First Year First Semester Q of Hearts Mansion (Part 7)

Note: Please dont read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesnt reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click view original.

Huhu, Im glad, Camille. You and Achille like each other, right?

I get the feeling that information gets leaked to Royce-sama, each and every time. How mysterious. Did Achille tell him about it? No matter how good it is, even Royce-sama would find it impossible to actually peep on what happened inside the carriage.

Having returned to the castle, right now Im having tea with Royce-sama whos finished dealing with the post-processing of the incident. Achille was apparently busy with work or something, so he isnt here. The tea I have in Royce-samas room is very delicious, and each time it feels like Ive gained a little something for free. Todays black tea is exquisite as well.

Im glad you say? You are, Royce-sama?

Of course. The two of you are my important friends, after all That you two are openly in love with each other feels like a load off my back, you know.

Was there some sort of burden that you had in regards to this, Royce-sama?

There was, you know. You were having trouble graduating from me, after all. I got watched pretty badly by Achille

Achille? He did that sort of thing?

G-, Graduate, you say?

Speaking of which, at the counts hideout he said the same thing as well, but Just what does he mean?

I said it earlier, right? That you overlapped me with somebody else, and adored them through me. For a long time now, Ive always been wondering about it, but am I really that similar to that person?

Something like overlapping somebody similar to you, I wouldnt do

Having thought that far, it suddenly hit me. Could it be

Just one person, comes to mind. Hes incredibly similar him But, Im certain that hes different to the one thats before my eyes in real life.

It couldnt be

Is the person that Royce-sama talked about, the in-game him?

I unconsciously, unwittingly, overlapped and compared Royce-sama with the in-game him? While I was aware that this world was real, I looked for points that were similar with the games characters, and without realising it myself, compared them.

What Ive been holding onto for these ten years, were love for the games Royce No, a yearning for him. I sended up stacking those feelings onto the real him. And Royce-sama whos good at reading others feelings, has probably always noticed this.

Royce-sama I,

What a rude attitude Ive taken towards him for almost ten years. Instead of the real person, Ive been yearning for a fake existence of my own convenience.

Camille, did you like that person?

No, rather than love, it was just yearning, I think. I understood that being with them was impossible, after all.

I mean, it was a game character. And someone completely different from the current Royce-sama.

I see

Royce-sama gazed at me.

Im sorry. It must have been uncomfortable, right? To have an imaginary person like that overlapped onto you for so long

Id definitely hate it. To be seen through the filter of the in-game Camille.

However, inexpectedly, Royce-sama shook his head.

Thats not true. The fact that youve always been by me, and protected me, is because of that imaginary guy after all.

Royce-sama Youre too kind.

What a magnanimous prince. Accepting even me, who was holding onto selfish delusions, and always keeping me as a friend.

From now on as well, I intend to protect you, Royce-sama. Because youre my friend, and an older brotherly, or perhaps younger brotherly important person to me.

Royce-sama softly smiled. Even now, after hes grown up, that smile is still the same as always.

Me too. Youre my important friend, and though older sister is impossible I think of you like a little sister, you know.

He just declared that older sister was impossible for meee!

After my chat with Royce-sama, I turned up to work for the first time in a while and was discovered by Achille, and he speedily walked towards me. Has he already finished work or something? He stopped in front of my eyes, and with a grave expression, placed his hands on my two shoulders.

Since that incident in the carriage, I feel that the sense of distance between us has shrunk again. It seems that Achille is completely in boyfriend mode. Hes been treating me even more protectively than before I cant get used to being treated like this, and its embarassing.

Achille, whats wrong? Youre making such a serious expression.

Whos the person that you yearn for?

Yearn for? Ah-, could it be!

Achille Didnt you hear about this too quickly? Even though I only just told Royce-sama, what a formidable guy.

Maybe Royce-sama and Achille dont hide anything from each other. The friendship between men is a mystery. But still, Royce-sama, youre too loose-lipped Even though youre a prince.

Id decided that I would also tell Achille the truth. I-, Its not perfect, but we are lovers, so Id like to avoid weird misunderstandings.

Ive said this to Royce-sama too, but its not a person that exists in reality, you know.

Ah, hes giving me a weird look. I might look like a cringeworthy woman right now.

What kind of person are they?

Mnnnn, an ideal prince. Hes a little bit like Royce-sama, but As expected, Ive understood that they arent the same.

Hmmn I wonder if its like the princes on white steeds that Dborah and Dsire have spoken to me about. Girls seem to like those types of stories, dont they?

R-, rightright! Hes like that! An existence you yearn for!

Its a little different, but the point about being a prince that you yearn for is the same, so Ill just go with this. If I dont, it seems like things will get complicated.

Achille didnt look like he was accepting it, but it looks like hell spare me more questioning, which saved me.

Then, you really do like me back, right?

Mmn

When he asks me face to face, I get shy no matter what, and end up being stiff.

Other people that you long for

D-, Didnt I say that there arent any!?

No good, I was panicked and accidentally let out a bit of a loud voice. So embarassing.

Really? You wont cheat on me?

I said that I wont, geez!

To begin with, since it was the imaginary Royce-sama from the game, itd be impossible to cheat anyway. Achille Surprisingly, Im sort of seeing elements of a possessive boyfriend just under the surface, you know.

You should know it too, right? I dont have someone like th- Ah-!?

When I glared at Achille and was trying to refute him, I saw from over his shoulders a pair of blue eyes, sneakily watching us from a corner of the hallway. It seems that Achille noticed the presence behind him as well, and turned around.

Wh- Royce-sama, what are you doing spying from the shadows!? Do you have business in the Magic Building?

Even though he should have been resting in his room until just a moment ago. Honestly, hes a prince you cant let your guard down around.

No, I was just watching over you two. I want to use you guys as a reference later, okay?

Im hugely questioning what exactly he plans on using this as a reference for.

Not, okay?! Even though youre a prince, arent your information gathering skills getting too good? Why was there no hint of your presence!?

Achille tsukkomid Royce-sama. But, I also dont think that Royce-samas presence erasing abilities are ordinary. But still, we sure showed him something embarassing, huhh.

Looking at the three of us together like this, I start to think that weve grown quite a lot since that time. Each of us, in different directions. The first time we met, we chatted in this Magic Building as well, huhh Our personalities were completely different though.

Now, Achille is using his genius intellect in his job, and is going fullspeed down the path to becoming an elite. The competence that he had when he was Royce-samas right hand man in the game was plenty as well, I think. The calculating side of him that was laid bare when he was a child has also calmed down, but hes good at hiding what he doesnt want to show, so I have no idea what hes actually thinking though. Royce-sama was originally a prince whose kindness was his only merit, but lately, perhaps due to Achilles influence, occasionally he shows a highly calculating side of him. Also, he erases his presence and moves about stealthily like a ninja, so it seems that hes making various secret manoeuvres in places I dont know about. Im sure hes already got a hold of my weaknesses. A secret intelligence-type prince Hes ended up growing in a surprising direction, huhh

Im developing in the direction that I originally aimed for, and became a professional magician whos mastering magic. Right now Im a student, as well as a Red magician, but in the future I plan on becoming a Black magician who can guard Royce-sama. Ive also g-, gotten Achille as a fianc and lover so my future as the daughter of a marquis also seems stable for now. To think that Id end up in this kind of relationship with that Achille I wouldnt have thought it when I first came to this world, huhh. The world is a mysterious thing. But this world isnt a game; its reality. Achille, and Royce and I as well, are people living in reality. Through our choices, the future is something that changes unendingly.

/First Semester END

Authors Note: The Mansion Arc has basically finished.