Volume 2 - CH 14

There were two weeks left before the school festival.

Fol still wasn’t attending school, but we heard that sometime soon, she would be able to show up for the rehearsals. And so we kept up our hard work, so that she would have a big smile once she returned.

We had borrowed a practice room and threw ourselves single-mindedly into the play rehearsal.

The added payoff of this was that Prince Alforth’s acting became considerably better. When comparing him with his Espressivo of Light and Darkness’ counterpart, he was a little immature, however… his steadfastness, that seemed to be popular with shotacons, had strengthened.

He would probably capture the attention of the young highschool age ladies once he stood on the school festival’s stage. Lady Sophia’s advice for him regarding playing the prince in his own way seemed to have had an impact on him.

However, the way things were going at that moment, I suspected that, while he had become well suited to playing a prince’s role, he was quickly becoming less and less similar to Lady Sophia’s type.

I felt that I should mention that to him, but I felt conflicted, since it would be a mess if his acting were to revert back to how it had been in the beginning.

For the time being, since Lady Sophia continued to instruct Prince Alforth on his performance, I didn’t think that there would be any problems with continuing to rehearse like this. 

What was a problem was- I turned my gaze towards Alicia, who was playing the role of the maid. Compared to the way she was before, she had improved considerably. However she was falling behind the others. Although she didn’t have a lot of lines, she had the important role of supporting the conflicted heroine.

“…You cannot empathize with your role after all?”   

“I’m sorry. I understand that, for Fol’s sake, I have to perform well but… I’m simply unable to feel empathy for the heroine, no matter what I do.”

Hearing that she was unable to feel empathy for her, my feelings fell into disarray. I believed that if she was able to relate to the heroine, she could perform her role smoothly. However, on the other hand, it was possible that it would put pressure on Lady Sophia and become the main push for her fall into darkness. It would have been ideal, if she could stay unassuming in real life while simultaneously improving her performance in the play. However, I should have guessed that it wouldn’t be so easy.

""

“Ah, but, I can empathize with the part where she doesn’t want to give up when she likes someone. While I believe the way she is going about it is wrong, I was able to empathize with Aurelia’s feelings of love towards the prince.”

“That is…”

Unconsciously, I swallowed my saliva with a gulp.

In other words, didn’t that mean that, even though it had no effects regarding improving her performance, in reality, her feelings were reinforced and she became more aggressive about them?

…It might be necessary for me to be vigilant about any future drama. 

“Also, partly for that reason, I feel like I would be able to play the role of the villainous daughter well.”

“…Is that so?”

Alicia nodded in response to my question and stood up straight, her black hair tinged with blue fluttering around. An expression that was a mix of sadness and hatred showed on her face.

“…Why won’t you look my way?”

I gulped, for a moment not realizing that it was a performance. My feelings of guilt and fear rose up, exactly like they had when Lady Sophia pressed me with this question.

“I… I always, always look at you alone, and yet, I’m not the one reflected in your eyes. Why… why won’t you look my way!?”

Reflexively, I wanted to apologize.

There were some subtle adlibs put into the lines… it’s a performance, right? It must be a performance, right? She wasn’t telling this to me, right? While I panicked like this, suddenly, Alicia gave me a smile.

“How was I?”

Apparently, it was just a diligent performance.

Realizing the truth, I let out a sigh of relief.

However… Alicia said that her performance wasn’t good because she couldn’t empathize with her role. Since that was the case, she was able to recite the villainous daughter’s lines perfectly… no, continuing to think about this, would just become making up conjectures.

“Miss Alicia, you can definitely play the role of the villainous daughter well.”

Lady Sophia approached us with an admiring look on her face. Apparently, she had been watching our rehearsal.

“Ah, no… I mean, I’m no match for you, Lady Sophia. I just think that I find it easier to empathize with the role of the villainous daughter… I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. More importantly, would you like to switch roles with me?”

After pondering for a moment, Lady Sophia came up with this suggestion.

Certainly, no matter what role Lady Sophia played, she would do it perfectly. Since she remembered all of the lines of all the characters, there was no problem with her switching roles. Judging from the way she performed earlier, it was possible that Alicia could switch roles as well.

However-

“I- I can’t make you play the role of a maid, Lady Sophia!”

In a panic, Alicia waved both of her hands around. Her response was just what I had expected it to be. Ignoring her real background, right now Fol, who was officially viewed as a commoner who got adopted by a Count, was the one playing the protagonist.  

While I wanted to tell Alicia that she shouldn’t worry about it too much, it couldn’t be ignored that she was still a Viscount’s daughter.

She might end up receiving all sorts of criticism, for example, it might be said that because of her unsatisfactory performance, she had caused trouble to the daughter of a Marquis.

“I have caused everyone trouble, I’m sorry.”

Alicia hung her head.

However, Lady Sophia gave her a smile. “You’re not to blame. We’re all to blame for forcing a role onto you that you cannot empathize with. Therefore, there’s no need for you to be in low spirits all by yourself.”

“B-but, it’s true that my performance is bad…”

Lady Sophia answered her with silence and a smile. 

Just at a glance, one could tell that Lady Sophia didn’t agree, but her silence was affirmative.

Before Alicia could notice this, Lady Sophia quickly opened her mouth. 

“That’s right. Miss Alicia, what if we tried to adjust the character of the heroine a little bit, so that you can empathize with her more easily?”

“Adjust her character…?”

“Yes. Just small alterations to her personality and lines. Fol would be able to perform with those small changes perfectly, so how about we give it a try?”

After she said that, Lady Sophia, standing in front of Alicia, turned her eyes down, as if suffering great loneliness.

“I… found out.”

“Eh, what did you find out? …Oh, ah, that’s a line from the play, isn’t it?”

Alicia belatedly realized that it was a performance. That was just how natural Lady Sophia’s performance was. If I were to hear her say that without knowing anything, I would have asked her  what she had found out about as well.

“Prince Alfred has a fiancée.”

“Oh… so that’s how it is.”

This part of Alicia’s performance felt natural. The problem came with the upcoming parts.

This was the scene where the maid, in order to cheer up Alicia, who was in low spirits after finding out that the prince had a fiancée, told her to win the Prince’s love over Elvira.

However-

“Look… Karine, I don’t want to lose.”

“…Eh? You don’t want to lose?”

Alicia lost her bearing since the lines were different from the original ones.

“My former self would have deemed it to be an impossible love, and would have given up. However… as I am now, I don’t want to give up. No matter what methods I have to use, I want to obtain this love.”

Even though I knew that it was all a performance, the look in Lady Sophia’s eyes was so earnest that it didn’t seem like an act. Under the pressure of Lady Sophia’s performance, Alicia fell into silence.

Before long-

“If that is my Lady’s wish, I will stay by your side, come hell or high water.”

Alicia said bluntly, in a voice that hid her determination, and her appalling performances up until now seemed like a lie, as her performance just now was so realistic.

Alicia didn’t try to hide her feelings for me.

This girl, although it was for a play, would support Lady Sophia in her love. Ordinarily, in a situation like this it’d be barely possible to avoid mayhem. However, since her performance was so good, I deemed it acceptable.

I would have liked to say that, at least. However –

“Lady Sophia, that makes her seem just like the villainous daughter.”

I pointed out that, while the butler got changed for a maid, there really weren’t any differences between Aurelia and the villainous daughter.

“Oh, she’s completely different from the villainous daughter though.”

“…How are they different?”

“Elvira involves herself with a crime and falls to ruin. However, I wouldn’t make a mistake like that. I am merely pursuing my wish, using any means possible.”

“I see…”

This was the education policy I had followed in order to not let my Lady walk the path of the villainous daughter.

If she had a wish that she wanted to achieve no matter what, she should use any means necessary. However, if those means were to lead her to ruin, then it would be all meaningless. Therefore, I had taught her to take every circumstance in consideration before she acted.

As expected, the young Lady I had brought up was somewhat different from the game’s villainous daughter… Anyhow, was it alright to support this? I felt like the heroine would become more heinous than the villainous daughter.

For the time being, we decided to consult this scene with Fol. Afterwards, Lady Sophia continued to perform the role of the heroine. The heroine’s exchanges with the Prince went on – brought to a close by the kiss scene between them at the end.

Of course, during the rehearsal, they just brought their bodies a little bit closer. Even though they were just as close when they were dancing together, Prince Alforth’s face went red.

When she noticed this, Lady Sophia tilted her head to side doubtfully.

“Your Highness, it’ll be a problem if you’re this flustered during the real performance.”

“N-no, the real performance won’t be a problem.”

""

“Oh, that is right, Fol is your cousin.”

It was half correct, half incorrect. While I had lectured Lady Sophia in etiquette and all sorts of different subjects, I probably should have also taught her about the feelings of young men in love.

We were continuing in our rehearsal in this way, when Libert paid us a visit.

“Cyril, I have finished what you asked for.”

“Oh, already? …I thought they’d be barely able to make it.”

“They might need final adjustments, so it was made with haste.”

“Heavens. Please, show them to me.”

We moved to a corner of the practice room, and Libert lined up the things he’d brought over on top of a table. Noticing this, the rest of the group gathered around us.

“Cyril, by any chance, are they done?”

“Yes. They still have basting stitches in, but they seem to be finally done.”

The costumes we were going to use in the play had been completed. At first, we had intended to use the school uniform dresses that Fol owned just as they were. However, from the beginning, I kept thinking that I would like to redesign the clothes here by mixing my previous world’s clothes’ style with the fashion tastes of this world.

Since it would simultaneously serve as a test, I brought up that I wanted to create the costumes for the play. After I got everyone’s permission, I commissioned the costumes from a boutique through Libert.

The boys’ costume resembled a tailcoat adapted into a uniform. As for the girls’ costume, it was a blouse with a flared skirt that spread out from under a corset-like vest.

Fundamentally, the designs weren’t too different from this academy’s school uniforms. However, introducing a modern design from my previous world, the hems and some parts of the girls’ corsets used a checkered fabric.

Incidentally, I made the designs right before the training camp, at the time when I thought I was being suspected of being a transmigrator. I was hesitant about presenting this design, but I decided to just go ahead with it, for the same reasons that motivated me to choose the location of the training camp.

The schedule was pretty tight, so I was doubtful whether they would be finished in time, but it seemed like the express boutique that I had pinned my hopes on was able to deliver them in time.

“Cyril, would it be alright to try them on?”

The first one to raise their voice was Lady Sophia. 

She showed no reaction to the completed costumes. This was the behaviour proper of a young Marquess. However, I realized that the girl, who was holding the clothes with basting stitches close to her chest, was a little more giddy than usual.

With that being the case, everyone went to try them on without delay. Lady Sophia and Alicia, tightly holding onto the costumes, moved to the girls’ dressing room, and Prince Alforth went to the boys’ dressing room.

There was no costume for me, who was just the narrator – at least so I thought. However, there was a tailcoat-style uniform, clearly my size, left on the table.

“Lord Libert, what is the meaning of this?”

“Well… it’s a sort of an apology for everything that happened up until now.”

“An apology?”

I had no clue what would make Libert apologize. When I tilted my head in puzzlement, Libert roughly scratched his head.

“I’ve been on my guard against you and your Lady, and treated you quite unfairly.”

“Ah… that’s what you mean. But wasn’t that in order to deceive certain people?”

“Of course that was the reason, but it is a fact that I was openly overly hostile towards you. So, I’m sorry about that. Please, forgive me if you can.”

Liberty bowed deeply.

I was a little startled. Did he have a change of heart?

“Now, I do understand the meaning of your apology, but why did you make me a uniform?”

“That was due to my instinct as a future heir of a company.”

“Instinct, you say…?”

It wouldn’t be correct to consider instinct the same as a shot in the dark. Instinct was a prediction reached through processing information unconsciously. On this premise, Libert’s instinct certainly had a valid basis backing it.

That was why I decided to accept the uniform with gratitude.

Afterwards, I put the tailcoat uniform on in the boys’ dressing room, and was about to check the fit, when Lady Sophia called for me, saying that she wanted to hear my opinion.

So for the time being, I headed towards Lady Sophia, still wearing my tailcoat costume.

When I knocked on the door of the girls’ dressing room, I received Lady Sophia’s voice telling me to “Please come in,” as a response.

“No, I truly do not think that I can enter a girls’ dressing room, after all…”

“I’m also already dressed, so you can come in. If you’d like, would you look at me as well?”

The voice that came next was Alicia’s.

Since that was the case, I headed to the dressing room when I heard Libert muttering from behind me: “You are my rival after all.” I paid it no mind and entered.

Inside the room, Lady Sophia and Alicia, dressed in the uniforms that I designed, were lined up next to each other.

“Cyril, what do you think?”

“Does it suit me?”

Slightly joining their backs, the two of them asked embarrassedly, standing in their formal posture.

The clothes weren’t very different from the academy’s school uniforms. However, since the design was a little more stylish than the design of the school uniforms, it further enhanced their loveliness.

Saying that the two young ladies looked like two idols wearing ‘Young Lady’ fashion1, might be the perfect description.

""

“It suits you two really well.”

“…Really?”

The one who replied back to me was Lady Sophia, however, Alicia was making an anxious face as well. The two characters of an otome game that captivated a large number of men were worried about my – a butler’s – opinion, even though they had grown up much more charming than in the game.

I would have been truly delighted by it if there wasn’t for the risk of drama.

“It’s not flattery. It truly suits you very much.”

“…Then, between me and Miss Alicia… whom does it suit better?”

Lady Sophia squeezed out in a sharp but a small voice, that strangely echoed.

The hustle and bustle of the room instantly disappeared and silence stretched inside the dressing room.

Usually, this was the point when Alicia would display her amazing ability of evasion. However, today, she didn’t. She stood next to Lady Sophia, waiting with bated breath, and watched attentively.

‘I want to know the answer, too,’ was written on her face.

Was this the punishment for removing her shackles?

I sensed carnage approaching.

However, I was already prepared for this level of trouble.

“You both suit it the best.”

They blinked in surprise as I smiled.

Lady Sophia with her almost silver-like platinum blonde hair, and Alicia, with her black hair tinged with blue. When they were nicely lined up like this, contrasting, they truly looked like an idol duo.

“Please, take a careful look. Both of your costumes are matched to each of your hair and eye colour, as well as your aura, so the design was modified accordingly.”

Lady Sophia’s was designed to enhance her graceful aura. Alicia’s was designed to enhance her aura of straightforward personality and liveliness. Each of the designs were altered with details such as the silhouette and colours.

“Both of you possess a different type of beauty, so there’s no need to compare yourselves to anyone else.”

The flabbergasted look on both of their faces was impressive.

After I had safely avoided the carnage, I went on to verify the measurements of the temporarily sown clothes, and then we concluded our rehearsal. I then walked through the school grounds illuminated by the sunset, along with Lady Sophia.

Right before we got into the horse carriage that arrived from the Rosenberg Marquis mansion to pick us up, Lady Sophia grabbed my sleeve.

“…Is something the matter, Lady Sophia?”

“I forgot to tell you something.”

""

“…You forgot to tell me something?”

After I repeated her question, Lady Sophia lightly pulled at my sleeve, and she pressed her forehead against my chest.

“You looked really cool in your costume, Cyril.”

Leaving just her whisper behind, Lady Sophia retreated a step back. As she faced the opposite direction, her cheeks were fully dyed red under the setting sun.

Lady Sophia, who ought to be used to giving and receiving compliments, praised me with a shy look on her face. Knowing that, the deepest part of my heart slowly grew warm.

For that reason-

“Please give me your hand, Lady Sophia.”

I took Lady Sophia’s hand, and a moment before I pulled her up into the carriage –

“You shouldn’t ask me such mean spirited questions in front of others, you know?” I whispered into her ear.

With a start, Lady Sophia’s body quivered and she looked at me with a surprised face. Since it appeared like she wanted to say something, I softly pressed my index finger onto her lips.

The young Lady, who was so flushed that steam could rise from her head, was adorable. I couldn’t forget that she had asked me to bring her up in such a way, so that the person she loved would turn to look her way. I was educating her because I wanted to grant her wish.

That was why-

""

“Of course, I think that you are the cutest, my Lady.”

I whispered into that small ear, as if I was trying to press my lips against it.

Thank you so much for reading and your continuous support! A huge thank you to those who donated through the Foxaholic Ko-Fi  or to my personal Ko-Fi account!! I really appreciate it a lot! Any and all donations always welcome!  <3