Chapter 22: Guest

After a rather embarrassing morning class.

“I still can’t believe you were such a rude person.”

“……So how long are you going to keep mumbling?”

Even though it was lunchtime when all the students had left the classroom, Layla was still mumbling in the seat next to me.

Aren’t you going to have lunch?

The other kids had all disappeared to have lunch.

Then, I suddenly wondered how Layla solved lunch before meeting the protagonist.

Layla, who must have read my expression, shook her head slightly as if she didn’t need to worry about that.

“I can easily endure this much. If only you would satisfy my curiosity.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any plans to satisfy your curiosity yet.”

“……Not yet. Does that mean you will satisfy my curiosity someday?”

As soon as she heard the word “not yet” from my mouth, Layla rushed over.

“…”

As I watched Layla like that, for a moment, I thought I had spoken incorrectly again.

“……Well, I think it’s okay to understand it that way.”

Soon, those thoughts quickly subsided.

“Actually, it’s not that important of a reason.

I’m more worried that the princess will be disappointed when she finds out the truth.”

“If it’s not that important, then why on earth wouldn’t you tell me……?”

“Right now, I just don’t want to tell anyone.”

It wasn’t a lie.

Even Layla, who is currently suffering from curiosity, will eventually find out the truth.

It’s not that big of a deal.

It’s just that I don’t have much time left to live, so I have this goal.

If the princess in front of me finds out, she might be disappointed.

As I was thinking about this, Layla clicked her tongue as if it was not fun.

“Tsk, you’re making it so I can’t ask you any more questions.”

“……It wasn’t intentional.”

“How can you say it wasn’t intentional? When you were just blankly staring like you’d die if I asked you.”

“… Hmm.”

Was that the extent of my expression just now?

I couldn’t tell if that was true.

At least I hadn’t looked into a mirror just now.

-Yes.

And with the eyes I hated the most in the world.

However, the reason I felt trust in Layla’s words was likely because of the sentence I had heard earlier.

Because Layla rarely used extreme language in the original work.

In the original work, the only times Layla’s extreme sentences were when the royal family was involved with the main character.

I couldn’t help but believe Layla because she said that.

How could I not believe it?

In such cases, the most objective person would say that.

“……I didn’t see it myself, but I will admit it. My expression just now wasn’t very good.”

“You don’t need to apologize directly. Your expression is usually like that anyway.”

“…”

“This is a compliment, so don’t doubt it. People should be consistent in the first place.”

Of course, that trust disappeared as soon as I heard Layla’s next words.

But that didn’t mean Layla was wrong.

I also heard the saying that people die when they change, which I knew a lot.

‘……Is that really a compliment?’

However, Layla’s tone, expression, and current situation significantly reduced the sincerity of the sentence.

Isn’t that a compliment?

It’s like saying that she had the same rotten expression as usual.

……Well, anyway.

Whether it was a compliment or a high-level beating around the bush.

What was important right now wasn’t whether or not her words were false.

“……Your Highness.”

“Why are you calling? Is there something else you need?”

“How does Your Highness usually solve lunch that you are here all the time?”

The important thing right now was that it was lunchtime, the only break time at the Academy.

“Usually, I just solved it at the Academy cafeteria.”

“…”

“I have plans for the weekend today, so I guess I’ll have to take care of it with you. While we’re on the subject, how about you show me to the store?”

Even that one break failed to keep Layla away.

***

Crying while eating mustard.

Isn’t that an old saying that accurately describes my current situation?

If I were to exaggerate a little, I felt like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse.

I didn’t want to go.

I really didn’t want to go, but I was being dragged.

As I was feeling that way, Layla, who was walking beside me, sighed and said, “I’ve felt it many times, but you really can’t control your expressions. If someone saw me, they’d think I was dragging you by force.”

“……Did you get caught?”

“I’m sure I said it before. This isn’t me dragging you by force, but you’re showing me the way.”

“Oh, yes.”

“……That’s a pretty short sentence. Are you in a bad mood?”

“No. How could that be?”

Although she was expressing her denial with her mouth, her mind was thinking something completely different.

What exactly is different?

Even if I walk ahead slightly, it’s still not my will.

Of course, I didn’t say it out loud.

I wasn’t sure about the aftermath after saying it.

Layla was still looking at me with an uneasy expression.

“… You’re really strange, aren’t you?”

“…”

“You accept the dinner table with me that others would do anything to get, with such an expression of really not wanting to do it.”

“……It wasn’t that bad.”

“I think it’s okay to stop lying now.

Although I haven’t known you for very long, I’ve at least figured out when you make that expression.”

Layla was pointing out that I was very different from others based on my expression.

She wasn’t wrong.

No, if you think about it, she was actually very right.

In the original world where the power of the imperial family still exists.

The first member of the royal family to enter the academy.

And having contact with Layla, the next emperor, is something that every student would want.

“Among the academy students I’ve met so far, there have been three students, including you, who have not wanted to come into contact with me.”

“……Can you tell me who the other two are?”

I had a rough guess, but I still wanted to hear an exact answer.

Just in case.

I wondered if they were someone other than the two people I had in mind.

However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that my guess was right.

“I don’t like the fact that you ask others to give you the exact answer when you yourself don’t tell others the reason, but I will tell you since this is simple information.”

“…”

“First, Ellis Akstra of the Akstra Marquis family.”

“……Yes.”

It was natural.

Given the Akstra family’s influence in the underworld, it was inevitable that they would be connected to the royal family.

I was already pretty sure about the first person.

“The second person, upon thinking about it, is someone close to you.”

“…”

“The second is your fiancée.

Elena Brilliant of the Brilliant Duke family.”

“……Is that so?”

It felt strange to hear her full name after such a long time.

Elena Brilliant.

She was the fiancée of Lian Trice in the original work, but she ended up breaking off the engagement with Lian.

Perhaps the Brilliant Duke family is still preparing to break off the engagement with the Count Trice family, just like in the original work.

That’s what the original work was like.

-Did you hear that news?

The Brilliant family is gathering materials to break off the engagement between you and your fiancée?

-……I see?

-Yes. I sent a request to our dealer to buy the information.

At least none of the information Ellis gave me was wrong.

“Well, it’s a strange fact, if it’s a strange fact. How come both of the people I’m engaged to are not interested in me?”

“…”

“They say that when you love, you become like each other, is that so? If that’s the case, then it would explain why you’re not interested in me………….”

“Probably not, Your Highness.”

The negative words that came in, cutting off Layla’s continued sentence.

It was out of the blue, but I suddenly had that thought.

If the guest hadn’t been that person.

If the person who interrupted Layla just now hadn’t been that person, wouldn’t I have had a different expression on my face right now?

Wouldn’t I have been angry at the person who cut me off, asking how I dared to interrupt the princess?

While at the same time thinking of a way to get out of this place?

“It’s wrong to say that I’m not interested in you, Your Highness. Can you tell me what kind of blasphemous person said that to you?”

“…”

“……Elena.”

Yes.

If the other person wasn’t my fiancée.

Elena finally looked at me after hearing the name I mumbled.

Then, she said with a slight smile.

“……Hello, Lian.”

“…”

That smile, too, looked extremely difficult.

A smile that seemed to be forced, as if her trembling lips were moving.

And, for some reason, I don’t know.

“Would you like to talk to me for a moment?”

“…”

For some reason, I felt like I could sense a little bit of sadness in that smile.