The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Chapter 209

Even after learning just how much the people of Belvur and the Holy Nation cherished Saint Latina Cathedral, my resolve remained unchanged.

I had known all of this from the beginning. Hearing it confirmed by others didn’t sway my opinion in the slightest.

The real issue lay elsewhere.

Hadn’t there been a similar incident in my own world? When the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris caught fire, it drew global attention. France was already a famous country, and Notre Dame held immense historical significance—not to mention the cultural treasures housed within.

Here, in a world without the internet or a global news network, the news of Saint Latina Cathedral’s collapse in Lutetia would spread more slowly. But eventually, it would reach every corner of the world, especially in countries where the influence of the Goddess Faith was strong.

And once it became known that I was the one responsible for destroying the cathedral, both Belvur and the Holy Nation would turn against me.

So would Charlotte.

Before arriving in Lutetia, I hadn’t been too concerned. I could simply rewind time if necessary. Even in the worst-case scenario where I couldn’t, I figured I’d shoulder the consequences alone.

After all, my very existence in this world hinted at some divine purpose. Surely, my actions would ultimately align with the intentions of whatever higher power had brought me here. In the end, I believed I could be understood.

But watching Charlotte’s genuine smile as she guided us around with such enthusiasm stirred a flicker of hesitation deep within me.

“Lutetia isn’t exactly unsafe,” came a voice from behind me.

“But even so, I wouldn’t say it’s safe for a woman to walk alone at night.”

It was Charlotte.

“I could say the same for you,” I replied.

“I have guards,” she said with a small shrug. “It’s not like I’ve ditched my entire security detail to wander the streets alone without any friends.”

I rolled my eyes and glanced around her. There was no one immediately nearby, but I spotted figures at the building corners and on the terraces of second-floor structures, quietly keeping watch.

Fair enough. Interrupting their princess’s stroll would certainly be out of the question.@@@@

I was sharing a hotel room with Alice, but no matter how close we were as sisters, I wasn’t about to join her in the shower. Rondarium had public bathhouses, but I’d never been to one myself. Being perceived as “male” made the idea of entering the women’s baths... uncomfortable, to say the least.

The best time for me to slip out unnoticed was when Alice went to bathe. I had been as quiet as possible when leaving, so I didn’t think she’d noticed.

“Alice was looking for you,” Charlotte said. “She was wandering the hotel, her hair still damp.”

“....”

Ah. I hadn’t accounted for that.

Was she really that worried?

“Did she seem very anxious?” I asked.

“Well...” Charlotte tilted her head thoughtfully, crossing her arms. “Her demeanor was confident, as usual. She didn’t let her anxiety show outwardly while looking for you.”

So... she’d been suspicious of me from the very beginning.

Not that it was surprising.

Most of the others, no matter how strong they were, still weren’t as powerful as adults. A group of knights could neutralize them if needed.

But me... My perception of my abilities and the way others saw them were completely different. I had made countless mistakes, correcting each one to produce the best possible outcome. But to outsiders, it looked as though I always achieved perfection on the first try.

Fighting hundreds without taking a single hit, singlehandedly collapsing enemy lines, navigating a maze-like path and immediately finding the critical point—it all seemed impossibly flawless.

If there were someone like me wandering around my country without restraint, I’d be suspicious too.

But Charlotte’s behavior in front of me was something else entirely.

She subtly gestured to the guards encircling us. They hesitated for a moment, their bodies tensing, but when she calmly looked up at them, they eventually backed away.

They’d still remain nearby, of course, but at least our quiet conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

With the guards gone, Charlotte stepped even closer. Not close enough to feel suffocating, but within reach if I wanted to tap her shoulder.

Her expression was clearer now, and it carried... hesitation.

After a moment of deliberation, she finally spoke.

“But... truthfully, I didn’t want things to go this way. Not like this.”

I weighed my response carefully. What could I even say to that?

“...I see,” I replied at last, my words amounting to little more than a noncommittal observation.

“When I first entered the Academy, I was wary of you. That’s why I approached you so quickly, and why I later requested a private meeting with Alice after she came to Lutetia.”

She paused before continuing.

“But...” Charlotte hesitated, then added, “...you treated me as just a friend. That was... a new experience for me. Talking to someone without any hidden motives, just having normal conversations... It’s something I’d never known before. I’m the King’s only daughter, without siblings. Every noble who spoke to me treated me as royalty first and foremost. So yes, it might sound strange to say this, but... you were the first person to address me so confidently, as an equal.”

Charlotte’s eyes softened as she held my gaze.

“It wasn’t just you and Alice. Everyone I’ve met at the Academy... Only now do I understand how much of a blessing it is to feel at ease, to simply live naturally without pretense.”

Ah...

Wait, hold on.

“I want to stay friends with you, no matter what happens. Can I ask that of you?”

Ah.

That’s not fair.