Chapter 27
‘Daddy, where are you?’
Astraia von Kailum’s oldest memory wasn’t a particularly pleasant one.
‘Your Highness...’
‘I made a flower crown for Daddy...’
In the young Astraia’s hands was a flower crown she’d crafted. It was perfectly made, far too refined for a child’s work, clearly with help from a maid or nanny—but to a kid, if her hands had touched it, it was all her doing, right?
‘Your Highness... His Majesty...’
‘Oh! It’s Daddy!’
Dododo.
The pint-sized Astraia scurried along on her short legs. Eager to gift the crown she’d made, she dashed toward her father emerging from a cabinet meeting.
‘Daddy! Daddy! Look, I made you a flower crown!’
Bouncing with the crown in hand, the child was so adorably cute that anyone would crack a fond smile.
‘...’
‘...But I made it...’
But the emperor ignored his youngest daughter’s antics, fixing her with a cold stare.
Kids aren’t stupid. They might lack knowledge and brim with innocence, but they’re sharper than adults at sensing emotional shifts or malice.
Under the emperor’s icy gaze, the young Astraia began to shrink. Smaller and smaller, until she vanished from sight entirely.
‘...Hah!!’
Astraia jolted awake from the nightmare, gasping as she sat up. She frantically scanned her body, and only upon confirming her usual smooth, flawless skin did she exhale in relief.
‘Haa... just a dream.’
A nightmare of dwindling away until she ceased to exist in the world. Shaking off the horrific sensation, Astraia lamented the sleep that had fled her grasp and slipped out of bed toward the table.
She poured water from the teapot into an ornate cup and gulped it down. The cold liquid cooled her heated chest, bringing some calm.
‘Of all people, why’d he have to show up... Today’s gonna be cursed...’
The being Astraia hated and despised most—her own father—had invaded her dream. Fuming, she cooled her rising ire with more cold water, dreading the rough day ahead.
Astraia’s days were relentlessly busy. As an imperial princess and student council president at Amor Academy, she had endless visitors and official appearances.
‘President, the documents you requested.’
‘Thanks. I’ll review them. And have the free hands investigate Room 2 of the second annex. We got a report of banned experimental substances being smuggled in.’
‘Yes, ma’am!’
‘Your Highness! A paper this detailed on Zeppelin’s mana resonance theory—you’re sure to top the second-years again!’
‘Thank you. But I’m ever the student graced by the professors’ noble guidance. No need to stand on ceremony with me.’
‘Your Highness! Thank you for gracing our family’s salon!’
‘Think nothing of it. I’ve long admired Count Collet’s eye for art. And you, young lady, seem to have inherited it, spotting so many gems—it left quite the impression. Ignoring talent’s call is for fools.’
……
‘Haa... exhausting.’
‘Well done today, milady.’
Aided by her maid Leto as she wrapped up the day, the princess sank into an inexplicable void.
Why am I even alive? Why must I live like this?
Her hand unconsciously drifted to her personal Communication Stone. A single unread message blinked.
Snapped from her reverie, Astraia wondered when it had arrived. Amid the day’s frenzy, she hurried to check, fearing it might be urgent.
‘Finally!!’
The moment she’d awaited arrived, and Astraia shot to her feet without thinking.
‘No contact till now was inexcusable... but I’ll forgive it this once. Please... bring good news.’
The clubroom after so long. Circumstances had delayed us since the first meeting—this was only the second—but the members’ influence kept it spotless.
Not that it’d stay dusty with the princess and saintess around. Catch a cold in a grimy room? Someone’d get buried. Me, the club president and responsible party, probably.
‘Long time no see. I heard about the incident. Some trouble?’
‘Yes. It got a bit chaotic because of me.’
‘Not your fault, so no need to shrink like that. Looks like you’ve healed well—good.’
The princess referenced the recent kidnapping, inquiring after Prazia Auros.
For her or Hertia, visiting casually risked rumors of Duke Auros—emperor’s right hand—backing the princess or church. Late check-in, sure, but their positions made it sincere concern.
‘Lady Auros, if you feel off, come see me. As a fellow club member, I’ll bless you anytime.’
‘Thanks. I appreciate it.’
Hertia’s blessing—a prayer banishing ailments and toughening the body (mostly physically)—fetched fortunes in gold. Offering it casually showed rivalry aside, she’d worried deeply.
‘So, why are we gathered?’
‘Right, Saintess. We just loosely set our direction last time. Events piled up, but we haven’t done proper club activities.’
I’d tried summoning members before, but accidents always derailed. I’d barely played the original game—thirty minutes tops, plus reviews—so knowledge was thin.
Prazia’s kidnapping? No clue. This wasn’t even a standard dating sim anymore. Why the dark fantasy underbelly? Academy accidents were cliché enough, but kidnappers doing vivisections? That’s dark fantasy, not romcom territory.
I’d made this circle to pair heroines with Polo. Now lunatics crashed the schedule, fraying my nerves.
Maybe canon, but without my skills, few on the continent could’ve felled those monsters and chimera makers. Without me, Prazia might’ve boarded the bad-end express.
Reviewing events, I realized academy life and Polo’s romance ops needed caution.
‘Harim Festival’s soon, right?’
‘Ah, yeah, almost time.’
Like Buddha’s birthday in my past life—a festival blessing the goddess’s earthly descent and praying for eternity. I’d decided to use it.
‘As a volunteer circle, we’re collaborating under club activities. Big crowds mean security needs; we pitch in?’
‘Ooh!! I’m in!’
People-loving Polo approved; Prazia followed suit. I’d leveraged Auros connections for this—she couldn’t skip.
‘Um... I have the church’s official event. My position means I can’t join you all.’
‘Ah, right.’
Harim Festival made Hertia, church saintess, essential.
‘Ahem... that’s... regrettable.’
The princess barely hid her glee at her rival’s absence.
Hertia’s face soured, but knowing she’d lose any retort, she swallowed her quiet fury.
‘I’ll join. Duties pending, but I can clear them by eve and participate.’
‘Then four of us on the day. Patrolling in a pack’s inefficient—split teams?’
‘I’d like to pair with Mars.’
Prazia’s words stunned Astraia and Hertia.
‘No issue... but so sudden?’
‘At the Flower Festival, I “happened” to run into Polo and went with him. This time, Mars.’
‘...I see.’
The reveal of her prior Polo “date” (questionable term) shocked Astraia—she’d been outmaneuvered. Assuming Prazia flaunted ahead-of-the-curve leisure, her mind raced, missing the shift: “Polo-kun” versus plain “Mars.”