Chapter 8

Thank you all so much for the #1 daily ranking. It’s entirely thanks to your evaluations. I thought I might have a shot at the top spot if I hit 4,000 points, but I never expected to exceed 6,000. Villain reincarnation stories really are popular, aren't they?

---

After exiting the traditional room, Kazuki followed Erika down into a garden that had been meticulously manicured to the last detail.

Erika walked ahead of him, her black-lacquered geta clicking rhythmically against the path.

She came to a stop beneath a massive tree that stood over twenty meters tall. In a surreal scene where pale pink petals danced through the air, she turned back toward Kazuki.

"Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Erika Sumeragi, daughter of Tasuku Sumeragi."

"I am Harold Stokes."

After they exchanged nothing more than their names, a heavy silence immediately descended. Harold’s voice didn't contain even a trace of warmth or friendliness.

(Wait, before I even realized it, my tone of voice reverted to the usual...)

Come to think of it, Kazuki remembered that in the original game, Harold was always incredibly harsh toward Erika. Perhaps the "Correction Force" only allowed him to use polite speech when he was in the presence of his superiors.

"This tree is called a 'Sakura.' It is the flower that represents the Sumeragi homeland. They did not naturally exist in this land, but it is said that the lord of that era brought saplings with him when he moved here and planted them. That was over five hundred years ago, yet today, they are known as the symbol of our house."

While Kazuki was becoming fed up with Harold’s acerbic tongue, a sudden lecture on the local history of the Sumeragi began.

It seemed that, awkward in the silence, Erika had decided to explain the first thing that caught her eye—the Sakura tree. Her sheer resolve to serve as a guide while surely under immense emotional duress was truly admirable.

To be blunt, it was a topic ill-suited for two children trying to break the ice, but fortunately, it was the perfect bait for Kazuki, who was intimately familiar with cherry blossoms.

"It is different from the 'Sakura' I know."

The specific name of this tree had never been revealed in the game, but the shape and arrangement of the petals differed from the Somei-yoshino variety he had frequently seen in Japan. The color also seemed somewhat deeper.

Does this world have different cultivars? he wondered, racking his brain, though he knew no answer would come.

"You know of the Sakura?"

Erika's eyes, which had been devoid of emotion until then, wavered slightly.

"No. They are likely similar but entirely different things. Well, it doesn't matter."

His mouth, which was in top form today, bluntly shut down Erika’s curiosity. He had merely intended to change the subject, yet it came out sounding like a dismissal.

Brushed off so coldly, Erika’s expression grew stern. Was that look one of loathing or vigilance?

(Now that I think about it, out of all the characters in the game, Erika was the only one who truly hated 'Harold,' wasn't she?)

If one were to describe Erika in the simplest terms, she was the quintessential Yamato Nadeshiko.

Despite being a young lady of a prestigious house, she treated everyone without discrimination. She possessed a smile and a kindness she extended to allies and enemies alike, and she had an inclusive strength that gently supported the Protagonist. There were as many players as there were stars in the sky who had been captivated by her refined, unwavering demeanor.

Yet, she was also the person who had become so enraged by Harold that she famously slapped him. To push a saint like her to that point was, in a way, a remarkable feat.

There were even some twisted players who called Erika’s slap a "reward" and replayed the event over and over.

"Does that mean you have no interest in House Sumeragi?"

"Interpret it however you like."

"...I see. So, the only thing you want is the Sumeragi name."

"Isn't it more accurate to say that a name is all you have? I fail to see any other way in which House Stokes is inferior. Despite being called a leading family of prestigious nobles, you're pathetically crying to our house for help, aren't you?"

His tongue moved with a fluency that surprised even himself.

Kazuki had thought it might be convenient to be disliked to some extent, so he had intended to spit out a few slightly spiteful lines. That was his mistake.

This had gone past "spiteful" and straight into "verbal abuse." He couldn't deny the feeling that he had gone way too far.

"What do you...!"

Erika muttered, her voice trembling. Since it was eight years before the start of the original story, she was still just a child; naturally, her boiling point was much lower than it would be in the future.

She looked down, hiding her face, but it was clear she was fuming. Provoking her any further would be dangerous.

Deciding he had driven the wedge of a bad impression deep enough, he held out a sealed letter to her.

"...What is this?"

"Take it. Do not speak of it. And after we have departed, give it to your father."

"I refuse."

Talk about a cold shoulder. He had completely brought this on himself.

Erika huffed and turned her face away, preparing to walk off.

"Ah, I see. If you wish to stand by and watch your suffering subjects die, then by all means, do so."

The words made her stop in her tracks.

Because the way Harold spoke made it sound as if—

"...Are you saying there is a way to save them?"

"I cannot say for certain that there is. However, it is worth a try."

Erika eyed the sealed envelope.

She seemed to be hesitating, but Kazuki was certain she would accept it if he framed it this way.

She was kind above all else. To put it another way, she was a soft-touch who could never abandon those in pain. In the game, there were even scenes depicting how much her heart ached over the necessity of even defeating monsters.

How could a girl like that react when told there might be a way to save her people who were currently wasting away in their beds?

Even if the source was unreliable—even if it was a proposal from a "Pure-bloodist" whose ideology she despised—she could not simply ignore it.

A gust of wind blew through the garden, swirling Sakura petals around them both. After staring at each other in silence for a long moment, Erika was the first to move.

"It is not that I believe your words, but..."

Though her expression remained dissatisfied, she took the letter firmly. For Kazuki, that was enough. If it was her, she would keep her word and deliver it to Tasuku.

"There is no need to believe without reason. Judge by the results."

In the end, he didn't know if Tasuku would actually read a ridiculous letter from a ten-year-old, believe its contents, and implement them. But if it failed, then it failed. He would just have to think of another move.

Instead of sighing, Kazuki looked up at the Sakura tree and gazed into the blue sky through the hazy clouds.

---

The carriage carrying the Stokes father and son moved slowly away under the soft sunlight. As Erika watched them go, her heart was filled with dark clouds that contrasted sharply with the mild weather.

The cause was, of course, her engagement to Harold.

Erika understood that her social status was high. She had never expected to marry for love, nor did she have a particular sweetheart.

But even so, she wasn't so much of an adult—nor so devoid of hope—that she could wholeheartedly accept becoming part of a family so brazen they would secure an engagement by exploiting another's weakness.

Furthermore, she had heard that the current head of House Stokes was a fanatical Pure-bloodist who treated commoners as mere objects. While that ideology was utterly repugnant, she knew that for people like them, the Sumeragi bloodline was a prize worth any cost.

It was frustrating to be preyed upon by people she held in such contempt. It was unbearable to know that her own strength wasn't enough to save her family or her people.

However, even at her young age, Erika understood that by becoming a tool to bolster their pure-bloodist prestige, many lives could be saved.

Without knowing a single thing about Erika's internal struggle, Harold had disparaged the Sumeragi name. For her, it was an absolutely unforgivable act.

The sealed letter she had received from that man was still in her hand. She wanted to tear it to shreds as her heart demanded, but she could not break even a verbal promise.

If it meant protecting the honor of the Sumeragi—and more importantly, if it meant there was even a slim chance of saving her people—she had the resolve to swallow any amount of personal humiliation.

"I am sorry, Erika..."

Tasuku, who had been standing beside her to see the carriage off, murmured with a voice full of regret.

He, too, was a parent. He could not find any honest joy in seeing his daughter bound to a partner she did not want. Yet, as the head of the house, he had to make the bitter choice to protect the lives and livelihoods of the tens of thousands of people in his territory.

"Please do not worry, Father. This is for the sake of the Sumeragi and the people who live here."

There was no lie in those words. She simply wanted some time alone to calm her heart.

"Father, please take this. Lord Harold said he wanted this handed to you after they had left."

Erika withdrew the letter from her garment and offered it to Tasuku.

"From Harold-kun?"

He took the envelope, wondering if the boy's parents had coached him to give some sort of formal greeting. Even if that were the case, the timing was strange, and passing it through Erika was even stranger. Normally, such a thing would be handed over directly.

"Now, I shall return to my room."

"Yes. Go and get some rest."

Erika bowed to Tasuku, who offered her a pained, caring smile, and quickly departed.

Tasuku and Koyomi truly cared for her. Their kindness only made things more painful for Erika right now.

Watching his daughter act so stoutheartedly, Tasuku blamed himself for the heavy burden he had forced upon her. He wondered if there hadn't been any other way—some way that didn't involve hurting her.

"...It is useless to dwell on it now."

The situation was a result of his own inadequacy. Because of his failure, he had forced a burden onto Erika and his people. He didn't even have the energy to mock himself.

With a heavy heart, he opened Harold’s letter.

The opening was written with a seasonal greeting far too sophisticated for a child. The handwriting was firm and steady, like that of a grown man.

Compared to others his age, the boy certainly seemed to possess a high level of etiquette and education. This alone improved Tasuku’s impression of Harold.

However, as he read further, the mental leeway to care about such things vanished.

His grip on the paper tightened instinctively. By the time he reached the end, the edges of the letter were deeply creased.

"Is someone there?! Call Kiryu at once!"

Tasuku’s roar echoed through the mansion. The servants, panicked by the rare outburst, scrambled to find Kiryu.

Shortly after, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. The elderly man who had greeted Harold at the gates the previous day appeared.

"What is your command, Master?"

"We cannot speak here. Come."

Tasuku led him to a private office. Once they were alone, he had Kiryu read the letter. After Kiryu finished, Tasuku spoke.

"That is the letter from Harold-kun. What do you make of it?"

"...If I may speak frankly, it is highly suspicious."

"I agree. However, whether this information is true or false, there is no benefit in it for House Stokes. In fact, it suggests their own downfall."

"Then is it the work of a third party? At the very least, I cannot believe that young boy wrote this himself."

"So he was used merely as a messenger?"

That was the most logical conclusion. The contents of the letter were not something a ten-year-old child could possibly compose. But if that were true, the greatest mystery remained.

"The problem is: who wrote it? If it were someone who wanted to assist the Sumeragi, they wouldn't choose such a roundabout and uncertain method."

"Then do you believe it is the work of someone who loathes the Stokes family?"

"And it would have to be someone close enough to get Harold-kun to listen, or someone who can manipulate him at will. Almost as if he were brainwashed."

Otherwise, the letter never would have reached Tasuku, and the conditions within could never be fulfilled. Was the mastermind’s goal the collapse of House Stokes, or something else entirely? There wasn't enough information to judge.

"If I were to take a cynical view, it might be a final blow to the Sumeragi, but..."

"The risk is too high compared to the gain. With all due respect, the Sumeragi are already in a corner; if they simply watched quietly, they would get what they wanted eventually without any effort."

Kiryu was right. Unless a solution was found, the Sumeragi would soon be unable to function without outside economic support.

"In other words, if the author of this letter does not want that to happen..."

"Then the possibility that the contents are factual is quite high."

This wasn't a fundamental cure for the territory's problems.

However, if it worked, it would buy them the time they desperately needed to find a real solution. If that happened, they might be able to break the engagement and set Erika free, just as the letter suggested.

"Kiryu, gather the necessary items immediately. Explain the risks, and then we will administer it to those who desire it."

There was no guarantee the letter was true. However, it was a single ray of light in a situation where they had been groping in the dark. Even if he were to end up dancing in the palm of some unknown mastermind’s hand, Tasuku decided to bet on this chance.