Chapter 42

At Vrouhel Academy, there is a 'Prince.'

He excels in both academics and athletics, has a handsome face, is brave and resolute, and has a grand demeanor. Wherever he walks, new buds sprout, and when he smiles, the sun peeks out even in a storm. When he whispers sweetly, everyone melts, and those he touches are said to feel an indescribable bliss. Among the students, especially the female students, being spoken to by him is considered the greatest fortune. And today, once again, a lucky one...

"Hey, you dropped this."

Turning at the sweet, cloying voice, she saw a man so beautiful that even the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, would turn green with envy.

"Oh, Cecil-sama!"

The female student was surprised by his appearance, her cheeks flushed and her eyes moistened. He placed the handkerchief she had dropped into her hand, a gesture that seemed to grip both of her hands.

"Thank you—!!"

"Be careful. I can't have you wiping your tears with a dirty handkerchief."

His thumb touched her cheek, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes. At that moment, a chorus of excited squeals rose from nowhere, and the female student fainted, still clutching the handkerchief.

The 'Prince's' name is Cecil Admina. What the female students don't know is that he is actually a she.

..◆◇◆

"Recently, you've been acting even more like a 'Prince,' haven't you?"

In an empty, glass-enclosed greenhouse, Gilbert said this. Next to him, the 'Prince' was finishing the last bite of a sandwich for lunch.

"Huh? Really?"

"Well, I think you can do as you please with that, but if you overdo it, you'll definitely regret it later. First of all, you're trying to avoid standing out, but you're really standing out. What's up with that? Are you stupid?"

"Ugh..."

Gilbert's harsh words made her, or rather, him, clutch her chest. Her real name is Cecilia Silvy, the only daughter of the Silvy Duke family. She is a reincarnated person from modern-day Japan, born into a world very similar to the otome game "Vrouhel Academy's Princess 3." In this country, there are beings called 'Miko' who protect people from 'hindrances.' When the power of the Miko weakens, a ceremony called the 'Selection Ritual' is held to choose the next Miko. "Vrouhel Academy's Princess 3" is a game where the player, as a Miko candidate, enjoys romantic relationships with the knights who protect the candidates. In this story, Cecilia Silvy is the villainous rival character who is destined to die in every route. To change her fate, she is disguised as a boy and pretending to be someone else named Cecil. She has just finished a regular exam with a home visit and is now in a short break before the results are announced.

"So, what are you going to do from here? Are you still planning to push Lean and the knight together?"

"Hmm. Well..."

Cecilia, the only one who could help her, had a troubled look on her face. Lean is the heroine of "Vrouhel Academy's Princess 3," the main character of the otome game. However, by some twist of fate, she is also a reincarnated person, and her true identity is Cecilia's former best friend, Ichika Kazuki. Moreover, Cecilia had been refused by Lean to become the Miko. According to Lean,

"If I become the Miko, I won't be able to stay with Hughie-kun! I don't want that! Absolutely not!"

Indeed, if Lean became the Miko, she wouldn't be able to be with Hughie because he is not a knight.

(But, can't we do something about it...?)

Cecilia wanted to support her friend's love, but her own life was also important. Moreover, Lean had returned the treasure she received from Jade to him. If this continued, Cecilia, who possessed Gilbert's treasure, would inevitably be chosen as the Miko. If that happened, she would be attacked by bandits on her way to the church for baptism and die. And unlike in the game, Cecilia was disguised as a boy, and it was unclear how that would affect the outcome.

"Cecilia can be the Miko too! You won't die, you won't die! ...Probably!"

The carefree words of her former best friend echoed in her mind. As Cecilia smiled wryly, Gilbert looked at her with a worried expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Um... well..."

She hesitated about how to explain. The fact that she was a reincarnated person and that her former best friend was also a reincarnated person was a secret, even from Gilbert. She wanted to tell him, but since the person herself didn't want to, she couldn't. Cecilia tried to be vague.

"It seems a bit difficult for Lean to become the Miko in the future..."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You see, Lean and Hughie are getting along well, and she doesn't seem interested in dating anyone else!"

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Hmm..."

What should she do? That was Cecilia's honest reaction. She racked her brain for a good idea, but nothing came to mind.

"Why don't you look for a third candidate?"

After a moment of silence, Gilbert suggested this. Cecilia looked at him, her eyes wide.

"A third Miko candidate. The point is that as long as the sister doesn't become the Miko, right? Why not throw everything at a living Miko candidate? That might make everything work out, right?"

"That's it!"

She pointed at Gilbert excitedly.

There were several differences between the "Vrouhel Academy's Princess 3" Cecilia knew and this world. These differences ranged from the personalities of characters like Gilbert and Oscar to the relationships between characters and the events that occurred. Two particularly puzzling differences were the absence of a killer called the Killer, who kills Miko candidates, and the fact that the third Miko candidate with the Azalea mark was not dead. In the game, the Miko candidate with the Azalea mark is killed by the Killer early in the prologue, before the story even begins. However, in reality, there were no rumors of anyone with the Miko mark being killed, and no such dangerous news appeared in the newspapers. Additionally, since the Killer had not appeared, it was speculated that the Miko candidate with the Azalea mark was still alive.

"There might be a reason why the Miko candidate hasn't come forward, but it wouldn't hurt to look, right?"

"You're right! Gilbert, you're the best! You're so smart!!"

She beamed and hugged Gilbert, patting his head as if praising him.

"Having a smart little brother makes me so happy!"

"Ah, sure, sure."

Gilbert responded half-heartedly. Cecilia tilted her head at his attitude.

"Huh? Gilbert, you don't mind me hugging you anymore? Did you get over your rebellious phase?"

"I was never in a rebellious phase."

"Really? I thought it was typical teenage awkwardness or something!"

"It might have been typical for teenagers, but it wasn't the cute feeling you're thinking of."

"Okay, I don't understand!"

"…I thought so."

He sighed, his face showing a hint of melancholy.

"I've decided to consider this a perk."

"A perk?"

"Cecilia, you would never do this to His Highness, right?"

"I wouldn't, but why is Oscar involved?"

"Why not?"

He seemed a bit pleased this time. Gilbert had been a bit unpredictable lately. The only thing Cecilia could tell was that he seemed a bit more relaxed in his expressions and gestures. She interpreted his changes as him growing up. He had always been mature, but now it felt like he was slipping out of her reach, which made her a bit sad.

"Well, I guess I've just let it all go."

Cecilia nodded, not really understanding.