The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

No matter how good or bad someone's first impression is, spending enough time with that person usually changes it.

Even the worst first impressions soften over a year or so as you begin to notice the good sides of that person. Conversely, no matter how great someone seems at first, spending a long time with them reveals their flaws. That’s often why relationships fall apart. As people become more familiar with each other, their partner’s flaws become more apparent, and once those flaws pile up past a certain threshold, they can no longer tolerate one another.

...Not that I’d know for sure, having never been in a romantic relationship myself.

In any case, such changes in perception often result from learning something new about the other person, but sometimes it’s because the person themselves changes.

In Charlotte’s case, I believe her image shift had more to do with her subtly changing personality rather than me uncovering unknown aspects of her.

In the original story, Charlotte had a somewhat cold impression. Though her relationship with the protagonist, Leo, softened her image over time, the outbreak of war between the Empire and the kingdom shattered that progress.

The issue here, however, is that the Emperor shows no sign of instigating a war in this world, perhaps due to the butterfly effect.

It’s a good thing—definitely a good thing—but...

“Fufufu.”

I stared at Charlotte, whose suspicious giggling filled the room, with a baffled expression.

Yes, the absence of a reason for Charlotte to guard herself against us had resulted in her displaying these strange behaviors over time.

“I’ve prepared a course that will surely amaze everyone. While Belvur may lag behind the Empire in industrialization, I’ll show you that its traditions and culinary culture are leagues ahead!”

In the original story, Alice and Charlotte’s battles of wit revolved around political matters. In this world, however, Charlotte seemed to have developed an entirely different kind of logic.

“...Did you spend your entire vacation planning this? Inviting academy students to promote Belvur’s history and culture?”

“I thought about it quite seriously,” Charlotte replied, unfazed by Alice’s remark.

“Belvur, which is only just beginning to industrialize, cannot surpass the Empire in military or economic power. That’s not something that can change with time alone. While we can strengthen our military enough to defend ourselves during a war, we could never expand it to the point of conquering the entire Empire.”

“So you’re planning to project cultural influence instead?”

“Isn’t it a possibility? After all, the place you frequent most is a café serving Belvur-style desserts.”

Charlotte’s gaze shifted toward me.

“Even the café owner boasts about learning their skills in Belvur to attract customers, doesn’t he?”

In short, Charlotte was aiming for cultural victory.

Well, it wasn’t entirely nonsensical.

Culture plays a significant role in relations between nations. It’s hard to justify suppressing cultural exchanges, and attempts to do so often provoke backlash from those who already enjoy that culture. The best way to counter such influence is to develop one’s own cultural industry and encourage people to embrace it instead.

Belvur and the Empire were long-standing neighbors with culturally similar roots. Belvur retained many cultural elements the Empire had lost during its industrialization—such as its cuisine—which had become popular among the Empire’s upper class.

Charlotte had clearly picked up on this while attending the academy.

However, there was one aspect of her enthusiasm that I found a little... unsettling.

“I guarantee that once you taste authentic Belvur cuisine made by real Belvur chefs, your opinions will change. And it’s not just the food; there’s plenty to see as well. Belvur didn’t recklessly demolish its old buildings in the name of industrialization.”

As Charlotte puffed out her chest and proudly made her pitch, she reminded me of a junior officer from my military days, boasting about giving me the "full Busan tour" if I ever visited their hometown.

...There was no need to remind her that I’d already tried Belvur’s cuisine during our visit last year.

Seeing Alice glance at me uneasily, I stifled a sigh.

Alice and I might’ve had reservations, but the academy seemed to think Charlotte’s proposal was worth considering.

While there were legal and cultural differences between the Empire and Belvur, communication wasn’t a significant issue. Although ordinary Belvur commoners didn’t speak Imperial, the high-ranking individuals hosting the academy students would be fluent.

From the academy’s perspective, there was no reason to refuse an opportunity to broaden students’ horizons.

Naturally, most of the students were excited about the idea. Officially, Sophia and Charlotte were the only academy students from Belvur, after all.

In the world I came from, budget airlines and saving money made overseas vacations a possibility for most people every few years. Here, however, international travel was far more complicated. Most border crossings required extensive paperwork, and very few places offered easy access based solely on visas.

While nobles, backed by their governments, might have more opportunities, commoners found traveling abroad extremely challenging unless involved in commerce.

“...Mia.”

I quietly called her name.

“Y-Yes?”

Mia, startled, looked up before glancing at where my gaze had fallen. Her face turned red as she hastily closed her notebook.

I had been looking at the notebook in front of her.

As the weather turned colder, most students had retreated into the academy buildings. The once-green lawns had begun to yellow, and the bare branches of the street trees offered little to admire. Most students were spending their time in the academy lobby or their dorm rooms, enjoying tea and snacks.

Meanwhile, we were in the student council room.

Mia’s presence in the room was a rare sight, enough that I sometimes forgot she’d joined the council at the start of the semester. Well, “joined” might be putting it lightly—“chased me into” was probably more accurate.

Back when our relationship was rocky, she’d barely shown up. Lately, however, she had been coming around more often, just like now, where she was seated at a small table in the room, diligently jotting something in her notebook.

“Is that a list of foods you want to try?” I asked.

Mia’s face flushed a deeper red.

“I... I don’t think I’m obligated to answer that!”

Look at her, being all defiant to hide her embarrassment.

Amused, I pulled out a chair at her table and sat down.

“You seem pretty excited about going to Belvur. Making a list of foods to try once you get there?”

“I-It's not like that! Not at all!”

Yeah, sure it isn’t.

Even at a glance, it was obviously a list of Belvur cuisine.

Looking at her now, Mia’s image had definitely changed. When we first met, she’d been like a prickly hedgehog. Now, she resembled a hamster or squirrel—though one you’d still want to handle with care to avoid getting bitten.

I briefly recalled Mia from the original story. Was she always this food-driven?

Hmm... Not really. There weren’t many characters in the original who openly displayed such traits.

Of course, eating a lot was another matter. It just wasn’t common to show characters happily munching on sweets or favoring specific cuisines. In the original story, Mia spent much of her arc grappling with her circumstances, which left little room for such moments.

Here, though, it seemed she’d adapted and overcome her struggles much faster—possibly because of me. While she was still a bit timid, she wasn’t the gloomy character from the original story.

“Belvur is right next to your territory, isn’t it? You could visit anytime to try their food.”

“...Are you serious?”

Mia’s eyes widened as she stared at me.

“I’m from Crowfield, you know.”

...Oh.

Right.

Crowfield had originally been Belvur territory.

Not just a neighbor—a descendant of invaders.

"..."

"..."

For a moment, an awkward silence hung between us. I could’ve sworn I caught a fleeting hint of a "How can you be an imperial princess and not know that?" look in her eyes. Maybe it was just my imagination.

Um.

Well.

Let’s try that again.