Auto Assigned Villainess

And the curtain rises

I am no longer surprised to find a theater in the same hall .

I don’t understand what the rich think, I thought to myself .

By the way, it is a “Music Concert” that is going to be held at this theater . That is, if the schedule I heard in advance has not changed .

The stage curtain is down . I can discern what is happening there all the way from here .

The orchestra seems to be preparing, and looking closer at the stage, I can see someone close to them .

“Those over there are―”

Dominique follows my gaze . On a specially customized seat are three people sitting .

It’s hard to see because of the distance, but they are Benedict and two escorts who are standing right next to him .

The general seats to which we, invited guests, are seated are ordinary seats, but each one is high in quality, and the s.p.a.ce between them are quite wide .

It is natural that the royal family has guests often and places like this are thus prepared . The place here is so good it seems rude to even compare it with a university auditorium or hall .

Some seats are not empty, but there are roughly one hundred people… No, maybe a hundred and fifty .

Although smaller than Nippon Budokan, it is more than good enough to invite a large number of people .

“There are more people now than at the garden party . ”

“Being ‘invited’ in itself is really meaningful . It also implied that people who are less important than those at the garden party are invited . ”

So it’s like that .

We are guided to our seat at a corner near the doorway .

Just three seats are vacant, and Dominique, Eileen, and me, are seated in order, with Dominique to the side nearest to the entrance .

The seat to our back already had a guest and we bowed, but he seemed busy reading a newspaper, he looked down with his hat hiding his face and did not reply .

Then, -kuchi- I heard a soft sneeze from Eileen .

“Are you okay?”

“It’s a little cold . ”

“I’ll lend you my jacket . ”

Sure, the room temperature feels a little lower . I put my jacket on Eileen .

Eileen’s reply to that is not a “thank you” but rather, “good dedication . ”

And she hands me her bolero .

“…Hey, Konomi”

“Yes?”

“I can lend you my jacket . ”

“Ah, I don’t need it . ”

Thank you for your consideration, but a man’s jacket doesn’t really match with a dress .

Accepting just his feelings, I put my arms through Eileen’s bolero .

Dominique looks frustrated for some reason .

Anyway .

“His Highness is in a separate seat from the guests . Since he is isolated like that, we won’t easily reach him again this time――”

“I guess so?”

We heard the voice from the seat behind Eileen .

The unfriendly man with a hat from earlier . He raised his hat a little, put his finger on his lips and laughed .

“Your Hi―!?”

“Eileen!”

“Mogo!”

I close her mouth in a hurry .

There is Benedict right here with us!

I quickly look all around . Front seats, rear seats, left and right to us… And I noticed .

Everyone in the surrounding seats are dressed in a specific way, and their ident.i.ty can only be one― His escorts .

I slowly released my hands from Eileen and said, “quietly” just in case .

Eileen commented, “I was just testing your reflexes!” in an almost upset mood .

“Your Hi… Beni-san, why are you here?”

Even if I make a mistake, the average guests should not be aware of him .

He looked a bit bewildered, it is the nickname Dominique used though, then he nodded several times in a seemingly good mood .

“Yes, yes . That’s a good name . Thank you, Konomi . ――They are my shadow guards . I know I’m being targeted, so I have to have them here . ”

“Can’t you just not bother coming to the venue at all?”

“I can’t just submit to the intimidation!”

This Prince is a strange prince indeed .

And there is one man who did not react even after seeing the strange situation here . I glared at him .

“Gonneau-senpai, did you know?”

Why didn’t he explain in advance?

He however simply shrugged .

“I didn’t know . ”

“So, why―”

“I just thought it would be possible if it is him . ”

Really?

“Geez, the world here really is just weird . ”

“I don’t want to hear that from you . ”

I tried to immediately return a retort to Dominique… But I decided not to .

I am a very common modern j.a.panese student, but I may seem strange to them . Yup .

I am convinced what I was thinking is right, and Eileen suddenly drew me closer to her .

“Konomi, subst.i.tute with me! I want to talk to him too!”

I tried to retreat as her eyes are shining, probably because she’s plotting something, and our seat forcibly got swapped .

We have to change places . Eileen is next to Benedict, and I am next to Dominique .

When Benedict greeted Eileen, she laughed happily .

Is she that interested in Benedict? …Probably not .

It’s Eileen we’re talking about, I shouldn’t easily think of the possibility of a flag .

There is no doubt at all .

She even said it earlier, “a great opportunity to make the third prince of this country owe us . ”

……However, they are chatting with a smile, and she doesn’t seem to want to drop a bomb .

If she is not planning to make a fuss, I can leave her be .

I stop listening to their conversation and lean back with my arms crossed .

I look around .

Not only are the seats around us already occupied, the others are also steadily getting filled .

“Are you lonely?”

“Huh?”

“Beni took your friend . ”

Dominique called out, and I felt a bit surprised .

What does that mean―― I look to where he is glancing with a grin on his face, and on seeing Eileen still talking to Benedict happily, I realize what he meant .

Friend . It’s not exactly that…

But the explanation is long-winded and I don’t have the extra capacity for that now .

And more than anything else,

“No . That’s not it at all . ”

“Don’t pretend to be tough . ”

However, Dominique does not pull back . How insistent .

“A woman doesn’t become prettier just because she gets stronger . If you however are so inclined, I would―”

“Saisho wa guu― Janken――”

(TN: rock paper scissors)

“Eh, ah!?”

I go rock .

Dominique scissors .

“Turn that way, go on!”

I won .

Dominique lost .

“Do you think you can be my opponent with such skills?”

“Uuu…”

Dominique, who had just lost, said to himself, “why can’t I beat this girl?” In a whisper .

This will keep him silent for a while .

――But, before it completely quieted down,

“Thank you for gathering here today――”

A woman stood on the edge of the stage where the curtain does not yet cover .

Perhaps she’s the host… I thought to myself . However,

For just a little, I felt as if the world is tilting――

At that moment, a hand lands on my shoulder and my whole body gets agitated .

“Look closely, you’ll see me as a different man after this . ”

“……Oh really!?”

I returned to my senses with Dominique’s low sounding voice .

I recalled the woman from the garden party for some reason .

Let’s take a deep breath .

I then bowed a little and spoke in a whisper to Benedict who was behind Eileen .

“Aren’t you going to say your greetings, Beni-san?”

“I’ll do that after the performance, before the curtain closes . Until then, I’ll enjoy the music from here . ”

He crossed his legs and sinked himself into his seat, “the ordinary seat is quite comfortable too,” he commented .

He seems to be calm despite currently being the center of a great turmoil .

He seems to already be accustomed to it, or should I say, he is indeed a “Prince . ”

――I don’t think the host was waiting for him to first calm down, but the greeting is over .

“Please enjoy the performance . ”

The lights on the audience dimmed, and at the same time, the curtain on the stage parted in the middle .

The line-up of instruments are exposed .

However .

Before the stage curtain is fully opened――

“Get down!”

I hear a voice from a very close distance .

Shortly after I register the meaning of the word, someone grabs my head and forcibly bends me downward .

I hear a plosive sound .

“Uwaa!?”

“What is?!”

Hearing Eileen’s scream, I looked towards her and saw her in a similar position .

And there is something on my back . It’s heavy .

Is it an enemy attack? ――No, it’s different .

I can hear the sound of a groan .

On top of me is, Dominique .

……Groaning?

“Gonneau-senpai!?”

“Turn on the light!”

My voice calling for Dominique and the voice of Benedict ordering overlapped .

My eyes get dazzled .

When I am in the middle of blinking to restore my eyesight, I hear a voice telling me, “don’t look at me” that is nearly a scream――

But I’ll check on him .

And I am at a loss for words .

Dominique, his left shoulder is dyed red, his eyes are tightly closed, and he is groaning .

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