Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 9 - Chapter 3

The Problems of a Noble

Monday, February 8th

In Corona House room 106, it was always game time after dinnertime. Points were distributed based on the outcome of the games, and those points represented each player’s ownership of the apartment. The first person to get all the points would then be declared the owner of the apartment. In other words, this was how they’d agreed to peacefully settle their dispute over room 106.

All kinds of games were used in this peaceful invasion, too. They would play card games, party games, and sometimes even console games. Since everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses, Koutarou and the invaders took turns deciding what they would play. As a result, any real change in points was gradual and even now, ten months after they had started, they still hadn’t reached a conclusion.

That being said, there was one person in particular who was steadily falling further and further behind, perhaps in part due to her quirky nature: Nijino Yurika. She was the second invader of room 106, who, just the other day, had established her position as the magical girl of the room.

Games that required strategy or wit were Yurika’s weak point. Her way of thinking was awfully predictable. She could be read like a book just based on the look on her face. As a result, she very rarely won any games that involved subterfuge or gambling. Though she’d gotten a little better over time, Koutarou and the others knew her well enough that her win rate still hadn’t improved. Recently, she’d been making a comeback through games of chance, but if it weren’t for her occasional lucky streaks, she easily would have been out of points by now.

“Heh heh, this should do the trick...”

Having realized the dire straits she was in, Yurika had prepared something special for today’s games. Games of chance were her only saving grace so far, but there was no guarantee that would continue. That’s why she’d gone out of her way to come up with something that would give her an edge in strategy games and the like.

“Now, let’s play!”

And so Yurika was sitting right up against the tea table, eagerly waiting for the night’s games to start.

“Yurika... Are you really satisfied... with that purchase?”

“Koutarou’s right, Yurika! That’s not something a magical girl should do! Love Love Heart would never do something like that!”

“Ho! Are you planning on robbing a bank like that, Yurika-chan? Ho!”

“Korama, apparently there are no banks in this game, ho!”

Yurika’s plan, however, didn’t seem very popular with the residents of room 106.

“What’s so strange about this?! It’s perfect!”

Yurika’s magical girl outfit fluttered as she adamantly objected to their criticisms. She had absolute confidence in her plan. The reason she’d been losing in so many games was because her face gave her away. To counteract that, Yurika was wearing a ski mask and sunglasses.

“Oh, I get it!”

Yurika raised her voice and slammed her hands on the tea table.

“You’re only saying that because you’re scared I’ll take all your points, aren’t you?!”

The ski mask and sunglasses did their job in that it was impossible to see what kind of expression Yurika was making right now. That being said, no one had any trouble imagining it.

“Yurika...”

Pained by seeing Yurika like that, Koutarou called out to her with a gentle voice and an expression full of pity.

“Yurika, if you want points that badly, I’ll give you some. Would twenty be a good start?”

Koutarou picked up a pen and altered the score sheet on the wall. He docked twenty points from himself and added them to Yurika’s total.

“Huwah?”

Yurika let out a stupefied gasp at Koutarou’s unexpected charity. Her face probably reflected something similar, but the ski mask and sunglasses were doing their job perfectly.

“I’ll even pick a game that’s easier for you, too.”

Koutarou was in charge of choosing today’s game, and he was offering to pick something that Yurika would have a better chance of winning.

“So please just take those off, Yurika! You’re fine as the magical girl you are! You don’t have to wear something so weird, even if it’s to win!”

“Well said, Koutarou! A man has to be particular about the methods he uses to win!”

“Even I would shy away from defeating that.”

“...That’s true.”

He could understand Yurika wearing her magical girl outfit to pump herself up, and the ski mask and shades to hide her face. But even so, the sight of it all together was just too bizarre.

Even worse, Koutarou was confident that this getup of Yurika’s wouldn’t change anything. Half a year ago, things might have been different, but now everyone knew Yurika well enough that they could tell what she was feeling regardless of what she was wearing. All this time they’d spent together hadn’t been for nothing.

Yurika would still lose, even in that outfit. She would then jump into the wardrobe to cry, trying to stay quiet, but all the while complaining that she should have bought instant ramen instead of a ski mask and sunglasses.

Imagining that, Koutarou simply couldn’t leave Yurika be. The thought of how things were going to turn out was just too pitiful, and she was a precious friend of his.

“Y-You’re making a fool out of me!”

Having finally realized what Koutarou was thinking, Yurika began to fiercely object.

“I’ll make you regret being so naive later!”

However, even though Yurika said that, she quickly removed her ski mask and shades.

“You know, Yurika, if you’re not happy, you can always give Koutarou his points back.”

“No thank you! I’m happy to keep what I get!”

Yurika happily tossed the ski mask and sunglasses aside with a smile before picking the game board up from the tea table and returning it to its box. Since they were going to be playing a different game now, they didn’t need it anymore.

“...Is Yurika-chan really okay living her life like that?”

Shizuka sipped on her tea as she watched Yurika cheerfully cleaning up the game while humming to herself. Recently, Shizuka was spending more time in room 106 than in her own apartment.

“If you ask me, despite how she may look, Yurika strikes me as the type to scrape by, no matter how rough things get.” Kiriha took a sip of her own tea and smiled at Shizuka. “She’ll probably be fine as long as someone like Satomi-kun is around.”

“Haha, you’ve sure got your work cut out for you, Satomi Koutarou.”

Shizuka and Kiriha both believed Yurika’s life would remain somewhat stable as long as Koutarou was around since he couldn’t find it in himself to abandon her. More accurately, they hoped it would remain stable since they didn’t want Koutarou to abandon her.

“Satomi-kun might just end up getting together with someone like Yurika-chan.”

“That’s certainly possible. Satomi Koutarou looks like the kind of guy who would draw the short straw on purpose.”

Yurika would undoubtedly be worse off without someone like Koutarou in her life. Regardless of how things worked out in the future, Kiriha and Shizuka were sure of that much as they looked at each other and smiled.

“So what are we playing today, Koutarou?”

“If we go with Old Maid, even Yurika should have a chance.”

“Do I need to remind you that Yurika has absolutely no poker face?”

“I’ll sit next to her and pick cards without looking at her face. Hey, Yurika, I told you to cut that out!”

“Eek!”

Upon hearing that the game would be Old Maid, Yurika had reached out for the ski mask and sunglasses again, but she reluctantly let go of them upon Koutarou’s strong objection.

“Just make sure you pick the bad card, Satomi-san.”

Yurika was dissatisfied with this since her equipment was specifically designed to be useful for games like Old Maid, and she took it out on Koutarou.

“Don’t push your luck. I don’t have to go that far.”

“Oh, Satomi-san, there’s no need to be so shy. I know you actually love meee!”

“You really should check yourself...”

Koutarou had decided to change today’s game to Old Maid since it was his turn to pick, but he decided to run it by the other two girls who hadn’t spoken up yet to make sure it was okay with them too.

“Kiriha-san, Theia, do you mind playing Old Maid instead?”

“That’s fine. You can choose as you please.”

Kiriha sipped on her second helping of tea and nodded her head. Her goal was to keep the battle for room 106 at a standstill to prevent the other underground dwellers from getting out of hand. That meant she couldn’t allow even Yurika to lose, so she had no objection to changing the game for her sake.

“In return, however, I desire the sweet jelly you’ve hidden in the back of the cupboard.”

But even so, just letting Koutarou get his way was no fun. Instead, Kiriha struck a deal with him.

“Man, I was planning on eating that in secret!”

“That’s why I’m requesting it.”

Kiriha’s sudden power move left Koutarou panicking a little, and Kiriha smiled rather smugly to see it. She enjoyed pulling these little pranks on her best friend. The truth was that she wasn’t particularly interested in the sweet jelly. She just wanted to see Koutarou flustered.

“Wait, you have sweet jelly?! What flavor?!”

“This is the first I’ve heard of any sweet jelly, Satomi-san!”

Rather than Kiriha, there were two other girls who showed great interest in the sweet jelly: Sanae, who loved eating anything delicious, and Yurika, who loved eating anything at all. Upon hearing there was a dessert in the apartment, they sidled up to Koutarou with stars in their eyes.

This is why I kept it quiet...

Koutarou held his head and smiled wryly, reluctantly accepting Kiriha’s deal.

“...Okay, okay, have as much of it as you want.”

Koutarou had bought the sweet jelly to cheer himself up in the event that he didn’t get any chocolate for Valentine’s Day. However, he couldn’t say no to the two girls in front of him, and so he ended up caving for their sake.

“All right! You’re so generous Koutarou! What a gentleman!”

“That’s a whole meal! Thank you very much, Satomi-san!”

“Heh, you heard him, Karama, Korama.”

“Roger that, ho!”

“Leave it to us, ho!”

With the sweet jelly set as the price for changing the game to Old Maid, the two haniwas hopped off to the kitchen. After watching them go, Koutarou turned towards Theia, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table from Kiriha.

“What about you, Theia?”

“...”

Despite talking to her directly, there was no response from Theia. It seemed especially weird since she was usually rather quick about voicing her opinion.

“Hey, Theia.”

Koutarou waved his hand in front of her face.

“Kyah!”

Startled, Theia jumped back a little out of reflex. She threw her arms out behind her to keep from falling completely on her butt. She then looked up at Koutarou with a blank stare.

“Wh-What is it...?”

“What...? Well, I want to change today’s game, so I was interested in what you thought, but... is something wrong?”

Seeing Theia look so uncharacteristically vulnerable, Koutarou began worrying.

Is she feeling bad or something?

Theia had been a little out of sorts before the ski trip as well. She seemed to cheer up while they were in the mountains, but now there was clearly something on her mind again.

The only thing Koutarou could think of was that it might have something to do with her right to the throne, but Clan, who was really the only potential source of any such problems, no longer had any reason to attack Theia. Clan had renounced her claim to the throne as part of a bargain to return Signaltin to the royal families. And if that wasn’t the issue, Koutarou had to wonder if Theia was sick or something.

“N-No, it’s nothing. Nothing at...”

Theia shook her head and looked down to escape Koutarou’s gaze.

Or maybe I did something to upset her...?

If she was having trouble or felt sick, there was no reason for her to look away from him like that. Theia always looked people right in the eye, so for her to avoid doing that, he had to wonder if he himself was the problem. Maybe he’d done something he hadn’t realized.

“You have the right to select today’s game. Do as you please.”

“Okay...”

Theia answered Koutarou without looking back up at him, but Koutarou was far more concerned about her than her answer.

Hmm, Ruth-san might know something...

Ruth knew Theia better than anyone else. She might be able to give Koutarou a hint as to what was up, so he turned to her for help.

“...”

Ruth, however, was also looking down, seemingly in deep thought. Her expression was serious and it was quite clear that she was mulling something over.

I wonder what’s up with those two. I guess I’ll ask them later...

Koutarou was concerned about the way they were acting, but he couldn’t confront them about it in front of everyone. It might be something involving Forthorthe, after all.

“All right, then let’s get the game started.”

So Koutarou decided to carry on like normal. It would be much easier to check up on them once they were done playing games anyway.

In total, they played five rounds of Old Maid. Kiriha, who remained calm and composed the entire time, ended up collecting the most points. Following her were Sanae, Koutarou, Theia, and Yurika in that order. Alas, despite all her enthusiasm, Yurika came in dead last and lost plenty of points for it. She couldn’t even beat Theia, whose head clearly wasn’t in the game.

“I really should have used the ski mask and sunglasses...”

“What does it matter? You only lost the twenty points that Koutarou gave you.”

“That’s true... But if I had hidden my face, I might have been able to keep a few!”

“...I’m pretty sure you’d still be emptyhanded.”

“Auuugh...”

Yurika cried bitter tears of defeat as Sanae updated the points on the scoreboard hanging on the wall. In the middle of writing, however, she suddenly stopped.

“Oh, hey! Koutarou, Koutarou!”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll give you ten of my points.”

Sanae swung the pen in her hand around like a magical wand as she spoke. Floating in the air like that, she looked more like a magical girl than Yurika ever did.

“Why?”

“I won half of the twenty points you gave to Yurika.”

“Don’t worry. I still have points to spare.”

Koutarou’s goal was no longer to gain control of the room; it was simply to help each of the girls resolve whatever had led them to invade in the first place. Because of that, he didn’t want anyone to lose. That was his primary motivation for giving Yurika points, so there was no need for Sanae to give them back to him.

“It’s okay. I won some today, and besides, I’m striving to become the perfect woman!”

“What’s this gobbledygook all of a sudden?”

Sanae ignored Koutarou as she continued to adjust the scoreboard, subtracting ten points from her total and adding them to Koutarou’s.

Heehee, if Koutarou’s going to be the perfect man, then I just have to be the perfect woman. I’ll become a grand guardian angel that you’ll be happy to have protect you!

Sanae no longer thought of Koutarou as an enemy she had a truce with. She went back and forth from considering him a close friend and an older brother she admired. But either way, she didn’t want him to lose. And since she respected him, she wanted to emulate him and his generosity.

“Thanks, Sanae.”

“Ohoho, there’s no need for thank me! Consider it my treat.”

Seeing Sanae smile so cheerfully as she laughed, Koutarou decided to let her do as she pleased.

Well, now if Sanae looks like she’s about to lose, I can just give her those points back.

Koutarou knew that Sanae was imitating his gesture to Yurika, so he decided to accept her goodwill. And since the two of them were cooperating, her giving points to him didn’t really put her at a disadvantage. Their combined total was still the same.

But more importantly...

Now that the games were settled for the day, Koutarou refocused on what he knew he needed to do.

“...”

And that was figure out what was up with Theia, who was still sulking.

First, I think I should pull Ruth-san aside and ask her about it

Having made up his mind, Koutarou shifted his glance from Theia to Ruth, who was sitting next to Theia.

“...”

Ruth was also still silently looking down. That something appeared to be wrong with both of them made Koutarou quite nervous. Theia’s normally imposing demeanor and Ruth’s calming aura came as a set in his eyes, and without either one, something really seemed off in room 106.

“Ru—”

“Satomi-sama.”

In the exact moment Koutarou was about to say something to Ruth, she called out to him as if she’d known what he was about to say. Before he knew it, she’d raised her head and was staring straight at him.

“Yes?”

Slightly surprised, Koutarou looked back at Ruth. She had a very serious expression on her face. Her eyes were silently wavering like she was trying to tell him something. Her hands were firmly clenched and resting on top of her knees. She looked extremely determined about something.

“There’s something I want to ask you about.”

“I don’t mind.”

When Koutarou nodded, Ruth briefly looked quite relieved.

Could it be that... something really bad has happened?

Based on Ruth’s behavior, Koutarou was starting to worry that Theia was in danger.

“Then...”

Ruth took a deep breath and slowly began to explain.

Just the other day, a long-distance message had reached Blue Knight. It had come all the way from Forthorthe. Specifically, the message was a video letter from Ruth’s parents. They inquired as to how she was doing and how work was going—very normal questions for parents to ask of their daughter who was away on another planet. It had been a long time since she’d seen her parents’ cheerful faces, so receiving a message from them put her in a good mood too. At least, it had until they’d gotten to the real reason they’d contacted her.

“Well, we were originally going to wait until you returned to Forthorthe, but... your arranged marriage has been decided.”

“Huh?”

Hearing those words, Ruth felt absolutely blindsided. She doubted her own ears.

“The other party is really enthusiastic. And he wants to meet you, even though you’re in the middle of Her Highness’s trial.”

Ruth’s father, Lord Pardomshiha, had secretly been trying to find suitors for her while she was away. This one in particular was in charge of a powerful company that was a frontrunner in the science industry. Though he was a civilian, he was a descendent of the distinguished Melcemhein family of knights. On paper, he was an ideal candidate for marrying Ruth.

But not only did he have prestige, he seemed to be a very capable and worthy man. He had taken over for his father just years ago and now, despite his young age, was singlehandedly running the company. As president, his achievements had come at a brisk pace, and the company rapidly grew under his direction. He was also a well known philanthropist that had donated very generous sums of his personal money to good causes.

If Ruth were to marry him, the Pardomshihas’ influence would increase. The Pardomshihas would forge an official bond with the Melcemheins, who served a royal family other than the Mastirs—Theia’s family. That would mean a marriage between them would grant them new allies. Of course, since Ruth’s suitor was such a rich man, there was financial gain to be had in their marriage as well. And since he was a well known philanthropist, he would also be a great asset in terms of public image.

All of this would enable Ruth to better protect Theia. Really, the arrangement was optimal for Ruth, but the same could be said for her family. That’s why her parents hadn’t objected when the other party wanted to hurry the marriage along. In fact, they welcomed it, which was why they’d sent Ruth the video letter to let her know.

As it turned out, what was bothering Ruth had nothing to do with Theia as Koutarou had hoped. Nonetheless, her story surprised everyone who heard it.

“An arranged marriage... Is that true?”

Theia was no exception as she stared at her most loyal retainer with wide eyes. She was so taken aback that she temporarily forgot her own worries.

“It is, Your Highness.”

Ruth slowly but firmly nodded at Theia. She didn’t seem to be excited about the prospect in the slightest. Her dark expression was riddled with doubt and consternation.

“So... what are you planning on doing?”

Ruth hesitated at Theia’s question, but she answered her sincerely.

“That’s... I’m honestly still not sure. I understand that this marriage is the best option for the future, but...”

Ruth knew all too well the situation she was in. She knew that going through with this would benefit Theia, and she knew there would be consequences if she declined. Having been born into a well known family of knights, Ruth had always known that she wouldn’t be able to marry freely. Marriage among the upper classes, after all, was a political tool.

That was actually one of the reasons she wanted Koutarou to become Theia’s vassal. Knowing that she would one day be married off for the sake of her family, she wouldn’t be able to stay by Theia’s side the same way forever. But knowing Koutarou would still be there for her would make that easier to bear. As long as he stood by her, Ruth could marry without worrying.

“But... I can’t just make up my mind... so I wanted to hear Satomi-sama and everyone else’s opinion...”

However, despite knowing all of that, Ruth still couldn’t bring herself to readily welcome the idea of the marriage. Rather, she felt quite reluctant about it. But the reason for that was simple—another man had already stolen her heart.

“So... what do you all think?”

After explaining the situation she found herself in to everyone, she turned to them for advice.

“Hmm... Isn’t it still too early?”

Shizuka was the first to answer. Shaking her head, she appeared to be counting something on her fingers.

“You’re still in your first year of high school, so you can’t be more than fifteen or sixteen years old. I think that’s way too soon to be deciding on your future like that.”

That was her way of thinking as a human living on Earth, but Shizuka didn’t think that things could be that much different on Forthorthe. And that much was true; even in Forthorthe, it was rare for girls of Ruth’s age to get married.

“I would accept on the right terms.”

“What?! What on earth, Kiriha-san? That’s way too young to get married!”

Kiriha was in favor of the marriage, but Shizuka couldn’t understand why.

“If Ruth gets married, it should improve the situation Theia-dono is in. It will very likely be beneficial for Ruth herself as well.”

Kiriha was speaking from a purely political point of view. If the perks were considerable enough, they would outweigh whatever downside there was to the union.

“So you’re telling her to settle and get married? That’s just awful! How do you think Ruth-san feels about this?!”

While Kiriha saw things very objectively, Shizuka’s primary concern was for Ruth as a woman. She was still young, and her feelings hadn’t been taken into consideration. Shizuka wouldn’t stand for that.

“Don’t get too heated, Shizuka. That’s why I said on the right terms,” Kiriha said with a wry smile at the excited Shizuka.

“...Then what do you mean?”

Upon seeing Kiriha smile like that, Shizuka managed to calm down a little. But she still wasn’t convinced it was the right answer, and the skepticism was visible in her eyes.

“If Ruth were to marry someone she didn’t like, that would indeed be troublesome. If the cons outweigh the pros, there’s no point in getting married.”

A while ago, Kiriha’s father had also suggested that she get married. It was an entirely political affair intended to suppress the radical faction, but Kiriha had refused. There was already a man she loved, so she’d felt very similarly to the way Ruth did now. And so no matter how great the perceived benefits would be, Kiriha wouldn’t recommend a marriage to Ruth that would result in her being miserable. In the end, looking at the bigger picture, Kiriha and Shizuka were of the same opinion on that matter.

“So what about the guy? Is he good looking or not?”

Yurika, however, approached the issue a very different way. Ruth’s suitor was a wealthy, powerful man, and although he wasn’t a proper noble, he had blue blood in his veins. As long as he was good looking, he sounded like the perfect fiancé straight out of a shoujo manga. Her eyes sparkled at just the thought, but her impoverished way of life was clearly influencing her opinion.

“This isn’t about what he looks like, Yurika. Jeez...”

“Whaaat, really?”

“Well, in your shoujo mangas, the good looking guys are always nice. But real life doesn’t work like that, you know?”

Sanae looked both dumfounded and amazed. She couldn’t keep up with Yurika’s outlook on men. To Sanae, a man’s looks weren’t what was important, but neither was his money or status. To her, what mattered most was his heart. Or really, his soul.

To a ghost like Sanae, physical appearance wasn’t all that important. She was more sensitive to spiritual energy than actual visuals, so the aura a man emitted meant more to her than anything else. Sanae hated negative auras, and being exposed to people’s greed through their spiritual energy made her feel sick. Nothing was better than someone with a pure aura. Moreover, to a ghost, money and status meant nothing. So for a very good reason, Sanae valued people for their spirits.

“So if I had to choose between a good looking but sly guy or Koutarou, I’d rather go with Koutarou. He feels good to sleep in, after all.”

“Wait a minute, Sanae! Are you saying I’m ugly?!”

“What about you, Yurika?”

“Hey!”

“Um, which one would give me food?”

“A sly person wouldn’t give you food for no reason. But Koutarou always gives you your fill, right?”

“Then I’d pick Satomi-san too! I have no use for a handsome man who won’t feed me!”

“Seriously, what’s that supposed to mean?!”

At first, Sanae and Yurika’s taste in men seemed different, but they seemed to achieve some common ground in what they considered desirable. If a nice person was the same as someone who would feed them, they wanted the same thing. To Yurika, good looks were important, but not as important as food. While she ideally had high standards, her stomach forced her to be realistic.

“I’d rather get a stomachful than an eyeful, so I’d much rather pick Satomi-san.”

“Hey, look at that, Koutarou! You’re super popular!”

“Y-You guys...”

Koutarou couldn’t get past the fact that the girls had said he wasn’t good looking in a roundabout way. He himself was aware of that, but their words still stabbed at his heart.

“What does it matter, Koutarou? You’re winning when it comes to beauty of spirit.”

“...That’s real cute coming from an actual spirit.”

That was the only rebuttal he could think of in the heat of the moment.

“Eeheehee! I am currently an adorable ghost, but who knows? I might have been ugly when I was alive.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Ahaha, so you do get it, Koutarou! Anyway...” Sanae smiled happily and looked towards Ruth. “What’s this fiancé of yours actually like?”

And so the derailed conversation finally returned to Ruth.

“When it comes down to it, that’s what really matters.”

“That’s what I want to hear too. There’s nothing sadder than being forced to marry someone you don’t love, after all.”

Shizuka and Kiriha agreed with Sanae, but it seemed to pique the interest of all the girls in the room. The real question now was whether or not this man was Ruth’s type.

“I hear he’s a wonderful person, but since I have never met him, I can’t tell you anything else,” Ruth said as she shook her head.

Ruth knew that he was the CEO of a famous corporation and she knew that he was a well known philanthropist, but that was really it. She had no personal experience with him.

“Apparently he’ll be paying a visit here, so until then, I can’t say for...”

“Hmm... So unless you have a reason not to marry him, you at least have to meet him, right?”

A reason not to marry. Hearing those words, Ruth’s heart skipped a beat and she instinctively looked to Koutarou. He was resting his chin in his hand as he pensively looked at Ruth.

“So, um... what do you think, Satomi-sama?”

Ruth asked for Koutarou’s opinion like she was asking for help. The truth was that she was most interested in his thoughts on the matter. After all, he was the real reason she didn’t want to get married.

To Ruth, Theia was both her esteemed liege and a dear childhood friend she thought of as her own sister. Ruth could handle any kind of trouble that befell her personally, even in her love life, but anything that affected Theia—her princess and her best friend—would be a complete disaster.

Theia meant the world to Ruth, and Koutarou was the first person she’d ever felt like she could entrust Theia to. Inherently, that also meant that he met all of her requirements for a love interest. Ruth only felt like she could leave Theia to him because he was her ideal man.

Ruth had never revealed that to Koutarou because she didn’t want to become an obstacle in Koutarou and Theia’s relationship, but in her current situation, she was desperate to hear what he had to say. It was a sign of her real feelings starting to show through.

“I...”

Koutarou was hesitant. All kinds of things ran through his head. There was a lot to take into consideration here.

Satomi-sama...

Ruth watched over Koutarou contemplatively, as if praying. All she needed was a sign. One word would be enough. She didn’t care what the reason was. She just wanted Koutarou to tell her not to go through with it. That would give her a reason to say no.

If Satomi-sama says I shouldn’t, then that’s all I need...

Ruth knew that she would never really be able to tell Koutarou how she felt, and that was because she needed him to focus on protecting Theia. If all went as Ruth hoped, Koutarou would become Theia’s partner. That meant she could never be with him, but she was fine with that. She was satisfied just to be near him and watch over Theia with him. She was fine with that kind of love.

But even so, Ruth now prayed that Koutarou at least thought something of her. That would be enough. Then she would be able to carry on. It was perhaps the most selfish thing she’d ever prayed for, but it was still a modest wish.

“...I can’t really say.”

And it seemed her hopes didn’t reach him. In the end, Koutarou didn’t tell Ruth not to go through with the marriage.

The moment she heard Koutarou’s answer, tears came streaming out from Ruth’s eyes.

“Satomi-sama...”

But it was more than just tears. A horrible, weighty sadness from the bottom of her heart was overflowing. She felt like it would crush her if she remained still.

“I-I’m sorry... I need a moment to myself.”

And with those words, Ruth ran from the room. She didn’t want anyone to see her falling tears, and that feeling drove her forward. It was both a matter of pride and because she didn’t want to become a burden to Koutarou.

“Ruth!”

Theia stood up just as Ruth burst out the front door.

“Ruth, wait! Where are you going?!”

Theia treasured Ruth much the same way Ruth treasured her. They had a very close relationship, and she had never seen Ruth act like this before. She knew that whatever was going through her head must have been serious, and she didn’t hesitate to run right after her in the darkness. She would do whatever she could to find her childhood friend that she thought of as an older sister.

After both Ruth and Theia had run out, silence befell room 106. The commotion was quite a shock to them all, but as time passed, that shock slowly faded into understanding.

“Satomi-kun! Why’d you have to go and say that?!”

Shizuka was the one to break the silence. Her face was contorted with anger for the first time in a long while. It was the same way she’d looked when the invading girls had first fought in room 106, but this time her rage was specifically directed at Koutarou.

“Landlord-san...”

“Don’t give me that! You knew Ruth-san wanted you to stop her, didn’t you, Satomi-kun?!”

“Yes.”

Despite Shizuka’s fury, Koutarou remained calm. He nodded with the same serious expression from before.

I’m sorry, Ruth-san...

He looked towards the front door that Ruth had run through and apologized to her in his head. Regardless of his reasons, he’d made her cry.

I know that there’s also the matter with Theia, but...

Just as Shizuka had said, Koutarou actually knew what Ruth had wanted when she asked for his opinion. She wouldn’t have asked him otherwise. He understood that she was looking for a reason to say no.

Koutarou thought that rather than asking him as a close friend, Ruth’s turning to him was because she’d asked him to serve Theia one day. If she were to get married, for example, the meaning and necessity of Koutarou serving Theia would greatly change. And so right now, Koutarou thought that not speaking his mind led Ruth to think that he was turning down her request. That he was betraying the trust she’d put in him to take care of Theia.

Koutarou was only half right, however. He hadn’t fully understood what Ruth was asking of him, or why she was so heartbroken when he couldn’t answer her.

“Then what gives?! If you knew that, then why did you say something that sounded like you were pushing her away?!”

Shizuka was still furious. She’d really started to enjoy her day to day life ever since she started visiting room 106 regularly, and she believed that Ruth felt the same way. That’s why she couldn’t forgive Koutarou’s cold words. That’s why she couldn’t help being as angry as she was the day the invading girls had damaged her beloved Corona House that her late parents had left to her. Shizuka now loved the invading girls as much as she did the building.

“...”

But Koutarou couldn’t say anything back to Shizuka. Even though it wasn’t entirely, Koutarou still vaguely understood Ruth’s feelings, and yet he’d chosen not to say anything. As a result, he’d badly hurt Ruth, but he still didn’t regret his answer.

That being the case, he decided to accept Shizuka’s upbraiding. Although there might not have actually been anything else he could have said to her instead, the fact of the matter was that he’d made Ruth cry.

“Don’t be so harsh on Koutarou, Shizuka.”

Kiriha was the one who took it upon herself to stand up for Koutarou, who offered nothing in his own defense. Despite her calm gaze, however, she wore a sad expression. Since Kiriha was sensitive to the emotions of others, she understood how Ruth, Shizuka, and Koutarou all felt.

“But think about poor Ruth-san! Even if you’re not dating, there are times when you want close friends to say what you can’t, Satomi-kun!”

Ruth had asked Koutarou for advice because she was hesitant and anxious. But the response she had gotten amounted to a close friend of hers saying he didn’t care. Ruth had formed a bond with each of the residents of room 106, and if Koutarou had just given her the slightest sign she should stay, she never would have run out of the apartment like that. Knowing that, Shizuka just couldn’t forgive Koutarou for letting it happen.

“...”

But Koutarou still didn’t answer. He knew what Shizuka was saying was right.

“Shizuka, Koutarou is well aware of that. He was then too, but he still couldn’t say anything despite that.”

Kiriha again stepped in to help out since Koutarou wasn’t saying anything himself.

You really are an awkward man, Satomi Koutarou... Why would you choose the walk down the thorny path on your own? Surely you can do better than that...

Considering what Koutarou had done when he’d learned of Kiriha’s circumstances, she thought it was obvious how he felt when Ruth asked for advice. That’s why she couldn’t just stand by and let him get criticized for his actions. And as his best friend, she felt like it was her responsibility to try and make the path he’d chosen just a little easier to walk.

“Why?!”

“That’s—”

“That’s enough, Kiriha-san. I’ll take it from here.”

However, before Kiriha could explain, Koutarou cut her off. He was planning on keeping the reason he couldn’t fulfill her wish a secret, but he would rather say it himself than have Kiriha say it for him.

“Koutarou... I’m sorry. I was out of line.”

Kiriha apologized to Koutarou. She realized that she had gotten a bit worked up herself and reflected on that. Kiriha had the best handle on how everyone felt, but that was exactly why it was so hard for her to let such misunderstandings continue.

“No, it’s not that. Thank you, Kiriha-san.”

Kiriha was only trying to help, and Koutarou certainly didn’t blame her for that.

“So what’s the meaning of all this?”

“You could have at least given her your opinion.”

Yurika and Sanae spoke up this time before Shizuka could. They couldn’t understand what Koutarou had done either.

“Lately, I’ve been forgetting myself, but...”

Koutarou slowly began explaining. His expression was stiff and unusually serious. It was a face the girls hadn’t seen him make before.

“Ruth-san and Theia aren’t from this planet. And unlike us, they aren’t normal people. They’re of extremely high stations. It’s not like I’m in any position to be telling either of them how to live.”

What concerned Koutarou was that the two girls were not only aliens, but also of extremely high social status.

“But that doesn’t matter to us at all anymore!”

His reasoning wasn’t enough to convince Shizuka. She knew what Ruth was hoping for because she understood her connection to this apartment and the people in it.

“That might be true...”

“Then what gives?!”

“Landlord-san, Ruth-san is our friend and we would be sad to see her go, so of course we would be against her marriage.”

Koutarou knew that. Even he wanted to object to it. The bond he shared with Ruth was something he was prepared to defend.

“But... can you imagine what kind of trouble that might cause for them down the line?”

However, the reason he couldn’t was because he was thinking of Ruth and Theia’s futures. He wasn’t acting for the sake of their happiness now, but for the sake of their future happiness. That was why he’d held in his feelings when Ruth had asked for them.

“That’s...”

Koutarou’s explanation went a long way for soothing Shizuka’s anger. She herself was only thinking of the present. She hadn’t even considered the future.

“We don’t know anything about Forthorthe, or what it might mean to refuse the proposal. It’s possible that this future could protect Theia far better than we ever could.”

Koutarou really had no idea what the current situation in Forthorthe was like. He knew that Theia was in a dangerous position, but he didn’t fully understand the extent of that danger. He had no idea how Ruth getting married might affect that, or how her refusal might either. He had nothing to go off of in that regard. He hadn’t run through the current Forthorthe with Ruth like he’d run through it in the past with Alaia.

“So if we tell her not to get married without considering what that really might mean, she could end up in a terrible position. And what would we even be able to do for her if that happened? Could we take responsibility after forcing Ruth’s hand?”

What Koutarou feared was that their emotional responses to the matter would lead Ruth and Theia down an even more difficult path. Moreover, if they encouraged her to turn down the proposal, what could they possibly offer her in return? If they screwed this up, Ruth and Theia would suffer for it back home, especially in Theia’s fight for the throne. Koutarou was worried that if he spoke his mind, it might unfairly sway Ruth’s decision.

This is for the best. Isn’t that right, Princess Alaia...?

Koutarou’s own decision was influenced by his experiences in Forthorthe of the past. He’d seen firsthand what happened when national powers clashed. And he’d seen what effect it had on Alaia, who was caught in the middle of it all.

Alaia prioritized the happiness of her citizens over her own. Koutarou carried her wish on his shoulders even now. The weight of Signaltin and the wooden insignia he’d brought home was far from light. He wanted Ruth and Theia to be happy, but he was also concerned for the consequences anything rash might have on Forthorthe. If anything, Koutarou had simply made the decision he thought Alaia would have.

“Satomi-kun...”

Shizuka’s anger now completely vanished as she came to the realization that Koutarou was being even more considerate of Ruth and Theia than she’d been. Her enraged expression was replaced by a guilty one. She felt badly for only thinking about the here and now.

“I think of Ruth as more than just a friend. I think of her as someone important to me. That’s why I’ll support her no matter what she decides. But this is a decision that she has to make for herself. It’s her life, after all, and I don’t want her to have any regrets...”

In the end, Ruth had to be the one to decide her own fate. Koutarou had no intention of forcing her hand in that. This wasn’t like deciding what to have for dinner. However, regardless of what Ruth chose, Koutarou was planning on protecting her and her master, Theia. He wanted to protect their futures. He’d returned to room 106 from Forthorthe in order to do just that. Signaltin and the insignia he carried were proof of that.

It was now past 10 PM, and there was hardly any traffic left on the road. The temperature was steadily dropping, and the chill in the night air was piercing. The squeaking sound of metal rubbing up against metal could be heard from a small park not far from Corona House.

“Why...”

The sound was coming from the chains of the swing that Ruth was sitting on as she absentmindedly swung back and forth. It was a horribly lonely sound that could easily be mistaken for a child’s wailing sobs at a distance. It muffled the sounds of Ruth’s own crying as it echoed throughout the empty park.

“...am I...”

Ruth still felt like she was drowning in the sadness that overflowed from within her. It was so intense that she felt like she’d just collapse on the spot if it weren’t for the swing.

Satomi-sama...

Ruth wanted Koutarou to object to her arranged marriage, whatever his reason might be. She didn’t mind if he didn’t think of her as a woman. She would have been okay if he’d only objected as a friend, or even a companion or roommate. She just wanted him to say that he didn’t want her to leave.

Why...

But now all that was on her mind was a strong yearning for Koutarou, and the equally strong sadness that accompanied it. Ruth had only realized that she truly wanted Koutarou to treat her as a woman after hearing his answer. She felt so strongly for Koutarou that she couldn’t help wishing for it.

“How could I have been... so foolish?”

She wouldn’t mind if Koutarou became Theia’s partner, but she at least wanted him to acknowledge her. She wanted him to compliment her cooking or her outfit. Anything.

“...I can’t really say.”

But Koutarou’s answer was quite different from what Ruth had hoped for. It was just too much for her to take. It was too sad. It wasn’t like she wanted him to confess his love for her, but she at least wanted him to show a sign that he cared. That was all she really needed. But he hadn’t even given her that much to go on. That was why she was so devastated to hear his answer.

As she contemplated it now, the squeaking sound of the swing grew louder. It was the sound of a second swing overlapping with Ruth’s. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice it at first, but when she looked up to wipe away some of her tears, she caught a glance of something golden in the corner of her eye. Someone had taken a seat on the swing next to her.

“Your Highness...”

It was indeed Theia. Seeing that Ruth had finally noticed her, Theia flashed a small smile.

“...So both master and servant have made the same mistake, huh?”

Theia had temporarily lost sight of Ruth after leaving the apartment, but she had managed to find her by tracking the signal her bracelet emitted. And after catching up with her at the park, she decided to join her on the swings.

With a second swing in motion, the squeaking had doubled. Strangely enough, however, it seemed less lonely that way. It eased the pain in Ruth’s heart, even if only a little. She was happy that Theia had come after her.

“Hear me out, Ruth.”

Theia smiled at Ruth again as she swung on her swing. It wasn’t a happy smile, but rather an embarrassed one.

“Lately... I’ve had my head in the clouds. Somehow I’d completely forgotten that I was an alien, and I was fantasizing... about a future with Koutarou.”

Theia would claim room 106 and make Koutarou swear loyalty to her. She would then take Koutarou back to Forthorthe with her, and they would continue about their lives there no differently than they had on Earth. And one day, she would become empress with Koutarou and Ruth by her side. At that point, she and Koutarou might even be married. That was what Theia had dreamed of.

“I’ve... been doing the same thing...”

Ruth had been dreaming of her future too. As she imagined it, she would follow Theia and Koutarou, one step behind them. Every now and then, they would turn around and give her a smile. And when Theia and Koutarou got married, Ruth would give them her blessing and they would continue their lives together. In the end, Theia and Ruth had the same dream.

“However... if I’m to marry Koutarou, I would have to be prepared to discontinue the Mastir family lineage.”

Theia and Koutarou were from completely different parts of the universe. They could both be called human, but they were completely different species from completely different planets. The chances of them being able to have a child together were close to none. It was rare enough to find even closely related species on Earth that could produce young together. And considering that Theia and Koutarou were aliens to each other, such a prospect was nigh impossible, regardless of how similar they might look. So if they were to get married, it would spell the end of the Mastir family bloodline.

“That’s... Yes...”

It wasn’t until Theia mentioned it that Ruth even considered that problem. Like Theia, she had simply begun thinking of Koutarou as any other normal man from Forthorthe.

“And what’s more, he would have to forsake his homeland to come with us. He would even have to accept that he could never have a family of his own.”

If Theia were to bring Koutarou home as a knight, it would mean giving up his home and everything he knew. And without the ability to procreate, Koutarou would never even have a family in Forthorthe. He would be there all alone.

“No matter how strongly I feel for him, in the end, I am an alien here...”

“So is... that why you’ve been feeling so down the past few days?”

If Theia were to have Koutarou become her knight and return home to Forthorthe with her, she would have to accept what that would mean for him. In other words, she would have to bring Koutarou with her knowing that she’d be cutting him off from everything. In her heart, Theia knew that would be a mistake, and that was what had been troubling her recently.

“That’s right. But Ruth... isn’t it the same for you?”

“Yes... I forgot that I was an alien and wanted Satomi-sama to stop me like he would anyone else...”

Ruth nodded. She was in the same predicament Theia was. She hadn’t really considered the consequences of the things she wanted most.

I see... So that’s why Satomi-sama...

It was only thinking that far ahead that Ruth was able to understand why Koutarou had chosen not to say anything. It wasn’t out of indifference. It was out of concern. He’d thought the problem through even more than she had.

“However, Koutarou still won’t stop you.”

Theia smiled as she thought about Koutarou. It was a gentle, bittersweet smile—the kind you would only show in front of a close sibling. Right now, Theia perfectly understood Koutarou’s feelings.

“He might say a lot of things, and he’s without a doubt an alien, but... he’s an invaluable knight of Forthorthe. He would never do anything irresponsible... He wants us to make the best choice...”

“Yes...”

Ruth was an alien to Koutarou. Koutarou couldn’t say anything one way or another about her arranged marriage since he didn’t understand Forthorthian culture. Anything he did say would just be dominated by his emotions. That was the response Ruth wanted to hear, but that didn’t sit well Koutarou, which was why he’d said something that had been mistaken for indifference.

But the truth was really the opposite. Koutarou was quite concerned about Ruth and her affairs. That was why, after thinking things through, he’d chosen to stay silent on the matter. It was for her own good.

Upon realizing that, a heavy burden was lifted off of Ruth’s shoulders. However, it was still only about half of what was weighing her down. She was still shackled by the reality that Koutarou was—and always would be—out of her reach.

“If he was just... a little more selfish and didn’t think of the consequences... this might be easier on us both...”

“...But if that were case, Your Highness, neither of us would need Satomi-sama this much.”

Theia and Ruth wished for Koutarou to become Theia’s vassal because they believed he was an ideal knight, surpassing even the Blue Knight. And because he was an ideal knight, he wouldn’t ever say anything that might jeopardize either Theia or Ruth’s position. In other words, the part of Koutarou that they valued most was precisely why he couldn’t give them exactly what they wanted.

“I guess that’s to be expected from the man we love...”

“Yes, I’m afraid so...”

It was a serious dilemma for the two girls, and there was no solution in sight. At a loss, they continued swinging together. Even as the clock ticked passed midnight and the rest of the neighborhood fell dead quiet, the sound of squeaking chains could still be heard coming from the park.