Chapter 12

Even as he says things like that, really, this prince has no ill intentions. At least, Rabi, for now, sees him more like a younger brother than a fiancé. In terms of age, Baldo is a few months older than Rabi, but this is more about their personalities.

Sitting in a well-matched white chair, Baldo looked around. Sai was far enough away that he couldn't hear their conversation, standing still and sending sharp glances. I wish he would go somewhere.

"…Nella has already disappeared into the Harry family."

"Ah, of course I know."

Despite the high-pitched voice, he's trying to hide his agitation. Moreover, it's odd that he even knows the whereabouts of a mere maid, but he doesn't seem to realize that. Every time Baldo visits the Heathfen family under the pretext of talking with his fiancé, he searches for Nella. It seems he hasn't shaken off that habit.

Incidentally, Nella usually prepares the tea. Today, of course, it's Mari, but I can feel a piercing gaze from behind. Rabi, who had told her the plan in advance, can't stop feeling frustrated and grinding her teeth. I decided not to mind.

Incidentally, when Baldo was a child, even in such moments, he was captivated by a beautiful girl of the same age who was bullying Rabi. He quietly comforted her, and they shared memories. Nella, your plan was too meticulous. Incidentally, he also captured Rabi's younger brother at the same time, but isn't that a bit too busy?

Incidentally, when Rabi saw Nella, Baldo's eyes changed color, and Rabi was looking at him from this same chair. The despair at that moment is still vividly remembered.

Rabi had been ordered to bully Nella and become a top-notch villainess, but she always felt like crying and was in pain. Yet, at that moment, she poured the tea Nella had made onto the ground with real malice. Realizing her own actions, Rabi was devastated. No matter how much she pretended to be crazy, she had vowed to keep her heart pure.

Baldo blinked in surprise and furrowed his brow. When he was told that the maid's tea tasted bad, it felt like the distance between their hearts grew. The look on Nella's face at that moment is unforgettable. Even as she bowed her head in apology, the glimpse of her eyes was chillingly joyful.

Still, still, I thought there would be a day when Baldo would wake up. In the popular stories I read to pass the time, the villainess always met her end. Unfortunately, the one who met her end was Rabi. There's nothing to do but laugh.

"…By the way, it seems there's a new guard?"

"Yes, it's Sai. You might have heard of the Narsol family. He's also a student at the magic academy. Since this year, I'm his senior. So, it was decided that he would take over the security at the academy early. He has already been given the rank of knight."

"Is he the son of the Grand Knight?"

Well, I know that.

Just in case, I pretended to have already heard it from my master as a precaution in case I accidentally called his name. In the original story, Baldo and Sai were often referred to as light and shadow.

Since Sai is always around Baldo in the game, his ending is one where the hero, who marries the prince, has Sai as her guard, which is a bad ending that can be seen as a fetish by some, and he has many hidden fans. The wall push with the short words, "I will always be by your side," made Rabi's heart flutter a little when she first played, but looking at the real Sai out of the corner of her eye, she thought that a wall push from that body would only bring fear. Maybe it's because Sai is the image character, but he's a bit too tall.

Sai's story has the least volume and is concentrated in the latter part of the story. He's a handsome guy with a good personality, yet he's an underdog character because he lacks screen time. That's why, when I met him earlier, I might have thought he was a forgettable man.

Anyway, putting aside the talk about Sai, I looked at the surrounding trees, wondering how to end the conversation casually. It's warm here, but the sun doesn't shine directly, and not many people come here. I was completely distracted from the prince in front of me, thinking it was a good place, when "Rabi?" Baldo tilted his head in curiosity.

"You seem different from usual."

I flinched.

Memories of the past resurfaced. I thought I had changed a lot, but since I was originally bad at socializing, no one had pointed it out. Yet, it was Baldo who said it first. Surprised, I also found it reasonable. When Rabi met Baldo, she was always sending hearts, and they spent meaningless time together, even though they were talking. To Rabi, Baldo was literally a prince who saved her from that situation. Now, looking back, it's a complete black history.

"It's just my imagination."

I smiled and tried to cover it up, and he responded casually, "Is that so?" He probably wasn't particularly interested. Incidentally, I wanted to chuckle, not grin, but my facial muscles didn't move properly.

"Hey, Rabi. I brought some delicious sweets today. Please try them. I want to hear your thoughts."

He snapped his fingers and signaled to Sai. On the table were bite-sized cookies that Rabi could easily eat. "Oh," she groaned. (That's it, this is it.) One of the reasons Rabi continued to believe in Baldo. No matter what, Baldo was kind to Rabi. Or at least, that's how she saw it. He regularly visited the house, bringing snacks that made her mouth water. They were a precious source of nutrition for Rabi.

But now I can say it, and I understand.

"You've lost a bit of weight. Eat up."

This is probably just a sense of feeding.