The Demon Prince goes to the Academy

On the terrace of the third floor of the Central Palace, Tetra.

Even though a turbulent political climate was about to begin, the chaos didn't reach the Central Palace.

It had been quite some time since Harriet and I had shared a cup of tea together.

"Haah… I still can't believe it. I don't even know what's happening…"

Just as Olivia felt bewildered, Harriet too seemed to be in the same state as she let out a deep sigh.

Despite saying that, Harriet had shortened astronomical costs and time by using her magic.

In fact, she had annihilated a tremendous number of monsters with that magic and saved countless people.

If one were to list the great mages in history, Harriet would be among the first.

As time passed, it would only become more evident.

From now on, practically all decisions would be made by Charlotte. My role was to approve or disapprove of them.

During the war, we were the busiest, but now Charlotte would be the busiest.

Although Harriet was exceptionally talented, she lacked experience in politics.

It was best for mine and Harriet's powers not to be used now. Of course, once the political situation stabilized, Harriet would have to step forward to construct new warp gates.

In many ways, Harriet had become an indispensable presence.

With her arms crossed, Harriet gazed out the window.

Where had the arrogance and disdain in her eyes gone?

Now, they were filled with worry and deep thoughts. Concern and fear about what would happen next and what had already transpired were evident.

How much time had passed while we drank tea?

Harriet's gaze seemed to gradually settle.

I couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Reinhardt."

Suddenly, Harriet called my name.

"…Huh?"

"We need to talk."

At that single sentence,

I unknowingly felt chills run down my spine.

"Uh, um… uh…"

I awkwardly got up from my seat, watching Harriet rise from hers.

Somehow,

Something about that phrase…

It was damn scary!

We were talking in the first place, but saying we need to talk made me feel like I was going crazy!

Was she talking about something other than this? Right?

Trembling with an inexplicable fear, I followed Harriet as she walked somewhere.

------

Was it not appropriate to talk in the place where we were sitting?

Harriet led me to a door, flung it open, glanced around, and gestured for me to enter.

It was a bedroom, but I couldn't tell who it belonged to.

It wasn't the emperor's bedroom I had been staying in since arriving at Tetra.

It was one of the many empty rooms, just like the countless others that were vacant.

-Creak

As I entered, Harriet closed the door and locked it.

Wait…

Wait?

Why lock it?

Was she trying to prevent me from escaping? Leaning against the door, Harriet looked at me.

"…"

And Harriet silently stared at me who was paralyzed with fear.

We need to talk.

I realized anew that this short phrase was more terrifying than any declaration of war.

Was there a problem?

Did I do something wrong?

What should I do?

I racked my brain to figure out if I had done anything upsetting or wrong in the midst of the hectic recent events, but I couldn't figure it out.

When I thought about it, there were countless things that might have upset her.

I had not attended to what I should have, and it wasn't that I hadn't done anything wrong. Rather, there were too many wrongs to even guess at.

My heart pounded.

"…Are you scared?"

"Huh…?"

Harriet asked, seemingly reading my expression.

Scared, of course.

In my life, I couldn't count how many times I had been scared.

But experiencing an unknown fear like today was a first for me.

I didn't know why I should be scared, but I just was.

Not exactly scared, more like…

Tense.

Incredibly tense.

Couldn't she just tell me what I did wrong?

I was confident I would kneel!

If I admitted my wrongdoing and knelt, I would be asked what I had done wrong!

With such a history of wrongdoing, I wouldn't know where to start if a resentful word came out of that mouth!

"Aren't you going to answer?"

Harriet asked quietly.

Why was she doing this…

Why did she suddenly start acting this way?

Wasn't this what I used to do to other kids during my days at the temple?

"I'm, I'm scared… I'm scared…"

In response to Harriet's question, I could only nod with a flustered expression.

At my admission of fear, Harriet tilted her head.

"Why are you scared?"

I felt like I was going crazy.

Like I was losing my mind!

"Well, you… you're not usually like this…"

From a certain point on, it became impossible for me to be harsher than necessary with her!

I felt both apologetic and grateful.

And so.

And so…

"Shouldn't I be like this?"

"No… It's not that you shouldn't…"

Harriet approached me with a subtle smile.

As she came closer, I backed away until I had no choice but to sit down on the bed.

Harriet looked down at me, sitting there.

With that subtle smile.

"Are you scared of being scolded by me?"

Scolded.

The word was cute, but the thought of it was terrifying.

Harriet had never been truly angry with me, save for the beginning of the first semester when we were not yet close.

It wasn't just that she didn't get angry.

From some point on, she always understood me, accepted me, and did something for me.

The thought of that Harriet getting angry and pointing out all my wrongdoings made my vision blur.

I didn't even know what to say to apologize.

"Uh… I'm scared."

So, I had no choice but to nod my head.

If she came at me like that, I might really bite my tongue and die.

Harriet asked again.

"Why are you scared when there's nothing to be scolded for?"

It seemed like I was the only one taking this seriously.

What did she want to say?

Of course, there must be a reason to be scolded.

But still…

It's scary when someone who never got angry gets angry.

Like that.

It wouldn't matter if someone completely unrelated got angry at me…

"Because it's you."

Not just anyone.

Because it couldn't be.

Wouldn't it be scary if such a person got angry?

Did she like the words that slipped out in a panic?

Harriet straddled the bed, sitting on top of me.

Pressing her body close to mine, she stared into my eyes, our noses almost touching.

Why was it like this...?!

However, actions and words were so different.

"I've been away from my family for too long."

"Is that... so?"

"So, now that I'm almost done with what I have to do..."

Harriet glanced out the window for a moment.

"I want to go back to the kingdom for a few years. You don't need me right now either."

Those words felt like a stone dropped onto my heart.

I understood.

Certainly, I knew what she meant.

She had no choice but to feel that way.

I knew Harriet really loved her family and missed them.

But so suddenly?

Not just for a short while, but for a few years?

Harriet asked, "Can I do that?"

"..."

She had already done more than enough.

She had done so much that it couldn't possibly be more.

And what Harriet had done for me was something no one else could do but her.

To ask for more...

Wasn't it too much?

She wasn't leaving forever.

When needed, she would return.

But of course, she wouldn't always be by my side, as close as she was now.

She had always been within reach.

She had always been in a position where I could talk to her, as if it were natural.

She had been the first to listen to my stories and watched my struggles up close.

It meant she wouldn't live like she had all this time.

Is that okay?

She wasn't trying to scold me.

She was asking for permission.

Harriet spoke of parting at a distance so close that we could feel each other's breath.

Harriet asked, "Do you hate it?"

Of course, I hated it.

That...

I hated it.

But demanding more, asking her to stay by my side as if it were natural, wasn't that too much?

However, in the end...

"I hate... it, of course."

My answer was pathetic, but that was all I could say.

It was an acknowledgment of something.

At my response, Harriet smiled.

I wondered if she could smile like this, a smile I had never seen before.

Harriet pressed her body closer to me.

And before I could say anything more, Harriet overlapped her lips with mine.

In that overwhelming moment, how long did we kiss?

Harriet pulled away from me.

She looked at me and smiled.

"I knew, actually."

"What...?"

She whispered quietly into my ear, smiling.

"That if I did this... you wouldn't be able to push me away."

"From some point, I knew that if I spoke a little firmly, you couldn't stay still."

"I thought it was because you were sorry, but..."

"It's not just because I'm sorry. I knew that from some point."

"I knew how to do it long ago."

"But... that's cowardly."

"It's cheap."

"So, I didn't do it."

"But... I don't want to do that forever."

"Now I want to be cowardly and cheap too."

"Now, I'll do things my way."

I couldn't understand what Harriet was saying while listening.

"Marry me."

Harriet whispered into my ear.

"Otherwise, I will never see you again."

Was that what she meant when she said she knew what to say?

Marriage.

The moment she said that, my feelings became strange.

If I didn't agree to marry her, she would leave.

Was this... her way of threatening me?

"But, wait..."

"Don't tell me, you don't want to?"

Harriet's expression began to change.

No, it wasn't that.

It wasn't about whether I wanted to or not.

"...Would you have not done it if I hadn't agreed?"

"...What?"

At my question, Harriet was clearly flustered.

"No, I mean... would you have not done it?"

I had been scared for a moment when she mentioned leaving.

But now I was the one feeling perplexed.

"Of course, we have to do it."

At my words, Harriet's face turned red, as if she couldn't understand the situation.

Marriage.

Wasn't it something we were destined to do?

"So... it was... that kind of... thing?"

I wasn't sure what she had been thinking. Had she thought that maybe we wouldn't go through with it?

Gathering her courage to ask, Harriet's lips trembled.

Just as if she had forgotten her bold move moments ago.

"Of course, we have to. We must."

"Uh, ah... um, yes..."

At my affirmation, Harriet's face finally flushed.

Our blockhead.

Finally.

You.

This girl finally.

Made me say such words.

And even worse ones.

"And... this might be a strange thing to say, but..."

"...What?"

"Will I... only be doing that with you...?"

It seemed she finally realized it was a little different than she had imagined. The blockhead's expression hardened.

"With, with you and... uh... Charlotte and... Olivia too... are you going to do that?"

Of course!

I'm an emperor!

I have to create power through marriage if necessary.

I might even have to do more than that!

Whether or not I did it wasn't up to me. It was bound to happen!

Now it would be strange if I didn't!

"Ah... I see... that kind of... thing... I see... of course..."

Harriet nodded blankly.

Then her expression gradually cooled.

In the end, it was still a piece of trashy talk.

In front of her, who had mustered the courage to suggest marriage.

Yeah, I'll do it with you and with others too.

I said such a thing.

In the end, Harriet, who was on top of me, had a resentful expression.

And finally.

Thud!

"Uh... ah..."

She began to choke me.

"Ye, I knew it...! You, you! I hate you so much!"

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"I really hate you the most in the world!"

In a situation where there were no words to say even if I had ten mouths, I had no choice but to let her choke me.

"Then! Do it with me first! I said do it with me first, you trash!"

Harriet screamed as if she would die on the spot if she didn't do it like that.