Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The Princess's Mentor - 2
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People with low self-esteem tend not to feel much happiness.
On top of that, they're unkind to themselves and often indulge in self-loathing and negative self-talk.
"...I am the b-blood, the lineage of the great Queen, yet I c-can't do a-anything..."
Like this.
After calming down a bit, the girl sat in the chair, peeking at me while unable to even drink the tea poured by the head maid, just keeping her head deeply bowed.
The maids showed no particular reaction, as if they already knew this side of Princess Lucille, who should hold the highest position in this room.
But all of them worried about Lucille and feared I might spread even a rumor about her current state.
Of course, I had no intention of spreading rumors.
The king's ears aren't donkey ears—what gain would there be in gossiping about something like that without any achievement?
The important thing is what Lucille just said.
If she really can't do anything, this achievement might turn out to be quite a headache...
"Can't do anything... Do you really mean you can't do anything at all?"
"Yes? Y-Yes..."
"Then, shall we play a simple game?"
"...Yes? The, the lesson..."
At the suggestion of a game, Lucille hesitated and cautiously asked while looking at me.
I nodded.
"This is also a lesson."
With those words, I reached into my pocket.
Seeing that, Lucille flinched and trembled, then looked puzzled at what I pulled out.
"Shall we play a round of cards?"
What I took out was one of this game's mini-games—a sort of TCG that's quite popular in this world's setting.
Out of my ten thousand hours of playtime, two thousand were devoted to this mini-game.
I'm a man who's dead serious about this card game.
Of course, there are guys even more obsessed—people who buy the game just for the cards—but I've never heard anyone say I can't play.
"Um... I... I only know the r-rules a little..."
"That's plenty."
I glanced at the head maid, and she hesitated before pulling a card pack from her bosom.
Seeing the strict, solemn, serious-looking head maid take out a card pack for fun made Lucille's eyes widen in surprise.
"The h-head maid... knows how... to play?"
"Yes. It's actually not that hard."
"R-Really?"
Her eyes turned to the other maids, and most of them hesitated before pulling card packs from their bosoms too.
Of course, some like Lucille didn't know it well, but none seemed total beginners.
"For now, let the head maid and me demonstrate. I'll explain the basic rules and cards."
"...Y-Yes..."
Perhaps because it was a game instead of studying, Lucille's tension eased just a little.
We began the explanation, and Lucille listened obediently with wide eyes.
We taught her several times, answered her questions about what she didn't know, and explained again.
After about an hour and a half, Lucille seemed to grasp it roughly and nodded cautiously.
"Then, here's the demonstration."
With her wide-eyed, sitting beside the table, I shuffled the head maid's cards and handed them back.
"...Let's begin."
I flicked a coin—heads. I went first.
Per the rules, from the five drawn cards, I placed a Guardian and set three magic and trap cards.
"Now my turn. I declare Windbreak Guardian in defense position and end my turn."
Slowly, the head maid's eyes flashed.
"Sage. Sorry, but I'm quite serious about this card game too... I'll go all out."
I drew a card and smiled.
I'm serious too.
The faces of the watching maids and princess stiffened.
The head maid before me looked endlessly glum as she laid down her hand.
To her, I declared.
"My turn! Attack! Summon magic card! My turn again! Draw! Trap card activate! Attack again! Link magic card—Bell of the Recluse—activate! White Night Link summon! Attack again! Tribute the summoned Guardian and attack again! Summon again! Attack again! My turn again!"
"...I l-lost."
This is my "serious"!!
The head maid, defeated without even getting a chance to act, looked at me with a bitter expression.
Did she think I'd throw the game?
I'm an utterly rational man.
I meet seriousness with seriousness.
"...P-Princess. Please... avenge me..."
"Uh... Um, I..."
Lucille, handed the head maid's card pack, floundered, unsure what to do.
Of course—after witnessing the flashy barrage I'd just unleashed.
"Well? Losing won't cause any problems."
"Still... d-disappointing you..."
"It's fine."
I tapped my card pack.
"No one in this world can beat me with this anyway."
Only then did her burden lift somewhat.
Lucille hesitated, nodded, and flicked the coin—tails. She went first.
We shuffled each other's decks and returned them.
Lucille drew her hand, set a few cards face-down on the field, and ended her turn.
I did the same.
As I drew, Lucille gulped.
Time to get serious?
"Magic activate!! Hill of Wind returns all opponent's Guardians to ha—"
"...T-Trap magic... C-Can I use this? Magic Th-ief."
"...Gasp."
"Thief's effect... um. Against m-magic... um..."
"...Lucky draw."
Excited by her success, Lucille's cheeks flushed as she slammed down a card from her hand.
A solid one—Seal of Fire.
"Um... This excludes two cards from your hand from the game... and you d-draw three."
"....."
"And um. Summon Elect Witch, then... n-no. Summon Drakko to the field and... fuse Drakko and Witch into... Dragon Witch summon..."
For a first-timer, her combo flowed remarkably smoothly.
She hesitated, second-guessing if she could play it.
But like a crawling baby grasping a wall to stand, she methodically dismantled me per her hand.
"I'll e-end here."
"...Halving my points in one turn. N-Not bad. Then my—"
"Q-Quick-play magic activate."
"What?!"
She shut down my draw instantly and dealt more damage.
I saw it.
A faint smile on Lucille's lips.
In the end, I won.
Not an overwhelming stomp like with the head maid—my life points nearly bottomed out before I barely took her down.
Perhaps because it was a sure win she lost? Lucille looked even more downcast than before.
"Whew... See that, Princess? No one can beat me?"
"....Y-Yes."
Lucille clutched her cards tightly.
The head maid smiled fondly at her.
"Still, impressive, Princess. I never thought you'd corner the Sage like that."
"...Just a good hand."
"Luck's part of skill. But I still won."
"...Ugh. If I'd just blocked that last attack..."
"Anyway, first time today, Princess. We'll play lots from now on."
I tidied the cards, rose, and bowed.
Time had flown by.
"See you next time. Then... let's play for real."
"Y-Yes..."
At our first meeting, Lucille's eyes held only fear of me.
Now? Different.
A flicker of burning regret for a slipped victory—and competitive fire.
"Sage."
"Yes?"
As I finished with the princess and left, the head maid followed and spoke.
She led me to a quiet corner and whispered.
"Princess's hand... was too perfect. You didn't..."
Sharp as ever—the head maid would notice.
My skill isn't flawless like the pros'.
The princess and other maids? Clueless.
"Of course."
Anyone who's played this mini-game knows—you can't chain like that after one or two hours of basics.
Yet the princess smoothly comboed and pressured me.
One reason.
Thief skill and Jester skill—rigging during shuffles and play.
"Th-That's cheating!"
"Offended. Say I dominated the game."
Not caught? Not cheating.
"...No... Ngh... B-But why not let her win?"
"Handing her the first win could backfire. She'd doubt herself—or the win. Especially with self-esteem that low."
"Really...?"
"Probably why I became her mentor."
Boosting her rock-bottom confidence.
Sure, rigged—but grasping rules, effects, and combos in hours? Lucille's no slouch.
Can't teach other knowledge anyway—making her functional this way works.
"Everyone craves victory. Even the lowest self-esteem can't forget one slipping right from their grasp."
Especially against someone my level.
Always winning? Problem.
Throwing too easy? Worse.
Tease with edge-of-defeat courtesy games—hair's breadth escapes, then let her snag it.
Confident, naturally.
"Worried she'll get hooked on the thrill and obsess over cards."
"No need. Other ways to build her confidence."
"Ah... Yes. Got it. Um, Sage—His Majesty prepared the palace's finest guest room for you. Shall I guide you?"
Finest guest room.
Hero party chatter from their palace visit came to mind.
Yeah—they stayed in the palace's best room.
Traces here might mean running into them.
I paused, then smiled.
"Yes. Please."
No big deal.
***
My heart's still pounding.
Lucille sat on the bed, replaying the game.
If she'd dropped that card there.
Interrupted Sage's combo sooner.
Might've won.
Sage's life was one attack from zero.
Could blame the final draw.
Game knowledge? Barely any.
Cards? Not even hers.
Excuses for loss aplenty—victory chances too.
Dark Whip over Light Staff?
Water Fairy over Fire Giant?
Cards from the head maid spread on the table, Lucille swept her face.
"Haa..."
First time.
This thrill.
First time.
This rush.
Always inferior to others.
Dimwit failing her great mother's hopes—gave up everything.
Yet cornered him—the self-proclaimed strongest, effortless master, the Sage.
His expression earlier? Heart raced anew, long buried.
Her plays.
Her combos linking.
Breaking his chains.
His face subtly hardening.
Sweat beading on his brow.
Hand on cards, faintly shaking.
That legend tensing, all-in against her utter inadequacy.
She—the fool—drew his peak.
Joy overwhelming.
Excitement uncontainable.
Lucille wet her parched lips again.
"...Want to play again."
Happiness didn't last.
Mid-reminisce, fear struck.
Just luck?
Beginner's fortune?
Next? Crushed worse than head maid—exposing every flaw?
Terrifying.
"...Still."
Couldn't deny the next lesson's anticipation.
"Princess."
"Y-Yeah?"
"His Majesty says General Leoden and the Hero return briefly today... Commands your presence at audience."
Princess nodded sullenly.
Hero—accomplisher supreme, unlike her.
Sun-bright against her gloom.
Meetings? Just highlight flaws—dreaded.
"...Y-Yeah... Got it..."
Couldn't refuse.
So, with Sage's secret seeds—tiny confidence, thrill, fire—she rose.
To face one who bred her defeat, helplessness.
Author's Note
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