(Could that girl be…?)

“Julian? That cute girl over there, do you want to play with her? Why don’t you go?”

At that, Julian’s face lit up as if he’d been sprung into the air.

“Really? Can I? Really?”

“It’s fine, just make sure you don’t get lost, okay? And don’t go near the water, okay? Stay near the garden, alright?”

“Thank you! I love my sister, who lost her memory more!”

Saying such a candid thing, Julian ran off to the girl. The girl was surprised by Julian’s sudden approach but quickly broke into a smile, and they ran off hand in hand.

Seeing the cute couple, I found myself unexpectedly soothed and smiling.

Earlier, I had seen the last page of Richeli’s diary. I had been pale and wanted to change my mood, so I came outside, but my mood had completely reversed.

Well, it’s okay. Richeli said we’d meet again in a week. It’s only the first day. I’ll think about it slowly. I still have time. I don’t understand everything yet.

But I clearly remembered the otome game. It’s the otome game that Kokoro and Yukine were crazy about. It was “Magic Eyes ~Drown in the Gaze of Magic ~”. I think it was such a cheesy title.

I forgot her name. The heroine is a neat and clean-hearted Baron’s daughter, and the game begins with her entering a magic academy. There, the heroine becomes popular. There are several handsome characters to conquer, and you choose who to fall in love with and play to become a lover.

The person who always appears to interfere with the love of the target the heroine decided to conquer is the bitchy villainous duke’s daughter. Yes, that’s Richeli.

Richeli is engaged to Prince Zinon from the beginning. So, Richeli, who tempts the heroine’s target into bed, eventually ends up having her engagement to Prince Zinon annulled and is sent to a convent, a predetermined bad end. Although she’s a villainess who interferes with the heroine’s love life, it’s a reasonable ending since she doesn’t get killed.

So.

I looked up at Zinon. Since the start of the game is when you enter the academy, he’s still a bit younger than Prince Zinon in the game. If my memory serves me right, Zinon, with his sparkling blond hair, captivating blue eyes, and sexy looks, is the most popular character symbolizing “Magic Eyes”. But I’m more shocked by his destructive power than the sexy scenes of Zinon shown in the stills occasionally shown by Kokoro and Yukine. His mere presence makes my heart race.

He must have noticed he was being watched because Zinon looked down at me. He’s wonderful but still a little naive. I found myself chuckling. Then, Zinon looked surprised again, as if he couldn’t believe what he saw.

(Did I… laugh again…?)

How unfriendly must Richeli be to be taken aback by just a laugh?

“…You…”

I was unsure how to gloss over it, but Zinon spoke first. As I waited for his following words, he looked troubled, lowering his eyebrows and gently biting his lip. Despite his youth, his lips and expression were undeniably sexy.

Then, it happened.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

“Abby!! Zinon!!! Where are you? Come quickly!!!”

The piercing scream shattered the surroundings, and I followed Zinon as he sprinted. Julian was alone, crying and pointing at the lake.

“What happened?!”

“Abby slipped and fell into the lake! Please help her quickly!”

“Eh?!”

As I tried to rush into the lake, Zinon held me back and muttered something. Suddenly, the lake’s surface split, and Abby’s pink ribbon, tying her curly hair, floated up and flew towards us. Then Abby floated up from the split lake into the air, and Zinon caught her.

“Abby!”

“She’s not breathing. I’ll call a healer, wait.”

Zinon laid a limp Abby out on the grass.

“Abby, are you okay? Can you hear me?”

There was no response. I tilted Abby’s chin up to secure her airway. And then…

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…”

I pressed my hands together on Abby’s chest.

“Thirty, huff… huff…”

I opened my mouth wide, pinched Abby’s nose, and breathed into her small lips. I confirmed her chest rise…

“…one, two, three…”

I performed chest compressions thirty times and gave two rescue breaths.

Hang in there, hang in there, breathe.

I don’t know how many times I did it. Abby coughed up water and began to cough painfully. Her small chest rose and fell as her grass-coloured eyes opened.

“Abby! Are you okay?”

“…”

When her grass-coloured eyes faintly nodded, I hugged Abby out of relief.

“I’m glad… You’re okay. You did well. You’re okay, you’re okay.”

Repeating to reassure myself and looking up, I was surprised to see so many people had gathered.

“Miss, thank you! You saved my daughter!”

“Thank you, Miss! Thank you for saving my granddaughter!”

A sturdy elderly man and a woman who resembled Abby, tears streaming from their grass-coloured eyes, rushed over and broke down crying.

When I handed Abby to her mother, Julian clung to my knee this time.

“Sister, I’m sorry…”

“Julian, you did well to call for help loudly. You must have been scared, but it’s okay now.”

This time, I hugged the crying and trembling Julian. Then, I met eyes with Zinon, who was looking down at us. His jewel-like blue eyes passed through Richeli’s platinum blond hair and peach-coloured eyes as if he were questioning me.

“Who are you?”