The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

By the time we arrived, the sun was already setting, so we headed straight into the main building without delay. Since we’d be staying here for a few days, there was no rush to explore the grounds; we could save that for tomorrow.

Leo and Baron Grace seemed to have some matters to discuss separately from us.

As I watched Leo follow his father, I noticed an expression on his face that suggested this wouldn’t just be a simple conversation. Knowing the Grace family’s customs from the original story, it was likely that he would be sparring with his father.

Baron Grace’s prowess in combat was ranked among the best in the game.

And he certainly wasn’t the type to go easy on his own son.

...Considering the situation, Leo’s expression was understandable. If I came home expecting a relaxing break, only to find training even tougher than at the Academy waiting for me, I’d probably look the same way.

This also made me feel a bit uneasy.

After all, once I returned to the Imperial Palace, I would undoubtedly have an audience with the Emperor.

Even if Leo wasn’t heading off to rigorous training, there was still the question of him being around us. While the Academy was mixed-gender by design, it was generally frowned upon in noble society for a man to linger among groups of women.

If he were a rugged, masculine figure attracting female attention, that might be considered admirable, but with Leo’s soft, youthful looks, it wouldn’t leave the best impression if he spent his time chatting with women.

I felt a bit of sympathy for Leo once again. As long as Alice and I were here, he’d inevitably be seen in that light by others.

“When I heard that the ‘sister’ Claire always talked about was a princess, I must admit I had my doubts about her memory,” said the baroness, who had led us to the drawing room and served as our hostess.

She spoke elegantly while sipping tea. Noticing she hadn’t added any sugar, I briefly considered forgoing sugar as well, but in the end, I added just one cube. I figured I’d probably leave the tea untouched if I didn’t.

Fortunately, the atmosphere was relaxed enough that small gestures like this went unnoticed.

“....”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to the baroness, so I took a sip of tea, stalling for a moment, and then replied, “That reaction is perfectly reasonable.”

“Sister...”

Claire murmured sadly at my words before quickly falling silent, casting a glance at the baroness.

I didn’t think the Grace family had ever discriminated against Claire for not being blood-related; she was likely more worried about having called me “sister” in front of the baroness.

Although Baron Grace and his wife were relatively progressive, they were still nobles. Among nobility, addressing someone as “sister” was considered inappropriate if they weren’t truly related by blood—especially when that person was a princess.

Ironically, precisely because the Grace family didn’t discriminate against those without blood ties, they saw me as unquestionably a part of the royal family.

“It’s all right,” I said, speaking up before the baroness could respond.

“During our childhood, we relied on each other,” I explained.

Claire blushed slightly, while Alice looked back and forth between us, her eyes gleaming with interest.

Alice had never asked about my past. Although we hadn’t formally agreed not to, it was an unspoken rule. This applied not only to me but to the other children of the Emperor as well.

In the original story, Alice hadn’t known about Claire’s past, either, for the same reason.

But having someone who knew parts of my past sitting in front of me must have stirred Alice’s curiosity, even if she didn’t ask directly.

“I see...” the baroness said, studying me carefully.

The confirmation of her daughter’s memories by a princess herself seemed to leave her slightly cautious.

“Claire and I both came from the same orphanage. I was the one who brought Claire here,” I added.

“And you also brought some of the other children along,” she said gently.

“...Yes.”

Though there was no hint of blame in her voice, speaking about it made me feel a bit embarrassed, as if I’d left a difficult responsibility with them.

In a way, it was like I had abandoned those children here with the Grace family, knowing their good nature.

Originally, I had considered seeking refuge here as well.

I often wondered how my life would have turned out if I had grown up here. Would I have played and bickered with Claire and Leo like siblings, like I’d seen them do? Or would I have assumed the role of the eldest among them?

Of course, since I lacked skill with the sword, I probably wouldn’t have been adopted by the Grace family. In fact, of the children left here, only Claire had been adopted.

I would have taken the Academy’s entrance exam, but half of my life might have turned out differently.

If that had happened, my relationship with Alice might not have been equal—I might have looked up to her instead.

Each decision shapes the future in unexpected ways.

“You don’t need to worry,” the baroness said kindly, noticing my thoughtful expression.

“All of the children grew up splendidly. Some of them have already started working as retainers for our family.”

“Is that so?”

Hmm...

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how those children remembered me. Claire seemed to have strong memories of me, but for the others...

To be truthful, I barely remembered their faces or names.

I had focused intently on recalling the details of the game. I had rewritten things on paper multiple times to commit them to memory and even visited places in the Capital that served as settings in the game.

But aside from that, I hadn’t made an effort to remember every detail of my other memories. Simply getting through life had been enough of a challenge for me.

Still, it was reassuring to know that the children had turned out well.

“In fact,” the baroness said, setting down her teacup with a slightly more serious tone, “we haven’t disclosed your true identity to the children. It’s a sensitive matter in many ways.”

“Thank you,” I replied sincerely.

I didn’t mind if the fact that I wasn’t related by blood got out, but it was better to keep the truth of my actual identity hidden. The fewer people who knew, the better.

By that measure, Claire calling me "sister" was a bit risky too... but Claire had always been considered somewhat unconventional among the noble class.

Moreover, most of the noble children suspected I had something backing me, so few wanted to directly engage with me. They didn’t pay much mind to the unusual way Claire addressed me.

“However, if you wish, I could arrange for you to meet the other children,” the baroness offered.

“....”

I glanced at Alice and Claire.

Alice seemed mildly interested. After meeting Claire, the child I had supposedly saved, she was likely curious to see how the others had turned out.

Claire, on the other hand, looked expectant.

Though she had been adopted by the Grace family, she had probably grown close to those children before then. I might have only spent a brief time with them, but Claire must have shared her early childhood with them, creating a bond akin to that of childhood friends.

In that sense, I felt a bit curious too.

Even if they didn’t recognize me, I wondered what sort of relationships Claire had built with them.

Given the Grace family’s open relationship with their retainers, Claire might even speak to them casually.

And more importantly...

I was curious to see if what I did back then had held any true meaning.

However...

“It’s already getting late,” I pointed out.

We hadn’t had dinner yet, but it was nearly time for it.

While commoners might get by on a handful of hours of sleep, nobles operated differently. And the Grace family certainly wouldn’t treat their retainers like factory laborers.

If we announced our intention to visit now, it might disrupt their routines. Not to mention, having a princess wander around would mean everyone would have to stop and greet her.

“You needn’t worry about that,” the baroness replied confidently.

“There is a child currently working and training within this very mansion. Today, they happen to be working in the afternoon, so there shouldn’t be any issue with visiting.”

Both Alice and Claire looked at me expectantly.

“...All right. Then I’ll graciously accept your offer,” I replied.

And so, my decision was made.