Episode 07
“……You really waited a long time.”
“…….”
“It won’t be much longer now.”
Letilia’s golden eyes grew desolate, as if tracing something far away. Beside her, Hazen sat hugging a cushion, staring blankly out the window.
“—Shunen.”
Only one day remained until the day they had waited for so long.
❖ ❖ ❖
And the next day.
“H-Huh, how…?!”
As Mary opened the door and froze in shock, I deliberately sat up in bed and smiled brightly at her.
“Hi?”
Watching her face twist viciously in real time, I calmly stretched.
Mm, a refreshing start.
It was the last morning I would wake up in the ducal residence.
“Keep your mouth shut. If you make a scene on a day like this, it’ll hurt you too, you know?”
After silencing Mary, I secretly headed to Saren’s room. Unlike mine, Saren’s room was lavish from the very door.
Click.
I closed the door without turning around.
Saren sat before her vanity, entrusting her body to the bustling hands of numerous maids.
“My lady, you’re so beautiful.”
“You’ll do wonderfully there as well, my lady.”
“Ahh, Lady Saren…!”
…Go on, make it a full melodrama.
My expression twisted on its own at the maids shedding tears as if they’d never see her again. It was so childish I couldn’t bear to watch.
“Knock, knock.”
When I kindly made the knocking sound with my mouth, everyone’s gaze finally turned to me.
Saren’s gentle expression instantly became murderous.
“I clearly told you to stay in the stables—!”
“I came out. Anyway, have everyone step out for a bit.”
“What?”
“There’s something I want to say. One last thing.”
I’ll make it quick.
As I added blandly, Saren sized me up.
Soon, she nodded.
“Fine. Everyone, step outside for a moment.”
She must have thought that, as I’d said when meeting the protagonists, I was planning to leave this place with them, and that I was simply asking for a final farewell.
She’d interpreted it quite differently, but I didn’t bother correcting her.
When the maids filed out, silence finally settled in.
“So, what is it you want to say? I don’t have time, so hurry up.”
“Your way of talking is seriously annoying.”
“You really know how to get on my nerves until the very end.”
“Getting worked up over something like this is what’s pathetic.”
I snorted and shrugged.
“Happy?”
When I asked while surveying Saren’s nearly emptied room, she scoffed.
“Of course. Isn’t it obvious? Something you wouldn’t even be able to imagine.”
“Hm.”
“I’ll soon be a Hadenberg. That means I was chosen.”
“Oh, that reminds me.”
I let out a dry exclamation.
Crossing my arms, I looked down at Saren, who still hadn’t risen from her chair.
“Do you remember what you said back then? About being the protagonist.”
“So what?”
“I was wondering what you meant by that.”
“I told you then, didn’t I? You wouldn’t understand. This is—”
Saren stood up.
My orange eyes met her violet ones.
“In this world, I’m the only one who knows. It means I’m the sole protagonist.”
“…….”
“Doesn’t the current situation prove it?”
Oh, what a perfect misunderstanding.
Admiring it inwardly, I let out a small laugh. Saren raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll give you one piece of advice.”
“As if someone like you is in a position to advise me—”
“Don’t get too full of yourself, Sister.”
Cutting her off, I beamed brightly.
“If you get your hopes up that much and end up horribly disappointed later, what will you do?”
I was even giving her a warning. How kind of me.
As I smiled contentedly, Saren’s face flushed red. Her hand shot up into the air once more.
Smack—!
‘Damn, she really has filthy hands.’
I hadn’t blocked it on purpose, intending to let her hit me, but Saren struck the cheek that was already swollen.
Seriously, where did this girl even come from? I clicked my tongue inwardly.
‘Should I just hit her back?’
Suppressing the fleeting urge, I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek.
Saren pointed roughly at the door, breathing hard.
“Get out.”
“……Hm.”
“Get out! Get out right now! Are you not leaving?!”
She was secretly good at many things. The thing she was best at was throwing tantrums…
I shrugged lightly and turned around. This was more than enough to rile her up.
“Have fun meeting them, Sister. I wish you misfortune.”
“You damn bitch—!”
“Yeah. I’m a crazy bitch.”
With that blunt reply, I hummed a tune and headed back to my room.
I planned to live the excellent life of a blanket-bound shut-in until the five arrived.
❖ ❖ ❖
Near noon.
As the sun climbed to its highest point in the sky, the Duke of Colhart’s estate was gripped by an unprecedented tension.
“Father. I look beautiful, don’t I?”
Fully adorned, Saren asked the duke for confirmation.
Her black hair, once cascading thickly to her waist, was now neatly swept up. An amethyst hair ornament and jewelry held it in place, and layered upon layered of a dress rippled in the exact color of her proudly cherished eyes.
Objectively speaking, she was undoubtedly stunning.
“As always. Of course.”
The duke, also finely dressed, smiled. Saren’s cheeks flushed pink as she looked ahead.
Standing before the mansion doors, the two were flanked by dozens of servants lined up, ready to welcome the guests.
And when the sun rose directly overhead—
Flash—
A blue light flared right before the main gate.
In an astonishingly brief moment, the light faded, leaving behind five figures whose presence was overwhelming at a glance.
Nobel, with his loosely tied black ponytail and blood-red eyes.
Hazen, thin-built, with flame-colored hair and silver-gray eyes.
Letilia, standing tall with long navy hair tied high and shining golden eyes.
Ethan, with black hair and green eyes.
And finally, Isaac, who had brought them all here.
The five ability users who could be called the very symbol of the Empire’s military might.
“Hadenberg.”
“Welcome, Hadenberg!”
The duke greeted them in a joyful voice.
The five, clad in relaxed yet subdued dignity, stepped up before him.
Letilia gave a slight nod.
“You’ve made quite the preparations.”
“As a ducal house of our standing, this level of hospitality for guests is only natural. Don’t feel burdened by it.”
“Then should we take it that you didn’t exert yourselves all that much?”
“W-Well, that’s a rather disappointing thing to say.”
The duke cleared his throat as his attempt to subtly boast of their grandeur was completely crushed.
He hurriedly changed the subject.
“Ahem, first, I’d like to introduce her. My daughter, Saren Colhart.”
“I greet the Empire’s Spear, Hadenberg.”
Saren lightly held her skirt and bowed. Her cheeks, flushed pink like spring blossoms, paired with a charming smile.
“My name is Saren Colhart. I’m truly delighted to mee—”
“I’d like to get straight to the point, Duke.”
Ethan cut her off.
In an instant, both the duke’s and Saren’s expressions stiffened. It was not only rude, but an unimaginable tone to take with someone they were supposedly deeply interested in.
“I’m wondering how long you intend to keep us standing out here.”
“…I see. Let us go inside, then.”
The duke lightly placed a hand on Saren’s shoulder. Leaving behind a wordless reassurance, he turned, and the servants opened the mansion doors.
As the five moved to follow the duke, who had stepped forward first, Saren hurriedly called out.
“W-Wait!”
“Ugh, what a pain. Negotiations, my ass. You guys get all the good stuff.”
“Shut up, Nobel.”
“Hey, Hazen, you bastard. Walk on your own instead of leaning on people!”
“Come on, brothers help each other out~”
But the five chatted among themselves, passing right by Saren as if she didn’t even exist.
In an instant, her face flushed red.
She took a breath, squeezed out her courage once more, and called out.
“P-Please wait. I’ll guide you—!”
“Why are the hallways so unnecessarily shiny? It hurts my eyes. Should we just blow it all up?”
“Endure it.”
“Yeah, endure it.”
But once again, it was in vain.
Even as they grumbled and moved farther away, Saren couldn’t move.
Her body trembled with emotions that might have been rage or humiliation. She bit down hard on her lip.
As if by prior agreement, the five didn’t spare her even a single glance. Instead, it was the servants who had witnessed everything that grew restless.
After forcibly calming herself, Saren finally realized that the other four had already disappeared far ahead, and she hurried after them.
No matter what, everything would unfold just as she had expected.
She was certain of it.
❖ ❖ ❖
“They’re here…!”
Sitting on the window frame and looking down, I let out a short cheer the moment I spotted the five at last.
Isaac and Letilia, whom I knew well, along with Nobel and Ethan, who had left strong impressions at the mansion last time.
And Hazen, the only one I hadn’t met, nor even heard the name of.
Smiling in satisfaction, I hopped down from the window frame.
“Alright, just wait a little longer and soon—”
Before I could finish muttering, a light flashed right beside me.
Turning my head with anticipation, I saw Isaac and Letilia.
“Isaac! Letilia!”
“Shunen.”
“How have you been? Let me see, your face is still—”
I greeted them happily. Isaac approached with a faint smile, while Letilia immediately bent down in front of me, focusing entirely on examining my face.
“…Why is it worse?”
“Ah.”
Thanks to the medicine Isaac had given me, the wound that had improved somewhat had returned to square one thanks to Saren’s slap earlier.
Their expressions grew cold.
“She hit the same place twice… She must really be desperate to die.”
“That sister of yours did this, didn’t she, Shunen?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why you said back then…”
Isaac trailed off.
Back then? When I looked at him in confusion, he brushed it off with a vague smile, saying it was nothing.
“I’ll bring a doctor as soon as we get out.”
“Please be careful bringing them back…….”
