Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!!

Some time after I heard from Tillis, I summoned Marianne to the castle.

Despite the sudden call, Marianne came without one disgusting face - she didn't seem to know how I called her in, and she was tilting her neck.

"Oh? Am I the only one today?

"Yeah, that's right. Marianne, sit there."

It was one of the reception rooms in the royal neighbourhood that called Marianne.

It's a good room for anyone royal to use and I was renting it out today.

If it's a regular tea party, at least the two of us call it, but I'm only calling Marianne today. You wondered about that, she looked confused.

Still, as I was told, take a seat.

"Uh, Master Lydiana?

"Marianne, you, you went to the masquerade. Right. Tillis told me."

I don't say it around.

Marianne turned her eyes round to me, getting straight to the point, but immediately relaxed her expression just saying "Natana".

Put your hands on your mouth and laugh like it's lit.

"Well, did Tillis tell you? Embarrassing. But you're right. You said that at the previous tea party, right? I'm really worried about it. Fortunately, there was a handover, so I snuck in. It was such a great time!

"Yes..."

Nodding at Marianne's words. I cut to the point.

"So... I heard you met an example man."

"Well."

Marianne dyeing her pop cheeks felt exactly like a maiden in love, and if they weren't even fake Apollo, it was like she honestly supported them.

- You fake Apollo. Because you will never forgive me!

Determine once again whether it is something that will cause Marianne to hang her poisonous fangs. Marianne shrugged in her dreams, not realizing at all that I was in the mood again.

"Really, he was nicer than I was hearing. I was just going to go home at first sight, but please call me. Look, there's something I'm talking about, isn't there? I was wondering if men didn't like it, but they smiled all the time and listened to me."

……

It's true that Marianne is chatting. There are men who think such women are cute, while a few people look disgusted.

Fake Apollo was apparently a man who doesn't care at all about that area and had a high point for Marianne, who cares a little about her chatting.

- Well done, you took it...

"I'm hiding it with a mask, but your face is very neat. Really, who is it? Of course, given the main thrust of the masquerade, I know it's about exploring your identity, but I'm curious."

"Hmm......"

"I've heard a lot about Lydiana. He was so good at hammering, he kept up, he talked a lot."

"My story?

... The clouds are suspicious.

I wonder why the men and women I met at the masquerade would thrive on my story.

Normally, isn't it about me to talk? Of course it's the iron rule not to talk about things that you'll find out about, but nevertheless it should be about each other and the market that the men and women you meet talk about.

"... hey, how did you get into my story?

"? Uh, in the course of the conversation, though. Uh, at first, over there, I've been shaking stories about Your Highness getting married. So, I want to know what His Highness's beloved Ladyship is like, saying things like, I don't know her yet... So, here we go. That one sounds like a lot of fun, and I thought it might be a little strange, too, but, look, I've never been to a masquerade before, so I convinced myself it might be something like this.... Oh, but of course we're not talking about anything that would disadvantage Lord Lydiana! Don't worry about that!

I always told Marianne exactly what I was talking about in The Supporting Party, and I didn't like that.

I mean, that's because I and Fried's flirting stories were predominant.

But it is.

After all, isn't that strange?

I'm particularly concerned about the way the topic is shaken up.

What kind of conversation would it be, a masquerade, to say, "Who would like to know?"

Besides, it's not necessarily true that someone who eats on the subject is in a place called a masquerade ball. Because a masquerade is a meeting place for strange men and women. It's like being in a one-time relationship and being perceived by everyone as an honest, slightly shitty night club whose goal is to lean into bed.

In such a place, would someone come up with a story about me that has absolutely nothing to do with it and I don't even know if the other person would be interested in it, something called a hot guy?

A topic that would interest more women. Wouldn't that be what Marianne would wave at the popular places now, popular novels, or fun rumors?

In fact, Marianne ate on the topic he put out...... because it was Marianne, and no other woman could have done well. I mean, wasn't Fake Apollo convinced that the woman he was talking to was Marianne?

- Suspicious at last.

I don't even know what the trait is, a man cheating on Fried (Apollo).

Speaking of which, at the last tea party, I heard that the man was only talking to the high-ranking lady. And he also said he was enjoying listening to them.

The stupidity within the high-ranking ladies. And what I'm hearing from Marianne is my story.

I wonder what it is. There's nothing definitive about it, but it just seems strange.

Hide who you are and get information from the women in the name of stupidity.

Isn't that like 'honeytrap', which is a knowledge of previous life?

- Hanitra!! That's it!!

In me, I finally felt like the man's actions meant one thing.

That's right, honey trap.

Hide who you are, cage the woman, get the information you need, and disappear free from later rot. I've seen detectives and intelligence do it on TV in my previous life. Exactly the same.

- If so, what's the purpose?

I don't know what he was hearing from the women, so I don't know what he was up to, but there's only one thing I can say.

You can't have Marianne hanging on that man's poison fangs.

If you're serious about love, it's still okay. But I couldn't allow a man who used a woman's feelings to feed his dear friend.

Of course, it's my personal idea if it's not Hanitra. I could be wrong, and I have no basis whatsoever. But once I thought that, my suspicions only deepened, and I didn't want to at least let my friends get close.

"Marianne."

"? Yes"

I made a look as serious as I could and told her.

"I won't say anything wrong. No more going to the masquerade. It's a place that's not in your interest. It's a bad way of saying it, but it's like a man feeding a woman. I don't know who that man is, do I? You're not supposed to be the kind of person who gets caught up in this."

"Dear Lydiana..."

"Tillis said he felt the same way. That's why she told me about you. I want you to stop going to the masquerade. I don't want to keep my friend close to strange places. You understand how that feels, too."

I made myself clear. Otherwise, because I thought Marianne, drowned in love, wouldn't even listen to me. Marianne didn't seem to think I was going to say this far, keeping an eye out for her as surprised.

"Wow, I..."

"There may have been nothing this time. But dating a certain man at a masquerade is synonymous with being in a relationship between a man and a woman? You may not regret it, but as a friend, I really want you to stop."

I'm not denying the existence of a masquerade. I also know that there are fun people at such gatherings, and I think people who can enjoy it without rotting behind them should enjoy it.

But not Marianne.

The reason is simple. I don't like them in the first place and... no matter what, because she's my dear friend.

There's no way I can overlook a friend with someone I don't even know about, and someone who might be wearing a honey trap. That would be obvious.

But Marianne, leaning down as troubled, uttered a word of rejection.

"... no"

"Huh?"

"Sure, I can understand Tillis' worries and Dear Lydiana's worries, and I think it's a thank you. But it's my first time. This is the first time he's listened to me seriously. Well, it's a lie when it comes to not worrying about who you are, and I expect you to say goodbye after seeing him a few times. But until then alone, I want to be dreaming. Shiny love dreams. Anyway, I'm going to marry the man my father said I would, so I wish I had that chance once or so."

"... is that enough of a dream to be able to redeem your chastity?

Unless you have to be a virgin or even marry a royal family, you won't be questioned about the problem.

But still.

It won't be easy to dedicate to a man you don't know anywhere about.

They're going to think you're talking about something, but it feels right to me.

In my case...... yes, I just had to take that means. If there was any other way, even me, I wouldn't have thought of going to the masquerade. That was an emergency.

"Answer me, Marianne. Are you sure that's all right? Don't you regret it?

"... that, ha"

Marianne, clogged the words and avoided my gaze.

I guess she herself, even if she's confused by love, is still afraid to go one step further. I guess that's why we just had to talk last time.

"Next time you see him, you'll surely be invited to a separate room. I was just lucky this time. Because that's where it is. Hey, Marianne. Please, wake up."

I knew I was just pushing my opinion.

But I really don't think so, so I can't help it. Marianne let her gaze swim a little lost and then told me.

"... thank you. I was worried about Lydiana and Tillis. Um... I still have time until I see him next, so I'd like to think about it for a moment. It also made me realize that I was floating... do you really want 'next' or"

"... I'm glad you did."

To Marianne's answer, I nodded.

To be honest, I wanted to take the word for it clearly: 'I'm not going'. But there's nothing more I can say. You should think you've moved on, even if you just told me to think about it.

- There's no chance Marianne's going to the masquerade again.

He also admitted that he was in love.

Now you are noticed by me, and even if you return it to me, there is a good chance that it will soon go back to normal.

- Ugh. I wish I could make it clear that I can't trust you because it's fake...

That's hard.

'Cause if you say so, they decide to ask, "How do you know?"

And I can't tell you why.

No way, the guy who showed up six months ago, he's actually Fried, and he's definitely not going to the masquerade because he's stuck with me now. It's a fake that fooled him, I can't tell you even if my mouth rips like that.

- Oh, it's been a pain in the ass.

Inside, holding my head, I continued talking to Marianne, and eventually she smiled and left the castle behind.