Chapter 7: The Fateful Encounters

0″Do you remember Richelle and Elliott?”

“Let me see…”

Grandmother looked toward the Empress and the Crown Prince. I do remember the Crown Prince, but only from the game.

“…Since you were little, it’s understandable. This is Empress Richelle. And this child here is Crown Prince Elliott.”

Grandmother knew I had lost my memory. Her previous words were likely an attempt to see if I might recall anything. I felt apologetic for not being able to remember.

“It’s been a long time, Sakuraile. We only met once, so it’s natural you don’t remember. Elliott was small, so he probably doesn’t remember you either, does he?”

“Yes, Mother. So… it is a pleasure to meet you, Sakuraile. I am Elliott Le Sinfonia.”

The blond, emerald-eyed Crown Prince Elliott greeted me with a smile. As expected of a capture target, his smile had devastating power even as a child. No, no, I must not be swayed.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Crown Prince Elliott. I am Sakuraile le Philharmonie.”

I returned a curtsy, deflecting his approach. His smile was certainly charming, but ultimately, it was just the smile of a child. No emotion other than a feeling of “cuteness” surfaced.

I had to keep a respectful distance and avoid getting involved with him as much as possible. We were simply cousins. A relationship that was nothing more or less than that. That was the ideal.

“I recently received a [Gift]. I brought souvenirs obtained with it for all of you. I hope you will enjoy them.”

The souvenirs, which had been handed over beforehand, were brought in by the castle’s maids.

They included cheap sweets, carbonated drinks, and toys. The cheap sweets were brought out of their small packages and served on a platter. Well, they probably need to be tasted for poison.

“What is this…! I have never seen anything like it…”

“These are confections. Some are sweet, while others are salty or spicy. The drinks might be a little stimulating, but they are delicious, Brother.”

Father smiled wryly. Yes, the first time he drank carbonation, Father’s eyes nearly popped out. He probably intends to make His Majesty suffer the same fate.

“What is this? An accessory? Or maybe an interior decoration?”

Crown Prince Elliott picked up an object, tilting his head in wonder. Yes! He took the bait!

“This is called a ‘Six-Sided Puzzle.’ The six sides have different colors, but if you do this…”

I took the mini ‘Six-Sided Puzzle’ that Elliott was holding and rapidly moved it with a clack-clack-clack, solving all six colors in just a few minutes.

Hehe, my father in my previous life taught me the trick, so I’m good at this.

“Amazing! All the different colors are matched!”

“It’s difficult, but would you like to try it?”

“Yes!”

I deliberately scrambled the colors thoroughly and handed it back to Elliott.

Elliott became absorbed, continuously turning the puzzle, and entered his own world.

Hmm, target eliminated. I know Elliott is the type to get deeply engrossed when he concentrates on something.

All according to plan… heh.

“Oh my! This sweet is so delicious! It’s both sweet and slightly bitter!”

Oh, I’m glad the Empress seemed to enjoy the petite chocolate cake.

Next to her, His Majesty the Emperor had a surprised expression after drinking the cider. Seeing that, Father smirked.

“To think I could eat such delicious frozen sweets… They are incomparable to the fruit frozen sweets served at the castle.”

Grandmother was savoring the ice cream. There seemed to be frozen sweets here, too, but most were sherbet-like items made from frozen fruit.

“Sakuraile received a wonderful [Gift],” Grandmother smiled at me while enjoying her ice cream.

[Store Summoning] is limited, but it is certainly a useful [Gift]. Honestly, I would have preferred a [Gift] that was useful for combat, though…

“Yes. It seems there is still room for various growth, but I haven’t quite mastered its use yet…”

“A [Gift] is a divine blessing. If you put in the effort, you can gain even greater power. Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.”

That is what is called a “Blessing” here.

To be frank, it is the level of the [Gift] in the game.

I don’t know about Sakuraile, the villainess, but the heroine’s [Gift], [Holy Miracle], increases in usable abilities: at Level 1, it’s minor healing magic; at Level 2, it includes recovery magic… and so on.

Oh, healing magic is for fixing physical wounds and injuries, and recovery magic is for improving condition, stamina, and curing illness. At Level 3, Holy Summoning magic is added to that. Since both healing and recovery are strengthened as the level goes up, it truly is an incredible [Gift]. That’s the protagonist for you.

The level-up for my [Store Summoning] is probably ‘being able to summon a new store,’ I think… I hope it’s not ‘the store expands,’ right?

That store was the same size until it closed, so I don’t think that’s it.

Wait, there’s also the possibility of ‘new product arrivals’…. No, in that case, it would be [Cheap Sweets Store Summoning], wouldn’t it?

While contemplating my [Gift], His Majesty the Emperor, who was nibbling on vinegar squid, spoke to me.

“There have been several cases in the past of a [Gift] summoning such unknown goods from another world. However, it was usually only one or two items at most, and in most cases, they had no idea what the summoned item was. I have never heard of anyone being able to summon this much volume. It seems Sakuraile is quite favored by Samonia, the Goddess of Summoning.”

Is that so? I thought I was praying for [Beast Demon Summoning]…

In a way, you could say that my very existence was summoned to this world. Is that why I am favored?

“Elliott’s [Gravity Change] is a quite usable [Gift], but Sakuraile’s [Gift] might be more favorably received by the subjects.”

Crown Prince Elliott’s [Gravity Change] [Gift], as the name suggests, changes the weight of everything within range, excluding himself.

I don’t know what level it is now, but by the end of the game, he had enough power to completely immobilize one person. The one who was immobilized was me, the villainess, who snapped back at the heroine.

It’s true that [Store Summoning] might be more useful for state affairs than [Gravity Change]. Reselling the goods for money is an option, or they could be bestowed as gifts.

“I would be delighted if you would use that [Gift] to serve the Royal Family. What do you say, Sakuraile? If you wish, an engagement with Elliott—”

“Ah, I refuse.”

I won’t let him finish that sentence!

The movements of everyone around me froze when I decisively rejected the King’s proposal. Only the person in question, Elliott, remained absorbed, wrestling with the ‘Six-Sided Puzzle.’ He clearly didn’t hear a thing.

If this were an official setting, it would be considered lèse-majesté, and I might not have been able to refuse due to various problems, but this was a private gathering. There was only family present. A certain degree of impropriety could be forgiven. Moreover, this was my only chance to refuse an engagement with the Crown Prince. So, I will refuse outright!

“Ah, um… I-is there a reason?”

The King, shaking his head, snapped out of his stunned expression and asked for a reason. In response, I held up three fingers emphatically.

“There are three reasons. First, I want to choose my own marriage partner. Although a noble may have unwanted marriages for the sake of the family, there are countless examples where this led to domestic discord and ruined the house. I believe the feelings of the two individuals are the most important. Second, I have no interest in those my age or younger. I prefer reliable gentlemen who are older, like Father. Lastly, I have not the slightest intention of leaving my Father and Mother. I wish to remain by their side and honor them for many years to come. If the two of them were to tell me to hurry up and marry, I would sadly have no choice but to obey, but…”

“We would never say that!”

“Exactly! You can stay at home for as long as you like!”

Father and Mother, who were on either side of me, hugged me, putting me in a sandwich embrace. Hehe, all according to plan. How about that, Your Majesty? Can you bear to tear this close-knit family apart?

The Empress, who was next to His Majesty the Emperor, chuckled softly.

“Hehe. My dear, it seems this is impossible.”

“…It appears so. Well, it cannot be helped. But for the sake of this country, as a member of le Philharmonie family, you will lend your strength, won’t you?”

“Yes. That, I will do with pleasure.”

Yessss! I successfully crushed the fiancé flag! Surely I will win with this!

In this country, women can inherit titles and even the throne. I might inherit the le Philharmonie Ducal House unless a younger brother is born to me. No way am I going to marry into another family!

…Wait, now that I think about it, do I have a claim to the throne? And is it surprisingly high?

Crown Prince Elliott is the first in line to the throne, right? Second is Father, the Emperor’s younger brother. Is the third… me?

Considering that I have Imperial blood, would that be the case?

That would change if Crown Prince Elliott marries the heroine and has children. But maybe that’s getting ahead of myself.

Or maybe if Elliott has younger siblings. Wait, did Elliott have younger siblings in the game…?

Having completed one major task, I completely let down my guard. After that, I didn’t interrupt the adults’ conversation and remained as quiet as a borrowed cat. I chatted with Grandmother from time to time, and my first meeting with the Imperial Family successfully came to an end.

Crown Prince Elliott was engrossed in the ‘Six-Sided Puzzle’ until the very end. He seemed to have managed to solve one side, at least.

When I offered him a larger, standard-sized ‘Six-Sided Puzzle’ as a gift, telling him to keep it if he liked it, he was extremely delighted. In many ways, that was hardly enough of an apology for everything he would go through.

Father still had business with His Majesty the Emperor, so Mother and I decided to take our leave first.

“I’m glad the Empress Dowager was also pleased.”

“Yes. The next time we come, I should bring something that will please them even more…”

As Mother, Tanya Celesta (Yuan remained in the garden with Father, acting as his guard), and I were walking down the spacious corridor toward the castle gate, I thought I heard a faint sob.

I glanced around and saw a little girl huddled and crying in the shadow of a column standing in the hallway.

She looked to be about my age. Her bright flaxen hair glowed faintly in the light streaming through the window. Her face, beneath her short bob, was distorted in a cry.

Is she a noble’s child? Her mint-green dress didn’t look particularly high-class, and she didn’t seem used to wearing it.

“What is wrong?”

The girl looked up, surprised by my voice, and rubbed her eyes fiercely, wiping away her tears before standing up. She was slightly taller than me. I am a shorty…

“Ah, um, I, I, it’s my first time at the castle, so I can’t find my way back to my original room…!”

“Oh dear. Are you lost? Whose family are you from? What is your family name?”

“Um… I’m sorry, I don’t know…”

The girl looked down and answered Mother’s question. What did she mean, she didn’t know her family name? Was she not a noble?

Perhaps feeling ashamed that she couldn’t answer the question, the girl looked like she was about to cry again.

I quickly took a candy from my pocket and pressed it into her hand.

“Here. It’s sweet and delicious.”

“Eh?”

In front of the girl, who looked bewildered by the candy in her hand, I took the same candy from my pocket, opened the wrapper, and put it into my own mouth. Mmm, delicious.

The girl hesitantly opened the wrapper and put the candy into her mouth.

“It’s sweet…! Delicious…!”

“You finally smiled.”

Deliciousness is justice. It’s better when girls smile, after all. This girl, in particular, was very cute when she smiled. It was a waste for her to be crying.

Alright, I should give her the remaining sweets that I didn’t bring as a souvenir.

I asked Tanya Celesta to bring a bag containing candies, baby castella cake, and a few chocolate bars in a paper bag.

I handed it to the girl directly.

“E-um, is this okay…?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I have plenty left over. Please eat it if you like. I am Sakuraile. Sakuraile le Philharmonie. And you?”

Even if she didn’t know her family name, surely she had a given name. However, at my self-introduction, the girl’s eyes widened significantly.

“P- le Philharmonie!? Of the le Philharmonie Ducal House!? H-huh? U-um, um, I am…!”

“Estelle!”

A loud voice came from down the corridor, and several men came running toward us. Wait? Was the man at the front, running toward us, my Grandfather?

“Father!”

“I looked for you everywhere! Didn’t I tell you not to wander off! I was worried…!”

The girl dove into the arms of the man who ran up first.

I’m glad you were reunited with your father. And next to the touching reunion of father and daughter, there was another father-daughter reunion from yesterday.

“Father? Why are you here?”

“Ashley? Sakuraile, too? I told you yesterday. This Robert is being ennobled for his service in the recent defense battle. He is scheduled to receive the Baronetcy from His Majesty shortly. I am accompanying him.”

Ennobled. I think that means receiving a title and becoming a noble, right? Ah, so that’s why the girl didn’t know her family name. She hadn’t received it yet.

“A Baronetcy, meaning the territory of Euphonium?”

“Yes. That is the only suitable territory currently vacant. It is neglected now, but it will be restored in a few years.”

“…Hmm? Euphonium?

Wait a minute… What did he call that girl just now?

Estelle? Estelle Euphonium? Estelle Klein Euphonium!?

“A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah—!?”

I pointed at the girl who was being hugged by her father and let out a loud cry.

Not only the girl, but the surrounding adults widened their eyes in surprise.

However, I couldn’t focus on them.

It’s the heroine. Estelle Klein Euphonium, the heroine of “Starlight Symphony.”

The protagonist who serves as the player’s avatar in the game. And the root cause of the ruin flag who, along with the capture targets, drives the villainess (me) into a corner—she was right there.