Summer Vacation – J of Hearts (Part 3)

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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I was stunned by the sudden development, but immediately regained my bearings and ran towards Camille’s side. Naturally, I ignored the viscount’s daughter.

“Camille, are you okay?”

It seems that she lost consciousness, but she was unhurt.
But she smells a little bit like alcohol… She drank, didn’t she?

“You-… Bakamille!”

I’ll immediately take her elsewhere and nurse her. I can’t leave her like this.
I picked Camille up.

“Whaat, just when I was thinkin’ that some couple was foolin’ around. Isn’t this little miss out cold? Wasn’t that fat Niichan over there forcefully attackin’ ‘er?”

The shadow that tackled Dominique slowly stood up.
Their true identity of that black thing was actually the black-clothed servant of the Jade house; a bespectacled girl with black braids.
If I remember correctly, she’s a new maid that we recently hired for the villa.
Since she just entered our service at the villa, she probably doesn’t know my face, nor Dominique’s.

“You there! What is a lowly maid like you thinking, to ram me like that!”

Dominique who was thrust away was supporting his heavy body as he got up, and glared at the maid with rough breathing.
That guy is always haughty to those lower than him, without distinction.

“There’s nothin’ to say about it! Someone like you who was going to do indecent things to a bloody unconscious girl ‘ere shouldn’t be talkin’!”

“Miss Camille belongs to me! That’s why I can do whatever I want! Achille… Get away from her!”

Dominique whose gaze turned to me raised a hateful voice as his body shook. His words make no sense.

“…So troublesome.”

Dominique has completely hated me since childhood. He 100% ignores my words anyway.
When I ignored his demand, he approached with bloodshot eyes.

“You illegitimate childd-!”

The frenzied Dominique came to attack me, so I promptly avoided him. Wouldn’t it be terrible if he hit Camille?
Having lost its destination, that large body lost its balance and once again tumbled to the floor.
I desperately kept down the urge to kick flying the lump of meat in front of me that lay its hands on Camille, and bound him with magic.

As though binding him, I sealed the movements of his two hands and feet.

“I won’t! I won’t hand her over! The marquis’ position and Camille… As if I’ll let an illegitimate child like you have a single one of them!”

“Should I seal up that noisy mouth as well?”

I fired magic at Dominique’s mouth as well. It’s unpleasant to hear Camille’s name come out of that mouth.

“You there, please carry him into the basement from the back entrance.”

I called out to the maid with braids who was conveniently here.
However, she pouted in displeasure.

“Hahh? Carry this fat mister? Why do I ‘afta…?”

“You’re our family’s maid, right? This is the first time we’ve met, but… the one you’re working for is me, you know.”

The maid widened her eyes at my words.

“…Could it be?”

“I am Achille Jade. This family’s second son.”

And the one lying on the floor is the first son, but… I doubt there’s any need to say it right now.
After showing acknowledgement at my words, the maid said she was going to get a trolley and headed to the storeroom.

“Now then…”

I looked at Camille who was in my arms. She’s sleeping quietly, oblivious to anyone else.

“You really are too defenceless… What should I do now?”

I’ll immediately head to the mansion. It’s not bad either to spend time alone with Camille in a room until the reception starts.

“Achille-sama, where is it that you are headed? I shall also-…”

Ahh, she was still here, wasn’t she. The viscount’s daughter followed me even this far.

“To nurse my precious fiancée…”

“My, Achille-sama. There’s no need to go that far for a shameless woman who even lay her hands on your real brother.”

I want to erase this rude and shameless woman from this place right this instant…

“Miss Wazzurri, please return to the party. If you cannot, then please leave here immediately.”

I tried to speak as gently as I could. If I didn’t, it felt like my true colours would spill out at any moment.

“How cruel. To pick a woman like that over me… I know! Achille-sama, you’ve had magic cast on you by that tattoo woman! If she didn’t, there is no way that you would like a woman who is so strange in the head!”

“Please stop it already.”

“Oohhh, they’re fightin’ over love…”

While I was arguing with this viscount’s daughter, the braids maid from before returned.
She came back with a trolley for carrying Dominique, and a number of fellow maids.
…Her timing is just right. I decided to let the maids take care of the annoying stuff.

“Please have this young lady return. Please guide her to the entrance.”

“Achille-sama… Understood.”

The oldest maid answered. She’s a veteran who’s served the Jade family for many years. It’ll probably be fine even if I leave this viscount’s daughter to her.

“Wha-… Achille-sama? I’m not returning yet, you know? I still have many things I would like to chat with you about! And furthermore, if somebody has to return, then should it not be Miss Camille that leaves first? She was on the brink of drunkenly doing indecent things with Dominique-sama, you know? Whilst having a wonderful fiancé like you, Achille-sama!”

The viscount’s daughter desperately went on and on.
Hearing this, the maids looked at each other with uncomfortable expression.
With the exception of the newcomer maid with braids, all of the loyal retainers of the Jade family know very well the relationship between Camille and I.
Because of that, they’ve also noticed my bad mood.

“Would it not be better to change your way of speaking…?”

After giving once glance at the noble daughter who was stubbornly staying here, I turned to face the maids and gave them another order.

“Take this rude thing that insulted my precious fiancée, and immediately remove her from the premises.”

After giving a reverent bow, the maids immediately became to bring the viscount’s daughter away.

“You insolents! A lowly maid should not casually touch mee! Achille-sama, Achille-samaa!”

With only fruitless resistance, the viscount’s daughter was surrounded by the maids, and then dragged outside the estate.
While that was happening, the braids maid and another young maid picked up Dominique together and placed him on the trolly.

“AAAahhh, even though it’s a rare chance for a big celebration, in the end I hafta carry this big mister…”

“After carrying him inside, lock the door. I’ll take care of the key after that.”

“Understoood. Achille-sama, your keigo and pokerface are slipping, you knowww?”

While smirking, the maid with braids left the with the trolley.

The only ones left in the vicinity of the gazebo were Camille and I.

“Camille… I’m glad that you’re safe, but why did things end up like this?”

Camille was sleeping quietly in my arms.
I decided to carry her into my room in the village, and nurse her there.

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Summer Vacation – J of Hearts (Part 2)

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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After inserting a refusal to the girls, I started to search for Camille. But, there was approximately one person who couldn’t read the mood…

“Geez, isn’t it fine-!? I’m sure Camille-sama is getting along with some other man. It take quite a man of valour to call out to a person like that though, hohohoho!”

Hahahahaha, shall I obliterate you socially? I’ll so thoroughly corner you that you’ll never recover.
It’s the first time someone has spoken so harshly of Camille.

“Like I said, we should have fun together.”

“…”

“Achille-sama?”

The viscount’s daughter looked at me doubtfully after I went silent.
However, it seems she interpreted it in a way convenient for herself. Honestly, it’s impossible to understand how this person thinks.

“Huhuhu, I also yearn for you, Achille-sama. So…”

“Excuse me.”

I cut off her words.

“I have not even a grain of yearning for you, and I have no plans to yearn for you.”

“…What do you mean?”

Seemingly unable to comprehend the meaning of my words, the viscount’s daughter blinked her eyes.
Something that seemed a matter of course to me is apparently an unexpected outcome for her.

“Like I said, I am saying that I have no intention of making you who, insulted my precious fiancée, my mistress.”

Of course, I have no intention of keeping any mistress to begin with.
Probably gradually understanding the meaning of my words, she began to tremble in disgrace.

“You are saying, that I am inferior to that tattoo woman?”

“Yes, in every way.”

I gave her an extraordinary smile. Of course, in harassment.

“Well then, I shall be leaving.”

I promptly did an about face and left the area.
From this situation, it’s possible that Camille is hurt or in danger. I don’t think Camille will be done in easily, but there’s no harm in being overly cautious.
That the rampage of a lady mad with jealously is surprisingly terrifying is something that we learnt from Miss Claire’s case after all.
Even having that much said to her, the viscount’s daughter seemed like she was still about to follow after me, so I quickly moved away from that place.
I have to quickly look for Camille…

The party grounds were crowded with people. Honestly, I don’t feel that I’ll find her immediately.
I activated search magic without hesistation. I’m nervous since this is the first time I’ve used the magic, but you can’t escape a crisis without some sacrifice.
I took out the quill that I received as a present from Camille, and changed it into light.
When I did, what should have been light flew outside the party grounds.

“Why?”

Did she start feeling bad from the alcohol, and leave the premises…?
I chased the light in a panic.

Camille was inside a gazebo that was a little removed from the garden.
Together with someone unexpected…

“Why is he here?”

In the gazebo, it seemed that my half-brother Dominique was in an agitated state and was in the middle of closing in on Camille.
Speaking of which, I’ve seen Dominique behave like he’s fallen in love with Camille before.
Occasionally when she comes over to our house, his eyes are glued to her with a hot stare… He fancied her.
However, if you had to say it, despite being arrogant at home, Dominique is shy outside. I underestimated him and thought that he wouldn’t lay his hands on somebody else’s fiancée but… it seems that this is an exception.
If I don’t hurry, Camille will be in danger. Right now she doesn’t even have tattoos, so she can’t even use automagic defence.
And, perhaps because she’s drunk, she looks kind of limp.

“Camille!”

“Achille-samaa!”

When I tried to move forward, my left arm was suddenly caught by a delicate white hand.

“…-”

Chasing me this far? What incredible tenacity.
When I turned around, the viscount’s daughter was standing there.

“See? Look. Isn’t Camille-sama in the middle of enjoying herself? And of all people, with your Oniisama. How unpleasantt, how dirtyy.”

I wordlessly shook off her hand. Right now saving Camille takes precedence.

While I was busy with this woman, Camille had fallen to the ground.
Dominique got on top of her without hesitating. My mind turned bright red.

“Dominique!”

From here, I won’t make it even if I run – do I fire magic at him?
It’s fine right? Even if I get a little rough, I mean.
The moment I turned my hand towards Dominique…

“Oi, youuu! What the bloody ‘ell are you doin’ in broad daylight!?”

A black shadow suddenly appeared, and thrust Dominique away.

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TL: Enter osakaben character. Um, impression is like, humorous and witty (although that’s because of manzai culture associations from television etc.) and idunno, just different. It often gets adapted as cockney or ‘southern USA’, but that’s not really right, not just for osaka dialect, but kansai dialect in general. Kind of a different impression, but hey.
So yeah, idunno. Ended up using a very, very, very mild (I don’t even change the t’s into glottal stops) mockney accent… that’s actually neither of them. Hohoho, what a mysterious and inconsistent accent this is. I wonder just where she comes from.

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Summer Vacation – J of Hearts (Part 1)

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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Today is my older sister Déborah’s wedding ceremony.
Despite constantly talking to me about marrying into power, she married a solder of commoner’s birth.
My stepmother and stepbrother were against this marriage, but my father was on Déborah’s side and realised her wish.

That Déborah was wearing a normal wedding dress, and not her usual lantern-like dress was a little relief for me.
It seems that Désirée’s tastes have also gone from lanterns to normal dresses recently. I wonder what on earth happened to my two sisters…

Well, let’s leave that aside… Today, Camille was wearing a refreshing, ice-blue high waist dress. I’m bothered that it’s a little short, but it suits her quite well. Her normal clothing is usually a robe, so it’s a rare chance to see her wearing a dress like today.
Today, her magic tattoos are gone.
They were gone during the entrance ceremony as well, but… Once Camille erases her tattoos, the fact that men immediately turn their gazes to her is boundlessly unpleasant. Even though they normally don’t even pay her a glance.
In particular, the groom’s friends who probably don’t know about her are sending her gazes, bold to the point of obviousness.
Camille is still Camille, you know. Even though it’s be fine if she ignored those gazes… why is she looking back at them each time?
These guys have enough momentum that it seems they’ll approach Camille at any moment now, so I embraced her and restrained them.

After the wedding ceremony, the reception was being held at our villa.
Until the reception begins, a cocktail party is being held in the garden… But.
Camille who’s walking beside me is acting suspiciously. The fact that she’s been glancing at the cocktails for a while now has not escaped me.

“I-, I’m not going to drink, you know. I’ve already decided not to drink anymore, after all.”

It seems that she’s recalling that incident at the entrance ceremony.
However, seeing the desirous gaze she was turning to the cocktails, it might just be a matter of time before she retracts her statement.
I decided to get her something else to drink before that happens. Fortunately, there’s a table with non-alcoholic cocktails prepared nearby.
I’d have have Camille wait a bit, and I’d procure a drink for her I decided.

Since it was right there, I expectedly thought it’d be okay, but… Having gone to get a drink for Camille, I was splendidly surrounded by nobles’ daughters.
For them to be fine with this kind of thing even at my sister’s wedding is… I gave my tongue a small, unnoticable click.
Of course, these women know that I’m engaged to Camille.
That’s why these women… are probably aiming for the position of the future Marquis Rhodolite’s mistress.
There are many nobles with mistresses like my father in this country. Earlier, even Camille said that it would be fine to keep some mistresses, after all; it’s that common a thing. It’s not rare even for both husband and wife to have other lovers.

“Hey, Achille-sama. Won’t you have a little chat with me?”

Go away. Camille’s waiting for me nearby, but you can see that, right…?
They probably have too much confidence in themselves.
Camille is also a beautiful girl, but normally she acts like a weirdo so the daughters of nobles probably don’t even bother with her.

“Sorry, my fiancée is waiting for me.”

“Isn’t it fine to talk for just a little?”

“To be married to an oddball marquis’ daughter, Achille-sama is pitiful…”

This is how normal society sees me. Even though I’m the one who pushed for the engagement, for some reason people sympathise with me wherever I go.

“It’s a beautiful gathering, so nobody would blame you even if you let down your hair a little.”

No, this is my sister’s wedding, you know? To do that in a gathering of nobles, how bold you’d have to be.

“Sorry, I also have things to do, so at some other time.”

“Geez, please don’t say something so cold!”

One of the noble daughters clung to me even more.
In truth, after bringing Camille, I have to go greet people you know…
I am technically Déborah’s younger brother, so I have to go around and greet the guests. I did so before and after the wedding ceremony, but there are still others left.
Even though this is small scale, we’re still nobles so the number of guests is no joke.
Thanks to my stepmother’s showing off, even nobles we aren’t even close to are attending in huge groups. This noble’s daughter is one of them.
As you’d expect, His Highness didn’t show up, but he sent words and a gift of congratulation.

“Achille-samaa”

The stubborn noble daughter wrapped her hands around my arm.
Was she the second daughter of the Wazzurri viscount family, again…? If I remember correctly, amongst the nobles’ daughters, she has the nicest face, but her pridefulness and pushiness practically spills out of her. You could say that it’s hatred for my own kind, but at the very least, I can do things a little better than her.

“We did get this rare chance to meet after all… Isn’t it fine?”

As if it’s fine! Seriously, give me a break; what are you going to do if Camille misunderstands?
Even while this was going on, I was still worried about Camille, so I unconsciously turned my eyes her way but…

“…Not there.”

Camille wasn’t there.

“Camille?”

It couldn’t be that she got jealous and walked off somewhere?

“…It’s nothing surprising. It’s Camille after all.”

But then I’ll be worried about where she disappeared to. Could it be that she’s gone to talk to the soldiers from before, or could it be…?

“Mn?”

On the table, right where Camille was sitting, was an empty drink glass.
I got a bad premonition.

“Hey, Achille? The fiancée who’s in the way is gone, so let’s go.”

While I was worrying about Camille, Viscount Wazzurri’s daughter continued talking to me without giving up. All the other nobles’ daughters have been pushed back by her good looks and forcefulness.

“Please let go, Miss Wazzurri.”

“My, you don’t have to speak so distantly. Please call me Elenore.”

…I probably won’t call you that all my life.

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Summer Vacation – Q of Hearts (Part 3)

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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Even after finishing the cocktail, my irritation wasn’t settled. On the contrary, my anger towards the noble daughters was growing larger.
Right now I can painfully understand the feelings of the in-game Camille. I want to smack those noble daughters about…

“Alright! That’s what I’ll do!”

I’m not the nice girl heroine. I don’t have the sort of lovely personality that’ll have me suck on my thumb from a corner while looking on enviously.
I’ll go now, and take back my fiancé from that ring of girls! It’s simple.

Boosted by the vigour of alcohol, I took a powerful step forward, but suddenly, somebody call out to me from behind.

“Miss Camille, it seems that the reception is about to start, doesn’t it?”

I stared at the person who had called out to me.

“…Dominique.”

That’s unexpected. To think he called out to me.
Dominique was wearing the black formal dress that he ordered for today. He strongly resembles the character that appeared in children’s books from my old world; Humpty Dumpty.

“Shall we chat a little over there?”

I glanced at Achille, but it seems he’s still in the middle of chatting with the noble daughters. From this, it seems that it’ll still take some more time huh.

“Sure.”

I decided to go with Dominique. I’ll come back immediately so there probably won’t be a problem.
He is technically Déborah’s brother. Perhaps there’s something he wants to say about his sister’s wedding reception.

After being brought by him to gazebo away from the garden, I asked him about his business with me.
In the distance I can hear the voices of the other guests, chatting with a cocktail in hand.

“What was it you wanted to say to me?”

While crossing his blubbery arms, sweat running down his skin, Dominique replied.

“Miss Camille, just what is good about that illegitimate child?”

“…Huh?”

“You’re being tricked. That guy’s using you, it’s all for your position…!”

“…Hahh.” [either a sigh, or a non-committal ‘I see.’]

What’s he feeling indignant about? His face suddenly turned red.

“That man has no interest in anything but the position of Marquis. I can’t stand by and watch as you become a sacrifice to that kind of cold man!”

“Ummmmm…”

He’s talking about Achille… right?

“It still isn’t too late! You should cancel your engagement with him!”

“Umm, err…”

Dominique is serious. He’s seriously worried about me and recommending that I cancel the engagement with Achille.

“Since the past, that illegitimate child has been a man that only does things out of self-interest.”

Mmn, that I know. Achille has been hugely self-interested since the very moment we met, after all.
But right now I also know that that isn’t all he is.

“If it’s about about cancelling our engagement, I have no intention of doing so, you know?”

“Why-?”

“I know about both Achille’s calculativeness and ambition, but he has good points too… and, umm, I also… don’t hate him.”

Uwahh! So embarassing!
I didn’t think the day would come when I’d say something like that to Achille’s brother. I held my reddened cheeks in my two hands.

However, it seems that Dominique wasn’t happy about my response.
He was jiggling as he trembled, and his large red face was gradually paling…

“You surprisingly, have bad eyes, huh… Even a marquis’ daughter like you.”

The moment he said this, Dominique strongly grabbed my arm.

“-…Dominique?”

Turning to look at me when I spoke, Dominique’s eyes were clouded over. It’s those eyes that he occasionally turns on me when I visit Achille’s house.
With my arm grabbed, I was forcefully held against the wall of the gazebo.

“Oww-…!”

Crap! Because today is Déborah’s wedding, my tattoos are gone!
Without my automatic defences, right now my physical power is no difference from a normal, weak noble’s daughter.

“I won’t accept it, I won’t accept it… For that guy to have a higher position than even me. For him to steal away everything away!”

While saying his, his hands clamped down on my arms.

“Dominique, it hurts. Let go!”

Should I use magic and blow Dominique away…? But it’s Déborah’s wedding ceremony, so I’d like to avoid doing anything that would cause a fuss.
Right now Dominique is running wild for some reason, but he’s Déborah’s real blood brother.

“Please stay quiet, Miss Camille; people will come, you know? If they saw this kind of scene, I wonder just what kind of rumours would spread.”

Too close! Dominique’s face is drawing right before my eyes.
I don’t know what kind of rumours would spread, but to me it’s certain that this situation is getting extremely bad.

“I won’t hand them over to that guy! Not a higher position than me, or you!”

Together with his rough breathing, Dominique stuck his body to me.
At this rate, I might get shamefully labelled as the evil woman who led on the two brothers of the viscount family! That’d be troubling!

As expected, even if it gets a little rough, I should use magic now to escape.
I immediately made to cycle magic power through my body to use magic… but, for some reason I can’t do it well.

“Mn… huhH? ThAT’S weIRd…”

I can’t pronounce things properly. My legs are feeling unstable… Dominique is sneering at me.

“Miss Camille, are you already drunk from that cocktail?”

That might be. His idea that I can’t find my strength because I’m drunk is very possible.
Something like this happened before too, huhh. I guess I really should have held back from drinking.
Even if I reflect on it now, it’s too late though…

“Mmn…”

I suddenly couldn’t stand, and collased on the spot. Dominique began to blanket me with his body.

“Both the marquis’ position, and Miss Camille… are mine.”

While in a daze, my cloudy vision turned to the bottom of Dominique’s neck, and I discovered a familiar bruise.

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Author’s Note: It’s unrelated but…

【Blood Types of Characters】

Camille → B
Achille → A
Royce → AB
Tria → AB
Beatrix → A
Raiga → B
Twins → A
Heroine → O

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First Year First Semester – Q of Hearts – Mansion (Part 7)

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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“Huhu, I’m glad, Camille. You and Achille like each other, right?”

I get the feeling that information gets leaked to Royce-sama, each and every time. How mysterious.
Did Achille tell him about it?
No matter how good it is, even Royce-sama would find it impossible to actually peep on what happened inside the carriage.

Having returned to the castle, right now I’m having tea with Royce-sama who’s finished dealing with the post-processing of the incident. Achille was apparently busy with work or something, so he isn’t here.
The tea I have in Royce-sama’s room is very delicious, and each time it feels like I’ve gained a little something for free. Today’s black tea is exquisite as well.

“I’m glad… you say? You are, Royce-sama?”

“Of course. The two of you are my important friends, after all… That you two are openly in love with each other feels like a load off my back, you know.”

“…Was there some sort of burden that you had in regards to this, Royce-sama?”

“There was, you know. You were having trouble graduating from me, after all. I got watched pretty badly by Achille…”

Achille? He did that sort of thing?

“G-, Graduate, you say…?”

Speaking of which, at the count’s hideout he said the same thing as well, but… Just what does he mean?

“I said it earlier, right? That you overlapped me with somebody else, and adored them through me. For a long time now, I’ve always been wondering about it, but am I really that similar to that person…?”

“Something like overlapping somebody similar to you, I wouldn’t do…”

Having thought that far, it suddenly hit me. Could it be…

Just one person, comes to mind.
He’s incredibly similar him… But, I’m certain that he’s different to the one that’s before my eyes in real life.

“It couldn’t be…”

Is the person that Royce-sama talked about, the in-game him?

I unconsciously, unwittingly, overlapped and compared Royce-sama with the in-game him…?
While I was aware that this world was real, I looked for points that were similar with the game’s characters, and without realising it myself, compared them.

What I’ve been holding onto for these ten years, were love for the game’s Royce… No, a yearning for him. I sended up stacking those feelings onto the real him.
And Royce-sama who’s good at reading other’s feelings, has probably always noticed this.

“Royce-sama… I,”

What a rude attitude I’ve taken towards him for almost ten years. Instead of the real person, I’ve been yearning for a fake existence of my own convenience.

“Camille, did you like that person?”

“…No, rather than love, it was just yearning, I think. I understood that being with them was impossible, after all.”

I mean, it was a game character. And someone completely different from the current Royce-sama.

“I see…”

Royce-sama gazed at me.

“I’m sorry. It must have been uncomfortable, right? To have an imaginary person like that overlapped onto you for so long…”

I’d definitely hate it. To be seen through the filter of the in-game Camille.

However, inexpectedly, Royce-sama shook his head.

“That’s not true. The fact that you’ve always been by me, and protected me, is because of that imaginary guy after all.”

“Royce-sama… You’re too kind.”

What a magnanimous prince.
Accepting even me, who was holding onto selfish delusions, and always keeping me as a friend.

“From now on as well, I intend to protect you, Royce-sama. Because you’re my friend, and an older brotherly, or perhaps younger brotherly… important person to me.”

Royce-sama softly smiled. Even now, after he’s grown up, that smile is still the same as always.

“Me too. You’re my important friend, and though older sister is impossible… I think of you like a little sister, you know.”

He just declared that ‘older sister’ was impossible for meee!

※

After my chat with Royce-sama, I turned up to work for the first time in a while and was discovered by Achille, and he speedily walked towards me. Has he already finished work or something?
He stopped in front of my eyes, and with a grave expression, placed his hands on my two shoulders.

Since that incident in the carriage, I feel that the sense of distance between us has shrunk again.
It seems that Achille is completely in boyfriend mode. He’s been treating me even more protectively than before… I can’t get used to being treated like this, and it’s embarassing.

“Achille, what’s wrong? You’re making such a serious expression.”

“Who’s the person that you yearn for?”

“Yearn for? Ah-, could it be…!”

Achille… Didn’t you hear about this too quickly?
Even though I only just told Royce-sama, what a formidable guy.

Maybe Royce-sama and Achille don’t hide anything from each other. The friendship between men is a mystery.
But still, Royce-sama, you’re too loose-lipped… Even though you’re a prince.

I’d decided that I would also tell Achille the truth.
I-, It’s not perfect, but we are lovers, so I’d like to avoid weird misunderstandings.

“…I’ve said this to Royce-sama too, but it’s not a person that exists in reality, you know.”

Ah, he’s giving me a weird look. I might look like a cringeworthy woman right now.

“What kind of person are they?”

“Mnnnn, an ideal prince. He’s a little bit like Royce-sama, but… As expected, I’ve understood that they aren’t the same.”

“Hmmn… I wonder if it’s like the princes on white steeds that Déborah and Désirée have spoken to me about. Girls seem to like those types of stories, don’t they?”

“R-, rightright! He’s like that! An existence you yearn for!”

It’s a little different, but the point about being a prince that you yearn for is the same, so I’ll just go with this. If I don’t, it seems like things will get complicated.

Achille didn’t look like he was accepting it, but it looks like he’ll spare me more questioning, which saved me.

“Then, you really do like me back, right?”

“Mmn…”

When he asks me face to face, I get shy no matter what, and end up being stiff.

“Other people that you long for…”

“D-, Didn’t I say that there aren’t any!?”

No good, I was panicked and accidentally let out a bit of a loud voice. So embarassing.

“Really? You won’t cheat on me?”

“I said that I won’t, geez!”

To begin with, since it was the imaginary Royce-sama from the game, it’d be impossible to cheat anyway.
Achille… Surprisingly, I’m sort of seeing elements of a possessive boyfriend just under the surface, you know.

“You should know it too, right? I don’t have someone like th-… Ah-!?”

When I glared at Achille and was trying to refute him, I saw from over his shoulders a pair of blue eyes, sneakily watching us from a corner of the hallway.
It seems that Achille noticed the presence behind him as well, and turned around.

“Wh-… Royce-sama, what are you doing spying from the shadows!? Do you have business in the Magic Building?”

Even though he should have been resting in his room until just a moment ago. Honestly, he’s a prince you can’t let your guard down around.

“No, I was just watching over you two. I want to use you guys as a reference later, okay?”

I’m hugely questioning what exactly he plans on using this as a reference for.

“Not, ‘okay?’! Even though you’re a prince, aren’t your information gathering skills getting too good? Why was there no hint of your presence!?”

Achille tsukkomi’d Royce-sama. But, I also don’t think that Royce-sama’s presence erasing abilities are ordinary.
…But still, we sure showed him something embarassing, huhh.

Looking at the three of us together like this, I start to think that we’ve grown quite a lot since that time.
Each of us, in different directions.
The first time we met, we chatted in this Magic Building as well, huhh… Our personalities were completely different though.

Now, Achille is using his genius intellect in his job, and is going fullspeed down the path to becoming an elite.
The competence that he had when he was Royce-sama’s right hand man in the game was plenty as well, I think. The calculating side of him that was laid bare when he was a child has also calmed down, but he’s good at hiding what he doesn’t want to show, so I have no idea what he’s actually thinking though.
Royce-sama was originally a prince whose kindness was his only merit, but lately, perhaps due to Achille’s influence, occasionally he shows a highly calculating side of him.
Also, he erases his presence and moves about stealthily like a ninja, so it seems that he’s making various secret manoeuvres in places I don’t know about. I’m sure he’s already got a hold of my weaknesses. A secret intelligence-type prince… He’s ended up growing in a surprising direction, huhh…

I’m developing in the direction that I originally aimed for, and became a professional magician who’s mastering magic.
Right now I’m a student, as well as a “Red” magician, but in the future I plan on becoming a “Black” magician who can guard Royce-sama.
I’ve also g-, gotten Achille as a fiancé and lover… so my future as the daughter of a marquis also seems stable for now.
To think that I’d end up in this kind of relationship with that Achille… I wouldn’t have thought it when I first came to this world, huhh. The world is a mysterious thing.
But this world isn’t a game; it’s reality. Achille, and Royce… and I as well, are people living in reality.
Through our choices, the future is something that changes unendingly.

---

/First Semester END

Author’s Note: The Mansion Arc has basically finished.

*imouto*

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First Year First Semester – J of Hearts – Mansion

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’.

Heyyy, French people. If I mess up any names, would it be okay if you commented and told me? I’m being pretty irresponsible with my googling, so I’ve already gotten two names wrong before. Thanks (:

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His Highness Royce’s kidnapping incident was treated as more or less concluded, and we guarded His Highness to the castle.
We boarded various carriages.
It would be faster to fly on a broom, but because there were a lot of knights who couldn’t use magic, we ended up travelling on ground. It seems that the knights all hurried their horses and had come running here. It was probably quite forced.
Because the guards for His Highness on the way back were specialised knights, Camille and I were relieved of our duties.
Because knights had a strong sense of self respect, they wouldn’t leave the duty of guarding to we who were nothing more than His Highness’s hanger ons.
Even amongst the knights themselves, they were always kicking and fighting for a better position, so it can’t be helped I guess. As long as no harm comes to His Highness, I don’t really care, but I’m a little worried.
Far from cooperating, Knights also holding each other back… It’s a sad thing that they aren’t heading in a direction where they try to strengthen each other.
When it comes to my managerial position, I’d like to think that we don’t engage in such pointless quarrels.

Camille and I rode in the same carriage.
Count Tito and his daughter Claire were in cells in carriages for prisoners.
The carriages were borrowed from a nearby noble. It would certainly take quite a long time to bring some all the way from the castle.

Camille was starting to doze off in the seat opposite mine. She seems like she’ll fall asleep any moment now.
We were allowed to ride a carriage as well, but strictly speaking we’re borrowing a carriage. Having Camille ride a carriage in this situation is much too risky.

“Uuu…n”

While moaning for some reason, Camille was frantically trying to keep her eyes open.
It’s probably a given that she won’t sleep until she knows that Royce-sama has safely arrived at the castle. In that respect, she’s been a conscientious one since a long time ago.
Since there’s no other choice, I speak to Canille. If I speak to her, she might wake up.

“During the events this time, I’ve been thinking.”

“Nn… Thinking what?”

It seems like Camille’s consciousness is returning a little.

“Camille, you consume too much.”

She woke up after hearing those words.

“Certainly this body’s consumption rate is bad, and I immediately feel hungry again, but in exchange I have the benefit of not getting fat-”

…To say “this body”, it’s almost like she’s talking about somebody else’s problem.

“Not that, Camille, I’m talking about your magic power. I’ve been thinking this since I see it from up close, but when you use magic, you spend more than necessary and let off a lot of wasted mana. Like that, you’ll suffer mana exhaustion again, you know?”

“Uuu…”

At the count’s mansion, I got injured saving Camille after she blundered.
Seeing that, Camille repeatedly used healing magic before my eyes, but… though she has a lot of power in magic, accompanying that is too much wasteful discharge of magic power. As a result, she suffered mana exhaustion.
Even though she’d normally be able to use more magic, to be unable to utilise her full power because of her magic power shortage when the time came, is too much of a waste.

“I’ll try my best to take care. After all, I can’t use magic in an efficient way like you can, Achille…”

It’s not that you can’t do it, but that it’s annoying so you simply don’t, isn’t it?
Camille is sketchy with absolutely everything. You can see it even in the way she uses magic.
Paying no heed to magic power, and firing off huge magic again and again.

“Even though your magic knowledge and technique is towering above everyone else, the way you use your magic power is crude, so it’s really a waste, isn’t it?”

Camille made a difficult expression.

“By the way, isn’t there some trick to using magic power efficiently?”

This is also one of Camille’s habits. She immediately starts drifting towards convenient methods.
Trying to gain the maximum effect through the minimum effort can also be taken as a good point, but when it comes to her, her biggest motivation is because she can’t be bothered.
She really can’t be helped, huhh…

“It’s not that hard, you know? Shall I teach you?”

“Is that really okay?”

It’s probably unconscious, but when Camille looks at me with those sparkling eyes, it’s cute enough to kill.
However, I musn’t be fooled by that. When the topic turns to magic, she always makes that face.
I restrained myself.

“Of course. You’re always teaching me in magic after all.”

The reason I’ve been improving in magic so quickly is not only because I’m being taught by my father. It’s because Camille always showcases practical and unique modified spells before my eyes as well.
And, because she cheerfully imparts that knowledge onto His Highness and I without reluctance…

“But you teach me schoolwork in exchange, don’t you?”

That’s nothing more than the fact that if I leave her alone, she won’t study at all, so there’s no choice but to teach her.
As expected, having the daughter of a marquis stay an idiot would be pretty bad right? Or so I was thinking, so I poked my nose in, and the result was that I ended up in the present situation, stuck with the job of acting like a private tutor. It’s also the truth that it’s a good excuse to be with her, so I’m fine with it though.

This time, it’d probably be fine to treat mana control as part of her studies as well. Camille is conscientious only in these regards.

“Well then, we’ll do it in addition to studying. I’m worried. Finding out that without knowing it, you even got involved with forbidden arts… It seems like one day you’ll do something that you can’t take back…”

I’m honestly worried about this.
Before I knew it, in some place I don’t know, Camille’s been stocking up on knowledge of forbidden arts.
She probably intruded on the royal palace’s archive or something on her own.
Even if a door is heavily locked with difficult to dispel magic, she’s a lock picking expert who’ll easily dispel it. That acts as a good impetus for her to arbitrarily open and close doors in the royal palace, and go in and out of various places.
From now on, I’d better keep an eye on her, or else…
It looks like His Highness will be giving her permission to the forbidden archives, but when she goes, I’ll come with her.
Camille always, always, does what she pleases when she’s in deserted places…

“…Hahh.”

Tired from my one way feelings, I ended up wanting to sooth myself a little.
So I decided to poke at Camille just a little. She’s given me plenty of good reactions so far, so she’s someone worth poking at.

“So, Camille. When am I going to get a reply to my confession? I’ve been waiting the whole time since then, but…”

I moved to her side.

“Fue-?”

…What’s with that stupid sounding reply? With that, Camille sank into thought about something.

“…Camille, are you spacing out? Are you planning on pretending this didn’t happen?”

“Nah, but I mean, I’m your fiancée, so isn’t that kind of conversation unnecessary by now? Or so I was thinking.”

I wonder if in Camille’s mind, just having the title of “being engaged” is enough, and our feelings don’t matter.

“Even though I told you my feelings? Are you saying you’re fine with a loveless marriage?”

I know what a real political marriage is. My two parents are like that.
My stepmother who gave birth to children out of duty, and desperately tries to have her own child become family head.
My father who, being overwhelmed by that kind of woman, felt that being around her was oppressive, and so went outside to have affairs.
Is it fine even if we become like that?

“No, like I was saying, it’s not that, umm…”

…It’s Camille though, so perhaps there’s a good chance that she’s just not thinking anything.
Or rather, that’s probably the correct answer.

…Is this reaping what I sowed?
Because Camille grew up, and her circumstances changed accordingly, I panicked and used the title of ‘engaged couple’ to keep her surroundings at bay.
All while leaving her feelings behind…
I’m sure that this is the compensation for that.

“Honestly, I regret mixing up the order. I don’t regret getting engaged to you, Camille, but making sure of your feelings first would’ve been the correct order, huh?”

“Achille…”

Her large, raspberry coloured eyes widened.

“If you stay quiet, I end up misunderstanding it in a way that’s convenient for me, you know?”

“Misunderstand?”

“I mean, even when I hug you or kiss you, you don’t resist at all, right?”

“…Th-, at’s-”

Honestly, I think I have a chance.

Lately, Camille has been acting bashful and embarassed a lot around me, after all. Her behaviour is like that of a normal noble’s daughter of her age.
I’m properly being viewed by her as a member of the opposite sex.

“I-I-I-If I told you frankly that I was rejecting your confession, what would you do?”

Camille’s voice was getting agitated and shrill.
That she lets her unrest show like that is adorable, and it’s relieving that I don’t have to read what’s under the surface like with other people.

“Then I’d continue putting in more effort until you looked at me. I’ve already waited ten years, so a little more is nothing, right?”

But, I’ve waited that long already, so Im starting to want a reply… Is what I’m really thinking.
Camille turned bright red.

“T-, Then what would you do if I accepted?”

“Then it’d be mutual. We’d openly behave like lovers.”

“I… do I like you, perhaps?”

…Is that something you’d usually ask me? Would it be okay if I intentionally took that as an affirmative?

“…Even if you ask me, I’m stumped, you know.”

Camille looks like she’s fretting about it. Her expressions are rapidly changing about, so I don’t get tired of watching her.
I wonder if there’ll come a day when she loves me…
I do feel somehow or other that I have a chance, but it might be early for Camille who’s still like a little kid. Does this need to take more time…?
While I was worrying about this, I met my eyes with Camille, who surprisingly was suddenly looking hard at me.
It looks like she wants to say something.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, Achille… Um, you see,”

“Mn?”

“Y-, You see. Umm, that’s… ermmmm…”

Whilst fidgeting, Camille began looking into space.
Her preface was too long, but because she was giving her all, I stayed quiet and watched over her.

“I-, I also… might like you. It’s surprising when you hug me, but I don’t particularly dislike it, after all.”

Her voice shrank during the second half, but I heard it all.

“Camille…”

If you tell me that while averting your gaze with all your might, you lose your credibility you know…
But we’ve known each other for many years, so I understand that she’s just earthshakingly embarassed.
The ones who would understand this, are probably… just His Highness and I.

“I said it, okay!? I properly replied, okay!?”

“Seems so.”

“With this, this conversation is fini-…”

“With this, we’re openly in love with each other, huh!”

Our levels of enthusiasm are a little different, but we can deal with that step by step…
And, I have no intention of letting the conversation finish like this.
I finally got a chance to hear the words I’ve been longing for from Camille’s mouth, after all.

“You, like me?”

“Like I said, I’ve already said it, haven’t I!?”

“Do you like me?”

“…I, I like you.”

As usual she’s averting her gaze with all she has, but her face is as red as a boiled octopus, so she’s probably saying this from the heart.

“Well then, can we kiss?”

“GUFUO-! Geho, gohoh-”

Why did she choke there?
…It’s Camille, so I guess it can’t be helped, huh? Honestly, she really is an expert at destroying the mood.
I love that kind of Camille even so, so there’s no way I can be shaken by this degree of coughing.
I’m prepared to accept her no matter how she is. It’s been ten years now, after all.

My first move is… interpreting that coughing as an ‘okay’, you know.

“I see, I see. So it’s okay, huh. Well then, I won’t hold back.”

“GEHO, GEHO-! Eh? Achille, I haven’t said a thing ye-… Nnnnnn-!”

Even though her mouth says various of things, when I actually kiss her, she goes docile. She says that it’s just being frozen from shock, though. There’s no real resistance either.
When it comes to her, if she really didn’t like it, on top of going on a rampage, she’d even start go berserk with magic, after all.

“Nn, Camille… so cute.”

“Hyaa-…! Nn-, Achille.”

Right now, there’s nobody but Camille and I in the carriage, and His Highness the peeping expert is under close guard and can’t freely move about.

Going by the speed of our carriage, we might reach the castle around noon tomorrow, huh…?
Knights who came to pick up His Highness, good job!

*imouto*

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First Year First Semester – Q of Hearts – Mansion (Part 6)

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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Count Tito and Claire were taken away by burly men from the knight order, and the parent and child were put on separate carriages for criminals and carried away.
They would probably be confined in the castle jail for a while, and questioned about various things.
I received Royce-sama’s permission to read the forbidden books, and plan to look up on forbidden magic.
If it’s the forbidden books in the castle, then a way to undo Claire’s magic might be written somewhere.

Royce-sama was heavily, heavily guarded and transported to the castle.
It was after a kidnapping incident, so I guess it couldn’t be helped even that he was confined in the carriage…

After knights were dispatched from the castle, Achille and I were quickly removed from Royce-sama’s guard. Kiiii! So frustrating!
Even though we were the ones who saved Royce-sama… No, Royce-sama escaped on his own, though.
Because of this and that, right now our job is done, and I’m in the same carriage as Achille.
We’re riding this carriage to accompany Royce-sama until he reaches the castle.

Our hours of sleep were cut down, and then we chased after Royce-sama, so riding the rocking carriage like this makes me feel like my consciousness is going to leave me.
Even though we have to be prepared for an emergency, so there’s no way it’d be okay to fall asleep.

I was nodding off, when suddenly Achille spoke to me.
I’m grateful, since I feel like I’ll fall asleep any moment now.

“During the events this time, I’ve been thinking.”

“Nn… Thinking what?”

Probably about the Royal Prince Faction’s schemes, or possibly…

“Camille, you consume too much.”

It’s about me!?

“Certainly this body’s consumption rate is bad, and I immediately feel hungry again, but in exchange I have the benefit of not getting fat-”

“Not that, Camille, I’m talking about your magic power. I’ve been thinking this since I see it from up close, but when you use magic, you spend more than necessary and let off a lot of wasted mana. Like that, you’ll suffer mana exhaustion again, you know?”

“Uuu…”

Because I made that kind of failure before his eyes, I can’t even refute him.
Also, in truth, there are cases of magicians running out of magic power various times while on the job.
At the time, a companion will have a recovery potion, and they’ll make do somehow, but… what Achille is pointing out is for me, something truly difficult to hear.
The mana recovery potions for emergencies that appear on the market have too weak an effect.
Even if you say they’re potions for recovering magic power, it’s not as if all your magic power will return after drinking it. Even now, an effective mana recovery potion has yet to be created.
That’s why Achille is also worried about emergency situations.
Honestly, this childhood friend of mine is really overprotective, huhh.

“I’ll try my best to take care. After all, I can’t use magic in an efficient way like you can, Achille…”

“Even though your magic knowledge and technique is towering above everyone else, the way you use your magic power is crude, so it’s really a waste, isn’t it?”

“By the way, isn’t there some trick to using magic power efficiently?”

Achille can already perfectly use only the necessary amount of magic power.
It’s unbelievable how compact and methodically he can convert magic power into magic. It’s enough that I admire him each time.

“It’s not that hard, you know? Shall I teach you?”

“Is that really okay?”

Asking Achille to teach me in magic is curious. Even though it’s always the other way around.

“Of course. You’re always teaching me in magic after all.”

“But you teach me schoolwork in exchange, don’t you?”

“Well then, we’ll do it in addition to studying. I’m worried. Finding out that without knowing it, you even got involved with forbidden arts… It seems like one day you’ll do something that you can’t take back…”

The fact that I knew about forbidden magic was exposed to Achille as well, wasn’t it…
But I’m not that much of an idiot, you know!
Forbidden arts are dangerous. Even if I gain knowledge about it, I won’t actually use it you know!

※

Suddenly, Achille closed the distance.
We were in a carriage, so it was cramped, and it was difficult to move about. Inevitably, Achille ended up stuck to me.

“U-, Umm…”

“So, Camille. When am I going to get a reply to my confession? I’ve been waiting the whole time since then, but…”

“Fue-?”

The very instant I comprehended the contents of what he slowly whispered to me in a sweet voice, I froze.

“The conversation has suddenly jumped way ahead again, huhh…”

Certainly I did get told something confession-like, but I didn’t think that a reply would be required.
Mm~mn… What should I do?

“…Camille, are you spacing out? Are you planning on pretending this didn’t happen?”

Achille’s voice brought me back to my senses. I apologised in a panic.

“Nah, but I mean, I’m your fiancée, so isn’t that kind of conversation unnecessary by now? Or so I was thinking.”

“Even though I told you my feelings? Are you saying you’re fine with a loveless marriage?”

Why did he interpret it like that?

“No, like I was saying, it’s not that, umm…”

Is it my imagination that I can feel some sort of pressure from Achille?

“Honestly, I regret mixing up the order. I don’t regret getting engaged to you, Camille, but making sure of your feelings first would’ve been the correct order, huh?”

“Achille…”

Certainly, we got the order backwards. We’re in a relationship like that of a political marriage.

But Achille directly told me his feelings. Always, with his words and behaviour.
Compared to that, I use being engaged as an excuse, and always leave it half done.
This attitude… might be a little bit insincere.

“If you stay quiet, I end up misunderstanding it in a way that’s convenient for me, you know?”

“Misunderstand?”

“I mean, even when I hug you or kiss you, you don’t resist at all, right?”

“…Th-, at’s-”

Just because I was surprised and frozen, though…

“I-I-I-If I told you frankly that I was rejecting your confession, what would you do?”

“Then I’d continue putting in more effort until you looked at me. I’ve already waited ten years, so a little more is nothing, right?”

Ten years…?
In other words, since the time I was six, Achille has liked me… and has been looking at me in that way?
Suddenly, heat started gathering in my face.

“T-, Then what would you do if I accepted?”

“Then it’d be mutual. We’d openly behave like lovers.”

I was agonising over it.
I don’t dislike Achille. But I don’t have any confidence that these feelings are the same as Achille’s.
I mean at any rate, including both this life and my first, I’ve never looked at a member of the opposite sex in that way even once before.
Even the people I went out with in my old world were people who confessed to me, so it was nothing more than me just going out with them to try.
But…

Achille is always putting off his own convenience, worrying about me, and prioritising my opinions.
There are a lot of times when he teases me, but we trust each other the most.
Or rather, he’s basically the only member of the opposite sex.

On top of that…
That time, in the count’s secret base when I fell into the hole without a word… Achille jumped into the hole to save me, and even used his body to protect me.

When he was squashed under me and wouldn’t move… I was really scared.
When I thought that I might lose him like that, it couldn’t be helped that I was really helplessly terrified.
More important than rescuing Royce-sama, more important than making sure Mei was safe, what I did first was use the highest class of recovery magic out of worry for Achille, in spite of running out of mana.

This feeling is…?

“I… do I like you, perhaps?”

“…Even if you ask me, I’m stumped, you know.”

Somehow or another, even being hugged by him or kissed by him, I’ve felt surprised and bewildered, but never angry at him.
I wonder if that’s because I didn’t dislike it.

The one who’s always closest, watching over me, is without a doubt him, after all.

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.Her final dialogue line,

“I… do I like you, perhaps?”

in Japanese first reads
“I like you…”
before going into something that roughly means
“do I perhaps?”
「watashi, Achille no koto suki…… nano kanaa?」
「……ore ni kikaretemo komarun dakedo」

*imouto*

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