Marie’s Mystery

Mark spoke to Kent with polite words, but with an attitude that looked down on him. Mark was one school year below Kent and was the son of the knight commander. In the game Otherworld School Story, which was thought to be the basis of the world Kent had reincarnated into, he was one of the characters the protagonist Rachel could pursue.

“I placed a warning letter in your desk yesterday. Did you read it?”

“Yes, I read it. At first, I did not know who it was referring to, but if you are the sender, I understand who it means. However, I respectfully refuse.”

Kent was somewhat irritated by the one-sided demand. Because of that, his reply ended up carrying a slightly thorny tone.

“Hoho. So you are saying you cannot obey what I, the son of the knight commander, say. I had shown you respect because, although you are a commoner, you are still my senior, but it seems there is no need for that.”

“Why would this son of the knight commander be interested in Marie-san, a commoner? If you are a noble, should you not choose your partner from among the nobles?”

Kent and Mark began arguing in the hallway. Kent was famous in his class, but within the academy, he was not a very conspicuous presence, according to Kent’s own judgment. However, Mark was popular and famous enough to be among the top three in the academy. Because Mark had begun arguing, the surrounding students, especially the female students, began gathering to see what was going on. Josette, who had been with him, thought that a woman should not interfere in a battle between men, and stepped back to quietly observe. Because of that, she ended up blending in with the surrounding spectators.

“Mark-sama has started arguing with someone.”

“I wonder who his opponent is.”

“Is it not the person named Kent, who always has many women attending him?”

“Yes, yes, that person.”

Kent himself had not realized it, but surprisingly, he was famous.

“Tch, it seems a few too many people have gathered. Let us continue this another day. Then, excuse me.”

Saying that, Mark left. The spectators around them also lost interest and dispersed, leaving only Josette behind.

“My precious time with Kent-san… I will repay him for this someday. Hehehe.”

Saying that, Josette raised her middle finger toward the direction Mark had left. Kent inwardly thought that Rachel had probably taught her this gesture as well.

“Kent-san, unfortunately, it is almost time for classes to begin. In the end, all it did was make us feel unpleasant, but let us go to the classroom.”

“Yeah.”

Josette naturally held Kent’s hand and pulled him along as they headed to the classroom.

“And that is what happened.”

“Huh, so Mark did that.”

“That must have been a disaster for you, Kent-san.”

It became lunch break, and Kent had gathered behind the school building with Josette, Caro, and Rachel, the usual four, to eat lunch. When Josette talked about what had happened that morning, Rachel’s face became lively, as if she had found something interesting, while Caro was worried about Kent.

“But this is the first time I learned that Mark liked older women. So, Big Brother, you have absolutely no intention of handing Marie-san over, right?”

Rachel said that happily, interested in how things had developed into something unknown even from her game knowledge.

“Well, I have absolutely no intention of handing her over.”

“As expected of Big Brother. Not handing over a harem member no matter what, how greedy. By the way, how old is Marie-san?”

When Rachel said that, Kent thought about it. However, although he knew her approximate age range, he did not remember ever asking her exact age.

“What a nasty way to say harem member. I’ve never asked her age. Catherine is twelve, so if Marie-san gave birth to Catherine when she was twenty, she’d be around thirty-two?”

“If we follow that calculation, if she gave birth at eighteen, she would be thirty.”

“I thought Marie-san was only a little older than me… but if I think about it, that’s true.”

“Actually, Marie-san’s skin is very beautiful. I think even compared to us, there is probably no difference in firmness or anything like that.”

Kent, Josette, Rachel, and Caro each said what they thought.

“But there was a time when Marie-san suddenly became as beautiful as she is now. Before that, I do not know her actual age, but I feel like her appearance was around the age everyone was imagining.”

Caro said that while thinking back to a little while ago. In terms of the order in which they met Marie, after Kent, Caro had met her next. Caro seemed to have something in mind.

“Hey, hey, Caro. What caused her to suddenly become beautiful? I’m really curious.”

“Um, you know that Marie-san and Catherine-chan used to live on the second floor of the bakery, right?”

“The second floor of the place where the current workshop is, right?”

“That is right. When I first began staying at Kent-san’s house, they still lived there.”

“Oh, I see.”

“But Catherine-chan took a liking to Kent-san’s house and ended up settling in there.”

“Because of that, Kent-san ended up having a relationship with Marie-san…”

“Whoa, so that’s why you attacked Marie-san. Big Brother, you beast.”

“Kent-san, you are the worst.”

Rachel and Josette looked at Kent with eyes full of contempt.

“Please don’t look at me like that, both of you…”

“I believe I understand that Kent-san is that sort of person. However, I do feel a little frustrated.”

“Big Brother doesn’t discriminate once he sees a woman, after all… I’m acting together with him too, so I guess he’ll do me eventually.”

Josette and Rachel said that to Kent.

“Now, returning to the original topic, after they began living together, she became the way she is now.”

“So if you have a relationship with Big Brother, you can become beautiful. I see.”

“No, that is not it. I think it was because she used the skincare products, facial cleanser, shampoo, and other things that he prepared for me.”

“I see. The things Big Brother can procure have helped me too, after all.”

Rachel said that as if she understood. When they first began living together, Marie and Catherine used Caro’s things, but now they each used their own dedicated products suited to their own preferences.

“Come to think of it, Patty-san has recently become extremely popular with the boys in our class. I wonder if that is related.”

Josette said that while remembering the environment surrounding Patty yesterday and today.

“Patty-san doesn’t have any outstanding physical features in terms of appearance, but she has a well-balanced average look, and the original material is good. I think if she polishes herself, she’ll become popular.”

Rachel said that in a way that made it unclear whether she was praising her or insulting her.

“Could it be that if Kent-san provided me with such things as well, my charm would increase?”

“I think if Big Brother accepts you as you are now, then it’s better to stay as you are. If you carelessly increase your charm, other people might start approaching you.”

“That would be unpleasant.”

Josette seemed to accept what Rachel said.

After that, time passed while they talked about various things regarding the products they used.

“I am sorry, but I must go to the teacher before class begins, so please allow me to return first.”

Since they had already finished eating and there was no problem, Kent and the others returned to their classrooms a little earlier than usual, matching Caro, who spoke apologetically. However, Kent’s seat had been occupied by a group of male students surrounding Patty, making it unusable.