Chapter 8

My daily routine is to study in the morning and spend the afternoon riding horses and doing sports.

At three o'clock, I take a tea break, and I usually spend this time with Cerea, who comes to the palace almost every day.

"Is the princess education tough?"

"No, not at all. I was hospitalized a lot when I was young and couldn't attend school, so I'm actually quite happy."

"I thought it would be difficult."

"Not at all. It's basically about manners and etiquette, which are things you should know as a human. And the science and math here are much easier compared to the world I came from."

"Wow, that's a shock..."

The world Cerea lived in until she was ten is far more advanced than this one, with incredible science and technology. Even Cerea, who hardly ever went to school, is better at calculations than I am. The more I talk to her, the more I believe that the world she lived in really exists. After all, she already knows things that scholars in this world are still debating, like the fact that the Earth orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth.

"But isn't history a hassle?"

"It's like looking at the hidden settings in a game, so it's actually fun. I never knew such settings existed!"

"Ahahaha... Is that so?"

"I'm not good at studying mythology and the Bible. In our world, gods weren't that strict."

"I'm not good at those either."

We both sigh at this.

"There are so many things we have to learn..."

"That's why it's not easy to become a royal fiancée. It takes a long time to be educated. It's the same for the prince. You can't just become a fiancé with someone you've only been dating for a short time."

Cerea thinks that if I meet a commoner girl at the academy and fall in love after a few years of dating, I might want to leave her and make the other girl my fiancée.

But I think that if we keep studying together, she'll realize that such a thing won't happen.

"I think this world isn't the world in the game Cerea talks about, but rather, the world I live in is a game in Cerea's world. Like how foreign true stories become books we can read. Maybe the gods used magic or something to create a game identical to this world in Cerea's world."

"Maybe..."

"Right? Don't you think so?"

"..."

I guess it's too much to ask. Even I don't find it convincing. Cerea probably thinks it's not reassuring at all.

If a lot of things happen that are different from a game, Cerea might realize that this world isn't a game. But those things won't happen until she enters the academy and the game starts at age fifteen.

"Here are some snacks!"

The maid brought us a plate of snacks.

"What's this?"

They are thin, crispy baked treats. They taste salty but are very delicious.

"I thinly sliced potatoes, fried them in oil, and sprinkled salt on them. They're very popular in town recently. The chef had a hard time getting them crispy enough, but he finally made something he was satisfied with."

"Wow!"

Cerea is happily eating them.

"These are potato chips. I loved them."

I didn't know such a cooking method existed.

"You know a lot about them, Cerea. Have you eaten them before?"

The maid is surprised.

"Frying in oil must use a lot of oil, right?"

"Yes, it's a luxurious dish."

The maid says this, and Cerea is surprised.

When the maid leaves, she whispers to me, "In my world, these were snacks for children. Everyone, even adults, loved them."

They exist in the other world too...

"Oil is hard to come by. It's a precious item. You can only get a few bottles from a carriage full of rapeseed, sesame, or olives."

"...I'm sorry. I didn't know."

I think Cerea's world was incredibly advanced, rich, and abundant. Our senses are different...

"Right now, Cerea and I are studying separately, but starting next week, we're going to add one more subject we can study together. I'm asking the teacher about it."

"?"

"Dancing."

"..."

Cerea's face turns red.

I also feel a bit embarrassed.

"It's part of a strategy. Not only do we need to be cautious about the heroine trying to break us up, but we also need to show everyone that we are close and irreplaceable partners."

She nods.

"The best way is through dancing. If we can dance so beautifully that no one can imitate us, everyone will recognize us. They'll think that Shin and Cerea are the perfect couple."

"...It's a bit embarrassing..."

Cerea covers her face with her palm. Her cheeks are red.

"U-um, actually, I feel the same..."

But dancing is a required subject in society. No one would recognize us as nobles if we couldn't dance. We can't be shy about it.

"I want to dance so well that the heroine will give up just by seeing us dance, thinking, 'There's no way I can break them up.'"

"Okay."

"Let's work together. No, let's do our best together."

"Thank you."

Before that, the biggest challenge is for us to truly become close.

"Let's go on a date next time off."

"A date? What do nobles do on a date?"

"Basically, we go out together."

I know that lovers go on dates.

The problem is that I'm a prince, and Cerea is a duke's daughter. Going out involves a lot of trouble.

So, we need to get permission from the king and the Duke of Colette, and send letters to various places and wait for their responses. It's quite a hassle.

The current residence of the Duke of Colette is in the city.

The Duke of Colette usually lives in his territory but has been staying in this residence for our engagement and my sister's marriage.

The Duke has returned to his territory, and now the eldest son, Cerea's brother, is in charge of the residence.

I go to this residence to pick up Cerea.

Cerea goes to the palace almost every day for her princess education, but today is her weekly day off, so we are going out together.

"Thank you, Bel!"

"Thank you, Prince Shingen."

Of course, Shingen, who has a scary face, will accompany us as a guard.

Bel, Cerea's maid, will also come with us...

"So, what are we going to do, little brother?"

"Can't you call me something better?"

"Prince or Your Highness is a bit too formal. Shin-sama is also a bit off, so let's go with little brother."

"...Alright, that's fine."

All four of us are dressed in commoner clothes. Cerea has her long hair tied up and is wearing a hat. Commoner children don't have long hair like Cerea. They can't maintain it properly.

I'm also wearing a hat, as are the two guards.

Wearing a hat is a common custom among commoners.

"What should I call you?"

Bel is asking Cerea.

"...I haven't thought about it. Can you call me 'sister'?"

"Miss... I'm so happy. Of course, I will."

"Can you call me whatever you want?"

"Sera-chan"

"...That's fine."

It's cute.

"Then, what should Bel call me?"

"I want to call you Shin-chan."

"Sure, go ahead."

We walk from the residence into the city.

"I've never walked around the capital before!"

"Really?"

"Yes, until our engagement, I lived in my father's territory. When I came to the capital, I only saw the city from the carriage, and I couldn't go out while staying at the residence."

That's right.

I also started going out more often only after my sister started attending the academy. Before that, I never went out alone.

"Let's go to the church first, big brother."

"Sure."

We need an excuse to go out. This time, we're attending the Sunday Mass at the church. It's in the morning, so let's get it over with quickly.

There are stalls lining the streets, selling all kinds of food.

"Wow, it's like a festival!"

Cerea is very excited. Her eyes are sparkling, and she looks cute.

"Want to try something?"

"Hmm, standing and eating is bad manners, so I might get scolded..."

"Today, we're commoners. Don't worry about it."

We look around and decide on skewered meat.

It has a sauce and looks delicious.

"Here."

Bel buys four skewers and gives one to Cerea.

"Delicious!"

She takes a bite and is happy!

"Bel, come here."

Shingen takes a skewer from Bel and takes a bite.

"Mmm, it's good. Here, little brother."

"You've already eaten half of it—!"

"What can I do? It's the guard's duty to taste the prince's food for poison."

"..."

"Shin-sama..."

"Hmm?"

"...You try it."

Cerea gives me the skewer she has taken a bite from.

"Cerea..."

"I'll taste it for you. Is that okay?"

Cerea glares at Shingen with a serious face.

"Thank you, Cerea."

"Hmph, you're so mean, little brother. Especially with meat."

I feel like punching Shingen.

I take the skewer from Cerea and eat it. It's delicious.

I give the half-eaten skewer back to Shingen, and Cerea takes another one from Bel and eats it.

The last one, of course, is eaten by Bel.

Next time: "9. To Live or to Die"