She knew. This was surely the devil’s whispers she mustn’t lend an ear to.
Maybe she was just being deceived.
She understood Luke’s words and actions didn’t come from good intentions. ──However,
“….I just can’t resist anymore.”
She couldn’t resist. She just couldn’t resist no matter what.
It was like how something once dyed black would remain black no matter how many other colors you added to it.
There was no longer any covering her heart.
Mia swiftly finished getting ready.
It didn’t mean it was sloppy. Each action was efficient without waste, yet done swiftly.
Finally, she stood in front of the mirror and carefully brushed her hair. Meticulously fixing her bangs in particular to complete it.
Mia opened the door and walked briskly towards Luke’s room.
It was good at first. But gradually she lost speed.
“Wh-what should I say…”
Her emotions unconsciously leaked into her voice. ──That was the moment she returned to her senses.
(Am I an idiot!? Visiting a guy’s room this early and saying what!? I’ll become your pawn…!? He’ll think I’m crazy!!)
She was assailed by the urge to scream. When she touched her cheeks, they were strangely hot.
She felt her heartbeat spreading through her whole body, inversely proportional to her cooling head.
Her rational, clear thinking slapped her with the fact she had not been thinking properly at all.
Although her emotions were a mess, she forcefully calmed herself again halfway.
(But if I don’t go with this momentum, I feel like I’ll permanently lose the chance to speak up…!)
With that thought, she regained her resolve.
Considering what happened yesterday, if she didn’t say anything and just happened to run into him at breakfast, wouldn’t that be so much more awkward?
Mia forcibly affirmed herself thinking that.
“Uu…!”
She took a step forward. It felt heavy like she was dragging chains attached to her.
If she stopped again here, she’d go back to her room for sure this time.
Feeling that way was exactly why Mia refined her mana and activated a magic.
──[Flight]
In that instant her body floated lightly and accelerated.
She had to get to Luke’s room quickly. With that one thought, she flew through the hallway.
If she didn’t have the rationality left to judge that this was the dorm, and it was still early morning so there were students sleeping, she might have started screaming [whoaaaaaa].
Before she knew it, thanks to her excellent magic skills as well, she arrived in the blink of an eye.
Or rather, she had arrived before she realized it.
Mia deactivated the magic and landed.
“…………”
Luke’s room was right before her eyes, she just had to knock now.
That knocking alone was infinitely difficult. Mia strongly gripped the hem of her skirt.
(Do it Mia! You’ve already decided! Come on! Come on… Uu…)
She stood stock still in the chilly hallway for about five minutes constantly repeating such thoughts.
But she realized why she had lost yesterday’s ranking match.
Lloyd was very strong. The simple difference in ability was surely part of it.
However, the greatest cause of her defeat was──the weakness of her own heart.
Wasn’t she here now because she wanted to change that part of herself?
“Haa…. Haa.” ──Alright.”
Her heart settled. Taking several deep breaths.
Then Mia slowly reached out her hand and knocked weakly several times.
The time waiting after knocking, to Mia it felt like each second dragged out tens of times longer, but before long the door slowly opened.
A man peeked his face out from the slightly opened door. ──It was Luke.
The moment she recognized that, Mia’s heart was disturbed even more than before, as if everything until now had just been a prelude. Her heartbeat grew strangely quicker.
Of course, she currently didn’t have the composure to even say [good morning] to him.
So she said the words she had repeated over and over in her heart she had to say. Reciting like reading a manuscript.
“U-um…it’s fine if I become it. ──Your pawn, I mean.”
“…………”
Luke opened his eyes just a little wider. Because various unexpected things were overlapping.
Additionally, he had just woken up from this knock, so his thinking was still hazy.
For these reasons Luke was at a loss for words for several seconds.
But of course Mia wouldn’t know that.
She had steeled herself and spoke, yet still no reply from Luke.
That was all that was in her heart. Once again her heartbeat quickened.
“─I see. Good resolve.”
Finally the words came back.
“I’m glad you’ve made up your mind. I’m happy for you.
“Ah…”
Luke’s words [I’m happy] narcotized Mia’s brain.
As if acknowledging everything until now, elation permeated her whole body.
It was Mia’s turn to be at a loss for words next. She could only open and close her mouth without any sound coming out.
She had to say something, hurry and say something. Driven by that feeling─
“─How interesting you’re saying that, Mia.”
Another girl’s voice.
Before Mia even grasped who that voice belonged to, the door Luke had opened just a crack was widely thrown open by that third party.
“Uh….uhhh………. Abababababa “
Mia’s thoughts completely stopped there.
Because she had seen it.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
──The completely naked figure of Alice.
Why was she in Luke’s room?
Why was she wearing absolutely no clothes?
Why did she have such a smug look?
Various questions washed over her like a muddy stream, and the impact of the visual information was simply too much.
It was something the Mia who would get embarrassed and couldn’t directly look even at others kissing could by no means comprehend or accept.
Therefore, she chose to relinquish consciousness. ──Thud, Mia collapsed.
Alice had no sense of shame whatsoever.
Absolute confidence in her own [beauty].
There wasn’t a single part of her that would be embarrassed to be seen.
“….Why did you come out?”
She said something so funny, Luke just thought it was funny.
Judging he couldn’t just leave Mia like this, even though it was troublesome to have to move his body so early in the morning, he gently carried her and softly laid her on his bed.
──The city of [Gildadia], ruled by Duke Gilbert
With its aspect as a trade city, this town remained vigorous even at night, with many passersby.
Various merchants and adventurers from different countries visited this city. Today was no exception.
Everyone found purpose in their busyness, and their expressions contained brightness alongside fatigue.
And in that place was a luxurious, majestic mansion everyone living in this city knew of. ──Claude’s mansion.
Then, without anyone noticing, that mansion’s door opened. The ones who came out were four men.
“Watch your step please,” said Alfred, the butler who served this household.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“…………”
Next was Yorand.
Following was the taciturn man named Goldeb, who served as the squad leader of the magicians.
“─Kukukuku.”
Finally, Claude Gilbert, the current head of the Gilbert family.
The moment Alfred heard that a man named Yorand had come here, he thought, “This man is [evil]. The kind of [evil] he despises the most. But──”
“(Tsk, disgusting.)”
That disgust had now somewhat eased.
Alfred found it somewhat unsettling.
And Yorand thought to himself.
“(Heh, Claude Gilbert, you’re surprisingly gullible. Despite being so cautious at first, things went smoothly as soon as I mentioned Luke.)”
The reason Yorand visited Claude’s place was to bring to life the story he had envisioned “that day.”
──The story of making Luke a “king.”
“(Heh, Luke. If there’s one thing I have over you, it’s that I was born in this world just a little earlier than you.)”
Luke was confined to the academy, but Yorand had some degree of freedom.
Otherwise, this situation wouldn’t have been possible.
Yorand had met someone who was his equal or even more for the first time “that day.”
For him, who had been truly lonely in the truest sense, it was such a joy.
How radiant it had seemed. He, too, had been captivated by Luke.
“(You──are the most fitting as a ‘king’)”
But that’s not all.
In this plan, Yorand also had a desire to be by Luke’s side and be his “pawn.”
“(I’ll make it happen before you graduate from the academy. Show me why you can’t let go of me as a ‘reason.’)”
Furthermore, Claude’s agreement had accelerated this story.
Why did Claude agree with Yorand’s plan? Naturally, it could be one of the reasons that, as a parent, he loved Luke to an abnormal degree.
But that wasn’t the only reason.
Yorand’s words had awakened a hidden ambition within Claude.
An ambition that had burned with arrogant pride in his younger days. Yorand’s plan had rekindled that ambition.
It was the usurpation of the throne.
In his youth, he too had harbored the burning, arrogant ambition that he was fit to be king. Yorande’s plan reawakens it.
“You will strengthen Luke’s power, starting with the Mage Corps, and I will solidify my faction. Is that fine?”
“Yes, that’s right. I will expand Luke’s influence mainly within the Mage Corps. I’ll leave it to you to gather the nobles.”
“They said you were incompetent. But it seems those people had no discerning eye.”
“Haha, I’m humbled. ──So, how long will it take in three years?”
Yorand had a slightly challenging expression.
“(Heh, don’t make me laugh. Who do you think I am? Let’s make Luke’s faction so unshakeable that there’s no room for improvement. Don’t disappoint me.)”
“Yes, please look forward to it. Well then, I can’t stay too long, so I’ll take my leave now. Thank you for making time today, Duke Gilbert.”
“Oh, feel free to come anytime.”
“Thank you very much.”
Yorand bowed deeply and then took off into the sky.
Gordba followed suit. After flying in silence for a while──
“Hahahahaha!! Ah, it’s going to be busy!!”
He let out a burst of joyous emotions that had exploded within him.
“If there’s anything I can do, just let me know.”
“Yeah, I’ll make sure you work hard too, Gordba. Be prepared.”
“Yes!!”
Gordba’s response was filled with genuine determination and enthusiasm.
“(Luke, I want to see it. What will you accomplish as a king? How will you lead and change this outdated country that relies on magic power and upholds human supremacy? Hmm, but if I take away their freedom, they might get mad. I’ll need to recruit talented civil officials, too. Ah, it’s really going to be fun──)”
Anticipating a future where many exciting things would happen, Yorand laughed like an innocent child.
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