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~Chapter 22~
My ears rang. What was I even hearing right now?
“Honestly, since I’m on the Grand Tour, I shouldn’t be falling into romance right now.”
“…”
“But if you’re okay with it… I’d like to spend more time together during the Grand Tour.”
“…”
“In the past, you said you liked me too. We could travel together now, and if things go well, when we return… we could think about dating seriously…”
“N-no way!”
I shouted with a horrified expression, and Albert flinched.
Maybe I had been too blunt, but I was just as shocked.
“This is wrong. You can’t fall for me. You’re not supposed to.”
When had things turned out like this?
At first, I just wanted to be nice to Albert because he was the one who would eventually kill me.
Now, I had to turn this around.
“I-I don’t like Your Highness,” I said firmly.
“…But you confessed to me so many times before. You said you wanted to start dating quickly.”
“That was back then! People’s feelings can change!”
It wasn’t me who liked Albert, but Irene—the original owner of this body.
And I was just a reader who had ended up inside Irene’s body.
If I ever dated anyone, it wouldn’t be Albert. I’d rather…
“I’d rather date Eric!”
…Huh?
My eyes widened.
The moment the words left my mouth, I realized what a huge mistake I had made.
I had just blurted out exactly what I was thinking.
My heart dropped.
“Oh no, am I crazy…?”
I looked at Albert nervously.
He was staring at me with a blank expression, clearly shocked.
Then a fire I’d never seen before lit up in his eyes.
“You… you like Eric?”
I felt like crying.
Somehow my relationships with the male leads are heading for disaster…
“Hey, Albert.”
A while later, Eric returned to the cabin humming after walking around the train by himself.
He was in a good mood.
He had started this trip to enjoy a peaceful break, but he had been frustrated from not being able to fight. Thanks to the earlier incident, he had been able to loosen up.
On top of that, he had even helped Irene and Albert’s relationship progress as a good friend.
Eric was sure he had skillfully stepped aside at just the right time.
After helping so much, their awkward relationship must have improved by now.
If it hadn’t, Albert was truly hopeless when it came to romance.
Albert was lying in his bed, wrapped up in his blanket, not moving. Eric approached and grinned.
“Did you have a good talk with the young lady?”
“…”
Is he asleep? Eric tilted his head and poked him.
“Hey, Albert? Are you…?”
“Do you like Irene?”
“Whoa!”
Albert suddenly threw off the blanket and sat up, asking the question.
He had startled Eric, a knight no less. Eric clutched his chest.
But… wait, what?
“Do you like Irene?”
“Huh?”
Eric tilted his head.
Albert was staring at him with a strangely resentful look.
“What are you talking about? Me, like the young lady? Why?”
Eric looked confused, then asked with a look of realization.
“Wait… did things still not go well between you two even after I left to give you time to talk?”
Eric was shocked.
His one and only best friend Albert… was truly terrible at romance!
“…Get out.”
“Huh?”
Albert bit his lip hard and spoke.
“Of course, I’m thankful you fought for me earlier. Really. But…”
“But?”
“Eric, I hate you. So much. Damn it.”
“…”
“Don’t come near me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t be handsome. Don’t be athletic. Damn it, why is your chest so big too?”
“…Huh?”
“I don’t want to see you anymore, so get out… Let’s just travel separately from now on.”
Albert glared at Eric, who was standing there with a clueless expression, then pulled the blanket over his head again, refusing to talk further.
“…What’s wrong with him?”
Eric tilted his head in confusion.
[Next stop is Sinks Station. The train will depart after a 20-hour stop.]
The train whistle blew for the first time in a while.
The Ramier Express slowly pulled into the platform.
I looked out the window at the large sign that said “Sinks Station.”
“Sophie, it must be cold here. Everyone’s wearing thick clothes.”
We were still inside the cabin, so I couldn’t feel the cold, but I could tell from the view outside.
People walking back and forth on the platform were all wearing heavy coats.
“This place is much farther north than Lata. They say Sinks gets the most snow on the continent in winter.”
Sophie answered as she dragged a travel bag from the corner.
“What’s that?”
“Who am I? I’m the lady’s maid who always prepares for the weather perfectly!”
She opened the bag and took out several thick outfits.
“The air outside will be cold. You need to dress warmly and wear earmuffs too.”
Sophie handed me a thick fur-lined cloak and earmuffs with lace on them.
I laughed awkwardly as I looked at the fancy earmuffs.
“Where does she even find things like this…?”
“You’ve liked these earmuffs since you were a child. Aren’t you glad I brought them?”
“Ah… I see. I liked these…”
I took the lace-trimmed earmuffs, feeling strangely out of place.
When I thought about it, Irene and I really had different tastes. Food, clothes, even our taste in men.
“Speaking of men… I can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday…”
The conversation with Albert suddenly came to mind.
The moment I had dropped that bomb on him—telling him I’d rather date Eric.
[Is that true?]
[W-what?]
[Do you really like Eric?]
Albert’s face had turned serious as he asked me that.
I had planned to say no, but my mind had betrayed me.
In the next moment, I closed my eyes tightly and shouted:
[Yes, I like him!]
As if I were really in love with Eric.
“Sorry, my favorite side character. I’m going to use you a bit because you’re my favorite…”
I wanted to use this moment as my chance. A chance to push Albert away completely.
If I told him I liked someone else, Albert would no longer come close to me.
Besides, Eric was a man of unwavering loyalty. Even if he heard this somehow, I believed it would never make him actually like me.
[Actually, I’ve been secretly in love with Sir Eric. Now you’ve caught me.]
[…]
[He’s handsome, muscular, broad-chested, strong, deeply chivalrous…]
[…]
[He’s also loyal, serious and honest, straightforward in love, doesn’t play with women’s feelings, and would even give his life for the person he loves…]
Since it had come to this, I listed every reason I had ever liked Eric as a reader.
Albert frowned hard.
[How would you even know what Eric’s like when he’s in love? I’ve never seen it myself.]
[…Oh, I can feel it. A woman’s intuition, you know.]
[And serious? You don’t know how much of a weirdo Eric really is.]
[A-anyway!]
I also made sure to warn Albert strictly.
[Don’t tell Sir Eric. I don’t want the amazing knight to find out about my feelings!]
I pretended to be a shy noblewoman and ran out of the cabin.
When I glanced back, Albert was sitting there with his mouth open, completely shocked.
