“Did you defeat the Nightmare?”
After finishing her meeting with the adults, Nicasia properly attended her magic class. She didn’t seem to have any intention of skipping, so I’m quite happy about that.
“Fu, fufu! Murmur and I defeated it together, Your Highness!”
“To be precise, we didn’t win by fighting. We just prevented it from being summoned by using its nature.”
“That’s basically the same thing!”
Unlike Esme, who clenched her fists and laughed, Nicasia was slightly open-mouthed in admiration.
“Rather… isn’t that even more impressive? Nightmares are a type of spirit, right? Because of their nature, they’re hard to research, so there’s not much data on them.”
“Murmur just knew it.”
How am I supposed to explain this one by one?
It’s because I’m a veteran who’s played the game multiple times and knew the settings of the Nightmare.
“Did you know, Your Highness? Murmur was super cute.”
Ah, here we go.
This is exactly why I hated using that method.
“Cu… cute? Miss Esme. That’s so sudden, I’m not sure I understand.”
“Nightmares are spirits rooted in nightmares, right? So Murmur told a re~ally cute story.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did!! Your Highness, Your Highness. Murmur has a pink pajama set!”
Well, she’s a 5th grader in the elementary section, so it’s not surprising, right?
“Pink? Oh my…”
“And she said she likes sheep. Did you know she can’t even use a fork properly?”
“A fork? Ah, aah! I do think Murmur’s fork skills are quite adorable.”
Hey, Nicasia? Esme? Why are you two laughing so brightly while talking?
Are you teasing the small demon? This is bullying. Bullying, I tell you.
“Ah! Come to think of it, Your Highness, you have breakfast with Murmur, right?”
“Fufu… Murmur holds her fork upside down? It’s pretty cute. She says the fork is too big, so she can’t help it, but she refuses to use a child-sized fork.”
“Of course. Murmur isn’t a child.”
That child-sized fork has cute animals drawn on the end, so there’s no way she’d use it.
It’s way too babyish. Who would use that?
“Really… that’s unfortunate. If what Miss Esme said is true, then the Nightmare must have transformed into Murmur’s super, super cute form, right?”
“Ah! That’s right…”
Esme’s voice was so loud that Professor Aiaie, who was writing on the board, shot her a sharp look.
We’re in the middle of class, you know? Aren’t you two being a bit too excited?
“Hmm… that’s right. She was super cute. Murmur was wearing pink sheep pajamas.”
“Oh my… goodness… that sounds incredibly cute. Just imagining it is adorable.”
“With the horns on her head, she looked even more like a cute little sheep!”
Nicasia let out a deep sigh.
“Ah… really, really unfortunate.”
“If Nicasia had been there, Murmur wouldn’t have had to use that method.”
“It’s not like I can win against anything.”
Lies.
There’s no way Nicasia, a royal, couldn’t defeat a Nightmare.
The reason the Nightmare in the high school section is tough is because, in the game, it’s a four-person party battle, and Nicasia, who was supposed to be in the party, gets forcibly removed from the fight.
“But, Your Highness. May I ask you something?”
Nicasia blinked, then chuckled and poked Esme’s side playfully.
“Hyahk?!”
“Miss Esme! Lady Nicasia! Please focus during class!”
At Professor Aiaie’s words, the children burst into small laughter.
I mean, we’re in class right now, you know?
“Ahem… sorry. I thought we were already friends, so it felt a bit cheeky to say ‘may I ask.'”
“Ahhh… to think that Your Highness and I are friends… wow…”
Sparkle, sparkle. Esme’s eyes were practically glowing as she clasped her hands together and swayed them gently.
“Hmm! Anyway, I was wondering why you skipped class today. Are you feeling unwell?”
Nicasia’s gaze sharpened at first but quickly softened. What’s this about?
“Your aunt wanted to talk to me. Sometimes people ask for my cooperation with official matters.”
“Your aunt?”
Now that I think about it. I didn’t know why Aunt Colette came to Cosmos Academy.
Honestly, this part is completely beyond me.
In the original story, there was a clear reason. She was dispatched to handle an incident caused by the ‘Demon Race’ that occurred in the elementary and middle school chapters.
The incident in those two chapters was so shocking and devastating that even the ‘Demon God’ of the Magica Kingdom was sent. Colette, who is also a member of the ‘Moonlight Dawn Council,’ had every reason to get involved enthusiastically, and there was a clear justification for defeating it.
“What did you talk about? If my aunt was rude, I’ll… apologize on her behalf.”
“Fufu, no. Esme! It was really just a normal conversation. She just asked me one question.”
“What was the question?”
Nicasia glanced at me for a moment.
“She asked if I knew about the ‘Curse of Knowledge’ club.”
“The Curse of Knowledge? Does such a club exist at Cosmos Academy?”
“Hmm… I guess? I told her I’d never heard of it before.”
That can’t be.
There’s no way Nicasia wouldn’t know about the Curse of Knowledge club.
In fact, no matter which route you take, Nicasia is the one who occupies the Curse of Knowledge clubhouse to create a new club.
“Your aunt is really asking strange things.”
“That’s right. Miss Esme, judging by your reaction, you didn’t know why your aunt came, did you?”
“Ah… well, my aunt doesn’t talk to me about work. She’s so busy that I don’t even see her often.”
“Oh dear… then it must have been really nice to see her this time?”
Unlike Nicasia’s bright smile, Esme’s eyes wavered.
How could it be nice? Colette is a crazy aunt.
“Ye, yes! I really, really like Aunt Colette!! She’s always been so kind to me since I was little!”
Covering her mouth with her right hand, Esme put on a show of being happy.
She’s so insincere.
“Esme.”
“Yes? Murmur. What is it?”
I pulled out a flower necklace I had tucked away in my pocket. It was a pretty decoration made of violets.
The reason I went to art class in the first place was for this. Time was really tight, but I managed to make this gift using the materials in the classroom to boost her affection.
If I’m going to have a proper showdown with Aunt Colette, I’ll need Esme’s help, so I have to take care of her bit by bit.
“A gift.”
“… Is this for me? From Murmur?”
“Yeah, you did well today, Esme.”
Esme stared at me without blinking. What, is this not the kind of gift she likes? That can’t be.
“What did I do well?”
“You made the Nightmare… cute and soft. That was your effort.”
“That was something Murmur did.”
“No. No matter how much Murmur says it, if you hadn’t changed your heart, the Nightmare would have been summoned.”
“I… did that?”
“Yeah, though I’m a bit annoyed that you think Murmur is so cute.”
Esme smiled faintly and fiddled with the necklace I gave her with both hands.
“Fu, fufu… of course! Murmur, really! Do you think Esme Bloodberry can’t do something like that? Fufufu!”
* * *
“My status screen wasn’t broken.”
I was planning to meet the Demon God, Harmonia, after school today to learn new magic and relieve some stress, but that wasn’t possible.
Because there were a bunch of people from the Magica Kingdom around the Curse of Knowledge clubhouse.
Even without anyone explaining it in detail, I can tell what’s going on. Aunt Colette must be searching that clubhouse thoroughly.
“Why…”
What’s the reason? The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, the Demon God, Harmonia.
They must be trying to find the Demon God sealed beneath the clubhouse. But only two people in this game know that the Demon God is there.
The possibility that those two told anyone? Zero. Absolutely zero. So that means they’re just pointlessly suspicious and digging around for nothing…
“Ugh… the Crown Princess, huh? I hate this…”
The only third party who could know about the Demon God’s awakening is the ‘Crown Princess.’ As Nicasia’s older sister, she would definitely know about the Demon God’s awakening.
But that’s as far as it goes. She doesn’t know where Harmonia is. There’s no way for her to know. I’m not an idiot, so why would I have gone to learn magic from Harmonia right away?
Even during the clash between the Crown Princess and Nicasia in the high school chapter, she had no idea about it, so it became a hidden card for a counterattack or a shocking twist.
That’s why, when people found out there was a way to meet Harmonia early, they said things like, “Isn’t this a bit sudden?” or “It was touching, but where’s the logic?”
“Let’s be careful for now.”
No matter how small and soft Murmur is, to adults, she’s just another demon.
What kind of conversation do you think I’ll have if I approach a place full of people endlessly digging around because they think the Demon God might be there? It’s obvious.
* * *
“Fufufu… hum hum…♬”
Esme Bloodberry, humming a tune, was in a really good mood.
“Haa… to think that Murmur would give me such a gift, she’s such a child.”
Snorting happily, Esme fiddled with the violet-decorated necklace that was emitting an elegant purple glow.
Esme wasn’t poor, and she participated in parties normally, so receiving ‘gifts’ was nothing new.
But now that she’s a bit more mature, she knows well. That these gifts given to her are just small burdens she’ll have to return someday. That the adults congratulating her aren’t really sincere.
‘But Murmur was different… she told me I really worked hard today, that I did well, and gave me this necklace!’
If you asked if it was expensive and high-end, it wasn’t.
Though it was well-made, beyond what you’d expect from a 5th grader, it still couldn’t compare to the accessories Esme had received from master craftsmen.
But, it was made with heart.
‘Even though I acted so mean.’
Esme felt a bit annoyed at her own insincerity.
She should have just said thank you and hugged her tightly like Princess Nicasia.
“… Let’s do better from tomorrow.”
She’s a precious friend I’ve made sincerely. Unlike the fake friends who scatter like cockroaches when they can’t get good grades.
She cheered for me when I drew well, and saved me when I was almost killed by the Nightmare.
Murmur is a good friend.
‘But that’s not important…’
Humming a tune, Esme shook off the water on her hands and walked out of the bathroom.
“Purr! Tomorrow… huh?”
“You seem to be in a good enough mood to hum. My niece.”
Esme, who had been smiling brightly, turned pale as she looked up at Colette waiting for her in the room.
“Auntie…”
The setting sun began to pour darkness through the small window, and Colette, standing in the shadows, took a step toward Esme.
“Was it such a good thing?”
“Ye… yes. I got closer to the Princess.”
“Now you’ve got lying down pat, huh?”
Esme took a startled step back, but Colette stepped out of the shadows and grabbed her niece’s shoulder.
“Did you think your aunt knew nothing? You’re really looking down on adults.”
“Wh, what… are you talking about…”
“Today, you stupidly… summoned a Nightmare during art class, not even magic class, right?”
“Th… that was…”
“Esme… Esme… my precious niece. Why do you make such stupid, idiotic mistakes? Don’t you know our Bloodberry family walks the path of elemental magic that even many mages in the Magica Kingdom envy?”
Esme’s eyes shook pitifully.
“Right… summoning is whatever. You’re young, so you can make mistakes. But, do you know why your aunt is so angry?”
“I… I don’t know.”
Actually, she knows.
Esme didn’t want to say that answer. She wanted to reject this moment when the nightmare in front of her was trying to strangle her.
“Hahaha… right, you don’t know, so that’s why. Esme. You didn’t know, right? Okay, okay, then your aunt will tell you.”
“Ugh…!”
Colette roughly tore off Esme’s necklace, Murmur’s gift.
“I’m angry because you’re playing around with demons!”
“Auntie!”
“Esme! Why are you so stupid! Didn’t I tell you demons will do anything to deceive us?!”
“It’s different! Murmur, yahk!”
Colette slapped her niece’s cheek.
“Different? Different? Right! It must be different! Very different! Such a cunning piece of trash, huh? Can’t you see? You’re even wagging your tail at the Princess! You’re going to be used and thrown away. Just like my sister was…!”
“No… please. Help… me. Mom. Dad… Murmur… please help me. Please!”
“So get a grip! Esme! Remember your mother! Remember that child who was deceived and killed! Remember the tragedy of the Bloodberry gem turning to ashes in an instant!”
Colette shouted and forcibly pulled her niece up. Then she pulled out a wand from her waist and began chanting a spell.
“Co, Colette… auntie?”
“Esme, don’t worry. Your aunt will teach you everything from start to finish.”
“Auntie, please… don’t do this. Esme is… Esme is…”
“Your legs might sting a bit every time you make a mistake, but don’t worry? Your aunt will teach you how to kill demons, something you can’t learn anywhere else.”
Esme, beginning to be swallowed by the darkness, wished desperately.
That Murmur would save her this time too.
