CH 83

To tell the truth, I was hoping that the appointed time wouldn’t come, but there’s no way that such good luck would visit someone like me. I’m so unlucky that I’d rather be cursed than whatever I have now. Although, I did develop some expectations since nothing happened at the academy.

My fight with Tuvalu cost me three times as much as it should have.

The Prince was right there to witness that incident. What if he brings that up?

No, I don’t think I was wrong. In the first place, I was just hoping to return the favor to Tuvalu. Even though the outcome wasn’t what I expected, Tuvalu did it to me, so I should do it back.

“…. But, still, maybe I went too far.”

Of course, not for Tuvalu, for Runa. For Tuvalu, I think it was too light. What’s wrong with wanting him to do some self-reflection?

He insulted my precious childhood friend, so I’m never going to change my stance.

But, I also did the same to Runa. At the time, I wanted to return the blow, so I insulted his precious Tuvalu.

I was the same as Tuvalu then. It was like I hit him with a stray bullet, so of course I feel upset.

It wasn’t right of me to involve Runa, just because I wanted to hurt Tuvalu.

“I should probably apologize, huh…”

Well, I regret what I said about as much as a flea, but I will reflect on making Runa uncomfortable.

Honestly, I should’ve apologized to Runa while at school, but Tuvalu was always around him so I never had the courage to talk to him. It felt like trying to get past a vicious beast to talk to its owner—suicide.

“…. Yeah, this will be a good opportunity.”

Since I have this opportunity, I won’t have to apologize when I’m back at school, right? I resigned myself to some anger. It should be fine as long as I properly lower my head… probably. Runa isn’t particularly friendly but he is the nice type of character. Although, maybe only to the heroine.

“…. What kind of clothes should I wear to that kind of place?”

I’ve never been to a high-class restaurant before. There had never been a need to, since the quality of food at home was wonderful already. However, an unforeseen drawback is that I don’t know how to dress for certain occasions. I don’t like eating out though, so I hope this doesn’t happen again.

It would have been fine if I could consult with my mother but when I think about the contents of the card, I stop myself.

“Furthermore, keep this matter a secret. I want to talk just the two of us.”

The writer is the grandiloquent prince, after all. It’s best to look the other way when they push troublesome things on you.

I fear he might bring up the topic of my fiancé candidacy again when I meet him too. I don’t want to think about anymore unnecessary worries. Honestly, if anything more happens, I’ll probably become a shut-in and never leave my house.

“If I wear a party dress then it might be weird.”

When I think about the occasion it’s definitely strange, also they are hard to move in. They don’t look like clothes that I’d go out to play in either. I need something that won’t arouse suspicion from my mother…

“… Maybe one of these is fine.”

All of the clothes in my closet are high quality. I don’t have clothes that are unsuitable for my older appearance nor do I have clothes that are too cute for my mental age.

As a result, my clothes give off a mature vibe and don’t make me uncomfortable. I never thought they would be useful like this. What a fortunate miscalculation.

“Rather than a dress, maybe this set… yes, looks good.” [like a set clothes]

I chose a random matching set of clothes and put it on a stand. If I do so, Ann and the other maids will choose matching shoes and accessories to go with it.

One of the problems I had with dorm life was that I couldn’t have Ann help me coordinate my outfits. Well, they usually picked clothes that I liked, so there wasn’t much coordinating. They did have fun with it though.

Now that I’ve picked my clothes, I just have to wait until the appointed day.

I’ll just tell my mother that I’m going out and when I come home I’ll go barge in on Keito.

“Haa… My stomach hurts.”

I wonder if I’m the only one who feels more agony when I’m on standby than during the actual event.

×　×　×　×

I said that waiting was the worst, but I change my mind. The actual day is the hardest. I want to go back three days, before I saw the letter would be best.

The effects of Neriel’s healing aura ran out before the appointed day. This is the feeling when you head for the guillotine, trust me, I’m talking from experience.

“You are Mariabell Tempest-sama, yes?”

“Yes.”

As soon as I entered the restaurant, even though I wasn’t being particularly loud, the workers respectfully bowed. They did it so perfectly that I felt a little grossed out. It didn’t seem human. Maybe I shouldn’t talk since I am cared for by service dolls.

The private room I was guided to had a gorgeous door. It was a double door, as wide as the hallway. It even had a doorman…. Is it really okay for someone like me to be here?

“Mariabell Tempest-sama has arrived.”

“Enter.”

When the person guiding me heard the answer, they put one knee on the ground and stayed where they were. The door was opened by the doorman.

Until I entered the room, they kept their heads lowered. It reminded me of a ball from a picture book. When the princess entered the venue, in an instant, everyone fell completely silent.

The person in this room could organize such a ball though, so it’s nothing to joke about.

“Pardon me.”

I took one step in the room. Yep, there was a disparity between the atmosphere of the room and a kid like me.

Even so, the person sitting in the center of the room in a sofa did not show any sign of discomfort… If anything, he was so majestic that the room didn’t suit him.

“I’m sorry for making you wait… Prince Runa.”

“No, don’t worry. I was the one who called you here suddenly without telling you why.”

I will worry. Not as a royal’s subordinate, but as a villainess with a scheme and a capture target. I’m worried.

“Um…”

I approached the couch across from Runa and stopped next to it. Before I sit, I should say what I came here to say first.

“I’m very sorry about the other day.”

“…..!?”

I vigorously lowered my head, causing my hair to slip in front of my face and obstruct my field of view.

Victory goes to the one makes the first move… or maybe that doesn’t fit quite right with this situation. However, I am hoping that by apologizing before he starts to scold me, I’ll rekindle the kindness in his heart and he will let me off. He doesn’t seem like the type to stay angry for a long time, so if I curtail his initial anger, maybe he’ll reassess his feelings.

“… Lift your head and sit.”

“…. Yes.”

I swept my hair back in place when I raised my head. I have plenty of experience bowing my head in society. It is the bare minimum to not show anyone anything unsightly. These are the fruits of my efforts as a noble lady.

I arranged my skirt to sit down in the sofa and was surprised when I sank into the seat. As expected of a high-class store—their tables and chairs are on a different level. I have never felt this sensation before even in my room. This is not just any restaurant.

“You’re apologizing about the incident in the student council room, right?”

There isn’t anything else besides that… eh, there shouldn’t be anything else right?

If there is, I certainly don’t remember.

“If it is about that time then Miss Mariabell, you did not do anything wrong.”

“Eh….”

“Actually… Tuvalu said something very rude. I’m very sorry.”

“Eh, no… Prince Runa, that’s not something you should say. It’s my fault, I ended up getting you involved.”

I did not expect this development. Is this person lowering his head to me really the Prince? He’s not a body double?

No, no, no. Runa-sama apologizing to me troubles me. Furthermore, Runa didn’t do anything wrong!

What do I do, this is too unexpected!

“At that time, I didn’t stop him. I should have apologized sooner but… I’m always with Tuvalu at school.”

Well, that’s true. That’s why I didn’t go to apologize to you, after all.

“I thought about summoning you to my house but… Tuvalu might have found out. He should apologize too but… If I force him to then there’s no meaning.”

Forcing him to apologize would just dig the hole deeper after all. Although with Tuvalu it wouldn’t just be any hole, it would be a hole straight to hell. As expected of a childhood friend, an excellent decision.

It seems like Runa called me thinking the same way as me.

I wanted to apologize for involving him and he wanted to apologize for not stopping his childhood friend. Thanks to Tuvalu being an obstacle, we didn’t get to apologize until now.

Give me back all the time I spent being nervous. I’d like to bill Tuvalu, who was the indirect cause of my anxiety.

“To you and Eilis, I’m sorry for giving you an unpleasant experience. I considered inviting Eilis here too but…”

“I didn’t tell Keito.”

“That’s what I thought, so I didn’t invite him. I would do the same if my childhood friend were attacked. There’s no need to hurt them meaninglessly.”

“… Thank you.”

Right now, looking at Runa, I seriously wonder why Tuvalu turned out the way he did, when he had a great role model beside him. It’s truly a mystery.

I do understand his family situation influenced his personality but even so, he was around such a good human being from a young age… Aaah, that’s why he’s such a yandere. If I think of the heroine as his second target for his yandere affections, then Runa is definitely the first. His little sister will always be his little sister so I’ll exclude her as a target.

“I too should not have acted in such a way and gotten Prince Runa involved. I’m very sorry.”

Yes, with this, the friction between Runa and I should be resolved.

It’s not like we got along well in the first place but… we were at a good point of neutral acquaintances.

“But, Prince Runa.”

You apologized to me and I have apologized to you. My apology was from my heart, I meant it.

However, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.

“I will not forgive Tuvalu-sama.”

I reflected and then apologized only to Runa. Tuvalu? I hate him from the bottom of my heart. What of it?

“I don’t understand his intentions by saying those things and I don’t want to know. I do feel sorry for involving you but… I won’t forgive him.”

“… Yes, I understand.”

I’m not mad, it’s much more than hatred or a grudge. I’m sure that if Tuvalu talked to me with a smile I could reply with a smile. I will disparage him in my heart though. Acting like I am over the events of that day is no problem.

But, I won’t forgive him. I’ll never forgive him. I hate Tuvalu from the bottom of my heart.

I am well aware that he is Runa’s precious childhood friend but, if Tuvalu were to misunderstand that my apology to Runa meant I had forgiven him, I might end up hating Runa too.

“You might think Tuvalu is the worst. No matter what I say or how I try to reason, I can’t justify his words and conduct on that day.”

The reason why Tuvalu picked a fight with me, was just because he hated me. Or it was because of that event that happened in the past at the castle.

“But, for me, Tuvalu is my precious childhood friend.”

Even if you don’t hate me, even if you don’t speak poorly of me, even if you don’t forgive him.

However, just like me, Runa’s stance on his childhood friend will not waver. That’s what he is saying.

“If that’s what you have decided, then I have no right to say anything further.”

Not just me—no one has the right to say anything about your relationships.

There are people who will dislike you because you like someone they dislike. They’ll think you were tricked, or that your judgment was clouded by a common interest, or that you get along because of an equally bad personality. They’ll think things like “birds of a feather flock together.” To a rather refreshing degree, there are a lot of people who believe that their beliefs are shared across the world.

Yes, like me, Mariabell. Mariabell had that same view and forced the heroine to be friendless. She was poor at studying and had only her splendid craftiness.

“My feelings are my own. I should have ended the matter between Tuvalu and I… I insulted your precious childhood friend in front of your eyes, I’m truly, very sorry.”

Repeating myself again, I feel like I’m speaking from a higher position. But, I don’t have anything else to say… I really am just sorry for involving Runa, truly from my heart.

I just want to make my feelings completely clear.

“Is that so…”

“I say so impertinently.”

“No… Thank you. Your feelings, I have received them.”

I don’t need to ask other noble ladies to know that this is definitely a strange conversation. The two of us apologized, without the person in question even being here. Even if he were, I wouldn’t forgive him.

He thanked me in the end, but I’m glad he accepted my apology.

I finished my business here but since I came all this way, I drank some black tea and ate some sweets before returning home. It was the prince’s treat.

“The one who invited you was me, so please don’t hesitate.”

This place is absurdly expensive, you know? The prince quickly signed some kind of bill and that was it. That’s royalty for you. I was a little moved seeing it happen. I am also a noble but on the inside I’m just a commoner.

Ah, by the way, this was my last memory of my long vacation. Vacation was a little tough. I’d like to say that it was a good vacation in the end but, it was neither good nor bad… It was just normal, maybe.