The troublemaker daughter of the grand duke wants to live alone

not be unwarranted.
She is beaming a bright smile.

“Astina, too.”

“What?”

“Astina appears to be happy as well, so don’t be concerned about those words.
Never, all right?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Astina is the main character in her life.
You shouldn’t base your happiness on other people’s standards.”

In case Astina had been hurt by those words earlier, I held her hand tightly and said that.
I didn’t want such nonsense to sap Astina of her joy.
Furthermore, the protagonist of this novel is Astina.

Astina smiled and nodded, as if she understood how I felt.

Even though I was aware that Astina’s wishes would ultimately be fulfilled in this world, I still felt it would be upsetting to notice even the slightest tinge of sadness in her smile.

“And Mary too.”

When I heard a word from the side, I turned my head toward Demimore.

“What?”

“Mary’s life is about Mary as well.”

“Yes, Mary as well,”

Demimore’s words elicited a cheerful response from Astina.
Hearing the actual main characters of this world tell me that I am also a main character made me feel odd.
I awkwardly nodded.
Yes, I am the protagonist of my own story.

Yes, that is correct.

“And you became the Grand Duchy’s heroine!”

“Oh, yes..”

“Ah, yes.
Have you heard about Leo?”

That’s right, Leo.

Astina’s words jolted me back to reality from an unidentified sensation I was feeling.
The orphanage was relocated to Conler territory, according to what I was told, but I haven’t heard anything more about it since.

Am I really his friend? 

I’m so ashamed of myself.
I wondered if Astina brought it up because she knew something.
I asked as I grabbed Astina’s shoulder.

“Do you know anything?”

“No, actually.
I also asked my father to find out.
I’ve heard news about you and I’m curious about Leo.”

When Astina said this, her face was grim.
I, too, became serious and awaited Astina’s words.

“Leo… is gone.”

“Leo?”

My body had lost its strength.
Leo disappeared? No way.
Leo had no place to go.
In the original, Leo’s location wasn’t mentioned.
No, I don’t even know if he was a character that existed before.

“Mary!”

Demimore, who was standing next to me, came and grabbed my waist as I was about to pass out from discouragement.
I stood there looking helpless at Demimore.
The look on Demimore’s face was indistinct.
I could hardly manage to get up without Demimore’s assistance when Astina frantically asked me.

“Are you alright?”

“Leo… What should I do with Leo?”

I assumed he would be okay.
I set him aside in the hopes that he would be.
Why was I so preoccupied that I neglected to look for my friends? As soon as Astina learned about me, she had the thought of finding Leo.
I should have gone straight for Leo.

“Who is Leo?”

Demimore inquired about Leo while I was mumbling his name absentmindedly.
Astina, who was looking at me, appeared to be gloomy.

“A friend of mine and Mary.”

“Ah.”

“I’m looking for him now…….
Don’t worry too much! I said it because I thought Mary should know, but I think I shouldn’t have said it.”

“No, Astina.
Thank you.”

I believed it was fortunate that I learned what had happened to Leo.
Astina appears to be seeking him out on her own terms.
I’ll ask Hestia to find him.

“Do you know what Leo’s last name is?”

I shook my head at Demimore’s question.
Since we were friends from the orphanage, I only knew their names and didn’t know their last names.
In the case of Astina and me, we met a family and learned each other’s surnames.

“I’ll look for him as well.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t pretend I don’t know.
He’s a friend of the ladies.”

“Oh!”

I blinked at the unexpected outpouring of kindness.
Astina stood beside him and clapped her hands, as if he had done well.

In any case, enlisting the assistance of the Imperial family could make things simpler.
However, if you’re assisting me with this….

Ha, why do I feel like I’m accumulating debt? Whether or not he understood my thoughts, Demimore was simply grinning.

“Astina!”

“Brother!”

It was then.
Someone came running, calling Astina’s name.
He appeared to have been wandering in search of Astina because of the roughness of his breathing.
The man Astina addressed as “Brother” was a stunningly handsome man with blond hair and emerald eyes.