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Otomege Volume 4 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Oath to the Sacred Tree

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Part 1

The classroom was enveloped in gloomy atmosphere since the morning.

The students were talking about Jean who was heavily injured and hospitalized.

「Did you hear? That Jean, yesterday he got hanged down behind the building.」

「It’s over for him with a noble setting his sight on him.」

「It’s pitiful but, there is nothing that we can do. The culprit was a noble with divine protection.」

It seemed having divine protection or not was something important for the people of the commonwealth.

Apparently if you had divine protection then you could be called a noble. The nobles here had different beginning from the nobles in the kingdom.

They were nobles because they were recognized by the sacred tree.

They wouldn’t be noble without that recognition.

And then if you were a noble, anything you did to those without divine protection would be forgiven.

「What a horrible country.」

I muttered to myself. Noelle who was sitting in front of me casted her gaze down.

A boy she was close with got heavily injured by a noble and became hospitalized.

Surely she was feeling depressed.

「Are you alright?」

I talked to Noelle. In respond she nodded slightly with a pale face.

「I’m alright. But, I’m worried about what will happen to Jean now. I don’t think he will be able to pay the hospital fee with his situation, besides who will take care of his pet dog now?」

Apparently the apartment where Noelle was living didn’t allow the resident to keep animal there.

That was why she wouldn’t be able to look after Jean’s dog while he was hospitalized.

「Don’t worry. I’m taking care of his dog right now.」

「You are?」

Noel looked surprised, but she also seemed relieved to hear that.

「Thank god. Jean really love that dog, so that’s a load off my chest.」

「──Yeah.」

「I even considered taking care of it secretly at my place, but my worry is gone with this. Ah, can I come to Leon’s house to check on it?」

「Feel free.」

I replied curtly with my eyes closed. Noelle said 「You don’t look like in a welcoming mood」 seeing me like that.

But I too couldn’t feel happy right now. ──I was feeling a lot of guilt in regard to Jean.

Mr. Clement entered the classroom just when Noelle was looking slightly more cheerful.

「Everyone, pipe down. I think you have heard about what just happened, but we’ll still begin homeroom like usual.」

Mr. Clement’s expression was sterner than usual. I didn’t miss him sending a glance at Noelle.

It seemed this person was really concerned about Noelle.

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Part 2

After school.

I would be going home together with Noelle. I was waiting for her at the entrance right now.

「She is late.」

『She said that she is going to talk first with her little sister Lelia.』

It seemed they were living in the same apartment, so she didn’t want to make her worry because she would come home late.

Being a big sister was hard.

I also wanted a big sister like Noelle. It reminded me of my big sis in the kingdom.

She was a terrible big sister who liked to push around her little brother.

I wished I could trade her with Noelle.

『──Master, there is a bit of trouble.』

「What happened?」

Luxion was monitoring Noelle. It seemed there was a problem happening over there.

『The capture target Loic is approaching Noel. The situation seems dangerous.』

「Spare me from all these troubles.」

『I’ll show the way.』

I ran inside the building with Luxion’s guidance.

Still, just what in the world was going on that Luxion judged it to be dangerous?

After running for a few moment, I encountered “Onee-chan” when I turned at a corner.

「Why are you in such a hurry like that?」

She became curious seeing me at a hurry.

「Aa~, I’m sorry. I’m pressed for time so please excuse me.」

「Wait. You can tell me.」

「No, actually it’s about Noelle──」

Louise-san’s expression changed when I mentioned Noelle’s name.

Did she hate Noelle that much?

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Part 3

Noelle was thrust onto a wall in an empty corridor.

「What are you doing!?」

Noelle’s back collided on the wall and she glared at the culprit. In respond Loic reached out with one hand and roughly put his hand on the wall.

He intentionally made a loud noise to threaten Noelle. Then he brought his face closer.

「That’s my line. Noelle, I heard you will be going to another man’s house.」

Noelle’s back turned cold.

Loic’s face was handsome, but it only caused disgust to well up inside her.

(Why is he this persistent──disgusting)

「Don’t touch me!」

Noelle cursed inside her heart while at the outside she thrust away Loic from herself.

But she was facing a man.

He was also taller than her. He was also stronger.

She could only thrust him away slightly.

「I can do as I please. I don’t need to ask you for permission. Also, stop spreading rumor that I’m your woman. You’re a bother.」

She and Leon were in the classroom when they talked about her going to his home.

In other words, it must be someone in the same classroom who tattled on Loic about it.

It was disgusting how far Loic was going to inquire about her. She couldn’t accept it.

Noelle thought that Loic would be enraged at her words, but instead he was smiling.

But, it was a scary smile.

She wanted to back away, but her back was pressed on the wall.

「──Noelle, it’s going to be over for you at this rate.」

「I-it’s pointless even if you threaten me. I’m not going to do as you ask me.」

「Not that. Right now Pierre is targeting you.」

「Ha?」

Noelle was confused why Pierre’s name suddenly came up, but Loic paid her no mind and continued.

「It seems Like Pierre is planning to corner the overseas students. For that he is targeting their caretakers first.」

「Don’t tell me, the one who hanged down Jean was」

「Yeah, it’s going to be you next. But, if you become my woman then I won’t let a mere thug like Pierre lays his hand on you. What’re you going to do, Noelle?」

Loic knew what Pierre was going to do. He made use of it to make Noelle became his woman.

Hearing that Noelle──kicked Loic’s crotch.

「Don’t screw around!」

「Uguh!」

Loic crouched while holding his crotch. Noelle looked at him with a cold gaze.

「Aren’t you ashamed with yourself for making use of other people to obtain me? I hate that kind of man.」

Loic burst into cold sweat while crouching. But he still smiled.

「Y-you’re still the same──s-stubborn girl. But, it seems you’re being too naïve. It’s pointless even if you try to rely on Emile. That guy won’t be able to protect you. I’m the only one who can protect you.」

Emile came from Pleven House, one of the six great noble houses. He was also Lelia’s lover.

He would surely lend her a hand if she asked him. But Loic claimed that it would be pointless.

「If Emile come out, then I’ll lend Pierre a hand.」

If Loic who was the eldest son of Barriere House lent Pierre his assistance, then Emile wouldn’t be able to do anything by himself.

Noelle became even more offended.

(This guy, how far he is going to──why is Lelia, telling me to be with someone like this!)

「You’re saying, you will lend that Pierre a hand?」

Noelle clenched her hands. She understood that right now she couldn’t do anything.

(This is really the worst.)

Loic painfully stood up and made a twitching smile while placing his hand on Noelle’s shoulder.

「If you become my woman, you will be able to live a life without any inconvenience. Your little sister also wants that for you. But if you refuse──if you’re going to belong to another man than me, then right here and right now I’d rather-」

Loic’s right hand shined.

His crest began to shine red.

「──I’ll never, to the like of you-」

Noelle glared at Loic. Then a voice came from a distance at that timing.

「I won’t make it. Grr, in that case!」

『Master, what are you planning? Master! S-sto──』

Noelle turned her gaze toward that voice. Loic’s gaze was also lured by that and he looked toward the same direction.

A grey metal ball smashed on Loic’s face.

「Buh!」

The iron ball accurately hit Loic’s nose. He was bleeding from the nose while crumpling on the floor and then lay down spread-eagled.

The grey ball slowly rolled on the floor before slowly floating up. It turned its red eye toward the approaching Leon.

「Strike! Kidding.」

Leon was rejoicing, but in contrast the grey ball was talking with an angry tone.

『That was because I corrected the trajectory in the middle. There was no way master could hit with your abysmal control. Also, do you have nothing else to say to me?』

Leon snorted.

「You’re easy to throw.」

『──As I thought I hate master.』

「Is that so? I feel the same you destruction maniac.」

『Please correct that. I have a name which is “Luxion”.』

「What a splendid name. You can show your reverence to me for giving you that name.」

『Shouldn’t master treasure me more?』

「I’m treasuring you, in my own way that is.」

The two of them were on bad terms no matter how anyone looked at them.

「Eh, what?」

Loic was slowly getting up while Noelle was in confusion. His hand was pressing his nose, but blood was still trickling down from there.

「A-are you bastard the oversea student?」

Loic was enraged. He made the back of his right hand shined.

It looked like he was planning to use the crest’s power.

「Leon, run! This guy is a heir of the six great nobles!」

Noelle stepped forward to cover for Leon, but Loic pushed her away and turned his right hand toward Leon.

「It’s too late!」

But──Louise appeared in front of Leon with the crest of her right hand similarly glowing.

Louise was covering for Leon.

「Loic, do you want to anger me?」

Loic lowered his right hand in respond to those words.

「Louise, why are you protecting someone like him! That guy is a scum who laid his hand on my woman!」

Louise smiled thinly in respond and folded her arms.

「Is that true? This is the first time I heard that this woman is your lover. Loic, you should at least be able to differentiate between your delusion and reality you know?」

「Do you seriously want to pick a fight with me?」

Both of them came from the six great nobles.

「Oh, do you want to make this problem bigger than this? It will be you who is at disadvantage in that case.」

「Kuh」

The powers of their crests were equal.

But, Rault House that was currently serving as the assembly chairman had higher status than Barriere House.

Loic turned his back on them and spoke to Noelle before leaving.

「Noelle, don’t you dare forget. You don’t have any other way except choosing me!」

Noelle gazed at Loic before turning her gaze toward Leon and Louise.

This strange grouping was unexpected for her.

「──Louise, why did you help me?」

She didn’t understand why Louise would help her.

「Help? Don’t misunderstand. It was only because Leon-kun asked me a favor.」

Leon was smiling, but there was a grey ball with shining red eye floating near his face. The distance was too close it looked like the ball was putting on pressure on Leon.

「So you will really help if I asked for it.」

「T-that’s right.」

Noelle’s feeling turned really complicated she didn’t know what to say, so she decided to at least say thanks.

「Well, the fact is you really helped me just now, so thank you. Thank you both of you.」

Louise turned her back toward Noelle.

「I don’t need your thanks. Rather than that, you accompany me for a bit.」

Louise entwined her arm with Leon’s arm.

Seeing that Noelle grabbed Leon’s other hand.

「Ha? I also have a business with Leon you know?」

Leon was flustered seeing both his arms grabbed by girls.

「Eh? What’s this situation? Oi, Luxion help.」

Currently Luxion was averting its red eye from Leon and muttered 『Now in the middle of cheating』.

「Bastard, are you abandoning your master!? Also what did you whisper just now!?」

『──I wish master will reflect on yourself a little. I also demand apology from master for throwing me like that. If master doesn’t comply, I will report this situation to those two.』

「You’re really the worst!」

Louise pulled Leon’s arm as he scowled in frustration.

「Never mind that, come with me for a bit. There is someone who I want you to meet.」

Leon tilted his head.

「Someone you want me to meet?」

「──My parents」

「Buh!」

Leon’s breath hitched as Louise replied with a slightly troubled face. On the other hand Noelle was in astonishment.

Noelle came back to her senses faster than the confused Leon could and questioned Louise.

「W-what are you thinking!? Aren’t you the young lady of Rault House!?」

Just what was someone in her status thinking that she wanted Leon to meet her parents?

(Don’t tell me, Louise is seriously in love with Leon!?)

Even Louise got flustered seeing Noelle’s reaction.

「Y-you idiot! Don’t have any weird misunderstanding! There is a reason for──」

Leon was getting shaken back and forth with Noelle and Louise pulling on his arms.

Luxion spoke to Leon in the middle of that.

『Master, a problem occurred.』

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Part 4

While Leon and them were in argument.

Brad was called out to behind the school. He was fiddling with his hair while being surrounded by boys.

「──I tried coming because I was called here, but what are your intention by surrounding me like this?」

It was Pierre who called Brad to the back of the school.

「You guys nobles of third rate country swaggering in the commonwealth is an eyesore.」

Pierre stuck out his tongue while making a vulgar expression. Brad let out a small sigh seeing that.

「The nobles of the commonwealth are even more belligerent than what the rumors said. I too have my own position to think about. It will become an international problem if I start something with someone connected to the six great nobles.」

Pierre’s hangers-on cackled hearing that.

They knew that what they were doing would become a problem. But they were still doing it even knowing that.

Pierre opened one of his eyes widely and said to Brad.

「Ain’t that interesting. I’ll personally take you on.」

「──That’s quite the confidence you have there.」

「Do it you guys!」

Brad sent his gaze to the boys around him. The hangers-on attacked him with the wooden swords they were carrying.

The hangers-on swung down their wooden swords at Brad.

「There!」

But Brad dodged and pushed one of the opponents with his hand.

The opponent stumbled just from that.

「B-bastard」

Brad felt exasperated inside his heart seeing the hanger-on stood up.

(Are these guys serious? Perhaps they’re just playing around?)

The nobles of Hohlfahrt Kingdom had adventurers as their ancestors. From that there was a custom for the noble children to become adventurer since they were student and trained by challenging the dungeon in the capital.

Brad wasn’t the type to fight at the frontline, but he was stronger than Pierre’s hangers-on.

「This son of a bitch!」

Brad used his knee to hit the stomach of a boy who attacked him from behind. He then snatched the boy’s wooden sword to beat back the hangers-on that were assaulting him.

(This is the result of my training.)

He felt a bit happy, but he hid his feeling and gazed at Pierre calmly.

「Still want to continue?」

「Tsk! You guys are too weak!」

Pierre yelled at the others, but from where Brad stood, Pierre looked even weaker than these boys.

「I don’t want to get too rough. How about it? It will be better if both of us withdraw here.」

Brad tried to settle this matter peacefully, but then Pierre pointed his right hand to him.

「Are you stupid? You think you have won just because you’re stronger with sword!?」

The surrounding hangers-on pointed their palms toward Brad.

「Fire Ball!」

「Ice Needle!」

「Energy Bolt!」

They fired their magic at Brad one after another.

(Are these guys in their right mind!?)

Brad calmly dealt with the attacks even while feeling shocked inside. In the first place Brad was better with magic than sword.

「Earth Wall.」

When Brad stabbed the ground with his wooden sword, earth walls rose up around him. The walls were protecting him from the magic attacks.

The hangers-on sensed the difference in strength and sent Pierre pleading gazes asking for help.

「──You guys are really a useless bunch!」

Brad tried to calm down the enraged Pierre.

「Let’s end this already. The difference in our strength is clear.」

Brad was happy at the inside because he could say that line that he wanted to say at least once. But Pierre was making an eerie smile.

(What?)

While Brad kept his guard up, Pierre lifted his right hand and his crest glowed.

「You’ve angered me, you fake nobles from third rate country!」

Then a magic circle formed right under Brad. The earth walls he formed crumbled down.

「What!?」

Brad took a stance with his wooden sword in panic. Then next tree roots flew out from the ground toward Brad.

His wooden sword was smashed when he defended against the roots. Then an abnormality occurred when he tried using magic.

「Tsk! Fire Lance!」

Tree roots could be burned away with flame──that was Brad’s thought, but his magic didn’t activate.

「W-why!?」

He didn’t make a mistake with his magic. Rather it felt more like his magic was stopped from activating by external factor.

The tree roots entwined around Brad’s ankle and lifted him up.

Brad ended up getting hanged upside down. He tried to get away somehow, but the tree roots were constricting around his ankle tightly so he couldn’t escape.

「Damn it!」

He was surrounded by the hangers-on with wooden swords in their hands and Pierre whose right hand was glowing.

They were grinning around Brad.

Brad raised his arms and crossed them to protect his body while being suspended upside down like that.

Pierre placed his hand on his forehead while his other hand was pointing at Brad and laughed.

「Can’t act smug anymore now can’t you. Aa! You need extra punishment for acting cocky like that. I’m gonna mess up that face of yours!」

Brad felt mortified inside, even so he didn’t show it on his face.

(This is bad. Marie──Julius──everyone, I’m going to trouble all of you, please forgive me.)

For an instant he wondered what Leon would do in this kind of situation. Thinking that made him felt slightly amused that he smiled. Pierre yelled at that time.

「Do it!」

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Part 5

At Marie’s mansion.

The mansion that was prepared for them was big and also had a garden. It was very luxurious.

But, unfortunately Marie and others were currently in the middle of being punished.

Only the minimum number of servants was prepared in order to maintain the mansion. None of the servants lived in the mansion to constantly provide their assistance. All of them would only come and work for a few hours per day before going home.

All the servants would have gone home already when night came. Because of that things like dinner would have to be prepared by their own effort.

Kyle was preparing the tableware in the dining hall. There Greg who was hungry was waiting for dinner while placing his cheek on the table.

「Kyle, is the dinner not done yet? I’m already hungry.」

Greg had been annoying Kyle since some time ago by saying 「I’m hungry」 frequently. It exasperated Kyle.

「Then please help me out.」

「I can’t. I’m so hungry I can’t move.」

Kyle wanted to punch Greg’s face, but he endured and looked at the kitchen.

Marie and Cara’s voices were coming from there.

「Boil a lot of pasta!」

「Yes, Marie-sama!」

「Geez! Everyone is in that growth period where all of them are eating like bottomless barrel!」

It was a lot of work preparing food because there were eight people in their growth period here.

But, the men starting from Julius wouldn’t help out.

Kyle was the only exception.

Kyle sighed. Greg asked him about the other members who hadn’t entered the dining room.

「Where is everyone else?」

「Julius and Jilk are in their room preparing for tomorrow. They’re quiet diligent. As for Chris, he said that he will be practice swinging at the garden because he has nothing to do.」

Even though it would be better if he helped out if he had such free time.

Kyle held back from voicing his true feeling.

(Well, these people were raised as young master through and through. For them it’s only natural for the servants to do this kind of work.)

Kyle thought it was pointless to expect anything from them. It was then he heard a ruckus from the entrance.

The door was opened roughly and Chris’s voice resounded through the mansion.

「Everyone, trouble!」

Even Marie showed her face from the kitchen hearing that tense voice.

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Part 6

Marie tied her hair behind her and wearing apron because she was cooking dinner.

Marie came to the mansion’s entrance in such getup and felt shocked by the sight that was waiting for her there.

「Brad!」

Brad was lying on the ground with rope tying him.

A male student from the academy was sitting on him.

「Yo, third rate country’s people, good evening. I am Pierre-sama of Faiviel House.」

Marie wanted to rush out when she saw Brad’s swollen face, but Julius grabbed her shoulder.

「Julius, let go!」

「Calm down Marie. ──Brad is still alive. Right now we should focus on these guys who are brazenly coming here like this.」

Pierre was bringing his hangers-on with him here. There were also several cars behind them.

All of the cars seemed to have been modified to have gaudy look.

Pierre who was sitting on top of Brad was looking at Julius with a smirk on his face.

「So you’re the former crown prince of the kingdom who got disinherited. That’s a pathetic face you got there.」

Marie was enraged.

(This guy, Pierre──why is he here at our home? Also your face is even more horrible here!)

But Julius was keeping his composure even when the other party made fun of him.

「──Are you guys the one who injured Brad like that?」

Julius’s voice was colder than usual. He must be very angry.

Pierre answered with a broad grin.

「Yep. This guy is so weak it was boring. You guys are too weak. How about you guys go back home already?」

Jilk and others who were waiting behind were ready to draw out their weapons anytime.

Veins were pulsing on Greg’s forehead. He looked like he was going to rush out anytime.

Chris──he was bringing a wooden sword that he was using for his practice swinging.

Kyle and Cara were hiding behind everyone.

Julius talked to Pierre as everyone’s representative.

「How about you hand over Brad to us?」

「That’s fine. That’s what we brought him here for. Aa~, right right. I’ve some businesses with you guys. Play for a bit with me.」

Marie got a bad premonition.

(Eh? Wait a second? It feels like I’m forgetting something.)

Pierre stood up and challenged Julius to a match.

「Have a match with me. If I win──I’ll take your ship. I’ll give back this guy whether I win or lose. But, I won’t hand him back if you don’t accept the match. I’ll even swear to the sacred tree if you guys don’t believe me.」

Einhorn immediately came to Marie’s mind when she heard about ship.

(Ship──but Einhorn is big bro’s ship. We can’t make any bet using it. Still, I feel like I’ve heard about this swearing to the sacred tree──)

Julius also had the same thought like Marie.

「I can’t do that. That ship belongs to Bartfalt. I have no right for it.」

「Is that so? Then perhaps I’ll kill this guy.」

Pierre grabbed Brad’s hair and lifted up his head. Julius immediately talked seeing that.

「Wait! I’ll accept the match, but I can’t make a bet with the ship──」

Pierre’s mouth distorted with a wide smile that looked like crescent moon at the next moment. The back of his right hand also glowed.

「You said it, you said that you accept! You swore to the sacred tree!」

Pierre started laughing as though he had already won. He spread out his hands and looked up to the sky.

Julius was slightly taken aback when Pierre suddenly started laughing loudly.

「W-what are you saying」

But Marie recalled something at this time.

「N-no! You can’t accept this match!」

A magic circle manifested with Pierre at the center. It spread out until even the area where Marie and others were standing.

Marie’s face paled seeing the magic circle on the ground.

(I remember. This guy was finding fault with the main character and then he used──)

Pierre started explaining with a boasting tone.

「This match is sworn to the sacred tree. You guys have no choice but to accept this match! The sacred tree is absolute in this country. A match that is held by swearing oath to the sacred tree is something holy and absolute! Only death will await those who break the oath!」

‘Hyahyahya’ Pierre let out a sinister laugh. He pointed at Julius and told him what the match would be.

「The match is simple. You guys, kill each other until only one of you remain.」

The match method that Pierre thrust before them sounded like he was screwing around. It made Julius and others ran out of patience.

「Stop screwing around!」

When Jilk was about to draw out his handgun, thin tree roots and vines grew out from the magic circle and restrained everyone there except Pierre and his gang.

Marie tried to remove the vine that was entwined around her neck, but it was impossible to do that using human strength.

Pierre put his hands into his uniform’s pockets and looked at them while laughing.

「It’s you guys who are screwing around here. This is a match that is sworn to the sacred tree. It will be your defeat if you guys don’t quickly kill each other.」

Marie gritted her teeth while looking at Pierre.

(What’s with this guy? Even in the game he was an unfair small fry but, this is just plain cheating! Besides, the gambled object here is──)

Einhorn was Leon’s ship.

It would be a disaster for Marie if it was taken away.

(That’ll be completely crossing big bro’s yellow zone if that happen!?)

Julius glared at Pierre and showed his stubbornness.

「There’s no way we’ll kill each other. In the first place an absurd match like this can’t possibly be allowed.」

「This country isn’t your third rate country. You’re in Alzer, the country of absolute winner. You’re dreaming too much if you think that you can receive the same treatment like us.」

The commonwealth was undefeated when it came to defensive battle.

This country was certainly an astounding country.

But, this kind of situation was just unreasonable. Julius and others got angry in denial. But then pain suddenly ran through their neck.

「Kuh! W-what?」

Greg forcefully tore off the vine around his neck. There around his neck was a tattoo that looked like collar.

Chris noticed that and told Greg.

「Greg, there is some kind of pattern on your neck.」

「Your neck too.」

Everyone got collar-like tattoo printed on their neck.

The magic circle then vanished and the roots and vines stopped moving.

「The oath to the sacred tree is absolute. The heinous criminal who tried to violate it will be given punishment by the sacred tree directly. If you guys try to disobey, then your head will fly.」

Julius’s eyes opened wide at Pierre’s explanation.

Everyone looked toward Marie. There her neck was also engraved with the crest from the sacred tree.

The four were enraged at Pierre, even so they couldn’t do anything right now.

Pierre and his gang got into their cars.

「Now then, let’s take a look at the airship from a third-rate country. It’s already mine now after all.」

Pierre and his gang left.

Julius ran toward Marie and spoke to her in worry.

「Marie, are you alright!?」

「──away」

「What?」

「Contact Leon right away! Listen, you mustn’t agitate him no matter what. Explain the situation to him properly and ask him to be understanding! A-anyway, it will become a disaster if we don’t tell him right away!」

「I-I get it! I’ll go to tell him right away.」

Julius immediately headed to where Leon was in order to explain the situation after seeing Marie looking so panicked.

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Part 7

A lot happened, but I could finally go home.

Good grief, what’s with my popularity?

I made two fiancées at Hohlfahrt Kingdom, then immediately after that two girls appeared at where I was studying abroad and they were fighting over me. There should be a limit at how unexpected a situation could become.

「What do you think Noelle-chan? Don’t you think that my popularity is amazing?」

I returned home and looked after Noelle-chan.

In the end I refused Louise-san’s invitation and Noelle also decided to come to my house another day.

Noelle-chan was eating the mushy dog food that Luxion prepared. After it finished eating it immediately sat down on the layered blankets that were prepared nearby.

It looked at my face and its tongue lolled out.

A baby bed had been prepared for Noelle-chan. We laid it there and took care of it.

The baby bed was prepared in order to reduce the burden on its waist, but it worked better than expected.

「She finished all the food.」

I was watching Noelle-chan who looked lively too today. But then Luxion took some distance from me and looking at me.

「What?」

『The nutrition and amount of the food prepared had been perfectly calculated by me. I arranged so it was the amount that she could properly finish.』

It seemed Luxion was still angry about me throwing him.

This AI was really troublesome.

「Do you have any complaint?」

『Does master think I won’t have any?』

「You’re really cold toward your master.」

『Right now I’m regretting recognizing master as my owner.』

「Is that so? Too bad for you.」

While I was troubled of how to deal with Luxion’s sulking, Noelle-chan raised its head and looked toward outside.

Right after that the entrance’s door got pounded loudly.

「Who could it be at this kind of time?」

『──Master, we haven’t finished talking yet. I believe that we should have a serious talk about the future.』

「Let’s do it another time.」

I left the room and headed to the entrance. There I found it was Chris who was pounding the door loudly.

He was breathing hard. It seemed he was running until here without stopping.

「What’s wrong?」

「Bartfalt──sorry!」

「For what?」

I let Chris inside and heard him explaining what happened in detail.

Otomege Volume 4 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Oath to the Sacred Tree

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Part 1

The classroom was enveloped in gloomy atmosphere since the morning.

The students were talking about Jean who was heavily injured and hospitalized.

「Did you hear? That Jean, yesterday he got hanged down behind the building.」

「It’s over for him with a noble setting his sight on him.」

「It’s pitiful but, there is nothing that we can do. The culprit was a noble with divine protection.」

It seemed having divine protection or not was something important for the people of the commonwealth.

Apparently if you had divine protection then you could be called a noble. The nobles here had different beginning from the nobles in the kingdom.

They were nobles because they were recognized by the sacred tree.

They wouldn’t be noble without that recognition.

And then if you were a noble, anything you did to those without divine protection would be forgiven.

「What a horrible country.」

I muttered to myself. Noelle who was sitting in front of me casted her gaze down.

A boy she was close with got heavily injured by a noble and became hospitalized.

Surely she was feeling depressed.

「Are you alright?」

I talked to Noelle. In respond she nodded slightly with a pale face.

「I’m alright. But, I’m worried about what will happen to Jean now. I don’t think he will be able to pay the hospital fee with his situation, besides who will take care of his pet dog now?」

Apparently the apartment where Noelle was living didn’t allow the resident to keep animal there.

That was why she wouldn’t be able to look after Jean’s dog while he was hospitalized.

「Don’t worry. I’m taking care of his dog right now.」

「You are?」

Noel looked surprised, but she also seemed relieved to hear that.

「Thank god. Jean really love that dog, so that’s a load off my chest.」

「──Yeah.」

「I even considered taking care of it secretly at my place, but my worry is gone with this. Ah, can I come to Leon’s house to check on it?」

「Feel free.」

I replied curtly with my eyes closed. Noelle said 「You don’t look like in a welcoming mood」 seeing me like that.

But I too couldn’t feel happy right now. ──I was feeling a lot of guilt in regard to Jean.

Mr. Clement entered the classroom just when Noelle was looking slightly more cheerful.

「Everyone, pipe down. I think you have heard about what just happened, but we’ll still begin homeroom like usual.」

Mr. Clement’s expression was sterner than usual. I didn’t miss him sending a glance at Noelle.

It seemed this person was really concerned about Noelle.

.

Part 2

After school.

I would be going home together with Noelle. I was waiting for her at the entrance right now.

「She is late.」

『She said that she is going to talk first with her little sister Lelia.』

It seemed they were living in the same apartment, so she didn’t want to make her worry because she would come home late.

Being a big sister was hard.

I also wanted a big sister like Noelle. It reminded me of my big sis in the kingdom.

She was a terrible big sister who liked to push around her little brother.

I wished I could trade her with Noelle.

『──Master, there is a bit of trouble.』

「What happened?」

Luxion was monitoring Noelle. It seemed there was a problem happening over there.

『The capture target Loic is approaching Noel. The situation seems dangerous.』

「Spare me from all these troubles.」

『I’ll show the way.』

I ran inside the building with Luxion’s guidance.

Still, just what in the world was going on that Luxion judged it to be dangerous?

After running for a few moment, I encountered “Onee-chan” when I turned at a corner.

「Why are you in such a hurry like that?」

She became curious seeing me at a hurry.

「Aa~, I’m sorry. I’m pressed for time so please excuse me.」

「Wait. You can tell me.」

「No, actually it’s about Noelle──」

Louise-san’s expression changed when I mentioned Noelle’s name.

Did she hate Noelle that much?

.

Part 3

Noelle was thrust onto a wall in an empty corridor.

「What are you doing!?」

Noelle’s back collided on the wall and she glared at the culprit. In respond Loic reached out with one hand and roughly put his hand on the wall.

He intentionally made a loud noise to threaten Noelle. Then he brought his face closer.

「That’s my line. Noelle, I heard you will be going to another man’s house.」

Noelle’s back turned cold.

Loic’s face was handsome, but it only caused disgust to well up inside her.

(Why is he this persistent──disgusting)

「Don’t touch me!」

Noelle cursed inside her heart while at the outside she thrust away Loic from herself.

But she was facing a man.

He was also taller than her. He was also stronger.

She could only thrust him away slightly.

「I can do as I please. I don’t need to ask you for permission. Also, stop spreading rumor that I’m your woman. You’re a bother.」

She and Leon were in the classroom when they talked about her going to his home.

In other words, it must be someone in the same classroom who tattled on Loic about it.

It was disgusting how far Loic was going to inquire about her. She couldn’t accept it.

Noelle thought that Loic would be enraged at her words, but instead he was smiling.

But, it was a scary smile.

She wanted to back away, but her back was pressed on the wall.

「──Noelle, it’s going to be over for you at this rate.」

「I-it’s pointless even if you threaten me. I’m not going to do as you ask me.」

「Not that. Right now Pierre is targeting you.」

「Ha?」

Noelle was confused why Pierre’s name suddenly came up, but Loic paid her no mind and continued.

「It seems Like Pierre is planning to corner the overseas students. For that he is targeting their caretakers first.」

「Don’t tell me, the one who hanged down Jean was」

「Yeah, it’s going to be you next. But, if you become my woman then I won’t let a mere thug like Pierre lays his hand on you. What’re you going to do, Noelle?」

Loic knew what Pierre was going to do. He made use of it to make Noelle became his woman.

Hearing that Noelle──kicked Loic’s crotch.

「Don’t screw around!」

「Uguh!」

Loic crouched while holding his crotch. Noelle looked at him with a cold gaze.

「Aren’t you ashamed with yourself for making use of other people to obtain me? I hate that kind of man.」

Loic burst into cold sweat while crouching. But he still smiled.

「Y-you’re still the same──s-stubborn girl. But, it seems you’re being too naïve. It’s pointless even if you try to rely on Emile. That guy won’t be able to protect you. I’m the only one who can protect you.」

Emile came from Pleven House, one of the six great noble houses. He was also Lelia’s lover.

He would surely lend her a hand if she asked him. But Loic claimed that it would be pointless.

「If Emile come out, then I’ll lend Pierre a hand.」

If Loic who was the eldest son of Barriere House lent Pierre his assistance, then Emile wouldn’t be able to do anything by himself.

Noelle became even more offended.

(This guy, how far he is going to──why is Lelia, telling me to be with someone like this!)

「You’re saying, you will lend that Pierre a hand?」

Noelle clenched her hands. She understood that right now she couldn’t do anything.

(This is really the worst.)

Loic painfully stood up and made a twitching smile while placing his hand on Noelle’s shoulder.

「If you become my woman, you will be able to live a life without any inconvenience. Your little sister also wants that for you. But if you refuse──if you’re going to belong to another man than me, then right here and right now I’d rather-」

Loic’s right hand shined.

His crest began to shine red.

「──I’ll never, to the like of you-」

Noelle glared at Loic. Then a voice came from a distance at that timing.

「I won’t make it. Grr, in that case!」

『Master, what are you planning? Master! S-sto──』

Noelle turned her gaze toward that voice. Loic’s gaze was also lured by that and he looked toward the same direction.

A grey metal ball smashed on Loic’s face.

「Buh!」

The iron ball accurately hit Loic’s nose. He was bleeding from the nose while crumpling on the floor and then lay down spread-eagled.

The grey ball slowly rolled on the floor before slowly floating up. It turned its red eye toward the approaching Leon.

「Strike! Kidding.」

Leon was rejoicing, but in contrast the grey ball was talking with an angry tone.

『That was because I corrected the trajectory in the middle. There was no way master could hit with your abysmal control. Also, do you have nothing else to say to me?』

Leon snorted.

「You’re easy to throw.」

『──As I thought I hate master.』

「Is that so? I feel the same you destruction maniac.」

『Please correct that. I have a name which is “Luxion”.』

「What a splendid name. You can show your reverence to me for giving you that name.」

『Shouldn’t master treasure me more?』

「I’m treasuring you, in my own way that is.」

The two of them were on bad terms no matter how anyone looked at them.

「Eh, what?」

Loic was slowly getting up while Noelle was in confusion. His hand was pressing his nose, but blood was still trickling down from there.

「A-are you bastard the oversea student?」

Loic was enraged. He made the back of his right hand shined.

It looked like he was planning to use the crest’s power.

「Leon, run! This guy is a heir of the six great nobles!」

Noelle stepped forward to cover for Leon, but Loic pushed her away and turned his right hand toward Leon.

「It’s too late!」

But──Louise appeared in front of Leon with the crest of her right hand similarly glowing.

Louise was covering for Leon.

「Loic, do you want to anger me?」

Loic lowered his right hand in respond to those words.

「Louise, why are you protecting someone like him! That guy is a scum who laid his hand on my woman!」

Louise smiled thinly in respond and folded her arms.

「Is that true? This is the first time I heard that this woman is your lover. Loic, you should at least be able to differentiate between your delusion and reality you know?」

「Do you seriously want to pick a fight with me?」

Both of them came from the six great nobles.

「Oh, do you want to make this problem bigger than this? It will be you who is at disadvantage in that case.」

「Kuh」

The powers of their crests were equal.

But, Rault House that was currently serving as the assembly chairman had higher status than Barriere House.

Loic turned his back on them and spoke to Noelle before leaving.

「Noelle, don’t you dare forget. You don’t have any other way except choosing me!」

Noelle gazed at Loic before turning her gaze toward Leon and Louise.

This strange grouping was unexpected for her.

「──Louise, why did you help me?」

She didn’t understand why Louise would help her.

「Help? Don’t misunderstand. It was only because Leon-kun asked me a favor.」

Leon was smiling, but there was a grey ball with shining red eye floating near his face. The distance was too close it looked like the ball was putting on pressure on Leon.

「So you will really help if I asked for it.」

「T-that’s right.」

Noelle’s feeling turned really complicated she didn’t know what to say, so she decided to at least say thanks.

「Well, the fact is you really helped me just now, so thank you. Thank you both of you.」

Louise turned her back toward Noelle.

「I don’t need your thanks. Rather than that, you accompany me for a bit.」

Louise entwined her arm with Leon’s arm.

Seeing that Noelle grabbed Leon’s other hand.

「Ha? I also have a business with Leon you know?」

Leon was flustered seeing both his arms grabbed by girls.

「Eh? What’s this situation? Oi, Luxion help.」

Currently Luxion was averting its red eye from Leon and muttered 『Now in the middle of cheating』.

「Bastard, are you abandoning your master!? Also what did you whisper just now!?」

『──I wish master will reflect on yourself a little. I also demand apology from master for throwing me like that. If master doesn’t comply, I will report this situation to those two.』

「You’re really the worst!」

Louise pulled Leon’s arm as he scowled in frustration.

「Never mind that, come with me for a bit. There is someone who I want you to meet.」

Leon tilted his head.

「Someone you want me to meet?」

「──My parents」

「Buh!」

Leon’s breath hitched as Louise replied with a slightly troubled face. On the other hand Noelle was in astonishment.

Noelle came back to her senses faster than the confused Leon could and questioned Louise.

「W-what are you thinking!? Aren’t you the young lady of Rault House!?」

Just what was someone in her status thinking that she wanted Leon to meet her parents?

(Don’t tell me, Louise is seriously in love with Leon!?)

Even Louise got flustered seeing Noelle’s reaction.

「Y-you idiot! Don’t have any weird misunderstanding! There is a reason for──」

Leon was getting shaken back and forth with Noelle and Louise pulling on his arms.

Luxion spoke to Leon in the middle of that.

『Master, a problem occurred.』

.

Part 4

While Leon and them were in argument.

Brad was called out to behind the school. He was fiddling with his hair while being surrounded by boys.

「──I tried coming because I was called here, but what are your intention by surrounding me like this?」

It was Pierre who called Brad to the back of the school.

「You guys nobles of third rate country swaggering in the commonwealth is an eyesore.」

Pierre stuck out his tongue while making a vulgar expression. Brad let out a small sigh seeing that.

「The nobles of the commonwealth are even more belligerent than what the rumors said. I too have my own position to think about. It will become an international problem if I start something with someone connected to the six great nobles.」

Pierre’s hangers-on cackled hearing that.

They knew that what they were doing would become a problem. But they were still doing it even knowing that.

Pierre opened one of his eyes widely and said to Brad.

「Ain’t that interesting. I’ll personally take you on.」

「──That’s quite the confidence you have there.」

「Do it you guys!」

Brad sent his gaze to the boys around him. The hangers-on attacked him with the wooden swords they were carrying.

The hangers-on swung down their wooden swords at Brad.

「There!」

But Brad dodged and pushed one of the opponents with his hand.

The opponent stumbled just from that.

「B-bastard」

Brad felt exasperated inside his heart seeing the hanger-on stood up.

(Are these guys serious? Perhaps they’re just playing around?)

The nobles of Hohlfahrt Kingdom had adventurers as their ancestors. From that there was a custom for the noble children to become adventurer since they were student and trained by challenging the dungeon in the capital.

Brad wasn’t the type to fight at the frontline, but he was stronger than Pierre’s hangers-on.

「This son of a bitch!」

Brad used his knee to hit the stomach of a boy who attacked him from behind. He then snatched the boy’s wooden sword to beat back the hangers-on that were assaulting him.

(This is the result of my training.)

He felt a bit happy, but he hid his feeling and gazed at Pierre calmly.

「Still want to continue?」

「Tsk! You guys are too weak!」

Pierre yelled at the others, but from where Brad stood, Pierre looked even weaker than these boys.

「I don’t want to get too rough. How about it? It will be better if both of us withdraw here.」

Brad tried to settle this matter peacefully, but then Pierre pointed his right hand to him.

「Are you stupid? You think you have won just because you’re stronger with sword!?」

The surrounding hangers-on pointed their palms toward Brad.

「Fire Ball!」

「Ice Needle!」

「Energy Bolt!」

They fired their magic at Brad one after another.

(Are these guys in their right mind!?)

Brad calmly dealt with the attacks even while feeling shocked inside. In the first place Brad was better with magic than sword.

「Earth Wall.」

When Brad stabbed the ground with his wooden sword, earth walls rose up around him. The walls were protecting him from the magic attacks.

The hangers-on sensed the difference in strength and sent Pierre pleading gazes asking for help.

「──You guys are really a useless bunch!」

Brad tried to calm down the enraged Pierre.

「Let’s end this already. The difference in our strength is clear.」

Brad was happy at the inside because he could say that line that he wanted to say at least once. But Pierre was making an eerie smile.

(What?)

While Brad kept his guard up, Pierre lifted his right hand and his crest glowed.

「You’ve angered me, you fake nobles from third rate country!」

Then a magic circle formed right under Brad. The earth walls he formed crumbled down.

「What!?」

Brad took a stance with his wooden sword in panic. Then next tree roots flew out from the ground toward Brad.

His wooden sword was smashed when he defended against the roots. Then an abnormality occurred when he tried using magic.

「Tsk! Fire Lance!」

Tree roots could be burned away with flame──that was Brad’s thought, but his magic didn’t activate.

「W-why!?」

He didn’t make a mistake with his magic. Rather it felt more like his magic was stopped from activating by external factor.

The tree roots entwined around Brad’s ankle and lifted him up.

Brad ended up getting hanged upside down. He tried to get away somehow, but the tree roots were constricting around his ankle tightly so he couldn’t escape.

「Damn it!」

He was surrounded by the hangers-on with wooden swords in their hands and Pierre whose right hand was glowing.

They were grinning around Brad.

Brad raised his arms and crossed them to protect his body while being suspended upside down like that.

Pierre placed his hand on his forehead while his other hand was pointing at Brad and laughed.

「Can’t act smug anymore now can’t you. Aa! You need extra punishment for acting cocky like that. I’m gonna mess up that face of yours!」

Brad felt mortified inside, even so he didn’t show it on his face.

(This is bad. Marie──Julius──everyone, I’m going to trouble all of you, please forgive me.)

For an instant he wondered what Leon would do in this kind of situation. Thinking that made him felt slightly amused that he smiled. Pierre yelled at that time.

「Do it!」

.

Part 5

At Marie’s mansion.

The mansion that was prepared for them was big and also had a garden. It was very luxurious.

But, unfortunately Marie and others were currently in the middle of being punished.

Only the minimum number of servants was prepared in order to maintain the mansion. None of the servants lived in the mansion to constantly provide their assistance. All of them would only come and work for a few hours per day before going home.

All the servants would have gone home already when night came. Because of that things like dinner would have to be prepared by their own effort.

Kyle was preparing the tableware in the dining hall. There Greg who was hungry was waiting for dinner while placing his cheek on the table.

「Kyle, is the dinner not done yet? I’m already hungry.」

Greg had been annoying Kyle since some time ago by saying 「I’m hungry」 frequently. It exasperated Kyle.

「Then please help me out.」

「I can’t. I’m so hungry I can’t move.」

Kyle wanted to punch Greg’s face, but he endured and looked at the kitchen.

Marie and Cara’s voices were coming from there.

「Boil a lot of pasta!」

「Yes, Marie-sama!」

「Geez! Everyone is in that growth period where all of them are eating like bottomless barrel!」

It was a lot of work preparing food because there were eight people in their growth period here.

But, the men starting from Julius wouldn’t help out.

Kyle was the only exception.

Kyle sighed. Greg asked him about the other members who hadn’t entered the dining room.

「Where is everyone else?」

「Julius and Jilk are in their room preparing for tomorrow. They’re quiet diligent. As for Chris, he said that he will be practice swinging at the garden because he has nothing to do.」

Even though it would be better if he helped out if he had such free time.

Kyle held back from voicing his true feeling.

(Well, these people were raised as young master through and through. For them it’s only natural for the servants to do this kind of work.)

Kyle thought it was pointless to expect anything from them. It was then he heard a ruckus from the entrance.

The door was opened roughly and Chris’s voice resounded through the mansion.

「Everyone, trouble!」

Even Marie showed her face from the kitchen hearing that tense voice.

.

Part 6

Marie tied her hair behind her and wearing apron because she was cooking dinner.

Marie came to the mansion’s entrance in such getup and felt shocked by the sight that was waiting for her there.

「Brad!」

Brad was lying on the ground with rope tying him.

A male student from the academy was sitting on him.

「Yo, third rate country’s people, good evening. I am Pierre-sama of Faiviel House.」

Marie wanted to rush out when she saw Brad’s swollen face, but Julius grabbed her shoulder.

「Julius, let go!」

「Calm down Marie. ──Brad is still alive. Right now we should focus on these guys who are brazenly coming here like this.」

Pierre was bringing his hangers-on with him here. There were also several cars behind them.

All of the cars seemed to have been modified to have gaudy look.

Pierre who was sitting on top of Brad was looking at Julius with a smirk on his face.

「So you’re the former crown prince of the kingdom who got disinherited. That’s a pathetic face you got there.」

Marie was enraged.

(This guy, Pierre──why is he here at our home? Also your face is even more horrible here!)

But Julius was keeping his composure even when the other party made fun of him.

「──Are you guys the one who injured Brad like that?」

Julius’s voice was colder than usual. He must be very angry.

Pierre answered with a broad grin.

「Yep. This guy is so weak it was boring. You guys are too weak. How about you guys go back home already?」

Jilk and others who were waiting behind were ready to draw out their weapons anytime.

Veins were pulsing on Greg’s forehead. He looked like he was going to rush out anytime.

Chris──he was bringing a wooden sword that he was using for his practice swinging.

Kyle and Cara were hiding behind everyone.

Julius talked to Pierre as everyone’s representative.

「How about you hand over Brad to us?」

「That’s fine. That’s what we brought him here for. Aa~, right right. I’ve some businesses with you guys. Play for a bit with me.」

Marie got a bad premonition.

(Eh? Wait a second? It feels like I’m forgetting something.)

Pierre stood up and challenged Julius to a match.

「Have a match with me. If I win──I’ll take your ship. I’ll give back this guy whether I win or lose. But, I won’t hand him back if you don’t accept the match. I’ll even swear to the sacred tree if you guys don’t believe me.」

Einhorn immediately came to Marie’s mind when she heard about ship.

(Ship──but Einhorn is big bro’s ship. We can’t make any bet using it. Still, I feel like I’ve heard about this swearing to the sacred tree──)

Julius also had the same thought like Marie.

「I can’t do that. That ship belongs to Bartfalt. I have no right for it.」

「Is that so? Then perhaps I’ll kill this guy.」

Pierre grabbed Brad’s hair and lifted up his head. Julius immediately talked seeing that.

「Wait! I’ll accept the match, but I can’t make a bet with the ship──」

Pierre’s mouth distorted with a wide smile that looked like crescent moon at the next moment. The back of his right hand also glowed.

「You said it, you said that you accept! You swore to the sacred tree!」

Pierre started laughing as though he had already won. He spread out his hands and looked up to the sky.

Julius was slightly taken aback when Pierre suddenly started laughing loudly.

「W-what are you saying」

But Marie recalled something at this time.

「N-no! You can’t accept this match!」

A magic circle manifested with Pierre at the center. It spread out until even the area where Marie and others were standing.

Marie’s face paled seeing the magic circle on the ground.

(I remember. This guy was finding fault with the main character and then he used──)

Pierre started explaining with a boasting tone.

「This match is sworn to the sacred tree. You guys have no choice but to accept this match! The sacred tree is absolute in this country. A match that is held by swearing oath to the sacred tree is something holy and absolute! Only death will await those who break the oath!」

‘Hyahyahya’ Pierre let out a sinister laugh. He pointed at Julius and told him what the match would be.

「The match is simple. You guys, kill each other until only one of you remain.」

The match method that Pierre thrust before them sounded like he was screwing around. It made Julius and others ran out of patience.

「Stop screwing around!」

When Jilk was about to draw out his handgun, thin tree roots and vines grew out from the magic circle and restrained everyone there except Pierre and his gang.

Marie tried to remove the vine that was entwined around her neck, but it was impossible to do that using human strength.

Pierre put his hands into his uniform’s pockets and looked at them while laughing.

「It’s you guys who are screwing around here. This is a match that is sworn to the sacred tree. It will be your defeat if you guys don’t quickly kill each other.」

Marie gritted her teeth while looking at Pierre.

(What’s with this guy? Even in the game he was an unfair small fry but, this is just plain cheating! Besides, the gambled object here is──)

Einhorn was Leon’s ship.

It would be a disaster for Marie if it was taken away.

(That’ll be completely crossing big bro’s yellow zone if that happen!?)

Julius glared at Pierre and showed his stubbornness.

「There’s no way we’ll kill each other. In the first place an absurd match like this can’t possibly be allowed.」

「This country isn’t your third rate country. You’re in Alzer, the country of absolute winner. You’re dreaming too much if you think that you can receive the same treatment like us.」

The commonwealth was undefeated when it came to defensive battle.

This country was certainly an astounding country.

But, this kind of situation was just unreasonable. Julius and others got angry in denial. But then pain suddenly ran through their neck.

「Kuh! W-what?」

Greg forcefully tore off the vine around his neck. There around his neck was a tattoo that looked like collar.

Chris noticed that and told Greg.

「Greg, there is some kind of pattern on your neck.」

「Your neck too.」

Everyone got collar-like tattoo printed on their neck.

The magic circle then vanished and the roots and vines stopped moving.

「The oath to the sacred tree is absolute. The heinous criminal who tried to violate it will be given punishment by the sacred tree directly. If you guys try to disobey, then your head will fly.」

Julius’s eyes opened wide at Pierre’s explanation.

Everyone looked toward Marie. There her neck was also engraved with the crest from the sacred tree.

The four were enraged at Pierre, even so they couldn’t do anything right now.

Pierre and his gang got into their cars.

「Now then, let’s take a look at the airship from a third-rate country. It’s already mine now after all.」

Pierre and his gang left.

Julius ran toward Marie and spoke to her in worry.

「Marie, are you alright!?」

「──away」

「What?」

「Contact Leon right away! Listen, you mustn’t agitate him no matter what. Explain the situation to him properly and ask him to be understanding! A-anyway, it will become a disaster if we don’t tell him right away!」

「I-I get it! I’ll go to tell him right away.」

Julius immediately headed to where Leon was in order to explain the situation after seeing Marie looking so panicked.

.

Part 7

A lot happened, but I could finally go home.

Good grief, what’s with my popularity?

I made two fiancées at Hohlfahrt Kingdom, then immediately after that two girls appeared at where I was studying abroad and they were fighting over me. There should be a limit at how unexpected a situation could become.

「What do you think Noelle-chan? Don’t you think that my popularity is amazing?」

I returned home and looked after Noelle-chan.

In the end I refused Louise-san’s invitation and Noelle also decided to come to my house another day.

Noelle-chan was eating the mushy dog food that Luxion prepared. After it finished eating it immediately sat down on the layered blankets that were prepared nearby.

It looked at my face and its tongue lolled out.

A baby bed had been prepared for Noelle-chan. We laid it there and took care of it.

The baby bed was prepared in order to reduce the burden on its waist, but it worked better than expected.

「She finished all the food.」

I was watching Noelle-chan who looked lively too today. But then Luxion took some distance from me and looking at me.

「What?」

『The nutrition and amount of the food prepared had been perfectly calculated by me. I arranged so it was the amount that she could properly finish.』

It seemed Luxion was still angry about me throwing him.

This AI was really troublesome.

「Do you have any complaint?」

『Does master think I won’t have any?』

「You’re really cold toward your master.」

『Right now I’m regretting recognizing master as my owner.』

「Is that so? Too bad for you.」

While I was troubled of how to deal with Luxion’s sulking, Noelle-chan raised its head and looked toward outside.

Right after that the entrance’s door got pounded loudly.

「Who could it be at this kind of time?」

『──Master, we haven’t finished talking yet. I believe that we should have a serious talk about the future.』

「Let’s do it another time.」

I left the room and headed to the entrance. There I found it was Chris who was pounding the door loudly.

He was breathing hard. It seemed he was running until here without stopping.

「What’s wrong?」

「Bartfalt──sorry!」

「For what?」

I let Chris inside and heard him explaining what happened in detail.