“Ugh… my stomach is killing me…”
I gently rubbed my stomach at the entrance of the dormitory late at night.
Seriously, Sandra’s interrogation was no joke.
And, Monica and Caz were happily showing off to her, so she was super sulky afterwards.
“Well, from Sandra’s point of view, she’s left out and doesn’t get any presents either…”
I touched the present for Sandra in my pocket and sighed.
I can’t reveal this until the right time, so it’s tough on me too…
Then.
“Lord Hal, thank you for waiting.”
Sandra appeared, wearing a white dress.
I asked her to go on a late-night date just the two of us today.
“No, I just got here too.”
“Please don’t lie. You’ve been here for at least an hour, haven’t you?”
“How do you know!?”
I asked in surprise, but Sandra just giggled and wouldn’t tell me.
I’ll have to be extra careful from now on.
“S-Shall we go then? It’s a bit of a walk, is that okay?”
“Fufu, of course. Walking through the city with you in the moonlight is wonderful.”
Taking Sandra’s small hand, we left the dormitory and headed towards the center of the Royal Capital.
It’s only about a ten-minute walk, but it feels fresh since we usually travel by carriage.
“The wind feels nice, doesn’t it?”
“U-Um… aren’t you cold?”
“Yes… I’d like to say that, but it’s a little chilly.”
Saying that, Sandra glanced at my face as if to gauge my reaction.
In other words, she wants me to lend her my jacket.
“Here, you go.”
“Fufu… thank you.”
When I put the jacket on her, she happily buried her face in it.
I’m glad she seems satisfied.
“By the way, where are you taking me tonight?”
“It’s a surprise until we get there.”
“Oh my.”
I joked with Sandra, who puffed out her cheeks a little in dissatisfaction.
But that expression didn’t last long, and she soon smiled.
And then.
“This is…”
The place we arrived at was a facility in the center of the Royal Capital.
It was the Baltian Church, which is also Lloyd’s family home.
“Come on, let’s go inside.”
“Y-Yes…”
Taking my hand, Sandra stepped into the church, looking somewhat uneasy.
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Hal! Sandra! You’re late!”
Monica and Caz, who had arrived earlier, were there.
“W-What is the meaning of this? Tonight was supposed to be a date just for the two of us…”
“Sorry. I lied.”
I stuck out my tongue and smiled mischievously at the confused Sandra.
Being alone would have been nice, but we need to make a proper vow.
“Lord Hal, please tell me your purpose soon.”
“Ah, haha… yeah.”
Standing in front of Sandra, who was furrowing her brow, I looked into her Sapphire Eyes with a serious expression.
“Sandra, I want you to listen. To the possibility of a terrible future that will happen.”
I slowly opened my mouth and began to speak haltingly.
◇
Sandra… You might not believe it, but there is a story similar to this world.
In that story, I was one of the characters, called the ‘Incompetent Rascal Prince,’ always sucking up to my older brother Cardis and lashing out at others… well, that was until two years ago, so you know that.
But in the story, that personality and attitude never changed, and I was the same even after entering the Royal Academy.
Wilfred, who was the same age, also entered the Royal Academy, and unlike me, he was surrounded by friends he met there.
And when Wilfred and I were in our second year, on April 5th.
King Aival summoned us, and my brothers and I gathered in the throne room. Cardis and Raphael were also there.
Then, King Aival, accompanied by chamberlains and ministers, appeared and declared, looking at us.
‘The one who brings the World’s Greatest Fiancée shall be the next king.’
Those present murmured, and we four princes were also confused.
But King Aival’s will was firm, and in the end, we brothers began the Search for the World’s Greatest Fiancée as declared.
Even though Cardis and I already had fiancées.
You probably know what’s coming, right?
Yes… Accepting King Aival’s declaration, I… Harold, told my fiancée, Alexandra of Chevalier, that I was calling off our engagement.
Loudly, with a hideous smile.
You just accepted it silently, and our engagement was officially broken.
Yeah… I’m really the worst guy. This me.
Of course, your father, Lord Chevalier, and your older brother, Lord Cedric, couldn’t accept it.
They raised a rebellion against the kingdom and approached the Royal Capital, but unfortunately, Wilfred’s efforts stopped them, and the Chevalier family was destroyed.
You, along with Lord Chevalier and Lord Cedric, were executed.
After that, I was always competitive with Wilfred, and I approached the women he had his eye on, only to lose to Wilfred every time.
Repeating that, in the end… I also started a coup d’état and was easily executed.
“…I will not accept such a story.”
Before I knew it, Sandra’s eyes were shining with blood-red light, and she looked at me with a stern expression.
That’s right. I will never accept such a story… no, such a future.
“Just like in that story, next month on April 5th, I will be summoned by King Aival and receive the declaration. ‘The one who brings the World’s Greatest Fiancée shall be the next king.'”
“Lord Hal… Lord Hal, are you… are you going to call off our engagement, just like in that story…?”
Sandra’s voice choked, and tears streamed down from her crimson eyes.
“I don’t know. But I definitely don’t want to break off our engagement with you, and I don’t intend to.”
But… even if I think so, if the game’s compulsion works, I can’t deny the possibility that I might do something so terrible, completely ignoring my own will.
So, I thought about it.
How can I avoid starting this worst, most terrible, and tragic ending?
That is.
“Ah…”
“Sandra… I love you more than anyone. So… please marry me. Today, in this place, right now.”
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