The Bizarre Love Triangle (1)

As the Mingxin Bogam puts it, "A day without reading makes one's canine teeth sprout in the nine cauldrons." It means that if you skip even a single day of reading, the shock of failing your daily quota will make fangs grow, and you'll end up biting the people around you.

But over the past few days, the ones disrupting my reading have been my liege, Albert von Beletia, and the imperial princess, Charlotte Laura von Ahenmetis. Opponents I couldn't bare my teeth at even if I wanted to.

And today's guest was someone who'd shatter my teeth if I even tried. Erna Skillpinggar Harpagri. The daughter of the northern grand duke, looking like a black wolf draped in white fur. The future lady of our liege's house. And the woman now cornering me, fiddling with her fists.

"Hey—you. So, Baron. Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

"I already told you. It was just a study group, and I had to leave early yesterday for some business."

"Then maybe you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠should've split yourself in two to make sure nothing like that happens again. What do you think?"

"……Haha."

As if that's possible.

"You just thought I was talking nonsense, didn't you?"

"Of course not. I know it's my own carelessness and immaturity that's causing you this grief, miss."

"What're you even saying? Trying to brush it off with more bullshit."

"No, but come on—getting on my case just because they happened to be together for a bit? That's not fair."

Apparently, while I was off talking to senior Darko yesterday, our margrave and the princess had stuck around and chatted briefly. And Erna had caught them red-handed.

She'd grilled them, and whether it was my liege or the princess, one of them had spilled that the group formed because of me. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠She'd also heard about our little trio's study sessions.

And that's what had our miss all riled up.

"I mean, couldn't you at least tell me about it? Huh? 'Hey, wanna study together, but gonna invite some random girl to the group.' One word—that too hard for you all?"

"It's just a study group. No need to get so heated…."

"Would you be cool if your wife was hanging out in a group with some other guy? Huh? Guys who flip out over that are always blind to it happening to others."

That shut me up like a clam with honey in its mouth. Hard to argue when she put it like that.

But by that logic, aren't we alone right now…?

The thought crossed my mind, but I wasn't dumb enough to say it out loud.

Because this woman didn't see me as a man at all. I'd known that after a few years.

At least talk to my liege directly….

Since she had no intention of doing that, I was the one stuck in the middle getting grilled. I knew it.

"Come on… calm down first, miss."

"I'm the coolest and calmest person in the world right now."

"I get your worries, but the princess has zero interest in my liege—not even a mustard seed's worth. She only joined the group because of me."

That sounded weird when I said it out loud…. Not wrong, but still.

But it only seemed to poke the bear—or rather, the wolf—further.

"What? So you're saying your liege can't even catch a woman's eye?"

"No, that's not—"

"Mark my words: friendship between men and women is a lie. Even if there's no intent, face-to-face time breeds it. And he's got a handsome face, doesn't he? Princess is pretty too. Perfect setup for something to spark."

I didn't think so, but our miss was fuming too hard to reason with.

In the end, I had no choice but to raise the white flag.

"……If you're that worried, why not join us sometime?"

"Why?"

"I'll talk to the other two, and you can sit in once. Then you'll get a feel for the vibe…."

"Heh."

Of course, I hadn't suggested it expecting her to say yes. She was sharp enough for the military research department, but studying didn't seem her thing.

"When?"

"Pardon?"

"When's the next one?"

But her bold response shattered my expectations.

And a few days later, on the weekend.

"Come on in. You're late."

"Had to drop off that assignment the professor ordered…."

The very day I'd slaved away finishing the makeup work dragged out by that mess with senior Darko.

As planned, I arrived at the meeting spot to find the princess, my liege, and the miss already there.

What a soul-crushing lineup for a study group….

Not a single easy person to deal with. Lucky thing: the atmosphere didn't seem bad. They'd been chatting amiably before I showed up.

I set my books down and spoke.

"Mind if I ask what you were talking about?"

"Ah. We were just asking how Miss Erna ended up wanting to join. I'd heard, but didn't expect you'd actually come."

"Truth be told, I was surprised too when I heard you were coming…. Is it okay?"

"……I had nothing to do this weekend, so I figured I'd try it once. If it's boring, I'll leave."

Even as she said that, she slyly plopped down next to my liege, then scooted to face the princess directly—maximizing the distance between princess and liege.

She's not here to study; ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she's here to keep watch….

She wouldn't back off until she confirmed with her own eyes that the princess had zero interest in our margrave.

This might not be a one-time thing; she could stick around for good….

And just like that, our group reluctantly welcomed Miss Erna Skillpinggar Harpagri, daughter of the Baiken grand duke.

With the group now at four, and my military research department life settling in, the professor—who always grumbled about students' smooth academic progress—dropped a bombshell on everyone.

"By now, you should at least know how to advance your own unit. But as you know, war isn't decided by one person alone, nor should it be."

After the usual post-drill feedback, with TAs cleaning up the field behind him, Professor Montecuccoli launched into his tirade.

"Sure, you're learning from Professor Bisbaden, but fewer final decision-makers, the better. Even a dragon would struggle with two heads. Still, you need to practice collaboration early. It ties into handling 'talent' too."

The five laws of war: justification, timing, terrain, talent, discipline.

"Before next week's mock battle, form pairs. Pick freely, but report to the TA ahead of time. Got it?!"

And just when I was barely adjusting, boom—group project declaration.

Our Professor Montecuccoli seemed to relish tormenting students, matching his irritable mug.

Whew. At least it's a relief.

Normally, for a social lightweight like me, forming a group is the hardest part. Four's tough; five or six? I'd end up lumped with fellow loners.

But pairs? And I had my rock-solid ally….

I hustled over to the one person I could pair with without stress.

"My liege……!"

"Hm? Baron?"

"If it's not too much trouble, with me…."

But my attempt was naturally blocked by the recent fanged interloper.

The white-and-black-haired, fierce-faced woman who'd planted herself next to our margrave.

"Oh, looks like the baron wants to pair with you."

"Hmm…. Pairing with the baron would be ideal for me too, but…."

The mood shifted oddly.

And sure enough, our margrave gave me a troubled look and whispered,

"The young lady seems to want to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pair up this time. Sorry, but I'll have to go with someone else."

"……I figured as much."

"Anyone else, I'd pick you first, but it's the young lady. Bear with me."

"No helping it…."

No matter how close I was to my liege, when his fierce fiancée pushed, I fell to second priority. It stung a bit, but what could I do? Time to back off gracefully.

……But then who with?

I scanned my mental roster of classmates I'd seen around. None close enough to approach first.

And as I wandered, abandoned(?) by my liege, one person finally reached out.

"My, Baron von Hebel. You seem to be looking around without a partner yet."

"……Greetings. And Your Highness?"

"Oh, I've had offers nonstop. Just been dodging them."

Princess Charlotte covered her mouth in a mock laugh. I already knew that gesture—she did it when she was amused solo.

"And so the esteemed one swoops in to claim me."

"Bingo!"

"One thing first: any plans with someone else…?"

"Hmm, doesn't look like it, at least for now!"

"As if."

And so, for the first time, I ended up pairing with someone other than the margrave.

A few days later.

Who the hell made this bracket….

I'd gone to check the mock battle schedule and was hit with a gut-punch matchup that made my stomach churn.

Balance of skill? Secondary issue.

For me, facing my liege and the future lady of the house was trial enough, etched right there on the slate.