The Reason for the Tears

Upon reaching the carriage stop, I said goodbye to Stephan and Martine and was about to board the ducal family's carriage when Martine stopped me.

"Leon, I have something to talk to you about. Do you have a moment?"

"Something to talk about?"

"Brother, could I borrow the royal carriage for a little while?"

"Does that mean you'd rather I not be there?"

"Would that be a problem?"

"No, I suppose I can spare it for a little while."

So she wanted to talk to me alone? I had even less idea what this was about now.

"Then, until we're finished talking, Stephan-sama, please wait in the ducal carriage."

"Sure. Thank you, Lucien."

"Then, Leon, come this way."

"Certainly."

What could she possibly want to talk about? I tilted my head in confusion as I boarded the royal carriage and sat across from Martine.

"Martine, what happened? You said you wanted to talk all of a sudden. Is it something you couldn't tell the other two?"

"Something occurred to me a little while ago... Before we went to Rongo-sensei's room, you were crying, weren't you?"

"Huh?"

How did Martine know that? I hadn't told her, had I? Did Lucien tell her?

No, we'd been together ever since then, and he hadn't said anything.

"How did you know that...?"

"When you entered Rongo-sensei's room, the area around your eyes was a little red, and your eyes were moist."

"Really!?"

This was the worst... Was it really that obvious at a glance?

"But if that were all, there could be all sorts of explanations, like getting something in my eye, right?"

"Yes, but you looked a little lonely, Leon. You wore that expression several times during swordsmanship class and at the research club as well."

Whoa... I'd been doing it completely unconsciously. I hadn't meant to look like that. It was true that the plain atmosphere of the research building had reminded me a little of schools in Japan, but...

"At first, I wondered why you looked like that, but then I thought maybe you were remembering the past. ...Was I wrong?"

"No, you're right. I spent a long time attending school in my previous world, so places called schools make me very nostalgic... I have so many memories of them. They aren't much like schools in Japan, but they still brought back memories."

The entrance was nothing like a Japanese school, but it still made me remember Japanese shoe lockers, walking to school with my friends every morning, classrooms, teachers, and all sorts of things...

The training grounds had reminded me of a gymnasium too, and I used to hate vaulting-box class. I never understood people who could clear eight boxes.

Even now, thinking about it made all sorts of memories come back...

"As I thought, remembering those things makes me sad, and I feel as though I'm all alone in this world... Even though I have family and friends here too..."

I hadn't remembered Japan very often anymore, but coming to school had felt like someone had forcibly dug up all those memories.

"Leon... My brother, Lucien, and I are all your friends, and we care about you very much. And I'm sure there are many other people who care about you too. You're a wonderful person, after all."

"Thank you. That makes me happy."

"Yes... I'm sorry I couldn't think of anything more comforting to say."

"No, it's all right. I'm really happy. I'm happy that you noticed how I was feeling, too."

That's right... There were many people I cared about in this world too.

But this was a world of social status, and it was probably true that more people associated with me for ulterior motives than in my previous world. If I had no abilities at all, wouldn't there be very few people who would stay by my side?

There was no point in thinking about things like that... Besides, it would be insulting to everyone if I did.

I decided to stop thinking negatively.

I made up my mind, lifted my head, and was about to tell Martine I was all right when she spoke before I could.

"Do you remember when I first asked you to be friends with me?"

"The first time? Hmm... You said it so often that I don't know which one was the first."

I answered with a small laugh. Martine puffed out her cheeks a little and looked slightly displeased.

"It doesn't have to be that exact! I mean when we first met. When you cured my illness and started teaching me magic."

"Yes. I remember."

"Back then, I thought your incredible abilities were necessary for this country. That's why I tried to become friends with you."

"Yeah. I had a feeling that was the case."

If someone had come on that strongly from the very beginning, I'd naturally assume they were after my abilities.

"But I soon stopped feeling that way. You never tried to make me feel indebted to you and use me, did you? You were always kind and sincere, and you treated me like a person. That made me very happy."

"Isn't that only natural?"

"No. Everyone who approached me before did so for their own benefit. They saw me only as a tool for advancing their own careers."

Martine said that and looked a little sad.

She'd grown up in that kind of environment since before she was even ten...

I didn't know what to say to comfort her, so I stumbled over my words. I was supposed to be older than her, but... I was useless.

"Once I got to know you as a person, I quickly forgot about doing this for the sake of the country. I wanted to become friends with you regardless of your abilities. That's why I did something as pushy as inviting you to tea alone."

"That was pretty pushy, all right."

"I couldn't help it. I knew you would never let your guard down around other people."

"That's true. We were able to become friends because you pushed your way into my life. Thank you."

When I answered with a smile, Martine seemed embarrassed, blushed slightly, and turned away.

"It's nothing worth thanking me for."

"Hehe... Even so, thank you."

"Ahem... I got off topic, but even if you weren't an amazing person or useful to the country, I'd still be your friend. That's what I wanted to tell you. Though I probably shouldn't say something like that as the First Princess..."

...Martine really was amazing. She always gave me exactly the words I wanted most.

"Martine, that really makes me happy. Thank you."

When I said that with a heartfelt smile, Martine smiled back at me with a beautiful smile. She seemed more mature than before... She really was beautiful.

"Would you listen to me talk about schools in my previous world sometime? Remembering them without being able to talk to anyone about them is pretty painful."

"Yes, of course!"

"Hehe, thank you."

Martine and I laughed together, and then I returned to the ducal family's carriage. I felt as though my heart had grown lighter.

"Stephan, sorry to keep you waiting."

"No, I haven't been waiting long. Are you finished?"

"Yeah. I'm all right now."

"I see. Then, Lucien, I'll be going home."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

Stephan said that and left in the royal carriage.

"Leon, what did you two talk about?"

"Hmm..."

"Is it something you can't tell me?"

"I guess... For now, let's keep it a secret."

"For now?"

"Not yet?"

"Doesn't that mean the same thing?"

"Hehe..."

"Why are you laughing?"

"I suddenly started feeling happy!"

After talking with Martine, almost all of my loneliness had disappeared. I didn't really know why, but I was starting to feel happy.

"I don't really understand, but I'm glad?"

"Yeah!"

I'm glad I became friends with everyone. I hope we can keep getting along from now on.

"Oh, right. Changing the subject, do you think I'd be allowed to run a food stall?"

"A food stall? Why would you want to do something like that?"

"One reason is that there are some things I'd like to try selling, but the main reason is that I want to create a place for my friend to work."

"The friend who was with us in swordsmanship class?"

"Yes. His name is Ronnie. He grew up in an orphanage and is struggling because he has no money. I thought it would be nice if we could run a stall together."

"He managed to get into the Royal Academy despite coming from an orphanage?"

Lucien seemed quite surprised, so people from orphanages must almost never be admitted to the Royal Academy. Thinking about it that way, Ronnie must be exceptionally gifted.

"Apparently, he happened to get a chance to study at the orphanage, and when they realized how talented he was, they let him continue his studies. But he couldn't have spent all his time studying, so I think he's genuinely brilliant."

"There really are many talented commoners. It would be a shame if talented people had to leave the Royal Academy because of money. I think you'll be allowed to run the stall."

"Really!?"

"Yes, but ask Grandfather about it. I don't know much about food stalls."

"Yeah!"