Chapter 2: Evolution, Devolution, or Surprise?

Two weeks after Fabian and my fiancée opened their hearts up to each other, I escorted Lieselotte home in my carriage. Afterward, I retreated to my personal room in the palace. There I found Fiene, Baldur, and the gods that followed the latter waiting to speak with me.

“My sister hasn’t been sleeping well for the past few days,” Fiene said.

“Seeing Lieselotte jolt awake from a nightmare and pitifully call out your name in the middle of the night is rough, Sieg. Can’t you do something about this?”

“Liese-tan’s stronger than before, so she’s had more luck pulling herself together. But until the Witch of Yore comes back at the end of fall, these nightmares will keep coming. That evil witch must be going all out to weaken her before the final stretch... I’ll kill that stupid witch!”

Fiene, Lord Endoh, and Lady Kobayashee all expressed their concern for Lieselotte, filling me with a sense of pressing duty—wait. A mild bit of panic ran through my mind: Why do all of you know what Lieselotte is up to at night? Are you all watching her? Especially you, Lord Endoh.

“From my point of view,” Baldur said, “Liese has been particularly unstable as of late. She blackmailed Fiene and I into a relationship out of nowhere, only to start crying about her own ‘lack of charm’ the very next second. Before I knew it, she started dragging around Artur Richter, saying she was going to train him into a warrior...but I think that’s just an excuse to blow off steam.”

“Well,” Fiene said, “I’m sure Sir Richter can take the hits. He can just heal himself later. Besides, he said he wanted to get as strong as I am. There’s no better way than to have a bunch of near-death experiences! But, well, Lieselotte does seem to be in better spirits after she ‘trains’ him.”

My thoughts were derailed by Baldur and Fiene continuing the conversation. Mild panic was replaced by pity for my best friend and a growing sense of urgency. While it was true that Art had expressed interest in learning Fiene’s skills, I couldn’t exactly condone him being beaten nearly to death.

Lieselotte would never fail to hold back, of course. Furthermore, Art’s restorative capabilities were at the top of the kingdom. I wasn’t worried about a freak accident. I was more upset that my fiancée was in such dire straits that this was the only way she could calm herself.

That, and I didn’t want to let Art get tossed around like this. As a friend.

Let me also mention that Lieselotte was the cutest being in all the world, so the “lack of charm” that Baldur correctly mocked was obviously nothing to cry over. Still, that didn’t change the fact that she herself had bought into this ridiculous notion.

“...We need to do something soon,” I whispered. Both Fiene and Baldur nodded solemnly in response.

“There are two things we need to happen,” Lady Kobayashee said. “One, a certain somebody has to keep Liese-tan’s heart strong enough to resist the brainwashing. Two, we gotta get enough raw power to insta-kill the witch when she spawns.”

“I’m pretty sure we’re good on that front,” Lord Endoh said. “I mean, Bal and Fiene alone can beat her with the power of love, as long as they get a bit of help from the game’s god. Honestly, I think our prep is kinda overkill...”

“Yeah, but since the witch isn’t going to have Lieselotte’s body, physical attacks will barely work on her. That makes her super annoying. But it also means she’s weaker than normal, so I kinda think we’ve got enough already too. Now, all that’s left is to make sure her emotional side is nice and stable! Fiene was the one to do it in-game, but now we’ve got Sieg! It’s all up to you, Prince Charming!”

Put on the spot by literal gods, I was incredibly uncomfortable. Fiene had convinced her adoptive father, General Riefenstahl, to help. Lieselotte had made friends with the genius Fabian Oltenberg, who promised to accompany us. I was painfully aware that the remaining task was my responsibility.

Considering how embarrassingly jealous I’d gotten over Lieselotte’s interactions with Fabian, I truly wanted to make her mine in more than name alone. And yet...

“But my sister keeps running away!” Fiene said to the gods, laughing.

I hung my head. Lieselotte was avoiding me—and her evasion only worsened the more I tried to show my love for her. When I gave her gifts, she thanked me with all the polite reserve of a representative of House Riefenstahl. When I spoke to her at school, she looked unbelievably troubled. Even today, when I’d given her a ride in my carriage, she’d turned away after a mere brush of her hair.

“That’s right,” I said. “Seeing her scurry around with a bright red face is adorable, but I would honestly like to see her accept my affection more sincerely...”

“My deepest apologies, Your Highness,” Baldur said with a bow. “Liese has devoted every waking moment to polishing herself to be worthy of being by your side. As a result, the one skill she failed to learn is human interactions. You could say that she has few points of experience. Frankly, I don’t think she’s ever had an innocent friendship free from court influence, let alone any concept of normal romance.”

Now that I thought about it, I’d never seen Lieselotte enjoy herself with a friend her age. Although she was skilled at keeping up her social image, her connections were primarily older folks recognizing her talents or younger children looking up to her. None of her relationships were what one could call friendships.

“So this is what happens when you drag on your first love for over a decade...”

“I think part of it is Liese-tan’s natural awkwardness. But personally, I feel like she just can’t handle how much she loves Sieg. She’s probably thinking, ‘I’m so happy I’m gonna die!’ or ‘Things are going too well! This can’t be real!’ You know?”

“I agree with Lady Kobayashie,” Fiene said. “I think Lieselotte has an unhealthy level of respect for you, Your Highness. You’re only human, but it feels like she thinks you’re a god. She glorifies you to the point of worship.”

How in the world am I supposed to fix that? My incredulity must have shown on my face, because Fiene laughed at me and offered a simple solution.

“Well, even if she runs away, it’s not like she hates you. That means all you have to do is chase her into a corner where she can’t escape!”

“Would Liese’s heart hold out if he did that?” Baldur asked gravely.

“It’s fine!” Fiene said, smiling. “Sir Richter and I can restart a stopped heart or two with no problem!”

That is not what I consider to be “fine” in any way. Despite my gut reaction, I’d never heard of someone having a heart attack from embarrassment, so I figured it would be okay.

“Truthfully, we don’t have time to sit around waiting. I’ll get my love through Lieselotte’s skull even if it means pushing harder than I’m comfortable with.”

Seeing my resolution, Fiene nodded enthusiastically and Baldur stared at me in surprise.

“I would have never thought you to pay so much mind to Liese—no, to any one person in particular, Your Highness.”

Thinking back, Art had said something similar.

“I’m not so perfect that I wouldn’t fall in love and feel the pangs of jealousy. As the crown prince, I make it a point to not let it show, but...I don’t see any reason to hide my true affection for my future queen. Perhaps that’s the reason I’ve learned to be so honest with myself as of late.”

Something clicked in Baldur’s mind, and he gave a deep nod. Ironically, my own explanation reminded me that my long history of repressed emotions left me ill-prepared to express them when push came to shove.

“...This won’t be easy,” I whispered to no one in particular.

“Break a leg, Sieg!”

“You’re the only one who can make Liese-tan happy! Give it your all! We’re rooting for you!”

With the gods’ favor on my side, I woke the next day with renewed resolve. Class was not in session that day, but I received a letter from Lieselotte that read, “There is something I would like to discuss. May I ask for a moment of your time?” Having steeled myself the day before, I instantly accepted her summons.

“Your Highness, I adore you; as such, I will not succumb to the trifling attacks of the Witch of Yore.”

And so, later in the day, I found myself listening to this strange declaration. Lieselotte’s characteristic embarrassment was nowhere to be found, and I was utterly perplexed. Words alone would suggest that she was expressing her love for me, but I sensed exactly zero sweetness in her tone. Her amethyst eyes gleamed with determination—maybe even with anger.

Um... What exactly is going on here?

────

For the past several days, Lieselotte Riefenstahl had been in a bind. She’d acquainted herself with Fabian Oltenberg half a month prior, and ever since, Siegwald had been acting suspiciously friendly with her.

Day in and day out, the prince sent flowers and gems of all sorts to her home. When the two passed one another at the academy, he promptly called out to her—even if he already had company. For a man who’d long refuted favoritism to preserve social harmony, this was markedly strange behavior. This was the dilemma that had been eating away at her these past few days.

“Lieselotte, what kind of dress would you like to wear for the Festival of Gratitude? We ought to match our attire as a couple, and I think this would be a wonderful opportunity to send you something. Do you have anything in mind?” Siegwald asked with a gentle smile.

Lieselotte’s pulse quickened due to their close proximity in the prince’s carriage. Still, the girl could not escape the thought that plagued her: This level of attention is unnatural. Frankly, she could hardly believe that he’d invited her to ride home with him in the first place.

“Personally, I have no objections, so long as our garments do not bring you shame, Your Highness. Not that you would need one such as I to tell you such things, of course.” Lieselotte answered indifferently in an attempt to buy time to calm herself.

Siegwald lovingly gazed at his disinterested fiancée and took a lock of her hair in hand. Joyfully twirling it about, he continued on.

“Really? Then how about I send you the dress I want to see you in? I wonder what would suit you best... If nothing else, I want to include a shade of gold in the design—it’s the color of my eyes and your hair, after all.”

“My hair,” Lieselotte stammered, struggling to catch her breath. “Please, refrain from disheveling my carefully arranged hair.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ll save that for another occasion,” he said, instantly releasing her.

The honey drills that three maids had painstakingly produced that morning immediately regained their usual curls. Yet Lieselotte’s mind was stuck on the “other occasion” Siegwald had mentioned.

He’s going to dishevel my hair? ...How? A rather steamy answer floated to mind; she glared at Siegwald and raised her voice in an attempt to dispel her own thoughts.

“Would you please not tease me?!”

“Pft, ha ha! I’m sorry, Lieselotte. I just can’t help myself with how cute you are.”

The girl continued glaring as the prince broke out into laughter.

“C-Cute? I have no need for insincere flattery. I know better than all others that I am far removed from the charms that Fiene and Fabian possess.”

Lieselotte had often been told that she was as cold as she was beautiful. The thought caused her to sulk. Seeing this, Siegwald’s expression grew even more gentle.

“You’re the cutest person in the whole world, Lieselotte.”

Happiness, embarrassment, sadness, frustration, and pain all jumbled up inside of Lieselotte at once. She could feel the onset of tears, so she quickly turned away and stared icily out the window.

The sadness, frustration, and pain she felt were no less real than her joy. After all, she chalked up Siegwald’s recent shift in attitude to no more than an act of pity.

Last month, Lieselotte had collapsed at the academy due to an unbroken streak of terrible nightmares. A ray of light and two distant voices had saved her from the darkness, but the dreams still continued.

Regardless, Lieselotte was fine now. Yet evidently, the prince did not agree. His actions were motivated only by his responsibility as a prophet and leader of the kingdom. At most, he acted this way because she was a member of the valuable Riefenstahl lineage and officially engaged to him.

Convinced that there could be no other reason for Siegwald’s kindness, Lieselotte hated how ecstatic his forced smiles could make her. Disappointed with her own ineptitude, she knew she needed to quell her overflowing love.

Ah. This dream again.

That night, Lieselotte felt somewhat detached as the familiar nightmare swallowed her whole. She was unable to speak here. The darkness blurred her senses and all she could hear was a horrible voice.

“What a charmless wretch you are.”

I’m well aware. Yet an everlasting mask is quite useful for a queen.

“No one will ever love you.”

I need no love—my own affection for His Highness is enough.

“That girl, Fiene, will steal all that you hold dear.”

How fitting. That must be the price for all the love she gives me every day.

“You must be frustrated.”

Not at all.

“You must be sad.”

Not at all.

“You must be jealous.”

Not at all. I don’t feel that way in the slightest. I wonder, who might you be speaking of?

One by one, Lieselotte answered the atrocious statements in the back of her mind. For a time, the terrible voice had swayed her—but she had long since grown used to its whispers. Mute as she was, her heart was now strong enough to instantly snap back.

The abhorrent voice was unaffected by Lieselotte’s resilience. It continued without pause.

“‘If only Fiene were gone...’ I know that’s what you truly believe.”

Not at all. How lonely I would be without my dear little sister.

“That charming girl enchants all those who cross her path...even your beloved. He will take her hand and leave your side forever.”

Lieselotte could not let this claim slide. Taken by a rage like no other, she screamed in the recesses of her soul.

Don’t you dare! He is not that kind of man! You have no idea—not a single clue—how tirelessly he beats down his own desires, how diligently he endures loneliness for the sake of our people! Do. Not. Insult him!

The voice vanished. Surrounded by nothing but the flames of her own fury and pride, Lieselotte drifted in the silent dream.

I am Lieselotte Riefenstahl, proud daughter of Bruno Riefenstahl. I am she who will take the throne as His Highness Siegwald’s queen, the one chosen by the goddess to protect him. Here is where I make my stand!

As Lieselotte’s will burned on, the fuzzy senses that had been lost in the darkness slowly returned to her.

“No, this can’t be...” For the first time, the voice wavered.

“Ah...” Lieselotte’s voice was faint yet weighty. “So this is where you’ve been, witch.”

The Witch of Yore swallowed her breath in fear. And just when Lieselotte’s hand reached out to grab her...

“Don’t test me, Witch of Yore!”

These were the first words Lieselotte heaved between gulps of air as she woke in the morning. She could not remember where she had learned of the horrific entity’s true name. While Lieselotte knew not who had taught her, she could still sense that person’s lingering presence and protective voice.

Thus, at the end of her dream, she was certain of her victory. Her love for Siegwald, combined with this mysterious guardian angel’s power, was sure to win out against the witch. Unfortunately, the villain had gotten away.

Swearing to not let her next chance slip away, Lieselotte rolled out of bed.

“Oh, how infuriating! I don’t care what anyone has to say—I will be queen. I will marry His Highness!”

Lieselotte spoke strongly, as if to beat the words into both the witch’s head and her own. She marched toward the thick curtains covering a majestic window and continued.

“I will say this as many times as it takes: I do not need His Highness’s Love. My own is enough! I will adore him one-sidedly and do all that I can to support him as he shoulders the entire nation. That is all I ask. I shall not lose—not to Fiene, the witch, nor anyone else!”

Lieselotte tore the curtains open with vigor, flooding her room with sunlight.

“The fact that not even he understands that...is vexing.”

Bathed in the morning sun, her lips curled into a tired smile. With class being out of session for the day, they would not have an opportunity to meet. So, she simply needed to make an opportunity. Lieselotte quickly penned a letter to ask if she could come visit him.

She wanted to see Siegwald right away. Her honey-blonde hair shimmered in the light as brilliantly as her newfound resolution.

────

Um... What exactly is going on here?

“Congratulations! Your Lieselotte has evolved into a tsundereally-pissed.”

“I dunno if this counts as an evolution or a devolution, but this sure is surprising,” Lady Kobayashee said. “Hm, it looks like the witch’s mental attacks have had a weird effect on Liese-tan’s psyche... That being said, I won’t deny that she looks super mad.”

Neither Lord Endoh’s playfulness nor Lady Kobayashee’s contemplative tone did much to alleviate my confusion.

I don’t get it.

Seeing Lieselotte sit on the sofa across from me was odd. Just a day ago, Fiene had been in the exact same spot, with Baldur standing behind her. Our point of discussion had been what to do about Lieselotte’s constant attempts to avoid me, and our conclusion was that I needed to chase her until she could no longer run.

So why was I the one being backed into a corner?

“Thank...you?”

Unable to process what was happening, I tried thanking her. I just couldn’t think of anything better.

Lieselotte smiled in satisfaction and nodded. “But of course. I would never lose to something so crass. In fact, my love for you would never lose to anything at all. Last night, I discovered that intense emotion allows me to communicate with that thing. I swear to you that I will spend every night for the rest of time, if that is what it takes, showing that foul creature how incredibly spectacular you are!”

After an emphatic proclamation, Lieselotte’s fiery eyes finally began to simmer down. She took a breath and smiled as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“Your Highness,” she said, “when I think of you, I feel so very warm and happy. I can and will do anything if it means I can be by your side. I should be the one thanking you.”

I was captivated by her smile. As a result, I just sat there and listened to her earnest feelings.

“So please, don’t worry for me. My love for you is enough to protect me. I know that I’ve caused Fiene and Bal a great deal of grief these past few days, but the witch doesn’t scare me anymore. That’s why you’ve doted on me as of late, is it not?”

“Uh... Things are taking an unexpected turn!”

“Liese-tan’s perception of Sieg is so warped that she must have thought his recent change in attitude was for some grander purpose. Truth is, he was just being a big baby about her fawning over Fabby-boo like a little brother... Sieg, you act too cool for your own good.”

The exasperated goddess’s words exposed me. However, Lieselotte could not hear the truth, and looked depressingly hurt as she flashed me a weak smile. She went on in a tone that made it sound like she had everything figured out.

“You don’t need to bother with me any longer. All I ask of you is to continue being your dazzling self. I will love and support you on my own terms—that alone gives me life.”

Lieselotte heaved the longest sigh I’d ever heard. I knew that I had to clear up this awful misunderstanding, but I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt her earnest affection. How can you love someone as cowardly as me in the way that you do?

Still, my intuition that this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear Lieselotte’s true feelings was not so far off the mark. She’d been going on for some time under the assumption that her fondness for me was common knowledge, but I wouldn’t have even discovered that without the help of the gods’ commentary.

“So please—”

“Lieselotte.” I cut her off, turning her grimace into an expression of curiosity. “You think too highly of me.”

I rose from my seat and circled over to her sofa, sitting back down on her right.

“Your Highness? Wh-What are—”

As she tried to squirm away, I looped an arm behind her back to keep her close.

“Lieselotte, listen to me. I love you just as much as you love me.”

“Don’t toy with me! I don’t need your hollow affection to win against the Witch of Yore! Won’t you trust me? I swear that I will fulfill my role as your future queen!”

Lieselotte’s faith in me was depressingly low. She flailed about as she shouted, so I squeezed my arm tighter.

“Lieselotte... Liese.” My fiancée froze in place. “The truth is, I’ve always wanted to call you by your pet name, and envied Baldur when he spoke of you. And I would even prefer young Fabian to keep his distance from you. Worst of all, I can’t be genuinely happy for you when I see how well you and your new sister Fiene get along because of my terrible jealousy.”

I couldn’t tell whether I was hugging Lieselotte or she was clinging to me. I continued ripping my heart open for her to see.

“My honest feelings for you are all shameful. But with my position in society and all the expectations hovering over me, I don’t know how to express the ugly emotions I’ve hidden away...” But I want you to see and accept me.

I couldn’t bring myself to say the final bit—it was simply too humiliating. But Lady Kobayashee had said I regularly acted too cool, so perhaps it was fine. Before I could make up my mind, Lieselotte began to speak.

“I...I too was jealous of Fiene and Artur Richter. Fiene is so earnest in how she accepts your—everyone’s—kindness, and you never seemed at ease with me like you did with your true friend.”

“Then I guess we’re the same,” I said. I felt her trembling hands slip around my back.

“Truly? Your Highness, do you really feel the same way? Can I let myself believe that someone as wonderful as you...loves me?”

Everything, from Lieselotte’s delicate hands to her voice, was trembling. I pulled her closer than ever and gave my answer.

“Believe in my love and believe in me. I adore you. I’m so grateful that you and I are engaged.”

Lieselotte shivered intensely. I could hear the tears in her voice.

“I’ve always, always dreamt that you would hold me dear, ever since we first met. All this time, I’ve yearned for your love.”

So that was the dream that the gods and her father mentioned. Lieselotte truly is the cutest—cuter than anyone or anything in the whole world.

On the verge of exploding with emotion, I tried to stand. With an unbelievable amount of strength, Lieselotte grabbed hold of the back of my head and stopped me.

“Oh no, what shall I do?” she asked.

I couldn’t understand why she’d stopped me or what she was saying. I tilted my head.

“I’m—I’m too embarrassed to look you in the eye... I don’t think I can let go anytime soon.”

...And hugging me isn’t embarrassing?

As I contemplated whether to point this out to see her reaction or simply enjoy the tender warmth between us, I heard the faraway voices of celebrating gods.