CHAPTER 3 Luna vs. Emma The week of the challenge between Luna and Emma had started. Their prize was Rintarou. The classroom at Camelot International High School for Class 2-C of the second-year students was unusually astir. “Wh-what the heck…is going on with those two?” They were in a break between classes. From a distance, the students watched Luna, at her window-side seat in the back, and Rintarou, who sat immediately behind her. “Hmph…” Luna was usually in a stupidly sunny mood, but on this day, she was clearly pouting. She propped her cheek in her hand and, feeling on edge, tapped on her desk. Occasionally, she would check how Rintarou was doing in the seat behind her. “……” On the other hand, Rintarou was being his usual self, completely ignoring Luna’s piercing gaze. He put his hands together behind his head and threw his legs onto his desk, feigning ignorance as he looked out the window. “Hmmmmph!” Luna had tried to make a point of her unhappiness, but when it was ineffective on Rintarou, she continued to sulk even more. “H-hey… What’s up with those two?” “They were, like, best friends before the weekend started…” “Right? They beat Mr. Sudou and sold bread and stuff together.” The students whispered to one another. There was a girl with long black hair who was watching over Rintarou and Luna with concern. That was Nayuki Fuyuse, who was sitting politely, dressed in her school uniform. “Hey, Kay,” she started, “do you think something happened between those two during the weekend?” “Lady Fuyuse… Um, well… It’s complicated. This situation came to be from an accumulation of factors… I don’t think I should be the one to explain it…” It wasn’t as though Sir Kay could explain the succession battle, so she tried to lead Nayuki off the scent by being vague. “Ah-ha-ha, we’re not in the greatest place. I mean, Mr. Kujou’s taken a leave of absence because he’s sick, and the vibe of our classroom has been in the gutter… Even Luna is in a bad mood…” “…You’re right…” Sir Kay remembered their earlier homeroom when it had been announced they would have a temporary substitute as their homeroom teacher. They had been informed the homeroom teacher would be taking a sick leave and that the other class’s teachers would be taking turns as their homeroom teacher for a while. However, all of those arrangements had been made officially for show for the students. Underneath it all, the city police of Avalonia had to be secretly investigating Kujou’s whereabouts as a missing person case—and the loose ends of that investigation would probably never be cleanly tied up. The students around them were talking about rumors: “Wonder who the next homeroom teacher’s going to be?” and “Maybe Luna and Magami aren’t getting along because they’re in love?” Nayuki continued to watch Luna and Rintarou with nervous eyes. “I think that…as long as it’s those two, they should be fine.” “Gosh… I hope.” In the eddy of noise from the class, Sir Kay’s sigh dissipated into nothing. “Hey, was there something you wanted to ask me, Rintarou?” It would have appeared that Luna couldn’t stand this mini Cold War anymore. With her head propped up in her hand, she was still pouting in annoyance as she spoke to Rintarou behind her. With his eyebrows raised, he looked at the back of Luna’s head. “What? …Nothing really,” he replied. “Liar. I know you do.” Luna became more worked up. “For example, don’t you want to ask about why I tried to sell you to Emma or something…?” “……” Rintarou narrowed his eyes slightly and remained silent. “With everything going on, I missed my chance to apologize, and I want to start by saying sorry… I did something terrible without asking. I’m a failure of a King for making light of my vassal… I think.” She must have been uncomfortable or embarrassed or frustrated because Luna looked into the distance as she wrapped her long hair around her pointer finger. With some hesitation, she started to incoherently mumble again. “But…about that… You know. I’m sure that you’ve got the wrong idea or something. Well, I guess you couldn’t help but get the wrong idea? Um… It’s like that… You get it, right?” Her eyes flicked to him again. Then again. There was something about her eyes. With every glance, Luna seemed to be imploring Rintarou from over her shoulder. “And for that battle… I’d really like you to choose me… I’m sure you can understand.” There were no traces of her usual arrogance and self-confidence. It was almost as though she were a kitten that had lost sight of its mother. “No idea,” Rintarou snapped with disgust in his eyes, thoroughly rejecting Luna’s desperate plea. “Aaah! Are you for real?! You’re seriously the densest!” Luna clutched her skull and ruffled up her hair. “Fine! I’m not good at being subtle. In that case, I’ll just tell you straight out!” She kicked over her chair and stood up and turned to Rintarou. “The reason I tried to sell you to Emma and took on that challenge was because—” But she wasn’t able to finish her sentence. “Excuse me. Is my mast—er, I mean, is Rintarou here?” The classroom door opened with a clatter, allowing entry to a petite girl. The students who had been anxiously watching the developments between Luna and Rintarou all turned their attention to the unexpected visitor. When she stepped foot in the classroom, it was as though their monochromatic lives had turned into technicolor, glittering like an opera stage flooded with light. That was because the girl who had appeared was that glamourous and cute. Her eyes were a brilliant green. Her features were dashing. Her platinum blonde hair flowed loose and soft, cut and permed in a way that accentuated her features. She had on a hint of makeup that was barely detectable. It didn’t obscure her natural naïveté and purity, but they were emphasized with grace. She had a ribbon adorning her with a silver cruciform pendant… Even the accessories were unobtrusive. She wore her uniform on her small frame in a refined way without deviating from the norms. It enhanced her understated fashion choices and transcendent beauty. As she passed by the other students, lightly fragrant perfume tickled their noses. She was the perfect specimen of a natural beauty putting in some effort. It was almost as though an idol had transferred over to their school, bringing radiance to their drab and humdrum classroom. “H-hey, who is that?! Looks like she’s an underclassman?!” “Did we always have this knockout cutie at our school?!” The classroom was in an uproar. Who is that? Rintarou’s and Luna’s expressions practically said. Based on their confused faces, they clearly had no clue. As she was showered by the stares of the class, her eyes scoured the classroom. “Oh.” Eventually, she caught sight of Rintarou and let a grin escape. “Maste… I mean, Rintarou! Hello!” She lightly waved her hand at Rintarou as she trotted over to him. “Hold up… Emma?!” “Whaaaaaaaaaat?!” Luna shrieked in hysterics when Rintarou finally made the realization and blinked. “Wait! A! Second! No way?! I’m sorry. What?! Where’s that untrendy and unkempt country bumpkin…? Excuse me?!” Luna sputtered, unbelievably rudely. Ignoring Luna, Emma gleefully stood in front of Rintarou. “Hmm? Oh, did you get a haircut? It’s like you transformed overnight. What the heck happened?” “Oh, ah-ha-ha… Um, well… Sir Lamorak showed me how to do this… I-I’m not really good at this stuff or that interested in it, but…I wanted to look as nice as I could for you, and I tried my best…” Emma seemed embarrassed, turning red and looking down. “I—I guess it doesn’t look good on me at all… I am an oaf, after all… Even if I dress up, I…” Emma kept her face hidden and insecurely shied away. “You can’t be serious! You’ve never looked better,” Rintarou praised, softening his face. “I didn’t recognize you at first. You never dressed up before… But wow. This is miles better than before. This is definitely how you should dress from now on. Got it?” “Um? Ah! Okay! Thank you so much!” Emma smiled happily. Her blushing face and her misty eyes were cute enough to even make a girl’s heart flutter. “Wh-wh-wha…?!” Luna, who had secretly prided herself in her looks—and won over Emma in that department before—grimaced and broke out into a cold sweat. Crap! She’s on par with me! You know…some people might even prefer Emma over me! Luna thought as Rintarou and Emma’s conversation continued. “I knew you transferred to this school, but I didn’t think you’d come and find me… What’s up? Did something happen?” “No… Well…there wasn’t any specific reason… I just wanted to talk to you.” “Talk? To me?” “Yes. Well, maste… I mean, Rintarou. Since we haven’t seen each other in a year, I thought we could catch up… Oh, I guess we’re enemies right now. Is that a problem for you?” “Not really. I couldn’t care less. I’m good at separating business and pleasure. When I’m living my own life, I can even share a drink with a foe, my mortal enemies, and even a serial killer.” “…What a relief! Thank you so much, Rintarou!” Rintarou and Emma were in their own little world and completely ignored Luna. “Grrrrr…! What’s with this?! All she did was dress up! Cough! Cough!” Luna began to hack up a lung—intentionally—as she continued to be left out. She glanced behind her, purposefully trying to draw Rintarou’s attention as he chatted. Those who would have noticed would have already seen the difference: Luna had changed out her ribbon from the day before. “Cough! Koff! Aaah! Hack-hack!” Luna continued her attempt to blatantly appeal to Rintarou. “…Are you feeling sick? You should go home.” Rintarou gave her a disaffected response. “AAAAH! GEEEZ!” she wailed. Bam! Bam-bam! Luna violently hit her own desk with her notebooks. Even as Luna acted so strangely along the sidelines, Rintarou and Emma continued to chat. Eventually, time passed, and they were nearing the end of the break… “…Oh, it’s time for our next class,” Emma muttered with reluctance and a pointed look at the clock. “Right. Okay, hurry and get back,” Rintarou urged. As if her mind had settled on something, Emma spun around to Rintarou. “U-um… Rintarou… Would it be okay to keep visiting you?” “…? …Me?” “Um… I still want to talk to you about some stuff… But… Of course… I don’t want to annoy you…” “Welp, you’re already too late for that! You’ve already annoyed the crap out of both of us! Don’t ever show yourself in front of me or Rintarou again! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!” Luna shoved her hand into a bag of Takata Salt—from god-knows-where—and started sprinkling it all around. “You know what? Why not? I’ll keep talking to you until you’ve had enough.” Rintarou had readily consented… “Aaaah! How couuuuld you?!” Fwump! Luna roughly hurled her bag of salt onto her own desk. “See you, Rintarou! Excuse me!” Emma saluted Rintarou with a cheerful smile as she said good-bye. The students in the classroom watched her in awe as though they were in a dream as Emma trotted away from their classroom in her squirrel-ish way. That was how a girl named Emma entered Rintarou’s and Luna’s school life. During their short hour-long breaks, Emma would frequently come and chat with Rintarou about anything and everything, then would reluctantly leave when classes resumed. Emma was starting to act like a puppy pining for her owner. When it had just started, their peers couldn’t hide their bewilderment… “Oh, Emma’s here!” “Yo! Rintarou! Your cute little long-distance wife’s here for you!” “W-wife?! H-hold on!” “Ah-ha-ha… Don’t worry about it. All right, come on.” …But the students got used to it over time. During breaks, it became normal for Emma to make the trip to their classroom, though she was from a different grade. “P-pardon me.” “Ah-ha-ha, good luck, Emma!” Emma was honest, courteous, and diligent. On top of that, her affection for Rintarou was obvious from her behavior. It was clear that she had no ulterior motives. She was completely different from Luna, who was twisted to her very core. Furthermore— “Oh, Rintarou! Your uniform cuff…is frayed and coming undone.” “Hmm? Huh. You’re right.” “Ha-ha, just hold still for a bit. I have a sewing kit with me.” “Oh… That’s what I’d expect from a girl.” “……Hmm. There we go. What do you think?” “Wow, it’s as good as new. Thanks, Emma.” “No worries.” Emma was apparently the devoted type, incredibly gallant and admirable when it came to Rintarou. She was happy to do anything when she could… It was just in her nature. That was why everyone wanted to cheer Emma on. “Oooh! Damn! I’m so jealous of Rintarou!” “Seriously! I can’t believe he’s got a nice cutie fawning over him! Damn!” “I hope things work out for Emma.” The students chatted among themselves as usual as they watched Emma come to Rintarou. “But I don’t think anything will come of her feelings anytime soon…” “Yeah… Plus, Rintarou’s got Luna, and she’s his childhood friend, too…” “But Luna and Rintarou are obviously in a huge fight right now.” “Which means…this might be Emma’s only chance?!” “Emma or Luna… Who will win?! This is a must-see!” After everything, they were still young boys at that age. It was incredibly entertaining to observe other people’s love lives. It had been three days. They were approaching the routine time for Emma to come to the classroom. During the break, Luna went to freshen up. When she came back, a conversation was already in progress. “Hey, where did the two of you meet?” “Oh, I wanna know, too!” “C’mon! Rintarou, hurry up and spit it out!” Emma was perched on Luna’s seat in front of Rintarou. A small cluster of their classmates was surrounding the two, merrily asking them questions. “Uh. Um… Erm, Rintarou and I… Well… Ha-ha-ha…” Emma started to blush, looking down… “Yeah. I met her briefly on a trip and helped her out… She was so clumsy that I couldn’t just stand by.” Rintarou was laid-back, his hands behind his head and his legs tossed over the top of his desk. “Uh… You’re so mean, Rintarou…but I’m really grateful…” “Wow… I can’t believe you would try to pick up a girl on a trip…” “Rintarou, I never would have pinned you as the romantic type…” “And? And then what? How did you help her? What happened?” That corner of the room began to buzz with excitement, as though they were actually talking about a budding romance. “……Why…! Why you…!” Luna scowled as veins popped out of her forehead. She looked at them with unimpressed eyes. Like, it was as if her place had been taken! She didn’t even have a place where she belonged anymore! To add insult to injury… “I’m so sorry for this last-minute invitation.” “No worries, it’s cool. We’re only really busy at night anyway.” It was after school. Rintarou and Emma were walking side by side on a large street heading toward the area near the station. There were all kinds of stores and types of entertainment for students. “…………” “…Uh, um. Luna?” Several yards behind the two was Luna with strangely steady eyes and a dark aura rising off her. She walked along with Sir Kay, who was loitering with her master. Emma hadn’t noticed the dark vibe that consumed Luna, talking blissfully with Rintarou. The two were oddly close together. Slowly, it seemed that Emma was closing the distance between her and Rintarou. At some point, they were no longer “walking together” so much as “leaning into each other.” But the thing that grated on Luna’s nerves the most was Rintarou’s attitude that suggested he couldn’t help but oblige. He didn’t seem that annoyed by Emma. “It’s a really cute place. I’d be happy if you liked it, too, Rintarou.” “Yeah? I’m picky about my coffee.” “Urp… Now I’m getting nervous… But I’ll try my hardest!” “Ha-ha-ha, you’re not the one who needs to try.” The two of them already seemed like occupants of their own little world. “Grrr…! I-is this the rumored Curtain of Consciousness…?!” “Oh, I see! In other words, we’re the illusory beings that have been forgotten and left behind, right?! Good one, Luna! Gotta hand it to you—Yow! That hurt! Sorry!” Luna put Sir Kay in a headlock, and her knight was in tears as she apologized. Even as Luna and Sir Kay were causing a ruckus, Rintarou and Emma had eyes only for each other. They were supposed to be going to this café together, but Luna and Sir Kay had been fated to be third wheels from the outset. For a while, Luna stared at the backs of the two as though she were a shadow girl. “Waaah! S-Sir Kaaay?!” she cried out as though she had finally reached her limit. “Huh? Luna… Aaah?!” Luna had grabbed Sir Kay’s collar, practically dragging her knight as she madly dashed away and jumped into a nearby alley. “Wh-wh-what is going on there?! What is that?! What is this?!” Luna interrogated. As Sir Kay coughed and sputtered, she was pushed into the wall. “Wh…? What’s what now…?” “Th-the whole mood between those two changed over the course of a few days. They’re basically clinging to each other, and it’s like they’re a step away from getting to something, and everyone is rooting for them, and the entire situation is just too much!” It seemed Luna had gotten a sense of the imminent danger. She had turned blue and lost all composure. “I-isn’t Rintarou my vassal?! He’s cast me aside and…now he’s with that girl—that’s unbelievable, right?!” “Please calm down, Luna. You’re not making any sense.” Sir Kay sighed and soothed Luna. “…In any case, this must be Sir Lamorak’s doing.” “Sir Lamorak…?” When Luna tilted her head, Sir Kay dispassionately explained her theory. “Yes. Sir Lamorak is trying to find the best way to bring Rintarou to Emma’s side regardless of who Rintarou chooses as the better King after the challenge.” “Y-you don’t mean…?” “Yes, I do. Frankly speaking, the fastest way to achieve this role is to make this about a romantic relationship.” Sir Kay shrugged and continued. “On the outside, she’s just joking around. But the method is unexpectedly logical. Judging by her actions from our first encounter, it’s clear that Emma is attached to Rintarou… From ancient times to modern day, men want to stand next to the woman of their affections. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t completely logical… Or so I’ve heard.” “Wh-wh-wh-what a coward! I can’t believe she’s using psychological warfare to give her an edge…?!” Hmmmph! Her face turning bright red, Luna stomped her feet. “Wh-which explains why Emma has been dressing up and coming by to see Rintarou! She got the whole class on her side for this…?!” “Yes, this is Sir Lamorak’s wiles… I’m willing to bet Emma is closely following her detailed directions. She probably doesn’t even know what she is doing herself.” Sir Kay sighed. “Sir Lamorak is an expert when it comes to love. Because of some tonic that she took when she was young, Sir Lamorak remains in the form of a child, as you can see. Even though she has this disadvantage, Sir Lamorak is a veteran of romance. She’s been with countless lovers as the result of her hard work and research.” “…Meaning she doesn’t depend on her looks to attract people… That must mean she mastered the inner workings of men and women!” “Yes. It doesn’t matter if her potential partner is in a relationship—or even married. When Sir Lamorak feels like it, she has a one hundred percent success rate, whether it be man or woman. Plus, she’s a beast in the sheets, and all the people that she’s been with have fallen head over heels for her.” “…What? Wait a second! W-women…? You just said women, didn’t you?” Luna’s face froze when she caught that bit. “Yes, she’s bisexual.” “She’s so indulgent! That little tramp!” Luna’s head was starting to pound. “I guess that’s what I’d expected for an era that just did people in and did people… What was that about chivalry? I can’t believe Sir Lamorak would be allowed to claim that she was part of the Round Table.” “She was simply that valiant and loyal to her King… And that’s that,” Sir Kay said sternly, and Luna went silent. “Emma has Sir Lamorak on her side. You would do well not to underestimate her methods of psychological warfare.” “B-but…” “Naturally, Emma isn’t Sir Lamorak. Emma can’t do what Sir Lamorak does. But…if this continues, there’s a chance Rintarou might turn to Emma’s side.” …Though I wouldn’t mind that, Sir Kay would have grumbled. “Th-that’s stupid! Th-there’s no way that Rintarou would abandon—” Luna was obviously upset. Her eyes were swimming as she refuted Sir Kay. “Yes, it’s true that Merlin would never abandon King Arthur—even if hell froze over. But…right now, he’s ‘Rintarou Magami’ and you’re ‘Luna Artur.’ You’re not Merlin and King Arthur.” “…Gh?!” At Sir Kay’s dispassionate words, Luna could only go silent. Eventually, Luna continued. “Ha-ha-ha-ha… Fine… I got it… If that’s how it is…!” She smiled ominously, full of passion now, even though it was the dark kind. She pulled a magazine from her bag. “I thought this might happen… Now I know buying this was the right decision!” “Um…Luna… What is that book?” Sir Kay glanced at it without interest. SHOW HIM THE GODDESS INSIDE! KILLER MOVES FROM KIRARA HIMEBOSHI screamed the garish cover. SWEET TECHNIQUES TO MAKE HIM MELT! MAKE THE GUY OF YOUR DREAMS CRAZY ABOUT YOU “It’s not okay for a King to flirt with her vassal! And it’s not like I see Rintarou like that! But as a woman, I can’t stand anyone thinking I’m any less than Emma! Just watch… I’ll use the techniques in this book and…! Heh-heh-heh…!” “Um, Luna? I think someone as pretty as you could get by without relying on that odd book… You should pursue him as you normally would… But as your pseudo-sister, I object to pursuing him, regardless of the chosen method.” “It’ll be fine! I’m going to try this out! As a King and as a woman, I outclass Emma, and I’ll prove it! Prepare yourself, Rintarouuu!” Luna gave herself a little pep talk before resolutely dashing away from that place. “……” Sir Kay watched her master’s back with half-open eyes…and eventually, an idea come to her. Ah, I can already tell this isn’t gonna work out. Sir Kay’s sigh echoed through the now abandoned alleyway. It was the following day. Their morning classes passed without a hitch, and it was now time for lunch. As Camelot International students, they had several ways to spend the break. First, they could go to the cafeteria. Second, they would buy bread or boxed lunches at the school cafeteria. Last, they could leave campus to eat. Because this was an international school with many students from abroad, the administration was generally lax. As long as they did it during lunch break, the students could leave the school grounds. Because of this policy, the hungry students would go their separate ways, procuring their lunches through their own methods. In that daily shuffle, Emma headed to the classroom of second-years, wading through the students. Her goal was, of course, to see Rintarou. …Hmm… Maybe I’m being too persistent? I’ve been trying to be with my master at every available opportunity… I wonder if he thinks I’m annoying…? Though she was anxious, she didn’t stop. It’s fine… At least, it should be fine. I’m doing exactly what Sir Lamorak told me, after all… As she rebuked herself, Emma recalled Sir Lamorak’s lecture. … “—Do you get it now? Do you understand the importance of presentation and style?” Sir Lamorak had proudly thrust out her chest and explained as Emma sat in front of her and nodded, a pen and pad of paper in hand. “You need to make yourself look cute, pretty, and cool to your target. If you have childish features, you make yourself more mature. If you look old, you make yourself look young. If you’re fat, get skinny. At the very least, fix yourself up to the point where you’re not unsightly. This isn’t even about love as the basic foundations that make up interpersonal relationships. “Even gender knows no bounds when it comes to this. The losers of the world who complain about their undesirability have already failed this step. They all have uncool haircuts, frumpy clothes, and flabby bodies. There’s just no effort at all. “I mean, even the ugliest person in the world could look halfway decent with some serious effort. “Basically, all those people ranting about how we shouldn’t ‘judge a book by its cover’ are fools. I’ll tell you this: Fixing yourself up is basically social charity. Someone who can’t even do that couldn’t have anything on the inside, right? To start out, you spruce yourself up. That’s the first step to mastering love.” “Y-yes! I’ll take that to heart!” Emma was incredibly sincere and nodded in a way that satisfied Sir Lamorak. “Good. Then let’s review. ‘Make yourself look as stylish as possible.’ But the caveat is—?” “To keep it natural! We’re being considerate to society when we look better!” “Bene est! Good! There’s no need for you to go over-the-top. You shouldn’t wear unbecoming brand-name items or dress up for sex appeal. The only ones who get caught up by that are himbos anyway.” “H-himbos…?!” Emma’s face turned bright red beside her. Sir Lamorak continued dispassionately. “Okay, next! Let’s go over how you’ll approach him. We need to make you a persona.” “A—a persona…?” When Emma heard she would be acting, she showed her slight disapproval. “Um… I’m not sure about pretending… Wouldn’t it be better if I acted like my natural self?” “Unfortunately, you need to make up a persona to a certain extent when it comes to love. Don’t overdo it, but if you’re naturally moody or shy—or have an ugly personality—you can’t help it, right? Plus, there are popular and unpopular types of personalities. Well, just think of it as your little act of social charity.” “Y-yes… Charity… Right!” “But…when it comes to you, I guess there really isn’t much of an issue? We can work with your natural personality. If anything, a twisted guy like Merli… I mean, like Rintarou, might react better to your normal self.” “Oh? Y-you think so…?” “Yes. But to make up for that, I’ll let you know something that you absolutely can’t do when it comes to a persona. You can’t pretend to be a good girl. Trying to act innocent or dumb also won’t work—especially with someone as shrewd as Rintarou. He’ll see through the thoughts behind your thoughts. He’d hate you even if you only did it once.” “Even after only doing it once…? O-okay…got it…” “Also! I forgot to tell you the most important thing! You can do things for your crush, or devote yourself to them in some way, or make sure they’re enjoying themselves… This is a basic skill when you’re dealing with someone indifferent to you, but you absolutely cannot think they owe you for their actions!” “What…?” “Humans are often the type to fall for that kind of idea. Like, thinking the other person owes you, because you’ve done all this stuff for them. But you’re actually just trying to sell yourself with your kindness and goodwill… And that’s a trap. “I mean, you have no idea if your actions can make them happy. They might not even give it a second thought. You might end up causing trouble for them. You might end up seeming annoying. You always need to keep that in mind whenever you do things for anyone. “And these actions might even bring on pain. If you end up being rejected, then you’ll end up embarrassed. “Though it’s sad to say, you just won’t be able to get the person to look at you if you don’t do something. I’m sure you’ve heard about people with enough charm and kindness to attract people. But that only happens in stories. You got that?” “I—I understand, Professor Lamorak!” “Good. Then, I’ll be your love professor and teach you practical strategies from here on.” … …Yeah, it’ll be fine. I’m following Sir Lamorak’s teachings! And she said…that master was lonely all the time, and his type wouldn’t hate someone just for hanging around him all the time… Okay. Emma regained her motivation and hastened her feet as she headed to his classroom. Emma Michelle…was serious. She was serious, and she was in love with a boy named Rintarou Magami. She wanted him to see her and only her. She wanted him to come to her. She wanted him to be by her side… I mean…! I finally…finally found him…! She remembered the days she had spent with Rintarou in the past. While Emma had spent her days in rigorous religious training to become a King in the remote French countryside, Rintarou Magami had appeared in front of her one day aimlessly carrying a duffel bag. Even though Rintarou had taught her the bare minimum about swordsmanship and magic, she had gotten a grasp on it very quickly. At the time, her lack of training and sluggish progress had exasperated her. In just a short time, she had grown enough to be considered among the upper crust of the candidates in the succession battle. Right… Everything I have now is thanks to my master… Thanks to Rintarou… If only she could be with him—she had been thinking that was what she wanted. It didn’t take long for Emma to be drawn in by Rintarou. But one day, Rintarou had abruptly disappeared from Emma’s side. And he had left her with those brutal words. I…hate this. I hate being left by someone I treasured… By the time she realized it, Emma had clenched her hand into a fist. We’re finally together again! It was a miracle…! If I let him get away again, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life…! Please Jesus, Lord in heaven… Give me strength… Give me the courage of a lifetime… She closed her eyes tight as she put her hands to her chest as if in prayer. Eventually, Emma opened her eyes, and she stepped forward with an expression full of determination. “…So. It’s fine that we left the classroom…but what are we doing now?” Rintarou asked Emma, who walked next to him. Emma had successfully gotten to his classroom and invited Rintarou to lunch. When she had invited him out, she had been so embarrassed and nervous that she had been belligerent, but the other students around her cheering her on had been her saving grace. If Luna had been there, they would have ended up in a fight, but…luckily, she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Emma had invited Rintarou out. She had been real smooth. “Want to go to the cafeteria? Or we could just buy bread at the school store?” Rintarou suggested. “Well, it’s been a while since I’ve had a meal with you… It’s a special occasion. How about we grab a bite to eat off campus?” “Uh! Um…!” She had to admit she was charmed, but Emma already had her own plans. Their personalities were different, and they couldn’t do anything about that, but if Emma was careless, she would immediately get swept up by Rintarou. Emma took a deep breath and resisted. “A-actually, I—I made lunch for us today! Would you eat together with me?!” …It was a completely corny and classic move. However, according to Sir Lamorak, Emma could use this cliché move to show her affections—and it was a way of obtaining information necessary for her next strategy. Naturally, it was a lot for someone to make lunch for another person without advance notice. Like really intense. Would they eat it? Would they reject it? If so, how would they say no? If he ate it, what would he look like? At the present moment, it would gauge his affections for her—and apparently give her an idea about their next steps. “Of…of course, I didn’t ask if you wanted this. If it’s inconvenient, then…” Sir Lamorak had said she didn’t need to worry whatsoever about the outcome. Even if Emma were rejected, there were apparently all kinds of ways to deal with it. (Sir Lamorak was a veteran of love, after all.) The most important thing was to determine his reaction. But Emma was a young woman. It was scary to be rejected. Emma’s face turned red, and her heart thumped as she waited for Rintarou’s decision… “Oh? You serious? Is it homemade?” Rintarou didn’t look all too displeased as he grinned. “You know, I’ve been eating out a lot lately. I haven’t had anything but meals from convenience stores! I’d be happy to eat your lunch.” “Y-you would?! Th-thank you so much!” Emma let her lips spread into a smile. “…Hey, hey, why are you thanking me? I should be the one thanking you.” “B-but I’m happy!” They were in the middle of this exchange when stuff happened. “Wait right there, you glamourous duo!” shouted a voice from behind. What’s going on…? Rintarou and Emma both turned around. “Heh-heh-heh!” Behind them was a girl with a smarmy grin who thrust her chest forward and posed in an alluring—albeit forced—way. Her blond hair had been set into huuuge ringlets. Along with the overpowdered and ghoulishly white face, she wore a surplus of eye shadow and false lashes. Her red lipstick was sickeningly sticky. From all limbs dripped accessories of gold, silver, and precious stones—jangling and gaudy. The pungent perfume made its way to them even from a distance… It was Luna—after going about some dizzying transfiguration. ““…Holy…,”” groaned Rintarou and Emma in synchrony as they looked at her with unwelcoming eyes. “Heh-heh! What do you think, Rintarou?! You almost didn’t recognize me, huh?!” “…Yup. You got that right,” Rintarou said for the time being. “Heh-heh. See? This is what happens when I actually try to look cool!” “Uh. Um… Luna? I think coolness comes from a more natural look… And this is very unnatural…” “Whaaat? You haven’t got a clue! You’re a little oaf that just couldn’t understand my dignified style. Wah-wah! How pwathetic!” Who’s the pathetic one? Rintarou and Emma couldn’t help but want to retort. “And get a look at this. See these brand-name accessories? Aren’t they wonderful?!” Luna had mistakenly assumed they had been overwhelmed by her beauty and jangled her jewels as she showed them her head-to-toe accessories. They had no idea how she had procured them, but she had necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and a tiara all made from precious metals and stones. She had stacked two rings on each of her fingers.
Chapter 22
30 min read