Chapter 1 – The magic school’s festival

“There’s going to be a school festival?”

”Yes, a school festival.”

The person who told me about that with a slight smile on his face was Prince Jared, the third prince of this country and also Katarina’s fiance.

On the outside, he’s a picture-perfect prince, with blonde hair and blue eyes, but on the inside I know he’s actually a s.a.d.i.s.tic, twisted person inside. When he gets angry, his expression is really scary. I’ve seen this for myself countless times.

However, the whole world believes that he’s a beautiful, gentle and kind prince, popular and loved by everyone. His popularity is especially incredible among girls our age, so as his fiancee, some of them consider me a nuisance.

Since Jared has excellent grades as well, he’s now become the student council president during our second year at magic school, and now has many responsibilities.

He had just told me about a school festival without offering many details. It seems that our school is going to be having a festival soon. However, what I was thinking was, “but we didn’t have one last year?”

Ever since I entered magic school, I’ve been learning academics and magic skills, but there wasn’t something as fun sounding as this last year.

“Oh, yes. The school only has a festival once every other year, so we didn’t have one last year.”

Oh, so they only have it once every other year. I wonder if it’s something similar to the school festivals I had every year in my previous world.

Since magic school is for two years, it seems that all students will experience a school festival once during their studies anyways, which is why it’s only once every other year. But anyways, a school festival, eh~~~. That’s something that I would always really enjoy and get excited about over in my previous world! I asked Jared what kinds of things will be at the school festival.

“Hmm. Stores from out of school will be allowed to sell their snacks here, and students will put on display or sell their own creations as well. Also, it seems that the students will be performing in a concert as well as a play. Also, there’s going to be a dance party in the school garden at nighttime.”

Ohh, it’s more like a school festival from my previous world than I thought! And what’s more, stores from outside are coming, I’m really looking forward to that. I wonder if I’ll even find some of my favorite foods from the previous world like takoyaki and yakitori there, hmm~. Although I haven’t seen anything like it in this world yet, maybe I’ll see them again if stores from outside are coming!

Ahh, how nostalgic~, in my previous life I would often go with my friends to have my stomach conquer everything available at festivals. I loved everything, from yakitori and takoyaki, to yakisoba and chocolate bananas, apple tarts, a.s.sorted sweets and confectionaries, and, and……

“Um, Katarina. Are you listening to me?”

“……Oh. Sorry.”

I had gotten so carried away with thinking about the possibilities meant by stores coming to sell snacks here that, just for a moment, I had forgotten completely about Jared.

“……Well, anyways, I’m going to be really busy with the preparations for the school festival, so I won’t have the time to drink tea with you anymore with just the two of us, so we can go ahead and take our time today.”

As he said so, Jared stuck his fork into a confectionary and held it up to my mouth, saying “please, try it.”

“Thank you very much.”

Just as I was about to gulp down the sweet in front of me…… Someone grabbed the sweet from the fork right in front of me. Ah, I wanted that sweet……

When I looked to see who had stolen my sweet from me, I saw my stepbrother Keith Claes standing there, a grim look on his face.

“Prince Jared, it seems that you’ve been pretending I’m not here right now for quite some time?”

For some reason, Keith almost seemed like he was glaring at Jared, while Jared responded with his usual calm demeanor and smile.

“You say that but, Keith. In the first place, I don’t recall inviting you here?”

Just as Jared said, he had only invited me here today, and not Keith. He’d invited me to his room today, saying “I have some delicious sweets for you,” but……

When I was getting ready to go, just like always, Keith somehow heard about it from whatever information network he has and showed up, saying “I’ll come along with you.” It seems that Keith is really interested in Jared’s sweets as well.

“Of course, since my sister is all-important to me and I’m worried about her body, I’ve accompanied her.”

Huh? It seems that he didn’t come here to try the sweets. He’s worried about me, what a caring brother he is. However……

“My my, Keith. Even accompanying your sister to a private tea party in my room. Just how much more overprotective can you get, you should please let your sister be alone for a little while from time to time.”

Mmm, he has a point. It’s fine if he doesn’t accompany me to things like a tea party in Jared’s room, I’ll be alright. My younger brother Keith has flaxen hair and blue eyes, and I’m proud of his academic and athletic abilities, but he can definitely be a bit of a worrywart.

Especially as of late, he’s been really persistent in telling me “whenever you meet with Prince Jared, you absolutely have to take me along with you.” Well, last year, there was indeed the danger of me getting exiled, or in the worst case scenario even killed off by Prince Jared, but…… I think that since the otome game ended peacefully with the friends.h.i.+p end, all the dangerous things should be over now.

While I was absentmindedly thinking such things, the two of them continued their conversation, grinning at each other.

“If it wasn’t to your room, I wouldn’t have to come with my sister. If I let my sister come here by herself, it’s way too dangerous.”

“Hmm, I wonder just exactly do you mean?”

“I think you’ll know the answer if you ask your own heart. Prince Jared.”

……Mmm. They’re talking about something I don’t really understand again. I’m feeling a little left out of their conversation, as Jared and Keith seemed to continue on with their conversation so happily without me. They seem to be lost in their own little world, I don’t want to intrude on their conversation.

We’ve all been friends for so long, so I just happily watched the two of them getting along so well with each other, while I sat back down and began eating the sweets on the table.

Oh my, these sweets are quite delicious. This time, I’m going to try some of everything. And so, while being left out of my fiance and my brother’s discussion, I devoured all the sweets on the table.