The Bad Ending of an Otome

It was risky, to put it mildly. The player most focused on Ophelia during the game was Edmund Gloucester. Seriously, that was insanity on their part. His decision to make the troublesome young baron’s daughter a Windrose and marry her after renaming her ‘Ophelia’ shows great craziness. He gathered the baroness’s stuff and decorated his own ‘chamber,’ locking her away for the rest of her life, and convinced himself that Ophelia hadn’t actually died but had only shifted to the baroness’s body.

However, Cassio Brahamdorff had devastated the baroness to the point of ruin, but he never fooled himself into thinking that she was anything more than a ‘substitute’ for Ophelia. 

What can I say about Raretis? He was the most enigmatic of the bunch. He was the most typical and had the most typical ends, although he never seemed to care much for the baroness.

I went with Edmund Gloucester because he seemed the most ‘crazy’ about our heroine, Ophelia. He worshiped the letter Ophelia had left behind, the comb she had used, the books she had read, and even the clothing she had worn. If the letter really was written by Ophelia and was intended for Cassio Brahamdorff, who he despised, he would do anything he could to bring it to me.

The enemy of the enemy is a friend. Though Edmund Gloucester didn’t particularly like me, I believed he would trust me more with her letter than he would have with Cassio Brahamdorff.

“I have to say, I’m taken aback.”

“Taken aback?”

“I thought you would bring up Raretis instead of Mr. Edmund.”

“…”

I clamped my lips together. As soon as I heard the name ‘Raretis,’ I felt a thick, black fluid well up inside of me. I worked so hard to keep a level head and reply calmly.

“For the reason that I felt Mr. Edmund Gloucester could be of greater assistance here.”

“Wow, that’s interesting. My guess was that you didn’t like Mr. Edmund. What if we worked together to steal her letter?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Mr. Cassio. Mr Gloucester would rather have me the letter than to keep it with you.”

“Sharp judgment.”

“She may have written that letter for you, but I seriously doubt Mr. Edmund would believe it. He wouldn’t have the capacity to accept it, rather.”

Cassio looked at me quite intently. The look was really direct.

“…What?”

“You seem to know a lot about us.”

I groaned in an honest way.

“What nonsense.”

“Mmmm. I haven’t felt this way in a very long time.”

Cassio rubbed his chin thoughtfully as if he had just had an epiphany. It was a little unsettling for the whole thing to be a mumble. Was he only now reacting to my sarcasm?

“Don’t you have to be cursed for you to talk back to Mr. Cassio Brahamdorff? Maybe you just couldn’t take criticism because you were too bored to care.”

“That sums up how I feel exactly.”

Cassio gave a knowing nod. I acted quite oddly.

“…I mean this seriously, if you’ve taken any medication recently, the prescription seems like it might be wrong, so how about calling a doctor?”

Without providing an explanation, Cassio only chuckled. It was a smile that shone as brightly as the midday sun and appeared to blind anybody who beheld it. The sight of that grin only served to heighten my unease. He’s not the type of person who would genuinely find that funny.

“In any case. I can verify that the letter exists, but I won’t be able to provide Mr. Edmund Gloucester with a copy. I have no choice but to plead for your faith. However, I will hand out the letter on the final day of the debut if you make it through till May without incident.”

“You won’t steal glory from Ophelia by lying, right?”

“I make this oath in her honor.”

“…Then I’ll start to believe you.”

I thought for a second and then nodded. Even though he treats others except Ophelia like objects and uses them recklessly, he wouldn’t lie to me, especially not after putting Ophelia’s reputation on the line. Cassio’s smile returned once he heard my response. It was an assured, even proud, grin. He started talking like he had been practicing, and the words just started coming out.

“You do realize that March is coming to a close, right? Naturally, you’ll be confined inside the townhouse for your whole visit. It seems sensible to take the reins now. I really hope you won’t subject yourself to eating and sleeping in this squalor. Miss Emilia, who even brings up Ophelia, wouldn’t go back on her word.”

I sighed heavily. If an unexpected storm had arrived and completely destroyed my shop overnight, I don’t think I would have felt as overwhelmed.

“…Give me one more day, please. I’m sorry to say that I have to let everyone know that the business will be closed for a bit.”

“Have you considered coming back?”

“I’ve made my home here.”

“…”

Cassio looked at me with a puzzled expression. Yes, at home. Maybe it’s because I don’t consider the Marquis’s mansion, where Ophelia and I grew up, to be my permanent residence. This rundown shop may look laughable to the heir of a renowned noble family.

This abode is a dog kennel in comparison to the Marquis’s house, which, lavish as it was, was designed around the needs of the sick Ophelia. But I felt at home in this setting. Honest, I was. Although Ophelia was my life’s focus and I was willing to sacrifice anything for her, I never felt at ease in the Marquis’s residence. I felt like I was holding my breath and squeezing into garments that didn’t fit.

When I closed my eyes, I could see Ophelia’s room, which was attached to mine, the garden I went through every day, and even the fountain where I dumped people to cause problems. I, however, understood the basics. That lovely, calm, and comforting place was never going to be mine. My youth will forever be adorned by the lovely Ophelia who was only a memory.

“I’d rather say that the commoner Emily was the one who held Lord Cassio Brahamdorff’s hand during the ball on the newspapers rather than ‘Emilia, Ophelia’s friend.”

“I understand, it will also be bad for the Brahamdorff name to have a lady who will hold my hand be a subject of such gossip.”

“That’s good to hear.”

I meant what I said. In the company of friends, even the smallest rumors take on a life of their own. More importantly, all three of Ophelia’s suitors were up-and-coming members of society. Because Ophelia is so well-known, there have been speculations that I have made my entrance into society, though I have never done so formally.

The only time I was mentioned was when the funeral was done, and that’s probably because I vanished immediately afterwards. During the debutante season, when all eyes would be on me, walking in with Cassio Brahamdorff by my side was a certain way to become the subject of gossip. I was questioned as to my whereabouts, my health, and my ability to participate in the debutante season.

A public revelation that this Emilia is the same as the waitress at a dive bar on the outskirts of town would bring shame not only to me, but also to the memory of Ophelia and the Marquis’s estate. I had intended to spend my days reading and writing in peace away from the Marquis’s mansion and these guys, but when Ophelia’s letter was threatened, I had no option but to intervene.

In addition, Cassio Brahamdorff was the one who challenged me. He would expertly deal with the situation if my current location were known. It will work out well. I met Cassio’s gaze directly. His look was quite odd. I don’t know what he’s thinking.

“You must have escorted many beautiful and respectable women in your life. The Brahamdorff patriarch must be upset about this.”

“He has no authority to address me after telling me to ‘have the eye to recognize a pearl in the mud’ several times.”

“…”

He was the type of man who could make you question if a joke was serious or not. He came looking for me because he found a letter written by Ophelia that had to do with the debutante season. I tried to chew the issue over in my head, but it still felt foreign. I felt something unexplainable as I stared at the man. A gorgeous man who exudes class and superiority. His fine blond hair was carefully combed and he smiled down at everyone with keen grey eyes. Am I supposed to use this man’s hand to hit the debutante season? Listening to this seemed like hearing someone else’s life tale.

“Where did you come across this?”

“Yesterday there was a commotion in the street due to a carriage accident that nobody saw coming.”

“…”

“Because Sir Raretis fled the scene without properly managing the problem, I decided to investigate it further.”

“Is that weird?”

“That’s quite unusual. A nobleman’s recklessness nearly resulted in serious injury to another person, regardless of whether or not the carriage in question belonged to a Marquis. It is fair to recompense the hat vendor and yourself well for the ordeal. Plus, his typical short temper. He’s not the sort to rush out of a room and only say a few things before he goes because he’s too busy.”

Unless, of course, he has anything to conceal.

Cassio studied me critically, as if he were evaluating me for something.

Is that right? My mind had been too preoccupied with the unexpected reunion for me to contemplate what it would be like in such a circumstance. What happened was completely out of the blue. Why did I unexpectedly see Raretis and Elodie, the nobleman I hadn’t seen in two years? My head dipped slightly as I recalled the kind hand that had clasped mine.

“However, there was a tale about a young woman that resembles her very much. To ignore such a clear sign would be ridiculous.”

“You seem to be curious about where Sir Raretis would be.”