Extra 1 Villainess Young Lady DLC (4)

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We broke up from Dominique and headed to the school gate. There stood a familiar young man and a familiar black car.

He looked at me from the distance and tried to bow down as if he thought I am the Young Lady he is serving ― but,

Perhaps because he noticed another girl next to me, or because he has other insights as a servant, he stopped.

He moved away from the car and ran to us,

“Excuse my impoliteness. Konomi-sama?”

“It’s been a while, Win-san.”

When I affirmed, he gave another bow. He is Winston Hawkyard, a butler who serves the Aldington family.

“You seem to be doing well most of all.”

“Win-san as well. And, I’m sorry I came on the Holy Festival Day, an important day this country is celebrating.”

“No, not at all. Rather, when would you be coming if not on a day―”

“Huh?”

“Talking while standing like this is not good!”

I felt like Win was saying something mysterious, but Eileen’s shout blocked it.

She don’t allow the rest of the story to be said, she just broke in between me and Win, and commanded with her usual attitude,

“Win, stop standing like a fool and get us in the car! Let’s go home!”

“I understand, Young Lady.”

Then, Win drove us to the Aldington house.

I’m shaking in the backseat of the car― Thinking about money, and how to get a present.

There are not many people I can rely on in this world. In the first place, there aren’t many people I know in this world― No, having many friends or not is a completely different matter.

But reaching that conclusion, I did not think I could do anything to change the status quo.

However, I wanted to receive hints somehow, and I mentioned the name of the person whose face came up in my mind at that time.

“How is His Highness doing?”

“His Highness?”

There are several people in this country who are called “His Highness,” but there is only one “His Highness” that will pop up in my conversation with Eileen.

Fiorenti Kingdom’s Third Prince, Benedict.

Eileen nodded in response to my question.

“Yes, he seems to be doing fine. I saw him talking to Gonneau-senpai the other day.”

“I see.”

He’s also doing fine it seems… That said, I don’t want to see him though.

I think that absurd Royalty would get me involved in an absurd event once again if we meet.

Speaking of other acquaintances――

……None of the faces that popped up in my mind are likely to help me right now.

Then.

Probably because of my acquaintance’s story that I kept bringing up, Eileen asked,

“……That person, it was said that he returned to the countryside.”

“That person?”

“………”

When I asked back, there was a little sign of hesitation on her face.

She makes a quick glance at me, but immediately retracts it.

Eventually, Eileen mentioned the name of a man.

“Cedric Lewis.”

A name I don’t have very good memories with. Perhaps it’s the same for Eileen.

Cedric Lewis. On that day, he wanted the Heroine more than anyone else.

He returned to the countryside. But wasn’t he clearly “guilty”? Is there some power backing him?

Eileen glances at me again, but― It wasn’t as traumatic for me as she thinks. So I encourage her to continue.

“He seems to be recuperating in his countryside town with good air right now.”

“Hoo!”

“It was said that he seemed to be calmer, mentally speaking, already.”

“I see…”

Looking out at the window, I gave her a vague answer.

Cedric. I guess he can’t fit in the school ― or the city air as a whole.

It is possible for one to simply “not fit” the environment of a place, whether the place is good or bad is a totally different matter.

So, if he leaves this place and is moving towards the right direction, that would be for the best…

……And, when I tried to conclude that topic there, I noticed one strange nuance in Eileen’s words.

” ‘It was said’?”

That means ― the information on Cedric Lewis that Eileen is talking about right now is an information she had received from someone else.

Who?

We stared at each other.

She may have realised that I noticed it. And when I kept staring at her, she pouted her lips and turned away.

And, after a short silence, the name she replied is one I never imagined, though it belonged to something I knew well.

“……Charlotte Oliver.”

I am at a loss for words.

It is the Heroine and the character the players of this game will control. Originally, she is a “vacant vessel” for the player to settle in.

So, when I visited this world as Eileen due to a bug, the forced-out Eileen was assigned to the vacant Charlotte Oliver.

However, there is one thing to keep in mind here ― The Heroine also has “settings.”

The “settings” are on how she lived before and after the game scenarios took place.

That is, when I am not in this world, there is a real “Charlotte Oliver” that is neither me nor Eileen. One that has the true “personality” or “soul” of Charlotte Oliver.

And Eileen talks about that person intermittently.

“When you weren’t there, that country bumpkin ― Charlotte Oliver, she told me a few things.”

“Eee… Really?”

I guess that’s not too surprising.

Anyway, when it is done for “real,” we have to thrust the Heroine against the Villainess, and the Villainess will plunge against the Heroine. But I was doing whatever I liked.

No, that’s what happened because of a bug the Development Company failed to fix.

Strictly speaking, we all were victims. And Charlotte must have been rightfully angry. I timidly asked,

“Was she angry about it after all…?”

“No.”

However,

Eileen simply denied it, and continued,

“She was laughing about it from the beginning.”

“Eh!”

In contrast to the surprised me, Eileen has a blank expression.

“She said, ‘You both have shown me something really interesting’. Also… Konomi, she left a message for you.”

“For me?”

“Yes. ‘I grasped everything because of the position I was in. I will meet you someday’

　……I don’t understand what she meant, but she continued, ‘Eileen Aldington, you may not understand, but she would’ ― All while laughing at me――

　Eiii!! I don’t understand even if I remember it. You, when did you make friends with that country bumpkin!?”

“…………”

I felt sorry but I’m going to ignore Eileen, who would have been jumping and trampling on the ground, while throwing a tantrum, had we been on flat ground.

I put my hand on my chin. I want to decipher the meaning of Charlotte’s words.

The real thing should have been about Charlotte Oliver’s “Love Story.” But for me, it was like a sinister prophecy.

Charlotte Oliver.

What she had said to Eileen, I guess it was solely left for me to figure out what it meant.

Does she mean to say that this world still has other unexpected bugs in it?

If so, what is the meaning of the words she left behind?

A warning, notice, or―

“…Konomi, please say something!”

“Eh?”

I heard a voice that raised my consciousness for the contemplation it was sinking into.

Eileen’s voice is filled with anger. She was probably complaining about Charlotte Oliver all the while. She shouted with a sharp voice, “That d*mn country bumpkin.”

――Somehow, though, there are quite a few things to think about when it comes to Charlotte Oliver, but it wouldn’t be so meaningful to say it to Eileen today. 

Also, first of all, today is the Holy Festival Day. It is not the time to be discussing a topic like this.

So I thought for a little.

And after a while, what I replied to Eileen is,

“I’m somehow feeling hungry.”

“……Good grief! You! This is why…”

The proper reply I made has successfully distracted Eileen.

“Good grief, are you playing dumb, or are you not aware of your position as a servant?”

With the usual complaints of Eileen, the car eventually reached the main gate of the Aldington house.

ー

TN: Hmmm… next chapter is the last… Why did Author-san tease these things?

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