Checking the Answers

Translated by: ME

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*****

「Originally... I suspect the future you saw, Father, was one where either as things are now or in an even worse state, 'Magnolia' becomes—or attempts to become—a 'Candidate for Crown Princess.' And there, various troubles occur. Whether she causes them, or has them thrust upon her, or both, I cannot say. But the result is capture, imprisonment, or exile. I don’t know if it goes as far as execution, but... well, 'Magnolia' is in mortal danger. You’ve been trying to avoid that, haven't you?」

I laid it out broadly. Very broadly, I spoke of the typical end for a villainess.

The moment I mentioned capture, everyone except Gerald looked profoundly shocked, but at the word "execution," Servas and Claude’s expressions turned truly grim.

「...To prevent that, wouldn't it have been better to simply provide her with an education?」

Claude spoke with his emotions as suppressed as possible, and I nodded at his perfectly reasonable point.

「Normally, yes. But originally, 'Magnolia’s' potential was at rock bottom. On top of that, the family environment, the discord, and her own lethargy caused her inner character to worsen even further. Educating her would have been no easy feat.」

...There are villainesses who put in the effort. The question was whether 「Lady Gardinia of the First Marquis House」, whose name often came up here, was the one filling that role.

If Lady Gardinia were the heroine, that was one thing. If she were the hardworking villainess... then the heroine role would likely be filled by a commoner or a low-ranking noblewoman. That was the more common pattern.

「If it wasn't easy, then all the more reason to ask: why not provide a normal environment? Because you couldn't.」

I hopped down from my chair and moved to the window, crossing my arms.

「Earlier today, Brother Brian seemed utterly shocked by his own actions. No matter how selfish or arrogant he may be, he admires Grandfather and aspires to be a knight... He didn't think he was the kind of person who would try to use violence against such a small child.」

At this strange mixture of a defense and a verbal jab, Brian nodded with a conflicted face.

「Emotions and actions are structured in a way that forces a rejection or denial of 'Magnolia.' Why? To force 'Magnolia' into an environment where she would gain the personality and actions required of her role. ...This compulsion of emotion and behavior likely affects you too, Father—and Mother as well.」

I explained it nonchalantly, but the content was a tragedy for everyone involved. Servas pressed his lips into a thin line.

「These things intertwine to create the foundation of events. Things that are easy for outsiders to understand and that warp 'Magnolia’s' character... the lack of a middle name, the lack of a debut, the lack of education. An underprivileged environment for the sake of personality formation.」

I saw Wisteria, who would normally be screaming by now, lost in thought with trembling eyes.

「However, Father, with your strong will, you tried to resist 'the future,' even if it seemed impossible.」

(This is bad...! Has Magnolia deduced everything...!)

「...Stop right there!」

Shaking off Gerald’s panicked restraint, I continued.

(I can't let them remain misunderstood.)

How painful a battle it must have been. How much he had resisted.

(Magnolia herself must know properly.)

「The price for that resistance was 'the lives of the family.'」

At those words, the air in the room became taut with tension. Gerald closed his eyes. The other four stared in shock.

In a silence where time seemed to have stopped, only my voice resonated.

—Seeing Gerald close his eyes weakly without a word of denial, I was certain my guess was correct.

「...No matter how much your heart refused it or how much was predestined, at first, you probably tried to give me a normal name. Naturally, you tried to hold a debut. You tried to give me perfectly ordinary things. And then, as if to buy time, or to stop you—or perhaps as a warning—members of the family began to die... Of course, you didn't think such a thing would happen. If you had known, you would have taken a different path. You realized it and were aghast. Naturally, you stopped, didn't you?」

Even in this world, there seemed to be a system similar to birth registration. There was a rule that a name must be registered at the parish church within two weeks. Thinking about it, it felt more like a Japanese system than a medieval European one. ...Well, regardless, there was a two-week time limit to finalize a name.

A debut also requires extensive preparation, so plans must be made well in advance.

「When you thought to at least provide a living environment and education, this time I began to fall ill. I confirmed it with Lily. After the misfortunes continued, my health suddenly collapsed... You came to the conclusion that if things continued like this, the next to die might be me.」

***

Gerald recalled his past plans.

He would deliberately neglect her education 「for the sake of Magnolia's safety」. He would not hold a debut, taking every precaution 「so that no one else would be harmed」. He would conceal Magnolia’s existence 「to protect her from the Royal Family」.

Perhaps he might find that the envisioned future was a mistake. Perhaps a solution would be found. He wanted to hold onto hope until the very last moment—

The time limit would be around when Brian entered the Academy. Beyond that, it would be too late for education to catch up. If he found nothing by then, he would entrust Magnolia to a tight-lipped, trustworthy, low-ranking noble family far from the Royal Capital. Low-ranking nobles rarely dealt with the Royal Family.

If he could get her that far, Magnolia’s safety would be secured.

Until then, he wanted her to spend her time watched over by a maid, at least, so that she wouldn't be hurt any further by the inadvertent words and actions of the family—

***

Claude, who had been deep in thought, spoke up.

「...So, the talk of a convent wasn't for correction or imprisonment, but to provide an education that couldn't be given here, and to hide and protect her from the Royal Family... In general terms, it would be a flaw, making it easier to marry her off to a low-ranking noble who would have no direct ties to the Crown.」

「Exactly. You weren't looking for a partner advantageous to the house, but intended to entrust me to someone truly reliable. Once married, even if the Royal Family found me by chance, there would be no talk of becoming a Crown Princess. Rather than a horrific future, you chose to aim for a mundane, safe, and free future by doing the best you could with the present, didn't you?」

「That heavy door, too... was it a desperate measure to ensure no one entered carelessly and harmed her in a fit of rage?」

Gerald looked straight ahead. He didn't give a specific answer to anyone’s words.

「...I won't deny it. I can say nothing more on this matter from my own lips... because I do not know what misfortune might befall whom.」

By saying he wouldn't deny it, it meant that even if there were discrepancies in the details, the broad strokes were correct.

Hearing Gerald’s words, Wisteria slowly raised her head as if something had occurred to her. Seeing her reaction, I realized that he must have spoken to her once before. ...Perhaps he had confided in her, thinking of what they could do as father and mother.

And the result was that misfortune had befallen Wisteria’s kin. Everyone lowered their eyes at the cruel reality.

The funeral at the House of Count Burton, shortly after Magnolia was born.

Because it was Wisteria’s elderly and sickly grandmother, although they grieved deeply, no one suspected anything about the death. Except for Gerald.

(Ah... so he had no choice but to shoulder it all alone...)

To be shown a horrific future, and to have his family taken hostage the moment he tried to resist. While enduring the terror and pressure of losing someone with every misstep, he had worried about the future of his daughter and family all by himself, devising plans to avoid it.

「I am so sorry. It’s because of me... Great-grandmother and the others, and Grandmother...」

「It's not your fault... It’s my responsibility,」 Gerald said, shaking his head at Magnolia’s pained voice.

「It's no one's fault... If you must blame someone, blame whatever existence created such a twisted future.」

Servas wove his words slowly, as if lecturing both Gerald and Magnolia. Claude nodded deeply in agreement.

Wisteria and Brian stared at Magnolia and Gerald with expressions that suggested they were deep in thought.

***

Everyone was exhausted, so Lily was called to brew some tea, and shortly after, the gathering dispersed. They walked through the now dark corridor in silence under the flickering lamplight.

Thinking that there might never be another opportunity like this, I made a move to get closer to Gerald as we moved down the hallway.

「But... why does the Compelling Force not work on Grandfather or Uncle Claude?」

I voiced a perfectly natural question. Gerald answered hesitantly.

「This is just a guess, but... I think it might be because they are involved in a 'different future' or 'the future beyond that.'」

「A different future, or the future beyond that...」

He said there were still many fragments of the future he hadn't seen yet.

He wouldn't tell me what happened to the villainess-like Magnolia, but from the conversation, it seemed she wouldn't be executed. In that case, would it be exile or imprisonment?

As the person who might actually face that, it was a disaster. I could only sigh at a future that was more than just 「delicate」.

The 「story」 likely ends with the villainess being exiled or imprisoned, and the heroine and prince reaching a happy ending. However, even if the story ends there... naturally, the 「sequel」 exists in the real world.

「...If such a thing happened, I'm worried Grandfather might start a rebellion.」

「With how much he dotes on you, that seems entirely possible.」

「Don't say such jinxed things!」

Gerald gave a small, wry smile, and I furrowed my brows in distaste.

***

The next morning, the Gilmore carriage was stopped in front of the entrance. Everyone in the palace stood to see them off.

「Well then, thank you for your hospitality.」

Wisteria and Brian bowed in time with Gerald’s words.

They were, by design, incompatible. They must have been thinking, feeling, and enduring many things in their own way. Furthermore, knowing the circumstances, the two had expressions that looked somewhat frightened; it wasn't an atmosphere where one could tell them to take their time and stay. ...And for good reason.

I felt they needed time to organize their hearts and rest in a place where they felt safe.

「...Don't worry about Magnolia. I'll protect her well here.」

「I leave her in your care.」

Gerald bowed at Servas’s words. He looked up and turned back to me.

「...Magnolia, take care of your health, and be extremely careful regarding the Royal Family.」

「Yes.」

「Also, this is for you from your great-grandmother.」

Saying so, he handed me a blue stone-like object about the size of a ping-pong ball. It was smooth, almost like an egg.

「...What is this?」

「Who knows. It’s something she entrusted to me before she passed, to be given to you when the time came.」

「Oh... thank you...?」

I looked back and forth between the stone and Gerald with curiosity, tilting my head as I gave my thanks. Servas pulled back with a look of distaste.

「...Mother! It's bound to be nothing good!」

Seeing that, Magnolia, Gerald, and Claude all shared a wry smile. Seeing Wisteria and Brian board the carriage, I gave my final greeting.

「Father, thank you so much for protecting me until now.」

「No... I am sorry.」

Gerald’s short apology as he shook his head with a bitter face was likely filled with a thousand emotions. I reflected on his feelings.

「...From now on, please live for yourself as well.」

I put my own feelings into it too. To the father who was called the Gilmore among Gilmores—skillful yet clumsy.

「At the very worst, if the Royal Family says anything, the son of Duke Bristol said he would become my provisional fiancé as a breakwater.」

「「「...Huh?」」」

When I mentioned half-jokingly that such a plan existed, Servas, Gerald, and Claude all distorted their faces with terrifying expressions and snapped their gazes down at my face far below them.

*****

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