Terrible, this is the worst.
Why did Aki have to say that?
Kasuya found out…
He found out that I did something unnecessary…
“Why did you have to say it… Aki, you idiot…”
My small mutterings are swept away by the wind.
On top of the hill, as the sunset deepens, the wind blows stronger.
It was a beautiful sight.
The sunset turned the distant sky red, and the closer sky a creamy color.
It was even more vivid than any sunset I’d seen on Earth.
“…Even though I’m his fiancée too, I blamed Kasuya unfairly… Why?”
After all, there’s something strange about how I act toward him.
This won’t do.
As a royal, and as a noble of this world, I have to be much more composed.
Don’t be shaken. A king does not need a heart.
Don’t waver, a king does not need fear.
It’s okay, I can do it.
――Snow, abandon it. That silly little plaything.
Yes, Snow, I can do it. I have to do it.
Didn’t I leave behind the world I loved so much for this?
To act as a dignified royal, to carry myself as a noble.
To bear the responsibilities that come with privilege.
In this world, I have the duty to support the lives of my friends and all my classmates.
There’s no place for personal feelings in that.
Fulfill your duty, Snow von Untzu Lichtenstein.
――【♠ My utmost respect for your sense of duty ♠】
――『Snow, you’re well-suited to be a king, such a hard worker.』
“…They’re alike, aren’t they?”
The person I met in the Life Field and Kasuya -san.
I remember being surprised that they said similar things.
“Hehe.”
He’s an odd one.
In the previous world, at first, I thought he might be a very gloomy person, but after talking to him, that wasn’t the case.
He’s like a difficult cat.
If you take your eyes off him, he might just disappear somewhere, never to return…
…I’ve made a mistake.
After being reborn into this world, for a while, I forgot what I was supposed to do and just drifted.
I left my precious classmates in a precarious situation without a home.
If I had made a mistake, I might have lost him forever.
“I can’t afford to fail anymore. I have to protect him—no, I have to protect everyone.”
For that, I need power.
Authority, wealth, strength, magic, gifts.
A king needs all the power they can get.
To protect, to maintain, to fulfill their duty.
I need power.
For that purpose—
“Fairy, can you hear me?”
“…Cough, cough… ugh, you wretched human, you poisoned me—oh, ahem, Snow, what’s up?”
I hear a voice.
The fairy.
My invisible friend who helps me in this world.
“Fairy, I still need power. Please teach me, like you did last time. Thanks to my engagement to the prince, I was able to get Kasuya into the magic academy. Now, I want to protect him—no, I want to protect everyone.”
“…Wonderful, Snow. Then, let’s start with some simple advice.”
“…”
“Go to the lower floors of the dungeon, let’s say, the fifth floor. And there, find the Demon Lord’s Heart.”
“The Demon Lord?”
“Yes. Oh, I know, it’s got a dangerous vibe, right? But you’re on the right track, and you’re lucky. I’ll teach you how to awaken your powers as a spirit magician.”
“I understand. The fifth floor of the dungeon, right?”
“Yeah, it’s up to you whether you believe me or not, but your wish will surely come true.”
It’s a suspicious being.
But still, there’s something about this voice that makes me want to trust it.
And besides, following its advice is what led me here.
It’s why Kasuya -san is by my side now.
“Hehe, Snow. Don’t worry, you have a fitting destiny to follow. I’ll make sure you gain the power to protect everyone.”
“…Why are you helping me?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Because I like kids like you.”
“Who are you really…?”
“That too, you’ll find out eventually, at the Demon Lord’s Heart—ugh… it’s happening again… sorry, Snow, I’ll be back, so don’t worry too much, okay?”
The voice fades away.
What’s going on? It seemed strangely flustered.
What could have happened?
At that moment—
“Hah, hah!! Ah! There you are!”
Huh?
I turn around, and there he is—why?
Why is he here?
“Snow, I found you! I’m so glad… that ghostly… apparition wasn’t lying…”
“…Kasuya ? How did you know where I was…?”
Kasuya Takihito stood there.
Thump.
I don’t understand.
Why is my heartbeat quickening a little?
I don’t understand.
Why did my cheeks soften a little?
I don’t… understand.
