Chapter 232

“Really, you haven’t met your little sister?”

Flora tugged at my collar and asked again.

“She said she has no reason to come find me, right?”

I let a slightly irritated voice slip out. Realizing I don’t lie, this brat released my collar.

But her reaction seemed odd.

“There’s no way that could be…?”

“Huh?”

“Just now, Mom and your elder sister were there, but little sister wasn’t. She must have left alone to go to you.”

“Left alone?”

“Yeah, she told me, but… she definitely said she was going to give you a gift.”

The reason why Flora came to find me was the same. It seems Claire moved first to bring a gift to me, who won first place in the Symposium.

If it’s the Claire I know, she would’ve come here herself to personally deliver it, but…

‘If so, why hasn’t she arrived until now?’

Suddenly, an uneasy feeling rises.

A foreboding sense begins to creep up.

And then.

The sound I feared echoes in my ear.

-Ding!

‘…Damn it!’

Seeing that blade, I urgently asked Flora.

“Which direction did Claire go?”

“Huh? I’m not sure either… We just parted ways in the corridor…”

“So, do you have any idea what the gift she prepared for me is, or where it might be?”

Tell me anything you know. Right now!

▶Episode XII. The Search for Claire’s Whereabouts Begins.◀

▶We Must Find the Disappeared Claire.◀

▶Warning! An enemy entity has appeared. This threatening enemy requires caution to avoid losing your life.◀

▶A timer appears. If Claire isn’t found within the time limit, a bad ending will be determined.◀

▶Remaining Timer

[ 17 minutes 52 seconds ]

The chapter two is not over yet.

***

What a bizarre sight, a mix of human and plant.

Thanks to that bizarre appearance, Claire could cast magic without hesitation.

But.

‘Even after casting such magic, she looks fine?’

Surely, this flame should have swallowed it.

Mana wasn’t lacking, and the power of the magic was sufficient.

Yet, this strange creature still stood upright.

“Gah.”

Breathlessness starts, dizziness sets in.

It’s a natural result of using so much mana, but I can’t afford to lose sight of them now.

“Oh my, it seems you’re struggling, Princess Claire.”

Claire held her throbbing head with one hand as Count Retelvik sneered.

“Well, those attacks were quite impressive. They say the Bargrand family has excellent magical talent… If it weren’t for this thing, they might have been quite dangerous.”

“Shut up…!”

“Oh, wasting your mana like that. You seem to have realized it’s useless by now.”

-Poof!

Once more, flames rise up to engulf them. But, as before, it failed.

“Heh heh. Since you were with Carsein, it seems Princess Claire’s level has dropped. To keep repeating such meaningless actions.”

Claire gritted her teeth in frustration. Meanwhile, other nobles had broken through the wall.

-Bang!

“That’s enough! The wall is open!”

“Let’s go.”

“You all go first. I still have something to do.”

With a loud sound and the passage complete, the nobles rushed to leave.

Do I really have to watch them leave like this?

Claire gritted her teeth and squeezed out more mana.

“! This is…”

“Aaaah!”

-Grooo-

Flame spheres spread out and flew towards the breached wall.

Struck by the spheres, the walls crumbled. The path opened by the Waglew faction was blocked again, and Claire, standing before the flames, panted heavily.

Despite the bitter taste in her mouth from blood, Claire raised her eyes.

“Huff, huff… Do you think I’ll just let you go?”

“Guh! The path!”

“That girl…”

“I thought her strength was gone… But, even so, Bargrand remains Bargrand.”

“…Seems like Princess Claire’s mind froze when with Carsein.”

Exhausted, Claire spat blood. Seeing her persist in hindering them, Count Retelvik twitched his eyes.

“I can’t let you go. I won’t let you.”

“Still, considering she’s a noble with pure blood, I tried my best to send her off painlessly… This game ends here.”

“!?”

-Creak.

Count Retelvik’s cane glowed, and tangled vines shot out from the monster’s body.

-!

Frenzied tree monsters swung their branches wildly.

Blocked by Claire’s magic, the path quickly reopened, and the nobles escaped.

“Take care of it, Marf.”

Left alone before Claire, Count Retelvik mocked him and left, saying only one line.

At his voice, the monster’s face reacted, growing eyes, nose, and mouth into a human face.

Mafr, the captain of Shatren’s forces, grinned ominously seeing the breathless Claire.

“Princess Clairee!”

***

Pink hair fluttering gracefully.

Features sharp yet striking.

A clear, confident voice.

Every time Mafr saw Claire, he thought the same thing.

‘She’s beautiful.’

A noble with pure blood, she was always dazzling.

Whether wearing a dress she made herself while walking through Shatren territory, sitting with legs crossed while flipping through documents, or giving decisive instructions to residents.

She was beautiful beyond compare.

Seeing her, Mafr dreamed.

A dream of being by her side.

A person with wings attached behind, almost not strange, someone as brilliant as a blazing fire.

He wanted her.

To openly declare his love.

Not secretly like now, but proudly in front of her.

But that was a grand dream.

The Bargrand family.

A barrier of status blocked him.

For Mafr, just a commoner, to possess a noble at the pinnacle of society was unfathomable.

So, he planned step by step.

Wasn’t it enough just to be close?

By gradually raising his position, he could close the distance.

First, he needed to swallow Shatren territory from the foolish old man, Brem.

Then, revive Shatren intentionally, proving his capabilities.

After proving his abilities, seize control of Shatren and accumulate wealth gradually.

The barrier of status would be overcome by a noble’s castle built with expensive crops from Shatren.

Then, he could kneel before Claire and offer a bouquet of flowers.

Time would solve everything.

But,

Lately, a stray dog had followed him.

This dirty stray dog somehow entered the Duke’s house and took Claire’s side.

No, he didn’t take it. He defiled it.

Meddling and ruining the path ahead.

Defiling the name of the noble.

And,

His plan started to fall apart.

‘Arrogant.’

Daring to ruin his plan.

Removing the stepping stone to climb higher.

The wretch Carsein was easy to deal with. Happily, he received help from Claire.

But soon, everything went awry.

Again, that man appeared.

-You are the new pawn, Mafr. Find and kill that Carsein.

Someone ordered Mafr thus.

To his future wife, Claire, telling him such nonsense. How dare he!

But, it doesn’t matter.

I want to tear him apart too.

I have plenty of power.

For some reason, I feel I can tear anything apart.

With this power, I can even block magic.

Carsein.

This time, I’ll torture you with my own hands.

When he opened his eyes,

Unforgettable pink hair came into view.

Undoubtedly, his future wife.

Claire Bargrand.

“Princess Claire. Long time no see…! Do you recognize me?”

“Huh?”

“It’s me, Mafr, from Shatren!”

Mafr greeted cheerfully.

But Claire stared and asked back.

“Who is that?”

“Huh…?”

“Damn, bringing up names I’ve never heard?”

“Umm… Princess Claire?”

Haha.

That’s possible.

It might be confusing.

Considering how strong I am, it’s understandable.

There’s no choice. No bouquet, but I’ll make one.

-Pong!

“! Yes, I’ve liked you for a long time, Princess Claire.”

“Huh?”

“Please accept my love. He, hehehe.”

Women love flowers, right?

Claire must too. She’d surely like this—

-Hiss!

Flames flew at the flowers in front of Mafr.

“What the hell? What’s with this sudden talk about flowers?”

“Huh? Oh, oh. You don’t like it? Then, I’ll get you another flower—”

-Hiss!

The newly created flowers by Mafr burned up again.

“You crazy bastard. Playing games?”

“Haha. Ahahaha.”

Yes, that’s possible.

This flower doesn’t suit her.

Then, I’ll give her something else.

No, this time, I’ll give her a whole bouquet.

“! Yes, I love you, Princess Claire. This bouquet expresses my love.”

I gathered all the flowers I knew.

From fragrant ones to visually appealing ones. And, I bundled pink flowers together and offered them to her.

This much effort,

Should reach her heart.

Mafr approached, full of expectation.

But—

-Whoosh!

Like drawing a line, a wall of flames formed around the bouquet, freezing Mafr’s face.

“Claire… Princess? Why?”

“Love? Creepy talk.”

“Huh?”

“You’re a madman I’ve never heard of. Gross! Listen, I hate flowers. Especially the ones you gave me!”

“Ah… Ahah!”

-Snap.

Something in Mafr’s mind snapped.

Burning up, it transformed into Mafr’s rage, creating wooden branches from his arm.

“You dare reject my love.”

“Guh?!”

-Zip!

In an instant, the flames were covered by the branches and vanished.

With a vibration echoing, holes appeared in the surrounding walls. One of the tentacles aimed precisely at Claire’s right shoulder.

“It can’t be. You’re mine. Mine. There’s no such thing as a veto.”

At the same time, other branches bound Claire’s limbs.

Unable to move, Claire cursed.

“Crazy… bastard!”

“Though I dislike doing this to my future wife, it’s your fault. This is your fault!”

-Swish.

New branches intertwined, forming a wedge aiming at Claire’s legs.

“You need to stay quiet, so bear with a little pain. Understand?”

With a chilling expression, Mafr’s branches advanced toward Claire’s legs.

Just as Claire closed her eyes tightly,

“Guh?!”

Claire suddenly fell, landing on her butt.

What’s happening?

Opening her eyes, the chilling face of Mafr, now oddly distorted, disappeared.

-Swoosh!

“Haa. You really came far. What’s so special about that gift?”

“You… You?!”

Carstein.

Her younger brother stood with a sword.