Asking what kind of decision she meant would have been boorish. She was almost certainly referring to the events at the Academy.
"Would saying that 'time heals all wounds' be... nothing more than a platitude?"
"……"
Alicia remained silent, appearing to listen, so I pressed on.
"It’s only natural that when you choose one path, the other ceases to exist. Even if you manage to settle a grudge, you can’t bring back what’s been lost. It was your choice, after all."
That applied to my previous life, and it applied to my family who had passed away.
Some things were simply beyond help.
When I first learned my family had fallen in battle, I had gone on a desperate hunt for the enemy general. I clung to his trail and cut him down, even though the odds were stacked against us and my own soldiers were dying in the process.
I’d been told that dying in battle was an honorable end for those who fought with pride, and that when the situation was dire, you weren't supposed to chase like a fool—you were supposed to prepare for the next fight. I’d been told that, I’d been warned against it, and to be honest, the reason we had so few servants and retainers around these days was entirely my fault.
Even so, it was unbearable to think that the family I’d spent my life with was just... gone.
"No matter how much you’re raised to believe it’s natural, you still regret it. But I felt grateful to the people who loved and raised me enough to make me feel that way. It was then that I realized I still had people left by my side."
I kept my eyes on the Brave Territory below as I spoke.
"It’s not that everything is gone; there’s still plenty left. That’s why I’ve decided to do my best as a noble, even though I have no desire for the title. It’s why I’m going to the Academy, even though I have no interest in attending."
According to the scenario, this country was destined to be ravaged by calamities and the fires of war. Despite becoming a literal battlefield and a stage for monster-driven disasters, the Brave Territory was a place no one had ever heard of—treated as barely a footnote in the grand scheme of things.
I wanted to resist that fate.
My true resolve, tucked away in the deepest part of my heart, was to prevent the family I loved and my second home from becoming nothing more than stepping stones for some garbage plot development.
Well, I wasn't about to say that out loud!
To the public, I made it look like I was doing everything to protect the Brave Territory. My reputation among the locals was likely skyrocketing as we spoke. I felt pretty smug about it.
"……What if nothing was left?" Alicia asked, reacting to my words. "If you’ve been taught since birth that a certain path is your purpose, but that purpose becomes impossible to achieve... what would you do then?"
"As long as you’re breathing, something remains," I told her.
Alicia was clearly becoming emotional, her voice heating up. It seemed the prince, her former fiancé, still occupied a place in her heart. She had spent her entire life preparing for that role since the engagement; no matter how she tried to accept her current situation, it wasn't something she could just brush off.
It was just a guess, but that intense sense of duty and affection must have been what the Magic Insects fed on, causing her to spiral into the role of a monstrous Villainess. It seemed the thin line between love and hate was the same in any world.
Man, for some reason, I felt like I’d just been dumped.
"There’s nothing left! The girl I was in the past is dead... My identity as a member of the Duke's house is... and that's why, in this Abandoned Land... I—I’m sorry. That was a slip of the tongue."
Alicia touched the burn scar over her right eye as the words spilled out. Realizing what she’d said, she glanced at me before quickly lowering her head.
I didn't feel like I could just casually tell her that she was a "new Alicia" now and should try for a fresh start here. Some problems aren't settled in a single lifetime. I felt the same way about losing my family.
The facts were the facts, and you just had to shoulder them like a man, but I wasn't sure how to phrase that.
Since there were multiple Capture Targets, I could theoretically try to push her toward a different Capture Target Route and help her find a place for herself. It would technically be following the Villainess Route, but unlike the game, I was here now. She wouldn't be consumed by bitterness. With her talents, couldn't she prove her worth on her own?
No, that wouldn't work. Eventually, the protagonist would be recognized as a Saint. People would praise the prince’s "keen insight" or whatever, and Alicia—having interfered with them—would lose her standing even more than before.
Was this a total dead end?
The fact that I was getting annoyed by my own moping and overthinking was probably just the House Brave blood acting up.
Fine, let's keep it simple. Sebas had said it himself—since I was a clumsy guy, I should just confront things head-on. I’d give her my honest feelings.
"Alicia, I’m going to protect you. From now on, and forever."
"……Huh?"
Alicia’s eyes went wide, her expression clearly saying, What is he talking about all of a sudden?
No matter how I looked at it, the correct route was to keep her close. To grab hold and never let go. Part of it was about avoiding ruin, but mostly, I just wanted to do it. Her internal conflicts, the way she was being toyed with by fate—she felt similar to me. I genuinely wanted to protect her.
"If your life as a Duke’s daughter is over, then the person standing in front of me is the Alicia who married into House Brave, right?"
She remained silent, so I held out my pinky finger. Even in this other world, the pinky swear was a symbol of a promise.
"Then I can promise you this much: I will protect you. No matter what."
What kind of Brave would I be if I couldn't protect my territory or my family? I would live my life with that pride in my chest.
There was no way love existed yet between a man and woman who had only just met. My words probably sounded like the hollow, flowery lines of a flirt, but I had my reasons, and they were sincere.
"I’ve thought this since this morning, but you really do have a habit of saying the most unexpected things."
"Well... I tried to find some more refined words, honestly. But the men of House Brave aren't used to these situations. I could only say what was on my mind."
I often thought that the Braves weren't suited to being nobility. It would have been so much easier if we were just a family of common soldiers.
"……Hehe."
Alicia let out a little giggle as she watched me scratch my head.
"Was it that weird? It’s not a line I’ve ever used before. My old man and my brothers were more the 'let your back do the talking' types."
"To tell you the truth, it’s the first time anyone has ever said something like that to my face."
"Really? I figured a Duke’s daughter would have heard that from all sorts of people."
"The kind of man who spits out those words so unexpectedly is usually kept at a distance, you know?"
Wait, wasn't being a noble all about using cheesy pick-up lines?
"Dammit... All that secret practice I did because Sebas kept nagging me to find a good wife at the Academy... it was all for nothing."
"What kind of idiotic practice is that?"
"I couldn't help it! I was the third son, I never had to deal with other nobles. House Brave is completely hopeless when it comes to social graces."
I was actually a little shocked. If Alicia hadn't come here to marry me, I probably would have been labeled a creep the moment I set foot in the Academy.
Alicia let out an exasperated sigh, looking at me as I held my head in my hands.
"Still... I don't hate it. It’s easy to understand."
The bashful smile she gave me was so stunningly beautiful that I found myself staring, completely entranced.
"You’re right," she murmured, looking out over the Brave Territory. "Just as you said. I might have been overthinking things. It’s small... so small of me to cling to a past that’s gone, moping about forever..."
"Well, that’s just how humans are."
"But in House Brave, I take it that sort of thing is forbidden?"
"Yeah. Doing it once is fine. But after that, you've got to switch gears and move forward. That’s our way."
When I told her that, she held out her own pinky finger to me.
"If you go back to the Academy with me, you’ll probably be the center of attention, too. To be honest, you won't have a place there, and I expect you'll face plenty of hostility and ill will. Even so... will you still protect me?"
"I’m good at that sort of thing. Leave it to me."
Her white, elegant finger linked with my dirty, callous-covered one. It felt... good.
The people in the Royal Capital could have their own little love dramas for all I cared. I intended to link my fate with hers.
That gave me an idea. To make this promise ironclad, I wanted a third party to witness the vow. To prove my words weren't just talk—and as the most romantic gesture I could manage—I decided to call him.
"Alicia, wait. I want to redo the vow."
"……Huh?"
She looked a bit miffed. This was bad, but I really wanted to make a proper oath here.
"Just a second, I’m calling him—Onyx!"
The moment I called his name, a massive black dragon descended from the sky and landed right beside us. That was fast. He’d probably been watching me in secret this whole time. Since we hadn't run into a single monster on the way up, I'd had a sneaking suspicion he was nearby.
"What is your business, Laguna Ver Brave?"
"You were watching, so you should already know."
The dragon’s name was Onyx, his body a sleek, glossy black marked with white horizontal stripes. He was my friend.
"I’m vowing to protect this woman with my life. I want you to witness it."
"You would swear before a dragon? You understand the weight of such a thing if you fail?"
"I do."
If I broke my word, I would surrender my life to him. In short, I’d be his dinner.
"I have no intention of breaking it. Besides, that deal works out for you too, doesn't it?"
"Do as you wish."
"Alright! Alicia, I swear on this dragon to protect you for the rest of my life."
Having secured his witness, I turned back to Alicia, only to find she had rolled her eyes back and fainted on the spot.
"Wait... what?"
"She lost consciousness? What a frail little slip of a girl," Onyx muttered. "Well, an oath can be made alone. I shall consider it witnessed. Farewell."
"Ah... yeah. Thanks."
With that, Onyx beat his wings and took off toward the far side of the mountain range.
I’d thought vowing on a dragon sounded romantic, like something out of a fairy tale. I never imagined it would end like this.