CH 13

Chapter 13 Letter

“Excuse me.”

Mana opened the door wide for me and urged me in, but she didn't seem to want to let anyone in but me, so she quickly slammed it shut.

She even locked the door.

I told her that I would like at least Yuno to enter, but she refused.

I didn't want to be alone with her, but I had no choice.

I needed to ask her what she wanted for breakfast and a few other questions, but I'd do what I could.

Mana's room was larger and more luxurious than mine.

The bed is bigger and fully furnished.

Wow, is the chair’s thickness different, too?

It’s so soft…

I felt sorry for my butt, which hurt when I worked at my desk.

I was slightly saddened by the way I was treated…but, it can't be helped because I am sure that the saint was undoubtedly more valuable than a mischievous Prince like me.

And I believe Alvin and others went to great lengths to prepare them, so it was only natural that she was treated differently.

They probably have a ridiculous amount of dresses and such ready to go, too.

However, I don't think Mana is the type of person who would appreciate that…

"Do you like it now that it's bigger than the temple room?" ”

"Yes, I do…"

I affirmed, but her eyes were swimming and she didn't seem to like it.

She may have been trying to be considerate, but her attitude was so honest that I laughed.

"Is it not to your liking?"

“I'm not comfortable with being so luxurious…”

I understand how you feel.

I also missed the calm Japanese-style rooms and tatami mats.

“Do you prefer simple things?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you prefer simple clothing as well?”

“Yes. If I wear something sparkly, I feel like I'm cosplaying as a princess..."

I almost laughed because I was surprised by what she said.

Perhaps it was because I was just trapped a few minutes ago, but I'm brilliant!

We may enjoy dressing up in costumes in this world, but we don't have the term “Cosplay”!

Because of that, I purposely ask a question.

“What exactly is cosplay?”

“You don’t have the word ‘Cosplay’ in this world? It means to dress up as an occupation or a character and have fun pretending to be someone you are not."

“Does such a thing exist?”

I nodded my head in relief.

I knew it, though!

That’s right.

Let's take out the “No visitors allowed” from earlier and check the reading and writing of the letters.

“These are letters from Saint-samas’s, aren't they? Did you read the letter I wrote to you yesterday?”

“I could read it, but I don't think I could write it.”

“Then why did you write this in your letters and give it to me?”

“I was just curious if the people of this world could read the letters from my world, so I gave it a shot.”

What the heck…then just ask me normally!

I thought it was a trap with an intention!

She doesn't seem to be lying, but I doubt if she was really simply curious.

I was totally deceived in my previous life, so…

Anyway, let's be careful.

“?”

My gaze was drawn to a piece of paper on the side table.

Looking closely, I saw that my name was written there several times as 'Edward Astraea'.

What is this…?

“T-That’s…!”

Mana noticed what was in front of my eyes and came around in front of me with a panicked look on her face.

Is she trying to block my view?

She was taller than me, so I couldn’t see it completely…

“I-I've been practicing to learn the letters of this world! Look, You wrote your name on the letter you gave me yesterday! That's why I used it as a model!”

Her explanation was disorganized, but that wasn't what bothered me; her face was bright red.

What was she so embarrassed about?

When I first saw this, I thought it sounded like the crazy and paper-thin oddity that elementary school kids and others do where they randomly write the name of their favorite person all over the place, but was that really it...?

No, I was probably misunderstood and thought I was thinking something like, “Oh, Saint, you wrote my name so many times, you must really like me!” 

If so, it was alright because I don't think that.

And, in general, Mana wouldn't do something like that, would she?

She was red to the ears, but I don't think so?

…Let's not pursue it too deeply.

I think that would be best for both of us.

By the way, in a previous life, when I learned to write, I wrote Mana's name on as much paper as I could!

I also remember the look on my mom's face as she pulled it out.

I have to erase that from my memory…

“Oh, I see. You did an excellent job writing it.”

I gave it back without even pretending to be concerned, and maybe because I was relieved, the rise in my body temperature subsided.

"Is it hot? I'll open the window a bit...”

Mana asks to open the window.

Seeing the opportunity, I looked at the table again.

Aside from the one with my name on it, there was another piece of paper with a long Japanese sentence on it that piqued my interest.

And what was written was…

[[It looks like I’ve been sent to the land ruled by the Goddess. I thought it was a dream, but it wasn't]

Was this like Mana’s diary?

I was about to turn away because I thought it was disgusting to read someone else's diary...

However, I read the rest secretly despite how bad I felt.  

[I thought that if it wasn't a dream, the goddess would really grant my wish, but…the people at the temple said that no one came from another world like me. I wanted to go home, but even if I did, there was no one I wanted to see. I was extremely depressed and wanted to cry all the time.]

The sorrow of not being able to meet the person she wanted to meet was written out.

Reading it, I felt a sense of sadness that made my heart ache.

It was also written what she wished to the goddess, but I'm curious if it was to meet the people she wished to see.

I turned my eyes to the rest of the book.

[I was crying all the time and didn't want to do anything, but I felt lighthearted for some reason. When I met the prince of this country, a man named Edward Astraea...He looks exactly like him, even though they don't look alike. He looked a lot more like him when I first saw him. I was both surprised and happy. But, he wasn’t him. I was disappointed and sad once more, but the sadness vanished when I was with him. I wonder if Haru would be upset that I want to be with him even though he isn't Haru...]

“.........”

Well…a lot of thoughts were going around inside my head, but first of all, I'm not going to get mad at you, okay?

Because, Ed and Haru were both me.

It was amazing how much she noticed the resemblance, even though I doubt she knew I was a reincarnation of Haruma Kuga.

But even though we've been separated by death, Mana was cheating on me, and since we are currently apart, she has no reason to be angry with me.

Why do you care if I get upset?

The fact that Mana seems to be thinking a lot about me from this sentence bothered me the most…

“Now the—Ah!”

When I was in turmoil, Mana noticed that I was staring at her diary.

“I apologize for looking at it without asking first. The letters in Saint-sama’s world are complicated. Isn't that difficult to remember since they don't seem to have many of the same ones?”

I immediately made an excuse that I couldn’t understand the letters from another world.

After hearing what I said, Mana seemed relieved again and her tense expression relaxed.

“We learn about it as we grow up, so it's not that hard.”

“I see.”

Okay, I fooled her!

I'm not sure if she even doubted that I could read, but the diary was still intact.

I was about to read it because there was more to come, but Mana, sitting on the bed, called me over.

“Hey, come over here.”

The diary was pulling me back, but I did as I was told and approached and stood in front of Mana.

“Here, sit down.”

“I cannot.”

When Mana said, "Here," she was patting the space on the bed next to her.

It was not all right to sit there because there were sofas and chairs.

But, I'm more concerned about the diary!

“Why?”

“Do I need to explain?”

Mana pout when I said it in a slightly mean way.

I'm not used to seeing this kind of childish expression…or maybe it's the first time I've seen it.

In my previous life, it was me who was always pouting.

Every time I find something that makes me think, as I do now, that I was deceived in a previous life after all, a dark feeling wells up in my chest.

The diary with the sentence that seems to be thinking about me could be some kind of trap.

I don’t want to stay here too long.

Let's fulfill our original purpose and get the hell out of here.

After all, today was the day I was going to the orphanage.

“I'm just here to call you. I will leave as soon as I have completed my assignment. Today, Mother, the queen of this country is coming to see Saint-sama. My Elder Brother Alvin will also be there. The time is—"

“No.”

Let me finish what I’m saying!?

This was getting annoying…

“I hate outwardly attractive people!”

What a coincidence, Me too! I wanted to say, "I hate them too," but I was worried about the hatred in her voice.