I Appear to have been Reincarnated as a Love Interest in an Otome Game: Chapter 33

Chapter 33: How does one win a rigged gamble?

“Jackie, will you really abandon your country?”

Because I wanted to talk from the bottom of our hearts, I stopped mincing my words.
Sensing the change in the atmosphere, he too straightened his posture and sent a serious gaze this way. I could tell he was thinking, ‘I can’t make a wrong move here.’

“Yes…… If it’s for Michelle……”
“You will abandon your country just for Michelle?”
“……Yes…… I’ll risk everything for her……”

Or so he replies…… doesn’t this sound awfully like a line from the game? “I’ll Risk Everything for You” indeed.
Today, everything Jackie said all felt disharmonious. I do think that Jackie’s feelings toward Michelle is real. However, saying, “If it’s for her……” It feels like the game is acting in here.
It’s hard to comprehend that he would do that much for Michelle……

From a young age, Jackie had been moving close to Henry.
The reason he came to study in this country was to protect his younger sister from Henry by separating them. The reason for him following Michelle also seemed like it was to keep an eye on Henry and maybe even sacrifice Michelle to him……
However, when Michelle’s content changed, he instantly fell in love and instead plotted to overthrow Henry.
Up until now, there was no route to ‘abandon the country’. Why now?
That bothers me a lot……
If that’s from the game’s correction……

This guy was not interested in Michelle until recently. The others’ actions seem to have been influenced by the game, but this guy didn’t have that.
Jackie fell in love with Michelle because she changed. The game had nothing to do with it, it was pure romance.
However, Jackie is definitely acting strange now.
If this is the game influencing him, why did it start now?
That’s what bothers me.
Is there any point in the game influencing his actions when he’s already become lovers with Michelle?

Furthermore, this world has four different elements mixed up. The original game + additional contents.
Originally, the characters’ actions would be set in stone, but now everything’s in disarray.
So if the game is influencing them, I won’t know how they’ll move now.
Many scenarios are probably going off simultaneously, and if the trigger condition is satisfied the events will begin forcibly.
On top of that, neither Michelle nor I know the additional contents scenarios well.
For example, if this current situation is part of the additional contents, I won’t be able to notice it. So I can’t hastily come to conclusions.
Also, even if we try to avoid the events, the game influences it so that the event is forcibly triggered.
Like Robert’s annulment of engagement and the kidnapping yesterday……

From this incident, I learned that it’s not possible to avoid the events. Thus, I need to create many predictions and prepare for the aftermath.
In this situation where I don’t even know the triggers, it will be almost impossible to prepare in advance. However, I still should do as much as I can to be able react to them immediately.

And then……
If it’s hard to predict the current scenarios, why don’t I think about erasable scenarios?

First, I believe it’s safe to assume that Robert’s, Douglas’s, and Brad’s scenario are out of the picture.
Also, by Brad exiting, I want to believe the manwhore scenario is gone. However, it seems I too am a playable character, so I can’t completely exclude the possibility.
As for the scariest BL edition……
For this, the couples apparently appeared through the contribution of the heroine, so once Michelle is quarantined from them, this scenario too should disappear. Yup, I want to erase this one as soon as possible!

Then, the original scenarios left are mine, Henry’s, Hughie’s and Jackie’s.
Mine is out of question. There is not enough affection to escalate into a romance event.
Jackie’s scenario is in progress. He’s even thinking about abandoning his home country, so definitely yeah.
Henry’s is definitely the ‘imprisonment ending’, I think.
Hughie is…… I don’t know. Anyhow, I think it’s okay either way whether the scenario is in progress or not.
He smells like Henry’s small fry. Even if is planning something, I don’t think it’ll go well.

However, why is it that I get the feeling that the game is influencing Jackie’s actions?
How is it related to the future developments?

It’s too unpredictable, that doing anything might be a waste at this point.
It’s like I’m playing in a rigged game of poker. A hopeless battle.
Still, I’m winning this rigged game so far. Because I too am using ‘cheats’. Against rigged games, there’s no other option but cheating. And eye for an eye, a cheat for a cheat.
The cards I have are ‘my knowledge from my previous life’ and ‘Daniel’.
With these two cards, I could come out on top so far.
Then I don’t need to change my policy. The problem is whether I can use these properly.
Since ‘my knowledge from my previous life’ was not used recently, it feels as if I am at a disadvantage. This world is quite different from the game I know, so my knowledge is rendered useless.
It’s like I’m trying to win a game without any guides, unable to predict the future. And demonic difficulty at that!!

Also whether Jackie’s behaviour is foreshadowing a new development…… that’s what I’m most curious about now.

“Daniel……”
“Yes, sir. I believe that he is under some sort of influence……”

When I asked Daniel, he confirmed my suspicion. Whether that’s the game or not……
His will and the game. Those are unbalanced, so the distortion stands out……

Anyway, if we can’t predict what will happen next we just need to quarantine those people. In this case, four people, Michelle, Jackie, Henry and Hughie.
Out of these, I can take care of Michelle and Jackie. I’ll let Hughie be for now and decide later.
Now, how should I send Michelle and Jackie away from this school?
There, I can use Henry’s favourite move, ‘imprisonment’. If the heroine disappears, the game is bound to end, so everything might be solved.
And if I put them in the same cell, they might actually be happy……
Of course, there needs to be a proper justification for imprisonment, but I can do what Henry did in the game.

“Jackie, I’m planning on restraining you in this country for a bit. Of course Michelle will accompany you.”
“What, is, it?”

To my sudden proposal, he eyes me suspiciously.
Of course he would. There won’t be anyone who would just say “Yes, I understand” so easily. So I have to explain properly?

“You will hide yourself from Henry. If the country is restraining you as a related party to a crime, even if it’s a prince a foreigner can’t intervene. However, this will turn into a war of attrition now. Thus, I will restrain the two of you. The justification is that the two of you are important witnesses to the incident yesterday. Afterwards, you’ll be imprisoned on the suspicion of espionage. Of course, when the situation calms down, I’ll petition for you to come back to school, but I can’t promise when.

Listening to my proposal while resting his head on his fit, Jackie looked pained for a while but soon he returned a resolute expression.

“Indeed I need the resolve to abandon my country…… However, I believe it is a sound plan. Both for Michelle and for my safety as well.”

Jackie looked at someplace cheerfully and then bowed to me, saying, “I’m in your care.”
Now that this is decided, it’s time to act.

“Daniel, please bring Michelle here. Also, contact the emperor.”
“Understood, sir.”

After bringing Michelle here, I’ll describe the situation and for the time being confine her to the castle. Afterwards, I’ll meet up with Louis tomorrow and decide on our next action.
Safety first now. For other matters, later!

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