kscans

Chapter 61 - Episode 49: Clean Up Your Own Mess, Part 2

During her time at the academy, Falty had been a special student held in high regard by the teachers. She excelled not only in her studies but also in practical skills. She had no problems with communication. As a countess, she never lorded her status over the commoner students or made them feel uncomfortable. Everyone praised her. They started with words like ‘amazing’ and ‘wonderful,’ and some even called her a prodigy of her generation.

However, very few people knew that this praise mostly occurred when Lupia was away on official duties.

After all, despite not being a special student, Lupia was unbelievably talented. She had her studies as the heir to a ducal house, the martial arts she was taught to protect herself in times of crisis, and a wide array of magic. She had a fervent following among some of the students, and on top of that, she was the Crown Prince's fiancée. Her family was of noble and ancient lineage, a ducal house with royal blood. Her father protected the country as the Commander of the Knight Order, and her mother was a former princess of a neighboring kingdom. Her twin brother was studying abroad to become a knight, and she had heard he had chosen that path primarily to protect his twin sister when she became Crown Princess.

It’s not fair.

Falty and Lupia had never even had a proper conversation. The first emotion Falty felt was ‘it’s not fair,’ and that was all there was to it. She was envious of Lupia, who had a good family and a wonderful fiancé. She was jealous of Lupia, who had everything. The only thing she thought she had over Lupia was the bond within her family. The Ardia Count Family was very close. Even if that was all, it had given her a sense of superiority, but it was nowhere near enough.

It was then that the being called the Will of God (System) appeared to tempt her. Falty didn’t really understand what the ‘Grand Finale’ was, but the idea of the story progressing just as she wished was so much fun, such a wonderful sight. And the overwhelming sense of superiority she got from having Lupia—who wasn’t even her friend—listen to whatever she said was intoxicating. The high-ranking noble girls and even the teachers who had praised Lupia all said in unison, ‘You’re even friends with Lupia-san, you’re amazing!’ Everyone lauded Falty. Even when Lupia was there, they would say, ‘That’s Falty for you.’ Just as the Will of God (System) indicated, she steadily raised the favorability rating that appeared as a number above Liam's head, and she raised the favorability of those around him too, both male and female. Lupia’s favorability didn't rise much, but she still listened to her, and while the number wasn't at its maximum, it was still quite high. So, Falty thought everything would be fine no matter what, and she believed that the world she desired would continue even after the ending.

As a result, she overlooked something important, and the ending she achieved was the ‘Queen Route.’ While this was definitely a path to victory, she hadn't accomplished it on her own, so it was only natural for cracks to appear. When they did, the thing that had lent her its power pointed it out, and Falty finally realized the gravity of what she had done, but it was too late.

Because this was ‘reality.’

She felt as if Lupia was wordlessly accusing her of that. She didn’t want to change her way of thinking, but she couldn't help but think in her heart, The me who's trying to protect myself isn't wrong.

"...!"

Falty wanted to somehow escape Lupia’s eyes, which were both empty and accusatory, but for some reason, she couldn't look away. Even if it had been a pretense, Lupia had never looked at her with such lifeless eyes before. But now, Lupia was looking at her as if she were seeing filth, her gaze filled with every negative emotion imaginable. She had thought it was just ‘nothingness,’ but how could it change so much in such a short time?

"...Won’t you say something?"

Lupia quietly asked Falty. Her voice alone remained flat, devoid of emotion. Of course, Falty wanted to say something. But she couldn't. To begin with, the difference in experience between Falty and Lupia was just too vast. Lupia had been competent enough to handle practical duties as the Crown Prince’s fiancée from a young age, while Falty was merely excellent in her academy studies.

"Rumors, you know, they reach you from all sorts of places."

"What… does that have to do with anything…?"

Scary. That was the honest emotion Falty felt right now.

"From the commoners and lower nobility, I heard the most incredible things—mockery, ridicule. All sorts of baseless rumors were spread about me."

"…"

Of course they were! Falty wanted to scream, but she stopped herself just as she was about to.

"From the high nobility, there were laments that my family was gone, and voices of concern for the future."

"So what! What does that have to do with anything!"

"Oh my, even the rumored-to-be-brilliant Crown Princess isn’t all that, is she?"

Fufufu, Lupia laughed lightly. The sound was so airy, a complete contradiction to the heavy atmosphere, that Falty couldn’t help but look bewildered.

"Why is it, I wonder, that the stories are so different?"

"Huh?"

"Those with the correct information are concerned for the nation… but those who are enjoying themselves with incorrect information are the ones using me as entertainment for their drinks. For them, as long as they’re having fun ‘now,’ that’s all that matters."

A small ‘ah’ escaped Falty’s lips. That was true, but what of it? She still didn't quite understand.

"You still don’t get it? The people who are enjoying the ‘now’ aren’t looking at the ‘future’ at all."

"...!"

That’s right, Falty thought. The commoners, the lower nobles, they all made a fool of Lupia. They mocked her. That was all they did. As long as it entertained them, it didn't have to be Lupia. If it had been a scandal about Falty, or a new bakery opening nearby, or gossip about another family, it wouldn't have mattered. The target this time just happened to be Lupia, or the Calmond family.

The fated Crown Prince and Princess, united by a love story for the ages. And the poor, pitiful duke’s daughter who failed to win his love. ‘It’s because she was arrogant, because she rested on her laurels!’ they all said in unison as they pointed and laughed.

"Why should I have to do anything for people who constantly belittle me?"

"Are you saying it’s not wrong for the Calmond Ducal Family, the cornerstone of the nation’s defense, to up and leave because of your one selfish whim?!"

"The royal family prioritized ‘family,’ so we prioritized our family as well… Is there a problem?"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"You still don’t understand?"

"I told you—!"

Haaah, Lupia sighed, then moved her face right up to Falty’s and continued.

"The King and Queen listened to their son’s selfish wish and prioritized ‘personal’ feelings over the ‘nation,’ didn’t they?"

Having it broken down for her so simply, Falty couldn’t pretend she didn't understand anymore.

"That was the culmination of everything you’ve done, wasn’t it, Falty-Ardia? You became the heroine and achieved the… ‘Queen Route,’ was it? That’s what it means."

Falty wanted to say, ‘That’s not how it was,’ but this was reality.

"You, the King and Queen, His Highness, this entire country—you all ruined the future I was supposed to have. But you know, I think…"

As Falty stood there, speechless, Lupia continued to lay out the facts. The current reality. She threw it all straight at the culprit standing before her, the one who had brought about this entire situation.

"Thank you, for taking my future from me. I never wanted to be the Crown Princess in the first place. I hated it so much I cried and screamed and tore my room apart… I caused my family and all my relatives an incredible amount of worry back then."

"That she did."

"You, be quiet."

"Hey, I never heard about that."

"Brother, you be quiet too."

After cautioning both Aristerios and Rod, Millière watched as Lupia continued to speak without hesitation.

Thump, thump, thump. The sound of multiple footsteps was approaching.

The time for Falty to face not the ideal future she had envisioned, but the ‘reality’ she had to confront, was drawing closer by the second.