Otherworld TRPG Game Master

253 – Between Love and Friendship -5

Tap. Tap.

Inside the fireplace, flames danced and spread bright light all around. And before it, a shadow of a person was cast.

The flames welcomed the guest, offering warm heat, but it seemed that person was not there to warm themselves. They pulled out a letter from their coat.

It was carelessly tossed in a spot where it could be discovered if someone rummaged through with a poker. The fire quickly caught on.

The flames savored the letter carefully. If this were an important letter, perhaps one filled with love, it shouldn’t be burned, right?

But no matter how much it flickered and scanned, no emotion could be felt from within the letter. Only then did the flames relax. Ah, this is just firewood. I can swallow it.

Tiddik. Tick.

Sparks flew. A loveless love letter burned to a crisp.

The letter became one with the firewood, turning to ash.

—-

In a secluded part of the mansion, a guest room that had been empty for years, where even the attendants seldom ventured, Neriel made her way there in the deep of night.

A letter, conveyed in secrecy, had written that there was something important to discuss, and to come to that place.

As Neriel opened the door and entered, an attendant who had been waiting inside rose from her seat and bowed her head. She was a maid under Neriel’s command.

“Who are you…? Why have you called for me?”

The attendant looked at Neriel with a face full of compassion, her expression heavy with sorrow.

“Second Lady, how indifferent the heavens are. The Duke is even more so. How can he be so heartless…?”

“……..”

“My lady, don’t you feel it’s unfair to live like this? I have a way. A way to escape this situation.”

Neriel held her breath and cautiously asked.

“…What is that way?”

“To spread the word about how you are being treated so poorly and return to your family. If everyone knows the circumstances, the Duke will be the one to be pointed at!”

“……..”

“I’ve also prepared a carriage. Johnny from the stables has willingly offered to help. He said it’s too pitiful to see the Second Lady in such a state…”

It was a more lackluster plan than expected. I had anticipated something like keeping the second lady inside to siphon off important information from the Duke’s household, or creating severe conflict by pitting internal members against each other.

Perhaps it was a larger scheme. To smuggle Neriel out, have her bear a child, and then claim the child as the blood of the Northern Duke, asserting a right to succession.

But whatever the plan was, it ended here.

Neriel, as if moved by the attendant’s words, took her hand. And then—

Click. She fastened a magical handcuff around her wrist.

“W-What? My lady? What is this…?”

“So you intended to shake the Duke’s household from within.”

“…Huh?”

“Come out.”

With Neriel’s declaration, the soldiers of the Duke’s household, who had been waiting, burst through the door. The attendant’s face turned pale with fear.

The soldiers seized the arms of the attendant, who dared to harm the Duke’s household, and began to escort her away.

“I-I’m innocent! I wasn’t going to do that…!”

As she was dragged away, the attendant pleaded her case. I thought it was the last desperate struggle of a thief caught in the act, and I was about to dismiss it.

“……..”

The expression on the attendant’s face was not one of anger or desperation. It was not the urgency to escape this situation, nor the anger towards me for putting her in this predicament.

There was a distinctly prominent emotion that had emerged first. I found it difficult to understand, and my mind became tangled.

Why does that attendant seem to feel betrayed…?

I asked as I turned to Neriel. She was twisting her hair around her fingers, watching the attendant being led away until the very end.

“Neriel, doesn’t it seem a bit strange?”

“Excuse me? Hart, which part do you mean?”

“The attendant’s expression. I can’t shake the feeling that we might have misjudged something…”

“Well… but as you said, Hart, it has turned out this way. From here on, the soldiers of the Grand Duke’s household will interrogate him, so we can just wait for the results.”

That was true.

I stretched, feeling both relieved and somewhat uneasy, and said to Neriel, “Shall we all go have a meal together? I’ll call Arte and Daisy too. Now that the misunderstandings have been cleared up, if we approach this step by step, we can create a harmonious family!”

“Yes, thank you, Hart. I appreciate it!”

No need to mention it.

Now, once I return the couple’s clinic, my role will be over. I led Neriel toward the dining room. The meal that day was quite cheerful.

—-

Knock, knock, knock.

At the sound of knocking in the middle of the night, Arte Ropelman stopped his research and stood up.

Had it been before, he would have ignored it, but after the incident where the door was kicked in, he had learned to check for visitors. He didn’t want to experience that twice.

“Who is it?”

“It’s the second wife, Neriel. May I come in?”

An uninvited guest.

If it were up to him, he would have liked to chase her away, but he also didn’t want to give her a reason to speak ill of Hart. Arte clicked his tongue and replied.

“It’s late, and it’s not a pleasant time for a visit. Please come in.”

“I heard the first wife’s days and nights are reversed. Excuse me.”

Creeeak. The door opened.

Neriel stepped inside without hesitation, glancing around the room. Arte quietly put the kettle on the stove. Since this was a conversation he didn’t want to have, he thought it would be nice to have some coffee on the side.

He busied himself preparing to brew the coffee, and during that time, not a word was exchanged.

Bubble, bubble, bubble.

The kettle began to boil. Only then did Arte ask, “I thought we had settled our traffic arrangements a long time ago. I clearly warned you that I have no interest in what happens in the mansion, so just don’t involve me. You haven’t forgotten already, have you?”

“Of course not. I just came to ask something today. I heard you had tea time with Hart in the evening.”

“That’s right.”

—

“It must have been a delightful story. May I ask what topic you discussed? I want to get closer to Hart, too.”

With a soft clatter, she poured coffee into a cup and carried it to the table along with the saucer. Arte had only prepared a drink for herself. There was nothing for Neriel.

Taking a sip, savoring the rich taste and aroma of the coffee, Arte spoke.

“I don’t know.”

“…What?”

“Weren’t you here to ask if Hart noticed? I said I don’t know. I was just probing because it bothered me to see Hart playing along with your joke, but I trusted you completely.”

“…….”

At Arte’s cryptic response, Neriel flinched as if pricked by a needle. The smile on her face crumbled, revealing a flicker of guilt.

Arte scoffed.

“I won’t care. I won’t say a word. Because it’s none of my business. Hart even asked me to get along with you. But… isn’t it funny?”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it. It’s the love letter incident… yet the parties involved had neither love nor friendship. What is there, really, Neriel?”

Neriel’s expression darkened abruptly. She had been struck at her emotional core.

“…I’ll take my leave now.”

Neriel stood up as if to flee, and Arte watched her retreating figure with a sneer. Because she could see her future clearly.

Hart is a smart person. She would probably realize it herself soon enough. And after that… what would happen? Would she forgive her?

—-

Late at night, as the attendants were settling down to sleep.

I arrived at Daisy’s office, holding a bottle of alcohol in each hand. A glance through the window confirmed that the light was on, so he must not be asleep.

With the love letter incident behind us, I thought it was time to catch up.

We hadn’t had a proper conversation in the Holy City due to various busy matters. Now was the opportunity.

Lacking hands, I knocked with my mouth.

“Knock, knock. Is Daisy in?”

“Oh, Hart. You may come in.”

Daisy welcomed me with delight. Upon seeing the bottles in my hands, he smiled and began to clear the papers on the table, pushing them aside.

He certainly had a lot of work. I should help him out sometime.

“Long time no see?”

“Hart, you were always the one who rarely got drunk. I remember you always passed out first during our grand gatherings. Is your tolerance still the same?”

“Ah, back then, I was slightly cheating. I drank, but it was almost like I hadn’t. I think I might actually get drunk now, so I’ll sip carefully.”

“You should take your time and enjoy your drink.”

—

We simply laid out the mat. Pulling a chair over and placing it in front of the table was all it took to be ready. It would have been nice to have some snacks, but… that would be replaced with storytelling.

“Daisy, it’s been a while since we had tea time just the two of us… Ah, did we meet in the Holy City?”

“It has indeed been a while. It felt like a long wait for me.”

“Comments like that are for wives. I always say, it’s a bit gross, you know.”

“You’re right, it is gross.”

How brazen. So now we’re all grown up, huh?

“Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

I downed my drink.

And we talked about the past. With two years of memories to draw from, just a little shake would send stories pouring out.

Daisy often says I’m a benefactor of her heart.

Conversely, Daisy has also greatly contributed to my emotional stability. Back then, the seniors at the tower were quite turbulent, and while Yuna and I had our own fun bickering… she was still a woman.

From noble mtl dot com

For me, Daisy is my first same-s*x friend.

There are stories that only guys can share, aren’t there? Like the tale of how I was enchanted by a sleek branch in the back alley (it looked like Excalibur) and brought it home.

Or the “who would win if these two fought” games.

“Seems like the alcohol is a bit strong, doesn’t it, Daisy?”

“It has indeed increased. Now I can hold back if I feel like I might get drunk.”

“Right, right, Daisy. There was a time you were completely out of it. You were shouting about where the heart was…”

After laughing and chatting for a while, suddenly.

I felt like this wasn’t my memory.

“…”

I am not the original.

Though I might remember Daisy more closely, the one who built a friendship with her in the past was… the original. I’m like a doppelgänger.

If the original returns to the North, I lose the right to claim I’m Daisy’s friend. My existence too. The fact that I’m a replica of someone else felt colder than I expected.

As I quietly gazed at my reflection in the wine glass.

Daisy suddenly spoke up.

“That’s not true.”

“…What?”

“You are the heart.”

“Ahaha, what do you mean all of a sudden, Daisy! If I’m the heart, then who else could be the heart?”

I twisted my words around, but Daisy’s gaze went straight ahead. That look seemed to pierce through my heart and gaze into my innermost self.

Indeed. Duke Daisy learned how to read a person’s heart from me five years ago. I remember that his insight was not significantly inferior compared to my ‘true self.’

Moreover, just as I had gazed at Daisy for a long time, he must have known me well too. Perhaps that’s why he could read me.

He spoke.

“I know you are a bit different.”

“………”

“But if we cherish the time we’ve spent together, trust in our friendship, and care for one another, then it doesn’t matter whether we are different or the same. Whoever you are, you are my dear friend.”

“……… What’s this, Duke Daisy? When did you learn to speak so eloquently?”

“You taught me. How to say what others need to hear.”

You rascal.

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. I had received such simple affirmation, and it eased my heart once more. It was somewhat amusing.

Yes. Although I am a module, I now have two friends. Including Arte’s subtle emotions, perhaps three.

With this, even if I were absorbed by my true self, I don’t think I would regret it too much.

“By the way, that’s impressive, Duke Daisy. No matter how much I am one-thirtieth of you… it’s not an easy task to read my innermost thoughts…”

Oh?

The warmth of alcohol was rising in my body, but something cold and chilling ran down my spine. A current of realization.

What is it? I feel like I’m missing something, but what is causing this feeling?

Duke Daisy’s insight is remarkable. It could rival my true self. I was merely discussing that…

– Neriell Bruneu doesn’t like me either, so I wouldn’t have been hurt that much.

Oh.

What passed through my mind was Daisy’s words.

I thought it was a misjudgment on Daisy’s part. It seemed strange that Neriell, who poured out love letters like that, wouldn’t actually love Daisy. And I saw nothing odd in that.

But.

Currently, I am… shattered into thirty pieces and in an incomplete state. As my computational power has diminished, my ability to read people’s innermost thoughts has naturally declined as well. So.

If I have to trust one of the two insights, it would be Daisy’s.

‘Neriell Bruneu does not like Duke Daisy.’

If this proposition is true…

“……… Kugh!”

I hurriedly stood up. After looking around, I finally spotted a frame hanging on the wall.

It was a portrait of a woman with black hair, somewhat resembling a heart. Without hesitation, I picked up the frame. I would need it.

“Heart, wait a moment… no, please use the one next to it. That one is precious to me…”

“I’ll borrow it, Daisy!”

“……..”

I dashed down the hallway. My destination was Neriel’s room.

The letter disappearance incident was far from over.