The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Jake and Lottie were... difficult to describe.

Was it hard to find them, or was it actually easy?

We had been running around Lutetia’s underground just last night. Even with the healing devices restoring our bodies, everyone shared the same desire to rest.

After staying awake past midnight and fighting until the bitter end, it was no surprise that Charlotte, Alice, Claire, and Leo were all in their respective rooms. Once I pinpointed their locations, it was easy to find them.

But... Jake and Lottie weren’t in their rooms.

The locations of their rooms weren’t exactly a secret. If I grabbed any servant and asked, they could easily tell me. However, knowing where their rooms were didn’t help if the people I was looking for weren’t inside.

Jake and Lottie weren’t officially in a relationship. If we were to call their dynamic “dating,” then they had essentially been “dating” for a long time—always together, acting quite familiar with one another. Even if Lottie maintained some distance from him in front of others.

Whether they were romantically involved or not, it didn’t really matter.

After all, in this world, there were people who weren’t dating but slept together, and conversely, there were those who maintained their chastity before marriage despite being in a relationship. It wasn’t unusual to see such extremes coexist in these times.

Regardless of whether they were dating or not—

“Sylvia.”

—As someone who had never been in a romantic relationship in either my previous life or this one, the two of them honestly annoyed me.

Seriously. Was it necessary to flaunt their bond like that?

Well, at least they weren’t as bad as Leo in the original story. That guy didn’t even need to date anyone—female characters would just kiss him out of nowhere. If you viewed all the connection events, you’d witness several kissing scenes during the story.

If Leo in this world had been like that Leo, I might have genuinely smacked him on the back of the head at least once.

Still, Jake and Lottie adhered to their own boundaries, and above all, they were a pure, dedicated couple who only had eyes for each other.

They didn’t hold hands or link arms openly. But they stood close enough to feel each other’s warmth, a distance that made their mutual feelings unmistakable.

Fine, I’ll admit it.

I had encouraged this.

I’d always been a sucker for pure, romantic storylines. Watching slow-moving couples frustrate me, so I’d worked hard to bring the two of them closer.

But seeing it “live” was entirely different from watching it unfold in a game.

It reminded me of when a friend back in my previous life would subtly brag about having a girlfriend. At least back then, I could curse them out. With these two, I had no one to blame but myself for their closeness.

“Jake, Lottie.”

Jake turned toward me with a cheerful expression, his face practically glowing. It reminded me of the way a friend looked right after getting a girlfriend.

“You came all the way here? If you’d told a servant and waited, we would’ve come to your room instead.”

...That’s a fair point.

Even if I hadn’t found them immediately, the servants were well-informed. As important guests, Jake and Lottie’s whereabouts within the palace were likely shared among the staff. If I told someone I was looking for them, that message could’ve been relayed directly to the two.

There really wasn’t a need to wander around and ask multiple people until I ended up here on the terrace.

“...I’ve been wandering around inside since I woke up. I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to chat while getting some fresh air.”

Of course, I couldn’t admit that I simply hadn’t thought of that. So, I said that instead.

It wasn’t entirely untrue—just omit the part about thinking it wasn’t a bad idea. After all, I had been sneaking around on the rooftops earlier to reach Charlotte’s room, but that wasn’t something I could openly mention in front of the servants.

Anyway, it was lucky to find both of them here together. In that sense, it had been “easy”... though, if they weren’t so close, they probably wouldn’t have been here to begin with.

“Really? Then it must not be that serious.”

Jake leaned back against the terrace railing as he spoke. Lottie, who had been slightly turned toward him, also shifted her stance. However, unlike Jake, she didn’t lean back confidently, likely still mindful of their difference in status.

I wondered how Lottie would react if she found out my true identity.

Then again, her attitude probably wouldn’t change much. Lottie was the type to speak formally even to fellow commoners.

“It’s a serious matter, but it’s also something that can’t be helped, even if the kingdom learns about it.”

Our journey to the Holy Nation was already set in stone. Even if we tried to hide it, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure it out. Anyone with half a brain could guess that “the group that ventured into Lutetia’s underground” was heading to the Holy Nation. Charlotte might plan to stay behind, but she was determined to tag along, so worrying about it further was pointless.

“First, I have something I’d like to apologize for.”

“Apologize?”

Jake tilted his head curiously, and Lottie looked straight at me, her gaze steady. Neither of them seemed to have any idea what I was about to apologize for.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to arrange Lottie’s knighthood for the time being.”

“Oh, that.”

Jake nodded as if understanding now.

Officially granting Lottie the title of knight wasn’t a major issue in itself. Both princesses acknowledged her merit, and if I pushed for it, the Emperor likely wouldn’t object. Even if the Emperor’s schedule delayed things, under normal circumstances, Lottie would’ve received her knighthood within a few months.

But things had gone horribly wrong.

The Emperor was currently missing.

While I had a rough idea of where he might be, without confirmation, it was technically a “disappearance.” As a result, all official duties requiring his approval were at a standstill.

In a typical constitutional monarchy, the parliament would keep the country running in the King’s absence. But in the Empire, the parliament was effectively a puppet of the Emperor. To gain a seat, you had to publicly declare your loyalty to him.

While the members were undoubtedly competent—otherwise, the Emperor would’ve dismissed them—the ability to follow orders and the ability to handle unforeseen crises were two very different skills.

Asking another noble to bestow the title was out of the question. It would indebten me to them, and, more importantly, Lottie’s knighthood needed to come from the royal authority to hold its full meaning. That authority was also what allowed Lottie, a commoner, to consider marriage with Jake, the son of a duke.

“You don’t need to worry too much about that.”

Jake shrugged nonchalantly.

“Sure, it’d be better politically if Lottie had the title, but we’ve already talked it through.”

“You mean... you’re planning to marry even without her becoming a knight?”

“It’s not illegal, is it?”

At his words, I glanced at Lottie.

Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and for once, she avoided meeting my gaze.

Hadn’t she been hesitating because of her status just a few months ago? That was why I’d planned to gift her the knighthood, believing it had shifted her mindset.

“Well, congratulations are in order...”

Though their relationship made me a little envious and annoyed, I didn’t wish for them to break up. On the contrary, I hoped they’d marry, have children, and live happily ever after.

Still, I was curious. What had caused such a sudden change of heart?

Sensing my unspoken question, Jake spoke up in Lottie’s stead, as she remained silent with her lips pressed tightly together.

“It seems she gained a bit of confidence after that incident.”

Lottie turned to Jake, startled, but he paid her reaction no mind and continued.

“Probably after hearing what you said to her by the seaside.”

He must’ve been referring to the time I’d overheard their conversation and intervened.