An Otome Game Spinoff Featuring a Prince with Maxed-Out Affection and a Reincarnated Noble Girl
A Glimmer of Hope
Translated by: S3
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*****
Even after changing so many variables, the secret maneuvers of Staden’s group did not cease.
This suggested one thing:
「There is a reason why they cannot deviate from their plan, even if things have changed this much.」
Until then, I had thought that Staden had simply taken advantage of the existence of a foolish prince to begin his schemes, but perhaps it was the other way around?
It was more likely that they had already intended to strike during the current generation of the Staden family, and a foolish, easily manipulated prince just happened to appear at the perfect time.
If that were the case, there was no reason for them to stop just because I had become a bit more clever.
So, why was Staden trying to move now?
What was different between the last hundred years and the present?
I decided to investigate from the premise of my hypothesis: 「Staden is a fanatic of a certain religious sect, and their goal is the Spirit Stone.」
That particular religious sect had a very small number of followers.
There were barely a few hundred of them in a single region of Staden’s homeland.
The primary reason for this was the radical nature of their doctrine.
According to their teachings, even acts like murder or theft were sanctioned as 「means to achieve a noble purpose.」
However, it’s safe to say that no place functioning as a proper "state" would ever condone such actions.
Those acts might be permitted by their god, but to a state, they were simply criminal acts.
Their sense of morality and ethics were completely incompatible with the rest of the world.
Even if they were cracked down upon as criminals, they viewed it only as the convenience of the "state"; to them, it wasn't a sin at all.
Furthermore, they didn't believe for a second that their doctrine was strange. Well, that is the nature of fanaticism.
People with such incompatible moral standards become "singularities" in social life.
It was only natural that movements to exclude them would arise.
After all, their mere presence threatened the very function of the law.
Persecuted (from their perspective) and expelled from various places, the community they eventually settled in was their current home.
They called it their 「Holy Land.」 It was a piece of land with no religious history whatsoever, but since they called it that themselves, I suppose that’s what it was to them.
I decided to send people to investigate this "Holy Land" and the people living there.
I was fourteen at the time.
One day, the agent I had sent to Fiorina’s village reported that he had captured a suspicious individual. He requested that I dispatch someone to take the prisoner off his hands.
I wondered what kind of fish I had caught.
I hoped it would be something that brought me closer to Staden’s objectives.
I sent word to the knights stationed near the village and had them go to collect the individual. However, I was one step too late.
The captive was a middle-aged man, but he was found dead in the shed where he was being held. Apparently, he had hidden poison in his mouth.
He had been gagged, but he had swallowed the poison out of sheer stubbornness.
Would someone really go that far?
But if this was based on fanatical belief, I suppose such things were possible.
In the end, we learned nothing about the man, and the harvest was almost zero.
The poison used for the suicide was a fast-acting neurotoxin that wasn't particularly difficult to obtain. With a bit of knowledge of wild plants and refining, even an amateur could make it.
He wasn't a villager, and even after asking neighboring settlements, the man's identity remained unknown.
However, what bothered me slightly was that the dead man’s appearance somewhat resembled the agent’s.
Their hair and eye colors were the same, and their height and build were similar enough that one might mistake them from a distance.
Could it be that they intended to kill Fiorina’s mother by some means, then kill the agent and have this man take his place?
…No, that seemed far too forced.
But what if Staden was so desperate that he would try to execute even such a reckless plan?
…I decided to wait for the report from the person who had gone to investigate the "Holy Land."
A few months later, the investigator returned.
I was shocked by the report.
Apparently, the number of followers in that religious sect had dwindled to just a few dozen. The book I had used as a reference was published about twenty years ago. Could they really have decreased that much in just twenty years?
The community, which had always been insular, was now more than just closed off; they completely barred any outsiders from entering.
This was, again, due to the exclusion caused by their doctrine and the departure of those who wished to convert or apostatize.
Furthermore, I was informed that the majority of the remaining few dozen appeared to be elderly.
The investigator had managed to speak with a relatively young person in that community—though "young" meant a man who was already over thirty.
The man’s story was as follows: he and the others younger than him were simply waiting for the old people to die. They had no intention of following this religion. No matter how they looked at it, there was no future for this settlement. The same went for the religion.
Therefore, they were just waiting for the old people, who blindly followed the doctrine like madmen, to die off on their own.
If they asked to convert or leave the faith, they would likely be killed. Even if they fled the settlement on their own, they would spend their days in fear of when they might be found.
Given enough time, the old people would die. Once that happened, they would burn the village and be free.
I see. That would certainly be a reason to be frantic.
And the man had apparently given a warning to the investigator.
「Listen, if you’re going to poke around this settlement, you’d better be careful. Right now, one of our own has managed to worm his way into a high-ranking position in this country. I don't know what you're looking for, but if you're caught, it'll be trouble.」
The man had been kind enough to provide the name of this 「high-ranking official.」
Further investigation revealed that a person from this settlement was indeed in the 「Ministry of Justice」—the very department they should never have been allowed to touch.
His place of birth had been cleverly forged, but for someone who knew the answer—that he was from that settlement—it wasn't difficult to trace.
Moreover, that individual held a key position as the Minister of Justice and was rumored to have the deep trust of the King.
The investigator concluded by saying, 「I do not know what Your Highness wishes to investigate… but it would be wise to stop prying any further than this.」
I thanked him for conducting such a dangerous investigation and told him that the information was extremely valuable, advising him to be careful of his own safety for a while.
This "enemy," while not many in number, was a far more troublesome opponent than I had imagined.
A minister from another country had become involved.
Indeed, if I poked this the wrong way, it would lead to an incredible disaster.
There was no hard proof yet that Staden was acting on religious grounds, but if he was, there was now the possibility that a prominent figure like a foreign minister might move.
Now, what to do…
…Should I ask my friends for help? It was dangerous, but I would only accept assistance from those who were still willing to lend a hand.
Having made my decision, I wrote letters to my friends.
I asked them to come to the castle at a specific time on a specific day, saying I had something I wanted to talk about.
I entrusted the three finished letters to a valet and thought about how I should present the situation to them.
***
「Three letters?」
Even though we were a group of six close friends? Two people were being left out?
「Yes. I wrote letters only to the young lords. I didn't write to the Duke’s daughter or to you, Sera.」
「Why is that?」
Leaving people out is no good.
「The whole thing smelled of nothing but danger and trouble. The fewer people involved, the better.」
Well… that’s true.
「Also…」
Also?
Lord Chris paused and smiled at me.
As always, that smile was one where his eyes narrowed as if looking at something dazzling—that 「Maxed-out Favorability」 smile, full of affection for something precious.
「If it were possible, I didn't want to involve you. Because I knew there would be danger, I wanted to keep you away from it.」
Ugh…
His smile is so bright I can’t look at him directly…
「I thought it would be unnatural to leave only Sera out… so I left out the Duke’s daughter as well. That way, the three of them would surely think, 'Ah, he left out the ladies'.」
***
I briefly explained the outline of the situation to the three who had gathered, prefacing it by saying that I couldn't share all the details.
First, the possibility that the Count Staden’s family were followers of that particular religion.
Second, that the number of followers of that religion had been rapidly decreasing in recent years.
And that those followers placed special significance on the Spirit Stone, our national treasure.
From there, I presented what I had seen and heard during my repeated rewinds as 「conjecture.」
That the followers of that religion seemed to be planning a mission to reclaim the Spirit Stone.
That the Staden family might have been dormant in this country for a long time as the execution force for this "reclamation."
And that according to their doctrine, as long as it was for the righteous act of "reclamation," it wouldn't matter what happened to this country—it wouldn't be a sin at all.
The connection between Staden and that religion had not yet been confirmed.
I had the Staden house watched, but the only people going in and out were merchants from this country, and there were no particularly suspicious individuals.
If I could just get confirmation, their movements would become much easier to read.
Even if it were confirmed, I had no intention of persecuting them, but if it became public knowledge that they were followers of that religion, fewer people would listen to Staden’s words.
I wanted to prevent a tragedy that might otherwise occur.
I asked them to please lend me their strength.
However, I made it clear that it was undoubtedly quite dangerous. Even if they chose to back out, I told them I wouldn't blame them, and of course, I wouldn't criticize them.
Having finished my explanation, I waited to see how the three would react. The Duke’s son was the first to speak.
「The Staden family seems to have a quite terrible reputation. They hardly socialize and apparently keep themselves shut up in their house…」
「You mentioned merchants going in and out, but are they really merchants? That house is famous for being bad at paying their bills.」
「There are NO good rumors about that house. I heard there was quite a scandal when the current Count’s brother or whoever it was ran away.」
Following the Duke’s son, the Viscount’s son and the Marquis’s son each added their own pieces of information.
I was surprised that the "House of Count Staden" was such a target of ill repute, but more importantly, they—
「We will cooperate, Lord Chris.」
The Duke’s son spoke as if representing the group, and the other two nodded with smiles.
Ah… I’m not alone.
Is having allies really this reassuring?
Time and time again, I had struggled alone, unable to change anything, nearly losing sight of what to do or how to do it.
Why hadn't I been able to do this from the very first time?
No matter what conclusion we reached this time, it seemed I would at least avoid waiting for starvation alone in the detached palace.
And had I truly become such "friends" with them that they would agree to help with a story that anyone could see was dangerous?
I felt as though the countless "Rewinds" I had endured were finally starting to pay off.
I was so happy I almost accidentally started crying, but I bit my back teeth and managed to endure it.
…They likely noticed. But all three of them refrained from pointing it out. What 「good guys」 they were.
I was soaking in that sentimentality when they started saying something outrageous.
「Setting aside Lady Serafina, wouldn't it have been fine to involve Lady Felicia?」
…Eh? What was that?
「I understand Lord Chris’s feelings of not wanting to involve Sera, though. But if this ever gets out, she’s going to be so incredibly angry.」
Eh? Hah?
「Serafina has such a unique perspective, after all. I understand Your Highness’s desire to protect the one you love, but I’d like to hear her opinion as well.」
No, wait… …EH?!
What were they talking about?
As I stood there blankly, not understanding, the Duke’s son said with a laugh:
「Had you not realized it yourself? Just how happy and relaxed your face becomes when you are with Lady Serafina?」
HAH?! …No… …Surely not?
「Wait! No, I want to ask you, Lord Chris—were you actually trying to hide it?!」
「…I thought Serafina was bad for not noticing, but Your Highness is also quite something…」
As the Marquis’s son and Viscount’s son spoke with exasperated tones, I reflexively covered my face with both hands and hung my head.
Seeing me like that, the three of them laughed merrily.
***
「I suppose I wasn't used to 'hiding my emotions' yet…」
Lord Chris has a distant look in his eyes, but I don't know what kind of face I should make while listening to this…
But I see… I had a slight inkling myself, but it turns out Serafina has the 「Dense Heroine」 trait…
I’m apparently quite oblivious to romantic affection. Though when it’s as blatant as the "current" Lord Chris, even I can tell.
Actually, it’s more accurate to say I’m sensitive only to "malice" or "hostility" and oblivious to everything else. If sparks are flying at me, I have to brush them off or avoid them or I’ll get hurt, but there’s no harm in not noticing affection. The formula 「Something harmless = OK to ignore!」 is firmly established in my mind.
But Lord Chris seems like he would be quite skilled at not showing emotion on his face…
「Lord Chris, have you already become… used to 'hiding your emotions' now?」
「I hate to say it myself, but I’d say I’m quite good at it.」
I THOUGHT SO.
No matter what’s said to you, you always have that iron-clad social smile.
Then why are you being so blatant with me…
「Sera, are you thinking right now, 'Why doesn't he try to hide his affection only toward me?'」
MY MIND—! IT WAS REAAAAD!!
Ugh, what is with this person? He’s scary. Does he have some kind of ability?
「It’s not like I have a special ability or anything.」
THAT’S WHAT I MEAN! I DIDN’T EVEN SAY IT OUT LOUD!!
When Lord Chris looked at me, his smile became a bit more playful.
「It’s because I probably know 'Serafina' better than you know yourself. You are thirteen right now… but I have been watching you for a much longer time.」
…Yikes.
Maybe I should be moved, but my first thought was 「That’s low-key creepy」…
…From now on, let's try to be a bit more sensitive to "affection," Serafina. Because you’re so dense, Lord Chris is starting to give off a bit of a stalker vibe.
Let’s look around a bit more? Okay?
「…Are you thinking something rude?」
「No! Not at all!!」
NOT AT ALL, I SWEAR!!
Lord Chris just said 「Hmm,」 and didn't press further. …But he clearly looks unconvinced.
But I don't care! I know for a fact that if I poke the thicket, a snake will definitely come out! I’m not going near that thicket!!
***
Within less than six months of asking the three for their cooperation, information regarding Staden came pouring in one after another.
Indeed, 「not being alone」 is a wonderful thing. There are those who see things I cannot see, and those who pick up voices I cannot hear. There are those who think of and execute things I would never have imagined.
Ah, I see.
Is this the work of a 「King」?
To become the head of the giant called the 「State,」 and to think about how to use its hands, feet, eyes, and ears. Is that the work of a 「King」?
The "merchant" who went in and out of the Staden house was a genuine employee of a famous store in this country. After a detailed investigation, it was discovered that the man visiting the Staden estate was the same one every time. We confirmed that he was a legitimate employee of that store. He was a clerk who took orders.
However, upon investigating that man more closely, it was discovered that his place of birth was the settlement in question.
According to the Marquis’s son, whose family is close with that store and investigated using his family’s name, Staden wasn't particularly buying anything.
Then, why was he going in and out?
The most likely reason was as a liaison with their home country.
The man reportedly carried a wooden box branded with the store’s seal when he entered the Staden house. Whether there was actually anything inside or not…
Assuming Staden was a follower of that religion… the Viscount’s son checked the churches around the Staden estate.
He checked for records of them coming for worship or making donations.
Naturally, there were neither.
A 「donation to the church」 is something nobles often do as an 「easy good deed.」 Simply by sending some money or supplies to a nearby church, one is considered to have 「accumulated good works.」 It’s popular among nobles as a very simple way to improve one's reputation.
They weren't doing that.
Well, it’s not an obligation, so it’s fine not to.
But if Staden was a follower of a different faith, the story changed.
There was no way they would donate to the church of another religion. The same went for worship. In that place, there was no god to whom they should bend their knees or bow their heads.
The Duke’s son investigated the legal records from the time Staden’s brother disappeared, as well as those who knew the situation back then.
Regarding the brother, a 「missing person’s report for the eldest son」 and a 「subsequent application for change of heir」 had been submitted by the Count Staden of that time—the current Count’s father.
The eldest son who disappeared was apparently an incredibly social individual for someone from that family. A certain Count who was close with the eldest son had said so.
That Count had been friends with the eldest son, and in his words, the eldest Staden son was 「a well-read but sheltered man.」
His knowledge was extremely vast and his understanding of individual subjects was deep, but it was as if all of it had been 「learned just by reading books」; there were many times when he would see the real thing and not be able to link it to the knowledge in his head.
For example, there is a local dish in our country where 「dried mutton is reconstituted with a strong-smelling liquor, rubbed with herbs and various spices, wrapped in a pie crust, and baked.」 It rarely appears on a noble’s dining table, but it’s almost always available at commoner taverns.
While the two of them were drinking at a downtown bar, the eldest son had reportedly said, 「I hear there is a dish like that,」 while eating that very dish.
Apparently, it was like that with everything.
The Count also knew the woman the eldest son was said to have loved.
She was the "poster girl" for a downtown cafeteria, a calm woman with a gentle smile.
When the Count teased the eldest son for not even being able to hold her hand, saying 「Are you a child?」 the eldest son had seriously replied, 「I cannot do anything untoward until we are married.」 The Count apparently told the Duke’s son, 「If you’re too serious, everyone around you will be exasperated. This is a piece of advice from an elder that is worth remembering.」
The Count, being his friend, remembered the eldest son’s behavior well before he 「disappeared.」
He began to look gloomy more often and became more haggard every time they met.
When asked if something had happened with her, he only replied, 「It’s not that. It’s just a bit of trouble at home.」
There was a period where they didn't meet, and the last time they saw each other was about two weeks before the 「disappearance.」
He wasn't just haggard; his skin and hair had lost their luster, and he had changed so much that for a moment, the Count didn't recognize him.
To the worried Count, the eldest son had reportedly left a message: 「If anything happens to me, could you tell her? That I loved her.」
The Count felt something ominous in that unlucky message, but the eldest son had left without saying anything more.
Two weeks later, the eldest son of the House of Count Staden vanished into thin air.
A Baron who was a relative of Staden had been spreading rumors that 「He apparently had a woman he loved among the commoners, so everyone in the Count’s house assumes he eloped with her…」 However, the Count, upon hearing that, thought, So the Staden family wants people to think that about his disappearance.
And the Count visited the cafeteria where the woman worked to tell her that the eldest son was gone.
He had a bad feeling, and that feeling turned out to be correct.
The woman had disappeared from the tenement house where she lived on the very same day the eldest son was said to have vanished.
The Count said, 「Neither of them were the type of people to 'take hands and elope,' so it just didn't sit right with me… Combined with his parting words, it actually still bothers me to this day.」
And he added, 「If you are investigating anything regarding his whereabouts, could you let me help? …As his friend, I’m very concerned about how he is doing now.」
For Staden, the existence of this 「friend of the eldest son」 was likely outside of his calculations.
Even if someone thought it was suspicious, it was nothing more than a noble family’s internal feud. Unless there was a forced judicial intervention, outsiders couldn't interfere.
But for now, there was no reason to intervene by force.
In this way, the four of us steadily gathered information from various angles.
***
Incredible… A "Boy Detective Club" with not just intelligence, but power…! Indeed, if the young master of a Ducal house comes saying 「I’d like to speak with you,」 you can’t easily turn him away. And if the young master of a Marquisal house who is a regular at a large store says something like, 「Well, this isn't the only store around,」 they’d probably let him see the transaction records.
On top of that, they have their legendary trump card: 「By order of the Crown Prince.」
They’re strong. These kids are strong.
But certainly, if Serafina found out that the boys were doing this kind of thing among themselves without her knowing, she would get very cranky. Not just a slight 45-degree pout, but a full 90-degree turn-away. …Though I’m not sure about the Duke’s daughter.
I want to join the Boy Detective Club too! I’ll take the role of Ai-chan! A cool and capable woman!
When I looked a bit sulky, Lord Chris noticed.
「…Is something wrong?」
「I think leaving people out is no good.」
It was a statement like something from a primary school class meeting, but leaving people out is no good.
「I suppose so. …But it really is dangerous.」
「I am aware of that. However, the fact that Serafina and the Duke’s daughter are 'friends' with Your Highness and the others is public knowledge, isn't it? If so, whether we know anything or not, I think we’ll be targeted when the time comes regardless.」
「Yes. You’re right.」
I felt a slight sense of unease at Lord Chris’s immediate agreement.
「You’re right」? Does that mean something happened to me or the Duke’s daughter?
「You said it before, didn't you? 'It is more terrifying to be involved without being told of the danger'.」
「Ah… did I… say that?」
I don't know when, though.
「You did. …Was it when we were looking at the execution list of the Staden faction, I wonder?」
「Ah…」
I might have. I don't remember well.
When I looked at Lord Chris as if to ask 「What about it?」 he gave a bitter smile.
「I thought then that I should have done just that.」
His voice sounded self-deprecating, tinged with regret.
I wonder what happened?
***
It seems the fact that the four of us were investigating something had reached my father’s ears.
He told me, 「What is this you are sneaking around and investigating?」
I had expected it to reach his ears eventually, so I wasn't that shaken.
I was sixteen. It was two years after my friends and I had begun investigating Staden.
Taking my three friends with me, I informed only the King and the Prime Minister that we were investigating Staden.
And all the various things we had discovered up until then.
The reason I made it 「only the Prime Minister」 was because Staden’s influence was spread quite widely, and at that point, I didn't know who was trustworthy.
This 「influence」 wasn't through religion. It was the 「Usurpation Faction,」 one of the three forces leading the country to ruin. At this point, their interests aligned with Staden’s.
「A heretical religious sect and a Usurpation Faction, is it…」
As my father let out a deep, deep sigh, I told him:
「At this point, their interests align. …If things proceed according to their plans, they will eventually part ways. It is nothing more than a connection of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'.」
「Currently, they likely haven't thought as far as 'usurpation.' They only have motives like 'obtaining a better position than now,' but if someone were to whisper that 'the throne might be within reach,' I believe they would be tempted.」
The Duke’s son supplemented my words.
「Regarding the house of Staden, it is almost certain that they have ill intentions. However, we lack that final push of evidence.」
「Staden’s people are moving in ways that are completely nonsensical. But when you look at them through the lens of 'state subversion based on religious belief,' the dots begin to have meaning. …To me, these do not seem like coincidences.」
The Marquis’s son and the Viscount’s son spoke after us.
In the presence of the King, they still spoke without fear or hesitation about the things we had begun investigating based on my far-fetched doubts.
I felt happy and heartened that I had found such good friends.
The King and the Prime Minister also seemed surprised by the lack of flaws in what we were saying.
But that was only natural.
As for parts that would break the hypothesis, we had investigated them again and again, rebuilt the hypothesis, and the four of us had thought it through until today.
But we were just one step away.
We lacked that final push to do something about the house of Staden and the people around them.
「You have investigated well…」
At the King’s impressed words, the Prime Minister, standing a step behind him, also nodded.
「It is truly a list of nothing but ill-intentioned people; whether they have the 'schemes' Your Highnesses speak of or not, this list will be useful.」
Then please, by all means, arrest those people. And throw them into a dungeon or something.
As I was thinking that, the King looked me straight in the eye.
「Tell me, Chris, why did you think Staden was a follower of such a troublesome religion?」
I hesitated quite a bit on how to answer.
My relationship with my parents is likely not a 「typical」 one. There is little of the warm relationship seen in stories.
Would the King—no, would my father believe me?
Believe the preposterous and inexplicable phenomenon occurring to his own son.
After a moment’s hesitation, I decided.
I would try telling my father everything.
*****
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