There's a saying: people aren't meant to be fixed and reused. It's something I personally agree with. Reflecting on the experiences I've accumulated over four years of civil service, people aren't just impossible to fix—they're creatures worthy of nothing but hatred. Sorry, Mother Nature, for letting humans live in this world.
But now, if someone were to ask me whether people can be fixed and reused, I can answer with confidence: With enough effort, they absolutely can!
'This guy normally never sheds a tear, but I'm about to cry here.'
A few days ago, after my advice—which became his flesh and blood—Erich was able to change. Watching with a pleased heart, I could see Erich side by side with Luize, absorbed in confectionery-making.
"When it's like this, you do it this way!"
"Oh, I see."
Luize taught Erich enthusiastically, her face full of smiles. Honestly, Erich wasn't so much absorbed in confectionery as he was simply delighted to hear Luize's voice, but that was precisely what I'd advised him to do in the first place. You're doing well. Good job, Erich. Go ahead and win Luize over.
As Erich took the lead over the past few days in the five-way hopeless race of equally terrible suitors, the other four runners seemed to feel the pressure and gradually tried to participate in the confectionery-making as well. However, Erich, having seized the advantageous high ground for the first time, had no intention of being caught off guard, and managed to skillfully deflect others' interference, holding his position until now.
This is slightly irritating. If he could do this well when he put his mind to it, then why the hell has he been like this until now?
'Still, he should be fine on his own from here on out.'
I did resort to shock therapy because Erich's behavior was so frustrating, but I'm not really in a position to give anyone relationship advice in the first place. Now that he's overcome that frustration and successfully powered up, it's time to trust Erich. I'm an inspector and advisor, not some relationship manipulator.
"Wow, Erich's getting good at this now!"
Look at that—look at those corners of his mouth turning up.
As I watched the two with a mixture of exasperation and pride, my eyes met Luize's. She smiled gently and gave a slight nod, so I nodded back in response.
Thank you for being so kind to my hopeless brother, really... Though it was Luize who captivated my brother in the first place, that's the power of the original story, so it's force majeure. I've decided to think of it that way from now on. Luize is an innocent, flawless child who bears no guilt.
The weakest Erich's rebellion continued for several days. No, I misspoke. The strongest Erich's reign continued for several days. To be ahead against a constellation of men including an imperial prince—surely even the family head would be pleased. The Krasius family's child-rearing has yielded a bountiful harvest.
"Advisor. Do you have a moment?"
Just as I was about to leave the club room in high spirits, Later, who had unusually remained until the end, stopped me. Well, I'd expected him to speak up. He must have stayed behind until the end precisely because he had business with me.
"Sure, what is it?"
But since I had no idea what his business might be, I offered Later a seat and brought down the cookie jar from the shelf. Since Luize still made overwhelmingly more than Erich, it was a jar filled entirely with Luize's cookies.
Later's lips twitched slightly as he watched me set down the cookie jar. What on earth had the royal chef been feeding him to make his palate so picky? I'd brought it out thinking he might want something to snack on if our conversation ran long, but I guess I'd just eat them myself. They taste great, though.
Later watched silently as I naturally took out a cookie and popped it into my mouth. He tapped his index finger on the desk a few times, lost in thought. Then, as if he'd made up his mind, he spoke.
"I know you're busy with many things, so I won't beat around the bush."
Contrary to Later's words, my current life wasn't actually all that busy. Surprisingly, the six-member group gathered in the club had been behaving themselves, so I hadn't needed to clean up any messes. I suppose I could be grateful for that.
...No, wait, what the hell am I even thinking? I came to the Academy because of those bastards in the first place. Is this that Stockholm Syndrome thing? Was I seriously about to defend my perpetrators?
Despite these horrifying and depressing inner thoughts, I nodded to show my agreement, and Later got straight to the point without any preamble.
"Did you push Erich forward, Advisor?"
I, who had just put my second cookie in my mouth, couldn't help but stare at Later at those words. Taking my silent response however he chose, Later continued speaking.
"Ever since you went out with Erich a few days ago, Advisor, Erich's behavior has become more proactive."
Well, of course it had. I'd verbally beaten him senseless—if he didn't change after that, would he even be human? At the very least, my younger sibling falls into the category of a normal person.
"And since then, your gaze has frequently turned toward Erich, Advisor."
Of course it had. I believed my younger sibling had changed, but I'd still watched with an anxious, trembling heart, worried about the possibility that my advice might not have gotten through. Fortunately, Erich ran at the head of the race and put my anxious heart to rest.
"So I couldn't help but think that Erich had started moving after receiving advice from you, Advisor."
Then Later fell silent again, quietly staring at me. It seemed like he was asking whether his guess was correct, or perhaps asking if I had anything to say. Well, only Later would know what he really meant. The guy's expression never changed.
"You're right. I gave Erich some advice as his older brother."
At my calm affirmation, Later let out a small sigh. I understood this one. It was the reaction of hearing that a guess you'd hoped was wrong had actually been correct. I'd experienced it plenty of times myself.
"Advice as his older brother, I see."
"Is there a problem?"
"Not at all. I simply didn't anticipate your involvement, Advisor."
Having said that, Later clasped his hands together on the desk and tilted his head to one side.
"The five of us—including Erich, of course—were all exercising mutual restraint."
I'm well aware. I was the one who watched it all from the closest vantage point, after all.
From an observer's perspective, it was a frustrating battle of wits, but it wasn't entirely incomprehensible behavior. The five had only been able to meet Luize after enrolling, and it was their first time seeing the other four who would compete for her attention. They needed to assess what kind of people their rivals were before they could get a feel for how to act.
In summary, the high-ranking officials had brought their high society habits straight into the Academy.
"That standoff crumbled when Erich made his move. And he claimed the title of being the first to actively approach Luize, no less."
Later let out another sigh, seemingly overwhelmed by the situation Erich had disrupted, before continuing.
"Sometimes the right answer is to move quickly rather than bide your time."
At those lament-like words, I momentarily lost my composure despite the fact that Later was royalty.
'What the hell is with this guy?'
If he was perceptive enough to notice that Erich's actions were the result of my instigation, then he at least possessed basic awareness. Very basic awareness, but still. That being the case, there was a high probability he'd known all along about the 'importance of taking the initiative' that he'd just voiced himself.
In reality, while those suspected intelligence-regressed fools blinded by love were busy digging their own graves, Erich had escaped the battle of wits and chosen to charge straight ahead, achieving results. Just as Later said, quick and proactive action had been the correct answer when it came to Luize.
After a moment's consideration, I voiced the thought I'd been keeping to myself. Seeing how he'd suddenly grabbed me to pour out this whole story, it probably wouldn't cause much trouble if I was somewhat honest too.
"You knew that and still...?"
At my words, which were closer to a mutter, Later had nothing to say and quietly averted his gaze.
A suffocating silence descended upon the club room.
After Later left, I remained alone in the club room. I stared at the spot where Later had been sitting just moments ago.
'What a novel bastard this one is.'
A laugh escaped me unbidden. Recalling the last words Later had uttered just before leaving, I couldn't help but laugh.
"I would ask that you, Advisor, merely observe."
The true purpose of this conversation, which Later—seemingly embarrassed by his own monumental blunder—had revealed only after what felt like ten minutes but was actually ten seconds of keeping his mouth shut. It was a request that went beyond me not giving Erich advice—he was asking me not to interfere in the competition among the five at all.
He must have been anxious. He'd concluded that if Erich continued receiving my help, there would be no real competition. But telling me outright not to help Erich would be too blatant, so he expanded the scope to the competition among the five itself. Since I had no intention of helping anyone other than Erich anyway, it amounted to the same thing.
Of course, I'd already planned to leave the competition entirely to Erich from now on, so I nodded readily enough. That seemed to put him at ease. Later's expression relaxed a bit, and he even apologized for making such an impertinent request. It didn't feel too bad, so I accepted his apology as well.
"Did I underestimate these kids too much?"
Without realizing it, I'd apparently been treating the five club members as nothing more than the love-struck male leads from the original story. It had already been five years since I'd possessed into this world. Even knowing that the people here didn't move as simplistically as characters in a novel, I'd still looked down on the five.
To be fair, watching their gut-wrenching battles of wits, it was hard not to view the five as simple cases of intelligence degradation. Anyone else would have felt the same. Why dance around with tap steps when there's a shortest route to conquest right there?
Still, just as Erich had changed following my advice and Later had tried to break through his disadvantageous situation, the five's behavioral patterns were varied and far from simple. Seeing it firsthand left me feeling rather pleased. It made me think that perhaps they weren't merely entranced by Luize through the power of the original story, but truly, genuinely smitten and putting in real effort.
"Just keep things reasonable and do your best."
Humming to myself, I popped another cookie into my mouth. As Later wished, I wouldn't throw my weight behind any particular person—but if the competition intensified in an unhealthy direction, I'd intervene immediately and tear them apart.
Come to think of it, wasn't this pleasant feeling just my defensive instincts kicking in, having sensed a future of suffering caught between the five? I'd need to stay in good spirits if I wanted to endure being squeezed between them for long.