First Year First Semester – J of Hearts

Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.

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“It seems that the nobles supporting uncle are starting to move… It looks like I’m being targeted.”

His Highness suddenly informed me as such.

Information about the two great factions in this nation also mostly reach my ears. So the Royal Prince Faction have finally begun to move for real?

Lately, the conflict between the Kings Faction and the Royal Prince Faction has begun to soften on the surface. Their sons, His Highness and Raiga-sama didn’t have such a dangerous relationship after all.
It wasn’t as though the two of them were very close to each other, but they hadn’t openly come into conflict even once, and each one of them just lived as they wanted. Their subordinates also behaved as their lords did.
In response, one section of the Royal Prince Faction nobles had grown tired of waiting, and finally began to take action.

“On the other hand though, the neighbouring country also has a power that’s beginning to become turbulent… Information that that power is aiming for me has also reached me.”

What purpose they have, we still don’t know.
Is this hostility towards Garnet Nation, or has the Royal Prince Faction even reached their hands into the neighbouring country?
It’s a complicated issue, but there are nobles of the Royal Prince Faction who have wedded their daughters into the neighbouring country.

“It isn’t as though we’re sure that the nobles of the Royal Prince Faction and the power of one section of the neighbouring nation have joined hands, is it?”

“Mmn. That’s why I was thinking of wringing them out… I haven’t been able to really catch them after all.”

“…Your Highness.”

I’m having a bad feeling about this. Recently, His Highness has become a little reckless.
He was already a person with a strong sense of curiosity, but it seems that that’s been heading in a no good direction. Doing things with half-baked ability is just dangerous.

“I’ll have you and Camille cooperate with me as well.”

His Highness’ plan is as follows.
He’ll go out to have fun in a mountain that’s on campus… There, he’ll watch the movements of the Royal Prince Faction and determine which power it is.

“For the sake of that, I’ll be having a student born in the neighbouring nation help me.”

“…Even though they’ll be going through something dangerous, is there really a student willing to help you with this?”

“It’s fine! She’s strong, after all. I mean, she’s the guard of the neighbouring nation’s prince after all.”

…I get the feeling that these kind of rash ideas are completely the fault of Camille’s influence.

“And, she’s willing to help you?”

“Nope? All I said was that we’d be having a picnic together.”

“…You really are the worst, huh.”

His Higness smiled sweetly… An affirmative.
I don’t want to admit it, but this side of him seems to be because of my influence. I wouldn’t do something so sleazy though.

“Now, now, don’t get so mad. I don’t think it’ll be necessary, but if it comes down to it, I’ll protect her after all.”

Certainly, His Highness has become strong. Unnecessarily so.
I’m not sure how or why, but recently His Highness has been playing at being a spy, and his information gathering skills have grown to a considerable level. Even though spy skills are completely unnecessary for a prince.

“However…”

“It looks like you aren’t getting on board, huh, even though I even came up with a great plan where I could have a date whilst exposing the criminals.”

“…Just now, what was that?”

“Eh? A date I said, a date.”

“With who?”

“Like I said, with the girl who’s the guard of the neighbouring nation’s prince.”

“Who would?”

“Me… Achille, why are you sighing? Even though this is a great plan that even kills two birds with one stone.”

His Highness is also of that age.
Without me realising, it seems that at some point His Highness has fallen for that student from the neighbouring nation.
But, if she found out that she was being used for this kind of plan… Why doesn’t he realise that she’d grow to hate him? He’s developing emotionally in a slightly warped direction, which worries me.

“Her strength is famous in the neighbouring nation, you know. The martial pride tournament held by the nation came out with her as the victor as much as six times, and an evil organisation that tried to touch Tria was completely destroyed by her alone. If even knowing that, they attack in disdain, then they’re people of our nation. If they attack whilst looking wary of that, then the chance that they’re from the neighbouring nation is high.”

“…You really are the worst, huh.”

“Don’t condemn me so much. Ah, keep silent about this from Camille?”

“…Certainly if Camille found out about this, she’d be incredibly shaken, huh. And she’s stupidly honest, so… it’s inevitable that her movements will become stiff.”

“Mn, so let’s have say it’s a normal picnic. So that the number of guards decrease, and I’ll get targeted… while we’re having the picnic, I’ll have you two move away from me.”

“But if anything happens to Your Highness…”

“Do you think something will? You and Camille are coming along… As for whether or not the Royal Prince Faction and the neighbouring nation have any connection, we’ll wring that out of the people we catch. We’ll be carrying it out next break, so keep your schedule free, okay?”

His Highness unilaterally told me as such.
If it’s his order, then even if I have something I want to say about it, there’s no way I can go against him.

“Hahh… Understood. You really are the worst, huh.”

“You’ve said that three times, you know?”

His Highness was beginning to smile gloomily, so I decided to immediately leave.
Honestly, who does this guy take after?

※

On the day of the picnic, His Highness introduced me to a crossdressing schoolgirl.
She’s the daughter of a count in the neighbouring nation, Topageria.
Her jet black hair was tied up with a simple string of a design unique to Topageria. Hanging from her waist was a largish sword.

After hearing about Miss Beatrix from His Highness, I’ve been researching her up until today, but Miss Beatrix doesn’t hold any malice towards His Highness, and she’s on good terms with Camille as well.
I can’t say that we can completely trust her, but for now it should be okay to travel together.
For a while now, His Highness has been stuck to Miss Beatrix. That Camille didn’t bat an eyelid at His Highness’ suddenly courting someone left me a little surprised.

Once we’d reached the lake, His Highness and I immediately decided to set the plan into action.
The lake was smaller than I’d thought, and was a size that we’d immediately be able to walk a lap around, but I got permission to use a “abnormality detection” magic on His Highness so that I’d know immediately if anything happened, just in case.

With good timing, aftering eating lunch Camille started talking about how she wanted to go on a stroll and have a look around the lake. Camille was planning on having me stay with His Highness, but that would mess up the plan, so I immediately stood up as well.
I cut off Miss Beatrix before she could say that she wanted to go as well, and then began to lead Camille away.
At first, Camille was looked at me in protest, but it looks like she sensed something from my face. After that, His Highness’s words backed me up, and led by my hand, she obediently began to walk. Even while making a face that said that she didn’t agree.

While we were on the path around the lake, I turned to look in His Highness’ direction, and found that he was smiling very happily. It looks like he’s satisfied with being left alone with Miss Beatrix.
Without knowing my feelings at all, he’s enjoying himself.
If His Highness is going to be like that, then for a little while, I’ll enjoy my stroll with Camille as well.
Camille’s small right hand was faintly warm, soft and pleasant to the touch. The sunlight was warm as well.
Even though were it not for the fact that today’s excursion was wrapped up in His Highness’ plan, I’d be enjoying this even more… It feels like a bit of a shame.

Roughly halfway around the lake, a strong wind suddenly blew. The fallen leaves and litter was whirled up by it, so I immediately covered Camille.

“Are you okay?”

“I-, I’m fine… Thanks.”

Aahh, she became shaken with great timing.
Lately, somehow or other Camille’s been led around the nose by my every action. Up until now, she’s taken no notice of things in that manner whatsoever, so I’m happy about this change.

Camille who was being nervous had flower petals stuck in her hair. They were flower petals of a slightly deeper pink than the pink of her hair.
When I reached my hand out towards the petals, Camille stirred a little. Today, her hair is curled inwards. Hair that always looks silky and beautiful.

“Umm, Achille?”

Camille’s lost voice suddenly woke me up. It seems that I was unconsciously playing with her hair.

“There were petals stuck to your hair, you know?”

I showed her the petals that were my original goal.

“What, so it was because of flower petals? I was surprised.”

Camille acting plainly suspiciously was adorable, so I accidentally said something teasing.

“Just what did you think it was?”

“Nothing really.”

She was feigning calm, and her reply was blunt, but her ears were bright red so it was pointless.
That too was lovely, so I wrapped my left arm around her right.

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Author’s Note: Next time, I have a battle-scene-ish story planned.

*imouto*

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