After that, Likens had left, looking somewhat angry.
Left alone, Rodi returned to the inn room she was using as her lodging and clutched her head.
‘What did I mess up?’
The plan had been flawless.
‘The interior was entirely to Likens’s taste.’
In fact, while he was looking around the mansion’s interior, he had seemed genuinely pleased.
‘His expression definitely froze the moment he saw the outbuilding.’
Likens loved crafting.
Why would seeing a workshop make him angry?
Deep in thought, Rodi picked up a pen. She dug through her memories and methodically mapped out every single route.
‘Ah.’
Looking over the organized notes once more, Rodi realized something and murmured under her breath.
“Wait, has Simone not said ‘those words’ yet…?”
In Utopia, there existed a ‘Common Route.’
This early phase was a path that had to be cleared before one could pursue any specific character.
‘Depending on the choices, it determined which character route you ended up on, too….’
And the choice that raised Likens’s affection in the Common Route went like this:
[The crafts you make are truly beautiful, Commander.]
There was a scene where Simone, having accidentally stumbled upon a small wooden carving he had whittled, smiled warmly and praised him.
Hearing those words had allowed Likens to accept, even if just a little, the part of himself that enjoyed ‘manual labor’—something only commoners were supposed to do.
‘After that, he solves “that incident” with Simone, becomes the ultimate devoted-and-obsessive gentleman just for her, and walks down the aisle into holy matrimony… That was the ending of Likens’s route.’
Incidentally, in Likens’s route, the intermediate villainess ‘Rodi Evant’ was judged by the law and locked away in prison.
‘Since it was part of the Common Route, I just assumed it had already happened.’
Could something have diverged from the original storyline?
‘Either way, if Simone hasn’t said those words yet….’
It meant Likens was currently trapped in deep self-denial.
‘In the world of Utopia, working with one’s hands is considered menial work fit only for commoners.’
A noble heir, the Young Duke of Magzeta, engaging in such a thing was simply not tolerated.
Because of that, the young Likens, who had enjoyed crafting little trinkets as a boy, was constantly scolded by his grandfather.
After reaching adulthood, crushed under the pressure to preserve his family’s dignity and honor, he deliberately looked away and denied the fact that he enjoyed making crafts.
‘Piling up over time, those thoughts drove Likens into intense self-loathing.’
He hated himself for enjoying things unbefitting his station.
‘He believes he must always be the flawless heir who lives up to the expectations of his grandfather—who struggled to raise him—and everyone around him.’
Having followed the thought to its conclusion, Rodi let out a long sigh.
“Sigh….”
Good grief, what an exhausting personality.
She tapped her fingers against the desk.
Now then, how was she supposed to get Likens, mired in severe self-hatred, to buy a mansion with a workshop attached?
‘It’s not like I can go up to Simone and tell her to recite the dialogue option.’
On the other hand, if she recited the dialogue herself when they barely had any connection, it would hardly make a difference.
“…”
Rodi once more scrutinized the paper detailing the game’s events, distilling whatever information she could use.
“The best way would be to resolve ‘that incident’ and eliminate the root cause of Likens’s fixation, but….”
The problem was that solving it right now was far beyond her own power.
She rose from her chair.
‘For now, let’s push through using the silver tongue I honed rolling through the corporate grind.’
She would show him the social prowess of an office worker pickled in endless overtime.
Rodi clenched her fist tightly.
‘Just you wait, Likens!’
✦ ✦ ✦
He had a dream.
[Are you making useless junk like this?]
Before his eyes stood a boy, tauntingly waving a clumsily made wooden doll.
[I-It’s precious to me, please give it back…!]
His eight-year-old self reached out, pleading.
[Don’t you know? Making things is lowly work only commoners do!]
The older boy sneered.
[I’ll toss this garbage away for you. It’s all for the honor of your family, so you’d better thank me!]
The moment the boy drew back his arm to throw the wooden doll into the garden pond—
Thud!
A small figure slammed hard into the boy.
[Whoa-oof!]
The sudden force sent the boy tumbling, and the wooden doll rolled across the ground.
He hastily scooped up the doll from the dirt.
[Are you an idiot?]
A young, pert voice rang out.
Only then did he look up at the small figure that had crashed into the boy.
It wasn't merely a figure.
It was none other than—
Likens slowly opened his eyes.
“…”
Staring blankly at the patterns on the ceiling, he murmured,
“To dream of something from so long ago….”
It was likely because he had run into her recently.
He pushed himself up and began preparing for work out of habit, then paused.
‘Today is my day off.’
Even so, staying at the estate meant his grandfather would inevitably come to nag him.
‘…Should I keep looking for a house?’
Finding it uncomfortable to face his grandfather, he had recently been eating both breakfast and dinner out in the city.
Yet he couldn't keep avoiding him forever.
‘Getting out of the ducal estate as soon as possible would be best for my peace of mind.’
With that thought, Likens headed toward the real estate guild.
As he walked down the street, he sensed someone tailing him.
‘…A tail?’
The movements were far too amateurish to belong to an assassin. The pursuer had no idea how to conceal their presence.
Likens ducked into an alleyway and hid.
The moment the presence mindlessly followed him into the alley, he grabbed the person’s arm and slammed them against the wall.
“Eek!”
Likens froze as he realized how slender the arm in his grasp was.
“Y-You scared me….”
Right in front of him, he locked eyes with a pair of fresh, sprout-green irises.
“You are….”
His stalker, Rodi, offered a slightly brazen smile.
“Good day, Lord Magzeta.”
“Why are you here?”
“Because you pulled me in so suddenly…?”
Rodi rolled her eyes innocently.
“More importantly, my wrist….”
Only then did Likens realize he was still gripping Rodi’s wrist.
What was more, with her pinned against the wall, they were close enough to feel each other’s breath.
“…My apologies.”
He quickly released her wrist and stepped back.
Massaging her stinging wrist, Rodi replied,
“No, strictly speaking, it’s my fault for following you.”
“…Why were you following me?”
“I had something to ask.”
Likens regarded her quietly.
Though once a duke’s daughter who had now lost everything, she seemed bursting with energy today as well.
“What is it?”
“I wanted to know why you left so suddenly the other day.”
“Because of the workshop.”
Rodi gave him a look that asked what could possibly be wrong with that.
“Crafting is work fit for commoners. If rumors spread that I, the Young Duke, reside in a mansion with a workshop, it could tarnish my honor. Besides….”
“Besides?”
Likens answered as stiffly as possible.
“I do not like crafting.”
“Truly?”
“Yes. To begin with, there is no way any aristocrat would enjoy such menial work.”
“Hmm….”
Rodi stared straight at him.
As if she knew everything.
Likens felt unsettled beneath that gaze. It was as if she were peering right through him.
‘…Could she possibly remember that incident?’
He immediately dismissed the fleeting suspicion.
There was no way Rodi could remember ‘that day.’
She had been very young back then, and they hadn't even exchanged names.
“Well, if you say so.”
Rodi shrugged, adopting an attitude of letting it slide without prying further.
“Has your curiosity been satisfied?”
“Somewhat.”
“Then I shall take my lea—”
“Lord Magzeta.”
Rodi stopped him just as he was about to turn away.
“Shall I share a prophecy with you?”
…Her words held an intention he could not decipher.
“A prophecy?”
Placing an index finger over her lips, Rodi smiled conspiratorially.
“You will end up buying that mansion of mine. Without fail.”
“…Nonsense.”
Snapping out a retort, Likens turned his back and declared firmly,
“I will never buy that house.”
