On the other hand, Scarlet, while talking with everyone, had changed her viewpoint, now assessing her breakup with Prince Elias as a clear improvement of her overall situation.
Of course things could be easily explained away with them simply not having suited each other, but Prince Elias and her had hurt each other. While she had been tied down by a painful love, Prince Elias wanted to separate from her so much that he even hatched an evil scheme to make her fall, though ultimately failing at it.
――Indra said, 『My current self and my otherworld self have different characters』. And the same applies to me as well. I had no luck with men in the other world, but it’s not like I’ve been a tsundere or anything like that. I was a normal girl. I spent my days reading BL manga and playing Shojo games, but since many girls around me did the same, I didn’t stand out in particular.
＊
My current self is leading her life as a young ducal lady. Maybe because of that or my original character, I don’t really have a lovable nature. And I’m fully aware of that. But, I simply end up speaking my mind against any better judgment.
With such a behavior, there’d be no reason for Prince Elias to like me, is there…? But, even if I wanted to change my character, I couldn’t.
For a long time, Prince Elia has been telling me that I’ve got no charm while clearly disliking me by the day, causing me to only cry.
And yet, I still loved him.
But then, at some point he started to go beyond 『being nasty』 and eventually pulled a grimace whenever he spotted me. Soon he began to show off his relationship with Primrose, and ignored me altogether, even if I talked to him.
＊
Still…
Even if I couldn’t make him look at me, I was his fiancée.
For the sake of avoiding the bad end, I meticulously and perfectly gathered everything that could serve as proof for my alibi. Moreover, I obtained a powerful ally who would be able to defend me even if the other side came at me with brute force.
As result of that, Primrose dumped Prince Elias who had shown his willingness to even become a commoner for her. No matter how you looked at that, it was pretty obvious that she saw no use in an Elias who had stopped being Prince Elias after dropping to commoner status.
＊
He came back to me!
For just an instant I was overjoyed about this, but Prince Elias didn’t even apologize for having tried to entrap me during the banquet, nor did he fix his cold-hearted, condescending attitude. And, the more Indra peeled off Prince Elias sheep’s clothing and the more I could see his true character, the more I felt like my love, which had become so bitter, cooled down.
Afterwards, thinking that I’d like to have a change of pace, I spent some time at Indra’s mansion after asking her to let me stay. That place was comfortable, fun, and allowed me to enjoy things without any pretenses.
I might have made some…uncute remarks, but Indra ignored them out of tolerance. She treated me gently and escorted me in ways that were a lot more stylish and elegant than someone like the prince could ever hope to achieve.
Since this was something no one has ever done for me, I was positively surprised and happy. And then, even when the visit to Indra’s mansion came to an end, I fully enjoyed my summer break after coming back home, driving around in a car, playing around with the tablet, and coming up with all kinds of ideas on how to brag about the tablet to my classmates. Just like that, I completely forgot about Prince Elias.
But, as the day for my return to the academy drew close, my parents called me over, and we had a long chat. Only then did I remember the prince. Recalling not the dazzling smile of the game Prince Elias, but the hate and repulse written all over the real prince’s face, my feelings immediately became all gloomy.
＊
…Can I really get along with a person who looks at me like that?
Once I become queen, it’ll be impossible for me to have a good time with Indra and everyone else.
I won’t be able to eat ramen, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, or even my beloved curry, will I? I won’t ever be able to spend such a carefree, relaxed time at Lady Indra’s mansion anymore. And in return I’ll marry a guy, who’ll scowl at me as if I stole all his joy in life, and I’ll spend every day wearing out my nerves on educating myself and that guy, leading a life without so much as a whiff of entertainment or fun whatsoever? For my whole life?
That caused my heart to sway for the first time.
But.
Maybe Prince Elias has changed his thinking over summer break. Prince Elias possesses an awareness as ruler, and if he’s resolved himself to welcome me as his queen…no, he doesn’t need to go that far…as long as he shows an attitude which makes his willingness to work hard as a king clear, I’ll also work hard as his queen.
A king would never treat the things given to him as if it was natural for him to own them. A king is a pillar supporting his country. Because of that, there are even times when he must share his own belongings with others. A queen isn’t a 『decoration』 that has been placed next to a king, but the king’s partner.
As long as I can get him to understand that much, I’m prepared to become his queen, if he treats me gentlemanly 『as woman who is engaged to him』, regardless of whether it’s half the level of Indra or just social courtesy. I’d correct his way of speaking and attitude, and walk the path of kingship together with Prince Elias. That was what I told my parents, and it was also the basis of my own resolve.
＊
…The outcome was that. Being told that I’ve got no charm whatsoever, I was slighted, hated, and almost had something I like stolen from me as Prince Elias’s fiancée.
But, I’ve had enough of this. This isn’t the world of the game, and I’m not my otherworld self either. 『I』 am alive. I’ll have to arrange myself with this character for the rest of my life. Even if I won’t be able to marry anyone, it doesn’t matter. I’m well aware that I don’t have a lovable personality. If my character had at least been a bit closer to the one of my previous life, it’d have been fine, and yet…
“No, wait. I was actually able to avoid the bad end route because I’m close to my previous life’s character, no?”
Since her surroundings got puzzled when she unintentionally mumbled that out, Scarlet quickly smoothed it over with an “Ohohoho.”
The current me isn’t as arrogant and high-handed as my game character. Or rather, Indra clearly wins out when it comes to haughtiness. I think she has a character fitting that of a noble lady, or maybe you could say, a queen of arrogance. Though I’d have immediately switched to Indra if she had the looks of Prince Elias, Scarlet thought.
＊
When she spat out a deep sigh, one of her classmates asked, “Lady Scarlet, has something been bothering you since a while ago?”
“I cannot keep acting like this, I suppose… I am rather fond of Sir Indra, if you exclude his appearance. I am quite aware of it myself, but I do have a character that lacks appeal, and I cannot fix my personality either. But, Sir Indra showed not an inkling of minding that, and treated me very gentlemanly. He is a very rich man who cleared the capital’s dungeon, and since he received a strict education during his time as a noble, his manners and education are perfect. His intellect is that of a genius, and he surpasses an S-Rank adventurer in magic and swordsmanship. He also possesses the technological know-how to produce the newest magic tools and golems. In short, I cannot find a single flaw in him. …But, his appearance is that of a cute girl, right? That part alone makes me want to cry, 『What a loss!?』.”
If Indra had heard this, she’d have said that she felt like objecting, “If you have to regret something, then start with the gender.”
And Scarlet’s classmates wondered, Just his appearance is the problem here? Isn’t his character much more of an issue?, but didn’t voice it out.
Certainly, as a son-in-law adopted into the family, Indra would probably be perfect. He had the foundation of a noble despite being a commoner, his intellect was outstanding, and he was rich enough to shoulder his own dowry. He was the hero’s partner and his swordsmanship and magic was at least equal to the hero. With him being a great sorcerer, who could make such fantastic magic tools that no one could imitate them, complaining about him would be moot.
…If not for his character.
During the year-end party, he misunderstood someone lying to him, and destroyed all the windows at once. After burning the hand of Direck, who had tried to arrest Scarlet on false charges, he made it so that Direck would never be able to open his hand again.
The young lady, who lied in order to corner Scarlet, collapsed after suddenly clawing at her own throat.
He was so scary that no one was able to approach her. If someone had carelessly nursed her out of worry, they’d have needed to do it under the constant fear of what Indra might do to them.
Scarlet’s classmates felt a chill run down their spines when they imagined what would have happened if Indra had remained a noble with that kind of personality, but Scarlet didn’t seem to mind that part.
…She seemed indifferent to it.
Thinking back on it now, everyone had drawn back from the rampaging Indra during the party, but Scarlet didn’t appear to be perturbed by it at all. Besides, no matter how you look at it, a ducal family wouldn’t adopt a commoner as son-in-law.
Her classmates decided to believe.
And then the story of 『Scarlet’s ideal man is Indra』 spread, and people used that as the reason for the cancellation of the engagement.
＊
…When Elias heard those rumors, he thought that the veins around his temples might pop.
She’s yapping about that insolent commoner being better than me!? What a bitch! I’ll wrench her neck with my own hands!
That was how upset he got, but his feelings immediately cooled down as a messenger from the palace arrived right afterwards.
Anyway, I’ll ascertain the truth of the situation from the messenger, and if it’s as Genius’s father said, I’ll have no choice but to order a revocation. I’m the first prince of the previous king.
In the first place, isn’t the present king sitting on the throne until I’m crowned since my father died early by chance? Even though my succession of the crown has been set in stone to begin with, I’m being expelled from the royal family?
As if I’d allow for something so vile and unwarranted to happen!
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