I Think My Fiancé Has Regressed

Chapter 20: Finding Clues (1)

As for the progress report on the plan to take down Miss Sierra, things are going according to Charlotte’s initial plan.

For starters, it’s been helpful to have Natalia, one of the most prominent members of Miss Sierra’s faction, working on my side.

Her presence meant that I had more access to Miss Sierra’s existing circle, which meant that my power was growing.

So, after the first tea party that Charlotte organized, it wasn’t too difficult to win over most of the Sierra faction to my side.

Not only that, but the new students who attend or observe the tea parties are slowly making their way into my clique, so at this rate, my first operation should go smoothly.

“Ariana, next Wednesday I’ve organized a tea party with Miss Flora, Miss Marlena, and Miss Cassia, and since I’ve already done the convincing for Miss Cassia, I’d like you to focus on the ‘convincing’ of Miss Flora and Miss Marlena….”

As for the scariest antis, they say they’re fan-turned-antis.

Miss Natalia has become really active and involved in planning Sierra’s downfall, as if she’s trying to prove that she has no intention of going back.

She was a bit of a hassle when she was on Ms. Sierra’s side, but now that she’s an ally, I can’t say I’ve ever been more pleased with her.

“…And since Miss Marlena’s weakness is her manual dexterity, I think it would be a good idea for you to steer the conversation in that direction. Of course, Arianna, you’re already very educated, so you don’t have to take my advice.”

“No. I think that information will be very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me, Miss Natalia.”

“…Thank you.”

I patted the head of the young lady, the little demon walking beside me, and thought about the tea party next Wednesday.

I wondered how I could use my lack of dexterity to my advantage; maybe I could bring along some handmade embroidery on my handkerchief, and then take the opportunity to pretend to wipe the corners of my mouth to bring up a topic of conversation….

“Ah. I finally found it, sis.”

As I was walking around the school grounds with Ms. Natalia, a familiar face was calling out to me, walking towards me.

It was my younger brother, Kael, who is now in his second year at the Academy.

“You found it?”

“Yes, I have something to talk about.”

I knew I had to talk to Kael sooner or later.

There was something I wanted to ask him about Alex’s behavior lately, and luckily, my younger brother had found me first.

“…I have my next class, Lady Ariana, so I’ll have to excuse myself.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you, Miss Natalia.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Perhaps finding Kael’s presence a little difficult, Miss Natalia excused herself to her next class.

Only after he made sure she was out of sight did Kael open the mouth he’d been holding back.

“I heard you’ve been cozying up to your old entourage lately, so I guess it’s true.”

He was obviously referring to Miss Natalia, and there was a hint of animosity in his voice.

“Don’t hate her too much. She’s actually a pretty nice girl when you get down to it.”

“You know, you only say good, nice, and not bad when you’re not doing something.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s how people should be.”

A small sigh escaped Kael’s lips, as if in regret.

“She’s only keeping you around because she thinks you need to be around, and when you outlive your usefulness, she’ll just throw you away.”

“Burr, throw away, that’s a strong word….”

“There you go again, being weak. That’s why you spent two years being victimized by a lowlife like her.”

“…….”

Kael’s nonchalant words stabbed me in the heart.

Clearly, Ms. Sierra’s behavior had been encroaching on my baseline for some time, and I escalated things by acting too bluntly.

“So, what is it you want to talk about?”

“I had some time left, so I did some research on my own, and I was wondering if I could show it to my sister to see if she would find out anything.”

“Show me.”

The paperwork Kael handed me was a well-organized accounting report that looked familiar, like something I’d seen a few times before.

However, compared to the accounting reports I’d seen from the Anastasia family, the details and amounts seemed somehow shabby.

“This doesn’t look like Anastasia’s report. What is this accounting book for?”

“It’s her expenses for the past year, the amount of money she spent at the school.”

“…Uh, really?”

After listening to the story, I looked again, and sure enough, the expenditures were for things that Miss Sierra would have spent.

Snacks, gardening tools, snacks, snacks, snacks, cosmetics, snacks, snacks, perfume, gardening tools, snacks, snacks, snacks, snacks….

Clearly, Miss Sierra is the only Academy student I know who can spend money this way without thinking.

“…Don’t you think she spends too much in a weird way?”

“It’s ridiculous after I sorted it all out, too. She’s never hosted a tea party before, and I don’t know what she’s doing buying so many unnecessary snacks.”

“Ugh….”

To be honest, it was a little ego-bruising.

The fact that I’d let myself be intimidated by someone like this and run away with my tail between my legs made me feel pretty pathetic.

“By the way, Kael, you’re amazing. How the hell did you find this stuff from a year ago?”

“I’ve been looking into it since the beginning of last year, when I realized something was going on with Alex’s relationship with you after you entered the academy, and I thought it might have something to do with that weird girl she was seeing.

I thought you’d tell me to look into it right away, but you didn’t say anything for a year, so I thought I’d done something stupid.”

Kael’s cautious nature and thoroughness, right here, right now, in this moment, had tangible results.

“I don’t know about futile, I can’t tell at first glance, but maybe if I dig deep enough, I can find something that could be Miss Sierra’s weakness.”

“I mean, she’s not doing well in class and her grades aren’t great, so shouldn’t it be a weakness that she only cares about snacks and makeup?”

“I suppose so, but the commoner girl doesn’t seem to think it’s a big deal. Everyone else seems to think it’s just a commoner thing.”

“She’s so nonchalant.”

I found myself agreeing with Kael’s sentiment.

Her spending on snacks and cosmetics is a matter for her personal life, and I have no reason or excuse to interfere.

But if you’re entering this world as the character named Sierra, shouldn’t you at least do what Sierra is supposed to do?

Shouldn’t she have learned at least the Heavenly Prayer before the Academy’s Second Great Demon Attack, if she had any thoughts at all?

That’s what almost made me watch the Academy’s destruction ending, and I can only sigh at the fact that she still doesn’t seem to have any reflective awareness.

“Actually, I tried to investigate Alex’s side as well, but it wasn’t easy, perhaps because he’s a member of the royal family. When I checked later, everything I found out was either useless or just public spending.”

“That’s an accomplishment in itself.”

I slapped Kael’s report twice in the palm of my hand, thanking my brother for a job well done.

“Is that all we have to talk about? I had one more thing I wanted to ask Kael.”

“What is it?”

“…How’s Alex doing these days in the student council room or otherwise?”

At my question, Kael shook his head as if thinking of Alex, and then, thankfully, gave me the positive answer I was hoping for.

“To be honest, I’m pretty surprised.”

“Surprised?”

“Because the same guy who was bleary-eyed and stupidly attracted to her at the end of last year, is acting as sincere as if he’s a different person as soon as the new semester started.

Or is it more accurate to say he’s reverted back to the gun-toting Alex he was before he entered the Academy….”

If Alex’s closest confidant, Kael, was seeing a change in him, then apparently he was still honoring his word that he would work to regain my trust.

“That’s good to hear.”

“But it still doesn’t feel right. I mean, technically, this year’s version of Alex is closer to the original Alex than last year’s version, but even so, I still get this weird feeling.

Alex was a hard worker before he entered the school, but nowadays, he’s a complete workaholic.”

“Is it that bad…?”

“Well, the student council has been cleaned out except for me, and he doesn’t trust anyone else in the organization.

Naturally, with fewer people, he’s got more work to do.”

“I see….”

Last year, he was dragging himself around in a blur, but this year, he’s starting to get his shit together again and do his job properly….

Is there any magic in the game that works on the mind, because I’m thinking that Miss Sierra might be learning brainwashing or hypnotic magic behind my back, and she might be acting like she’s deliberately lacking.

If it’s not magic, it could be a hidden item that’s not a normal item or something….

“Ah!”

Apparently, I had created one of those items in my previous life, and had completely forgotten about it until now.

I glanced at Kael’s accounting book, and as expected, there was a line item for the item.

“Kael, you don’t have class this afternoon, do you?”

“I don’t have class, but do you have any idea?”

“Then get back to your dorm and get ready to go out of the Academy because there’s something I need to check out right now!”

“Okay, now stop fussing. You’re going to draw attention to yourself.”

I thought it was the work of the ‘game system’ but now I have a clue to the real cause.