I walked out of the hall and headed to the dressing room.

I want to quickly change my clothes, go back to the dormitory, and get a good night’s sleep.

I need to get rid of my fatigue in preparation for tomorrow.

–My survival strategy is three-fold.

“Don’t bully Isla” “Increase your allies”. And “follow up on Mireille’s past [mistakes] as much as possible.”

While I have never bullied or been violent towards Isla, there was one time during my first year when I did something completely absurd.

(It was the bouquet of flowers Isla gave me as a birthday present. … I stepped on it right in front of her and then threw it in the trash. Why did I, Mireille, do such a thing? Isla cried; people around me were disgusted, and it was truly a big mistake.)

It was my birthday during the first year. Prince Judrich didn’t come to me, and I didn’t receive a birthday present. In the height of my frustration, Isla came to me with a cute smile on her face.

“Wow! Mireille-sama’s desk is full of birthday presents♪”

Looking at the pile of birthday presents generously given by the entourage on my desk, she asked, “Mireille-sama, you’re loved by everyone. What did you receive from His Highness?”

It was frustrating to answer that His Highness didn’t give me anything, right? So, I remained silent, irritated.

“I also want to become closer to Mireille-sama. This is my feeling,” Isla said, offering a white bouquet. But unbelievably, I stomped on it on the spot and threw it in the trash.

Since the flower-stomping incident, Mireille has gained a reputation as a rude villainess, while Isla has received sympathy.

“I messed up. Even though I was irritated, why did I do such a thing?”

Perhaps it was the “force of the original” because it behaved according to the game event. Because my anger soared, I trampled on it in seconds, and even the kind of flowers I received became unclear.

“It might have been a white rose… If it were a white rose, the language of flowers is “respect.”Stepping on that is really self-destructive…”

In the Kingdom of Floren, handling gifted flowers carelessly is considered the lowest act. The country is called the “Flower Country,” and it is said that the first king was chosen by the blessing of the Flower Goddess.

The goddess Floren transformed into an ugly old woman and gave flowers to two brothers. The brother who received the flowers with gratitude became the king, while the one who scorned the old woman and trampled on the flowers was exiled to a wasteland…

Therefore, in this country, “flower gifts” are accompanied by sacred meaning.

Nevertheless, oh no…

“When the Crown Prince files for the annulment of the engagement, he will definitely blame the bouquet incident… It was said in the game, and it’s a fact, so I can’t escape from it.”

Regretting the past is unavoidable.

At least I should be careful not to make any more mistakes.

Anyway, I have to move forward.

*

The first weekend after advancing to the next grade

After a year, I returned to the estate of the Gasstark Marquis family, which is my home.

Both my home and the noble academy are in the capital, so they are close, but I’ve been avoiding my home since I started living in the dormitory.

… Since childhood, family relations have not been good.

Two years ago, my parents died in a carriage accident, and we grew even more distant.

Still, I decided to go back home.

The purpose of today’s visit home is “Survival Strategy: Increase Allies.”

As soon as I arrived home, I headed to my brother’s study, the only blood relative I have.

“Brother, I’m back.”

My brother, Mireld, who was working at his desk, didn’t bother to turn his face towards me and coldly muttered, “Oh.”

Even after a year, his response is chilly… he remains the “Ice Marquis.”

And as usual, he’s excessively beautiful, so much so that it hurts my eyes.

His long platinum blonde hair, like moonlight, shines elegantly, and his ice-blue eyes, reminiscent of the winter lake, are framed by long eyelashes of the same color.

In short, he’s a divine work of art, this man named Mireld Gasstark.

Even though he’s just a supporting character, his visuals are extraordinary, surpassing even the Crown Prince and the son of the prime minister, who are capture targets. Even through the screen, I was impressed, thinking, “The artist’s attention to detail is amazing.” But in real life, he effortlessly surpasses the level of a human.

“What’s the intention behind that impolite gaze? Is there something on my face?”

“Maybe you were the artist’s favorite.”

I accidentally slipped up.

“necrotic and purulent wound?”

Raising his beautiful face slightly, Mireld, my brother and the current head of the family, who is five years older than me, frowned in bewilderment.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but finish your business and go back to the academy.”

(Cold treatment… He’s like this now, but when we were kids, he was a really kind older brother. He used to dote on me so much.)

Although Mireld’s childhood scenes are not depicted in the game, his childhood definitely existed in the current world. Mireld was a truly good older brother, always kind to me, even when our parents didn’t shower me with love. But at some point, even my brother started avoiding me…

I received an even greater shock than before, having been close to him until then, so I started avoiding him as well.

(Well, sentimentality doesn’t matter. Let’s quickly convey my business.)

“Brother, I have a request. I want to leave the dormitory and commute to the academy from home.”

The Royal Noble Academy has about an equal number of dormitory residents and commuters. It’s a matter of free choice, and I’ve been a dormitory resident until now.

“Commute from home?”

“Yes. Even if it’s just during my private time, I want to spend it at home.”

There are two reasons I want to go back home.

The first is to increase allies. If I can improve my relationship with my brother even a little, he might protect me when the Crown Prince accuses me of wrongdoing.

The second reason is that encountering events with Aila is more likely when living in the dormitory. In the game, the “Happening Events” where Isla and I meet in the dormitory occurred with high probability. Every time Isla is mistreated by me, my “Happiness” and “Reputation” decrease, posing a risk for me as well. I need to minimize contact with Isla.

“You, who have been avoiding home, what’s the sudden change?”

“While studying, I want to help my brother with his work.”

“My work? Managing the territory?”

“Yes. Brother, you also serve as the chief political officer at the royal palace, right? I know you’re very busy, but I’d be happy if I could help you a little. I might be a nuisance until I get used to it, but I’ll definitely be of help.”

The Gasstark family is the leading family of the “Moderate Faction Nelke,” one of the three major factions of domestic nobility.

My brother took over as head of the family at the young age of 20 due to the sudden death of our father. The hardships my brother has faced are immeasurable.

…He maintains the demeanor of the Ice Marquis without showing it on his face, but in reality, it must be quite challenging.

So, saying “I want to be of help to my brother” is a reasonable excuse.

“I want to learn about managing the Gasstark family’s territory. That way, I can be of help to my brother, and the experience in estate management should be useful even after I become the Crown Prince’s consort.”

So, I stated the excuse I had prepared.

(Well, in reality, the possibility of me becoming the Crown Prince’s consort is zero. It’s better to talk in front of my brother as if becoming the Crown Prince’s consort is a given…)

That should be a story that is particularly beneficial for my dear brother, the head of the Gasstark family.

“You’re unusually talkative, Mireille. I can only hear it as if you’re putting together pleasant lines for me.”

— Startled.

While trying not to show the tension on my face, I gaze at my brother.

Unusually, my brother was smiling.

He had a rare, mischievous, teasing smile.

It’s the first time I’ve seen Mireld with such an expression.

“Anyway, there must be other reasons. You’re probably not escaping back home because your relationships at the academy aren’t going well, right? It’s not some childish reason like that?”

“No way.”

He hit the nail on the head. This brother is sharp.

My brother stood up smoothly from his office chair and stood in front of me.

Scary, scary, scary.

“You want to help me? It doesn’t sound like your words at all. Your words seem to be full of dislike for me.”

Peering into my eyes with his handsome face.

Is he seeing through my true feelings?

His ice-blue eyes, clearer than the winter lake, are so close, and I break into a cold sweat.

But my brother suddenly softened his expression.

“Do as you please.”

“Huh?”

He’s giving permission? This isn’t the direction I expected, where he would reject me…

“Is it okay? Oh, thank you, dear brother!”

Thank goodness! With this, I can at least keep a refuge for now.

“It’s rare for you to rely on me. I find it hard to believe that this house could be your comfort. Well, whatever. Welcome back, Mireille.”

My brother, who seems capable of seeing through everything, is so scary that I involuntarily stepped back.