Chapter 34 - The Rival (1)
Chapter 34 - The Rival (1)
“So… what exactly do you want to know?”
The Crown Prince asked with a resigned tone.
“Let’s go through them one by one. First, what happened between you and the young lady.”
His expression grew even gloomier.
“A month ago, Parmela suddenly sent me a letter breaking off our engagement. While investigating the reason, I learned about you. So I immediately headed to Parmela’s villa and happened to encounter her while she was out on a subjugation mission… and you, who was guarding her.”
“…Seriously?”
“Judging by your expression, you really didn’t know.”
So she fell in love with me at first sight and broke off her engagement with the Crown Prince, is that it?
If I’d known that, I would have turned tail and run without a second thought.
“But even for the Herthe Ducal family, can they just casually break off an engagement with the imperial family?”
“Under normal circumstances, that would be absolutely unthinkable. It’s practically an insult to the imperial family. However…”
What followed was even more shocking.
“…Tsundere villainess…?”
“Yes. Long ago, a man who married into the Herthe family described this tendency among their women that way. Apparently, it was a term from the world he came from…”
“There was someone from another world… here?”
The wording itself wasn’t important.
The fact that someone used that term—one I’m familiar with—in this world long ago.
Then perhaps…
“Who was that person? What happened to him?”
“Wait. Let go of my shoulders first. What do you mean what happened?”
“Did he return to his original world?”
“Uh… no.”
The grip on his shoulders slackened.
“His name was Renit Herthe. Originally a butler of the Herthe family, he married Parmela Herthe, the family head at the time, and became a live-in son-in-law. After that, he lived as a member of the Herthe family until his natural death. Why are you suddenly so interested? Is he that important to you?”
Important.
He was undoubtedly someone from the same world as me.
But the fact that he remained in this world until the end was devastating news.
I thought there might be a way back…
‘…No. Nothing’s certain yet.’
Let’s think positively.
Just knowing that someone in a similar situation lived in this world is already a huge gain.
I’ll need to investigate him further.
“I’d like to know more about this Renit person.”
“I don’t understand why you’re suddenly so obsessed with him… but there’s someone more suitable than me to answer that, isn’t there?”
“Who would that… Ah.”
Right. For information about the Herthe family, asking a Herthe would be quicker.
“…You’re absolutely right. There is indeed a more suitable informant nearby.”
I slumped back into the chair.
“We’ve strayed from the topic. Let’s return to the main point… So this Renit person described the Herthe ladies that way?”
To summarize the Crown Prince’s explanation:
The women born into the Herthe family generally had strong romantic tendencies, and among them, some—like Parmela—completely disregarded politically arranged engagements, insisting only on fateful, unforced encounters.
“…And by coincidence, I appeared before the young lady when she was in crisis.”
“Exactly.”
“Damn… it…”
First the Saintess, and now this. Why do I keep ending up in these situations? It’s as if someone deliberately set up these scenarios to mess with me.
“Do you dislike Parmela?”
“She’s beautiful. From what I’ve observed, her personality may seem haughty on the surface, but she’s kind-hearted.”
“Then isn’t this good for you? A commoner managing to woo a ducal lady and instantly rise in status.”
“That’s exactly what I dislike. The lifestyle of nobles, their insular social circles… I know all too well about the darkness hidden beneath their glamorous facades. I want no part of that life.”
“Then how do you want to live?”
“Earn enough to live comfortably, avoid major illnesses or accidents, and pass away peacefully.”
“…In that case, becoming a ducal family’s live-in son-in-law definitely doesn’t suit you.”
Edgar gave a bitter smile.
“I understand now. Regarding the young lady… I’ll think it over myself. It’s not something I should be asking others about.”
Besides, continuously discussing her with the Crown Prince seemed somewhat improper.
“Fine. And if you ever feel like yielding Parmela to me, you’re always welcome. I’ll actively cooperate.”
…Or not?
“Now we come to the main point…”
I straightened my posture.
“There’s more you want to ask?”
“The most important matter remains. About the Corrupted Mana you used during our duel the other day.”
“…I used Corrupted Mana? Me?”
The Crown Prince looked utterly confused.
“…”
When I mentioned that during our duel, while he was gathering Aura, I briefly sensed demonic Corrupted Mana mixed within his mana, his expression turned grave as he fell deep into thought.
“You weren’t aware?”
“Not at all. I felt nothing unusual. But… yes. That would explain it.”
“Explain what?”
“Ever since entering the Academy, I’ve felt… strangely unsettled. Normally I’m fine, but whenever I think about Parmela, my emotions become more turbulent than usual.”
“Then when you suddenly challenged me during swordsmanship class…?”
“I don’t know if you’ll believe this… but the normal me would never have done that. It was improper behavior, and… I knew it wouldn’t change her feelings.”
Seeing his bitter expression, I felt a twinge of sympathy. Regardless, from his perspective, his fiancée had been stolen by some commoner he’d never met before.
“I would have been more cunning and subtle, using every means possible to slowly drive a wedge between you and Parmela.”
Sympathy revoked.
“If what you say is true, then I unknowingly came into contact with a demon at some point. This is more serious than I thought.”
Exactly as he said.
Even though he’s left the imperial palace to live at the Academy with other students, he’s always guarded several times more strictly than others.
For a demon to bypass those guards and contact Edgar…
Moreover, a demon capable of deceiving the imperial guards would likely be a Greater Demon, or perhaps something even more powerful. When I subtly hinted at this possibility, his expression grew even graver.
“I’ll report this to the Academy and the imperial palace immediately.”
“Please do.”
“Could you relay this to Parmela? It’s awkward for me to contact her first now.”
“Umm…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Lately… she seems to be avoiding me. The young lady.”
“What? So there’s still hope for me?”
I wish I could believe that too.
“Anyway… understood. That covers everything. If there’s anything else to discuss later, I’ll visit again.”
I rose from the chair and walked toward the balcony I’d entered from.
“Wait.”
“?”
“There’s something else I haven’t said yet.”
“…I’m not accepting any duel challenges.”
“Haha. I don’t pick fights I’m obviously going to lose. How a commoner a year younger than me reached such heights without using magic… part of me wants to immediately summon the imperial investigators to uncover everything about you, but I won’t do something so ungrateful to my benefactor.”
“Benefactor?”
“Yes. Benefactor.”
He bowed his head slightly.
“Thank you. For stopping my rampage.”
“…Skip the thanks and just pay me.”
At my response, he gave a peculiar smile.
“What’s that look for?”
“Now that I think about it, you and Parmela are strangely similar in some ways.”
“Huh?”
“The way you act all cold when you’re embarrassed.”
“…I’ll take my leave.”
The conversation with the Crown Prince gave me much to consider.
Renit Herthe, the peculiar tendencies running in the Herthe bloodline, the Fallen Angel that contacted the Crown Prince…
Each was a significant issue, tangled together so intricately it was hard to know where to begin.
But a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I’ll tackle the most urgent matters one by one.
“-You want to absorb Corrupted Mana, you say?”
“Yes.”
On the terrace near the dining hall.
Seated alone at a table with the head maid by her side, Parmela elegantly set down her teacup.
“Very well. I was thinking it’s about time to fulfill our contract anyway.”
“Have demons or corrupted monsters appeared nearby?”
“Unfortunately not yet. Instead, I’ll provide an alternative.”
“An alternative meaning…”
“Three days ago, a corrupted Blood Orc’s Magic Core arrived at the Herthe family estate. I’ll provide the mana contained within.”
“Thank you!”
Finally, I can recover my Demonic Qi.
[Remaining Demonic Qi: 5%]
With another Fallen Angel confirmed nearby, recovering my Demonic Qi is the top priority. Whether to fight or flee, I need my power.
“I’ve requested the core be sent here from the main estate, so it should arrive within two days at the latest. I’ll summon you then.”
“Understood.”
“…”
“…”
“What are you doing? Aren’t you leaving?”
“…Is that all?”
“What else is there?”
She glared at me sharply.
‘Sigh… what a headache.’
Since the duel with the Crown Prince, her attitude had changed.
Whereas before she tried everything to keep me close, now she was several times more prickly, doing everything to push me away.
Had I not known the truth, I might have been glad she’d finally given up on me, but…
“About the duel with His Highness the Crown Prince…”
Gasp.
The teacup in her hand trembled slightly.
“W-why bring that up now?”
“At that time, when I was struck by the Crown Prince’s sword and fell… you came running to me.”
“Eek!”
The head maid neatly caught the teacup Parmela dropped.
“D-d-d-don’t get the wrong idea! That was just… I paid good money to hire you, so if you died it’d be my loss! I had no choice but to check on you, understand?”
“Sigh…”
“D-don’t you sigh at me! Anyway! Don’t misunderstand! Helping you is something I’m forced to do!”
Hmph.
She crossed her arms and sharply turned her head away.
A textbook, classic tsundere. If you looked up “tsundere” in the dictionary, instead of a lengthy explanation, it would just say “noun: refers to characters like Parmela Herthe.”
In any case, her extreme tsun-tsun mode made normal conversation nearly impossible.
Whether it was about breaking off her engagement with the Crown Prince or her true intentions in hiring me, any attempt at serious discussion made her panic and evade like this.
Glancing at the head maid, I noticed the usually stoic woman furrowing her brows slightly.
You must be suffering plenty with such a difficult mistress.
“Uwaaah… what should I do, Elina? I was mean to Theo again when I didn’t mean to be… what if he hates me?”
“Sigh. You’ve even given him a nickname now? In any case, why not just honestly express your…”
“Eeeek!!! Are you crazy? My heart feels like it’ll burst just standing near him now, h-how could I do something so shameless?!”
“…”
“Aah… what should I do, ever since that day I can’t even look him in the face properly…”
“…You must compose yourself. You have preparations to make for two days from now.”
“Two days? When the Magic Core from the estate arrives?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten. Who’s bringing that Magic Core.”
“…”
“Now, now. Your expression is too dark. They are family, after all.”
“…I hate Beltane.”
“You shouldn’t speak of your younger brother that way… though you two are currently competing for the family succession.”