The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

"Whatever the situation was, it seems that Lottie realized her skills had a lot to do with the outcome."

Lottie was now lightly clutching Jake's sleeve, a clear expression on her face that seemed to say, Please stop talking. But Jake showed no signs of stopping.

In fact, he looked like he was enjoying this.

Jake glanced down at Lottie with a small smile before turning his gaze back to me.

"Honestly, anyone could tell that situation was something you engineered. It wasn’t like there weren’t tools available, or that you lacked the skills. I didn’t quite realize it at the time, but after watching you fight last night, it became clear. You deliberately positioned yourself in that exact spot, calculating the distance perfectly."

His words were both right and wrong.

I didn’t possess the kind of talent needed to calculate a beast’s charging distance and place myself precisely there.

What I did have, however, were the abilities to verify such things and the power to rewind time if I failed. That’s why I could take those risks without hesitation.

I didn’t affirm or deny Jake’s words; I simply listened.

"So Lottie started wondering, 'Why is this person helping me so much?'"

"Jake."

Lottie muttered his name as if trying to stop him, but then she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Oh-ho.

I narrowed my eyes ever so slightly at Lottie. She must have noticed, as she immediately turned her head away. Still, she kept one hand firmly gripping Jake’s sleeve.

'Jake,' huh.

Up until now, even when they were alone, Lottie had rarely addressed him by name directly. And if she did, it was always accompanied by a title. For her to slip and call him just by his name in a moment of surprise... it spoke volumes about how close they had become.

"At first, she thought it was all for political gain."

To be fair, I had used that angle to persuade Duke Lindbergh. It was far more effective than just saying, Because I want to.

"So she couldn’t just accept your goodwill freely. She must have wondered if you were planning to use her as a tool to manipulate me."

"Does that mean Lottie already knew you liked her, even back then?"

I kept my voice neutral and softened my gaze, but teasing her was just too tempting.

"Hmm, who knows? I’ve never tried to hide it, though."

Of course, Jake had never openly declared his feelings either. But there are plenty of ways to show affection without saying it outright, so I didn’t bother pointing that out.

"Anyway, at the time, she was being cautious about you. Then you suddenly showed up and said that, right? That she should use whatever was in her hands to its fullest. Only then did she start thinking you were just being kind and giving her something useful."

There were other reasons too, of course. The fact that I had gone out of my way to extract Lottie’s mother from that house was one example. That act, in particular, had no tangible benefit for me.

Thinking back to Lottie in the original story, she likely just wanted to stand beside Jake on her own terms. Whether or not she was officially recognized as his wife wouldn’t have mattered much to her. As long as she could stay by his side, she would have been satisfied.

But what I had said to her back then was this: Whatever ends up in your hands is your power.

Even if someone else handed her that power, it became hers the moment she used it. And since those words came from the one who had given her the power, Lottie must have decided to accept them after some deliberation.

"That’s why now... while having the knighthood would be nice, it doesn’t really matter anymore. The fact that I fell for Lottie is proof of her strength, isn’t it? She already has the power, so the rest is just extra."

All I could do in response to Jake’s words was nod.

Basically, the two of them had decided to ignore all obstacles and be a happy couple. The supposedly insurmountable barrier of class differences? They’d cast it aside like it was nothing.

"Besides, both Lottie and I made it through that battle with you. 'Anyone can see' that we’re now close to the princess’s inner circle. There are positions in this world where titles aren’t necessary to hold power."

"Is that so."

If a royal welcomed someone with open arms, their social status became irrelevant. No noble could treat them poorly, regardless of their standing. The rarity of royalty only amplified this effect—meeting and conversing with one required appointments and waiting lists.

Jake and Lottie, however, could meet the princess whenever they pleased. That alone was a tremendous privilege.

"Exactly. So, we’ve decided to accompany you on your next battle."

"..."

Jake’s sudden pivot caught me off guard, and I fell silent for a moment.

"Does that have anything to do with the political angle you just mentioned?"

"I told you, we fought alongside you. It solidifies our standing. Besides..." Jake shrugged. "I don’t know the full details of what’s happening, but standing beside you in a battle that could decide the fate of the world? That’ll only strengthen our position in the future."

He wasn’t wrong.

Even common soldiers who fought alongside noble officers in battle sometimes forged bonds that transcended class. And no one dared to treat those soldiers poorly afterward.

If that noble officer were a princess, the weight of that bond would be even greater.

"You just said, 'I don’t know the full details' a moment ago."

"Well, you haven’t told us yet."

Fair enough. I couldn’t argue with that.

"Wasn’t that why you came to see us?"

"Not exactly. I came to ask if you wanted to join."

"Then it’s settled. You’ve heard our answer."

Well, that was straightforward.

Jake’s reasoning wasn’t as emotionally driven as Charlotte’s. It had a clear political element to it.

But with Jake’s confident demeanor, it somehow made the political reasoning feel irrelevant.

"I really want to be of help this time," Lottie finally said.

Her voice was soft, but there was determination in it.

Lottie turned to face me fully for the first time. Her face was still a little flushed, but she seemed more composed than she had been when Jake was teasing her earlier.

"I don’t want it to be a chance handed to me. This time, I want to truly contribute."

"I see."

I nodded at her earnest words.

"And no matter how strong you are, you can’t finish this battle alone, right? That’s why you came to us," Jake added.

I nodded again.

Could I manage it alone?

Maybe. If there was a relic inside that could help me control my power, I might be able to pull it off. But pushing through it would take a toll on my body, and enduring the pain would make it harder to think clearly.

If there was someone who could reliably assist me in those moments—

...Was it strange that I kept thinking of my friends first?

From a practical standpoint, a veteran soldier or knight would have been the safer choice. But somehow, my thoughts turned to them instead.

Still, I couldn’t back out now. That would mean betraying everyone’s expectations.

I had resolved to protect everyone. If I just gave it my all, it would work out.

Jake and Lottie waited silently, watching me as if anticipating my answer.

"Understood. In that case, I’ll gladly accept your help."

"Don’t mention it. We owe you plenty already."

Jake said this with a grin, brushing off Lottie’s hand from his sleeve. He immediately wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

Lottie, startled, slapped his arm in protest.

...And just like that, the warm, heartfelt atmosphere evaporated.

Was he trying to show off?

This was straight-up betrayal. How was I supposed to live like this without a partner of my own?