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It was obvious from the kabedon as well, but her eyes looked clearly glassy. This was ‘dark Alicia,’ or perhaps ‘Alicia after falling into darkness’. 

This is what she was called in Espressivo of Light and Darkness, and she was a character that one must not anger. This was the reason why she competed for the first place with Lady Sophia.

However, Alicia only became like this when she was sincerely worried about someone. She didn’t become this angry even when she was being harassed by Lady Sophia after she had already fallen into darkness. Therefore, no matter how angry she got, there was no need for me to be afraid–

“Cyril, are you listening?”

“My apologies.”

She was looking up at my face from her lower eye level, still in the kabedon position. Speaking of which, this behaviour was unbecoming of a young Lady. Was Melissa not going to stop her…?

…Nope, Melissa was staring into empty space while smiling as if she didn’t see anything.

“Why aren’t you rescuing Lady Sophia, Cyril?”

“I said this to His Highness, Prince Alforth as well, but if you want to stop it from happening, then shouldn’t you do something about it yourself, Lady Alicia?”

I gave her an unkind reply that basically meant ‘Don’t just leave it to other people.’ However, Alicia didn’t lose her composure and she put a little bit of distance between us, releasing me from the kabedon. Then she smiled.

“You’re like a prince to me, Cyril.”

“…But I am a mere butler.”

“Even if that’s true, it doesn’t change the fact that I see you as a prince. But that’s because you’re kind to everyone, Cyril. I know that I am not your princess.”

Alicia was smiling a colourless smile. It wasn’t that she wasn’t feeling anything, but that she was suppressing her emotions. She was worried about Lady Sophia, even if that meant that she had to bury her own feelings. I was seized by guilt over making her say such things, and it made my chest tighten painfully.

“Why aren’t you rescuing Lady Sophia, Cyril? By any chance you don’t mean to imply that you don’t wish to stop Lady Sophia’s political marriage, right?”

Alicia’s eyes were saying, ‘Isn’t she your princess?’ 

Moreover, it wasn’t like Alicia hadn’t done anything herself. She thought that, in order to save her friend, the best option was to make me do something. I couldn’t say that this conclusion was overestimating me. Certainly, if I went to any length necessary, it would definitely be possible for me to prevent Lady Sophia’s political marriage.

…Alicia had truly gotten stronger. She was in her first year of middle school, so, technically, the original story of the game hadn’t even started. And yet, the current Alicia was as mature as the version of herself that existed towards the end of the original story.

However–

“You’re misunderstanding one thing, Lady Alicia.”

“…I’m misunderstanding something?”

“In the end, I am but a mere butler. Therefore, what I want is irrelevant. The most important thing is what Lady Sophia wants.”

“…What she… wants? I don’t even need to think about that. There’s no way that Miss Sophia1wants a political marriage.”

“Yes. But, is that all?”

Lady Sophia didn’t want a political marriage. This much was obvious even without anyone telling me so. But at the same time, Lady Sophia was also keeping the country’s interests in mind. Simply tearing apart a political marriage using any means possible wouldn’t fulfil her wishes.

“Cyril, are you perhaps implying that…”

“I mean, I am her exclusive butler.”

I smiled, thinking that I most likely needn’t say more to Alicia. Right after, there was a knock on the lounge room’s door. The one knocking was Imperial Princess Charlotte’s servant, and, apparently, the Imperial Princess was calling for me. 

“I’m coming right away,” I replied. “I shall excuse myself then, since Her Highness is calling for me.”

I turned on my heel and attempted to leave, but Alicia grasped my sleeve and stopped me.

“…Lady Alicia? I have to leave.”

“Just one more thing… Well, I said some unnecessary things.”

“Do not worry about it.”

“But– ugh.”

She tried to put her words together, her expression looking even more tormented now. I pressed my index finger against her lips, closing them.

“I know that you were simply worried, Lady Alicia.”

So, there’s no need to apologize.

I laughed. If anything, I was grateful that she was worried for me.

***

After Cyril left the lounge room, Alicia, Melissa’s master, stared at the door he had left through in a daze. Furthermore, her elegant finger was placed on her own lips, right at the spot where Cyril had just touched them. This was clearly the face of a young girl in love and Melissa was angry at Cyril, who had caused Alicia to have such an expression.

“Lady Alicia, what do you even see in him? Isn’t he just a people pleaser? He’s toying with your maiden heart even though he doesn’t think of you like that… It’s unforgivable,” Melissa spat out words filled with something akin to resentment. However, a coworker of hers, another maid, pulled at her sleeve right after she finished speaking. Melissa bit her lips.

“…I apologize, Lady Alicia.”

No matter how frivolous Cyril was, there was no doubt that Lady Alicia was charmed by him.

‘Even though he doesn’t think of you like that.’ 

She went too far by saying that and she regretted it but, at the same time, she believed that this was a truth that Lady Alicia needed to accept.

However–

“It’s alright, Melissa. You heard what I told Cyril earlier, right? I’ve realized that he doesn’t think of me like that a long time ago.”

“But…”

There were times when kindness became a punishment. Treating someone tenderly without feeling about them in the same way will end up hurting them. If he didn’t understand that much then he was a fool, but, if he acted as he did even though he was aware of Lady Alicia’s feelings, then he was the worst.

“Melissa, it is what I wanted.”

Alicia reminded her with these words. Her Lady wasn’t under any delusions. Despite that, she had no intentions of giving up on her feelings. The butler had stopped pushing her away precisely because he understood her determination.

‘If you don’t mind the fact that you might get hurt, then do as you wish.’

“I understand that he sympathizes with your feelings. I do understand that, but…”

“Oh, do you think that I plan on fighting a losing battle, Melissa?”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I was trying to imply, in the slightest…”

That was a lie. In fact, she did think that. 

Although, regarding her lineage Lady Alicia was only the daughter of a Viscount, she was the type of person who could easily tell another’s weaknesses and sympathize with others. So Melissa believed that she was capable of even becoming this country’s queen. 

Nevertheless, the one she liked was terrible. That was how Melissa saw it.

However, if Lady Alicia was going to try and fulfil her desires nevertheless, there was one weak spot that she could take advantage of—that the two of them wouldn’t compromise.

Therefore, Melissa believed that, if Lady Alicia only focused on her sole objective of making Cyril hers by using any means necessary, then she might even have a chance at success.

Therefore–

“Melissa, I’ll go back to the party as well. It seems that Cyril will be devoting his time to Imperial Princess Charlotte for a while, so I have to go support Lady Sophia.”

Melissa couldn’t understand the intent behind these words her master had just said.

“…Lady Alicia, could it be that your plan is to rescueLady Sophia?”

“Of course.”

“But…”

‘In order to steal Cyril, it would be better if you didn’t hinder Lady Sophia’s political marriage.’ There was no way that Melissa could say those words out loud. 

Moreover, above all else, there was no way that Lady Alicia wasn’t already aware of this.

“…I see. You will have to walk the same path as him then, won’t you, my Lady?”

Why was Cyril submitting to the fact that his master was sought after as a subject of political marriage? Melissa knew the answer from the conversation he had just had with Lady Alicia. Therefore, she thought that her own master sympathized with him.

However, if you run after two hares, you will catch neither. Very few people were able to chase after both hares and obtain both.

It was clear that Cyril was someone Lady Sophia needed. It was also obvious that Cyril treasured Lady Sophia above anyone else. If she couldn’t come between their bond, then Lady Alicia’s desire wouldn’t be fulfilled. However, if she did, then the relationship between the two of them would definitely fall apart. 

Earlier, Lady Alicia had asked her if she believed that she intended on fighting a losing battle and Melissa denied it, saying that she wasn’t thinking anything of the sort. But she was wrong.

Her Lady wasn’t denying these words. After preparing herself for the possibility of not getting even one hare, Lady Alicia was chasing after the two irreplaceable hares.

“…What a troublesome2 personality,” Melissa sighed, her tone full of sorrow at her noble master’s future.

Thank you for reading! Well this is all unfolding rather interestingly! Wonder what everyone has up their sleeves.

Thank you for all the comments as well!! I\'ve gotten a lot busier with my other job so I don\'t answer as many of them but I really appreciate all of them!! Plus they\'re really fun to read!

1. different, less polite honorific was used in the raws here
2. troublesome here carries the connotation that she creates trouble for herself