Volume 5 Chapter 10
Chapter 10 – Villain
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Part 1
Marie went outside to the corridor with Lelia.

The two of them were breathing hard.

Lelia seemed to be losing her composure from the shock that Louise was genuinely hating her.

She pressed her chest and complained about what just happened.

「What’s with that woman. Even though she is the villainess──even though she is the culprit that tormented us until now, she dared acting like the victim.」

Marie asked Lelia.

「Let’s leave her to big bro. More importantly, about Loic. He was really a bad news. Have you checked on Noelle properly?」

Lelia answered in agitation.

「I did! I also met big sis directly! Big sis herself said that she is fine, and Loic said the collar is for her safety!」

Marie looked at Lelia’s behavior and judged that she was useless.

(This girl, she was completely cajoled with words.)

Lelia couldn’t see through Loic’s true nature.

Loic too was acting as someone harmless in front of Lelia.

(So Loic can easily deceive the like of Lelia when he get serious. Hm? Wait──collar? I think there was an event when Loic brought a collar──ah!!)

Marie told Lelia that the situation right now was really bad.

「Collar. That’s right, it’s the bad end collar! It’s dangerous if Loic brought out the collar. You also know right? We can’t just leave things like this so work with us.」

Lelia glared at Marie who was saying that.

「Even Loic won’t collar big sis if you guys didn’t do anything unnecessary. He didn’t have any other choice but to put the collar on big sis to protect her from you guys.」

「Haa!? The collar is already on her when big bro went to save her. ──Wait. You, you had played the second game properly right? You had seen Loic’s bad end right!?」

Marie got a bad premonition here.

Perhaps Lelia’s knowledge of the second game was actually half-baked, just like herself? She got that kind of feeling.

And that feeling was right on the mark.

「I didn’t watch any of the bad end! The game guide said that two-timing is dangerous, so I avoided from doing that in the game.」

In that otome game’s sequel, bad end would be waiting if the player were carelessly two-timing.

Loic would bring out the collar if he saw a dangerous sign in his relationship with Noelle.

「I-idiot! If the collar that Loic brought out is a special item, then that’ll be a straight line to the bad end!」

「──Heh?」

Lelia looked like she really didn’t know anything.

「You said that you watched the true end right!?」

The true end that could be said as the real ending. Lelia said that she had watched it.

Lelia averted her gaze from Marie.

「I, I progressed through the game following the game guide, so I didn’t see the bad ends.」

Marie held her head in frustration.

「Stuppidddd!! At this rate things will go straight to bad end!」

「B-because. I don’t want to see something like bad end! Besides, it looked like things were going fine!」

「Forget about it, you work together with us. Crap. Crap, crap. I need to tell big bro! At this rate, Noelle will──」

Lelia became uneasy seeing how panicked Marie was.

「I-is it really that bad?」

「At this rate Loic is going to confine Noelle! If things go like in the game, there won’t be any love between the two. That’s why the guardian won’t be born and Alzer will get destroyed.」

「That’ll be troubling!」

Marie was irritated by Lelia’s reaction.

(This girl, she isn’t worrying about Noelle!)

「Anyway! ──Work together with us. Loic right now is dangerous.」

Lelia casted her eyes downward.

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Part 2
I was sitting on the sofa inside the room with Louise-san.

I was hugging her from behind.

She was struggling and crying just now but──she was calming down right now.

Louise-san talked about the past piece by piece.

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「──You see, there was a talk of engagement between my little brother Leon and Noelle. What’s more it was Lespinasse House that suggested it.」

「So there was something like that.」

「It was a stupid story. Originally Otou-sama should be the one chosen as the guardian. And yet they acted like they hadn’t done anything wrong and said that they need Rault House’s strength.」

It seemed something happened in the past. Luxion summarized the story so it was easier for me to understand.

『The priestess who broke her engagement with Albergue in the past shamelessly brought up an engagement talk between her daughter and Albergue’s son. Well, it might be the result of an effort for each sides to let the bygones be bygones at the next generation.』

If Leon-kun of Rault House got married with Noelle and became the guardian, then it would also be beneficial for Rault House.

But Louise-san looked like she couldn’t accept it.

「And yet, when Leon died the previous priestess and guardian didn’t even show up at his burial. They sent a representative and that was all.」

That was certainly a rude attitude.

Perhaps there was a circumstance in Alzer at that time?

「Is it normal to send representative for that kind of thing?」

「──It sometimes happened if there was a reason, even then Leon was a legitimate son of Rault House. The other houses sent their heir at minimum to participate in the burial. And yet they」

From what I heard, Lespinasse House was also──really horrible weren’t they?

Their attitude toward Rault House was too poor.

They were at the side of justice in the second game right? Then why did they act like that?

「──I hated those two who didn’t know anything. I hate them, really hate them──but, when the engagement was decided, Leon looked happy when he saw the girl’s photo. Onee-chan, my wife is a beauty see──he was really excited like that. Otou-sama was also smiling wryly.」

W-wasn’t that too carefree? Leon-kun, shouldn’t you read the atmosphere a bit more?

But, he was five years old. Well, perhaps it couldn’t be helped that he didn’t know the circumstance?

「He wanted to meet with Noelle. He even said precocious things like, I’ll make her happy. ──If only he didn’t say something like that, then even I…」

Did Louise-san protect Noelle because Leon-kun took a liking to Noelle?

This person was also a busybody huh.

「Even so, you were actually protecting Noelle. Because other people won’t be able to do anything to her while you are picking a quarrel with her.」

So this person was protecting Noelle form troublesome guys like Pierre.

The situation was too complicated that I was at a loss.

It would be better if the bad guy was more malicious.

If not──it would make me felt bad when making the decision.

「──It was because Otou-sama was also asking me. He said that those two are innocent. I told Otou-sama that it would be dangerous if those two become priestess. But, Otou-sama said that won’t happen.」

──He thought that they wouldn’t become priestess?

What does that mean?

There I recalled the thing that Luxion mentioned.

Why did Lespinasse House lose against Rault House that was lower ranked?

「But, now that this happen there is nothing that we can do. If Noelle is chosen as the priestess, then even Otou-sama won’t be able to do anything to oppose it.」

「That is, even if she is the priestess of the sapling?」

「There is also the possibility of that huh. But, what’s important is the existence of priestess. That’s just how important the priestess is in our country. No one will mind even if she’s the priestess of the sapling instead of the current sacred tree.」

「Aa~, as I thought.」

I was able to confirm that this didn’t change Noelle’s value at all.

Like this, it would be difficult to save her.

Louise-san grabbed my hand.

「Hey──do you want to save Noelle?」

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Part 3
In a waiting room of the party venue.

Noelle was pushed into there after she finished meeting the members of the six great nobles──the heads of the houses.

Noelle was sitting in front of a mirror with Loic hugging her from behind.

Noelle was getting goosebumps, but she endured it and showed no reaction.

She would only get hit if she showed her dislike.

「Noelle, Leon came to the party you know?」

「Tsu!」

Loic’s expression vanished when Noelle reacted to that.

He grabbed Noelle’s side ponytail violently and forcefully made her faced him.

「Do you like that man that much? You who are the priestess are choosing a foreigner!?」

Loic violently threw Noelle who was sitting. His breathing was rough.

But he immediately ran to Noelle and hugged her.

「I’m sorry Noelle. I don’t want to hurt you. But, it’s your fault because you’re thinking of other man.」

Loic was always acting like this after he inflicted violence to Noelle. His mind was unstable.

He would suddenly be kind.

It became painful for Noelle to think when she was in this kind of situation for days.

Besides,

(I won’t be able to run anyway.)

The collar wouldn’t allow Noelle to get away from Loic.

If she was unable to escape, she had no choice other than to obey.

If she recklessly tried to escape, she would only suffer.

「Noelle, our marriage ceremony will come soon. After that no one will be able to get in the way of our bond anymore. I’ll protect you if I’m chosen as the guardian.」

Noelle didn’t say anything to Loic.

Loic was irritated by that attitude and pressed down Noelle’s head.

He pressed her head on the floor and grinded her head down.

「Noelle, why won’t you understand my love!? You are always, always!」

Noelle was waiting for Loic’s violence to end.

(I want to go home. Someone save me. ──Leon)

She wanted to escape, but she couldn’t.

Noelle was enduring the hopeless situation alone.

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Part 4
An expressionless Cordelia-san welcomed me when I returned to Marie’s mansion.

「Welcome back Leon-sama. ──Did you have fun going to a party together with Marie-sama?」

「It was fun. I was able to get over a lot of things there.」

「──That’s good to hear.」

Her gaze became even colder than before.

Yumeria-san was also beside her. She took the jacket that I took off.

「It must be hard for nobles with so many parties to attend like this.」

Unlike Cordelia-san, this maid was warm and healing me.

Marie was making a tired face.

「Geez, it feels like my head will burst. There is nothing but trouble. I couldn’t even eat the food.」

After that we had a talk about what we were going to do.

It was a great outcome that we managed to obtain the cooperation of Albergue-san and Louise-san.

Julius showed up when we returned home.

「So you two have returned. And, what’s the situation now?」

I explained simply.

「It’s really a power struggle. I got the impression that Barriere House wants to oust down Rault House and drag the surrounding with them to do it.」

They were fully motivated to make use of the existence of the priestess that couldn’t be ignored by anyone to rise higher in status.

Loic himself was fixated with Noelle, but his head of the house Bellange was aiming for the seat of acting chairman.

No, should I say that he wanted the position to control the commonwealth?

Julius nodded.

「So it’s just as we thought. Everyone has already gathered.」

We entered the room where the five idiots and──Kyle and Cara were waiting.

It was just the dining room though.

Everyone looked nervous when I and Marie came.

After Marie sat on her chair, Cara prepared water for her.

Kyle was the one who brought me water, so I took the glass and drank it all in one gulp before wiping my mouth.

「It’s vexing but the situation is just as you guys thought. Setting aside Loic, the commonwealth’s bunches are starting a power struggle by making use of Noelle.」

Jilk didn’t look particularly surprised.

「That’s how it is. I gathered information at the embassy. I found out that right now Barriere House is using various ways in order to obtain the sapling.」

Brad looked slightly troubled.

「There will be officials who turn traitor if they are offered a lot of money, and it will be troublesome if officials at the level of cabinet minister got bribed. It will be better to settle this before that happen.」

Greg was──why aren’t you wearing any shirt? Wear clothes you idiot, clothes!

「A country’s benefit and a personal benefit aren’t the same thing after all. Even if we secure Noelle quickly, Alzer is a rich country. It’ll be troublesome if they use a lot of fund to use underhanded tricks.」

Next was Chris but──why wasn’t this guys wearing pants?

「We need to decide the battle decisively in a short time. After we save her let’s ask her majesty the queen to shelter Noelle. That person will prioritize the country’s interest rather than her own personal interest.」

Roland’s name didn’t come out here. It was clear that our country’s central pillar wasn’t him but Mylene-san.

Marie lie down on the table.

「In the end it will still be problematic even after we rescue her. Aa~, there are too many troubles. Isn’t there any way to easily resolve this?」

I also felt the same.

That was why, I would settle this problem neatly.

Julius looked at me.

「Bartfalt, what are you going to do? If it’s possible to rescue her, we can just leave the rest to mother at the kingdom. Just as Chris said, mother will prioritize the country’s interest. She will surely protect Noelle.」

That wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t good.

I was a coward, so I wanted to remove as many seeds of future problem as possible.

Besides, there was also Rachelle’s diplomat in this country.

It was a country that was in dispute with Mylene-san’s home country.

If the commonwealth got serious, they would surely support Holy Kingdom Rachelle.

They would also support the countries that were in dispute with the kingdom to harass us.

We also didn’t know how long it would take until the sapling could display the same power like the sacred tree.

Would Mylene-san help Noelle even if she had to turn everyone around her into enemy?

As a coward I couldn’t accept a method that would leave so much anxiety.

「No good. If Alzer get serious, even Mylene-san might not be able to completely protect Noelle. It will be really troublesome if they come to us with underhanded tricks. That’s why──I’ll break the pride of this country.」

Julius made a troubled face when I said that I would break their pride.

But, he didn’t reject my opinion.

「Do you have some kind of ingenious idea? It’s not easy to break a country’s pride. Are you planning to rampage with Einhorn again?」

「Are you thinking of me as such predictable person? I’m not a barbarian who will turn to something like war when I’m troubled. I’ll solve this more peacefully.」

Jilk shrugged and smiled.

「Peacefully is it? If only the peace in the count’s dictionary has the same meaning like our definition of peaceful.」

These guys got a lot of thorns in his words.

「Don’t worry, I’ll snap their pride for sure. Now then, we got to rescue Noelle first before that. I’m thinking to do it in the day of the marriage ceremony, what do you guys think?」

If you’re going to do something, do it thoroughly.

Marie looked excited hearing my proposal.

「Finally Leon is getting serious! But, the enemy will also strengthen their security at the day of the marriage ceremony won’t they?」

Chris put his hand on his chin and added on Marie’s opinion.

「They assuredly will. It will be an important day for the commonwealth. They will surely gather a lot of soldiers and knights. In addition, the six great nobles will also gather at that day. If we cause a ruckus at such place, Barriere House will lose face──don’t tell me, that’s your aim?」

Making Barriere House lose face.

That was certainly tempting. It was one of the things that I was aiming for.

But, the enemy would only get angry with just that much.

「Do you think I’ll end it with just that?」

Greg shook his head.

「Not at all. You’re a human who can do something even more horrible.」

Thanks for the praise.

I absolutely wouldn’t forget those words so you better remember this.

I spread out my hands in front of the eight people.

「Now, let’s begin──we’re going to break Alzer’s pride so they won’t be able to oppose us again.」

Everyone hesitantly cheered 「O-ou」 and raised their fist.

Be louder!

It would be the fun time after this.

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Part 5
Marie’s mansion was enveloped in a sinister quiet in preparation for the marriage ceremony.

Cordelia was irritated.

「Really, just what is he thinking.」

Yumeria who was working together with her was looking worriedly at Cordelia.

「Will Leon-sama and others be alright?」

Creare was watching the two of them.

『They will be fine. Don’t worry about that, just remember to buy the ingredients for eleven people when you two are going out for shopping okay?』

Cordelia looked at the sofa. On the sofa was a doll with Leon’s face drawn.

The dolls of Julius and others who weren’t home were also placed at other spots.

Sometimes robots would move their location.

Cordelia didn’t understand just what they were doing.

「What is the meaning of doing this?」

『Oh, this is something very important you know? More importantly, aren’t you acting too cold toward master? If you’re a maid who are dispatched from a duke house, you should know that it’s not good to mix work with personal affairs.』

「It’s because Leon-sama! ──It’s because he is close with Marie even though he already has a wonderful fiancée like Angelica-sama.」

Yumeria tilted her head when she heard Cordelia’s worry.

「Eh? But, although Leon-sama and Marie-sama are getting along well, it’s not in the romantic sense at all.」

「Eh, is that true?」

「Yes. H-how I should say it──it feels like they are brother and sister.」

Cordelia couldn’t say anything back after hearing that.

Cordelia had no experience going out with male.

It had been decided that she would serve the duke house since she was little. She also had a firm sense of virtue in her time as student and refrained from any romance.

In other words, she had no experience.

Creare also didn’t deny Yumeria’s opinion.

『Right. They are like brother and sister aren’t they?』

「N-now that you mention it, I can kind of see it──b-but, it’s a fact that right now Leon-sama is getting hooked on other woman!!」

『Oh, isn’t it fine? Master is risking his life in order to save a poor woman who forced into marriage against her will. Isn’t this what they call chivalry?』

「Political marriage is a common happening. If he get in the way of that and cause an international incident, how many people will be troubled by that do you think?」

『Oh, are you in the supporting faction of political marriage? But the romance novels in your room also has the genre of a man coming to rescue his lover who is forced into political marriage isn’t it?』

「H-how do you know that!? B-besides, reality and fantasy are different. Dream is beautiful because they are dream!」

Cordelia was acting like a dreaming teenage girl.

Yumeria was worried about Noelle.

「But, I heard that this woman is treated violently. The person herself also doesn’t wish for the marriage. I don’t really understand because the circumstance is too complicated but, I hope that she can be rescued.」

Cordelia sighed.

「Even I also wish for that, but there is also the bigger matter of the country. There are things where an individual shouldn’t do as they please.」

Creare gave an advice to Cordelia there.

『I can understand you feeling too but, I hope you will evaluate master more closely without any biased view.』

Biased view──certainly when it came to Leon, her assessment would become slightly harsher.

Cordelia reflected on that.

Cordelia was also a maid who was working in this mansion.

She would immediately find out if Leon and Marie were in a romantic relationship, but she had never found any proof of that until now.

「Understood. There are also things that I should reflect on. I shall believe on Leon-sama more. But, will these things really be useful?」

Leon’s doll that was sitting on the sofa leaned to the side and fell down.

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Part 6
There were silhouettes outside the mansion observing the situation inside.

They were hiding behind other building’s cover while constantly keeping watch.

A pair of the watchers checked their watch.

「It will be time soon. How is the situation inside the mansion?」

「There is little movement. The eleven people are inside the mansion.」

「Watch them carefully. Today is an important day.」

「That’s fine and all but, how about the harbor? There are two of the one-horned ships right?」

「The security fleet is on guard over there. The military is also dispatched, but there is no movement. There isn’t anyone boarding the ships, so we can rest assured.」

The pair continued monitoring the mansion.

「──Even so, there is too little movement.」

「There is no problem as long as they are staying inside the mansion. If we can go through today, Loic-sama will become the guardian and we will also get released from this task.」

The lookouts who were dispatched from Barriere House were watching the mansion.

It was also the same at the harbor.

They didn’t care of appearance anymore and even had a fleet watching Einhorn and Licorne.

If Leon and others made any movement, Loic would be immediately notified.

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Part 7
The sacred tree temple.

It was a place for the six great nobles to have meeting, but it was also used when the priestess was holding a ceremony.

Its usage was permitted today because the priestess would marry.

The members of the six great nobles who gathered in there were singing the praises of Loic.

The head of Faiviel House Lambert(ランベール) and the likes were blatantly buttering him up.

「Haha~, this is truly a joyous occasion. With this the guardian will be reinstated in Alzer. After all we can’t let the brat from the kingdom to keep swaggering arrogantly forever. I have great expectation for you Loic-kun.」

The guardian would be able to receive the greatest blessing from the sacred tree.

The power from that would be immense.

Loic was gathering expectations on himself.

「Noelle is the priestess of the sapling you know? We still don’t know how much power the guardian will be able to draw.」

「I-is that so? But, it’s still really joyous for the priestess and the guardian to come back. With this Alzer can also be in peace.」

They obtained a new sacred tree’s priestess.

Just that was already a good news for the commonwealth.

And then right now the priestess was going to choose the guardian.

The six great nobles were also holding big expectation.

Bellange glanced at Albergue.

「It has been a long time since a guardian appeared from among the six great nobles. The previous guardian was a commoner after all. Isn’t that right Albergue?」

It was sarcasm toward Albergue.

Albergue closed his eyes and didn’t reply.

Albergue was folding his arms without saying anything. Fernand was beside him.

「Acting chairman, you mustn’t pay him any mind.」

Albergue was surly.

After Fernand soothed him down, he gave his blessing to Loic.

「I know. ──Loic-kun, allow me to give you my congratulations.」

「Thank you very much, acting chairman.」

「This is an advice from me who was unable to obtain the guardian’s crest in the past. Don’t let your guard down till the very end.」

Albergue only said that and left the room. Bellange scoffed at him.

Fernand also followed Albergue and left the room, but before he went out he exchanged glance with Loic.

After the two of them went out, Bellange laughed.

「That was the howling of the loser. That guy is a pathetic man whose engagement with the priestess was canceled by the priestess herself. Loic, don’t pay him any mind.」

「I know father. Even so, the acting chairman is also a pitiful person. After all he hasn’t noticed that Fernand has jumped ship to our side.」

The other heads started to talk.

「Didn’t the two of them quarreled a little yesterday?」

「He was argued down by that brat Fernand. In the end Albergue isn’t that much of a big deal.」

「I’m looking forward to see what kind of face he will make when he learn Fernand’s betrayal.」

All the houses other than Rault House were showing unity.

Something like this was extremely rare.

Loic said his thanks to Leon in his heart.

(We are united thanks to you. My thanks, sir hero.)

Ironically, the six great nobles were showing unity with Bellange at the center in front of the threat that came from Leon.

They were also feeling anxious because Albergue’s attitude toward Leon looked servile to them.

Loic appeared like a light of hope at that timing.

(Your existence lent strength to me. The flow of the era is completely at my side. You can just watch from outside without being able to do anything.)

Loic was convinced of his victory.

Then a retainer of Barriere House entered the room.

「Everyone, it will be time soon.」

The marriage ceremony of Noelle and Loic was going to begin.