Arc 2: Race of the Social Outcasts

“Hmm. Well, at the moment, the favorite and most likely to win is probably Prince Chris. Regardless of what other people think, he’s secured himself a pretty solid position.”

The end of the year was fast approaching here at the palace. As I helped Lady Elianna deliver some documents, I used the opportunity to secretly update some of the civil officials on the bets those of us within the inner palace were conducting.

Why were we betting, you wonder? Thanks to a certain highly esteemed individual within the royal family (and his personal matters), the civil officials were being worked into an early grave. The burden on them this year was far worse than years prior. As a way to relieve the cloud of doom hovering over them, I came up with the idea of doing this bet.

That’s right. I was giving them something to aim their pent-up frustrations at because I was a loyal servant to my liege and my kingdom. Patriotic to the very core of my soul!

That’s right, I’m not ashamed to sing my own praises.

Don’t get the wrong idea. It wasn’t like I did this because I resented the prince for dragging me into it or anything like that. It was a casual idea I came up with as a way to make a little extra money without landing myself in trouble.

“Okay... I get the prince, but why are these other contenders even in the running?” asked one of the officials, bewildered.

“Hm?” I glanced down at the page he was referring to and nodded when I realized. “You just started working here this past spring, right? Then it’s no wonder you don’t know. All right, I’ll give a special rundown on the race and its contenders. We’ll have to rewind four years into the past, but once I’m done, you should have a better idea of who you want to take your chances on.”

And so I, Alan Ferrera, gave this man my exclusive commentary on the other players in the race.