Destruction Flag Otome – Volume 3 Chapter 1 part 3

First, I went to visit the closest place to me, a display about this country’s history and the study of magic. In my previous world, at a school festival everyone would be busy having fun, but as expected of a magic school everyone here, from students to parents and guardians, seem to be paying attention seriously to the display. It’s so wonderful that everyone has a nice passion for learning. Although, I get sleepy whenever I see too many lines of text……

 

My younger stepbrother Keith and my friend Mary Hunt are in charge of this display. Mary’s just like me, she’s the fiancee to a prince of this kingdom. My fiance is Prince Jared, while hers is Prince Alan, Jared’s twin brother. While we’re both fiancees to a prince, her specs are much higher than mine.

 

Mary’s a beauty with auburn hair and eyes, excellent at academics, and is praised as fairy-like in her dancing skills, and her splendid ladylike qualities are said to be a reflection upon what a true noble girl should be like, admired by all.

 

She’s quite popular with handsome royalty, and she tells me that “you and Prince Jared aren’t suitable for each other,” while it’s recognized by everyone that she and Prince Alan are a perfect match. Such a perfect Mary had made wonderful preparations for the display today, and I saw her face, tired from dealing with all the people, from among the crowd. Or maybe it’s hunger that’s causing her fatigue?

 

It’s already afternoon, but she might have been so busy that she didn’t have time to eat lunch. Thinking so, I began to feel regretful for my actions of stuffing my face all by myself.

 

Alright, I’ll share some of the new sandwich products that I was going to have for myself later with Mary, just for her. Thinking so, I grabbed on to my bag of sandwiches, and called out in Mary’s direction.

 

“Mary, I’ve brought something for you!”

 

“Katarina-sama!”

 

When Mary saw me, a bright smile appeared on her face. It was as if her fatigue had been nothing but an illusion. As I expected, she must have been starving.

 

“Mary, sorry that I’m late. I brought some of the latest sandwiches for you.”

 

“Katarina-sama, I’m so happy that you’ve come to see me. I was getting a little worried that you wouldn’t return from your visit to all the food stalls.”

 

“……Mmm, sorry.”

 

Actually, before I went out to all the food stalls, I had passed by here coincidentally and I had told Mary “I’ll be right back after visiting the food stalls” and promised her…… and quite some time has passed since then. Of course she’d get worried about me. Sorry, Mary.

 

“Well, considering how nee-san is, she probably forgot about the time completely and was completely engrossed in stuffing her face at the food stalls.”

 

Ah, Keith has arrived as well. As expected of my younger stepbrother who’s been my family for eight years. He really knows me well.

 

“……Sorry.”

 

Once again, I bowed my head and apologized to Mary and Keith who had worried about me.

 

“No need to be sorry. Everything’s alright as long as you’re okay.”

 

Although the kind and gentle Mary said that to me, Keith went with:

 

“Honestly. Nee-san, you should at least restrain yourself a little more just for today. Just saying, you get mixed up in all sorts of troubles too easily.”

 

He had such a strict expression. What’s with this, it feels like Keith is getting more and more like my mother as time passes. Whatever will I do if he starts lecturing me for several hours at a time like my mother does. If my mother turned into two people…… I wouldn’t be able to take it……

 

“Katarina-sama, there’s getting to be fewer people at this time of day now, I’ve been thinking that we can get some rest and eat something. I’m very grateful you brought some food for me. If you’d like, shall we eat together, Katarina-sama?”

 

Mary instantly perked me up as I was feeling a little depressed at getting lectured.

 

“Really!?”

 

Actually, there were only a few of the sandwiches remaining. I had really wanted to try them as well.

 

“You just, ate so much, yet you’re eating again already……”

 

Keith seemed to be looking at me in astonishment for some reason, while the classmates that were with me while I was at the food stalls all seemed to have looks of surprise on their faces.

 

This is bad, at this rate, everyone will think I’m a glutton…… The amount I eat is really quite normal though, it’s just that noble girls are supposed to have small appetites. Well, it might also be true that some of my dresses have gotten too skinny for me due to me being unable to stop myself from eating too many things. By the way, just for today, I’m wearing my absolutely widest dress, especially for the purpose of allowing myself to eat as much as I possibly can. Of course, my maid Anne had quite opposed me, saying “wearing such a ridiculously wide dress on a nice day like this,” but I told her that if she didn’t allow me to wear this, I’d join the festival in my usual work clothes when I’m farming! And so, I defeated her, and was allowed to wear the widest dress in my wardrobe.

 

So, that’s why I’m able to eat more than everyone else! It has absolutely nothing to do with gluttony!

 

However…… As expected…… “You should restrain yourself a little,” was told to me. And so, I went with Keith and Mary to a resting area where we would have tea and sandwiches.

 

I also invited my other friends over, but I was told “since we’re already full, we’re going to check out the display.” If only they had all worn wider dresses as well.

 

 

“Wow, delicious!”

 

The sandwiches on the table weren’t from food stalls that I had already been to, they were new products from other stalls that I didn’t get to taste yet.

 

“Oh, quite so. They seem to taste amazing. Thank you very much, Katarina-sama.”

 

While I was busy drooling over the sandwiches, Mary saw I was acting and smiled faintly as she mentioned how good the sandwiches were.

 

“Nee-san, you just had so much to eat earlier, try to slow down a little now. If you eat too much, you’ll just upset your stomach.”

 

Since Keith knows me so well, he’s making snide remarks at me again.

 

“……Yes.”

 

Since there’s some extra space yet for filling out my dress, I should be fine still. So, I’ll just secretly filch another sandwich.

 

Mmm. What a wonderful taste. The first sandwich that I had earlier today had a jam that made it taste like a confectionary, but this one has fresh tasting lettuce, and bacon with an amazing texture, cooked to perfection. There’s lots of types of sandwiches, from desserts to main courses.

 

Ahh, that sandwich with what seems like a potato salad looks so delectable as well, and I could just inhale this egg filled sandwich right here instantly. Mmm~. Although, I’m troubled as even I won’t be able to eat some of everything. Ah, that’s it!

 

“Hey, Keith. Can I have half of this and share with you?”

 

“……Mm. I figured you’d say something like that. Ok, sure.”

 

“Yay~”

 

There’s less food in one serving in this world, but there’s just so many different kinds. Well, it could just be that it’s nobles that get to have all these different types of food rather than the whole world having access to it, but anyways, there really is such a large variety.

 

And, the new products I got my hands on today are things I’ve never seen before, and look so delicious that I want to just devour all of them immediately. Also, in my previous life, my mother always told me “don’t waste food and eat everything,” words I’ve always taken to heart.

 

Well, I did often eat too much and upset my stomach as a child, but Keith would always go “well, if you want to eat that much, just have half of it and I’ll eat the rest.” Well, we couldn’t share food in public places, but Keith and I would often split food and share it back at the Claes mansion.

 

I gained more energy due to Keith’s approval, and broke the sandwich with potato salad filling in half, sticking my arm out to put half a sandwich into Keith’s mouth.

 

“Here, Keith, go ahead.”

 

Normally, Keith would just instantly snap up whatever I hand him instantly, but today he was frozen there with a mysterious expression on his face. I wonder what’s the matter?

 

“What’s the matter, Keith?”