Chapter 81

And so, the first day of the "Week of Ashes" began...

"Kyaaa! Lord Cecil!!"

"Oh! What a beautiful sight! It's too wonderful!"

"This is what they mean by a feast for the eyes! Ah, I can't stand it, I can't stay on my feet—!"

"Hold it together! Samantha!!"

(...What is this all about?)

Amid the yellow cheers from the crowd, Cecilia's cheeks twitched as she sat in the carriage. While it was a familiar scene, the people cheering were a major issue for Cecilia.

"Hmm. That man, you say?"

"Yes. He seems to be the model for the novel my daughter is obsessed with."

"Indeed, he is quite handsome, making my husband look dull. If I were a bit younger..."

"Oh, he's looking this way. The rumored prince."

"Seeing him in person, he's even better. I love cute men."

"I understand. If he came to my shop, I wouldn't let him look at any other men. What a waste."

"Oh, that's a work of fiction? Maybe the real person is different."

"Then, let's invite him to the shop later."

"Ah! That's the 'prince' the girl was talking about! Do you like him, girl?"

"Yes! Let's go closer! He's so cool!"

"Ah, no! Stop it! I do like Lord Cecil, but I want to be a wall! The wall in the room of the two lovers!"

"I see. This is what 'sacred' feels like..."

"I learned about the interpretation of 'uke' and 'seme' from Lord Neil's novel. Why! Why does Lord Cecil look like the 'uke' to me!!"

"Don't worry, Kai. The founder has blessed this 'moe.' Everything is a matter of interpretation! Misinterpretation is also a form of love!!"

From the older ladies to the followers.

Even people who were clearly not students of the academy were cheering for Cecil. This was a serious problem. And, of course, they had the usual toxic substance in their hands.

Cecilia, keeping her eyes on the crowd, spoke in a low voice to the day's main character beside her.

"...Lynne"

"What is it?"

"What is this all about?"

When Cecilia turned to her, Lynne took out the same book from her pocket with a smug look.

"Have you seen this before?"

"Well, I did skim through it..."

"Did you read the afterword?"

"Afterword?"

She flipped through the pages and showed Cecilia the last few pages.

"Let's see, 'Thank you for picking up this book. I am the author, Neil.'"

Her afterword began with such a commonplace sentence. After a brief explanation of the book's content, there were words of gratitude to the readers and those involved in the book's production. There were also hints about future works.

And at the end...

"This book's character, Ciel, has a model. He is a friend of mine and, like in the book, is known as 'the prince of the academy' and is undergoing training at the academy. If you have a friend who attends the academy, you might want to ask them about it."

"There's also a model for Oran. You might be able to hear about him too!" Oh! What does this mean!?

Cecilia's eyes widened as she confronted Lynne. Lynne, with a smug smile, tilted her head.

"Just as it says. 'Since there's a model, if you know someone who attends the academy, ask them about it!' Oh, by the way, Ciel is Cecilia, and Oran is Oscar."

"I know that! What I want to know is why you wrote such a passage..."

Probably, some readers who attended the academy heard about 'the prince of the academy' from their friends, and the information spread. When Cecil's name, appearance, and the fact that he was a knight were revealed, it also became known that he would participate in this parade.

And this disaster ensued.

Lynne, smiling at the crowd, spoke in a voice only Cecilia could hear.

"You know, I think anime is the strongest."

"Huh?"

"Whether it's a movie or a stage play, I think moving and speaking carries a lot more information than just text."

"Ah..."

Cecilia frowned at the vague statement. However, Lynne, undeterred, placed her hand on her chest with passion.

"So I thought! I'll make you a full 2.5D version of yourself! Or rather, the official version."

"Wh-What!?"

"Then, every time you move, a story is born, and interpretations are created! Everyone can use you for fan works!!"

"No way!! Don't do it! I'll be miserable!!"

Cecilia, with tears in her eyes, tried to stop Lynne, but she just smiled nihilistically.

"The die is cast."

"Don't cast it! Please, consult me before you do!"

"By the way, the second commercial issue is coming out soon!"

"You really drop bombshell information without any warning!"

She felt like crying. No, if there were no people around, she might have actually cried.

As the eldest daughter, she managed to hold it together, but if she were the second daughter, she probably wouldn't have been able to.

"The content is about 'Ciel being scouted as a stage actor. However, it turns out to be a female role! Crow, who falls in love with her, thinking she's really a woman. Oran, who tries to keep Crow in check!'"

"I know that story! I've seen it somewhere!"

"What a coincidence!"

Cecilia shook her friend's shoulder.

"So, you invited me to the stage with this in mind! You're going to sell the book in the wings, right?"

"Seeing a scene from the story in 3D is really the best, isn't it?"

Lynne, smiling, and Cecilia, angry.

The coachman in the back seemed a bit troubled, though the noise around them probably meant he couldn't hear their argument, but he could tell they were fighting.

Lynne, still smiling, raised her index finger.

"Actually, there's one more trick. And that is—"

(Huh?)

At that moment, a white ball flew into Cecilia's field of vision, heading straight for them from behind Lynne. If it continued on its path, it would hit Lynne's back of the head.

"Lynne! Duck!"

"Eh?"

Cecilia hugged Lynne. At that moment, something hit Cecilia's head.

"!"

The impact of something hitting her. Then, it shattered, and a sticky substance clung to her hair.

The sticky substance flowed from her hair onto her clothes.

(It doesn't hurt, but...)

"Are you okay!?"

The worried voice came from Lynne, who was in her arms. When they separated, she anxiously checked Cecilia's body.

"What is this sticky stuff? Wait, could it be an egg!?"

"Seems so."

Cecilia looked troubled at the sticky white yolk flowing from her head. Looking in the direction it came from, she saw someone's back. They were about the same age as Cecilia, dressed in the black attire characteristic of the "Week of Ashes," and pushing through the crowd to escape. By chance, Ein and Zwei, who happened to be there, were chasing after them.

"Could the person who threw the egg be the one who's been pranking you for a while?"

"Maybe."

Cecilia nodded.

(The part about 'I could endure it as the eldest daughter' will be fixed if it's published in a book (laughs).)

This is just a bit of fun for the web version. ^_^

If you enjoyed it, please leave a point. Thank you for your support for both the novel and the comic versions.