“Gusu… I-I’m sorry. I’ve shown you an unsightly side of myself…”
Having cried and screamed in the middle of the Training Grounds, I finally regained my composure and bowed deeply to Alexandra in apology.
Seriously, crying like a child is embarrassing.
“It was not unsightly at all. Rather, I am truly happy to have been touched by your sincerity, Your Highness.”
Alexandra, who had been watching over me the whole time I was crying, wiped away the tears that remained in my eyes and smiled gently.
“More importantly, your eyelids are swollen, so you should probably cool them down. I believe you have a dinner party with Prince Cardis later?”
“Ah… that’s right.”
I had completely forgotten about it until she pointed it out.
It’s not like I want to go to the dinner party, but if I don’t go, it’ll probably be a pain.
But.
“？ Prince Harold?”
Alexandra asked, looking at me with a puzzled expression.
If I confessed how reluctant I was to part, I’d probably be called pathetic, especially after crying earlier.
“I-I’ll escort you to the entrance.”
“Yes. I would appreciate that.”
I suppressed my true feelings, knelt down, took her hand, and left the Training Grounds.
Of course, I walked as slowly as possible because I wanted to be with her for even a little longer.
And then.
“Thank you very much.”
“Ah…”
Alexandra, who had gotten into the carriage, gently released my hand.
I was so reluctant to part that I almost reached out to stop her, but I couldn’t. I should have refused that dinner party from the start. Damn it.
Then.
“Prince Harold. Well then, I look forward to tomorrow as well.”
“! Y-Yes! I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow too!”
The carriage carrying her, smiling cheerfully and waving, slowly drove away.
I kept waving until the carriage disappeared from sight… wait.
“Ah…”
Come to think of it, I completely forgot about Marion.
Now that Alexandra has declared her expulsion, what will she do?
“Well, whatever.”
In the first place, I decided to keep my distance from the protagonist and heroines to avoid the bad ending, and to live peacefully as Alexandra’s fiancée, my ultimate favorite.
So, Marion leaving the Royal Palace means that I inadvertently distanced myself from her, so it’s actually a good thing, right?
…I’m probably going to be resented a lot because of this.
I tried not to think about it anymore and hurried back to my room to change.
◇
“I apologize for the delay!”
I hurriedly changed my clothes and burst open the Door to the dining hall, the venue for the dinner party.
“You’re late.”
The golden-haired man sitting at the table, with the same gray eyes as me, glared at me and said quietly.
He is Harold’s older brother and the First Prince of the Dehвальз Kingdom.
–Cardis Wel Dehвальз.
In the setting of “Engage Hazard,” he is already involved in national politics, and his competent work has earned him the trust of King Aival. As the First Prince, he is the most likely candidate to be the next king, but his personality is cold and devoid of humanity.
Because of this, there are many voices advocating for the Second Prince, Raphael, who has a friendly personality and is popular not only with nobles but also with commoners, to be the next king.
Well, as for Cardis’s personality, he gradually regains his human emotions in the Succession Dispute with the protagonist, which is actually a battle to win the heroine’s heart, and it improves.
In terms of ability, he possesses strength comparable to the protagonist and stood in the protagonist’s way, wielding the Light Attribute special skill, the Dehauvalz Crest, which is proof of Royalty.
By the way, I also possess this Dehauvalz Crest, but unfortunately, my attribute is Dark Attribute. Naturally, I can’t use it, and it’s just a complete waste of a treasure that only fills a skill slot.
And Cardis’s evaluation of me is, “Useless brother.”
This is mentioned in the “EnHaza” Scenario, and the words are deeply engraved in Harold’s memories.
Even so, Harold desperately tried to curry favor with Cardis as his sycophant because he wanted to be recognized.
Not only by his mother, Margaret, but also by his brother, Cardis.
In my previous life, I only knew about it through the game’s settings and Scenario, but if you were treated like that since childhood, it’s no wonder Harold’s personality became twisted, and I can’t help but feel sympathy for him.
More than anything, I share that twisted heart, so even more so.
But the current me is both Harold and my previous self… Haru Tachibana.
I have no intention of following a Scenario that guarantees a bad ending, and I have knowledge of “EnHaza.” I also understand that Margaret and Cardis will never look at me.
So, from now on, I will graduate from being a sycophant and live quietly, keeping my distance from Cardis.
“Brother Cardis. What made you suddenly want to have dinner with me?”
I dared to ask with a hint of sarcasm.
Having dinner with the “useless brother” had never happened in Harold’s memory, at least not once.
It’s better to provoke him a little to read this man’s intentions.
“Well, I heard that Harold got engaged to the daughter of the Duke Chevalier family. So, I set up a celebratory dinner.”
“Is that so?”
I see. In other words, he thought that if I, his sycophant, got engaged to Alexandra, he could gain the support of the Chevalier family.
Support from the largest faction, the Chevalier family, would greatly boost Cardis’s Succession to the throne.
But, too bad.
Duke Chevalier, who is vehemently opposed to my engagement with Alexandra, would never give him support.
Well, whatever.
The initial purpose was to force Marion on me, but since that’s gone, I’ll just put on a friendly face and ask to be excused when the time is right.
That’s what I thought.
“Prince Cardis…”
“Hmm?”
The Chamberlain came to Cardis’s side and whispered something in his ear.
Although his expression didn’t change, the content didn’t seem very good.
“…Let him in.”
“Understood.”
Cardis said heavily, and the Chamberlain bowed and headed for the Door.
“Hey, Harold. Congratulations on your engagement.”
As soon as he entered the dining hall, a boy with the same golden hair and gray eyes as Cardis, sat down in front of me with a friendly smile.
–The Second Prince, Raphael Wel Dehвальз.
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