In the cafe.
I watched Table Eight out of the corner of my eye, seriously contemplating the current situation.
Quite strange, isn't it?
I had already run into Alden this morning, sneaking around with his two lackeys to rehearse some hero-saves-the-beauty routine. In the otome game, this was supposed to happen in the afternoon.
But I had stopped it not long ago.
Logically, the world should be at peace now, and I should be able to leave after enjoying a leisurely afternoon coffee.
Yet this guy was like a lingering ghost, appearing once again.
Though it was unexpected yet somehow within reason, watching his mouth open and close as he chatted with Liliana made me suspect he had some other scheme cooking in his mind. What a pain.
And that carefully rehearsed expression...
Suddenly, I realized something else.
If I let this route play out, according to the original plot, I would end up joining forces with Alden to deal with Liliana.
But at least that was predictable.
Right now, however, things seemed to be heading in an unpredictable direction. If Alden's fake hero-saves-the-beauty act wasn't exposed, then his filthy inner thoughts wouldn't be revealed.
He was sitting here chatting with Liliana, looking quite close.
Could he actually succeed?
If he and Liliana really hit it off, wouldn't my fate become completely unpredictable?
No, deeper memories surfaced in my mind like fragments. The game screens were blurry but enough to send a chill down my spine. I wasn't sure how Providence would push this matter, but I knew very well that this wasn't something that could be brushed off with a few polite platitudes.
This situation had to be nipped in the bud...
At this very moment.
Alden was saying something to Liliana, a faux-gentlemanly smile plastered on his face. Klaus sat beside him, head down as he stuffed his face with pancakes, occasionally chiming in with a word or two and glancing over here.
Liliana, looking somewhat stiff, sat nearby without picking up her coffee, merely nodding politely in response.
The light in the cafe was soft, the air filled with the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans and the sweet scent of butter. An elderly gentleman at the neighboring table turned a page of his newspaper, while a couple in the distance chatted and laughed in low voices.
Everything looked perfectly normal.
—Which was exactly why this was absolutely unacceptable.
I set my coffee cup back onto its saucer with a soft clink and gave an order.
“Shirune.”
“I am here, My Lady,” the silver-haired guard lady sitting beside me whispered, leaning in slightly.
“Focus your senses. Listen to what they are saying.”
Let's gather intelligence first.
Shirune didn't ask why. Only Misha looked a bit confused, but after hesitating for a moment, she lowered her head and continued scooping up strawberry cake to feed me.
Shirune discreetly rested her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist, her ears twitching imperceptibly. A half-demon's hearing far surpassed that of an ordinary human. During swordsmanship duels on the training ground, she could capture changes in her opponent's breathing rhythm to judge the direction of their strikes, so bridging this short distance across the cafe was child's play.
A few seconds later, she spoke, keeping her voice very low.
“That male named Alden is speaking ill of you, My Lady.”
?
Huh?
“What exactly is he saying?” I asked, somewhat baffled.
How did he dare speak ill of me from such a short distance away?
In reality, Alden wanted to seize this opportunity to offer comfort right after the villainous young lady had bullied Liliana—or at least, that was what he thought he was doing.
“...Honestly, I've never quite understood why someone as gentle and hardworking as you, oh, has to be treated that way by Loris all the time.”
Alden poured his heart out to Liliana in his signature affected tone, his voice soft and slow, as if comforting a wounded nightingale.
Liliana was startled. “Ah... really?”
Did her other classmates really think she was constantly being bullied? Although she had a faint inkling of it, she had assumed everyone in the Royal Capital was just like this. After all, she was a commoner. Aside from Fiona and Sarah, she didn't have any other friends in class. Only the two of them didn't mind being friends with her. She barely spoke a word to the others from day to day; they were just polite acquaintances, and some even whispered things behind her back.
In fact, a commoner having a level-ten mana capacity had drawn no small amount of jealousy...
Alden put on an understanding look and quickly raised his hand.
“Don't be afraid. Today, I simply wanted to treat you to a cup of coffee. We're classmates, after all. It's only right that we look out for each other.”
“Um...” Liliana nodded tentatively.
“It's just, I saw it when I walked in,” Alden immediately shifted the topic. “Lady Loris was making things difficult for you, wasn't she? I bet she'd click her tongue if your hand shook and a few extra grains of sugar fell in while you were serving her. She has always been so condescending.”
“And during yesterday's weekly test too, she was so fierce on the training ground—if you weren't so capable, anyone else would have been utterly crushed by her aura.”
Hearing this, Liliana's expression turned slightly complicated. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but Alden didn't notice.
He was completely swept up in his own narrative.
“But you don't have to worry,” Alden said, his voice softening even more. “She is a terrible person, but I am not.”
“This kind of service work must be very exhausting, right? Here is a little help. I hope to see you again next holiday.”
With that, Alden placed the five silver coins his good buddy Klaus had just given him onto the table and slid them over.
Then, he flashed a dazzling, toothy grin.
Touching lines, a flawless performance—the inner otome gamer in Alden was practically giving himself a standing ovation.
He was certain that any commoner girl who heard these words would be deeply moved—especially after just being targeted by the academy's villainous daughter.
Naturally, I smiled too.
But it was a dry, irritated laugh. I was already planning how to confront him face-to-face. After all, I was a very understanding person—or at least, I liked to think so.
Just then, Klaus looked over and caught my eye. I thought he would look away, but he merely rubbed his nose in a strange manner, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
It was as if he were sending me some kind of signal...
What on earth?
In any case, listening to Shirune's relay, I slowly swirled the coffee cup in my hand.
I had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
I see.
Stirring the now-cold coffee with my teaspoon while occasionally accepting Misha's feedings, I realized he was painting me as the villainous daughter who oppressed commoners, all so he could play the role of the gentle, considerate gentleman.
The sharper the contrast, the grander his image would be.
Though objectively speaking, this was accurate—I was indeed an irredeemable bad girl.
But if I let Alden continue like this, he might actually succeed. After all, from her perspective over the past week, I really had been causing trouble for her. Even if I did my best to frame these actions with underlying goodwill, trouble was still trouble.
“Um, My Lady.”
Shirune suddenly interrupted my thoughts.
“What is it?” I asked.
Shirune's ears twitched again, and her tail swayed gently as she spoke in a very soft tone.
“My Lady, Liliana has spoken.”
“...What did she say?”
“‘Lady Aldheim isn't actually that bad.’”
My hand stirring the teaspoon suddenly froze.
...
Having finished his carefully rehearsed speech, Alden sat with his hands on his knees, his back stick-straight, wearing a perfectly calibrated gentle smile as he waited to receive Liliana's grateful gaze.
Then, Liliana spoke, her voice somewhat awkward.
“Um, classmate Alden... Lady Loris actually isn't that bad.”
Huh?
Weren't they supposed to complain about her together?
What kind of response was this?
Alden's smile stiffened for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered—so fast that an ordinary person wouldn't have noticed—and maintained his elegant, faux-gentlemanly facade.
“She's just... a bit harsh with her words, I suppose.”
Liliana's voice wasn't loud. She lowered her head in slight embarrassment and awkwardness. Correcting two classmates she barely knew was difficult for her, and she wasn't the type to argue, but she felt she had a say in this matter and refused to just stand by and watch.
“She has taught me a lot in class. When grading assignments, she writes the correct answers next to the mistakes. Even though she doesn't sit with me during meals, the way she eats is incredibly elegant... and also... anyway, I don't think she's a bad person.”
“...Is that so?” Alden's voice sounded a bit dry, but he quickly adjusted his expression. “Then perhaps I've misunderstood Lady Loris.”
“After all, as you said, everyone sees things from a different perspective.”
“Still, one must consider multiple opinions. It might just be that you haven't seen her flaws yet, right—”
“Classmate Klaus?”
Alden signaled frantically to his good buddy, winking in hopes that he would help speak ill of her.
As long as they kept their voices down, it would be fine.
But at that moment, Klaus set down his fork, wiped the corner of his mouth, and spoke in a guilty, trembling voice:
“N-N-N-No way, how could that be?”
Alden whipped his head around.
Klaus seemed entirely oblivious, continuing in a matter-of-fact tone, though no longer trembling. Instead, he sounded slightly proud, as if he knew her intimately:
“She's actually a good girl who's soft on the inside but harsh with her words. She might sound fierce, but she actually takes great care of others.”
“She just says one thing and means another.”
Klaus repeated, taking a sip from his coffee cup, though his hand shook so much he nearly spilled it all over himself as he tried to play it cool.
As for Alden, his expression was beyond words. The smile he had practiced for half an hour was still plastered on his face, but it was incredibly strained, and the corners of his mouth were twitching.
Summoning every ounce of his acting skills, he squeezed out an even gentler smile. “Well, that's wonderful then. At least someone can see a different side to classmate Loris...”
Then, he awkwardly let the topic drop.
Seeing this, Liliana took the cue to stand up. She bowed politely to the two noble boys and went back to help with the cafe work.
“Order for Table Four is ready!”
“Pardon me, you two, I must get back to work!”
She hadn't taken a single sip of her coffee, nor had she taken the silver coins.
...
Seven or eight minutes later.
By the time Alden and Klaus walked out of the cafe, the sun had already begun to sink in the west.
The streets were less crowded than they had been at noon. The cobblestones were slightly warm from the sun, and the occasional carriage rumbled past, its wheels clattering along.
“Klaus,” Alden said, his voice laced with uncontrollable resentment.
“Yeah?”
“Whose side are you even on?”
Klaus replied, “Well, of course I'm—”
Before he could finish, his steps came to a halt.
For there, just outside the side door of the cafe at the entrance of the alleyway, stood a figure.
Her pale-golden hair shimmered softly in the afternoon sun, a light-blue ribbon binding the small braids at her temples, while the hem of her white dress swayed gently in the breeze.
She leaned against the alley wall with her arms crossed, accompanied only by her silver-haired guard.
I was waiting for them.
“Gentlemen,” I spoke, my tone as casual as if I were asking about the weather. “Did you have a pleasant chat?”
Alden's face turned pale in an instant.
“Classmate Loris... Y-Y-You haven't left yet?”
He squeezed out a smile that was ten times stiffer than the one in the cafe, his mind racing. What was going on? Why were they suddenly cornered? Had his plan been exposed?
“I wanted to, but then I remembered there was still one matter left unresolved.”
I pushed myself off the wall, kept my arms crossed, and took two steps forward.
“Alden Cross.”
I uttered his full name, pronouncing every syllable with crystal clarity. I hadn't come here simply to settle a score, but to completely uproot this ruin flag once and for all.
I said, “Just now in the cafe, you said I was condescending, had a terrible attitude, and bullied commoners—you said those words yourself, didn't you?”
Alden opened his mouth.
“I...”
“I couldn't hear you clearly.” I tilted my head, gesturing toward Shirune with my chin. “Shirune, repeat it for him.”
“What did you hear?”
“Replying to My Lady,” Shirune repeated everything nonchalantly. “Young Master Cross said you were condescending, had a terrible attitude... [omitted].”
After that, a terrifying silence fell over the alley.
Alden's face turned from white to green, then from green back to white. He wanted to make an excuse, but the words caught in his throat.
He forced himself to nudge Klaus with his elbow.
Hoping his good buddy would speak up for him.
I noticed this gesture. Originally, I had slightly regretted showing Klaus mercy earlier for hanging around with Alden, but considering he had spoken the truth just now, I would let him off the hook for the time being.
Meanwhile, Klaus stood torn between his brother and his beloved—no, between his brother and a woman he absolutely could not afford to offend. He hesitated for about three seconds.
Then, he made his choice.
“He did say those things.”
He turned his head away, ignoring Alden's face, which practically screamed, "I can't believe you've betrayed me." “I even corrected him at the time.”
It was as if Alden's final lifeline had been severed.
He turned back to face me awkwardly, his mind clearly working at breakneck speed as a layer of fine sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Lady Loris, I...” he stammered, his voice dry. “The things I said just now... they weren't actually what I meant.”
“I only wanted to find an excuse to get closer to Liliana, which is why I said that. Belittling you to make myself look better was obviously a very clumsy excuse. I don't actually think you're a bad person...”
“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow. “So you used my reputation as a stepping stone just to pursue a girl?”
“No! That's not what I meant—”
“Then what do you mean?”
Alden was in a complete panic. Finally, as if resigning himself to his fate, his shoulders slumped.
“Yes... yes. I just wanted to get close to her.”
His voice grew low and rapid, filled with a sense of reckless abandon:
“On the first day of school, I bumped into her in the hallway. She was holding a stack of books, and I knocked them over. Instead of getting angry, she helped me pick them up and smiled at me.”
“That smile was so beautiful. I really liked it. Later, when I found out she was a commoner with a level-ten talent, I felt a bit embarrassed to admit it, so I told my friends I was only pursuing her for the novelty. But that wasn't the truth.”
“I just thought her smile was incredibly beautiful and gentle... that's why I came to this cafe today. Everything I said earlier was just an excuse. It was wrong of me to belittle you. Please, forgive my foolishness...”
By the time he finished, his voice had dwindled to a whisper. He hung his head like a convict awaiting sentencing.
The alley fell silent once more.
The wind blew over the wall, carrying the distant clinking sounds of a blacksmith's shop.
Then, another set of footsteps echoed from the mouth of the alley.
Alden looked up, Klaus turned his head, and the corners of my mouth curled slightly.
Plan successful.
Misha was standing at the entrance of the alley, holding Liliana's hand.
Liliana's hand was still gripped by Misha, her expression frozen in a delicate moment—she had clearly overheard Alden's confession just now. Beside her, Misha was trying her best to remain composed, but her brown eyes were sparkling with uncontrollable excitement.
Because this was the very first task she had accomplished for me.
The timing was perfect.
“So,” I said, looking at Alden, my tone as flat as if I were reciting a textbook. “To get close to Liliana, you first rehearsed a 'hero-saves-the-beauty' act this morning, and then this afternoon you fabricated lies about me to win her favor, pretending to be a gentle, caring gentleman—when in reality, you are just a liar who uses other people's reputations as stepping stones to dress yourself up.”
“Is that correct?”
Alden opened his mouth in a panic, but he couldn't utter a single word.
I didn't look at him again.
My gaze swept past his shoulder to land on the pink-haired girl behind him, while Klaus covered his face with both hands in sheer embarrassment.
Liliana stood at the entrance of the alley, the dappled afternoon sunlight reflected in her light-brown eyes.
She looked at Alden, then at me, as if trying to re-evaluate everything that had transpired today.
Truth be told, she had possessed some good feelings toward Alden—not of a romantic nature, but simply as a regular friend.
But now, her expression underwent a slow transition from confusion to understanding, and from understanding to disappointment, as if a window were slowly closing before her.
Yet, there was no sign of heartbreak in her expression.
I turned around and walked toward the alley exit.
Finally, it was settled.
The heavy stone in my heart slowly settled back into place. With this, the plotline of Alden and me joining forces to deal with Liliana would likely never happen. His image had been shattered into a million pieces in front of her today; there was no way he could ever play the gentle, considerate gentleman again.
I didn't stop as I walked past Liliana, only saying in a measured voice, “You can handle the rest yourself.”
And Shirune followed behind me, her footsteps light and steady.
Misha gave Liliana a reassuring pat and a pat on the head before jogging to catch up with me.
Stepping out of the alley and turning onto the main street, we merged into the afternoon sunlight and the sparse crowd. The chirping of distant birds reached our ears, and the clay bell on the cafe's eaves chimed softly in the wind, releasing a series of crisp, delicate rings.
Behind me, I heard Liliana's voice coming from the alley.
“Classmate Alden.”
Her voice was very soft, very calm.
“Thank you for your kindness all this time, and... thank you for treating me to coffee. I'm returning this money to you.”
Though that cup of coffee was incredibly expensive—costing a full four hours of her wages—and normally she would never bear to drink it, preferring to send the extra money back home, Liliana still returned the money. She was unwilling to accept such kindness and disliked being indebted to others.
With that, she also quietly departed.
Alden didn't chase after her. He stood frozen, watching the silver coin reflect a blinding gleam in the slanting afternoon sunlight. Her gentle demeanor was exactly the same as when they had first met; it wasn't a special treatment reserved for him, but simply the natural kindness of a gentle person toward everyone.
(Voiceover:
That evening, Alden sat alone on a bench in the central square of the Royal Capital, still clutching the returned silver coin. He watched the setting sun sink bit by bit behind the distant towers, his face filled with dejection and bewilderment.
“Sitting here all by yourself and sighing doesn't look like you at all, Master Cross.”
Alden looked up.
Margaret Horn stood beside the bench, her long, dark-brown wavy hair draped over her shoulders, a contemptuous smirk playing on her lips.
Behind her stood Vera Klein. (Note: the fake-innocent girl whose cheeks Loris had pinched on the first day of school.)
The two of them, one tall and one short, one flat-chested and one busty,
looked just like a villain duo from Pokémon making their grand entrance.
“...What do you want?” Alden asked weakly. They weren't close at all.
“To point you in the right direction.” Margaret sat down on the other end of the bench and crossed her legs, her dark leather shoes reflecting a dull sheen in the sunset. “You like Liliana, don't you? But Loris is standing in your way.”
Alden clenched his fists in anger, remaining silent.
“Actually, we don't like Loris either,” Vera said, letting out a soft chuckle from behind her fan, her voice carrying a hint of gritted teeth.
Margaret, equally resentful, added, “Want to cooperate?”
Alden couldn't help but look at them blankly.
The setting sun dyed his light hair a deep orange, and his fingers tightened around the silver coin.
If only Loris hadn't been there, he really would have succeeded.
“...What do you want to do?” Alden asked.
“There's no rush for now.” Margaret stood up and patted her skirt. “Just letting you know that you aren't the only one who hates that Loris girl.”
With that, she reached out and pulled the dejected Alden up.
“We'll have a proper chat the next time we meet, classmate Alden.”
A moment later.
Alden watched them disappear into the crowd at the edge of the square. The two ladies, one tall and one short, departed mysteriously. Flipping the silver coin over, he stared at the royal crest reflecting a dull glow in the fading light. He slipped it into his pocket, stood up, and walked toward the darkening streets.)
...
Rate on N.U.
