The World of Otome Games is Tough For Mobs-Novel

Volume 6, Short Story - Marie Route The Fourth

"Now the kingdom is facing its greatest crisis ever!"

It was His Royal Highness Julius who was standing on a platform in the square in front of the school gates, giving a speech.

After school.

Students returning to their dormitories and those about to go out into the city to play stop and listen to His Highness Julius' speech.

The reason is because they're obligated to hear him out. That's the reason most of them are here.

However, some of them are joining in with great enthusiasm.

His Highness Julius added gestures and raised his voice as he looked around at the faces of the crowd. 'You're used to making speeches,' is how I

—Leon Fou Bartford—felt.

"I'm sure everyone has heard of the continuing rebellion in many places. I'm sure everyone is anxious, but don't worry. The army of our Holfort Kingdom is on its way to put them down."

Even though sophomore year is nearing its end, the military is dealing with a series of rebellion's in various parts of the Holfort Kingdom.

It's not uncommon for the nobles to have skirmishes within the country.

So normally the students don’t panic as long as their own safety was not in danger.

However—if it happened frequently in different parts of the country, they would become uneasy, even if they didn't want to.

In fact, the female students listening to His Highness Julius's speech seemed anxious.

"There was an uprising near my parents' home, too." "There are many of them these days."

"I got a letter from my parent's telling me to stay in Kings Landing for the long weekend"

Many students felt uneasy.

His Royal Highness Julius' speech in such a situation attracted the students.

"Our country is strong! Don't be afraid of the frequent uprisings! But—"

Julius closed his eyes and made a little pause.

His eyes widen and he says in a louder voice than before "—There's a country that's working behind the scenes."

As the crowd began to buzz, His Highness Julius just shut his mouth.

In the midst of the commotion, Marie Fou Lovan, who was next to me, looked at His Highness Julius, stunned.

"Hey, are you okay?"

When I called out to her, Marie had a huff and puff look on her face. I'm sure Marie remembers this scene. Of course, I remember it too.

Towards the end of the middle of that otome game, the real enemy is revealed. At that point, His Royal Highness Julius will make a speech.

When the crowd is quiet, His Highness Julius resumes his speech.

'The Principality—the Principality of Fanoss—is behind the frequent rebellions.

The spectators were amazed at the new revelation and shouted.

The fact that behind the uprising commotion is the Principality, which has a longstanding hostile relationship with the Holfort Kingdom, is highly credible.

Amidst the commotion, I talk with Marie. To confirm our knowledge of the game and to see what we're going to do.

"The Principality didn't stop, did it?"

"Why won't they stop? You stole their trump card, didn't you? And yet, what's the point of not stopping the war?"

I'm not going to fight because I don't think I can win. This type of decision seems simple, but it's actually quite difficult.

We were naive in thinking that we could avoid a war by capturing the magic flute, the Principality's trump card.

Last time, in order to avoid the war, we rode into the Principality of Fanoss and retrieved the Magic Flute. It's a tool that summons that otome game's last boss, and it's an extremely troublesome item.

Without the flute, we thought the war would end. But in the end, we couldn't avoid it.

"Leon, are you going to join the war?" Marie also knows what happens after this. What awaits after this—

"Everyone, do me a favor."

—When His Highness Julius held out his hands, he looked divine and radiant.

After all, a good-looking man is always popular. I'm sure no one would listen to me if I were to make a speech.

"This crisis—I want to stop this crisis in the Kingdom. Not as the crown prince. I want to save the kingdom from danger, as Julius, as a knight!

That's what I'm asking for. Please lend me your help!"

The Crown Prince, as a knight, said he wants to save the day. The students were impressed by that.

There are voices calling out his name from everywhere.

"Long live His Highness Julius!" "Long live the kingdom!"

"I can help you!"

Gradually the crowd became invaded by the heat and raised their voices.

“Thank you. Thank you guys! Lend me your power and I will survive this crisis. I—No, we will save the country!”

Julius raised his voice at one point, and the crowd responded with a voice that made the air shake. My ears were aching.

Marie looked at it in horror. It seemed hard to understand."Why do you want to go to war?"

It was a scene that had been talked about like a beautiful story in that maiden game, but up close and personal, it seemed to be a different scene somehow. There was no emotion there.

It was just scary.

I wonder if Marie is the same, and she squeezes my hand.

"You don't think you're going to die, do you? Well, the aristocrats are the ones who stand back and give orders on the battlefield. They don't have much of a sense of urgency."

"And you?"

"Me? I hate it. If I don't have to fight a war, I won't."

Marie had a look of relief on her face. Did she think I would be willing to join in? In the first place, student soldiers would be a nuisance to

professional soldiers and knights.

They wouldn't want to be seen on the battlefield when they hadn't even trained well.

His Highness Julius waved his hand at the enthusiastic crowd.

It was a scene that was quite exciting in the game, but seeing it in person made me feel somewhat empty, sad, and complicated.

Are these guys really going to join the war?

◇

After a few days had passed since His Highness Julius' speech, the atmosphere in the school had changed drastically.

The tense air that had been tense due to the rebellion was now buoyed by the heat.

The boys who wanted to take this opportunity to make a name for themselves had announced in high spirits in the classroom that they would be volunteering for His Highness Julius' army.

"Alan, the son of the Viscount Bourdons, volunteers for the army of His Highness Julius! Anyone else want to join me?"

If they joined with a bunch of people, they would be better remembered by His Highness Julius. This was their ulterior motive.

Also, if you volunteer with a large number of people, you in the army of His Highness Julius—shall we call it a volunteer army? It would have been a volunteer army in that otome game.

Your position in the volunteer army is also taken into account.

If you join alone, you're one of the soldiers, but if you take ten men with you, you're a captain.

Also, rumor has it that if you send out armor and airships with the support of your parents' family, you will be treated as an officer.

Lots of boy's want to join for their future.

One after another, boys from the advanced and normal classes had volunteered to join.

I was surrounded by Daniel and Raymond, who were also poor aristocrats from the countryside, watching the scene from a distance.

Both of them were looking coldly at me.

It's kind of sad that the country aristocrats are more aware of the reality of the situation.

Daniel let out a sigh as he looked at the boys who were floating around.

"For the sake of the country, for the sake of your highness, their tatemae are splendid, aren't they?"

Raymond pushes his glasses up with his middle finger and when he adjusts his position, he talks about the boys' true feelings.

"If you're active here, you'll be popular with the girls. There are a lot of boys who will stick around for this reason."

What a sad reality.

I saw a boy named Alan making a scene in the classroom. He's a boy who wears ornaments and looks like a rich man. He is surrounded by his cronies.

I'm sure he's going to put on a fine airship and armor with the support of his parents' family.

Are the students, whose families are poor, going to borrow weapons from Alan to fight in the war? Well, that's not our problem.

"Daniel, Raymond, do you guys want to join in?" I joked, and they both snickered.

"No,"

"Let's get real. It's not good for amateurs to be on the battlefield. I think the only one of us who's allowed to participate properly is Leon."

"Me?"

Raymond, who made it sound like I'm the only exception, shrugged his shoulders and explained why.

"It was Leon who broke off the two families of Viscount Raffan and Count Offley, right?"

"Oh~ that was my brother. Nix is a really great guy. You guys were watching him, weren't you? You guys were in on it, too."

Yeah, right. Leon was the one working in the background. I mean, we were the ones sending out the airships.

Let's just say that I'm only here to support my brother in making a name for himself. I didn't sacrifice my brother because I didn't want to stand out.

I'm a kind brother who's happy to see my brother get ahead. —No offense.

Daniel laughed.

"I envy the Baldfart family because they are all heroes. But you've made a name for yourself by attacking dungeons. You even have an airship; a lot of students know that."

Will they be pressing me to join them? It's really annoying.

"I wish I could run away."

"I'm not sure they want you. The rich people want to play an active role themselves. They don't want Leon to take all the credit, do they?"

"You think they care more about taking credit for the war than winning it?"

"It's too good a volunteer army."

"People dream too much, don't they?"

If you play an active role on the battlefield and come back to the school, the girls won't leave you alone—what a dream! Besides, if you play an active role here, your future will be open.

His Highness Julius will remember you better, and you'll be able to tell the saga of your activities since your school days.

They don't have to push themselves. Seeing the boys trying to go to war makes me feel empty.

Let the adults take care of it. When we grow up, they can make us participate in the war even if we don't want to, but what are we going to do about it right now?

We should have more fun while we are young. We should not go to war.

◇

A special building has been prepared on the school grounds.

It is a house, not a dormitory, prepared for Olivia. It was prepared for her, and only a few people are allowed to enter.

Armed guards were prepared around the building, and Olivia received special treatment.

But right now, the master is absent.

The people using such a building were the nobles who represented the school.

Julius has a map in front of him that is placed on the table. Several pieces that resembled airships were placed and looked at them.

At Julius's side, Jilk is preparing a cup of tea.

"Your Highness, is there something troubling you?"

Julius responds to Jilk's question by rubbing his fingers over his eyes. Julius's problem is that there are too many volunteers.

"Lots of students volunteered, but the problem is the equipment." "Is it still difficult to rent it from the royal court?"

"Father and Mother only told me to stay at the school. I can't believe that the King is looking at me with his finger in his mouth during this time of crisis."

One by one, the rebels rose up, and even the Principality took advantage of the opportunity to attack.

In this time of crisis, Julius has decided to fight on his own. The reason for this—Olivia.

Jilk laughed as if teasing Julius.

"Aren't you just trying to show Olivia-san your good side?" Don't be a fool!

Julius, who was flustered, forced himself to return the conversation with a deliberate coughing fit, but that just proved Jilks' point.

"Jilk, we're short on weapons. What about the other three? "They're still gathering their strength back at home."

The other three are Brad, the heir to the Field family. Greg, the heir to the Seberg family.

Chris, the son of a swordsman.

All three of them are heirs to powerful nobles and are strong allies who agree with Julius. At the same time, they were also love rivals for Olivia.

Julius puts his hand on his chin and looks down at the map. Then he tells Jilk his decision.

"We will participate in this battle, and we will lead the kingdom to victory."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Jilk agreed. He then suggested to Julius.

"Your Highness, why don't you ask the students who own airships to help you?"

"Own an airship? Are there any students who do?"

"There are very few, but they exist. With their help, we can assemble a fleet of airships. Some of the students have armor, you know"

"Would it be better to have their help now?"

"Yes. After all, this is a matter of national importance." "All right. You're in charge. But don't push yourself." "You can count on me, Your Highness."

◇

"Hey, poor man! I've heard you don't plan to join His Highness Julius's volunteer army,"

Alan, with his cronies, is talking to us in the classroom. I'm surrounded by Marie, Daniel, and Raymond.

Marie raises one eyebrow.

"What? Too bad you're poor? You posh boy!" "No, no, not you."

Alan can't come out strong against Marie, who is a girl. Just looking at her makes boys feel a sense of intimacy.

Because of Alan's shouting in the classroom, the students around us were paying attention to us.

Raymond seemed to think it was a bad idea.

"Guys, let's get out of the classroom. This situation is bad."

As if to interrupt Raymond's thoughts, Alan used his cronies to block our escape route.

"You're running away?"

Looking at the grinning Alan and the others, I feel disgusted.

It isn't a problem if a nobleman doesn't join His Highness Julius's volunteer army. Rather, it would be better if he managed to disband it.

However, the atmosphere in the school did not allow for that.

It's not just the boys around us, even the girls are giving us cold looks.

Daniel looked at Alan and the others in frustration and muttered in a whisper, "It's dirty."

You are free to join the volunteer army. However, refusing to do so would put you in a bad position in the school.

This is because many boys, and to a lesser extent, girls, have also announced their participation in the volunteer army.

In other words, we are in the minority.

No matter how good of an argument we make, our position cancels it out. It's called peer pressure.

Alan talks loudly in front of everyone, on purpose.

"Bartford, you have an airship, don't you? I've heard it's a fine airship acquired through adventure. So how can you not join the volunteer army?

Isn't this where a real nobleman would have volunteered to take the lead? If

I were you, I would have volunteered on the spot when I heard His Highness Julius' speech."

"I am not you and you are not me. Such metaphors are pointless."

It's so embarrassing. It's like an amateur who watches a boxing match, doesn't know anything about it, and says something like, "I would have definitely been able to avoid that straight up now!"

But Alan, with his surroundings on his side, was bullish."You're running away, coward?"

We haven't even participated in the war, but they're treating us like cowards deserting it.

Humans are really stupid.

Marie steps forward to defend me and says what she wants to Alan.

"Joining a volunteer army isn't compulsory. Don't make it sound like Leon is on the run."

It's a good argument, but these guys don't get it.

Alan is really bullish because he thinks he is right. If he thinks that the girls around him are on his side, he will be bullish towards even Marie.

"It's His Highness Julius' volunteer army!" "So what? In the first place--mug!"

Covering Marie's mouth with my hand, I decided to just shut her up for a while. She isn't making this situation better.

—The atmosphere in the school is already strange.

The eyes of the students around us are looking at us as if we are their enemies.

"Sorry, she's my fiancé and quite protective."

When I say that she's my fiancé, Alan makes a blatantly disgusted face.

In the school, boys who have fiancées are the winners of the marriage race.

They are the students who have won, and they are also the objects of jealousy for the boys who are still struggling to get married. Alan also has a frustrated look on his face.

I'm glad to see such a look on you.

"As for volunteering for the volunteer army, I'll consider it positively.

I'm sorry we can't come to a decision sooner. I have a lot of preparations to make, too."

I'm going to decline in a positive way—that's a very Japanese reply in my previous life. It's the magic word that makes it sound like you're

working on something positive, even though you have no intention of doing it.

Alan quickly turns his back on us and walks away.

"Make up your mind quickly. A poor nobleman in the countryside is only worth so much. You should be grateful you're allowed to join His Highness Julius' volunteer army in the first place."

Daniel and Raymond stare at Alan's back, and then quickly turn their gaze to me. Daniel looks frustrated.

"Leon, are you sure you want to keep this up?"

"We can't talk in here. Come with me." "Hmmm! Hmm~!"

We walk out of the classroom with Marie, who’s flailing about. The eyes of my classmates hurt.

◇

Alan and the others headed to the room where Jilk was.

Jilk narrows his eyes at the sight of Alan and his cronies, making no attempt to hide his discomfort.

"You backed down without them making any promises?"

The plan was to have Leon's airship sent out and made Julius's flagship.

Leon had used Partner when fighting Countess Offley, and Jilk had heard about its performance.

If the Royal Palace wouldn't lend them the power to fight, they would have to procure it themselves.

Alan and the others make desperate excuses so as not to spoil Jilk's mood.

"I wouldn't be this pained if I could tell you that. But, His Highness Julius's flagship can be my ship. I can assure you of a comfortable sailing experience."

Alan is a student with a large war chest.

In addition to his airship, he lends his armor to his cronies and volunteers.

He is a valuable part of Julius's fleet. In fact, he is treated as an executive in Julius's volunteer army.

However, it was only the current situation that allowed him to become one.

But Jilk couldn't cut Alan off easily either.

"What I want is a warship, not a luxury cruise ship. You must immediately persuade Mr. Bartford to join us."

"But…"

"You have to convince him. —I don't care how. Yes, I have heard that he had a sister. Why don't you talk to some of his other friends?"

Although he avoided being direct, what Jilk wanted to say was,

"Threaten the people involved with him and use them to get him to cooperate."

Alan and the others leave the room in a hurry.

Jilk sees them off and enjoys a cup of his favorite tea in his favorite tea set.

"They are all useless subordinates. But they are risking their lives to become His Highness's subordinates, so we must be patient and use them.

It's all for His Highness and—and Olivia-san."

◇

We took Marie to Master's room. We were invited into a room that smelled like good tea, and in it, we talked to Master about the future.

Master was worried about the current situation too and provided me with a lot of information.

"Julius's—His Highness Julius's volunteer army? I've heard about it as well; the royal palace doesn't approve of it."

It was Marie who listened to master and agreed with him.

"Oh, I knew it. Because it's weird to send students to the battlefield or something."

Only if it were the end of the world, would they send out student soldiers.

That's fine and all, but I don't understand the feelings of His Highness Julius and the others who volunteered themselves.

"I've also been invited."

Master was stroking his chin."They seem to be aware of what Julius and the others are after," he said.

"They don't want the battle prowess of Mister Leon, they want the airships. They must be in a hurry to get their forces together."

Marie is taking mouthful after mouthful of sweets prepared by her master. Hey, you should be more nervous! Please don't! Don't embarrass me in front of my master!

While he was troubled by Marie, his master graciously allowed her to take as much as she wanted.

Marie said, "Thank you!", and then proceeded to eat them one by one.

—Let's leave her alone.

"Based on the atmosphere in the school, I feel it's dangerous to disobey him."

I seek advice from my master, because I'm sure that if I disobey His Highness Julius and the others, that I would get hurt.

I'm sure they will try to harass us.

"That will happen. The students of the academy are being influenced by the excitement. If that's the case, it might be a good idea to leave the school."

Leaving campus? You want me to run away from the academy? Will I be able to get away with it?

Daniel and Raymond might even volunteer because they don't want to leave.

"My impression of the people around me is the worst. I'd rather be on the battlefield—"

As I said that much, my master smiled at me.

"That's right. Instead of His Highness Julius' volunteer army, Mister Leon should lead his own volunteer army to participate in the war."

Marie stuffed her mouth full of cookies and puffed out her cheeks like a squirrel.

I was startled too.

"Wait! You're asking Leon to join the war!" The Master nodded.

"That's right. Though it's not the kind of battlefield that Miss Marie would think of.

"What?"

Marie looks alternately at her master and me.

She doesn't seem to understand, so I explain to him."Do you know what's important to the war?" "Strength?"

"That's part of it, but we also need supplies. An army can't fight without ammunition, food for the soldiers, and other things. Getting the supplies to them is going to be very important."

My master nodded, so I must have been right.

"Exactly. Partner would be able to transport a large amount of supplies. I'm sure the Royal Army would accept it."

"But would they approve of me leading a volunteer army?" "I'll take care of it myself."

Thank you, Master! But who is master really? Wouldn't he need to have a lot of influence to get my volunteer army recognized? As I thought when I rescued senior Clarice and the others, isn't Master quite an important person?

Then I had an idea.

"Master, this is the volunteer army of His Highness Julius, do you think the kingdom is not going to recognize it as it is?"

Will the King allow it or not? When I ask which will be the case, Master gets a slightly troubled look on his face.

"There's a chance that he will admit it. Rather than letting him run out of control like this, there will be an idea to prepare a battlefield where he can play an active role and let him experience his first battle. That is a possibility."

Then, will His Highness Julius eventually go into battle as well?

This situation is scary because it seems like everything is set in stone. Like a game scenario.

But I'll be the one changing it.

"I would like to have a meeting with His Highness Julius."

At my offer, the master showed a dubious expression—but he immediately smiled.

"Let me arrange it."

"Thank you."

◇

When I met with His Highness Julius, he was in a surprisingly welcoming mood.

"Bartford, I've heard about you. I heard that you have been recognized as a volunteer army by the royal palace."

His Highness Julius, who wanted to lead a volunteer army to war, was regretting that I got the royal court's permission first. However, he doesn't seem to harbor any emotions against me.

"I've been asked to undertake a transport mission with my companions.

I can't expect to perform as spectacularly as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"I'm not allowed to go to war. You're braver than I am."

"That's not true. Soon, the royal palace will recognize His Highness' volunteer army."

I've heard about it beforehand from my mentor and it's almost a done deal.

It was approved by that maiden, so it will go on as it should.

In fact, when Master went to the royal palace to ask for permission to set up my volunteer army, the talks in the royal palace were coming together in the direction of approving His Highness Julius's sortie.

I also got permission from my master to tell him about it.

"Really? You seem to know something about the state of affairs—do you have a handmaiden in the royal palace?"

"It's a secret."

It must be strange for me, a country nobleman, to have a messenger in the royal palace.

Jilk standing by His Highness Julius's side is smiling.it's scary because

I don't know what this guy is thinking.

However, Alan and the others standing by the wall were staring at me in frustration.

So, I smile.

"We'll do our best to be useful in this fight, too. Good luck to you too, Alan."

"I'm gonna do it without you telling me!"

I, who had made a fool of myself so much, is now leading a volunteer army with the permission of the royal court. I guess that's what Alan can't forgive me for.

His Highness Julius grasps my right hand in both of his.

"We'll follow soon enough. If we meet on the battlefield, I'll look after you."

"Yes, Your Highness."

It makes me sad to see His Highness Julius with a twinkle in his eye, looking forward to the battlefield. I wish he'd get the reality of the situation as soon as possible.

I called out to Alan and then decided to leave the room."Alan, don't be reckless."

Alan, who took my words as me mocking him, clicked his tongue.

"You'll see. I'm going to play a part in this war, and I'm going to be a hero."

…You should be happy you're alive. That's all that matters to me.

◇

While Leon was meeting with Julius, Marie was waiting outside the building.

It was not that she would feel uncomfortable about meeting the royals, though, she didn't want to get close to Julius and the others now. It's just that everyone was somewhat tense.

"Sigh, why do men want to go to war? Peace is best, right?"

The boys who hear about the war and are enthusiastic about taking an active role in it.

And the girls who send them out. Marie couldn't understand them at all.

She heard voices from a place hidden in the shadows of the building, and when she went to take a peek, she saw a man and women embracing each other.

"Yulia, I'm going to get a medal for this fight and come for you." "Lloyd will be a hero. Just make sure you come back to me." "Yeah, I promise."

Apparently, the boy named Lloyd seems to be a regular class student. In contrast, a female student named Yulia seems to be in the advanced class.

Witnessing the love between the different identities, she gets a little bit embarrassed. However, Marie immediately thinks.

(You should stop him. He doesn't have to go fight.) Gathering up her courage, Marie approached them. They left in a hurry, and their cheeks were red with a primitive look.

Seeing them, Marie asks Lloyd for help.

"You're a normal class boy, right? Actually, Leon Fou Bartford is leading a volunteer army. Do you want to be a pilot in armor there? We're short on staff."

He managed to mend and solicit with a drawn-out smile.

They were confused by the sudden offer. Only, Lloyd shook his head."I'm sorry, but I've decided to join His Highness Julius' volunteer army." "Oh, yeah? But, wouldn't it be better if it was easier to go into battle?" "No!"

"What?"

Lloyd tells Marie why he dismissed her proposal.

"Yulia's family is a baronial family. There is a need for Yulia to have a husband, but if I, who doesn't have a reputation, asked for a marriage proposal, it would only be rejected. But if I join His Highness Julius's volunteer army, it would be an honor in itself! I'm going to be a hero, and I'm going to be a man worthy of Yulia—a knight!" Yulia looks at Lloyd with her cheeks dyed red.

"—Lloyd, you've been thinking about me so much." Marie was puzzled by the two of them.

She gives up trying to convince them as Leon comes out the building, and rushes to him. Meanwhile, the two resume their love-making.

◇

"The palace doesn't give a damn."

Gritting his teeth in the empty room, Jilk was in a hurry because his planned plan to make Partner his flagship had gone awry.

"If I don't do this, I'll cause trouble for Olivia-san in the royal palace. If I do that, my existence is worthless!"

He held his head in his hands.

He was acting impatient and breathing erratically. Jilk didn't want Olivia to dislike him at all.

He pondered what to do, and then thought about getting a replacement airship.

"Let's scrounge up some airships, even if it's a bit heavy-handed. We've been too lax in the past. This is a battle for the honor of Your Highness. We can't afford to embarrass him."

For Julius' sake, for Olivia's sake—he repeated the same excuses in his head and decided to scrape up the strength, even if it was somewhat forceful.

The plan is to have the students procure it for each other. Of course, Jilk has no right to make them do that.

However, this plan can be realized. All you have to do is create an atmosphere in the school where they will be forced to provide it themselves.

If they don't provide it, he can drive them away as having no noble spirit. It's pretty vicious, but Jilk doesn't hesitate.

He puts on a cold expression and leaves the room.

◇

The port where Partner is anchored is packed with people from the poor nobility.

Both men and women are participating in the war as my volunteer army, to make a track record of participating in the war and—to escape from the school, which is surrounded by a bizarre atmosphere.

I watched from the deck as the people I knew boarded from the ramp.

I could hear Marie's voice. Marie is trying to get the girls she knows aboard."Come on, get aboard! Hurry up!"

"Marie, you're scaring me~"

She pushed the small girl hugging the book and forced her onto the partner.

"Just get in! If you were at school, you'd be holed up in the library, right?" "Yes."

Why are you taking what she said for granted? I looked at the girls who responded like that and I watched, thinking that Marie must be feeling troubled too.

Behind Marie, there were girls who followed behind her— reluctantly following her. They must have been forced out of the school by the atmosphere too.

—But more importantly, aren't there a lot of them? There were more girls than Marie was taking care of before.

Marie doesn't have it easy either.

The girls that Marie is taking care of have a strong habit of taking care of themselves.

The boys in my group are looking at them like hungry beasts.

"If you get on Leon-senpai's airship, you'll have a chance to talk to them!" "You're kidding me?! Give this place up to your seniors!"

"I don't know! If it comes to this, it's a duel!"

Everyone's eyes are bleary-eyed because their lives are at stake. They ignore the hierarchy and fight each other, which is a sight to behold.

She might be a reclusive girl who loves books, but compared to the noble girls at school, her flaws are more attractive. Love books? I'll buy as many as I can! That's what we boys are all about. It's tens of thousands of times better than being asked for precious metals, giving them away, and then them being sold to a pawn shop a few days later.

—again, I think the school is a sad existence for the boys.

In addition to the girls that Marie is taking care of, there are other girls from the poor aristocracy that come aboard. They must have sensed the atmosphere in the school and fled.

"There's a larger group than I expected."

"The current atmosphere at the school is intolerable."

As I look down at such a scene from the deck, Luxion approaches me."It's been a while,"

"Why did you call me, master?"

"I've got a lot on my plate. More importantly, have you finished your errands?"

"Not yet."

"You should prioritize this then."

"Partner's performance is enough to serve the purpose without me. Besides, I'll leave Arroganz behind"

Arroganz—the armor prepared exclusively for me is larger than the standard armor in this world.

"You're going to leave your master alone?"

"Are you lonely? Don't worry. We have artificial intelligence on board the Arroganz, and we have drones in place in Partner. You have nothing to worry about."

Lately, Luxion has been busy, flying around from place to place, away from my side. If I tell him I miss him for that, he'll say something sarcastic again, so I'll keep quiet.

"Artificial intelligence in the Arroganz? Your replica?"

"I'm sorry, but there's no way to replicate my kind of high-performance artificial intelligence in a space as small as Arroganz."

It's like he's trying to tell me he's a genius.

"But I can assure you that it is better than master."

"You're a real loudmouth. —and how did the investigation of the saint's necklace go?

"The investigation is currently on hold due to low priority."

"I want to know what's going on in the country. Make it a priority"

"I've already collected the magic flute. Isn't it unnecessary? Instead, our priority is to destroy the remains of the new humans. That is an objective that should be achieved."

As usual, he has no mercy for new humans. In a way, is it typical of Luxion? If you look at the harbor, drones are in the process of loading and unloading cargo.

To the untrained eye, it would look like they were using their armor to load and unload their cargo.

"Luxion, stay, we need your help,"

The current situation continued to be unpredictable, and I couldn't help but feel uneasy on my own. That's why I'm giving orders to Luxion—

"I'm judging it to be unnecessary. I don't think my performance will be needed. More importantly, if we leave the remains of the newcomers unattended and a problem arises, it will be a disaster. Like the master said, there is a possibility that the world could be destroyed." "Really?"

He's saying that if we leave the remains of the new mankind unattended, the world will be destroyed. I don't think this guy is going to lie to me, so should I make that a priority?

"I'll be back as soon as I can. —I'll be back as soon as I can. I'm sure Master will miss me."

"—That's quite an assumption."

I watched Luxion leave and I looked up at the sky."Is it really going to be this simple?"

◇

The Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Holfort.

There, Olivia is meeting with a traitor named Marquis of Frampton. The Marquess of Frampton himself believes himself to be a patriot who has sacrificed himself for his country, and he has no doubt about it.

But the way he did save the country could not be called patriotic.

Such was the Marquis of Frampton - Olivia. No, I don't hate saints. It's because she's more useful than the rest of us.

"It seems that Jilk is trying hard, too. He's doing some cute things so that I like him."

As Olivia read the report, the Marquis of Frampton was dismayed.

"You're receiving complaints every day from the nobles who have their children in the school,"

"Once Julius goes to war, there will be less complaints. It's a great honor to be part of the Crown Princes' first battle. Isn't it?"

"Well, I guess I'll just have to shut up. But do you really want to send His Highness Julius to war? He doesn't have any formal training, you know?"

He wasn't actually worried about Julius, but rather about the palanquin she carried.

It's the same with Olivia.

"There are plenty of alternatives available."

"You really are a terrible woman. For you to be a saint, this must be the end of the world."

At those words, Olivia laughed at the corners of her mouth in a position where the Marquis of Frampton couldn't see her. Her eyes were glazed over.

(You're right. It's the end of the world for the Kingdom of Holfort.) The saint in Olivia, who acts to destroy the kingdom of Holfort, orders the Marquis of Frampton.

"I'll be on the battlefield too. Prepare me a ship were I can use my power."

"Are you sure? It's a student-controlled fleet. You know how much damage you could do…"

"It's convenient. I'm leaving now."

The Marquis of Frampton stopped moving for a moment in front of Olivia's uncharacteristic childlike spirit. Immediately afterwards, he nodded impatiently.

"Okay."

As Olivia walked out of the room, Kyle, who was waiting outside, approached her.

"Gosh, Master, where to next?"

Olivia replies to the question from a nervous Kyle with a smile on her face."I'll follow Julius on his first battle. Kyle will be taking care of me too, so follow me."

"Yes!"

Even though she was heading to the battlefield, Olivia didn't show the slightest bit of panic.

It was because the saint had experienced this many times in the past.

◇

"Good job, Arroganz!"

"There! There! A little more to the right!" Partner's hangar.

Me and Marie were cheering on the unmanned, moving Arroganz. As for what Aroganz is doing—.

"—Miss."

—admitting that he made a mistake himself, he watched as the crates, stacked in a huge body, crumbled.

Arroganz is playing with the crates left over from the transport of supplies, using them as building blocks. —not.

Arroganz is gaining experience.

Arroganz, newly equipped with artificial intelligence, moves poorly. If it walks, it scrapes. If it flies, it falls for some reason. When he plays with blocks, he fails.

He's still like a tottering baby.

Such is the case with Arroganz as he heads for the corner of the hangar.

"Arroganz?"

Marie calls out to him, and he sits down with his back to us and stares at the wall.

"What's the matter with you, Arroganz? Are you sulking?"

Marie approaches and tries to get him to stand, but the weapon, Arroganz, doesn't freak out. And yet, he makes an excuse.

"—Recalculating."

"You're sulking, aren't you? You're definitely sulking! Come on, baby, do it again. You can do it again. Arroganz can do it!"

I was sitting on the crate watching Marie, who was desperately trying to encourage Arroganz.

The reason I'm watching the two of them interact is because I'm basically bored.

Even though we're out on the battlefield, we students are on a mission to transport supplies in the rear.

The regular army doesn't consider us a force, and we were told to never go into battle.

We should be glad that there are sane adults left in the field. Raymond comes to the hangar.

"Leon, we're about to arrive. Huh? Is Arroganz still playing with blocks?" "Isn't it cute?"

When I bragged about my no-good, cute Arroganz, Raymond didn't seem to understand.

"I don't believe in armour that works unattended. It's not like it's got a ghost on it or anything, is it?"

Raymond and his friends didn't understand when I told them that Arroganz is equipped with artificial intelligence.

Thanks to this, there are rumors that the Arroganz is carrying a ghost. The only people who come close to him are me and Marie.

I get out of the crate and call out to Marie and Arroganz.

"We're about to arrive. We're about to start unloading and you can get some rest."

"Recalculation is complete."

"I'll tell Arroganz to practice while I'm gone." "Just get some rest. We're going working."

When Marie came toward me, she put her hands on her hips. It's Marie's outfit, but since it's strange to be in uniform in a hangar, she's in her ties.

"I'm going to go talk to all the girls," "Do you want me to help you?"

"Of course! If you leave them alone, a lot of the boys go to their rooms. Besides, the boys work harder when they're around."

The boys who want to look good in front of girls will work even harder than usual

Men are sad creatures, aren't they? Raymond laughs.

"I don't blame them for doing so. Well, I'm going to go and talk to the guys."

In the hangar where they left, I look up at Arroganz.

"I don't think anything will come to pass, but if it something does happen, please lend me some help." "…acknowleged."

Arroganz responds briefly, raises his arms high—and hits the hanger crane. This robot is a big ditz.

◇

The volunteer army, led by His Highness Julius, was fighting the rebels.

Watching the battle from the bridge of the airship, Olivia smiled inwardly. She enjoys watching her allied ships sink.

(Yes. Sacrifice your young lives in vain. If you're going to hold a grudge against someone, hold it against your ancestors for making you a noble.)

Julius was shouting at the crew.

"Bring this ship to the frontlines! Our flank is being beaten."

"No! His Highness Julius has orders to not bring the flagship to the front!" "Whose orders?!"

"His Majesty the King!" "F**k!"

Out of concern for his allies, he tried to step forward. But when he found out it was an order by his father, His Majesty the King, he was forced to stop.

Olivia looked at Julius with a worried face. Inwardly, however, she wasn't the least bit worried.

(I thought this battle would go on for longer, so this is disappointing.

Still, seeing them fall is going to be interesting.) On the battlefield, the students with their armor, were battling the rebels. The rebels were a group of renowned air bandits.

They were ordered to retreat if they encountered the regular army, but the volunteer army was easy pickings.

The volunteer soldiers were dropping like flies, by the hands of these experienced men. They were fighting by the textbook.

The air bandits were rewarded for every dead soldier, and therefore fought with tenacity.

This was ordered by Marquis Frampton—and Olivia. Suddenly, Greg's voice was heard on the bridge.

It seems Greg boarded his armor and led his allies into battle."I'm going to help! You guys need support!"

Chris couldn't stand by either. He also led a group of students, with himself at the helm, into the battle.

"You just support them. I'm going to win this battle!"

As the two of them charged in, the bandits were pushed back. But they were experienced too, if you looked down on them, they could turn the

tables.

Chris was chasing them around, sword in hand."Don't run from me coward! Fight me!"

Julius and Jilk showed the same expression at the sight of him."Is the bandits' morale low?"

"Your Highness, I think it's as high as it gets. Now let us rescue our allies."

Seeing Julius, who already knew the bitterness of defeat, even in his first battle, Olivia snuggled up to him.

"Julius, you, the commander can't look down. Everyone is watching." "You're right. I'm not going to let some bandits defeat me."

Olivia smiled at Julius, who had recovered, but she was cold inside.

(It doesn't matter if you fall now anyways, since you're the next King of Holfort.)

◇

A collection point for supplies built on a floating island.

There, supplies were prepared to be delivered to each battlefield. Airships frequently came and went.

They were in a hurry. The harbor was overflowed with people and cargo. Marie and I were in a building in this port.

"We've been here so many times and yet, it's still always beautiful"

Marie watched the scene with admiration. Indeed, the scene of Armor modified for work carrying loads one after another seemed straight out of a sci-fi movie.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy this world so much. How much better it would be, if it weren't war related."Don’t leave, you'll get lost."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

While teasing Marie, I entered a building to get my next order. In it I found a poster plastered on a large bulletin board.

No, it looked like a newspaper.

There was a crowd of people surrounding it.

"I heard His Highness won his first battle."

"He's fighting really well with just a volunteer army." "It says he won three in a row."

The soldiers with the transport mission were shouting in admiration. It seems like His Highness's army was quite active.

Marie looked anxious.

"His Highness and the others aren't going to lose right?"

"Master said he's placed guards around His Highness, who will intervene if needed."

"If they're winning, they'll be fine. We won't all die, right? Right?" Marie looked uneasy until she heard the answer from me."Maybe."

"Maybe? Tell me everything is fine here! How could you not know? I'm insecure! I need you to take away my anxiety!"

"I'm an honest man and I'm a very reliable witness." "Twisted bastard!"

I took the complaining Marie and headed to the room where the big man was.

As for the article I just read, I deliberately avoided negative topics.

How much damage has been done? I don't want to think about it too much.

I want it to be as fluffy and sweet as that otome game world. I'm hoping for a great turn of events where no one dies and they come back.

—What I'm concerned about is that they didn't talk about the damage in the game. I hope they're all safe, but I'm not sure what's really going on. As we left, we stopped as we heard a topic of concern.

"Is the young girl on the battlefield too?"

"The Saint? They're saying she's the goddess of victory or something." "Cute kid."

When Marie heard Olivia's name, she was peeved."…'Saint', is it?"

"What, you're jealous? Come to think of it, someone tried to take the title of Saint and failed once."

I laughed at her, and Marie got pissed and denied it."It was just a dream! You're stupid forever!"

It was Marie who had tried to get into a meeting with His Highness Julius and the others in an attempt to replace Miss Olivia.

She even attempted made contact with them afterwards, but she failed every time.

It would mean that the mob would not be able to do their best, after all.

As I walked down the hallway talking to Marie, the building was emptied. Not just the soldiers, but even the knights walked out.

"What?"

I could hear the knights talking. One of the loudest ones was screaming to the puzzled knights.

"His Highness Julius is here!"

◇

Once His Highness Julius' arrived, he was warmly welcomed by the staff.

We poor aristocrats felt a bit alienated. After all, our highest priority was to resupply, not greet him.

Marie was back on board, but the boys had mixed expressions at the sight of the volunteer army.

I listened to Daniel and Raymonds' conversation as I surveyed the, now decreased in number, fleet.

"There were more than 10 ships at the start, right?"

"They must have gathered more after we left the academy, so there must have been more."

The others were also looking at His Highness with complicated expressions.

It's possible they routed, but if they didn't, chances are they sank."Consecutive victories, huh?"

Every ship except one was safe. The safe one was the flagship.

◇

At the base of the port, Olivia was conversing with the Marquis. Olivia held her glass and observed its contents.

"The Principality is acting quite laid back, isn't it?"

She was being sarcastic but the Marquis didn't mind making small talk."I see you've reduced the pirates by quite a bit."

"It wasn't really worth it."

"I've also seen His Highness. He's grown up a lot."

Olivia's shoulders shook. She was laughing inwardly. The Marquis craned his neck, puzzled by her attitude.

"What's so funny? He'll make a fine king, I'm sure." "Yeah, I know."

Despite her verbal affirmation, Olivia was inwardly thinking the opposite.

(Can you really call that growth?)

The Kingdom was going to collapse, just like Olivia predicted."More importantly, will the Duke of Redgrave make a move?"

Are you going to war with them? The marquis took a sip of his wine before answering.

"It's been arranged for Vince to be the commander-in-chief. Our faction will not participate in the first group, so we won't get sacrificed. But I've managed to rake in the Redgrave house and some other frontier houses.

They'll sacrifice themselves to take him down."

The Marquis is going to use this to weaken some nobles on the frontier too.

"While I'm at it, I'll remove all those who stand in my way. If no one joins me, others will get suspicious."

"They'll pull Vince down, and weaken themselves in the process. They may be a hindrance, but they'll serve us well."

"You're bad." Olivia raised her glass and smiled.

"I want this country and I'll do anything for it. And I'll be the Queen and you the Prime Minister. Let's continue to be friends, Prime Minister Frampton."

The Marquis was happy at those words.

◇

The Royal Castle of the Principality of Vanoss.

Hertrude was getting ready to lead their fleet into battle. There were maidservants around to help her get dressed, with no men in sight. It was her sister, Hertrauda, who barged into the room.

"Sister, please listen to me just once!"

Hertrude takes one look at Hertrauda's face and returns her gaze to the mirror disinterestedly.

"It's annoying, but without the magic flute the Principality will fall apart—"

"Why does that matter?!

"You are royalty, what are you saying?!"

Hertrude was enraged by Hertrauda's words, which made even the maidservants uneasy. She glares at her sister with a sharp look in her eyes

and slaps her as she approaches. A dry thud echoes through the room and the maidservant's distance themselves from the two. The head maidservant tries to warn Hertrude but she ignores her.

"Stand back, I have a lot of things to teach my inadequate sister." The head chamberlain stops her in a hurry—

"But we must hurry!" "Just leave."

The maidservants follow the command of Hertrude, intimidated by her tone, and leave the room.

Hertrauda looks at her sister with teary eyes, in the empty room.

"What was that remark? If you say something like that, the people will think they have been abandoned. Hertrauda, do you understand? You are to be the Queen if I don't return. I can't leave you in charge if you continue such behavior."

"Sister, please listen to me."

"That won't be necessary—I'll be leaving."

As Hertrude turned to leave the room, she signals with her hand to Hertrauda. Once Hertrude sees the look on Hertrauda's face, she feels relieved.

"I'll have Hertrauda reflect on this, don't let her leave the room." "Yes, Your Highness."

(I won't let anyone touch Hertrauda.)

◇

Locked in Hertrude's room, Hertrauda understood what the signal meant.

She found a letter prepared in advance and read it."—Sister…"

Tears spill out of her eyes as she reads it. On it, was an apology for Hertrude's previous attitude. It also said that there was no one she could trust. She doesn't know where they're watching from, so be careful.

Added in the letter were the names of some suspicious vassals. The first was Count Gerrat.

Sitting on the bed, Hertrauda clutches the letter with tears in her eyes. At the end of it, Hertrude requests her to burn it.

She might have to burn her sister's last letter."Everything will be taken from me…"

"We are supposed to be royalty, yet…"

She had just been informed of her powerlessness. Going up to the fireplace, Hertrauda burns the letter. After doing so, she cries and sobs in frustration.

"Of course, My Queen. No, My Saint."

The two smiled dimly, but it wasn't mutual trust. They were hungry to use each other.

◇

A military base at the goods depot.

Partner, who was ordered to stay on standby, was finally given a mission. I'm the one who talks with him, since Marie is busy with Arroganz.

There's an important man throwing orders in front of me. His attitude is clearly looking down on me, but this great man seems to be a noble. He's probably some far back in the succession line. He is definitely not happy with his assignment with commander of the goods depot.

"The Principality has moved, you volunteer army, go deliver supplies to the frontline."

"The Principality of Vanoss?" "Yes."

"Just us? Without an escort?"

"You think we have the wherewithal to do that on this base? We're busy over here. In a few days, new volunteer soldiers will arrive from the academy. We're busy preparing to receive them."

This base commander, he's trying to win over His Highness. I guess he's working hard, if His Highness remembers him here, he might make it to the top.

However, there's some information I couldn't ignore."More volunteer soldiers are coming?"

"After hearing about His Highness's victory, the remaining cowards seemed to have lifted a heavy hand. Other young nobles who graduated from the academy will also participate. We're planning to form a large fleet."

The commander, with no choice, is helping the organization of the fleet. Are they still going to rake in more students, after all the damage?

Moreover, they're fighting the regular army of the Principality.

As if the base commander thought he couldn't stay with me forever, he told me to get out of here.

When I left the room, I caught sight of a familiar face. It was the knight I saw at my brother Nicks's castle.

"Long time no see, Leon-sama." "Yeah, hi."

The knight held out a letter from Nicks."A letter from our lord to Master Leon." "My brother?"

"My lord has been asked to participate in this battle, he has been entrusted with the first line of defense."

I hurriedly skimmed the letter. It seems a lot of things were rushed while I was nonchalantly resting in Partner.

The letter states that the palace has ordered Nicks and Father to join the battle.

"It is an order from the Crown. The same goes for provincial barons or barons."

It can be seen that they are scrambling for strength in a great hurry.

After all, the rebels are running rampant in many places. The regular army can't handle it.

—it's like the same scenario as in the game.

In that otome game, the Redgrave family, who led the first group, should have been defeated. So Angelica's family would have failed.

That's why, it's not good to have my dad and brother there.

I don't want my dad to die, and if my brother dies, I feel sorry for my newly married sister-in-law Dorothy. I can't say this is a good scenario.

The letter said to take care of the rest if you need anything else, but I squeezed it.

"Master Leon, why are you squeezing the letter?" Nicks' knight is upset so I tell him what I'm going to do.

"We're going to participate. We're already planning to deliver supplies to the frontlines. I'm sure the rural nobles in the volunteer army want to support their parents."

The other guy is like, "What is he talking about?".

It can't be helped; I'm not going to leave it to the Redgrave family. Damn it! If only Luxion was here. He could gather more information. That guy is useless at the most important points.

◇

In the fort-like building in the goods depot, the students of the volunteer army led by Julius were holding feast.

There were no knights or soldiers to stop them. Partly because of Julius's position, but also because they had heard the losses of the volunteer army.

In the banquet hall, Julius acted cheerfully.

"My fellow warriors! Thanks to you, our army has won a series of battles! Now, let us enjoy the feast!"

"Long live Prince Julius!"

"We're the best of the volunteers!" "Even the Principality can be beaten!"

The volunteers, raised their mugs and answering Julius's voice, were drinking like they were bathing in alcohol. They were making fools of themselves.

However, compared to the early days, there were fewer of them. With each battle, the number of those Julius called his comrades-in-arms would dwindle. As a result, they were reduced to about half.

Every time they fought, many of them lost their lives, and even the executive class students who participated with their airships were killed in the battle.

Alan was not here either.

Lloyd was also not here. Greg, and Chris and Brad and the others had formed their own groups and were drinking.

Julius is approached by Jilk.

Only Julius and the other noblemen—the boys who weren't the targets of the attack—were safe.

"Your Highness, the report arrived just now." "Oh, how'd it go?"

"New volunteers are arriving from the school. Even the alumni heard of our successes."

The banquet hall is in full swing at the report of a smiling Jilk. Julius stood on a chair and drew the attention of those around him."Did you all hear what Jilk just said? Our exploits have reached the

Capital! Let us continue to fight a decisive battle against the Principality,

and have our name engraved in the history of the kingdom!" The banquet hall was filled with the excitement of the students. Julius put a hand to his chest.

"And let us pray for our dead comrades in arms. They were brave. They will continue to watch over us."

As the audience gets excited, Greg raises his voice.

"Our passed friends would like it too! Come on, people! Let's gain a big victory and make sure our dead comrades aren't forgotten!"

Once again, the banquet hall was in full swing.

It was as if they were daring to make a lot of noise to force themselves to forget the events on the battlefield.

◇

The front line.

Leon quickly departed with the rest of the nobles and arrived. Upon his arrival, two ships with the Bartford family crescent approached him.

Soon, they covered both his flanks. This resulted in Partner being sandwiched between the two. On one side, the ship with his father, and the other, the ship with his brother.

After blocking his escape route, Leon's brother, Nicks, boarded the ship."What are you doing on a battlefield?!"

"Don't be so mad. Even if we die, we have Colin."

"Don’t jinx it! Besides, what's that young boy going to do after our deaths?! That's one of the reasons me and dad came here instead of you!"

If Colin came to the battlefield, I too would be angry. I can understand brothers' anger.

My father was also stunned.

"Leon, why did you come to the battlefield? You don't have any heroic aspirations, right?"

My father, who knows my character well, wants to know what I want. Is wanting to prevent your family's death a heroic aspiration?

I may not have Luxion, but I have Arroganz and Partner. It's not like we're lacking in skill.

I can take care of the Principality without my trump card (Luxion).

—There's only one problem.

"I'm leading a group of weak (in political power, not physical strength) nobles in the volunteer army. They want to aid their families, who live around here."

"Is that really why you're here? Tell me the truth." It's sad, my dad is suspecting me of lying.

"I was worried about my family." Nicks gave me a distant look.

"You're lying."

"Why would I?! I was so worried about you guys, that I showed up here on a battlefield! You need to trust your brother more!"

"A brother who cares about his family wouldn't sell his brother out to some woman!"

"I'm going to tell sister-in-law!" "No, stop! That's unfair!"

—Please don't tell me I sold you out. All I did was introduce a possible marriage partner.

Even if she has a bit of a character, she's still a beauty.

"Relax, both of you. He won't be able to go back home, so we'll have him in the rear with you."

My dad had a resigned look on his face.

I'm sorry, but I'm not so heartless as to abandon my family. If I had to choose between others or my family, it'd be my family.

"Leon, this isn't the same kind of fight as the one with the Olfreys and the Lovans. Are you ready for this?"

At his words I straightened my posture and nodded slowly. Not averting my gaze from his sharp eyes.

"I see. So you're still a stupid kid."

Next to my dad, who let out a sigh, Nix was a little irritated. Not at me, it was at our older brother, Rutart, who wasn't here.

"Dad, are you sure you don't want to call Big Brother Rutart?"

Rutart, Zora and the rest of the family were as uncooperative as ever. They were jealous of Nix, who took over the Olfrey household's Earl ranking and estate.

Rutart also isn't participating in this battle. Though that's not a problem, since only one representative is needed from each house.

But if my father was to die, the Bartford family would be finished.

If Rutart, who is unable to manage our domain effectively, takes over, it could spell the end for the Bartford family.

Nix didn't hide his hope that Rutart would die before dad.

Let's tease him a bit~

"Nix is quite an extremist. You didn't plan to kill Rutart yourself on the battlefield to prevent him from inheriting right~?"

Nix wrinkles his brow at my attitude, but quickly averts his gaze.

—Hey, you didn't, right?

Retracting his gaze, Nix says he's going to tell me everything. As long as I don't tell anyone else of course.

"Dorothea's vassals investigated the situation, to find one of Zora family's weaknesses and keep them from messing with us."

Zora's family want to get rid of Nix so they can inherit the Earl estate and rank.

In order to prevent them from doing anything, Dorothea sister-in-law has been working hard. Real nobles are amazing.

"Doesn't Zora have a paramour? Supposedly, he looks like Rutart, blonde hair, blue eyes. Nothing like us."

Unlike us, who are dark haired, my brother and sister, Rutart and Merce are blonde and have blue eyes.

My father probably noticed, since he doesn't seem surprised. <