Chapter 3

“This is bad! That person has gone mad!“

Leanne’s face turned deathly pale while watching the male student suddenly rampage in the auditorium.

The school doctor, Mordred, stood next to her to support her.

One of the ‘treasures’ that the king’s messenger brought was wrapped around his wrist. He was a chosen knight.

“That’s probably a 'disturbance’. I’ve never seen it before, but I heard it’s like a monster that attaches itself to people.”

Another person was standing next to Leanne. Oscar, the crown prince of this country.

There was a 'treasure’ wrapped around his wrist as well.

“I just read about it, but the 'disturbances’ apparently resurfaces when the power of the Saint weakens. It also appeared at the previous 'Selection Ceremony’, and it was written that it was subdued by the Saint candidate and the knights.“

"But where is the Saint candidate…”

Leanne looked left and right.

Even Leanne, who was just a commoner until the other day, has heard about the Saint.

She read in a picture book that there was a Saint who protected this country from the shadows.

The Saint candidate is among these students.

However, the student started rampaging in the middle of the royal messenger’s explanation. Nobody knew who the candidate was.

“You’re a Saint candidate”

“Eh?”

A cheerful voice sounded from behind and someone suddenly grabbed her hand. The mark that mysteriously appeared the other day was fully visible. It looked like a crooked snowflake.

The voice came from a young man who was standing diagonally behind Leanne.

Fluffy brown hair just like a dog’s fur.

They must be in the same class since they were standing side by side earlier.

“I’m Jade. Somehow it seems like I was chosen as a knight to protect you.“

There was also a glittering silver ‘treasure’ on his wrist.

“Uh, Jade. Why would I be a Saint candidate?”

“Oh, don’t you know? This kind of flowery pattern appears on the Saint candidate before the selection is made. That’s why I have the duty to protect you.”

“Saint…”

Leanne murmured in a frightened tone.

She was living in her little bubble until the other day when suddenly she discovered she was a baron’s daughter and became a noble. And now, she is also a Saint candidate.

No wonder she’s frightened.

“That makes it easier. Let’s put down that 'disturbance’! Will you lend me your help?“

"We need your power.”

Both Mordred and Oscar looked at Leanne with passionate eyes.

In response to their stare, Leanne’s chest is filled with a sense of responsibility.

“If you’re okay with me…”

Leanne takes a step forward.

And it was amazing, they completed their first mission.

…………

Or that is how it should have been in the original prologue.

“Aaaaaaaaaargh! My past life self! Why did you skip the prologue! If only I could’ve remembered! If I could remember, this…”

Cecilia cried out while holding her head, not only she ruined Leanne’s brilliant debut but also ended up getting one of the knight’s 'treasures’ from her own brother.

Standing next to her, Gilbert looked exhausted.

At lunchtime, both of them brought sandwiches to eat at their usual place in the greenhouse. In there, they held a 'strategic conference’, basically a meeting to talk over their regrets over the current situation.

“It already happened so there’s no use regretting it. Before anything, just eat faster or else you’ll be late for the next class.”

Cecilia glares with tears in her eyes, while Gilbert talks with a voice calmer than usual.

“Gil doesn’t understand how important this is!”

“Oh really?”

“The selection is supposed to be a competition between the candidates, and the fact that I got one vote from Gil means that I’m one step ahead of Leanne! If she doesn’t get any votes, I will be chosen as a Saint! “

In that scenario, Cecilia will be attacked by thieves and die on her way to the church. And once the Saints are gone from this kingdom, the country itself will be dominated by 'disturbances’ and will perish away.

Hearing this ending, as expected, Gil pulls on her cheeks.

"My sister dies and the country is destroyed…”

“What is that dull reaction?”

“It’s normal. Nobody would ever think something so outrageous could even be possible.”

Until this point, Cecilia has only told vaguely told Gilbert about her future like describing it with “darkness”, “disaster”, and “calamity”, and has not given any concrete explanation. So, Gilbert seemed to be surprised by this.

On the other hand, it’s a mystery why he cooperated even though she did not say anything concrete.

“Would it have been better if I didn’t hand you the 'treasure’?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“That’s not true! I was really grateful for that decision! If you didn’t, I was really going to get in trouble at that point!”

Cecilia shook her head to Gilbert who had a slightly disappointed face.

If she didn’t receive the 'treasure’ from Gilbert on the spot, she would have been recognized as a mysterious person who can distinguish 'disturbances’ from the surroundings, and as a result, after a physical examination, she would have been exposed as a woman. In that case, Cecilia would have no choice but to follow one of the predestined ruined routes.

So Gilbert’s judgment there was right, and she can’t thank him enough.

The fault is completely on Cecilia’s past incarnation – Hiyono Kanzaki, who completely skipped the prologue.

“Gil, was it ok to give me the 'treasure’?

Cecilia raises her head.

The most honourable accomplishment in this kingdom is to be chosen as the holy knight of the Saint. The status of the holy knight is higher than any other nobles and only lower than the king.

However, by giving the 'treasure’ to Cecilia, who had no intention of becoming the Saint, Gilbert agreed to abandon the right to compete for that position.

“I don’t really care about that kind of power… because I only wanted to give it to sis from the beginning.”

Gilbert, who said that while munching his sandwich, had a slightly ugly expression for some reason. It looks like he’s trying to hide his embarrassment.

(Speaking of that, Gil has always been a little shy. We just met Leanne and they haven’t got close enough…)

Even in their family mansion. He was very cold towards everybody… the gardener Elle who brought flowers to Cecilia all the time; Hans, the soldier who taught her swordsmanship, and even Donnie, the butler’s son that took care of Cecilia. He didn’t try to get close to them, and she hasn’t seen much interaction between them. He also hated it when Cecilia, his stepsister, got too close to them too.

There was a similar scenario in the game.

Gilbert, the withdrawn adolescent boy, didn’t open up to Leanne at all. She decided to take care of him, who didn’t get along with the class, and through repeated trial and error tries to unravel his mind. Then, Gilbert gradually bonds with Leanne, who didn’t give up no matter how many times she was refused.

“I must have loved you since I met you. I think it was love at first sight. Thank you for pulling me out of that dark place. Thank you for expanding my world.“

Their love confession cannot be watched without tears.

By the way, if one tries to go in any other romance route, Gilbert won’t get involved in the story because of his personality. He disappears as if he wasn’t there from the beginning, so Gilbert’s fans were always lamenting in their SNS feeds.

Cecilia pats Gilbert’s shoulder to encourage him.

“During your school life, Gil needs to be a little less shy!”

"Less shy? What are you talking about?”

“Look, I know you really want to get along well with Leanne! It was at first sight, right?! I understand what it’s like not being able to talk to the one you’re in love with!”

“I don’t know what my sis is talking about…”

Cecilia fully smiled at Gilbert who had a suspicious expression.

“Okay, leave it to your sister! But I want to get involved with Leanne as little as possible, so I’m only supporting you from the back, but I’ll give you as much consultation as necessary! You can always rely on me!”

Gilbert does not answer his sister’s ramblings. However, with his eyes half-closed, he had a tired expression that said: “She’s totally hopeless”.