Chapter 27
[Summer] and [fall(autumn)] are closely spaced. In addition to being held in late summer, [winter] is the most elaborate and has the longest preparation period, so [fall] is moved forward.
In the middle of October, one month from now, is [fall]. Its name is the Magic Research Presentation. An explanation of the overview is unnecessary, the name speaks for itself. The [fall] of art, the [fall] of scholarship(learning). [Fall] is the most cultural event.
[Fall] has a pre-selection. 20 people from the 3rd grade will have the right to present.
There are three weeks left until the selection. How to develop magic that will surprise everyone around us is the showcase of our skills. Incidentally, I have no skills to show. Magic is my weak point. I had given up on [fall] from the beginning. But Christina changed the situation. If I use the vast magic that Christina possesses, maybe something can be done.
What should I do?
I was thinking alone in a classroom. A thin pink butterfly was resting on my desk. If I pointed at it, it would stop. It was then that my body shook with a sense of unease.
“Hey, where did you come from, child?”
It was a strong presence of someone else. No mistake. This butterfly is a Phantom Beast.
Since it has made contact, the master must have something to do with me. The butterfly fluttered away, trying to leave the classroom. I stood up and followed it. I thought I had graduated from chasing butterflies when I was 6 years old.
When I went out to the backyard as it was, in the cool breeze, a young lady was sitting on a bench looking at me. Her perfectly aligned nails and white fish hands folded over her knees. Even just sitting was an impressive display of her elegance. I couldn’t help but straighten my posture too.
Come to think of it, the butterfly was her Phantom Beast.
“I apologize for calling you out like this. I just wanted to have a little talk.”
The other person stood up smoothly.
“My name is Cectiara Zoff.”
The woman who bore the name of one of the three strongest was always polite. I bow to her with the utmost respect.
“I know who you are, Zoff-sama. My name is Rebecca Slutarch.”
I have personal feelings towards her. She is the daughter of the Marquis Zoff family. In fact, she is the one who, after the Duke of Slutarch fell in the game, my brother married into. In the scenario, she was my brother’s fiancé.
But now, there was no engagement between them. Both of them were not engaged to anyone at present.
I looked up and read the other person’s expression. In the game, there was no mention of her inner feelings. What was she thinking now?
“I’ll be straightforward… there will be [fall] in one month.”
“Yes.”
“Would you like to have a match with me?”
What?
“My beloved person, instead of me, holds you dear. Would you accept to compete with me? And when I win, I want you to cooperate in getting engaged with that person.”
“Who is this beloved person? If it’s not a problem, I would like to know.”
“I can assure you it is not His Highness Llewayne.”
“Alright.”
“Eh?”
I shed my ladylike behavior and clenched my fist.
“Please leave it to me. For you, even in the fire or water, I will help you without hesitation, not just after the competition.”
“Eh? Eh?”
Cectiara, no, Cectiara-sama is confused. That’s also natural. After making such a sudden request, it’s impossible for her to keep up when the other person suddenly gets excited.
But I’ve already decided.
Cectiara-sama with one hand on her mouth, her cat-like clear eyes are shaking with a bit of unease. Her hair like waves is a different golden color than the shining gold of His Highness, it reminds me of the bountiful rice ears of autumn. Overall, she is petite and gives off a small animal-like impression, but her behavior is refined and beautiful.
Such a lady has spoken of her feelings for her beloved person with a resolute attitude, but at the same time, her cheeks are dyed with an un-concealable embarrassment.
How cute!
I decided to help her in just these few minutes of conversation. I wonder where that lucky gentleman is who captured her heart.
“Please tell me, who is the person you love?”
I asked with all my heart, after hesitating. Her cherry blossom colored lips then pronounced his name.
Right after that, I couldn’t stop my face from tensing up.
Wait, no,
“Vanderlei Slutarch-sama…”
Nii-sama!
It was something I could have figured out if I had thought about it a little. Maybe even in the game it was a love marriage. I haven’t seen my brother in about 6 years, but could he have become such a likable man.
Still, this is bad. How can I cooperate with my brother in this?
And also, what?
“Onee-sama, did my brother just say he cherishes me?”
“Onee…? Uh, y-yes.”
“What does that mean?”
When I asked, Cectiara-sama’s face clouded over.
“I heard that Vanderlei-sama has always said that he has no intention of taking a wife until his younger sister becomes an adult,”
“In that case it’s fine. It’s what Father intended.”
That is something my father taught my brother when dealing with matchmaking became bothersome. With the situation of having a father and son relationship, it’s something that any reasonable person would have to bring up. My father went out of his way to teach me in advance, just in case I was brought up in the conversation.
Even if my brother is using it now, he is probably just busy with his life at the Academy and work to inherit the Duke household, so he probably doesn’t think marriage is a good idea yet. If I appeal to him by communicating the appeal of marrying a daughter from the Marquis Zoff household, he should normally look her way.
Or it would be easier if I asked my father for help. After all, in the game they even got married.
“But Rebecca-sama,”
“Please call me Rebecca.”
“R-Rebecca, I want to win the right to be engaged to him by myself. I don’t want to just rely on your help. I want you to accept the challenge in [fall].”
She seems to have not only a cute and elegant appearance, but also honesty and a noble heart.
“Understood.”
I replied with one word.
