Otherworld TRPG Game Master

254 – Between Love and Friendship -6

Let’s return to the starting point and think.

The first wife, Arte Ropelman, is only interested in her research. She doesn’t particularly care about the servants assigned to her, nor does she crave the love of Duke Daisy.

After all, she has already borne a son and a daughter. The bloodline that will carry on the family name is her son, so even if she were to covet power, there would be no reason for her to target Neriel.

So, I thought that the servants had voluntarily harbored ill intentions and had stolen Neriel’s letters.

Or perhaps external forces wishing for a split within the Duke’s household had intervened, leading the servants to act in such a way.

But upon reflection, it seemed strange.

The relationship between Arte and Duke Daisy is solid because there is no love involved. No matter how much one provokes, as long as the research funds do not run out, there is no chance of a crack forming.

Neriel, under Duke Daisy’s coldness and orders, could not access the most important parts of the Duke’s household. All she could manage were the kitchen and the interior of the mansion.

Important matters were all handled by Duke Daisy himself, so even if the servants caused a ruckus, they would simply be driven out.

In other words, even if a fierce battle ensued between the wives, it wouldn’t leave a scratch on the core of the Duke’s household.

In a romantic drama, division… does not occur. There is no benefit in disrupting the romantic front.

If the goal was to weaken the Duke’s household, it would be far better to quietly siphon off information rather than risk exposure with such trivial incidents like love letters…

But that did not happen.

So… if this major premise was flawed. If there were no forces scheming to divide the Duke’s household from the start.

The one who gained the most from this love letter incident was…

I burst through the door.

“……Neriel!”

“Heart. Weren’t you having tea time with the first wife? You returned earlier than I expected… Ah.”

It seemed Neriel had realized what the frame in my hand signified. She sat demurely on the bed, gazing intently at me.

Her expression slowly changed. It blossomed.

No longer the sad, delicate girl who was unreciprocated in love, but rather the sharp, ambitious face of one who was devoted to gaining power within the Duke’s household.

Just that alone shifted the atmosphere.

The very act of revealing that expression was akin to acknowledging the suspicions cast upon her. I tightened my grip on the frame in my hand.

Why had I been unable to read Neriel’s true intentions? It was partly because my computational ability was inferior compared to the original, but from the beginning, I had thought I wanted to help her.

Out of pity.

The sight of her, not being recognized as the lady of the grand duke’s house… seemed to overlap with my own position, which could never become the ‘true form.’

“…Neriel.”

“That’s right. It’s what Hart is thinking right now.”

She readily admitted it. At the moment I arrived here with doubts, she understood that there was no way to escape.

Neriel added with a smiling face.

“But if I admit it so easily, it might not be fun. Let me play along a bit.”

“…….”

“Why that expression, Hart? Are you perhaps… doubting me? Why on earth?”

There is no solid evidence.

However, if I were to suspect her, there are indeed moments that suddenly appear different.

The first meeting. When Neriel appeared before the servants who were tormenting me, they dispersed without a mocking word. If she truly had no power at all, wouldn’t that be impossible?

Also, when Neriel approached, asking if the Northern Warriors were short on oil to clean their swords and armor.

Since the warrior corps is responsible for the military power of the grand duke’s house, it is directly managed by the Daisy army. Especially with war on the horizon.

Thinking that way, it wasn’t strange at all to draw a clear line and tell her not to interfere.

Rather, approaching the warrior corps is an act that disregards the authority of the Daisy army.

Lastly.

“…For someone as courageous as to enter the bedroom of the Daisy army, it’s a bit odd that you only send letters through others.”

“What if I say I was so deeply wounded at that time that I became a very passive person afterward?”

“…….”

“Don’t make that face. Alright, I’ll admit it.”

Neriel smiled.

“The Northern Grand Duke Elbillion is too sharp. He treats me like a blade, drawing a line as if he wouldn’t allow even a pinch of power. I was secretly impressed. How did he notice that I was coveting power?”

The head of the family had marked her as a target.

But Neriel did not give up. First, she decided to seize those she could reach— the servants.

The first lady has no particular interest in the power within the mansion, nor does she care much for her servants. She even reached out to Arte’s servant.

“It was actually quite easy to win them over. About 30% of the servants serving the first lady are on my side.”

“Then, about the letter that was smuggled.”

“Yes. I deliberately entrusted the delivery of the letter to the timid and easily shaken Sophie, and told Emma to pressure her to snatch the letter away. It was a self-made act. Because… people love an underdog.”

So, she staged a situation of being deliberately neglected to garner sympathy votes.

—

Then, the attendant who suggested calling Neriell to return to her family was not harboring any ulterior motives; it was pure goodwill.

Neriell, aware of that goodwill, nonetheless pushed her into the role of the culprit.

And that was…

“That’s right, Heart. It was to become close friends with you. As long as I remained a pitiful person, you seemed like you would help me devotedly. And in reality, you did.”

“You used me.”

“Actually… I knew your identity from the very beginning. It would be strange if I didn’t. You are someone who made a mark in the imperial social scene, aren’t you? Black hair, red eyes, the name Heart… Heh.”

So, from the very start.

“Yes. I ordered you to torment you on purpose. And I appeared at just the right moment to save you.”

Was that the setup from the beginning?

Neriell, who had been watching for an opportunity in the Grand Duke’s household, had noticed the presence of ‘Heart,’ who was close to the Northern Duke, and had staged the scene.

Neriell let it out, as if relieved, as if resigned.

“Still… I did like you. Innocent and kind to me. But now, it’s all been revealed.”

“……..”

“What will you do now? Will you go to Elbillion Julius and tell on me?”

She answered so brazenly, but if one were to calm their heart and look closely, they could read the guilt directed at me. There was also a certain resolve.

There was no anger or hatred. Was it simply a desire for power for the sake of power?

I thought deeply.

—-

In this story, the only person who suffered was the attendant who was taken to prison. Since she hasn’t even been interrogated yet, if I can just get her out quickly, there’s essentially no harm done.

The fact that I was used is fine. Unless Neriell had a plan to kill everyone in the Grand Duke’s household… if she has any guilt, it’s merely for lying and wandering around to gain power.

But it feels bad. Because I trusted her. My heart aches with betrayal. I thought of her as a friend.

What should I do? Should I inform Daisy and ask her to punish her? Or should I just warn her not to do it again?

…No, there was something I needed to think about first. There are still empty spaces in this puzzle. The purpose.

Power is a means. I do not know what purpose Neriell wishes to achieve.

…Was there a clue?

There was.

The time when Neriell had previously expressed her regret.

When I showed her a family photo and made an explanation that wasn’t really an explanation. She was surprised and said she was sorry. I thought it meant she was sorry for misunderstanding.

Perhaps it contained a slightly more intimate meaning.

Let’s think.

—

—

Outwardly, Daisy is a person who would even hang his father’s corpse. A ruthless cold-blooded man. Perhaps I am the only one who knows that there is a fragment of spring in his heart.

He is now bound by a political marriage to Neriel Bruneau and maintains a cooperative relationship with the Bruneau family. But what if the Duke of the North suddenly changes his mind?

When the civil war in the North ended and all families were subjugated under the Duke’s house, what if Elbillion, wielding absolute power, turns against the Bruneau family and holds them accountable for betrayal?

Could it be that Neriel is preparing for that time?

She must somehow establish a foundation within the Duke’s house and expand her influence to gain power.

So that when the Duke of the North draws the sword of vengeance, she can prevent her family from being sent to the gallows.

If her schemes were, in fact, the flapping of wings for survival… then I…

—-

Neriel quietly waited for Hart’s response.

Of course, she had thought about the possibility of being discovered. But if she wasn’t caught… she could gain tremendous benefits, so she took the gamble.

But it was all over now.

The Duke of the North seemed to cherish that woman named Hart beyond measure. If she were to dismiss Neriel with a mere word, she would truly be cast aside. Her future depended on Hart’s words.

And after a long, long wait, Hart finally spoke.

“I will forgive you, Neriel.”

“…What?”

“I believe that your actions were not born of malice, but of goodwill. It’s just that the direction of that goodwill was not towards the Duke’s house.”

“…….”

With that single remark from Hart, Neriel realized that she had seen through her motivations. There was even a chill in that insight. There shouldn’t have been any clues.

“I didn’t expect you to figure that out.”

“It’s too late now. If I had been in a sound state, I would have known everything from our first meeting, but fortunately, I don’t regret that. Thanks to that, various emotions have passed between us, haven’t they?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Friends actually grow closer the more they fight. I believe… this experience will make us closer friends.”

Neriel felt her breath catch.

Is she forgiving me?

Does she still consider me a friend, even after I deceived her?

Relief washed over her, followed by guilt. The expression she had deliberately worn like a villain cracked and fell away, leaving only a woman at a loss.

Hart was a good person. Even if it was a facade, hadn’t she refrained from confronting the first wife for the sake of Neriel’s love letters, which she hadn’t seen in days?

But Neriel had used Hart. That fact tormented her heart. Yet, all of this was for the Bruneau family, for her loved ones. She suppressed her guilt.

If she had known from the beginning that Hart was this kind of person, she would have approached her honestly to build a relationship instead of scheming from behind. No, the past cannot be changed.

The safety of her family depended on her. It was not the time to be choosy about means.

—

—

If I have been forgiven, it means I have been granted another chance. Hart seems to be weak when it comes to emotions, so let’s do our best to strengthen our relationship and gain indirect benefits.

If Neriel can build a friendship with Hart, the Grand Duke will be concerned for Hart and will preserve Neriel’s family. In her view, the Grand Duke and Hart seemed to share that kind of close bond.

Repent and ask Hart for forgiveness. And…

“And my friend must not lie and must have a good heart.”

“………?”

“But if Neriel is my friend, and that part of being friends cannot change, then I must change Neriel. Right?”

“Excuse me?”

As Neriel lifted her head to look up while organizing her thoughts, Hart was grinning widely, holding up a frame.

The painting of a woman who closely resembled Hart also seemed to be looking down at Neriel with a cheerful expression.

Oh dear.

Scenes from the past flickered through Neriel’s mind. Hart delivering a dropkick. Hart smashing her head with the frame.

That’s right. She was certainly a kind person, but there was no restraint in her hands. Sometimes, she could seem incredibly manly. If that’s the case…

Chills. Neriel froze, foreseeing the future.

“Neriel. I will be your conscience module, so let’s… think together about how to achieve love purely, not by using others. There must be better ways to gain power too.”

“Wait a minute. You just said… forgiveness.”

“But will this frame forgive you? No matter what, don’t you think I need to hit you at least once to feel better? Now, grit your teeth.”

“Hart, was my apology perhaps insufficient? Should I prostrate myself and beg now── ugh!”

Bang──!!

Hart smashed Neriel’s head with the frame.

—-

Neriel’s struggle to protect her family ended with my frame attack. (Young Daisy was quite sad to see the broken frame, but when I promised to be a model for the painting, she calmed down.)

And I corrected the misaligned flow of the mansion. Everyone worked together for the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke remembered that dedication and gave appropriate rewards.

Isn’t this painting a good thing for both the sister and the brother-in-law?

The cause of the small incident in the Grand Duke’s household was distrust. Because they did not trust each other, anxiety arose.

Young Daisy did not give Neriel a single piece of trust, and Neriel, thinking he might harm her family, took action.

Of course… just because you trust someone doesn’t mean everything will go well. Even I, for instance, felt betrayed by Neriel.

But.

As much as you trust, you can be betrayed, and if you don’t trust, you can also be betrayed. If either way is unstable, wouldn’t it be wise to choose the one with the higher potential?

So I forgave Neriel. She wasn’t a bad person, and I thought it would truly be wonderful if we could all trust and rely on each other.

From noble mtl dot com

I am merely an outsider in the Grand Duke’s household, but because of that, I want to bind the people of this mansion together under the name of family.

—

—

“Heart, if you need another frame to use as a bludgeon, I will prepare an empty frame without a print.”

This is also for Daisy, who had no friends except for ‘Heart.’

“Heart, so putting ice in coffee is a sin… I will hit you with a flask. I really will!”

This is also for Arte, who is so absorbed in research that he pays no attention to household chores.

“…Heart, you don’t have to stick by my side all the time. It’s not that I dislike it, though.”

This is also to ease the anxiety of Neriel, who thinks of her family.

Even if my life is short until the main body visits the North, I intend to plant my name here. So that someone can remember me.

Let’s dance with our hearts.

Between love and friendship.