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Volume 5 Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Ordinary Day

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Part 1

The next day after crashing into the marriage ceremony.

I had returned to the mansion and facing Noelle right now.

Noelle slapped me.

I could dodge it but──I chose to receive it.

「Are you satisfied?」

「You’re really the worst. Even though you don’t think anything of me, you came to save me──don’t make have any strange expectation like this!」

The reason for Noelle’s anger was complicated.

It seemed she was thankful that I came to save her but, she was angry at why a man with fiancées was doing something like this.

It was only natural for her to have such thoughts.

To be honest──I found it hard to understand why she chose me.

Just what was going on with my popular period?

Was it because such period never came in my previous life that it was now descending on me with interests?

Noelle shed tears and she wiped it with her hand.

「Don’t make me expecting anything like this. Even though I want to forget──I won’t be able to forget if you do something like this.」

I would return to the kingdom in less than a year.

Noelle’s treatment was still not decided but, we couldn’t be together even if I brought her back with me.

「I’m sorry. Even so──I wanted to save you.」

Noelle shook her head at my apology.

「Actually I also want to thank you. I want thank you a lot! But──spare me from this. It’s painful to fall in love with someone who has fiancée.」

I almost reached out at the crying Noelle.

I thought whether I should hug her but I gave up.

I couldn’t do anything even if I gave her kind words here.

I had finished with my apology so I went outside leaving Noelle in the room.

Luxion and Creare were waiting outside the room.

『Oh, master isn’t going to hug and console her?』

『Master is really a sinful man. I totally respect you.』

Annoying AIs.

「Say whatever you like. Rather than that, when are you going to return Creare?」

『I’ll return soon. After all I’m also worried about overt here. I’ll also have to check on how the bad children are doing.』

「Bad children?」

『Secret!』

What was she hiding?

I wanted to ask her but if Creare was going back then I wanted her to deliver letters souvenirs.

I also needed to prepare various things so I started walking. Luxion and Creare were also floating up and down alongside me.

Luxion talked to me about the case this time.

『About Loic, he really tried to erase master. He tried to do that only behind the scenes with nothing but underhanded tricks but, there is no doubt that he was a troublesome opponent.』

「That guy is really scary huh. His specs were pointlessly high. I wonder why the capture targets are all pointlessly capable.」

When I turned my gaze at the courtyard that was visible from this corridor, I saw Julius and others doing barbeque there.

Julius was standing alone in front of the grill and handed out meat skewers to everyone.

「Yeah, this is done. Jilk, take this.」

「No your highness. Your highness has been doing nothing but cooking since the beginning, so I’ll take your place now.」

「I’m doing this because I like it. Don’t mind it, just have fun.」

Those guys had helped a lot with infiltrating the venue, so I gave them a special bonus which they used for this barbeque.

It looked like they were having fun at the garden.

Marie was gulping down a mug of nicely chilled beer in one go.

「Kaaaah! It’s seeping right inside me~」

What a hearty drinking style.

Even though her appearance was that of a teenage girl, she was drinking and eating like a middle-aged man.

Cara brought some skewered meats for Marie.

「Marie-sama, what a splendid drinking! Here, please eat this too! There are also a lot of meats! The vegetables too!」

「Muhohoho! This is the best! Cara, you eat a lot too. We’ll stuff ourselves full while we can. We don’t know when we’ll be able to do this again after all.

「Yes Marie-sama!」

I wondered why it made me wanted to cry when I watched Marie and others.

My eyes were blurry that I couldn’t see well.

Usually Kyle would be with Marie and Cara, but right now he had Yumeria-san hovering around him.

「Kyle! Look, I got us some meat skewers. Aa~n」

「I-I can eat by myself! Also Kaa-san, you’re eating nothing but meat! You need to eat your vegetables too!」

He must not wanted other people to see them mother and son getting along closely, but Yumeria-san was dejected by the refusal.

Kyle wanted to console her mother who was like that, but he was unable to be honest with himself.

「Ah youth」

『Master too you know?』

I ignored Luxion’s retort and looked at Cordelia-san who was looking troubled at the courtyard.

The reason she was troubled when looking around her was seeing how the noble youths who were highly acclaimed by everyone in the kingdom had ended up.

Jilk was placing his used skewers on a strange plate that had cracks on it.

Brad who was feeding pigeon and rabbit saw that and asked him.

「Jilk, that plate is just garbage isn’t it?」

「How rude. Can’t you understand how wonderful this plate is?」

「Now see here, I don’t want to say it but, did you really succeed as an antique dealer? I can’t help but feel suspicious.」

「──Brad-kun yourself, your claim that you were successful as a performer feels like a lie though? In the first place, your magic trick is unskillful.」

「It’s fine even if it’s unskillful. After all I received money for displaying my perfect existence with the magic as an extra.」

These guys, I was worried when I heard they were driven out from the mansion, but it looked like they were living strong out there.

The vitality that I felt from them was already at the level of cockroach.

But, all of them──their unique characteristic had grown even thicker now compared to before they were driven out.

Greg and Chris were also amazing.

Chris warned Greg when he saw his appearance.

「Greg, how about you wear some clothes?」

「Ah? I’m wearing some already.」

「What are you saying when you are just wearing a single speedo?」

「You are stupid huh, Chris. Look carefully! How’s it, my pectoral muscle!」

Greg’s skin when he made a pose glistened under the sun.

And then Chris who was warning Greg for his speedo appearance was also dressed in only a single loincloth.

「That’s just an underwear! Also muscles aren’t clothes!」

「You yourself are just wearing a single cloth!」

「Are you idiot? I’m also wearing a chest wrap.」

That ain’t it you guys, I wanted to retort like that.

It couldn’t be helped that Cordelia-san was looking troubled.

Cordelia-san who was in such state was talking with Julius.

When I looked at Julius who was working up sweat with a refreshing smile in front of the grill──it felt mysterious because he looked normal due to the other four being so terrible.

Originally Julius was the crown prince of Hohlfahrt Kingdom.

His position wouldn’t allow him to do something like grilling meat.

「S-say, your highness.」

「What is it?」

「Why are you grilling meats since the start? Should I relief you?」

Julius took off the grill’s net and shook off the scorched things that had gotten attached on it.

「Everyone asked me that, but I feel the calmest when doing this. Besides, my experience is overwhelmingly lacking to become a fully fledged meat skewer cook. I want to accumulate experience from this kind of moment.」

What an admirable attitude──not that.

Just now, what did he say?

Cordelia-san turned a cold look toward Julius.

「Your highness is still a prince of Hohlfahrt Kingdom, you won’t be able to become something like a cook I believe?」

She made a calm retort.

Julius made the tongs opened and closed with clacking sounds while answering Cordelia-san.

「Don’t you think it’ll be good if there is at least one prince who mastered the way of grilling meat?」

「I don’t think so.」

Cordelia-san answered instantly. Seeing her, I got the feeling that I would be able to get along well with this person.

As fellow person of common sense that is.

When I looked down at Marie and others from the window like this, it made felt a little bit absurd.

「Looks like those guys are having fun.」

Creare suggested to me to invite Noelle.

『Then how about master invite Noelle-chan and join them?』

「Stu~pid. It’ll only make the atmosphere feel awkward even though they’re having fun right now. More importantly, I need to prepare before you return. Come on, let’s get going.」

I brought Luxion and Creare toward the harbor.

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Part 2

The barbeque ended at the evening.

A guest came at that timing. It was Marie who entertained the guest.

The guest was──Louise.

After she welcomed her in, Louise said that she had a business with Noelle so Marie brought her there.

But the atmosphere was awkward.

Marie wasn’t close with Louise, and Noelle had bad relationship with Louise.

Besides, Noelle was depressed right now and wasn’t lively at all.

(Could it be that big bro, is the type to run away when he think that it will become a bloodbath? He is always gone when there is an important scene, is it because he detected the danger? I guess not. That big bro has no such ability.)

Louise sighed while Marie was escaping from reality like that and approached Noelle.

And then she slapped her.

*Slap-!* Such sound echoed inside the room, then Noelle got angry after a delay.

「W-what are you doing!」

Louise looked at Noelle and made a ridiculing smile.

「I got the desire to slap you because you are making this face of, I’m so unfortunate boo hoo. You’re really an extravagant woman huh. I wonder if you know just how much Leon-kun was running around for your sake?」

「T-that’s──it’s because Leon is kind.」

「No one would go as far as picking a fight with Alzer just from mere kindness. Your head really is filled with flowers.」

Marie knew about the actual situation.

The reason Leon saved Noelle was for avoiding the danger to the world.

But, as for what Leon himself was actually thinking, she could only imagine it.

(This is big bro we are talking about, so surely he saved her thinking she is pitiful. Even then he can’t answer the girl’s feeling──he is really the worst since the past.)

In their previous life similar things also happened several times although in smaller scale.

Her big brother’s romantic life was irritating so she didn’t get involved but──well, he had been a dense big brother even when she thought back like this.

Louise approached Noelle until the distance when their nose touched each other.

「I hate you. I hate you for living carefreely without knowing anything. Even now you still haven’t noticed just how happy you have it.」

「D-do you know just how much hardships we had gone through!? Everything was because of your house’s fault!」

「Oh, is that so? You two could enroll into the academy easygoingly even though your house was destroyed, who do you think you need to thank for that? Are you seriously thinking that the background of you sisters could be completely hidden with just the effort of your retainers?」

Noelle averted her gaze from Louise.

「I──don’t know anything about that. We were just told to enroll into the academy.」

Louise folded her arms.

「It was really a bothersome situation. ──But, the person who is the most bothered is Leon-kun who saved you. Noelle, what are you going to do after this?」

Noelle looked down and shook her head.

「I still haven’t decided. I haven’t decided yet.」

「──Go back to the academy for a while. It looks like Otou-sama will also permit it. it seems that it’ll also be fine even if you follow Leon-kun when he go back to his country. It’s also fine even if you stay behind though.」

「Eh?」

When Noelle lifted her face, Louise shrugged her shoulders.

「Do as you like, that’s what I‘m saying. Decide your future course before Leon-kun and others return home. I come here today to tell you that.」

When Louise left the room, Noelle was rooted on the spot.

But, it was Marie who was the most troubled.

(Why is the last boss and the villainess are helping the main character!? Aaaaaa!! I don’t get it at allllll!!)

Even though she wouldn’t need to worry about anything if things were simpler──Marie held her head in her hands because she couldn’t predict the future development.

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Part 3

Creare had returned──calm came back to the commonwealth around the middle of the second semester.

It was really chaotic in the commonwealth at the first semester and the summer vacation.

Because of that, the academy’s events──the romance events if you said it in otome game terminology, they were all crushed.

That happened also because the six great nobles caused scandals in succession.

At the academy rooftop.

I gave half of the lunch bread that I purchased to Marie while talking with Lelia.

We were talking about what to do now.

But it didn’t become a useful dialogue.

Lelia was complaining too today.

「What now! Really what now!? All the events are crushed even though a long vacation is going to arrive soon, this is completely unexpected!」

I agreed with what Lelia said.

I heard that when a girl was angry, it was pointless even if you replied logically.

It seemed it would be better if you agreed with her 「It’s troublesome isn’t it~」 in sympathy.

「That’s right isn’t it. It’s troublesome isn’t it~. Oi Marie! Don’t eat them all!」

The brown paper bag that was filled with several small croissants was almost emptied.

Marie apologized.

「Hah!? S-sorry. I had my head full with eating.」

Lelia yelled angrily because the topic was diverted.

「It’s the fault of you guys! Pierre is gone, Loic is also gone, Hughes too has his engagement cancelled, but he doesn’t have any flag with big sis! Narcisse-sensei was rounded up to help his family and is gone from the academy, what are we going to do now!」

About Loic, he didn’t come to the academy using injury as excuse.

As for Hughes, he ran away leaving Louise-san alone when the incident happened. Because of that their engagement was cancelled.

That was the reason at the surface, but the true reason was because Fernand betrayed Albergue-san.

And then the six great nobles that were in mayhem called Narcisse-sensei back and they moved around in confusion.

They were busy with things like dealing with other countries, or apologizing to the kingdom.

Lelia stood in front of us with her hands on her waist to emphasize that she was angry.

This girl, so she could act cute huh.

「Are you two listening to what I’m saying!?」

「I’m listening. In other words, you have no idea of how to deal with the last boss right?」

「That’s right. Really what are we going to do now.」

While Lelia was holding her head in her hands, Luxion who had been keeping quiet until now while observing the situation showed himself.

Lelia went 「Hyah!」 in surprise, but Luxion ignored her.

『Ultimately there is no need to worry about the last boss. In the first place, what master and Marie are worrying about is the commonwealth’s situation after the last boss is defeated.』

「Eh? After it’s defeated?」

『I’m currently hastening my analysis of the sacred tree, but I have judged that it’s possible to deal with it using the attack of my main body. What’s important is how well we will be able to calm down the commonwealth after that happened.』

Lelia opened her eyes wide.

「Y-you can do something like that?」

『Yes. It’s also possible for me to sink this land right away.』

Lelia grabbed my collar when she heard that dangerous talk.

「Hey, what is he saying!? What is he saying!? These guy’s words are really scary! I got the feeling that he is saying something like sinking Alzer if things become hopeless though!」

It was incorrigible because it was the fact.

I didn’t know how I should answer her──so I glossed it over by laughing.

「Fuhahaha!」

「Don’t gloss it over! Gloss it over, wait, that means he really can do that!? Hey, can he really do that!? Or rather, this guy is going to do something like that!?」

Luxion answered sincerely.

『That’s only if the situation is really hopeless. I don’t mind doing that right away, but master won’t give me permission.』

I soothed down Lelia.

「That’s how it is. If possible I want things to end up in the ideal state, I’ll also help out to take care of the aftermath──anyway don’t worry about the last boss. We will deal with it if things really become hopeless,.」

Marie nodded with a croissant in her mouth.

「Yeah. That’s why don’t worry.」

That was unsightly, I wished you would finish eating before speaking.

Leli let go of me and casted her gaze down.

「T-that means, this country will sink depending on your mood.」

「What a rude fellow. No way we are going to do something like that.」

Lelia wasn’t really listening after that when we resumed talking.

Did I threaten her too much?

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Part 4

On the way home from the academy.

Lelia was walking totteringly.

She refused Emile’s invitation to send her until home and walked back alone like this because she wanted to think alone.

(This is bad. That Luxion is even more dangerous than expected. That’s right, that guy is a paid item that came out in the first game. It’s not normal.)

The game balance of that otome game’s first title was strange.

It was so unbalanced the players needed to buy paid item to clear it.

Among the paid items, the weapon called Luxion possessed an overwhelming ability.

(I don’t know how to deal with something like that when it appears in reality. Depending on those guys’ mood, even I might become collateral damage if I’m unlucky.)

When she thought about what Alzer had done to Leon until now, it wouldn’t be strange for him to accumulate dissatisfaction.

She didn’t know when that dissatisfaction would blow up.

In addition, it was the six great nobles that were meddling with Leon.

She had no way to stop them.

(This is like being told that there is an even more powerful enemy than the last boss.)

It felt like someone else was having life-and-death power over her.

She couldn’t stay calm at all.

Besides, she also couldn’t trust Leon.

After all he was that kind of human who did extreme things in order to take back Noelle.

Lelia was unbearably anxious.

(If it’s like this then I need power that can oppose him──but, is there any weapon in Alzer than can oppose Luxion? It’ll be possible if it’s the same paid item but──I won’t be able to collect something like that by myself.)

Unlike the academy of Hohlfahrt Kingdom, the academy of Alzer Commonwealth didn’t teach the students the fundamental of being adventurer.

Lelia herself had very little knowledge about that. It was impossible for her to recover the item with her own strength.

(That’s right. I know the location. After that, if I can just obtain it──)

The paid item of the second game that she hadn’t collected until now.

While she was thinking of the method to collect the item, someone stood in front of Lelia.

That man had his shirt unbuttoned on the chest area in this cold.

His black hair was swept back. He had healthy looking tanned skin.

He was also tall. The muscles that were visible from the unbuttoned shirt were firm.

The man──Serge Sara Rault raised his hand and talked to Lelia amiably.

「Yo, long time no see Lelia!」

「──Serge.」

He was none other than the fifth capture target.

Although Lelia was surprised, she asked him where he had been going until now.

ph_otome5_ill009

「Y-you, where had you been until now!」

「Are you worried? I’m happy. Oops, if you want to hear about my adventuring tale, do you want to eat together with me? It’ll take a bit long after all. The adventure this time was just a bit tough you know. Really, how about we eat together? This is our reunion after so long after all, it’s okay right?」

He had a really lighthearted attitude, but he was the heir of Rault House.

He was Albergue’s adopted son.

This youth had quite a lot of rough spot in him, but he dreamed to be an adventurer──and also, he was a reliable boy as an adventurer.

Lelia gasped.

(That’s right. If I ask for Serge’s help)

Lelia accepted Serge’s invitation.

「Fine. Let’s go eat together.」

Serge was surprised.

「That’s rare of you. I thought that you would refuse but──is it really alright?」

「What? We aren’t going?」

「Stupid! Of course we are going! More importantly, what do you want to eat? It’s a rare chance for us to eat together after all. Ask for anything!」

Lelia was relieved seeing Serge’s delighted look.

(Thank god that Serge is interested with me.)

Lelia had dinner together with Serge that day.

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Part 5

Emile was waiting when Lelia returned home.

It seemed that he had prepared dinner.

「Lelia, about the dinner──」

「Sorry, I have eaten.」

「I-I see.」

「Sorry Emile.」

Pleven House had prepared a mansion near the academy for Lelia’s sake.

It was nearer to the academy than her previous apartment. She was living together with Emile there.

There were also several servants there, but the mansion itself wasn’t especially big.

Emile was thoughtful.

He could cook and clean, and above all else he was kind.

Lelia had no dissatisfaction with him.

But, she felt that something was lacking.

(Even though he can eat first without waiting for me. This made the atmosphere heavy.)

「Emile, about the next long vacation, I’m going to have a bit of business to take care. That’s why, I won’t be able to go back home with you.」

「Eh? Is that so? But, we have already promised.」

「Please. Don’t ask me anything.」

(That guy is too dangerous. I have to obtain at least the same power no matter what.)

She would go out adventuring with Serge in order to prepare countermeasure against Leon.

She couldn’t tell Emile about it.

And then it would also trouble her if she was asked to explain in detail.

Emile looked disappointed.

「I, I see. But, let’s at least give a quick greeting to my family. My big brothers are also waiting, we also need to talk about the future.」

「──okay.」

Lelia said that and the shut herself in her room.

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Part 6

Around the time the academy entered the long vacation.

A single airship entered Alzer’s harbor.

It was Licorne with its characteristic white hull.

Livia walked down the ramp and waved her hand to Ange while her hand was carrying a large traveling bag.

「Ange, let’s go quickly!」

Ange who was also carrying a bag as big as Livia’s smiled seeing Livia like that.

「Leon won’t run away even if we don’t hurry.」

The two of them immediately departed to the commonwealth when the long vacation arrived.

They had taken care almost of all their businesses beforehand for this.

Livia had been looking forward to this day that she couldn’t sleep last night.

「I want to surprise Leon-san quickly.」

「Got it. I also agree with that.」

It seemed Ange was also looking forward to this. She was smiling a lot since before they arrived at the commonwealth.

Previously──at the summer vacation, they were unable to sightsee a lot at the commonwealth.

This time they planned to sightsee leisurely.

Creare was watching the two.

『You two look like you’re having fun. Over there they look like they will be really busy with work though.』

Ange turned her eyes toward another airship that came together with them from the kingdom.

「They will have a lot of work waiting for them after this.」

This time a lot of airships were visiting from the kingdom.

They also acted as Ange’s guard, but the other ships were also boarded with the diplomats that were dispatched for the dialogue with the commonwealth.

Scandals with Pierre and Loic had happened in succession.

The kingdom too couldn’t keep quiet with the case this time. They already had several talks before this.

Quite a lot of personnel were dispatched from the kingdom in order for the final adjustment of the agreement.

Livia said.

「Leon-san will be surprised this time.」

Ange also agreed.

「Yeah. Well, I too wanted to ask him a lot of things about what happened in Alzer even if I have to skip out my work. The information that came to the kingdom is few. Creare also won’t talk.」

『Oh, are you criticizing me? There is a proper reason for this though~』

「Good grief.」

Ange was talking with a smiling face. But she frowned when she saw airships entering the harbor.

Livia tilted her head.

「What’s the matter?」

「──Those are Rachelle’s airship. There are a lot of them.」

The airships of Holy Kingdom Rachelle entered Alzer’s harbor in great number.

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Part 7

The second semester was over and we entered a long vacation.

I──together with Noelle exited Marie’s mansion.

The reason? It was Cordelia-san.

Cordelia-san’s words「Angelica-sama will worry if you keep living in Marie’s mansion forever」 were reasonable after all.

When I returned to the house in Alzer that I used at the beginning, the inside of the room was covered in dust.

「Uwa~, this is awful.」

Cordelia-san rolled up her sleeves.

「We have to prioritize cleaning the bedrooms and the kitchen. Then, first let’s open the window so fresh air can come in. We have to air the mattress.」

Yumeria-san also followed behind Cordelia-san.

Even though I told her it was alright if she stayed behind in Marie’s mansion, she firmly refused because she was my maid and also watcher.

Watcher──it was good that she had the awareness of it, but it was no good if she said that to the person she ought to watch.

Good grief──this person is hopelessly cute.

The two of them headed to the second floor. Then Luxion saw the baby bed that had been left behind her.

I approached it.

「come to think of it, we brought this thing here.」

Noelle-chan──the pet dog that Jean kept was using this when we were taking care of it here. But now Noelle-chan was already gone so it was brought here because it wasn’t used anymore.

Noelle was also looking nostalgic.

「This is the one that we were using before the summer vacation isn’t it? I see, so it’s placed here.」

The collar was still attached around Noelle’s neck.

She decorated it herself when going to the academy to keep it out from view. Right now she had gone back to her bright personality just like before.

But she seemed lonely somewhere in her.

「You could still stay at Marie’s mansion though? Is it alright for you to stay together with me?」

Noelle scratched her head when I asked her that.

「That’s an unpleasant way of asking. Well, there is also this feeling of mine that want to stay there though. It’s fun there every day, and Marie-chan is also kind.」

「Ee~, that girl is kind?」

「She is kind. But──you know, she has romantic relations with those five. Even if I don’t intend it, I often caught them in the act.」

I tended to forget but, those five were Marie’s lovers.

When living together with them, sometimes I would come across that kind of scene.

Noelle too seemed to take that into consideration.

「That girl seemed reluctant that Noelle is moving out though.」

She looked really depressed when she heard that Noelle, Cordelia-san, and Yumeria-san who had been helping with the housework would be leaving.

The number of servants in her place had also increased, even then they were still short of hands there.

In the first place that mansion was too large.

But there also wasn’t any need to refuse if Noelle said that she wanted to come to my place.

「Well, it doesn’t matter.」

Noelle joined her hands behind her back after I said that.

She looked shy.

「Hey, Leon──do you know about local wife?」

Noelle laughed shyly when I was unable to reply.

「I thought that perhaps, becoming one might be fine but, I wonder what Leon might thing about it」

It was an attractive proposal for a man but, could Noelle become happy with that?

「You, are you alright with that? Are you really not going to regret it?」

Noelle’s expression turned depressed.

「Sorry. As I thought it might be impossible. It was embarrassing to say that, and it makes me a bit sad.」

「Right? Our current distance will be better for both of us.」

More than friend, less than lover──further development than this was impossible.

Luxion who had been listening to our talk seemed to have been waiting for this timing to speak to Noelle.

『Is it alright for me to give a report?』

「W-what? Say it if you are here!」

Luxion looked at my left arm while Noelle was being surprised.

『I have found a way to take off the collar.』

Finally? I asked Luxion why it took so long.

「It took a lot of time for you huh.」

『I was taking my time in order to do it safely. The method to take it off itself didn’t take long to discover, but I also investigated how to do it safely. Cutting it with the chain materialized will put the least burden to the body for taking it off.』

「Isn’t that method too plain?」

It seemed Noelle also thought so.

「Then we should have cut it right away.」

『If we try to cut it carelessly, the collar will tighten──and take off the head. Physically.』

「──Hey, will it really be fine? Is that method really the safest method?」

Noelle was getting scared.

『Among the chain rings, there is just one of them that won’t trigger the effect. The collar can be taken off after we destroy that. There is no problem because I have pinpointed its location.』

I looked at Noelle.

「Should we?」

「U~n, I’m scared, but──I’m thinking that perhaps it’ll also be fine to just leave it like this.」

「Eh!?」

「B-because, this too is one of my few bonds with Leon.」

It was sweet when she said that but, I also wanted to be spared from the suspicion of having an abnormal hobby.

When those who were in the know of the cursed collar saw Noelle, they would immediately look at the bracelet on me and made an「Uwah!」 face.

「No good. It’s causing difficulty in our daily life so let’s take it off.」

「──Leon you idiot.」

Luxion showed which part of the chain should be cut.

『It’s the part near the collar. Master, you should pull the chain, then I will cut it with a tool.』

「Got it.」

I materialized the chain and stretched it tautly, but the part that should be cut was near Noelle’s collar.

When I pulled it, it made felt strange for some reason.

There was also how Noelle closed her eyes nervously. It made my heart to pound hard strangely.

『Then, please wait while I prepare the tool. The tool is prepared at Einhorn, I will head there to retrieve it now.』

「You, say that beforehand!」

『Master is the one misunderstanding. Then, excuse me for now.』

Luxion went out from the window and heading to Einhorn. I and Noelle looked at each other and we snorted.

「Aa~, sorry. I misunderstood that this thing can be taken off right away.」

「It’s fine. I also misunderstood like that. Even so, the feeling of the collar got stronger with the chain materialized like this.」

Noelle held the chain and made clinking sound with it. Certainly it made the obscene feel of it stronger.

「Certainly. It made me feel strange.」

Noelle went along with my joke.

「Leon you pervert.」

「What? Should I say isn’t it fine here?」

I approached her while making lewd movement with my fingers. Noelle covered her chest with both hands and twisted away.

「What are you doing while the sun is still this high, stuuupid.」

Noelle was laughing happily.

A relationship where you can joke with each other is really important isn’t it.

Then the room’s door opened.

Cordelia-san was watching me with a cold gaze.

「──Leon-sama, what are you doing?」

「Eh? This is, it’s just the usual joke.」

I tried to gloss it over with a laugh, but then the door opened fully and showed other people behind Cordelia-san.

Far behind was Yumeria-san who was trembling while holding the sapling’s case──not that, the problem was the other two people there.

Over there was the smiling Livia──she was tilting her head with her hands joined together.

「Hee, so you two are always doing this kind of joke.」

「Li-Livia!」

There was also Ange with expressionless face.

ph_otome5_ill010

「I’m also here. Even so, we didn’t visit this house previously but──to think, there is a secret that you are hiding here. I never even imagined it.」

「Se-secret!? What do you mean secret──hah!」

Ange and Livia were sending their gazes toward the baby bed.

In a further stroke of bad luck, they saw Noelle’s collar and my bracelet were linked by a chain.

Livia’s smiling face was scary.

「Leon-san, you will give us explanation right?」

「T-this person here is──hah!」

I noticed another danger just when I was going to introduce Noelle.

I recalled a single fact.

It was at our first semester.

I took care of the dog that Jean kept because he was injured──that dog’s name was “Noelle”.

And then the one here was also Noelle──I hadn’t told them that the dog Noelle-chan had died.

I didn’t tell them because I didn’t want to worry them.

But now it became extremely bad.

Noelle introduced herself with a troubled look.

「I, I’m──Noelle. Noelle Beltre. I’m going to the same academy with Leon. E-eh? Did I introduce myself before this?」

The collared Noelle introduced herself like that.

It was a long time ago, so Noelle introduced herself for the second time but──it seemed her doing that was problematic.

It was like pouring oil into fire.

「We met before at Marie’s mansion didn’t we? Wait, Noelle──you say? I see, so that’s how it is. How stupid of me, I didn’t notice it before.」

When Ange started to chuckle, Cordelia-san straightened her back.

She was focusing to be a background so that she wouldn’t stand out as a maid.

Stop! Don’t escape by yourself!

Livia’s misunderstanding was also accelerating.

「Noelle-chan──I heard that it was a seventeen years old female dog but, so that’s how it is. I was misunderstanding. ──So she is actually a human. I misunderstood her to be an old dog.」

「Y-you’re mistaken! Noelle-chan the dog really existed!」

「I didn’t know that Leon-san has that kind of hobby.」

Livia’s face turned serious.

I couldn’t stop sweating.

Ange’s gaze was fixed to the baby bed.

「In that case this place, is your love nest with that Noelle-chan huh? I never even dreamed that your letter for us was written with your life with your mistress. Leon, you’re really something.」

It sounded like a praise, but it wasn’t.

Her eyes toward me looked like they were blazing with flame of indignation.

If I made even a single mistake, it felt like Ange would be enraged and blazed up for real.

Shit! I was feeling the chills.

Even if I tried to make an excuse, the situation was too bad.

Livia questioned Noelle.

「Noelle-san, we have met before haven’t we? I have thought it’s suspicious since that time. You have known that Leon-san have us as fiancées haven’t you?」

Noelle who was questioned like that──apologized to Livia.

「I’m──sorry」

Wait! Don’t apologize! First we need to dispel the misunderstanding here!

That’s right. If Noelle said that this was a misunderstanding──if she said that, would the misunderstanding get cleared up?

When I looked at Cordelia-san, she averted her gaze from me.

Th-this woman, you are betraying me at this important time!? C-come to think of it, her gaze had been cold sometimes when looking at me!

I looked toward Yumeria-san to ask for help.

Yumeria-san was in panic with her mouth opening and closing with only ‘awawawa’ sound.

「T-that, Leon-sama kidnapped Noelle-san from a marriage ceremony! W-with that the two of them are close with each other, that!」

The panicking Yumeria-san was pouring even more oil into the fire.

No, it wasn’t oil she was pouring but a bomb.

I was happy that she was trying to explain about the circumstance of me saving Noelle and other things to dispel the misunderstanding. I was happy but, unfortunately it was accelerating Ange and Livia’s misunderstanding.

「He kidnapped a bride you said? Leon, you will tell me about it in more detail right? And about your hobby too, this is a good chance so let me hear all about it as your fiancée.」

「So Leon-san like Noelle-san that much. You have even prepared a baby bed.」

What’s the meaning of this?

Why didn’t the two of them know about what had been going on in Alzer?

Certainly my contact with them was only the minimum, but Creare should have returned to them.

Hadn’t they heard about the situation from her?

And then I noticed one more fact.

──Why didn’t Luxion tell me that the two of them were coming?

If it was him then he should have noticed.

And then, when I considered how he wasn’t here at this timing──.

「Y-you set me up huh. You set me up huh, Luxion!!」

Ange and Livia brought their face close to me.

「Leon, I’ll have you confess everything!」

「Leon-san, you will get an extra strict “Bad-!” this time!」

And then I noticed.

The scene that looked like me cheating from all angles.

The betrayal of the AIs.

And then, all the misunderstandings that had been accumulating until now to create this extremely bad situation.

This──could it be perhaps, a checkmate for me!?

Volume 5 Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Ordinary Day

.

Part 1

The next day after crashing into the marriage ceremony.

I had returned to the mansion and facing Noelle right now.

Noelle slapped me.

I could dodge it but──I chose to receive it.

「Are you satisfied?」

「You’re really the worst. Even though you don’t think anything of me, you came to save me──don’t make have any strange expectation like this!」

The reason for Noelle’s anger was complicated.

It seemed she was thankful that I came to save her but, she was angry at why a man with fiancées was doing something like this.

It was only natural for her to have such thoughts.

To be honest──I found it hard to understand why she chose me.

Just what was going on with my popular period?

Was it because such period never came in my previous life that it was now descending on me with interests?

Noelle shed tears and she wiped it with her hand.

「Don’t make me expecting anything like this. Even though I want to forget──I won’t be able to forget if you do something like this.」

I would return to the kingdom in less than a year.

Noelle’s treatment was still not decided but, we couldn’t be together even if I brought her back with me.

「I’m sorry. Even so──I wanted to save you.」

Noelle shook her head at my apology.

「Actually I also want to thank you. I want thank you a lot! But──spare me from this. It’s painful to fall in love with someone who has fiancée.」

I almost reached out at the crying Noelle.

I thought whether I should hug her but I gave up.

I couldn’t do anything even if I gave her kind words here.

I had finished with my apology so I went outside leaving Noelle in the room.

Luxion and Creare were waiting outside the room.

『Oh, master isn’t going to hug and console her?』

『Master is really a sinful man. I totally respect you.』

Annoying AIs.

「Say whatever you like. Rather than that, when are you going to return Creare?」

『I’ll return soon. After all I’m also worried about overt here. I’ll also have to check on how the bad children are doing.』

「Bad children?」

『Secret!』

What was she hiding?

I wanted to ask her but if Creare was going back then I wanted her to deliver letters souvenirs.

I also needed to prepare various things so I started walking. Luxion and Creare were also floating up and down alongside me.

Luxion talked to me about the case this time.

『About Loic, he really tried to erase master. He tried to do that only behind the scenes with nothing but underhanded tricks but, there is no doubt that he was a troublesome opponent.』

「That guy is really scary huh. His specs were pointlessly high. I wonder why the capture targets are all pointlessly capable.」

When I turned my gaze at the courtyard that was visible from this corridor, I saw Julius and others doing barbeque there.

Julius was standing alone in front of the grill and handed out meat skewers to everyone.

「Yeah, this is done. Jilk, take this.」

「No your highness. Your highness has been doing nothing but cooking since the beginning, so I’ll take your place now.」

「I’m doing this because I like it. Don’t mind it, just have fun.」

Those guys had helped a lot with infiltrating the venue, so I gave them a special bonus which they used for this barbeque.

It looked like they were having fun at the garden.

Marie was gulping down a mug of nicely chilled beer in one go.

「Kaaaah! It’s seeping right inside me~」

What a hearty drinking style.

Even though her appearance was that of a teenage girl, she was drinking and eating like a middle-aged man.

Cara brought some skewered meats for Marie.

「Marie-sama, what a splendid drinking! Here, please eat this too! There are also a lot of meats! The vegetables too!」

「Muhohoho! This is the best! Cara, you eat a lot too. We’ll stuff ourselves full while we can. We don’t know when we’ll be able to do this again after all.

「Yes Marie-sama!」

I wondered why it made me wanted to cry when I watched Marie and others.

My eyes were blurry that I couldn’t see well.

Usually Kyle would be with Marie and Cara, but right now he had Yumeria-san hovering around him.

「Kyle! Look, I got us some meat skewers. Aa~n」

「I-I can eat by myself! Also Kaa-san, you’re eating nothing but meat! You need to eat your vegetables too!」

He must not wanted other people to see them mother and son getting along closely, but Yumeria-san was dejected by the refusal.

Kyle wanted to console her mother who was like that, but he was unable to be honest with himself.

「Ah youth」

『Master too you know?』

I ignored Luxion’s retort and looked at Cordelia-san who was looking troubled at the courtyard.

The reason she was troubled when looking around her was seeing how the noble youths who were highly acclaimed by everyone in the kingdom had ended up.

Jilk was placing his used skewers on a strange plate that had cracks on it.

Brad who was feeding pigeon and rabbit saw that and asked him.

「Jilk, that plate is just garbage isn’t it?」

「How rude. Can’t you understand how wonderful this plate is?」

「Now see here, I don’t want to say it but, did you really succeed as an antique dealer? I can’t help but feel suspicious.」

「──Brad-kun yourself, your claim that you were successful as a performer feels like a lie though? In the first place, your magic trick is unskillful.」

「It’s fine even if it’s unskillful. After all I received money for displaying my perfect existence with the magic as an extra.」

These guys, I was worried when I heard they were driven out from the mansion, but it looked like they were living strong out there.

The vitality that I felt from them was already at the level of cockroach.

But, all of them──their unique characteristic had grown even thicker now compared to before they were driven out.

Greg and Chris were also amazing.

Chris warned Greg when he saw his appearance.

「Greg, how about you wear some clothes?」

「Ah? I’m wearing some already.」

「What are you saying when you are just wearing a single speedo?」

「You are stupid huh, Chris. Look carefully! How’s it, my pectoral muscle!」

Greg’s skin when he made a pose glistened under the sun.

And then Chris who was warning Greg for his speedo appearance was also dressed in only a single loincloth.

「That’s just an underwear! Also muscles aren’t clothes!」

「You yourself are just wearing a single cloth!」

「Are you idiot? I’m also wearing a chest wrap.」

That ain’t it you guys, I wanted to retort like that.

It couldn’t be helped that Cordelia-san was looking troubled.

Cordelia-san who was in such state was talking with Julius.

When I looked at Julius who was working up sweat with a refreshing smile in front of the grill──it felt mysterious because he looked normal due to the other four being so terrible.

Originally Julius was the crown prince of Hohlfahrt Kingdom.

His position wouldn’t allow him to do something like grilling meat.

「S-say, your highness.」

「What is it?」

「Why are you grilling meats since the start? Should I relief you?」

Julius took off the grill’s net and shook off the scorched things that had gotten attached on it.

「Everyone asked me that, but I feel the calmest when doing this. Besides, my experience is overwhelmingly lacking to become a fully fledged meat skewer cook. I want to accumulate experience from this kind of moment.」

What an admirable attitude──not that.

Just now, what did he say?

Cordelia-san turned a cold look toward Julius.

「Your highness is still a prince of Hohlfahrt Kingdom, you won’t be able to become something like a cook I believe?」

She made a calm retort.

Julius made the tongs opened and closed with clacking sounds while answering Cordelia-san.

「Don’t you think it’ll be good if there is at least one prince who mastered the way of grilling meat?」

「I don’t think so.」

Cordelia-san answered instantly. Seeing her, I got the feeling that I would be able to get along well with this person.

As fellow person of common sense that is.

When I looked down at Marie and others from the window like this, it made felt a little bit absurd.

「Looks like those guys are having fun.」

Creare suggested to me to invite Noelle.

『Then how about master invite Noelle-chan and join them?』

「Stu~pid. It’ll only make the atmosphere feel awkward even though they’re having fun right now. More importantly, I need to prepare before you return. Come on, let’s get going.」

I brought Luxion and Creare toward the harbor.

.

Part 2

The barbeque ended at the evening.

A guest came at that timing. It was Marie who entertained the guest.

The guest was──Louise.

After she welcomed her in, Louise said that she had a business with Noelle so Marie brought her there.

But the atmosphere was awkward.

Marie wasn’t close with Louise, and Noelle had bad relationship with Louise.

Besides, Noelle was depressed right now and wasn’t lively at all.

(Could it be that big bro, is the type to run away when he think that it will become a bloodbath? He is always gone when there is an important scene, is it because he detected the danger? I guess not. That big bro has no such ability.)

Louise sighed while Marie was escaping from reality like that and approached Noelle.

And then she slapped her.

*Slap-!* Such sound echoed inside the room, then Noelle got angry after a delay.

「W-what are you doing!」

Louise looked at Noelle and made a ridiculing smile.

「I got the desire to slap you because you are making this face of, I’m so unfortunate boo hoo. You’re really an extravagant woman huh. I wonder if you know just how much Leon-kun was running around for your sake?」

「T-that’s──it’s because Leon is kind.」

「No one would go as far as picking a fight with Alzer just from mere kindness. Your head really is filled with flowers.」

Marie knew about the actual situation.

The reason Leon saved Noelle was for avoiding the danger to the world.

But, as for what Leon himself was actually thinking, she could only imagine it.

(This is big bro we are talking about, so surely he saved her thinking she is pitiful. Even then he can’t answer the girl’s feeling──he is really the worst since the past.)

In their previous life similar things also happened several times although in smaller scale.

Her big brother’s romantic life was irritating so she didn’t get involved but──well, he had been a dense big brother even when she thought back like this.

Louise approached Noelle until the distance when their nose touched each other.

「I hate you. I hate you for living carefreely without knowing anything. Even now you still haven’t noticed just how happy you have it.」

「D-do you know just how much hardships we had gone through!? Everything was because of your house’s fault!」

「Oh, is that so? You two could enroll into the academy easygoingly even though your house was destroyed, who do you think you need to thank for that? Are you seriously thinking that the background of you sisters could be completely hidden with just the effort of your retainers?」

Noelle averted her gaze from Louise.

「I──don’t know anything about that. We were just told to enroll into the academy.」

Louise folded her arms.

「It was really a bothersome situation. ──But, the person who is the most bothered is Leon-kun who saved you. Noelle, what are you going to do after this?」

Noelle looked down and shook her head.

「I still haven’t decided. I haven’t decided yet.」

「──Go back to the academy for a while. It looks like Otou-sama will also permit it. it seems that it’ll also be fine even if you follow Leon-kun when he go back to his country. It’s also fine even if you stay behind though.」

「Eh?」

When Noelle lifted her face, Louise shrugged her shoulders.

「Do as you like, that’s what I‘m saying. Decide your future course before Leon-kun and others return home. I come here today to tell you that.」

When Louise left the room, Noelle was rooted on the spot.

But, it was Marie who was the most troubled.

(Why is the last boss and the villainess are helping the main character!? Aaaaaa!! I don’t get it at allllll!!)

Even though she wouldn’t need to worry about anything if things were simpler──Marie held her head in her hands because she couldn’t predict the future development.

.

Part 3

Creare had returned──calm came back to the commonwealth around the middle of the second semester.

It was really chaotic in the commonwealth at the first semester and the summer vacation.

Because of that, the academy’s events──the romance events if you said it in otome game terminology, they were all crushed.

That happened also because the six great nobles caused scandals in succession.

At the academy rooftop.

I gave half of the lunch bread that I purchased to Marie while talking with Lelia.

We were talking about what to do now.

But it didn’t become a useful dialogue.

Lelia was complaining too today.

「What now! Really what now!? All the events are crushed even though a long vacation is going to arrive soon, this is completely unexpected!」

I agreed with what Lelia said.

I heard that when a girl was angry, it was pointless even if you replied logically.

It seemed it would be better if you agreed with her 「It’s troublesome isn’t it~」 in sympathy.

「That’s right isn’t it. It’s troublesome isn’t it~. Oi Marie! Don’t eat them all!」

The brown paper bag that was filled with several small croissants was almost emptied.

Marie apologized.

「Hah!? S-sorry. I had my head full with eating.」

Lelia yelled angrily because the topic was diverted.

「It’s the fault of you guys! Pierre is gone, Loic is also gone, Hughes too has his engagement cancelled, but he doesn’t have any flag with big sis! Narcisse-sensei was rounded up to help his family and is gone from the academy, what are we going to do now!」

About Loic, he didn’t come to the academy using injury as excuse.

As for Hughes, he ran away leaving Louise-san alone when the incident happened. Because of that their engagement was cancelled.

That was the reason at the surface, but the true reason was because Fernand betrayed Albergue-san.

And then the six great nobles that were in mayhem called Narcisse-sensei back and they moved around in confusion.

They were busy with things like dealing with other countries, or apologizing to the kingdom.

Lelia stood in front of us with her hands on her waist to emphasize that she was angry.

This girl, so she could act cute huh.

「Are you two listening to what I’m saying!?」

「I’m listening. In other words, you have no idea of how to deal with the last boss right?」

「That’s right. Really what are we going to do now.」

While Lelia was holding her head in her hands, Luxion who had been keeping quiet until now while observing the situation showed himself.

Lelia went 「Hyah!」 in surprise, but Luxion ignored her.

『Ultimately there is no need to worry about the last boss. In the first place, what master and Marie are worrying about is the commonwealth’s situation after the last boss is defeated.』

「Eh? After it’s defeated?」

『I’m currently hastening my analysis of the sacred tree, but I have judged that it’s possible to deal with it using the attack of my main body. What’s important is how well we will be able to calm down the commonwealth after that happened.』

Lelia opened her eyes wide.

「Y-you can do something like that?」

『Yes. It’s also possible for me to sink this land right away.』

Lelia grabbed my collar when she heard that dangerous talk.

「Hey, what is he saying!? What is he saying!? These guy’s words are really scary! I got the feeling that he is saying something like sinking Alzer if things become hopeless though!」

It was incorrigible because it was the fact.

I didn’t know how I should answer her──so I glossed it over by laughing.

「Fuhahaha!」

「Don’t gloss it over! Gloss it over, wait, that means he really can do that!? Hey, can he really do that!? Or rather, this guy is going to do something like that!?」

Luxion answered sincerely.

『That’s only if the situation is really hopeless. I don’t mind doing that right away, but master won’t give me permission.』

I soothed down Lelia.

「That’s how it is. If possible I want things to end up in the ideal state, I’ll also help out to take care of the aftermath──anyway don’t worry about the last boss. We will deal with it if things really become hopeless,.」

Marie nodded with a croissant in her mouth.

「Yeah. That’s why don’t worry.」

That was unsightly, I wished you would finish eating before speaking.

Leli let go of me and casted her gaze down.

「T-that means, this country will sink depending on your mood.」

「What a rude fellow. No way we are going to do something like that.」

Lelia wasn’t really listening after that when we resumed talking.

Did I threaten her too much?

.

Part 4

On the way home from the academy.

Lelia was walking totteringly.

She refused Emile’s invitation to send her until home and walked back alone like this because she wanted to think alone.

(This is bad. That Luxion is even more dangerous than expected. That’s right, that guy is a paid item that came out in the first game. It’s not normal.)

The game balance of that otome game’s first title was strange.

It was so unbalanced the players needed to buy paid item to clear it.

Among the paid items, the weapon called Luxion possessed an overwhelming ability.

(I don’t know how to deal with something like that when it appears in reality. Depending on those guys’ mood, even I might become collateral damage if I’m unlucky.)

When she thought about what Alzer had done to Leon until now, it wouldn’t be strange for him to accumulate dissatisfaction.

She didn’t know when that dissatisfaction would blow up.

In addition, it was the six great nobles that were meddling with Leon.

She had no way to stop them.

(This is like being told that there is an even more powerful enemy than the last boss.)

It felt like someone else was having life-and-death power over her.

She couldn’t stay calm at all.

Besides, she also couldn’t trust Leon.

After all he was that kind of human who did extreme things in order to take back Noelle.

Lelia was unbearably anxious.

(If it’s like this then I need power that can oppose him──but, is there any weapon in Alzer than can oppose Luxion? It’ll be possible if it’s the same paid item but──I won’t be able to collect something like that by myself.)

Unlike the academy of Hohlfahrt Kingdom, the academy of Alzer Commonwealth didn’t teach the students the fundamental of being adventurer.

Lelia herself had very little knowledge about that. It was impossible for her to recover the item with her own strength.

(That’s right. I know the location. After that, if I can just obtain it──)

The paid item of the second game that she hadn’t collected until now.

While she was thinking of the method to collect the item, someone stood in front of Lelia.

That man had his shirt unbuttoned on the chest area in this cold.

His black hair was swept back. He had healthy looking tanned skin.

He was also tall. The muscles that were visible from the unbuttoned shirt were firm.

The man──Serge Sara Rault raised his hand and talked to Lelia amiably.

「Yo, long time no see Lelia!」

「──Serge.」

He was none other than the fifth capture target.

Although Lelia was surprised, she asked him where he had been going until now.

ph_otome5_ill009

「Y-you, where had you been until now!」

「Are you worried? I’m happy. Oops, if you want to hear about my adventuring tale, do you want to eat together with me? It’ll take a bit long after all. The adventure this time was just a bit tough you know. Really, how about we eat together? This is our reunion after so long after all, it’s okay right?」

He had a really lighthearted attitude, but he was the heir of Rault House.

He was Albergue’s adopted son.

This youth had quite a lot of rough spot in him, but he dreamed to be an adventurer──and also, he was a reliable boy as an adventurer.

Lelia gasped.

(That’s right. If I ask for Serge’s help)

Lelia accepted Serge’s invitation.

「Fine. Let’s go eat together.」

Serge was surprised.

「That’s rare of you. I thought that you would refuse but──is it really alright?」

「What? We aren’t going?」

「Stupid! Of course we are going! More importantly, what do you want to eat? It’s a rare chance for us to eat together after all. Ask for anything!」

Lelia was relieved seeing Serge’s delighted look.

(Thank god that Serge is interested with me.)

Lelia had dinner together with Serge that day.

.

Part 5

Emile was waiting when Lelia returned home.

It seemed that he had prepared dinner.

「Lelia, about the dinner──」

「Sorry, I have eaten.」

「I-I see.」

「Sorry Emile.」

Pleven House had prepared a mansion near the academy for Lelia’s sake.

It was nearer to the academy than her previous apartment. She was living together with Emile there.

There were also several servants there, but the mansion itself wasn’t especially big.

Emile was thoughtful.

He could cook and clean, and above all else he was kind.

Lelia had no dissatisfaction with him.

But, she felt that something was lacking.

(Even though he can eat first without waiting for me. This made the atmosphere heavy.)

「Emile, about the next long vacation, I’m going to have a bit of business to take care. That’s why, I won’t be able to go back home with you.」

「Eh? Is that so? But, we have already promised.」

「Please. Don’t ask me anything.」

(That guy is too dangerous. I have to obtain at least the same power no matter what.)

She would go out adventuring with Serge in order to prepare countermeasure against Leon.

She couldn’t tell Emile about it.

And then it would also trouble her if she was asked to explain in detail.

Emile looked disappointed.

「I, I see. But, let’s at least give a quick greeting to my family. My big brothers are also waiting, we also need to talk about the future.」

「──okay.」

Lelia said that and the shut herself in her room.

.

Part 6

Around the time the academy entered the long vacation.

A single airship entered Alzer’s harbor.

It was Licorne with its characteristic white hull.

Livia walked down the ramp and waved her hand to Ange while her hand was carrying a large traveling bag.

「Ange, let’s go quickly!」

Ange who was also carrying a bag as big as Livia’s smiled seeing Livia like that.

「Leon won’t run away even if we don’t hurry.」

The two of them immediately departed to the commonwealth when the long vacation arrived.

They had taken care almost of all their businesses beforehand for this.

Livia had been looking forward to this day that she couldn’t sleep last night.

「I want to surprise Leon-san quickly.」

「Got it. I also agree with that.」

It seemed Ange was also looking forward to this. She was smiling a lot since before they arrived at the commonwealth.

Previously──at the summer vacation, they were unable to sightsee a lot at the commonwealth.

This time they planned to sightsee leisurely.

Creare was watching the two.

『You two look like you’re having fun. Over there they look like they will be really busy with work though.』

Ange turned her eyes toward another airship that came together with them from the kingdom.

「They will have a lot of work waiting for them after this.」

This time a lot of airships were visiting from the kingdom.

They also acted as Ange’s guard, but the other ships were also boarded with the diplomats that were dispatched for the dialogue with the commonwealth.

Scandals with Pierre and Loic had happened in succession.

The kingdom too couldn’t keep quiet with the case this time. They already had several talks before this.

Quite a lot of personnel were dispatched from the kingdom in order for the final adjustment of the agreement.

Livia said.

「Leon-san will be surprised this time.」

Ange also agreed.

「Yeah. Well, I too wanted to ask him a lot of things about what happened in Alzer even if I have to skip out my work. The information that came to the kingdom is few. Creare also won’t talk.」

『Oh, are you criticizing me? There is a proper reason for this though~』

「Good grief.」

Ange was talking with a smiling face. But she frowned when she saw airships entering the harbor.

Livia tilted her head.

「What’s the matter?」

「──Those are Rachelle’s airship. There are a lot of them.」

The airships of Holy Kingdom Rachelle entered Alzer’s harbor in great number.

.

Part 7

The second semester was over and we entered a long vacation.

I──together with Noelle exited Marie’s mansion.

The reason? It was Cordelia-san.

Cordelia-san’s words「Angelica-sama will worry if you keep living in Marie’s mansion forever」 were reasonable after all.

When I returned to the house in Alzer that I used at the beginning, the inside of the room was covered in dust.

「Uwa~, this is awful.」

Cordelia-san rolled up her sleeves.

「We have to prioritize cleaning the bedrooms and the kitchen. Then, first let’s open the window so fresh air can come in. We have to air the mattress.」

Yumeria-san also followed behind Cordelia-san.

Even though I told her it was alright if she stayed behind in Marie’s mansion, she firmly refused because she was my maid and also watcher.

Watcher──it was good that she had the awareness of it, but it was no good if she said that to the person she ought to watch.

Good grief──this person is hopelessly cute.

The two of them headed to the second floor. Then Luxion saw the baby bed that had been left behind her.

I approached it.

「come to think of it, we brought this thing here.」

Noelle-chan──the pet dog that Jean kept was using this when we were taking care of it here. But now Noelle-chan was already gone so it was brought here because it wasn’t used anymore.

Noelle was also looking nostalgic.

「This is the one that we were using before the summer vacation isn’t it? I see, so it’s placed here.」

The collar was still attached around Noelle’s neck.

She decorated it herself when going to the academy to keep it out from view. Right now she had gone back to her bright personality just like before.

But she seemed lonely somewhere in her.

「You could still stay at Marie’s mansion though? Is it alright for you to stay together with me?」

Noelle scratched her head when I asked her that.

「That’s an unpleasant way of asking. Well, there is also this feeling of mine that want to stay there though. It’s fun there every day, and Marie-chan is also kind.」

「Ee~, that girl is kind?」

「She is kind. But──you know, she has romantic relations with those five. Even if I don’t intend it, I often caught them in the act.」

I tended to forget but, those five were Marie’s lovers.

When living together with them, sometimes I would come across that kind of scene.

Noelle too seemed to take that into consideration.

「That girl seemed reluctant that Noelle is moving out though.」

She looked really depressed when she heard that Noelle, Cordelia-san, and Yumeria-san who had been helping with the housework would be leaving.

The number of servants in her place had also increased, even then they were still short of hands there.

In the first place that mansion was too large.

But there also wasn’t any need to refuse if Noelle said that she wanted to come to my place.

「Well, it doesn’t matter.」

Noelle joined her hands behind her back after I said that.

She looked shy.

「Hey, Leon──do you know about local wife?」

Noelle laughed shyly when I was unable to reply.

「I thought that perhaps, becoming one might be fine but, I wonder what Leon might thing about it」

It was an attractive proposal for a man but, could Noelle become happy with that?

「You, are you alright with that? Are you really not going to regret it?」

Noelle’s expression turned depressed.

「Sorry. As I thought it might be impossible. It was embarrassing to say that, and it makes me a bit sad.」

「Right? Our current distance will be better for both of us.」

More than friend, less than lover──further development than this was impossible.

Luxion who had been listening to our talk seemed to have been waiting for this timing to speak to Noelle.

『Is it alright for me to give a report?』

「W-what? Say it if you are here!」

Luxion looked at my left arm while Noelle was being surprised.

『I have found a way to take off the collar.』

Finally? I asked Luxion why it took so long.

「It took a lot of time for you huh.」

『I was taking my time in order to do it safely. The method to take it off itself didn’t take long to discover, but I also investigated how to do it safely. Cutting it with the chain materialized will put the least burden to the body for taking it off.』

「Isn’t that method too plain?」

It seemed Noelle also thought so.

「Then we should have cut it right away.」

『If we try to cut it carelessly, the collar will tighten──and take off the head. Physically.』

「──Hey, will it really be fine? Is that method really the safest method?」

Noelle was getting scared.

『Among the chain rings, there is just one of them that won’t trigger the effect. The collar can be taken off after we destroy that. There is no problem because I have pinpointed its location.』

I looked at Noelle.

「Should we?」

「U~n, I’m scared, but──I’m thinking that perhaps it’ll also be fine to just leave it like this.」

「Eh!?」

「B-because, this too is one of my few bonds with Leon.」

It was sweet when she said that but, I also wanted to be spared from the suspicion of having an abnormal hobby.

When those who were in the know of the cursed collar saw Noelle, they would immediately look at the bracelet on me and made an「Uwah!」 face.

「No good. It’s causing difficulty in our daily life so let’s take it off.」

「──Leon you idiot.」

Luxion showed which part of the chain should be cut.

『It’s the part near the collar. Master, you should pull the chain, then I will cut it with a tool.』

「Got it.」

I materialized the chain and stretched it tautly, but the part that should be cut was near Noelle’s collar.

When I pulled it, it made felt strange for some reason.

There was also how Noelle closed her eyes nervously. It made my heart to pound hard strangely.

『Then, please wait while I prepare the tool. The tool is prepared at Einhorn, I will head there to retrieve it now.』

「You, say that beforehand!」

『Master is the one misunderstanding. Then, excuse me for now.』

Luxion went out from the window and heading to Einhorn. I and Noelle looked at each other and we snorted.

「Aa~, sorry. I misunderstood that this thing can be taken off right away.」

「It’s fine. I also misunderstood like that. Even so, the feeling of the collar got stronger with the chain materialized like this.」

Noelle held the chain and made clinking sound with it. Certainly it made the obscene feel of it stronger.

「Certainly. It made me feel strange.」

Noelle went along with my joke.

「Leon you pervert.」

「What? Should I say isn’t it fine here?」

I approached her while making lewd movement with my fingers. Noelle covered her chest with both hands and twisted away.

「What are you doing while the sun is still this high, stuuupid.」

Noelle was laughing happily.

A relationship where you can joke with each other is really important isn’t it.

Then the room’s door opened.

Cordelia-san was watching me with a cold gaze.

「──Leon-sama, what are you doing?」

「Eh? This is, it’s just the usual joke.」

I tried to gloss it over with a laugh, but then the door opened fully and showed other people behind Cordelia-san.

Far behind was Yumeria-san who was trembling while holding the sapling’s case──not that, the problem was the other two people there.

Over there was the smiling Livia──she was tilting her head with her hands joined together.

「Hee, so you two are always doing this kind of joke.」

「Li-Livia!」

There was also Ange with expressionless face.

ph_otome5_ill010

「I’m also here. Even so, we didn’t visit this house previously but──to think, there is a secret that you are hiding here. I never even imagined it.」

「Se-secret!? What do you mean secret──hah!」

Ange and Livia were sending their gazes toward the baby bed.

In a further stroke of bad luck, they saw Noelle’s collar and my bracelet were linked by a chain.

Livia’s smiling face was scary.

「Leon-san, you will give us explanation right?」

「T-this person here is──hah!」

I noticed another danger just when I was going to introduce Noelle.

I recalled a single fact.

It was at our first semester.

I took care of the dog that Jean kept because he was injured──that dog’s name was “Noelle”.

And then the one here was also Noelle──I hadn’t told them that the dog Noelle-chan had died.

I didn’t tell them because I didn’t want to worry them.

But now it became extremely bad.

Noelle introduced herself with a troubled look.

「I, I’m──Noelle. Noelle Beltre. I’m going to the same academy with Leon. E-eh? Did I introduce myself before this?」

The collared Noelle introduced herself like that.

It was a long time ago, so Noelle introduced herself for the second time but──it seemed her doing that was problematic.

It was like pouring oil into fire.

「We met before at Marie’s mansion didn’t we? Wait, Noelle──you say? I see, so that’s how it is. How stupid of me, I didn’t notice it before.」

When Ange started to chuckle, Cordelia-san straightened her back.

She was focusing to be a background so that she wouldn’t stand out as a maid.

Stop! Don’t escape by yourself!

Livia’s misunderstanding was also accelerating.

「Noelle-chan──I heard that it was a seventeen years old female dog but, so that’s how it is. I was misunderstanding. ──So she is actually a human. I misunderstood her to be an old dog.」

「Y-you’re mistaken! Noelle-chan the dog really existed!」

「I didn’t know that Leon-san has that kind of hobby.」

Livia’s face turned serious.

I couldn’t stop sweating.

Ange’s gaze was fixed to the baby bed.

「In that case this place, is your love nest with that Noelle-chan huh? I never even dreamed that your letter for us was written with your life with your mistress. Leon, you’re really something.」

It sounded like a praise, but it wasn’t.

Her eyes toward me looked like they were blazing with flame of indignation.

If I made even a single mistake, it felt like Ange would be enraged and blazed up for real.

Shit! I was feeling the chills.

Even if I tried to make an excuse, the situation was too bad.

Livia questioned Noelle.

「Noelle-san, we have met before haven’t we? I have thought it’s suspicious since that time. You have known that Leon-san have us as fiancées haven’t you?」

Noelle who was questioned like that──apologized to Livia.

「I’m──sorry」

Wait! Don’t apologize! First we need to dispel the misunderstanding here!

That’s right. If Noelle said that this was a misunderstanding──if she said that, would the misunderstanding get cleared up?

When I looked at Cordelia-san, she averted her gaze from me.

Th-this woman, you are betraying me at this important time!? C-come to think of it, her gaze had been cold sometimes when looking at me!

I looked toward Yumeria-san to ask for help.

Yumeria-san was in panic with her mouth opening and closing with only ‘awawawa’ sound.

「T-that, Leon-sama kidnapped Noelle-san from a marriage ceremony! W-with that the two of them are close with each other, that!」

The panicking Yumeria-san was pouring even more oil into the fire.

No, it wasn’t oil she was pouring but a bomb.

I was happy that she was trying to explain about the circumstance of me saving Noelle and other things to dispel the misunderstanding. I was happy but, unfortunately it was accelerating Ange and Livia’s misunderstanding.

「He kidnapped a bride you said? Leon, you will tell me about it in more detail right? And about your hobby too, this is a good chance so let me hear all about it as your fiancée.」

「So Leon-san like Noelle-san that much. You have even prepared a baby bed.」

What’s the meaning of this?

Why didn’t the two of them know about what had been going on in Alzer?

Certainly my contact with them was only the minimum, but Creare should have returned to them.

Hadn’t they heard about the situation from her?

And then I noticed one more fact.

──Why didn’t Luxion tell me that the two of them were coming?

If it was him then he should have noticed.

And then, when I considered how he wasn’t here at this timing──.

「Y-you set me up huh. You set me up huh, Luxion!!」

Ange and Livia brought their face close to me.

「Leon, I’ll have you confess everything!」

「Leon-san, you will get an extra strict “Bad-!” this time!」

And then I noticed.

The scene that looked like me cheating from all angles.

The betrayal of the AIs.

And then, all the misunderstandings that had been accumulating until now to create this extremely bad situation.

This──could it be perhaps, a checkmate for me!?