Lights out the grid, p.1
Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs, Volume 4, page 1
Table of Contents
Color Gallery
Title Page
Copyrights and Credits
Table of Contents Page
Prologue
Chapter 1: The Alzer Republic
Chapter 2: The Academy
Chapter 3: Twins
Chapter 4: The Republic's Nobility
Chapter 5: Oath to the Sacred Tree
Chapter 6: Betrayal
Chapter 7: The Descendants of Adventurers
Chapter 8: The Sacred Tree's Sapling
Chapter 9: A Despicable Trap
Chapter 10: Marie's Turn
Chapter 11: Leon's Turn
Chapter 12: The One-Horned Beast
Chapter 13: The Oblivious Protagonist
Epilogue
Afterword
Newsletter
Prologue
RELATIONSHIPS ARE FUNNY THINGS. They’re difficult to cultivate when you want them, and they fall apart so easily. Then there are the relationships that you can’t escape, even if you want to.
My name is Leon Fou Bartfort, and I was standing on the Einhorn’s deck, holding a scrubbing brush under the blinding sun with my sleeves and pant legs rolled up.
As you might have guessed from the vessel’s name, the Einhorn’s most eye-catching feature was the horn protruding from its bow. The ship was painted wine-red, accented with gold and silver plating, and it measured about two hundred meters long. Despite its aristocratic exterior, it had been built by my partner, Luxion. As such, the inside couldn’t have been more different from most ships in this world.
I was heading to the Alzer Republic with plans to study abroad. Let’s just call it a stroke of bad luck. I was a mere student, but I’d somehow managed to land the title of earl, and that meant I had to travel in style. Hence the ship.
“Hey, you better listen up, you morons!” I yelled from the deck.
A group of people stood in front of me, including the wicked witch herself, Marie Fou Lafan. Marie looked dainty, but she was surprisingly resilient. The wind blew through her golden hair, and she reached up to pin it back with her hand.
In my previous life, she’d been my little sister, and until recently, the two of us had been bitter foes. I’d never dreamed we’d known each other before we reincarnated here. It didn’t seem fair that I’d been reborn in a new world only to somehow still end up stuck with this pest.
“This is against my will,” I complained. “Entirely against my will! But since I have no choice, I’ll be looking after you all. Having said that, don’t expect to get fed if you can’t work for yourselves!”
Julius Rapha Holfort and his friends glowered at me, cleaning utensils in hand. Still, he didn’t have much right to whine. After the war against House Fanoss, Julius was a prince in name only.
“It’s not as though we’re pleased with this situation either,” Julius complained, the wind whipping through his navy-blue hair.
He looked away, displeasure written all over his face. He pissed me off. Okay, so it wasn’t just him. They all pissed me off.
He and the other guys on my ship were all love interests from the stupid otome game I’d somehow ended up living in, and none of them seemed much happier about that than I was.
The first to speak up was Jilk Fia Marmoria, Julius’s foster brother, his green hair pulled back in a ponytail. “His Highness is right. I have no desire to be ‘looked after,’ and least of all by you. I have only joined you because Her Majesty ordered me to do so.”
Jilk was a scheming and dastardly worm, and I was in no mood to put up with him.
“And if Her Majesty hadn’t ordered me to look after you,” I said, “then you’d all be fish food by now. Be grateful, you useless louts.”
My words fell on deaf ears.
As I did my best to put them in their place, Greg Fou Seberg glared back at me defiantly. He had spiky short hair and a noticeably toned body. “Bartfort, it’s not as though we want to go to Alzer with you.”
Yeah, same here, buddy. I laughed dryly. “What a coincidence, because I don’t want to go either. On top of that, I have to deal with you jerks! What kind of nightmare is this?”
Chris Fia Arclight was the next to complain. He pushed his glasses up his nose under side-parted blue hair. This guy was a genius with a sword. Some even said he could be the next Sword Saint. While Greg tended to be hotheaded, Chris was more calm and analytical. “If you’re so against studying abroad, you could have simply stayed in Holfort.”
Yeah, that’s exactly what I wanted to do!
Alas, sitting around would only have made me anxious. That was how I’d ended up in this mess.
“No more complaints, loser patrol,” I told them. “This is my ship, so you’d better do as I say. Just get that through your thick skulls, all right?”
Originally, I’d been tasked with heading to the Alzer Republic alone, but unfortunately some scumbag—cough cough, King Roland, cough cough—had put me on babysitting duty. Even then, I’d only gone along with it because Miss Mylene asked for my help. She was just too adorable to resist.
The last member of the idiot brigade was the narcissistic Brad Fou Field. He shrugged and shook his head. His long purple hair was pulled over his shoulder in a low ponytail. This spoiled brat was known for his excellent grades and skill with magic, but beyond that, he was pretty useless. “Who would have dreamed we would be studying together?” he said. “It would appear that the bond between us is as unbreakable as it is undesirable.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth!” I agreed. “I’m busy enough as it is. I don’t have time to play nanny to you creeps!”
They exchanged looks and muttered to each other.
Meanwhile, Kyle, Marie’s elf boy slave, gave the love interests a chilly look. “I do envy their ignorance a little,” he told Marie. “At least we won’t need to worry about where our next meal is coming from.”
Marie nodded. “Good point. We won’t go hungry so long as we’re with my bro—with Leon, I mean.”
The last member of our group was Carla Fou Wayne, who’d decided to join Marie’s entourage after Marie saved her from some bullies. Carla had a slender build and long, straight, navy-blue hair. “It is certainly a relief not to have to worry about food, Lady Marie!” she agreed.
The three of them seemed so genuinely happy about not starving.
Just…what kind of lives have you been living until now? I thought, hiding my face behind my hand. I wiped away my tears and turned back to bark at the idiot brigade. “Until we arrive in the Alzer Republic, you lot are in charge of cleaning the ship. You’ll earn three hundred dia a day. Once we dock, I’ll convert the total into the local currency and pay you in full.”
Julius’s eyes went wide. “Such a pitiful sum—are you trying to insult us?”
What was this guy talking about? That was almost three hundred U.S. dollars a day just for cleaning! Yet they all looked completely shocked.
“You’re a tyrant!” Jilk stepped back as though he couldn’t stand to be near me.
“You intend to force us to clean for that pittance?” Brad’s face contorted with confusion. “This is absurd!”
My shoulders slumped in exasperation. “What’s absurd is the incredible distance between your brains and the real world. Most people would jump at the chance for three hundred dia for a simple cleaning job. I’m being profoundly generous!”
With Luxion around, the Einhorn didn’t need a crew. That meant cleaning was the only real labor left to do. It seemed like the least these bums could do to earn their keep. I was even benevolent enough to offer them a salary, and they treated me like some kind of despot!
“Bartfort!” Greg declared, taking up a battle stance with his deck brush. “I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you shall treat us with more dignity!”
Was he serious? I was actually starting to pity these guys.
“Save the jokes for after you’ve finished working,” I said. “And make it more obvious that you’re messing around next time. I almost took you seriously.”
“I am deadly serious.”
I sighed and covered my face.
“How can anyone be allowed to treat another person like this?” Chris demanded, clenching his jaw.
All I was doing was asking them to work a normal day, and with a two-hour break in the middle. The way they were acting, you’d think I was out for their blood.
“You lot really are useless,” I moaned.
As they shot me angry looks, Marie was already heading inside with a bucket and mop. “Come on, Kyle. You too, Carla. Let’s get this over with.”
“Sounds good!” Kyle agreed. “This place is already pretty clean. I guess we just need to tidy the hallway and scrub the toilets?”
“Oh, I’ll do the lady’s restroom, Lady Marie!” Carla offered.
At least they seemed to be in good spirits.
“I can’t believe he’s offering them so much just to clean. My bro—ahem, I mean, Leon—sure is a sucker,” Marie said to herself as they disappeared inside.
For someone so skilled at manipulating people, she seemed to have a lot of trouble keeping things to herself. Even after being saddled with the band of blockheads, I found it kind of endearing. What was wrong with me?
“Bartfort!” Greg shouted a
I shot him an icy look before turning my gaze up at the sky. How did I end up stuck with these morons? And why am I headed for the Alzer Republic instead of enjoying my engagement to two beautiful women?
How could I have known that this awful otome game had a sequel?!
“I wonder how the two of them are doing…?” I muttered to myself.
“Hey!” Greg shouted. “Don’t ignore me!”
I turned my back on these yapping fools and started cleaning the deck.
“Baaaaaaaaartfoooooooort!”
“Oh, put a sock in it,” I grumbled. “You morons need to shut your traps and get cleaning.”
I brandished my broom in his direction, and that shut him up.
Just my luck, having to miss my honeymoon because of a stupid job transfer—I’m a stereotype! Why me?!
***
Back at the academy in Holfort, Olivia was in her room getting changed. Her uniform waited on its hanger, the patch on her jacket testament to her rank as a knight.
Livia had earned a medal for her service in the war against the former Principality of Fanoss. Her bright, flax-colored bob bounced around her chin. She had clear blue eyes, a gentle aura, and soft, voluptuous breasts.
“I wonder if I should buy a new one? But they’re all so expensive…” she waffled, reaching for her shirt.
Before she could decide either way, there was an urgent knock at her door.
“Livia? It’s me.”
Angie Rapha Redgrave. She, like Livia, was engaged to Leon.
“Oh, yes, come in,” Livia said without thinking, shortly before realizing that she was still in her underwear. “Uh, um…oh, no!”
She scrambled to pull on her skirt, lost her balance, and collapsed onto the floor just as the door swung open. Angie stepped inside, her fair hair braided and pulled back into a bun.
“Livia, a letter from Leon has just… Wait. What are you doing?”
“Owie,” Livia whimpered, slumped on the floor with her butt jutting up into the air.
Angie had an unflappably dignified air. When she saw Livia sprawled out on the floor, she frowned and offered her a hand. Angie’s uniform did little to hide her slender, fit form. Her breasts were larger than Livia’s, but they swelled despite their weight—perhaps a byproduct of her refinement and composure.
Livia reached for Angie’s hand, and Angie pulled her easily to her feet.
“Sorry,” Livia laughed, trying to play it off. “I tripped.”
“You know there’s no need to rush on my account,” said Angie. “And besides, I think you’ll want to see this.”
She turned her gaze to the white sphere floating beside her. It was about the size of a softball, with a large blue eye smack dab in the middle. Aside from the difference in color scheme, Cleare was practically identical to Luxion.
“I have an email from Master!” Cleare declared, happily circling the two girls.
“An email?” Livia asked. “What’s that?”
“Apparently it’s similar to a letter,” Angie explained. “But you can exchange correspondence without having to write anything down on paper.”
“These Lost Items sure are incredible,” said Livia, staring at Cleare in wonder.
Angie passed her a printed copy of the message. “It sounds like Prince Julius and the others are already making trouble for themselves.”
Livia read the missive over and a troubled smile rose to her lips.
Are the two of you well? I’m already exhausted.
The beginning sounded rather ominous, but it seemed like Leon was in good health—although he did have a number of complaints about his traveling companions.
Jilk went into a frenzy again today and started kicking up a fuss.
“Your treatment of us is unfair!”
I snorted and kicked their butts, but it only turned into a big, messy fight.
“Is Mr. Leon really all right?” Livia wondered.
“He’s fine,” said Cleare. “After all, he has Luxion with him. If anyone tries anything funny, Luxion will dispose of them without a trace.”
Unfortunately, her verbal tics were just as unsettling as Luxion’s.
Angie frowned. “You had better not ‘dispose’ of anyone. Not under any circumstances, understood?”
“Oh, I see—you’re secretly telling me that I should dispose of all of them, yes?”
“No! I meant exactly what I said, and you know it. Why would you even say something like that?”
As the two of them bantered, Livia finished reading Leon’s email.
It’s lonely here without you both. I’m already homesick.
“Oh, Mr. Leon…” Livia murmured, clutching the paper.
“That part is just lip service,” Cleare chimed in helpfully.
“Sorry?”
According to Cleare, Leon was doing fine on his own. Still, it made Livia smile to read his message. Leon was no different from when he had left.
“I’m glad he’s doing all right,” she said.
Angie nodded. “Indeed. We need to stay strong too. Speaking of which, aren’t you supposed to be taking those scholarship students on a tour of the academy today?”
“Oh, goodness! That’s right!” Livia cried. “I need to get ready!”
She scrambled to pull on her uniform, and Angie was quick to lend a hand. Cleare watched them both through her single blue eye.
***
I was in the dining hall with Marie while Luxion floated beside me. It was easy to forget that the metal sphere and single red eye wasn’t his real body—that he was actually a remote terminal for an entire spaceship.
“So,” Luxion said dispassionately. “The Alzer Republic is rich in resources and exports many of those goods abroad?”
Marie straightened from scrubbing the table and stretched. “Correct.”
“In other words, they’re a resource powerhouse, and their Sacred Tree is as large as a mountain?”
That was all news to me. I mean, I hadn’t even known that this stupid game had a sequel. As such, I was facing a serious information shortage. That’s where Marie came in. However, there was just one problem.
“And you don’t know anything else about this place?” Luxion asked.
“I already told you!” Marie said. “It’s been a long time since I played, okay? My memory is kinda fuzzy. And you can’t honestly expect me to remember every detail!”
I sprayed the table down with alcohol and polished it with a rag. “The information Miss Mylene gave us was more valuable than anything you’ve said,” I muttered.
According to Mylene, the Alzer Republic’s religion was centered around their Sacred Tree. It was the symbol of their control and smack-dab in the middle of their territory. Its roots extended beneath the six different lands, tying them together. Each land was ruled by one of the Six Great Houses, who came together to make any important decisions, making the country an aristocratic republic.
Even the Holfort Kingdom got its magic stones like Suspension Stones from the Alzer Republic. Holfort had once tried to invade, but they’d suffered a humiliating defeat in the war that followed. Since then, the two countries had managed to cultivate diplomatic ties.
The Holfort Kingdom wasn’t alone in its lust for Alzer’s resources. Over the years, other countries had set their eyes on the republic, only for them to face defeat as well. While it was on point to describe the Alzer Republic as a resource powerhouse, you would have been remiss not to mention that in the history of their nation, they’d never lost a defensive battle.
As we pestered Marie for more details, she paused to comb her shaky memory. “They’re called the Six Great Houses now,” she said. “But there used to be seven.”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard that from Miss Mylene—that ‘the house in charge of their joint assembly was driven to ruin a decade ago’ or something.”
“Bingo. The daughter of that fallen house is the protagonist of the second game.”
“What’s her name?”
“Her last name is Beltre, but it’s an alias. In the game, the player is free to choose her first name. She has pink twintails and tends to be candid. I remember her dialogue choices being pretty lively.”
“That’s unexpected,” I admitted. “Usually otome heroines are quiet and reserved.”
