Part 1

“You are the worst”

“Leon-san, you are too cruel.”

Morning after the holiday.

When I came to the school building, I found two people waiting for me: Noel Jill Lespinasse, who was standing upright, and Livia, who was looking down and telling me with an attitude that she was in a bad mood.

Noel has gradient blonde hair that turns pinker as it gets closer to the tips and is tied back in a side ponytail.

She brushed it off with one hand and rolled it to her back and cornered me.

Noel’s fingertips press against my chest.

“Why do you go to the princess every week?”

Angry Noel doesn’t like that I have tea parties with Erika every week.

I had nothing to be guilty of, but it was impossible to explain.

After all, I, Marie, and Erika are all blood relatives from a previous life.

First of all, I have to tell them about my previous life, but if I say, “Actually, this world was the world of that Otome game!” and they would never believe me if I told them that.

To begin with, if I were in Noel’s or Livia’s shoes, I would think that there is something I am hiding from them if I were to talk about other worlds and reincarnated people in a situation like this.

They would said I am trying to deceive them by telling them a bad lie.

So I can’t tell them the truth.

But I don’t want to lie either.

―― But I had expected this situation, too.

“Because Marie and Princess Erika are on good terms. Without me, it would be difficult for them to talk.”

When I mentioned Marie’s name, Noel lowered the corners of her upturned eyes.

“With Marie-chan? Indeed, you attended every tea party with her. But she never told me anything.”

Noel and Marie are good friends.

She is a kind girl who became close to Marie when she was studying abroad and has continued their friendship even after she found out that Marie was a fake saint.

But even if Noel was convinced, Livia was not.

Now Livia is closing in on me.

“But you should still say something to Ange. You know that Ange is going through a difficult time, don’t you, Leon-san?”

I’ve also heard that Ange are being told by her parents’ house.

But that was the part I didn’t quite understand.

“I told her she didn’t have to fight with her parents for me.”

“That’s not it! Leon-san, why don’t you notice it? That’s not what Ange wants.”

I know I’m being accused of not being perceptive, but I’ve always been like this.

“I’m not very perceptive anyway.”

I say sulkily, and Livia grabs me by the chest and brings my face close to hers.

“I’m talking seriously now.”

My back shivered in front of Livia’s expressionless, highlight-less eyes.

“Yes! I was joking too much. I would like to talk to Ange right away!”

“That’s not it, right? You’re going to invite Ange to a date on your upcoming holiday, right?”

“A date ?!”

“Of course. ―― You wouldn’t say that you could spend your holidays with the Princess and Marie-san but not with Ange, would you?”

“N-No way right. Aha, ahahaha ―― In the first place, I spend a lot of time with everyone on a regular basis.”

Yes, we see each other more often than not, except on holidays.

There is no doubt that I spend more time with Ange and others than I do with Marie and Erika, whom I see on the weekends.

“Leon-san, let’s go on a date. Listen, it’s a date. You and Ange go out together on your day off.”

But it seems that nothing can be said to Livia now.

“――Yes”

“No one is allowed to accompany you. Actually, you can’t but! Only Luc-kun is allowed to accompany you.”

“I-Is that okay?”

For some reason, I was only allowed to bring Luxion with me, but the expression on Livia’s face was not good.

Is there anything to worry about?

“――I think it would be better for Luc-kun to stay with Leon-san.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, you and Ange will have a date this weekend. Is that good, Leon-san?”

Livia’s expression changed from expressionless to a big smile.

Her smile radiates a pressure that does not allow for refusal.

“Of course!”

It seemed that we were not tolerated to just talk on campus, so we decided to go on a date on our day off.

Noel, who was watching Livia’s unyielding attitude, blurted out.

“Livia-chan is scary”

.

Part 2

“What is the best date plan?”

Lunch break.

The people I had gathered in the empty classroom were all former capture targets of that Otome game that had become my subordinate.

For some reason, I had to support these guys, so I decided to plan a date with Ange with the help of the good-looking guys, hoping to use them to my advantage once in a while.

The assembled guys look at each other, and for some reason they look at me grimly.

“You got a problem with that?”

When I ask them, it is Julius who complains loudly.

“Of course! You, a man like you, spend every weekend going out with Marie in the morning and having a tea party until the evening. I envy you!”

In front of the former crown prince, who is envious that I get to spend so much time with Marie for so long, I decide that he is useless and get back to the main issue.

“I don’t care, just think of a date plan. I know you guys have a lot of romantic experience for nothing.”

I ask him with a tossed-off attitude, and Greg crosses his arms, his arm muscles bulging and his clothes making a mich-mich-mich sound.

“I’m definitely more modest than you, though.”

“Ha? You guys are more popular than me, right. Ever since the first year, you’ve been acting like you’ve never had a problem with women.”

“Marie is the only one I’ve ever had a real relationship with!”

I was a little taken aback by Greg’s brazen declaration of his lack of experience with women. Normally, I would be ashamed of this, but this guy was rather proud of his lack of experience.

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that. ――Are? But Greg, you had a fiancée, right?”

“It’s a political marriage. We’ve only seen each other a few times, I’ve told you that before.”

“Ah, is that so. Then the muscle idiot can’t be counted on.”

“Oi!”

Following Julius, Greg was also useless.

The next person to look at is Chris.

But this guy is the clumsiest of the five.

“Then, next is Chris.”

“Date plans, huh? When Marie and I strolled around the royal capital together, we went to watch a sword fight. I explained the game to Marie while we watched it, and I was happy that she seemed to enjoy listening to my explanation.”

I noticed Chris looking happy as he reminisced about his date with Marie.

Ah, this guy is also useless.

After all, when I heard about the date, the only thing that came up was Marie.

I let out a sigh and look at Brad this time.

“Well, then, Brad-kun, the self-proclaimed most beautiful man.”

“Self-proclaimed?! I am beautiful is the truth!”

“It may be true in your mind, but not in the world. Come on, tell me.”

Brad, the narcissist, plays with his purple hair with his fingertips as he talks about date plans.

“Fuhn! When you’re as good-looking as I am, a date is just another day in the life.”

“Ha?”

“Maybe Leon will never understand. Girls just spend time with me and that alone makes it extraordinary. In other words, I can give people a special everyday life just by being around them.”

Brad winks at me as if he’s drunk on his own lines.

I I shook my head and looked at the last remaining, Jilk.

“The last is, Jilk, huh? I know it’s a no good even before I hear it.”

I let out a deep sigh, and a miffed Jilk twitched his eyebrows.

“Please don’t lump me in with the previous four. I have a lot of experience in relationships, and I’m good at pleasing women.”

The other four gave Jilk, who insisted that he was more popular with women than the others, a stern look.

A split among friends, perhaps? No. Is it the usual.

Jilk confident, but I know what this guy has done before.

“You talk about pleasing the ladies, but have you forgotten the terrible things you did to Claris-senpai?”

Claris. Claris Fia Atley-senpai is Jilk’s former fiancée.

Jilk refused to meet with her, and I got into trouble because he made the matter more complicated.

However, he does not seem to be offended.

“I feel bad about what I did to her. But it was really the right thing not to see her. If I could have apologized, I would have done it right away.”

“If that’s the case, then apologize quickly.”

What is this guy talking about? As I was thinking this, Jilk looked away from me.

For some reason, he seems to feel sorry for me.

“I’m so sorry about that, Leon-kun. but Claris is, you know ―― she’s heavy.”

“Isn’t hers normal?”

“You’re misunderstanding me about the weight thing? What Claris is heavy is love.”

“She is a kind person.”

Jilk thought I didn’t understand anything, and he put his right hand on his face and worried about me.

“I even want to respect your insensitivity. You see, Claris is heavy anyway. Let me tell you an old story, I once saw a new model of air bike and looked at it. I didn’t say I wanted one or anything.”

For some reason, Jilk was in a cold sweat as he talked about his memories of Claris-senpai.

“Then the next day Claris came to my house to deliver the air bike.”

“It’s a present, right? That’s great.”

“You really are an insensitive person, aren’t you? I was looking at the air bike when I wasn’t with Claris.”

“――Oi, wait a minute”

“I don’t know where she heard about it, but she sent me an air bike that I had been admiring. If it had happened once, it would have seemed like a coincidence, but it happened several times after that.”

Jilk had a distant look on his face, and the other four looked at him as if they didn’t know what to say.

I see. Claris-senpai was heavy?

Listening to Jilk’s story, I found myself thinking that if it was just like that―― it was nothing.

For some reason, Jilk noticed my state of mind and praised me for it.

“I’ve always wondered, Leon-kun, do you like heavy women?”

“No, not really”

“Are you sure? From my point of view, Leon-kun, all the women around you, seem to be heavy――”

If Ange and others are so heavy, Marie is so light that she would blow away in the wind, don’t you think?

Well, I guess these guys like lightweight women.

I like safe and normal though.

“So what’s your date plan?”

“If you want to attract your young lady’s attention, a place she is not accustomed to going to is recommended. If you invite her to a cheap restaurant, she’ll think it’s exciting. If anything, budget dates seem too ordinary and boring for them.”

I got some surprisingly reliable advice.

“You’re a sly bastard, but you’re actually dependable, huh?”

“Only the sly bastard part is unnecessary, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”

I never thought that Jilk’s opinion would be useful.

Then let’s take Ange to a place she’s never been before.

As I begin to ponder which restaurant is best, Julius calls out to me.

“Leon, you got a minute? If you haven’t had lunch yet, come join me.”

“With you?”

.

Part 3

Sitting on a bench behind the school building, Julius and I were eating skewers we had bought from a food stand.

I bought it at the store Julius showed me and it was quite tasty.

But he looks apologetic.

“I’m sorry. If I’d had a little more time, I could have grilled it.”

“Don’t try to grill the skewers until lunchtime. So, what’s the talk?”

When I asked him while biting into a skewer, Julius paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“It’s about Angelica.”

―― When I stop moving, Julius continues with a serious expression on his face.

“I betrayed Angelica once”

“Yes, you did”

We bit into our skewers and we continued talking as we resumed eating.

“When I think about it now, I couldn’t see anything.”

“Even now”

“I can see it more than before. No, maybe I see more now that I’m a third party.”

What does he want to say?

Julius cuts out the main subject.

“I understand that it’s a selfish thing to do. But please don’t betray Angelica.”

“Me? In the first place, I never intended to betray――”

“Even if you intend to do that, Angelica is different, right?”

I was going to say something back, but oddly Julius’ words stuck in my mind.

Silently biting into a skewer, Julius tells a story from his past.

“When I broke off my engagement to Angelica, I didn’t mean to betray her. If anything, I felt betrayed.”

“You guys were the worst at that time.”

“I admit it. But what about you now?”

“What do you want to say?”

Julius finishes his skewers and carefully puts away the empty containers.

I don’t throw trash around that area.

“I just didn’t want you to make the same mistake I did. If Angelica feels betrayed by you, she may never recover.”

“I told you that I wasn’t going to betray ―― her”

From the outside, my behavior is a betrayal of Ange. On weekends, I have tea parties with Marie and Erika, and sometimes I write a letter to the queen, Milene-sama.

I don’t mean to betray her. But what Ange thinks of that is another matter.

I looked down and Julius had a subtle, indescribable look on his face.

“And as a friend, let me tell you.”

“What?”

“I won’t ask you to stop hitting on my mother anymore, so please do it without my knowledge if you can. I just don’t know what face to put on as her son.”

I see Julius looking really distressed, and I’m in trouble too.

“O-Okay”

In the meantime, I just replied so.

.

Part 4

Weekend.

Ange was wearing a dressy one-piece red dress that day.

Ange, who prefers to dress in red, the same color as her eyes, carried a small, white handbag in her hands.

She was wearing pumps and was dressed casually but could be formal. Such Ange was at the meeting place.

――That’s still plenty of time.

“Sorry I kept you waiting.”

Ange gives a small shake of her head as I approach her with an apology.

“No, I just came too early.”

“I-I see”

We usually spend time together, but only today it was me who wanted to meet outside. I wanted a different routine from the usual, and I adopted Five Idiots’ opinion.

Thanks to that, both Ange and I have become awkward, although the excitement is different from usual.

As we walk away together, only I can hear Luxion, who is following us.

Master, shouldn’t you compliment Angelica on her appearance? She seems to have put in a lot of effort for today?

I didn’t realize it until he told me, and I admired Ange’s figure, thinking ‘Oh, crap’.

“Ange, you look great in that outfit!”

“I see. Thank you.”

Ange smiled, but for some reason felt like a failure.

If it were a love simulation game, it would surely be a scene where you would hear sound effects that would either increase or decrease the impression of likability.

If it were a game, you could load it, but when it comes to reality, there’s no save or load.

Not even a reset.

There is only a power button.

I honestly apologize.

“I’m sorry. I should have complimented you earlier.”

“Don’t apologize. You should be more dignified.”

“No, but”

“――It’s fine, let’s go.”

As Ange increased her walking speed, I hurried to follow her.

Luxion, who was watching the situation, was amazed.

I think Master is more effective when he is unaware of his abilities. He is the type of person who becomes useless when he is self-aware.

.

Part 5

As we started our date and walked through the royal capital, scaffolding was being built around a broken building and demolition work was underway.

Modified armor for the work removes debris one after another.

When Ange stopped to see it, she spoke about the reconstruction work.

“Even the expensive armor is out, and the reconstruction work is being done in a hurry.”

Armor is basically fueled by magic stones.

The magical stones mined in the dungeons in the royal capital are constantly being bought because they are used as energy resources.

However, the supply and demand are not in balance.

Supply was not keeping up with demand, and it was often unprofitable to take armor out for everyday work.

The reason reconstruction work is done without regard to this is because this is the royal capital.

“Rich people are strong everywhere, after all.”

When I mentioned the irony, Ange looked at me and let out a small sigh.

“Eh, did I say something wrong?”

Was that a bad thing to say?

When I am anxious, Ange says, “No, it was not” and tells me the reason for her stunned.

“Even the kingdom’s finances must be tight. The year before last, there was a war with the former Principality. The royal capital was damaged before the wounds had healed.”

Twice in a short period of time, the royal capital has been damaged.

The finances of the kingdom of Horfalt also appear to be tight.

And Ange knew who was rushing the reconstruction work.

“Still, the reason for the rush is to maintain the authority of the kingdom. If the fresh scars are left in the royal capital forever, the lord nobles who see them will judge that the kingdom’s power has weakened. ――The queen must be having a hard time wrapping her head around this.”

“Milene-san?”

When I called the queen by name, Ange’s expression clouded for a moment.

Oops, I thought, I hold my mouth with my hand, and Ange forces herself to smile.

“I’m relieved that she’s not the same age as you.”

“No, I’m not really serious about wooing her.”

When I make my excuses, Ange smiles.

“I know. Well, I guess it’s time to get back to our date.”

“A-Aa”

.

Part 6

We started walking again and headed for our destination, a coffee shop.

It is a coffee shop that creates an atmosphere where anyone can come in and spend time, but the interior has a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.

The furniture and other items are always clean and well maintained, and the place smells nice with tea and snacks.

When we both enter the restaurant, the owner shows us our seats over the counter.

As we headed for a table by the window, the owner brought us a menu.

After a brief conversation with Ange, we decide on the menu, and the owner returns to the counter.

Just as I was thinking how lucky I was that this restaurant was not destroyed in the last turmoil, Ange spoke up.

“It’s a good store”

“You’re right. I’m new here too, but I think I might like it.”

“It’s the kind of place Leon would love.”

Sure looks like a place that’s right up my alley.

“Ange doesn’t like it?”

“I don’t dislike it. It just bothers me that they don’t have my favorite tea. Apparently it’s not the owner’s taste.”

“Ah”

When I look at the menu now that I realize it, I can see that there is indeed no tea that Ange likes on it.

There were no other tea cakes that Ange would have liked.

I hold my head thinking that I have failed.

“Sorry, I should have checked more closely.”

“I don’t mind”

“No, but today was a date for Ange.”

“I said, I don’t mind. You’re a Duke. Don’t apologize for this much.”

“Even so, I still feel bad about it “

When I tried to apologize again, Ange swung her fist down on the table.

“I said, I don’t mind!”

“――Ange?”

Surprised by Ange’s sudden outburst, the guests around us were also looking at our seats to see what was going on.

The owner was checking on us from the counter, and when I gestured that it was nothing, he seemed to notice Ange as well.

“S-Sorry”

Blushing, she turns her head and looks down once before getting up from her seat and running out of the restaurant.

“Ange!”

I got up from my seat to follow him, remembered I had ordered, took the money from my wallet and put it on the counter.

“Forget the change”

As I ran out of the store as it was, the door bell rang repeatedly and made a loud noise.

I look around and don’t see Ange.

“Damn! Where is she?”

――No problem. I know where Angelica is. Shall I start navigating?

“Please”

Running while being guided by Luxion.

“What went wrong?”

I asked as I ran, but Luxion didn’t have a clear answer either.

It’s strange to be angry at disappointing Master, isn’t it. Because you have shown yourself to be pathetic so far.

“Sorry about that!”

She must be mentally exhausted. My guess is that perhaps she is superimposing her own ideals on the Master and is frustrated by the differences.

“Certainly sounds like Ange’s ideals are high.”

Nevertheless, Angelica got engaged to Master. She must have known in advance that it wasn’t ideal.

As I was running, but Luxion’s words stopped me in my tracks.

“You mean she’s fed up with me”

I had somehow expected it, and the time has come ―― or so it seems.

However, Luxion made a gesture of yare-yare.

If she were tired of you by this, the engagement would never have taken place in the first place. Master must be doubting Angelica’s love.

“Even love can cool down.”

I agree. But it should be different in this case. Angelica was looking forward to having a date with Master, you know.

As I started walking toward where Ange was, I could see the high ground.

It seems to be a popular place to view the royal capital from a hill, and benches and other facilities are set up there.

Ange was holding onto the fence and looking out at the view of the royal city.

When I approached, she turned around, but apparently Ange was crying.

“Ange, that――”

“Don’t apologize. Your apologizing makes me miserable.”

“――Eh?”

Angl begins to reveal her current feelings to me.

“I hate myself ―― for making you apologize.”

As it was, Ange broke down crying on the spot.

.

Part 7

We sat on a bench on a hill and I waited for Ange to calm down, and then it was evening.

Sometimes people come, but when they see us, they move away, thinking we are having a goodbye talk or something.

――I’m no good with women who cry.

After calming down, Ange apologizes for what just happened.

“I’m sorry”

“No, more importantly, you just said you hate yourself?”

“It means exactly what it says”

“Etto――”

Luxion, who felt that we were getting out of hand in our exchange, stepped in between me and Ange and began to mediate.

Angelica, why is it your fault if Master apologizes? It is the Master’s fault that he is pathetic.

It’s true that I’m pathetic, but it makes me angry to hear it so clearly.

However, this is not the time to get into an argument with Luxion, so I hold my ground.

Ange, with tears in her eyes, looks at Luxion and tilts her head.

“Leon is a Duke. Besides, he’s a hero who has saved the country many times.”

“――From a social standpoint, Master should not apologize easily, is that what you mean?”

“Yes. And yet, I keep making Leon apologize. I am the woman who will be his wife. And I can’t support him enough.”

Covering her face with both hands and shedding tears, I tell Ange how I honestly feel.

“No, it doesn’t matter”

But it seems that my values didn’t get through to Ange.

“Doesn’t matter, you said? Does that mean I’m not good enough for you? That you don’t need my help? Aa~, of course you do. You have Luxion.”

Ange raises her head and begins to laugh as she cries.

“That’s not what I meant! It’s not about power or anything like that――”

When I was desperately trying to tell her, Luxion interrupted me.

Master, it’s time. Please return to your student dormitory.

“Now that’s not――”

You don’t care? Would it be better if you kept your distance from each other?

Ange started crying again and was in no situation to persuade her.

“Let’s go back. But first, let me tell you something. I never thought I didn’t need Ange.”

But my words don’t seem to reach Ange.

“――We don’t know each other well enough.”

.

Part 8

After dropping Ange off and returning to my room in the dormitory, I fall straight onto my back on the bed.

Looking up at the ceiling, Luxion reports.

A report from Creare. Angelica was comforted by Livia and went to sleep. Livia seems to be very angry with Master when she heard the result.

“――What am I supposed to do?”

What went wrong?

I knew Ange was working hard for me and I wanted to tell her not to push too hard today.

No need to fight with her parents for me.

That is the last line, or rather not a solution.

“We didn’t know each other well enough. It’s true that we’ve only been able to get this far because of momentum. If she had seen a shallow person like me up close, she might have become disillusioned.”

For Master, you are able to self-evaluate. But in this case, there is another problem.

“Another?”

Values. Both Master and Marie have too strong values from your previous lives. From the information Creare has obtained, I would guess that Angelica wanted to be the one to support the Master

“I still get plenty of support from her.”

She’s a great woman who’s too good for me.

I understand that, so I didn’t want her pushing herself too hard.

I think Angelica overestimates Master. As a hero who rose to the rank of duke in his own lifetime, Angelica must have been under a lot of pressure to be your partner. She has been working hard to achieve this, and it must be upsetting for her to be told that all of her efforts are in vain?

“I don’t understand”

Angelica stood around to make sure Master was not taken advantage of by the Redgrave family. That’s not a feat one would do at that age.

“I don’t need the Redgrave family’s help or anything. As long as I have Ange.”

“Will Angelica be convinced by that?”

When I shut up, Luxion talks about values.

It is different from the times Master lived in your previous life. This world has its own rules. It is arrogant to easily deny them based on Master’s standards.

For me, who has memories of a previous life, this world has too many different values to begin with.

Even the noble society was not familiar to me in my previous life.

I’ve tried not to look at it, keeping it away from me because it’s troublesome, but I’m rising too high and I can’t ignore it.

However, there is nothing I can do about the difference in values.

It reminds me of a couple who often divorced in a previous life because of differences in values.

“The difference in values is fatal. It would be better to break off the engagement and set Ange free――”

After uttering that much, I remembered Julius’ words.

If I betray her, Ange won’t be able to recover.

“I wonder if I should do it according to Ange?”

Would Master fit in with the noble society of this world?

“I can’t. But I can at least act one. ――I’ll show up at the Redgrave family mansion sometime.”

I should at least be able to mend it.

That’s how I always overcame problems.