Summer Vacation Second Half – Q of Hearts (Part 1)

Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.

Today I went to the castle.

I’ve finally gotten permission to enter the restricted section of the castle library.

Right now I’m in Royce-sama’s room, and in the middle of listening to him talk about it.

Of course, he brought out tea and sweets as well.

As expected of Royce-sama, you truly understand! Delicious black tea with a meringue-like dessert… WE art satisfied.

“Sorry that it took so long, Camille. They were reaaally a bunch of stubborn idiots… I still have a long way to go as well, huh…”

I wonder what happened. Royce-sama is quietly fuming. Royce-sama gets angry with a quiet smile, so he’s a little scary isn’t he…? The number one scariest is Achille though.

“Royce-sama, thank you.”

“Mn, I got permission for three people granted, so let’s go together.”

Mn? Three people?

The ones browsing the forbidden books, won’t just be me?

When my doubt appeared on my face, the door to the room was knocked, and Achille appeared, guided here by the maid.

“Three people you said?”

“Me, you, and Achille of course.”

You fellows shall be reading as well!?

It seems that my thoughts were revealed on my face, and Royce-sama happily said to me,

“I mean, isn’t it unfair if it’s only you? We want to see them too. Right, Achille~?”

“Indeed. It would be better for a larger number of people to be able to deal with forbidden magic, after all.”

Or so Achille said, following up with a reasonable argument, but I think Achille has the same opinion as Royce-sama.

Achille looked at me with suspicion, and smiled wryly.

“It wouldn’t do if only you faced danger, right Camille?”

And like that, Achille took from my hand the meringue I was nibbling on, and stuffed his cheeks with it.

“Ah-!”

“Mn, sweet…”

I-I-I-I-Indirect Kiss! Geez, he’s done something incredible again… I think.

As expected, no matter how much time passes, I haven’t gained any resistance to Achille’s actions.

“How niceeee, I want to do that kind of thing tooo.”

Royce-sama said something a little off the mark.

“Isn’t it fine just to do so then? If it is you, you should be able to do so as much as you like. However, please pick a partner other than Camille.”

Despite using keigo, the words that Achille heaped onto Royce-sama were merciless, huh? Could we consider it a proof of closeness?

Royce-sama smiled amusedly. He doesn’t hold back in front of Achille either.

“Ahaha, as if I would do something life-risking like that!”

“…That noble daughter?”

Achille looked at Royce-sama with a complicated expression. On the other hand, Royce-sama was giving his usual sparkly smile.

“Mn, yeah!”

That noble daughter? Who exactly…?

“Royce-sama, have you fallen for someone?”

I picked up another pseudo-meringue and nibbled on it. My previous one was stolen by Achille after all.

“Yeah, shall I have you acquaint yourself with her sometime? I’d be happy if you helped me out with her, but…”

I-, It couldn’t be, the heroine?

Did she get close to Royce-sama without me knowing? Ever since I covered her in various things during the entrance ceremony, I haven’t been able to strike up a real conversation with her though.

“It’s Miss Beatrix.”

Achille helped me out.

“Eh-, Beatrix?”

Because I heard an unexpected name, my eyes widened.

“Right, during the entrance ceremony, I was unexpectedly taken by her at first glance.”

“Eeehhh-!”

I had not noticed at all.

“By the way, Royce-sama, what parts of Beatrix did you find to your liking?”

Royce-sama answered my question with sparkling eyes. He looks like a maiden in love…

“Her strong parts!”

An immediate reply.

“I see.”

“And not only that, she’s incredibly humble, and kind,”

At this rate, it feels like he’ll continue talking about Beatrix forever.

But Miss Beatrix, huh? I got the feeling that she’s a Raiga fan.

“Your Highness, it is about time…”

Thankfully, Achille cut off the runaway Royce-sama.

“Ah-, you’re right. Shall we head to the library?”

It’s perfect timing since we’ve just finished drinking the tea, and we’ve just finished eating the pseudo-meringues too.

“Yes, let’s go!”

We gleefully headed to the library.

“WE art satisfied.”

余は満足じゃ (yo wa manzoku ja)

For a while this was trending as a tag used when someone ate or drank something delicious and satisfying, but even after googling for a bit, I couldn’t find the source. Not that it matters – point is, she was just saying it slightly jokingly.

Ah, and the “we” here is an oratory/royal “We”, and 余 is often used as a pronoun for royalty in Japanese fantasy fiction, but I’m unsure where it historically came about in Japan.

Perhaps it was no historically recent Japanese that used it, but rather a pronoun from Chinese that they adapted when translating the speech of their Western counterparts over the last few centuries? Unsure, and not motivated/bored enough to find out, but if anyone knows, mind telling me?

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