CH 24

I mean, it's not uncommon for a story to grow out of hand when rumours spread, but...

This story isn't just growing out of hand, it's growing some fins and feet too. I bet it could travel in both the land and sea now....

Did no one bother to correct this...? Anyone involved in this story who happened to overhear...

I'm curious as to how the mafia part got added into the mix.

Strictly speaking, they used the term "Dark Guild" instead of mafia, but I've never heard of anything like that when playing the game.

I wonder what's a "Dark Guild".

I figured it was probably something similar to mafia, but...

I'll ask Ursch-kun about it later.

As I was feeling faint, listening to the story that evolved into such a ridiculous rumour...

The young lady sitting across from me, roughly about ten years of age, began to speak with a dreamy look on her face.

"It's so wonderful~ Almost like a romance novel turned into reality. I would love to experience that kind of romance for myself one day."

You would?

Rather than a romance novel, I'd say it was more of a thrilling, action-comedy movie.

The sudden entrance of some "beautiful masked warrior" was seriously so abrupt that it didn't make any sense.

Do you really want a romance like that? I personally wouldn't recommend it.

There will be mafia aiming for your lives, you know?

Chances are that you would fail to escape and die. Are you really fine with that?

If it were me, I wouldn't want any of it.

Ah... Oops. This is bad.

I was supposed to be gathering information.

This isn't the time to be nonchalantly listening to my and Ursch-kun's story.

I'll be changing the conversation topic for a bit.

"That's right!! May I ask everyone, if you had to choose among 'the boys attending this tea party', what kind of person would you like to fall in love with?"

Alright!! That was a pretty good way to direct the conversation, if I do say so myself.

With this, if the names of the Second Prince or the other Love Interests come up, I can use that to pull out some information about them.

How's that for a strategy?

At my question, the ladies at the table all leaned forward in unison and began to whisper the names of those they found most favourable.

Information about who's cool, who's kind, who's a good dancer, and all sorts of other information started flying around.

───However, the names of the Second Prince and the Knight Corps' Leader's son have not come up even once.

The name of the head of the Mage’s Order's son is sometimes brought up by the quiet-looking noble girls, but the other two haven't made a single appearance.

Well, I can sort of guess why the Knight Corps' Leader's son wasn't mentioned.

The son of the Knight Corps' Leader is only six years old.

That would make him younger than the majority of the young ladies attending this tea party. And with that bratty personality of his, it's no wonder he's not even being considered.

He's going to grow up to be a calm, smiling, dependable big brother in the future, though.

For example, the type of character seen in shonen manga who loses his life protecting the main character, and becoming the catalyst for the main character's growth.

Well, I haven't read a lot of shonen manga, so this is all just my image of it.

The Mage’s Order's son is also 6 years old, but was often mentioned because he is fairly knowledgeable, and speaks kindly to everyone.

I would expect that the sheltered young ladies of equal age would more likely be attracted to a knowledgeable boy with a kind demeanor, than to a hyperactive brat who runs around at tea parties.

Even when said boy is a strange kid who wandered off with an encyclopedia in hand, and still hasn't come back.

If this was an elementary school in Japan, he would probably be given the nickname "Doctor" or "Professor".

Definitely the type who would be liked by quiet, or polite girls.

But in the future, he would grow into a man who would have a kind smile on his face while a raging blizzard roars in the background when angered.

And, his personality was slightly that of a mother hen.

The type of character that often appears in games, anime, comics and novels that have a lot of male characters in them.

Is it some kind of artistic beauty sense?

Could it be that he's overlapping with Ursch-kun's character archetype?

....No, that's definitely not it.

Ursch-kun's smile has a more soothing sort of effect, and rather than a blizzard, he's the type who would release stuff like a "dark aura" or a "wave of killing intent".

And his default state is to be plotting or calculating about something, which almost makes him a completely different character. Ursch-kun, you're so wonderful♥

────Now then, I've been thinking about stuff like that while watching the current situation, but...

No matter how much I wait for it, the Second Prince isn't being brought up at all?

What is it? Is the Second Prince unpopular or something?

I don't think that should be the case....

Even if his eyes are dead, he looks just as sparkly and handsome as a prince should. Even if his eyes are dead.

From the looks of it, he's got good manners, and is very mature for his age too. Even if his eyes are dead.

The First Prince holds the title of the crown prince, so the Second Prince would be the king's younger brother, or the grand duke, or.... some kind of fancy position in the future, right?

In other words, his fiancée wouldn't have to suffer through the gruelling queen consort training, so I wouldn't think it strange for a few ladies to be eyeing for that position, but....

Why hasn't his name been mentioned so far?

In the beginning, I thought they were just hesitant to bring his name up, or they were keeping tabs on each other, or perhaps simply afraid of his fanclub, but it seems I was wrong.

Should I be the one to bring it up?

But I wouldn't want to have the queen notice me as a result of carelessly bringing his name up, so I'll have to tread carefully.

How should I go about it without seeming attracted to him, nor interested in him, yet still wanting to ask about him?

As I was struggling to come up with a plan, a voice came up at perfect timing.

"I think Prince Christopher is wonderful."

Well done!! Whoever you are!!

I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young lady about my age with her hands on her pink-dyed cheeks, smiling shyly.

Oh, I know that girl!!

One of the four rivals in the Second Prince, Christopher's route.

The other villainess character.

The Marquess' daughter, Amaryllis Elli Brunst.

Unlike Isabella, who was selfish and egoistic as a villainess,

Lady Amaryllis often had male servants waiting on her. She was the bewitching villainess in charge of sex appeal.

Glossy black hair, wine-red eyes, thick fluttering eyelashes, slightly drooping eyes, a beauty mark underneath her left eye, and plump lips.

At the start of the game, the heroine was left in shock after witnessing Lady Amaryllis attempt to use her shapely body and seduce Christopher.

By the way, she stays all the way until version 3.

Lady Amaryllis was not that prominent a rival in version 1, but

in version 2, after Isabella's exit and the seat of the second prince's fiancée becoming empty,

she threw out all the male servants she had gathered, and began to win over the second prince in earnest.

A complete turnaround from the unnoticeable girl in version 1, she became a formidable foe.

Well, you know.

I think Lady Amaryllis already had a thing for the Second Prince by this point in time.

Can't we just let her be the Second Prince's fiancée?

All's well that ends well. A happy ending~.

"My!! Lady Amaryllis, you mustn't!! If what you said were to be heard by the queen, you might be forced to marry the Second Prince's!!"

Hm?

"That's right!! I will pretend I didn't hear anything, so please do not make such careless remarks again!!"

H-Hmm??

"I ask that everyone would pretend they didn't hear Lady Amaryllis' words just now. She is only 6 years old, a child who doesn't know anything yet, so please forget all about it."

The older ladies, whose complexion turned pale, hurriedly chided Lady Amaryllis, and proceeded to silence the other ladies at the table.

In response, the other ladies also held serious expressions as they nodded several times.

While the young ladies were sent into a panic, Lady Amaryllis was dumbfounded.

I'm lost too. What's going on? Is there something wrong?

I have no choice but to listen to this story.

Because it's likely a very valuable information regarding the Second Prince.

"E-excuse me... What's so horrible about the second prince?"

To my question, the ladies brought their faces closer and answered in hushed tones.

"So you don't know about it... The Second Prince is insane. In the future, if his mental condition gets worse than it already is, he will be confined in the palace tower."

Edit: changed picture book to encyclopedia