“Feeling uneasy or something?”
“What do you mean ‘worried’? Ha.”
If only the ‘Ha.’ at the end was left out, it would’ve been quite convincing acting.
From the outside, it looked like Charlotte was at a disadvantage in this fight.
After all, Charlotte is a foreigner. No matter how well she’s evaluated within the academy, the student council election isn’t a popularity contest but rather a power struggle.
Charlotte would eventually become the queen of the Kingdom of Velbur. No, in fact, even before becoming queen, it’s almost certain she won’t meet Charlotte again.
How often does a noble from the Empire get to meet a foreign princess or king? At least with Alice, there might be a chance to see her at a ball or banquet, but Charlotte is different. The only nobles who can attend foreign balls or banquets are those who are diplomats in Velbur, and only high-ranking nobles are invited to weddings.
So, it’d be much better to stick with Alice than with Charlotte. Alice is from the same country, and there’s the excuse of being from the ‘same school.’ Later, at a banquet, saying, ‘Your Highness, do you remember? We were in the same class. I voted for you back then,’ would give significant leverage.
Of course, the voting itself is a secret ballot.
But usually, when nobles talk, they find out who voted for whom. Just like modern times, nobles also discuss who they voted for with friends afterward.
If one were to lie, it wouldn’t take long for it to be uncovered. There are differences in attitudes. There may be someone who can hide it until the end, but…
“I’ve never thought I would lose, you know? This isn’t ‘Royal Lutetia Academy’ but ‘Crown Princess Rondairem Academy.’ I’m overwhelmingly favored.”
“Oh really?”
As I retorted, Alice shrugged her shoulders and spoke.
“It’s a fight I’m going to win anyway, but that doesn’t mean I can just sit back. Winning without doing anything wouldn’t feel good for the opponent. It’s not polite either. So, I’ll fight with all my might.”
Watching Alice talk with her chin held high, I thought: she’s feeling uneasy.
No matter how much her personality has improved, Alice hasn’t discarded her pride in her lineage or her self-respect.
If she’s up against someone like Charlotte, of course, she would fight with everything she has. Otherwise, she might lose.
I don’t know how Charlotte will fight, but I suppose she thinks she has a chance and is willing to fight, right?
Honestly, I don’t care whether Alice wins or Charlotte wins, but if Alice wins, I’ll be in for a long, tiring time, so for now, let’s just do my best to help her.
As I watched Alice steeling herself, I thought that.
*
“Where’s Charlotte?”
The next day.
Seeing that Charlotte wasn’t in the classroom, Alice looked around and asked.
“Charlotte? She wasn’t here when I came in either,” replied Claire, who had arrived early to prepare for the lesson.
“…….”
Alice glanced around the sparsely populated classroom before sitting down. Claire, who sat in front of Alice, turned around to face her.
Hugging the backrest and peeking at Alice with a teasing expression, Claire said,
“Why, feeling uneasy or something?”
She perfectly recalled the question I had asked Alice last night without a single alteration.
“I am uneasy.”
Alice sat up confidently, raising her head, but Claire continued to look at her teasingly.
Though the Claire who came back after her memory returned was the same Claire I knew, she definitely had changed in some ways.
Claire’s personality hasn’t changed much, but it’s as if she’s become a bit closer to Alice.
In the illusion created by the Goddess, Claire lived with Alice instead of me. Based on what I heard later from the two, it seems like Claire didn’t treat Alice as well as I did.
It doesn’t seem like she bullied her outright, but it appears she had teased or complained about her plenty.
Of course, the Alice back then wasn’t the Alice of my past; she was the grown-up Alice, so Claire’s teasing wouldn’t have hurt her feelings or made her sulk.
“Hmm, is that so? But Charlotte has also learned politics one way or another, right? From what I know, you didn’t exactly dive into politics that much.”
…Or maybe not?
Did Claire learn more about Alice’s past and grow to tease her even more?
Before, they had been somewhat distant due to me, hardly knowing much about each other; now, it feels like that barrier has completely vanished.
That should be a good thing…
“It doesn’t seem like a matter for you to worry about?”
As Alice shot that back at Claire while narrowing her eyes, it didn’t seem like a completely cheerful matter. The atmosphere might not have been one of genuine fighting, but it didn’t look particularly friendly either.
If they’re going to spend time together, it would’ve been nice if they had gotten a bit friendlier.
“Why, are you worried about your sister?”
Claire grinned at Alice while slightly tilting her head, and looking back at me, sat behind Alice.
“What about you? Do you want Alice to win?”
“…….”
“Why can’t you answer right away?”
When I hesitated for a moment, Alice exclaimed as if baffled.
Of course, I want Alice to win, but if she does, I’ll become the vice-president.
Well, the vice-president’s position doesn’t really have much to do, but still, there would be a sense of obligation to do something.
Especially if the Sword Saint or Jennifer, who are now teachers, give me work, there’s no getting out of it.
“…Ha, well, whatever. I’m going to win anyway. I’ve thought of some methods yesterday too.”
“Oh, like what?”
“I’m planning to meet with the student council members and listen to their opinions.”
“Is that enough? Won’t Charlotte do that much as well?”
“It’s a completely different story if a foreign princess listens compared to a crown princess from this country.”
Alice saying ‘I’ll listen’ means she’s willing to remember some ‘family matters.’
From the perspective of noble students, it’s not a bad story. Tales of power struggles between families, or how one family became independent and the main family keeps meddling.
For Alice, it wouldn’t be bad stories to hear either. They could help when establishing policies later on.
“Is that so?”
Claire tilted her head, but she looked like she already knew that much.
“Why? Is there something you’re not happy about?”
“No, not really.”
Claire replied with a smirk.
“Just wondering if you forgot something.”
“Forgot something?”
“Think carefully. What must you do to gain votes? …Well, figuring that out is also part of the job of someone who wants to be the next student council president.”
It seemed Claire didn’t intend to share her thoughts at all.
“……”
“Why are you like this?”
As I stayed silent looking at Claire, she poked her head sideways to look at me again and asked.
“No, it’s nothing.”
The truth is, I’m experiencing PTSD right now.
In the original story, Claire had quite a strong dislike for Alice upon her first appearance, but I can’t help but wonder if that was because she already somewhat liked Alice back then.
This is because Claire’s reactions now resemble those of the Claire from back then.
Of course, back then it was much more intense. It didn’t end with a mere tease like now.
It gradually improved with time, and just before the game’s death scene, there seemed to be a reconciliation atmosphere with Alice. Knowing about her father’s plan, it felt like she’d undergone a sort of sage time, wanting to bond a little more with her sister.
Even then, she probably died without ever knowing they were true sisters.
“Huh?”
Seeing me shake my head, Claire tilted her head in confusion.
Well, for now, there’s no need to worry about death.
*
Charlotte entered the classroom just before the start of the lesson with Mia.
“Where have you two been?”
“We went to a very important place to become the student council president.”
“…A very important place?”
Alice looked over at Mia, but Mia simply avoided her gaze.
“It wouldn’t be good to pressure Mia. It’s not gentlemanly to threaten candidates to learn their strategies, right?”
As Charlotte casually declared with a relaxed smile, Alice turned her eyes away from Mia, looking disappointed.
In the end, that morning, we learned nothing at all.
Alice seemed slightly anxious, but she was doing well at hiding those emotions on the surface.
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