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    Huhu, Im d, Camille. You and Achille like each other, right?


    I get the feeling that information gets leaked to Royce-sama, each and every time. How mysterious. Did Achille tell him about it? No matter how good it is, even Royce-sama would find it impossible to actually peep on what happened inside the carriage.


    Having returned to the castle, right now Im having tea with Royce-sama whos finished dealing with the post-processing of the incident. Achille was apparently busy with work or something, so he isnt here. The tea I have in Royce-samas room is very delicious, and each time it feels like Ive gained a little something for free. Todays ck tea is exquisite as well.


    Im d you say? You are, Royce-sama?


    Of course. The two of you are my important friends, after all That you two are openly in love with each other feels like a load off my back, you know.


    Was there some sort of burden that you had in regards to this, Royce-sama?


    There was, you know. You were having trouble graduating from me, after all. I got watched pretty badly by Achille


    Achille? He did that sort of thing?


    G-, Graduate, you say?


    Speaking of which, at the counts hideout he said the same thing as well, but Just what does he mean?


    I said it earlier, right? That you ovepped me with somebody else, and adored them through me. For a long time now, Ive always been wondering about it, but am I really that simr to that person?


    Something like ovepping somebody simr to you, I wouldnt do


    Having thought that far, it suddenly hit me. Could it be


    Just one person,es to mind. Hes incredibly simr him But, Im certain that hes different to the one thats before my eyes in real life.


    It couldnt be


    Is the person that Royce-sama talked about, the in-game him?


    I unconsciously, unwittingly, ovepped andpared Royce-sama with the in-game him? While I was aware that this world was real, I looked for points that were simr with the games characters, and without realising it myself,pared them.


    What Ive been holding onto for these ten years, were love for the games Royce No, a yearning for him. I sended up stacking those feelings onto the real him. And Royce-sama whos good at reading others feelings, has probably always noticed this.


    Royce-sama I,


    What a rude attitude Ive taken towards him for almost ten years. Instead of the real person, Ive been yearning for a fake existence of my own convenience.


    Camille, did you like that person?


    No, rather than love, it was just yearning, I think. I understood that being with them was impossible, after all.


    I mean, it was a game character. And someonepletely different from the current Royce-sama.


    I see


    Royce-sama gazed at me.


    Im sorry. It must have been ufortable, right? To have an imaginary person like that ovepped onto you for so long


    Id definitely hate it. To be seen through the filter of the in-game Camille.


    However, inexpectedly, Royce-sama shook his head.


    Thats not true. The fact that youve always been by me, and protected me, is because of that imaginary guy after all.


    Royce-sama Youre too kind.


    What a magnanimous prince. epting even me, who was holding onto selfish delusions, and always keeping me as a friend.


    From now on as well, I intend to protect you, Royce-sama. Because youre my friend, and an older brotherly, or perhaps younger brotherly important person to me.


    Royce-sama softly smiled. Even now, after hes grown up, that smile is still the same as always.


    Me too. Youre my important friend, and though older sister is impossible I think of you like a little sister, you know.


    He just dered that older sister was impossible for meee!


    After my chat with Royce-sama, I turned up to work for the first time in a while and was discovered by Achille, and he speedily walked towards me. Has he already finished work or something? He stopped in front of my eyes, and with a grave expression, ced his hands on my two shoulders.


    Since that incident in the carriage, I feel that the sense of distance between us has shrunk again. It seems that Achille ispletely in boyfriend mode. Hes been treating me even more protectively than before I cant get used to being treated like this, and its embarassing.


    Achille, whats wrong? Youre making such a serious expression.


    Whos the person that you yearn for?


    Yearn for? Ah-, could it be!


    Achille Didnt you hear about this too quickly? Even though I only just told Royce-sama, what a formidable guy.


    Maybe Royce-sama and Achille dont hide anything from each other. The friendship between men is a mystery. But still, Royce-sama, youre too loose-lipped Even though youre a prince.


    Id decided that I would also tell Achille the truth. I-, Its not perfect, but we are lovers, so Id like to avoid weird misunderstandings.


    Ive said this to Royce-sama too, but its not a person that exists in reality, you know.


    Ah, hes giving me a weird look. I might look like a cringeworthy woman right now.


    What kind of person are they?


    Mnnnn, an ideal prince. Hes a little bit like Royce-sama, but As expected, Ive understood that they arent the same.


    Hmmn I wonder if its like the princes on white steeds that Dborah and Dsire have spoken to me about. Girls seem to like those types of stories, dont they?


    R-, rightright! Hes like that! An existence you yearn for!


    Its a little different, but the point about being a prince that you yearn for is the same, so Ill just go with this. If I dont, it seems like things will getplicated.


    Achille didnt look like he was epting it, but it looks like hell spare me more questioning, which saved me.


    Then, you really do like me back, right?


    Mmn


    When he asks me face to face, I get shy no matter what, and end up being stiff.


    Other people that you long for


    D-, Didnt I say that there arent any!?


    No good, I was panicked and identally let out a bit of a loud voice. So embarassing.


    Really? You wont cheat on me?


    I said that I wont, geez!


    To begin with, since it was the imaginary Royce-sama from the game, itd be impossible to cheat anyway. Achille Surprisingly, Im sort of seeing elements of a possessive boyfriend just under the surface, you know.


    You should know it too, right? I dont have someone like th- Ah-!?


    When I red at Achille and was trying to refute him, I saw from over his shoulders a pair of blue eyes, sneakily watching us from a corner of the hallway. It seems that Achille noticed the presence behind him as well, and turned around.


    Wh- Royce-sama, what are you doing spying from the shadows!? Do you have business in the Magic Building?


    Even though he should have been resting in his room until just a moment ago. Honestly, hes a prince you cant let your guard down around.


    No, I was just watching over you two. I want to use you guys as a referenceter, okay?


    Im hugely questioning what exactly he ns on using this as a reference for.


    Not, okay?! Even though youre a prince, arent your information gathering skills getting too good? Why was there no hint of your presence!?


    Achille tsukkomid Royce-sama. But, I also dont think that Royce-samas presence erasing abilities are ordinary. But still, we sure showed him something embarassing, huhh.


    Looking at the three of us together like this, I start to think that weve grown quite a lot since that time. Each of us, in different directions. The first time we met, we chatted in this Magic Building as well, huhh Our personalities werepletely different though.


    Now, Achille is using his genius intellect in his job, and is going fullspeed down the path to bing an elite. Thepetence that he had when he was Royce-samas right hand man in the game was plenty as well, I think. The calcting side of him that wasid bare when he was a child has also calmed down, but hes good at hiding what he doesnt want to show, so I have no idea what hes actually thinking though. Royce-sama was originally a prince whose kindness was his only merit, buttely, perhaps due to Achilles influence, asionally he shows a highly calcting side of him. Also, he erases his presence and moves about stealthily like a ninja, so it seems that hes making various secret manoeuvres in ces I dont know about. Im sure hes already got a hold of my weaknesses. A secret intelligence-type prince Hes ended up growing in a surprising direction, huhh


    Im developing in the direction that I originally aimed for, and became a professional magician whos mastering magic. Right now Im a student, as well as a Red magician, but in the future I n on bing a ck magician who can guard Royce-sama. Ive also g-, gotten Achille as a fianc and lover so my future as the daughter of a marquis also seems stable for now. To think that Id end up in this kind of rtionship with that Achille I wouldnt have thought it when I first came to this world, huhh. The world is a mysterious thing. But this world isnt a game; its reality. Achille, and Royce and I as well, are people living in reality. Through our choices, the future is something that changes unendingly.


    /First Semester END


    Authors Note: The Mansion Arc has basically finished.