“Hey, Ouga. Morning. Coincidence, huh.”
”…”
“Oh? You came to use the library too? Actually I did too.”
”…………”
“Ah, Ouga. So, um… lunch… no, never mind! Pretend I didn’t say anything!”
”………………”
“NEVER MIND!!”
The moment she’d called out to me, she sprinted away.
That was the most recent event.
”…What’s with her?”
It had been a few days since the conversation with Karen.
I now ran into her at a rate that made you doubt we’d never once crossed paths in the academy before.
“Fufu. It seems even the perfect Lord Ouga still has things left to study.”
Alice smiled as she poured fresh tea.
So my communication skills have a problem…?
“She’s adorable, isn’t she? Like a big dog.”
To Mashiro, Karen apparently looked like she had a tail.
The women in this room seem to have some idea about Karen’s behavior.
I’m the master, and I feel left out. A little sad.
“Why not invite her over yourself this time, Ouga?”
“Me invite her? Why?”
“Mmh, Alice’s food is so good~. What’s this one called?”
“It’s called a hamburger. Made from a recipe Lord Ouga came up with.”
“You can cook, Ouga? Amazing!”
…Hey, listen to my question.
Well, if Mashiro’s nutrition from happily devouring the hamburger goes to her chest and helps it grow, I guess that’s fine…
And I do like girls who eat a lot.
It makes meals together a joyful affair.
“In any case, me asking her out would be a rules violation.”
“Rules violation? Of what?”
“What — you didn’t know? Karen is Crown Prince Arnia’s fiancée.”
“The crown prince’s!?”
The crown prince’s fiancée has, for generations, been chosen from the four ducal houses.
There are other ducal daughters, but Karen — the eldest of them and in the same generation as the prince — was the natural pick. Combined with her being the only daughter of the oldest house, House Lebetsenka, it was settled without objection.
Raise Karen as a “man” educationally — and then use her as a “woman” for politics.
That alone should give you a sense of just how poisonous her trash father is.
The greatest misfortune of Karen’s life was being born into that house.
That said, I’m not about to do anything about it.
“Um… so doesn’t that mean the current situation is bad for the prince’s interests…?”
Mashiro was, for some reason, anxiously glancing around.
“I don’t know what you’re worried about, but I don’t think it matters with that womanizing prince.”
“Eh? Womanizing prince…?”
“He has zero interest in Karen. Look, over there.”
I pointed behind me while still snacking on Alice’s cooking.
There sat Crown Prince Arnia, surrounded by senior girls.
“Prince Arnia! Ahn~”
“Mn, delicious. Truly, your cooking is the best in the world.”
“Oh… I’m so happy.”
“Your Highness! Mine next! Eat mine!”
“No need to panic, I’m not going anywhere. Bwahaha!”
A merry meal indeed.
The crown prince, from the moment he enrolled, has surrounded himself with women who aren’t Karen and basked in his youth.
At first the other students had been deferential to Karen, but recently — no care at all.
The lady in question maintains a stance of not commenting on the prince’s behavior. But her hangers-on are losing their minds.
(All of this is information Alice dug up for me.)
…Wait. So that’s it…!
“Heh heh heh. Karen… using me, are you…”
“Using…? You have an idea, Lord Ouga?”
“I’d assumed her recent attention was about the Student Council recruitment. But there’s another reason.”
Alice has spent her life on martial arts and has zero understanding of a girl’s heart.
Can’t be helped. Educating subordinates is part of being a boss.
Let me explain.
“Karen wants to make the crown prince jealous. So she’s actively approaching me, a man she knows, who’s a man she can play with.”
”…………”
“Talking to me — a fellow ducal scion — is easy to justify. To think she’d use me as a decoy stallion… She’s grown, that one.”
”…Alice, may I have a refill, please?”
“Yes, right away.”
But just sitting back and letting it happen is irritating.
…That’s it! Riding her plan might be the fun move.
Karen surely believes I’d never actually fall for her.
But if I act like I’ve genuinely fallen for her, she’ll be in trouble.
After all, getting too close to a man with my reputation would damage hers.
And for a member of House Lebetsenka, with their Council position and strong sense of justice, no torture could be more refined.
I really am a genius. This way I can give her a taste of her own medicine.
My approach toward Karen is set.
“Right — I have a question too.”
Mashiro turned her gaze to the crown prince’s group.
“Would you like having someone do that for you, Ouga?”
“Hey, hey, don’t underestimate me. I’m the eldest son of a ducal house. To do something like that in public—”
“I was thinking I’d do it, actually.”
“——I want it.”
“All right, ahn~”
Delicious!!
When a beautiful girl feeds you, it tastes more than double.
“Mou, you bit so hard you got sauce on you.”
Mashiro reached out and wiped the corner of my mouth with her finger.
“Sorry. Let me get a handkerchief—”
“——By the way.”
A cold chill ran down my spine.
“Ouga, you wouldn’t senselessly build a harem (or do anything like that), would you?”
Wh-what is this…!?
I’m feeling enormous pressure from Mashiro.
She’s usually so soft and airy…!?
“O-of course not. I’ll face people sincerely.”
…Of course, I’ll face every member of my harem sincerely.
Surrounding myself with women who chase money doesn’t end well.
“Mm. Then it’s fine.”
She seems satisfied.
Mashiro, who had leaned in, pulled back. Returning to her usual atmosphere.
“Right, let’s eat. Lunch is going to end.”
“Y-yeah…”
I don’t really remember how the rest of the hamburger tasted.
◇ I saw Aston Mart*n, so off-duty Mashiro wears glasses and her casual outfit is officially the “kill the virgin” look. Also, I’m a happy-ending zealot, so please be assured on that front. ◇