“...To think that yet another rival would surface... just how many temptations must she be showered with...?”
Both Keith and I stared out of our respective windows, each muttering something inaudible to ourselves.
★★★★★★★★★
I am the oldest son of the Count Ascart’s family — Nicol Ascart. My father took me to the castle many times in my youth, owing to the fact that he was the royal chancellor. As a result, I had many opportunities to mingle with the princes of this kingdom — especially the two twin princes, who were a year younger than me.
It was about a year prior when these two princes, whom I had known from childhood, began to change.
Jeord, the third crown prince, and his incessantly perfect, fake smile. His eyes only spoke of boredom; nothing was reflected in them. Jeord, however, said that he had found “something most interesting”... and then, he smiled. It was a smile most dissimilar to the one he was fond of showing the world. And with time, Jeord changed, slowly but surely. His false smile slowly disappeared, and in its place was a sparkling vigor.
And then there was Jeord’s brother — the fourth crown prince, Alan. Alan often compared himself to Jeord and resisted him at every turn. His desperation seemed to only bring him pain.
Even Alan, however, started to change with time. As if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, Alan stopped resisting Jeord. Instead, he started putting effort into furthering his musical talents — which was where his interests originally lay. His talent was formidable, and almost overnight, people were lauding him as a prodigy of music.
However, the most marked change of all was the fact that Alan would now speak normally with Jeord, whom he used to despise. Those in the castle were surprised, bewildered even, by this. They found it strange that Alan’s attitude towards Jeord, which had always been one of defiance and resistance, would change.
In fact, the changes went beyond the two just speaking normally with each other. They even started leaving the castle grounds together. As of late, they had even been seen speaking cordially within the castle grounds. A truly theatrical change.
The reason for this profound change remained a mystery to most, however. The rumors, when they eventually came, spoke of a place they were known to frequent — the Claes manor, home to Duke Claes and his family. Something or someone, was the reason why such a change had come over the two princes...
It was a day after the tea party at the royal castle that we made our way to the rumored Claes manor. My sister, who had attended this party with me, had apparently received a formal invitation from the eldest daughter of the Claes family, Lady Katarina Claes.
My sister, Sophia Ascart, is a gentle and lovable girl. A noble lady of good standing in her own right. Sophia does stand out, however, with her porcelain-white hair and red eyes.
And because of this fact — because Sophia was a little different, she was exposed to the cruel whims of society. They would look upon her strangely as she walked, and those jealous of our family’s achievements claimed that she was a “cursed child.”
Even more cruel were the foolish children who took those words literally. With their heartless gazes and words, these people hurt Sophia. She eventually cooped herself up in her room, no longer willing to face the world. For a few years, Sophia remained that way — closed to the outside world...
Until the day where those two princes held a tea party at the royal castle, which we both attended. Sophia did not seem too enthusiastic about going, and neither was I.
The two princes had met with Sophia several times before. I had no doubt that they would not cast discriminatory looks upon her, nor consider themselves above her. The party, however, was large in scale — as fitting of one held by the twin princes.
The children, young lords and ladies of many noble families, would also be in attendance. There would surely be some amongst them who would shun and bemoan Sophia’s presence, thinking themselves superior. I did not wish for Sophia to go to such a place, but my father convinced us otherwise.
“Both you and Sophia have magic within. At the age of fifteen, you will both have to attend the Academy of Magic. Remember that you and Sophia are different in both gender and age, so you will not be always able to stay by her side and protect her. Sophia has to learn how to protect herself. With that many children gathered, I am sure that she will even make some friends.”
We, the Ascart siblings, did have magic in our veins, and all those who did had to enroll at the academy once they come of age, as per the laws of this land. In four years, I would do the same... and in another year, Sophia would have to follow suit.
I wanted to stay by her side as long as possible. I wanted to protect my precious sister. However, given our differences in age and gender, there was no way I could always watch over her.
Before Sophia had shut herself in, my parents did take her along on similar outings — to make friends, they said. Children, however, were exceptionally sensitive to those who were... different, from themselves. In the end, all those efforts ended up hurting Sophia.
I understood that this could not possibly go on. However... the prospect, the very thought of seeing Sophia cry once more was infinitely more terrifying to me.
At the tea party, I was separated from my sister, despite my efforts. I was truly pathetic. How could I think of protecting Sophia like this? Many of those terrible noble children, the very same ones that had hurt Sophia before, were also present at this party. Surely they would hurt her again, now that I was separated from her. There was no doubt about it. With this thought in mind, I could hardly calm myself.
And so I desperately searched for my sister, to no avail. It was only at the end of the party that I had finally found her. Sophia, however, was simply standing still with a blank expression on her face.
“What have they done to you? Who was it?” I asked, worried.
“Someone by the name of Lady Katarina Claes... has invited me to visit her manor,” Sophia muttered, that same expression still plastered across her features.
And so the two of us headed to the rumored Claes manor. Honestly speaking, I wasn’t too enthusiastic about this turn of events — if only because Sophia had received many similar invitations before... only for them to spurn her and turn her away at the gates.
Worry clouded my mind. I had little choice but to approach Jeord, Katarina’s fiancé — about Katarina herself. I referred to how she had been kind to Sophia at the party and had invited my sister to her manor.
“You seem to have changed recently. A little more... restrained. Were you simply playing with yet another noble lady...?”
“...?” For a while, Jeord muttered to himself, before finally looking up at me, with a seemingly all-knowing smile. “Nicol. I will admit, Katarina is... strange. Different. She would not, however, hurt your most beloved sister.”
Trusting in Jeord’s words, but yet still concerned for Sophia, I ended up following her to the Claes family manor.
“I think that your silky white hair is beautiful. That your ruby-red, sparkling eyes are beautiful. That... you... are beautiful,” Katarina Claes said, smiling at Sophia as she did so.
“Actually, I would be most pleased if you would come and visit again! And if you don’t mind... would you like to be my friend?”
Those were the girl’s words. She was gently smiling as she held Sophia’s hands in hers. It was as Jeord had said. There was no way this girl would hurt my precious sister.
As I stared at Katarina’s gentle smile, I finally noticed it. She was the one. She was the reason why those changes had come over Jeord and Alan.
A unique atmosphere... a most mysterious girl. The twin princes visited this manor just to meet her. And just like those before her, Sophia changed after meeting Katarina Claes.
Before, she had never wanted to take a single step outside her room. Now she clamored to be let out every single day. A light had illuminated her pained, dark features. A light from withi
n — and a smile had returned to her face. I was deeply, deeply... grateful... towards Katarina Claes.
With Sophia’s increasing amount of outings, however, came the whispered rumors and insults in the shadows. I was not about to stand by and see my now-smiling sister return to her dark, lonely room.
I applied the appropriate kinds of... pressure on those who would dare speak ill of Sophia. I silenced the voices in the shadows. I suppose I had not been forceful enough before. I renewed my efforts, and with that, the whispers eventually faded.
Even so, as these gossip-mongers eventually disappeared...
“Master Nicol is most unfortunate, having to do all that just for that sister of his!”
“Master Nicol is most capable... but those rumors! All because of his sister! What a pity...”
“How very unfortunate. That Ascart boy... to have so many things said about him behind his back.”
The condemnations, gossip, disdain, had all but ceased. In their place was... pity. Empathy, perhaps? The harder I worked to protect Sophia, the louder the voices became.
They were not hostile voices, not by any means. They merely pitied me — pitied me for having to do all this. They spoke of how unfortunate I was.
However... those words pierced my heart. Mercilessly. Thoroughly. I was not some victim to be pitied. My family was in no way unfortunate. I had two respectable parents, and a lovable and gentle sister. They were family I could be proud of. If anything, I thought that I was fortunate.
But no one around me understood this. If I claimed to be fortunate, to be happy, they would assume that I was merely putting up with it. Tolerating it.
This infuriated me. I was fortunate. I was blessed. And yet... how could they? How could they simply decide that I was unfortunate, that I was to be pitied?
Don’t you dare think of my precious sister as a source of misfortune! I’ve been nothing but happy ever since Sophia was born...!
In time, I grew tired of these unwanted words, this unsolicited pity. I thought that it was no longer important, even if no one ever understood. My precious sister was now smiling, laughing. And that, to me... was enough.
Even if bystanders pitied me, or thought of me as an unfortunate victim... even if they would never understand me. That, too, was fine. That would do.
“You really are blessed, Master Nicol, to have such amazing parents, and a cute younger sister.” Katarina Claes, the girl in front of me, said with that same gentle smile on her face. It was that exact smile that she had shown to Sophia. A gentle, warm light.
“...Blessed...?”
Yes. Exactly. Just like I had always thought. But... no one would understand me. No one sought to.
“Eh? Um...”
“...Do you truly think... that I am blessed?” I said, staring straight at Katarina.
“I do think that you have a wonderful family... um. Was I perhaps... mistaken in any... way?” And Katarina stared back — her aqua-blue eyes looking into mine.
“...No. No, Lady Katarina. You are not mistaken at all. I have two respectable, wonderful parents, and a gentle, cute younger sister. Yes... I am truly blessed.”
I had thought that no one would ever understand. I had already given up. Even so... this. This girl... Katarina. She understood.
Ah. To think that I had assumed that I was alone, that no one would ever understand these thoughts of mine.
The indignation in my heart slowly started to fade. I gazed upon the girl standing before me once more.
The eldest daughter of Duke Claes, Katarina Claes. A mysterious girl who had changed those twin princes — and the first to understand these thoughts of mine, when I had already long given up on empathy and understanding.
I finally understood why the princes and my sister were so eager to visit the Claes manor. Again and again, day after day. I suppose it was reasonable to assume that I would soon take after them — putting one foot in front of another on the way to the Claes manor. Not just to escort Sophia and to keep her safe — but to meet... Katarina Claes.
Chapter 6: Finally, My Birthday Has Come!
Time passes ever so quickly. I recall the events of that spring, when I was eight years of age — and in the blink of an eye, another seven had passed.
I was already fifteen, which meant that I was of age in this world. Fifteen was the age where noble children made their social debut. And of course, those with magical affinity had to attend the Academy of Magic, as per the laws of the land.
I turned fifteen this summer, so in the spring of next year, I too would have to enroll. In addition, the academy was a boarding school — all students had to stay in its dormitories, regardless of social class or standing.
Although students who were particularly important were given their own private rooms and were permitted to take some servants with them, it was a more restrictive life that was nothing like the freedom most were familiar with.
Upon enrolling in the academy... the terrifying otome game would begin. The protagonist, a commoner who was born with the rare aptitude of Light magic, would enroll in this Academy of Magic to walk amongst the nobility. And at this academy, this protagonist would attract the attention of the twin princes, the son of a duke, and the son of a chancellor. They would all be incredibly handsome and popular — and they would all fall for her.
Meanwhile, Katarina Claes, the antagonist and villainess in some of these scenarios, would head towards a Catastrophic Bad End.
As I thought back upon these seven years, it was plain to see that I had put in the utmost effort in avoiding these bad endings. I moved on many fronts: improving my skill with the sword, practicing the applications of my magic repeatedly, ensuring that Keith was never lonely, and advancing my technique in the art of projectile snake toy creation.
I did have my successes. For one, I was praised for my swordplay. Keith was no longer withdrawn, and my snake toys grew more lifelike with each attempt. There was, however, one thing that didn’t quite go so well — and that was the strengthening of my magic.
My aptitude with magic was somewhat lacking to begin with. Although I did increase the capabilities of my Earth Raiser spell from two to fifteen centimeters within a year... that was as far as it went. No matter how much I trained, the wall of earth did not grow any taller, nor was I able to use any other kind of magic.
While I fought against this reality at first, I was soon left with little choice but to accept it. It was most unfortunate, yes, but it did little to change the fact that I didn’t seem to have much in the way of magical aptitude. While I was told that my lessons at the academy may awaken some hidden potential within me, a second “flowering,” so to speak, I personally didn’t have much in the way of expectations.
And so, my original plan of utilizing my supposedly rare magical capabilities to find a job should I be exiled from the kingdom was... jeopardized. There was a possibility it wouldn’t work out at all. If so, how would I keep myself afloat?
It was during one of these contemplative sessions that one of my servants mentioned something interesting to me. “It is common practice for large farming families to employ other farmers to work their fields and whatnot.”
That’s it! My agricultural abilities had drastically improved over the years, and plants no longer wilted with my touch. I had even become reasonably versed in fieldwork. Even if I were to be exiled, I could simply look for a large farming family, get hired, and live on as a farmer. As long as I could find work, I could surely live on.
So I continued my magical training, although I did branch off into agricultural studies, in case I really would have to turn to farming for my livelihood.
With that, my strategies and contingency plans were complete; perfected. I continued to live on, honing my skills and improving my plans.
However, there was one thing that deviated from my plans and predictions: namely, the fact that all the romantic interests of Fortune Lover had ended up gathering at my abode, and how I seemed to have developed dr
amatically different relationships with all of them.
First... there was Jeord Stuart. The third crown prince of the Kingdom, and the fiancé of Katarina Claes. Although he appeared to be a fairy-tale prince with his blonde hair and blue eyes, he was actually a terrible, twisted sadist. If Jeord fell for the protagonist, Katarina would be headed for a Catastrophic Bad End — without any doubt.
While Jeord was completely uninterested in Katarina and hardly had any contact with her within the setting of Fortune Lover, before I knew it, he was visiting my manor every three days. I often gave him vegetables and fruits from my harvest, and he would send some snacks and candies my way as a sign of gratitude. It seemed that we were friends; after all, we spent lots of time together.
Honestly speaking, I got along really well with Jeord. It was difficult for me to imagine that he would suddenly come at me with his blade drawn, intent on exiling me from the kingdom. However... if Jeord were to come into contact with the protagonist and fall for her, Katarina would become an obstruction.
“Love can change a person,” or so claims a novel that I had read recently. I couldn’t let my guard down.
In fact, the scar on my forehead that led to this entire marriage engagement in the first place had long since vanished. Upon noticing this, I immediately sent for Jeord, eager to inform him of the news...
“Prince Jeord. The scar on my forehead has completely vanished. As such, there is no longer a need for you to take social responsibility for me — I do not mind if the engagement were to be cancelled,” I said, happy to inform Jeord of his newfound freedom. Jeord, however, seemed surprised, his eyes widening for a moment, before his expression was quickly replaced by his usual smile.
“Is that so? Well then, if you would please show me.” Jeord approached me with that ever-smiling face of his. He brushed my fringe aside, almost roughly, and inspected my forehead.
And there it was! I no longer had any scars on this forehead of mine. Or so I thought...
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Volume 1 Page 18