Title: I Can’t Believe She Ran Away
Original: Son’na, nige rareru nante
Author: ニノハラ リョウ Ryo Ninohara
Link: https://novel18.syosetu.com/n5132hy/
Summary: One day, His Highness the Crown Prince ordered me to investigate a certain female student. She was suspected to be dabbling in charm magic. Since the plan was to catch her red-handed, I had no choice but to approach her, but my beloved fiancée misunderstood the nature of our relationship …and escaped—!?
- A story told from the perspective of an infatuated yandere male lead (but rather dense), Rufus, who was begging for the heroine’s love. He was the male protagonist of “Yes, Let’s Run Away”
Part 1
Would anyone be willing to listen?
…To the excuse of this man, who could be called a scumbag. Or rather, a snake.
“…Aah, her hair, as brown as a fudge, and her orange eyes, they always seem so delectable—! I want to have a taste! Will it be as sweet as her, I wonder? Someday, I’d like to ascertain for myself. Also, what’s with that tiny, adorable nose? Or those rosy lips? …Her luscious lower lip is begging for my kiss… Oh, no, no, no, what if other men were to see it!? Should I gag her!? No, merely hiding her lips won’t be enough. I have to protect her lovely face—no, her entire existence, from others! I want to eliminate those who dare to look at her and harbor malicious thoughts about her… Or basically, anyone who laid eyes on her…
“—Moreover, what’s with that school uniform!? It deserves a million deaths for accentuating Arusha’s curves with its design—!
“Even if the skirt extends below her knees, I can still catch a glimpse of her delicate ankles and softly-curved calves!
“…Ah, how I want to explore that curve with my lips! No, not only her calves, but also her lovely little knees, her thighs, and then—! Ugh—!! …Alfredo, can you please stop kicking my shin? You’ll soil my uniform.”
“…Whose fault it is for staring at someone’s little sister in the middle of the day with such eyes—!? You should be grateful that I didn’t report you to the academy security!”
“I was merely stating a fact. From the moment I beheld Arusha’s enchanting beauty, along with her loveliness, I just couldn’t help myself. Aah, for someone like her to be my fiancée… Just how many good deeds did I amass in my previous life? God, I thank thee…”
From the moment I saw my fiancée, who emerged from the other side of the hall, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. Which, in turn, earned me a kick on the shin from Alfredo.
“…Actually, you should thank both of our parents for approving the engagement. Yeah, we just got fed up with your barrage of proposals. Actually, they were just relenting to your incessant demands…”
My dear fiancée was the daughter of a margrave, Arusha Stein.
…As for the man who skeptically eyed me, it was her older brother, Alfredo, who also happened to be my friend.
“Isn’t it a given? From the moment we first met, I knew that Arusha was my destiny. We’re fated to be together. Hence, I shall do my best in weeding out those who interfere with that fate. Besides, my family’s accomplishments will now be yours, as well. So, what gives?
“Look at how cute and adorable Arusha is! Somehow, she’s also a dignified beauty, almost like a saint. She’s the best woman ever. If I don’t tie the knot soon and let my surroundings know how important she is to me, she’ll only be swarmed with insects!”
“…As usual, you seem to be madly in love, Rufus. But make no mistake, my Leticia is the best woman.”
The one who began to fawn over the beauty of his fiancée was none other than the crown prince of that country—Prince Reinhardt. We humbly allowed his presence among us.
He was extremely talented in both literary and military arts, so it was a great honor to be his comrade. Nevertheless, when it came to taste in women, the prince still had a long way to go.
…For Arusha was the best woman—
—the best that ever was.
“…My Leticia is the best woman, alright?”
…It’s as if he can read my mind.
I stared at the prince in protest.
“No, Rufus, you’re just an open-book… Well, I beg to differ, the best, finest, and mightiest woman is my Rosa! My fiancée is number one!”
Alfredo began to boast about his fiancée.
“No, no, my Leticia is still the best? In this kingdom, who’s more suitable for the role of future crown princess and queen other than her?”
“No, no, no…”
“No, no, no, no…”
“What are the three of you fussing about?”
A calm female voice interrupted their standstill.
“—Letty! My beautiful rose! How are you?”
Prince Reinhardt greeted the owner of the refreshing voice in an exaggerated manner.
I could see Arusha behind her.
Apparently, she spotted us and came over.
When I turned my gaze at Arusha, she smiled sweetly at me.
“Good evening, Lord Rufus.”
“Good evening.”
—Arusha, you look so adorable today! I can’t believe that merely being reflected in your eyes can fill me with so much joy!
As I captured Arusha’s every movement with my eyes, she knitted her eyebrows in a slightly troubled manner.
“…Oh, that’s right. Arusha, are you going to the hospital?”
Arusha, whose eyes swum in trouble, lightly nodded at her brother’s words.
“Indeed. Visiting the relief center is perfect to study healing magic. Not only can I research various cases, I can also help everyone…”
“…I see.”
—Arusha, you’re working hard every day to become a proper healing magician, don’t you? I have to strive harder so that I won’t lose to you! Even so… thinking about those who’d receive her healing magic, I can’t help but feel jealous! Oh, how sweet-tasting would her magic be! After all, considering her gentle demeanor…
“…If you continue being absent-minded, I’ll leave you behind, Rufus.”
As I thought about Arusha’s comforting magic, Alfredo tapped me on the shoulder.
“—Huh!? …What!? What happened!? Where’s Arusha!?”
When I regained my senses and looked around, her cute figure was nowhere to be found.
“What are you talking about? If it’s Arusha, she has already gone to the hospital!”
At Alfredo’s words, my shoulders sank dejectedly.
“Is that so…? Even though I want to spend more time with her…”
“Then why didn’t you just say so earlier!? I don’t think you could even call that a conversation? What if Arusha misunderstood that you despise her?”
I involuntarily refuted Leticia’s words.
“N-no way! As if I can bear to despise Arusha! I can’t even begin to imagine that! Please refrain from making such a terrible joke! Not only is Arusha cute, she’s also devoted to her healer training. To top it off, she never neglected her duty as a student! How am I supposed to hate someone like that!?”
“Even if you say so…”
Placing her finger on her chin, Leticia muttered in great astonishment. At that moment, Prince Reinhardt advised her.
“Well, well, at this rate, you’ll only hurt Rufus, so leave him be… More importantly, I’d like to request something of you. It’d be better if Arusha were here, but… For now, let’s head to my office.”
After that, Prince Reinhardt began walking with Leticia, so Alfredo and I followed after him.
“A charm magic-user…?”
The prince suddenly broke such a news to us. We’d gathered at the office prepared by the academy for the prince to deal with sudden official duties.
“That’s correct. The problem is, there’s no evidence as of the present, so it’s nothing more than a suspicion. Well, this is where you come in. I’d like you to gather evidence that charm magic has indeed been used.”
“Eh.”
“Eeh.”
“Eh.”
“How annoying.”
“…What’s with all of you? Especially you, Alfredo. Do you know of the word ‘blasphemy’?”
“At the academy, everyone is equal, right?”
When Alfredo replied with a strangely theatrical, high-pitched voice to the prince, the latter could only smile wryly.
“Although, well, it seems that Alfredo is already familiar with the topic. Great, I don’t have to waste my breath.”
“It’s precisely because I know that I don’t want to get involved… But is it really magic magic?”
Alfredo seemed honestly disgusted. While he was an expressive man, it was rare for him to make such an expression.
At the same time, I agreed that Alfredo’s previous words could be considered blasphemy. If any of the academy higher-ups were here, they’d surely shake their heads.
Certainly, this academy—which was mostly attended by aristocratic children—valued equality. However, it might not be in the way you’d expect. The academy only served as an environment that provided “equality” to learn regardless of peerage. Therefore, it wasn’t a place where one could simply ignore another’s status.
Rather, the academy was supposed to serve as a miniature society to prepare the students before entering society, making it a place where one could actively learn how to behave and carry yourself based on your peerage. In short, it was a place where one’d learn to understand the difference in status.
Even if the prince allowed us to treat him like an equal, it was still inappropriate for Alfredo to say such things.
Did I miss something?
After all, it was difficult to believe that there was someone in this academy who’d make such a careless remark…
This may be more troublesome than I thought.
“It seems that His Highness and Alfredo have understood the assignments. So, for today, I’ll entrust the matter to the two of you…”
The duke’s son, who also served as the student council president, was also summoned to the office.
…For some reason, he seemed eager to leave.
“No, wait. Listen until the end! The mission came from the royal palace!”
“Eeh, somehow, it’s becoming more and more troublesome…”
The earl’s son, who was a year younger than me, was also summoned to the office. He seemed disgruntled.
“Everyone, I know you did this for me, but you don’t have to go this far!”
“—Listen when someone’s talking!”
The prince raised his voice when Alfredo spoke in ridicule, so I decided to listen quietly.
According to the prince, it seemed that the uproar was caused by a certain female student. The student, who was originally a commoner, was adopted by a baron family due to her magical power. Afterwards, they decided to enroll her in this academy.
Based on the rumors, the female student was so beautiful, many male students were attracted to her akin to a moth to a flame. Her entourage continued to grow. At first, it only consisted of single, low-ranking aristocrats. But now, half a year after the appearance of that student, high-ranking aristocrats had joined the fray.
“—Indeed, due to the influence of the [Saint and the Beast], it’s common for the students of the academy to try and find their suitor here. While it isn’t a major issue, but…”
The prince sighed.
By the way, the [Saint and the Beast] turmoil did actually happen. In the past, there existed a certain noble lady. While her status wasn’t very high, she was adept at healing magic, to the point she became known as the Saint. Later, she ended up marrying a burly student with a roguish look, who was also a pro at martial arts. The male student, who came from a high-ranking family, was the so-called Beast. Suffice to say, their romance became widely-known, and was even adapted into books and plays.
“…Please stop using the [Saint and the Beast] as a reference. Listening to your parent’s love life from others is really unnerving.”
Alfredo muttered in a somber tone.
—Yes, the [Saint and the Beast] was indeed referring to the parents of both Alfredo and Arusha.
“Well, well, don’t say that. It serves as a good source of entertainment for the people.”
“No, you don’t understand. Soon, the Royal Theatre will play that again. Afterwards, there’d be a surge of people who come to ascertain whether or not the story is true… It’s just an endless hassle…”
“Now that you mention it, a stunt actor who can jump from the second floor of the academy for the role of the saint has been found.”
Certainly, the scene where the saint jumped down could be said to be the biggest highlight of the story.
Unfortunately, only a few actors could pull that off. The stage play wasn’t only popular because of the story, but also due to the fact that they seldom hired the same actors. As a result, gaining the opportunity to star in that play could be considered as an honor in and on itself.
“Huh, jumping from the roof of the school building…? According to my mother—never mind, I don’t really care. So, please go on with the story of that suspicious female student.”
“…We got derailed for a moment, there. Well, recently, men with fiancées began to join her entourage, as well. Nowadays, finding a partner in the academy is the norm. Sometimes, it’s either a political marriage with strict circumstances, or someone who strongly wishes to protect their partner from cretins. I mean, surely, there are many cases like that? For example, like me and Leticia?”
“Rosa and I are also engaged out of our own accord?”
“Of course, the same goes for me and Arusha—”
“—Is that what you think?”
“What about it?”
“…I wonder if I should tell him.”
“…Your Highness, Alfredo, and Lady Leticia, do you have any doubts about my engagement with Arusha?”
As expected, I couldn’t see anyone’s eyes but Alfredo’s.
From a political perspective, it was true that I desired Arusha—a talented healer—to be a member of our marquis family. But it was more than that. What made me enamored with Arusha, who was as lovely as a fairy, was her determination to practice healing magic so that she could help others.
Hence why I had to make sure that we were engaged before we enrolled in the academy. After all, there was no way anyone could resist her charm! …As if I could allow that…
Yes, those who flocked around her, how should I deal with them?
“Earth to Rufus. Rufus, come back to us, please. Your face is honestly terrifying. Like, what were you thinking? Well, back to the main topic, I was already wary when an engaged noble joined her entourage, but that man finally annulled his engagement. Besides, it was only some low-ranking nobles at first, so I didn’t intervene. The other day, a certain high-ranking aristocrat caused a commotion about annulment of the engagement…”
I was surprised to hear the name of said high-ranking aristocrat. After all, he got engaged with his childhood sweetheart out of love, and they were famous for it at the academy.
“—Furthermore, his ex-fiancée was said to have bullied the baroness, leading to more commotion. When their families attempted to resolve the issues, it was revealed that the baroness was the one who instigated it. In truth, the ex-fiancée never did anything to her. However, by that point, the ex-fiancée had already been denounced in public. To take responsibility, the families ended the engagement.”
“…That commotion was really hard to contain.”
Perhaps remembering the commotion at that time, the student council clutched his forehead and groaned.
…So, that was their ground for suspecting that the baroness had used charm magic? Certainly, it was difficult to imagine that he’d just forsake his fiancée for another, but was that really it?
Maybe, I was just in denial. I didn’t want to think that a mere young lady would resort to charm magic. After all, the slightest mistake would prove to be fatal. If it was proven that she’d indeed dabbled in charm magic, capital punishment was the only thing that awaited her.
“I know, which is why I attached a shadow to her. The result of his investigation led me to believe that she’d used charm magic. As you may already know, to apprehend a charm magic-user, we have to catch her in the act. That’s part of the rules. Also, it seems that the culprit is no longer satisfied with merely ensnaring high-ranking aristocrats and destroying their engagements. Hence, I’d like you guys to act as decoys and capture her.”
“…Your Highness, in short?”
“…Never let her approach me. Keep her out of my sight. Anyone who dares to ruin my relationship with Leticia—even if it’s just an attempt—deserves to die. Frankly speaking, as the prince, I can’t overlook her misuse of charm magic. Therefore, my goal is to seize evidence and corner her.”
“…Can we refuse?”
Since it was an order from the prince, I had to obey. But I didn’t like the idea in the slightest. Arusha was the only woman in my life. I didn’t want to string along another woman. I didn’t like it. I hated it. I’d like to refuse—
“—Of course, the answer is no. I want each of you to wear this magical instrument and take care of the matter.”
The prince proceeded to take out ear cuffs and bangles with iridescent magic stones on the desk.
“This is…?”
Alfredo examined the ear cuff with great interest, spinning it and observing it under the sun.
When I picked up one of the bangles and stared at the magic stone embedded in it, I realized that the magical power contained in it was very familiar.
“Your Highness, could this be…?”
“As expected of Rufus. Your guess is correct. The creator of this magical instrument was none other than your predecessor, the former Marquis Turan.”
“Huh—!? The Visionary Tactician—!?”
Unraveling the battlefield as if he had a bird eye. Always a step ahead of his enemies. Could suppress the battlefield and prevent major casualties… It was as if the man could see the future. The former knight commander, who was known as the Visionary Tactician, was my grandfather. As of the present, he’d passed down the title to my father.
Even though the world knew him as this famous general, as far as I was concerned, as soon as the war died down, he delegated all his duties to my father so that he could retire to his territory and focus on his hobby—
—which happened to be inventing a magical instrument.
“…Yes, these devices have been entrusted to the royal palace for a long time. We were told that if an abnormal situation occurs in the academy, in which multiple high-ranking aristocrats fought for a low-ranking or commoner, we have to consider the possibility of charm magic and use them. The time has finally come.”
“…It’s as if he knew this would happen!”
The student council president murmured in awe while rolling the ear cuff on his palm.
“Makes me wonder if something similar has taken place before?”
The earl’s son, who’d put the bangle on his arm, turned to look at the prince.
In response, the prince sent a meaningful glance at Alfredo. He took a deep breath before continuing.
“Well… Just once, during the [Saint and the Beast] uproar…”
“Huh!? Did you suspect that my mother used charm magic!?”
Alfredo exclaimed in protest while kicking his chair away.
“Being utterly honest with you, we’d suspected that to be the case with your mother. After all, there were some members of the royal family amongst those who were infatuated with her. However, your mother only ever had eyes for your father. Long story short, after a lot of trouble, the whole academy got involved and they tied the knot. Thus, the suspicion subsided.”’
“Ooh, I remember that. In order to save the Beast, she casted healing magic on the entire school grounds. The audience really loved that part.”
The earl’s son nodded, but I wasn’t sure if he truly understood…
“No, that’s just overly-dramatized. According to my father, it was at most about the size of an entire school building.”
“That’s still amazing, though…?”
The prince spoke in exasperation.
“Is that so? If it’s just a wide area heal, my Rosa can do it. Of course, the same goes for Arusha.”
“…As expected of the frontier.”
What’s with everyone?
I know well that my Arusha was an excellent healer. Of course, I was also aware that it was the result of her relentless efforts.
I was so proud of her—and at the same time, I was worried that someone else would snatch her away because she was too talented.
As I agonized about losing Arusha, the conversation shifted to the functions and uses of the magical instruments.
“—Well, let’s put the past aside and focus on the present. As for how to use this magical instrument, first of all, the ear cuff detects and protects its wearer against charm magic. If someone were to cast charm magic in your vicinity, you’d immediately smell something pungent.”
“Smell…?”
The prince made a disgusted face while pointing at the ear cuff.
“…That’s right. Apparently, this thing will connect to your sense of smell. Regardless of whether it’s a passive or active magic, if charm magic was used nearby, it’ll smell terrible. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. It seems that the smell will persist as long as the charm magic is nearby.”
Hearing that, everyone became disconcerted.
By the way, by passive magic, the prince was referring to the one that the user casted on herself. Said magic would cause her to appear more attractive to others. In such a case, even if she was caught red-handed, it’d be a relatively minor crime.
On the other hand, active magic was the one targeted at others. By casting such magic, the victim would be subjected to mind control. It was considered a felony, and the culprit would be severely punished.
Perhaps in this case as well, at first, she merely used passive charm magic to attract a lot of male attention, before finally resorting to active charm magic.
The prince tasked us to find evidence that she used active charm magic.
I could see why we mustn’t let such a dangerous person go unchecked. Still, what a repulsive mission.
“—Let’s move on to the bangle. It has the ability to repel active charm magic, while also recording magic activity. The fact that this bangle has been activated will serve as a proof. Moreover, it can also record the magical power of the caster. If we manage to record it, no further evidence will be necessary.
“So, I’d like you to wear these magic instruments and approach the suspect. Oh, by the way, since Alfredo and Rufus are engaged, they’ll have to explain the situation properly to their respective fiancée. Especially you, Rufus—! You have to explain everything to Ms. Arusha, you hear me—!? Everything—!”
…Why me?
The prince emphasized it to me for some reason…
But of course, I wouldn’t know what to do if something were to befall my Arusha, so I’ll explain to her.
“—Still, this is Rufus we’re talking about. I have nothing but anxiety. Well, only Rufus and Alfredo are engaged, and since Ms. Rosa is in the frontier, I don’t think it’ll lead to anything. Alright, I’ve decided. Everyone besides Rufus will play the active roles.”
When the prince spoke exasperatedly, the three of us—except for me—nodded in understanding.
While it was extremely regrettable, I disliked the idea of approaching someone other than Arusha, so it was fine. Luckily, I could just entrust the matter to the other three.
“Lastly, the suspect also has quite a nasty hobby. She loves to manipulate those around her to bully the fiancée of her victims. …So, Rufus. Just in case, refrain from contacting Arusha until the matter is over. I’ll ensure her safety, but it’d be better to avoid unnecessary risks.”
“Your Highness… I always write letters to Arusha three times a day. Every lunch break, I’d admire Arusha as she adorably munched on some cakes, or when she’d inadvertently stuck out her cute tongue when the coffee was too hot. At that moment, I couldn’t help but fantasize about taking her to the theater—while holding her hands, of course. Then, I’d take advantage of the darkness to wrap my arms around her waist, or even place her on my lap! In the meantime, I’ll drop a kiss on her lovely cheek—are you telling me to not get carried away and kiss her lips!?”
“—That’s a lot of letters!!”
“—Your Highness, that’s not the point! Advise him against sexually harassing other people’s sister!!”
“—Alfredo, that’s not the point, either! Worry about your sister’s chastity! Rufus is still a student and in the engagement stage, so be careful!”
…For some reason, the student council president’s hand flew towards my head.
—What’s so wrong with admiring my lovely fiancée?
“For the time being, each of you should equip these magical instruments, and explain it to those who’re concerned. After all, it’s a long mission—one that’d span for half a year until we graduate.”
“““Understood!”””
We received the prince’s order.
At that time, since the other three would be in charge of the mission, I didn’t think anything would happen…
…How mistaken I was.
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