"Hmm..."
It was early afternoon, and I was brooding alone on a rooftop.
"This is one hell of a problem..."
Looking at it logically, there was no way I could just ask Alicia. If her opponent in that famous duel hadn't been Mariana, then who had she actually fought? I couldn't bring myself to dig up her trauma like that.
Since it was such a famous incident, I figured I could just ask someone who had been there, but since everyone was avoiding me, that was a dead end.
Today was the first day of school. As expected, the other nobles steered clear of Alicia and me.
That was fine, though. Both Alicia and I understood that being shunned was far more peaceful than being harassed. The scene Alicia had caused was a matter of public record; it was only natural that people looked at her with curiosity or contempt.
There was no point in complaining about the unfair treatment. If she was willing to accept the status quo and live quietly, I would stay by her side. Whether it was hell or anywhere else, I’d be right there.
Anyway, back to the point. The Mariana I’d found in class was technically the Heroine, but she didn’t act the part at all. To figure out what was really going on, I started tracing the events I remembered from the game.
The Academy was a three-year program, but the game only covered the first year—a single, dense year of drama between a commoner Heroine and a bunch of handsome nobles. The Encounter Events with the Capture Targets usually wrapped up right after enrollment. From there, if you triggered the flags for the Prince, the Annulment of Engagement Event followed shortly after. The plot then involved building bonds with the Capture Targets while dodging the Villainess’s schemes.
Looking back, opening with an annulment of engagement was a pretty bold move for a game, wasn't it? Then again, I suppose you had to be that aggressive to stand out in a saturated market.
"The Heroine is definitely raising flags with the Prince. The annulment won't trigger otherwise," I muttered, sorting through my memories.
In that scenario, the Heroine and the Prince wouldn't eat in the Dining Hall. Instead, they’d share lunch under the shade of a tree in the Courtyard. For a commoner, the noble Dining Hall was a nightmare. Every single movement—from how you held your fork to how you chewed—would be scrutinized and mocked.
So, the Heroine would bring a bento and eat alone in the Courtyard until the Prince eventually found her. It became their little tradition. If you were playing the other routes, the other Capture Targets would just start showing up uninvited. If you maxed out all the flags, the group grew quite large. After finishing the game, you’d see a CG of everyone laughing together. The title of that illustration? Lunch Harem 01.
The developers really phoned that one in.
If three months had passed since the story started, they should be right in the middle of that lunch event. From this vantage point, if I could spot Edward Gran Etherdam—the first-ranked Capture Target—I’d finally know who was playing the role of the Heroine.
The Prince was the "royal road" route. Basically, he was easy mode.
His backstory with the Heroine started before the Academy. He’d gone incognito into the Castle Town, and after she taught him about commoner life, he developed a crush. Seeing her again at the Academy felt like fate to him, which made him a total pushover.
Whether it was the Dungeon Part, the Demon Attack Part, or the War with Other Countries Part, his base stats were so high he could carry you through the whole game. He was the Tutorial Prince, essentially the developers' way of saying, "Start with this guy."
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"I’ve only just arrived myself, Your Highness."
"Hahaha, a royal who makes a lady wait is no royal at all. Also, when we’re eating your bento, please call me Edward. I want to hear my name, not my title."
There he was. The golden boy himself.
A handsome blonde man had strolled into the Courtyard, spouting lines that would make anyone cringe. But the girl sitting across from him wasn't Mariana.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly..."
"Patricia, you used to call me Edward without a second thought."
"T-that was before I knew Your Highness was the Prince..."
"Please, Patricia. In front of you, I want to be just Edward. Hearing my name from your lips gives me strength."
"Well... if you insist... Edward... I’m so embarrassed-u!"
A sickeningly sweet, pink atmosphere enveloped them. The girl across from Edward had blonde hair and blue eyes, but she looked nothing like the girl I knew. Who was she? No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't remember a character named Patricia.
I focused my eyes with physical reinforcement. Her roots were black. She was a bottle-blonde.
An impostor had stolen Mariana's spot as the Heroine.
"Hey, Edward! Don't go forgetting we’re here!"
"Exactly. You can't just steal a march on us like that."
"Your Highness, lunch tastes much better with a crowd, don't you think?"
"This Courtyard has practically become our private Dining Hall. Honestly, Patricia, you’re a cruel woman to have stolen all our hearts through our stomachs like this."
"But it's so good. Eating Patricia's bento out here is a hundred times better than the cafeteria food. It's like magic."
"You all seem to be having such a good time. Mind if I join in? Hehe."
"Ahaha, everyone’s here-u! It’s okay, I figured this would happen, so I brought extra. Let’s all eat!"
"Good grief, you guys... Patricia, they're bothering you. Don't you think you should tell them to give us some space?"
"It’s fine, Edward! I don't mind at all!"
"Oh, Patricia... you’re such a natural airhead. But I suppose that’s what I love about you..."
It was Harem 01! She was squatting in the Heroine slot and building the harem.
I was certain now. This Patricia girl—this Mariana-wannabe—was someone just like me.
I mean, seriously? Nobody with a shred of common sense would actually try to build a harem in real life.