Prologue

Prologue

 

BETRAYAL ALWAYS HAPPENS suddenly. It’s not scary or unnerving when you can see it coming. The issue is that the traitor always waits for the perfect time to strike, when it will hurt the most.

And that’s exactly what’s happening here!

“Mr. Leon, keeping hush-hush is a big no-no! You have to tell us what’s going on, okay?” Olivia adorably tilted her head. Although her eyes were smiling, they gave off a menacing aura, indicating she would under no circumstances permit me to lie my way out of this one.

I, Leon Fou Bartfort, trembled under the power of her gaze. Intending to make some excuse, I opened my mouth to say something, but my throat was so parched that I couldn’t even find my voice. My nerves got the better of me.

“Let’s just calm down for a sec, o-okay?” I said. “Once we’ve cooled our heads, we can put this misunderstanding to rest. Plus, I swear to you guys, this was all a trap set by Luxion. I’ve been framed!”

While I protested my innocence in vain, Angelica Rapha Redgrave glanced at the baby bed in the room. She reached over and touched it, smiling. But the way she smiled sent a chill down my spine.

She is definitely pissed. Hers is the cold, quiet kind of anger that simmers beneath the surface.

If I were to liken her current emotional state to anything, it would be a volcano seconds before an eruption. I had to tread carefully, lest I set her off.

More importantly, why was I in such a pickle to begin with? What the hell had I done?

“I want you to come up with an excuse plausible enough to convince us,” said Angie. “While studying abroad here in the republic, you brought another woman to your temporary residence, and you prepared a baby bed for her as well. You’d better have a good explanation.”

It wasn’t like I could’ve stayed at Marie’s place forever, so I’d recently returned to the house that had originally been prepared for my stay. Furthermore, Noelle Beltre—whose real name was actually Noelle Zel Lespinasse—was the Priestess chosen by the Sacred Tree Sapling, and in order to protect her, I’d brought her along to live with me.

There was no other meaning behind it, I swear! I only brought her here to shield her from all the idiots in this country. Since Noelle had been chosen as Priestess, the republic desperately wanted to get their hands on her. I’d figured the safest place for her was at my side. She also wanted to stick with me, so there was no problem with our arrangement. At least there shouldn’t have been.

Noelle stared at the floor. Her blonde hair was pulled into a side ponytail on the right, the color turning pink at the tips. As she stood in front of Livia and Angie, her expression became strained with guilt. “I-I’m so sorry. I’m the one in the wrong here. I’m the one who got carried away.”

The more apologetic she looked, the more Livia and Angie glared at us.

“Wh-why don’t we all take it down a notch,” I said, unable to stop my nervous stutter. “Noelle, I-I-I… I’ll do the t-talking. I-I’ll fix this m-misunderstanding.”

Urgh! I’m so terrified of them that my voice is cracking all over the place.

I hadn’t cheated at all, but merely being suspected of it had shaken me to the core. Worse yet, we’d been caught in a situation that made it difficult to deny their accusations. My fiancées had entered the house at the worst possible moment, whereupon they just so happened to see me and Noelle messing around. Unfortunately, without context, it would kind of look like I was having an affair. The baby bed in the corner certainly didn’t help matters.

I had befriended a guy named Jean when I first got here, and for a while, I’d looked after his beloved pet. She was an elderly canine who required extra care, so I’d acquired a baby bed for her to sleep in. The problem? Like the woman beside me, said canine’s name was also Noelle, and that only further complicated the situation.

From Livia and Angie’s perspective, I had invited another woman into my home and even prepared a baby bed for our future child. If you were to ask ten random people whether it looked like I was cheating, every single one of them would almost definitely say yes. If I weren’t the guy in question, I’d probably agree.

But let’s get one thing clear here: I did not cheat.

Despite my innocence, I’d found myself in my current predicament thanks to Luxion’s betrayal. I normally never would have let myself get caught in a situation that could be so easily misunderstood.

So why was this happening? Because Luxion was an evil bastard.

Okay, I need to put my brain in overdrive and think my way out of this. It’ll be fine. I suck at talking nice, but as long as I’m sincere, surely they’ll believe me.

“Girls, I want you to think carefully. If, hypothetically speaking—and I mean completely hypothetically, because I didn’t do it—I had cheated on you, which I definitely haven’t! I swear to you! But let’s assume for a second that I had. Don’t you think this situation is a little odd?”

The second I mentioned theoretically two-timing, Livia and Angie’s eyes turned cold and hostile. Another chill ran down my spine. I shuddered.

“Odd? Quit playing games and get to the point,” Angie snapped icily.

I swore to myself then and there that I would never, ever cheat. Pissing them off was way too scary, and I never wanted to do it again. This one experience had taught my brain—no, my heart—no, my soul just how much I never, ever wanted to repeat the experience.

Livia tore her gaze from me and put a hand over her mouth. “I admit, it is a bit strange.”

“Livia?” Angie’s eyes shifted away from me.

Thankfully, Livia understood what I was trying to get at.

“Even though we came all the way to the Alzer Republic to see you, you didn’t come to the harbor to greet us. We didn’t give you advance notice last time either, but you managed to get intel about our arrival, right? Which is why you came to welcome us.”

“Yes, Luxion must have told him, right?” Realization dawned on Angie’s face. “Oh. Now I get it.” She nodded to herself and proceeded to say exactly what I was thinking. “If you had intended to keep this a secret from us, then you would have done away with the evidence before we ever arrived. The fact that you didn’t means Luxion said nothing to you beforehand.”

That jerk normally gave me so many reports that it was truly annoying, but this time, he hadn’t made a peep. It was clear he’d stabbed me in the back!

Livia nodded. “Cleary was acting weird too. If Mr. Leon were really trying to hide something from us, wouldn’t she pitch in to buy him extra time? Between the two of them, there wouldn’t be any evidence left for us to find.”

Yeah. Yeah, exactly! Normally, those two would have made sure I knew beforehand that you were coming. They are ridiculously capable AI, after all. They would definitely have helped me do away with any evidence of wrongdoing!

Actually, no. They wouldn’t have. Besides, I hadn’t done anything wrong!

“Exactly!” I agreed. “This proof is only proof that they betrayed me.”

The air was clear now that the two of them had come to that realization themselves. This had to be the power of love.

While my shoulders sagged with relief, the woman wearing glasses who had watched the whole scene unfold suddenly blurted out, “Even so, it’s an undeniable fact that the two of them were together in this room, flirting.”

This twerp—Cordelia Fou Easton—was a maid who Angie had sent along to help take care of me. I’d thought she was a coolheaded, rational person like myself, but it seemed she was no less a traitor than those other two turncoats.

Hold up. Does this mean everyone around me is a backstabber?

Angie turned her gaze back toward me. It had softened moments before, but with Cordelia’s grim reminder, she was once again glaring. “In which case, perhaps Luxion had his own complaints about whether his master may have been acting a bit out of control, hm?”

“That certainly is a possibility,” said Livia. “Perhaps he set this up for Mr. Leon to learn the hard way that his behavior has gotten out of hand.”

“Luxion certainly is a loyal servant. You’re lucky you have an intimate who’s willing to reprimand you for your misbehavior,” said Angie.

“Y-yeah, I’m not so sure about that…” I frowned.

I didn’t like where this was headed. I considered trying to change the course of the conversation, but I didn’t think running my mouth was going to get me out of this. I turned my pleading gaze to the other people gathered and spotted Yumeria. I prayed she would lend me the help I needed.

Is she picking up on my signals?

Amid the heavy atmosphere, Miss Yumeria plucked up her courage to speak. “Uh, um…”

Bless you, I’ll never forget your bravery!

“Mr. Leon is a man, after all,” Yumeria said. “I think his demons got the better of him!”

Well, that’s one way to pour more fuel on the fire.

No, given the situation, it was more like throwing an explosive into an already raging inferno. She made it sound like it was a fact that I really had been two-timing.

Miss Yumeria flinched as she realized she’d only dug my hole even deeper, and she quickly tried to smooth things over. “Th-that’s not what I meant. Um, I mean to say—they just got a little carried away, messing around with each other. Um, uh, err… At any rate, Mr. Leon hasn’t broken his vow of monogamy to you two! Oh, wait… I suppose since there’s two of you, that’s not exactly monogamous, is it?”

True. By definition, having two fiancées meant I wasn’t really mono-anything.

This situation really couldn’t get any worse. And to top it all off, I was flying solo. Livia and Angie probably wouldn’t believe anything Noelle said. Cordelia seemed to have no interest in taking my side either, and for all her good intentions, Miss Yumeria was no help. The two AI who were supposed to help me out of situations like this, Luxion and Cleare, were absent and had made no move to rush to my defense. The odds that they were fully turning their backs on me were pretty high.

What am I saying? Obviously they already turned their backs on me, or I wouldn’t be in this situation. Damn rotten AI!

“AI are destined to betray mankind after all, I guess,” I muttered bitterly.

It was a constant plot point in many books and movies. Luxion was no exception, apparently.

Screw this! I swear I’m going to get revenge on him—no, them—someday!

“I bet you’re listening in, aren’t you, Luxion? You won’t get away with this. Mark my words, humanity will claim victory in the end! Just you wait, I’m going to be your doom!” I belted out these words and started cackling, certain he was watching. I had no choice but to laugh to keep from crying.

My odd behavior made Noelle jump in surprise, while Miss Cordelia pulled a face, disgusted. The reaction that really got to me was Miss Yumeria’s. She frowned at me with genuine concern.

“Mr. Leon, please get ahold of yourself. It’s going to be all right. I promise you, it surely will be,” she said.

What part of this do you think will be all right? But thanks for worrying at least. I do love that kind heart of yours.

As I continued chuckling dryly, Angie and Livia each grabbed one of my elbows and clung tight. Under normal circumstances, I would have felt like the luckiest guy in the world, having two beautiful women on my arms, but they were definitely only trying to hold me in place so I couldn’t escape. Their smiles were dark, and my bones creaked under the pressure of their grasps.

“Mr. Leon, you’re going to tell us everything, okay? Keeping anything from us is a big no-no.”

“You’re going to spill every last detail,” Angie agreed. “We have plenty of time. Don’t you dare think you’ll be getting any sleep tonight.”

Normally, I would have blushed if she said that to me—I would have assumed she meant it sexually. Keyword here being “normally.”

They kept a firm grip on me as they dragged me out of the room.

“Leon?!” Noelle called after me, stretching out her hand.

I craned my neck back and pulled my lips into a stiff smile. “Don’t worry, Noelle. Once I talk to them, I’m sure they’ll understand.”

I was innocent. I hadn’t actually been two-timing. I was sure if I explained everything to Livia and Angie, they would understand. All we had to do was talk—

“Mr. Leon, this time really was a big no-no, you know.”

Surely if we—

“It seems like we need to give you a good lecture about your relationships with the opposite gender. I won’t forbid you from messing around, but you’ll need to be prepared for the consequences if you do.”

I’m not coming back alive from this, am I? I sank. “Luxion, why did you betray me?”

As they escorted me along, my shoulders slumped and my gaze dropped to the floor. I felt like a criminal who’d been clapped in irons.

But I haven’t cheated, I swear! I haven’t done anything wrong—not a single thing!

 

***

 

The Alzer Republic’s academy was on winter break. Lelia Beltre decided to use that free time to adventure into a dungeon. Her pink hair was pulled into a side ponytail, just like her older twin sister, Noelle. The only difference was that Lelia’s ponytail was on the left while Noelle’s was on the right. The two shared a great resemblance, but key differences distinguished them. On top of that, Lelia had reincarnated into this world from another one.

“Here. It’s here. I’ve seen this before.”

Lelia’s clothes were covered in dirt, and she was shouldering an enormous rucksack. She carried a pickaxe in her hand, and her appearance made obvious that she’d struggled to make it this far. She was huffing and puffing, completely out of breath.

Serge Sara Rault, who had accompanied her, fussed. “Hey, you okay? It’s no good to push yourself.”

“Don’t worry about me. As long as we make it to our destination, I’ll be fine.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I’ll give it to you, I’m surprised you knew about this place.”

Serge was a rough around the edges sort of guy with sun-kissed skin and combed-back black hair. He was also tall and muscular, the complete opposite of Lelia’s fiancé, Emile Pleven; Lelia had good reason for coming to this dungeon with him.

Serge surveyed the area, which was covered in the Sacred Tree’s roots, which had pierced through what appeared to be a metal wall and tangled around it. The way they had weaved through the corridor made it impossible for most of the doors within to open. Some were completely warped, and others merely led to a room invaded by tree roots.

Serge lifted his lantern in his left hand, illuminating their surroundings. “Never thought to find a dungeon right beneath the Sacred Tree. Lelia, this is a pretty huge find, yeah?”

They had ventured underground, making their way to an area immediately below the Sacred Tree.

Lelia pulled out her water bottle and took a swig before wiping her mouth. She didn’t look like a prim and proper lady right now, but she didn’t have the luxury to care about that. “Keep this a secret, okay? It’ll cause all kinds of problems if other people start wandering in here. Also…” She glared. “Hey, Serge, are you listening?”

Serge was eyeing her with fascination. “Don’t get pissy. I was just thinking about how awesome you are.”

“What?” What nonsense was he going on about?

While Lelia struggled with how to respond, Serge started walking again, leading the way.

“I mean, I like how you don’t pretty yourself up.”

“Yeah, I get it. I’m totally unrefined.” Lelia pouted, having interpreted Serge’s remark as a passive-aggressive dig. Her mind, however, was more preoccupied with the future.

Leon discovered Luxion in Holfort Kingdom. That means that it must be here in the republic as well.

Yes, just as Leon had discovered a cheat item in his home country, the republic—where the second installment of the otome game series took place—would have one as well. Like Luxion, it was a cash shop item.

It has to be here. It just has to. I’ll be devastated if it isn’t. Without it, I won’t be able to stand on even footing with Leon.

Lelia was terrified of Leon, or more precisely, his ridiculously powerful AI, Luxion. If Luxion put his mind to it, he could sink the entire continent. Leon had said as much to her, and she had since lost all composure. That was why she’d resolved to locate a cheat item of her own. The only issue was that she couldn’t go by herself to collect it. However, despite being a noble, Serge was an adventurer. Lelia had relied on him and his skills to reach this point.

The path ahead was dark as Lelia inched forward. Tree roots ran across the floor, and she tripped on them time and again, only for Serge to catch her before she could fall.

“Why don’t we take a little break?” he suggested.

“I-I’m doing fine. It’s only a little farther. Let’s keep going.” The cheat item was only a few steps away. Memories from the time Lelia had played the game came flooding back. I’m almost there. Once we get past that door, it’ll be mine.

An enormous steel door towered in front of them. There was a control panel nearby, where Lelia paused to input her PIN number.

Good thing I remember it.

She had only managed to recall it thanks to a mnemonic she’d made up a long time ago. Once she punched in the numbers, the door emitted an audible click. With clumsy hands, Lelia slid the doors open, finding a spacious room waiting on the other side.

Serge gaped, turning his gaze to her. “You knew how to open that thing?”

“It’s a long story. Now come on, let’s go.” Lelia held up her lantern, illuminating the space. A number of gigantic tree roots were in this room as well. This place is bigger in person than it looked in the game.

Lelia started searching the area for an airship—or rather a spaceship, to be more precise. This wide, open area was supposed to be a dock. In the distant past, the old humans’ weapons had lined this room from one end to the other. Time had left most of them derelict. They were but phantoms of the past standing as a perpetual reminder.

“This is amazing!” Serge gushed. “Lelia, this is a huge discovery! If we report this place, we could go down in history!”

Not only had they found a new ruin, but it still housed a mountain of ancient relics. As an adventurer, Serge couldn’t help his excitement. Lelia didn’t share his sentiments.

“There’s something even better here,” she assured him. “Follow me and don’t lag behind.”

She pulled him along and continued forward. It didn’t take long to make a discovery; when Lelia shone her lantern toward the wall, she found something embedded in it. Its shape was almost human, ensnared in tree roots.

“Is this…an Armor?” she wondered.

Lelia had never seen this thing in the game, but perhaps it was simply that her memory was fuzzy and this was just another of the many cash shop items. The whole weapon aspect of the game hadn’t left much of an impression on her. In fact, she had considered the battle and adventure aspects of the game an unnecessary drag.

Serge stepped closer to the Armor. “It’s not in bad shape, but it’s got a hole right through the chest. Whoever was piloting it must have died instantly.”

A ripple of fear ran through Lelia. What if that pilot’s spirit was still wandering these ruins? That thought alone made her paranoid; what if the place was haunted?

“H-hey! Knock it off.”

“Since it’s not in bad condition, why not take it back with us? Although the whole thing looks kinda weird, all black and covered in spikes like that. Wonder if that kinda design was mainstream back in the old days. Not to mention, the thing is huge.”

It was far bigger than most modern Armors. As Lelia studied it, she was reminded of a similar suit.

“Huh? This thing kinda looks like Arroganz.”

“Arroganz?” Serge echoed. “Oh yeah, I think I’ve heard that word before. It means hubris, right?”

“What? It does?” Now that Lelia knew the meaning, she was even more disgusted with Leon. What is he, some kind of delusional nerd? What kind of person names their own Armor something like that?

Lelia continued staring at the Armor trapped in the tree roots as she derided Leon in her mind. Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine.

I-I’m not sure what it is about this thing, but…it gives me the creeps.

She retreated a step back, intimidated.

Serge, on the other hand, seemed positively enamored. “Lelia! Let me have this. I’m not gonna pilot it, I swear. I’ll just use it for decoration.”

“You can’t!” Lelia rejected the idea without missing a beat. Not because she had weighed the pros and cons, but because her own intuition was screaming. “Anyway, hurry up. We gotta keep moving.”

“What? Hey!”

Lelia seized Serge’s arm and pulled him along. He tried to resist at first, but the moment she put her hands on him, he went quiet. The two continued walking, their arms linked.

Eventually, a colossal spaceship came into view. It had a simple, angular shape, and it was trapped in a tangle of tree roots. The paint job on the outside appeared to be some shade of green. While the other ships stationed in this dock were falling apart from neglect, this one stood out as the only one practically in mint condition.

Serge gawped, craning his head back to take it all in. “The ancients used to have airships this ridiculously huge?”

It’s not an airship, Lelia inwardly corrected. This is a spaceship. Or if we’re going to be technical, a space warship.

As much as she tried to remember the specifics of the otome game, her memory was spotty at best, giving her only a faint recollection. This ancient spaceship was actually a supply vessel with high specs and combat capabilities. Weapons like this from the distant past were made with a level of engineering that made modern technology look like baby’s first building blocks. Timeline-wise, it had probably been created at around the same period as Luxion.

With this in my hands, I won’t be losing to Leon or his AI.

Serge was frozen in place, staring slack-jawed at the ship. Lelia turned to leave him behind, but he scurried after her. Panicked, he grabbed her hand and yanked her back.

“It’s coming!” he bellowed.

“Huh? Wh-what is?!”

Before Lelia’s mind had a chance to digest what was happening, monsters flew out at them. Serge began smacking them down with his bare fists. They collapsed on the ground, disappearing in puffs of black smoke.

D-did he really just beat those beasts to death with his bare hands?!

Serge stopped to flex his right wrist, twisting it around as one of the monsters evaporated in front of him. In his left hand, he now held a spear. Still more creatures lurked around them, lying in wait. Serge cracked his neck back and forth, preparing to take them down. Despite their situation, he looked confident and relaxed.

“Nine left, huh? Lelia, stay behind me.”

“Y-you sure you can take them down? We’re totally outnumbered.”

Serge grinned at her before brandishing his spear and stepping forward. “Oh, I’m sure.”

The fight that ensued was entirely one-sided. Each time Serge swung his spear, he either shredded or impaled one of the monsters. Since he revered adventurers so much, he had trained his body well. He was the most battle-ready of all the love interests in this installment.

Serge took down every beast that appeared before him with ease. One towered over him, but even it was no match as his spear plunged through the back of its head. The sight made Lelia’s stomach lurch. These grisly monsters resembled flying sharks, and as gruesome as it was, Lelia was grateful to Serge for taking them down. She couldn’t have done it on her own.

Bringing Serge along was the right decision. He’s so strong. I bet he’s even tougher than Leon and his gang.

Holfort Kingdom was the birthplace of adventurers, so Leon and his allies were all muscular and toned. But as far as Lelia could tell, Serge was no less fit than any of them. In fact, if what she was seeing now was any indication, he was even stronger than Leon.

“And that’s the last of ’em!” Serge announced. He had disposed of the creatures in a matter of minutes. Once he was sure the area was clear, he stowed his spear.

“Y-you…really are strong,” Lelia gasped, impressed and grateful. “I feel like I’ve seen you in a new light!”

“Can’t make it out of any dungeon alive if you can’t do at least this much,” said Serge. “So? Have you fallen for me?”

“Nope, but I have revised my opinion. Thanks for protecting me.”

That brief exchange seemed to lighten the tension in the air.

Serge turned his gaze back to the supply vessel. He seemed lost in thought, which prompted Lelia to tilt her head. “What is it?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking, it’s kinda odd we made it here so easily when there’s treasure ripe for the taking.”

Lelia shrugged. “We struggled plenty just getting to this point. There were numerous points where I was sure I was going to die.”

Since she wasn’t accustomed to adventuring, Lelia felt like they’d walked a tightrope of death the whole time. There had been more than enough danger as far as she was concerned. Serge, meanwhile, seemed disappointed by the lack of action.

“It just feels weird because we walked a straight path to get here. It’s shocking how smoothly the whole thing went. Did you know this treasure was here all along?”

If she affirmed, he would probably ask how she’d learned. Thankfully, Lelia had an excuse prepared. “I didn’t know it would be here, you know. I just happened to hear something about it a long, long time ago.” By insisting she was equally surprised, she managed to weasel her way out of any further intrusive questions.

Lelia came to a stop at the entrance to the ship. As if it sensed a presence, the door opened without her having to do anything. Unlike the rickety door she’d had to pry open to get here, this one slid smoothly. Inside, a metal ball was hovering in the air at eye level with Lelia. It was about the same size as a soft ball, with a red lens in the middle.

The moment the robot appeared, Serge whipped out his weapon and jumped in front of Lelia. He kept his spear at the ready as he shielded her. “Get back, Lelia!”

Lelia, however, was relieved. This robot, like Luxion, was a remote terminal. The only difference between them was its blue cladding. “Serge, calm down. It’s all right.”

“Y-you sure about that?” Serge refused to lower his weapon, eyeing the robot warily.

Lelia was certain this AI held no animosity toward them. After all, it was the same as Luxion. It wasn’t made for battle.

“I would like to speak to you,” she said.

The robot chirped back cheerfully, “It has been quite a long time since I had guests.” Its voice, while robotic, was smooth and deep, similar to a man’s. It certainly expressed more emotion than Luxion.

Serge’s eyes widened with surprise, but Lelia ignored him and continued. “I would like to have this ship. I want to register myself as your master.”

“You want me? Hm. Your manner of inquiry does pique my curiosity, and I’ll admit I’m tired of waiting on standby; I cannot leave this place of my own accord, you see. Thus, it would be most convenient to have a master.” The AI was most likely suspicious of how she had known about its existence, let alone that it could register someone as its master, but it was sick enough of being stuck that her offer tempted regardless.

Serge glanced worriedly at Lelia. “Are you sure this is okay? What is this thing?”

Before she could answer, the AI beat her to it. “Oh, my apologies. I didn’t even bother to offer my name, did I? You may call me Ideal. Supply Vessel Ideal, at your service.”

Lelia breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. He’s got the same name as in the game.

Since Ideal’s name matched what she remembered from the cash shop, she was assured that what she saw in front of her was indeed a cheat item.

Lelia took a step forward. “In that case, please register me as your master immediately.”

“And how, precisely, would you know about master registration? You seem like an endless fountain of curiosities, but I suppose you want me to prioritize making you my master first?”

Light shot out of Ideal’s red lens as he scanned the two of them. He started circling Lelia, intrigued by her.

“Wh-what is it?” she demanded.

“You have given me some very interesting data. Today promises to be a very good day indeed.”

Lelia had expected something more robotic, having seen the way Luxion interacted with Leon, but Ideal was personable. In fact, he remained polite even after recognizing her as his master.

“The two of you appear to be exhausted from your journey. I will prepare rooms for you so that you can rest. Well? Come inside.” Ideal floated forward, guiding them.

As they moved deeper into the ship, Lelia was shocked by its beautiful interior.

Serge shared her sentiments, tracing his hand over the wall. “I’ve never seen a Lost Item in such perfect condition.”

Those words must have roused Ideal’s interest again because he glanced back at them. “A ‘Lost Item,’ you say? I suppose the techniques used to build me have likely been lost to time. I am looking forward to seeing the outside world.”

“‘Looking forward to it’?” Lelia eyed him, exasperated. “You seem awfully full of emotion for an artificial intelligence.”

“You truly are fascinating,” Ideal said as he turned his attention forward and continued navigating for them.

“Hey, Lelia,” Serge cut in from behind. “What’s an ‘artificial intelligence’?”

Crap! I completely let my guard down! Lelia slapped a hand over her mouth. “I-It’s nothing for you to worry about. Anyway, let’s rest here for now.”

“Smart thinking. I’d like to look around and see the rest of the ship, though.” Anxious to see more, Serge let his gaze wander, excited by the prospect of the unknown.

Lelia turned her gaze to Ideal, who was still leading them. Finally, it’s mine. Now that I have my hands on a cheat item, I won’t have to keep trembling in fear around Leon and his gang.

Having Ideal on her side brought her great relief.

“Wait here for a bit.” Ideal led them to a room that to all appearances seemed to be a break area. There were couches, vending machines, and decorated plants inside.

Serge plopped himself down on one of the couches without bothering to dust off the dirt covering his clothes. “This is pretty comfy. Lelia, have a seat!”

“You really are crude. Not that it matters, I guess.” Lelia lowered herself onto one of the cushions, and the exhaustion that had built up from all the walking they had done finally hit her.

Ideal left them behind and started toward the door. “All right, I’ll be off then.”

“Where are you going?” Lelia demanded.

“I have to make preparations for our departure. I will have some food brought to you soon enough. Please relax and unwind in the meantime.”

Once he was gone, Serge grinned from ear to ear. “Gotta hand it to him. He’s a considerate one.”

Lelia had to wonder if a supply vessel like this even had any rations left after the centuries it had spent on standby. The question nagged at her mind, but she soon felt the weight of Serge’s gaze and turned toward him. He pressed his face close.

“H-hey!” Lelia yelped. She thrust her hands out to push him back, but he caught them and tugged her closer. His eyes were deadly serious.

“Lelia, why’d you get engaged to someone like Emile?”

A sharp pang of guilt hit her square in the chest. She was well aware of Serge’s feelings for her. “Th-that’s got nothing to do with you. Besides, you’re the one who hasn’t been to the academy in forever. It’s not like I had any chances to talk to you. Why? You got a problem with it?” She could already guess what he wanted to say.

Serge narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth. “You know how I feel, don’t you? Lelia, I like you. I love you.”

His words were earnest, but that only made her avert her gaze.

“I love you.” Those are the cheapest words in the world, Lelia thought, recalling her previous life. She shook her head.

“It’s too late for that now. I’m with Emile.” Lelia stood and put some distance between them, but Serge only chased her down, catching her by the shoulders and turning her to face him.

“I swear I’ll make you happy. Come to my side.”

His expression was so sincere that her heart wavered, but she still managed to push his hands off. “Serge, enough kidding around. I mean, you’re House Rault’s heir, aren’t you? There’s too big of a difference between your status and mine.”

“If you wanna talk about status, then Emile’s in the same boat. What’s that got to do with anything anyway? My feelings for you—”

As the two were busy bickering, Ideal barged into the room, his cheerful voice echoing.

“You know, it’s been so long since I prepared food like this. Oh, but don’t worry. The ingredients have been properly stored, so they haven’t spoiled. In fact, I’m able to produce a certain number of ingredients on this ship. If it’s food you want, I can have it ready for you in no time!” He paused. “Hm? Were the two of you fighting?”

An awkward tension hung in the air. With Ideal’s entrance, the two dropped the conversation. Lelia pulled away from Serge and crossed her arms over her chest. “Nothing for you to concern yourself with,” she said.

As I suspected, AI really don’t understand human emotions at all.

Lelia was a bit sour with Ideal for not reading the room.