Chapter 13: Reconciling Reality and Delusion

I have no allies.

I pleaded with Father that I wished to enter a convent and live modestly, but he will not permit it.

Julius—my exclusive attendant, whom I had come to think of almost like an older brother—confessed to me out of nowhere.
And it sounded very much as though there were circumstances behind it.
I had intended to become a nun, and any romantic involvement with me is practically a death flag.
It is far too reckless.
Julius, of all people, should understand Father’s terrifying nature better than I do.

To begin with, Julius himself is something of a mystery.
He is always at my side, responding smoothly and capably to all my whims.
Among the maids, there are whispers that his refined bearing suggests noble birth.
It is not unusual for upper nobles to employ lower nobles—
But he also serves as my guard, and Raven once said Julius is stronger than him.
That is not normal.

The original Albertina dealt in assassination, dangerous substances, even human trafficking.

The shut-in Albertina merely brokers delicious recipes and adorable, practical fashion.
Far too peaceful.

Alas, this shut-in could only preserve Albertina’s outward appearance.
The villainess dropped out at once and pursued her own selfish desires—
In perfectly legitimate business, because I am a coward.

The result?
A clueless noble lady and an absurdly capable elite attendant—a rather comical duo.

Everyone bows to me because my bloodline alone is impeccable, but I truly apologize.
I am sorry for being so utterly useless.

But elite attendant—why fall in love with a useless girl?
This useless girl comes bundled with a Great Demon King of a father.

Father’s love is deeper than the sea and higher than the sky—
But narrower than a cat’s forehead.
It is crushingly heavy.
Albertina is, without a doubt, a dangerous woman.

Father may be dangerous, but I love him.
That slight madness feels like the only charming flaw in an otherwise perfect man—
Though no one agrees with me.
Perhaps because all his benevolence is focused entirely on me.

He is fundamentally a Demon King.
And I am a daughter whose only merit is her face.
Yes, I am a shut-in.
I have not fulfilled noblesse oblige.

As a commoner at heart, I am grateful for Julius’s easy familiarity amidst all the bowing and scraping.

And he is capable.
Incredibly capable.
As a useless noble, I cannot afford to lose him.

Raven is competent, but not as perceptive.
Rather, Julius may simply be too competent at everything.

Still, Raven is adorable.
He is my healing presence.
Julius and Kishtarial do not understand, but Anna and Mother do.

Recently, when I call Raven cute, he makes the faintest displeased face beneath his blank expression.
It is adorable.
Adorable beyond words.

But that aside—how did things come to this?

The next problem is Kishtarial.

I thought of him as a brother.
Apparently, he does not see me that way.
This is incomprehensible.

What happened to the heroine?
It has been a year.
She should be narrowing down her capture targets by now.

Our Kishtarial is handsome, intelligent, powerful in magic, skilled with the sword, and a duke’s son.
He should be a top-tier prospect in every respect.
What could possibly be lacking?

…Am I a brother-con?

Anna says I dote on him so blatantly that it is obvious to anyone.
Apparently, sisters do not normally launch businesses for their brothers.
But he was the perfect model for Rose Brand’s men’s line.
Naturally I wanted to give him things that suit him.
The same for Father.

This world is so lacking compared to my previous life.
Everything is stiff with tradition and fossilized with dust.
It feels stagnant.

I send even more gifts to Jibril, of course.
She is Rose Brand’s advertisement pillar among debutantes and marriageable ladies.
Mother handles the madame demographic.

Jibril is my adorable little sister figure.
Though unfortunately she belongs to Michaelis.

Michaelis occasionally looks displeased at how much I dote on her.
But thanks to me, she has blossomed into a bright, lively beauty.

That aside—

Kishtarial… was that childhood confession still valid?
He said ten years.
Has he truly held the same feelings for nearly that long?

He must have met countless elegant, flawless noble ladies at school.
Why me?

“What do you think, Raven?”

“…I understand that milady’s thought process is quite pitiable.”

Even Raven looks at me like I am hopeless.

“I have visited the academy to report to Lord Julius.”

“And? Surely there were lovely noble ladies?”

There must be a heroine capable of capturing princes left and right.
In the game, everything was dazzling—illustrations and voice acting perfection.

Raven remained dry.

“Not particularly.”

“Not particularly?”

“I did not see anything remarkable.”

“What about the rumored young lady Jibril mentioned?”

“The commoner—no, the baron’s daughter whom the princes are infatuated with?”

“Yes, her!”

Raven’s expression twisted faintly—rare for him.

“…A harlot?”

“Pardon?”

“My apologies for the vulgarity.”

Raven? Using such language?

He tilted his head thoughtfully.

“She approached many men. The princes, Lord Kishtarial, Lord Michaelis, even Lord Julius. Any handsome man with wealth or power would do—”

“Raven. Would you like to be reassigned?” Anna’s icy voice cut in.

Raven fell silent.

“In short, she is not someone milady should see.”

“She is a student, is she not? I am not a child who interferes with romance.”

“If milady saw her, someone’s head might physically roll. Lord Kishtarial and Lord Julius would not hesitate.”

“…Understood. I will ask no more.”

Father’s influence, surely.

Honestly, sometimes I feel they treat me like a child.
Once, Julius even whispered, “Shall I lift you up?” when I sulked.
I was delighted.

Wait—if they truly see me as a woman, why suggest that?
Does Julius have a lolicon tendency?
No, the heroine is more childlike than I am.

My shell is Albertina.
Inside, I am useless.

If I try to be independent to prepare for convent life, everyone only works harder to take tasks from me.

So I sulk and fold origami.
A large ornamental kusudama for Mother.
I will make one for Father too, or he will sulk.

A shadow fell across my hands.
Only one person enters my room so casually.

“More origami, Albel?”

“Welcome home, Father.”

Grail von Lattiche, Duke and my father, smiled gently.

Though we are in conflict over the convent, I would never ignore him upon his return.

I ran into his open arms.

“Albel.”

“Yes, Father.”

“It seems Julius acted rather boldly. Shall I dispose of him?”

My heart froze.

The garden where it happened was secluded.
No one should know.

“Dispose of” meant exactly that.
To Father, even a capable servant holds little value.

“…Julius is necessary. Please do not discard my attendant without permission.”

“Is that so? He seemed less useful than expected.”

“Finding a replacement would be difficult.”

Father relented with mild displeasure.

“Then what of Kishtarial? Shall he remain?”

Cold ran down my spine.

“Kishtarial is necessary to the ducal house.”

Father smiled faintly.

“I did not ask about the ducal house. I asked whether he is necessary to Albertina.”

His voice was gentle.
His words were cruel.

“My family is precious. If he were gone, I would be sad.”

“Very well. I shall leave him be—for now.”

Please do not sound disappointed, Father.

His love—twisted, obsessive—has always hovered beside me.
It is real.
And heavy.

If I disappeared, the greatest weakness of House Lattiche would vanish.

Surely events will move at the ending.
If the heroine secures the crown prince route, the Lattiche house falls in exchange.

But I never attended the academy.
I never bullied the heroine.

Why, then, do Kishtarial and Julius’s flags seem raised?
Perhaps it is all a bluff—

Could it actually be a ruin flag?

In the first prince route, Albertina is deceived by feigned affection before condemnation.

That must be it.

I must confirm the heroine’s route.
I must flee to a convent and avoid exile or worse.

Michaelis is terrifying—another capture target.
His letters… feel like love letters.
Even Anna once screamed in excitement reading them.

Am I being courted?

Perhaps that too is a bluff.

No carelessness allowed.

Then who else can inform me about the academy?

Only one—
My adorable, world’s cutest little sister figure, Jibril von Domitrius.

I wish to see her dearly.

“Father, may I visit Jibril at the academy?”

“Of course, Albel. I shall take you. But you must not go alone. If you like, I could buy the academy.”

“No thank you.”

If it is the R18 route, that academy is a den of indecency.

Classrooms at night, the stargazing hill, the old music room, the greenhouse—
I would rather not.

At least stay indoors.
You will catch cold.

I did not raise my brother to be so shameless.