After Starting a Thread as a Reincarnated in an Unknown Otome Game, I Got Caught in a Battlefield of Beauties - Chapter 04: An Unexpected Situation

Chapter 04: An Unexpected Situation

“Phew, that was close… I almost missed the time while deciding to watch an anime before I die…”

Panting heavily, I looked up at the unbelievably huge mansion in front of me. It was about the size of the National Diet Building, dazzling, and seemed almost out of another dimension.

“Man, it’s too big and too flashy. Is this really someone’s house?”

I’m really glad I wrapped myself in bombs…

While thinking this, I approached a guard-like soldier standing at the gate.

“Excuse me, I’ve been summoned by Lady Freezing of the duke’s family. I’m Alto Bersac.”

“Ah… you’re the guest called by the young lady. Go ahead, you can enter.”

The soldier moved his spear aside and opened the gate.

As I entered, surprisingly, the butlers and maids treated me with great respect.

It seemed that I was considered “Young Lady’s guest” among them.

In reality, I was no different from a major criminal about to be punished.

Feeling incredibly uncomfortable and pessimistic about my future, I followed a butler, who looked to be in his fifties, as he guided me with lowering spirits at every step.

“The young lady is this way. Please make yourself comfortable.”

Make myself comfortable… to die?

What a terrible old man.

After walking down a splendidly lavish hallway for a few minutes, the butler stopped in front of a door and bowed deeply before saying respectfully.

Misinterpreting his words in my mind and feeling indignant, I knocked on the door three times.

Then, as if they had known exactly when I would arrive, I heard a voice.

“Right on time. Come in quickly.”

“Yes…!”

Ah… Do I really have to walk into what feels like my grave?

Why am I still scared even though I’m dressed like a bomb man? 

I slowly opened the door, and there…

“—Welcome, Sir Alto Bersac. Let’s start talking quickly.”

Leticia, no longer in her student council uniform but instead wearing a white and blue dress (which is trendy among young ladies these days), sat on an expensive chair, gracefully sipping her tea.

“So… what was that all about?”

Leticia’s eyes, though less harsh than before, focused on me.

I felt like a frog stared down by a snake, sweating all over as I responded.

“Um… are you talking about the confession?”

“Yes. You are a viscount, and I am a duchess… There’s too much difference in our social status. And, you said you have debts. What about that?”

“…Um?”

Wait, what? 

Something about Leticia’s phrasing felt off.

It sounded almost like “The answer to your confession is okay, but we can’t marry because of our statuses.” I heard she doesn’t have a fiancé, though.

“Um… Lady Freezing?”

“But technically, you’re suitable… You have enough talent to enter the academy without cheating on the magical exam.”

“…What?”

What is she talking about? Me, a nobody confirmed by everyone to have cheated, could have entered the academy without any fraud? That’s ridiculous.

“No way… You’re kidding, right? I can’t use magic, you know?”

I asked, wondering if she was mocking me. But after taking a sip of her tea, Leticia shook her head with a small smile.

“It’s true. You scored perfect on the written exam, and your magical power was ranked 10th out of 300 students. You were the only one to score perfect on the written test. Even I, who came in second, scored 95.”

“What…?”

This is ridiculous… So, what was all my effort to cheat for?

Was it all meaningless, and I could have been living a normal life if I hadn’t cheated?

Sure, I dramatically increased my magic power using the tactic of running out of magic, but… And the written part was just me leveraging my middle school knowledge and my teenage fantasies.

Stunned by Leticia’s words, I was at a loss for words, barely able to breathe. And then, an incredible regret washed over me—was I about to die of regret?

“So, what about the debt and the difference in status?”

“Ah, no… the, the cheating thing…”

Confused by Leticia’s seemingly off-track remarks, I mustered the courage to touch on the core issue of this commotion. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Leticia said something unbelievable.

“There’s no punishment for you. I was the only one who noticed the cheating. You passed the moment you managed to cheat without the teachers noticing.”

“…Huh?”

Then why was I even called to the student council!?

My mind was a mess, filled with incomprehensible situations, completely short-circuiting.

I just couldn’t make sense of anything anymore.

“Um… so, you’re saying there’s no punishment for me?”

“That’s right. So get rid of those bombs you’re wrapped in quickly.”

“Eh!? How did you…?”

“Of course I knew. This house is surrounded by a barrier that detects dangerous materials. Silly boy.”

No way… I can’t believe they can afford such a fancy barrier… Typical of a duke’s mansion…!!

While I was shocked, Leticia slightly narrowed her eyes with a hint of joy,

“Well… I must admit, you do have courage. Including the part where you confessed to me in front of the prince and Senondor—such mental strength is fitting for my husband.”

Mental strength fitting for her husband!?

“Wait a minute! What do you mean by ‘your husband’?”

I tried to interrupt Leticia’s impulsive speech.

Then, all of a sudden, the lively look in Leticia’s eyes vanished, returning to the icy cold gaze she had initially.

“—…What? You confessed to me, didn’t you? Then, as a noble, it’s natural to consider marriage, isn’t it?”

Her expression, not just her eyes, turned as inexpressive as a doll’s. It felt like even the temperature around us dropped.

“You’re not going to say you hadn’t thought about it, are you? Or… was your confession to me a lie?”

“N-N-No, not at all! I just… I honestly thought I was rejected, so… ha, haha… ahaha…”

Overwhelmed by the sheer terror, I quickly patched together a smile.

Seeing this, life returned to Leticia’s face, and her eyes softened. 

“Right… I didn’t actually say anything to confirm it… My apologies.”

Leticia stood up, came closer, and took my hands in hers. Then, with a smile much gentler than the one she had when we first met, she told me:

“—The answer is yes. Of course, there will be many obstacles if we are to marry in the future.”

Hey, forum folks… someone explain to me what’s going on here! Who said anything about a super cold lady? Where is such a person?

“Ha, haha… I’ll do my best…”

And so, contrary to my inner turmoil, I found myself unofficially engaged to the duke’s daughter.

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