CH 49

I found out that this world is an otome game already two years ago. For one year, I was desperately trying to avoid being exiled as a villainess.

However, there is a second part to the game. The strategy book that my mother gave me before she passed away, still contains information on it.

The protagonist is still Emilia. The girl who, in the first part, successfully won the title of the three strong, will now once again fall in love with the [handsome men] at the academy.

It seems that the love in the first part has been reset.

The important thing is that in the second part, Villainess Rebecca will not appear.

Instead, new [enemy characters] will appear.

During the spring break, I thought about it. If I don’t appear in the scenario, I will not be exiled anymore. Knowing the contents of the events in the strategy book would be unfair.

So I decided. I will read the strategy book. As someone who has changed the contents of the first part, I have a duty to correspond to the second part’s scenario and successfully finish this year.

But I will not read the details of the [events].

This year, unlike last year, I want to win with my own power!

And now I have one target, Brian Marc, standing in front of me.

He narrowed his sharp eyes and opened his mouth.

“Do you know me? Have you heard the rumor that [the Knight Commander’s child had all of his battle ability taken away by his older sister]?”

“Yes, I am aware of it. And I have also heard that you are the better(smart) of the two.”

It may be hard to believe for an outsider, but it is a well-known story among those who live in the Royal Capital.

He was raised in the proud knight’s order that protects the Huaverdon Kingdom, but from the age of ten, he has been [losing continuously].

Lately, he has not even been picking up a sword, or so it is said. Even now, he has a sword hanging from his waist, but there is no sign of him using it.

“So, let’s make a deal, Brian-sama.”

With a conscious and meaningful smile.

Even though he is not fighting, carelessness is forbidden. He is a brainy type, unlike his older sister, Olivier. Approaching him head-on like this is because, at least, there is a plan.

“The content is simple. I trust you, so please trust me too.”

As I said this, I formed a rope with magic. I made Christina move away and showed Brian how I had tied my own wrists with the rope.

I could only make one round because I had to do it myself, but even so, it was not easy to move it.

Furthermore, I knelt on the ground, closed my eyes as if begging, and Brian’s surprised voice could be heard.

“…What are you trying to do?”

“I will never move, so if you want to attack, please do so.”

I said that to him, and continued to press on.

“I want to investigate the magic of your hint. I want you to trust me that I will not harm you even if I approach. That’s why I will trust you first.”

I explained as if singing, and the silence descended.

I could hear the slight rustling of clothes. I sensed Brian approaching within a stone’s throw of me.

Still, I didn’t open my eyes.

I was confident that this plan would succeed. As expected, the voice I heard sounded surprised.

“…damn, I got it.”

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at him straight ahead.

Brian, who was scratching his head as if it was a hassle, looked rough and his behavior was rough.

But Brian Marc was the target, Olivier’s younger brother.

And more than that ————[a lone knight].

In the Royal Capital, it is said that [the captain of the knights’ son lost all his fighting talents to his older sister].

It is always said with a continuation.

One man continued like this.

“But when I was attacked by thugs in the Royal Capital, he was the one who helped. He shouted ‘Just go!’ and helped me and my family escape.”

One woman said this.

“But I saw him protecting a small child. I had never seen someone care about the orphan in the slums before.”

And many people concluded like this.

“But even if he couldn’t fight. His heart is truly that of a knight.”

Now, focusing on Brian in front of me. He is a proud knight that does not shame his sisters or his background.

Then I was allowed to approach and lightly touch his body.

Sending magic and reading magic.

“… B-Brian-sama.”

“Yes yes. Did you find a way to get a hint?”

“Yes, um…”

I hesitated to speak the next words.

“Please spin around three times and say ‘one’.”

The longest and heaviest silence yet enveloped us. I seriously wondered, “Should I spin around three times and say one to make him believe in me?”

“Don’t tell my sister or else I’ll be teased to death.” After pushing the thought away, he spun around three times and said “one” making his face turn red. Honestly, he was cute.

***

[Knock on the door of classroom 501 in the third school building three times.]

This is the content of the hint I received.”

I asked Brian, whose face and even his neck were red, if he wanted to go with me, but he refused and we said goodbye.

I got back on Christina and headed for the third school building alone. The location is not bad. I should be able to get there in five minutes.

But things don’t go that easily.

In the sky above me, suddenly a rain of arrows appeared.

“Kyu!”

“Christina!”

Christina’s size worked against her here. Two arrows that I couldn’t defend against with magic pierced Christina’s body.

Looking far below, a girl with a cream-colored ponytail was looking up at me from the rooftop of the girls’ dormitory.

“Earl Horton house, Hanna! Duke Slutarch’s daughter, come down!”

I remembered her face and looked back. If she’s one of Earl Horton’s daughters, she’s definitely a freshman.

She probably wants to be the first to defeat one of the three strong and get her name out there, but there’s no need for me to obediently come down just because she said “come down.”

“I am in a hurry, so please excuse me!”

Smiling, I continued to fly without stopping at all.

At the time she hurt Christina, she was already quite a powerful person. The best thing to do here is to ignore her.

If she hadn’t shouted the next words, however.

“Can you please give up the seat of the queen!”

I have to admit, it was a bit of a shock. It was hard not to make a face.

But what surprised me even more when I looked back was that she had the eyes of a person who had made a decision. It seemed like there was no malice or greed in them.

“… Christina, can you still hang in there?”

“Kyu!”

“…Thank you. I love you.”

I stroked Christina’s smooth scales and turned around in the opposite direction.

I landed in front of her, standing on the roof. As I approached, I realized that she too had been given a hint of magic, like a new student.

“May I ask why?”

As I said that, I formed a magic sword, like her arrows earlier. At the same time, Hanna also formed a magic bow arrow in her hand.

“It’s for money! Even though we have traditions, we’re poor. I want to make my parents happy!”

“I see. I’m sorry——.”

“And that’s not all!”

Hanna interrupted my words, trembling with anger and pointing at me.

“It’s not just that your face is nice, but that silky black hair, the long, crying eyes, and that perfectly troubled body…! I envy you!”

“…”

She ended with a bit of unnecessary resentment, but she seemed to be carrying something important on her delicate shoulders.

But that’s the same for me.

Focus to the limit and enhance the magic. Always be ready to strike by putting strength in your hands and feet.

The face is the same as always, and it’s a graceful smile that captivates the viewer.

“I will never pull back from myself again. If you want to take that person away from me, please do it with all your strength.”

With that declaration, they stepped forward towards each other.

Hanna and I breathed in at the same time.

Suddenly, a huge pillar of fire rose up in between us. After the flame reached the sky, it contracted and took on the shape of a person.

Thus, a woman appeared, with a fierce beauty as if the flame was her hair.

Hanna’s voice was filled with surprise.

“Marquis Goudes’ daughter!”

Kyaran Goudes, the “fifth high”, is said to be the closest to being in the “three strong” this year.

In the first part, she was so in love with His Highness that the power of her Phantom Beast cub ran wild and attacked me.

I raised my eyebrows. Kyaran had turned to face not me, but Hanna on the opposite side.

“Hello. You must be the one who said you wanted to be a queen just now? Earl Horton’s daughter.”

Hanna, who was called by name, gave a short scream.

“Please don’t cut in line. The line is longer than you think. Isn’t that right, Rebecca-sama?”

Kyaran, who turned around, sent a meaningful glance and finally understood.

Hanna’s screams from before, “Give up the seat of the queen,” had unintentionally summoned my unexpected reinforcements here.

“Besides, you seem to have been given a hint spell. It’s just in time.”

As she approached with her powerful beauty, Hanna began to tremble like a rabbit.

With just a slight emptiness in my chest, I jumped onto Christina.

“Kyaran-sama, I’ll take care of you next time we meet.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll beat you within a year.”

Kyaran Goudes, who confidently smiled, was a powerful ally of the protagonist Emilia in the [game] main scenario.

She was particularly trusted by female students and had a fanatical organization called [cronies] within the Academy.

Maybe she and I will finally be able to build a friendship called a rival.