Clack, clack, clack——
The sound of carriage wheels grinding against the ground came from outside the window.
Lily sat inside the carriage, pale-faced and utterly resigned.
The carriage was spacious—not the Count’s Mansion Carriage, but the Princess’s Carriage.
Lily had no idea what awaited her; she couldn’t even begin to imagine.
Ophelia sat across from Lily, one leg crossed over the other, watching her with keen interest.
Ever since she learned that Lily knew her true nature, Ophelia seemed to have completely let go of all pretenses.
Social etiquette, ladylike demeanor—all tossed aside.
Ever since realizing she had the ability to sense others’ emotions and thoughts, Ophelia found this world incredibly dull.
Servants who outwardly showed utmost respect to their masters were inwardly filled with disgust.
Nobles who spoke politely about cooperation were secretly full of schemes.
Bishops who outwardly revered the Goddess actually held their faith in contempt.
Ophelia believed this world was built on lies.
No one spoke the truth.
Everyone wore a mask.
So this world was boring.
No, not boring.
Disgusting—rotten to the core, stinking with decay.
After all, even those relatives she once cared about most had turned from loving family members into enemies, openly attacking one another.
Disgusting…
However, today, Ophelia had been lucky to find one part untainted by this world’s corruption.
The restless, conflicted girl with dark green hair sitting right in front of her.
Because she knew Lily’s ability, whenever Lily spoke to her, she never lied.
Though she resisted Ophelia, whenever Ophelia pointed something out, she would openly admit it.
Unlike everyone else who would dodge, change the subject, or desperately make excuses.
If the scenes in her dreams were true, then she and Lily could eventually trust each other to that extent…
Both the training methods learned from Lily in her dreams and the relationship between them proved one thing—Lily was a gift this world had sent her!
She absolutely must have her!
Then she would no longer be alone.
“Your Highness the Princess, this isn’t really appropriate. After all, I am a maid of the Count’s Mansion…”
What do you mean taking me along in your carriage?
This is outright kidnapping!
“Yes, but you’re just a maid. I’ve already sent someone to speak with the Count’s Mansion. I doubt they will mind too much.”
Sent? Sent?
Since we boarded, I haven’t seen you send anyone off with a message!
Lily knew her chances were slim.
“Enough of that. Lily…”
“What a bother. I’ll just call you Lily from now on.”
This was the Princess, after all—doing whatever she pleased, never asking if the other party agreed.
“Lily, I’m curious—how much do you really know about me?”
How much?
Basically everything.
As one of the main heroines of Brave…Demon King…, the Production Team had put a lot of effort into Ophelia’s character.
There was more than enough content to go around.
From her adult measurements, likes, dislikes, what she cared about—Lily knew it all.
Even her childhood secrets, turning points in her growth, and a few crucial events in her life—Lily knew those too.
She even knew all about Ophelia’s clothing—or lack thereof—cough cough, swimwear, and all kinds of messy fetishes.
The various CG poses were especially etched into her memory…
“About… quite a lot, I guess… haha, ahaha…” Lily tried to laugh it off.
“Lily, I want you to understand clearly—your current attitude determines how I treat you.”
So harsh, it was almost a threat, even though she had just called her Lily!
You really are something!
“R-really?”
“I am.”
Ophelia looked unwavering.
“All of it.”
“Wh—”
Ophelia suddenly stood up, eyes wide in disbelief as she stared at Lily.
She stepped right up, grabbing Lily’s shoulders and shaking her.
“Do you know what you’re saying, Lily? All of it? All of it! What gives you the confidence to say those words?!”
Lily was dizzy from the shaking.
Ber?
If I don’t say it, you’re unhappy.
If I say it, you’re also unhappy?
She covered her head and hurriedly stopped Ophelia’s movements.
“Your Highness the Princess, you need not ask that question for confirmation. You know I’m telling the truth.”
Ophelia fell silent.
She knew Lily was truthful, but she just didn’t want to admit it—Lily knew… everything about her?
Too sudden.
No one would accept it if someone suddenly jumped out and said, “I know everything about you!”
Even if that person was Lily.
Ophelia recalled the dream, and the mutual trust between them in the end.
Was it because of this?
Even if Lily knew everything about her, would she accept her?
So their relationship could be like that?
She sat back down and stared hard at Lily.
If it really was everything, if Lily could accept it…
Then Lily must be able to understand her, right?
“Then you know, right?”
Ophelia asked with great expectation.
“Know what?”
“How I see this world.”
How she saw this world?
Oh, that’s about her emotional block.
Without thinking, Lily answered, “You think this world is beautiful.”
After all, Brave…Demon King… was a wholesome game—not some dark, cruel story.
So the heroines were portrayed as positively as possible.
In the game, Ophelia, because of her ability, was unwilling to trust others or open her heart.
But that wasn’t a big deal under the Hero’s Charm.
Though it took some time, Ophelia eventually resolved her emotional block.
Lily still remembered Ophelia’s classic lines in the game like “This world is terrible,” “This world is disgusting,” and “Everyone’s a liar.”
But those were just Ophelia’s early dark history.
In the Academy Arc and the subsequent Coloring Arc, Ophelia was essentially a girl with a twisted heart who enjoyed playing with people’s minds.
Yes, her hobby was manipulating emotions.
Specifically, she liked to wound her enemies mentally, and with her friends… uh, she enjoyed surprising them a little.
Ophelia especially loved seeing people’s emotions swing wildly.
Lily recalled many details from the game and suddenly felt something was off.
Ophelia hadn’t moved for a long time.
Looking up, Lily saw Ophelia grinding her teeth, her worldview collapsing.
Oh no.
She probably said the wrong thing—but also not wrong.
Ophelia did believe this world was beautiful, but only at the game’s end.
What Lily said was true—but only half the truth.
Looking back on the game’s timeline, this version of Ophelia…
Was right in the middle of her chuunibyou phase—the dark history period.
Although Ophelia came from the royal family and was familiar with all kinds of power struggles, and with her Read Mind (Pseudo) ability, it wouldn’t be wrong to call her a competent royal noble now.
But emotional growth takes time, especially since Ophelia’s problem was something no one else could help with.
She had to figure it out on her own; getting stuck in a rut at certain ages was normal.
That meant Lily’s answer conflicted with Ophelia’s current feelings.
But she hadn’t lied.
Two contradictory things collided in Ophelia’s mind, leaving her unable to process.
Heh heh.
Lily secretly laughed inside.
Your confidence is back.
Just now you looked so confident, like you had me figured out—you almost thought you were going to fail.
Now look, you’re just a normally serious princess who turns into a chuunibyou kid at certain triggers.
Lily felt like she’d found the code to communicating with Ophelia.
“You’re happy?” Ophelia finally spoke.
She stared at Lily, eyes full of stubbornness, and if you looked closely, a hint of tears.
Ber, no need to cry though…
But at this age, she did seem to care a lot about this.
Ophelia’s gaze made Lily a bit uneasy, so she didn’t dare say more.
Sometimes you have to back down.
Even if it’s chuunibyou, it’s a chuunibyou you don’t want to mess with.
Time for a tactical retreat.
Squeak—
The carriage came to a stop.
“G-get… out.”
Ophelia’s voice trembled.
Lily obediently got down, only to find herself at the gates of the Count’s Mansion?
“We will meet again, Miss Lily.”
The words “Miss Lily” were bitten off with extra force, as if the earlier moment when she claimed she’d call her “Lily” instead of “Lilyan” never happened.
“Also.”
The carriage door slammed shut.
“I absolutely… refuse to admit (inhales) that it was (sobbing) my own thought (crying voice)!”
Clack, clack, clack——
In the dark night, under the watchful moon, the carriage departed the Count’s Mansion.
Watching the carriage gradually fade into the distance, Lily suddenly felt a surge of guilt deep in her heart.