Chapter 4

“Mireille, a summons has arrived for you from Her Majesty the Queen. What on earth have you done?”

Having been told this by her brother during dinner, Mireille’s tension plummeted.

Her brother, who usually only laughed coolly without revealing the depths of his feelings, was now staring at her with an unusually serious expression.

“…But, brother, I can’t think of anything I’ve done.”

“Tomorrow, it seems there will be a direct conversation with Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Q-Queen will speak directly to me…?”

Since I had already completed my queen’s education, there shouldn’t be any reason for me to be scolded by the queen. Besides, it was the court ladies who conducted the queen’s education, not the busy queen herself. If there were any issues related to queen education, it should be the court ladies informing me.

“…By the way, even before I regained my memories from my previous life, I never liked the queen.”

To be precise, it was the ‘disappointed gaze’ the queen had when looking at Mireille that frightened her.

(This is the first time I’ve ever been summoned. She wouldn’t say something like, ‘I’ve been patient, but you are unsuitable as the crown princess,’ would she…?)

Before waiting for the graduation ceremony, it’s like facing judgment at the end of the second year of completion. Isn’t it?

While suppressing her anxiety, Mireille let her thoughts wander to the account number of the hidden fortune she had accumulated in the casino and potential places to live after falling from nobility.

The next day, I went to the designated place at the specified time, having ascended to the castle.

It was the garden in the royal palace.

The preparations for the tea party were complete, and the queen, with a dignified posture, was waiting.

“It’s been a long time, Your Majesty the Queen.”

I expressed my gratitude for taking the time out of her busy schedule to manage the harem and state affairs. However, she responded with a refreshing voice, “No need for pleasantries.”

“Please have a seat; let’s have tea.”

her majesty The queen possessed a sophisticated beauty. To be honest, she was unapproachable.

Although her sky-blue eyes and gently flowing blond hair resembled Prince Judrich, the serene aura she exuded was entirely different.

…I must show the utmost courtesy.

But, even though I was nervous about the summons, it seems to be in the form of a tea party.

“How is life at the academy?” The queen threw a safe topic at me. I responded politely. After a couple of formal exchanges, the queen unexpectedly mentioned something.

“The Chancellor of the Academy spoke highly of you.”

The Chancellor? For a moment, I wondered who that was, then I realized it was Duchess Camilla Meldel.

“The Chancellor of the Academy spoke highly of me…?”

“Yes. She and I have a close relationship, both personally and professionally. Lately, she has been talking about you a lot. It seems that a long-standing ailment she had been suffering from has completely healed, thanks to you. She says you are diligently studying not only at the academy but also in various other activities.”

(Huh…?) The atmosphere around Queen seems to have changed.

“I heard that you have been enthusiastic about activities outside of the academy recently.”

“Yes. I am assisting my brother in managing our territory.”

“That’s truly wonderful.”

The queen has indeed changed. She seems more friendly and doesn’t give me the usual ‘disappointing child’ look. What’s going on?

“Mireille, you have changed.”

Upon hearing those words, I realized that it wasn’t the queen who had changed but rather me.

“Until now, you, to put it bluntly, gave off a selfish impression. Always groveling to those above you, with no apparent consideration for others… I felt a bit uneasy about you as the Crown Princess.”

I had been seen through. Mireille wanted to improve her impression of the Queen, her future mother-in-law, and had been trying to please her. At the same time, she had been acting arrogantly towards those beneath her.

Indeed, she was a ‘disappointing child.’

“Judrich has a high sense of pride and can be self-centered, but if you are there to support him, I feel relieved. I wanted to convey that today, so I summoned you unexpectedly. I apologize for imposing on you, despite your busy schedule.”

“Mireille, I look forward to the day when you become my daughter.” With these words, the tea party concluded.

“Oh, brother.”

After the tea party, on the way to the carriage stop, I unexpectedly ran into my brother within the royal palace.

He mentioned that he had finished work unusually early today and was on his way back to the mansion. He suggested that we ride in the same carriage.

“So, what did you get in trouble for?”

During the carriage ride back, my brother asked while casting his gaze outside the window.

“…Um.”

“Go ahead; I’ll cover for you as much as possible.”

Is my brother being kind? Could it be that he’s a tsundere? The fact that we coincidentally met in the vast royal palace seemed unnatural. Plus, he finished work way too early. Could it be that he was waiting for me?

Amidst the queen’s praise, I found myself in a good mood.

“Hehehe.”

“What’s with that eerie smile? Did you go mad from the shock of being scolded?”

Against my brother, who seemed to be under the impression that I had received a scolding from the queen, I recounted everything about today’s tea party.

Surprised, my brother opened his beautiful eyes wide.

“How about that, dear brother? Don’t underestimate your incompetent little sister forever. Queen even said she wants to’make me her daughter soon. ‘ Aren’t you proud, dear brother?”

With a proud laugh, my brother suddenly touched my cheek.

“Brother!?”

“… ‘The daughter of Queen,’ huh? That’s right. Once you graduate, you’ll soon become the wife of the Crown Prince.”

What’s going on? What’s with this sentimental attitude?

“These days will end before you know it. …Thinking about it, it’s regrettable. I feel like I want to be a bit kinder to you.”

My brother is acting strangely. That beautiful, sweet, and melancholic expression—what in the world…?

Wait.

As if struck by lightning, additional information about the game descended into my brain.

Come to think of it, isn’t this older brother a hidden strategy character for additional chargeable content…?

In the hidden route that only those who have completed the entire game can play, you can enjoy a romance with the villainous Marquise Mireld Gasstark, the brother.

If you play the Crown Prince route up to a certain point, a branching choice occurs.

Mireld coincidentally saves Isla, who was about to be attacked by Mireille— that’s how the two meet in the game.

I’ve heard that while acting like an ally in front of Mireille, Mireld ultimately betrays her, throwing her into prison, and welcomes Isla as his wife in the ending.

Since I haven’t played it yet, this is all information from the wiki.

Initially, Mireld has a cool personality, but as the intimacy level increases, he reveals his ‘teasing’ nature.

He might save you in a pinch, but then, in strange ways, he might engage in S&M-like teasing, jealousy, or even yandere-like confinement activities…

(My brother is a capture character!? But this world seems to be on the Crown Prince route, so my brother won’t be captured by Isla… right!?)

Filled with unsettling fantasies, I shuddered and escaped from my brother’s hand.

While looking at me in that state, my brother smiled gently.

“It’s a shame to marry you off. I want to keep you by my side forever.”

Saying that, my brother once again cast his gaze outside the window, not showing his expression toward me.