"Ah, God... my muscles hurt."

After Carlotta sucker-shot me, we kept practicing until the sun began disappearing behind the mountains. Honestly, I still can't say for sure that we're friends, but I do feel like I can safely say Carlotta doesn't hate me quite as much anymore...

Quite as much.

That said, she definitely still wants to kill me.

But hey, I guess that's progress.

I collapsed onto my bed with a groan. The blanket wrinkled beneath my weight, and the mattress creaked in protest. I stared at the ceiling, letting my thoughts wander until they inevitably ran into that floating window that was always haunting me.

[Main Quest: [ Act One — Survival in the Crimson Winter. [Survive the Blood Witch — (Completed!) — Petty Red Practices — (Locked: Survive the Previous Stage) — (Locked: Survive the Previous Stage) — (Locked: Survive the Previous Stage)— (Locked: Survive the Previous Stage)] Time Remaining: 2’107:15:19]

That's the real test.

The event that'll mark the first major conflict of this story.

But...

Considering what Isaac told me before we started practice, I think I can predict when Carlotta plans to make her move.

Two possibilities.

Either she does it during the practice before the tournament...

Or she waits until the tournament itself.

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced it'll happen during the tournament.

Doing it beforehand would be way too simple.

Knowing that lunatic, she'll want to do something extravagant.

The only question left is...

What exactly is she going to do?

Come on...

My dear little brain...

Help me out!

You have to remember something!

I squeezed my eyes shut, digging through the corners of my mind as though I were searching for a lost coin beneath a piece of furniture. I tried to remember some detail from Kaelvarion's route, where Carlotta was the main villainess.

Hmm...

I think...

There was something involving a tournament...

God, I really wish my past self hadn't slept through almost the entire game.

I was such an idiot!

If only I'd actually paid attention...

Let's see...

From what little I remember, I think Carlotta tried to...

...do...

GOD, I CAN'T REMEMBER!

"DAMN IT!"

I slammed my fist into the mattress.

The pillow bounced into the air before falling onto the floor.

My breathing grew ragged for a moment, but I forced myself to calm down.

No.

I can't give up.

My brain has to have something stored away...

I REMEMBERED!

Well...

Not exactly.

A better way to put it would be that I remembered the feeling Carlotta's plan gave me.

It was overwhelming disbelief at how ridiculously stupid it was.

A mix of "Seriously?" and "How on earth did she come up with something that dumb?"

If I combine that with everything Carlotta's done so far...

I think I can make a pretty good guess.

Maybe it isn't some divine revelation about that blonde's master plan...

But it's something.

I think... Carlotta has some absurdly overcomplicated and incredibly stupid plan for the tournament.

Hmm... Now that I say it out loud, I'm almost certain it has something to do with her whole "let's be friends" act that she used to rope me in at the beginning of class when we formed our groups.

Following Carlotta's way of thinking...

I just have to put myself in her shoes.

What would I do if I were her?

Well...

The only thing I can think of is that she's trying to make me grow attached to her so I'll let my guard down and never see her attack coming.

... Well then. Let's see which one happens first. Her trap to kill me or my amazing ability to change her heart so she stops seeing me as a rival.

"FULL POWER!"

"Good grief... You scared me."

I turned so quickly I nearly fell off the bed.

Maxine was leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, an amused smile on her lips.

"M-Maxi... h-how long have you been standing there?"

"Since you shouted 'damn it.' I got curious. You make the funniest faces."

"Uh... hehe. Thanks?"

Wait...

Was that actually a compliment?

"Ah..."

That sigh was a long one.

It drifted from her lips like a cloud of exhaustion, and I watched her shoulders sink slightly.

"Problems again?"

Maxi looked around in every direction, making sure none of the heroes' fangirls were nearby.

Only then did she walk over to my bed and sit down on the edge.

"You got that right. I know it's disrespectful, but..." She paused, absentmindedly playing with a lock of her hair. "I seriously don't understand how Lady Fisalia, Lady Wiebke, and Lady Marinette put up with them. Especially Lady Wiebke."

One of my eyebrows shot up.

Something about her tone immediately put me on alert.

"Wait... are you telling me that idiot's been bothering you?"

My voice came out much sharper than I'd intended.

"He hasn't laid a hand on you... right?"

"Hmm. No," Maxine replied, her voice dragging with exhaustion. "But he's so persistent. Dealing with him is absolutely draining... Ah... I kind of regret choosing the Knight Practices."

I didn't like that.

I don't know why...

But imagining that guy casually hanging around Maxi was making me unbelievably irritated.

Even more so seeing how exhausted she looked because of it.

The light in her eyes had dimmed, as though she'd been putting up with something she never should've had to endure.

Does that idiot Kaelvarion seriously have no consideration for other people?

"Want me to talk to him?"

I know this probably isn't the smartest offer, considering the System could pop up just to mess with me...

But seeing Maxi like this is worse than any stupid mission.

"He's an idiot, but I think if I tell him off, he'll listen."

Maxine's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you sure? You don't have to force yourself. It's really not that bi—"

"You're my friend."

"So there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"In fact..."

"I'm going right now!"

"See you later!"

"Wait-"

"Love ya! I'll be back in five!"

I shot out of the room before she could stop me.

My footsteps echoed through the empty hallway as my mind filled with images of Kaelvarion and his arrogant grin.

Sure, I might not be strong yet.

But that doesn't mean I can't put an arrogant bastard in his place.

I don't care if the System shows up to mess with me.

Protecting Maxi is this lynx's number one priority.

---

"My dear Kathryn!"

His syrupy voice reached me from the far end of the hallway.

Kaelvarion rushed toward me with his arms spread wide, as though he wanted to hug me. I stopped him cold by grabbing his chin and pushing him aside.

"Okay, easy there, champ. Calm down," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm not here because of whatever fantasy you've cooked up. So keep your distance. I don't want to cause any more misunderstandings with Carlotta."

"Aww." He puffed out his cheeks dramatically. "Don't worry about that. It's not a problem."

"Huh?"

"I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I trust that your beauty is matched only by your discretion."

Ugh... God, I can't stand this bastard.

I never understand a word he says. Everything out of his mouth is like a maze with no exit, and every time he opens it, I swear I lose brain cells...

More than I'm already missing.

"Besides, I don't really care about my dear fiancée," he continued casually, as if he were talking about the weather. "Our engagement is nothing more than a political arrangement. I don't have a single feeling for her."

Damn it.

I already knew that, but hearing him actually say it felt awful.

Like a cold, calculated stab to the heart.

I couldn't help feeling sorry for Carlotta.

She'd be devastated if she heard him say that.

After all...

She really is in love with him.

I can understand Carlotta.

Knowing the person you love looks down on you like that...

It hurts.

If I were in her shoes, even if it were just an arranged engagement...

It would hurt.

It would hurt so much.

Thank goodness she isn't here to hear this idiot, who still seems determined to keep opening his mouth and spewing nonsense.

"There's no point pretending otherwise. That's why I only want to be with—"

"Enough."

That was enough.

I'd had it.

"You disgust me."

For some reason, the idiot Kaelvarion looked genuinely stunned.

As though no one had ever spoken to him like that before.

Which...

Honestly made perfect sense.

That would explain why he's...

Well...

Him.

But I'm not a noble.

I'm a commoner.

And I couldn't care less about his status.

So...

Welcome to the real world, where Mommy and Daddy can't protect you.

"Listen, pal," I said, stepping closer and pointing a finger at him. "Yeah, Carlotta's a little... okay, really crazy. But saying she's worthless? Hell no! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Kath—"

"No, seriously. Who do you think you are? You're the prince and all, but that doesn't give you the right to decide whether Carlotta has value or not. That's not your decision. It's not mine either. It's nobody's! Got it?"

I was furious.

Kaelvarion's attitude reminded me so much of all those classmates who bullied me during the darkest period of my life.

Like they got to decide my worth.

Like they had the right to tell me who I was.

Maybe I'm not defending Carlotta for the right reasons.

Maybe I'm only doing it because of my own pride...

And my own trauma.

But I'm not about to let the man she's supposedly engaged to—the man she loves—talk about her like she's garbage.

"The only person who gets to decide whether she has value," I said, my voice as sharp as a knife, "is her."

"W-Wait, you've got the wrong idea. I didn't mean—"

Driven by my anger, I slapped him.

Maybe that'll finally knock some sense into your head.

"Look, Carlotta wouldn't do this because she's a noble."

"But I don't give a damn."

I slapped him again.

The second one landed even harder, snapping his head to the side. I watched the redness spread across his cheek.

"Try focusing on your fiancée instead of making everyone else's lives miserable. Maybe if you worked on your relationship instead of trying to get into the skirts of every woman you see, you'd realize you've already got an amazing woman."

A little crazy...

But, meh.

Details.

Of course, I kept that last part to myself.

Besides, if we're being honest...

Carlotta's seriously gorgeous.

Just remembering what happened in the infirmary, I can confidently say she's got an incredible body.

And she's really beautiful.

Although...

Hmm...

I wonder...

Does what we did count as cheating on that idiot?

It's not like that makes me feel guilty.

Wait...

Does that make me a bad person?

No... Hold on...

I'm getting off track.

I quickly smacked myself across the cheek.

"W-What?" Kaelvarion stammered, pressing a hand against his reddened face. "Why did you do that?"

"Just looking at you disgusted me so much that my body decided to punish me."

I stepped closer to the stunned Kaelvarion and jabbed a finger into his chest to make my point perfectly clear.

"Oh, and one more thing," I said, my voice as cold as ice. "Leave Maxi alone, okay? You're driving her crazy. And as for me, for the thousandth time, leave me alone. You don't know me. I don't like you. In fact, you represent everything I hate. Understood?"

With that, I left the noble standing there, still clutching his flushed face.

Did I go too far?

Maybe.

Was it smart?

No.

Do I regret it?

Not even a little.

He deserved every second of it.

Hopefully that'll finally make him leave me alone.

---

"Ow..."

I winced as the sting spread across my cheek. The impact had been harder than I'd expected, and the skin was still throbbing beneath my fingertips.

When was the last time someone dared lay a finger on me?

Ten years ago?

Eleven?

I'd already forgotten.

Even less could I remember anyone speaking to me like that.

Without respect.

Without fear.

As if the fact that I was Kaelvarion—the heir to the throne, the King's son, the man who had the world at his feet—meant absolutely nothing.

I rubbed my cheek again.

The warmth of the slap transferred to my fingertips, then traveled to my mind, igniting a spark of something I couldn't quite identify.

It wasn't anger.

It wasn't humiliation.

It was...

Excitement.

"She really did slap me," I murmured aloud, the words tasting strange on my tongue, as though I were sampling an entirely new flavor.

I looked around.

The empty hallway stretched before me, gears turning with clockwork precision inside the walls while the lamps cast dancing shadows across the floor.

It was a dull place.

A lifeless corridor I walked through every day without giving it a second thought.

But now...

Suddenly... It had become special.

"Hmm... heh... hahaha..."

A quiet laugh escaped my lips.

"Even this terribly boring hallway became such a special place because of my dear Kathryn."

I knew it.

I knew I hadn't been wrong about her.

She's special.

She's the only one who's ever dared challenge my charm.

My status.

My very existence.

It's as though she's rejecting Kaelvarion...

The prince. The King's son and that's... So wonderful.

I don't want her to fall for Kaelvarion.

I want her to fall for me. For Matthew. A man with more to offer than a royal surname. A man who can be more than an empty title.

This is becoming so much fun.

So this... This is what it feels like to be alive.

To be free from the chains of my parents.

My fiancée.

My title.

"Ah..."

Rubbing my cheek one last time, as though I were saying goodbye to the only thing affirming my individuality, I straightened my posture.

I squared my shoulders, adjusted the collar of my uniform, and took a deep breath.

"I suppose it's time to change strategies."

I've realized that if I keep acting like this...

I'll never catch her attention.

At least not in the right way.

I wonder...

How should I behave if I want to win her love?

I turned around and started walking away.

My footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, and the shadows seemed to stretch around me, as though the building itself were watching with anticipation.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed to my left.

She appeared from around the corner. With skin so pale it almost resembled that of a lifeless body, golden curls cascading over her shoulders like streams of light. Blue eyes like precious gems, hiding secrets she would never share.

Carlotta.

"My dear?" she asked in her usual commanding tone.

Nothing like Kathryn's voice.

"Why is your cheek red?"

My eyes settled on her, and for a brief moment, I noticed something unusual.

A faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"And why are you blushing?"

That was odd.

I'd never seen her like this before.

Maybe...

Had she been running?

No.

Her breathing was calm, and although her posture was tense, she didn't look like someone who'd been exercising.

"...I-It's... nothing," she replied, looking away.

"Hmm. Strange."

"Try focusing on your fiancée instead of making everyone else's lives miserable. Maybe if you worked on your relationship instead of trying to get into the skirts of every woman you see, you'd realize you've already got an amazing woman."

That's what Kathryn said.

I have absolutely no desire to do anything for this woman...

But...

Thinking about it...

Maybe that's the key to winning Kathryn's heart.

The message hidden beneath everything she yelled at me was simple:

Show that I can think about someone besides myself.

So...

Even if the thought makes my heart want to throw up...

Maybe I just have to do this.

"Would you like to take a walk?" I offered, extending my arm with what I hoped was a genuine smile. "You know, it wouldn't hurt to show the Academy that we're the perfect couple every once in a while, don't you think?"

Carlotta blinked.

For a moment, I watched her eyes widen in surprise.

She hesitated.

Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her robe, and her gaze dropped to the floor.

"...Are you feeling alright?" she asked, suspicion coloring her voice. "Did you hit your head? Although... I wouldn't mind. His Majesty would be pleased with this behavior."

Heh...

And there it is.

The reason I can't stand you...

Carlotta stared at me for a long moment, searching my face for any sign of deception.

Then, with a sigh that seemed heavier than it should have been, she took my arm.

"...Fine. But if this is some kind of joke, I swear I'll—"

"It's not."

We walked together down the empty hallway.

The gears continued turning around us, and the shadows moved alongside us like a silent procession.

Ah...

The things I do for love.

---