I’m Not Even an Otome Game Mob Character - Chapter 36
“Nico, did something happen?”
I asked in our practice garden after we finished hitting the bag. Nico’s eyes, framed with long eyelashes widened, and Ojou tilted her head from the edge of the fountain where she sat.
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
“Hmmm, I feel like you’re not well.”
“I think he is the same as ever.”
I don’t really give any reasons for why I feel that way, so when Ojou tells me that I’m imagining it I do feel like I’m imagining it.
“Why do you feel that way?”
“I mean… your defenses aren’t usually this lax, and the angle you’re hitting from isn’t completely straight.”
“I don’t understand.”
Ojou closes her eyes halfway, unable to understand because only I could feel the way he hits. She asked so I answered on reflex, but for a girl like her, the idea of communicating with your fists is probably boring and painful.
While I felt guilty about boring her, Nico sighed and lifted his face with a wry smile.
“My acting still has a long way to go.”
Saying that, he sits next to Ojou. I follow them and take a seat beside Nico.
Looking in front of us, the gaps between the trees beyond the sunny spot are shining with light. Maybe it’s because there’s still some dew from the rain yesterday.
Nico can choose whether to talk or not. If he does then it’ll make things easier, and if he doesn’t it’ll still be okay. Either way, I’m helping him relieve his stress.
Thinking that, I wait for Nico’s next words. He slowly opens his mouth.
“Wasn’t it raining yesterday?”
“Yeah.”
“It is the rainy season, so it has been raining a lot recently.”
Rain drizzled for a long period of time, from dusk into the night. It showed no signs of getting worse, so I didn’t have to spend the night in the cabin. I went home, and I think Ojou seemed disappointed about that some reason.
“My big sister doesn’t feel well on rainy days.”
“You have a big sister?”
“Yes.”
I was a little surprised. Nico says yes, lowers his long eyelashes and continues.
“Before she would only get small headaches, but recently those headaches have become so painful that she’s been in pain even when she’s only resting in bed…”
It seemed that Nico was frustrated. He wasn’t a doctor or anything so he couldn’t do much. In the same way, Ojou and I couldn’t do anything, either. We couldn’t even say it’d get better in a situation like that, it’d just be cheap optimism.
Nico looks at Ojou, frustrated, and me deep in thought. He smiles bitterly and softly.
“I wonder when the rainy season will end.”
Nico was saying that the root of the problem probably won’t go away, but he still wanted her to get better. That was how much he hated seeing her in pain.
All of a sudden, I felt something faint floating around. Curious, I followed those traces.
“Zac?”
“W-W-What are you doing!?”
I followed them to Nico’s throat, putting my head close. Nico pulled back, a bit surprised, and Ojou’s voice sounded panicky. But I was focused on looking for that something, so I didn’t react to them.
“…Nico, what’s your attribute?”
“Wind. Why?”
“I see.”
Hearing his answer, I think about what I’m feeling.
“W-Why are you smelling Nicolaus-sama!?”
“Huh?”
Ojou’s words finally made me realize what I was doing. The feeling was coming from the nape of Nico’s neck, near his hair. It looked like I was smelling him.
“Sorry. Ah, but I smell something sweet.”
A smell so faint that I only just noticed it after drawing close. When I first saw Nico he looked like the type of person to smell sweet. Only now am I realizing his smell.
“I don’t like reeking of sweat, so I use cologne.”
“Lilacs huh. I like it.”
I’m not good with smells that are too strong or harsh, but something soft like this is alright. Plus it’s a flower’s smell.
“You said it was like me one time. So I had this made for me.”
Nico smiles happily, probably because I got the smell right. I didn’t know that you could have perfumes like this custom-made.
“…Hm? Ojou, what’s wrong?”
I didn’t know why but Ojou was puffing her cheeks up and staring at me. She seemed angry, but I hadn’t seen her express it like this before.
“You’re making a funny face.”
While I was wondering why she got mad at me, Nico pokes Ojou’s cheek unapologetically. Embarrassed from getting poked, Ojou covers her cheek so he couuldn’t do it again.
Now instead of being mad at me, Ojou stares at Nico resentfully, maybe because he teased her. She was glaring while Nico was relaxed. What on earth was this staring contest?
Thinking back, Ojou was about to scold me. Maybe it was because Nico was talking to us seriously but I interrupted him. I didn’t have any bad intentions, but I didn’t know how to explain what I felt to these two either.
After being glared at, Nico breathes out his tension and smiles.
“Well, thanks for listening.”
Ojou suddenly made an unpleasant face. She must’ve been guilty that she could only listen and not do anything.
“…I only listened.”
“That’s enough. I’m telling you that myself, so don’t mind anymore.”
Saying that, Nico pulls Ojou’s cheek lightly in the shape of a smile.
“The Feverfews are in bloom. I’ll ask dad for some. If I recall correctly, they help with headaches.”
“Thanks.”
Smells have that sort of effect. Feverfews and Lavenders are just have just started blooming, and mom usually makes tea leaves of them, so if I can I’ll share some with Nico.
“Now then, that Dandelion Head must be tired of waiting by now. Let’s go back.”
Nico changed the subject. Ojou’s bodyguard, Pome was waiting outside of the hedge. Ojou and I nodded and left the practice garden. When we got out of the hedge, we saw Pome taking a day nap at the base of a tree in an indian sit, holding her knees. On that day, I sent Nico home with a some Feverfews.
And I was curious about what it was I’d noticed.
Another day, after some time had passed, I opened a door with potted Myrtles on either side.
“Mom, I’m home.”
“Please excuse me.”
I closed the door and Nico, who was with me, took off the mantle and greeted mom.
“Ara, welcome. What a beautiful child.”
“Nico is a pretty guy. Anyway, are they here yet?”
I nodded at mom and asked. They’re here, she answers as she heads to the kitchen to prepare tea.
“By the way, this is convenient but wearing winter clothes in the summer is too hot.”
Nico complains as he strips off the stealth mantle. I invited him over to my house on a holiday. But Nico is beautiful, though he’s a man, so it was dangerous for him to come as he is. That’s why I borrowed this.
“I’m sorry about that. I’ll make one for summer.”
“No, don’t make any more of these things.”
As I thought, they were waiting at the dining table. The owner of that mantle who arrived here first apologized as he greeted us. I replied without really thinking. Thinking about how worried his bodyguard, Matteus would be, it was best not to produce any more items like this.
Nico looked like he wanted to ask who this was, but he didn’t. He seemed like he was familiar with that face, and he stared at Leo with his brown wig on. Leo smiled back at him.
After a few seconds, Nico seemed to realize who he was. He opened his eyes in disbelief.
“Your Highness…?”
“I speak frequently with Eugen, but this is my first time talking to you aside from greetings, Nicolaus.”
(TN: Pronounced like oi-gen. Is that actually how it’s usually pronounced? I always think of Eugene)
Wig on, Leo’s smile was as bright as ever as he affirmed his guess. I don’t know who Eugen is, but I guess it’s probably his dad, the prime minister.
Hearing that, Nico grabbed my shoulders, turned us away from Leo and whispered.
“Why is the prince in your house!?”
“Eh? I borrowed that mantle from him.”
“So why is he in your house!?”
“Ehh, I picked him up when he got lost??”
“How much do you pick up…”
I summarized the story of how we met, and Nico seemed tired already. He sighed in defeat. Nico spoke as if I pick up lost children all the time, but I’ve only ever done that with Leo and his little sister.
“Is this alright?”
“What is?”
“That’s Lady Dia’s fiancee.”
Nico points his finger at Leo and continues whispering. Even if it was discreet, was it really okay to point your thumb towards a prince?
“That’s right.”
“That’s right…?”
“I’ve known him since before they got engaged.”
“Ahh, is that right?”
I tilt my head, still not understanding what he meant by that question. Nico looked as if he lost all power and his shoulders drooped.
After talking to me, Nico turned to Leo.
“Should I call you Leo here?”
“Yeah. It’s a big help that you’re quick on the uptake. I’m just Zac’s friend.”
“I’ve gotten used to it. You can call me Nico.”
“Thanks. Let’s do that.”
It looks like they hit it off even without me introducing them since they were acquaintances. But what the heck had Nico gotten used to?
Right at that time, we heard a knock from the door and it opened.
“Good day. Auntie, today…!?”
“Oh no, I’m so sorry.”
Maria bumped into Nico’s back since he was talking by the doorstep.
It seemed like she hit her nose. Maria holds her face with one of her hands and looks up to determine the true identity of the wall she’d just bumped into. She sees Nico’s whole face, and at that instant her face gets red and her eyes go blank.
As I witness the effects of Nico’s beauty, I faintly remember. In my previous world, my little sister spoke to me about how otome game characters have these attributes.
“…What’s this called again? The Pheromone Type?”
“What’s a pheromone?”
“I think it’s like, a beautiful person who smells good.”
“I see. That’s just like Nico.”
“I don’t need a nickname like that. More importantly, please worry more about this braided lady.”
I’m not flattered, Nico says with half-lidded eyes as he calls our attention for doing nothing. Something like this has happened in the past, so I ended up watching instead of doing something. I’ve done Maria wrong.
“Sorry Maria. Are you okay?”
I squatted down, looked Maria in the eye and called her. Maria seemed drunk, but after a while she focuses on me. Her face distorts and tears up.
“Zaaaac~”
“Did that surprise you? Sorry.”
Maria clung to me and I patted her head. I’m used to seeing him, but Nico must’ve been so beautiful that it was shocking for a girl to see him without any preparation. Indeed, there was nobody this beautiful downtown. Of course she was surprised.
“What’s this, what’s this? I didn’t hear anything about thiiis~.”
“Yeah, I didn’t say anything. Sorry.”
“Are you trying her out!?”
“Hm??”
“But… I won’t lose~!”
What is Maria fighting?
I didn’t really get what she said at the end, but it seemed that she somehow calmed down. I got her food and sent her home. After seeing her off from the door, I come back to the dining table where the two were seated. Nico seemed annoyed while Leo sipped his tea with a smile.
“…Zac, no matter where you are you really are Zac.”
“Yes. I’m me.”
What is Nico saying?
“Lady Maria has some prospects.”
“We can’t tell Lady Dia about this…”
Leo praised Maria, Nico sighed, and I was confused. I wasn’t not hiding anything from Ojou besides my part-time job at Daniel-sama’s place.
For now, we finish drinking tea and I guide them to my room. Leo’s bodyguard, big brother Matteus, stays behind at the dining table. It might be a bit cramped for these two nobles, but I hope they’ll be patient. I have them sit on my bed while I pull out a chair with three legs and a round seat to sit on.
“So what did you call us for?”
“Before that, Nico. Could you use wind magic to make sure nobody hears us from outside?”
“For an area this small I can.”
I asked Nico, and once he stopped talking a soundproofing membrane spread across the room. Leo’s little sister Erna could do the same thing – chantless incantation over a wide area with no help from the spirits. It seemed like Nico also had quite a bit of magic power.
“Thank you.”
“Is it something you don’t want others to hear?”
“No, it’s just my guess, so if I’m wrong there might be misunderstandings.”
Nico tilts his head, curious as I think about how to explain this.
“Is there anyone with darkness magic in your family Nico?”
“None.”
It seemed that Count Rudolstadt’s family lineage had a lot of wind users. There could also be water users and earth users, but fire or darkness users weren’t compatible with their bloodline. They weren’t even included as marriage candidates. I didn’t know that magic attributes had an effect on peoples’ compatibility towards each other. I wonder if that meant that people with more magic power tended to be more affected by the nature of their element.
“Where on earth did you see darkness magic?”
Leo was implying that the fact that I was talking about it meant that I’d seen it somewhere. It’s good that he’s moving the conversation along, but his understanding is so fast that it’s gross. Why is he so smart?
“It was on Nico’s hair a few days ago.”
Though tiny, I felt vestiges of darkness magic on Nico and got curious. I didn’t know Nico’s attribute, but I’d never seen traces of darkness spirits like that before.
Nico touches the hair on his nape at my words.
“That day, you must’ve seen her before you left for the Ernst house.”
“Right… my big sister did my hair before I left.”
Nico confirms my guess as he recalls.
“If you got that from someone else touching you, that means that they just have that much darkness magic on them, I think. So I thought that maybe your big sister’s health might be declining because of a curse.”
What I felt was malicious magic. Someone had intentionally used magic on someone else. Some darkness magics let you convene with the spirits, so if you use it malevolently it’ll be through curses. That’s why I thought this might’ve been the case.
This was all hypothetical, but Nico’s face grew pale.
“Who?”
“No, I don’t know yet. That’s why I asked Leo to come, too.”
Nico got so obviously murderous that he even forgot to speak like a woman. I emphasize that there was no proof yet.
Though he’s still fuming, Nico sits back down. His eyes are still focused.
“So what will the prince do?”
“I can only read traces of magic, but I thought Leo might be able to identify the magic itself.”
I was a commoner without much magical power living downtown who could only use beginner level magic. But Leo could already make his own magic circles. I thought that he might be able to identify the magic if he saw it. Among the people I could ask, he was the most well-versed in magic.
“Though I can’t read magic traces myself.”
“For now, I want to visit your sister to check. Is that okay?”
“I don’t mind…”
Nico consented to us visiting his sister. Then he looked at Leo with a deep curiosity.
“Why are you helping us with something like this?”
Nico and Leo knew each other, but only as acquaintances. There was no reason for the prince to meddle in the problems of a single noble family. What’s more, he didn’t have any duty to listen to my requests either. I was just a commoner who helped him out whenever he went here for inspections. Today, instead of helping him, I’m actually cutting into his time.
Leo narrowed his honey eyes at Nico’s question and smiled calmly.
“It’s a favor. Besides-”
“Besides?”
“I was interested in the person Isaac would lower his head for.”
Nico widened his eyes and looked at me.
“You did…?”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t need to help us in verifying my baseless guess when it could’ve ended up as a waste of time. But I wanted to do something for my friend, and I needed his help as well. When you ask for help, you should always do it properly.
Last inspection, I borrowed his coat and lowered my head. He agreed, saying it was just a favor. He’s a good guy.
“…Idiot.”
You’re hopeless, Nico says as his face breaks into a smile.
Since we’d gotten permission, I took the Feverfews and Lavenders mom had prepared and headed to visit Nico’s sister. We went to the plaza with Nico wearing the coat, and after that we boarded a horse carriage Matteus rented and he drove us to the Rudolstadt mansion.
At first I intended to go there on foot, but Leo said I’d stand out on the way back so he had Matteus prepare another carriage for me.
The carriage stopped in front of the Rudolstadt house and we entered with Nico in the front. Several butlers and maids came out to receive us reverently. I stood behind them next to Matteus, satisfied with being treated as an attendant.
“Nico-chan, welcome home.”
“I’m home mother. My friends want to visit big sister, is that okay?”
A woman with Nico’s light purple hair and eyes appeared. Her fluffy hair waved around as she gave Nico a small hug. Nico returned it and told her what we came to do. The woman’s eyes widened.
“Oh dear, isn’t it the first time Nico-chan has brought friends home?”
His mother rejoiced with a full smile. Nico seemed to be feeling awkward but he somehow managed to keep a smile on.
From the son’s perspective, it must be embarrassing for your mother to get exciteed and celebrate just because you brought friends home. If possible, I’d like her to not do that. Or at least do it after we leave.
“Might you be Zac-kun?”
“Eh? Yes.”
Nico’s mother looked over all of us, but for some reason her eyes stopped at me. I never thought she’d look at my commoner self and treat me as one of his friends. Surprised, I answer on reflex.
“Oh dear, I’m happy to meet you. This auntie is called Elvira. Please continue to get along with Nico-chan.”
“Yes. I am also happy to meet you.”
Elvira-sama adjusts for me, a commoner, and calls herself auntie. But is there an auntie this pretty anywhere? She’s probably even older than my mom, but she’s as beautiful as you’d expect Nico’s mother to be.
“Ara. And you are?”
“…It’s Leo.”
Now her eyes stop at Leo. Nico hesitantly introduces him to Elvira-sama. With that wig a normal noble could see him as a prosperous merchant, but his face is very different from his wig. If Elvira-sama remembers the prince’s face we’re out. He must be shaking inside.
“My, my, you’ve made two friends! Please take care of him, Leo-kun.”
“Yes. Please take care of me.”
Elvira-sama ignored the anxiety Nico was feeling. All her attention was taken up with celebrating the fact that Nico had gotten another friend. As she and Leo smiled at each other, Nico looked tired and limp.
“…Mother, may we please visit big sister now?”
“Yes. But if Lise-chan is sleeping, please don’t wake her up.”
“In that case, may we leave these flowers there?”
I take out the bouquet of Larkspurs I brought and show it to her. Elvira-sama smiles and nods.
“Of course. Thank you for the pretty flowers.”
Nico quickly says that we’re going and takes the lead. I follow him then look back. Elvira-sama saw us off with a smile.
“Thank goodness mother is an airhead.”
Once she can’t see us anymore, Nico sighs in relief.
“Is she an airhead?”
“Didn’t you notice just now? She’s such an airhead.”
“She’s a good mother, isn’t she?”
“I guess you could say that.”
Come to think of it, I heard from Nico that when he started his onee act*, his dad had a funny reaction but his mom didn’t say anything. And she didn’t mind him having me as a friend even though I was a commoner. Elvira-sama might be a very kind person.
(TN*: Onee is big sister in Japanese. Nico’s act has always been termed like that in the raws.)
Leo called her a good mother. Nico didn’t deny that, but he seemed a little disinclined to agree. Despite what he said it looked like he didn’t hate Elvira-sama.
Once we reach the big sister’s room, Nico dismisses the maids looking after her inside and leads us in. Matteus waits outside.
“Sister, are you awake?”
Nico calls her just to be safe, but there’s no reply. When we approach the bed, I see a dark brown haired lady sleeping with her eyebrows furrowed. Beneath her eyes are dark rings. Nico and his big sister have long eyelashes and wavy hair in common, but they feel very different just because their hair color is different.
“It rained the whole day yesterday. She only got to sleep this morning.”
Not just his sleeping sister – even Nico seemed like he was having a tough time. It must be really rough to be in so much pain that you can’t even sleep. If her condition continues to worsen, she won’t get better even if it stops raining.
“Isaac, are you getting anything?”
“…I feel darkness magic.”
At Leo’s question, I searched for darkness magic and answered. I felt stagnant traces of darkness spirits from magic that felt like it had been casted maliciously floating around Nico’s big sister. I’d never felt magic that stayed and accumulated like this before. These stagnant traces that wouldn’t go away didn’t feel very good at all. Maybe they’d leave with better ventilation?
After hearing me, Nico’s light purple eyes lit up with rage. I didn’t want to see him like that, so I was hoping that my guess was wrong. But we know that a curse or some malicious magic like it is at work here.
“From how it’s steadily eating away at her, the magic probably uses either a brand on the person herself or a medium nearby. I’ve met Lady Heloise* myself before her condition worsened and I didn’t see anything like a brand. It’s probably the latter.”
(TN*: Pronounced Heh-loo-weez)
In the carriage, Leo heard the details about how Nico’s sister got sick. Now he pinned down the cause right away. I asked him for help myself, but this kid is too reliable. I don’t like it. I know that’s a good thing in this situation, but what is this guy?
“Maybe she’s branded somewhere we can’t see?”
“If that were the case then Lady Heloise herself must’ve noticed. Isaac, can you look for the medium?”
“I wonder. I’ll try.”
The traces were even thinner than Leo’s stealth coat. There were traces of darkness scattered around Nico’s big sister – Heloise-sama’s room. They were just hard to look for. It was difficult to decide where to start looking. For now I’d arrange the flowers I brought.
But there was already a flower pot beside Heloise-sama’s bed.
“Gypsy roses?”
“Yeah. It’s from her fiancee.”
My eyes stop at the pot of purple Gypsy Roses. Nico tells me where it’s from with an angry look on his face. He must not have such a good impression of his sister’s fiancee.
“He’s such a brat, and he said it was just a headache. Even these flowers were brought by a messenger.”
It looked like her fiancee never came to visit her himself. But from how these flowers were positioned, Heloise-sama must not have had such a bad impression of her fiancee.
From what I could see, Heloise-sama seemed to be about one or two years older than us. But I didn’t know the age of her fiancee, so I couldn’t tell if Nico’s judgement was too harsh. Downtown we have many cases where lovers act romantic and the girl’s brother fights the guy. Here, even with a messenger he kept it to just flowers. Noblemen are really first-class.
“This isn’t a good flower to send to one’s fiancee.”
Leo eyes the Gypsy Roses suspiciously.
“Why not?”
“It’s associated with blighted love in the flower language.”
“Huuuh.”
“Is that so?”
Leo seemed like he hadn’t expected our reactions. He seemed surprised that we didn’t know flower language.
“Aren’t you interested?”
“Flowers just bloom. Isn’t it weird for people to decide which ones are good or bad?”
“Until recently I’ve always been on the receiving end of them. I’m not interested in each and every single one.”
I think that flowers springing up and blooming in and of themselves is beautiful. I can’t accept the idea of assigning value to them and putting some over the others with the flower language. Flower language and etymology is written all over the plant reference book as well, but those are the only parts that don’t enter my head even if I read them over and over again.
Before Nico started his onee act, he was often judged for his looks. Women would send him presents. Of course, among them were brilliant flower bouquets. But Nico wasn’t interested in any of them. He never even spared a thought to the meaning embedded in those flowers. That’s what he told me before.
“I see.”
Leo understood our opinions and smiled in amusement.
We couldn’t mix our flowers with the fiancee’s, so for now I put the bouquet of Larkspurs beside it. After this, someone will probably put them in a flower pot.
I can’t see blooming flowers as anything but pretty, I think to myself as I stare at those purple petals that look as if they’re made of lace. It was such a waste to think that they were bad just because they were assigned a bad meaning.
“…Leo.”
“What is it?”
“It’s probably this.”
I noticed staring at the Gypsy Roses. I’d thought that there were more traces here because we were close to Heloise-sama, but I was feeling more twisted darkness from it than from Heloise-sama.
Leo covers the pot of Gypsy Roses with both of his hands to check. There was something like ink oozing out of the flower with little patterns inscribed.
“There’s a curse here. I think it magnifies pain.”
Leo seemed to know the effects from those patterns.
“That bastard…”
“Nico, you’re jumping to conclusions. Besides, dispelling this comes first.”
Nico clenched his fist. When Leo told him to calm down, his brows furrowed in worry.
“You can dispel it…?”
“It’s a pestering spell. Even I can dispel it.”
Nico was relieved at Leo’s confident words. I felt sorry for Nico, but my face distorted less out of worry for Heloise-sama and more out of what I’d just learned.
I don’t know who did it, but it was cruel that you could put malice into a flower. Sometimes they were poisonous, but flowers are simply plants that help those who enjoy them feel calm. It’s painful that that can be twisted.
“I could just dispel it, but…”
Muttering that, Leo thinks carefully. Then he glances at Nico quietly seething, and me disheartened that a flower would be used like this. He nods to himself.
“Let’s punish the culprit with a cross.”
Leo straightens his index and middle finger, points it to the Gypsy Roses and makes a cross shape. The patterns that were floating around – the traces of darkness magic dispersed.
“Is it already dispelled??”
“Yeah. Just to be safe, let’s take those darkness scales off Lady Heloise.”
Leo snapped his fingers and light particles wrapped around Heloise-sama in an instant before disappearing. After that, I could no longer feel any darkness magic. Now she’ll recover sooner.
Nico gets close to Heloise-sama’s pillow and looks at her. She still had dark rings under her eyes, but her face looked more relaxed and her sleep more peaceful. That gave Nico confidence that it’d be okay. It showed on his face.
Then he turned around to the both of us and smiled softly.
“Thank you.”
Seeing him smile, I could only be thankful.
Of course we were keeping our voices down, but you shouldn’t stay in a room where someone is resting for too long. So we went to Nico’s room.
Once the maid who brought tea here left, Leo opened his mouth.
“Look for someone in Marquis Coon’s house with a cross mark on their hand. That’s the caster.”
It seemed that he had returned the magic so that a cross would show somewhere on the hand. Nico nodded. He was going to check for the culprit in the Coon house, where his big sister’s fiancee came from, later on.
“I only intended to check today…”
I only wanted to check if it was actually a curse or not. I never thought we’d actually be able to settle it. What species does Leo belong to, to not only discover the root cause but to even go so far as to mark the culprit? No, I guess he is a prince.
He appears gallantly and saves the princess. Like a prince from those storybooks Ojou kept pestering me to read. I thought that actual princes were just junior politicians, not like in the storybooks. Well, in this case it ended so quickly that there was no tension build up. It probably wouldn’t be good for a story.
“As expected of the prince of light.”
“What’s that?”
“Leo’s attribute is light.”
It looked like Leo’s attribute was common knowledge among noble circles. With such a rare attribute he was just like a hero of justice. No, wasn’t he a hero in the otome game? I forgot.
“I only used light magic at the end.”
Leo said casually as we drank tea. Light magic is fundamentally geared towards healing and purification. It seemed that he didn’t use light magic until it was time to purify the darkness magic on Heloise-sama.
Nico’s eyes widened.
“Ha? Then what was that?”
“Information gathering and tracking is darkness magic.”
Just as darkness disappears when faced with light, light magic can be used to expel darkness magic. Not even traces remain. So he thought about how Nico would’ve wanted to know the culprit and chose to use darkness magic to return the curse. Even when he was looking at the magic’s effefcts, he used darkness magic to thicken the silhouettes so that the outline would be easier to see.
Hearing Leo’s explanation, I understood that Leo was able to do it because he had a lot of magic power. I didn’t feel like I could do it. I sip tea.
“Just how much magic do you have…”
“It seems that my attributes are both light and darkness.”
Leo smiles brightly and answers smoothly. Nobody would think that such a radiant guy would be strong in darkness magic. Having dual attributes alone is rare. Good on me for knowing so many people with them. The duke is wind and water, Princess Erna is light and wind. So Leo is the third.
“I haven’t put up a soundproof barrier…”
“People will know eventually so it’s no problem.”
“Ah. Okay.”
Nico panicked for a second thinking that it was a national secret to which Leo cheerfully told him to calm down. Leo is calm while Nico puts a hand to his face in exhaustion.
“…Zac, why aren’t you surprised?”
Why am I the only one who keeps getting shocked, Nico looks at me accusingly.
“Hm? He’s just using the magic he can use.”
Because he had a lot of magic energy he got to use more magic. Was there a problem with knowing and using your own abilities? Even I tested attributes outside my own to find out how much I could use at first. Besides, Leo didn’t seem like the type to misuse darkness magic.
Hearing my answer, Nico gave a long sigh while Leo continued smiling in satisfaction.
“Unlike light magic, it’s so nice to use darkness magic at your own discretion, isn’t it?”
“I can only make thin membranes so I wouldn’t know.”
I won’t know how to reply if you ask me that because my magic power is lackluster. You can’t have a real talk with someone who’s as far away from you as heaven is from earth.
“…When I’m with you two, I feel normal.”
“You’re not weird, Nico.”
“Is something strange about you?”
“That’s not something you say to a lady.”
We deny it right away, to which Nico replies with exasperation from the bottom of his heart.
When it was time to go, Elvira-sama saw us off. She kindly accepted the Feverfew and Lavenders I asked mom to make. Both of them had pain alleviating properties. Now we just had to wait for Heloise-sama to get better. I hope this will help at least a little bit.
A few days later, Nico happily informed us that Heloise-sama was feeling better. It seemed that the curse on the flowers wasn’t from the fiancee, but a maid who had fallen in love with him. Although he wasn’t directly involved, the fiancee directly came and lowered his head. It wasn’t enough to dissolve the engagement, but Nico’s house has gotten into a more advantageous position.
“The is a girl so I can’t hit her anymore.”
“Did you want to?”
I was surprised that Nico had intended to hit the culprit once we found them. I felt that he was mad, but would a noble really settle it physically? I felt somewhat responsible as the one who taught him how to release his stress.
“A woman’s jealousy is terrifying, isn’t it.”
I must take this to heart, Ojou said in reflection. But does she get jealous? If I recall, she spoke about the prince with the bunny girl and her other friends so I don’t think she does.
“I don’t think you need to worry about that.”
“Eh?”
“I’m sure whoever you like won’t have eyes for anyone but you, either.”
She’s beautiful, inside and out. Whoever she falls in love with will surely love her back. So there’s a fat chance she’ll have to worry about rejection or infidelity. Well, I’m not one-hundred percent certain since I don’t know much about love though.
“Well… he definitely doesn’t have eyes.”
Nico stares at me with his eyes half-lidded and mutters, sounding annoyed. Why is he looking at me like that?
“N-Nicolaus-sama, i-i-its a misunderstanding…!?”
Before I noticed Ojou had gotten red in the face. She gapes, panics, and tries to make excuses. She’s giving it her all, but what is she trying to deny? Yes, yes, Nico says insincerely.
“Zac, keep it down.”
Nico warned me while patting Ojou’s head. Keep it down, he said. I was just saying Ojou would probably be okay.
“Did I say something bad…??”
“Then, shall I explain in deta~il-?”
Pome who’s been standing back the whole time raises her hands from her oversized sleeves and offers an explanation. Ojou who’s completely red in the face screams with no noise.
“Stop. Lady Dia is going to die of embarrassment.”
Nico scolds Pome.
I didn’t want Ojou to die either, so I refused Pome’s offer. I don’t know what I did wrong but I apologize to Ojou and she reacts by hitting me softly. It wasn’t painful at all so I take it until she’s satisfied.
That night, I contacted Erna through the bear for the first time in a few dozen days. After complaining at me she brags her heart out about Leo. It wasn’t much different from when Yuuka would talk about her Roy-sama in our previous lives, so I prepare to sleep by laying down in bed, making sure to continue saying things so she knows I’m listening.
“Hey! I’m the only one talking. You say something too.”
“Eh-.”
She complained at me even though she chose to do all the talking herself.
“I don’t really have anything interesting to say.”
I’ve been doing the same garden work as always. Ojou and Nico come to talk. Even Erna knows that Ojou is cute so I don’t have to tell her that.
“Something good must’ve happened!”
You’ve got to have something at least, she scolded me. That troubles me. For now I’ll think of a topic.
“…Ah, Nico’s big sister got better.”
“That’s good. Who’s Nico?”
“Friend.”
I answered very briefly. Are you even trying to keep the conversation going, Erna fumes. I don’t think we have to. I’m sleepy already.
“Hm…? That Nico, couldn’t possibly be the prime minister’s Nicolaus Von Rudolstadt, is he?”
“He is.”
Why the full name? I lean on my pillow sleepily and confirm.
“Eeeh-!? How did you meet Nico-nee?”
Unfair, she cries noisily.
“Hm? Does Nico act like that even in front of you, Erna?”
If the prince Leo has only greeted him, that should also be the extent of his relationship with his little sister. There shouldn’t be any time for him to put on his onee act.
“Eh!? No way, why is he already putting acting!?”
“What do you mean already? Haven’t you met him?”
“I’ve only greeted him at my birthday party. That’s all. How could I know that he’s already doing the act!? He was so pretty though!!”
It seemed like we weren’t on the same page. Why did Erna call him Nico-nee when she never saw him acting?
“Isaac, don’t you remember? There was an onee character in Your Star!”
“Don’t remember. Only the minigame types.”
“The RPG one.”
“Ah… the long-haired guy who only had high magic power but low physical offense and defense.”
I don’t know if he was an onee character or not, but when we went to the forests with monsters, we were forced to include him and the heroine. He’d get done in with just one physical attack so we had a really hard time assembling the party.
We were able to pull it off somehow by making sure the other party members were capture targets with a lot of martial prowess, but if the heroine’s affection with them wasn’t high enough they’d just refuse to come with you. So I left my little sister to do the preparations before the RPG minigame while I did everything after the party assembly. That’s how we cleared that unique route.
But why was Erna suddenly bringing up the otome game I helped her with in our previous life?
“…Is that long-haired guy Nico?”
“Yes. Were you even listening?”
In other words, Nico is one of the capture targets in Your Star.
“Nico-nee, you see, was born with a magical beauty. The girls around him put him through many hardships so he came to hate women. He also grew distrustful of others, so he was a hard capture target to get. Ah, the women in his family are different. His big sister was pretty much in a coma because of a curse, so she couldn’t go to school. That’s why he dressed himself up as a girl and went to school instead of her, and that’s how much he loves his family…”
Long. Once her switch is flipped she doesn’t stop talking. That hasn’t changed since our previous lives. All I know is my friend Nico. I don’t care about Your Star’s Nico. Can I just doze off now?
“And then he finally comes to trust the heroine when you dispel the curse on his sister together…and, aah!”
“What? Are you done?”
Erna’s voice got an octave higher. I raised my head which was sinking into the pillow.
“Isaac, you dispelled the curse on Nico-nee’s sister!?”
“Not me. Leo did it.”
“Eh, Roy onii-sama? Oh, and about Roy onii-sama! That’s your fault too, isn’t it!?”
Erna is surprised that Leo lifted the curse. Then she suddenly treats me like a criminal. I don’t want her to jump to conclusions. More importantly, I’m sleepy.
“That’s enough. Brats should sleep. I sleep too.”
“Hey, Isaac!?”
My sleepiness reached its limit, so I put my blanket on and slept. I heard Erna complain, saying listen to what I’m saying or something like that, but after a while it got quiet. I’m not sure if that was because she stopped the call or because I’d fallen asleep.
I have work tomorrow so I have to sleep well. The flower buds make me feel like the Gladioluses might bloom tomorrow. If they do I’ll tell Ojou.
tn: nico-nico-niiiiii