CH 62

“Speaking of which, did you hear about Vivienne’s tea party?”

“Yes, yes, I was surprised to see how different the participants looked after the tea party.”

“Oh my, you already saw it in person? Rumor has it that it can help make your hair, skin, and even nails incredibly beautiful. I had no idea that Vivienne knew of such techniques.”

“I heard that soon there will also be a trading company open in the royal capital under Vivienne’s name… Ah.”

The female students walked while talking cheerfully from across the hallway, noticed me and Mika, and took a bow. When I said a simple, “Good morning,” they replied with, “Good morning!” in a radiant voice.

I think I’m getting used to greeting people.

But, after I passed them, my eyes met with Mika’s and we ended up laughing.

“It seems that Vivienne is doing well.”

“That time when she said ‘I was going to do a knowledge cheat, but I didn’t have any knowledge at all!’ last summer was like a lie. I don’t really get it, but I’m glad she seems to have the needed knowledge.”

“Fufu, it seems like she came from a future world that is much more advanced than this one, after all. Even if she doesn’t think she has enough knowledge, she should be able to figure it out.”

Vivienne seemed to have really thought a lot about it over the summer.

There were times when she was depressed that there was nothing she could do, but after she thought about it, it seems that the things she used to do on a daily basis, like makeup, hair, and nail care, were enough ‘knowledge cheats’ in this world.

When I ran into her briefly, she was writhing with her hands as if she were holding an invisible apple, saying, “Ugh, if only I had chemistry or some other skill, or the power to create creams and lotions…” But then when she tried what she could do to the best of her ability, apparently it was surprisingly well received.

In her own words, she said, “Thank God I’m good with my hands.”

“She has a good eye for things. Also, the ladies with a high sense of beauty love the rumors about it.”

“I hear that those who want to be friends with Miss Vivienne are not only summoned at the school, but to her tea parties as well.”

“That’s the most reassuring backing in our quest to expand our reach.”

Vivienne is really amazing. As far as female students are concerned, she is gaining more and more allies.

On the surface, the power of the second prince faction seems to be expanding, and the first prince faction is a little tense. The rumors seem to be spread out enough to cause tension on our side, and our position is somewhat delicate. But for now, as a friend, I’m very happy for Vivienne, who is trying to get through the March of next year.

But I can’t just keep smiling. After all, I have to face my own problems too.

“So, Nagi, is everything ready for your tea party?”

“Huh, ah… Well, the preparations are set. Only the preparations.”

But we can’t let it end up as just another tea party. Because, like Vivienne, we have to get some results from it. This time, the result is to get along with Renalge Pomfrey.

The number of people who would like to get to know Renalge is as much as the stars in the sky, for example. However, Renalge never gets along with anyone up until now, he’s neither taking advantage of nor being taken advantage of, and has persisted in solitude.

Just because he followed Gislette doesn’t mean he has any interest in me or anything. Thinking about it, the difficulty level is quite high.

However, I got some good information from Vivienne.

—”Renalge is attracted to Emilia’s hard work on growing plants.”—

No, as far as I could tell, he was definitely attracted to Gislette. Well, I don’t even really want him to be ‘attracted’ to me. However, I have great confidence in myself when it comes to the simple task of growing plants.

Really, the third prince only has immense confidence in such a simple task… It’s depressing to think about it that way, but I once acquired the seeds of a rare magical plant and then spent eight years growing it into a mature tree and collecting the fruit.

(That being said, a prince showing off about, “I’m working hard to grow these plants!” is still too embarrassing…)

Vivienne said that Renalge thought only a strange person would work so hard to grow a mere grass and have such a happy face when it blooms.

By that theory, most gardeners would be able to attract Renalge’s attention.

But, well, most people who approached Renalge are probably not gardeners, so it’s not wrong that he has never got along with anyone.

(But that means the reason he got along with Gislette…can be said because she loves magic plants.)

Anyway, I hope to hear a little more about Renalge from Vivienne before next week’s tea party.

However, the fact that Mika has been looking at me like he has something to say since a while ago doesn’t mean that he’s concerned about my tea party preparations. There was one other concern. And finally, it was pointed out to me.

“And? What do you plan to do by also inviting Patriel Faure?”

Patriel, the person who spoke to me along with Gislette in the Magical Botany class. He is a small man, with round eyes and freckles, like a small animal.

I’d like to get along with him, but Mika was terribly wary of being approached by Patriel, who is in the “neutral faction”.

After seeing the guest list for the tea party earlier, Mika was a little tense.

I feel a kind of intimidation as if he’s saying, “I warned you, and you’re ignoring it?”

──But.

“Yeah, Patriel is the one who reached out and spoke to me, after all. I might be able to pull him to our side if he’s a neutralist.”

“…Nagi.”

Mika’s words are tinged with anger.

That person is someone that Mika is wary of, after all. I, for one, had properly looked into the movements of the Viscount Faure family before inviting him. I don’t quite understand why that person bothered Mika so much, but still.

The words of “Night King” passed through my mind. I can’t remain incompetent. Besides, I have a bigger purpose. After all, I can’t keep being protected by you, Mika…

“If something is questionable, then it’s our principle not to touch it.”

“!”

That’s what I thought.

Mika must have noticed something about Viscount Faure that I hadn’t noticed. But instead of telling me what it was, I think he was trying to keep it away from me.

But that’s not enough.

It’s not that I want to get along with my ‘friends’.

I want to interact with those nobles who are not my ‘friends’.

(This is a decision I made with Mika. In order to have them in the palm of my hand, I have to take a step forward.)

I stare at Mika, who looks surprised, and snorts smugly from above.

Mika, don’t you know? I…

“I’m dealing with nobility.”

I can only do it little by little, so it’s fine like that.

Patriel, from what I can tell, looks harmless and friendly. If he has some kind of underlying motive and I still think that he’s easy to talk to, then I can pretend to be incompetent, just like what I decided last time (No… I’m aware that I’m still incompetent). But, I’m sure he’ll be the right person for me to first practice how to probe someone’s real intentions.

We also have a common topic of discussion, magical plants.

Isn’t that right? While thinking about it, I looked at Mika with my eyelashes slightly down.

Mika looked a bit upset after I hit the nail on the head, but then he sighed and said.

“You might be right.”

“Of course, I’m right!”

“Ugh…”

Leaving Mika with a frustrated look on his face, I proceeded to the courtyard while laughing on my high horse.

It’s lunchtime now, and I’m still not socializing with others. I was feeling good about myself, forgetting about the fact that Mika is the one who buys my sandwich.

But then, I heard Mika’s voice from behind saying, “Huh?” so I looked back.

“Wait, wouldn’t that leave Miss Gislette being the only female student invited to the tea party?”

That’s right. I can’t invite Vivienne because she’s from the enemy faction, so for now I only have Gislette, Renalge, Patriel, and Mika. And to be precise, Mika is not an invited guest.

So, after wondering what I should do, I decided to invite another female student.

I hand Mika the invitation I had in my jacket pocket.

“Add her to the guest list as well.”

Mika’s face became even more surprised when he saw the address.

The name written is— the eldest daughter of the Countess of Treille, the lady who makes the school’s newspaper.

—Yoshino Treille—

I’m sensitive to people’s rumors about me. Actually, since that night when I danced with Vivienne, I had received numerous requests for an interview. I think it’s because I’m royalty, but I did like the fact that people didn’t suddenly start talking to me on the school grounds.

However… I think she was probably the one who called me the ‘evil prince’ in my first life.

I could see Mika’s face twitching and I laughed a little at the sight of it.

With a reluctant look on his face, Mika said.

“…That’s a pretty drastic move.”

I think so, too. But I wanted to try to meet her when I hadn’t done anything ‘evil’ yet, also to make her know what kind of person I am.

I honestly don’t know how it will turn out, but even so…

“…Well, better sooner than later?”

“Ah, I see…”