~Chapter 08~
“Obsession?”
“Yeah. So anyone around the young duke… well, she kind of pushes them away… no, more like she wants to be alone with him.”
“Why are you beating around the bush? Just say she bullies everyone around the commander! Especially women—she bullies them even more.”
“Ugh…”
At Ben’s blunt explanation, the new recruits seemed to grasp the situation.
I got the gist too.
Come to think of it, there was a character like that.
But by the time Mabel officially became a knight and started having a thing with the duke, the princess was already engaged to someone else, wasn’t she?
And the partner was random too.
‘The princess is getting engaged!’
Whenever that line appeared, the partner would be randomly generated.
‘Apparently she’s marrying a commoner? Even if he’s a ridiculously wealthy merchant controlling the continent…’
‘What? She’s getting engaged to the Tower Master? Unbelievable…’
No matter the route, the princess would get married in year 4 and live while completely controlling her husband.
And Pierre—meaning my current boss, the young duke—would remain single unless Mabel took the duke route.
At most, the only rival in the duke route was his contract dating partner.
Basically, the setting was that once Pierre became duke, women kept clinging to him, so he created a fake lover to deal with it.
According to the original story, you only officially join the knight order around year 3–4, so it made sense that people wouldn’t know these details yet.
Maybe things change later.
I accepted it roughly.
“I’ve finished explaining! Give me leave!”
“Granted.”
“Haha! I’m out of here, you idiots!”
“Ugh, traitor!”
“You’re escaping alone?!”
In the middle of all that, Senior Mari successfully got leave and vanished at the speed of light.
She looked like someone throwing off all worldly burdens and running toward happiness.
“So who’s left now?”
“Who else? The usual group.”
Clicking his tongue, Ben glanced at me—then his eyes lit up.
The moment I saw the corner of his lips rise, I felt a bad premonition.
And sure enough—
“Wait, if Sonnet joins, we might manage one more person.”
“…!”
“Come to think of it, Sonnet’s a woman, right?!”
“Get over here, Sonnet!”
“Let’s decide who gets leave with a duel!”
“Who just said ‘she’s a woman’?!”
Wait—why am I getting dragged into this?!
I struggled desperately to escape this hellhole.
“More importantly, I still lack experience…!”
“Come on, it’s been three months! That’s enough!”
“Isn’t Sonnet better at etiquette anyway?”
“I actually have amnesia!”
“Liar!”
“It’s true!”
“You improve by doing! Go, Sonnet!”
“Can you really treat a newbie like this?! Shouldn’t seniors protect juniors?!”
“Nope!”
“Juniors should serve seniors!”
“Become the sacrifice—no, substitute!”
“You just said sacrifice!”
While the seniors clung to my legs and shouted, Ben burst out laughing and brought something over.
A lottery box.
Everyone turned to look.
“Opportunities should be fair. Let’s leave it to luck!”
He showed a stick with a red tip, then mixed it back in and held out the box.
Everyone rushed forward.
Crack—crunch!
It wasn’t clear whether the box or the sticks were breaking.
Each person grabbed one.
“…You’re like a pack of starving lions.”
“That’s because it’s tough. You’ll understand later.”
“I don’t want to understand…”
They raised their sticks like they were drawing a holy sword.
“Hyaaah!”
“Yaaah!”
“Kraaaah!”
And then—
Total despair.
No red stick.
“This… this can’t be…!”
“I’ll make red with my own blood! Fate belongs to those who seize it!”
“Get a grip, idiots.”
Ben smacked their heads one by one, then held the box out to me.
“Two left. Fifty-fifty.”
“…Haa.”
I clasped my hands and prayed.
Please let it be red.
No—if I desire it too much, I won’t get it!
Calm down.
I steadied my breathing—
and pulled one.
“Let’s go!”
…And failed spectacularly.
“Red…? Where did the red one go…?”
That’s strange.
Why don’t I see it?
“…Can I draw again?”
“No.”
Damn this trash luck game…
I collapsed in despair, joining the others who had already fallen like defeated warriors.
“Hmm…”
Ben chuckled and picked up the last stick.
It was red.
“Can’t be helped!”
Result:
“Fairness matters, after all!”
Vice-Captain Ben — 3 days leave.
As for me, I kept losing in the follow-up games and ended up with the worst assignment.
“Worst luck game ever…”
“What’s that?”
“A term referring to the game called life.”
Life…
* * *
A few days later.
At the ducal residence in the capital, a luxurious carriage bearing the royal lily crest arrived.
A dazzling white carriage decorated with gold—clearly carrying royalty—stopped before the waiting group.
Servants quickly set up a shining stepping platform and stepped back.
As if she knew they were waiting for her, the young duke composed his slightly reluctant expression and approached the carriage.
He held out his hand.
The door opened—
and a woman inside threw herself at him.
“Pierre!”
“Greetings, Your Highness. Your dress will wrinkle. Please be careful.”
As expected, he caught her easily and set her down.
“I don’t mind!”
She pouted exaggeratedly and clung to his arm.
The duke’s face darkened, but she didn’t care.
“It’s been so long! Did you miss me? I missed you!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes! Since we’re meeting after so long, shall we get engaged?”
“My apologies. I believe in free love.”
“Oh my, how shy… Fine then, let’s date.”
“My apologies.”
“Let’s date.”
“My apologies.”
“By the way, I like roses!”
“My apologies.”
He had basically become an “I’m sorry” machine.
And yet she continued cheerfully.
Her golden hair swayed like a cat’s tail, her blue eyes sparkled, and her porcelain skin made her look like a doll.
“I’ll escort you to the drawing room.”
“Mmm… not your bedroom?”
“No.”
And the reason I was witnessing all this up close—
was simple.
“Then dismiss the people around you.”
“No.”
“Hey you~ can you leave?”
“Don’t leave.”
Yeah.
I had been assigned as the young duke’s guard.
“…My apologies. I must prioritize the young duke’s orders.”
“Tch, how annoying!”
…Her gaze is piercing.
Damn it.
After that, I suffered.
Both from the situation—and from the princess herself.
“Have you forgotten the night we spent together? I’m so sad…”
“That night? I’m afraid we’ve never spent a night alone together.”
“Oh, that must’ve been someone else. But now I only have you, Pierre! Don’t worry!”
“…I’m not worried.”
“I love you!”
“….”
Please don’t reenact a romance drama in front of me.
“Your ribbon is crooked. I’ll call a maid.”
“If it’s you, Pierre, you could untie it right here.”
“I’ll call a maid.”
“Hey, knight~ leave. We’re about to have some private fun—”
“Don’t leave.”
“Yes, sir.”
I didn’t sign up for this…
The duke rang the bell with desperate hope that a maid would come.
“Huh? No one’s coming? Then the knight—”
“I’ll go call one myself. Come with me, Eduke.”
“Yes…”
Even the duke’s son has it rough in society…
Once we stepped out, he let out a sigh of relief.
We walked silently down the corridor.
Then he spoke.
“Are you usually this quiet, Sir Eduke?”
“Huh? Yes…”
Don’t talk to me.
Can’t you see I’m trying my best not to get involved with you?
“You’ve worked hard, so you may speak freely.”
As he stared at me, I suddenly realized—
…Is he telling me to say something?
