Otherworld TRPG Game Master-Chapter 254: Between Love and Friendship -6

Let’s go back to the beginning and rethink everything.

First, the first wife, Arte Loffelman, is only interested in her research. She doesn’t pay much attention to the servants under her and doesn’t long for the love of the Northern Duke, Daisy.

After all, didn’t she already produce a son and a daughter? Her son is the heir to the family, so even if she were after power, she has no reason to target Neriel.

So, either the servants acted out of malice and stole Neriel’s letters, or...

An external force wishing for internal discord in the Duke’s household intervened, manipulating the servants to act that way.

But when you think about it carefully, it’s strange.

The relationship between Arte and Daisy-kun is strong because it lacks love. No matter how much someone tries to provoke them, as long as the research funds don’t run out, there won’t be any cracks.

Neriel, because of Daisy-kun’s coldness and orders, couldn’t access the most important parts of the household. All she could do was manage the kitchen or the interior of the mansion.

Daisy-kun himself handles all the important matters, so even if the servants cause a disturbance, he can simply kick them out.

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

A love affair won’t cause a split... Ruining the romantic front yields no benefit.

If someone wanted to weaken the Duke’s household, causing a trivial love letter incident like this, risking exposure, wouldn’t be the best way. Quietly stealing information would be much more effective.

But they didn’t do that.

So, if the premise is wrong from the start, if there’s no force plotting to divide the Duke’s household...

The one who gained the most from this love letter incident...

I abruptly opened the door.

“Neriel!”

“Heart. Weren’t you having tea with the first wife? You’re back sooner than I expected... Ah.”

Neriel seemed to understand the significance of the frame I was holding in my hand. She sat demurely on the bed, gazing steadily at me.

Her expression slowly changed. It bloomed.

Not the delicate girl saddened by unrequited love, but a sharp-eyed ambitious woman, deeply engrossed in acquiring power within the Duke’s household.

That expression alone changed the atmosphere.

Just revealing that look was almost like admitting the suspicions placed upon her. I tightened my grip on the frame.

Why couldn’t I see through Neriel’s true intentions? It’s partly because my computational power is weaker than the original, but also because I wanted to help her from the beginning.

Out of pity.

Because her position, unrecognized as the lady of the Duke’s house, overlapped with mine, unable to ever become the "original."

“Neriel.”

“Yes. It’s exactly what you’re thinking, Heart.”

She readily admitted it. She understood that once I arrived with suspicions, there was no way out.

Neriel added with a smile.

“But admitting it so easily isn’t fun, is it? Let’s play along a little.”

“...”

“Why that face, Heart? Are you perhaps... suspecting me? Why on earth?”

There’s no concrete evidence.

But there are moments that seem different if I suspect her.

The first meeting. When Neriel appeared in front of the servants who were bullying me, they scattered without a sneer. If she had no power at all, that wouldn’t have been possible, would it?

Also, when Neriel approached the Northern Warrior Division, asking if they lacked oil to clean their swords and armor.

The Warrior Division handles the Duke’s military power, and Daisy-kun directly manages them, especially when preparing for war.

In that light, it wasn’t strange that he drew a clear line, telling her not to interfere.

Rather, Neriel approaching the Warrior Division was an act of ignoring Daisy-kun’s authority.

Lastly...

“A person brave enough to enter Daisy-kun’s bedroom, but only communicates through letters via someone else? That’s a bit odd, isn’t it?”

“How about I claim that I was so deeply hurt that I became a much more passive person afterward?”

“...”

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

Neriel smiled.

“Daisy Erebillion is too sharp. He treated me like a sword, drawing a line as if to say he wouldn’t grant me even a shred of power. I was inwardly impressed, wondering how he noticed I was after power.”

In a situation where the head of the family had already marked her as a target.

But Neriel didn’t give up. She first decided to control those she could reach—the servants.

The first wife had no interest in the internal power of the mansion, and didn’t pay much attention to her servants. So, Neriel extended her reach even to Arte’s servants.

“They were actually easier to recruit. About 30% of the first wife’s servants are on my side.”

“Then, the matter of the stolen letters...”

“Yes. I intentionally entrusted the letters to the weak and easily swayed Sophie, and told Emma to pressure her into giving them up. It was a staged incident. Because... people tend to root for the underdog.”

She purposely orchestrated a situation where she appeared mistreated to garner sympathy.

In that case, the servant who suggested Neriel return to her family wasn’t scheming something else, but simply acting out of pure goodwill.

Neriel knew that, but still framed her as the culprit.

And that...

“Yes, Heart. It was to become your close friend. As long as I remained a pitiful person, I thought you would help me selflessly. And you did.”

“You used me.”

“Actually... I knew who you really were from the start. It would have been strange not to. You’re the one who made a mark on the Empire’s social scene, right? Black hair, red eyes, named Heart... Haha.”

So, from the very beginning...

“Yes. I deliberately ordered them to bully you. And then I showed up at just the right moment to rescue you.”

So, it was all staged from the start.

Neriel, biding her time in the Duke’s household, noticed the presence of “Heart,” someone close to the Northern Duke, and set the stage.

Neriel spoke as if she was relieved, or perhaps resigned.

“But still... I did like you. You were pure, and kind to me. But now everything’s out in the open.”

“...”

“So, what will you do now? Will you go to Erebillion Julius and tell on me?”

She brazenly asked, but when I looked at her calmly and carefully, I could read the guilt in her eyes. And also, a kind of resolve.

There was no anger or hatred. Was she just after power for the sake of power?

I thought deeply.

===============================================================

In this story, the only person who truly suffered was the servant who was thrown in prison. The interrogation hasn’t even started yet, so if I get her out quickly, there will be no real harm done.

The fact that I was used is... fine. Unless Neriel had been planning to kill everyone in the Duke’s household, her only crime is lying and scheming to gain power.

But it does leave a bad taste. Because I trusted her. The betrayal stings. I thought of her as a friend.

What should I do? Should I tell Daisy-kun the truth and ask him to punish her? Or should I just warn her not to do it again?

...No, there’s something else I need to think about first. There’s still a missing piece in this puzzle. The purpose.

Power is just a means. I don’t know what Neriel’s true goal is.

...Was there a clue?

There was.

When Neriel previously apologized.

It was when I showed her a family photo and gave her an explanation that wasn’t really an explanation. She seemed surprised and said she was sorry. I thought it was an apology for misunderstanding, but...

Maybe there was a deeper meaning to it.

Let’s think.

Outwardly, Daisy-kun is a cold-blooded man who would even hang his own father’s corpse. I might be the only one who knows there’s a piece of spring in his heart.

Now, he’s married to Neriel Bruneu in a political alliance and is maintaining a cooperative relationship with the Bruneu family, but what if the Northern Duke suddenly changes his mind?

What if, after subjugating all the families under the Duke’s house after the Northern civil war, the now all-powerful Erebillion decides to betray the Bruneu family and accuse them of treason?

Could it be that Neriel was preparing for that possibility?

Trying to establish a foothold in the Duke’s household and expand her influence, to gain enough power to protect her family if the Northern Duke ever decided to draw the sword of revenge?

If her schemes were actually a desperate struggle for survival, then I...

===============================================================

Neriel quietly waited for Heart’s response.

She had, of course, considered the possibility of being caught. But the potential gain if she wasn’t caught was significant enough to take the risk.

But now it was all over.

The Northern Duke seemed to care for Heart more than he should. If Heart went to him with a pillow talk and asked him to cast Neriel out, it would happen. Her future was in Heart’s hands.

And, after a long wait, Heart finally spoke.

“I’ll forgive you, Neriel.”

“...What?”

“I think your actions stemmed not from malice, but from good intentions. It’s just that those good intentions weren’t directed towards the Duke’s household.”

“...”

Neriel realized from that single sentence that Heart had seen through even her motives. That insight was almost terrifying. There hadn’t been any clues.

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

“It’s too late, though. If I had been in my original state, I would have known everything from our first meeting, but fortunately, that doesn’t bother me. Thanks to that, we’ve shared a variety of emotions, haven’t we?”

“...What do you mean?”

“The more friends fight, the closer they become. I believe... this experience will bring us closer as friends.”

Neriel felt her breath catch.

Forgiveness.

She still considers me a friend, even after I deceived her?

Relief was quickly followed by guilt. The facade of the wicked woman she had worn began to crack, leaving her as a woman unsure of what to do.

Heart was a good person. Even though it was fake, hadn’t she gone as far as to confront the first wife for the sake of Neriel’s love letters?

But Neriel had used Heart. The thought gnawed at her. But all of this was for the Bruneu family, for her loved ones. She pressed down her guilt.

If she had known Heart was such a person from the start, she would have approached her honestly rather than scheming behind her back. But the past couldn’t be changed.

Her family’s safety depended on her. This wasn’t the time to be picky about methods.

Being forgiven meant getting another chance. Heart seemed to be easily swayed by affection, so if she could strengthen their bond, she could gain indirect benefits.

If Neriel could build a friendship with Heart, the Northern Duke would take Heart’s feelings into account and spare her family. To her, Daisy-kun and Heart seemed that close.

She decided to repent and ask Heart for forgiveness. And then...

“And my friend must not lie and must be pure-hearted.”

“...What?”

“But since Neriel is my friend, and if that part about being friends can’t change, then I’ll have to change you, Neriel. Right?”

“What?”

As Neriel looked up, trying to process her thoughts, she saw Heart smiling brightly while raising the frame.

The woman in the painting, who resembled Heart closely, seemed to be smiling down at Neriel as well.

Oh.

Past memories flashed through Neriel’s mind. Heart dropkicking someone. Heart smashing a servant’s head with a frame.

That’s right. She was certainly a good person, but she had no hesitation in her actions. Sometimes she seemed surprisingly masculine. In that case...

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

A chill ran down Neriel’s spine as she foresaw the future.

“Neriel, I’ll be your conscience module, so let’s think together about how to win love purely, without using others. There’s probably a better way to gain power, too.”

“Wait. Didn’t you just say you’d forgive me?”

“But will this frame forgive you? No matter how you look at it, I won’t feel better until I hit you once. Brace yourself.”

“Heart, did I perhaps not apologize enough? I can kneel down and beg right n— Ugh!”

Whack!

Heart broke the frame over Neriel’s head.

Neriel’s struggle to protect her family ended with my frame attack. (Daisy-kun was quite sad to see the broken frame, but he calmed down when I promised to pose as a model for a new painting.)

And I corrected the wayward flow of the mansion. Everyone came together to work for the Duke’s household, and the Duke remembered their dedication, rewarding them as deserved.

Isn’t this picture the ideal, where everyone benefits?

The root cause of the small mishap in the Duke’s household was distrust. Anxiety arose because they didn’t trust each other.

Daisy-kun didn’t give Neriel even a shred of trust, and Neriel, thinking he might harm her family, made her move.

Of course... trust doesn’t always make everything work out perfectly. Even I was deceived by Neriel and felt betrayed, wasn’t I?

But.

If you’re going to be betrayed whether you trust or not, and both options are unstable, isn’t it wiser to choose the path with a higher upside?

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

I may be an outsider in the Duke’s household, but precisely because of that, I want to bind these people together under the name of family.

“For Heart, if you need a frame to use as a blunt weapon, I’ll prepare an empty one without a painting.”

This is also for Daisy-kun, who had no friends other than me.

“Heart, drinking iced coffee is a crime... I’ll hit you with a flask. I’m serious!”

It’s also for Arte, who is so absorbed in her research that she doesn’t care about the household.

“...Heart, you don’t need to stay by my side all the time. Not that I mind.”

And it’s also to ease the worries of Neriel, who is concerned about her family.

Even if my life here is short until the original visits the North, I want to leave my mark in this place. So that someone might remember me.

Let’s dance with our hearts.

Between love and friendship.