“Well, to be honest, it’s a bit unfair.”
After finishing the meal and doing the dishes, Claire grumbled.
“Are you complaining about doing the dishes?”
“Huh? Oh, no, no, not about that.”
When I asked with a slightly surprised look, Claire quickly shook her head and continued.
“I meant Charlotte’s hobby.”
“Cooking, you mean?”
“Yeah.”
Claire tilted her head and said.
“It’s just… how should I put it? It’s like she’s in a different dimension and really grown-up all by herself, you know?”
So, it seems like it’s not a serious complaint, just a bit of jealousy.
“Don’t you think being that jealous makes you seem like a child?”
But to be honest, she is a child. Our ID shows we’re adults, but I was genuinely an adult at one point.
At my words, Claire puffed up her cheeks.
“Being adult-like isn’t always a good thing. In fact, having a bit of childlike spirit makes life more enjoyable!”
I tried to soothe Claire.
“If you were just very grown-up and went around saying ‘Santa doesn’t exist’ or ‘there’s no such thing as ghosts,’ then we wouldn’t have any pumpkins or Christmas trees coming into our house. To enjoy the end of the year properly, you need to have that spirit of enjoyment!”
“…Is that so?”
Just because you grow older doesn’t mean you turn completely into an adult.
The things we longed for in childhood, the things we wanted to have, the places we wished to go… those things stay in a corner of our hearts and eventually, when we become adults and have a little cash and freedom, we try each one of those things.
And surprisingly enough, it’s a joyful experience.
That doesn’t mean those who lack that aren’t pitiable. If cooking brings you joy, shouldn’t you just cook?
Moreover—
“Speaking of which, I think your hobby is quite healthy.”
“R-Really?”
“Indeed. Exercising to build your body is a hobby many people enjoy.”
At least it’s better for your health than just sitting around playing games, right?
“But my ultimate goal is to take body profile photos.”
“In this world, that wouldn’t be seen as an embarrassing thing.”
In the Azernar context, it could be a bit of a risqué photo.
A baroness taking nude pictures might just take up part of a booklet titled “Women Ahead of Their Time.” Of course, Claire would never publish that.
“……”
Claire kept silent for a while, focusing on the dishes. It seemed like she was mulling over what I said.
“But it’s still unfair.”
But in the end, Claire sulked and said that.
After all, she is still a kid.
*
If there are introverts in this world, then there are extroverts too. Actually, statistically, there might be more extroverts because they’re the ones “forming groups.” Among them, there are otaku and non-otaku alike.
To me, Charlotte was thoroughly the former. She might not be interested in subculture, but she didn’t overly care about those around her and was good at listening and responding.
Her hobbies are completely wholesome, and she seems like the type to handle herself quite well in society.
She claimed she didn’t have many friends, but considering her personality, that wasn’t due to preference; rather, it was a situation where she had to distrust everyone around her.
Although Claire grumbled last time, I thought it wasn’t necessary to forcefully look for “otaku” sides in someone like Charlotte.
That’s what I thought.
That day was a slightly different morning from usual.
Claire and Mia were editing videos in the broadcasting room. Alice was in her room checking out cosmetics, and Charlotte was alone in her room doing whatever she was doing.
Suddenly, I looked at the clock, and it was almost lunchtime.
For some reason, the thought of preparing a meal and doing the dishes didn’t appeal to me today, so I wondered how about feeding everyone instead.
To tell the truth, it was more about suddenly craving a sandwich.
Grabbing my smartphone and opening the delivery app, I headed to my room to ask Alice for the menu. Next, I would head to the broadcasting room to hear Mia and Claire’s opinions.
Then, as I picked a menu I wanted while moving to the living room and Charlotte’s room, I slung open the door to where the two of them were hanging out.
“……”
“……”
And then, I locked eyes with a startled Charlotte.
I took a quick look at her surprised face and glanced at what she was holding.
Charlotte was holding the shoulder part of a ‘magical girl outfit’ that Mia had left lying around, checking it against her own body.
It probably wouldn’t fit. Mia eats many things but doesn’t gain weight like it’s astonishing.
But more than that, the difference in body type and bone structure was too large; it looked like that magical girl outfit, which seemed unstretchable, would not fit Charlotte whatsoever.
However, the reason Charlotte was holding that outfit against herself was evident.
She must want to try it on at least once.
“……”
“……”
Charlotte seemed to be trying to come up with some excuse as her mouth moved a little, but no sound came out.
I silently observed her and slowly began to back out of the room, grabbing the door handle.
“Wait a moment!”
Thunk.
Charlotte quickly dashed over and slammed the door closed.
“It’s fine; you can finish what you were doing. I’ll ask about the menu later.”
“W-What do you mean? I think there’s been a misunderstanding, it’s not like that!”
It isn’t not like that at all.
“People naturally have personal hobbies. Whether to share them or keep them private is a personal choice. The fact that you were checking out a magical girl outfit secretly means it was a hobby you found hard to share with us, right?”
“That’s besides the point! It’s not like that!”
“You don’t need to worry. I won’t tell anyone else.”
“N-No, that’s not the issue! What’s worse is that someone could misinterpret it! And above all, please get rid of that sympathetic look!”
Charlotte pulled the door hard and opened it entirely, grabbing my arm with her other hand and pulling me into the room.
Clunk.
The door quietly closed. If it slammed, all the children in the house would probably come running to see what happened.
“I’ll explain.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I’m going to, so listen.”
With a fierce gaze, Charlotte said that, and I sealed my lips.
“First of all, I don’t want to be a magical girl.”
My gaze shifted back to the bed. It seemed she had placed the outfit on the bed while chasing after me. It wasn’t just thrown down; it looked like she had care for it, knowing Mia treasures it.
“It was about the design of that outfit!”
As my eyes narrowed, Charlotte’s face grew red in response.
“Because, you know, that outfit has so much lace.”
“Well, it is a magical girl costume.”
“No, that’s not it!”
Charlotte appeared frustrated as she spoke.
“That’s the kind of outfit princesses in ‘old fairy tales’ wear!”
“……”
It took me a second to register her words and my brain lagged in response.
I slowly rolled my eyes and opened my mouth.
“So, you’re saying you were holding that outfit against you because it looks like a ‘princess’ dress?”
“Exactly.”
“But Charlotte, you’re already the princess of Velbur, right? Is there really a need for you to long for a princess position?”
“Th-That’s different! It’s different!”
“……”
“It’s different. The position I hold is a political ‘princess,’ right?”
Aha.
I was starting to see the light.
“Is it perhaps influenced by that D●sney movie we saw last time?”
“……”
Charlotte’s eyes darted around. As my gaze followed hers, Charlotte turned her body entirely away.
“Y-Yes! So what? When the stories I longed for in childhood unfold so flamboyantly, how can I not be affected?”
“……”
A princess longing to be a princess?
I internally marveled.
“But is there really a reason to hide that?”
“…It just seems too embarrassing… besides, I really know what it’s like to hold the real ‘princess’ position…”
Oh, come on.
She is, after all, a princess you’d expect to see in a game.
To think about it, that’s a little odd. In reality—meaning, on ‘Earth’—princesses often lead much tougher lives. In fact, Charlotte’s image is somewhat a result of applying the fantasy world’s perspective of a “princess” to this world.
Yet this seemingly perfect Charlotte, in fact, longs to be a princess from American animation?
“Just so you know, it’s a secret from others.”
Charlotte pointed at me with her finger and spoke.
“…Understood.”
I nodded readily.
Charlotte let out a long sigh.
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