Testarossa, with her mouth full, leaves Elina in the dark in front of her and continues to eat the sweets prepared on the desk.

　Everything she wanted to say had been said. There is only one thing left unsaid.

　But that would be the last time, Testarossa turned to Elina.

"'I know, .......'

　Elina murmured quietly.

　Testarossa hears it and closes her eyes in preparation for what happens next.

　And the next moment, Elina exploded with anger that had been building up.

'Even I know that I can't keep going the way I am!

　With a flick, Testarossa picked up her teacup, as if expecting Elina to hit the desk.

　A bang sounded shortly afterwards, and Elina angrily slammed the desk.

　From there, a further rush of angry complaining, grumbling and complaining began.

'But what can be done about it?　No matter how much we try to appeal to him, Sieg doesn't even show any signs of noticing, and in the first place, romantic marriage is only permitted if both parties are of equal status, and since we joined the Order, the time we can spend together has drastically decreased, and there's nothing we can do!'

"Yes, you're right."

"Right.　It's as if it's someone else's problem."

"It's not my problem anymore. It's not worth the effort".

"You liked Sieg a little while ago, didn't you?　You used to like Sieg, so why don't you think about it a little bit?"

"Why me?　Why should I? - Because I'm not involved anymore.　That's too convenient."

'Well, that's true, but ....... As a friend, you could at least give me some advice."

I'd be happy to. Give it up and move on to the next thing".

　It was the simplest and most satisfying answer.

"No!"

"Then go for it."

'Crap. ....... How am I supposed to do that?"

Giving up is the best thing to do. I dreamt about it once, but I realised I couldn't compete with reality.

'If all of Leold's achievements were Sieg's ......!"

'Stop being so paranoid about convenience. It makes me feel sad just listening to you."

'I guess I'll just have to give up .......'

　Even Elina, whose fatal flaw is that she is emotional and easily goes wild, understood the drift.

　She had no choice but to give up on the future of her relationship with Sieg.

'With the women around Sieg, there are a lot of other girls who have to give up some other things. But I know it's harsh to say this, but I'm sure Princess Christina will be able to marry Sieg-kun.'

"Huh!　Why?"

'It's something you'd only need to think about for a minute. 'Just remember who the fiancée of the Harvest Frontier Count is.'

'...... Her Royal Highness Princess Sylvia the 4th princesse!

　Elina understood Testarossa's statement.

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　If that were the case, it would not matter who the other princesses and princes marry, as long as there were no problems. That's how influential Leold is.

'Now that Leold is a member of the royal family, it's a trivial matter to whom Chris marries, isn't it ......?'

'Yes. If anything, the royal family wouldn't say anything if Chris married a commoner. That's how influential the Harvest Frontier Counts can be."

'That's not ...... such a ...... thing.'

　Elina wanted to say that, but she didn't.

　There's nothing to do but to laugh at her own bad luck to the very end.

　Elina asks herself how on earth she let this happen, but the answer is always the same: it's her own fault.

　It was her fault. There was no other answer.

　To tell the truth, she would like to blame Leold, but he is not at all to blame in Elina's life.

The only people whose lives were distorted by Leold were the servants who worked for the Duke of Harvest, and that included Clarice.

　In contrast, Elina has not suffered any harm from Léold.

　She was just a one-sided enemy in her eyes.

　In a way, Leold and Sieg are special to Elina. Love for one, hatred for the second.

　And from her point of view, it is resentment and heartache that she is not seen by either of them.

　Leold already has no interest in Elina, and is only looking forward and moving forward for his purpose.

　Sieg is also ignorant of Elina's love for him and is fulfilling his duties as a knight with his natural sense of justice.

　Elina is so longing for him, but he doesn't even look at her, and he is not even taken seriously by the repulsive man. It would be too ridiculous.

'What am I supposed to do, I ......"

　Elina, who believes that her friend Testarossa, who is supposed to be her friend, is about to enter into a political marriage with the hateful Leold, looks down with a face that looks as if it is about to cry.

'Elina. Let me correct your mistake for one matter.'

'What .......'

'I'm not marrying the Harvest Frontier Count.

"What?　But you said earlier that it would be a political marriage."

I only said it like that, but I won't actually do it. Rather, my father decided not to have a political marriage in order to keep the Harvest Frontier Count in good graces.

I see. ...... Since the engagement to the Fourth Princess Sylvia, Leold has refused to marry anyone, so the Duke Flugel has decided that it would be a bad idea to let you get married for political reasons."

'Yes, yes. Are you feeling a little better now?"

"......, you're teasing me like that again."

Because if you cry, it's gonna be a mess to clean up, isn't it?

"Maybe a little consolation is in order ......?"

"You have a weak mentality for a tough person. It used to happen that when you started crying, you would shut yourself up in your room and not show your face for a few days."

"Ugh. ......"

"The reason you didn't come to me sooner was because you had a lot on your mind, wasn't it?"

"............ yes."

　After receiving some harsh words from Testarossa, Elina slapped herself on the cheek to get back into the swing of things, although she was still far from her best state.

'Whew - .......'

　The problem has not been solved, although her head has cleared up.

　Rather, now that she's cooled down, she knows.

　That she needs to show a reasonable price to be bound to Sieg.

　But before that, it's a prerequisite that both sides are in love with each other.

　No matter how much Elina complained that marrying Sieg would bring her so many benefits, it would be meaningless.

'I'll talk it over with everyone once and see how they feel."

'Because there might be other girls like me who are giving up?'

"I wouldn't be surprised if there are girls who say that just because they haven't spoken up. So I'll get everyone together."

And then what?　You're not going to confess?

"That's the only way. Because I don't think they'll ever understand me if I don't."

"It's a bit crazy that everyone around him is aware of it, but he's the only one who doesn't. However, isn't that a good thing?　I couldn't tell them anything after all."

"Yeah. So I'll talk it over with everyone and if we all feel the same way, I'll confess."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"It's not a done deal yet. Besides, the aim is to make him aware of us."

"I see. You're not being desperate, you're thinking it through."

"But I don't know what's going to happen in the future".

"I hope it turns out well. ......"

"Yeah, I guess so. At least I won't regret that I should have confessed at the time."

"Oh, you say."

"Hmm. It's called revenge."

Testarossa giggles when she receives an unexpected blowback.

　Elina looked at Testarossa as if she'd done it, but she didn't look regretful and her smile remained unchanged.

　Elina is a little uncomfortable with this, and takes a swipe at Testarossa.

'You don't think anything of it?　Don't you think that you should have confessed before separating yourself too?'

'No, I don't think about it. I don't think so, because it's already happened."

　She is by no means being pushy about it.

　Testarossa really thinks so.

　She doesn't need to think about it now, because she's already made her mind up about it.

　It's just a waste of time, Testarossa cut it off.

'You haven't changed since the old days. Just as you were when you were the very first to leave Leold.'

'I never saw it as a bad thing. I don't know what I would have done if I had had anything to do with Leo back then.'

'I agree with you on that."

　Testarossa, who thinks in terms of profit and loss before feelings, and Elina, who thinks in terms of feelings before profit and loss.

　The two of them had the same opinion of Leold when they were young.

'Well then, I'd better be off."

'Good for you. You've solved your troubles.

"Yes, it's good. I think it's a step forward. It's a long way to go, but I'm moving forward little by little."

"I'm rooting for you."

"Please do your best, too."

　Elina tried to stop Testarossa, saying that it was not too late and that she should try one more time to express her feelings with her, but she thought that the answer had already been given in her mind and she supported her in her choice to take a different path.

　Then, after seeing Elina off, Testarossa returned to her private room and collapsed on her bed. Breathing out loudly, Testarossa said to herself.

'What a nasty woman I am. ......'

　Recalling their earlier conversation, Testarossa falls into a state of self-loathing, but she quickly reminds herself that it can't be helped.

　Testarossa accepted that she had been brought up that way and there was nothing she could do to change it now.

'Well, I'll reflect on it later, but I have to work hard to be recognised by Leo and Her Highness Sylvia as a woman who is worth to be their ally .

　There's plenty of time for reflection later.

　Testarossa decided to show her value to Leold first of all, and to be added to the family, if not as the second wife, then at least as a vassal.