I traveled by train from the territory neighboring House Brave—a region never even mentioned by name in the original story—and arrived at the Royal Capital, Ether.
I’d said my goodbyes to Sebas at the station, but to my chagrin, a wave of loneliness hit me harder than expected.
Ever since I was born into this world, Sebas had served House Brave faithfully. To me, having lost my parents, he was a surrogate father. The servants were my family. This wasn't a final farewell, and I fully intended to return home during long breaks, yet I couldn't hide my confusion at the sudden pang of homesickness that slipped into my heart.
When I looked at it that way, Alicia, who had come to the Brave estate all on her own, seemed far more mature than I was.
"Heh, so this is the Royal Capital."
Thanks to my knowledge of the game, I knew what kind of city Ether was supposed to be, but I had no idea about any details outside of the specific locations used for plot events. Seeing it with my own eyes was a different experience entirely.
First, my gaze was drawn to the colossal, dome-shaped barrier—a symbol of the nation’s status as a magical powerhouse. This barrier was the masterpiece of the Ancient Sage who founded the kingdom, and it had protected the capital for generations. To enjoy that peace and security, people crowded into the interior of the massive dome, giving the Royal Capital a population of over a million.
"Isn't the population density a bit insane?"
The buildings in the castle town were all at least three stories high and packed together with zero space between them.
"That’s why everyone here loves to travel," Alicia replied to my muttered observation.
People from the capital often went on trips during their holidays. I’d heard from Alicia beforehand that many nobles would brag about where they had been, which she found incredibly annoying. I’d assumed it was just a plot device to move the story to different locations, but seeing how stifling it was here, I could understand the urge to escape.
"The aristocratic district is a bit more spacious, but compared to the Brave Territory, it’s so cramped I can hardly stand it."
"Well, comparing it to the Brave Territory is a bit unfair..."
On the way here, I’d caught a glimpse of the neighboring territory. It really drove home the fact that there was absolutely nothing in our lands. I felt a small prick of annoyance at the realization.
Still, I wondered who had come up with this city’s design. It was ridiculous. Or maybe I was looking at it wrong? While this was technically an otome game world, it was also a living, breathing reality. I suspected that because the noble districts and the Academy were so massive, the common citizens had been pushed further and further toward the edges of the dome, resulting in this cluttered urban layout.
If a barrier that guaranteed absolute safety had existed since ancient times, everyone would naturally want to live inside it. It was inevitable. But it was warped—totally warped! An unbreakable shield like this was bound to be seen as a threat by foreign nations. I bet the powers that be conspired to have occasional wars just to vent some of that pressure. As usual, the consequences were being felt in all the wrong places.
"Still, it doesn't look like I'll get bored."
"That may be true."
While attending the Academy was going to be a massive pain, I’d always had a certain longing for the cities of another world, so I was genuinely excited. Setting aside the fact that this was an otome game, this was still a fantasy city, and I fully intended to go on a tour of its delicacies. I have a real soft spot for "B-class gourmet" street food.
Already, I could see stalls through the window of the carriage heading toward the Academy, sending out mouthwatering aromas.
"Skewers? Those look good."
If I could, I would have stopped the carriage to grab a snack, but the driver wasn't about to pull over for a quick bite.
"The food in the Brave Territory was quite delicious, wasn't it?" Alicia asked.
"Well, my meals back home usually featured monsters appearing on the plate like it was the most natural thing in the world."
"Ah, that’s right..."
We really are a peculiar family. Some people try to imitate our diet, thinking it’s the secret to our strength, but I wouldn't recommend it. It doesn't actually change anything, and the food isn't even that good. If it were tasty, everyone would be eating monsters!
However, if you memorize which monsters are edible and lose your resistance to eating them, your chances of survival skyrocket if you ever lose a battle and have to flee into mountains or forests. I don't know which generation started the tradition, but apparently, there was once a Lord of House Brave who survived exactly that way. It’s a bothersome legacy, but since it had actually saved me when I was young, I’d kept it up.
"Also, I'm looking forward to the dungeon lessons."
For some reason, there was even a dungeon inside this barrier dome—some kind of ancient ruins left behind by the Sage. It was used for practical magic lessons. It was a "convenient dungeon" where the heroine would fall into a trap, only for a capture target to gallantly appear and save her, but a dungeon was still a dungeon. I was looking forward to it. It was nice to see a childhood dream finally coming true.
"Hehe."
Seeing me acting like a kid again, Alicia’s face broke into a smile.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself."
"Well, yeah. Especially since I'm not alone."
I already knew how our school life was likely to go. We were a "Noble of the Abandoned Land" and a lady whose engagement had been annulled. We’d be held in contempt by default; I’d resolved myself for that a long time ago. At first, I thought it would be hell, but...
The former villainess sitting next to me was just a wonderful, beautiful woman. No matter what nasty things people said, it didn't matter anymore. We would be content as side characters, avoiding the protagonists as much as possible while living our school lives however we pleased.
"If any troublesome people give you a hard time, tell me right away, okay? I’ll handle them."
"Absolutely no violence. You’re a man who has survived multiple wars and fought a dragon to a draw, remember?"
She dangled the collar right in front of my eyes, so I promptly retreated to my metaphorical doghouse. Better to do as I was told. I’d thought about secretly threatening any annoying students, but if I got caught, she really would put that leash on me.
"Ragna, as long as you're with me, I don't care what anyone says."
"Alicia, I think you're probably much stronger than I am."
"Hehe, that's obviously impossible."
No, I meant in terms of mental fortitude—or rather, just about everything else. Even among battle-hardened veterans, there aren't many people with the heart to endure that kind of hell. I knew that better than anyone.