Lamdarb Kingdom is a small country surrounded by sea on all sides, in harmony with abundant green and natural beauty.
It flourishes as a tourist destination — even royalty from other nations sometimes come here to escape the bustle. A perfect place to refresh.
For reference, it was Floné’s proposal, over a decade ago, that moved the Inter-Academy Magic Tournament’s venue to Lamdarb Island.
Her reasoning: in Lamdarb Kingdom, dedicated venues and facilities could be built for the tournament, allowing student abilities to develop further.
Apparently she was the one who saved Lamdarb Kingdom from a Demon-race attack long ago, and she has deep ties to the royal family.
“——So I’ve heard!”
Everything above was what Mashiro had told me after reading the tourist guide.
She’d checked every restaurant with good food and every shop selling sweets.
How thorough. She must have been truly looking forward to this.
And watching her agonize over what to buy with her limited funds, I cracked and bought everything for her. I’m too easy.
We were taking a breather at a place we’d spotted, sipping cold drinks.
“Ouga, I’m sorry. You bought so much……”
About the cakes filling the table? Or about the heap of paper bags on the floor?
Well — either way, if Mashiro is happy, that’s fine.
I know she didn’t approach me for money, and a request of this size doesn’t even tickle me. I feel like a father indulging a child begging for sweets.
“Don’t worry. I’m happier seeing you happy. Karen, you don’t have to hold back either.”
“Mn. But I’m fine. If I eat too much sweets…… um, you know. The spectator section will have other nobles, so it’s a formal dress.”
Karen’s gaze dipped toward her stomach.
…… I see. I get what she’s saying.
Karen had been crossdressing all this time, so other people’s eyes haven’t really bothered her until now.
But in formal dress, a certain amount of skin gets exposed.
She’s a girl in puberty. I decided to advance the conversation without touching that point.
“Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Karen in a dress. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Y-yeah! I think Ouga will like it. I picked a really pretty one……”
“You’re already pretty, Karen.”
”~~!”
So I said, and Karen went red enough to rival her hair, and fell silent.
“Ouga goes into prince-mode sometimes~”
“I’m just saying what I think honestly.”
“Then how about Boku right now?”
“Stuffing cake into your cheeks, puffed up like a small animal, cute.”
“Ehehe~, thanks. Ouga, you’re cool too.”
“Oh? In what way?”
“Hmm…… all of it!”
After a brief pause, Mashiro said it.
I see — all of it. So I’ve finally become an entirely charming human being.
“M-me too! Kind, strong, cool…… I like you. M-Miss Alice, you think so too, right!?”
“It is exactly as Miss Liche and Lady Lebetsenka say. To me, Lord Ouga is the light that illuminates the world.”
…… Being praised that much, even I find it a bit ticklish……
The unornamented honesty got me embarrassed, and I couldn’t put together words to deflect.
”…………”
“Ah, Ouga’s embarrassed~”
“He really is. Rare to see that expression.”
“I have it on film.”
WHY!? You move so fast, Alice!
Mashiro and Karen looked at the photo Alice had taken and squealed happily.
That photo’s going to end up with the two of them, isn’t it.
It’s embarrassing, so I’d like her to stop…… but accepting this kind of thing is part of a man’s measure.
To cool the heated heart, I wet my throat with iced tea.
Recently, perhaps from Reina’s influence, I’ve become solidly a tea drinker.
I’ve learned to taste the differences too. Which is why my honest impression here was, Reina’s tea is more delicious.
Lamdarb-produced tea has a distinctive smell and it’s strong.
”…… Speaking of which, there’s one thing I’ve wanted to ask you, Ouga.”
“Mm? What?”
“Do you like the Council President?”
Gnh——!?
D-dangerous. If I’d had iced tea in my mouth, I’d have spit it out.
How do you reach that conclusion.
I replayed my own actions. I haven’t done anything weird, surely.
I just had tea alone with Reina, joined the Council because she was there, plowed through work to spend more time with her, and invited her out to lunch every day in the Council room.
That’s all……
…………
…… Hey? That sounds exactly like an elementary-school boy appealing to a girl he’s into……
When I looked at Mashiro, who had just dropped that stabbing line, her eyes weren’t smiling.
M-Mashiro-san? Where did the usual pretty smile go?
This is creating a huge misunderstanding. I have to calmly clear it up, or my affinity score is in serious trouble.
”…… Let me ask back. How did you arrive at that?”
“Because lately you’ve been all over the Council President…… and you told her that, didn’t you?”
“That was because I judged her a person I can trust. And — Reina’s atmosphere was dangerous. If I left it alone, she’d just……vanish……”
“Ah, I think I get that, too.”
Karen, throwing in support. A halo behind her. She seemed godly.
“I’d been around her longer than the rest of you, so I can tell — after she started getting involved with Ouga, the President’s atmosphere softened a little. But lately, it’s gone back to how it used to be……”
Karen has lived hyper-aware of others’ assessments of her. Just like the me of a previous life.
That’s why she, too, could vaguely sense Reina’s change.
Hearing my words, she’d reached certainty.
Reina is currently wavering between two things. Between resigning from Headmistress Milfonti and the mission deeply implanted in her by that woman.
”…… So it was a worry to you, Ouga?”
“That’s right. Your guess is off, Mashiro.”
“So it’s just the usual Ouga. Ahaha, I worried for nothing. Sorry for asking something weird.”
The light returned to Mashiro’s eyes.
Th-thank god……! Welcome home, highlights! Don’t you ever run away again!
“Glad the misunderstanding’s clear. All right, let’s leave the shop. Time to head back, too.”
"""Okayyy."""
Both of them gave good replies. They were convinced.
Good……
”…… Karen. Isn’t this seriously bad?”
”…… I’ve been prepared since the day I became his fiancée.”
“That’s…… true. He’s Ouga, after all.”
“Right, right. Because it’s Ouga.”
"""Right~"""
”…… What are those two talking about, Alice?”
”…… My apologies. It is by no means a bad story for you, Lord Ouga.”
Eh~. Alice sides with the girls sometimes~
At checkout, more than the amount, I couldn’t stop wondering what they were whispering about behind me.