Chapter 56
The Current State of the Hero’s Party
In the novel, Princess Fiona becomes my brother’s fiancée, but in this world, she is not engaged to anyone.
In this country, the only person worthy of being Princess Fiona’s fiancé is the heir of House Rosenberg—meaning, the most wonderful man in the world, my big brother.
However, even just formally, I am engaged to the crown prince, Elvin, so that’s impossible.
If members of the same family formed ties with the royal family twice in a row, the other nobles would complain, and people might even think the Rosenberg Dukedom was trying to take over the throne.
So the topic of an engagement between Fiona and my brother never even came up.
Good job, me!
Because Princess Fiona—despite how wonderful and cool my brother is—ends up choosing Abel the Hero instead.
There is no way I would ever hand my precious brother to someone like that.
I will prevent it at all costs.
I don’t care if I have to sacrifice myself to do it.
…That said, Elvin, who became my fiancé, has had his personality softened quite a bit thanks to my brother’s and the Holy Sword Lan’s “educational guidance.”
Even though he’s busy with crown prince duties, he still comes by our house often, picks fights with my brother and Lan, and gets defeated every time.
He’s learned how to act polite in public, so I’m sure he’s just being spoiled with them.
Nine years ago, when we went to Viscount Hel’s territory searching for the Golden Lycoris, the assassins sent by his stepmother, the queen, tried to kill him. He was forced to grow up whether he liked it or not.
There was no solid proof that the queen was behind it.
Instead, as a scapegoat, the Hel family was stripped of their title under the excuse of “allowing bandit activity,” and Miranda—who had been sent to House Rosenberg as a spy—was sent to a convent that no one ever leaves once they enter.
The queen, who had always doted on Elvin, was never suspected; instead, people whispered that Elvin was bitter and holding a grudge because he was distancing himself from her.
The once naïve and muscle-brained Elvin grew up a little.
He still says whatever he’s thinking, but he no longer trusts other people’s kindness blindly.
In short—he’s developed trust issues.
Considering he was nearly killed by the queen he admired so much, it’s understandable. And since he still opens his heart to us, I think it’s fine.
Because I became Elvin’s fiancée, House Rosenberg naturally distanced itself from the queen and Princess Fiona.
Technically I am the future crown princess, so there is crown princess education, but the basics can be done at home. As for studying at the palace—it’s too dangerous since the queen is suspected of trying to kill Elvin, so I’ve skipped all that under the excuse of my poor health.
Honestly, I’m not suited to be a crown princess anyway. I wish Elvin would hurry up and find a more suitable woman.
Still…
I look toward Princess Fiona standing on the platform.
According to my brother, Fiona and Abel don’t really interact much.
Normally the Demon Lord would already have resurrected, and the two would be fighting together by now, so it feels strange.
But maybe their romance only ignites in the heat of battle?
Especially since Fiona and Abel, a commoner, are worlds apart in social status.
They only got together because Abel gained the great merit of defeating the Demon Lord—and defeating my brother, who became the final boss in the novel.
I turn my gaze toward Abel, seated among the highest-grade students.
Bright chestnut hair.
Rare amber eyes with flecks of gold.
One glance was enough—I recognized Abel instantly.
Maybe because he’s been acknowledged as the Hero, but there is a pure, dignified aura around him that draws the eye.
He’s no match for my number one favorite—my brother—but so this is what they call charisma…
Since the Demon Lord hasn’t resurrected yet and he hasn’t gone on any adventures, he doesn’t have that deep frown between his brows like in the novel’s final chapters.
Originally, the four of them—Hero Abel, Princess Fiona, Serios Rosenberg (my big brother), and Crown Prince Elvin—were supposed to form the Demon Lord-slaying party and entrust their lives to one another.
Yet now, even though they will eventually form a party, they are all sitting so far apart.
In the novel’s timeline, the Demon Lord would already be defeated, and my brother—who became the last boss—would have been killed too.
But for some reason, the Demon Lord has not resurrected in this world.
Here, the Demon Lord is formed from the miasma of a human who died with deep resentment, shaping itself into human form.
Because it originates from the grudges of the dead, it seeks to annihilate humanity.
But according to Lan, our former Holy Sword butler, while the goddess Lekarte has already chosen the Hero, the Demon Lord has not yet gained enough power to take human shape.
If so, shouldn’t they defeat it while it’s still a formless mass of miasma?
Apparently, unless it takes some kind of form, neither human nor holy swords can destroy it.
If only the gods would just take care of it—but since the Demon Lord is born of human grudges, they cannot interfere.
Since the Hero was chosen, the Demon Lord’s revival is definitely soon.
That’s why Abel enrolled in the academy to learn how to fight, and my brother became a magic instructor to teach him.
Thanks to that, I can attend the academy with my brother—so I couldn’t be happier!
Once a week, I wake up, greet my brother good morning, and ride in the same carriage with him to school.
If I hadn’t been cured of my mana overload, every day would still be a life-or-death crisis.
Sometimes I glow a bit, but that just means our protective charms are recharging, so it’s fine.
Finally, the long-awaited instructor introductions begin, and my brother’s name is called.
The entire auditorium stirs.
Of course, of course.
To be taught magic by the one hailed as the strongest mage of the era—of course it’s amazing.
Everyone, make sure you’re grateful to Abel for making this possible!
