The memory of yesterday's rose garden wouldn't leave my head. Lucas had said he wanted to "show me something," and he really did take me there. A wide garden blooming with red and white roses. The light of dusk. A scene that doesn't exist anywhere in the game. Alice stood before the mirror in the girls' dormitory Lilienhaus, straightening the ribbon of her uniform while trying to organize her thoughts. (That was something outside the game. Which means the story is changing.) So maybe I can change the destruction ending too. I want to believe that. But the disappointment that comes when expectations are betrayed is harsh. I've experienced that enough already—in my previous life. "[cold]I won't get involved with anyone today," She tells herself in the mirror. Her shallow purple bob sways. Golden eyes stare back at her intently. "[serious]I won't interact with new faces. I'll distance myself from Lucas more than yesterday. A perfect plan," Armed only with her venomous tongue as a weapon, Alice left her dormitory room. --- The shortest route from the main hall Luxhall to the library Sternbiblio is through the outer corridor of the training grounds Gladius. There aren't many people around. Alice tried to hurry through. But then, a strange heat drifted from beyond the fence. Knight candidates had gathered. Students were scattered outside the fence, peering in. Pushed by the flow of people, Alice found herself stopping without meaning to. Inside the training grounds, a demonstration was being held as the finale of early morning practice. One man stood out conspicuously from the rest. Black hair with vivid red streaks mixed in. A black eye patch over one eye. He must be at least 188 centimeters tall. The hand gripping the wooden sword was large, and the muscles in his arm slightly pushed up the sleeves of his uniform. His movements had no wasted motion. Every time he swung the sword, the air made a cutting sound. The surrounding students whispered, "Folklow senpai is amazing..." "He's the ace of the knight candidates, right?" The moment Alice saw his face, the game's memories flooded back. (Edward Folklow... one of the capture targets.) The character selection screen from the game floated in her mind. A serious, upright knight candidate. Devoted and sincere. A bundle of justice. (This is bad. I need to escape.) Alice tried to step away from the fence—but that was exactly when it happened. Edward's gaze caught Alice in the middle of his demonstration. His movements stopped. For several seconds like that. There was a clang. The wooden sword fell to the ground. Over a dozen knight candidates in the training grounds all turned around at once. And they all burst out laughing simultaneously. "Folklow dropped his sword!?" "Mesmerized by a young lady!?" "Impossible!!" Laughter echoed through the training grounds. Edward's face turned bright red. Even his ears were red. Alice's mouth moved reflexively. "[sarcastic]A knight candidate at that level? If the enemy is beautiful, does this kingdom lose? What will you do?" The laughter in the training grounds grew even louder. Edward walked toward the fence with fierce momentum. His face was red. His ears were red. His neck was red. "N-No! I wasn't—I wasn't watching you for that reason, it's just, for the sake of, the Crown Prince, no, the kingdom, the kingdom's—!" It made no sense at all. "[sarcastic]You were mesmerized for the sake of the Crown Prince and the kingdom. I see, patriotism," "[angry]That's not what I meant!!" "Then what did you mean?" "Th-That is—!" Edward froze with his mouth open. No words came out. Laughter erupted again. (The destruction flag is accelerating...! But I can't stop it...!) Alice was screaming internally while maintaining her smile. She tried to move her feet. That's when— Her eyes met someone standing quietly at the edge of the training grounds. Silver-white short hair. Clear, light blue eyes. About 172 centimeters tall. Holding a bag containing Lucas's belongings in both hands, standing in the corner of the training grounds. Watching the commotion without moving his expression—his gaze turned toward Alice. Their eyes met perfectly. The next moment, the tips of that young man's ears gradually turned red. The color spread to his cheeks in real time. Then he quickly dropped his gaze to his feet. His neck was red too. Alice's mind raced through the game's memories at tremendous speed. (Sebastian Alvin... Lucas's apprentice attendant... one of the capture targets...!!) The list of capture targets unfolded in her mind. Lucas, Edward, Sebastian—she desperately searched for the name of the fourth capture target that should have been there. (No good, I can't remember the fourth one's name. But that's not the problem right now. Two more capture targets have appeared at the same time!!) Alice lowered her gaze and tried to start walking. Her feet wavered. She placed her hand on the training ground's fence. "[scared]Are you alright!!" Edward shouted from beyond the fence. Laughter erupted again in the training grounds. "[cold]I'm fine. You should get back to your demonstration," "But—!" "[sarcastic]Don't you think it's quite the picture? A knight candidate worrying about a young lady across a fence?" The crowd laughed again. Edward gritted his teeth and returned. His face was still bright red. Alice removed her hand from the fence and walked quickly down the corridor. Her smile was plastered on her face, but her mind was in turmoil. --- Lunch. The window-side table in the great dining hall Mirabelle, Alice's usual spot among the 300 seats. She came early today. The plan was to eat quietly alone and make a quick escape. But. When she approached the table, Lucas was already sitting there waiting. Soft silver hair. Slightly disheveled bangs beneath which mismatched eyes—one blue, one red—smiled gently. "[gentle]You're early, Alice," (Why is he already here!!) The chance to escape disappeared. Alice had no choice but to sit in the seat across from him with her tray. Today's set meal was potage and rye bread. Steam was rising from it. Her appetite seemed to diminish a little. The moment Lucas started talking— "Excuse me," Edward stood beside the table. His uniform was properly straightened. His expression was almost emotionless, but his ears were still slightly red. "[serious]I'm here to confirm escort duties," "Escort duties?" "[serious]Safety confirmation during the Crown Prince's meal," Lucas made a face like he'd forgotten about that. Edward ignored him and stood around the table. He stood, but his gaze kept drifting toward Alice. Each time it did, he faced forward again. He repeated this over and over. Then Sebastian arrived. He brought Lucas's meal and took position at the edge of the table. His light blue eyes turned toward Alice. When Alice noticed, they fell to his feet again. Looking, falling, looking, falling. Alice held her spoon of potage and observed the situation of the three men from the corner of her eye. Lucas spoke with an air of ease. Edward kept turning his face forward and back. Sebastian couldn't stop his eyes from going back and forth. Three men surrounding one table. The surrounding dining hall began to stir. She felt gazes. Many gazes. (This table looks abnormal no matter how you look at it...) Alice tried to focus quietly on her potage. It smelled good and was warm. Ordinarily delicious. But she couldn't taste anything at all. "[gentle]How are you doing today?" "[cold]Terrible," "That sounds rough," Lucas laughed. He didn't look troubled at all. Edward murmured quietly, "...Are you okay?" His voice was small and faint. He was facing toward Alice. He immediately turned forward again. Sebastian silently poured tea into Lucas's cup. His hand trembled slightly. Some tea spilled. He hurriedly wiped it with a cloth. His ears were red. "[sarcastic]...Hey, you don't need to worry about me, all of you," All three reacted subtly. Lucas gave a wry smile. Edward froze. Sebastian stopped moving, cloth in hand. Her appetite completely disappeared. --- Between afternoon classes, as Alice walked down a corridor in the main hall Luxhall, two young ladies came toward her, walking together. They were talking happily. "Did you hear? About lunch today?" "The thing where three people gathered at Clere's table? The whole dining hall was watching." "And the story about how Folklow senpai, a knight candidate, dropped his wooden sword during practice—it's already leaked outside the academy, apparently." Alice's pace slowed slightly. "Really? How far?" "Someone said it reached the Neumarkt Plaza market." The young ladies passed by without noticing Alice. Alice pressed her back against the corridor wall. Neumarkt Plaza—the commoners' market of the royal capital Kronstadt. Where food and daily necessities are sold, that place boasts the fastest rumor transmission speed in the kingdom. If rumors from the academy reach there, they've either already reached the ears of noble society or are reaching them this very moment. The game's knowledge sounded an alarm. Social exile decree—a permanent expulsion from noble society enacted by decision of the royal family or the Great Noble Council Faervalltung. For it to be enacted, the rumor must have reached the ears of the Great Noble Council. If talk of the Clere family's young lady attracting three men simultaneously begins to be spoken of at the dining tables of noble mansions— (This stage onward is the real danger zone.) In the memories of her previous life, this was where the game's destruction ending accelerated. But developments different from the game have already occurred. The rose garden with Lucas, today's encounter with Edward and Sebastian—this situation doesn't exist in any route. So the destruction ending might have changed too. It might be changeable. But precisely because of that—she doesn't know where the landmines are. Students walking down the corridor passed by Alice. No one paid attention. An ordinary afternoon. Yet her mind alone was busy. Alice took a deep breath and began walking toward the next classroom. Her footsteps were slightly heavy. --- Before dinner, when Alice returned to the girls' dormitory Lilienhaus, she stopped in front of her room's door. On the floor below the doorknob, a single flower lay. It wasn't a rose. It wasn't an expensive flower either. A white, small wildflower. So simple she didn't even know its name. The stem was still firm, as if it had just been picked. There was no sender's name. No ribbon. No note. Just placed there. Alice crouched down and picked up the flower. Five white petals. A soft yellow center. Nothing special, but she could tell it had been chosen with care—that kind of single bloom. The morning training grounds came to mind. Silver-white hair. Light blue eyes. Ears turning red all the way, gaze falling to the floor—Sebastian Alvin. There was no proof. But her intuition said so. Lucas writes letters. Edward comes flying with a red face. But Sebastian—without a word, he leaves only a flower. Alice stared at the flower for a moment. (Should I throw it away?) She didn't throw it away. She opened her room door and went inside. She placed the flower on the small desk. Then she criticized herself for doing so. "[sad]...I might be pretty far gone," She whispered quietly in the empty room. Outside the window, dusk was painting the royal capital's sky orange. Somewhere, the sound of bells rang distantly. The city slowly ending its day—that was the sound. If the rumor has reached Neumarkt Plaza, it's only a matter of time before it reaches the ears of the Great Noble Council Faervalltung. When the twelve noble family heads hear this story, what will they think of Alice Clere— In the game's knowledge, the acceleration from that point was fast. But now is different from the game. It