These days, I feel like a popular star. Dazzling eyes surrounded me no matter where I went.

Until recently, I didn’t receive such intense attention. I tried to avoid people as much as possible, and even if I did run into someone, they’d turn away on their own. After all, meeting the Prosecutor was like encountering a kangaroo during a stroll.

‘Why is he here?’ and ‘Messing with him is dangerous’ were the emotions I would evoke simultaneously. That was me until a while ago.

"Did the Mage Duchess really choose that person?"

"My father indeed said so."

And now, I had transformed from a kangaroo to avoid to a safari beast worth the risk to observe.

Damn it.

It was embarrassing. They might think that they were whispering quietly from a distance, but I could hear everything. Wasn't it strange how you could always sense the gazes and whispers when it was about you?

But showing displeasure here would only give these students a lifetime of trauma. I must endure it.

So, I carefully composed my expression and kept walking.

This is driving me crazy.

Maintaining a safe distance was tough, especially with the sneaky glances and the encounters that seemed more intentional than accidental.

If I’d been a spectacle from the moment I arrived at the academy, then it might have been different. However, this sudden surge of attention was overwhelming. People should know that excessive attention could stress even animals.

It wasn't until I neared the clubroom that I could finally shake off the relentless stares.

Are they afraid of royalty?

I let out a bitter laugh as I entered the club room. Those who clung so persistently couldn’t bring themselves to enter the royals’ domain.

Of course, I get them. I wouldn't be anywhere near here if it weren't for work, either.

And I understood why they were sneaking glances at me.

The Mage Duchess's prospective companion.

Just hearing it would spark curiosity. A man who caught the eye of a duke with elf blood and had lived alone for over a hundred years...

The socially sensitive nobles wouldn't be able to stay away after hearing such a cheat code of a sentence. Even I would rush over like a dog to see if I heard that the Mage Duchess had taken a companion.

With that thought, I turned my gaze toward the mirror.

That’s him.

The reflection in the mirror showed me with a wry smile. There was no need to rush around like a dog. After all, it was so easy to see this.

Wow, I feel so thrilled.

***

Club time had never been so relaxing.

The club consisted of half foreigners unlike the academy, where the vast majority were from the Empire. Of course, the Mage Duchess's marriage news was fascinating to them as well, but it didn't hit as close to home as it did for the Empire’s citizens.

Thanks to that, club time was relatively peaceful. This place had truly become my sanctuary after spending about a year together—

"Hyung, can you tell me about the banquet?"

Or maybe not?

Erich's sudden question caught me off guard, and my hand stopped mid-reach for a cookie.

This brat.

The person I least expected attacked me at the most unexpected time. I never imagined that my own brother would be the one to stab me in the back.

There might be things I’ve neglected to do for him... but wasn't this too much? Even the other members nearby seemed shocked as they stared at Erich.

Erich awkwardly averted his eyes as I gave him a slightly reproachful look.

"Mother's been pestering me about what happened..."

Ah.

His words made my resentment dissolve. I’d been so preoccupied that I hadn’t considered my family.

Indeed. After me and Marghetta, the Krasius family was the second biggest victim after this whole debacle. They just woke up one morning to suddenly find that the Mage Duchess was possibly going to be their daughter-in-law.

What a crazy idea.

Even thinking about it made me dizzy. Being in-laws with a Duke was no small matter, but to have the Mage Duchess as a daughter-in-law? Not the mother-in-law, but as the daughter-in-law?

Mother must be trembling and on the verge of tears. She wasn’t even forty, and yet she was going to be a mother-in-law to a woman over a hundred.

How astonishing. The Empire's laws were truly complex and bizarre.

"I'll explain everything to Mother."

"Okay."

Erich nodded quickly as if he’d been waiting for that. Then, he sipped his tea with a serene expression.

I’m sorry.

Thinking about the pressure Erich must have faced over the past few days suddenly made me feel uneasy.

Our family must have been pressing him for an explanation while nobles would have harassed him, seeing him as the more approachable option. Amidst all that, Erich would have been crying out the truth that he knew nothing. It would’ve been a perfect storm of chaos.

Now that I looked closer, he seemed to have dark circles under his eyes. This kid, who usually seemed far from fatigued...

"...Do you need some allowance?"

"What?"

Erich blinked at the unexpected question.

I knew it was a random thing to ask because I wasn’t someone who usually gave away money or even small gifts. After all, what kind of men would do such cutesy things?

However, I wanted to give him something or anything this time.

Thanks to the Mage Duchess, a faint brotherly affection had been revived...

***

I didn't bother to refuse the sudden offer of an allowance. Considering the trouble I've been through, it was money I probably deserved.

It was always tiring when a new week started after the weekend. There was a good reason why the start of the week was called Enen's trial and a time to guard against the laziness of creatures.

But this trial was a bit... no, way too harsh.

"Erich. I have something to ask you."

"Huh?"

A question greeted me as soon as I entered the classroom. It was from a friend with whom I’d only exchanged pleasantries with. They approached me first, so it must be something important.

So, I told them to go ahead. If I knew the answer, then I’d tell them. If not, I'd simply say I didn't know.

"Is it true that Her Grace the Mage Duchess proposed to the Prosecutors’ Office’s Executive Manager?"

...?

I realized what it meant for my mind to go blank at that moment.

After that, it was absolute chaos. Starting with that bastard—no, that friend—nobles swarmed around me.

From our class, the neighboring class, second years, third years, and even some faculty members.

"I honestly don’t know."

I really didn’t know. My brother was proposed to by the Mage Duchess? This was the first I’ve heard of it.

I dodged the question as best as I could. I said that I didn’t know the details and that it might not be true, so they shouldn’t overthink it.

Yes, there had to be some misunderstanding. If there was such a major event, then I, as part of the family, would’ve known.

— Erich. Haven't you heard anything from Carl?

“…”

And when I got a call from mother at lunch, I realized that the rumor was true.

The shock left me speechless. Was it really true? Hyung really got a proposal from the Mage Duchess?

What about Lady Marghetta?

That thought instinctively came to mind.

If the Mage Duchess was aiming for hyung, then what would happen to the lady? I couldn't imagine the Mage Duchess becoming the second wife, but pushing Lady Marghetta aside to make her the first was even more unimaginable.

What about Louise?

If the Mage Duchess became hyung’s first wife, then Louise would be left out.

Fortunately, Louise was friends with Lady Marghetta. However, she had no such connections with the Mage Duchess.

At least Lady Marghetta still had a chance to be his wife even if she was demoted due to her noble status. But what about Louise? Would the Mage Duchess accept a baron’s daughter whom she didn't know?

My head felt like it was going to explode. Mother pleaded for me to find out what was happening, and the nobles pressured me to spill what I knew. Meanwhile, there was also the matter of Louise's future.

...Honestly, it felt foolish to worry about the love life of someone who rejected me, but she was still my friend. Besides, the ideology of ‘If I can’t have her, I’ll ruin her!’ was a cliché villain sentiment from old novels.

It's frustrating.

I glanced at Louise as I pocketed the allowance from hyung and almost sighed. She seemed restless as if she had heard the news.

No. She was trying to act calm, but anyone could see that she was agitated.

That's a relief, though.

Her eyes were burning with determination, which gave me some comfort.

Louise had been frustrating to watch all this time, but it seemed that she had finally found the will to act now that the fire was under her feet.

That was good, then. It didn’t matter if Louise didn't know the Mage Duchess; ultimately, it was hyung who would decide who he would marry.

And everyone present seemed to share this thought.

Then, I made eye contact with Rutis.

Now?

Now.

"Ah, I left something in the classroom. I'll be right back."

After the rapid exchange of glances, he launched a signal.

***

Are these guys experiencing early-onset dementia?

"Ah, I left something in the classroom. I'll be right back."

When Erich first spoke up, I didn't think much of it.

"You too? Let's go together."

When Rutis stood up, I just thought, ‘So he’s leaving too.’

But then Ainter, Lather, and Tannian followed, one after the other, and I couldn’t even think of stopping them.

What’s going to happen to the future of this continent?

It was worrisome that these promising young men were already suffering from memory loss.

Louise seemed flustered by the situation for a moment, but soon giggled lightly.

"It must’ve been urgent."

"Yeah, it looks like they were in a hurry."

I nodded and decided to give them the benefit of the doubt for the sake of their honor.

Then, silence followed. We weren’t exactly awkward together, but the conversation stalled after five people suddenly left.

"Hey, oppa."

“Yes, go ahead.”

Louise, who was always at the center of conversations, did not allow for even a moment of silence.

"What... do you think of the Mage Duchess?"

Still, there was no need to fill the silence this abruptly.

A bitter smile crept onto my face as the dagger I had just dodged came flying back. It seemed that even the bright and cheerful Louise was a noble at heart, seeing how she showed interest in such matters.

“Well, she’s someone who shows me overwhelming kindness.”

I carefully chose my words after some thought.

It wasn’t that I disliked the Mage Duchess. How could I dislike someone who showed me such generous favos? It was just that the nature of her favor was so unexpected that it was rather disconcerting.

"Is that so?"

Louise glanced down briefly before continuing.

"I think it's incredible, though. She let everyone know about her feelings."

"That is impressive..."

I found myself agreeing without thinking. It was indeed impressive because of how overwhelming the scale of her gesture was.

“While it’s scary for me to show my feelings to just one person…”

Louise murmured, fiddling with her hands. Scared to show her feelings, huh?

Is she talking about herself?

Louise used to tightly conceal her trauma. But now, she had opened up about it. Holding onto self-loathing because of past issues wasn't right.

“You should be proud of yourself now.”

“Do you really think so?”

"Yes."

At my reassurance, Louise smiled again as if she had heard exactly what she needed to hear.

“Then, can I say that I also like you, oppa?”

"That—"

...What?

I started to respond out of habit but stopped myself. What did she just say?

She means she likes me as her advisor, right?

My brain, which had temporarily frozen, started working again. It must be because I was still reeling from the shock of the Mage Duchess's actions.

...That’s what she means, right?

However, I couldn't speak after looking at Louise's expression.

Her face was red, and her trembling eyes were fixed only on me while she fidgeted with her hands.

I might be a bit slow at times, but I wasn’t clueless.

But today, I felt a strong urge to just play dumb.

...Should I pretend I didn't hear it?

Of course, that would be a lame excuse that wouldn't work.