Chapter 8: Rushing Out into the Night
The following night, I spent time with Lugue as usual while secretly waiting for the right moment to slip out. Alyssa-san had specified 10 p.m.—a bit early for bedtime, meaning Lugue was, of course, still awake.
After dinner, a shower, and finishing homework, Lugue was lounging on her bed in a dress she used as pajamas, hugging Nokoko-san and rolling around.
…Looking at her like this, she really seems like just a girl (which she is), but she’s still trying to hide her gender from me…
I’m partly to blame for that. Since I’ve noticed, I should just call her out on it. But if I do, this airheaded roommate might end up blurting out that she’s the Seventh Princess, Lucretia von Reese.
There’s a difference between me secretly knowing and it being mutual knowledge. At the very least, it’d be hard for me to keep treating Lugue the way I have.
“…Sorry, Lugue. I’m heading out for a bit.”
Steeling myself, I told her honestly that I was going out.
“Hmm…? Wait, at this hour!?”
Lugue gave a half-hearted reply at first but jolted upright on her bed, clutching Nokoko-san, as she realized the time.
“It’s almost ten! Where are you going this late…?”
“Uh… I’ve got some business to take care of. Don’t worry, I’ll be back tonight.”
“Back tonight…? Wait, are you sneaking out to meet a girl!?”
“If I were, I wouldn’t be this upfront about it.”
…Well, technically, I’m meeting Alyssa-san and Lilly, so it’s kind of a meeting with girls… But the real goal is the meeting with Prince Lucas afterward.
“I see… I trust you’ve got your reasons, Hugh…”
Lugue hugged Nokoko-san tightly, burying her face in it. After a moment, she peeked at me with an uncertain gaze.
“You can’t tell me what’s going on…?”
“Not right now, no.”
I could tell her, but I’m not ready to take that step. I’m scared that it might ruin what we have now…
Still, staying completely silent feels dishonest. Keeping Lugue in the dark and making her worry isn’t right.
So, I decided to tell her this much.
“I’m trying to do what I can to help Lilly.”
“To help Lilly…?”
“Yeah. So, for a while, I might have to go out at night. But I’ll always come back, so please don’t worry and wait for me.”
“…Okay.”
Lugue pressed her lips into a tight line, thinking, then gave a small nod.
“If you say it’s for Lilly, I believe you. But don’t do anything dangerous, okay…? If you don’t come back, I won’t forgive you.”
“I promise. I’ll always come back.”
“…Alright. Be careful, Hugh.”
“See you later.”
With Lugue seeing me off, I stepped out of our dorm room into the hallway.
She must have had a lot she wanted to say or ask. But she swallowed it all and let me go. …Thank you, Lugue.
I’d already switched my skill to 〈Ninja〉. Suppressing my presence and footsteps, I leaped out of the hallway window. Our room was on the second floor, so with the 〈Body Enhancement〉 from the 〈Ninja〉 skill, it was an easy drop.
Moving through the shadows, I headed to the meeting spot at the front gate. Boarding the waiting carriage, I found Alyssa-san and Lilly already inside.
Alyssa-san’s hand was on her sword, half-drawn.
“I’d heard you could switch skills, but it’s true, huh. To think I didn’t notice your presence until you got this close… What kind of skill did you use?”
“That’s a secret, if you don’t mind.”
I’d already partially disclosed my abilities to Alyssa-san, just like with Lilly—that I can switch between several skills at will. But I kept quiet about 〈Brainwashing〉.
“Being too secretive isn’t recommended, you know? It just makes people suspicious. If you act shady, I might have to cut you down.”
“…I’ll be careful.”
From Alyssa-san’s or Roan-san’s perspective, someone like me who can switch skills is probably the last person they’d want near Prince Lucas. It’s no wonder they’re wary, and I can’t complain if I get slashed on a whim. That was a close one just now.
Lugue just warned me, too. I’ll need to be more cautious.
“Let’s get going, then.”
Alyssa-san moved to the driver’s seat, and the carriage started moving slowly.
Since Alyssa-san juggles roles as a knight and a teacher, she’s allowed to come and go freely from the academy. Still, getting caught sneaking students out would be bad, so Lilly and I crouched low in the carriage, holding our breath.
At the gate, Alyssa-san casually greeted the guards, and the carriage passed out of the academy grounds without issue.
Confirming no one was around, Lilly and I let out a breath and sat back up.
“I never imagined we’d use Alyssa-sensei to sneak out of the academy.”
“It was just the smoothest way to do it.” If I wanted, I could’ve carried Lilly over the wall, but the goal is the meeting with Prince Lucas. Leaving everything to Alyssa-san, our liaison, avoids unnecessary suspicion. Especially after she just warned me.
“You don’t even know where we’re going, do you…?”
“Not really.”
Probably somewhere not far from the royal castle. A lodging, a knights’ outpost, or something else—I don’t know the specifics.
Thanks to the 〈Ninja〉 skill, I could see clearly in the dim carriage. Lilly was fidgeting, her eyes darting around nervously.
“Are you nervous?”
“Of course I am…! I don’t need to be told who we’re meeting…!”
I hadn’t told Lilly who we were meeting.
But with all the clues—me knowing Lugue is Princess Lucretia, using Alyssa-san from the knights to arrange a meeting to solve Lilly’s problem—she’d figure it out easily.
“To think I’d be meeting Prince Lucas directly…!”
Lilly clutched her head and let out a heavy sigh.
“I didn’t expect you to be this nervous.”
“You’re the weird one for being so calm…! Even for someone from the Puridy family, meeting royalty is rare. Of course I’m nervous…!”
“But you see Lugue every day, don’t you?”
“She’s different. She’s royalty, but she’s been my friend since childhood. I’ve barely seen her act like royalty.”
“That’s true.”
The reason I can treat Lugue normally even after learning her true identity is definitely because she doesn’t act like royalty.
Hugging a stuffed animal and rolling around in our room—she’s just a normal girl, no matter how you look at it. …Seriously, stop pretending to be a guy.
“…Prince Lucas was born with a handicap but always strives to embody royalty. I heard he’s been resting due to poor health in recent years, but lately, he’s been actively handling political affairs and rapidly building his faction for the succession dispute.”
“A truly royal royal, huh?”
“…Sometimes I think Prince Lucas might have the most kingly qualities. If he’d been born with sight, there probably wouldn’t even be a succession dispute.”
“Sight…”
Prince Lucas regained his vision through a skill, though it came at the cost of seeing too much, requiring a blindfold. The obstacle to his claim to the throne is already gone.
The question is when he’ll reveal it. Lilly doesn’t know yet, so he’s kept it tightly under wraps.
He’s likely waiting for the most impactful moment to play that card. But Lilly’s engagement to Duke Letchery threatens to settle the succession dispute first.
If Prince Lucas is going to act, it’ll be at the ball four days from now, when Lilly’s engagement to Duke Letchery is announced. That’s why he summoned us.
The carriage slowed. Peering out the window, I saw a quiet, empty street. I’m too unfamiliar with the capital’s layout to know where we are. The carriage stopped in a dimly lit alley with few streetlights, and Alyssa-san opened the door.
“Put these on, just in case.”
She handed us white cloaks with blue trim. Are these knights’ cloaks…? So, we’re using a knights’ outpost for the meeting.
Following Alyssa-san’s instructions, I donned the cloak and stepped out, pulling the hood low to hide my face. We entered a nearby building.
Several knights were stationed inside, with tight security. Using my 〈Ninja〉 skill, I sensed more knights lurking outside for vigilance. Prince Lucas is probably already here.
Alyssa-san knocked on a door in an irregular rhythm. From inside, Roan-san’s voice answered, “Come in.” She opened the door, gesturing for Lilly and me to enter.
Waiting inside was Roan-san, standing by the wall, and Prince Lucas, seated relaxedly, smiling and waving at us.
“Hey there. I’ve been waiting, Hugh. And you too, Puridy Heiress.”
“It’s been a while, Your Highness Lucas.”
Despite claiming to be nervous, Lilly executed a perfect bow. Then, glancing at me, her eyes widened in shock, and she forcibly pushed my head down.
“I-I’m terribly sorry! He’s, well, from a backwater and lacks manners! Please forgive him!”
…She’s definitely nervous. I’ve never seen Lilly this flustered.
“Calm down, Lilly.”
“You’re too calm…! I’m so sorry, Your Highness! This idiot is just an ignorant country bumpkin! Please forgive his rudeness!”
“Haha! You two are close, aren’t you? …I understand why Hugh would go to such lengths to help her.”
Lilly must have realized from his words.
“You’ve already met…?”
“I got summoned to the castle the day after the entrance ceremony. We talked a bit then.”
“Say that sooner…! Ugh, honestly!”
Lilly’s face turned red as she lightly smacked me. Prince Lucas chuckled, clearly amused.
“You really are close. Relax and take a seat.”
At his urging, Lilly looked hesitant, muttering, “Is that really okay…?” I pulled out a chair for her.
“…Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I sat next to her, and Prince Lucas took a sip of water from a glass on the table before starting.
“This isn’t a formal setting, so no need to be stiff. Puridy Heiress, take a cue from Hugh and relax.”
“Even if you say that…”
Lilly glanced at me, her eyes asking, What should I do?
“A little tension’s probably good. I’m not as relaxed as His Highness thinks.”
“Oh? Really?”
“I can’t let my guard down around you.”
The first time we met, he caught me off guard so many times. I ended up saying more than I meant to. There’s no way I can relax around someone like that.
“Harsh, but I like that wariness. I’m glad I brought you on board.”
…I wonder how much he means that.
“It’s getting late, so let’s get to the point. First, let’s review the situation. Four days from now, a grand ball will be held at Duke Letchery’s estate, where your engagement to him will be announced, and he’ll formally declare support for Brother Sley. Correct?”
Lilly nodded quietly in response to Prince Lucas’s question. It matched the information I’d passed to him through Alyssa-san.
“When did talks of your engagement to Duke Letchery start?”
“…About six months ago, my father and His Highness Sley began meeting frequently. I think that’s when it started. I was only told a month ago.”
“…I see. Very like Marquis Puridy.”
Lilly tilted her head at Prince Lucas’s knowing nod. He seemed to pick up on something, but I was clueless.
“Don’t worry, Lady Lilly. Your father genuinely cares for you. He’s not eagerly handing you over to some lecherous old man.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Brother Sley proposed your engagement to Duke Letchery six months ago, right when I started preparing to join the succession dispute. He must have sensed it early and tried to settle the dispute before I could step up.”
“…But it didn’t happen…?”
“Your father didn’t immediately accept Brother Sley’s proposal. If he had, you’d already be married to Duke Letchery. You wouldn’t be here, and you wouldn’t have taken the Royal Academy’s entrance exam.”
“Is that allowed…?”
I couldn’t help but ask, given Prince Lucas’s speculation.
Anyone granted a skill deemed useful for war is obligated to take the Royal Academy’s entrance exam. Even if Lilly were married to Duke Letchery, she’d still have to take it.
“Not normally, no. But six months ago, it could’ve been managed.”
“…My birthday was three months ago. Six months ago, I hadn’t received my skill yet.”
“Could they have hidden her skill…?”
“Exactly. Skills granted by the gods can only be seen by the recipient. If you hide or lie about your skill, you can avoid the obligation to take the academy’s exam. And if it came out, Duke Letchery has the power to cover it up.”
“So, since skills are self-reported, it’s easy to fake…”
…The opposite of what I did. I got the 〈Brainwashing〉 skill, panicked, and claimed I had a fire-starting skill, which forced me to take the academy’s exam.
“Normally, no one would. Attending the Royal Academy is an honor for nobles, and for commoners, graduating guarantees a bright future. Only extreme recluses or those with dangerous skills would risk hiding them.”
“…I see.”
Prince Lucas smiled at me meaningfully. He’s so hard to read… No way I can relax.
“Marquis Puridy delayed his response to buy time for Lady Lilly to enter the academy. I know about your skill, 〈Strategist〉—it lets you oversee the battlefield, automatically identifying and locating allies and enemies. It’s perfect for war. You belong at the Royal Academy.”
“Once my father learned of my skill, he started boasting about it, saying I was the reincarnation of my great-grandfather, the cunning strategist. It was embarrassing…”
“That was part of his plan. The more your skill became known, the harder it was for Brother Sley or Duke Letchery to keep you out of the academy. That ensured your safety for three years. Even with an engagement, you wouldn’t live together or be touched. The academy doesn’t expel students unless they fail spectacularly, misbehave gravely, or die, so he had no worries there.”
“Father…”
Lilly clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest, as if in prayer. Had she been afraid her father was selling her off…?
“Marquis Puridy couldn’t outright refuse Brother Sley or Duke Letchery due to his position. But he resisted as much as he could, protecting you until you entered the academy. I think your father’s admirable.”
“Thank you, Your Highness Lucas.”
Lilly bowed, and Prince Lucas responded with a smile.
…This guy’s scary.
He eased Lilly’s fears while subtly guiding her to believe her father didn’t want the engagement. I suspect her father didn’t, but that’s just a guess.
Prince Lucas presented it as fact to make Lilly believe it, because it suits his goals.
Under the table (though Lucas probably saw), I reached for Lilly’s hand. She looked surprised but didn’t pull-away, instead gripping my hand tightly.
“Heh. Let’s go over our win conditions.”
Prince Lucas raised a finger.
“The top priority is breaking the alliance between Brother Sley and Duke Letchery. That makes nullifying Lady Lilly’s engagement to the duke an absolute necessity. …But there’s a problem.”
“Lilly and the Puridy family would take the blame, right?”
“Exactly. If Lady Lilly unilaterally declared the engagement off, the backlash against her and the Puridy family would be severe. Brother Sley, humiliated, would crush the Puridy family, and who knows what Duke Letchery might do. At worst, Lady Lilly and Marquis Puridy could be killed on the spot.”
“…!”
Lilly’s grip on my hand tightened.
That’s probably her biggest fear. If the engagement to Duke Letchery is broken, the Puridy family would bear the brunt. They’d face a barrage from supposed allies like His Highness Sley and other nobles, leading to their ruin.
“To avoid that, we need a legitimate reason to break the engagement.”
“A legitimate reason…?”
“Yes, for example—”
Prince Lucas’s lips curved into a sly smile as he declared,
“—Duke Letchery’s involvement in human trafficking.”
◇
It was past 3 a.m. when we returned to the Royal Academy. After dropping Lilly off at the girls’ dormitory, I finally reached the boys’ dormitory. The moon was hidden by clouds, enveloping the dorm in darkness. All the rooms’ lights were off, and silence hung in the air.
Lugue’s probably asleep by now.
Using my 〈Ninja〉 skill, I infiltrated the dorm, moving stealthily. Unlocking our room and slipping inside, I let out a “Haa…” of relief.
Keeping my guard up for hours was exhausting. As the tension eased, sleepiness hit me hard. I’ve got Kingdom History first period tomorrow—my worst subject. I’d better sleep soon, or I’ll doze off in class.
…But first, a shower. It’s a habit from my past life—I don’t like getting into bed after being out. I’m sweaty, so I’ll change, too.
Careful not to wake Lugue, I grabbed a change of clothes and headed back to the hallway. Opening the door to the changing area by the shower room—
““Huh!?””
My voice overlapped with a girl’s.
Wet golden hair glistened under the light. Water droplets slid from her nape, down her shoulder blades, to her slender waist.
The moment my eyes caught her small, firm peach, I slammed the door shut with every ounce of my 〈Ninja〉 skill’s reflexes.
I pressed my forehead against the door, sliding down to my knees.
I definitely just saw something I shouldn’t have.
Please let it be a dream, a hallucination, anything but reality…!
My fleeting hope was shattered by a voice from the other side.
“Did you… see?”
It was unmistakably Lugue’s voice, laced with embarrassment and hesitation.
“N-Nothing! I didn’t see anything!”
I answered reflexively. I-I didn’t see anything important, probably! The image of her delicate, small, beautiful, and oddly adorable figure burned into my mind. Shaking my head, I desperately tried to erase it.
“Oh, okay. S-Sorry! I had a bad dream and got all sweaty, so I was taking a shower. I’ll get dressed quick, so wait there!”
My 〈Ninja〉-enhanced hearing picked up the patter of footsteps and rustling clothes through the door. Apparently, I’d been so relaxed earlier that I unconsciously shut off the skill’s effects.
Lingering by the door eavesdropping would be creepy. I deactivated the 〈Ninja〉 skill for now…
After a while, the door opened, and Lugue peeked out. Her silver hair framed her slightly damp, sapphire-blue eyes as she looked down at me, still crouched.
“Uh, your turn.”
“Y-Yeah…”
After that awkward exchange, Lugue darted past me and scurried back to our room like she was escaping. …I wanna die.
I couldn’t stay slumped forever, so I staggered up and took my shower. Turning on the magical showerhead, I doused myself in slightly hot water, chanting “Clear your mind, clear your mind” to banish the image.
Obviously, that didn’t erase the memory. And I’m pretty sure I’m using that phrase wrong. Everything’s just… a mess…
Back in the room, the lights were off, and Lugue’s bed was a lump under the covers. I wanted to apologize, but waking her up for it didn’t feel right…
We’d see each other in the morning anyway. I’ll apologize then.
“Sorry, Lugue. Goodnight.”
Muttering softly so as not to wake her, I slipped into my bed. Taking deep breaths to calm myself, sleep began to pull me under. The image in my mind started to fade, and I was about to drift into a comfortable slumber…
“Hugh, are you asleep…?”
A timid, soft voice called out. I was on the verge of sleep and couldn’t respond. W-What do I do? Pretend to be asleep…?
While I hesitated, soft footsteps approached. Slowly, stealthily, Lugue slipped into my bed!
So that’s how she sneaks into my bed every night while I’m asleep… No, wait! Lying on my side facing the wall, I felt Lugue press against my back.
A sweet scent like osmanthus drifted through the air. I had heard in my previous life that out of the five senses, the sense of smell is the one most closely linked to memory, and I see. As soon as I smelled Lugue's scent, the scene from earlier, which was beginning to fade, flashed back to my mind..
C-Calm down. It’s fine. Sleeping next to Lugue isn’t new! Just sleep like usual and—
“You pervert, Hugh… You have to take responsibility and marry me, or I won’t forgive you…”
The sleep that was lulling me was shot dead with a bang.
I fought the urge to turn and hug Lugue with every ounce of reason I had. After hours of back-and-forth, sunlight began streaming through the curtain gap.
In the end, I didn’t sleep a wink. I dozed through Kingdom History, earning exasperated looks from the teacher and Lilly.
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