Chapter 372. Anastasia and the Prime Minister (Part 1)
"It's not just four hundred years of loneliness; even in the way she faces Hachiman, her situation is identical to Betty's."
On the rooftop of the Roswaal mansion, Beatrice murmured softly. She had once stubbornly insisted on identifying Hachiman as "That Person," just as Shaula was now stubbornly trying to identify him as "Master." In truth, they both did so to soothe and satisfy themselves, neglecting Hachiman's own feelings in the process.
Granted, if Hachiman were to accept the titles of "That Person" or "Master," both girls would devote themselves entirely to him. One side would receive spiritual comfort, and the other would gain a substantial ally—a win-win situation for all.
But if he were the type to accept a title for the sake of profit, Hachiman wouldn't be Hachiman.
There isn't a second idiot like him in the entire world.
Perhaps others would refuse at first, but under Shaula's relentless assault, the only one who could persist in denial is Hachiman—the man who values the "Genuine" more than life itself.
"However, Betty is lucky."
"Indeed, you are fortunate." Agreeing with Beatrice's whisper, Roswaal sighed. "The assimilation with the Witch of Envy, Satella, allowed him to understand your four hundred years of solitude. That is why he was confident and forceful enough to drag you out of the Forbidden Library."
"But his current amnesiac self cannot possibly comprehend the feeling of guarding the Sage's Tower for four hundred years. Therefore, he will absolutely not try to console Shaula. To console someone without understanding them is hypocrisy; it's talking big while having no skin in the game. It is the purest form of 'Fake'."
"Hikigaya Hachiman—he would certainly think that way."
"…Master... you senile idiot!"
Echoing those thoughts, at the same time Beatrice was reflecting on luck and misfortune, Shaula stood in the Sage's Tower gazing at the sky. She held her hand high, trying to grasp the future Master, an act as futile as trying to scoop the moon out of the water.
Master has his stubbornness, and she has hers.
"Master is Master! You can't not be Master! No matter how your appearance, name, or personality changes, you are Shaula's Master! If you don't like the old name, then fine—Welcome back, Master! I, Shaula, have long awaited the return of the 'Genuine' Hikigaya Hachiman, Master!"
"The only thing this rebellious star pupil Shaula won't accept is Master saying he isn't Master. Not even if I die!"
Though in the same situation as Beatrice, she walked a completely different path. The headstrong Shaula possessed a stubbornness and persistence that was a direct lineage from her Master, Hikigaya Hachiman.
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Far away, in a well-lit mansion in the Royal Capital.
"Hmph… this level of obsession is, for now, worthy of praise."
Will clashing against will, each waiting for the other to compromise. The dynamic between Shaula and Hachiman reminded Priscilla of the fierce struggle between herself and "the dunce" in her own timeline. In the end, both sides had essentially taken a step back.
"Of course—I, without a doubt, did not compromise or retreat. That was merely a reward granted to the dunce!"
Priscilla's stubborn pride was something Al took at face value—nodding along with a "yes, yes, right, right." One had to agree, after all, or face the threat of death.
However, Priscilla knew that Shaula and Hachiman could not replicate her situation. Either Shaula would give up, or Hachiman would. In this confrontation, there wasn't much room for a middle ground: either he is the Master, or he isn't.
Priscilla waited to see who would break first.
But her curiosity was soon replaced by an expression of growing displeasure. The reason was simple—that "little green tea" Anastasia, the foul merchant so skilled at stealing men, was on screen again!
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「"Your expression looks a bit troubled… did I come at a bad time?"」
「Hikigaya Hachiman tapped his head, dispelling the gloom brought on by Shaula. He turned around to see Anastasia, her skin looking fresh and supple after a bath. "What is it? I assume you have business?"」
「"Quite the accurate guess, despite the amnesia."」
「"Even with memory loss, twenty-odd days of acquaintance is enough for me to know generally what kind of person you are. You're a merchant who doesn't get out of bed without a profit and dislikes wasting time. A person like you wouldn't come for idle chatter unless there was a reason; you'd rather spend your time counting money, wouldn't you?"」
「"What a severe prejudice… hmph~ though it's not exactly a prejudice. Very smart."」
「Anastasia wore a smile. It was true that she'd rather count money than engage in idle talk, but that only applied to outsiders or when no useful information could be gained from the conversation.」
「Chatting with her own Prime Minister was different—just hearing his voice put her in a grand mood. That "profit" was greater than earning a million coins.」
「Hachiman started with a negative assumption. "Knowing someone like you, you aim to maximize profit… If you've come to persuade me to give orders to Shaula, you're going to be disappointed, Anastasia."」
「"I'm not that wicked yet. Try to look at me a bit more kindly, okay? Regarding how to handle the Guardian Miss, my view is the same as Miss Emilia's; there's no need to force you."」
「Using deliberately exaggerated acting, Anastasia held her sleeve to the corner of her eye, wiping away non-existent tears. "We'll just let Julius suffer a bit. We can just hand the burden of being wary of the Guardian Miss to him."」
「"Poor Julius," Hachiman sighed with mock pity.」
「Anastasia giggled, looking at the "falsely compassionate" Hachiman. "No objection, then? The Prime Minister agrees with this approach?"」
「"If you're trying to make me feel indebted to Julius so I owe your camp a favor, I'm not interested. I'll give you half a favor at most."」
「Hachiman curled his lip. A glimmer of fascination flashed in Anastasia's pale green eyes, drawn to the sight of him haggling.」
「Back when she was outsmarted in the Royal Capital, she had felt nothing but resentment and regret. But once she fell in love with him, even being tricked or swindled by this man felt exceptionally satisfying.」
「"The way you nitpick over details is quite handsome—can we make up the other half based on my cute face?"」
「Hachiman let out a short laugh, holding his thumb and forefinger a small distance apart. "If you were as beautiful as Emilia, I might actually be swayed. But unfortunately, you're just a tiny bit short of her mark."」
「"Besides, I'm not handsome at all. I have self-awareness. If you're going to tell a lie, at least pick something with a bit of room for plausibility, alright? Telling a lie that is obviously false without even thinking... you're really bad at this, Anastasia."」
「He held his head high, proud of his own self-awareness.」
「Anastasia's eyes widened, and she stood there, dazed.」
「—So her Prime Minister was originally a person with absolutely zero self-perception? While he might not be as perfect as Reinhard, to say he wasn't handsome was simply lying through one's teeth!」
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