“I misjudged you”

The following morning, when I opened the door of my room, Manarisama stood there .

She stared at me with a displeased face .

I vaguely expected what I’d be told, but I pretended to be unaware .

“What is it?”

“Don’t play dumb . It’s about Claire”

Manarisama didn’t let me escape .

She’s glaring at me with intense eyes .

“Last night, she suddenly came to my room and cried for a long time . She didn’t say the reason, but I can mostly guess what happened”

“…”

Hearing Manarisama’s words, I couldn’t stay still .

I want to immediately rush to Claire-sama’s side and embrace her even if I’m hated .

But, that won’t be fulfilled anymore .

“Please take care of Claire-sama . Because, Claire-sama is lonely”

As I can’t stay at Claire-sama’s side anymore, I have no choice but to ask Manarisama .

It’s unpleasant to ask my rival in love for Claire-sama of that, but if it’s Manarisama I trust her enough to leave Claire-sama to her .

I bowed my head to Manarisama .

And, grabbing me by my uniform’s collar, she forcibly raised my body and slammed me against a wall .

“If you understand Claire that much, why won’t you try staying at her side!”

Manarisama tightened her grip on my collar with her light brown eyes burning with fury .

She’s censuring me .

“I lost to Manarisama . I also quit being her maid, I have no pretext to be at her side”

Listening to my complaints, Manarisama’s expression became more and more severe .

Her well-ordered beautiful face is tainted with icy anger .

“Will you give up with that! Are your feelings like that!”

Manarisama told me while breathing heavily, anger is gradually welling inside me .

“Are you the one to be saying this! The one who took Claire-sama from me is no one but you!”

I tried shaking off Manarisama’s hand that was grasping my collar .

However, Manarisama’s hand didn’t give an inch .

“I took her away? That’s wrong . You gave her up on your own . You’re just running away”

Manarisama’s voice carried a hint of provocation .

I snapped back .

“I also didn’t want to give up! I didn’t think of something like running away! If you weren’t here, I――”

“That’s wrong”

The tone of Manarisama’s voice dropped .

She continued in a quiet voice .

“Even if I hadn’t appeared, you’d still give Claire-sama up someday”

“What are you basing it on――”

“It’s fine if my feelings aren’t rewarded, it’s okay as long as Claire is happy – it’s because you’re saying such pretty things”

“!”

Manarisama’s words cut deeply into my heart .

However, I can’t accept it .

“What’s wrong with that! What’s wrong with wis.h.i.+ng for the happiness of the person you love!”

I invoked water magic and threw ice fragments at Manarisama to drive her off .

I indeed must have caught her by surprise as she released her hand and stumbled a bit .

“Not wis.h.i.+ng for reciprocation? How admirable . Do you intend to become a saint?”

“That’s not my intention!”

“I bet . You are scared of being hurt . You don’t want to despair that Claire doesn’t have feelings for you . So you gave up from the start . To ensure you always have a way out”

“Wrong!”

Though I denied, in the back of my mind I thought ah, that’s right .

Though I denied, in the back of my mind I thought ah, that’s right .

I love Claire-sama .

There’s no lie in this feeling .

But, is it true I’m not wis.h.i.+ng for reciprocation .

Don’t I wish to have Claire-sama smile at me?

Don’t I wish to have her embrace me?

Don’t I wish to kiss her?

Don’t I wish for her to have feelings for me?

“No matter how I wish it won’t come true! Claire-sama is a woman . We have the same s.e.x . And, she has a person she loves”

“So you’ll give up . Without even fighting, you’re satisfied with only a shallow relations.h.i.+p? Do you think this one-sided relations.h.i.+p that doesn’t seek reciprocation will continue forever?”

“That’s fine with me! If it’s for Claire-sama, I’ll kill these feelings!”

While saying these words, something deep in my chest screamed .

In truth, I―― .

“It’s impossible . Such relations.h.i.+ps will sooner or later break down . How do I know? Because it happened to me”

Saying so, Manarisama’s mouth twisted from how she torments herself over it .

“I dropped out of the succession struggle because I was exposed as a h.o.m.os.e.xual”

With these words, I recalled Manarisama’s “setting” .

Manarisama is a h.o.m.os.e.xual just like me .

She only loves women, and actually she fell in love with a maid .

She kept her feelings hidden at all cost, but one day she couldn’t suppress them and had a relations.h.i.+p with that maid .

It was a one-sided thing that used the difference in status between royalty and a maid .

After a short time, the maid left the royal palace .

That’s what Manarisama constantly regrets .

It reached the point where Manarisama, desperate to not repeat the same mistake, hid her social status and frequented brothels .

As she only had physical relations.h.i.+ps based on money, she thought it wouldn’t cause any future trouble .

However, someone recognized Manarisama’s ident.i.ty and reported it to the royal palace .

The result being, Manarisama was driven out of the royal palace .

“The feelings that don’t seek reciprocation always distort . A human’s heart, is not that strong or pretty”

“The feelings that don’t seek reciprocation always distort . A human’s heart, is not that strong or pretty”

It was a quiet voice, but without a doubt it was filled with the pain she’s enduring .

It looks like Manarisama also anguished over the weakness and dirtiness of her heart .

Just like me now .

“… About what Manarisama has been saying since a while ago… What are you saying I should do”

I’m dumbfounded, I have no more words to say, I’m simply at a loss .

To such me, Manarisama spoke without answering .

“If you stubbornly intend to give Claire up , I will comfort myself with Claire”

What, did she just say…?

“Claire has a liking for me . There’s a gap to take an advantage of . Of course, I’m aware her liking is of a different type than ours”

“What… are…”

What is this person saying…?

“Claire resembles the person I love . I will cherish her to my utmost as a subst.i.tute”

Saying so, Manarisama sneered .

Her beautiful face looked uglier than any human that I’ve seen .

“Are you seriously saying that?”

“Of course I’m serious . Have you forgotten why I was banished? I played with women too much . I have nothing to lose at this point . I’ll enjoy myself”

Kukuku, Manarisama laughed strangely .

However, her eyes aren’t smiling .

Dark… Her bottomless, dark eyes are seeing something other than me .

Manarisama is serious .

“I won’t let you do that!”

“Oh, how? What can you, who lost to me, and stopped being her maid, do?”

Manarisama said in a ridiculing tone .

Think, me .

Manarisama said in a ridiculing tone .

Think, me .

I can’t hand over Claire-sama to this person alone .

Such a person is not suitable for Claire-sama .

As for me, if I could make Claire-sama happy――!

“There’s Amour’s Festival, right?”

“At the end of the month”

“Are you aware of the practice of using the love scales there?”

“Yup . I’ve heard about it . The depth of feelings is measured”

“Let’s have a match with it”

“Hmph? Not bad”

But, Manarisama continued .

“I won one match . I can’t accept without getting anything “

“Then, what should I do?”

“If I win this match, you’ll give yourself to me”

So it came .

“Good”

“Oh, is it okay to make such a promise lightly? Beyond becoming my thing, you will completely give up on Claire-sama?”

“I don’t care . I won’t lose”

“Aren’t you confident . Nice eyes”

Manarisama showed a satisfied smile .

“Then, it’s a match . Show me how you struggle to your utmost”

Saying so, Manarisama turned back .

“…”

Seeing off her back, I resolved myself .

To win this match, I will do anything .

“Claire-sama, please watch me”