This Time, I Am A Mob's Potions Teacher Who Has Become Engaged To The Mastermind Of The Otome Game - 9
“Step away. If you dare harm a student of Oria Magic Academy, I will not forgive you.”
Whether her wish had been granted or he had simply been summoned by the insults, César appeared before Sarah and the others, uttering his lines exactly as in the game.
His light golden-gray hair, meticulously arranged, and the sadistic gleam in his fiery red eyes behind his glasses—it was all just like in the game. Even the way he pushed up his silver-rimmed glasses was spot-on.
Thank goodness.
She’d been tormented with the thought of giving up and rushing out, but for now, she could breathe a sigh of relief.
“Don’t look so scary. We were just having a friendly chat, right?”
The man reached to take Sarah’s hand.
“Oh? Then I suppose I’ll join in on this friendly chat as well.”
With that, César grabbed the man’s hand and twisted it, causing the man to scream.
“Ow ow ow! What the hell are you doing?!”
“What do you mean? I thought I’d hold hands with you and have a nice conversation, just like you’re doing.”
Though he smiled sweetly, the sheer strength with which he gripped the man’s hand was clear even from a distance—the color was draining from the man’s skin.
“S-Stop it!”
“Oh dear, I don’t understand a word you’re saying. Try barking like a dog.”
Here we go.
Next comes cat, then mouse, and a whole bunch of animal sounds. I’ve seen this scene in the game.
“I thought Clarlac was the serious and well-mannered type, but now I feel like I’ve seen a surprising side of him.”
When she turned to look beside her, Noél wore a thoroughly appalled expression.
In the game, she’d used that very personality trait to her advantage.
The man shouted, “You’ll regret this!” and ran off. Again, exactly like the game.
“Phew. I was worried I wouldn’t make it in time,” she said.
“Wouldn’t make it in time?”
Noticing Noél’s echoed question, she looked up—so close she could see herself reflected in his amethyst eyes.
“Leticia, you knew he was coming, didn’t you?”
“N-No, not at all. I just believed someone would come help us, that’s all.”
She tried to retreat, but her back quickly hit the outer wall of the shop—no way to escape.
“Just who are you?”
That line—it’s from the scene near the end of the game.
The scene where Noél confronts Sarah for interfering with his plans. He was truly terrifying then—traumatizing, even, the first time I played.
“One day, you suddenly changed. Sometimes you act like you know the future, as if someone else, who knows everything that could happen in this world, is pretending to be Leticia Bellecour.”
He’s sharp, as always. Right to the heart of it.
But even so, she couldn’t tell him the truth.
Would he even believe in reincarnation? And what would he do if he knew her plans? She couldn’t even imagine.
“Wh-What are you talking about? Noél, you’ve been reading too many novels.”
She forced the words out of her parched throat.
“But… you know, if I did know the future, I’d want to use that knowledge to change fate—so everyone can be happy.”
Please, let that be enough to throw him off.
She met his gaze, trying not to look suspicious, but he averted his eyes.
“I was only speaking hypothetically, and you answered seriously.”
Really?
His tone had that subtle intensity that made it hard to read, but she decided to play along and not push it.
“U-Um, let’s go to a café. You must be thirsty, right?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Though Noél still looked like he had more to say, he didn’t press her further.
Was it really just a joke?
The anxiety lingered, but for now, she felt like she’d escaped danger.
◇
The café was bustling with people, and Noél ordered only a coffee.
She wanted cake, but considered ordering just tea to match him—until he said:
“Order whatever you like. I just can’t eat cake.”
Grateful for his words, she ordered a cake with flargm, a fruit similar to strawberries.
When the waiter brought it over, the sweet and tangy flavor and the moist cake made her smile.
“So you have things you don’t like too, huh?”
“When I was little, I was poisoned at a tea party—cake laced with poison. I hovered between life and death. Ever since, I haven’t been able to eat it.”
The story was so shocking that she swallowed the cake with an audible gulp.
Noél had almost been killed.
He told it so matter-of-factly, but it must have left a deep scar.
“Did they catch the culprit?”
“No. The case was never solved.”
In the game, they only described his past as “being treated coldly.” But it must have been far more cruel.
Noél… I’m sorry.
I’ve been so focused on stopping your fall into darkness that I never really looked at the pain you’ve carried.
You were suffering. And I branded you the villain without trying to understand.
Even so, you came to save me.
“N-Noél. I ate it and I’m fine, so there’s no poison in this one. Want to try a bite?”
I want to help erase his painful memories.
She brought the fork with the cake to his mouth, and he gave a small cough.
“You really don’t seem to care about these things when it comes to me, huh?”
“Of course I care! I want you to enjoy cake without fear—that’s why I offered!”
“Ah, so you’re so concerned about me that you didn’t notice.”
The more he repeated “didn’t notice”, the more uneasy she felt.
“What are you talking about?”
“Forget it. Just keep not noticing.”
What does that mean?
Before she could think further, he grabbed her hand—and then she realized.
Wait… this is an indirect kiss, isn’t it?
Not to mention from the outside, this totally looks like a couple feeding each other. So embarrassing.
Too late. The fork was already in his mouth.
“Tastes good.”
While she was still flustered, he happily chewed, looking like a child.
“…Want another bite?”
Half to hide her embarrassment, half joking.
But instead of replying, he just opened his mouth like a baby bird.
Now I can’t back out, can I? That’s not fair.
“Eat up. When I’m around, I’ll do the taste-testing. You don’t have to hold back anymore.”
Though he was older, she spoke like a parent reassuring a child.
Because he looked so vulnerable, so innocent.
◇
In the end, she and Noél spent a relaxing day in the royal capital until nightfall.
As they walked back to the staff dormitory, she finally worked up the courage to say what she hadn’t.
“Noél… thank you for coming to save me the other day. And… I’m sorry for the awful things I said.”
He looked a little surprised, but soon gave her a gentle smile—the same one he had shown Jill in the Finis Forest.
“Then as forgiveness, throw out those flowers in the prep room.”
“Huh?! But they’re still pretty! And Castanier gave them to me as a get-well gift!”
“Leticia.”
Her name came with a voice so laced with pressure that even a stranger would blush at his beautiful, smiling face.
Then—nearby trees were suddenly engulfed in black fire and reduced to ash. She was speechless.
That’s the magic Noél used when he was consumed by rage in the game…
Is this his way of saying: stay away from the royal family?
“You are my fiancée, you know?”
Ah. That’s basically “you know what’ll happen if you betray me,” isn’t it?
“O-Okay, I’ll take the flowers out of the prep room. I’ll put them in the classroom.”
“Good.”
Her fiancé, pleased with her answer, left her feeling utterly at his mercy. She’d need more than one life to handle him.
And yet, as she watched his back fade into the distance, she found herself thinking—
I want to go on another date with him.