sister, just as she’s always been.”

As Alice and I reassured him, Leo stared blankly at Claire.

Claire, avoiding his gaze at first, eventually took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes.

“But I’m still your sister.”

“…Actually, if we’re both Graces, wouldn’t that make me the older sibling?”

Leo’s instinctive response to Claire’s words made me smile inwardly.

At least their bond wouldn’t break. That much was clear.

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Chapter 235

“You both don’t seem particularly worried about what’s to come.”

Had it been a different noble instead of Leo who heard this, the outcome would likely have been far more severe than a moment of pale shock before moving on.

Even in a world where human rights are at rock bottom and the monarchy is all-powerful, there are limits. While the original game was for all ages and didn’t venture into horrifying concepts like a “human farm,” the fact that the Emperor may have abandoned children he sired with a fallen royal family member would be a massive political scandal.

It was likely for that reason the Emperor hadn’t told his other children about the situation. He had revealed the truth to me as though it were self-evident, confident I wouldn’t disclose it to the others.

As for the Emperor’s moral failings, those were secondary. The bigger concern was if the “children,” once aware of their imperial blood, became rallying points for nobles seeking to form factions.

Or… perhaps not.

Thinking it over, it seemed unlikely.

Bella, Damian, Lucas, and Jayden all had distinct personalities, but none seemed particularly eager to become Emperor. They were likely enjoying their current, relatively free lives.

Jayden was the most ambitious of the group, but even he had lived a more comfortable life than the rest of us—especially compared to Bella and me. Though his life wasn’t without its hardships, it was nothing compared to ours.

Thanks to his easier upbringing, Jayden was also the most socially adept, often taking the lead among the Emperor’s children.

If rumors began circulating about nobles allying with the Emperor’s children, it would likely be a ploy by the Emperor himself to gather those nobles in one place and eliminate them.

While I was lost in thought, Leo seemed to have regained some of his composure. His face was no longer as pale as it had been earlier, though he still looked as though a cold sweat might break out at any moment.

“Um, well…”

After a brief pause, Leo spoke.

“I think Claire’s right.”

“…You don’t have to use formal speech in informal settings,” I reminded him.

“Oh, uh, okay?”

Even so, he still seemed unsure of how to handle his position. This wasn’t uncommon among the Academy students. Leo wasn’t the type to consistently use formal speech, so the shift back and forth wasn’t surprising.

“So, what do you mean by ‘Claire’s right’?”

Alice, looking exasperated, interjected.

“I mean that no matter what bloodline Claire might come from, she’s still my sister,” Leo said, seemingly resolved to speak informally.

Claire glanced at him with a sideways glare but didn’t object further.

“Our parents never treated Claire differently while raising her. Of course, they recognized the difference between a son and a daughter, but Claire’s bloodline wasn’t part of that distinction.”

The Grace baron and baroness would undoubtedly have acted that way. While the original game didn’t include a character for Leo’s younger sister, even without that background, their upright personalities made it clear they’d treat her no differently.

“Even if Claire had commoner blood instead of imperial blood, she’d still be Claire. So, no matter who her ‘real father’ might be, it doesn’t change anything. Especially since Claire herself doesn’t think it matters.”

“Leo…”

Claire, uncharacteristically, looked deeply moved by Leo’s words.

Her expression was remarkably similar to the one she’d shown Leo only once in the original game.

However, the expression here felt far more vivid. While the game had individual models for major characters, the preset expressions often felt reused. Here, Claire’s emotions were unmistakably alive.

Of course, this wasn’t a game. Every individual here truly existed, fully alive.

“That said, I’m still the older sibling.”

“No, now that we can determine birth order, isn’t it about time we clarified things?”

“I already told you—I’m a Grace, not a Fangryphon.”

“In that case, since you joined the Grace family later, doesn’t that make you the younger sibling?”

Watching the two of them bicker immediately after such a touching moment made it clear: they were siblings through and through.

I’d never had a younger sister or older sibling myself, but I imagined this was what it would feel like.

Creating this kind of atmosphere was Leo’s unique talent—something neither he nor others could easily replicate.

In the original game, Leo didn’t have many deep entanglements with other characters. The story focused on the classic “boy meets girl” harem narrative, with Leo, a mere son of a lower-ranking noble family, gradually forming connections with the Academy’s many characters and being drawn into their various situations.

Meeting Alice, then becoming entangled with her rival, Claire. Building ties with Charlotte and Mia. Even getting involved with the teachers and becoming the center of countless events.

While Leo lacked any significant political skills, his ability to make those around him feel comfortable and secure turned him into the story’s “core.”

I admired that.

And I envied it.

If Claire… even if she’d escaped her bleak past thanks to me, would she have grown so bright and cheerful if she’d ended up with a different family instead of the Graces?

“…”

“Um, Sylvia?”

Noticing my silence, Claire and Leo stopped their bickering and looked at me uncertainly.

I must’ve looked strange to them, sitting there quietly, lost in thought.

They probably felt a bit awkward about having argued over something so trivial after such a serious discussion.

Not that they needed to.

It was still early in the day, and we weren’t departing immediately. There was plenty of time left, and it wouldn’t hurt to relax a little.

Soon enough, we wouldn’t even have that luxury.

But once a lively mood is broken, it’s hard to regain.

Feeling a bit disappointed, I pushed the relic on the table toward Claire.

Even in broad daylight, its blue light shone brightly.

The light directed at Claire was unmistakably stronger.

At this point, even without knowing exactly what the relic was, its meaning was clear.

Claire’s bloodline was closer to the imperial family’s.

I noticed Alice biting her lip slightly but chose to pretend I hadn’t seen it.

“This is the reason I called you here.”

As I began to speak, the three of them fell silent.

“The Emperor gathered the most capable among the children he scattered across the land, creating the group known as the ‘Emperor’s Children.’ Though the name itself was coined by others to describe individuals like Alice and me.”

“…But didn’t the previous generation have a similar group? Were their bloodlines mixed the same way?”

“That, I don’t know.”

Most of the previous generation had died decades ago.

“But at least among this generation, it’s clear that the bloodlines are intertwined. Among the Emperor’s children, all but me share his blood.”

I could practically see the exclamation mark pop over Leo’s head. His eyes widened as he alternated between looking at me and the relic.

The relic’s light was completely absent on my side.

“W-Wait, so that means…”

“Yes,” I confirmed, turning to Leo, whose face had paled again.

“The Emperor mistook me for Claire. Due to a series of coincidences during an incident in our childhood, Claire and I ended up switching places.”

“….”

Alice closed her eyes, as though she’d already pieced everything together.

Claire covered her mouth with her hand, while Leo stared at me with a slack-jawed expression, as if worried his jaw might fall off.

Yeah, it’s a mess, isn’t it?

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Chapter 236

“The success or failure of this operation will hinge on this fact.”

“You mean… the fact that you don’t carry imperial blood?”

“Yes,” I replied, gazing again at the relic on the table.

The incomplete gear.

Its form likely held more significance than just symbolizing a “component.” In games like this, an object shaped like a gear would undoubtedly serve as a part of something larger.

And whatever that “completed object” was, it would likely wield the power of the goddess—or something comparable. That was what the Emperor was after.

In the original story, the Emperor claimed he wanted to place the entire world under his feet and rule it equally.

But was that truly feasible?

Even in my original world, World War I had been dubbed “the war to end all wars,” yet not long after came World War II, shocking the world. This world hadn’t yet experienced anything like a world war, so it wasn’t strange for someone to believe in such an ideal.

What was strange, however, was that the one harboring such thoughts was the Emperor.

A man who had spent the story preparing meticulously for war, wielding advanced weaponry and executing strategies to ensure victory. Could such a figure truly believe that a single war could bring eternal peace?

In fiction, characters heralded as geniuses often couldn’t surpass the intelligence of their creators. However, for someone repeatedly described as a “brilliant tactician,” failing to foresee such outcomes seemed off.

Even the game’s wiki had a section dedicated to critiquing this character, citing real-world examples to point out inconsistencies.

Still, players who followed Azerna Chronicles closely speculated that there must have been more to the Emperor’s motives.

What if the world war wasn’t an end, but a means? What if the Emperor sought something through it?

Consider the events:

The overwhelming bombardment of the autonomous state’s borderlands, highlighted in the sequel’s setting.

Damian, a frequent presence in the original, spending years overseas with minimal explanation.

The appearance of the masked figure, who didn’t exist in the original story.

And then… me.

The pieces were too sparse to form a complete picture.

But with even just a few edge pieces, outlining the puzzle wasn’t impossible.

“When that masked figure was near me, I couldn’t use my powers effectively. At least some of you must have noticed something about my abilities,” I began.

“….”

Alice, Claire, and Leo all turned serious at my words.

“In the ‘future’ I know of…” I hesitated for a moment, weighing how much to reveal.

The decision was easy.

“I can reverse time, but I can’t foresee the future. I only know what I’ve already experienced.”

“…”

“And this situation we’re in now? It’s something I’ve never encountered before.”

“Then… how do you know about this ‘future’ you mentioned earlier?”

Alice’s question was cautious, uncharacteristically so. It was refreshing to see her like this.

“Let’s just say I’ve read the script from outside the stage.”

Silence.

What I’d just revealed carried far more weight than simply explaining my powers.

“…Are you saying our actions… are predetermined?”

“Not necessarily.”

That, even I couldn’t say for certain.

This world bore a striking resemblance to the game, but there were undeniable differences.

For instance, Marmaros could be used to enhance weapons, but unlike the game, equipment couldn’t simply be swapped out at will. Weapon traits could even change based on how enhancements were applied.

Recovery devices existed, but here, no one questioned their origin or purpose. In the game, these devices often doubled as shops, but in this reality, they didn’t. It made sense; why would a centuries-old relic operate on “pound sterling”?

In the game, taking damage reduced HP. Until HP hit zero, you wouldn’t die—whether stabbed, bitten, or shot. Yet in cutscenes, even a single fatal wound could kill a character.

Here, wounds from key battles left scars.

So while this world resembled the game, I couldn’t believe its events were unfolding exactly as scripted.

After all, without me, Mia would’ve died to a bear in Winterfield.

“I can’t be sure. But the ancients seemed to think so. The deepest chambers of the imperial palace are filled with prophecy books.”

These prophecies, which were part of the original game’s lore and readable in fragments, matched much of what I knew. But their language was far more metaphorical.

A grand schemer emerges, formulating a plan with a chance to succeed, but ultimately fails.

The Emperor would’ve known this, but his personality suggested he’d simply see it as a challenge to overcome. A man with unshakable confidence in himself, he’d relish the attempt, even in failure.

“But within those prophecies… there’s no mention of me. Or the masked figure.”

That meant someone—something—was working against the prophecies, trying to defy their outcomes.

“If there’s someone like me, who can manipulate time, then perhaps there’s another entity capable of intervening from outside time itself.”

“…The goddess?”

Alice asked cautiously.

I neither confirmed nor denied it. Nothing was certain yet.

“Whatever brought me here, it’s safe to say I oppose whoever sent that masked figure. When that figure is near, my abilities are nullified.”

But not completely.

If my power came from the goddess, the opposing force wasn’t stronger—it merely disrupted it.

It wasn’t perfect.

Which meant it wasn’t fully realized either.

“The completed relics likely aren’t singular,” I concluded.

If the Emperor sought to harness the goddess’s power, using Fangryphon bloodlines as a medium, then perhaps there was another force, equally powerful, seeking to counteract him.

“He plans to gather the relic fragments through war and use Claire—someone with the strongest bloodline—as a medium to seize the goddess’s power. Then he’ll place the world beneath him, ruling as a god.”

But if the Empire’s relics were designed to wield or suppress divine power, then surely an opposing relic existed—one meant to resist or protect that same power.

Perhaps the goddess herself had prepared such a countermeasure.

Or perhaps the autonomous state had worked on it over centuries.

“…Then, this relic…”

Claire’s voice trembled as she stared down at the glowing artifact. Its light shone brightly on her face, as if calling out to be used.

If Fangryphon sought to suppress the goddess through its bloodline, then perhaps the goddess found a similar way to safeguard her power.

That was the conclusion I’d come to after countless time loops, pondering this while walking to Alice’s room.

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Chapter 237

The concept of an “NPC marathon” isn’t exclusive to Azerna Chronicles.

Regardless of culture, most RPGs emphasize the “role-playing” aspect—essentially, the joy of immersing yourself in a character and becoming one of the cast members within the world created by the developers. In some ways, interacting with the various characters can be more crucial than the strength of your own character.

In well-crafted Western RPGs, it’s often possible to finish a storyline without combat, relying entirely on persuasion stats. When it comes to the importance of “conversation” as content, Western RPGs arguably surpass linear stories like Azerna Chronicles. Yet, strangely, I’ve never been compelled to run marathons in those games.

Maybe it’s because I’m more drawn to JRPGs with their abundance of beautiful girls and boys. Or maybe it’s that open-world Western RPGs, with their vast fields, feel overwhelming to explore thoroughly.

But there’s no point dwelling on it now. In this world, “video games” as I know them won’t exist for at least another fifty years. A century, if we’re being realistic, considering the current state of “computers” here. Perhaps they’ll never exist.

And as much as I’d love to design a board game or TRPG system and pitch it to my friends, well… that feels like an uphill battle.

Lately, I’ve been entertaining such thoughts, probably because I’ve encountered a few game-like devices in this world. Additionally, in the original work, it was customary to have conversations with all the major characters before the final battle. This tradition carried over to every sequel in the series.

What I was doing now was essentially the same thing.

Walking down a long hallway, I stopped before a large door and knocked twice.

“Mia, are you there?”

The door was thick, but it seemed my voice carried through. She was likely alone inside.

After a brief pause, the door opened, revealing Mia’s face.

As always, her bangs slightly obscured her eyes. Initially, I found her hairstyle rather gloomy—both in the original work and in this world—but now I noticed it had a certain charm. Perhaps it made her look younger.

Hairstyles like this can appear different depending on the reactions they elicit. In real life, this look takes immense courage to pull off. While the original work’s 3D model based on 2D illustrations could pass it off as “unmanaged hair,” in reality, her neatly trimmed bangs and glossy straight hair hinted at deliberate maintenance. No one could claim it was accidental.

Should I suggest she try a different style someday?

That thought crossed my mind because I no longer associated Mia with her “gloomy image.”

“Ah, hello…”

Her voice was tense.

Considering she might think I was here to discuss upcoming events, her nervousness was understandable.

The Crowfield name wasn’t exactly well-regarded in the kingdom. And with Mia having ventured into Lutetia’s underground and poised to get involved in politically sensitive matters, her anxiety was only natural.

That’s precisely why I was here. Without a conversation, our fragile relationship could shatter at any moment.

“Could we talk for a bit?”

“O-Of course, please.”

Mia hesitated briefly but stepped aside, allowing me into the room.

Though Mia was staying here, the room wasn’t hers. It was a guest room the kingdom had provided for our temporary stay.

The Lutetia Palace wasn’t a hotel. While it had rooms for visiting dignitaries, they weren’t clustered like a hotel’s. Most students were housed in a separate annex, but those who had ventured into Lutetia’s underground were scattered across various areas of the palace, presumably due to their perceived risk.

Even so, no one stopped me from entering her room—unlike Charlotte’s, perhaps.

However, the “maid” silently stationed by the door didn’t strike me as an ordinary one.

Like Alice’s quarters, there was no overt surveillance in Mia’s room. Not that I cared if anyone listened in.

Mia and I each took a seat by the small table in the room.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

I looked directly at Mia.

“If we head to the Holy Nation, will you come with us?”

“…”

Mia hesitated for a moment, then glanced up at me and nodded.

“Yes, I’ll come.”

“Following me won’t grant you any political advantage. In fact, it might worsen the kingdom’s and the Emperor’s impression of you.”

To be honest, it wasn’t just a possibility—it was practically a given. The Crowfield name would become even more entangled in irritating political disputes. While the kingdom wouldn’t outright attack the Empire to reclaim Crowfield’s territory, the old wounds and trade routes connecting Crowfield to the kingdom would remain contentious.

“B-But I still want to go.”

Mia’s response was firm.

“You want to go?”

“Yes.”

So, it was a decision based on emotion rather than practicality.

“May I ask why?”

Was it because of me?

In the original work, Mia was a romanceable heroine. She harbored a deep resentment toward Alice, knowing the Emperor had killed her father. Leo, caught between Alice and Mia, often found himself in trouble.

Ultimately, Leo was the reason Alice and Mia reconciled.

It was only natural both characters fell for him.

But in this world… that event was entirely derailed by my presence. By the time the original story began, Alice had already matured significantly, and for Mia, I—not Alice—was the tangible target of her vengeance.

Naturally, the resolution of that issue had to come from me.

Though it wasn’t something I actively intended to solve—it just turned out that way.

If, through that process, Mia came to see me as a “true friend,” I’d be thrilled.

After all, most of the original game’s characters were ones I liked. I’d even played multiple runs pairing Mia and Leo together, so it was impossible not to feel attached.

“Well…”

Mia hesitated before speaking again.

“I want to see how this story ends.”

Her answer was far more profound than I had expected.

“The story’s end?”

I couldn’t help but ask.

“Um…”

Mia glanced around, as if searching for the right words.

“It’s awkward to bring up now, but I… once tried to kill you, Sylvia.”

“That’s true.”

I wasn’t sure when her hostility had faded, but at some point, Mia stopped openly showing animosity toward me.

I thought it might have been after I barged into her room uninvited. She realized I could kill her anytime, so she became wary. Over time, those murderous thoughts must have completely disappeared.

“Well… even after learning the truth, I considered it a few times.”

What?

Mia’s words were more shocking than I had anticipated.

“Ah, no! Of course, I didn’t seriously plan on killing you! I just… wondered how I could defeat you in a fight!”

Wait, isn’t there a big difference between wanting to “defeat” someone and planning to kill them?

Granted, I’ve considered whether I’d need to kill the Emperor if necessary.

But there’s a stark difference between targeting someone and being targeted.

“To be honest, I could never understand how someone who barely uses magic could fight like that.”

Mia quickly explained, as if eager to move past the subject.

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Chapter 238

“Are you saying you assumed there was some other method at play?”

“It felt like… you already knew how to fight,” Mia replied.

Her observational skills were sharper than I’d given her credit for.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t all that surprising. Mia might not possess extraordinary physical abilities or be particularly active, preferring instead to stay holed up in her room. But from a young age, she’d been subjected to near-brainwashing education by her mother. Even up until the moment we first met, her sole life goal had been to kill me.

“But isn’t it strange? The idea of foresight or precognition existing in reality? Shooting accurately at enemies even when your line of sight is blocked, giving me expensive Maramaros rounds as if you knew they’d be needed, and achieving those kinds of results even against multiple skilled opponents…”

Mia began recounting each instance of my actions near her in vivid detail.

“And… I’ve never been on a battlefield myself, but if the training I received from Jennifer is weaker than actual warfare, then… is it even possible to go into a place like that alone and come out alive? Surely it’s the kind of situation where even multiple lives wouldn’t be enough to survive?”

“…”

“To know everything about the underground labyrinth, including what would be waiting at its core… To adjust strategies on the spot as if you had already planned for it. To take out trained knights single-handedly. That kind of thing isn’t achievable with just physical ability. Anyone present in those moments would have realized something was unusual.”

Mia’s voice, which had sounded nervous earlier, grew calmer as she spoke.

It seemed that articulating her thoughts out loud was helping her relax.

“And so I came to a conclusion. Do you remember that time Sylvia entered my room and retrieved the gun?”

“I remember.”

“Until recently, I thought that was the only moment I could’ve killed you. The gun was loaded in my hands, you were close enough for me to hit you, and the caliber was large enough to do the job. But thinking back… if there was a future where I shot you, Sylvia, then you wouldn’t have given me the gun in the first place.”

“…”

I couldn’t deny that.

Even with my ability to turn back time, I had never actually died. Not even when I’d let loose on the battlefield without thinking. So I had no idea whether time would rewind if I were killed.

Mia’s reasoning was half correct and half wrong. If she hadn’t been able to kill me with one shot, I would’ve rewound time and avoided giving her the gun altogether.

But if she had killed me in one blow… even I couldn’t say what would happen after that.

“And since then, there’s been nothing to speak of. No matter how I think about it, I can’t see a way to defeat you, Sylvia. Even though I use magic.”

“So… does that mean you want to see what happens to me in the future?”

“Hmm, maybe,” Mia replied vaguely.

“When I completely gave up on killing you, I started to see so many things I hadn’t noticed before.”

Mia paused, as if organizing her thoughts, and then began speaking slowly, one sentence at a time.

“When all I thought about was killing you, I couldn’t figure out what I liked or what I’d do after achieving that goal.”

Well, she had even gone so far as to secretly spy on me.

I’d once made some ridiculous excuse to her about “learning emotions” just to deflect suspicion.

She had definitely remembered that during the recent commotion involving Sophia.

…Would she still remember it now?

“But when I let go of that obsession… It’s strange. I gave up what I thought was the most important thing in my life, but instead, other things filled the void.”

“And these other things…?”

“Where the task of killing you used to be, there are now things I want to do.”

Mia lowered her gaze. Her expression was bittersweet.

“I’m not very physically capable. That’s an innate trait I can’t do anything about. So I chose magic as my ‘weapon.’ I thought it would be easier to cover up evidence after succeeding and more versatile to use. But I never really considered whether I liked it.”

Mia’s gaze, which had been cast downward, suddenly sparkled as it returned to me.

“But… isn’t it strange? The ability I thought of only as a means to kill you, Sylvia, is something you helped me use for entirely different purposes. To protect allies on the battlefield. To protect myself.”

Hmm.

The truth was, I hadn’t done that for Mia’s sake. It had been for my own benefit.

But even I wasn’t dense enough to mention that now. It would ruin the mood.

I decided to keep quiet and let her continue.

“If I can call the Maramaros rounds you gave me a gift, then they’re the first present I’ve ever received from someone besides my parents. While attaching them to my staff and figuring out how to use them, I realized something.”

Mia paused for a moment before finishing her thought.

“I realized I enjoyed thinking about those things.”

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

“You know how I mentioned trying to figure out how to defeat you, Sylvia? That came from wondering what I could do with magic. How I could use it, adapt it, and what new spells I could create by applying Maramaros in different ways. At first, I only chose magic because it fit my talents. But now, I enjoy thinking about how it works.”

“…”

“And then there’s the food I’ve tried while traveling with you. It’s delicious. I’ve been discovering things I like, one by one. So I want to come with you this time, too.”

“I can’t say for sure what will be at the end of this journey.”

“But when we reach it, we’ll find out, won’t we?”

Mia’s words felt… quintessentially like something a mage would say.

“And I’m curious. Whether Sylvia’s abilities are magical or something else entirely. You’re not planning to tell me now, but to figure it out, I have to follow you to the very end.”

Her voice, unlike when I first saw her today, was no longer tinged with nervousness.

“There might be someone stronger than me waiting further ahead.”

“Well, that does sound a bit scary.”

My teasing remark made Mia falter slightly, her tone flustered, but it didn’t change her resolve.

“But this time, I won’t be preparing and acting alone.”

“…That’s true.”

If I had to plan everything myself and act alone, I wouldn’t have decided so readily to head there either.

I would’ve spent much more time deliberating, buying time, and strategizing.

“With how strongly you’ve made your case, I can’t think of a reason to stop you.”

“…Were you planning to stop me from coming?”

I’d meant to persuade her to join me, actually.

But since she’d already made up her mind before I said anything, there was nothing left for me to do. I’d given her all the warnings I could.

Instead of answering, I stood up.

“In that case, I’ll let you know as soon as we finalize the schedule.”

“All right.”

Mia rose to her feet as well.

“I’ll be waiting.”

As soon as I left Mia’s room, I exhaled deeply—then held my breath when I noticed the maid still standing nearby. Thankfully, she only gave a slight nod, so she probably hadn’t caught my actions. It wasn’t like I’d been especially conspicuous.

Now, then…

Who should I meet next?

The sun hadn’t set yet, but there might not be enough time to visit everyone in one day.

The Lutetia Palace was vast, and some of the people I needed to see might be in the annex.

Could I get to everyone today?

I couldn’t rewind time to save my progress in conversations, so that option was off the table.

For the first time, I felt a deep respect for Leo, who went out of his way to talk to every single NPC in the game.

Then again, in the game, time didn’t pass when you talked to a few characters.

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Chapter 239

Jake and Lottie were… difficult to describe.

Was it hard to find them, or was it actually easy?

We had been running around Lutetia’s underground just last night. Even with the healing devices restoring our bodies, everyone shared the same desire to rest.

After staying awake past midnight and fighting until the bitter end, it was no surprise that Charlotte, Alice, Claire, and Leo were all in their respective rooms. Once I pinpointed their locations, it was easy to find them.

But… Jake and Lottie weren’t in their rooms.

The locations of their rooms weren’t exactly a secret. If I grabbed any servant and asked, they could easily tell me. However, knowing where their rooms were didn’t help if the people I was looking for weren’t inside.

Jake and Lottie weren’t officially in a relationship. If we were to call their dynamic “dating,” then they had essentially been “dating” for a long time—always together, acting quite familiar with one another. Even if Lottie maintained some distance from him in front of others.

Whether they were romantically involved or not, it didn’t really matter.

After all, in this world, there were people who weren’t dating but slept together, and conversely, there were those who maintained their chastity before marriage despite being in a relationship. It wasn’t unusual to see such extremes coexist in these times.

Regardless of whether they were dating or not—

“Sylvia.”

—As someone who had never been in a romantic relationship in either my previous life or this one, the two of them honestly annoyed me.

Seriously. Was it necessary to flaunt their bond like that?

Well, at least they weren’t as bad as Leo in the original story. That guy didn’t even need to date anyone—female characters would just kiss him out of nowhere. If you viewed all the connection events, you’d witness several kissing scenes during the story.

If Leo in this world had been like that Leo, I might have genuinely smacked him on the back of the head at least once.

Still, Jake and Lottie adhered to their own boundaries, and above all, they were a pure, dedicated couple who only had eyes for each other.

They didn’t hold hands or link arms openly. But they stood close enough to feel each other’s warmth, a distance that made their mutual feelings unmistakable.

Fine, I’ll admit it.

I had encouraged this.

I’d always been a sucker for pure, romantic storylines. Watching slow-moving couples frustrate me, so I’d worked hard to bring the two of them closer.

But seeing it “live” was entirely different from watching it unfold in a game.

It reminded me of when a friend back in my previous life would subtly brag about having a girlfriend. At least back then, I could curse them out. With these two, I had no one to blame but myself for their closeness.

“Jake, Lottie.”

Jake turned toward me with a cheerful expression, his face practically glowing. It reminded me of the way a friend looked right after getting a girlfriend.

“You came all the way here? If you’d told a servant and waited, we would’ve come to your room instead.”

…That’s a fair point.

Even if I hadn’t found them immediately, the servants were well-informed. As important guests, Jake and Lottie’s whereabouts within the palace were likely shared among the staff. If I told someone I was looking for them, that message could’ve been relayed directly to the two.

There really wasn’t a need to wander around and ask multiple people until I ended up here on the terrace.

“…I’ve been wandering around inside since I woke up. I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to chat while getting some fresh air.”

Of course, I couldn’t admit that I simply hadn’t thought of that. So, I said that instead.

It wasn’t entirely untrue—just omit the part about thinking it wasn’t a bad idea. After all, I had been sneaking around on the rooftops earlier to reach Charlotte’s room, but that wasn’t something I could openly mention in front of the servants.

Anyway, it was lucky to find both of them here together. In that sense, it had been “easy”… though, if they weren’t so close, they probably wouldn’t have been here to begin with.

“Really? Then it must not be that serious.”

Jake leaned back against the terrace railing as he spoke. Lottie, who had been slightly turned toward him, also shifted her stance. However, unlike Jake, she didn’t lean back confidently, likely still mindful of their difference in status.

I wondered how Lottie would react if she found out my true identity.

Then again, her attitude probably wouldn’t change much. Lottie was the type to speak formally even to fellow commoners.

“It’s a serious matter, but it’s also something that can’t be helped, even if the kingdom learns about it.”

Our journey to the Holy Nation was already set in stone. Even if we tried to hide it, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure it out. Anyone with half a brain could guess that “the group that ventured into Lutetia’s underground” was heading to the Holy Nation. Charlotte might plan to stay behind, but she was determined to tag along, so worrying about it further was pointless.

“First, I have something I’d like to apologize for.”

“Apologize?”

Jake tilted his head curiously, and Lottie looked straight at me, her gaze steady. Neither of them seemed to have any idea what I was about to apologize for.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to arrange Lottie’s knighthood for the time being.”

“Oh, that.”

Jake nodded as if understanding now.

Officially granting Lottie the title of knight wasn’t a major issue in itself. Both princesses acknowledged her merit, and if I pushed for it, the Emperor likely wouldn’t object. Even if the Emperor’s schedule delayed things, under normal circumstances, Lottie would’ve received her knighthood within a few months.

But things had gone horribly wrong.

The Emperor was currently missing.

While I had a rough idea of where he might be, without confirmation, it was technically a “disappearance.” As a result, all official duties requiring his approval were at a standstill.

In a typical constitutional monarchy, the parliament would keep the country running in the King’s absence. But in the Empire, the parliament was effectively a puppet of the Emperor. To gain a seat, you had to publicly declare your loyalty to him.

While the members were undoubtedly competent—otherwise, the Emperor would’ve dismissed them—the ability to follow orders and the ability to handle unforeseen crises were two very different skills.

Asking another noble to bestow the title was out of the question. It would indebten me to them, and, more importantly, Lottie’s knighthood needed to come from the royal authority to hold its full meaning. That authority was also what allowed Lottie, a commoner, to consider marriage with Jake, the son of a duke.

“You don’t need to worry too much about that.”

Jake shrugged nonchalantly.

“Sure, it’d be better politically if Lottie had the title, but we’ve already talked it through.”

“You mean… you’re planning to marry even without her becoming a knight?”

“It’s not illegal, is it?”

At his words, I glanced at Lottie.

Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and for once, she avoided meeting my gaze.

Hadn’t she been hesitating because of her status just a few months ago? That was why I’d planned to gift her the knighthood, believing it had shifted her mindset.

“Well, congratulations are in order…”

Though their relationship made me a little envious and annoyed, I didn’t wish for them to break up. On the contrary, I hoped they’d marry, have children, and live happily ever after.

Still, I was curious. What had caused such a sudden change of heart?

Sensing my unspoken question, Jake spoke up in Lottie’s stead, as she remained silent with her lips pressed tightly together.

“It seems she gained a bit of confidence after that incident.”

Lottie turned to Jake, startled, but he paid her reaction no mind and continued.

“Probably after hearing what you said to her by the seaside.”

He must’ve been referring to the time I’d overheard their conversation and intervened.

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Chapter 240

"Whatever the situation was, it seems that Lottie realized her skills had a lot to do with the outcome."

Lottie was now lightly clutching Jake's sleeve, a clear expression on her face that seemed to say, Please stop talking. But Jake showed no signs of stopping.

In fact, he looked like he was enjoying this.

Jake glanced down at Lottie with a small smile before turning his gaze back to me.

"Honestly, anyone could tell that situation was something you engineered. It wasn’t like there weren’t tools available, or that you lacked the skills. I didn’t quite realize it at the time, but after watching you fight last night, it became clear. You deliberately positioned yourself in that exact spot, calculating the distance perfectly."

His words were both right and wrong.

I didn’t possess the kind of talent needed to calculate a beast’s charging distance and place myself precisely there.

What I did have, however, were the abilities to verify such things and the power to rewind time if I failed. That’s why I could take those risks without hesitation.

I didn’t affirm or deny Jake’s words; I simply listened.

"So Lottie started wondering, 'Why is this person helping me so much?'"

"Jake."

Lottie muttered his name as if trying to stop him, but then she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Oh-ho.

I narrowed my eyes ever so slightly at Lottie. She must have noticed, as she immediately turned her head away. Still, she kept one hand firmly gripping Jake’s sleeve.

'Jake,' huh.

Up until now, even when they were alone, Lottie had rarely addressed him by name directly. And if she did, it was always accompanied by a title. For her to slip and call him just by his name in a moment of surprise… it spoke volumes about how close they had become.

"At first, she thought it was all for political gain."

To be fair, I had used that angle to persuade Duke Lindbergh. It was far more effective than just saying, Because I want to.

"So she couldn’t just accept your goodwill freely. She must have wondered if you were planning to use her as a tool to manipulate me."

"Does that mean Lottie already knew you liked her, even back then?"

I kept my voice neutral and softened my gaze, but teasing her was just too tempting.

"Hmm, who knows? I’ve never tried to hide it, though."

Of course, Jake had never openly declared his feelings either. But there are plenty of ways to show affection without saying it outright, so I didn’t bother pointing that out.

"Anyway, at the time, she was being cautious about you. Then you suddenly showed up and said that, right? That she should use whatever was in her hands to its fullest. Only then did she start thinking you were just being kind and giving her something useful."

There were other reasons too, of course. The fact that I had gone out of my way to extract Lottie’s mother from that house was one example. That act, in particular, had no tangible benefit for me.

Thinking back to Lottie in the original story, she likely just wanted to stand beside Jake on her own terms. Whether or not she was officially recognized as his wife wouldn’t have mattered much to her. As long as she could stay by his side, she would have been satisfied.

But what I had said to her back then was this: Whatever ends up in your hands is your power.

Even if someone else handed her that power, it became hers the moment she used it. And since those words came from the one who had given her the power, Lottie must have decided to accept them after some deliberation.

"That’s why now… while having the knighthood would be nice, it doesn’t really matter anymore. The fact that I fell for Lottie is proof of her strength, isn’t it? She already has the power, so the rest is just extra."

All I could do in response to Jake’s words was nod.

Basically, the two of them had decided to ignore all obstacles and be a happy couple. The supposedly insurmountable barrier of class differences? They’d cast it aside like it was nothing.

"Besides, both Lottie and I made it through that battle with you. 'Anyone can see' that we’re now close to the princess’s inner circle. There are positions in this world where titles aren’t necessary to hold power."

"Is that so."

If a royal welcomed someone with open arms, their social status became irrelevant. No noble could treat them poorly, regardless of their standing. The rarity of royalty only amplified this effect—meeting and conversing with one required appointments and waiting lists.

Jake and Lottie, however, could meet the princess whenever they pleased. That alone was a tremendous privilege.

"Exactly. So, we’ve decided to accompany you on your next battle."

"…"

Jake’s sudden pivot caught me off guard, and I fell silent for a moment.

"Does that have anything to do with the political angle you just mentioned?"

"I told you, we fought alongside you. It solidifies our standing. Besides…" Jake shrugged. "I don’t know the full details of what’s happening, but standing beside you in a battle that could decide the fate of the world? That’ll only strengthen our position in the future."

He wasn’t wrong.

Even common soldiers who fought alongside noble officers in battle sometimes forged bonds that transcended class. And no one dared to treat those soldiers poorly afterward.

If that noble officer were a princess, the weight of that bond would be even greater.

"You just said, 'I don’t know the full details' a moment ago."

"Well, you haven’t told us yet."

Fair enough. I couldn’t argue with that.

"Wasn’t that why you came to see us?"

"Not exactly. I came to ask if you wanted to join."

"Then it’s settled. You’ve heard our answer."

Well, that was straightforward.

Jake’s reasoning wasn’t as emotionally driven as Charlotte’s. It had a clear political element to it.

But with Jake’s confident demeanor, it somehow made the political reasoning feel irrelevant.

"I really want to be of help this time," Lottie finally said.

Her voice was soft, but there was determination in it.

Lottie turned to face me fully for the first time. Her face was still a little flushed, but she seemed more composed than she had been when Jake was teasing her earlier.

"I don’t want it to be a chance handed to me. This time, I want to truly contribute."

"I see."

I nodded at her earnest words.

"And no matter how strong you are, you can’t finish this battle alone, right? That’s why you came to us," Jake added.

I nodded again.

Could I manage it alone?

Maybe. If there was a relic inside that could help me control my power, I might be able to pull it off. But pushing through it would take a toll on my body, and enduring the pain would make it harder to think clearly.

If there was someone who could reliably assist me in those moments—

…Was it strange that I kept thinking of my friends first?

From a practical standpoint, a veteran soldier or knight would have been the safer choice. But somehow, my thoughts turned to them instead.

Still, I couldn’t back out now. That would mean betraying everyone’s expectations.

I had resolved to protect everyone. If I just gave it my all, it would work out.

Jake and Lottie waited silently, watching me as if anticipating my answer.

"Understood. In that case, I’ll gladly accept your help."

"Don’t mention it. We owe you plenty already."

Jake said this with a grin, brushing off Lottie’s hand from his sleeve. He immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

Lottie, startled, slapped his arm in protest.

…And just like that, the warm, heartfelt atmosphere evaporated.

Was he trying to show off?

This was straight-up betrayal. How was I supposed to live like this without a partner of my own?

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Chapter 241

No matter how much I considered everyone around me as "my friends," the thoughts of these "friends" were naturally different from one another. Even if they seemed close on the surface, sharing jokes and conversations when I was around, they would often fall silent the moment I left the scene.

It wasn’t because they had bad relationships with one another, but because their connections had been forged through me. What they knew about each other came solely from what they had learned through me. In such cases, people instinctively become cautious about their words, avoiding unnecessary conflicts that could strain their relationships with me.

This kind of awkwardness wouldn’t disappear until they genuinely considered themselves friends without my mediation.

Of course, not every situation was like this.

"Why were you following the princess?"

"I told you, I wasn’t following her."

Sometimes, people could dislike each other for no apparent reason, or misunderstandings could sour a relationship from the start.

And in such cases, the most inconvenienced person was me. If one of them made an irredeemable mistake, I could simply cut ties. But when their falling out stemmed from something trivial, I found myself uncomfortably stuck in the middle.

Luckily, Jake and Lottie weren’t part of such a pre-existing conflict before I got to know them.

After finishing my conversation with Jake and Lottie, I hadn’t gone far from the terrace when I found Sophia and Lena bickering.

Sophia, at least "officially," was a noble from Belvur, with an established status. Lena, on the other hand, hailed from a far-off land compared to Belvur’s position in the empire. While not directly across the empire, Belvur was in the east, and Lena’s homeland, the Ricland Autonomous State, was in the north. The distance was far from insignificant.

The autonomous state wasn’t a country with a grand monarchy or a long history. As the name "autonomous state" implied, it didn’t have much of a voice on the international stage, likely serving as a puppet for the empire’s interests.

Lena had come to the academy to observe me and the empire’s movements. However, since Lena herself seemed friendly toward me, Belvur regarded her as a suspicious outsider, no different from any other imperial citizen.

There was even a servant standing in the corridor, probably to keep an eye on her. Though the servant didn’t interfere in their argument, their presence spoke volumes.

"I hear my name being mentioned. What’s going on here?"

Since I had planned to talk to both of them anyway, I approached them directly and asked. Sophia’s expression briefly flashed with unease at my voice, while Lena continued glaring at her.

"This one here has been following the princess."

"I told you it wasn’t following…."

Sophia repeated her defense, but the sharpness in her voice had diminished slightly, likely due to my presence.

So, she was following me.

That was the conclusion I reached in my mind, though I didn’t let it show on my face.

Honestly, Sophia wasn’t the only one I suspected of following me. Lena wouldn’t have run into Sophia like this if she hadn’t been trailing me too.

Keeping my expression neutral, I said, "Well, this works out nicely. I was planning to meet both of you anyway."

At that, both of their gazes turned to me. Sophia’s unease flickered again, while Lena’s expressionless face betrayed a faint sparkle in her eyes.

Lena’s admiration for me hadn’t waned. If anything, it seemed to deepen as time went on. And why wouldn’t it? Every time she saw me in action, enemies would fall like dominoes.

Sophia likely felt the same. While she could undoubtedly defeat me in a straightforward duel, she had witnessed me take down an entire squad of knights the previous night. Even if my victory relied on time manipulation, the outcome was undeniable. Her wariness was understandable.

"Both of you, follow me."

I spoke before either could voice any objections, eager to avoid the hassle of arranging separate meetings with them.

There was no need to go to either of their rooms. Those weren’t their usual quarters, so visiting them wouldn’t reveal anything noteworthy.

I started walking without waiting for a response, and after a brief pause, I heard footsteps following me. Judging by the timing, Sophia’s steps were likely the later ones.

The walk to my room was long enough to sort my thoughts.

*

"Neither of you are citizens of the empire."

There was no response to my opening statement.

I had gone through the trouble of brewing tea and setting a cup before each of them, but neither seemed in the mood to drink.

Sophia sat stiffly, visibly tense since the moment she entered the room. Lena, on the other hand, exuded a sharp energy, as if she were keeping a close watch on Sophia.

I considered addressing their attitudes but decided against it. Better to let the conversation smooth things over naturally—or so I hoped.

…It turned out that hope was overly optimistic.

"So, there’s no need for either of you to do me any favors. While you may hold the status of academy students and have been treated as cadets of the empire until now, I can’t ask you to abandon your identities or beliefs."

Neither of them responded, but their eyes were fixed on me.

"Lena, you came here as an exchange student from the autonomous state. It might have been a mistake to involve you so deeply in imperial matters. As a mere student, you’ve been dragged into things far beyond your scope."

Lena’s expression suggested she wanted to say something, but I quickly continued to preempt her.

"Given your position as a student and your parents’ standing, it’s clear that your nation has certain expectations of you. However, I must ask you to keep what happens next confidential. Doing so may even go against your nation’s interests."

"…"

Hearing this, Lena seemed hesitant to give the immediate agreement I was looking for.

Whether her parents had explicitly told her to monitor me or not was unclear. But the very fact that she had been sent to study in the empire suggested their intent. Maybe they subtly probed her during school breaks, or perhaps they outright instructed her to report on me.

Lena was earnest and loyal, but I couldn’t be sure she’d defy her parents’ orders. Unlike the main characters of the original game, I didn’t have the luxury of seeing what Lena did when I wasn’t looking. She was an original character who never appeared in the game.

Still, my intention wasn’t to say, I can’t bring you because secrecy is too important.

"I need strength, and the people who provide that strength must be those I can trust. Lena, you are someone I trust. This is an unreasonable request, but will you help me?"

Lena’s abilities were unquestionably reliable. She wasn’t just playing a role—she had observed my combat style up close and adapted it into her own.

Having her support in battle would be invaluable.

If possible, I wanted her by my side in the final moments.

Besides, even if she shared the emperor’s plans with others, would it really matter?

The nobles of Belvur already had a general understanding of the situation. And even if the autonomous state learned about it, they wouldn’t be able to act militarily against the empire—not after witnessing the bombardments along the border.

Could the emperor have planned all this with that in mind?

I couldn’t dismiss the possibility.

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Chapter 242

"…Then, I will gladly accompany you in this battle," Lena said, bowing her head slightly.

Her demeanor seemed as if she were trying to hide her expression. There was no need for me to force her to reveal it.

"Thank you," I replied courteously to Lena, then turned my attention to Sophia.

The moment our eyes met, Sophia's pupils trembled.

"Sophia, I need you—"

"Your Highness," Lena interrupted before I could finish.

"May I state my opinion first?"

"...Go ahead."

I nodded, somewhat anticipating what she might say. If both Lena and Sophia were to accompany me, it was crucial to address any misunderstandings—or more accurately, the tension—between them. Resolving potential conflicts early would be essential. Trust among allies was non-negotiable, especially when my life might depend on them in critical moments.

What I sought was not a tragic tale of a party unraveling due to mistrust but a path where we all survived and saw the story's conclusion together.

If anyone thought, Wouldn't it be better to go alone than risk party discord? they might not understand the situation. In the original game, heroines who were separated from the protagonist sometimes met untimely deaths. The game allowed a maximum of four party members, with two additional support characters rotating in combat.

Characters outside the party were relegated to "offscreen triggers." A heroine might be absent during critical moments, only to return as a bloodied corpse later. The protagonist could only witness their final breaths, unable to prevent their deaths.

While the deaths were partially determined by fixed triggers, conditions could change based on who was excluded. For instance, leaving Lottie and Jake out of the final party would result in Jake's death as he tried to protect Lottie. Similarly, mentors like Jennifer or Carolyn would sacrifice themselves for their students under certain circumstances.

If this world mirrored the game in any way, the safest option would be to gather all major characters near the protagonist, "Leo."

In the game, such tactics were impossible due to system limitations, but here, those restrictions didn't exist.

"Sophia Bianchi may very well be connected to the church we faced last night," Lena declared.

A reasonable conclusion. Anyone who remembered the cardinal's words to Sophia would think the same.

"Which means, if we are to face the Theocracy, she cannot be fully trusted," Lena said firmly.

It was essentially a declaration of distrust. Lena and Sophia's earlier squabble seemed to stem from this very suspicion, as Sophia had been tailing me.

If Lena wasn't also following me, what was she doing? Searching for me, perhaps? On the other hand, Sophia's actions might have been more overtly suspicious.

"..."

Sophia had no rebuttal to Lena's claim; even she must have found her behavior questionable.

So, I decided to speak up in Sophia's favor.

"I'm already aware of that."

Lena turned her gaze toward me, her expression a mixture of surprise and expectation.

Before I could elaborate, Sophia spoke first.

"Yes, that's correct. Her Highness has been aware of my true nature for some time. In fact, my orders to monitor her became meaningless as soon as she realized."

Whether Sophia had been observing me or not, I'd carried on as usual. Even if she reported my actions, how could anyone make sense of them? My movements, my uncanny foresight of the underground facility, and my preemptive countermeasures to the Theocracy's schemes would have left any observer at a loss.

"In that case—"

"But," Sophia cut Lena off before she could continue, her tone sharpening.

"I do have my own thoughts, you know?"

Whether out of irritation or a desire to assert herself, Sophia's voice took on a defiant edge. It was reminiscent of the Sophia from the original game, though hearing it now felt oddly refreshing.

In the original game, her voice might have been grating, but here, it was endearing to see Sophia finally stand her ground.

"From where I stand, it's clear that the emperor must be stopped—whether it's the Theocracy, the Empire, or anything else at stake. Her Highness has declared her intent to confront him. Even if I were aligned with the Theocracy, siding with Her Highness is the most rational choice right now."

She wasn't wrong. At this point, I was indeed the only one openly opposing the emperor.

"Even so—"

"Fine, then."

Before Lena could voice another objection, Sophia reached for her pendant with a sharp tug.

The teardrop-shaped silver ornament bore the profile of a woman. Though stylized and uncolored like a stained glass design, the etched lines suggested flowing hair and a serene beauty.

It was the symbol of the Goddess—a sacred emblem of the faith.

"I swear by the Goddess," Sophia declared. "Until this mission is complete, I will not act against Her Highness or those who follow her. I will not betray anyone. You understand the gravity of a vow sworn before the Goddess, don't you?"

"But what happens right after the mission ends—"

"Ugh, seriously!" Sophia groaned, exasperated.

She clutched the pendant tightly, raising it for all to see.

"I'll extend my vow! Even for several days after the mission, I swear not to act against Her Highness or her allies, whether for personal, religious, or any other reason. And!" she added, glaring at Lena, "I'll extend that to anyone deemed equal to Her Highness. I will not betray those I fight alongside. I swear this before the Goddess!"

As Sophia finished her outburst, a faint blue glow emanated from her clenched fist. For a moment, an intricate, translucent pattern appeared on the back of her hand.

It was the mark of the cathedral knights' vow.

False oaths were not uncommon, even among devout followers. But for the Theocracy's cathedral knights, sacred vows were binding, enforced by divine magic. Sophia's glowing mark was a testament to the authenticity of her promise.

"...Understood," Lena finally conceded.

Sophia smirked slightly, then sat back and grabbed her now-cold cup of tea, downing it in one go.

I had intended to bring her along regardless, but her solemn vow settled the matter.

Just as I was about to speak—

Knock, knock.

A knock echoed from the door.

"Come in," I called out.

The door opened hesitantly, revealing a maid I didn't recognize. Judging by her attire, she was part of the Lutetia Palace staff.

"Your Highness, His Majesty the King requests an audience with you."

The words were light, but their implications were heavy.

Had news finally come regarding the Theocracy's movements?

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Chapter 243

The meeting with the king was not a private audience.

That said, it wasn’t as crowded with nobles as it had been earlier.

Despite feeling like a lot of time had passed due to the long conversations I had with friends along the way, it had actually been less than a day since we returned from the underground of Lutetia. I had barely managed a short sleep, and since then, I’d been moving around the royal castle nonstop, meeting people without rest.

Sneaking into Charlotte’s room earlier certainly added to my exhaustion. But I couldn’t turn back time to recover my condition. If I did, all the progress I made in our conversations would vanish, rendering it pointless.

Given that only a few hours had passed, I assumed the kingdom’s nobles would have followed along and gathered again to debate intensely. However, when I entered the meeting hall to see the king, I was surprised to find fewer than half the people present compared to the morning session.

The noble who had argued with me earlier in the day was still there, but now he remained silent, lips tightly shut. Was this because the situation had become that urgent? Or was it because they now faced a problem only I could resolve?

Fortunately, the academy instructors were all present as well, though they stayed quiet. Still, having familiar faces in the room made things feel slightly less awkward.

The king sat on his throne as before—

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

His greeting was accompanied by a face that seemed to have aged five years in just a few hours.

Come to think of it, he probably hadn’t slept much either. Unlike me, who had at least managed a few hours of sleep, he must have spent the entire night locked in verbal battles with the nobles who had flocked to the palace.

“You mentioned an important matter,” I said.

“Indeed, it’s a critical one,” the king replied, dragging a hand across his face.

“Last night, after the disturbance on the Holy Nation’s lands, I sent people to investigate. Not only us, but the Iberian Kingdom, which shares a border with the Holy Nation, also sent people.”

“And the results? Were you able to observe anything?”

“That’s the issue.”

The king’s brow furrowed deeply in response to my question.

“We failed to gather any information on the Holy Nation’s movements.”

“...Was it because of the pillar of light?”

“Yes.”

The king let out a heavy sigh and leaned back into his throne.

“Whatever that pillar of light may be, everyone who came into contact with the surrounding barrier suffered severe burns. It doesn’t seem to behave like ordinary fire; it doesn’t cause pain when you get close. But the moment you touch it, it’s as though you plunged your hand directly into a flame.”

“Are the soldiers unharmed?”

“...At least none of them died. Since healers accompanied the group, they shouldn’t have to live with permanent disabilities.”

The king narrowed his eyes slightly as he answered.

“You suggested assembling a strike force to infiltrate that area. Does that mean you know how to get through?”

“...”

No, I don’t.

To be honest, I wasn’t certain.

I only assumed that, since the pillar of light was created by the Emperor, he would permit my entry, given that he needed me as a resource.

“At the very least, I believe I can get inside.”

“And what about others?”

I couldn’t answer the king’s question.

“...Charlotte has been insisting all night that she will accompany you.”

The king spoke heavily.

“If she follows you, can you guarantee that she won’t be harmed by the pillar of light? Charlotte is my only blood relative in this kingdom. She is also the heir to the throne.”

The king paused for a moment.

“If it were merely about finding someone to inherit the throne, I might consider alternatives. After all, I have other relatives. But Charlotte is my only daughter. If there’s even a slight chance that she might suffer serious harm, I cannot allow her to follow you.”

His voice was firm and unyielding as he declared this.

It was only natural. I don’t have children, but if I did, I would likely react the same way.

Even without children, I’d feel the same. If my friends were at risk of being hurt by those flames, I’d abandon the strike force entirely and walk into that inferno alone.

“...I’ll make sure to confirm the situation before making any decisions,” I said to the king, my voice just as resolute as his.

“If it seems dangerous, I’ll ensure that Charlotte does not follow me under any circumstances. She understands her importance to this kingdom.”

And if she doesn’t, I’ll leave her behind by force if necessary.

“If you end up going alone, is there a chance you can resolve the situation?”

“...”

That’s something I truly don’t know. While the world might be following the original plot, the story’s pacing has accelerated beyond recognition, bringing me to scenarios I know nothing about. Even if my abilities work as expected, I can’t guarantee victory. The Emperor won’t face me alone.

“There’s a chance,” I said finally, as if making a vow.

Yes, there is a chance. It’s not zero.

And as long as there’s even a sliver of possibility, I have the ability to seize it.

I will resolve this situation. For a proper happy ending.

...Not that the story ends there. Even after this, nothing will truly be over.

We’re still not even twenty years old. Alice will ascend to the throne, Leo will inherit the Grace family’s legacy, Mia will become the lord of Crowfield Manor... Years and decades will pass, and life will continue. And amidst it all, countless annoying and headache-inducing challenges will crop up.

Our relationships might drift apart over time or remain strong for life.

But to face all those potential futures, we must bring this chapter to a definitive conclusion.

“Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”

As if reading my thoughts, Jennifer finally spoke.

Unlike at the academy, she addressed me with formal language.

“The Winterfield family will spare no effort in supporting you. We will do everything we can to find a way to aid you past that pillar of light.”

“Y-Yes, I’ll also do my best as your teacher. I’ll use every bit of magical knowledge I have,” Carolyn added.

“...If it truly behaves like fire, though it doesn’t seem that simple based on what I’ve heard... We might still find a way to protect you physically. The time is short, but I have no intention of letting you go in alone,” said Ada.

Several other staff members nodded in agreement.

“Then let me confirm one final thing,” the king said, turning his gaze from me to the gathered nobles.

Of the nobles who had spoken so passionately earlier in the day, none addressed me now. The king clearly took note of this.

“Among the nobles present, is there anyone willing to provide soldiers to support this effort? As you argued earlier, resolving the situation with our own Belvurian resources would strengthen our position with the Holy Nation. If your private forces can resolve this, it would be preferable.”

“...”

But no one answered the king.

Unlike the empire, where private forces had been abolished and imperial troops patrolled fiefdoms, the kingdom still retained remnants of feudalism. While not as independent as the medieval era of my previous life, private forces remained valuable resources for local lords.

And those forces weren’t abundant. Each soldier required direct financial support from their lord.

There were few lords willing to risk such precious resources in a situation where survival wasn’t guaranteed—especially when volunteers were already prepared to enter.

“...Then I’ll take that as a no,” the king said with a weary expression, turning back to me.

“Princess Sylvia Fangryphon, I entrust this matter to you. Whatever you need, you will have it.”

“Thank you.”

And so, the team heading into that battlefield was decided.

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Chapter 244

"The sooner we depart, the better," I said to the group assembled as the 'strike team.'

"That said, rushing in without any preparation isn’t an option."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

After my discussion with the king the previous day, I relayed the decisions to those I had spoken with earlier. Thankfully, I didn’t have to scale rooftops to reach Charlotte again. As the saying goes, no parent can win against their child, and it seemed the King of Belvur was no exception. Charlotte’s determination remained unshaken, and that night, she visited my room to hear the finalized plans alongside the others.

Afterward, I finally managed to get a proper night’s sleep—actual rest, not the kind gained through meditation. Exhausted from lack of sleep and the physical exertion of the night before, I fell asleep almost immediately upon lying down. It wasn’t even fully dark outside, yet when I opened my eyes, morning had already arrived.

Feeling far more refreshed than the day before, I gathered the candidates for the strike team.

Alice and Charlotte.

Leo and Claire.

Mia.

Jake and Lottie.

And Lena and Sophia.

Including myself, these were the ten who had ventured into Lutetia’s underground before.

These were the individuals I had handpicked. People I trusted implicitly, those I could entrust with my back. They were also the ones I felt a responsibility to protect until the end.

In addition to this core group, there were volunteers.

First was Jennifer Winterfield and Carolyn Northwood.

Jennifer was a seasoned veteran who had proven her skills on the battlefield multiple times. Though younger than what one might imagine for a veteran, no one could deny her capabilities.

Frankly, to an outsider, Jennifer might seem more reliable than the combined strength of the nine core members accompanying me.

Carolyn, on the other hand, lacked real combat experience. She had never used magic against people, being the sheltered daughter of a noble household.

But that didn’t diminish her abilities. In the context of the original storyline, Carolyn was as versatile a character as Mia. While more specialized in healing magic, she wasn’t incapable of an offensive setup either.

It wasn’t surprising to me that these two decided to join. They were already viable party members in the original story, so it would have been more surprising if they hadn’t volunteered.

Ada, meanwhile, chose to stay behind to coordinate support from the rear. Additionally, most of the commoner-class students would remain in Lutetia. If every staff member left, there would be no adults to manage or protect those students.

"Uh, c-could I join too?"

One unexpected volunteer stepped forward—Lily Baker.

She was in the same class as Lottie, a commoner-class student.

In the original story, there were several commoner party members beyond Lily Baker. Each had their own backstory and were intriguing in their own ways. Some created tension in the story by clashing with the noble characters.

Originally, I had planned to take more time to get to know everyone and build rapport gradually. However, the story's rapid progression left me with little opportunity to even speak to some of them.

The sheer number of potential party members meant that, in the original story, many became "background characters" outside of their personal arcs. Given that Leo, the protagonist, was from the noble class, it was naturally harder for commoner-class characters to take center stage in the main storyline.

Moreover, the story’s focus had been on the Fangryphon family during my playthrough, reinforcing this dynamic.

"...I’ll make a decision based on the situation," I told Lily Baker.

There were a few others gathered around Lily, likely her friends from the commoner class. Some of them seemed like characters I remembered being recruitable in the original game.

Saving all the key characters and achieving a proper happy ending had become my goal since realizing my abilities in this world.

If possible, I would have liked to recruit these party members as well. However—

—Even managing the current ten members, myself included, was already overwhelming.

Adding Jennifer and Carolyn to the mix expanded the group I needed to support.

At least the current state of affairs wasn’t a full-scale war between the kingdom and the empire, so I didn’t have to worry about bombardments targeting them. While I couldn’t guarantee absolute safety, those "out of sight" would likely remain relatively secure.

"If we need additional help, I’ll be sure to ask. But with our current numbers, adding too many could make things more dangerous."

I offered words of reassurance to Lily Baker, whose expression had dimmed at my response.

In a larger force, blending into the crowd might provide some safety. But in this scenario, a small, cohesive group was more critical.

Besides, I was relatively certain of one thing.

In the original story, the deaths of party members were used to emphasize the protagonist’s inability to prevent tragedy and add dramatic weight to the narrative.

If this world followed the original, then the commoner-class students, who had little connection to us, had no reason to face such fates.

And every character marked with a "death flag" was from the noble class. While the original game made it impossible to save all flagged characters, this world was different.

Those students would be safer staying behind.

"I understand. In that case, I’ll stay back and prepare to support you from behind," Lily said, her expression slightly more at ease.

Her gaze briefly shifted toward Lottie.

Were they particularly close?

...Though I hadn’t grown close to them this time around, there were still three years left after this battle. Perhaps we could form closer bonds in that time—assuming no one decided to quit along the way.

"I’ll count on you."

I nodded seriously, and the commoner-class students, including Lily, stepped back, some showing disappointment, others relief.

"Ahem."

Someone else had been waiting quietly until I finished my other conversations.

His hair was streaked white, his face lined with wrinkles characteristic of age, and his beard—ah, at least it was trimmed this time. Though still a bit unkempt, he looked far tidier than when he lived in the mountains.

Despite his aged face, his back stood perfectly straight, without the stoop or turtle-like posture typical of the elderly. His figure brought to mind an indomitable fortress, unyielding and firm.

Broad shoulders and a robust frame beneath his clothing hinted at his physical strength.

Frederick, the Sword Saint.

In this situation—or perhaps precisely because of it—he wore a grim smile on his face.

"...Are you looking forward to this?"

I didn’t bother asking if he really planned to go. After all, the Sword Saint wasn’t someone who could be persuaded with words like "don’t go."

Even back when I had convinced him to leave the mountains, it was only after mentioning the existence of someone stronger than him that he had taken any interest. Despite the grand title of "Sword Saint," he was, at heart, a man driven purely by curiosity and excitement.

Calling him immature might be unfair, but it wasn’t entirely inaccurate either.

"Lucas is likely in there, isn’t he?"

"While I can’t confirm it for sure, I believe the odds are high. Along with him, the Emperor’s other children are probably there as well."

Since the Emperor vanished, none of his children had contacted me or shown any signs of activity.

The Emperor wouldn’t have entered alone. He must have brought an elite force with him.

And at the core of that force would be the Emperor’s children.

"I see."

The Sword Saint nodded, seemingly satisfied.

...Somehow, I couldn’t shake the feeling that even if the light pillar posed a danger to him, he’d simply charge through it unbothered. While severe burns would incapacitate anyone, I couldn’t picture this man ever collapsing.

That’s what it meant to be the Sword Saint.

Even knowing there were characters in the original story who could defeat him, every time I faced him, I felt the same way.

"I’ve lived long enough already. If there’s something worth staking my life on at the end, it’s not a bad deal. After all, I’ve got little to lose besides the time I have left," he said, flashing a sharp grin.

That expression—bold, resolute—was simply... quintessentially the Sword Saint.

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Chapter 245

The preparation took three days.

First, we needed to replenish the ammunition used during the underground expedition. Most of the bullets Lena and I had fired were standard lead rounds, but we had also used a significant amount of Marmaros rounds we had prepared in advance.

Thankfully, processing the material didn’t take too long.

“The underground was littered with beast corpses, after all. We needed to clear them out anyway,” Charlotte explained.

It seemed that when I destroyed the device, most of the controlled beasts had died on the spot. Even those that survived weren’t in any condition to attack anyone.

Soldiers spent entire days clearing out the carcasses.

“Normally, we’d need to refine Marmaros from the remains…”

But that wasn’t necessary. Just like in the original story, the mutated beasts’ bodies already contained lumps of Marmaros in their raw state—chunks big enough to be shaped and embedded at the tip of bullets.

“It’s truly remarkable. If we could only understand how this works, we’d love to try replicating the magic ourselves.”

Charlotte shared this information with me, her curiosity evident.

Of course, even if we tried to uncover the method, those who attempted it likely wouldn’t survive. Understanding it perfectly was an impossibility.

“We also brought in the specialist you mentioned. It’s because of that device you were wearing, right?”

“Correct.”

The reinforced suit I’d worn was now in tatters. While its core structure and mechanisms were relatively intact, the external layers designed to withstand enemy attacks were bent and twisted beyond recognition. The creaking sounds from the joints suggested that some internal gears had been damaged as well.

Considering how complex the suit was—still far from being mass-produced—I didn’t expect it to be fully repaired. All I could hope for was some spare parts to patch it up.

“I heard they were quite excited to come after reading your report.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

I didn’t know much about the real-world Browning, aside from the fact that he was a historically significant figure in firearms development. His name was well-known enough to have his stories spread across various media, but all I knew was that he was “a legendary gunmaker.”

However, in this world, James Browning was undeniably a weapon enthusiast.

To be more precise, he was the stereotypical “weapons otaku” often seen in stories with settings like this one.

While he generally behaved sensibly and rationally, he would unhesitatingly produce suspiciously advanced gadgets whenever asked for something peculiar.

“The fact that he prioritized repairing the equipment over meeting me confirms it,” I said to Charlotte, shrugging.

“Well, that’s fine. Fixing that equipment will give us a significant advantage in battle.”

Charlotte didn’t press for more details. She already had plenty of other matters to handle.

“Is this the finalized team, then?” she asked.

“If you have any recommendations for additional members, I’ll consider them.”

“...It’s hard to say if anyone we bring along will even be allowed to enter.”

Even without Charlotte’s suggestions, I couldn’t be sure if all the team members would qualify to pass through.

...Even I wasn’t entirely certain about myself.

Considering the circumstances of my arrival in this world, which seemed tied to the goddess’s power, it would be strange if I couldn’t enter. But there was always the possibility.

“Phew.”

Charlotte closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

Dark circles were faintly visible under her eyes. Normally, she managed them meticulously, ensuring they were nearly invisible. But over the past three days, she had been incredibly busy, primarily persuading her father to allow this operation.

“We’re set to depart tomorrow, so you should get some rest,” I suggested.

“...The same goes for you, Sylvia,” Charlotte replied, looking fatigued.

“...”

To her remark, I could only offer silence.

“Well, fine. Entering a battle while exhausted would be dangerous. Since it seems like everything is confirmed, let’s call it a day,” Charlotte said, stretching her arms above her head with a soft groan.

“...When I ascend to the throne, I’ll make sure we never conduct military operations in another nation again.”

Alice, who had been going over the final confirmations with us, sighed deeply as she spoke. I couldn’t agree more.

“In reality, tasks like these aren’t supposed to be handled by emperors or kings. It’s work meant for the soldiers who are actually sent into battle. It’s just that, this time, the soldiers being deployed happen to be us,” I said.

...Hmm.

Hearing this from someone who got dragged into this mess because of me made it hard to argue.

We reached our destination the next day.

As planned, I got plenty of sleep before departure. Even on the train ride there, I tried to stay relaxed and doze off whenever possible.

About an hour before arrival, I woke up and began meditating to clear my mind.

By the time we arrived, I felt refreshed.

Though tension lingered, I also felt strangely light.

If the story had unfolded strictly according to the original, things wouldn’t have been resolved here. Sophia, for instance, would have only joined us next year. And the Sophia we would’ve met then would have been almost unrecognizable compared to the one we knew now.

...I had no idea what had happened to her during that single year, but I wasn’t sure I’d have been able to accept her without losing my mind.

No, this was better.

Claire already knew her true identity, Alice had a clear understanding of the situation, and no one had died yet. I hadn’t even seen any signs of impending death.

So, I reminded myself: Don’t worry.

“...Impressive.”

From the capital, what we’d seen as a “pillar of light” now appeared up close as an impossibly vast and towering “wall of light.”

We spoke with soldiers who had tried and failed to enter, hearing their accounts of attempts to avoid the flames with steel plates or thick protective gear. In every case, they suffered burns as though the laws of physics had been ignored.

“Even for magic, this is over the top,” Ada muttered.

The light was said to burn people, but standing in front of it, there was no heat at all. If anything, the light felt colder than the beam of an LED lantern.

“In that case, I’ll check it first,” I said, turning back toward the group.

Alice nodded stiffly, her face tense with worry. Claire looked like she was about to burst forward and go in my stead, but Leo held her firmly in place. Charlotte watched me intently, her expression cautious.

“If anything happens, come back immediately,” Charlotte urged.

“I’m well aware of the value of my own life,” I replied.

“Hmph.”

Jennifer made a nasal sound as if she had plenty to say but chose to remain silent. I decided to ignore her.

Turning back to the wall of light that stretched endlessly into the sky, I extended my left hand and cautiously pushed my fingertips into it.

I felt nothing.

It wasn’t as if my nerves had burned away—if they had, I would have experienced a moment of pain.

My body simply accepted the light.

It wasn’t like ordinary light that would stop at the surface of my hand. This light continued as though passing through transparent glass, seamlessly flowing above and beyond me.

I took another step forward.

Still, I remained unharmed.

My entire left arm entered the light, followed by my leg, my chest, and my head. Nothing stopped me, and nothing caused me harm.

The light didn’t dazzle me or blind me. It simply existed, announcing its presence with an otherworldly glow.

Inside the luminous field, I glanced back.

My companions stood on edge, watching me anxiously. Soldiers who had witnessed others burn alive stared at me with wide eyes.

I turned my gaze forward and stepped further into the light.

Finally, I passed through the thick wall and entered the Holy Nation’s territory.

At the end of the radiant boundary that resembled a divine blessing, what came into view was—

“...”

—just an ordinary city.

Or perhaps "ordinary" wasn’t the right word. It felt eerily out of place.

For a city, there was no sign of life.

Not a single person walked the streets. No sentries stood guard. No patrols moved about. Even though the situation was clearly abnormal, no one emerged to investigate.

It was as if the entire city had ceased to function, sealed away behind the wall of light.

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Chapter 246

"Sylvia."

A voice called out from behind me.

Turning around, I saw the others following one by one, crossing into the Holy Nation.

The first to enter after me was Alice, who had been right behind me. As soon as she stepped out of the light, she inspected her hands and legs, hopping a few times in place before hurrying over to stand near me.

She gripped her swords tightly, her face tense with nerves. But upon seeing the eerie state of the Holy Nation, her expression quickly shifted to one of confusion and disbelief.

"..."

She must have realized, just as I did, that something was seriously wrong.

Neither Alice nor I had ever been to the Holy Nation before. We had no way of knowing how quiet it was under normal circumstances. But even if it had been a particularly tranquil city, it would not have been a dead one.

A city run by clergy would still be populated by people. Clergy members eat, defecate, and create waste like anyone else. Even if this were a small self-sustaining monastery, it would require people to maintain its operations. And for a nation powerful enough to send a cardinal as an ambassador to another country, it would need an infrastructure to support its society.

Yet the Holy Nation before us appeared utterly devoid of functionality. It wasn’t a solemn, religious silence—it was a chilling, lifeless void.

The absence of any signs of battle made it all the more unsettling.

As I continued surveying the area, the others began joining us, their footsteps growing louder behind me.

Not a single person suffered burns or injuries while crossing the barrier. Everyone emerged unscathed.

At the very least, we confirmed that passing through the wall didn’t require "imperial blood."

"…It’s quiet," Jennifer remarked.

Though no one replied, everyone silently agreed.

The silence itself felt dangerous, prompting everyone to tighten their grips on their weapons.

In most countries, crossing a border wouldn’t immediately place you in a massive city. While trade hubs might see two cities develop near a shared border, the Holy Nation was different.

The Holy Nation was small, having been established from a portion of Belvur’s territory. While it didn’t have the same population as a major capital, its concentrated development around a single central city gave it a unique character.

Its architecture was old and weathered, but the city still bore the hallmarks of careful maintenance. Under different circumstances, I might have enjoyed visiting a place like this.

Finding a city immediately after crossing the border wasn’t unusual for the Holy Nation.

The open border reflected the close relationship between Belvur and the Holy Nation.

But that proximity also made this place dangerous.

Any one of those densely packed buildings could hide enemies.

"Sophia."

That was why the first person I called was Sophia.

She stepped forward at my beckoning, and I wasted no time asking her directly.

"Do you know the way to the Holy Nation’s center from here?"

"…Yes, I do."

"Can you lead us?"

My question implicitly included a request to avoid areas where enemy forces might be hiding.

Sophia was perceptive enough to understand the unspoken part of my request. Without a word, she nodded and began moving forward.

"…Let’s go," I said, watching her take the lead before turning to the rest of the group.

No one asked any questions. They all understood there was no time for questions or answers.

I had never explored an abandoned house before. The closest I’d come was during a courage test on a school trip.

Even knowing ghosts didn’t exist and the only thing waiting to jump out was someone in costume, the atmosphere still made me uneasy.

But that experience paled in comparison to what I felt here. Even if I’d visited a real abandoned house, it wouldn’t have compared.

An abandoned house is just an empty building. An empty city is something else entirely.

The streets were impeccably clean, as if they’d been maintained until only recently. The white walls of the buildings gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting its brightness.

Yet there wasn’t a single person in sight. And if there were, they showed no signs of life.

We didn’t check every building. Opening a door recklessly could disturb a hornet’s nest of soldiers lying in wait.

But if there were a large force hiding here, there should have been some sign.

The city was eerily quiet, even though the sun was still high in the sky.

"This is strange," Sophia said suddenly, her voice tinged with unease as she moved cautiously ahead.

"This place didn’t have a huge population, but it was never this quiet..."

Her comment sparked a thought in my mind.

In this world, all living beings contain magic within them. Just as we can extract Marmaros from beasts rich in magical energy, humans can theoretically be used as materials, too.

While this practice is considered inefficient and unethical, it’s not unheard of in stories to see villains justify such actions or claim it’s necessary to achieve their goals.

"…"

But I wasn’t so tactless as to voice such a grim thought aloud.

This was Sophia’s homeland. Whether or not she had family, mentors, or friends here, most people form an attachment to the place they were born and raised.

There was no way I could say, "The city you knew might have been destroyed for some sinister reason."

I could only follow her and hope my suspicions were wrong.

After traversing a considerable distance, we reached the cathedral at the heart of the Holy Nation.

To summarize: the Holy Nation wasn’t entirely devoid of life.

I didn’t know what had happened to the citizens, but the cathedral knights were still present—most of them dead.

"…Ah!"

Sophia, recognizing the crimson light from afar, dashed forward before I could stop her. Thankfully, there was no immediate danger. Whoever had left this scene seemed unconcerned about who might arrive—or perhaps they wanted us to see this.

The plaza, made of white marble, was littered with the bodies of cathedral knights. Their blood, dark and dried, stood out starkly against the pale stone.

"…There’s no smell," Jennifer was the first to speak after Sophia.

"No smell?" Carolyn, pale and keeping her distance from the corpses, asked hesitantly.

"It’s been several days since this happened. Judging by the dried blood, the bodies have been here for quite a while. Even with the cooling weather, a body left out in above-freezing temperatures should start to emit a stench after a few days."

Jennifer followed Sophia, both guns in hand, as she carefully advanced. She knelt beside Sophia, who had dropped to her knees in front of one of the corpses, her face filled with despair.

"…What happened here?"

"Mm."

Alice muttered under her breath, and the Sword Saint stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Knife wounds. Clean, precise strikes from a very sharp blade. Whoever did this had exceptional skill. The bloodstains on the ground were all splattered from the bodies. I’ve seen this kind of swordsmanship before."

"…"

Hearing his observation, I immediately thought of one person.

It seemed the Sword Saint shared my conclusion.

Standing among the bodies, he turned to me with a serious expression.

"It looks like that rascal Lucas is here. This time, he’s working with the Emperor."

Alice inhaled sharply.

"Stay vigilant," the Sword Saint warned. "Since they didn’t confront us here, they’re likely preparing a ‘welcome’ for us inside."

With those words, his hand moved to the hilt of his sword, his fingers brushing against it with deliberate care.

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Chapter 247

In a typical “game” story like this, what awaited us would be the final dungeon at the end of the narrative. Inside, enemies would lie in wait.

As we cleared each level of the dungeon, powerful adversaries—lieutenants of the opposing forces—would appear one by one. The protagonist’s party would defeat them and steadily move forward.

Of course, if the enemy was exceptionally powerful, the system might allow a mechanical victory while narratively, they would remain undefeated. Such moments usually featured an ally intervening with the cliché, “Leave this to me and go ahead.”

That was how it should have been.

“Standing so boldly, are they?”

It was the Sword Saint who commented, his voice laced with disbelief.

And he was right.

There wasn’t an imposing dungeon in front of us. No massive beast barred our way.

“Why shouldn’t I stand boldly?”

The one who replied was the Emperor.

It was my first time seeing the Holy Nation’s cathedral in person. Having never been religious, I had no experience with such places, nor any idea of what a cathedral should look like.

But even to my untrained eyes, this cathedral felt deeply alien.

There were no rows of pews for worshippers. Instead, the vast hall was empty save for a few ornate chairs with tall backs arranged at the far end, each upholstered in lavish red.

No matter how you looked at it, this wasn’t a cathedral—it was more like a royal palace.

I supposed it made sense. Despite its small size, the Holy Nation wielded enough power to influence the entire world. And a pope had to deal with kings and rulers from other nations. They couldn’t afford to look weak. Unlike modern-day popes, their authority was far more absolute.

The throne-like seat at the far end must have been the pope’s chair.

But now, it was occupied by the Emperor.

He sat there with an air of majesty, his elbow resting on the armrest and his chin propped on his hand. It was such a textbook display of power that it bordered on cliché.

“Have you been sitting there, waiting all this time? My apologies for making you wait so long,” the Sword Saint said mockingly.

“Not at all. I’ve had plenty to occupy my time. There was much to adjust and prepare,” the Emperor replied with a smile, undeterred by the provocation.

“And besides, the ones I was truly waiting for were my daughters.”

“Oh? So, we’re uninvited guests?”

“Perhaps. But I wouldn’t turn away those who’ve come so far. I’ll forgive your intrusion.”

The Emperor’s expression was one of amusement, as though he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

“…Does that mean others entering this place was not by your design?”

I stepped forward, posing the question. The Emperor turned his gaze toward me, his expression unchanged.

It was the same look he always gave me, as if this entire situation was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

Or perhaps, for the Emperor, this was simply an extension of his usual machinations.

“Who knows? That’s something I’d like to ask you,” the Emperor said, gripping the armrests with both hands as he rose slowly from his throne.

The Emperor wasn’t young, but his body was far too robust to be dismissed as merely middle-aged. His shoulders were broad, and he stood much taller than me. Even without being directly in front of him, his commanding presence loomed large.

Most of all, his unyielding confidence was palpable, as though it were a tangible force.

“The device is complete,” the Emperor declared, stepping down from the throne.

“And with it, the power of the goddess that once governed this world should have been shattered. But that hasn’t happened. The rules left behind by the goddess still persist in this world.”

He spread his arms wide, his voice resonating through the hall.

“…”

I considered asking a question but decided against it. Somehow, it felt like the Emperor would explain everything without prompting.

“You must have read through all the records of the imperial palace. You had plenty of time to do so.”

The Emperor’s gaze drifted upward to the ceiling as if lost in thought. Then, suddenly, he spoke again.

“There’s a story passed down exclusively within the Fangryphon royal family. It’s a tale so profane, so incomprehensible to outsiders, that it’s only shared verbally during a private meeting between the reigning monarch and their successor. It is never written down, nor spoken where others might hear.”

The Emperor lowered his gaze to meet mine.

“So, listen carefully. One day, you’ll have to pass this story on to your own successor.”

His eyes shifted, moving past me to Alice.

Once upon a time, there was a world.

A world shattered and blended together, where chaos reigned, and even the most basic laws of nature were absent.

In this disordered world, people suffered. Without a structured flow of time, they aged differently, decayed unevenly, and withered in confusion.

Then, one day, a revelation came.

A beam of blue light descended through a crack in the broken sky.

From within that light, the world began to take shape for the first time.

Limbs that grew haphazardly were now two arms and two legs.

Eyes that sprouted from random parts of the head now aligned on the face.

Bent fingers, twisted toes, and spiraling spines returned to their proper forms.

Humans, who had long forgotten their original shapes, followed the blue light and began to remember who they truly were.

But the light didn’t reach everywhere.

The fractures in the sky were finite, and those untouched by the light remained trapped in their twisted bodies, living in torment.

From one of those untouched spaces, a hero was born.

With his distorted form, he subdued other twisted creatures and led a monstrous army of griffons—beasts blending eagles and lions—against the goddess.

His sole desire was freedom.

Those whose forms had been stabilized by the goddess never ventured beyond the light’s boundaries. They feared the unknown and sought only comfort in the goddess’s embrace.

To protect themselves, they created their own “order.”

They built a tower of humanity, layer upon layer, separating people into rigid roles.

This structured city, a monument to order, was detested by the griffon king.

He yearned for a world where anyone could ascend, without being bound by strength or weakness, solely by their will.

And so, the griffon king—the king of the twisted—decided to oppose the goddess.

“But no matter his resolve, the griffon king’s strength wasn’t enough to challenge the goddess,” the Emperor continued, his tone calm.

“It was inevitable. The twisted couldn’t implement systematic weaponry. They lacked the means to craft armor tailored to their needs or wield conventional weapons effectively. They couldn’t defeat an enemy that moved with unity and discipline, as though it were a single organism.”

“But then, how—”

“The griffon king surrendered,” the Emperor interrupted, his voice steady.

“He accepted the goddess’s terms and entered her ordered world. Within it, he rose to greatness once more.”

“…”

The story, up to this point, sounded almost laughable in its anticlimax. But the Emperor’s smile remained, hinting that the tale wasn’t over.

And as if responding to my unspoken thoughts, the Emperor spoke again.

“Do you know the goddess’s flaw?”

No one answered. In the distance, I saw Sophia trembling uncontrollably.

“The goddess was obsessed with order,” the Emperor declared. “The griffon king conformed to her order, but in his mind, he never abandoned chaos.”

The Emperor raised his right hand, palm facing upward. Slowly, he lifted it.

“As much as the goddess clung to order, the griffon king clung to chaos.”

The ground began to quake.

A harsh, grating sound echoed as rough stone scraped against itself, and the pope’s seat began to split apart.

“And so, he thought: if order is the goddess’s blind spot, why not use it to summon chaos?”

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Chapter 248

What is order?

Order is forming a line to purchase goods, obeying the law, paying taxes on earnings, and not coveting others’ possessions.

But the "order" we think of is merely a human perception.

If you dig deep enough into the concept of order, all that remains are the laws of physics. Ideals and emotions are meaningless—they, too, ultimately conform to physical laws.

So Fangryphon thought:

If the order the goddess cherishes is humans living orderly lives, wouldn’t disrupting something far more microscopic render it all meaningless?

By creating his order to prove the goddess’s order flawed, wouldn’t that be the greatest chaos of all?

And yet, Fangryphon lacked the power to execute this near-delusional plan.

So, he decided to "use" the existing order of the world to turn the goddess’s power against her.

“If order is truly so magnificent, then what better way to exploit it than to steal the goddess’s power from within her own order? He intended to use that power to reshape the world into what he believed to be a beautiful era,” the Emperor explained, his tone light, as though he genuinely found joy in the idea.

The Pope’s chair was gone now. Overturned by a rising "machine," its ornate decoration now seemed trivial and insignificant.

The machine itself was devoid of any embellishment, but the colorful components, glinting in the light, shone brilliantly.

It was a complex network of gears, both large and small, intertwined like the mechanisms of an oversized luxury watch. It reminded me of the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek artifact I’d seen online once.

The intricate movements of the machine, so meticulously precise, made it hard to believe it had been constructed for something so profoundly blasphemous.

“Ah… ah…”

Sophia's voice trembled as she stared at the machine.

According to the Emperor, this device, created by Fangryphon, served no purpose other than to oppose the goddess.

No grander ideal. No higher cause. Pure, unadulterated vandalism.

And the result of that vandalism—

“Do you also seek to plunge this world into chaos?” I asked.

“No.”

The Emperor stepped back with a faint smile.

“A world mired in chaos cannot sustain an empire. An empire, by its very nature, is built on the delicate foundation of human order. However,” he continued, “I do desire the goddess’s power. With it, I can bring the world under the order I desire.”

Indeed, the Emperor's ultimate goal was to create a world thoroughly equal under his rule.

An absurd ambition by any standard—

Clang!

The sound of clashing steel interrupted my thoughts.

“Ugh!”

The one sent staggering backward was Sophia.

The squeal of boots scraping against polished stone echoed as she struggled to regain her footing, though she managed not to fall entirely.

“Well, well, it’s rude to interrupt His Majesty while he’s speaking, isn’t it?”

The slithering blade of Bella’s weapon, which had been extended like a whip, coiled back into its standard rapier form with a sharp click.

“Bella.”

“Our little sisters are all here now,” Bella said, waving at us with a smirk.

But Bella wasn’t the only one.

Despite the city being nearly empty when we entered—as if the Emperor had truly sacrificed all its inhabitants—there were now others filling the room.

Their eyes were unfocused, and though their faces were unfamiliar, it was clear they were originally citizens of the Holy Nation.

They weren’t dead—there was color in their cheeks.

But they weren’t truly alive, either.

“…Why?” Sophia’s voice was hollow.

“Hmm, why indeed?” Bella shrugged, feigning indifference.

“I don’t fully understand it myself, but given what Father has said, isn’t this just another form of ‘order’?”

“…Does that mean it’s already succeeded?”

“Not perfectly, but close. It seems the final piece is still required,” the Emperor said, pulling something from within his robe.

In his hand was a completed component—a gear slightly larger than an adult man’s palm.

“I received help from my future self,” he said, smiling at the look on my face.

“If I could use a part sent from the future, there’d be no need to scavenge for components here, would there?”

The future?

Ah.

Instinctively, I turned to look at Alice. She seemed startled by my sudden glance.

No, no, no.

Sure, the masked woman was suspicious. I understood that. Her presence had rendered my abilities useless. It wouldn’t have been strange for her to possess a piece of the relic.

But if that piece was a completed component sent from the "future"—

Has causality been completely thrown out the window?

Even in a world without established quantum mechanics or multiverse theories, wasn’t assembling something like this too reckless? Or was his confidence in himself just that unshakable?

But that wasn’t the real issue here.

I turned back to the Emperor, who held the completed component.

…There was no time to wonder if the relic was secretly two separate entities.

“When this part was completed, the goddess had no choice but to contradict her own words. The promise of freedom under order was broken, and she had to shatter this relic. It’s a natural reaction. No matter how great or broad-minded a ruler is, they won’t tolerate a challenge to their sovereignty. And so Fangryphon was satisfied.”

He had broken the goddess’s "order" with his own power.

“The most crucial aspect of order is preserving it. Without that, it becomes chaos. At that moment, the goddess’s power became an impurity within order itself.”

The Emperor stepped toward the machine.

“For all the years since, no one has seen the blue light again. Divine energy lingers, proving that the goddess still watches us from somewhere. But nothing more. Whether due to shame for breaking her own rules or because this machine’s single activation dealt a fatal blow, we don’t know. That story wasn’t passed down. But I suspect the latter.”

He stood before the intricate device.

Among its many components, one space remained—exactly the size of the gear in his hand.

“And one thing is certain.”

The Emperor inserted the gear into the machine.

“The goddess will never abandon this world. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

The Emperor turned, meeting my gaze.

“If the goddess retains any influence over this world, she would send her most vital presence at the most critical moment.”

…The Emperor had fathered countless children with many women.

In the original story, there was no child born of the Emperor and the goddess. This was still speculation, but perhaps Claire, with her strongly inherited imperial bloodline, had been born by chance, and the Emperor sought to use her for this device. Given that the machine was created by Fangryphon, it made sense.

I deliberately avoided glancing at Claire. The Emperor mistook me for a being born of the goddess and himself.

That misconception needed to persist until the end.

Only then would the Emperor fail, regardless of whether I won or lost.

“But I won’t simply wait to be defeated. The goddess’s power isn’t perfect, after all. Even she couldn’t completely destroy this machine,” the Emperor said, his gaze fixed on me.

“Tell me, would you consider joining forces with me? Unlike Fangryphon, I plan to establish a new order and strive to create a great world.”

Of course.

That was the Emperor’s plan, his personal ideology.

And devising and executing strategies was his greatest passion.

“…What if I refuse?”

“Then I will take your power by force. Do you know? This machine has space for that. Normally, Fangryphon’s bloodline would suffice, but a being who possesses the blood of both sides would be even better. Don’t you think it’s worth testing?”

So, he intended to use me as a component.

…If the Emperor had known Claire was such a being, he would have already tried to use her for this.

Silently, I raised my gun.

“Is that your answer? Very well.”

The Emperor nodded.

“In that case, it seems we have no choice but to speak through strength.”

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Chapter 249

The craftsman who had originally created the exosuit traveled all the way to Belvur to assist me, but in the end, he couldn’t completely repair my equipment.

Browning had the skills, and Belvur had the resources. But what we lacked was time.

If a firearm had been damaged, he could have replaced it with a similar model, or if we were lucky, sourced compatible parts from another firearm. Browning arrived with a plethora of components and equipment he had brought on the train, including spare parts for the exosuit he had designed.

However, the outer plating of the suit was too damaged to be salvaged.

Browning managed to repair most of what he had considered "expendable" in the original design. He replaced the mana stones fitted to the slots and the tiny gears prone to breaking.

But there simply wasn’t enough time to replace all the brass plates that made up the outer shell. Even the sections that had been designed to detach for easy replacement were so warped that they couldn’t be forced into place. The suit’s core frame, not intended to be an expendable part, was beyond repair with the time and resources available.

Even with spare parts, replacing the frame would require a complete disassembly and reassembly of the suit.

“It’s the outer armor,” Browning explained. “Patching it up haphazardly would be futile. If we rushed the job, the armor would likely fall apart in the heat of battle.”

The suggestion of patching it just enough to withstand one hit was dismissed immediately. If the plating fell off mid-combat—before even enduring an enemy's attack—it would not only be useless but also potentially hazardous. A heavy piece of armor falling and smashing my foot was not a risk I was willing to take.

“Is there no alternative?” I asked.

“Hmm…”

Browning stroked his chin thoughtfully before proposing an unconventional solution:

“If that’s the case, why don’t we just remove all the outer armor altogether?”

Hissss.

When I slammed the button on my chest panel, it emitted a sound akin to a steam locomotive venting pressure.

Actually, it wasn’t "like" that sound—it was venting steam.

Browning’s emergency redesign involved filling the steam engine on my back to maximum capacity, replacing the usual mana stones with highly condensed marmaros in the fuel chamber, and running the engine at its absolute limits.

To ensure the system wouldn’t explode, it was modified to release the excess steam through vents.

When I asked if this contingency was part of his original design plan, Browning nodded.

When I asked if it was safe, he didn’t answer.

With no better options, I authorized the modifications.

Now I was experiencing the effects of those changes firsthand.

“Grrr...!”

The exosuit didn’t have any sort of "AI" assistance, of course. This was to be expected—computers in this world were the size of buildings. Integrating such technology into a portable exosuit was out of the question.

Instead, the suit functioned as an intricate network of steam-powered hydraulics and gears that enhanced my physical strength.

The problem was that this overheated version of the suit didn’t just "assist" my movements—it amplified them beyond their normal limits.

Every slight motion triggered a burst of energy from the steam engine. Where once the suit creaked under strain, now my own joints groaned ominously.

Nothing was broken—yet.

Still, I reminded myself: this was better than having no suit at all.

One step. Two steps. Three steps.

Each step propelled me forward like a runner gaining momentum, and for brief moments, my vision soared as though I were airborne. Perhaps the steam venting from the suit’s ankles was aiding my leaps. It was a fleeting thought as I found myself bounding forward with unnatural ease.

By the time I was five steps away from the Emperor—

“Haah!”

I launched myself into the air, twisting my body mid-jump. My inverted vision flashed back to the fight in Lutetia’s underground when I’d vaulted to a second-floor balcony. But this time, I ascended faster and soared higher than before.

Amid my inverted view, I caught sight of white steam lingering where I had leapt. A sharp shiiick followed by a loud krrrk sounded as a blade left a long scar across the floor where I’d stood a moment ago.

“Oops.”

The nonchalant voice came from Lucas.

Without hesitation, I aimed my gun toward the source of his voice and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The sound of the gunshot was deafening, but the roar of the exploding bullet was even louder. A plume of steam marked the bullet’s trajectory, creating a tunnel of vapor that ended in a burst of red flame.

Swoosh!

But my shot didn’t connect. A streak of light followed the bullet’s path, as though Lucas had split the vapor column in two.

Once again, I twisted my body mid-air, steam hissing from my ankles as it vented from the boiling marmaros inside.

The blast of cold steam felt odd, given the heat coursing through the system.

I hit the ground in a roll and immediately cycled the bolt of my gun, ejecting the spent casing—

And loaded another round.

“Hmm.”

The sound came from beyond the steam cloud.

“You’ve improved since last time. Doesn’t look like you’re rewinding time this time, either.”

The figure emerging from the mist was unmistakable.

Only Lucas—or the Emperor—could sound so amused in a situation like this.

The flaming red hair ruled out the Emperor.

“Still, you’re not quite there yet. I’d say you’re about ten years too early to fight me without any ‘cheating.’”

“...”

I didn’t dignify his taunt with a reply. Instead, I pulled the trigger again.

Lucas swung his blade as if to deflect the bullet—

“Ah.”

But his smug expression faltered.

While my rifle had an internal magazine, it also featured a mechanism separating the magazine and chamber.

In short, I could load and fire single rounds manually, like a bolt-action rifle.

It wasn’t a feature most people would find useful, but for someone like me, who carried various types of marmaros ammunition, it was invaluable.

As Lucas’s blade froze mid-swing, I chambered another round, my eyes fixed on him.

Ten years too early, huh?

He might be right. No matter how much time I had, my talents alone could never rival Lucas’s innate combat genius.

But that’s why humanity invented technology.

Knights who dominated battlefields could still be felled by a single bullet, fired blindly. A rain of artillery could shred even the mightiest warriors.

Even in a world where someone could deflect bullets, a bullet piercing their body would still kill them.

And one thing was certain:

I had spent my life training with firearms. I’d fired them until I was sick of it, in both training and combat. I’d killed more people than I could count on two hands.

So maybe Lucas shouldn’t underestimate me.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I fired three quick shots, cycling the bolt as fast as I could.

For a swordsman, even a minor change in the weight of their blade could spell disaster. Swords were "wielded," after all. While weight imbalance also affected firearms, the impact wasn’t nearly as severe as it was for blades.

Lucas was a skilled swordsman—one of the best. A chunk of ice clinging to his blade wouldn’t cripple him.

But deflecting bullets was another story entirely.

Deflecting bullets was beyond human capability, even in this world where such feats were "possible" due to narrative conceits. It was an action that pushed the limits of human skill.

And when someone already at their limit was given an additional handicap, even they would struggle.

Clang!

The ice chunk on Lucas’s blade shattered into fragments. Whether his vision was obscured by the scattering shards or he failed to fully deflect the bullets’ energy, I wasn’t sure—but he staggered briefly.

The next two bullets missed their mark, but Lucas had no chance to counterattack.

And that gave me the time I needed to assess him calmly.

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Chapter 250

Bang, bang.

I emptied the entire magazine without hesitation, striking while the momentum was on my side. Missing this opportunity was not an option.

Of course, Lucas didn’t just stand idly by. He rolled swiftly to the side, evading my bullets, and quickly regained his stance.

I dropped the rifle immediately. The strap kept it from hitting the ground, leaving it to hang against my chest. As quickly as possible, I pulled out my automatic pistol and unleashed another barrage toward Lucas.

While less powerful than rifle rounds, I had loaded the pistol with Maramaros rounds imbued with fire attributes. Despite their lighter charge compared to rifle cartridges, the .45 caliber bullets were far from trivial. They were potent enough to cause explosive damage if they struck a target.

Boom, boom. Small explosions erupted near Lucas’s feet.

However, Lucas had long surpassed the level of a swordmaster in the original work. A monster capable of deflecting bullets with his blade, he had no trouble repositioning himself and countering my attacks. With a leap to the side, he escaped my shooting angle and swung his sword at me.

Gritting my teeth, I braced myself and moved to dodge—

—or rather, I tried to.

But before I could even move, the sword slash was intercepted and split in two.

The clash of the two differently colored sword auras scattering in mid-air was so mesmerizing that it stole my attention, even in this tense moment.

“Hmm?”

For a brief moment, Lucas wore a bewildered expression.

“Do you always have the habit of running off without informing your allies? You should work on that. Even I, who enjoyed solitude for a time, recognize the importance of communication in a team.”

The swordmaster, strolling toward us with a cheerful laugh, said this casually.

As he spoke, the sounds of battle echoed all around us. The ground shook, submachine guns rattled in rapid bursts, and explosions erupted, shattering and breaking everything in their wake.

“And if someone wields a sword, wouldn’t it be better to leave them to someone who also wields a sword? I didn’t follow you here just to spectate, you know.”

The swordmaster smiled brightly at me before turning his gaze toward Lucas.

“It’s been a while since we last met, hasn’t it?”

And, as if greeting an old friend, the swordmaster spoke to Lucas.

“Ha.”

At his words, Lucas let out a hollow laugh, the tension momentarily slipping from his posture.

“What’s wrong? Do I seem too insignificant for you to bother cutting down?”

The swordmaster asked Lucas in a relaxed tone, seemingly unconcerned by the ongoing chaos around them.

“…I wouldn’t have thought that in the past.”

Lucas’s expression turned bitter as he spoke. The swordmaster merely shrugged in response.

“Though I failed to catch you last time, I don’t think I showed any disgraceful skills. In fact, wasn’t it you who was being toyed with by a mere girl just now?”

The swordmaster tilted his head slightly toward me, his eyes narrowing with amusement.

“She’s the least talented among my disciples, you know.”

“…”

Was that really necessary, Master?

“Go. You have something to do, don’t you? The fact that you didn’t come here alone suggests you need our help.”

The swordmaster’s voice was calm and steady.

…In the original work, the swordmaster dies at Lucas’s hands.

Not now, though. That happens later—somewhat after this point in the timeline.

Even in the original story, Lucas had already surpassed the swordmaster. In this world… I wasn’t sure. But I couldn’t assume he was any weaker than his counterpart from the original.

Despite knowing this, the swordmaster’s confident voice made me want to believe otherwise.

“Go,” he said again.

“…Understood.”

There was no point in saying things like “Stay safe” or “Retreat if it’s dangerous.” Those words would hold no meaning.

I was the one who brought Swordmaster Frederick here, after all.

Yes, this world is different from the original. Just as the swordmaster is here, so too are his disciples.

The situation was no longer the same as when I faced Lucas alone.

I turned my head.

In the distance, the Emperor still stood.

He remained there, gazing silently at the massive machine operating before him.

With a burst of energy, I propelled myself forward, racing toward him.

*

“Are you really willing to risk your life for that talentless disciple of yours?”

“How would you know whether I’m risking my life or simply enjoying a bit of amusement?”

Lucas’s taunting words were met with a laugh from the swordmaster.

Unlike Lucas, who gripped his sword tightly with both hands in a ready stance, the swordmaster stood relaxed, his sword loosely held at his side.

Lucas was confident. He had unwavering faith in his own abilities—this was the man who had invaded the Holy Nation, fought his own siblings, and stolen the relic they had secured.

He had been sure of himself then.

Yet now, the swordmaster standing before him exuded a presence that went beyond that confidence.

“If you think you see some kind of potential in that so-called talentless disciple, then you’ve been deceived.”

“Oh?”

The swordmaster chuckled, intrigued.

“Even though I bear the title of ‘Swordmaster,’ I’d like to know how someone talentless managed to deceive my eyes.”

“What if they could turn back time?”

“…”

“If they could rewind time, make a few attempts, and always produce the perfect outcome—then it would be possible to deceive anyone.”

“Hmm.”

The swordmaster let out a short hum.

“I see.”

His voice was calm and even.

“It does make me wonder how someone with no apparent talent could move so skillfully. They did sometimes act as if they already knew what was going to happen.”

“Exactly, so—”

“But let me ask you this.” The swordmaster fixed his gaze on Lucas.

“If that ‘talentless’ person rewound time to face several swordsmen—no, swordsmen far beyond the ordinary—how many attempts do you think it would take?”

“…What?”

“For someone who can barely wield a sword, who struggles to walk, swing, or even breathe like a proper swordsman—how many years would they have to waste just to grasp the most basic techniques? And how much longer to master them well enough to fight on our level? Can you even imagine the amount of time they must have rewound to compensate for their lack of talent?”

“…”

“You can’t, can you? Neither can I. Because I’ve been a genius from the moment I was born. From the first time I held a sword, I knew this path was mine. I’ve lived my entire life swinging a sword. With time, I’ve come to see things beyond talent. Long ago, I understood that not everyone in this world is like me.”

The swordmaster lightly shook the arm holding his sword.

The sound of an explosion erupted behind them, sending a cloud of dust into the air, but the swordmaster’s calm voice reached Lucas without difficulty.

“And you call it ‘cheating’ to watch someone pour infinite time into growing where they fall short? From their perspective, don’t you think it’s us—the naturally gifted—who seem like the real cheaters?”

Step by step, the swordmaster approached Lucas.

“…If turning back time isn’t cheating, then what is it?”

“Well, there’s a nice word for it: effort.”

The swordmaster smiled.

“That so-called talentless disciple has merely invested the time they had to achieve the best results they could.”

“And if that ‘effort’ renders all my actions meaningless—”

“Yet here we are, facing each other like this.”

The swordmaster’s voice remained steady.

“It doesn’t matter whether time rewinds or not. After all, we wouldn’t even notice it happening, would we? So, why not focus on what’s in front of us instead?”

He gripped his sword tightly with both hands.

“Just facing the opponent before you, feeling the thrill of being alive—that’s enough. Even if time rewinds endlessly, the time before my eyes will always flow forward.”

“…”

“I made a promise to that talentless disciple.”

Frederick spoke with a smile that never wavered.

“My disciple promised to show me someone stronger than myself. That promise has been kept. And thanks to that, I get to experience something truly thrilling in my twilight years. So this time, I suppose I should grant my disciple’s request.”

Bang! Bang! Gunshots rang out from Sylvia’s direction as she continued her fight.

“I swear upon the name of the Swordmaster,” Frederick declared. “I will do everything in my power to prevent your sword from cutting down my overly diligent disciple. And to be frank, I’m curious. If, as you say, they’ve rewound time countless times to get here, doesn’t that make you wonder what’s about to happen? Surely, it won’t be anything ordinary.”

As he spoke, Frederick’s blade glowed with a brilliant blue light.

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Chapter 251

“Sister!”

Sylvia, advancing toward the Emperor, was clearly visible to everyone present.

Though the battlefield was full of enemies too formidable to cut down recklessly, and the steam billowing from the equipment she wore obscured the view, there was no doubt she was the centerpiece of the confrontation. Not only was Sylvia the Emperor’s target, but she was also the only one with a complete grasp of the situation. After all, the entire group had come this far with the singular purpose of supporting her.

Even the Emperor had tacitly acknowledged it. Though he hadn’t said it outright, it was evident that Sylvia possessed some power connected to the “goddess.”

Claire, too, had intended to rush to Sylvia’s aid—

“—Ugh!”

—but she was forced to retreat abruptly, swinging her sword in a sharp arc.

A whoosh cut through the air—a sound more akin to a whip crack than the swing of a sword. In truth, the motion of the blade was so unnatural that it didn’t resemble a sword at all.

“I saw it last time, but I still can’t figure out how you move that sword like that.”

“Oh?”

The tip of Claire’s blade, as she retreated, was laced with a blue energy that writhed unnaturally. Unlike the straight lines of conventional sword auras, hers bent and curled like a whip or a snake. This wasn’t the sword acting on its own—it was Claire exercising precise control over her sword energy.

“Strange to hear that from you,” Claire said, her tone tinged with irony.

Bella, her opponent, smirked in surprise. With a flick of her wrist, her curved saber snapped back into a more traditional sword form, like a coiled snake relaxing.

“Your way of wielding sword energy is similar to mine. Who taught you that?”

“Grace.”

Claire’s grip tightened on her sword as she answered.

“The Grace family? They don’t seem like the type to teach such unorthodox swordsmanship. Weren’t you scolded when you first showed those moves?”

Bella spoke casually, but her focus never wavered as she slowly circled Claire.

Tsk. Claire clicked her tongue quietly, noting that Bella wasn’t taking her lightly. On the surface, Bella seemed relaxed, but in reality, she was deliberately blocking Claire’s path to Sylvia. Bella clearly judged that letting Claire join Sylvia would tip the balance in their favor.

“What about you?” Claire countered. “How did you get that blade of yours?”

“The palace has all kinds of weapons. I just picked the one that suited me best.”

“Same here. I simply chose the best way to utilize my skills.”

“Hmm~”

Bella’s eyes narrowed slightly at Claire’s response.

“Maybe we think alike. Perhaps it’s because we both grew up in orphanages?”

“…”

“I heard you call Sylvia your sister. Did she rescue you from one of those places?”

“…Yeah.”

“I see.”

Bella nodded calmly. For a moment, her expression softened—a flicker of something like bitterness crossed her face. It was a rare departure from the artificial smile she usually wore.

“Lucky you. I never had someone like a sister.”

Claire couldn’t bring herself to respond.

“Is that why you’re helping the Emperor?”

“Hmm?”

“Because he saved you? Took you in?”

“Well, maybe,” Bella said with a shrug. “He did take me in. But that’s not why I follow him. It’s more that, if not here, I wouldn’t know where to go or what to do.”

Bella spun her blade effortlessly, then looked directly at Claire.

“And, well, if Father gains the power of the goddess…”

Her gaze was piercing.

“Don’t you think he’d grant at least one wish?”

For example, granting her a past that wasn’t so dark.

Being reborn—not as a counterfeit child the Emperor picked up, but as a true, legitimate heir.

“…”

If Claire told Bella the truth here—that she was the Emperor’s real daughter—how would Bella react?

But before she could speak—

“Claire, watch out!”

—she was interrupted by a sharp warning.

A thwack followed, the sound of something solid being struck hard.

Turning, Claire saw Leo had intercepted someone rushing toward her, using the hilt of his sword to knock the attacker unconscious.

The cathedral was now teeming with civilians who had fled inside, and it seemed someone had managed to approach while Claire was distracted by her conversation with Bella.

“Claire!” Leo shouted again.

Claire ducked instinctively. A split second later, Bella’s blade sliced through the space where her head had been, cutting a few strands of her blue hair that fell to the ground.

Pivoting quickly, Claire retaliated with a wave of sword energy aimed at Bella.

“What a shame,” Bella said, gracefully leaping backward.

“It’s always the same. Whenever people hear about my past, they all react like you just did. But it’s all in the past now. It’s over.”

Bella’s swirling laughter was enough to help Claire refocus.

She steadied herself. If this could have been resolved with words, they wouldn’t have come this far. Sylvia would have solved it without a fight.

“Claire.”

Leo spoke quietly.

“I’ll hold her here as long as I can. The moment you see an opening, go to Sylvia. …You still have what Sylvia gave you, right?”

“…Yeah.”

Claire nodded firmly.

“Good. Let’s do as she instructed before we came here.”

At his words, Claire nodded again, determination gleaming in her eyes.

“Antonio!”

Sophia’s voice rang out, hoarse and jagged, unlike her usual high-pitched tone.

Sophia wasn’t an emotionless person. On the contrary, she was deeply emotional.

It was precisely because of this that she was struggling to process everything now.

She was acutely aware of her identity as a follower of the goddess, a member of the cathedral knights, and a citizen of the Holy Nation.

But—

Sophia had trusted Antonio.

He was a man who had suddenly appeared in the Holy Nation years ago and risen to knighthood through sheer skill. Among the knights, he was admired for his diligence and prowess.

He had even refused to swear by the goddess’s name, saying it was not something to invoke lightly.

“I’m sorry,” Antonio said, easily parrying her strike with his sword. “But ‘Antonio’ was just a temporary name.”

His voice was calm, even as he continued, “My real name is Damien. Damien Fangryphon.”

“…!”

Sophia let out an inarticulate cry and swung her sword again.

Sophia, too, was highly regarded within the knightly order. Though still growing, she had been praised for her rapid progress and was expected to become an exceptional knight with more experience.

But she wasn’t yet a match for Damien.

“Ugh…!”

Sophia staggered backward as Damien’s casual swing forced her off balance. Her boots squeaked against the smooth marble floor, the sound grating.

There was no room for conversation now—nor any need for it.

Before news of his "death," Antonio—no, Damien—had been considered the strongest knight in the cathedral. The sword he wielded now, Jericho’s Blade, was a sacred relic known for its unmatched sharpness.

The irony was infuriating.

If someone so entrenched within the cathedral had been a traitor, what was the cathedral even fighting for?

Tat-tat-tat!

The sound of gunfire snapped Sophia out of her spiraling thoughts.

“Focus,” a voice said calmly.

As Damien took a step back, reloading clicks echoed behind her.

“Distracted thoughts are dangerous on the battlefield. I’ll cover you from the rear; just keep his attention on you.”

Sophia turned to see Lena, methodically readying her firearm.

“You—”

“This isn’t the time for questions,” Lena interrupted. “Don’t worry, I won’t shoot you in the back. As long as Her Highness trusts you, so will I.”

“….”

For a moment, Sophia was at a loss for words.

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Chapter 252

“It’s a relief we have this many people here,” Jennifer said. “If it were just four or five of us, we’d already be surrounded.”

“R-Really?” Carolyn’s voice trembled as though frightened, but her hands moved with calm precision.

With one hand gripping her staff and the other drawing a magic circle midair, she began a silent incantation. Such control—casting without verbalizing and maintaining focus despite the surrounding chaos—was a skill only someone at the peak of their craft could perform.

Jennifer, though slightly impressed by Carolyn’s display, kept her surprise hidden. This was, after all, a teacher from the Empire’s finest academy. Anyone less skilled wouldn’t have earned that position in the first place.

The students were the ones primarily engaged on the front lines. The enemies weren’t just formidable—they were individually dangerous enough to pose serious threats.

But Jennifer wasn’t overly worried.

Not because she trusted the students’ abilities, but because she had spent countless hours in battlefields, learning to assess combat situations at a glance. The most critical role of a commander was to observe the battlefield, coordinate support from the rear, and minimize the losses of those at the front.

More importantly, there were far too many civilians flooding in behind them.

If it had only been a dozen or so, they might have dealt with them quickly, but these weren’t just numbers—they were non-combatants, people they couldn’t simply kill. What’s worse, it wasn’t just this entrance; people were pouring in from other directions too, impacting the students fighting ahead.

“Jake, Lottie,” Jennifer called out, “go support the students at the front.”

Jennifer had her reasons for this instruction.

Lottie was carrying a rifle loaded with live ammunition—not crowd-control rounds but proper, lethal bullets. While effective against enemies, such bullets would cause instant death, no matter where they struck.

It was only prudent to save such deadly force for enemies who could and should be killed.

Jake, naturally, was the best person to watch Lottie’s back. While having lovers together on the battlefield could be risky—one’s death or injury often drove the other into recklessness—it could also amplify their synergy if both survived.

Jake quickly followed Lottie, giving Jennifer a brief glance before moving on. She nodded reassuringly in return.

“Haah!”

Carolyn’s casting completed at that moment.

The green light from her staff flashed, and a powerful gust of wind swept through the area like a sudden storm. The advancing civilians were all pushed backward, rolling across the floor or stumbling but miraculously avoiding serious injury.

Jennifer guessed Carolyn had adjusted the spell’s power to minimize harm—had the targets been conscious knights instead of civilians, it wouldn’t have been nearly as effective. Whether the Emperor’s choice not to deploy knights was due to arrogance or inability, Jennifer silently thanked the circumstances.

Mia immediately sprang into action.

Gripping her staff—almost as tall as she was—she swept it across the floor like a painter’s brush, carving a large semicircle.

With a sharp crack, an ice wall rose along the arc.

“They won’t be able to break through this with bare hands for a while…” Mia said softly, her tone tinged with hesitation.

Jennifer offered a reassuring smile.

“That’s good. Even a momentary barrier gives us a chance to redirect our efforts elsewhere. Let’s move forward, but don’t neglect the rear. Support with magic and firearms wherever possible.”

Both Carolyn and Mia nodded, determination written on their faces.

As they moved toward the fray, the three women used wind and ice to reposition furniture and create barricades, fortifying their path.

Bang—

A sharp gunshot echoed, prompting Jayden to raise his shield hastily.

With a ping, a bullet glanced off the shield’s angled surface, throwing up sparks as it ricocheted.

“This is why I hate guns,” Jayden grumbled, lowering his shield slightly.

The rapid follow-up shots forced him to leap sideways, the bullets striking the spot where he had just stood, scattering debris.

It was Lottie’s rifle, Alice determined. She didn’t have the luxury to turn and confirm but knew from the trajectory.

“Apologies, but Father wants to meet Sylvia alone,” Jayden said, his voice calm. “There’s still a machine yet to be completed.”

“…The machine only works with someone carrying Fangryphon blood, doesn’t it?”

“There’s no reason to hide it now, so yes. But it won’t be you.”

“Why not?”

“We’ve already tested you. We know the results.”

“…”

Alice couldn’t respond to that.

She had suspected as much when the masked woman wielding Sylvia’s gun had shown no intention of killing her.

Even if that woman had Sylvia’s weapon, her swordsmanship had been far from Sylvia’s style.

So perhaps… the masked woman…

“This situation,” Alice said finally, “is the result of those tests, isn’t it?”

Jayden didn’t answer.

With a shield in one hand and an oversized sword in the other, Jayden charged at Alice.

“Ugh!”

Alice had no time to evade. All she could do was brace herself and block his strike.

“Honestly,” Jayden said, his blade pressing down on hers, “your talent doesn’t quite measure up to Father’s. Have you been neglecting your training?”

“…!”

Gritting her teeth, Alice pushed back with all her strength, forcing Jayden’s sword away.

She had trained—diligently, tirelessly. She prided herself on her dedication, her studies, her practice.

But talent was another matter entirely. No amount of effort could close the gap between her and someone at Jayden’s level.

What Jayden didn’t realize, however, was that—had he been a “true imperial child”—things might have been different.

“You have quite the nerve talking like that to a lady.”

Clang!

Another sword clashed against Jayden’s, forcing him to step back and recover his stance.

“Whew.”

Jake stood there, brushing his hair back casually.

“Your name’s Jayden, right? I remembered because it’s similar to mine. Hard to forget.”

His voice was light, almost teasing, as if they were back at the academy.

“All this talk about talent,” Jake continued, “but honestly, are you just jealous of Alice? I mean, she is the Emperor’s real daughter. You’ve been working so hard, climbing the ranks, becoming a knight commander, but…”

“…”

Jayden scowled, clearly displeased.

Alice had seen Jayden dote on Sylvia genuinely. From her perspective, his affection seemed sincere—untainted by ulterior motives.

Still, she’d never considered the possibility that Jayden’s efforts stemmed from some inferiority complex toward Alice.

Not that she was free of jealousy herself.

“I know the feeling,” Jake said, shrugging. “I’ve spent my life disappointing Father’s expectations. You’re the opposite—you’ve worked your ass off to meet them, but still don’t get what you want. And here you are, still fighting to please him.”

“What do you know about me?” Jayden snapped.

Jake only shrugged again.

“…You want to get to Sylvia, don’t you?” Jake asked Alice softly.

“…Yeah.”

“Then go,” Jake said, gripping his sword. “I’ll hold him here.”

“Got it.”

As Jake braced for another clash, Alice tightened her grip on her weapon and prepared to move.

Jayden glanced briefly toward the cathedral’s rear.

From the area behind the Pope’s seat, knights were entering—clearly clad in imperial armor, not the cathedral’s.

There weren’t too many of them, but advancing further would be a struggle.

“Well,” Jake muttered with a wry grin, “a knight’s just as dead as anyone else when shot.”

Alice couldn’t help but let out a short, dry laugh at his nonchalant tone.

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Chapter 253

In all my time, I had never directly opposed the Emperor.

I had considered it. Perhaps an assassination attempt would be worth a shot—test it out, and if it worked, great; if not, rewind time and try again. But the Emperor was the mid-series final boss. He wasn’t someone you could defeat easily.

Even if I managed to confront him alone, the moment the situation was discovered, everyone in the palace would descend upon me.

…I had already tested the palace’s response times. I’d detonated bombs openly and infiltrated an airship docked briefly for maintenance. While I managed to escape, it was far riskier than being on the battlefield.

On the battlefield, I had allies holding the line, forcing the enemy to divide their attention. In the capital, it was different. If I were the sole traitor, every soldier in the capital would pursue only me.

Even if I succeeded in killing the Emperor, the chances of me escaping alive were slim. Sure, rewinding time countless times might eventually yield success, but the circumstances would inevitably change during each attempt.

Ultimately, I never directly fought the Emperor.

Was the Emperor’s swordsmanship superior to Lucas’s? This question was often debated among players. If the Emperor’s skill matched that of the Swordmaster, then Lucas, who had defeated the Swordmaster, was arguably stronger than the Emperor.

Of course, as the “final boss,” the Emperor’s stats were inflated in the game. Even when the fight concluded, cutscenes often portrayed the victory as the Emperor holding back rather than being defeated outright. Balancing mechanics aside, it was hard to reconcile such stats with the in-game lore.

And then—

“Guh…!”

I twisted my body abruptly as I ran toward the Emperor.

It was obvious—of course, the Emperor wasn’t going to hand me an easy victory. Even after altering his plans because of my interference, he hadn’t abandoned his goal of seizing the world.

Were the things he said to me lies? Perhaps. If I had foreseen his future and acted accordingly, maybe he would have kept his word. But even then, he would have waited for an opportunity.

Just like Fangryphon had done in the past.

I dodged two consecutive strikes aimed at me, throwing myself to the side. My shoulder hit the ground with a loud thud. The reinforced suit I wore absorbed the impact, amplifying the strength in my legs as I pushed off the ground.

When my joints moved sharply, the suit emitted a faint popping sound. Lying on my back, I rolled to the side, unintentionally resembling someone deliberately evading attacks.

I raised my rifle to fire—but then remembered I had emptied the magazine during my fight with Lucas. Quickly, I pulled the bolt back to check the chamber, but instead of reloading, I rolled again to avoid the Emperor’s next movement.

Perhaps it was because I had just fought Lucas?

The Emperor’s movements bore a surprising resemblance to his. Then again, it was probably Lucas who had mimicked the Emperor. Before setting his sights on me, Lucas’s ultimate goal had been to surpass the Emperor.

The difference was subtle. Lucas’s movements were smoother, more fluid. The Emperor’s, however, felt rigid—almost as if he forced together motions that shouldn’t connect naturally. Yet there was nothing awkward about them. It was as if he had stripped away all aesthetic flourishes from his swordsmanship, leaving only the essentials.

Rather than his body following the sword, it seemed the sword bent to his will.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The floor bore fresh scars from his strikes. I barely managed to dodge, the enhanced suit saving me from what would otherwise have been grievous injuries. Sacrificing defense for power had proven a good decision.

I finally slid a bullet from my belt into the chamber and pushed the bolt forward. The mechanical click sounded unnaturally cheerful given the situation.

I took aim and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The recoil slammed the stock against the reinforced padding on my shoulder.

“Hmph.”

There was an undeniable gap between my physical abilities and the Emperor’s. Even the Swordmaster had once told me—I lacked talent.

Naturally, the Emperor was prepared to evade the shot the moment I raised my rifle.

The bullet sailed past him, striking the “device” behind him instead.

Boom!

A small explosion followed, but it wasn’t enough to destroy the device. Of course, it wouldn’t be. That machine had been built to seal the goddess’s power.

Unless I wielded the goddess’s power, destroying it was likely impossible.

The Emperor must have known this—his confidence explained why he didn’t bother to stop me.

If destruction wasn’t an option—

I reached for the small valve near my knee.

Loosening the tightly sealed valve, I let steam hiss out of the suit. The strain on my joints from moving had been growing unbearable. Running like this could seriously injure me.

But what choice did I have?

Even if I faced the Emperor, I was still a princess. Returning to receive healing wasn’t out of the question.

Should I have brought morphine? Or maybe something stronger, like methamphetamine—no, Alice would have been furious.

I recalled the first time Alice found morphine in my quarters and angrily berated me. That wasn’t so long ago—not even a year.

Amidst the clash of swords and gunfire around me, I could hear familiar voices shouting with determination. Everyone was still holding their ground.

In less than a year, I had somehow earned the trust of so many people. Yet I hadn’t told them anything substantial.

I released the valve and crouched low to the ground.

Like a sprinter at the starting line, I pushed off with all my strength, charging forward.

My target wasn’t the Emperor.

My eyes were locked on the machine ahead.

I didn’t know if I could destroy it. Everyone who understood the truth claimed I held the goddess’s power, but I had never felt it myself. Time manipulation couldn’t move me forward. Attempting the impossible without the means to succeed would be meaningless.

But if destruction was impossible—

Then I’d disassemble it.

Before the battle, I had seen the Emperor handling the relic—a critical component.

The Emperor wasn’t a fool. He quickly realized my intentions and turned toward me, preparing his next strike.

I drew my revolver and fired wildly at him.

The .455 caliber revolver had been my trusted companion since I was young.

Though its trigger pull was heavy, it was a double-action revolver, allowing me to empty the cylinder in seconds.

Inside the cylinder were custom rounds—Maramaros bullets with elongated tips and reduced powder charges.

The bullets were slow and had a short range.

But at this distance, none of that mattered.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The small explosions from each round seemed uncharacteristic of a handgun. The Emperor deflected a few bullets with his sword, but he couldn’t stop the resulting bursts.

If I had intended to kill him, this plan would have failed.

At best, I had momentarily obscured his vision.

In a game, this would have been a frustrating situation—missing every shot despite powerful equipment. If this were a game, I’d have thrown the controller, cursed a few times, and reloaded from the beginning.

But this wasn’t a game.

The Emperor’s movements were briefly halted.

But I didn’t stop running.

The Emperor sliced through the smoke with ease. Through the dissipating haze, his eyes locked on mine.

It was terrifying.

The Emperor smiled, as though genuinely enjoying the situation. His gaze seemed to say that no matter what I did, it was futile.

“Sister!”

“Sylvia!”

But those fears vanished when I heard the voices of Claire and Alice.

Somehow, they had broken through the encroaching enemies.

The Emperor turned to me, ready to charge and end the threat.

Alice’s sword strike aimed precisely for the Emperor’s back.

The timing was perfect.

Shkk!

Blood splattered.

The Emperor took the hit directly.

But he didn’t even turn his head.

His unflinching gaze remained fixed on me.

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Chapter 254

One step forward.

It was only one step.

“Guh...!”

My body was pulled backward.

“Sister!”

I heard Claire scream in terror.

A horrible, slashing sound, like something being sliced, filled the air, and a few drops of blood splattered toward me. No, was it really just a few drops? The blood that hit my face seemed to be only that much, but surely far more had splattered in reality.

It wasn’t my blood.

It was the Emperor’s blood, the one who had grabbed me.

He yanked me by the back of my neck, pulling me backward. Even with the enhanced suit providing strength, it couldn’t perfectly counter the Emperor’s force.

Perhaps it was because I had rushed too quickly. The moment the Emperor grabbed me, my posture collapsed.

I flew backward and skidded on the ground, slamming into the earth—

Thud!

Had I not spread my legs to dodge, my legs would have been chopped into pieces, or pulverized. The Emperor’s sword struck where my legs had been moments before.

...Was he not trying to kill me?

The Emperor was bleeding from various parts of his body. Though he had worn sturdy inner armor, it didn’t matter much when he was struck repeatedly by my sword strikes.

“Hmph.”

But the blood flowing from the Emperor’s body was still insufficient to bring him down.

“Are you not using your abilities because you think they will be blocked?”

Well, of course.

Even with just pieces of relics, I had used my abilities and suffered enough shock to lose consciousness for days. So, would I risk using them in front of a completed relic?

I decided it was better to trust those who had come with me.

Click.

I emptied the revolver’s cylinder. The gun bent forward, and the spent casings flew out.

Seeing that I didn’t respond, the Emperor likely decided that speaking was unnecessary and charged at me.

The sound of swords clashing.

“Ugh!”

Before I knew it, Alice had come charging in front of me and blocked the Emperor’s sword with her own. Her sword trembled, visibly straining under the Emperor’s strike.

“Hmph.”

The Emperor made a sound, then withdrew his sword—not as if retreating, but simply lifting it.

Before Alice could follow up with another move, the Emperor swung his sword again, and though he didn’t strike with full force, Alice’s body wobbled from the impact.

“I’m not doubting your abilities, but still, you’re falling short.”

“...”

I could see Alice flinch slightly from the blow.

Falling short?

Alice was far superior to me. In both swordsmanship and study. What I took countless attempts to understand, Alice grasped effortlessly from the start. I had nearly given up on swordsmanship.

The Emperor had a habit of setting expectations and discarding anyone who failed to meet them. But it wasn’t surprising—he was a man who only cared for his own ambitions, willing to sacrifice those around him for his goals.

Bang!

I fired at Alice’s side, and the Emperor retreated.

It didn’t matter how skilled you were—if you were hit by a bullet, you bled.

Clang!

A sword energy, twisting like a snake, flew toward the spot where the Emperor had retreated. He lazily swept his sword to deflect it, but the movement wasn’t as easy as he had hoped. Even with all his talk of swordsmanship, he still struggled against Claire’s technique.

In the original work, the Emperor’s children were depicted as formidable, though not invincible. Lucas, for instance, was stronger, but the Emperor was still a dangerous foe.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

Another sharp, rapid strike followed.

Charlotte.

Having joined Claire’s side, Charlotte glared fiercely at the Emperor. It was only natural—though, thankfully, her gaze was not directed at me.

Blood stained Charlotte’s blade. She must have taken down several enemies to get here.

“We’ll buy time.”

Alice said quietly.

Ahead of us, knights were creeping closer.

“Lottie’s watching the back. Mia and the professor are coming this way too... As soon as there’s an opening, go for the machine.”

“Understood.”

I nodded at Alice’s words.

What exactly the goddess’s power was, how it worked—I still didn’t know.

But I couldn’t give up just because I didn’t know. At the very least, I would attempt to resolve whatever was directly in front of me.

“Alright, then.”

Alice and Charlotte exchanged a brief look.

“Let’s go!”

With those words, Alice bolted forward.

Charlotte and Claire, already confronting the Emperor, did the same.

The knights rushing toward us seemed irrelevant, as the three of them only had eyes on the Emperor.

There was no way I would let their efforts be in vain.

I ran once more.

And—

Ah.

I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder with a loud bang.

“Sylvia!?”

A scream rang out, but I couldn’t tell whose voice it was.

My left shoulder burned. The arm I had swung forward for speed didn’t move properly anymore. I didn’t have time to check the wound, but I did glance toward the sound of the gunshot.

The Emperor was holding a gun.

…A gun identical to the one I carried. But this one looked older.

Now that I noticed, my revolver, after rolling and being battered, had acquired new scratches. Though not entirely visible, there were deep gashes in several places.

Ah, yes.

Even in a world close to the “original,” reality was still reality.

Whether someone swings a sword or pulls a trigger depends on the choices of the wielder.

The Emperor, picking up the gun once used by his fallen daughter, had made his own choice.

Without aiming at the Emperor, I fired into the air. A few shots rang out from his side, but neither of us seemed to hit our target.

Should I rewind time?

For a brief moment, I considered it—

But then, I saw the three people and the Emperor.

Alice, who had been staring at me with wide eyes, was now attacking the Emperor. He had attempted to dodge her strike, but in a rush to draw his own gun, he couldn’t avoid Alice’s blade. Blood spurted from his arm. Was it fatal? I couldn’t tell, but he grimaced in pain.

The Emperor, having failed to dodge Alice’s strike, tried to counter, but was forced to retreat as two more sword strikes flew toward him. Claire’s and Charlotte’s blades whirled, fast and sharp, their movements unpredictable and synchronized.

The Emperor staggered back a few steps.

The knights guarding him had to prioritize protecting him, and Alice, Claire, and Charlotte didn’t have the chance to strike.

Rewinding time—could I make it to the machine if I did?

There was little time to think.

Even as I continued forward, the machine grew closer, and I could hear the sound of gunfire behind me.

Bang, bang.

Several knights collapsed in a spray of blood, likely from Lottie’s shots.

...Could I have made it this far by rewinding time?

As I thought that, I realized I had only one choice left.

I didn’t need both hands to operate the machine.

With all the strength I could muster, I ran.

And then—

I dropped the gun I had been holding. It was useless without any bullets. There was no point in carrying it anymore—it would only be used for swinging.

Reaching out with my right hand, I grabbed the spinning gears before me.

I pulled with all my strength. Kicking the machine with my foot, I yanked as hard as I could, but it didn’t budge easily. The gears spun as my fingers almost got caught between them, but with a final screech, the gears shifted outward.

Screech, the suit let out an ominous sound. Some of the internal tubes in my shoulder ruptured, and steam began to leak, soaking through the clothes beneath.

My left arm, still bleeding, had no sensation left in it.

“Ugh...”

Grimacing, I shifted my weight backward with all my force.

“Ah...”

The gears came loose.

And inside, I saw what was hidden.

“...Alice?”

The familiar face I had long known was there.

Alice, lying as though peacefully asleep, her eyes closed.

—Had the need for Fangryphon’s blood to complete the device been literal all along?

“No, Sylvia...!”

Someone screamed from behind me.

I heard something heavy approaching. The sound of clanking echoed as it drew nearer, but the sound never ceased.

However, before that sound could reach me, Alice inside the machine opened her eyes.

She looked at me with eyes glowing a fierce blue.

The light from her eyes was the same light emanating from the relic that Claire had entrusted to me.

For a brief moment, the world between us froze.

Without realizing it, I reached out my hand toward Alice.

It felt like all the reasons I had come this far, all the times I had rewound, had led me to this moment.

It was just the feeling that overcame me.

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Chapter 255

Well, it was strange from the very beginning.

Whether it's a game, a novel, a comic, or a movie, stories in those mediums are usually complete in themselves. External interference is impossible. It’s simply a finished work that ends with that story. If something from the outside interrupts, then, at that point, the original work loses its meaning. What exists now is just a different piece altogether, no longer the original.

But still, I felt that this world was ‘inside a story.’

To be more precise, I felt both ‘inside a story’ and ‘in reality’ at the same time. In terms of common sense, this world was undoubtedly ‘reality.’

In the game, there are no time limits. Although divided into morning and afternoon, within the ‘event’ itself, no matter how many times I go to certain areas or how far I travel, as long as I don’t intentionally trigger specific events to let time pass, I can do everything I want within the morning.

I could stop by shops to adjust my character’s equipment, sell unnecessary items, talk to other characters, search for hidden events, or complete side quests.

But reality is different from a game. To do all of those things within ‘the morning’ obviously requires more time. Leona Claire solved it by getting up early and handling everything from dawn… but if something else had happened to those two, those events probably wouldn’t have occurred at all.

This was the reason I couldn’t think of this world as a ‘simple game world.’

In a game, you can sell items at a shop. It’s a game mechanic that prevents players from being too strapped for money, as too little currency would make the game unnecessarily difficult. Of course, in this world, I can’t just walk into any shop and sell the things I carry. Unless the shopkeeper happens to be an eccentric person who would accept them.

Things like embedding Maramaros into equipment or ordering out-of-stock items and waiting for them were all far too troublesome for a game.

Yet, even in such situations, there were plenty of aspects that made me feel this world was ‘within a game.’

The terrain and landmarks resembled the game world too closely. Places that could be called ‘dungeons’ looked exactly like the ones I remembered. The types of magic were the same. Even the names of basic purchasable items were identical.

There were even parts that felt oddly out of place for a ‘real world.’ Healing devices placed boldly right in front of rooms where enemies were surely waiting. Precious items left untouched for an extraordinarily long time, their origin a mystery.

In the game, those things were simply there for the players’ convenience and enjoyment, but in this world, they existed with full confidence.

…Who created all of these ‘illogical’ things? With what purpose? Was there a reason for them to be so similar to what I remember from the game?

No, why did a character like ‘Sylvia Black’ have to be here in the first place?

I heard a click in my mind.

Alice’s blue eyes were still staring at me.

Her expression was chillingly emotionless. It wasn’t the kind of expression Alice would show me.

As if it was natural that I was there, waiting for me.

‘As if it was natural for me to come here.’

…If the character ‘Sylvia Black’ was inserted into this world to change it by someone’s will…

Then this ‘Alice’ is—

The future Emperor, sending a messenger for his victory.

—So why did I think that?

Why did it have to be the Emperor who created such a being? Was it because the Emperor thought so?

Or maybe because I saw my abilities being sealed because of this ‘Alice’? The Emperor might have created the relics to suppress or take control of the goddess’s power…

—And if that’s the case, then maybe the goddess destroyed the relic to prevent that.

The future of chaos is uncertain. Although I’ve heard about it in passing before, knowing the future by understanding every movement of every particle is impossible. There was something about quantum mechanics mixed in, but I didn’t really understand it and just passed it off.

Fangryphon succeeded in breaking the goddess’s order. But it was a half-success. If Fangryphon had entered that position directly and completed the device, what would have happened? We don’t know, but before that, the goddess destroyed the relic.

The complete collapse of the order and the world plunging back into perfect chaos did not happen.

And if the goddess was the one who governed that order…

…When did that prophecy in the deepest part of the palace ever exist?

Who, for what reason, wrote so many prophecies and kept them carefully stored?

Fangryphon surely longed for chaos. But I never thought that he would write prophecies and store them. …That was something I hadn’t considered.

I suspected there were two relics. One was created by Fangryphon to seize the goddess’s power, and the other—how it was made, I couldn’t tell, but it contained the goddess’s power.

In the end, it was true that there were two relics.

I realized that now.

But those relics were not ‘original.’

This ‘Alice’ must have brought them here in some way.

The Emperor believed it was the piece of the relic he had been searching for, so he combined it with the other pieces he had already found.

If the goddess could push the existence of ‘Sylvia Black’ into this already completed world—

And if that could ‘deceive someone’—

…Isn’t it strange to assume that they couldn’t do such a thing ‘once more’?

I reached out towards ‘Alice.’

Into the mechanical device. The device that was emitting light.

Inside the device, ‘Alice’ reached out.

Our hands touched for the first time.

Her hand was cold, like a corpse.

“…So you weren’t Alice.”

I was deceived.

There was no need to worry about time paradoxes or anything like that. After all, if I was a being from ‘beyond,’ I wouldn’t have been from the future.

The gap between space and time, the pale blue light that leaked through that space.

The moment I touched ‘Alice,’ I finally understood the ‘intention’ of the being who had been waiting for me.

Long ago, at the moment when order was about to collapse once again,

The goddess thought.

In that case, it’s simply a matter of thinking it over for a little longer.

Starting from the very beginning, step by step, preparing one thing after another, and getting ready for some event that would happen in the distant future.

Though the gap where light had been entering closed, the faith of those who still believed in the goddess remained steadfast.

Through that faint connection, the goddess slowly and leisurely began to reestablish order.

She scattered faith across the world, grew her followers, and expanded her influence. She reestablished order under her own power and created opportunities to intervene in the world.

Based on that order, she planted the truth about the future, making people believe in the phenomena they witnessed, and completed each stage one by one.

It was as if she were playing chess alone.

Like a child enjoying piecing together a puzzle.

And finally, when the stage was ready, the goddess placed her chess piece on the board.

—Even a goddess cannot reverse time.

But that was not a problem.

If she couldn’t reverse time, she could simply beat the odds.

According to the natural flow of order under her will, she would change the positions of the stars that had already moved, reverse the axis of rotation, turn the crawling insects back, and return the cells of aging beasts to their original state.

The one thing she didn’t change:

She left the memories of the beloved chess pieces she had placed on the board intact, so they wouldn’t lose their way.

Over and over, and over again.

Until she reached the conclusion she desired.

So, my dear, come quickly.

The ending you wanted is here.

Everyone can be happy. No one has to suffer. I will make it so with my power.

The poor souls groaning under the colonial empire.

The people drowning in opium, unable to see reality, suffering.

The children who are forced into prostitution and abused, with no choice.

In the world I will create, they will not exist. Everyone will live happily.

Under perfect balance and order.

So, this story ends here.

This is the predetermined ending.

By whose decree?

I guess because I kept talking about “happy endings,” they must have interpreted it differently, but the “happy ending” I’m thinking of isn’t like that.

The people suffering under the colonial empire? They have nothing to do with me. I feel sorry for them. I wish they could be liberated and happy.

So what?

The children who are sold with no choices? I want to save those who are being abused by the adults who should be protecting them, those who are dying one after another.

So what? What’s the point?

Drenched in opium, having their property stolen by landowners, exploited for labor, and mistreated—

Does that concern me?

That was just how things were in the world I originally lived in.

In the end, people can only see themselves and those around them. The “happy ending” people think of isn’t a perfect world where everyone is happy without any scars. It’s about the protagonist and the heroine coming together, or the demon king being defeated, or the war ending, or the hidden villain being found—

No one wants to hear about “how the economy collapsed after the demon king was defeated” or “what happened to taxes” after the story ends.

People—

—So.

What I want to hear is:

A story where everyone I care about survives this war and we win.

And, naturally, a story where I stand proudly alongside them.

That’s the happy ending I imagined.

Anything else? I don’t care. Don’t try to decide and end the story on your own.

Well, I guess it’s a bit hypocritical, saying democracy is just and all that, but what of it?

I’ll judge things based on my own standards.

And, by the way.

Why, if someone exists who can return the world to its original state countless times, did they not take the initiative and instead create a fake Alice to insert?

And they even deliberately disturbed my abilities, telling lies in the process.

…They still haven’t fully intervened in the world, have they?

Could it be that the ‘real relic’ actually works?

What they told the church to gather in advance, was that just so the Emperor would find an easier path? If the church gathers it eagerly and resists violently, the Emperor would have to be a bit more crafty. Plus, they could safely secure the scattered relic pieces the Emperor might have found.

Sending the ‘fake relic’ hidden inside fake Alice’s body, and getting the Emperor to fall for his own tricks.

Weren’t they afraid of the relic being completed?

“Why do villains always blab about their plans at the end? They always give you the chance to strike back.”

I pushed away Alice— no,

The fake Alice’s hand.

No matter how much she looked like Alice, or whatever thoughts she had, this was not Alice.

She was only made to act that way.

“Big sister!”

I heard Claire’s scream.

Someone roughly grabbed my shoulder,

And at the same time, I heard a dull thud.

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Chapter 256

"Claire!?"

Claire's scream was heard, but Alice couldn’t even make a sound.

When recalling what Sylvia had said before coming here, it was obvious that Sylvia was the center of this situation.

Though Sylvia had used some kind of power to get here, it seemed that even Sylvia didn’t know whether it was truly the power of a goddess.

The force she wielded was distinctly different from the divine powers of the priests that were often seen. If Sylvia’s power truly came from a goddess, it was impossible to understand why it was so different from the divine power the priests used.

So, unless it was Sylvia herself, no one would truly understand the situation, which was why they had all gathered to help her carry out her plan.

Sylvia, who had been stabbed in the back, didn’t make a sound.

No, her expression didn’t change either.

Her eyes were unfocused, as though looking into the distance—was it because she had been stabbed?

Claire shouted as she charged forward. A few knights tried to stop her, but one by one, they fell to the incoming gunfire.

Alice also ran.

Blood—blood was flowing. The wound visible on the Emperor’s body was not the source of the blood. It was clearly Sylvia’s blood.

Having ripped off the ruined gauntlet, there was nothing left to protect Sylvia’s back—

Bang!

But the next moment, a sound rang out.

"...Ah!"

The light returned to Sylvia’s previously unfocused eyes.

Coughing up blood, Sylvia was still alive.

Immediately after, more gunshots rang out—Bang, bang, bang. It wasn’t the revolver she had been holding when she lunged at the Emperor. It was an automatic pistol she must have drawn.

The Emperor turned his body, but even he couldn’t avoid the bullets fired from Sylvia’s gun as she aimed at his side.

But the Emperor’s hand still held Sylvia’s shoulder.

Slick—The knife was pulled from Sylvia’s body.

Cough. Sylvia coughed again, and blood stained her lips and chin.

For just one moment, everyone’s eyes turned to Sylvia and the Emperor. Those who were fighting beside them and those opposing them, even the Emperor’s knights.

In that fleeting instant, the entire space fell into silence before it was broken.

The goal had changed.

Sylvia’s companions were now solely focused on helping her. Regardless of the circumstances of the person in front of them, or their own feelings or goals, those things no longer mattered.

The reason everyone had gathered here in the first place was Sylvia.

Had it not been for Sylvia, the Emperor wouldn’t have acted this way.

On the other hand, those standing in opposition had the same goal.

Their ultimate goal was to ensure the Emperor’s plan was completed and to seize the power of the goddess.

The direction of their steps, the direction of their swords, the barrels of their guns, and the tips of their staffs all shifted.

Countless sword strikes, magic, and gunfire all converged toward the same target.

It was likely that neither Sylvia nor the Emperor would be able to avoid it all.

Sylvia turned her head.

She was still drenched in blood, grimacing in pain. This was a sight that would almost never be seen from the usual Sylvia.

Sylvia’s black eyes scanned the surroundings. It looked as though she was searching for someone, and those eyes met Alice’s for a brief moment.

For an instant, time seemed to slow.

Sylvia’s furrowed brow slightly relaxed. Though she still had a pained expression, for a moment, Alice thought she saw a smile.

No, it really was a smile.

Sylvia’s lips moved slightly.

"It's okay."

It seemed like she was saying that.

For the first time, Sylvia, who always spoke politely, was offering those words.

Sylvia’s gaze shifted again, this time to Claire.

Claire, who had dashed forward first, scattering sword energy around her, was now much closer to Sylvia than Alice.

Countless sword strikes and magic were swirling around, many of them clashing and neutralizing each other, shattering into fragments. The sparkling scene of debris and powder, had there been no bloodied bodies beneath it, might have looked like a celebration.

The lights reflected off the red, blue, green, and icy colors, illuminating Sylvia’s face. For a brief moment, the Emperor, who had been holding Sylvia’s shoulder, finally let go.

But Sylvia didn’t move toward the mechanical devices or the ‘Zibo’ lying below. Instead, her body moved in a different direction.

*

Claire, who had been running at full speed, quickly reduced her pace.

It was because Sylvia, who had broken free from the Emperor, was running toward Claire.

Sylvia was already losing a lot of blood. If they had collided as they were, it might have been impossible for her to escape unscathed.

The sound of the rubber-soled shoes rubbing against the floor echoed—

"Claire!"

Sylvia ran straight into Claire.

Claire didn’t fall. Though Sylvia collapsed forward as if her legs gave way, it was Claire who caught her.

"Are you okay, sis?"

Claire immediately closed her mouth after asking. Sylvia didn’t look okay at all. Blood was pouring from her mouth, and the hand supporting Sylvia, nearly cradling her, was covered in blood. The blood still warm, freshly dripping from her body.

"Claire."

"Uh...?"

It was the usual way Sylvia called her name, but something was different. Was it because Sylvia was calling her urgently? For some reason, her voice didn’t sound like Sylvia’s calm tone from earlier.

It reminded Claire more of something from their childhood—

"Zibo, do you have it?"

"Ah, yes."

"Good."

At Sylvia’s words, Claire blinked in surprise. Despite bleeding so much and suffering such injuries, Sylvia spoke with a strong voice.

Suddenly, Sylvia’s hand reached into the inner pocket of her uniform, and Claire was startled.

Without changing her expression, Sylvia pulled out the Zibo from the pocket.

A partially completed gear, small enough to fit inside the pocket.

"What are you going to do with that...?"

"You’ll see soon enough."

"Uh?"

Sylvia’s mysterious words made Claire blink again.

*

Honestly, there wasn’t much time to think, so I can’t say this was a perfect plan.

In reality, I brought another Zibo to counter this one. If I faced the Emperor and lost it, it would be bad, so I left it with Claire, who’s much stronger than me...

Moreover, the Zibo itself responded, and it reacted more clearly to Claire.

Thinking back to the truth I saw earlier—

The reason I couldn’t use my full powers in front of the fake Alice was because "the goddess controlled it." To deceive the Emperor.

Of course, it might be part of a trap within traps. She might have already predicted every move I would make.

But still, it felt wrong.

I’m the type of person who hates seeing others complete strategies, so I would get the Japanese version, translate it, and write guides myself. And I would criticize the translations, especially when people misinterpreted story details. Even when the officially licensed versions weren’t available, I would still dissect everything, even when it was finally translated into Korean.

I know my nature isn’t ideal. I’m aware that people in this world think I have a personality that deserves respect, but I know myself.

If the story I’m reading isn’t what I want, I’ll keep trying to change it into something I want.

If this were a story written by a company, I might accept it. But this world is different.

If the goddess picked me because I’m "someone who loves this world too much and can’t distinguish between reality and the virtual world," then she made the right choice.

But if that’s the case, then she should have considered the mindset of someone like me beforehand.

The Zibo Claire pulled from her pocket was glowing brightly. Naturally, it was aimed at Claire, not me.

I told myself I "returned the world to its original state," but I don’t believe it. How can I trust the words of someone who’s been lying to me from the start?

There’s definitely some power transferred to me. There are things I need to change "from within."

Even if the transferred goddess power isn’t perfect like the original, it doesn’t matter.

Because, after all, the Zibo I’m holding isn’t perfect either.

This was the goddess’s plan, up to this point.

"Claire, could you help me here for a second?"

"Ah, sure..."

With an expression that showed she didn’t fully understand the situation, Claire obediently followed my words.

She was still a good younger sister, now as she was then.

So now, what should I do?

The storyline changed because of me.

The imperfect, temporarily transferred goddess’s power.

And, still imperfect, the object created to prevent and seize the goddess’s power.

A being who can properly use that object.

"Claire, listen carefully. We don’t have much time."

"There are still people rushing at us." Some were desperately trying to block us, but time was definitely running out.

"I’ll count to three, and then—"

I decided not to dwell on whether it would work or not.

"I understand."

After hearing my explanation, Claire nodded.

I nodded slightly and said.

"One."

The goddess, who wanted to make the world as she imagined.

"Two."

The Emperor, who opposed that goddess but still wanted to become a new god by seizing her power.

Both had one thing in common.

To them, I was just a tool. Whether they had affection for me or not, I didn’t know, and I didn’t know how far they could use me.

No matter the outcome, I wouldn’t be happy in the end. I might even cease to exist altogether.

That’s not a happy ending.

In the fleeting moment I glanced back, my companions entered. They were all still alive. They were relying on each other, coming together to protect me and Claire.

Finally, I met Alice’s gaze again.

It’s okay.

It will be okay.

I gave Alice a faint, reassuring look and then turned my gaze back to Claire.

The two determined eyes filled my vision.

"Three."

At my final words, Claire opened her mouth. And I spoke simultaneously—

"Again!"

—Again.

For the first time.

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Chapter 257

Wait, hold on a second.

I said ‘from the very beginning,’ not ‘from the next after the beginning.’

Even from my perspective, after coming to this world, memories that were quite old were unfolding before my eyes.

When I shout ‘again!’ my ability activates, and it’s not time travel as someone else. It’s me rewinding time, not traveling as another person.

Since I briefly saw the goddess’s thoughts, ‘that kind’ of time travel is impossible.

So, the situation unfolding before my eyes right now can be described as ‘the situation I am really in right now.’

A gentleman with monocles, a mustache, and broad shoulders.

Though he was wearing a silk hat and a fine coat, I honestly don’t think he could be called a ‘gentleman,’ either by his appearance or by his actions.

His clenched fist rises up.

The pain I first experienced after coming to this world strikes again—

Thunk.

“Hmm?”

But just before that fist could hit my face, I heard a sound coming from the carriage window.

The man’s face turned toward the window. Though his other hand was still pressing down on me tightly, making it hard to move, at least this time, my face wouldn’t be smashed by a single punch like before.

Thunk!

A louder sound of impact came, and the carriage window shook. I could hear someone shouting from outside. It was a voice that was now faint in my memory, one I didn’t really want to recall.

“Bitch!”

I’m pretty sure that’s what they shouted.

Then, I heard the sound of something shattering.

It was a familiar sound. Of course, I’ve broken countless windows in my life, but there’s a big difference between the sound of breaking a normal window and breaking a lamp. A lamp is made of both glass and metal.

The dull sound of the lamp’s metal part hitting the ground, the sound of glass breaking, and at the same time, a sound of something sloshing on the floor, followed by the sound of fire crackling.

And screams.

Yeah, Claire was outside at this time.

The blue flames reflected in the man’s monocle, looking out the window.

The man immediately stood up and began pounding on the wall near the coachman’s seat with his fist.

It seemed like the coachman understood without needing any words. The sound of the whip cracking followed, and the horse let out a whinny.

The carriage began moving forward.

“Big sister!”

A voice called from outside. Could it have been Claire shouting?

But despite that voice, the carriage sped up even faster.

No matter how skilled Claire was, she was still a child right now.

She didn’t have the ability to catch up with the carriage—

Well, whether she did or not didn’t really matter.

“Again!”

*

My ability worked.

I didn’t have time to think about how messed up this world had become.

Because the part where I rewound time had brought me back to just before I was about to get hit.

I saw the man raising his fist—

I gritted my teeth and moved my legs.

He seemed momentarily taken aback, as if he didn’t expect me to react so fiercely.

But he quickly raised his hand. He was just a child, after all. When a grown man presses down on a child’s body with his leg, the child can’t resist.

He gripped my neck tightly with one hand, making it hard to breathe.

But it was okay. I knew that if I had a chance, I could make it work.

If I have one chance, I essentially have countless chances.

Again.

*

Thud!

The foot that could move just once accurately hit the man’s groin.

The man’s face turned pale instantly.

Yeah, I knew. I used to be a man in my past life, so I know how fucking painful it is when you get hit there.

That was exactly why I kicked him there.

I felt the pressure release from the hand that was pinning me down, and I moved my foot again. The man’s hand completely left me, and I barely managed to sit up.

Then, I lunged at him, throwing a punch with all my strength.

Crack! The monocle in his eye shattered. Some shards of glass got embedded in my own fist, but the man’s face was in far worse condition.

It was inevitable when the glass was just wedged onto his face without any support.

“You bitch!”

At that exact moment, I heard a voice from outside the carriage, followed by a clang, the sound of a lamp breaking.

After a scream tore through the air, the carriage door rattled.

While the man was holding his eyes, I quickly grabbed the door handle and opened the carriage door.

“Big sister!”

And finally, I saw Claire’s face—

“Ah.”

At the same time, my neck was grabbed from behind. The man must have had a terrifying expression on his face.

But before I could even respond, someone else reacted.

“Again!”

Claire shouted.

Thud.

*

Thud!

“Ugh!”

A rock flew into the man’s face. The moment the door opened, Claire’s stone hit his hand, which was covering his eyes, with perfect accuracy.

“Big sister, hurry!”

Claire extended her hand to me.

Claire didn’t look so good. Although there were no major wounds, her clothes were covered in dust, as if she had rolled on the ground.

At least, she hadn’t been burned while breaking the lamp, so that was a relief.

I quickly grabbed Claire’s hand and stepped outside.

Then, Claire pulled me along, running.

“These trash…”

Really, these trash people sure talk a lot.

I thought, hearing the angry shouts of the man behind us.

The man, who had tried to maintain his polite demeanor while getting beaten, seemed frustrated by being hit by a child.

“The children?”

“Of course, we’re taking them all with us. Just like you did, big sister.”

Claire said, tugging my arm.

… I didn’t fully understand the situation, but it seemed to be unfolding in a way similar to what I had aimed for.

The goddess’s power remained, but it had also transferred to Claire. It might be because of the relic’s power. Claire had the potential for that.

But even then—

I heard the sound of hooves from behind.

It seemed like they had given up on chasing us after seeing the body of the orphanage director burning ahead. Maybe they thought it would be troublesome if they got any further involved?

At least, the orphanage itself wasn’t burning.

“This time, I’ll lead.”

Claire, smiling brightly, spoke. She was the Claire I remembered from her younger days, but strangely, she also resembled the brave Claire from just a moment ago.

*

“……”

“Princess?”

The voice of the guard addressing Alice was filled with tension.

The young princess, still too young to be called a ‘girl,’ had come here after throwing a tantrum.

How she knew about this ‘dangerous area,’ and more specifically, how she knew about the ‘orphanage’ in this area, was something even the guard didn’t understand.

There were several carriages surrounding the one the princess was riding in, along with mounted knights.

A child not yet ten years old, casually giving orders to those below her, had never happened before. Of course, a report had been sent to the Emperor. He seemed quite intrigued and approved the situation.

What exactly did this young princess know, and why was she here?

“It seems there was a fire last night. The orphanage director mishandled a lamp…”

“Is the orphanage safe?”

“Yes, the building is intact, but it seems that the children inside have disappeared overnight.”

The guard reported matter-of-factly, without speculation.

“I see.”

Princess Alice Fangryphon briefly closed her mouth, lost in thought.

“Alright. The investigation is complete. Let’s return to the palace. Thank you for your help.”

“It was my duty, Your Highness.”

The guard bowed, still a bit stunned by the young princess’s command.

*

I saw a bright light coming from between Sylvia and Claire.

And when I finally regained my senses, the first thing I realized was the position of my gaze.

It was much lower than the view Alice remembered.

I looked at my hands. They were soft and small. My arms, my legs, were much shorter than Alice had remembered.

And then, after seeing myself in the mirror, I realized.

Time had been rewound.

*

“……”

Then, why could Alice still remember that moment?

The eyes of Alice in the mirror narrowed. Staring at herself in the mirror, she suddenly realized.

Inside that mechanical device.

Alice herself was inside.

Whether that was the real or fake Alice, and how that situation came to be, Alice wasn’t sure, but she could at least be certain that the being inside the device was the ‘masked woman.’

And when that masked woman was present, even after time had reversed, Alice had not lost her memories.

Her heart raced wildly.

How many people truly live without regrets? Alice had committed many regrettable acts in her youth.

Especially, she had treated Sylvia, who had been kind to her without any conditions, so coldly for too long.

She had shown that attitude for years, so it was no wonder Sylvia had grown distant, but Sylvia had continued to show her the same attitude, never changing.

It was thanks to Sylvia that Alice was able to regain her composure.

So, if she met Sylvia again now…

Would she be able to make up for the mistakes of her younger self?

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Chapter 258

It was already several years ago that I thought that.

“……”

“……”

Inside the rattling train, the person sitting across from Alice was not the one Alice remembered.

Her blue hair, reaching down to her shoulders, had a dreamlike quality. Unlike Alice’s memory, the ends of her untied hair curled into waves, so if she hadn’t looked like she usually did, she could have easily been mistaken for someone from a noble family.

No, she was from a noble family, after all.

When she was very young, she grew up on the streets, and later, she spent some time in an orphanage that sold people like objects. She escaped after killing the director, but her bloodline ran through the royal family.

In fact, even more than Alice, the rightful heir.

“Did you always do this kind of thing?”

“What kind of thing?”

Suddenly, Claire spoke, and Alice fixed her eyes on Claire, who had been glancing around, and responded.

Claire looked at her with an expression of annoyance.

“Interfering with everything the Emperor himself commanded and forcing your way in to do the same.”

“……”

It was something she had done before.

When she had been feeling jealous and inferior to Sylvia, she had tried to follow everything Sylvia did. Every time, Sylvia completed tasks more perfectly than Alice could ever manage, which only made Alice feel more inferior.

Ironically, the first real conversation Alice had had with Sylvia in a long while was on this train. Alice had always felt awkward being around Sylvia. But this time, there were two even more awkward figures on the train, so Alice had no choice but to choose to sit in front of Sylvia.

And the conversation they had in that train made a huge impact on Alice.

“I guess you did.”

Claire snorted and looked out the window.

“You seemed so close, I thought you must’ve been best friends since you were little.”

Alice had no reply to that comment.

“But this time, there was no choice. I met Charlotte for the first time here.”

“……Well, I guess that can’t be helped.”

With a sigh, Claire wiped her face.

“I really thought we’d be able to stay together.”

“……”

“Ah, I know. You’re telling me to be extra careful, right? Not to bring this up unless I absolutely have to.”

Luckily, Lucas and Jayden were immersed in their own competition, so they didn’t react to this side of the conversation.

Until now, neither Claire nor Alice had said anything about Claire’s bloodline.

Moreover, the person Lucas had chosen this time was not Sylvia, who had no Fangryphon blood, but Claire, who truly had the Emperor’s bloodline, which made it even more dangerous. If things went wrong, the world might move exactly as the Emperor had planned.

“But you said it yourself. ‘It won’t go like that.’”

Since coming to this world, Alice had met Sylvia only twice.

Sylvia, who had become ‘Sylvia Grace’ instead of ‘Sylvia Fangryphon,’ was working very hard at the balls held at the palace.

While Claire had become a ‘Grace’ because of her swordsmanship, it seemed Sylvia had caught the Emperor’s eye with her particular knowledge. As a result, she was living a life very different from the one Claire had lived when she focused solely on swordsmanship as a child. While Claire was one of the inheritors of the Grace-style swordsmanship, ‘Sylvia Grace’ looked every bit the young lady from a noble family.

Unlike the Alice, Claire, and Sylvia who remembered the past, Sylvia’s partner at the ball, Leo, seemed not to remember either of them.

This meant that those who were not involved with the relics or the goddess’s plan could not properly remember the world.

“That might not be the case.”

At the Grace estate, Sylvia, having changed her manner of speaking, said that. It made sense since they were at a ball. No matter how close she was to the princess, the daughter of a baron couldn’t speak informally.

But Claire looked uncomfortable seeing Sylvia like that.

“The introduction to the story was different. The past where I was beaten in the carriage, that was actually an impossible past. I had already escaped before that, by rewinding time, so technically, I should never have even met that man.”

Her tone seemed a little softer. Unlike her previous military-like tone, Sylvia’s earnest explanation now made her sound every bit the baron’s daughter. In some ways, even more than Claire.

Seeing Sylvia with her long black hair down, wearing a dark blue dress and acting so naturally, Alice couldn’t help but wonder if she was still the same person.

...But even during such an important conversation, Alice wasn’t oblivious enough to point that out.

She tried hard to suppress a smile.

“So, the past we’re experiencing now might not actually be the ‘past.’ After all, the goddess wouldn’t have liked what I was doing, and the relic we were holding at that time wasn’t the completed version. Also, part of my power ended up transferring to Claire, and I’m not sure what changes that caused yet.”

“Are you saying we’re in some kind of illusion?”

“It’s probably not a simple illusion. But at the same time, the goddess must have some intention. If time wasn’t reversed but instead the situation was shifted and then replayed, creating that situation might also be the goddess’s power.”

“…So, does that mean you could become more dangerous in the future?”

Claire asked seriously. Alice, who had briefly lost focus, snapped back to attention at those words.

“That’s what I’m saying. So we need to be prepared too.”

“How?”

Alice asked.

“Well...”

Sylvia thought for a moment and then spoke.

“It’s best if we find the relics in advance.”

“But you just said this might be an illusion?”

At Claire’s words, Sylvia narrowed her brow slightly and, as if organizing her thoughts, spoke slowly.

“Even if it is an illusion, if the space feels just like reality, it’s not a place we can just dismiss as ‘just an illusion.’ It’s likely that this world isn’t very different from the one we lived in. Since the goddess couldn’t have recreated everything from start to finish, it’s more likely that she either created this space based on the world we lived in or temporarily altered it.”

Sylvia lightly moved the glass in her hand. The drink inside shimmered. That didn’t seem like something that could be imagined and created out of nothing.

“Anyway, the goddess always intended to fix everything from the start. The world might be broken for a while as she removes the impurities, but it’s not a problem.”

“……”

“Besides, honestly…”

Sylvia briefly furrowed her brow before shaking her head.

“No, I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know once I’m certain.”

That was the end of what happened during Alice’s second meeting with Sylvia.

Since it had been recreated according to the goddess’s will, Sylvia’s opinion was that it wouldn’t follow the Emperor’s plan.

“That doesn’t mean we can ignore everything.”

“…True. You’ve been working hard yourself.”

In response to Alice’s words, Claire answered with a sigh.

After I came back, time passed quickly.

No, it passed really quickly.

This isn’t a metaphor. It felt like, at times, memories were disappearing, like the frames of the scenes were unnaturally cutting off. I felt like the story was progressing uncontrollably, regardless of my will.

My will was still being reflected. After making some plans, I could at least tell whether they succeeded or failed.

But when I wasn’t paying attention, when I thought something was unimportant, when I was spacing out, time passed so quickly that it was incomprehensible.

Someone was rushing like crazy.

And I felt like I knew who that rushing person was.

After seeing those two for the last time, so much time had passed that it was already time to enter the academy. At least, I didn’t feel like “years” had passed.

Had Claire and Alice realized this too?

“Sister—”

In a corridor full of people, a familiar voice called out from a distance.

Unlike before, Claire was already sure that I was her ‘sister.’

But before Claire could greet me happily and approach, there was someone else, equally eager to rush toward me.

“Sister!”

“Ugh.”

Claire couldn’t even hide her surprise at Leo’s voice.

“Leo.”

I quietly responded to Leo, and Claire froze in place.

Hmm, she looked like she had seen something creepy.

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Chapter 259

“Leo, greet them. These are the esteemed princesses of the Azerna Empire.”

“Greetings. I am Leo Grace, the eldest son of the Grace family. It is an honor to meet the two noble princesses of such distinguished bloodlines.”

At my words, Leo politely greeted the two princesses. His demeanor was the very epitome of a ‘gentleman.’

This was a complete contrast to how he had acted when he first met Alice and me.

Of course, when I say ‘the first time we met,’ I’m not referring to after time was rewound. I mean before time was rewound, back when this ‘current situation’ was happening. Leo, who had clearly recognized both Alice and me as princesses, had turned pale every time he saw us.

Especially when Claire openly called me ‘sister’ and acted informally with me, Leo had been quite distressed. It was a miracle that his hair didn’t fall out from all the stress.

Even in the original story, early on, Leo turned pale whenever he had to deal with Alice, and that had become a bit of a comedic element, so it was understandable.

However, there was no trace of that on Leo’s face now. His expression when greeting Claire and Alice was calm and composed.

In this timeline, Leo wasn’t meeting the two of them for the first time, either.

Unlike Claire, who had solely dedicated herself to swordsmanship, I had directed my talents in slightly different ways. Despite my current appearance, I had worked diligently, studying as I rewound time. Rather than cramming everything for the exam, I believed it was more useful to repeat lessons until I truly understood the material. And I had continued with that approach up until now.

As a result, most of the material I was taught in my younger years was already known to me. If I had only crammed for exams, I wouldn’t have remembered and would have had to rewind time to study again, but since I had properly learned and moved on from many things, there was no need to rewind time multiple times.

…Although, I had rewound time once or twice to revisit some forgotten details, but still.

Instead of excelling in swordsmanship, I gained the attention of the Grace family through ‘studies and etiquette,’ and thanks to that, I grew up as the daughter of a baron. While I couldn’t practice archery like I did in the palace, I used my spare time to practice proper noble etiquette.

Even though the Grace family’s title had been directly granted by the previous emperor, it was impossible for a baron’s daughter to simply visit a princess without any reason. To meet royalty, there needed to be a justification. To build the ‘relationship,’ one at least had to have met the person face to face.

So, the option I chose was the ball.

The reason nobles attend balls is to build such relationships and justifications. Though it’s called a ‘social gathering,’ in reality, it’s more of a battlefield of looks and words. Even the smallest promises are calculated and executed.

I thought that if I became well-known by frequently attending these events, even Claire and Alice, who previously had no interest in this kind of thing, would eventually understand what I wanted.

The problem was that being a baron’s daughter and making a name for myself wasn’t as easy as it seemed. No matter how pretty I was or how good my figure was compared to my peers, that wasn’t enough. The Grace family was close to the royal family, but they weren’t exceptionally outstanding in any particular way. Originally, the family was more famous for their swordsmanship than anything else.

It took years before I gained the strange nickname of ‘The Black and White Lily of Grace,’ a title that would make anyone’s hair stand on end.

As a result, it took Claire and Alice a long time to understand my intentions, and we had only met face-to-face twice before.

At least, one of those times had been used under the pretext of ‘getting to know each other for the first time.’

Since I didn’t have any fiancé—though I did have a certain standing with a few people, I deliberately ignored them—whenever I went to the ball, my partner was always my ‘younger brother’ Leo.

Thus, Leo had seen these two before.

But even then, they had only met face-to-face twice. It was considered impolite for a man to listen in on a conversation between women, so Leo always stepped back when we spoke, and naturally, he rarely had the chance to converse with these two.

Even so, the fact that Leo wasn’t even the slightest bit flustered now, and hadn’t been flustered during the two previous meetings, was undoubtedly a different side of ‘Leo’ than the one I knew.

This was the decisive reason I had started to believe that not everything that had truly happened had been completely undone by time rewinding.

“Did you just say ‘sister’?”

Typically, when a man says, “Greetings,” the other party would naturally reply with a respectful tone as etiquette dictates.

But the word “sister” Leo had said when I called out to him earlier seemed to have triggered something in Claire’s temperament.

“Huh?”

Leo raised his head, looking startled as he responded. I studied his expression carefully. As expected, he wasn’t frightened or pale.

He just looked confused.

“Sylvia called you her ‘sister.’”

“Claire.”

As Claire continued with her words, her irritation visible, Alice quickly stepped in to stop her.

“Well… Sylvia is truly my sister, you know?”

Leo, still not fully understanding the situation, asked again.

“Why?”

Claire suddenly asked, and Leo scratched his head before speaking.

“Well… my sister always acts so mature, and whenever there’s something I don’t understand, she kindly explains it to me. Sometimes, even when I make mistakes or do something wrong, she’s there to cover for me.”

“……”

At Leo’s words, both Alice and Claire turned their gaze toward me. Well…

In fact, it wasn’t intentional that Leo began calling me ‘sister.’ Back then, when I was playing the role of the ‘emotionless cool beauty,’ I was now playing the role of a perfect baron’s daughter. And I could firmly say that this was much harder. I had to be cautious in everything I did in my daily life, so Leo must have seen me as a dependable older sister.

But even after hearing such an explanation, Claire still wore a somewhat dissatisfied expression. Leo, finally realizing something, asked.

“Oh, maybe you call me ‘sister’ because I’m in the same class as you?”

“No, no, it’s not that. You know…”

“Claire.”

Alice quickly stepped in front of Claire.

“……My sister was rude. I’ll apologize on her behalf.”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that…”

Seeing Leo roll his eyes, I took a step forward and responded.

“It’s something you might be curious about. However, it’s an internal matter of the Grace family. I’m sorry, but it’s not something I can just talk about here.”

“No, no, I was the one who was wrong. Claire.”

Alice glanced slightly at Claire before speaking.

“Since you’ve made an apology, do it properly.”

“Ugh, really!”

Claire, though clearly wanting to say a lot, eventually sighed and stood still for a moment before muttering an almost inaudible apology.

After seeing Claire’s reaction, Alice nodded before speaking.

“Also, there’s no need to use such formal language. We’re all students here. According to the academy’s rules, we’re all equals, right? I’d like for us to be comfortable with each other at least until we graduate. What do you think?”

She then extended her hand toward Leo for a handshake.

“Uh…”

Leo, looking a bit confused, glanced at me. I nodded at him.

Then, with a slight smile, Leo grabbed Alice’s hand gently and said.

“Alright, then. Until we graduate.”

Yes, that would be the case.

Leo doesn’t fully remember everything.

But he definitely knows something. He just hasn’t realized it yet.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to accept Alice’s words so calmly.

And if Leo is like this, the other children must be similar.

“Then I’ll keep it casual too.”

Claire, who had been speaking informally since the very first moment, said this. Leo, seeing her like that, just awkwardly smiled.

“I’m not exactly familiar with the Empire’s social circles, but…”

On our way to the student council room, Charlotte spoke.

“It’s a bit unusual for a baron’s daughter to have her name spread across the entire social scene. Especially since her name reached even Belvur beyond the border. I’ve heard that the Grace family is much more famous for its martial prowess.”

“I’ve just worked hard to refine my manners.”

“Impressive. I can see why people would have a good impression of you. It’s not surprising that the student council nominated you directly. ‘The Black and White Lily of Grace.’”

One day, I’ll find the person who gave me that nickname and tear out their insides.

I vowed to make them feel pain far worse than the twisted gut pain I felt.

Leo, walking proudly beside me, wasn’t the issue. The two princesses beside him were barely managing to hold back their laughter.

…Could it be that I already had that nickname in the past?

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Chapter 260

In the past, the reason I was called to the student council was because I was a princess, but now it seems it's because I'm a 'notable person.'

In the empire’s social hierarchy, where titles are simply divided into Duke, Count, Baron, and other untitled nobles, the number of people who could truly be called 'notable' is extremely small—aside from the royal family, almost all of them are concentrated in the dukes and counts. There are as many as twelve dukes. Naturally, the counts are more numerous, and barons are so abundant that they’re everywhere.

So, when a baron becomes a 'notable person,' in a way, it can be more contentious than the children of a middling count family.

Well, someone might try to say, “That baron’s daughter is making a fuss,” but what’s the worry when two princesses will be right next to me?

“Ah, Lady Grace!”

The student council president greeted me in an unusual manner.

“You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you. I sent a few letters, but I assume you didn’t read them?”

“……”

Oh.

Had we met before?

Whenever I went to a ball, men kept bothering me, so I usually just exchanged brief greetings and stayed with Leo, so I didn’t quite remember.

The people I typically spoke to were older women or high-ranking nobles with sharp airs. As a granddaughter, I listened to their stories and provided polite responses, and they’d laugh happily, talking about various topics, praising me in front of other nobles.

It seemed that some male nobles looked at me with those kinds of eyes, but I always stood proudly because I knew that, as the daughter of a baron and not a commoner, they couldn’t just treat me recklessly. Plus, the fact that I had already conversed with two princesses had spread everywhere.

Honestly speaking, Alice and Claire weren’t particularly social people, right? Just the fact that they spoke to me at the ball became quite the topic of conversation.

Maybe that’s the decisive reason I came this far.

Or maybe it was just the student council president’s personal agenda.

One thing was clear though: unlike before, I didn’t have the kind of harmful image I once had.

“It’s an honor to have you, Your Highnesses. And Princess Belvur as well.”

With a small cough, the student council president said, as if embarrassed.

Right, it was a bit rude. Even though there were several people with higher status than me, he had reacted first to me.

In fact, Alice, Claire, and Charlotte’s appearances weren’t any worse than mine. However, since all three were meeting the president for the first time, it’s possible he didn’t immediately express excitement.

For someone who was supposed to come from a refined family, his reaction was somewhat clumsy.

*

“You want to invite all of us to the student council?”

Charlotte asked calmly.

“Yes. In Rondarium Academy, there’s no distinction between foreign and local students. Our goal is to learn the same things and aim for greater heights, so nationality or class doesn’t matter much.”

That was a lie.

There were so few foreign students that it was almost laughable to talk about nationality. And most of those few foreign students were from distinguished families.

I, as a baron’s daughter, was an exception, but that was in a very specific context. I was called not because I was just the daughter of a baron, but because of the title "Sylvia Grace"—or rather, "the Grace family’s—" whatever that entailed.

In fact, some of the female students in the student council weren’t exactly fond of me. There were probably bad rumors circulating, and since most of the nobles I interacted with were much older, they might have thought I was just trying to attract attention.

On the other hand, the male students showed a clear affection. It was a far cry from the times when they would shake with fear just from making eye contact with me.

I reaffirmed my belief. The only people who likely still held onto my "previous image" were probably the people around us. Certainly, the only ones affected by the relics and mechanisms were those in the Holy Nation.

“And… someone else was supposed to join us—ah.”

The student council president muttered as he took out a pocket watch from his chest, then exclaimed when the door to the student council room opened.

“Lady Crowfield!”

At the president’s words, Alice, Claire, and I immediately turned our heads toward the door.

There, standing, was Mia, who looked far more gloomy than when I first met her. No, not gloomy, more like shy or reserved. In any case, she had a certain somber vibe.

And the only person who welcomed her was the president himself. The moment Mia stepped in, the student council room became eerily silent. Even the few girls who had been gossiping when I entered shut their mouths.

There was a reason for that.

Unlike when I had been the emperor’s child, this time Lucas had carefully selected the people around him.

It seemed Claire, with her time-rewinding abilities and proactive personality, had led the effort to rescue the other children, which likely caught Lucas's attention.

I had heard a little about recent developments. The emperor of this timeline seemed just as cautious as when I had been his daughter.

…Whether it was because he remembered, or perhaps because, like Leo, he sensed something, I wasn’t sure. Claire becoming the emperor’s daughter was just like in the ‘original,’ but everything else seemed to be unfolding in a direction I didn’t fully understand.

Perhaps it had to do with the differences in the relationship between Claire and Alice compared to mine.

“……”

And, thanks to that, Mia’s father... survived. He was probably still living that same life.

And that life likely influenced Mia as well.

It was said that he was a kind father in front of Mia. I believed that was true. He probably didn’t show any dark emotions, acting as a capable and competent count.

But even if Mia respected her father, could his wife do the same?

No matter how much of an arrogant nobleman, able to treat commoners as insects, some people might be, isn’t it impossible for them to treat a commoner as a 'tool for self-gratification' without hesitation?

No, I mean it in a way that a woman sees her husband, who performs sexual acts with commoners.

How many women would like a husband who goes out every day, embraces other women, and returns home?

Moreover, there wasn’t no affection between the husband and wife. In fact, after her husband died, Countess Crowfield immediately planned for revenge.

Love and hatred can coexist. And children raised in such a mixed emotional environment are typically affected by the negative emotions.

In aristocratic families, those negative rumors spread incredibly fast, especially when a person’s personality begins to deteriorate, like someone addicted to drugs.

“Ah, hello…”

Seeing Mia, who seemed even more at a loss for words than when I first met her, I didn’t feel particularly good.

The last image I remembered of Mia was that of someone who had overcome everything.

“Lady Crowfield.”

Seeing the atmosphere of the student council room drop to a cold silence, even the student council president looked a little taken aback, so I immediately called out to Mia.

Mia slowly raised her head and looked at me.

I saw her eyes gleam from under her bangs.

Though her overall vibe was somewhat gloomy, and her voice lacked strength, making her seem a bit at a loss for words, I was certain that this was the Mia I knew—the Mia who had overcome everything before.

...Whether this world was an illusion created by the goddess or a real world where time had truly turned back, I couldn’t be certain. But whatever world this was, I believed that Mia would overcome it again.

“There’s a seat available here, why don’t you come and sit?”

I smiled gently at Mia as I spoke. Leo and Claire were seated beside me, but there was an empty spot next to Alice.

And Alice, of course, didn’t reject Mia. Charlotte, sitting across from us, didn’t either.

Claire had a visibly pleased expression.

Seeing us, Mia’s expression suddenly changed. If I had to put it into words, I would say she was ‘bewildered.’

If two princesses and the famous baron’s daughter suddenly acted friendly toward me, I guess I would have reacted the same way.

Charlotte, seeing our reactions, looked intrigued. Perhaps she had become a little interested in Mia because of ‘our reactions.’

...Wait a minute.

I think I’ve read a manga before where an unpopular heroine suddenly had an ‘in-crowd’ group approach her and become friends with her.

Is this that situation?

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Chapter 261

Why did I go through all this trouble of turning back time to get here?

The answer is simple: to change the premise of the story itself. To obtain the future I want, not the one the goddess or the emperor wants, I had to completely destroy the plans they had made from the very beginning.

The problem, though, is that I couldn’t just pick a side—either the goddess’s or the emperor’s. If I went along with the emperor’s desires, he would eventually rise to the position of a new god. On the other hand, if I sided with the goddess, the world would turn into a monotonous place devoid of any fun or excitement.

Moreover, the worst part about the goddess's world is that I wouldn’t even be in it. The goddess plans to take all the power I possess and use it for herself. In other words, my very existence would be erased from this world.

I wouldn’t disappear completely—at least, my soul or memories wouldn’t vanish, as it seems my past remains intact—but what I really want right now is a happy ending in this world, with everyone around me.

Time is of the essence in this world. I can already feel it rushing by. Of course, if time truly rewound as much as I made it, that would break my mental state.

Even so, I don’t like the idea of time moving on without my control. Especially when I lose focus—when I “wake up,” and there’s this weird sensation where my memories are forcibly pieced together, like they don’t quite fit. That feeling is the worst.

The issue is that I’m the only one who feels this way.

Claire, who has inherited some of my abilities, and Alice, who retains her memories because of the fake Alice, feel time moving naturally.

Even when I reverse time, I can only go back to the parts of it that I’m sure are “my memories.” I can’t access the parts where memories are fuzzy or feel artificially inserted.

On the other hand, Claire, who remembers things “properly,” can reverse time in areas that I can't.

“I think that’s what happened.”

The issue is, even in those moments, my memory didn’t stay intact.

“So, where were you?”

After that, Claire asked me a chillingly simple question.

“Does that mean you couldn’t find me?”

“Yes. After reversing time, no matter how much I searched, it seemed like you were nowhere to be found. I checked your room, searched the whole academy.”

Alice responded to my question.

With a serious look on her face, Alice asked me.

“Where were you, then?”

“….”

I thought hard and, after a long moment, was finally able to answer.

“I don’t know.”

Of course, I didn’t have the real answer to give.

“I don’t remember that part of time.”

Yes, unlike the fake memories that were inserted while skipping over chunks of time, when Claire reversed time, there was simply no memory of that period at all. It wasn’t like the screen went black or there was noise; it was as if that event never happened in the first place—just like when a movie cuts between scenes abruptly, without showing what happened in the middle.

“But… even when we left the orphanage, I reversed time several times.”

“...Maybe it’s because I was ‘remembering’ it then.”

I spoke slowly.

“I told you before, time felt fragmented for me. The memories of the orphanage weren’t like those fragmented memories. They weren’t made-up ones; they were real, personal experiences.”

“And if we’re being honest, those memories were ‘memories you shouldn’t have experienced,’ weren’t they? They were memories that should have been erased, and even if time had been ‘reset,’ you should have gone back to before that point.”

Alice’s words made me nod in agreement.

That could only mean one thing.

“It’s not that you all were wrong, but I must be under the goddess’s influence.”

If that weren’t the case, then Claire, who took the goddess’s power, would be the one with control. But I didn’t add that last part.

“From the goddess’s perspective, I’m supposed to be erased. It would be better for her if she abandoned her previous plans and started over. After all, I’m a being who possesses some of her power but defies her will.”

“But then, what about the time we experienced…”

“If this world is one that the goddess forcibly created, time must be flowing in accordance with me as the reference point. My existence or non-existence is the most important thing for the world. But that doesn’t mean the world is an ‘illusion.’ You all exist too, and you feel time passing with me.”

So, when Claire “reverses time,” parts of it that never existed are artificially created. Naturally, in those areas, I cease to exist.

Logically, it doesn’t make sense, but if the “order” of how this world was created was disrupted, then everything changes. In a way, this world might be very similar to the world that Fangryphon wanted.

The goddess can’t fully use her power.

That doesn’t mean that the being created by the goddess—me—has her power in full.

But Fangryphon hasn’t fully usurped the goddess’s power either.

“…So, you’re saying Claire ‘created’ parts of the world by reversing time? Parts that didn’t exist?”

“I think so.”

I’m not certain. This part wasn’t in the original setting.

If the goddess was truly such a being, she would never have been portrayed as a good one in the original work. This game company has always been against trying to forcefully define human thoughts in such a manner.

Maybe she would have appeared as the final boss in a sequel. Perhaps the emperor would be revived as an ally, or it could have been a three-way battle. Or maybe the Holy Nation would try to use the power the emperor had accumulated.

Then, we could understand why the goddess “had to” bring me into this world.

If the goddess were truly a benevolent being, thinking justly in a way that all humans could understand, she could have easily brought someone like me into her world. There would be parallel worlds where I would exist, after all.

But to get the world to move exactly as the goddess desired, I couldn’t be allowed to know her true intentions.

And, of course, in the end, I messed it all up by blabbing.

That was such a JRPG villain mistake, it makes me want to laugh.

“So… what should I do? Should I avoid using my powers?”

“You should use them if needed.”

For example, Lucas, who had been thinking about killing me since I was young.

“Hm? But Lucas never tried to do anything like that to me.”

“……”

But after hearing my words, Claire tilted her head and spoke.

“We’ve clashed swords a few times, and Lucas definitely had the upper hand. I wasn’t being completely overpowered, though.”

“…What did Lucas say?”

“He said, ‘Come back when you’re bigger, rookie.’ It was playful, but it still irritated me.”

So, Claire has been training hard. Apparently, she’s also become pretty close to Bella.

And Lucas didn’t try to kill her at that time, so there was no reason to reverse time in the palace. Her grades were fine, and just reviewing what she had already learned was enough.

…

What’s going on here?

This feels kind of unfair.

“So, you came to find me?”

“Yes.”

I spoke to the Sword Saint.

Even in the previous world, I had once confided in the Sword Saint about my abilities. Of course, I reversed time after that.

But this time, I didn’t plan to do that. The help I needed from the Sword Saint was much more significant than that.

“You need a way to stay awake for as long as possible to prevent the goddess from imposing her memories on you?”

“Yes.”

I could meditate.

But that wouldn’t be a fundamental solution. I could extend my wakefulness by focusing and calming my mind, but I couldn’t avoid sleeping altogether.

So, it would be better to learn something far more fundamental and stay awake throughout the goddess’s confrontations—

“You little brat.”

Wham!

“Ugh!?”

But before I could say anything else to the Sword Saint, his hand struck my head sharply.

Why!?

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Chapter 262

“Who does a child like you think you’ll fight by refusing to sleep?”

It seemed that the Sword Saint’s irritation stemmed from that point in particular.

I rubbed my aching head and glanced at the others who had followed me.

Since we already knew the route here, there was no further need for Jennifer’s assistance.

As soon as we arrived at Winterfield, we immediately completed the quotas required to maintain our grades and then headed straight to the Sword Saint. Both Claire and I could turn back time, and as of now, we both clearly remembered each other. There was no risk of me disappearing into thin air if Claire used her powers.

We had plenty of time, but we decided to move with a buffer just in case we needed to adjust schedules with the others.

And honestly, isn’t it always better to resolve things as quickly as possible?

When I looked back, hoping someone would help persuade the Sword Saint, Claire and Alice were both standing with their arms crossed, staring down at me.

“The idea of fighting someone should not equate to destroying yourself in the process.”

The Sword Saint’s voice drew my attention back to him. I turned my head to face him again.

Frederick, the Sword Saint, stood with his arms crossed, his expression stern.

“You might think you can swing a sword longer or study through the night, sacrificing your rest. But if the result is breaking yourself, then it’s something you should never do.”

There was a profound conviction in his words, so much so that I couldn’t help but wonder if he had personally experienced this before.

“…But the one I must face is a goddess.”

I replied while still rubbing my throbbing head, to which the Sword Saint let out a derisive snort.

“All the more reason to stop. To confront anyone, your physical state must be superior to theirs. Isn’t that common sense?”

But she’s a goddess.

Why would a divine being care about something like physical condition?

In that case, wouldn’t my health be irrelevant?

“From what you’ve said, it sounds like one of your sisters possesses a portion of the goddess’s power.”

Frederick sat down, the creaking of the old wooden chair resonating as if it might collapse.

“Do you not trust your sister’s abilities?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why won’t you rely on their help when it’s needed? Did the goddess challenge you to a one-on-one duel?”

“…”

I couldn’t fully grasp what he was trying to convey, so I just stared at him silently for a while before finally responding.

“If my sister uses the goddess’s power, my existence will temporarily vanish from this world.”

To be precise, gaps would form in the false memories that had concealed certain truths, creating a logical void. But to those caught within that void, the difference didn’t matter.

“In that case, wouldn’t it make sense to leave matters in your sister’s hands during that time?”

“…”

Frederick stared at me with an expression that seemed genuinely perplexed, as if he couldn’t comprehend my reasoning.

“Is your sister less capable than you?”

“No.”

Both Claire and Alice were far more talented than I could ever hope to be. Alice could maintain top grades without recklessly rewinding time, and while Claire might not always be at the top, her results were far from poor. Neither of them lacked dedication.

They not only possessed talent but also knew how to make the most of it. They understood their weaknesses and constantly worked to improve.

Compared to me, who had coasted by relying solely on my ability to rewind time, they were leagues ahead.

“Then what’s the issue?”

“…”

“Are you worried that the two of them might get hurt or even die?”

“…”

I couldn’t bring myself to answer, but Frederick nodded as if he understood.

“Yes, I suppose that’s possible. I’ve felt that way too.”

“The battlefield taught me one thing,” the Sword Saint began, fixing me with a steady gaze. “There were times I watched comrades with less skill but far greater character than me die before my eyes. And I’d think to myself, wouldn’t it all be easier if I were strong enough to protect everyone on my own?”

Frederick shrugged, his expression somewhere between wistful and resigned.

“But it doesn’t work that way. No matter how strong I became, others never stopped striving to stand alongside me. Saying, ‘I’ll protect everyone, even if it means sacrificing myself,’ sounds noble at first, but it resolves nothing. The more you carry that weight, the heavier it becomes. Eventually, it crushes you.”

There was a raw, undeniable truth in his words, perhaps born of countless experiences. His voice carried the conviction of someone who had lived through it all.

“People die in battle. It’s inevitable. But death doesn’t just happen on the battlefield. People die of illness, unexpected accidents, or even sheer bad luck, like getting struck by lightning on a clear day. Are you planning to shoulder all of that alone?”

I nodded.

This was the one thing I couldn’t deny.

If I didn’t have my ability, I might have accepted such losses as inevitable.

But I do have the power to turn back time.

I can save someone standing at the edge of a sword.

Even if lightning were to strike from a cloudless sky, I could still save them. All I’d have to do is rewind time.

I’m not trying to save the entire world.

I just want to protect my friends. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

“Hmm,” the Sword Saint murmured, studying my face carefully.

“That’s genuine,” he said, almost to himself, before laughing softly, shaking his head as though he couldn’t believe it.

“Well, fine.”

With a sharp slap of his hand on his knee, he rose to his feet.

“Does that mean you’ll help?” I asked cautiously.

“I’m afraid not,” he replied, his voice blunt but firm.

“There’s no such method. A person’s body always has its limits. Overtraining becomes poison, and too much sleep deprivation will make you lose consciousness—or worse, kill you. The only thing you can do is maintain a balanced routine: eat well, sleep well, and prepare yourself properly.”

I stood there in silence, caught off guard by how straightforward his answer was.

It made sense, though. If there were some ability to go without sleep indefinitely, the Sword Saint himself would surely be using it.

“But,” he continued, “I can offer you some help. That’s why you came here, isn’t it?”

He wasn’t wrong.

I’d come to ask for his assistance.

Before, I’d only reached out to him long after encountering the Masked Woman. But now, with the situation escalating, we couldn’t afford to delay. Every additional hand mattered—especially here, in this northern border region.

There was almost certainly a relic hidden within the Autonomous Nation. The Empire hadn’t dispatched Jayden to burn the border for charity. They had to be after something.

The Emperor already had one piece of the relic, obtained from the false Alice’s body. While it had been ultimately flawed, he had managed to assemble it into a whole.

Searching every corner of the border would have been ideal, but the area was too vast.

Even with my ability to rewind time, Alice, Claire, and I alone wouldn’t be enough.

That’s why we’d come to one of the continent’s most skilled warriors.

“Before I make this absurdly burdensome request,” I began, “there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

The Sword Saint raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“Why are you willing to help us?”

This was the part I couldn’t wrap my head around.

In both the original story and my previous encounters, the Sword Saint had always lived by his own whims. I’d assumed he’d flat-out reject such a troublesome plea.

At my question, he studied me in silence for a moment, then glanced at my sisters behind me.

“For one, bringing not one but two imperial princesses makes me think you’re probably telling the truth.”

Then his gaze returned to me.

“And second, you don’t have any talent.”

I blinked in shock, but before I could respond, he continued.

“Your inability to dodge my earlier strike confirms it. But somehow, your movements remind me of my disciples. For someone without talent to move like that, they’d need an unimaginable amount of practice. That’s why I believe you might actually be one of my disciples.”

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“And lastly,” he shrugged nonchalantly, “at the end of this dull life of mine, I’ve been handed a chance to face a goddess. Who wouldn’t want to take a shot at that?”

…

It was such a quintessentially Sword Saint answer that I could only nod in reluctant agreement.

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Chapter 263

After rewinding time, the plan I came up with was simple: preserve myself.

The first time I rewound time, I’d been thrust into life-threatening chaos right away. That made it clear—goddesses could meddle in the world to some extent. I already knew that time would rewind on its own if I lost consciousness.

And when does time "normalize" again?

“This is rather fascinating.”

—Apparently, at the precise moment it’s most convenient for me to die.

Of course, it wasn’t always like that. If it had been, I wouldn’t have ended up saddled with ridiculous nicknames like Grace’s Black and White Lily.

But it was easy enough to tell when the “normal” flow of time aligned with the goddess’s prepared moments.

So I focused on staying alive. I avoided acting alone whenever possible. If I needed to go somewhere, I made sure Leo was with me. Whenever I could, I’d drag Claire and Alice along as well. Charging headfirst into battlefields like I used to was out of the question. Because of that, the northern border zone remained in a deadlock.

… And I hadn’t encountered Lena again.

Lena had only come to the academy because of me.

It wasn’t that I wanted to leave her hanging, but there was no way to approach her for now. It wasn’t as if I, someone far removed from royalty, could demand an audience with the governor of the Riclant Autonomous Nation. And neither Claire nor Alice could simply declare their intent to meet Lena without causing a stir.

There were rumors that the Sword Saint had started moving near the border, stirring the battlefield into unrest. But leaving that aside for the moment—

My current plan was to stay alive while quickly assembling the relics. Then I could tear apart this world that blurred the line between illusion and reality, escape, and crush the goddess’s plans.

“It’s quite the coincidence to encounter my two daughters in a place like this.”

… So why, pray tell, was the Emperor standing in front of us?

The idea was to move as quickly as possible—before the Emperor could gather all the relics. That way, we’d have an easier time collecting them.

That’s why we skipped the academy and went straight to Northwood.

Sure, Chiara Verati, disguised as a bunny girl, was lurking in Northwood at the time, but we didn’t care. As long as we avoided running into her, we could loot the ruins and be done with it.

But why was the Emperor here ahead of us?

“I see you’re wondering why.”

Standing just one step ahead of us, the Emperor held a fragment of the relic and looked us over.

“In truth, I should be the one asking how you managed to find this place.”

“…”

The three of us were at a loss for words.

Even Claire, his own daughter, and Alice, her supposed sister, didn’t have an answer. As for me, I’d had no prior connection to the Emperor. At best, I’d glimpsed him at the tail end of some banquets, always keeping my distance to avoid interaction.

“You must be Sylvia Grace of the Grace family,” he said.

It wasn’t as if we hadn’t exchanged any words before. As someone relatively well-known in high society, and given the Grace family’s reputation as staunch loyalists, I wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to him.

“I could ask why you’re here,” he continued, “but I suppose the answer depends on the situation.”

“Is that a command from Your Majesty?” I asked cautiously.

“It could be interpreted as such.”

Claire and Alice’s gazes shifted to me.

… So much for my plan of keeping a low profile. The moment we ran into the Emperor, that went straight out the window.

I didn’t think the goddess was capable of outright controlling free will. Ultimately, she aimed to create “that kind of world,” but at least for now, she couldn’t manipulate people directly. If she could, she wouldn’t have needed to scheme against me or the Emperor in the first place.

What the goddess could do was foresee the future to some extent, planting traps to steer her opponents.

And I had walked right into one of those traps.

The question now was how she’d managed to manipulate the Emperor.

… Actually, there wasn’t much need to overthink it.

Leo had feelings for both Claire and Alice, even if he didn’t fully understand them yet. His composed behavior in front of the princess was proof enough.

Mia, too, was a perfect example. At first, she had been shadowed by a gloomy demeanor, but after I took her under my wing at the academy, her mood brightened almost instantly. She quickly overcame her stuttering, and after we reconciled to some extent, she could hold proper conversations.

Of course, she still avoided any mention of her father like the plague, but that was understandable.

Charlotte had also grown closer to Alice, just as they had in the original timeline. She had shown considerable interest in me from the start. Unlike the perfectly stoic "cool beauty" persona I’d cultivated before, my expressions now were far more varied—though most still fell under the "calm" category. As a result, I felt like I had bonded with Charlotte even faster this time around.

If that were the case, it was impossible for the Emperor not to sense something.

Even if he didn’t retain clear memories of his past failures, the residual instinct alone might have been enough to compel him to accelerate his plans.

He might even be feeling anxious about it.

Not that he would show it outwardly.

I glanced at the Emperor’s flanks, where Bella and Lucas stood. Both of them were looking at me with curious expressions.

…Right, they had their share of strong feelings about me as well.

This was why the goddess didn’t need to outright control people.

I, too, had been feeling a sense of urgency, which meant she could have easily predicted that I would make my next move as quickly as possible.

All the goddess had to do was align the Emperor’s path to intersect with mine at just the right moment.

That alone was enough to turn me into something suspicious—an enigmatic, unidentified figure gathering relics behind the Emperor’s back.

“…”

In that fleeting moment, my mind raced to its limit.

And I came to a single conclusion.

I dropped to my knees and bowed deeply on the spot.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Claire and Alice startle in unison. Claire looked like she was about to blurt out, “Sister!” but managed to stop herself.

…This wasn’t something the old me would have ever done. Back then, no matter what, I wouldn’t have compromised my cool beauty image by kneeling in front of someone else.

But that didn’t matter now.

My life was more important.

“…I greet my father.”

“…”

For a moment, the world fell into a heavy silence.

Well.

It wasn’t as if I wasn’t treated as his daughter in the original timeline anyway.

*

I had no intention of pushing Claire aside.

All I needed to do was say that I had been at the same orphanage as Claire. After all, the Emperor had been involved with so many women that it seemed he couldn’t even keep track of the hair colors of all his children.

“So, you claim to be my daughter,” the Emperor said, looking down at me with a piercing gaze.

“Yes,” I replied calmly. “I was at the same orphanage as Claire.”

“And how does that prove you are my daughter?”

“…”

Thankfully, this world didn’t have genetic testing. While certain drugs and remedies existed that seemed comparable to early 20th-century technology, complex medical procedures lagged far behind. This was a world with healing magic, so invasive surgeries or sophisticated diagnostics were largely unnecessary. Even in extreme cases, such measures were more of a last resort when a healer wasn’t available.

I remembered reading somewhere that even in the early 20th century, it was possible to test for shared bloodlines by analyzing specific proteins. But that wasn’t relevant here.

So, I decided to gamble.

“…My mother told me that my father was His Majesty the Emperor,” I said, inventing a mother out of thin air.

The Emperor tilted his head slightly, gesturing for me to continue.

I racked my brain for anything I could use.

My old name had been Sylvia Black.

In this world, surnames that referenced colors or objects were often associated with commoners. Many people didn’t even have surnames at all.

When I first learned that the Emperor’s children were likely illegitimate, I didn’t sit idly by—I did some research.

While the records had been meticulously erased, I discovered that some fallen royals had been demoted to “commoner” status.

It wasn’t as though these women had been hidden away and forcibly violated. More likely, the Emperor had struck deals with them, coerced them, or made promises to win their cooperation.

The plan had likely been in motion even before Alice was born, and after Alice’s mother’s death, the Emperor seemed to accelerate it. For all I knew, there could be other “siblings” of Alice or Claire somewhere out there, simply never chosen by the Emperor.

So, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to claim that one of the women who had been involved with the Emperor had harbored fleeting dreams—dreams of restoring her royal status or seeing her child inherit the empire.

“I don’t even remember my mother’s name now,” I continued, my voice deliberately tinged with melancholy. “But I vaguely recall what she told me while holding me in her arms: to survive no matter what, and to be of use to Your Majesty.”

Whether the Emperor had seduced, tempted, or coerced them, there was only one reason why those women would have been with a man who was otherwise their enemy.

Hope.

The hope of returning to royalty.

Or the ambition that their child might one day inherit the empire.

“That kind of ‘help’ doesn’t come without its price,” the Emperor said, his tone laced with understanding.

“…”

I didn’t reply.

But for the Emperor, my silence seemed to be enough.

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Chapter 264

“...Do you truly believe her words?” Lucas asked skeptically.

The Emperor shrugged casually. “Not entirely.”

The Emperor wasn’t entirely unaware of Sylvia’s existence. She had made a name for herself in high society, after all. Whether he fully recognized her significance was unclear, but she had demonstrated enough skill to extract information from people who showed her favor.

He had heard about her adoption. Lucas had already mentioned that she might be “that girl” from back then, so the Emperor had been keeping an eye on her to some degree. The Grace family wasn’t one to be discarded lightly.

On top of that, he was well aware that his two daughters had grown close to Sylvia Grace at social gatherings.

But the claim that Sylvia Grace—the so-called “Black and White Lily of Grace”—was the Emperor’s daughter?

“It’s possible she’s trying to use me,” the Emperor mused.

“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to eliminate her outright?” Lucas pressed.

“That would be problematic. From what I know, the Grace family has raised her with great care. While everyone is aware she wasn’t born into the family, no one questions her identity as a Grace. The Grace family is one that considers any child carrying their name, blood-related or not, to be their own.”

In other words, if the Emperor acted against Sylvia, the Grace family would turn their backs on him.

Yes, they were merely barons with a small territory within the capital. If the Emperor wished, he could crush them with sheer force.

But doing so would cost him politically.

The Grace family had pledged unwavering loyalty to the Emperor. If he destroyed such a steadfast ally over a mere suspicion—especially for reasons he couldn’t publicly explain—other loyalist families would see him as a tyrant who eliminates even his most faithful supporters without cause.

The Emperor’s power was strong, but much of it rested on the support of these loyalist families. If he turned on one of the few genuinely loyal houses, it was only a matter of time before other families, feeling cornered, began to rebel. Even rats will bite a cat when they feel there’s no escape.

And in this case, there were many “rats.”

“Besides,” the Emperor added with a faint smirk, “the girl clearly knows something.”

“…Could it be you really have children born outside the palace?” Lucas pressed further, his voice tinged with curiosity.

“Hmm.”

The Emperor fell silent for a moment, contemplating.

That was the problem.

He had separated the mothers from their children at an early age to prevent them from recognizing their imperial lineage. Yet somehow, Sylvia remembered.

After hearing her call him “Father,” he had investigated, but he couldn’t find any trace of her mother. Whether the woman was dead or simply too insignificant for him to remember was unclear.

There had been many women who whispered false declarations of love and promised loyalty in exchange for power. Few received any real rewards for their efforts. Even those who did never rose to become nobles or royals themselves.

The Emperor hadn’t paid attention to children who didn’t show promise. There had been others before Lucas and Bella—children who had died while serving in menial roles. Their deaths didn’t bother him much, nor did he keep track of the total number of offspring.

Even if some noble families discovered a former royal consort or an imperial child, it didn’t matter. The Emperor could always deny their claims. Without his acknowledgment, there was no proof.

But Sylvia was an anomaly.

If she were one of those abandoned for a lack of talent, then discovering her potential now made her an interesting case.

She was a child with vivid memories from an age so young that most people couldn’t recall anything.

How had she known about the relic? Perhaps she didn’t know the relic’s true nature, but she had likely been tracking his movements and deducing his goals.

If she possessed such intelligence, it wasn’t impossible that she could infer someone’s intentions just by observing their actions.

“Well, I’m still a man,” the Emperor replied vaguely, deflecting Lucas’s question.

It was too early for his “children” to realize the truth of their heritage.

“So, you’re saying this Sylvia girl might actually—”

“We’ll see,” the Emperor interrupted.

Lucas let out a low whistle.

The Emperor’s gaze fell to the small relic fragment in his hand.

With just this piece, it was impossible to discern its full purpose.

But if Sylvia had known about the relic from the beginning…

Then she might be more than just the Emperor’s child.

Considering his plans and the goddess’s potential involvement, it wasn’t far-fetched.

“Let’s keep watching for now,” the Emperor decided. “We’ll see whether Sylvia stands by her ‘father’ or chooses to betray him in the end.”

In any case, there was only one way to find out:

Completing the relic.

Still—

“It’s strange,” the Emperor murmured. “That Sylvia girl’s face feels familiar.”

Whether it was because she resembled one of the women he had been with, a memory from a past banquet, or even a subtle instinct born of shared blood, the Emperor couldn’t say.

But he was deeply curious.

*

“Crowfield estate?”

Claire tilted her head in curiosity, while Alice’s expression turned slightly complicated.

In the original timeline, I had been invited to the Grace family estate during the holidays, but now I was already considered a daughter of the Grace family.

Moreover, my relationship with the kids from the orphanage was excellent. Even after joining the Grace family, I had made a point of looking after them with great care. Perhaps that was one reason why I was accepted as a daughter of the Grace family—they’d seen that side of me without reservation.

Now, however, there was no need for such efforts.

Claire had already shared her childhood with the kids in a previous life, and in this timeline, they’d spent plenty of time with me. So much so that when we were alone, or when it was just me and the kids, we spoke informally.

Granted, I still used polite speech with them—it suited my role as a "noble lady."

As for Alice, she had no connection to the orphanage in either life, so there was no need for her to get involved.

Instead of letting another holiday slip by aimlessly, it was better to deal with unresolved matters before I lost focus again.

…Like the Earl of Crowfield, who hadn’t died in this timeline.

And Mia, whose life had been ruined in an entirely different way because of that Earl.

I wasn’t sure if that monocle-wearing thug was still at the Crowfield estate, but at the very least, I could disrupt the Earl’s operations.

Whether the Emperor truly believed my claims was unclear.

However, if I used this opportunity to "dirty my hands" under the pretense of helping the Emperor, it could earn me some points with him.

In this timeline, the Masked Woman didn’t exist. If the goddess wanted to keep me in check, inserting someone like that would have been the easiest way. Perhaps the presence of someone who had "usurped" the goddess’s power had made her more cautious.

The general rule was simple: if you want to guarantee victory, eliminate as many variables as possible.

Conversely, if you want to destroy someone’s plans, it’s best to become the variable yourself.

“I want to help Mia,” I said.

Alice nodded solemnly. Since she had been there with me at the time, she understood just how important that moment had been.

“More importantly,” I added, “the man who tried to crush me under his carriage back then is probably still there.”

“…Alright, I’m coming,” Claire said.

Her eyes sparked with fury.

It seemed she was more enraged by the man who had nearly killed me than she was moved by Mia’s plight.

To be honest, I couldn’t blame her. I’d been deeply affected by that incident too.

So much so that I had made sure his face was drenched in blood.

…The orphanage director was dead.

But at least, in this timeline, the children from the orphanage hadn’t disappeared without a trace.

The building hadn’t burned down, and the records remained intact.

By memorizing those names diligently, I could ensure that the children’s existence wouldn’t be forgotten, even if I returned to my original world.

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Chapter 265

Meeting the Earl of Crowfield was an unexpectedly strange experience.

I knew him well—not just from seeing his face but from actual conversations. There was the time I infiltrated the Crowfield estate disguised as a maid, and another when I attacked a brothel he frequented.

Particularly with the brothel, I had rewound time numerous times to deal with enemies and extract information.

Absorbing the intel stored there, I questioned whether the Earl truly deserved to die. I even spoke with him directly—perhaps he had been acting under duress.

But after a genuine conversation, punctuated by the language of bullets, I concluded that the Earl was, indeed, a wicked man.

And now, here he was, alive in this world.

“My daughter making such good friends at the academy is something I’m deeply grateful for,” the Earl said.

His voice was surprisingly calm—not tinged with fear, anger, or lust as I had often heard before. Despite his gaunt frame, his voice was low and measured, leaving a favorable first impression.

His appearance, however, wasn’t so endearing.

When I had assassinated him before, he had looked relatively healthy, even if his dark circles and slight thinness hinted at stress. Now, he was so emaciated that his bones were visible.

It seemed he had grown out a beard in an attempt to mask his gauntness, but it didn’t help much. The shadows under his eyes stretched so far down that the beard only made him look more haggard.

“Not at all,” I replied with a soft smile. “The blessing is ours. We’re fortunate to have grown close to Mia.”

Mia was seated beside the Earl, while the Countess, his wife, sat on his other side. On the surface, the couple appeared to have an amicable relationship.

Regardless of whatever fractures existed in their marriage, both were nobles to their core. They wouldn’t dare reveal their weaknesses in front of guests—especially with two members of the imperial family present.

In both the original timeline and the world before this one, the Earl of Crowfield had been eliminated after falling out of the Emperor’s favor. While I couldn’t read his exact thoughts at the moment, it was clear that he was wary of us—royalty and staunch supporters of the Emperor.

Mia, sitting beside her father, wore a slightly anxious expression.

“My daughter isn’t much of a conversationalist,” the Earl continued. “I’m not sure how she managed to make friends as distinguished as you.”

His words were straightforward, seemingly modest. But in truth, Mia wasn’t much of a talker. It wasn’t that she lacked conversational skills; she simply didn’t feel the need to speak.

They say children who grow up hearing their parents argue every night tend to become timid. Though she had opened up to us, Mia didn’t make any active effort to form new relationships.

“I’ve heard that Mia’s inclusion in the student council was thanks to your support,” the Earl added.

“Mia had the qualifications to join the student council from the start,” I replied. “Our help was only a small part of her success.”

As I spoke, Claire and Alice continued to scrutinize the Earl. He seemed to notice their watchful gazes, which kept our conversation focused on superficial pleasantries about Mia.

…Hmm.

At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to broach the topics I truly wanted to discuss with the Earl.

For over ten minutes, the conversation meandered aimlessly, as I racked my brain for a way to shift the tone.

*

It wasn’t entirely clear where that monocle-wearing man had planned to sell me off.

However, one of the candidates I kept in mind was the Earl of Crowfield. He had a known preference for children and a penchant for indulging his twisted tastes.

In the original story, it was never explicitly stated how Claire killed the Earl of Crowfield.

The narrative only mentioned her escaping from the brothel, killing the noble who tried to assault her, and setting the place ablaze.

…Which meant that the noble Claire killed that night could very well have been the Earl of Crowfield.

After all, I had only been taken because I was more "interesting" than Claire when we were spotted together.

“…”

With that thought, I came to a conclusion.

The only way to have a one-on-one conversation with the Earl of Crowfield—

“No.”

—was immediately shot down by Alice.

After finishing our earlier conversation with the Earl and his wife, we had moved to Mia’s room. Mia had excused herself briefly to speak with her parents. She was probably confirming what could or couldn’t be said in front of us. Maybe she’d bring tea and refreshments back as well.

For a family of the Earl’s status, such tasks should typically fall to the maids. But strangely enough, there were no maids in this mansion. Only male servants and stewards.

For nobility, having male servants entering a lady’s room while female guests were present was considered improper.

If Mia had been living here alone, it wouldn’t have mattered. But since she now had distinguished guests, her parents likely tasked her with handling it herself.

…It was probably the Countess’s doing.

No woman could avoid developing a neurosis when her husband spent his days—and nights—frequenting brothels. Especially if she still harbored affection for him.

When I had infiltrated the Earl’s estate as a maid, I got the distinct sense that he had likely been inappropriate with the maids as well.

The fact that someone like me, disguised as a commoner, could infiltrate the household as a maid was proof enough. It meant the Earl specifically hired women he could take liberties with.

If the Countess had grown so suspicious that she dismissed all the maids, it wouldn’t be surprising.

And if that had further strained their marital relationship, well, it explained a lot.

At least it gave us time to discuss our next steps.

“I may not be a princess, but I’m still a noblewoman of the Grace family,” I said to Alice. “No matter how bold he may be, the Earl wouldn’t dare harm me.”

Alice frowned deeply.

“But if you were the one to seduce him, that changes things,” she said. “Legally, we’re still minors, but we’re not too young to marry. And nothing prohibits engaged couples from engaging in... certain activities. For someone of the Earl’s status, having multiple wives wouldn’t raise eyebrows.”

“Uh…”

“The Grace family might oppose it,” she continued, “but they’re only barons. If an earl with a proper estate wanted to marry you—and if you personally expressed a desire to do so—there would be no way to refuse.”

“But I wouldn’t want to marry him,” I countered.

“What woman ever says outright that she wants to marry a man?” Alice replied, her tone almost patronizing.

…Really?

I had thought Alice was a fairly progressive woman, but now she sounded positively antiquated.

“A man’s courtship is a clear ‘Please marry me,’ but a woman’s interest must be subtler,” Alice explained. “‘Would you accompany me to a wedding?’ That’s already an explicit invitation. To say something like that openly would make people cringe.”

“She’s right,” Claire chimed in, nodding.

Hearing Claire agree, someone who had shown no interest in romance, made me realize this must truly be the norm in this world.

I already understood that noble interactions often separated emotions from logic. Even minor incidents, which could be overlooked, required displays of anger according to noble etiquette. And resolving disputes often required both parties to display emotional sincerity.

But for that same logic to apply to courtship…

Oh.

It suddenly clicked.

I hadn’t noticed because the couples around me—like Jake and Lottie—operated so far outside the norms of this world that their relationship seemed almost… pornographic by comparison.

“Do you think it’s realistic for me to seduce someone?” I asked Alice and Claire.

The two exchanged a brief glance, their expressions momentarily blank.

Then they turned back to me and nodded in unison.

“Definitely,” Alice said.

“Agreed,” Claire added.

Hmm.

I thought for a moment and came to a decision.

“In that case, it might be better for me to flirt with the Earl of Crowfield.”

If feigning courtship could block any path to marriage and even create the appearance of an engagement, then so be it.

After all, it was something I would never actually do.

Order and chaos, right? If I had to lean into chaos, I’d embrace it fully.

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Chapter 266

Ah, just to be clear, I had no actual intention of getting engaged.

Of course, I needed a way to keep an escape route open. After all, this was the Earl of Crowfield I was dealing with.

“I’ll have several opportunities to attempt this,” I quickly said to Alice and Claire before Mia returned. “But I’ll need your help.”

“First, tomorrow morning, I need you two to track down that monocle-wearing man. I’m not sure if he’s still on this estate, but if he is, he’ll likely be in the same place as before.”

“I remember the spot,” Alice said with a nod.

Claire, who hadn’t been with us during the previous encounter, nodded along with her. She’d witnessed the aftermath, though—how I had nearly died because of that man.

…Perhaps this time, the man would truly experience hell.

Not that I cared. This world was going to be reset anyway, and even if I had to break someone, it wouldn’t be at the cost of my companions’ growth.

“You both need to stick together when you go. That way, Claire can help if anything happens,” I said.

Thankfully, it wasn’t just us here. While they weren’t technically my guards, Alice and Claire had brought their own escorts.

“The best approach,” I continued, “is to ‘accidentally’ discover an illegal brothel while exploring the estate. Then, you can get ‘involved’ and ‘happen’ to offer assistance.”

“…Won’t they figure out what we’re doing?” Alice asked.

“It doesn’t matter if they do,” I said. “During that time, I’ll focus on persuading the Earl of Crowfield.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Claire asked, her expression tinged with worry. “Didn’t you say the goddess manipulates time to create the perfect moment for you to die?”

Would the Earl really try to kill me?

The Earl of Crowfield was driven by self-indulgence. Even if his desires and penchant for decadence hadn’t overtaken him, he had the ability to manage his estate competently. However, a man who had lived this long immersed in vice couldn’t possibly retain a sound mind.

In other words, he likely had no allegiance to either the imperialist or noble faction.

Perhaps that’s why the Emperor hadn’t removed him. Even with lingering unease, the Earl posed no immediate threat to the throne.

Still, caution was necessary.

There was always the possibility the Earl might lose himself to his urges, attempt something against me, and suffer an untimely death by accident.

That’s why I had come prepared.

I pulled a small pistol from my pocket.

It was a tiny weapon, with a barrel so short it was nearly impossible to aim properly. Despite its diminutive size, it fired .455-caliber bullets.

A lady’s self-defense pistol. It was a break-action firearm that held two bullets—a weapon perfect for concealing under the voluminous dresses of this era.

Thankfully, this world didn’t have metal detectors. By strapping it to my thigh under my dress, I had managed to evade even the closest searches.

The mansion’s staff was exclusively male, which meant there was no one who could "properly" search a noblewoman’s body.

“If it comes to it, you know I can hit a man ten meters away with these two bullets,” I said.

If the bullets landed anywhere near the target, I could always rewind time to adjust my aim.

I hadn’t practiced much shooting in this world. I was supposed to be a "tactician," weak and easily breakable in physical terms. That image was vital for deceiving the Emperor.

I needed him to believe that, apart from my intelligence, I had nothing else to offer.

But that didn’t mean I’d let my old skills go to waste.

“…Alright. If that’s how you want to handle it,” Alice said with a resigned sigh.

“Then, we’ll take care of the other matter—”

“We’ll do it tomorrow morning,” I interrupted, cutting Alice off mid-sentence.

I could hear footsteps approaching from outside the door. It was likely Mia.

This wasn’t something she could know about yet. Even if Mia felt disillusioned with her father, she was still his daughter.

…Besides, if by some twist of fate I ended up engaged to the Earl of Crowfield, wouldn’t that make me Mia’s stepmother? The thought alone made my head spin.

That must never happen.

“Ah, everyone?”

The door clicked open, and Mia entered, balancing a tray against her elbow.

As expected, the tray held a teapot, cups, and an assortment of snacks.

Judging by the quality of the tea we’d had earlier, these refreshments were likely quite high-end as well.

After all, the estate’s wealth was built on selling narcotics. Money was never an issue here, especially since they nominally sold the drugs as “morphine ingredients.”

“I’ve brought tea and snacks,” Mia said with a bright smile.

Her expression was so pure and innocent that a pang of guilt stabbed at my heart.

*

Ah, just because I proposed a meeting doesn’t mean I’m thinking of an engagement.

Naturally, I had to prepare an escape route. After all, this was the Earl of Crowfield we were dealing with.

“So, what is it that made you call me here, Lady Grace?”

A rich baritone voice brushed against my back.

It wasn’t a physical touch, but his voice seemed to sweep over my body, accompanied by a lingering gaze.

When I turned around, there he was—the Earl of Crowfield, looking at me with a heavy-lidded intensity.

…It seemed I was indeed his "type."

The appearance of "Sylvia Black" was, admittedly, strikingly beautiful, even by my own judgment. If this wasn’t my body, I might’ve been impressed. Plenty of others had been; hence the absurd nickname "Black and White Lily."

Getting the Earl alone here hadn’t been easy.

Bringing the Earl himself was simple enough. His fondness for women was no rumor—when I suggested a private conversation, he’d followed me without hesitation.

The real obstacle was the Countess of Crowfield.

She’d kept a watchful eye on every interaction between me and her husband, glaring daggers whenever we exchanged words. Whenever I proposed a conversation, she found some excuse to insert herself.

Was she jealous of a girl her daughter’s age? Well, it wouldn’t be unheard of in the world I came from.

After several rewinds and careful observation of the Earl’s habits, I finally managed to arrange this meeting. It took rewinding four entire mornings just to find the right moment to casually suggest, “Could we meet in the garden in thirty minutes?”

“I needed to speak with you privately,” I said, turning my gaze to the flowers planted in the garden. At least there weren’t any poppies here.

“Privately, you say…?”

The Earl’s voice carried a subtle note of expectation.

It was amusing, really. All I’d done was ask to speak in private. I hadn’t whispered sweet nothings or declared any romantic intentions.

The Earl wasn’t particularly handsome either. Perhaps he had been in his youth. I wouldn’t know, but Mia’s striking appearance likely came from her parents. While the Countess had sharp features, she was undoubtedly beautiful. It wasn’t hard to imagine that the Earl’s looks had been one of the reasons he had won her affection in the first place.

Perhaps the Earl was still living in those days, trapped in the memory of his former glory.

“I wanted to discuss the current state of affairs,” I said.

“State of affairs, is it?”

Did he think I was an awkward young lady, clumsily bringing up his interests to win his attention? His thick, bristling mustache moved visibly with his words. Disgusted by the sight, I quickly continued.

“There’s going to be a war soon. If things remain as they are, Crowfield will be on the front lines. All the achievements you’ve built will be wiped out.”

The Earl froze mid-step as he approached me.

“Imperial dreadnought-class airships will pass over Crowfield, accompanied by fighters cutting through the skies.”

“…What?”

“Incidentally, I happen to know the weak points of those dreadnoughts. If you’re interested, I could share them with you.”

The emotions drained from the Earl’s face in an instant.

It wasn’t a deliberate effort to mask his expression—his mind had simply gone blank.

Yes, even if I appeared calm now, I’d caused quite the ruckus in the previous timeline.

I knew exactly which parts of a dreadnought’s interior to target to bring it down effectively.

And if I knew that much, why would I need to handle it myself?

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Chapter 267

Indeed, the Emperor of this world had no need to choose a different path.

Claire, while competent, didn’t act as though she knew the future in its entirety. Nor did she unconditionally push Alice as the next Emperor. Sure, she believed it was inevitable, but merely believing something and actively working to make it happen were two different things.

In other words, there was no "divine avatar descended from the heavens to monitor every move" next to the current Emperor.

I had certainly inserted myself into the Emperor’s life, boldly claiming to be his daughter and knowing far more than I should.

But even so, I wasn’t enough of a threat for the Emperor to treat me with extreme caution. Without the Masked Woman in this world, I wasn’t the same unhinged time-rewinder as before.

To the Emperor, I was simply a suspicious figure who seemed to possess an unusual amount of information—someone to be wary of, but not someone who could derail years of preparation for war.

The Emperor, though more cautious in this timeline, was still preparing for war. Troops were being stationed closer to the borders than in the previous timeline, and ships were being constructed with fervor.

War in this world was inevitable.

And when war broke out between Belvur and the Empire, Crowfield would be one of the first places to suffer.

“If war breaks out, this estate will undoubtedly be one of the most vulnerable,” I said.

No matter how persuasive I sounded, the Earl was still a noble who had spent his entire life entrenched in politics.

As an earl, he likely had his own faction and a network of subordinates. He must have been gathering intelligence of his own, possibly even noticing the Emperor’s suspicious movements.

Despite his indulgence in drugs and debauchery, his judgment hadn’t completely deteriorated—if it had, he wouldn’t have been able to maintain his estate.

“But does that give me a reason to side with an enemy nation?” the Earl said, his tone sharp. “No matter how different my political views may be, I have no intention of encouraging division within my country in the face of an external threat.”

An admirable sentiment—though the Emperor likely wouldn’t care. He had been more than willing to purge dissenters, removing royals and dukes from power.

With twelve ducal families in the Empire, reducing their numbers by a few wouldn’t seem like a loss to him.

If the Emperor sought to rule the world through sheer force, he couldn’t afford such recklessness. Even if he unified the world by strength, the resentment of those who lost their loved ones would linger. Rebellions would inevitably rise in occupied territories.

But the Emperor’s ultimate goal wasn’t mere conquest.

It was to usurp the goddess’s power.

To ascend to divinity. Once that was achieved, all the chaos he’d sown would be erased in a single stroke.

Still, it wasn’t something I could explain to the Earl.

“War will leave deep scars on the Empire and the world,” I said. “This estate will be dragged into the conflict, and the damage to you and your holdings will be substantial.”

The Earl remained silent, his expression tense as he listened.

“I’m not suggesting you oppose the Emperor’s forces directly. That would be foolish—standing against an army capable of crushing foreign militaries unilaterally is suicide. However…”

I let the silence linger for a moment before continuing.

“What happens after the Empire wins? After the Emperor’s forces dominate every battlefield and his dreadnought-class airships remain in his hands?”

The dreadnought was fearsome not because it was invincible, but because its weaknesses were obscure. Through my investigations, I’d discovered it had multiple vulnerabilities—mechanical components that, if damaged, could render the ship inoperable.

But those weaknesses couldn’t be exploited from the outside.

In World War I, battleships were terrifying because it was believed that only another battleship could counter one. It wasn’t until aircraft carriers, capable of deploying swarms of planes, came into prominence that battleships became obsolete. Until then, the only “efficient” way to deal with a battleship was to build one of equal caliber.

The role of battleships in that era was analogous to modern intercontinental ballistic missiles. Their construction was so significant that treaties were established to limit their proliferation, with nations employing every possible loophole to circumvent those restrictions.

The same principle applied here. The dreadnought was a game-changer, and its presence alone could dictate the outcome of wars. And I was one of the few who knew how to dismantle it.

The Earl’s expression remained stoic, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue. He might not have trusted me, but the seeds of doubt about the Emperor’s ultimate intentions were taking root.

I just needed to nurture them carefully.

In this world, only the Empire possesses the capability to produce aircraft. Although they export a limited number overseas, all such exports would cease the moment war breaks out.

Building naval artillery, let alone a dreadnought, is an extraordinarily complex endeavor. While the dreadnought sacrifices some defensive capabilities to remain airborne, no anti-aircraft weaponry in this world is powerful enough to bring it down. Their range and firepower are insufficient.

In short, while the Empire would sustain heavy losses in the war, the mere presence of a dreadnought in the Emperor’s hands post-war would serve as a significant deterrent.

“If absolute imperial authority falters, your position after the war could greatly improve, Earl. I’m not suggesting outright betrayal—just… a balancing of power,” I said.

Belvur would lose the war. Crowfield, though damaged, would be under the Empire’s protection as imperial territory. If the Emperor’s post-war losses were minimal, his authority would remain unshaken.

“And when I say I know the dreadnought’s weaknesses, I mean I know its internal structure as well.”

I didn’t explicitly claim to remember the blueprints—I wasn’t capable of memorizing something so intricate. But even that subtle implication was enough to change the Earl’s perspective on me.

“Is that insufficient reason to consider my information?”

Even if he didn’t believe me, I could always pass the intel to Charlotte. Granted, sabotaging the ship would require someone on the inside, which made the Earl far more capable of executing the plan than anyone else.

“And why would someone of the Grace family bring this information to me?” the Earl asked.

What should I say?

There was the option of seduction.

But would it really work? A man like the Earl must have encountered countless women who tried to climb the social ladder by using their charms, even without offering high-value information.

So, a different approach might be better.

“You’re aware of my nickname, so you must also know that I’ve built many connections since I was young,” I said slowly.

“I merely wish to build relationships with those who show potential and maintain those connections over time.”

It was vague, but intentionally so—very much in line with noble rhetoric.

“Hmm.”

The Earl seemed to accept it well—or… wait, what?

The Earl, who had been keeping a cautious distance, suddenly took several steps closer, his expression shifting.

“I see,” he said.

Wait, hold on.

Did he misunderstand me?

“Are you saying you’re looking for someone worthy of claiming you?”

“….”

That’s not what I meant at all.

It seemed this man had taken my every word as a veiled attempt at seduction, even though I hadn’t made any such move.

“To claim something of great value, competition is inevitable. I understand.”

No, no, that’s not it.

And for the record, while Sylvia’s body and appearance might be beautiful, they weren’t so extraordinary that someone would risk everything for them.

…Or were they?

Or maybe this man’s judgment was just that impaired?

“By now, the two princesses should be dealing with the ‘criminals’ on this estate,” I said, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

“Is that why you came? To tell me about that as well?”

The Earl didn’t seem to take the bait, merely responding as if it were a continuation of the earlier discussion.

Thankfully, he hadn’t laid a hand on me. If he had, he would’ve either been shot or faced the consequences of me rewinding time.

“I see. If there’s competition, then it’s best not to tarnish the prize. A flower should remain intact to retain its full fragrance when claimed,” he said with a smile.

“….”

Uh. Okay. Sure. Let’s just leave it at that.

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Chapter 268

A lot of things happened.

No, really. A lot of things happened.

It felt even more so because every time I woke up after falling asleep, time had passed in the blink of an eye.

Even in the original world, it felt like events kept happening one after another. But now, I only retained concrete memories and my own will during significant moments, which made it feel even more relentless.

Here’s a list of everything that’s happened so far.

“Is this what you were looking for?”

Uninvited and entirely out of the blue, the Sword Saint suddenly showed up at the Grace estate, handed me a relic, and asked this.

...Excuse me?

I mean, sure, I did ask for help in finding the relics. I knew there were ruins on the border between the autonomous state and the Empire, which was why that place had been reduced to rubble through bombardment in the first place.

But I had asked without expecting anyone would actually find it. Yet here the Sword Saint was, confidently presenting a piece of the relic.

The fragment, still incomplete, wasn’t glowing or anything. Well, it made sense—Alice or Claire wasn’t here, so there was no reason for it to light up like in the previous world.

As I stared at the Sword Saint and the relic sitting confidently before me, my mind spun furiously.

If the goddess was trying to thwart me by manipulating the world without my involvement, then why was the flow of time still intact for “others”? Strictly speaking, even if the Sword Saint was capable of finding something like this, couldn’t the goddess have simply made sure such events never occurred in the first place?

Could it be because I had stopped the goddess’s power with Claire and the relic?

Maybe it was because the goddess was obsessed with “order.” I might be an anomaly created by the goddess, but everything else seemed to be operating according to its original order.

Even if I was frozen, the rest of the world kept moving according to its own schedules and rhythms. Perhaps the goddess couldn’t stop that. Considering how the Emperor had been lured into traps and ultimately forced to reverse his own power, this reasoning seemed plausible.

But—

“How exactly did you find this?”

“The North is my homeland. Besides, I might not look it, but I roamed the battlefields quite a bit in my younger days. Did I ever mention that I have some history with the Emperor?”

“...”

Oh, right.

Now that I think about it, the Emperor did plunder one of the ruins all on his own. He’d been waiting for us at the relic site, after all.

If the Sword Saint had skills comparable to the Emperor and knew the location of the ruins, it wasn’t entirely impossible for him to retrieve a relic fragment.

I blankly stared at the broken stone tablet—a fragment that, at first glance, seemed impossible to recognize as part of the “brass gear” relic it was supposed to form.

“But to locate the ruins, wouldn’t you have needed another relic?”

“Is that so?”

The Sword Saint crossed his arms and stared at me intently.

Indeed. For ruins that openly appeared as “ruins” yet somehow avoided detection, there was always a reason. If such ruins were obvious to everyone, they’d have been looted ages ago. Even if they were shrouded by magic only a relic could dispel, people would have still sensed something.

The only reason we were able to access the ruins in Northwood was thanks to Claire, who had seized the goddess’s power. Fortunately, the Emperor had assumed we had merely followed him there.

“I saw a red-haired fellow loitering around the battlefield. I figured he was the one you mentioned, so I tailed him. Turns out that helped.”

“...”

Lucas had been the lead?

Now that I think about it, when I was at Crowfield, Lucas hadn’t come to spy on me. That must mean he was busy doing something else during that time.

If he was searching for ruins in the North, I couldn’t really complain. It wasn’t unreasonable for a slightly more cautious Emperor to send someone covertly instead of razing the North with Jayden.

...Wait a second.

“Does that mean you fought Lucas?”

“Haha.”

The Sword Saint merely laughed in response to my question, his expression as calm as ever.

“How are you even still alive...?”

Thwack!

Before I could finish, I felt a sharp flick against my forehead. I didn’t know why it sounded more like a thud than a flick, but it hurt all the same.

“He’s definitely a remarkable one.”

When I finally looked up, clutching my forehead, the Sword Saint spoke, curling one side of his mouth into a faint smirk.

“He seemed stronger than I was at my prime. But our ‘objectives’ were different, and that made all the difference.”

“Objectives?”

“My goal was to retrieve the relic and bring it to you. His goal was simply to defeat me. Do you think someone who can’t distinguish between his mission and his desires can achieve his goals?”

Uh... hearing this from a guy who retreated to the mountains because he didn’t want to be a soldier was giving me some cognitive dissonance.

“My goal is to witness your fight against that goddess firsthand. There’s no way I’d let some kid who’s slightly stronger than me ruin the chance to see that. Fighting him would be much more dramatic as the final act, don’t you think?”

“...”

I had no words.

“Still, while I’m grateful you confronted Lucas and brought this relic, are you saying you came directly here afterward?”

“Indeed.”

I raised my hands to my head and cradled it again.

This was the first incident I encountered after waking up.

*

The incidents involving Jake and Lottie unfolded similarly here, though the situation was far more urgent, making it easier to persuade Duke Lindborough.

“We might lose the colonies in this war.”

The duke, who had maintained a degree of formality when I was a princess, spoke much more casually this time. Still, it didn’t feel like he was speaking down to me—more like he was addressing a promising young noblewoman.

“Using the colonists as a shield sounds good in theory, but it could become a serious liability after the war. No matter how desperate they are, they won’t work without reward. Right now, they’re working simply to survive, but there’s a big difference between making them adapt to a meager wage and arming them to kill and defend us.”

“And it’s also part of the Emperor’s strategy to weaken his influence after the war, isn’t it?”

I lied through my teeth without hesitation.

“Losing the colonies might be painful, but it’s something to consider for the future. Positioning the Lindborough family as the villain responsible for exploitation, then having the imperial family come in as saviors who bring hope to the colonies, could ‘relatively’ reduce friction.”

“And if the colonists who went to war are treated as heroes afterward? It seems His Majesty doesn’t care much about the purity of this nation’s bloodline.”

It’s amusing how we’re basically discussing rebellion, yet he still uses the honorific “His Majesty.”

“Caring about it won’t magically secure victory.”

The duke stared at me blankly after my comment.

“So, wouldn’t it be wise to permit the relationship between your son and Lottie? Their bond could serve as a minimal safeguard for what’s to come.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be perfect. Lottie herself could end up labeled a “traitor,” for all I knew.

Even so, Duke Lindborough didn’t look entirely convinced. Compared to when I was a “princess” and openly declared Lottie as my close ally, even elevating her to knighthood, I was now just a slightly clever baron’s daughter offering her personal deductions.

Nothing I said felt “certain” to him.

That meant I needed to secure some insurance here as well—something “definite.”

“Duke, perhaps you’re curious about the Dreadnought Fleet?”

I lowered my voice slightly as I spoke to him.

Yes.

Betrayal works best when it’s layered two or three times, ensuring the other side doesn’t notice.

This was the second incident I faced in this chain of events.

*

And then—

“You’re asking me to abandon the warships.”

I made the exact same argument to the Emperor.

“After the war, when Your Majesty’s plans come to fruition…”

I took a step closer to him.

“Whether or not warships exist, the world will flow according to Your Majesty’s design. If those who sought to harm Your Majesty are undone by their own schemes, wouldn’t it make the final stages of Your Majesty’s plan unfold more smoothly?”

“...”

The Emperor stared at me in silence as I looked up at him with reverence in my eyes.

Before me, lying neatly wrapped in fine cloth, was another fragment of the relic.

Alice and Claire weren’t here with me this time.

Yes.

Betrayal works best when it’s layered three or four times to ensure the target doesn’t see it coming.

And the timing to set it all off is just as critical.

This was the third incident in my busy life.

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Chapter 269

At this point, the Emperor must have started doubting my identity.

Even if what I said was “actually” true—if I were truly the child of the Emperor and a fallen noblewoman from the imperial family—I had far too much knowledge I shouldn’t possess.

Of course, the Emperor didn’t know everything about me yet. Leaving aside the fact that I could rewind time, things like my knowledge of the warship's internal structure or my familiarity with the palace’s layout were things the Emperor could never know from his perspective.

But even so…

The Emperor wasn’t the type to casually share state secrets with a woman he might spend a single night with and then forget.

Furthermore, while the Grace family traditionally stood by the Emperor, they weren’t particularly active in politics. They were a family that would step in to protect the system when needed but weren’t much help in the Emperor’s political maneuvers.

Yet here I was, someone who had grown up as a mere baron’s daughter in the Grace family, claiming not only to understand the Emperor’s ultimate goal but also offering to help achieve it—

“I’m curious about who you really are.”

It wasn’t surprising that he’d say something like that.

I had managed to brush past Earl Crowfield and Duke Lindborough. They were experienced in the noble art of gathering information and lived with the constant awareness of what they didn’t know about their opponents—and what their opponents didn’t know about them. As the eldest daughter of a baron family close to the imperial household, a family expected to act militarily in times of need, it wasn’t impossible for me to possess certain insights.

And they would cross-check the information I gave them. It wouldn’t be easy, but they weren’t the type to stake their lives on my words alone. …Or were they? Judging by the expression Earl Crowfield made back then, he did look like the kind of man who might ruin his life over one woman.

Well, anyway.

I wasn’t too worried about those two. Honestly, even if their plans failed, it wouldn’t matter much. They weren’t the type to lose sleep over a few subordinates dying because of their orders.

As long as the warship exploded in the sky and crashed, it didn’t matter who succeeded inside it. Both of them would see that scene and believe they were the ones who made it happen.

The important part was that the warship actually fell.

The Dreadnought Fleet’s location was highly symbolic within the Empire. Even the Emperor himself occasionally forgot that the fleet’s position wasn’t all that significant to his plan.

“Your Majesty likely doesn’t remember my mother.”

“…”

I carefully spoke in a way that avoided any hint of resentment. It wasn’t difficult, since I truly felt no resentment.

“I remember her. My mother… was not an ordinary woman. She longed for your love, but at the same time, she harbored hatred toward you. And, for a brief moment—”

I carefully chose my words.

“She spoke of how the world’s order had become unbearably disturbed.”

I lifted my gaze to meet the Emperor’s.

The Emperor silently stared back at me.

Lucas and Bella, who were also in the room, looked utterly bewildered. There was clearly some exchange between the Emperor and me, but they couldn’t understand exactly what it was. It was information that only someone with the full picture could grasp.

“Then why are you helping me?”

“I don’t wish to live solely according to my mother’s will. Your Majesty, do you know what kind of life I’ve lived up until now?”

“I only know what is generally known.”

“But no one has been able to look inside my mind.”

“Inside your mind?”

“Yes. There is a curse that binds me—a curse inherited from my ‘mother.’ A compulsion to fulfill a certain duty. With each passing year, I feel this curse eating away at my freedom.”

“…”

“You might doubt me because of my words. You might distrust me because half of my blood comes from such a woman. But at the same time, the other half of my blood is Fangryphon blood.”

At my words, the Emperor looked down at me, as though trying to gauge me.

I, still kneeling on the floor, looked back up at him in silence.

“My half of freedom has brought me here.”

I pushed the relic fragment lying before me toward the Emperor as I spoke.

“Please, in the final moment, free me from this curse. That is my earnest wish.”

“…”

Whether they understood my words or not, everyone in the room remained silent, watching me.

“When the final moment comes, and Your Majesty wields all the power, it will be easier to distinguish between those who stand against you and those who do not. My suggestion regarding the warship is tied to that purpose. I’ve already taken measures. If Your Majesty delivers such a ‘symbolic spectacle,’ it will aid in the establishment of the new order Your Majesty seeks to create. That is what I concluded with my meager mind.”

I finished speaking, bowing my head deeply.

Even after I finished, the Emperor remained silent for a while.

Seated on his throne, he looked down at me for a long moment before his feet shifted slightly.

Step, step. The sound of the Emperor’s footsteps echoed as he slowly approached. When he was close, he must have leaned down, for I saw his hand suddenly appear in my line of sight.

The Emperor’s hand reached out and picked up the relic fragment lying before me.

“I understand your wish.”

Then, his other hand rested on my shoulder.

“You truly are my daughter.”

I’m not, though.

But, of course, I couldn’t say that out loud.

…Thank goodness the Emperor isn’t like Alice.

If Alice were here and saw my current expression, she’d probably ask, “Are you happy?”

*

What I heard was an explosion.

No, could it even be called an explosion?

The shockwave was so massive it was visible as it rippled through the air, an immense detonation that defied simple description.

I decided not to dwell on how many people had died in that explosion. From the moment I rejected the goddess’s offer, I had lost any right to comment on the deaths of those who met their end so tragically in this land.

If people had heard the goddess’s proposal, how many would have agreed with it? I couldn’t say for sure, but it would likely be far more than anyone might expect.

But let me emphasize again—I wanted a true happy ending. One where all the heroines survived and where I, too, made it out alive.

And in that vision of survival, there was no room for people I didn’t even know.

“How… could that…”

Alice, standing beside me, murmured blankly. Claire was equally speechless, unable to find any words.

It wasn’t just the two of them.

Even Charlotte, who had been opposing us, was no different.

Opposing, if you could call it that.

In the end, the war happened. The Empire had invaded the autonomous state, Belvur. The Imperial Navy advanced through the seas toward the Iberia Kingdom, and countless other nations had suffered in one way or another.

A war not fought for victory, but for a single, small objective buried within it.

The symbol of the Empire’s military might that erupted in a massive explosion in the sky was enough to capture the attention of every single army on the battlefield.

Even the soldiers of the Holy Nation hidden underground in Lutetia must have been staring upward at that moment.

By now, the Emperor and the children were likely ransacking the underground. In a world without the Masked Woman, there were no relics left aside from those they had already gathered.

“At the very least, this should keep the Lutetia Palace safe,” I said in a calm voice.

The warship was still falling. Even after all the helium had escaped, the wreckage, kept aloft by the enormous amount of Maramaros and mana stones used to stabilize it in the air, was descending at an eerily slow pace.

The biplanes escorting it were no different. Their canvas wings had caught fire, and their wooden fuselages burned as they glided downward like falling comets. The sight of countless planes crashing in slow motion was almost artistic.

...Once this world is successfully destroyed, even these sacrifices will cease to exist.

I lowered my gaze from the sky and looked at Charlotte.

“What… is this…?” she stammered, still unable to grasp the situation.

I took a step closer to her and spoke.

“Even in a situation like this, I didn’t want to see a friend’s home destroyed and their family killed.”

A contradictory statement. The complete opposite of my earlier thought that killing strangers and erasing this world would make all of it nonexistent anyway.

But that’s who I was. Someone who constantly shifted their words to sway others, who lied without hesitation to bring people to my side.

I was never someone destined to save the world.

The goddess couldn’t have chosen a worse person.

I walked toward Charlotte, spreading my empty hands wide.

“If you want to stab me, go ahead. I promise I’ll never harm you.”

“…”

I saw the hostility in Charlotte’s eyes begin to fade.

Yes, that’s enough.

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Chapter 270

The destruction of the warship turned out to be more helpful than expected.

The Empire’s forces, which had been advancing under the cover of the ship’s heavy artillery support, were slowed significantly with the loss of their most powerful firepower. As a result, only the Emperor, his children, and the Imperial Knights accompanying them managed to reach Lutetia.

This meant that most of Belvur’s army had shifted from urban combat to defending Lutetia itself. While bombs had fallen within the city, it hadn’t been reduced to complete rubble as it had in the game.

There was one advantage to this: the small, elite force centered around the Emperor could more easily make their way toward the Holy Nation.

The Holy Nation had hidden the relics beneath Lutetia and stationed most of their forces there. They had no means to stop the Emperor and his children, a group that could only be described as a gathering of monsters. As I remembered, the Emperor broke into the Holy Nation with relative ease.

Of course, that process involved hijacking trains, stealing cars, and the deaths of countless people…

“Are you planning to use me as a hostage?”

“I’ll say it again: I have no intention of killing or harming you.”

Honestly, Charlotte had no right to say that, considering she hadn’t managed to stab me and had let me go.

More importantly, it was Charlotte who chose to follow us.

Our “party” wasn’t very large. Lena never left her country for the Empire. Jake and Lottie, though friendly with me, prioritized protecting their own territory. Mia was defending Crowfield’s lands.

I hadn’t even met Sophia. Carolyn, not being a soldier, stayed behind at the academy. Jennifer had apparently gone to the battlefield, but her exact location was unknown.

I was worried. If any of them were to die, I wouldn’t even know about it.

Despite my conviction that this world was a mirage created by the goddess, despite knowing countless people were being sacrificed even now, I was still troubled by the slim chance that I might not reach my “happy ending.” If this world wasn’t an illusion and I was being doubly deceived by the goddess…

—No, it’s fine.

If that’s the case, I’ll just rewind time as many times as it takes.

And the fewer people around me, the better. The goddess wants to get rid of me. Up until now, I’ve avoided her threats by sticking close to those stronger than me, but this is a battlefield.

With the destruction of the warship, there was no longer the threat of bombs falling from above. The biplanes, too, had been taken out of the equation, reducing the danger significantly. Even so, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“…”

In the end, the only one who had followed me all the way from the academy to here was Leo, who remained silent among our group.

It was just me, Leo, Alice, Claire, and Charlotte.

Five of us.

“You’d be much safer returning to the Lutetia Palace. I won’t stop you,” I said calmly.

“…”

Charlotte glared at me but didn’t seem to know how to respond.

Perhaps, deep down, there were still lingering emotions she couldn’t ignore.

In the end, whatever argument she’d been preparing to make was swallowed, and she silently chose to keep following us.

The path our carriage took was so peaceful it was hard to believe we were in a nation embroiled in a fierce war. Then again, all the means to launch an attack here had already been eliminated.

The monitor ships had headed to other nations. A single warship could produce the firepower equivalent to eight monitors. From the moment the warship had been directed toward Lutetia, additional bombardment support had been almost unnecessary.

This hadn’t been part of the plan, but it was a fortunate outcome nonetheless.

Clip-clop, clip-clop. The carriage rattled along for quite some time before coming to a stop.

The distance from Lutetia to the Holy Nation wasn’t particularly far, but that didn’t mean a carriage was faster than a train. We’d traveled a long way, zigzagging to avoid the numerous checkpoints along the railway after the train had been hijacked.

Who would’ve thought it would take two whole days to get here?

Along the way, we’d stayed in an abandoned house left behind by refugees. Our food consisted of tasteless military rations we’d brought with us. Even Charlotte, who normally recoiled at bland food, silently shoved the rations into her mouth without complaint.

“There must be a reason you’ve brought us this far,” Charlotte said as she stepped out of the carriage.

Border villages were typically of a decent size, but the area we arrived in had no such village. It was nothing more than a narrow trail leading onward.

Still, the Holy Nation, with its dense development even on small plots of land, was visible in the distance.

“There is,” I replied.

The “machine” wasn’t operational yet. Not without the necessary “parts.”

I gazed at the spire of the cathedral visible in the distance, took a deep breath, and exhaled in one swift motion.

“Let’s go.”

*

After all the twists and turns, we were finally here.

“Hah… Hah…”

There were still people standing.

Even after the Emperor completed the relic, it seemed he either didn’t have a way to use it or had chosen to approach things differently this time. Maybe he had conserved his strength after raiding the underground of Lutetia before coming here.

Well, that place had a Gryphon, after all. It wasn’t fully operational as a force, and I had warned them in advance about the one controlling it, so the damage seemed to have been minimal.

Among the knights still standing, I saw a familiar face.

“Sophia.”

That voice came from behind me, and Charlotte turned her head in surprise.

Understandable. While Sophia’s skills were solid, she wasn’t a knight whose name echoed across the world.

Or, to be more precise, knights from the Holy Nation rarely gained worldwide fame. They operated as discreetly as possible, leaving their faces unseen.

Sophia flinched momentarily at Claire’s words, but quickly composed herself.

It wasn’t just Sophia. Verati was also here. Both of them were wounded, with cuts and bruises all over, but they were still standing. There were a few other knights in similar condition, but they wouldn’t last long.

“You’re a bit late. Were you meeting with a friend?”

The Emperor spoke to me with the warm tone of a father waiting for his daughter to return home.

Without a word, I walked toward him.

I heard sharp intakes of breath from behind me.

Claire and Alice, at least, would trust me. But what about Charlotte?

Unfortunately, I had no way to convince Charlotte any further.

“Father,” I said, slowly approaching the Emperor.

“Yes, my daughter,” he replied.

“…”

Step by step, I ascended toward him—

And then I raised my hand.

Bang!

With someone capable of crafting power armor among my allies, it was trivial to hide a gun beneath my wide sleeves.

Slash!

My arm was severed. Not just cut, but completely severed, falling to the ground below.

The first to move was Lucas.

Good.

Before I could rewind time again, I was back in my original state.

When I turned my head, I saw Claire staring at me with wide, panicked eyes.

It seemed Claire was the one who had rewound time this time.

Well, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Just as I hoped the protagonist and heroines wouldn’t die, Claire didn’t want me to die either.

And thanks to her, I could be certain of one thing:

Even if I were to die instantly, even if my head were severed in one blow, as long as Claire was here, I could keep trying again and again.

I smiled at Claire, then turned back and started walking forward once more.

Again, and again, and again.

*

“Hah… Haha…”

It was the first time I’d heard the Emperor laugh like this.

How defeated he must have felt.

If a plan he’d prepared for his entire life had been doomed to fail from the start…

I looked over at Lucas. Bleeding and sitting on the ground, he stared up at me with an expression of utter disbelief.

It must have been incomprehensible to him. The idea that someone with no visible talent could hit him with a bullet was beyond his understanding.

But even the most ordinary person can accomplish something if they repeat it countless times.

The sound of swords clashing echoed around us.

“Hm. So it’s already over, is it?”

“Don’t be too disappointed. Soon enough, you’ll get to witness the sight you’ve been longing for.”

I responded to the Sword Saint, who had arrived slightly late to the cathedral.

Leo remained silent, his eyes locked on me in disbelief. Claire and Alice stood with their swords drawn alongside Charlotte, but none of them could bring themselves to move.

Claire, in particular, was breathing heavily. …I felt bad for putting her through this.

Even if Bella swung her sword, with the Sword Saint here, there was no way to stop what was happening.

“May I ask you one question?”

Amidst the silence, the Emperor finally spoke.

“What are you? Just what in the world are you?”

“…”

I looked down at the Emperor for a moment, lost in thought, before finally answering.

“I am not the goddess, at the very least. Nor do I have any intention of becoming her.”

“I see.”

At my response, the Emperor simply let his shoulders sag and let out another laugh.

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Chapter 271

I slowly made my way up the stairs.

Everyone watching me froze. I didn't think it was some physical force or the goddess's power at work.

We were vastly outnumbered.

There were knights who had followed the Emperor. I couldn’t guarantee I could defeat them if we fought right now.

The only reason I was able to defeat countless knights from the Holy Nation before was because I had all sorts of weapons, ammunition, and enhanced armor, which used advanced technology from a world that didn’t even exist in the reality I came from.

The weapon I held now was a small, empty handgun. I had extra rounds, but I hadn’t bothered to reload.

The Emperor had collapsed after being shot. Lucas, too, had fallen to a bullet. No one could understand how an ordinary teenage girl managed to pull off such results.

The Sword Saint was on our side, watching us with clear interest. But despite the slightly relaxed demeanor, everyone knew that if someone tried to harm me, the Sword Saint would act immediately.

Bella and Damien stood frozen, watching me.

It wasn’t my intention, but… I guess it didn’t matter.

Since I was able to take down Lucas, with the help of my companions, I could probably do the same to Bella or Damien.

“What do you want?” the Emperor asked, blood flowing from his chest. He seemed genuinely curious.

“A happy ending,” I answered.

“With the goddess’s power?”

“No.”

It was true that I had come here thanks to the goddess. Should I be thankful for that? Honestly, I couldn’t say for sure just yet.

I had met characters I loved, gone on the adventures I had always dreamed of, and built personalities for them along the way. And through all of that, I’d grown close enough to those characters to risk my life for them, something I hadn’t thought possible before. That had been what the goddess wanted for me all along.

But at the same time, I had lost my own life. In this world, no one truly knew who I was. There were only the characters I had built: Sylvia, Sylvia Black, Sylvia Fangryphon, Sylvia Grace. The me I created through them.

That was a little disappointing. It wasn’t like I was unhappy with my life, but I had worked hard to get by, spending time on the things I loved and trying to live as fully as I could.

This wasn’t some grand tale of returning to my world to meet my loved ones in a perfect happy ending. I had long abandoned that hope. I didn’t even know what had happened to the version of me in the world I had come from.

The goddess’s power was useful. It allowed me to protect my friends—no, that sounded too arrogant.

The truth was, that power was the only thing that allowed me to stand by my friends. Yes, that felt more accurate.

But if that power ever put those friends at risk, I wouldn’t need it.

“The greatest threat must be eliminated, without a doubt.”

I spoke as I moved toward the device.

Up until now, I hadn’t felt like this was the right thing to do, but at this moment, I was moving entirely on my own strength.

“Order or chaos, it doesn’t matter. I just want to live in the world I want to live in.”

As I stood before the machine, muttering to myself, the Emperor let out a laugh that sounded like air escaping.

“That’s truly something Fangryphon would say.”

I didn’t respond.

“Claire.”

When I called her name, Claire’s shoulders shook.

I felt a pang of guilt as I saw her looking up at me with trembling eyes.

I had forced her to see things no one should. And not just once, but countless times.

Who had rewound time more times, her or me?

Well, there was no need to count that anymore.

“Sis.”

Claire, who had come up beside me, spoke.

“How many times have you lived through this?”

“Once.”

That was the one thing I could answer.

I had lived only one life. It was just that in that one life, I had experienced so much.

“What… what’s happening? What’s going on?”

Charlotte, who had been standing there in a daze, asked urgently.

There was no movement from the machine, and it was just Claire and I standing there, but Charlotte must have sensed that we were about to do something.

“Don’t worry. You’ll know soon enough.”

I looked at Claire.

“Alright. Then, we just do it like we did before.”

Ah, but…

“Actually, saying ‘again’ might not be quite right. I’m not ‘rewinding’ time.”

I reached out for the device.

Just reaching out didn’t activate it.

But when Claire reached out—

A soft blue glow emanated.

“…If we go back, I’m going to ask you everything, Sis.”

“I’ll answer.”

I nodded, and Claire lowered her head, her shoulders trembling. I placed my hand on her shoulder.

We’d truly gone through a long journey.

“Then, let’s wait.”

The Sword Saint spoke in a relaxed voice.

“I do hope I’ll get a proper explanation, Sister.”

Leo, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. His voice was filled with the most anger I had ever heard from him.

It wasn’t just about not knowing something. Leo had always been the kind of character who was too nice for his own good.

He was probably angry because his friends had been taking risks without him knowing. And now, I was his “sister.”

Then, suddenly, Claire let out a small chuckle. A clear laugh.

I understood. Honestly, I almost laughed too.

“I hope you don’t regret saying that.”

“...What?”

It had been a long time since I’d used informal speech. Leo, looking bewildered, asked, but I didn’t feel the need to answer.

“I have a lot I want to say, but we’ll have time for that later.”

Alice spoke. I smiled at her. Her expression immediately turned to one of confusion.

The only one not flustered was Claire, who had remembered my smile from our childhood.

“Alright, what do we say?”

“How about ‘continue’?”

Claire asked.

“Continue?”

Honestly, I didn’t think ‘again!’ was a particularly great line, but ‘continue’ felt even stranger. It sounded like something you’d hear at the end of an anime episode. “To be continued next week…”

“Yeah, that’s it. You said ‘happy ending,’ but there’s no way this story ends here.”

I suppose so.

I kept thinking of it as a game, so I kept thinking about an “ending,” but that’s not it.

We were just crossing the line between fifteen and sixteen. I didn’t live my entire life in this world, but I lived a full fifteen years here. And yet, the story wouldn’t end here.

Whether or not we had the goddess’s power.

“Alright, let’s do it.”

In a way, it was a fitting line, considering we were anticipating a sequel.

When I agreed, Claire smiled brightly. Her face was still pale, and her eyes were teary, but...

She hadn’t been badly hurt this time.

That’s all that mattered.

“Then, let’s shout together on three.”

“Okay.”

We locked eyes and counted.

And then—

“Continue!”

Hm, but honestly, saying it out loud felt a little...

*

—One more thing wasn’t a problem anymore.

“...Ah.”

The space, which had been filled with silence, suddenly erupted into noise. It felt like we had just stumbled back into the middle of some event.

To be precise, it was just us who had come back.

Even if everyone there had been real, those who weren’t directly affected by the relics couldn’t possibly remember things properly, just like most people in that world. This was especially true for Alice, who had been influenced by the fake Alice, Claire, who resonated with the relic’s power, and the country that used bodies created by the goddess herself.

But then—

“Huh?”

The first person to speak was Mia.

Her expression twisted slightly, as if she had just realized something.

Was it because she was sensitive to magic, and had noticed some subtle difference?

As I thought about this, one realization hit me.

“Sis!”

Claire screamed. I also heard Alice shouting, “Sylvia!” from the other side.

My vision began to blur to the side.

Oh, right. It came back to me.

I had gone around so much that I hadn’t remembered it right away.

I had a hole in my side, didn’t I?

Seems like I’d reached my limit.

Claire hurriedly grabbed me and laid me down on the ground. The sounds of fighting intensified, and my consciousness slowly began to fade—

Then, I heard a loud crash.

And the sound of glass shattering.

It didn’t seem like something had broken through the wall or the door. The sound came from above.

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Chapter 272

Even after living for years in a world that was obviously fantasy, there were still things I kept forgetting.

The existence of magic was no longer a big deal; I had adapted well enough. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone conjured a fireball in front of me. Honestly, I’d find the sleight of hand from a street hustler more fascinating than fireballs or ice spears.

But the reason magic no longer amazed me was simple: it was wielded by humans.

After all, if magic existed in this world, it was only natural that humans would use it, just as humans in my world invented semiconductors and internal combustion engines.

But there was one thing that still baffled me.

In this world, even beasts used magic.

Not even extraordinary mythical creatures, just regular animals you might encounter on the street. Yes, giant rats scuttling through the city’s sewers or wolves running through the fields—they all used magic.

I had no idea what the principle behind it was. Given that the world followed a system similar to the original, I had to admit that the goddess’s setup was more of a device to fool me than an entire world crafted for me to understand.

Humans needed to chant spells and wield staffs to use magic, but these beasts had no such requirements. Bears breathing fire or elephants wielding ice hammers with their trunks were astonishing—not in a good way, but in a completely baffling one.

And then, there was the Gryphon that could use healing magic.

Puyoouuuu!

A Gryphon, whose only sound was that, could use healing magic, magic that Mia had to focus to use herself. Honestly, it felt a bit unfair from a human perspective.

After all, the Gryphon wasn’t even an animal in the normal sense. It was more like a legendary, incredibly strong monster that only existed in people’s imaginations.

That beast, with its newly cleaned feathers, came crashing through the window near the top of the cathedral.

It looked far more dignified than the last time I had seen it. Though its feathers were still a bit dirty, the Gryphon had apparently taken some time over the past few days to clean itself up, as its white and brown feathers now had a lustrous sheen.

But above all, it was the wings.

If I looked only at the size of its wings, it seemed impossible for a creature with such wings to physically fly. The wings stretched wide to either side, so large that they reminded me of the eagle wings I’d seen in documentaries. But they were so large that comparing them to eagles didn’t quite do them justice.

The Gryphon didn’t even need to flap its wings. It held a naturally graceful posture, with its feathers fluttering slightly as it descended slowly in a way that seemed entirely unnatural, almost magical.

White light poured from the feathers along its wings.

As the Gryphon slowly descended closer to me, I began to feel a rising heat from its body.

No way.

Seeing it up close now, I finally understood why the Gryphon was so difficult to handle. With its sheer physical attributes and magic on top of that, it was nearly unbeatable.

…How did the Holy Nation humans even manage to capture and imprison the Gryphon? Did they pick up a newborn one?

The Gryphon, which had created an eerie stillness with its presence, landed directly in front of me. It didn’t step on me, though. To be more precise, it positioned itself perfectly so that its eyes met mine as it lowered its head.

Yes, the Gryphon was looking down at me without even bowing its head.

I heard a sniff. Though it had a beak instead of lips, I could tell that it was laughing at me.

This beast just mocked me, didn’t it?

But if I said anything, I felt like my back would be shredded by its claws, so I held my tongue.

The Gryphon then raised its right foot.

With skilled precision, it dug its claws under my side.

Ugh!

It flipped me over.

Wait, what? If it was going to help me up, then just help me up! Or at least wait until I got back on my feet!

Since I didn’t want to get flipped again, I hurriedly pushed myself up.

And then, I looked back up at the Gryphon.

It gave me a haughty look as if saying, "You really think you can stand up to me?"—before it slowly lowered its head toward me once again.

“……”

The sound of people holding their breath could be heard around me.

What’s going on?

Is it trying to give me some kind of encouragement? Or is this just some Gryphon culture I’m not aware of?

Since it was impossible for a beast to communicate with words, I could only interpret its intentions through body language. Honestly, I didn’t even want to learn Gryphon language if it existed.

Like last time, I slowly grabbed the edges of my skirt with both hands and bowed my waist.

For a while, we both bowed our heads in mutual respect, and then, at the same time, we lifted our heads.

I turned away.

Hmm, honestly, when I first realized I had a hole in my side, I wasn’t sure what to do.

I still hadn’t confirmed it, but it was right after I had blown away the goddess’s power with a fully operational machine device. Just the fact that the world had “returned to its original state” was proof of that. I didn’t know when the goddess might return, but at least during the remaining span of my life, it wasn’t likely to happen. Even if the goddess were to start planning again, it would take at least a few hundred years.

“Fangryphon...”

I heard someone muttering quietly.

Right. Fangryphon.

Here, I was also Fangryphon, even if no drop of that blood ran in my veins.

“Ha, haha!”

A sudden burst of laughter broke the silence, and I turned to see Lucas laughing. He didn’t seem to have gone mad or anything—he was simply laughing because he found it amusing.

“I see.”

I heard the Emperor’s murmuring voice.

“Lucas. Why did you bring that Sylvia to me?”

The voice of the Emperor, Arthur Fangryphon, was flat. It sounded like a father casually asking his son, "What happened at school today?"

“Huh? Of course, it’s simple,” Lucas said, finally stopping his laughter, still holding his side with one hand.

“It’s the same reason you’ve been running around trying to usurp the goddess's power and put the world beneath your feet,” Lucas said, his expression refreshingly open, the kind only someone who had given up everything could have.

“Because I thought it would be more fun.”

That was a very Lucas-like reason.

And it was, therefore, exactly the kind of thing Arthur Fangryphon’s son would say.

“...I see.”

The Emperor answered with a smile.

If he had started by saying to his children, “You truly are my children,” and not tossed them into strange situations to choose their abilities, maybe things would have been different.

No, perhaps the story wouldn’t have even begun.

But the Emperor couldn’t even show enough love to Alice, whom he had declared to be his true daughter. He loved his children in his own way, but that love always had to come with usefulness.

Well, it didn’t matter now. After all, from now on, there wouldn’t be two chances.

But, really...

Honestly, with this insanely powerful Gryphon at my side, what did it matter if I rewound time?

“Pyuoooh!”

While I was thinking this, I was startled by a loud sound above me. I looked up to see the Gryphon looking down at me, as if it had a lot to say.

...Did it read my thoughts? I didn’t think that kind of magic existed.

Well, it probably didn’t, right?

Looking into its golden eyes, I wasn’t so sure anymore.

At least it didn’t seem like it was going to abandon me, so I straightened myself up. I had discarded my gun and everything else, but I could still see some things lying on the ground around me.

If I needed one, I could just grab it—

“Ugh!”

Before I could pick anything up, my feet left the ground.

Wait, wait, hold on.

I felt something heavy on the back of my neck—it seemed the Gryphon had grabbed the collar of my clothes with its beak and was lifting me up—

And then, I was suddenly lifted into the air.

Before I could even scream, I was soaring upward and landed with a thud on the Gryphon’s wide back.

“...”

Well, if you’re going to carry me, couldn’t you do it in a more gentle way?

I was wearing a skirt, after all.

No, more importantly, I really wish it wouldn’t just take off and fly with me sitting on its bare back without a saddle.

I quickly lowered my posture, almost lying flat on the Gryphon’s back.

“Pyuoooh!”

This time, whether it had read my mind or not, the Gryphon took off into the air, soaring without regard for my wishes.

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Chapter 273

I’d never really thought about being scared of flying.

In my previous life, I’d been on airplanes before, and even in this world, I had ridden airships without much hesitation. If I had to stand on a precariously high spot, like a rooftop with no safety rails, my legs would undoubtedly tremble. But generally, “airplanes” or “airships” were made to transport people safely.

In other words, there was no reason to worry about suddenly plummeting to the ground while inside one. Unless, of course, an accident caused the entire vessel to fall.

Airplanes, with their massive wings flying in one direction, were remarkably stable. Airships, on the other hand, floated like they were anchored in the sky, rarely swaying unless hit by severe weather.

But a gryphon… Riding on a gryphon’s back was an entirely different story.

That’s right. A gryphon’s wings are attached to its back. And I was sitting on that back.

Every time the gryphon flapped its wings to stay airborne, my body shook up and down in rhythm. It wasn’t like the gryphon kept the area between its shoulders and back—where I was perched—steady either. With each powerful flap of its wings, my vision bobbed wildly. Though I couldn’t measure it precisely, I was sure the vertical movement equaled my seated height.

“Fwooarrr!”

What might look majestic from below—a gryphon rearing up on its hind legs with its front paws raised mid-air—was nothing but terrifying to me, as if I’d be flung off at any moment.

I mean, seriously, was there any reason to strike such a pose while in midair?

Besides, earlier, when we were descending, it ignored every law of physics, gliding without even a twitch of its wings. So why all the flapping now?

Of course, the knights below couldn’t see my expression, so they were all staring up with their mouths agape.

Even if I might have looked like the “Master of the Gryphon,” none of them suddenly dropped to their knees in reverence. Well, that’s to be expected—such stories only exist in myths. There’s no legend about a “True Fangryphon who will one day appear to lead the gryphons.”

In this world, power followed the law of the land. And the knights, for now at least, were still under the Emperor’s command—though things were unfolding in strange ways.

Another ear-splitting eagle-like cry echoed, and the gryphon tilted its head downward, diving sharply.

I gritted my teeth. Honestly, I wanted to pat myself on the back for not screaming. Losing control here was not an option—especially now that my ability to rewind time was clearly no longer usable. Mistakes were not an option.

Thud. Thud. I heard something crashing into the ground. Someone let out a bold battle cry before it abruptly turned into a squeal.

The gryphon didn’t even bother slashing with its talons. Just flying low and sweeping the ground with its massive body was enough to send the knights sprawling.

Charlotte, who managed to endure even a glancing blow, was truly remarkable.

It was pure luck that I noticed something falling toward me amidst the chaos.

Maybe the gryphon’s ground-sweeping descent had shaken me enough to regain some focus. When I opened my eyes, I saw a rifle tumbling straight toward my face.

I quickly caught it. Reflexively, I checked—it was loaded.

Blinking in disbelief, I looked at the gryphon.

The gryphon turned its head slightly toward me, wearing what could only be described as a smug expression. I felt an irrational surge of annoyance.

…Fine. So you’re saying I shouldn’t just sit back and let you do all the work, huh?

The once-silent battlefield was gradually filling again with the clash of swords. Even with the gryphon’s arrival, the fight was far from over. The Emperor still stood firm, and Lucas had yet to fall. If anything, Lucas was likely to win in a one-on-one fight against the Sword Saint. That alone was a testament to the Sword Saint’s tenacity.

Gripping the rifle tightly in both hands, I braced my legs.

Without a saddle, the ride was excruciating. My thighs burned, and the gryphon’s feathers, which looked so soft from a distance, were stiff enough to sting against my skin.

It was clear—this battle needed to end as quickly as possible.

With a cry straight out of a western epic, the gryphon spread its wings and ascended again, majestic as ever.

*

It was a sight straight out of a painting.

Sylvia, seated on the gryphon’s back, hardly resembled the mythical Fangryphon. Truthfully, there were no definitive records about Fangryphon’s gender, but in most depictions, Fangryphon was illustrated as male.

Moreover, Fangryphon wasn’t depicted as a grotesque or chaotic figure, contrary to the myth’s description of being “born of chaos with a malformed body.” Instead, the paintings portrayed Fangryphon as a proud, muscular figure of a white man.

So, Sylvia’s current appearance didn’t match the myths or the paintings. And yet…

The gryphon roared, its front claws raised in the air. Sunlight streamed down, tracing the lines of its powerful wings.

Sylvia, sitting on its back, silently reloading her rifle.

Watching her like this, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable for the word “Fangryphon” to come to mind.

Alice let out a soft laugh.

Even now, she was struggling to process what was happening.

It wasn’t because she hadn’t seen what Sylvia had experienced.

From the moment Sylvia and Claire activated the device together, Alice’s mind had been overwhelmed with an influx of information.

It was as if memories she’d never experienced—ones that felt both familiar and subtly different—had come flooding in all at once. Memories of similar situations, almost identical but distinctly altered, poured into her mind like a forgotten truth suddenly resurfacing.

Moments that should have been the same, in the same place, yet carried subtle discrepancies.

And those memories… they included Sylvia.

Alice quickly glanced around her. For a brief moment, it seemed as though those who knew Sylvia had paused as well. If the gryphon hadn’t drawn the enemy’s attention and momentarily halted their movements, something catastrophic might have occurred.

“…”

Claire met Alice’s gaze and gave a small nod.

In that instant, Alice understood.

Ah, so that’s it.

These memories—

…Fine.

Alice gripped her sword tightly in both hands. Regaining her composure, she swung her blade at a knight charging toward her.

Her opponent wasn’t entirely unskilled; they quickly raised their weapon to block her attack.

Watching the clash of swords, Alice pushed away her intrusive thoughts.

Good. Focus on what’s happening right in front of you.

There was so much she wanted to ask, but that could wait until all of this was over.

She was even curious about what kind of “happy ending” awaited them.

As she rushed forward, Alice couldn’t help but think.

Alright. I’m getting the hang of this.

Surprisingly, my lifetime of shooting experience seemed to be paying off. Even from the gryphon’s wildly shaking back, my shots were landing with decent accuracy. In fact, it felt like my aim was improving the more I fired.

Every time I emptied the rifle, the gryphon somehow managed to toss me another bag of bullets or a bandolier from who-knows-where.

…Honestly, I couldn’t help but think, Can’t you just handle this all on your own? But I kept my mouth shut. The gryphon seemed to be enjoying itself too much.

Could it be that it couldn’t distinguish between the people of the Holy Nation and the Empire? Was it simply rampaging with the distinction of “the one who saved me” and “everyone else”?

Then again, judging by the way it looked at me, that didn’t seem entirely accurate either.

“Fwooarrr!”

Maybe it was just happy to finally be free after being confined for so long. The fact that its joy was causing so many deaths was a little terrifying, though.

It slashed with its talons, whipped up gusts with its wings, and even conjured ice spears and fireballs near its feathers, launching them in every direction.

In the turn-based original game, the gryphon had resistances to nearly every status effect and elemental attribute. Without accessories to block all those attacks, it was an incredibly annoying boss to deal with. But now, in real-time combat with no turn limits, it was downright horrifying.

Still…

“Sylvia!”

Even a gryphon isn’t invincible.

After all, in the original story, it could be defeated.

From a distance, a sword aura sliced through the air—so fast that even the gryphon couldn’t react in time.

The gryphon hastily lifted one of its wings to shield me.

A sharp whistle cut through the air. Droplets of warm blood spattered across my face. The gryphon’s right wing, which had moved to protect me, was bleeding.

The wing lowered, and I finally saw the one responsible for the attack.

Lucas. He was smiling.

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Chapter 274

Raising my rifle was nothing more than a reflex.

Since coming to this world, how many bullets had I fired? Ever since I was a child and first started using a revolver, I had carried a gun with me at all times. And whenever I had a chance, I practiced.

Swinging a sword wasn’t an option for me—not when I had the power to rewind time. If I trained, my muscles would develop, but the moment I rewound time, all my progress would reset. No matter how hard I worked, it would all be undone in an instant.

That was why I chose firearms.

Pulling a trigger always produced the same force. The bullet’s speed was instantaneous, faster than the average person’s eye could track or react to.

Of course, that didn’t mean guns required no physical ability. In this era, most firearms were heavy metal constructs, and handling them skillfully—quickly aiming and maintaining control—still required some level of strength. But in the end, what mattered most was sensation.

There were plenty of calculations that could determine bullet trajectory—wind resistance, gravity, even my own pulse. This world had long-range rifles for snipers, after all.

But at the end of the day, the most important factor was the shooter’s instinct.

No need for meticulous calculations—just an innate sense of this is the right distance, this much wind means the bullet will curve just so, my arms are positioned like this, so the muzzle will sway like that—

—I needed to be able to fire with that kind of unconscious, instinctive precision.

I had no talent other than rewinding time. That was why I had done the only thing I could to keep from losing my edge—I fired as many shots as possible.

If I still had the ability to rewind time, I wouldn’t even be thinking about any of this. I would just fire, and if I missed, I’d turn back time and adjust accordingly.

But Lucas was smiling.

He wasn’t pouting in annoyance. He wasn’t glaring at me in frustration.

He looked happy—because he was enjoying the fact that he could fight me like this, because he knew I wouldn’t use any “unfair tricks.”

"Because it would be more fun that way."

That was what he had told the Emperor when asked why he chose me.

Lucas was savoring this moment.

Well, to him, being able to cut down someone like Fangryphon was probably a rare opportunity.

“…”

Lifting my rifle had been instinctive. But the thought that followed was deliberate.

Could I hit him without my ability?

Right now, Lucas was strong enough to fight a Sword Saint. And I wasn’t even standing on solid ground—I was balancing on the back of a moving gryphon.

But before I could dwell on it further, my mind went blank.

The solid wooden stock of the rifle pressed against my shoulder, my cheek settling against it in a familiar posture. The sensation was ingrained in my body.

The long barrel aligned itself. The front and rear sights clicked into focus. My finger rested on the trigger—

—And I placed Lucas in my sights.

I pulled the trigger.

The barrel kicked upward, my shoulder absorbing the recoil. There was no sound—not that it was unusual. The gunshots I fired always seemed quieter to me than those from anyone else.

Lucas twisted his body, dodging to the right.

Watching that, my first thought was, Of course.

I didn’t know how he had dealt with the Sword Saint, or whether he had actually finished that fight. But if he was coming straight for me, then dodging a bullet should be child’s play for someone who could slice bullets in half.

Yeah. That’s only natural.

I worked the bolt as fast as I could. Ping—the spent casing ejected with a sharp sound, clinking as it tumbled away. The acrid scent of gunpowder filled the air as the bolt slid open, ejecting the empty cartridge.

I pushed the bolt forward, chambering the next round. A crisp click echoed.

Bang!

This time, Lucas deflected the bullet with his sword. A blade aura followed immediately after, but the gryphon twisted its body at the last second, and the attack only grazed the very ends of my hair.

Oddly enough, even with the attack slicing past my face, I hadn’t changed my stance. Had the moment been too brief for fear to register?

And this, too, was only natural—

Ah. I was starting to understand.

Even after Lucas dodged and deflected my bullets multiple times, I didn’t feel afraid. I only processed it as a logical outcome.

Why?

I pulled the trigger again.

Lucas dodged—again, to his right.

Of course.

Lucas always dodged that way. The only times he moved in the opposite direction were when he needed to.

And honestly, Lucas didn’t have to dodge bullets very often. If an ordinary gunman faced him at this range, they wouldn’t even get the chance to fire before he cut them in half.

So this was—

I chambered another round. Click. The sound of the bullet sliding into place felt deafening.

Lucas was close enough now that I could see his amused expression clearly. The gryphon's magic was building, the air turning white around us. Its wings curled protectively, trying to shield me.

But it wasn’t as though Lucas was out of range.

Lucas prepared to swing his sword again—

—And then he saw me move the barrel.

A subtle movement. Just slightly to the right. A small adjustment, right as the bright light masked my form.

With firearms, even the tiniest shift in angle could drastically change the bullet’s trajectory—especially over distance. Though, this wasn’t that far.

Before Lucas could swing, I pulled the trigger.

This time, he dodged to the left.

Right. Of course he did.

He even looked a little surprised at himself.

I had spent my life shooting at anything and everything. Vases in the palace corridors, little flags strung across the streets, pigeons, sparrows, wild game—and people.

And among those people, Lucas was included.

In fact, I could say with absolute certainty—

No one had ever shot at Lucas more times than I had.

And no one had ever hit him more times than I had.

So of course—

This was a sense I had drilled into myself, rewinding time again and again until it was carved into my bones.

“Kh—?!”

The bullet tore through Lucas’s right shoulder.

Yeah. Hurts more than last time, doesn’t it?

I wasn’t sure if he was still wearing the same bulletproof gear, but there was a vast difference between a handgun round and a rifle round in terms of kinetic force.

Unlike before, where he had managed to keep his stance, his entire body reeled backward, his sword arm thrown off balance.

Click.

I chambered another round.

Bang!

And I pulled the trigger one last time.

All of this had happened in the span of a single breath.

*

The enemy’s morale was visibly crumbling.

The gryphon soared through the air, unleashing magic in every direction. Even an army filled with civilians from the Holy Nation was useless in this situation. Ordinary, untrained people—mindlessly charging forward—could only be stopped by other people who had no intention of cutting them down.

And now, the device had completely shut down. The gears that should have been turning had vanished without a trace, and the towering pillar of light had ceased to rise. The room itself felt dimmer, as though half its illumination had been snuffed out.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though the goddess’s power lingered. But not long after we returned to this world, the summoned forces began collapsing one by one, losing consciousness. In the end, only my companions, the Emperor, his children, and a handful of knights remained standing.

And then—

“It’s over.”

The Emperor murmured.

He was bleeding.

The battle had raged on for too long. His body bore the marks of countless sword strikes from multiple opponents. Honestly, the fact that he was still standing—let alone exuding such an air of authority—was remarkable.

Lucas had already been shot. Bella and Jayden were barely holding themselves together. Everyone was exhausted, their breath coming in ragged gasps.

The only one who seemed relatively unharmed was Damien, but even he wasn’t without injuries.

“Belvur will send reinforcements soon.”

Now that the barrier was gone, it was inevitable.

“…Are you expecting proper treatment as a prisoner?” Charlotte asked.

The Emperor shrugged.

“Well, I’m considering it.”

As he spoke, his gaze lifted toward the gryphon I was riding.

For the first time, I thought I saw something like admiration flicker in the Emperor’s eyes.

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Chapter 275

Nothing is truly over.

The Emperor had devised two plans, and both were endgames with no turning back.

The world war was an obvious one. No matter how powerful the Empire was, waging war against the entire world would inevitably lead to defeat. Even if he miraculously succeeded in uniting the world, it would be an unsustainable victory. That was why the most crucial element of this plan was the goddess’s power.

And if he failed to seize that power, even if the war ended in victory, the Empire would not be able to maintain its control for long.

The second plan, the one he devised after recognizing my existence, was the same.

It wasn’t as overtly destructive as setting the world on fire, but it disregarded international relations entirely. Marching through Belvur and striking at the heart of the Holy Nation—an act that would mock the very faith that governed it—was an act of terror.

A terrorist act committed by none other than the highest authority of the Empire.

In this scenario, as well, the final outcome hinged on whether he could steal the goddess’s power. If he succeeded, no amount of diplomatic fallout would matter. With the goddess’s power in his grasp, he could simply erase any opposition.

“…So what?”

Charlotte tilted her head, as if something didn’t quite add up.

“The goddess intended to destroy that plan from the start, didn’t she? And she manipulated the Emperor’s mindset to expand her influence over the world.”

While Belvur’s army had already crossed the Holy Nation’s borders, quickly seizing key locations, Iberia had also mobilized its forces along the border. However, out of fear of a direct military confrontation with Belvur, they had yet to make any real moves. Compared to Belvur, which bordered the Empire, Iberia was a less modernized kingdom. On top of that, they were dealing with internal issues related to minority groups, making military action a complicated matter.

Still, as a country heavily influenced by the Holy Nation, Iberia had issued a formal protest against Belvur’s invasion. But judging by Charlotte’s lack of reaction upon hearing the news, it was likely nothing more than a symbolic gesture.

We were still inside the cathedral at the heart of the Holy Nation. Four hours had passed since the battle ended. The Empire’s knights, who had lost their will to fight, had all been restrained.

The Emperor and his children were also under guard. Not a single one of them had been killed.

…It was a very JRPG-like ending. Neither the main characters nor the major antagonists had died—only nameless soldiers and minor figures had fallen.

Or maybe, rather than a JRPG ending, this was just another example of how Azerna Chronicles played out.

“Sylvia?”

Charlotte called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Ah. Right. We were talking about the goddess.

“Yes.”

I answered simply.

“…”

“…”

A brief silence.

“…Wait, that’s it?”

Charlotte frowned, baffled.

I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

“No, like… You know. You fought over the fate of the world. Shouldn’t there be some kind of greater motive behind all this? A grand scheme? A deeper reason for all those intricate plans?”

“I don’t think there was anything more to it than that.”

I genuinely didn’t understand what she was asking.

“The goddess and the Emperor were competing over the fate of the world itself. The goddess wanted to shape the world into something she found beautiful, and to do that, she needed to remove the device that Fangryphon had created in the past. To eliminate it, she had to plan from that very era—hence, she laid out her strategy centuries in advance. The result of that plan was the Holy Nation’s religious order. Since the device was never completed, there was a window of opportunity for her to interfere in the world.”

And the goddess did interfere through that gap.

Even before the Holy Nation was established, she sent revelations to her most devout followers, creating a false reality to deceive me. She constructed a world that resembled the original story, ensuring that the paths leading to a happy ending were already laid out—just as I had always believed.

And I had walked straight into that deception.

If I had been even slightly more self-righteous, or if I had been the kind of person to accept an orderly world dictated by the goddess, I might have followed her lead.

But I wanted a happy ending that included me in it. And that was what shattered the goddess’s plans.

So how was she able to devise such an elaborate scheme in the first place?

Even if this world functioned under rules similar to the original game, it wasn’t actually a game. There were no system notifications, no status screens, no stats. That was precisely why the goddess had tried to replicate so many aspects of the original game.

It wasn’t unusual for the cities and villages to match their in-game counterparts—Millennium Corporation had gone to great lengths to design them with meticulous detail. But dungeons? Dungeons were different. The odd, unidentified rooms, the mysteriously placed treasure chests containing exactly what was needed at the right time…

The goddess was still a goddess. This world wasn’t the only one she could see.

I wasn’t an expert on quantum mechanics or parallel universes, but I had heard somewhere that if a world could be imagined, then it might exist in some alternate dimension.

She must have searched through countless worlds, found the right variables, prepared the necessary deceptions, and finally selected the right pawn.

That pawn had been me.

…Or maybe, everyone involved in this had been her pawns. After all, my mere existence had disrupted the Emperor’s plans from the start.

Ultimately, the goddess was a divine entity. The fragment of her thoughts that I had glimpsed wasn’t enough to fully grasp her. For all I knew, she could already be scheming from beyond this world, preparing a new plan.

Well, by the time that happens, I’ll probably be long dead. And frankly, I don’t care what happens after that. It’s not my concern, just like it isn’t my concern if some random person on the other side of the world starves to death.

The only people I want to save are the ones I know—and even among them, I divide between those close to me and those who are just acquaintances.

“She used that gap to manipulate her followers and set the stage to reclaim her power,” I concluded.

“So that means the Holy Nation’s knights have been working behind the scenes all over the world?” Charlotte asked.

I nodded.

Or, it could mean that there were many in the Empire who had received divine revelations. That was something we’d need to investigate. The device had driven back the goddess’s power, but that didn’t mean we could be complacent. We still needed to confirm whether any gaps remained.

I glanced toward Sophia.

If there was anyone most visibly wounded from this battle, it was her.

Betrayal. Rage. The feelings of being deceived by someone she had trusted had driven her to charge at Damien without hesitation.

She had been healed significantly by Mia, but…

If I searched the cathedral, there might be divine artifacts capable of healing injuries—ah. Wait. The goddess had been banished. Those artifacts had likely lost their function.

And so had divine magic.

Sophia’s gaze dropped when our eyes met.

I had no idea what was running through her mind right now. She had come this far to oppose the Emperor.

But in the end, I, the goddess’s chosen pawn, had betrayed the goddess and driven her out of this world.

In some ways, that made me an even greater enemy than Damien.

…That conversation could wait.

“I’m not finished with my questions,” Charlotte suddenly said.

I had been lost in thought, but she pulled me right back.

“If you were really the goddess’s pawn, then why did she choose you?”

“….”

Uh.

Because even at the age of thirty, I was still a hopeless nerd, emotionally invested in JRPGs filled with cute girls?

…Maybe it was because I was the kind of fool who empathized with fictional characters and wanted to save them all.

And there were plenty of people like me—hopeless nerds who got too immersed in their favorite stories. The goddess probably just picked one at random.

The problem was, the one she picked happened to be a chaotic shit-stirrer who didn’t care about being “chosen by the goddess.”

“Let me rephrase the question.”

Seeing that I wasn’t answering, Charlotte leaned in.

“Why did you betray the goddess in that moment?”

Because I wanted you all to be happy.

Not a false happiness crafted by the goddess, but a real, earned happy ending.

And maybe, just maybe, I wanted to be part of it, too.

But obviously, there was no way in hell I was going to say that out loud—

“Answer me, Grace’s Black-and-White Lily.”

…Huh?

Wait, what?

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Chapter 276

"Or should I call you Fangryphon’s Black-and-White Lily now? Hmm, that sounds a bit strange. Fangryphon is technically just a family name, but… since it already sounds like a title, adding another one on top of it makes it feel like you’ve got two epithets stuck together.”

“Maybe it’s because of the sight of Sylvia riding the gryphon earlier.”

Alice, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, finally spoke up.

“The name ‘Fangryphon’ comes from Old Imperial and means ‘leader of the gryphons.’ It can also mean ruler.”

Snort.

A loud sound, like someone blowing their nose, interrupted us.

I looked up to find the gryphon staring down at me. It was sitting in that loaf-like position cats often take, but its head was held high, gazing at me with an almost comically haughty expression.

That noise just now—if I had to guess—was probably the gryphon’s equivalent of a scoffing laugh.

…By the way, are you not going home?

Even after the battle ended, it had stayed behind, sitting behind me, listening in on our conversation. It was starting to feel oddly out of place.

If it was just going to linger like this, why bother flying off earlier?

Had it been waiting for just the right moment to appear? Holding back until the most dramatic timing? I had assumed that it had only entered after the goddess’s barrier disappeared because it couldn’t cross it before. But now, I was starting to rethink that.

“…I don’t know if it actually agrees, but someone did call Sylvia Fangryphon.”

Alice picked up where she left off.

“So, in Sylvia’s case, ‘Fangryphon’ isn’t just a family name—it’s an epithet as well. Which means if you add Black-and-White Lily on top of it, it’s like giving her two separate titles.”

That would make Fangryphon’s Black-and-White Lily sound like someone with two completely different nicknames mashed together.

“…Wait, hold on.”

I raised my hand, interrupting the conversation.

“…Where did the Black-and-White Lily thing come from?”

I had a vague idea, but I feigned ignorance on purpose.

Right. If I pretended not to remember, maybe—just maybe—I could slip past this. I clung to that fragile hope as I asked.

“Oh, obviously, from when you were part of the Grace Family.”

“I was never a child of the Grace Family—”

“Oh my, but isn’t it a title you earned while going around spreading your name in high society? The very same you who attended every ball and banquet to establish your presence in the social scene?”

“…”

Snap.

I could almost hear the thread of my last, desperate hope snapping.

Charlotte smiled at me—elegant, composed, utterly merciless.

“Why? Did you think I wouldn’t remember?” She tilted her head. “It’s not perfectly clear, but it’s vivid enough that I know it happened. It feels like a dream, but at the same time, I can tell it was real.”

I had definitely thought she wouldn’t remember.

Because in that world, the only people who retained their memories had been me, Claire, and Alice. I had been created using the goddess’s power, Claire had stolen that power, and Alice had been affected by that fake version of herself.

In that world, Charlotte hadn’t remembered me. The reason we became close in the first place was because she had taken an interest in my established presence in the Imperial social scene.

“Sylvia.”

Alice gave me a look of mild pity.

“Think about who was able to pass through the barrier that blocked the goddess’s power.”

“…”

“Whether it was your power or the goddess’s will that allowed it—at the very least, the fact that we passed through means that, for a brief moment, we benefited from the goddess’s influence.”

Oh…

Wait.

Wait.

I quickly scanned the room.

Eyes were turning toward me. My friends, my acquaintances—everyone was starting to gather around, drawn in after finishing their own tasks.

“There’s another possibility.”

Claire, who had been speaking with Leo a short distance away, rejoined the conversation.

“The place where we erased the goddess’s power—technically, it wasn’t here, was it?”

Ah.

Right.

She was correct. Conceptually, this place hadn’t been where it happened. That space had been an illusion hastily created by the goddess—something caught between fantasy and reality. If the goddess had managed to fully reclaim her power there, that place itself would have become real.

The goddess had designed it that way, even in those fleeting moments.

And the place where Claire and I had shouted continue! had been inside that illusion.

Which meant the device had sent the goddess’s power somewhere else—not here.

The moment the world reverted to its proper state, the effects of the goddess’s power had already ended. There had been no time for those memories to disappear.

A shiver ran down my spine as I processed Claire’s words.

“Th-Then, does that mean other people’s memories—?”

The question tumbled out before I could stop myself, momentarily making me forget to maintain my usual composure.

Claire merely shrugged.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

She was so nonchalant, so typically Claire, that for a second, I almost forgot where we were.

“Most people probably lived almost exactly the same lives, right? If they weren’t directly connected to you, they’ll probably just dismiss it as déjà vu. As for everything that happened after the war started? They’ll just chalk it up to a bad dream. They won’t even consider the possibility that it was real.”

“…”

“…Is that so?”

“And even I, who actually experienced it firsthand, wasn’t completely certain until I saw how you reacted.”

Charlotte, who had been quietly listening, added her own thoughts.

“It feels like… a dream I had last night. Most of it is hazy, but there are certain moments that stand out vividly. Especially the memories involving you—those are the clearest. So I’d say the only people you really need to worry about remembering are the ones who interacted with you directly.”

And judging by the sly grin on her face, Charlotte knew exactly what she was implying.

…

The reason I earned the nickname Black-and-White Lily of Grace was simple—I had worked tirelessly to establish myself in high society.

I rarely interacted with people my own age, but I made sure to speak with older nobles, the ones who held real influence in the Empire.

Which meant that all those nobles—who had personally spoken with me—were very likely to remember that title.

Of course, they would probably dismiss it as nothing more than a particularly vivid dream. After all, the girl in that dream had long hair, wore elegant dresses, and looked nothing like the current me. And it wasn’t like I planned to talk to them about Relics or the goddess.

But even if they didn’t consciously remember, that title—the nickname carved into the deepest parts of their perception—wouldn’t fade so easily.

The name Grace might be easy enough to detach from me—

“…Ah.”

And the moment that thought crossed my mind, my brain stalled once again.

Because I had spent a very long time as the daughter of the Grace family in that illusory world.

Baron and Baroness Grace had treated me with warmth, with genuine affection. Seeing how Claire had grown up to be so bright and full of life, it was clear where she had gotten it from. To them, I had been nothing more than an orphan scraping by at the bottom of society, and yet… once they took me in as their daughter, they never once treated me any differently than Leo.

Sure, they had raised me with the distinctions expected between a daughter and a son, but considering how I had thrown myself into high society, I had lived the life of a model noble daughter. There had been no time to feel any kind of discrimination.

And, naturally, I had spoken with Baron and Baroness Grace often. As a daughter would with her parents.

Our relationship had been solid. In fact, to a certain extent… I had almost considered them as real parents—

—Even though I had always told myself that it was just an illusion.

“We should go visit our parents sometime soon, Sylvia, my dear sister.”

“…”

Leo said it so casually, but his words froze me in place, mouth slightly open in shock.

He was half-teasing, but I could also tell he was being completely sincere.

…Just as Baron and Baroness Grace had been my parents in that world, Leo had been my brother.

“Now that I think about it, aren’t we actually sisters now?”

Claire sounded genuinely delighted by the idea, while Alice let out a strained chuckle.

Alice stepped up beside me and patted my shoulder.

“Well, if you have parents, you should go pay your respects. I get it.”

No. No, no, no. It would be better if we just used the Fangryphon name to shut this down entirely.

But Alice wasn’t the kind of person to do that.

I knew that better than anyone—because I had spent an entire lifetime as her sister, too.

…It feels like I just finished off the final boss, only to realize there’s an even bigger one waiting right behind it.

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Chapter 277

We won! Story over!

…If only things could wrap up as neatly as a few summarized lines in a novel. But life wasn’t that simple or easy—if it were, the world wouldn’t be such a complicated mess.

Thinking about it now, maybe the goddess hated that complexity. Perhaps that was why she had tried to impose her own sense of order, to create a world that was simple and beautiful in her eyes. Now that I was caught in the middle of an unbelievably convoluted situation, that thought felt more plausible than ever.

First things first—we had to clean up the aftermath of the battle.

Of everyone still conscious, Sophia was the only one from the Holy Nation left standing.

But even she had no way of proving her connection to the Holy Nation at the moment. Her official citizenship was registered under Belvur, after all. She had been a spy planted by the Holy Nation, but the problem was… all of her superiors had just left to join the goddess.

…Or had they?

Had they really managed to leave? Or had I shattered that path before they could reach their so-called divinity?

Well, that was a question only the dead could answer. No use thinking about it now.

The Pope was dead. Naturally, most of the Holy Nation’s knights who had been protecting him were dead as well. And those who had survived weren’t even conscious. They were all sprawled out in front of the cathedral.

What a pathetic end.

Even with a traitor among them, for the entire Holy Nation’s leadership to collapse this easily… Ah, well. I supposed it made sense if I considered that this outcome had also been carefully orchestrated by the goddess. After all, for things to play out the way she had planned, the Emperor needed to bring the goddess’s Relic to this very place.

The strength of the Holy Nation’s knights had come from the goddess. Their numbers, their power—all of it had been regulated by her. If she had controlled them from the beginning, then it wasn’t so strange that they had crumbled the moment she withdrew her power.

And in the end, the thing the Emperor had brought here had been an empty space—one that the goddess herself had filled. The ‘fake Alice,’ the entity the Emperor had believed was sent by his future self, had actually been a creation of the goddess.

No future Emperor had ever existed. That entire narrative had been fabricated—another elaborate deception crafted by the goddess to manipulate him.

A human’s will couldn’t last for hundreds of years. No matter how strong-minded someone was, their body still aged. And after their death, any ideology they left behind would inevitably be distorted, reshaped by the mouths of those who carried it forward. Just as the Emperor, Fangryphon’s descendant, had no interest in continuing Fangryphon’s legacy.

But the goddess was different.

She had no such limitations. She could scheme for centuries, for millennia, executing her plans with unwavering patience.

A being that existed for eternity likely perceived time itself in a way far beyond human comprehension.

Even now, she was probably constructing a new plan.

Or worse—she had already set it in motion.

If she truly wanted to succeed this time, she should pick someone a little more dignified as her next pawn.

Then again, it’d probably be harder to find a hardcore gamer without some sort of personality quirks.

Maybe she thought she was choosing a socially isolated, easy-to-manipulate loner. But honestly, what did she expect to accomplish by picking someone like me—someone with barely any friends?

…Does the goddess not have any friends?

Maybe that was why she had failed to realize just how much an introverted nerd would cling to the people they managed to befriend.

*

“…So… you’re saying this isn’t actually me?”

Alice asked again, her expression serious.

We couldn’t dismantle the machine itself. Other than the last remaining piece of the Relic, all the other components were too intricately intertwined for us to even begin extracting them.

The only thing we had managed to pull out was the fake Alice inside.

The space where the Relic had been embedded was barely large enough for a person to fit. In fact, it was so cramped that it was hard to believe the legendary, broad-shouldered Fangryphon could have ever fit inside.

Well, even the legends described Fangryphon as deformed. Not just physically, but as a being who, despite being abandoned, had managed to lead the gryphons through sheer charisma and intelligence.

A being who had ultimately refused to accept the goddess’s order and had chosen to stand against her in his own way.

In a way, that might’ve been the reason the Emperor never even considered stepping inside himself.

“The goddess’s power doesn’t work that way,” I explained.

Like winding a clockwork mechanism from the outside, her power reset the world to its original state. The positions of the stars, every single grain of sand—everything was restored exactly as it had been.

She wasn’t rewinding time itself, so things like time travel were impossible.

…And apparently, completely erasing people’s memories was impossible too.

I could feel the weight of people’s stares. Especially from those who had been entangled with me in more ways than one.

Maybe… memories that the goddess had suppressed were now flooding back into their minds.

…Even Alice, who was standing right next to me, was looking at me just a little differently than usual.

Alright. For now, I was going to pretend not to notice.

I’d act like nothing had changed—long enough for them to start dismissing it as nothing more than a vague sense of déjà vu.

“Since there’s no way to send something from the future, the only way to interfere with this world was to create something different. That’s why this one was never truly you.”

“…”

Alice shot me a glare when I called her princess, but for once, she didn’t bother arguing about it.

“But she tried to kill me. She held back when it came to you.”

“She had to act that way. Otherwise, the ones who needed to notice her wouldn’t have.”

The ones who needed to be deceived—Alice, the Emperor, and me.

And we had all fallen for it.

“…So what you’re saying is, she was just an entity clumsily mimicking my experiences and memories?”

“That’s the most reasonable conclusion.”

Alice fell silent at my words.

For a long moment, she just stared down at the other her lying on the ground.

I had laid my coat on the floor before placing her down. It didn’t feel right to just leave her sprawled on the cold, hard stone. Besides, my exoskeleton suit had been reduced to tattered rags after the fight—I needed to take it off anyway.

The fake Alice was in bad shape.

What had they said? That the Relic’s component had been inside her stomach?

Her intestines had spilled out, completely drained of blood. The sight was so surreal, so unnatural, that it didn’t even feel real.

Among the exposed flesh, tiny, intricate clockwork gears were embedded within. It was the kind of grotesque sight that could have made anyone sick to their stomach.

She had not died peacefully.

But strangely, there was something almost serene

about her expression.

Unlike the moment when she had locked eyes with me in those final seconds—now, there was an eerie tranquility to her face.

So much so that I almost mistook it for the faintest hint of a smile.

“From the moment she was created, she was nothing more than a pawn.”

She had been designed to disrupt my ability, to make her seem like a loyalist to the Emperor. But at the same time, she had been made to rebel against him just enough to convince Alice that she was herself.

And yet, no matter where she appeared, her actions had always served the Emperor’s interests.

I’d admit it—I had been fooled too.

Alice seemed to be realizing this as well. And despite everything, she looked… sad.

Even though this thing had tried to kill her.

“If it hadn’t been her… then it would have been me, wouldn’t it?”

“…”

Even if Claire had existed in that world, the goddess’s plan would have failed the moment I entered the equation.

Alice’s blood was too diluted to properly wield the Relic. And I… I had no Fangryphon blood in me at all.

The Relic piece embedded in the fake Alice had been a tool for the goddess to reclaim her power, to create the perfect conditions to unleash her influence. All she had needed was for me to return the goddess’s stolen power.

That had been her plan.

So, without fake Alice, the goddess’s plan would have collapsed entirely.

But the goddess would have simply waited.

She had all the time in the world. If one plan failed, she could retreat and try again later.

The Emperor, on the other hand, couldn’t afford to wait.

The Emperor had only one lifetime.

And in that scenario, the only person left to enter the machine… would have been Alice herself.

“…I’m not saying I’m grateful. After all, she did try to kill me. But still…”

Alice lowered herself onto one knee beside her fallen counterpart, her expression conflicted.

“…Still, for some reason, I can’t help but relate to her.”

“…”

I said nothing to that.

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Chapter 278

I managed to wrap up my conversation with Alice, but the real problem was that there were plenty of other people around who could make me feel just as uneasy.

Even if they didn’t remember all the details of the time I rewound—or rather, even if they didn’t consciously recall everything—the current situation alone was enough to make things unbearably uncomfortable.

That’s right. I had been so focused on dealing with the immediate crisis that I hadn’t thought about what would come next.

But really, who in that situation would have had the time to think ahead? Even the Emperor had charged in without looking back, and I had been the one forced to face him head-on without any real preparation. How could I have afforded to think beyond the moment?

With the fake Alice before me, and Alice herself in a somber mood, I took a few steps back and surveyed my surroundings.

And that alone was enough for me to realize that I was nearly surrounded by people whose eyes met mine.

Of course, I wasn’t literally surrounded as if I were being cornered. It was more of a psychological sensation. Physically, everyone kept a bit of distance—it wasn’t a solid wall, at least not in the literal sense.

I quickly started calculating.

First, I narrowed down the people who had followed me here but wouldn’t make for uncomfortable conversation partners. The Sword Saint, Jennifer, and Carolyn seemed like safe options. Both Jennifer and Carolyn were on fairly good terms with me, and neither had ever suffered because of my abilities. The Sword Saint, in particular, seemed to be enjoying the situation, while Jennifer looked deeply lost in thought.

And then there was Carolyn—my homeroom teacher. Normally, a student-teacher relationship would feel somewhat restrictive, but in this case, it was perfect. At least it gave me a plausible excuse to check in with her later.

If I started a conversation with her, I might be able to keep it going for quite a while. And who would bother interrupting a student talking to their teacher?

That settled it. I resolved to head straight for the group of mentors and instructors.

I made the decision.

That was all I did.

In other words, I failed to follow through.

"…Fangryphon."

Hmm. That was a title I almost never heard.

Officially, my full name was Sylvia Fangryphon. And yes, when I signed documents, I properly included Fangryphon in my signature.

But no one ever actually called me Fangryphon.

Not even acquaintances from before we became friends. Not even faculty members seeing me for the first time. No one felt the need to refer to me as Miss Fangryphon or Lady Fangryphon.

There was an enormous, intangible barrier against it.

Translating it into English, Fangryphon would be my last name, my family name… but more importantly, it was part of my name.

And yet, using Fangryphon alone as an address carried a weight that was simply too heavy.

I have no idea if people in England actually use titles like Miss Windsor, but in this world, I was addressed by my name far more often than by my family name. Most people called me Princess Sylvia or Princess Alice. And even that only happened when we needed to be distinguished from one another—otherwise, a single Your Highness was enough.

My friends obviously just called me by my first name. And since Alice and I were often together, calling either of us Fangryphon would only cause confusion. More importantly, Fangryphon wasn’t just the imperial family’s surname—it was also the name of the empire’s first Emperor. That made it even more awkward to say out loud.

But the fact that someone had chosen to call me Fangryphon right now meant that the name held particular significance in whatever conversation was about to unfold.

The mere sound of their voice made my stomach churn as if I were about to roll over in agony, and now they were using that name? The fact that I wasn’t already writhing on the floor was, in itself, a commendable feat.

Not that I felt particularly proud of it.

Moving with the stiffness of a broken wind-up doll, I slowly turned my head—only to find Sophia clutching my sleeve.

Her expression was… indescribable.

What kind of face would a devout believer make after witnessing the death of their god? Would they weep uncontrollably, like someone who had just lost their homeland? That would’ve been easier to deal with. Instead, Sophia’s eyes looked utterly dry, as if all emotion had been drained from them.

Not just dry—empty, like staring into a barren well. Eyes that should have always held a glistening trace of moisture were now hollow, and the sight of them only strengthened my already overwhelming urge to run away.

But running wouldn’t solve anything. The person standing before me wasn’t a character in a story; she was real.

"…Just calling me by my name would be enough."

Even though I knew it was an inappropriate response to the situation, I still said it—because I needed to put a stop to that Fangryphon nonsense, at the very least.

"…"

Sophia’s gaze shifted.

She was still sitting there in her bread-baking pose, looking up at the Gryphon towering over me.

Watching her stare at it so intently, I started seriously considering how I was supposed to clear up this misunderstanding.

That Gryphon wasn’t under my control. Just like when we arrived, it would probably fly off somewhere the moment it decided its task was done. Besides, Fangryphon didn’t refer to a single Gryphon—it was the name of an entire flock.

How many people in the modern era had actually ridden on the back of a Gryphon? Not many, I’d imagine. But that didn’t mean calling me Fangryphon made any sense.

Still, Sophia didn’t seem to be interested in arguing over that point.

"…Is the Goddess never coming back?"

…A pointless argument would have been preferable.

"…"

I carefully chose my words.

Back in middle school, there was a kid in my class who wanted to become a pastor. One day, I asked him, “So, are you planning to sleep with married women too?” When he told me his father was a pastor, I shot back with, “Then I guess your father does too.” I got punched in the face for that.

Religious people tend to be sensitive about these things.

"It’s true that I took measures to prevent it from happening."

I decided to just state the facts.

Sophia… At the start, she had been portrayed as a fanatical psychopath, but as the story progressed and her interactions with the protagonist deepened, she gradually got cleaned up. I had always found it frustrating how she was so neatly redeemed in just one installment, but looking back, it actually made sense.

She had been raised under the Holy Nation’s influence from childhood, learning to accept their teachings as the absolute truth. And then, out of nowhere, a force of pure evil emerged to oppose the goddess—of course, she would have been thrilled.

But before she could face that great evil firsthand, Sophia met Leo. Then she met me.

As a result, she became someone quite different from the character in the original story.

This Sophia wasn’t the Sophia from the novel. She was my friend. So rather than telling some half-baked lie, it was better to just be honest.

"You…"

Sophia was also choosing her words carefully.

"You… What exactly are you? What kind of connection do you have to the goddess?"

She probably already had her suspicions. There were things she had heard directly from me as well.

…That’s right. I had promised.

I had told her I would explain everything once it was all over.

"I was sent by that entity you call a goddess."

I spoke plainly.

I was well aware of the eyes on me. Not just from my own companions, but even from the imperial knights who had been bound and were now glancing in my direction.

But what was the point of hiding anything at this stage?

I had already ridden on the back of a Gryphon.

"I was also someone meant to be used as part of the goddess’s plan."

"Then why did you betray the goddess at the last moment?"

Sophia’s words might have sounded accusatory at first, but her voice was so level, so devoid of emotion, that there was no real sense of blame. It felt more like she was just stating facts, trying to confirm something rather than expressing resentment.

"…"

I closed my mouth for a moment.

How was I supposed to explain this?

When I first arrived in this world, I crafted a personality for myself. It was all to insert myself into the protagonist’s party. I’d say that was a success. After all, I did become a part of their group.

I opposed the Emperor to ensure a happy ending where everyone survived. That was also a success. In the end, no one died.

But the reason I overturned the goddess’s plans…

…was because I wanted to be part of that happy ending, too.

…

Was this really a happy ending?

I gazed silently at the believer who had lost her god.

Would Sophia be able to understand my answer?

It didn’t matter. I had promised to answer.

"Because I wanted to be with all of you."

So I told her.

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Chapter 279

I had more or less finished my conversation with Alice, but the real problem was that there were plenty of other people around who could make me just as uneasy.

Even if they didn’t remember every detail of the timeline I had rewound—or rather, even if they didn’t consciously recall it—this situation alone was enough to make things unbearably awkward.

That’s right. I had been so focused on dealing with the immediate crisis that I hadn’t thought about what would come next.

But really, who in that situation would have had the time to think ahead? Even the Emperor had charged in without a second thought, and I had been the one forced to confront him—completely unprepared. How could I have afforded to consider the consequences?

With the fake Alice lying before us, Alice herself had entered a somber mood. I took a few steps back and scanned my surroundings.

That alone was enough to realize that nearly everyone around me had their eyes on me.

Not that I was literally surrounded. It was more of a psychological sensation. Physically, everyone kept a bit of distance—it wasn’t a solid wall, at least not in the literal sense.

I quickly started calculating.

First, I narrowed down the people who had followed me here but wouldn’t make for uncomfortable conversation partners. The Sword Saint, Jennifer, and Carolyn seemed like safe options. Both Jennifer and Carolyn were on fairly good terms with me, and neither had ever suffered because of my abilities. The Sword Saint, in particular, seemed to be enjoying the situation, while Jennifer looked deeply lost in thought.

And then there was Carolyn—my homeroom teacher. Normally, a student-teacher relationship would feel somewhat restrictive, but in this case, it was perfect. At least it gave me a plausible excuse to check in with her later.

If I started a conversation with her, I might be able to keep it going for quite a while. And who would bother interrupting a student talking to their teacher?

That settled it. I resolved to head straight for the group of mentors and instructors.

I made the decision.

That was all I did.

In other words, I failed to follow through.

"…Fangryphon."

Hmm. That was a title I almost never heard.

Officially, my full name was Sylvia Fangryphon. And yes, when I signed documents, I properly included Fangryphon in my signature.

But no one ever actually called me Fangryphon.

Not even acquaintances from before we became friends. Not even faculty members seeing me for the first time. No one felt the need to refer to me as Miss Fangryphon or Lady Fangryphon.

There was an enormous, intangible barrier against it.

Translating it into English, Fangryphon would be my last name, my family name… but more importantly, it was part of my name.

And yet, using Fangryphon alone as an address carried a weight that was simply too heavy.

I have no idea if people in England actually use titles like Miss Windsor, but in this world, I was addressed by my name far more often than by my family name. Most people called me Princess Sylvia or Princess Alice. And even that only happened when we needed to be distinguished from one another—otherwise, a single Your Highness was enough.

My friends obviously just called me by my first name. And since Alice and I were often together, calling either of us Fangryphon would only cause confusion. More importantly, Fangryphon wasn’t just the imperial family’s surname—it was also the name of the empire’s first Emperor. That made it even more awkward to say out loud.

But the fact that someone had chosen to call me Fangryphon right now meant that the name held particular significance in whatever conversation was about to unfold.

The mere sound of their voice made my stomach churn as if I were about to roll over in agony, and now they were using that name? The fact that I wasn’t already writhing on the floor was, in itself, a commendable feat.

Not that I felt particularly proud of it.

Moving with the stiffness of a broken wind-up doll, I slowly turned my head—only to find Sophia clutching my sleeve.

Her expression was… indescribable.

What kind of face would a devout believer make after witnessing the death of their god? Would they weep uncontrollably, like someone who had just lost their homeland? That would’ve been easier to deal with. Instead, Sophia’s eyes looked utterly dry, as if all emotion had been drained from them.

Not just dry—empty, like staring into a barren well. Eyes that should have always held a glistening trace of moisture were now hollow, and the sight of them only strengthened my already overwhelming urge to run away.

But running wouldn’t solve anything. The person standing before me wasn’t a character in a story; she was real.

"…Just calling me by my name would be enough."

Even though I knew it was an inappropriate response to the situation, I still said it—because I needed to put a stop to that Fangryphon nonsense, at the very least.

"…"

Sophia's eyes moved.

She was still sitting in that bread-baking pose, staring up at the Gryphon looming over me. I watched her and seriously wondered how I was supposed to clear up this misunderstanding.

That Gryphon wasn’t under my control. Just like when it brought me here, it would probably leave the moment it decided its work was done. Besides, Fangryphon wasn’t the name of a single Gryphon—it referred to an entire flock.

I doubted there were many people in modern times who had actually ridden a Gryphon, but that still didn’t mean calling me Fangryphon made any sense.

Sophia didn’t seem particularly interested in arguing that point.

"…Will the goddess never return?"

…A pointless argument would have been preferable.

"…"

I carefully chose my words.

Back in middle school, there was a kid in my class who wanted to become a pastor. One day, I asked him, “So, are you planning to sleep with married women too?” When he told me his father was a pastor, I shot back with, “Then I guess your father does too.” I got punched in the face for that.

Religious people tend to be sensitive about these things.

"It’s true that I took measures to prevent that from happening."

I decided to just state the facts.

Sophia… At the start, she had been portrayed as a fanatical psychopath, but as the story progressed and she became more entangled with the protagonist, she gradually cleaned up. I had always found it frustrating how she was so neatly redeemed in just one installment, but looking back, it actually made sense.

She had been raised under the Holy Nation’s influence from childhood, learning to accept their teachings as absolute truth. And then, out of nowhere, a force of pure evil emerged to oppose the goddess—of course, she would have been thrilled.

But before she could face that great evil firsthand, Sophia met Leo. Then she met me.

As a result, she became someone quite different from the character in the original story.

This Sophia wasn’t the Sophia from the novel. She was my friend. So rather than telling some half-baked lie, it was better to just be honest.

"You…"

Sophia was also choosing her words carefully.

"You… What exactly are you? What kind of connection do you have to the goddess?"

She probably already had her suspicions. There were things she had heard directly from me as well.

…That’s right. I had promised.

I had told her I would explain everything once it was all over.

"I was sent by that entity you call a goddess."

I spoke plainly.

I was well aware of the eyes on me. Not just from my own companions, but even from the imperial knights who had been bound and were now glancing in my direction.

But what was the point of hiding anything at this stage?

I had already ridden on the back of a Gryphon.

"I was also someone meant to be used as part of the goddess’s plan."

"Then why did you betray the goddess at the last moment?"

Sophia’s words might have sounded accusatory at first, but her voice was so level, so devoid of emotion, that there was no real sense of blame. It felt more like she was just stating facts, trying to confirm something rather than expressing resentment.

"…"

I closed my mouth for a moment.

How was I supposed to explain this?

When I first arrived in this world, I crafted a personality for myself. It was all to insert myself into the protagonist’s party. I’d say that was a success. After all, I did become a part of their group.

I opposed the Emperor to ensure a happy ending where everyone survived. That was also a success. In the end, no one died.

But the reason I overturned the goddess’s plans…

…was because I wanted to be part of that happy ending, too.

…

Was this really a happy ending?

I gazed silently at the believer who had lost her god.

Would Sophia be able to understand my answer?

It didn’t matter. I had promised to answer.

"Because I wanted to be with all of you."

So I told her.

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Chapter 280

"Hmm…"

That was the general reaction of the people who saw the Gryphon following me all the way back to Lutetia.

Though, I wasn’t entirely sure following was the right word. Sometimes, it would trot along behind the carriage, and other times, it would suddenly take off and soar into the distance, as if stretching its wings after being cooped up for too long.

Honestly, when it flew high into the sky, I felt a fleeting sense of relief. Yeah, just keep flying. Go back to your family and live a happy life~ I thought to myself. But just when I was about to solidify that thought into certainty, it would always come back.

And every time it returned, it was right when we were crossing a border.

Even in this world, moving animals across regions required some sort of declaration or permit. There weren’t any serious discussions about ecological destruction yet, but rare creatures were often considered a specialty of specific regions and usually got flagged at customs.

Monkeys, vibrantly colored tropical fish, parrots, reptiles… The creatures here often had familiar names but were wildly different from what I knew.

And as I’d mentioned before, the animals in this world were genuinely dangerous. Not just because they could bite people or spread disease—but because some of them could set things on fire with magic. In a world that relied heavily on gas, oil, and coal, a creature like that running wild could cause massive disasters. That’s why these inspections existed in the first place.

The problem was that the creature following me wasn’t just any animal.

…Actually, could I even call it an animal?

You wouldn’t classify a dragon as just an animal, would you?

In fantasy worlds, dragons were often portrayed as intelligent beings capable of speech. Even in settings where they were depicted more like massive winged reptiles, they were rarely reduced to the level of a mere beast.

The Gryphon following me didn’t have human vocal cords, so of course, it couldn’t speak.

But judging by the way it reacted to my words—and the words of those around me—it definitely seemed to understand everything we were saying.

"Hmm…"

That was the exact same reaction from the Belvur soldiers stationed at the border.

Was it really okay to consider this thing an ordinary beast?

And if it was a beast, where the hell was I supposed to classify it?

More importantly… Was it even allowed to cross the border?

Not that I had the power to stop it if it wasn’t.

I felt like my thoughts were written all over my face.

"Y-You may pass!"

…Seriously?

I mean, sure. If I were in their position, I’d probably say the same thing after making eye contact with a Gryphon that was standing tall, head held high, glaring down at me with piercing eyes.

But could they at least stop looking at me like I was supposed to be the one handling this?

I couldn’t stop it either.

*

"Hmm…"

Surprisingly, even the King of Lutetia had the same reaction.

It seemed he had already decided how to handle the situation before we even arrived. The moment we entered Lutetia, trumpets blared, and flower petals rained down. From the looks of it, Belvur was planning to declare victory in this battle.

There was no way to completely conceal what the Emperor had done—Belvur’s nobility already knew the details. If they couldn’t suppress the truth, they must have decided it was better to frame it as a triumph instead.

What would happen to the captured Emperor was another issue entirely, one that would undoubtedly involve a long and tedious process. But for now, I decided to go along with it.

The problem was, it wasn’t just people going along with it.

Even though the Empire had once been ruled by a Fangryphon, and even though its history was deeply tied to Gryphons, not much concrete knowledge had been passed down about them. After all, the one who had controlled the Gryphons was Fangryphon the individual, not the Empire itself.

As a result, Gryphons were seen as both real creatures and beings that existed on the edge of mythology. What did they eat? How did they live? Did they have their own culture? Very few people who had gone to investigate had ever returned, further cementing their mystique.

That was why I had no idea that Gryphons enjoyed showing off.

When the trumpets first blared, the Gryphon flinched and raised its front legs in surprise. But then it quickly collected itself and took in its surroundings.

It noticed that it had stopped moving, that the carriages behind it had also halted, and that the people around it were smiling.

Then, all at once, it charged forward—toward the carriage that had pulled away from it.

…The open carriage I was riding in.

And then, it bit me.

Screams erupted immediately. Of course, they did. The princess who had returned bearing news of victory was now being mauled by a Gryphon. If a Fangryphon descendant were to die at the fangs of a Gryphon, the irony would be too much to bear.

But in reality, it hadn’t bitten me—it had grabbed the back of my cloak.

And without giving me any time to brace myself, I was yanked up and flung onto its back.

Thank god I had worn shorts today.

As I scrambled to steady myself, sitting upright on the Gryphon’s back, the momentary silence was replaced by cheers.

I had no idea why the people of Belvur were so excited about a foreign princess riding a Gryphon into their city, but from the way they were reacting, it seemed like they thought this was some kind of pre-planned event.

The Gryphon, looking thoroughly pleased with itself, spread its wings wide, lifted its beak high as if raising its nose in pride, and strode forward with confidence.

If you ever dissected a Gryphon, I was convinced that half of its body weight would just be pure pride.

And just like that, we marched all the way to the royal palace of Lutetia.

Of course, I dismounted once we reached the King. But the Gryphon, as if it belonged there, stood firmly behind me without so much as bowing its head.

"Hmm…"

The King of Lutetia, staring at the Gryphon in silence, finally turned his gaze back to me.

"This Gryphon—is it the one the princess saved before?"

"…Yes."

I could only hope my voice didn’t sound as embarrassed as I felt.

Lutetia had no intention of going to war with the Empire. That much was clear.

No matter how long the Emperor had been absent, the Empire was still the Empire. Its weapons of war far outmatched every killing machine in the Kingdom. In the world where the goddess had existed, at least the holy forces had some means of countering them. But in this world, their warships and monitors were still fully operational.

The King wanted to end this situation as peacefully as possible.

"The ones who contributed the most to this battle were, in fact, Imperial citizens. So I do not intend to hold the Emperor’s actions against the Empire as a whole."

"…"

Huh?

Something about the King’s phrasing felt off to me.

And apparently, Alice felt it too. She tilted her head slightly, as if something wasn’t quite right.

"Besides, the Emperor himself did not actually commit any great sins against Lutetia. The ones conspiring beneath our city were from the Holy Nation."

Technically, the Emperor was responsible for all of this at its root, but what he said wasn’t exactly wrong either. Just because someone is preparing to attack you doesn’t mean you suddenly gain the right to attack someone else in retaliation.

"But that does not mean we can simply hand over the Emperor. However, I imagine the Empire itself will have differing opinions on the matter. It seems we will need to negotiate quite seriously."

"…"

Hmm.

This was bothering me.

I had considered just letting it go, but I felt like I needed to understand the reasoning now, or I’d be caught off guard later. So I decided to ask directly.

"Your Majesty."

"Speak."

"…May I ask why you changed the way you are speaking?"

"…"

The King of Lutetia blinked at me for a moment, as if caught off guard, then looked at me with genuine confusion.

"Why, isn’t it obvious?"

"…Obvious?"

"The rightful heir to the Empire’s throne is standing before me. Naturally, I must show the proper respect. Besides, from the way things look, it is entirely possible that this heir will soon become the Emperor."

"…"

I took a moment to process his words.

And then, just to be sure, I asked again.

"…You mean Alice, correct?"

"What are you talking about?"

The King’s expression twisted into even deeper bewilderment.

"Surely no one in Belvur is ignorant of the legend of Fangryphon. The one who controls the Gryphon has appeared within the imperial family once more. Naturally, that means the next Emperor must be Fangryphon."

No, actually, that’s not a law.

That’s just a legend.

I mean, sure, from the way things looked, something had happened in the past to inspire the legend. But the myth itself was incredibly barebones—it didn’t even have the usual cliché lines like, “One day, a true Fangryphon shall rise and claim the throne…” or anything like that. It was just a founding myth, nothing more.

I stood there, completely baffled, as the King of Belvur stared at me expectantly.

I had no idea what I was supposed to say to that.

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Chapter 281

"The imperial law does not explicitly define the conditions required to ascend to the throne. Determining the next Emperor is solely a matter for the imperial family to decide."

"That much is easy to understand. The same applies to Belvur."

The Empire was technically a constitutional monarchy. Emphasis on technically—in reality, the Parliament functioned as little more than a puppet of the Emperor. But because of that, at least on paper, the roles of the Parliament and the imperial family were clearly divided.

The Parliament governed the nation, while the imperial family preserved its legitimacy.

That was why choosing the next Emperor was entirely within the imperial family's jurisdiction. Of course, that didn’t mean the Emperor could appoint anyone at will—there were still internal traditions and rules to follow.

The problem was that, right now, the imperial family—the people with the actual right to determine the Empire’s future—consisted of only Alice and me.

Any other royals close enough in lineage to have a say had been removed by the Emperor himself or had been cast aside in the power struggles. Even Alice’s mother had been dead for years.

The Emperor himself was currently imprisoned in Belvur as a war criminal, and most of his children had been arrested as accomplices.

Claire, who carried the Emperor’s blood, was adamantly claiming she was a Grace, not a Fangryphon.

…In short, every single remaining imperial family member with the authority to decide the Empire’s future was standing right here.

That wasn’t an exaggeration. It wasn’t a joke.

Realizing this a little late, I made sure to weigh my every word carefully. In this situation, anything Alice or I said—whether formally or informally—could be taken as the will of the imperial family.

"In past precedents, the next Emperor has generally been the eldest child of the imperial bloodline. There have been cases where an individual was chosen based on their abilities, but unless there were significant personal or leadership deficiencies, the title typically went to the eldest son. If no son was present, it passed to the eldest daughter. And…"

I glanced at Alice standing beside me.

"And I already have an elder relative whose abilities are more than sufficient. So, I believe treating me as the next Emperor is a rather hasty conclusion."

"…I see."

Thankfully, my words seemed to be sinking in.

This sort of situation had happened in the real world too.

Even when a ruler was unpopular or perceived as incompetent, if their claim to legitimacy was unassailable, they could ascend to the throne regardless.

If it were an absolute monarchy where the ruler truly wielded power, people might push for a more capable candidate. But in most constitutional monarchies, the only thing a monarch had left was legitimacy. And the more powerless the monarchy became, the more obsessed it became with preserving that legitimacy.

If someone wanted to change the monarch, the typical method was to have the original ruler take the throne briefly before formally stepping down in favor of their chosen successor.

Not that Alice and I had any intention of pulling something like that.

"What does the First Imperial Princess think?"

The King of Belvur turned his gaze to Alice.

She had been deep in thought until then, but she finally raised her head and responded.

"Nothing has been decided yet. Everything happened so suddenly. We need to sort through the aftermath before we can determine what to do about the vacant throne."

It was a textbook response.

"More importantly, I believe discussing my father’s treatment should take precedence."

"…"

The King of Belvur studied Alice’s calm, expressionless face before slowly nodding.

"Indeed. The affairs of a foreign throne are for that nation to decide. I apologize for making assumptions."

"There is no need to apologize. From an outsider’s perspective, it is an understandable misconception."

"Then, as you suggest, we will handle the urgent matters first, one at a time."

Even as he said this, the King of Belvur cast me a knowing glance.

…So, I hadn’t managed to completely clear up the misunderstanding.

Well, I couldn’t blame him.

If I were in his position, I’d probably be suspicious too.

A nation with that kind of legend just happens to have someone show up in this kind of situation?

That was a little too much of a coincidence.

…Not that I was particularly thrilled about being the person caught in it.

*

"Haah…"

Alice threw herself onto the bed as soon as we returned to her room, looking completely exhausted.

Technically, it hadn't been that long since we left Lutetia. But considering the time we had actually experienced, it felt like an eternity. Seeing Alice like this again gave me the strange impression that it had been ages since the last time.

Maybe it was because that world had been an illusion created by the goddess. The time we had spent there felt long, yet also strangely hazy—like a dream half-forgotten upon waking. Thanks to that, I didn’t feel like what happened yesterday had actually happened ten years ago. I was sure everyone who still held memories of that world felt the same.

"There’s too much to think about."

"Mostly because of you."

I sat down on the guest chair in Alice’s room, and she shot me a glare as she spoke.

"…"

I had no words.

Because, well… she wasn’t wrong.

"Really, after insisting that I’m the only one who could be the next Emperor, you went and recreated a legendary scene. What were you thinking…?"

It sounded like a complaint, but her tone didn’t actually carry any real resentment.

A year ago, Alice would have seethed with jealousy over something like this.

"Are you not interested in the throne?"

"Is that really what’s important right now?"

Then what is?

Oh, right. The Emperor’s situation. And all the awkward questions we’d have to answer once we returned to the Empire. At least in Belvur, we weren’t responsible for solving everything ourselves, but that wouldn’t be the case once we got back home.

But Alice scoffed when she saw my expression.

"…Isn’t that exactly what’s important?"

I mean, the throne is empty. That’s not unimportant.

Of course, whether the imperial nobility actually believed it was empty was another matter entirely. Some of them might try to reclaim the Emperor and put him back on the throne.

And if Alice or I ended up on that throne, there would undoubtedly be people trying to manipulate us.

"But before that," Alice cut me off firmly. "Let’s talk about your ability."

"My ability no longer exists."

"I know."

Alice nodded, then furrowed her brows as if something about the topic irritated her.

"What did you think I was going to ask? Whether you could use it to help me?"

Uh…

Well, Alice wasn’t the type to say something like that.

"It’s not about that. I wanted to talk about your ability—and the memories I got back."

She sat up, no longer sprawled out on the bed. Though she didn’t sit completely straight, she planted both hands on the mattress and looked at me.

"…Back when we were kids, when you kept getting better grades than me."

Ah.

That.

It really had been cheating, in a way. I had so much more time to study than everyone else.

"Come to think of it, couldn't you have just looked at the exam questions and then rewound time? Why did you do it that way? You pulled the same trick every time."

Alice looked at me like she genuinely couldn’t understand.

"…"

Well.

To be honest, I hadn’t wanted to sink that low.

There were other reasons too. I had always been worried that relying on shortcuts would eventually erode my personal standards, leading me to make an irreversible mistake someday.

So, if I was going to learn something, I figured I might as well do it properly. It wasn’t like I lacked time. And if I wanted to maintain my character, I needed more than just surface-level acting—I needed a real foundation. In the end, I did end up benefiting from that knowledge more than once.

But above all else… I hadn’t wanted to cheat while Alice was working so hard right next to me.

Yeah, I know. From the perspective of someone without my ability, it was still cheating.

"Seeing the hardworking princess beside me, I just… didn’t want to do something like that."

But I told her the truth anyway.

There was no point in hiding it anymore. She had already figured everything out.

The only reason I had ever been able to beat Alice… was because I had infinite chances.

Now that I didn’t, no matter what I did, Alice would always be better than me.

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Chapter 282

"……."

Alice stared at me. She had the kind of look that said, Keep talking. So I did, slowly continuing.

"If I still had my ability, then the argument that I should be Emperor would make sense. Not because of my personal talent or capability, but because no matter what mistakes I made, I could simply rewind and undo them. If every mistake ceased to exist, then I could remain a perfect ruler."

But that was no longer the case.

"But now that my ability is gone, things are different."

"Why?"

"Because your ability is far greater than mine."

I simply stated the truth.

"You can accomplish in a single attempt what I had to try countless times to achieve. You have the talent, and on top of that, you work tirelessly. You also have the rightful claim. It hasn’t been publicly announced yet, but I have no imperial blood in me whatsoever."

"……."

Alice’s eyes narrowed.

But she remained silent, pressing her lips together tightly. I started feeling a little anxious, so I quickly continued.

"So… really, the only thing I have over you is that a Gryphon decided to follow me. And while that may captivate people, you and I both know that it takes far more than that to sit on the imperial throne."

That was why she had worked so hard to surpass me all this time.

After all, it wasn’t until much later that the truth about the Emperor’s children carrying his actual bloodline had come to light. Back when Alice had been striving to beat me as a child, she had genuinely believed that the throne could be taken from her.

She had known, even back then, that being Emperor wasn’t just about bloodline or legitimacy—it was about having the ability to rule.

Of course, as a child, she must have also wanted to defeat me simply because I was taking away the attention that should have been hers. But Alice was someone who genuinely loved her country and was interested in politics. It wasn’t just about personal rivalry—it never had been.

"……."

Alice narrowed her eyes even further as I finished speaking.

Then, she took a deep breath—deliberately exaggerated, lowering her head and letting out an audible sigh long enough that I could feel it.

After that long, drawn-out sigh, she lifted her head and looked at me.

"Let me ask you one thing."

Alice’s eyes were sharper than usual as she spoke.

"You just don’t want to be Emperor, do you?"

Ah.

She figured it out.

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Repeatedly.

It wasn’t like I wanted to sit around doing nothing for the rest of my life. Well, okay, if I could, I wouldn’t mind. But if I had to do something, I figured I’d prefer a lifestyle that was just as busy as my time at the academy—manageable.

I mean, wasn’t it traditionally considered a virtue for royalty and nobility not to have a job? European aristocrats lived off generational wealth from inherited estates, spending their lives attending charity events.

If the Emperor had remained in power, I would have spent my life worrying about whether my head was about to be chopped off. But if Alice took the throne, things would be different. At the very least, I was fairly sure Alice wasn’t going to have me executed.

I did my best to keep my expression neutral, but Alice was already looking at me like she had read me like an open book.

"When you said all that on the train, I really did think you meant it for my sake. But after watching how you’ve been acting ever since, I started feeling like that wasn’t the only reason."

I thought I had been working pretty hard.

Then again, my ultimate goal was to keep all the major characters alive and then settle down into a peaceful, uneventful life. So, in a way, Alice wasn’t entirely wrong.

"Regardless of how I feel about becoming Emperor, you are the one who should take the throne."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it."

But despite Alice's response, her expression didn’t match her words at all.

…She wasn’t seriously thinking about passing the throne to me, was she?

A cold sweat ran down my back at the thought. But then, Alice, who had been glaring at me, suddenly let a small smile slip onto her lips.

"Well, forcing someone who doesn’t want to be Emperor into the role would only cause problems. The imperial throne isn’t just for show. At the same time, neither of us trust anyone else to take the position. It’s not like there’s anyone in the palace we can trust completely either, is there?"

I nodded. Trying to dig up some fallen imperial relative and place them on the throne would be a disaster waiting to happen. Any noble who suggested such an idea would be the first person I’d recommend getting rid of.

"Then, I guess I have to be the next Emperor, don’t I?"

"…"

Alice shrugged as she said it, but something about the moment felt strange.

Is this really okay?

I mean… the topic of this conversation was nothing less than the Emperor of the Empire—the ruler of an entire continent. Should we really be talking about it so casually? And the only ones involved in this discussion were two girls in their mid-teens. Well, I was something beyond a thirty-year-old man in a teenage body, but Alice was actually a teenager.

…Granted, the long stretch of time in between was technically erased, so I supposed it didn’t count.

"Alright."

Alice spoke with confidence.

"Then, do you intend to become the next Emperor?"

"I’ll finish the academy first. I’ll have my name registered, but I won’t immediately take up full governance. You built me up quite a bit, but I do still have a lot to learn."

Coming from a teenager, that sounded strangely self-aware.

"And the Parliament—what little remains of it—needs to be restored. Our father handled everything himself because he could, but I am not that kind of person. I don’t overestimate my abilities."

"I know."

Still, the conversation was progressing as it should. I nodded, agreeing with her.

The road ahead wouldn’t be easy. But it wasn’t an impossible path either. As long as we continued forward with people we could trust, we would get through it—just as we always had.

"However, I have a condition."

"A condition?"

What condition? It’s not like she had any other options for who would take the throne.

"You need to take a position too."

"…"

I said nothing.

"There’s only you and me left in the imperial family. Claire may be my half-sister, but I doubt she’d be too eager to call me big sister. She’s got too much pride for that."

Yeah. Looking at the way Alice was smiling playfully, I could already picture Claire scowling in protest.

Alice had, in her own way, come to accept Claire as family. She had lived as Claire’s sister in that illusion. Even after returning here, she hadn’t erased those feelings. Seeing that expression on Alice’s face—so relaxed, so genuinely comfortable—put my mind at ease.

"Of course, aside from that, I’ll be giving Claire a position as well. Actually, all of my closest allies are people I met at the academy. I’ll be assigning positions to every one of them. That’s the only way I’ll feel secure."

Hmm.

Something told me Alice wouldn’t just be handing out positions. She’d definitely be rewarding them properly, but that aside… she was absolutely planning to work them to the bone.

At least the foreign-born ones—Charlotte, Lena, and Sophia—might escape her grasp.

"And you. Why do you look like you’re thinking about something else?"

Alice narrowed her eyes at me, unimpressed.

"You made the biggest contribution in this battle. Obviously, you need to remain as my closest aide. Even after I assign all those positions, there will be plenty of room left in the imperial household. And based on your achievements, I should at least grant you a noble title or two. Honestly, the fact that you still don’t have one is absurd. Most members of the imperial family hold multiple noble titles by default."

And Alice looked absolutely delighted as she spoke.

There were plenty of things I could argue about. But seeing that expression, I suddenly found that I didn’t really care.

"This is my condition. If you refuse, then I won’t take the throne. So? What will it be?"

She had already backed me into a corner—there was nowhere left to retreat.

I simply shrugged.

Well… if things ever got too difficult, I could just hop on my Gryphon and fly far, far away.

That is, assuming the fickle thing was still hanging around by then.

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Chapter 283

Claire had already given up on being called "noona" years ago.

From the moment Leo and Claire first met, they had been arguing over whether to call each other "noona" or "oppa." Neither of them even remembered who had started it. It was just something they had been fighting over since their earliest memories.

But even before those memories—memories that felt old enough to be vague—Claire had been calling Sylvia "unnie."

That memory, at least, was so vivid that time could never erase it.

Because Sylvia had been the first "good person" Claire had ever met.

Of course, her image had changed a little over the years.

The "unnie" who had once seemed like an angel wasn’t actually that perfect. She made mistakes, just like any person. She had clear likes and dislikes. Claire had thought she was someone who succeeded at everything, but the truth was, she was someone who tried over and over again until she finally achieved success.

Even when those failures came at the cost of her own body.

But even after seeing that side of her, Claire had no intention of not calling her "unnie."

There was no way she could ever give it up. How could she not call someone "unnie" when they had done that much for her?

"What’s got you so lost in thought?"

…Though.

"You called her noona."

"Not this again."

Leo frowned deeply at Claire’s remark.

Honestly, Claire didn’t hate that expression. Leo had the appearance of someone who was easygoing, someone who didn’t care about the little details—but in front of the people he was closest to, he always let his emotions show.

Well, he was someone who openly showed his emotions even in everyday situations, but the degree of it was different with people he truly trusted.

Of course, not hating it didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying.

"I told you. Sylvia… noona deserves to be called that. Isn’t it the same reason you call her ‘unnie’?"

"No, that’s not why I brought it up this time."

She was a little annoyed, though. Calling it jealousy toward Sylvia would be a stretch, but there was a small flicker of irritation—Why don’t I get to be called that?

Well, it was just a childish sulkiness, the kind a younger brother would have, so she decided to let it go.

"Are you going to keep calling her that from now on?"

"…"

At her question, Leo shut his mouth.

In his past memories, Leo and Sylvia had been siblings.

They must have built up quite a few memories over those years. Claire didn’t think Leo had romantic feelings for Sylvia, but aside from that, it did seem like he had naturally started to see her as family.

"Can’t I?"

"…"

For a moment, Claire had no answer.

Can’t he?

No, that wasn’t right.

By that logic, Claire herself was also doing something she "shouldn’t" be doing—she had been calling Sylvia "unnie" ever since they reunited. Only a select few people knew that Claire had imperial blood. To the rest of the world, she was nothing more than the daughter of a mere baron.

Among nobles, it wasn’t uncommon for close friends to call each other "sister." It was particularly common among noble families—some were connected by blood despite having different surnames, and others had grown up together so closely that they felt like sisters.

But the imperial family and the nobility were different. To commoners, they were all "high-ranking" people, but in reality, they were entirely separate groups. While it wasn’t impossible for a noble to become part of the imperial family, they were not supposed to be considered the same thing.

…Of course, that division meant nothing in the face of money and power. But officially, at least, they had to keep up appearances.

"Well, if you spent a lot of time with unnie, it makes sense that you’d feel that way."

Claire said it with an exaggerated tilt of her chin.

"Alright, I’ll allow it. After all, you are the youngest."

"Why do you get to allow it? And you’re the youngest."

Leo grumbled, but he didn’t actually object to her words.

Claire simply shrugged.

*

The carriage entered the imperial palace without issue.

It had been a month since the final battle in the Theocracy. November had already passed its midpoint, yet the Academy showed no signs of resuming classes.

It made sense. The Academy’s professors weren’t just excellent scholars—they were people who had made real achievements in their respective fields.

Not only that, but most of them were high-ranking nobles. Just as the Grace family was well-known despite being a barony, the professors’ families had influence of their own. They might not all be as powerful as ducal families like the Winterfields or the Northwoods, but still, no noble family would allow their heir to sit idly by while such a massive political upheaval was taking place.

The same was true for the students.

The Academy was already a place where many students left before completing the full four years. The most common reason was family matters—many left to train as heirs, while others got married and started their own families.

Now, with a sudden shift in the imperial throne, nobles were withdrawing their children from school even more quickly.

Of course, that didn’t mean the Academy would shut down entirely.

In fact, many provincial nobles saw this as an opportunity to send their children to the capital. And the headmaster, Winterfield, had already announced that he would resume classes soon.

"It’s not as chaotic as I expected."

"Maybe it just looks that way on the surface."

Leo replied to Claire’s murmured observation.

"I mean, it sounds weird to put it this way, but Alice never really had the same image as the Emperor."

Claire didn’t reply.

But she couldn’t deny it.

Alice was sharp, sure—but she wasn’t the kind of ruler who would crush those who stood in her way like the former Emperor had.

She was also still young. And technically speaking, she wasn’t Emperor yet. She had declared that she would only take the throne after graduating from the Academy, so officially, the position was still vacant. Technically. In reality, it was already hers.

That was why people could still imagine the Academy reopening someday.

…Though whether the nobles’ children could actually focus on their studies while the "de facto Emperor" was attending the same school was an entirely different question.

"At least unnie didn’t become Emperor."

"Aren’t you supposed to be disappointed about that?"

Leo grumbled, but he didn’t actually disagree.

Riding a Gryphon, stopping the Emperor’s schemes, and even overturning the Goddess’s plans just as Fangryphon had done.

That last part was a secret, but the first two were already enough for Sylvia to be revered.

"Still, Alice had a point. If Sylvia became Emperor, the Emperor’s faction would’ve revolted."

Those nobles had thrown their lot in with the Emperor—only for their leader to end up in prison.

If Sylvia had taken the throne on top of that, it would have been a major risk. She was someone the noble faction despised, yet she wasn’t exactly loved by the Emperor’s faction either. If the very person who had stopped the Emperor’s plans had then become Emperor…

…Well. If it had been Sylvia, she probably would have found a way to handle it.

Alice had also played a role in stopping the Emperor. But at the very least, she still had the legitimacy of being his direct daughter. The fact that she had never shown a particular political inclination had probably helped curb opposition to her.

"Please wait here for a moment."

The knight guiding Leo and Claire stopped in front of the audience chamber.

They obediently followed his instructions.

Claire’s lips pressed into a tight line. Having to go through this much hassle just to see unnie—someone she had once been able to meet so easily—was irritating.

The knight didn’t seem to notice.

Well, even if he had, what could he do? Sylvia had probably given instructions to treat Claire with the utmost respect.

…Come to think of it, wasn’t she now right at the center of imperial power?

It was an annoying thought.

She had already started hearing rumors about marriage proposals. She just hoped this wouldn’t make things even worse.

"You may enter."

After relaying the message from the guards at the door, the knight turned back to Leo and Claire.

The two of them exchanged glances, took a steadying breath, and stepped forward.

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Chapter 284

Tension—it’s the kind of thing that comes as an optional feature depending on the time and place. But once you move past that moment and that place, it often feels like nothing at all.

Being subjected to all sorts of inspections and surveillance just to visit the Crown Princess and the Imperial Princess could make someone nervous. But when you finally pass through the grand doors of the audience chamber, only to come face-to-face with a very familiar face—the tension instantly melts away.

That was exactly how Claire felt.

“Un—”

Claire almost said unnie, but she quickly looked around. There were no knights or soldiers present. For an “audience chamber,” it felt strangely empty. Almost like if a foreign envoy were received here, they might wonder, Is the Empire secretly poor?

“This is the private audience chamber the Emperor uses,” Alice explained. “It’s for official meetings with important people, but the discussions themselves have to remain unofficial. No one other than the Emperor and the person they’re meeting has any reason to be here, so there’s no need for decorations.”

“Is that so?”

Claire asked instinctively, but the truth was, this was her first time here. If Alice, the future Empress, said so, then there was no reason to doubt it.

And technically, Sylvia was standing next to Alice in the role of a bodyguard. She was fully armed. But judging from the complete lack of any threatening aura around her, it seemed she was only literally armed. If anything, Sylvia was the one who should be receiving protection now—after all, as the only remaining Imperial Princess, she held the second-highest claim to the throne after Alice.

“What about the Gryphon?”

“Outside.”

The moment the Gryphon was mentioned, a wrinkle formed between Sylvia’s brows.

News about how the Gryphon was doing outside the palace was hard to come by. It was both the “symbol of the Empire” and the only Gryphon known to have ever followed a human. Just the sight of it made the nobles uneasy.

Some whispered that it was nothing more than a luxurious pet. Others gossiped about the myths. Since the Gryphon wasn’t just seen as an animal but as a near-divine beast, some even speculated: Did the Gryphon choose the Imperial Family?

Alice chose to let all those rumors spread as they pleased.

“…It ate a knight’s horse yesterday, so I’ve banned it from entering the palace for now.”

Sylvia’s reaction must have irritated Alice, because she frowned just the same.

“It causes that much trouble?”

“More like it eats too much. Purely carnivorous, at that.”

Alice sighed heavily.

“If we don’t provide it with enough cows or pigs every day, it doesn’t bother holding back its hunger—it just hunts whatever animal is nearby. It’s never attacked a person so far, but the knights’ horses are pretty much the perfect target. …I’m seriously considering building a pig farm in the palace.”

Alice threw a glance toward Sylvia as she said that, and Sylvia subtly averted her gaze.

“…Isn’t it just a burden?”

“What do you want me to do? It refuses to leave. Besides, expensive animals are always a burden. Past Emperors kept elephants and rhinos as pets, you know? This is just another one of those. …Oh, and don’t call it a pet in front of it. It gets mad.”

“…”

Claire was at a loss for words.

“Well, it did save our lives.”

Leo said with some sympathy, and Alice simply shrugged.

She talked like it was nothing but a burden, but there wasn’t any real resentment on her face.

Providing livestock to sustain the Gryphon wasn’t even that much of a challenge by the Empire’s standards. It wasn’t like the Gryphon was making unreasonable demands. If anything, given the symbolic power of the Gryphon, the benefits outweighed the costs.

Not that it really mattered, since the Gryphon had no intention of leaving anyway.

“Well, let’s put the Gryphon talk aside for now.”

Alice let some of the tension leave her shoulders.

She sat confidently in the Emperor’s seat, but since the chair was originally made to fit the actual Emperor, it was far too large for her. If she rested her arms on the armrests, her shoulders would rise unnaturally, making her look stiff and tense.

In the end, the only way for either Alice—or Sylvia—to sit comfortably in that chair was to place their hands neatly on their laps.

“I assume you came here because you had something to deliver.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Claire pulled a letter from inside her coat.

It was a high-quality envelope—the kind she had seen once before.

And the moment Sylvia saw it, her shoulders flinched.

Everyone in the room knew why. With three pairs of eyes on her, Sylvia’s gaze darted around. It was an expression she never would have shown before she lost her abilities.

And now, everyone knew exactly how many times she must have rewound time just to avoid letting that expression show in the past.

“A letter from our parents. Inviting their ‘other daughter’ home.”

Claire extended the letter toward Sylvia, not Alice. It was the correct thing to do. Someone in Alice’s position wouldn’t be receiving letters personally in the first place. Of course, that wasn’t the real reason Claire was handing it to Sylvia instead.

“For some reason, every time a letter was sent to you, unnie, you were conveniently out—so this time, we decided to bring it in person. I hope you won’t refuse it again.”

Sylvia let out a quiet sigh.

Claire was telling the truth. The Grace baron and his wife had sent Sylvia many letters. But each time, Sylvia had been conveniently out hunting with the Gryphon. As a result, the letters had always been returned. Even though there were plenty of ways to store the letters instead of returning them.

And strangely, every time a letter was sent, Sylvia disappeared before it even arrived.

Since she no longer had the ability to rewind time, the only logical conclusion was that she had someone informing her. She had gone out of her way to avoid receiving those letters.

“…”

Sylvia silently stepped forward and took the envelope from Claire’s hand.

“Since you’ve received it, read it here.”

“Huh?”

Sylvia had just begun tucking the letter away, but Claire immediately cut in.

“Mother told me to make sure you read it in front of us.”

“…”

Sylvia squeezed her eyes shut. Then she inhaled deeply before exhaling in a slow, controlled breath.

After repeating this process a few times, her expression returned to its usual blankness.

“…Understood.”

As if she had finally accepted there was no way out, Sylvia carefully opened the envelope.

The envelope hadn’t been sealed. It was written with the assumption that Sylvia would read it. And now, since Claire had explicitly told her to read it in front of them, there was no point in pretending otherwise. Not that Claire or Leo would have made a fuss if they had read it themselves.

Sylvia silently unfolded the creamy high-quality paper and began to read.

Her eyes moved from left to right, top to bottom, slowly absorbing the words.

Her expression didn’t change the entire time.

But Claire could clearly see the tension building in her clenched jaw.

“What does it say?”

Claire asked quietly once Sylvia finished reading.

“It says… they would like me to visit for tea sometime.”

“Anything else?”

“Nothing.”

Sylvia folded the letter, tucked it back into the envelope, and slipped it inside her coat.

“And?”

Claire asked again.

“Are you coming home, unnie?”

She asked with a bright, innocent smile.

Sylvia stared at her for a long moment.

Then she turned toward Alice.

“Well, I am an outsider here, so I won’t interfere. Feel free to go.”

Alice raised her hands, waving them in the air like fluttering pieces of paper, teasing Sylvia.

“What are you talking about?”

But Sylvia immediately rejected the idea.

“The letter explicitly invites Her Highness the Crown Princess as well.”

“…What?”

Claire turned toward Alice.

“She’s right. You did say you consider unnie a ‘sister,’ didn’t you? Whether or not we know who’s the real unnie, that would make us practically family, wouldn’t it?”

“…Huh?”

Alice’s flustered voice sounded far more out of place than Sylvia’s earlier discomfort.

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Chapter 285

Of course, it was an obvious thing to say, but I had a family too.

That is, before I came to this world.

We weren’t rich enough to be called wealthy, but we never went hungry either. I vaguely remember struggling with money when I was very young, but by the time I was in middle and high school, our financial situation had improved. It wasn’t enough to buy game consoles or new games with my allowance, but I could afford to buy manga and novels from time to time. Our family had enough money to send both me and my younger sibling to college.

It wasn’t a picture-perfect, harmonious household, but we still saw each other as family and cared for one another.

I only truly immersed myself in hobbies like gaming and manga after I graduated from university and got a job.

…In all likelihood, I must be dead in my original world. My memories of how I ended up here are faint, but every time I try to recall it, I get a sinking feeling. That probably means I died.

Thinking about what happened to my remaining family now is meaningless. If there’s an afterlife, maybe I’ll meet them again once I’ve lived out this life. We’ll talk things over then. There are goddesses, all sorts of monsters, and magic in this world—so, of course, souls must exist too.

With that thought, I had already tucked away my memories of my "original family" years ago.

Then what about this world?

Maybe it was because of my deeply ingrained East Asian way of thinking, but accepting people as family without any blood ties wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

From their perspective, we were siblings who had grown up together since childhood. But to me, they were just acquaintances I had met in my thirties.

Claire called me “sister” with ease. Alice outright declared herself my younger sister. Leo, whether as a joke or because he’d gotten used to it, referred to me as “big sister.”

Were we close? If asked that, I’d nod without hesitation. Would I risk my life to protect them? I’d nod again.

But… did I truly feel like we were family?

I couldn’t bring myself to nod so easily at that question.

I had done almost nothing for them, so how could I go around calling them my family?

Because of that, sitting here now felt as uncomfortable as sitting on a bed of nails.

"……."

After arriving at the Grace Barony and exchanging brief greetings, we were now seated in the guest lounge, having tea.

I took slow, deliberate sips, unsure how to start the conversation. Alice, sitting beside me, mimicked my actions. Claire and Leo, on the other hand, were far too comfortable, their expressions and posture annoyingly at ease.

And across from us, the Baroness of the Grace family watched us with a slight smile on her lips.

Ironically, she was someone I was incredibly familiar with.

Though I hadn’t fully lived through every moment of the rewound time, I had spent years in this house.

And for those years, I had called Baroness Grace "Mother."

That had been a calculated decision.

I had been startled when Lucas kidnapped Claire instead of me, but once I was left behind in the Grace household, I seized the opportunity. Unlike Claire, I had no talent for swordsmanship, so I played the role of a "genius" using the knowledge I had carried over.

Of course, that title of genius would fade as I grew older. A child reading books meant for adults was impressive, but an adult reading adult books was nothing special.

In that sense, I had deceived the Grace family.

If I had never regained my memories of those rewound timelines, I would have never even realized I had deceived them.

I had tricked them—but the ones I had tricked had never once tried to deceive me. The Baron and Baroness Grace weren’t the type of people to scheme or manipulate.

They had probably called me their daughter sincerely.

When they had said they were proud of me, they had meant it.

When they praised my grades, when they worried for me when I was sick—

…Hmm.

There’s a Native American proverb that says a person’s conscience is shaped like a triangle. Whenever they do something wrong, it spins inside them, the sharp edges making them feel guilty. As people grow up and make mistakes, those edges wear down, and by the time they’re adults, their conscience is a smooth circle that spins without causing pain, allowing them to lie without hesitation.

If my conscience had been completely worn down to a round shape, then at this moment, it must have been spinning so violently that its edges sharpened back into a triangle.

It felt like a needle was stabbing into my heart.

"I heard you had something to say."

I finally spoke when the Baroness remained silent for too long. I knew I wasn’t in a position to rush the conversation after what I had done, but I also didn’t want to sit here in silence for hours.

"Yes, that’s why I called you here."

…Ugh.

In my memories, Baroness Grace had two distinct faces.

The first was the one she showed when treating me as the imperial princess. The noble, refined demeanor she had when I visited here during summer breaks. There was, of course, an undeniable difference in status between us, long before any difference in age mattered. Because of that, Baroness Grace always spoke to me with formal respect.

The second was the version of her that existed within the world created by the goddess—the version of her that was my “mother.”

In that world, my status was that of Lady Grace, the Baron’s daughter. Naturally, Mother spoke to me informally. She never lost her dignity, but her attitude was warm and familiar, entirely without pretense. That meant she truly saw me as her daughter.

Ironically, the version of Baroness Grace I had spent more time with was the latter.

And she must have felt the same about me.

“I was simply wondering who it is that sits before me now,” she said. “If the person before me is Her Highness, the princess, then as a noble of this kingdom, I must show the appropriate courtesy. But if she is my daughter, then it would only be right for me to treat her with much more warmth.”

…Ugh.

Her words struck me so hard that even the needle of my guilty conscience hesitated for a moment, as if wondering, Is this where she dies? Not that Baroness Grace had meant to be cruel.

“……”

I opened my mouth but shut it again. I had no idea how to respond.

“…Baroness.”

Alice, unable to watch any longer, finally spoke.

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Princess?”

Unlike me, Alice was still technically a princess, both then and now. Just hearing Baroness Grace’s voice wasn’t enough to make her crumble. After all, while the situation was uncomfortable, Alice had never wronged the Grace family.

“I know I have no right to interfere in the relationship between the two of you,” Alice continued. “But if what concerns you is status, then I can assure you that it’s not something you need to worry about. Sylvia isn’t the type to let that dictate her relationships.”

…

Was that true?

For someone who supposedly didn’t care about status, I certainly made good use of mine. But I wasn’t foolish enough to point that out right now, so I kept my mouth shut and let Alice defend me.

“I see.”

Baroness Grace responded with a faint smile, setting her teacup down on the table.

“But even if that is the case, I cannot act recklessly until I hear her own thoughts,” she said. “I cannot be certain whether the person I remember was truly the princess herself… or merely an act.”

For the first time, her expression faltered. Not by much—her smile didn’t disappear, and her face remained composed. But the slight drop in her eyebrows and the way her gaze lowered as she looked at me…

That alone made her expression unbearably sorrowful.

“If it was the latter,” she continued, “then I would have no choice but to bury my feelings deep within my heart.”

“……”

…Is that so?

I could feel Alice’s gaze on me.

But she said nothing. Because, as Baroness Grace had said, the one who needed to speak now was me.

No matter how much Alice defended me, it would mean nothing if I had no response of my own.

I took my time, carefully organizing my thoughts.

And then, I opened my mouth.

“…Mother.”

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Chapter 286

Come to think of it, I had rarely used the words father or mother since coming to this world.

Even when I was the Emperor’s child, I had always referred to him strictly as Your Majesty. Not because I refused to call him father, but because of the weight of his position. No matter how much he was my parent, when addressing the Emperor, his title came before our relationship.

In that sense, the words mother and father that I used in this world had always been tools—means to an end, meant to put me in the most advantageous position.

Staying in the Grace household alone was enough to ensure my safety. They never abandoned the orphans they took in; they raised them properly and made them part of their household. Not as disposable pawns, but as proper retainers, providing them with shelter, food, and a stable position.

But at the time, that wasn’t enough for me.

No matter how well-fed a servant was, they were still a commoner. The gap in status between a mere servant and someone like Alice or Claire was simply too great for meaningful conversation.

To truly stand on equal footing with them, I needed to be a noble. And so, I used every ability I had to become the Grace family’s daughter. The only reason I was able to pull it off was because I had seen the exact steps Claire had taken to become one.

In other words, the very process of me calling Baroness Grace mother had been built entirely on deception.

“…Mother.”

And yet, I was calling her that now.

“Yes, Sylvia.”

Baroness Grace smiled as she responded.

“You’ve finally come home.”

“……”

Faced with a mother speaking those words, I had no idea how to continue the conversation.

I had no intention of returning to the Grace household as their daughter. More than that, it wasn’t even an option. I already held the title of princess, and my place in the line of succession was right behind the crown princess herself.

Even if I were to say, I want to return as a baron’s daughter, who would ever allow it?

Baroness Grace surely understood this as well. She had lived her entire life as a noble—perhaps she felt the weight of that reality even more than I did.

“…But, I…”

I knew I had to say it. But the words wouldn’t come out.

How was I supposed to explain this?

There’s a phrase—a child born from the heart. It refers to a child who, despite not being connected by blood, is loved and raised as if they were one’s own.

To Baron and Baroness Grace, I had been that kind of child.

Leo, their real son, was always there, yet I never once felt that I was treated any differently from him. If anything, perhaps I was treated more preciously because I was their daughter, a daughter who had never been expected to fight.

Not that I had ever doubted it, but knowing now how much Claire must have been loved in the Grace household gave me even greater reassurance.

Even so, I wasn’t sure if I had the right to call her mother.

It hadn’t been unconditional love that bound us. My adoption had been entirely based on conditions—a painfully calculated relationship.

“It’s all right.”

Before I could say anything, Mother spoke first.

“I’ve spent a long time thinking about it since then. Why would a child with the status of a princess try to become my daughter? What was she after? What did she hope to gain by entering my household? Why did she behave so differently from before, going out and meeting so many people?”

She looked at me as she continued.

“But in the end, I always arrived at the same conclusion. I thought of you as my daughter. No—you were my daughter. I refused to think of it in any other way. We took you in because we wanted to. And because of that, I simply considered you a beloved daughter. That was enough.”

“……”

“So, there’s no need for apologies. We were happy to have such a kind, brilliant, and beautiful daughter.”

I had no response.

*

Honestly, it would’ve been fair to tease me for this.

I mean, despite how things might seem now, I had successfully maintained my cool beauty persona for quite some time. Though, of course, that image had completely shattered by now, and there was no way to put it back together.

The biggest risk when keeping up a persona is what happens when it breaks. Especially when someone who’s supposed to be emotionless gets caught acting emotionally—it’s incredibly embarrassing.

For a cool beauty, the ideal scenario is to gradually rediscover their emotions over time. Not to have them come crashing down all at once like I just did.

So if a character like that—someone who was supposed to be composed—ended up crying hard enough that their eyes turned red, wouldn’t that be prime material for teasing?

And yet, Alice, Claire, and Leo all looked at me with overwhelming sympathy.

"……."

Well, at the very least, that suffocating feeling of sitting on a bed of nails had eased up.

There were plenty of things to talk about beyond just teasing me.

Take Alice’s expression, for example—it was practically saying, I’ll allow you to call the Baroness "Mother" here, but don’t do it in front of others.

It made sense. We could do this because we shared those memories, but if other nobles caught wind of it, things would get messy.

Of course, I knew that the Grace family wouldn’t care in the slightest about petty rumors. But Alice was the Crown Princess. And baseless gossip had a way of spiraling out of control in ways no one could predict.

Still, Alice didn’t bring it up. Neither did Claire or Leo.

Baroness Grace—Mother—excused herself from the room.

"Why don’t you stay for dinner before you leave?"

That’s what she said before stepping out. I just pressed my lips together and nodded.

She probably wanted me to have this conversation with Father, too.

…Considering how much I owed them, I figured that much was the least I could do. That was my duty as their child, after all.

"Are you feeling a little better?"

Alice asked cautiously.

I nodded.

I didn’t speak because I knew that if I opened my mouth, my voice would come out unsteady.

"That’s a relief."

Claire let out a breath and smiled brightly.

"Now I can finally call you sister without hesitation."

"Haven’t you been calling me that with no hesitation this whole time?"

Leo muttered in disbelief, but Claire ignored him entirely.

"Now you’re really my sister. Right?"

She looked at me expectantly, waiting for confirmation.

I nodded again. Still didn’t speak. My throat felt too tight.

My sleeves were already damp. In my rush to wipe my eyes, I had completely forgotten I carried a handkerchief. By the time I finally pulled it out, my sleeves were already past their limit.

Not that my handkerchief was in much better shape now.

…Come to think of it, Mother was the one who told me to always carry one.

"Then… what about me?"

Leo spoke up, glancing between me and Claire.

"Should I call you big sister?"

"……."

I lifted my head and stared at him in silence.

"What? Why?"

Leo protested, confused by my reaction. Claire, sitting beside him, clicked her tongue.

"Calling her big sister sounds too stiff, like you’re making fun of her. It’s too formal—it doesn’t feel familial at all."

"Huh? Is that so?"

No, that wasn’t it.

It was just that hearing Leo call me big sister made me cringe.

"Yeah. There’s no way you could be her younger brother anyway."

Claire said something slightly off the mark.

"Then… should I just call her sis?"

That wasn’t the issue here.

But excluding Leo entirely felt a bit wrong. He and Claire already considered each other siblings. If I wanted to truly be part of that dynamic, I couldn’t just reject the title outright.

"…Sis?"

"……."

Well.

It was better than big sister, at least.

"Then,"

Alice, watching the scene with amusement, finally spoke up.

"Sylvia is my younger sister, so that means you two are my younger siblings as well."

"Ugh."

Claire grimaced in genuine disgust.

"Why would I be your younger sister? Has our sister ever called you big sister?"

…Hadn’t I?

I forcefully shut down that train of thought before a repressed memory could resurface.

"I wouldn’t really mind calling Alice big sis."

Leo mused.

"You’re my little brother too, so your opinion doesn’t count."

"Ugh."

…Yeah, I was going to stay out of this one.

The heavy feeling in my chest had been replaced by a kind of exhausted amusement.

Listening to their increasingly heated argument, I reached for my now-cold teacup.

They really did have the vibe of bickering sisters.

Not that I’d ever say that out loud—both Claire and Alice would be horrified.

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Chapter 287

Time passed, and the academy reopened.

There was no mandatory education in this world. Naturally, there were no set hours of required schooling either. The academy was essentially a substitute for high school, but unlike in my previous world, there was no rule about shortening breaks to make up for missed class time.

But while there were no such rules, money did exist.

And the Imperial Academy demanded quite a lot of it.

For imperial citizens, the royal family covered the full cost, and even for foreigners, a substantial portion was subsidized. But that didn’t mean the academy itself was free.

From the perspective of those managing the imperial treasury, having less class time was a deeply frustrating notion. The empire was investing significant sums into nurturing future talents—or at the very least, fostering pro-imperial sympathies among the students. If class time were cut, it would feel like part of that investment was being wasted.

Ironically, because the tuition was funded by the imperial family, the academy couldn’t get away with saying, “Well, due to circumstances, some classes had to be canceled.”

As a result, the academy’s winter break was entirely canceled.

Plenty of students were complaining, but what could they do? It wasn’t like the academy itself made this decision—this was something the imperial family had pushed for.

“We really do need to tighten the budget.”

When this topic came up, Alice furrowed her brows slightly.

“The main perpetrators were arrested, so the situation was technically resolved, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t negotiations happening in the background. Considering the fact that the mastermind was none other than the Emperor himself, some kind of reparations had to be made.”

“The biggest damage was suffered by the Holy Nation, though, wasn’t it?”

At my question, Alice nodded.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean the Belvurian soldiers came out unscathed. Some were severely injured trying to break through the barrier. It wasn’t a full-scale war, so it didn’t turn into a nation-wide compensation issue, but the imperial family still had to handle it. The good news is that the expenses didn’t have to come from the empire’s treasury—only from the royal family’s funds. But that also means the budget is tight this year. There’s no way we can refund the tuition fees that were already paid.”

The empire’s treasury and the royal family’s budget were two entirely separate things.

The imperial budget was strictly designated for the governing of the empire—it was state money. Even though the imperial family ruled the empire, they couldn’t just dip into it for personal use. That would be like a president treating the national treasury as their own personal bank account.

Likewise, even if the empire was struggling financially, the royal family couldn’t demand money from the national treasury. The imperial budget and the royal budget were entirely separate matters.

If some clueless noble ever suggested, “Why not use the royal family’s budget?” the Emperor could just as easily reply, “Then why don’t you contribute some of your family’s funds?”

The academy operated on tuition fees paid by the royal family. That was why it was called the Imperial Rondarium Academy—not the National Rondarium Academy.

“So, we have to make sure we get our money’s worth,” Alice said, straightening her uniform.

“No need to be so negative about it, right? At least we’ll get to see our friends again. And you liked the food at that café near the academy.”

…Well.

She wasn’t wrong.

I had liked that café.

I had liked it enough to rewind time repeatedly just to try everything on the menu.

But that wasn’t the point.

“And there are still school events left to do. Like the cultural festival.”

Ah.

Right. That was a thing.

In games, manga, or light novels, if there was any depiction of middle or high school life, a cultural festival was practically mandatory. Even in stories that completely skipped over things like club activities or actual classes, cultural festivals always managed to make an appearance.

And in these festivals, the cute girls always ended up in cosplay.

Usually as waitresses or maids.

Honestly, the only real difference between the two outfits seemed to be how colorful they were.

…And in a way, I was a cute girl character.

“Why do you look like that?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Alice immediately picked up on my expression and questioned me, but I quickly shook my head.

Well, she was right about one thing—I didn’t particularly like the idea of skipping the second semester entirely.

And it wasn’t like I’d be the only one in cosplay.

*

Alice wasn’t as much of a morning person as Claire or Leo, but she was still incredibly diligent. By the time we arrived at the academy, there weren’t that many students who had arrived before us.

It had been a while since I last stepped foot here, and the familiarity of the place hit me all at once. Thinking about it, the academy wasn’t even that far from the imperial palace.

As I sat at my desk, briefly organizing the materials for today’s lessons, a familiar voice called out.

“Alice, Sylvia.”

There was only one person in my circle who called Alice Alis.

“Charlotte.”

And similarly, the only one who referred to Charlotte by the imperial pronunciation Charlot was Alice.

“Did you have a good break?”

“Break?”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow at Alice’s casual greeting.

“I was buried under work. Especially since I was directly involved in the battle. I had to go around giving testimonies and reports—I barely had any time to rest.”

She let out a small grumble before smiling at us.

“Well, not as busy as you two, though.”

That was true. No matter how busy Charlotte had been, she probably hadn’t been as swamped as us.

In the end, Belvur still had its king. And he was still in good health. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he’d probably sit on the throne for another twenty years at least.

So even though Charlotte was the rightful heir, there was no rush for her to take over responsibilities just yet. She could take her time, learn what she needed at a steady pace, and step into the role of crown princess when the timing was right.

Her workload had been an incident-specific kind of busy—something that had only temporarily overwhelmed her due to the recent crisis.

On the other hand, the workload Alice and I had inherited… was still piling up.

We had years of training ahead of us, at the very least. Alice had delayed her succession training under the excuse of attending the academy, but that was only because the sheer volume of what she needed to learn was terrifying.

With the Emperor imprisoned, the nobles had begun pressing Alice—the most immediate successor—to begin her transition into leadership. And behind their nagging was an unspoken message: If you can’t handle this, maybe someone else should take the throne.

Honestly, considering how eerily well the Gryphon seemed to understand human speech, I half-expected it to bite off some noble’s head one of these days. But since no one was outright saying it aloud, they were still safe. For now.

“Thanks for worrying about us,” Alice said with a small laugh, brushing off Charlotte’s teasing.

It was true that we had risked our lives fighting. And the situation had escalated even further when the goddess got involved. In a way, we had been part of an event that completely changed the future of the world.

The Emperor was still awaiting trial.

And so were the other children who undoubtedly carried his blood.

The dispute between Belvur and the Empire was far from settled, which was why the Emperor was still being held in Lutetia’s noble-only prison. His final fate remained undecided.

In the original story, Charlotte and Alice had clashed over much smaller disputes than this. They were close friends, but both of them had strong pride.

But now, there was no sign of that tension in their smiles.

The way they argued over food at that café before felt worlds apart from how they interacted now.

Maybe fighting alongside someone in battle really did forge a deeper bond.

“The Gryphon’s still in the palace, I assume?”

“Well, I can’t exactly bring it to the academy.”

“I half expected you to ride it here.”

“…If I actually tried to use it as a carriage replacement, it would definitely get mad.”

Charlotte’s comment made me pause. I wasn’t sure if she was joking or being completely serious.

But the slight droop in her shoulders when she heard the Gryphon wasn’t here told me that at least half of her had been hoping for it.

…Was she treating it like a pet dog or something?

Then again, if I really thought about it, the Gryphon did have a bit of that energy.

The problem was that it ate as much as an entire pig. And, well… what came out of it was about the size of a pig too.

Not that I had to personally feed or clean up after it, so I wasn’t too concerned.

…Still, now that I was thinking about it, I suddenly felt bad for the people who did take care of it.

Maybe once this semester ended, I should look into raising their salaries.

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Chapter 288

Charlotte wasn’t the only familiar face.

The empire was vast. If I used my previous world’s Korea as a reference for the size of a country, then the empire was like several nations combined into one. And if I included its colonies, then its territory stretched beyond the sea as well.

No, actually, that wasn’t quite right. Lindborough had directly annexed part of those colonies, so the empire really did have a sea running through its lands.

There was Crowfield, which shared a border with another nation. Lindborough, where you had to cross the sea to reach its heartland. Winterfield, which was tucked away in the far north. And Northwood, which still took several hours by train to reach.

And it wasn’t just the dukes and counts—there were plenty of baronies located far from the capital. Even children from smaller noble houses often lived far away.

The closest students were the commoners who resided in the capital. But I didn’t have particularly strong ties with them.

And even if I did have acquaintances among them, the difference in status meant we couldn’t easily meet. The other side might not even want to. If they did, it would require a complicated bureaucratic process.

Because of all that, during the time I was absent from the academy, the only people I could regularly meet were Claire and Leo.

As I sat in the classroom, waiting, one by one, familiar faces entered.

“Good day.”

Lena greeted me plainly, without any flowery words, despite it being our first meeting in a long while.

“Ah, w-were you well?”

Mia, on the other hand, attempted a more refined noblewoman’s tone.

“Oh? Looks like things weren’t as chaotic as I expected.”

“…I apologize on behalf of the young master for his rudeness.”

Jake and Lottie—still as lively as ever.

And then—

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Sophia, whose expression was still somewhat clouded but significantly brighter than the last time I had seen her.

Lily Baker was probably in the commoners’ class by now. She wouldn’t go out of her way to come here just to greet me.

Unexpectedly, my friends all seemed to be in high spirits. Even Sophia—whose very beliefs had been shaken—looked much better than before. That alone was a relief.

The ones who looked tense, however, were the other students in our class.

There were likely multiple reasons for that.

Some might be wary because Alice was now officially the Crown Princess. Others might have heard the rumors about the Gryphon.

And, of course, there were whispers in some noble circles that Alice had overthrown the Emperor.

…Which was particularly troublesome because, technically speaking, they weren’t wrong.

Not that it had been our intention.

Most students wouldn’t have heard the details of what had happened. But they would have at least heard who had been there. And they certainly knew the outcome.

While they had been away at their family estates, their parents had no doubt given them very clear instructions.

Listen carefully to every word they say.

And my noble friends understood this, which was why none of us mentioned that day in the classroom.

It would have been too much of a hassle if the wrong rumors started spreading.

…Not that we avoided talking about it entirely.

*

“I’ve lost quite a bit of weight over the past month.”

Sophia let out a deep sigh.

“I didn’t even lose this much weight when I was training in swordsmanship…”

It was ironic. A girl barely old enough to be considered a high school student worrying not about gaining weight, but losing it. That kind of concern was usually reserved for middle-aged people whose health was starting to decline.

“Well, that’s because you were actively breaking Belvur’s laws.”

Charlotte shot her a pointed look, her eyes narrowing.

Sophia averted her gaze.

…Ah. So the reason she looked so gloomy was because she’d been under constant scrutiny this whole time.

“Identity fraud is a serious crime. You should be grateful you’re sitting here freely at all.”

Charlotte’s voice was firm as she stabbed her parfait with a small spoon.

We were sitting at the same café we had always visited when coming to the academy. Even our seats were the same—out on the terrace.

People walked past occasionally, but the street was noisy enough that our voices wouldn’t carry too far as long as we didn’t speak too loudly.

That didn’t mean we could discuss sensitive topics, but still.

“The process itself was technically legal…”

Sophia muttered in her defense, but Charlotte wasn’t having any of it.

“Even if you were legally a Belvurian citizen, if your true allegiance was to the Holy Nation, then you were committing a crime. If you had simply kept your feelings to yourself and not engaged in illegal activities, no one would have caught you. But if we follow your logic, then this would count as treason. Are you fine with that?”

“…I’m sorry.”

With no room to argue, Sophia lowered her head.

…Yeah. Losing weight made sense.

For an entire month, she had probably been berated like this—not just by Charlotte, but by every other official who had been questioning her.

Fortunately, she had ultimately fought on our side, and the place she had infiltrated had been the empire, not Belvur. More importantly, her mission’s objective had been me, an imperial princess—not Belvur.

Because of that, she hadn’t been classified as a high-level criminal worthy of a life sentence.

If the empire had found out, though, things would have gone very differently.

But we had collectively decided to keep Sophia’s true identity a secret.

Besides, the Holy Nation itself was on the verge of collapse. The country itself wouldn’t disappear, but its leadership had been completely wiped out. The Emperor, his children, and the Imperial Knights had cleaned house.

The only ones left were the cardinals stationed abroad—and even they were arguing over who should take the position of Pope.

Overnight, divine power had vanished completely. How was anyone supposed to prove their faith now?

There had been a Pope in my world, and massive religious institutions still existed, so eventually it would be rebuilt. But for the foreseeable future, that debate would drag on. And even if they did recover, they wouldn’t be able to act from the shadows like before.

“How is the situation in Belvur?”

We had exchanged letters, but discussing things in person always had a different weight to it.

“Hmm…”

Charlotte’s pupils slightly lost focus as she processed my question.

“There have been repeated complaints about a stench rising from underground. Apparently, the underground structures beneath the capital are so vast that it’ll take decades just to investigate everything.”

“……”

That sounded like the Paris Catacombs.

Except, unlike real catacombs, this underground structure was massive. And that only made things even more complicated.

Up until now, the Holy Nation had controlled those underground passages. But now, their leadership was gone, and the general public had become aware of their existence.

If left unattended, those tunnels could become breeding grounds for crime.

Not to mention, when I destroyed the Cardinal’s artifact, it instantly killed all the creatures the Holy Nation had kept sealed below.

If their corpses were now rotting and filling the capital with stench… yeah, that was a nightmare for Belvur.

And the smell was the least of their concerns.

Rotting corpses were breeding grounds for disease.

This world had only just started to uncover concepts like bacteria and viruses, but the idea that “decaying bodies spread sickness” had been around for centuries.

Every time the stench rose, people had to track down the source, enter the tunnels, and remove the corpses. It was an exhausting and dangerous task.

“You don’t have to make that face.”

Charlotte, noticing my guilt-ridden expression, casually reassured me.

“If that underground mess hadn’t been cleared out, things would have been even worse down the line.”

Her words lifted some of the weight from my shoulders.

“……”

And then, I noticed something.

Two people were staring at me.

No, not just two people.

Two very specific people.

Mia.

And Lena.

Neither of them had particularly intense expressions, but their eyes had noticeably widened.

…Right.

These were the two people I had always made sure to maintain my emotionless act in front of.

I had been so caught up in everything that I momentarily forgot.

Now wasn’t the time to completely drop my mask.

…Great.

Just great.

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Chapter 289

Emotions aren’t something that can be easily controlled.

If everyone could master their emotions at will, then acting would be a profession that anyone could do.

I never had a talent for hiding my emotions. At best, I had just enough restraint to stop myself from making an outright disgusted face when my boss was berating me at work. And even that only worked if I had a drink afterward to vent to someone—otherwise, my irritation would start to leak out over time.

The only reason I was able to maintain my expressionless facade in this world was because I had the ability to turn back time.

There was no need for acting.

I could let out my emotions in advance, or at least process them privately before facing others, ensuring that only the necessary expressions appeared on my face.

That way, there was no risk of breaking character in front of anyone.

It was the same logic as watching a jump scare in a horror movie, rewinding, and then watching it again—you wouldn’t flinch the second time.

But right now, that option wasn’t available to me.

“……”

Still, I managed to get away with it that day.

Mia and Lena weren’t the only ones there. The conversation we were having was important, and Alice, Charlotte, and I were all deeply entangled in our nations’ political landscapes.

It wasn’t the kind of topic the average noble could easily insert themselves into.

But even if I got away with it that day, I would be seeing them a lot in the future.

Not just at the academy—our paths would inevitably cross again.

“Sylvia.”

“…Yes.”

It had been a long time since Mia had called me by name.

Then again, the Mia I had met in the goddess’s fabricated world had been different from the Mia standing before me now.

Back then, she had never fully overcome her introversion.

She had never even reached the point of calling me by name.

And yet, that Mia was the same person as the one in front of me.

She had simply become more distant from me over time.

…Though I hadn’t expected to run into her alone like this so soon.

Or maybe run into wasn’t the right phrase.

This wasn’t coincidence.

We were in the dormitory hallway.

I had temporarily forgotten because I spent so much time traveling for field exercises and usually roomed with Alice, but the academy dorms had single rooms.

No matter how close Alice and I were, we didn’t stick together in the dorms. Everyone needed their own private space.

Mia’s room was far from mine.

And since the academy had shut down before we even had a chance to pack up our belongings, our rooms hadn’t changed.

If Mia was here, walking down this hallway, then it was obvious—she had come to find me.

“I wanted to speak with you alone. Is that alright?”

Mia asked cautiously.

This was a far cry from the Mia I had met at the start of the semester, or the Mia from the world where her father was still alive.

Much more assertive.

Of course, she still wasn’t completely bold.

She couldn’t meet my eyes directly, shifting her gaze restlessly. Her fingers fidgeted nervously, pressing against each other.

“…Understood. Shall we speak in my room?”

I had been prepared for this.

I didn’t expect it to happen today, but I had always known this conversation would come eventually.

If Mia had remembered everything that happened in the time I had rewound…

Then there were many things she would want to say.

No matter how I tried to sugarcoat it, my first meeting with Mia hadn’t been pleasant.

She had lived her life with one goal—revenge against the person who had killed her father.

And I had been that person.

It was only natural that we had been enemies.

Mia nodded silently at my invitation, and neither of us spoke again until we reached the door to my room.

*

“That statement turned out to be true in the end.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The first thing you said to me when we met.”

I held back the groan that threatened to rise in my throat.

At the time, I had been confident that I fully understood my ability, which was why I had so boldly turned back time. I needed to know just how much resentment Mia Crowfield harbored toward me in order to respond appropriately.

What exactly had I said back then?

Had I told her that I killed her father for the sake of His Majesty’s power?

And hadn’t I also said that her father was nothing but a piece of trash who preyed on and murdered children?

Even Charlotte, who had been standing beside me, had looked at me like I was scum. That alone was enough to tell me just how far I had crossed the line.

If I could go back in time, I’d smack myself upside the head right then and there. But unfortunately, I no longer had the ability to do that. Not to mention, turning back time in this world didn’t allow me to witness my past self, so it was impossible to begin with.

More than anything, if I had rewound time that far, I would have erased all of Mia’s growth, turning her efforts into nothing. Even if I could do it, I shouldn’t.

“In the end, my father’s secret was exposed to my mother. No, actually, I think my mother knew all along. When I was very young—so young that my memories from that time are hazy—she managed to endure because of me, the child born between her and my father, and because she still harbored feelings for him. But… a person’s heart has its limits.”

“I see.”

That was all I could manage to say.

If someone you had thrown such vicious words at about their dead father later came to you and admitted, “You were right all along,” what the hell were you supposed to say?

Suddenly, even the discomfort I had felt at the Grace estate seemed soft and warm in comparison. Now that I thought about it, that moment had actually been warm and comforting. It had been a moment of reaffirming family, a moment where I was once again accepted as part of it.

Here, however—whether Mia intended it or not—she was digging into every single one of my past mistakes. If I had to rank the worst moments of my life in this world, that reckless and cruel statement I had made, so certain that she would never find out the truth, would be at the top of the list.

Then again, it wasn’t like I had any idea how to explain myself to the daughter of the man I had killed.

“Watching my family crumble from a young age was painful. I didn’t understand why my life had to be this way, why things had to turn out like this. I just resented the situation. And then one day, I overheard my parents arguing and learned the truth… In a way, I could say my second childhood was a living hell.”

But that didn’t mean she had to be grateful that I killed her father. Back then, there was nothing I could have done for her. I had run into Mia a few times in the mansion, but just as she had no clear memories of me, I barely remembered her either. To Mia, I had been just another passing servant, and at the time, I had been desperately trying to hide my identity as a princess.

Perhaps I had never truly recognized her as a child. She probably hadn’t been the type to dress extravagantly back then either. Maybe that was why I never noticed her.

“……”

“…I’m sorry. I guess there’s nothing you can really say to that, Sylvia.”

It was uncomfortable. It wasn’t a story I particularly wanted to hear—not because I wasn’t interested, but because I wanted to avoid it. Because in some way, I had been involved in her misery.

But that didn’t mean I had the right to ignore it.

I had my own principles. If I had to kill someone, and if that person wasn’t just some enemy I had to cut down in the heat of battle, but someone important—someone whose death required justification—then I would think about it more carefully.

It had been the same when I killed Count Crowfield. In the original story, his death had been a critical event that connected Mia and Claire. Since the novel never explained why the count had to die, I had thoroughly investigated it myself.

And I had come to the conclusion that he deserved to die.

Even if I could go back with my current knowledge, I would do the exact same thing. If someone asked me what gave me the right to make that decision, I would simply ask them:

“Would you have spared him?”

But no matter how justified it was, that wasn’t something I should ever say in front of his daughter.

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Chapter 290

Whether I responded or not, Mia continued speaking.

“When I realized that this world had returned to the way it was, I felt a flood of emotions all at once. Ah, my father is gone from this world now.”

That single fact must have brought on a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. But I couldn’t even begin to imagine what they were.

Ironically, I had never lost my parents. In the world I originally lived in, I had died before they did. And in this world, the people I could call my parents were all still alive.

So I had no way of truly understanding that kind of grief.

On top of that, Mia had never experienced what a normal family was like.

It’s said that family relationships are always a mix of love and resentment. But rarely does the “resentment” part ever go beyond a certain threshold. With married couples, it might be unavoidable, but between a parent and child, unless things go terribly wrong, hatred doesn’t usually overpower love.

But Mia…

What had she felt toward her father while he was still alive?

Perhaps, in a way, things might have been easier for her if she had been able to regret my killing of the Count. If that had been the case, I would have had to bear that regret, and Mia would never have forgiven me. But at the very least, her wounds might have been smaller than they were now.

Yet the Count I had met had been exactly as I had expected.

A man who had shamelessly declared that he would “claim” a baron’s daughter as if he were licking his lips at the sight of her. By this world’s standards, she might have been considered an adult, but honestly, no matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t accept it. To me, teenagers were still just kids.

“I was sad. But at the same time, how should I put it… I also felt relieved.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. Like waking up from a nightmare. Strange, isn’t it? Just a while ago, my father was perfectly fine, and now he’s gone.”

Even though the world had changed, most people’s lives would have continued as before. Some who had participated in the final battle of the illusory world might have died, but now, they would remember it only as a nightmare. Unless they fully realized that what happened in that world had been real, those memories would be buried beneath their subconscious, blending into their memories of reality.

So there shouldn’t have been any cases where someone who was supposed to be dead was alive again. The goddess wouldn’t have had the capacity to recreate everything that meticulously.

But Mia was different.

Because the most important “murderer” had lived a completely different life.

For a long time, she must have watched as her father deteriorated, continuously betraying and disappointing the people around him.

I wasn’t sure whether the “Count” she had seen had truly been resurrected, or if it had just been an incredibly elaborate illusion. That was something only the goddess would know.

But to Mia, it must have been a living nightmare.

“I was sad. Yes, of course, I was sad. But… when all the memories returned at once, I also remembered just how much I had lost in order to hold onto my father in that illusion.”

“…”

I pursed my lips, my gaze darting around. It was difficult to maintain a neutral expression. Every word Mia spoke felt like it was digging into me.

“But still, I… your father…”

When I couldn’t bring myself to finish my sentence, Mia looked at me and said softly,

“This time, you’re saying the same thing with a completely different expression.”

“…”

“It must be because you can’t turn back time anymore.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

I had always turned back time whenever I wanted.

Just to keep up the “concept.” To maintain the illusion of a mysterious being who was always calm and composed, making calculated decisions with minimal effort for maximum results.

“That thing you said back then.”

Mia idly fidgeted with her teacup.

“You told me you were learning how to feel emotions.”

My mind went completely blank.

The guilt I had felt just moments ago—the guilt of being the one who killed her father, the guilt of forcing Mia to endure such a horrific past twice, the guilt of still not having apologized to her—had been building up inside me. And then, in an instant, it all flew away into the sky, completely wiped out by the sheer shock of her words.

That’s right. I had gone to Mia’s room and said that.

That I was still learning emotions, that I practiced them in private where no one could see.

Of course, it was a blatant lie. I had just said whatever came to mind to get through that moment.

“That was… a lie.”

Before my sanity could escape into the stratosphere, I barely managed to grab hold of myself and speak.

My voice cracked and felt dry. To be honest, I got chills just from saying it. My whole body felt cold to the bone, yet I was sweating at the same time. It was an odd sensation.

Not that I had the luxury to analyze it right now.

“Was it?”

This time, Mia was the one asking.

“Yes, it was. To be honest, at that time, I…”

There was no reason to hide it anymore. But saying it out loud was painful.

Mainly in the “this is so embarrassing I want to die” kind of way.

“I thought you might attack me.”

“I figured as much,” Mia said, nodding calmly.

“But even so, you handed me a gun. You told me to shoot you if I wanted to. If I had truly wanted to kill you, that would have been my best chance.”

Logically speaking, she had a good chance even now. But Mia wasn’t going to kill me. Because now, Mia and I were friends.

…Or was thinking like that too calculated?

“And honestly, I never expected you to follow me.”

Mia Crowfield had been a mage character, not the kind of thief or rogue class you’d see in a typical JRPG. Her gear might have allowed her to avoid being targeted first, but that was only because it reduced aggro, not because she was completely hidden.

That had been my mistake. Because I had played the original game, I had never even considered such a possibility. That’s why I had ended up making such a ridiculous excuse.

At the time, I thought I had managed to get through the situation.

But I had forgotten that Mia was incredibly sharp.

…And now, thanks to her sharp mind, she remembered every single thing I had said back then.

“So in a rush to make an excuse, that’s what I came up with.”

After I barely managed to finish my explanation, Mia simply stared at me in silence.

Then, she chuckled.

“So, in the end, the supposedly perfect Sylvia Fangryphon has actually been making tons of mistakes from the very beginning. To the point where she had to resort to excuses that no ordinary person would ever think of.”

“…”

I had no words.

“You know, when I once thought that you liked Leo.”

“…”

God, why did every buried embarrassment of mine keep resurfacing? What the hell had I been thinking back then?

If I had known that my ability would disappear one day—and that as a result, everyone would remember all the times I rewound time—I would have never used it so recklessly. Or at the very least, I would have used it far more sparingly.

“That time, I told you that I finally understood what it meant to learn emotions.”

I clamped my mouth shut.

I steeled myself. No matter what she said next, I wouldn’t let it shake me. …This was all my own fault anyway. I had to take responsibility for it.

“I don’t think that was wrong.”

But Mia’s words were different from what I had expected.

“I mean, I can’t explain it perfectly, but…”

Mia averted her gaze, glancing up at me. Her black eyes, partially hidden by her bangs, were no longer hollow and empty like when I first met her. Instead, they gleamed like finely cut gems.

Blushing slightly, she murmured,

“Emotions are something everyone gradually comes to understand. It’s the same for those who lack them and those who are overflowing with them. That’s why I think the Sylvia who said those words back then and the Sylvia sitting in front of me now… are completely different people.”

Her words were both understandable and incomprehensible.

But at the very least, I could tell there was no malice in them.

“So, I don’t think it would be strange to say that even now, you’re slowly regaining your emotions.”

At those final words, I finally collapsed, slumping onto the table.

…Seriously, what was I supposed to do with my whole “mysterious” persona now?

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Chapter 291

I almost let out a hesitant “Uh…” but quickly shut my mouth.

Even if my carefully constructed persona was crumbling and my true self was being laid bare, there were still some things I needed to protect. Even after losing my ability, I had been making an effort to maintain at least a minimal level of my established character.

One day, the entirety of my real self might be exposed. But I didn’t want that to happen all at once, in a single moment.

And starting a sentence with “Uh…” while addressing someone? That didn’t fit my character at all. Up until now, I had always spoken only after thinking things through.

“…May I ask how much you remember about me?”

I asked, holding onto a sliver of hope.

“…”

At my question, Mia’s gaze flickered toward the empty space in front of her. She seemed to be searching through her memories, silently sifting through them one by one.

Then, after a brief pause, she spoke—her voice slightly uncertain.

“At the very least, I think I remember almost everything I saw of you…”

She sounded unsure, leaving room for doubt.

But I knew the truth.

Mia had an excellent memory—good enough to recite complex magic incantations from memory. Her academic performance was always among the top. While I had to spend significantly more time studying just to maintain my grades, and Alice pushed herself through sheer effort, Mia was simply intelligent enough to keep up without struggling.

That wasn’t to say she didn’t put in any effort. But her approach to studying was fundamentally different from ours.

Alice studied because, as a princess, she had to set an example—even if it meant forcing herself to do things she didn’t enjoy. Mia, on the other hand, studied simply because she found it fun. She had even told me before that she was genuinely interested in magic.

And since she was both diligent and intelligent, of course her grades never dropped.

For the same reason, if I had done anything particularly foolish in front of Mia, she would almost certainly remember it.

“…”

The real problem was that I didn’t remember all the foolish things I had done.

After all, human memory has its limits. I could praise Mia’s memory all I wanted, but that only applied to her—not to me.

The reason I had done well in school, or why I could remember the game’s mechanics, story, and dungeon layouts, was because I had drilled them into my head through sheer repetition. More accurately, I had repeated them until they were burned into my memory.

But I wasn’t the kind of person who could effortlessly recall every tiny detail of my past.

So, from my perspective, Mia’s statement was deeply unsettling.

Not that I could ask her outright.

If I still had the ability to turn back time, I would have asked, then immediately collapsed in horror, clutched my head, and rolled on the floor screaming before rewinding everything.

But now that I thought about it, if I still had the power to rewind time, this wouldn’t even be a problem in the first place—because no one would remember anything I had undone.

“…I see.”

In the end, after much agonizing, that was all I could say.

*

The ordeal wasn’t ending.

Usually, overcoming a trial comes with some kind of reward. But the trial in front of me had no such thing.

Thinking about it, this was all just karma for my past actions.

In a way, I had postponed my trials and taken the rewards in advance.

No—if I had known things would come back to haunt me like this, I wouldn’t have used my ability so carelessly. I would have maintained my silent and composed persona, only rewinding time when I made a critical mistake.

"Your Highness."

The voice that cautiously addressed me belonged to Lena.

There weren’t many people around me who “admired” me. Most saw me as an equal friend, and I had no complaints about that. In fact, I preferred it that way.

But there were still a few people, those who weren’t as close to me, who looked at me with admiration. They were the ones who had never directly witnessed my mistakes. And even if they had, they wouldn’t have realized that those mistakes were the result of me rewinding time. They would have simply assumed they had misremembered something.

After stopping the Emperor from setting the world ablaze and returning on a griffon, I had become a difficult person to approach within the academy—aside from my close friends.

Among those people, there was one who openly admired me.

Lena Meyer.

She had likely been sent to the academy to observe me, to report my actions to those above her. But from the very beginning, Lena had watched nearly everything I did with bright, eager eyes.

When I first met Lena, I had been concerned that our characters would overlap. No, actually, if we were talking about the “cool beauty” archetype, Lena had the upper hand. While my demeanor was something I had carefully crafted, Lena was the real deal. She wasn’t just someone who appeared calm and composed—she truly was. Even the contrast between her cold exterior and her love for cute things was entirely natural, not something she forced or performed.

I had tried to surpass Lena by deliberately showcasing my persona in front of her. As a result, Lena genuinely began to admire me.

To the point where, if there was an empty seat beside me, she would naturally sit there. If anyone spoke ill of me or expressed suspicion, she would step in to defend me. Even her combat style had been influenced—she had taken inspiration from my so-called "tactical" actions, which I had mimicked from movies, and incorporated them into her own approach.

But now, even Lena had regained her memories.

Many people lose admiration when they see their idol falter. And it doesn’t have to be anything severe—just knowing that someone they admired was only human could be enough.

And my breakdown… Well, wasn’t it far worse than just “human”?

“May I speak with you for a moment?”

The day after my conversation with Mia.

As I was leaving the classroom after finishing my usual lessons, Lena approached me and said those words.

I glanced at Alice. She merely shrugged her shoulders once before giving me a silent nod.

Uh… no, actually, I would have preferred if she helped set up a more comfortable conversation environment.

…Well, sooner or later, I would have had to face this moment anyway. It might be better to get it over with now.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

In the end, I nodded and replied.

*

“……”

“……”

Thinking about it now, I had never had a truly deep conversation with Lena.

It wasn’t as if we had never talked.

But Lena wasn’t one of the "characters" I had thoroughly analyzed, so I had never fully grasped her personality. Between how she viewed me and how I felt about that gaze, a mix of different reasons had prevented us from ever having a serious conversation.

So it wasn’t entirely my fault that I couldn’t think of what to say first.

“I remember the war.”

Apparently, Lena felt the same way. She had spoken to me casually before, but now that she had regained her memories, she might not have been able to see me as the same person anymore.

Speaking to someone when you don’t know what they’re thinking is one thing. Speaking to them when you do is another—because, at least in your own mind, they’ve already become a different person.

“I see.”

“I remember the Empire attacking the Rikrant Autonomous Region… in other words, my homeland.”

“…Did you participate in the war?”

At my question, Lena shook her head.

In that illusory world, there had been no direct intersection between me and Lena. Unlike in the real world, she had never set foot on the battlefield.

“My father sent me and my mother to the rear lines before we lost contact with him. The last news we heard was that the border region had been reduced to ashes by bombardment. Later, I heard that some military factions opposed to the government had even joined forces.”

“…”

Lena’s expression remained calm as she spoke.

“I wanted to join the war, but… my mother stopped me. In the end, I could only stay by her side.”

If she was the only family her mother had left, then sending her to war wouldn’t have been an option.

Come to think of it, I knew next to nothing about Lena’s family. All I knew was that her father had been an important figure in the Autonomous Region.

“So when I found out that all of those memories weren’t real, I was greatly relieved.”

“I see.”

I repeated the same response.

“…That’s why I have a question. May I ask?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“There are times when the actions Your Highness took feel different from the ones I clearly remember.”

“…”

I resisted the urge to take a deep breath.

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Chapter 292

“Did that really happen?”

“…Yes.”

At my response, Lena’s brows furrowed slightly. It didn’t seem like she was displeased—just processing my answer.

“It’s a strange feeling.”

“I imagine it would be.”

Lena didn’t ask me to elaborate further. She likely already knew the general outline of events and could piece together why this phenomenon was happening.

I couldn’t experience the same dissonance as others did. Because I remembered everything—the moments I had turned back time included.

For me, it wasn’t as if new memories had suddenly appeared. From my perspective, things had always been this way. And even in that illusory world, I had retained my previous memories and intentionally manipulated the situation.

I had no way of knowing what it felt like to suddenly recall something that had been wiped from your mind—to completely forget, only to have those memories resurface as if they had been there all along. I could only guess that it must feel like waking up from a dream.

“……”

“……”

A short silence followed. I was probably the only one feeling uncomfortable. After all, Lena had never done anything embarrassing in front of me.

Now that I thought about it, Lena had always been straightforward in her actions, yet her image had never been tarnished. Even when her expressions changed, they had never seemed out of place or shocked those around her.

Had I leaned too hard into my own character?

“…I’m sorry.”

Lost in thought, I was caught off guard when Lena suddenly apologized.

I stared at her, unsure why she would say that, and she carefully continued speaking.

“If it was something so embarrassing that you had to turn back time… then pretending not to know is the right thing to do.”

Oh.

Well… she wasn’t wrong.

If it were close friends, they might bring up embarrassing moments just to tease me. Unless it was something truly out of bounds—like a personal trauma—then silly mistakes, drunken mishaps, or thoughtless blunders usually made for good conversation material.

And by that logic, most of my mistakes were, in fact, just that—good material for teasing.

“You rewound time countless times, even while fighting brutal battles, just to make sure we wouldn’t have to worry.”

“……”

Or… maybe not? Was it not just teasing material?

From my perspective, rewinding time erased the dangerous situation entirely. Keeping up appearances aside, it was simply the best way to ensure future battles went smoothly.

Of course, I had cared about how it looked. I had wanted to maintain my image of being flawless. And that meant even my combat techniques had to be polished and efficient.

“Thanks to you, we’re alive today.”

“……”

I didn’t respond.

No—I couldn’t respond.

Because hearing those words made my throat tighten.

I wasn’t someone who got overly emotional. But that didn’t mean I was some emotionless psychopath incapable of feeling moved. I could still tear up at a sad movie, after all.

Granted, I had outright broken down sobbing recently—but that was different. That had been about family. That was cheating. I wasn’t going to count that against myself.

You can’t fight against your instincts.

Maybe the reason I wasn’t crying now was simply because I had already cried all my tears back then.

“…I was only doing what I wanted to do.”

“But because of those actions, everything ended the way it should have. You were the one who stopped that war.”

Where was she getting such certainty?

I mean, she wasn’t wrong. I had been the one to stop it.

It wasn’t something I could exactly brag about to others.

…But if I was being completely honest, I did feel a bit proud.

“……”

“……”

And so, after exchanging those awkward words, we fell into silence once again.

I wasn’t used to being thanked.

I wasn’t great at expressing gratitude either, but it wasn’t as if I had heard people say “thank you” to me very often throughout my life. Sure, I had exchanged casual thank-yous in daily life, but those weren’t particularly meaningful. They were no different from the routine “good morning” greetings people exchanged out of habit.

You know, like when you hastily point out a friend’s mistake, or when you hold a seat for someone who’s running late. It’s not that the gratitude isn’t genuine, but it’s not deeply profound either.

But the gratitude Lena was offering now was different. It was a sincere, heartfelt appreciation.

It was the kind of gratitude that suited Lena.

And for some reason, that made me a little annoyed.

Unlike me—who had done my best yet still had my carefully constructed persona crumble—Lena had managed to maintain her character without faltering. Despite being someone whose demeanor overlapped with mine.

Sure, one could argue that it was just her natural personality, but if that were the case, wasn’t envying someone for being naturally good-looking or intelligent the same thing? Wasn’t it only natural to feel frustrated when you worked hard and failed, while someone else succeeded effortlessly?

So, I decided to be petty.

“In that case, I’d like you to share something with me as well.”

Lena, who had been sitting there with a remorseful expression, remained silent. I spoke with a tinge of mischief in my voice, though I didn’t make it obvious. I wasn’t stupid enough to let it show outright.

“If that is what you wish, I will share whatever I can.”

But hearing my words, Lena looked even more apologetic.

Did she think I was going to ask about the Autonomous Region?

From her perspective, that would have been a valid concern. After all, she saw me as someone who had manipulated the world itself, erasing an entire war. Someone who could ride griffons, battle countless enemies without faltering… If you only looked at the results, I must have seemed downright inhuman.

And if such a person asked for information about a country, it would be easy to assume that they planned to use it for some grand purpose.

Lena was sharp but also a bit too earnest at times, so it wouldn’t be strange if she thought that.

And if Lena thought that, then surely her father and the leaders of the Autonomous Region had thought the same when questioning her about me. Lena never hid her emotions, so it was likely obvious to them that she saw me in a favorable light.

Would they have allowed her to hand over any real intelligence?

…Well, maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe she was just a regular teenager. Given what happened with Sophia, it was possible that she really didn’t have any meaningful information.

But that wasn’t what I was asking about.

“I have already shown you all of my hidden sides.”

What a ridiculous statement. It wasn’t that I had willingly shown her—I had simply been caught. But looking at Lena now, she seemed like the type who would believe me if I told her it had all been intentional.

Being too pure would only lead to trouble in the long run. I wasn’t sure how much of a sheltered upbringing she had, but sometimes, a little taste of reality was necessary.

…Or at least, that’s what I thought, still caught up in my petty mood.

“In that case, shouldn’t you share a secret of your own with me as well?”

“A secret…?”

Lena tilted her head slightly.

“Yes. Is there nothing you’ve been hiding from me?”

“…”

Lena fell silent, clearly lost in thought.

Of course, she was hiding something.

She was the textbook “cool beauty” character. And as if she had been designed for it, she also had the perfect hidden side—a contrast element, a “gap.”

It was a trait I had debated using myself but never managed to pull off. Lena, however, had done it effortlessly from the very beginning.

And as far as I knew, no one else had discovered it.

Except for me, back when I had been observing her.

…Ah, wait. Had Mia found out about this too?

Damn it, another piece of blackmail material I needed to keep in check. I would have to negotiate with Mia later—whether through persuasion or trade—to ensure this never reached Lena’s ears.

“…I do have something I’ve been hiding,” Lena finally admitted, after a long moment of contemplation.

“In that case, why don’t we share our secrets? The more we know about each other, the stronger our bond will be.”

…That sounded like something a shady middle-aged villain from a questionable adult comic would say.

Realizing how weird it sounded, the pettiness inside me shuddered slightly in embarrassment.

But by the time I caught myself, Lena was already nodding.

“Understood. There is something I can show you.”

Seeing her brace herself so seriously, the guilt buried beneath my pettiness began to stir.

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Chapter 293

Well, what could I do?

Here was someone who had done nothing wrong, yet was apologizing to me. The least I could do was ease some of her guilt. Otherwise, things would be unbearably awkward every time we met in the future.

And, to be honest, I already knew exactly what Lena was hiding. I had investigated it before.

If she had been a character I was familiar with from the start, I wouldn’t have bothered looking into her unless she posed a direct threat to my life. But Lena was someone I had never seen in the original story, so I had been cautious.

Lena’s secret?

She was a fan of Digger the Dog.

“……”

“……”

But Lena had no idea that I knew.

In fact, she probably never even considered the possibility. How many people in the world would expect that the person they admired had gone out of their way to dig into their private life?

Even though Lena was usually open about everything, she had been careful to keep this particular interest hidden.

Honestly, I didn’t understand why she was so secretive about it.

Subculture in this world was still in its infancy. Movies had only recently emerged and weren’t even considered a proper art form yet. The techniques that would eventually be recognized as "cinematic" were only just being studied. At this point, films were still mostly short slapstick reels. And animation? Even more primitive.

If anything, the field was so underdeveloped that the concept of "otaku" didn’t even exist yet.

So really, there was no need for her to be so embarrassed about it.

Lena hesitated in front of her door for a long time, stealing a glance at me before finally gathering her resolve and opening it.

As I followed her inside, I was greeted by a dorm room that didn’t look all that different from mine.

Well, it was a dormitory. No matter how much one tried to personalize it, there were limits. Four years wasn’t exactly a short time, but in the end, everyone would have to leave once they graduated.

With that in mind, Lena had decorated her space as much as she could.

Most noble estates kept libraries separate from personal rooms, meaning bookshelves were usually found in studies rather than bedrooms. If a noble wanted to read or work, they did so in the study—it was common sense.

But since the academy couldn’t provide a personal study for every noble student, the dorms were furnished with sizable bookshelves instead.

And on one of Lena’s shelves—an entire section, in fact—was filled with stuffed toys.

I had noticed them before when observing from outside, but now that I was seeing them up close, I realized there was more variety than I expected. Some of them resembled the mascots from my previous world, dressed in different national costumes. Others seemed to be alternate versions of the same character, with different gender presentations.

“Digger the Dog, huh.”

I deliberately acted like I was making an offhand remark.

Of course, I already knew. I had done some research when I considered adopting the character as part of my persona.

It was a fairly cute dog character, but honestly, I thought the name was terrible. Sure, it was common in the West to name dogs after things they did, but naming one Digger just because it liked digging? What kind of lazy naming sense was that?

Still, I wasn’t dumb enough to say something like that in front of a devoted fan.

“You know about it?”

Lena looked a little surprised, and for a moment, I felt a twinge of guilt.

But I played it off.

“There aren’t many popular ‘characters’ like this. And it is cute.”

“……!”

Something about my words must have struck a chord with her.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

Thinking about it, she had just revealed a hobby she had been hiding all this time. And it wasn’t even by choice—I had practically coerced her into it.

Not that it was even something she needed to feel guilty about in the first place.

But the fact that she had hidden it meant she considered it embarrassing. Even in my old world, there were people who looked down on adults buying figurines or playing games. In this world? If her family had a military background, she had probably heard something along the lines of, “Why is a grown woman playing with dolls?”

“May I hold one?”

From what I knew as a former otaku, these kinds of collectible toys could be absurdly expensive. Even teddy bears, if they were from famous brands, could sell for millions.

And the reason those teddy bears were so expensive was because they were handcrafted. Over time, they gained additional value as vintage collectibles.

So it was entirely possible that these Digger the Dog plush toys followed the same pattern.

“Yes, you may.”

Hearing Lena’s permission, I picked up one of the stuffed animals. It was the most basic version, without any accessories or outfits.

I squeezed it lightly—it was quite soft. But it was also heavier than expected. Maybe it had more stuffing inside than it looked.

“When did you start liking this character?”

It felt a little awkward just standing there holding the plush, so I asked how she had started collecting them.

“The first one was a gift from my father.”

“…”

Oh.

I had just meant it as a casual question—How did you get into this hobby?—but somehow, it had opened the door to what sounded like a deeply personal and possibly heavy backstory.

And sure enough, Lena’s story turned out to be heavier than I had anticipated.

“My father’s job often kept him away from home. Even when he sent word that he would return, there were times when he couldn’t make it back. My mother and I would stay up late, waiting for him, only to fall asleep before he arrived.”

“…”

“I thought it was fine. After all, it was for the sake of protecting the country. But my father must have felt differently. Perhaps he was troubled by the fact that he would come home late, see me asleep, and leave again without ever having a real conversation. One day, he left a stuffed animal by my pillow before he left. That was—"

Her gaze shifted toward the plush toy in my hands.

…This was way more sentimental than I expected.

I froze, still holding the stuffed animal, unsure what to do. If I abruptly put it back, it might seem like I was rejecting it. But if I kept holding it, my heart felt like it was about to burst.

This wasn’t just an expensive toy. It was something far more important.

“My father was never good at expressing his emotions… There was no letter or message, but I was certain that the toy had come from him. Unlike me, my mother had been awake when he returned, and she had seen him place it there. That’s why she suggested that I write him a letter.”

“…I see.”

I had assumed that her father—who had sent her here to monitor me—was no different from the Emperor, a man with no warmth. But if he had gone out of his way to send his daughter to safety in the middle of a war, if he had left toys by her bedside…

Then he was far more of a family man than I had expected.

“I wrote to my father. I wasn’t very good at writing, so it was just a simple letter of gratitude… but apparently, he enjoyed receiving them.”

Lena had spoken with her usual composed expression, but as she continued, I could see a hint of embarrassment creeping in.

Well, exchanging letters with your father wasn’t exactly a common topic of conversation. It was the kind of heartwarming story that made you feel a little ticklish inside.

“After that, my father would occasionally send me stuffed animals. And ever since then… I’ve slept with one in my arms every night.”

“…”

“I know it’s not exactly age-appropriate, but… it’s already a habit. I can’t easily let it go…”

Oh no.

I had assumed Lena just had a simple love for stuffed animals. That’s why I had jokingly suggested we share an embarrassing secret.

But this was way more meaningful than I had expected.

“He sounds like a good father.”

That was the best response I could come up with after searching my brain for something appropriate to say.

Lena’s face was already flushed red, her gaze lowered to the floor.

Sweat trickled down my back. Thankfully, I had my coat draped over my shoulders. Otherwise, the damp patches would have been visible through my shirt and uniform jacket.

“…”

I stayed silent for a long time before finally blurting out,

“…I like sweets.”

Yes. That would do.

At the very least, I had to share something equally personal.

If Lena started feeling awkward every time she saw me from now on, that would be a problem.

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Chapter 294

“I already knew that.”

Lena blinked at me with a puzzled expression, and for a moment, I was speechless.

Oh, right.

She did say she remembered everything.

This was the difference between those who had just now realized the past had changed and me, who had never thought anything was strange to begin with.

Of course, that meant Lena could recall how I had rewound time just to sample every single parfait on the café’s menu.

“…”

Well…

Yeah, compared to what Lena had just shared, my confession was embarrassingly trivial. The story of a father giving his daughter a stuffed animal because he couldn’t be there for her—compared to “I like sweet things”—it wasn’t even close.

But I couldn’t take it back. That ability was long gone.

So I had no choice but to expand on it, make it sound deeper than it actually was.

“I spent my early years without parents.”

That should work.

Even those who knew about my ability to rewind time didn’t know much about this period of my life. And since I had only learned to use my power after getting beaten up, my time at the orphanage was one of the few stretches of life I had experienced fully, without interference.

Which meant it was one of the only parts of my past I could speak about honestly.

Lena inhaled sharply.

This was starting to feel like I was competing in a who had the worse childhood contest, which was kind of unsettling. But I felt bad that I had made her share something so personal while I had only given her a shallow confession, so I pushed forward.

I moved to sit in a chair, still holding the plush toy in my hands.

“When I became aware of myself, I was in an orphanage. Which makes sense. If my existence was created by the goddess, then naturally, I would have no biological parents.”

Lena quietly took a seat across from me, her eyes serious.

“The food at the orphanage… was hardly edible. But at the time, I thought it was delicious.”

That was only half true.

The food itself had been garbage. Unseasoned, cold oatmeal—bad in both texture and taste.

But even trash tastes palatable when you’re starving. At the time, with an empty stomach, I had been able to appreciate the faint nuttiness of the occasional grain or fragment of fruit hidden in the sludge.

And, of course, I had given most of my portion to the younger children, keeping only the bare minimum for myself.

Not because I was a saint.

It was just that I couldn’t bring myself to eat my full share while others sat beside me, starving.

Besides, those kids already had a miserable future ahead of them—I didn’t see the point in making things worse.

In some ways, it had been an act of resignation. I had thought there was no way to save them, or myself. Maybe I had been thinking like a vet putting down stray dogs. Arrogantly.

“After I left the orphanage and became a princess, I finally got to eat real food.”

People joked about British cuisine being terrible, but that didn’t apply to the palace.

Bread and meat? That was a combination that could never go wrong.

Some dishes didn’t suit my tastes, sure, but overall, the food had been incredible. By the standards of my old world, it would have been considered fine dining.

And in those early days—when I had only just escaped the orphanage—those meals had tasted even better.

And of all the things I had eaten, the ones that left the biggest impression were—

“I especially liked sweet desserts.”

That was it.

The parfaits at that café had been particularly delicious. So much so that my face had practically melted with joy after eating them.

I wasn’t sure why I had developed such a strong attachment to sweets.

My past self had enjoyed them, sure, but only at a normal level. Not enough to justify rewinding time just to try every single flavor.

“…I suppose it must be because I wasn’t able to have such things when I was younger.”

Like how food tastes so much better after coming out of military training.

Maybe my instincts told me to enjoy things while I could—because I had already lived through a time when I couldn’t.

“…”

Lena was silent for a moment before speaking carefully.

“I… had never even imagined such a thing. I grew up in a happy household, after all.”

It was clear her father had played a huge role in shaping her personality.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

She hadn’t been forced into the life of a soldier—she had chosen to follow in her father’s footsteps, out of admiration.

And the dual-wielding style she used? That wasn’t exactly military standard. Maybe her father was as eccentric in battle as Jennifer.

“Well, everyone’s circumstances are different. Just because you’ve heard my story doesn’t mean you have to feel guilty about it.”

Claire had been accepted as a daughter despite lacking blood ties.

Alice had been born with royal blood but was largely ignored by her father.

Lena had been raised by a busy father—but in a household that had been warm and intact.

Someone else’s misfortune didn’t mean that her happiness was a mistake.

You couldn’t define one single way of life as “happiness” and expect everyone to conform to it.

“…It’s surprising that the princess of an empire developed such a commoner’s fondness for sweets.”

“A-Ah, no! Not at all!”

I had said it in a teasing tone, but Lena still flinched in alarm.

I decided to drive the point home.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t share this with anyone.”

Alice and Claire definitely already knew. Leo had probably heard by now as well.

But still, I meant it.

Charlotte had once watched me enjoy a simple Imperial parfait and had looked at me like I was some kind of pitiful creature.

From the perspective of someone from Belvur, a country famous for its cuisine, seeing me delight in something so… ordinary probably did look kind of sad.

If Charlotte ever learned about my past in full, how would she react?

…Even I had my pride.

No, especially because I had my pride, I had gone to such lengths to maintain my persona.

I wanted to stand among my friends as an equal—not as someone to be pitied.

“I understand.”

I wasn’t sure how much of my reasoning Lena had grasped, but she nodded with a serious expression.

That was enough to convince me that she wouldn’t spread the story.

“Then I suppose that makes us… secret-sharing friends now.”

At my words, a faint blush spread across Lena’s cheeks.

And, honestly? I felt a little jealous.

No matter how much I practiced, no matter how many times I rewound time, I would never be able to match that effortless sincerity.

Because Lena wasn’t acting.

She was that way.

“…Ah, please wait a moment.”

Suddenly remembering something, Lena stood up.

She walked over to her desk, opened a drawer, and rummaged through it.

“…Here.”

Finding what she was looking for, she carefully approached me and held out her hand.

It was a tiny version of Digger the Dog.

The small figurine was about the size of a knuckle and made of a porcelain-like material.

Attached to its head was a sturdy metal pin, which looped through a simple iron ring—not the stainless steel I was familiar with, but something cruder, meant to be bent open and closed.

It suited the era. Keychains weren’t a widespread concept yet, and materials science was still in its infancy.

Wordlessly, I picked it up and looked at Lena.

“…I want you to have it.”

Lena averted her gaze slightly as she spoke.

“Are you sure? This must have been a gift from your father as well.”

“That’s exactly why I want to give it to you. I know you’ll take good care of it.”

“…”

I stared at the small figurine in my hand before curling my fingers around it.

It was still warm from Lena’s touch.

“Then… I’ll accept it. I suppose I can consider this a symbol of our friendship?”

I smiled slightly as I spoke.

But Lena didn’t see it.

She had lowered her head, her ears burning red.

…Had she not had many friends her age back home?

The thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t ask.

Everyone had their own secrets.

I had pried enough for today.

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Chapter 295

The term academy might sound grand, but in reality, the academies depicted in games, manga, and light novels are not much different from a typical high school.

In fact, the Imperial Rondarium Academy follows a Japanese high school-style curriculum. While the classes themselves are quite different from those of a regular high school, the academy's schedule is almost identical.

Of course, this year, that schedule had been completely disrupted due to a major incident. The winter break had been drastically shortened, and even after the new year began, we were still at the academy.

The Cultural Festival, originally scheduled for late October, had been pushed back indefinitely. Given that the school only returned to normal in November, there was no helping it.

And since it had already been delayed, the student council proposed moving the festival to late December. If it was going to take place in the cold winter anyway, they figured they might as well schedule it during the time of year when the most people were celebrating.

Simply put, the festival would be held from December 30th to January 2nd.

Even if the academy was effectively a high school, the concept of high schools barely existed in this world. In other words, Imperial Rondarium Academy was one of the very few institutions capable of hosting a cultural festival. The few other schools that resembled high schools were merely larger-scale tutoring centers or academies.

That was why the Imperial Rondarium Academy’s Cultural Festival was practically a festival for the entire capital city. While it wasn’t truly an event for everyone—since only invited guests could attend—even the streets surrounding the academy would take on a festive atmosphere, and students would mingle with the celebrations. So, in a way, the description wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

Though, Alice and I had never attended before. We could have, if we wanted to, but neither of us had the time.

Cultural festivals in Japanese subculture are often depicted as far more extravagant than actual school festivals, but in this world, it was even more extreme.

And the event organizers? The children of noble families.

Since this era still retained aristocratic and masculine pride, many noble families considered it humiliating not to contribute financially to such festivals. While the amount varied by social class, any parent who sent their child to the academy generally made a large donation to ensure the festival was even more grand.

Managing and efficiently distributing that massive budget was one of the student council’s responsibilities.

"This year’s donations are particularly generous. Compared to last year, we received nearly 40% more. At this rate, we’ll have a surplus even after expanding the festival."

One of the student council members commented. She was a girl with round glasses. Despite her modest appearance, she was also from a high-ranking noble family. After all, only those recommended by other student council members could join.

"We don’t have to spend the entire budget. We can save some and allocate it elsewhere if needed."

The student council president shrugged as he spoke.

"Since the festival overlaps with New Year’s, it’d be wise to keep some emergency funds. We never know when unexpected expenses might arise."

Another student at the table raised a hand slightly as he spoke.

"……."

"……."

"……."

Alice, Charlotte, and I simply sat in silence.

The term nobility was often used as a catch-all, but it didn’t exclude royalty and imperial family members. In theory, nobles, royalty, and the imperial family were distinct, but in practice, imperial and royal families often integrated into the nobility through marriage or the granting of noble titles.

Moreover, in terms of society, royalty and the imperial family were too small a group to form a separate social class. Naturally, to function within society, they had to associate with the nobles.

And among them, the ones who had to uphold their pride the most were, without a doubt, the imperial and royal family.

Both the Imperial Household and the Royal Family of Belvur had donated enormous sums. In truth, the academy was already funded by imperial money, but that wasn’t enough—they had to contribute even more.

Saying something like "We can’t donate this year due to financial difficulties" was simply unacceptable.

This pride wasn’t a personal sentiment—it was a mathematical equation among nobles. It wasn’t explicitly quantified or written down, but it existed as an unspoken rule.

And that pride included the imperial and royal families.

Both the Imperial Household and Belvur’s Royal Family had recently suffered financial setbacks, yet they still provided huge contributions to maintain their dignity.

Moreover—

"…Have you given any thought to the budget allocation?"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

After finishing their discussion, the student council president cautiously turned to us, noticing that we had remained silent the entire time.

Lately, the student council had become extremely careful around us. They had always been somewhat cautious, but now, there were even some who couldn’t meet our gaze.

Well, it was no surprise. Alice wasn’t just a princess anymore—she was now the Crown Princess. And I was second in line to the imperial throne. This dynamic would remain until Alice eventually had children.

"…I have no objections. Use it as you see fit."

At least here, we remained silent.

Because appearing petty was out of the question.

If the person donating the money also started interfering in how it was spent, it would come across as petty. It was far better to say nothing at all.

Had Alice still been just a princess, she might have been able to voice some opinions. In that case, she would have simply been the daughter of the donor, no different from the other students here.

But Alice was now the head of the imperial family. She was the one who approved the donation.

"I don’t know what last year’s festival was like, so I’ll leave it to you."

Charlotte added.

Charlotte wasn’t quite the head of her royal family yet, but she was here as Belvur’s representative. As a student and not the direct donor, she had some grounds to speak, but she likely refrained out of awareness of her position.

"……."

As for me, well, even if I had the right to speak, I had no intention of doing so.

In the original story, the festival proceeded just fine. Even if I didn’t come up with some grand plan, these guys would inevitably craft something straight out of a manga.

"Then, we’ll proceed with this plan."

The student council president, who had been extremely tense, responded with a look of relief, as if he had been holding his breath the entire time.

"Sometimes, I envy the way Iberia handles things."

"But you guys think their methods are underhanded, don’t you?"

"Isn’t the Empire the same?"

Charlotte countered Alice’s remark and let out a small sigh.

"Still, I can’t deny that their approach seems efficient at times."

"…I agree with that."

Alice sighed as well.

Unlike the Empire and Belvur, where people believed in openly voicing grievances and fighting for justice, Iberia valued results over methods.

There, people who single-mindedly pursued their goals were respected, regardless of the morality of their methods. In the Empire and Kingdom, a man using poison to kill his enemy would be seen as a coward, but in Iberia, as long as the target was eliminated, no one cared how it was done.

They called it Vendetta.

And this philosophy extended to money—contributing more than one could afford was seen as foolish.

"But at the end of the day, we live in the Empire. We follow its laws."

"And yet, are those same people respecting Belvur’s laws?"

Charlotte’s words were a pointed jab at the former Emperor’s ongoing legal troubles.

"……."

Alice averted her gaze.

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Chapter 296

I had no complaints about how things worked—the Imperial Household and nobility provided the funds, while the academy and student council handled the actual management.

After all, I was never good at managing money. Back in my old world, I used to budget my living expenses to the extreme, only to end up spending everything on games and merchandise, leaving me with nothing when unexpected expenses popped up—so much so that skipping meals became routine. Things had changed a lot since I started making my own money, but at least until I graduated from college, I had spent a significant amount of time hungry.

Even in this world, I had never really paid attention to budgeting. Thinking back, the sheer amount of money I had spent must have been staggering—from buying firearms, to refining Maramaros into bullets, to wearing a reinforced exoskeleton made with technology that didn’t even exist in my previous world.

None of that would have been possible without the Imperial Treasury backing me.

If I had been part of the student council and had access to that budget, there was no doubt I would have burned through it recklessly, causing all sorts of problems.

Besides, the student council members weren’t exactly desperate for money. More importantly, no one in their right mind would dare embezzle from a budget that mixed noble donations, imperial funds, and even foreign royal contributions. That meant I had nothing to worry about—I could simply sit back and watch the academy slowly transform as it prepared for the Cultural Festival.

At least, that’s what I thought—until a student council member came looking for me.

"H-H-Her Highness…?"

The girl stammered as she approached, looking like she was about to collapse in fear just from speaking to me.

"What is it?"

Hearing my voice, she flinched hard—as if I had suddenly jumped out to scare her. You’re the one who called me, though.

"T-The teacher… s-sent me to get you… Her Highness… um… she asked to see you…"

"Me?"

I quickly ran through the list of academy instructors in my head.

It wouldn’t be Carolyn—there was no reason for her to call me specifically. Not that we had a bad relationship, just that our paths didn’t really clash.

Sure, we had stolen a relic from House Northwood, but the Duke himself didn’t even know about it.

That meant the only teacher who could have called for me was Jennifer.

And as soon as I reached that conclusion, an uneasy feeling settled in. Jennifer knew my abilities were gone, so she wouldn’t be calling me to send me back to the battlefield. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t about to throw me into something just as troublesome.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"The teacher?"

Alice, sitting beside me, also asked. The student who had approached us shrank even further—she looked like she was about to sink into the void and disappear entirely. And when Charlotte also turned her gaze toward her, she visibly choked as if someone was physically strangling her.

I knew her name—she was from Class B.

And come to think of it, Jennifer was Class B’s homeroom teacher.

So, it really was Jennifer.

I rose from my seat.

"Then, I’ll be going."

"…Do you want me to go with you?"

Alice offered, and I seriously considered it for a moment.

"…No, I don’t think it’s necessary."

If it had been someone truly troublesome, I might have reconsidered. But Jennifer? She wasn’t exactly easy to deal with, but at the very least, I hadn’t done anything I needed to feel guilty about in front of her.

I owed her a debt, sure—but I had already repaid it by obliterating the battlefield back then. Not that Jennifer even realized I had paid her back.

"Alright, then. Lead the way."

"Y-Yes, understood!"

The girl snapped upright as if I had just issued a military command.

"Oh, yeah, you’re here?"

Even though I was now second-in-line to the Imperial Throne, Jennifer’s attitude toward me hadn’t changed at all.

And for that, I was grateful. If she had suddenly started treating me with the same stiff, overly formal deference as the headmaster, I would have turned around and run for my life.

Honestly, knowing Jennifer, even if I became Emperor, she’d probably treat me the same way. Like teacher, like student.

"Why did you call me?"

"Eh, it’s nothing big."

Jennifer casually grabbed a document from her desk and handed it to me.

"Looks like we might be hiring a new teacher."

"…And why are you calling me about that?"

I took the paper and glanced over it.

"Because the person applying is someone you know."

"……."

I looked at the document.

It wasn’t so much a resume as it was a barebones application. Most of the sections were completely blank, except for basic personal details and a minimal self-introduction—as if the applicant didn’t think they needed to fill anything out.

Or maybe they simply didn’t care.

Even without reading the name, the photo in the upper corner told me everything I needed to know.

"…The Sword Saint wants to be a teacher?"

Jennifer shrugged.

"Beats me. That’s why I called you."

"And what makes you think I’d have the answer?"

I couldn’t help but ask, baffled.

Jennifer just shrugged again.

"Dunno. Just figured you might have some insight."

"……."

How?

Sure, I had spent a decent amount of time around the Sword Saint—practicing, rewinding time to train, learning techniques. He even came to the imperial palace later on to help train us.

But that didn’t mean I was the most qualified person to answer.

If we were talking about true students, there were plenty of better candidates—Jennifer herself, Claire, Leo, Alice… people who had far greater talent than I did.

So why me?

"I don’t claim to understand everything about the Sword Saint, but—"

Jennifer started to elaborate, seeing that I still wasn’t convinced.

"He doesn’t only care about talented students. He’s had plenty of disciples before—most of whom died in battle."

"……."

"Every time he talks about you, he calls you ‘untalented.’ But at the same time, he’s never denied that you’re his student. In fact, I’d say he naturally considers you one."

Jennifer paused, briefly glancing at me—as if hesitating.

She had called me untalented multiple times now, and maybe she was starting to feel guilty.

But I didn’t react.

Because she was right.

"A man like the Sword Saint doesn’t just take in anyone. The moment someone asks to be his disciple, they instinctively measure their own talent."

"And if they think they’re not worthy, they don’t even try."

Because that was how masters were perceived.

"That’s why he might see you as different. You had no talent, yet you still sought him out and forced yourself to learn. You’re one of the few who did."

"……."

Hmm.

When she put it that way, it did kind of make sense.

But that Sword Saint caring about me?

Him?

Jennifer smirked at my skeptical expression.

"Anyway, that’s why I called you. It’s not exactly objective reasoning, but I still want you to talk to him."

"…Talk?"

"If we’re hiring a teacher, we can’t just skip the interview. But the Sword Saint isn’t someone who easily opens up."

"So, you want me to pry it out of him?"

"You seemed like the best candidate."

Way too much faith in me.

I sighed loudly, making sure she saw it.

Jennifer just grinned.

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Chapter 297

Honestly, isn’t it about time I get to enjoy some peace?

Sure, there was still the matter of the former Emperor, the Imperial Parliament still not functioning properly, an overinflated military with nowhere to direct its forces, and countless other issues that needed to be dealt with—but at the very least, we hadn’t entered an actual war.

We had managed to prevent conflicts from escalating into full-scale war and even neutralized the Holy Nation as a potential threat before they could act. We had driven the goddess out of this world entirely.

The Imperial Household’s problems were Alice’s responsibility. As for the Parliament, I could ignore it for now, and if they started acting up, a single Gryphon flyby over the building should be enough to remind them of their place. And while maintaining the military was burdensome for now, keeping it at full strength wasn’t necessarily a bad thing in the long run.

So, at the very least, couldn’t I spend my time at the academy in peace?

Apparently not.

“You’re the one I’m supposed to be interviewing?”

Even after becoming second-in-line to the throne, this was how I was treated.

Not that I particularly wanted to be treated any differently. If I had to choose between being treated like this or being treated with excessive formality, I would choose this any day. I had grown up following Confucian traditions, and nothing made me more uncomfortable than being treated with exaggerated respect by someone decades older than me.

Honestly, every time the headmaster bowed to me, it felt like my stomach twisted a millimeter. If I had to meet him twenty more times, it might actually have a noticeable impact on my health—and not in a good way.

But even so, did he really have to be this rude?

At the very least, couldn’t he just speak casually instead of acting so condescending?

“I didn’t come here by choice.”

“Are you so pathetic that you can’t even follow your own will? What a pathetic disciple.”

Did he really need to say pathetic twice?

I held my tongue, because saying something back would probably result in flames erupting from my skull.

So instead, I maintained the proper attitude of a disciple speaking to their master and responded respectfully.

"Sir Jennifer Winterfield, another of my mentors here at the academy, made the request. I had no obligation to obey, but as a student, a member of the academy, and a member of the Imperial Household that runs this institution, I deemed it appropriate to comply. There are things in life that must be done, whether we like it or not. But perhaps that’s something a retired old soldier who abandoned his duties to hide in the mountains wouldn’t—AH!?"

I didn’t even finish before a sharp pain exploded at the top of my head.

It was such a solid strike that I wouldn’t have been surprised if actual flames had sparked.

Sure, some of my true feelings had slipped into my words—but I still thought my explanation was reasonable!?

“You really have no filter, do you?”

Yet, despite saying that, I could see the corners of his mouth twitching.

So he liked my answer, then?

If he liked it, why hit me!?

“But I suppose that kind of response is just like you. The others—those with more dignity—wouldn’t dare speak so recklessly in front of me. I take back what I said earlier.”

Even with his grinning face, my aching skull wasn’t going to heal any faster. If he was going to compliment me, he could have just not hit me in the first place.

“And yes, you’re right. I did abandon my duty once. As an Imperial soldier, I swore an oath to serve the Empire for life.”

Technically, it wasn’t a legal obligation—more like a ceremonial declaration, akin to the oaths recited during officer commissions.

While it wasn’t entirely without legal weight, it wasn’t something rigidly enforced. It’s not like people ran around nitpicking every single word that came out of a former soldier’s mouth, accusing them of leaking military secrets.

As long as you didn’t reveal actual classified information, no one really cared.

“So… are you saying you plan to resume your duty?”

That was what made his words so surprising. This was a man who had left it all behind, who had chosen to walk his own path.

“Do I look like I’ve gone senile?”

…Right. Of course not.

“Then why submit an application to be a teacher?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Does it really matter? Shouldn’t you be grateful that someone like me is willing to teach?”

“It does matter—otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked me to find out. A teacher isn’t just someone who imparts knowledge. They must also lead by example.”

For a moment, I hesitated.

What should I call him?

“So it’s only natural that the academy wants to know your true intentions.”

“Oh? Are you implying that my behavior isn’t suitable for a teacher?”

I instinctively tensed my back and shoulders, preparing to dodge at any moment.

“Do you genuinely believe your behavior is something students should emulate?”

“…….”

For the first time, he had nothing to say.

Not surprising, considering he had spent his entire life doing whatever he wanted.

Even if one of his disciples managed to reach his level, if they inherited his personality, it would be a nightmare for the Empire.

A strong individual might not necessarily benefit the Empire. Unless they joined the military or government, a warrior who trained in isolation had no value. In fact, monitoring such unpredictable figures to ensure they didn’t cause trouble was more of a headache than anything else.

“So, are you saying I’m unqualified to be a teacher?”

“Rather than that, the academy simply wants to understand your intentions. If you were just another skilled instructor, they wouldn’t have gone to these lengths to investigate. And if you had prior teaching experience, that would be even better. This is about more than just your personal skills.”

Simply put—they don’t trust you.

If he had consistently trained students over the years, even if it wasn’t within a formal institution, the academy might have accepted him without question.

But even Jennifer, who had spent years under him, found his motives suspicious. Of course the academy would want a deeper explanation.

"Hmm."

The Sword Saint fell into thought.

“Would you mind explaining your reasoning?”

“I could. But whether you can deliver that reason to the academy is another matter.”

“Are you planning to kill me after telling me?”

“……Even I wouldn’t go that far.”

Since I had asked with a completely straight face, at least I avoided another strike to the head.

“I simply doubt that you’d be able to relay my answer accurately.”

“…….”

Hearing that, I had no choice but to pause and think.

Should I listen to his explanation?

Given the way he was speaking, I had a feeling that his reason had something to do with me.

The Sword Saint’s judgment of people was always incredibly sharp. And if a man like him considered me a disciple, despite my complete lack of talent, that meant—even while constantly smacking me upside the head—he must have thought highly of me.

If I pressed him for an answer… I had a feeling he was going to say something embarrassingly sentimental.

“Even so, I’d still like to hear it. How I deliver that message will be my decision.”

I couldn’t just reject him outright.

The academy wouldn’t have put this much effort into investigating him unless they were seriously considering his application.

And he was the Sword Saint.

Even if the battlefield changed, even if swordsmanship became less relevant, it was still better to learn from the best.

"Very well."

He nodded.

"I’ll tell you. The reason… is you."

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