This Time, I Am A Mob's Potions Teacher Who Has Become Engaged To The Mastermind Of The Otome Game - 9

When I stepped out onto the balcony, a night breeze blew past—it was a little chilly.

Even though the warmer seasons had arrived, nights were still cold.

“You joined the Magic Ministry the same year as Noël, right? Where you also schoolmates by any chance?”

“No, we met after joining the ministry.”

Apparently, D’arcaic wasn’t originally from the Kingdom of Nox. He was born and raised in the Kingdom of Dies, and due to certain circumstances, became the adopted son of the D’arcaic family.

Since both he and Noël were adopted, they apparently bonded quickly over that shared background.

“He’s been popular ever since I met him—couldn’t catch a break.”

“Fufu, so Noël’s always been popular then.”

It seems women in the ministry, the daughters of their superiors, even a young princess—all of them blushed at the mere sight of him.
There was once a noble lady who danced with Noël at a ball and then showed up at the Magic Ministry everyday just to chase after him.

“Noël’s popularity honestly made me afraid to come to this ball.
Someone as plain as me being his fiancée… I knew I’d get all kinds of glares.”

It was true.
Even earlier, some noble ladies at the venue were giving me frosty looks.
Noël had stayed by my side, so nothing happened, and I’d stepped out with D’arcaic before anything could escalate, but…

“Yes, you’re right. You are unworthy of him.”

“…Huh?”

D’arcaic’s tone suddenly changed.
Even his voice sounded like someone else’s.

The cheerful, easygoing expression from before had vanished.
He now stared at me with a completely unreadable face, devoid of any emotion.

It was as if he had just taken off the mask labeled “Laurent D’arcaic.”

“He is strong—and the way he would stop at nothing to fulfill his revenge, that resolve—it was beautiful, like a work of art. But then—”

He glared at me with undisguised contempt.

“After meeting you, he changed. He became weak—just a mere human who lets himself be swayed by you. When he should be a noble being, possessing a power so pure and lofty!”

Reduced to a mere human? What the hell does that mean?

You’re the one who put Noël on a pedestal and got disappointed when he didn’t live up to your fantasy.

You imposed your ideal onto him—and when he suffered under the weight of it, you just watched. That’s unbelievably selfish.

It’s true what my future mother-in-law said—there’s something different in the way D’arcaic looks at Noël. It’s not just admiration—it’s excessive, even disturbing, reverence.

“Let me tell you something. Noël may be exceptional, but he’s still just a human. He gets lonely. He gets hurt.”

“Wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!”

D’arcaic clapped both hands over his ears, clearly unwilling to hear another word.
He shook his head violently, so much so that his red hair was completely disheveled.

“That man is not like that! He’s someone to be revered—someone sacred!”

I see. So Darciac is one of those fans—the kind who idolize someone to an unhealthy degree.

“Break off your engagement and disappear from his life right now. I can’t bear to watch him grow weaker because of you!”

“No.”

Because even if you stand next to him, you won’t help him when he’s hurting.
And knowing that, I refuse to leave his side.

“You truly don’t understand. Hatred is what makes people stronger.”

Wow. He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
This psycho.

Respecting Noël is one thing—but wishing for your beloved to suffer in order to be ‘worthy’ of your admiration? That’s just plain evil.

“Enough already. What you’re supposed to say to someone you admire is, ‘You’re precious,’ ‘I want you to be happy,’ and ‘Thank you for being born.’ If you claim to be a Noël fan, you should at least know that much!”

“…What are you even talking about?”

Even though I was being perfectly serious, he looked at me like I was some pitiful creature.

Looks like D’arcaic still doesn’t get it.

If it were me—even if Alois suddenly turned into an overly cheerful guy who annoyingly clings to others—if he were happy, I’d quietly support him from afar.

“That man is the one who should sit upon the throne. With a power none can match, he is a noble being—one worthy of being called the King of Darkness!”

“The King of Darkness, you say?”

If my memory serves, someone in the game once referred to Noël by that title.

That character had been one of Noël’s allies—a minor role known only as the red-haired man.
Right before the final battle, he betrayed Noël by revealing his identity to the protagonists… only to be immediately killed by a curse the moment he spoke his name.

The man in front of me resembles him. The game didn’t give much detail, since he was just a minor NPC, but—still.

Noël really is preparing for revenge.
He’s walking the same path as in the game—all outside of my view, beyond my reach.

The shock is so overwhelming, I feel faint.

As I lean back against the glass doors separating the balcony from the hall, someone catches me from behind.
When I look up—it’s Noël.

“Laurent. You’ve got some nerve, calling my fiancée out here just to flirt with her.”

His voice was low, like it crawled along the ground.
Even though it wasn’t directed at me, it still made my legs tremble.