It's Not Like I Want to Play the Role of a Misunderstood, Good-for-Nothing Prince in a Villainess Story!

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Larba’s Perspective

“Whew, I’m exhausted.”

As soon as we returned to our room, Driema jumped onto the bed.

“Driema, that’s unladylike.”

“But I’m tired, it was quite a long journey.”

“Even so, we took a carriage on the way back.”

“Well, with Zeke’s arm like that. More importantly—”

“…?”

Looking at her, Driema was lying on her back on the bed with both hands reaching toward me.

The pose when she wants to be pampered.

“Why don’t you wipe yourself down and change first?”

“I’ll just sweat anyway and take my clothes off.”

“That’s not the point.”

Since we started living together, I realized Driema is quite rough and clingy.

Probably because her mother was strict with her, so she couldn’t act spoiled with anyone.

Though if I say that, I’m the same way.

After exhaling, I lay down next to Driema.

When I glanced to the side, Driema hugged my head.

The feeling of being wrapped in Driema’s chest was warm and sweet.

At this rate, I can’t tell who’s being pampered.

“Hey, Larba?”

When we’re alone, Driema changes how she calls me.

“What?”

“You’re not energetic.”

“…………”

“You’ve seemed down ever since we left the dungeon.”

Driema is surprisingly perceptive about people’s moods.

How should I dodge this?

As I was thinking, Driema stopped hugging my head, put a little distance between us, and stared into my eyes.

I can’t lie to those eyes.

I muttered while sighing internally.

“It’s Zeke.”

“What about Zeke?”

“I wonder if I’m really Zeke’s best friend.”

At that time.

When Zeke was about to break Agos’s neck, I tried to stop him.

But I couldn’t stop Zeke.

I was intimidated by his eyes that said not to stop him.

Zeke is the next king.

In the future, he’ll have to make decisions about life and death.

But right now, he’s a student.

Only 15 years old.

An important friend one year younger than me.

It’s too soon to burden him with such heavy responsibilities.

That’s why I tried to stop him, but in the end I couldn’t get the words out.

Even though the conflict with Agos was originally between us.

“I think that couldn’t be helped… no one could have stopped him.”

Driema comforted me with a wry smile, but—

“But she properly stopped him.”

“She, you mean Misty-san. That’s true.”

“When I looked into Zeke’s eyes, I thought he absolutely wouldn’t stop. Because Zeke was angrier than I’ve ever seen him.”

“Ah… well, they did the one thing that makes Zeke angry.”

“The one thing?”

When I tilted my head, Driema brought her face close with a serious expression.

“This is something I heard from my brother and isn’t confirmed, but apparently Zeke doesn’t really get angry usually, but he gets angry when something happens to Misty-san. When they were kids, my brother also did something to Misty-san and made Zeke angry.”

“He didn’t get his bones broken, right?”

“Of course not! It was really when they were kids. Besides, at that time Zeke and Misty-san weren’t betrothed yet. …Just grabbed and a sprained wrist at most.”

“So he did get sprained.”

Zeke was that strong even when he was little?

“But but, it ended with just that because they weren’t betrothed. If they had been engaged at that time—”

It could have turned out like this time.

“Anyway! That’s how it is.”

“How is it?”

“So, since he got angry about Misty-san, of course he’d stop if Misty-san stopped him. In the first place, doesn’t Zeke tend to prioritize others over himself?”

“Ah, that might be true.”

“He’s a softy.”

“Somehow Driema knows more about Zeke than I do.”

Rather, I’m starting to think my claim of being his best friend is self-proclaimed.

“Of course I do. How much do you think I’ve been on guard?”

“Huh? On guard—you, Driema?”

“No, my mother and my brother Elliott. I’ve heard about Zeke from them to the point of being sick of it. I don’t know Zeke that well myself. Ah, but I’d heard bad things about him, so if it weren’t for that incident in Ribauto territory, I think I’d still hate him!”

“I see.”

“That aside…”

Driema touched her forehead to mine.

“Aren’t we going to?”

“…………”

In the end, after working up a sweat, I completely stopped worrying about what had been bothering me.

☆☆☆

Riti’s Perspective

“Lady Misty, I think you should be more careful!”

After we disbanded at school, I brought Lady Misty to a separate room.

Zaiku-kun also came along as a bonus since he was excited about talking about Lady Misty and Zeke-sama.

Anyway, I had something to discuss.

The content was precisely about Zeke-sama.

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

Lady Misty tilted her head curiously.

Even just one small gesture is beautiful and elegant… so why?

“It’s about Zeke-sama.”

“Huh?”

True, I’m grateful we were rescued in the dungeon.

Who knows what would have happened if Lady Misty and I had been taken to the back.

…Well, I think if Lady Misty got serious, she could have defeated those guys.

Still though.

“Zeke-sama was certainly cool.”

“Yes, as expected of Zeke-sama. Even though he was surrounded, he took those guys down in no time.”

Yes, that’s it.

“Lady Misty, did you see? Zeke-sama’s eyes?”

“His eyes?”

“That’s right. With his red eyes wide open, he charged through without being fazed by obstacles and broke the limbs of the surrounding guys in an instant. And without hesitation!?”

That was too scary.

“Isn’t that cool? I fell for him all over again.”

“Zaiku-kun, please be quiet for a bit.”

Zaiku-kun being a Zeke-sama devotee is beyond help now, so I’ll leave him alone.

More importantly, Zeke-sama.

Honestly, even if Zeke-sama’s target wasn’t me, the sight of him coming toward us with those eyes full of murderous intent was about to become traumatic.

“B-but Zeke-sama rushed over to protect us, right?”

“That’s true, but… breaking limbs without hesitation is—”

“Huh, but according to Beldiha-san’s story, they’ll be restored to normal, and there are healing magicians in the capital, right?”

“There are, but how long do you think it takes until their turn comes? Even the Saint-sama, who’s considered the most amazing, is only one person.”

“Saint-sama… there’s such a person? Then I’d like them to heal Zeke-sama’s wounds. But it might be difficult with the queue.”

She’s saying that in a relaxed tone, but that’s not the point.

“Listen, the Saint-sama in the capital is only one person and the number of people she can heal per day is limited. Apparently the schedule is filled up a year in advance. In other words, since they were already doing bad things, if they want to get their limbs healed, it’ll be over a year away.”

When I explained carefully, Lady Misty made a startled face.

Apparently she understood.

In short, rather than waiting a year, it’s faster to set and fix both hands and feet.

Furthermore, even though they’re set, since they’re broken the pain will be considerable.

Beldiha-san lives a life next to death in the knights, so he might think as long as you’re alive it’s fine.

But for normal noble students, in a sense it might be a situation where death is better.

“What should I do?”

Lady Misty hurriedly put her hand to her mouth.

Did you understand?

“Zeke-sama’s arm might not heal…”

“Huh?”

I blinked.

Something’s strange, I feel like something’s off.

Is there a difference in our understanding of the facts?

“Lord… Zeke?”

“Well, isn’t that right? If we have to wait a year, doesn’t that mean Zeke-sama’s arm won’t heal? What should I do?”

Isn’t Lady Misty only worried about Zeke-sama rather than those whose limbs were broken?

“Um…”

“What can I do, directly negotiate with Saint-sama… but surely they’re doing that at the palace, so through Father… I’ll pay the costs… I’m worried, is Zeke-sama okay? His right arm is his dominant hand, and if he can’t use it… I’ll take notes next to him and even feed him lunch… I can’t do improper things. But the toilet… I’d be troubled with that.”

“…………”

Wait, could it be that Lady Misty has nothing but Zeke-sama on her mind even more than Zaiku-kun?

“When Zeke-sama returns home, first he changes clothes, then lazily stays on the bed for about an hour, then has dinner, and after that secludes himself in his room for sword practice and studying, but if he can’t use his dominant arm, what will he do… On days when he can’t do swords and studying, as a rest day he either takes a long bath or receives a geography lecture from the butler Sebas-san, or if the weather’s good he looks up at the night sky… if I also look up at the night sky tonight, we’ll be looking at the same sky…”

“…………”

Lady Misty, aren’t you grasping Zeke-sama’s actions too much?

Even though Zeke-sama lives at the palace, how do you know so much?

Lady Misty is also pretty strange, so… no, that can’t be. Not Lady Misty of all people…

“Still, I can’t forgive them.”

“Huh?”

“The people who put Zeke-sama through that. Didn’t they say there are people who don’t like Zeke-sama?”

True, I think they said something like that… but rather than “put him through that,” Zeke-sama’s injury was self-inflicted, and if anything he turned the tables on them.

Lady Misty suddenly stood up.

Her eyes were glaring into space and it’s a bit scary.

“I must gather information on the people involved in this. That’s my duty as Zeke-sama’s betrothed. Right, Riti-san?”

“Uh…”

Is that so? Is it? But if Lady Misty is saying it with such a serious expression, maybe it is?

“Lady Misty!”

Zaiku-kun unusually raised his voice.

“If there’s anything you need, please let me help too.”

Zaiku-kun actually volunteered to help!?

“Zaiku-kun, thank you. Let’s work hard together.”

Lady Misty is looking at Zaiku-kun with trusting eyes.

Wait? What’s my position here? Ah, this is bad…