CH 4

TBTPL Chapter 4

Arthur's proposal was not the kind of thing he would do to a woman he had never met before.

Moreover, he seemed to be very sensitive towards me.

Sylvia was impatient, with a smile that seemed to scream when he glanced at her.

Until just a while ago, there was no such thing as a tsundere that sold their misanthropy[ 1 ] for someone.

(Arthur's tsun, it was only for a second!)

Even if it is a game, Sylvia thought, there must have been a limit.

The sensitivity was too high.

And let's not forget, I was not in a game. It was real life.

And yet, how was it that the likability of his in reality increased faster than in the game?

I didn't know why, but I needed to get away from Arthur anyway.

Thankfully, the game's encounter event hadn't happened yet. But if I didn't go, I didn't know what would happen.

It was too dangerous for me, who had no intention of going on the Arthur route.

“Is that all you have to say? Oh...”

“I've changed my mind. I'll drive you to the venue. ...I don't want anything to happen to you.”

(There's something called minding your own business!)

Sylvia cowered at Arthur's sudden reversal of his claim.

It may be a kind gesture, but it was sincerely unnecessary.

Because I would now have to meet Dietrich.

Basically, the meeting event was one-on-one.

If I had Arthur with me, there was a chance I wouldn't see him.

If I didn't see him, I wouldn't be able to capture him.

That was... troubling.

Sylvia opened her mouth, struggling to relax her tight facial muscles.

“This is the Royal Palace. You are under guard, and there is nothing to be done. Besides, it would be a shame for other knights...”

“B, but...”

(Liar! You just said that you didn't have time for this!)

Why wouldn't he back off?

Sylvia felt like crying when Arthur, who was supposed to be a misanthrope, pushed her a little too much.

Arthur gently held out his hands, and his white gloves were dazzling.

“Well, let's go. ...Oh, yes, I have to ask, did you come with... anyone today?”

“No, no... I'm alone, but...”

For a moment, a kind of chill ran through Sylvia's body.

But it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared when Sylvia replied with a denial.

Arthur smiled happily and said, “I see,”

“I'm glad to hear it. I was wondering if you were here with your... fiancé.”

“And no, sir, I'm not...”

“You don't have a fiancée, do you?”

“Y, Yes.”

Sylvia nodded as she was asked, feeling strangely intimidated.

Tonight's soirée was a gathering of unmarried men and women, but only on the condition that they were unmarried, not that lovers or engaged couples were forbidden to attend.

In fact, there were several couples present at the evening party, dancing happily in the dance hall.

But I didn't think he would go to the trouble of asking me that.

I had a bad feeling about this.

(I have to run. This could be really bad.)

“Well, Sir Knight. I'm really on my own...”

I wanted to say that I was fine, but Arthur wouldn't let me go on.

”'Sir Knight' is so tactless. Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't told you my name yet. I'm sorry, I'm late.

My name is Felix McGreggan. I'm a distant relative of the Duke of McGreggan. Please, call me Felix. Lady Sylvia.”

The name he gave me was not the alias he had used in the game. His fake name used in the game was 'Mario McGreggan.'

Sylvia could not follow the course of the game at all.

(Eh? You're not Mario? Felix? Huh? Isn't Felix your real middle name? Why would you take that name?)

The name Felix was not an uncommon one. In fact, Sylvia knew someone with the same name.

But he was too brave to use his middle name. Even if they didn't know his real name or looks, he still could be noticed.

When Sylvia was too surprised to answer, Arthur said impatiently,

“Would you like to call me by my name? I'd very much like you to call me Felix.”

“I'm afraid you're too much of a relative of the Duke's...”

In fact, he was a prince, so it was not like I was afraid, but I evaded it for now.

But Arthur didn't take it lying down, saying, “It's all right,”

“I'm not much more than a distant relative. Or am I so offensive to... that you can't call me by my name?”

“No, no, no! Not at all!”

There was no way I could be uncomfortable. Even if I wanted to refrain from going on his route, I loved the look and voice of his character.

When Arthur heard Sylvia's answer, he nodded his head in agreement.

“I'm sure you will. Oh, and as for you—may I call you Sylvie?”

”...Okay.”

(What the hell is this? What the hell is going on...?)

It was funny.

Sylvia found that instead of being forced to call him by his first name, she had allowed him to call her by her nickname.

I didn't know why things were going the way they were.

I felt dizzy, I didn't know why.

“Come on, Sylvie, let's go. I'll take you to the venue.”

Sylvia was too confused to make a proper decision, but Arthur escorted her with great reverence.

From an outsider's point of view, she looked just like a lady who was served by a knight.

It was just like the knight's route that she was aiming for.

But sadly, he was not a real knight, but a prince dressed as a... knight.

(Ugh, I can't get away. This sucks...)

It was physically impossible to escape when I was being escorted at a distance that seemed a little too close.

I was not sure if I would ever see Dietrich again.

Sylvia didn't think that even the first meeting event could happen.

(Haha... I might be screwed. What kind of otome game is this? I can't even get the first event to happen, it's too much work...)

Was it possible that she was on Arthur's route?

No, no, no, the game's encounter event hadn't happened yet, and I didn't want that, no matter what.

It would be better to live in peace as before.

As I was looking down with a feeling of resignation, someone came running from the direction I was going, as if in a hurry.

“I've been looking for you! Where were you?”

At the sound of his voice, Sylvia flinched and looked up.

His voice was a little high for a man with a serious nature.

She knew the owner of the voice.

He was a young man in a black knight's uniform, and a sharp contrast to Arthur.

Long black hair tied back.

His same black eyes were sincere and likable.

The young man appeared as Sylvia just remembered him—

“Don't interrupt me, Dietrich. Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?”

“Huh? O, oh, I'm sorry...”

Sylvia stared at the young man, who bowed his head in panic at Arthur's words, as if she was going to burn holes on the back of his head.

Sylvia felt like crying when she saw him, as she had thought he would never make it.

—I could see him. At last, I could see him.

Dietrich Vingston.

Yes, without a doubt, he was the character that Sylvia had set her sights on—the knight.