Chapter 98
Translator: Yonnee
RP: Haebaragi_syk
—
From somewhere indiscernible, the sound of shattered glass broke out. And even before Reina could properly identify the source of that noise—
THUD!
“Ugh…!”
The person who was casting a spell in front of her just now disappeared from her view and was suddenly flung far away. Then, at the same time, he uttered a short groan.
“W-What the heck?”
Wasn’t what happened here a side effect of a magic spell’s failure?
“Why, all of a sudden…”
At that moment, she recalled someone’s words inside her head.
“Each member of House Liam carries an item containing a self-portrait because it’s believed to contain a type of power that could protect the carrier from misfortune.”
“……”
Wondering if it’s that, she reached into her pocket and took out the pendant that she always carried wherever she went.
And, sure enough.
The pendant had turned pitch-black, and the glass, which was for the purpose of protecting the portrait inside, had been shattered.
“Why is this…”
Finally getting a hold of the situation, Reina raised her head to see that Paul had already returned and was just one foot away now.
“…Hey. Come here.”
“Ehehe…”
“You were going to do something else, huh. You said you’re just making an oath.”
“Hehe.”
“Don’t laugh.”
“But I’m pretty when I smile.”
“…I’m seriously going to hit you. I’m not kidding here, so stop it with the nonsense and answer me honestly. What did you just do?”
When Reina looked like she was on the verge of grabbing him by the collar, Paul shrugged and answered.
“Nothing big.”
“If it’s nothing big, then what is it.”
“Umm, just a small spell that’ll make you get a rash if you don’t see me every other day?”
“…What?”
This punk.
“Come here for a second, my friend.”
“No. You’re going to hit me.”
“I won’t though? Why do you think so?”
“You always make that ugly face when you’re about to hit me.”
“…The moment I catch you, you’re seriously dead.”
The same moment this ferocious announcement was made, Paul ran away.
Literally. He ran away.
Completely forgetting that he was here to escort her during the ball, Paul ran away and left Reina all alone.
“Ugh, that little brat…”
If she knew this would happen, she would have accepted Ethan’s offer to escort her.
“Haa.”
In the end, she was also alone in this ball.
* * *
Paul didn’t return. Reina had a partner, but she entered the banquet hall without one.
“Um…”
And, was it just her, but was everyone’s eyes focused entirely on her?
“Nah, it’s just a feeling, right?”
This was all because of Paul. He ran away and left her alone. It seemed like he really wanted her to kill him.
“Yet again today, I’m in a position where I have to rely on someone else.”
Grumbling for a long time, Reina eventually trudged towards some other place where there was no one else.
She went outside, now sitting on one of the benches in some corner of the rear garden. She hit her legs lightly with a fist and sighed.
“I had a lot on my mind, but I guess it turned out well.”
Today’s ball wasn’t a mandatory event, but she inevitably had to attend because it was hosted by one of the nine households, the Stymist County—Letis’s family.
“Be sure to come, okay?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You have to.”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“You really gotta, alright?”
“…Ugh, yes! I’m going! I will!”
She just had to wonder if this was planned as a group or something.
Her head was already pounding as it was because of the problem with the original novel, but so many things kept interrupting her contemplation as if they’re not giving her a chance to think it through.
Thanks to this, she got dragged out to a ball even when she was trying to make sense out of her situation.
“Okay. Let’s think about it again.”
The novel is gone.“And surely, under that premise…”
Right now, it’s uncertain whether the future will still be the same.“The evidence for this… I can already see it a little.”
She was on surprisingly good terms with Letis, Luke, Fran and Eli—even with Ethan, too, even though she thought she had failed with him. Except for Fran, she had gotten even closer to the other three recently.
It wasn’t just that. Their attitude towards Lehman… It could be said that they just treated him as a fellow schoolmate, more or less.
“Eli’s just an extra, but… As for the rest, they’re definitely starting to walk down a different path compared to how they were in the novel.”
Even so, there was another question that’s cropping up.
“Did the novel disappear because of my seduction efforts or something… Or maybe they changed because the original novel disappeared…? I’m so confused.”
It was the great debacle of which came first, the chicken or the egg? That’s exactly what her problem was.
Of course, it would give her more relief if it was the former case, but she couldn’t be sure.
“Ugh, I dunno.”
In the end, she was living a life wherein she didn’t know what would happen tomorrow—just like all the other people who existed in this world. That was the only clear conclusion that Reina had right now.
“Haa…”
Akin to the feeling of a video game played with cheat codes and without cheat codes being two vastly different experiences, the reality she was facing now—without any information that could help her down the line—was both scary and exciting.
Even though she was at a loss on what to do, she was still looking forward to what life had in store for her.
“But it’s still nerve-wracking.”
Well, in the first place, she didn’t use the information given to her to its fullest potential. Why didn’t she sharpen her wits to do that?
In any case, whether the information she knew was still valid or not, it’s a waste.
As she came to a conclusion, Reina was about to stand up from her seat now.
However, at that moment.
“Reina.”
‘Haa… Lehman again?’
Was there some kind of store selling ‘Reina trackers’? How could this guy follow her like a ghost each and every time?
Letting out a small sigh, Reina then got up on her feet.
But one assumption suddenly passed through her mind right then.
“Wait. If the novel disappeared…”
This guy wasn’t the main character anymore.
Did this mean that his main character buff was gone now?
Any hint of melancholy on her expression was thus wiped off, and what replaced it was an expectant look as her twinkling eyes turned to Lehman.
But what’s going on here?
“…Are you crying right now?”
As soon as she turned around, she saw the oh so pitiful main character, shedding tears. The murmurs of other people from afar were a bonus, too.
“Your Excellency Gerard, you seem to be alone today… Oh? Is that Lehman over there?”
“Huh? Yeah, it’s him. And is that Reina in front of him?”
“Good grief. Are those two having a showdown again?”
At the flowing murmurs, it became evident to Reina that she and Lehman had been recognized. Roughly measuring the distance between those other people and the two of them, Reina examined Lehman, who was tearing up on his own.
‘No way. Did you deliberately lure in those people there?’
As if to answer her internal question, Lehman bit his lower lip and turned his head obliquely so he could be seen.
“I truly have no idea. Why do you keep doing this to me?”
“You just turned up in front of me all of a sudden, but what’s this nonsense now, huh.”
“Do you… Do you really hate me that much?”
This was really making her go insane.
In any case, he seemed determined to see through to this.
“Excuse me, who’s there?”
Just in time, those murmurs became a little louder. The people who were approaching were to be the audience of tonight’s skit.
She mulled over what to do for a second.
Just to make sure that the novel was gone…
“Should I also give it a try?”
When Reina murmured to herself, Lehman asked back with a frown.
“What…?”
What indeed.
“L-Lehman…!”
Reina Chantra’s specialty:
Acting.
“Why are you doing this to me… aaaack!!!!”
Chapter 98
Translator: Yonnee
RP: Haebaragi_syk
—
From somewhere indiscernible, the sound of shattered glass broke out. And even before Reina could properly identify the source of that noise—
THUD!
“Ugh…!”
The person who was casting a spell in front of her just now disappeared from her view and was suddenly flung far away. Then, at the same time, he uttered a short groan.
“W-What the heck?”
Wasn’t what happened here a side effect of a magic spell’s failure?
“Why, all of a sudden…”
At that moment, she recalled someone’s words inside her head.
“Each member of House Liam carries an item containing a self-portrait because it’s believed to contain a type of power that could protect the carrier from misfortune.”
“……”
Wondering if it’s that, she reached into her pocket and took out the pendant that she always carried wherever she went.
And, sure enough.
The pendant had turned pitch-black, and the glass, which was for the purpose of protecting the portrait inside, had been shattered.
“Why is this…”
Finally getting a hold of the situation, Reina raised her head to see that Paul had already returned and was just one foot away now.
“…Hey. Come here.”
“Ehehe…”
“You were going to do something else, huh. You said you’re just making an oath.”
“Hehe.”
“Don’t laugh.”
“But I’m pretty when I smile.”
“…I’m seriously going to hit you. I’m not kidding here, so stop it with the nonsense and answer me honestly. What did you just do?”
When Reina looked like she was on the verge of grabbing him by the collar, Paul shrugged and answered.
“Nothing big.”
“If it’s nothing big, then what is it.”
“Umm, just a small spell that’ll make you get a rash if you don’t see me every other day?”
“…What?”
This punk.
“Come here for a second, my friend.”
“No. You’re going to hit me.”
“I won’t though? Why do you think so?”
“You always make that ugly face when you’re about to hit me.”
“…The moment I catch you, you’re seriously dead.”
The same moment this ferocious announcement was made, Paul ran away.
Literally. He ran away.
Completely forgetting that he was here to escort her during the ball, Paul ran away and left Reina all alone.
“Ugh, that little brat…”
If she knew this would happen, she would have accepted Ethan’s offer to escort her.
“Haa.”
In the end, she was also alone in this ball.
* * *
Paul didn’t return. Reina had a partner, but she entered the banquet hall without one.
“Um…”
And, was it just her, but was everyone’s eyes focused entirely on her?
“Nah, it’s just a feeling, right?”
This was all because of Paul. He ran away and left her alone. It seemed like he really wanted her to kill him.
“Yet again today, I’m in a position where I have to rely on someone else.”
Grumbling for a long time, Reina eventually trudged towards some other place where there was no one else.
She went outside, now sitting on one of the benches in some corner of the rear garden. She hit her legs lightly with a fist and sighed.
“I had a lot on my mind, but I guess it turned out well.”
Today’s ball wasn’t a mandatory event, but she inevitably had to attend because it was hosted by one of the nine households, the Stymist County—Letis’s family.
“Be sure to come, okay?”
“Uh-huh.”
“You have to.”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“You really gotta, alright?”
“…Ugh, yes! I’m going! I will!”
She just had to wonder if this was planned as a group or something.
Her head was already pounding as it was because of the problem with the original novel, but so many things kept interrupting her contemplation as if they’re not giving her a chance to think it through.
Thanks to this, she got dragged out to a ball even when she was trying to make sense out of her situation.
“Okay. Let’s think about it again.”
The novel is gone.“And surely, under that premise…”
Right now, it’s uncertain whether the future will still be the same.“The evidence for this… I can already see it a little.”
She was on surprisingly good terms with Letis, Luke, Fran and Eli—even with Ethan, too, even though she thought she had failed with him. Except for Fran, she had gotten even closer to the other three recently.
It wasn’t just that. Their attitude towards Lehman… It could be said that they just treated him as a fellow schoolmate, more or less.
“Eli’s just an extra, but… As for the rest, they’re definitely starting to walk down a different path compared to how they were in the novel.”
Even so, there was another question that’s cropping up.
“Did the novel disappear because of my seduction efforts or something… Or maybe they changed because the original novel disappeared…? I’m so confused.”
It was the great debacle of which came first, the chicken or the egg? That’s exactly what her problem was.
Of course, it would give her more relief if it was the former case, but she couldn’t be sure.
“Ugh, I dunno.”
In the end, she was living a life wherein she didn’t know what would happen tomorrow—just like all the other people who existed in this world. That was the only clear conclusion that Reina had right now.
“Haa…”
Akin to the feeling of a video game played with cheat codes and without cheat codes being two vastly different experiences, the reality she was facing now—without any information that could help her down the line—was both scary and exciting.
Even though she was at a loss on what to do, she was still looking forward to what life had in store for her.
“But it’s still nerve-wracking.”
Well, in the first place, she didn’t use the information given to her to its fullest potential. Why didn’t she sharpen her wits to do that?
In any case, whether the information she knew was still valid or not, it’s a waste.
As she came to a conclusion, Reina was about to stand up from her seat now.
However, at that moment.
“Reina.”
‘Haa… Lehman again?’
Was there some kind of store selling ‘Reina trackers’? How could this guy follow her like a ghost each and every time?
Letting out a small sigh, Reina then got up on her feet.
But one assumption suddenly passed through her mind right then.
“Wait. If the novel disappeared…”
This guy wasn’t the main character anymore.
Did this mean that his main character buff was gone now?
Any hint of melancholy on her expression was thus wiped off, and what replaced it was an expectant look as her twinkling eyes turned to Lehman.
But what’s going on here?
“…Are you crying right now?”
As soon as she turned around, she saw the oh so pitiful main character, shedding tears. The murmurs of other people from afar were a bonus, too.
“Your Excellency Gerard, you seem to be alone today… Oh? Is that Lehman over there?”
“Huh? Yeah, it’s him. And is that Reina in front of him?”
“Good grief. Are those two having a showdown again?”
At the flowing murmurs, it became evident to Reina that she and Lehman had been recognized. Roughly measuring the distance between those other people and the two of them, Reina examined Lehman, who was tearing up on his own.
‘No way. Did you deliberately lure in those people there?’
As if to answer her internal question, Lehman bit his lower lip and turned his head obliquely so he could be seen.
“I truly have no idea. Why do you keep doing this to me?”
“You just turned up in front of me all of a sudden, but what’s this nonsense now, huh.”
“Do you… Do you really hate me that much?”
This was really making her go insane.
In any case, he seemed determined to see through to this.
“Excuse me, who’s there?”
Just in time, those murmurs became a little louder. The people who were approaching were to be the audience of tonight’s skit.
She mulled over what to do for a second.
Just to make sure that the novel was gone…
“Should I also give it a try?”
When Reina murmured to herself, Lehman asked back with a frown.
“What…?”
What indeed.
“L-Lehman…!”
Reina Chantra’s specialty:
Acting.
“Why are you doing this to me… aaaack!!!!”
