Volume 5 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Temporary Homecoming

Part 1

「Eh? A summon?」

After Noelle hurriedly returned.

I was enjoying tea with Ange and Livia in Marie’s mansion.

I was right to prepare my treasured tea leaves and sweets.

Ange drank the tea I prepared. She was looking really nostalgic after drinking for the first time in a long time.

Even though we were frequently enjoying tea together like this until just several months ago.

「There is also a summon from his majesty. There won’t be any problem if it’s during the summer vacation right?」

I didn’t really have any plan here, so I had no problem with it.

The matter of Noelle was weighing my mind, but these two wouldn’t understand even if I explained to them.

Actually this world is an otome game world, and Noelle is the second game’s main character! ──if I said that, what kind of eyes they would be looking at me with. It was scary just imagining it.

「Still, it feels somewhat abrupt to be asked to go back with everyone.」

When I said that, Ange pointed out my misunderstanding.

「Marie and others will stay here. It’s just you alone Leon who will come back together with us.」

「Eh?」

I completely thought that everyone was called back, but it seemed it was just me who was called back.

That b.a.s.t.a.r.d Roland(ローランド), what was he planning calling me back alone like this?

──No, I knew he was the king, but for some reason I couldn’t forgive just that guy.

Livia took a bite on a sweet, and then she returned it on the plate.

It was one of the sweets that I found in the dining room. They were Marie’s sweets.

It seemed it didn’t suit Livia’s palate.

I thought I heard that they were sweets that Jilk bought.

Livia drank the tea I prepared to wash down the taste before she spoke.

「Actually, her majesty approved this summon too because she also want to talk about the plan from here on if there is some movement from the commonwealth.」

「Mylene-san said that!? No, the queen said that?」

The two’s gaze turned slightly intense when I called the queen by name.

Mylene Rafa Hohlfahrt(ミレーヌ・ラファ・ホルファート) –sama of Hohlfahrt Kingdom was Julius’s biological mother.

But despite her age she was a beautiful woman who still looked really young.

If it was at my previous life then I might made a pa.s.s on her.

──Wait, she was someone else’s wife so I shouldn’t make a pa.s.s on her.

Really, just why she was someone else’s wife.

Even though she completely my preference.

「E-err──then I guess I have to return.」

Livia pouted when I tried to get back into the topic.

「Leon-san, you look happy after knowing that you’ll be able to meet the queen.」

Because she is cute mon.

Even now I still couldn’t believe how could such person become Roland’s wife.

Political marriage was really horrible.

Ange told me about the plan from now on.

「Sorry but I’ll have you return back immediately. After all only you Leon will be able to move if something happen in the commonwealth.」

I didn’t want to get involved with the commonwealth’s government but, the kingdom──Hohlfahrt Kingdom was different.

One of the six great n.o.bles, Faiviel(フェーヴェル) House had their authority falling rock bottom.

Well, the reason was because I beat them up badly, but if a political change occurred because of that then the kingdom would also get affected──there was such possibility.

The kingdom wouldn’t be able to carelessly get involved, but they might be thinking that if it was me who was currently staying here then I would be able to do something.

──They were overestimating too much.

I wasn’t that much different from an amateur when it came to politic.

Ange looked around the dining room.

「Even so, you’re living together with his highness and others here. ──It’s worrying whether you might commit a mistake with Marie.」

I could declare with absolute certainty that such thing was the only thing that wouldn’t happen.

「Don’t worry. There is nothing between Marie and me, and nothing will happen between her and me even in the future.」

Livia turned a doubting gaze at me.

「Really? Because Leon-san, you would lie sometimes.」

「That’s horrible. Even though honesty is my only good point.」

Ange laughed a little seeing my barefaced lie.

「It has been so long since the last time I listened to your false-sounding words while drinking tea. Now then, I’m sorry to hurry you like this but, if there is nothing else then we’re going to depart tomorrow. Leon, is there anything that you need to take care of?」

There wasn’t really anything but, I wanted to go buy souvenir.

「Ah, in that case do you two want to sightsee? I want to stop by at my family’s home when returning back, so I want to buy souvenirs first.」

The two of them looked and then nodded at each other.

「Got it. Escort us properly in that case.」

「We’re looking forward to it, Leon-san.」

I felt really happy seeing their smile toward me.

And then I decided to make Marie deal with the problem in the commonwealth for the time being.

But, leaving things to her made me──a bit uneasy.

Part 2

That night.

Leon took Ange and Livia out for sightseeing.

It seemed they would also have dinner outside.

Those two must not wanted to eat the dinner that Marie prepared.

Marie could understand that.

But she was troubled that Leon wouldn’t return to the mansion.

「Why doesn’t big bro return!?」

Marie was protesting at Creare tearfully.

『Because, the two of them said that they don’t want to stay in this mansion.』

「It’s fine if big bro return by himself isn’t it!? Even though I want to consult with big bro about our living expensee!」

Their living expense had been taken away by the five idiots.

She didn’t know how much of that money could be returned.

If she was unlucky, they might have to spend the summer vacation pennilessly.

「I don’t know the edible type of gra.s.s in this country you knooow」

If she was at her home town, she also knew the type of edible gra.s.s there, so if it was just her then she would be able to endure.

However it was a different story when she was at the land of a foreign country.

Marie didn’t know whether the gra.s.s growing around here could be eaten or not.

『──Marie-chan, you are planning to eat the plants growing around here? Well, putting aside that problem, it can’t be helped isn’t it? Do you think that those two will want to stay in this mansion? Even though there are Marie-chan and Julius here?』

Before, Julius got seduced by Marie and broke off his engagement with Angelica.

Ange would surely hate it to spend the night under the same roof with the two of them.

「Big bro has his own house isn’t he?」

『Master said that place is not good because it hasn’t been cleaned. That’s why, today they will sleep in Licorne and return to the kingdom at morning right away with Einhorn.』

Marie fell into despair.

Because even though it was summer vacation in foreign country──she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the vacation.

「What do I do nowwww!」

Creare was having fun watching Marie’s situation, but she finally told her the truth.

『Geez, Marie-chan is really stupid. Even master has known about your situation.』

「Really!?」

『Master is going to leave the commonwealth for a while, so he left a message to Marie-chan to deal with anything that happen while he is absent.』

「Eh, that’s all? Stupid big brooo!」

The additional living expense that she was hoping for wasn’t prepared for her.

Creare did something and, *wham*, something fell.

Marie immediately reacted to that sound.

「Th-this is」

Falling over there was a bag that was filled with rolls of money.

『You see, master thought that Marie-chan will surely need money for the living expense here, so he prepared this for you.』

Marie leaped at the money bag and rubbed her cheeks on it.

「I loovee you Onii-chan!」

Creare spoke in exasperation seeing Marie like that.

『You’re really honest to your desire Marie-chan. But, I don’t hate that. Because, the blood of old mankind is thick in you! I loovee you Marie-chan!』

Marie didn’t understand the feeling of old mankind’s weapons like Luxion or Creare.

That was why she ignored the talk about blood or DNA.

What was important right now was her living expense. Marie hugged the money bag lovingly.

「Tell big bro to leave everything here to me. Even the six great n.o.bles are scared against big bro and won’t do anything anyway.」

『I think it’s not good to be careless though. Well, this time I’ll stay here and help out though.』

「Eh? You’re staying behind?」

『It’ll be worrying with just Marie-chan and others here after all. But, I’m originally a laboratory AI, so it will be troubling if you expect as much utility as Luxion from me.』

Creare muttered 『I hope master will return as quickly as possible』.

Marie was easygoingly thinking 「There is no need to worry if we have you here isn’t it?」.

The six great n.o.bles were scared toward Leon and wouldn’t make any move──Marie was thinking so.

She was more worried about Noelle rather than them.

「I’m more worried about Noelle though.」

『She is the second game’s main character isn’t she? Did something happen?』

「──She is in broken heart right now. I never thought that she will fall in love with big bro.」

Part 3

The next day.

Lelia was shocked when she saw Noelle going out of her room.

Swollen eyes from too much crying and messed up hair.

They already had unruly hair type from the start, but right now it was especially horrible.

Noelle touched her hair to hide her embarra.s.sment.

「Even the bed feels strange when I used it after so long. The weather today is also good, perhaps I should clean up my room.」

Lelia became worried seeing Noelle forcing herself to smile.

「Did something happened, big sis?」

「It’s nothing.」

Because they were sisters──because they were twins, she understood.

No, even a stranger would be able to guess that something happened to Noelle if they saw her current appearance.

Lelia prepared a drink for Noelle.

「I don’t really mind if you don’t want to say but, you’ll feel easier if you talk about it.」

She prepared a cup of coffee for her.

When Lelia handed it to Noelle, her movement stopped for an instant in surprise.

Noelle was hiding the back of her right hand.

She mostly guessed what it was about just from that.

(Don’t tell me, the priestess’s crest has appeared? But, then──could it be, that big sis’s partner is Leon?)

The order was different, but now the crests of the guardian and the priestess had appeared.

Speaking in game term, with this one of the clear conditions had been cleared.

But Noelle’s condition was strange.

Lelia was confused, but she made sure to not show it.

Noelle hid her face with her left hand.

「──Lelia, you know about our family’s legend aren’t you? You know, about the story of the priestess and the guardian.」

Lelia drank her coffee while recalling the legend.

(There was also that kind of I think.)

That legend was an important part in the love matter of that otome game’s sequel.

The guardian was originally a man that the priestess chose.

In other words, the person who was chosen by the priestess would be the one who obtained the highest rank among the crests that the sacred tree bestowed to the people.

Because of that, there was this kind of legend throughout that otome game’s story.

「The one whose heart is connected with the priestess and hold a strong feeling toward the priestess just as the priestess hold a strong feeling toward him will be the one worthy to be the guardian. ──It was something like that wasn’t it? That was also how Kaa-san chose Tou-san.」

(Yes, our mother had a fiancée named Albergue from Rault House, but she chose Tou-san who didn’t come from the six great n.o.bles.)

Their father was a commoner who didn’t have a crest.

Their mother betrayed Albergue and chose their father.

Albergue was angry because of that and destroyed Lespina.s.se House for revenge──that was how Albergue was in the game.

Lelia also remembered that time.

(And then the main character nurtured love with the capture target at the academy and chose the one she love as guardian at the end. But, at this rate Leon will be the one chosen.)

If that happened then it would spell nothing but trouble for Lelia.

She never thought that her big sister would choose Leon of all people.

But Noelle said.

「You see──I liked Leon. But, it seems that it’s just a one-sided feeling. It was impossible to keep living together with him like that, that was why I returned back.」

She said that while crying.

Noelle’s gaze was directed toward the back of her right hand.

She must be mentally weak right now.

She tried to hide that she had obtained the priestess’s crest, but Lelia was able to notice it right away.

(Is this bad or good, I can’t decide.)

She was happy that the guardian and priestess were all present, but now Noelle was feeling dejected.

She couldn’t predict the development from here.

「Did big sis confess to that guy? He doesn’t look popular, so if big sis confess to him he looks like someone who will leap at the chance right away.」

Leon didn’t have good look like Loic and others.

Besides she also never heard about any fickle rumor about him.

That was why she thought he didn’t have any girl who he was going out with.

Noelle shook her head.

「He has fiancée. ──Two of them.」

「Twooo!?」

It was also surprising to learn that he had fiancée, to know that he had two was completely out of her expectation.

「I, I see. That guy is also more or less a n.o.ble after all, perhaps something like that isn’t that rare in the kingdom?」

Lelia said that while starting to panic if perhaps her own knowledge was mistaken.

(Wait. In the kingdom, I think it’s the woman who has stronger position there, but is it perhaps different when it’s not game but reality? I should have confirmed that with those guys.)

「W-well, I understand the situation now. And so, what is big sis going to do now? It’s not good to keep dragging it behind you forever. Instead how about big sis try to look for a new love?」

Lelia wracked her brain to pick who she should introduce to Noelle, but Noelle shook her head.

「It’s alright right now. Thing like love──I don’t want to think about it at all.」

Lelia thought that the damage her sister got was serious, but for now she decided to consult with Leon and Marie first.

But, she also couldn’t leave Noelle alone when she was like this, so she accompanied her for this whole day.

Part 4

Before we headed to the palace, I stopped by at Baron Bartfalt’s territory first which was my hometown.

When father welcomed me, he grabbed my shoulders and shook me back and forth.

「Just what have you been doing at other country! As I thought it was the right move to engage you. No, was it a failure? Anyway why are you suddenly cheating huh!」

It looked like the suspicion of me cheating was also spreading to back home.

They really were distrusting.

「No way I’ll do something like cheating. That’s a misunderstanding. Misunderstanding!」

「R-really?」

Someone came while I was talking with father. It was my big sister Jena who returned home because it was summer vacation.

「Leon, where is the souvenir?」

Coming together with her was my little sister Finley.

She had pet.i.te stature and slender body. Her hair was kept short with curls on the end.

Her gaze toward me looked harsh must be because she heard about the cheating suspicion.

「──Onii-chan is the worst.」

Why was I reproached like this? I already said that it was a misunderstanding.

I set that aside and stared fixedly at my big sister Jena.

「W-what? Are you perhaps getting h.o.r.n.y with your own big sister?」

There were things that couldn’t be said even as a joke.

There was no way I would get h.o.r.n.y with my blood-related big sister.

The reason I was staring at Jena because I recalled someone at the commonwealth who asked me 「Call me Onee-chan」.

Her name was Louise-san.

She was a kind and reliable person.

I averted my gaze from Jena.

「Change」

When I said that, Jena’s faced turned red and she rattled on complaints at me.

「What! What’s that!? You suddenly stared at other and said “change”! You’re really a rude guy. I can’t believe someone like this can cheat, the commonwealth must be a really strange country.」

I said to Jena.

「Forget about that, were you able to find a marriage partner at the academy, Onee-sama?」

Jena trembled and ran away from me.

Finley also followed behind Jena and stuck her tongue 「Beeh~」 at me.

This was Jena we were talking about, so I didn’t think that she would be able to find anyone.

It seemed I was right on the mark.

I saw off Jena with a triumphant smile.

「I win.」

Father was exasperated.

「Don’t provoke her. Even Jena has been working hard, but the men in the academy is playing it safe right now and she can’t find anyone there.」

「Playing it safe?」

「If they’re going to marry, then it’s better with a girl who hasn’t been dyed with the academy’s common sense, something like that? Well, I’ll marry Jena with other house that is our dependent, so she’ll be able to marry.」

By dependent father meant a knight house that was like our subordinate.

Someone with knight peerage was often called as quasi-baron.

For such house to be able to wed the daughter of their superior’s daughter──I would be put off if it was me.

「You’re going to push off Jena to them? That dependent house will be too pitiful.」

「D-don’t call it pus.h.i.+ng off. I’m planning to marry her off after educating her properly.」

In the end it was just a plan. ──Based from what I saw just now, I could only say that it would be difficult.

Even so, the marriage situation in the kingdom was also gradually changing.

I felt jealous at my juniors.

No, I had two wonderful fiancées, so I didn’t need to feel any jealousy.

Father asked me.

「More importantly, you were summoned to the palace right? What kind of mess you made this time?」

「Please don’t speak like I’m always making a mess every time. This time I was only beating up a son of a big shot at the commonwealth.」

「──Sometimes I would feel guilty toward the palace. There is this desire to say, I’m sorry that my son is always being a bother.」

How rude.

The one who was being bothered was me instead of them.

Part 5

When I showed up at the castle, Roland was waiting for me.

Because the meeting wasn’t in the audience hall, even acting slightly informal was allowed.

Around us there were the government officials and the guard knights.

There was also Mylene-san here, but Roland looked like he wanted to talk to me.

He seemed tired. His complexion looked bad and his hair was also slightly disarrayed.

Apparently he was busy every day with the matter of the commonwealth and he complained about it.

「You look lively, brat. Even though I don’t even have time to sleep here because of someone’s fault.」

「Yes. I always sleep soundly everyday.」

I turned a refres.h.i.+ng smile toward Roland who couldn’t sleep.

Roland gritted his teeth in frustration.

I wanted to see that face.

Looked like I would be able to sleep well too today.

「I’m extremely busy right now thanks to you. You really love to cause problems.」

「The n.o.ble of Alzer picked a fight with us. I thought it would be impolite if I don’t respond in kind.」

「Going into war just because of a mere quarrel, that’s really a barbaric way of thinking. You disappoint me.」

「Thank you very much your majesty! It was because I want to see your majesty making such face that I also did my best!」

I didn’t feel anything even if he was disappointed in me.

In the first place Roland didn’t have any kind of expectation toward me.

Because I worked hard was also to see Roland’s frustrated face, this development was just like what I expected.

「I want to send you to the gallows right this instant.」

「My queen! His majesty is saying something like that!」

When I asked for help from Mylene-san, Roland said 「You little s.h.i.+t, that’s cowardly!」 in panic.

Mylene-san warned Roland with an exasperated face.

「We can’t possibly send the one who saved Julius to the gallows. Besides, this is a good chance for the kingdom instead. Leon-kun──no, Leon-dono has to be rewarded for his effort.」

It seemed I would receive reward.

Until now I got unreasonably promoted as reward, but at this moment I was a count with lower third rank! I was in a position where I couldn’t climb up any higher.

That was why the reward wouldn’t be any more promotion, so I could accept it happily.

──Even so, how did I climb up the rank until this high?

Even I myself was confused.

Roland averted his face from me.

That was childish of him, but I was an adult so I shall forgive him.

Mylene-san talked about the plan going ahead.

「Thanks to Leon-dono, we were able to learn about the internal conditions of the commonwealth in detail. I already heard before that they were wors.h.i.+pping the sacred tree, but to think that tree also gave such a great benefit for the commonwealth.」

Weren’t they too ignorant of the internal conditions of the commonwealth?

I was harboring such doubt, but I was only thinking that because I had knowledge from my previous life.

In this world, the propagation of information was shockingly slow.

There was also problem with the credibility of said information.

There were also a lot of stories that couldn’t be ascertained whether they were a lie or really true, it caused a problem of sorting which of the information was really true.

But, for Mylene-san who put her trust on me personally, it seemed she judged that the information I provided was correct.

That made me real happy.

「With Faiviel House of the six great n.o.bles losing strength, I’m concerned of how Rach.e.l.le(ラーシェル) will move.」

「Do you mean the holy kingdom Rach.e.l.le?」

That country also placed an emba.s.sy at the commonwealth wasn’t it?

Holy Kingdom Rach.e.l.le was a neighboring country of Hohlfahrt Kingdom.

They had warred a lot with each other because of their hostility with each other.

But, Mylene-san’s family was at the other side of Holy Kingdom Rach.e.l.le. The holy kingdom was placed between this country and her country.

United Kingdom Repard.

It was a country that was a gathering of small countries located on a single continent. The country was unified by three houses with great influence even among all of the countries there.

Mylene-san’s family was the ruler of the country that served as the alliance leader of the united kingdom.

It was a country with a bit of circ.u.mstance and troublesome government.

After all the country was formed from small countries that only joined hand because alone they couldn’t possibly oppose the Holy Kingdom Rach.e.l.le if they launched an invasion.

I was surprised when Rach.e.l.le’s name came out, so Mylene-san explained it to me in an easy to understand way.

「It’s because Rach.e.l.le has a connection with Faiviel House. If Faiviel House lost their influence, it’s possible they will rely on Rach.e.l.le. Rach.e.l.le might also approach the other six great n.o.bles.」

Ah, so it was something like that.

I got it.

「Eh? Then, which of the six great n.o.bles our country is close with?」

I never heard anything about it so I asked. Then Roland made an annoyed face.

「There is no house there that we’re especially close with. No, I should say that there is none now.」

「──So it’s Lespina.s.se House.」

In the past Alzer Commonwealth was ruled by seven great n.o.bles.

The one who served as their representative was Noelle and Lelia’s family, Lespina.s.se house──however it was destroyed around ten years ago.

It was by the doing of Rault House.

It was related with that Louise-san and Albergue-san.

It made me felt slightly b.u.mmed out because they weren’t bad people for me.

「Since then we don’t get closer with any other house and we kept the relations.h.i.+p between both of our countries limited to importing magic stone. Come to think of it, it has been ten years since then.」

Roland looked nostalgic.

Mylene-san seemed like she wanted to cooperate with some other houses there in consideration for the future.

「Ten years has pa.s.sed since Lespina.s.se House was destroyed. We too need to join hands with other house there.」

Because of that Hohlfahrt Kingdom also wanted a strong connection to Alzer.

I could understand that.

I tried imagining with whom this country was going to cooperate with but──I had no idea.

I got no political sense at all.

「It’ll be impossible with the Faiviel House, so it’ll have to be with the other five houses.」

At best I only understood that Faiviel House was no good.

But it seemed that Mylene-san also had no intention to leave all the decision in regard to this matter to me.

I was relieved because I would only feel troubled if it was left to me.

「We’re going to send diplomats there frequently, so I ask you Leon-dono to give your support from on-site. It seems the children and youths of the six great n.o.bles are attending the academy, so if there is any information then please share it with us. Also, we will prepare a position for you so that you can take independent action at the commonwealth. If something happen we will leave the decision of what to do to you Leon-dono.」

This meeting wasn’t in an official setting, but Mylene-san’s tone was different from usual.

She was in working mode.

I felt just a little bit disappointed.

But if it was Mylene-san’s request then it couldn’t be helped.

I was a knight and a count of Hohlfahrt Kingdom.

I could only obey.

「Please leave it to me.」

When I said that, Roland said his complaint from the side.

「You! Even though you made a really disagreeable expression when with me, why are you that obedient when it’s with Mylene huh!?」

Something like that was obvious.

「Perhaps it’s due to the difference in your majesty’s habitual behavior? It’ll be better for your majesty to do your work more seriously.」

When I said that brazenly, the officials and knights around me nodded deeply.

There were even some people among them who looked at me as though to say 「Tell him more for us!」.

It told me really clearly just how horrible this b.a.s.t.a.r.d Roland acted usually.