“He wasn’t even aware of such a thing…? Well, what shall we do now?”

“True~! But, the moment he becomes fully aware of his feelings, everything is going to be so much more interesting~! We can definitely have fun with that~!”

“Please don’t treat the Emperor and me as playthings.”

Jill uttered so to both of her knights, whom followed her all the way from the courtyard. After listening to her, Camila’s eyes widened.

“Jill-chan, don’t you understand your current predicament?! No matter how powerful you are, as long as you’re here, you’re still considered an enemy, you know—?! Your only backing as of now is the Emperor’s favor—!!”

“Exactly. As subordinates, we are only doing our job, which is strengthening the position of our Master. Look, all you have to do is keep that Emperor under leash.”

Such terrible opinions came from none other than her own subordinates…

…Reflexively, she staggered back.

“’U, under leash’, you say…”

“Yeah, you can do that, right? If it’s the Emperor, isn’t he easier to handle than Marquis Veil?”

“I agree~ after all, such a childish Emperor, all you have to do is push him down aaand—“

“—What are you trying to make a 10 year old do—?!”

“We won’t do something as disrespectful as treating you like a child, Jill-chan.”

“Yes. This way, we’re also doing the Emperor a favor. He absolutely won’t hate it, don’t you agree?”

Zeke’s utterly calm question earned him a glare from Jill.

“T, that’s, that’s true but, the Emperor and I aren’t in that kind of relationship—”

“This is just advice but… if you don’t like the guy, then don’t eat his cooking?”

“—ugh! Bu, but that’s—! T, the food is innocent, it’s also delicious; it’s really delicious—!!”

“That kind of attitude only makes a man expectant, you know~! If you truly just want a relationship in name only with the Emperor, you have to thoroughly refuse it~!”

“…I, is that so…?”

She was gradually losing confidence… Looking at such a Jill, Camila blinked.

“…this is also surprising~ did you accept his food without being aware of such facts?”

“No… isn’t she basically just doing what someone of her age would? We’re gradually going crazy mulling over this thing…!”

“But still, we are on Jill-chan’s side~! That Emperor, too! Using such a childish way of courting… wouldn’t the usual him just shrug it off and stay calm despite everything…?”

“W, well, even if you say so, it’s the first for me, having a man fight for me… I, too, am unsure of what to do.”

While saying so, heat rose to her cheeks.

She could hear the birds’ chirpings due to the silence that greeted her.

Suddenly, she was embraced by Camila from behind.

“Yaaan~! So cute~! Cute, Jill-chan is so cute~!”

“What, so it turned out that all we needed was one more push. You guys are so going to be a couple.”

“I, I told you, don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions! It’s exactly because we’re going to become a couple that I deem love unnecessary! That way, if someday His Majesty were to commit a mistake, I wouldn’t hate him for it!”

Towards her utterance, the strength of Camila’s embrace lessened.

“…You’re really a ten year old girl, right~?”

“Haven’t you been treating her like one until now…”

“Yes, but~ the way she talks, it’s too hard-boiled! Regardless of age, the Emperor is an awesome guy. Don’t you feel something—anything—towards him? Like, ‘kyaaa! Cool!’ or something like that?”

Jill could guess what he meant—

—sheer optimism; determination to give your best; basically, the feeling when a heart was touched by love.

“…I have experienced that enough to know I’m better without it.”

“Lieees~! It’s too early to give up! What is she talking about!?”

“Don’t ask me. Well, I don’t know what happened, as such, I don’t want to judge. Besides, you’re still a child, the Emperor too, is still a child.”

Zeke suddenly put his hand on top of Jill’s head.

…Didn’t they just say that they wouldn’t treat me like a child?

…it’s also because of love, I ended up involving you all…

In bitter regret, Jill bit her lips. Yes, Jill’s first love had not only engulfed her entirely, but also ruined everything she had.

This time, she couldn’t afford to make the same mistake.

“Jill-sama! Jill-sama! It’s an emergency—huh!?”

Sufia stepped out of the corridor, only to trip and hit her forehead. Camila came to her rescue.

“Please be more careful next time, Sufia-chan~! You’re Jill-chan’s teacher, aren’t you?”

“U, uh… I’m sorry, I was in a hurry…”

Marquis Veil was recuperating in his villa with his current wife in the villa where Sufia had formerly lived. The Marquis was still under house arrest, but an official document had already been filed to transfer the title of Marquis to Sufia.

Sufia didn’t disagree with Hadith’s decision, nor did she try to escape from the heavy responsibility that came from suddenly becoming the next Marquis. On the contrary, while working as Jill’s tutor, she requested for Hadith’s help in finding a suitor.

Sufia, who had requested so, seemed to have given up on Hadith. Over a cup of tea, she conveyed to Jill that after he had let her Father kept his life, she couldn’t possibly ask more out of him.

However, when they started doing embroidery during the tea party, that was when it became apparent—

—Jill’s embroidering skill—or the lack thereof—Sufia shouted in panic.

“How about dancing—!? Poetry—!? Courtesy—!?”

Sufia came into the general conclusion that Jill couldn’t possibly survive the royalty life this way. Coming from Sufia, it became more convincing—after all, she had experienced the court of the Imperial City. From Sufia, Jill learned what being a lady truly entailed.

…no wonder Sufia often escaped from her studies during childhood…

“Umm… earlier, a letter arrived for Jill…”

After receiving the letter from Sufia, Camila handed it to Jill.

The white envelope had Jill’s name written in dark blue ink.

…when no one should’ve known that Jill was now in the Rave Empire, and moreover, in Veilburg.

It became apparent why Sufia was so panicked.

Above all was the familiar handwriting. Said handwriting incited a nauseating, unpleasant, premonition instantly.

Jill tore the letter and read its content. It was but a phrase—

—but the shock was too much for her, the envelope and the letter fell from her hands.

“Wa, wait, Jill-chan!? What happened!? Calm down, breath!!”

“I, I’m fine… it’s just… I just wanted to escape reality for a moment.”

“Oi, the letter will be blown by the wind—ah.”

“—well, well. As I thought, he just won’t give up easily.”

Awkwardly, Jill turned around to the low voice, which carried the same hint of cheerfulness as before.

He probably came from the courtyard after he finished clearing up. Hadith, who picked up the letter that fell at her feet, smiled.

A smile that was so menacing, Jill found her breath stuck to her throat.

“That is one passionate Prince… then, I also won’t lose, don’t you agree? My Amethyst Princess…”

“I, I don’t think he feels that way about me…”

“Well then, let’s prepare a festive welcome party for him. I shall accept his challenge—after all, love is war!”

Hadith’s eyes weren’t laughing at all.

Jill clutched her head. In her mind, she was beating her former fiancé to pulp.

Why won’t you give up—?! You even treated me like a traitor, and yet, still you dare to—!!!

『I’ll come fetch you now.』

In the present moment, and also six years later in the future, Geraldo De Kratos’ signature handwriting remained the same.

---

***T/N: 

“I agree~ after all, such a childish Emperor, all you have to do is push him down aaand—“

WOW, WOW, CAMILLA, YOU NEED JESUS ASAP–!!!!!!!!

///wind blew as Translator’s Journal part 3 opens/// ///is chewing a stalk of grass/// the day has come… It’s time to pay homage to Geraldo the Little Shit.

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