Plan (4)

Truthfully, one of the reasons I had come this far was that I was afraid of dying.

Being able to turn back time did not make me invincible. The first few moments when I turned back time were not by my will, but at least I hadn't died. To be precise, that was what I thought 'myself.'

Everything after that was time I turned back on my own.

In fact, for those first few times as well, it would be more accurate to say that my own intense wishing played a role. I didn't know whether this ability was truly 'my' ability, or the ability of something else observing me from above. I hadn't met any god and received an explanation during the process of crossing over into this world, nor was there any System or Status Window.

And yet it was also different from a Save and Load. Unlike saving at a specific point and then reverting, my ability turned back time to a necessary point at a necessary moment.

Although the trigger was supposedly 'intense wishing,' it didn't necessarily have to be a moment of mortal danger. Time turned back easily enough whenever I felt embarrassed or simply wished I had made a different choice.

But if that were true, what about when I was in a state where I couldn't even form such a wish?

If I were shot. If my body were torn apart by an explosion before I could do anything.

...... Or if an ice spear pierced straight through my head.

Mia Crowfield was a major threat to me. For now, she had no way to kill me, but if she had this Marmaros, it might become possible. Her specialty was ice magic, after all.

I didn't want the protagonist's party to be in danger, but I couldn't neglect my own life either. I planned to hold onto this for now, and hand it over once the possibility of Mia Crowfield killing me had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠become virtually nonexistent. In that case, she probably wouldn't be able to easily obtain Marmaros of this level until at least the end of the first semester. I could buy some time.

The problem was that I had no way to explain any of this.

The thing these two were curious about now was not so much why I had come to retrieve this, but rather how I had known to come and retrieve it.

"......I cannot tell you yet."

In the end, at a loss for an answer, I had no choice but to stubbornly insist on that.

"......."

Standing before me without budging, Alice's gaze as she quietly looked at me was piercing, but I struggled not to change my expression as I spoke again.

"I shall tell you someday, when the time is right."

Alice looked at me quietly.

She was Alice, who had come to read my expressions to a certain extent. Perhaps she had already noticed that I was flustered just now. Though I had no idea how Alice herself would interpret that expression.

"......."

"......."

The two of us stood quietly looking at each other for a time.

"...... Hoo."

Truly fortunately, the one who backed down first was Alice.

"...... You know this already."

Alice glared at me as she spoke.

"My memory is quite good. I will never forget that you said such words in the future. When the moment truly does come that you can speak, you absolutely must do so."

"Understood."

Well, that had been my intention anyway.

Once we grew close enough, after everything was over, and I no longer needed to use this ability. And if, even at that point, my relations with the protagonist's party were positive, then there was no reason I couldn't tell them. By that time, my so-called concept would mean nothing anyway.

But now was not the time. It was only the first week since the story had properly begun to unfold. It was far too early to reveal all the hidden plots, and doing so might actually endanger the protagonist's party. Since these fools who knew nothing but justice would immediately turn hostile toward the emperor.

Above all, if Charlotte learned the truth that the Kingdom of Belbur and the Aetherna Empire would come to armed conflict, she would never simply stay still.

"When that time comes, might I also be allowed to hear that truth together with you?"

"...... You probably will be."

When I said that, Alice's expression brightened a little.

"The fact that Sylvia said it that way means she's that confident. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I expect you, Charlotte, will also get to hear it together with us then."

"Is that so?"

With Alice saying that much, her attitude suggested she would let it pass for now, but Charlotte still didn't seem to trust me a hundred percent.

That was unavoidable. I had once outright threatened Charlotte's father, the King of Belbur.

"...... Well, then I suppose it can't be helped. If you, Sylvia, keep your mouth shut...... Frankly, I can't see a way that I could pry it open."

It had been wise to cultivate that kind of image as usual. Though Alice had still managed to read my expression, to everyone else I was an inscrutable existence. If they gave up in advance like that, it was good enough for me.

"We're done here, right? Then let's head outside for now. Honestly, the smell's been terrible from the moment we came in. I feel like my nose is practically numb now."

"...... First, let us change our clothes. I have a feeling we may never wear these outfits again."

...... True, the fur section of my coat did seem likely to have absorbed the stench. Would it come out in the wash?

"And, now that it's come to this, why don't we all get together and go eat some parfait? After we change."

Having said that, Alice turned back toward me and spoke, grinning broadly.

"You like it, right? Parfait."

...... Even though I had managed my expression that well, I apparently couldn't hide it from Alice.

"Was the expression I made back then truly one of liking it?"

"Her emotions are written all over her face."

As Alice said that, she turned back around and began leading the way. Charlotte looked at Alice with a gaze as if observing something peculiar.

At least in that moment, I couldn't help but sympathize with Charlotte.

I honestly don't know how she figures it out.

*

Even after waking early, carrying out a request at the arcade, exploring the sewers, washing, changing clothes, eating a light meal at a café, and even having parfait, it still wasn't quite three in the afternoon.

Wow, so mornings that start early can leave you with this much time. That thought crossed my mind.

"You have something else to do?"

After finishing the parfait, when I said I had further business, Alice spoke with a slightly fed-up expression.

"Well, fine. To be honest, I am curious about what exactly your business is...... Frankly, at this point, I don't think I could figure anything out just by looking further."

I was truly glad she thought so.

And Alice's judgment was accurate.

Because from now on, my plan was to head to my room and just laze around in bed.

Since I had spent more than half of this precious Sunday, even turning back time repeatedly, working nonstop for several hours, I thought maybe it was about time for me to rest a little.

Leo and Claire were probably still going around here and there solving various requests, and Mia Crowfield was likely holed up in her room.

"Charlotte, why don't the two of us go study together?"

"Shall we, then? Sylvia, today was quite enjoyable. Though I still can't say I understand you exactly......."

"Right. How often would we have reason to go into the imperial capital sewers?"

I wondered what expression Alice would make if I told her that later on, she'd have to go into far deeper ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠places than this and face terribly disgusting-looking monsters.

Hmm, thinking it over again, rather than grimacing as she imagined such a situation, she'd probably ask me 'how I knew that fact.' So I decided not to tell her.

Sometimes there were things I could know without necessarily having to turn back time.

"Then, let's see each other in a bit, around dinnertime."

"Understood."

I gave a slight bow to the two people departing in front of me.

"......."

And I let the strength drain slightly from my shoulders.

Hoo.

Even if I had come back alone, I would have been completely drained. Bringing these two along and returning together felt like it cost me double the energy.

...... Alright. From now on, I would truly do absolutely nothing.

I would go back to my room and roll around on the bed with full power. And when dinnertime came, I would turn back time again and roll around some more. And then turn back time once more and roll around again. I felt like I needed at least that much for my mental fatigue to dissipate.

"Oh, Your Imperial Highness."

And that anticipation of mine was mercilessly shattered by a certain blond tanned punk.

And calling him that was perfectly accurate; he was, truly, a blond tanned punk.

Moreover, one flanked by women on both sides.

"...... What can I do for you?"

You know me?

I barely managed to swallow those words as I asked.

After all, this was supposedly our first meeting.

I couldn't quite tell whether he had simply happened to speak as he passed by, or whether he had been intentionally waiting to some extent.

But...... well, seeing him in person, it looked like the latter.

"Ah, my apologies."

The blond tanned punk quickly offered a slight bow in my direction. Compared to his somewhat raffish face and aura, that greeting was so smooth and courteous that even I was impressed.

Which made sense, since he was the eldest son of a ducal house quite famous in the empire.

For reference, the reason his skin was brown was because he had 'really' tanned himself. He wasn't born with dark skin.

However, in the case of the black-haired girl beside him, she genuinely had dark skin.

Among the girls flanking him, the one with an expression notably close to blank...... was a colonial subject. It was hard to distinguish race in the illustrations, but seeing her in reality, it didn't seem strange to think of her as 'Indian.' Though she wasn't pure-blooded colonial, but half imperial.

Following the Blond Tanned Guy who had addressed me, the kids beside him also greeted me. Just a moment ago, I had heard tittering laughter, but it seemed my expression was enough to stop them from smiling.

"I simply happened to see Your Imperial Highness as I passed by, and wished to pay my respects. I apologize if I interrupted your path."

"......."

What's the point of beating around the bush?

This guy was one of the protagonist's party too.

When people think of Blond Tanned Guy in doujin circles, they often picture the role of someone who steals the heroine. But that's a trope for adult comics or eroge. In actual media like this, the real Blond Tanned Guy was often just an earnest hot-blooded fool.

Not that this guy was just a simple hot-blooded fool but...... well, given his personality of never tolerating injustice, calling him a hot-blooded fool wouldn't exactly be wrong.

He partied hard, was good-looking, and got a lot of attention from women, but he himself only had eyes for one girl. The colonial half-blood right next to him. They were said to be distant relatives in terms of family registry. Although ducal blood ran through her veins, she was still a colonial subject, and so she was attached to that Blond Tanned Guy as his 'maid.'

She had managed to enter the academy as a student, not as a servant, but since her treatment was effectively commoner, they were split into different classes.

"I am Jake Lindbergh."

In the original work, he wasn't skilled at intrigue. He didn't entirely lack noble sensibilities, but frankly, his style was more about fists flying before words.

Gentle toward women, but merciless toward men. He also occupied a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sort of 'gag character' position. He was the protagonist's best-friend archetype commonly found in harem stories.

It seemed the developers had placed this character next to the protagonist to avoid creating the image of a harem obstructer.

Still, thanks to that, he'd gained the devoted pure-love guy gimmick and established his own niche.

"I am Sylvia Fangriffon."

When I answered like that, Jake Lindbergh straightened his slightly bowed posture.

"It is an honor to meet you like this."

"......."

Do you have something to say?

I tried throwing that thought into my gaze, but in truth, Alice was the only one around me who could read my expressions, so the odds that this fool would grasp my thoughts were far greater. And indeed, Jake Lindbergh was just beaming a sociable smile.

...... But if there was a reason he had spoken to me.

I shifted my gaze slightly to the colonial half-blood standing beside Lindbergh.

In the original work...... the truth was that she also had a fair amount of interest in Jake Lindbergh, but she appeared only in the role of assisting him from the side. It was possible to exclude one or the other from the party, and although she had her own bond quests, she wasn't a character who ended up with the protagonist.

She was probably the one who had told him to speak to me.