Must Be a Konjac Vendor

Fiancée…

No, I must have misheard. Konjac vendor. Yeah, that's it. She must be a purveyor of fine konjac products.

Phew, thank goodness. Now then, it's been ages since I've had some ball konjac or sashimi konjac—

As if!! fiancée!?

It's not like he's some noble— wait, he's not just nobility, he's royalty! Well, I guess that's not surprising at all…

Huh? So wait, Dea-kun has a fiancée but is still cross-dressing?

Well, I mean, I'm the one making him cross-dress though.

Umm, Dea-kun alone at a base full of women… this is one of those lewd situations, isn't it. I see how it is.

Huh?

Hmmmm?

Hold on.

Dea-kun likes me, right? (According to the Goddess.)

So, he left his fiancée behind to set sail on a sea voyage, then gallivanted off on a wandering journey… and now he's making a triumphant return with a commoner woman in tow…?

Wait, wait, wait. I've heard this somewhere before. This is a textbook romance story setup.

This happens in otome games, right? I'm quite well-versed in these things.

The prince is one of the capture targets, and he neglects his fiancée while doting on the heroine.

And then the true protagonist is the fiancée, who delivers a satisfying comeuppance to both the heroine and the prince…!

T-this is bad! At this rate, I'm going to be on the receiving end of a comeuppance! I've done all sorts of things to Dea-kun, so I have nothing but guilt written all over me—-!!!

"—ee-san! Onee-san, that's how it is, okay!? Were you listening?"

"Ah! Oh, uh, yeah! Totally listening!? So that's how it is?! … Ah, ha, ha, haa."

"I'm glad you understand."

When I came to my senses, Flaretart-chan the fiancée had already vanished.

Crap. I thought it was like one of those "all of this happened in just 0.1 seconds—" moments, but time had actually passed normally. I was so shocked I completely froze up.

… F-fiancée, huh. So Dea-kun had one of those… huh.

But, I mean, of course he would. Dea-kun occupies an important position, so it's only natural he'd have a fiancée.

But even so, he still likes me… right? (According to the Goddess.)

Ugh. Infidelity and cheating are wrong!

Even though I already have five wives! It's legal under dwarf culture so it's not infidelity!

Well, if I said that in elf or human culture, they'd be like "huh?"

I also have Mashiro-san the beastkin as a lover, but that's also legal under dwarf culture!

Well, if I said that in elf or human culture, they'd be like "huh?"

I've also been getting intimate with Harumikazuchi-san at that nighttime establishment… come to think of it, how does dwarf culture view this? Having wives yet still going out for fun.

In human culture that would definitely be out of bounds. Elf culture too, probably.

… Yeah. I'm careening straight toward immorality, drenched in lust with a brain full of pink flowers!

Could it be that I'm the kind of terrible person who shouldn't be anywhere near Dea-kun? A textbook specimen of a terrible person???

But still, Dea-kun likes me… no no, that's exactly why I, as the adult, need to show some restraint…

While I was lost in these spiraling thoughts, the morning classes ended.

"Karina-sama, I have something to discuss. Do you have a moment?"

When lunch break arrived, Flaretart-chan approached me again, her long pale green hair swaying gently as she spoke.

T-this is a summons…! The "that commoner woman is seducing Dea-kun-sama! As his fiancée, I must put her in her place!" kind!?

"Flaretart. Onee-san doesn't have time to deal with you."

"N-no, it's fine. I'll be right back!"

"Huh? Hey, wait, Onee-san!"

I brushed past Dea-kun, who was trying to shield me, and accepted Flaretart-chan's invitation.

Ugh, I have to defend Dea-kun properly! It's all my fault, Dea-kun isn't to blame at all!

I left Dea-kun in the classroom and bolted out, pulling Flaretart-chan by the hand.

I made Flaretart-chan invincible so I wouldn't accidentally hurt her and lifted her 3mm off the ground as I whisked her along.

"W-wait, Karina-sama!? What is this!? What is happening!?"

"W-w-well, you know! Um, is it okay if we go behind that school building over there?"

"Huh, ah, yes."

And so Flaretart-chan and I found ourselves alone behind the school building.

I leaned against the brick wall and listened to what she had to say.

"… Um, s-so. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh, um. Well. I wanted to ask what you are to Deasalt-sama."

Flaretart-chan snapped back to attention and fixed me with the question.

… What I am to Dea-kun…? What am I…? His older sister… no, that's not right. Kumin-san fills that role.

Obviously I'm not his lover or anything like that. But calling myself his landlord and him my boarder feels way too cold.

"Ah, um, err. Yeah. W-we're friends."

"Friends, you say."

With that level of closeness. I could practically hear the unspoken words dripping from her tone.

… Gah! What is this!? My words and actions are exactly like a commoner heroine seducing the prince through excessive physical contact!! And saying "friends" just sounds like "We're just good friends! How dare you suspect us! Hmph!" doesn't it!!

"That's not it! Let me explain!"

"Oh, so you're not friends?"

"No, we are friends…!! But I really haven't done anything wrong!!"

"With all that?"

"We went on a uniform date yesterday and ate marshmallows together… that's about it!"

"My!"

Flaretart-chan covered her mouth with her hand, eyes widening in surprise.

Oh! Right, from a fiancée's perspective, announcing that we went on a date is basically tantamount to saying "What's your problem? You wanna fight?" isn't it…

And yet somehow this fiancée-chan seems oddly pleased about it?

"Huh, Flaretart-chan, could it be that you don't actually like Dea-kun?"

"What? I adore him, you know?"

"R-right. How could anyone not love someone that cute."

"… I'm not sure 'cute' is quite the appropriate way to describe a gentleman, but yes, well."

Gah! So the "I'm actually in love with someone else, so I want to break off the engagement — please, take him" route isn't happening!!

"Um. Flaretart-chan."

"Fletta is fine, Karina-sama."

"Then, Fletta-chan. Fletta-chan, do you, um, want to marry Dea-kun?"

"Of course!!"

Gah! What a radiant smile!! Two elves together are just too perfect a match…!!