“Shall we talk for a bit?”
With a mischievous smile, Princess Eliana began peppering me with one topic after another. She touched on everything from the latest magical theories to politics, economics, and even literature.
She didn't have Victor’s brand of obsessive pedantry, but her breadth of knowledge was encyclopedic, and she had a knack for drawing unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated subjects.
…She was clearly brilliant.
In contrast, Victor—whose knowledge was purely academic and lacked any real depth—struggled to even stay in the conversation. Every time he tried to interject, she effortlessly talked over him.
As for me? I was holding my own—barely.
It wasn't as if I’d only studied magic theory; I’d been hitting the books on a wide range of subjects. To be honest, since I had no idea what might serve as the trigger for deciphering the Ancient Magic tomes, I had been dabbling in everything I could get my hands on.
Eliana’s gaze was fixed on me, her eyes narrow and searching.
“You seem to possess quite a high level of insight.”
—Ugh!
I suddenly realized my blunder.
I was talking too much. Men who prattle on incessantly aren't exactly charming to women like her. I’d let myself get heated and ended up reciting everything I knew; that was a tactical error. My inner gaming geek had taken over, and once I started rambling, it was hard to stop.
I wasn't hitting on her, but in its own way, this was bound to make her loathe me.
In other words, a death flag was currently under construction! This was bad!
Unconcerned with my inner panic, Eliana continued.
“Tell me, are you aware of the fact that a Hero has been chosen?”
“Princess Eliana! That is—!”
Eliana raised a hand to silence Victor, who had hurriedly tried to intervene.
“It is fine. It will be public knowledge soon enough. Besides, given his family's status, there is no issue with informing him.”
“A Hero… what of it?”
I chose my words carefully. Since I’d played the game, the truth was that I already knew all about the Hero’s birth.
“The awakening of a Hero heralds the awakening of a Demon King. It is said that a Demon King will soon appear. You are aware of the Demon King’s existence, are you not?”
“Yes, well.”
I didn't mean it in the game-logic sense, but in the general historical sense. In the five hundred years since the fall of the previous civilization, several Demon Kings had appeared, clashing with mankind under the Hero's banner and spawning countless folktales and legends.
The goal of the game was to grind your stats as the Hero, Leon, during three years of Academy life, gather allies, and defeat the Demon King.
“In the event of an invasion by the Demon King's Army, what sort of defense do you believe we should mount?”
The answer was easy.
Exactly how the Demon King's Army would invade was laid bare in the game’s prologue. I could have explained every single detail.
However, I wasn't sure if voicing that knowledge was a good idea. For me, avoiding death flags was the absolute highest priority.
As I remained silent, Eliana shook her head.
“…It was troubling of me to ask such a thing when the news was broken to you so suddenly. Please, forget I asked.”
Her tone was tinged with disappointment.
That set fire to my competitive pride. As a gamer, as a geek—how could I back down after being dismissed like that in my own area of expertise?
Or perhaps…
Perhaps it was the emotion of Albert himself residing within me. Did his fierce, arrogant will refuse to let me flee with a sycophantic smile?
“My apologies. It took me a moment to organize my thoughts. Allow me to explain my view…”
I began to speak with rapid-fire fluency, the words pouring out like a rushing river.
The invasion patterns of the Demon King's Army, the projected military strength of each nation, the intricate diplomatic relations—every bit of knowledge I had meticulously researched within the game spilled from my lips.
I couldn't stop. Geeks always have a habit of talking a mile a minute when they hit on a favorite subject.
“…Something like that. What do you think?”
Phew. That was a weight off my chest.
However, a response didn't come immediately. Both Eliana and Victor remained silent, their expressions suggesting they had just heard something deeply unsettling.
…Ah, crap.
I’d overshot the mark again!
“Thank you for the enlightening conversation. I shall take my leave now.”
With that brief response, Eliana walked briskly out of the Great Hall as if she had forgotten Victor even existed.
“Going on and on with such utter nonsense! This is a social gathering! Know your place!”
Spitting out those words, Victor followed suit, disappearing from my sight.
I was left standing there alone.
…Well, I guess she got fed up with my rambling and went home. I was glad she was gone, but I’d definitely screwed up. In the end, I’d just earned myself more hate from Eliana.
It was a blunder, but…
Maybe it wasn't all bad. It wasn't as if I’d aggressively hit on her like in the original story; she probably just thought I was a nuisance. If she just thought, “That guy is annoying,” then our future points of contact would likely vanish. My ideal scenario was to be treated as part of the furniture—someone she noticed only in passing. If I could reach that level of insignificance, no death flag could ever trigger.
Neither loved nor hated, just utterly ignored.
That was my dream. I wanted to believe this was a solid first step toward it.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
After leaving Albert, Eliana returned to her private salon.
“Welcome back, Princess Eliana.”
Quina, Eliana's personal maid, greeted her. Being the same age as her mistress, she took one look at the Princess’s face and spoke.
“You seem to be in high spirits.”
“Oh? Do I?”
Eliana turned to her reflection in the mirror. The corners of her mouth were softened into a faint smile, one so subtle that perhaps only she and Quina would ever notice it.
“Quina, transcribe everything I am about to say.”
“Understood.”
As she sat, Eliana began to recite the lengthy "counter-proposals against the Demon King's Army" that Albert had just delivered. The content was incredibly complex, but Eliana’s keen mind had captured every word.
After she finished, Quina tilted her head in confusion.
“…What is this? Who did it come from?”
“From Albert von Kronstadt.”
“That rascal Albert?”
“Ufufu, he was called that once, wasn't he?”
There wasn't a noble in the kingdom who didn't know the dark reputation of the Kronstadt heir. He hadn't appeared in public for five years, but his childhood "exploits" had been more than enough to cement his infamy.
Eliana had once regarded Albert as an insignificant insect, but recent rumors had piqued her curiosity. They suggested that Albert had changed his ways and was devoting himself to his studies.
The rumors had been hard to credit. That foolish boy? That petty child who only knew how to look down on others? Today, Eliana had used Victor’s invitation as an excuse to see the truth for herself.
She had spoken to him—and she had been astonished.
“He is a completely different man now.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. He has become an intellectual, possessed of profound knowledge and insight.”
Magic theory, diplomacy, strategy—how many nobles in the capital could boast such a grasp of these subjects?
The crowning achievement was his analysis of the Demon King’s Army. She had thrown a wild, sudden question at him just to see him squirm, but his response…
What perfect analysis! What uncanny prediction!
His proposal was flawless, even incorporating classified intelligence that shouldn't have been public knowledge. She couldn't imagine a better strategy if she tried.
Eliana had been so shocked that she had fallen silent to ensure she wouldn't forget a single detail, then hurriedly ended the conversation to rush back here. Now that she had shared it all with Quina, she felt a wave of relief.
“A fascinating man. He might very well be the lynchpin in the coming war.”
Eliana paused, realizing she had understated it. She was certain of it.
“Quina.”
“Yes?”
“I want an exhaustive, air-tight investigation into Albert von Kronstadt. I want to know what time he wakes, what time he sleeps, and every food he loves or loathes. Find out his preference in women—or men. I want to know his bathroom habits, how long he spends in the tub and which part of his body he washes first. Find out the color of his underwear, and exactly which parts of a woman’s body he finds most arousing…”
She wasn't joking.
This was the true nature of Princess Eliana. When a person caught her interest, she became utterly obsessed, needing to know everything down to the number of cavities in their teeth.
“I shall make the arrangements.”
Used to her mistress’s temperament, Quina accepted the orders without a hint of surprise.
Eliana’s mind was now entirely occupied by the "new brilliance" she had found in Albert. She wanted to know everything about him. She wanted to peel back every layer until there was nothing left.
“I’m looking forward to this, Albert. I shall be counting the days until we meet again at the Academy.”
A soft, chilling laugh echoed through the room.