> You have taken on the character of 'Upstart Commoner.'
> You have selected the play 'Arrogant commoner who steals the pride of the Eternal Empire.'
> A great shift in genre has occurred!
> Projected final genre for Arc 1: Romance - 35% | Drama - 35% | Tragedy - 30%
> Warning! Eve's demonification process is rapidly progressing! Current rate of demonification: 25% (four hours remaining)
> Warning! Numerous factions have put you as 'Kill on Sight' the moment the ball ends!
> Warning! Numerous unpredictable changes are spiralling due to your choices!
> Warning! Your SP is rapidly fluctuating due to the numerous introduced changes!
> Warning...!
A series of blaring crimson messages flashed in my field of view. They were also echoed in my mind, a mechanical voice repeating them so that I wouldn't miss them.
Honestly, it was enough to actually be slightly concerning. If a main character who was isekai'd into a story saw this pop up, he would probably be rethinking his life right about now.
Thankfully, I wasn't a 'main character.'
I wasn't even an 'extra.'
I was the author. This world was mine. I was the one who wrote in stone the world's destined end. And so...
'It's fine.'
Things were spiralling. Everything was derailing.
But that was the point.
> Warning! Due to narrative overload, the System cannot operate properly!
> The user interface will be disabled due to-
A sharp burst of static. Both in my field of view and in my mind.
After that, the messages vanished.
It seemed like the system couldn't handle the changes I was introducing.
But that was expected.
Rob had designed the system to help guide me in this world while we both made adjustments. Although he introduced curveballs, and although the world was advancing unexpectedly due to the butterfly effect, until now, it had been within narrative boundaries. The original story was still roughly intact.
But I'd just tossed a nuke into the plot and called it good.
Evelyn buried her face against my chest and murmured, "You utterly reckless fool. I love you so much, but... Are you prepared?"
"Obviously," I murmured back.
I swept my gaze across the main hall.
Malice, jealousy, wrath, envy, disdain, contempt...
There were no good reactions.
Ah, no. That was a lie.
Roland and Marisa were both in the corner of the drawing room. Although they looked stressed to all hell, they were clearly supportive.
Well, that or they were thinking I had a deathwish.
Both. Both were probably true.
Still...
"What?" I gently traced a finger down Eve's spine, watching her shiver with both shock and pleasure.
"Alex, you-!" Eve's face turned a beet red and she looked like she didn't know whether to jump off me or lean in further.
But that didn't matter. Both worked.
As for what I would be doing now...
I let out a deliberately arrogant grin and said, "Never seen a couple in love before? Ah, I heard you nobles are stuck up and don't do public affection. A shame. No wonder you're all so stressed and-"
A wave of magic. A silencing spell.
As for the one who cast it...
"Ah." Headmistress Lux smiled, her left eye twitching. "Young love is quite a sight to behold, isn't it? Now then..."
I deliberately let out a silent laugh.
Eve puffed her cheeks and lightly butted her head against mine. "You reckless fool."
I smiled and then shifted her around to sit in the chair. After that, I took up a spot standing behind her, giving at least a modicum of decorum.
The moment I did, Headmistress Lux visibly relaxed and smoothly continued with her agenda, greeting the various guests, thanking the Eternal Empire...
You know, the usual spiel you might expect to hear at a formal school gala or something.
While she did that, I stayed close to Eve, massaging her shoulders while sweeping my gaze across the room.
The system UI was disabled, but the functions were still there. I just didn't have the user-friendly means to use it right now.
I'd prepared for that though.
'Equipment, still accessible. Effects still there...'
I could feel the mana from my Aquaburn Orichalcum Ring still coursing through me. And I definitely could still use the talent it bestowed me.
'Good. In that case...'
I shifted my gaze to the clock on the wall.
It was 7:30 PM. Four and a half hours until midnight.
The opening ceremony would continue until 7:45 PM, then the banquet until 9:00 PM, followed by mingling until 10:00 PM, when the actual dancing would start until 11:00 PM before the guests filtered out for late night activities.
'Now. Shall we see just how much of a spanner I've thrown in everyone's plans?'
===
To say that Roland was stressed would be an understatement.
Never in all his life had he been this concerned before. And that was including his younger sister's debut gala.
'Just what is Alex thinking? Even if he gets through tonight without issue...'
It would take a miracle. A feat of divine intervention.
Even so...
"Stop fretting and eat." Marisa slid a plate of food in front of Roland.
Roland blinked and snapped out of his thoughts to focus on the present.
Headmistress Lux had finished the opening ceremonies, and now the various guests had scattered to the tables, waiting to be served by the staff.
Which included him and Marisa, who were seated at one of the tables in the main hall.
Roland sighed and said, "Apologies, Mari." He shook his head and said, "Despite the fact that my attention should be on you as your escort, I can't help but be concerned."
"Mm." Marisa carved a chunk out of a slice of cheesecake on her plate and said, "I'll forgive you. Today is an exception, after all." She shifted her gaze to the front, where Alex was feeding Evelyn by hand after taking a bite out of everything first. "...They are being a bit ridiculous, after all."
Roland took a bite out of his own food. Marisa had been thoughtful enough to grab him something easy to eat. Baked salmon along with some porridge.
...Not the most appetizing combination, but something that he could scoop pieces of without too much thinking.
After taking a bite, Roland took a look around the hall and murmured, "Do you think anything will happen soon?"
Marisa took another bite from her cheesecake and said, "Not with the Headmistress here. If anything, it'll be the moment that Alex whisks our dear princess out for a private moment."
"...So what I am hearing is that we are going to be stuck here watching with bated breath as our dear friend progressively irritates the entire nobility including the Crown Prince by publicly flirting with the princess?"
"Pretty much." Marisa took another bite and said, "Honestly, I can't say if it's genius or incredibly reckless. Take a look around."
Roland did. And as he did, he saw what Marisa meant.
Imperial guards. Mage Tower emissaries. Freelance Heroes from various guilds. Alumni from Starlight Academy as well as family members of current students...
There were even a few Gate Explorers that were likely invited by Professor Elio.
All-in-all, a complete concentration of powerhouse forces in one area...
And all who looked varying degrees of put out with Alex being so affectionate with Evelyn.
Roland wiped off a thin sheen of sweat from his brow and said, "...There is a thin line between genius and foolishness I suppose..."
"And our friend walks it every day." Marisa nodded and took another bite of her cheesecake.
Roland shifted his attention to Marisa and frowned. "...You are awfully carefree about this situation, Mari."
"Don't get me wrong." Marisa gently set down her fork and said, "I'm quite livid. Alex is our friend, and Eve is clearly in danger. But he excluded us both."
"...You don't seem that upset though?"
"That's because I understand Alex." Marisa picked up a napkin and dabbed her mouth, wiping it clean. "I've said it before. He is at least my equal, if not my better. The fact that he excluded us both while going out of his way to draw so much attention to himself indicates that he wants us to do something."
Roland froze. Then his eyes widened. "...I see."
Right.
Alex might be reckless with his life, but he wasn't stupid. He took calculated risks.
While he always went all-in with his own life, he also made sure to simultaneously arrange events to create a fallback plan in case his gamble failed.
Roland's dear friend was a man of unfathomable depths. So, the fact that he excluded both Roland and Marisa from his plans meant that there was something only they could do.
The question then was what exactly they should be doing-
'Ah.'
It was simple.
Marisa smiled. "You get it now, right, Rolo?"
Roland took another look around.
...They should have drawn attention.
Marisa was the niece of the Imperial Archmage and the granddaughter of the one who oversaw the Mage Tower. Moreover, she had recently climbed the wall and breached Rank 7 as a mage.
Not only that, but Roland was a noble who had dual Talents. Paired with his recent performance in the mid-term exams and just his overall abilities, there should at the least be some guilds attempting to scout him.
But no one batted an eye towards them.
All of them were focused on Alex and the fact that he was lavishing Evelyn with blatant affection and adoration.
"...Ridiculous." Roland decided to test it and deliberately knocked his glass aside, making it shatter.
A few people glanced over with disapproval. But within a few moments, their eyes shifted back towards Alex and Evelyn. Almost as if they were beguiled.
And knowing Alex, they might very well be.
"...I suppose this is fortunate." Roland took another bite from his food and then stood up.
Marisa finished her cake and stood up as well. "Yep. Now..." She smiled and said, "While everyone is distracted by the protagonist of this drama, shall we see what the other actors set up backstage?"
Roland nodded and held out his arm for Marisa. "Let's, fair lady."
Marisa took it and said, "Oh sure, play the adoring knight now... I expect a PROPER reception as my escort at a later date, Sir Lionheart."
Roland laughed. "I swear on my name, I'll escort you properly another time, Lady Sagewind. But for now..." His eyes narrowed, catching a few other guests who slipped away while everyone else was distracted. "...Let's catch some rats."